The U.N. Security Council on Monday agreed on its toughest-ever sanctions against North Korea that passed unanimously after the United States softened its initial demands to win support from China and Russia.

The sanctions set limits on North Koreas oil imports and banned its textile exports in an effort to deprive the reclusive nation of the income it needs to maintain its nuclear and ballistic missile program and increase the pressure to negotiate a way out of punishing sanctions.

Today, we are attempting to take the future of the North Korean nuclear program out of the hands of its outlaw regime, said Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

[Why havent sanctions on North Korea worked? Two very different theories.]

Today, we are saying the world will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea, she added. And today the Security Council is saying if North Korea does not halt its nuclear program, we will act to stop it ourselves.

The new sanctions come on top of previous ones that cut into North Koreas exports of coal, iron ore and seafood. Haley said that more than 90 percent of North Koreas reported exports are now fully banned by sanctions.

The new sanctions ratchet up the pressure on North Korea, though they are far less sweeping than what Washington originally sought after Pyongyang carried out its sixth and most potent nuclear test Sept. 3. But the United States agreed to drop several key demands, and toned down others, to keep China and Russia from exercising their veto over the measure.

Just a week ago, Haley urged the strongest possible sanctions on North Korea. Among the measures Washington pushed in an initial draft were a complete oil embargo and an asset freeze and global travel ban on leader Kim Jong Un. During negotiations last week and through the weekend, the embargo became a cap, and the punitive measures against the leader were dropped.

Though toned down, the sanctions are potentially far-reaching in their ability to shave as much as $1.3 billion from North Koreas revenue.

Under the Security Council resolution, imports of both refined and crude oil will be capped at 8.5 million barrels a year, which Haley said represents a 30 percent cut. Natural gas and condensates also were prohibited to close off possible alternative fuels. In addition, textiles, which last year accounted for $726 million, representing more than a quarter of North Koreas export income, are banned.

In an effort to curb smuggling, the resolution allows countries to demand the inspection of ships suspected of carrying North Korean goods, though a U.S. proposal to allow the ships to be challenged with military force was dropped. But ships proven to be abetting Pyongyangs efforts to evade sanctions are subject to an asset freeze and may be barred from sailing into ports.

And in a separate measure that will not take effect immediately, countries will be required not to renew contracts for an estimated 93,000 North Korean guest workers who labor overseas. According to U.S. assessments, their salaries bring the North Korean government $500 million a year.

In her remarks at the Security Council, Haley evoked the lessons of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon 16 years ago.

That day, the United States saw that mass murder can come from a clear blue sky on a beautiful Tuesday morning, she said. But today, the threat to the United States and the world is not coming out of the blue. The North Korean regime has demonstrated that it will not act on its own to end its nuclear program. The civilized world must do what the regime refuses to do. We must stop its march toward a nuclear arsenal with the ability to deliver it anywhere in the world.

Haley said the United States is not seeking war with North Korea, which she said had not yet passed the point of no return.

If it agrees to stop its nuclear program, it can reclaim its future, she said. If it proves it can live in peace, the world will live in peace with it.

In recent days, the United States and its allies spent the past several days trying to come up with a resolution that would be acceptable to Moscow and Beijing.

Chinese analysts believe the country will continue to take an incremental approach.

Its not that Beijing is not angry with Kim  it is. But Beijing worries that instability in North Korea will hurt Chinese interests.

Recent weapons tests have literally shaken Chinese border areas, and residents worry about nuclear fallout. Chinese authorities worry conflict could send North Korean refugees streaming across the border or bring U.S. troops closer to their door.

Beijing has multiple, complex strategic considerations, said Michael Kovrig, a senior adviser at the International Crisis Group. It wants to send a message to Kim Jong Un that his nuclear program is unacceptable and to punish bad behavior, but it does not want to trigger North Koreas collapse or turn its neighbor into a permanent enemy.

Crude oil supply is vital to North Korea, particularly its military. A complete cutoff could be perceived in Pyongyang as an existential threat to the regime, Kovrig said. So China needs to seriously consider the chaos  political and otherwise  that could ensue.

And the timing is key. Once China employs its economic leverage, it loses it as a further bargaining tool, Kovrig said. Thats why in the past, China has tried to calibrate sanctions to punish but not strangle North Korea.

Haley praised Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying the Security Council resolution would not have happened without the relationship between Xi and President Trump.

Russia, itself the subject of sanctions over Ukraine, has called sanctions against Moscow illegal. Russias ambassador to the U.N., Vasilly Nebenzia, said Moscow believes it would be wrong to allow North Koreas nuclear test to go unanswered. But he criticized the United States for not assuring Pyongyang that Washington does not seek war or regime change.

Were convinced that diverting the menace posed by North Korea could be done not by more sanctions but by political means, he said.

In Pyongyang, North Koreas Foreign Ministry on Monday issued a statement warning the United States will pay a due price if it pursues stronger sanctions.

The forthcoming measures to be taken by the [Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea] will cause the U.S. the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history, according to the statement released by the Korean Central News Agency.

Read more:

U.N. imposes new sanctions on North Korea following missile tests

How to escape North Korea

Trump renews threat of force against North Korea over nuclear weapons

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
It is 4:30 a.m. and pitch dark when the sick Syrian children and their mothers begin to cross into Israel.

Theres a 1-year-old girl with a squint, and a 2-year-old with a birth defect that prevents him from walking. The family of a slight 12-year-old is concerned that she is not growing. One child has a rash, another a rattling cough.

They emerge from the darkness into the yellow glare of the security lights on the Israeli side of the fence in the occupied Golan Heights, where they are searched before being allowed through. There are 19 children in total, a smaller group than most that appear roughly every week.

The children are allowed in as part of Israels Good Neighbors program, which began treating injured Syrian fighters and civilians in the early days of their countrys civil war but has expanded into a more complex operation that also sends fuel, food and supplies into Syria.

Israeli officials stress the humanitarian aspect of the program, but it has another aim: to create a friendly zone just inside Syria to serve as a bulwark against Israels archenemy, the Shiite movement Hezbollah.



A clown entertains a Syrian child waiting for treatment at a hospital in Israel. (SufianTaha/The Washington Post)

Israel has watched anxiously as President Bashar al-Assad has taken the upper hand in Syrias war with the aid of Hezbollah and Iran, its main backer, which are building their presence across the border.

But for the moment at least, Sunni rebel groups control most of the Syrian side of the 45-mile boundary between the two countries. Israel hopes to keep it that way.

Israeli military officers denied giving direct assistance to any of the Sunni groups along the border fence that oppose Hezbollah and the Syrian regime, or even coordinating humanitarian aid with them. But a former senior intelligence officer with the Israel Defense Forces said Israel has provided support to about a dozen groups, and may have given financial assistance here and there.

First of all, it had to do with morals. People were injured on the other side of the border, coming to our fence  they were going to die, said Brig. Gen. Eli Ben-Meir, who served as the head of the research and analysis division in the IDFs intelligence corps until last year. Then it led to a lot of other things.

It was in 2013, Israeli military officials say, when the first group of injured Syrians approached the Israeli fence on the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau that Israel partially captured from Syria in 1967 and later annexed, a move not recognized internationally.

Israel has now treated more than 3,000 wounded Syrians, military officials say, though a Syrian medic on the other side of the border said the number traveling for care appeared to be higher.

As fighting has died down along the border, Israel has started offering medical care for more-routine ailments. More than 600 Syrian children have been bused to Israeli hospitals for treatment in the past year.

[For the first time, Israel describes the aid work it carries out in Syria]

Israel has transferred 360 tons of food, nearly 120,000 gallons of gasoline, 90 pallets of drugs, and 50 tons of clothing as well as generators, water piping and building materials, the IDF says.

There was an understanding that if we werent there, somebody else would influence them, Ben-Meir said. The humanitarian motivation was huge, he added. But the more it got bigger and expanded, the more it had to do with winning these hearts and minds.

Closer ties also mean richer intelligence. Officially, Israel has maintained a neutral position in Syrias war, but it has intervened to protect its interests. Throughout the conflict, assassinations and airstrikes in Syria have been attributed to Israel, though the government rarely publicly acknowledges them.

In the latest strike, on Thursday, Syria accused Israel of bombing a military facility linked to rocket production for Hezbollah.

The program is reminiscent of the early days of Israel's "Good Fence" program in Lebanon as civil war broke out there in 1975. The defense minister at the time, Shimon Peres, stressed the purely humanitarian nature of the project to establish a "good neighborhood" as Israel treated Lebanese refugees and sent assistance to the country's south with "no strings attached."

But then Israel was also trying to prevent encroachment by Palestinian guerrillas, and threw its support behind the South Lebanon Army.

Its easy to assume that we are doing it because someone you give a favor to, you get one back, said Maj. Sergey Kutikov, head of the Good Neighbors medical department, as he walked toward the border to meet the patients. The IDF members leave their military vehicles behind, so as not to attract attention. But the reason in my mind is really to give humanitarian aid.

Unlike Syrias other neighbors, Israel does not take in refugees, though it recently agreed to accept 100 Syrian orphans. Israel has been in a state of war with its northern neighbor for nearly 70 years.

They always look stressed when they cross, Kutikov said. They dont know what to expect.

As the sky began to lighten, the families boarded a bus to make the nearly hour-long journey to a hospital on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. The Syrians are given priority over other patients, staff members said. The top specialists were summoned. A clown entertained the children.

The regime left us nothing, said a Syrian doctor who crossed with the group. He said two rockets landed in his operating room a year ago. He began coming two months ago, despite being afraid of the consequences of people finding out. I did it for the sake of the children, he said. Weve seen a lot, weve seen death.

While most of the area along the fence is controlled by Sunni rebel groups, a small section is held by the Assad regime, and another is controlled by Islamic State militants.

Kutikov said there is no contact with rebel groups across the border. Ben-Meir said it isnt necessary.

Usually, the guys involved in agriculture, in feeding the population, in taking care of the health situation, are the same guys that are responsible for defending them and fighting against the regime, Ben-Meir said.

One rebel group, Fursan al-

Golan, receives about $5,000 a month from Israel, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

A cease-fire in the area is largely holding. But both Israel and the communities on the border are concerned that it is probably only a matter of time before Assad tries to take back the territory.

A medic across the border, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for security reasons, said that Israel was creating tyrants by supporting certain groups but that most people would rather turn to Israel than to the regime.

After their checkups, the children stay for the day and travel back the following night. Some are kept longer if they need urgent care.

I was reluctant at the beginning to come to Israel, said the mother who was hoping Israeli doctors could fix her daughters squint. We can only get treatment in regime-controlled areas, but its too dangerous. I have family who are martyrs and prisoners, and my brother and father are wanted.

One 7-year-old girl was on her third trip to Israel for problems stemming from an airstrike three years ago that killed her twin brother. Her mother said a local commander told them to go to Israel.

At first I was afraid, but then I saw that the treatment was superb, the 36-year-old woman said. We were told they are the enemy, but in reality, they are friends.

Sufian Taha in the Golan Heights, Heba Habib in Stockholm and Zakaria Zakaria in Istanbul contributed to this report.

Read more:

Israeli airstrike targets Syrian military site as tensions rise

Netanyahu accidentally reveals Israel has struck Iran-backed fighters in Syria dozens of times

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
The Supreme Court on Monday intervened to save a piece of President Trumps travel ban after the Justice Department asked the justices to step in. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

U.S. officials can at least temporarily continue to block refugees with formal assurances from resettlement agencies from entering the United States after the Supreme Court intervened again Monday to save a piece of President Trumps travel ban.

Responding to an emergency request from the Justice Department, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy stopped an earlier federal appeals court ruling that had allowed refugees with a formal assurance to enter the country.

Kennedy, who handles cases on an emergency basis from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, ordered those suing over the ban to respond by noon Tuesday, and he indicated that the appeals court ruling in their favor would be stayed pending receipt of their response.

The Supreme Courts decision came not long after the Justice Department asked the justices to act. That filing, by Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey B. Wall, demonstrated the lengths to which the government is willing to go to impose its desired version of the ban, even before the high court takes up in earnest next month whether the measure is lawful at its core. At issue is whether the president can block a group of about 24,000 refugees with assurances from entering the United States after the Supreme Court decided in June to permit a limited version of his travel ban to take effect.

[Grandparents, refugees with formal assurances can enter under Trumps travel ban, appeals court rules]

Since Trump signed his first travel ban shortly after taking office, the directive has been mired in a complicated legal battle.

The president ultimately revoked the first ban  which blocked refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States  and replaced it with a less onerous version that blocked refugees and citizens of six of the initial seven countries. The Supreme Court ultimately decided Trump could impose that measure, but not on those with a "bona fide" connection to the United States, such as having family members here, a job or a place in a U.S. university.

It is the interpretation of a bona fide connection to the United States that is being debated. The government initially sought to block grandparents and other extended family members of people in the United States from entering  as well as refugees with formal assurances  though a federal district judge stopped from doing so. The Supreme Court in July largely upheld that ruling, though it put on hold the portion dealing with refugees.

Last week, a federal appeals court panel weighed in, deciding that the administration could block neither grandparents nor refugees with assurances.

[Supreme Court allows Trump refugee ban but backs broader exemptions for relatives]

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to step in again  though only to block refugees, not grandparents and other extended family members. Even those refugees with formal assurances from a resettlement agency lack the sort of connection that should exempt them from the ban, the Justice Department argued in its filing to the Supreme Court.

The absence of a formal connection between a resettlement agency and a refugee subject to an assurance stands in stark contrast to the sort of relationships this Court identified as sufficient in its June 26 stay ruling, Wall wrote in his filing. Unlike students who have been admitted to study at an American university, workers who have accepted jobs at an American company, and lecturers who come to speak to an American audience, refugees do not have any free-standing connection to resettlement agencies, separate and apart from the refugee-admissions process itself, by virtue of the agencies assurance agreement with the government.

Neal Katyal, a lawyer representing the state of Hawaii, which is challenging the travel ban, wrote on Twitter that he would "fight" the government's latest request.

The government said the battle is urgent. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit had said its ruling allowing refugees with resettlement agreements would take effect Tuesday, which Wall asserted could be disruptive.

"The government began implementing the Order subject to the limitations articulated by this Court more than two months ago, on June 29, which entailed extensive, worldwide coordination among multiple agencies and the issuance of guidance to provide clarity and minimize confusion," Wall wrote.

Time is beginning to become a factor in the broader fight over Trumps travel ban.

The measure was supposed to have been temporary  lasting 90 days for citizens of the six affected countries, and 120 days for refugees. If the measure is considered to have taken effect when the Supreme Court allowed a partial ban, the 90 days will have passed by the time the justices hear arguments Oct. 10, and the 120 days are very likely to have passed by the time they issue a decision.

Some deadlines for reports have also seemingly passed. The Department of Homeland Security secretary was  within 20 days of the order taking effect  to have given Trump the results of a worldwide review determining what information was necessary from other countries to vet travelers. The countries that werent supplying adequate information were then to be given 50 days to begin doing so, and after that, top U.S. officials were to give Trump a list of countries recommended for inclusion in a more permanent travel ban.

A Homeland Security spokesman said a report was delivered to the White House in early July on the results of the review, and officials then went about assessing each country based on the information it provided. "Some provided more, some things were cleared up, and others weren't," David Lapan, the spokesman, said. "Now we have a comprehensive understanding of the information we receive from all foreign partners." He said Homeland Security officials were "evaluating the information received and will provide a report to the president in the coming weeks."

A State Department spokeswoman said Monday that the department was engaging with foreign governments to meet these new standards for information sharing but could not prejudge the outcome of this engagement.

"We recognize that many governments will need time to meet any new standards, and we will work to assess and, where necessary, work with foreign governments to design a plan to provide the information requested," the spokeswoman said.

Robert Barnes contributed to this report.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/09/2017 (1890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The man accused of mailing bombs that triggered explosions targeting his ex-wife and local lawyers says hes a hundred per cent not guilty of the charges against him, his lawyer says.

Defence lawyer Saheel Zaman entered not-guilty pleas on behalf of Guido Amsel Monday to mark the start of Amsels provincial court trial on attempted murder and explosives-related charges.

My clients position is hes a hundred per cent not guilty, Zaman told provincial court Judge Tracey Lord.

SUPPLIED Guido Amsel

The judge was set to hear arguments from Crown and defence lawyers today on the legality of a blood sample investigators took from Amsel during the police investigation, but Zaman said the defence needed more time to review with Amsel the Crown prosecutors materials they received late last week.

Zaman is challenging the information police used to obtain the warrant for Amsels DNA, and that pre-trial motion was scheduled to be argued over the next two weeks leading up to the start of witnesses testimony during the trial on Oct. 25. Now, court has been adjourned until next Monday, leaving only one week of court time for the DNA warrant challenge.

Lord granted the adjournment, noting the defence was entitled to seven days notice to review reports and documentation from Crown prosecutors Chris Vanderhooft and Mitchell Lavitt.

Amsel is being held in custody at Headingley Correctional Centre. He did not speak during todays brief hearing, except to confirm to the judge that he could hear the proceedings.

Amsel faces five counts of attempted murder after letter bombs were sent to his ex-wife and two Winnipeg law firms in July 2015. One of the bombs seriously injured lawyer Maria Mitousis, who had represented Amsels ex-wife in a divorce proceeding. He is also charged in relation to an explosion at his ex-wifes home in 2013.

Amsel, who was 49 at the time, was arrested more than two years ago after investigators identified him as a suspect in the mailing of three explosive packages  meant for Amsels ex-wife, his ex-wifes lawyer and his own lawyer, police said at the time.

Mitousis lost her right hand in the blast and had to undergo extensive surgery after a package she opened inside her River Avenue law office exploded July 3, 2015. She was in her office with several co-workers nearby when she handled a package addressed to her that contained a bomb.

Another package, allegedly meant for Amsels ex-wife, was delivered to a Winnipeg auto shop on Washington Avenue and later was detonated by police. A third explosive package, also safely detonated by police, was delivered to Amsels former lawyers office on Stradbrook Avenue.

The series of explosive packages mailed through Canada Post prompted police to encourage the public to be wary of suspicious mail and led to further investigation that eventually resulted in additional charges against Amsel, who has no criminal record.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/09/2017 (1890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former Winnipeggers Robert and Barbara Riess planned to sit tight and wait out Hurricane Irma from their home in the Florida city of Naples.

But when they heard the eye of the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean was coming right for them we decided to get out of Dodge, said Robert.

They headed to Miami to a sons condo early Saturday morning where theoretically they should have been safe but the storm moved unpredictably.

NICOLE RAUCHEISEN / NAPLES DAILY NEWS VIA AP Floodwater fills Meadow Lane in Bonita Springs, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, as Hurricane Irma passes.

The hurricane force winds were 140 miles wide, so from the eye over Naples that was 70 miles on each side, and Miami is 120 miles away, so we thought wed escaped, explained Robert.

Not so.

There were huge storm surges, whitecaps hitting the seawall and filling the streets with water like they were rivers, said Riess.

If you ventured out, you had to watch for flying debris, which could be anything from patio chairs to tables people didnt secure. Riess saw the wind pick up jet skis personal watercraft.

You see incredible wind, and rain, and all the trees are sideways, and things are being hurled through the air, he said.

There were also tree branches and signs fired through the air that could kill a person on impact, he said.

Robert and Barbara huddled in the condo in Miami but with the power knocked out, and the elevator out of commission, everyone had to use the stairs to get to the lobby. It wasnt bad for them on the 6th floor but some people were on the 38th floor.

Youre going down two flights of stairs per floor, and youre in complete darkness. You have to use the flashlight on your phone to see anything.

To make matters worse, the building manager allowed peoples dogs to do their business in the lobby because it was too dangerous outside.

He returned to Naples Monday morning to clear blue skies but the power was still out as of Monday afternoon.

Much of Naples withstood the hurricane and didnt flood but there are trees down and debris everywhere, he said.

Naples was fortunate that the hurricane sucked all the water out of Naples Bay otherwise the flooding would have been much worse. They were forecasting water at 60 mph and 16-18-feet high water, and it would have devastated Naples.

Riess said on the same day as Hurricane Irma struck, Naples suffered its worst storm damage from Hurricane Donna 57 years earlier.

Not only was it the same day but Hurricane Donna had the exact same track, he said.

The Riess family left Winnipeg in 1988Robert has an internet marketing firm-but still return for a couple months every summer to their cottage in Victoria Beach.

Winds of up more than 200 kilometres per hour ripped through the sunshine state on the weekend, with about 130,000 people moved into shelters. About one million households lost power.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/09/2017 (1890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The steady beat of drums on dragon boats echoed across the Red River again this weekend, before a cone of silence fell over the paddlers, the fundraisers and their fans in a solemn ceremony.

The annual Manitoba Dragon Boat Festival supports Cancer Care Manitoba and the Childrens Hospital Foundation, drawing thousands to The Forks for one weekend every September.

The competition is fierce, with dozens of corporations fielding teams, raising pledges and training in the art of dragon boat racing. Horns blare across the river every few minutes all weekend. The rhythm of the drum keeps beat with paddlers and loudspeakers announce a new heat every few minutes.

PHOTOS BY TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Paddlers were on the Red River near The Forks Sunday for the second day of the Manitoba Dragon Boat Festival. The annual event supports CancerCare Manitoba and the Children's Hospital Foundation.

Sixty teams hit the waters, each with 20 paddlers.

They compete in two races against the clock, and on the final day, their third race is against the teams closest to their best race times. Each race runs a course of 500 metres, from the riverbank close to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights south on the Red to the confluence of the Assiniboine River and back. The loops takes a couple of minutes to complete.

In the previous five years, the dragon boat races have raised more than $1.5 million in support of Manitoba children with cancer. The event supports both pediatric clinical trials as well as treatments. Partly as a result of the events fundraising success, Manitoba supports more clinical trials for pediatric cancer per capita than any other province in Canada.

And this year, organizers said they were on track with fundraising expectations.

The event ends each year with the same silence at the riverbank.

Each year, the families of three children consent to have photos and tiny biographies distributed with pebbles and flowers. Participants toss the pebbles and flowers into the river and keep the cards.

This year, the children were Mia, 4; Oona, 3; and Sophia, 2. Theyre all undergoing gruelling treatment regimens.

Lynn Kennedy, on Team CP, participates in the racing.

Its the only time when there is silence, Cancer Care spokeswoman Patti Smith said Sunday.

Its a very moving ceremony. Everybody in the three boats (that have raised the most money) and the other three boats with breast cancer survivors are out on the river. Everyone else is on shore. We all throw in the pebbles and the petals at the same time.

Fundraising at this level also involves some intense rivalry.

Steve Kroft, Conviron CEO, created a team of paddlers dubbed the Conviron Castaways in his race to raise the most money for the event.

Kroft was one of two Cancer Care board members neck and neck on Sunday as the top fundraisers of the year, each team having raised more than $30,000 in pledges.

Were all touched with it. Everyone is touched by cancer and the work that Cancer Care does, Kroft said as the sachets of pebbles and bouquets of carnations were passed around on the riverbank prior to the closing ceremony.

The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) team figured by the end of the weekend that if there was a trophy for most improved, they might be the winners.

Dragon boat teams race towards the finish line.

It was the longest minute and a half of my life, Lynn Kennedy said as her CPR team, Train that Dragon, finished its final heat Sunday afternoon.

Its only our second year, Kennedy said. And we came in second in our heats. Thats 100 per cent better. Last year, we came in dead last.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/09/2017 (1890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three weeks before the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks that killed her spouse Chris Egan, Ellen Judd was in a Guantanamo Bay courtroom sitting across from the alleged mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Id rather not talk about the people who did this today, Judd said Monday from home where she was quietly marking the 9/11 anniversary of the dark day that claimed Egan.

In late August, Judd spent a week attending the U.S. military commissions pretrial hearings for the five men accused of committing the worst terror attack on U.S. soil. She was among the loved ones of five 9/11 victims invited to face the five accused including the infamous Mohammed, whose hirsute image appeared in news stories around the world.

On Sept. 11, 2001, 2,976 people died, including 26 Canadians, when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Egan was visiting her brother Michael on the 105th floor of the World Trade Center.

On the 16th anniversary of 9/11, Judds focus was on her loved one.

Every year some people gather at a plaque for Chris at the Brodie Centre, she said of the tribute to the nursing professor thats located at the University of Manitoba campus at the Health Sciences Centre. People gather to be with each other. The plaque is dedicated to Egan: clinician, researcher, teacher, humanitarian, friend.

What so many of us remember is her incredible vivacity and love of life, said Judd, an anthropology professor at the University of Manitoba. Its something to cherish and it came through in everything  in the delight she took in the people around her and in the work she did.

At this time of year, Judd said she looks forward to reviewing potential recipients for the scholarship fund in Egans memory.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Ellen Judd at her home earlier this year.

The Dr. Christine Egan Memorial Scholarship Fund administered by the University of Manitoba is for nursing students in Nunavut  people and a place that Egan loved.

We like to think we can carry on that work in helping her friends and their children in Nunavut to carry on caring for the health of their families and the people around them in their communities, Judd said Monday. While the anniversary of 9/11 is a day she sets aside for honouring Egan, this year it happened not long after Judd faced Egans alleged murderers.

Since the U.S. military commissions case began in 2011, close family members of the victims and some of the survivors have been invited to attend the proceedings in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to see whats going on and to talk to the prosecution and defence teams involved.

Judd had been scheduled to go several times, but each trip was postponed by the commission for various reasons. The third week in August, the trip went ahead as planned. Judd talked about it in a post last week on the American Anthropological Associations Anthropology News website.

When I embarked on this voyage years ago it was with the intent of opposing the death penaltya matter of not killing that seemed straightforward to me then, as it does now, she wrote. In the intervening years and as the process has extended into a sixth year of intense litigation, the stakes in the legal issues and in the larger search for justice and a reduction in the toll of war have more and more come into view.

One news outlets covering the case that week reported that the prosecution and defence argued over procedural issues involving document declassification and the legality of the death penalty charges against the defendants, and the destruction, most likely between July 2014 and December 2015, of a CIA black site where at least one of the men was tortured.

At a press conference after court adjourned, Judd talked about the loss of her spouse and the issue of the death penalty:

I felt inexpressibly deeply how terrible it is to take a human life for the last 16 years, reported the online publication The Intercept. Before then I was opposed to the death penalty, but Ive understood its totality and its unfixability much more strongly since Ive been closer to the taking of life, Judd said. I am unwilling to be part of an act of killing or to endorse it in any way.

The taking of these lives would not give Chris another moment of life and would not give me any relief, the soft-spoken professor said. May this be a time for turning grief into compassion, the news outlet reported her as saying.

The most important thing to think about is Chris and everyone whose life remains at risk, Judd told the Free Press Monday. The most important thing is to be grateful for all this time we do have and to find a route that prevents this from happening to more people, the avowed pacifist said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The plaque for Christine Egan in the Basic Medical Sciences building on the University of Manitoba's Bannatyne campus.
When I visited Lima on a brief business trip in the 1980s, I was not impressed. It was a sprawling mess of a city under perpetually gray skies. I described it as being a lot like Los Angeles  if you picked L.A. up, shook out all the money and swept it away, then dropped it back down.

Peru was experiencing hard times politically and economically at the time. The Shining Path was terrorizing the countryside and Lima was considered a hazardous place to visit, though to me, it felt more depressing than dangerous. The embassy had warned me not to wander around on my own, so I didnt explore much. Nothing bad happened, but I was very glad I only needed to be there for two days.

When my traveling companions from the Cuba trip suggested we reunite with a Peru trip this year, memories of that short visit came back to me. I agreed to go, but I was looking forward to seeing my food-loving travel buddies more than the country itself.

Then I started doing some research. Even though I havent changed a bit in the intervening decades (unless you are rude enough to consider wrinkles, bad knees, a shock of white, er, purple hair and 25 pounds of what I am sure is pure muscle to be a change), Peru has experienced a transformation. Despite some spectacularly corrupt presidents, it has managed to build a thriving economy and achieve political stability. And in the past 10 years, it has also emerged as a culinary destination, with a distinctive cuisine that draws on the plenteous and varied resources of its ocean, deserts, fertile valleys and tropical rainforests.

I realized I needed to wipe the slate of my bad memories and give the place a second change.

I was excited when I stepped off the plane at Lima airport, and looking forward to seeing what the Peru of today has to offer.

And I wasnt disappointed. The trip was amazingly great (and delicious). Never fear, youll hear all about it, as I will be milking it for as many columns as I can squeeze out of it for the next two months. (Its either that, or write about the marauding rats in my garage, which, trust me, you really dont want to know about.)

We had terrific meals at restaurants that rival the best in the world, and at small holes in the wall you would never think to visit. We toured a market and spent an hour tasting one exotic fruit after another, most of which I had never heard of before. We ate ceviche so fresh the fish practically swam onto the plate. We toured Inca sites that left me gaping in awe at the sophisticated engineering. We saw ice-capped mountains, lush valleys and everything in between.

Its an amazing country and a great place to visit, and I look forward to telling you about the trip.

But I do have to acknowledge that the old saying is true. You dont get a second chance to make a first impression. Especially when the second impression is pretty much the same as the first.

Lima will never be on my list of favorite cities. It is still a sprawling mess under a perpetually gray sky. Its a desert, but one where it drizzles. The sun occasionally breaks through, but not for long. It has even worse traffic than Los Angeles (where at least the motorists do not invent their own lanes, or play chicken with pedestrians in the crosswalk). The whiff of diesel is perpetually in the air. The buildings are short and undistinguished. It has some nice neighborhoods, but overall it lacks charm.

Even the high bluffs overlooking the frigid, gray Pacific are less than picturesque, and the islands in the harbor look less welcoming than Alcatraz.

Fortunately, it has a couple other things going for it.

The Peruvians we met were warm, welcoming, proud of their culture and happy to share it with visitors. The restaurants were wonderful. The cuisine is defined by fresh and local and the seafood was amazing.

And then there is that fabulous concoction, the pisco sour, available nearly everywhere.

As a cocktail, it is simplicity itself  just spirits, lime juice, sugar and egg white, with a dash of bitters. But like everything in the Andes, it seems to possess a mysterious power derived from the gods.

After a couple of them, Lima lost its grayness and took on a lovely glow.

Or maybe that was me. Well, something was glowing in that charming city.

Pisco Sour

The traditional beverage native to Peru is chicha, a kind of low- or no-alcohol beer made from corn. As elsewhere in the Americas, alcohol did not play much of a role in earlier civilizations. Priests used mushrooms and cactus with mind-altering properties in their ceremonies, but from what I can tell, the public at large relied only on chewing coca leaves, a very mild stimulant.

Pisco is a later introduction, as it depends on grapes, which were brought to Peru by the Spanish. It dates to about the 16th century, when Spanish settlers began distilling local wine as an alternative to imported brandy.

It is a clean, clear spirit whose hints of fruity flavor and aromas derive from the types of grapes used. Its a good mixer in general, and has started showing up in cocktails in the U.S. But my favorite is still the classic sour.

2 ounces pisco

1-2 Tbsp. sugar, to taste

1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice

3 ice cubes

1 Tbsp. egg white (use pasteurized if you are nervous about raw eggs)

Angostura bitters

Put everything except the bitters in a blender and mix until it is frothy.

Pour into a glass and shake two drops of the bitters on top. Garnish with a slice of lime.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/09/2017 (1890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Eight months into his tumultuous tenure as U.S. commander-in-chief, this much is certain about President Donald Trump: the people who loved him a lot last November dont love him any less today.

That much was on full-throated display last week in North Dakota, where Mr. Trump made a quick stop to deliver one of the campaign-style addresses he continues to favour despite the electoral campaign having ended nearly 10 months ago.

The reason for his visit was a policy speech on energy, and the aptly chosen venue was an oil refinery in Mandan, a community that surely embraces Mr. Trumps promise to reduce the number of environmental regulations that might impede wide-open capitalization of North Dakotas recently exploited resource riches.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / The Associated Press U.S. President Donald Trump in Bismarck, N.D.

When the Free Press travelled south to observe the presidential occasion, what became immediately clear was that the northern states enthusiasm for Mr. Trumps message and methods has not diminished. Hes neither a Republican nor a Democrat  hes a pragmatist, said one POTUS-supporting entrepreneur who was selling Trump-adorned trinkets outside the event. Hes here to solve a problem. Hes a true statesman.

Almost more than any other state, North Dakota threw its support behind Mr. Trump in last Novembers election, handing him 63 per cent of the states votes  the largest margin of victory in North Dakota since Republican Ronald Reagans rise to power in 1980. Despite the multiple controversies that have enveloped the Trump administration since he moved into the Oval Office in January  investigations of alleged collusion with Russians during the election, charges of massive conflicts-of-interest involving Trump-branded businesses, courtship and coddling of racist and neo-Nazi individuals and attitudes  Mr. Trumps base of support, in North Dakota and throughout the United States, remains undeterred.

I admire him so much. Hes a wonderful man. Hes fulfilling all the promises that he made to us, said one senior in the throng gathered along the road to the Andeavor Corp. refinery, hoping to catch a glimpse of the presidential motorcade. I respect his courage. Hes a wonderful person.

For those inclined to criticize Mr. Trump for his obvious flaws and frequent misdeeds, this enduring admiration might be tough to fathom. But perhaps the key to understanding this most unusual of U.S. presidents lies not in who he is, but in what he isnt: a politician.

After mounting a successful campaign built on the Make America Great Again promise (and, as a spinoff, profiting handsomely from the sale of Chinese-made hats bearing the slogan), Mr. Trump arrived in Washington with a pledge to drain the swamp  the swamp, of course, being the U.S. capitals stuck-in-the-mud political culture.

Democrats and Republicans alike have been the targets of Mr. Trumps vocal criticism and scornful tweets. Recently, it has been his own partys congressional leadership that has frustrated the president most; last week, finally fed up with Republicans inability to deliver a win on any meaningful piece of legislation, Mr. Trump broke ranks and negotiated a deal with Democrats to raise Americas debt ceiling and prevent a government shutdown.

Not surprisingly, this caused great consternation among Republicans. In non-swampy places such as North Dakota, however, what much of Washington viewed as a political betrayal was greeted as a stroke of statesmanlike brilliance by a guy who, as one supporter observed, sees a problem and says heres how you solve it.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/09/2017 (1890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Its been a summer of opportunities for young musician Connor Derraugh.

The Charleswood resident is currently heading into his fifth and final year of jazz studies at the University of Manitoba, an incredible feat for someone who once thought they would never play music again.

Seven years ago, when Derraugh went in for a routine cleft lip procedure, things went awry when part of his nose was bumped into his brain, causing a hemorrhage. While you couldnt guess that Derraugh has a disability today, it took him many years of focus and determination to regain the strength in the right side of his body.

Alana Trachenko Connor Derraugh was in New York this summer to play sax and keyboards for a movie.

Already a passionate musician, Derraugh didnt let the injury throw off his goals of becoming a professional. This past summer, he headed to Love Your Brain Camp in Vermont, a retreat for folks with traumatic brain injuries.

Its one of the highlights of my year every year, because it was my first exposure to other people with brain injuries, Derraugh said. They also have a month-long camp in July and bring in kids with cerebral palsy, down syndrome, autism and every couple of years they film a movie with the kids and they dont just film any movie, they film an awesome movie with some actors that just happen to have disabilities.

ALANA TRACHENKO

Derraugh said its an important opportunity for people with disabilities to be regarded like any other actor, performer and person.

Just because someone is in a wheelchair doesnt make them different. They just happen to be in a wheelchair because they cant walk  thats the only reason, he said. Were all people, right?

Derraugh didnt expect to take part in this years film, Homecoming, until the filmmakers asked Derraugh if he would be interested in playing sax and keyboard for the score. Derraugh said yes and learned that the recording would actually take place in New York.

It was the coolest thing, experiencing New York but also experiencing the music side of it, Derraugh said.

Derraugh worked with Jamie Lawrence, a composer and music director who has received five Emmys and a Clio award, as well as Broadway musical director and conductor, Adam Ben-David, who has been working on Broadway shows for over 20 years.

(Ben-David) asked me, how would you like to sit in the pit tomorrow night for Book of Mormon? Derraugh said. So I got the backstage pass for free.

As if that wasnt enough, Derraugh also performed at the Lyric Theatre in Assiniboine Park in a headline show hosted by Arts AccessAbility Network Manitoba, and hes been asked to do a few gigs at Infernos as well.

Now, its time to focus on school again.

This is my last year in university so Ill have to start making money, and freelancing is the way I want to do it, Derraugh said.
After less than two months in office, British Columbias New Democratic Party (NDP) government has junked its election pledge to raise the provinces minimum wage to $15 over the next four years, i.e., by 2021.

The NDPs failure to enact this meager reformwhich would still leave minimum-wage workers well below the poverty line thoroughly exposes the fraudulent claims peddled by the trade unions and pseudo-left groups like Fightback and the International Socialists (IS) that the installation of an NDP government in Victoria represents a step forward for workers.

Labour Minister Harry Bains made the announcement after the government was criticized by the Green Party for stipulating a four-year timeline for the wage increase. The NDP, which holds 41 out of the 87 seats in the BC Legislative Assembly, is dependent on the support of three Green MLAs to govern. Andrew Weaver, the Greens leader, insisted that a so-called Fair Wages Commission, which will undoubtedly be stuffed with representatives of big business, be given full authority to determine the timeline for future minimum wage increases.

Bains quickly fell into line, telling the Vancouver Sun less than two weeks after publicly committing the government to the four-year timeline, I think Mr. Weaver made a pretty good point. Were going to work with him. Hes saying that we should not be prescriptive of the Fair Wages Commission and I agree with him. I think we should give them the authority and mandate to decide when we reach $15, and how we reach $15. As if to underscore the point, Bains added that the timeline could be anything they come back with.

The fact that the NDP is incapable of implementing such a meagre reform speaks volumes about the anti-working class, pro-big business character of this party. After 16 years of Liberal rule, in which public services and social spending were cut to the bone, Premier John Horgan has repeatedly boasted that his government will enforce the Liberals reactionary fiscal framework, as enshrined in their most recent budget, including by presenting balanced budgets for at least the next two years.

The NDP has already quietly dropped other parts of its election program. Its first Throne Speech, delivered last Friday, made no mention of a promised $10 per-day province-wide childcare system, saying instead that the government would work to provide an accessible and affordable" daycare program.

A promise to give a $400 rebate to renters, who are being hard-hit by massive rent increases in Metro Vancouver and Victoria, was also conspicuously absent. In August, Horgan also softened the governments tone significantly on its opposition to the environmentally destructive Kinder-Morgan pipeline expansion.

Not surprisingly, the NDPs about-face on the minimum wage has been warmly welcomed by the corporate elite. Ian Tostenson, head of the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association, a body representing employers in a sector where workers are ruthlessly exploited for low pay, enthused, Its a good sign for the government to say lets have some flexibility on how we get there. I think they really truly want to have a process where they can work with industry.

Even if a $15 minimum wage were adopted tomorrow, it would hardly begin to address the widespread poverty in British Columbia, which has the highest poverty rate of any province in Canada at over 12 percent. In Vancouver, the living wage, i.e. the minimum wage for a worker to avoid living below the poverty line, is over $20.

The NDPs pseudo-left cheerleaders, who declaim incessantly on the need to push the party to the left and even claim that it can serve as an instrument to fight for socialism, have responded to the BC governments abandonment of the minimum wage timeline with an embarrassed silence. IS, which applauded the NDPs four-year timeline announced in mid-August as undoubtedly a win for the larger Fight for $15 in Canada and the United States, has not published any article addressing how and why this win could so quickly vanish into thin air. Instead, IS continues with its desperate efforts to cover the NDPs exposed posterior by urging its members to participate in the upcoming federal NDP leadership contest.

The BC Federation of Labour, which pumped vast resources into election ads targeting Liberal leader Christy Clark and promoting the NDP, found the time to release a statement on the NDPs Throne Speech which noted vaguely that the union federation wanted to see the minimum wage increase as soon as possible. The NDPs retreat from its election promise did not stop the union bureaucrats from applauding the government for advancing a new approach that puts people first.

The new approach which is being so enthusiastically welcomed by the unions and pseudo-left organizations is the integration of their leading personnel into government committees and commissions, and even in some cases into government office.

Horgan made clear during his first meeting last month with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he is fully committed to close cooperation with the big business Liberal federal government, which enjoys close ties with the union bureaucracy (See: Canada: BCs new NDP Premier pledges to work closely with Trudeau).

Bitter experience across Canada has shown that workers lives will see no improvement under an NDP government. Rather it will serve as an instrument of big business in enforcing the ruling-class agenda of austerity and war. Whenever Canadas social democrats have held power during the last four decades, they have come into headlong conflict with the working class, including by slashing public services, imposing wage-austerity and breaking strikes. In neighbouring Alberta, where the NDP has governed since 2015, it has offloaded the economic crisis caused by the oil-price collapse onto the backs of working people, while maintaining the low-tax rates for big business and the wealthy for which the province has long been notorious.

The NDPs record in power underscores that even the most immediate demands raised by workers to resist the never-ending assault on their jobs, living conditions, and social rights can be realized only in struggle against all of the pro-capitalist parties and their defenders. Workers cannot shield themselves from the capitalist crisis, let alone reverse the years of concessions and cutbacks, by pressuring the NDP politicians or union bureaucrats, but must rather fight for wage increases, job security, a vast increase in public spending, and access to social and cultural services as part of a broader struggle to bring to power a workers government committed to socialist policies.
Thousands of people in the US participated in demonstrations over the weekend in response to the Trump administrations decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The action marks a new stage in the administrations attack on immigrant workers and youth.

DACA is an Obama-era program that provides limited protection from deportation without citizenship rights to 800,000 immigrant youth who arrived in the US as children. It was implemented in 2012 in part to provide cover for the Obama administrations own attack on immigrants, including a record number of deportations.

Trumps decision means that the Department of Homeland Security will not accept any more applications for deportation protection. Those already enrolled will begin losing coverage in six months.

Demonstrations were held in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Boston, Massachusetts; Los Angeles and Oakland, California; and many other cities. The WSWS spoke to many of those who attended, and distributed copies of the Socialist Equality Party statement, Unite all workers against the attack on immigrants! For a socialist policy of open borders!.

Washington, DC

About three hundred people gathered at the White House on Saturday afternoon. There was enthusiastic support for the protest on social media, with over five thousand people interested in attending the event on Facebook. Due to unexplained circumstances, Facebook canceled the event, which likely reduced participation at the rally.

Myles, from Memphis, Tennessee, came to the protest because these people had no choice of whether or not to come here. You cannot punish children. They deserve the same right to education as American citizens.

When asked what he thought about a socialist policy of open borders, he said: I think it should be quick and easy to get into countries, one month at the most. I know someone who has been trying to get into Canada for two years to see his wife. When asked about social conditions in the US, Myles responded: If you spend billions of dollars on war, I should never see homeless people in the street. Everyone has the right to a comfortable life.

Ramiro, a DACA recipient in Washington, DC, said: Were here because this program gave us opportunities to get an education. Without DACA we would lose our jobs and our schools. This could also lead to attacks on other groups that oppose Trump.

When asked what he thought about the Democratic Party, Ramiro said: Obama used DACA as a campaign strategy. He is known as the Deporter-in-Chief. Politicians have their own interest. They can shift their support at any point, we need to rely on working people.

Firdous, a biology major at George Washington University, told reporters that she had many friends on DACA. Its not affecting one person or a group, she noted, adding that she believed everyone had a human right to an education. Im originally from Somalia, so I can understand people fleeing from their home countries due to war and poverty. It isnt fair that millions of people have had their homes destroyed only to be kicked out of countries theyve come to seeking refuge, this is definitely a global problem.

Georgia, a teacher from a nearby private school, came with friends and family to the rally to express her solidarity with DACA recipients. I think it is cruel and inhumane and an embarrassment to do these things to children, she said.

Borders and banks and Wall Street money along with too much power in one place were the key reasons for the crisis facing immigrants in the US, she said.

Kareem, a student, told the WSWS that the rescinding of DACA was morally reprehensible. He said that many of these young people have done all they could to be productive members of society: As an immigrant myself, I can tell you that when they say, working within the system is easy, that isnt the case. It takes a lot of processing, meetings, paperwork. It takes forever [to be admitted into the country].

New York City

Several thousand participated in the demonstration in New York City.

Philip is a student at Stevens Institute of Technology. Im here today to support my girlfriend who is from Mexico and my family, he said. I am from Haiti. The US has invaded and stopped any struggles for change we wanted in Haiti. I want to change things here. Trumps rescinding of DACA is terrible. It is fear inducing, terrible and cowardly.

The Democratic Party and the Republican Party are supporters of capitalism. They both will do anything they can to defend capitalism as a system and divide the working class.

Rachel works at an immigration think tank. She said: Trump rescinding DACA is terrible. It is not just the 800,000 DACA recipients who will lose their ability to stay, study and work. There are 1.2 million who could have registered for DACA, and they wont come forward because there is no protection now. They all are now faced with more fear about trying to get needed government resources, education and jobs. They will be more compelled to take under-the-table type of jobs.

When Obama announced DACA it was problematic because this was not an overhaul of the whole immigration system.

Two New York City school teachers came to the protest with homemade signs. Ibeth explained her sign: Im fed up with the whole system, and the way it treats people. It is unfair to the human population because all they do is attack us. Now they are attacking our children.

There are a lot of DACA children in the New York City public schools. At least one of the schools has over 90 percent of its student population who are immigrants. These students are heartbroken and filled with fear.

Luli, the other teacher, added: The teachers support DACA because they support education. We have immigrant students who have 3.0 averages or higher who do really well academically. They were raised in America. What is their future now?

This has always been the policy to scapegoat the immigrants and divide the working class.

Los Angeles, California

Several thousand protesters gathered at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.

Hilda, a waste management worker, came to support her two daughters, who came from Mexico at four and five years of age. The US is their country, they know no other country. They grew up here, and without at least DACA we are left with nothing.

Its unfair that my daughters were educated here, they contribute to this country and they have nothing. One of them is a blood analyst, shes mortified about her position at work. The other one works and studies. We want immigrant rights, we cant continue living like this. Ive seen my daughters suffer enough and it has to stop! Republicans and Democrats are playing with this hot potato, passing it to each and other leaving us with no dignified solution.

Alina, a science researcher and PhD student at the University of Southern California, came to the demonstration in support of immigrants. As a high-school and college student, I had a lot of friends who were supported through DACA. Im here in show support and solidarity. To me, immigrants are what makes this country so great, in terms of economy and diversity. Its crazy the president is focusing so much on breaking that down.

Asked what she thought of pursuing a political struggle by workers that is independent of both Democrats and Republicans, she said: I think thats a great mission! I am here in support of all those who come here and try to forge a better life for themselves and their families.

Paulina is from Tijuana, Mexico and living in San Diego. She is an advocate for immigrant groups and said that its inhumane to cut these youth from the society to which they contribute so substantially. Their families need them and we fight to keep them here. In fact, we fight for all immigrants, against any attempt to divide us or to use DREAMers [DACA enrollees] as a bargaining chip.

Without a doubt, Obama deported so many immigrants. Many would have qualified as DREAMers but are now on the other side [of the border]. Most immigrants arent here because they wanted to, but because of the situation they confront in many Latin American and Third World countries, a situation caused by international capitalism, foreign interventions and exploitation. Think of the wars that US capitalism caused in Latin America. Migration is the result of this.

Eric, a social worker, expressed his solidarity to immigrants: Our founding fathers came from different lands to make a better life for themselves. No reason to stop that now. Im here to show support, defend this right for anyone who wants to come here.

I cant think of a good reason why borders exist. Theyre about control and money. If it were up to me, borders should cease to exist. And as much as the current administration is especially brutal and blatant, I dont think its just a Republican issue. Democrats have moved so far to the right and they dont see that were becoming aware. Democrats take money from Wall Street, while on the surface they might even be marching here today. Both parties are involved in the deep-rooted issues that are destroying our world. A third party is much needed.

With regard to capitalism, he said: I dont understand how the concept of capitalism can be accepted. Corporations will do anything to maintain their profits: destroy the environment, cut wages, and take advantage of vulnerable sections of the population. I personally like socialism: we gather our resources for everyones benefit. I dont want my money to be used to fund these wars. Instead, elected officials who are bought by the corporations are responsible for those decisions.
While the US continued to provocatively intensify tensions with North Korea, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg joined the chorus of condemnation against Pyongyang over its sixth nuclear test on September 3.

Speaking to the BBC yesterday, Stoltenberg denounced North Koreas reckless behavior as a global threat that requires a global response and that of course also includes NATO. While saying he would not speculate on whether NATO members would be required to join a war against North Korea if the US were attacked, he did not rule it out.

Stoltenberg told the Guardian on Friday the world was more dangerous than at any time in his 30-year career. It is more unpredictable, and its more difficult because we have so many challenges at the same time, he said, pointing to weapons of mass destruction in North Korea, as well as terrorism and a more assertive Russia.

The NATO chief was visiting British troops stationed in Estonia, having toured NATO battle groups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. He claimed the troops were in defensive mobilisation as Russia and Belarus prepared for large-scale military exercises this week. In reality, Washingtons military push into Eastern Europe via NATO is fueling a confrontation with Russia.

Similarly, US President Donald Trump, following on from the Obama administration, has dramatically heightened tensions with North Korea, threatening last month to engulf it in fire and fury like the world has never seen. In response, the Pyongyang regime has concluded that its only means of preventing a US attack is to develop a nuclear arsenal as quickly as possible.

Speaking to the BBC yesterday, British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon hinted the UK could become involved in a US-led war against North Korea, saying the country could pose a threat to London. This involves us, he said, because London is closer to North Korea and its missiles than Los Angeles. He admitted that North Korean missiles could not reach the UK, but said their range was getting longer and longer.

While emphasising the need for a diplomatic solution, Fallon insisted: We have to get this program halted because the dangers now of miscalculation, of some accident triggering a response, are extremely great. If attacked, the US of course, under the United Nations, has the right to ask other members of the United Nations to join in its self-defence.

The danger of catastrophic war in Asia is provoking deep fears in Europe and exacerbating divisions with Washington. In an interview published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung on Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested that the deal struck in 2015 with Iran to limit its nuclear program might form the basis for negotiations with North Korea. Europe and especially Germany should be prepared to play a very active part in that, she said.

Merkels proposal of an Iran-type deal with North Korea will not be welcome in Washington. Trump has repeatedly denounced the agreement with Iran, threatened to pull out of it, and dismissed the possibility of a negotiated end to the standoff with North Korea.

Washington has ratcheted up pressure on China and Russia to agree to a new US resolution to be discussed in the UN Security Council today. The resolution is expected to include a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, as well as a partial naval blockade that would give UN member states the right to board and inspect ships suspected of breaking sanctions.

China and Russia are expected to oppose a complete oil export ban, which would precipitate an economic and political crisis in Pyongyang. Beijing and Moscow fear that the US and its allies would exploit any breakdown in North Korea to instal a pro-US regime in their backyard.

Last Thursday, Trump declared that US presidents had been talking, talking, talking with North Korea for 25 years, but its nuclear program had continued. So I would prefer not going the route of the military, but its something certainly that could happen, he warned.

Trump boasted that our military has never been stronger. In another threat to North Korea, he stated: Each day new equipment is deliverednew and beautiful equipment, the best in the world, the best anywhere in the world, by far. Hopefully were not going to have to use it on North Korea. If we do use it on North Korea, it will be a very sad day for North Korea.

Based on senior White House and Pentagon officials, NBC News reported last Friday that the Trump administration was readying a package of diplomatic and military moves against North Korea, including cyberattacks and increased surveillance and intelligence operations.

Trump was also seriously considering adopting diplomatically risky sanctions on Chinese banks doing business with Pyongyang and not ruling out moving tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea should Seoul request them. South Koreas defence minister last week suggested the US could place tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea.

Not only would such a move end US claims to be seeking to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula, but greatly heighten the danger of nuclear war, through accident or miscalculation.

According to NBC, the White House had reviewed the full gamut of options, including attacking North Korea with nuclear weapons. The article stated: A first use of nuclear weapons would be extremely aggressive and lack support domestically or among international allies, the senior administration official said.

We talk about all kinds of crazy stuff we never do, the official told NBC. Then you know why you rule it out. No one should accept such assurances. The very fact that a nuclear first strike on North Korea is being discussed indicates it is under active consideration. Washingtons constant mantra that all options are on the table shows that nothing is ruled out in a US attack on North Korea.

NBC also reported that China warned Trump administration officials that if the US struck North Korea first, Beijing would back Pyongyang. If North Korea hit a US target, however, that changes everything, a senior administration official said. In other words, if the Trump administration can goad North Korea into making a military move with its provocative threats and actions, China might stay on the sideline.

This situation highlights the extraordinary recklessness of the US administration. As it prepares for war with North Korea, the US government knows full well that it could rapidly come into conflict with China, which it regards as the chief obstacle to global American dominance.
Australias supreme court last week approved the forced removal of asylum seekers to Sri Lanka, even though it was proven they face appalling conditions of imprisonment, including torture, maltreatment and violence.

In last weeks case, by a four-to-one majority, the judges rejected appeals by two Sri Lankan refugees to being deported back to the country they had fled because of ongoing repression by President Maithripala Sirisenas government.

The ruling is an indictment of the last Greens-backed Australian Labor government. Labor launched a vicious program, in violation of international refugee law, to forcibly transport more than 650 Sri Lankans to Colombo, denying them the right to apply for asylum, knowing they would be punished and persecuted for trying to escape the country.

One of the majority judges, James Edelman, noted that since November 2012 all returnees had been arrested after their return, held on remand and charged with an offence under Sri Lankas Immigrants and Emigrants Act of 1945.

Edelman said Australias Refugee Review Tribunal, whose decision the court endorsed, referred to official country information which indicated that prison conditions in Sri Lanka did not meet international standards.

There were documented concerns of overcrowding, poor sanitary facilities, limited access to food, the absence of basic assistance mechanisms, a lack of reform initiatives and instances of torture, maltreatment and violence.

A former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture reported on severe overcrowding and antiquated infrastructure in Sri Lankan prisons. And a press report quoted returnees who said they slept on the floor in line with their bodies pressed up against each other, that they could not roll over and that some nights they had to take turns sleeping due to lack of space.

Despite this officially acknowledged brutality, Edelman and his fellow judges concluded that the abuse and maltreatment were not intentionally inflicted and therefore did not entitle the refugees to protection from being deported. Engaging in legal sophistries, the judges insisted that the Sri Lankan authorities did not directly intend the harm, even if it resulted necessarily from the appalling prison regime.

The judges rejected the obvious reality that Sri Lankan officials knew of the shocking conditions in custody and therefore intended that the detainees be subjected to those conditions. According to the judges, it could not be assumed that the officials could be said to intend to inflict severe pain or suffering or to intend to cause extreme humiliation.

Instead, the court insisted that the prison conditions were the result of a lack of resources, which the Sri Lankan government acknowledged and was taking steps to improve, rather than an intention to inflict cruel or inhuman treatment.

None of the judgments considered what happened to the detainees after their initial period of imprisonment, which the judges said lasted possibly two weeks. There is ample evidence that the Sirisena government has continued the systemic police frame-ups and brutality, as well as the military occupation of the islands north and east, that was instigated under Sirisenas predecessor, Mahinda Rajapakse.

This violence is particularly directed against the Tamil and Muslim minorities, but also has increasingly targeted workers, rural labourers and students fighting against attacks on their jobs, wages, conditions and basic rights. Last month, for example, shortly after the Sri Lankan army was mobilised to crush oil workers strikes, security forces set up roadblocks and checkpoints and arrested about 100 people across the Tamil-majority Jaffna peninsula, sowing fear and terror among the population.

Successive Australian governments have been complicit in this repression. In a documented case in May 2016, the Liberal-National Coalition government handed over 12 Sri Lankan asylum seekers to the notorious police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which immediately imprisoned them. The CID has a documented record of psychological, physical and sexual torture of government opponents.

Last weeks High Court ruling applied provisions that the Gillard Labor government introduced into the Migration Act in 2012, with the Coalitions support, to help fast-track the deportation of refugees.

The Labor government did so on the pretext of incorporating into one process all applications for protection visas, whether they be under the provisions of the 1951 Refugees Convention, which covers persecution, the 1984 UN Convention against Torture (CAT) or the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

In reality, Labors complementary protection regime undermined these global treaties by giving the immigration minister the power to refuse visas unless he or she had substantial grounds for believing that the non-citizen will suffer significant harm by being deported.

This significant harmwhether via torture, cruel or inhuman treatment or punishment or degrading treatment or punishmenthad to be intentionally inflicted and intended to cause cruel or inhuman treatment. The CAT and ICCPR do not expressly require any such direct intention.

Australias removals of Sri Lankan asylum seekers are continuing with ever more brazen contempt for international law. On June 26, the Turnbull government forcibly deported six Sri Lankans to Colombo on a chartered plane from the Indian Ocean outpost of Christmas Island, where their refugee boat had arrived.

Prime Minister Turnbull seized on the event to boast of the ruthlessness of Australias anti-refugee regime. He told the Australian: Our message is very clearif you try and come to Australia on a boat you will not be allowed in.

The High Court has a long record of rubber-stamping the tearing up of the fundamental legal and democratic rights of refugees by successive Labor and Liberal-National governments. Just last month, a full bench of seven judges unanimously dismissed a challenge to Australias prolonged detention of refugees on Papua New Guineas (PNG) impoverished Manus Island in defiance of a PNG Supreme Court ruling that the incarceration violated the countrys constitution.

While displaying particular contempt for the law of PNG, a former Australian colony, that High Court ruling effectively gave a green light to Australian governments to flout the law of any other country, as well as international law, in their escalating measures to prevent refugees from seeking protection in Australia.

Australias militarised border protection regime involves repelling asylum seekers or incarcerating them on remote Pacific islands. It has set reactionary precedents that other governments, including that of Donald Trump in the United States, are using to scapegoat immigrant workers and incite poisonous nationalism as the global refugee crisis worsens.

The author also recommends:

Unite all workers against the attack on immigrants! For a socialist policy of open borders!

[7 September 2017]

Australian government summarily deports more Sri Lankan refugees

[11 July 2017]
A photo of a police officer kissing his daughter goodbye before leaving for work amid Hurricane Irma is striking an emotional chord with families everywhere.

On Sunday, the Clearwater Police Department posted a Facebook image of Officer Seth Stiers giving his 7-year-old daughter, Lola, a kiss in the pouring rain before assuming duty in the Florida town west of Tampa.

The emotional moment was liked 1,300 times, in large part by police families  parents who prayed for the safety of their adult children on duty alongside Stiers, and people who grew up with police officers for parents.

Remarking on the physical distance between the father and daughter, who said goodbye without their bodies touching, one person wrote, That is how my sisters and I would kiss our Dad (who was with the SO) when he had his gun belt on! Safety first. Another person wrote, Yes my son being one of the officers out there. Stressing like crazy for his safety on top of the hurricane itself. Lord keep my baby safe please. Everyone thanked the police department for its efforts.

Yahoo Beauty could not reach a representative from the Clearwater Police Department for comment.

On Monday, utility company Florida Power & Light reported that 62 percent of its customers (thats 6.5 million homes) lost power when Hurricane Irma swept through the state. And three-quarters of Miami-Dade County is currently without electricity. According to NPR, CEO Eric Silagy said the damages are unprecedented and of a magnitude we just havent seen before.

A number of heart-wrenching viral images have emerged from coverage of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, two Category 4 storms that both made U.S. landfall in the same year, an event that hasnt occurred in 166 years, reports the Weather Channel.

On Monday, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department tweeted a photo depicting an officer and his German shepherd holding hands while sleeping after an exhausting round of evacuations, with the hashtag #WeAreInThisTogether.

Story continues

On Aug. 25 a Texas police officer was photographed facing the storm while holding up the American flag. The Aransas Pass Police Department posted the image to Facebook with the caption While some dishonor and desecrate her, APPD Ofc. Jack McCarty will stop at nothing to honor and save her.

A photo of residents in a Texas nursing home waiting to be evacuated from waist-deep floodwater circulated on social media in late August.

Nursing home residents left sitting waist-deep in Hurricane Harvey floodwaters rescued https://t.co/xBmbh7ENtw (Pic: Timothy McIntosh) pic.twitter.com/QfuCa6rkKj  ABC News (@abcnews) August 28, 2017

In the aftermath of Harvey, a Texas couples Sept. 2 wedding day was ruined, but a photo of them embracing what really matters went viral.

A dog named Otis also became an internet celebrity when he was spotted roaming the streets of Sinton, Texas, with a bag of dog food in his mouth. According to Today, Hurricane Harvey had frightened the golden retriever mix, who took off on a four-hour journey to find food. After he secured some chow, he came right back home and settled in on the porch.

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.




Dressed head-to-toe in flowing white, Angelina Jolie landed in Toronto Sunday for the warmly received world premiere of Nora Twomeys animated The Breadwinner, which Jolie exec-produced, about a young girl who disguises herself as a boy to support her family in Taliban-controlled Kabul.

Like everyone in the theater, Jolie was visibly moved when the first post-screening question came from a young Canadian-Afghani woman who has been through a similar experience. When another young girl asked Jolie what people can do to help, she answered: First of all, be brave, and stand up, and ask questions.

That evening a relaxed Jolie joined Toronto festival artistic director Cameron Bailey for an intimate on-stage conversation about her career evolution, Breadwinner, and Netflix-bound First They Killed My Father, which screens Monday night. Father producer (with Jolie) Rithy Panh, the Cambodian director of Un Certain Regard prize-winner The Missing Picture, also participated in the chat.

Ive been to Afghanistan many times. The Afghan people are extraordinary, and the story of this film tells you a lot about them, said Jolie of Breadwinner, which is based on a book by Canadian peace-activist Deborah Ellis.

The sad reality of girls not being able to go to school is a reality in many countries around the world, she added.

Father, which has opened theatrically in Cambodia, is based on the memoir by human rights activist Loung Ung, who tells her story of survival living under the Khmer Rouge regime from a childs point of view.

Every day on set, our discussions were not just about shots, but about what the film means, said Jolie, who made the film primarily for Cambodian audiences, and first screened it there months ago at the Olympic Stadium, where many atrocities had occurred in the late 1970s.

There were survivors there, ex-Khmer Rouge, members of the royal family  we werent sure what the reaction would be, but it was such a moving experience, said Jolie, adding that she also made the film for her son, Maddox, who was born in Cambodia, to support his understanding of what his birth parents went through.

Jolie said these days she prefers working behind the lens. I believe our world is stronger for diversity, she said. And great way to learn about each other is to work with each other.
Kailash C. KC Chaudhary, who helps host and organize the annual fundraiser for Asha, celebrated his 80th birthday on Aug. 20 at his Napa home. Attending the celebration were many of his friends and relatives from Napa Valley and the Silicon Valley, as well as special guests from Germany.

Chaudhary, along with his wife Gisela, welcomed their three daughters; Rita, Monica and Elke; 12 of their 18 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Their two sons, Arvin and Norbert, were unable to attend. Two grandchildren were in China and Australia but a video featuring each grandchild and great-grandchild shared a memories of time spent with their grandfather. Chaurdarys sisters, Santosh Wadhwa and Saroj Ahuja, and brothers, Kanwal and Sudhir Chaudhary, and their families, also attended the celebration.

Congressman Mike Thompson presented Chaudary the U.S. flag, which had flown over the Capitol in recognition of Kailash Chaudharys birthday. State Sen. Bill Dodd presented him with the California State Senate Certificate of Recognition for his achievements his his 40-plus years of leadership at Chaudhary and Associates, Inc; the Napa civil engineering, land surveying and construction inspection company that he and Gisela founded in 1976. Mayor Leon Garcia of American Canyon was also present.

Other special guests included the members of the Fab-4, a foursome of friends who came together to the U.S. from India in 1957 to study at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Sixty years later, Muni Aggarwa, l Paul Gupta and Kamal Aggarwa and Chaurdary are still best friends and their families celebrate special occasions together.

Aroma Indian cuisine of Napa catered the food, and Keith Rosenthal serenaded the guests with beautiful accordion music.
Dont expect George Clooney and Steve Bannon to exchange holiday cards this year.

Over the last few days, Clooney has blasted the former White House advisor in interviews, mocking Bannon for his past Hollywood failures and using increasingly profane words to describe the controversial figure.

Ahead, a brief history of all the times Clooney has trashed Bannon in the press this year.

February 2017

Speaking to Canal+, Clooney called Bannon a failed film writer and director, citing Bannons derided screenplay for a hip-hop musical based on Shakespeares Coriolanus and set during the 1992 L.A. riots. Thats the truth, thats what hes done, Clooney said before calling Bannon, who has derided the so-called leftist elites in the past, elitist Hollywood. Said Clooney: I mean, thats the reality.

Sept. 8, 2017

During a roundtable interview at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 8, Clooney unloaded on Bannon, taking his initial remarks from February even further. I like picking fights. I like that Breitbart News wants to have my head. Id be ashamed 10 years from now if those weaselly little putzes, whose voices are getting a lot higher every week as this presidency starts to look worse and worse werent still [after me], Clooney said. Steve Bannon is a failed fing screenwriter, and if youve ever read [his] screenplay, its unbelievable. Now, if hed somehow managed miraculously to get that thing produced, hed still be in Hollywood, still making movies and licking my ass to get me to do one of his stupid-ass screenplays.

Sept. 9, 2017

In an interview with Vanity Fair on Sept. 9, Clooney again blasted Bannon for his hip-hop script. Steve Bannon heres my favorite. This guy: heres a schmuck who literally tried everything he could to sell scripts in Hollywood. He wrote  you guys have to go online and read this script. Its like a rap Shakespearean thing about the L.A. riots. Its the worst script youve ever read. But he was trying to get it made in Hollywood. And had he, he would still be in Hollywood making movies and kissing my ass to make one of his films. Thats who he is.

Story continues

That same day, Clooney upped his attacks on Bannon, calling him a py in an interview with The Daily Beast.

Steve Bannon is a py, Clooney said. Steve Bannon is a little wannabe writer who would do anything in the world to have had a script made in Hollywood. He wrote one of the worst scripts Ive ever read  and Ive read it. His fake Shakespeare-rap script about the L.A. riots. Oh, youve gotta read it! Its just fing terrible. Clooney added, Heres the truth: if Steve Bannon had Hollywood say, Oh, this is really great, and a really good script, and had they made his movie, hed still be in Hollywood writing his fing movies and kissing my ass to be in one of his fing films! Thats who he is. Thats the reality.

Clooney is currently doing press for his new film, Suburbicon, which is out in October. Bannon will make his first television appearance since being ousted from the White House on Sundays 60 Minutes.
"I thought Trump was behaving in a deplorable manner. I thought a lot of his appeals to voters were deplorable." - @HillaryClinton pic.twitter.com/1kvHPv34gd  CBS Sunday Morning (@CBSSunday) September 10, 2017

Hillary Clinton reflected on her infamous use of the phrase basket of deplorables during last years presidential campaign  and called out President Donald Trump for his deplorable behavior  during an interview with CBS on Sunday, her first since losing the election.

Well, I thought Trump was behaving in a deplorable manner. I thought a lot of his appeals to voters were deplorable, Clinton told Jane Pauley during an interview on CBS Sunday Morning. I thought his behavior as we saw on the Access Hollywood tape was deplorable. And there were a large number of people who didnt care. It did not matter to them. And he turned out to be a very effective reality TV star.

Speaking at a fundraiser in New York last September, Clinton blasted some of Trumps supporters in a speech that became a rallying cry for Trump during the campaign. You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? Clinton said. The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic  you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that. And he has lifted them up.

Less than a month later, a 2005 Access Hollywood taped surfaced, in which Trump can be heard bragging about how his fame afforded him the chance to do anything to women. Grab them by the py. You can do anything, Trump said in the sexist remarks. The tape was released just days before the second debate, a town hall-style event that featured Trump lurking behind Clinton throughout the night.

After we heard him admitting and laughing about sexually assaulting women and being able to get away with it because if youre a star, you can do anything. So in my debate prep, we practiced this, Clinton told CBS. The young man playing Trump would stalk me. And I practiced keeping my composure. I practiced not getting rattled. Well, its one thing to practice it. Its another thing to be in front of, you know, 50 million, 60 million, 70 million people and having him scowling and leering and moving up on me. And  it it was so discombobulating. And so while Im answering questions, my mind is going, Okay, do I keep my composure? Do I act like a president?'




In setting up his segment on Sunday nights 60 Minutes, co-host Charlie Rose said that former Trump White House strategist and soulless black hole Steve Bannon came ready to brawl. If so, the self-proclaimed street fighter faced a weak opponent in Rose. He tried so pointlessly hard to understand Bannons contorted justifications for everything from President Trumps response to the Charlottesville tragedy to Trumps worst tweets that he was left sputtering  gasping for the polite, network-news, Sunday-night way of saying, Are you effing serious?

Bannon got away with his usual yammering mixture of rabid nationalism and racism dressed in the raiment of working-class fealty. But then, Bannon is a reprehensible human, which I knew going in, so I didnt get too riled up watching most of the interview. The one moment I rose out of my chair in fury, though, was when Rose let Bannon get away with justifying his awful philosophy by quoting William Holden in one of the greatest movies ever made, Sam Peckinpahs The Wild Bunch. In trying to excuse his own duplicitous, false blind loyalty to Donald Trump, Bannon misquoted (of course) the moment when William Holdens Pike Bishop barks at Ben Johnson for wanting to rid the outlaw gang of the aging cowboy, played by Edmund OBrien. Bannon bungled Holdens lines, which are, When you side with a man, you stay with him, and if you cant do that youre like some animal, youre finished  were finished, all of us.

Holden is speaking with a great sense of guilt and self-condemnation for past incidents in which he hadnt done the right thing by various allies. Bannon, by contrast, used Pikes furious anguish to justify Billy Bush and Trumps lewd Access Hollywood comments. Bannon spoke entirely without any sense of guilt for what he has done to modern politics, or the country, in feeding his rancid ideas into the Trump campaign and presidency. If Pike Bishop were around today, hed have made a much better figure for Bannon to face across a table than Charlie Rose. Pike Bishop would have slapped the flabby, stubbled jowls of Steve Bannon and told the self-styled street fighter to go back to his fake guns and his fake battles.

60 Minutes airs Sundays at 7 p.m. on CBS.
Leslie Jones is the ultimate hype woman in New York Fashion Week video

Even the most striking outfits often benefit from one final touch  a splash of color, a carefully chosen accessory, or in the case of model Coco Rocha, the worlds greatest hype woman.

During Christian Sirianos recent show at New York Fashion Week, Saturday Night Live star Leslie Jones used her front-row seat to shake up the normally staid affair with an outpouring of joy and encouragement.

As Rocha and her fellow models walked the runway, Jones whooped and shouted cheers such as You work, girl! and I love you!

Jones told Vanity Fair after the show that Siriano loves all women and just makes them look so beautiful.

She has history with the Project Runway alum, who came to her aid last year when she was having a hard time finding designers to make her a premiere dress for Ghostbusters. Siriano is known for working with a diverse array of models, and Jones has worn his designs frequently since they became acquainted.
Hurricane Irma literally sucked all of the sea out of the Bahamas, and it is undeniably eerie

We knew on some level that it was hurricane season, but seeing Hurricane Irma in action is actually seriously scary. We knew Irma would be serious when even Disney World closed. But things seem like theyre only getting worse from here.

Already, celebrities are out in spades to try and help for the destruction of Irma. Ryan Reynolds shared a message of how to help with both Harvey and Irma. And if theyre not helping raise money, theyre out saving families! Like Kristen Bell, who legitimately saved Josh Gads family.

The country (and the world) are banning together to help those hurt by the hurricanes. But still, there are some things that just freak us out  like this video of the ocean literally missing from the Bahamas thanks to the storm.

Yep, Hurricane Irma swept through the Bahamas and took the sea with her.

In the video, it looks like Irma took a straw and just sucked away the sea. It looks like some dystopian novel where the main character walks in the tadpools left behind.

I am in disbelief right now... This is Long Island, Bahamas and the ocean water is missing!!! That's as far as they see #HurricaneIrma wtf pic.twitter.com/AhPAonjO6s  #ForeverFlourish (@Kaydi_K) September 9, 2017

In any other situation, maybe this would be cool. It certainly looks interesting. But the reality of what this means is what is truly terrifying about this situation. And thats not the only evidence, just in case you needed to see more.

Y'all my family in the Bahamas said Irma sucked up all the water. There's literally no water. The beach and ocean are gone  piz (@Piznack) September 9, 2017

Whats going to happen now in the Bahamas? Will the ocean there ever return to what it once was or as Irma completely changed the landscape of this area of the Bahamas? At least on that front, there is some good news.

The person said the water is gradually coming back thank God https://t.co/VqEebk4YDU  #ForeverFlourish (@Kaydi_K) September 9, 2017

Still, we cant help but be seriously creeped out. And, honestly, worried for everywhere else. Our hearts go out to those in the path of the storm and hope that everyone comes out of this disaster safe and sound.
Londoners are taking to the streets to call for an exit from Brexit

Last summer, the people of Britain voted to leave the European Union. Well, most of them did, at least. Those who didnt vote for this British exit  aka Brexit  came out en masse on Saturday to protest the unpopular political move that may come to fruition in early 2019.

Brexit was wildly unpopular among young voters; indeed, 75% of people ages 18 to 24 voted against Britains exit from the EU. The entire region was pretty evenly split, in fact, and in the end the decision was determined by a 52%-48% split, meaning that almost half the country was against this major decision. Considering that Brexit will greatly impact the lives of everyone in Britain, those are terrible odds.

This weekend, thousands of Londoners protested at Parliament Square for The Peoples March for Europe.

The call was for parliament to Exit Brexit.

Protesters hoped to influence members of parliament to vote against the EU exit, which theyll do on Monday for the first time since the Brexit vote.

The Guardian reported that First Secretary of State Damian Green said that the government will consider reasonable points about the withdrawal bill, so there may be hope yet for anti-Brexiters  including author J.K. Rowling.

One of the strongest arguments among Brexit-Exit proponents is that leaving the E.U. is xenophobic.

While those in favor of Brexit claim that leaving the European Union, which consists of 28 countries, will allow for Britain to have greater control over its borders and immigration laws, Brexit essentially means that refugees and immigrants will have a more difficult time moving to Britain than any other place in Europe.

Story continues

When we know the outcome and the facts, public should have the choice whether to jump off the cliff or #ExitFromBrexit #PeoplesMarch4EU pic.twitter.com/o7gDIPbJGi  Vince Cable (@vincecable) September 9, 2017

Vince Cable, an MP from Twickenham and leader of the Liberal Democrats, spoke about this at the demonstration, saying, Were beginning to see, for example, large numbers of European Nationals feeling here insecure, unwanted, drifting away from the country  some of the best people we have.

Hmm, turning away important members of society based on their places of origin? That sounds eerily familiar.

Considering how unifying the European Unions mission is, its a bold statement from the U.K. to leave it; a statement that many dont agree with. In fact, many at the march sang that those who do support the bill can shove [their] Brexit up [their] arse.

It doesnt get much more British than that.
A Napa County collision Sunday involving a motorcycle and a car has left a Merced man dead, according to the California Highway Patrol.

At 11:59 a.m., a 24-year-old man on a 1995 Harley-Davidson bike was riding north at an unknown speed on Highway 121 north of Vichy Avenue, a mile outside Napa, when a southbound 2015 Lincoln approached in the southbound lane at about 40 mph, CHP said in a news release.

The collision happened at a curve in the road after the motorbike crossed the double-yellow line and struck the Lincoln front to front, according to the highway patrol.

The Harley rider was taken to Queen of the Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, CHP reported. His name was not immediately released, pending notification of relatives.

Jose Luis Mejia, 69, of St. Helena, who was driving the Lincoln, sustained a minor injury and was released from the scene without a charge or citation, CHP said.

The fatal crash shut down Highway 121 for about 45 minutes. The cause remains under investigation.
(Photo: HuffPost)

Memphis, Tennessee is arguably most famous for one thing: barbecue. The residents of this Southern town love their barbecue so much, they even put it on spaghetti.

Memphis folks make some of the best ribs in America, and if you ask a local, theyll tell you they actually make THE BEST ribs. But theres more to this town than ribs. These days Memphis offers cuisines from all over the world, and their fine dining scene exceeds expectations.

I think we can say [Memphis food] used to be barbecue, but it has evolved into something that I think is really exciting, chef Ryan Trimm of Memphis Sweet Grass told HuffPost. In the last 20 years, Memphis has become a melting pot. There are so many good restaurants here now, Im so impressed with it.

We reached out to a few more local food experts to hear their take on what makes Memphis food so special, what their favorite spots are and what they think everyone else should come to Memphis to eat. Heres what we learned:

Related Coverage

Barbecue Spaghetti, The Memphis Specialty You Need To Try

These Guys Wrote A Whole Manifesto On The Proper Barbecue

Memphis Theater Right In Dumping 'Gone With The Wind'

Also on HuffPost

Cheddar And Jalapeno Skillet Cornbread

Get the Cheddar and Jalapeno Skillet Cornbread recipe from Foodie Crush

Honey Butter Biscuits

Get the Honey Butter Biscuits recipe from How Sweet It Is

Baked Mac And Cheese

Get the Baked Mac and Cheese recipe from Pinch of Yum

Bourbon Peach BBQ Baked Beans

Get the Bourbon Peach BBQ Baked Beans recipe from Half Baked Harvest

Classic Coleslaw

Get the Classic Coleslaw recipe from Simply Recipes

Honey Butter Fried Corn Fritters

Get the Honey Butter Fried Corn Fritters recipe from Oh, Sweet Basil

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Get the Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe from Foodie Crush

Stewed Okra With Tomatoes

Get the Stewed Okra with Tomatoes recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Bread And Butter Pickles

Get the Bread And Butter Pickles recipe from Simply Recipes

Classic Macaroni Salad

Get the Classic Macaroni Salad recipe from Cooking Classy

Bacon Blue Potato Salad With Soft Boiled Eggs

Get the Bacon Blue Potato Salad with Soft Boiled Eggs recipe from How Sweet It Is

Sweet Kentucky Bourbon Corn Pudding

Get the Sweet Kentucky Bourbon Corn Pudding recipe from Half Baked Harvest

Spicy Collard Greens

Get the Spicy Collard Greens recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Get the Sriracha Deviled Eggs recipe from How Sweet It Is

Watermelon Salad

Get the Watermelon Salad recipe from Simply Recipes

Easy Creamed Corn

Get the Easy Creamed Corn recipe from Damn Delicious

Honey Lime Rainbow Fruit Salad

Get the Honey Lime Rainbow Fruit Salad recipe from Cooking Classy

Mayo-Free Coleslaw

Get the Mayo-Free Coleslaw recipe from Simply Recipes

Grilled Corn with Bacon Butter and Cotija Cheese

Get the Grilled Corn with Bacon Butter and Cotija Cheese recipe from How Sweet It Is

Veggie Lovers Pasta Salad

Get the Veggie Lovers Pasta Salad recipe from Gimme Some Oven

Pickled Okra

Get the Pickled Okra recipe from Simply Recipes

Tomato Salad

Get the Simple Tomato Salad recipe from Adventures in Cooking

Baked Beans

Get the Sweet n Smokey Bourbon Baked Beans with Thick-cut Apple Smoked Bacon, Maple & Cracked Black Pepper recipe from The Cozy Apron

Pickled Watermelon Rinds

Get the Pickled Watermelon Rind recipe from The Domestic Man

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Two Florida law enforcement officials have died after their respective vehicles collided head-on while they were responding to Hurricane Irma over the weekend.

Hardee County Deputy Julie Bridges and Sgt. Joseph Ossman with the Florida Department of Corrections were killed Sunday when their vehicles collided in Tampa, according to reports.

Watch: Student Says Flight to Flee Florida From Irma Was $1,600

Both officers had been required to stay in the county despite mandatory evacuations in response to the massive storm.

Deputy Bridges was picking up supplies for a hurricane shelter when her patrol car hit Sgt. Ossman's vehicle, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Sgt. Ossman was reporting for his shift at the Hardee Correctional Institution, which remained open despite the evacuation.

Sgt. Ossman had served with the Florida Department of Corrections for 21 years.

"We are heartbroken by this loss," Florida Corrections Secretary Julie Jones said in a statement. "Our thoughts & prayers are with the families of the two FL officers who lost their lives."

Bridges was a 13-year veteran officer.

"Let's take a moment to recognize these heroes # IRMA," the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office tweeted.

As Hurricane Irma began to barrel past Florida on its path inland Monday, the sun rose over a state where millions are now without power, and at least five people were killed in accidents likely to be blamed on the historic storm.

Watch: Check Out the Highway Traffic in Florida as Families Evacuate Before Irma

As of around 8 a.m. Monday, Irma was downgraded to a tropical storm as southern Georgia braced for an onslaught of torrential rain.

The National Hurricane Center said Irma would continue moving north over the western Florida peninsula through Monday morning and then into the southeastern United States late Monday and Tuesday.

Watch: Why These Florida Families Are Refusing to Leave Despite Irma Warnings

Story continues

Related Articles:
The drama continues to heat up on the daily soap operas, with the official new seasons of "Days of Our Lives," "Bold and the Beautiful," and "The Young and the Restless" all turning up the heat.

All three soaps brought the drama to a boiling point, with death threats, evil plots, schemes, and blackmail taking center stage on each show. In case you missed a minute of the action, here are the five biggest moments which happened this week.

"Days Of Our Lives" (NBC)

Gabi Is Placed In A Dangerous Situation

Days of Our Lives

Photo: NBC

After she overheard the recording which proved Raines (Aaron Spears) was Dario's (Jordi Villasousa) accomplice in the counterfeiting scheme, Raines took Gabi (Camila Banus) hostage and threatened to kill her. With a clock ticking, the race was on to save her life, and after a bold move from Eli (Lamon Archey) to shoot Raines, Gabi was freed. Now, the right man is in police custody and Abe (James Reynolds) has been freed, and thankfully, Gabi is safe.

Andre Is Betrayed

Days of Our Lives

Photo: NBC

One person who found themselves in a dire predicament they couldn't find a way out of however was Andre (Thaao Penghlis). After calling a press conference to expose Kate (Lauren Koslow) kissing Roman (Josh Charles), in an attempt to reclaim power at DiMera, he was stunned when "Marlena" (Diedre Hall) then claimed he was mentally incompetent, and ordered him to be locked up in a sanitarium. Andre was then reunited with the real Marlena and John (Drake Hogestyn) briefly, before he was locked away in a separate cell.

"Young And The Restless" (CBS)

Crystal And Alice Are Tracked

Now that Alice (Tamara Clatterbuck) is suspected as being involved in the sex ring, Sharon (Sharon Case) and Nick (Joshua Morrow) were able to set a trap which allowed them to start tracking Alice's car. Now, they're sure they have a better way of figuring out where Crystal (Morgan Obenreder) is being kept. However, desperate to get her sister back faster, Tessa (Cait Fairbanks) and Mariah (Camryn Grimes) went to the house on their own, and are now planning how to get inside and find Crystal, in the hopes they can rescue her before it's too late.

Story continues

"Bold And The Beautiful" (CBS)

Liam Blackmails Bill

After deciding he can't let his father get away with setting the fire at Spectra Creations, Liam (Scott Clifton) took action against Bill (Don Diamont) this week. After getting Bill to admit to setting the fire, Liam revealed that he had recorded the conversation, and used it to blackmail his father. He warned him that if he didn't resign from the company and give him the CEO position, he would take the recording to the police and turn him in. Now, Bill is out, and Liam is in control.

Maya Makes A Devious Move

After hearing her daughter call Nicole (Reign Edwards) "mommy," Maya (Karla Mosley) decided that she wasn't going to let there be a risk that Nicole would grow too attached to the baby again. Now, after pitching an idea to Ridge (Thorsten Kaye), Nicole and Zende (Rome Flynn) are Paris bound so he can continue his training as a designer. While the move is being touted as something that is good for his career, it also gives Maya the benefit of making sure Nicole is thousands of miles away from Lizzy.

To see how these stories continue to play next week, tune in to "Days of Our Lives," weekdays on NBC, "The Young and the Restless," weekdays at 12:30 p.m. EDT on CBS, and "The Bold and the Beautiful," weekdays at 1:30 p.m. EDT on CBS.

Related Articles
Monday marks the 16th anniversary of the deadly attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, that shook the United States.

Even as the country is ravaged by multiple hurricanes, thousands of survivors, relatives of victims and rescuers are expected to gather Monday at the World Trade Center to mark the anniversary. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are scheduled to observe a minute of silence at around the time the first of the three airplanes hit the Twin Towers in Manhattan, according to reports.

In one of the worst attacks on American soil, on Sept. 11, 2001, two airplanes controlled by hijackers crashed into the World Trade Center, Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing almost 3000 people and injuring more than 6000. It is thought that the third plane was intended to crash into the White House or the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

Speaking after the attacks in 2001, the then-President George W. Bush said in an address: "The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong."

Visuals and pictures of the attacks and their aftermath remain some of the most infamous images of American history, serving as a somber reminder of one of the country's darkest moments. On the 16th anniversary of the attack, here is a look back at some of these pictures.

9/11 rescue

Photo: Getty Images/Frank Schwere

WTC attacks

Photo: Getty Images/ Robert Giroux/

9/11 attacks rescue

Photo: Getty Images/ Mario Tama

Story continues

Pentagon 9/11

Photo: Getty Images/Alex Wong

9/11 survivor

Photo: Getty Images/Jose Jimenez/Primera Hora

Bush 9/11

Photo: Paul. J. Richards /AFP/Getty Images

Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert told reporters on Friday that president will be presented with "a comprehensive picture of the terrorist threat environment and what we're doing to counter it from his senior officials on 9/11." He added: "No terrorist should view us as vulnerable right now, farthest thing from the truth. Second, there is no actionable, credible threat to the United States right now."

The president is also expected to attend a Pentagon ceremony led by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to pay respects to the victims. Vice President Mike Pence and US Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke are scheduled to deliver remarks at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

On Sept. 8, Trump had proclaimed the day of the attacks to be "Patriot Day" to honor the innocent lives lost and those who aided "their fellow citizens in America's time of need."

On this anniversary, I invite all Americans to thank our Nation's incredible service members and first responders, who are on the front lines of our fight against terrorism. We will always remember the sacrifices made in defense of our people, our country, and our freedom, he said in a statement.

The statement added: We rededicate ourselves to the ideals that define our country and unite us as one, as we commemorate all the heroes who lost their lives saving others.

Related Articles
Its been 16 years since 9/11, one of the most horrendous attacks inflicted on U.S. land. Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes mid-flight on Sept. 11, 2001, and crashed them into the south and north towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a Pennsylvania field, and the Pentagon in Virginia. The attack killed nearly 3,000 people.

And even though its been almost two decades since the horrific attacks, each year, Americans solemnly remember those who lost their lives and those who sacrificed their lives to save others. Heres a compilation of quotes to help honor the victims and to remember what transpired on 9/11 during the 16th anniversary.

During the attacks

"We may have a hijack. We have some problems over here right now."  An air traffic controller on the ground in Long Island after the first plane struck the north tower

"Hi, this is the captain. I would like you all to remain seated. There is a bomb on board and we are going back to the airport ... Please remain quiet."  Hijacker aboard United Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

"We have some planes. Just stay quiet and you will be okay. We are returning to the airport. Nobody move, everything will be okay. If you try to make any moves you'll endanger yourself and the airplane."  Mohamed Atta, American Airlines Flight 11 hijacker pilot, heard on a radio transmission while meaning to send a message to the passengers.

Day of the attacks

"Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward and freedom will be defended."  President George W. Bush

"These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation."  President George W. Bush on Sept. 11, 2001.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.

Story continues

"Were going to find out who did this and were going after the bastards." - Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

"This mass terrorism is the new evil in our world today. It is perpetrated by fanatics who are utterly indifferent to the sanctity of human life, and we, the democracies of this world, are going to have to come together and fight it together." - British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Since the attacks

"Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost, a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11." - President Obama in a 2011 radio address

"My older brother John lived [his life] in Technicolor. When he walked in the door, the whole house lit up. And Im sure heaven lit up when he got there too." - Anthoula Katsimatides at the World Trade Center site in 2005

"If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate." - Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, in Shanksville, Pa., in 2002

"Five years from the date of the attack that changed our world, weve come back to remember the valor of those we lostthose who innocently went to work that day and the brave souls who went in after them. We have also come to be ever mindful of the courage of those who grieve for them, and the light that still lives in their hearts." - New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani at the World Trade Center site in 2006

"September 11 is one of our worst days but it brought out the best in us. It unified us as a country and showed our charitable instincts and reminded us of what we stood for and stand for." - Senator Lamar Alexander

Related Articles
Donald Trump has been criticised for airing his controversial views on everything from LGBT rights to climate change, and the terrorist attacks on America of September 2001 are no exception.

From his days as a real estate tycoon in New York to running a campaign for political office, the former reality TV star has whipped up controversy on several occasions surrounding an atrocity that killed close to 3,000 people.

And as Mr Trump readies himself for the first 9/11 commemoration as President, the litany of controversial remarks will come under fresh scrutiny.

This time last year, the footage of his former rival Hillary Clinton buckling at the knees and being helped into a vehicle, sparked a vicious debate about her health and fitness for office.

Following the commemoration last year, Mr Trump appeared to spend more time baiting Ms Clinton than remembering the 9/11 victims.

The President has also insisted that he gave money to 9/11 charities after 2001, although reporters have struggled to find evidence of his donations.

11 September 2001

40 Wall Street actually was the second-tallest building in downtown ManhattanAnd now its the tallest.

The day the Twin Towers fell, real estate businessman Mr Trump was speaking to radio station WWOR when he veered off to brag about his nearby 71-storey skyscraper, claiming the title of highest building in Lower Manhattan.

Shortly after the attack, Mr Trump claimed $150,000 from the government to cover rent loss and repairs. The money had originally been set aside for small businesses in the area.

11 September 2013

I would like to extend my best wishes to all, even the haters and losers, on this special date, September 11th.

Mr Trump marked the anniversary on Twitter in 2013. He later deleted the tweet, but inexplicably kept his reposting of the original tweet.

@realDonaldTrump: I would like to extend my best wishes to all, even the haters and losers, on this special date, September 11th.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 12, 2013

November 2015

I watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down, and I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down.

Story continues

The then-presidential candidate said at a rally in Birmingham, Alabama, that people had celebrated the disaster across the water from the Twin Towers. He later repeated his claim to ABC News host George Stephanopoulos, adding that the cheers came from areas of New Jersey with large Arab populations. The claims were denied by Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and police.

February 2016

The World Trade Center came down during the reign of George Bush. He kept us safe? That is not safe. That is not safe

At a primary season debate, candidate Mr Trump took his former rivals Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush to task for defending former President George W Bush.

He added: The World Trade Center came down because Bill Clinton didn't kill Osama bin Laden when he had the chance to kill him. And George Bush  by the way, George Bush had the chance, also, and he didn't listen to the advice of his CIA."

February 2016

I lost hundreds of friends in 9/11.

Mr Trump insisted he knew many of the people working in the Twin Towers, but never named a single person. The President would have had to have known about one in 10 of the victims if his claim of knowing hundreds of the 2,996 victim was true.

March 2016

Thanks sweetie. Thats nice

When Mr Trump was promoting the opening of his new hotel in Washington DC while on the campaign trail, a woman in the crowd asked him if he would hire veterans and 9/11 survivors. He invited her to the stage, promising he would give her a job. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, and he replied, Thanks sweetie. Thats nice.

August 2016

Those people that knocked down the World Trade Centre most likely under the Trump policy wouldnt have been here to knock down the World Trade Centre, just so you understand.

At another campaign event, he insisted he would have been smarter on terrorism than his predecessor. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were citizens of Saudi Arabia - a country omitted from the list of countries included in his controversial travel ban.

April 2017

Its the highest [ratings] for Deface the Nation since the World Trade Center. Since the World Trade Center came down. Its a tremendous advantage.

In an interview about his first 100 days in the White House with the Associated Press, Donald Trump boasted that his ratings on cable network shows like on Fox and CBS Face the Nation were higher than those for broadcasts of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The President has been consistently preoccupied with his ratings and the turnouts at his rallies. Within hours of his inauguration, he punished the National Park Service for posting pictures of his ceremony which seemed to compare his crowds with a much higher turnout for Barack Obama.
Proving once and for all that she and Rory Gilmore have essentially nothing in common, Alexis Bledel now has an Emmy, while her alter ego presumably remains as aimless as ever.

Since no one wants to watch an eight-hour Emmys telecast, a handful of awards were handed out at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sunday night before the primetime ceremony airs this week.

Bledel picked up the prize for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her work in The Handmaids Tale, which has earned the actress rave reviews since the Hulu series premiered in April.

In her acceptance speech, Bledel addressed the series political resonance and its partnership with Change.org, which she says aims to encourage us all to take action  sign up, speak up and stay awake, according to Deadline.

She also went on to thank her co-star and producer Elisabeth Moss for having [her] be a part of this affecting and incredible work, as well as writer Bruce Miller for crafting a character who displays such fortitude amongst such devastation and then suggesting that I play her.

Despite being presumed dead, Bledels character is set to return for the second season of the dystopian series as the adaptation strays farther away from its source material, Margaret Atwoods celebrated 1985 novel.

Alexis Bledel in "The Handmaid's Tale." (Photo: Hulu)

The role of Ofglen, a handmaid who fights back against an oppressive regime, is, of course, a far cry from doe-eyed, innocent Rory, whom Bledel played once again in Netflixs Gilmore Girls: A Year In the Life this year.

Story continues

While the revival didnt score any nominations, fellow Stars Hollow resident Melissa McCarthy took home the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for hosting Saturday Night Live. Milo Ventimiglia, who starred as Rorys paramour for a handful of seasons, also has a shot at Emmy gold later this week for his performance in NBCs This Is Us.

And yet, were still living in a world where Kelly Bishop aka Emily Gilmore isnt being showered with awards.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Season 1, Episode 1: "Pilot"

We meet Lorelai, we meet Rory, we get introduced to Stars Hollow. No matter how well you think you know "Gilmore Girls," you can't get away with not re-watching the pilot episode.

Season 1, Episode 7: "Kiss And Tell

Rory's first kiss with the tall, dark and handsome Dean. Need we say more?

Season 1, Episode 17: "The Breakup, Part 2

Because Rory's heartbreak is so relatable that it breaks the heart of every "Gilmore Girls" fan. She will not wallow!

Season 2, Episode 1: "Sadie, Sadie

In "Sadie, Sadie," Lorelai gets engaged to Rory's teacher, Max. Scandalous.

Season 2, Episode 9: "Run Away, Little Boy

Here, we get one of our first hints that Rory may have a future with bad boys. Tristan (Chad Michael Murray) is super into her, and Dean does not like it.

Season 2, Episode 19: "Teach Me Tonight

Why hello there, Jess! We see Rory get herself into quite a bit of trouble when she attempts to tutor Luke's nephew. Broken bones, crashed cars ... it's not pretty, but it's certainly thrilling.

Season 3, Episode 7: "They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?

This episode is mostly great because it involves a Stars Hollow Dance Marathon. Even better, a ton of drama happens on the dance floor ... like when Dean announces that Rory's into Jess and dumps her.

Season 3, Episode 9: "A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving

First of all, fall in Stars Hollow is magical. But also, watching Lorelai and Rory bounce from Thanksgiving dinner to Thanksgiving dinner is hilarious ... and further proves that the mother-daughter duo are bottomless pits.

Season 3, Episode 16: "The Big One

Rory was supposed to go to Harvard, right? Wrong. In "The Big One," Rory gets accepted to Harvard, Princeton and Yale, and her good friend Paris humiliates her on live television.

Season 3, Episode 20: "Say Goodnight, Gracie"

More Jess drama! He's nothing but trouble; Rory loves him so much, and it's heartbreaking. Also, Dean gets engaged. Rough.

Season 4, Episode 2: "The Lorelais' First Day at Yale

Going away to college is tough. Just ask anyone who's done it. It's even tougher when your mom is your best friend, so this episode is obviously an emotional (and great) one.

Season 4, Episode 22: "Raincoats and Recipes"

Rory loses her virginity! And not to whom you'd expect.

Season 5, Episode 3: "Written in the Stars

Luke and Lorelai, together at last!

Season 5, Episode 22: "A House Is Not a Home

Rory goes to jail thanks to a little adventure she went on with her latest flame, Logan. Oof.

Season 6, Episode 18: "The Real Paul Anka

This is Jess' final appearance. And no true "Gilmore Girls" fan ever stopped missing him.

Season 7, Episode 7: "French Twist"

Sorry Luke, but Christopher made his move in a big way in this episode ... by proposing to and marrying Lorelai in Paris. Talk about sweeping a girl off her feet!

Season 7, Episode 21: "Unto the Breach

Although her mother has had a couple marriage proposals, this is Rory's first. And she says she has to think about it! Such an independent woman.

Season 7, Episode 22: "Bon Voyage

It goes without saying that the "Gilmore Girls" season finale is a must-see, but this is especially true because Rory ran off to work for Obama before Obama was really a thing, and Lorelai and Luke look like they're going to get back together. Phew!

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Hurricane Irmas powerful winds and heavy rains have already caused catastrophe since the storm made landfall in the Florida Keys early Sunday morning. Palm trees have easily snapped, street signs plowed down, and a crane collapsed in downtown Miami, among other damages. Infrastructure uprooted by over 100 mile-per-hour winds is a threat in itself, but theres also another hazard Floridians are concerned about: alligators. But, one wildlife reserve says theres nothing to worry about.

More than 2,000 alligators, some of which are nearly 14-feet, are onsite at Gatorland Orlando. Amidst Irma, theyll be staying there and wont pose any risk to humans, park director Mike Hileman told HuffPost. Hileman and his team have prepared for a number of hurricanes and assure the public they have taken the necessary steps to keep the gators locked up.

We have a detailed hurricane procedure in place, he said. We have double fences, a large perimeter fence that goes around the entire property.

The fences are eight-feet high, according to a Facebook video published by the park staff on September 8. If the high-speed winds manage to wreck the fences, they are still not getting off this property, Hileman said.

But, thats not to say other alligators across Florida pose no risk. Gatorlands 2,000 may be safe, but theres still more than a million others throughout the state, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

If you see an alligator floating down the street right by your house, it aint ours. Dont call us. Call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Department, park president and CEO Mark McHugh said in a Facebook video.

The park is also home to many other animals that could potentially pose a threat, including venomous snakes and boa constrictors. But those too are all locked up at Gatorland.

We put them into bags via the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission procedures and policy for handling animals during storms, McHugh explains. We put those into safe lock lockers. We put those lockers into locked buildings. Doubly, triply safe, none of our animals are getting out.

Story continues

The frightening thought of loose alligators in Florida comes less than two weeks after Hurricane Harvey plagued Texans with a similar worry. As rainfall accumulated, the owner of a wildlife reserve with 350 gators in Beaumont, Texas expressed concern that the high waters would allow the reptiles to swim away. About 30 managed to escape, according to the Dallas Morning News.

If you happen to cross paths with a gator, just let them be, Texas authorities advised.



Related Articles
Napa Countywide Cannabis Roundtable meeting scheduled for Sept. 28

The next Napa Countywide Cannabis Roundtable meeting is scheduled for 1-4 p.m., Sept. 28, on the third floor of the Administration Building, 1195 Third St., in Napa. Local government officials countywide formed the Napa Countywide Cannabis Roundtable, a subcommittee that conducted research and engaged in discussions about the issues surrounding the passage of Proposition 64 and the regulation of medical and nonmedical cannabis. If you have questions about the roundtable or want more information, please contact Nelson Cortez at Nelson.Cortez@countyofnapa.org or 707-299-1478.

Napa County Public Health to offer free seasonal flu vaccine shots beginning Sept. 20

Napa County Public Health will offer free seasonal flu vaccine shots to anyone over three years of age. This year the flu mist (spray) is not available.

The clinic schedule:

Yountville, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m.  1 p.m., Yountville Community Center 6516 Washington St.

Napa, Sunday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m.  2 p.m., Binational Health Fair, 3285 Claremont Way, Napa

Napa, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m.  1 p.m., Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St.

Lake Berryessa, Monday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m.1 p.m., Berryessa Senior Center, 4380 Spanish Flat Loop Road.

American Canyon, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 3  6 p.m., Multi-Use Center 2185 Elliot Drive.

St. Helena, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 3  6 p.m., St. Helena Elementary School, 1325 Adams St.

Napa, Monday, Oct. 23, 3. 6 p.m., Napa Elks Lodge, 2840 Soscol Ave.

Angwin, Monday, Oct. 30, 10 a.m.1 p.m., Angwin Fire Department, 275 College Ave.

Napa, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 3  6 p.m., McPherson Elementary, 2670 Yajome St.

Calistoga, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 3  6 p.m., Calistoga Fairgrounds, Butler Pavilion 1435 N. Oak St.

Although the spray version of the vaccine is not available this year, the flu shot is still the safest and most effective way to avoid getting the flu, said Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County Public Health Officer. In addition to protecting yourself from getting sick, the vaccine can prevent you from spreading the flu to your loved ones and other people who are more likely to have severe illness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone over 6 months of age get a flu vaccine. Those at higher risk for complications of the flu, including seniors over 65 years, pregnant women, children under five years, and people with certain chronic medical conditions, are especially encouraged to get vaccinated.

In addition to getting vaccinated, simple steps to help stop the spread of the flu:

Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 30 seconds.

Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

Stay home and contact health care providers when sick.

For additional information, including the full schedule of seasonal flu vaccine clinics, visit the Napa County Public Health flu vaccine clinic page or call the flu line at (707) 253-4540 for 24/7 recorded bilingual information.

Residents unable to attend the flu vaccine clinics or with children younger than three years of age can call the Public Health Immunization Clinic at (707) 253-4270 for a free appointment.

Napa County Suicide Prevention Council forming

The Napa County Health and Human Services Agency, Mental Health Division, is partnering with Aldea Inc. Courage Village to establish A Napa County Suicide Prevention Council. Suicide and the isolation often associated with mental illness, quietly bring loss and suffering to our community. The Council will guide efforts to reduce stigma related to suicide and mental illness through information dissemination and training.

If you have interest in learning more and/or participating in the Napa County Suicide Prevention Council, the first meeting is scheduled for Oct. 10, 5:30 to 7 p.m., 2751 A Napa Valley Corporate Drive. To RSVP, call 707-299-2101 or email luanna.pufford@countyofnapa.org. If you would like more information about the Council, contact Bill Carter, Napa County Mental Health Director at 707-299-2102 bill.carter@countyofnapa.org.

Second Napa County Suicide Prevention and Awareness Conference scheduled for Sept. 29

On Sept. 29, Aldea Inc. Courage Village will sponsor its second Napa County Suicide Prevention and Awareness Conference. The conference will bring information and tools on how to help yourself and the community with suicide prevention in both Spanish and English and offer more information about the Council. For more information about the conference, visit bit.ly/couragevillage.

Napa County Mental Health Division seeking input on potential new program

Napa County is seeking public input regarding whether or not it should implement an Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) program. AB1421, known as Lauras Law, became law in 2002 allowing California counties to choose to enact AOT, or outpatient commitment programs. These programs place individuals, who have mental illness and experience frequent hospitalizations, incarcerations and/or threatening behavior toward self or others, under the jurisdiction of the court when they are not participating in mental health treatment. The October Napa County Mental Health Board meeting will include a review of AB1421 programs and solicit public input. The meeting is scheduled for Oct. 2 at Napa County Health & Human Services Agency, 2751 Napa Valley Corporate Dr., Building A.

Napa County Mental Health providing services in American Canyon

The Napa County Mental Health Division is offering mental health appointments at the American Canyon City Hall building at 4381 Broadway St., #201, American Canyon. Individuals who are interested in requesting mental health services may contact the Services Access and Program Information 24-hour phone lines at (707) 259-8151 or (800) 648-8650 to request an assessment appointment at the American Canyon City Hall.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc will not resume commercial flights at its Miami International Airport hub on Monday but may operate flights to bring in staff and supplies. The airline said earlier on Sunday it planned to begin limited operations on Monday after 5 p.m. (2100 GMT), but reversed course after the Miami airport said it would remain closed on Monday. The airport may reopen on Tuesday but it did not confirm the plans. "American now plans to resume limited operations when the airport reopens," the airline said, noting federal agencies must assess whether the airport can reopen. The Fort Worth-based airline canceled all flights at the Miami airport starting on Friday evening in anticipation of Hurricane Irma, along with flights at three other south Florida airports. All American flights remain canceled through Monday at 12 other Florida airports, as well as Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Sandra Maler and Peter Cooney)
Our Disrupt SF (September 18-20) is just a week away, and we've made Disrupt SF more engaging and useful than ever for founders and investors alike, in addition to providing a pretty mind-blowing speaker line-up for the main stage. The latest agenda is below. But first, here are five reasons why you don't want to miss the best Disrupt SF yet. (And here's where you can grab a ticket).

CrunchMatch is how we connect founders with the right investors (and vice versa). Our partner Brella to makes the matches based on profiles that take no time to fill out, and once approved by both sides, sets meetings times at assigns meeting tables in a reserved area at Disrupt. Couldn't be easier, which is why a week before the show there are already 1000 appointments in the works! Off-The-Record sessions are a new addition to Disrupt and a response to feedback that attendees want more opportunities to engage with our speakers on the big topics: AI, Crypto, China Cross Border, Biotech, AR/VR, robotics and security. We've persuaded speakers like Sebastian Thrun and Vitalik Buterin among many others to go into a second session, after their interviews on stage, where they can extend the conversation in a roundtable format with fellow experts and Disrupt attendees. Startup Alley will feature more than 500 startups and we've organized the alley based on important categories, including AI, Crypto/blockchain, Security/Privacy, health/Biotech, Robotics/Drones, enterprise and more. To ensure we got the best early stage startups, we staged a competition that gave exhibit spots free of charge to the top three top applicants in each category. See the full startup list here. Because, Include. The TechCrunch team works very hard provide a programming and judging slate that is diverse. We even publish a yearly account of how we're doing. At Disrupt SF, for example, 35% of our speakers and 58% of our Battlefield judges will be women. That's just one of the many reasons why Disrupt is so interesting and rewarding. Startup Battlefield speaks for itself, considering that its 648 participants to date have raised $6.9 billion and produced 95 exits. Our newest crop of 20 contestants will be unveiled Monday Sept. 18 and take the stage over three days to see who holds aloft the Disrupt Cup and collects a $50,000 check.

Story continues

And now for the updated Disrupt Agenda....

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM

Opening Remarks: Matthew Panzarino, TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief

9:05 AM - 9:25 AM

Fireside Chat with Heather Adkins (Google)

How a founding member of Google's security team sees today's security landscape after having kept the company's data out of the hands of hackers for 15 years.

9:25 AM - 9:45 AM

Coming soon!

9:45 AM - 10:10 AM

Understanding ICOs with Eyal Hertzog (Bancor Protocol), Dan Morehead (Pantera Capital), and Jun Hasegawa (OmiseGO)

A panel of cryptocurrency experts will discuss how token sales are changing the way startups are funded and how ICOs will affect venture capital.

9:45 AM - 11:15 AM - WORKSHOP ROOM

Off the Record session - Security & Privacy with Ted Schlein (KPCB), John Whaley (UnifyID) and Ryan Lester (Cyph)

10:10 AM - 10:20 AM

Founder's Spotlight on Breast Milk as a Service

Medolac's mother-daughter duo, Adrianne Weir and Elena Taggart Medo, walk us through the economics of selling shelf-ready human breast milk.

10:20 AM - 10:55 AM

BREAK

10:55 AM - 11:15 AM

In Conversation with Moxie Marlinspike (Open Whisper Systems)

The CEO behind Signal will talk about how encryption schemes have reinvented communication and business and explain how the biggest change is still to come.

11:15 AM - 11:35 AM

Fireside Chat with Yuri Milner (DST Global)

One of the world's most noted investors and entrepreneurs will talk about investing across the globe.

11:35 AM - 12:05 PM

Ethereum's Future with Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum Foundation) and Naval Ravikant (AngelList)

The founder of Ethereum will chat with noted investor and AngelList CEO and founder about Ethereum's quest to balance decentralization and usability the right way.

12:05 PM - 1:00 PM

LUNCH

12:15 PM - 1:30 PM - WORKSHOP ROOM

Off the Record Session - Cryptocurrency & Blockchain with Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum Foundation), Naval Ravikant (AngelList), Joseph Poon (Lightening Network), Karl Floersch (Ethereum Foundation), and Thomas Greco (OmiseGO)

1:00 PM - 1:20 PM

In Conversation with Brian Krzanich (Intel)

Intel's CEO will sit down to talk about his company's position within the landscape of artificial intelligence, machine learning and autonomous driving.

1:20 PM - 1:40 PM

In Conversation with Ben Silbermann (Pinterest)

Pinterest's co-founder and CEO will explain how Pinterest grew to be a $12 billion visual discovery company while carving out a niche among the Snaps and Facebooks of the world.

1:40 PM - 1:45 PM

How the Startup Battlefield works with Anthony Ha

1:45 PM - 2:35 PM

Startup Battlefield Competition - Session 1

Judges: Rebecca Lynn (Canvas Ventures), Aparna Chennapragada (Google), Niko Bonatsos (General Catalyst), Shauntel Poulson (Reach Capital), Ravi Mhatre (Lightspeed Venture Partners)

2:35 PM - 2:55 PM

Fireside Chat with Steve Jurvetson (DFJ)

Legendary venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson has a penchant for anticipating the future, as proven by his early investments in SpaceX, Tesla and Planet. Well talk with him about whats coming next.

2:40 PM - 4:00 PM - BAYVIEW RECEPTION ROOM

Off the Record session - China Cross Border with Anna Fang (ZhenFund), Cindy Mi (VIPKID), Hans Tung (GGV Capital) and Norman Liang (WI Harper Group)

2:55 PM - 3:20 PM

BREAK

3:20 PM - 3:30 PM

Special Announcement

Jacob Mullins of Shasta Ventures joins us on stage for a special announcement.

3:30 PM - 3:55 PM

Creating Virtual Worlds with Herman Narula (Improbable) and Maureen Fan (Baobab Studios)

The top minds behind VR and video games will sit down together to discuss how 3D simulations will change the way we work and play.

3:55 PM - 4:15 PM

Fireside Chat with Bob Xu (ZhenFund)

The founder of ZhenFund and one of China's most celebrated angel investors, Bob Xu will discuss his investment strategy and what he looks for when investing in China's early-stage founders.

4:15 PM - 4:35 PM

Premiere of Bubbleproof

An all too real comedy about our surreal industry - followed by a discussion with David Cowan (Bessemer Venture Partners), Michael Fertik (Heroic Ventures), and Martin Sweeney (Borracho Pictures).

4:15 PM - 5:45 PM - BAYVIEW RECEPTION ROOM

Off the Record session - Augmented & Virtual Reality with Jacob Mullins (Shasta Ventures), Maureen Fan (Baobab Studios), and Tom Emrich (Super Ventures)

4:35 PM - 5:05 PM

Augmented Reality Present and Future

A discussion of the realities of AR at its turning point and its potential to be the next big platform with Cyan Banister (Founders Fund), Ross Finman and Diana Hu (Escher Reality), Phil Keslin (Niantic Inc.) and Nathan Kong (The CurioPets Company).

5:05 PM to 5:55 PM

Startup Battlefield Competition - Session 2

Judges: Anna Fang (ZhenFund), Patricia Nakache (Trinity Ventures), Shawn Carolan (Menlo Ventures), Charles Hudson (Precursor Ventures), Rob Coneybeer (Shasta Ventures), Jeff Clavier (SoftTech VC)

5:55 PM - 6:00 PM

WRAP

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM

Opening Remarks: Matthew Panzarino, TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief

9:05 AM - 9:25 AM

Rise of the Robochefs with Julia Collins (Zume Pizza) and Dave Zito (Miso Robotics)

The founders of Miso Robotics and Zume Pizza are set to chat about their companies' plans to revolutionize food service through robotics.

9:25 AM - 9:45 AM

Fireside Chat with Jenny Lee (GGV Capital)

GGV Capitals Managing Partner will talk Chinas homegrown trends and which players and innovations matter right now.

9:45 AM - 10:05 AM

In Conversation with John Giannandrea (Google)

Googles artificial intelligence chief will discuss the company's vision for AI and what that means for the future of Google (and humanity).

10:05 AM - 10:25 AM

Fireside Chat with Sebastian Thrun (Udacity)

The legendary innovator and entrepreneur has plenty to talk about, including autonomous vehicles, AIs impact on humanity and one of his latest ventures -- an AI-based app that detects skin cancer.

10:25 AM - 10:35 AM

Founder's Spotlight on a Startup Against Doped Driving

Hound Labs CEO Mike Lynn reveals the origin of its marijuana breathalyzer, and the unexpected opportunities in pot legalization.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM - BAYVIEW RECEPTION ROOM

Off the Record session - Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning with Sebastian Thrun (Udacity), John Giannandrea (Google), Jenny Lee (GGV Capital)

10:35 AM - 10:55 AM

BREAK

10:55 AM - 11:15 AM

In Conversation with Lisa Jackson (Apple)

Apple's Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives will provide a look at the values that drive Apples mission.

11:15 AM - 11:35 AM

Fireside Chat with Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman (Durant Company / Thirty Five Media)

The Golden State Warriors MVP and his agent and investment partner talk about what it means to be in control of your own brand -- from investment, to management, to media.

11:15 AM - 12:45 PM - WORKSHOP ROOM

Off the Record session - Robotics, Mobility & Drones with David Zito (Miso Robotics), Julia Collins (Zume Pizza), Carl Vause (Soft Robotics) and Rob Coneybeer (Shasta Ventures)

11:35 AM - 11:55 AM

In Conversation with Alon Cohen and Adi Tatarko (Houzz)

Hear how the married co-founders built one of Silicon Valley's hottest unicorns to help people aviod the nightmarish process of renovating a home.

11:55 AM - 12:15 PM

In Conversation with Anne Wojcicki (23andMe)

The founder and CEO of 23andMe will reveal how her company mapped the DNA of over 1 million humans while making peace with the FDA and aiding genetics research across the globe.

12:15 PM - 1:35 PM

LUNCH

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM - WORKSHOP ROOM

Off the Record session - Health & Biotech with Nina Kjellson (Canaan Partners), Nish Bhat (Color Genomics) and Robert Mittendorf (Norwest Venture Partners)

1:35 PM - 1:40 PM

How the Startup Battlefield works with Anthony Ha

1:40 PM - 2:30 PM

Startup Battlefield Competition - Session 3

Judges: Lisa Lambert (The Westly Group), Tripp Jones (August Capital), Arvind Gupta (SOSV) Nancy Pfund (DBL Investors), Kira Radinsky (eBay)

2:30 PM - 2:35 PM

Special Announcement

Citizen CEO Andrew Frame is joined on stage by former Washington, D.C. mayor and company investor Adrian Fenty for a special announcement.

2:35 PM - 2:55 PM

Tech as a Force for Good with Tiffani Ashley Bell (The Human Utility), Andrew Frame (Citizen), Rosanne Haggerty (Community Solutions) and Adrian Fenty

The former mayor of Washington, D.C., Adrian Fenty, will lead a roundtable discussion on how the latest startups are tackling society's toughest issues and creating systemic change.

3:00 PM - 3:20 PM

Coming soon!

3:20 PM - 3:40 PM

Fireside Chat with Sam Altman (Y Combinator)

The president of Y Combinator sits down to talk basic income, Silicon Valleys culture wars and what California can do for the rest of the country.

3:40 PM - 4:00 PM

BREAK

4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Startup Battlefield Competition - Session 4

Judges: Nina Kjellson (Canaan Partners), Anna Patterson (Gradient Ventures), Pejman Nozad (Pear Ventures), Pat Gallagher (CrunchFund), Jenny Lee (GGV Capital)

5:00 PM - 5:10 PM

BREAK

5:10 PM - 6:00 PM

Startup Battlefield Competition - Session 5

Judges: Jenny Lefcourt (Freestyle Capital), Arlan Hamilton (Backstage Capital), Jon Sakoda (NEA), Sam O'Keefe (Google Cloud)

6:00 PM

WRAP

8:00 PM - 11:00 PM

The Official Disrupt SF After Party

Location: The Chapel and expect trivia, games, and plenty of friends

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM

Opening Remarks: Matthew Panzarino, TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief

9:05 AM - 9:25 AM

In Conversation with Cindy Mi (VIPKID)

The co-founder and CEO of VIPKID is taking the stage to share how the company became a major player in the English as a second language market by employing thousands of fluent speakers as teachers.

9:25 AM - 9:45 AM

Fireside Chat with Kirsten Green (Forerunner Ventures)

As a general partner at Forerunner Ventures, Green will lay out her views on making great bets and what it takes to build a new business from scratch. We're also curious about where she put the VC of the Year Crunchie that she won earlier this year.

9:45 AM - 10:05 AM

In Conversation with Justin Kan (Atrium)

Atrium LTS founder Justin Kan will discuss how technology can be used to improve the legal industry and build a next-generation law firm.

10:05 AM - 10:15 AM

Founder Spotlight on The Neuroscience Of Recruiting

Pymetrics CEO Frida Polli explains how AI can use games to predict your career destiny.

10:15 AM - 10:35 AM

In Conversation with Balaji Srinivasan (21.co)

The 21.co co-founder and CEO will talk cryptocurrency, government regulation and building a business with bitcoin.

10:35 AM - 10:55 AM

BREAK

10:55 AM - 11:15 AM

Fireside Chat with Alex Rodrigues (Embark)

What it takes to build the autonomous commercial transport of tomorrow.

11:15 AM - 11:35 AM

Combating Sexism and Harassment with Sarah Kunst (Proday), Kim Malone Scott (Candor), and Hilary Gosher (Insight Venture Partners)

Silicon Valley has turned into a hotbed for sexual harassment and scandal. Hear from three seasoned Silicon Valley leaders about their experiences in tech and whats needed to foster a better workplace.

11:35 AM - 12:05 PM

Playing the Esports Industry with Craig Barry (Turner Sports), Heather Garozzo (Team Dignitas Ltd.) and Stratton Sclavos (Vision Venture Partners)

Robots may be getting smarter, but Soft Robotics will demonstrate its low-tech grippers that may prove to be the real game-changer.

12:05 PM - 12:15 PM

Special Presentation with Carl Vause (Soft Robotics)

Robots may be getting smarter, but Soft Robotics will demonstrate its low-tech grippers that may prove to be the real game-changer.

12:15 PM - 1:00 PM

LUNCH

1:00 PM - 1:20 PM

Fireside Chat with Andrew Ng (Coursera)

After co-founding Coursera and leading AI teams at Google and Baidu, Andrew Ng is starting a mysterious machine learning shop of his own.

1:20 PM - 1:40 PM

In Conversation with Bozoma Saint John (Uber)

Ubers newly hired chief brand officer plans to change the public perception of Uber in light of sexual harassment allegations, lawsuits and changes in executive leadership. But how?

1:40 PM - 1:55 PM

Startup Battlefield Alumni Update

1:55 PM - 2:00 PM

Passing of the Disrupt Cup

2:00 PM - 2:05 PM

How the Startup Battlefield Final Competition works with Anthony Ha

2:05 PM - 3:45 PM

Startup Battlefield Final Competition

Finals Judges: Theresia Gouw (Aspect Ventures), Kirsten Green (Forerunner Ventures), Matthew Panzarino (TechCrunch), Krishna Yeshwant (GV), Ann Miura-Ko (Floodgate), Aileen Lee (Cowboy Ventures)

3:45 PM - 4:10 PM

BREAK

4:10 PM - 4:15 PM

Hackathon Highlights

4:15 PM - 4:35 PM

Fireside Chat with Matt Rogers (Nest Labs)

Nest's co-founder and Chief Product Officer talks about how Nest is upending the energy, safety and security spaces and what industry his company is aiming for next.

4:35 PM - 5:05 PM

Coming soon!

5:05 PM - 5:25 PM

In Conversation with Fritz Lanman (ClassPass)

The investor and new ClassPass CEO is currently in leadership positions at ClassPass, Verst and Doppler Labs, and has had to make a few tough calls along the way.

5:25 PM - 5:45 PM

Startup Battlefield Closing Awards Ceremony
Hillary Clinton says shes ruled out another run for office, but you dont expect her to leave the political stage entirely.

As an active politician, its over, Clinton told Jane Pauley in a Sunday interview on CBS Sunday Morning. I am done with being a candidate. But I am not done with politics because I literally believe that our countrys future is at stake.

Clinton told Pauley she was so certain of victory over the eventual winner, President Donald Trump, that she had only drafted a victory speech, not a concession speech. She added that she and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, had purchased the home next door to their Chappaqua, New Yrok property as a location for White House staff and security.

I just felt this enormous letdown, just kind of loss of feeling and direction and sadness, she told Pauley about her emotions in the elections immediate aftermath. It was a very hard transition. I really struggled. I couldnt feel, I couldnt think, I was just gob-smacked, wiped out.

Clinton did not offer further clarity on her future career plans, according to a transcript of the interview. But she has launched Onward Together, a Political Action Committee that supports progressive candidates and organizations.

The interview comes two days before the release of Clintons memoir, What Happened, an account of her electoral loss to President Donald Trump last November. The book officially goes on sale September 12, although Clinton has already released excerpts recalling her experience debating Trump after the release of the Access Hollywood tape in which he discussed groping women.
And ahead of the iPhone 8 launch this Tuesday, September 12, that word looms large for Apple (AAPL), as it could pose perhaps the biggest risk to the company long-term.

After all, if the company cant continue to offer enough value-add features that inspire consumers to pay up for new models in the US or pay up in development markets, the iPhone is at risk of going the way of the PC: down.

This comes into focus ahead of the new phone launch, with a rumored price tag of over $1,000. Apple is betting on consumers seeing enough value in the new phone to pay up this time around  and the pressure is on for the innovation to continue.

The lesson of PC commoditization: A road Apple doesnt want to take

Over the last three decades, the PC has transformed from prized technological development to a regular part of our everyday lives. And for a long time, flashy brands like Gateway and Packard Bell were among names like IBM and Dell that were all marketing the unique things they offered. But it didnt take long for all these PC brands to become a commodity with minimal differentiation between brands and with price to become the core decision point for consumers.

Apple starts teasing new features coming to iPhone and iPad

Commoditization is often seen as the kiss of death for a company, product or industryas it threatens to push down pricing and eventually profitability.

In fact, 2016 marked the the fifth consecutive year of worldwide PC shipment decline, according to Gartner.

The broad PC market has been static as technology improvements have not been sufficient to drive real market growth, according Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner. [T]he market driven by PC enthusiasts is not big enough to drive overall market growth.

Meanwhile, prices for computers and peripheral products (like computer storage devices and keyboards) have fallen dramatically. From December 1997 to August 2015, the Consumer Price Index for personal computers and peripheral equipment declined 96%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Story continues

And the actions by the original major PC makersIBM, Hewlett Packard and Dellreflect the difficulty of the industry commoditization as they turned to focus on higher-growth areas. First in 2004, IBM (IBM) made the decision to sell its PC business to Lenovo, looking to focus on services. Then in 2014, HP announced it would split the company into a PC business, now HP Inc. (HPQ), and its faster-growth enterprise computing, storage and networking business, now Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE). And in 2013, Dell was taken private, largely because of a struggling PC business. Soon after, in 2015, the company announced it would acquire data-storage provider EMC in the largest tech deal ever, an affirmation of its efforts to diversify away from the slowing PC business.

Ultimately, the fate of the PCa slowdown in demand and a falloff in pricesreflects the prediction put out by Intel (INTC) co-founder Gordon Moore in 1965. Moores Law, which says that computing power doubles every two years, reflects that with advancements come lower costs.

Apples high order

With its newest iPhone, Apple is looking to wow consumers to trade up, justifying the reportedly high price tag.

After all, while Apple has only an 18% market share of smartphones worldwide, it has managed to capture over 90% of profits by offering differentiated value, according to Needhams Laura Martin.

Apple has a monopoly on the richest 18% globally, Martin said. And while this price point excludes huge swaths of the global population, it is monetizing its base better than competitors.

The iPhone 8 will reportedly do away with the physical home button, replacing it with an OLED display that covers almost the entire front of the phone, according to predictions by analysts. Expectations also call for improved battery technology and augmented reality features. Analysts also have expectations long-term for Apple to offer more health-related offerings, extending to the watch.

These features, plus an older installed base of users ready for an upgrade (approximately half of the 660 million installed base are over two years old), will compel many users to get the new iphone, according to Piper Jaffrays Mike Olson.

And the commoditization pressure already underway internationally reinforces the importance of Apples premium strategy, according to Martin.

In China, domestic competitors are pushing out cheaper smartphones with the same functionality. This challenge is also underway in India, where Apples market share hovers around 2%. Rival smartphone makers have undercut Apples already reduced prices in the region.

Martin said Apple should leave that game behind, focusing on continuing to add value to the population base that wants to pay up, including embracing their unique ecosystem, which can eventually extend to the home.

Our research demonstrates that ecosystem economics lower churn and raise the lifetime value of each customer, she wrote, adding that this strategy protects the company from the race to the bottom for Android device makers. We believe that consumers perceive Apple products to be a tightly integrated ecosystem of content and hardware, which lowers churn and raises revenue per user.

The real question is: How long can significant innovation last? And will Apple be susceptible to the fate of the PC industry: More advancements leading to commoditization?

Please also see:

DACA repeal will conservatively hit GDP by $105 billion over five years, Mark Zandi says

Why $475,000 isnt actually that expensive for Novartis new drug

Gilead may have just bought itself a drug pricing controversy

The shift from brick-and-mortar to online may be a hopeless strategy

Digital ads arent working for big consumer brands
Actress Ariel Winter shared a photo of herself holding a handgun after passing her firearms safety test. (Photo: Instagram/Ariel Winter)

Ariel Winter passed her firearm safety test and got her certificate on Sept. 10. To celebrate, she posed with a handgun and rifles, in cutoff shorts and heels.

Winter has shared photos of herself at shooting ranges with fans, and apparently the culmination of her practice was a certificate. When you pass your firearm safety test and get your certificate, she tweeted with a smug-face emoji.

When you pass your firearm safety test and get your certificate  Ariel Winter (@arielwinter1) September 10, 2017

Posing at the Los Angeles Gun Club, Winter shared two black-and-white photos of herself with a few different types of weapons and tried to lighten the mood with her Instagram caption. Prepping for the zombie apocalypse, obviously she wrote.

Prepping for the zombie apocalypse, obviously A post shared by ARIEL WINTER (@arielwinter) on Sep 9, 2017 at 10:01pm PDT

Her 3.6 million followers on Instagram and dozens of commenters on Twitter were torn in response to this brazen display of support for guns. Nice to see someone in Hollywood thats not afraid of guns, wrote one commenter. Another claims girls with guns are sexy and dangerous. Someone else tried to weigh in with the rational argument: As long as the gun stays either at the range or locked up at home, Im OK w it.

Girls with guns are sexy and dangerous. I love it  Jennifer Willow (@JenyiWillow) September 10, 2017

Bad ass. Good for you, we need more women shooters supporting their 2nd amendment rights!  Willie -LO (@slickwillie97) September 11, 2017

Oh no. Guns.  abigail mansfield (@abiim) September 11, 2017

Sexism made its way into the responses as well: No one goes to the range in those tiny shorts wrote one commenter. Another combined slut shaming with a call to arms: The way you dress you should protect yourself. There are many perverts in California.

Story continues

At 19 years old and as the star of a family comedy, Winter could easily be expected to act as a role model, but as she told Bustle earlier this year, she doesnt want to be one. Its a very loose term, because people misinterpret it these days, she said. People push people to be perfect and say the right thing and wear the right thing and do the right thing at all times. But I think the most important thing of being a role model is being imperfect and being yourself, and teaching people that being yourself is perfect and you dont have to be this cookie-cutter idea of perfect.

Read more at Yahoo Style + Beauty:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.
BAKU (Reuters) - An Azeri court on Monday released the director of an independent news agency from pre-trial detention but said an investigation of him can continue, in a case condemned by human rights activists. Mehman Aliyev, the head of Turan news agency, was detained by Azeri police in the capital, Baku, on Aug. 24, on suspicion of tax evasion and illegal business activities. Investigation of those allegations will continue Turan suspended its operations from Sept. 1. "I'm not under arrest anymore. I consider this decision as positive ... I'm glad that mistake has been amended," Aliyev told Reuters by telephone after his release. Azeri officials said Aliyev's release was a demonstration of the president's attitude to journalists. "His release is a proof of President (Ilham) Aliyev's special attitude to journalists and mass media," said Aflatun Amashov, the head of Azerbaijan's Press Union. The West has criticized Azerbaijan for what it calls intimidation and repression aimed at the opposition and urged Baku to comply with its pledges on human rights. Azeri officials deny the accusations. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as opposition parties in Azerbaijan and human rights activists had been calling for Aliyev's immediate release. (Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; Writing by Margarita Antidze; Editing by Larry King)
Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh) (AFP) - Nearly 300,000 Rohingya have fled violence churning through Rakhine state into Bangladesh, the United Nations said Saturday, as Myanmar's government for the first time offered humanitarian aid to members of the Muslim minority still inside the country.

The UN is braced for a further surge of arrivals in Bangladesh with tens of thousands more believed to be displaced in Rakhine, fleeing burning villages, the army and ethnic Rakhine mobs -- who Rohingya refugees accuse of attacking civilians.

Myanmar denies the allegations, instead saying the Rohingya militants who sparked the crisis with deadly attacks on police posts on August 25 have spread fear by killing civilians and torching thousands of homes.

Exhausted, wounded and traumatised Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh each day since violence erupted, with the young and old carried over hills and muddy fields in days-long treks or after treacherous boat journeys.

Bangladeshi authorities are planning to build a camp that could house a quarter of a million people.

But they have also urged Myanmar to stem the exodus by providing 'safe zones' for the Rohingya inside Rakhine.

"Some 290,000 Rohingya arrived in Bangladesh since August 25," Joseph Tripura, a spokesman for the UN refugee agency, told AFP.

There were an estimated 1.1 million Rohingya, who are reviled as illegal immigrants and refused citizenship by Myanmar, living in Rakhine state.

Around a third of that number have fled since October when a new Rohingya militant group launched its first raids, sparking a crackdown by Myanmar's army.

Rights groups say the sheer volume of testimony by refugees alleging rape, murder and arson points to a brutal crackdown, in keeping with a systematic campaign to force the Rohingya out of the country.

It is not possible to verify their accounts as access to Rakhine is tightly controlled.

Those who have made it to Bangladesh have joined family members already encamped in the Cox's Bazar region or thrown up makeshift shelters on hills and roadsides as monsoon rains hammer down.

Story continues

"They are deprived of everything. They are desperate for just basic survival," Dipayan Bhattacharyya, acting World Food Programme (WFP) head in Bangladesh, told AFP, adding that they are handing out 25 kilogramme bags of rice to families.

Hungry Rohingya are running towards every food truck that arrives in the camps and already stretched aid agencies are now bracing for a new increase in numbers.

Humanitarian organisations have launched an appeal for $77 million in response to the crisis, according to a statement by the UN resident coordinator's office in Bangladesh.

- Tragedy of 'terrible proportions' -

Myanmar, an overwhelmingly Buddhist country, does not want its Rohingya population.

The government regards them as illegal migrants from Bangladesh, even though many have lived in the country for generations.

Refugee camps near Bangladesh's border with Myanmar already had about 300,000 Rohingya before the upsurge in violence last month and are now overwhelmed.

Police said Bangladeshi security forces were on alert for attempts by homegrown Islamist militants to use the atrocities to recruit new fighters. Monirul Islam, the head of Dhaka police's counter-terrorism unit, said they had "taken appropriate surveillance measures".

Fear and violence stalks Rakhine state as communities turn on each other and villages continue to be set alight.

Around 27,000 Buddhists and Hindus have also been displaced by Rohingya militant attacks.

Myanmar will set up three camps to dispense aid in Rohingya-majority areas of the worst hit part of Rakhine state, state-backed media reported on Saturday.

It is the first time the government has offered to provide relief for a minority who are on the move in huge numbers.

Aung San Suu Kyi, whose star once soared as a defender of the downtrodden, has come under immense pressure to speak up for the Rohingya.

The crisis has also strained regional ties.

On Saturday Malaysian premier Najib Razak said Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar face systematic violence with "no mercy" shown to them and offered help for the relief effort in Bangladesh.

Pakistan summoned the ambassador of Myanmar Saturday to "convey a strong protest of the Government and people of Pakistan at the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims", according to a foreign office statement.

Bangladesh authorities asked the International Organisation for Migration to build a new makeshift camp, with authorities afraid that the Rohingya could move to other parts of Bangladesh.

"All the newly arrived Rohingya will be brought in this makeshift camp and housed," Cox's Bazar magistrate Khaled Mahmud told AFP.

A Bangladesh minister said the government had decided to create a huge new camp on nearly 2,000 acres of land near an existing UN facility, where new arrivals will be registered and given aid.

Dhaka has repeatedly asked Myanmar to take back the Rohingya and address the causes of exodus.

burs-apj/aph/amz
The Key West home of beloved author Shel Silverstein was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma, neighbors have confirmed to the Miami Herald.

Massive trees smashed two houses on Williams Street, one of them being the house where Silverstein, author of "The Giving Tree" and "Where the Sidewalk Ends," spent much of his life. It's unknown whether his partner, Sarah Spencer, or son still live in that house.

Tragically, Silverstein suffered multiple tragedies before his death at age 68. After being drafted in to the US Army, he returned to America and had a daughter, Shoshanna, with a California woman named Susan Taylor Hastings. Hastings died one day before Shoshanna's fifth birthday. Instead of taking Shoshanna in himself, Silverstein -- largely an absent father, which friends say he regretted later in life -- had her live with an aunt and uncle.

Just a few years later, Shoshanna's own life ended of a cerebral aneurysm when she was just eleven years old. "A Light in the Attic" is dedicated to her.

Getty

Two years after Shoshanna's death, Silverstein had a son, Matthew, with Spencer. Spencer is a Key West native who drove the Conch Train, a sightseeing bus that carts tourists around the historic island. She inspired Silverstein's song "The Great Conch Train Robbery."

Perhaps in part because of this unexpected and devastating development, when Matthew was born, Silverstein was much more of a full-time father. "Falling Up" is dedicated to his son.
After waiting out Hurricane Irma in his concrete wine cellar as the storm hit his private Necker Island, Richard Branson's emerged to detail the damage.

On Twitter and in a statement on the Virgin Group website, Branson shared photos depicting toppled palm trees and shattered buildings from Necker, the neighboring Virgin Island Gorda, and Puerto Rico.

BVI needs a "Disaster Recovery Marshall Plan after #Irma  short-term aid & long-term recovery & revitalisation https://t.co/0USuxvk1dSpic.twitter.com/pFzsStZBjN  Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 11, 2017

While detailing the damage to his personal property, Branson took time to remind readers that this was just a small example of the widespread destruction Irma caused in its tear through the Caribbean.

SEE ALSO: Richard Branson is staying on his private island through Hurricane Irma

He emphasized that the "Irma story" is neither about him nor his island. Instead, his followers should focus on the "1000s of people who've lost homes & livelihoods."

The Virgin website has added a donation option to help raise funds for Irma victims.

Necker damage huge, but BVI #Irma story is not about Necker - about 1000s of people who've lost homes & livelihoods https://t.co/0USuxvk1dSpic.twitter.com/BaUpvJ22pv  Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 10, 2017

Branson also had some strong words about the link between Irmathe second most intense hurricane on record in the Atlanticand global warming.

Story continues

"Man-made climate change is contributing to increasingly strong hurricanes causing unprecedented damage," wrote Branson on the Virgin website. "The whole world should be scrambling to get on top of the climate change issue before it is too late  for this generation, let alone the generations to come."

Much of the buildings and vegetation on Necker has been destroyed or badly damaged. But British Virgin Islands Hurricane #Irma story is not about Necker - it is about the tens of thousands of people who have lost their homes and their livelihoods. @virginunite is coordinating aid to local BVI families & communities affected - please donate to help http://www.virgin.com/unite/bvi-community-support-appeal A post shared by Richard Branson (@richardbranson) on Sep 10, 2017 at 2:25pm PDT

This isn't the first time Branson's called for urgent action on climate change. After President Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord, Branson spoke out against the decision, for himself and for other business leaders, and pledged to continue fighting global warming in the private sector.

In addition to combatting climate change, Branson's repeated emphasis on helping the victims of Hurricane Irma is well taken. Many Virgin Island residents are banking on social media to spread word of the damage, and marshal as much aid as possible.

Branson also reminded his followers that the Virgin Islands are bracing for potentially even more damage with the approach of Hurricane Jose.

Hurricane Irma really is storm of the century  but urge all in path of Hurricane #Jose to prepare & stay safe too https://t.co/U0m3Kf1APMpic.twitter.com/vB8tlTTij3  Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 9, 2017

Ultimately, Branson said he considers hurricanes "one of the wonders of the natural world." But that the most important thing is to continue coordinating aid and acting on a disaster recovery plan.

Here's hoping the billionaire's 11.4 million twitter followers get his message, and act on it.

Related:
Reflecting a lifetime devoted to the joy of wine, the David and Judy Breitstein Wine Book Collection was dedicated Monday at its new home, the St. Helena headquarters of the Napa Valley Vintners trade organization.

The Breitsteins started the collection in the late 1960s, during the early days of Californias wine renaissance. It captures stories of local wine icons and the unique attributes that helped place Napa Valley and California on the world stage of fine winemaking.

Judy and David Breitstein were key contributors to this movement as early supporters of California wines for their Los Angeles store, the Duke of Bourbon (the Breitsteins are now retired). They began traveling regularly to Napa Valley in 1969, often inspired by reading a chapter or two in one of their books about a certain wine or winemaker that piqued their curiosity.

Before the Internet, before Robert Parker or the Wine Spectator, we used books to educate ourselves and pass thoughtful information to our customers, noted David Breitstein. Judy and I have deep affection for these books and, looking to the future, trust they will be opened and treasured in their new home at the NVV.

Michael Honig, chairman of the NVV Board of Directors and president of Honig Vineyard & Winery, accepted the collection on behalf of the 550 members of the NVV. We are grateful to David and Judy, not only for their donation of this special collection, but for their longtime support of our industry and especially the Napa Valley, said Honig.

The David and Judy Breitstein Wine Book Collection consists of nearly 350 volumes that are available as a resource for NVV members and the wine trade. For information or to schedule an appointment to view books from the collection, contact the NVV at 707-963-3388.
Geneva (AFP) - Qatar's foreign minister on Monday accused the "illegal" blockade against his country for trying to force it into a "state of trusteeship".

Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani decried the "illegal siege which clearly violates international laws."

Qatar has been hit by a land and air embargo imposed by Saudi Arabia and its allies, who cut ties with Doha on June 5 accusing it of backing extremists.

But Al-Thani insisted that "it is no secret that the real motives behind the siege and the severing of diplomatic relations with the state of Qatar were not aimed at fighting terrorism."

"But rather an attempt to force Qatar into a state of trusteeship to interfere in its foreign policy, to undermine its sovereignty and to interfere in its domestic policy."

Qatar "cannot tolerate this situation," he said.

His comments came after Saudi Arabia vowed Sunday to keep pressuring Qatar until demands by the bloc of Arab states had been met, dampening hopes for a US-mediated resolution to their diplomatic crisis.

The bloc's 13 demands include Doha ending its alleged support for Islamist extremist groups, closing a Turkish military base in the emirate and downgrading diplomatic ties with Tehran.

The Saudi move came just two days after US President Donald Trump spoke with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Qatar in a bid to mediate.

Trump said he believed the dispute between Riyadh and Doha, both key US allies, could be solved "fairly easily".

The Saudi and Qatari rulers spoke by phone on Saturday, raising hope for talks.

But Riyadh later suspended the dialogue, accusing Doha of distorting facts by wrongly implying that Saudi Arabia had initiated the outreach.

On Monday, the Qatari foreign minister said his country was taken aback when Saudi Arabia disputed a readout of the "positive" call.

Unfortunately, we have seen -- half an hour later -- a retaliation from their side by issuing a statement that what we have issued is a lie, Al-Thani told reporters on the sidelines of the rights council.

He however stressed his country's "readiness for dialogue to end this crisis.

"We are willing to talk to them, we are ready to engage if it is based on principles which are not violating the international law and respect the sovereignty of each country."
British Marines work to move a collapsed radio mast caused by Hurricane Irma within the police station on Tortola, British Virgin Islands - PA

Boris Johnson has pledged to be there "in the long term" for British people whose Caribbean homes were ripped apart by Hurricane Irma.

Brushing aside critics, the Foreign Secretary said there had been an "unprecedented" relief effort from the UK and that he had "no doubt" Britain would meet the challenges ahead.

Irma has claimed at least 24 lives, including five in the British Virgin Islands and one each on Anguilla and Barbuda, and left thousands of people homeless when it smashed into the region on Wednesday.

Hurricane Irma leaves path of destruction in Caribbean as it hits Florida, in pictures

It hit Florida over the weekend, bringing widespread flooding and leaving more than 3 million homes and businesses without power, and the category-three storm is now expected to tear up the state's west coast.

Mr Johnson said, in addition to the 32 million already set aside following the disaster, the Government would be matching public donations to the Red Cross appeal.

Returning from the latest in a series of emergency Cobra meetings, chaired by Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, he said: "This is just the beginning.

"A terrible thing has happened to British overseas territories.

Some of the damage to The British Virgin Isles, seen from the air Credit: AP

"These are British people and we are here for the long term and we will come through with a recovery plan working with our partners in the region.

"We will come through with a recovery plan for those islands and make sure they get back on their feet again."

More than 500 British troops are believed to be in the region, including 125 troops working with the local police on the British Virgin Islands, amid reports of looting.

The presence of the troops has had "a massive psychological effect" on morale on the islands, said Mr Johnson, adding that more than 50 British police were on their way to the region.

Three planes were on their way to deliver crucial supplies, he said, while the UK will be sending a military operation to Anguilla, one of the first islands to be hit by Irma and receive aid, as soon as possible to ensure it "does not now slip behind".

Story continues

The Royal Navy ship RFA Mounts Bay, carrying engineers, marines and medics, delivered six tonnes of supplies to the British overseas territory and carried out repair work before moving on to the British Virgin Islands.

Mr Johnson said suggestions the UK response was not good or fast enough were "completely wrong".

He said: "Other countries actually now been asking us for help including the French, we've got three planes going out today, it's an unprecedented effort by the UK to meet what has been an unprecedented catastrophe in that part of the Caribbean.

"But I've absolutely no doubt that we can face up to the challenge, we can deliver the help that those islanders need, we are seeing some signs of improvement, things are getting better on BVI, we've now got to make sure Anguilla gets the help it needs."

A helicopter from RFA Mounts Bay delivers aid in Tortola, British Virgin Islands Credit: AFP

Stephen Norris, commanding officer of RFA Mounts Bay, insisted his men were on the islands providing support as soon as the storm had calmed.

"Our reaction, I suggest, has been exemplary," he told BBC News.

"We were there as soon as we possibly could. Clearly, I don't wish to put my ship in danger and the 170 people on board."
Ben Stiller and Austin Abrams as father and son in director Mike Whites Brads Status

Wanna feel old? Ben Stiller is sending a kid off to college already. Not in real life, but in the new comedy Brads Status, which finds the Meet the Parents and Dodgeball actor playing the eponymous Sacramento father on the verge of a nervous breakdown as he tours Boston universities with his musical prodigy son, Troy (Austin Abrams). The razor-sharp satire, written and directed by Mike White, premiered to high marks Saturday at the Toronto International Film Festival.

In real life, the 51-year-old Stiller isnt too far off from emptying the nest. His oldest daughter is a sophomore in high school (he also has a 12-year-old son, both with actress Christine Taylor, whom Stiller separated from earlier this year after 17 years of marriage). Its crazy, it just happens, Stiller told Yahoo Movies in Toronto, adding that the experience of making the film lead to some serious self-reflection. You look at who you are at this point, because [your kids] hold a mirror up to you. Just yesterday, I left a message for my daughter on her phone, and I signed off, saying, Love you. Its Daddy. And thats literally what my father [comedy icon Jerry Stiller] would do on the phone with me. I hung up and I was like, Oh my God. Im literally turning into my dad.'

Preparing to see his son off brings to the surface the main source of Brads discontent: Hes dedicated the bulk of his professional life to the nonprofit sector, and thus settled for a middle-class lifestyle. Four of his closest friends from college, meanwhile, have flourished: Theres Jason (Luke Wilson), a finance hotshot with a private jet; Billy (Jemaine Clement), a tech tycoon who retired at 40; Craig (Michael Sheen, a political insider and bestselling author; and Nick (White), a Hollywood director with a Malibu mansion.

Brads unraveling throughout the course of the trip plays out via his inner dialogue, as the regrets, self-doubt, and envy seep into his actions and threaten to affect Troys shot at admissions. Its a deeply honest and brutal depiction about self-worth and how we compare ourselves with others, all told with piercing humor for White, whos previously written films like The Good Girl and School of Rock.

Story continues

Its so truthful that it all feels like were traveling deep into the psyche of the writer-director, like were Being Mike White. Thats what hes so good at, is channeling the human experience. Thats why hes such a great writer. Hes sensitive to it, Stiller said. His work is so honest. And I think thats part of his talent, is he makes it so entertaining as well. He finds that balance.

Stiller is conscious of that fact that if he were a character in this story, he would be on the other end of Brads resentment. He is, after all, one of the most successful actors of the past few decades, with box-office hits like the Night at the Museum movies, Theres Something About Mary, and Tropic Thunder to his name.

What I think is good about this movie is that we can all find ourselves [in Brad]. And all of the guys that Brad quote-unquote envies, they all have their own issues. There are trappings of material success versus being happy. It doesnt matter what you have or what you dont have. Either youre a happy person or youre not a happy person in your life, though were all kind of striving for that I think.

Stiller admits he shares some of the same neuroses as Brad, and hes endured plenty of personal adversity, especially in recent years. In 2016, he revealed a battle with prostate cancer.

The reality is that if Brad had a jet, he wouldnt be any happier, Stiller said. As a person whos worked for a long time in showbiz and had success that Im really grateful for, does that relate to personal happiness? I dont think it does. I think its how you are with yourself.

Stiller takes a moment to drink it all in. Thats pretty deep, he adds with a laugh.

Brads Status opens in select cities Sept. 15. Watch an exclusive clip:





Read more on Yahoo Movies:
A woman who is EMPLOYED at the hospital walks right up to me and had the audacity to cover my childs head with a towel! (Photo: Facebook)

Kymmie Snyder was visiting Candler Hospital, in Savannah, Ga., for a quick outpatient procedure for her daughter. While waiting to be called back, she began nursing her infant son  and what happened next left her livid.

I have NEVER been so mad in my entire life, Snyder said in a Facebook post. She said her son has cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic disease that damages the lungs and digestive system.

His pancreatic and digestive system are not the same as a normal, healthy baby, resulting in him being hungry very often due to the malabsorption of nutrients. So we nurse, and we nurse A LOT, she said.

ALSO SEE: This pregnant woman says she was denied restaurant service for wearing a crop top

There is NO skin showing, no nipple out, you honestly cant even tell that I am breastfeeding if you were to look straight on. A woman who is EMPLOYED at Candler, walks right up to me and had the audacity to cover my childs head with a towel!

When Snyder removed the towel, she says the woman tried to tell her that she had to cover his head, and herself, if she wanted to remain in the hospital.

I asked her if she knew what she was doing was illegal? She then tries to tell me it is hospital rules. WHAT THE HELL KIND OF HOSPITAL HAS EVER HAD THAT RULE!? LOL. So, Mrs. WILLIAMS of Candler Hospital, I dont know who you thought you were approaching this morning but I am certainly the wrong one, she wrote, next to a slew of middle-finger emojis.

Cover your own damn head if you have a problem with my son eating.

The post was shared on the Breastfeeding Mama Talk Facebook page and quickly went viral, with many urging Snyder to file a formal complaint and shared their concerns over the babys welfare.

ALSO SEE: Kristin Cavallari slammed for calling herself a single parent

My son has cystic fibrosis as well, one Facebook mom commented. So this is close to my heart. A hospital is a place where you learn to breastfeed so it is mind boggling that they would promote the opposite. So rude. (Photo: Getty)

Please call the hospital administration and complain, Tina commented. Any type of healthcare setting should promote that breastfeeding is healthy for the mother and baby. This employee needs to be reprimanded and the hospital needs to ensure all their employees are aware of the legal rights of a mother to breastfeed her child. Im a nurse and this makes me very sad.

Story continues

Funny how she claimed it as hospital rules when the hospitals are generally the first ones to tell you that you should breastfeed, Inola stated. You go girl for feeding that gorgeous little baby.

So is it against their rules to show your vagina while giving birth? Stephanie said. Its a hospital! A lot of unwanted things are seen and shes worried about a breast she cant even see?

Thats really angered me! Jasmine stated. How dare she try to cover your childs head! Its a good thing you are so calm because she would have had me losing my cool in there! Good on you for throwing it off of him, mama bear!

My son has cystic fibrosis as well, Karen added. So this is close to my heart. A hospital is a place where you learn to breastfeed so it is mind boggling that they would promote the opposite. If they dont like it they dont have to stare. So rude.

Some moms took it an extra step and left negative reviews on the hospitals Facebook page, while others asked for more information on the matter.

Ashley asked: Is it common practice for your employees to try and force a nursing mother to cover up? Which is against the law to do that to a nursing mother, in case your lawyers were unaware of that, maybe training should be done by employees.

To which the hospital duly responded: We are aware of a previous complaint and wed like to know more detailed information so we can investigate. We fully support breastfeeding.

ALSO SEE: Kate Hudson slammed over lazy C-section remark

Candler spokesman Scott Larson responded to a few Facebook comments, assuring the public that a full investigation will be conducted.

Its important that yall know that we unconditionally support breastfeeding and have no policies against it. We urge it in all of our new mothers. We have 16 trained lactation consultants on staff. Personally, my wife still breast feeds our two-year-old. We have heard from the mother in this situation and we have heard from all of you. We take this very seriously. Breastfeeding is important and there should be no barriers at all to feeding our children.

Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!




Britain and the US have been taken aback by the acceleration in North Korea's missile programme - AFP

Britain is at risk from North Koreas long-range nuclear missile programme, the Defence Secretary has warned.

Sir Michael Fallon said British cities are closer to Kim Jong-uns missiles than some American targets and he suggested it was only a matter of time before the UK was in range.

Any military confrontation between America and North Korea had to be avoided at all costs, he said, but warned that the chance of an accidental clash was extremely great.

This involves us. London is closer to North Korea and its missiles than Los Angeles

Sir Michael Fallon

Sir Michael spoke as the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said the Pyongyang regime now posed a global threat.

Donald Trump has warned that attempts by Pyongyang to intimidate or threaten America will be met with fire and fury.

Sir Michael told the BBC: The US is fully entitled to defend its own territory, to defend its bases and to look after its people, but this involves us, London is closer to North Korea and its missiles than Los Angeles."

North Korean missile ranges

Asked if a North Korean missile could now could hit London, he said: Not yet, but they are clearly accelerating their missile programme.

The range is getting longer and longer and we have to get this programme halted because the dangers now of miscalculation, of some accident triggering a response are extremely great.

Both Britain and America have been taken aback by recent leaps forward in North Koreas nuclear and missile programmes.

The regime has test launched a series of increasingly long range missiles and earlier this month detonated its biggest ever hydrogen bomb.

A North Korean propaganda poster boasting of the state's missile arsenal Credit: Reuters

At the start of the year it was estimated that North Korea would need a decade before they could launch intercontinental ballistic missile with nuclear warheads, Government sources said. That has now been slashed to just a few years.

Sir Michael said he was very concerned about the showdown.

He said: We are doing now what we can to bring about a diplomatic solution. What we have to avoid at all costs is this spilling over into any kind of military conflict.

Story continues

We are working flat out at the United Nations to get a better deal there, to reinforce the existing sanctions, we are looking at sanctions across the European Union and of course we are trying to persuade China to keep its neighbour in check.

Western diplomats are attempting to convince China that unless it uses its influence to rein in Kim Jong-un, Beijing risks either a US-backed coalition toppling its ally or a Nato-style defensive alliance growing up in the region.

China doesnt want either of those things happening, said one Government source.

North Korea's "reckless behaviour" is now a global threat and requires a global response, Mr Stoltenberg said.

He would not speculate on whether an attack on the US Pacific territory of Guam would trigger Natos collective defence agreement and draw US allies into a conflict.

He said: We are now totally focused on how can we contribute to a peaceful solution of the conflict," he said.

"There is no easy way out of this difficult situation, but at the same time we have to ... continue to work for political solution, continue to press also the economic sanctions."
Tboung Khmum (Cambodia) (AFP) - Cambodian premier Hun Sen threatened to dissolve the country's embattled opposition party on Monday, as the rival politicians protested outside a remote border prison where their leader is being held for alleged treason.

Last week's dramatic arrest of opposition leader Kem Sokha was the latest move in a years-long crackdown on the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which poses the only real threat to Hun Sen's 32-year grip on power in next year's national elections.

The 64-year-old politician was accused of conspiring in a "secret plan" with foreign entities that began in 1993, with Hun Sen alleging that the US was involved in the plot.

On Monday two dozen opposition politicians travelled to the prison where he was sent on the border of Vietnam to protest his arrest.

Back in the capital Phnom Pehn, Hun Sen threatened to dissolve the party if they continued to "protect" their leader.

"If the political party continues to block (proceedings) and continues to protect the traitor, it means this party is also a traitor, so there is no need to keep this party in Cambodia's democratic process anymore," said the self-described strongman.

The legal punishment could be the "dissolution of the party", he added.

The opposition politicians made the three-hour trip to the prison in Tboung Khmum province on the same day lawmakers from Hun Sen's ruling party voted to continue the proceedings against Kem Sokha.

"We demand the release of president Kem Sokha immediately and unconditionally," said CNRP's deputy leader Mu Sochua, flanked by other MPs in front of a police blockade outside the jail.

Mu Sochua also threatened to boycott the 2018 poll if the veteran politician was not released, saying the election would no longer be "free and fair".

Although Cambodia is nominally a democracy, Hun Sen has ruled the impoverished nation for more than three decades, amassing extensive control over its judicial system, security forces and economy.

Story continues

Rights groups say he has been systematically silencing his opponents -- in politics, media and NGOs -- ever since his party nearly lost to the CNRP in the last 2013 election.

The CNRP faired well in this year's local polls, buoyed by a wave of anger over the corruption, inequality and rights abuses that have flourished under Hun Sen.

But the party's prospects are dimming with its top two leaders sidelined by the courts, with Kem Sokha's predecessor Sam Rainsy living in exile to avoid a string of convictions he says are politically-motivated.
By Prak Chan Thul PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen threatened on Monday that the main opposition party would be dissolved if it continues to back detained leader Kem Sokha, who has been charged with treason over an alleged plot to gain power with U.S. support. Kem Sokha was arrested on Sept. 3 and is the only serious election rival to Hun Sen, a 65-year-old former Khmer Rouge commander. Western countries have criticized the arrest, which marked a an escalation in a crackdown on critics ahead of a poll next year that could pose the toughest electoral challenge Hun Sen has faced in more than 30 years of rule. The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) said it would continue to support Kem Sokha as leader and threatened to boycott the election if he is not freed. Speaking at a graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen warned that the CNRP's stand could mean "the dissolution of the party". "If the political party continues to blockade and defend this traitor, it means the party is also a traitor so there is no time to let this party operate in Cambodia's democratic process anymore," Hun Sen said. Parliamentarians from the CNRP went to the prison where Kem Sokha is being held to demand his release. They said his arrest was illegal because he should have been protected by parliamentary immunity. "The party president Kem Sokha is the CNRP president now and will be in the future," one of his deputies, Mu Sochua, said outside the prison, adding that his release was an essential condition to allow a free and fair election. "We can't participate in an election that isn't free and fair," she said. PARLIAMENT VOTE The opposition party boycotted a parliamentary vote on whether Kem Sokha should be prosecuted. It would not have been able to block approval as Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) holds a majority, and the motion in favor of prosecuting was passed unopposed. It was unclear whether that effectively overrode Kem Sokha's right to claim parliamentary immunity. The evidence presented against Kem Sokha so far is a video recorded in 2013 in which he discusses a strategy to win power with the help of unspecified Americans. His lawyers have dismissed the evidence as nonsense and said he was only discussing election strategy. Western countries and human rights groups have condemned the arrest of Kem Sokha and raised doubts as to whether next year's election can be fair, given the crackdown on the opposition, activists and independent media. However Hun Sen's main ally, China, has said it supports Cambodia's efforts to preserve its own security. Hun Sen was due to visit Beijing on Monday. He said he was going to ask for more aid for Cambodia's health sector. (Story refiles to correct opposition party acronym to CNRP in later references.) (Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
Athens (AFP) - Canada's Eldorado Gold on Monday warned it would suspend investment in mining operations in Greece on September 22 due to what it said were delays by the Athens government in issuing permits.

"Actions will be taken to place the Skouries and Olympias projects and the Stratoni mine on care and maintenance starting on September 22," the Vancouver-based company said in a statement.

The move came two days after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras boasted that his government has managed to attract investors.

"In 2016, direct foreign investments were the highest in the last 10 years and in 2017 further improvement is expected," Tsipras said while inaugurating the Thessaloniki International Fair.

Eldorado said that despite repeated attempts by the company and its Greek subsidiary to talk to the government, "delays continue in issuing routine permits and licences for the construction and development of the Skouries and Olympias projects in Halkidiki, northern Greece".

"Under the present conditions no additional investment will be made into the Kassandra Mines (Olympias, Skouries, Stratoni) in Halkidiki, the Perama Hill and Sapes projects in Thrace, and any exploration activity in the country," it said.

"It is extremely unfortunate to find ourselves at this impasse when we should be advancing an important commercial project in partnership with Greece and adding another 1,200 jobs to our current workforce of approximately 2,400 people in Greece", Eldorado Gold CEO George Burns told reporters in Athens.

The company said that it "would reassess its investment options in Greece upon approval and receipt of the required permits, coupled with a supportive government open to discussions".

Greek Energy Minister George Stathakis said late last month that the government would kick off an arbitration process over Eldorado Gold's mining plans in the north of the country by mid-September.

Story continues

Environmentalists have said the Hellas Gold project, a subsidiary of Eldorado Gold, would cause irreversible harm, draining and contaminating local water reserves.

The goldmine on Skouries mountain has sparked years of protests, including a raid in 2013, when hooded militants threw Molotov cocktails at the mine worksite, wounding a guard and damaging equipment.

Greece's leftist government in 2015 blocked work on the goldmine over alleged contract violations.

The energy ministry had then said that the company had failed to provide an environment-friendly gold extraction plan within a three-year timeframe as promised, and had been given another year to deliver.

Junior environment minister Sokratis Famellos on Monday insisted that Eldorado Gold "has still not submitted the study, as it should have done under the contract it has signed."

While in opposition, the now-ruling Syriza party publicly opposed the investment. However, many residents support the project, as does the regional board of industry.
Photo credit: Disney

From Delish

While Gordon Ramsay may call candy corn "earwax formed in the shape of a rotten tooth," fans of the quintessential Halloween candy are going to flip over Disney's Candy Corn Soft Serve.

It's not new - it's been served at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party for the last few years, but it somehow managed to slip under the radar, perhaps overshadowed by other Disney treats like wine slushies and Freakshakes.

According to The Disney Food Blog, you can order a cup or cone of vanilla and orange swirled soft serve, which comes with crushed candy corn on top. You can find it at Storybook Treats in Fantasyland, and at Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies in Tomorrowland, along with other Halloween treats.

The dessert has been around at least since 2013, and is featured in this year's Halloween Party Guide. Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party runs on select nights from August 25, 2017 to November 1, 2017.
Barcelona (AFP) - Catalonia's president said Sunday his pro-separatist government had "everything ready" for an October 1 independence referendum that has been outlawed by Spain's central government and courts.

He spoke on the eve of Catalonia's national day, when pro-independence protesters will hit the streets of Barcelona in response to Madrid's bid to stop the referendum from going ahead.

"The (regional) government now has everything ready so that on Sunday October 1, Catalans can vote, as they have always done, in total normalcy, (so that) those that want to vote 'yes' and those that will vote 'no' can do so," Catalonia's President Carles Puigdemont said during a speech broadcast on Catalan television.

To stage the vote the Catalan government has had to print ballot papers, draw up electoral lists, establish where polling stations will be and set up an electoral authority, doing so in complete discretion to skirt the central government's opposition.

Spain's Constitutional Court has suspended a referendum law that was fast-tracked through Catalonia's regional parliament on Wednesday.

State prosecutors have also targeted Puigdemont and other members of his government with lawsuits for possible disobedience, abuse of power and embezzlement charges and urged public workers and firms not to participate in the referendum.

"It is a legal referendum, according to the laws which were approved by the Catalan parliament", Puigdemont said defiantly.

"Only the parliament of Catalonia can disqualify the government that I preside. There is no other judicial or political body that can do so."

- 'Ballot boxes unite' -

If the "Yes" side wins the referendum, Catalonia's regional government has vowed to declare independence within 48 hours.

The referendum call has ramped up tensions between Catalonia and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative government in Madrid, which has vowed to do everything necessary to block the vote.

Story continues

He argues that the Spanish constitution does not allow regions to unilaterally decide on sovereignty -- a position backed by the Constitutional Court.

Catalonia, a region of 7.5 million residents in northeastern Spain that is roughly the same size as Belgium, is an economic powerhouse, proud of its culture and language.

But Catalan society is deeply divided over independence.

In a survey by the Catalan Centre of Opinion Studies in July, 41.1 percent backed independence while 49.9 percent rejected it. Some 70 percent wanted a referendum, however, to settle the question once and for all.

Puigdemont rejected the argument that his government's separatist push was splitting Catalan society.

"Ballot boxes unite, they do not divide," Puigdemont said. "What divides, what degrades democracy, is not letting people vote."
As anxious Florida residents watched weather forecasts this week, it seemed clear Hurricane Irma was on track to strike Miami, Fort Lauderdale and other Atlantic coast cities, prompting a massive evacuation.

But on Saturday, all that changed when Irma's course shifted.

By Sunday morning, the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, once thought to be relatively safe from harm, suddenly found itself in the storm's crosshairs.

"We know that we are ground zero for Hurricane Irma," Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said at a Sunday morning news conference. "We have for 90 years avoided this day, but I think our day has come."

The last time Tampa was hit by a major hurricane was in 1921.

Buckhorn quoted boxer Mike Tyson, saying, "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face."

"Well," he added, "we're about to get punched in the face."

Forecast models had anticipated Irma turning north earlier than it did, said CNN meteorologist Judson Jones. That would have put the hurricane over the east coast of Florida.

"What happened was the storm continued -- after interacting with Cuba -- to move west-northwest," Jones said. "It took longer to make that turn to the north that we started to see more over the last 12 hours."

Jones warned that some Floridians "may not have power for a number of days, if not weeks."

Irma's threat prompted Tampa officials to order a 6 p.m. curfew for Sunday evening. Neighboring St. Petersburg announced a 5 p.m. curfew.

With about 3 million people, the Tampa Bay metropolitan area is the second-most populous in the state.

Buckhorn said areas along the Tampa Bay shoreline could expect a dangerous storm surge anywhere from 3 to 8 feet, adding that it would depend on where Irma went.

"What we really fear more than anything is that storm surge," Buckhorn told CNN's Anderson Cooper on Sunday.

Jones said the severity of the storm surge depended on which side of the storm Tampa was on.

"If Tampa stays on the east side of the eye, we expect the storm surge to be worse than if the eye moves inland and the west side of the storm hits it," he said.

That's because wind from the east side of Irma would be blowing toward Tampa, pushing water from the bay inland and raising the height of the storm surge, he said.

Mike Merrill, the Hillsborough County administrator, said 28,000 people had taken refuge in 45 county shelters.

There's room for more, he said, but conditions are so dangerous that "we're not saying get in your car and go. ...This is the time to stay where you are."

He said first responders and law enforcement officers have been pulled in until the weather lets up. St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue has also suspended emergency services due to dangerous weather conditions.

"I will tell you in no uncertain terms -- and I am not going to sugarcoat it -- this is going to be a difficult storm," Buckhorn said at the news conference. But he emphasized that Tampa is prepared.

"So look out for your neighbors, take care of each other," he said. "This is when we are Tampa strong. This is what we do."

CNN's Judson Jones contributed to this report.
(YUEYANG, China)  A Taiwanese activist has pleaded guilty to subverting state power in Chinas first prosecution of a nonprofit worker on criminal charges since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations.

I spread articles that maliciously attacked the Communist Party of China, Chinas existing system and Chinas government, the activist, Lee Ming-che, told the court in the central Chinese city of Yueyang. Lee said he also organized people and wrote articles intended to subvert the states power.

Subversion of state power is a vaguely defined charge often used by authorities to muzzle dissent and imprison critics.

Lees wife, Lee Ching-yu, had warned that he might be pressured into pleading guilty. Chinas wide-ranging crackdown on civil society has featured a string of televised confessions  believed to have been coerced  from human rights activists accused of plots to overthrow the political system.

I want to ask my fellow countrymen for their understanding if they see Lee Ming-che do or say anything unbearable in court outside of his free will, Lee Ching-yu told reporters over the weekend before leaving Taiwan so she could be at the trial. This is just the Chinese government being adept at the performance.

Security was tight at the Yueyang City Intermediate Peoples Court, with barricades on the streets, dozens of security personnel patrolling the perimeter and reporters ordered to leave the area.

Lee Ming-che, 42, has conducted online lectures on Taiwans democratization and managed a fund for families of political prisoners in China. He cleared immigration in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of Macau on March 19 but never showed for a planned meeting with a friend later that day.

Amnesty International and other rights organizations have called for his immediate release.

The new law says foreign NGOs must not endanger Chinas national security and ethnic unity, and subjects nonprofit groups to close police supervision. It is seen as an attempt to clamp down on perceived threats to the ruling Communist Partys control.

Relations between Taiwan and China have been near an all-time low since the election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has advocated Taiwans formal independence. China cut off contacts with Taiwans government in June, five months after Tsai was elected.
Mario and LaQuitta Carruth were married at Memphis City Hall in May 2017. (Photo: Amy Hutchinson Photography)

LaQuitta Carruth of Memphis, Tennessee, will never forget the moment she took her first glance at her soon-to-be husband Mario on their wedding day.

It was my favorite part of the ceremony, LaQuitta told HuffPost. It had been pouring rain outside and I was still sitting in my car, waiting for my dad to bring an umbrella. Then, I saw Mario get out of his car in front of me. He looked so handsome.

The couple first met in 2009, as undergraduates at Christian Brothers University in Memphis. Mario won his future bride over with some smooth, elementary school-style flirtation.

In the spring semester, he wrote me a note that said, Do you like me? with a yes, no, and maybe check boxes on it to see if I was interested, LaQuitta said. I thought it was so cute and decided to try dating him and here we are all these years later!

A throwback photo of the Carruths during their college days. (Photo: Photo courtesy of LaQuitta Carruth)

On May 12, the college sweethearts took the next step in their relationship, marrying in front of an intimate group of friends and family. TeRetta Hall, an elder from LaQuittas church One Accord Ministries, was also on hand to give the couple a blessing.

We said our I dos in front of a judge, but it didnt make our day less meaningful than having a big ceremony and reception, LaQuitta told HuffPost.

The rain poured down as they said their vows, but it stopped by the end of the ceremony, allowing the newlyweds to step out for some gorgeous wedding photos with photographer Amy Hutchinson.

The rain stopped just in time for the newlyweds to take some wedding pics outdoors. (Photo: Amy Hutchinson Photography)

Below, LaQuitta and Mario tell us more about their intimate civil ceremony. Be sure to follow along with us as we profile couples marrying at city halls around the country for HuffPosts Listen To America bus tour.

Why did you decide to marry at city hall?

LC: We chose this route for financial reasons. We didnt want to go into debt for one day. We couldve waited and saved more, but we felt it would take a long time and we didnt want to wait forever to get married. We loved each other and we didnt care where we said I do. We wanted to start our lives together.

Story continues

Who did you invite?

LC: We invited our parents and a few close friends and relatives. There were only about 10-15 other people there with us.

What did you wear for the Big Day?

LC: I wore a knee-length tulle wedding dress with cap sleeves and lace beading which was bought from an online site called JJs House.

MC: A slim-fit Calvin Klein suit bought from Mens Wearhouse.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

LaQuitta stunned in diamonds and pearls. (Photo: Amy Hutchinson Photography)

Mario, your wife said seeing you walk up to city hall was her favorite part of your wedding day. What was your favorite moment?

MC: The prayer the elder from my wifes church performed for the two of us before we met with the judge. It made me feel encouraged that I can and will be everything my wife will ever need. In the prayer, she prayed that I will be the protector and provider my wife needs and keep my family uplifted and loved. It solidified to me what kind of man I need to be for the rest of my life. It reminded me that my wife trusts that Ill be that man for her or else she wouldnt be marrying me.

"LaQuitta is very supportive and encouraging," Mario told HuffPost. "No matter what I want to do or try, she is always letting me know she will be behind me." (Photo: Amy Hutchinson Photography)

What did you do after the ceremony?

LC: Later that evening, we went to dinner at the local Ruths Chris Steakhouse with our close friends and family. After the day was over and we were finally alone in our apartment, we laid together and talked about the love we feel. We have always loved each other, but it was something about that day that made our love seem to grow.

"Mario is always doing what he can to make other peoples lives better and easier without any concern for himself," LaQuitta said. (Photo: Amy Hutchinson Photography)

What do you love most about Memphis? Whats your ideal date night there?

LC: We love the food in Memphis. Our city is not just fantastic at making great barbecue. There are all sorts of different local restaurants to discover with great food and a welcoming atmosphere. We love Kooky Canuck for burgers, The Bayou for great Cajun food and El Mezcal for Mexican.

Our ideal date night is getting some really great pizza  our favorite pizza places are Aldos in Downtown Memphis and Three Guys Pizza Pies in Cordova  and then heading to a movie!

More From Listen To America

The 15 Most Instagrammable Spots In Oxford, Mississippi

Bride Gets Back To Her Roots With Sweet St. Louis City Hall Wedding

Check Out The Full Schedule For HuffPost's Listen To America Tour

Also on HuffPost

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
SIMFEROPOL, Crimea (Reuters) - A man who led protests against Russia's plans to annex Crimea from Ukraine was jailed for eight years in the disputed territory on Monday - a move Ukraine's president called an act of Russian repression. Crimean Tatar leader Ahtem Chiygoz was found guilty of stirring up mass disorder by calling street demonstrations in February 2014 against a referendum which later sealed Russia's seizure of the peninsula. Prosecutors at the court in Simferopol - the capital of Russian-controlled Crimea - said two people died in the unrest. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the jailing of Chiygoz added to the case against Russia which had already been "recognized as an occupier at the highest international level." "One can unlawfully confine someone's freedom, but it's impossible to break the will! You may occupy foreign land, but it will burn under your feet," Poroshenko said on Twitter. There was no immediate comment from Russian authorities. Chiygoz was deputy head of the Mejlis representative body of Crimean Tatars which also condemned Monday's ruling. Mejlis head Refat Chubarov, who fled Crimea after its annexation, called the sentence "a new attempt to intimidate Crimean Tatars and suppress their will". The Crimean Tatars are a largely Sunni Muslim group who suffered mass deportation under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin in 1944 and make up more than 12 percent of Crimea's largely ethnic Russian population of about 2 million. Many of them were among the strongest critics of Moscow's March 2014 annexation of Crimea, which has drawn sanctions on Russia from the United States and Europe. Kiev and its Western allies say the seizure was illegal. But Russian President Vladimir Putin justified it, saying he needed to protect its overwhelmingly pro-Moscow population from Ukrainian nationalists. Chubarov said lawyers would launch an appeal with the Supreme Court of Russia "as the nation that occupied Crimea". "One can already forecast its decision - it will support the decision by Crimea's illegal supreme court. Accordingly, our next step will be the European Court of Human Rights," he added. Chiygoz's lawyer Nikolai Polozov told Reuters Television the sentence was unlawful, as Chiygoz was a citizen of Ukraine, where the criminal code did not contain such an offense. His team would seek Chiygoz's extradition to Ukraine, he added. (Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Additional reporting by pavel Polityuk in Kiev; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Andrew Heavens)
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, Patron of Children in Crossfire, gestures at an event called 'Compassion in Action' in Londonderry, Northern Ireland September 10, 2017 - CLODAGH KILCOYNE

Aung San Suu Kyi was under growing international pressure on Monday after the UNs top human rights official accused her government of "textbook ethnic cleansing" and the Dalai Llama criticised Buddhist nationalist attacks on Burma's Rohingya ethnic minority.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that Burma seemed to be carrying out a systematic attack on civilians designed to expel the mainly Muslim minority from the predominantly Buddhist country.

"Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," Mr Zeid told the UN Human Rights Council.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh in the past two weeks after violence flared in neighbouring Burma, also known as Myanmar, where the stateless Muslim minority has endured decades of persecution.

Mr Zeid's condemnation came as the Dalai Lama also spoke out for the first time about the crisis, saying Buddha would have helped Muslims fleeing violence.

"Those people who are sort of harassing some Muslims, they should remember Buddha," the Dalai Lama told journalists who asked him about the crisis on Friday evening.

"He would definitely give help to those poor Muslims. So still I feel that. So very sad. Burma says it is carrying out counter-terrorist operations in Rakine State against the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a militant group that carried out a series of deadly attacks on border guard posts on August 25.

But refugees and human rights groups say the Burmese military and local vigilantes are systematically targeting civilians in a campaign of terror characterised by house burnings, mass shootings, beheadings, and gang rape.

The growing international outrage condemning the violent treatment of the Rohingya has reportedly made little impact on the Burmese military who were still threatening to burn down villages on Monday, said human rights activists.

Story continues

Tun Khin, president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK told The Telegraph he had received multiple calls on Monday afternoon from desperate residents in Buthidaung, Rakhine State, who said soldiers had threatened to kill them and burn down their homes if they remained.

They [military] are telling villagers we will kill all of you, we will burn all the villages, he said. The villagers are asking if the international community can do anything and whether they should stay or pack up.

We are witnessing the most horrific situation in our history, said Mr Khin.

"The operation... is clearly disproportionate and without regard for basic principles of international law," Mr Zeid said.

Rohingya Muslims arrive in Teknaff, Bangladesh on September 10 Credit: Anadolu

"We have received multiple reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians," he said.

"I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population."

At least 313,000 Rohingya refugees have fled Burma since violence flared on August 25, the Inter Sector Coordination Group coordinating the relief operation said on Monday.

The figure means at least 400,000 people, or more more than a third of the estimated 1.1 million Rohingya population of Rakine state, have entered Bangladesh since a previous outbreak of violence in October last year.

The foreign minister of Bangladesh on Sunday said at least 3,000 people have been killed campaign of genocide.

Tens of thousands more are believed to be on the move inside Rakhine state after more than two weeks without shelter, food and water.

Many are believed to be trapped on the Burmese side of the Naf river because they are unable to afford exorbitant fares charged by boatmen operating at crossing points.

Boatmen on the river crossing near the Bangladeshi village of Lomba Beel are charging $122 per head, the Dhaka Tribune reported on Monday.

Pakistani protesters burn an effigy of Burma State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi during a demonstration to condemn ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar, in Lahore, Pakistan Credit: AP

Adil Sakhawat, a correspondent for the paper, said he found large crowds bottle-necked at a border post seized by ARSA militants when he crossed the river on the weekend.

The militants he saw were armed only with sticks and hinted at plans for a new attack on the Burmese military.

ARSA declared a one month ceasefire on Sunday.

Burma's population is overwhelmingly Buddhist and there is widespread hatred for the Rohingya, who are denied citizenship and labelled illegal "Bengali" immigrants from Bangladesh and India.

There are long-running tensions between the Rohingya, who speak a dialect of Bengali, and the Rakine, the predominantly Buddhist ethnic group who make up the majority of Rakine States population.
(SPOKANE, Wash.)  The four members of a well-known Polish death metal band have been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping a woman after a concert last month in Washington state, authorities said.

The members of the band Decapitated were arrested early Saturday in Santa Ana, California, on suspicion of kidnapping a woman after their Aug. 31 concert in Spokane, Spokane Police Department spokeswoman Cpl. Teresa Fuller said in a statement.

The woman told police just before 2 a.m. on Sept. 1 about the alleged kidnapping by the band members, Fuller said. The band had performed at a concert in downtown Spokane. The woman attended the heavy metal concert, Fuller said.

Band members were arrested by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office after their Friday night concert in Santa Ana, Fuller said. They are 27-year-old Michal M. Lysejko, 35-year-old Waclaw J. Kieltyka, 31-year-old Rafal T. Piotrowski, and 30-year-old Hubert E. Wiecek. All are Polish citizens.

They are being held in the Los Angeles County Jail and will face extradition to Spokane, Fuller said.

Steve Graham, the bands Spokane-based defense attorney, told the Spokane Spokesman-Review that the band members are innocent of the accusations.

There is another side to this, he told the newspaper. We have witnesses that can testify to the fact that the accuser came to visit (the) band of her own free will and left on good terms.

Graham said he told police that the band members had offered to surrender but never heard anything back.

The attorney said he fears the band members will spend weeks in the Los Angeles County Jail before being returned to Spokane. But Graham told the newspaper that the four will not fight extradition and will return to Spokane willingly.

The band, founded in Poland in 1996, has won critical acclaim for its albums among fans of death metal.
The 2018 Miss America pageant got political with President Donald Trump coming up consistently in the final round. All but one question related directly or indirectly to Trump. Miss North Dakota (Cara Mund) found herself in the hot seat on the hot topic of climate change and specifically on whether or not Trumps decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord was a good one. Her stance was a hard no. I do believe it's a bad decision, she said. Once we reject that we take ourselves out of the negotiation table and thats something we really need to keep in mind. There is evidence that climate change is existing and whether you believe it or not we need to be at that table, and I just think it's a bad decision on behalf of the United States. In the end, disagreeing with Trump definitely did not hurt with Miss North Dakota crowned as Miss America. But she wasnt the only contestant to disagree with the president. Miss Texas (Margana Wood) wasnt too keen on how Trump responded, or rather, didnt respond to the recent events in Charlottesville saying, I think that the white supremacist issue, it was very obvious that it was a terrorist attack. And I think that President Donald Trump should have made a statement earlier addressing the fact, and making sure that all Americans feels safe in this country. That's the issue right now.
The 2018 Miss America pageant got political, with President Trump coming up consistently in the final question round. All but one question related directly or indirectly to Trump. Cara Mund, Miss North Dakota, found herself in the hot seat on the hot topic of climate change and specifically whether or not she thought Trumps decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord was a good one. Her answer was a hard no.

I do believe its a bad decision, she said. Once we reject that, we take ourselves out of the negotiation table, and thats something we really need to keep in mind. There is evidence that climate change is existing, and whether you believe it or not, we need to be at that table, and I just think its a bad decision on behalf of the United States. In the end, disagreeing with Trump definitely did not hurt; Miss North Dakota crowned Miss America.

But she wasnt the only contestant who disagreed with the president. Margana Wood, Miss Texas, wasnt too keen on Trumps response  or lack of a quick one  to recent events in Charlottesville, Va., saying, I think that the white supremacist issue  it was very obvious that it was a terrorist attack. And I think that President Donald Trump should have made a statement earlier addressing the fact, and making sure that all Americans feel safe in this country. Thats the issue right now.

Watch Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers defend the Founding Fathers from Trumps comments:



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.
Manuel Bernal, a fourth-year medical student, is busy studying and soon will be applying to residency programs in hopes of one day becoming an emergency room physician who serves underserved communities  he hopes in his home state of Tennessee.

Now he is adding another task: lobbying members of Congress to pass a bill protecting young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, like he did. After President Donald Trump rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program last week, the need for legislation is urgent for Bernal, and not just because DACA recipients work permits and deportation protections will begin to expire in larger numbers in six months.

If Congress doesnt pass something soon, Bernals medical career would be stalled  and his hopes of serving underserved communities along with it.

Its the worst timing, really, because Im at the end of my med school career and ready to transition over to the next phase of my career. ... If theres no resolution passed it would make it impossible to move on, he said.

Bernal attends the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. On Tuesday, the day Attorney General Jeff Sessions gave a speech announcing the end of the program, Bernal was working a shift at an emergency department.

I would go to the bathroom and look at social media to see what kind of information I could potentially get, but otherwise I had patients to see and things to do so I couldnt really dwell on that, Bernal said. On my drive home, thats really when I finally had some silence to myself to start processing that and what it meant.

Bernal was among the 32 DACA recipients at the Stritch School of Medicine, which was the first to explicitly invite and admit students with DACA status beginning in 2014. Nearly 100 DACA recipients are estimated to be in medical school around the country this year, and for them ending the program would destroy their chances at a career in medicine in the U.S., because they would be unable to legally work and unable to receive loans.

Story continues

Bernal has less than a week until he has to begin applying for residency programs, after which he will start interviewing and eventually be matched this spring. He said he would have to drop out of the program if Congress doesnt come up with some sort of solution by then that would allow him to work legally because his work permit is set to expire in March 2019, which would make him unable to complete residency.

Ideally Congress will act fast  Bernal is nervous that he wont even get interviews because DACA was rescinded.

How do I let programs know that they should interview me even though theres not a fix on the books yet? he said.

Medical professionals urged Trump not to discontinue the DACA program and are now also urging Congress to step in to protect Dreamers, potentially by passing the Dream Act to grant them legal status. There are many benefits to allowing undocumented youth to attend medical school and practice medicine, experts have argued, as the field faces a shortage of physicians, especially those who want to work in underserved communities.

American Medical Association executive vice president and CEO James L. Madara specifically cited the need for more physicians in a Sept. 5 letter to congressional leaders urging them to take action to help DACA recipients, who he said are more likely to work in high-need areas where communities face challenges in recruiting other physicians.

Without these physicians, the AMA is concerned that the quality of care provided in these communities will be negatively impacted and that patient access to care will suffer, Madara wrote.

Many DACA students have said they were inspired to pursue medicine in part because they saw their own families and communities struggle to get care, whether it was due to language barriers, a shortage of care providers, lack of insurance or all of the above.

I have the immigrant mentality that you go where you are needed and you do the work that no one else wants to do, said Cesar Montelongo Hernandez, a DACA recipient in an eight-year dual M.D.-PhD program at the Stritch School of Medicine.

He grew up mostly in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He and his family moved from across the border in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, when he was 10 years old and overstayed their visas, in part because his father had then-undiagnosed diabetes and feared he wouldnt be able to take care of his family in Juarez, given the violence and his inability to work.

Even in the U.S., Montelongo Hernandezs father did not get care immediately because they did not know the resources available and had little access.

That feeling of helpless and not knowing why a loved one is sick was what pushed me into wanting to be a physician, Montelongo Hernandez said.

Montelongo Hernandez is in his third year of he competitive M.D.-PhD program, which he enjoys because it emphasizes research along with practicing medicine. He has one more year on his DACA work permit, and losing it would mean his life was thrown on its head, Montelongo Hernandez said.

On Tuesday, he stepped out of class to watch Sessions give his speech announcing the end of DACA. Sessions suggested its recipients had been taking benefits and jobs from American citizens. It felt unfair that they were being presented like parasites when they have worked hard, paid taxes and followed the rules as best as they can, Montelongo Hernandez said.

I thought I had prepared myself but just having to face the reality, its pretty devastating, he said. Its heartbreaking.

Montelongo Hernandez plans to keep pushing forward and speaking out in hopes that it will lead to legislation in Congress.

He and other DACA recipients have the full support of the Stritch School of Medicine, where students held an event after the announcement about the program to show they stood with their undocumented classmates, said Mark G. Kuczewski, chair of its Department of Medical Education.

Were going to do everything we can to get them through medical school no matter what, he said.

They will also help students advocate for the Dream Act, Kuczewski said. Students are calling lawmakers from their home states to urge them to support the bill. Bernal plans to make a greater effort to lobby Tennessee Sens. Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, both Republicans.

He said it gave him hope when Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery III (R)  one of the state attorneys general who threatened Trump with legal action if he did not end DACA  not only said he would not challenge the president over the program but also urged Congress to pass the Dream Act.

Im very proud to be from Tennessee and I feel like Im American in every way but one, lacking legal documentation to prove that Im American, Bernal said. Tennessee is my home, so it would mean the world to me if I had senators from a historically conservative state offer their support.

Also on HuffPost

April 2015

At an event hosted by Texas Patriots PAC: Everythings coming across the border: the illegals, the cars, the whole thing. Its like a big mess. Blah. Its like vomit.

June 2015

At a speech announcing his campaign: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre not sending you. Theyre not sending you. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems, and theyre bringing those problems with us. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."

August 2015

On NBC's "Meet the Press": Were going to keep the families together, we have to keep the families together, but they have to go."

September 2015

On CBS's "60 Minutes": Were rounding em up in a very humane way, in a very nice way. And theyre going to be happy because they want to be legalized. And, by the way, I know it doesnt sound nice. But not everything is nice.

November 2015

On MSNBC's "Morning Joe": You are going to have a deportation force, and you are going to do it humanely."

February 2016

At a GOP primary debate: We have at least 11 million people in this country that came in illegally. They will go out. They will come back  some will come back, the best, through a process.

March 2016

At a press conference when asked if he would consider allowing undocumented immigrants to stay: "We either have a country or we dont. We either have a country or we dont. We have borders or we dont have borders. And at this moment, the answer is absolutely not.

April 2016

At an event hosted by NBC's "Today Show": Theyre going to go, and were going to create a path where we can get them into this country legally, OK? But it has to be done legally. ... Theyre going to go, and then come back and come back legally.

July 2016

At the Republican National Convention: "Tonight, I want every American whose demands for immigration security have been denied  and every politician who has denied them  to listen very closely to the words I am about to say. On January 21st of 2017, the day after I take the oath of office, Americans will finally wake up in a country where the laws of the United States are enforced."

September 2016

At a rally: Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation. That is what it means to have laws and to have a country. Otherwise we dont have a country.

September 2016

On "The Dr. Oz Show": Well, under my plan the undocumented or, as you would say, illegal immigrant wouldnt be in the country. They only come in the country legally.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
DALLAS (Reuters) - A gunman killed seven people at a home in a Dallas suburb on Sunday evening before being shot dead by police called to the scene, authorities said.

The shooting took place in Plano, a suburb north of Dallas.

David Tilley, a spokesman for the Plano Police Department, said the shooter was killed by the first responding officer after an exchange of gunfire. The officer was not injured.

Seven people were found dead in the Plano home.

Two additional shooting victims were taken to a local hospital. Their condition was unknown.

"We're trying to put all the puzzle pieces together," Tilley said.

There was no information yet on the relationship between the suspect and the victims. Local media reports that the shooting occurred at a Dallas Cowboys viewing party could not be confirmed either.

(Reporting by Lisa Maria Garza, editing by Chris Michaud and Himani Sarkar)
By Gina Cherelus

(Reuters) - Several endangered deer found only in the lower Florida keys were sighted on Monday, easing fears about the fate of the tiny species after Hurricane Irma swamped their vulnerable archipelago ecosystem.

With the highway to the Keys open only to emergency vehicles, power mostly out and communications disrupted, experts said it was too early to tell how the overall population of up to one thousand Key deer had fared.

But those who were anxious about their survival rejoiced on social media when a short video was posted on Twitter showing several cavorting by a roadside on Big Pine Key.

"So thrilled ... can you imagine how terrified they were and are!?" wrote one North Carolina-based tweeter, Tina O'Connor.

The Key deer is the smallest subspecies of the North American white-tailed deer, with males standing only about 3 feet (1 m) at the shoulder and females even smaller. Most live on two islands, Big Pine Key and No Name Key, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine, only 15 miles (24 km) east of where Irma slammed ashore as a category 4 hurricane early Sunday, was closed ahead of the storm's arrival, officials said. It will remain shut to visitors until further notice.

"We will assess the status of all refuge resources when it is safe to do so and we have the ability to do so," Dan Clark, superintendent of the refuge, told the Miami Herald newspaper.

Representatives of the deer refuge, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission did not immediately respond to queries.

Poaching and habitat loss reduced the Key Deer to just a few dozen animals by the 1950s.

Their numbers recovered quickly after the refuge was opened in 1967. It covers some 9,200 acres (3723 hectares) of pine, hardwood and mangrove forests set amid freshwater and salt marsh wetlands, and is home to 23 endangered and threatened species of plants and animals.

Story continues

The deer are the only large herbivore in the Keys, feeding on more than 100 different native plants.

Irma was downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday after flooding several northern Florida cities with heavy rain and a high surge of seawater.

(Reporting by Gina Cherelus in New York; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Andrew Hay)

Related Video:
Authorities announced late Saturday that the ex-husband of Crystal McDowell has been charged with murder after the Texas mom went missing just before Hurricane Harveys landfall in the U.S.

According to the Chambers County Sheriffs Offices Facebook post, Crystals body was discovered by police in a wooded area on Saturday at 2:45 p.m. The department had begun searching for the 37-year-old real estate business owner after they received a welfare concern a week earlier.

Crystals ex-husband Steven Wayne McDowell, 44, was arrested and charged with murder, a first degree felony. He was booked in to the Chambers County Jail with bail to be set by a court of competent jurisdiction, police said. It is not known if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney.

Sheriff Brian C. Hawthorne of the Chambers County Sheriffs Office in Texas previously told PEOPLE exclusively, I do believe theres foul play involved and I dont think that she has just decided to disappear and not contact anybody.

 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.

According to authorities and news reports, Crystal never arrived on Aug. 25 to pick up her two children, 5 and 8, from her ex-husbands home in the Houston area after she left her boyfriends home earlier that day less than 18 miles away.

She was officially reported as a missing person the next day  as Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall in Texas late on Aug. 25, began drowning Houston.

Crystal was last seen at her boyfriends home on Aug. 25 getting into her car, according to ABC News. Days later, police found her 2013 black Mercedes Benz submerged in a Motel 6 parking lot roughly 13 miles from her home, CBS News reported at the time.

McDowell and her ex-husband divorced in June and she had recently been staying with her boyfriend, Paul Hargrave, according to CBS News.

Story continues

Hargrave told the outlet that he had last heard from Crystal on the morning of Aug. 25. She texted me to say road conditions were good around 8:30 a.m., he said.

Hargrave further told ABC News that Crystal had told him she intended to stay with her children at her ex-husbands house or take them out if weather conditions were good.

She wouldnt just get up and leave her kids, he said. She wouldnt do that so I think something is horribly wrong.

Sheriff Hawthorne echoed that sentiment, saying, She had too many family members and friends, and she had a successful business and she has two beautiful children that I just dont think she would walk away from.
(Reuters) - At least 313,000 Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar in the past two weeks and sought shelter in Bangladesh, a Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) report released on Monday stated. At least 400,000 hungry and traumatized refugees have sought refuge in Bangladesh since October 2016. The exodus has put pressure on aid agencies and communities, which were already helping hundreds of thousands of refugees from previous violent episodes in Myanmar. Following are a few details gathered from United Nations' sources working in Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh, situated on the Myanmar border. - The refugee influx on Sunday was observed to be lower compared with other days. - The district administration conducted a site visit to discuss the allocation of 1,500 acres of land adjacent to the Kutupalong Makeshift Settlement in order to accommodate more refugees in the Kutupalong/Balukhali area. People have already settled in some parts of this proposed land. - According to reports, the local administration plans to start biometric registration of the new arrivals from Monday. - At least 3,989 households were provided rice on Sunday, the second day of rice distribution. - The majority of referred medical cases comprised lower respiratory tract infection, skin diseases and acute diarrhea. - An estimate of 883 refugees received psychological first aid. - Until Sunday, a total of 925 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have been identified in registered refugee camps. (This story corrects paragraph 2 figure of refugees since Oct. 2016) (Reporting by Karishma Singh; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
As of this week, New York City has opened its doors to one of the busiest times of the year: September Fashion Week.

Thousands of people flock to the city each fall to get a glimpse of the newest collections and latest trends as they hit the runway for the first time -- but it's a truly unique experience to see it all happen first hand. From the models to the designers, the hair and makeup artists and the editors that sit front row, it takes a village to put it all together.

Irina Djuranovic, model at The Society in New York, has several fashion week seasons under her belt. From New York City to Paris, London and Milan, she's been all over the world and has walked in shows that capture the attention of the world: Christian Dior, Carolina Herrera, Giambattista Valli and more.

It's not always easy to run from show to show, but Irina lays it all out for us -- watch the video above to hear about a day of New York Fashion Week through her eyes.

Related: The best street style of NYFW September 2017


Its back-to-school season in the U.S. and many other parts of the world, as teachers, students and administrators are ushering in a new year of learning.

Though schools around the globe have different start dates, calendars and traditions, the first day of a new term is an exciting time filled with the prospects of gaining more knowledge, making new friends and building community.

In honor of this occasion, here are 14 first-day-of-school photos from around the world.

Mumbai, India

Children enjoy the first day of school at Mahila Sangh School, Vile Parle in Mumbai, India.

Turov, Belarus

Schoolchildren attend their first lesson on Knowledge Day in the town of Turov, Zhytkavichy District. Knowledge Day marks the beginning of a new school year in Belarus and is celebrated on Sept. 1.

Fukushima, Japan

Children attend a ceremony on their first day of school at Shimizu elementary school in Fukushima, Japan.

Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip

Palestinian schoolchildren play on the first day of a new school year, at a United Nations-run school in Deir al-Balah refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Students prepare for the first day of school at the Lycee du Cent Cinquantatenaire, in Port-au-Prince.

Quimper, France

Pupils enter their classroom in a primary school on the first day of the new school year on Sept. 4, 2017, in Quimper, western France.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Young Vietnamese children are dressed up and ready to perform for parents and local officials on the first day of the school year at the private Minh Hai Nursery School in Hanoi.

Ashburn, Virginia, USA

Teacher Margaret Upp and the rest of the teaching staff greet students on the first day of classes at the newly opened Brambleton Middle School in Ashburn, Virginia.

Johannesburg, South Africa

First grade students of Finetown Primary School are seen during the first day of the school year in Johannesburg.

Ain Issa, Syria

A displaced child from the Islamic State group's Syrian stronghold of Raqa walks to attend the first day of the new school year at a camp for internally displaced people in Ain Issa.

Glenalmond, Scotland

Schoolgirls arrive at Glenalmond College for the first day of term. The independent boarding school founded by William Gladstone and James Hope Scott is based on the architecture of Oxford University.

Kiev, Ukraine

Music students sing the Ukrainian national anthem at the Special Music School Lysenko of Kiev as the first of September traditionally marks the start of the school year, in Kiev, Ukraine.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Caroline Mogomela hugs Yesenia Villada on her first day of school at St. Patrick Secondary School in Toronto.

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

A teacher guides her pupils to the classroom on the first day of classes in Honduras, at the John F. Kennedy School in Tegucigalpa on Feb. 8.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
A Florida sheriffs deputy was helping supply an evacuation shelter ahead of Hurricane Irmas landfall Sunday morning the vehicle she was driving crashed into one driven by a state prison employee, killing them both, according to local reports.

The early-morning tragedy occurred about 60 miles east of Sarasota.

The Hardee County sheriffs deputy was identified by The Naples Daily News as Julia Bridges, a 13-year veteran of the department. Bridges had just left a hurricane shelter where she had been working to get more supplies when the collision occurred, Tampa station WFLA reported.

Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Julie Jones identified the prison officer as Sgt. Joseph Ossman, a 21-year veteran of the department. He was headed for duty at the Hardee Correctional Institution.

We are heartbroken by this loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and fellow officers at this time, Jones said in a statement.

Heartfelt condolences to @hcsheriff for the loss of Deputy Bridges. FHP stands with you during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/pUqH0yt1KV  FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) September 10, 2017

A spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol confirmed a crash killing two people along State Road 66 to HuffPost but declined to say whether it may have been storm-related, only saying Irmas outer bands were buffeting the area at the time.

Related...

Floridians Who Survived Andrew Face Irma

My Hometown And Hurricane Harvey

Floridians Brace For Hurricane Irma's Arrival

Animal preparation for Hurricane Irma

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Mazar-i-Sharif (Afghanistan) (AFP) - A Spanish physiotherapist working for the Red Cross in northern Afghanistan was shot and killed Monday by a wheelchair-bound patient, in the latest attack on the international charity.

Lorena Enebral Perez, 38, was shot inside the aid group's rehabilitation centre in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where she treated disabled children, women and men including amputees, the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement.

Perez was taken to the NATO military base hospital at Camp Marmal where she died of her wounds.

"Energetic and full of laughter, Lorena was the heart of our office in Mazar. Today, our hearts are broken," said Monica Zanarelli, the ICRCs chief in Afghanistan.

"Lorena was a skilled and caring physiotherapist who assisted patients, especially children. The violent fluctuations of life seem particularly cruel today."

Two people have been arrested over the deadly attack, including the 21-year-old shooter whom police said was a "regular patient".

"He had hidden the pistol in his wheelchair which he used to shoot the victim," police spokesman Shir Jan Durrani told AFP.

Deputy police chief Abdul Razaq Qaderi said the man "opened fire on the doctor as soon as she entered the consultation room". The motive for the attack was not clear.

It was the latest deadly assault on the Red Cross in northern Afghanistan, where Taliban and Islamic State militants have been terrorising the local population.

Aid workers have increasingly become casualties of a surge in militant violence in recent years.

Most of the Red Cross's programmes in the north have been on hold since February, after six Afghan employees of the ICRC were shot dead when their convoy was ambushed in Jowzjan province.

Two of their colleagues were abducted and only released by their captors last week.

No group claimed responsibility for the abduction or killings but Jowzjan police had blamed local IS jihadists.

Last December a Spanish Red Cross employee was abducted when workers from the charity were travelling between Mazar-i-Sharif and the neighbouring Taliban hotbed of Kunduz.

He was released several weeks later.
Germany would lend its weight to a diplomatic push to end North Korean nuclear weapons and missile development along the lines of a past deal with Iran, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday.

"I would say yes immediately if we were asked to join talks," Merkel told weekly newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

Talks between Iran and six world powers, sealed with a 2015 deal for Tehran to roll back its nuclear programme and submit to inspections in exchange for some sanctions being rolled back, were "a long but important period of diplomacy" that had achieved a "good end," she added.

"I could imagine such a format for the settlement of the North Korea conflict. Europe and especially Germany ought to be ready to make a very active contribution," Merkel said.

The chancellor said she had held telephone talks with the leaders of France, the United States, China, South Korea and Japan about the North Korea crisis over the past week, and is expected to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday.

Merkel's comments come as Washington has formally requested a Monday vote on tough new sanctions for Pyongyang at the UN Security Council.

US diplomats have called for an oil embargo, an assets freeze against leader Kim Jong-Un, a ban on textiles and an end to payments of North Korean guest workers in response to the nation's sixth nuclear test last week.

But the measures could founder on opposition from permanent Security Council members Russia and China.

Merkel said that she backed sanctions as a means of bringing North Korea to the negotiating table.
Barcelona (AFP) - Pro-independence protesters are due to come out in force in the streets of Barcelona on Monday for Catalonia's national day, three weeks ahead of a controversial secession referendum banned by Spain.

The "Diada" holiday, which commemorates the fall of Barcelona to Spain in 1714, has been used by separatists in recent years to press for an independent state.

They hope this will be the last one before the wealthy northeastern region breaks away from Spain.

If the "Yes" side wins the October 1 referendum, Catalonia's pro-separatist government has vowed to declare independence within 48 hours and set about building a sovereign state.

"From now, we're counting the days for the referendum," one of the organisers of the demonstration, a civic association named the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), wrote on its website.

It said nearly 400,000 people had signed up for the march and some 1,800 buses had been chartered to take demonstrators to Barcelona from other parts of the region.

The pro-separatist camp is keen to show it can still rally its troops after participation in the Diada declined last year.

This year the demonstrators will take the shape of an over one-kilometre-long "X" by gathering on the Paseo de Gracia and Aragon avenues in central Barcelona meant to represent the mark Catalans will make on their ballots for independence.

Spain's central government says the referendum contravenes the constitution and has turned to the courts to prevent it.

"There will not be a referendum," Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told officials from his conservative Party Popular on Saturday.

"It's my duty to preserve national unity," the premier said, adding that the laws passed by the regional government paving the way towards a referendum were "illegal and anti-democratic."

- 'Will overwhelm them' -

The pro-separatist camp wants to make this "Diada" their first show of force in the streets before the referendum, whose campaign officially begins on Friday.

Story continues

Since 2012, the annual "Diada" demonstration has attracted between half a million and 1.8 million people.

In 2013 demonstrators formed a human chain that crossed Catalonia. The following year the "Diada" demonstration took the shape of a giant "V" for "vote" down two of the main avenues of Barcelona. In 2015 the march resembled a human arrow.

"On Monday we will overwhelm them peacefully and democratically, as always, and on October 1 we will overwhelm them at the ballot box," Catalan president Carles Puigdemont said Saturday.

Police have searched Catalan printing houses suspected of making ballots for the referendum while Spain's state prosecutor has launched criminal proceedings against Puigdemont and other top Catalan officials.

ANC vice president Natalia Esteve has threatened to call fresh street protests depending on what action Madrid takes to block the vote.

"When we must call people to hit the streets, we will do it," she said.

With its own language and customs, Catalonia accounts for about one-fifth of Spain's economic output, and already has significant powers over matters such as education and healthcare.

But Spain's economic worries, coupled with a perception that the region's 7.5 million people pay more in taxes to Madrid than they get in return, have helped push the independence question to centre stage.

Opinion polls show that Catalans are evenly divided on independence. But over 70 percent want a referendum to take place to settle the matter, similar to the plebiscite held in Scotland in 2014
One Southern monument that has not come under fire of late stands in front of the North Carolina Capitol. It is a bronze equestrian of Gen. Andrew Jackson, the president from 1829 to 1837, with a plaque that reads: "He Revitalized American Democracy."

That's the usual view of the man. Somehow, we just know that Old Hickory made America a more egalitarian place than what the stuffy, bewigged Founders had designed in 1787.

I don't think the North Carolina statue should be removed. But I do think the plaque should be changed. For Jackson was the founder not of American democracy, but rather of a certain kind of American nationalism, one that still clouds our democratic horizons.

Let's be clear, though: Jackson earned the love that most white Americans felt for him by the 1820s. That's because he saved them from a long, harrowing struggle against the British.

Although the empire officially recognized the United States in 1783, it wanted and expected the new country to fail. The British excluded American produce from many markets, dumped low-price goods in Eastern seaports, and organized a counter-revolutionary state in what is now Ontario. Above all, they had a loose alliance with the Indian nations and enslaved blacks who kept white families up at night, fearing for their lives.

During the War of 1812, these "internal enemies" sometimes sided with the empire in a final effort to crush the republic.

A veteran of extreme violence in the Carolinas and Tennessee, Jackson hated the British and their "savage" friends as much as anyone. Maybe more. "Your government has at last yielded to the impulse of the nation," he told his volunteers at the start of the war. "The hour of national vengeance is at hand."

In 1814 his men slaughtered Creek rebels; in 1815 he saved New Orleans from British invasion; in 1818 he attacked runaway slaves and Seminole towns in Florida. Each time he displayed a reckless, almost suicidal courage.

When Jackson spoke of the "nation," he meant every white family who felt as he did, not every person living in the United States. The Jacksonian nation was not just all-white, but anti-black and anti-native. No wonder that his main priority as president was the deportation of some 70,000 native peoples out of their Southeastern homelands, and that the only big change in voting rights during his two terms was the "loss of those rights by free black men. As for white men, they already had the franchise; Jackson didn't give it to them.

Old Hickory's fans also argue that he empowered ordinary folk by opening new lands and confronting the Bank of the United States. He certainly believed in their "sovereign" right to avenge themselves against their enemies and to seek fortunes around the world.

For that very reason, though, Jackson didn't think the people could regulate private interests for the common good. Indeed, his version of a republic didn't have much of a public at all, except in wartime.

A hard-line judge and free-wheeling businessman as well as a soldier and statesman, he vehemently opposed local resistance to debt collection and scaled back national plans for infrastructure, education and domestic markets.

Partly as a result, Jackson-era frontiers were not strongholds for self-sufficient farming but rather for slave-grown cotton, whose frenzied export to Britain made the United States more dependent on the old mother country, not less so. And when the bust came as he left office in 1837, neither he nor the Democratic Party he had created showed much mercy for those holding the bag.

Put simply, Jacksonian nationalism mostly came out of race war and epic violence. It had little to do with the peaceful development of society, nor with the kinds of economic fairness that most Americans wanted, if given the choice.

Who, then, founded American democracy, if not Jackson? The answer, I think, is no one. Democracy is a struggle rather than an achievement, a process rather than an institution. It happens when people agree to be less cruel to each other, to accept their common needs along with their diverse backgrounds. It is more complicated, difficult and fragile than any statue can convey. It is the shared challenge of all Americans.
Selling lemonade was more than just a summer hobby for this Idaho 6-year-old when she donated all the earnings paying off her classmates lunch debt.

Read: 8-Year-Old Starts Lemonade Stand as Part of Therapy After Brain Surgery

Amiah Van Hill, a second-grader at Hayden Meadows Elementary School, told InsideEdition.com she was inspired to do something for the kids at her school when she realized some students at different schools are shamed for not being able to pay off their lunch bill.

Every kid at school needs lunch, so thats my way of helping, 6-year-old Amiah told InsideEdition.com.

Earlier in August, Amiah and her younger sister Aria set up a lemonade stand with a sign that read Lemonade 4 Lunch and was quickly able to raise $40  enough to pay off the lunch debt for every student that qualifies for a reduced-price lunch.

Her mom, Rachel Van Hill, 38, said each reduced-price lunch costs about 40 cents.

She wanted to donate the money to make sure no child gets left behind with eating, Van Hill explained.

Realizing she reached her goal so easily, Amiah decided to expand her goal to $23,000 to pay off the lunch debt of the entire school district.

Amiah continued to hold lemonade stands and made a grand total of $600 by the end of the summer.

When I dont have customers, I sit and wait, she explained. When there are customers [or when] two more cars come up, I rush back and forth.

Read: Girl Who Was Told Off by Man for Her Lemonade Stand Starts Anti-Bullying Campaign

With the help of a GoFundMe page her mom set up, the campaign has reached more than $1,600, and despite slowing down her business ever since school started again for the year, Amiah said she is determined to hit her goal.

I always wanted to do a lemonade stand, so now is my chance, she said.

Watch: Man Threatens to Call Police on Girl Who Set Up Lemonade Stand: 'Sad and Pathetic'

Related Articles:
Designer Prabal Gurung walks out to take a bow after his Spring 2018 runway show during New York Fashion Week. (Photo: Getty Images)

Its true that fashion is, in large part, ephemeral. But for all the hubbub about resistance seen on last seasons runways  in seating placements and gift bags, and on statement T-shirts  theyve been largely devoid of politics this season.

Take Prabal Gurung, who, since starting his line in 2009, has made a name for himself both with his design talent and his commitment to pro-feminist, pro-immigrant activism. That ethos is reflected in Gurungs front row, where on Sunday night during New York Fashion Week, Gloria Steinem sat beside former Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin.

Bella Hadid closed Prabal Gurungs Spring 2018 show. Her sister, Gigi, opened the show. (Photo: Getty Images)

Gurung acknowledged Steinem, 83, with an air-kiss when he took his bow  a demonstration of his appreciation for her place in history, which touched the designer so profoundly that it helped shape his Spring 2017 collection.

But for this show, Gurungs politics were more implicit, save for the shirt he wore instructing the crowd to resist with love. The runway was reflective, figuratively and literally, thanks to a dozen or so oval mirrors hanging from the ceiling. The collection was full of billowing chiffon and Victorian corsets  traditionally feminine forms reimagined for a modern, liberated woman who might wear a corset as a vehicle for irony, resistance, and self-creation  at least according to the shows notes (another place where Gurungs politics are most easily seen this year).

Curvy model Ashley Graham walks the runway during the Prabal Gurung Spring 2018 show. (Photo: Getty Images)

It was a notable shift in tone from the interview he gave to Vogue for his Resort 2018 collection, shown in July, in which he noted, Berlin has obviously overcome so much hate and intolerance, both culturally and politically, so I find modern Berlin to be incredibly inspiring. For me, its a reminder that we can all continue to grow and evolve. Before that, on his fall-winter 2017 runway last season, attendees were spoon-fed a heavy dose of political messaging via T-shirts: This is what a feminist looks like, I am an immigrant, Girls just want to have fundamental rights, Nevertheless, she persisted and  well, you get the idea.

Story continues

To be sure, its not only Gurung whose runway has taken a less aggressive approach to politics. Last season, the Council of Fashion Designers gave attendees at five shows Fashion Stands with Planned Parenthood pins, and the trade magazine Business of Fashion started the #TiedTogether movement, wherein NYFW-goers wore white bandanas as a sign of solidarity and inclusiveness. This season, thereve been pins given for the American Civil Liberties Union at a show or two, but largely, the political showings have been muted.

Worth noting: Gurung included plus-size models on his runway again this season (Candice Huffine and Ashley Graham), which has left fans expecting standard-defying runways from the Nepalese-born designer. Maybe hell add transgender and older models next time?

Until then, fans have been left with a stimulating collection to admire and ponder.

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.

Alexandra Mondalek is a writer for Yahoo Style + Beauty. Follow her on Twitter @amondalek.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump on Monday commemorated the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, leading a moment of silence at the White House to mark the moment the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

The president and first lady Melania Trump stood on the White Houses South Lawn amid a crowd that included Trumps elder daughter, Ivanka, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Trump spoke at a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon later Monday morning, honoring the nearly 3,000 victims of the attacks and their families.

Today, our entire nation grieves with you, he said, reflecting on the horror and anguish of that dark day and praising the countrys perseverance and unity following the attacks.

His measured remarks on Monday notwithstanding, Trump has a history of making insensitive and false comments about the Sept. 11 tragedy.

The 2001 terrorist attacks were the subject of one of Trumps most egregious lies during his presidential campaign. In November 2015, he claimed, without evidence, that thousands and thousands of Muslims in New Jersey had celebrated the news of the attacks.

I watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down. And I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down, Trump said at a campaign rally. Thousands of people were cheering.

The following day, Trump reiterated his lie, claiming that the supposed celebration was well covered at the time.

There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down, Trump said on ABCs This Week.

The lie, which has been roundly debunked, appeared to originate from an article published a few days after the attacks, reporting that law enforcement officials had investigated a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks and holding tailgate-style parties on rooftops while they watched the devastation on the other side of the river.

Story continues

But Trump, as he frequently does, exaggerated the allegation in the story  an allegation that was never substantiated.

Following the rally in which he first peddled the lie, Trump mocked one of the journalists who wrote the original story, veteran New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski, after Kovaleski himself affirmed that the story did not back up Trumps lie.

I certainly do not remember anyone saying that thousands or even hundreds of people were celebrating, Kovaleski said.

In response, Trump performed a disgusting imitation of Kovaleski, who has arthrogryposis, a congenital joint condition.

On the actual day of the attacks, Trump, a New York real estate mogul, tastelessly bragged about his downtown Manhattan building, 40 Wall Street.

Calling in to a New York TV news broadcast, as the station aired footage of the World Trade Center towers collapsing, Trump claimed that his property would now become the tallest building in the area.

40 Wall Street actually was the second-tallest building in downtown Manhattan, and it was actually, before the World Trade Center, was the tallest  and then, when they built the World Trade Center, it became known as the second-tallest, he said. And now its the tallest.

Trump interview on 9/11: "[My building] was the 2nd-tallest in Manhattan... And now its the tallest." #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/47WUsSKLRu  Ess (@ScottyLiterati) September 11, 2016

That claim also turned out to be false.

Trump has frequently referred to the attacks on Twitter, his favorite medium of communication.

In 2011, he claimed that hed foreseen the attacks.

I predicted the 9/11 attack on America in my book "The America We Deserve" and the collapse of Iraq in @TimeToGetTough.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2011

And on the anniversary of the attacks in 2013, he tweeted his best wishes to all, even the haters and losers, on this special date.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

@realDonaldTrump: I would like to extend my best wishes to all, even the haters and losers, on this special date, September 11th.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 12, 2013

This article has been updated to include Trumps remarks at the Pentagon ceremony.

Also on HuffPost

7:59 a.m.

The four airplanes that were hijacked on 9/11 began taking off at 7:59 a.m. The first to depart was American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 that left Boston's Logan International Airport for Los Angles with 92 people on board. At 8:14 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 -- a Boeing 767 with 65 passengers on board -- also left Logan for Los Angeles. American Airlines Flight 77 left Washington Dulles International Airport at 8:20 a.m. The plane, a Boeing 757 with 64 people on board, was bound for Los Angeles. Finally, at 8:42 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 departed from Newark International Airport. The Boeing 757, which had 44 passengers that morning, was bound for San Francisco. This file photo shows an American Airlines Boeing B-767 in Miami in 2001. The plane pictured was not used in the attack.

8:46 a.m.

The first crash occurred at 8:46 a.m. when Flight 11 hit the north tower of New York's World Trade Center. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, two flight attendants contacted American Airlines as the plane was being hijacked to provide details of the emergency. They reported the use of Mace or a similar spray, several stabbings and a bomb threat. The last known communication from the plane came when flight attendant Madeline "Amy" Sweeney, on the phone with American Flight Services manager Michael Woodward, said, "Oh my God we are way too low."

9:03 a.m.

The second crash happened at 9:03 a.m., when Flight 175 hit the south tower of the World Trade Center. The last communication made with air traffic control was made at 8:42 a.m., but passengers were able to provide details of the flight by contacting their families by phone. Brian Sweeney called his wife, Julie, to tell her the plane had been hijacked, and Peter Hansen told his father, Lee, "I think they intend to go to Chicago or someplace and fly into a building."

9:05 a.m.

President George W. Bush learned of the attacks at 9:05 a.m. while sitting in a second grade classroom at an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida. White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card informed him of the attacks, whispering into his ear during the students' reading lesson. Bush recently shared his memories of that day with National Geographic. When he received news of the first plane crash at 8:50 a.m. -- just before entering the classroom -- he thought it was "a light aircraft, and my reaction was, man, the weather was bad or something extraordinary happened to the pilot." It wasn't until Card informed him of the second plane that Bush knew America was under attack.

9:31 a.m.

In an address from Emma Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, President Bush called the attacks "a national tragedy" and "an apparent terrorist attack on our country." "I have spoken to the vice president, to the governor of New York, to the director of the FBI, and have ordered that the full resources of the federal government go to help the victims and their families, and to conduct a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed this act," Bush said. "Terrorism against our nation will not stand."

9:36 a.m.

At 9:36 a.m., Secret Service agents evacuated Vice President Dick Cheney and his aides from his office to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, a Cold War-era bunker beneath the White House.

9:37 a.m.

Flight 77 crashed into Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. The 9/11 Commission Report tells how passenger Barbara Olson called her husband Ted -- the solicitor general of the United States -- to inform him of the attacks. She reported that the flight had been taken over and that the aircraft was "flying low over houses." A few minutes later, air traffic controllers at Dulles International Airport observed plane on their radar traveling at "a high rate of speed." Officials from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport warned the Secret Service of the aircraft shortly before Flight 77 hit the Pentagon.

9:45 a.m.

At 9:45 a.m. -- minutes after Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon -- the White House and U.S. Capitol were evacuated.

9:59 a.m.

After burning for 56 minutes, the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed at 9:59 a.m. The fall, which killed approximately 600 workers and first responders, lasted 10 seconds.

10:03 a.m.

The fourth hijacked plane crashed at 10:03 a.m. in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The 9/11 Commission Report says several passengers made calls from the plane and received word of the other hijackings. Upon hearing the news that major cities were being targeted, the passengers decided to revolt: Five calls described the intent of passengers and surviving crew members to revolt against the hijackers. According to one call, they voted on whether to rush the terrorists in an attempt to retake the plane. They decided, and acted.



At 9:57, the passenger assault began. Several passengers had terminated phone calls with loved ones in order to join the revolt. One of the callers ended her message as follows:"Everyone's running up to first class. I've got to go. Bye." According to the 9/11 Memorial, the hijackers deliberately crashed in a field to prevent passengers from retaking the airplane. The crash site in Shanksville is approximately 20 minutes flying time from Washington, D.C.

10:28 a.m.

At 10:28 a.m., after burning for 102 minutes, the north tower of New York's World Trade Center collapsed, killing approximately 1,400 people.

11:02 a.m.

New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani ordered an evacuation of lower Manhattan at 11:02 a.m., alerting everyone south of Canal Street to get out.

1:04 p.m.

At 1:04 p.m., after all American air space had been cleared, President Bush addressed the nation from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, informing citizens that the U.S. military "at home and around the world is on high alert status." "Make no mistake, the United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts," Bush said.

5:20 p.m.

Hours after the attacks that morning, the 47-story 7 World Trade Center building collapsed from ancillary damage. No one was in the building at the time.

8:30 p.m.

President Bush gave his final address of the day from the White House at 8:30 p.m. From the Oval Office, the president informed Americans that he had implemented federal emergency response plans, noting emergency teams and the military were already at work: Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.



The victims were in airplanes or in their offices -- secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers. Moms and dads. Friends and neighbors.



Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.



The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.



These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Victoria Beckhams SS18 collection was all about wearability [Photo: Getty]

Victoria Beckham has had enough of the fashion peacocks. Instead, the designer has stuck to a uniform of white t-shirts and jeans for the past few days.

For her SS18 show at New York Fashion Week, the Brit chose a similar theme, sticking to classic workwear pieces  with her signature feminine twist, of course.

Loose tailoring in ice-cream shades dominated [Photo: Getty]

Mannish tailoring consisting of loose blazers, slouchy shirts and lots of layering came in ice-cream shades of pistachio and lilac.

Glittery Dorothy heels and clutches also made an appearance in shades of green, silver and traditional The Wizard of Oz red; shoes that six-year-old Harper Beckham is in love with, according to her mother.

The Vanity Camera Bag #VBSS18 A post shared by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Sep 10, 2017 at 3:31pm PDT

And thats Victorias key: sticking to pieces that are wearable and accessible to all. Even a six-year-old.

This was not about creating show pieces that are not wearable, she admitted backstage, labelling the collection as honest.

Thats not how I want to dress, thats not how I believe women want to dress. There isnt anything here that you cant wear straight from the catwalk.

So happy to see @edward_enninful and his amazing @britishvogue team today. Cant wait to see the first issue! X VB A post shared by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Sep 10, 2017 at 10:15am PDT

Several other talking points came from the show: namely that fearful Vogue editor Anna Wintour was ousted from her front row spot next to David Beckham to be replaced by the new head of British Vogue, Edward Enninful.

The designer appeared to be incredibly relaxed at the end of the show [Photo: Getty]

Victorias post-show outfit also caused a stir. Her much-loved stilettos were replaced by dare we say more mumsy heels paired with the aforementioned casual white tee and jeans.

Final show prep! x VB #VBSS18 A post shared by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Sep 10, 2017 at 7:22am PDT

It seems that the Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer has come down from her A-list world just a notch. She was even spotted getting down and dirty with an ironing board backstage.

Story continues

Now, thats something wed never have expected from the Victoria Beckham of years gone by.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK.

Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

17 excellent David and Victoria Beckham throwback moments

All the British designers showing at New York Fashion Week

Only Harper Beckham could have a birthday party at Buckingham Palace
When terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, no one knew exactly what the future would hold.

However, writer Hunter S. Thompson turned out to be amazingly prescient.

Shortly after the tragedy, the famed gonzo journalist wrote an essay for ESPN.com where he laid out his thoughts on what could happen in this new era.

Sixteen years later, his remarks are still chillingly accurate:

Boom! Boom! Just like that. The towers are gone now, reduced to bloody rubble, along with all hopes for Peace in Our Time, in the United States or any other country. Make no mistake about it: We are At War now  with somebody  and we will stay At War with that mysterious Enemy for the rest of our lives. It will be a Religious War, a sort of Christian Jihad, fueled by religious hatred and led by merciless fanatics on both sides. It will be guerilla warfare on a global scale, with no front lines and no identifiable enemy.

Writer Hunter S. Thompson predicted "guerilla warfare on a global scale, with no front lines and no identifiable enemy" after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. (Photo: Ho New/Reuters)

Thompson wrote that the United States is going to punish somebody for this attack, but just who or what will be blown to smithereens for it is hard to say.

He continued:

Maybe Afghanistan, maybe Pakistan or Iraq, or possibly all three at once. Who knows? Not even the Generals in what remains of the Pentagon or the New York papers calling for WAR seem to know who did it or where to look for them.

Thompson, who died in 2005 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, also laid out how then-President George W. Bush would react to the attack and how his decisions would affect the lives of everyday Americans.

This is going to be a very expensive war, and Victory is not guaranteed  for anyone, and certainly not for anyone as baffled as George W. Bush. All he knows is that his father started the war a long time ago, and that he, the goofy child-President, has been chosen by Fate and the global Oil industry to finish it Now. He will declare a National Security Emergency and clamp down Hard on Everybody, no matter where they live or why. If the guilty wont hold up their hands and confess, he and the Generals will ferret them out by force. Good luck. He is in for a profoundly difficult job  armed as he is with no credible Military Intelligence, no witnesses and only the ghost of Bin Laden to blame for the tragedy.

Story continues

Also on HuffPost

7:59 a.m.

The four airplanes that were hijacked on 9/11 began taking off at 7:59 a.m. The first to depart was American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 that left Boston's Logan International Airport for Los Angles with 92 people on board. At 8:14 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 -- a Boeing 767 with 65 passengers on board -- also left Logan for Los Angeles. American Airlines Flight 77 left Washington Dulles International Airport at 8:20 a.m. The plane, a Boeing 757 with 64 people on board, was bound for Los Angeles. Finally, at 8:42 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 departed from Newark International Airport. The Boeing 757, which had 44 passengers that morning, was bound for San Francisco. This file photo shows an American Airlines Boeing B-767 in Miami in 2001. The plane pictured was not used in the attack.

8:46 a.m.

The first crash occurred at 8:46 a.m. when Flight 11 hit the north tower of New York's World Trade Center. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, two flight attendants contacted American Airlines as the plane was being hijacked to provide details of the emergency. They reported the use of Mace or a similar spray, several stabbings and a bomb threat. The last known communication from the plane came when flight attendant Madeline "Amy" Sweeney, on the phone with American Flight Services manager Michael Woodward, said, "Oh my God we are way too low."

9:03 a.m.

The second crash happened at 9:03 a.m., when Flight 175 hit the south tower of the World Trade Center. The last communication made with air traffic control was made at 8:42 a.m., but passengers were able to provide details of the flight by contacting their families by phone. Brian Sweeney called his wife, Julie, to tell her the plane had been hijacked, and Peter Hansen told his father, Lee, "I think they intend to go to Chicago or someplace and fly into a building."

9:05 a.m.

President George W. Bush learned of the attacks at 9:05 a.m. while sitting in a second grade classroom at an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida. White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card informed him of the attacks, whispering into his ear during the students' reading lesson. Bush recently shared his memories of that day with National Geographic. When he received news of the first plane crash at 8:50 a.m. -- just before entering the classroom -- he thought it was "a light aircraft, and my reaction was, man, the weather was bad or something extraordinary happened to the pilot." It wasn't until Card informed him of the second plane that Bush knew America was under attack.

9:31 a.m.

In an address from Emma Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, President Bush called the attacks "a national tragedy" and "an apparent terrorist attack on our country." "I have spoken to the vice president, to the governor of New York, to the director of the FBI, and have ordered that the full resources of the federal government go to help the victims and their families, and to conduct a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed this act," Bush said. "Terrorism against our nation will not stand."

9:36 a.m.

At 9:36 a.m., Secret Service agents evacuated Vice President Dick Cheney and his aides from his office to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, a Cold War-era bunker beneath the White House.

9:37 a.m.

Flight 77 crashed into Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. The 9/11 Commission Report tells how passenger Barbara Olson called her husband Ted -- the solicitor general of the United States -- to inform him of the attacks. She reported that the flight had been taken over and that the aircraft was "flying low over houses." A few minutes later, air traffic controllers at Dulles International Airport observed plane on their radar traveling at "a high rate of speed." Officials from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport warned the Secret Service of the aircraft shortly before Flight 77 hit the Pentagon.

9:45 a.m.

At 9:45 a.m. -- minutes after Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon -- the White House and U.S. Capitol were evacuated.

9:59 a.m.

After burning for 56 minutes, the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed at 9:59 a.m. The fall, which killed approximately 600 workers and first responders, lasted 10 seconds.

10:03 a.m.

The fourth hijacked plane crashed at 10:03 a.m. in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The 9/11 Commission Report says several passengers made calls from the plane and received word of the other hijackings. Upon hearing the news that major cities were being targeted, the passengers decided to revolt: Five calls described the intent of passengers and surviving crew members to revolt against the hijackers. According to one call, they voted on whether to rush the terrorists in an attempt to retake the plane. They decided, and acted.



At 9:57, the passenger assault began. Several passengers had terminated phone calls with loved ones in order to join the revolt. One of the callers ended her message as follows:"Everyone's running up to first class. I've got to go. Bye." According to the 9/11 Memorial, the hijackers deliberately crashed in a field to prevent passengers from retaking the airplane. The crash site in Shanksville is approximately 20 minutes flying time from Washington, D.C.

10:28 a.m.

At 10:28 a.m., after burning for 102 minutes, the north tower of New York's World Trade Center collapsed, killing approximately 1,400 people.

11:02 a.m.

New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani ordered an evacuation of lower Manhattan at 11:02 a.m., alerting everyone south of Canal Street to get out.

1:04 p.m.

At 1:04 p.m., after all American air space had been cleared, President Bush addressed the nation from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, informing citizens that the U.S. military "at home and around the world is on high alert status." "Make no mistake, the United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts," Bush said.

5:20 p.m.

Hours after the attacks that morning, the 47-story 7 World Trade Center building collapsed from ancillary damage. No one was in the building at the time.

8:30 p.m.

President Bush gave his final address of the day from the White House at 8:30 p.m. From the Oval Office, the president informed Americans that he had implemented federal emergency response plans, noting emergency teams and the military were already at work: Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts.



The victims were in airplanes or in their offices -- secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers. Moms and dads. Friends and neighbors.



Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.



The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.



These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Havana (AFP) - Residents of Cuba's historic capital Havana were waist-deep in floodwaters Sunday after Hurricane Irma swept by, cutting off power and forcing the evacuation of more than a million people.

Wild waves were crashing over the seafront of the old colonial city after Irma ravaged Cuba's northern coast on its way to Florida.

"This is catastrophic, because a lot of the buildings here are not prepared for a downpour like this," said Yanmara Suarez, standing in the street in a yellow t-shirt with water up to her ankles.

In other streets near the seafront, the water reached up to people's waists and flooded their homes, leaving timber floating in the streets.

"In all the 49 years I have lived here, this is the first time this has happened," said Ernesto Loza, sitting on his doorstep that was fortunately raised just above water.

"The sea has always risen a bit, but never this much."

- 'Highest sea surge ever' -

Authorities said the winds reached up to 150 kilometers (93 miles) per hour in Havana, with unprecedented storm waves from the sea.

Havana national defense official Mercedes Lopez said on television that "the sea rose higher than it ever had before."

Most of the capital was without power early Sunday. Water supplies and telephone lines were also down.

Lopez added that some houses had completely collapsed in and around Havana.

In some places, the sea water reached more than 500 meters (1,650 feet) into the city.

Some people plunged into the water to try to catch the attention of police and rescuers patrolling the city.

Authorities said Havana would continue to feel the effects of the storm until Monday.

- Hotels evacuated -

Irma hit battered central Cuba on Saturday, knocking down power lines, uprooting trees and ripping off roofs.

The storm "seriously" damaged the center of the island with winds up to 256 kilometers per hour, according to Cuban state media.

Story continues

Authorities said they had evacuated more than a million people overall as a precaution.

That included about 4,000 from low-lying districts and tourist hotels around the capital.

Some residents compared the impact of Irma to that of two other memorable hurricanes that hit Cuba: Wilma in 2005 and Kate in 1985.

There were no confirmed casualties in Cuba from Irma. But the hurricane killed at least 25 people earlier on its path across the Caribbean.
These suspected Hurricane Irma looters could be gone with the wind  behind bars.

Fort Lauderdale police said Sunday they arrested nine people after a local news team filmed them allegedly stealing from stores during the storm.

A news crew from ABC affiliate WPLG appeared to capture the thieves red-handed with merchandise as they entered and exited through broken glass at Simons Sportswear (watch above). The suspects are also accused of hitting a Cash America Pawn shop, police said.

An additional Foot Locker heist was posted by a WPLG journalist:

More looting in Ft Lauderdale during #IRMA. Watch as these ppl steal shoes from the Foot Locker on Sunrise Blvd. #pathetic @WPLGLocal10 pic.twitter.com/WmUbLli2KR  Sanela Sabovic (@SabovicSanela) September 10, 2017

Cops rounded up three teenagers and six adults who face charges that include burglary during a natural disaster, WPLG said. The Fort Lauderdale PD announced Monday that 19 have been arrested overall for burglary during the storm.

Police Chief Rick Maglione called out the shoe pilferers on Twitter. Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice, he said in a statement.

#FLPD Looters ARRESTED! 9 individuals were arrested Looting CashAmerica Pawn & Simon's on W Sunrise Blvd. pic.twitter.com/1pLR66I8TD  Fort Lauderdale PD (@FLPD411) September 10, 2017

The PD also spotlighted two others arrested for Irma-related crimes, noting that they had been warned.

#FLPD Can't say we didn't warn you...28 YOs Ryan Cook & Max Saintvil each face 6 counts of burglary from overnight #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/GyPhAeMAVZ  Fort Lauderdale PD (@FLPD411) September 10, 2017

#FLPD WARNING from Chief: "anyone who intends to victimize our neighbors during this difficult time...will be captured and arrested."  Fort Lauderdale PD (@FLPD411) September 10, 2017

h/t New York Post

Story continues

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Also on HuffPost

A truck was blown over as Hurricane Irma passed through the Florida Keys.

A man died when his pickup truck crashed into a tree in the Florida Keys.

High winds split a large tree in Coral Beach.

MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 10: People walk past a building where the roof was blown off by Hurricane Irma on September 10, 2017 in Miami, Florida. Hurricane Irma, which first made landfall in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm on Sunday, has weakened to a Category 2 as it moves up the coast. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Boats at a marina in Coconut Grove

Flooding in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida, U.S. September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Yang

A street sign is knocked over by high winds in Coral Beach.

Flooding in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida, U.S. September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Yang

Boats at a marina in Coconut Grove.

A vehicle drives along a flooded street in downtown Miami.

Flooding begins in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida, U.S. September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Yang

A collapsed construction crane downtown Miami.

Palm trees blow in the winds in Bonita Springs.

Broken tree branches block roads in Coral Beach.

East Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Officials are well aware that incidences of rape and assault become more common in the wake of hurricanes such as Irma and Harvey. When state-wide evacuations for Hurricane Irma began last week, Floridas Polk County sheriff announced that sex offenders would be banned from all shelters. We cannot and we will not have innocent children in a shelter with sexual offenders & predators. Period, he tweeted.

Its still too early to tell if law enforcement and first responders in Florida will be successful in preventing a rise in these crimes of opportunity, especially in the hurricanes aftermath when a sense of lawlessness tends to pervade communities. In 2005, in the wake of Katrina, reports began to emerge about the uptick in incidences of rape and sexual assault. Some were victims who failed to evacuate, while others claimed to have been assaulted at shelters set up for evacuees. In one widely reported incident after Katrina, a perpetrator woke his victim in the shelters communal sleeping area in the middle of the night. He threatened her with a knife then raped her.

There were some lessons to be learned from Katrina, Chau Nguyen of Houston Area Womens Center told Newsweek. She says improved security and additional training for Harvey's disaster response appear to have prevented incidents of sexual assault from occurring at shelters in Houston. She has not heard of any problems, at least not yet.

09_10_irma_shelter

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In the days leading up to evacuations, Nguyen helped lay the groundwork to secure shelters with nighttime monitors, and worked with other advocacy groups to get law enforcement on the same page. This hasnt historically been the case.

After Katrina, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and other organizations developed an anonymous database of self-reported sexual assaults and found rape crisis centers in cities along the Gulf Coast reported receiving an average of more than 100 calls about incidents of assault and rape from Katrina evacuees. Women and girls accounted for 93 percent of the victims. Many more probably occurred but went unreported, since emergency response and law enforcement were stretched thin by countless pressing needs from the public.

Story continues

Jane Henrici, a senior research affiliate with the Institute for Women's Policy Research says a closer look determined that disaster relief groups were not prepared to sufficiently respond to incidents of sexual violence during Katrina. Essentially, responding to individual crises such as rape typically isnt part of the standard protocol for on-the-ground aid in natural disasters. First responders trained with the Red Cross, for example, are only instructed to encourage sexual assault victims to report the incident to law enforcement or to call 911. Theyre not given training to provide appropriate medical care or emotional support.

Henrici says during Katrina, responders were more likely to do nothing at all and even avoid intervening in such incidents. Some of the problem appeared to be bureaucratic. Incidents of sexual assault are always legally complicated and require mountains of paperwork and documentation that invariably detracts from other overwhelming needs like rescuing evacuees.

There was a perception on a part of women that they were not going to be protected when things occurred," says Henrici. Women with whom I spoke with heard it was happening or knew it was happening, and they remained traumatized."

In the years that have followed since Katrina, advocates and public health experts have tried to understand what went wrong in an attempt to develop better protocol as destructive hurricanes become more frequent. These efforts resulted in a planning guide funded by a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center published the guide online that provides for range of guidelines to ensure safety.

Recommendations include ensuring that evacuees, first responders, volunteers and shelter staff are provided with information about how to report an incident by making the information mandatory at shelter orientations. Katrina also helped to establish that its critical to have appropriate mental health and medical support at shelters. That includes a sexual assault forensic examiner, along essential medical equipment, such as rape kits, on the premises. Better preparedness also means ensuring that FEMA and other disaster teams are staffed with at least one person who is certified to conduct forensic exams on rape victims. You have to prepare and train people, says Henrici. And you recognize that violence is a public health issue.

Related Articles
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.  Hurricane Irma weakened to a tropical storm on Monday while plowing through Florida, but it remained powerful enough to bring devastating flooding to this city in the states northeast corner.

Rivers throughout Jacksonville overflowed, damaging homes and businesses, as strong winds covered roads with debris. Water from the Trout River poured onto the streets and filled the parking lot of the nearby Trout River Fish Co. Boats moored in the river came loose.

The water reached record levels in many areas, with city officials tweeting that the St. Johns River flooding was the worst since 1846. Sheriff Mike Williams warned that the river  which runs through the city  could rise 6 feet above normal water levels.

About 900,000 people live within Jacksonvilles city limits  making it the states most populous  and officials called for a voluntary evacuation from low-lying areas. The officials also instructed residents to beware of downed power lines.

A damaged Chevron station in the city of Live Oak, Florida. (Photo: David Lohr/HuffPost)

The storm affected communities miles inland from Jacksonville, as strong winds blew over part of a Chevron gas station in the city of Live Oak. Downed trees littered Interstate 90, and emergency crews were seeking to restore road conditions.

Irma has left around 6.5 million people in Florida without power, and killed at least 8 people in southeastern states. The storm also decimated several Caribbean islands, destroying homes, leaving widespread flooding and leaving at least 38 people dead.

Here are images that HuffPost captured on the ground in Jacksonville.

Water fills the streets near Jacksonville's Trout River Fish Co.

A first aid kit is among the debris strewn about by the storm.

Some sailboats moored in the city's rivers broke loose and crashed against the banks.

Rivers in the city overflowed their banks, as officials urged some residents to sek higher ground.

Homes throughout the city were damaged by flooding.

An unmoored boat came to rest along the banks of the Trout River.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
This week, we commemorate the 16th anniversary of the horrific terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. As we drew near that date, numerous commentators published their thoughts on this massacre. The most eccentric analysis I read was that by Rev. Matt Malone, a Jesuit priest who writes for the magazine America. Quoting Sirach in the Old Testament, Wrath and Anger are hateful things (Sir. 27:30  28-7), Reverend Malone states God has commanded us to forgive the terrorists. Despite my Catholic faith and my years at the Jesuit School of Theology, I profoundly disagree with the Reverend.

The attack on 9/11 was the deadliest in the world history of terrorism. Approximately 3,000 people were killed instantly in this 21st century massacre of innocents. Well over 1,000 others, including firefighters, paramedics, and police officers later died from cancer and other diseases inflicted by the fire, smoke, chemicals, fumes, and debris. The number continues to rise.

We believe in a kind, merciful, forgiving God and, ordinarily, we should strive to live our own lives in the same manner. But not all willful and deliberate evil conduct is forgivable. There are limits. (See Mt. 12:31).

First, we should contemplate 800-year-old British common law, the basis of our own system of law, with the principle that the first and foremost duty of government is to protect its people. What will the next step of the aggressor be if the victim government does not retaliate in response to the monstrous mass slaughter of thousands of defenseless civilians?

Second, we need to understand the meaning of the term forgive. We could learn something on this subject from the Jewish faith. Jewish tradition provides that a person cannot expect forgiveness unless he undergoes a sincere effort to perform teshuvah.

Teshuvah means repentance.

Teshuvah requires the wrongdoer to engage with the victim, express regret, and genuinely endeavor to right the wrong committed. The essence of teshuvah and forgiveness is that, in light of the wrongdoers remorse and attempt to make amends, the forgiver allows for his relationship with the forgiven to be healed. In effect, the forgiver says, I cannot accept the wrongs you committed but, despite all that, I can accept you and I can still have a relationship with you.

Have we heard from any terrorist even a single word of sorrow, shame, contrition, or of any effort to make amends? Accordingly, would not forgiveness dishonor the victims of 9/11? Yes it would. And it would debase our own moral compass.

Should Jewish people forgive the Nazis? Same answer.
The Islamorada Brewing Company sits vacant and boarded up in the Florida Keys on 8 September 2017: Marc Serota/Getty Images

As Hurricane Irma ominously makes its way to Florida, experts have warned that the governor's denial of climate change makes the state's infrastructure more vulnerable to damage.

Florida Governor Rick Scott has warned all residents to evacuate because Irma "is wider than our entire state and is expected to cause major and life-threatening impacts from coast to coast". The state is approximately 360 miles (580 km) wide.

We can rebuild your home, we cant rebuild your life, he said.

In Florida, residents install storm shutters and wooden planks in an attempt to minimise inevitable damage to homes and storefronts, but the state may not have done enough to ensure public structures are equally prepared.

Mr Scott, along with Republican Senator Marco Rubio, have dodged questions on climate change over the years.

As recently as June 2017 after Donald Trumps withdrawal of the US from the global Paris Agreement on climate change, Mr Scott would not say whether he believed human action had an impact on climate despite scientific evidence.

Instead he focused on the Presidents commitment to American jobs, saying: You cannot invest in your environment without a good economy.

However, this attitude could result in preventable damage along the Florida coast and particularly for poorer communities in the state.

Julie McNamara, an energy analyst at the Union for Concerned Scientists, told The Independent that research done by the group indicated that electricity transformers in Miami-Dade county were at particular risk of flooding.

She said that these structures are "not required to build for the future" and so sea level rise and increasing intensity of storms are not taken into account.

State government regulations do not reflect that reality in Florida either.

Ms McNamara pointed out that Florida Power and Light, a large public utility company serving almost 10 million people, has "doubled down" on nuclear power and has limited the state's residents ability to have more resilient, renewable sources of power than nuclear plants that could also flood.

Story continues

However, even in places like climate-progressive California that requirement on building standards is just now being implemented.

Florida has provided funding to save the Everglades, the tropical wetlands in South Florida, but Miami Beach City Engineer Bruce Mowry said the state has not funded his citys $500 million flood prevention programme.

Thus far the city has spent approximately $100 million of the overall funding to install drainage pumps with plans to raise low-lying streets that experience what he called sunny day floods when high tide is enough to deluge streets, parking garages, and homes.

Mr Mowry noted that though there was a few million allocated by the state in low interest loans for seawalls, the city are surrounding areas have not received state or federal help for this type of climate resilient infrastructure.

Miami Beach had to raise the money through a combination of stormwater utility fees and sales of municipal bonds, said Mr Mowry.

The programme implementation began approximately two years ago, but Mr Mowry told The Independent: no one can do enough planning for a hurricane of the size and nature of Irma.

The design criteria we use for drainage system is not made for hurricanes said Mr Mowry, but he expects that the design and construction standards of public buildings may change depending on the damage caused by Irma.

He does expect a slight setback to the work that has already been put in installing drainage pumps underground in public areas of the city, but that the real impact will have to wait to be assessed as flooding often brings dirt and silt that have to be filtered through drainage systems in addition to floodwaters.

He said Mr Scott is in denial of the impact of climate change and it would be helpful if the state saw it as an overall comprehensive programme for the whole state rather than just benefiting wealthy areas like Miami Beach.

Mr Mowry contended that whether the US was involved in the Paris Agreement or not, sea level rise would continue and coastal residents would still bear the brunt of it.

What really needs to happen in Florida and all over the world is an overall culture change, he said.

Nicole Hernandez Hammer, Climate Science and Community Advocate at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told The Independent that what Miami Beach has done is great, but those same funds are not available in lower income areas.

People [in these neighbourhoods and cities] deal with flooding frequently because of sea level rise...on normal days, so it is frightening to think what may happen with Hurricane Irma, she said.

Ms Hammer, who lost her house in Hurricane Andrew in 1992, said she knows too well that a city can never really understand the extent of the damage until the storm has been passed.

But, she noted that though construction and building standards have improved in recent years, they are not resilient enough for increasingly stronger storms that are the result of climate change.

This is what happens when you build a major metropolitan area at sea level with a state government that is in denial...and supports polluters, Ms Hammer said.

She has first-hand experience with Mr Scotts aversion to even discussing climate change.

When she was assistant director of climate change research at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, Ms Hammer worked on a report regarding the state transportation infrastructures resilience to rising sea levels.

When her team submitted the report to the Florida Department of Transportation, the agency called to tell the team to scrub almost all mentions of the phrase climate change, even in the summary of the report.

We cant even mention the phrase but now were all panicking, Ms Hammer noted.

Ms Hammer explained that Miami especially is full of large construction cranes as new buildings are going up on the water's edge. She worried about the damage these cranes may cause to existing buildings and homes nearby.

She was also concerned that lower income communities were in a particularly bad position as a result of evacuation infrastructure as well.

If you take a bus, how are you supposed to go get sandbags, plywood, supplies to prepare for the hurricane, Ms Hammer asked. She said there are a number of residents who do not own cars or have drivers licences either.

Affordable options like the private bus services are full, but people have been told they have to make it inland well past Orlando to be in a safe place.

People are frightened and rightfully so.

State officials have said that those who do not or cannot evacuate should not expect an answer if they call for emergency help.

In preparation for the damage, Congress has authorised $15.3 billion in relief aid for the state of Florida.

How that money is allocated for long-term climate resiliency improvements remains to be seen.
At least 10 suspected looters were detained after targeting a sporting goods store in Miami: Miami PD

Police in Florida have made dozens of arrests for burglary and looting as criminals took advantage of a curfew that left homes and businesses empty as Hurricane Irma barrelled towards the state.

Officers shot one teenager they spotted apparently ransacking a house in the south of the state, while in Orlando a SWAT team was dispatched to tackle a stand-off after thieves broke into a sporting store.

An organised gang of at least 12 suspected looters were also seen loading boxes of shoes and clothes into cars outside a business in the Midtown area of the Miami, according to an NBC 6 reporter.

Deputies made it to the scene an hour later and made at least two arrests. They later posted a photo of 10 of the alleged looters, showing them restrained in a cell in custody.

The total of 32 arrests across Florida  28 of which were in Miami  came in the early hours of Sunday, after people were ordered off the streets in three counties for at least 12 hours from 7pm US time.

City chiefs called for the lockdown in areas under threat from Irma as the storm swirled towards the southern coast of Florida, after leaving a trail of destruction across the Caribbean that killed at least 24 people.

Deputies shot the teenager outside a house in Broward County after the owners, who were out of town, spotted the suspected burglar on surveillance cameras inside the property.

The suspect, Dylan Lemon, was taken to Broward Health Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries after the incident in the city of Weston, police said.

Deputies said they arrested the youths suspected accomplice Jean Coello, 17, at the scene without incident. The pair face burglary and grand theft charges.

Broward Sheriffs Office tweeted ahead of the curfew: Looting during the storm will not be tolerated. Looters will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Police also arrested two men in Orlando after they were spotted allegedly looting two sporting goods stores.

Story continues

More looters arrested tonight by @MiamiPD officers; we're out in full force! pic.twitter.com/TS8dJOQtVW  C. Gause (@LittleHaitiCmdr) September 11, 2017

Deputies attended after a manager saw suspicious activity on CCTV cameras inside one of the businesses, officers said.

A SWAT team was also dispatched to the shop after one of the men did not immediately give himself up to the police.

Deputies said the incident was peacefully resolved.

Police in Fort Lauderdale made nine arrests after a group of men were spotted looting a sportswear store before later targeting a pawn store, deputies said.

Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice, said Chief Rick Maglione in a statement. Stay home and look after your loved once [sic] and be thankful they are all safe.

Deputies also tweeted: We're on patrol & won't tolerate criminal activity as our community recovers from #HurricaneIrma!

Hurricane Irma swept through central Florida just hours ago as it carved a path of destruction through the state with high winds and storm surges that left millions without power, ripped roofs off homes and flooded city streets.

Irma, once ranked as one of the most powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic, came ashore in Florida on Sunday and battered towns as it worked its way up the state.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Israeli jets flew low over the city of Saida in southern Lebanon on Sunday causing sonic booms that broke windows and shook buildings for the first time in years, security sources and residents said. Israeli warplanes regularly enter Lebanese airspace, the Lebanese military says, but rarely fly so low. The Israeli military gave no immediate comment. The sonic booms also caused panic in Saida, residents said. Tension has risen between Lebanon's Shi'ite group Hezbollah and Israel, which last fought a war in 2006. Hezbollah has played down the prospects of another imminent conflict but warned it could take place on Israeli territory, and said its rockets could hit targets anywhere in Israel. Israel's air force chief has said it would use all its strength in a future war with Hezbollah. The 2006 war killed 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers. (Reporting by John Davison and Ali Hashisho; Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Mark Potter)
Jennifer Lawrences lastest film Mother! opened in theaters Friday, Sept. 15, but being back on the big screen hasnt stopped her from continuing to wow us in real time. The actress has displayed a strong sense of style throughout the press tour for the psychological thriller, and continues to do so at talk show appearances and film screenings.

Most recently, the 27-year-old was on stage with her 48-year-old boyfriend, and the films director, Darren Aronofsky for an official Academy screening of the film. Wearing a a long, lace and floral dress featuring double straps from Brock Collection, Lawrence looked super fresh and recovered from a hangover she apparently suffered through during her appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Jennifer Lawrence attends an official Academy screening of mother! wearing Brock Collection. (Photo: Getty Images)

Thursday, Sept. 14 was the day after the movies official premiere party, where JLaw admitted to having a few too many drinks. During her appearance with Seth Meyers, the star wore a lace and long-sleeved dress by Alexander Wang with a nude slip underneath.

The star wore Alexander Wang during an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers. (Photo: Getty Images)

That Wednesday night, she wore two looks  the first for a New York City premiere of the film, followed by a quick change for the after party.

Jennifer Lawrence and boyfriend Darren Aronofsky pose together at the NY premiere of mother!.

Posing on the red carpet with Aronofsky, Lawrence looked like a dream in Dior. Wearing a grey chiffon gown, the actressess floral hair details stood out amongst her curled up do.

#Emmastone in #valentino or? #jenniferlawrence in #ralphandrusso or? #mothermovie after party. A post shared by The Catwalk Italia  TCI (@thecatwalkitalia) on Sep 14, 2017 at 3:12am PDT

Later in the evening, she had fellow friend and actress Emma Stone by her side. While Stone wore a Valentino jumpsuit featuring a sheer top, Lawrence sported a glimmering gold Ralph & Russo mini-dress with long fringe detailing.

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON  Episode 0735  Pictured: Actress Jennifer Lawrence on September 12, 2017  (Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

For her appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday, Sept. 12, Lawrence wore a sequin suit from Sally LaPointe, paired with super strappy heels. The look was slightly reminiscent of her sparkly outfit the night before at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Story continues

Jennifer Lawrence attends the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival premiere of Mother! in Dolce & Gabbana. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

On that Monday evening, the actress tapped into her sultry side with a midi-length dress featuring a corseted peplum bodice and sequin mermaid skirt by Dolce & Gabbana. The glam look was topped off with a pulled-back do, silver choker, and black sandals with a decorated ball at the heel.

The actress wore Sally LaPointe to an earlier TIFF premiere. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

Earlier in the day, Lawrence wore a different outfit by LaPointe, which was seemingly Bohemian-inspired. The bralette and flared pant combo was a departure from the elegant ensembles shed worn throughout the week.

Lawrence rocked Giambattista Valli in Venice, Italy, on Sept. 5. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage)

The Silver Linings Playbook star began her fashion tour on Sept. 5 when she wore a Giambattista Valli dress with a lace overlay to the Venice Film Festival. Featuring a simpler silhouette, the dress paired perfectly with another standout pair of black heels.

She stunned that same night in a Dior gown. (Photo by Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images)

For the events red carpet, Lawrence changed into a sheer floral gown by Christian Dior. The dresss silhouette took center stage once again, accentuating the actresss waist.

The Silver Linings Playbook star wore a silver Versace dress. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

With a new city came a new look for the actress, who attended the films London premiere in a silver number. Sticking with the sheer dress theme, Lawrences stylists Jill Lincoln and Jordan Johnson put her in a fancy fishnet number by Versace with strappy silver heels.

The actress returned to Dior for another silver look. (Photo by Julien Hekimian/WireImage)

The full-skirt dress that Lawrence wore in France was another Dior creation, paired with a stronger beauty look. Along with a wet-hair look and a red lip, the actress rocked this ombre gown with a simpler neckline.

As for the film, fans shouldnt expect to see such a glamorous side of Lawrence. Directed by Aronofsky, whose previous work includes Black Swan, the movie is told from the perspective of Lawrences character, which she admits was painful.

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.
On Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, the host was more than skeptical about Trumps consistent promises that people will be happy about his administrations policies. It was something that Trump promised reporter Chuck Todd when Todd asked him about the details on rolling back the immigration program DACA. Chuck, it will work out so well, Trump said. Youll be so happy. In four years, youre going to be interviewing me and say, What a great job youve done, President Trump.

DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) protects about 800,000 young undocumented immigrants from deportation. Rolling back the program means their status is in jeopardy, so Oliver felt a promise of happiness wasnt quite enough. He said, Laying out a government policy thats just Youll be so happy is like naming a restaurant Youre gonna be so full. Okay, thats the goal, but how? What am I filling myself with? Is it Asian fusion or wet cement?

And sometimes Trump doesnt just promise your future happiness; he also guarantees your past happiness. Like that time after he struck a deal with the Democrats, and Trump thought Mitch McConnell was super happy about it. Trump said, And Ill tell you what: We walked out of there  Mitch and Paul, and everybody, Kevin  and we walked out, and everybody was happy. Oliver thought otherwise, saying, No, they absolutely werent! Not Mitch, not Paul, not Kevin! None of them!

In the end, Oliver had no time for Trumps promise that people will be happy, or his stance on DACA, saying, Its actually weirdly ironic that hes taking such a hard line against dreamers, because this guy is clearly out of his f***ing mind.

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver airs Sundays at 11 p.m. on HBO.

Watch: Disagreeing with Trump as a common theme at the Miss America pageant:

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.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted a massive celebration to congratulate his nuclear scientists and technicians who steered the countrys sixth and largest nuclear test a week ago, its official news agency said Sunday.

The United States and its allies had been bracing themselves for another long-range missile launch in time for the 69th anniversary of North Koreas founding Saturday, but no fresh provocations were spotted while the North held numerous events to mark the holiday.

Throughout last week, South Korean officials had warned the North could launch another intercontinental ballistic missile in defiance of U.N. sanctions and amid an escalating standoff with the United States.

2800

KRCA via Getty

Washington told the U.N. Security Council Friday to call a meeting Monday to vote on a draft resolution establishing additional sanctions on North Korea for its missile and nuclear program.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said it was vital to put pressure on North Korea through additional sanctions, including blocking or slowing its fuel supplies.

If we put firm pressure on North Korea such that it realizes it cannot develop missiles, it will accept dialogue and we can progress with diplomatic efforts, Onodera told public broadcaster NHK on Sunday. Unless we firmly apply pressure, North Korea will not change its direction.

News of the banquest came as the U.N. secretary general, Antonio Guterres, said in a newspaper interview Sunday that the nuclear situation with North Korea was the world's worst crisis in years and had left him deeply worried.

To date, we have had wars which have been initiated after a well thought-out decision, Guterres said in an interview published by the French Sunday newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche.

But we also know that other conflicts have started through an escalation caused by sleepwalking. We have to hope that the seriousness of this threat puts us on the path of reason before it is too late.

Story continues

North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, said Kim threw a banquet to laud the nuclear scientists and other top military and party officials who contributed to the nuclear bomb test last Sunday, topped with an art performance and a photo session with the leader himself.

KCNA did not specify when the banquet had been held, but analysts said it had likely been on Saturday.

Photos released on Sunday by KCNA showed the young leader breaking into a broad smile at the Peoples Theater with two prominent scientists: Ri Hong Sop, head of North Koreas Nuclear Weapons Institute, and Hong Sung Mu, deputy director of the ruling Workers Party of Koreas munitions industry department.

Ri and Hong have played vital roles in the Norths nuclear program, appearing at close distance to Kim during field inspections and weapons tests, including the latest nuclear test. Ri is a former director of Yongbyon Nuclear Research Center, North Koreas main nuclear facility north of Pyongyang, where Hong also worked as a chief engineer.

Ri and Hong are blacklisted by the U.N., the U.S. and South Korea.

North Korea had said the latest test was an advanced hydrogen bomb. There was no independent confirmation but some Western experts said there was enough strong evidence to suggest the reclusive state has either developed a hydrogen bomb or was getting very close.

KCNA said Sunday the scientists and technicians brought the great auspicious event of the national history, an extra-large event through the perfect success in the test of H-bomb.

Kim praised the developers in his own remarks as taking the lead in attaining the final goal of completing the state nuclear force in line with his parallel pursuit of nuclear and economic development.

The recent test of the H-bomb is the great victory won by the Korean people at the cost of their blood while tightening their belts in the arduous period, Kim was quoted as saying.

Ri and Hongs roles have also been noted overseas, prompting the United Nations, the United States and South Korea to blacklist them.

Aside from the elite, rank-and-file North Koreans also commemorated the anniversary Saturday by visiting the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, which houses the embalmed bodies of founding father Kim Il Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong Il.

KCNA said service personnel and civilians, including children, laid floral baskets and bouquets at the statues of the deceased leaders across the country, while enjoying art performances and dancing parties.

Related Articles
Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju attending the gala - AFP

Kim Jong-uns wife has made a rare public appearance alongside the North Korean leader at a celebration of the pariah states advancing nuclear capabilities.

Ri Sol-ju was photographed at a gala banquet for the engineers who conducted countrys most powerful nuclear test to date last Sunday.

The dictators wife has barely been seen in public in recent years, prompting speculation she may have given birth to the couples third child recently.

In 2016 she didn't make a public appearance for more than seven months, initially raising fears she may have fallen from favour. She emerged again in December to accompany her husband at an air combat training competition.

Kim and Ri inspecting the Rungna People's Pleasure Ground in Pyongyang in 2012Credit: AP

Kim, 33, broke with tradition when he was first appeared in public with Ri in 2012 and since then North Korean media has referred to her has his wife. Neither Mr Kims grandfather, Kim Il-sung, nor father, Kim Jong-il, were ever photographed with their wives or partners in public.

Ri and Kim are reported to have met around 2010 when she was a member of the countrys Unhasu orchestra. The 27-year-old First Lady of the impoverished state is said to have a penchant for luxury goods and was spotted in 2012 with a Dior handbag worth over 1,000.

The pair have two children, whose genders are unknown. It is unusual for North Koreans to have more than two children, but Kim may have felt pressure to have a third if the first two were girls.

Kim and Ri visiting the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School in Pyongyang earlier this yearCredit: AFP

Ri's latest appearance comes amid a dramatic ratcheting up of tensions in south east Asia over North Korea's nuclear arms tests.

British Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, said over the weekend that the UK is now under threat from the rouge nation's advancing nuclear capabilities.

The celebration is believed to have taken play at the People's Theatre in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.

Pictures released by state-run newswire KCNA showed rows of uniformed officials clapping in delight at their nation's progress in developing a weapon of mass destruction.

Story continues

Kim, Ri and his North Korea generals attending an art performance dedicated to nuclear scientists Credit: AFP

Last week's test of a massive hydrogen bomb, just weeks after the country fired off two new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) capable of reaching US shores, prompted international condemnation and a call for tougher sanctions on the rogue nation.

The US and its allies feared there would be another ICBM test on Saturday to mark the North's 69th anniversary of its founding day.

Instead, a grinning Mr Kim, praised nuclear weapons developers, including chief scientist Ri Hong Sop and Hong Sung Mu for "taking the lead" in attaining the "final goal of completing the state nuclear and economic development."

Kim Jong-un congratulating the scientists behind his nuclear testsCredit: AFP

They and their engineers were treated to a concert of patriotic songs and a lavish banquet, during which Mr Kim spurred them to make "redoubled efforts." Ri, the head of North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Institute, and Hong, deputy director of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea's munitions industry department, have both been blacklisted by the United Nations, US and South Korea.

While their leaders celebrated, ordinary North Korean citizens filed into the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay their respects to the embalmed bodies of founding father Kim Il Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong Il.

KCNA said service personnel and civilians, including children, laid floral bouquets at statues of the deceased leaders across the country, while enjoying art performances and dance parties.

Kim sat with his wife Ri at the galaCredit: AFP

In an interview published in French newspaper Le Journal de Dimanche on Sunday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, warned the confrontation over North Korea's nuclear and missile programme was the world's worst crisis in years.

The US will push on Monday for a new UN Security Council resolution that would impose an oil embargo on the North, an assets freeze on Kim Jong-un, and an end to payment of North Korean migrant workers.

On Sunday, the UN revealed that North Korea had illegally exported coal, iron and other commodities worth at least $270 million to China and other countries including India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka in the six month period ending in early August, in violation of existing UN sanctions.

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.
On Saturday, actress Kristen Bell performed for a group of children and their parents at a school currently being used as a Hurricane Irma shelter in Orlando, Florida.

I hope maybe some of these songs are running through your head the rest of the day and will take your mind off [Irma], Bell told the crowd.

This was todays wonderful surprise from Kristen Bell to Meadow Woods Middle School shelter! Shes amazing!, the school wrote on Facebook.

They also wrote on Twitter, Thank you so much @IMKristenBell for stopping by and encouraging us with your beautiful voice and positive message! Continue spreading joy!

Thank you so much @IMKristenBell for stopping by and encouraging us with your beautiful voice and positive message! Continue spreading joy! pic.twitter.com/dPh9cjNdwX  Meadow Woods MS (@meadowwoodsms) September 10, 2017

When youre #singinginahurricane, your volunteer back up dancers can & will steal the show. Richard and Rebecca everyone! #hurricaneirma A post shared by kristen bell (@kristenanniebell) on Sep 10, 2017 at 8:12am PDT

While millions were able to evacuate Florida ahead of the hurricane, Bell, who is also wife of actor Dax Shepard, was one of many who could not.

We didnt have the option to leave so here we are. Just doing our best and trying to stay positive but cautious, and trying to help those who need help prepping, Bell wrote on Instagram on Friday. Sad that a hurricane has to bring out the best in everyone  but happy that the community will be holding hands through this.

Jennifer Carpenter revealed on Friday that Bell helped evacuate her grandmother and aunt who had hunkered down in their home with helmets.

Story continues

Gma&aunt were ready2 wear helmets N closet under eye of #HurricanIrma til @IMKristenBell found them a way out!!, she wrote.

Gma&aunt were ready2 wear helmets N closet under eye of #HurricanIrma til @IMKristenBell found them a way out!!?????? pic.twitter.com/hGxQSJ1raj  Jennifer Carpenter (@J2thecarpenter) September 9, 2017

Bell also helped keep her Frozen costar Josh Gads family safe from Irma ahead of the weekend.

So @kristenanniebell literally saved my parents and my entire family tonight from #hurricaneirma, Gad wrote on Instagram on Friday.

When they were stranded in Florida, she got them a hotel room at her hotel in Orlando and saved them, my brothers, my sister-in-law and niece and nephew. They dont make them like this girl. Thank you Kristin, Gad concluded his caption of a selfie with his parents and Bell.

On Sunday, Bell also chatted with local California news station CBS Sacramento, where her father is a news director.

This morning, we visited a shelter to try and sing for some people and lift their spirits a little bit, she said.

She also revealed that she and a film crew of about 86 people were holed up in a hotel.

Weve just told the front desk that we have an able-bodied crew and if we need to deliver toilet paper and water to peoples rooms, were ready to be on staff, she said.

She also added that many seniors are coming through her hotel as they are being evacuated from southern Florida.

Weve got a lot of potties in the hallway. Weve got a lot of wheelchairs. And were making it work, she said. Im going to call some Bingo later on this afternoon.

Irma  one of the strongest storms ever recorded on the Atlantic  has killed at least 24 people in the Caribbean islands, according to CNN. It has already killed at least 4 people in the United States as well.

As of Sunday afternoon, Irma made its second landfall on Marco Island, which is located on the southwest Florida coast, ABC News reports.

Irma is currently headed towards Naples, Florida and St. Petersburg is also prepared to get hit tonight. Officials have issued a curfew starting at 5:00 pm ET, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Editor's Note: In 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Napa Valley Publishing newspapers asked area residents to submit their memories of the attacks. In honor of the 16th anniversary, we are revisiting some of those powerful essays.

Early in the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, my sister and I were in an Arlington, Texas, motel bouncing on our suitcases, trying to close them so we could meet our Exit Texas schedule. My brother-in-law phoned, directing us to the television.

As the screen brightened, the second plane hit the tower. We sat transfixed with millions of others. Our own reality asserted itself when the local news announcements interrupted, and we realized DFW was closed, as was our car rental return and the trains. We finally connected with old faithful, Greyhound bus, for Sacramento. We thought to drop our car near the bus depot in downtown Fort Worth, only to find the heart of the city was locked down with marshals on every corner (bomb threats). We chose to wait at the depot for a posted 7 p.m. bus, and were on hand for the Extra edition of the Fort Worth Star Telegram.

As we traveled across the country, I bought papers at each city stop. My sister bought the last little radio available in the depot at Abilene. Another passenger in the back of the bus had one also, so combined, we had news coverage until the bus driver became too upset to hear more.

Buses travel by highway and back streets. It is hard to remember now that before 9/11, American flags were not on prominent display as they are now. But that day, before the speeches of the president, the politicians and the generals, the flags were out everywhere, but especially from the little houses on the back streets and on the farms we passed.

I remember thinking Yes, it would be the poor (or do we say those with fewer prospects) who would carry the battle. It has always been, but at least this time they are a volunteer army. Even if by volunteering, they are helping support extended families because there are no jobs. The other visual surprise was the sky, empty of planes.

We were all struck by the brilliance of the stars over the desert contrasted by the stillness, and no traveling lights of planes.

There is plenty of time on a bus to think. I am old enough to remember Dec. 7, 1941, and wished we had a President Roosevelt again. (After his famous broadcast, I went about saying Infamy, a new word, and fitting then and now.) I read the Star Telegrams editorial again and prayed.

We had our first real result of the grounded planes in New Mexico when more passengers downgraded to bus travel. One man, returning home from an East Coast conference, heard by cell phone that some of his colleagues seen only the day before, went down in one of the planes. As we crossed Arizona into Southern California, we felt the impact of no travel by air. Greyhound mobilized all its fleet and extra drivers. I believe there were eight buses from Los Angeles to Sacramento, rather than one. I remember the tact, patience and kindness shown by crew and passengers all through the trip. I think we all felt very fragile at that point, and very, very blessed to arrive home to our families.
The United Nations Security Council is preparing to vote Monday on new sanctions against North Korea, but the sanctions have reportedly been watered down substantially, removing provisions that could have frozen leader Kim Jong Uns assets abroad. And one South Korean banker believes those assets could amount to as much as $5 billion.

This revolutionary fund is held under pseudonyms in accounts in Switzerland, Hong Kong, and the Middle East, according to Cho Bong-hyun of Seouls Industrial Bank of Korea. Cho told Japans Asahi Shinbun that the fund has been developed and used by multiple generations of North Korean leadership. Those uses have allegedly included luxury goods, both for the ruling Kim family and for favored North Korean officials, with hundreds of millions of dollars spent each year. A division of the North Korean Workers Party known as Office 39 is reportedly tasked with raising and managing the funds. The recent WannaCry ransomware attack may have been a bungled North Korean fundraising effort.

The secret funds could amount to 17% of North Koreas annual economic output, which was estimated at $28.5 billion in 2016. Thats a pittance by global standards, trailing not only South Koreas $1.34 trillion GDP, but also the Democratic Republic of Congo, Costa Rica, and every individual U.S. state.

Get CEO Daily, Fortunes newsletter for leaders.

North Koreas GDP may already be sinking further thanks to an earlier round of sanctions, which banned as much as $1 billion worth of the countrys exports. That makes funds abroad even more precious to the regime, both for governance and, potentially, for the continued development of nuclear weapons. North Koreas nuclear program was the immediate trigger for the new sanctions, but the asset freeze was reportedly removed to ensure Russia and China would not block the proposal.

A North Korean statement threatened the U.S. with the greatest pain and suffering it has ever gone through if the sanctions passed, before news emerged that the asset freeze had been rolled back.
A coalition of major progressive organizations has launched a campaign aimed at pressuring members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to slow down the confirmation process for federal judges, thereby limiting how many President Donald Trump can seat.

Tell the Senate Judiciary Committee: No lifetime judicial appointments for a white supremacist in chief with no respect for the Constitution or the rule of law, Credo, one of the groups leading the charge, told activists.

The coalition  which also includes Democracy for America, Color of Change and UltraViolet  plans to deliver petition signatures to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sometime next week. The groups started their campaign on Wednesday, and expect to collect hundreds of thousands of signatures.

The groups are mainly targeting Democrats, but they also hope some Republicans who have been critical of the president, such as Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), will consider the appeal as well. They acknowledge that Democrats are limited in their ability to actually prevent the Senate from confirming conservative judges if Republican committee members remain united behind Trumps nominees.

Progressive activists want Sen. Dianne Feinstein to lead a more aggressive fight against President Donald Trump's nominees to the federal judiciary. (Photo: Joshua Roberts / Reuters)

Senate rules have forbidden the minority party from filibustering presidential nominees to the federal bench since 2013, when then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) ended the practice. Reid and other Democrats had grown frustrated with Republican efforts to obstruct then-President Barack Obamas judicial nominees.

Instead, the progressive organizations plan to convince Democrats to throw up more procedural hurdles to judges confirmation, according to Heidi Hess, Credos senior campaign manager. This would limit the total number of judges that can be seated in a given year.

We want them to slow it down as much as they can, Hess told HuffPost. They should at least be speaking out about this, making it clear whats happening so its not just the case that this is happening under the radar.

Story continues

For example, Credo and its allies are asking Democrats to more consistently withhold so-called blue slips. The Judiciary Committee does not usually begin confirmation hearings until the senators from the home state of a federal judiciary nominee turn over blue slips of paper signaling their consent that the process proceed.

Some Senate Democrats are already showing greater willingness to challenge Trumps judicial nominees by withholding these pieces of paper.

Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley of Oregon announced Thursday in a letter to the White House that they would not return blue slips for Ryan Bounds, an assistant U.S. attorney in their state whom Trump has nominated to a vacant seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

Wyden and Merkley objected to the Trump White House allegedly not consulting with them before selecting the nominee. That represents a departure from Oregons long bipartisan tradition of working together to identify the most qualified candidates for judicial vacancies, they said.

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), himself a member of the Judiciary Committee, also announced Tuesday that he would not return a blue slip for David Stras, a Trump nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.

Other Democrats have been more cooperative with the nomination process, however. Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan returned blue slips for Joan Larsen, a state Supreme Court justice whom Trump has nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) returned a blue slip for Allison Eid, a Colorado Supreme Court justice nominated to the 10th Circuit. And Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) cleared the way for Amy Coney Barrett, a Notre Dame University law professor picked to sit on the 7th Circuit.

Credo and company blame that kind of permissive conduct for the historically fast clip at which Trump has managed to seat federal judges.

Trump had seated 27 federal judges as of mid-July  three times the number that Obama had confirmed by the same point in time, The Washington Post reports, citing former Obama aide Ron Klain.

Returning blue slips pertains to all members of the Senate Democratic Caucus. But Credo says Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, beginning with Feinstein, must lead by making their views known.

Hess said the group plans to pressure Senate Democratic leadership to strip Feinstein of her privileges as ranking member if Democrats do not fight these nominations more aggressively. Credo has already started a petition calling on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to replace her, but it is not being circulated very widely.

Activists have been so focused on stopping legislative initiatives like Obamacare repeal that the courts have not gotten the scrutiny they merit, according to Hess.

As we can see from the courts block on the Muslim ban, the courts are super important for standing up for progressive values, civil rights, womens rights, defending the environment, Hess said.

The stakes are really high, as we see it, she added. But theres so much going on that the courts havent gotten much attention.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Taking Security Seriously

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) talks with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) before the start of a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing concerning the roles and responsibilities for defending the nation against cyberattacks, on Oct. 19, 2017.

With Liberty And Justice...

Members of Code Pink for Peace protest before the start of a hearing where U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Oct. 18, 2017. Committee members questioned Sessions about conversations he had with President Donald Trump about the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy, the ongoing investigation about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and other subjects.

Whispers

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), right, speaks with Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) before a confirmation hearing for Christopher Sharpley, nominee for inspector general of the CIA, on Oct. 17, 2017.

Not Throwing Away His Shot

Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the musical "Hamilton," makes his way to a meeting of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies in the Rayburn Office Building during a round of meetings to urge federal funding for the arts and humanities on Sept. 13, 2017.

Medicare For All

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), center, speaks on health care as Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), left, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), right, listen during an event to introduce the Medicare for All Act on Sept. 13, 2017.

Bernie Bros

Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pack his office on Sept. 8, 2017. Members of the "Draft Bernie for a People's Party" campaign delivered a petition with more than 50,000 signatures to urge the senator to start and lead a new political party.

McCain Appearance

Sen. John McCain, second from left, leaves the Capitol after his first appearance since being diagnosed with cancer. He arrived to cast a vote to help Republican senators narrowly pass the motion to proceed for the replacement of the Affordable Care Act on July 25, 2017.

A Narrow Win

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, center, speaks alongside Sens. John Barrasso, left, John Cornyn, right, and John Thune, rear, after the Senate narrowly passed the motion to proceed for the replacement of the Affordable Care Act on July 25, 2017.

Kushner Questioning

Jared Kushner, White House senior adviser and son-in-law to President Donald Trump, arrives at the Capitol on July 25, 2017. Kushner was interviewed by the House Intelligence Committee in a closed-door meeting about contacts he had with Russia.

Hot Dogs On The Hill

Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) prepares a hot dog during the American Meat Institute's annual Hot Dog Lunch in the Rayburn Office Building courtyard on July 19, 2017.

And Their Veggie Counterparts

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) visits the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals veggie dog giveaway on July 19, 2017, countering a National Hot Dog Day event being held elsewhere on Capitol Hill.

Poised For Questions

Callista Gingrich, wife of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, waits for a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on her nomination to be the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican on July 18, 2017.

Speaking Up

Health care activists protest to stop the Republican health care bill at Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on July 17, 2017.

In The Fray

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks to members of the media after announcing the revised version of the Senate Republican health care bill on Capitol Hill on July 13, 2017.

Anticipation

Christopher Wray is seated with his daughter Caroline, left, as he prepares to testify at a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on his nomination to be the next FBI director on July 12, 2017.

Up In Arms

Health care activists protest to stop the Republican health care bill at Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on July 10, 2017.

Across A Table

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) meets with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Capitol Hill on June 29, 2017.

Somber Day

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks about the recent attack on the Republican congressional baseball team during her weekly press conference on Capitol Hill on June 15, 2017.

Family Matters

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), right, and his sons, Jack, 10, and Brad, arrive in the basement of the Capitol after a shooting at the Republican baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, on June 14, 2017.

A Bipartisan Pause

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), right, coach of the Republican congressional baseball team, tells the story of the shooting that occurred during a baseball practice while he stands alongside Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), left, a coach of the Democratic congressional baseball team on June 14, 2017.

Hats On

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) reacts about the shooting he was present for at a Republican congressional baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia, as he speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on June 14, 2017.

Public Testimony

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is sworn in to testify before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on June 13, 2017.

Comey's Big Day

Former FBI Director James Comey testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on Capitol Hill on June 8, 2017.

Conveying His Point

U.S. Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats testifies at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on his interactions with the Trump White House and on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act on June 7, 2017.

Selfie Time

Vice President Mike Pence takes a selfie with a tourist wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda on June 6, 2017. The vice president walked through the rotunda after attending the Senate Republican policy luncheon.

Budget Queries

Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney testifies before the House Budget Committee about President Donald Trump's fiscal 2018 budget proposal on Capitol Hill on May 24, 2017.

Flagged Down By Reporters

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, leaves a closed committee meeting on Capitol Hill on May 24, 2017. The committee is investigating possible Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.

Shock And Awe

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) hold a news conference on the release of the president's fiscal 2018 budget proposal on Capitol Hill on May 23, 2017.

Seeing Double

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) arrives in the Capitol for the Senate Democrats' policy lunch on May 16, 2017.

Honoring Officers

President Donald Trump speaks at the National Peace Officers Memorial Service on the West Lawn of the Capitol on May 15, 2017.

Whispers

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.), right, and ranking member Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) talk during a hearing with the heads of the U.S. intelligence agencies in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 11, 2017.

Skeptical

Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates arrives to testify before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election on Capitol Hill on May 8, 2017.

Differing Opinions

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) gives a thumbs-up to protesters on the East Front of the Capitol after the House passed the Republicans' bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act on May 4, 2017. The protesters support the ACA.

Real Talk

United States Naval Academy Midshipman 2nd Class Shiela Craine (left), a sexual assault survivor, testifies before the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Military Personnel with (2nd from left to right) Ariana Bullard, Stephanie Gross and Annie Kendzior in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 2, 2017. Kendzior, a former midshipman, and Gross, a former cadet, were both raped twice during their time at the military academies. The academy superintendents were called to testify following the release of a survey last month by the Pentagon that said 12.2 percent of academy women and 1.7 percent of academy men reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact during the 2015-16 academic year.

In Support Of Immigrants

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), center, is joined by dozens of Democratic members of the House of Representatives to mark "Immigrant Rights Day" in the Capitol Visitor Center on May 1, 2017 in Washington, D.C. The Democratic legislators called on Republicans and President Donald Trump to join their push for comprehensive immigration reform.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Sixteen years have passed since the attacks of September 11, 2001 killed nearly 3,000 people and forever altered the world as we knew it.

From the instant President George W. Bush was informed of the attacks to the raising of the American flag by firefighters among ground zero's wreckage, photographers were there to document what had in an instant become one of the most important days in history.

Several of the day's most memorable images include people who have since passed, like Marcy Borders -- the "Dust Lady" -- who battled stomach cancer in the aftermath of the attacks, and FDNY Chaplain Father Mychal Judge who was killed as the south tower fell.

In the gallery below, click through to see 16 of the most iconic photos from the September 11 attacks, 16 years on.
Police in Florida have arrested several people they said were caught looting stores and homes left empty during Hurricane Irma.

Nine people have been arrested for allegedly stealing footwear and other items from a pawn shop and a sporting goods store in Fort Lauderdale Sunday as the tropical storm ravaged parts of South Florida, officials said.

Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice. Stay home and look after your loved ones and be thankful they are all safe, Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione said in a tweet announcing the arrests.

Earlier that day, two men were arrested for allegedly ransacking six houses Saturday into Sunday, Fort Lauderdale police said.

Read: Houston Police Officer Drowns While Driving to Work During Hurricane Harvey

Ryan Cook and Max Saintvil, both 28, each face six counts of burglary for allegedly breaking into homes that had been evacuated, cops said.

Anyone who intends to victimize our neighbors during this difficult time... will be captured and arrested, Maglione warned that day.

As of Monday, police in Fort Lauderdale had arrested 19 people for burglarizing businesses and residences during the storm, officials said.

A group of suspected looters were caught on camera as they stole sneakers from a Miami Foot Locker, loading the goods into multiple getaway cars as police arrived on the scene, WSVN-TV wrote on its Facebook page.

Several people were also arrested for burglaries that occurred in Miami, authorities said.

It was not immediately clear whether the individuals arrested were the same ones caught on camera by WSVN-TV.

Read: Woman Opens Her Home to Neighbors Escaping Harvey Flooding

Thinking about looting? Ask these guys how that [turned] out, the Miami Police Department wrote on Facebook, sharing a photo of the alleged suspects in a jail cell with the added warning to #stayindoors.

The Florida Highway Patrol also urged people to remain inside, noting that people have been venturing outside despite the dangers posed by the weather and its aftereffects.

Story continues

Troopers are encountering numerous people out sightseeing this morning, a spokeswoman for the troop that covers Orlando said.

Curfews are in effect in many areas of the state, and even as they are lifted, officials urge residents to stay off the roads.

"We also [have] numerous traffic lights out, the spokeswoman said. Drivers are reminded to treat as a four-way stop, 'First to stop  first to go.'"

Watch: 2 Florida Officers Die Trying to Protect Others From Hurricane Irma

Related Articles:
Moscow (AFP) - Russians shunned the polls Sunday for local elections which are the last vote before the presidential elections in March next year, with very low turnout rates as the opposition cried foul.

There were numerous cases of fraud in the some 6,000 polls organised in 82 regions to elect 16 regional governors and many municipal councils, the opposition claimed, saying things were worst in the capital Moscow.

According to preliminary results, the vote went well for parties close to the ruling United Russia, which scored a resounding majority in legislative elections a year ago.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the results were "very favourable" for United Russia, of which he is president, according to comments given to Russian press agencies.

Voter turnout rates were low, in particular in Moscow where the electoral commision said that only 14 to 15 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots, according to figures available two hours before polling stations closed.

The vote was being followed closely in the capital, where an unprecedented number of candidates under 35 -- 2,800 out of 7,600 -- were running to fill 1,500 municipal councillor posts.

Some commentators have said this is the result of protests organised earlier this year by opposition leader Alexei Navalny, which mobilised students and young people.

The opposition had been hoping to snatch a few positions in the local polls and had denounced the silences of municipal authorities, arguing the vote was organised amid widespread indifference.

A representative of the liberal party Yabloko, Sergei Mitrokhin, accused authorities of using "every means of giving people a sense of electoral powerlessness... to make sure that the people they need stay in power."

Both he and Alexei Navalny pointed to numerous instances of fraud, with the NGO Golos saying it had received some 500 complaints, including claims of abuses of voting from home and pressure from officials.

Enjoying resounding domestic popularity, Russian President Vladimir Putin has not officially announced his intention to run in next year's presidential election, but he is widely expected to seek a fourth six-year term.
Editor's Note: In 2011, on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Napa Valley Publishing newspapers asked area residents to submit their memories of the attacks. In honor of the 16th anniversary, we are revisiting some of those powerful essays.

I dont just remember that tragic day on Sept. 11 when trite references to the horror blip by on the news. I remember it every single day of my life, as do countless others  those of us who were in New York, people all over our world. We saw, we experienced, we lived though something unimaginable, something that couldnt have possibly happened in our lifetime, yet it did.

The smell of its aftermath still lingers large in my memories, as does everything about that day: the view of the tip of Manhattan on fire as my brother and I hauled over the Queensboro Bridge to escape.

Images of missing persons wallpapered our city. Fliers tacked on subways, walls of restaurants, lamp posts and churches. Fliers of the hundreds and thousands of people who went missing. People who would never find their way home, people who were lost forever.

I remember waking up from the most horrific nightmare, one that repeated for days and years to come. I remember the streetside vigils, the gatherings in the park, the countless memorial services. The bomb scares, the evacuations, being stuck on the subway thinking this was it, only to learn of the next threat  Anthrax.

People changed forever.

Children lost parents that they had yet to get the chance to know and love. They lost their innocence in an instant. They grew up overnight without ever knowing it.

Many people just like me were unable to get out of bed, to move out of our apartments, to go to work  to picture our lives moving forward. Yet with every one of those visions, I witnessed something softer. Taxis stopped honking and people started caring.

We helped others as we struggled to help ourselves. In an instant, a city that was known for its crusty nature cracked to the core, we the people broken. But through all of those experiences, the indelible memories that will never erase, we triumphed in the midst of our tragedies.

We were granted the chance to witness and move beyond the unimaginable  buildings melted, people jumped, mushroom clouds danced, heroes fought to rescue. We survived, our world moved on, and we prevailed. My memories will never slip away, yet now I am able to move forward.
Napa County Public Health will offer free seasonal flu vaccine shots to anyone over 3 years of age.

Although the spray version of the vaccine is not available this year, the flu shot is still the safest and most effective way to avoid getting the flu, said Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County public health officer. In addition to protecting yourself from getting sick, the vaccine can prevent you from spreading the flu to your loved ones and other people who are more likely to have severe illness.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend everyone over 6 months of age get a flu vaccine. Those at higher risk for complications of the flu, including seniors over 65 years, pregnant women, children under five years and people with certain chronic medical conditions, are especially encouraged to get vaccinated.

In addition to getting vaccinated, simple steps to help stop the spread of the flu:

Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 30 seconds.

Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.

Stay home and contact health care providers when sick.

The clinic schedule:

Yountville, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 10 a.m.  1 p.m., Yountville Community Center 6516 Washington St.

Napa, Sunday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m.  2 p.m., Binational Health Fair, 3285 Claremont Way, Napa

Napa, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m.  1 p.m., Napa Senior Center, 1500 Jefferson St.

Lake Berryessa, Monday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m.1 p.m., Berryessa Senior Center, 4380 Spanish Flat Loop Road.

American Canyon, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 3  6 p.m., Multi-Use Center 2185 Elliot Drive.

St. Helena, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 3  6 p.m., St. Helena Elementary School, 1325 Adams St.

Napa, Monday, Oct. 23, 3. 6 p.m., Napa Elks Lodge, 2840 Soscol Ave.

Angwin, Monday, Oct. 30, 10 a.m.1 p.m., Angwin Fire Department, 275 College Ave.

Napa, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 3  6 p.m., McPherson Elementary, 2670 Yajome St.

Calistoga, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 3  6 p.m., Calistoga Fairgrounds, Butler Pavilion 1435 N. Oak St.

For additional information, including the full schedule of seasonal flu vaccine clinics, visit the Napa County Public Health flu vaccine clinic page or call the flu line at 707-253-4540 for 24/7 recorded bilingual information.

Residents unable to attend the flu vaccine clinics or with children less than 3 years of age can call the Public Health Immunization Clinic at 707-253-4270 for a free appointment.
The final decision on Ms Van Houten's release will be made by state governor Jerry Brown, who last year rejected her parole: AFP/Getty Images

The youngest member of the Manson cult has been approved for parole, 48 years after the notorious group carried out its killing spree.

A California state panel determined that Leslie Van Houten, who is now 68, had drastically changed her life and was no longer a threat to society.

But Van Houten  who has served more than four decades of a life sentence for her part in a double murder  may still be blocked from leaving jail.

The final decision on Ms Van Houten's release rests with state governor Jerry Brown, who last year rejected her parole.

In stopping her release then, Mr Brown said Van Houten had failed to adequately explain how a model teenager and former homecoming princess from a privileged Southern California family could have transformed into a merciless killer by the age of 19.

I've had a lot of therapy trying to answer that question myself, Ms Houten told the parole panel on Wednesday.

To tell you the truth, the older I get the harder it is to deal with all of this, to know what I did, how it happened."

Ms Van Houten's attorney, Rich Pfeiffer, said he believed his client had answered the governor's question and he should agree to her release.

My hope is he's going to follow the law and let his commissioners do their job, he said.

He added: I'm getting her out of here. That's not an issue. The question is when."

No one who took part in the Manson clan's two-night killing rampage has been released from prison so far.

Van Houten told the panellists she was devastated when her parents divorced when she was 14. Soon after, she said, she began socialising with an outcast crowd in the Los Angeles suburb of Monrovia.

She started smoking marijuana and then began taking LSD at 15. When she was 17, she and her boyfriend ran away to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury District during San Francisco's summer of love.

When they returned, she said, she discovered she was pregnant. When her mother found out, she ordered her to have an abortion.

Story continues

Soon after, while travelling up and down the California coast, she met Manson, who was living on an old abandoned movie ranch on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

He had recruited what he called a family to survive a race war he would launch by committing a series of random, horrifying murders. His disaffected youthful followers became convinced that the small-time criminal and con man was actually a Christ-like figure and believed him.

Van Houten went on to describe how she joined several other members of the Manson Family in killing Los Angeles grocer Leno La Bianca and his wife, Rosemary, in their home on 9 August 1969.

She was not with Manson followers the night before when they killed pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others during a bloody rampage.

On the night of the second attack she said she held Rosemary La Bianca down with a pillowcase over her head as others stabbed her dozens of times. Then, ordered by Manson disciple Tex Watson to do something, she picked up a butcher knife and stabbed the woman more than a dozen times.

I feel absolutely horrible about it, and I have spent most of my life trying to find ways to live with it, she added quietly.

No member of the Manson family deserves parole, ever, the La Biancas' nephew Louis Smaldino said. She is a total narcissist and only thinks of herself and not the damage she has done.

The voice of the La Biancas' oldest grandson, Tony LaMontagne, broke as he noted he's about to turn 44, the same age his grandfather was when he was killed.

Please see to it that this fight doesn't have to happen every year for the rest of our lives, he said of Van Houten's nearly two dozen parole hearings.

Family members left before the panel announced its decision.

In reaching it, Parole Commissioner Brian Roberts and Deputy Commissioner Dale Pomantz said they took into account Van Houten's entire time of incarceration. During those years she has earned bachelor's and master's degrees in counselling, been certified as a counslelor and headed numerous programmes to help inmates.

You've been a facilitator, you've been a tutor and you've been giving back for quite a number of years, Mr Roberts said.

Yet he warned her that living in society again would not be easy. He noted parole officials have heard from tens of thousands of people who don't want her released.

Others, he added, including many who have known her since childhood, spoke up for her, saying they've seen her mature in prison and become a different person.

So with that we'd like to wish you good luck, he said.
Melania Trump and President Trump marked the 16th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a moment of silence at the White House on Monday morning.

The first lady donned an appropriate outfit for the somber occasion, wearing a head-to-toe black ensemble. Melania wrapped up in a black belted jacquard coat for the event that was held on the White House's South Lawn.

The coat was buttoned up all the way to the top with the belt tied tightly around her waist. She finished off her classic look with a pair of black stilettos.

At 8:46 am, the time of the first plane attack, President Trump and the first lady solemnly hung their heads as church bells tolled in the distance. Both Melania and President Trump brought their hands to their hearts as a sign of respect for the nearly 3,000 victims of the coordinated terror attacks.

To the right of the president was first daughter and White House adviser Ivanka Trump. She stood alongside her husband Jared Kushner and chief economic advisor Gary Cohn. To the left of the first lady were several White House aides including Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Nick Ayers.

After the ceremony, the first couple walked back into the White House hand in hand. They headed straight to the Pentagon for a formal September 11 remembrance ceremony.

"This is an occasion that is extraordinary. And it will always be extraordinary," President Trump said. "For the families with us on this anniversary, we know that not a single day goes by when you don't think about the loved one stolen from your life. Today our entire nation grieves with you."

For more photos of Melania's all-black ensemble, check out the slideshow above.
BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday voiced her support for tougher U.N. sanctions against North Korea in a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a German government spokesman said. "There was agreement that the conflict about North Korea's nuclear armament must be resolved peacefully," Steffen Seibert said in a statement. Merkel told Putin she supported efforts of the U.N. Security Council to rapidly adopt further sanctions against North Korea to make Pyongyang change its course, he added. Merkel also welcomed Russia's proposal of deploying U.N. peacekeepers to address the Ukraine crisis, but stressed that the proposed mandate needed to be expanded, Seibert said. Putin signaled his willingness to look into the idea of deploying U.N. peacekeepers not only on the contact line in the Donbass region, but also in other areas in eastern Ukraine to protect OSCE officials monitoring the Minsk peace deal, he added. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber,)
The people running social media for Miami International Airport deserve some hazard pay.

The airport's Twitter feed has been feverishly countering bad information and responding to inquiries, as Florida is slammed by Hurricane Irma.

SEE ALSO: This Snapchat feature can help you keep tabs on Harvey's devastation

The airport, which sits on the southeastern tip of Florida, is currently closed due to the massive storm. That hasn't stopped its social media account from responding to requests over several days.

On Sunday, the account also proactively corrected people who tweeted out video of a flooded airport with claims that it was a scene from Miami. The video is from a flood at Mexico City's airport.

The video is still being shared on Twitter as having come from Miami. It should be easy to tell it's not from Miami, considering all, or nearly all, aircraft were flown out of Miami, and the airport was closed all day Sunday.

The misappropriated video was even retweeted by President Donald Trump's director of social media, Dan Scavino Jr.

Scavino deleted the tweets and thanked the account for its help.

Miami International Airport: 1

Trump's Director of Social Media: 0 pic.twitter.com/sZMyLjPZU3  Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) September 10, 2017

This video is not from Miami International Airport.  Miami Int'l Airport (@iflymia) September 10, 2017

Thanks, Dan.  Miami Int'l Airport (@iflymia) September 10, 2017

The account has also been responding to individual questions about when the airport might reopen. It has even been sending some responses in Spanish.

Story continues

The account is a prime example of the growing use of social media in disaster situations. Victims of the recent flood disaster in Houston were aided by people using Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook to connect rescuers with people in danger.

Few official accounts matched what the Miami Airport had been doing over the weekend.

Social media has proven to be an important tool in disaster situations, but it has also become an easy way for fake images and bad information to spread quickly. The Miami Airport's use of Twitter to provide answers to citizens and stop the spread of misinformation is model use of social media.
Miami-Dade police asked people to stay off roads, as officers assessed damage from Hurricane Irma on Monday, September 11.

A curfew was put into place between 7pm and 7am, and officials said it was important for people to stay in place once it was light. In addition to fallen trees, emergency responders encountered downed live wires. This video shows a large tree that had fallen across the road.

People had returned to downtown Miami after the storm had passed, a news report said. Credit: Miami-Dade Police Department via Storyful
A beauty pageant contest has won praise for her speech criticising Donald Trump for not condemning the Charlottesville attack as a terrorism.

Margana Wood, 22, was competing in the Miss America 2018 pageant when a judge asked her about Mr Trumps statement in hours after James Fields allegedly drove his car into a crowd of anti-fascist protesters at a far right rally in Virginia last month  killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer.

The President was widely condemned for his response where he blamed violence from many sides and refusing to openly condemned the far right who form a key part of his political base.

Pageant judge Jess Cagle asked Ms Woods if Mr Trump was right to say there were more than one group at fault.

But Ms Wood did not waste a second condemning the Republican for not condemning white supremacism.

She said: I think that the white supremacist issue, it was very obvious, that it was a terrorist attack.

I think Donald Trump should have made a statement earlier addressing that fact and making sure all Americans feel safe in this country. And that is the number one issue right now.

The comment won her huge cheers from the audience but it was not enough to win the competition  she eventually came 5th overall.

The Miss America competition, now in its 96th year, is not the same as the Miss USA pageant which was formerly owned by Mr Trump.

In days following Mr Trumps comments, his approval ratings reached a new low with just 39 per cent of those polled thinking he was doing a good job in the Oval Office  down five points in just one week.

Several CEOs announced they were quitting their roles on two key business advisory councils in protest at Mr Trumps comments forcing him to disband them altogether.
The newly crowned Miss America has slammed President Donald Trump for withdrawing from the Paris climate accord.

Cara Mund, 23, who competed as Miss North Dakota in Sunday night's pageant in Atlantic City, faced a question about on stage about the issue.

She replied: "It's a bad decision. There is evidence that climate change is existing and we need to be at that table."

The Miss America pageant Credit: Reuters

After subsequently winning the crown the new Miss America said she had not cared what the impact of her answer would be on her chances.

She told journalists: "I wasn't really afraid if my opinion wasn't the opinion of my judges.

"Miss America needs to have an opinion, and she needs to know what's happening in the current climate."

Miss Mund, who is about to start a law degree, also dismissed concerns that Mr Trump might criticise her on Twitter.

She said: "He is our president and we need to support him. I may not agree with all of his opinions, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to support the president."

Miss America Cara Mund Credit: Reuters

Mr Trump previously announced that he would withdraw the United States from the international agreement aimed at reducing carbm emissions, arguing that his first responsibility was to protect American jobs.

His daughter Ivanka was among those believed to have unsuccessfully tried to sway him in favour of the Paris agreement.

Miss Mund said her next ambition was to be the first woman elected governor of North Dakota.
Nearly 800,000 immigrants are affected by the White House decision this week to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, in six months. Under DACA, these residentsbrought here illegally when they were childrenhave been allowed to live and work in the U.S. DACA recipients are often called DREAMers, after the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors act, which offered many of the same protections as DACA but never passed Congress. The Trump administration change in policy means the DACA recipients are now facing such challenges as deportation, finding health coverage, or even obtaining drivers licenses.

Heres what we know about what could happen next with DACA recipients.

In the short term...

DACA recipients might not have to fret about being targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that for all of those (DACA) that are concerned about your status during the 6 month period, you have nothing to worry about - No action!

Those whose DACA work permits expire between now and March 5, 2018the end of the six-month periodhave until October 5 to apply for a renewal. But the Department of Homeland Security is not accepting any submissions from new applicants.

In the intermediate term...

Trump has urged Congress to take up the issue, tweeting that lawmakers should get ready to do your job. Hes also mentioned that hed revisit the program if Congress cant legalize it. Despite pressure under both Democratic and Republican presidents, Congress has famously failed to reform American immigration policy. Yet House Speaker Paul Ryan insisted compromise on DACA was possible.

Weve got a timeline, six months, now weve got to go find where the consensus is on how to come to it with a solution, Ryan told the New York Times on Thursday. The DACA dilemma is a symptom that stems from the fact that we do not have control of our borders. So it is only reasonable that while fixing this serious, real problem, we also try and address the root cause of that problem, and that is border security.

Story continues

There are already a few proposals in the works. The Democrats largely support the DREAM Act, which was introduced in July by Democratic Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard, from California, and had the support of about 120 lawmakers, the Huffington Post reported. Theres also the GOP-backed RAISE Act, which would lower immigration by rebalancing the system toward employment-based visas and immediate-family household members, according to co-sponsor Senator Tom Cotton, the Republican from Arkansas.

In the long term...

Unless something is done, DACA recipients will begin losing protection on March 5, 2018. The next steps are unclear.

Because DREAMers had to submit personal information proving their immigration status when they first applied for DACA, the government knows exactly where they are for easy deportation, as Vox explained.

The Department of Homeland Security said it would not proactively provide a DREAMers location to immigration officials, but would do so if the DACA recipient poses a risk to national security or public safety or meets the criteria for the issuance of a Notice to Appear or a referral to ICEbureaucratic language that suggests Homeland Security will comply with immigration requests for information.

But President Trump said his agencies would only target DACA recipients who commit crimes.

Our enforcement priorities remain unchanged. We are focused on criminals, security threats, recent border crossers, visa overstays and repeat violators, Trump said in a statement. I have advised the Department of Homeland Security that DACA recipients are not enforcement priorities unless they are criminals, are involved in criminal activity or are members of a gang.

Trump has continued the Obama-era deportations of criminals, but critics say his administration has also swept up many people whose only crime is being undocumented. Overall, deportations have jumped 31 percent this year compared to the same period last year, as Fox News reported.

Related Articles
By Lisa Maria Garza

DALLAS (Reuters) - A gunman who fatally shot eight people at a Dallas-area house knew at least some of the victims gathered there to watch a football game, authorities said on Monday.

The shooter in Plano, Texas, was killed by the first police officer to arrive at the scene on Sunday, Plano Police Chief Gregory Rushin said at a news conference.

The officer discovered seven victims who had been fatally shot, and two others were taken to a hospital. One of those victims later died, Rushin said, adding he did not know the condition of the second person who was hospitalized.

"We've never seen anything like this in this city before," Rushin said.

Authorities did not release the identities of the victims or the shooter. All the people who died in the shooting were adults in their 20s and 30s and the victims were of both genders, Rushin said.

The mass shooting occurred during a cookout at the house, as people gathered there to watch the Dallas Cowboys season opening game on television, Rushin said.

A police officer arrived at the home less than three minutes after an emergency call was made.

He heard gunshots coming from inside the property and found some victims lying in the back yard. The officer went into the house alone, before backup could arrive, and shot the gunman, Rushin said.

The shooter, who had multiple firearms, was "known by people in the residence," Rushin said.

The police officer has been placed on paid administrative leave as authorities investigate his opening fire on the gunman.

Police are not looking for any other suspects. But the investigation is still ongoing, with detectives combing through the crime scene and interviewing witnesses, Rushin said.

(Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Andrew Hay and Alistair Bell)
Florida police arrested a group of teens and adults allegedly caught on a local news stations camera stealing from a business in Fort Lauderdale as dangerous winds from Hurricane Irma ripped through the city.

Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice, Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione said in a statement announcing the arrests on Sunday. Stay home and look after your loved ones and be thankful they are all safe.

#BREAKING Local 10 cameras catch looters breaking into stores in Fort Lauderdale during #Irmahttps://t.co/45ESxKpUdkpic.twitter.com/tjCH1iqhH8  WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) September 10, 2017

Jail records show that the six adults involved were arrested on Sunday. They include, Kenneth Pinkney, 18; Zara Dumornay, 20; Tyrell Pratt, 23; Teonhki Robinson, 38; Michael Brown, 20, and 22-year-old Rossano Henry.

Henry, Pratt, Brown and Pinkney are charged with burglary, violating emergency measures and resisting an officer without violence, jail records show. Dumornay is charged with burglary and violating established emergency measures.

 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.

Meanwhile, Robinson faces charges of burglary, contributing to the delinquency of a child and violating established emergency measures.

The arrest comes as parts of the state are still experiencing high winds from the massive storm. Irma made its first landfall in the U.S. Sunday morning at Cudjoe Key, Florida, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

Story continues

Irma made its second landfall Sunday afternoon in Marco Island, located on the southwest Florida coast, ABC News reports. At least four deaths as a result of the hurricane have been reported.

Keith Francis Adams

 PEOPLEs special edition True Crime Stories: 35 Real Cases That Inspired the Show Law & Orderis on sale now.

Police were dealing with looters even before the storm touched down, though. On Friday, St. Lucie County Sheriffs deputies arrested 30-year-old Keith Francis Adams for allegedly burglarizing a business, ABC reports.

While police in Broward and Pembroke Pines have issued threats to looters, Orlando police urged the public to not spread false reports of burglaries.

Reports of looting are inaccurate and & unnecessarily put our community on edge, officials tweeted. Please refrain from erroneous reporting at this time.

Irma destroyed 90 percent of the tiny island of Barbuda  inhabited by about 1,600 people  as a Category 5 hurricane. And it has left 1 million Puerto Ricoresidents without power.
WASHINGTON  Climate change denials amid catastrophic hurricanes are a reminder that humans are not a particularly smart species, Pope Francis said Sunday while flying over areas in the Caribbean decimated by Hurricane Irma.

Man is stupid, he said, referencing a passage in the Old Testament, according to the The New York Times and The Associated Press. When you dont want to see, you dont see.

A correspondent for Crux Now had a slightly different translation of the pontiffs comments: Man is a stupid and hard-headed being who doesnt see.

The pope  who has sparred with President Donald Trump on several issues, including climate change  also urged the climate skeptics of the world to consult with a scientist.

Those who deny climate change need to go to scientists and ask them, Francis said, according to Crux. He said the scientific community has been clear and precise in linking human activities to the ongoing crisis and that each [person] has a moral responsibility, bigger or smaller. Climate change is a serious matter over which we cannot make jokes, he said.

Pope Francis comments came during a flight from Colombia to Rome, which passed over areas of the Caribbean left devastated by Hurricane Irma. According to Crux, journalists asked the pope about the moral responsibility world political leaders have to fight against climate change.

Francis warned that history will judge those decisions, and that if humans fail to curb climate change we will go down, according to reports.

When Trump met with Francis in May, the pope gave the president a copy of his 2015 encyclical on climate change and the environment, Laudato Si. In the 184-page document, Francis argues that climate change is inherently a moral and spiritual issue and criticizes local and national governments that refuse to address it.

Since taking office, Trump, a longtime climate change skeptic who has dismissed it as bullshit and a Chinese hoax, has worked swiftly to derail Americas actions to combat the threat. In June, Trump announced he will pull the U.S. out of the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, in which nearly 200 countries committed to slashing carbon emissions.

Story continues

Climate scientists say powerful back-to-back hurricanes Harvey and Irma  which battered the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean and the U.S. Southeast over the last two weeks  were made worse by climate change. The Trump administration, however, has said now is not the time to discuss the role climate change played in the extreme weather events.

To have any kind of focus on the cause and effect of the storm, versus helping people, or actually facing the effect of the storm, is misplaced, Scott Pruitt, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, told CNN last week in an interview about Hurricane Irma.

Also on HuffPost

Our carbon footprint says it all.

This graph shows the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, as measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, from 1958 to today. In September, scientists at Mauna Loa announced that C02 levels had likely surpassed the threshold of 400 parts per million permanently.

Year over year, the trend becomes more obvious.

This graphic by climate scientist Ed Hawkins shows 167 maps of temperature change from 1850 to 2016.

Spiralling global temperatures | updated to August 2016: https://t.co/rPSSxkS2mn pic.twitter.com/yMo0GNAsxk  Ed Hawkins (@ed_hawkins) September 30, 2016

2016 #Arctic sea ice minimum ties with 2007 for 2nd lowest. https://t.co/BGLZYZvGMY pic.twitter.com/vJghT6HGDc  Arctic Sea Ice News (@NSIDC_ArcticIce) September 15, 2016

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Pope Francis had some harsh words on Monday for President Donald Trump and others who support ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program: If youre calling yourself pro-life, dont separate families through restrictive immigration laws.

A good pro-lifer understands that family is the cradle of life, and that its unity must be defended, Francis said during a wide-ranging interview aboard the papal plane, after a trip to Colombia.

Pope Francis talks to journalists during a press conference aboard a plane to Rome at the end of his visit to Colombia September 11, 2017. (Photo: POOL New / Reuters)

The advice from the Roman Catholic Churchs first Latin American pope came after journalists asked Francis to comment on Trumps decision last week to phase out the DACA program. The Obama-era program temporarily granted deportation protection to some immigrants who were illegally brought to the U.S. as children. Trump gave Congress six months to hash out how to handle the immigration status of these estimated 800,000 young people.

During the interview, Francis admitted that hes unfamiliar with the particulars of DACA, or with Trumps decision. But he is confident about one thing: Separating children from their families doesnt align with a pro-life attitude, because it isnt something that bears fruit for either the youngsters or their families.

Francis said he hopes Trump rethinks the decision.

I believe that this law comes, I think, not from Congress but from the executive branch of the government, he said, according to a translation by Crux. If it is so, I have the hope that its re-thought, because I heard the president of the United States introduce himself as a pro-life man.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Pope Francis meet at the Vatican, May 24, 2017. (Photo: POOL New / Reuters)

Trumps attitude on abortion rights has shifted over the years. In the 1990s, he called himself pro-choice in every respect. During and after his presidential campaign, he has presented himself as a staunch opponent of abortion.

But Francis remarks on Monday suggested that the pope sees the pro-life movement as much bigger than disagreements over abortion. For Francis, being pro-life includes supporting the family as a whole, and keeping children with their parents.

Story continues

This position on DACA was underscored by Americas Catholic bishops, who spoke out last week against Trumps decision to phase out the program.

Its certainly not Christian, and I would contend its not American, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, said in an interview.

This isnt the first time Francis and Trump have failed to see eye to eye on immigration. While Trump has sought to limit the number of refugees entering the U.S., the pope has spoken repeatedly about the need to protect the worlds refugees and migrants. Last year, Francis criticized the presidents campaign promise to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

A person who only thinks about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian, he said.

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Pope Francis waves to the crowd while arriving for a holy mass at Simon Bolivar park in Bogota, Colombia: Reuters

Pope Francis has asked Donald Trump to reconsider his decision to end protections for childhood immigrants, saying that a true pro-life politician would not separate children from their families.

Mr Trump announced last week that he would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme in six months, unless congress passed it into law. The programme provides work permits and temporary protection from deportation to undocumented US immigrants who arrived under the age of 16.

I hope he rethinks it a bit, the Pope said of the decision to end DACA. because Ive heard the President of the United States speak; he presents himself as a man who is pro-life, a good pro-lifer.

His Holiness went on to say that a true pro-life politician would respect the importance of family unity.

To take away young people from their families is not something that bears fruit, neither for the young people nor for their families," he said, according to Reuters.

An estimated 800,000 young people will be put at risk for deportation if DACA is repealed. Most were brought to the US by family members, and many do not remember life in their home countries.

Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can't, I will revisit this issue!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 6, 2017

Mr Trumps announcement drew criticism from everyone from Barack Obama, who put the policy in place, to John McCain, a Republican senator from the Presidents own party.

I strongly believe that children who were illegally brought into this country through no fault of their own should not be forced to return to a country they do not know, Mr McCain.

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops also denounced Mr Trumps decision, saying it caused "unnecessary fear for Daca youth and their families."

Story continues

Pope Francis, speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane on Sunday, warned against dashing the hopes of young people, saying it can make them feel exploited and lead to drug and alcohol abuse.

His Holiness has previously criticised Mr Trumps immigration policy, calling his plan to build a wall between US and Mexico not Christian.

Asked about Italy's decision to stop migrant departures from Libya, however, the Pope said refugee flows must be managed with prudence, and with an eye toward the number of immigrants who can be successfully resettled.

"I have the impression that [the Italian government] is doing all it can with humanitarian care to also resolve the problem it cannot take on," he said on Sunday.
Pope Francis talks to journalists during a press conference he held on board the flight to Rome, at the end of a five-day visit to Colombia: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

Pope Francis has said that "history will judge" those who refuse to accept the science of climate change.

If someone is doubtful that [climate change] is true, they should ask scientists," he told reporters aboard the papal plane. "These are not opinions made on the fly. They are very clear. Then each person can decide and history will judge the decisions."

The Pope is a strong supporter of the Paris climate agreement, a pledge by almost 200 countries to reduce emissions linked to climate change. Donald Trump pulled the US out of the agreement in June.

A Vatican official called the move a "slap in the face" to the Pope and the Vatican at the time.

Asked whether politicians have a responsibility to work with other countries to prevent climate change, the Pope responded: All of us have a responsibility, all of us, small or large, a moral responsibility."

"We have to take it seriously. We cant joke about it, he added. Each person has their own. Even politicians have their own.

His Holiness spoke as Hurricane Irma pummelled Florida with punishing wind and rain. Days before, Hurricane Harvey had submerged parts of Texas in massive floods. Some experts predict the combined damage could cost the US economy up to $290bn.

Scientists have long warned that the warming of the Earth's oceans and atmosphere could strengthen future hurricanes. The latest storms marked the first time two Category 4 hurricanes had hit the continental US in a single hurricane season.

If we dont turn back, we will go down, Pope Francis told reporters ominously.

Pope Francis waves to the crowd while arriving for a holy mass at Simon Bolivar park in Bogota, Colombia (Reuters)

According to the Associated Press, the Pope also said that he hoped Mr Trump would reconsider his decision to end Daca, a policy granting certain rights to young, undocumented immigrants.

Mr Trump recently announced that he would rescind the policy in six months unless Congress passed it into law. The decision would put some 800,000 childhood immigrants at risk for deportation.

Story continues

Pope Francis has previously criticised Mr Trump's immigration policy, calling his plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico "not Christian".

On Sunday, he said that he hopes the decision to repeal Daca will be "re-thought somewhat".

To take away young people from their families is not something that bears fruit, neither for the young people nor for their families," he said.
President Donald Trump said Sunday he plans on visiting Florida, currently being rocked by Hurricane Irma.

Ill be going to Florida very soon, Trump told reporters Sunday after arriving at the White House. The President had been hosting a cabinet retreat at Camp David over the weekend.

Trump did not specify when he would visit Florida. Such a trip would likely only take place after the storm has cleared and the logistics become easier to manage.

Trump also recently visited victims of Hurricane Harvey, which ravaged parts of Texas and Louisiana.

Hurricane Irma made its second landfall in Florida on Sunday afternoon, striking Marco Island as a Category 3 storm. It previously struck the Florida Keys earlier on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane. Despite the downgrade, its still expected to bring life-threatening conditions from heavy rains to intense winds.

As of Sunday afternoon, approximately 1.3 million electricity customers in Florida have lost power as a result of Irma. Meanwhile, 127,000 people have evacuated their homes, according to the Associated Press. People at the Presidents seaside resort, Mar-A-Lago, were reportedly ordered to evacuate.

Trump praised the federal governments work throughout the storm, singling out the efforts of FEMA and the United States Coast Guard. If you talk about branding, Trump said, No brand has improved more than the United States Coast Guard.
(Photo: Oliver Morris via Getty Images)

This collection pulses with relevance, Dave Eggers writes in the foreword to Complete Stories, a soon-to-be-released collection of Kurt Vonneguts short fiction thats set to include five never-before-published stories by the Slaughterhouse Five author. The eagerly anticipated book, edited by longtime Vonnegut associates Jerome Klinkowitz and Dan Wakefield, hits shelves on Sept. 26.

Arriving a decade after the prolific writers death, the historic survey of Vonneguts work brings his affecting cultural criticism  and empathetic storytelling  back into the spotlight. Having lived through the politics of World War II and the ensuing Cold War, the contentious U.S. interventions in the late 20th century, the rise in xenophobia and religious intolerance following 9/11, and an alarming surge in climate change denial throughout, Vonneguts writing explodes with disquieting warnings and lessons that continue to ring true for contemporary readers.

His moral stories, Eggers adds, tell us whats right and whats wrong about the way we choose to live. The satisfaction we draw from seeing some moral clarity, some linear order brought to a knotted world, is impossible to overstate.

All in all, Complete Stories consists of 97 short stories written over the course of his career spanning 1941 and 2007  five of which were only recently unearthed. As a longtime Vonnegut scholar, Jerome knew there were some unpublished stories, Wakefield told HuffPost. Heeding Klinkowitzs advice, Wakefield went to the Vonnegut Archive at The Lilly Library in Bloomington, Indiana, last summer, and found several versions of a story called The Drone King, among other rarely seen and unfinished works.

(Photo: Seven Stories Press)

Most all of Vonneguts stories were published in the 1950s and all but a very few were written in that decade, as well as the early 60s, Wakefield explained. Famous Vonnegut tales like Welcome to the Monkey House (1968) and Harrison Bergeron (1961) spin off the horrors of pharmaceutical dystopia and governmental egalitarianism gone wrong. The Drone King, recently teased in The Atlantic, is less fantastical, but appropriately reminiscent of Vonneguts ability to infuse delightfully bizarre scenarios with a dose of societal relevancy.

Story continues

Some of the later stories in the early 60s reflected cultural changes, Wakefield said. One story published in 1963 in Redbook magazine told of a woman whose life changed when she read a new book called Woman, The Wasted Sex, which was modeled on Betty Friedans The Feminine Mystique, which was published that year.

Complete Stories stands as the first comprehensive gathering of Vonneguts far-reaching body of short fiction. Like Eggers, Wakefield agrees that theres a certain power to the works being released today.

I think the same basic ethical questions exist today as they always have  honesty, loyalty, betrayal, fame and fortune versus your own standards, he qualified. But one thing in particular has changed dramatically since Vonneguts short story-writing heyday: the overwhelming income gap between the rich and poor.

Kurt was always for the underdog, for the downtrodden, and his favorite quotes were from The Sermon on the Mount and the words of his fellow Hoosier, Eugene V. Debs: As long as there is a lower class, I am in it; as long as there is a criminal class, I am of it; as long as there is a soul in prison, I am not free, Wakefield said.

It would be nice for people today to be reminded of the ethics those words are based on, Wakefield concluded. Young people have always appreciated Vonnegut, and find in his words new ways of looking at the world, and these stories will continue to awaken their curiosity and their sense of possibility.

Complete Stories by Kurt Vonnegut will be available on Sept. 26 courtesy of Seven Stories Press.

Also on HuffPost

"Sex Object" by Jessica Valenti

Feminist blogger Jessica Valenti knew she would receive backlash for naming her memoir Sex Object. Despite the fact that no woman appreciates being demeaned to the status of an object, Valenti predicted that trolls would object to the name, claiming Valenti wasnt attractive enough to deserve the dehumanizing title. And she was right. This is but one infuriating circumstance Valenti explores in her essay collection, which recalls with vulnerability and force the experience growing up a sex object first, a human being second. Readers might be surprised at how many of their own repressed memories bubble up reading Valentis account, how many times instances of misogyny have been laughed off or brushed under the rug. -Priscilla Frank

"Known and Strange Things" by Teju Cole

Teju Cole divided his collection of nonfiction essays into three parts (Reading Things, Seeing Things and Being Here") plus an epilogue. His writing touches on the stories we come across in books, in museums, in the news, and on social media, contextualizing everything from a famous poem to a Snapchat. For those seeking connection in an increasingly disjointed world, Cole makes the case for art  in whatever form, made in whatever time period, encouraging his readers to draw parallels between the past and present. One essay worth reading on its own is "The White Savior Industrial Complex." -Katherine Brooks

"The Art of Waiting" by Belle Boggs

Infertility  and the attempt to circumvent it, to fulfill the desire to have a family  is regarded as an intense, personal journey. And Boggs writes about the topic with a resonant emotional tenor, having gone through IVF treatment herself, while working as a teacher in North Carolina. But she concedes that as a white woman with a good job, shes far from the only person whos struggled with the potentially thwarted want to have children. In The Art of Waiting, her own journey is only a piece of the puzzle; she talks with scientists, women of color advocating for infertility and adoption coverage, and a man who was sterilized by the state of North Carolina as part of its eugenics program. The result is heartbreaking, and illuminating. -Maddie Crum



Read our interview with Belle Boggs.

"The Selfishness of Others" by Kristin Dombek

Kristin Dombek, the former advice columnist for n+1, is capable of citing both Sigmund Freud and Tucker Max as reference points for a thoroughly clinical  yet also, at times, subtly funny  investigation of our culture's obsession with narcissism. This is less a guide for those "narcosphere" patrons prone to rashly labeling their bad boyfriends narcissists and more a rabbit hole of pop psychology that turns old ideas about assholes inside out. Her words bite: Only one person can be the center of another persons world at any given time, and ideally, this would always be you. This is where all the narcissistic romance websites invite you to be: in the center of the world, stuck in time, assessing the moral status of others, until love is gone. -KB

"Invisible Man, Got the Whole World Watching," by Mychal Denzel Smith

Invisible Man is a memoir that traces Mychal Denzel Smiths life, coming of age in a military family, growing up on hip-hop, and eventually writing for The Nation. But its also a thoughtful response to several years worth of injustices committed against black men in America, a story that threads familiar feelings of angst and frustration into a personal, linear story of pushing back against the biases of others while recognizing your own. -KB

"Future Sex" by Emily Witt

Tinder and its ilk are ruining romance, or so the story goes. How are we to choose one partner, when there are hundreds  nay, thousands  at our fingertips? Witt reminds readers, at the outset of her book, that not choosing is a viable option, if an unsafe one, particularly for women who arent careful when arranging casual meetups. How, then, are we to navigate the new realities of sex, colored as they are by new ways of knowing each other, activities like camming, like free-love-fuelled music festivals, like startups aimed at clinically distributed female pleasure? Witt inserts herself in these worlds  at first, as a voyeur, and later, a more willing, entrenched participant. The resulting book is a wild, informative ride. -MC



Read our review of Future Sex.

"Muslim Girl" by Amani Al-Khatahtbeh

In her piercing memoir, media mogul and activist Amani Al-Khatahtbeh describes her family's new reality following 9/11, when she was in elementary school: her mother's tires slashed, threats and insults hurled at her family. A decade and a half later, as evidenced by the hateful rhetoric thrown around about Muslim individuals during the presidential campaign, anti-Islam prejudice is still fully present among the American public. The MuslimGirl.com founder chronicles her adolescence as a Muslim teenager and the experience that led her to fill a niche in pop culture, covering issues and media relevant to young women like her. Her book is a both a must-read autobiography and a call to arms. - Jillian Capewell

"Ghostland" by Colin Dickey

From Ghostbusters to Ghostland, this year brought us all the quality ghost-related content we could ask for. The latter, Colin Dickeys wonderful tour of the countrys ghost legends and alleged haunted houses, manages to explore the issue without utter credulity and without abrasive skepticism by focusing on the cultural, social, historical, and even aesthetic elements that seem to give rise to certain ghost stories. He turns over how slavery and Native American decimation have contributed to Americas specific strains of poltergeist legends, and the particular attachment we have to their land -- and our haunted houses. Ghostland is a little spooky (especially if youre reading it all alone on a blustery night), engagingly written, and packed with fascinating, gruesome and odd historical tidbits. - Claire Fallon



Read our review of Ghostland.

"How to Be a Person in the World" by Heather Havrilesky

Few advice columns bear up well in book anthologies  its a repetitive, short-form style of writing that mostly offers a sort of muffled voyeurism into our neighbors problems that grows steadily less exciting after the 14th straight letter about a Thanksgiving dinner gone awry. Cheryl Strayeds Tiny Beautiful Things, a compilation of her Dear Sugar columns, is one notable exception. How to Be a Person in the World, a selected anthology of new and previously published Ask Polly columns by the writer Heather Havrilesky, is another. For one thing, Ask Polly is in itself an unusually longform advice column, addressing each query with multi-thousand-word responses seasoned with cultural references and personal memories of Havrileskys. Its also what she calls an existential advice column; the letters mostly address questions about a persons purpose in life, romantic destiny, ability to be happy or content, or similarly large questions. Effectively, How to Be a Person in the World doesnt just offer advice, or even voyeurism: Its a book of essays that broadens a readers empathy for herself and for others. -CF



Read our interview with Heather Havrilesky.

"The Fire This Time" by Jesmyn Ward

As a nod to James Baldwin's 1963 work The Fire Next Time, author Jesmyn Ward gathered the writings of prominent voices on race, including Kiese Laymon, Claudia Rankine and Edwidge Danticat, among others. Their writings on racial tension and a call to action ring as true as Baldwin's did in the civil rights era, offering proof that we, as a country, have a desperately long way to go to right historical wrongs. As we close out 2016, the perspectives in this collection are more urgent and essential than ever. -JC

"Every Song Ever," Ben Ratliff

We are listening to music in the time of the cloud, Ratliff begins Every Song Ever: Twenty Ways to Listen to Music in an Age of Musical Plenty. Regardless of who we are or where we live, todays digital era provides us access to a seemingly infinite playlist, the ability to listen to anything, anywhere, anytime. This radical abundance, and the experimentation and cross-pollination it engenders, Ratcliff suggests, requires new means of listening and understanding music. Genre, The New York Times music critic suggests, is obsolete. Ratliff goes on to suggest 20 new ways to describe music  based more in feeling than era, technique, or physical origin. Slowness, for example, unites Sarah Vaughans Lover Man and Sleeps Dopesmoker. And silence or quietness connects John Cages 433 and Aaliyahs Are You That Somebody. Its a fun read, best experienced with Spotify open and ready, and an unorthodox look at musics past and limitless present. -PF

"Rolling Blackouts" by Sarah Glidden

Sarah Glidden followed her friends to the Middle East with one goal: to report on the reporters. Her friends were actually members of a journalist collective, traveling to Turkey, Syria and Iraq in order to learn refugees stories and report on the after-effects of the U.S. war on Iraq. The result is part travelogue, part memoir and part reportage  an accessible and specific narrative for news-tired readers who have long disassociated from headlines about war and refugees. If this is your introduction to comics journalism, dont let it be the last. -JC



Read our interview with Sarah Glidden.

"Violation" by Sallie Tisdale

Sallie Tisdales name might not be immediately recognizable to readers, but after finishing this collection, you wont soon forget her. Tisdale, a nurse and mother as well as a writer, explores various topics in a quietly revealing manner. One standout is We Do Abortions Here, first published in 1987 and all the more relevant in a political climate where womens rights are routinely dismissed and threatened  most recently in the new Texas law requiring clinics to cremate or bury aborted fetuses. Tisdales writing is spectacular and her observations valuable: Shes a voice to listen to. -JC

"You Belong to the Universe" by Jonathon Keats

Buckminster Fuller, the inventor and artist known for his love of geodesic domes, his faith in Dymaxion cars, and his desire to make the world work for one hundred percent of humanity, is a fascinating subject. He was both an intellectual and a character straight out of a sci-fi novel, who believed so deeply that collaboration was necessary to combat our planets changing circumstances. Jonathon Keats manages to bring the 20th-century ideas of Fuller into the 21st century, arguing that the visionaries utopian proposals are more possible than ever. -KB

"Girls & Sex" by Peggy Orenstein

Modern women may bristle at the idea of a book that wrestles with the pros and cons of sex-positive feminism. Fair enough. But as a mother, Orenstein finds the question working its way into her personal life. So, as a journalist, she pursued it fervidly, interviewing over 70 college girls, getting to know the gritty details of their sex lives thus far. In doing so, Orenstein has created an illuminating ethnographic study of feminine youth. Sections of the book are dedicated to hook up culture, to rape culture, and to the celebrities upheld as emblems of sexual expression. Orenstein confronts a generation that seems foreign to her with openness and kindness, and in doing so shows us a thing or two about ourselves. -MC



Read our review of Girls & Sex.

"Where Am I Now?" by Mara Wilson

Allow yourself to be drawn into this memoir by Mara Wilson-as-Matilda's sweet cover photo, stay for the well-wrought insights on fame and loss. Wilson, the rare Hollywood scribe who is as compelling on the page as she was on the screen in her heyday discusses the death of her mother, mental health and  yes, of course  fascinating tidbits from the "Matilda" set and beyond. -JC

"Agnes Martin and Me" by Donald Woodman

Donald Woodman describes himself as "assistant, friend, and sometime adversary" to the late, great Abstract Expressionist Agnes Martin, for whom he worked for seven years . Martin lived in isolation in New Mexico, producing minimalist canvases and concise, meditative mottos summarizing her practice. She said things like "No, I am not any of those stereotypes that are placed on women. I am an old woman, but I insult the male ego so men don't like me around." If you love the artist, you'll love this quiet recounting of her life and influence. -KB

"Adnan's Story" by Rabia Chaudry

If you listened to "Serial," the smash hit podcast that investigated the harrowing case of Adnan Syed, a man convicted under peculiar circumstances of murder in Baltimore back in 2000, then you'll fly through this book. Rabia Chaudry certainly provides a biased recounting of Syed's story -- she believes thoroughly that he's been denied justice, a foil to the critical lens provided by Sarah Koenig. But if you can't let the case go, here's your extended reading. -KB

"Land of Enchantment" by Leigh Stein

Land of Enchantment is the official nickname of New Mexico, where writer Leigh Stein lived briefly when she was in her early 20s and madly in love. She met Jason at a play audition, and the two moved to New Mexico together so he could work while she wrote; the plan was that after a year theyd move to LA so he could audition while she worked. Instead, he became abusive and the relationship fell dramatically apart. Several years later, by then a professional with a new boyfriend and living in New York, she got a phone call from an unfamiliar number: Jason had been killed in a motorcycle crash. The elegiac, poetic memoir Stein wrote about their tortured relationship, her grief for him, and her lifetime of depression and isolation hits on resonant notes for anyone whos unexpectedly lost a loved one, been through an abusive or unhealthy relationship, or struggled with mental health issues. That means if youre prone to weeping while you read, you should have a hanky ready. -CF



Read our interview with Leigh Stein.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Riot police on Monday blocked hundreds of protesters trying to prevent the family of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos from celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth at the Philippines' "Heroes Cemetery".

Three decades after a bloodless "People Power" revolution toppled the Marcos regime, his family holds influential political posts and is busy rehabilitating his legacy -- with the help of family friend President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte last year allowed the remains to be buried at the cemetery, reserved for soldiers slain in battle and former presidents. Last week he declared the birth anniversary on September 11 a holiday in the ex-leader's home province.

"This is an insult to the memory of my father," said Amira Lidasan, one of a group of anti-Marcos protesters estimated by police to number 500 who marched on the cemetery gates.

Lidasan said her father was imprisoned for a month for a nighttime curfew violation in the early 1970s, when Marcos put the country under martial law for more than eight years.

The father died from illness shortly afterwards, she added.

But about 300 riot police blocked a road leading to the Marcos tomb, allowing the family to hold a private reception inside the cemetery grounds.

About 50 elderly women supporters of Marcos meanwhile flashed V-for-victory signs and sang "Happy Birthday" for Marcos at a separate gathering outside the cemetery gates.

"He achieved many things during his presidency. He built roads and many other structures and he kept the prices of grocery items low," Erlinda Taning, 65, told AFP.

Marcos oversaw widespread human rights abuses during his 20-year rule. Thousands of people were killed, tortured or imprisoned, according to rights advocates and previous Philippine governments.

He has also been accused of embezzling billions of dollars from state coffers during his rule, with anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International in 2004 naming him the second most corrupt leader of all time, behind Indonesian dictator Suharto.

Story continues

However no member of the Marcos clan has ever gone to prison and the family has made a dramatic political comeback in recent years, with his widow and two children being elected to office.

The election last year of Duterte, a family friend, has accelerated the rehabilitation.

Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, the dictator's son, lost the vice-presidential election last year but has filed an election protest in hopes of overturning the result. Duterte, who was elected separately, has endorsed his protest.

Protesters Monday burned a banner that read "Marcos Duterte Fascist" and which depicted a two-faced man -- half Marcos and half Duterte.

"There should be no compromise, no immunity to a plunderer and a murderer," Marie Enriquez, a human rights activist whose sister was tortured and killed in a Marcos martial-law prison, said in a statement.
Mr Branson has called on the UK government for urgent help: Twitter

Virgin boss Richard Branson has revealed the extent of damage to his private island in the Caribbean as he called for urgent government help for those in the Caribbean in desperate need after Hurricane Irma.

In a series of tweets and postings on Instagram, Mr Branson showed the extensive damage to Necker, his own island in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

He also appealed to the British government to establish a disaster recovery Marshall Plan for the BVI and other Caribbean islands, a reference to the operation launched by the US to rebuild western Europe after World War II.

.@virginunite coordinating aid to local BVI families & communities affected by Hurricane #Irma.Please donate to help https://t.co/0USuxvk1dS pic.twitter.com/QdbWHLBJVI  Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 10, 2017

The UK government will have a massive role to play in the recovery of its territories affected by Irma - both through short-term aid and long-term infrastructure spending, he wrote.

The region needs a Disaster Recovery Marshall Plan for the BVI and other territories that will aid in recovery, sustainable reconstruction and long-term revitalisation of the local economy."

He added: Our thoughts are with all the people and regions hit by Hurricane Irma, and all those in the US communities currently facing the storm.

Mr Branson said he had spent the last two days visiting people on the island of Gorda and helping deliver emergency supplies. He has now travelled to Puerto Rico where has been talking to various government and aid agencies about how they can now help people - many of whom are in dire need.

The businessman saw out of the storm in a wine cellar with his family and members of his team as Hurricane Irma hit Necker Island late last week. His son Sam wrote in an Instagram post that everyone on the island had survived.

Story continues

Communications in and out of the BVI are still mostly down, but we have a satellite phone working to share updates. Yesterday afternoon and today we have travelled to Virgin Gorda to try to do everything we can to help the community, Mr Branson wrote in a blog posted over the weekend.

The wonderful team have been going around to all of our team members on Virgin Gorda to check they are safe and well. There is a huge amount of damage to buildings, but fortunately everyone we have seen so far has been ok.

Necker damage huge, but BVI #Irma story is not about Necker - about 1000s of people who've lost homes & livelihoods https://t.co/0USuxvk1dS pic.twitter.com/BaUpvJ22pv  Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 10, 2017

He added: The boats are piled up like match sticks in the harbour. Huge cargo ships were thrown out of the water and into rocks. Resorts have been decimated. The houses have their roofs blown off; even some churches where people sheltered have lost roofs. But the whole British Virgin Islands community is rallying round.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has defended the UKs response to Hurricane Irma after it was described as pitiful by the parent of one British tourist trapped on the island of St Martin.

Geoffrey Scott Baker said his daughter, Amy Brown, had been ignored.

Nothing is happening. It seems that everybody can airlift their citizens out except for the UK who are doing absolutely nothing on the ground, he said.

But speaking on the BBC, Mr Johnson defended the governments actions.

Mr Johnson said St Martin was controlled by the Dutch and French, who had been evacuating people in accordance with their medical need.

Some British nationals actually have been evacuated from Saint Martin, he said. This is a very big consular crisis and I am confident we are doing everything we possibly can to help British nationals.

Mr Johnson said that 50 police officers were flying to the UKs overseas territories to help restore order. He said said things are improving in the BVI where 125 troops are helping to tackle looting.

Mr Johnson has said further support for British overseas territories hit by Irma would be announced within days. He said only 4m ($5.2m) remained of a 32m ($42m) relief fund.
Allegations in lawsuit based on almost 5,000 pages of evidence including FBI reports, says lawyer: Robert Giroux/Getty Images

The Saudi Arabian embassy in Washington DC may have funded a dry run of the 9/11 attacks, according to evidence submitted to an ongoing lawsuit against the Saudi government.

As reported by the New York Post, the embassy might have used two of its employees for the so-called dry run before a dozen hijackers flew two planes into the Twin Towers, killing nearly 3,000 people in 2001.

The complaint, filed on behalf of 1,400 family members of the victims, stated that the Saudi Government paid two nationals, posing as students in the US, to take a flight from Phoenix to Washington and test out flight deck security before 9/11.

Sean Carter, lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, said, "We've long asserted that there were longstanding and close relationships between al Qaeda and the religious components of the Saudi government."

The Saudi government has long denied any links to the terrorists and lawyers representing the government have filed motions to dismiss the claims. The plaintiffs must respond to the motion by November.

The case can then go to trial thanks to the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act which was voted into law by Congress last September, despite a veto from former President Barack Obama and lobbying from the Saudi government. The law allows survivors and relatives of victims to sue foreign governments in US federal courts.

According to the documents and as reported by the New York Post, the class action lawsuit argued that a pattern of both financial and operational support from the Saudi government helped the hijackers in the months before the attacks.

FBI documents, submitted as evidence, claimed that the two Saudi nationals who came to the US, Mohammed al-Qudhaeein and Hamdan al-Shalawi, were in fact members of the Kingdom's network of agents in the country. The documents claimed the men trained in Afghanistan with a number of other al-Qaeda operatives that participated in the attacks.

Qudhaeein was allegedly employed at the Saudi Arabias Ministry of Islamic Affairs, and Shalawi was a longtime employee of the Saudi government in Washington DC.

Story continues

In November 1999 they boarded an America West flight to Washington, and tried to access the cockpit several times, asking the flight attendants technical questions and making the staff suspicious.

Qudhaeein reportedly asked staff where the bathroom was and was pointed in the right direction; instead he tried to enter the cockpit. The pilots made an emergency landing in Ohio and the two men were released after an initial interrogation from the FBI.

Their plane tickets were reportedly paid for by the Saudi Embassy, according to Kristen Breitweiser, whose husband was killed in 9/11.

The two men also reportedly attended a symposium in Washington, organised by the Saudi embassy in association with the Institute for Islamic and Arabic Sciences in America, which employed late al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki as a lecturer. He later helped the hijackers to get housing and ID when they arrived in early 2000.

The Post reported that the Saudi nationals lived in Arizona and had frequent communication with Saudi officials.

Mr Carter said the allegations in the class action lawsuit were based on almost 5,000 pages of evidence.

A total of 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi. Hundreds of thousands of US documents regarding Saudi Arabia remain secret.
Canadian politician Jagmeet Singh was meeting with his constituents on Wednesday in Brampton, Ontario, when a woman stormed up to him and began to harass him.

Singh, a member of provincial Parliament and New Democratic Party leadership candidate who is Sikh, was just starting his JagMeet & Greet event when the unidentified woman rushed up and interrupted him. She began to yell at Singh about sharia law and the Muslim Brotherhood.

We know youre in bed with Sharia. We know youre in bed with the Muslim Brotherhood. We know by your votes, she said.

Although Sikhism is the worlds fifth-largest religion, followers are often mistaken for Muslims and subjected to Islamophobia. Part of that is due to the traditional turban head coverings that Sikh men, including Singh, wear as part of their faith.

During the encounter, the woman kept repeating herself as people in the audience began to get upset. When someone tried to speak to her, she yelled at the crowd not to touch her, saying she would call the police.

Singh remained calm, however, and spoke directly to the crowd.

We dont want to be intimidated by hate. We dont want hatred to ruin a positive event, he said. Lets show people how we would treat someone with love.

And he began to chant his campaign slogan, Love and courage.

The woman, who said Singh had refused to answer her calls to his office, continued to ask when he would stop supporting sharia law. As she realized she was only going to be ignored, she got frustrated and ultimately decided to leave.

Watch the full encounter below.

Singh on Saturday night tweeted a statement regarding the incident, including an explanation of why he felt it important not to clarify to the woman that he is Sikh not Muslim.

America does not do a good job of tracking incidents of hate and bias. We need your help to create a database of such incidents across the country, so we all know whats going on. Tell us your story.



Story continues

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Mogadishu (AFP) - Somali soldiers, some of them wounded, fled across the border into Kenya during an attack by Islamic militants on the town of Bulo Hawo on Monday, security sources said.

At least 12 people died when fighters from the Al-Qaeda-aligned Shabaab group attacked the border town, according to witnesses, while many soldiers fled westward a few kilometres to the Kenyan town of Mandera.

"We have several of the soldiers from Somalia who ran to Kenya after the attack," said Mohamud Saleh, regional coordinator for north eastern Kenya. "Some are injured and have been taken to hospital."

Another regional security official, who did not want to be named, said the Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers numbered "more than 100".

The assault on Bulo Hawo followed standard Shabaab procedure with a vehicle-borne improvised bomb exploding at the entrance to the town's main military post, followed by a coordinated attack by militants from several directions.

"Shabaab militants attacked Bulo Hawo early this morning and heavy fighting erupted inside the town," said Ibrahim Dahir, a Somali army officer in the area.

Abdukadir Moalim, a local elder, said at least 12 people were killed, "most of them combatants".

Bulo Hawo resident Ahmed Omar said that lacking reinforcements the SNA soldiers, left the town "and some of them crossed the border with Kenya".

The militants stole vehicles and weapons before withdrawing.

In a statement translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, Shabaab claimed responsibility for the raid saying it killed 30 soldiers and released 35 prisoners from jail.

Shabaab has been fighting to overthrow successive internationally-backed governments in Mogadishu for the last 10 years, and also carries out occasional terrorist attacks in neighbouring Kenya.

Somalia's army is supported by a 22,000-strong African Union force while the US also carries out drone strikes against Shabaab commanders and has, in recent months, played an increasing role in Somali commando raids targeting the group's leaders.
Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: AP

WASHINGTON  The FBI recently questioned a former White House correspondent for Sputnik, the Russian-government-funded news agency, as part of an investigation into whether it is acting as an undeclared propaganda arm of the Kremlin in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

As part of the probe, Yahoo News has learned, the bureau has obtained a thumb drive containing thousands of internal Sputnik emails and documents  material that could potentially help prosecutors build a case that the news agency played a role in the Russian government influence campaign that was waged during last years presidential election and, in the view of U.S. intelligence officials, is still ongoing.

The emails were turned over by Andrew Feinberg, the news agencys former White House correspondent, who had downloaded the material onto his laptop before he was fired in May. He confirmed to Yahoo News that he was questioned for more than two hours on Sept. 1 by an FBI agent and a Justice Department national security lawyer at the bureaus Washington field office.

Feinberg said the interview was focused on Sputniks internal structure, editorial processes and funding.

They wanted to know where did my orders come from and if I ever got any direction from Moscow, Feinberg told Yahoo News. They were interested in examples of how I was steered towards covering certain issues.

It is not clear whether the agent and prosecutor who questioned Feinberg were acting as part of special counsel Robert Muellers broader investigation into Russian efforts to disrupt the 2016 election and possible links to the Trump campaign. We are not confirming whether specific matters are or are not part of our ongoing investigation, a spokesman for Mueller emailed. A spokesman for the Justice Department declined to comment, and the FBI did not respond to questions.

But the inquiry comes at a time when members of Congress and others have pushed the Justice Department to strengthen its enforcement of the FARA, especially as it relates to the operations in Washington of two Russian news organizations, Sputnik and RT (formerly known as Russia Today).

Story continues

This is incredibly significant, said Asha Rangappa, a former FBI counterintelligence agent and now an associate dean of Yale Law School, about the bureaus questioning of the former Sputnik reporter. The FBI has since the 1970s taken pains not to be perceived in any way as infringing on First Amendment activity. But this tells me they have good information and intelligence that these organizations have been acting on behalf of the Kremlin and that theres a direct line between them and the [Russian influence operations] that are a significant threat to our democracy.

Andrew Feinberg (Photo: courtesy of Andrew Feinberg)

Sputnik is owned by Rossiya Segodnya, a Russian government media operation headed by Dmitri Kiselyov, a belligerent television broadcaster who is known as Putins personal propagandist and has been sanctioned by the European Union in response to Russias intervention in Ukraine. On its website, Sputnik describes itself as a modern news agency that covers global political and economic news targeting an international audience.

Contacted by Yahoo News, Sputniks U.S. editor in chief, Mindia Gavasheli, said, Any assertion that we are not a news organization is simply false. He also said he was unaware of the FBI probe. This is the first time Im hearing about it, and I dont think anyone at Sputnik was contacted, so thank you for letting us know, Gavasheli said.

Gavasheli attributed the push to have Sputnik register through FARA to paranoia surrounding Russia. I think it tells about the atmosphere of hysteria that we are witnessing now, Gavasheli said. Anything being related to Russia right now is being considered a spycraft of some sort.

Shortly after this story was published on Monday, a Sputnik spokeswoman released a statement saying the company reached out to the Justice Department after being alerted to the investigation by Yahoo News.

Unfortunately our requests to the Justice Department for information has not been answered to date, the statement said.  We are more than happy to answer any questions the DOJ or the FBI might have.

The statement also defended Sputnik as a news organization dedicated to accurate news reporting.

Our journalists have won multiple media awards throughout the world. Any assertion that Sputnik is anything but a credible news outlet is false, the statement said.

Both Sputnik and RT were identified in a U.S. intelligence report in January as being arms of Russias state-run propaganda machine that served as a platform for Kremlin messaging to Russian and international audiences. As an example, the report said, Sputnik and RT consistently cast President-elect Trump as the target of unfair coverage from traditional US media outlets that they claimed were subservient to a corrupt political establishment.

The investigation appears to center on whether Sputnik should be covered by the foreign agents registration law, a 1938 act passed by Congress to combat Nazi propaganda. The law mandates that foreign entities seeking to influence American public opinion and engage in lobbying must file detailed reports with the Justice Department on their funding and operations. If the Justice Department concludes that Sputnik is covered by the law, its executives in the U.S. could face criminal charges and fines, while the news agencys reports would have to be explicitly labeled as foreign propaganda rather than presented as news.

There is an exemption under the law for media organizations that engage in legitimate news-gathering activity. But Feinberg, the former Sputnik reporter, said the FBI agent and Justice prosecutor who interviewed him focused their questions on how Sputnik determined what stories it would cover, where its directions came from and what he knew about its sources of funding.

(Yahoo first learned about the FBI inquiry from a U.S. intelligence source. Feinberg then confirmed he was interviewed and showed the business cards of the FBI agent and Justice Department lawyer who questioned him.)

While his instructions as White House correspondent came from the senior editors and news directors at Sputniks Washington office, Feinberg said these supervisors regularly would say, Moscow wants this or Moscow wants that.

The thumb drive of emails and other documents that Feinberg turned over to the FBI contains messages that could shed light on Sputniks funding, its operations in Washington and how it makes editorial decisions. It includes documents Feinberg submitted on behalf of Sputnik to obtain congressional press credentials in which he confirmed that the Russian government is the companys main funding source.

Mindia Gavasheli, Sputniks U.S. editor in chief, holds a press conference in the agencys newsroom in Washington. (Photo: Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The questioning of Feinberg, Sputniks former White House correspondent, came just two weeks after Yahoo News published an interview in which he claimed he was fired by Sputniks D.C. bureau chief for refusing orders to ask the presidents press secretary about a since-discredited Fox News report in a televised briefing. That report claimed that WikiLeaks obtained internal Democratic National Committee emails not from material hacked by Russian intelligence services, as the U.S. government has asserted, but from a low-level DNC staffer, Seth Rich, who was murdered on the streets of Washington in July 2016. (Fox has since retracted the report.)

Feinberg, who first made his allegations on May 26, the day he left Sputnik, has also claimed the company pushed him to ask questions that suggested the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad, who is a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was not behind chemical attacks in that country. Feinberg said the interviewers specifically asked him about a piece he wrote detailing these claims that was published by Politico on Aug. 21. A spokeswoman for Sputnik has previously denied Feinbergs allegations and told Yahoo News his contract with the company was not renewed due to performance-related issues.

The FBI reached out to Feinberg shortly after another former Sputnik staffer, Joseph John Fionda, sent a letter to the Justice Departments national security division detailing a series of similar accusations against the news organization and requested that it be investigated for FARA violations.

In a brief conversation over an encrypted messaging app, Fionda told Yahoo News he also sent a big packet of information to the division on or about Aug. 15.

In his letter to Justice, Fionda said he was employed by RIA Global LLC, a media company associated with Sputnik, from Sept. 5 to Oct. 19, 2015. During that time, Fionda wrote, Sputnik conducted a perception management information warfare program about Russias military involvement in Syria. He said the news organization falsely described Russias targets in that country as terrorists affiliated with the jihadist group ISIS when, he asserted, the Russian forces were actually bombing other anti-Assad rebel groups.

In another instance, Fionda said, an article he wrote in September 2015 about President Obamas repatriation of Guantanamo detainees to a number of countries was censored to omit any reference to the fact that six of the detainees were being sent back to Russia, where they were later imprisoned.

Then-CIA Director John Brennan testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee in June 2016. (AP)

Fionda said his last straw with Sputnik came on Oct. 19, 2015, after excerpts of private emails from then-CIA Director John Brennan were published by a hacker on Twitter. He claimed Gavasheli, Sputniks U.S. editor in chief, asked him to obtain the CIA Directors stolen emails from the hacker.

I refused because I believed this was a solicitation to espionage, Fionda wrote.

When he refused the order, Fionda wrote that Gavasheli told him to get the f out of my office and then fired him. Gavasheli, in his interview with Yahoo News, denied this and said Fionda was fired after falsely claiming his father was ill in order to take time off from work.

The probe into Sputnik also comes shortly after the Russian news agency announced a significant expansion in the U.S. capital: It took over a popular Washington FM radio station dedicated to playing bluegrass music and replaced it with an all-talk format with hosts who regularly criticize U.S. policies  as well as one co-host who is a former Breitbart News reporter and Trump supporter. Im sure you heard a lot about us, Gavasheli was quoted as saying by the Washington Post. Now you can actually listen to us.

This article was updated at 1:30 p.m. with an additional statement from Sputnik.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Steve Bannon did not hold back in his 60 Minutes interview, broadcast Sunday on CBS News, taking potshots at various targets including the Republican establishment, Jared Kushner, and the Catholic Church.

For seasoned Bannon watchers, the last target is both surprising and unsurprising. Bannon, who hails from an Irish Roman Catholic background, has powerful allies in the church. But at the same time, he has looked increasingly at odds with the stance taken on social issues by Catholic bishops, particularly under Pope Francis.

When questioned about the opposition expressed by some U.S. bishops to President Trumps decision to rescind immigration protections afforded under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, Bannon accused the church of supporting immigration for economic reasons and because they need illegal aliens to fill the churches.

Bannons comments prompted an angry response from senior Catholic bishops in the United States, who dismissed the remarks as preposterous and claimed the Bible required Catholics to look out for immigrants.

Heres a short history of Bannons long struggle with the Catholic church.

Coming home to the Catholic Church

Bannon was raised in a blue-collar, Irish Catholic, pro-Kennedy, pro-union family of Democrats, as he told Bloomberg News in 2015. He attended Catholic schools and went to Mass with his family as a child, but later flirted with various world religions while serving in the Navy. This included a period of practicing Buddhism, according to Joshua Green, who has written a biography of Bannon.

Steve Bannon

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Bannon eventually returned to his Catholic faith, and Green told the Washington Post that he believes the former White House strategists worldview is significantly informed by his religious faith. In particular, Green said that Bannon is captivated by this idea that the world is in decline, which is partially rooted in some medieval variant of Catholicism.

Story continues

Breitbarts Bureau in Rome

Bannon became Breitbart News executive editor in 2012 and, two years later, decided to set up a permanent bureau in Rome, the Italian capital and heart of the Roman Catholic Church. Bannon chose Thomas D. Williams, a former Catholic priest, to lead Breitbarts coverage from Rome; Williams regularly writes about church affairs and Pope Francis, an unpopular figure with Breitbarts readership.

In summer 2014, Bannon also gave a talk via Skype at a conference held in the Vatican and hosted by the Human Dignity Institute, a conservative think tank that says its mission is to defend the Judeo-Christian foundations of Western civilization. In the speech, Bannon lamented a crisis both of our church and Western capitalism in general and called upon believers to fight against the new barbarity of Islamic fascism and global financial elites.

Bannons Ties to Pope Franciss Critics

During the 2014 double canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II, Bannon broadcast his Breitbart radio show from the Vatican. During that visit he held a meeting with Cardinal Raymond Burke, a conservative American cardinal. Burke has been characterized in the media as Franciss arch-opponent in the Vatican, clashing with the Argentinian pope to the degree that Burke had to clarify that he had not accused Francis of heresy.

Raymond Burke

JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty

Benjamin Harnwell, a confidant of Burke who organized the 2014 meeting with Bannon, told the New York Times that he was not surprised by the pairs connection. When you recognize someone who has sacrificed in order to remain true to his principles and who is fighting the same kind of battles in the cultural arena, in a different section of the battlefield, Im not surprised there is a meeting of hearts, said Harnwell.

Popes Allies Compare Bannons Ideology to Islamist Fundamentalism

An article published in July in La Civilta Cattolica, a Vatican-vetted journal, criticized the strain of evangelical fundamentalism in the United States that had set up threats to Western, Judeo-Christian values as equivalent to Armageddon. In particular, the article singled out Bannon as a supporter of apocalyptic geopolitics, the logic of which is no different from the one that inspires Islamic fundamentalism.

While it is not clear whether the pope approved of the content of the article, the journals contents are vetted by the Vatican secretary of statethe churchs top diplomatbefore publication. The two authors are also close allies of Francis: one was Antonio Spadaro, a Jesuit journalist who has interviewed the pope; the other was Marcelo Figueroa, an Argentinian friend of Francis.

The DACA Debate

In his 60 Minutes interview, Bannonwho actually said that he did not agree with Trumps decision to end DACAlaid into the American Catholic hierarchy for supporting undocumented immigration

Steve Bannon, Trump

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

The Catholic Church has been terrible about this, said Bannon. You know why? Because unable to really come to grips with the problems in the church, they need illegal aliens, they need illegal aliens to fill the churches...They have an economic interest in unlimited immigration, unlimited illegal immigration.

Bannon said that while he respected the pope and bishops on doctrine, immigration was a matter of national sovereignty. And in that regard, theyre just another guy with an opinion, he said.

The comments prompted curt responses from U.S. Catholic leaders. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, described Bannons remarks as preposterous and rather insulting and claimed that the churchs support for immigrants is rooted in the Bible, in an interview with Cathoic radio station Sirius XM.

Dolans response was backed up by an official statement issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on Thursday. Our pro-immigration stance is based on fidelity to Gods word and honors the American dream. For anyone to suggest that it is out of sordid motives of statistics or financial gain is outrageous and insulting, said James Rogers, the USCCBs chief communications officer.

Related Articles
President Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey may be the biggest mistake in modern political history, the presidents former chief strategist Steve Bannon said on Sunday.

I dont think theres any doubt that if James Comey had not been fired we would not have the special counsel (Robert Mueller), Bannon said in a portion of his "60 Minutes" interview did not appear as part of the Sunday night program, but was posted online by CBS News.

Mueller, who continues to lead the Russia investigation independent of the Department of Justice, was hired May 17, roughly a week after Trump fired Comey.

RTX317D4

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Someone said to me that you described the firing of James Comey  as the biggest mistake in political history? CBS correspondent Charlie Rose asked Bannon in the online clip.

That would probably be too bombastic even for me, Bannon said, but maybe modern political history.

If not for Comeys firing we would not have the Mueller investigation in the breadth that clearly Mr. Mueller is going in, Bannon added. Because directionally I think its a very different investigation.

Comeys firing has led Mueller to investigate whether President Trump obstructed justice. Before he fired Comey, the president reportedly asked the former FBI director to drop a strand of his investigation looking former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Flynn had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about contacts he had with Russias ambassador during the transition period after the election.

Flynn allegedly suggested to ambassador Sergey Kislyak that sanctions on Russia imposed by President Barack Obama as punishment for the Kremlins inteference in the 2016 election could be lifted.

Flynn was later found to have also been working as a foreign agent on behalf of Turkey during the election.

Story continues

After Comey was fired, Trump told NBC News anchor Lester Holt that he fired the FBI director because of his handling of the Russia investigation.

Read more: Steve Bannon on '60 Minutes' is as blustery as ever

Mueller is now reportedly investigating Trumps finances and his familys business deals in Russia. During an interview with The New York Times Trump said he considers these lines of investigation a violation.

According to a report in The Washington Post last week Mueller also intends to interview key Trump aides, including former press secretary Sean Spicer, former chief of staff Reince Priebus and interim communications director Hope Hicks.

The Trump administration has attacked Mueller and his team of attorneys credibility, accusing them of being Democrat stooges. Trump directly accused Mueller of having a conflict of interest because he was under consideration to replace Comey as FBI director. Trump has also accused Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of not doing enough to shield him from the Russia investigation.

In the clip, Bannon said Mueller should not be fired.

Related Articles
A police officer is seen outside the US Supreme Court after it was announced that the court will allow a limited version of President Donald Trump's travel ban to take effect: Eric Thayer/Getty Images

The US Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration's request to temporarily lift restrictions on the President's travel ban, quashing an opportunity for tens of thousands of refugees to enter the country.

At the request of the Justice Department, the Supreme Court stayed a lower court ruling that would have exempted some people for the administration's ban on refugees. The ruling would have allowed refugees to enter the country if they obtained promises of assistance from refugee resettlement organisations. An estimated 24,000 refugees have obtained such promises.

In a one-page ruling, signed by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Supreme Court announced that the exemption would be stayed, pending a response from the states involved in the suit. Had the Court not acted, the exemption would have gone into effect on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court temporarily reinstated a partial version of Mr Trump's beleaguered ban in June, pending their final decision in October. The ban, stalled by numerous legal challenges, had failed to take effect until that point.

The Court provided several exemptions to the ban, however, allowing refugees with "bona fide connections" to the US to enter the country.

Monday's ruling concerned the definition of a "bona-fide connection": The state of Hawaii felt having an arrangement with a resettlement agency constituted such a connection; the Trump administration did not.

"The court of appeals decision ... will disrupt the status quo and frustrate orderly implementation of the Orders refugee provisions that this Court made clear months ago could take effect," Mr Trump's Acting Solicitor General, Jeffery Wall, wrote to the Court.

He asked the Court to "prevent further uncertainty and disruption" by staying the court of appeals ruling. The Court agreed  at least for Monday.

Temporary stay on refugees in travel ban case pic.twitter.com/lOtk7l26H9  Adam Liptak (@adamliptak) September 11, 2017

Neal Katyal, a lawyer representing the state of Hawaii in its suit against the ban, said on Twitter the he would fight the decision. Hawaii is one of more than a half-dozen states that have sued to block the ban since its implementation.

Story continues

Lawyers have argued that the ban, which bars entry for refugees and residents of six Muslim-majority countries, constitutes a 'Muslim ban'. Such a ban would violate constitutional prohibitions on favouring one religion over another. Two separate appeals courts have already ruled the ban unconstitutional.

Mr Trump, meanwhile, maintains the ban is a necessary national security measure.

"That's right, we need a TRAVEL BAN for certain DANGEROUS countries, not some politically correct term that won't help us protect our people!" he tweeted in June.
Istanbul (AFP) - A Turkish court was expected to rule late Monday whether to keep five staff members of opposition daily Cumhuriyet in detention as part of a trial seen as a test for press freedom under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The case, which opened in Istanbul in July, involves 17 current and former writers, cartoonists and executives from Cumhuriyet who are being tried on "terror" charges in a move denounced by supporters as absurd.

For government critics, the case is emblematic of the erosion of freedom following last year's failed coup when Ankara launched a massive crackdown targeting those with alleged links to the putschists as well as opponents.

Defence lawyers said they expect a ruling on whether the five staffers can be released from pre-trial detention, a move the prosecution opposes.

On July 28, an Istanbul court freed seven of the newspaper's staff after 271 days, including respected cartoonist Musa Kart and Turhan Gunay, editor of the books supplement.

But some of the paper's most prominent staff remain in custody, among them commentator Kadri Gursel, investigative journalist Ahmet Sik, editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu and chief executive Akin Atalay.

- 'Trampled-upon justice' -

Columnist Gursel was defiant when he took the stand, claiming he was on trial because of his "journalistic activities".

"Whatever the verdict, I have an untroubled conscience. And if there is even a little bit of justice left in this period where justice has been trampled upon, I know I will be acquitted," he said.

Sik has been behind bars for 255 days while Gursel, Sabuncu and Atalay have been jailed for 316 days. If convicted, they face varying terms of up to 43 years.

Eight other suspects have also been charged but are not being held in prison.

Sik is the author of an explosive 2011 book entitled "The Imam's Army", which exposed how followers of influential Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen infiltrated the Turkish bureaucracy and built ties with the ruling party.

Story continues

Once a close ally of President Erdogan, Gulen is in self-imposed exile in the United States, wanted on charges of ordering the failed July 2016 coup, allegations he denies. More than 50,000 people have been arrested on suspicion of links to his movement.

Those on trial are charged with using their position to support the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the ultra-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), and the Gulen movement.

Ankara has branded all three terror organisations.

Gursel rejected accusations of links to the Gulen movement based on the receipt of unanswered calls and text messages from alleged putschists.

- 'Shameful trial' -

Accountant Iper, meanwhile, insists he is innocent of allegations he had downloaded the Bylock messaging app which authorities claim was used by Gulen's supporters to coordinate the coup bid.

Iper told the court he was "sure" he would be released quickly after his detention in April and that he begged the prosecutor "to examine my phone" at the time.

"I ask for my acquittal in this shameful trial," Iper added.

The judge asked several witnesses including Cumhuriyet journalists and former members of the foundation which owns the daily, about its financial situation and the editorial process: how headlines are chosen and the angle of stories.

Editor-in-chief Sabuncu condemned the trial, telling the judge it "has unfortunately already entered the darkest pages of the history of press freedom" in Turkey.

Christophe Deloire, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) secretary general, said the journalists "are judged simply because they embody the journalism worthy of its name in Turkey and they do not broadcast the propaganda of the Erdogan regime".

- 'Targeting Erdogan' -

The secular daily is one of the few voices in the Turkish media to oppose Erdogan, with its embarrassing scoops angering those in the corridors of power.

Also on trial, but in absentia after fleeing to Germany, is the paper's former editor-in-chief Can Dundar, who was last year sentenced to five years and 10 months in jail over a front-page story accusing the government of sending weapons to Syria.

In the indictment, the newspaper was accused of an "intense perception operation" targeting both Turkey and Erdogan using the tactics of an "asymmetric war".

According to the P24 press freedom group, there are 170 journalists behind bars in Turkey, most of whom were arrested after the coup.

Turkey ranks 155 out of 180 on the latest RSF world press freedom index.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army and its allies recaptured an oilfield from Islamic State near the eastern city of Deir al-Zor on Saturday in further advances against the militants, state TV reported. Government forces also seized part of a main highway running from Deir al-Zor down to the city of al-Mayadeen, to which many Islamic State militants have retreated, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. The Syrian army this week broke through Islamic State lines to reach a government-held enclave of Deir al-Zor besieged for years by the jihadists, and is fighting to reach a nearby air base which IS still surrounds. On Saturday, the army and militias fighting alongside it seized the Teym oilfield in desert south of Deir al-Zor, state TV said. Deir al-Zor is in an oil-rich area of Syria. To the east of Teym and south of the air base, government forces also recaptured part of the main road running from Deir al-Zor to al-Mayadeen, downstream along the Euphrates river and closer to the Iraq border, the Observatory reported. The British-based monitoring group said that advance would block potential Islamic State reinforcements from al-Mayadeen. The advances put yet more pressure on Islamic State's shrinking caliphate, which once stretched across northern and eastern Syria, and northwestern Iraq. In Syria, the group holds much of Deir al-Zor province and half the city, as well as a pocket of territory near Hama and Homs in the west of the country. (Reporting by John Davison; Editing by Dale Hudson)
A National Action march in August 2015. The group was banned under terrorism laws in December 2016. - PA Wire/PA Images

Three men, including two British soldiers, have been charged with terror offences as part of an investigation into the banned neo-Nazi group National Action.

Five men, including four soldiers, were held on suspicion of terror offences last week and two have since been released without charge. West Midlands Police said Alexander Deakin, 22, Mikko Vehvilainen, 32, and Mark Barrett, 24, have been charged with being members of a proscribed organisation contrary to Section 11 of the Terrorism Act.

Deakin and Vehvilainen have also been charged with possessing documents likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism and other offences.

Deakin faces another charge of distribution of a terrorist publication and a separate charge of inciting racial hatred including concerning National Action stickers posted at Aston University campus in Birmingham in July last year.

Vehvilainen is also charged with publishing material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, posting comments on a website intending to stir up racial hatred, and possessing pepper spray.

File image: members of now-banned neo-Nazi organisation National Action demonstrate in Bolton last December Credit: Joel Goodman/LNP

Police said: "The arrests were pre-planned and intelligence-led and there was no risk to the public's safety."

The three men will appear before Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The force said a man from Northampton and another from Ipswich, both aged 24, were released without charge on Saturday following inquiries.

National Action is described by the Home Office as "virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic."

It became the first far-Right group banned by the Government after it glorified the murder of Jo Cox MP. It was banned under terrorism laws in December 2016.

Police said 22 suspected members or associates of National Action were arrested last year.

The proscription means that being a member of or inviting support for the organisation is a criminal offence carrying a sentence of up to 10 years' imprisonment.
Product details leaked ahead of Apples big event

Apple (AAPL) shares are moving higher on Monday, a day before the tech giant is scheduled to unveil its highly anticipated 10th anniversary iPhone. Some details of the companys latest mobile operating system were leaked on Saturday, revealing the names of Apples new phones: the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. The iPhone X is the tech giants special anniversary phone, which will include an OLED screen, improved camera capabilities and a 3-D facial recognition scanner. The event is scheduled to begin Tuesday at 10 a.m. PT at the Steve Jobs theater on Apples new campus.

Major insurers rebound after Irma loses strength

Insurance stocks are rebounding after the storm shifted west along the Gulf Coast and continued to weaken as it headed north through Florida. AIR Worldwide now expects the economic impact of the storm to be in the range of $20 billion to $40 billion, which is significantly below previous estimates. Florida-based insurers are recording the biggest gains in the sector on Monday, with shares of Federated National Holding (FNHC) and Heritage Insurance Holdings (HRTG) up about 13% and 20% respectively as of 11:30 a.m. ET. Other names in the insurance sector including Allstate (ALL), Progressive (PGR) and Infinity Property and Casualty Corp. (IPCC) are also moving higher.

Google appeals record EU fine

Google (GOOGL) has filed an appeal at the EUs General Court over its record $2.9 billion antitrust fine. The European Union fined Googles parent company Alphabet after alleging the tech giant abused the power of its search engine to favor its own shopping-search services. Google shares have climbed nearly 20% so far this year.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed speaks with lead defense lawyer David Nevin during a pretrial hearing at the Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, April 14, 2014. Photo/Sketch: AP/Janet Hamlin, Pool)

WASHINGTON  The military trial for five men accused of plotting the 9/11 terror attacks that killed thousands of Americans continues to be stalled at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison with no trial date in sight.

The five men accused of helping the 9/11 hijackers more than 16 years ago have been in U.S. custody for more than 10 years, and were arraigned in the latest iteration of their military commissions trial in 2012. The Obama administration wanted the men tried in federal court, but gave up after resistance from a vocal faction of 9/11 victims family members and members of Congress.

Since 2012, the defense and prosecution have been locked in a slow-as-molasses back and forth of pretrial motions, covering everything from the type of apparel the detainees can wear in court to whether the defense attorneys can access troves of classified government material detailing the torture some of the detainees faced while in CIA custody.

In July, the prosecution, led by Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, asked for jury selection to begin in January of 2019, and estimated the trial itself would only take two months.

But Judge James A. Pohl has already indicated that the prosecutions timeline wont work. Camp Justice, the military commissions complex, is double-booked for almost 40 days next year. Pohl is attempting to juggle pretrial proceedings in both the U.S.S. Cole bombing trial and the accused 9/11 attackers and has said he will not keep his courtroom open after dark.

Major Ben Sakrisson, a Defense Department spokesman, told Yahoo News the new 2019 trial date is just an estimate that the judge hasnt ruled on yet.

Several experts have criticized the relatively untested military commissions system for the delay. (The Supreme Court struck down former President George W. Bushs attempt to try the men in a military tribunal, which is different from the commissions.)

In a regular U.S. court there are pretrial motions all the time that the judge just simply rules upon based on precedent, said Ken Gude, a national security expert at the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress think tank. But since theres no precedent in this system, everything has to get litigated and it just will go on indefinitely.

Story continues

Others have blamed defense attorneys for providing what they see as too many pretrial motions, though the lawyers argue they are simply doing their job. The Defense Department provided no rationale for the delay.

Im not going to provide commentary on whose fault it is for the length of the pretrial motions, Sarkrisson said. Theyre going through whatever motions either side feels necessary leading up to the actual trial itself. Obviously theres a number of issues they have to cover, so Im not going to lay blame on one side or the other.

Another factor accounting for the delay is that the prison court is not in session very frequently. The prosecution pointed out that between Jan. 1 and July of 2017, there were only 35 days of proceedings in the crucial trial. One victims family member has died since then, and others experienced continuing health challenges and often despair that they will not live to see justice done, the prosecution said.

Defense attorneys are still combing through 13,346 pages of evidence about their clients treatment while in CIA custody. The lawyers do not have access to the original classified material but to court-approved substitutions detailing the material. Khalid Sheik Mohammed was waterboarded 183 times, according to the declassified Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIAs secret rendition and interrogation program, and other detainees were beaten, sleep deprived and fed rectally.

In the meantime, families of 9/11 victims wait for justice, even though some will never see it. I dont know if its going to happen in my lifetime, Rita Lasar, 83, whose brother died in the 9/11 attacks, told Yahoo News in 2015. She died this January.

Read more from Yahoo News:
By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy on Monday provided a temporary reprieve for President Trump's order blocking most refugees from entering the United States, putting on hold a lower court's ruling loosening the prohibition. Kennedy's action gave the nine justices more time to consider the Justice Department's challenge filed on Monday to the lower court's decision allowing entry to refugees from around the world if they had a formal offer from a resettlement agency. The full Supreme Court could act within days. The Justice Department opted not to appeal another part of last Thursday's ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that related to Trump's ban on travelers from six Muslim-majority nations. The 9th Circuit ruling broadened the number of people with exemptions to the ban to include grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins of legal U.S. residents. Without Kennedy's intervention, the appeals court decision would have gone into effect on Tuesday. Kennedy asked refugee ban challengers to file a response to the Trump administration's filing by noon on Tuesday. Under the 9th U.S. Circuit's ruling, up to 24,000 additional refugees would become eligible to enter the United States than otherwise would be allowed, according to the administration. Trump's March 6 order banned travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days and locked out most aspiring refugees for 120 days in a move the Republican president argued was needed to prevent terrorist attacks. The order, which replaced a broader January one that was blocked by federal courts, was one of the most contentious acts of his presidency. Critics called it an unlawful "Muslim ban" that made good on Trump's promise as a candidate of "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States." The broader question of whether the travel ban discriminates against Muslims in violation of the U.S. Constitution, as lower courts previously ruled, will be argued before the Supreme Court on Oct. 10. The Supreme Court in June partially revived the order after its provisions were blocked by lower courts. But the justices said a ban could be applied only to those without a "bona fide" relationship to people or entities in the United States. New litigation was brought by Hawaii over the meaning of that phrase, including whether written assurances by resettlement agencies obligating them to provide services for specific refugees would count. Hawaii and other Democratic-led states, the American Civil Liberties Union and refugee groups filed legal challenges after Trump signed his order in March. "The Trump administration has ended its odd and ill-advised quest to ban grandmas from the country," Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin said on Monday. "With respect to the admission to the United States of refugees with formal assurances and the Supreme Court's temporary stay order, each day matters," Chin added, promising to respond soon to the administration's filing. In court papers filed earlier on Monday, the Justice Department said the 9th Circuit refugees decision "will disrupt the status quo and frustrate orderly implementation of the order's refugee provisions." Omar Jadwat, an ACLU lawyer, contrasted Trump's efforts to keep alive his travel ban with the Republican president's decision last week to rescind a program that protected from deportation people brought to the United States illegally as children, dubbed "Dreamers." "The extraordinary efforts the administration is taking in pursuit of the Muslim ban stand in stark contrast to its unwillingness to take a single step to protect 800,000 Dreamers," Jadwat said. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham)
Supporters celebrate the inauguration of President Donald Trump outside the US Supreme Court building: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to intervene once again on behalf of the President's partially reinstated travel ban.

The Justice Department filed an emergency application to bar a 9th Circuit Court ruling that would allow refugees to enter the country if they have a formal agreement with a refugee resettlement agency. The decision would affect some 24,000 refugees who have been assigned to an agency, but have yet to be resettled in the US.

Mr Trump's travel ban, which the Supreme Court partially reinstated in June, bars residents of six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US unless they have a "bona fide relationship" with a family member in the country.

The San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court ruled last week to extend the list of family members exempted from the ban. They also ruled to exempt those refugees with an arrangement with a US-based aid group  something the Trump administration took issue with.

In its emergency petition to the Supreme Court, the Justice Department wrote that the decision  set to take effect tomorrow  would "disrupt the status quo and frustrate orderly implementation of the Orders refugee provisions".

"The Court can and should prevent further uncertainty and disruption by staying the court of appeals ruling with respect to refugee assurances," the Justice Department wrote.

The Department is not asking for the decision on family members to be reconsidered at this time.

The debate first started in June, when a Hawaii judge ruled that those who had an agreement with a resettlement agency should be allowed in. The Supreme Court intervened, saying the 9th Circuit Court should decide.

Now, the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to intervene again, and block the 9th Circuit Court's decision.

The Supreme Court recently announced that they would rule on the full travel ban on 10 October. Its decision to allow parts of the travel ban to take effect in the meantime was labelled a victory by the Trump administration. The controversial policy had been plagued by lawsuits, and prevented from taking effect, since it was issued in January.

"Todays ruling allows me to use an important tool for protecting our Nations homeland," Mr Trump said at the time. "I am also particularly gratified that the Supreme Courts decision was 9-0.
Washington (AFP) - The US Supreme Court kept the Trump administration's strict refugee ban in place Monday, at least temporarily dashing the hopes of some 24,000 already-approved immigrants.

Justices of the highest court in the land accepted the administration's emergency petition to stay a ruling by the San Francisco Appeals Court last week that would have allowed thousands of refugees already in the pipeline to come to the United States despite the ban.

That put the broader legal challenges to the travel ban -- which halts all refugees and travelers from six mostly Muslim countries -- off until an expected Supreme Court review on October 10.

The court, however, left the door open for opponents of the ban to file their arguments against it by midday Tuesday, paving the way for yet another reversal on the status of possible refugee arrivals.

On September 8, the San Francisco court upheld a ruling against the travel ban, saying that refugees who have formal assurances of resettlement in the United States from refugees assistance agencies are not covered by the ban.

The ruling would have taken affect on Tuesday, reopening the door to 24,000 people left in limbo by President Donald Trump's on-again off-again travel ban.

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to place that decision on hold until the high court can review broader issues of the travel ban next month.

It argued that the appeals court's ruling "would upend the status quo and do far greater harm to the national interest."

- Softened definition of 'bona fide' ties -

The arguments hinged on a stipulation in the travel ban that refugees in the pipeline can only be accepted if they have a "bona fide relationship" with a US individual or entity.

The government said formal assurances from a refugee agency that may not have had direct, personal contacts with the refugee were not covered in that exception.

But opponents to the ban sued, arguing that people with formal assurances should be admitted.

Story continues

In its filing Monday, however, the Justice Department gave in on another challenge to the travel ban over its narrow interpretation of "bona fide relationship" when determining exceptions for refugee family members.

Originally, the agency said the definition included parents, spouses, children, sons- and daughters-in-law, siblings and step- and half-siblings of people in the United States.

The appeals court ruled that grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins of American citizens must also be included in the definition of close family and be accepted into the country.

The six countries included in the general travel ban are Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen.
President Donald Trumps commission to investigate voter fraud is set to meet publicly for the second time on Tuesday amid continued controversy and lingering questions about its goals and objectives.

Since its creation in May, critics have argued the panel is a way for Trump to justify his unsubstantiated claim that he would have won the popular vote in the presidential election last year had it not been for millions of illegal votes. Critics have expressed considerable alarm at the presence of certain panelists, particularly Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell (R), as well as former Justice Department officials Hans von Spakovsky and J. Christian Adams, because all four have a history of pushing more restrictive voting measures.

An email made public as part of a separate ongoing lawsuit against Kobach shows he was writing a draft of an amendment to federal voting law to make it permissible for states to impose a proof of citizenship requirement to register to vote.

The Tuesday meeting in Manchester, New Hampshire, will be divided into three panels focusing on voter turnout, public confidence in elections and electronic voting systems, respectively. Some of the scheduled presentations look to paint a picture of an American election system that is ripe for voter fraud, even though several studies and investigations have shown it is not a widespread problem.

President Donald Trump addressed the first meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in July. (Photo: Kevin Lamarque / Reuters)

One presentation submitted to the commission around 8,500 likely duplicate votes across 21 states. Unable to access data from all 50 states, the researchers extrapolate their findings to estimate that there are at least 45,000 instances of double voting across the country, a number still considerably short of the three to five million people Trump has alleged voted illegally last year. Those conducting the analysis compared voters first names, last names, dates of birth and the first five digits of their social security numbers, but other studies have also shown its extremely easy to get false positives when comparing voter data.

Michael McDonald, a professor at the University of Florida, is leading an effort to replicate and verify that study. He cautioned not to jump to any conclusions and that many instances in the report that appear to be double voting could in fact turn out to be administrative errors.

"These are all allegations at this point, none of this has been substantiated by election officials or law enforcement doing additional follow up," he said in an interview. "The allegations are one thing, but then when you actually start investigating, you find something different. We have to be clear to distinguish allegations and there hasn't been verification of the allegations in the report at this point."

Von Spakovsky, a member of the commission, also submitted a database from the conservative Heritage Foundation claiming to contain nearly 1,100 of instances of voter fraud. The Brennan Center for Justice released its own analysis of the report Friday, debunking many of the instances of alleged fraud. John Lott, a controversial gun researcher whose work has been questioned, submitted a presentation to the committee saying people who dont have photo ID  which several states require to vote  can get it if theyre motivated enough. But minorities, the poor and the elderly often face systematic barriers to getting photo identification and critics say that voter ID laws make it more difficult for them to cast a ballot.

The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, which is suing the commission over its practice for disclosing documents, criticized the list of speakers.

By stacking the deck with an all-white and male cast of panelists, the Commission has created an echo chamber to support Kris Kobachs baseless claims of voter fraud, the groups president said in a statement.

Kobach caused widespread backlash when he sent a letter to officials in all 50 states asking them to disclose sensitive voter information. But since its first meeting on July 19, its been unclear what the panel has been working on. Several commissioners on the probe said theyre hoping to learn more about that too.

I mean thats the first thing of research, right? Know what it is youre looking for, Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap (D), a commission member, said in an interview with HuffPost. I think if we could come out with a clearer path of what it is were trying to answer for questions, I think that would be very productive. Despite being on the commission, Dunlap has refused to turn over voter data from his state.

David Dunn, a former Arkansas state lawmaker and Democratic commission member, said he hasnt had very much communication with other members of the commission and wants Kobach and other members who allege widespread voter fraud to present concrete evidence. Two other Democrats on the commission, Mark Rhodes, a the county clerk in Wood County, West Virginia, and Alan King, an Alabama probate judge, wont attend Tuesdays meeting in person because of scheduling conflicts.

King, who informed the commission he had a scheduling conflict on Sept. 12 before Tuesday, meeting was scheduled, wrote a forceful statement for the meeting in which he laid out 10 recommendations for the panel to consider. Those suggestions include focusing every available American resource on allegations of Russian hacking  a topic relatively untouched by the commission  and enacting federal laws making it a crime to suppress votes. King also criticized efforts to aggressively purge voters from the rolls. Conceding there may be a few isolated instances of voter fraud, King wrote thousands upon thousands more people are stricken from voter rolls without justifiable cause or have their vote suppressed.

The reality is that the less affluent in our society are more prone to move and more prone to have an economic position in life, just to survive. But that does not mean officials in government should game the system to deprive the less affluent from voting, simply because they may have moved from one election to another only to be stricken from the active voter list, he wrote. To move voters from active to inactive based on a flawed system is unconscionable.

Kobach stirred controversy ahead of the meeting when he authored an extremely misleading op-ed in Breitbart, a far-right website, claiming there was proof of widespread voter fraud in New Hampshire. Kobach argued it was clear there was fraud because thousands of the people who used same-day registration using an out of state drivers license had failed to obtain a New Hampshire license by the end of August. The state, however, sets different qualifications for those who can vote and those who can obtain a drivers licenses, and election officials continue to say theres no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the state. The data Kobach used to claim proof of voter fraud was submitted to the commission ahead of the Tuesday meeting.

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

Critics have expressed considerable alarm over Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach's leadership of the commission. (Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Kobachs claim prompted New Hampshires two Democratic senators, Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, to call on New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner (D), a commissioner who helped arrange the meeting, to step down from the panel. Gardner has refused.

The panel has also faced at least seven lawsuits over its transparency requirements and obligations for undergoing administrative review before collecting massive amounts of voter data. While a D.C. federal judge denied several requests in those lawsuits to block the committee from meeting, the litigation is ongoing. Department of Justice lawyers recently apologized in court for failing to disclose meeting materials ahead of its meeting in July, saying the panel had gotten off to a chaotic start.

There are also lingering questions about how the commission plans to secure all of the voter data it plans to collect. After initially saying voter data would be stored on a military server, Kobach changed course and told state election officials it would be stored at the White House. Kobach has said the data will be deleted once the committees work has been completed.

Also on HuffPost

Alabama State Capitol (Montgomery, Ala.)

Pictured on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Alaska State Capitol (Juneau, Alaska)

Pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Chris Miller)

Arizona State Capitol (Phoenix)

Pictured on Friday, April 23, 2010. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Arkansas State Capitol (Little Rock, Ark.)

Pictured on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)

California State Capitol (Sacramento, Calif.)

Pictured on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2006. (Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images)

Colorado State Capitol (Denver)

Pictured on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Connecticut State Capitol (Hartford, Conn.)

Pictured on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 1999. (AP Photo/Bob Child)

Delaware State Capitol (Dover, Del.)

Florida State Capitol (Tallahassee, Fla.)

Pictured on Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Georgia State Capitol (Atlanta)

Pictured on Tuesday, November 13, 2007. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

Hawaii State Capitol (Honolulu)

Idaho State Capitol (Boise, Idaho)

Pictured on Monday, Jan. 14, 2008. (Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Illinois State Capitol (Springfield, Ill.)

Pictured on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2004. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Indiana State Capitol (Indianapolis)

Pictured on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Iowa State Capitol (Des Moines, Iowa)

Pictured on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Kansas State Capitol (Topeka, Kan.)

Pictured on Thursday, April 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Kentucky State Capitol (Frankfort, Ky.)

Pictured on Wednesday, April 12, 2006. (AP Photo/James Crisp)

Louisiana State Capitol (Baton Rouge, La.)

Pictured on Monday, Jan. 14, 2008. (Matthew HINTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Maine State Capitol (Augusta, Me.)

Pictured on Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

Maryland State House (Annapolis, Md.)

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Massachusetts State House (Boston)

Pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)

Michigan State Capitol (Lansing, Mich.)

Pictured on Wednesday, April 13, 2011. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Minnesota State Capitol (St. Paul, Minn.)

Pictured on Friday, July 1, 2011. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Mississippi State Capitol (Jackson, Miss.)

Pictured on Thursday, June 10, 1999. (AP Photo/Rogelio Solis)

Missouri State Capitol (Jefferson City, Mo.)

Pictured on Friday, Oct. 16, 2000. (Photo credit should read ORLIN WAGNER/AFP/Getty Images)

Montana State Capitol (Helena, Mont.)

Nebraska State Capitol (Lincoln, Neb.)

Pictured on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 1998. (AP Photo/S.E. McKee)

Nevada State Capitol (Carson City, Nev.)

New Hampshire State House (Concord, N.H.)

Pictured on Friday, Dec. 28, 2001. (Todd Warshaw//Pool/Getty Images

New Jersey State House (Trenton, N.J.)

Pictured on Friday, Aug. 13, 2004. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

New Mexico State Capitol (Santa Fe, N.M.)

New York State Capitol (Albany, N.Y.)

Pictured on Sunday, March 16, 2008. (Photo by Daniel Barry/Getty Images)

North Carolina State Capitol (Raleigh, N.C.)

Pictured in 1930. (AP Photo)

North Dakota State Capitol (Bismarck, N.D.)

Pictured on Thursday, April 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Dale Wetzel)

Ohio Statehouse (Columbus, Ohio)

Pictured on Tuesday, March 8, 2011. (Photo by Mike Munden/Getty Images)

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
By Can Sezer SILIVRI, Turkey (Reuters) - A Turkish court remanded five prominent staff from the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper in custody on Monday in a trial which President Tayyip Erdogan's critics have condemned as an attack on free speech. The court said the newspaper correspondents and executives, some of whom have already been detained for 10 months, should remain in detention until more evidence was presented. "The court has decided to keep the arrested until witnesses are heard," chief judge Abdurrahman Orkun Dag said after a 13-hour session, adjourning the case for two weeks. "After hearing the witnesses, we think a more healthy decision could be reached." Prosecutors say Cumhuriyet was effectively taken over by supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric blamed by the government for last year's failed coup attempt, and that the paper was used to target Erdogan and "veil the actions of terrorist groups." The newspaper has denied the charges and a defense attorney said on Monday that the court was ignoring evidence being put forward. "As this is a political trial, material evidence is not taken into account," said Tora Pekin. The court remanded in custody editor in chief Murat Sabuncu, executive committee member and attorney Akin Atalay and three other staff. The rest of the 17 defendants are either free until the next hearing or are being tried in absentia. Atala's wife Adalet Dinamit said the charges against her husband were politically motivated: "This is not a trial held within bounds of law," she told reporters outside the court. Previous hearings in the case had taken place in Istanbul but Monday's session was moved to Silivri, the site of a large prison about 60 km (40 miles) west of the city. "CONTRADICTING EU VALUES" Prosecutors are seeking up to 43 years in jail for the newspaper staff, who stand accused of targeting Erdogan through "asymmetric war methods." Social media posts comprised the bulk of evidence in the indictment, along with allegations that staff had been in contact with users of Bylock, an encrypted messaging app the government says was used by Gulen's followers. Rights groups and Turkey's Western allies have complained of deteriorating human rights under Erdogan. In the crackdown since last July's failed coup, 50,000 people have been jailed pending trial and some 150,000 detained or dismissed from their jobs. Around 150 media outlets have been shut down and 160 journalists jailed, the Turkish Journalists Association says. "The charges are ridiculous, the case does not make sense," said Steven Ellis of the International Press Institute, who attended Monday's hearing. Ellis said the future of Turkey's stalled European Union accession process could be decided by the outcome of the Cumhuriyet case. German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for the first time this month for the talks to be ended, saying Turkey was moving away from Europe. "As long as they keep on trials like this, I don't know how accession process may go forward," Ellis said. "The case contradicts values that the EU puts forward." Turkish authorities say the crackdown is justified by the gravity of the coup attempt, in which rogue soldiers tried to overthrow the government, killing 250 people, mostly civilians. Cumhuriyet's former chief editor Can Dundar, who is living in Germany, is being tried in absentia. An arrest warrant for Dundar remains in force. (Editing by Dominic Evans and Jonathan Oatis)
The Mindy Project cast emotionally reflects on shows legacy

With so much to watch on TV it can be difficult to plan ahead. But were here to help! Here are the five shows you wont want to miss this week.

The Mindy Project: Tuesday, Sept. 12 on Hulu

After six seasons and two networks, Mindy Kalings eponymous project is nearing completion. Look for the return of some familiar faces, as well as an appearance by the creator/stars new BFF, Reese Witherspoon.

South Park: Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central

Be prepared to feel old: Trey Parker and Matt Stones baby has officially reached legal drinking age as South Park enters Season 21. And be sure to stick around for the fourth season premiere of Broad City, now with an all-new bleeped swear word. (Hint: It rhymes with Dump.)

Riviera: Thursday, Sept. 14 on Sundance Now

Julia Stiles headlines this 10-episode British import from The Crying Game director, Neil Jordan, playing an American art curator who is unexpectedly plunged into the European crime world after the death of her husband.

The Primetime Emmy Awards: Sunday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. on CBS

With Game of Thrones out of the running this year, will Westworld continue to keep HBOs Outstanding Drama-winning streak alive? Or is This Is Us poised to return the crown to network television? Root for your favorites on TVs biggest night.

The Vietnam War: Sunday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. on PBS

27 years after his landmark series, The Civil War, Ken Burns chronicles a conflict whose aftereffects are still being felt today, at home and abroad.

Read more from Yahoo TV:

Review: Seth MacFarlanes space comedy The Orville falls flat

The Walking Dead: Will Maggies baby be born in Season 8?

Outlander postmortem: EP Maril Davis on Jamie and Black Jacks beautiful showdown


By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Monday charged Deutsche Bank's former head of subprime mortgage trading with civil fraud in connection with conduct dating back to the 2007-2009 financial crisis.

Paul Mangione, the former trader, is accused in the complaint of misrepresenting information about the loans underpinning two residential mortgage-backed securities that were sold to investors.

The government's case against the former trader, filed in a federal court in Brooklyn, came after the bank in January reached a $7.2 billion settlement in a related case over risky mortgage securities sold to investors.

Patrick Smith, an attorney at Smith Villazor LLP representing Mangione, issued a lengthy statement criticizing the government for bringing the case against his client.

"The decision to sue Paul Mangione for civil penalties in this case is both wrong and unfair," Smith said.

"The facts show that Mr. Mangione never agreed to mislead any investor. And its unfair because Mr. Mangione is being singled out for blame on two ten-year old securitization transactions on which numerous other participants had more input and responsibility," Smith said.

The Justice Department charged Mangione for his role in the alleged scheme in its complaint, saying he defrauded investors in a $1 billion security called ACE 2007-HE4 and another $400 million security called ACE 2007-HE5.

The government also said he misled people about the origination practices of Chapel Funding LLC, one of the bank's subsidiaries, and approved offering documents that misstated information about the loans, such as borrowers' ability to repay and whether they complied with lending guidelines.

"By allegedly misleading investors about the riskiness of these securities, Mr. Mangione prioritized his and his employers bottom line over principles of honesty and fair dealing," said Chad Readler, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Departments Civil Division.

Story continues

The bank's settlement was the largest resolution for the conduct of a single entity in misleading investors in residential mortgage-backed securities, surpassing the $7 billion that Citigroup had previously paid to federal and state authorities in 2014.

Mangione's attorney, meanwhile, said his client "had no role" in buying or originating the loans and no oversight of Chapel's mortgage loan underwriting operations.

"We will fight the allegations in this overwrought complaint," Smith said.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Diane Craft)
Geneva (AFP) - The UN rights chief warned Monday of possible "crimes against humanity" in Venezuela, prompting the crisis-wracked country to accuse his office of wielding human rights as "a political weapon".

Venezuela's crisis has caused food and medicine shortages, deadly unrest and calls for President Nicolas Maduro to quit.

Clashes with security forces at anti-government protests have left around 130 people dead since April.

"My investigation suggests the possibility that crimes against humanity may have been committed," Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said at the opening of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council, the United Nations' top rights body.

International powers accuse Maduro of dismantling democracy by taking over state institutions in order to resist the opposition pressure.

"There is a very real danger that tensions will further escalate, with the government crushing democratic institutions and critical voices," Zeid warned, calling for an international probe.

He said an investigation by his office had noted the widespread use of "criminal proceedings against opposition leaders, recourse to arbitrary detentions, excessive use of force and ill-treatment of detainees, which in some cases amounts to torture."

- 'Bias' -

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza Montserrat also addressed the council Monday, demanding that Zeid stop his office's "aggressions" towards Venezuela, and slamming "the political, selective and bias use of human rights."

"The strategy used against my country from certain centres of power is a clear example of the use of human rights as a political weapon," he told the council.

He warned that recent reports from the UN rights office "have no methodological rigour, they are baseless and they are trying to upset our sovereignty, peace and stability."

Late last month, Zeid echoed international concerns that Venezuela was slipping into dictatorship, cautioning that democracy in the country was "barely alive, if still alive."

Story continues

In a report, his office at the time accused Venezuelan authorities of implementing a policy of systematic repression and excessive force with the aim to "crush dissent and instil fear in the population" to curb the protests against Maduro.

The tactics listed in the report included "the use of electric shocks, severe beatings, stress positions, suffocation, and threats of sexual violence and death."

The report also criticised Venezuela's all-powerful constituent assembly and its "truth commission", which has been tasked with investigating several opposition leaders for treason.

Julieta Lopez, the aunt of one of Venezuela's top jailed opposition figures Leonardo Lopez, warned Monday that the country "cannot survive without international assistance."

- Dictatorship 'too soft' -

"Dictatorship is too soft a word," she told reporters on the sidelines of the rights council, maintaining that "Venezuela is being run by a gang of organised criminals."

Zeid stressed the need to hold perpetrators of rights abuses in Venezuela accountable, telling the council Monday he supported the concept of a truth commission.

But "the current mechanism is inadequate," he said, urging that "it be reconfigured with the support and involvement of the international community."

He called on the rights council "to establish an international investigation into the human rights violations in Venezuela."

Zeid also pointed out that Venezuela currently holds one of the 47 rotating seats on the Human Rights Council, and thus has a particular duty to "uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights."

Without naming Venezuela specifically, he called on the council to consider "the need to exclude from this body states involved in the most egregious violations of human rights."

Zeid received support from 116 non-governmental organisations, mainly from Latin America, who on Monday issued a joint statement insisting Venezuela should be among the rights council's top priorities.

"Member states should send a clear message to the Venezuelan government that these abuses are not tolerated and those responsible of abuses will eventually be brought to justice," the statement read.

The International Commission of Jurists meanwhile cautioned that Venezuela's Supreme Court had "ceased to act as an independent court upholding the rule of law, but has become an arm of an authoritarian executive."
Beirut (AFP) - Tribal figures linked to a US-backed alliance announced plans Monday for a council to run Syria's Deir Ezzor, as the alliance and regime troops battle jihadists in and around the city.

Held by the Islamic State group, the city is the capital of the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, regarded as a strategic prize by both Syrian troops and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

With Russian backing, Syrian regime forces have seized western parts of the province and breached IS's years-long siege on parts of the city.

SDF fighters are waging a separate offensive that has captured swathes of territory from IS east of the Euphrates River, which cuts across the province, but have yet to reach the city itself.

Tribal figures on Monday announced they were laying the groundwork for a civil council to run the city after IS's defeat, according to a statement published by the SDF's media office.

They called for "establishing a preparatory committee that will discuss (with the local community) the basis and starting points for a civil council for Deir Ezzor."

Ongoing consultations would aim to reach a "formulation that will express the aspirations of all our people in Deir Ezzor".

The future council "will be responsible for running the city immediately after its liberation", the statement added.

It made no mention of regime forces, who are currently in control of about half of Deir Ezzor city, and did not say whether the civil council would coordinate with, or rival, government authorities.

Since 2014, IS has held swathes of the province and about 60 percent of its capital, encircling two regime-held enclaves in the western half of Deir Ezzor city.

Government troops have broken both jihadist sieges and were preparing on Monday to launch an offensive on the eastern districts still held by IS.

"Military reinforcements have been arriving since Sunday night to begin the operation to seize control of the city," said Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

Story continues

He said the SDF had advanced to six kilometres (four miles) from the eastern banks of the Euphrates River across from Deir Ezzor city.

The SDF's advance is backed by the US-led coalition battling IS in Iraq and Syria since 2014.

The coalition, the SDF, Syria's government and Russia have agreed on a "de-confliction line" in northeastern Syria to prevent the two offensives from clashing.
Algiers (AFP) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited fellow OPEC member Algeria Monday for talks after announcing Caracas would sell crude oil in non-dollar currencies in a bid to resist US sanctions.

Maduro arrived late Sunday in the North African country and met Senate speaker Abdelkader Bensalah on Monday to discuss oil policies, the Venezuelan government said.

The Algerian presidency said Maduro and his hosts were to review the situation on world oil markets.

The statements made no mention of whether he would meet his ailing Algerian counterpart President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 80, and an official told AFP Monday the issue was still unclear.

Algeria's official APS news agency said Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia and Energy Minister Mustapha Guitouni were also at the meeting.

It took place at Bouteflika's official residence in Zeralda, where he receives foreign guests, it said.

The Venezuelan presidency said the talks covered a 2016 OPEC deal to cut oil production in a bid to boost low crude prices.

After the meeting, Maduro said there was "a climate favourable to the policy of a fair price for black gold", it said.

It said oil sector cooperation between Algiers and Caracas was also on the agenda.

Both Algeria and Venezuela are members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel, and have been hard hit by low oil prices following a market slump in 2014.

Venezuela has to make $3.8 billion in debt payments in October and November, while its foreign currency reserves have sunk under $10 billion.

It has also been hit by tough new American sanctions that bar American banks from trading in new bonds issued by Venezuela's government or the state-run oil company PDVSA.

Washington's goal is to restrict the South American country's access to vital bond and equity markets.

Maduro said on Friday he planned "to start selling oil, gas and all other products that Venezuela sells with new currencies, including the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen, the Russian ruble, the Indian rupee among others.

Story continues

"An economy free from the US imperialist system is possible," he said during a television broadcast.

The slump in crude oil prices has also forced Algeria's government to raise taxes and mothball many public projects as the country struggles with high unemployment.

Maduro arrived from Astana where he attended a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
As Hurricane Irma flooded the streets of Miami on Sunday afternoon, voice after voice beeped to life in a Miami channel on the walkie-talkie app, Zello.

One person said his food was wet, and asked if anyone might come help him evacuate. Another said he was compiling a database of people with boats and others willing to volunteer to any rescue effort. Others asked simple questions such as, "what category is the hurricane?" and "how's everybody doing in Miami?"

SEE ALSO: National Hurricane Center's headquarters is in Irma's pathbut it's built to take a hit

Zello is a free app that works like a walkie-talkie, if your walkie-talkie had much wider range. Using cell service and Wi-Fi, the app allows people to beep into a wide-ranging conversations. Some of those conversations are centered on geographic areas such as Miami, around which people seemed to be coordinating rescue efforts amid the rising floodwaters of Hurricane Irma.

Zello has around 100 million users, many of them outside the United States, but it gained significant attention inside the U.S. in late August and early September amid a different devastating storm.

As Hurricane Harvey dumped unprecedented amounts of water on Houston and surrounding parts of Texas during August's closing days, Zello users  including the famous makeshift rescue group called the "Cajun Navy"  used the app to figure out who had a boat or a jet ski and where to send them.

Volunteers used Zello to compile addresses of people in need of rescue, and talked with others on the app to figure out who had been rescued and who still needed help to evacuate.

Six million people have signed up for Zello since Hurricane Harvey, according to Alexey Gavrilov, the company's founder and chief technology officer.

The influx of new users amid devastating storms has led to long hours at Zello over the past few weeks, but Gavrilov said they managed to keep the app humming but for a few blips. The company added 21 new servers last week, and they've tried to tamp down rumors that Zello would work even without access to the internet.

Story continues

That should be encouraging to folks in Florida who won't necessarily be able to rely on cell service to get whatever help they need. They will, however, need their cell phones if they want to use Zello. As the flooding worsened in Miami on Sunday afternoon, it seemed every third or fourth user in one Irma-related channel urged people to turn off their phones to conserve battery for later, when they might need it most.
If Twitter existed in the '70s and Sylvester Stallone used it, he may have ended up a nobody while someone like Burt Reynolds starred in Rocky. A judge dismissed a lawsuit by little-known actor Jarrett Alexander, over an idea he tweeted to Stallone in 2012 about the concept for a movie he called Creed. However, the court ruled there's no proof Stallone or director Ryan Coogler ever saw the tweets, and even if they did, never agreed to anything with Alexander.

Alexander's title, Creed, and story about the rise of Apollo Creed's son certainly line up with parts of the film. However, Coogler said he independently came up with the the film, and the plot is substantially different. For instance, Alexander's concept had the younger Creed taking on Russian baddie Ivan Drago's offspring in a mixed martial arts storyline.

Alexander wrote a script, copyrighted it and created a fairly elaborate pitch reel using scenes and characters from earlier films, then posted it on "creedmovie.com." He claimed that Stallone, a Twitter user with 2.6 million followers, "must have seen his copyrighted materials and ideas," because Alexander (who has 79 followers) submitted links to his Twitter handle and website, the lawsuit states. He did so, he said, "with the understanding, derived from long-standing industry custom, that he would be compensated if the Creed concept was used."

However, the judge noted that the "long-standing industry custom," since a 1956 case is actually to secure an agreement before disclosing your idea, or producers can essentially feel free to steal it. "It strains reason that defendants 'accepted' plaintiff's order to enter a contract ... from a unilateral tweet and from Plaintiff disseminating his Creed idea on the internet," Judge Ronald S.W. Lew said.

Furthermore, the judge said there's no way for Alexander to prove that Stallone or anybody else saw the tweet, since no one involved ever replied to it. "The Court will not allow a breach of implied contract claim to proceed on ... tweets to a popular celebrity social media account which were never responded to," he said.

The case was watched with interest by the legal community, as it touches on both contract and copyright law and ties in new-fangled social media, to boot. Ironically, lawyers for the filmmakers argued that it was Alexander who was violating copyright law by creating an "unauthorized derivative work," i.e., his concept for a sequel, using characters and clips from old Rocky movies.
White House social media director Dan Scavino Jr. tweeted a video on Sunday he initially claimed showed a flooded Miami International Airport during Hurricane Irma.

In fact, the video didnt feature Miamis airport nor was it taken during Hurricane Irma.

The tweet has since been deleted, but Scavino wrote that he was Sharing #HurricaneIrma on social media with President @realDonaldTrump and @VP Pence hourly. Here is Miami International Airport. Stay safe!!

Several users on social media said it appeared to be a clip of Mexico Citys airport during an earlier storm. Miami International Airport took to its own Twitter account to set the record straight:

This video is not from Miami International Airport.  Miami Int'l Airport (@iflymia) September 10, 2017

Scavino, who routinely blasts news organizations such as CNN and The New York Times for what he calls fake news, deleted the tweet but did not apologize for his mistake. Instead, he blamed his error on the fact that he was receiving hundreds of videos.

Thank you. It was among 100s of videos/pics I am receiving re: Irma from public. In trying to notify all, I shared - have deleted. Be safe!  Dan Scavino Jr. (@Scavino45) September 10, 2017

The airport thanked Scavino for deleting the tweet. The public, however, was less forgiving:

You would hope that the "White House Director of Social Media" would know better about authenticating videos before sharing them with POTUS pic.twitter.com/TTourdnZuO  Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) September 10, 2017

You have a duty to 'verify' before sharing. Literally your job. Your improperly punctuated Tweet skips over that. Not okay.  CindyWheeler (@cincity631) September 11, 2017

Might I suggest @MSNBC or @CNN for, you know, ACTUAL REAL NEWS. K? Thx! xox  -Bill- (@govierbill) September 10, 2017

Yeah, who would want to verify information was accurate before passing it on to the President?  John Maddening (@johnmaddening) September 10, 2017

Breaking: tour group stranded on deserted island off Florida's coast after their boat runs aground during #Irma pic.twitter.com/mWNvIfAuJG  K Doyle (@CalReason) September 10, 2017

Maybe research *before* sharing?  Kevin Binswanger (@Anusien) September 10, 2017

You're not very professional. Why do you have to "share" with POTUS and VP on social media anyway? Aren't they briefed on events?  Amazed in Brooklyn (@Brooklynwatch) September 10, 2017

.@Scavino45 hey man did you see this crazy picture of south beach???? Omg!! pic.twitter.com/iUNKc2wQK6  Rob Flaherty (@Rob_Flaherty) September 10, 2017

you didn't think to do proper due diligence before sharing a video during a disaster??  Megan R. Smith (@MeganRSmith83) September 10, 2017

your job isn't to effing crowdsource. You have legitimate sources of info ffs. Fire yourself.  Melissa Byrne (@mcbyrne) September 10, 2017

GIF of a ship sinking just off the coast from the bigly power of Irma. It broke records. pic.twitter.com/Cj1CKgA7HI  AltHomelandSecurity (@AltHomelandSec) September 10, 2017

Fake news eh? Watch CNN or Weather Channel for real news  Craig (@CraigNJ66) September 10, 2017

Fake news, Dan! Might want to vet your sources next time.  Ruby (@motherofshoes) September 10, 2017

Also on HuffPost

Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

A truck was blown over as Hurricane Irma passed through the Florida Keys.

A man died when his pickup truck crashed into a tree in the Florida Keys.

High winds split a large tree in Coral Beach.

MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 10: People walk past a building where the roof was blown off by Hurricane Irma on September 10, 2017 in Miami, Florida. Hurricane Irma, which first made landfall in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm on Sunday, has weakened to a Category 2 as it moves up the coast. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Boats at a marina in Coconut Grove

Flooding in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida, U.S. September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Yang

A street sign is knocked over by high winds in Coral Beach.

Flooding in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida, U.S. September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Yang

Boats at a marina in Coconut Grove.

A vehicle drives along a flooded street in downtown Miami.

Flooding begins in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida, U.S. September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Yang

A collapsed construction crane downtown Miami.

Palm trees blow in the winds in Bonita Springs.

Broken tree branches block roads in Coral Beach.

East Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Its been 10 years since then-Myspace celebrity Chris Crocker posted a tear-filled plea to the world, Leave Britney Alone, a legendary moment in the history of the internet that people still talk about today.

Before there was Rebecca Black, Justin Bieber, or David After Dentist, there was Chris Crocker, one of the original YouTube stars. Ten years ago, the bleached-blond Tennessee teen found instant and unlikely fame when a camcorder rant he shot at his grandparents house, Leave Britney Alone  a sobbing defense of his fallen idol Britney Spears after she was mercilessly blasted in the media for her disastrous MTV Video Music Awards performance  went viral in an era before that term even existed. The clip racked up more than 4 million views in just two days, and as of 2012 that number was 44 million; Crockers YouTube channel eventually received more than 255 million views before he closed his account in September 2015.

Now age 29, Crocker has taken to Instagram to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Leave Britney Alone and share what hes learned since posting the controversial clip as an emotional teenager.

(Videos below contain profanity)

10 years ago today I uploaded this pic.twitter.com/wslJlsWHoz  Chris Crocker (@ChrisCrocker) September 10, 2017

The No. 1 thing would be not to let the things people say about you online get to you, Crocker begins. I didnt know how to deal with it. I knew if I tried to explain to everyone  my mom became homeless that year; my mom got back from Iraq from serving in the war and she had addiction issues; I was dealing with a lot in my family  I knew if I tried to explain that, no one would listen to me. So instead what I decided to do was, Oh, if they think Im a joke, then Im going to act like a joke. That didnt help me out in the long run.

No. 2 is dont let the words other people say about you define you. No. 3, I think that we forget sometimes that the things we post online can last for a long time  here we are, 10 years later, still talking about this  so definitely be cautious when you post things. And No. 4: Let the haters kick f***ing rocks, man!

Story continues

What I've learned since making The Leave Britney Alone video. A post shared by Chris Crocker (@itschriscrocker) on Sep 10, 2017 at 2:19pm PDT

But there is more to Chris Crocker than just those two minutes and 12 seconds of online infamy. Throughout the 2000s he did the talk-show circuit; pursued careers in both electropop music and porn; shifted his online profile to social media (he currently has 249,000 followers on Twitter and 769,000 on Instagram); and played himself in Weezers Grammy-winning Pork and Beans music video. Most notably, however, in 2012 Crocker was the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary, Me @ the Zoo. I think I saw some of my younger mom in Britney when I was a kid, he said in the film.

Me @ the Zoo, which was executive-produced by R.E.M.s Michael Stipe and chronicled Crockers troubled upbringing as the effeminate, frequently bullied son of a meth-addicted teen mom, established Crocker as an early spokesperson for the anti-bullying movement. In one scene, Crocker  who stopped going to school during his junior high years to avoid daily bullying for being overtly gay and basically became a teenage shut-in from that point on, living with his paternal grandparents  explained that he posted videos on MySpace and YouTube as a way of defending myself against the people in my hometown without having to fight back physically.

At the time, many naysayers questioned why a documentarian would want to create an entire film about some D-list web star, but now, in an age when almost everyone lives online, bullying is a hotter topic than ever, and Spears is enjoying her own comeback, Crockers story truly resonates. As Me @ the Zoo co-director Valerie Veatch told HBO: In some ways [Crocker is] the first gay person online to express an aggressive, confident persona that I think so many young kids look to and model themselves after. On one level, hes extremely entertaining and has a great aesthetic. And on another level, hes a very brave person. And I think his bravery and his honesty are what people are drawn to.

In another new online post this week, Crocker reflects: The truth is and always was about standing up for someone and not standing idly by when you see someone hurt by others. In the 10 years since this video, a lot of LGBTQ YouTubers are celebrated for who they are. I often wonder if I had started videos later, if I wouldve been treated differently. But what I will say is this: Even if I got a public beating for standing up for what is right: Im happy I did. And Ill always love @britneyspears.
Autonomous vehicle startup Zoox is in talks with Japanese investment firm SoftBank to raise more funding. We've confirmed the news, which was first reported by Axios.

We're hearing the discussions are in the early stages and nothing has been finalized, but that SoftBank has been interested in Zoox for a while. The startup is also talking to other unnamed potential investors.

Zoox presently has a valuation above $1.5 billion and previously raised capital from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Lux Capital and others. Axios is reporting that the SoftBank conversations have been in the $3 billion to $4 billion valuation range.

Building vehicles is a capital-intensive business, so it's no surprise that Zoox would seek more funding. And SoftBank's Vision Fund has about $100 billion to invest, so the team is looking for opportunities to write big checks.

Zoox has been quietly building self-driving cars, sharing little detail about its plans. We're hearing that the group has explored creating an Uber-like on-demand service.

The race to build self-driving cars has been heating up. Uber and Alphabet's Waymo are amongst the many companies that have been building prototypes.

Zoox was founded in 2014 by Jesse Levinson, who came from Stanfords self-driving car group, and Tim Kentley-Klay, an entrepreneur from Australia. The Menlo Park-based startup has been hiring employees from companies like Tesla, Alphabet and Apple.

We've reached out to Zoox for comment.
Busy Philipps and Michelle Williams just took the BFF game up a notch. (Photo: Instagram/busyphilipps)

Busy Philipps just gave Michelle Williams a pretty amazing birthday gift that took #FriendshipGoals to the next level. Philipps, who is in Boston shooting I Feel Pretty with Amy Shumer, Aidy Bryant, and, of course, Williams, posted an image of herself, alone, wearing a black leather jacket that sported half of a heart and the letters BE FRI.

On my way to find my other half. A post shared by Busy Philipps (@busyphilipps) on Sep 9, 2017 at 5:17pm PDT

Her follow-up post revealed her other half and the other part of the message, and a sweet birthday message. The jackets, when side by side, make a heart and the words Best Friends  just like a friendship necklace or bracelet from grade school, only this jacket is a little bit more expensive.

Found her. Happy birthday to my better half. I love you, M. You make everything better. A post shared by Busy Philipps (@busyphilipps) on Sep 9, 2017 at 8:35pm PDT

OK, a lot more expensive. The Veda Jayne Best Friends jacket retails at Shopbop for $1,320, and thats just for one. The pair will run you a whopping $2,640. Theres also a $285 jean-jacket version on the site if you have a friendship youd like to celebrate in style. Or head to your middle-school favorite Claires and get a cute necklace version for about $12.

Photo: Shopbop.com

Williams, who was most recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Manchester by the Sea, attends most of her major red carpet appearances with Philipps. The duo are filming in Boston, and by the looks of Philippss Instagram, are having a great time in the city (have some lobster rolls for us, please!).

Just two BFFs on lunch break. #ifeelpretty A post shared by Busy Philipps (@busyphilipps) on Sep 8, 2017 at 5:23pm PDT

Williams told the press at the 2017 Golden Globes: Im here with my best friend. Im so in love with her. Shes proof that the love of your life does not have to be a man! Thats the love of my life right there.

Their devotion to each other is not only admirable, but also serves as a reminder that a committed platonic friendship can play just as vital a role in life as ones spouse or romantic partner.

Story continues

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.




The mustachioed man entering Raghadan Palace was flanked by two assistants. He seemed younger than his seventy years and the hat he donned concealed his graying hair. His visit with Hussein, then King of Jordan, was kept in total secrecy. The man was an Israeli, and in those daysNovember of 1993the two countries hadn't yet established diplomatic relations. In fact, officially, they were still in a state of war.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The fake mustache and hat made it hard to recognize one of the most recognizable Israelis in the world: Shimon Peres, who was then the foreign minister. His assistants were deputy Mossad director Efarim Halevy and Avi Gil, his chief of staff.

Peres visits the Negev Nuclear Research Center (Photo: Israel Atomic Energy Commission)

"I couldnt help but laugh as I glued the mustache to my face," wrote Israel's former president in his autobiographical book titled No Room for Small Dreams, which will published in Israel and around the world this month to mark the one year anniversary of his death.

"I thought back to the sunglasses we put on Moshe Dayan to hide his eye patch; of the wide-brimmed hat we affixed to Ben Gurion's head to hide his characteristically chaotic white hair. How many times in my life had we put on such silly disguises in pursuit of something that others were certain was impossible? These were some of the very best memories of my relative youth. And knowing at seventy that I was still in the fight, still battling for the future of Israel, gave the mustache a certain power. I looked like an actor in a low-budget stage show, but I felt like the tip of the spear," Peres wrote of his meeting with the Jordanian king.

Peres dons mustache and fedora to visit Amman for peace talks with Jordan.

This meeting, however, in a royal palace overlooking Amman's old city, was not the pair's first. Seven years prior they had secretly convened in London.

"Yet from the moment the conversation began," Peres recalled, "it felt like it had never quite ended. We treated each other as old friends, and found once again a common view of the future."

Peres reveals some of his disguises.

A year later, on October 26, 1994, that view became a reality. In a festive ceremony held in the Arava valley near Eilat, in front of then US President Bill Clinton and 5,000 other guests, King Hussein and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the historic peace accord between Israel and Jordan.

A copy for Mongolia's foreign minister

Ayelet Frish, who worked alongside Peres for more than a decade, served as spokeswoman during his tenure as Israel's president and now serves as the director of the Innovation Center at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, said Peres flatly refused to pen an autobiographical memoir for years.

"When I asked him why he won't write one," said Frish, "he said he simply couldn't bear to write about himself and preferred others do that instead."

In the last months of his life something changed, however. "We thought he'd live to at least 100," Frish reminisced. "He kept on working every day from five in the morning until midnight, and just two weeks before he died, he was the keynote speaker in a conference in Italy. But His Excellency the PresidentI still call him thatmust have felt his days were numbered. He understood he was down to the last few grains of sand in the hourglass, so to speak, and it was now his responsibility to pay his vision forward, to the younger generation of not just Israel but the entire world. He agreed to write only after becoming convinced the book's goal wasn't to simply glorify him, but to tell the awe-inspiring story of the State of Israel from his own point of view."

The goal then became publishing the book in as many languages as possible. "We wanted to reach young executives in China and the leaders of the future in Africa," Frish said.

It was precisely for that reason the book was written in English, and will be published early next week by HarperCollins, one of the world's largest book publishers. There are also talks on translating it to dozens of other languages, including Arabic.

"Even the Mongolian foreign minister has already asked for a copy," Frish said.

The book was finished about a month before Peres passed away at 93 on September 28, 2016. "For several weeks, he secluded himself in a Tel Aviv apartment with staff members and a documenter from the American publisher and just pieced together his life's story again," Frish said about the writing process. "It was quite an experience to get a first-person account of how Israel came to be from practically nothing thanks to people like him. Thanks to the daring, the willingness to take risks, not fearing failure and the recognition our greatest capital lies in our heads and not the land."

Recommendations from Albert Einstein

This attitude is also reflected in the story of the creation of the Dimona nuclear reactor, to which an entire chapter in the book is dedicated.

The vision was David Ben-Gurion's. The application was placed in the hands of scientists, headed by Professors Ernst David Bergmann and Israel Dostrovsky, and the men of execution, chiefly Emmanuel (Manes) Pratt.

No person is more synonymous with the Israeli nuclear project, however, than Shimon Peres. As director-general of the Ministry of Defense and then deputy minister, he was entrusted with the country's most ambitiousand secretiveproject, accompanying it every step of the way: from the complex and sensitive negotiations with the French, who gave the reactor to Israel, through raising the immense funds required to provide Israel with its nuclear deterrence, and ending with locating, training and guiding the reactor's scientists and administrators.

The Negev Nuclear Research Center (Photo: EPA)

To make this project a reality, Ben-Gurion and Peres were forced to handle not only France's inner political turmoil, which almost thwarted the deal, but also fierce objections from within Israel's own ranks.

"Golda Meir insisted such a project would hurt Israels relationship with the United States, while Isser Harel, the Mossad chief, raised fears of a Soviet response," Peres recounted. "Some predicted an invasion by ground forces, while others envisioned an attack from the air. The head of the foreign relations committee said he feared the project would be 'so expensive that we shall be left without bread and even without rice.' For his part, Levi Eshkol, then the finance minister, promised we wouldn't see a penny from him."

At times, it seemed like a mission impossible. "Innovation, I have come to understand, is always an uphill climb. But rarely does it find so many obstacles arrayed against it at all once. We had no money, no engineers, no support from the physics community or the cabinet or the military leadership or the opposition. 'What are we going to do?' Ben-Gurion asked me late one night, as we sat quietly in his office. It was the operative question. What we had was a French promiseonly that, and each other."





A young Peres with David Ben-Gurion in 1966 (Photo: Dan Hadani/IPPA)

One of the project's most critical phases was fundraising. "We took to the phones and made passionate, personal (and highly confidential) appeals to some of Israels most reliable donors from around the world. In short order, we had raised enough money to cover half the cost of the reactormore than enough to start building our team," the former president wrote.

After raising the funds for the Dimona project, the time came to find the right people to actually staff it. "We were lucky to count Israel Dostrovsky as one of our early members," Peres wrote in his memoir. "A decorated Israeli scientist, Dostrovsky had invented a process for manufacturing heavy water and sold it to the French years earlier. But even he could not compete with the brilliance of Ernst David Bergmann, whom I approached to join the mission. In 1934, legend had it that Chaim Weizmann sought Albert Einstein's recommendation for a scientist to lead his newly created institute outside Tel Aviv. Einstein gave him only one namethat of Ernst Bergmann.

"With Bergmann and Dostrovsky, we had scientific know-how. But what we needed even more was a project manager whom we could trust with such a delicate task. We needed a pedantic stickler, someone allergic to compromiseespecially given the dangers involved in radioactive work. And yet we also needed someone who was agile, someone willing to take on a project for which he would certainly lack expertise. There was a natural tension that existed between those requirements, one that quickly whittled down my list of candidates to one."

That one man was Col. (res.) Emmanuel (Manes) Pratt. "We met during the War of Independence, when we worked together on the frantic building up of the IDF," wrote Peres about Pratt. "He was consistently and insistently precise, the kind of man for whom perfection is not a distant pursuit, but a minimum ante. He was quickfooted and quick-witted, and he demanded in those around him the same relentless work ethic he practiced.

"When I explained my proposal and the position I wanted him to consider, he looked as though he could have struck me. He couldnt disguise his disbelief. 'Are you crazy?' he demanded. 'I dont have the slightest idea what it would take to build a reactor. I dont know how it looks; I dont even know what it is! How could you expect me to take charge of such a project?'

"'Manes, look: I know that you dont know anything yet. But if there is somebody in this country who can become an expert after studying it for three months, that person is clearly you,'" Peres said he replied to the bewildered administrator.

Peres visits the Negev Nuclear Research Center (Photo: Israel Atomic Energy Commission)

"I suggested that we would send him to France for three months to study nuclear reactors alongside the experts who would help us build one. And I promised that if he returned to Israel after that time still uncomfortable with his fluency in the topic, he could simply return to his previous work. With no requirement for a permanent commitment, Pratt ultimately agreed. And to no ones surprise, when he returned from France, he did so as the finest nuclear expert we would ever come to know.

"With the leadership in place, I turned to the work of building the rest of the team. I knew the older generation of physicists was deeply opposed to our efforts, but I suspected we could find students and young graduates who were eager to pursue such an ambitious project. Having been turned away by the Weizmann Institute, I turned to the Israeli Institute of Technology, in Haifa, known as the Technion. There I found a group of scientists and engineers who were eager to take the leap alongside us. Like Pratt, I intended to send each Technion recruit to France for a period of study.

"The students went off to France to study nuclear engineering and I joined them, not as the leader of the project but as a peer. Chemistry and nuclear physics were challenging subjects, to be sure, and I came to them without any previous training. But I felt it essential to gain a degree of mastery in the science that would be driving the project. And so, alongside these young physicists, I spent day and night studying atomic particles and nuclear energy, and the process required to harness its power."

The power of ambiguity

In the late fifties, Peres decided to take center stage at last and ran on Mapai's Knesset ticket. After receiving Ben-Gurion's blessing, on November 3, 1959at age 36he began his first political office, ascending to the role of deputy minister of defense.

"By the summer of 1960, the Dimona project had moved forward apace," reminisced Peres. "France was upholding its end of the agreement, and the French and Israeli workforce had broken ground on the barren plateau. That September, I was in West Africa on orders from Ben-Gurion, as part of an effort to build stronger ties between Israel and the broader continent. But the trip was cut short. I received an urgent cable, ordering my immediate return to Israel. There was no indication of what the emergency entailed.

"When I arrived at the airport in Tel Aviv, Isser Harel, the Mossad chief, was waiting with Golda Meir in a helicopter nearby. We barely spoke on the ride to Sde Boker, where Ben-Gurion was awaiting Harel's report.

"'Explain the situation,' Ben-Gurion demanded as we gathered in his sparse and humble 'hut.' Harel relayed two pieces of intelligence. First, Mossad had learned a Soviet satellite had recently flown over Dimona and photographed the construction site. Second, they received word the Soviet foreign minister had made an unexpected visit to Washington. In his estimation, these two facts were linkedand damning. He was concerned the Soviet government would claim our work in Dimona was nefarious, that their foreign minister had likely demanded US intervention while in Washington. Israel, it seemed, was about to be confronted by the world's only two superpowers.

"'What is your recommendation?' Ben-Gurion asked of the group. Harel believed Goldaor even better, Ben-Gurion himselfshould fly to Washington at once and give assurances to the White House. Golda agreed, believing the situation to be dire, perhaps insurmountably so. I listened intently and sympathized with their concerns, but when Ben-Gurion asked me my opinion, I had to be honest.

"'So what if a Soviet satellite has flown the Negev? What has it photographed? Just holes in the ground,' I explained. We were still in the first stage of the project, an extensive excavation followed by the laying of concrete foundation. 'What can be proved from that?' I asked. 'After all, every building needs foundations," Peres remembered he said in the meeting.

Peres at Ben-Gurion's home in Sde Boker, years later (Photo: Elad Malka, Channel 9)

"If Ben Gurion flew to Washington and revealed the work we had undertaken, it would destroy our relations with the French," he concluded. Ben Gurion is said to have concurred.

Just three short years later, Peres found himself standing in the Oval Office opposite US President John F. Kennedy.

"I had traveled to Washington to conclude a deal for the purchase of antiaircraft missiles from the US government. Kennedys Near East advisor, Mike Feldman, had invited me to the White House, along with our ambassador, Avraham 'Abe' Harman. When Id arrived, I was toldquite unexpectedlythat President Kennedy wanted to speak to me. He knew I was in charge of Israel's nuclear program and, according to Feldman, he had a number of questions. Because I wasn't the head of government, it was against protocol for President Kennedy to take a formal meeting with me.

"Instead, I had been escorted through the side entrance of the West Wing of the White House, and around a back corridor to the Oval Office. I was meant to have bumped into President Kennedy along the way, who would then, out of courtesy, invite me to have a conversation," Peres wrote.

Peres then went on to describe his meeting with the young Commander-in-Chief. "Behind his desk in the Oval Office, Kennedy looked stiff and deliberate, and though he had ways of disguising it, I could tell he was coping with pain. He stood up to shake my hand, then offered me a place on the sofa. He sat adjacent to me, in a padded wooden rocking chair.

"'Mr. Peres, what brings you to Washington?' he asked, in his familiar accent."

"I told him I was there to purchase the Hawk missiles, which Israel deeply appreciated. But I added we hoped this arms agreement was just the beginning. We needed supportas much as the Americans were willing to give.

"'Go talk to my brother (then Attorney-General Robert Kennedy) about that,' he replied, shifting attention to the matter of his greater concern. 'Lets you and I talk about your nuclear facility.'"

Kennedy then laid out all of the intelligence the US government had gathered on the nascent Israeli nuclear project.

"When he finished, it felt as though there was nothing that the Americans didn't know about the construction. And yet Kennedy knew that mystery remained, and he was preoccupied with rumors," Peres remembered.

"'You know we follow with great concern any indication of the development of military capacity in that area,' Kennedy said. 'What can you tell me about this? What are your intentions as they relate to nuclear weapons, Mr. Peres?'"

US President John F. Kennedy in 1961 (Photo: AP)

"I hadnt expected to see the president, let alone to be asked such a question," Peres recalled. "Under the circumstances, I did my best to reassure him. 'Mr. President, I can tell you most clearly we shall not be the first to introduce nuclear weapons to the region.'

"My impromptu statement to President Kennedy became Israel's long-term policy. It has been described as 'nuclear ambiguity,' quite simply the decision to neither confirm nor deny the existence of nuclear weapons."

This ambiguity wasand still isIsrael's official policy regarding its nuclear capabilities.

Peres explained exactly why. "The existence of Dimona may have increased our enemies' desire to destroy us. But the suspicions it generated stole from them the belief they could overpower us. Over time, we learned there is tremendous power in ambiguity. By the 1970s, the conventional wisdom among leaders in the Arab world was that Israel possessed nuclear weapons. What they lacked in evidence, they filled in with rumors. We did nothing to confirm such suspicions, and likewise nothing to dissuade them. Believing Israel had the power to destroy them, our enemies one by one abandoned their ambitions to destroy us. Doubt was a powerful deterrent to those who desired a second Holocaust.

"In 1973, during the Yom Kippur War, Egypt and Syria caught Israel by surprise, leaving our cities vulnerable to catastrophic attack during their coordinated offensive. And yet neither country dared to attack the heart of Israel, even when they had the capability to do so; Egyptian troops were ordered not to go beyond the Mitla Pass in the Sinai, while Syrian troops stayed in the Golan Heights. Years later, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat acknowledged he feared an attack on the cities of Israel would have justified a nuclear response."

Far from being only an instrument of war, or dangling the threat thereof, nuclear deterrence also turned out to be a tool for peace. Peres backed this assertion in his book. "In November 1977, Sadat made his historic visit to Jerusalem, one that would culminate in a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. Upon his arrival, the first issue he raised was Israel's nuclear program. And when he faced criticism from his fellow Egyptians, he described a nuclear attack as the only other possibility. 'The alternative to peace is terrible,' he insisted."

In 1995, Peresthen the foreign ministerarrived in Cairo for a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Amr Moussa. "We'd come to know each other well over the years, and after a lengthy conversation, he raised an issue still clearly on his mind. 'Shimon, we are friends. Why dont you let me go have a look at Dimona? I swear I will not tell anybody,'" Peres said Moussa told him.

"'Amr, are you crazy?' I replied. 'Suppose I shall bring you to Dimona, and you see there is nothing there? Suppose you stop worrying? For me, this is a catastrophe. I prefer you remain suspicious. This is my deterrence.'"

Peres summed up this chapter of his autobiographyand life. "I had spent so much of my youth trying to secure Israel for its people. But this was a different kind of security altogether. This was the security of knowing the state would never be destroyeda first step toward peace that started with peace of mind. In this way, I felt that our work on Dimona, an effort once marked for certain failure, had fulfilled the covenant I had made with my grandfather, but on a far grander scale: to always remain Jewish and ensure the Jewish people always remain."

The Rehovot 'golem'

Innovation was well-known to be one of the pillars of Peres's worldview. Contrary to popular belief, however, that bug accompanied him throughout his entire life and not just during his twilight years.

"Peres spearheaded the vision of the 'startup nation' as far back as the fifties and sixties," said Ayelet Frish, citing the "golem" story as an example.

The "golem" was one of Israel's very first self-manufactured computers. It took up three gigantic rooms in the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot and required an entire crew of engineers and scientists to operate. The year was 1963 and, save for some technological fanatics, nobody really knew what a computer was.

Shimon Peres in 2016 (Photo: AP)

One of those fanatics was Deputy Minister of Defense Shimon Peres. When he visited the Weizmann Institute that year and saw this clunky monstrosity, he immediately realized what he was seeing was a vision of the future.

Peres vividly recollected his thoughts on the computer. "This is what the army needs, I thoughtone computer could replace one thousand soldiers and give us more data than they alone could gather. I spent many days and nights with the group that managed the computer, learning how it worked, and how it might work on behalf of the military. I returned to the ministry thoroughly convinced of its value, insisting we purchase one of our own.

"'Where are you going to put it?' one general said incredulously of the enormous machine. 'What would we do with it?' another asked. 'Can you take a computer with a division into the field? Of course you can't! We dont even have enough tanks, and you're talking about computers. A tank shoots. It fires. What on earth can a computer do?'"

The rest, as they say, was history.

The Fantasy Council

When an Air France flight was hijacked and rerouted to Entebbe, Uganda in July of 1976, Peres was the minister of defense in the government of Prime Minister Rabin.

In the chapter dedicated to Operation Entebbe , Peres described the meeting in which he asked security establishment officials to present him with a plan to extricate the hostages.

"We have to use our imagination, and examine any idea, as crazy as it may seem," he insisted to the assembled army men.

"We have no plans," one of them responded.

"Then I want to hear the plans you dont have!" he replied.





Welcome ceremony for the hostages (Photo: IDF Archives)

When the meeting adjourned, three alternative courses of action were formulated. "The first came from (IDF chief of operations) Kuti Adam, who argued that if we couldn't rescue the hostages in Entebbe, we should try to get the hostages to come to us. If we could convince the hijackers to fly to Israelperhaps in the belief we would participate in an exchange of hostages for prisoners upon their arrivalwe could conduct a raid similar to the one we'd executed so successfully with the Sabena flight.

"It was a creative approach, to be sure, but it assumed we had leverage where we likely did not. Surely the terrorists had chosen Entebbe for a reasonnot only because of its distance from Israel, but because they had the support of Uganda's president Idi Amin, who we knew had greeted the terrorists as 'welcomed guests.' It seemed implausible they would give up such an advantage. Besides, the Sabena rescue operation had been widely publicized; it was no longer a secret playbook.

"The second approach, proposed by (IDF chief of general staff) Motta Gur, assumed the rescue would have to take place in Entebbe. He described a scenario whereby Israeli paratroopers would sneak into Entebbe by way of Lake Victoria, launch an unexpected attack on the hijackers, and remain to protect the hostages.

"This plan had the virtue of practicality, in that it described a scenario the IDF was more than capable of executing. But what it lacked, fundamentally, was an exit plan. Once the hostages were rescued, there would be no way to evacuate them. If the Ugandan army chose to respond, it could surely send a force large enough to overpower even our finest commandos.

"The third approach was by far the most fantastic in terms of imagination. Maj.-Gen. Benny Peled, who was the commander of the Israeli Air Force, suggested that Israel conquer Ugandaor at least Entebbe itself. Israeli paratroopers would temporarily occupy the city, the airport, and the harbor, after which the hijackers would be attacked and killed. Having secured the area, the air force would land its Hercules military transport plane at Entebbe airport and use it to bring the hostages home.

Peres and Rabin speak to the pilot of the Air France flight after the return of the hostages to Israel (Photo: IDF Archives)

"On its face, the plan seemed preposterous. Gur described it as 'unrealistic, nothing but a fantasy.' The others agreed. And yet, of the three proposals, it was the one that had me most intrigued. Aside from its scale and ambition, it struck me that there was nothing about Peled's plan that was disqualifying. Unlike Gur's plan, this one included a strategy for evacuating the hostages. And unlike Kuti's plan, it didnt require us to manipulate the terrorists into acting against their interests. Indeed, when the meeting was over, Peled's plan was the only one I hadnt dismissed.

"Shortly after, I convened a meeting of my own, one that Gur would coin the 'Fantasy Council.' My intent was to bring the most creative thinkers in the IDF together so that we could consider every known option and be bold in thinking about options that did not exist."

Among the alternative operational courses of action weighed, for example, was one suggesting parachuting forces into Lake Victoria, which was disqualified when it was discovered the lake was infested with alligators.

The IDF never received orders to occupy Entebbe, of course, but the rescue plan that was eventually approved by both Prime Minister Rabin and Peres was arguably no less daring.

The rescue operationcarried out by the air force, Sayeret Matkal and additional forceswas considered an enormous success. And even if it hadn't, Peres stressed, "the decision would still have been correct. This is one of the hardest things for some leaders to understand: a decision can be right even if it leads to failure."

Nevertheless, the moment Peres was informed the Sayeret Matkal commander Lt.-Col. Yoni Netanyahu was killed during the operation was one of the hardest of his career. It came only shortly after the announcement saying Israeli Air Force planes took off from Uganda with the hostages in tow.

Peres and Rabin welcome the hostages back to Israel (Photo: IDF Archives)

"I returned to my office and, at last, planted myself on the couch, ready to catch the first sleep I'd had in days," Peres wrote of the moments leading up to the announcement. "I heard a rustle at the door, and opened my eyes to see Gur standing in front of me. The last time I saw him, he was smiling and cheering. Now his face was sullen and sunken. It was the face of a man who had learned something tragic, but couldn't find the words to share it.

"'What is it?' I asked, as I got to my feet."

"'Shimon,' he said meekly, 'Yonis gone. He was struck by a bullet from a sniper in the control tower. It pierced his heart.'

"I turned away from Gur and faced the wall. In all of the tension of the week, I had steeled myself, holding my emotions tightly in place. I had no words for Gur, nor did he have any more for me. Instead, he left my office and I burst into tears."

Like the army chief of staff's headquarters

A year after Peres's passing, his office in the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation by Jaffa's shore continues ticking as if its occupant only just stepped out for a moment and is expected to return in no time.

"It's like the chief of staff's headquarters," said Frish. "The entire Peres team comes into work every day, continuing to work on the projects he created and fulfilling what he tasked us with doing."

"I can just envision my father stepping into the office now, loosening his tie, sitting down in the chair and carrying on working as if he'd never left," said Chemi, Peres's son.

"The Peres familychiefly his children Tziki Walden, Yoni and Chemiharnessed themselves to working on the book around the clock, knowing it was so important to their father, in order for the it be completed on the one-year anniversary of his passing," noted Frish.

Attorney Or Kornhauser, the book's project manager, also works around the clock. She flew with Chemi to the US last week in anticipation of the book's launch and promotional tour.

"It's going to be an international affair," she said. "Launch events are already booked in San Francisco, Detroit and Atlanta, and that's just the beginning. CEOs of some of the world's largest companies intend to purchase bulk copies of the book and give it out to their employees. Former Presidents Barak Obama, George Bush and Bill Clinton received the book and all praised it. It was also given to the United Nations Secretary General and to French President Emmanuel Macron.

If Peres were alive today and was interviewed about the book, what do you think the takeaway quote would be?

"He would have said: 'The book is behind us now. It's in the past. Let's talk about the next project; the future,'" Frish and Kornhauser answer almost simultaneously.
For the first time since the outbreak of the electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip last April, Hamas has been able to restore the power supply to pre-crisis levels, with every house in the strip receiving about six hours of electricity a day.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Gaza's power plant had shut down in April after Hamas could no longer afford to buy heavily taxed fuel from the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.

This left the territory with electricity provided by Israel, but paid for by the PA. The electricity from Israel covered about one-third of Gaza's needs, meaning Gazans were getting power for about four hours a day.

Gaza power shortage (Photo: EPA)

In June, Israel reduced the electricity flow by 40 percent, at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's request, cutting the time Gazans were getting power for to about two to three hours a day, but refused to stop power to the strip entirely out of fear of exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

The Israeli government's decision to reduce the electricity to Gaza was criticized both abroad and inside Israel due to its grave consequences for the civilian population in Gaza.

It also changed the Hamas leadership's traditional perception of the PA as the one supplying the energy to the Gaza Strip, and Hamas began purchasing diesel from Egypt to refuel its power plant.

Children eating to candlelight during power outage (Photo: AFP)

However, the decision pushed Hamas into a corner and forced it to assume civil responsibility for an infrastructure issue that cost it a lot of money.

To date, more than 30 million liters of diesel fuel have been brought into Gaza via tanker convoys at a price of three shekels per liter. In other words, Hamas has paid close to NIS 100 million (about $285 million) to refuel the power plant.

At the same time, the warming relations between Hamas and Cairo and the security measures taken by Hamas on the border with Sinai led Egypt to repair the electricity lines from its territory at Hamas's request.

Woman washing dishes to candlelight during power outage (Photo: AFP)

For the moment, Hamas is downplaying this achievement, most likely so that the pressure on the PA to stop the sanctions will continue.
Israeli rescue teams departed Saturday night for Miami ahead of Hurricane Irma, which began ravaging South Florida on Sunday.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The mission, organized by the Israel Rescue Coalition (IRC), an umbrella group of rescue groups that includes United Hatzalah. The Coalition, which sent a psychotrauma crisis and response unit to Houston, Texas last month, said in a release that volunteers would administer first aid and assist Jewish communities in the aftermath of the storm.

Our job as volunteers will be to help the community and deal with the situation as best we can in the absence of American officials, until they arrive," said Moti Elmaliah, a spokesman for the IRC. We will take care to organize residents committees to deal with the issues that arise from Hurricane Irma, which has been classified as the most powerful storm ever to hit the Atlantic Ocean.

Hurricane Irma hits Miami (Photo: EPA)

Some 650,000 Jews live in Florida, the third largest Jewish community in the United States. But ahead of the storm, many had left town as South Florida became a virtual ghost town. Drone footage of the citys downtown area and Miami Beach showed empty streets and beaches. In total, nearly 7 million people were ordered to evacuate, and local and federal officials warned that residents who refused to leave their homes would be on their own in what the National Hurricane Center called a life-threatening situation.

This is a deadly storm, and our state has never seen anything like it, said Governor Rick Scott Saturday. Its going to be very difficult to survive this if youre in the Keys. Im begging you to get out.

FEMA chief Brock Long added that the damage expected by the storm would prevent rescue teams from reaching affected areas. Youre on your own until we can actually get in there, and its safe for our teams to support local and state efforts, FEMA said in a statement reported by the Miami Herald. The message has been clearthe Keys are going to be impacted, there is no safe area within the Keys, and you put your life in your own hands by not evacuating."

To deal with the situation, synagogues out of the expected path of the hurricane prepared to host individuals and families fleeing the storm.
DUBAI  A prominent Saudi religious leader has been arrested, according to social media postings on Sunday, in what appears to be a crackdown on Islamists seen as critics of the conservative kingdom's absolute rulers.

Sheikh Salman al-Awdah, an influential cleric who was imprisoned from 1994-99 for agitating for political change and has 14 million followers on Twitter, appears to have been detained over the weekend, the posting suggested.

In one of his last postings on Twitter, he welcomed a report on Friday suggesting that a three-month-old row between Qatar and four Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia may be resolved.
Speaker of the parliament of Lebanon Nabih Berri said noisy IDF flyovers near Sidon and the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp constitute a "message carrying a direct threat aimed at Lebanon."

In an interview to Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese paper Al-Akhbar, Berri added: "Israel is trying to communicate it's aware of what we've been able to accomplish, but hasn't forgotten us and is always here."
An enormous class action lawsuit submitted against Saudi Arabia by 1,400 family members of the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks has brought new details to light, while claiming that the Saudi embassy in the United States financed a "dry run" for the attack carried out by two Saudi agents. The claim made in the suit was revealed on Mondaythe 16th anniversary of the attacks.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The suit includes FBI documents alleging the Saudi government sent the agents on a flight from Phoenix to Washington DC two years before the attack took place, and that their airfare was paid for the Saudis, as well.

The September 11 terror attacks in New York City (Photo: AP)

The documents claim the pair was sent to examine the plane's security arrangements and find out ways of breaking into the cockpit. The Saudi agents supposedly tried reaching the pilot and "grilled" the flight crew on technical matters.

Their questions aroused suspicion and caused the pilot to make an emergency landing. They were detained for questioning by the FBI when the plane landed and were later released without any charges being pressed.

"We've long asserted there were longstanding and close relationships between al-Qaeda and the religious components of the Saudi government," said Sean Carter, representing the plaintiffs.

The Saudi government has denied collusion with the terrorist who carried out the 9/11 attacksand ties to terrorism in generalfor years. It should be noted many of the perpetrators of the attacks were, in fact, Saudi citizens.

In Sep. 2016,the US Congress passed a law allowing to file suits against countries for aiding and abetting terrorism in American courts, despite the Obama administration's significant efforts to block it.

The FBI documents filed as part of said suit note that the two Saudi agents, Mohammed al-Qudhaeein and Hamdan al-Shalawi, were trained in Afghanistan along with other al-Qaeda operatives before the Sep. 11 attacks.

Hundreds of thousands of documents supposedly delineating Saudi Arabia's involvement in the attack and its ties to the hijackers still remain confidential. Their censorship has drawn a great deal of criticism and is considered by some to be an attempt by the US government to cover up Saudi involvement in terror, in an effort not to harm the two countries' relations.
Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev pardoned Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin on Monday, after Lapshin was convicted of illegally crossing the border into Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region. He is now expected to be expedited to Israel, this according to the president's official website.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Prior to being pardoned by Aliyev, Lapshin, a 40-year-old Haifa resident with Israeli, Russian and Ukrainian citizenships, had been arrested on several chargesnamely, tresspassing the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan; calling the Azerbaijani government "a dictatorship"; and openly supporting the region's independence. Soon after, Azerbaijan issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of espionage, with news sources speculating that he was working for the Armenian Special Police.

Lapshin upon his extradition to Ajerbaijan

Lapshin was arrested earlier this year upon reaching Belarus, before being extradited to Azerbaijan. Israeli officials tried in vain to prevent this, worried that if Lapshin were to had been transferred to Azerbaijan, he would had faced a heavy prison sentence.

However, during his sentencing, the Azerbaijani judge only found Lapshin guilty of the tresspassing charges leveled against him, and did not accept the espionage charges or hand down additional jail time for his criticizing the president. He was therefore sentenced to three years in prison, to be counted from the moment he was arrested in Belarus, on Dec. 15th, 2016. The judge further explained the surprisingly lenient sentence as taking into acocunt that fact that Lapshin had no prior charges, and the fact that he is a father to a young girl.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko mentioned the affair in May, saying that "we must transfer him to Azerbaijan. There is no reason not to." Lukashenko stressed that the matter will be solved in accordance to the law and international agreements, and suggested that Israel and Azerbaijan decide Lapshin's fate together.

Following the warrant for his arrest, Lapshin sent a letter of apology to President Aliyev through the Israeli Consul to Belarus Yulia Rahinski Spivakov, who attested to his broken mental state.
The Counter-Terrorism Bureau announced Monday a series of recommendations and an overview of threat levels in different country, in anticipation of Rosh Hashanah and the Tishrei holidays.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



"Motivation of world jihadi organizationsincluding ISIS and other operatives inspired by themremains high at this time to carry out terrorist attacks around the world," said the Bureau. It noted terrorist attacks may be carried out in western countries, emphasizing northern and western Europe.

The aftermath of a 2016 suicide attack in Istanbul's Istiklal Street (Photo: Getty Images)

The fear of attacks stems from the "war of survival waged by the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq against a coalition of western countries led by the United States," the anti-terrorism organization said.

Similarly to its previous warnings, the Counter-Terrorism Bureau once again advises against Israelis traveling to Turkey, while those who are already there are advised to leave as soon as possible.

"The terror threat against western tourist destinations in general and Israeli destinations in particular persists all over Turkey," the document circulated by the Bureau said. "In spite of Turkey's effort's to foil and prevent attempted attacks by ISIS and other organizations, threat levels in the country remain high."

The Bureau's documentwhich contained no new warningsalso announced travel warnings on Egypt and Jordan.

In the Sinai Peninsula and Egypt itself the severe threat of terrorist attacks against tourists, including Israelis, remained. The last significant attack against a touristic Sinai destination took place this past April during Passover at Saint Catherine's Monastery, for which the "Sinai district" of ISIS claimed responsibility.

An ISIS attack in the Sinai peninsula

The Counter-Terrorism Bureau's Sinai travel warning is ranked level 1, the highest possible level symbolizing an extremely elevated and concrete threat level, and Israelis are therefore advised to not travel in the peninsula under any circumstances and leave immediately if they're already there. The travel warning for Egypt remained at a basic concrete threat levelor level 3and Israelis are advised to avoid visiting the neighboring country.

As it pertains to Jordan, the Bureau stated that apart from the basic threat levels due to terrorists operating in the country, there's also hostility towards Israel among the Jordanian public, partly due to the Israeli security guard shooting two citizens of the Hashemite Kingdom dead, which caused a diplomatic crisis between the countries and Israel's diplomatic mission to Jordan to leave.

As to the southern Philippines, threat levels are extremely elevated at the Mindanao island and the Sulu archipelago. In the past few months, these environs saw prolonged violent clashes, orchestrated by ISIS-affiliated operatives in the region. ISIS fighters even took control of certain parts of Marawi City in Mindanao.

The Philippines' army battled ISIS in Marawi (Photo: Reuters)

The Bureau stressed the need for alertness and caution while traveling in crowded civilian centers marked as targets for terrorist attacks, such as tourism hotspots (especially during the holidays), sport stadiums, cultural venues such as museums, shopping and recreation centers, hotels, airports and public transportation hubs, houses of worship (synagogues, churches and mosques) and multi-person events.

Attacks carried out by ISIS and its supporters over the past year mostly utilized stabbing, running over, light-arms fire, operating explosive charges and suicide attacks. attacks were carried out by groups of several activists or "lone wolves."

"In light of this fact, we ask to the public to remain alert to any suspicious person or behavior around them and taking the appropriate precautions," the bureau said. "Having said that, western and other countries have done much to combat the threat of Salafi terrorism, and their efforts have borne fruit in a multitude of terrorism-related infrastructures being uncovered, and a host of attacks foiled recently."
Lebanese film director Ziad Doueiri blasted Monday after his brief detention upon arrival in Lebanon over previous visits to Israel people who accused him of normalization with the Jewish state saying his work is for the good of Lebanon and the Palestinian cause.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



It was not clear why the Paris-based Doueiri, director of the award-winning civil war film "West Beirut," was detained Sunday night, as he has visited Lebanon several times since traveling to Israel.

Lebanon and Israel are in a state of war and Beirut bans its citizens from visiting Israel or having business dealings with Israelis.

Doueiri told reporters after three hours of questioning at a military court in Beirut Monday that authorities found that he has "no criminal intentions against the Palestinian cause."

Ziad Doueiri (Photo: AFP)

Doueiri's latest film, "The Insult," opens in Lebanon this week, after winning the best actor award at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month.

Doueiri said that Kamel El Basha, the Palestinian awarded best actor at the Venice Film Festival, spent two years in Israeli jails. He said some journalists are trying to undermine him ahead of the film showing in Beirut, which begins on Thursday.

Doueiri's previous film, "The Attack," was banned in Lebanon and most Arab countries. The movie is about a Palestinian surgeon living in Tel Aviv who discovers that a suicide attack in the city that killed 17 people was carried out by his wife. The movie was filmed in Israel and featured several Israeli actors.

Lebanese journalist Pierre Abi Saab, who is opposed to any dealings with Israel, wrote a column in the daily Al-Akhbar last week titled "Ziad Doeiri, apologize for your Israeli slip." He said that Doueiri spent months in Israel to film "The Attack," spending money there and speaking to Israeli media defending his movie amid criticism in Lebanon.

"Today, Ziad Doueiri is coming on a white horse from Venice with a new movie expecting us to carry him on our shoulders and welcome him as a conqueror," Abi Saab wrote. "We will not accept that the crime be covered," he wrote, referring to Doueiri's visits to Israel.

Speaking to reporters outside the military court, Doueiri said he was well treated by Lebanese security agencies during his brief detention but blasted journalists he refused to name "that are fabricating things to block the new movie." He said they used "dirty words against some people and accused them of being Zionists."

"My mother breastfed me Palestinian milk and the Palestinian cause. Members of my family were killed while fighting with the Palestinians," Doueiri said.

When a journalist asked him a question about normalization of relations with Israel through art, Doueiri responded angrily "I struggled for the Palestinian cause before you were born." He then told the journalist that he will not respond to his questions.

Photo: AFP

Joelle Touma, Doueiri's ex-wife and co-writer of "The Insult," told reporters there that he had come to Beirut for the film's opening. She said he was stopped at the airport, where he was questioned for about 90 minutes before authorities confiscated his Lebanese and French passports. He was allowed to leave on the condition that he appears before a military court the following day for further questioning, she said.

Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury tweeted in Arabic that "Ziad Doueiri is a great Lebanese director who has been honored around the world. Respecting and honoring him is a must #Lebanon."

Doueiri's lawyer, Njaib Lyan, told reporters that after three hours at the military court his client was released without any charges. He said some people envy Doueiri's international fame.

He added that inside the court Doueiri was told that he visited Israel without permission from Lebanese authorities. Lyan said Doueiri had told authorities at the time that he planned to visit Israel for a movie he is working on but never got a response.

"The Insult is the pride of Lebanon's industry. We in Lebanon do Hummus and Shawerma well, and we do very good movies as well," Doueiri said referring to national dishes.
Minister of Intelligence Yisrael Katz said on Monday that President Bashar al-Assad was ready to permit Iran to set up military bases in Syria that would pose a long-term threat to neighbouring Israel.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



While formally neutral on the six-year-old Syrian civil war, Israel has expressed concerns that Assad's recent gains have given his Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah allies a foothold on its northern front.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lobbied Russia, Assad's most powerful backer, and the United States to curb the Iranian presence in Syriaas well as hinting that Israel could launch preemptive strikes against its arch-foe there.

Yisrael Katz (Photo: Marc Israel Sellem

In July, Moscow ratified a deal under which Damascus allowed the Russian air base in Syria's Latakia Province to remain for almost half a century. Minister Katz said Iran could soon gain similar rights.

"In these very days, Assad and Iran are nearing the signing of a long-term agreement that would anchor Iran's military presence in Syria, resembling the agreement that was signed between Assad and the Russians," Katz told a security conference hosted by IDC Herzliya, a university near Tel Aviv.

"The significance in terms of the danger and the threat against Israeland not just against Israel, but also many countries in the regionis of the utmost clarity."

Katz did not elaborate on the source of his information or give any further details about the purported negotiations.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry declined to comment and Syrian officials could not be reached.

Katz said the plan was for an Iranian naval port, bases for Iran's air and ground forces, and "tens of thousands of Shiite militiamen being brought in from various countries" to fight alongside their Iranian and Hezbollah co-religionists in Syria.

Iran's presence in Syria, and efforts to bolster Hezbollah in Lebanon, are expected to feature in Netanyahu's address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 19.

President Assad with President Putin (Photo: Reuters)

Also at the conference, Katz urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to push President Donald Trump to cancel or freeze the international community's nuclear deal with Iran, saying this should be his "primary mission."

Katz said the world's failed attempts to negotiate a halt to North Korea's nuclear program provide a lesson. "Iran is the new North Korea," he said. "We need to act now so we won't be sorry tomorrow about what we didn't do yesterday."

The deal offered Iran relief from international sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Israel has repeatedly claimed the deal will not prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability.
An Austrian company has revoked the domain name of an American neo-Nazi website that previously was rejected by internet hosts in the United States.

Monika Pink-Rank, a spokeswoman for Austrian domain registry nic.at, said The Daily Stormer's domain was removed on Monday after Austrian politicians reported the white supremacist platform's presence.

The website has been looking for a home since its publisher mocked the counter-protester who was killed during the Confederate monument protests in Charlottesville, Virginia last month.

Publisher Andrew Anglin said four domain registration companies refused to service the site.

Pink-Rank says the Austrian domain was set up at the end of August, after the Charlottesville violence.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed Monday evening in Argentina, kicking off his "historic" 10-day tour of Latin America, making him the ever serving Israeli premier to visit the region.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Accompanied by his wife Sara, who is facing a possible indictment back home for fraudulent activities , the the prime minister descended from the plane where he was greeted by both Israeli and Argentinian diplomats.

The landing of an El Al plane on Buenos Airess soil is the first time since 1960 when the Mossad paid a visit to the area to kidnap one of the chief architects of the Nazi final solution Adolf Eichmann.

Netanyahus arrive in Argentina (: '')

X

Netanyahu is hoping to create a thaw in what has been an icy relationship with regimes hostile to Israel in South America, particularly some of which cooperated with Iran in covering up the 1992 attacks against the Israeli Embassy and against a Jewish community building in 1994.

The current Argentine president Mauricio Macri is considered to be a friend of Israels.

Photo: Avi Ohayon/GPO

Before Netanyahu departed for the area, he described the trip as an historic visit, adding that this is the first time that an incumbent prime minister has travelled to visit South America and Central America. I asked the families of Foreign Ministry employees who had lost their lives in Buenos Aires to join me.

Ahead of Netanyahu's arrival, pro-Palestinian activists posted signs and posters in Buenos Aires with his picture next to the caption "wanted for human rights crimes and genocide of the Palestinian people."

Other signs displayed a picture of the Israeli prime minister's face with a Hitler-style moustache accompanied by the caption: "Zionists out of Palestine, Netanyahu out."

Deputy and Acting Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, Yaakov Haguel, who heads the struggle against global anti-Semitism strongly denounced the posters.

"We view with severity the signs that are hanging on this historic day, and the World Zionist Organization will continue to fight this plague," he said.

In Argentina Netanyahu will sign a series of agreements on public security, customs and social insurance as well as an archives agreement regarding the Holocaust.

Photo: Avi Ohayon/GPO

Netanyahu will be joined in his visit to Argentina, Colombia and Mexico by a delegation of Israeli businessmen from the fields of agriculture, water, communications and energy.

Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes will travel to Buenos Aires to meet with the prime minister.

From Argentina Netanyahu will fly to Bogota, where he will meet with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. The two countries will sign several joint agreements, including an MOU in science and a tourism cooperation agreement.

Photo: Avi Ohayon/GPO

Next on his destination list will be Mexico City, where he will meet with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. The two countries will sign several agreements, including an MOU on space, an aviation agreement, a communications agreement and a MASHAV cooperation agreement.

Netanyahu will attend events with local Jewish communities in Argentina, Colombia and Mexico and meet with community leaders.

At the end of his visit to Latin America, the prime minister will fly to New York to attend the UN General Assembly, where he will deliver an address on its opening day. He is also due to meet with various world leaders, including President Donald Trump.
Argentine media has reported President Mauricio Macri will commit to the transfer of archives to Israel documenting ties between Argentina and the Nazi regime during World War II, and especially in the years following, when the regime of Juan Domingo Peron assisted Nazi officials who fled to Buenos Aires to seek refuge.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Macri is expected to anounce the transfer to Netanyahu during his visit to the country. The reports quoted a local source who claimed that there was documentation of the ties between the government of Argentina and Germany and that the information that would be transferred to Israel would be "of great value to the Jewish people."

Adolf Eichmann, in his trial in Israel

In recent months, the Israeli ambassador to Buenos Aires, Ilan Sztulman, has been overseeing the planning of the archival transfer.

The trove is expected to include scans of 139,544 photographs and documents taken during the Holocaust and post-war years that Argentina's Foreign Ministry has yet to share with Israel. Information inside the hitherto classified sources will also enable historians to shed light on the conduct of Argentine diplomats during the most murderous chapter in Jewish history.

The transfer to Israel of documents relating to the period of World War II and the Holocaust is not unprecedented, however. In June, the Foreign Ministry in Buenos Aires completed the transfer of 38,779 documents to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, consisting of letters, telegrams and newspaper articles.

Netanyahu and his wife Sara on their way to Argentina (Avi Ohayon/GPO)

In recent years, Israel has also received documents from Argentina relating to the period, but according to Monday's reports, the fresh batch to be transferred by President Macri will contain more significant content.

In the years after the war, Argentina became known as one of the main Latin American countries to harbor Nazi criminals seeking refuge from the victorious nations ready to place them in the dock during Nuremberg Trials for their crimes.

The two most infamous Nazis who fled to Argentina were Adolf Eichmann (a chief architect of the Final Solution who was captured by the Mossad in 1960 in Buenos Aires and executed in Israel) and Erich Priebke, a Nazi SS commander who remained in the country until the 1990s.
Togo on Monday cancelled an upcoming Africa-Israel summit, citing lack of time to prepare, after days of anti-government protests targeting President Faure Gnassingbe.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The summit was due to have been held in the capital, Lome, late next month and was billed as a chance for closer cooperation in trade, security and diplomacy.

Gnassingbe shaking hands with Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting in Liberia, Aug. 2016 (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO)

"The summit has indeed been postponed," a source at Togo's foreign ministry told AFP, confirming an earlier statement from his counterparts in Israel.

"No new date has been agreed yet," he added, without elaborating.

Israel's foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said Gnassingbe himself had requested the event be pushed back after discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The president of Togo has emphasized that elaborate preparations are needed in order to guarantee the success of the event," said Nahshon.

A number of African countries were reportedly threatening to boycott the October 23-27 event, in protest at Israel's conduct in the Palestinian conflict.

Morocco's king Mohamed VI stayed away from a summit of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS in Liberia in June, because Netanyahu was invited.

Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO

The summit postponement also comes after Togo's opposition parties turned out in force in Lome and other cities across the country last week, calling for Gnassingbe to resign.

Opposition leaders on Monday called for another huge turn-out on Tuesday to demand constitutional reform outside parliament, were lawmakers were due to meet.

Further marches were scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday.

Gnassingbe's government last week approved a draft bill for political change after protesters called for limits on presidential mandates and a two-round voting system.

The president has been in power since 2005, when he took over from his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for nearly 40 years.

Opposition parties have called the bill a "delaying tactic" and the government has since suggested it may not be discussed in full or approved on Tuesday.

Any amendment to the constitution requires the approval of four fifths of the national assembly.

"We're going to keep up the pressure until Faure Gnassingbe goes," said Eric Dupuy, spokesman for the main opposition National Alliance for Change party.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Monday issued a threatening message to President Assad's regime in Syria, saying "I strongly suggest to our neighbors in the north not to try us or make threats," while warning any confrontation would "end very badly for them."

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Speaking at a ceremony honoring soldiers of the Bedouin community in Israel, Lieberman repeated the warning that Assad not attempt to test Israel because we take all the threats seriously."

"I do not suggest entering into a confrontation with the State of Israel. Because for them it would end badly, very badly," he said.

The comments came in response to Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, who threatened repercussions after accusing Israel of carrying out an airstrike last week on the state's Scientific Studies and Research Center.

Lieberman at the northern border (Photo: Ariel Hermoni/Defense Ministry)

"The Israeli attack will not divert attention and determination in the war against terrorism supported by Israel" Mekdad said, threatening that "the time will come when Israel will pay the price for its attacks."

Expressing his hope for greater stability in the region, Lieberman nevertheless cast doubt on the possibility in the near future in light of Mekdad's statements.

"We all hope that one day the Middle East will become a region of peace, cooperation and coexistence, but unfortunately, today we also heard threats coming from our northern border, and I am referring to the words of the Syrian deputy foreign minister," Lieberman noted during the ceremony.

Earlier, IDF spokesman to the Arab press, Maj. Avichai Adraee published a picture of himself holding a sign with breaing the words in Arabic saying "If you dare, we will surprise you."

Maj. Avichai Adraee's message to Hezbollah: 'If you dare, we will surprise you'

Adraee's display of confidence came after members of the Lebanese-based terror group addressed him with threatening messages in a similar manner during their recent fighting against ISIS and al-Nusra Front on the Syrian-Lebanese border.

Hezbollah responded with posters of their own saying: "If you (even) think about it, we will destroy you."

Hezbollah's response to Adraee's message: 'If you think about it, we will destroy you'

At the same time, the IDF is in the midst of holding its largest military drill in nearly 20 years an 11-day combined arms exercise along its border with Lebanon. During the exercise, which involves tens of thousands of soldiers, the IDF simulates war against Hezbollah.

Hezbollah deputy secretary-general Sheikh Naim Qassem said in an interview to the organization's Al-Manar network: "In our assessment, the Israeli drill is not meant to prepare them for a war at the present time," noting that according to their estimations it stems from political consideration and is primarily designed for recruitment purposes. Nonetheless, he added that they are "in constant readiness for war."

Regarding the attack attributed to Israel in Syria, Qassem said that it was not a prelude to the war and that there was no need to blow the situation out of proportion.
The requested page is currently unavailable on this server.

Back to [RTHK News Homepage]
Supporters of the opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga celebrate after Supreme Court declared the Aug. 8 presidential election null and void, in Nairobi, Kenya, Sept. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Baishun)

NAIROBI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's fresh presidential elections slated for Oct. 7 offers an opportunity for the electoral body to salvage its tainted image after bungled polls on Aug. 8 while healing ethnic and sectarian divisions that have engulfed the country in the recent past, experts have said.

The experts interviewed by Xinhua admitted that fresh presidential polls ordered by the Supreme Court on Sept. 1 could radically alter Kenya's political landscape, economy and diplomatic engagement.

"Kenyans welcome the fresh presidential election as it will set the truth. They are hoping the elections will be free and fair so that the country is able to move ahead and address growing ethnic divisions," said Kioko Mutua, a scholar at the University of Nairobi's Institute of Development Studies.

Four out of six judges of the Supreme Court voted to annul the Aug. 8 vote where the incumbent, Uhuru Kenyatta, was declared the winner, setting the stage for a rerun.

Kenyatta's rival in the opposition National Super Alliance (NASA), Raila Odinga, protested his win, citing gross malpractices that included alleged hacking of gadgets used to transmit results to a national tallying center.

The apex court's decision to nullify presidential election results that was hailed as historic has triggered a heated national conversation on the credibility and impartiality of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to oversee a rerun.

Nevertheless, experts were convinced the rerun will be held on schedule despite skepticism from some political groupings while citizens will be presented with an opportunity to chart a new beginning after enduring months of heated campaigns.

Kenyatta will face off with Odinga during the Oct. 17 polls that will be held against a backdrop of heated rhetoric over the political future of the country.

Mutua predicted that both Kenyatta and Odinga will leave nothing to chance as they campaign for the highest office in the land.

He noted the two candidates will also present contrasting visions during the campaign to woo undecided voters and avoid a runoff.

"President Kenyatta is going to cement his message that he delivered to Kenyans and that he should be given another chance to finish what he started. Odinga will be keen to poke holes on the development record of Kenyatta. He will also promise delivery on projects that Kenyatta may have abandoned," Mutua told Xinhua.

Odinga and his ardent supporters scored a major victory when the Supreme Court invalidated Kenyatta's electoral victory citing rampant irregularities.

His lawyers made a case for nullification of the election results by illustrating the depth of alleged malpractices during votes tallying and transmission.

The 72-year-old veteran of Kenya's opposition politics will once again face off the well endowed incumbent at the rerun whose outcomes are hazy.

Mutua said it is hard to predict the winner of the forthcoming presidential rerun but noted the incumbent retains an upper hand based on the existing voting patterns.

"President Kenyatta has an upper hand but only if as he says the elections were not stolen. If it was free; it will be a daunting task for Odinga to cover the 1.4 million gap. Also, President Kenyatta's supporters have a high turnout compared to Odinga," Mutua said.

He said the turnout in Kenyatta's strongholds in the Aug. 8 elections averaged 85 percent while the turnout in Odinga's strongholds averaged below 70 percent.

The presidential rerun will have a huge impact on Kenya's future stability, given the high-octane competition alongside political and financial strength of both candidates, Mutua said.

"The future of this country will depend on how the repeat of elections is conducted," he said. "If the loser accepts defeat, if all goes well, the judgment will help strengthen other institutions because they now see judiciary is independent."

Ken Ogembo, a lecturer at Kenyatta University, said that free, credible and transparent repeat presidential polls will test the ability to sustain peace, cohesion and economic growth of Kenya, once an oasis of peace in the politically volatile eastern Africa region.

"We hope that the election loser will accept defeat to prevent socio-political polarization," Ogembo said, adding that it would be premature to predict the winner given that no opinion polls has so far been released to reveal the electoral strength of each candidate.
by Zheng Jianghua, Huang Yong

BURSSELS, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Democratic political system, in Europe above all, has long been deemed as a sacred cow. However, its shining image has been in heavy shadow cast by bizarre political phenomena popping up in Europe's most full-fledged democracies in recent years.

BLACK SWAN REARS ITS HEAD

The Brexit referendum was the first "black swan" event of 2016. Prior to the plebiscite, most heavyweights from different political strips took up the cudgel against opting out of the European Union (EU), warning that leaving the bloc is detrimental to British national interests. Opinion polls also showed that the "remain" has the edge over the "leave".

However, catching many people off guard, the result of the referendum showed that the "leave" outgunned the "remain" by a narrow margin. A broad swathe of pro-leave folk cast their emotional votes out of the anger over current situation and the eager for a change.

"I don't see us benefiting whether we had voted remain or leave. But I thought voting leave was worth the risk. There will inevitably be change after Brexit," said O'Neill, a 52-year-old service driver in Liverpool told Xinhua.

But he admitted that he was "not sure how I would vote now if there was a re-run of the referendum".

POLITICAL ROOKIES HIT PURPLE PATCH

In the snap election which took place nearly one year after the Brexit referendum, the opposition Labor party, headed by Jeremy Corbin, scooped 33 more seats in the House of Commons, dealing a crushing blow to British Prime Minister Theresa May's plan of boosting her small 17-seat majority.

May's Conservative Party only won 318 seats, eight short of the number need to command even a one-set majority. The result was unimaginable in April when May called the snap the election in a bid to strengthen her hand in the Brexit negotiations with the EU.

The Labor party's "victory" to a large extent is the upshot of pro-youth campaigning strategy of Corbin, who has long been on the touchline in British politics and was often snubbed by British media.

At the other side of the English Channel, a political rookie also hit a purple patch. During the French presidential election in April and May, candidates of the traditional political party were given cold shoulder by voters, whereas centrist Emmanuel Macron scored an emphatic victory with 66 percent votes.

Woefully, high expectation easily breeds frustration. On Aug. 15, the day marking Macron's 100th day at the Elysee, an opinion poll showed that his approval rating nosedived to 36 percent.

The slump of support, with the fastest pace compared to his predecessors since 1995, was mainly caused by Macron's push for reforming the labor law and axing the defense budget. These moves not only irked vested interest groups, but also raised ordinary folk's hackles, according to analysts.

Some labor unions have called on their members to hit the streets in September. Youth movement "Nuit Debout", or "Up All Night", which were in the spotlight early last year, is likely to stage a comeback.

In March and April 2016, hundreds of youths occupied the Republic square in Paris every evening for a spontaneous nocturnal sit-in to express their objection to the government's labor reforms seen as threatening workers' rights. The protest then expanded onto other French cities for further causes including migrant rights and anti-globalization.

POPULISIT PARTIES GAIN MOMENTUM

By whipping up anti-globalization, anti-integration and anti-immigration mood, populist parties garnered considerable votes in the elections of several European countries this year. For instance, during the first round of French presidential election, Marine Le Pen, leader of France's far-right National Front (FN) party, secured votes outnumbering most candidates of traditional political parties.

In Germany likewise, recent opinion polls showed that the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) enjoyed the third highest approval rating, only after Chancellor Angela Merkel-led ruling coalition of Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavaria sister party Christian Socialist Union (CSU), and the Social Democratic Party led by Martin Schulz, former president of the European Parliament.

As the German federal elections scheduled on Sept. 24 are approaching, the AfD, which gained popularity as Merkel decided in 2015 to open Germany's borders to over 1 million refugees, is likely to win over 5 percent of votes and thus reach the threshold for entering the Bundestag, or the Federal Parliament, for the first time after the WWII as a far-right party.

Regarding such a prospect, Dr. Stephen Broechler, an expert on German and comparative government at Berlin Humboldt University said: "The good news is that for a long time in the future the AfD won't be part of the government. No party in the German Bundestag will form a coalition with the AfD. The non-coalition policy of the leading parties also applies to state parliaments."

But, "AfD will penetrate German parliamentarism, will polarize party competition and conflictize the political debate," he stressed.

COMPLACENCY ON WESTERN DEMOCRACY OUTDATED

These bizarre political phenomena are inextricably linked to the daily lives of European voters, many of whom fume over the high unemployment rate, the increase of taxes, the influx of immigrants and the surge of terrorist attacks, among others.

But scratching beneath the surface, these phenomena are more to this than meet the eye. In fact, they indicate a representation crisis of Western democratic politics.

First of all, ordinary folk are increasingly disgruntled with mainstream political parties, which they think fail to represent their own interests. Non-traditional political parties and policies have a stronger appeal with them.

According to an opinion poll published by the French newspaper Le Monde late last year, 57 percent of French people thought the democracy was "bad" in France, and 77 percent of them thought it was "getting worse".

The prime reason for these feelings was "corruption among lawmakers is rife", other reasons included "although there are elections, nothing has been changed", "social order is poor", "people's demands are not considered", "lawmakers fail to be good representative of the people", and so on.

At the first sight, the European democratic system appears to be fair, but given the generally low turnout, poll results should not be taken at face value. In the case of the Brexit referendum, for example, voters who chose to leave the EU only made up 37.8 percent of all eligible voters.

The threshold for voting to leave the EU was so low that the minority could hijack the will of majority, noted Kenneth Rogoff, professor of economics and public policy at Harvard University in an article on The Boston Globe, underlining that the plebiscite unmasked Britain's democratic failure.

Other scholars argued that these bizarre phenomena come down to the force dominating Western politics.

"The policies of the oligarchic, economic, and financial groups resulted in the current crisis. The current system does not really absorb and inform the majority of people," French economist Jean Gardrey said.

To be sure, reflection over the drawbacks of Western democratic system in plainly not new, but the interlocking crises haunting the Western societies in the past few years have deepened and broadened the reflection.

David Gosset, a French pundit on international studies, told Xinhua that if seen through the lens of social management, Western democratic system is stymied by serious problems, but "we have fallen to a pitfall of complacency. We regard our democratic system as most perfect and thus irreplaceable".

However, this kind of complacency has subdued in the wake of shambolic political order in Europe. Around one third of the French people now thought that other political systems can be as good as their democratic system, the aforementioned poll of Le Monde revealed.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 01:01:06|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

AMMAN, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Jordan and Japan on Sunday stressed the need to resume Mideast peace talks in light of a specific time frame, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

In talks in Amman, King Abdullah II of Jordan and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kobi looked into regional developments, especially developments in the Palestinian territories.

The king reviewed efforts to make progress in talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis, leading to the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

He said the two state solution was the only vital solution to end the crisis.

Discussions also covered Japan's efforts in this regard, where the King stressed Japan's role in attaining peace in the region.

On Syria, the two sides called for a political solution to ensure the unity and safety of Syria.

Also Sunday, Prime Minster Hani Mulki met with the Japanese official and discussed regional developments and ties between the two countries.

Mulki reviewed pressure placed on Jordan due to hosting 1.3 million Syrian refugees, calling for increased support by the international community to help Jordan in this regard.

The Japanese official stressed his country's support to Jordan, adding that Jordan is a key player in the regional issues.

He added that Japan will continue to support Jordan to overcome challenges.

Discussions also focused on efforts to combat terrorism.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi also met with his Japanese counterpart and discussed efforts to create deescalation zones in south of Syria.

Safadi also briefed the Japanese official on latest developments in combating terrorism and other regional issues.

The two sides also signed an agreement to provide 9 million U.S. dollars in assistance to Jordan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 02:11:20|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

RAMALLAH, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday warned Israel against closing one of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.

In a statement emailed to reporters, the ministry condemned the recommendation of Israeli police inspector Roni al-Sheikh to completely close Bab al-Rahma building that leads to Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Bab al-Rahma building has been closed by an Israeli decision since 2003 and is being renewed periodically.

The ministry considered that the recommendation to close the door permanently "comes within the attempts of Israel to change the historical and legal situation in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and gradually absorb any possible reactions."

The statement stressed that "Israel is not entitled as an occupying and aggressor state."

The statement went on saying that "Israel has no moral or legal right to issue judgments or decisions on behalf of the authority responsible for Islamic endowments."

The Palestinian foreign ministry accused Israel of working to "change the status quo in Al-Aqsa and to deport the responsible and active Islamic institutions that are working to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites."

The ministry warned that the recommendation of the Israeli police "represents a dangerous escalation that will have catastrophic repercussions on the battlefield."

The Palestinian territories experienced a wave of tension after the Palestinians abstained for two weeks from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque due to security measures established by Israel in July 14 in the vicinity of the mosque after it witnessed an armed attack, where three Palestinians and two Israeli policemen were killed.

The Palestinians were no longer praying inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque until Thursday, July 27, after Israel removed all its security measures and measures.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 03:01:34|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

KUWAIT CITY, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- It will take only three days to set up a company in Kuwait, thanks to the measures announced on Sunday by the government to improve the business climate.

The time spent on setting up a shareholding company in Kuwait will be reduced from 60 days to only three days and from 30 steps to only four steps, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement carried by the official news agency KUNA.

The move is part of a new set of guidelines planned by the ministry, the ministry's Assistant Undersecretary for companies and commercial licenses Ahmad Al-Faris said in the statement.

Since April, the ministry has eased procedures on opening company branches and microenterprises, Al-Faris said.

The ministry has also completed the guidelines on streamlining the procedures involving setting up different kinds of companies, including limited liability firms and companies of sole ownership.

The steps were taken amid the ministry's plans to facilitate procedures for businesses and startups in Kuwait so to improve its business climate, Al-Faris said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 07:27:12|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russians cast their ballot on Sunday to fill two vacant seats at the State Duma (lower house of the Russian parliament) and elect heads of 16 federal subjects and parliament members of six federal subjects.

According to the Russian Central Election Commission, about 5,800 elections at various levels were held in 82 federal subjects, attracting some 46 million people, or nearly half of Russia's total voters.

A total of 18 candidates are running for the two State Duma vacancies and 105 others are bidding for local government heads. At the same time, 230 local referendums were held.

Members of 42 political parties and six social organizations are seeking these positions. United Russia is the largest and ruling party of the country.

The massive elections on Sunday was widely seen as a prelude to the 2018 presidential election.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 08:22:20|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Some 53 militant suspects were arrested in different parts of Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi in police's raids during last 24 hours, said local police late Sunday, adding that one suspect was killed in the operations.

Adeel Chandio, the superintendent of police in Karachi, said that police and law enforcers conducted raids after getting intelligence tips about the presence of militants and criminals belonging to different groups in various areas of Karachi, the capital of the country's southern province of Sindh.

According to the details, three suspects were taken into custody during a crackdown in Darakhshan area of the metropolitan.

Police and Rangers cordoned off the Layari area, once considered as a safe haven for drug paddlers, extortionists, and militants, and successfully arrested 50 suspects.

However, during a raid in Chakiwara area of the city, some unknown suspects opened fire at police party to avoid arrest, but in retaliation, one suspect was killed while his companions managed to escape from the site.

Police said that the arrested were involved in several incidents of militancy and street crimes in the city.

The detained persons have been shifted to undisclosed locations where they are undergoing investigation.

Police, paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies are on high alert and have sped up raids in the densely populated Karachi since the arrest of the chief of a terrorist group of Ansar-ul-Sharia Pakistan last week.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 08:27:22|Editor: Yurou

Rescuers transfer an injured man in southwest Pakistan's Quetta on Sept. 10, 2017. At least three people were killed and two others injured when some unknown gunmen targeted a vehicle in Pakistan's southwestern Quetta on Sunday, officials said. The incident happened at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area of Kuchlak town, some 27 km north of central Quetta city, the capital city of the country's southwestern Balochistan Province. (Xinhua/Irfan)

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and two others injured when some unknown gunmen targeted a vehicle in Pakistan's southwestern Quetta on Sunday, officials said.

The victims, belonging to the Hazara community of minority Shia Muslims, were going somewhere when some unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants sprayed bullets at their vehicle, local Superintendent Police Zahoor Khan said.

The insurgents fled the scene after carrying out the attack.

The incident happened at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area of Kuchlak town, some 27 km north of central Quetta city, the capital city of the country's southwestern Balochistan Province.

Khan said that three men in the vehicle died right at the spot and the two injured women had been shifted to a nearby hospital.

He said that it seemed to be an incident of target killing. However, further investigations are being made to determine the exact motive of the firing.

The police have kicked off a search operation in the area, following the attack. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 08:27:23|Editor: Mengjie

Vendors sell vegetables at a fruit and vegetable market in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on Sept. 11, 2017. The prices of vegetables and fruits raised much across Pakistan due to the extended monsoon season. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)



ISLAMABAD, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The prices of vegetables and fruits have skyrocketed by up to 200 percent across Pakistan due to the extended monsoon season, and the situation has become a hassle for common people in the country, according to local reports late Sunday.

Shakeel Abbasi, a salesperson in a superstore Madina Cash & Carry here, told Xinhua that the price of onion was 50 rupees (almost 50 U.S. cents) per kg one week ago but it is now being sold at the price of 150 rupees a kg, while onion prices in other cities including Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan lie within the range of 120 to 140 rupees per kg.

Meanwhile, prices of most used vegetables such as tomatoes, peas, green chilies, capsicums, beans and cauliflowers have surged tremendously by over 100 percent.

Local reports said that the price hike was due to the extended monsoon season which has affected the vegetable fields and fruit production across the country.

"Another cause of the surge in prices of some of the commodities is the slowdown of supply due to the recent week-long holidays by the truck drivers on the eve of Eid festival," said the salesman.

local media reports quoted vegetable merchants and traders' associations as saying that the ongoing marriage season among Muslims is also another major reason in rising prices.

Munir Ahmad, a consumer in Bhara Kahu area of Islamabad, looked disappointed over the increase of prices, saying that the ordinary citizens can no longer buy these staple commodities.

"Onions and tomatoes are used in all the vegetable, curry and meats dishes made at our homes, but now we cannot buy them enough. If the situation remains the same, it will hurt our monthly budget," he added.

Local watchers said that the surge in prices of vegetables and fruits is artificial and it is created by producers and suppliers due to the rise in demands after the Eid festival when Muslims sacrificed animals and eat meat dishes.

They are confident that in a month's time, the crisis would be resolved and rates would return to normal.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 09:27:49|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

CANBERRA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The popularity of Australia's Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has plunged despite his party retained an election-winning lead in the polls.

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) maintained a 53-47 two-party preferred lead on the ruling Liberal National Party (LNP) in a Fairfax-Ipsos poll released on Monday.

The poll found that the popularity of ALP leader Bill Shorten had taken a significant hit, however, with his approval rating falling from 42 to 36 percent since May while his disapproval soared from 47 to 52 percent, leaving him with a net rating of -16 percent.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's rating has also taken a hit with his net rating falling from +1 percent in May to -5 percent on Monday.

Turnbull did significantly increase his lead as preferred PM, rising to 48 percent while Shorten fell to 31 percent.

The results came after months of fighting between the LNP and ALP with the government's narrow majority allowing it little leeway in passing major legislation.

Ipsos identified rising electricity prices, climate change and the uncertain future of Australia's energy market as the biggest concerns among voters.

Scott Morrison, Australia's Treasurer, was also given a big tick of approval by the 1,400 Australians polled by Ipsos, with 38 percent of whom saying he was their preferred treasurer over ALP counterpart Chris Bowen.

Overall, voters said that economic policy was a major strong point for the LNP over the ALP, with 39 percent identifying the LNP as best-equipped to manage the economy compared to 28 percent who preferred the ALP.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 09:27:49|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

YANGON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Violence broke out in Taungdwingyi, Myanmar's central Magway region Sunday night, forcing the security forces to disperse the mob with shields, Myanmar News Agency reported Monday.

A group of mob of about 50 threw stones and destroyed some houses and shops on Mayway-Taungdwingyi road in Taungdwingyi and approached a mosque at 08:05 p.m. local time which was guarded by the police.

Later at 9 p.m. local time, another group of mob numbering about 70 who were holding catapults and stones, gathered north of the mosque and drew about 400 onlookers, causing tense situation.

Failing to persuade the mobs to disperse, the security forces broke them up with shields, the report said.

Police arrested a stone thrower and and investigation is underway to expose other perpetrators.

The army joined the security forces and police to control the situation, warning to take action against agitators for causing the disturbances while urging people to live in peace under law.

The violence coincided with recent series of extremist terrorists' attacks in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 09:47:57|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

PYONGYANG, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Monday warned that the United States would face a "series of action tougher than it has ever envisaged" if Washington pushes through a new UN resolution imposing extra sanctions on Pyongyang.

"The sanctions and pressure racket of the United States to completely obliterate the DPRK's sovereignty and right to existence is reaching an extremely reckless phase," said the DPRK's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.

"The United States is going frantic to fabricate the harshest ever 'sanctions resolution' by manipulating the United Nations Security Council over the DPRK's ICBM mountable H-bomb test," it said.

"The DPRK is ready and willing to use any form of ultimate means" to respond to the new sanctions, the statement warned.

It accused the United States of "trying to use the DPRK's legitimate self-defensive measures as an excuse to strangle and completely suffocate it," saying that the latest missile and nuclear tests by the DPRK are aimed at deterring U.S. threats to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

"Since the United States is revealing its nature as a blood-thirsty beast obsessed with the wild dream of reversing the DPRK's development of the state nuclear force which has already reached the completion phase, there is no way that the DPRK is going to wait and let the U.S. feast on it," it said.

"In case the U.S. eventually does rig up the illegal and unlawful 'resolution' on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the United Stats pays due price," it added.

The United States and Japan are pushing for a new sanctions resolution against the DPRK at the UN Security Council, after Pyongyang tested a hydrogen bomb one week ago.

The United Nations passed a resolution last month imposing additional sanctions on the DPRK and banning its export of coal, iron, iron core and sea food, after its tested two ICBM missiles in July.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 09:52:59|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

YANGON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The All Myanmar Islamic Religious Organization (AMIRO) has condemned the recent Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) extremist terror attacks in northern Rakhine state, urging Muslims in the country to cooperate with the authorities for peace and stability, the government's Information Committee said Monday.

In a statement, the AMIRO pledged collaboration with the government, interfaith groups and the public to prevent the threatened possible attacks on three major cities by the terrorists.

The statement called on people not to share, believe nor react emotionally to online instigation and to report to the authorities concerned if they find any suspicious activities.

"The AMIRO has never accepted terrorism and is totally against it," the statement said, adding that the organization feels very sorry for the innocent people who have been displaced.

The AMIRO comprises Jamiat Ulama-al Islam (Headquarters), Islamic Religious Affairs Council, All Myanmar Mawlawi Federation (Central), Myanmar Muslim Youth (Religious Affairs) Organization and Myanmar Muslim Nation Affairs Organization.

Extremist terrorists launched renewed attacks on police outposts in Rakhine on Aug. 25. As of Sept. 4, many residents from Taungpyo, Letwe, Kwuntheepin, Thechaung and Meetaik areas in Maungtaw district have fled to border areas for refuge and camped along the Myanmar side along the border with Bangladesh.

Earlier reports said 97 terrorist attacks by the ARSA during the period had killed 36 people, including 13 security force members, two government service personnel and 21 ethnic people. The attacks have also injured 22 others.

A total of 59 villages and 6,842 houses were burnt down by the extremist terrorists with eight bridges destroyed by mines.

Meanwhile, 371 terrorists were so far killed in clashes with the security forces, according to the reports.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 10:48:21|Editor: liuxin

Trees and branches are seen on a street after being torn down by strong winds as hurricane Irma arrives, in Miami, Florida, the United States , on Sept. 10, 2017. Category Four Hurricane Irma on Sunday morning made landfall in the Florida Keys with gust wind speed of 171 km/h, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

MIAMI, the United States, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Hurricane Irma on Sunday morning made landfall with a maximum sustained wind speed of 215 kph in Florida Keys, a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The hurricane, which arrived in Florida as a Category 4 storm, the second highest level on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, weakened to a Category 2 with a maximum sustained wind speed of 177 kph by afternoon as it marched up the state's west coast.

Still, many areas in Florida have been affected by the hurricane, which killed at least 27 people when it hit the Caribbean.

The death toll is expected to rise as the path of the hurricane is projected to cross ill-prepared population centers in west Florida.

"Once this system passes through, it's going to be a race to save lives and sustain lives," U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long told "Fox News Sunday."

Forecasters warned that the entire state -- including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people -- was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

Much of downtown Miami has been flooded due to the storm surge, and two construction cranes have also been broken.

TV signals have been completely cut off since early morning and the power went out shortly after.

Local media reported that more than 2 million people are out of power in the state of Florida, including three quarters of the Miami-Dade County located in southeast of Florida. Utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

Local police imposed a curfew starting 7 p.m. (2300 GMT) Saturday until 7 a.m (1100 GMT) Sunday, and said police and the fire department will not respond to calls after the wind speed reaches 39 mph, or 63 kph.

After leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time in Atlanta, more than 300 km from the sea coast.

A White House statement said U.S. President Donald Trump is closely monitoring the situation in Florida, and will travel to the state "very soon."

"I hope there aren't too many people in that path," Trump said of Hurricane Irma. "We tried to warn everybody. That's a bad path to be in."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 10:58:25|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government attaches great importance to comprehensively advancing the rule of law and China is willing to have more judicial cooperation with other countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday in a letter to prosecutors meeting.

The 22nd annual conference and general meeting of the international association of prosecutors opened on Monday morning in Beijing and the Chinese president sent a letter of congratulations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 11:24:26|Editor: liuxin

Maoris in traditional costumes participate in a parade celebrating the Maori Language Week in Wellington, New Zealand, Sept. 11, 2017. (Xinhua/Su Liang)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 11:23:28|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's approval rating fell for the second straight week amid rising geopolitical risks following the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s sixth nuclear test, a poll showed Monday.

According to the Realmeter survey, Moon garnered 69.1 percent of support last week, down 4 percentage points from the previous week.

It was based on a poll of 2,543 voters conducted from last Monday to Friday. It had 1.9 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level.

It marked the first time since his inauguration in May that Moon's support scores fell below 70 percent, the pollster said.

Moon's approval rating declined for two weeks in a row as the DPRK conducted its sixth nuclear test last Sunday after testing what it called an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) twice in July.

The Realmeter said that the crisis of security continued following Pyongyang's test of what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb warhead that can be loaded onto a ballistic missile with intercontinental capability.

Moon's ruling Democratic Party gained 49.7 percent of support rate last week, down 1.6 percentage points from a week earlier. It was the first time since the Moon administration was launched that the ruling party's approval rating declined below 50 percent.

Support for the main opposition Liberty Korea Party rose 0.3 percentage points over the week to 16.7 percent last week.

The minor conservative Righteous Party won 6.3 percent in support scores, with the centrist People's Party and the minor progressive Justice Party garnering an identical rate of 5.7 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 11:43:32|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's exports fell for the first days of this month on less business days, customs data showed Monday.

Exports, which account for about half of the export-driven economy, came in at 12.3 billion U.S. dollars during the Sept. 1-10 period, down 8.7 percent from the same period of last year, according to Korea Customs Service.

The exports continued to grow for 10 months through August.

The exports decline in early September was attributed to less working days compared with a year ago. During the Sept. 1-10 period, the number of business days was seven, a day lower than the same period of last year.

The daily average exports stood at 1.76 billion dollars in the cited period, up 4.4 percent from a year earlier.

Exports of semiconductors jumped 42.9 percent in the period, with those for oil product and automobiles increasing 15 percent and 13.7 percent respectively.

Shipments of telecommunications device, including smartphones, tumbled 18.7 percent on the growing production in overseas factories, while auto parts shipments plunged 37.6 percent.

Exports to Vietnam advanced 26.9 percent, but those to China and the United States, South Korea's top two trading partners, shed 2.8 percent and 5.2 percent respectively.

Imports lost 3.4 percent over the year to 11.9 billion dollars for the first 10 days of this month, sending the trade surplus to 400 million dollars.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 12:13:40|Editor: Zhou Xin

Video Player Close

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Two militants were killed in a gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Monday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 12:18:42|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writers Huang Yong, Zhai Wei, Tian Dongdong

BRUSSELS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Known as the Heart of Europe, Brussels easily captures the heart of newcomers with its thousands of hectares of green spaces and neoclassical style buildings.

But heavily armed soldiers patrolling parks, stations and tourist resorts immediately bring them back to reality -- this city, which has been attacked twice this year, is under the threat of terrorism.

What happens in Brussels is just an epitome of whole Europe. Like a ghost, the threat of terrorist attacks is haunting Europeans incessantly. Plagued by the threat, Europe is rapidly drifting away from a land of tranquility.

THREE NEW TRENDS OF TERRORIST ATTACKS IN EUROPE

Despite the counter-terrorism measures taken by European governments and the European Union (EU), the number and frequency of terrorist attacks are increasing steadily.

As of the end of August, the whole continent witnessed at least 13 terrorist attacks, leaving at least 58 people killed and over 300 injured in Belgium, Britain, Finland, France, Germany, Spain and Sweden, among others.

"They (terrorists) aren't looking for spectacular results using huge resources, but rather they want frequency to try to destabilize their adversaries," Frederic Gallois, former head of France's elite GIGN anti-terror unit, told local media after the twin terrorist attacks in Barcelona. "It's the regularity which is the problem."

"At the moment, there's an attack every four to six weeks in Europe," he added. Then after each lull, "everyone says to themselves 'something's going to happen'."

Unlike sophisticatedly organized attacks such as "9/11," today's terrorist activities are intertwined with "lone wolf" style attacks and organized ones. In addition, suspects of attacks in Barcelona and Finland were ordinary people who had no criminal records before, making police investigations after the attack more difficult. And the use of social media as well as daily tools when committing crimes also makes the attacks harder to be detected and prevented.

Meanwhile, many suspects of terrorist attacks in Europe are descendants of native immigrants. For a long time, European countries turned a blind eye to the fact that their citizens were inspired by extremism and joined "Jihad" in the Middle East and other war-torn areas.

As terrorist groups like the Islamic State are being hit hard in the Middle East, they returned to Europe as legal residents. Europol estimates those people number over 5,000 and takes them as a serious concern.

VICIOUS CIRCLE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST VIOLENCE

The environment that nurtures extremism is not only linked with the social and economic problems in Europe, but also fueled by the international situation, late French philosopher Ruwen Ogien told Xinhua in 2015.

For one thing, the increased terrorist attacks in Europe have much to do with the intervention policies of European countries in the Middle East. Fighting for resources and markets, European countries have long been trying to establish their own sphere of influence there.

However, the one-sided competition in the region and egocentric policy of European countries not only disturbed local economic development, but also hindered Arabian industrialization, resulting in more poverty and inequality, a hotbed of terrorism.

Pursuing double standards, Western countries have long been taking anti-terrorism as a tool to implement their "Middle East policy." Instead of eliminating terrorism, Western powers had created soil for the survival of terrorism in the Middle East, leading Europe into a vicious circle of violence against violence, said Shen Yihuai, an expert on European affairs at China's Institute of Modern International Relations.

For another, due to Europe's economic downturn and high unemployment in recent years, the long-existing problem of immigrants' integration into the European society has deteriorated.

British economist and writer Martin Wolf said the 2008 financial crisis has adversely affected those unskilled and semi-skilled male workers in the West, who were once significant beneficiaries of industrialization.

Wolf, an associate editor and chief economic commentator of the London-based daily Financial Times, believes that the rising role of the financial sector, the increasing imports of labor-intensive goods and the surging immigration are behind the Western public anger.

Thirdly, the inherent paradox of the Western democracy results in the insufficient protection of the interests of the marginalized groups. Frequent terrorist attacks cannot only be attributed to cultural and religious conflicts between the West and the Middle East. The Western social system ridden with internal conflicts and contradictions should also be blamed, said Ogien.

In addition, the mainstream Christian culture in European countries still distorts and repels Muslim culture, consequently intensifying the trend of conservatism in the European society.

European countries should reflect on their internal and external policies and make timely adjustments, which are the key to long-term stability on the continent, said Cui Hongjian, director of the China Institute of International Studies.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 12:33:46|Editor: Song Lifang

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Four hog deers have been captured and recorded on camera traps by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Kratie province of eastern Cambodia for the first time in a decade, the conservationist group said in a press release on Monday.

"This is promising news and builds hopes for a future population increase of this endangered species in the Mekong Flooded Forest landscape," said the WWF's release.

The four adult hog deer, three females and one male, were photographed in Kratie province, using an automatically triggered camera trap placed in the core protection zone of the 2,678-hectare proposed protected area, it said.

In the photographs, the nocturnal animals are seen grazing on rice saplings and vegetation, it said, adding that the WWF-Cambodia research team has also found evidence of young hog deer footprints around the camera trap sites.

Hog deer, listed as a globally endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's "Red List," was once thought to be extinct in Cambodia until 2006, when it was rediscovered in Kratie province. However, it has not been seen or photographed in the wild since then, the release said.

The main threats to the hog deer include hunting and snaring for bush meat consumption, habitat loss, charcoal production, and land clearance for agriculture, it said.

WWF-Cambodia has set up the camera traps after locals reported the presence of the species in the area.

"The confirmed photos of female and male presence and juvenile footprint sightings indicate that populations can be recovered," WWF-Cambodia researcher Phan Channa said.

Seng Teak, WWF-Cambodia country director, said this was fabulous news and it clearly reflected the hard work of community members and the joint effort between government and WWF field teams in the last few years.

"These sightings are encouraging and inspiring. However, hunting pressure remains a challenge and we must eliminate it via close collaboration with communities, increasing our boots on the ground, and implementing effective law enforcement," he said.

The hog deer conservation project was established by WWF-Cambodia in 2014 in the Mekong Flooded Forest Landscape, the release said. The ongoing focus will be on community outreach, community patrolling and law enforcement, research, and planning and designing the hog deer site to be under legal protection.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 12:33:47|Editor: Song Lifang

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The National Assembly of Cambodia voted on Monday to allow a court investigation into opposition leader and lawmaker Kem Sokha who was accused of treason.

Kem Sokha, 64, president of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arrested at his home in Phnom Penh on Sept. 3 for allegedly plotting the overthrow of the government with the U.S. support. He was charged with "treason" by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court last week.

Sixty-seven lawmakers from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) took part in the 20-minute parliamentary session, as all CNRP lawmakers boycotted it.

At the end of the session, National Assembly President Heng Samrin announced that "all 67 lawmakers in attendance unanimously voted to allow the court to continue its procedures against Kem Sokha, a lawmaker for Kampong Cham province."

The arrest of Kem Sokha came after a video, broadcast by Australia-based Cambodian Broadcasting Network in late 2013, was posted on Facebook on Sept. 2. The video showed Kem Sokha delivered a speech during a gathering with his supporters in Australia and he told them about his secret plot against the Cambodian government with the U.S. support.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said during a university graduation ceremony on Monday that the act of treason would not be tolerated and an investigation was underway to find out whether the whole CNRP got involved in the plot.

"If the whole party is found getting involved in the act of treason, that party will be dissolved in accordance with the law," he said.

Kem Sokha became the president of the CNRP in March 2017, replacing his long-serving predecessor, Sam Rainsy, who resigned in February. Sam Rainsy, 68, has been living in self-exile in France since November 2015 to avoid at least eight-year prison sentence for defamation and incitement cases.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 12:43:50|Editor: Song Lifang

Video Player Close

by Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Cuban capital of Havana was damaged beyond recognition Sunday after Hurricane Irma whipped the northern coast of the Caribbean nation.

The strong storm rated between Categories 3 and 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale when it pummeled Cuba's northern coast started to be felt in the capital late Saturday, but unleashed its fury with strong winds and record-breaking waves early Sunday.

Although the eye of the storm did not touch Havana, its unusual force knocked down thousands of trees and power lines, ripped off roofs and caused considerable damage to tourist centers while leaving the entire city without electricity.

Fire teams and Red Cross staff spent Saturday night and Sunday rescuing residents in the old quarter and other areas of Havana as the raging sea caused devastating flooding.

"There are plenty of rescue workers and Red Cross staff to cooperate with the people and try to get things back to normal," Fidel Martinez, a Cuban who was evacuated from floods, told Xinhua.

On El Malecon, a famous seafront avenue in Havana, waves triggered flooding never seen by city authorities nor its residents.

"I have been living in this area for more than 30 years and the floods have never reached this level. This hurricane has really caused severe damage to our city," said David Comuna, a resident of the capital.

In some areas, especially in the neighborhood of Vedado near the center of the city, the water advanced more than 600 meters inland, flooding hundreds of houses and garages.

"This has been a hurricane like no other. Only what we called the 'Storm of the Century' in 1996 might be a little similar. It has affected our entire city, in particular this coastal area. But now we must recover," said a resident named Alicia Noriega.

In a message released on Sunday, Cuban President Raul Castro ordered local authorities in each territory to initiate recovery efforts because the hurricane has affected practically the entire country.

In Havana, numerous trees have fallen and electricity networks have been damaged considerably, said Mercedes Lopez Acea, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba.

Lopez added that there had been "partial or total collapses of houses" in the city.

The hurricane also battered Cuba's tourism infrastructure as it swept the country's northern coast.

Varadero, a popular tourist destination in Matanzas province, about 120 km east of Havana, escaped Irma's direct hit, but hurricane winds wreaked havoc on hotel facilities.

"In Varadero, preliminary damage concentrated on metal structures, roofs and some partial landslides," said Teresa Mora Monzon, president of the Matanzas Civil Defense.

More than 10,000 tourists have been evacuated to Varadero from resorts in the central part of the country, like Cayo Coco, Guillermo in Ciego de Avila and Cayo Santa Maria in Villa Clara, where part of the tourism facilities were destroyed.

After tearing through Cuba's northern coast, the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic made landfall Sunday in the Florida Keys, a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of the U.S. state of Florida, with rains and winds of up to 210 km per hour.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 12:58:57|Editor: Song Lifang

Video Player Close

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde on Monday saw the resilience of the South Korean economy despite rising geopolitical risks on the Korean Peninsula.

"I believe that Korean economy is extremely resilient and has demonstrated resilience in the face of the uncertainty," the IMF chief said during a press conference in Seoul.

She said any tension damaged economic development, but she noted that she saw both downside in escalation of tensions and upside in trying to resolve the tensions.

Geopolitical risks mounted on the peninsula after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s test last week of what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb warhead that can be fitted atop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The sixth nuclear test was seen as the most powerful ever conducted by Pyongyang, which detonated its first atomic device in 2006.

Lagarde said the South Korean economy, which is strong and highly diversified, and has multiple trading partners, would stand firmly despite the geopolitical risks, expressing her hope that situations would be resolved in the future.

The IMF head arrived in Seoul last week for her seven-day visit. She would leave the country later in the day.

Before the press conference, Lagarde met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in to exchange views over a wide range of economic issues, according to the presidential Blue House.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 13:04:01|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

WUHAN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A drug gang posing as household decorators have been caught manufacturing drugs in apartments in central China's Hubei Province.

Police with the public security bureau of Wuhan, Hubei's capital, raided three workshops manufacturing drugs in late August, seizing 13 suspects, according to a statement released by local police Monday.

The police confiscated more than 20 kilograms of yaba (a stimulant composed of methamphetamine and caffeine), 20 kilograms of drug materials, drug-making equipment, two hand grenades, four pistols and several imitation pistols and bullets.

As the drug-making equipment, weighing around one tonne, was very noisy, the gang usually hid the machine in new neighborhoods that had many decoration teams. They also set up a shock-absorption device on the bottom of the machine.

A resident in the neighborhood told police that he heard loud noises inside the apartment but thought it was people decorating.

Each gang member had a specific role. Younger members learned how to make drugs online, while older members sold the drugs and provided financial support for the gang.

In order to produce quality drugs, they even recruited two experts from southwest China's Yunnan Province who had learned to make drugs overseas.

Currently, eight members of the gang have been detained by police for manufacturing and selling drugs.

An investigation is ongoing.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 13:29:11|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's Index of Industrial Production (IPI) surged 6.1 percent year-on-year in July, mainly driven by growth in manufacturing and electricity sectors, said Malaysia's statistics department Monday.

The manufacturing output rose 8 percent year-on-year in July, while electricity sector grew 7.9 percent year-on-year. The mining sector also increased marginally by 0.2 percent.

The growth in manufacturing was mainly supported by higher growth in electrical and electronics (E&E) products that grew 10.5 percent, and food, beverages and tobacco which soared 19.2 percent.

MIDF Research's chief economist Kamaruddin Mohd Nor told Xinhua that the IPI growth was significantly above his expectation of 5.4 percent.

The faster growth rate may be due to the export that was holding well, especially the E&E sector, he added.

However, he expects the growth to slow down in the second half due to unfavorable base effect, and maintains his full year IPI growth forecast at 5.3 percent.

AmBank Group chief economist Anthony Dass also told Xinhua that other than stronger export, domestic activities also slowly picked up, underpinned by major infrastructure projects.

Nevertheless, he expects the IPI growth to reach its peak at the end of third quarter, and normalize in the last quarter, due to the cyclical factor.

"Overall, it is a good year as we have revised up our economic growth forecast for the country twice," said Dass who also expects Malaysia's economy to grow at 5.7 percent to 5.9 percent this year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 13:49:17|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

HANOI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's cashew nut exports in the first eight months of this year rose 24.9 percent year-on-year to 2.2 billion U.S. dollars, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Monday.

Specifically, Vietnam exported 223,000 tons of cashew nuts, down 1.1 percent, but with the product's average price surging over the same period last year as well as over the whole 2016.

In August alone, about 35,000 tons of cashew nuts worth 351 million U.S. dollars were shipped abroad, reported the ministry.

The United States, the Netherlands and China continued to be the largest importers of Vietnamese cashew nuts, which consumed 36.7 percent, 15.6 percent and 11.7 percent of the country's total export volume, respectively.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 14:04:30|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A notable decrease has been witnessed in terrorist activities in Pakistan during the year 2017, local media reported Monday.

According to figures released by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), 426 terrorist incidents happened in 2017 so far as compared to 785 such attacks in the whole year 2016, Urdu newspaper NawaiWaqt said Monday.

It is reported that in the country's southern port city of Karachi, a 97 percent drop has been witnessed in target killings; murder rate decreased by 87 percent; terrorism incidents were down by 98 percent and robberies dropped by 52 percent due to successful operations carried out by police and paramilitary troops. The law enforcement agencies also recovered 33,378 weapons from Karachi in 2017.

The authority said that 110 incidents of terrorism occurred in 2001, 56 in 2002, 88 in 2003, 159 in 2004 and 113 in 2005.

A total of 1,444 terrorist activities were carried out in 2006 alone, 2007 witnessed a further surge with 1,820 incidents, 2008 recorded 1,575 terrorist activities, and 1,938 terrorist activities happened in 2009.

The terrorist incidents hit their peak in 2010 with 2, 061 attacks.

An estimated 1,680 attacks were launched in 2011, about 1,316 in 2012, a total of 1,571 in 2013 and 1,816 terrorist activities were witnessed in 2014 in the country.

A decline in the terrorist activities was noticed in 2015 when only 1,139 activities were noted, the authority said.

The drop in the terrorist attacks is the result of the armed offensive "Operation Zarb-i-Azb" launched in the restive tribal areas of the country in mid-2014.

Pakistani army launched the extensive operation to remove the sanctuaries of local and foreign terrorists in tribal area of North Waziristan, which leads to the falling number of terrorist attacks.

Apart from this, to curb militancy in the country, the army also launched operation in Khyber Agency area, in four phases between Oct. 2014 and Aug. 2017, to reinforce troops' deployment and effectively check and guard against terrorists movement along high mountains and all weather passes.

The military also launched Operation Radd-ul-Fassad and National Action Plan to hunt down militants and their sleeping cells in other parts of the country, which bore the fruit in the form of decline in terrorist attacks in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 14:54:41|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

PARUN, Afghanistan, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Up to 30 Taliban fighters were killed and three soldiers injured in a clash took place between the government forces and militants loyal to the Taliban, in eastern Afghan province of Nuristan, a senior provincial official said Monday.

The incident took place early Monday morning, in the restive Barg-e-Matal district of the province, where as many as 30 insurgents were killed and three security personnel injured, said Hafiz Abdul Qayum, the provincial governor, adding that the conflict continues.

The governor warned that the district would fall to the armed opposition, if fresh troops were not called for help.

The Taliban had not still commented on the incident nor confirmed their casualties.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 15:04:46|Editor: An

Video Player Close

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least four militants, three of them foreign fighters, have been killed and three others wounded in a local uprising group ambush in eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, an official said Monday.

The incident took place late Sunday, when a local uprising group ambushed militants in Nazeyan district of the province, leaving four militants including three foreigners and one IS fighter dead and three others wounded, said Ghulam Hazrat Mashreqiwal, spokesman of the provincial police.

According to him, a civilian who was in IS captivity had been freed and handed over to his family and some arms and ammunition have also been seized by the local uprising group militia.

No immediate comment from the eastern based IS group had so far been made on the incident.


Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 15:04:47|Editor: An

Video Player Close

SUVA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said on Monday that no country in the world can be spared the impact of climate change and industrialized countries should be put into action to reduce carbon emissions.

Speaking in the parliament, Bainimarama, whose country is currently chair of the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP23) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said he had taken up the responsibility because no corner of the planet would be spared the fury of climate change, and climate-vulnerable people around the world were crying out for help.

"If we are to avoid events like Cyclone Winston, and Hurricane Harvey and Irma, then we need to put the industrialized world into action to reduce carbon emissions and spare us from the worst effects of climate change," he said.

"Given the extreme threat we faced, Fijians should not make Fiji's Presidency a political issue," he said, adding that "this is not a fight for any one party or any one community, it is a fight for Fiji, the Pacific and every nation on earth."

The prime minister also confirmed that in late September, Fiji would hold a weekend of prayer for the COP23 Presidency through the churches, mosques and temples, and he hoped to see as many people in attendance as possible.

According to Bainimarama, he will travel to Montreal, Canada, on Tuesday to attend a ministerial dialogue on climate action and meet with the Canadian leadership to rally support for COP23.

He will then go on to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he will attend the UN Climate Week and meet some of the world's most influential leaders of business, states and cities to discuss opportunities in clean economic growth, and attend a leader's dialogue on climate action.

The COP23 will take place on Nov. 6-17 in Bonn, Germany.

The 2017 Ministerial Dialogue, known as Pre-COP, will be held in Nadi, a city of Fiji, on Oct. 17-18. It is designed primarily as a series of closed sessions for political leaders and key advisers.

The objective of the Pre-COP is to allow the leaders of member parties to frankly exchange views of key political deliverables, rather than technical details, for the upcoming COP23.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 15:29:58|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

SINGAPORE, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's former Minister of Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin was formally elected as the 10th Speaker of Parliament on Monday.

Tan said in his first speech as the speaker that the parliament needs to be the institution that channels and reflects the voices of the people, so that the members of parliament (MP) can query, answer and debate in a manner that provides hope and clarity.

"We need to be a beacon from where Singaporeans can take reference, with confidence, when addressing and understanding issues that will matter greatly for our collective well-being," he said.

Tan was nominated as the house speaker by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last week, as the former Speaker Halimah Yacob resigned from the post in August to participate in the upcoming presidential election. He left his post as the minister because the house speaker in Singapore cannot be elected from Members of Parliament (MP) who are office holders.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 15:30:00|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

by Yao Yuan, Habtamu Liben and Wang Shoubao

ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Wishing to feel years younger than your actual age? It may be a good idea to join Ethiopians today, as they celebrate the first day of the year 2010 with a lot of aromatic coffee. The following are some key facts about the Ethiopian New Year and what to watch on this festive day.

1. The Ethiopian New Year, or Enkutatash in Amharic language, falls on September 11 (or September 12 during a leap year). The East African nation uses a unique calendar, which counts its year seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar. Presently, the country is celebrating the arrival of 2010.

2. Enkutatash is literally translated as "gift of jewels," a name that derives from the story of the Queen of Sheba. According to the Bible and other ancient texts, the ancient queen of Ethiopia traveled to Jerusalem to meet King Solomon, and there she sent him a large quantity of gold and precious stones. Upon her return to Ethiopia, local rulers welcomed her with plentiful jewels.

3. Enkutatash marks the end of the three-month rainy season, when bright autumn days return to the vastly highland nation. On the eve, each household or neighbors in group light wooden torches called "chibo" to symbolize the coming of the new season of sunshine.

4. Steeped in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church traditions, Enkutatash celebrations usually begin with church activities. New Year church programs start some time after mid-night on the eve and last into the next morning.

5. The New Year brings an extended family together to attend a series of events, including slaughtering of cattle, either a sheep, got or cow, depending on a household's financial condition. Often, a community or a village will pool money to slaughter a cow (worth about 1,000 U.S. dollars) in group, while each household can choose to slaughter a less expensive sheep (about 110 dollars).

6. Coffee ceremony is an integral part of the celebration. The ritual of coffee serving and drinking, which can last for hours, is an important social occasion offering reunion for relatives and friends and a chance to discuss community matters while enjoying top-notch coffee. To be invited to a coffee ceremony in an Ethiopian family is a sign of great respect.

7. Enkutatash is also a special day for children. They gather in groups and go from house to house -- girls play the Amharic song "Abebayehugn," meaning "I have seen flowers," with hand drums, while boys often present pictures painted by themselves -- with expectations of praise and gifts. For children, the new attires from parents and gifts from community members are undoubtedly the most expected thing of Enkutatash.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 15:30:01|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit India on Wednesday on a two-day tour, officials said Monday.

Abe will arrive in in Ahmedabad, the city in India's western state of Gujarat.

"At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan will undertake an official visit to India on September 13 to 14," a foreign ministry spokesman said.

"The two leaders will hold the 12th India-Japan annual summit in Ahmedabad."

"The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their special strategic and global partnership and will set its future direction," the spokesman said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 15:35:03|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Venezuelan woman has been arrested at a Cambodian airport for smuggling about 1 kg of cocaine into the country, the Cambodian National Police's website reported on Monday.

Flores Gonzalez Yosbeilys Katerine, 27, was arrested at the Siem Reap International Airport in northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap province on Saturday, the website said, citing Police Colonel In Song, head of an anti-drug team at the Interior Ministry's Anti-Drug Department.

"The suspect swallowed the drug (hiding drug in her stomach) and travelled on a flight from Brazil via Dubai and Bangkok to Cambodia," the website quoted In Song as saying.

He added that 104 small packages containing cocaine, which weighed about 1 kg, were confiscated from the woman.

The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, a person trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drug will be jailed for life.

The country had arrested 9,694 drug-related suspects with more than 120 kg of illicit drugs during the first six months of 2017, according to the National Authority for Combating Drugs.
The Egyptian-U.S. joint military excercise, known as "The Bright Star," kicked off at a military base in Egypt, which resumes after 8-year suspension. (Reuters Photo)

CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian-U.S. joint military exercise, known as "The Bright Star," kicked off on Sunday at a military base in Egypt, the Egyptian military spokesman said in a statement.

The 10-day joint maneuver activities will continue until Sept. 20, including joint land, air and naval operations, Egyptian Military Spokesman Tamer al-Refaay said in the statement.

On the sidelines of the training, a research symposium will be held to exchange visions on strategic topics on the international arena and Egypt's comprehensive strategy of fighting terrorism, Refaay added.

Launched in 1981, the joint biennial training has been suspended since 2009, due to the ouster of former presidents Hosni Mubarak and Mohamed Morsi in addition to the dissatisfaction of former U.S. President Barack Obama's administration with the Egyptian new leadership.

Obama's successor, U.S. President Donald Trump promised to resume the exercise. Both Trump and Sisi have repeatedly exchanged remarks of praise and promised further cooperation and partnership.

"The Bright Star exercises reflect the depth of strategic cooperation between the Egyptian and the U.S. armed forces," said the Egyptian military spokesman.

Resumption of the Bright Star comes a few weeks after Washington announced to withhold some 300 million U.S. dollars of aid to Egypt over human rights concerns.

Egypt receives an annual of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in military and economic aid since it signed the 1979 U.S.-sponsored peace treaty with Israel.

Earlier in April, the Egyptian and the U.S. navies launched a joint exercise in the waters of the Red Sea, known as "Eagle Salute 2017," where Italy, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and Pakistan participated as monitors.
File photo shows an Ethiopian woman dressed in festive "Shema" outside an Orthodox church in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, Jan. 29, 2010. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui)

by Yao Yuan, Habtamu Liben and Wang Shoubao

ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Wishing to feel years younger than your actual age? It may be a good idea to join Ethiopians today, as they celebrate the first day of the year 2010 with a lot of aromatic coffee. The following are some key facts about the Ethiopian New Year and what to watch on this festive day.

1. The Ethiopian New Year, or Enkutatash in Amharic language, falls on September 11 (or September 12 during a leap year). The East African nation uses a unique calendar, which counts its year seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar. Presently, the country is celebrating the arrival of 2010.

2. Enkutatash is literally translated as "gift of jewels," a name that derives from the story of the Queen of Sheba. According to the Bible and other ancient texts, the ancient queen of Ethiopia traveled to Jerusalem to meet King Solomon, and there she sent him a large quantity of gold and precious stones. Upon her return to Ethiopia, local rulers welcomed her with plentiful jewels.

3. Enkutatash marks the end of the three-month rainy season, when bright autumn days return to the vastly highland nation. On the eve, each household or neighbors in group light wooden torches called "chibo" to symbolize the coming of the new season of sunshine.

4. Steeped in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church traditions, Enkutatash celebrations usually begin with church activities. New Year church programs start some time after mid-night on the eve and last into the next morning.

5. The New Year brings an extended family together to attend a series of events, including slaughtering of cattle, either a sheep, got or cow, depending on a household's financial condition. Often, a community or a village will pool money to slaughter a cow (worth about 1,000 U.S. dollars) in group, while each household can choose to slaughter a less expensive sheep (about 110 dollars).

6. Coffee ceremony is an integral part of the celebration. The ritual of coffee serving and drinking, which can last for hours, is an important social occasion offering reunion for relatives and friends and a chance to discuss community matters while enjoying top-notch coffee. To be invited to a coffee ceremony in an Ethiopian family is a sign of great respect.
Iraq says over 90 percent of the Iraqi territories under IS control were regained.(Reuters Photo)

BAGHDAD, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Over 90 percent of the Iraqi territories under the Islamic State (IS) group's control were regained, Saad al-Hadithi, spokesman for the Iraqi Prime Minister's media office, said on Monday.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has declared full liberation of the city of Tal Afar and surrounding areas from the extremist IS militants.

"I declare to you that Tal Afar has joined the liberated Mosul and returned to the homeland," Abadi said in a statement issued by his office.

"The joy of victory has been completed and the entire province of Nineveh has become in the hands of our heroic forces," Abadi said.

The prime minister also vowed to defeat IS all over Iraq, saying "wherever you (IS militants) are, we are coming for liberation, and you have no choice but to die or surrender."

The Iraqi forces still have to launch more offensives to dislodge IS militants from their redoubts in Hawijah in southwestern Kirkuk, the adjacent sprawling rugged areas in eastern Salahudin Province, in addition to the remaining IS strongholds in the border areas with Syria, including the cities of Aana, Rawa and al-Qaim in the western province of Anbar.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 16:15:28|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah will pay a state visit to China from Tuesday to Thursday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

During his stay, the sultan will attend the opening ceremony of the annual expo, business and investment summit between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations held from Tuesday to Friday in Nanning, capital city of southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The following is a brief introduction of Hassanal.

Hassanal was born in 1946 in Bandar Seri Begawan. He received high school education at Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after which he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom.

Hassanal succeeded to the throne as the sultan of Brunei in 1967. His coronation was held in August the following year. He is both the head of state as sultan and the head of the government as the prime minister. In addition, he holds the portfolios of ministers of defense, finance, foreign affairs. He is also the supreme commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

Hassanal previously paid 10 visits to China.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 16:20:30|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

MANDERA, Kenya, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan security officers on Monday repulsed a group of Al-Shabaab militants after a fierce gun battle in the border region of Mandera.

The militants were repulsed to neighboring town of Bulla Hawa in Somalia, Mandera County Commissioner Fredrick Shisia said.

The militants were said to be pursuing Somalia National Army (SNA) who have since Sunday night camped in Mandera town after Al-Shabaab attacked Bulla Hawa.

"Our forces are monitoring the situation closely as we prevent more spillover by the militants (from Bulla Hawa) to Kenya, but we have managed to contain everything," Shisia said.

Bulla Hawa is just about 2 km away from Kenya's northeast Mandera town, and there are fears of spillover of the fighting between the Somali army and the terrorists who want to take over.

A joint Kenya police and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) are currently fighting the militants along the common border as they have hoisted their black flag in Bulla Hawa.

Heavy gunfire and bombs were rendered the air on Monday morning as Mandera residents opted to remain in their houses as fighting were going on in Somalia barley 2 km from Mandera.

"We have beef up security in Mandera town for fears of spillover from Al-Shabaab attack," the administrator said.

Locals said they can hear explosions and gunshots from the Somalia side.

North Eastern regional coordinator Mohamud Saleh said they fear there will be a spillover by 7:30 a.m. (0430 GMT), but nothing had happened in the Kenyan side. The fighting started at about 5 a.m. (0200 GMT).

"They have not come to Kenya but we fear they may spill over there. We have a standby force to counter the fighting," Saleh said.

Bulla Hawa residents said the militants launched two attacks with the first one targeting a Somali military base outside Bulla Hawa and the second on police station.

The residents said the militants detonated suicide car bombs on both targets amid fierce fighting between the insurgents and the Somalia army.

Al-Shabaab militants said their forces are now controlling Bulla Hawa town after killing dozens of Jubaland soldiers.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 16:20:32|Editor: Song Lifang

Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba (C) poses with participants of Across Barriers-International Business Women's Summit in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sept. 11, 2017. Over 80 delegates including women entrepreneurs from more than a dozen countries have gathered in Nepal's capital to take part in the first Across Barriers-International Business Women's Summit that kicked off on Monday. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma)

KATHMANDU, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Over 80 delegates including women entrepreneurs from more than a dozen countries have gathered in Nepal's capital to take part in the first Across Barriers-International Business Women's Summit that kicked off on Monday.

The event, organized by South Asia Women Development Forum, aims to promote business opportunities and partnership within women entrepreneurs from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China.

The two-day summit has also focused on exploring marketing opportunities through sharing and transfer of skills and technology, especially in trade and tourism, information technology along with agriculture and textile sectors.

Inaugurating the event, Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said his government has prioritized investment for economic empowerment of women and has launched various policies, funds and legal interventions.

"Violence against women and girls continue to exist in different spheres and different forms. The challenge before us is to translate policies and programs and commitment to equal rights into paper and practice. We can do this through joint efforts with seriousness and sincerity," Deuba said in his inaugural speech.

He said financial power and economic empowerment can reduce women vulnerability either in Nepal or in South Asia as a whole.

The summit comes at a time when the representation of women in enterprises in South Asia is not that impressive owing to cultural norms and gender specific challenges.

According to the South Asia Women Development Forum, only 10 percent of South Asian women are engaged in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which indicates the under-representation of women in the formal economy.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 16:30:36|Editor: An

Editor's Note: China is rolling out a major documentary series on its diplomatic principles, practices and achievements over the past five years. The English-language version of the program will soon be available on TV and online. To help the audience better understand Chinese diplomacy, Xinhua is releasing a variety of reports that include anecdotes, quotable quotes, facts and figures.

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The following is a selection of remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and others about China's relations with global partners.

Xi Jinping, Chinese president

"We hope to work with our European friends to build a bridge of friendship and cooperation across the Eurasian continent. For that, we need to build four bridges for peace, growth, reform and progress of civilization, so that the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership will take on even great global significance." (He made the remarks when addressing the students of the College of Europe during his state visit to Belgium on April 1, 2014)

Xi Jinping, Chinese president

"Our two countries have forged an all-weather friendship and pursued all-round cooperation. Despite changes in the domestic and international environment, we have always extended sympathy to and supported each other on issues crucial to our respective core interests. Such friendship is truly unique." (Speech at parliament of Pakistan, April 21, 2015)

Moussa Faki, chairperson of African Union Commission

"Relations between China and all African countries were established and have been promoted based on sincerity, and growing Africa-China ties are just what the African continent needs for development."

Xi Jinping, Chinese president

"The Middle East is a land of abundance. Yet we are pained to see it still plagued by war and conflict. Where should the Middle East be headed?This is the question the international community keeps asking. The people here want less conflict and suffering, more peace and dignity." (Speech at the Arab League Headquarters in Cairo, on Jan. 21, 2016)

Wang Yi, Chinese foreign minister

"China has established different forms of partnership with 97 countries and international organizations. It is fair to say our circle of friends is getting bigger and bigger."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 16:30:40|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's palm oil stockpile rose 8.79 percent month-on-month to 1.94 million tonnes in August, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said on Monday.

The production for the month fell 0.9 percent month-on-month to 1.81 million tonnes, while the export rose 6.43 percent to 1.49 million tonnes, according to the industry regulator.

The August palm oil stockpile is within analysts expectations. RHB Research Institute's regional plantation head Hoe Lee Leng told Xinhua that the only surprise for her was a slight dip of the palm oil production in August when compared with July.

However, she expected it to normalize in the next few months as September and October are normally the peak season for palm oil production.

Although crude palm oil (CPO) price rebounded recently, she maintained her full year palm oil prices forecast at 2,600 ringgit (619 U.S. dollars) per tonne.

"The rebound might due to the soybean prices movement, and the weather issue in the U.S. and South America. But this should be a short-term phenomenon, we should see the price to normalize," she added.

According to MPOB, CPO price stood at 2,757 ringgit per tonne as of Sept. 8. It had risen 6 percent when compared with Aug. 8.

Public Investment Bank's analyst Chong Hoe Leong also told Xinhua the stockpile is likely to hit the psychological level of 2 million tonnes in September, which will pressure the palm oil prices.

The stronger ringgit lately will also pressure the palm oil prices, said Chong who expected CPO price to end the year at 2,500 ringgit per tonne.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 17:00:50|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Indian police Monday said they have arrested two senior officials of a prominent international school in Gurgaon, a wealthy suburb of Delhi, in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old student on the campus.

The student of class II was found with his throat slit in the toilet of Ryan International School in Gurgaon last Friday and police on the same day claimed to have arrested a school bus conductor, who has confessed to killing the boy after trying to sexually assault him.

"We have arrested the human resources manager and the northern India head of Ryan Group for failing to provide security to students, after a preliminary probe indicated the school failed to adhere to security norms of the local government," a police official said.

A team of Gurgaon Police is also on its way to India's financial capital Mumbai to question Ryan Group's CEO Ryan Pinto for lack of security in the private school, the official said.

The police action came in the wake of three days of continuous protests by over 1,000 parents of school students, led by the victim's father, who has also approached the Supreme Court, seeking a probe by a federal agency into his son's death.

"We are not satisfied with the local police probe. We want an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation," Barun Chandra Thakur, the victim's father, told the media.

The school, which has been closed since the incident, has, however, denied inadequate security on its campus where the boy was killed. Apart from Gurgaon, the Group runs schools in Delhi and its adjoining Noida city.

The CEO has said in a statement that his school should not be held "culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances." He has also approached the High Court in Mumbai for an anticipatory bail in the case.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 17:26:00|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Monday here urged regional countries to reach a consensus that could lead to the best solution to the Afghanistan problem.

Asif made the remarks in an interview with Iranian official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) at the Islamabad airport before leaving for Tehran for a visit.

"Basically my main purpose of the visit to Iran is to evolve some consensus amongst the neighbors of Afghanistan, because peace in Afghanistan will have a comprehensive effect on the rest of the region," Asif said.

The Pakistani top diplomat said the U.S. military approach in Afghanistan has already failed to address the problems in the country.

"No need to say that the approach taken by the Americans which is a military one, has not been able to bring peace to Afghanistan 16 years," he said. "It is very important for us, it is very important for the region that we evolve consensus over different problems."

He said Pakistan believes that there can be no military solution to the Afghanistan problem, because a political solution is always a long-lasting one while a military solution will collapse soon.

Asif said he reiterated on a political solution to the Afghanistan problem during his visit to China days ago.

Meanwhile, Asif said he will travel to Turkey on Tuesday to try his best to reach a regional consensus on Afghanistan.

He added that he also plans to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in the near future on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session to discuss the Afghanistan issue.

During his one-day visit to Tehran, Asif is expected to meet his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif and President Hassan Rouhani.

In addition to the Afghanistan problem, the two sides will also discuss how to deal with the new U.S. policy for Afghanistan and South Asia and promote the bilateral ties.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 17:36:06|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

WELLINGTON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Maoris, indigenous people of New Zealand accounting for 15.4 percent of the national population, participated in traditional costumes in a parade celebrating the start of the Maori Language Week on Monday.

"Use Maori Language Week to make a change in your life that lasts well beyond the week," said Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell while issuing a challenge for the 42nd Maori Language Week celebrated in Wellington and other places.

"No matter what level your te reo Maori (Maori language) is, everyone should be able to think of a change they can introduce to their own lives to support more Maori in our communities," Flavell said.

The Maori population is about 723,500, according to Stats NZ, the country's statistics department.

Non-Maori people in New Zealand are also encouraged to learn the Maori language and culture. The minister said that the Maori language becoming more of a living language throughout society was an aim of the Maori Language Act 2016.

Flavell said he hoped that the Maori language "may be heard everywhere and all the time," adding, "Whatever one's fluency, the important thing is our willingness to support and breathe life into our indigenous language."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 17:46:10|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

MANILA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The economic ministers of 16 Asia-Pacific countries have endorsed a set of "clear key elements" that will guide the negotiations to establish a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said on Monday.

"Essentially we have agreed a set of key elements that will lead to a substantial conclusion by the end of the year," Lopez told a news conference at the end of the 49th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Economic Ministers Meeting.

The key elements "will be adopted by the negotiating committee as we draw up the details in the contents and provisions of RCEP," said Lopez, who chaired the ASEAN meetings.

For example, he said the elements have given "some indication on recalibrated, more realistic landing zones or objectives which was deemed important if we are really to move forward the discussion on RCEP."

"The more important thing is that whatever the landing zone will be (or) the objectives, it will have to be better than the current individual ASEAN Free Trade Areas (FTAs) or ASEAN Plus 1 FTAs. So, we emphasized on more realistic ambitions," he said.

Lopez said the elements include "more realistic ambitions when it comes to percentage products for inclusion, the phase-in or the timing of each inclusion, will it be in the next 10 years, 15 years."

"So, it's basically covering the timeframe as well," he said.

"The adopted key elements is a significant stride on RCEP talks, especially when we assess the evolution of how RCEP came about and eventually went beyond ASEAN and the FTAs. The key elements now put more direction and itemize substantial ways that will guide parties to reach substantial conclusion," Lopez said.

Through the key elements, he said, "we can ensure that commitment from each party would have a more concrete impact in the negotiation process, veering away from the plain talks on modalities."

The RCEP ministers met on Sunday to finalize the targets with respect to trade and goods, services and investment under a trade agreement among the 10 members of ASEAN - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - and its dialogue partners China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

"The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to further intensify efforts in a cooperative manner for the swift conclusion of the RCEP negotiations in line with the leaders's mandate," the RCEP ministers said in a joint statement issued at the end of the fifth RCEP ministerial meeting.

The ministers called on all the RCEP participating countries "to focus both efforts and resources to maximize progress towards significant outcomes."

To this end, the ministers welcomed the RCEP key elements for significant outcomes by the end of 2017 as agreed by the RCEP trade negotiating committee (TNC).

They stressed the urgent need to translate political commitments into action, "with wider mandates where necessary."

The ministers also agreed "to make utmost effort to achieve significant outcomes of the RCEP by end of 2017 to bring negotiations closer to its successful conclusion."

The ministers also appreciated the advancing of market access and rules negotiations and reiterated the object of the RCEP for a modern, comprehensive, high-quality and mutually beneficial economic partnership agreement.

Lim hong Hin, deputy secretary general of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic community, said the RCEP negation is not easy.

"Given the fact that we all come from a different level of developments and also different hierarchies, different concerns and sensitivity, all this will have to be accommodated as we move forward if we come to a swift conclusion," he said.

The conclusion of RCEP will lead to the creation of the world's largest trade bloc, covering nearly one third of the global economy in 2016, and underscore the potential for the RCEP to serve as an engine for global growth.

RCEP will expand the ASEAN market from 600 million people to 3.5 billion.

RCEP ministers were meeting in Manila as part of the 49th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting that began last Thursday.

Launched in November 2012, RCEP targeted to cover trade-in goods and services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property rights, competition policy, and dispute settlement, among others. It is seen as a good platform for the region to negotiate with other regional blocks.
Lebanon will file a complaint to the UN against Isreal for violating its airspace and causing damage by breaking the sound barrier in southern Lebanon. (AFP Photo)

BEIRUT, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon will file a complaint to the UN against Israel for violating the country's airspace and causing damage by breaking the sound barrier in the south of the country, Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said on Monday.

Israeli jets flew low over the southern city of Saida, causing sonic booms that broke windows and shook buildings, Lebanese security sources and residents said.

Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said Lebanon would issue its complaint "against Israel for planting spy devices on Lebanese land and continously breaching" its airspace, according to his office.

Israeli warplanes regularly enter Lebanon's airspace, the Lebanese army said.

Tensions have risen recently between Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel, which fought a month-long war in 2006, having killed around 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, most of them troops.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 18:16:26|Editor: An

Video Player Close

CAPE TOWN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- South African tourism minister on Monday warned against the escalating violence between Uber and meter-taxi drivers, saying this affects the tourism industry.

"In addition to the needless destruction of property and threat on human life, the general mood of uncertainty implicit in the violence threatens the stability of the tourism industry on which thousands of jobs are reliant," Tokozile Xasa said in response to the recent attack on Uber operators.

Violence flared up again between Uber and meter-taxi drivers last Thursday evening following the burning of two vehicles belonging to Uber drivers in Johannesburg.

Over the past several months, several people have been killed in violence related to the rivalry between meter-taxi and Uber drivers.

Uber Sub-Saharan Africa has launched a petition calling on Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi and Police Minister Fikile Mbalula to take action to curb the violence.

The violence between the meter taxicab and Uber operators is injurious to the two since even local passengers would eventually stop patronizing either if the violence continued, Xasa said.

"In this context, it is self-evident that the operators are cutting off their noses to spite the faces," she said.

For any domestic or international tourist, the sense of security is as important as the ordinary citizen, said the minister.

"However, both the meter taxicab and Uber operators need to bear in mind the fact that whereas as citizens, our relationship with South Africa is not one of choice, tourists can elect to visit one place and not another and one country instead of another," Xasa said.

She urged the two transport operators urgently to engage in dialogue, the better to find lasting solutions to their disagreements.

"No one's life must continue to be placed in danger because two operators are in disagreement with one another. This must stop!" she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 18:21:27|Editor: An

Video Player Close

LAMU, Kenya, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- At last one police officer was killed and two others injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling ran over an improvised explosive device (IED) in the coastal Lamu County on Sunday evening.

Coast regional police commander Larry Kieng on Monday confirmed the incident which took place at Mararani village, saying five police officers are still missing after attack.

Kieng said the vehicle belonging to Rapid Border Patrol Unit (RBPU) left the camp on Sunday for patrol with 12 police officers on board headed by Inspector of Police Boniface Maduli.

He said the police officers left the camp on foot to try and establish what had happened after a loud blast was headed between Mararani village and Sankuri Safaricom mast.

"The officers confirmed that the vehicle ran over an IED which was followed with rapid firing," Kieng said.

In the process, he said Madilu was fatally injured and two other officers who have been airlifted to Manda Base for treatment.

"Three officers have been found to be safe while five other officers are still missing and are being search for," the police commander said.

The Al-Shabaab has changed tactics and resorted to using IEDs to carry out attacks in parts of Coastal and northeast regions, according to police.

The police said the explosive devices strategically planted along the roads near Kenya Somalia border are slowing down security operations to flush out militants hiding in the vast Boni forest which is near the Somali border.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 18:56:38|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- German airline investor, Hans Rudolf Woehrl, has submitted an offer of up to 500 million euros (600 million U.S. dollars) to acquire the insolvent carrier Air Berlin, the Nuremberg-based businessman said in a statement via Facebook Sunday night.

Woehrl reiterated his desire to take over the entirety of Air Berlin, with the payment being made in several installments and the final figure being conditional upon the firm's performance. The offer posted on his Facebook page also promises employees a profit share of 100 million euros in the event of a re-sale.

The aviation investor wrote that he had informed other interested parties such as the airlines Lufthansa, Condor and Germania in the hope that they would "participate in our bid". Nevertheless, the statement emphasized that Woehrl's INTRO group could also restore Air Berlin to health on its own if necessary.

Woehrl is only one of several parties which have expressed interest in acquiring at least parts of Germany's second largest carrier. Despite recording losses for years and ultimately filing for bankruptcy, Air Berlin's starting and landing rights at Duesseldorf and Berlin airports, as well as its profitable subsidiary Fly Niki, are seen as highly-prized assets in the industry.

The statement further voiced confidence that Air Berlin would "grow again soon" and hence require "at least the same number of employees as today."

Woehrl had previously accused the German government and domestic market leader Lufthansa of a conspiracy to break up the bankrupt company. On Sunday night, he reiterated "his promise" to "save the wonderful Air Berlin and all of its jobs".
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 19:01:40|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

JAKARTA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The government of Indonesia has set a plan to use more clean energy by using waste as source of electricity, a move aiming at preserving environment.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Luhut Pandjaitan disclosed on Monday that the government would cooperate with four nations - Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, which have a better experience and technology in processing waste into energy.

"It is important to have perspective of the four countries which have been strongly committed to preserving environment in unveiling policies here in Indonesia," Pandjaitan said at Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

The minister said he had visited the countries and saw the processing of waste into energy and is interested in applying such technology in Indonesia.

"The most important in the cooperation will be the transfer of technology," he said.

Pandjaitan admitted that Indonesia has not taken benefit of waste for energy.

The government of Indonesia has targeted to meet to a 23-percent usage of renewable energy by 2025.

Indonesia has been at the forefront along with other countries home to rain forest in global efforts to reduce production carbon emission.

The government has pledged to reduce 26 percent production of CO2 carbon emission by 2020 and expand it to 41 percent under the financial and technology assistances from developed countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 19:01:43|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A female aid worker of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was killed in Afghanistan's northern Mazar-i-Sharif city, on Monday, a local police said.

"The shooting took place inside an ICRC orthopedic center at around midday after a disabled man carrying a pistol fired on the aid worker," deputy provincial Police Chief Abdul Rizaq Yaqoubi told Xinhua.

Two men were captured after the shooting and they were in police custody in provincial capital of northern Balkh province, the police official added.

The ICRC Afghanistan also confirmed the incident, saying on its Twitter, "We confirm that a Spanish physiotherapist working in our orthopedic center in Mazar has been shot and killed. We are shocked and devastated."

The motive behind the shooting was not immediately clear, but an investigation was initiated into the incident, according to Yaqoubi.

More than 1,800 staff have been working for the ICRC's operation in Afghanistan, which is one of the biggest of its kind in the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 19:06:46|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- India said on Monday that it will bolster bilateral ties, including in defence and security, with Belarus during the visit by the east European nation's President A.G. Lukashenko.

President Lukashenko will arrive in the Indian capital on Monday night on a two-day state visit, which coincides with the two countries celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the External Affairs Ministry said.

During his stay in Delhi, President Lukashenko will meet Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will also call on him, the ministry said.

During the talks, "the two sides are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation in defense and security, trade and investment, science and technology and people-to-people exchanges," the ministry said.

"They are also likely to exchange views and assessments on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest," it added.

A business forum and parallel meetings organized for the members of the large delegation accompanying President Lukashenko would explore business opportunities and cooperation avenues, the ministry said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 19:16:51|Editor: An

Video Player Close

DHAKA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China has signed a framework agreement with Bangladesh to fund the country for its development of ICT infrastructure.

Chinese Ambassador Ma Mingqiang and Bangladesh's Economic Relations Department (ERD) Secretary Kazi Shofiqul Azam inked the deal on behalf of their respective sides here on Sunday.

The "Development of ICT Intra-network for Bangladesh Government Phase-III," which is also known as Info Sarker-3 project, and "Modernization of Telecommunication Network for Digital Connectivity (MoTN) are the two projects to be benefitted.

The main objectives of the Info Sarker-3 are to bring all the ministries, divisions and other government departments within a public network, according to the ERD.

On the other hand, the main objectives of the MoTN project are to extend a reliable and affordable telecom facility and facilitate enhancement of teledensity, it added.

ERD said these projects will fulfill Bangladesh's objective of the "Vision-2021," envisioned by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and also assist to build a digital Bangladesh.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 19:16:52|Editor: liuxin

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano speaks during a press conference in Vienna, Austria, on Sept. 11, 2017. The UN nuclear agency on Monday said the Yongbyon Experimental Nuclear Power Plant reactor could be operating according to the indications of the plant. In a statement to the board governor meeting in Vienna, the IAEA said it was concerned over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s latest nuclear test. (Xinhua/Pan Xu)

VIENNA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The UN nuclear agency on Monday said the Yongbyon Experimental Nuclear Power Plant reactor could be operating according to the indications of the plant.

In a statement to the board governor meeting in Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was concerned over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s latest nuclear test.

"There were indications at the Yongbyon Experimental Nuclear Power Plant suggesting that the reactor was being operated. At the Yongbyon Nuclear Fuel Rod Fabrication Plant, there were indications consistent with the use of the reported centrifuge enrichment facility," said Yukiya Amano, head of IAEA.

The IAEA chief said IAEA keeps following the development of DPRK's nuclear program, although the country is not under the IAEA's safeguard regime.

Last month, a DPRK Team was formed in the Department of Safeguards to enhance the ability to monitor the DPRK's nuclear program, according to IAEA.

On Sept. 3, the DPRK's Korea Central Television announced that the country had successfully detonated an H-bomb, a hydrogen bomb that can be carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 19:21:56|Editor: An

Video Player Close

MANILA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines lauded on Monday what it described as the "cooperative attitude" of China in the proposed plan to establish a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the Chinese delegation led by the minister and vice minister of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce "have shown a strong cooperative attitude (and strong support to the ongoing (RCEP) process."

Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen attended the fifth RCEP ministerial meeting on Sunday.

"They're very much bullish also in terms of building further trade and investment cooperation with ASEAN. They're of course wanting to have a - shall we say - more liberal operating structure when it comes to trade and investment with ASEAN," Lopez said.

He also said the Chinese delegates "are willing to cooperate as to what would be a doable arrangement."

"But at the same time we observe that their support when it comes to the need to have more realistic objectives, and they're actually one of those who supported the view of ASEAN to somehow more realistic objectives when it comes to RCEP," Lopez said.

The Philippines, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, hopes to achieve a "substantial conclusion" of RCEP this year.

RCEP ministers were meeting in Manila as part of the 49th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting that ended on Monday.

RCEP is a 16-nation proposed free trade pact eyed to further strengthen ASEAN markets - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and its major trading partners China, South Korea, Australia, India, Japan, and New Zealand.

The proposed regional trade pact will expand the ASEAN market from 600 million people to 3.5 billion.

Launched in November 2012, RCEP targeted to cover trade-in goods and services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, intellectual property rights, competition policy, and dispute settlement, among others. It is seen as a good platform for the region to negotiate with other regional blocs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 19:31:59|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

YANGON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least five people have been arrested by the authorities for involvement in Sunday night's violence in Taungdwingyi, Myanmar's central Magway region.

A statement from the government's Information Committee said on Monday that the five confessed that they committed the crime for dissatisfaction with the extremist terrorists' attacks in the northern Rakhine state.

It said an investigation was underway to expose the remaining perpetrators.

Sunday night's violence began with a group of 50 mobs throwing stones and destroying houses and shops on Magway-Taungdwingyi road in Taungdwingyi, while another group of 70 mobs, holding catapults and stones, gathered at the north of a mosque.

Failing to persuade the mobs to disperse, the security forces broke them up with shields.

The authorities vowed to take actions against agitators for violence, while urging people to live in peace under law.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 19:37:01|Editor: An

Video Player Close

CHANGSHA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan resident Lee Ming-che stood trial Monday in a court in Yueyang City in central China's Hunan Province, accused of inciting subversion of state power.

During the open trial, Peng Yuhua, a suspect from the Chinese mainland, faced the same charge.

Prosecutors accused Peng of roping in dozens of people, including Lee, to establish an organization aimed at subverting state power and overturning the country's fundamental political system, which is enshrined in the Constitution, through instant messaging services.

The two suspects asked members of the organization to exaggerate a number of sensitive issues and make defamatory statements about the Chinese government and its political system, according to the indictment.

They attempted to overturn state power and the socialist system through unscrupulous distortion of the facts and by fanning public hostility against the government and its system, it said.

Prosecutors said that their activities had seriously harmed national security and social stability.

Lee and Peng said their rights had been fully protected during the investigation, and they both pleaded guilty and expressed remorse.

"I regarded biased and malicious reports about the Chinese mainland by media in the West and Taiwan as reality, and had no clear knowledge of the mainland's development," Lee said in the final statement.

Peng also expressed regret to society as well as to his family, saying he felt deeply distressed about his wrongdoing.

During the trial, evidence including documents, witness testimonies, and audio, visual and digital materials were presented by prosecutors in court, along with the two suspects' statements. The defendants and their lawyers examined the evidence. Both sides fully expressed their opinions in court.

More than 30 people, including the defendants' families, legislators, political advisors, domestic and overseas journalists, and members of the public, attended the trial.

Videos of the trial were published on the Yueyang City Intermediate People's Court's official Weibo account. The verdict will be announced at a later date.

On March 19, 2017, Lee, who was on the mainland to participate in illegal activities, was put under coercive measures by the Hunan provincial security organ on suspicions of "subverting state power."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 19:52:06|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A glitch in the highway payment systems "Toll Collect" has cost the German state millions of euros, the newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reported on Monday.

According to information obtained by SZ, private highway operators wrongly received income from small trucks which were falsely classified in a higher price category. As a consequence of the payment systems failure to distinguish between 7.5-ton and 12-ton vehicles, Germany's federal budget paid an excess of a "two-digit figure in the millions".

The majority of Germany's larger public-private partnership highways were affected. Several highway operators have rejected Berlin's attempt to reclaim the lost funds, however, maintaining that it was the federal government's responsibility to guarantee the integrity of payment systems.

The German transport ministry refused to comment on the costly technical error in detail and merely noted that it was "in discussions" with its contractual partners.

The payment scandal also extends to the already crisis-struck private highway operator A1 Mobil. After being touted as a model of cooperation private-public cooperation for infrastructure projects, it was recently revealed that the firm was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. The transport ministry would most likely lose out on any chance of reclaiming excess payments in the event of A1 Mobil's insolvency.

SZ further revealed that the French highway operator Vinci holds a share of Toll Collect. The company is responsible for German toll payments and a recipient of the earnings it generates at the same time.

The arrangement raises questions over a potential conflict of interest.

The news comes amidst mounting pressure on transport minister Alexander Dobrindt, who has come under fire for his handling of the diesel emission scandal "dieselgate", his role in A1 Mobil's financial woes, and his plans for a controversial new car toll.

Green party faction leader Anton Hofreiter described the payments glitch as a "lesson in failed industry policy".
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 20:07:12|Editor: An

Video Player Close

HOHHOT, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday stressed global cooperation to combat desertification, which he said is a common challenge for mankind.

Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to a high-level meeting of the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP13) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which opened Monday in Ordos City in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

In the letter, Xi said land desertification is a major ecological issue affecting the existence and development of mankind, and the situation for controlling desertification remains grave despite the progress the world has achieved since the UNCCD came into effect 21 years ago.

Xi wished the conference a success. He said the conference, with the theme of "Combating Desertification for Human Well-being," intends to develop a new strategic framework for the UNCCD, which will be significant and positive for guaranteeing global ecological security.

China will unswervingly fulfill its obligations under the UNCCD, and continue to push forward communication and cooperation with all member parties and international organizations to work for the targets set during the conference and create a better world, Xi said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 20:22:21|Editor: Yang Yi

Video Player Close

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli addresses a forum on local cooperation between China and Kazakhstan in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

NANNING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China and Kazakhstan Monday held their first forum on local cooperation in the southern China city of Nanning, agreeing to further lift bilateral economic ties.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli and Kazakhstan First Deputy Prime Minister Askar Mamin attended the forum, held on the sidelines of the annual expo, business and investment summit between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Hailing fruitful cooperation between China and Kazakhstan in recent years, Zhang said in his speech that local cooperation between the two countries enjoys great potential.

He encouraged the two countries to make use of the opportunities of Belt and Road construction to consolidate cooperation in the areas of energy, resources, agriculture, cross-border transportation, tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges, lift the quality of industrial cooperation and create new modes of cooperation.

Kazakhstan took part in this year's China-ASEAN Expo as a special partner.

During a meeting prior to the forum, Zhang told Mamin that China welcomes Kazakhstan as a special partner of the expo.

Stressing that China attaches great importance to the ties with Kazakhstan, Zhang said the two countries need to implement the consensus reached by the two presidents and resolve questions in cooperation via consultation.

He called on the two countries to strengthen connectivity and promote the development of the China-Kazakhstan Horgos International Frontier Cooperation Center to raise the comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level.

Mamin expressed appreciation for the opportunity to attend the China-ASEAN Expo and display Kazakh products.

Speaking highly of the healthy development of bilateral ties in the past 25 years, Mamin said Kazakhstan is willing to work with China to join the Belt and Road initiative with the country's Path of Light economic strategy, expanding cooperation in trade, production capacity, transportation and other areas.

The 14th China-ASEAN Expo is scheduled to be held from Sept. 12 to 15 in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

As a special partner, Kazakhstan will set up a pavilion and host a trade promotion conference and diverse cultural events during the expo.

Kazakhstan is China's largest trade partner in Central Asia. Statistics from the Ministry of Commerce showed that bilateral trade jumped by 39.2 percent year on year to 9.27 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months this year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 20:27:29|Editor: An

Video Player Close

HANOI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on Monday announced the opening of a freight route connecting Vietnam and China at the Huu Nghi (Friendship) International Border Gate in Vietnams northern Lang Son province.

The new route connecting with China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, will help create an important foundation for enterprises of Vietnam and China to strengthen import and export of their goods, contributing to bigger trade between the two countries, as well as with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Vietnamese officials and experts said.

Nguyen Cong Truong, Vice Chairman of Lang Son Peoples Committee, said that the route will help the international border gates become the most economically effective among those between Vietnam and China.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 20:27:30|Editor: An

Video Player Close

URUMQI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Monday said they plan to make 15 years of education basically universal by 2020.

The region's education department said more than 98 percent of children are expected to have access to three years of free preschool education.

Additionally, 95 percent children are expected to finish the compulsory nine years of primary and junior high school, and 90 percent will attend senior high school, it said.

By 2020, all kindergartens, primary and junior high schools will offer bilingual education, and students from ethnic minority groups will have a basic command of standard spoken and written Chinese.

The region also plans to speed up development of vocational education and improve higher education to have 40 percent of students attend universities.

In 2020, those entering the labor force in the region will have received 13 years of education on average, it said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 20:37:38|Editor: An

Video Player Close

DUBAI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China signed on Monday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop an 8 billion dirham (2.17 billion U.S. dollars) master plan in Dubai Motor City.

The MoU was signed by stock-listed developer Union Properties from Dubai and China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) here at the annual real estate fair and exhibition Cityscape Global.

Nasser Butti Omair, chairman of Union Properties, and Yu Tao, president and CEO from CSCEC Middle East, signed the MoU, which will be transformed into a contract by the first quarter of 2018, said Butti Omeir.

The project, consisting of 44 new high and low rise buildings and 150 villas, is scheduled to be completed within four years, he said, adding that it will be funded by either bonds, Islamic bonds or a project finance model.

Butti Omeir called the partnership with CSCEC a "significant milestone," while Yu believed that CSCEC Middle East "will bring in its experience in the construction sector in the Gulf Arab region."

In recent years, CSCEC Middle East has gained recognition in Dubai with the construction of the 1-billion-dollar Palm Viceroy Hotel on the man-made island Palm Jumeirah, located at the Southwestern coast of Dubai.

CSCEC Middle East has been in the region since 2003 and has grown with total contract values of over 7 billion dollars.

"We feel encouraged by the Belt and Road initiative to expand and we started to join construction projects in Africa," Yu told Xinhua.

Meanwhile, Union Properties shares, which are traded on the Dubai Financial Market, gained 0.90 percent on Monday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 20:47:45|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

LONDON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A deal to create the world's first compound semiconductor cluster was signed on Monday in Wales.

The historic deal paves the way for the cluster to be developed in south east Wales in Newport. Compound semiconductors, vital for robotics, 5G and driverless vehicles, are more complex than silicon technology.

Cardiff is to contribute 50 million U.S. dollars towards the establishment of the cutting-edge facility as an anchor in the region for high-end production of compound semiconductors.

The cluster is expected to bring in around half a billion U.S. dollars of private sector investment, creating up to 2,000 high skilled jobs.

It is the first major investment in Cardiff since a 1.6-billion-U.S.-dollar program was formally signed in March.

The project was formally confirmed Monday in Cardiff by the Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns.

Cairns said: "Compound semiconductors are at the heart of many devices we use today, from smart phones to tablets and satellite communication systems."

Welsh economy and infrastructure secretary Ken Skates said: "With the world's first compound semiconductor cluster located in South East Wales, we are punching well above our weight in developing technology."

Welsh company IQE, which is based in Cardiff and exports around the world, has joined with Cardiff University and the Welsh government to spearhead the compound semiconductor cluster.

IQE's chief executive officer Drew Nelson said: "Compound semiconductors are rapidly defining 21-century technologies, and Wales is uniquely positioned to be center stage of this global, high-tech industry sector."

"The dedicated compound semiconductor facility between Cardiff and Newport will act as a key component of the burgeoning cluster that is already cementing Wales' reputation for technology leadership."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 20:52:51|Editor: An

Video Player Close

HOHHOT, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's desertified land is shrinking, according to a press conference at the 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 13) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) on Monday.

Liu Dongsheng, deputy head of the State Forestry Administration, said China's desertified land was expanding at a rate of 10,400 square kilometers per year at the end of the last century, but it is now shrinking by 2,424 square kilometers each year.

"China has set a goal to reforest 50 percent of the desertified land that can be treated by 2020, and the rest by 2050," Liu said.

Pradeep Monga, deputy executive of the UNCCD, said China's fight against desertification has made progress over the past two decades. The restoration of the Kubuqi Desert is a demonstration of the great efforts made by Chinese government, public and companies, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 21:02:58|Editor: An

Video Player Close

HOHHOT, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A high-level meeting of the 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification was held Monday in the city of Ordos in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The following is a brief introduction to Ordos, host of the conference, which began on Sept. 6.

The coal-rich city is home to the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan (1162-1227), founder of the Mongol Empire. Yet the city, located on a vast prairie, has long been a victim of desertification. The Kubuqi Desert and Maowusu sandy area account for nearly half of the land under its jurisdiction.

Over the past several decades, government-led afforestation efforts, with active participation from enterprises and residents, have successfully stopped the spread of desertification.

In 2016, the forest coverage rate in Ordos reached 26.7 percent, up 14 percentage points from 2000. About 70 percent of Maowusu and 25 percent of the Kubuqi Desert have undergone afforestation.

Kubuqi, the seventh largest desert in China, is a good example of China's success in alleviating desertification. The Kubuqi International Desert Forum has become an important platform for nations to exchange experiences in this regard and in achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Over the past decade or so, China's desertified areas have been shrinking.

More than 2,000 delegates from 196 parties to the convention and over 20 international organizations are attending the two-week conference in Ordos, themed "Combating Desertification for Human Well-being."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 21:08:01|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon said on Monday it will file a complaint with the UN Security Council against Israel violation of Lebanon's airspace, according to prime minister's media office.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who is on an official visit to Russia, has tasked Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil to file the complaint against Israel for "planting spy devices on Lebanese territory and continuously violating the Lebanese airspace, especially after Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier over Sidon yesterday (Sunday)."

The sonic boom created by the fighter jets shattered the glass windows of some buildings, media reports said.

Local reports said the blast sound sparked panic among residents and that a woman had fainted in souks in Sidon, the third-largest city in Lebanon.

The development came amid Israeli military exercises near Lebanon's border and days after Israeli warplanes bombed a military site in Syria from Lebanon's airspace.

The Foreign Ministry has said that Lebanon will file an "urgent complaint" against Israel with the UN Security Council over that violation.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 21:08:02|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has sent a letter to United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, asking for his assistance to increase humanitarian aid to Syria.

"The Russian side continuously provides humanitarian and medical assistance, demines the liberated territories and solves many issues related to restoring a peaceful life," said Shoigu, according to a statement issued by the Russian Defense Ministry on Monday.

But in order to return hundreds of thousands of refugees to their homes as soon as possible, Syria needs consolidated efforts of the entire international community, he said in the letter.

Shoigu recalled that the Syrian government troops with the support of the Russian Air Force have liberated a significant part of Syria from terrorists, creating conditions for the restoration of a peaceful life.

However, according to him, not all Syrians are able to return to their homes quickly as terrorists have destroyed many settlements.

Thousands of houses, schools, medical institutions and other social infrastructure are in ruins, the statement said.

More than 1,000 tons of food and over 80 tons of medicine are acutely needed today, Shoigu said.

According to earlier reports on Monday, Russia will send 175 demining engineers to defuse mines in Syria's Deir al-Zour.

The first detachment of 40 deminers has already been deployed to Russia's Hmeimim air base in Syria.

Meanwhile, Syrian government forces and U.S.-backed militias converged on the Islamic State in separate offensives against the militants in the eastern Syrian province of Deir al-Zour on Sunday.
Source:Xinhua| 2017-09-11 21:14:15|Editor: Mengjie

Afghan refugee children play at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Peshawar, Pakistan, Sept. 11, 2017. Pakistan continues to host approximately 1.45 million registered refugees, according to the UN refugee agency. Around 1 million are still unregistered, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Pakistani officials. (Xinhua/Muhammad Hadi)


Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 21:18:08|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

KIEV, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- International military exercises code-named Rapid Trident-2017 were officially opened on Monday in Ukraine's western Lviv region, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said.

The two-week command post and field manoeuvres, which are held at the Yavoriv International Peacekeeping and Security Training Center, involve 2,500 military personnel from Ukraine and 14 foreign countries, said the statement on the ministry's website.

Representatives of the United States, Canada, Bulgaria, Georgia, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Britain participate in the drills.

The Rapid Trident maneuvers have been conducted annually in Ukraine since 2006 under NATO's Partnership for Peace program. They are designed to boost interaction between the participating nations and exchange the professional experience among their troops.

Last month, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said that the 2017 exercises will involve the largest number of military personnel in the history of the drills.

In 2016, a total of 1,800 soldiers from Ukraine and 13 foreign countries participated in the exercises.
This photo taken on September 5, 2017 shows Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar arriving at a new camp in Unchiprang near the Bangladeshi border town of Teknaf. Within days the 15,000 new arrivals had stripped bare the countryside at Unchiprang, near the border town of Teknaf, transforming the once lush and sparsely inhabited hillsides into a sprawling tent city. (AFP Photo)

CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Violence and injustice faced by Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar seems a "textbook example" of ethnic cleansing, UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein said on Monday, according to MENA news agency.

Speaking at the start of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council, al Hussein noted that situation can not be clearly evaluated as the UN rights investigators have been barred from entry by authorities in Myanmar, said the report.

Al Hussein denounced how another brutal security operation is underway in Rakhine state of Myanmar.

The UN spokesperson has reported earlier that 313,000 people have fled to neighboring Bangladesh in the last three weeks.

The UN earlier has announced that it had a plan to provide up to 300,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing from Myanmar to Bangladesh with food, shelter, water, health care and other services until the end of the year.
Photo taken on March 30, 2017 shows the Pireaus Port Authority's office building in Greece. China's COSCO (China Ocean Shipping Group Company) acquired a majority stake in Piraeus Port Authority through the Athens Stock Exchange in April, 2016. (Xinhua/Chen Jiangxuan)

THASSALONIKI, Greece, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese investment in Europe is an opportunity instead of a threat, senior representatives of news agencies along the route said Sunday during the New Silk Road Forum.

Organized by Greece's Athens News Agency (AMNA), national agency of the Mediterranean country, the forum focuses on the cooperation of news agencies along the Belt and Road and aims at improving communication, facilitating trade and enhancing cultural ties.

Responding to the uninvited worry of some U.S. media on Chinese investment in Greece, Michail Psylos, president of AMP, told Xinhua that "nobody cares about the report."

China-proposed Belt and Road initiative "gives Greece the room and potential to upgrade its own role in the modern world as a member of the European Union," said the president in his opening remarks.

"We think the relationship between China and Greece is of strategic and geopolitical importance, and the news agencies in both countries wish to continue the promotion of the cooperation for it is mutual beneficial for the two countries and the two peoples," he told Xinhua.

Miguel Sanchez, Spain's EFE Agency's director economic and financial sector, said that "we are very happy to see in these days the growing number of Chinese companies in Spain... because Chinese companies are offering more and more high-quality products."

As to the competition between Chinese and local companies, he said that Spain should be creative on this issue, "because it is a way to improve local business."

Responding on the "threat" of Chinese investment hyped by some Western media outlets, he said he is not the right person to comment because he is not a politician.

But he still gave his explanation. China is "growing and becoming more and more competitive each day, the best way to fight against you is to say that you are doing nothing or doing things in the wrong way," he told Xinhua.

Chinese investment is not focused on one country, but is a boon to the economic development of countries in the South Europe, said Nenad Babic, executive officer of Serbia's TANJUG news agency.

"The Belt and Road initiative proposed by the Chinese government has given us a chance to strengthen our relationship in more than just political way. Concrete projects with Chinese investment obviously facilitate that process," said Babic.

"China invested in Serbia's biggest iron producer under the framework of Belt and Road initiative. The construction of the railway connecting Serbia and Hungary will be done also with the financial help of Chinese banks. The railway will connect the south Europe with the Piraeus port in Greece which will facilitate the big trade in the whole region," he told Xinhua.

During the forum, representatives from 25 news agencies agreed to further strengthen the cooperation in such fields as economy, science and technology as well as people-to-people exchanges.

In his speech, Zhang Sutang, vice president of China's Xinhua News Agency, said that Xinhua is willing to cooperate with other news agencies along the Belt and Road to build an information-sharing platform and expand room for media cooperation, so as to play a more active role in building a more beautiful world.

Agencies from China, Greece, Spain, Russia, Italy, Bulgaria, Serbia, Poland, among others, were represented at the forum. At the end of the forum, delegates from the 25 news agencies unanimously approved a joint declaration to enhance relations and strengthen their contacts at all levels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 21:28:14|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

BANGKOK, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Phuket island in southern Thailand has launched a Green Season campaign to attract tourists with a street food festival on the upcoming weekend.

Phuket provincial governor Norapat Plodthong said on Monday Phuket Street Food Festival 2017 will be held on Saturday and Sunday in Phuket City to promote the island resort as one of the world's 18 leading gastronomic cities.

Phuket Street Food Festival 2017 will feature the island's gastronomic characteristics as earlier endorsed by UNESCO so that it has more to offer its visitors other than tropical beaches and shores of the Andaman Sea, according to the provincial governor.

In Phuket, September is the time of a year for food festivals, featuring health food, seafood and rare delicacies of Thai, Chinese and Malaysian cuisines contributed by hotels, restaurants and sidewalk food stalls throughout the island.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 22:03:28|Editor: An

Video Player Close

CHENGDU, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Tian Jingyu, 69, used to be a police officer, but has been even busier after retirement.

Tian's home is in the Beiyuan neighborhood, where 1,300 people live in the southwestern part of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province.

He is busy because he leads a five-member council that discusses issues of importance to the neighborhood.

"Things can be small or big. From sewerage to fences, from roads to garbage centers, we respond to matters of collective importance," Tian said.

Before the council was set up, such matters were managed by Jinyang community, the upper-level administrative body. The decision process was top-down and mandatory.

"Setting up resident councils at each neighborhood is a practice of grassroots democracy, letting the people decide," said Li Hanrong, Communist Party chief of Jinyang. A total of 40,000 people live in Jinyang, administered by Wuhou District.

Chengdu, with a population of 16 million, started to experiment with the council system from 2003. By 2012, councils had been established in 4,338 communities and villages across the city.

"Democracy brings changes to the people. It has got people moving on their feet rather than sitting on a bench and waiting," Li said.

Since December last year, Tian has convened with other councilors on three matters: repairing a dilapidated gate, reconstructing a fire-fighting passage and installing anti-burglar wiring.

"We meet on the tenth of every month, though we meet more when there are matters waiting to be solved," Tian said.

"For the construction projects, we need to make the budget ourselves, and we do that in a very meticulous way, because at least half of the cost will be paid by fellow residents. The rest is covered by the community construction fund," he said.

Tian and other council members solicited public suggestions on each project. The final decisions were put on walls for a week in April to notify the public, before being handed to the upper level.

Beiyuan's infrastructure spending needs to get two-thirds of votes from a 37-member council meeting.

"Four projects, including ours, were approved this year. We were lucky, because at least nine projects were vetoed in the last three years," Tian said.

After gaining approval, Tian called five more meetings to discuss details before construction started.

"We compared construction teams and their plans thoroughly, and our final choice saved 1,500 yuan (about 230 dollars)," he said.

Since the 18th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress in 2012, China has strived to build a grassroots governance system, led by local governments and participated in by the general public.

Delegating government power to responsible and committed people like Tian is a solution adopted by many Chinese cities to address the increasingly complex desires of the public.

At a meeting in early September, Chengdu set up a community governance committee at the city level to make sure the council system works.

As the councilors exercise autonomy, a supervisory board supervises them.

"Listen to the people, let them vote, and allow public opinion to be fully expressed, not after but before government decisions, even if it is about very trivial things like whether a room should be used as a food store or a barber's shop," said Wang Yukai, professor with the Chinese Academy of Governance. "Governance is to understand needs and respond effectively to them, taking in suggestions. Only by doing this can so-called vanity projects be avoided."

Last week, at Guanyuan neighborhood in Xicheng District in Beijing, more than 40 people were elected by residents to vote on what types of groceries a new service center should offer.

The center replaces several farmers' markets, which were closed in a city-wide campaign to reinvigorate nearly 2,500 alleys in the core districts of Dongcheng and Xicheng.

"If the public has suggestions or complaints as to the quality and price of groceries, I'm ready to hear them out. If people decide the contractor is too expensive, they have the right to vote to replace it," said Xu Li, deputy head of Xicheng District, at the public vote on Sept. 4.

Zhao Xiuling, a political scientist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said local governments, particularly in big and developed cities, had created many ways to govern communities.

Creative methods in some cities have been hailed as inspirational models of grassroots democracy in China. Wenling City in east China's Zhejiang Province is one such pioneer.

In 1999, the costal city adopted democratic consultation, featuring civic participation as well as face-to-face dialogue between government and the public in designing and carrying out public policy.

"The most effective governance is to get people involved. Rubber stamping solves no problem; only full participation does," said Yu Meixiang, a local official at Taidong neighborhood in Xujiahui District of Shanghai.

Retired officer Tian receives no wages for his time-consuming work, though he does get a hundred yuan or so every month to cover his phone expenses.

"I'm more than happy to do my job. It is my responsibility as well as my right," Tian said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 22:18:33|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Transport Ministry on Monday said it would introduce new regulations for three-wheel drivers for the safety and security of passengers.

Three wheelers are a popular mode of public transportation in the island country, used largely by locals and tourists.

However, in recent months many tourists have been complaining of being harassed, abused and cheated to pay higher fares by three wheel drivers.

The new regulations, which will come into effect from Oct. 1, will require the registration number, name, driving license number of the driver, a photograph of the driver and telephone numbers of the respective police stations where the vehicle is registered, to be displayed behind the driver's seat.

This is required to avoid any emergency situation, the Transport Ministry said.

The new regulations will also require the driver to fix an electronic meter which will indicate the fare amount and issue a receipt to the passenger at the end of the trip.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 22:18:34|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

KATHMANDU, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Monday expanded his cabinet for the fifth time since he came to power on June 7 this year.

Deuba inducted three new ministers taking the total strength of the Cabinet to 53. This is the biggest cabinet in the country's history, officials said.

Dipak Bohora has been appointed the Minister for Science and Technology, Bikram Panday as the Minister for Forest.

Sunil Bahadur Thapa has been given the charge of Minister for Industry. Newly appointed ministers belong to the Rashtriya Prajantantra Party (Party) headed by Pashupati Samsher Rana.

New ministers were administered oath of office by the prime minister at a special ceremony held at the Presidential Office in the capital on Monday.

Deuba, who is also the president of ruling Nepali Congress, has come under severe criticism from multiple quarters for presiding over the biggest-ever cabinet in the country's history.

Main opposition party in the Parliament, CPN-UML has slammed the prime minister's move to expand the Cabinet calling it "a serious breach of the election code of conduct" ahead of forthcoming provincial and parliament elections.

The party will take up the matter to the Election Commission soon, UML's Party Parliamentary Deputy Leader, Subhas Nembang, told media on Monday.

Deuba made a comeback as the 40th prime minister of Nepal on June 7, a day after he was elected in the Parliament with the support of nearly two-thirds of the members of the 593-strong Parliament.

Deuba is running the coalition government in alliance with CPN (Maoist Centre) and some other fringe parties. This is the fourth time Deuba is at the helm of the government in Nepal.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 22:28:38|Editor: Mengjie

Video Player Close

HANOI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese police on Monday detained seven people from Vietnam's northern Dien Bien province for transporting a total of nearly five kg of opium from Laos to Vietnam.

Among the seven detainees, Chang A Thao, born in 1980 in Dien Biens Muong Nhe district, was caught red-handed when transporting the biggest amount of opium -- 1.5 kilogram, the provincial police said.

The detainees crossed borders to work as manual laborers in Laos and then used their wages to buy opium and come back to Vietnam for resale.

According to the Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 22:33:40|Editor: Yang Yi

People visit a photo exhibition titled "For a Better Life of the People" at the Palaise des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sept. 11, 2017. The photo exhibition titled "For a Better Life of the People" showcasing China's progress and achievements in the human rights promotions in the recent years opened on Monday at the Palaise des Nations, the UN headquarters in Geneva. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)

GENEVA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition titled "For a Better Life of the People" showcasing China's progress and achievements in the human rights promotions in the recent years opened on Monday at the Palaise des Nations, the UN headquarters in Geneva.

The first of its kind ever held in the Palaise des Nations, the exhibition is a collection of 70 pictures and 15 short videos that speak to China's achievements.

"I believe they provide a comprehensive guide to how far China has come in social and economic development," Ma Zhaoxu, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of China to UN at Geneva, said during the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

Ambassadors, senior diplomats and officials from various countries and international organizations, as well as several hundred of representatives attending the 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council, took part in the photo exhibition.

"For the past 40 years since the start of reform and opening-up, particularly in the last five years, China has stayed committed to sustainable development," Ma said.

He added that China is also making every effort to improve education, deliver more reliable jobs and more rewarding incomes, weave a stronger social safety net, provide more advanced medical and health care, improve housing conditions and the natural environment, and offer a more enriched cultural life.

"Pursuing people-centered development and making development of the people, by the people, and for the people underpins the set of ideals followed by the Chinese government," he said.

The Chinese diplomat stressed that China is committed to global governance and is working for a just and equitable international human rights system.

According to him, China is a signatory to 26 international human rights instruments, and is engaged in human rights dialogues with 40 countries. While as the same time China helps more than 120 developing countries implement the Millennium Development Goals.

The exhibition was jointly sponsored by the Chinese Mission to UN at Geneva and China's State Council Information Office.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 22:38:43|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TALLINN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Estonia is highly dependent on trade and open to trading with China, an Estonian official said Monday.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a large-scale exhibition of economic and cultural cooperation from Shanghai, Viljar Lubi from the economic development development of Estonia's economic ministry said that both Estonia and China were maritime countries, and the sea had played an important role in China's access to the rest of the world.

Under the name of "Cruising exhibition of economic and cultural cooperation along the Belt and Road", the one-day event attracted more than 60 small and medium-sized companies from Shanghai who attended the technology and innovation forum, business and investment forum, and cultural forum.

Chinese Ambassador to Estonia Qu Zhe and Tallinn Mayor Taavi Aas briefed the audience on Estonia's business-friendly policy and the innovation and technology cooperation opportunities to be had in the Estonian capital city.

Yin Yicui, Chairwoman of Shanghai Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee, said the event aimed to let Estonian people know more about Shanghai and deepen friendship between the two sides.
File photo: Police cordon off the street outside Bronx Lebanon Hospital in New York, the United States, on June 30, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

HOUSTON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Eight people, including a suspect, were killed Sunday evening in a shooting incident at a home in northern Texas, the United States.

Police in Plano, a city in the northeastern part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area which lies about 410 km north of Houston, Texas, shot and killed the suspect on arrival at the home after receiving a weapons call, local TV KHOU reported.

Once inside the home, police found nine gunshot victims, seven of whom were killed at the scene and two others were transported to a local hospital, the report said.

All victims were believed to be adults.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 22:58:55|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MADRID, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Spanish physiotherapist has been murdered in Afghanistan by one of the patients she was treating, the International Red Cross confirmed on Monday.

Lorena Enebral Perez was shot as she worked at orthopedic center in the town of Mazar-e-Sharif in the north of the country by one of her patients -- a wheelchair bound man who had been attending the center for 19 years.

The killer was arrested at the scene and identified as 22-year-old Muhamad Naseem, who is thought to have concealed his weapon inside his wheelchair before opening fire on Dr. Perez once inside the medical center.

"He shot the Spanish doctor with one shot and he was then arrested immediately by the center's security center before he was able to shoot anyone else," confirmed local police chief in statements published on the website of Spanish State TV network RTVE.

He added that a person who accompanied Naseem to the hospital had also been detained.

The International Red Cross also confirmed the death on its website, saying they were "shocked and devastated". The organization's spokesperson in Afghanistan assured Spanish media it was an "isolated incident", and that the circumstances surrounding it were "still unclear".

In February 2016, the International Red Cross temporarily suspended operations in Afghanistan after six workers were killed in the north of the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:03:57|Editor: Zhou Xin

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto (R) shakes hands with visiting U.S. under secretary of state Thomas Shannon in Helsinki, Finland, Sept. 11, 2017. (Xinhua/Matti Matikainen)

HELSINKI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Helsinki is the scene on Monday and Tuesday of talks between Russian deputy foreign minister and his U.S. counterpart, but the schedule and location of the talks have not been made known.

Meanwhile, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and U.S. under secretary of state Thomas Shannon met on Monday afternoon at the presidential residence in western Helsinki.

The presidential office said Niinisto would meet Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov on Tuesday at the presidential castle.

However, neither the U.S. nor the Russian embassies had revealed any details about the schedule or even the location of their talks by Monday afternoon local time, Finnish News Agency STT reported.

The meeting was scheduled during a diplomatic row that has gone on for months between the U.S. and Russia about mutual actions to reduce the size of each other's diplomatic missions.

During Niinisto's visit to Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump voiced his willingness to improve the relationship with Russia and halt its deterioration.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:03:57|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

THE HAGUE, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Dutch minister for foreign trade and development cooperation Lilianne Ploumen has called on the new Dutch government to support "She Decides", an initiative launched in January to fill gap caused by Washington's withdrawal from funding women's access to and information about safe abortion.

As the Netherlands is soon to have a new government, outgoing minister Ploumen said it should carry the torch.

"The Netherlands received worldwide recognition for She Decides. If a new minister says they want to leave it at that, it would be kind of a disgrace for the country," Ploumen said when speaking to Dutch broadcaster NOS on Saturday.

Nine months ago, when U.S. President Donald Trump signed a ban on federal money being allocated to international groups that perform or provide information about abortions, the Dutch minister launched "She Decides" as an international fund to provide women in developing countries with access to good information, contraception, and abortion.

Some 300 million U.S. dollars has been raised for the fund internationally, said Ploumen, adding that the goal was to collect 600 million U.S. dollars by the end of the year. If this figure is reached, the fund would be able to fully compensate the amount of money that the Trump administration withdrew in funding.

The Dutch government made a first donation of 10 million euros (12 million U.S. dollars) in January, and another 15 million euros was added in July.

The She Decides conference held in Brussels in March and its follow-up actions generated around 182 million euros in funds contributed by governments, foundations, and philanthropists.

The Family Planning Summit held in London in early July led to further commitments that doubled the contributions, bringing the total to 400 million U.S. dollars, according to the She Decides website.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:14:01|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Israel-Africa summit, a landmark meeting scheduled in Togo in October, has been postponed to an unknown date, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

A statement issued by the ministry said the decision came at the request of the President of Togo Faure Gnassingbe following a discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

It said the two leaders would continue to hold talks "to guarantee the full success of the summit" on a different date.

The statement cited no reason for the move. Local media reported the meeting was canceled due to boycott threats by Palestinians and several African countries.

Togo president faces unrest in his country over the past days, with thousands of demonstrators protesting against the 50-year rule of the Gnassingbe family and call to limit his presidential term.

The summit was supposed to take place in the Togolese capital of Lome on October 23-27 with business leaders and security experts from Israel and 54 African countries.

Boosting Israel's ties with Africa is a key part of Netanyahu's foreign policy.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:14:03|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Editor's Note: China is rolling out a major documentary series on its diplomatic principles, practices and achievements over the past five years. The English-language version of the program will soon be available on TV and online. To help the audience better understand Chinese diplomacy, Xinhua is releasing a variety of reports that include anecdotes, quotable quotes, facts and figures.

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The following is a selection of keywords related to China's foreign policy and their explanations:

The Belt and Road Initiative comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes.

In a speech titled "Promote People-to-People Friendship and Create a Better Future" delivered at Kazakhstan's Nazarbayev University on Sept. 7, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time proposed building the Silk Road Economic Belt.

On Oct. 23, 2013, Xi delivered a speech titled "Constructing Jointly the China-ASEAN Community of Common Destiny" at Indonesia's Parliament, and for the first time proposed building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

The proposed Silk Road Economic Belt is considered the longest economic corridor in the world, potentially the most dynamic, which connects the Asia-Pacific region in the east with developed European economies in the west.

Meanwhile, the proposed 21st Century Maritime Silk Road envisions a network of interconnected markets linking the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, South Asia, West Asia, North Africa and Europe, and a strategic partnership for the South China Sea and the Pacific and Indian oceans.

-- The spirit of the Silk Road is embodied in solidarity and mutual trust, equality and mutual benefit, inclusiveness, a disposition to learn from each other and cooperation in finding win-win solutions.

-- The Silk Road Fund was established in Beijing on Dec. 29, 2014, following Xi's announcement on Nov. 8 that China would contribute 40 billion U.S. dollars for this purpose. The fund will support infrastructure and resource development and industrial cooperation in the countries on the land and sea Silk Roads.

-- The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, established in 2015, is a regional intergovernmental development institution focused on supporting infrastructure development. It is the first multinational financial institution sponsored by China. As of the end of March 2017, the bank's membership had reached 70, second only to that of the World Bank.

-- The Steering Group for the Belt and Road Initiative has been established at the national level to study important issues related to planning, policy and projects, and to provide guidance and coordination in the implementation of the initiative.

-- In his speech at Kazakhstan's Nazarbayev University on Sept. 7, 2013, Xi proposed building the Silk Road Economic Belt by a five-pronged approach: promoting policy coordination, road inter-connectivity, unimpeded trade, currency convertibility, and closer people-to-people ties.

-- By the end of 2016, over 100 countries and international and regional organizations had expressed an interest in participating in implementing the initiative, and more than 40 of them had signed cooperation agreements with China thereon.

-- Since 2013, China has invested more than 50 billion U.S. dollars in countries on the Belt and Road. In 2016 alone, direct investment reached 14.5 billion dollars, or 8.5 percent of China's total outbound investment.

-- China signed 126 billion dollars worth of new contracts for projects in countries on the Belt and Road in 2016, up 36 percent year on year.

-- China's trade with countries on the Belt and Road rose 0.5 percent year on year to 6.25 trillion yuan (906.3 billion dollars) in 2016.

-- As of the end of 2016, Chinese businesses had built 56 economic and trade cooperation zones in more than 20 countries on the Belt and Road, with the total investment exceeding 18.5 billion dollars, generating nearly 1.1 billion dollars in tax revenue and creating nearly 180,000 local jobs.

-- China has industrial capacity cooperation systems with nearly 20 countries. Notably, China and Kazakhstan have signed agreements on 51 major cooperation projects worth 27 billion dollars.

-- China has signed more than 130 bilateral and regional transport agreements with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative to improve inter-connectivity.

-- China-Europe express freight trains have covered 28 cities in 11 European countries since being launched in 2011. More than 3,500 trips have been made so far, and the figure is planned to rise to 5,000 a year by 2020.

-- The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, one of the six economic corridors envisaged by the Belt and Road Initiative, has seen rapid progress, with major highway, railway and port projects under way.

-- Construction has started or neared completion on other large transport infrastructure projects on the Belt and Road, including the Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka, the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway in Indonesia and the Mombasa-Nairobi railway in Kenya.

-- As of the end of 2016, China had signed more than 300 intergovernmental agreements and implementation programs on cultural exchange and cooperation with countries on the Belt and Road.

-- China has set up an official Silk Road scholarship and held cultural events and art festivals with Belt and Road countries.

-- The ancient Silk Road was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2014, and a joint application has started for the inclusion of the Maritime Silk Road.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:19:04|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

GENEVA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese official on Monday said here that China has blazed a trail for human rights development that has distinct Chinese features and made outstanding achievements in this field.

Huang Junxian, Inspector of the Human Rights Affairs Department of China's State Council Information Office, said that to respect and protect human rights is a key principle of governance for the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government.

"It is also an important goal of pursuing socialism with Chinese characteristics," he said during the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition showcasing China's progress and achievements in the human rights promotions.

A photo exhibition titled "For a Better Life of the People" opened Monday in the Palaise des Nations, the UN headquarters in Geneva, which is a collection of 70 pictures and 15 short videos that illustrate China's achievements in the human rights filed.

The first of its kind ever held in the Palaise des Nations, the exhibition was jointly sponsored by the Chinese Mission to UN at Geneva and China's State Council Information Office.

"I hope, through this exhibition, you will know more about the human rights progress in China, and our arms are open to those who would like to visit China and experience first-hand the vigor of a modern China," Huang said.

According to the official, since the reform and opening-up was launched in 1978, China has lifted more than 700 million rural people out of poverty.

At the same time, he said, guided by both the universality of human rights and the realities in China, China has worked vigorously to protect and promote the economic, social, and cultural rights and the civil and political rights in a balanced way.

What's more, while dedicated to protecting human rights domestically, China is also faithfully honoring its international human rights obligations and trying to provide more public goods in the human rights field for the international community to the benefit of the healthy development of the human rights cause.

"China calls for building a community of shared future for mankind, pushes for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and has put forward the initiative to build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, all of which will foster better conditions for the realization of the right to development in all countries," he noted.

"When it comes to human rights protection, no one can claim to be the best and we can always strive for the better," Huang concluded.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:19:06|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel reaffirmed on Monday that they uphold peaceful ways to resolve the Korean Peninsula impasse.

During a phone conversation, the two leaders agreed that "the settlement of this acute crisis is possible only by political and diplomatic means, by resuming negotiations of all parties involved," according to a Kremlin statement.

Russia and Germany will continue discussion of the Korean Peninsula situation at the level of foreign ministers, it said.

According to the Kremlin, Putin and Merkel strongly condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s disregard of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

They said that Pyongyang's nuclear and missile activities, which are contrary to the principles of global non-proliferation, pose a serious threat to regional peace and security.

The DPRK claimed earlier this month that it successfully detonated an H-bomb, which can be carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile. The sixth nuclear test has incurred worldwide criticism.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:19:07|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A high-ranking Iranian military official said that the planned referendum on the Iraqi Kurdistan's independence would lead to a "war and long-running insecurity" in the region, Financial Tribune daily reported on Monday.

"Unfortunately, there is a new crisis brewing in the region. The foes of Muslims are harboring the secession of Iraq and Syria, something that would lead to war and long-running insecurity," Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a top military aide to Iran's supreme leader said.

"The four countries of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey are against this move because it would result in creation of separate regions that might be dependent on extra-territorial powers and foes of Islam," Safavi was quoted as saying.

The secession would be detrimental to the people of the region, he stressed.

Last month, Chief of Staff of Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri said that the Islamic republic was against disintegration of Iraq.

Any changes in the political geography of Iraq, given the imminent independence referendum of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, could start tensions and conflicts inside and outside Iraq, Baqeri said.

Besides, Deputy Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri announced the country's opposition to the scheduled Iraqi Kurds' independence referendum.

Kurds' independence referendum "is in line with the U.S. policy of dividing the regional countries," Jazayeri said, adding that "Iran is definitely against it."

Iran's political and military officials have announced their opposition to the Iraqi Kurds' referendum, saying that the stable, secure and unified Iraq will help the country's progress.

On June 7, Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region announced that it had planned to hold a referendum on independence on Sept. 25 to decide whether or not to secede from Iraq.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:24:09|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

LONDON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Britain on Monday pledged to add "further support" to the 32 million British pounds (42.2 million U.S. dollars) relief fund in the battle against the Hurricane Irma.

The British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told Radio 4 that only 4 million pounds remained out of the 32 million relief fund.

His message came as senior MPs and residents of the Caribbean islands criticized the British government's slow response.

Johnson announced on Sunday, fifty police officers would be dispatched to the Britain's overseas territories.

Some 500 British troops have been sent to Anguilla, Turks and Caicos, and British Virgin Islands, amid reports of looting in some areas.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:29:13|Editor: Yang Yi

Video Player Close

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli poses for a group photo with guests attending the 14th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

NANNING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli met with leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states in south China's Nanning on Monday, calling for stronger ties between China and ASEAN.

The foreign dignitaries included Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh and Lao Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

Zhang welcomed the foreign leaders to attend the 14th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit slated from Tuesday to Friday in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN, a regional group comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as the China-ASEAN year of tourism.

During his meeting with Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Zhang said China-ASEAN ties have entered a key stage.

As China and ASEAN celebrate the 15th anniversary of the establishment of a strategic partnership next year, Zhang said China is ready to further strengthen ties with ASEAN countries to build a community with shared future.

Calling China and Brunei reliable friends and cooperation partners, Zhang said China is willing to work with Brunei to make the best of the Belt and Road Initiative and dovetail the development strategies of the two countries.

Brunei is the Country of Honor at the 14th China-ASEAN Expo.

Hassanal said he is leading a delegation of nearly 100 entrepreneurs at the expo and welcomed Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in Brunei.

Brunei would like to strengthen cooperation with China in such areas as economy and trade, people-to-people exchanges, tourism, energy, ports and education, he said, pledging to play a constructive role in strengthening ASEAN-China cooperation.

When meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Zhang said the two sides need to implement the consensus reached by their leaders to strengthen economic and trade cooperation and have more exchanges on state governance.

The two countries agreed to cement traditional friendship as next year marks the 60th anniversary of forging diplomatic ties.

Zhang said China highly appreciates the important contribution Cambodia has made to China-ASEAN friendship and cooperation.

Hun Sen expressed appreciation for China's long-term support to Cambodia.

Cambodia is willing to take an active part in the Belt and Road Initiative, he said, calling for agricultural cooperation and more agricultural exports to China.

In 2018, Cambodia will co-chair the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC), a sub-regional cooperation mechanism jointly established by the six countries along the Mekong River, known in China as Lancang River, namely China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

The two countries agreed to work closely to host a successful LMC leaders' meeting.

During his meeting with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, Zhang said deepening friendship and expanding cooperation are in line with the interests of China and Vietnam and the peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world.

China attaches great importance to the relations with Vietnam and is willing to work with the country to plan high-level visits, promote economic cooperation and cultural exchanges and maintain maritime stability, Zhang said.

Echoing Zhang's remarks, Binh said the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between Vietnam and China has maintained good momentum.

The two sides need to implement the consensus of their leaders, enhance high-level contacts and cooperation on trade, culture and production capacity, Binh said.

During his meeting with Lao Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Zhang said the China-Laos relationship has advanced much this year especially after Lao President Boungnang Vorachith's visit to China in May.

He suggested the two countries carry out the deals on Belt and Road construction and production capacity and investment cooperation, intensify local relations and people-to-people exchanges so as to add new impetus into the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Sonexay spoke highly of the China-ASEAN Expo hosted by China. He called on the two sides to strengthen cooperation in areas including economy and trade, investment, healthcare, infrastructure construction and tourism.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:29:16|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Another German couple has been arrested in Turkey, Germany's Foreign Office told reporters on Monday.

There were "concrete indications" that the two German citizens of Turkish origin had been taken into police custody in Istanbul over the weekend. One of the affected individuals has since been released again.

A spokesperson for the German Foreign Office said that it was yet to receive any official information from Turkey's government about the incident. He urged Germans "in the utmost explicitness" to carefully consider the risks of traveling to Turkey at the moment.

Only a few days earlier, another German couple of Turkish descent was arrested at Antalya airport. The woman's lawyer confirmed to the Foreign Office that she was released four days later. Ankara has charged both suspects with connections to the movement of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Guelen whom Turkey blames for a failed military coup in July 2016.

The rapidly growing number of German citizens in Turkish prisons has further strained already tense relations between Berlin and Ankara.

In response to last week's arrests, the German Foreign Office has added additional travel guidelines for Turkey cautioning against arbitrary arrests in holiday resorts. Turkey retaliated on Saturday by issuing a travel warning for Germany on the grounds of potential "racist incidents, behavior, or verbal attacks" on its citizens.

Nevertheless, Berlin continues to shy away from the step of issuing a formal travel warning. "We will not allow ourselves to be drawn to abusing travel guidelines politically," the Foreign Office spokesperson said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:34:17|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

YANGON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar government on Monday night called on the international community to best help and support its efforts to bring stability, peace and development to the northern Rakhine state in conflict.

In a press statement on the situation in the state, Myanmar Foreign Ministry said the latest Arakan Rohingya Salvarion Army (ARSA) extremist terrorists' attack was an attempt to undermine the efforts of the government to find a lasting solution to the issue of Rakhine through the speedy implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Commission, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

"The security forces have been instructed to adhere strictly to the code of conduct in carrying out security operation, to exercise all due restraint, and to take full measures to avoid collateral damage and the harming of innocent civilians in the course of carrying out their legitimate duty to restore stability," the statement said.

"Human rights violations and all other acts that impair stability and harmony and undermine the rule of law will be addressed in accordance with strict norms of justice," it added.

The statement pointed out that the recent attacks have led to widespread fear and the subsequent displacement of all communities, including Rakhine, Hindu, Mro, Daingnet and Kaman whose fate are sadly overlooked by the world.

The statement stressed that humanitarian assistance will be provided by government-led mechanism, established with Red Cross Movement, to all displaced inhabitants without discrimination, while welcoming the offer of aid programs from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as other countries.

Extremist terrorists launched fresh attacks on police outposts in Rakhine on Aug. 25, displacing residents from a number of areas in Maungtaw district to border areas for refuge and camped along the Myanmar side of the border with Bangladesh.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:44:24|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

by Justice Lee Adoboe

ACCRA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Commercial banks in Ghana are required to increase their minimum capital by 233.3 percent to 400 million Ghana cedis (90.19 million U.S. dollars), the central bank announced on Monday.

The announcement, signed by Caroline Otoo, secretary of the Bank of Ghana, brings to closure speculations and anxiety about how much the bank was going to raise the minimum capital from the previous 120 million cedis (27.05 million dollars).

"The Bank of Ghana announces for the information of banks and the general public that it had revised upward the minimum paid-up capital for existing banks and new entrants... to 400 million Ghana cedis effective Monday, Sept. 11, 2017," the announcement said.

It said the increase should be carried out by the banks through either fresh capital injection, capitalization of income surplus, or a combination of both.

The central bank gave all banks, including those granted approval "in principle," up to Dec. 31, 2018, to comply with the directive.

"All pending applications for banking license which are without the 'Approval in Principle' are required to meet the new minimum capital requirement of 400 million cedis and feasibility reports accompanying such applications should be amended," the statement said.

The central bank forbade banks from capitalizing revaluation reserves, reserves on financial instruments through other comprehensive income, credit risk reserves and unaudited profits.

Last month, the Bank of Ghana revoked operating licenses of two local banks, UT Bank and Capital Bank, due to persistent liquidity challenges, the statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:49:26|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Death toll of Monday's anti-police terror attack in the city of Arish in Egypt's North Sinai province had climbed to 18, state-run Ahram newspaper reported.

According to Ahram, the car bombing that targeted a security patrol in Arish city earlier in the day has so far caused the death of 18, including policemen and civilians.

Ahram reported earlier that nine policemen died in the attack.

Three terrorists were also killed in fire exchange with police right after the blast, a security source was quoted as saying.

Earlier on Monday, Egyptian Interior Ministry announced that a police patrol was targeted with a car loaded with explosives, adding that more backup forces had been sent to the scene.

Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terror activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Terror attacks in Egypt used to focus on police and military men in North Sinai before spreading nationwide and targeting the Coptic minority as well, with most of them claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the regional Islamic State (IS) militant group.

The Egyptian military and police have killed hundreds of militants and arrested a similar number of suspects as part of the country's anti-terror war.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:54:28|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian officials and human rights experts on Monday strongly denounced the Human Right Watch (HRW) for trying to damage Egypt's security and stability by issuing a fabricated politically-motivated report.

Responding to a recent HRW report on Egypt that charged Cairo for violating human rights in its anti-terrorism war, Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister for Human Rights Laila Bahaaeddin said the report's claims about torture in Egypt is "misleading and politicized."

In a meeting held by the parliament's human rights committee to probe the HRW report, Bahaaeddin pointed out that the report provided a political introduction and contained fake names.

Egypt should respond to the HRW attack on all levels and take parallel moves on the media level particularly, Bahaaeddin was quoted by the Egyptian official Middle East News Agency (MENA) as saying.

He called for continuing to highlight Egypt's achievements as the best way to respond to such report and other similar reports.

Meanwhile, at a seminar hosted Monday by the MENA, Egyptian human rights experts also slammed the HRW report as "fabricated and politicized."

They noted that the report failed to mention achievements of Egypt in the field of human rights and in its anti-terrorism war, while ignoring the legislative and economic reforms in the country.

Aly Hassan, MENA board chairman and editor-in-chief, said all HRW reports on Egypt are "fabricated political reports that contain no material evidence."

He blasted certain parties for seeking to maintain chaos and foment tension in the Arab world by using such report "as a way of getting back at Egypt for its independent national will and efforts to fight terrorism and bring stability to the region."

Hassan cited reports by other human rights organizations that clearly stated that there was no torture cases in Egypt, whether inside or outside prisons.

He accused the HRW of "losing its senses and impartiality", and deviating from its mission to protect human rights.

It has become a tool in the hands of terrorists, including Qatar's Abdel Rahman al Naemi, who serves as an advisor at the rights watchdog, Hassan said.

Nasr Salem, professor of strategy at Nasser Military Academy, said the HRW did not present any evidence on its claims against Egypt, noting that there are members in such organization who are known for their animosity towards Egypt.

He noted that the HRW report came at a time when Egypt made economic achievements and after the positive outcome of President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi's participation in the BRICS summit held in China last week, which praised Egypt's reforms and its vast investment potentials.

Salem said that Egypt is targeted by regional and international parties which have been planning to damage the country similar to what happened in Libya, Syria and Yemen.

He added that the parties' objective is to maintain Israel's hegemony over the region through tearing apart the Arab countries.

Alaa Shalaby, secretary general of Arab Organization for Human Rights, hailed the "notable progress" achieved by Egypt as the government took measures against torture in the past years.

It is unfair not to mention such tangible progress in the field of human rights, Shalaby said, citing a number of strict judicial rulings issued against torture perpetrators in Egypt.

Shalaby also lauded the "outstanding progress" achieved in securing civil and political freedoms in Egypt, while calling for introducing legislative amendments and firm accountability mechanisms as a response to the HRW charges.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:54:29|Editor: Liu

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A senior central bank official Monday stressed the need for increased efforts to combat money laundering.

Yin Yong, vice governor of the People's Bank of China, said authorities should fight money laundering as an important task in "preventing and controlling financial risks and safeguarding financial system security."

China faces a "severe and complicated" situation concerning combating money laundering amid rising financial risks and even more stricter international standards on fighting money laundering, Yin said at a briefing.

He said there should be rigorous efforts to prevent and control money laundering and terrorist financing, and more reform to improve the country's mechanisms to counter money laundering, terrorist financing and tax evasion.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 23:59:33|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- German Justice Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) described the electoral manifesto of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as "unconstitutional" on Monday in an opinion piece in Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper.

"The AfD could become the first party since 1949 to overcome the 5-percent-hurdle (which grants entry to Germany's federal parliament) with a partially unconstitutional program," Maas wrote.

According to the justice minister, the AfD's manifesto contradicts the German constitution on several points. The party's policy proposals on religion, families, criminal justice, and Europe would run afoul of articles which ensure the protection of human dignity, the presumption of innocence in criminal proceedings, the equal rights of men and women, as well as freedom of religion.

For example, demands for a blanket ban on the construction of minarets and the sounding of muezzin calls at mosques were incompatible with the constitutionally-granted freedom of religion, which includes the prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of belief or religious views.

"Of course, every religion must uphold our constitutional order," Maas noted. He stressed, however, that the German constitution reflected lessons drawn from the experience of racial hatred under the National Socialism (Nazism) of Adolf Hitler.

A spokesperson for the German justice ministry refused to provide further comment when asked by Xinhua whether Maas was in favor of banning the AfD from democratic elections, maintaining only that the justice minister's opinion piece "spoke for itself."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 00:14:37|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

ABUJA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A recent airstrike by the Nigerian military hit a building which housed terror group Boko Haram fighters in the northeastern state of Borno, a spokesman said on Monday.

Tokunbo Adesanya, a spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force, said an unknown number of the terrorists were believed to have been killed in the airstrike last Thursday.

The targeted structure, a known location with significant Boko Haram fighters' presence at the northern fringes of Borno, bordering Lake Chad, went up in flames, according to Adesanya.

He said the air force, in furtherance of air interdiction on structures suspected to be housing Boko Haram fighters, had detailed two aircraft to carry out the airstrike.

The military is working to further degrade the capability of the terror group, thereby preventing them from regrouping to cause more havoc, Adesanya said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 00:39:45|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

HARARE, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday handed over 12,500 metric tons of rice to assist Zimbabweans who are in need of food aid due to flood-induced hunger.

Floods caused by Cyclone Dineo in February left 246 people dead, 128 injured and nearly 2,000 homeless in Zimbabwe. Bridges and roads were damaged.

At the handover ceremony in the capital Harare, Zimbabwean Minister of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare Prisca Mupfumira said the rice will assist the needy, especially flood victims who have been relocated and remain in need of food aid until the next harvest season.

She said despite Zimbabwe's bumper maize harvest in the previous farming season, there were pockets of people who still required food aid.

Chinese Ambassador Huang Ping attended the handover of the rice, worth 14.7 million U.S. dollars.

The Zimbabwe minister said the number of households in need of food aid stands at 101,260, requiring 5,063 metric tons per month between July-September 2017.

The figure will increase as the nation progresses toward the peak hunger season to 301,872 households requiring 15,093.60 tons per month between January and March 2018, she said.

In total, 1.1 million people mill require food aid in Zimbabwe in January-March 2018, according to a rural livelihoods assessment report released by the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee in July.

This will constitute 11 percent of the country's rural population that will be food insecure, down from 42 percent during the same period this year after the country experienced a devastating drought last year.

"In view of this, China has again made another donation of 12,500 metric tons for distribution to the vulnerable of the society. The donation from our friends will go a long way in mitigating the effects of flood-caused hunger," the minister said.

She said the humanitarian support from China showed that it was a true friend of Zimbabwe.

China has in recent years emerged as one of the major partners helping Zimbabwe cope with hunger by donating emergency food aid and agricultural inputs to boost the agriculture sector.

In March, China was one of the first countries to respond to Zimbabwe's distress call for assistance following the floods by donating 1 million U.S. dollars to the government.

Two weeks ago, China announced an additional 5 million dollar donation to assist the vulnerable in Zimbabwe including refugees in 2018.

Huang, the Chinese ambassador, said the donation testified strong bilateral ties between Zimbabwe and China. He said China was doing a lot to transfer technology to Zimbabwe to boost agriculture, the backbone of its economy.

He said China was keen to import citrus products from Zimbabwe and that work was at an advanced stage for Zimbabwe to start exporting horticulture products into the vast Chinese market.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 01:09:58|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BUDAPEST, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- All five Hungarian political parties of the Parliament jointly called on Ukrainian President Petro Porosenko here Monday to veto the new Ukrainian education law and send it back to the Ukrainian Parliament.

"An anti-European law can be created that violates fundamental human and minority rights, which could lead to further instability in Ukraine," Zsolt Nemeth, President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Hungarian Parliament told at a press conference after the meeting of the parties.

"The new law is detrimental to the national minorities of many countries, which is also why Romania, Bulgaria and Poland took the same position as the Hungarian," he added.

Levente Magyar, State Secretary for Parliamentary affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, welcomed the unified alignment of the parties for this national interest, he underlined that "Hungary would not suspend but rather increase the humanitarian and development assistance Ukraine has received in recent years, because the beneficiaries of the aid are not responsible for the new law."

The new Ukrainian legislation deprives the national minorities of the country to learn in their mother tongue, endangering their survival in their native land.

According to the law, the language of secondary and higher education is now Ukrainian, while the language of minorities is only allowed in kindergartens and elementary classes (first four years).

According to Hungary, this is an unprecedented violation of the rights of nationalities living in the country, including about 150,000 Hungarians, and also completely opposed to the constitution of Ukraine.

"It is our duty to protect the Hungarian people, whether they live in Hungary, beyond the border, or even thousands of kilometers away," said Peter Szijjarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on Monday at a press conference.

Szijjarto explained that he had talks with Laszlo Brenzovics, President of the Hungarian Cultural Association of Transcarpathia: "On telephone, we agreed on further steps to take regarding the Ukrainian education law."

He also told that he would address the OSCE Secretary-General, the OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorities and the President-in-Office of the OSCE, in a letter of intent and urgency.

Likewise, Szijjarto urges action by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Secretary-General of the European Council. He pointed out that all international institutions should be used in order to prevent the "shameful" lawmaking.

The minister emphasized that this law was not only seriously violating the Hungarian-Ukrainian relations, the Association Agreement between the European Union (EU) and Ukraine, but also the Ukrainian constitution itself.

"Ukraine stabbed Hungary in the back," he concluded, recalling that Hungary had been the strongest supporter of Ukraine in the visa waiver program, by transporting gas to Ukraine, and was the first to ratify the Association Agreement with the EU.
A combination of photos show Russian President Vladimir Putin during a session of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, September 7, 2017 and German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a local party congress of her conservative Christian Democratic Union in Reutlingen, southern Germany, September 9, 2017. (Reuters & AFP)

MOSCOW, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel reaffirmed on Monday that they uphold peaceful ways to resolve the Korean Peninsula impasse.

During a phone conversation, the two leaders agreed that "the settlement of this acute crisis is possible only by political and diplomatic means, by resuming negotiations of all parties involved," according to a Kremlin statement.

Russia and Germany will continue discussion of the Korean Peninsula situation at the level of foreign ministers, it said.

According to the Kremlin, Putin and Merkel strongly condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s disregard of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

They said that Pyongyang's nuclear and missile activities, which are contrary to the principles of global non-proliferation, pose a serious threat to regional peace and security.

The DPRK claimed earlier this month that it successfully detonated an H-bomb, which can be carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile. The sixth nuclear test has incurred worldwide criticism.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 02:00:09|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian parliament on Monday ratified the Intergovernmental Agreement between Tanzania and Uganda on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project.

Parliament ratified the agreement after earlier this year Tanzania and Uganda agreed to construct the 1,445 km pipeline from the oilfields of Hoima in Uganda to Tanga port in Tanzania.

Palamagamba Kabudi, the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, told the House that Tanzania stood to benefit a lot from the 3.5 billion U.S. dollar oil pipeline project.

"The project is expected to create 10,000 jobs during construction and other 10,000 jobs during implementation of the project," said Kabudi in his statement read on his behalf by the Minister for Information, Culture and Sports, Harrison Mwakyembe.

Kabudi told the august House that the project will also help Tanzanians to gain experience in running gas and oil projects.

Kabudi said the treaty also stipulates areas of cooperation, rights and freedoms to the project operators as well as the concessions the government provides for the project.

After signing the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), the state parties are supposed to establish a working group called IGA Consultation Committee made up of qualified representatives of each country, said the minister.

He said the committee will serve as a body in which the two countries exchange information and consult in respect to questions relating to the agreement on the project.

The agreement also stipulates that there shall be no customs and import duties on machinery, capital goods and temporary importation of any motor vehicles for the direct and exclusive use in the EACOP project.

The treaty gives exemption of transit fees on the transport of petroleum in the EACOP project.

Uganda estimates overall crude reserves at 6.5 billion barrels, while recoverable reserves are seen at between 1.4 billion and 1.7 billion barrels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 04:51:22|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

MOGADISHU, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The European Union Naval Force personnel have helped train Somalia's Maritime Police Unit in Mogadishu to help strengthen the Horn of Africa nation's maritime security to help deter piracy along the coastline.

The EU Capacity Building Mission in Somalia (EUCAP) said on Monday the vital training which it organized, will help in enhancing local capability in maintaining maritime security.

"The training included how to plan effective patrols at sea and boarding a vessel that is suspected of being involved in piracy and other illegal activity," the EU mission said in a statement released in Mogadishu.

The mission said maritime training with regional partners is an extremely important aspect of the European Union's efforts to help develop the capabilities of local maritime forces and to deter piracy off the coast of Somalia.

"The development of the maritime police in Mogadishu is a critical element in supporting Somalia in securing its principal sea port and its approaches," EUCAP Somalia's Head of Operations Chris Reynolds said.

The mission said Naval Force's sailors and marines from its warships ITS Fasan and ESPS Rayo, have been assisting staff from EUCAP Somalia, to train members of the Somali maritime police unit at sea off the coast of Mogadishu.

EUCAP Somalia is a civilian EU mission, under the auspices of the Common Security and Defence Policy, which assists Somalia in strengthening its capacity to ensure maritime security.

The EU naval force, a counter-piracy military operation off the coast of Somalia has been protecting Somalia bound ships, belonging to the UN World Food Programme and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 04:56:25|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 20 percent of the children across the Middle East and North Africa - over 90 percent of whom live in conflict-affected countries - need immediate humanitarian assistance, a UN report said on Monday.

"Conflict continues to rob millions of girls and boys of their childhood," said Geert Cappelaere, regional director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in a press statement.

The UNICEF report pointed out that children have been hit hardest by years of violence, displacement and lack of basic services. Civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, energy, water, sanitation and hygiene installations have often come under attack, exposing children to the risk of death and diseases.

Moreover, millions of families have been forced to flee their homes - some several times and under fire. Continued violence and displacement have increasingly made it difficult for children and families to cope.

"The number of children affiliated with the fighting has more than doubled," continued the UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.

The latest analysis reveals that inside Syria and in refugee-hosting countries, almost 12 million Syrian children require humanitarian assistance - up from half a million in 2012.

An estimated two million children who live in hard-to-reach or besieged areas in Syria have received limited humanitarian assistance over the years.

In Yemen, the fighting has destroyed water and sanitation systems - triggering the world's worst cholera and acute diarrhoea outbreak, with over 610,000 suspected cases to date.

More than half of the country's health facilities are out of service and water systems have been destroyed, cutting off almost 15 million people from safe water and access to basic health care.

In Iraq, more than 5 million children are in need of assistance as heavy fighting intensified, including in Mosul and recently in Tal Afar.

In the Gaza Strip, an ongoing electricity crisis has reduced access to water by 30 percent while diarrhoea cases among young children have doubled in just three months.

"Children in the Middle East and North Africa region have undergone unprecedented levels of violence and witnessed horrors that no one should witness. If violence and wars continue, the consequences - not only for the region but for the world as a whole - will be dire," Cappelaere said.

The UNICEF official urged world leaders do much more to put an end to violence for the sake of boys and girls and their future.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 05:26:34|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CARACAS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro announced a new commercial strategy with Kazakhstan and Algeria, ranging from the oil industry, air connectivity and investments in the Venezuela's "productive engines."

Maduro spoke to the TV station, Telesur, on Monday from Algeria, after meeting with the president of the Algerian Congress, Abdelkader Bensalah, and after previously visiting Kazakhstan.

"We have revised and taken decisions based on the oil agreement reached between countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC (members)," said Maduro.

He added this led to advances of the "governance" of the oil market and allow the "recovery" of crude oil prices, after the substantial fall seen since last year.

Maduro said he was seeking to convince Algerian investors to visit Venezuela and to get to know the "productive engines" of his country's Bolivarian Economic Agenda.

Maduro also commented on the results of his visit to Kazakhstan, where he took part in a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in his capacity as president of the Non-Aligned Movement.

"We were impressed by the power of Kazakhstan...and we have taken a step towards this new center of Asian development," said Maduro.

Venezuela has been looking for new trade partners after harsh economic sanctions imposed by the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 05:36:37|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

LONDON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Two serving British soldiers are among the three men charged on Monday night with an offence under Britain's anti-terror laws.

The three have been accused of being members of a banned neo-Nazi group, National Action, a far-right group banned in 2016 by Britain's interior ministry, the Home Office.

Described by the Home Office as virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic, National Action became the first extreme right-wing organisation to be declared illegal under new anti-terror laws.

Police in England's West Midlands named the men as Mikko Vehvilainen, 32, a soldier based at Sennybridge Military Camp in Brecon, Wales, Mark Barrett, aged 24, based at Dhekelia Garrison in Cyprus and Alexander Deakin, aged 22, a civilian living in Birmingham.

Vehvilainen has been accused of one count of possessing a document containing information of the kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

He is also charged with two counts of publishing written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, by posting comments on a website intending to stir up racial hatred or where having regard to all the circumstances racial hatred is likely to be stirred up.

The Home Office proscription of National Action means that being a member of, or inviting support for it is a criminal offence carrying a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

The group, described in official documents as a "racist neo-Nazi group", was established in 2013 and has branches across Britain which "conduct provocative street demonstrations and stunts aimed at intimidating local communities".

National Action is said to be secretive with rules to prevent members from talking openly about the organisation. Details of the leadership of the group are cloaked in secrecy.

An investigation by the Daily Mirror, one of Britain's best known national newspapers, identified the leader of National Action as a former double-glazing salesman who graduated from university with a degree in politics.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 05:46:42|Editor: Zhou Xin

Trains are stationed at the platform of Andermatt train station in the Uri canton, central-southern Switzerland, on Sept. 11, 2017. Two trains collided in the central-southern Swiss town of Andermatt at around 11:30 on Monday morning, injuring about 30 people, local police said. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan)

GENEVA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A locomotive slammed into a five-carriage train at a station in the Swiss Alps in central Switzerland on Monday, lightly injuring 33 people on board but with no fatalities or life-threatening injuries, according to police.

The accident happened at around 11:30 a.m. at the main station of Andermatt, a small town in the central Swiss canton of Uri, when around 100 passengers, mostly schoolchildren, were on board. Twenty-five of those injured had been taken to hospital, but most were quickly released.

One child was being kept in hospital overnight with a suspected concussion.

The locomotive, then at a speed of only 15 to 20 km per hour, was supposed to move from the back of the five-carriage train to the front on a parallel track, but instead drove into the convoy it had just detached from, according to a spokesperson from the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn, the rail company operating the rail line.

Fortunately the slamming appeared to have done very little material damage, and local police said there were neither fatalities nor life-threatening injuries. A local TV staff member also described the accident as nothing serious, as there appeared to be no structural damage to the train at all.

However, three rescue helicopters and around a dozen ambulances were sent to the scene, local media reported, adding that police and Swiss transportation have opened an investigation into the accident.

Andermatt, a historic ski town on the world-famous Matterhorn railway line near the crossroads of several Swiss cantons, has been the site of extensive touristic development in recent years. The road between Goschenen and Andermatt, near the north entrance to the Gotthard tunnel, was subsequently closed for much of the afternoon.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-12 07:07:09|Editor: liuxin

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Monday condemned "in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack" in Sinai, Egypt, that killed at least 18 policemen.

The members of the council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government of Egypt, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured, said the Security Council in a press statement.

The council members underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all UN member states to cooperate with the Egyptian government and all other relevant authorities in this regard.

They reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

Militants attacked a convoy near the town of el Arish in Sinai peninsula, killing at least 18 policemen and injuring several others. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State terrorist group.
Angry mob swarms police

According to reportsm police officers of the IATF were on patrol on 13th Street, Beetham at about 12.35 pm yesterday when they noticed three men. The men scattered as soon as they saw the police.

Police continued on their patrol, and saw one of the men who fled earlier on 11th street. They attempted to engage the man once more, and the man drew a firearm and pointed it at them, ready to fire.

Police officer fired on the man and he was wounded. As he slumped to the ground, police attempted to pick the man up and take him to hospital, but a group of people swarmed the injured man.

During the commotion, gunshots rang out and police officers were forced to retreat, and call for back-up. While doing so they saw the mob of people taking the wounded man away.

Well placed sources in the TTPS have confirmed that the incident took place, and added that police are now on the lookout for the man who remains at large up to presstime.

This is the second time in weeks that police had a confrontation with people believed to be Beetham residents. Late last month, angry residents began throwing debris onto the Beetham Highway after a confrontation with police. In that incident, residents claimed they were being unfairly targeted by police officers patrolling the area.

Along with blocking the road, residents were seen making threats to police officers.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Irwin Hackshaw spoke out against the earlier incident, saying that threats to police officers will not be tolerated, and that people who engage in such activities would be flushed out and brought to justice.
Kidnap victim released, no ransom paid

Beharry was at at his business place when four men dressed in police uniform snatched him and took him away.

A TT$100,000 ransom was then demanded for his safe return.

Officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police Irwin Hackshaw, Acting Senior Superintendent Ajith Persad ASP Rishi Singh and others teamed up with other agencies and steps were taken to rescue the victim. Officers spent several hours on Saturday carrying out investigations and just as police were closing in on the suspects, Beharry was released.

He was taken to a medical institution where he was treated and reunited with his family.

Yesterday footage of the actual kidnapping was posted on social media. In the video, the two kidnappers dressed as police officers were seen running toward the back of the business place, then after a pause, the two police men, Beharry and another man dressed in a blue polo shirt were seen passing in the opposite direction. Beharry, dressed in a white vest and a pair of three-quarter pants, was being escorted by gunpoint by one of the men purporting themselves to be police officers, while the second man in police uniform walked at the back of the group, carrying a box under his arm.

Police are searching for two suspects in connection with the incident. Beharry is expected to be interviewed by officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad.
A journey and lesson in pan

He also said some of the content was told to him by others who grew up with him.

This is Fyfes fifth book, one which is completely different from the first four. He describes the others as instructional books on the tenor pan, the double tenor, the double second and advance pan (notation).

As the name suggests, this is merely his recollections of what transpired while he made his path through the world of pan. It is quite clear that Fyfe is an Invader to his heart although he started at age nine with Crossfire Steelband.

This was so only because his uncle Rudolph Tiger Hessic was a founding member of Crossfire.

Steelpan Reflections gives an insight into the birth of the pan and the men behind this invention.

What is notable is that no one man is responsible for this world-renowned instrument.

According to Fyfe, famed Casablanca Steel Orchestra leader Oscar Pile is quoted as saying Victor Totie Wilson was the first man to play a pan. This came about when Wilson, a tamboo bamboo player with Alexanders Ragtime Band went in search of something to play as the bamboo he was playing burst. Wilson came back with a tin pan and while knocking it found it sounded better than the bamboo.

It is said that Wilson influenced his band to use pan instead of bamboo and the next year 1939, Alexanders Ragtime Band came out beating pans thus being the first steelband. History has shown that Wilson sat around the Queens Park Savannah, Port of Spain and tuned the pans to the chimes of the Queens Royal College clock.

The book also shows that Woodbrook and St James were the places that produced the most steelbands. Names like Green Eyes, Dixie Stars, Merrymakers, Silver Stars, Metronomes, Nightingales, Oval Boys, Red Army, Saigon, Tripoli, Katzenjammers, Del Vikings, Cross Roads and Wonder Harps.

Fyfe says it is reported that Invaders is a conglomeration of Green Eyes, Nightingales and Oval Boys.

The story goes that each time the bands went to town there were fights with bands from East Dry River and so they banded together to form Invaders. Even then there were several clashes between Invaders and Casablanca and Invaders and Tokyo.

Lord Blakie (Carlton Francis) popularise the Invaders/Tokyo clash in his classic calypso Steelband Clash; the chorus of the song goes: Invaders beating sweet, coming up Park Street, Tokyo coming down beating very slow and friends when the two bands clash, if you see cutlass, never me again to jump in a steelband in Port of Spain.

Fyfe says there was a very close bond between Desperadoes and Invaders back then, he remembers George Yeates coming to Invaders yard with a truck to collect pans from Ellie Mannette. He even said Desperadoes and Invaders sounded alike in their tone because Emmanuel Cobo Jack Riley and Mannette used to go up the hill to play and blend Deperadoes pans.

It is said that Desperadoes raised most of the money for lawyer fees when Cobo Jack was in trouble and spent some time in jail.

The book also clarifies the myth that Ray Holman and a group of players from Invaders started Starlift and Starlift came out of Invaders.

But, Starlift is an offshoot of Saigons.

Though not in chronological order Steelband Reflections shows the road on which the players, the tuners and arrangers from the early days walked linking them to those who followed and those of present day.

The stories tell of Victor Totie Wilson to Sterling Betancourt, his uncle Rudolph Hessic, to Ellie and Birdie Mannette and Emmanuel Cobo Jack Riley, on to Junior and Edwin Pouchet, Cliff Alexis, then to Len Boogsie Sharpe, Ken Professor Philmore and Liam Teague up to present day.

Now a music tutor, Fyfe said in 1962 he had an encounter with Yeshua the Christ and accepted him as his saviour. He left the pan world but came back several years later but this time to glorify Yahweh and evangelise. He said despite his many efforts the evangelical church was slow to accept pan and gospelypso.

One of his main reasons for doing Steelpan Recollections was the lack of history knowledge by most of the students he now teaches.

He also feels that the reason why youths do not take to the pan professionally is the lack of images of successful players.
Efforts to bring TT nationals home

This was the word yesterday from Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young as Irma bore down on Florida.

He told Newsday the National Security Minister, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Ministry have been working assiduously with various agencies to come up with a plan and a strategy to bring TT citizens stranded in other Caribbean islands home.

He said the agencies in question are the TT Defence Force (TTDF), National Helicopter Services Limited (NHSL) and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM).

Young explained a major component of these activities is gathering precise information as to the exact location of TT citizens in the islands affected by Irma.

The minister said the TTDF is putting in place potential options for evacuating TT nationals from these locations if necessary.

Young also said Government is aware of TT citizens being stranded in non-Caricom territories such as St Maarten and the British Virgin Islands (BVI) which were affected by Irma.

He said there is ongoing dialogue with TTs regional and international partners as to how to reach these people. Sunday Newsday yesterday reported on the plight of members of the Ramtoole family who have been trapped on the island of Tortola in the BVI.

At a news conference at Tower D of the Port-of-Spain International Waterfront Centre last Friday, Acting Prime Minister Colm Imbert said TT would not be providing assistance to foreign colonies/ dependencies in the region but only its Caricom neighbours.

Imbert indicated that an NHSCL helicopter which was on a private mission in Dominica for a regional telecommunications company was dispatched to Antigua and Barbuda, to assist in relief efforts there for one week.

He said there has been conversation with the Antigua and Barbuda government about assisting in the rebuilding of structures on Barbuda which was devastated by Irma.

Young said no decision has been taken on this as yet. In a statement issued last Friday, the Foreign and Caricom Affairs Ministry called on nationals and or family members in the affected territories to forward their names, dates of birth, passport bio-data and contact information to the ministry as soon as possible.

The information can be emailed to consular@foreign.gov.

tt. Contact can also be made by calling 1-868-715-2154. Anyone wishing to provide assistance to the affected countries can contact the ODPM at emergency number 511 or via email at publicinfo.

odpm@gmail.com.
PM to act for Maxie

Upon his return, Rowley will temporarily take up the Public Administrations and Communications portfolio as the regular line minister Maxie Cuffie recuperates from a medical episode which he had last Tuesday (September 5). Sources close to Cuffie said he is recuperating at St Clair Medical Centre and his family, wishes its privacy. A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) yesterday said Rowley completed his medical examination in the United States and will return home early tomorrow morning. The Prime Minister, who went for his medical check-up in California, was due to return home today, with his connecting flight to TT being in Miami.

However Miami International Airport has been closed due to the passage of Hurricane Irma. As a result of this, Rowleys return flight has been diverted away from Miami.

The Prime Minister will now arrive early tomorrow morning via a Caribbean Airlines flight through New York. There are no plans for Rowley to hold any press conference at Piarco International Airport upon his return. The Prime Minister held a briefing before he left the country on September 1.

Sources told Newsday that since Cuffie fell ill, the administrative functions of the Public Administration and Communications Ministry are being handled by the OPM.

When Rowley returns, he is expected to, attend to further interim arrangements for that portfolio. Earlier this year, Rowley temporarily handled the Public Utilities Ministry after Port-of-Spain South MP Marlene Mc Donald was initially appointed to the post and fired shortly afterwards.

was fired several months ago.

Former banker Robert Le Hunte was appointed to the post on August 31. Le Hunte was first appointed on August 24 but his appointment was subsequently revoked after questions arose as to whether he had Ghanaian citizenship. On August 31, Le Hunte took full responsibility for the communications glitch which caused the initial confusion.

He apologised to Rowley and the nation.

Le Hunte will take his oath as a senator, whenever next the Senate sits.
Licensing officials home raided

According to reports, a woman reported to police that last Wednesday night she and the top official, whom she has known for the past ten years, went on a date where they had something to eat, and a few drinks.

The woman added that during the course of Wednesday night she was invited to the home of the Licensing official where they had a few more drinks.

She said she became intoxicated and fell asleep.

When she awoke later that night she suspected that she may have been sexually assaulted. However the woman waited until Friday night, when she made a report to the Northern Division Police.

She was taken to a District Medical Officer, where she was medically examined and a medical certificate obtained.

On Saturday, at around 8 pm, officers under the supervision of Assistant Superintendent Daniel and led by ASP Mervyn Edwards and Inspector Birch went to the officials home along with a police photographer and photographed the alleged scene of the sexual assault.

The house was also searched for any camera surveillance equipment that would assist in the investigation.

The official denied any knowledge of a sexual assault and is expected to be interviewed in a few days time. The police activity at the home of the official resulted in his neighbours gathering in front of his home to look on at the police activity. Yesterday, Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinnanan, under whose ministry the official reports to, said that he had no knowledge that the official was being investigated for an alleged sexual assault.
Hurricane Irma potentially spawns zoonoses

The warning comes from Dr Makyba Charles-Ayinde, Science Policy Fellow at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

When we have situations like flooding associated with Hurricane Irma, the water may be contaminated with higher than normal levels of bacterial pathogens, parasites, things like that.

Once you have those levels of contamination, we look for it to transfer to the human and animal populations. Since we love living with our animals, we see a more fluid exchange of these diseases between both populations. Charles-Ayinde said foodborne zoonoses; such as salmonella and E coli, are another area of concern in the recovery period as people, often unknowingly, consume contaminated food and/or water.

Fever, vomiting and diarrhoea are the first three tell tale signs of most of those foodborne zoonoses that could result from Irma. So seek medical attention if your symptoms dont clear up within three to seven days - three days of diarrhoea is bad. Charles-Ayinde was speaking with Newsday yesterday on the sidelines of a The UWI Symposium on Zoonoses: Tuberculosis, Leptospirosis and Yellow Fever  a One Health Approach, hosted by the Faculty of Medical Sciences, the University of the West Indies at the UWI Teaching and Learning Complex, St Augustine.

Asked why the One Health approach is ideal in reducing the risk of zoonoses outbreaks, Charles-Ayinde said this is because One Health combines information from medical, veterinary and environmental sciences to provide a holistic look at conditions and symptoms in humans and animals alike.

We believe that you need all three of those domains working together to address a complex problem.

If you consider people in silos; you just think about the person but you dont think about the environment that they live in, youre missing important parts. That dialogue is critical. Charles-Ayinde said conversations should be had about things such as, Are animals presenting with issues? Are humans presenting with different issues? Are we seeing an increase in a certain concentration of a bacteria in a body of water? Is there flooding or are flood waters contaminated? Are we seeing dead animals? If you dont share this sort of information, then the problem magnifies before you can come up with an appropriate solution and there could well be a break out of some disease or health crisis. So that cross talk; (which) we advocate under One Health, is extremely important if you want to have a successful approach and a successful outcome after Irma and after Jose, Charles-Ayinde told Newsday.
47 graduate from parenting programme

Members from communities in and around Port-of-Spain, including Leau Place, Mango Rose, Rose Hill, Clifton Hill, Jackson Place, were encouraged to join the Parenting Education Programme 2017, which was held by Families in Action in conjunction with the Ministry of National Securitys Citizens Security Programme.

At the graduation ceremony at the Servol Ltd Gerry Pantin Building, Pembroke Street, Port-of-Spain, Families in Action CEO Dionne Guischard told parents the programme was designed to equip them to develop the skills they already had.

We have tried to equip you through our programme ... to be a good parent, a parent who tries their best and who seek support when necessary, to raise children who would add value to Trinidad and Tobago. However she said the purpose of the entire programme was to encourage parents and communities to be part of Development of Parent Support Groups in their areas as it would help them deal with the challenges of parenthood.

One graduate, Suzan Dhany, from Las Lomas, told Newsday she was an early childhood care and education teacher and had been in the profession for the past 25 years.

She took the course to refresh her training and enhance her skill in dealing with youngsters.

She said learning the signs of an abused child intrigued her as, unfortunately, children were being abused more often over the years. She said she also appreciated the sense of togetherness among the participants, and the pleasant memories of back-aday some of the sessions induced.

Another graduate, Fabayo Courtney Danglade from Maraval, said her daughter was one year and eight months old, so anything to do with parenting was important for her to learn. And the fact that the programme was free of charge also helped in her decision to join.

She said although there were many interesting and significant points made, three points affected her personally - the need to put God first, having patience, and the idea that families should have fun together.

I dont know how to explain it. All I know is that this programme did something for me that I didnt think it would have done. It opened my mind and gave me positive ideas I didnt think I had in me. Danglade said she wanted to let people know how important the programme was as she believed it could not only revive family life, but community life as well.
Horticultural Society of TT elects new executive

Stressing the importance of remaining relevant with the changing times, he cautioned that success should be measured by relevancy and not longevity, The Society was also challenged to raise interest in its activities, especially targeting the young generation.

Well-known environmentalist Narine Gupte Lutchmedial who is the newly elected President of the HSTT endorsed the comments of Minister Rambharat and assured that the executive will consider them as they plan activities for the upcoming year.

The Minister has indicated that the HSTT can participate in the Farmers Market managed by NAMDEVCO and this will be an option to explore as we look at increasing income generation, said Lutchmedial.

At this time, the HSTTs flower market which provides an avenue for sale of tropical cut flowers and foliage is based at the Lady Chancellor Headquarters only and the opportunity for expanding into other locations and serving additional clientele is not to be missed, the HSTT executive said.

Lutchmedial is looking forward to work in concert with the immediate Past President Joan Hampton and the other elected members to build on the excellent reputation of the Society. I am pleased to be involved in this Society which is wellknown for winning awards internationally and showcasing our native flowers and foliage at the highly anticipated annual flower show, Lutchmedial said. He added that his concern for and pride in this countrys native flora and fauna will motivate him to do his best during his tenure.

In addition to Lutchmedial, the other members who will serve on the executive are Joan Hampton  Immediate Past President, Chanardai Ramkissoon  1st Vice President, Hyacinth Cross  2nd Vice President, new committee members Kerry-Ann Harrison, Mala Ramnath, Sundar Seecharan, Kimberly Howai and Paul Duval, and continuing members Denise Gobin- Rocke, Melissa Lee Foon, Bertille Sealy, Janice Barnes and Theresa Chasteau.
Rapid response will save many lives

This was revealed Friday by Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) Dr June Soomer as she addressed the opening ceremony of the 26th Meeting of the Special Committee for Transport held at the ACS Secretariat, Sweet Briar Road, St.Clair. Soomer said that up to Friday morning, aircraft left Venezuela for St Lucia to collect supplies for Antigua and Barbuda.

She said the Cuban government is also sending a group of technical people to the region although Cuba has also been affected by the hurricane.

She said that the prime minister of St Lucia is coordinating efforts to provide relief to the countries ravaged by Hurricane Irma and specifically asked that the countries of the ACS be involved in the relief efforts.

Soomer said that ACS member states Mexico and Guatemala have suffered major earthquakes, in the case of Mexico it was the biggest earthquake to hit the country since 1985, and there are tsunami warnings for all the countries in Central America: Panama, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. And so our prayers are with them also as they are with the people of the region who have gone through this disaster caused by Hurricane Irma and quickly to be followed by Jose. She said that St Maarten, an associate member state of the ACS is also under severe pressure and will receive assistance from Cuba as well.

She said that while the rapid response to the disaster will save a lot of lives, I am always concerned about the post-disaster period because it is a time when there are lots of debris and so we have to work also with these countries to help them to clean up very quickly and return to normalcy. She said the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is doing a tremendous job in helping with relief efforts and commended the organisation for its assistance, adding that the ACS looks forward to continuing to help all its member states and associate member states in their time of need. Soomer said the ACS was also assisting countries which are not even members of the organisation, such as the British Virgin Islands (BVI) which suffered tremendous loss. She said that although the BVI will be getting help from the British Government, the territory is one of our sister countries and we want to help. Also addressing the opening ceremony was this countrys Minister of Works and Transport, Rohan Sinanan, who said that while each of the islands of the Caribbean spend huge sums of money promoting tourism, they can gain much more if they commit themselves to developing and strengthening travel in the region, including making interisland movement and trade cheaper, more easily accessible and more enjoyable by providing a better service.
The Chairman, National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation,Alhaji Aliko Dangote, says it has provided N250 million to victims of the devastating flood in Benue.

Dangote said on Sunday in Lagos that this was in response to the request by the Benue State Government.

He said that the committee had also approved the release of one of its completed IDP Hostels in the state as a temporary shelter for some of the displaced people.

The former President Goodluck Jonathan had on Oct. 11, 2012, inaugurated the Dangote-led 34-member National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation.

The committee was charged with raising of additional funds to support the governments efforts to provide adequate relief and post-impact rehabilitation to persons and communities affected by floods in the country.

Dangote said the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had disclosed that more than 110,000 people in 24 communities, including Makurdi, were displaced by the recent flood in Benue.

The committee chairman said that asides the donation to Benue, his committee had also donated N150 million to provide relief assistance to flood victims in Anambra,

Dangote, in a statement by Mr. Sunday Esan of the Corporate Communication Department of Dangote Group, said that the committee had also released N118 million to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

He said that this was to augment the N1.6 billion released by the Federal Government for procurement of food and non-food relief materials in aid of flood victims in 16 states.

According to him, the states are Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Abuja FCT, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau and Sokoto.

He said that the committee was currently implementing the various projects in the 24 states affected by the 2012 nationwide floods.

Dangote said that the rationale behind the projects was to assist the benefiting states to better handle future emergencies, including flooding.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress administration to fulfill its promise to Nigerians to make them feel safe again.

Atiku, who is also the founder of the American University of Nigeria group of schools in Yola, Adamawa State, faulted an online report on one of the Chibok girls.

Faulting the report, Atiku said, Not everything is about 2019.

The former Vice-President said this in a statement signed on his behalf by his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, in Abuja, on Sunday.

Atiku was reacting to an online publication suggesting that one of the freed kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, attempted suicide to protest being compelled to attend one of his schools.

He noted that he was not aware that anyone was being forced to attend one of his schools.

The Waziri Adamawa prays that those who have suffered so much get all the treatment and support they need, and urgently calls on the Federal Government to honour its promise to make Nigerians feel safe again, the statement said.

The statement partly read, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar (Waziri Adamawa), Vice-President of Nigeria, 1999-2007 and founder of the AUN Group of Schools is shocked that some would-be journalists think it is fair game to exploit a young girls trauma to score cheap political points.

Atiku Abubakar is not aware that anyone is forced to attend ABTI schools. The story is contrived hogwash. He urges the media, a critical partner in our march to progress and development, to remember that not everything is about 2019.

I wish to stress that the intention of the Waziri Adamawa was to give the freed Chibok girls (just like he did to an earlier batch in 2014) the best possible education, and that was why he helped set up the foundation programme to create such an opportunity in a familiar environment.

Unfortunately, the best intentions can backfire. These girls are still healing, and clearly, the recent deterioration of the security situation in the North-East has opened old wounds.

Meanwhile, there are indications that the APC National Working Committee members are divided on how to handle statements credited to Atiku and the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan.

Alhassan, last week said she would support Atiku against Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

On his part, the former Vice-President lashed out at the Buhari administration, saying he had been sidelined by the government.

He said that although members had not agreed on whether they should be sanctioned, but Atiku risked further isolation from the party and the government.

What is certain is that the issue will be discussed, but their actions will not attract punishment like suspension. Atiku will be isolated from the party and the government, the source stated.

Some of the partys leaders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, in separate interviews in Abuja, on Sunday, expressed mixed feelings about Atikus latest outburst.
Sani Bello, Niger State Governor has increased the salary of workers in the state in order to meet the Federal Government required standards. Dr Mustapha Jibril, the Commissioner of health also confirmed while speaking to journalists in Makkah, Saudi Arabia,that there has been an increase in the number of health workers by 400 in the health sector.

Dr Jibril, disclosed that two years into Bellos administration in the state, the government has increased its service delivery to the people.

In his words; In health, the administration is revitalizing the Primary health Care System through Niger Health 1.0. We are also upgrading and renovating existing General Hospitals in some local government areas.

Also, there are renovation ongoing at School of Nursing Bida, School Midwifery, Minna and School of Nursing Kontagora.

This is to enable the schools meet international standards and attain full accreditation for the first time since the schools were established.

In the last two years, Governor Sani Bello lead administration has provided free general surgery and free eye surgery for about 4000 Nigerlites.

The Commissioner reiterated the commitment of appointees to ensuring that Governor Sani Bello, lead administration continued to touch lives of the people .
The Nigerian Army, on Saturday, expressed misgivings over attempts by those it referred to as Boko Haram sympathizers to denigrate its patriotic efforts at decimating the terrorists, checkmating their murderous exploits and clearing them out of the North East.

The Army said, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (Shiites Islamic Group) wrote to the United States Government, criticizing it for planning to sell Super Tucano Aircraft to Nigerian Airforce, saying the US should rescind the decision as the military would use them to perpetrate atrocities against the innocent.

In another instance, the Army said it was unreasonable for people to call for the resignation of its Chief of Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, over failure of Operation Lafiya Dole to arrest Boko Haram Leader, Abubakar Shekau, after a 40-day ultimatum he gave to the troops. A statement signed by its Director of Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman, partly reads:

The Nigerian Army wishes to note with great concern the recent spate of negative, unguarded comments and derogative publications both on mainstream and on online media, denigrating the Armed Forces of Nigeria particularly, the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force, by some unidentified, unscrupulous and unpatriotic individuals and groups. This worrisome trend is observed mostly whenever we record successes in our military operations against Boko Haram terrorists and other laudable military endeavours such as when the United States Government decided to sell Tucano aircrafts to Nigeria.

First there was a letter written by some self-appointed leaders of Islamic Movement of Nigeria on 17th August 2017 to United States of American government exhorting it to rescind its decision to sell Tucano aircraft, weapons and military hardware to Nigeria citing baseless reasons.

This was followed by another round of cacophony of lies and unfounded allegations through media interviews by some individuals and bloggers and on Facebook and other Social media platforms, and followed by concocted statistics by a well-known Non-Governmental Organization alleging that there was resurgence of Boko Haram terrorists activities even when the facts on the ground speaks otherwise.

This is in addition to other writings by hosts of self-acclaimed champions of the masses that go by various appellations on the Social Media making spurious and unfounded allegations against the military. The most unfortunate of these campaigns of calumny was a recent publication titled Nigerians blame the NAF for failures in war against insurgents on some online publication news outlet.

The Services in conjunction with other security agencies have been doing the nation proud, sometimes at the expense of our dear lives. We will remain focused and resolute in serving our country. It is imperative to note that the Nigerian Air Force is the backbone of the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Air Force has also been lifting logistics for the Nigerian Army and also supported in casualty evacuation and guiding troops during operations in addition to the provision of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and humanitarian activities, amongst others. It is therefore most unkind and uncharitable for anybody to accuse any Service of any perceived or imagined lapses and attributing same to causing failure in the war against terrorists. Such unguarded utterances and malicious allegations by individuals and reports by Non-Governmental Organizations are false, ill-timed and deplorable.

Troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces should rather be commended for their selfless service which includes paying the supreme price. The Nigerian Army fully appreciates the significant roles of the Nigerian Air Force in the North East and elsewhere across our country.
The Nigerian Army has been lambasted following a clash with civilians while parading a new armoured carrier and passed through Nnamdi Kanus residence.

Men of the Nigeria army

A Professor of English at Carleton University and social commentator, Pius Adesanmi has condemned the invasion of Nnamdi Kanus house by men of the Nigerian army resulting in a serious confrontation. He made his thoughts known on Facebook as he blasted the military for encroaching on civilian spaces.

He wrote:

Umuahia. They said. We said.

Who is right? Who is wrong?

That has never been and will never be the issue for me. The issue for me is this utterly reprehensible idea of the military and their tanks in civilian spaces.

I have written about it in English. I have written about it in Pidgin. I have used every conceivable Nigerian way and manner of communication to get people to understand that it is not normal. You cannot use soldiers and their tanks for routine law enforcement. Even in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is still law enforcement by police.

How can the Nigerian military issue a statement and claim that she was conducting a routine show of force in a civilian street?

I am sorry for those who continue to find every excuse  Kanu is a very tempting excuse I admit  to countenance, tolerate, justify, explain, and rationalize the continuous occupation and violation of civilian spaces by the military nearly 20 years into democracy. You belong in a confederacy of aberration that is preventing Nigeria from coming into the 21st century.

Sadly, our compatriots of this persuasion have the support of some very obstreperous diaspora enablers who have never seen a military uniform in civilian space in decades but continue to find reasons to justify such assaults on civilian spaces in their Fatherland.

Even the regularity with which one reads statements from the Nigerian military would be a very serious issue if we had close to 15% civic consciousness in our society. They are always injecting themselves into symbolic civilian spaces of meaning. Two danfo conductors will fight in Lagos, the army will issue a statement. Five market women will fight in Ibadan, the army will issue a statement. Secondary school boys will riot in Sokoto, the army will issue a statement.

There is always a statement from the army urging Nigerians to ignore this and that and go about their normal business. Are you law enforcement? Here is how the Abia Police Commissioner explained the incident to Premium Times:

What happened was that the military was parading a new armoured carrier and passed through Nnamdi Kanus residence.

The military was parading a new armoured carrier in Umuahia? When did the streets of Umuahia become an Army training range? Even the police commissioner has functioned in this aberrant, bastardized environment for so long that he doesnt even know that his men ought to be enabled  via better training, better equipment, etc  to carry out the duties he is reporting to Premium Times.

The National War College used to invite Political Science Professors and other social scientists in our Universities to teach classes. I remember many UI Professors used to go and teach yonder. Have they stopped the practice?

In a situation where the majority of the people can be relied upon to continue to justify the aberration of the military in civilian spaces because they have been battered psychologically for too long, the only other option is to take the disciplines of the Humanities and the social sciences to the soldiers.

Education is still the only solution.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to release the third and final tranche of the Paris Club refund to state governors until they make a concrete commitment to use the money to settle outstanding salaries, allowances and pension of workers and retirees in the country.

The congress is also demanding an immediate and comprehensive audit of all monies so far spent in government effort at reviving the power sector in the country since 1999 which it said has failed to yield result, but rather produce several billionaires as a result of diversion of the funds.

In a communique made available to newsmen at the end of its Central Working Committee meeting, the Congress is asking the government to immediately inaugurate the National Minimum Wage negotiating committee in view of the impoverishment of workers.

The communique signed by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary, Dr, Peter Ozo-Ezon also wants the federal government to compel state governors to properly account for the bailout they received from the federal government as well as the two tranches of the Paris Club refund which was supposed to be used for the payment of salaries and pensions, but diverted to other uses.

The Congress regretted that government has not lived up the expectation of Nigerians and are in the habit of reneging on signed agreements with unions, pointing out that the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities was avoidable.

The congress said that many of the discussions around restructuring have not paid adequate attention to the question of health. It resolved to set up a committee to harmonise the various views expressed at the meeting with a view to articulating a congress position on the issue for subsequent presentation to the organised labour.

It reviewed the continuous non payment of months of outstanding salaries of workers in some states of the federation as well as various arrears of pension which has also run into several months which is the actual situation despite President Buharis passion to address this matter since he assumed office by giving bail out to governors to clear this shameful state of affairs with the nations workforce.

The Congress also deplored the poor service delivery in the power sector saying, since the current administration came to power in May 2015, it had given N740 billion to the power sector as intervention fund without much to show for it. CWC therefore cannot comprehend the rationale behind the administrations preparedness to give a further N39 billion bailout to DISCOs for metering purpose.
President Muhammadu Buhari who recently returned from London, United Kingdom after a medical vacation of 104 days is scheduled to leave the country again.

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has been scheduled to address the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in the United States on Tuesday, September 19, 2017.

The President of Nigeria is listed as number seven on the provincial list of speakers. Buhari is expected to speak after the leaders of Brazil, the United States, Guinea, Switzerland, Jordan and Slovakia.

Since his return to Nigeria on August 20, 2017, after 103 days of medical leave in London, Buhari has not attended any public event outside of Aso Villa and his country home in Daura, Katsina State.

Also, he has attended only one Federal Executive Council meeting since he returned three weeks ago. Acting on the Presidents instruction, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo recently visited flood-ravaged Benue State where thousands have been displaced.

Osinbajo, while representing the President, has also received members of the United States Congress as well as the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and his team at the Villa.

The Vice-President has also presided over every economic meeting including the 15th Annual meeting of the Board of Governors of ECOWAS Bank Investment and the National Industrial Council Meeting which had in attendance Africas richest man, Aliko Dangote, and many other captains of industry.

However, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed to our correspondent on the telephone that Buhari would attend the UN General Assembly.

Shehu said, I cannot tell you the time he will be going because it can change but I know he is expected to be the eighth speaker at the UN. So, he will be there and he will speak.
A delegation of Indias Titagarh Group is on a visit to Morocco to explore investments opportunities in the North African countrys expanding rail sector.

Led by the Group CEO Umesh Choxdhary, the Titagarh delegation held talks with Moroccan officials including Moroccos Transport, Logistics and Water Minister Abdelkader Amara.

The Moroccan ministry announced in a statement that Titagarh officials expressed interest in investing in Moroccos railways.

The Indian delegation also met with officials from Moroccos state-owned rail transport company (ONCF) and visited the site of the high-speed railway in Tangiers.

Titagarh operates in manufacturing heavy engineering equipment ranging from wagons, electric propulsion equipment including traction motors, to vehicle control systems.

The Group also designs and manufactures wagons such as container flats, grain hoppers, cement wagons, clinker wagons, tank wagons under the French brand Arbel Fauvet Rail or AFR, which has existed for more than a century.
The UK government has been accused of putting arms sales to despots ahead of human rights as British arms manufacturers have exported almost 5bn worth of weapons to countries that are judged to have repressive regimes, including Algeria, in the 22 months since the Conservative party won the latest election, the Guardian reported.

Algeria was described as a major buyer by the paper, which recalls that the North African country signed a military helicopter deal in September 2015, worth 195m.

The campaigners against arm sales to repressive regimes drew up a list of 36 authoritarian countries, besides Algeria, with controversial human rights records such as Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, China Egypt, Qatar, Kenya, Bahrain and the UAE who all feature in the top of the UK arms industrys customers list.

Human rights campaigners fear that the Brexit will propel an expansion of the European countrys arms industry in authoritarian states to the detriment of human rights and moral considerations.

The UK has consistently armed many of the most brutal and authoritarian regimes in the world, and a number have been invited to London to buy weapons, the paper quoted Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade as saying.

He added that these arms sales arent morally neutral, they are a clear sign of political and military support for the regimes they are being sold to. The government has played an absolutely central role, and has consistently put arms exports to despots and dictators ahead of human rights.

For his part, Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan told parliament last week: The government take their export control responsibilities very seriously and operate one of the most robust defence export control regimes in the world. We rigorously examine every application case by case against consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.
Mauritanian authorities persist on maintaining a blackout on the practice of slavery in the country by denying access to international civil rights organizations, the latest of which is a US anti-slavery delegation that planned meetings with Mauritanian government officials and activists.

The group, which includes leading US abolitionists, was rejected entry visas after landing at the airport in Nouakchott, the US embassy said.

The United States is disappointed and concerned with the decision to deny entry to this delegation, the US embassy said in a statement.

The US activists were set to be in Mauritania for a week on a trip, organized by the Chicago-based Abolition Institute along with iconic civil rights organization Rainbow PUSH Coalition, to develop further partnerships between American and Mauritanian leaders working to end slavery.

The Mauritanian authorities for their part said that entry was denied because the program of the delegation was deemed in breach of Mauritanian law. This program has not been planned in concertation with the (mauritanian) authorities as this is customary and not included as meetings with parties, well-targeted work on a particular calendar, they said.

Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981, the last country in the world to do so, but only made it a crime in 2007. Since then, campaigners say the government has passed a handful of inefficient reforms and failed to address the issue properly.

Last August, Mauritania came under stinging criticism of several US labor unions calling on the US to halt aid to the desert African nation until it ends slavery.

The US trade union AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, this week called on the US trade representative to remove Mauritania from the roster of approved countries for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that is designed to promote the economic development of countries that can show they uphold human rights and meet labor standards.

The Australia-based Walk Free Movement estimated in its 2014 Global Slavery Index that there were 156 000 slaves in Mauritania, or some four percent of the population.

Mauritanian authorities have resorted on multiple occasions to the arbitrary detention of the members of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA) accusing them of instigating riots and disrupting public order.

IRA is the largest anti-slavery organization in Mauritania, with members throughout the country who regularly mobilize to protest slavery and state-endorsed discrimination based on race, caste and gender.
The Governor of the Italian Island of Sardinia has raised the alarm requesting help from Rome to curb the rising influx of illegal embarcations from Algeria, which has become a new Mediterranean illegal migration route to Europe.

About 800 people have made the crossing from Algeria this year, landing on beaches in Sardinia in small wooden boats after 24 hours at sea. In one four-day period this summer, 11 boats arrived.

Sardinias governor, Francesco Pigliaru, has warned about social alarm among Sardinians, citing crimes allegedly committed by recent arrivals.

The increase in landings from Algeria was ascribed to the tightening of control by the Libyan coast guard following an agreement with Italian authorities leading to a dramatic drop of 81% of arrivals from Libya compared to the same period last year.

The crackdown on illegal migration networks in Libya has pushed them to seek closer and safer routes in the Western Mediterranean such as Algeria. With the right weather conditions, Algerians can reach the southern coast of Sardinia in an overnight crossing.

Yet the numbers of landings of illegal migrants from Algeria are still tiny compared to the 100,000 migrants who have reached Italy from Libya this year, and the 181,000 who successfully made the crossing last year.

Besides Algeria, Morocco is also emerging as an alternative to the Libyan route. Attempts at storming the borders of the two Spanish exclaves in Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla, and embarkations on board dinghies are making the headlines in Europe with the UN warning that Spain is on course to overtake Greece in terms of illegal migrant arrivals.
Bahrains Al Baraka Bank deems that the regulatory framework in Morocco is conducive for the launch of an Islamic finance venture.

The Banks Chief Executive, Adnan Ahmed Yousif, told Reuters that the Bank targets the expanding Islamic finance in Morocco in effort to diversify assets and revenues in Africa.

Morocco is attractive for Islamic banks partly because of a competitive landscape that is free from large western lenders, which can often nudge them for larger deals in the Gulf and Southeast Asia, he said.

We feel that since the country is not overbanked, there is room for more players to come in and play a positive role in supporting the growth targets of the Moroccan economy, Yousif added.

The regulatory climate is definitely conducivefurther reforms are being considered and this is crucial, said Yousif, noting that complete tax neutrality towards Islamic finance contracts was still needed.

Bahrains Al Baraka group forged a partnership with Moroccos BMCE Bank of Africa to create AL Baraka Maroc, which aims at creating a network of 25 agencies in Morocco.
Californians Kamala Harris and Eric Garcetti could benefit greatly from a much earlier Golden State primary, but so could anyone with a lot of money and name ID.

Yes, its far too early to speculate with any accuracy about the 2020 presidential election. But one very large shoe may be about to drop, which could have a significant impact on the nomination contest among Democrats and perhaps even Republicans. California is likely this very week to move its primary election in 2020 and beyond from early June until early March. That would place the states giant delegate haul in line to be awarded immediately after the protected four early contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada.

Immediately there was talk that the move (engineered by Californias Democratic legislative supermajority) was designed to help Californias junior senator Kamala Harris. But Harris isnt the only Californian thinking about a 2020 run: theres Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and billionaire climate-change activist Tom Steyer, too. And for that matter, Dwayne the Rock Johnson is a California native.

Favorite daughters and sons aside, an early California primary would help candidates who either have vast resources or very strong prior name identification. The aging Big Three of Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren would all qualify as beneficiaries on those grounds.

Contrarians will note that California tried the same stunt in 2008 and wound up being carried by Hillary Clinton rather than ultimate nominee Barack Obama. Perhaps more significantly, Californias 2008 move pulled many other states to emulate it, creating a front-loading phenomenon that diluted the Golden States specific clout.

The change would affect the Republican as well as the Democratic presidential primary in 2020, which could spell trouble for any potential challenger to Donald Trump. The president is not very popular in California generally, but has a strong following among Republicans, and under current party rules, the GOP presidential primary in California is closed to independents.

The bill, likely to become law in California, applies to down-ballot races as well as presidential primaries, but does not become effective until 2019, so it will not affect next years midterms. But all things being equal, it will probably help prevent a huge 2020 presidential field, particularly among potential candidates who would normally plan on a gradual ascent through retail campaigning in small and relatively inexpensive states.
Steve Bannon doesnt seem to care for Mitch McConnell.

On Sunday night, America got a taste of what its like to be in a Trump strategy session when Steve Bannon sat down with Charlie Rose and delivered contradictory prognostications in a frenetic tone while inexplicably wearing at least three black shirts.

Some of the advice Bannon doled out on 60 Minutes seemed far more reasonable than the plans ultimately pursued by the White House. For instance, he appeared to confirm that he had argued against Trumps firing of FBI director James Comey, acknowledging that it may be the biggest mistake in modern political history because it led to the appointment of a special counsel in the Russia probe. He also said he thinks it was unwise for Trump to set up a battle within the GOP over immigration reform ahead of the 2018 midterm elections:

STEVE BANNON: Im worried about losing the House now because of this  of  because of DACA. And my fear is that with this six months down range, if we have another huge  if this goes all the way down to its logical conclusion, in February and March it will be a civil war inside the Republican party that will be every bit as vitriolic as 2013. And to me, doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise.

Bannons proposed solution made less sense. He suggested that if the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program were ended decisively, hundreds of thousands of young people would opt to return to their country of origin  though many can barely remember it. As the work permits run out, they self-deport, he said. Theres no path to citizenship, no path to a green card and no amnesty. Amnesty is non-negotiable.

Bannon didnt get to weigh in on that decision in an official capacity, since he left his role as President Trumps chief strategist and returned to Breitbart last month. Bannon grew defensive when Rose suggested he was forced out of the White House after his influence waned:

CHARLIE ROSE: Did General Kelly say to you, Youve gotta go?

STEVE BANNON: Absolutely not. What General  I went to General Kelly on August 7th saying, My one-year anniversarys coming up. And in fact, when I went to him on the 7th and said, Hey, I am  Im gonna put in my letter of resignation, and Im gonna be outta here on the 14th. Itll be one year to the date.

CHARLIE ROSE: But by that time, and you know this, you were isolated inside the White House.

STEVE BANNON: Thats not  absolutely not true. I still  I was still  I had the same influence on the president I had on Day One.

Bannon explained he wanted to go because there were certain things he couldnt do in his role as chief strategist. I cannot take the fight to who we have to take the fight to when Im an advisor to the president as a federal government employee, he said.

Apparently one of those things was openly declaring war on the Republican Establishment. Bannon described embracing the GOP Establishment as the original sin of the administration, explaining that the Trump team felt in the days after the election that they would need their help to govern. However, their deal with congressional leaders to spend Trumps first year in office repealing Obamacare, enacting tax reform, and passing an infrastructure bill quickly went off the rails. Now Bannon believes that mainstream Republicans were never really interested in Making America Great Again:

STEVE BANNON: The Republican establishment is trying to nullify the 2016 election. Thats a brutal fact we have to face. I think Mitch McConnell, and to a degree, Paul Ryan. They do not want Donald Trumps populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented. Its very obvious. Its obvious as  its obvious as the  its obvious as night follows day is what theyre trying to do 

Thus, hes decided to go after Establishment Republicans:

STEVE BANNON: Theyre not gonna help you unless theyre put on notice. Theyre gonna be held accountable if they do not support the president of the United States. Right now theres no accountability. They have totally  they do not support the presidents program. Its an open secret on Capitol Hill. Everybody in this city knows it.

CHARLIE ROSE: And so therefore, now that youre out of the White House, youre going to war with them?

STEVE BANNON: Absolutely.

Theres been some confusion about what it means when the Trump administration puts someone on notice, but in this case it appears to mean unseating Republican lawmakers who wont get behind Trumps agenda. Politico reports that Bannon is leading an effort to mount primary challenges against a handful of Senate Republicans:

Bannon has begun holding private meetings with insurgent challengers, vowing his support. Hes coordinating with conservative mega-donor Robert Mercer, who is prepared to pour millions of dollars into attacks on GOP incumbents. Bannon has also installed a confidant at an outside group that is expected to target Republican lawmakers and push the Trump agenda.

Potential targets include senators Dean Heller, Jeff Flake, Bob Corker, and Roger Wicker. Top Republicans are said to be alarmed about the possibility that the Republican Party will be forced to spend millions fending off pro-Trump primary challengers, rather than Democrats, and McConnell has reportedly warned the White House repeatedly that this strategy puts the slim Republican Senate majority at risk.

The issue is: Do you invest your time and energy in attacking people who are carrying this presidents water in Congress to the benefit of people who are trying to impeach him? That seems like an incredibly short-sighted strategy, Josh Holmes, a former McConnell chief of staff, told Politico.

Its not entirely clear why Bannon thinks his 2018 GOP showdown will succeed while the immigration fight will give Democrats the House, but he seems confident in his plan. After all, he quit his White House job to pursue it (or just came up with it after he was asked to leave).
Are these guys really going to stay home in 2018 because bills they dont really care about arent enacted? Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A big part of the most popular narrative about whats happening in Washington this year is that Republicans are in increasingly dire danger of alienating their base by failing to accomplish various legislative goals. This was supposedly the main reason Republicans spent so much time and passion on the failed drive to repeal and replace Obamacare (though as my colleague Eric Levitz pointed out, grassroots GOP support for the various replacement bills was never very strong). And its allegedly why the possibility of going 0-for-2017 in major legislation terrifies Republicans looking ahead to the 2018 midterms.

This hypothesis makes some sense, obviously. Midterm turnout is significantly lower than in presidential elections. Accordingly, base voter discouragement over the competence and ideological fidelity of Republican elected representatives could at the very least reduce the GOPs usual midterm turnout advantage.

But there are four key reasons GOP base voters might stay in line even if Congress fails to get much done between now and November 2018:

1) Conservatives are inherently happier with gridlock than are liberals. The standard conservative message since 2008 has been that secular-socialists are rapidly and consciously transforming America into an alien land. To a not-insubstantial number of base activists, 2016 was the Flight 93 Election, a moment when the country might be irreversibly passing a tipping point toward political, economic, and cultural ruin. Yes, the failure of Republicans to reverse past Democratic policy accomplishments might make activists angry and frustrated. But they might be satisfied with a period of stasis that interrupts a long, frightening slide into leftist tyranny, particularly if the alternative is to empower congressional Democrats.

2) Conservative base voters and activists are not united among themselves on some key elements of the GOP agenda. Aside from the tepid support for Trumpcare among rank-and-file Republicans noted above, theres also some question about how many base voters strongly support the domestic spending cuts the House Freedom Caucus wants to

attach to debt-limit and appropriations legislation. To the extent that they affect middle-class entitlements like Medicare  and to some extent Medicaid affects middle-class families as well  failing to pursue these cuts to the ends of the earth may not be a deal-breaker for that many actual voters. And there could be limited enthusiasm in the GOP for corporate tax cuts, which means less fury if they are not actually enacted.

3) Much of todays partisan voting is tribal rather than issues-oriented, which makes it far more durable. The woman who literally wrote the book on partisan polarization, Frances Lee, reminds us that Party identification is bigger than anything the party does  It more or less boils down to how you see the conflicts in American society, and which groups you see as representing you. And the sorts of things a Republican Congress could do that might shake that identification, such as a very broad amnesty measure for undocumented Americans, arent happening any time soon. The Republican base isnt going to sit on their hands in an election framed as the triumph of the resistance to Donald Trump.

4) Many base activists are playing a long game in which Trump and the GOP have not yet fatally disappointed them. It is reasonably well understood that Trumps very specific promises on the process hed use to choose Supreme Court nominees, and his redemption of

those promises in the nomination and confirmation of Justice Gorsuch, has been a really big deal in motivating and sustaining conservative support for the present GOP regime  especially among white Evangelicals. For the millions of voters and activists in the right-to-life movement, Gorsuch was just the appetizer: the main course will be represented by the next Supreme Court nominee, if he or she replaces one of the Courts pro-choice justices.

This requires keeping a Republican Senate majority and a Republican president in place until the mission is accomplished. No degree of disappointment over Obamacare or the budget or taxes is going to change that. For some Republicans who are especially in tune with the president, he represents an even bigger and broader long-term commitment. Stephen

Bannon articulated it last week:

The permanent political class, as represented by both parties  youre not going to drain that in eight months, Bannon said during an interview with CBS News anchor Charlie Rose for 60 Minutes. Youre not going to drain it in two terms. This is going to take ten, 15, 20 years of relentlessly going after it.

That kind of determination should at least last for another 14 months, no matter how little the GOP gets done.
A man with a lot of economic anxiety. Photo: CBS

Steve Bannon knows what you rootless cosmopolitans think. Hes seen your indignant columns, hysterical Change.org petitions, and mean-spirited memes. Hes heard you liken him to Joseph Goebbels, Leni Riefenstahl, and the skin-suit Vincent DOnofrio wore in Men in Black  and hes fine with it. You can call him a protofascist monster all day; when the left plays identity politics, it only makes him stronger.

Still, he would like you Fake News consumers to know that youre wrong: Steve Bannon may be white and a nationalist, but hes no white nationalist. Limousine liberals may think that only bigots would question the bipartisan consensus on mass immigration. But Bannon  and the forgotten Americans he speaks for  know that globalism has decimated our nations middle class. Breitbarts anti-immigration populism isnt about protecting a white, enthonationalist conception of American identity  its about protecting all Americans living standards.

I dont need the affirmation of the mainstream media, Bannon told the mainstream media Sunday night, in an interview with 60 Minutes. They can call me an anti-Semite. They can call me racist. They call me nativist As long as were driving this agenda for the working men and women of this country, Im happy.

And by the way, thats every nationality, Bannon went on to say of the Americans he intends to serve, every race, every religion, every sexual preference. As long as youre a citizen of our country. As long as youre an American citizen, youre part of this populist, economic nationalist movement.

On one level, this line is transparent malarkey. Bannon helmed a website that referred to young American Muslims as a ticking time bomb; lauded the glorious heritage of the Confederacy; and dedicated an entire vertical to spotlighting Black Crime. Bannon himself has repeatedly likened the (supposed) immigration crisis facing the West to that depicted in the grotesquely racist French novel Camp of the Saints  a horror story that imagines Europe inundated by subhuman, nonwhite refugees, whom the hero must murder en masse, in defense of the righteous scorn of a [white, Christian] people for other races, the knowledge that ones own is best, the triumphant joy at feeling oneself to be part of humanitys finest.

Needless to say, these are not the preoccupations of someone whose conception of what it means to be an American is colorblind. The idea that Bannons opposition to mass immigration is motivated exclusively by economic anxieties has always been laughable.

But the notion that there is, nonetheless, a vital, economic component to Bannons worldview  which is to say, that his (soft-core) white Christian nationalism comes with a hefty helping of economic populism  has been harder to dismiss.

In interviews with mainstream outlets, Bannon has frequently challenged the Republican Partys economic orthodoxies. Shortly after Trumps triumph in November, the president-elects chief strategist told The Hollywood Reporter, Like [Andrew] Jacksons populism, were going to build an entirely new political movement  The conservatives are going to go crazy. Im the guy pushing a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan. In July, Bannon leaked word to multiple outlets that he was pushing for Trumps tax reform plan to raise taxes on the rich; one day later, Bannons people informed the Intercept that he was pushing to regulate Facebook and Google as 21st-century public utilities. In one of his last acts as a public official, Bannon (infamously) reached out to a writer at the progressive magazine The American Prospect  explaining that he actually sympathized with the lefts critique of free trade. And on 60 Minutes Sunday night, the former White House official argued that the Pentagons $1 trillion nuclear-modernization program should be canceled  and that the money should be reinvested in Cleveland, in Baltimore, in the inner cities of this country.

Despite Bannons mendacity on other fronts, mainstream commentators have treated his purported economic convictions with credulity. And not without reason: As a matter of political strategy, Bannons vision: The conservative economic agenda has no support outside of the Republican base, and even within that base, white identity politics are far more salient than libertarian economics. Opposing public investment in infrastructure  while trying to slash the safety net and taxes on the rich  is not a majoritarian agenda. But getting tough on illegals  while soaking millionaires to finance a massive investment in public works  might be. At the very least, the latter gambit is less likely to alienate the culturally conservative, economically leftleaning midwestern whites who provided Trump with his margin of victory.

But if Bannons economic agenda makes strategic sense, the way hes (ostensibly) tried to advance that agenda does not. The right-wing populist once correctly observed that his economic vision would make conservatives go crazy. And yet, Bannon has consistently painted the most economically conservative faction in Congress as the vanguard of his political movement. Bannon championed the causes of the House Freedom Caucus when he was just a no-name Breitbart editor. During his time in the White House, he encouraged the president to align himself with his partys archconservatives  even when this meant breaking promises Trump had made to his working-class supporters on the future of Medicaid. And, now that hes back on the outside, Bannon has been openly conspiring with the Freedom Caucus to undermine the GOPs congressional leadership.

Meanwhile, Bannon is arguing that any attempt to work with Democrats is antithetical to his economic nationalist agenda. As he told Charlie Rose on 60 Minutes:

Theres one group of people that on the campaign, that said, All you have to do is do what you said you were gonna do in these major areas. Lets punch out one thing after the other. Youre gonna keep your coalition together, and were gonna add to it over time as youre successful. Theres another group that has said, Lets compromise, and lets try to reach out to Democrats, and lets try to work on things that we can do together.

If Bannon had any genuine interest in seeing Trump enact a $1 trillion infrastructure stimulus, higher taxes on the rich, public-interest regulation of Silicon Valley giants, more labor-friendly trade policies, and a stimulus for urban America funded by cuts to defense spending, then he would see the Freedom Caucus as an ideological enemy of  and working with congressional Democrats, as a (tragic?) necessity for  his populist movement.

Instead, he encourages his readership to view any attempt to work with Democrats as a betrayal  and to see the most committed congressional opponents of his (putative) economic views as their movements natural allies.

As a means of pulling the Republican Establishment left on taxation and public investment, this gambit is incoherent; but as a means of pulling the GOP right on immigration, its perfectly sound.

And Bannons latest scheme confirms that, for all practical purposes, doing the latter is his real project. The Breitbart head is reportedly organizing primary challenges to Republican incumbents who have proven insufficiently loyal to Trumps agenda. But on 60 Minutes, Bannon predicted that the GOPs coming civil war would be fought over an issue where he and the president are on different sides: Trump has said that he would like to see Congress pass permanent protections for the gainfully employed, American-raised, undocumented immigrants who secured work permits through DACA; Bannon told CBS that any attempt to give such immigrants a path to citizenship  or even a path to a green card  would be unacceptable.

Doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise, Bannon warned. Amnesty is nonnegotiable.

There may be no better indication of Bannons true purpose than his eagerness to make DACA the focal point of next years Republican primaries. Few things would poison the potential for Democratic cooperation on populist economic policies like the sudden dispossession of 800,000 Dreamers. Whats more, denying these young people legal status wouldnt just alienate the center-left  a majority of Republican voters support some form of legal status for this population. If ones goal is to build a majority coalition for right-wing populism, the expedient move would be to embrace the (already popular) dichotomy that separates the good, blameless Dreamers, from the bad, willful illegals (i.e., their parents).

Further, if one opposed immigration for non-ethnonationalist reasons, DACA would be of little interest: It is a policy that grants legal status exclusively to assimilated, English-speaking, employed immigrants who have no criminal record, and are paying into Social Security. To oppose this policy on economic grounds, one would have to subscribe to the lump of labor fallacy  that there are a set number of jobs in the economy, such that every opportunity that goes to a Dreamer comes at the expense of a native-born worker. But if Bannon really believed that Malthusian notion, he would be pushing for greater access to contraception, since any increase in Americas birth rate would have deleterious effects on wages and employment. The only coherent, race-neutral argument against some kind of Dream Act is an absolutist commitment to rule of law  a case that Bannon cant credibly make after supporting Trumps pardon of Joe Arpaio.

But if Bannons goal is to protect white, (((Judeo)))-Christian America from suffering the kind of demographic death depicted in The Camp of the Saints  and/or to monetize anxieties about said death through a far-right infotainment empire  then making DACA a litmus test for conservatives makes perfect sense.

When one considers all this, the (self-identified) propagandists economic populism starts to look like a smoke screen. In his book on Bannons role in Trumps campaign, Devils Bargain, reporter Joshua Green suggests that the heart of the operatives media strategy was anchor left, pivot right. The phrase describes Bannons commitment to seeding useful narratives within the mainstream (i.e. liberal) media, while mobilizing his base by pushing ever more reactionary propaganda in the right-wing press. Doing this required Bannon to engage the straight media on its own terms. To make the concept of Crooked Hillary go mainstream, Bannon and his allies knew that they couldnt rely on publishing defrosted Vince Foster conspiracy theories in Breitbart; they also needed to get grounded, fact-based reports on Clintonian cronyism printed in credible newspapers. And so they did actual investigative reporting on the Clinton Foundations ties to foreign governments, handed it to the New York Times  and helped generate an FBI investigation that would dog the Democratic nominee for her entire campaign.

Perhaps Bannons economic nationalism is best understood as another attempt to anchor left. While Breitbart fans the flames of white enthnonationalism among its far-right readership, Bannon advances a complementary narrative in the mainstream media. On 60 Minutes, the propagandist made his case against the D.C. Establishment in terms amenable to its anchors, railing against the bipartisan failure to arrest middle-class decline or prevent the war in Iraq.

Like the Clinton Foundation scandal, this populist rhetoric lends a patina of legitimacy to a story that the populist right wants told. The rights fierce opposition to Clinton wasnt just about raw partisanship and wild conspiracy theories; it was about ethics in philanthropy. The far rights opposition to immigration isnt about white racial identity, but rather, economic anxiety.

Of course, in reality, Bannon is not a principled opponent of unscrupulous charitable activity  and theres little reason to think he is any more genuinely committed to addressing the plight of Americas working men and women.

Steve Bannon does not need the affirmation of the mainstream media  but when the Establishment press pretends that his nationalism is in any meaningful sense economic, it gives him just that.
Luther Strange keeps attacking Roy Moore from the right, which is a poor reflection on Alabama Republicans. Photo: Luther Strange/YouTube

Its not easy to feel sorry for Luther Strange, the former D.C. lobbyist who got himself appointed to the U.S. Senate under questionable circumstances and then benefited from massive financial support from Mitch McConnell and a surprise endorsement from Donald Trump.

Big Luther, however, is trailing in all of the polls in his runoff contest with Judge Roy Moore. Time is running out (the runoff election is on September 26) for the Trump appearance in Alabama Team Strange had been hoping for. Trumps ideological companion Stephen Bannon and his Breitbart News are thumping the tubs for Judge Roy, as are Trump ally Mark Meadows (the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus) and Mike Huckabee, father of White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

One would think that with all his money Strange would attack Moore for being a theocratic scofflaw who has been removed from his Supreme Court office once and suspended once as well. He is an embarrassment to his state and his party. He would not be in the position of being close to a Senate seat much anywhere else.

But no: Luther Strange is running to Roy Moores right, and isnt even mentioning his opponents loony toons positions on church-state separation or his defiance of federal courts. One attack ad on Moore tries to make him out as a swamp creature who has been in public office for too long, rather aggressively ignoring the fact that the judge keeps squandering his jobs by attacking the U.S. and Alabama constitutions. More recently, the Strange campaign attacked Moore for failing in a July radio interview with Dale Jackson to identify the meaning of DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive order that Trump is partially rescinding.

Stranges campaign on Friday put out a video that featured audio of the exchange with Jackson under the title Roy Moore is clueless on immigration.

Career Politician Roy Moores failure to know anything about the DACA program that was President Obamas key method to halting deportations of illegal immigrants is beyond embarrassing, the campaign said in a statement.

Perhaps this is a subliminal reference to the deep-down realization of Alabama Republicans that Moore would be a laughingstock in the Senate. But Moore batted it back as an effort to entangle him with Washington language, and its pretty clear voters are more likely to identify with Moores ignorance of federal-program acronyms than with his opponents mockery of the grim old fanatic.

Perhaps, down the stretch, Strange will become desperate enough to call on runoff voters to get a grip and avoid sending the Ayatollah of Alabama to the Senate, or perhaps even to an improbable defeat at the hands of Democrat Doug Jones in the December general election. For now, Strange is like the Republicans who tried to stop David Dukes Louisiana gubernatorial candidacy in 1991 by calling the former KKK leader inexperienced. Theres a line of attack on Roy Moore thats obvious. But Big Luthers afraid to use it. If he loses to Moore, he richly deserves it.
Supporter of the policies of a sitting American president. Photo: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images

Political scientist Lee Drutman argues in a Vox essay that American politics is descending into what he calls doom-loop partisanship. Drutman notes that Americans have been retreating into our separate tribal epistemologies, each with their own increasingly incompatible set of facts and first premises, each heavily racialized, in which [t]heres no possibility for rational debate or middle-ground compromise. Just two sorted teams, with no overlap, no cross-cutting identities, and with everyones personal sense of status constantly on the line.

Drutman attributes this to winner-take-all elections, the expanding power of the presidency, and the growing influence of money in politics. I think, despite all the very real design flaws in American politics, the problems he describe stem mainly from the pathologies of the Republican Party.

It is certainly true that the psychological relationship between the parties has a certain symmetry. Both fear each other will cheat to win and use their power to stack the voting deck. If Republicans win in close elections, Democrats say its only because they cheated by making it harder for Democratic constituencies to vote; if Democrats win in close elections, Republicans say its only because they voted illegally. But while it is not true that Democrats have allowed illegal voting in nontrivial levels, it is extremely true that Republicans have deliberately made voting inconvenient for Democratic-leaning constituencies. The psychology is parallel, but the underlying facts are not.

Likewise, there is a superficial similarity to the terror with which partisans now greet governments controlled by the opposing party. Obamas presidency made Republicans terrified of rampant socialism and vengeful minority rule. (Rush Limbaugh in 2009 instructed his audience, In Obamas America the white kids now get beat up with the black kids cheering Yeah, right on, right on, right on. Of course everybody said the white kid deserved it, he was born a racist, hes white.) Trumps presidency has inspired a similar terror among liberals terrified that Trump would take their insurance and deport immigrants.

Liberal fears have had a much closer relationship to reality. The reason is that the Democratic Party is racially and economically heterogeneous. Even if he had wanted to take vengeance upon white America for its sins, Obama had far too many white supporters to make such a course of action remotely practical. (A majority of Obamas voters were white, in fact.) On economic issues, the Democratic Party relies on support and input from business and labor alike. Whatever terrors of rampant Jacobinism may have gripped the economic elite, there are limits to the fiscal and regulatory pain Democrats can impose on a constituency that has a seat at the table (many seats, actually).

There is little such balance to be found in the Republican Party. Republicans concerned about their partys future may blanch at Trumps pardoning of the sadistic racist Joe Arpaio or his gleeful unleashing of law enforcement. In the short term, however, they have bottomed out on their minority support and proven able to win national power regardless, by using racial wedge issues to pry away blue-collar whites. Advocates for labor or the poor have no voice whatsoever in the Republican elite. It took a massive national mobilization to narrowly dissuade the party from snatching health insurance away from millions of people too poor or sick to afford it.

Then of course there are the competing tribal epistemologies. There is nothing on the left with the reach and scope of the conservative media universe defined by talk radio, Fox News, and other outlets that have functioned as state media. Certainly pockets of epistemological closure exist, especially in the way social media has allowed curated media streams that exclusively cater to ones prejudices. But the fact is that the Democratic Party is fundamentally accountable to the mainstream news media. And that media play try to follow rules of objectivity that the right-wing alternative media does not bother with.

The most striking revelation in Devils Bargain, Josh Greens account of the rise of Steve Bannon, is that Bannon understood both the importance and the permeability of the mainstream news media to his ideas and messaging. Bannon knew that the right kind of research could influence the New York Times coverage of Hillary Clinton, and thereby deeply shape the views of Democratic voters.

Whether or not the Times was correct to use this research, and whether or not it treated Clinton fairly overall, is not the point. What matters is that Democratic politicians need to please a news media that is open to contrary facts and willing  and arguably eager  to hold them accountable. The mainstream media have have its liberal biases, but it also misses the other way  see the Times disastrously wrong report, a week before the election, that the FBI saw no links between the Trump campaign and Russia and no intention by Russia to help Trump. One cannot imagine Fox News publishing an equivalently wrong story against the Republican Partys interests  its errors all run in the same direction.

Whatever interest liberals may have in finding congenial media, they dont dismiss the mainstream media out of hand in the way conservatives have been trained over decades to do. When the conservative news media criticizes Republicans, it is almost always to play the role of ideological enforcer, attacking them for their lack of fervor. One party has a media ecosystem that serves as a guardrail, and the other has one that serves only as an accelerant.

The left has no equivalent to a Rush Limbaugh in influence and sheer lunacy. The conservative commentator  whose prestige on the right is such that, when Republicans won control of the House in 1994, they made him an honorary member  recently described Hurricane Irma as a story trumped up by the liberal media in order to foment climate-change hysteria and sell bottled water. There are figures just as crazy as Limbaugh on the left, but they are almost uniformly outside the Democratic Party coalition.

This asymmetry is not endemic to the ideological right and left. There are political systems in the world where major left-of-center parties have more extremist tendencies than right-of-center ones. Before the conservatives finished their long march through the institutions, the Republican Party of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s was far more moderate than the current version. It is entirely possible that the far left in the United States will eventually take over the Democratic Party, or that the right wing will lose its grip over the GOP. I write frequently about extremism and bad-faith argument on the left, but those tendencies remain, for now, largely walled off from national power.

In the meantime, whatever the very real flaws in the American political and electoral system, it is simply impossible to design any kind of a system that can withstand a stress test like a major party captured by a faction as radical as the conservative movement. Its absence of limiting principles to its ideology, indifference to empirical evidence, and inability to concede failings of its dogma lead to an endless succession of failures explained away to the base as faintheartedness.

The doom loop Drutman describes is, in reality, both sides responding to the phenomenon of Republican extremism. Republicans are sealed off in a bubble of paranoia and rage, and Democrats are sealed off from that bubble. Democrats fear Republican government because it is dangerous and extreme. Republicans fear Democratic government because they are dangerous and extreme.
Fraud, fraud everywhere! Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

President Trumps Commission on Election Integrity is set to meet in public for the second time in New Hampshire on Tuesday. The groups Orwellian name belies its real motive: to lend credence to President Trumps belief that millions of fraudulent ballots cost him the popular vote in 2016  and to make it harder for people to vote by insisting, wrongly, that voter fraud is a widespread problem.

HuffPosts Sam Levine has a good breakdown of Tuesdays agenda. A sample:

Von Spakovsky, a member of the commission, also submitted a database from the conservative Heritage Foundation claiming to contain nearly 1,100 of instances of voter fraud. The Brennan Center for Justice released its own analysis of the report Friday, debunking many of the instances of alleged fraud. John Lott, a controversial gun researcher whose work has been questioned, submitted a presentation to the committee saying people who dont have photo ID  which several states require to vote  can get it if theyre motivated enough.

The meetings location is appropriate. Kris Kobach, the panels vice-chairman, who has become a national figure by propagating easily disprovable claims about voter data, recently wrote in Breitbart that facts have come to light that indicate that a pivotal, close election was likely changed through voter fraud on November 8, 2016: New Hampshires U.S. Senate Seat, and perhaps also New Hampshires four electoral college votes in the presidential election.

That explosive claim was based on simple, likely willful ignorance of New Hampshire law, which classifies students as separate from residents.

In July, Kobach requested voter data from all 50 states, provoking an intense backlash from Democrats and Republicans alike  though his mere request inspired at least a few thousand people to de-register from the rolls.

Meanwhile, the New York Times recently reported that Russian cyberattacks were far more widespread and effective in 2016 than previously known, and that little has been done to prevent similar violations in the future. A credible version of Kobachs commission would be focusing its efforts on securing Americas vulnerable voting systems (encouraging the use of paper ballots might be a start) and making it easier for citizens to cast ballots, not engaging in an elaborate exercise in confirmation bias.

Its still unclear what the Commission on Election Integrity will end up actually doing, if anything. But simply by propagating a steady stream of misinformation, it is already sowing the sort of distrust in the countrys electoral process that it is ostensibly trying to fix.
Its a new Trump! (Again.) Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty

Last Wednesday, President Trump made a surprising, curious deal with Democrats. Rather than bow to the wishes of his fellow Republicans by attempting to raise the debt ceiling for six or more months, Trump undercut (for roughly the 15-thousandth time) his baffling reputation as a master negotiator and acceded to Democrats demands for a shorter extension straightaway, setting up a fiscal showdown in December that few in his party are looking forward to.

The arrangement was limited in scope and represents a minor victory, at best, for Democrats. But Trumps supposed apostasy provided a convenient excuse for Republicans to loudly denounce their unhinged president, separating themselves from a man they think gives conservatism a bad name. Their protestations also colored the way the deal was covered in the mainstream press  as some sort of tectonic shift instead of the 1.2 tremor on the political Richter scale it really was.

This gap between the magnitude of the events and the perception of them was evident in media coverage over the weekend. On Saturday, the New York Times published an article, pegged to the deal, with the headline: Bound to No Party, Trump Upends 150 Years of Two-Party Rule.

Although elected as a Republican last year, Peter Baker writes, Mr. Trump has shown in the nearly eight months in office that he is, in many ways, the first independent to hold the presidency since the advent of the current two-party system around the time of the Civil War. Baker notes that Trump originally thought of running for president on the Reform Party ticket in 2000, cites Trumps consistent attacks against fellow Republicans like Mitch McConnell as proof of his refusal to be boxed in by party, and even speculates that Trump will ditch the GOP when he runs for reelection.

The label independent implies that a political figure isnt bound to the dogma of one of the two major parties  and there is very little evidence that this is true for Trump. He did once hold far more liberal views than he does now, and he has been relentless in attacking his own party. But none of that changes the fact that the president has seemed eager to govern as an extreme right-wing ideologue on almost every issue. The notion, popular during the campaign, that Trump would fuse nativist impulses with big-government largesse has fizzled; instead, he has thrown his weight behind hugely regressive tax cuts and massive cuts to Medicaid and abandoned his plan to fix the nations infrastructure. (He has, of course, stuck with the hard line on immigration, the one area where he has bucked traditional Republican orthodoxy.)

Another problem with the thesis is that attacking Establishment Republicans like McConnell or Paul Ryan hardly counts as aberrant behavior for a bomb-throwing GOPer these days  that kind of behavior has been firmly part of the culture of the party since at least the tea-party wave of 2010. If Donald Trump isnt really a Republican, what about Ted Cruz or the members of the House Freedom Caucus?

The article quotes Ben Domenech, editor of the Federalist, who says Republicans should not think of Trump as their party leader. But the idea that Trump is some sort of anomalous fake Republican is wishful thinking by Domenech. The GOP base still largely embraces the president, and sides with him, not tut-tutting party functionaries, on his most divisive ideas. The appearance of political independence on Trumps part is mostly a function of a fractured and dysfunctional party.

Axioss Mike Allen also seemed ready to accept the idea that Trumps deal with Democrats marked an epochal shift in the direction of independence. In an item headlined Why Trump Hopes the New Trump Sticks, Allen wrote:

A Trump adviser says that after a tumultuous seven months in office, it had finally dawned on the president: People really f@&@ing hate me. For someone who has spent his life lapping up adulation, however fake, it was a harsh realization. This is a man with an especially acute need for affirmation.

The question of why Trump would arrive at this realization now, as opposed to any point over the last several years (or decades) goes unanswered.

Its tempting, as always, to believe that Trump has finally had his come-to-Jesus moment and realized the error of his divisive ways. But the truism that Trump is governed by the need to be loved is belied by the fact that almost everything he says and does is profoundly unpopular. But Trump didnt win in 2016 by pandering to the average American; he won by tailoring a message for tens of millions of aggrieved white people. And theres been no real sign since his presidency began, one days worth of bipartisanship notwithstanding, that hes uncomfortable with maintaining that approach going forward.

(Axios also reported over the weekend that Trump will meet with black Republican senator Tim Scott in what could be a racial reset after the presidents botched responses to the violence in Charlottesville. It notes that the moment could be fleeting or consequential, depending on whether Trump realizes that, at 71, he has a lot of catching up to do. A wild guess: It will be fleeting.)

Almost eight months into his decidedly abnormal presidency, there remains a persistent and surprisingly widespread impulse among political journalists to transmogrify Trump into a traditional president, one who makes decisions based on long-term strategy, one not governed by pure id  a president who has something in common with men who came before him. (Perhaps theres something comforting in that?)

This impulse animated the never-fulfilled expectation that Trump would pivot to a more traditional presidential pose during the 2016 election. It showed up again when Trump kind of, sort of eschewed his nuttier side during Hurricane Harvey. And it has appeared once more, now that Trump has made a very slight gesture toward bipartisanship.

In spirit, Pennywise isn't a murderer or a clown. He's a free-spirited entertainer who has his own way of relating to children. https://t.co/Ov4m4DcBJ7  Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) September 10, 2017

Yet just three weeks ago, Trump was touting the merits of white supremacists. His dark, Manichaean view of the world is not going to change; nor will his impulsiveness, impetuousness, or any of the other characteristics that make him so ill-suited to be president. Waiting for him to transform into some semblance of a normal human being, much less a president governed by anything beyond impulse, will be a long wait indeed.

Meanwhile, Trump connected Hurricane Irma to the apparently urgent need for tax reform  one of the 15 things he does every day that would have counted as scandalous for any other president, but which the country has become so inured to that it barely makes a ripple.
Iranian prime minister Hassan Rouhani. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images

Opponents of the Iran deal have a problem: Many claimed to oppose the agreement because it wouldnt deter Tehrans nuclear ambitions  but they actually opposed it for entirely different reasons.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued that a nuclear Iran would represent an existential threat to Israel. Neoconservatives in the United States and our allies in Saudi Arabia made similar claims. The Obama administration accepted their shared premise  and built a nuclear agreement around it.

If one stipulates that a nuclear Iran would try to annihilate Israel, then all of Americas other complaints with Tehran become comparatively insignificant. Who cares about funding of Hezbollah, intercontinental ballistic missiles, or attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq when theres an imminent threat of atomic bombs raining down on Tel Aviv? Surely, if one could find a diplomatic means of forestalling the latter possibility, it would be worth pushing all the former issues to the back burner.

So, the Obama administration did just that. The Iran nuclear agreement did nothing to limit the regimes missile program, or its financing of extremist groups. But it did set up a world-class inspections regime to guarantee that Tehrans nuclear program remains frozen in place.

This appears to have nullified the Iranian nuclear threat, at least for the moment. But it didnt do anything to prevent Tehran from gaining regional influence, funding Hezbollah, or developing stronger economic ties with Europe. In fact, it helped Iran do that last one.

And since many of the agreements foes never really feared that Tehran would pull the nuclear equivalent of a murder-suicide  but were genuinely afraid of Iran gaining geopolitical influence (or, in Donald Trumps case, genuinely committed to negotiating better deals than Barack Obama had)  the agreements success has only exacerbated their worries.

Thus, the Trump administration has decided to pretend that those worries are germane to the agreement. Last week, U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley said that judging the Iranian regimes true nuclear intentions strictly in terms of compliance with the JCPOA [the nuclear agreement] is dangerous and short-sighted. Haley went on to suggest that Irans proven arms smuggling, violations of travel bans, and ongoing support for terrorism might constitute grounds for ruling the regime noncompliant with JCPOA (even though the terms of the agreement do not prohibit any of those things).

On Monday, the administration received another unwelcome confirmation that Obamas agreement is still preventing a regime hostile to the U.S. from securing a nuclear weapon. As Bloomberg reports:

Iran has received nearly two snap nuclear inspections a month and almost double the overall number of visits it had just five years ago, indicating the value of the deal the U.S. and its allies reached in 2015 to rein in the countrys nuclear program.

International Atomic Energy Agency monitors conducted 402 site visits and 25 snap inspections in the first 12 months since the deal was enacted in early 2016, according to data from reports to IAEA members. The figures may help dispel doubts over the adequacy of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement involving the U.S., China, France, Germany, Russia and the U.K.

Trump is widely expected to rule Iran noncompliant with JCPOA when it comes up for recertification on October 15.

In other news, the White House is doing everything in its power to persuade a rogue regime to trade its nuclear-weapons program for economic rewards, and a free pass on other less important diplomatic issues.
The iPhone X, 90 percent off. Photo: Francis Dean/Corbis via Getty Images

For a long time, cell phones were expensive. Almost 35 years ago, Motorola sold its DynaTAC 8000X for $3,995. The Simon Personal Communicator PDA was available for just $900 in 1992. You couldve snagged the Motorola StarTAC for $1,000 in 1996. Cell phones then were toys for the high-end  an element as important as French cuffs and slicked-back hair to the image of the high-flying businessman of the 1980s and early 1990s.

That began to change at the turn of the century. The first GSM networks began to roll out across the world, replacing the old analog standards with cheaper, and much more understandable digital ones. (I was lucky enough to try out an old DynaTAC, and it sounded like screaming into a washing machine.) Advances in batteries meant that phones went from the size of masonry bricks to flip-phone RAZRs. As demand rose and supply chains became set in place, prices began to plummet  Nokias beloved and indestructible candy-bar phones were suddenly available for under $200, instead of $2,000. Even high-end phones like the BlackBerry were still $500. SMS texting suddenly allowed the nascent world of instant messaging to be carried with you everywhere.

By 2007, cell phones had gotten so cheap that when Apple announced that the cheapest model of its brand-new iPhone would be $499, it raised eyebrows. This was just for the phone  no subsidies, no price cuts if you signed a two-year contract; if you wanted the right to be an AT&T customer and have an iPhone, $499 was the price of entry. Many predicted that this would be too pricey to get people in the door  wed come a long way from the four-grand Motorola brick  but they, of course, turned out to be wrong. (The history of bad iPhone prognostication is long and impressive.)

But the pendulum has begun to swing back. A $500 phone would be relatively cheap now  most brands flagship models start at $650 and work their way up from there. As of Monday morning, a base iPhone 7 is $649, and a fully loaded 256 GB iPhone 7 Plus is $969.

Wheres the Honda Civic of Phones?

The iPhone X looks like a beautiful, gorgeous device, and no doubt hundreds of millions of people will buy it. But is it worth $1,000? Thats a tricky question.

Ive been using a beautiful, gorgeous device for a few weeks now: a Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Samsungs top-of-the-line phone. I really like it. The screen is huge; the colors are vibrant in a way that makes me feel like Ive nibbled on a tiny bit of shrooms. The camera takes beautiful, rich pictures, a depth of color that really shines when I throw it up on a 4K monitor. And the thing feels speedy as hell, quick to the touch, and fast to react to what I want to do.

But I have a review model. If I wanted to own this phone, it would cost me $950 (probably more like $1,000 once I leave the store). Ill eventually ship it back to Samsung and be sad to see it go. But Im not paying $1,000 for a phone, not yet.

What the experience reminds me of the most is the week I spent driving around San Francisco in a Lexus, thanks to a screwup at the airport rental agency. I know nothing about cars, but I knew I liked this one. Everything about the car  from the touch of the steering wheel to the smooth, gliding acceleration to the feel of the leather interior  screamed one thing: money. (I know: True gearheads will tell you that Lexuses arent that great.)

After my week on the rich side, my tiny 2005 Honda Civic suddenly seemed like an annoying burden. I had to manually adjust my side mirrors; there was no rearview camera; the acceleration felt jerky, like my car had done too much Adderall. But in a few days, I readjusted and got back to my life, and my car stopped seeming to matter. The extra touches the Lexus provided werent really necessary, and I know my credit score appreciates the difference in price between the two cars.

In my day-to-day life of testing out various phones, thats also been my experience: I notice major differences, get envious about the new and neat features, but when I return the review phone and get back to my daily driver, within a few days I barely remember what I missed.

The problem with phones, though, is that there isnt really a Honda Civic. By which I mean: Its hard to find a solid, inexpensive device that wont break down on you after a year. I am, at this point, perhaps not that interested in facial recognition, dual-telefoto or wide-angle lenses, or edge-to-edge screens. I am interested in a decent $300 phone that lets me email, check Twitter, take the occasional photo of a sunset or a funny sign and put it on Instagram, and call it a day.

And that, frankly, is a market that is not being served. I can pay $150 for a piece of crap with a smudged-out camera, four hours of battery life, and extremely sketchy preloaded software, or I can spend $800 to $900 for a flagship phone. There are some companies at the edge doing good work in the middle  Moto, ZTE, and OnePlus are all trying  but we essentially live in a smartphone world where there are just Yugos and Lexuses, and no Civics.

The $1,000 Phone Is Just the Beginning

But I suspect phone manufacturers are less interested in serving me a solid, inexpensive, long-lasting device. There are some obvious incentives at play here: For one thing, an inexpensive and long-lasting device would mean both lower margins and fewer sales. For another, people have shown no sign that theyre getting sick of paying $1,000 for their phones.

And I cant really blame them. Were at an interesting inflection point in consumer tech. At the same time that phones have rapidly increased in price, laptops themselves have plummeted. For the price of an iPhone X, I can now buy a MacBook Air, or an iPad Pro for less than the price of a phone.

Whats more, whole countries and continents have skipped the PC generation, simply graduating directly to smartphones in the space of ten years. We may be about to witness an odd reversal of that move in the Western World  if Im 11 and live in Ohio, why would I ever buy a laptop? My life, from school to friends to everything in between, is increasingly on my phone. Edge-to-edge screens, high-quality AMOLED screens, screamingly fast system-on-a-chip specs, easy-to-use cameras that take beautiful shots: The idea of paying more than a laptop for a device that means more to me than a laptop doesnt seem silly  it seems pragmatic.

The point being, when your phone is your whole life, and not just one slightly less powerful device among many, it doesnt seem so crazy to spend $1,000 on one. My guess is that were about to enter into an arms race between Samsung and Apple (and, to a lesser degree, Google) as they battle it out to create a phone thats not just nice, not just good, but astounding. The iPhone X, from everything that Ive seen leaked, is that phone. And making those phones requires money  especially if Apple will be making them. Apple is able to charge tremendous margins on its products due to a combination of quality and cachet  other manufacturers will be forced to keep up. The Note 8 costs more than any Samsung phone ever put into production. Its already sold more than any previous version of the Note.

The iPhone Future

What this means, ultimately, is that the category of phones that can do everything your computer can (and more!), safely, securely, and reliably, has completely left the zone of affordable and fully entered expensive. Its a justifiable expense, of course: For many of us, were buying a device that contains, and mediates, our entire lives. But whats left over for the people who cant afford (or dont want) to spend $1,000 is a group of phones with severely hampered features, dangerous insecurities, and a high likelihood of failure.

Maybe thats fine  maybe there doesnt need to be a middle class of cell phones. But there are real consequences to the increasing expense of good phones. As Android continues to fragment and Google seems unable (or unwilling) to pull its manufacturers in line, the only phone truly secure enough for activists, journalists, NGOs, diplomats, and other people who may be worried about nation-states looking at their stuff will now cost over $1,000.

But that doesnt really matter to Apples (or Googles, or Samsungs) bottom line. These things will sell out like crazy. This is partly because numerous rumors have said that Apple has struggled with the supply chain on the iPhone X, but partly because this will be  hands down  the coolest phone to own. And you cant really put a price on it. Though Im guessing after a year of preorders being next to impossible to get, Apple will try to set that price even higher. And its competition will follow suit.

I will keep poking around phone forum sites, trying to find my Moto or ZTE phone for $300 thatll do everything I want without spending nearly half of my mortgage on a smartphone. The rest of the world? I think theyre gonna start gearing up to making smartphone payments as much a part of their daily life as I used to pay off my old, crappy Honda.
China and the UK have teamed up to develop the next generation of offshore wind power capacity, with a focus on identifying the best locations for the new installations and making them more resilient to harsh weather conditions including typhoons and earthquakes.

The UKs Natural Environment Research Council said research teams from the two countries will work together on five projects, to receive funding from the Joint UK-China Renewable Energy program as well as financial support from NERC and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

The UK and China are among the leaders in renewable energy globally, and their new tie-up will solidify their position at the top of the clean-energy-adopters list. The UK already has the largest offshore wind capacity in Europe, and last year a quarter of all electricity generation came from renewables.

China last year installed 23.4 GW of new wind capacity, which accounted for over 40 percent of the global total of newbuilds for that year. By 2030, wind power could supply 26 percent of the countrys projected electricity demand.

Both countries seem eager to continue expanding their wind power strength. In the UK, offshore wind power costs have fallen so much that the energy the wind farms in the sea produce is now cheaper than nuclear energy.

Thats according to the latest auction for subsidies, organized by the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. In these auctions, the bidders with the lowest offers are the winners. In the latest one, the BBC reports, there were bidders offering to build wind farms with subsidies as low as US$75.83 (57.50 pounds) per megawatt hour. Thats almost twice as cheap as the subsidy for a megawatt hour of new nuclear power, to come on stream in 2022-2023.

Related: China Declares Support For Punitive Action Against North Korea

China, meanwhile, is working on what will be the biggest offshore wind farm in the world: the 800 MW Yancheng project, to start operating next year. The worlds largest investor in renewable energy plans to have 210 GW of installed wind power capacity connected to the grid by 2020. Of this, the majority will be onshore wind farms, with offshore constituting just 5 GW of the total. By 2026, however, offshore wind capacity should hit 26 GW.

Whats more, Beijing is hoping to scrap wind power subsidies over the next three years. Earlier this month, the National Energy Administration approved the construction of the first batch of wind farms that will produce electricity at costs equal to that of a coal plant. Although the batch is small, including 13 farms with a combined capacity of 707 MW, it is a step in a much-desired direction.

The UK is far from scrapping wind power subsidiesthese will run for 15 years for new projectsbut they will continue to fall dramatically, according to experts. In fact, wind energy could become an export commodity as declining costs of construction combine with a weaker pound after the finalization of Brexit.

There is just one problem yet to be resolved in a sustainable manner. This problem is the intermittent nature of windand solarpower generation, which is costing billions in wasted electricity. Its good for the UK and China, then, that a lot of work is being put into new and increasingly reliable energy storage solutions.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Hurricane Irma was downgraded to a tropical storm early Monday, although it is still bringing floods and damage to much of Florida as it makes its way north, leaving millions without power. As for the oil market, the impact of the storm will be felt almost exclusively on demand, with little to no effect on crude oil production or refining.

Goldman Sachs estimates that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma will leave a huge dent in oil demand, an effect that will be felt across the world. The two storms will lead to a reduction in global oil consumption by about 600,000 bpd for the month of September.

The investment bank says that Hurricane Harvey alone will lead to a plunge in oil demand by about 600,000 bpd in September, while Irma will cause demand to decline by 300,000 bpd. That decline is somewhat mitigated by the fact that Texas shale fields also were impacted by Harvey, leading to a production loss of 300,000 bpd. As a result, the net effect of the two storms is projected to be a decline of 600,000 bpd in consumption this month.

Goldman cautioned that its projection, particularly for Irma, is highly uncertain. Irma, at this point, is looking to be much less destructive than many had feared. But because Florida imports the vast majority of its fuel needs, the potential disruptions of major ports on the Florida coast will be pivotal. Even if they reopen quickly, they will potentially have draft restrictions that may hinder trade flows, Goldman says. Related: Can WTI Break Out Of The High $40s?

The hit to demand occurs at a time when seasonal factors also lead to a dip in consumption. End of peak summer driving should result in a seasonal decline of an additional 150,000 bpd.

Floridas power outages will probably be a bigger story going forward, affecting electricity markets and likely cutting into natural gas demand for quite some time. Floridas major utilities said it could take weeks to repair all the damage and restore power.

The lingering effects of the storm are dynamic though. Disrupted refining capacity along the Gulf Coast, along with the impact on millions of motorists, took a large bite out of oil demand, leading to temporary losses for WTI. The flip side is the threat to drillers could rise if refineries remain offline. Even as a lot of facilities have come back online in Texas, the remaining outages could still force Texas shale drillers to take production offline at some point in the near future. Goldman Sachs says the refining recovery effort in Texas/Louisiana is taking longer than expected, and as of September 11, when it issued its report, the investment bank estimates refinery outages still stand at about 2.24 million barrels per day. Related: Is It Time For OPEC To Turn The Taps Back On?

Another caveat to the prospect of diminished demand from the hurricanes is that the recovery and reconstruction could boost demand, offsetting the initial negative effects. By October, the 900,000 bpd impact narrows to just 300,000 bpd. And based on past hurricanes, demand could actually rise to a level higher than would have been the case had there been no hurricane, which would translate into a positive demand shock, Goldman says.

But for now, our working assumption is that global oil demand could be reduced by at least 600,000 bpd in September because of the two hurricanes. Put another way, global oil inventories could see a boost of 600,000 bpd from the storms.

That almost guarantees that OPEC will feel compelled to extend their production cuts beyond the March 2018 expiration date. There have been a series of comments coming from top OPEC officials and energy ministries from OPEC nations regarding the possible extension. Saudi Arabias energy minister Khalid al-Falih said over the weekend that he and his counterparts from Venezuela, UAE and Kazakhstan were open to cuts beyond the first quarter of 2018, if needed.

Well, the two hurricanes that just hit the U.S. increased the chances that the extension will indeed be needed.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The most likely case is that WTI will remain stuck in the upper $40 to lower $50 range through December 2017.

Comparative inventories have fallen dramatically since mid-February yet oil prices languish in the mid-to-upper $40 range. But what will it take for oil prices to break out of the $45 to $55 range?

WTI prices increased from below $45 to almost $55 per barrel based on expectation that OPEC cuts would quickly balance international oil markets and result in near-term higher oil prices. While that expectation lasted, prices remained near $55 from late November 2016 until early March 2017 (Figure 1).

(Click to enlarge)

Figure 1. WTI Prices Have Been Largely Range-Bounded Between $45 and $55/Barrel Since The OPEC-NOPEC Production Cuts. Source: EIA, Bloomberg and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc.

Prices adjusted downward four times between March and August as it became clear that output cuts were not enough to produce a meaningful price recovery. Since mid-August, markets have rallied back to the ~$49 per barrel price average since November.

Tight Oil Rig Counts

Rising rig counts in U.S. tight oil plays have been the most important factor constraining oil prices. Investors fear that resulting increased output will prevent the market from reaching balance.

Rig counts in the Permian basin, Bakken and Eagle Ford plays began increasing after WTI fell below $30 per barrel in early 2016. Since OPEC first suggested the possibility for a production cut in August 2016, tight oil rig counts have more than doubled (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Tight OIl Rig Counts Have Doubled Since Mid-August 2016. Eagle Ford horizontal rig count has fallen the most of the tight oil plays. Source: Baker Hughes and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc.

While the increase in the number rigs is impressive, the most revealing aspect of Figure 2 is the decline of the Eagle Ford, and the flattening of Permian basin and Bakken rig counts since June. This suggests that the appetite for tight oil plays among equity investors may be moderating.

Despite claims of sub-$40 per barrel break-even prices by Permian basin producers, rig count data indicates that overall play economics require higher prices. The weekly change in Permian rig count suggests that break-even WTI prices may be closer to $55 or $60 per barrel (Figure 3). Break-even prices for some producers are certainly lower but higher prices are required for the average company.

(Click to enlarge)

Figure 3. Rig Count Weekly Change Suggests Permian Break-Even Price Is $55-$60/Barrel. Rig Count Rises and Falls on Expectation of $55 to $60 Prices. Source: Baker Hughes, EIA and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc.

Above all, rig count reflects capital flows and the availability of other peoples money to fund the tight oil playsthis is critical to production maintenance and growth. Figure 3 shows that capital availability is dependent on expectation of $55 to $60 oil prices. Capital flows have apparently faded with those expectations or else producers are using available capital for other purposes in addition to drilling. Related: In A Bold Move, Saudis Raise Crude Prices For Asia

Comparative Inventory

Comparative inventory (C.I.) fell 117 million barrels (mmb) from mid-February through the end of August (Figure 4).* This is the most significant oil market development since oil prices collapsed in 2014 but it has had little impact on oil prices so far.

(Click to enlarge)

Figure 4. ~4.2 mmb/week (600 kb/d) Decrease in Net Petroleum Product Imports Account For Most Inventory Reductions in 2017. Note: Net imports of petroleum products increased 1.7 mmb for the week ending September 1 because of Hurricane Harvey. Latest data is not included in Figure 4 because it skews net imports based on a weather-related anomaly. Source: EIA and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc.

Lower net imports of petroleum products is the main reason for this reduction in C.I. Refinery intakes are at record levels as refiners produce and sell refined products in the U.S. and abroad. As I pointed out last month, this trend is only sustainable if demand for U.S. refined products persists.

While exporting products helps reduce U.S. stocks, it aggravates the global over-supply of liquids. Higher net imports in recent months suggest that this trend may be weakening or ending.

Figure 5 shows the magnitude of inventory reductions from mid-February to late August as a yield curve of WTI price vs. C.I.

I estimated a range of probable year-end C.I. values to be between 55 and 75 mmb using EIA August STEO inventory forecasts and 2017 inventory decline trends. This range of C.I. translates to December WTI prices between $48 and $51 per barrel. Related: Can Russia Develop Its Shale Reserves?

(Click to enlarge)

Figure 5. Most-Likely December 2017 C.I. Range 55-75 mmb and $48-$51/barrel WTI prices. Source: EIA and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc.

Large reductions in C.I. so far have not resulted in meaningful increases in oil prices because the yield curve is fairly flat. That is typical of outsized storage levels.

Oil prices collapsed in 2014 because of excess supply from over-production. Low prices and the contango term structure of forward curves encouraged putting large volumes of crude oil and refined products into storage.

By Art Berman for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
One phone call can change a geopolitical landscape.

The last bilateral contact between the Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman last Friday is the best example. After some recent indications of a detente between the two Arab leaders, a crucial phone-call on Friday destroyed hopes of improving relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The two rival nations could be headed towards a real showdown.

No real information has been released on what was discussed between the two Arab leaders, but insiders indicated that the Qatari Emir offered to sit down to discuss the ongoing dispute with members of the quartet, which includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and the UAE.



Since June these four have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of cuddling up to Iran, embracing non-state players that spread terror throughout the Arab World, allying themselves with the Muslim Brotherhood and supporting Qatari state-funded Al Jazeera TV.



The fact that Al Jazeera has played host to notorious figures in the past such as Osama Bin Laden, Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal, and Al Nusras leader Abu Mohammad Al Golani, has been a major bone of contention. Until now Doha has denied all charges of supporting terrorism, while refusing to alter its policies, claiming that the quartets demands infringe on its sovereignty. Related: The North Sea Oil Recovery Is Dead In The Water

For the Arab Four, these links and the perceived rejection by Doha of complying to their regional aspirations, is the main reason for the current crisis. Reactions in the Arab media suggest that the Arab Four have reached a point of no-return.

At present, economic and diplomatic sanctions are already in place, but without a long-term goal, sanctions will prove ineffective. Saudi media indicated that Riyadh suspended any further talks with Qatar and Saudi Royal Court officials have accused the Qatar Emir and his father Hamad Bin Khalifa of spreading unrest and terror in the region. The tone of the discourse has clearly become much harsher in recent days.

Qatari sources indicated that the phone call between MBS and the Qatari Emir was pre-arranged by U.S. president Donald Trump, after his meeting with the Kuwaiti Emir Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah in Washington. Kuwait has been trying to mediate between the two sides, but the Arab Four have now also rejected the mediation efforts of the Kuwaitis.

Pressure on Qatar is building. While Arab leaders have reiterated that military options against Qatar have never been on the table, a much harsher stance in the media could indicate a possible shift from economic/diplomatic pressure on Qatar to using other means. As a strategic theorist once stated war is politics by other means. The growing open support for Qatari (perceived) opposition figures by Arab countries is also worrying.

In the coming days, a major Qatari opposition meeting will be held in London, organized by Qatari veteran opposition leader Khaled al-Hail and hosted by the British Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski. The latter is known to be a strong ally of Saudi Arabia. Officially, the Qatari opposition meeting is set up to bring democracy and constitutionalism to Qatar, which in reality means a regime change.

The impact of this meeting should not be overestimated, as Qatari opposition outside of the country has no real strength in the Emirate yet. However, inside Qatar, possible opposition is gaining support. The Qatari political system is not a real stable one, as most leaders have taken power via removal of former leaders. International (non-Arab) action against Qatar isnt really feasible either. The current support of Qatar by Iran and Turkey (which holds a military base on the Peninsula) would deter any international intervention.

The only real viable option - if regime change is the target  is a power change from within the Qatari royal family.

Qatari reformists are virtually non-existent, as economic links with the royal family are forming the current alliances and allegiances. Still, possible changes could emerge, as there are signs of growing unease within the Qatari armed forces and some parts of the royal family. An obvious contender for the Emir position is Abdullah Bin Ali, who is a distant cousin of Emir Tamim who appeared out of nowhere last August.

Saudi media already have been profiling him as an emir-in-waiting. After his meeting with the Saudi King and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on August 17, Abdullah Bin Ali has shot up in the contender list. For Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, Abdullah is a viable option, as he is member of the ruling Al Thani dynasty. Abdullahs brother Ahmad was the emir of Qatar that was toppled by Emir Tamims grandfather back in 1972. The current throne contender will be speaking at the London opposition conference. Several analysts have stated that Abdullah Bin Ali is also slated to replace Tamim at the next Arab Summit Conference in Saudi Arabia, in March 2018. The latter would need full support of the Arab Four leadership. In short, a radical change of power within the Qatari royal house is not unthinkable.

The jury is still out on the next on the next emir, but significant progress has been made over the last couple of days. Qatar also seems to be struggling on the economic front. Official figures, provided by Qatar, still reflect a stable economic environment, supported by increased trade with Iran, Turkey and Oman. But this optimistic data is being contradicted by international rating agencies, such as Fitch Ratings, which cut Qatars credit rating to AA- on August 28. Bloomberg at the same time showed that Qatars economic expansion is currently at its slowest rate since 1995, while Qatars foreign currency reserves have fallen by 8 percent in July, according to official figures.

Until now, rumors about a possible liquidity squeeze have not materialized. Qatars massive LNG business and its sovereign wealth fund represent two major buffers that have muted internal unrest or opposition.

Qatars wealth remains vast, as the countrys central bank has $40 billion in cash reserves plus gold, while the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has $300 billion in reserves. These resources are now being put to use in order to sustain the Qatari economy, as the sale of QIAs stake in Russian oil and gas giant Rosneft indicates.

Related: China Declares Support For Punitive Action Against North Korea

The sale by Glencore and the QIA of a 14.2 percent share in Russia's Rosneft to Chinese conglomerate CEFC could be a development to watch. The unexpected sale could have been linked to the Saudi-Egypt rift with Qatar. Rosneft holds a vast stake of deepwater offshore gas developments in Egypt (Zohr Field), which is not being looked upon by Cairo positively as Qatar is a main stakeholder. It would not be surprising if Egypts president Sisi and Saudi officials have put pressure on Moscow to curb its deals with Qatar at present. If the sale is agreed upon, QIA will own 4.7 percent and Glencore 0.5 percent, totaling around $9 billion. The QIA has also been divesting some of its stakes in Credit Suisse from August 5.

These high-profile divestments could indicate a growing financial squeeze. Direct result of this could be slower economic growth. The opposition is already waiting on the sidelines to strike, possibly supported by other GCC regimes. The Qataris are now facing a possible volatile period in time. The four Arab nations on the other side will be unwilling to change this state of affairs as long as Qatars Emir keeps his ties to Turkey and Iran in place. Changes will be made and Qatars royalty will have to act, as other Arab leaders may not stay silent for much longer.

By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Russias Energy Minister Alexander Novak said earlier this week that hed spoken with his Saudi counterpart about the possibility of another extension to the OPEC-non-OPEC crude oil production deal; oil prices rose. Industry observers once again reminded us that there arent any new options for OPEC and its partners: they can either keep on cutting and lose market share, or they can turn the taps back on and bring prices down.

Bloomberg Gadflys Liam Denning argues that the second scenario is the only one that could work for low-cost producers such as Saudi Arabia. Enough with the comments about a new extension, Denning suggests, nobody is listening. A U-turn in Saudi oil policy, according to him, is the only way to survive. Yet there is a catch in Dennings scenario.

He says, The rational thing to do would be for large, low-cost producers such as Saudi Arabia to maximize output and drive oil prices down to a level that both stops the flow of capital into U.S. fracking and spurs demand for more barrels.

Thats dreamland for any low-cost oil producer, but how do you find it? Oil demand forecasts from the International Energy Agency and the Energy Information Administration alike dont see a lot of support for a sharp growth in demand. On the contrary  as Denning himself notes, the factors that will slow oil demand growth further are growing, chief among them the switch to electric vehicles.

Related: China Declares Support For Punitive Action Against North Korea

It may be true that experts are no longer paying much attention to what this or that energy minister from the Vienna Group says about deal extensions. Media do, however, and diligently report on every such comment despite the fact that the discussion Novak was referring to in his latest remark took place in July and can hardly be considered news. The Russian minister has, since the start of negotiations of the cut, said that all options are on the table. They still are, is what he said this week. No surprises.

But Russia and Saudi Arabia were pushing for this second extension, the Wall Street Journal reported late last month, citing unnamed sources familiar with the discussion. Russia seems to be feeling jut fine with current oil prices. Customs data this week showed that revenues from crude oil exports had jumped by 35 percent over the first seven months of the year. Novak said the current price level of Brent, at US$54 a barrel, is optimal, allowing the industry to make investments in new production while keeping prices at the pump affordable.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is revising its Vision 2030, as it turns out the initial goals set in the program were a bit too ambitious. The Kingdom is also preparing for the listing of Aramco, which could literally make or break Vision 2030. The program is costly and Saudi Arabia has a budget deficit to deal with besides the long-term diversification.

Theres hardly any doubt that Saudi Arabia and Russia are the leaders of the pack when it comes to the cut deal. Theyve been forging closer ties in recent months, and not only in energy. Yet they dont exactly want the same thing when it comes to oil. Russia is a higher-cost producer than Saudi Arabia, so it will have more trouble if prices fall sharply. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is more heavily reliant on oil revenues for its budget than Russia any oil revenuesnot to mention that Riyadh has cut more of its output than Moscow.

Related: Expert Commentary: Oil Market Tighter After Hurricane Harvey

A projection from energy economist Phil Verleger, as quoted by Denning, sees low-cost OPEC producersSaudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and Iranlosing 9 percentage points from their market share if the artificial propping up of prices continues until 2022. Russias share under this scenario will remain virtually unchanged, and that of the United States and other non-OPEC producers will rise.

Turning the taps back on indeed starts to look like the only thing left to do, as long as those turning them are ready to bear the consequences, which could include bankruptcies (think Venezuela), unrest at home, and the breakup of OPEC, most likely. This last one, if it happens, means other deals to control the supply of the worlds most popular commodity will become a lot harder to reach should the need arise.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Saudi Aramco could begin selling more oil to its European customers via a pipeline that runs through Egypt, according to an official statement from the state-run giant.

As a result, the Sidi Kerir pipeline terminal could become a key industry hub, Ibrahim Al-Buainain, CEO of Aramcos trading wing, said on Monday following a meeting with Egyptian oil minister Tarek al-Molla.

The SUMED pipeline in question is run by the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), which owns 50 percent of the facilitys assets. The rest is owned by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt have broken all diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar, accusing it of financing regional terrorism and of having close ties to the Arab states' bitter rival, Iran. The Arab coalition demands that Doha cut its ties with Iran, end its financial support for Islamic extremist groups, and shut down the Qatar-based broadcaster Al-Jazeera. It is unclear if tensions between Qatar and its fellow Arab states will affect Aramcos new plans to run oil through Egypt.

"We want clarity in the Qatari position, we want seriousness in finding a solution...[and] implementation of principles all countries support: No supporting terrorism, no welcoming unwanted guests, no spreading hate, no intervention in others' affairs," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir explained this week. Qatar knows what it has to do in order to end the crisis.



Related: Is It Time For OPEC To Turn The Taps Back On?

U.S. President Donald Trump met with the Kuwaiti emir on September 7th and praised his mediation efforts. He said the United States would be willing to act as a mediator in the gulf dispute as well.

Saudi Arabia also recently said it was breaking off any talks with Qatar, accusing the country of misreporting the content of a phone call between Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad and Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Out of Azerbaijan, and Into India

A current existing deal between international oil giant BP (ticker: BP) and SOCAR in the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) field is due to expire in 2024.

A new plan will take SOCARs stake in the field to 20 percent from the current 11.6 percent while BPs share is predicted to drop to 30 percent from the current 35.8 percent, according to a report by Reuters. BP will remain the project operator.

Oil output in the ACG field has declined from 16 million tons a year ago to 14 million tons, which may have influenced BPs decision to reduce its share.

Offshore India

While BP is reducing its share in the ACG field, it is also setting its sights on Indias Krishna-Godavari Basin.

Source: Directorate General of Hydrocarbons

Recently Reliance and BP announced a $6 billion investment into gas projects located in the basin that is projected to increase gas production by approximately 50-55 million cubic meters per day. India currently produces about 80 million cubic meters per day, according to Bloomberg. The consumption of gas in India continues to increase while domestic output is decreasing. Before the deals were made with BP and Reliance, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced wide reforms including the freedom to price and market natural gas. This is expected to increase the fuel share for natural gas in Indias Energy mix from 6.5 percent to 15 percent by the year 2020.

By Oil and Gas 360

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
By Lydia White

Soon after the Oregon Legislature passed a bill last summer which was expected to generate $550 million of tax revenue to help pay for Medicaid, the state found that nearly 45% of all Medicaid recipients are currently ineligible to receive health care benefits.

The new law imposes a sales tax on health insurance premiums and hospital revenue that will be borne by Oregonians. For example, 217,000 people in the individual market and over 11,000 college students who buy their own health insurance are among the hundreds of thousands of Oregonians who will pay. Local Oregon school districts will pay some $25 million and community colleges will likely be forced to raise tuition costs, all because of these new taxes.

If the state hadnt awarded Medicaid benefits to over 37,000 unqualified people, costing $191,000,000, wasted over $300,000,000 on the failed Cover Oregon insurance exchange website, or spent an additional $166,700,000 on another failed IT system, even proponents of these new sales taxes would have had a hard time justifying them.

Fortunately, Rep. Julie Parrish (R) and two other state legislators are gathering signatures to refer these taxes to the ballot at what might be a January special election. They need almost 59,000 voter signatures by October 5th to qualify for the ballot.

To help hold Oregons political leaders and health care bureaucracies responsible, download and sign a petition at StopHealthCareTaxes.com.

Lydia White is a Research Associate at Cascade Policy Institute, Oregons free market public policy research organization.
CPEC created nearly 20,000 local jobs: Chinese Ambassador

ISLAMABAD: Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Sun Weidong has said the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has entered the 'early harvest' stage.



"At present, 19 projects are under construction or have been completed with a total investment of $18.5 billion. The corridor projects have directly created nearly 20,000 local jobs, most of those for the youth. Chinese enterprises working on CPEC always lay emphasis on training of the youth and have sponsored many young graduates for study in China," he told the participants of the Annual Sangam Club Gala, 2017 held here at the Chinese Embassy.



"At least 14 pairs of friendly provinces or cities have been established. There were around 18,000 Pakistani students studying in China last year. The number of Pakistani students enjoying Chinese government scholarships is 5,081, ranking first in the world," he added.



Referring to Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif's recent visit to Beijing, the envoy said Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism over the years and an important participant in international anti-terrorism efforts. "The tremendous efforts and national sacrifices made by the Pakistani security forces and the people for the cause of counter-terrorism are not a secret, which should be fully acknowledged by the international community. We believe that Pakistan has made all-out efforts to counter terrorism on its soil. Some countries should acknowledge these sacrifices," he said.



Sun Weidong said that the Sangam Club since its launch last year had arranged trip to China for more than 200 people, including teachers, students, medical staffs and journalists. "Along with the progress of bilateral cooperation in various fields between the two countries, more and more Pakistani friends are visiting China. We always welcome Pakistani friends to China. The Chinese embassy will implement a series of facilitation measures to provide quality and efficient visa services," he said. "Sangam is not a club. We are one family. The Chinese Embassy is your second home. Come again and enjoy yourself," he said, adding Sangam Club is a new leaf added to Pakistan-China friendship that would go a long way in further cementing the people-to-people contacts between the two iron brothers.



On the occasion, special children from Balochistan along with others enthralled the audience with their exquisite skills. Chashman Khan, a student from Pishin, shared experience of her recent trip to China where the students attended the BIEE Summer Camp. She expressed her gratitude to Madame Diana Bao for arranging the visit to China of children from remotest villages of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. She lauded the Chinese embassy for giving special focus to the students of Balochistan, adding the people of Balochistan take pride in hosting the Chinese investors and workers who were working day and night to develop the province despite several challenges.



Madame Bao, the brain behind the Sangam Gala, had invited special students from Balochistan who performed national songs as well as cultural songs sung on weddings according to the local customs. The performance of special kids captivated the audience. The students also performed traditional dance 'Atan'.



Students from Hazara Public School and artistes from PNCA performed Punjabi dances - Bhangra and Luddi. On the occasion, Chinese cultural performers also fascinated the gathering.



Pakistani delegates who had visited China came all the way from Peshawar, Quetta, Karachi, Sargodha and Hazara Division for the reunion gala. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Nuzhat Sadiq said that mutual cooperation can put both countries on path of development and prosperity. She said CPEC was a win-win model of mutual cooperation.
OIC took strong stance on Rohingya Muslims

ISLAMABAD: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sunday censured the government of Myanmar over ongoing persecution of Rohingya Muslims and called upon Naypyidaw to accept the UN Human Rights Councils fact-finding mission to investigate violations of human rights laws and bring the perpetrators to justice.



The OIC members took this stance at a meeting of the heads of state and government of member states held exclusively to discuss the current situation of Rohingya Muslim community on the sidelines of an OIC summit in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The meeting on the Rohingya issue was held on the initiative of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.



The OICs call for Myanmar coincided with a declaration by Rohingya militants in Myanmar of a unilateral ceasefire, but the Myanmar government announced it would not negotiate with terrorists.



The OIC meeting expressed grave concern over systematic brutal acts perpetrated by security forces forcing around 270,000 Muslims to displace to Bangladesh besides burning their houses and worship places.

OIC asks Naypyidaw to accept UN fact-finding mission to probe into violation of HR laws



It urged the Myanmar government to take measures to immediately halt the dispersion and discriminatory practices against Rohingya Muslims and attempts to obliterate their religious culture.



They asked the government to eliminate root cause, including the denial of citizenship based on the 1982 Citizenship Act which led to statelessness and deprival of rights to Rohingyas.



The leaders of the Muslim world urged the Myanmar government to take urgent measures for sustainable return of Rohingya refugees and internally and externally displaced population.



Calling for revival of peace through dialogue, the meeting sought early implementation of the commission headed by Kofi Anan on the issue.



It also called the members to join efforts by the international community for lifting restrictions on the freedom of movement in Rakhine state.



Agencies add: Rohingya militants, whose raids allegedly sparked an army crackdown that has seen nearly hundreds of thousands of Muslims flee Mynamar to Bangladesh, declared a unilateral ceasefire but the government said it would not negotiate with terrorists.



Bangladeshs foreign minister said that genocide was being waged in Rakhine state, triggering an exodus of Rohingya Muslims to his country.



The international community is saying it is a genocide. We also say it is a genocide, A.H. Mahmood Ali told reporters after briefing diplomats in Dhaka.



Mr Ali met Western and Arab diplomats and the heads of UN agencies based in Bangladesh to seek support for a political solution and humanitarian aid for the Rohingya.



He claimed that the total number of Rohingya refugees in his country had topped 700,000. It is now a national problem.



At least two diplomats who attended the briefings said the minister told them as many as 3,000 people might have been killed in the latest round of violence.



The United Nations said 294,000 bedraggled and exhausted Rohingya refugees had arrived in Bangladesh since the militant attacks on Myanmars security forces in Rakhine on Aug 25 sparked a military backlash.



Tens of thousands more are believed to be on the move inside the state after more than a fortnight without shelter, food and water.



The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) hereby declares a temporary cessation of offensive military operations, the group said in a statement on its Twitter account.



It urged all humanitarian actors to resume aid delivery to all victims of humanitarian crisis irrespective of ethnic or religious background during the one-month ceasefire until Oct 9.



ARSA called on Myanmar to reciprocate this humanitarian pause in fighting.



Myanmar, which has previously labelled ARSA as terrorists, appeared to reject the overture. We have no policy to negotiate with terrorists, Zaw Htay, a senior government spokesman, tweeted late on Sunday.



Aung San Suu Kyis government has come in for strong international criticism over the militarys treatment of the Rohingya  including the alleged laying of mines along the border to prevent those who fled from returning.



Mainly Buddhist Myanmar does not recognise its stateless Muslim Rohingya community, labelling them as Bengalis  illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.



At the opening meeting in Astana, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said that terrorism and Islamphobia were damaging the Muslim world the most.



Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Islam ruled out any extremism and terrorism and always advocated for education, research and development.












Vistas de pagina en total

Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript.

Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript.

Precio del Oro To get the gold price, please enable Javascript.

Dolar USA Vs Euro

Archivo del blog





































PROHIBIDO OLVIDAR



OTAN = Asesinos



OTAN = NATO = Muerte



Mas temprano que tarde los derrotaremos



Hipocresia 3.0



El principe Carlos habla sobre el alto costo de la vida Es un chiste?



Las verdades son simples



Opinar es un peligro



Ejemplo de dignidad



El Nuevo Orden Mundial



Historica foto para el record Guinness







Se pegaron un tiro en el pie



Si palabras



Ya no enganan a nadie



No hacen falta palabras







Lo volvio a hacer



Capitalismo=embuste



Historico Bitcoin



La bateria mas grande de Holanda



El futuro es solar



Nec plus ultra, nec variatur



Fisica y culturalmente



Jamas nos callaran



Sin ellas, no seremos



Deja vu



Nada que celebrar



Hasta cuando?



Colombia Hoy



Para nunca olvidar



'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England



Sin palabras



La UE le apunta a la paz



Cada vez mas solo



LULA y su Pueblo



Bye Bye



Homenaje al genial Quino



Fueron ellos



Una imagen que resume



Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero?



Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante)



Ladrones al poder



Asi mira el perrito a su amo



Crazy



Clamor popular



La nueva inquisicion



Bolivia



Chile Hoy



Eso es todo amigos!



Piensalo!



Pinerachet



No More Trump



Adios Macri, hasta nunca



La Marioneta se desinfla



Asi o mas cinico



Almugre



Mexico en 1794



Mas arrastrado imposible



Hasta cuando!



La pura verdad



Solidaridad con Palestina



Serie Capitalismo



Espejismos de la clase trabajadora



Asi es!



Comerciantes o delincuentes



No pasaran!



Asi es la vida



USA HOY



01/01/1959



La avaricia no tiene limites



AYUDA HUMANITARIA?



Chile Hoy



Asi son las cosas



Mapa Electoral de Venezuela



Patagonia argentina?



Un aniversario mas del mayor genocidio de la Humanidad



Retrato del franquismo en Espana



Visca Catalunya!



El Chulo de Madrid



Cuando la policia se roba la democracia



Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras



La purita verdad



Asi gobierna la maldita burguesia



Mi pobre clase media



Como Chavez nadie



Comparte La Colmena via twitter Twittear

Programa de la MUD



Asi o mas clarito



Por que Trump no ataco Corea del Norte?



Hace 15 anos Por que la OEA no se pronuncio?



Una verguenza nacional



La luz que nos guia



La Union Europea Premio Nobel de la Paz?



Feudalismo ayer y hoy



Obama, el mentiroso



Curiosa coincidencia



Un mundo de cerdos



No es extrano?



La Marioneta



Los ricos protestan, los pobres celebran



MARICORI Y OBAMA



Cuantas muertes este ano?



USA TODAY



USA HOY 6



USA HOY 5



USA HOY 4



USA HOY 3



USA HOY 2



USA HOY (1)



Insaciable



Cronologia de un agresor



Guarimbear en USA



Mexico hoy



Bolivar y Chavez



Primero Amargado



Dios los cria y ellos se juntan



USA hoy (III)



USA hoy (II)



USA hoy



Mexico hoy



Mexico hoy



Mexico hoy



Obama



La verdad sea dicha



Los ricos



Que no nos vea Obama



Pobre Obama



SOS PALESTINA



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



Archivo del blog Archivo del blog marzo (4) abril (9) mayo (8) junio (10) julio (11) agosto (10) septiembre (17) octubre (11) noviembre (15) diciembre (10) enero (9) febrero (10) marzo (8) abril (5) mayo (6) junio (8) julio (13) agosto (10) septiembre (7) octubre (12) noviembre (8) diciembre (15) enero (17) febrero (11) marzo (11) abril (12) junio (6) julio (11) agosto (15) septiembre (5) octubre (15) noviembre (14) diciembre (11) enero (13) febrero (9) marzo (10) abril (8) mayo (7) junio (12) julio (12) agosto (8) septiembre (8) octubre (4) diciembre (8) enero (35) febrero (20) marzo (29) abril (19) mayo (21) junio (27) julio (21) agosto (28) septiembre (40) octubre (47) noviembre (21) diciembre (34) enero (62) febrero (81) marzo (117) abril (141) mayo (114) junio (111) julio (126) agosto (98) septiembre (160) octubre (234) noviembre (493) diciembre (319) enero (219) febrero (267) marzo (230) abril (291) mayo (347) junio (223) julio (179) agosto (191) septiembre (239) octubre (350) noviembre (406) diciembre (353) enero (284) febrero (202) marzo (274) abril (250) mayo (232) junio (251) julio (188) agosto (249) septiembre (230) octubre (178) noviembre (141) diciembre (164) enero (187) febrero (147) marzo (211) abril (190) mayo (199) junio (164) julio (162) agosto (174) septiembre (182) octubre (225) noviembre (114) diciembre (132) enero (223) febrero (147) marzo (133) abril (108) mayo (387) junio (465) julio (785) agosto (748) septiembre (485) octubre (681) noviembre (754) diciembre (805) enero (708) febrero (896) marzo (735) abril (831) mayo (723) junio (555) julio (658) agosto (619) septiembre (457) octubre (455) noviembre (295) diciembre (269) enero (534) febrero (556) marzo (205) abril (119) mayo (194) junio (255) julio (294) agosto (182) septiembre (207) octubre (340) noviembre (351) diciembre (281) enero (114) febrero (128) marzo (216) abril (195) mayo (116) junio (141) julio (182) agosto (181) septiembre (50) octubre (72) noviembre (104) diciembre (88) enero (168) febrero (102) marzo (151) abril (207) mayo (43) junio (72) julio (35) agosto (146) septiembre (54) octubre (46) noviembre (48) diciembre (57) enero (133) febrero (218) marzo (196) abril (177) mayo (156) junio (158) julio (264) agosto (456) septiembre (524) octubre (473) noviembre (312)

Chavez Cuanto te queremos!



Por culpa de Chavez



Cerveza Polar







Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar







Translate













LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares?



























Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano...



Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos:



Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias.



Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera.



No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje.



En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio.



Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida.



Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella.



Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal.



Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista.



Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen.



Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che?



Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio.



Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora.



Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo.



Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo.



Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania.



No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar.



Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga.





Alguna duda?



Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino



Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia.



OZ1



OZ2



OZ3



OZ4



Homenaje a Jason Galarraga



La Victoria de Samotracia



Odalisca



Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008



























La Sierra Nevada de Merida



Nuestro precioso Churum Meru



Homenaje a Picasso



Autoretrato



Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola?

La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.

Mi profesion?

Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.

Sal en la Coca Cola?

A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.

De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:

Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto

Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)

azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)

Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas

Mucha Cafeina

Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio

Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe

Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion

El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.

Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.

Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.

En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).

Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.

La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.

Bebidas Light?

Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el

Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.



Publicado por loretahur



En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur

MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina:

1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias.

2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina.

3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard.

4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos.

5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla.

6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos.

Ahora... sobre la margarina:

1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) .

2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias.

3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno).

4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer.

5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna.

6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo.

7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina.

Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas:

* No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo).

* No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!!



No a la guerra, Si a la Paz



Misterios de la ciencia...



Los costos de la guerra



medicos y capitalismo...



Capitalismo...



medicos (2)



Quien educa a nuestros hijos?



Los Medios...



Sin Palabras...



Chistes feministas

- Cual es el problema, Eva?

- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz...

- Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.

- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...

- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.

- Que es un hombre?

- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.

- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.

- Cual es el truco?.

- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.

- Cual?

- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.





Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Ellas...



Ellas (2)...



Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1

Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije:

-Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro.

Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria.

Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre?

-Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa!



VENGANZA NUMERO 2

Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris.

A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita:

- Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!!

Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta.

La mujer paso quince dias en Francia.

El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla.

Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es:

- Y amor me trajiste mi francesita??

- Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina.



VENGANZA NUMERO 3

El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion.

- No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo.

- Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz.

Te quiero confesar algo.

- Esta bien, esta bien. Habla!

- He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga.

- Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!!



machismo y cibernetica



Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston.

-Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide.

-Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!.



.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti.

Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos.

Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco.

Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas



Gol !!!!



Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso!



Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy!


Voters cast their ballot in Kisumu, on Lake Victoria on August 8, 2017. Fredrik Lerneryd/AFP/Getty Images

A conversation with PHRs Christine Alai

Following a decision by Kenyas supreme court to nullify Augusts presidential elections, the country has plunged back into campaign mode, with new elections slated for October 17. Its a victory for the rule of law in Kenya, but also a time of uncertainty and potential turmoil.

Attorney Christine Alai is head of Physicians for Human Rights Kenya office and part of the organizations Program on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones, working to train health professionals, law enforcement personnel, and community health workers in documenting sexual violence. She offered her perspective on what comes next for Kenya.

With new elections now on the calendar, what role do civil society groups play to ensure calm over the coming weeks?

Christine Alai: Of course, first and foremost, we will be vigilant in calling for state agencies to ensure protections for those who might be most vulnerable to violence during this period. Its a very short turnaround to go into fresh elections with all the complaints and constraints that the [Independent Electoral and Boundaries] Commission faced even during the August balloting, including challenges with the voters register, which inevitably disenfranchised a number of voters, as well as problems with the electronic results transmission system.

In fact, I witnessed some of these irregularities as an election observer with the Law Society of Kenya on August 8. At one center I monitored, we had approximately 1,980 registered voters in three polling stations, and by the end of the day there were at least 41 voters who said they were registered but couldnt be identified using the new biometric voter system and therefore were not permitted to vote.

So, as you can imagine, as we go into another election with an already-contested process, theres likely to be a contested outcome regardless of the winner. And contested elections often result in protests.

What kinds of demonstrations  and what kinds of human rights violations  did you see in the aftermath of the August balloting?

CA: There were three days between election day and when results were announced, and during that time, tensions had been building. So by the time the government announced that Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta had secured re-election, protests broke out, particularly in some of the strongholds of the opposition in Nairobi and Nyanza regions. In virtually all of the affected areas, there was already a heavy presence of police. And protesters were met with brutal force.

The Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights had monitors throughout these areas and said police conducted door-to-door operations. There were reports that police pulled out male civilians and looted and destroyed properties. We also heard allegations that police threatened sexual violence against people in their own homes.

Police used excessive force throughout that weekend and employed live ammunition against reportedly unarmed demonstrators. By August 12, there were reports of at least 24 deaths at the hands of police. A recent report from Human Rights Watch showed that hundreds were seriously injured, and that among the dead were two young children, a nine-year-old and a six-month-old.

There were also credible reports of rape and sexual violence, including at the hands of police and others who may have taken advantage of the turmoil following the elections. Our partners, including community health volunteers and medical professionals, have told us theyve received cases and are working to refer survivors to ensure they receive holistic medical, psychosocial, and legal care, as well as proper forensic documentation that will ensure those survivors can seek justice in a court of law. So far, weve counted at least three dozen reported cases, but those are not final figures.

An electoral Commission official counts ballots at a polling station in Nairobi on August 8, 2017. TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images

PHR is still engaged in a court case brought by survivors of sexual violence from the aftermath of the 2007 elections. How does the knowledge from that case inform your work right now?

CA: Because of that case, were very cognizant of the potential gaps in terms of accountability and prevention when it comes to sexual violence. Thats why we feel its urgent that the state and other stakeholder not wait for survivors to come forward. Instead, the government must take proactive steps to encourage survivors to come forward and receive needed medical-legal services in a timely manner.

Today, we have confidence that among the health professionals and others weve trained we can get strong evidence to help fill the kinds of gaps we saw ten years ago. Now, we know that when survivors go to service providers weve trained, they will receive a proper exam and there will be the proper collection and preservation of evidence.

As much as weve accomplished, however, there are still significant shortcomings when it comes to preventing and effectively responding to the kind of violence we witnessed ten years ago. For instance, nurses in public hospitals in Kenya have been on strike for over 90 days. Thankfully, the violence in August was not that widespread and private hospitals were able to offer an adequate response, but other facilities were virtually nonfunctioning. Elsewhere, there were inadequate supplies of rape kits and other tools necessary for evidence collection.

Weve been in court for many years now stressing accountability not only for the attackers of the eight survivors in this particular case, but for accountability in a broad sense. But because the proceedings have been delayed, there has been no demonstrable action from the state on the steps it is taking to ensure that police are not involved in the kinds of violations we saw in 2007. Because there hasnt been accountability, we can say there isnt yet sufficient deterrence or prevention.
In my last post we examined the (pathetic) attempts of Congress to control the tyranny of the experts. Fortunately, Congress isnt the only weapon in the battle against expert oppression, even at the Federal level. Lets take a look at the judiciary.

But before we do, lets pause to savor the delicious irony of what is going on here. Namely, we are asking one group of expertslawyers and judgesto decide how much deference should be given to another group of expertsFederal regulators. Not to be cynical, but we could take a wild guess and say that the answer would be a whole lot. And we would be right.

To get a handle on how extraordinary the deference shown by the courts to experts is, we have to reach back all the way to 1803 and the momentous case of Marbury v. Madison. Article III of the U.S. Constitution, which had come into effect 14 years earlier, had addressed the powers of the courts and established the Supreme Court, but the Article was conspicuously silent on the power those courts could exercise.

In Marbury, as every law student knows, Chief Justice Marshall announced that the Federal courts had the ultimate power to determine whether a law made by Congress was constitutional, and whether an act of the President was legal or illegal, or even unconstitutional. Marshalls decision made it abundantly clear that the courts were a third branch of the government, co-equal to the executive and legislative branches and, when push came to shove, more equal. (Brilliantly, Marshal didnt actually order President Madison to do anything, which might have raised the delicate question of how the Court was going to enforce its decision. Instead, the Court held that while Madison was obligated to obey the law, the law he was ignoring was unconstitutional.)

For the next 181 years, the U.S. Federal courts didnt defer to anybody, even though the President and members of Congress were elected by the people, while the judges were merely appointed to their positions. But all this changed in 1984the perfect year for it to happenin the case of Chevron v. NRDC.

The Chevron case arosemore ironynot because a Federal agency (in this case the EPA) was trying to impose more restrictions on people, corporations or states, as is usually the case. Instead, the EPA, under Reagan, was trying to ease a restriction that had been imposed by the same EPA under Carter. This enraged environmentalists, who sued the EPA.

The D.C. Circuit (then-Judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg writing for the majority) agreed with the NRDC and set aside the EPA decision to ease the regulation. The U.S. Supreme Court overruled the D.C. Circuit, upholding the EPAs decision. The Court held that, if the Congressional statute is silent or unclear, the only issue is whether the regulators action was based on a permissible construction of the law. If so, the courts will defer to the agency.

Did the Court really believe that experts were so infallible that their decisions should be accorded such great deference (unlike, for example, the decisions of Congress and the President)? Or did the Court, being stuffed with experts, simply stick up for their fellow experts in a brazen act of comradeship? Or did the Court merely look at the vast number of regulations being promulgated and throw up their hands in surrender?

No one knows, but subsequent court decisions have fleshed out the Chevron deference, so that, today, this is probably a fair statement of where the law stands: deference will be given to agency actions in virtually every instance if the actions dont address issues of deep economic and political significance. Only when the actions do affect such issues will the courts step in and impose their own outcomes by looking to the purpose of the law, rather than simply granting Chevron deference to the experts.

Since 99.9 percent of all Federal regulatory actions dont address issues of deep economic and political significance, regulators are, obviously, given a huge pass. The mere fact that experts are able to dictate every detail of every action of our lives seems to have bothered the Supremes not at all.

We would, therefore, have to despair of any hope on the judicial frontnot surprising, given that experts are evaluating expertsexcept for one very small break in the heavy cloudbank of expert oppression: many Justices have finally expressed reservations about Chevron. And, interestingly, these Justices dont break down along the usual liberal-conservative lines.

Before he died, Justice Scalia was on record as wanting to rethink Chevron. Justices Breyer and Stevens have opined in writing that regulators should not be deferred to on issues of statutory interpretation. Justice Kennedy has suggested that Chevron deference should apply only when an agency possesses some sort of special expertise. Justices Roberts and Thomas clearly believe that Chevron should be reviewed. Finally, Neil Gorsuch, the newest Justice, has long argued that Chevron should be reconsidered.

Of course, whether the Supreme Court will reconsider Chevron, much less overrule or seriously limit its application, is unknowable. For now we simply have to assume that, when it comes to reigning in experts, the courts are no betterand possibly worsethan Congress.

But before we leave on that unhappy note, lets pause to savor one final irony. In Chevron, the NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) had originally sued the EPA Administrator over the decision to ease the regulations at issue. But that Administrator had resigned before the case reached the Supreme Court, and when the EPA lost at the circuit court level Chevron appealed. As a result, the case came before the Court as Chevron v. NRDC.

If the Administrator had not resigned, the Supreme Court case would have had the same name it had before the D.C. Circuit Court: NRDC v. Gorsuch. Yes, the EPA Administrator whose actions were upheld in an opinion opposed by Justice Gorsuch was none other than Gorsuchs mother, Anne.

Next up: DP&TE, Part XI
Editors note: This is the fourth and final part of a feature that began in the pages of the Fall issue of Pittsburgh Quarterly. We invited the heads of the regions top independent schools to address three important questions, in 200 words or less for each. The final question is below, along with the answers.

With the increasing presence of online educationapparent in online-only schools or so-called hybrid online/brick and mortar schoolsdo you believe this trend will continue? And what is your school doing to evolve and adapt to this changing landscape?

Christopher A. Brueningsen, Headmaster, The Kiski School

The use of online learning in private schools is significantly lower than in public schools. Most private schools have resisted online learning since they believe it doesnt provide the level of personal attention and care that students and parents have come to expect at their schools. But the use of supplemental online courses is growing in the private sector through partnerships among schools interested in offering advanced and specialized courses. Typically, these classes are taught using web-conferencing software in keeping with the private school philosophy that face-to-face instruction is the best way to learn. Kiski has been on the cutting edge of educational technology for many years, most notably with our one-to-one laptop program that was launched in 1997. As a boys school, we know that teenage boys, as a group, are the most active consumers of technology. Weve worked to leverage this interest by engaging in an online pilot program a few years ago that allowed homeschooled students to participate in traditional classes through videoconferencing. This year, we are working with a consortium of schools in China to deliver real-time math and science classes to middle-school students who are learning English. As the use of technology becomes more seamlessly joined with traditional teaching methods, there will be many more opportunities to thoughtfully explore these new tools in ways that will benefit our students.

Macon Finley, Head, The Ellis School

The ever-expanding array of technology tools available to students and teachers suggest that various forms of online learning will continue to play a role in the future of education. At Ellis, our goal is to continue to refine our curriculum and pedagogy in light of the latest research about how girls learn and develop most effectively. For instance, many Ellis teachers utilize flipped classroom lessons, posting lessons and videos online for girls to study at home, allowing classroom time to be used for the in-depth, hands-on explorations and rich discussions through which girls thrive. Ellis was a founding member of the Online School For Girls (now part of One Schoolhouse), a consortium of more than 80 independent schools committed to offering exceptional classes to supplement on-campus offerings. Almost 20 Ellis teachers from all three divisions have received training from the Online School for Girls to develop areas within their curriculum where blended learning fits best. In addition to the outstanding courses offered on our campus by Ellis faculty, Ellis students can also study with other outstanding independent school teachers in subject areas such as AP Psychology, Forensic Science, and AP Music Theory.

Tom Cangiano, President, Shady Side Academy

Online education is particularly helpful in a few key areas. First, it can permit course options that smaller schools might not be able to offer. In that sense, online options can supplement a strong curriculum. Second, there are online resources, like Kahn Academy, that students sometimes utilize to clarify their understanding of a topic. Finally, online education is a great option for students who arent able to flourish in their local school environments. I dont see online options being utilized in more than a supplementary way at Shady Side Academy, because the in-person classroom experience and the close relationships our teachers establish with our students are essential components of the SSA experience. Online educational options simply cannot provide these kinds of learning experiences.

Jeff Suzik, Director, Falk School

Without a doubt, the exponential growth of the Internet in the past two decades has provided both opportunities and challenges for teaching and learning. Not only do students just about everywhere have access to an enormity of information unthinkable to previous generations, learning-oriented apps, online courses, and full-blown online schools have helped to democratize learning and extend educational opportunities to larger and larger number of learners. Likewise, through technology, even students in more conventionally structured brick-and-mortar schools have the ability to interact and engage in meaningful discussions and debates that put them in communication with others from across the globe. The Falk curriculum is designed to help students to develop strong technology-oriented skills and competencies so that they might best harness the ever-increasing number of virtual tools at their disposals. At the same time, though, we recognize how vast, scary, lonely (and dangerous, even) the online world can be, especially for children. As a result, we hold firm to our belief that nothing can quite replace the importance of face-to-face communication and collaboration with peers and mentors who know, appreciate, understand, and care for us. At Falk, we believe learning is an inherently social endeavor, and that there is an inestimable value to learningand livingtogether, and in real time. Online schooling has yet, it seems, to find ways to get this right, and perhaps never will.

Gary J. Niels, Head of School, Winchester Thurston School

Online learning will always have its place in PreK-12 education. Students come to us not as mere consumers of information, but as creators of content, accustomed to a virtual world, to directing and pacing their own learning. WTs Director of eLearning integrates online and digital learning thoughtfully. She pilots applications and helps teachers keep pace with their digital native students. And WT is the only school in Pennsylvania in the Malone Schools Online Network (MSON), providing students with online courses at independent schools around the nation. A purely online education cannot meet all learning needs. As tech has advanced, so has learning research. We must employ various methods to engage children and adolescents physically, socially, intellectually; we must challenge them to apply skills and knowledge, develop ideas, design solutions, and produce credible work. The student-teacher relationship remains pivotal in this process. For example, in computer science, WT uses online, digital, and hands-on approaches to teach algorithmic thinking and coding in several languages. Then, we integrate this learning with engineering, robotics, the arts, humanities, and mathematics and guide students to solve real world problems. Undoubtedly, WTs technology integration will evolve as technology evolves, and as students and teachers change in response. The only question is pace of change.

Leslie Mitros, Head of School, Aquinas Academy

Online education is part of the landscape in this century. There are opportunities that are available for growth for both students and faculty through online courses and webinars. While those opportunities broaden the educational choices, they do not always provide the depth of learning that can and should happen through classroom interaction. Education is more than mere instruction. Many students who have participated in online education realize the advantages, but also recognize the drawbacks. Occasionally, a student has enrolled in an online course that is not part of our traditional curriculum, expanding their opportunities. But the most valuable learning experiences for students come from personal interactions with teachers and classmates. The outstanding formation that students receive at Aquinas Academy cannot possibly be replicated through an online curriculum.

Chad Barnett, Head of School, St. Edmunds Academy

While we believe that online learning provides uniquely customized opportunities for enrichment and remediation, we want that learning to happen in the context of relationships. Children experience the greatest cognitive gains when they feel connected and engaged, safe and supported. We feel deeply suspicious that this sense of emotional wellbeing can develop alone, in front of a computer screen. From my perspective, this is a transformational moment in educational policy and practice where rapidly evolving cultural change associated with globalization and made possible through networks has created a renewed sense of urgency around how young people perceive themselves and each other. Preceding the appraisal of what forms of online learning work, we remind ourselves of the transformational power of networks generally and the profound influence they have over our childrens relationship with the world around them. Guided by our core values and commitment to academic rigor, St. Edmunds Academy students will develop a clear sense of their place in an increasingly interconnected worldusing powerful communication tools to advance their learning in positive relationships with others. More importantly, they will come to see how their decency and integrity might make that interconnected world even better.

Justin Zimmerman, Headmaster, The Linsly School

Online education is expanding in many areas of education, and offers students and families many different alternatives to more traditional options. We believe we will begin to see even more personalized online learning experiences developed in the future. Online programs are able to personalize learning in a way schools have never done before, and this will result in more self-directed and personalized learning experiences. However, initial research indicates that online learning may not be as effective as face-to-face learning, and therefore, we believe brick and mortar schools are hear to stay, especially for younger students who need more guidance and attention during the learning process. At Linsly, teachers use technology to personalize the learning experience for students. Teachers frequently incorporate apps and programs to help students learn at their own pace and with increasing levels of difficulty. In addition, Linsly is beginning to incorporate online classes in areas of more advanced study, and for students who have the maturity and intrinsic motivation to explore areas of study above and beyond the core curriculum. For example, this year students have the opportunity to take Anatomy and Computer Programing online. With online classes we are able to offer more scheduling flexibility, more specialized courses, and help students explore different areas of interest.

Brother Anthony Baginski, Principal, Central Catholic High School

The information age provides students with unprecedented access to knowledge, connects people across the globe and introduces different modalities of education. Central Catholic High School promotes a culture of learning and welcomes the technological innovations that put educational resources at the students finger tips. Our 1:1 iPad program, flipped learning, and increased communication between teachers and students are examples of the positive impact technology has on the learning environment. However, I believe that at its core, education is a human endeavor where the interactions between students and teachers and the behaviors modeled are an invaluable part of high school. The performing arts, seminars, and group study sessions work because of this. Central Catholics state of the art STEM center with fully equipped science labs, engineering and design spaces and a tech shop where students prototype their designs using 3D printers, CNC milling machines, and welders provide the necessary group collaboration and hands-on learning that is prized in todays high-tech world. Online courses need to be evaluated and incorporated into the curriculum as part of an educational philosophy. As the landscape of education continues to change, Central Catholic is committed to embracing what is beneficial to the learning environment.
When Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak takes the Carnegie Music Hall stage Oct. 10, it will mark the 10th anniversary of what started as the Pittsburgh Middle East Institute and has grown to become the American Middle East Institute.

The brainchild of founder Simin Curtis, the Institute has become an important player in the regions economic and cultural development strategies, building connections between U.S. companies and institutions in the Middle East, through its extensive government and corporate ties in both.

The marquee event is the annual October conference, which gives U.S. business leaders the chance to get to know dignitaries from multiple Middle Eastern countries and weigh in on key issues. But the Institute also has notched a growing number of accomplishments: immersive language institutes and live/study programs for U.S. college students, overseas conferences, hosting and facilitating numerous delegations from and to the Middle East and Pittsburgh, spearheading cultural and religious initiatives and facilitating millions of dollars in business deals.

The American Middle East Institute goes onto our pedestal as an example of what a small band of committed Pittsburghers with vision can do to improve relations and prospects for the region and the world.

Investing in Science

PPG and the PPG Foundation deserve congratulations for expanding their partnership with the Carnegie Science Center with a $7.5 million gift, the largest donation in the Centers 36-year history. The money is earmarked for the Science Centers new PPG Science Pavilion, the centerpiece of more than $42.5 million in additions and improvements, including STEM learning labs, a new conference and event space overlooking the city skyline, two new permanent exhibitions (H2Oh! which explores the science and aquatic life of the rivers, and BodyWorks), and others including replacing the Omnimax theater. The Pavilion will open next year.

State Pension Reform

Its the kind of work thats so difficult and so tedious because it involves persuading the state legislature to take what may be unpopular standsthat nearly everyone just throws up their hands and says itll never change. But for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, its been one of the holy grails of Pennsylvania public policy, and the civic group hasnt given up on it for 15 years.

It is public pension reform. And finally, in June, Governor Tom Wolf signed into law landmark legislation to change the states public pension systems for state and public school employees. The law will provide new workers with a choice of retirement plan options including a partialor hybriddefined contribution plan as well as a full defined contribution option structured like 401(k) style plans implemented in the private sector.

The changes are designed to ameliorate the more than $60 billion in unfunded liability of the State Employees Retirement System and the Public School Employees Retirement System. Those rising pension costs squeeze the states ability to fund all sorts of services, including schools, infrastructure and public safety.

Next up? Attacking municipal pension reform. Pennsylvania has about one quarter of the nations underfunded municipal pensionswhich similarly bleed communities across the state from providing needed services.
Michael Goot night and weekend editor Follow Michael Goot 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

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, I had just finished writing a couple of stories for Fosters Daily Democrat, which was a then-afternoon daily newspaper in New Hampshire. Because it was an afternoon paper, I came in at 5 a.m. and the deadline for stories was 8 a.m. unless it was on the front page. It was a beautiful Indian summer day and I was looking forward to possibly taking the afternoon off.

I had been at the job for six months  my first newspaper reporting job after 2  years as a copy editor here at The Post-Star. I was working crazy hours  starting very early and sometimes going home in the afternoon for a nap before covering a city council or planning board meeting in the evening. I clearly remember having no meetings or events to cover the rest of the day. I think I did not even bring my lunch, so sure was I that it was going to be a light day.

Just before 9 a.m., the advertising representative in our building called the front desk and said that a plane had just struck the World Trade Center. We did not have a television in the bureau, so we turned on the radio. Then, the ad rep told us about the second plane hitting and we knew that this was could not have been an accident, but America was under attack.

When the Pentagon was hit, I was thinking O my God. How many of these attacks are we going to endure? Thankfully, the passengers of United Flight 93 were able to overtake the hijackers and redirect the plane away from Washington, D.C. where it was likely to hit the Capitol building or the White House, before crashing in Pennsylvania.

We were called up to the main office in Dover for an emergency meeting, where I saw the attacks on the World Trade Center for the first time on the CNN replay. I found it very disturbing to look at and I still have difficulty viewing it to this day.

The reporters fanned out for various assignments regarding the attacks including protecting a local port and shipyard. The weeks that followed were a blur of stories about security upgrades and anthrax/powder scares.

I hope the United States never suffers a terrorist attack of that magnitude ever again.
Hurricane Irma finished cutting a swath through Florida Monday and was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved into Georgia.

But the effects of the former Category 5 hurricane include ongoing flooding and downed trees, according to former local residents in the state.

The effects have even reached Lisa and Charlie Clark of Gansevoort, who had been working with Hurricane Harvey evacuees in the Dallas area of Texas.

Monday, they left for Corpus Christi, Texas  six hours south  to prepare shelters for Hurricane Irma evacuees. Previously, shelters in the Dallas area had been taking in Harvey evacuees, who had originally been moved to Louisiana, but had to be sent back to Texas because of incoming evacuees from Florida.

Charlie and I have received news that we have been chosen to accompany two other team members to Corpus Christi and help establish new shelters in the wake of Irma, Lisa Clark, assistant director of nursing at Washington Center in Argyle, wrote in a Facebook post.

Florida hit hard

While Hurricane Irma lost much of its strength as it moved up Floridas west coast, it still left devastation in its wake.

Cameron Mitchell, formerly of South Glens Falls, said he and his wife rode out the storm at the Delray Medical Center, but he posted that roughly two dozen trees were uprooted around the hospital.

Robert Hendrick, formerly of Glens Falls, is in Fort Myers, and he wrote in a Facebook message that the the eye wall of the hurricane hit his neighborhood at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

The winds are 102 mph, and our street is flooded, he wrote Sunday. A day later, he wrote, the streets were still flooded and his home was without power.

Sharon Gillis, a former Argyle resident now living in Polk County in the center of the state, said she was relieved when she looked around Monday.

Ive lost a lot of pool screens, some roof shingles and there are tons of tree limbs and branches down, but overall thats not bad considering the eye wall passed over us last night, she wrote in an email.

She said her neighborhood was under a curfew until 3 p.m. Monday.

At that time Ill be heading out to inspect the 30 short-term vacation homes that I manage for international owners, she wrote. Now comes the hard work with insurance claims, cleanup and the like.

Oh and prayers that Jose turns around and goes out to sea, she added. Hurricane season doesnt end until Nov. 1, so heres hoping this is the last one we have to deal with this season.

Another week

For Lisa Clark, the one-two hurricane punch means she will be spending an extra week volunteering with the Red Cross.

And my deployment has also been extended by another week. That would not be possible without the continued support of Washington Center and Centers Health Care, she wrote. Thank you all for your continued support, kind words, little notes. You are all the best.

When Clark asked for vacation time to go to Texas, her administrator said Washington Center would continue to pay her. Charlie Clark will be coming home next week as planned.

Lisa Clark was first stationed at a smaller shelter in Irving, Texas, with fewer than 150 people, then joined her husband at the mega-shelter at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, which was outfitted to handle up to 5,000 people.

Its like a city, Clark wrote, noting that the state Department of Motor Vehicles, Verizon, AT&T, HUD, FEMA and workforce agencies all had tables set up to assist evacuees in trying to get life back in order.

Clark is working on medical relief in the shelter.

We have a medical clinic that reminds me of M*A*S*H, set up with tarps and separated into units like pediatrics, ICU and isolation. There is also a Wal-Mart pharmacy set up so we can fill prescriptions on-site.

Wal-Mart also has a pop-up store with incidentals and clothing, shoes ... free to each evacuee, she added.

One of the things she has been doing is processing health reviews for new volunteers, and she wrote that she did 84 volunteers in a single day.

They were mostly local, but Ive also met new people from all over the country, Clark wrote. This definitely has renewed my view of us humans.
HUDSON FALLS  A four-time felon was jailed after a man awoke to find him eating donuts in his home early Thursday, police said.

Questor L. French, 41, was arrested after the homeowner was awakened around 4:30 a.m. to noises in his home, police records show.

He found French in the home eating Entenmann's donuts, and as the man called police, French went to sleep on a couch, records show.

French was arrested minutes later and charged with third-degree burglary, a felony, and misdemeanor petit larceny, police said.

He was arraigned in Kingsbury Town Court and sent to Washington County Jail. He has four prior felony convictions, so no bail could be set in a lower court.
Bike helmets offered to families

FORT EDWARD  Washington County Public Health officials are working with local rescue squads to distribute free bike helmets to low-income families living in Washington County.

In New York state, bicyclists, inline skaters and non-motorized scooter operators younger than 14 years old are required by law to wear safety-certified bicycle helmets.

Any parent or guardian whose child violates the helmet law is subject to a fine of up to $50. Helmets also significantly reduce the risk of sustaining a serious head injury when fitted properly.

Washington County Public Health and its partnering agencies will have a limited number of helmets available by appointment. To be eligible for the program, a family must live in Washington County and must qualify for low-income programs.

At the bike helmet appointment, parents/guardians and children will be educated on proper helmet fit and other bike safety information. Help is also available for those who already have helmets.

To schedule an appointment, contact the nearest agency. Those participating are the Cambridge Rescue Squad, 518-677-8211; Easton-Greenwich Rescue Squad, 518-507-6507; Granville Rescue Squad, 518-642-1830; Salem Rescue Squad, 518-854-7199; or Washington County Public Health, 518-746-2400, ext. 3478.
NEWCOMB  State forest rangers and police are searching for a New Jersey man who was reported missing after he failed to return from a hike in the western High Peaks.

Alex Stevens, 28, of Hopewell, N.J., went into the Western High Peaks Wilderness on Sept. 2 for a three-day trip, but has not been heard from since.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation said his family reported him missing Sunday, and his vehicle was found in the Upper Works Trailhead parking lot off county Route 25. He signed the trail register, and may have been planning to camp near Wallface Mountain.

The DEC said 27 forest rangers, a State Police helicopter and volunteers were involved in the search effort Monday.

Stevens was described as a 5-foot-11, 220 pound, white male with blue eyes and brown hair. He was last seen on September 2 near the base of Wallface Mountain wearing sandals, shorts, and a dark blue t-shirt. He may be carrying a green colored, light backpack with a silver foam bed roll attached. He has longer hair that he typically wears in a "bun," and glasses.

Anyone with information in the case was asked to call State Police at 897-2000.
HUDSON FALLS  The Glens Falls man charged with murder and arson for the death of his girlfriend in a fire last week has hired his own lawyer and had his latest court hearing postponed.

Derrick M. Guilder has retained Saratoga Springs attorney Theresa Suozzi to represent him in connection with the Sept. 6 fire on North Street that killed 18-year-old Ashley Coltrain.

Suozzi was hired Friday, and agreed to waive a preliminary hearing that had been scheduled for Monday afternoon. That hearing was meant to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to continue to have Guilder held in Washington County Jail, pending a grand jury review.

He is due back in court on Oct. 11. Suozzi did not return a phone call for comment Monday.

Guilder had been represented by the Washington County Public Defenders Office at his arraignment.

Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan said he anticipated that a Washington County grand jury would review the case in the coming weeks, but no date had been set as of Monday.

Guilder, 22, was arrested about 20 hours after he escaped the early morning fire that claimed Coltrains life. He suffered smoke inhalation, and when questioned at Glens Falls Hospital after the fire, admitted he started the fire by setting papers ablaze, then fled while Coltrain was asleep in a bedroom.

Hudson Falls Police said he intended to kill Coltrain and himself, but panicked and fled out a window onto a porch roof, where police and firefighters rescued him. They were unable to get into the burning house to get Coltrain, however.

Guilder, a housekeeper at Glens Falls Hospital, had been staying in the two-story North Street home with Coltrain, whose family had rented it for a year or so. Her mother had died 10 days earlier, and they lived there alone at the time of the fire.

When he was arraigned Thursday, Guilder told Kingsbury Town Justice Michael Keenan he lived on Fourth Street in Glens Falls.

Jordan said the recent spate of senseless violence in the region was concerning, particularly because a number of the cases involve young people accused of murder. Murder charges were filed against young people in Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties in separate cases in recent weeks.

I think as a society we have to take a look at why this is happening, he said.

In the coming months, Jordans office has two murder cases to prosecute as well as the case of a registered sex offender from Kingsbury who is accused of inappropriate contact with numerous local boys.
FORT EDWARD  A Fort Edward man whose probation officers found was pretending to be a young girl to convince a teenage boy to send him nude photos has been charged with a felony in federal court.

James J. Mattison, 46, was charged Thursday with sexual exploitation of a child in U.S. District Court in Albany after an investigation by Washington County probation officers and the FBI, court records show.

Authorities said Mattison created an online account on a social media website pretending to be a girl named Megan Mattison and started a conversation with a 13-year-old boy from Georgia. Mattison convinced the teen to send him sexually explicit photos by pretending to be the young girl who was threatening suicide unless he complied, court records show.

The boy ultimately sent him numerous explicit photos, according to the FBI.

Police learned of the communication from Washington County probation officers, who searched Mattisons cellphone as part of routine supervision of him for a 2015 felony grand larceny conviction in Washington County Court.

Probation officers Kevin Ely and Dan Boucher discovered the messages last October and notified State Police.

In a statement to the FBI, Mattison is quoted as saying that he was having a hard time meeting women and online sex conversations helped relieve my stress.

He said he used different social media to look for sex, especially with men to avoid the mother of his child or children finding out and hurting a child custody case he had pending at the time.

In the beginning I was looking for pictures or conversation but I found I liked the combination of the sexual talk and pictures, the FBI quoted Mattison as saying.

The FBI located the boy in Georgia and confirmed his age and that he had been involved with an online conversation with a person who identified themselves as Megan Mattison.

Mattison was arraigned Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Stewart and was sent to Rensselaer County Jail for lack of bail.

He was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in state prison for violating probation in the grand larceny case.

He faces up to 30 years in federal prison for the federal charge.
GREENWICH  An Albany County man who police believe was traveling around the Northeast and scamming churches out of money was arrested Friday for allegedly ripping off a church in Greenwich.

State Police believe there are likely more local victims of Coeymans resident Joseph Viscusi, who was charged with misdemeanor scheme to defraud after a nine-month investigation into his contact with St. Josephs Church in Greenwich.

He also was arrested in eastern Massachusetts for a similar alleged scam in 2014, prior media reports show. State Police are trying to determine whether there are additional local victims.

Police said Viscusi called churches begging for money and telling fabricated stories about family or health problems, oftentimes convincing members of the clergy to give him hundreds of dollars at a time, State Police Investigator David Mosher said.

He called Father Martin Fisher at St. Josephs in November 2013, saying he was unemployed, had a sick wife and needed help buying a bed for his child, police said. The church gave him $225 from a charity fund at that point, Mosher said.

Last December, Viscusi called the church again with the same tale, and Fisher pointed out that he had called years earlier and been given a check.

Mosher said Viscusi became combative, leaving numerous threatening messages on the churchs answering machine that prompted State Police to be contacted.

Police had been seeking Viscusi for months, and had information he had been going to churches as far west as Buffalo and as far south as Poughkeepsie, fishing for donations. Sometimes he had a female accomplice, whose role in the alleged crimes police are still investigating.

We have information he went to local churches in Glens Falls, Cambridge and Salem, Mosher said.

He was located Friday in Cohoes, and was cooperative with State Police and wrote an apology letter saying he didnt want to hurt anybody, police said.

Fisher could not be reached Monday.

Viscusi was arraigned before Greenwich Justice Barbara Roberts and released on his own recognizance despite his residence outside the region, criminal history and a request by Washington County First Assistant District Attorney Christian Morris that bail be set.

Viscusi was also arrested in Uxbridge, Massachusetts in May 2014 when he and a woman were charged with fabricating tales of woe to solicit donations there. The disposition of those charges was not available Monday.

Police said felony charges are possible, depending on the number of victims. Anyone with information in the case is asked to call Mosher at 518-692-3016.
QUEENSBURY  SUNY Adirondack officials are looking for more financial support from Warren and Washington counties to prevent steeper tuition increases in the future.

Ann Marie Somma, the colleges vice president of administrative services, said that Warren County contributed about $1.97 million to the colleges operating budget and Washington County contributed $1.46 million. The combined investment represents about 11.5 percent of the college budget.

Other community colleges of comparable size to SUNY Adirondack have an average sponsor contribution of about 15.6 percent, according to Somma, who made a presentation Friday to a joint meeting of the Warren and Washington counties higher education committee.

About 44 percent of the colleges budget is funded through student tuition, Somma added, which compares with 40.4 percent for other community colleges. SUNY Adirondack has the seventh-lowest tuition in the New York state community college system.

State aid funds about 28 percent of the budget. About 11.5 percent is funded through chargebacks, the money sent by counties outside Warren and Washington counties if their students attend SUNY Adirondack. Miscellaneous revenue and grants fund about 5 percent.

We do an excellent job of maintaining our expenses, Somma said.

Were in pretty good shape right now. We want to make sure we stay that way, she added.

Somma offered a hypothetical example of what would happen if counties contribution rate increased from 11.7 percent of the budget to 14 percent in 2014-2025. That would bring an additional $1.6 million into the college.

To get to the level the college is seeking, the counties contribution would have to increase by a lot, since the colleges budget increases every year. Now, just to maintain their current share of the college budget, the counties contribution increases 2 percent each year.

Hebron Supervisor Brian Campbell said boosting funding would be difficult.

I dont think our boards could get that support to go faster than that 2 percent, he said.

Somma said college officials want a dialogue with supervisors. She said something is going to have to give, as costs rise and state aid remains relatively flat.

Student tuition is going to have to grow as a larger percentage

of operating revenue, she said.

Somma said, at the current pace, in seven years SUNY Adirondacks tuition  currently $2,196 per semester for a full-time, in-state student, would be at the same level as tuition at four-year SUNY campuses.

There is another consequence of having a lower county contribution rate, according to Somma. The rate per full-time equivalent student is set to mirror how much the college receives in money from sponsoring counties.

SUNY Adirondack has many students from outside the two counties because of the Wilton campus and the residence hall, she said. Although the college has received more money in chargebacks than it has ever before, it is still toward the bottom of community colleges in chargeback revenue.

Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ron Conover said the low chargeback rate comes back to hurt the college in trying to keep up with maintenance.

Only the operating rate is based upon the sponsor contribution. The college receives a flat $300 per full-time student in chargeback for capital expenses.

Washington County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bob Henke asked if the legislators could lobby for more aid. The state is constitutionally obligated to provide more funding for these colleges.

College officials said the Legislature passes an amendment every year to exempt itself from that requirement, however.

College President Kristine Duffy said representatives from SUNY Adirondack and other colleges are out there advocating every year. But by the time Gov. Andrew Cuomo comes out with his budget, it is too late.

Somma added that the college has been aggressive in pursuing grants. For example, the nearly $10 million project to build the Adirondack Regional Workforce Readiness Center is being completely funded by a SUNY 2020 grant.

The college has been fortunate that its enrollment has not declined as much as its peer institutions. But Duffy said regional high schools have fewer students, which will contribute to smaller incoming classes.

Duffy said college officials were not appearing before county officials to tell them to give them more money, but to present the colleges financial picture.

She said the supervisors would be invited to a workshop scheduled in October to gather input into the colleges next three- to five-year master plan.

Conover said the county has rising costs in health insurance and other expenses and has to deal with the constraints of the tax cap.

Youre facing the same challenges that all of us are facing, he said.

Campbell said he appreciated the information.

I think its a great job that you presented it to us, so we can see where were going, he said.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:

Home Regional News East
Finding Peace of Mind: Discover These Five Places in Europe to Unwind
Mitchell A. Gayer sniffled and hunched around a small microphone as he told a packed Rock Island County courtroom Monday about the guilt he felt for his role in a fatal crash that left his two friends dead in 2013.

This is a life sentence of guilt I live with every day, the 27-year-old Andalusia man said of the deaths of Jamie Sedam and Clayton Carver. There is not a prison sentence, letter, hope or anything I can say that can fix this mistake.

I wish there was something I could do to bring them both back to all of us.

During a lengthy sentencing hearing Monday, Judge Richard Zimmer sentenced Gayer to eight years in prison in the deaths of Sedam, 22, of Port Byron, and Carver, 24, of Taylor Ridge. He must serve 85 percent of the sentence before he is eligible for parole.

He was given credit for 214 days he already served in the Rock Island County Jail. Once he completes his prison sentence, Gayer must serve two years of mandatory supervised release.

Zimmer ordered Gayer, who has been free on bond since January, to immediately be taken into custody. Gayer hugged family members before deputies led him out of the courtroom.

Gayer entered an Alford plea in late January to one count of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, a Class 2 felony. In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but agrees the prosecution likely could prove the charge at trial.

According to Rock Island County Sheriffs deputies, Gayer lost control of his 1999 Chevrolet S10 on a curve on 51st Street West near Milan and swerved off the road and into a ditch and hit a tree on Nov. 27, 2013.

Gayer himself sustained serious injuries and was in a coma for two weeks.

According to prior court testimony, Gayer had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.146, nearly twice the legal limit to drive.

Gayer has maintained that he has no memory of the crash itself or the events leading up to it.

In January 2015, he entered an Alford plea to one count of aggravated driving under the influence and was sentenced in May 2015 to 18 years in prison.

He later filed a motion to take back the plea and argued that his former attorney, William Schick, was ineffective.

On Dec. 30, 2015, Associate Judge Thomas Berglund granted his request to take back his plea and vacated his prison sentence.

For nearly 17 minutes Monday, Gayer addressed the judge, the families of Sedam and Carver, and his own family.

He talked about Sedams deep blue eyes and that she was the first woman he ever loved. He said Carver was like a brother to him.

Gayer said he wished he had died that night, instead of them.

"I wake up, I think about them, he said. I go to work and think about them. I sleep, I dream about them."

Gayer vowed that he will continue to work toward paying restitution to the families.

Sedams aunt, Vickie Sedam, said she had empathy for all the families, including Gayers, because every one of you made a really bad decision that day.

I wish you chose not to get behind the wheel and drive," she said. I wish Jamie and Clayton would have chosen not to get into the truck  but you guys did.

Vickie Sedam said she hoped Gayer would accept responsibility for his role in the crash.

Jamie and Clayton did, because they paid with their lives, she said.

Rock Island County States Attorney John McGehee also submitted the transcripts of prior victim impact statements from family members, including Sedams mother, Tracey OHara, during the hearing.

He asked Zimmer to hand down a 14-year sentence, saying that it was reasonable, necessary and proper in the case.

He argued that Gayer had a responsibility to his passengers that night when he chose to get behind the wheel of his truck.

Life is about choices, and sometimes one bad decision can change your life forever," McGehee said. But, he was put on notice for this, everybody is put on notice for this, that if you drink and drive, your reaction time is not as good and you can cause serious, serious injury and, in this case, death.

Gayers attorney, Katherine Drummond, argued for a shorter sentence, citing his lack of criminal history and compliance with the terms of his pretrial release.

She said that her client suffered a brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder from the crash and was crippled with grief and depression over the deaths of his friends.

Zimmer said the crash was preventable.

This is a case where deterrence is an important factor here, he said. I understand and completely believe Mr. Gayers total remorse. I believe Mr. Gayer would absolutely change things if he absolutely could  but there does have to be punishment.
BURLINGTON, Iowa  Authorities have released the name of a man who died in a hospital after being shot in southeast Iowa.

Police say officers sent to a northeast Burlington neighborhood around 6 a.m. Sunday found the wounded man. He was pronounced dead at Great River Medical Center. Police identified him Monday as 26-year-old Demarcus Antonio Chew.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is aiding local investigators. No arrests have been reported.
Church roof repair

Reporter Alma Gaul gives you the story on roof repairs you may have seen among the area's Catholic churches.

Gaul writes:

"Anyone who's happened by Davenport's Sacred Heart Cathedral recently can't help but stop and stare. The soaring, 170-foot steeple of the Catholic church at 10th and Iowa streets is positively shrouded in scaffolding.

"The reason for all the metal framing is that the roof and steeple are being reshingled and repaired because of damage caused by an Oct. 6 tornado. This is the same storm that damaged the roofs on the Scott County Jail and the King's Harvest homeless shelter in downtown Davenport, said Dave Donovan, emergency management coordinator for the Scott County Emergency Management Agency."

Get the rest here.

Iowa sends help

Some of those heading out just got back Friday from a seven-day mission to Texas, where they were sent to help with the response to Hurricane Harvey.
The Iowa Army National Guard is joining the military response to Hurricane Irma in Florida, with four helicopters and 19 soldiers deploying Monday.

Some of those heading out just returned back Friday from a seven-day mission to Texas, where they were sent to help with the response to Hurricane Harvey.

On Monday afternoon, soldiers were making last-minute checks and packing up gear and supplies at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Davenport to sustain them on their mission.

With some having only the weekend to rest, it was a quick turnaround. "Definitely back to back is not something expected, but it's something we can handle, no problem," Capt. Chris Gericke, of Davenport, said, shortly before he and the crew of a CH-47F Chinook helicopter were to take off.

Two Chinooks and two LUH-72 Lakota helicopters were leaving Monday afternoon. The Chinooks and one of the Lakotas are based at the Davenport facility. The other Lakota is based in Waterloo.

Several of the soldiers said they didn't know precisely what their mission would be yet  they'll find that out when they get to their staging areas. But, in Texas, the Chinooks were moving food, water and other equipment, while the Lakota helicopters are equipped to do such things as search and rescue missions and damage assessments, officials said.

The Lakotas can shoot video and transmit images so that, among other things, authorities are more efficient at deploying resources, said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Cory Crain, a pilot and instructor at the Davenport facility. Crain was not traveling to Florida but was briefing reporters on the mission Monday.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Scott Millman, an EMS pilot who lives in Cedar Falls and who has deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and Egypt, said he got 48-hours' notice for this new mission. While he didn't know what to fully expect, he said they were told to plan on the possibility of a two-week stint. He did expect to be busy.

"We know sometimes the days run long," he said.

Soldiers from the units leaving Monday are based in Davenport, Iowa City, Boone and Waterloo. The state of Florida requested assistance from the state of Iowa. Both states are part of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a mutual aid agreement that involves all 50 states, two territories and the District of Columbia, and commits states to help each other in certain circumstances.

The Lakotas will be based at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida, while the Chinooks will go where they're needed once they arrive, officials said. It will take two days for the Lakotas to make the trip to Florida, but the Chinooks, which have larger fuel capacity, will make the trip in a day.

The soldiers are from the following units:

Company A, 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation, Security and Support (Waterloo)

Company B, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion (Davenport)

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 67th Troop Command (Iowa City)

Company C, 2-147th Aviation (Boone)

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division (Boone)

Company D, 2-211th General Aviation Support Battalion (Davenport)
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management have ordered 19 soldiers, two CH-47F Chinook helicopters, and two LUH-72 Lakota helicopters from the Iowa Army National Guard to areas ravaged by Hurricane Irma.

The units left Monday to provide support response operations for Hurricane Irma.

The team is comprised as follows:

 Company A, 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation, Security and Support (Waterloo);

 Company B, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion (Davenport);

 Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 67th Troop Command (Iowa City);

 Company C, 2-147th Aviation (Boone);

 Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division (Boone);

 Company D, 2-211th General Aviation Support Battalion (Davenport);

These aircraft and crew members will be used to move supplies, equipment and people; support search and rescue operations; and provide situational awareness to response planning and operations.

The two Chinook helicopters and one Lakota will be sourced from the Davenport Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF). A second Lakota will be sourced from the Waterloo AASF.
Burlington, Iowa, police have released the name of a Burlington man who was shot and killed early Sunday.

Demarcus Antonio Chew, 26, has been identified as the man who was fatally shot shortly before 6 a.m. in the area of North 5th and Iowa streets, where Burlington police and a Burlington Ambulance crew responded. Chew was transported by ambulance to Great River Medical Center, where he later was pronounced dead.
Connie Morris, of Coal Valley, Illinois, says her faith in God is helping her believe her sons near Naples, Florida, will be fine.

Nathan Morris, his wife Stefani and 7-week-old daughter Maggie live in Ave Maria, Florida, about 35 miles from Naples. Connie Morriss youngest son Ben Morris lives in the same house.

The home, Connie Morris said, was built after Hurricane Andrew. The whole town has been built with (hurricane) Category 5 building codes, including Ave Maria Catholic Church.

Nathan Morris does maintenance and custodial work for the church, she said. There are very few windows in the church, but the windows it does have can withstand up to a Category 5, she said.

Nathan Morris helped prepare the church to be a shelter if it is needed.

Ave Maria University, which has generators, opened up its rooms so families could reserve rooms and seek shelter there if need be.

Theres nothing I can do. I can pray, she said. Yes, Im nervous. Im their mother. When I talked to him this past week about leaving, he said Theres not enough gas. Im not going out there and getting stuck on the highway."

Her sons' friend contacted her Sunday evening to let her know that both her sons are fine.

Nathan Morris reserved a room at the university for his family in case they would have to leave. They gave up their spot to good friends of the family, Connie Morris said. The women are all at the university, Connie Morris said. Her sons and their friend, along with four dogs, are all together in the friends home about a block away from the Morris house.

They are not in that surge zone. They dont have to worry about the flooding, Connie Morris said.

Another of Connie Morriss sons, Michael Morris, is in the U.S. Air Force in Fort Walton Beach in the Florida Panhandle. Her fourth son, Mark Morris, is in Georgia.
A good Monday to all. Welcome to some great weather in the Quad-Cities, while prayers go out to those in Irma's path, and a moment of silence as a 9/11 remembrance. Here are the weather details from the National Weather Service.

1. Sunny with a high in the upper 70s

Today will be sunny with a high near 77 degrees and a low around 52 degrees.

Tuesday will be sunny with a high near 80 degrees and a low around 53 degrees.

2. Massive, but weakened Irma, lashes Florida with wind, rain

A massive but weakened Hurricane Irma zeroed in on the Tampa Bay region after hammering much of Florida with roof-ripping winds, gushing floodwaters and widespread power outages.

Irma continued its slog north along Florida's western coast having blazed a path of unknown destruction. With communication cut to some of the Florida Keys, where Irma made landfall Sunday, and rough conditions persisting across the peninsula, many held their breath for what daylight might reveal.

The monster storm measured more than 400 miles (640 kilometers) wide, and its winds of up to 130 mph (210 kph) sucked the ocean water out of bays, swamped much of downtown Miami and toppled at least three constructions cranes  two over downtown Miami and one in Fort Lauderdale.

More than 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

Irma's center was about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area early Monday, though in a much-weakened state. While it arrived in Florida a Category 4 hurricane, it was down to a Category 1 with winds of 85 mph (135 kph).

Continued weakening was forecast and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Irma was expected to become a tropical storm over northern Florida or southern Georgia later today.

Meanwhile, more than 160,000 people waited in shelters statewide. There were no immediate reports of deaths in Florida.

3. Nation marks 9/11 anniversary

While the U.S. contends with the destruction caused by two ferocious hurricanes in three weeks, Americans also are marking the anniversary of one of the nation's most scarring days.

Thousands of 9/11 victims' relatives, survivors, rescuers and others will gather today at the World Trade Center to remember the deadliest terror attack on American soil.

Sixteen years later, the quiet rhythms of commemoration have become customs: a recitation of all the names of the dead, moments of silence and tolling bells, and two powerful light beams that shine through the night.

The U.S. marks the 16th anniversary of the terror attacks with ceremonies at the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and the Flight 93 crash site in Pennsylvania. Read more.

4. Davenport road work update

Here's the latest in lane reductions and road closures in Davenport.

 Bridge Avenue will be closed between Kirkwood Boulevard and E. 12th Street beginning Tuesday for resurfacing work. The project is expected to be completed by Oct. 27 depending on weather and subsurface conditions. Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route.

 The right/east curb lane of Brady Street from Kimberly Road to 42nd Street will be closed beginning today to repair a catch basin. Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 19.

 Work to repair a sewer has closed the eastbound curb lane of Locust Street from Vine to Warren streets. Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 22.

 Work continues on Brady Street, Elmore Avenue, Forest Grove Road, Kimberly Road and Division Street, Locust Street, Rockingham Road, Veterans Memorial Road, and Waverly Road and Lincoln Avenue.

5. ICYMI: Our big story  Unfit for trial?

From arson to murder, people accused of a crime have the right to know what's happening to them. In an increasing number of cases, attorneys are asking to have defendants evaluated for mental fitness. It's not the same as seeking to prove someone is not guilty by reason of insanity.

It's about evaluating a person's competency  their ability to understand the criminal proceedings they face and to assist in their own defense.

In several recent cases in the Quad-Cities, the courts and the mental-health system have worked to reach a necessary conclusion: Fit or unfit?

Reporter Tara Becker has been looking at all that goes into a fitness ruling, including how it works and how mental-health problems affect the criminal justice system. Read more.

6. Deadline approaching for Halloween parade signup

The deadline for completing your application for participating in Davenport's Halloween parade is fast approaching. Deadline is noon Tuesday for the 2 p.m., Oct. 28 parade.

Applications will be accepted on a first come-first serve basis until line-up space is filled, or until noon Tuesday. For more information and questions email halloweenparade@ci.davenport.ia.us or call 563-326-7711.

Parade entrants will be required to pick-up their information packet, including entry number signage, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 24 or from noon to 1 p.m., Oct. 25 in Council Chambers at City Hall; 226 W. 4th St.
COLONA, Illinois  Forty people, many of them veterans and firefighters, gathered at the Veterans Memorial Pavilion in Colona for a Sept. 11, 2001 tribute presented by the Green Rock-Colona American Legion Post 1233 and its auxiliary.

Weve been attacked. Those are the first words I heard before everything in our country changed, said Angela Golightly, an auxiliary member. They say everyone remembers where they were when it started, and it seems to be true.

She said the community had wanted to hold a 9/11 tribute for some time. Now with hurricanes devastating our land and seeing our communities band together in support, it seems this years commemorating is so very fitting, she said. We need God and each other to make sense of it all and support one another through these hard times in life.

On that day, 2,996 people were killed in attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and when a hijacked plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. More than 6,000 others were wounded.

Since then, thousands of men and women have died protecting this country," said Colona Mayor Rick Lack.

Wed like to remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, said Fire Chief John Swan. That September day is remembered each day by our men and women serving in the military.

May God bless us all and the ones that have gone before us, he said.

Barbara Ritter talked about being an American Gold Star Inc. mother (these are mothers of members of the United States armed forces who are missing in action or died as a result of their service. ) She discussed how the ripple effect of 9/11 made an impact on her son, Leevon, and the entire nation. In 2001, she and her children were in New York City on top of the trade towers, she said. My son Leevon kept his ticket. He was only 13 years old.

He then enlisted in the U.S. Army, completed two tours in Iraq, and was killed in a crash in 2012. His legacy continues on at the Sgt. Leevon Ritter Support Your Troops Resale Center, Killeen, Texas.

During a candlelight vigil, Golightly led the group in singing God Bless America to end the observance, which also included a 21-gun salute.
Western Illinois University broadcasting students and recent broadcasting graduates have won three Student Television Awards in the 2017 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Student Awards competition.

Broadcasting alumni, including Megan Sanchez of Bettendorf, won for outstanding newscast, for their work on the student-produced newscast, NEWS3 "Live at 4" from Nov. 17, 2016. The 30-minute live production contained live reports from Canton, Illinois, one day after a major gas explosion downtown. Sanchez served as producer.
Western Illinois University Quad-Cities campus will celebrate Founders' Day Tuesday, Sept. 26, in honor of the 1899 bill that established the university, which was then called Western Illinois State Normal School.

The celebration will begin with a breakfast at 7:30 a.m. in the Rock Island County Board Community Room in Riverfront Hall on the WIU-QC campus. A program will follow at 8 a.m.

Kirk Dillard, WIU Alumnus Class of 1977, former state senator and chair of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Board of Directors will be the guest speaker.

The event is free and open to the public.

Founders' Day, which began in 1994, celebrates the beginning of the University that evolved from the Western Illinois Normal and Training School with 229 students to today's university, which offers a comprehensive curriculum to nearly 10,000 students.
Nuclear threats by North Korea frighten us and terrify South Koreans, who could suffer devastating losses in a conflict. But Donald Trump apparently sees the crisis as an occasion to threaten South Korea's economy, as well as its leadership's manhood.

First he accused South Korea of "appeasement" for wanting to negotiate with North Korea. Then he talked of ditching America's free trade agreement with the country.

By the way, Trump campaigned on his willingness to talk to North Korea's bizarre leader. He called Kim Jong Un "a pretty smart cookie" and said he'd be "honored" to meet him.

As for trade with South Korea, the U.S. has a $28 billion trade deficit on goods but an $11 billion surplus on services. South Korea is also a major market for many U.S. ranchers, farmers and manufacturers.

Reportedly, none of the president's advisers involved in Korean policy wanted to drag trade into this volatile situation.

As for South Koreans, they worry that Trump is "kind of nuts," according to a former State Department expert on the region.

Blustering about a trade war with a key ally in a dangerous confrontation is insane. What's it about? It could reflect a sadistic impulse to exact pain when people are down. It could be an exercise in "base" cultivation, stoking the uninformed belief that free trade is a kind of foreign aid, a one-way street benefiting foreigners at the expense of Americans. It could be he has no idea what he's doing.

Whatever. Many factors fuel trade deficits. They do not equal "losing."

About 60 percent of America's imports are for intermediate goods. These are things that go into final Made-in-USA products. For example, shared auto production with Mexico lowers the finished U.S. vehicle's price. This helps higher-skilled U.S. workers compete globally.

Rather than coolly renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement to America's advantage, Trump is making this country look ridiculous and weak. It's Canada that is demanding higher labor and environmental standards. That would include stopping a member from cutting its commitment to address climate change to attract investment. (Who could that be?)

Mexico has joined Canada in standing firm against an American proposal to set a minimum amount of U.S. content to qualify for tariff-free access. And Mexico says it's ready to walk out on the talks.

Incoherence reigns. Former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick notes that in its NAFTA negotiations, the Trump administration is "pressing for provisions from the TPP that Mr. Trump denounced."

The Trans-Pacific Partnership was created to help its 12 members better compete with China. You'd never have known this from the simple-minded populism, both left and right, that turned TPP into the enemy of the American worker. The thinking went: TPP has something to do with Asia. China is in Asia. Chinese imports are putting American factories out of business.

But China was not a member. TPP would have let America write the trade rules. Trump took this country out of TPP, and now China is writing the rules  and other countries are making their own deals.

No trade accord is perfect. Even the best ones hurt some domestic workers. The remedy for them is to secure the social safety net, especially guaranteeing health coverage, and retraining.

And what is the remedy for Trump's unhinged trade policies? Go around them.

The U.S. Constitution places most authority over trade with Congress. The Republican Congress' failure to accomplish much of anything thus far does not instill confidence in its ability to handle thorny trade issues.

But at the very least, lawmakers could, in Zoellick's words, "block Mr. Trump's crackup." They should know that tweets don't kill.
White supremacist hate groups have been with us since the presumed end of the Civil War. Hate groups formed because some had a tendency to see powerful forces undermine their point of view. The fear became hatred. The hatred was expressed in targeting the presumed enemy. Ending the Civil War will take a united people that doesnt allow hatred to define us.

According to an Aug. 28 Time magazine article, the Civil War never ended. After the Civil War, the Ku Klux Klan white supremacist hate group formed because members perceived an injustice in reconstruction laws favoring African Americans. White supremacists were outraged at the idea of losing Jim Crow laws. Segregationists believed in the denial of education and political rights to African Americans. The Ku Klux Klan organized lynching and church burnings to scare people from uniting.

Neo-Nazi hate groups formed because of the perceived threat of Jews. Jews were thought to influence banks, government, and politics, leading to anti-Semitism. The Cold War brought white supremacist and pro-Nazi groups to a common ground.

There is a belief by some that white Americans are under assault due to growing influence of minority groups, including immigrants, Hispanics, African Americans, Jews, and Muslims. These beliefs enable hate groups to a common cause.

Ending the Civil War and hate groups will not happen overnight. Until we come to realize we need to unite as one voice, the hate groups will continue to bully us into submission.

James Harder

Davenport
I am writing in support of Adam Holland and his candidacy for the Bettendorf School Board. I have worked alongside Adam on various projects for the past four years. Over the course of that time, Adam has shown to be thoughtful, diligent and fiscally responsible.

Our district is in a time of transition, ranging from our board to our administration, and Adam has the background and abilities to bring stability back to our district at a time when it is much needed.

From a planning aspect, Adam has always presented a fiscal year work plan that identifies clear goals with a plan and budget of how to achieve those goals. Over the past year, I challenged Adam to identify ways to reduce our budget in order for our geography to be competitive from a financial aspect. Adam accepted this challenge with a nearly 10 percent reduction in revenue while making sure that all property owners needs were still being met.

Along with the skill sets that I have mentioned, Adam is constantly looking for ways to improve. It is this type of thoughtfulness and leadership that our community needs as we move forward.

Laurie Peters

Bettendorf
The 2017 South Dakota Hereford Tour will be Friday and Saturday Sept. 15 and 16 at ranches in western South Dakota and the Black Hills.

The headquarters hotel is The Lodge at Deadwood. Registration and social will be Thursday evening.

The tours begins Saturday with breakfast at Amdahl Hereford & Angus/Jim Baker Herefords, north of Rapid City with display by Hillsview Ranch (Woods).

Participants will then travel to the Snyder Ranch at Tilford, just south of Sturgis near Interstate 90.

Then, travel to the Lonetree Ranch north of Rapid City where you will enjoy lunch.

Friday afternoon locations include McClure Polled Herefords of Hot Springs, Mount Rushmore and the

Frederickson Ranch at Spearfish. CHB will provide supper.

Saturday will begin with a visit to the Carmichael Herefords at Meadow. CHB will provide lunch. There will be displays by Longwood Herefords, Hermann Ranch, Weishaar Herefords and Tenold Ranch.

Participants will round out the day with tours of Hawks Herefords at Howes, Hovland Herefords at Milesville and Thorson Herefords at Quinn. CHB sponsors the supper.

Pre-Registration includes meals and bus: $75 for the weekend.

For more information or to register, contact South Dakota Hereford Association, Mark and Jeanne Johnson, managers, of Centerville. Phone: 605-957-5036; jeanne.johnson@yahoo.com; www.SouthDakotaHerefords.org
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. | The darkness retreats as the spotlight pierces the stage. The curtains roll back revealing the actors. They stand amongst their props as if they were not on stage but in the scenario itself. The scene is set and they take their place un-phased by a loud roar of applause before the performance begins.

The show unfolds and the audiences eyes follow the actors movements across the stage. There is laughter and there are tears; the scenes are burned as memories because of the emotional attachment. That is the power of a performance up close and personal and that is what the Sexual Assault Theater Group from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana intended.

The SATG came to Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota Aug. 28-30 to provide interactive training. They believe that lectures and slideshows are not always beneficial. So they decided to try something different.

One of the reasons we do this is to bring the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response training into a new light, said Tech Sgt. Charlton R. Nelson, noncommissioned officer in charge of the vehicle operations support center assigned to the 2nd Logistics Readiness squadron at Barksdale AFB. A lot of people get tired of slideshows and reading e-mails. They get tired of going to a meeting where someone is facilitating for an hour or more. We want to do something that keeps the audience on their toes and thinking about the scenarios.

In addition to sexual assault, the SATG highlights other issues which leaders at all levels may potentially face, either personally or while helping their Airmen.

The main focus of the performance is sexual assault, said Bernie McFarling, the sexual assault response coordinator assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing. They also include topics such as domestic violence, alcohol abuse, coercion and other kinds of intrapersonal and interpersonal violence. The group started from humble beginnings and has continued to grow.

The groups first performance was at a commanders call.

We thought it was going to be a hobby at first, but the reaction I got from my commander, first sergeant and peers showed otherwise, said Nelson. I knew then and there how impactful this message is and how it affects the mission in a positive way.

Air Force Global Strike Command is sending the SATG to multiple bases across its area of responsibility to spread the message that no matter how bad your situation is, you can get help and do not have to go at it alone. The performances highlight helping agencies available across the Air Force.

One of the topics mentioned was that victims dont always know where to go and what is a restricted and unrestricted report. A big part of this falls to the base chaplains who know the resources on base.

Chaplains are here to help but they can only do so much, said Capt. Ronald Feeson, a chaplain assigned to the 28th Bomb Wing. We are one of the first resources used by victims because we are strictly confidential. But sometimes we bring the person to another professional who has more expertise with their specific circumstance.

Victim advocates were available throughout the performance to provide assistance to anyone who felt uncomfortable during the play.

The actors are extremely passionate about spreading the message of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office, said McFarling. Some of them are victim advocates and some of the team members have experience with the topic presented in the show.

At the end of the play, the actors stayed in character and answered any questions the audience had. The comments ranged from feelings and responses, to hypothetical. The message was clear that people on base are here to help victims of sexual assault and other violent crimes but it all starts with one coming forward and letting these dedicated professionals help.

Ellsworth has plans to start their own theater group. The intent is to emulate the SATG team from Barksdale and spread the word about prevention and empathy.

One of the outcomes of this event is we would like to start our own theater group here at Ellsworth, said McFarling. Part of the reason the Barksdale team is here is to put on a workshop for us to show us behind the scenes and see what it looks like to start up a theater group.

For more information on becoming a victim advocate or to find out about the Ellsworth SAPR theater group, please visit the SAPR office in the Rushmore Center or call their office at (605) 385-5233.
A Colorado man accused of fatally shooting a female acquaintance on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation last September is set to plead guilty next month.

Orlando Guadalupe Jose Ephron Villanueva de Macias, 37, would plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of 34-year-old Annie Colhoff. The federal crime is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, but prosecutors have agreed to ask for no more than five years as part of Villanuevas plea deal with the government.

Villanueva admitted shooting Colhoff on Sept. 29 after they got into an argument at her home in Pine Ridge, according to a statement that accompanied the plea deal.

Both the defendant and Colhoff were armed with weapons, the two-page statement reads. The defendant walked out of Colhoffs residence and Colhoff, still armed with a knife, followed him continuing to quarrel. The defendant shot Colhoff four times with a handgun and fled the area.

Colhoff, also known as Chunta Suta Wi Colhoff, died from her gunshot wounds. The statement didnt say what she and Villanueva argued about.

Details about Colhoffs killing first emerged in April when a Pine Ridge woman, who said she witnessed the shooting, pleaded guilty to concealing information regarding the incident from authorities.

Tyler Schae Brewer, 26, pointed to Villanueva as the shooter. Brewer said she, Villanueva and another Pine Ridge woman drove to Colhoff's residence, where Colhoff had allowed Villanueva to temporarily stay. The shooting happened around 8 p.m., Brewer said, and afterwards the three of them fled to Rapid City.

There, they met up with Myles Tuttle and Tiffanee Garnier, both of whom would later be charged in the shooting death of Vincent Brewer III at a Pine Ridge youth center in October. Tuttle then drove Villanueva, Brewer and Garnier to Denver. Federal authorities have said there may be links to the two killings, which occurred about two weeks apart.

Villanueva, also known as Chris, was originally charged with second-degree murder and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was charged also with possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, being someone convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison.

These charges will be dismissed in accordance with his plea agreement. Second-degree murder, his most serious charge, had exposed him to a potential life sentence.

His lawyer, Ellery Grey, declined to divulge the factors that influenced prosecutors agreeing to cap their prison recommendation at five years. Grey said the reasons will become clear during Villanueva's sentencing hearing. It will be scheduled after his expected plea-change hearing Oct. 6 at the Rapid City federal courthouse. He is detained at the Pennington County Jail.

Villanueva and Brewer's other female companion, Stevie Ray Makes Good, was charged with making a false statement to authorities by saying she wasn't present at Colhoff's shooting. She earlier pleaded guilty to a drug offense under a plea deal.

Colhoffs shooting happened while Villanueva was on supervised release on a federal drug charge, according to Villanuevas order of detention after he was arrested in Colorado on Nov. 21.

The document says he has five felony convictions, including attempted second-degree assault and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
A Rapid City man accused of shooting at a sheriffs deputy during a fugitive search in July has been charged with multiple felonies, including attempted murder.

Cruz DeLeon, 21, was charged Wednesday with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer and committing a felony while carrying a firearm, according to Pennington County court records. The offenses each carry a sentence of up to 25 years in prison.

Authorities say DeLeon got into a confrontation with Pennington County Sheriffs Deputy Jakob Whittle while the deputy was looking for a woman with an outstanding arrest warrant at a Box Elder home on July 31.

DeLeon, whom Whittle reported seeing sitting in a minivan outside the home at 701 Halsey Drive, apparently provided the deputy with a false name. After refusing to follow an order to get out of the vehicle, DeLeon pointed a gun at Whittle, according to the South Dakota Attorney Generals Office summary of the incident.

Whittle fired at DeLeon, wounding him in the right arm. DeLeon also shot at the deputy twice, the report states. DeLeon was treated at Rapid City Regional Hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening and is now detained at the Pennington County Jail.

Whittle wasnt hurt in the incident and is back on duty. The attorney generals office ruled the shooting as justified in a statement released on Aug. 28.

The woman whom Whittle had been looking for, Cassandra Quiver of Rapid City, was arrested on her drug warrant following the shooting. She is also detained at the county jail.

DeLeon was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance after investigators said multiple drug paraphernalia were recovered from his minivan, including snort tubes with meth residue. The offense is punishable by up to five years in prison.

He is facing also a misdemeanor charge of impersonation to deceive law enforcement officer, which carries a penalty of up to a year in county jail.
Editor's note: Today we start a four-part series introducing readers to the four candidates who have entered the race to be governor in 2018.

Lora Hubbel is a former legislator from Sioux Falls and is a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor in 2018.

Why shes running

Hubbel said she learned from her 2014 challenge to Gov. Dennis Daugaard it wasnt wise to run against the status quo. As for the rank and file of Republicans, however: Theyre my people.

I think I have the crowd. These labels have been applied to people they dont apply to, she said.

Hubbel told a story about a weak apple tree in her yard. She tried to get better apples. Finally she cut it down and planted a new tree. Now she has good apples.

She thinks that should happen in South Dakotas Republican Party. Cut down the corrupt tree, with its bad fruit of EB-5 and GEAR UP, and plant new, she said.

Former Gov. Mike Rounds, now a U.S. senator, hijacked South Dakota, and now our conservative state is the third-most reliant on the federal Obamacare health system, according to Hubbel.

The Common Core approach to K-12 education standards took hold during Rounds second term as governor and moved into place under Daugaards administration. Not a person alive likes Common Core, Hubbel said. Were a governing state for that. Not a participating state, but a governing state.

She sent a letter to Daugaard complaining about Common Core. She said he sent a letter back suggesting she do more research.

Where does the corruption come from? Hubbel asked. If theres no law with teeth, people are going to do it.

She added: Its morals. My compass, true north is true north. She said others have a legal compass  whats legal or not  or a money compass.

How shes organized her campaign

Hubbel said she waited too long to start her campaign in 2014 against Daugaard as he sought re-election. She began in October 2013.

This time, the governors election is an open seat, because of South Dakotas limit of two consecutive elections for state constitutional officers.

Thats my frustration. Theres better people to run, but theyre not, she said.

Hubbel served one term, 2011 through 2012, in the state House of Representatives. She lost three in a row since then.

She ran in the 2012 Republican primary against Sen. Deb Peters, R-Hartford. Peters won, 405 votes to 363.

Hubbel ran in the 2014 Republican primary for governor against Daugaard. He won, 60,017 votes to 14,196.

She challenged Peters again in a 2016 primary, and Peters won again, 569 votes to 441.

I know where the land mines are. Thats why Im running. I need to, Hubbel said.

One of her ideas is to pay legislators in proportion to how much they work. She wants federal money removed from state governments budget.

I have to knock a few walls down, she said. She added, If I could just control my mouth.

Obamacare health-insurance premiums cost more than some recipients house payments, she said. I saw how it was going to hurt people," she said.

One answer is in a book by former U.S. Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, according to Hubbel. Its pretty simple. We can refuse to implement it (Obamacare), she said.

How shes raising money

I havent even started yet, Hubbel said. She planned to flip three re-possessed houses she bought and use the proceeds as seed money. But that hasnt worked out.

She showed photos on her phone of one place, its rooms crammed with empty plastic bottles, including the spot where the former resident slept atop them. Shes been busy cleaning the mess.

I couldnt even hire somebody to do it, she said.

How she plans to pick her lieutenant governor: Hubbel said shes asked a person. Hes still thinking about it, she said.

How she greets people

She was guarded at the State Fair. She didnt know Republicans had a hall. She said her parents brought her to the fair as a child.
WHITE RIVER | After 66 years, a Lakota warrior is coming home.

Philip James Iyotte was born in Mellette County on Nov. 19, 1929, to Joseph and Florence (Menard) Iyotte but was raised by his father and his second wife, Rose (Highpine) Iyotte. As the oldest of 14 children, Phillip was reared in a two-story, five-bedroom home built in White River just north of the Rosebud Indian Reservation by his father, uncles and a brother.

As a young man, Iyotte was given the Lakota name Akicita Isnala Najin, meaning Soldier Who Stands Alone. No one could have known then how prescient that moniker would become.

A Lakota soldier

In 1950, at age 20, Iyotte enlisted in the U.S. Army, destined to serve the same country that had relegated his tribe to a remote reservation in southwest South Dakota. Following boot camp, the young soldier was assigned to the Armys 21st Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division and soon was deployed to the Korean conflict.

Fragments of an enemy missile seriously injured Iyotte in a battle on Sept. 2, 1950. After being hospitalized for treatment, Iyotte returned to his regiment and the war in just 19 days.

In the heat of combat near Seoul five months later, Iyotte and several of his fellow soldiers were captured by Chinese forces and marched to a prisoner of war encampment. An Army archival photograph from that day of his capture  Feb. 9, 1951  shows the young South Dakota soldier being held at gunpoint by the enemy.

When my uncle was captured, he was west of Seoul, and he and his fellow prisoners were made to walk, Iyottes 40-year-old niece, Dera Iyotte, said from her White River home last week. Two gentlemen, fellow Sioux, named Moses Garneaux and Norman White Buffalo Sr., were in the camp with my uncle.

They had to walk a long ways, and they were not getting proper nutrients, Dera explained. My uncle had been shot in the stomach, developed gangrene, when his friends told him they had found an escape route.

Unable to walk and knowing he would be unable to join the POWs in their dangerous flight to freedom, Iyotte sang them a Lakota honor song before their departure, Dera noted.

Then they shook hands, and the two men took off running, she said. They floated at sea for 18 days before a foreign fishing vessel picked them up, and they returned home. Thats all we know of him, this last story, because they had to leave him. But they made it home to tell my grandfather of their last time together.

Family pride

Deras pride at her relatives selfless service is apparent as she discusses his plight.

He was a warrior before the Army got him, a Lakota horseman, and he prayed and he sang those two men a song, which showed he had the biggest heart in the world, she said with faraway eyes. He was my uncle.

In the ensuing 66 years since the last word of the Lakota warrior filtered down to rural South Dakota, the Iyotte family never gave up hope for the warrior who mysteriously disappeared at the hands of his Chinese captors. They maintained contact with the Army, attended meetings conducted by the Armys Past Conflict Repatriations Branch, also known as the Army Casualty Office, headquartered at Fort Knox, Ky. And they wrote letters and made phone calls to their states congressional delegation asking for assistance in finding their lost sergeant.

Official recognition

Thirty years ago, then-U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle traveled to White River to present the Iyottes with a memorial plaque in honor of Phillip Iyottes service and sacrifice. The plaque, presented because the Army could not declare the missing soldier legally dead, was later installed on the family plot at the Old Two Kettle Cemetery 12 miles north of the servicemans childhood home.

Then, on Sept. 12, 2003, representatives of then-U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson presented the surviving members of the Iyotte family with a series of medals recognizing their lost soldiers service and valor. Among those honors were the Purple Heart with bronze oak leaf cluster, POW Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, and Combat Service Award.

Iyotte died while serving his nation, Sen. Johnson noted in prepared remarks presented that day. Today we come together to honor Sgt. Iyotte, who served his country with valor and distinction and gave his life so others may live freely.

Lone survivor

At the time, Iyotte was survived by four of his 13 siblings. Today, there is but one.

Eva Iyotte, 63, the youngest child of the large family, wasnt even born when her oldest brother disappeared into the Chinese POW camp.

I was born three years after he was captured, Eva said last week. I never knew him, but for the pictures and from my mom and dad. He never got to see me, either.

But Eva grew up revering her lost sibling and, with the passing of her mother and father, eventually adopted the challenge of finding him.

We prayed every morning that he would return because they had him as a POW in Korea, she remembered. We all prayed to hear news of him and that he would come home. Four of my brothers were in the Army and the Marines, and they were all my heroes. But there was one I never met, and hes always been my greatest hero.

Eva laments how her young brother fared; leaving his reservation to fight people he never met, being captured, wounded, and dying a lonely death so far from home.

Each Veterans Day, my grandma would always sing an honor song for him, Eva recalled. In the back of my mind, I always wished he would come home alive. There was this huge hole in my heart. Its a void that drives you, and you want to find out  its your flesh and blood.

As her father lay dying four decades ago, he made Eva promise to continue the pursuit to solve the mystery of her brothers disappearance and, ultimately, to bring him home. She embraced that challenge, attending annual meetings of the Repatriation Branch, providing DNA samples a decade ago to aid in the search, reading journals from those detained in Korean and Chinese POW camps, and commiserating with the families of other soldiers missing in action.

As a young girl, I wondered where Korea was, and when I went to school, I found out, Eva said. I told my dad that he was across the ocean, but one day he would come home.

Homecoming

Last month, when the most recent Repatriation Branch meeting was conducted in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 8, family finances wouldnt let Eva attend. But a telephone call a few days later changed her life.

The man asked if I was sitting down, Eva recalled. He said, 'We wanted to tell you in person that your brother, Sgt. Phillip Iyottes, remains have been positively identified.'

I almost fell over, and I started screaming and hollering, she said. When I think about it, I still cry. I am so happy; its such a miracle. It has been our familys prayer for 66 years, and sometimes all we have is prayer. When they say the family that prays together stays together, its true, because Phillip is coming home, and were going to be together again.

Eva and Dera said they were told that Iyottes remains were identified with the assistance of Chinese officials. The servicemans remains have since been transported to Hawaii and will soon make their way back to South Dakota, they said.

When they do, the Iyottes plan to conduct a memorial service in White River, followed by burial in the family plot north of their home. And on that day, Eva said she will have an intimate talk with the warrior brother she never knew.

I went to my parents grave last Friday and told them Philip is coming home, but I said, 'You already knew that, Eva whispered. When Phillip comes back, I will tell him, 'Hello, brother. Welcome home. I have looked for you for so long.' I will probably cry. And I will get a buffalo robe for him, because he was a true warrior.
Almost one in four Americans werent yet born when the towers fell and the Pentagon was struck on Sept. 11, 2001. For them, the threat of terrorism has always been present, security always enhanced, and shoes always removed at airport security checkpoints.

I remember exactly where I was. It started off as such a normal Tuesday. Get the girls up and off to school, jump in the pickup, and flip on the radio. But then the reports started coming in 

A plane strikes the World Trade Center in New York City. A second tower is hit. The Pentagon, too. And then, that chilling moment when New York Citys streets fill with dust, the images of which can never be forgotten, the first tower had collapsed. Minutes later, we learned another plane crashed in Pennsylvania. The second tower falls. And America unites in grief, determination and prayer.

Many of us might still remember President Bushs words just hours after: Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America Were the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

Sixteen years later, radical Islamic terrorists continue to make threats on this beacon of freedom  even waging an attack on our embassy in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012. ISIL, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and others have sought to expand their physical boundaries and the reach of their violent ideology. These groups are convicted to destroy, not only towers and embassies, but our people and values. They will not succeed. [America] will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail  a promise made by President Bush days after the attack and safeguarded by our men and women in uniform every single day.

Its undeniable that individual Americans will always have ideological differences, but for those of us who lived through that day, the memory of Sept. 11 binds us together  thats a message the next generation could benefit from hearing.

We were and continue to be the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. No one  not the terrorists who piloted those planes, not those who attacked our embassy in Benghazi, not those waging war in the Middle East today  will keep that light from shining.
My biggest priority for the remainder of the year will be sending the president a comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform package that helps middle-class South Dakotans who are struggling to make ends meet.

According to a recent study, 50 percent of American voters consider themselves to be living paycheck to paycheck, and about one-third of them say theyre just $400 away from a financial crisis. To put it into perspective, it means these folks are one broken refrigerator or unexpected car repair away from a financial emergency. While it might seem small, $400 can go a long way for families in South Dakota.

Living in a constant state of financial fear and uncertainty, like so many cash-strapped families do these days, isnt how most people purposefully choose to live. The status quo simply isnt working for many of them, and its putting the American Dream further out of reach. Many of these folks are fighting hard to get a leg up, but they feel burdened by a system and an economy that for years has kept wages down and opportunities few and far between.

It doesnt have to be this way, though, which is why I believe Congress has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help strengthen our economy by reforming our outdated tax code.

I have a set of five key principles that I believe must govern how any meaningful tax reform bill is drafted and passed. The first is a no-brainer. Any bill we pass has to result in increased wages, jobs and economic growth for South Dakotans. It must help people increase their take-home pay and pursue opportunities that will put their family in a better position to succeed, period.

Second, and perhaps just as obvious, tax reform must provide tax relief to South Dakotans. It would be hard to find a South Dakotan who believes they arent paying enough in taxes, and Washington already takes too much of what they earn. Congress needs to learn how to spend money more efficiently and let folks keep more of their hard-earned paycheck.

Third and fourth, we have to create a system that encourages well-paying American jobs to stay in this country, and it has to increase Americas competitiveness in the global economy. A noncompetitive tax code not only discourages foreign companies from doing business in the United States, but it also can encourage some American businesses to move to a country with a more competitive system. Weve got to correct this, and its certainly within reach.

Fifth and finally, tax reform must simplify the tax code, which is far too large and complex. Whether youre an individual or a small business owner, everyone can benefit from a simplified system that lowers rates and doesnt stand in the way of a South Dakotans ability to succeed.

Guided by these five basic, common-sense principles, which Im hopeful will enjoy bipartisan support, I will work with my colleagues in Congress to deliver on our promise of creating a system that boosts wages, jobs and economic growth. It would put middle-class families back in the drivers seat of the American economy. Theyve waited long enough.
Russian court resumes hearings in Far Eastern Guerilla gang case

MOSCOW, September 11 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko)  The Primorsky Krai Court in Vladivostok resumed review of the case so-called Far Eastern Guerillas, the courts press-service told RAPSI on Monday.

The case returned to public attention after the Supreme Court overruled acquittal for five men who were previously found innocent of several murders and robbery.

In July 2016, after a retrial, jurors found evidence presented by prosecution not convincing and acquitted the defendants. The retrial was conducted with regard to the murder of four people, who were also robbed of valuables and drugs they had on them, in the Primorsky Krai.

On July 28 of the same year, defendants Alexey Nikitin and Vadim Kovtun were released in the courtroom while Alexander Kovtun, Vladimir Ilyutikov and Maksim Kirillov were kept in detention as they were to serve their time in relation to two other criminal cases.

On December 26, Russias Supreme Court overruled the acquittal.

The Supreme Courts board of judges for criminal cases repealed the Primorsky Krai Courts ruling after reviewing appeals filed by prosecutors and relatives of victims in this case. Several violations of litigation process were found: part of the jury did not disclose relevant information about themselves, while the lower court inappropriately dismissed some relevant evidence. Evidence included admittance of guilt by defendants made during interrogation conducted with violations.

The group gained notoriety after a series of assaults on civilians and law enforcement officers in 2010 left six dead.

The Far Eastern Guerilla gang was tracked down in a flat in the city of Ussuriysk in June 2011, and surrounded by law enforcement officials.

Two policemen were injured in a shootout with the gang members, two of whom committed suicide, according to the forensic medical examination.

On February 4, 2014, five of the defendants were found guilty by the jury of having participated in a criminal gang, while one was acquitted. Four gang members were convicted of killing police officers, and five were convicted of the murder of civilians.
MUDDY CREEK  When the trail disappeared into a boggy marsh after the stream crossing, the bleached cow bones littering the ground should have been proof that we had wandered too far into the brush.

Or maybe the large black bear track in the mud next to the first small spring should have served as a warning.

When the route later disappeared into another marsh and we ended up scrambling up and down a steep, rocky hillside, doubt, frustration and a bit of exhaustion finally settled in.

Backpack cram

It was the last official weekend of summer, and not having backpacked the entire season I was trying to cram all of my winter-long dreams of mountain adventure into two days.

The route chosen was supposed to gain little elevation and be reasonably short, about five miles. The trek would take us from the Muddy Creek Trailhead to Granite Lake. The lake is a backward-L-looking, 228-acre mountain pool that straddles the Montana-Wyoming border in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. At about 1.4 miles long and nine-tenths of a mile wide, it is one of the largest lakes in the wilderness.

With all of the route-finding and side treks, though, the path was beginning to seem a lot longer than originally planned. And once the mornings caffeine boost had worn off, feet were sore and shoulders were aching, it seemed like a bad idea not to have purchased a more detailed map of the area, or to at least have brought along a GPS.

As my daughter pointed out though, whats a backpacking trip with the Frenches without a little wandering and bushwhacking, some minor dehydration and bonking from a shortage of food? That made me think that we should have a special name for our unusual bad luck with family outings. Combining the words French and adventure I came up with Frenventure. Not the greatest, but Im going with it until I think of something better.

Adventures with Brett

Frenventures date back to when my wife and I were newly married. Our first backpacking outing into the Bitterroot-Selway Wilderness included a visit from a cow and calf moose while my wife sat frozen with fear in a hot springs; post-holing through knee-deep snow to try to reach a lake and eventually running out of daylight and settling for a narrow camping spot under a fir bough in an attempt to avoid bivouacking in the snow.

My children were just wee ones when they were initiated to the fun of Frenventures. Tucked into sleeping bags under a tarp to keep the rain off and stave off hypothermia, they giggled and played while I frantically rowed the raft to reach a takeout on the upper Dearborn River. Leaving them under a bridge after warming up hot cocoa, they resembled a homeless family as I hopped on my motorcycle for a greasy ride back to the truck in the continuing downpour.

These are the sinews binding their muscle memories of growing up with a misadventurous father. Luckily for me, they dont seem to carry any lasting scars from the many debacles. Even my daughters swelling from numerous mosquito bites she sustained as a young girl while camping on the side of Clay Butte hasnt deterred her from enjoying the outdoors, an astonishing point I made as we crossed under the unusual 10,000-foot tall geologic feature on our way back from Granite Lake on day two of what was a relatively mosquito-free trip.

Course correction

We had arrived below Clay Butte thanks to yet another navigational correction on this trip of reroutes and course corrections. Recognizing that the trail back down Muddy Creek was riddled with miscues and downfall, I decided to switch our exit to the Clay Butte Trailhead. The trail looked much shorter, and since horseback riders had taken that path, it seemed more likely to be free of downfall and better marked. Plus, wed see some new country on the way  always a benefit. The only catch was one of us would need to hitchhike a ride back down to the car, which didnt seem impossible.

What the map didnt show me, and I failed to consider, was that the route up to Clay Butte would require climbing almost 1,000 feet higher. (Thats about 100 stories.) Imagine climbing to the top of a 100-story building with a backpack on, and youll have only a small idea of the strain involved. Thats because mountain trails arent smooth and regular, and in the Beartooths we were starting out at an elevation of 8,600 feet in air choked with wildland fire smoke. So really, there's no comparison to climbing the stairs up a 100 story building.

As I paused to catch my breath on one of the trails switchbacks on the way out, I questioned the logic of my directional decision. Looking down, the Muddy Creek meadow that wed wandered through the day before seemed like it was a mile below. Better trail quality but elevation gain seemed like a bad tradeoff at that lung-searing point.

But then I realized that by the end of the week, if not sooner, my feet wouldnt hurt, the shoulder soreness would be long gone, and it wouldnt matter a bit which route we had taken, except to serve up more fodder for the memories of our family outings.
Forest City HQ Terminal Tower

Forest City Realty Trust, Inc., which has its headquarters at Terminal Tower in downtown Cleveland, is exploring options that could include everything from changes to the publicly traded company's strategy to a merger, acquisition or sale.

(Joshua Gunter/Cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Forest City Realty Trust, Inc., has kicked off a wide-ranging review of its strategy, operations and structure, raising the prospect of even more changes at a Cleveland-based real estate company that has refashioned itself over the last decade.

In an announcement before markets opened Monday, Forest City disclosed that its board of directors, management and various advisors are looking at everything from changes in how the company functions to opportunities for mergers, acquisitions or sales. Such an exploration could end quietly, without any visible results. But it also could portend significant shifts at a business that started here nearly a century ago.

A news release about the process didn't provide much detail about potential outcomes or the timeline. Forest City stressed that the evaluation is about finding ways to boost value for shareholders in the publicly traded company, which has taken heat from some investors over the gap between its stock price - $25.66 when markets closed Friday - and the worth of its real estate.

"The board believes thoroughly evaluating all alternatives, while simultaneously continuing to execute on our current strategies and supporting our associates in doing so, are the appropriate steps to assess how best to unlock shareholder value," James Ratner, the board's chairman, said in the news release.

Forest City said the company isn't going to comment further. But a spokesman did confirm Monday that the review process has no bearing on Forest City's anticipated headquarters relocation from Terminal Tower to nearby Key Tower.

"We are moving ahead with our plans to relocate our corporate offices to Key Tower next spring," Jeff Linton, the spokesman, said.

Forest City employs roughly 450 people in downtown Cleveland and has a few dozen additional workers stationed at apartment buildings across the region.

The company, which has $8.2 billion in assets, has hired investment banks Lazard and Goldman Sachs & Co. and law firm Sullivan & Cromwell to assist with the review.

Analysts who cover Forest City either declined to comment or did not respond to interview requests about the strategic review.

Monday's announcement follows a road trip by Forest City executives and directors, who met earlier this year with more than 30 investors representing 55 percent of the company's outstanding shares. And the news comes four months after the last public call to action by Jonathan Litt, an East Coast hedge-fund executive who has called for a strategic review of Forest City and agitated for a possible sale of the business.

A spokesman for Litt's hedge fund, Land and Buildings Investment Management, did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

Litt's fund holds a small stake in Forest City, but he's used that tiny platform to make plenty of noise. The outspoken investor played an outsize role in the privatization of another Northeast Ohio real estate company a few years ago, when he pushed for a strategic review and sale of Associated Estates Realty Corp., based in Richmond Heights. In August 2015, the company was gobbled up by Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management. And shareholders including Land and Buildings cashed out.

Forest City's shares closed trading Monday at $26.20, up 2.1 percent or 54 cents.
Dating in some way, shape or form is a universal past time but whilst a visit to Pizza Express and the local Odeon cinema might be common practice in the UK, dating culture varies around the world. To celebrate the abundance of Chinese culture coming to the UK this autumn, including Chinas incredible National Peking Opera Company, weve taken a look at dating culture in China and how you can bring some Chinese culture in to your dating life in the UK. So, next time youre on a date, try something a little different and become immersed in all things Chinese.

Relationships on Female First

Did you know

- Its common in China for couples to wear matching outfits.

- Gifts are a major part of Chinese culture - it is traditional in heterosexual Chinese dating culture to surprise the female with a small gift on the first date.

- Certain foods have symbolic meaning in Chinese culture so if you share a plate of longevity noodles with your date you are set for a relationship of happiness and longevity.

- Its more common in Chinese dating to fully immerse yourself into each others social lives and friend circles from an early stage.

- Traditionally, families tend to be quite involved in the dating process, so be sure to make a good first impression.

If you need to mix up your own dating repertoire then heres the best Chinese cultural activities to take your date on this autumn.

- Book tickets to the China National Peking Opera Company from 21st October at Sadlers Wells Theatre. A combination of dance, mime, music and acrobatics will ensure its a date to remember.

- Head to Potters Fields Park the weekend of 8-10th September for Londons annual Chinese Food Festival.

- A visit to Southbank Centres China Changing Festival this October will be informative, fun and unlike a conventional London date.

- Expand your knowledge of Chinese art with a visit to the V&A  home to the most comprehensive Chinese art collections outside of East Asia.
America must return to conservative principles of less government,reduced taxes, less spending and a balanced budget! Cut,cap and balance!
Blog Archive June (1) May (16) April (23) March (20) February (17) January (13) December (22) November (40) October (57) September (45) August (55) July (52) June (165) May (121) April (141) March (32) February (76) January (141) December (85) November (130) October (146) September (96) August (89) July (82) June (64) May (99) April (41) March (98) February (61) January (64) December (67) November (51) October (70) September (75) August (52) July (66) June (76) May (104) April (93) March (151) February (168) January (107) December (42) November (56) October (69) September (103) August (75) July (191) June (171) May (207) April (302) March (490) February (155) January (138) December (135) November (226) October (146) September (107) August (160) July (292) June (316) May (361) April (460) March (327) February (49) January (2) November (13) October (3) September (37) August (43) July (6) June (12) May (1) April (29) March (30) February (58) January (27) December (11) November (16) October (34) September (81) August (81) July (93) June (12) May (1) February (1) November (3) October (2) September (6) August (1) July (2) June (14) May (10) April (8) March (13) February (1) January (5)
A few weeks ago in Sunday school we looked at the passage from Acts where Philip meets and speaks with an Ethiopian Eunuch. (Acts 8:26-39). In this story, Philip follows a call from God and encounters an Ethiopian eunuch who is riding in a chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah. Have you ever noticed how rich this passage is?





I want to focus today on how obedient to God both Philip and the Ethiopian were.





Verse 26 says, "Then an angel of teh Lord said to Philip, 'Get up and go twoard the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' (This is a wilderness road). So he got up and went."





That sounds simple. "So he got up and went." But imagine how much power is packed into that sentence. He heard God, so he did was he was called to do. It might as well have Mark's favorite word in it: immediately. No hesitation. No pondering. No wondering why God would send him on a road no one probably travels. Go. So he goes.





And then there is the Ethiopian. He has traveled all the way from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to learn more about God. He's reading Isaiah (have you ever read Isaiah? Argh!) as he travels. He hears the word revealed to him, and then he jumps out of the chariot and is baptized. Just like that.





Their actions change the world. Christianity is spread. Faith is changed.





Do we do that? Do we hear God's call and respond?

Labels: Acts, Call
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
 Does latest US Sentencing Commission data hint at the emerging impact of the new Sessions memo? | Main | Notable accounting and review of federal collateral consequences facing nonviolent drug offenders 

The title of this post is the title of this notable document produced by the Smart Decarceration Initiative and authored by Carrie Pettus-Davis, Matthew Epperson and Annie Grier. (The document was released earlier this year, but was just recently brought to my attention.) Here is part of its executive summary:

Reducing the United States overreliance on incarceration requires deliberate action. Proponents of smart decarceration recognize the need for clearly articulated areas of targeted intervention  or guideposts  to inform the multifaceted nature of criminal justice reform. An important first step as we enter the era of decarceration is to merge the collective goals and strategies of diverse and highly invested stakeholders.

Despite the expansion of efforts to reduce jail and prison populations and reform criminal justice policy and practice, a comprehensive, inclusive, and actionable approach has been relatively absent from the conversation. Such an approach is only possible if criminal justice stakeholders agree upon the foundational objectives that can generate lasting decarceration. In this report, we offer guideposts and actionable strategies for the era of smart decarceration in America.

This document was written by leaders of the Smart Decarceration Initiative (SDI). SDI is a joint initiative of Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Chicago and is located at the Center for Social Development at Washington Universitys Brown School of Social Work. SDIs mission is to build social capacity to reduce incarceration rates in ways that are effective, sustainable, and socially just. Smart decarceration will only be achieved when three simultaneous goals are accomplished:

 Substantially reduce the incarcerated population in jails and prisons;  Redress race, economic, and behavioral health disparities of those involved in the criminal justice system;  Maximize public well-being and public safety.

SDI is grounded in four guiding concepts:

1. Changing the narrative on incarceration and the incarcerated. A smart decarceration approach must soberly question the utility and function of incarceration and actively welcome currently and formerly incarcerated individuals as leaders in decarceration efforts.

2. Making criminal justice systemwide innovations. Criminal justice transformation that leads to smart decarceration will require advances in all sectors of the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, court systems, jails and prisons, and probation and parole.

3. Implementing transdisciplinary policy and practice interventions. Smart decarceration will be complex and comprehensive and will require integrating perspectives from multiple disciplines to produce substantive policy reforms and practice innovations.

4. Employing evidence-driven strategies. A smart decarceration approach must both generate new evidence for optimal reforms and use existing evidence to guide decision-making and program development. Methods must be integrated to continuously examine and assess the effects of policy and practice interventions, thus developing further evidence from which to act.

This report, Guideposts for the Era of Smart Decarceration, is a result of our efforts to build consensus and articulate priorities that stakeholders have identified as feasible and likely to produce meaningful impact in the era of decarceration. Integral to ensuring that smart decarceration is achieved is that the ideas and needs of multiple stakeholders are represented.

This report contains a set of guideposts and action steps for stakeholders identified over a three-stage process of soliciting input from 307 advocates, practitioners, reformers, and researchers. Stakeholders were engaged in this process between September 2014 and September 2016. The purpose of Phase 1 was to show where to focus decarceration efforts. Phase 2 was used to reveal the prioritization of specific action steps that could be taken to promote decarceration in ways that are consistent with smart decarceration goals and guiding concepts. Phase 3 articulated universal policy strategies to facilitate decarcerative change....

Twelve priority areas for decarceration were generated during Phase 1. These priorities included: (1) sharing data and resource allocation; (2) incorporating assessments of risks and needs; (3) implementing evidence-driven innovations; (4) reorienting responses to severity of the crime; (5) resetting norms and narratives; (6) incorporating multiple and new perspectives; (7) responding to behavioral and physical health needs; (8) improving reentry; (9) reducing collateral consequences; (10) building diversionary systems; (11) curtailing sentencing; and (12) narrowing the funnel to incarceration....


Anthony Torres, the flamboyant 44-year-old DJ and nightlife personality known around the Tenderloin as Bubbles and typically wearing large wigs and pink lipstick, was reportedly shot and killed early Saturday morning across the street from the New Century strip club, on Larkin Street at Myrtle. As ABC 7 is reporting, he was apparently DJing and/or performing on the street at 2:50 a.m., and a man emerged from the strip club and was arguing with Torres before opening fire.

Jim Reilly, a man who describes himself as Torres's attorney and friend, confirmed the death to multiple news sources and referred to Torres as a "transgender activist," and tells the Examiner that this was a hate crime, while other friends clarify that Torres identified as a gay man who enjoyed dressing in drag in public for fun, and for attention. In a profile in the Chronicle from 2012, Torres described himself as "an unemployed hairdresser who lives on disability payments," and he declined to gender Bubbles as either male or female. "Bubbles is just Bubbles," he said of the "character" he began taking on two decades ago. "I feel empowered. The attention is nice, and it makes me feel important and loved."

In terms of activism, one could point to a situation last year in which Bubbles was refused service by a bartender at Ace's Bar on the morning shift. Torres recorded the exchange and shared it with the media, in which the bartender says he wouldn't serve Bubbles "because of the way you look." At the time Torres said he only went to the bar because it was one of only a few that opened at 6 a.m. The story made headlines all over town, and ultimately the bar's owner said that Bubbles got kicked out of the bar "for being an asshole," not for being in drag.

Longtime friend and former roommate Marke Bieschke, writing for 48 Hills, explains that Bubbles had recently been using Facebook Live to post videos of street performances, usually with a loudspeaker, that he was calling "tranny snow cones," and "popping up all over town... outside bars and on corners like this one, wiring up a loudspeaker like a carnival barker, occasionally breaking into song or catcalling cute 'gingers.'"

As Marke B. writes:



Describing Bubbles is well-nigh impossible beyond the spectacle of towering, often askew blonde wigs, abundant chest hair, bushy muttonchops, kooky sunglasses, teetering heels and endless, endless talking. Gender-nonconforming, wildly unfiltered, and unwilling to be categorized, Bubbles was a character that took over their inventors life years ago and ended up touching a whole city. There was barely a venue Bubbles hadnt been 86ed from  sometimes incredibly unfairly, and boy, did Bubbles raise a stink  but it was usually for something spectacular, and even those kicking her out often ended up bragging about their Bubbles encounter. You couldnt help but smile when Bubbles rushed toward you at the club or on the sidewalk, like a hyperactive, hairy grandma ready to smother you with panicked attention.

Another friend, Buckner Williams, tells the Examiner, "You always knew when Bubbles was in the room or in the building. He was larger than life but at the same time on a one-on-one level was one of the most dearest and compassionate people I knew. If Bubbles came to your party, you knew it was a good fing party.

Vigil for Anthony Torres who went by #Bubbles happening now in #Tenderloin Where he was gunned down Saturday morning 3am pic.twitter.com/D85ByMLP1u  Ella Sogomonian (@EllaSogomonian) September 11, 2017

About 150 friends and neighbors gathered Sunday night for a vigil at the spot where Bubbles was killed, many of them lamenting the fact that San Francisco continues to lose its beloved freaks and characters. And it seems that even if Bubbles had not left us under such violent and tragic circumstances, we would have lost him/her anyway  Torres was planning to move to Berlin next month, and a going away party was being planned at the Eagle on September 29. Bieschke says the party will go on anyway, only it will now be a memorial.

In the "about me" description on Bubbles' Facebook page, Torres wrote, "Very lucky to still call SF home."

No suspect has been identified, and a preliminary report from the SFPD indicated the victim was a "30-year-old female," as the Chronicle reports, though the medical examiner has confirmed that Torres was the victim. It's a testament to the gender-eschewing project that was Bubbles that each report from various sources has a different term for the victim, with KRON 4 going with "gay trans activist."

Police say that they have surveillance footage of the shooting and have identified a person of interest, but that information has not been made public.

Related: Man Kicked Out Of Tenderloin Bar For Looking Too Queer, Bar Apologizes
The most powerful earthquake measured 8.1 on the Richter scale with its epicenter location at 70 kilometers deep underground occurred in Mexico on September 7.



At least 65 deaths and more than 300 injured persons were affirmed in the earthquake.

Additionally, it is predicted that 50 million people across 12 states were affected by the earthquake.

The Mexicos president declared three days of state funeral to commemorate the victims.

BY BAO MINH- Translated by Huyen Huong
What was supposed to be a weeklong, late-summer vacation for Sioux City native Jason Pingel has turned into one thing he can cross off of his bucket list.

The 1991 West High School graduate was able to survive Hurricane Irma while he and his family enjoyed a few extra days at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida.

"I was up at 2 a.m. Monday when the hurricane passed over Orlando," Pingel, now an optometrist with a practice in Kansas City, Kansas, explained. "Even though there was a strict curfew for guests staying at the hotel, you could see we were safe from the brunt of the storm."

Surveying damage outside of his hotel room, he said trees are strewn across the roadway, shingles are missing from roofs and Orlando's sandy beaches aren't quite so sandy.

News reports say that Disney World had to shut its gate for only the sixth time in the amusement park's 45-year history. The park closed Sunday and will remain shuttered on Monday.

However, Pingel said he, his wife Mandee, 8-year-old son Brecken, 5-year-old daughter Kensley and 3-month-old son Brighton are all safe.

"Plus our hotel has electricity," he said. "It certainly helps that Disney World has its own generator."

Prior to the arrival of Hurricane Irma, Pingel said his family enjoyed spending time at Disney's EPCOT, Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

"We arrived on Sept. 2 and were slated to go home on Sunday," he said. "As soon as we heard about the hurricane, we immediately tried to move up the time of our departure."

The Pingels were slated to leave Florida for a direct flight back to Kansas City late Saturday night.

"That's when we found out that all flights were cancelled as of 5 p.m. Saturday night," he said. "We were stuck in the path of a hurricane."

At least, Pingel wasn't alone.

"Even when rain was coming down in sheets and winds were gusting over 50 mph, Disney's Grand Floridian was able to accommodate its guests," he said.

Since Pingel's family was stranded inside the hotel, Disney was able to keep kids entertained with meet-and-greets with characters from the theme park.

"For adults, there were quiz night challenges and, for kids, there were chances to play arcade games for free," he said. "All things considered, we were pretty lucky."

Plus Pingel and his family will have plenty of stories to tell in the future.

"Right now, we're slated to fly back home on Tuesday," he said.
SIOUX CITY | A felony charge against a Sioux City teenager arrested for shooting another teen has been dismissed.

Elija Perales, 17, was arrested Aug. 31 on a charge of willful injury causing serious injury. Police said he went to a home in the 2100 block of South Lemon Street earlier that day to confront another 17-year-old male about a previous altercation.

During the confrontation, court documents said, Perales pointed a gun at the head of the other teen but did not fire. Police said he then shot the person in the knee.

Assistant Woodbury County Attorney James Loomis said in a motion to dismiss, filed Friday in Woodbury County District Court, that there was insufficient evidence that the victim sustained a serious injury, as defined under Iowa law.

District Judge Steven Andreasen granted the motion and dismissed the case Friday.
SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City man has pleaded not guilty to numerous felonies committed during several August incidents.

Eric Bishop, 37, entered his written plea Friday in Woodbury County District Court to three counts each of first-degree burglary, willful injury and second-degree criminal mischief and single counts of second-degree theft, fourth-degree criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance -- third violation. Seven of the charges carry a habitual offender enhancement because of previous felony convictions. The enhancement increases the prison sentence for those charges to 15 years.

Bishop is charged with an Aug. 2 assault of a woman in the 400 block of West Fourth Street. He is accused of an Aug. 5 altercation at a home in the 1500 block of South Rustin Street in which he stabbed a man in the chest with a sword, causing the man to have surgery.

Bishop and Nadeen Meyer-Dible, 43, are accused of breaking into a Moville, Iowa, home on Aug. 13 and assaulting a woman and striking a man in the head with a hammer.

On Aug. 15, court documents said, Bishop forced his way into a home in the 2400 block of Nebraska Street and assaulted a man inside.

Bishop is also accused of burglarizing South Sioux City's Animal Control site on Aug. 18 and taking several items, including a truck. Sioux City police officers later spotted the stolen truck and began following it, and Bishop drove it through numerous yards starting in the 1500 block of 23rd Street before crashing into a parked vehicle and a telephone pole, court documents said. After a short foot pursuit, Bishop was taken into custody and found to be in possession of methamphetamine.
SIOUX CITY | A Le Mars, Iowa, woman has pleaded not guilty to using counterfeit cash at Sioux City's Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Brittany Derby, 29, entered her written plea Thursday in Woodbury County District Court to one count of forgery. Her trial was scheduled for Oct. 31.

Derby was arrested last month after an investigation showed that she, Jackelen Hartsock and Kurt Jones had made several cash transactions at the casino on Aug. 5. The bills were later found to be counterfeit.

Hartsock, 27, and Jones, 26, both of Le Mars, have pleaded not guilty to forgery and are scheduled to stand trial in November.
SIOUX CITY | Sioux City Fire Rescue would take over Sioux City's emergency 911 services beginning Jan. 1, under a staff proposal that will go before the City Council Monday.

The proposal comes as the city moves quickly to put a plan in place before Siouxland Paramedics Inc. ceases its emergency 911 services in the area Dec. 31.

If passed, Monday's resolution would create a civilian paramedic/ambulance division within the city' Fire Rescue department composed of 27 employees. The plan would create approximately $600,000 in additional expenses for the city, according to documents released late last week.

The council will discuss the proposal, as well as a related resolution outlining job descriptions for the new EMS division employees, on Monday. The council may vote on the resolution, defer it, or recommend the city pursue an alternative route, such as submitting a request for proposals from private EMS companies.

Monday will be the first time the council has taken up discussion in an open session regarding the post-Siouxland Paramedics plan for Sioux City's 911 services.

Informational documents included in Monday's meeting agenda stress the need to move quickly to allow time for staff to complete the hiring, procedure development and other organizational steps during a quickly narrowing 2.5-month window.

The staff's proposal carries the backing of Sioux City Fire Rescue and the local firefighter's union, documents say.

According to city documents, new positions would include an EMS director, EMS compliance officer, four EMT lead medics and 21 additional EMT positions. Sioux City Fire Rescue would prioritize the hiring of current Siouxland Paramedics employees but would require all employees to live in Iowa and within 10 miles of the Sioux City limits.

Siouxland Paramedics currently employs 57 people, 31 of whom are full-time employees.

Sioux City Fire Rescue already owns the Siouxland Paramedics ambulances and would plan to use three active ambulances and three backup ambulances. The new division's services would not include non-emergency transfers of patients or provide services to other communities and areas without negotiating favorable terms with the city, documents say.

The city would continue Siouxland Paramedics' model of using an outside vendor for billing.

Siouxland Paramedics informed Sioux City and North Sioux City last month that it planned to cease providing 911 services to the communities at the year's end, citing financial difficulties. The 35-year-old nonprofit reported net operating losses of $981,047 and $804,998 in fiscal years 2016 and 2017, respectively, according to city documents.

Leadership has cited increasing challenges with rising costs and diminishing income for the move. The Siouxland Paramedics Association has also said the presence of Omaha-based Midwest Medical Transport Co., which opened a Sioux City location in July 2016 to begin providing non-emergency medical transports, has severely cut into the SPI model.

Whether SPI will cease to exist at the year's end or whether it will continue to operate in some format, such as providing non-emergency transports, remains unclear.

City documents say the city's proposal would create new expenses of $598,938 in the city's operating budget. It's a lower amount than SPI's operating loss since Sioux City Fire Rescue would not need to pay rent, will have fewer employees and would save in duplicated areas of purchased services, documents say.

Future purchases of ambulances and large equipment would also impact the city's capital budget.
WALL LAKE, Iowa | A 32-year-old man was taken to a hospital for an evaluation following a four-hour standoff with law enforcement.

At 9 a.m. Sunday, Sac County deputes were looking for a man who reportedly threatened suicide by cop and had made threats the night before. The man was discovered alone in a residence at 406 W. First St. at 12:25 p.m.

When contacted, the man told authorities that he had guns and would make the police shoot him if they didn't leave. In addition, he threatened to shoot law enforcement officers out of his window.

A perimeter was set up and neighbors were told to leave their homes when the Iowa State Patrol sent in a crisis negotiator to assist.

The negotiator was able to get the man to surrender at around 4:15 p.m. No injuries were reported.

The Sac County Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Lake View Police, the Department of Natural Resources Conservation Office, Iowa State Patrol and the Lake View Ambulance.
SOUTH SIOUX CITY | As he entered the new South Sioux City Fire Department garage Friday morning, EMS Capt. Matt Rector tapped a button to raise one of the bay doors to let in more light.

"This is the coup-de-grace of the station," he said, pointing out the various vehicles in the department's fleet parked in the wide-open area -- a new ladder truck, the new utility task vehicle, the ambulance, and more.

The department's previous headquarters, located directly behind the new building across First Street, could barely house all of it, he said.

Now, there's room to spare.

"Its quadrupled our space for sure," he said. "You think about our old station compared to our garage area now and whats there, and you kind of wonder how we even got the fire apparatus in there."

The South Sioux City Fire Department moved into the brand-new 12,225-square-foot station last week. The $2.6 million project, paid through a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan, provides significantly more space and a comfortable quarters more fit for a department moving from fully volunteer toward 24/7 staffing.

Over the past decade, with call volume on the rise, the department has grown from all-volunteer to one authorized for four full-time positions and, as of last fall, a full-time chief. The department has continued modernizing its fleet and equipment this year and is now adding the brand-new station.

Rector said the progress is changing the tone.

"It's definitely brought a little bit more -- I'd have to say a little bit more camaraderie. A little bit more, 'Alright, we're moving on,'" he said.

Rector said the city has fielded about 300 more calls than last year at this time -- a nearly 50 percent increase. That volume could continue to grow as the city's population ages, the city continues new residential development such as Ho-Chunk Inc.'s 1,000-home Flatwater Crossing project and industry expands.

In an interview with the Journal last week, Chief Clint Merithew said the department will need to continue to grow with full-time employees to continue to handle its increasing call volume.

"We've got to be proactive not reactive," he said. "South Siouxs not a small community."

More help could be on the way, as the department prepares to get back up to full staffing and as the city considers adding five more full-timers through a grant it received Sept. 1 from the Federal Emergency Management Association.

The South Sioux City Council has been determining whether the city will have the funding to continue the positions once the $626,972 grant runs out in four years. The city tabled a decision on the grant during a special meeting last week. The item is not on Monday's agenda.

In addition to the new garage, which provides ample space for storage and trainings, a walk through the two-story building portion of the station reveals homey kitchen, bedroom and living areas, a workout room, and several offices.

"We have a male and female shower and bathroom," Rector said. "We have four sleeping rooms -- each has two beds in it. Volunteers as well can come up and stay if they need to and sleep."

The sleeping quarters and living area, furnished with recliners bearing the department's logo, is something the department didn't have at all in its previous home.

"It's incomparable," Rector said.

Outside, the station has an electronic message board it can use for community announcements, as well as solar-powered traffic signals it can use to stop traffic on Dakota Avenue when trucks need to leave.

Crews outside were putting finishing touches on a few portions of the building Friday and polishing the signage. Rector said the interior should be all done by the beginning of next week, although the department still has a few items to move over from its old home.

The department will hold a grand opening 11 a.m. Monday to give the public a chance to see the new station. The event will include a ceremony followed by refreshments and tours.
Announcing itself with roaring 130 mph winds, Hurricane Irma plowed into the mostly emptied-out Florida Keys early Sunday for the start of what could be a slow, ruinous march up the state's west coast toward the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.

Here's a look at the latest updates from around the web including photos, social media posts, news briefs and more.

Group rescues manatees stranded in Florida bay

MANATEE RESCUE! A Sarasota County man tries to save a manatee after the waters recede from #HurricaneIrma.

(Credit: Marcelo Clavijo) pic.twitter.com/RrdH2mvd6G  John-Carlos Estrada (@JohnCarlos_WINK) September 10, 2017

Two manatees were stranded after Hurricane Irma sucked the water out of Sarasota Bay, in Florida's Manatee County.

Several people posted photos of the mammals on Facebook Sunday, hoping rescue workers or wildlife officials would respond. Michael Sechler posted that the animals were far too massive to be lifted, so they gave them water.

Marcelo Clavijo posted that a group of people eventually loaded the manatees onto tarps and dragged them to deeper water.

A big, wide beastbut not quite as monstrous as feared

Hurricane Irma set all sorts of records for brute strength before crashing into Florida, flattening islands in the Caribbean and swamping the Florida Keys.

It finally hit the mainland as a big wide beast, but not quite as monstrous as once feared. The once-Category 5 storm lost some of its power on the northern Cuba coast.

It's still raking Florida with devastating storm surges, winds and rain. Its top sustained winds are now 110 mph (177 kph) and the center of the storm is about 15 miles (25 kilometers) inland from Fort Myers.

Report from the storm: 'Send cold beer'

It's been difficult to determine the extent of damage Hurricane Irma caused in the Florida Keys, where communication has been difficult and authorities are warning boaters and drivers to stay away.

But The Associated Press has been texting with John Huston, who has been riding out the storm in his house on Key Largo, on the Atlantic side of the island, just south of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

Every few minutes during the height of the storm, he sent another dispatch.

He described whiteout conditions, with howling winds that sucked dry the gulf side of the narrow island, where the tide is usually 8 feet deep. He kept his humor though, texting to "send cold beer" at one point. Now he sees furniture floating down the street with small boats.

He says the storm surge was at least 6 feet deep on his island, 76 miles from Irma's eye. He can see now that structures survived, but the storm left a big mess at ground level.

Irma makes landfall on Marco Island

Hurricane Irma has made landfall on Marco Island, Florida, as a Category 3 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Irma's powerful eye roared ashore at Marco Island just south of Naples with 115-mph (185-kph) winds, for a second U.S. landfall at 3:35 p.m. Sunday.

Category 3 storms have winds from 111 to 129 mph, but 130-mph (21-kph) wind gust was recently reported by the Marco Island Police Department.

Irma's second U.S. landfall was tied for the 21st strongest landfall in the U.S. based on central pressure. Irma's first U.S. landfall in the Florida Keys was tied for 7th.

Second tower crane collapses

Miami City Manager Daniel Alfonso says a second tower crane has collapsed into a building under construction in the city's downtown area. Alfonso told The Associated Press that the crane collapsed in a large development with multiple towers being built by Grand Paraiso.

Another crane collapsed earlier Sunday onto a high-rise building that's under construction in a bayfront area filled with hotels and high-rise condo and office buildings, near AmericanAirlines Arena. Officials said no one was injured as the result of either crane's collapse.

High winds are impeding Miami authorities' ability to reach the cranes, and authorities are urging people to avoid the areas.

Alfonso says the approximately two-dozen other cranes in the city are still upright and built to withstand significant wind gusts.

The tower cranes working on construction sites throughout the city were a concern ahead of Irma. Moving the massive equipment, weighing up to 30,000 pounds (13,600 kilograms), is a slow process that would have taken about two weeks, according to city officials.

Georgia declares state of emergency

Georgia's governor has declared an emergency for the entire state as Hurricane Irma's approach triggers widespread severe-weather threats, including the first-ever tropical storm warning for Atlanta.

Gov. Nathan Deal's new emergency declaration came Sunday as Irma churned near Florida. The National Hurricane Center predicted the storm's center to cross Monday into southwest Georgia, where a hurricane warning was issued for communities including Albany and Valdosta.

Portions of western Alabama and coastal South Carolina were also under tropical-storm warnings.

The National Weather Service confirmed it had never before issued a tropical-storm warning for Atlanta, where wind gusts could reach 55 mph (88 kph). Meanwhile Savannah and the rest of coastal Georgia were under evacuation orders for the second time since Hurricane Matthew brushed the region last October.

Irma headed for the southwest Florida coast

The National Hurricane Center says Category 4 Hurricane Irma is now "headed for the southwest Florida coast" as winds continue to pick up speed in all of South Florida.

Irma continues to be armed with 130 mph winds as its large eye passes north of the Keys.

Storm surge is forecast for 10 to 15 feet in southwestern Florida.

Hurricane-force winds are continuing throughout southern Florida, including the Keys. The hurricane center warns that winds affecting upper floors of high-rise building will be much stronger than at ground level.

The hurricane center also emphasizes that Irma will bring life-threatening wind to much of Florida regardless of the exact track of its center.

Winds topple crane in Miami

I heard a loud crack, and then like a boom, witness to construction crane incident in downtown Miami says https://t.co/0BdJ0oaWTX pic.twitter.com/IlOQkDBpZv  CNN (@CNN) September 10, 2017

The National Weather Service says that a crane has collapsed in Miami as strong wind from Hurricane Irma blows in.

It's one of two-dozen in the city.

The weather service's Miami office said in a Tweet that one of its employees witnessed the crane boom and counterweight collapse in downtown Miami. The employee captured video of the collapse.

It wasn't immediately clear if the collapse caused damage or injuries.

The cranes have been a concern.

Construction sites across Irma's potential path in Florida were locked down to remove or secure building materials, tools and debris that could be flung by Irma's winds.

But the horizontal arms of the tall tower cranes remained loose despite the potential danger of collapse. According to city officials, it would have taken about two weeks to move the cranes and there wasn't enough time.

Couple rescued while riding out storm in sailboat

Florida sheriff's deputies rescued a couple who tried to ride out Hurricane Irma on a small sailboat.

Christine Weiss of the Martin County Sheriff's Office said a passer-by noticed the couple was in trouble Sunday. It happened just off Jensen Beach, which is on the Atlantic Coast north of Palm Beach.

Video shows a Martin County patrol boat manned by deputies John Howell and James Holloran and Detective Mathew Fritchie pulling up next to the sailboat.

The task of helping the couple onto their boat was precarious as both boats bobbed in choppy water. Deputies then took them to shore.

The names of the couple were not released. They were not injured.

Irma to hit Florida Keys Sunday

Forecasters expect winds of more than 110 mph (177 kph) from Hurricane Irma to smack the Florida Keys around daybreak Sunday.

Irma was lingering over the northern Cuba coast on Saturday. Its forward speed has slowed to 9 mph (15 kph) and it has yet to make the expected big northward turn toward Florida yet. Its maximum sustained winds were 125 mph (205 kph).

The U.S. National Hurricane Center's latest forecast  which still can change a bit and has a margin of error of dozens of miles  projects Irma's potent eye to make three landfalls into Florida.

First, there's a projected Sunday morning hit in the Lower Keys. Then later, after moving over water, Irma is expected to come ashore around Cape Coral or Fort Myers. From there it is predicted to steam inland go over the highly populated Tampa Bay region.

After Tampa, Irma is projected to briefly go back out to the Gulf of Mexico and then hit north of Homosassa Springs for a third landfall. In the following days, Irma is forecast to head through Florida and Georgia into Tennessee.

Hurricane Jose moving into areas just hit by Irma, 1:50 p.m.:

French ministers have decided to step up security on the Caribbean islands of St. Martin and St. Barts that were hit hard by Hurricane Irma and are now facing the approach of Hurricane Jose.

On Friday, looting and gunshots were reported on St. Martin, and a curfew was imposed there and in St. Barts until Wednesday.

According to a statement Saturday, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb is sending two extra gendarme squadrons and some 150 soldiers. They will be there to strengthen checkpoints, reassure the public and prevent further looting and chaos.

Georgia, South Carolina brace for impact

Georgia is bracing for potentially far-flung impacts from Hurricane Irma, which could swamp the coast with storm surge and topple trees and power lines in Atlanta.

The National Hurricane Center placed the entire Georgia coast under a hurricane watch Saturday as residents packed their cars and trickled onto the highways in six counties under a mandatory evacuation. A hurricane watch was also issued for the South Carolina coast from the Georgia line to Edisto Beach, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Charleston.

Evacuations as of 12:20 p.m. ET:

Gov. Rick Scott says the entire west coast of Florida will likely see dangerous affects from storm surge as Hurricane Irma comes ashore Sunday. About 6.3 million of the state's approximately 21 million residents have been asked to evacuate.

During a Saturday news conference, he told those in evacuation zones: "You need to leave  not tonight, not in an hour, right now"

Scott said that the storm surge is expected to be up to 15 feet (4.5 meters) in some areas along the west coast of Florida. In the Tampa Bay area, Scott said the storm surge could be between 5 feet (1.5 meters) and 8 feet (2 meters).

Scott said: "This is the most catastrophic storm the state has ever seen."

Irma weakens to Category 3, 11:25 a.m. ET:

Hurricane Irma has weakened to a Category 3 storm with 125 mph winds, but it's expected to regain its strength before slamming into Florida.

The storm has been pounding Cuba, and forecasters say it will get stronger once it moves away.

Irma is expected to hit the Florida Keys Sunday morning and then Tampa. The National Hurricane Center warned in a Saturday advisory that the storm will bring "life-threatening wind" to much of the state regardless of its exact path. Forecasters also predict storm surges of up to 15 feet in southwestern Florida and rainfall up to 25 inches in the Keys.

Disney World closes

As of Friday afternoon, Disney World in Orlando announced that it would be closing Sunday and Monday. Resort hotels will remain open. The park has closed only five times since 1971  four for storms and once after 9/11.

Warnings, videos and other social updates:
The Fijian government has called on the Pacific Leaders to lend their unyielding support and leadership to help make the upcoming COP23 in Bonn, Germany, a success.

The call was placed by Fijian Defense and Immigration Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, who was in Apia last week for the 48th Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting. He was sent in place of Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, who has not been to the Forum meeting since Fiji was suspended.

The 23rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP 23) will have Fiji presiding as Chair with support from Germany.

The conference in November is expected to draw nearly 20,000 participants from government, intergovernmental organisations, U.N. agencies, N.G.Os and civil society.

Speaking in Apia, Mr. Kubuabola said: The common question Ive been asked is: how can you as leaders support Fiji in this largest ever diplomatic role my P.M. is taking as COP23 President in November?

My response is simple. Fiji needs you.

There are three overarching issues that Fiji is focusing. The first one is the 2020 Pathway for Accelerated Climate action. We want to forge a grand coalition between governments, civil society, the scientific community and the private sector to accelerate climate action and strengthen resilience of most vulnerable nations to climate change emphasizing NCDs investment and implementation.

Fijis core goal is to facilitate dialogue.

The dialogue will situate the Paris Agreement in a manner that is agreed to by all parties and Fiji is in that.

Failing that it might risk the opportunity for the Paris Agreement to proceed that is our number priority for the Presidency to get the facilitated dialogue... this is important because our negotiators are still negotiating the various aspects of the chapters Agreement.

Which will need to be endorsed by all parties as well and that leadership component alone is a big one for the Presidency.

From experience we know its not easy and we would like to really to ensure that we can get the support of the Pacific Leaders, to get the Paris Agreement right.

The Fiji Ambassador for Climate Change and Oceans, Amena Yauvoli, emphasized that while Fiji is at the helm of COP23, they will not negotiate on behalf of the Pacific.

We are the President, we cant negotiate for you.

We can provide leadership, it is a process management role but the negotiations will have to be done by members through our Pacific Small Islands Developing states (P.S.I.D.S) chair for PSIDS and AOSIS through AOSIS Chair which is Maldives and through G77 chair for those of us who are members of G77.

So it is important to draw that distinction. Whilst our endeavor is trying to bring key messages and key issues to go to COP23 ultimately the call for leadership is very. very important here to take these issues forward.

We will provide the leadership but the ultimate reality negotiations are done by parties not the President. We are asking for leaders through your national delegations to help us identify issues to champion and advance these key priorities.
Fighting for Climate Justice

Environment  September 11, 2017  Phil Hearse

Lies, damn lies and statistics, right? Well not always  sometimes statistics dramatise social reality in a graphic way. A year before the devastating floods in India, Bangladesh and Texas, a little-noticed UN report revealed extraordinary figures about the effects of climate change worldwide. Climate-related catastrophe is now not just an additional hazard for the worlds poor, but a central factor in their oppression and poverty. And this will eventually lead to a cascade of millions of climate change refugees, a process already starting.

This is not universally recognized. One much-visited socialist website recently published an insightful article on how the poor had been left to bear the brunt of the flooding in Houston, which however failed to mention the words climate change or global warming.

Weather Related Disasters

The UN report and events worldwide this year point to a number of increasingly self-evident conclusions, although these are not accepted by the climate change deniers on the political right:

The number and extent of weather-related catastrophes is increasing steeply, as is the number of people affected  see the astonishing figures below. Obviously this is because of global warming, causing rising sea levels and more severe storms.

Climate-related catastrophes disproportionately hit the poor, both between countries and within countries. Similar scale events give rise to markedly worse outcomes in poorer countries.

While the greatest number of deaths in poor countries comes from flooding and storms, in more advanced countries more people are killed by wildfires and heatwaves.

The part of the world most affected by storms and flooding is Asia. This is where the level of rainfall is greatest, but also where there are vast concentrations of people in very exposed locations with little in the way of infrastructure and rescue services to defend them. However the number of communities hit by flooding and storms in Africa and Latin America is also increasing. (In the last three years there has been massive flooding in Uganda and Malawi, while in South America, for example, 560,000 people were affected by floods on average each year between 1995 and 2004. By the following decade (2005-2014) that number had risen to 2.2 million people, nearly a four-fold increase. In the first eight months of 2015, another 820,000 people were affected by floods in the region).

The UNs Human Cost of Weather Related Disasters , which covers the period 1995-2015, shows that in total, 6,457 weather-related disasters were recorded worldwide this period; these events claimed an astonishing 606,000 lives, an average of some 30,000 each year, with an additional 4.1 billion people injured, left homeless or in need of emergency assistance.

In other words, a significant majority of the worlds population have suffered severe negative consequences as a result of weather-related disasters. Of the 606,000 deaths, 202,000 are put down to storms and a further 157,000 directly to flooding.

Weather disasters intensify and prolong already existing poverty, especially by destroying crops and making agricultural production more difficult or impossible. Repeated flooding is making some highly populated areas uninhabitable.

In rural India, the report explains, children in households exposed to recurrent flooding have been found to be more stunted and underweight than those living in non-flooded villages. Children exposed to floods in their first year of life also suffered the highest levels of chronic malnutrition due to lost agricultural production and interrupted food supplies.

A report from West Bengal on the recent India/Bangladesh flooding shows how the poor in the less-developed countries fails to cope with climate catastrophe. Aditi Roy Ghatak says:

Comparisons are largely redundant against such overwhelming tragedy, but the discrepancy between the number of lives lost here and in the U.S. is telling. The developing world remains profoundly exposed in the face extreme weather; extreme weather that is predicted to become ever more frequent as climate change advances. In the coincidence of these two disasters, we have the starkest articulation thus far of the UN climate science panels prediction that climate change will be disproportionately suffered by the poor world. This happens for many reasons, but at its heart it is about poverty and governance. Indias National Disaster Management Authoritys budgeted expenditure in 2016-17 was $100m. In the U.S., a country with one-quarter the population of India, the Federal Emergency Management Agency budget for 2016 was $15.5bn. In South Asia, storms regularly kill dozens of people. When a big flood comes people die in their thousands.

The article explains how the local water management infrastructure is hopelessly inadequate, but that the response of the local and national state is hopeless. A local teacher explained:

There were very few rescue boats; there was no water nor water tankers; there was little evidence of disaster management teams that one hears about. Only non-government organizations came with food, medicines and other relief material.

Uninhabitable

Repeated flooding is making some poorer area uninhabitable. Nowhere is this more true than in Bangladesh. According to Gardiner Harris:

River deltas around the globe are particularly vulnerable to the effects of rising seas, and wealthier cities like London, Venice and New Orleans also face uncertain futures. But it is the poorest countries with the biggest populations that will be hit hardest, and none more so than Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated nations in the world. In the Ganges Delta, made up of 230 major rivers and streams, 160 million people live in a place one-fifth the size of France and as flat as chapati, the bread served at almost every meal.

Parts of Bangladesh are already uninhabitable and it is too late to reverse this trend.

Though Bangladesh has contributed little to industrial air pollution, other kinds of environmental degradation have left it especially vulnerable. Bangladesh relies almost entirely on groundwater for drinking supplies because the rivers are so polluted. The resultant pumping causes the land to settle. So as sea levels are rising, Bangladeshs cities are sinking, increasing the risks of flooding. Poorly constructed sea walls compound the problem. The countrys climate scientists and politicians have come to agree that by 2050, rising sea levels will inundate some 17 percent of the land and displace about 18 million people Bangladeshis have already started to move away from the lowest-lying villages in the river deltas of the Bay of Bengal, scientists in Bangladesh say. People move for many reasons, and urbanization is increasing across South Asia, but rising tides are a big factor. Dr. Rahmans research group has made a rough estimate from small surveys that as many as 1.5 million of the five million slum inhabitants in Dhaka, the capital, moved from villages near the Bay of Bengal.

Further, Rising seas are increasingly intruding into rivers, turning fresh water brackish. Even routine flooding then leaves behind salt deposits that can render land barren.

The crisis in the Ganges Delta will have major social effects. It is estimated that 1.5 million of the 5 million inhabitants of the slums of Bangladeshi capital Dacca have fled from the delta. It is also projected that if rising sea levels continue as expected, 50 million Bangladeshis will leave the country by 2050. In other words, they will become climate change refugees.

Soaring Temperatures and Wildfires

Nearly all tourists to the Mediterranean holiday centres like Spain, Portugal, Italy and the South of France report that temperatures make staying outside impossible for much of the day. The whole Med has seen temperatures above 40 degrees this year, and this has been accompanied by widespread wildfires.

This year (2017) has seen particularly disastrous fires in Portugal, where 70 people were killed by a giant fire in the centre of the country in June. In fact in the more advanced countries there are many more deaths from wild fires than from floods.

Chris Harris reports that wildfires trebled in 2017:

The number of forest fires in the EU has nearly trebled so far this year, according to figures obtained by Euronews, affecting an area close to twice the size of Luxembourg. There have been 1,068 blazes in 2017  a huge increase on the 404 the bloc saw annually on average over the previous eight years. Experts have blamed climate change for the rise, saying it has extended the traditional wildfire season and increased the frequency of blazes. They have warned Europes forest fires will rage more often in the future and engulf new areas.

Europe is far from the only area to see a major extension of wildfires. At the time of writing (September 2017) a state of emergency has been declared in Los Angeles and a plume of smoke from wildfires hangs over much of California. [Ed.: Over 90 uncontrolled fires in Canada, as of August 30, according to Canadian Wildland Fire Information System.] High temperatures are responsible and local journalist Patrick May reported:

Triple-digit temperatures barreled through the Bay Area this weekend with an unseasonable gusto, tying or breaking records from Santa Rosa to Livermore, leaving just San Francisco and the coast as relatively balmy oases from the heat searing the rest of the region on Sunday After Santa Rosa suffered on Saturday through a historically high 102 degrees, besting the previous record of 100 hit back in 1988, and spots in the Tri-Valley seeing highs of 105, Sunday saw Santa Rosa hit 100, falling just short of a 2008 high of 101, while Livermore hit 107, just shy of a 1944 high of 109.

Of course the poor are usually the victims of climate change in advanced countries as well. This was amply illustrated by the 2005 Katrina hurricane that swamped New Orleans. The same holds true of hurricane Harvey in Houston and surrounding areas. As Wen Stephenson put it:

Decades of neglect, inequality, and disenfranchisement  to say nothing of heedless development and a lack of flood planning tantamount to criminal negligence  mean that Houstonians of all backgrounds, but especially the poorest and most vulnerable communities, primarily communities of color, have been left utterly undefended.

This leads to a clear conclusion for strategy. We have to fight for a realistic international strategy to limit climate change, but also we need to fight for climate change victims and refugees, and of course to prevent millions more becoming victims and refugees.

As Wen Stephenson says:

Just as Houstons catastrophe mustnt be viewed in isolation, as merely another extreme weather event, its time to acknowledge that our climate reality has shifted  and that its time for the climate fight to shift with it. I mean the shift from a world in which we struggle to prevent climate catastrophe to the world we live in now, the one where were actually forced to live, or struggle to live, through it  the poor and marginalized struggling hardest of all. As the climate emergency converges with our national political emergency, nothing illustrates this shift more clearly, in this country, than Houston. The fights for equality and for democracy, so immediate and pressing in these dark times, are not separate from the fight for climate justice  because well never have the latter without the former. 

This article first appeared on www.marxsite.com. Also published by Left Unity .
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.
The ISoNH is a Sunni/Saudi and Pakistani front for Islamic based terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS. This mosque had very violent materials inside for worshippers that advocate the overthrow of America and physical Jihad against U.S. and Israeli targets. This is based on the mosque having the same Islamic manuals in their possession that Islamic terrorist groups utilize for their training. The ISoNH had material written and edited by a convicted Islamic terrorist supporter (Ali Al Timimi). The Imam and mosque worshippers were extremely Shariah compliant. ISIS and Al Qaeda would find this mosque acceptable for their training and education of Mujahideen fighters (Islamic terrorists).

In reality Islam is a revolutionary ideology and programme which seeks to alter the social order of the whole world and rebuild it in conformity with its own tenets and ideals. Muslim is the title of that International Revolutionary Party organized by Islam to carry into effect its revolutionary programme. And Jihad refers to that revolutionary struggle and utmost exertion which the Islamic Party brings into play to achieve this objective

Islam requires the earthnot just a portion, but the whole planetnot because the sovereignty over the earth should be wrested from one nation or several nations and vested in one particular nation, but because the entire mankind should benefit from the ideology and welfare programme or what would be truer to say from Islam which is the programme of well-being for all humanity. Towards this end, Islam wishes to press into service all forces which can bring about a revolution and a composite term for the use of all these forces is Jihad. (p. 5)

Alderman Chairman Patrick Long: Personally this hate talk has no place in this city, thats just my opinion.

Alderman-at-Large Dan ONeil: There is no need in the city of Manchester for hatred. I know this board wont stand for it; our citizens wont stand for it.

Manchester Chief of Police Nick Willard: What [Gaubatz] wrote in this piece of paper is slanderous. I do not believe the mosque is a hotbed for terrorism. I dont trust this gentlemans research. I think he is trying to sell a book. I think the guy is a crackpot and I dont believe we have those issues in this city.

I get that same reaction a lot of the time. They dont want to admit they have a problem in their area and it took an outsider to find it and identify it.

In response to Chief Willards ill-considered remarks I say this: Chief Willard is a poor excuse for a senior law enforcement officer. He has no clue what to look for in a mosque. The tax payers of his community deserve a Chief who supports them and not mosque leaders who support the teachings of ISIS. Finally, I do not receive any royalties for my book, so it is both ignorant and insulting to dismiss my report as an effort to sell books. It was provided for the benefit and as a warning to the Manchester community. What does the Chief care more about, Manchester or the mosque?

A concerned New Englander recently arranged for the assessment of the Islamic Society of New Hampshires (ISoNH) mosque in Manchester in that state. He had noticed a disproportionate number of military-age males visiting the mosque and heard from many local women who said they were frightened by the attitudes some of these men expressed toward them. The results of the mans research were more frightening.P. David Gaubatz, co-author of Muslim Mafia , was hired to assess this mosque. He is a former Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) federal agent who specialized in Islamic counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism. According to his book, he worked and lived in the Middle East for decades and was the first civilian federal agent in Iraq at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom (March 2003). That year he led a 15-man team to extract family members of the Iraqi lawyer who helped save Army Private First Class Jessica Lynch. He has investigated over 280 mosques in the U.S. alone and uses a rating system developed by a former Islamist, Tafik Hamid.U.S. Islamists and their allies in the American Left have long sought to discredit this rating system as contrived nonsense created by Islamophobes, but that very effort calls into question their motives, expertise, and integrity. Tafik Hamid is a former member of Jamaa Islamiya (also known as al-Gamaa al-Islamiyya or, in English, Islamic Group),  an Egyptian organization branded a terrorist group by the U.S. government, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was a member of this group, as was Omar Abdel-Rahman, the so-called blind sheikh convicted as the mastermind behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Hamid has long since abandoned his radicalism and has become a widely-recognized Islamic reformer.The rating system is based on numerous factors readily observant by how strictly the mosque conforms to Islamic standards and how aggressively it promotes Shariah (Islamic law). For example, are men and women allowed to worship in the same room? What kind of dress is mandatory, e.g. must women wear a niqab or hijab? Can they get away with a modern form of hijab? How does the imam dress? Details like rings worn and style of pants indicate the imams devotion to Wahhabism or other Islamic sects and to Shariah itself.The imams dedication to Shariah is especially important because Shariah is a doctrine of political dominance and conquest, and Muslims who promote it are likely to promote jihad as a means to impose it.The system also rates the mosque based on messages taught in sermons. For example, does the mosque promote the killing of gays, killing for apostasy, stoning women for infidelity, and Shariah-sanctioned slavery?Gaubatz found that ISoNH was strictly observant and promoted all these ideas and more. Using a 1 to 10 rating scale, with 10 being the worst, Gaubatz assigned a grade of 10 for Shariah compliance and 9 for jihadist potential. He concluded:Some of the literature referred to is shown in the below graphic: A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam was edited by twelve Islamic scholars. I have circled two names. Ali Al-Timimi  whom Gaubatz referenced  is now serving a life sentence for terrorism. Sheik Jamal Zarabozo is considered too extreme even for some Islamists as he advocates stoning to death for heretics.Another brochure promoted at the mosque is Jihad in Islam . This 33-page document makes clear that the goals of Islam are to subjugate the world. Under the heading What Jihad Really Is? (sic) it states:Many U.S. mosques are little more than meeting places and training centers for Islamic terrorists. For example, the Tsarnaev brothers and many other terrorists regularly attended the Islamic Society of Boston . Why is it still open?Officials at all levels of government, including within many police forces, have been gripped by a fever of political correctness that virtually guarantees we will remain blind to the danger such mosques pose until it is too late.Former Manchester Ward 2 Republican State Rep. Greg Salts read aloud from Gaubatzs report on the Manchester mosque at a recent public meeting of the local Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The response from elected officials was predictable. Instead of seriously considering Gaubetzs warning, they acted offended, using the familiar slur popularized by the Southern Poverty Law Center , hate speech.Following are some of their comments as published in Manchesters Union Leader As quoted in the newspaper, Gaubatz responded:Gaubatz added to those remarks during a telephone interview for this article:At every level, we see daily demonstrations of how corrupt and incompetent our leaders have become. This is a situation that cannot stand. We still have the vote. I hope it can save us from these useful idiots for Islamism before the terrorism being contemplated in many corners throughout the U.S. strikes yet again.I am not holding my breath.
LEONARDTOWN, Md. (Sept. 11, 2017)On Friday, September 8, at approximately 3:09 p.m., Troopers from the Leonardtown barrack responded to MD Route 235 at Poplar Ridge Road in Lexington Park for a report of a head on collision. On scene investigation revealed a white GMC Terrain, operated by Sierra Yobani Hernandez, 28, of Danville, Va., was traveling southbound on MD Route 235, north of Poplar Ridge Road when for an unknown reason the Terrain traveled head on into on-coming traffic. A second vehicle, a green Ford Ranger operated by Rhiannon Marie Griffin, 27, of California, was traveling northbound on MD Route 235, south of Poplar Ridge Road. Based on statements made by witnesses, Griffin attempted to take evasive action to avoid being struck by the Terrain. Griffin attempted to pull to the shoulder of the road, but the Terrain continued onto the shoulder, striking the Ranger head on.



Griffin was pronounced deceased on scene and Hernandez was flown to Prince George's Shock Trauma. At the time Hernandez was flown he was listed in stable condition.



The accident is under investigation, anyone with information is urged to contact Trooper J. Mulhearn at 301-475-8955.
PRINCE FREDERICK, Md.

Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at so.md/expungeme.

(Sept. 11, 2017)The Prince Frederick Barrack of the Maryland State Police (MSP) today released the following incident and arrest reports.DISORDERLY CONDUCT: On 9/8/2017 at 8:02 pm, Corporal Esnes responded to the Shell Station on Traditional Way in Prince Frederick for a reported disorderly person refusing to leave the premise., was found to be in an extremely intoxicated state and was disrupting the flow of business. He was arrested and transported to the Calvert County Detention Center. Due to the high level of intoxication, it was determined Pitner needed to go to the hospital for an evaluation. Charges are pending for Disorderly Conduct, Resisting Arrest, and Trespassing.Eric V. Cunningham, 43, of Washington, DC, arrested on 09/06/2017 @ 01:49 am by TPR. K. StullJames W. Williams, 37, of Washington, DC, arrested on 09/06/2017 @ 02:01 am by TFC S. LewisBenadad S. Gonzalez, 35, of Pharr, TX, arrested on 09/06/2017 @ 11:10 pm by TPR. K. StullPatricia J. Meadows, 40, of Hyattsville, arrested on 09/08/2017 @ 12:22 am by TFC S. MatthewsJamie D. Ignowski, 24, of Baltimore, arrested on 09/09/2017 @ 03:00 pm by TFC J. Warrick
This year marks the second year in a row that the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association Yearling Sale has shown a strong trend in the upswing of prices in the market for Alberta.

Mr. Brian Jean of the United Conservative Party began the sale on Sunday (September 10) by welcoming everyone and introducing the Standardbred 4-H Project horses and members, as they were presented with their ribbons and gifts from their confirmation and showmanship classes. Following the presentations, Akesh Aheer did an amazing job starting things off with OCanada.

After starting out somewhat slowly for the first six or so yearlings, the sale gained momentum with the sale of Hip #9 Flying Officer, with a price of $13,000 for consignor Meridian Farms. He was purchased by Lorne Duffield of Edmonton, Alta. The sale continued on a fairly strong trend with a few dips here and there.

Selling for $27,000, the sale toppers were #18 Kneedeep N Custard (Custard The Dragon-Art Amour), consigned by Surdale Farms of Kelowna, B.C., and #67 Loaded Deck (Riverboat King-Lucky X Ample), consigned by Meridian Farms of High River, Alta. Both sale toppers will be staying in Alberta with #18 going to Blair Corbeil of Edmonton and #67 to J.F. Gagne of Wetaskiwin. Kneedeep N Custard is a half-brother to sub-1:50 pacers Rockeyed Optimist ($609,558) and BGs Folly ($562,815) while Loaded Deck is a half-brother to multiple Alberta stakes champion Minettas Nightstar ($253,361).

Other wonderful noteworthy sales were #54 June Morning, selling to Lorne Duffield for a price of $16,000. June Morning, was sold for the Let The Sun Shine program spearheaded by Meridian Farms' Bill Andrew. The entire proceeds from the sale of June Morning will be shared by the five groups participating in the program for 2017. The groups are Airdrie & District Victims Assistance Society, Autism Speaks, Didsbury Volunteer Fire Department, Olds & District Christmas Angels, and the Olds & District Hospice Society. A touching blanket presentation was held immediately after the sale when the group representatives along with Bill Andrew of Meridian Farms presented Rod Hennessy, who accepted on behalf of Duffield, a Let the Sun Shine cooler/blanket.

Hip #68 Lollipop Yacht, the 2016 Name that Foal contest horse named by Sadie Clark of Ponoka, Alta., sold for $20,000 to Blair Corbeil.

There were three entries from the Standardbred 4-H program again this year and the sales for these yearlings were up as well. 4-H members and the breeders, who offered their horses for the program, were all very happy with the sales. The horses were sold from between $4,500 to $6,000 this year, which is up from the 4-H topper of $3,700 last year. These amazing young people put in a tremendous amount of work with these yearlings, and it shows. ASHA anticipates the program only getting stronger as the years go on.

You never know year from year how the sale will turn out, but there is a lot of renewed optimism in the Alberta horse racing industry. With the construction of Century Mile in the Nisku area near the Edmonton International Airport, and the long term deal with the government that Horse Racing Alberta has worked so hard to secure, there is a lot to be thankful for and look forward to. Combine that with hardworking breeders, horsemen and women and serious buyers from Manitoba to British Columbia to California, you have a recipe for success.

The Board and staff of ASHA would like to thank all consignors and purchasers from the 2017 yearling sale for another great sale and wish you all the best with your future stars of racing.

To view complete sale results, click here.

(With files from ASHA)
Three to Get Married: Fr. Brian Mullady Addresses Theology of the Body

Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net GRAYSLAKE, Ill., Sept. 11, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- "When it comes to marriage, there is a natural law," explains Father Brian Mullady. "As sweat exists to cool the body, human seed exists for one purpose  to produce babies." Mullady, a noted theologian who teaches around the globe, will present, "Three to Get Married," on Saturday, September 16, 2017, at Marytown, a national shrine in Libertyville, Illinois (1600 W. Park Ave).The event is recommended for Catholics who want a greater understanding of the Church's essential position on marriage and sexuality, and is appropriate for teenagers and adults. The presentation is hosted by Lake County Right to Life, an organization dedicated to informing and educating the community about the value of human life."Father Mullady addresses the often divisive subjects of marriage, divorce and sexuality in profound, yet approachable ways," shared Bonnie Quirke, President of Lake County Right to Life. "We eagerly welcome his defense of traditional marriage in a society that has turned tradition upside down." Mullady draws from St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, St. Thomas Aquinas and the principles of natural law to justify the Catholic teaching on marriage.The title, "Three to Get Married," is drawn from a Biblical reference to Ecclesiastes 4:12, "a threefold cord is not quickly broken," often used to refer to marriage between a man and woman as strengthened by their mutual reliance on God. This idea was popularized by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen in his books and speaking.Mullady offered this in reference to his presentation, "Sex concerns the innermost spiritual being of people. It is a level of soul connection that is only intended to bind a man and woman together and last until death parts them. Catholic doctrine is clear, a man and a woman give themselves to one another through acts which are exclusively intended for marriage and complement the unique biological makeup of each gender."A Dominican and Doctor of Sacred Theology, Mullady has openly criticized governmental endorsement of same-sex marriage. He said it, "is contrary to the natural law and is one of the things that will undercut the existence of the family and the state, because the family is the building block of the state."The Saturday morning program begins at 8 a.m. It's free of charge and includes a light continental breakfast, but reservations are required. To register or obtain more information about "Three to Get Married," Father Brian Mullady and Lake County Right to Life, visit lcrtl.org/three-to-get-married-presented-by-father-brian-mullady/ or call 847.223.7022.While this event is geared to those who participate in the Catholic Church, it is open to anyone interested in the topic of Biblical marriage and sexuality.About Lake County Right to LifeLake County Right to Life was loosely formed in 1973, within months of the United States Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, and has worked to educate and persuade the community and its leaders of the inalienable and inherent right to life of all human beings, from conception to natural death. The organization actively works to inform and educate those in Lake County and beyond about the innate value of human life and the damage caused by abortion and euthanasia. Lake County Right to Life supports and assists women and families in choosing life for their pre-born children, even in difficult situations. For more information, visit www.lcrtl.org
Faith Movement 'In God We Trust' Celebrates Trump's Proclamation for National Days of Prayer and Remembrance for 9/11

Contact: Jennifer Willingham, 615-483-4729, jennifer@iconmediagroup.com



PITTSBURGH, Sept. 11, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- Friday, President Trump proclaimed September 8-10 to be "National Days of Prayer and Remembrance" for 9/11. The movement In God We Trust (IGWT) recently presented its petition to the President with more than 200,00 signatures asking for a day of prayer, fasting and repentance recognizing September 11.



In his Proclamation, Trump said, "As a Nation, we pray that the love of God and the comfort of knowing that those who perished are forever remembered brings them peace and gives them courage."



Responding to the Proclamation, Don Black, President of Cornerstone TV Network and the In God We Trust initiative, said, "We are thrilled by President Trump's Proclamation. Now, millions of Americans will join together in prayer. By humbling ourselves before Almighty God in national prayer, we will begin to redeem September 11th.



"The purpose of 'In God We Trust' is to come together as committed Christians on behalf of our nation. Therefore, throughout the weekend and on 9/11, we are and will be praying for those impacted by Hurricane Irma and for every other problem our nation is facing."



IGWT is a unique coalition of broadcasting networks, statesmen, and denominational leaders united around the message for a renewed call to intercede for America. Gov. Mike Huckabee, Alveda King, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Jonathan Cahn, Rabbi Daniel Lapin, Kay Arthur, Andrew Wommack, Dr. Richard Lee, Gordon Robertson, Perry Stone and Dr. Pat Robertson are lending their voices to a television special titled "In God We Trust  9/11 Triumph from Tragedy," which is being shared by Cornerstone Television Network with many other Christian broadcasting networks. This special programming may be joined via its syndicated group and live-streamed content through www.ingodwetrust.tv and www.facebook.com/CornerstoneTV.



About In God We Trust:

In God We Trust is a movement dedicated to God's Truth and seeks to reestablish the traditional biblical foundation of our founders, as presented in the U.S. Constitution.


Judicial Watch Election Integrity Project Director Robert Popper to Give Testimony to Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity

Contact: Jill Farrell, Judicial Watch, 202-646-5172



WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch Senior Attorney and Director of its Election Integrity Project Robert Popper will provide testimony to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, concerning the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).

Date: September 12, 2017



Time: Panel begins 10 am ET, Popper to give testimony in the afternoon



Location: New Hampshire Institute of Politics

Saint Anselm's College

Manchester, New Hampshire

Prior to joining Judicial Watch, Popper worked for eight years, five as deputy chief of the Voting Section, in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, in which capacity he garnered numerous professional awards. In his role as the Director of the Election Integrity Project, Popper has spearheaded Judicial Watch efforts nationwide to ensure clean elections, enforcement of both Section 8 of the NVRA and the federal Help America Vote Act requiring states to maintain accurate voting rolls.



In his prepared testimony for the presidential election commission, Popper states:

The American people have come to believe that there are serious problems with our electoral system. One study from last year showed that Americans have little faith in the integrity of their elections and postulated that this partly explains low voter turnout. A Rasmussen poll from 2016 reported that only 41% of those polled believe "American elections are fair to voters." A Washington Post-ABC News poll from 2016 found that 46% of those polled believed that voter fraud happens either "somewhat" or "very" often.



***



There are over 2,800 counties in states covered by the NVRA. Of these, 415, or about 15% of all covered counties, did not report sending any confirmation notices during the two-year period from 2014 to 2016. This fact suggests a widespread failure to comply with the NVRA. Moreover, of the counties that did report sending confirmation notices, another 581, or about 20% of the total, reported sending notices during the last two-year period to fewer than 5% of their registered voters. Given that the Census Bureau reports that about 11% of Americans move every year, these low rates also suggest that these counties are not diligently conducting voter list maintenance.



Counties' overall registration rates also reveal compliance issues. Our study showed that, in 462 U.S. counties, the number of voter registrations exceeded the number of citizens over the age of 18 who resided in those counties. In other words, those counties' registration rates exceeded 100% of the population eligible to register. Federal courts have repeatedly held that such an imbalance between registrations and age-eligible citizens is grounds for believing that a jurisdiction is not living up to its list maintenance obligations. These 462 counties, moreover, constitute about 17% of all U.S. counties covered by the NVRA where we have enough data to make these calculations.

MORE: www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-election-integrity-project-director-robert-popper-give-testimony-presidential-advisory-commission-election-integrity/
Toledo Abortion Biz Fined $40,000 for Mishandling Medical Emergency Amid OH Supreme Court Challenge of Hospital Transfer Agreement

Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-683-6790 ext. 111; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Vice President, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue, info.operationrescue@gmail.com



TOLEDO, Ohio, Sept. 11, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is seeking to impose a fine of $40,000 against Capital Care Network, an abortion facility in Toledo, Ohio, after a complaint inspection found five "serious licensure violations" related to a mishandled abortion-related medical emergency on April 1, 2017.



This fine is particularly significant since the Capital Care Network is expected to argue before the Ohio Supreme Court tomorrow that hospital transfer agreements are unnecessary and place an "undue burden" on women seeking abortions.



Operation Rescue received documents from the ODH in response to a four-month old public records request that shed further light on the nature of the patient emergency and the callous attitude of the abortion business staff toward their critically injured patient.



According to a letter from ODH Director Lance Himes and an attached inspection report, on April 11, 2017, ODH representatives inspected the Capital Care Network. This was in response to a complaint submitted on Operation Rescue's recommendation by a pro-life activist who witnessed the April 1 incident.



The inspection report indicated that "Patient 1" was 11.5 weeks pregnant when she reported to the Capital Care Network for a suction abortion using a plastic vacuum tip. An ultrasound revealed possible retained tissue, but after an inspection of the aborted baby remains, staff reported that they found "placenta with complete fetal parts." The unnamed abortionist noted in Patient 1's chart, "possible perforation of bowel in cavity," then ordered that she be "transferred to the hospital for an ultrasound."



In order for a bowel to be perforated by a plastic vacuum tip during an abortion, it would require the uterus to be perforated first. The combined uterine and bowel perforations are life-threatening injuries.



The staff member that transported the woman in her private vehicle, Shuyler Beckwith, was asked by inspectors why emergency policies that required staff to call an ambulance for hospital transport were not followed.



Beckwith coldly responded, "I guess the Doctor didn't feel it was that much of an emergency."



An eye-witness told Operation Rescue that an African-American woman was brought out the back entrance of the abortion facility and loaded into Beckwith's Ford Focus during the April 1 incident. The woman was doubled over in pain and walked only with assistance. Another eyewitness saw Beckwith drop off the woman at the Toledo Hospital emergency room entrance.



The inspection report noted five serious violations identified by the Department of Health, including failure to transport the patient properly without the medical records accompanying her.



"It is obvious that Capital Care wanted to conceal the fact that they utterly botched an abortion," said Newman. "These are people who cannot be trusted one iota to tell the truth, but can be counted on to endanger their patients' lives in order to cover up their dangerously shoddy practices."



Capital Care Network attorneys requested a hearing on the $40,000 fine in a faxed letter to the ODH dated September 7, 2017.



They are also set to appear before the Ohio Supreme Court on September 12, at 9 a.m. for oral arguments in the state's attempt to enforce licensing requirements, including the hospital transfer agreement provision, that Capital Care Network cannot meet. If successful, Capital Care Network would be forced to close.



Read the Letter of Intent to Fine and the inspection report.



Read today's full report from Operation Rescue



About Operation Rescue

Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Click here to support Operation Rescue.


The article below entitled Who is Osama bin Laden? was drafted on September 11, 2001. It was first published on the Global Research website on the evening of September 12, 2001.

Since 2001, it has appeared on numerous websites. The original September 11, 2001 posting became one of the most widely read articles on the internet, pertaining to Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Since then it has been carefully recategorized by the Search engines. It no longer appears in the top pages of google.

The Global Research website was launched 16 years ago on the 9th of September 2001.

The original post of this article was among the first articles published by Global Research.

The original url was:

From the outset, the objective was to use 9/11 as a pretext for launching the first phase of the Middle East War, which consisted in the bombing and occupation of Afghanistan.

Within hours of the attacks, Osama bin Laden was identified as the architect of 9/11. On the following day, the war on terrorism had been launched. The media disinformation campaign went into full gear.

Also on September 12, less than 24 hours after the attacks, NATO invoked for the first time in its history Article 5 of the Washington Treaty  its collective defence clause declaring the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) and the Pentagon to be an attack against all NATO members.

What happened subsequently, with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq is already part of history. Syria, Libya and Yemen were already on the Pentagons drawing board, the next phase of the US adminstrations military roadmap.

9/11 remains the pretext and justification for waging a war without borders.

Michel Chossudovsky, September 11, 2015, September 11, 2017

September 11, 2001. Timeline

Excerpts from the Preface of Michel Chossudovsky, Americas War on Terrorism, Second edition, Global Research, 2005.

***

At eleven oclock, on the morning of September 11, the Bush administration had already announced that Al Qaeda was responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) and the Pentagon. This assertion was made prior to the conduct of an indepth police investigation.

That same evening at 9.30 pm, a War Cabinet was formed integrated by a select number of top intelligence and military advisors. And at 11.00 pm, at the end of that historic meeting at the White House, the War on Terrorism was officially launched.

The decision was announced to wage war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in retribution for the 9/11 attacks. The following morning on September 12th, the news headlines indelibly pointed to state sponsorship of the 9/11 attacks by Afghanistan

In chorus, the US media was calling for a military intervention against Afghanistan.

Barely four weeks later, on the 7th of October, Afghanistan was bombed and invaded by US troops. Americans were led to believe that the decison to go to war had been taken on the spur of the moment, on the evening of September 11, in response to the 9/11 attacks and their tragic consequences.

Little did the public realize that a large scale theater war is never planned and executed in a matter of weeks. The decision to launch a war and send troops to Afghanistan had been taken well in advance of 9/11. The terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event as it was later described by (former) CentCom Commander General Tommy Franks, served to galvanize public opinion in support of a war agenda which was already in its final planning stage.

The tragic events of 9/11 provided the required justification to wage a war on humanitarian grounds, with the full support of World public opinion and the endorsement of the international community.

Several prominent progressive intellectuals made a case for retaliation against terrorism, on moral and ethical grounds. The just cause military doctrine (jus ad bellum) was accepted and upheld at face value as a legitimate response to 9/11, without examining the fact that Washington had not only supported the Islamic terror network, it was also instrumental in the installation of the Taliban government in 1996.

In the wake of 9/11, the antiwar movement was completely isolated. The trade unions and civil society organizations had swallowed the media lies and government propaganda. They had accepted a war of retribution against Afghanistan, an impoverished country of 30 million people.

I started writing on the evening of September 11, late into the night, going through piles of research notes, which I had previously collected on the history of Al Qaeda. My first text entitled Who is Osama bin Laden? was completed and first published on September the 12th. (See full text of the 9/12/2001 article below).

From the very outset, I questioned the official story, which described nineteen Al Qaeda sponsored hijackers involved in a highly sophisticated and organized operation. My first objective was to reveal the true nature of this illusive enemy of America, who was threatening the Homeland.

The myth of the outside enemy and the threat of Islamic terrorists was the cornerstone of the Bush adminstrations military doctrine, used as a pretext to invade Afghanistan and Iraq, not to mention the repeal of civil liberties and constitutional government in America.

Without an outside enemy, there could be no war on terrorism. The entire national security agenda would collapse like a deck of cards. The war criminals in high office would have no leg to stand on.

Al Qaeda was a creation of the CIA going back to the Soviet-Afghan war. This was a known fact, corroborated by numerous sources including official documents of the US Congress.The intelligence community had time and again acknowledged that they had indeed supported Osama bin Laden, but that in the wake of the Cold War: he turned against us.

After 9/11, the campaign of media disinformation served not only to drown the truth but also to kill much of the historical evidence on how this illusive outside enemy had been fabricated and transformed into Enemy Number One.

Michel Chossudovsky, Excerpts from the Preface of , Excerpts from the Preface of Americas War on Terrorism , Second edition, Global Research, 2005.

***

Who Is Osama Bin Laden?

by Michel Chossudovsky

www.globalresearch.ca

September 12, 2001 September 12, 2001

A few hours after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, the Bush administration concluded without supporting evidence, that Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda organisation were prime suspects. CIA Director George Tenetstated that bin Laden has the capacity to plan multiple attacks with little or no warning.

Secretary of State Colin Powell called the attacks an act of war and President Bush confirmed in an evening televised address to the Nation that he would make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them. Former CIA Director James Woolsey pointed his finger at state sponsorship, implying the complicity of one or more foreign governments. In the words of former National Security Adviser, Lawrence Eagleburger,

I think we will show when we get attacked like this, we are terrible in our strength and in our retribution.

Meanwhile, parroting official statements, the Western media mantra has approved the launching of punitive actions directed against civilian targets in the Middle East. In the words of William Saffire writing in the New York Times: When we reasonably determine our attackers bases and camps, we must pulverize them  minimizing but accepting the risk of collateral damage  and act overtly or covertly to destabilize terrors national hosts.

The following text outlines the history of Osama Bin Laden and the links of the Islamic Jihad to the formulation of US foreign policy during the Cold War and its aftermath.

Prime suspect in the New York and Washington terrorists attacks, branded by the FBI as an international terrorist for his role in the African US embassy bombings, Saudi born Osama bin Laden was recruited during the Soviet-Afghan war ironically under the auspices of the CIA, to fight Soviet invaders. 1

In 1979 the largest covert operation in the history of the CIA was launched in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in support of the pro-Communist government of Babrak Kamal.2:

With the active encouragement of the CIA and Pakistans ISI [Inter Services Intelligence], who wanted to turn the Afghan jihad into a global war waged by all Muslim states against the Soviet Union, some 35,000 Muslim radicals from 40 Islamic countries joined Afghanistans fight between 1982 and 1992. Tens of thousands more came to study in Pakistani madrasahs. Eventually more than 100,000 foreign Muslim radicals were directly influenced by the Afghan jihad.3

The Islamic jihad was supported by the United States and Saudi Arabia with a significant part of the funding generated from the Golden Crescent drug trade:

In March 1985, President Reagan signed National Security Decision Directive 166,[which] authorize[d] stepped-up covert military aid to the mujahideen, and it made clear that the secret Afghan war had a new goal: to defeat Soviet troops in Afghanistan through covert action and encourage a Soviet withdrawal. The new covert U.S. assistance began with a dramatic increase in arms supplies  a steady rise to 65,000 tons annually by 1987,  as well as a ceaseless stream of CIA and Pentagon specialists who traveled to the secret headquarters of Pakistans ISI on the main road near Rawalpindi, Pakistan. There the CIA specialists met with Pakistani intelligence officers to help plan operations for the Afghan rebels.4

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) using Pakistans military Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) played a key role in training the Mujahideen. In turn, the CIA sponsored guerrilla training was integrated with the teachings of Islam:

Predominant themes were that Islam was a complete socio-political ideology, that holy Islam was being violated by the atheistic Soviet troops, and that the Islamic people of Afghanistan should reassert their independence by overthrowing the leftist Afghan regime propped up by Moscow.5

Pakistans Intelligence Apparatus

Pakistans ISI was used as a go-between. The CIA covert support to the jihad operated indirectly through the Pakistani ISI, i.e. the CIA did not channel its support directly to the Mujahideen. In other words, for these covert operations to be successful, Washington was careful not to reveal the ultimate objective of the jihad, which consisted in destroying the Soviet Union.

In the words of CIAs Milton Beardman We didnt train Arabs. Yet according to Abdel Monam Saidali, of the Al-aram Center for Strategic Studies in Cairo, bin Laden and the Afghan Arabs had been imparted with very sophisticated types of training that was allowed to them by the CIA 6

CIAs Beardman confirmed, in this regard, that Osama bin Laden was not aware of the role he was playing on behalf of Washington. In the words of bin Laden (quoted by Beardman): neither I, nor my brothers saw evidence of American help. 7

Motivated by nationalism and religious fervor, the Islamic warriors were unaware that they were fighting the Soviet Army on behalf of Uncle Sam. While there were contacts at the upper levels of the intelligence hierarchy, Islamic rebel leaders in theatre had no contacts with Washington or the CIA.

With CIA backing and the funneling of massive amounts of US military aid, the Pakistani ISI had developed into a parallel structure wielding enormous power over all aspects of government. 8 The ISI had a staff composed of military and intelligence officers, bureaucrats, undercover agents and informers, estimated at 150,000. 9

Meanwhile, CIA operations had also reinforced the Pakistani military regime led by General Zia Ul Haq:

Relations between the CIA and the ISI [Pakistans military intelligence] had grown increasingly warm following [General] Zias ouster of Bhutto and the advent of the military regime, During most of the Afghan war, Pakistan was more aggressively anti-Soviet than even the United States. Soon after the Soviet military invaded Afghanistan in 1980, Zia [ul Haq] sent his ISI chief to destabilize the Soviet Central Asian states. The CIA only agreed to this plan in October 1984. `the CIA was more cautious than the Pakistanis. Both Pakistan and the United States took the line of deception on Afghanistan with a public posture of negotiating a settlement while privately agreeing that military escalation was the best course.10

The Golden Crescent Drug Triangle

The history of the drug trade in Central Asia is intimately related to the CIAs covert operations. Prior to the Soviet-Afghan war, opium production in Afghanistan and Pakistan was directed to small regional markets. There was no local production of heroin. 11 In this regard, Alfred McCoys study confirms that within two years of the onslaught of the CIA operation in Afghanistan, the Pakistan-Afghanistan borderlands became the worlds top heroin producer, supplying 60 percent of U.S. demand. In Pakistan, the heroin-addict population went from near zero in 1979 to 1.2 million by 1985  a much steeper rise than in any other nation:12

CIA assets again controlled this heroin trade. As the Mujahideen guerrillas seized territory inside Afghanistan, they ordered peasants to plant opium as a revolutionary tax. Across the border in Pakistan, Afghan leaders and local syndicates under the protection of Pakistan Intelligence operated hundreds of heroin laboratories. During this decade of wide-open drug-dealing, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in Islamabad failed to instigate major seizures or arrests  U.S. officials had refused to investigate charges of heroin dealing by its Afghan allies `because U.S. narcotics policy in Afghanistan has been subordinated to the war against Soviet influence there. In 1995, the former CIA director of the Afghan operation, Charles Cogan, admitted the CIA had indeed sacrificed the drug war to fight the Cold War. `Our main mission was to do as much damage as possible to the Soviets. We didnt really have the resources or the time to devote to an investigation of the drug trade, `I dont think that we need to apologize for this. Every situation has its fallout. There was fallout in terms of drugs, yes. But the main objective was accomplished. The Soviets left Afghanistan.13

In the Wake of the Cold War

In the wake of the Cold War, the Central Asian region is not only strategic for its extensive oil reserves, it also produces three quarters of the Worlds opium representing multibillion dollar revenues to business syndicates, financial institutions, intelligence agencies and organized crime. The annual proceeds of the Golden Crescent drug trade (between 100 and 200 billion dollars) represents approximately one third of the Worldwide annual turnover of narcotics, estimated by the United Nations to be of the order of $500 billion.14

With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, a new surge in opium production has unfolded. (According to UN estimates, the production of opium in Afghanistan in 1998-99  coinciding with the build up of armed insurgencies in the former Soviet republics reached a record high of 4600 metric tons.15 Powerful business syndicates in the former Soviet Union allied with organized crime are competing for the strategic control over the heroin routes.

The ISIs extensive intelligence military-network was not dismantled in the wake of the Cold War. The CIA continued to support the Islamic jihad out of Pakistan. New undercover initiatives were set in motion in Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Balkans. Pakistans military and intelligence apparatus essentially served as a catalyst for the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the emergence of six new Muslim republics in Central Asia. 16.

Meanwhile, Islamic missionaries of the Wahhabi sect from Saudi Arabia had established themselves in the Muslim republics as well as within the Russian federation encroaching upon the institutions of the secular State. Despite its anti-American ideology, Islamic fundamentalism was largely serving Washingtons strategic interests in the former Soviet Union.

Following the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989, the civil war in Afghanistan continued unabated. The Taliban were being supported by the Pakistani Deobandis and their political party the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI). In 1993, JUI entered the government coalition of Prime Minister Benazzir Bhutto. Ties between JUI, the Army and ISI were established. In 1995, with the downfall of the Hezb-I-Islami Hektmatyar government in Kabul, the Taliban not only instated a hardline Islamic government, they also handed control of training camps in Afghanistan over to JUI factions 17

And the JUI with the support of the Saudi Wahhabi movements played a key role in recruiting volunteers to fight in the Balkans and the former Soviet Union.

Jane Defense Weekly confirms in this regard that half of Taliban manpower and equipment originate[d] in Pakistan under the ISI 18

In fact, it would appear that following the Soviet withdrawal both sides in the Afghan civil war continued to receive covert support through Pakistans ISI. 19

In other words, backed by Pakistans military intelligence (ISI) which in turn was controlled by the CIA, the Taliban Islamic State was largely serving American geopolitical interests. The Golden Crescent drug trade was also being used to finance and equip the Bosnian Muslim Army (starting in the early 1990s) and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). In last few months there is evidence that Mujahideen mercenaries are fighting in the ranks of KLA-NLA terrorists in their assaults into Macedonia.

No doubt, this explains why Washington has closed its eyes on the reign of terror imposed by the Taliban including the blatant derogation of womens rights, the closing down of schools for girls, the dismissal of women employees from government offices and the enforcement of the Sharia laws of punishment.20

The War in Chechnya

With regard to Chechnya, the main rebel leaders Shamil Basayev and Al Khattab were trained and indoctrinated in CIA sponsored camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to Yossef Bodansky, director of the U.S. Congresss Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, the war in Chechnya had been planned during a secret summit of HizbAllah International held in 1996 in Mogadishu, Somalia. 21 The summit, was attended by Osama bin Laden and high-ranking Iranian and Pakistani intelligence officers. In this regard, the involvement of Pakistans ISI in Chechnya goes far beyond supplying the Chechens with weapons and expertise: the ISI and its radical Islamic proxies are actually calling the shots in this war. 22

Russias main pipeline route transits through Chechnya and Dagestan. Despite Washingtons perfunctory condemnation of Islamic terrorism, the indirect beneficiaries of the Chechen war are the Anglo-American oil conglomerates which are vying for control over oil resources and pipeline corridors out of the Caspian Sea basin.

The two main Chechen rebel armies (respectively led by Commander Shamil Basayev and Emir Khattab) estimated at 35,000 strong were supported by Pakistans ISI, which also played a key role in organizing and training the Chechen rebel army:

[In 1994] the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence arranged for Basayev and his trusted lieutenants to undergo intensive Islamic indoctrination and training in guerrilla warfare in the Khost province of Afghanistan at Amir Muawia camp, set up in the early 1980s by the CIA and ISI and run by famous Afghani warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. In July 1994, upon graduating from Amir Muawia, Basayev was transferred to Markaz-i-Dawar camp in Pakistan to undergo training in advanced guerrilla tactics. In Pakistan, Basayev met the highest ranking Pakistani military and intelligence officers: Minister of Defense General Aftab Shahban Mirani, Minister of Interior General Naserullah Babar, and the head of the ISI branch in charge of supporting Islamic causes, General Javed Ashraf, (all now retired). High-level connections soon proved very useful to Basayev.23

Following his training and indoctrination stint, Basayev was assigned to lead the assault against Russian federal troops in the first Chechen war in 1995. His organization had also developed extensive links to criminal syndicates in Moscow as well as ties to Albanian organized crime and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). In 1997-98, according to Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) Chechen warlords started buying up real estate in Kosovo through several real estate firms registered as a cover in Yugoslavia 24

Basayevs organisation has also been involved in a number of rackets including narcotics, illegal tapping and sabotage of Russias oil pipelines, kidnapping, prostitution, trade in counterfeit dollars and the smuggling of nuclear materials (See Mafia linked to Albanias collapsed pyramids, 25 Alongside the extensive laundering of drug money, the proceeds of various illicit activities have been funneled towards the recruitment of mercenaries and the purchase of weapons.

During his training in Afghanistan, Shamil Basayev linked up with Saudi born veteran Mujahideen Commander Al Khattab who had fought as a volunteer in Afghanistan. Barely a few months after Basayevs return to Grozny, Khattab was invited (early 1995) to set up an army base in Chechnya for the training of Mujahideen fighters. According to the BBC, Khattabs posting to Chechnya had been arranged through the Saudi-Arabian based [International] Islamic Relief Organisation, a militant religious organisation, funded by mosques and rich individuals which channeled funds into Chechnya.26

Concluding Remarks

Since the Cold War era, Washington has consciously supported Osama bin Laden, while at same time placing him on the FBIs most wanted list as the Worlds foremost terrorist.

While the Mujahideen are busy fighting Americas war in the Balkans and the former Soviet Union, the FBI operating as a US based Police Force- is waging a domestic war against terrorism, operating in some respects independently of the CIA which has since the Soviet-Afghan war supported international terrorism through its covert operations.

In a cruel irony, while the Islamic jihad featured by the Bush Adminstration as a threat to America is blamed for the terrorist assaults on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, these same Islamic organisations constitute a key instrument of US military-intelligence operations in the Balkans and the former Soviet Union.

In the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, the truth must prevail to prevent the Bush Adminstration together with its NATO partners from embarking upon a military adventure which threatens the future of humanity.

Michel Chossudovsky is the author of the international best Americas War on Terrorism Second Edition, Global Research, 2005. He is Professor of Economics at the University of Ottawa and Director of the Center for Research on Globalization.

Notes

1. Hugh Davies, International: `Informers point the finger at bin Laden; Washington on alert for suicide bombers, The Daily Telegraph, London, 24 August 1998.

2. See Fred Halliday, The Un-great game: the Country that lost the Cold War, Afghanistan, New Republic, 25 March 1996):

3. Ahmed Rashid, The Taliban: Exporting Extremism, Foreign Affairs, November-December 1999.

4. Steve Coll, Washington Post, July 19, 1992.

5. Dilip Hiro, Fallout from the Afghan Jihad, Inter Press Services, 21 November 1995.

6. Weekend Sunday (NPR); Eric Weiner, Ted Clark; 16 August 1998.

7. Ibid.

8. Dipankar Banerjee; Possible Connection of ISI With Drug Industry, India Abroad, 2 December 1994.

9. Ibid

10. See Diego Cordovez and Selig Harrison, Out of Afghanistan: The Inside Story of the Soviet Withdrawal, Oxford university Press, New York, 1995. See also the review of Cordovez and Harrison in International Press Services, 22 August 1995.

11. Alfred McCoy, Drug fallout: the CIAs Forty Year Complicity in the Narcotics Trade. The Progressive; 1 August 1997.

12. Ibid

13. Ibid.

14. Douglas Keh, Drug Money in a changing World, Technical document no 4, 1998, Vienna UNDCP, p. 4. See also Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 1999, E/INCB/1999/1 United Nations Publication, Vienna 1999, p 49-51, And Richard Lapper, UN Fears Growth of Heroin Trade, Financial Times, 24 February 2000.

15. Report of the International Narcotics Control Board, op cit, p 49-51, see also Richard Lapper, op. cit.

16. International Press Services, 22 August 1995.

17. Ahmed Rashid, The Taliban: Exporting Extremism, Foreign Affairs, November- December, 1999, p. 22.

18. Quoted in the Christian Science Monitor, 3 September 1998)

19. Tim McGirk, Kabul learns to live with its bearded conquerors, The Independent, London, 6 November1996.

20. See K. Subrahmanyam, Pakistan is Pursuing Asian Goals, India Abroad, 3 November 1995.

21. Levon Sevunts, Whos calling the shots?: Chechen conflict finds Islamic roots in Afghanistan and Pakistan, The Gazette, Montreal, 26 October 1999..

22. Ibid

23. Ibid.

24. See Vitaly Romanov and Viktor Yadukha, Chechen Front Moves To Kosovo Segodnia, Moscow, 23 Feb 2000.

25. The European, 13 February 1997, See also Itar-Tass, 4-5 January 2000.
With Washington facing a historic teacher shortage crisis, theres a new kid on the block when it comes to certifying much-needed educators.

Created by the state Legislature in 2011, Western Governors University of Washington has become an increasingly popular alternative for prospective teachers looking to earn a teaching certificate on their own time and at a fraction of the regular cost.

With an average of about 2,700 students enrolled in the schools Teacher College during the 2016-17 academic year, WGU Washington had roughly double the number of students pursuing education degrees at the University of Washington.

Its no surprise then that the online, not-for-profit schools local footprint has steadily increased since its inception.

That footprint could grow even larger now that WGU Chancellor Rich Cummins and Lower Columbia College President Chris Bailey are engaged in discussions that could lead to a physical presence for the school in Longview.

In April, Eastern Washington University informed LCC that it will vacate its office space in the Lower Columbia Regional University Center next year and wind down its business baccalaureate degree program by the end of next spring.

LCCs university center houses offices where students pursuing baccalaureate degrees can meet with advisors employed by partner universities. LCC currently has relationships with WSU Vancouver and City University of Seattle, and is looking for another school to take Easterns place.

In a recent interview, Cummins said WGU is seriously considering making a play for the space. Bailey later confirmed in an email that negotiations are ongoing but noted theres no signed agreement yet.

With no obvious local alternative for Cowlitz residents interested in earning a teaching certificate, its not hard to see why WGU Washington would want to gain a foothold in the Columbia Basin region.

You like to go fishing where the fish are, Cummins said.

Cowlitz County has averaged about seven graduates each year since 2011, although it produced 15 to 17 graduates in two of the last three years. To date, the school has produced 46 graduates from within county lines.

There are now 50 WGU Teacher College graduates living in Cowlitz, with 28 reporting that they are employed locally in their degree field (11 have yet to report their employment status).

A new model

For prospective students, two main differences stand out when comparing WGU Washingtons Teacher College to more traditional teacher training programs in a university setting.

The first is cost. WGU charges a flat rate of roughly $3,000 per term every six months, or about $6,000 per year. Thats almost $20,000 less per year than the estimated cost of a full year of tuition, room and board at the University of Washingtons nationally-ranked college of education.

The price can be even lower for school employees in all nine of the states educational service districts, who are eligible for a 5-percent discount on tuition for up to four terms. In August 2016, WGU Washington signed a deal with Educational Services District 112, which includes Cowlitz County. The school also offers fee waivers and scholarships of up to $2,000 to school employees.

Students can also take advantage of the flexibility that comes with WGU Washingtons online course structure.

Teacher College graduate Brennan Bailey said in an interview that his favorite aspect of the program was that it allowed him to move at his own pace and progress quickly.

At WGU, students only take one course at a time. When they feel that theyve learned the material, they take a pretest followed by a final test. Then they move on to the next course.

Theres no limit on how quickly students can pass a course, a perk that has allowed some students to fly through their studies.

The unique course structure allowed Bailey  whos now pursuing a masters degree in education policy at Harvard University as well as running for the state Legislature  to finish the program in a year.

It would have taken me four years at a brick-and-mortar school, the 27-year-old noted.

The added flexibility also allowed Judah Rister, 31, of Castle Rock to earn a dual teaching endorsement while working a full-time job and raising a family.

Rister graduated from Castle Rock High School in 2005 and worked in the auto repair industry for nearly a decade. After his wife gave birth to their daughter, he decided to change careers so he could spend more time with his family.

Rister enrolled in the WGU program in December 2014 and graduated in January of this year with a certification in special education.

With 47 out of 50 states reporting a shortage in special education teachers, its not likely hell ever have to look hard for a job again.

Rister said it would have been hard to make the transition from collision repair mechanic to special education teacher without a program like WGU Washington.

Even night classes would be incredibly tough with a family and a full-time job, he said.

Rister now works at Wallace Elementary as a teacher in a special program for students in the Kelso School District with emotional and behavioral disorders.

But hes also still attending WGU Washington  this time as a graduate student.

I loved it so much I signed up again right away after I graduated, he said in an interview.

Now hes pursuing a masters degree in learning and technology, another area where the state sorely lacks qualified teachers.

Drawbacks

With an average age of 37, its fair to say WGU Washington isnt for everyone.

Since it was created, the school has marketed itself to self-paced adult learners, many of whom already have professional experience in a different field.

As with all online degree programs, there are trade-offs that come with affordability. For WGU students, its not possible to drop by during a professors office hours or form a study group that regularly meets in the student lounge.

You do miss out on some interaction and face-to-face discussion, Bailey said.

Courses dont have traditional professors; instead, the school employs course mentors who serve as guides. WGU Washington also pairs enrollees with student mentors for regular check-ins via video calls.

Its also difficult to gauge whether the quality of online instruction and coursework is on par with the level of instruction at traditional four-year universities.

Longview School District Superintendent Dan Zorn said that the degree of academic rigour students in a teacher training program are exposed to is important.

Theres a real, essential philosophical base that teachers need to develop in terms of understanding how kids learn and what quality instructional practice is, he said in an interview.

But Zorn also recognizes that new teachers are far from a finished product when they first step into their own classroom.

We hire all kinds of people that have been trained in online programs and we hire all kinds of people coming out of traditional teacher preparation programs, he said. Its not like we have an elementary teacher opening and weve got 200 applicants that were sorting through, he added.

Whats most essential, Zorn said, is that students complete a rigorous student teaching program that places them in classrooms working with real teachers.

To that end, WGU Washington is no different than other traditional universities.

In order to graduate, WGU enrollees are required to apply for six-month placements as student teachers where professional teachers serve as their mentors. Students are then observed teaching lessons at least six times in the classroom by an official from WGU Washington and need to submit a final assessment to OSPI.

Its difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison between graduation rates at WGU Washington and other traditional four-year programs.

Students in Washington State Universitys elementary certification program boast a graduation rate between 96 and 98 percent. However, students in that program also represent a smaller percentage of enrollees who did well enough to qualify for their major.

WGU Washingtons graduation rate over six years is 49 percent. But is it fair to compare full-time students, who are generally younger, to older students who cant devote nearly as much time to studying?

For most of the traditional programs, if you have a non-traditional student they stand out because theyre an exception, said Brandon Chapman, director of marketing and communication for the College of Education at WSU. With students at four-year institutions, they move to a campus and its all they do, he said. They move for the experience, theyre 100 percent in it and theres a lot less of any kind of issue with graduation or retention.

Filling the gap

While data suggests that the number of qualified teachers in Washington is dwindling, WGU Washingtons enrollment has increased every year since 2011. The not-for-profit schools combination of affordability and flexibility have helped produce thousands of qualified teachers so far  helping to meet one of the states most acute needs.

The Legislature recently passed a law to make it easier for paraeducators to become certified teachers; local districts are considering other ways to address the teacher shortage. At a recent meeting, the Kelso School Board voted to make it easier for schools to hire substitute teachers for longer periods of time.

WGU Washington may prove to be an important piece of the puzzle as local districts seek to boost staffing levels and replace a wave of baby boomer retirements in the coming years. With WGU Washington eyeing a piece of ground-floor real estate at LCC, its worth keeping an eye on.
More than 10 years ago, Washington and Oregon came together to figure out how to replace the Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River  and ended up doing nothing. Now they want to try again.

During this past legislative session, Senate Bill 5806 was signed by Gov. Jay Inslee establishing a bi-partisan committee from Washington to work with legislators from Oregon. Their task is to re-start the process of figuring out what to do with the worn out I-5 Columbia River bridge crossings.

The issues that need to be solved are congestion, freight mobility and safety.

The last formal discussions about relieving traffic congestion on I-5 around the Columbia River Bridge started back in 2005 and ended in 2013.

After a long and contentious research and discussion period, many were unhappy with the proposed fixes for the bridge and the Washington Legislature voted down funding the project.

During the eight years the project was studied, reportedly $175 million was spent. Some of the research and expenditures may benefit the new group, but certainly a significant amount of taxpayer money was wasted. The environmental impact statement alone cost $105 million, which we bet will need to done all over again.

Most people would probably agree that the current I-5 bridges over the Columbia need to be replaced or seriously upgraded. The two structures were built long ago; the bridge handling northbound traffic was built in 1917, the southbound side was built in 1958.

Some of the sticking points around the last proposal were bridge height, cost, light rail and regional traffic effects.

Businesses upstream from the proposed new bridge would have been forced to relocate because the new structure wouldnt have enough clearance for ships to get through.

The cost of the project ballooned right from the start. The environmental impact statements $105 million price tag was five times more costly than originally planned. The overall project cost was projected at anywhere from $3 billion to $10 billion, depending on who you listened to.

Officials  mostly from Oregon  wanted to include a light rail extension and connection to the MAX system. Some from southwest Washington dont want to pay for light rail, nor see the need to extend the system to Washington. Others noted that freight isnt moved by light rail.

Another key concern was the unintended consequences of building a new bridge system and then paying for it through tolls. A 2012 study indicated a significant number of people who drive back and forth over the I-5 bridges would switch to taking the I-205 bridge if a toll was put in place.

Weve often talked about how taxes discourage behavior. If a toll was placed on I-5, then some drivers would certainly go out of their way to avoid paying it, which would jam up traffic on I-205.

To avoid the unintended consequence of drivers re-routing to I-205, some talked about placing tolls on both highways.

The process of establishing new committees to figure out this long-standing problem isnt going well, so far. While Washington politicians started appointing members to the new commission, Oregon politicians have not.

Oregon legislators havent even made a decision as to whether theyll participate in the new group. Rick Osborn, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Ginny Burdick (D) said, There really hasnt been a whole lot of discussion about that.

Once representatives from the two states get together, wed like to see a concise statement of purpose and need developed. What are the exact problems this project aims to resolve? Is the top priority reducing general congestion or is it freight mobility?

Once the purpose and need have been developed, wed like the public to get a chance to see some of the various alternatives that meet the purpose and need criterion.

Lets get as many of the problems and issues out in the open quickly and find solutions. Maybe this will help keep costs down.

In the end, we would like to see a common sense solutions implemented.

Were hopeful the second time around is a charm.
In my recent trip to Dubai, I have used Lenovo K8 Note for taking images. I used it because, in recent time, K8 Note is one of the good smartphone, which gives good picture quality. It comes with dual camera set-up (rear camera), which comprises of a 13.0-megapixel primary and 5.0-megapixel secondary depth sensor for great quality pictures and enhanced depth of field. These two work in seamless combination allowing users to take photographs with amazing depth of field and bokeh. Front camera of Lenovo K8 Note is 13MP.

Day Light Photography

Low Light Photography

Micro Shot Photography

Random Shots Photography

Lenovo K8 Note selfie Video

Technuter.com News Service
About me I'm Avi Green

From Jerusalem, Israel

I was born in Pennsylvania in 1974, and moved to Israel in 1983. I also enjoyed reading a lot of comics when I was young, the first being Fantastic Four. I maintain a strong belief in the public's right to knowledge and accuracy in facts. I like to think of myself as a conservative-style version of Clark Kent. I don't expect to be perfect at the job, but I do my best. My profile

Archives - Archives - July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 February 2010 March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010 August 2010 September 2010 October 2010 November 2010 December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 August 2012 September 2012 October 2012 November 2012 December 2012 January 2013 February 2013 March 2013 April 2013 May 2013 June 2013 July 2013 August 2013 September 2013 October 2013 November 2013 December 2013 January 2014 February 2014 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 July 2014 August 2014 September 2014 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 January 2015 February 2015 March 2015 April 2015 May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 August 2015 September 2015 October 2015 November 2015 December 2015 January 2016 February 2016 March 2016 April 2016 May 2016 June 2016 July 2016 August 2016 September 2016 October 2016 November 2016 December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017 January 2018 February 2018 March 2018 April 2018 May 2018 June 2018 July 2018 August 2018 September 2018 October 2018 November 2018 December 2018 January 2019 February 2019 March 2019 April 2019 May 2019 June 2019 July 2019 August 2019 September 2019 October 2019 November 2019 December 2019 January 2020 February 2020 March 2020 April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 December 2020 January 2021 February 2021 March 2021 April 2021 May 2021 June 2021 July 2021 August 2021 September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 December 2021 January 2022 February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022 July 2022 August 2022 September 2022 October 2022 November 2022
Benjamin Steinitz, head of the Research and Information Center for Anti-Semitism (RIAS) in Berlin said that he sees problems with the government data. He noted that when investigators see slogans like Jews Out written on walls they often attribute it to far-right extremists despite it also being popular in Islamist circles.



Steinitz referred to a report from earlier this year that surveyed German Jews in which eight percent said they knew someone who had been a victim of violence in the last twelve months. According to the report, Muslims were seen as being responsible for 83 per cent of physical assaults and 62 per cent of verbal insults.



German schools have also become mired in anti-Semitic incidents, particularly in the German capital of Berlin. Earlier this year a Jewish student was forced to switch schools because of physical and verbal harassment he faced at the hands of Muslim students.

Angela Merkel's dhimmitude has led to one of the most notorious forms of bigotry that Germany was rife with in the past century. And the biggest problem is that the government does whatever it can to downplay the issue:Merkel's disastrous immigration grants have also obviously contributed to this horror. Unfortunately, there's no telling if she can be voted out in the coming election, and it's clear Germany is once again becoming an unwelcome place for Jews.Update: while we're on the subject, Germany's interior minister admitted their big welfare benefits are what draw the Muslim migrants to the country. Unfortunately, if people like him continue to serve Merkel, then nothing will be done.

Labels: anti-semitism, dhimmitude, germany, immigration, islam, jihad, Moonbattery, political corruption
Japanese PM urges stronger defence amid North Korean worries

Japan\'s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivering speech at a gathering of Self-Defence Force senior officers at the Defence Ministry in Tokyo on Monday.

AFP, Tokyo :

Japan's prime minister on Monday called for a boost to the country's defences in the face of North Korean threats, warning that Tokyo needs to be able to protect itself.

The call is a common refrain from nationalist leader Shinzo Abe, who has long advocated a stiffening of Japan's military posture, despite its officially pacifist constitution. In a speech to senior officers of the Self-Defense Forces - Japan's name for the military - Abe said: "No one else will protect you if you don't have the mindset of protecting yourself."

"We have to take all appropriate measures against (incidents such as) North Korea's missile launch over Japan," added the premier, who said he had asked his defence minister to draw up a blueprint for Japan's medium-term defence strategy. Abe, who moved quickly after the election of Donald Trump to keep the mercurial US president close, said that "strengthening the Japan-US alliance is vital" to ensure regional stability.

"We have to deter North Korea's repeated provocative acts," he said, noting recent joint drills with the United States in the Sea of Japan and defence cooperation with like-minded countries including Australia. Abe's comments come as the US pushes for the United Nations Security Council to vote on harsher sanctions on North Korea.

Diplomats said that a new draft resolution circulated recently is slightly less tough than the original but includes a "progressive" oil embargo on Pyongyang. Speaking at the same meeting, Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said he hoped to quickly introduce Aegis Ashore, a land-based version of the maritime Aegis missile-defence system.

Japan backed a U.S. push for the United Nations Security Council to vote Monday on fresh sanctions against North Korea, saying that Kim Jong Un's nuclear program poses the most serious threat since World War II.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera on Sunday urged tougher sanctions including curbing oil supplies to North Korea. He warned that the regime's advances in missile technology are complicating Japan's ability to intercept them.

More from Bloomberg.com: North Korea Says U.S. to Pay Dearly for Haley's 'Hysteric Fit'

"Japan's security environment including North Korea is increasingly grave-perhaps it's the most serious state in the post-war period," Onodera told public broadcaster NHK. "If North Korea-bound oil, mainly coming from China, decreases through pressure by the international community, it will be difficult for North Korea to operate its missile brigades."

President Donald Trump's administration is pushing the Security Council to adopt a united stance as Kim gets closer to being able to strike the U.S. with a nuclear weapon. China and Russia, which can veto any UN measures, have expressed skepticism that tough sanctions will stop North Korea's nuclear push and have pushed for peace talks.

More from Bloomberg.com: Denmark Suspends Refugee Resettlement Under UN Program

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told German media outlet Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung that she would "say yes immediately" if asked to participate in a diplomatic initiative to end North Korea's nuclear program. Germany took part alongside five UN veto powers in negotiations to restrain Iran's nuclear program.

The U.S. has warned that time is running out to act. North Korea detonated its sixth and most powerful nuclear bomb last Sunday, which it said was a hydrogen device. South Korea has detected moves that indicate it may soon launch another intercontinental ballistic missile.




KEZL signs service contract with PwC

Abdul Musabbir Ahmad, Managing Director of Kishoregonj Economic Zone Limited (an infrastructure project of Nitol-Niloy Group) and Mamun Rashid, Managing Partner of PwC Bangladesh Private Limited, exchanging a \'Letter of Engagement\' signing documents at

Economic Reporter :

Kishoregonj Economic Zone Ltd (KEZL), an infrastructure project of Nitol-Niloy Group signed a service contract with PwC Bangladesh Private Limited, the world renowned management consulting company, at Nitol-Niloy Center in Dhaka on Monday.

The letter of engagement allows PwC to carry out the feasibility study, master plan and financial assessment for KEZL, a 92 acre private economic zone that is under rapid development in Pakundia, Kishoregonj.

With the slogan 'a local hub for global business', KEZL is ready to lease out industrial plots, buildings and factory sheds with common utility services including availability of gas to unit investors immediately. KEZL has received pre-qualification license from Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and is well underway to meet all relevant compliance to obtain the final license and commence operations.

KEZL has already begun the infrastructure development activities in the zone and the appointment of PwC as its consultancy partner reflects the commitment to convert the zone to a world class facility in industrial manufacturing and processing. KEZL is strategically located to attract foreign and local investors, and is receiving positive response from many companies from India, China and Japan with assurance of significant investments. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) is among the top four multinational professional services company having offices in 150 countries and has strong presence in Bangladesh. PwC has successfully completed many prefeasibility studies for economic zones in Bangladesh and the agreement demonstrates ideal collaboration between the two organizations.

The 'Letter of Engagement' was signed by Abdul Musabbir Ahmad, Managing Director of Kishoregonj Economic Zone and Mamun Rashid, Managing Partner of PwC Bangladesh.


Bangladesh elected UNWTO's SA chair

BSS, Dhaka :

Bangladesh was elected the chair of South Asian region of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) at the 22nd general assembly of UNWTO, the most important global meeting of senior tourism officials in Chengdu of China on Monday.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Spain Hasan Mahmud Khandakar, who is leading the country's delegation at the assembly, informed the good news to Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon over the telephone, official sources said.

In his reaction after knowing the news, Menon termed the achievement as a global recognition of Bangladesh tourism sector.

"It's a global recognition of our recent years efforts in development of tourism sector," the minister said, adding that it will encourage all tourism stakeholders to work more sincerely for further development of the country's tourism industry.
Express train derails in B'baria

Dhaka-bound Turna Nishitha Express train coming from Chittagong derailed at Murail railway crossing causing sufferings to passengers for eight hours on Monday.

UNB, Brahmanbaria :

The rail communication between Dhaka and the eastern zone of the country was disrupted temporarily following derailment of three compartments, including the engine, of the Dhaka-bound inter-city train near Brahmanbaria railway station early Monday.

The Dhaka-bound Turna Nishita Express train coming from Chittagong derailed at Morail rail crossing around 3:45 am, Md Shoyeb, station master of Brahmanbaria railway

station, told UNB. Rail links of the eastern districts including Chittagong, Sylhet, Noakhali, Kishoreganj routes from the capital were restored through alternative line shortly after the disruption due to the derailment, he added. After the accident, a new engine was connected to the train and it left for Dhaka, leaving the accident-hit three compartments, said station master Md Shoyeb.

Meanwhile, a relief train from Akhaura Loco Shed rushed to the spot and rescued the derailed compartments, he added.
21 gold strips seized at HSIA

Staff Reporter :

Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) on Monday seized 21 gold strips worth Tk 1.10 crore at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).

Getting information, a team of CIID searched baggage of a passenger who returned from Malaysia.

He has been identified as Jinnat Mahmud Shamim.

The gold strips weighing 2.228 kilograms were found in the baggage.

CIID arrested the accused passenger and handed him over to the airport police station.

A case has been filed under Customs law against him.


Suu Kyi, we are born to love, without prejudice

Desmond Tutu :

My dear Aung San Suu Kyi,

I am now elderly, decrepit and typically retired, but breaking my vow to remain silent on public affairs out of depth sadness about the plight of the Muslim minority in your country, the Rohingya.

In my heart you are a dear beloved younger sister. For years I had a photograph of you on my desk to remind me of the injustice and sacrifice you endured out of your love and commitment for Myanmar's people. You symbolised righteousness. In 2010, we rejoiced at your freedom from house arrest, and in 2012 we celebrated your election as leader of the opposition.

Your emergence into public life allayed our concerns about violence being perpetrated against members of the Rohingya. But what some have called 'ethnic cleansing' and others 'a slow genocide' has persisted - and recently accelerated. The images we are seeing of the suffering of the Rohingya fill us with pain and dread.

We know that you know that human beings may look and worship differently - and some may have greater firepower than others - but none are superior and none inferior; that when you scratch the surface we are all the same, members of one family, the human family; that there are no natural differences between Buddhists and Muslims; and that whether we are Jews or Hindus, Christians or atheists, we are born to love, without prejudice. Discrimination does not come naturally; it is taught.

My dear sister: If the political price of your ascension to the highest office in Myanmar is your silence, the price is certainly too steep. A country that is not at peace with itself, that fails to acknowledge and protect the dignity and worth of all its people, is not a free country.

It is incongruous for a symbol of righteousness to lead such a country; it is adding to our pain.

As we witness the unfolding horror we pray for you to be courageous and resilient again. We pray for you to speak out for justice, human rights and the unity of your people. We pray for you to intervene in the escalating crisis and guide your people back toward the path of righteousness.

God bless you.

Love



(Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, South Africa)
US softens N Korea resolution ahead of UN vote

AFP, United Nations :

The United States has submitted a new North Korean sanctions resolution to the UN Security Council, toning down its demands less than 24 hours before a vote, diplomats say, as it sought to bring China and Russia on board. Washington has led the international drive to punish the rogue state after it detonated a nuclear device this month.

The US had originally pushed for a strict oil embargo, as well as a freeze on the assets of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

But late on Sunday, diplomats said the asset freeze had been dropped from the draft, and it now foresaw a progressive tightening of the oil taps, instead of something sudden and complete.

Among other concessions the new text also softens proposed restrictions on North Koreans working overseas, and on the inspection by force of ships suspected of carrying cargo prohibited by the UN.

Of five key original measures, a ban on textile exports from North Korea remained.

Britain and France - permanent Security Council members along with the US, China and Russia - have given Washington their unequivocal backing.

Francois Delattre, the French ambassador to the UN, told AFP: "Maximum pressure today in the form of sanctions is our best hope for promoting a political settlement tomorrow and the best antidote to risks of confrontation."

His British counterpart Matthew Rycroft added: "To give a chance for diplomacy to end this crisis, we need DPRK (North Korea) to change course now. That means the maximum possible pressure."

The sticking point will be opposition from Russia and China, the North's two main backers, who are wary of anything that might force the collapse of the regime and the resulting exodus of refugees.

In addition to bending somewhat to Moscow and Beijing, Washington has dangled the prospect of military action or cutting economic ties with countries that continue to have trade links with the North. Some 90 per cent of North Korea's exports are destined for China.

Kim Hyun-Wook, professor at the state-run Korea National Diplomatic Academy, told AFP the Americans had softened their stance because it was vital to keep Moscow and Beijing on board.

"It is only possible to criticise and rebuke China and Russia for not enforcing the sanctions if they vote for it at the UN Security Council," he said. "That's why I think the US tried to draw a UN sanctions resolution that China and Russia will participate in even if it is not fully satisfactory, which has led to the easing of the initially very strong draft proposal."


5 more Rohingyas admitted to CMCH

UNB, Chittagong :

Five more Rohingyas, including two injured in explosion of landmines along Myanmar border, were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital CMCH on Sunday night.

Of the injured---- Mohammad Hasan, 25 and Yusuf Nabi, 28 were injured in landmines blast while crossing the bordering area, said Jahir, sub-inspector of Chittagong Medical College Police camp.

Besides, Nur Hossain, 9, was injured in a road accident, Mohammad Mamun, 25, was admitted to the hospital due to illness and Sohana, a 40-day-old baby, was sufferings from measles.

All the five were brought here from Teknaf Rohingya shelter home on Sunday night. With the five, the total number of injured Rohingyas at CMCH stands at 95 since the Myanmar security forces launched the crackdown against Rohingyas of northern Rakhine State in Myanmar on August 24.
It is genocide, says NHRC

Staff Reporter :

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque on Monday said that Myanmar's persecution on Rohingyas was tantamount to genocide.

"The killing, arson, torture and rape of Rohingya people by the Myanmar military and border guards is an unprecedented incident in the history of the world," he said.

The NHRC chairman said this in a press briefing at the Deputy Commissioner's office of Cox's Bazar after visiting Rohingya refugees at registered and unregistered camps in Ukhia and Teknaf upazilas.

NHRC Member Nurun Nahar Osmani and Additional Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Naser were, among others, present during the briefing.

"This genocide needs to be tried at international court if needed," he said.

The exodus of Rohingyas was nearing 300,000 as last reported by UN, who has appealed for an aid of USD 77 million for emergency support for the refugees.

Bangladesh has repeatedly urged Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas. The international community has lauded Bangladesh's efforts in sheltering the refugees."The Rakhine state of Myanmar is a place of abundant natural resources and thus superpowers have their eyes on it," Reazul said

This superpower wants to take control of it and that is why they are trying to eliminate the Rohingya people, he added.

Myanmar border guards and military are still continuing the barbaric torture and attack on the Rohingya people and the international community needs to take quick action and build pressure on the Myanmar government, Reazul said.

United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and Association of Southeast Asian Nations have to take up roles in addressing this problem, he added.

"Neighbours-India and China-also have to address this crisis," Reazul said.
Rohingyas facing ethnic cleansing

UN, donors should increase assistance, says HRW

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali briefs on Rohingya issue at a meeting with Asian Diplomats held at the State Guest House Padma in Dhaka on Monday.

Staff Reporter :

The UN human rights chief on Monday said that the violence and injustice faced by the ethnic Rohingya minority in Myanmar, where UN rights investigators have been barred from entering, "seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

"As Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein told the UN Human Rights Council yesterday.

The Rohingyas are reviled in Myanmar, where the roughly one million-strong community is accused of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, according to portal newspapers and agencies.

The UN says 294,000 bedraggled and exhausted Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since the reported militants' attacks on Myanmar security forces in neighbouring Rakhine state on August 25 have sparked a major military backlash.

Tens of thousands more are believed to be on the move inside Rakhine after more than two weeks without shelter, food and water.

"The operation... is clearly disproportionate and without regard for basic principles of international law," Zeid said.

Zeid Ra'ad, who is a Jordanian prince, denounced how "another brutal security operation is underway in Rakhine state - this time, apparently on a far greater scale."

He pointed to satellite imagery and reports of "security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages" and committing extrajudicial killings.

"The Myanmar government should stop pretending that the Rohingyas are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages," he added.

He called it a "complete denial of reality" that hurts the standing of Myanmar, a country that had until recently - by opening up politics to civilian control - enjoyed "immense good will."

Zeid said he was "further appalled" by reports that Myanmar authorities were planting land mines along the border.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Monday said the UN, other multilateral organizations, and countries with influence should press the Burmese government to urgently allow humanitarian aid to reach ethnic Rohingya Muslims at risk in Burma's Rakhine State.

They should also ensure that adequate assistance reaches the more than 270,000 Rohingya and other refugees who have recently fled to Bangladesh.

The Burmese military's abusive campaign against the Rohingya population was sparked by an August 25, 2017 attack by militants belonging to the Arakan reported Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which targeted about 30 police posts and an army base.

In addition to the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, tens of thousands remain displaced within Myanmar.

Another nearly 12,000 people, mainly ethnic Rakhine and other non-Muslims, are also displaced in Rakhine State.

"The humanitarian catastrophe that Burma's security forces have created in Rakhine State has been multiplied by the authorities' unwillingness to provide access to humanitarian agencies," said Philippe Bolopion, Deputy Director for Global Advocacy at HRW.

"The UN, ASEAN, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation need to ramp up the pressure on Myanmar and provide more assistance to Bangladesh to promptly help Rohingya and other displaced people."

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh told HRW that Burmese government security forces had carried out armed attacks on villagers, inflicting bullet and shrapnel injuries, and burned down their homes.

The killings, shelling, and arson in Rohingya villages have all the hallmarks of a campaign of "ethnic cleansing."

International aid activities in much of Rakhine State have been suspended, leaving approximately 250,000 people without food, medical care, and other vital humanitarian assistance. Refugees told HRW that while many people from Maungdaw Township could escape to Bangladesh, tens of thousands of displaced Rohingya are still hiding in the areas surrounding Rathedaung and Buthidaung.

About 34,000 officially registered Rohingya refugees are in Bangladesh, plus an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 who are unregistered.

Another approximately 87,000 people arrived after fleeing military attacks in Rakhine State from October 2016 to March 2017, following ARSA attacks in October.

After the state crackdown following the August 2017 ARSA attack, aid workers in Bangladesh think the number of new arrivals will swell to over 300,000.

Crossing the Naf River during the monsoon is dangerous, and according to border guard officials and other sources, more than two dozen people have drowned trying to cross the border.

Those who make it across can only huddle in makeshift tents to seek shelter from the constant downpour of monsoon rains.

Hospitals are operating well beyond capacity, and health officials say they fear outbreaks of disease as a result of overcrowding and poor sanitation.

A 17-year-old Rohingya refugee in a hospital in Bangladesh with a bullet wound in his arm told HRW that he had no idea what will happen to him after he is discharged.

He said he had "no family, no friends, no contacts, and no money in Bangladesh." Border guard officers said that they had already encountered many such cases of unaccompanied children lost in the confusion of flight.

Bangladesh has rebuffed international assistance in the past, out of fear that it might serve as a pull factor for Rohingya refugees.

However, as is evident from thousands pouring in every day despite the lack of adequate food and shelter, people escape to save their lives.

As far as RW is able to determine, the government has largely abstained from pushing back those fleeing Burma. However, the lack of sufficient international support for Bangladesh has contributed to appalling conditions in the border areas.

"The humanitarian situations in Burma and Bangladesh will continue to deteriorate so long as Burmese security forces are carrying out mass atrocities in Rakhine State," Bolopion said.

"The UN Security Council should publicly hold an emergency meeting and demand that the Burmese authorities stop the violence against the Rohingya population and allow aid to flow in, or face sanctions."
Backdoor diplomacy initiated to strengthen Western support

Rohingyas continue to arriving by boats as well as crossing the land border at numerous points everyday. This photo was taken from the bank of River Naf on Monday.

Kazi Zahidul Hasan :

The government is going through an intense 'backdoor diplomacy' in an effort to mobilize supports from powerful western nations in dealing with the influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.

Bangladesh missions in Brussels and Washington are coordinating the matter, officials said on Monday.

Both the missions are also working to peruse the western world in adopting a motion condemning Myanmar's actions on the Rohingyas in the UN General Assembly (UNGA), and put pressure on the country to take back the refugees.

As part of its efforts, Dhaka has already circulated "evidence" of atrocities by Myanmar army among UN bodies and other international human rights organisations.

"The government has intensified a 'back door diplomacy' to mobilize support from powerful western countries so that they stand beside Bangladesh to deal with the Rohingya crisis. Diplomatic efforts are on to hold bilateral talks with Russia, China and India over the issue," a senior foreign ministry official told The New Nation yesterday on condition of anonymity.

He added, "Dhaka seeks their supports from behind the scene mediation for a peaceful solution over the crisis and to reach a deal with Myanmar to take back the Rohingyas."

Russia, China and India remain silent over the ongoing Rohingya crisis drawing much flak to Bangladeshi people.

About 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have entered Bangladesh in recent weeks as Myanmar security forces carried out a 'cruel' operation on the Muslim minority community in the Rakhine State.

Prior to this, some 500,000 Rohingyas have already come to Bangladesh and settled in refugee camps set up in Cox's Bazar district.

The fresh influx, however, put additional burden to overpopulated Bangladesh, which recently experienced a devastated flood causing severe damage to rural infrastructure, farmlands and loss of crops and cattle.

The Foreign Ministry official said Dhaka wants to secure a deal with Myanmar for the permanent and peaceful solution over the current and longstanding crisis. The western world and regional powers -- China and India -- can play a major role in resolving the current impasse.

"Bangladesh's request to Myanmar to take back the refugees has so far fallen on deaf ears. So, we want to put a renewed pressure on Myanmar seeking support from western world. Their support in this regard can help produce a permanent solution over the crisis," he added.

Dhaka also put forward the idea of holding an international conference of donor countries to ensure shelter and foods for Rohingya people who fled to makeshift refuge camps in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh foreign office in the last two days briefed the foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka about the ongoing Rohingya crisis and sought global support to immediately halt violence against Rohingya people.

The latest violence in Myanmar's northwestern Rakhine State began on August 25, following alleged militant attack on dozens of police posts and an army base.

The ensuing clashes and a military counter-offensive have killed at least 3000 people and triggered the exodus of villagers to Bangladesh.

Those who arrived in Bangladesh accused the Myanmar army of burning their homes, mass killings, gang rape and indiscriminate torture on Rohingya community.

Myanmar authorities have denied the allegations saying they are carrying out a legitimate operation in the Rakhine State to root out insurgency.

The Rohingya, a stateless mostly Muslim minority in Buddhist-majority Rakhine, have long been experienced persecution in Myanmar.
Shelter to Rohingyas on humanitarian ground, not forever: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said Bangladesh is giving shelter to Myanmar refugees on humanitarian ground, but not forever.

"We've given shelter to them (Myanmar refugees) on humanitarian ground, but we cannot keep them forever," she said when French Ambassador to Bangladesh Sophie Aubert met her at her Parliament office.

Sheikh Hasina urged the international community to mount pressure on Myanmar to take its nationals back.

PM's press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

He said the Prime Minister said the ongoing problem in Rakhine, Myanmar cannot be solved through military actions. "This can be solved through a political process," she said.

In Bangladesh, Hasina said, there was problem in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Bangladesh solved it through talks. "We've negotiated with them, settled the matter internally and then took back our nationals," she said.

The Prime Minister said she is looking forward to visiting France at the end of the next month when she will hold a meeting with the French President.

Sophie Aubert said her country is ready to help Bangladesh in this refugee issue.

She said the overall security situation in Bangladesh has improved a lot and appreciated the Prime Minister for her pragmatic leadership.

The Ambassador hoped that the next general election in Bangladesh will be peaceful.

Aubert said the cooperation between Bangladesh and France in energy and water sectors has increased a lot. "We're also working together on climate change issue."

She reassured the Prime Minister that the Bangabandhu Satellite, scheduled to be launched on December 16 next, will be launched in time.

PM's Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi was present.




Florida launches huge relief drive

Search and rescue teams in Florida are swinging into action as daylight reveals the extent of damage wreaked by Hurricane Irma.

The huge storm weakened as it moved up the state's western coast overnight but Miami and other urban areas have been battered and flooded.

In the islands of the Florida Keys, the local emergency manager has warned of a looming "humanitarian crisis".

Media reports link at least four deaths to the storm.

Irma, which hit Florida as a category four hurricane on Sunday, has now been downgraded to a tropical storm.

It cut a devastating track across Caribbean islands, killing at least 38 people there.

Florida Governor Rick Scott said it was "going to take some time" before people could return to their homes, the Miami Herald website reports.

Speaking as he went on an aerial tour of the Keys to survey the damage early on Monday, he said: "Power lines are down throughout the state. We've got roads that are impassable, so everybody's got to be patient as we work through this."

Miami dodged a bullet by and large. The eye of the storm did not hit the city but it did wallop the Florida Keys, of course, and that is where the concern is now.

Communications were pretty bad even on Friday. A number of people who had fled the Keys and checked into our hotel were struggling to keep in touch with relatives who had decided to stay behind.

Reports say that 10,000 people decided to ride out the storm. We do not know what state they are in now.

The first job rescue services will have to do is to test the integrity of the 42 bridges linking the Keys. If one of those is down, it could cause problems because it could strand any one of the islands.

The entire Keys are closed. There is no way of getting in there at the moment while the authorities assess the damage.

More than 3.4 million homes in Florida are without power. Power lines came down in 80% of Miami alone and large areas of the city were flooded, although the city appears to have escaped lightly compared to other parts.

Drone footage from Naples, a town on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico about 125 miles (200km) to the north-west, shows rows of shattered suburban homes on streets under water.

Image caption Before and after in Brickell, Miami

President Donald Trump has approved a major disaster declaration and emergency federal aid for Florida, describing the hurricane as a "big monster".

Funds will be needed to care for victims, clean up debris, restore power, and repair damage to homes and businesses.

Martin Senterfitt, emergency management director for Monroe County (population 73,000), said a huge airborne relief mission mounted by the Air Force and Air National Guard was in the works, the Miami Herald reports.

"Disaster mortuary teams", he said on Sunday afternoon, would be dispatched to the Keys, which are part of Monroe.

Image caption A number of fatal car crashes in Florida are being linked to the storm

Florida Director of Emergency Management Bryan Koon told reporters the actual physical and human damage could not be ascertained before operations began.

"We will work on those at first light [07:05 local time, 11:05 GMT],'' he said. "I don't have any numbers on fatalities at this point."

At 12:00 GMT, the centre of the storm was about 105 miles (170km) north of Tampa, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Some three million people live in the Tampa Bay area. The region has not been hit by a major hurricane since 1921.

Irma is expected to weaken into a tropical storm over far northern Florida or southern Georgia later on Monday but first its centre will continue to move over the western Florida peninsula, the NHC said.

Irma made landfall on Marco Island off Florida's west coast at 15:35 local time (19:35 GMT) on Sunday, with winds of up to 120mph.

"We feel the building swaying all the time," restaurant owner Deme Lomas told Reuters news agency by phone from his 35th-floor apartment in Miami. "It's like being on a

A police officer working at a hurricane shelter in Hardee County was killed driving

Some 6.3 million people in the state were told to evacuate before Irma arrived.

There is major disruption to transport, with Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport closed for Monday.

Amid fears of debris and reports of looting, curfews have been imposed in areas such as Miami-Dade County.




The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option.
A bald eagle is an exciting, rare sighting for most Americans. But on this Alaskan island, our national symbol is as common as a beachside seagull. You can find them everywherelurking above the post office, inspecting the trash, waiting patiently for the local fishing boats to return with the days catch, even hanging out in front of the town church. In Unalaska, Alaska, everyone has an eagle story.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 20, 2017 marks the fortieth anniversary of the launch of Voyager 2. Along with Voyager 1, NASA sent the twin spacecraft to collect data about giant planets of our outer solar system. Voyager 2 was the first spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune, as well as discovering many new moons orbiting both Jupiter and Saturn. In addition to collecting data, Voyager 2 was sent with a copy of The Golden Record: a disk containing 116 images and various audio recordings that depict human life. Should Voyager 2 ever be encountered by an extraterrestrial, the record will be a means of understanding planet Earth. Besides the collection of data and the mysteries of alien life, perhaps the most wondrous aspect of Voyager 2's mission is the distance it has traveled: nearly 11 billion miles as of late 2017. It is the second-farthest human-made object from earth (the farthest is Voyager 1) and it is currently on a one-way journey into the unknown depths of interstellar space.
CARTERVILLE  The public is invited to hear local addiction and recovery experts discuss substance abuse issues in a special session at John A. Logan College.

The Williamson County Substance Abuse Taskforce is hosting a screening of the documentary entitled The Anonymous People." The presentation begins at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at John A Logan College, room F103. The event is free and open to the public.

The documentary screening will be followed by a discussion with local experts in the field of drug addiction and recovery.

Audience members will be allowed to submit questions confidentially.

There will also be a training for naloxone  an opioid overdose reversal agent  for community members, according to a news release from Allison Hasler, a regional health officer with the Illinois Department of Public Health in Marion. There is no prerequisites required to participate in this training.

In a single year, from 2013 to 2014, heroin-related overdose deaths in Illinois increased 22 percent, according to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.

To view a preview of this documentary, visit tinyurl.com/TheAnonymousPeopleSouthernIL.

For more information, call 618-944-0146.
HARRISBURG  In a time when public colleges in Illinois are being asked to do more with less, Rend Lake College and Southeastern Illinois College have come together to cost-effective option for students wanting to get a foot in the door to the veterinary field.

The cooperative veterinary technician program began its first semester in August. In a news release sent Aug. 28, Karen Weiss, SIC vice president of academic affairs, said the new cooperative program is a way to better serve Southern Illinois students, as well as residents.

The new collegiate partnership agreement has allowed us to provide new programs, minimize expense, and serve students and the community in ways none of us could feasibly do on our own, Weiss said.

The primary benefit of the new vet tech program is its length. In the news release, Weiss said most jobs in the region give about equal pay to those with either an assistant veterinary technician certificate or a full vet tech certificate.

In the release, RLC President Terry Wilkerson said the college worked with local professionals and developed a new curriculum with SIC that will better serve local students. He said they cut down what the release described as an excessive, outdated program and tailored it for the current needs of students.

Veterinary assistant instructor Adrea Petro, quoted in the news release, said the new program gives students the building blocks needed to take skills into a future internship or apprentice program.

The new program will also provide students with a grooming certificate, opening up more jobs to graduates. This class, taught by Jane Welborn of Tanglewoods Spa and Salon in Harrisburg, gives students real world experience, working with actual clients animals and professional equipment.

An instant hit, the release said the program exceeded its enrollment capacity and had a waitlist.

According to the news release, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted that job openings for non-farm animal caretakers in general, including pet groomers, will increase by about 11 percent between 2014 and 2024, a faster than average growth rate.
CARBONDALE  Allison Joseph knew from the moment she saw footage of Hurricane Harvey come through her television, she needed to act.

The director of the creative writing MFA program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Joseph said she wanted to use the departments history of giving support  in years past they have held events to support victims of the Joplin tornado and Superstorm Sandy  to those affected by Harvey and now Hurricane Irma.

Theres only so much you can watch without wanting to do something, Joseph said.

So, she and her colleagues organized Thursdays reading in Faner Halls Moore Auditorium. She said the event is free and open to the public, however, Joseph added, donations are encouraged.

Joseph said for those who cannot give that day but would still like to help, she will have available handouts pointing to various organizations that may be good options.

The reading will begin at 7 p.m. and feature works of artists from either of the regions affected by Harvey and Irma. Joseph said she chose to read selected works from former SIU student and Houston native Brett Gaffney. Joseph said Gaffney was one of the first people that came to mind when she saw the news of the massive storm that was bearing down on south Texas last month.

When things like this happen, you think of the people you know who might be affected, she said, adding that Gaffneys family members in Houston are all OK.

Joseph said she is hoping Thursdays event will also celebrate the written word. She said its always a good thing if to use art and literature to raise some awareness and some funds in the process. She added that she also wants to remind people of the power that can be had in numbers.

Joseph said sometimes it can be easy to "just go online and make a private donation.

Joseph also likes any chance to remind her Southern Illinois neighbors that literature is everywhere.

I like to get out into the community and have people realize that not only is it a part of the university but also a part of the community, she said.

Though she has not firmly settled on which charitable organization the donations will be given to, she said she is leaning toward Save the Children.

Joseph's reason found for hosting Thursdays reading was a simple one.

We all need to do something to make things a little better for other people," she said.

Joseph was not sure how much the event will raise and she couldnt recall how much previous readings had brought in. However, she maintained a wait-and-see attitude.

We will see how generous people are, she said.
CARBONDALE  Six finalists to lead Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute will visit campus for interviews and public presentations over the next month.

The finalists were announced Monday by John S. Jackson, search committee chair and visiting professor at the institute.

The candidates are James Coyle, director of the Center for Global Education at Chapman University in Orange, California; Jeffrey Gedmin, senior director at Blue Star Strategies, a consulting firm, in Washington, D.C.; Stacy McDermott, consulting historian at the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois Springfield; Christopher Mooney, W. Russell Arrington Professor of State Politics, Department of Political Science, University of Illinois Springfield; John Shaw, congressional reporter, Market News International; and Jak Tichenor, interim director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

The new director will replace David Yepsen, who retired Oct. 31, 2016. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the institutes founding in 1997. The institute honors founder and former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon.

The candidates public presentations will focus on their credentials and plans for the institute. More information on each of the candidates is at paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu/directorsearch/.

The search committee was comprised of SIU faculty, students, staff and members of the institutes External Board of Counselors. They each bring distinguished academic records and years of practical experience in government, journalism and communications, Jackson said.

Each of the public presentations will be in the Student Center Illinois Room.
MIAMI  Hurricane Irma gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummeling with winds up to 130 mph Sunday, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline.

The 400-mile-wide storm blew ashore in the morning in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then began a slow march up the state's west coast, its punishing winds extending clear across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side.

Irma was expected to hit the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area early Monday, though in a much-weakened state. While it arrived in Florida a Category 4 hurricane, by nightfall it was down to a Category 2 with winds of 105 mph.

"Pray, pray for everybody in Florida," Gov. Rick Scott said on "Fox News Sunday" as more than 160,000 people statewide waited it out in shelters.

There were no immediate confirmed reports of any deaths in Florida in addition to the 24 people killed during Irma's destructive trek across the Caribbean.

Many streets were flooded in downtown Miami and other cities.

In the low-lying Keys, where a storm surge of over 10 feet was recorded, appliances and furniture were seen floating away, and Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said the ocean waters were filled with navigation hazards, including sunken boats and loose vessels. But the full extent of Irma's wrath there was not clear.

A Miami woman who went into labor was guided through delivery by phone when authorities couldn't reach her because of high winds and street flooding. Firefighters later took her to the hospital.

An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast. Flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Florida's midsection.

In downtown Miami, two of the two dozen construction cranes looming over the skyline collapsed in the wind. No injuries were reported. City officials said it would have taken about two weeks to move the massive equipment.

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.

Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other items from a sporting goods store and a pawn shop during the hurricane.

At least 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

While Irma raked Florida's Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state  including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people  was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to evacuate, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused, in part because to many storm-hardened residents, staying behind in the face of danger is a point of pride.

John Huston, who stayed in his Key Largo home, watched his yard flood even before the arrival of high tide.

"Small boats floating down the street next to furniture and refrigerators. Very noisy," he said by text message. "Shingles are coming off."

Irma made landfall just after 9 a.m. at Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles outside Key West. During the afternoon, it rounded Florida's southwestern corner and hugged the coast closely as it pushed toward Naples, Sanibel, Fort Myers and, beyond that, Sarasota, at 14 mph.

Forecasters warned some places could see a storm surge of up to 15 feet of water.

Gretchen Blee, who moved with her husband to Naples from Long Island, New York, after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 heavily damaged their beach home, took cover in a hotel room as Irma raged.

"I said let's go and live the good life in paradise," she said. "And here we are."

Some 400 miles north of the Keys, people in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area started bracing for the onslaught. The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about 3 million, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921.

"I've been here with other storms, other hurricanes. But this one scares me," Sally Carlson said as she snapped photos of the waves crashing against boats in St. Petersburg. "Let's just say a prayer we hope we make it through."

After leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, some 200 miles from the sea.

President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Florida, opening the way for federal aid.

"Once this system passes through, it's going to be a race to save lives and sustain lives," Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long said on "Fox News Sunday."

Florida's governor activated all 7,000 members of the Florida National Guard, and 10,000 guardsmen from elsewhere were being deployed.

Irma at one time was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 185 mph and its approach set off alarm in Florida.

For days, forecasters had warned that Irma was taking dead aim at the Miami area and the rest of the state's Atlantic coast.
THE ISSUE: 25th anniversary of storm of the century; OUR OPINION: Red Cross provided major assistance then and is always expected to be there
By Sara Israfilbayova

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is eager to further cooperate with Azerbaijan, for which its loan portfolio is about $3 billion.

The issues of cooperation and ongoing reforms were mulled during the recent visit of EBRD President Suma Chakrabarti to Azerbaijan. The main purpose of the visit was to discuss the ways to further strengthen Azerbaijans economic performance.

During a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev on September 7, there were frank talks about the political and economic environment, as well as the continuing need to pursue reform and diversify the economy, the bank reported.

The head of state underlined the importance of Chakrabarti's visits to Azerbaijan, adding that these visits create a great opportunity for discussing future plans.

President Aliyev noted that the EBRD's loan portfolio in Azerbaijan is about $3 billion, praising the fact that its major part is being channeled into the private sector. He described this as a clear manifestation of the expansion of the private sector of Azerbaijan's economy.

The exploration of these themes continued in further meetings with government ministers.

Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, addressing a meeting with Chakrabarti, mentioned that the EBRD allocated $1.7 billion for implementation of 151 projects in the country since the beginning of its cooperation with Azerbaijan.

Mustafayev added that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to cooperation with the EBRD.

The EBRD's efforts in Azerbaijan aim to help diversify the economy away from a dependence on energy and natural resources. The Bank has invested in many smaller, private sector non-energy projects. They each have a positive impact in helping to build the private sector and enhance skills.

The Bank allocated over 294 million since the beginning of cooperation to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Azerbaijan. It also provided 233 million in indirect finance, supporting an SME lending portfolio of banks reaching over 94,000 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises annually.

More than 850 SMEs in Azerbaijan have received consulting assistance since 2003, including assistance to improve accounting, to enter new markets, and work under the Women in Business program, whose goal is to provide financial and consulting assistance to companies run by female entrepreneurs.

Sixty eight per cent of the Bank's investment in Azerbaijan is in the private sector - a crucial part of civil society.

Chakrabarti, during his visit to the municipal solid waste incineration plant in Baku, stressed that the EBRD is interested in cooperating with Azerbaijan in the sphere of domestic waste management.

He pointed out Azerbaijans success in the sphere of domestic waste management.

The EBRD President visited the Balakhany landfill for solid waste disposal and also familiarized himself with the conditions created around the Boyukshor lake.

The EBRD Board of Directors plans to approve a loan for Azerbaijans Tamiz Shahar JSC on November 1, established to improve the ecological condition of Baku.

A loan in the amount of up to $39 million will be allocated for financing investments in the solid domestic waste management in Baku and adjacent settlements on the Absheron peninsula (Big Baku). The funds will be used to finance the construction of two transfer stations and sorting facilities, which will allow optimizing the transportation of waste and reducing the volume of its utilization.

The projects goal is to improve the efficiency of solid domestic waste management in Big Baku. Total cost of the project is $39 million. In total, the EBRD, together with the technical assistance, will allocate $40.3 million for the project.

In addition, Chakrabarti and Deputy Energy Minister Gulmammad Javadov signed a memorandum of intent on Strategic Road Map for the development of utilities in Azerbaijan.

Javadov gave information about the progress of work within the Strategic Road Map for the development of utilities and noted that one of the most important priority areas is creating a central body that will play a bridging role in the effective regulation of the energy sector.

Chakrabarti, in turn, noted that EBRD has extensive experience in the energy sector and 30 percent of the bank's investment is invested to this area, noting that the Bank intends to increase this share up to 40 percent in the future.

The EBRD is an international financial institution founded in 1991. As a multilateral developmental investment bank, the EBRD uses investment as a tool to build market economies.

One of the main priorities of the EBRD in Azerbaijan for 2017 is support the local corporates with direct financing. The EBRD continues to pursue investments in energy projects, especially where there is a gap to improve efficiency and energy security.
By Trend

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on September 11 to pardon blogger Alexander Lapshin .

The order comes into force from the date of signing.

Helped by his accomplices in the occupied territories, Lapshin paid a number of visits to Azerbaijans occupied lands, where he voiced support for "independence" of the illegal regime, and made public calls against Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territorial integrity.

The blogger was arrested in Minsk in late 2016 and transferred to Baku in February 2017.

On July 20, the Baku Court on Grave Crimes sentenced the blogger to three years of imprisonment on charges of his illegal visits to the Armenia-occupied Azerbaijani lands and a criminal conspiracy with the Armenians living there.
By Kamila Aliyeva

Turkeys 12-year-long attempt to become EU member-state is under threat amid rising tensions between Ankara and Berlin.

Brussels should stop negotiations with Ankara on Turkey's accession to the European Union, said German Foreign Minister Zigmar Gabriel in an interview with the portal t-online.de on September 11.

He stated that he agrees with Martin Schultz, leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), on this issue.

"I completely agree with his [Schulz] position," Gabriel said, "and I, however, believe that almost all German citizens hold the view that Turkey in its present position will never enter the EU."

The future of Turkeys EU membership talks has become a major topic in the German parliamentary elections campaign on September 24.

Germany's political parties, especially the current coalition partners to Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats Union (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) led by Martin Schulz and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, have promised to increase the pressure on Turkey.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is running for re-election, promised earlier to raise the possibility of suspending or ending Turkeys EU membership talks in discussions with her counterparts, at a summit in Brussels next month.

Last week, several EU member states including Finland, UK and Lithuania have opposed Germanys decision to suspend Turkeys EU membership talks.

Turkeys accession negotiations started in 2005, but until Turkey agrees to apply the Additional Protocol of the Ankara Association Agreement to Cyprus, eight negotiation chapters will not be opened and no chapter will be provisionally closed. The talks have reached a deadlock in 2007 as Turkey was not ready to change its position on Cyprus while German and French governments also opposed the countrys full EU membership.

Turkeys ties with the EU have worsened last July after a failed coup attempt. Relations further deteriorated following an April referendum which expanded the powers of the president. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's (PACE) recent decision to reopen a political monitoring process against Turkey also negatively affected Ankara-Brussels ties.
Dubais maturing property sector is entering a new cycle of growth thanks to positive economic indicators as well as the increasing size and volume of new projects being announced across the UAE, said Damac Properties chairman Hussain Sajwani.

Damacs first-half year sales performance, the continuing recovery of global economies through GDP growth indicators, as well as increasing interest by international property buyers for Dubai properties all contribute to Sajwanis confident outlook for the rest of the year and in 2018.

Sajwani was speaking following a visit to Cityscape Global, the regions biggest property event which opened today. Damac has a significant presence at the expo with a 528 sq m stand.

The property sector, like any other industry, is cyclical in nature and will fluctuate in response to regional and global economic conditions and factors. As I have said before, these cycles will continue as Dubais property sector matures, and I believe that we are at the beginning of a new cycle of growth thanks to positive economic indicators as well as the increasing size and volume of new projects being announced across the UAE. These are very exciting times for the sector, said Sajwani.

According to data from Dubai Land Department, 17,800 units were sold in Dubai in the first-half of 2017 with a total value of Dh23.989 billion, a 20 per cent increase in volume over the same period last year and a 26 per cent increase in value (Dh19.013 billion for H1 2016).

Damacs sales performance also saw a strong increase when it recently announced its financial results for the first half of 2017, indicating a 10 per cent increase in booked sales over the same period last year to Dh4 billion. It also announced first-half 2017 delivery of 1,071 units at its Damac Hills master development, bringing the total number of units delivered there to 3,185.

Sajwani also welcomed the decision by Cityscape Global organisers and Dubai Land Department to allow onsite sales at this years event as a positive step to help boost property sector growth.

As the property market in the UAE continues to evolve to meet changing customer needs, it becomes crucial that the sectors regulatory authorities are able to react swiftly to allow the industry to capitalise on the immediate opportunities of the market. Cityscape Global has become a recognised platform that brings buyers and sellers together, so it is important that the investment each side makes to be there provides value and ROI. The decision to allows sales this year demonstrates the flexibility of the regulatory bodies to react to market opportunities and the UAE leaderships vision for ongoing sector growth.

Damac showcased its latest projects at show including an extensive range of bespoke villas, luxury apartments, hotel apartments, hotel villas and serviced apartments from its developments across Dubai.  TradeArabia News Service
The 16th edition of Cityscape Global, the Middle Easts largest real estate event, officially opened its doors today (September 11) in Dubai offering diverse portfolio of projects, on-site sales for UAE projects and hundreds of global developments on show.



Recognised as the barometer for the regional real estate industry, Cityscape Global runs until Wednesday (September 13) and will host to almost 300 exhibitors including the UAEs major real estate developers Dubai Holding, Nakheel, Meydan, Meraas, Dubai South, Damac, Aldar Properties, as well as other local and international exhibitors from 30 countries.



Marking a milestone for Cityscape Globals continued co-operation with the Dubai Land Department and its Real Estate Regulatory Authority, UAE-based projects are available for sale directly from exhibition stands, and a number of developers are offering special promotions and offers to visitors, said the organisers.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, inaugurated the three-day expo.



Later he toured the exhibition halls and learnt about the most important real estate, tourism and entertainment projects being executed by national and international companies.



Sheikh Hamdan stopped at a number of pavilions of companies exhibiting their current and future projects and heard their plans to contribute to developing this vital sector, which forms the main axis in achieving economic stability for various sectors and members of the community.



Sheikh Hamdan also visited the pavilions of Imkan Properties, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, Aldar Properties, Dubai Holding, Dubai Investments Real Estate Company, Meraas Development, Nakheel, Falcon City of Wonders and Damac Properties.



He viewed the models and maps of residential, tourism, and entertainment projects being developed by these companies. He also interacted with the directors of these companies and learnt the strategic plans that they employ for the execution of these massive projects.

Dubai Properties, the real estate master developer behind some of the most prominent projects in the emirate, is taking part this year to showcase developments across key destinations including Business Bay, Dubailand, and Dubai Wharf.



It is also launching two new projects for sale at the exhibition: Marasi Towers in Marasi Business Bay and Amaranta  Phase 1 of Villanova in Dubailand.



Marwan Al Kindi, the executive director of sales and sales operations at Dubai Properties, said: "Over the years, Cityscape Global has gained tremendous momentum, becoming the leading real estate investment and development event in the region."



"Cityscape Global offers Dubai Properties the perfect platform to showcase our vision for our various innovative projects across the emirate, whilst demonstrating our ability to look to the future. Platforms like these enable us to create and sustain interest in our new launches, further leveraging our position as a leading master developer," stated Al Kindi.



This year, a host of new local and international participants will take part including Arada (Sharjah), Aldar (Abu Dhabi), Imkan (Abu Dhabi), Oriental Pearls (Dubai), and Northacre from the UK, as well as companies participating as part of the Bahrain and Pakistan pavilions, and the Korean Tourism Organisation.



Leading Saudi developer Artar Real Estate Development, is using Cityscape Global to showcase its 36-storey luxury residential tower, Mada Residences, opening in Downtown Dubai by the second quarter of 2018, and the spotlight this week is firmly on the propertys Signature Collection of nine elite 4-bedroom apartments.



Were also highlighting the fact that Mada Residences offer the only two-bedroom apartments with maids rooms in Downtown, making it the kind of property with exclusive features, extra quality and amenities that are in demand now from selective buyers in prime areas of Dubai, remarked Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fam Properties, exclusive agents for the development.



Tom Rhodes, the exhibition director at Cityscape Global, said: "It is unmatched as an event that draws in the regions real estate powerhouses as well as quality visitors that encompass the whole spectrum of the industry; from architects and brokers through to investors and end-users."



Cityscape has also grown as a brand globally, with the Dubai event acting as the portfolio flagship, we now have a suite of events that branch into different markets around the world including Egypt, Turkey, Korea, Saudi Arabia, to name a few, as well as the decade-long Abu Dhabi exhibition and conference, he remarked.



Cityscape Global 2017 also features the Cityscape Awards for Emerging Markets tonight (September 11), where pioneers at the forefront of the emerging real estate market will be celebrated at a glittering ceremony followed by a cocktail evening, held at the prestigious Conrad Hotel Dubai.



Designed to enable visitors and investors to make well-informed investment decisions, Cityscape Talks offer a platform on the show floor to learn more about the opportunities available at the exhibition.



Industry sessions with a focus on key themes for real estate brokers, architects, engineers, and other professionals will be up for discussion, said the organisers.



Cityscape Global is co-located with Building Healthcare, Innovation and Design Show, the regional business platform for build, construction, design and innovation of healthcare facilities,, they added.-TradeArabia News Service
US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has projected a worldwide need for 41,030 new commercial airplanes over the next 20 years valued at $6.1 trillion.



Boeing's annual China Current Market Outlook (CMO) was released yesterday (September 6) in Beijing, with total airplane demand rising 6.3 per cent over last year's forecast.



Boeing projects a demand for 7,240 new airplanes in China over the next 20 years valued at nearly $1.1 trillion dollars.



"China's continuous economic growth, significant investment in infrastructure, growing middle-class and evolving airline business models support this long-term outlook," said Randy Tinseth, vice president of Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "China's fleet size is expected to grow at a pace well above the world average, and almost 20 per cent of global new airplane demand will be from airlines based in China."



Single-aisle airplanes continue to be the foundation of domestic and regional fleets in China. Boeing sees the need for 5,420 new single-aisle airplanes through 2036, accounting for 75 per cent of the total new deliveries. Full-service airlines and low-cost carriers have been adding new single-aisle airplanes and expanding new point-to-point services to cater for both leisure and business travel demand in China and throughout Asia.



Tinseth said the backlog from Chinese customers demonstrates that the new 737 MAX 8 remains at the heart of the single-aisle market.



Boeing forecasts the widebody fleet over the next 20 years will require 1,670 new airplanes. Airlines continue to shift to small and medium widebody airplanes for long-haul expansion and flexibility. Primary demand for very large widebodies going forward will be in the freighter market.



"China's outbound travel market continues its rapid growth toward 200 million passengers annually," said Tinseth. "With new technologies, superior capabilities and advanced efficiency, the 787 and 777X families will play a key role in supporting the growth of China's long-haul market."



Today, Boeing jets are the mainstay of China's air travel and cargo system. More than 50 per cent of all the commercial jetliners operating in China are Boeing airplanes.



Meanwhile, China has a component role on every current Boeing commercial airplane model  the Next-Generation 737, 747, 767, 777, as well as the world's most technologically advanced airplane, the 787 Dreamliner. Over 9,000 Boeing airplanes fly throughout the world with integrated China-built parts and assemblies.  TradeArabia News Service
Dubai Food Park (DFP), the regions largest specialised zone dedicated to serving the rapidly growing food sector, has signed a deal with China's Ningxia Forward Fund Management Company to build a world-class China-UAE Food Industrial cluster in Dubai at an investment of Dh1.35 billion ($367 million).



The DFP is being developed on a 48-million-sq-ft area near the Expo 2020 site at an estimated cost of Dh5.5 billion ($1.5 billion). The first-of-its-kind project is aimed at boosting the emirates status as a regional hub for food sector.



The strategic agreement will consolidate Chinas stake in the burgeoning Middle East food industry and expand bilateral relations further, reported state news agency Wam.



Spread over an area of 4.38 million square feet, the China-UAE Food Industrial cluster will be home to 30 food plants, including two Chinese catering companies and two advanced manufacturing plants for food packaging materials.



The project is scheduled to be completed 24 months after it starts construction, it stated.



The agreement was signed by Abdulla Belhoul, the chief executive of Dubai Wholesale City, and a representative from Ningxia Forward Fund Management Company, on the sidelines of the third edition of the ChinaArab States Expo in Chinas northwest autonomous region of Ningxia.



The project will have six major components: meals processing, packaged food processing, cold chain storage, production of food packages, e-commerce and commodities exhibition, and bio-safety disposal of waste water and wastes.



Food processing will be the plants main operation. At least 75 per cent of the total project area will be allocated for factories, 17 per cent for warehouses and 8 per cent will be divided between offices and other facilities, stated the Wam report.



Belhoul said this agreement comes at an important time, given the urgent global need to enhance collaboration on food security by increasing the physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food.



"The partnership marks a step forward in strengthening bilateral relations at various levels, particularly trade and economic relations between the UAE and China," he stated.



"In line with the Dubai Industrial Strategy 2030, once complete, the cluster will include a globally important, modern, low-carbon, and digital food processing and trading center in the Middle East that will integrate the processing of meals, the processing of packaged food, cold chain storage, production of food packages, e-commerce and commodities exhibition, bio-safety disposal of waste water and solid waste," he added.



Abdulla Al Habbai, the chairman of Dubai Holding, said: "The partnership between DFP and the Chinese firm reflects the global interest in entering Dubai, and the UAE markets will benefit from the countrys world-class ground, marine and aerial infrastructure, as well as its strategic location at the crossroads between East and West."



"Through this new synergy, we aspire to cement long-standing relations with China to ensure sustainable development of both our countries," he added.




Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the first aluminium smelter in the Gulf region, has been making steady progress with the execution of its flagship development, the Line 6 Expansion Project, said the company chairman.



We are delighted to see that the Line 6 Expansion Project continues to progress on schedule as that will accelerate our position to be the largest single-site smelter in the world, added Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa.



I thank our EPCM contractor, International Bechtel Co. Ltd. (Bechtel), Alba CEO, Tim Murray and the Alba Line 6 Owners Team for their commitment to deliver our Project on a timely and safe manner.



The site preparation, earth works and concrete (including precast) works continue to ramp-up with the overall project progress at 25 per cent through the end of July (including 50 per cent progress in engineering and 70 per cent progress in procurement and contracts). In addition, the first structural steel is scheduled for erection in the new potroom in September 2017.



Bechtels president for Mining and Metals, Paige Wilson said:We are thrilled to be breaking ground on Albas historic project. We also look forward to continuing to work with the Alba Line 6 Owners Team as the project targets First Hot Metal (FHM) by 1 January 2019 and to furthering our long-term partnership.



This game changer, which involves the construction of sixth pot line, a 1,792 MW power station and other industrial services, is expected to begin production by January 1, 2019 and will boost the smelters per-annum production by 540,000 metric tonnes, bringing its total production capacity to 1.5 million metric tonnes per year.  TradeArabia News Service
Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development yesterday (September 10) organised the first qualifying session as part of the preliminary events of [email protected]  UAE, hosted by Abu Dhabi for the first time in the region.



Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, established in 2007 as an independent body of Abu Dhabi Government, aims to contribute towards enhancing the countrys competitive economy and to transform the Emirate of Abu Dhabi into a major investment and economic hub in the region.



The competition is the UAE version of an international competition launched by HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York, in the UK in 2014.



It aims at enabling the qualified entrepreneurs and innovative business owners to present their projects along with financial, marketing, administrative or development and other requirements of such projects before a group of businessmen and CEOs of prominent companies at St James's Palace in the UK, in order to have the opportunity for supporting and developing their projects, said a statement.



Over 37 entrepreneurs and innovative idea owners presented their ideas and projects before a committee of experts and judges, including representatives of Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Nation's Fund, British Petroleum Company and VentureSouq, it said.



Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development stated that the first workshop witnessed strong competitions among the entrepreneurs who put forward valuably high-quality ideas that impressed the judges. It added that the Committee had considerable difficulty in determining the shortlisted projects, it added.



Khalifa Fund asserted that [email protected]  UAE is a significant platform for developing their visions and ideas and enabling them to realise their investment dreams based on technology. It pointed out that Khalifa Fund and other partners have classified applications and nominations of the unique innovative projects according to their requirements before being subject to the preliminary appraisal, said a statement.



Eight projects shall be shortlisted form the participating projects in the qualifying sessions, before another group of projects are selected for the second qualifying session which will kick off in the next week and will be hosted by Sheraa in Sharjah, it said.



Khalifa Fund stated in a press release that the qualified participants from the two sessions shall join an extensive training camp in Abu Dhabi early October. An event will be organised to announce the winners on October 4 the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
The Abu Dhabi Systems and Information Centre (Adsic) announced that the emirate of Abu Dhabi had topped the Middle East region, in terms of the indicators outlined by the 2017 Cities in Motion Index.



The index was published by the Spain-based University of Navarras IESE Business School, reported Wam, the Emirates official news agency.



Now in its fourth edition, the Cities in Motion Index serves as an effective source for assessing key areas across global cities, including technology, through a broad range of expert perspectives from the private and public sectors.



The 2017 edition included 180 cities (73 capitals), representing 80 countries, and aimed to provide an innovative approach to governing smart cities and urbanisation in the 21st century. The conceptual model of the index assesses cities in relation to 10 key dimensions, namely economy, human capital, technology, environment, international outreach, social cohesion, mobility and transportation, governance, urban planning, and public management.



According to the Cities in Motion Index, the development of technology was highlighted as an "integral dimension," as it was an aspect of society that improved the quality of life.



The index also cites that "technological development was a dimension that allowed cities to be sustainable over time, and to maintain or extend the competitive advantages of their production system, as well as the quality of employment. A technologically backward city has comparative disadvantages with respect to other cities, both from the point of view of security, education, and health, all fundamental to the sustainability of society."



"Abu Dhabi has been honoured with this distinguished first place in the Middle East ranking, thanks to the wise leadership and guidance of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the sustained support of His Highness Sheikh Mohamad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Executive Council," said Rashed Lahej Al Manouri, director-general of Adsic.



"We are also honoured by Abu Dhabis global ranking of 13 in the field of technology, as we consider it a direct testament of Abu Dhabis various key achievements in the ICT sector, which have positioned the capital as a role model for innovation, fresh ideas and advanced digital solutions."



Al Mansouri concluded by thanking Adsics strategic partners from the government entities in Abu Dhabi for their support and role in fulfilling the objectives of Abu Dhabis digital government. Al Mansouri also thanked the representatives of the private sector.
The UAE has gone a long way in the international Halal industry which is estimated at $2.3 trillion, according to the director general of Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA).



China has been invited to participate in the Global Halal Industry Platform which has been promoted during a tour by ESMA representatives in China last week to disseminate awareness about the progress the UAE has been making in areas of Halal Industry over the past period and the resultant impact on the trade and industry sector, Abdula Abdelkader Al Moeini, Al Moeini was quoted as saying by Wam, the Emirates official news agency.



The UAE delegation during the visit sought to strengthen bilateral UAE-Chinese trade and industry relations,especially in areas of importing meat and food products, he noted, adding that the discussions also included the Halal National Mark launched as part of the UAE Scheme for Halal products to regulate and certify the Halal industry and its various products.



The scheme outlines the properties, descriptions, features, quality, dimensions, sizes or safety requirements of a commodity, material, service or each measurable item, including terminology, symbols, testing methods, sampling, packaging and labelling.



China has also been invited during the visit to sign a cooperation agreement on Halal products with ESMA, he said, adding that the Halal industry represents one of the main pillars of the economic diversification programme.
The legendary ghost thriller The Woman in Black, one of the worlds most successful plays will return to Dubai this September/October due to popular demand, presented by the region's award-winning producer Popular Productions.

The production will run at the Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai for a limited season from September 26 to October 2.
Dubai Airports has won three awards at the Business Continuity Institute Middle East Awards 2017, held in Dubai recently.



The BCI Middle East Awards recognise the outstanding contributions of business continuity, risk and resilience professionals and organisations based in the Middle East.



Dubai Airports won the award in the Most Effective Recovery category for exceptional crisis response through team work, effective planning and efficient processes. Majed Al Joker, senior vice president Assurance and Control Authorities, was recognised as the Industry Personality of the Year for his leadership and outstanding contribution to the field of continuity and resilience. Dr. Marwan Ibrahim, director Corporate Resilience at Dubai Airports, received a special commendation as a Continuity and Resilience Professional in the public-sector category of the awards.



Winners were chosen based on the selection of a panel of judges consisting professionals and prominent personalities from within the continuity and resilience industry from around the world. The five most popular entries for the Industry Personality category were put up for public voting to select the winner. Winners from the 2017 Middle East awards have now been entered into the BCI global awards that takes place in London each November as part of the BCI gala dinner and awards ceremony. - TradeArabia News Service


Saudi developer Al Hokair is expanding its home-grown Mena Hotels brand to the UAE with the opening of Mena Plaza Albarsha Dubai, said a report.



"We are delighted to debut Mena Hotels - a family-oriented, affordable lifestyle brand - into the UAE. Mena Plaza Albarsha Dubai is an exciting addition to our portfolio of hotels as we continue to expand our presence in the region, a report in Saudi Gazette cited Sami Al Hokair, CEO and co-founder of MENA Hotels, as saying.



"Our strategy is to invest in high-growth markets such as Dubai and we believe this latest property will prove to be a valuable asset for us and will generate superb financial returns for the company, he said.



Founded in 2008 by Al Hokair Group, Mena Hotels boasts a portfolio of eight projects including five in Saudi Arabia, two in Jordan and its latest addition in the UAE, the report said.



Elaborating on the brands vision, Fadi Mazkour, regional director, Branding & Business Development, MENA Hotels, said, By the end of 2018 we expect to reach 18 hotels with over 2,000 rooms. This incredible growth is supported by the massive demand for quality mid-market hotels in the region and we are ideally placed to capitalize on the opportunity.



Mena Plaza Albarsha Dubai is located in close proximity to the Mall of the Emirates and has been conceptualised to be a distinctive and elegant address for discerning business and leisure travellers.



Featuring 90 well-appointed spacious rooms and suites, the hotel is equipped with outstanding facilities including two dining outlets, a spa and a state-of-the-art gym.
FAM Holding, a leading conglomerate of business solutions, has acquired a 126,000-sq-ft plot on Ras Al Khaimah's Al Marjan Island - a leading waterfront project in the UAE - to develop a new resort.



The Al Mahra Resort, which will be a 45-minute drive from Dubai, is scheduled to open in 2021.



With 548 guest rooms, food and beverage outlets including meeting rooms, swimming pool, wellness club, spa and gym, the upscale hotel is the perfect addition to Al Marjan Islands scenic locale, the developer said in a statement.



Featuring contemporary designed elegant lobby and VIP check in areas, the swanky resort will be a modern oasis with an unrivalled sense of clean, sophisticated style and comfort. Additionally, Al Mahra will offer a unique spaceship for kids. Children can enjoy and explore a range of activities in a specially designed environment comprising of play activities as kids pool, kids zone, kids club, play station and other gaming facilities.



The design of the hotel, which combines modernity and authenticity, is inspired by the surrounding nature of Ras Al Khaimah. The aim is innovative, which translates into design and function. The hotel will also offer high-quality integrated hospitality services provided by a professional and internationally experienced team ready to meet the requirements of the guests in every way. Additionally, the resort will also contain over 5,500-sq-ft of retail and provides access to the private beach equipped with cabanas and water sports, perfect to unwind and relax.



We are proud to have FAM Holding as one of our partners at Al Marjan Island. FAM Holding has been known for its specialist knowledge in property development and were confident that this partnership will be a stepping stone for further boosting our presence in the region, said Architect Abdullah Al Abdooli, managing director of Al Marjan Island.



FAM Holding is thrilled to be announcing our new project at Al Marjan Island, which is fast becoming the most-sought destination for residents, visitors and investors. The partnership with the island will add a new dimension of world-class hospitality to the tourism industry in the Emirate and is a significant indication of our expansion in the region. Were confident that the new resort will gain good following from both foreign and domestic tourists, particularly because Al Marjan Island is become the destination hub for tourists from all over the world,said Dr. Faisal Ali Mousa, chairman, FAM Holding.



Ras Al Khaimah offers a rich history and culture, along with diverse landscapes including mountains, desert and stunning coastline. Tourism in the emirate is experiencing strong growth and has become a leading lifestyle and tourist destination within the UAE, on the back of improved direct air connectivity and a host of Government infrastructure developments. - TradeArabia News Service


Marriott International, in co-operation with Cornell University, today launched its Tahseen programme, a unique hospitality training programme that focuses on fast-tracking next-generation Saudi leaders.



Tahseen aims to provide a springboard to launch successful careers in the countrys robust hospitality sector.



The launch event, which took place at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh, was attended by over 100 people comprised of VIPs, key media, and all Tahseen participants. Introducing the programme, David Leman, Marriott Internationals chief HR officer Middle East & Africa, said: With hands-on training, expert guidance, and invaluable, full exposure to the business of running a hotel, the Tahseen programme will set participants up for a bright future in the industry. Were very excited to see the begin their onboarding programme following todays inauguration.



Developed in conjunction with Cornell University and supported by key partner Dur Hospitality, Tahseen was specifically launched for Saudi Nationals and will run over a course of 12 to 18 months. The programme offers graduates six months of cross-exposure to all departments, as well as six to 12 months of departmental specialisation led by a team of professional leaders across Marriotts participating hotels, as well as a managerial opportunity at the end of the course. It also provides graduates access to Marriott Internationals world-renowned core management development programmes.



Participants will undertake extensive education through the Cornell e-learning platforms, culminating in a Cornell University run executive development program in country, tailored specifically for the Saudi National participants. This will result in a formal certificate qualification with Cornell University, one of the leasing providers of hospitality education globally. Tom Kline, executive director and director of executive education at Cornell University, was present for the launch of Tahseen and emphasised Cornell Universitys commitment and excitement in driving the development of Saudi nationalism as a key pillar of Saudi Arabias economy.



Of the 32 participants, seven were women. Earlier this year marked the first time a Saudi Arabian woman became a general manager in the hospitality industry, and as it continues to be one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country, an increasing number of women are taking part in programmes such as Tahseen to help them open new doors. Marriott International is committed to helping more Saudi Arabian women grow into leaders in the industry by providing them with the necessary tools and training to achieve their long-term career goals. By providing Saudi nationals  both women and men  with more opportunities to learn and develop their skills and industry knowledge, experts claim that programmes such as Tahseen may also help reduce the turnover rate, eventually recruiting and retaining a higher number of Saudi Arabians not only in the hospitality industry, but also in managerial roles.



Im thrilled to be a part of this programme  the experience Ill be gaining from both the training, the on-site exposure to the day-to-day business, and the development programmes will be a key part of my career and growth in the industry. The managerial opportunity at the end is just another bonus among the many assets of this first-rate course, said Wafa Kheder Al Ghamdi, a Tahseen participant.



The event also included speeches from Marriott International senior executives, Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director Middle East & Africa, and Tom Kline, executive director and director of Executive Education at Cornell University. - TradeArabia News Service


Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village
Rep. Liz Cheney is co-sponsoring a bill that would hand more control of oil and gas development on federal lands to the states, stoking fears from environmental groups that the range of access and protections from federal agencies is narrowing.

The Federal Land Freedom Act allows states to prove they have the enforcement muscle and regulatory infrastructure to oversee oil and gas permitting, leasing and production on available federal land. The bills proponents, including the congresswoman from Wyoming, say states have faced a decline in leasing on federal land in recent years under the Obama Administration. The bill would reverse that trend.

Despite the boom in oil and gas production during the Obama years, the actual acreage leased for industry has declined 30 percent since 2008, the bill argues in its preamble.

According to BLM records, its onshore oil and gas leases have not declined at exactly that rate. Between 2000 and 2008, average yearly leasing on BLM land was nearly 41 million acres. Between 2008 and 2016, that declined to about 36 million acres, a difference of about 12 percent.

The majority of oil and gas development in Wyoming takes place on federal land, or involves federal minerals, and a discussion of how to balance state and federal permitting responsibilities has been raised recently with state lawmakers.

The federal bill states that federal royalties would be unchanged by state takeover, but that states could levy fees on industry in addition to taxes. If royalties decrease by 20 percent in the year following state primacy, the feds will give states 180 days to stem the decline before considering revocation of the states authority.

The bill would still prohibit oil and gas development in national parks or wilderness areas and would allow development on land determined by federal agencies land management plans as open to drilling.

The bill does not mention explicit restrictions in the West, such habitat for sage grouse, which is spattered across public lands in Wyoming.

Environmental groups in the west are pushing back on the bill, which was introduced to the Natural Resource Committee in Washington on Wednesday, by Chairman Rep. Rob Bishop, Utah.

Giving states unfettered access to oil and gas development on public lands  while at the same time stripping away environmental safeguards and important conservation policies that ensure our resources are developed responsibly  is fundamentally irresponsible, said John Gale, conservation director for Backcountry Hunters and Anglers in an email.

A law allowing states to control oil and gas development would upset the balance of interests and uses of public lands, said Brad Brooks, director of the public lands campaign at The Wilderness Society.

It gives the keys to all decision making on energy development to states and industry while blocking the public from enjoying their own lands, Brooks said in statement. Whether national parks, forests, wildlife refuges or BLM lands, Americas public lands belong to all of us and must be managed for the benefit of the entire nation, not just oil and gas companies.

Cheney said the bill represents a better approach to regulations on the ground  let the states do it.

The state of Wyoming is best suited to establish and implement processes for the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas on federal land, said her spokeswoman Maddy Weast in an email Thursday.

Weast went on to criticize the backlog of drilling application at some of Wyomings BLM offices.

In addition, the multi-year permitting requirements and delays associated with projects on federal lands are putting Wyoming at a competitive disadvantage, she said. This is unacceptable and harmful to our economy, which is why this legislation is needed.

The idea that states could take a larger role in oil and gas development is not new in Wyoming.

The head of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission recently weighed in on the growing contingent in some states to take over permitting of oil and gas drilling on federal land, or with federal minerals.

In a meeting with state lawmakers, Supervisor Mark Watson said that Wyoming often processes applications to drill for oil and gas in a fraction of the time that Bureau of Land Management offices are able. Meanwhile, drilling practices that send wells out further underground is increasing the number of applications that trigger both state and federal oversight.

However, Watson was not sure how a proposed transfer of responsibility to the states would be implemented, and hesitated to comment on the viability of such a bill until he had seen it.

He did say that increased partnerships between state and federal regulators regarding some aspects of drilling for federal minerals could be beneficial in Wyoming.

Watson is tracking the federal land bill, but declined to comment on an early version of the bill Friday.

I still agree with my previous comments at the minerals committee, he said in an email. That a [memorandum of understanding] with the BLM in Wyoming could be a more expeditious solution to reduce permitting times.
Have an event, trend or general energy happening youd like to see in the Energy Journal newsletter? Send it to Star-Tribune energy reporter Heather Richards at heather.richards@trib.com. Sign up for the newsletter at www.trib.com/energyjournal.

This week in numbers

Friday oil prices: West Texas Intermediate (WTI) $47.48, Brent (ICE) $53.78

Natural gas weekly averages: Henry Hub $2.9, Wyoming Pool $2.65, Opal $2.7

Baker Hughes rig count: U.S. 944, Wyoming 25

Selling wind

Rocky Mountain Power has big plans to invest in Wyoming, nearly $3 billion dollars in the next three years. Part of that would go to repowering existing wind turbines, for about $700 million, which would extend the life of those plants' federal tax credit.

The rest of the money is for new wind, and an 140-mile leg of the Gateway West transmission line from Medicine Bow to Jim Bridger.

But utilities can face pushback on new developments. Investments can be laid on the rate payers. RMP doesn't think that will happen. They think that with the federal tax benefit that they would scoop up for 10 years by finishing the new wind construction by 2020 will ensure a cost benefit over the long term.

They are also betting on the cheap investment wind generation is turning out to be, with new technology and efficiencies driving down the levelized cost of wind investment.

But does Wyoming need wind? No. Does PacifiCorp need to build this for this diverse portfolio? That's what they will spend the next few months arguing before state utility regulators while interveners raise their own concerns.

Uranium spill tops record

The spill of more than 200,000 gallons of pre-injection fluid at the Lost Creek uranium mine near Rawlins may be the largest spill recorded in the NRC database. But, it wasn't likely dangerous, federal regulators say.

Two separate spills happened in the last few weeks, concerning environmental groups who track the companies' records.

Though the spill was large, the fluid had not yet been used to dissolve uranium ore and so did not pose a health and safety hazard, according to NRC.

Cameco cleared

In other uranium news, the company that stored radioactive sludge improperly, leading to leaks during transportation from Wyoming to Utah, has been cleared to resume transporting waste.

Cameco Resources was suspended from carting waste across the state after it was reported by the receiving facility staff that noticed the leaks last year.

The company has remedied the mistakes that led to the leaks, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission decided last week.

Quote of the week

Its never easy to build big stuff, and there are a lot of questions circulating about whether they really need to build it.

-- Bryce Freeman, administrator for the Wyoming Office of the Consumer Advocate, about PacifiCorp/Rocky Mountain Power's proposed $2.2 billion wind investment in Wyoming.
Tuesdays Highlights</&h1>

Tuesday support meetings

Alcoholics Anonymous: 6:30 a.m., 917 N. Beech; 8:30 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 10 a.m., 328 E. A; noon, 500 S. Wolcott; 2 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 5:30 p.m., 1124 Elma, Imitate the Image Church; 5:30 p.m., 328 E. A; 7 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, closed; 7 p.m., 520 CY; 8 p.m., 328-1/2 E. A; 8 p.m., 328 E. A; 8 p.m., 917 N. Beech. Douglas: 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688.

Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 7 p.m., 15th and Melrose, at the church. Web site: http://www.urmrna.org.

Geo Wives Fall Brunch

The Casper GEO Wives (Geologists Wives) will hold its fall brunch from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday at The Casper Country Club. Yearly membership dues are $15. The brunch starts off the year catching up with old friends and making new acquaintances. We sign up for our activities including bridge and/or gourmet.

The GEO Wives have a monthly luncheon with programs. For our February luncheon we invite our significant others to join us. The WGA, The SPE and The GEO Wives also host a Christmas party.

We have some great programs lined up for the year: Fabric Art at 321 Art, Holiday Fashions by Fashion Crossroads, Holiday Music, Stem Cell Treatment by Dr. McGinley, Bone Wars by Tom Rea, Identity Theft & Scams by Gary Trapkus, Traveling Made Easy by Terry Porter of World Wide Travel and more musical programs.

GEO Wives membership qualifications: Membership shall be composed of a) paid women members of the Wyoming Geological Association or b) wives of paid members of the Wyoming Geological Association or c) women geoscientists, energy professionals or mining engineers or d) wives of geoscientists, energy professionals or mining engineers or e) widows of geoscientists, energy professionals or mining engineers. Any active member who has met the above criteria and is subsequently divorced may continue as a member.

If you would like more information, please call Joanie at 267-7431.

Elks Old Timers night

Once again the time is here for Old Timers to get together and swap lies, tell true stories, enjoy a good meal and have a libation or two with friends at the Casper Elks Lodge. Cocktail hour begins at 5 p.m. with dinner to be served at 5:30 p.m. or thereabouts. Any local Elk members needing a ride may call the Lodge at 234-4839.

Dem men meet

The Democratic Mens Group will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Parkway Plaza in the Gourmet Room (near the coffee shop). Attendees can order from the menu. Precinct organizing will be the topic. For more info, call Robert at 307-702-0546.

Parkinsons support

Rocky Mountain Therapy is offering a Parkinsons Support Group at 5:30 p.m., at 2546 E. Second St., Building #500. This support group is open to anyone with Parkinsons or caring for someone with Parkinsons. This class is tailored for the individual requiring less one-on-one attention and focuses on improving balance, endurance, safety and managing symptoms. The guest speaker is Kira Johnson, Certified Nutritional Therapist. To RSVP, call 577-5204 and ask for Jerri or Jessica.

Toastmaster Clubs seeking members

Toastmasters is a step-by-step program designed to learn how to prepare and deliver presentations (both planned and impromptu) and improve communication and learn leadership skills. Many individuals have advanced in their careers using skills learned in Toastmasters. Students are always welcome. Toastmasters is a National/International Organization aimed at self-improvement and you can review their web site at toastmasters.org. There are three clubs in Casper:

Pathfinder Toastmasters meets weekly Tuesdays, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Arepa Barn Restaurant. For information, contact Frank at 462-6125, or Brandon at 277-0301.

Toastmasters is devoted to providing the opportunity for men and women to develop communication and leadership skills in a mutually supportive learning environment.

Never Too

Old Book Club

A book discussion of young adult novel The Thing About Jellyfish, by Ali Benjamin, will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Crescent Moon Coffee Stop on Second Street downtown. The Never Too Old Book Club, sponsored by the Natrona County Library, discusses young adult literature with adult appeal. The group is open to both teens and adults, with parent-teen pairs especially encouraged. Pick up your free copy of The Thing About Jellyfish at the Librarys second floor service desk. Call 577.READ x101 for more information.

UU coffee, meditation

The public is invited to attend the Unitarian Universalist Community of Casper services and other events at 1040 W. 15th St., just north of the CY Avenue Albertsons. UU Casper is a radically-welcoming, doctrine-free church celebrating open hearts and open minds. UUs are people of many beliefs and backgrounds, but who are aligned in the desire to make a difference for the good. Services are Sundays at 10 a.m., and a youth religious exploration program and child care are available.

UU Caspers weekly coffee talk is held Tuesdays at 10 a.m, and weekly meditation will be held Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.

For more information about these events or about Unitarian Universalism, visit uucasper.org, email info@uucasper.org, visit us on Facebook, or call Laura at 259-4469.

Evening in the Word Bible study

Evening in the Word nondenominational womens Bible study begins Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and ends Nov. 7 at Highland Park Church, 5725 Highland Dr., in room 1321. Books are $15.

The lesson is All Things New, a study on 2 Corinthians, by Kelly Minter. All women are welcome. Bring your Bible and join us. Babysitting is not available. Call Gwen at 262-0719 with questions.

Heart of Casper

Bible study

The Heart of Casper Community Bible Study Group will meet for a womens 10-week Bible study on Tuesdays, starting Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m., at Hilltop Baptist Church, located at 2555 E. Second St. The title of the study is The Power of a Praying Woman, by Stormie Omartian, in honor of our precious prayer warrior, Jean Brown. The cost of the book is $16. Register at the church on the first night of the study. Call for more information, 267-1351.

Grief Share begins

Grief Share is a support group to support and encourage you during your grief journey. After the funeral, when the cards and flowers stop coming, most of the people around you return to their normal lives. But your grief continues and you feel alone. We will meet weekly at Highland Park Community Church, 5725 Highland Dr., Casper, starting at 7 p.m., in room 1335. There is a $15 fee for the book. For more information please call Vickie Obermueller at 262-8024 or The Healing Place at 265-3977.

Often, friends and family want to help you but dont know how. Thats the reason for Grief Share. Our group is led by caring people who have experienced grief and have successfully rebuilt their lives. We understand how you feel because weve been in the same place. We will walk with your on the long path through grief toward healing and hope for the future.

Jersey Mikes helps Harvey victims

More than 1,300 Jersey Mikes Subs locations across the country, including the one at 3095 Talon Dr. in Casper, are partnering with the Houston Food Bank and Corpus Christi Food Bank to help Texas residents affected by Hurricane Harvey.

This two-part program provides needed donations to the two local food banks:

1. Through Sunday, participating Jersey Mikes locations will donate $1 for every regular-sized #7 Turkey Breast and Provolone sub sold.

2. Through a grassroots program in September, Jersey Mikes will hand out special cards in local communities nationwide offering a free sub for a $2 donation to the food banks. Cards can be redeemed in participating restaurants from Friday, Sept. 15, through Friday, Dec. 1.
A new dance school, Casper Spirit Dance and Cheer, will open Tuesday in the Atrium Plazas upper level.

Owner and head director Devon Sisneros Schulte created the school because there is no prep program for dance team and cheer in the state. She said the studio will incorporate dance, cheer and tumbling to ensure students are well-rounded. The school is open to children 4-14.

Schulte is a 2009 Kelly Walsh graduate. She began dancing at 3 years old and was on the then-new high school dance team her senior year. She and her mother, who founded the team, still choreograph the activity.

Following graduation, she auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance and made it to the top 30. She then moved on to the University of Nevada  Las Vegas, where she danced on the schools Rebel Girls team. While there, she was part of the Rebel Starzz program, in which dance and cheer members taught children the ways of dance.

She returned to Casper recently with her family and wanted to bring something back to the town.

The new dance company will be similar to the Starzz program by preparing young children for upper level dance team and cheer squad tryouts in high school and so on.

Im bringing Las Vegas to Casper, said Schulte.

For its first business year, the school has 85 kids enrolled, almost hitting capacity. Schulte said students will perform around the community including high school and college games. There will also be a competition team featuring students ages 4 to 18 traveling around Wyoming and Colorado. There will also be a recital in May.

With the new school, she hopes to instill confidence in students and bring dance and cheer in Wyoming to the next level and up to speed.
A convenience store off of CY Avenue was robbed Sunday night, but not many details are available yet.

A Casper Police Department spokesman said police were alerted to the armed robbery at the Loaf 'N Jug at 285 Honeysuckle St. around 10:45 p.m.

The spokesman could not describe the weapon used or what, if anything, was taken in the robbery. No arrests have been made in the case, but a detective was conducting interviews Monday morning, he said.

Nobody was injured as a result of the robbery, the spokesman said.
University of Wyoming officials are monitoring changes to the national immigration program known as DACA, while a student group on campus decried the federal governments decision to eliminate the policy.

The end of DACA symbolizes the end of achieving the American Dream for those who relied on the program for employment, education, and the hopes of a better future, wrote the UW chapter of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, or MEChA, a group that seeks to establish an awareness and sensitivity of Chicano values through a variety of different events.

Last week, President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals  a program created in 2012 by then-President Barack Obama  would be eliminated in six months. The program allowed undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children under the age of 16 to enroll in universities, seek lawful employment and join the military.

Trump tweeted that Congress had six months to legalize the program or he would revisit the issue. He later added  apparently at the behest of Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi  that there would be no action against the young people benefiting under DACA over the next half-year.

There are over 800,000 DACA recipients in the United States, and more than 600 in Wyoming, according to federal data. Its unclear how many are UW or Casper College students.

Benjamin Wetzel, the president of UWs student government, said the effect of the announcement was palpable on campus.

There are students I know who are concerned about this, concerned about their education, concerned about their families, he said. I dont want to go as far as saying its a dark time on campus, but I think theres definitely tension because of it.

UW President Laurie Nichols said in a statement that the university is monitoring DACA and immigration developments. She urged students and staff affected by changes to the program to contact UW law professor Adam Severson.

She wrote that the university is inclusive and committed to nurturing an environment that values and manifests diversity, internationalization and mutual respect. ... I am honored to belong to a university community devoted to the higher education of all students.

Nichols added that the university will continue to respect the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and will not release student records without written consent from the student or a lawfully issued subpoena, warrant or judicial order.

In an email that was sent to Casper College students and faculty Thursday, officials wrote they would continue monitoring the situation and encouraged students to reach out to the local office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services and to contact the director of admissions, Kyla Foltz, if they had questions.

In its statement, posted to Facebook on Wednesday, MEChA said it was deeply saddened by the decision to end DACA.

Undocumented lives matter immensely for us, the group wrote. The American Dream has become their dream. Wyoming is their home. The University of Wyoming is their institution. We are dedicated to preserving the dignity of all undocumented individuals in the face of such ostracism, systemic oppression, and collective misunderstandings and prejudices.

A message sent to the group was not returned Thursday.

The group also expressed displeasure with UWs student government, which  it suggested  had stalled on implementing a resolution it passed to create a sanctuary campus in Laramie.

The student government  officially called the Associated Students/University of Wyoming  put out its own statement, writing that it stands in support of all undocumented and immigrant students and employees at the University of Wyoming.

In response to MEChAs displeasure over the sanctuary campus designation delay, Wetzel said he understood their frustration but that he and other members of the student government were working hard with university officials.

The sanctuary campus designation can mean a number of things, he explained. It can be as aggressive as a school telling authorities that it wont release any information at all, or it can be a university requiring a warrant before it will divulge a students immigration status.

The universitys board will have to approve the decision to become a sanctuary campus, Wetzel said.

I think that it will be a battle in the state of Wyoming to reach the level of sanctuary campus, he said. That sets a pretty heavy designation. I dont think its going to be something well see, but were going to try.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will visit schools in Casper and on the Wind River Reservation on Tuesday on her first stop of a six-state tour.

The trip is part of her Rethink School tour, according to a education department press release. The goal of the visits is to showcase creative ways in which education leaders are meeting the needs of students in K-12 and higher education.

DeVos will visit Woods Learning Center between 8:30 and 10 a.m. Shell be at St. Stephens Indian High School on the reservation from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

There are so many new and exciting ways state-based education leaders and advocates are truly rethinking education, DeVos said in the press release. It is our goal with this tour to highlight whats working. We want to encourage local education leaders to continue to be creative, to empower parents with options and to expand student-centered education opportunities.

The tour will also include stops in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Indiana.

Jane Ifland, the coordinator for progressive group Indivisible Casper, said the group is planning a protest of DeVos visit. She mentioned DeVos support for voucher schools, DeVos support for guns in schools and what Ifland called DeVos attacks on Title IX programs as reasons for the protest.

During her confirmation hearings, DeVos famously said schools in Wyoming may have guns to protect them from grizzly bears. Ifland said there may be some ironic grizzlies at the protest, meaning people dressed in bear costumes.

These core policies have failed in Detroit, Ifland said of voucher programs. We already have tried this, and it doesnt work.

Previously a Michigan-based philanthropist, DeVos has been a vocal supporter of charter schools and school choice in the past. Wyoming has a handful of such institutions, though none is in Casper. A proposal to open a charter school here was shot down by the Natrona County School District board of trustees last year.

Natrona County is a district of choice, meaning students and families can decide which school within the county they want to attend, regardless of where they live.

Ifland said she wasnt sure how many people would participate in the protest. Because the visit was announced in an education department release on Monday morning  less than 24 hours ahead of DeVos visit  Ifland criticized how DeVos trip was been handled and accused her of sneaking into Casper.

Kari Eakins, spokeswoman for the Wyoming Department of Education, said officials found out a couple of weeks ago there was a chance DeVos would visit Wyoming. Last week, they learned it was very likely.
JACKSON  The U.S. Forest Service has approved a plan to install a 172-foot-long steel bridge to span the Yellowstone River in a northwest Wyoming wilderness area.

The new bridge in the Teton Wilderness in the Bridger-Teton National Forest would replace another known locally as the Hawks Rest bridge, which is 57 years old and considered unsafe.

We have a bridge out there that could fail at any time, Blackrock District Ranger Todd Stiles said. Thats what Ive been told by my experts. At some point youve got to pull the trigger to fix the thing or youve got to condemn it.

But critics say the new bridge will degrade the character of the Teton Wilderness.

I wish the Forest Service would use some imagination and creativity and listened to constructive suggestions that are made, conservationist Phil Hocker said. That hasnt happened. They could get a bridge that would make the Hawks Rest bridge more appropriate in that astonishing, amazing, none-other-like-it setting.

The Hawks Rest bridge predates the 1964 Wilderness Act by four years and is considered a critical link across a wide and often deep river that is along the most-used trail in the Teton Wilderness.

A number of people who commented on the proposal asked for a packable bridge that could be transported by mules to avoid having to use a helicopter in designated wilderness. Others suggested forgoing a bridge, arguing it was a human feature incongruent with its protected surroundings.

Stiles stood behind the single-span feature, which will not require abutments that protrude out of the bed of the Yellowstone River. Packable bridges the Bridger-Teton researched would have required at least two in-river abutments. Some designs, like suspension bridges, would have required bringing in a drill to do soil tests and skilled maintenance for proper upkeep, he said.

We think very strongly that our decision to produce a single-span-style bridge best protects the natural character, Stiles said.

Stiles said he hopes the bridge can be installed late next year.
CHEYENNE  A district court judge has ordered a comic shop to pay a debt totaling over $100,000 and legal fees to the Cheyenne hotel where it hosted the city's first Comic Con in 2016.

The judge ordered Loft Collectibles, Comics and Games LLC to pay Little America's Hotel and Resorts more than $6,000 for attorney's fees and costs on Aug. 22 on top of the money it already owes for the three-day convention in May 2016.

In Loft Collectibles' counterclaim against the hotel, it argued the hotel had breached their contract by failing to provide promised services and adequate parking. It says the hotel's "action and failures" cost the shop revenue.

The comic store closed Aug. 13.
BUENA VISTA, Colo.  Two men in their 70s were killed when the muscle car they were speed testing went off the runway at a central Colorado airport and flipped end-over-end.

Chaffee County officials say the crash happened Friday afternoon near Buena Vista.

Investigators say 71-year-old Lynd Fitzgerald of Colorado Springs and his passenger, 76-year-old Roger Lichtenberger of San Marcos, California, sped down the runway in a 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat and traveled another 314 feet off the runway before going airborne over a ravine. The car hit the ground and flipped end over end. Both men died at the scene.

Sheriff John Spezze says the men had permission to use the runway and had likely reached speeds above 100 mph. He believes they were traveling too fast when they reached the end of the runway.
SALT LAKE CITY  A Native American tribe wants a small northern Utah city to get rid of an annual battle reenactment that features people dressed as American Indians raiding an encampment of white settlers.

The Northwest Band of the Shoshone Nation has told Wellsville city officials that the so-called "Sham Battle" is a racially and culturally insensitive portrayal of Native Americans.

Wellsville Mayor Thomas Bailey says he hopes to reach a compromise so the annual Labor Day weekend event can continue in some form.

Darren Parry, vice chairman of the Northwest Band of the Shoshone Nation, warned about an unspecified "storm" of consequences if city officials do not cancel the event.

The Ute Indian Tribe Political Action Committee is planning a protest at the Wellsville city council meeting on Sept. 20.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Sept. 11 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. In case you're wondering, the biggest news of Sept. 11 was reported in the Star on Sept. 12.
Tucson student Maya Baker from The Gregory School is among the top 300 competitors in the Broadcom MASTERS  a science, technology, engineering and math competition for middle school students.

The Broadcom MASTERS program, founded and produced by the Society for Science & the Public, seeks to inspire young scientists, engineers and innovators who will solve the challenges of the future.

The Top 300 Broadcom MASTERS were selected from a pool of 2,499 applicants from 49 states and four territories.

They were evaluated by a panel of scientists, engineers and educators. The students were judged on the creativity and originality of their science fair project, their ability to engage in analysis of data and their understanding of STEM principles as they relate to the real world.

Pima Democrats hold school-supply drive

The Pima County Democratic Party is collecting school supplies to donate to public school teachers.

The party is asking for pencils, dry-erase markers, pens, White-Out, notebook paper, notebooks, copy paper, index cards, calculators and rulers, along with hygiene products like tissue boxes and hand sanitizer.

The party will have three collection sites:

Pima County Democratic Party headquarters, 4639 E. First St., from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

400 N. Bonita Ave., on Monday, Sept. 11 and 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

5447 E. Fifth St., #100, upon arrangement. Contact Luci Messing, lucibmessing@cox.net, to arrange drop off.

Waldorf School offers talks on its philosophy

The Tucson Waldorf School, which serves grades pre-K through eight, is hosting a discussion series to answer questions about the Waldorf philosophy and the Tucson Waldorf School.

The series will address questions about the private school and its processes, such as why it teaches reading differently, how rhythm supports children and what students would get out of a Waldorf education.

The event will be hosted by third-grade teacher John Keeney on Wednesday, Sept. 13, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., and again on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at the Tucson Waldorf School, 3605 E. River Road.

The discussions are open to the public, though an RSVP is required. To RSVP, contact Enrollment@TucsonWaldorf.org
An assistant professor of communication at the UA has been stripped of her doctoral degree by Ohio State University  a rare and potentially career-damaging occurrence in higher education.

The OSU Board of Trustees voted Aug. 25 to revoke the advanced degree of Jodi Whitaker, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Arizona. Whitaker received her doctoral degree in communication from the Ohio school in December 2013.

OSU took the action after a study that Whitaker co-authored was called into question by other researchers and ultimately retracted. The university, though, would not say why her degree was revoked, citing student-privacy laws.

Whitaker, who has degrees from Texas A&M and the University of Michigan, joined the UA faculty in 2014 and now teaches a class on the effects of mass media. In fiscal year 2017, her salary was $70,355, according to the UA salary database. As a result of having her doctorate revoked, Whitaker will no longer be allowed to list her Ph.D. from OSU on her curriculum vitae.

The UA is aware of the studys retraction and the revocation of Whitakers degree. However, UA spokesman Chris Sigurdson said her employment status cannot be discussed because it is a personnel issue.

Whitaker did not respond to a request for comment.

]OSU officials told Retraction Watch, a blog that reports on scientific issues such as paper retractions, integrity and fraud, that degree revocations happen about once every two years at OSU, but that is including all levels of degrees, not just doctorates.

The exact reason for the revocation of Whitakers degree was not disclosed by the school. Jeff Grabmeier, senior director of research communication at OSU, said in an email that information is private under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

In 2015, two researchers who peer reviewed the study approached OSU with concerns the data in the paper Whitaker co-authored with Brad Bushman, her doctoral committee chairman, as a graduate student at OSU were manipulated to support the hypothesis that first-person shooter video games improve real-life shooting accuracy.

The paper was titled Boom, Headshot!: Effect of Video Game Play and Controller Type on Firing Aim and Accuracy.

Bushman is also a professor of communication and psychology and Margaret Hall and Robert Randall Rinehart Chair of Mass Communication at OSU.

The peer review

The paper was submitted to the academic journal Communication Research , where it was peer reviewed. The article was published online in 2012 and in print in 2014.

The process of peer review allows for researchers who are experts in the same field to review the work done by colleagues, give feedback and make recommendations before publication.

Once a research article is published, other researchers can review it again, cite it and use it for their research. Pre- and post-peer reviews are important steps in the scientific process that ensure integrity in research and provide incentive for researchers to avoid errors or fabrication.

Malte Elson, postdoctoral researcher at Ruhr University in Germany, and Patrick Markey, psychology professor at Villanova University, reviewed Whitakers paper after it was published.

We discovered two different data files between which the codes for variables were altered, Markey said in an email to The Lantern, OSUs student paper.

When Markey and Elson approached OSU about their concerns, Whitaker and Bushman said they could not find the raw data to confirm which data file was the correct one.

A Committee of Initial Inquiry at Ohio State University recommended retracting this article after being alerted to irregularities in some variables of the data set by Drs. Markey and Elson in January 2015, according to a retraction notice issued by the editors of Communication Research.

Retractions of published studies are also rare in higher education, but are becoming more common.

Last year, 1,000 out of 1.8 million papers published were retracted, according to Ivan Oransky, co-founder of Retraction Watch and distinguished writer in residence at New York Universitys Carter Journalism Institute, where he teaches medical journalism. He is also the vice president of the Association of Health Care Journalists. That being said, in the year 2000 there were 30 or 40 (retractions) out of a million.

Retractions also play a healthy role in keeping bad research out of circulation and contribute to integrity in science.

But, No surgery is minor surgery, Oransky said, stressing it is a big deal for the author of a published study to have it retracted.

One cleared, one not

Bushman was cleared of data manipulation by OSU.

The university determined that there was no evidence that Bushman participated in, or was aware of, inappropriate data manipulation, Ben Johnson, an OSU spokesman, told the Columbus Dispatch. Therefore, the university found that the allegations brought against Bushman did not have sufficient substance to warrant an investigation and they were dismissed.

Whitaker, however, was not cleared by the school.

Elson and Markey said in a statement to Retraction Watch that their goal of challenging the paper was to correct the scientific record.

We are deeply saddened to hear that this might lead to the end of a fellow scientists (Whitakers) career, they said. There were two authors on the problematic Boom, Headshot! study. That the female, junior researcher is found culpable for those problems while the male, senior researcher is not, seems questionable.

Bushmans research has consistently shown that violent media including video games can lead to aggression, even violence.

Elsons and Markeys respective research has consistently shown the opposite. In fact, Markeys new book, co-authored by Christopher Ferguson, Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games Is Wrong, argues that violent video games can have positive effects on individuals and society.

Bushman claimed Elson and Markey were engaging in a smear campaign, but ultimately agreed to the retraction of his and Whitakers paper.

Bushman had one other paper retracted in 2016 from the journal Gifted Child Quarterly. He has also had to issue data corrections on papers from 2010 and 2007, according to Retraction Watch.

Bushman did not respond to requests for comment.

The interesting thing here is often what happens is that someones Ph.D. thesis gets turned into a paper, said Oransky. If it turns out the thesis contained fraud or error, youd retract the paper and the Ph.D.
Samsung Vina Electronics and Panasonic AVC Vietnam may have to pay a combined total of over US$21 million in back taxes for incorrectly declaring imported liquid crystal (LC) films.

The possibility is being considered by the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, which recently requestedconsultation with the General Department of Vietnam Customs in a dispatch discussing the issue.

According to the dispatch, the two companies imported LC films worth a total taxable amount of VND16,056 billion (US$707.31 million).

LC film is used in the production of liquid-crystal display (LCD) screens as well as LED displays, yet both firms declared it as zero-rated goods, attracting a favorable tax rate of zero percent.

However, according to the municipal customs department, citing an earlier guideline by the General Department of Vietnam Customs, LC screens are listed in a three-percent tax category.

Using this rate of tariff, both Samsung and Panasonic would have been taxed VND481.68 billion ($21.18 million) on their imported LC films.

The companies are refuting the suggestion, claiming that the guideline had only been circulated internally within customs agencies and not been made known to the public.

Luu Manh Tuong, head of export-import tariff at the General Department of Vietnam Customs, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday that it had reported the case to the Ministry of Finance and requested further instructions with regard to the potential collection of back taxes from both companies.

Tuong said Samsung Vina Electronics and Panasonic AVC Vietnam would not be liable for the amount if they are not found to be at fault for the incorrect declaration.

If that is the case, the companies would only need to ensure that future imports of LC films are declared under the new tariff rate, he added.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Check out the news you should not miss today, September 11:

Society

-- A contest seeking a viable solution to Hanoi's chronic traffic congestion has found the winner for the second prize, with no first prize awarded, worth US$100,000 but the organizers have kept the winning solution undisclosed, raising doubt among the public.

-- Police in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai said on Sunday they were hunting for a man who had killed his wife by stabbing her 36 times with a knife during a quarrel the day before.

-- Four nests of newly-hatched sea turtles, consisting of a few dozen individuals, were released back to the sea by a conservation center on Cham Islet off the central province of Quang Nam on Sunday.

-- Cracks measuring 3m in length and up to 6cm in width have developed on the Mong Bridge, connecting Chuong Duong Street in District 1 and Ben Van Don Street in District 4 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Business

-- The Ho Chi Minh City administration has decided to scrap a $144 million project to develop a 23-km bus rapid transit route along the Vo Van Kiet and Mai Chi Tho avenues, considering its poor feasibility and economic effectiveness.

-- People living around the Lee & Man mill, a $1.2 billion project developed by Hong Kong's Lee & Man Paper, in the southern province of Hau Giang, are complaining about the facility's foul smell, a local leader confirmed on Sunday.

-- Con Au, a VND620 billion ($27.31 million) ecotourism area in the southern city of Can Tho, is expected to be inaugurated by the end of this year, meant to become the top destination in the Mekong Delta tourism hub.

-- Giant electronics firms Samsung and Panasonic are facing tax arrears worth nearly VND100 billion ($4.41 million) each for their operations in Vietnam due to inconsistent commodity classifications between the General Department of Vietnam Customs and the customs department of Ho Chi Minh City.

Sports

-- Karate martial artist Nguyen Thi Ngoan won a historic gold medal for Vietnam after beating Canada's Haya Jumaa in the women's 61kg event at the Karate 1-Premier League in the German city of Leipzig on Sunday. The Karate1-Premier League is the sport's most important league, comprising of a number of the most prominent karate competitions.

-- Vietnam's badminton player Vu Thi Trang was defeated 0-2 by Japanese Sayaka Takahashi in the final of the women's single event at the 2017 Yonex Sunrise Vietnam Open in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The contest organizers advertised a whopping grand prize of US$200,000 in cash for the winning idea, in addition to one second prize of $100,000 and $25,000 in credit support for any entry with a complete and qualified proposal.

Launched on January 12, the contest accepted entries submitted by domestic and international consulting companies no later than April 27.

Despite the winner announcement date initially set for May, it was not until last Friday that an awards ceremony was held in suspicious secrecy at the headquarters of the municipal Peoples Committee.

According to sources of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, there was no winner of the grand prize, while the second prize went to a joint entry submitted by the Vietnam Institute for Urban and Rural Planning (VIUP), Nikken Sekkei Civi Engineering LTD (NSC), and Nikken Sekkei Reseach Institute (NSRI).

Five other shortlisted submissions received $25,000 in credit support each.

No information regarding the awards ceremony was made known to local media or the public in advance, while reporters who arrived at the administrations headquarters on Friday had the door shut to their faces for not having an invitation letter.

Those that waited patiently outside were only able to have a swift interview with a representative of one of the winning entries, who refused to provide any specific detail.

As of Monday, no information on the winning solutions or reportage of the awards ceremony could be found on the official site of either Hanois administration or the municipal Department of Transport.

Ngo Manh Tuan, deputy director of the department, said the city had chosen not to publish the winning solutions just yet, while claiming that the awards ceremony had been held in public and that there had been nothing to hide.

Tuan refused to respond to further questions, asking reporters to submit their written inquiries instead.

Meanwhile, Luu Duc Cuong, acting director of VIUP, said the institute was under no obligation to announce its solution, for the responsibility rested on the administration of Hanoi.

Cuong said accusations that the contest organizers were trying to hide the winners details were petty and not worth paying attention to.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
If you thought The Handmaids Tale was a one-off series from writer Margaret Atwood, think again.

Alias Grace will screen on Netflix in November and by the looks of this trailer, could be just as powerful.

The period drama is based on a true story and features Sarah Gadon, Edward Holcroft, Zachary Levi, Paul Gross and Anna Paquin.

The story of Alias Grace follows Grace Marks, a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott, was convicted of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery, in 1843. James was hanged while Grace was sentenced to life imprisonment. Grace became one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of 1840s Canada for her supposed role in the sensational double murder, and was eventually exonerated after 30 years in jail. Her conviction was controversial, and sparked much debate about whether Grace was actually involved in the murder, or merely an unwitting accessory.

Friday 3rd November on Netflix.
This week Dateline hears from both sides of the Marriage Equality debate by looking at the experience in Ireland where the country voted for legalisation in 2015.

With Australians preparing for a national survey on same-sex marriage, Dateline visits Ireland  where it was legalised on one side of the border two years ago  to listen to different sides of the debate.

In 1992, it was still illegal to be gay in Ireland. In 2015, a popular vote made same sex marriage legal, and it was met with jubilation by many in the country.

We are known as being a conservative Catholic country, quite closed, Grainne Healy, co-director of Irelands Yes Equality Campaign tells Dateline reporter Dean Cornish. The truth is weve changed in the last thirty years. And the vote was a symbol of that change, rather than the cause or effect of the change  And people felt bloody good about it.

Healy says she is watching the Australian debate around same sex marriage with interest. There are real connections between Australia and Ireland culturally and historically  a lot of the issues are quite similar around what kind of an Australia do we want? We had to ask ourselves what kind of an Ireland do we want for our kids, for our grandkids? Are we a forward looking country, are we a backward looking country?

In Ireland, tackling this question put long held traditional views to the test.

Independent Senator Ronan Mullen was the leading political voice from the No campaign in Ireland. He believes Ireland was overtaken by a group think which saw the majority of people voting yes.

 people will think Im homophobic if I say that Im against redefining marriage, because I think a child has a right to a father and mother, Mullen tells Dateline. Some people will quite understandably think that they dont have permission to think those thoughts.

This is supposed to be about diversity, but in the end it was actually a closing down of diversity. And I really hope that doesnt happen in Australia, and I suspect the way your debate is shaping up with kind of strong voices on both sides that you may have a healthier debate than we had.

But some in Ireland say the fact that the issue was debated at all took its toll emotionally. In the lead up to polling day, Irelands LGBT Helpline recorded a significant spike in calls for help.

The program also visits Roscommon  a town in the only county in Ireland that voted with a No majority  and crosses the border to Northern Ireland, exploring why its one of the only places in western Europe where same-sex marriage is still illegal. Dateline examines the complexities of the Northern Irish situation and the similarities to the Australian debate.

Tuesday 12 September at 9.30pm on SBS.
Help India!

By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

With Navratri less than two weeks away, petitioners from the Durga Puja societies of Varanasi have moved to Allahabad High Court for idol immersion to be allowed once again in Ganga. But this time, they have used an interesting, if slightly controversial, reason: according to the PIL, if blood from animals sacrificed by Muslims during Bakrid is allowed to flow into the river, there is no reason why they should be stopped from immersing idols in the river too.

Support TwoCircles



In August this year, Varanasi had seen clashes over idol immersions in Ganga.

TwoCircles.net has a copy of the petition filed on behalf of Sarvajanik Durgotsav Samiti and Kendriya Puja Samiti. It asks petitioners to grant the Durga idol immersion in Ganga Because during Eid, millions of goats are butchered and millions of litres of un-dissolvable blood go in the river, (which is) not only harmful for the health but also increases the chances of diseases.

However, the PIL does not state that if it wants the court to put a ban on to Bakrid sacrifices subsequently.

In 2014, Allahabad High Court ruled that immersion of idols should not be done in Ganga River across the state. The Court also gave a relaxation of one year to authorities and Puja committees to find an alternative to start immersing the idols from next season of festivals.

But the tussle between the Hindu hardliners and government started in 2015 when some groups again tried to immerse the idols in Ganga in September going against the courts order.

Key petitioner and president at Central Puja Committee Tilakraj Mishra told TwoCircles.net, Every year during Bakrid, a huge amount of blood flows through sewage lines and goes directly into the Ganga stream. We have asked the court whether that does not pollute the Ganga?

It seems that only Idols are meant to pollute the Ganga, said Mishra.

For Mishra and others supporting this movement, if the idol immersion has to be stopped, then butchering of animals should be too. We are asking to immerse the idols in the Ganga, which will solely be made of natural colours and soil from the Ganga. And this will happen for once in every year, said Mishra. Not unlike the butchering, which pollutes Ganga anytime of the year, not only on Bakrid.

For Durga Puja managers, the court is not the only way to seek a solution to this matter. Several letters and requests have already been raised to the new chief minister of the state Yogi Adityanath.

Apart from asking the authorities to allow immersion and Ganga and discharge of Ganga water from dams, the PIL prays the court to direct the authorities so that public sentiments, peace and tranquillity should be maintained.

otherwise the Hindu public would lose faith in the Constitution of India and shall also suffer irreparable loss and injury, read the PIL further.

Indra Mani Tripathi, the lawyer for the petitioners, defended the reference to Eid with the argument that India is a Hindu nation. Many communities which do not belong to India are allowed to follow their religion, but why not us? he asked.

Tripathi stresses that blood flow during Bakrid does not get treated by sewage treatment plants (STPs) installed along the rivers in Varanasi. STPs cannot treat blood which is filled with harmful pathogens which cause serious diseases. Bakrid is put as an example in the PIL that if they are allowed to embrace their religion being it detrimental to the Ganga, why we should not be allowed, even after we are promising to immerse only eco-friendly idols in Ganga, he said.
Help India!

By Professor Mohammad Sajjad for TwoCircles.net

Support TwoCircles



It is ironical that, just in the year of its centenary, the historic Madrasa Islamiya of Ranchi, founded by Maulana Azad (1888-1958) in 1917, is facing extinction. The BJP government of Jharkhand is reportedly contemplating to strangulate it to death by withdrawing its affiliation/recognition as well as fund. Much of the land of the institution has either been encroached upon, or been sold out, by the self-serving Muslims, influential in the management of the Anjuman-e-Islamiya, which runs almost 12 subsidiary institutions, including the Madrasa Islamiya. In 1987, it formed a subsidiary called, Muslim Higher Education Society, which added a degree college named after Maulana Azad. This Muslim minority college is recognised and funded by the government of Jharkhand. It has got around 500 students.

The management of the Anjuman-e-Islamiya stands divided between two warring factions, respectively by Haji Ibrar and Haji Nesar. The latter is supposed to be making too much of interferences into the functioning of the Anjuman-e-Islamiya. Sections of local population admire Haji Ibrar for having done a lot for the Anjuman; they are supposed to have recently purchased a land few kilometres away from Ranchi, where the Azad College is likely to be shifted.

Because of this dispute, mainly around the composition of the electoral college of the Anjuman, the election for the managing committee of the Anjuman has not been held since last November. According to the bye-laws of the Anjuman, every three years elections are supposed to be held. Convenor for the election from the provincial government is the Chairman, Jharkhand Waqf Board. The government has not appointed any Chairman since 2014. In its place, an ad hoc CEO is there for the Waqf Board. He has not shown much interest in resolving the dispute, and convening elections, as per the bye-laws of the Anjuman-e-Islamiya. There are various petitions lying before the CEO regarding the composition of the electoral college. The factionalism is also around caste (Biradri). Haji Ibrar is supposed to be representing the Ashrafiya Muslims, whereas Haji Nesar is supposed to be representing Pasmanda (mainly the community of Kalaal) Muslims.

The property (including the buildings) of the Anjuman-e-Islamiya, located in the commercially significant, prime location of the city of Ranchi, has got around 200 shops. Because of self-serving factionalism within the Anjuman-e-Islamiya, the rent of the shops is kept so very nominal and unrealistic that the Anjuman deprives itself of a huge revenue. The Anjuman-e-Islamiya also runs a 60 bed, relatively better-furnished, hospital, besides the Rahmaniya Musafirkhana, existing since the days of Maulana Azad. This is a separate (now a four-storey) building. A few years ago, with some fund from the Local Area Development Scheme of the local Parliamentarian, this building has been renovated. It has added a library, a study circle, etc.

There have been some efforts towards getting the main building of the Anjuman-e-Islamiya declared as National Monument, but to no avail, as yet.

The Madrasa Islamiya, at present, has got 900 students, some of them are boarders too. This is an educational institution recognised and funded by the government of Jharkhands body, the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC). Before the creation of the province of Jharkhand in 2000, this was recognised and funded by the Bihar State Madrasa Education Board (BSMEB, Patna), a statutory body of the government of Bihar. There were 126 such madrasas falling in what became Jharkhand. All the 126 madrasas continue to get fund from the Jharkhand government.

After the creation of the province of Jharkhand in 2000, the Anjuman-e-Islamiya, with its autonomy, has been functioning under the administrative supervision of the Jharkhand Waqf Board.

A proud history of anti-colonial assertion

It is worth re-visiting the historical context in which the Madrasa Islamiya was founded and the ideal objectives its founder envisioned. For this, let us benefit from some historians, such as S. Irfan Habib and Rizwan Qaiser.

For his revolutionary activities, he was into, right since his early ages, Azad was externed from Calcutta in March 1916 under the Defence of India Regulation. In April 1916 he was sent to Ranchi. Influenced with Shyam Sundar Chakravarty (1869-1932) and Aurobindo Ghosh (1872-1950), the Maulana was involved in the revolutionary struggle and was preparing for a violent overthrow of British rule. His continuous exhortation of the Muslims towards education including political education which essentially meant building up self-confidence to resist British rule, was inviting anxious watch of the colonial regime on him, says Qaiser.

During his internment at Ranchi, for nearly four years (1 April 1916-31 December 1919), Azad established an organization Anjuman-e-Islamiya in August 1917 which started the Madrasa Islamiya. In a list of thirty-one donors, headed by Rai Saheb Thakur Das, Rais-i- Ranchi and Babu Jagatpal Sahai, vakil, were also there, among other people, from all walks of life, including Sheikh Safdar Ali of Milki (Gaya), informs Prof. Rizwan Qaiser, in his research on the subject. He says that behind all these activities of Azad, the guiding motive was to spread the Islamic education among the less fortunate co-religionists at Ranchi and to mobilise his co-religionists towards the freedom movement. According to Qaiser, Maulana Azad had been thinking around the issues of education in sciences, and also on the medium of instruction, since as early as in 1902, as it comes out of some of the correspondences of Azad.

For the Madrasa Islamiya, a 200-page long document of curricula was prepared by the Maulana Azad; the subjects such as English, mathematics, Indian geography, Indian history, history of Islam and sciences had to be introduced to bring it at par with the government run schools. Azad was very clear about the fact that no system of education could be complete unless the elements of Government University system were also to be introduced. Maulana Azad highlighted the importance of producing more educationists (Mutallemeen), rather than teachers (Muallemeen) alone. The education had to inculcate mazhabi ham-aahangi (mutual religious understanding) and rawadari (tolerance). He addressed from the Jama Masjid on every Friday, teaching them in Hubb-ul-Watani (patriotism), qaumi yekjahti (integration of nationalities), and Mushtareka Wataniyat (composite nationalism). The curricula were actually a part of the one prepared by Maulana Azad for the Madrasa Aliya of Calcutta (established in 1780 by Warren Hastings, mainly to study Arabic, Persian and Muslim Law; during 1826-36, it also taught medical sciences till the Calcutta Medical College was established in 1836; in 2007 it was upgraded as University)

S. Irfan Habib tells us that under Ibn Khalduns influence, unquestioning acceptance of theology was something Azad wanted to rectify. Azad found the curricula in the pre-existing Islamic madrasas fundamentally narrow. Its significant omission was mathematics, which is the basis of science and technology. Azad agreed with Rousseau in his advocacy of the childrens necessity and ability to grasp the truth through their own insight.

Another significant influence on Maulana Azad, in the context of science and education, was Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-98), which attracted Azad towards modern education and modern science for the Muslims, as admitted by Azad, in his very eloquent convocation speech (February 1949) in the Aligarh Muslim University. This is another matter that on political questions, Azad had sharp differences against Sir Syed.

By way of recollection and re-dissemination, Azads profound contributions were put together when the National University of Education Planning and Administration (NUEPA), New Delhi, convened a seminar in 2009, and the essays were published in 2010. In the seminar, the then Speaker, Lok Sabha, Somnath Chatterjee, had described that Maulana Azad had re-emphasized the five-fold programme for the expansion of education in the country: These were (a) Universal compulsory basic education for all children of school age, (b) Social education for our adult illiterates, (c) Measures for improvement in the quality of and expansion of facilities for secondary and higher education, (d) Technical and scientific education on a scale adequate to the nations needs, and (e) Measures for the enrichment of the cultural life of the community by encouraging the arts and providing facilities for recreation and other amenities.

It is not without any reason that Nehru preferred to take Azad along, as his Education Minister, where he served with great distinction till his death in 1958. It is a lesser known fact that ever since Gokhale proposed in 1910 for the right to compulsory free education, it was Azad who pursued it in the Constituent Assembly. Though, it was only as late as in 2009-10, that such a legislation (RTE) could actually be enacted.

During the colonial period unlike Uttar Pradesh, in Bihar, essentially speaking, there was not much of a difference between the votaries of modern education and those of the traditional learning. The Muslim elites of both the streams in Bihar cooperated with each other in imparting both kinds of education. Thus, a modern educated elite, a judge, Nur-ul-Hoda (1854-1935; son of Shams-ul-Hoda) set up the Madrasa Shams-ul-Hoda, at Patna in 1912. It endures till date with buildings constructed in colonial architectural styles, and have got good hostels too. It was recognised by the Government of Bihar in 1919, which affiliated Madrasas across the province, in the capacity of serving as the Bihar State Madrasa Education Board, BSMEB, Patna; the Board was made a statutory body by the Karpuri Thakur led government during 1977-79 ). In 1927, it affiliated the Madrasa Islamiya, Ranchi as well. Ever since then, this Madrasa remains a government recognised and funded institution.

Its syllabi, till Fauqaniya (class X), has all the modern subjects of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Literatures of Indian and English language. It has board examination at Middle (Wastania) level as well, which is class VIII. After Independence, this Board became a statutory body.

Interestingly, both the Madrasas (of Patna and of Ranchi) had one person in common, in preparing the curriculum-Syed Sulaiman Nadvi (1884-1953). The Madrasa Shams-ul-Hoda of Patna produced many students and teachers who participated in the Quit India Movement; after independence, some of its students joined the Indian Administrative Services and Indian Police Services.

Another gift of Maulana Azads stay at Ranchi

Besides the Madrasa Islamiya, another enduring gift of Azads stay at Ranchi is the foundation of Imarat-e-Shariah (in 1921, at Phulwari Sharif, Patna) in collaboration with Maulana Sajjad (1880-1940), and the Anjuman-e-Ulema-e-Bihar (founded in June 1917), a precursor of the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind. The Sufi shrinesKhanqah-e-Rahmaniya (Monghyr) and Khanqah-e-Mujibiya (Phulwari Sharif, Patna) extended its support.

Maulana Azad elaborated upon this scheme of mobilizing Muslims against the anti- colonial struggle in his Urdu weekly, Paighaam (November 25, 1921).

The Imarat-e-Shariah went on to unwaveringly resist the communal-territorial separatism of the Muslim League. Azads protege, Maulana Sajjad, also talked of confining religion into private spaces and wrote many letters to Jinnah raising serious questions against his divisive [Pakistan] Resolution of Lahore, 23 March 1940.

He consistently remained in touch with the masses and also edited an Urdu weekly, Naqeeb, (after its fortnightly Imarat was gagged by the colonial state during the Civil Disobedience Movement 1930-34). On 14 April 1940, he wrote in Naqeeb against Jinnahs scheme of dividing India, Muslim India aur Hindu India Ki Scheme par Ek Aham Tabserah (reprinted in the Naqeeb, 10 January 1946). The Patna historian, Papiya Ghosh (1953-2006), wrote an elaborate academic essay (1997) on the history of Imarat-e-Shariah, 1921-47.

Maulana Sajjad wrote letters to Jinnah asking pertinent questions. Jinnah never responded back. Sajjad, therefore, brought the letters in public circulation, specifically of 26 December 1938 and of 23 January 1939.

Maulana Sajjad also advocated the idea of confining the religious processions and rituals into private spaces rather than a public display of it causing disharmony and group violence. His pamphlet to this effect was captioned, Firqa Warana Maamlaat Ka Faisla Kin UsuloN Par Hona Chahiye?(Naqeeb, 20 February 1940)

He launched a political outfit, Muslim Independent Party (MIP) in 1936, with agrarian issues being its chief concern. In 1937, in collaboration with the Congress, it contested the provincial elections and emerged second largest party. As the Congress, the largest party refused to form a ministry on certain issues of discretionary powers vested in the Governor according to the Act of 1935, it was MIP which formed a provisional ministry, which ran for four months (April-July 1937). Barrister Md. Yunus (1884-1952) was the premier. In its short tenure, it performed very well on all counts, including its agrarian concerns such as irrigation facilities, soft loans, river embankments, etc.

Today, the Imarat-e-Shariah runs charitable institutions of education and health. In its self-proclamation, its jurisdiction extends to Jharkhand and Orissa as well. Should not it look upon the Madrasa Islamiya, Ranchi, in order to resuscitate and revitalise it?

However, this is also a puzzle for the local population that ever since Maulana Azad left Ranchi in 1920, he never looked back towards it. It is something like Gandhijis visit to Champaran in 1917. Even though he did re-visit, yet, the three schools established by Gandhiji in Champaran could not survive. As against this, the Madrasa at Ranchi did survive and endures till date.

The Maulana Azad Educational Foundation (MAEF) of the Union government in its existence of about three decades (founded in 1988 to commemorate Azads birth centenary) is doing a lot in the stated direction of education. Should not it make an intervention into it to rescuing this wonderful legacy facing extinction? Recognizing the historical significance of Azads stay at Ranchi, the then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, had inaugurated Maulana Azad Research Centre, on the Tagore Hills, Ranchi. It subsequently disappeared with no traces even of the stone plaque testifying the inauguration by Rajiv Gandhi. In January 2015, however, the then Chancellor (of the Ranchi University) cum Governor of Jharkhand, took note of it and persuaded the Ranchi University to establish Maulana Azad Research Centre. Its incumbent Director, Prof. Manzar Husain, has now made it functional, with a library in its building. Besides, the Senate Hall of the University is also named after Maulana Azad, as a token of gratitude.

In 2009-10, Qaiser had also highlighted the sorry state of the institution and gross negligence of the Madrasa by the Muslim dominated management. Yet, it continues to languish in disarray. Qaiser concluded, There are people who swear by Maulana Azad and his association with Ranchi but have not been able to accord the level of respect that an institution such as Madrasa-i-Islamia deserves.

Mention may be made specifically of Najma Heptullah, claiming to be a descendant of Azad. Till very recently she was the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs in the cabinet of Narendra Modi. Shall she really make a meaningful intervention to draw the attention of the provincial and the Union governments to rescue this dying institution? The then Chairman, Jharkhand State Minority Commission, had approached the minister, Najma Heptullah. She sent her emissary to obtain first-hand knowledge about the state of affairs and requirements of the institution. Nobody knows what really happened to this. Then she no longer remained the minister. People have also been approaching Najma Heptullahs successor, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

The problem afflicting the Anjuman-e-Islamiya is not convening election of its management committee. The government of Jharkhand and its ad hoc functionary, Hasib Akhtar (CEO, Jharkhand Waqf Board, who is by rules, Convenor of election for the Anjuman-e-Islamiya), rather than convening election, is now contemplating to just withdraw the funding (and recognition) of the historic educational institution, Madrasa Islamiya, sources in the ministry of education, confide.

It is worthwhile recalling that delay in granting affiliation by the government of Jharkhand had compelled the Muslim minority managed Kabir Womens Degree College (Jamshedpur) to close down. It had more than sufficient infrastructure in comparison to most of the other constituent colleges in the state. But it was forced to pull its shutter down, after having functioned for over two decades.

The local Muslims feel helpless at this attitude of the BJP government of Jharkhand. With a sense of hopelessness, they say, this is the kind of era we are living in. Local media, particularly, ETV Urdu, has been exposing all these details, which fall on the deaf ears of the government of Jharkhand. Let it be said that even the Union government of BJP is keeping such bodies headless. For instance, the National Commission for Minorities had become defunct, owing to vacancies. It is only a few weeks ago that the Chairman and its members have been appointed. The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) has got no Chairman, with a vacancy of one member too. Yet another testimony that the dominant political wisdom of the day believes in peripheralising the minorities!

Professor Mohammad Sajjad is with the Centre of Advanced Study in History of Aligarh Muslim University. He has published two books: Muslim Politics in Bihar: Changing Contours (Routledge, 2014); and Contesting Colonialism and Separatism: Muslims of Muzaffarpur since 1857 (Primus, 2014).
In a short space of time since Theresa May became Prime Minister in July 2016, the newly-created Department for Exiting the EU has done well to articulate a negotiating strategy for the ongoing Brexit negotiations considering David Cameron had no contingency plans ready. It is clear that the Government's position represents the one articulated by Vote Leave during last year's EU Referendum; stop the free movement of people, end the supremacy of all European laws over British ones and forge a trade deal with Brussels that does not require Single Market, or European Economic Area, membership.

The EU's Chief Negotiator has to compromise at some stage

The EU's Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, and the European Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker, have dismissed Brexit Secretary David Davis' negotiating strategy and the papers his department recently produced that clarify what the UK wants from these discussions in public. As mentioned in previous articles, both figures want to present a tough image to secure their own positions. Mr. Juncker does not want his legacy to be an EU on the verge of collapsing and Mr. Barnier may want to replace him. Ironically, the trading bloc's survival depends on trade between both sides, which is why the EU's Chief Negotiator has to compromise at some stage.

That is why there could be some truth behind Vicky Ford MP's argument that many European politicians are secretly happy with Britain's proposals. Mrs Ford is a former Member of the European Parliament. Her knowledge and experience in this field is respectable. That is why she speaks with authority when she made this claim on Sky News.

She said Mr. Davis' Brexit papers represented positive steps forward.

However, with talks stumbling over the proposed divorce bill, if this impasse continues, a trade deal is even more unlikely to be concluded by March 2019. The exit fee is nothing more than a distraction to cause the negotiations to fail and trap the UK in the trading bloc.

That is why established Eurosceptic MPs like John Redwood and Julian Lewis are right to say Britain will be fine if it walks away and trades under WTO rules.

There is no chance Brussels will allow the Government to dictate what the terms of Brexit should look like

Whilst this country remains a member of the EU, there is no chance Brussels will allow the Government to dictate what the terms of Brexit should look like. As Mr. Lewis said, leaving this organisation will enable Mr. Davis to call Mr. Barnier's bluff and allow Britain to reach a trade agreement with the EU that meets both sides' needs. In the meantime, UK-EU trade can continue under WTO rules and trade deals with some of the world's largest economies can be formed, meaning this country will not be entirely dependent on European trade.

Mrs Ford is right; Britain's aims do make sense, but that does not mean Brussels will comply. They have already demonstrated that through this divorce row. It's time the UK left and dictated what trade between both parties should look like.
Senior Eurosceptic backbenchers in the Conservative Party have urged Theresa May to quit her Brexit negotiations with the EU.

Many of the Prime Minister's colleagues are calling on her to produce an alternative strategy if the Government is unsuccessful in drawing up a free trade agreement with Brussels, ready for when Britain leaves the trading bloc in March 2019.

John Redwood MP, former Welsh Secretary under John Major, said that the slow-paced negotiations were unsurprising as the EU is renowned for leaving crucial decisions on trade until the last minute.

He said that the UK will thrive under World Trade Organization rules.

This country could end up with a very good trade deal

Tory MP Julian Lewis said this country could end up with a very good trade deal with Brussels if Mrs May walked away from her discussions with the trading bloc, urging Brexit Secretary David Davis to call their bluff.

Pressure to quit negotiating with the EU is also coming from a senior minister, who is calling on the Prime Minister to refuse to pay the divorce bill and prepare contingency plans in the likely event of no deal with Brussels. They said the threat would succeed in exploiting the differences between the EU's Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, and member states.

Discussions between both sides have so far stalled, with the UK debating with the trading bloc about how much it is going to cost to leave. This could prevent the Government from thrashing out details about a future trade deal, causing a delay in the next round of negotiations.

The EU's Chief Negotiator may be forced to soften his stance on the exit bill

It is possible that Mr. Barnier has informed other member states that they would not have to contribute more to the EU's budget once Britain leaves the trading bloc. Yet by threatening to quit the negotiations, the EU's Chief Negotiator may be forced to soften his position on the exit bill, a Cabinet minister has said.

The minister told The Daily Telegraph that contingency plans need to be drawn up so that Brussels can anticipate Britain will walk away without paying any money. If the EU succeeds in getting its own way, the divorce bill could be as high as 91 billion, or 100 billion euros.

Mr. Davis has previously said the Government and the trading bloc cannot agree over the size of the exit fee.

She is leading a weak government

The latest interventions come as the Prime Minister is set to strengthen her Brexit stance. Tory donor Lord Harris said she is leading a weak government divided over leaving the trading bloc. The next Conservative Party Conference is expected to be her opportunity to produce a tough speech aimed at Brussels.

She will reiterate her election pledges to restore sovereignty to Parliament after March 2019.

Business leaders have urged Mrs May to take advantage of the Trump administration's offer of a post-Brexit trade deal very quickly after the UK leaves the trading bloc.

A substantial report was issued by the US-UK Business Council,a new body created by the US Chamber of Commerce, after American ambassador Woody Johnson arrived in London. Mr. Johnson has stressed that Brexit presents an opportunity to strengthen the special relationship between both countries.

One source said to The Daily Express that this was the platform the current President campaigned on, as joint prosperity between both nations will lead to jobs and trade growth.

However, this report says that the EU could employ Article 8 of the 2007 Lisbon Treaty, which states that Brussels can develop a special relationship with neighbouring countries, as the foundation for a trade deal with the UK. It allows the trading bloc to adopt specific agreements with them. Chief executives of American businesses are urging Britain's EU exit to be as painless as possible.

The document also called on tariff-free trade between both sides and for the Government to implement a flexible immigration system that allows organisations to transfer employees from British to EU offices and vice versa, safeguarding seasonal working arrangements for the hospitality and agricultural industries.
For decades leaders across the globe have known of the narcissistic tendencies North Koreas dictators possess. Their outrageous claims of a utopian super state capable of world domination is hardly a surprise. So much so that these threats have automatically been brushed off as nothing but an inflated bluff which should only be feared by the gullible.

Hot air and nothing more

The countless failed missile tests have further led to the world to question the validity of Kim Jong-un's motives as just a bunch of hot air and nothing more. So has this ignorance unknowingly put civilised society in a seriously vulnerable position?

One thing history has taught us is the only way to prevent the tragedies of the future is to learn from the mistakes of the past. Countless times we have seen this by ignoring the actions of evil dictators we have only allowed them to grow further unchecked.

As America starts to put more pressure on Kim Jong uns hermit kingdom, the greater success their missile threats have proven themselves to be. This was evident after the rogue regime fired a missile which flew directly over Japan.

A grave threat

After the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe talked with American president Donald Trump in a 40-minute phone call shortly following the launch Abe referred to Kim Jong uns action as an unprecedented and grave threat.

Abe further confirmed the gravity of the situation by condemning Kim Jong Uns actions as, The outrageous act of firing a missile over our country is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat and greatly damages regional peace and security. In a statement, he gave to reporters in Tokyo.

Both leaders decided to request an emergency conference with the UN security council to discuss the situation.

Ignorance is no longer viable

Clearly, the world maintaining a state of ignorance is no longer a viable option. One factor that so many have chosen to ignore is that North Korea is far from alone. Since it is hardly a secret their ally is none other than the Peoples Republic of China, who has refused to be aggressive or impose more sanctions on the DPRK.

On the contrary, China has taken the highly controversial route of urging all parties to calm down. Could there be more to this than Chinas desire to maintain a sense of diplomacy?

North Koreas threats of annihilation have shown themselves to be slowing down now they have shifted their focus to the U.S. territory of Guam.

One thing is for sure Japan and America will no longer be taking it lying down. This was clearly evident as in response to the recent events in Japan Donald Trump has vowed to stand, 100% with Japan.
After the news broke that Donald Trump would take steps to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), it was only a matter of time before former President Barack Obama spoke out. On Tuesday afternoon, Obama did just that.

Obama on Trump

One of the biggest issues during the 2016 presidential election was immigration. While Donald Trump announced his plan to run for president back in June 2015, he made headlines by referring to illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers." In the months that would follow, the former host of "The Apprentice" would elaborate on his plans, which included, but wasn't limited to, possible mass deportation of the 11 million undocumented workers in the country.

In addition, Trump vowed to not only complete construction of a Southern border wall, but also promised to have Mexico be financially responsible for the costs. Since his election win over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, Trump has been unable to gain much traction with his immigration plans, which has caused backlash among some of his supporters. After a weekend of unconfirmed reports, the White House officially announced it's move to end DACA, which was put in place by Barack Obama and allowed undocumented children to remain in the country if they obtain a work visa, go to school, or enlist in the military. In response, Obama gave his thoughts during a September 5 Facebook post.

Taking to Facebook to address Donald Trump's decision to end DACA, Barack Obama made it clear he wasn't happy.

"To target these young people is wrong  because they have done nothing wrong," Obama wrote, calling Trump's decision "self-defeating" and "cruel." "What if our kid's science teacher, or our friendly neighbor turns out to be a Dreamer?" Obama asked. "Where are we supposed to send her? To a country she doesnt know or remember, with a language she may not even speak?" he continued to wonder.

"Ultimately, this is about basic decency," Barack Obama continued. "This is about whether we are a people who kick hopeful young strivers out of America, or whether we treat them the way wed want our own kids to be treated," he noted. The former commander in chief concluded his statement hoping that the country could come together to continue to form a "more perfect union."

Brought by parents, these children had no choice in coming here. Now they'll be sent to countries they've never known. Cruel. Not America.  Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 5, 2017

Biden speaks

In addition to Barack Obama's thoughts, former Vice President Joe Biden voiced his concern on Twitter.

"Brought by parents, these children had no choice in coming here. Now they'll be sent to countries they've never known. Cruel. Not America," Biden tweeted. Donald Trump also tweeted back in regards to DACA, giving Congress a chance to tweak the law and bring it back to his desk. "Congress, get ready to do your job - DACA!" Trump tweeted.
Due to something known as a negative surge, Hurricane Irma was so intensely powerful it sucked the ocean away from beaches in both the Bahamas and Florida. Shocked residents in both Long Island in the Bahamas and Naples, Florida, posted videos to social media to clearly show the water was gone and a long stretch of empty sand was in its place. Tampa Bay was also hit by the phenomenon. Since then more videos have been released to show the ocean is now back where it belongs in both locations.

Videos go viral of the missing ocean and endless sand

After videos appeared showing footage of the Bahamas, the National Weather Service confirmed on Sunday that it had also happened in Naples, Florida. There were also videos shared of what is dubbed the negative surge happening in Tampa Bay.

Creepy site - water in Tampa Bay is already being sucked out. This is view from downtown St. Pete waterfront. #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/4hqRDSrDsh  Jason Beisel (@JasonBeisel) September 10, 2017

The Washington Posts deputy weather editor, Angela Fritz went on to confirm the strange phenomenon is not only real but can particularly occur with very powerful hurricanes like Irma. Fritz wrote that when the storm is that powerful, it can literally change the shape of an ocean for a while.

She went on to explain that Hurricane Irma is so powerful that it is sucking water from the surrounding area and taking it into the core of the storm. Once in the center, where the pressure is extremely low, the water is then drawn upward, like a sucking mechanism, pulling it away from the ocean and can lead to a bulge of water under the storms center.

What goes up must come down

Experts warned residents in both Exuma and Long Island in the Bahamas of the dangers when the water returns. As reported by the Huffington Post, Wayne Neely, a weather forecaster working with the Department of Meteorology in the Bahamas, told residents to take care while the ocean surged back to its normal levels.

Neely posted on Facebook to say in cases like this, the water can often return with an even greater fury. The National Weather Service also warned of the dangers.

12:00 PM: Negative surge ~3.5 FT at #Naples to become 10-15 FT above ground as #Irma moves in. Life-threatening rapid water rise imminent! pic.twitter.com/pbh76VXlqn  NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) September 10, 2017

As can be seen from the two videos below, Bahamas residents who watched the water recede on Friday said the ocean came back the next day. The videos were taken from the same position at the Bight on Long Island.

Before video:

After video:

Many readers are probably thinking what the writer is right now. What about all the marine life which surely didn't survive during this negative surge and the effect on the marine environment?

Irma is now a tropical storm

Earlier this week, Hurricane Irma made its way through the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, devastating several Caribbean Islands before making landfall on Sunday morning in Florida. At least 22 people have died and thousands have been made homeless. As CBS News reports, while Irma has now weakened to a tropical storm, millions of people in Florida are now without power.
BEIJING - Containerized trade among BRICS nations saw robust growth in the first half of this year, according to the world's largest container shipping company Maersk Line.

Demand has improved as most of the world's major economies started to recover this year, and the growth among BRICS countries continued to outpace the global average, said Mike Fang, managing director for Maersk Line's Greater China Cluster.

"There is much potential to enable trade among BRICS nations and we will definitely look into it," he said in a statement.

Maersk's exports from China to India increased 26.2 percent year-on-year in the first half, those to Brazil and South Africa both rose 8.7 percent, while Maersk's imports from South Africa to China surged 43.9 percent, according to Fang.

The company's statistics showed customers in other BRICS countries were most attracted to Chinese textiles and clothing, consumer electronics and furniture.

While China's imports still focused on raw materials and resources, Maersk saw increases in the imports of meat from Brazil as well as fruit and nuts from South Africa.

E-commerce developed very fast with other BRICS countries' products gaining traction on the Chinese market, Fang said.

Customs data showed a 37.7-percent year-on-year growth in China's imports from other BRICS countries in the first seven months of this year, faster than the 28.7-percent increase in exports to those countries.

Grouping Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, BRICS accounted for 23 percent of the 2016 global economy, almost double their share in 2006, and contributed to more than half of global growth.
A local resident walks across a flooded street in downtown Miami as Hurricane Irma arrives at south Florida, US, September 10, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

MIAMI  Hurricane Irma gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummeling with winds up to 130 mph Sunday, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline.

The 400-mile-wide (640-kilometer-wide) storm blew ashore in the morning in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then began a slow march up the state's west coast, its punishing winds extending clear across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side.

Irma was expected to hit the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area early Monday, though in a much-weakened state. While it arrived in Florida a Category 4 hurricane, by nightfall it was down to a Category 2 with winds of 105 mph (177 kph).

"Pray, pray for everybody in Florida," Gov Rick Scott said on "Fox News Sunday" as more than 160,000 people statewide waited it out in shelters.

There were no immediate confirmed reports of any deaths in Florida, in addition to the 24 people killed during Irma's destructive trek across the Caribbean.

Many streets were flooded in downtown Miami and other cities.

In the low-lying Keys, where a storm surge of over 10 feet was recorded, appliances and furniture were seen floating away, and Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said the ocean waters were filled with navigation hazards, including sunken boats and loose vessels. But the full extent of Irma's wrath there was not clear.

A Miami woman who went into labor was guided through delivery by phone when authorities couldn't reach her in high winds and street flooding. Firefighters later took her to the hospital.

An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast. Flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Florida's midsection.

In downtown Miami, two of the two dozen construction cranes looming over the skyline collapsed in the wind. No injuries were reported. City officials said it would have taken about two weeks to move the massive equipment.

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.

Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other items from a sporting goods store and a pawn shop during the hurricane.

More than 2.7 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

While Irma raked the state's Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state  including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people  was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to evacuate, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.
CAIRO - At least 10 terrorists were killed and nine policemen were wounded on Sunday during a security raid in Giza province near the capital Cairo, the Egyptian Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The terrorists were extremist elements escaping from North Sinai province and hiding in two apartments in Giza's Ard al-Liwaa district in preparation for carrying out a number of terror operations, said the police statement.

"Fire exchange with eight militants in the first apartment led to killing of them and shootout in the other apartment killed two," said the statement, noting that the gunfire was started by the militants and it continued for four hours.

"One of them threw an explosive device at the forces but it blew him off," it added.

The police said that the confrontations wounded nine policemen while four machine guns and ammunition were seized during the raid.

Since March, similar security campaigns killed about 50 militants in the provinces of Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Beheira, Fayoum, Qalioubiya, Minufiya, Ismailia and others.

Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terror activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Terror attacks in Egypt used to focus on police and military men in North Sinai before spreading nationwide and targeting the Coptic minority as well, with most of them claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the regional Islamic State militant group.

Another militant group referring to itself as Hasm, which appeared late last year and is regarded by the police as an affiliate with the Brotherhood, claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks that killed several policemen in the country.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian military and police have killed hundreds of militants and arrested a similar number of suspects as part of the country's anti-terror war declared by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief then, following Morsi's removal.
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

License for publishing multimedia online 0108263



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
Cui Tiankai, Chinese ambassador to the United States, chats with Montana Senator Steve Daines during an agricultural forum at the Morgan Ranch House in Belgrade, Montana. Photos By Chen Weihua / China Daily

China envoy, Senator co-host agricultural cooperation forum in heart of beef country

Craig Morgan, a cattleman in Belgrade, Montana, stays busy every day in the saddle running his 125-year-old, 80,000-acre family ranch.

He has never been to China but said he and others talked recently about making the trip. "I would love to see it someday," he said.

The idea arose after Morgan realized that the cattle raised on his ranch may end up on dinner tables in China after the country lifted the 14-year-old ban on US beef imports that was imposed because of mad cow disease.

The lift was announced when Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump met in Mar-a-Lago of Florida in early April. In exchange, the US agreed to allow the sale of Chinese cooked poultry in the US.

"It's a great opportunity," said Morgan, adding that his cattle raised in Montana's high elevation open country are very healthy and good quality and sought after by ranches in the Midwest.

On Friday morning, the backyard of his Morgan Ranch House hosted an agricultural forum co-chaired by Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai and US Senator Steven Daines of Montana. Participants also included representatives of Montana ranches and farms, as well as a dozen commercial and agricultural officials from the Chinese embassy and US-based Chinese companies.

"China is the second-largest beef import market in the world. This is a tremendous opportunity for Montana," said Daines, who travelled to China in April after the announcement of ban lift. On that trip, he brought a box of Montana steaks and an American flag with a cow logo as gifts to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

Daines said agriculture is Montana's single largest economic driver. "So by driving access to these markets, by shipping more beef into China, more grain into China, more sugar beets into China, it will increase jobs here in Montana, increase wages. And that's a big win," said Daines, who previously worked many years for Procter & Gamble in Hong Kong and on the Chinese mainland.

"We need it so badly now in Montana because of the revenue shortfall that is hitting the hell out of us. One way we can solve that problem is to ship more products to great markets like China," he said.
Joseph Scheier-Dolberg, curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, explains a 14th century Yuan Dynasty painting last Thursday. JUDY ZHU /CHINA DAILY

A millennium ago, the legendary Chinese landscape painter Guo Xi posed the question: "In what does a gentleman's love of landscape consist?"

The question is answered in different ways at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's current exhibition Streams and Mountains without End: Landscape Traditions of China.

Showcasing more than 120 Chinese-landscape paintings in three rotations, the display explores the many uses of landscape in the Chinese visual arts.

The focus is on paintings, but textiles, ceramics, bamboo carvings and other materials are included.

In the first rotation, which opened on Aug 26 and will run until Jan 7, more than 20 artworks are on display at nine galleries on the second floor of the museum.

Among the exhibition highlights are a Song Dynasty (960-1279) hand scroll, Two Landscapes Inspired by the Poetry of Du Fu, a rare example of early literati painting, attributed to Sima Huai (Chinese, active circa 1131-62); a 15th-century hand scroll, The Four Seasons, which takes the viewer through an extended journey; a 1571 hand scroll Fantastic Scenery in the Human Realm, a dynamic landscape of bizarre and contorted forms, by Wen Boren; two majestic landscapes from the Qing Dynasty court: Ten Thousand Miles along the Yellow River, dated to 1690-1722; and The Qianlong Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour, dated 1770, by Xu Yang.

Arranged by theme rather than chronologically, the works have been selected to provide gateways into the tradition, drawing distinctions between the types of landscape that may not be obvious at first glance.

"Each of the nine galleries has a specific theme related to landscape; the artworks on view at each gallery are under its theme," Joseph Scheier-Dolberg, assistant curator in the museum's Department of Asian Art, said at a Chinese media preview on Thursday morning.

Scheier-Dolberg, who works in the museum's Department of Asian Art, spoke in Mandarin.

"Concentrating on the question asked by Guo Xi, each theme could be considered an answer to that question," said Scheier-Dolberg, who believes the answer should be open-ended.

For the exhibition, Scheier-Dolberg selected artworks that he considers "interesting".

What appears to be a simple mountain dwelling is revealed to be the villa of the painter's friend, which encodes a wish for his happy retirement.

What seems to be a simple study in dry brushwork turns out to be an homage to an old master, a sign of reverence for what had gone before.

The exhibition brings the tradition to life by showing the layers of meaning behind the ubiquitous images of trees, streams and mountains.

A quotation from classical Chinese painting theory introduces each grouping, giving the tradition a voice in the exhibition.

And he tries to be creative - he selected three abstract landscape paintings by Chinese contemporary artists that "you can tell have been affected by both the 20th century Western abstract painting and traditional Chinese landscape painting".

xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com
Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page.

Loading...

Checking your browser before accessing the website.

This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly.

Please wait a few seconds.
HA NOI  The Auto Asia Company handed over the second batch of 258 Audi cars to serve the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) 2017, which will take place in central a Nang City in November.

They include 186 special and limited edition units, comprising the Audi A4, A6 and Q5 models.

The batch was sent under a contract signed between Auto Asia Company Ltd, an official supplier of Audi in Viet Nam, which is the auto sponsor for the event, and APEC 2017 Materials and Logistics Sub-committee. The first batch of 131 units was transferred in April.

Some 400 Audi units will be sent to the National Committee for APEC 2017.

The firms sponsorship will include an insurance package from Bao Viet Insurance Corporation and the Audi Mobile Service at Audi offices in Ha Noi, a Nang and HCM City.

After APEC ends, all cars will be returned to Audi Vietnam.

APEC 2017 is expected to receive State leaders of 21 member economies from the Asia-Pacific region, 2,000 ministers and high-ranking officials, 3,000 journalists and reporters, and 5,000 business leaders.  VNS
HA NOI  The General Department of Customs (GDC) has recognised Japanese printer manufacturer Fuji Xerox Hai Phong Co Ltd in the northern port city of Hai Phong, as a priority enterprise.

This status gives the company access to special customs incentives, which will enable the firm to conduct fewer procedures, get tax refunds first while checking is performed later, have goods cleared quickly and establish a single goods declaration system for multiple exports and imports.

Under Circular 72/2015/TT-BTC, regulating the application of a priority policy for customs procedures, customs inspection and the supervision of exported and imported goods by enterprises, businesses need to have more than US$100 million worth of export and import turnover per year to be considered a priority enterprise.

The conditional annual export revenue of an agricultural and fisheries company is $30 million.

Meanwhile, companies that manufacture goods for export in Viet Nam can be considered for this status if they earn $40 million in revenue per year.

According to the GDC, priority enterprise status applied for Fuji Xerox would last for three years. If this term expires but the company still meets the required conditions, the term can be extended.

Fuji Xerox Hai Phong was established in VSIP Hai Phong Industrial Zone in Thuy Nguyen District in 2012 with a capital of $36 million, making it one of the largest foreign direct investment companies in the city.

The company specialises in the manufacture and export of laser printers, digital electronic copiers, laser scanners, and related components. The number of employees at the company as of August 2016 was 2,200.

Eight enterprises currently enjoy priority status for customs in Hai Phong.

According to the post-clearance audit unit under the GDC, some 63 companies in Viet Nam are presently making use of this policy.  VNS
HA NOI  The Southeast Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SeABank) was recently honoured by the ASEAN Business Awards (ABA) for its social responsibility.

SeABank received the honour in the award category SME Corporate Social Responsibility at the ABA in Solaire Pasay City, Philippines.

The awards were first organised by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) in 2007 with the goal of recognising businesses that contribute to socio-economic development, work with governments to stabilise the macro-economy and enhance the competitive capacity of the ASEAN business community in the world market.

Additionally, Le Thu Thuy, BRG Group vice chairwoman and standing vice chairwoman of SeABanks management board, was the only Vietnamese honoured with the Legacy Award, which is given to an iconic entrepreneur from each country in ASEAN.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has drafted a few adjustments to charges and fees in several sectors under its management.

In a draft circular amending Circular No 286/2016/TT-BTC, the ministry has proposed to reduce the fee for the issuance of export food certificates, at the request of the importing country, from VN350,000 (US$15.5) per shipment to VN200,000 per shipment.

The ministry has also planned to abolish the fee for the granting of quarantine certificates for animals, terrestrial animal products, imported or transited seafood, temporary imported products for re-export or goods transferred through border-gates, as stipulated in Circular No 285/2016/TT-BTC.

In the draft circular amending Circular No 225/2016/TT-BTC, the ministry has proposed to reduce the level of fees for evaluation, and for the issuance of biosafety certificates for the use of genetically modified products as food and animal feed, from VN120 million ($5,330) to VN105 million each case.

According to the draft amendments to the Circular No 277/2016/TT-BTC, the ministry reduced the fee for evaluation, and for confirmation of information content in drug and cosmetics advertising from VN1.8 million to VN1.6 million per application. It has also reduced the level of fees for evaluation, and the granting of permits for the import of traditional medicines and pharmaceuticals, from VN200,000 to VN150,000 per item.

In addition to these, the ministry has proposed changes in fees for the registration of establishment of enterprises and business certificates, which are stipulated in the Circular No 215/2016/TT-BTC. The fee is reduced from VN200,000 to VN100,000 per company.

The ministry has sent the draft documents to the related ministries, ministerial agencies, the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), and the peoples committees of central cities and provinces for their comments and contributions.

The MoF has also requested the research institutions to give comments on the draft circulars, which will be collected and referred to while revising the drafts, so that they can send timely reports to the Government and the Prime Minister.

au Anh Tuan, head of the VCCIs Legislation Department, said that the proposed reduction of charges and fees by the MoF is a move contrary to the proposal to increase value added tax (VAT), which has been a controversial issue recently.

Many proposed fee and charge cuts of up to 50 per cent are significant. Especially for those just starting a business, reducing the establishing cost by a few hundreds of thousand ong is also noteworthy.

He said that this was a positive move to materialise the Government and the Prime Ministers policies and declaration that 2017 would be the year of reducing the cost for enterprises.

To Hoai Nam, standing vice chairman and secretary general of Viet Nam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, applauded the amendments.

He said that because these fees and charges have a direct impact on businesses, after consultation with ministries, departments and local authorities, the MoF should consult the business community.

He added that the views of the business community and State management agencies are often different, so the ministry needs to balance them to come up with new and innovative regulations.

Recently, the ministry has proposed an increase in the VAT rate from 10 to 12 per cent, saying that it was necessary amid the shrinking State budget revenue and public overspending. Meanwhile, economic experts reckon that the poor would suffer the most by the increase, as most of their spending is for daily provisions.  VNS
HA NOI  According to reports by the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX), Viet Nams derivatives market has finished its first month in operation with significant results and growing attention from investors.

Data from the HNX indicate that for the one-month period from August 10 to September 8, the newly established derivatives market has witnessed a considerable increase in terms of contracts, options, and accounts opened on the exchange.

As of September 8, up to 7,849 accounts trading on the derivatives market have been opened, with a total of 85,641 delivered futures contracts worth up to VN6.45 trillion (US$287.4 million).

On average, each trading session would yield up to 4,078 options at VN307.1 billion ($13.68 million).

At the end of September 8s trading session, a total of 2,709 open interests were on the market.

In the past month, the HNX has recorded 92,812 options on the market, of which 49,513 have reached maturity.

Since August 10, the HNX has put up five futures contract codes based on the VN30 index, of which the VN30F1708 code reached maturity on August 17, 2017.

Investors have been showing greater interest in contracts with closer maturity dates, in accordance with international norms.

At present, the other four contract codes currently being traded are VN30F1709, VN30F1710, VN30F1712, and VN30F1803.

Since the commemoration of the Vietnamese derivatives market, all technological infrastructure including the exchange, market payment system, and information disclosure systems, have been running smoothly, stably and safely with no malfunctions.

Systematic transactions and information exchanges among the HNX, the Vietnam Securities Depository Centre, the Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade, and other participants on the market are up to date and regular, with all maturity payments following regulations.

The HNX has been providing investors with comprehensive market information on their website with frequent updates, helping traders make appropriate decisions and anticipate market trends.

They also supply a constant stream of derivatives products that are suitable for various investing purposes, most notably futures contracts based on government bonds.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Peoples Committee of Binh inh and other authorised agencies to promptly investigate media reports of deforestation in the central province and report back to him before October 30.

According to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), authorities in Binh inhs An Lao District recently discovered that 43 hectares of natural forest had been destroyed in the past few months.

The forest area illegally cut down lies between An Hung Commune in An Lao District and Hoai Nhon Commune in Hoai Nhon District, according to Chairman of the Districts Peoples Committee Pham Van Nam.

Initial information shows that the first hectare was cut down in early June, but even three months later, local authorities had done nothing to protect the natural forest. Nam alleged that the forest is being cleared for monetary gain.

A group of VNA reporters visited the destroyed forest area with the assistance of a local forest ranger, Pham Phuong Bac, who is deputy head of An Lao Forest Management Unit of An Lao District. They reported that the destroyed forest area stretches over several hills and looks devastated as if it had been ravaged by fire.

A forest area of 17ha was cut down around a week ago. Loggers left behind thousands of tree-trunks of different sizes and have not gotten around to burning them. Some of the freshly mown down trees had diameters of up to 65cm, and sap was still flowing from many.

The marks on the trunks indicate they might have been cut by professional cutting machines, such as gasoline-powered saws.

At another deforested area, many trees with diameters of more than 60cm were destroyed around ten days ago. Their leaves were still green.

The chopping down of two large areas of natural forest at the same time points to a large, well-organised and well-equipped operation. A camp found next to the destroyed forest area contained clothes, food and cooking utensils.

Local authorities on Saturday came to the area to check the deforestation.

Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Phan Trong Ho said the scale of the deforestation was the largest in the province so far. The provincial Peoples Committee on Saturday asked local police to start an investigation.  VNS
HCM CITY  The HCM City will open a new pedestrian-only book street on Nguyen ong Chi Street in District 7 in October, offering a series of activities promoting reading culture for more than 300,000 residents in districts 7, 2 and 8.

The 220-metre venue will be set up with 20 stalls managed by the countrys leading publishers, distributors and organisations, such as the HCM City General Publishing House, Tre Publishing House, Nha Nam, First News, and the HCM City General Science Library.

The stalls will introduce books and magazines from domestic and foreign publishers, along with audio and visual products.

There will be a mobile library to provide readers and children a place to relax and enjoy their favourite books, and coffee shops as well.

A stage will be built to serve for talk shows, book introductions and art performances.

Exhibitions, book auctions and book exchanges will be organised regularly on the street.

Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, vice chairwoman of the District 7 Peoples Committee, said the authorities hope to turn the new book street in District 7 into a new attraction for local people and foreigners.

It is the second pedestrian book street in HCM City together with Nguyen Van Binh Street in District 1.

Opening in January in 2016, Nguyen Van Binh Book Street has hosted numerous events to promote reading by the citys residents, such as Viet Vietnamese Book Day, European Literature Day, a childrens festival, and photo and book exhibitions on HCM City and its people.

In the first six months of this year, the venue welcomed over 1.2 million local and foreign visitors.

Nearly 300,000 books were sold, earning VN19.7 billion ($840,000), an increase of 27 per cent compared to the same period of last year. VNS
HCM CITY  More than 4,400 meetings were conducted between buyers and sellers at the 13th International Travel Expo HCM City that wrapped up on September 9.

The three-day event attracted 30,000 visitors, including more than 14,000 trade visitors, according to the citys Department of Tourism, the expos organiser.

Tran Thi Bao Thu, marketing and communications manager at Fiditour, said the company received nearly 6,000 bookings for domestic and foreign tours, while tours to foreign countries accounted for 65 per cent of bookings.

The company received more than 200 successful meetings with foreign partners, especially companies from Europe and Northern Asia that sought cooperation opportunities for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) tourism, she said.

The Saigontourist Travel Service Company saw a year-on-year increase of 30 per cent in revenue at the expo, reaching a total of VN7.4 billion (US$326,000), according to oan Thi Thanh Tra, the companys marketing and communications manager.

A representative of Vietravel said the company had worked with many international buyers who wanted to learn about Vietnamese travel markets.

Vietravel sold nearly 1,000 bookings on the first day of the event, with foreign tours accounting for 550 of the bookings.

Tours to Thailand at prices from VN5.99 million ($264), South Korea from VN9.59 million and Taiwan (China) from VN8.99 million also sold well.

Pham Thanh Quy from the citys District 10 said she bought two vouchers worth VN1.9 million ($83) each to stay one night at the Grand Ho Tram Strip in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. The price, which was much lower than the normal fees, also included a shuttle bus to the resort.

Bui Ta Hoang Vu, director of the citys Department of Tourism, said the city planned to develop MICE tourism as one of the citys key tourism products, and would improve cooperation with countries in the Mekong region to diversify intra-regional tourism products.

The number of tourists from Thailand and Malaysia visiting Viet Nam has risen in the last few months, he said.  VNS
Viet Nam News

Trong Kien & Thu Van

HA NOI  Khuat Viet Hung, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of Traffic Safety, has been cycling to work for the past seven years. As someone who deals with the countrys traffic problems, he feels the need to set an example through his modest efforts to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in Ha Noi.

However, Hungs choice is an anomaly, as evidenced by the choked roads of the rapidly changing capital city, with motorised scooters zigzagging their ways through dense swarms of traffic.

The citys vehicle inventory includes around 5.5 million motorbikes and 600,000 cars. With the bus system only meeting 10 per cent of demand by the metro areas 10 million residents, these six million individual vehicles serve more than 80 percent of the need.

Vu Van Vien, Director of Ha Nois Transport Department, says that if 60 per cent of all available cars and motorcycles in the city travel simultaneously at 20km/h, the space needed to accommodate them would reach 1.34 times what the citys traffic infrastructure can handle. In the four inner city districts, that figure would climb to a staggering 3.72 times.

Gas emissions from traffic are also at an all-time high, and likely continue rising. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has named the city among the most air-polluted in the world, with traffic activities reportedly contributing 70 per cent to the pollution.

We are not exempt from the inevitables of a developing country, where transportation demands often exceed cities capacity to provide transport infrastructure, Hung said.

Search for solutions

With congestion at breaking point and the need for drastic actions evident, the city has crafted a plan that would banish the ubiquitous two-wheeled vehicles by 2030, better serve travel demands and improve environmental quality.

One of its core components is to develop a synchronised public transport system that can meet at least 30-35 per cent of the travel demands in the inner districts by 2020, and 50-55 per cent by 2030.

By which time, the capital city citizens can be expected to enjoy six new metro lines and three bus rapid transit (BRT) lines, partly bankrolled by World Bank.

The city has sought various other remedies for its traffic ailments over the years. Ideas included alternate-day travel schemes for vehicles with odd- and even-numbered licence plates, restricting new licence plate registration, auctioning the rights to travel, or imposing an exorbitant charge on vehicles entering the inner districts. The proposals were put forth, shelved and resurrected, only to be scrapped again due either to public ire or infeasibility.

However, according to Khuat Viet Hung, Ha Nois newest plan is the most comprehensive and sensible yet, as it contains numerous technical measures dealing with all aspects of the transport situation. Previous proposals were disconnected attempts that stemmed from what he termed the "controlling and limiting" mindset of policy-makers, while the new plan focuses more on optimising the use of individual vehicles on existing infrastructure.

"Were not talking about banning or restricting individual motorised vehicles as a measure alone, were talking about giving people a better alternative to cars and motorbikes, providing people with an acceptable public transport system so that giving up individual motorised vehicles would not pose a threat," he said.

Ha Noi Citys plan to limit individual vehicles and develop public transportation.  VNA/VNS Infographic

Three phases

The roadmap comprises three phases. In 2017-2018, the city will focus its resources on implementing measures to manage vehicles and enhance State management in traffic. In 2017-2020, it will deploy measures to manage the number and quality of vehicles as well as to beef up the citys public transport. And in the third phase, from 2017-2030, Ha Noi will step by step limit the number of vehicles in certain areas during certain timeframes, and prepare necessary conditions to enforce a full ban in the core area of the city.

In other words, over the next 13 years, Ha Noi will try to improve its management of individual vehicles while working to build a better public transport network at the same time.

This is a very ambitious and daring plan, but justifiably and legitimately so. The traffic situation has become unbearable, Hung said.

Jen Jungeun Oh, Senior Transport Economist and Transport Cluster Leader of the World Bank in Viet Nam, endorsed the citys efforts.

In principle, the plan is right to aim to better manage individual vehicles, as the city cannot just build its way out of congestion," she says. However, the specific methods to achieve this goal must be carefully considered, she warned, explaining why strict bans or limitations would not work.

Bans or restrictions in other countries, such as odd-even licence plate schemes, are ineffective. People found a way to get around it. People need to go to work, to schools, hospitals, shopping  so even if you restrict them, they will find a way. To change this we need to provide alternative mobility measures," she added.

Reclaiming sidewalks

Hung said Ha Noi and HCM City authorities have already planted the first seeds for their ambitious plan, notably by the much-talked-about "reclaiming the sidewalks" campaigns that have spread to other large cities in Viet Nam.

The aggressive crackdowns, welcomed by the public for the most part, are aimed at clearing the sidewalks off of the ever-crowded makeshift eateries and parking vehicles, and returning this public space to its rightful users  pedestrians. If people can once again use the sidewalks without any hassle, they will find it more enjoyable to walk, either to their destinations or to a bus stop, instead of resorting to motorcycle even just for a short-distance journey.

If walking is seen as an inconvenience, then how can we expect people to use public transport? Hung asked.

According to traffic safety surveys, 40 per cent of motorcycle journeys cover less than 2km.

Eliminating even half these journeys by walking, instead, would have a significant impact.

Another litmus test Ha Noi has adopted as early start to its ambitious scheme is a ban imposed this year on weekend traffic around the citys central Hoan Kiem Lake has proven highly popular with both local citizens and tourists. This serves to demonstrate the fact that if restrictions and bans are reasonable, in line with public expectations, objections would be a non-issue, Hung said.

A train parking at the elevated La Khe station, part of the Ha Noi Metro.  Photo vietnammoi.vn

Adverse impacts

Not everyone is so enthusiastic.

Yano Takeshi, General Director of Yamaha Motor Viet Nam Co Ltd and Chairman of the Viet Nam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM), said Viet Nam is "unique" in its condition.

The Yamaha director found it hard to imagine "separation of people from motorcycles" as for now the two-wheeled vehicles remain the most economic and convenient option given the poor infrastructure and public transport development.

"Therefore, we think that the authorities should continue to study further, focusing on the actual needs of the people in order to propose feasible and detailed action plan, minimise disturbances to people's daily life and work, as well as avoid negative economic consequences," he said.

As a representative of a business sector that will be adversely impacted by the city's plan, he also pointed out that VAMM five member manufacturers  Honda, Yamaha, SYM, Piaggio, and Suzuki  contribute a great deal to the economy, provide employment for 100,000 Vietnamese workers including thousands of jobs in the parts supply sector.

However, the VAMM representative said the association is also looking at the motorcycle issue in both positive and negative directions, and said they are "willing to support the Government in carrying out research, referring to the successful lessons from other motorised countries" as seen in the case of Taiwan, where public transport and traffic infrastructure are already quite advanced, but use of motorcycles is not limited. "They found ways to harmonise motorcyles and public transportation, while reducing congestion," he said, suggesting Viet Nam that could adopt these successful traffic management practices.

People whose livelihoods depend on motorcycles  whether a motorcycle taxi (xe om) or good transporters  understandably, are not too thrilled about this imminent threat. Car users are also voicing aloud their concerns regarding how expensive its going to be just to get in the city centres.

Hung from the National Traffic Safety Committee, however, said that once an acceptable public transport network is available, there might be no need to impose bans or restrictions. "I believe people will voluntarily give up individual vehicles if they have a better choice," he said.

Private-sector funding

Transportation experts are suggesting other options for Ha Noi to consider.

Jungeun Oh from the World Bank suggested the application of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), an urban planning principle that promotes integration of urban development and transit system.

"TOD is a way to locate people near transit services and to decrease their dependence on individual transport vehicles," she said.

The authorities develop the public transport system and this will induce or enable high-density development along the transit lines. The model has been applied successfully in many cities, including Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington DC.

Land value capture mechanism is a recommended method to implement TOD suggested by the World Bank senior specialist.

In Ha Noi, for example, this would mean asking business owners to partially fund some of the transportation improvements given that the value of land in commercial areas would appreciate due to better public transport.

She cited the case of Washington DC, where a special tax was levied on businesses to fund the extension of the metro train system. Businesses are willing to pay additional fees because people can now easily get to their businesses by using the metro, she said.

Another lesson is in Japan, where rent as well as parts of revenues from private businesses utilising additional floors on top of train station will be used to further expand railroad. The former deputy minister of transport, La Ngoc Khue, has put forth this model in many proposals as a way of attracting private sector involvement into Viet Nams flagging rail development but has yet to materialise.

Traffic culture

The chaotic traffic in Ha Noi is not just a result of overloaded roads, but also a consequence of low awareness and undeveloped "traffic culture" leading to low compliance with the law.

Running red lights, failing to wear safety helmets, transporting overloaded containers, parallel driving, drifting and weaving back and forth across lanes, and general disregard for traffic regulations when theres no police around are ubiquitous phenomena.

As Hung says, traffic culture in Ha Noi (and Viet Nam in general) is filling in the blanks - driving on every empty space, whether they have a right to do so or not.

The National Traffic Safety Committee has launched various campaigns and programmes to raise awareness of vehicle users to simple traffic regulations. The latest endeavour targets high-school students.

The World Bank expert said society and media need to keep reaching out and spreading awareness on trafic rights and wrongs. Education on traffic rules and safety should continue only starting from pupils but also for general road users through various mediums. But, education needs to be supported by enforcement. Even when people are aware of traffic rules, if there are no consequences, many may still violate them.

Changes will not happen overnight. It remains to be seen whether by 2030, the optimistic scenario that the city authorities have painted will become a reality. For now, the city streets will have to accommodate the travelling needs of ever-swelling population.  VNS
LANG SON  Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh announced on Monday the opening of a freight route connecting Viet Nam and China.

The route passes through the Huu Nghi (Friendship) International Border Gate in the northern province of Lang Son.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Nguyen Cong Truong said the opening of the route was an important event.

It not only marked a milestone in promoting exchange and economic and trade co-operation between Viet Nams Lang Son Province and Chinas Guangxi Province, but also contributed to deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, Truong said.

The route was expected to help Vietnamese and Chinese businesses boost trade ties while maintaining revenue growth between Viet Nam and China and between the two countries and ASEAN nations, he said.

The provincial administration also urged relevant agencies of the two countries to co-ordinate with each other to operate the route, bringing benefits to the two countries people and businesses.  VNS
CEDAR FALLS - The City Council will hold a special committee of the whole meeting at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Duke Young Conference room adjacent to the City Council chambers to tour the Cedar Falls Police Department.

The council will tour existing police facilities, in the City Hall basement, and hear more information on a proposed new public safety building.

The council also is scheduled to hear a presentation on a proposed city pay plan study.

Those are the only items scheduled.

The meeting is being held in the conference room due to a concurrent Cedar Falls Planning and Zoning Commission meeting in the council chambers.
IOWA FALLS  An Iowa Falls woman who pleaded guilty to injuring a child at her day care in February allegedly tried to get back into the child care business.

Now prosecutors are asking the court to revoke her probation.

Kimberly Vanessa Murray was arrested in February after she was accused of assaulting a 2-year-old boy she was babysitting. The child had severe bruising on his backside and buttocks, according to court records. She allegedly admitted to striking the boy because he was misbehaving.

Murray pleaded to one count of felony child endangerment and one count of misdemeanor assault causing bodily injury in July, and she was sentenced to five years in prison suspended to three years of probation and restitution.

As part of her probation, she was ordered to maintain employment or schooling. During her meetings with her probation officer, she asked if she could provide in-home daycare and was told that line of work wasnt approved.

Probation officials later learned Murray was seeking to re-establish her daycare business, and on Aug. 29 she allegedly made a public Facebook post advertising three openings starting Sept. 18. She listed her phone number and noted her location is about a block from a bus stop. Drop-in care is on a space-available basis, according to the post.

Murray, 27, was arrested on a probation violation warrant Friday, and she was later released from jail pending a court hearing.
WATERLOO  Thieves slammed a vehicle into a welding shop and stole thousands of dollars worth of equipment over the weekend.

Waterloo police were called to an alarm at C&C Welding and Sandblasting, 1714 River Road, at about 4:55 a.m. Sunday. The suspects fled before officers arrived.

Authorities determined a vehicle had been used to ram the businesss rear garage door, and the front door was also open, according to police. An office window was also broken.

Police investigate business burglary WATERLOO  Police are investigating a break-in at an automobile dealership over the weekend.

Missing were tools and the shops video surveillance system. Police estimated the theft at about $10,000 worth of property.
WATERLOO  Several Waterloo homes were hit by gunfire in separate incidents beginning Friday and extending into the weekend.

No injuries were reported in any of the shootings. It wasnt clear if any of the shootings are related.

The gunfire began around 4:10 p.m. Friday, when neighbors heard about eight shots in the area of Conger Street and Logan Avenue. Police responding to the call found a bullet hole in a home at 846 Logan Ave.

Then, at about 2:35 a.m. Sunday, a resident flagged down a passing patrol officer to report gunshots in the 300 block of Allen Street. Police found that a home at 315 Allen St. had been shot numerous times with one bullet hole in a window and several other holes in the side of the home. Police recovered one bullet from a wall.

About two hours later, at 4:48 a.m. Sunday, residents on Logan Avenue heard three gunshots and then a pause followed by three more shots. Police found that two bullets hit the upstairs window of a home at 707 Logan Ave. with one bullet lodging in a bedroom wall. The same address and a parked car were hit by gunfire on Thursday night, according to police.
IOWA CITY  Sam Spore, 15, son of Heidi and Chad Spore of Dysart, will serve as Kid Captain when the Hawkeyes host North Texas on Saturday.

Sam was born in Uganda and lived in an orphanage there until he was 12, two years after first meeting the couple that would become his parents.

He was born with hydrocephalus  fluid on the brain  as well as spina bifida, a birth defect in which bones dont form properly around the spinal cord.

Two weeks after arriving in Iowa in February 2015, Sam was taken to a local hospital with a blood clot in his left leg. Doctors there werent equipped to deal with that kind of clot in a child, so Sam was airlifted to University of Iowa Stead Family Childrens Hospital. Once there, doctors addressed his blood clot and other issues.

Today, Sam is more independent and undergoes physical and occupational therapy, has neurosurgery and urology check-ups and sees pediatric hematology specialists to address a blood disorder  all while maintaining his sense of humor.

For more information and a video about Sam, go to uichildrens.org/2017-sam.

Now in its ninth year, the Kid Captain program is a partnership between UI Stead Family Childrens Hospital and the Iowa Hawkeyes to honor pediatric patients and celebrate their inspirational stories.
CEDAR FALLS  The Cedar Falls Chapter of Daughters of American Revolution in conjunction with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration invites all Vietnam veterans to be honored for their service.

A luncheon and award ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 18 at Cedar Falls AMVETS Post 49, 1934 Irving St.

Living U.S. veterans who served on active duty in the armed forces from Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible.

Each veteran will receive a commemorative lapel pin and certificate.

This occasion also will honor any women who served, widows of veterans who served and the surviving members of anyone whose name is on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.

Those who know of a Vietnam veteran not affiliated with a veterans organization are asked to make them aware of the event so they can register before Sept. 30.

Those who wish to be included may call 231-8060 or 939-7260 or email cedarfallsdar@gmail.com.
Eight soldiers with Company A, 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation, Security and Support unit from Waterloo and on LUH-72 Lakota helicopter left Waterloo Monday morning as part of a team of 19 soldiers, two CH-47F Chinook helicopters, and two LUH-72 Lakota helicopters from the Iowa Army National Guard which deployed Monday to support response operations for Hurricane Irma. Guard helicopers and soldiers from installations in Boone and Davenport also are involved.
The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.

 T.S. Eliot

We have every reason to assume the worst when it comes to President Trumps motivation in rescinding DACA  the program allowing undocumented immigrants to live and work openly if they came to the United States as children. Trumps public justification is that President Obamas creation of DACA by executive action was unconstitutional. A usurpation of Congress. A process violation.

Yet Trump didnt give a fig for constitutional niceties in his initial order to keep people from certain Muslim-majority countries out of the U.S. Now, to potentially send Hispanics out of the country, he has discovered an appreciation for process and precedent. There is a theme here, and it is not respect for the rule of law. Trump does not deserve the benefit of the doubt when it comes to issues of race and ethnicity. Recently, and with increasing frequency, he has displayed malevolent prejudice for political reasons. His action on DACA is another installment in this disturbing series.

But, apart from Trumps motivations, was his action on DACA the right deed? Not, certainly, by the measure of its outcome. Trump has removed reasonable protections from a sympathetic group. It would be a grave injustice to send the Dreamers home to countries where many have hardly visited.

A democracy, however, considers more than outcomes, or else the American system of government would be the Chinese system of government. And the constitutional case concerning DACA is not obvious.

The legal matter at issue: Does the executive branch have enough discretion and authority to interpret immigration laws in the manner set out by Obama  essentially as a new pseudo-program that grants benefits to a group that Congress did not mark out for benefits? The courts have granted broad discretion to immigration officials in determining who to deport and who not to deport. The fact that the law is not applied equally in every case does not invalidate the just application of the law in any case. But the further question is: Can that discretion be applied to an entire class of undocumented people who are then granted a package of benefits (including work permits, advance parole to travel in and out of the country and, eventually, Social Security and Medicare)?

For most of his presidency, Obama maintained that creating such a program by executive action would be improper overreach. In 2012, out of frustration with congressional inaction, he changed course and created DACA. At the time, Obama frankly admitted that this was a substitute for legislation  a measure taken in the absence of any immigration action from Congress.

There is little question that the president can prioritize immigration enforcement in a variety of ways  say, to focus on deporting convicted felons rather than Dreamers. This is the manner in which the law was generally enforced before DACA, and in which it could still be enforced without DACA.

At some point, however, the systematic organization of this discretion into a new legal status, bringing a series of public benefits, becomes the equivalent of legislating. And the courts might focus particular scrutiny on forms of executive action that Congress could have legislated but didnt. Given the more conservative composition of the Supreme Court, it is likely that DACA would have been struck down.

Whatever the merits of the constitutional case on DACA, the Dreamers should now be protected by law. For the last few decades, Congress has pliantly surrendered a number of roles  particularly on social policy and national security  to the courts and the president. A shortage of institutional ambition is a problem that Americas founders did not even contemplate. This is an opportunity for Congress to reclaim its proper constitutional role.

This is also a debate  given that few Republicans actually want to deport the Dreamers, and most Democrats seem to prioritize their welfare  on which compromise is particularly ripe. The obvious deal: stronger border enforcement (though not the surpassingly silly wall) for a new version of DACA.

If Republicans cant accept such a deal, they have no heart and a severely limited political future in an increasingly diverse country. If Democrats cant accept such a deal, their rhetoric on the Dreamers is empty. On this issue, compromise is now the evidence of compassion.
Alec Baldwin sues to 'clear his name' in movie set death
By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 11, 2017 | 12:44 PM | PADUCAH, KY

The McCracken Co. Sheriff's Department has released the names of two people arrested in the investigation into recent vehicle thefts in Paducah.According to the Sheriff's Department, the thefts occurred over Thursday and Friday nights. Their investigation led them to the Maxon Road area near U.S. Highway 60, where they found two suspects in a vehicle parked behind an abandoned home. While talking to 21-year-old Brady Arnett and 19-year-old Brooklyn Jessup, deputies say they clearly saw some of the items that were reported stolen.Numerous items were seized from the vehicle, including electronics, wallets, handguns and cash. Jessup and Arnett were arrested and taken to McCracken Co. Jail.The Sheriff's Department is reaching out to victims and documenting all of the evidence in the case. They ask everyone to be patient as they wait to get items returned to them.The investigation is ongoing, and is being conducted with cooperation from the Paducah Police Department.Jessup and Arnett face charges of receiving a stolen firearm, receiving stolen property valued under $10,000, theft of a firearm, and theft by unlawful taking from a vehicle. Jessup also faces charges of theft of a controlled substance. Arnett faces additional charges of possession of a controlled substance and marijuana, and possession of an open alcoholic beverage in a vehicle.

On the Net:
past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 (4) May 23 (6) May 22 (6) May 21 (4) May 20 (7) May 19 (9) May 18 (4) May 17 (6) May 16 (5) May 15 (7) May 14 (3) May 13 (3) May 12 (9) May 10 (3) May 09 (7) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (5) May 05 (8) May 03 (9) May 02 (1) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (8) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (5) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (2) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (2) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (7) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (6) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (10) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (5) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (7) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (8) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (12) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (8) Feb 28 (7) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (6) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (1) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (6) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (6) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (2) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (8) Jan 30 (2) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (1) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (4) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (2) Jan 20 (2) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (6) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (5) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (2) Dec 17 (1) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (2) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (1) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (5) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (10) Nov 28 (6) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (6) Nov 19 (2) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (5) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (9) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (6) Oct 22 (4) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (4) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (1) Oct 06 (10) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (1) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (6) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (5) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (8) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (5) Aug 31 (8) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (6) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (7) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (8) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (8) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (8) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (10) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (1) Jul 16 (10) Jul 14 (7) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (7) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (4) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (7) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (2) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (5) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (3) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (8) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (10) Jun 05 (14) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (6) Jun 02 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (7) May 30 (2) May 29 (7) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (4) May 25 (5) May 24 (4) May 23 (5) May 22 (5) May 21 (5) May 20 (3) May 19 (10) May 18 (6) May 17 (3) May 16 (6) May 15 (2) May 14 (3) May 13 (5) May 11 (1) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (2) May 06 (4) May 05 (6) May 04 (5) May 03 (5) May 02 (1) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (7) Apr 28 (8) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (14) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (1) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (1) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (1) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (6) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (9) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (9) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (13) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (6) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (9) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (9) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (10) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (2) Feb 03 (8) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (5) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (7) Jan 26 (8) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (6) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (6) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (12) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (8) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (7) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (9) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (8) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (4) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (1) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (10) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (12) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (6) Dec 08 (7) Dec 07 (12) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (13) Dec 04 (6) Dec 02 (8) Dec 01 (8) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (8) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (11) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (14) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (11) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (10) Nov 01 (8) Oct 31 (12) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (13) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (8) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (11) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (10) Oct 12 (11) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (10) Oct 09 (7) Oct 08 (5) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (14) Oct 04 (9) Oct 03 (12) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (9) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (10) Sep 21 (12) Sep 20 (12) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (11) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (8) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (10) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (9) Sep 07 (8) Sep 06 (11) Sep 05 (2) Sep 04 (8) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (9) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (2) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (6) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (6) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (7) Aug 06 (7) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (11) Aug 02 (6) Aug 01 (9) Jul 31 (11) Jul 28 (7) Jul 27 (11) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (7) Jul 15 (4) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (5) Jul 06 (6) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (3) Jun 30 (8) Jun 29 (5) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (7) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (7) Jun 05 (5) Jun 04 (7) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (9) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (8) May 30 (7) May 29 (5) May 28 (5) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (3) May 23 (5) May 22 (2) May 21 (3) May 20 (7) May 19 (11) May 18 (1) May 17 (7) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (4) May 11 (11) May 10 (2) May 09 (6) May 08 (6) May 07 (2) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (8) May 02 (4) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (13) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (9) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (2) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (2) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (9) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (6) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (8) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (6) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (6) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (9) Feb 24 (11) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (7) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (6) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (2) Feb 12 (5) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (10) Feb 08 (9) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (2) Feb 05 (9) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (7) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (7) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (14) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (10) Jan 18 (11) Jan 17 (9) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (10) Jan 06 (8) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (5) Jan 01 (14) Dec 30 (13) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (5) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (7) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (9) Dec 16 (8) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (17) Dec 09 (8) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (10) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (7) Nov 30 (9) Nov 29 (6) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (15) Nov 24 (7) Nov 23 (15) Nov 22 (9) Nov 21 (6) Nov 20 (11) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (13) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (7) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (13) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (8) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (8) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (15) Oct 26 (10) Oct 25 (10) Oct 24 (13) Oct 23 (9) Oct 21 (8) Oct 20 (13) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (8) Oct 16 (14) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (13) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (15) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (11) Oct 05 (18) Oct 04 (14) Oct 03 (1) Oct 02 (10) Sep 30 (11) Sep 29 (11) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (15) Sep 26 (7) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (17) Sep 20 (20) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (11) Sep 16 (10) Sep 15 (12) Sep 14 (9) Sep 13 (12) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (8) Sep 09 (9) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (13) Sep 06 (15) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (10) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (12) Aug 31 (14) Aug 30 (14) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (8) Aug 27 (9) Aug 26 (12) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (6) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (11) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (5) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (9) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (8) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (6) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (6) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (15) Jul 15 (14) Jul 14 (5) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (12) Jul 11 (8) Jul 10 (3) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (10) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (10) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (7) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (11) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (14) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (8) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (11) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (16) Jun 03 (8) Jun 02 (12) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (7) May 30 (15) May 28 (7) May 27 (5) May 26 (21) May 25 (14) May 24 (10) May 23 (7) May 22 (8) May 21 (11) May 20 (5) May 19 (4) May 18 (10) May 17 (11) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (7) May 13 (12) May 12 (10) May 11 (7) May 10 (13) May 09 (4) May 08 (7) May 07 (3) May 06 (6) May 05 (9) May 04 (14) May 03 (7) May 02 (10) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (8) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (14) Apr 22 (16) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (16) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (11) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (8) Apr 10 (12) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (13) Apr 07 (9) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (15) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (15) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (11) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (10) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (12) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (8) Mar 24 (7) Mar 23 (15) Mar 22 (17) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (8) Mar 19 (4) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (19) Mar 15 (13) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (20) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (13) Mar 08 (13) Mar 07 (7) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (16) Mar 02 (16) Mar 01 (13) Feb 29 (8) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (16) Feb 26 (10) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (12) Feb 23 (14) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (12) Feb 18 (12) Feb 17 (11) Feb 16 (8) Feb 15 (9) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (10) Feb 12 (11) Feb 11 (13) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (13) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (19) Jan 31 (21) Jan 29 (11) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (13) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (2) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (13) Jan 21 (11) Jan 20 (9) Jan 19 (13) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (11) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (13) Jan 13 (9) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (7) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (8) Jan 01 (5) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (9) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (1) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (6) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (13) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (10) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (11) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (9) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (10) Dec 08 (13) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (8) Dec 04 (11) Dec 03 (12) Dec 02 (16) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (11) Nov 28 (15) Nov 27 (16) Nov 26 (11) Nov 25 (9) Nov 24 (13) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (10) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (10) Nov 13 (14) Nov 12 (8) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (12) Nov 05 (17) Nov 04 (12) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (12) Oct 31 (11) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (10) Oct 28 (18) Oct 27 (16) Oct 26 (11) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (12) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (12) Oct 20 (17) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (15) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (10) Oct 14 (16) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (12) Oct 09 (21) Oct 08 (22) Oct 07 (19) Oct 06 (18) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (17) Oct 03 (13) Oct 02 (14) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (14) Sep 29 (15) Sep 28 (12) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (15) Sep 25 (13) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (10) Sep 22 (12) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (12) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (16) Sep 16 (21) Sep 15 (14) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (10) Sep 11 (16) Sep 10 (7) Sep 09 (8) Sep 08 (10) Sep 07 (7) Sep 06 (5) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (9) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (10) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (14) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (13) Aug 20 (9) Aug 19 (13) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (8) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (12) Aug 11 (9) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (14) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (2) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (6) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (6) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (9) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (1) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (13) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (7) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (9) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (3) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (7) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (11) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (8) Jun 03 (9) Jun 02 (6) Jun 01 (4) May 30 (7) May 29 (9) May 28 (13) May 26 (8) May 25 (5) May 24 (2) May 23 (8) May 22 (9) May 21 (7) May 20 (4) May 19 (6) May 18 (7) May 17 (8) May 15 (9) May 14 (5) May 13 (8) May 12 (6) May 11 (6) May 09 (7) May 08 (6) May 07 (11) May 06 (7) May 05 (4) May 04 (11) May 03 (5) May 02 (4) May 01 (9) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (9) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (10) Apr 22 (8) Apr 21 (9) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (4) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (6) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (5) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (2) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (7) Apr 02 (7) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (6) Mar 20 (9) Mar 19 (9) Mar 18 (8) Mar 17 (9) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (11) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (12) Mar 11 (9) Mar 10 (12) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (5) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (11) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (8) Feb 27 (9) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (8) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (10) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (7) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (2) Feb 14 (8) Feb 13 (12) Feb 12 (8) Feb 11 (10) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (12) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (8) Jan 26 (13) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (12) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (10) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (11) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (8) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (9) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (10) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (10) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (9) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (10) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (1) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (9) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (7) Nov 25 (12) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (6) Nov 18 (10) Nov 17 (12) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (12) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (7) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (9) Nov 03 (6) Nov 02 (14) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (9) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (8) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (11) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (7) Oct 15 (7) Oct 14 (8) Oct 13 (5) Oct 12 (8) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (5) Oct 09 (11) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (8) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (10) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (7) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (5) Sep 27 (8) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (11) Sep 24 (15) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (10) Sep 17 (10) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (8) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (7) Sep 02 (7) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (9) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (12) Aug 19 (8) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (8) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (12) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (12) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (8) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (8) Jul 20 (6) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (8) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (9) Jul 13 (10) Jul 11 (9) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (7) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (7) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (15) Jun 26 (10) Jun 25 (9) Jun 24 (16) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (12) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (13) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (14) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (16) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (18) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (8) May 31 (3) May 30 (6) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (6) May 23 (4) May 22 (8) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (2) May 18 (9) May 17 (1) May 16 (5) May 15 (5) May 14 (7) May 13 (7) May 12 (7) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (5) May 08 (10) May 07 (4) May 06 (13) May 05 (4) May 04 (10) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (9) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (9) Apr 24 (7) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (10) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (7) Apr 14 (11) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (9) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (6) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (10) Apr 03 (9) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (8) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (8) Mar 22 (7) Mar 21 (14) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (11) Mar 17 (12) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (8) Mar 14 (13) Mar 13 (8) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (8) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (15) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (12) Mar 02 (20) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (11) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (14) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (8) Feb 16 (11) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (7) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (6) Feb 07 (5) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (2) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (2) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (7) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (7) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (4) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (1) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 27 (1) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (8) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (1) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (7) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (9) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (8) Nov 29 (5) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (5) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (12) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (12) Nov 11 (6) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (9) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (11) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (7) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (7) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (2) Oct 21 (7) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (7) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (20) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (21) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (34) Oct 04 (24) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (7) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (5) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (5) Sep 26 (6) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (2) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (9) Sep 19 (11) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (6) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (11) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (6) Sep 06 (10) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (5) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (8) Aug 31 (5) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (7) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (7) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (6) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (7) Jul 23 (10) Jul 22 (8) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (7) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (10) Jul 16 (11) Jul 15 (5) Jul 13 (5) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (12) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (8) Jul 03 (10) Jul 02 (12) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (23) Jun 27 (18) Jun 26 (12) Jun 25 (14) Jun 24 (15) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (15) Jun 20 (9) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (11) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (6) Jun 15 (6) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (9) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (3) May 30 (5) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (8) May 24 (7) May 23 (6) May 22 (9) May 21 (6) May 20 (5) May 19 (6) May 18 (9) May 17 (10) May 16 (11) May 15 (5) May 14 (11) May 13 (6) May 12 (7) May 11 (7) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (10) May 07 (8) May 06 (11) May 05 (5) May 04 (9) May 03 (3) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (5) Apr 29 (8) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (10) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (8) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (11) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (9) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (6) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (5) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (9) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (10) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (2) Mar 10 (1) Mar 09 (6) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (6) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (9) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (1) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (7) Feb 11 (2) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (5) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (9) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (10) Feb 01 (9) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (5) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (8) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (1) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (1) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (8) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (6) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (8) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (7) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (7) Dec 02 (1) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (16) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (5) Nov 25 (2) Nov 24 (6) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (15) Nov 19 (8) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (5) Nov 08 (8) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (9) Nov 05 (1) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (8) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (8) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (1) Oct 22 (6) Oct 21 (1) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (10) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (15) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (1) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (8) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (8) Sep 24 (8) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (9) Sep 20 (7) Sep 19 (8) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (7) Sep 11 (9) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (10) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (15) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (7) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (11) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (15) Aug 24 (6) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (7) Aug 19 (2) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (9) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (7) Aug 07 (9) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (11) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (5) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (6) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (8) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (14) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (8) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (14) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (12) Jun 15 (12) Jun 14 (10) Jun 13 (10) Jun 12 (9) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (12) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (12) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (3) May 25 (5) May 24 (9) May 23 (16) May 22 (12) May 21 (11) May 20 (7) May 19 (10) May 18 (8) May 17 (8) May 16 (10) May 15 (8) May 14 (5) May 13 (1) May 12 (6) May 11 (9) May 10 (9) May 09 (10) May 08 (9) May 07 (6) May 06 (5) May 05 (7) May 04 (10) May 03 (7) May 02 (9) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (12) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (9) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (10) Apr 14 (7) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (7) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (8) Apr 05 (8) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (6) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (11) Mar 30 (12) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (9) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (12) Mar 20 (14) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (8) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (12) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (8) Feb 29 (11) Feb 28 (5) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (13) Feb 25 (10) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (10) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (18) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (5) Feb 16 (9) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (8) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (10) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (12) Jan 30 (7) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (7) Jan 27 (12) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (11) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (6) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (12) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (11) Jan 16 (9) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (9) Jan 10 (10) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (10) Jan 07 (5) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (10) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (7) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (9) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (8) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (1) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (6) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (13) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (7) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (7) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (9) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (7) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (8) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (10) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (10) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (8) Nov 17 (9) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (12) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (7) Nov 07 (8) Nov 06 (10) Nov 05 (8) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (11) Nov 01 (10) Oct 31 (5) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (8) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (11) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (7) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (9) Oct 14 (7) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (8) Oct 09 (9) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (12) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (13) Oct 04 (11) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (14) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (12) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (7) Sep 25 (10) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (8) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (7) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (14) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (11) Sep 14 (13) Sep 13 (11) Sep 12 (9) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (13) Sep 08 (11) Sep 07 (11) Sep 06 (16) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (8) Sep 01 (7) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (5) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (7) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (12) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (13) Jul 28 (10) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (12) Jul 22 (14) Jul 21 (6) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (12) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (6) Jul 15 (8) Jul 14 (15) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (6) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (9) Jul 06 (15) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (10) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (11) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (11) Jun 24 (9) Jun 23 (10) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (8) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (15) Jun 17 (8) Jun 16 (13) Jun 15 (15) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (6) Jun 12 (15) Jun 11 (7) Jun 10 (7) Jun 09 (18) Jun 08 (20) Jun 07 (17) Jun 06 (9) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (12) Jun 03 (13) Jun 02 (14) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (13) May 30 (8) May 29 (6) May 28 (8) May 27 (17) May 26 (8) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (9) May 22 (4) May 21 (4) May 20 (11) May 19 (14) May 18 (6) May 17 (10) May 16 (4) May 15 (5) May 14 (28) May 12 (9) May 11 (17) May 10 (15) May 09 (12) May 08 (5) May 07 (4) May 06 (10) May 05 (8) May 04 (10) May 03 (5) May 02 (6) May 01 (8) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (12) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (5) Apr 22 (10) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (13) Apr 19 (11) Apr 18 (11) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (11) Apr 14 (17) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (16) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (18) Apr 08 (14) Apr 07 (6) Apr 06 (10) Apr 05 (21) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (13) Apr 01 (8) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (11) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (10) Mar 23 (12) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (8) Mar 20 (4) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (9) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (14) Mar 11 (13) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (17) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (7) Mar 05 (13) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (14) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (18) Feb 28 (8) Feb 27 (2) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (13) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (13) Feb 22 (12) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (16) Feb 18 (17) Feb 17 (15) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (15) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (8) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (15) Feb 10 (11) Feb 09 (13) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (15) Feb 04 (15) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (14) Feb 01 (15) Jan 31 (11) Jan 30 (9) Jan 29 (19) Jan 28 (9) Jan 27 (9) Jan 26 (16) Jan 25 (19) Jan 24 (17) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (15) Jan 21 (9) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (12) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (14) Jan 12 (11) Jan 11 (13) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (20) Jan 07 (11) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (14) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (14) Dec 30 (15) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (10) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (11) Dec 24 (9) Dec 23 (9) Dec 22 (15) Dec 21 (12) Dec 20 (11) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (12) Dec 15 (14) Dec 14 (11) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (17) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (12) Dec 07 (16) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (5) Dec 04 (12) Dec 03 (15) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (12) Nov 30 (16) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (13) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (15) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (8) Nov 19 (9) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (9) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (10) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (14) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (13) Nov 01 (9) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (18) Oct 28 (13) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (12) Oct 25 (14) Oct 24 (20) Oct 22 (18) Oct 21 (18) Oct 20 (19) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (18) Oct 15 (8) Oct 14 (11) Oct 13 (9) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (27) Oct 08 (14) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (10) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (9) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (13) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (9) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (14) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (14) Sep 22 (20) Sep 21 (11) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (14) Sep 17 (8) Sep 16 (17) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (11) Sep 13 (9) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (14) Sep 09 (12) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (9) Sep 04 (20) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (16) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (13) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (11) Aug 25 (10) Aug 24 (14) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (13) Aug 21 (10) Aug 20 (13) Aug 19 (15) Aug 18 (8) Aug 17 (10) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (11) Aug 13 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (10) Aug 10 (17) Aug 09 (6) Aug 08 (13) Aug 07 (11) Aug 06 (13) Aug 05 (11) Aug 04 (11) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (10) Jul 30 (21) Jul 29 (14) Jul 28 (13) Jul 27 (16) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (15) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (15) Jul 21 (19) Jul 20 (17) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (26) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (20) Jul 14 (16) Jul 13 (19) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (13) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (16) Jul 05 (9) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (15) Jul 02 (11) Jul 01 (14) Jun 30 (13) Jun 29 (19) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (9) Jun 26 (16) Jun 25 (22) Jun 24 (17) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (15) Jun 21 (14) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (17) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (10) Jun 16 (17) Jun 15 (13) Jun 14 (14) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (13) Jun 11 (15) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (10) Jun 08 (23) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (20) Jun 05 (10) Jun 04 (11) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (21) Jun 01 (14) May 31 (10) May 30 (14) May 29 (8) May 28 (23) May 27 (20) May 26 (16) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (10) May 22 (18) May 21 (14) May 20 (12) May 19 (18) May 18 (14) May 17 (13) May 16 (4) May 15 (7) May 14 (16) May 13 (13) May 12 (8) May 11 (18) May 10 (8) May 09 (7) May 08 (13) May 07 (11) May 06 (15) May 05 (18) May 04 (17) May 03 (7) May 02 (5) May 01 (11) Apr 30 (19) Apr 29 (21) Apr 28 (18) Apr 27 (16) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (20) Apr 22 (23) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (16) Apr 19 (13) Apr 18 (6) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (16) Apr 15 (18) Apr 14 (13) Apr 13 (14) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (14) Apr 08 (12) Apr 07 (18) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (11) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (16) Mar 31 (16) Mar 30 (22) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (19) Mar 26 (31) Mar 25 (25) Mar 24 (26) Mar 23 (27) Mar 22 (22) Mar 21 (22) Mar 20 (13) Mar 19 (21) Mar 18 (20) Mar 17 (24) Mar 16 (18) Mar 15 (9) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (29) Mar 12 (15) Mar 11 (11) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (20) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (6) Mar 06 (21) Mar 05 (22) Mar 04 (19) Mar 03 (9) Mar 02 (20) Mar 01 (11) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (27) Feb 26 (15) Feb 25 (18) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (19) Feb 22 (24) Feb 21 (10) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (25) Feb 18 (16) Feb 17 (19) Feb 16 (23) Feb 15 (8) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (16) Feb 11 (12) Feb 10 (18) Feb 09 (12) Feb 08 (14) Feb 07 (8) Feb 06 (27) Feb 05 (28) Feb 04 (24) Feb 03 (17) Feb 02 (20) Feb 01 (23) Jan 31 (16) Jan 30 (20) Jan 29 (26) Jan 28 (17) Jan 27 (21) Jan 26 (24) Jan 25 (16) Jan 24 (14) Jan 23 (16) Jan 22 (17) Jan 21 (19) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (17) Jan 18 (13) Jan 17 (14) Jan 16 (10) Jan 15 (21) Jan 14 (16) Jan 13 (19) Jan 12 (30) Jan 11 (14) Jan 10 (11) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (23) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (21) Jan 05 (15) Jan 04 (18) Jan 03 (9) Jan 02 (12) Jan 01 (15) Dec 31 (18) Dec 30 (7) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (6) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (28) Dec 23 (12) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (17) Dec 20 (19) Dec 19 (19) Dec 18 (22) Dec 17 (24) Dec 16 (17) Dec 15 (29) Dec 14 (22) Dec 13 (12) Dec 12 (22) Dec 11 (24) Dec 10 (25) Dec 09 (18) Dec 08 (15) Dec 07 (21) Dec 06 (24) Dec 05 (30) Dec 04 (28) Dec 03 (26) Dec 02 (22) Dec 01 (33) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (9) Nov 28 (18) Nov 27 (25) Nov 26 (17) Nov 25 (23) Nov 24 (27) Nov 23 (12) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (15) Nov 20 (23) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (24) Nov 17 (21) Nov 16 (20) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (15) Nov 13 (27) Nov 12 (23) Nov 11 (19) Nov 10 (21) Nov 09 (13) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (16) Nov 06 (32) Nov 05 (24) Nov 04 (20) Nov 03 (29) Nov 02 (12) Nov 01 (15) Oct 31 (20) Oct 30 (22) Oct 29 (27) Oct 28 (20) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (21) Oct 25 (15) Oct 24 (23) Oct 23 (26) Oct 22 (27) Oct 21 (28) Oct 20 (24) Oct 19 (13) Oct 18 (9) Oct 17 (30) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (20) Oct 14 (14) Oct 13 (17) Oct 12 (16) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (19) Oct 09 (22) Oct 08 (16) Oct 07 (18) Oct 06 (23) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (15) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (22) Sep 30 (25) Sep 29 (20) Sep 28 (17) Sep 27 (13) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (15) Sep 24 (24) Sep 23 (23) Sep 22 (18) Sep 21 (20) Sep 20 (11) Sep 19 (24) Sep 18 (25) Sep 17 (25) Sep 16 (19) Sep 15 (21) Sep 14 (15) Sep 13 (10) Sep 12 (23) Sep 11 (23) Sep 10 (25) Sep 09 (25) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (17) Sep 05 (14) Sep 04 (24) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (19) Aug 31 (20) Aug 30 (11) Aug 29 (24) Aug 28 (24) Aug 27 (16) Aug 26 (26) Aug 25 (21) Aug 24 (15) Aug 23 (19) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (25) Aug 20 (27) Aug 19 (19) Aug 18 (24) Aug 17 (14) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (15) Aug 14 (16) Aug 13 (21) Aug 12 (30) Aug 11 (19) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (12) Aug 08 (17) Aug 07 (21) Aug 06 (26) Aug 05 (23) Aug 04 (21) Aug 03 (12) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (19) Jul 31 (21) Jul 30 (25) Jul 29 (29) Jul 28 (23) Jul 27 (17) Jul 26 (11) Jul 25 (21) Jul 24 (14) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (19) Jul 21 (15) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (10) Jul 18 (15) Jul 17 (22) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (21) Jul 14 (20) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (29) Jul 10 (19) Jul 09 (17) Jul 08 (26) Jul 07 (21) Jul 06 (18) Jul 05 (14) Jul 04 (20) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (24) Jul 01 (23) Jun 30 (23) Jun 29 (18) Jun 28 (16) Jun 27 (16) Jun 26 (17) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (32) Jun 23 (29) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (17) Jun 20 (25) Jun 19 (28) Jun 18 (19) Jun 17 (25) Jun 16 (23) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (14) Jun 12 (22) Jun 11 (19) Jun 10 (17) Jun 09 (15) Jun 08 (16) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (29) Jun 05 (27) Jun 04 (24) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (22) Jun 01 (13) May 31 (9) May 30 (26) May 29 (19) May 28 (15) May 27 (15) May 26 (23) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (24) May 22 (13) May 21 (21) May 20 (18) May 19 (16) May 18 (7) May 17 (12) May 16 (25) May 15 (24) May 14 (23) May 13 (19) May 12 (17) May 11 (8) May 10 (6) May 09 (14) May 08 (21) May 07 (26) May 06 (14) May 05 (14) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (24) May 01 (13) Apr 30 (15) Apr 29 (24) Apr 28 (24) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (13) Apr 24 (27) Apr 23 (15) Apr 22 (21) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (17) Apr 19 (8) Apr 18 (20) Apr 17 (27) Apr 16 (27) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (8) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (22) Apr 09 (15) Apr 08 (15) Apr 07 (17) Apr 06 (14) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (19) Mar 31 (25) Mar 30 (13) Mar 29 (9) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (23) Mar 26 (22) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (25) Mar 23 (16) Mar 22 (13) Mar 21 (24) Mar 20 (27) Mar 19 (20) Mar 18 (24) Mar 17 (17) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (20) Mar 13 (28) Mar 12 (30) Mar 11 (20) Mar 10 (21) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (8) Mar 07 (17) Mar 06 (20) Mar 05 (19) Mar 04 (15) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (12) Feb 28 (16) Feb 27 (17) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (23) Feb 24 (15) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (24) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (24) Feb 18 (19) Feb 17 (27) Feb 16 (13) Feb 15 (11) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (13) Feb 12 (13) Feb 11 (21) Feb 10 (16) Feb 09 (15) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (17) Feb 06 (21) Feb 05 (17) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (23) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (8) Jan 31 (17) Jan 30 (22) Jan 29 (23) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (24) Jan 26 (12) Jan 25 (9) Jan 24 (12) Jan 23 (19) Jan 22 (19) Jan 21 (14) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (12) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (20) Jan 16 (14) Jan 15 (23) Jan 14 (8) Jan 13 (20) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (18) Jan 09 (11) Jan 08 (18) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (12) Jan 05 (12) Jan 04 (11) Jan 03 (10) Jan 02 (9) Jan 01 (9) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (13) Dec 26 (15) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (8) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (14) Dec 19 (17) Dec 18 (14) Dec 17 (14) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (9) Dec 14 (9) Dec 13 (11) Dec 12 (16) Dec 11 (18) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (24) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (19) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (26) Dec 04 (15) Dec 03 (20) Dec 02 (17) Dec 01 (11) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (18) Nov 28 (21) Nov 27 (10) Nov 26 (22) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (18) Nov 21 (9) Nov 20 (17) Nov 19 (16) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (21) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (20) Nov 12 (16) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (9) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (15) Nov 06 (18) Nov 05 (19) Nov 04 (16) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (17) Oct 31 (17) Oct 30 (21) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (16) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (16) Oct 24 (18) Oct 23 (14) Oct 22 (17) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (8) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (12) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (19) Oct 14 (15) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (10) Oct 10 (23) Oct 09 (13) Oct 08 (15) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (13) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (16) Oct 03 (17) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (20) Sep 30 (17) Sep 29 (9) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (14) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (19) Sep 24 (13) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (5) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (21) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (20) Sep 16 (16) Sep 15 (10) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (18) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (24) Sep 10 (17) Sep 09 (16) Sep 08 (16) Sep 07 (10) Sep 06 (20) Sep 05 (13) Sep 04 (23) Sep 03 (14) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (11) Aug 31 (11) Aug 30 (13) Aug 29 (18) Aug 28 (14) Aug 27 (21) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (8) Aug 24 (10) Aug 23 (17) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (14) Aug 20 (20) Aug 19 (20) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (9) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (12) Aug 14 (14) Aug 13 (19) Aug 12 (14) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (12) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (18) Aug 07 (16) Aug 06 (16) Aug 05 (20) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (12) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (16) Jul 30 (16) Jul 29 (11) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (9) Jul 26 (17) Jul 25 (20) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (11) Jul 22 (18) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (14) Jul 18 (11) Jul 17 (15) Jul 16 (12) Jul 15 (10) Jul 14 (8) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (17) Jul 11 (18) Jul 10 (16) Jul 09 (13) Jul 08 (10) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (8) Jul 05 (16) Jul 04 (14) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (13) Jul 01 (16) Jun 30 (19) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (19) Jun 27 (21) Jun 26 (27) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (23) Jun 23 (12) Jun 22 (9) Jun 21 (18) Jun 20 (15) Jun 19 (24) Jun 18 (21) Jun 17 (13) Jun 16 (9) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (18) Jun 13 (24) Jun 12 (18) Jun 11 (23) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (24) Jun 08 (27) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (25) Jun 05 (30) Jun 04 (23) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (16) Jun 01 (17) May 31 (18) May 30 (19) May 29 (17) May 28 (23) May 27 (15) May 26 (10) May 25 (19) May 24 (16) May 23 (16) May 22 (27) May 21 (20) May 20 (26) May 19 (6) May 18 (8) May 17 (20) May 16 (8) May 15 (18) May 14 (5) May 13 (21) May 12 (9) May 11 (8) May 10 (12) May 09 (18) May 08 (11) May 07 (27) May 06 (12) May 05 (16) May 04 (19) May 03 (14) May 02 (18) May 01 (18) Apr 30 (25) Apr 29 (27) Apr 28 (11) Apr 27 (10) Apr 26 (18) Apr 25 (10) Apr 24 (29) Apr 23 (29) Apr 22 (14) Apr 21 (15) Apr 20 (20) Apr 19 (22) Apr 18 (16) Apr 17 (32) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (21) Apr 13 (15) Apr 12 (13) Apr 11 (14) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (20) Apr 08 (36) Apr 07 (22) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (28) Apr 04 (20) Apr 03 (29) Apr 02 (32) Apr 01 (18) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (15) Mar 28 (22) Mar 27 (24) Mar 26 (17) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (13) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (15) Mar 20 (18) Mar 19 (19) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (10) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1)
Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain.

Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred.

For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here.
Sep 11, 2017 | By Tess

A team of engineers from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia has successfully designed, 3D printed, assembled, and test-fired a rocket engine in just four months. The rocket engine, called Project X, is based on an aerospike design which rethinks and inverts the structure of traditional rocket engines.

The breakthrough engine testing follows on the work of Amaero, an aerospace startup that was born out of a Monash initiative in 2015. Specifically, engineers from Monash worked in collaboration with CSIRO and Deakin University to produce what was hailed as the first 3D printed jet engine in the world.

Since Amaeros founding after this achievement, the startup has gone on to work with a number of established and recognized aerospace companies. One of their more recent endeavours has involved working with Monash researchers to redesign and 3D print a rocket engine.

The result of this project, a unique aerospike-structured engine, was recently test-fired by the Amaero team and Monash researchers. The aerospike design demonstrated a number of benefits over a more traditionally shaped rocket engine.

Marten Jurg, an Amaero engineer, explains: Traditional bell-shaped rockets, as seen on the Space Shuttle, work at peak efficiency at ground level. As they climb the flame spreads out, reducing thrust.

The aerospike design maintains its efficiency but is very hard to build using traditional technology. Using additive manufacturing we can create complex designs, print them, test them, tweak them, and reprint them in days instead of months, he adds.

In light of their success in designing, 3D printing, and testing a rocket engine in just four months, the Monash researchers have formed a new startup called NextAero, which will aim to bring the research and achievements to the international aerospace industry.

Going from concept to testing in just four months is an amazing achievement, commented Professor Nick Birbilis, the head of the Material Science and Engineering Department at Monash. It illustrates whats possible for research and industry. Through our spin-out company, Amaero, Australian companies can design, print, and test metal components for everything from aerospace to surgical instruments, hose fittings to air conditioning parts.

In other words, 3D printing played a critical role in the fast development and testing of the rocket engine, as it enabled the researchers to quickly produce prototypes and models of their designs, which in turn allowed for quick improvements and testing. Additionally, the technology enabled the researchers to incorporate complex structures into the engine design.

Graham Bell, NextAero project leader, said: Designing for additive manufacture opens up a raft of possibilities. We were able to focus on the features that boost the engines performance, including the nozzle geometry and the embedded cooling network.

These are normally balanced against the need to consider how on earth someone is going to manufacture such a complex piece of equipment. Not so with additive manufacturing, he added.

The innovative rocket engine will be presented by NextAero at the upcoming International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide from September 25 to 29. The research was realized with support from the Monash Univeristy, Amaero Engineering, and Monashs Woodside Innovation Centre.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

Maybe you also like:












Sep 11, 2017 | By Tess

Jonathan Gerhard, a student from James Madison University (JMU) in Virginia, has 3D printed a series of objects that physically demonstrate the mathematical concepts of topology and homotopy. Gerhard was awarded a $1,000 Education Grant from 3D printing service Shapeways for his innovative and educational endeavour.

For those of us who arent well versed on our mathematical concepts and terms, topologynot to be confused with topographyis the study of physical geometric properties and spatial relations that remain unchanged after a figure has undergone stretching, bending, or other physical deformations.

Homotopy, for its part, is a concept within topology that signifies a continuous deformation from one object into another. Gerhard offers the example of a cylinder being squeezed down into a circle, or a 3D mug being transformed into a ring.

To help illustrate and showcase these mathematical concepts in a more tangible, physical way, Gerhard decided to 3D model and print a series of topologic objects. Traditionally, the concepts had been understood using two-dimensional diagrams and illustrations.

He explains on his blog, Upon learning about some wildly un-intuitive homotopies (one of my favorites is that a 3-sphere minus a torus is the homotopy equivalent to the disjoint union of two solid tori), I had the idea to utilize 3D printing. I had done a project on 3D printing knot invariants so I thought it was only right to finish off my undergraduate career by doing another 3D printing project

4 by 4 Rooks Graph

3 by 3 Rooks Graph

For the project, Gerhard worked with Laura Taalman (aka mathgrrl), an experienced 3D modeler and member of the maker community. 3Ders readers might be familiar with Taalman for her Snowflake Machine, an impressive 3D printed snowflake customizer.

The topology shapes were designed by Gerhard using Fusion360 and were 3D printed in collaboration with Shapeways. I began to design a whole array of objects: The Perko Knots on a praxinoscope, the Rooks Graph, and (in the case of n = 4) the strangely non-isomorphic Shirkhande Graph, all the while making time for some interesting mathematics, he says.

The Drum Shrikhande Graph

The Praxinoscope project struck us as especially interesting, as it uses an old-school animation technique to show how each of the 3D printed perko knots are part of the homotopy movement.

In addition to being recognized by his own university and Shapeways, Gerhard also gained some attention from the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America for his project. In fact, he was given the opportunity to present his topology-inspired 3D printing project at an event hosted by both groups this past January.

Shapeways is currently inviting likeminded student makers to submit their own innovative 3D printing projects to win one of their $1,000 Education Grants.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

Maybe you also like:












by Gerald Dworkin

In three previous columns I have discussed the ethics of lying. I am still working on this topic and, in the course of doing so, have accumulated some interesting remarks. Here is a sample:

Some topicsis it decaf?require absolute honesty. With othersmilitary secrets, some non-contagious diseasessome legitimate exceptions may be allowed.

Michael Kinsley

Real love amounts to withholding the truth, even when youre offered the perfect opportunity to hurt someones feelings

David Sedaris

Cant come. Lie follows.

Charles Beresford

If you can only be good at one thing, be good at lying.  Because if youre good at lying, youre good at everything.

Anonymous tweet

Dont lie, because lying only fixes everything.

Louis CK

It seems strange if we may not lie, if lying will defend us better against a palpable invasion of our rights Common Sense does not seem to prohibit this decisively.

Henry Sidgwick

The rule of veracityconcerning which it is obvious that although many cases exist in which a deviation from the rule would in the particular case produce more good than evil, it is necessary for general security, either that the rules should be inflexibly observed, or that the licence of deviating from them , if ever such be permitted, should be confined to definite classes of cases, and of a very peculiar and extreme nature.

J. S. Mill

When the philosopher Henry Sidgwick started teaching at Cambridge in the 19th century every Fellow had to subscribe to the the 29 articles of the Anglican Church. He no longer accepted these beliefs. Since he did not want to sign this best-motivated perjury he wrote to John Stuart Mill for advice. MIll did not offer any but advised him to turn to the larger question of what utilitarian exceptions there were to the rule that we should tell the truth.

* * *

It is certainly unfair to accuse all Iranians of being liars. The label is judgmental and reeks of stereotype. The more appropriate way to phrase the Iranian view toward honesty, the way many Iranians themselves describe it, is to say that being direct and telling the truth are not prized principles in Iran.

Often, just the opposite is true. People are expected to give false praise and insincere promise. They are expected to tell you what you want to hear to avoid conflict, or to offer hope when there is none:

There is a social principle in Iran called taarof, a concept that describes the practice of insincerity  of inviting people to dinner when you dont really want their company, for example. Iranians understand such practices as manners and are not offended by them.

Michael Slackman NY Times

* * *

Truth is scarcely to be heard but by those from whom it can serve no interest to conceal it.

Peter Godfrey-Smith

When a young childs fingers brush against a crack in the world, a parent seeking to account for that fragility may lie or tell the truth. Either is permissible, depending on the circumstances. The intention behind the lie will be unimpeachably sincere and benevolent, while the truth will need to be doctored, simplified to the point of deception. At such a moment of parenthood, only irony is forbidden. One can tell a child, But nothing bad is going to happen to you, knowing the words to be false, or I would never let anything bad happen to you, appending to this partial truth a silent insofar as that is possible. One is not permitted, however, to say, Dude, you are totally toast.

Michael Chabon

In On the Genealogy of Morals Nietzsche speaks of blue-eyed lyinga phrase directed at the German Empires Aryan, antiSemitic politicians, whom he despised. Our good men do not lie, he wrote. The real lie, the genuine, determined, honest lie  would prove too tough and strong an article for them  it would be asking them  to learn to distinguish between true and false in their own selves.

Trump loeil

A technique designed to fool people into thinking that the objects represented are really there.

Actual dictionary definition.

GD

Any long-term relationship thats successful is really a myth that two people create together  and myths are built of lies, and theres usually some kernel of truth

When you think about it, you meet somebody for the first time, and theyre not presenting their warts-and-all self to you  theyre presenting their idealized self to you, theyre leading with their best. And then, eventually, youre farting in front of each other. Eventually, you get to see the person who is behind that facade of their best, and they get to see the person your facade, your lie-self  this lie that you presented to them about who you really are. And whats beautiful about a long-term relationship, and what can be transformative about it, is that I pretend every day that my boyfriend is the lie that I met when I first met him. And he does that same favor to me  he pretends that Im that better person than I actually am. Even though he knows Im not. Even though I know hes not. And we then are obligated to live up to the lies we told each other about who we are  we are then forced to be better people than we actually are, because its expected of us by each other.

Dan Savage

The wise thing is for us diligently to train ourselves to lie thoughtfully, judiciously; to lie with a good object, and not an evil one; to lie for others advantage, and not our own; to lie healingly, charitably, humanely, not cruelly, hurtfully, maliciously; to lie gracefully and graciously, not awkwardly and clumsily; to lie firmly, frankly, squarely, with head erect, not haltingly, tortuously, with pusillanimous mien, as being ashamed of our high calling.

Mark Twain

To be natural is such a difficult pose to keep up.

Oscar Wilde

The fact that he does not tell me the truth all the time makes me not sure of his truth at certain times, and then I work to figure out for myself if what he is telling me is the truth or not, and sometimes I can figure out that its not the truth and sometimes I dont know and never know, and sometimes just because he says it to me over and over again I am convinced it is the truth because I dont believe he would repeat a lie so often. Maybe the truth does not matter, but I want to know it if only so that I can come to some conclusions about such questions as: whether he is angry at me or not; if he is, then how angry; whether he still loves her or not; if he does, then how much; whether he loves me or not; how much; how capable he is of deceiving me in the act and after the act in the telling.

Lydia Davis Story

Everyone is told as much as he needs to know including the self.

David Carr

According to Clifford Geertz, the Javanese use the word etok-etok to mean proper lying, which is not quite the same as our white lie. An informant explained it to him like this:

He said: Suppose I go off south and you see me go. Later my son asks you: Do you know where my father went? And you say no, [you]etok-etok [that] you dont know. I asked him why should I etok-etok , as there seemed to be no reason for lying, and he said, Oh, you just etok-etok. You dont have to have a reason.

Geertz elaborates:

When we tell white lies, we have to justify them to ourselves even though the justification be weakFor the Javanese it seems, in part anyway, to work the other way around: the burden of proof seems to be in the direction of telling the truth. The natural answer to casual questions, particularly from people you do not know very well, tends to be either a vague one (Where are you going?  West) or a mildly false one; and one tells the truth in small matters only when there is some reason to do so.

Many of my highly educated, academic friendsphilosophers and non-philosophers alikeparticipate in the Santa Claus deception. These are people who unequivocally condemn the lies told by the rich and powerful to manipulate the poor and powerless, who unequivocally endorse the ethic of respect for persons, and who applaud the practice of speaking truth to power. But when it comes to telling their kids about Santa, these principles seem to vanish like melting snowflakes. Ask them why they think its OK for adults to lie to their offspring about Santa Claus and suddenly it becomes acceptable, or even entertaining, for the big powerful folks to pull the wool over the eyes of the small vulnerable ones.

David Kyle Johnson

By the time you swear youre his,

Shivering and sighing.

And he vows his passion is,

Infinite, undying.

Lady make note of this 

One of you is lying.

Dorothy Parker

Someone who knows too much finds it hard to lie.

Ludwig Wittgenstein

A gaffe is the opposite of a lie; it is when a politician inadvertently tells the truth.

Michael Kinsley

Unclothed truth can be vulnerable, ungainly, shocking. Overdressed it becomes a lie.

Rachel Cusk

Truth is sometimes like a toothbrush, and you only share that with people you really trust.

Will Sharpe, FLOWERS

One of the great serendipitous pleasures of life is achieving a desired end by telling the truth.

Im basically unfamiliar with the phenomena and the few times its happened, Ive felt embarrassed, sort of exposed and uneasy, and once or twice Ive cried. Mostly when I want something I shape the truth. I place a strong emphasis on what may be a secondary emphasis of the situation, at least.

Richard Greenberg

Henry does not lie because it is in his interest. He lies because it is in his nature.

Said of Henry Kissinger

Dare to be true. Nothing can need a lie

A fault, which needs it most, grows two thereby.

George Herbert

Tell all the truth but tell it slant 

Success in Circuit lies

Too bright for our infirm Delight

The Truths superb surprise

As Lightning to the Children eased

With explanation kind

The Truth must dazzle gradually

Or every man be blind 

Emily Dickinson
More than 50 Caribbean flamingos take shelter in a men's restroom at the Miami Metrozoo (now Zoo Miami) on Sept. 25, 1998. Zookeepers rounded up the birds to protect them from the effects of Hurricane Georges. This was not the first time the zoo had to corral flamingos in a restroom. They were also in there during Hurricane Andrew, six years earlier. Max Trujillo/Getty Images.

More here and here .
Food news for you!

Nancy Silverton Pop up at Cotogna

Legendary Los Angeles chef, baker, author, and James Beard Awardwinner Nancy Silverton and her Chi Spacca chef Ryan DeNicola will be cooking a can't-miss pop-up dinner at Cotogna on Tuesday, September 12th. They'll be cooking up favorites from Silverton's newest book, Mozza at Homeand she's bringing her scrumptious focaccia di Recco, a stracchino cheese-stuffed Ligurian flatbread. // Tuesday, Sept.12; Cotogna, 490 Pacific Ave (Jackson Square), cotognasf.com

Trick Dog Fetches a Roster of Star Chefs



Trick Dog will send tongues wagging this month with its new series of guest chefs including Christopher Kronner (Kronnerburger), David Nayfeld and Angela Pinkerton (Eleven Madison Park)the pair will preview dishes for their soon-to-open restaurant, Theorita, on Divisaderoand Rising Star chef Joey Elenterio. Catch Kronner slinging burgers, bone marrow, and salads September 11-12th and 24-25th; Nayfeld and Pinkerton September 17-18th; and Elenterio on September 27th. // 3010 20th St (Mission), trickdogbar.com

Swig Sake in Emeryville

The Periodic Table, a new sake bar and taproom, soft-opened in Emeryville's Public Market last week. Next to sister eatery Shiba Ramen, the joint will serve a range of Bay Area craft brews and imported sake and spirits from Japan, as well as a small food menu including the TPT Burger, with yuzu kosho mayo, shiso and griddled onions; chasu pies stuffed with miso pork; fried sesame pepper Shiba wings; and, of course, ramen. // 5959 Shellmound St. (Emeryville), theperiodictable.bar

Thad Vogler Book Signing

Join cocktail master and proprietor Thad Vogler at Bar Agricole for the launch of his new book, By the Smoke & The Smell. The memoir takes the reader around the world and introduces the characters and producers behind his beloved handmade spiritsit'll change the way you think about your drink. There will be snacks, music and, of course, cocktails. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. //6-8pm, Tuesday Sept 12; Bar Agricole, 355 11th St (SoMa), rsvp@magnumpr.co

Say Yes to the SF Cheese Fest

Tickets are now on sale for the third annual San Francisco Cheese Fest, taking place this Saturday at the historic Social Hall SF. The festival celebrates 24 artisan cheesemakers from around the state and gives you a chance to meet and learn about cheesemaking processes. Attendees can expect plenty of brews from Magnolia, Lagunitas, and Fort Point, as well as complimentary charcuterie from Creminelli Fine Meats and Dandelion chocolate. // 6-9pm, Sept 16; Social Hall,1270 Sutter St (Tenderloin). Get tickets at sfcheesefest.com.
Karen Allen, 65, who played Harrison Fords Nazi-stomping gal pal in two Indiana Jones movies, thinks Hollywood is self-destructively ignoring the 50-plus moviegoer. Whats amazed me is how people who are behind the machinery of getting a film into the world dont really understand that the baby boomers are their best audience, she told the New York Post, promoting her new film Year by the Seawhich has four main characters played by actors over 60, including Celia Imrie (The Exotic Marigold Hotel), 65, and S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order), 64. The under-20s are all staring at little boxes in their hands," Allen said. "If we want to keep the film business alive, we need to focus on people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, who grew up going to the movies. But [Hollywood] is giving me comic-book heroes, and thats just not what interests me.

Allen, the footloose rebel daughter of an FBI agent, won overnight fame along with John Belushi and Kevin Bacon in 1978s Animal House. Her scrappily independent nature  very like that of Steven Spielbergs ex-wife Amy Irving, who was originally supposed to play Allens Marion Ravenswood role in Raiders of the Lost Ark  made Indys lover way more than an old-fashioned damsel in distress. Spielberg dropped a slimy python on Allens head during filming to make Allen scream, but it wasnt a ladylike or girlish scream. The pluck of her performance paved the way for Wonder Woman and other modern roles for the not-weaker sex.

In Year by the Sea, an adaptation of Joan Andersons best-selling 2000 memoir, Allen plays a woman with empty-nest syndrome, plus an empty-marriage feeling she deals with by going to Cape Cod alone to find herself, so she can save her own life (and relationship). Shes getting better reviews than the film is, but the New York Times A.O. Scott found it refreshing in its depiction of diverse, older female characters.

At the peak of her employability, Allen left Hollywood to raise kids and run an upscale knitting store in Massachusetts, but she pops up in first-rate films now and then (Starman, In the Bedroom). Its possible she may find more good roles now than at 50, when, as she once recalled, People would say, You cant do that [role], you look too young, but if I showed up for a role for somebody in their early 40s then people would say, Well, but shes 50.

In some cases, ageism actually gets less problematic in an actors 60s than 50s. Maybe Hollywood will heed Allens advice, hiring more grownups , boosting her career and giving grownup moviegoers more reason to go out. Her megawatt grin is certainly undimmed by time, and with the lead in a film thats right up her alley, shes got more to grin about lately. As critic Amy Nicholson notes, Name me a person with a better smile than Karen Allen.
So Burns and codirector Lynn Novick got people to talk. Over a decade, they researched and interviewed more than 100 Americans and Vietnamese people  from helicopter pilots, POWs and politicians to Gold Star families, demonstrators and deserters. With the accompanying archival footage (some of it brutal) and a soundtrack of some 120 songs from the era (including cuts by Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Janice Joplin), the filmmakers hope the documentary will transport viewers back in time in a very real, constructive way and make sense of the chaos, as Novick puts it.

The film does raise questions, says Burns: Did we have to fight a proxy war against the communists halfway around the world? And you cant really answer it, you just have to sort of take a look at it and let people decide for themselves. (The series will be released on DVD and Blu-ray Sept. 19, with more than 100 minutes of bonus footage not airing on TV.)

So what subject will Burns take on next? Hes deep into a two-part documentary for PBS on Ernest Hemingway, as well as another big multi-episode series, this one on the history of country music, both planned for 2019 at the earliest. Says Burns: I never make films about things I know about. I make films about things I want to know about.
Fine particulate matter that cant be seen is especially concerning, Gopal Allada, a pulmonologist and critical care specialist at Oregon Health and Science University, told NPR. "When you inhale these really small particles, smaller than a few microns, they can land in your lungs and cause respiratory symptoms, Allada said.

Some tips from the American Lung Association on combating unhealthy air:

Avoid exercising outdoors when pollution levels are high.

Check air pollution forecasts in your area. The association offers a smartphone app for Android and iPhone that can assist with this.



Use electric or hand-powered lawn care equipment.



Dont burn wood or trash.

Allada told NPR the best way to cut risk is to simply stay inside, with windows and doors closed if possible. "And use the recirculate button in your car or on your air conditioner, so you are not bringing in new particulate matter." Allada said.
Hurricane Irma has resulted in the cancellation of a number of cruises, but cruise lines are putting the ships to work  helping areas devastated by the storm.



Royal Caribbean said Monday that it already sent a ship to hurricane-pounded St. Martin for a humanitarian stop. Another ship is on its way to St. Thomas, and it will also stop in St. Martin, to deliver goods and help evacuate people who are stranded there.

American tourists are among those stuck on the islands, and theyre telling desperate stories of survival. In an interview with ABC News, one person talked about how they moved hotel furniture to block the ocean-facing windows as Hurricane Irma plowed through.

Norwegian Cruise Lines is also sending a ship to deliver supplies to St. Thomas. Ahead of the storm the company made the decision to return some ships to their original ports in Florida and give vacationers the opportunity to end their trip early so that they could get home to secure their belongings. Other passengers wishing to continue their voyage  or unable to get a flight home ahead of the hurricane  were able to board the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Escape and sail opposite the cyclone. On Sunday, the ship safely docked in Cozumel, Mexico. Once ports are reopened, the ship plans to return to the United States.
After clinching Valley title, playoff seed, South Dakota State football prepares for two weeks off

Having two weeks off before the playoffs is unusual, but the Jackrabbits could use it to get healthy


Market Update

Sydney, Sep 11, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - DroneShield Ltd ( ASX:DRO ) ( DRSHF:OTCMKTS ) ("DroneShield" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on several significant developments.



- Development of second generation of DroneShield(R) tactical drone jammer (DroneGun MKII) product completed



- Product has been released for testing to Australian and United States militaries



- DroneShield accepted to be part of Team Defence Australia, a join effort with the Australian Department of Defence and Austrade



DroneGun MKII



DroneShield is pleased to announce the launch of a DroneGun MkII drone countermeasure product, a second generation version of its DroneGun product.



The product is a rifle-style handheld jammer device, highly effective at the standard frequencies of consumer and commercial drones globally. An optional GPS-jamming capability is also available to customers where lawful. (see Note below)



The product was developed in response to feedback by sophisticated end-users. The product offers a number of improvements over the first generation of DroneGun, including a substantially ruggedised design, lighter weight, and improved jamming algorithms.



Testing by Australian and United States militaries



DroneShield remains the only company in the world offering both drone detection and handheld rifle-style tactical drone countermeasures, as its own product suite. Initial units of the product have been released for immediate testing and evaluation by several branches of the United States and Australian militaries.



Peter James, Chairman of the Company, has commented "DroneGun MkII is expected to continue to position DroneShield at the cutting edge of the counterdrone industry. The Company also continues to develop other innovative products being actively sought by end users, including the DroneSentinel and DroneSentry products, with initial customer demos for DroneSentinel and DroneSentry having been scheduled for early November."



DroneShield accepted to be part of Team Defence Australia



On the sales and marketing front, the Company has been undertaking a significant effort in building out its military and security global selling channels. Among other things, it is pleased to report that it has been accepted to be part of Team Defence Australia, a joint effort with the Australian Department of Defence and Austrade. As part of Team Defence Australia, DroneShield is participating at the Defence and Security Equipment International Conference in London this week and The Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, DC in early October.



Additional senior staff



The Company welcomes Mr. Casey Betzold as a new VP of Sales, focusing on US, European, and APAC Sales, as well as David Powers who will be focusing on the US federal and military market.



Mr. Betzold brings over 15 years of experience in US and International business development and sales. He has extensive experience working with major market segments world-wide specific to the industry, to include government and law enforcement agencies, commercial, and OEM markets.



His career began as an officer in the United States Air Force where he attended pilot training and operated as an Acquisitions and Program Management Officer working with large prime defense contractors on programs including the Minuteman III Propulsion and GPS Metric Tracking programs.



After leaving the Air Force as a Captain, he spent time with well known members of the defense and outdoor industry to include working in business development and sales for ATK and as the Director of International Sales for Beretta.



Most recently, Mr. Betzold was CEO of Snake River Shooting Products and Consulting Inc, a manufacturing and distribution company focused on ammunition, components, and accessories.



David Powers is a former Federal Agent, Intelligence Officer and U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) leader, operator, combat training developer, and decorated combat veteran of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort, and the Enduring Freedom Campaign.



Annexed to this announcement is the Company's product brochure (see the link below) in relation to the Company's current product offering, including DroneGun MKII.



Note: DroneGun has not been authorized as required by the United States Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"). This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, in the United States, other than to the United States government and its agencies, until such authorization is obtained. The use of DroneGun in the United States by other persons or entities, including state or local government agencies, is prohibited by federal law. Laws limiting the availability of DroneGun to certain types of users may apply in other jurisdictions, and any sales will be conducted only in compliance with the applicable laws.



To view figures and Product Brochure, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/FVQ3W2BF





About DroneShield Ltd





DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (OTCMKTS:DRSHF) is an Australian publicly listed company with its head office in Sydney and teams in the US and UK. We specialise in RF sensing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Sensor Fusion, Electronic Warfare, Rapid Prototyping and MIL-SPEC manufacturing.

Our capabilities are used to protect Military, Government, Law Enforcement, Critical Infrastructure, Commercial and VIPs throughout the world.

Through our team of primarily Australian based engineers - we offer customers bespoke solutions and off-the-shelf products designed to suit a variety of terrestrial, maritime or airborne platforms.

DroneShield is proudly exporting Australian capability to customers throughout the world and supporting Australia's defence, national security and other organisations protect people, critical infrastructure and vital assets.

.


LOI signed with Argentine Government Entity

Brisbane, Sep 11, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Lithium exploration company Lake Resources N.L. ( ASX:LKE ), ("Lake" or "LKE") is pleased to confirm that its Argentine subsidiary has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the Catamarca State mining and energy entity, CAMYEN, to aid the development of the Kachi Lithium Brine Project in Catamarca.



- Kachi project has been selected by the State of Catamarca to be accelerated together with a select few energy and mining projects in the province to ensure appropriate development



- Letter of Intent (LOI) is to facilitate the project through various permitting stages in exploration and development to production, including environmental and community support, while assisting in the provision of services



CAMYEN (Catamarca Minera y Energetica Sociedad Del Estado) has recent experience in assisting renewable energy projects and mining projects in the province, both with permitting, including presentations to the state and local authorities and communities, together with the provision of exploration services.



The Kachi Project covers over 50,000 Ha of mining leases owned by Lake's Argentine subsidiary, Morena del Valle Minerals SA, over the centre of the known salt lakes.



Lake Resources' Managing Director Steve Promnitz, said after leaving Government House: "We are pleased that our lithium brine project has been selected for state support and guidance. This is a key development which bodes well for an acceleration of the project towards development. It also clearly demonstrates that Kachi is regarded as project of real significance in Catamarca.



"Our team will now work closely and cooperatively with CAMYEN to ensure the development of Kachi meets all necessary guidelines. We look forward to updating shareholders on progress in Catamarca and with the work we are undertaking in Jujuy province."



To view figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/L89T35VG





About Lake Resources NL





Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) (OTCMKTS:LLKKF) is a clean lithium developer utilising clean, direct extraction technology for the development of sustainable, high purity lithium from its flagship Kachi Project, as well as three other lithium brine projects in Argentina. The projects are in a prime location within the Lithium Triangle, where 40% of the world's lithium is produced at the lowest cost.



This method will enable Lake Resources to be an efficient, responsibly-sourced, environmentally friendly and cost competitive supplier of high-purity lithium, which is readily scalable, and in demand from Tier 1 electric vehicle makers and battery makers.
The murder of seven year old student Pradyuman Thakur inside the toilet of Ryan International School, Gurugram raises serious questions about the security of students studying in renowned schools. According to reports, there were serious lapses on the part of the school management which led to the gruesome murder of Pradyuman. The CCTV cameras installed in the school only covered a limited area, hence it was difficult to trace the boy. Most of the cameras were not functioning and school authorities didnt bother to repair them. There is an alleged nexus between the school management officials and political parties as they have easily managed to obtain licence for opening new branches.

The management failed to conduct the background verification of drivers and cleaners as many of them possess criminal antecedents. Meanwhile, Pradyumans father Varun Thakur has moved the Supreme Court and demanded a parallel CBI probe into the matter. He accused the schools security lapse as one of the reasons for the death of his son. Parents and local residents gathered outside the school to protest against the incident. They demanded for a probe into this incident and justice for Pradyuman.
The UN human rights chief on Monday slammed Myanmars apparent systematic attack on the Rohingya minority, warning that ethnic cleansing seemed to be underway.

Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, Zeid Raad Al Hussein told the UN Human Rights Council.

The Rohingya are reviled in Myanmar, where the roughly one million-strong community are accused of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

The United Nations says 294,000 bedraggled and exhausted Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since the militants attacks on Myanmar security forces in neighbouring Rakhine state on August 25 sparked a major military backlash.

Tens of thousands more are believed to be on the move inside Rakhine after more than two weeks without shelter, food and water.

The operation is clearly disproportionate and without regard for basic principles of international law, Zeid said.

We have received multiple reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians, he added.

Aung San Suu Kyis government has come in for strong international criticism over the militarys treatment of the Rohingya.








Web Toolbar by Wibiya

As Tamil Nadu governor Rao refused to ask the CM Palanisamy to test his majority on the floor of the house as demanded by DMK and Sasikala-Dinakaran and family, Dinakaran is annoyed. Chinnanna , nephew of Chinnamma Sasikala, jailed for rampant corrupt operations, looting the resources belonging to Tamil people.

The ruling AIADMK has 134 MLAs in the 234-member state Assembly with one vacancy caused by the death of CM and party supremo J Jayalalithaa from RK Nagar. The splits in the party, latest by the Dinakaran group, have created a sort of instability and instability of the government in the state.

Currently, 19 AIADMK MLAs have sided with Dhinakaran game plan 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.

As 19 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 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. The general council and executive meeting of AIADMK will be convened on 12 September.

Dinakaran, still hoping to take over power in Madras Fort to mint crores of money and illegal wealth, trying to oust the CM Palanisamy in order to quickly assume power at eh Fort and help aunt and chinnamma Sasikala in the jail who seeks all privileges that were extended to former CM Jayalalithaa. Dinakaran, however, does not want DMK to use the confusion in the ruling party, created by him and his akka (sister).

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.

Not recognizing both Sasikala and Dinakaran and their extended family, 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.

Reportedly she goes out of jail in Bangalore presumably for shopping and site seeing, and Karnataka government is unable to take punitive measures against the jail authorities and Sasikala.

Whether or not she is responsible for the early death of her akka CM Jayalalithaa under suspicious circumstances, she has planning to execute her dream of taking very tactfully both the strong ruling party and government but the serious corruption charges and jail life presented by the Apex Court denied her that opportunity.

Having lost hopes of being made the CM of the state, Dinakaran has split the ruling party by weeding away some 18 MLAs he thought the TN governor would either call for a floor test or dismiss the government, Dinakaran and DMK and some more parties have met the President in New Delhi to ask the CM Palanisamy to prove his majority.

Dinakaran who is now out of jail and Sasikala who is in jail are deeply upset that their conspiracy has not worked in their favor and O. Panneerselvam is back in power and their temporary nominee Palanisamy has taken a position that is against the interests of secret plans of Sasikala -Dinakaran and family. Now a new brother of Sasikala is seen on the TV channels seeking power for Dinakaran to promote the joint family interests.

Leaders of four opposition parties met the governor to press for convening a meeting of state assembly but he said the party has not lost its majority as none of the 19 MLAs has resigned from the ruling party nor were removed by the party. As such, the ruling party still has the majority and that could even be proved in the assembly.

Following Governor Raos rejection of the pleas of DMK and Dinakaran to get the floor test in the assembly, the rebel MLAs have lost the steam but they continue to enjoy life at a posh Pondicherry resort. The TN minister Jayakumar who successfully mediated between the OPS and EPS faction for reunification, ahs cautioned them that they are on the wrong path behind Dinkaran and if they stop following the Sasikala-Dinakarans conspiratorial footsteps to pull down the government, they would be taken back to the party.

Governor Rao explained that he cannot accept the argument that Palanisamy government has lot majority since the 18 rebel MLAs are still in the party, they have not left the party, nor joined any other party nor launched a new party. Further, if take a democratic decision, then CM Palanisamy has got the support of about 115 MLAs and just 18 MLAs cannot decide the fate of government that has majority of party MLAs with it.

Moreover, Dinkaran keeps saying that he has no plan to pull down the elected Amma government. This means the government would not fall after the floor test and Dinakaran is only playing dirty tricks.

CM Palanisamy convened the meeting of MLAs and MPs at the party HQ. Convened by Palaniswamy and attended by senior party functionaries and ministers, Monday's meeting also discussed Dinakarans recent shuffling of the party ranks, the sources said. 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. 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.

Unfazed by the attack from the chief minister's camp, Dhinakaran continued to reshuffle party ranks. As part of his efforts to punish those who are not behind him, Dhinakaran had removed Palaniswamy as the party's Salem district secretary on Sunday, besides sacking many other ministers from party posts. 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 Tiruchirappalli City unit.

Interestingly, these days as a self appointee dictator Dinakaran, on the strength of Sasikalas appointment of him as her deputy in the party, keeps removing party functionaries with his own supporters However election commission has not recognized her appointment as AIADMKs GS and hence his claim being the deputy GS of Sasikala is invalid too.

As purge continued, Dhinakaran sacked a 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 wing secretaries.

All the changes were being made by chinnanna with the approval of party Chief chinnamma 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.

AIADMK would ask the Election Commission to declare the interim poll of the AIADMK null and void as it was a conspiracy by the Sasikala family. The erstwhile Panneerselvam faction had earlier approached the Election Commission against Sasikala's appointment as party chief last year. 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.

Apparently, CM Palanisamy has the support of majority of the party MLAs and as such she still enjoys majority. Jayalalithaa did not trust both Sasikala and Dinakaran as their extended family began controlling the government. In fact Jaya has expelled the Dinkaran and she refused to him an audience till her last breath. Dinakaran merged all of sudden when Sasikala was taken to jail.

Any change in the government at this juncture may not be in their interests of the state and people. Continued uncertainty will only help the corrupt forces waiting in the wings to make wealth illegally.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
John McMichael, business vitality manager for the City of Aiken, says employers are looking for people who "have a real desire to work" and a willingness to learn.
September 9, 2017

BAGHDAD  The Lebanese authorities arrested a former Iraqi minister who was wanted by Interpol at the airport in Beirut Sept. 8. The identity of the minister has not been released yet, but Lebanese officials have said that he holds British citizenship.

Many officials with dual nationality accused by the Iraqi authorities of corruption have fled the country in order to escape prosecution. Basra Gov. Majid al-Nasrawi is a case in point; he left Iraq on an Australian passport Aug. 18 in defiance of an arrest warrant over suspected corruption. Several other officials have also left the country, including former Ministers Abdul Falah al-Sudani (trade), Hazim Shaalan (defense) and Ayham al-Samarrai (electricity).

For two years, the Iraqi parliament has not been able to pass a bill bringing an end to officials holding dual citizenship, despite its inclusion in a list of parliamentary reforms announced by speaker Salim al-Jabouri in August 2015, as part of a package of government measures following widespread demonstrations in Baghdad to demand reform.

The bill, which has been suspended since the last parliamentary term, deals with the rules on Iraqi officials holding two nationalities. It is based on Article 18 of the Iraqi Constitution, which demands that holders of senior and sovereign offices give up their acquired citizenship. However, the constitution charges the legislature with the task of working out the details and drawing up a law on the issue, something the Iraqi parliament has so far failed to do.

Amal al-Bayati, a member of the Council of Representatives, told Al-Monitor that Iraqi holders of foreign citizenship often escape justice because they can use it at the first sign of trouble. The number of dual citizens in parliament is very high, which poses major difficulties when it comes to passing this law, she said.

Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish parliamentary blocs are equally opposed to the bill, but no member has dared to openly oppose it or publicly defend having a second nationality.

An estimated 70-100 members of parliament hold foreign citizenship, according to a source close to the legal department of the Council of Representatives who asked to remain anonymous. A considerable number of executive officials also hold second passports, including ministers and diplomats. Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said in 2016 that some 32 of the countrys 66 ambassadors hold a foreign citizenship.

The difficulty of passing the bill while many parliamentarians benefit from its suspension is exacerbated by the fact that officials in both the executive branch and the judiciary also benefit from the lack of such a law.

Legislation that would annul the acquired citizenships of senior officials will not happen because the people dominating the political process mostly have a second nationality, Judge Munir Haddad, a former deputy president of the Supreme Criminal Court, told Al-Monitor.

Haddad added, The law that was in place under the last regime removed Iraqi citizenship from anyone who gained another nationality, while the law on Iraqi nationality that was brought in after 2003 allowed for dual nationality as most of the people who took power had gained citizenship of other countries during their time in exile, even though the constitution banned people with dual nationality from senior positions.

The bill, which has been stuck in parliament for two years, lays out 14 categories of officials who may not keep their second nationality and their position at the same time. Article 2 defines the phrase high-ranking sovereign and security positions mentioned in the Iraqi Constitution: the speaker and two deputy speakers of parliament, the president and deputy presidents of the republic, the prime minister and other ministers, the governor of the Central Bank, the president and members of the Supreme Judicial Council, ambassadors, provincial governors and heads of provincial council and board directors, along with senior members of the army and internal security services, security apparatus and the intelligence services.

Many fear that holding dual nationality will continue to allow officials involved in corruption to escape the Iraqi justice system.

Salim Shawqi, a member of the parliamentary Legal Committee, told Al-Monitor, This law represents a judicial need rather than an administrative or organizational need, because any official can renounce their Iraqi citizenship if they are suspected of a crime, but keep and take protection from their foreign citizenship.

A law on acquired citizenship was last proposed in the Iraqi parliament in October 2016. There is no indication it will pass anytime soon, Ibtisam al-Hilali, another member of the Legal Committee, told Al-Monitor.

The current session of parliament will not pass a law on dual citizenship due to the lack of genuine will to see it passed, as is the case with the law on the federal parliament, she said. The heads of the blocs in parliament do not want to see the law on acquired citizenship pass because most of them would be harmed by it. There is a desire to pass the law on to the next parliament.

She added, Talk of the possibility of passing it and putting a time limit for its implementation after the current term in order to soften resistance to it is also not realistic. The parliaments internal system stipulates that any law that passes comes into effect as soon as it is published on the statute books.
September 11, 2017

CAIRO  The ongoing cooperation between Egypt and North Korea under Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has led Washington to reiterate calls on Egypt to freeze such ties. This comes amid leaks that the US State Department's suspension of military aid to the Egyptian government was not linked to Egypts human rights record as stated, but to these specific ties, especially at the military level, as Pyongyang failed to respond to US pressure not to conduct a long-range missile test. On Aug. 23, the United States suspended $195 million in military aid to Cairo and delayed an additional $95.7 million.

The White House said in a July 5 statement that US President Donald Trump called his Egyptian counterpart. According to the statement, Trump stressed the threat from North Korea and the need for all countries to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea, stop hosting North Korean guest workers and stop providing economic or military benefits to the country.

The relationship between North Korea and Egypt was confirmed in a report issued by the United Nations on Feb. 23, 2015, whereby the North Korean Ocean Maritime Management Company (OMM) played a key role in arranging the illicit shipment of concealed arms through individuals and entities based in Egypt and other countries.

The UN report said that OMM representatives were embedded in a company (Sunlight Agency) in Port Said at least until 2011.

The State Information Service (SIS), an official government body affiliated with the presidency, describes on its official website Egypt's relations with North Korea as historic, and pointed out that the two countries are tied by around 20 economic, security, media, technology and cultural agreements, among others.

The SIS website states, The volume of the Egyptian Orascom Group's direct investments in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has exceeded half a billion dollars, which puts Egyptian investments at the top of the pyramid of foreign investments in Korea.

Also, Sisi had invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in May 2015 to attend the opening ceremony of the new Suez Canal. The invitation was welcomed by his Korean counterpart, who sent the president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, Kim Yong-nam, to attend the ceremony on Aug. 5, 2015.

Relations with Egypt will develop under Sisi, North Korea's military attache at the Korean Embassy in Cairo, Ju Haq Shul, said April 23 on the 85th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean army. He said that he is certain the development will also include the relationship between the Egyptian and North Korean armies.

Egypt is one of three Arab countries (in addition to Syria and Palestine) that still have an operating embassy in Pyongyang. It is also one of only five Arab countries to host a North Korean Embassy on its territory, the other countries being Syria, Algeria, Kuwait and Libya.

While a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in January 2016 condemned North Korea's missile test, a spokesman for the ministry described in a TV interview on Jan. 7, 2016, the relationship between the two countries as strong and stable. He said that Egypts criticism of North Koreas missile test stems from its membership in the Security Council and its role in limiting the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Egypt reiterated its condemnation of North Korea's nuclear test in a statement issued on Sept. 5 and expressed its deep concern over North Korea's noncompliance with the relevant Security Council resolutions and its new nuclear test, which poses a threat to regional security in East Asia.

Former Assistant Foreign Minister Gamal Bayoumi told Al-Monitor that the condemnation issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry is merely aimed at proving Egypt's position on the principle of nuclear proliferation as a member of the Security Council. He stressed that the strength of relations between Egypt and North Korea will not prompt Cairo to cut off relations with the Korean side nor reduce its diplomatic missions despite US pressure, as cooperation exists between the two countries.

Asked about the US calls on Cairo to freeze its relations with North Korea, Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid told Al-Monitor, Egypt is managing its relations with foreign countries based on its own interests and priorities without taking into account any pressures that may hinder the independence of its national decision.

Abu Zeid declined to comment on reports establishing a link between the Washington aid freeze and Cairo's relationship with North Korea, and said, I cannot comment on unreliable press reports that are neither confirmed nor official.

Asked about the future of the relations between the United States and Egypt, amid the current tensions and the recent volume of military and economic cooperation, Abu Zeid provided no answer.

US expert Mohamed Elmenshawy, a former researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Al-Monitor from Washington, In the event that Washington placed intense pressure on Cairo, the latter would not risk its military relations with the United States because of its ties with North Korea.

If Washington provided evidence of the depth of military cooperation between Egypt and North Korea  as some US sources said  then Cairo would succumb. But if Washington followed light diplomatic routes, then Cairo would not defer to its will and would try to maintain its military ties with the two adversaries, North Korea and the United States, he added.

The Egyptian authorities are maintaining their relations with North Korea in order to use them as a pressure card on the United States in light of the tension between the United States and Egypt. Cairo would also preserve its ties with Pyongyang, since they constitute a key determinant of Egypts national security in light of the historical and military relations between Egypt and North Korea that are characterized by their secrecy.
September 11, 2017

Turkeys spy chief, Hakan Fidan, is planning to travel to the Iraqi Kurdish capital Erbil this week, part of a mission to push for the release of Turkish operatives who are being held by Kurdish militants and presumably also to seek to delay a referendum on Iraqi Kurdish independence, local officials speaking on strict condition of anonymity told Al-Monitor. They declined to elaborate, and a spokesman for Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) did not return Al-Monitors calls for comment.

If the reports are accurate, Fidan faces an uphill struggle on both counts. Officials from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have assured Turkey that the two operatives, both Turkish nationals who were reportedly captured by rebels with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), would be released this month.

Mustafa Karasu, a veteran PKK commander, claimed last week in a radio interview that his organization had not just two high-ranking Turkish intelligence agents in its custody, but 18 other Turkish officials as well. He offered no clues as to if and when they might be freed. Karasu earlier claimed that the Turkish nationals carried diplomatic passports and were responsible for running a network of spies keeping tabs on the PKK.

The PUK governs Sulaimaniyah province, where the sting operation, described in groundbreaking detail by Al-Monitors Fazel Hawramy, allegedly took place. The Turks were said to have traveled from Ankara and were nabbed as they were meeting with their contacts within the PKK.

The PUK has come under heavy fire from Ankara for its lax attitude toward the PKK. Bahroz Galali, the PUKs veteran representative in Ankara, was sent packing on Aug. 23 over his failure to secure the operatives release. The Turkish government still has not commented on the affair.

The only person with the clout to arrange for the operatives freedom is the PKK's imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan. But he has remained incommunicado since April 2015, when the latest round of peace talks with the government collapsed. One of his main interlocutors was Fidan, who is also counted among Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans most loyal lieutenants.

Barring the rare family member, Ocalan has not been permitted visitors since. Its conceivable that Fidan has sought Ocalans intervention to rescue his men, but it's impossible to know.

The PKK is based in the Qandil Mountains straddling the Iraq-Iran border from whence it oversees its bloody campaign for self-rule inside Turkey. Turkey sporadically rains bombs on the area but to little effect. The government is believed to have revived plans to assassinate high value PKK targets such as Cemil Bayik, its top-ranking leader in the field.

An Iraqi Kurdish official speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject speculated that the PKK would likely hold on to the Turkish intelligence officers as insurance against any further attacks against its headquarters in Qandil. The official said the rebels might also see them as a bargaining chip, discouraging Turkey from moving against its Syrian Kurdish allies, the Peoples Protection Units, which Turkey labels terrorists as well.

Meanwhile, despite intensified pressure from the United States, Iran and Baghdad, Massoud Barzani, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, remains adamant that the referendum on independence will take place on Sept. 25 as scheduled. Turkey has made rude noises about the referendum but has not used any of the levers at its disposal, most crucially the oil spigot and the Habur border crossing, to stop it.

In a critical boost, the PUK agreed to reactivate the parliament on Sept. 14 to pass a law approving the referendum. The body has remained frozen since 2015 because of the opposition Gorran movement's objections to the extension of Barzanis presidency, which expired that year. Gorran, whose members were barred from Erbil, has yet to decide whether it will participate in the session. Gorran officials are set to meet with the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the PUK tomorrow for further discussion.
September 11, 2017

The battle on the Iraq-Syria border, near Tanf, on Aug. 6 was fierce. In brutal fighting, jihadis had killed everyone except for a young Iranian man. Mohsen Hojaji, a fighter from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), was apprehended and marched across the battlefield with death pervading the air and smoke billowing all around him. With penetrating eyes, Hojaji showed no hint of fear. Shortly afterward, his severed head was placed on his abdomen, with three children  one looking barely 5 years old  stepping on his decapitated body and his head.

For almost six years, Iranian hard-liners promoting military intervention in Syria were desperately looking for a story like Hojajis. Their argument was that shoring up the defenses of their long-term ally  Syrian President Bashar al-Assad  would make Iran more secure. As such, Hojajis death was a gift from God to Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the shrewd and Machiavellian strategist in charge of the deployment of thousands of volunteers from across the Shiite world to Syria. "In order to glorify the significance of an issue, sometimes God creates an incident, said Soleimani, nicknamed the Living Martyr in Iran. "Martyr Hojaji was for the glorification of the sacrifices of defending the [holy Shiite] shrines." Those who volunteer to fight in Syria have long been named defenders of the shrine in Iranian state discourse, referring to the Shiite shrine of Zeinab in southern Damascus.

Soleimani, a veteran of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, knew the propaganda power of stories such as Hojajis in rallying the Iranian public and silencing the critics of the Islamic Republic's adventure in Syria. To have maximum impact, Hojajis beheading was embellished with Shiite iconography of the battle of Karbala in 680 in which Prophet Muhammads grandson Hussein ibn Ali, the third Shiite imam, was beheaded by the soldiers of an Umayyad caliph. In one such depiction, Hojaji is seen walking toward a headless man in white, presumably Hussein ibn Ali.

In power since 1979, Iranian leaders have realized that in order for their nascent Shiite republic to survive in a hostile, Sunni-dominated Middle East, they need strong propaganda tools that appeal directly to the emotions of the Shiite population at home. One such story is that of 13-year-old Hossein Fahmideh, who went to the front line to fight the invading Iraqi army in 1983. On the southern front, near the city of Khorramshahr where Iranians were struggling against the tide of Iraqi attacks, Fahmideh is said to have strapped several grenades around his body and blown himself up under an advancing Iraqi tank, thereby stopping the attack. Murals of Fahmideh appeared all over Iran. His story was turned into films and even included in the national curriculum. Generations of Iranians were brought up learning about Fahmidehs sacrifice, inciting thousands of other children who flocked to the front line and were used by IRGC commanders in human wave attacks to stop Iraqi army advances. The war with Iraq was labeled the "Holy Defense."

But the grueling war with Iraq also taught the leadership in Tehran that it also needs regional allies to survive. As such, Iran established strong alliances with secular, Marxist-Leninist, Sunni fundamentalists and Shiite insurgent groups that survive to this day across the region. In the 1980s, when the whole Arab world and the West appeared to be colluding with the Saddam Hussein regime against Iran, the secular regime in Syria stood side by side with the clerics in Tehran. So when the Syrian regime faced an existential threat in late 2011, Iran did not hesitate to deploy its might to defend the Assad dynasty. But despite the deaths of hundreds of Iranian fighters in Syria, it took the beheading of Hojaji for an emotional cord to be struck with the public back in Iran.

Hojaji's death, like that of Fahmideh in 1983, appears to have had a similar electrifying effect on a large section of Iranian society  including the Reformist camp, which until recently was critical of Soleimanis adventure in Syria. Murals of Hojaji have appeared across Iran, and a massive IRGC-led campaign has been initiated to elevate the martyrdom of Hojaji to that of Fahmideh and Hussein ibn Ali. The new generation of volunteers flocking to Syria are indistinguishable from their predecessors in the 1980s. Their commanders are none other than the IRGC veterans of the Iran-Iraq War.

"The martyrdom of Martyr Hojaji for me is reminiscent of the eight years of Holy Defense," said Mahdi Rashidzadeh, the man in charge of Hojaji's mourning procession in Tehran who believes that Iranian culture is rooted in the Battle of Karbala. "For this reason, our beloved people have managed to  relate to this martyr [Hojaji] and this kind of martyrdom and have created a movement of national unity."

To achieve this status for Hojaji, Soleimani did not shy away from backing a deal with the Islamic State (IS) to return Hojaji's body and also the bodies of several Lebanese soldiers in return for allowing the transfer of several hundred militants from Syrias border with Lebanon to the Iraqi frontier.

As the US military has seemingly attempted to sabotage the IRGC-backed deal with IS, there is unprecedented preparation in Tehran for a long procession for Hojaji. Stories such as those of Fahmideh and Hojaji are often ignored outside Iran, and in particular in the West. But it is stories such as these that move the Iranian public and motivate its leaders, strengthening the sense of being under siege by hostile forces around the world.
September 11, 2017

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have called for cooperation in offering aid to Rohingya Muslims living in Myanmar.

The two presidents, speaking along the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit on science and technology in Astana, Kazakhstan, over the weekend, stressed the importance of taking action to put an end to the violence against the Rohingya. Rouhani said in Astana that the plight of the Rohingya, along with other situations in the Muslim world, including Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Palestine, showed the need for unity.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya crossed through their country's border with Bangladesh after Myanmars army attacked their villages in Rakhine state. Myanmars army said its posts were attacked first by militants. Some of the Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh reported tales of atrocities by the army against civilians.

Rouhani said, Irans humanitarian aid for the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar will soon be shipped.

Upon arriving in Tehran, Rouhani told reporters, Although there was not much time for discussions, all the countries in attendance at the meeting agreed on the necessity of helping the displaced and applying pressure on Myanmars government to suspend the genocide.

While Rouhanis comments about Iranian and Turkish actions to provide aid to Rohingya Muslims were what made headlines in Iranian newspapers, the two presidents also discussed a wide range of other issues. Rouhani suggested that a new phase of bilateral relations between the two countries has begun, especially in trade, security and defense. Rouhani said he and Erdogan also discussed Erdogans upcoming trip to Tehran, working together with Russia over the issues of Syria and the referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Much like in the rest of the world, the plight of Rohingya Muslims has received a great deal of media attention in Iran in recent weeks. Iranian students protested in front of the UN office in Tehran. They also submitted a sheet of signatures as a symbol of their protest.

The conservative Popular Front of Islamic Revolution Forces group signed an open statement condemning the violence against the Rohingya. The statement asked the Rouhani administration to apply diplomatic pressure not only on Myanmars government but governments who adhere to American and European human rights, a backhanded term meant to highlight double standards in how human rights are publicized. The statement said that if genocide against Muslims is not condemned, this would expedite future genocides against Muslims. The statement also said that there was a link between the anti-Muslim policies of the United States and Israel. However, the United States and the United Nations have condemned the Myanmar government's actions against the Rohingya. Israel has come under tremendous criticism because it provides weaponry to Myanmar's military; the United States, in contrast, has long had an arms embargo against the Myanmar regime.

A number of Iranian student groups also signed an open statement. The statement read that the double standards of the United Nations Security Council with regard to Myanmar will result in the weakening of status of the Security Council and the United Nations among Muslims. The statement also asked that the president and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif address this issue with nonaligned nations. The statement also criticized that the genocide is taking place in a country led by a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, saying this shows the emptiness of the human rights campaigns by the West. Aung San Suu Kyi, the nations state counselor and de facto leader, won the prize in 1991. The army still retains much control of the country.
September 8, 2017

Israels founding father David Ben-Gurion once told Shimon Peres that when it comes to war and peace, a leader has to decide either to make peace and pay the price or make war and pay its price. The price of peace is lower. In the long run, there is no middle ground. Gradually, this is the conclusion that the Palestinian leadership is coming to today.

A senior PLO security official close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the Palestinian president prefers, for the time being, to hold the middle ground  no peace, no war. But he is beginning to comprehend that sooner rather than later he will have to choose; otherwise, others will decide for him.

The official said that according to his sources in Hamas, several meetings took place in recent weeks between Hamas and Hezbollah. The meetings were designed to plan a vast campaign against Israel, inspired by Iran. The way the PLO official sees it, Iran aspires to stir turmoil in the region as a response to what it perceives as US provocation against the nuclear deal, and to the coalition established by President Donald Trump and Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud with Egypt, Jordan and other Arab and Muslim countries.

The PLO official does not rule out a combined attack by Hezbollah against Israel from both Lebanon and Syria, either by the end of 2017 or by the beginning of 2018. Asked what would be the position of the Fatah leadership in this case, he answered categorically, We are not interested in such a development; Abbas is a man of peace. But under such circumstances and given the total diplomatic stalemate, we would join the battle in a fight for Palestinian independence and East Jerusalem as our capital. Al-Aqsa and the Israeli occupation would be a joint motto of such a violent deterioration.

Making a point of warning against this, rather than threatening, the PLO official said there was still time to advance on the diplomatic path in a way that could prevent such a cycle of violence. He added that the Palestinian Authority could play a constructive role in attempting to prevent such a deterioration, in cooperation with Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Yet according to him, a dramatic breakthrough on the diplomatic front in relation to a two-state solution is essential in order to stop any deterioration.

The Palestinian leadership had asked the Trump administration to declare publicly its support of the two-state solution, to recognize the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative as a basis for peace negotiations with Israel, to call on Israel to freeze any settlement expansion, and to convene a summit that will launch negotiations for a two-state solution. This should happen before its too late, he argued. The official implied that in the case of a deterioration, Fatah leadership would enter a Palestinian national unity government with Hamas.

A senior US diplomat in Tel Aviv told Al-Monitor that the Trump administration will continue to pursue its efforts to bring about negotiations on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, but not in relation to any Arab threats or the evolving Iranian situation. Trump will take strong measures in order to deter Iran from realizing its terroristic ambitions and the arming of Hezbollah with sophisticated missiles, he emphasized.

A senior Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs official told Al-Monitor that Israel has raised its concerns about Iran and its allies ambitions in the region in the strongest possible terms both with the Trump administration and with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Having said that, the Israeli diplomat completely rebutted the Palestinian position that a two-state process would prevent a violent deterioration.

Yet one has to take the warnings of the senior PLO official seriously. In the Middle East, there is rarely a situation of no peace and no war. The vacuum will be filled, and war could, in the not too distant future, again become part of the regions vocabulary.
September 11, 2017

The UN General Assembly will convene on Sept. 19, and the Palestinians have less than two weeks to formulate the tone of President Mahmoud Abbas speech, to be delivered Sept. 20. The speech has been piquing interest, not only because it might be the last UN speech of the Palestinian leader, who will be 83 years old next year, but also because of the possibility that he will declare a divorce from US President Donald Trump's administration despite the heavy price such a move appears to entail.

The Palestinians are disappointed in Trump, his special envoy Jason Greenblatt and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner. At times during the last few months, it seemed to the Palestinians that the Americans might surprise them and pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into a diplomatic process, but no longer. After we talked in circles together, weve realized that [good] wont come from them, a senior Palestinian official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. Now the moment of truth has arrived.

According to the source, the Palestinians discovered from a Sept. 6 Haaretz report that Trump, indeed, intends to meet with Abbas in New York. It remains unclear whether Trump is planning on a one-on-one or a three-way meeting that includes Netanyahu. In any case, Abbas has already made his decision, and he plans an assertive speech, which, according to the source, will reveal the real face of Netanyahu.

Netanyahu is a peace rejectionist, so theres no way of advancing the diplomatic process toward a permanent arrangement with the Israelis. This is what, according to the source, Abbas intends to say to the assembled representatives, even though it is clear to him and senior Palestinian officials that such a dramatic statement would bring an end to the honeymoon period with the Trump administration.

Abbas has already made his decision, and he plans an assertive speech, which, according to the source, will reveal the real face of Netanyahu.

The Palestinians never actually had a real honeymoon with Trump, although after his inauguration the Palestinians succeeded in blocking several measures planned by the new president that they saw as anti-Palestinian. This, in addition to the (ultimately incorrect) assessment that Trump was determined to force Netanyahu to make diplomatic advances, created a false impression of friendly relations among the various sides. Diplomatic efforts and brainstorming by the Palestinians have yielded nothing. Trump and his emissaries never said explicitly that a diplomatic arrangement with Israel would be based on the principle of two states for two peoples, and for several months, Trumps emissaries have come to Ramallah for talks that cannot even be described as feelers, according to the Palestinian source.

Mahmoud Abbas has little time left [for governing], the Palestinian source said. We now have to decide whats next. According to him, the Palestinian president's speech will call on member states to rally behind a diplomatic campaign that he plans to renew with full force to establish a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, because, he said, We will never achieve that in negotiations with Netanyahu.

A hint of this emerging Palestinian line can be seen in the conduct of Riyad Mansour, Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, when the Palestinian Rights Committee adopted its annual report in advance of presenting it to the General Assembly. Mansour is pushing the Security Council and General Assembly to take a constructive role in fulfilling the various UN decisions on the Palestinian-Israeli front, especially regarding the illegality of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories conquered since 1967, as the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War approaches, in October.

Abbas  who promised the Americans that he would halt all moves to appeal to UN institutions  also plans to announce that he is considering renewing applications for Palestine to be accepted as a member of more than 20 international organizations, including an application to the International Court of Justice at the Hague. According to the Palestinian source, a fierce debate is bound to take place among the Palestinians until the last moment concerning whether Abbas should use the word considering or announce definitively that he has made the decision. Hussam Zumlut, the Palestinian ambassador in Washington, and Mansour are advocating maintaining an escape hatch and not angering the Americans too much.

It is clear to the Palestinians that if Abbas takes a hard-line stance at the United Nations, it will lead to an open conflict with Trump that could close the door on the American channel, thus relinquishing US economic assistance (which even now is uncertain, given debate around the Taylor Force Act to limit support to the Palestinian Authority because of its aid to the families of Palestinians who have killed Israelis). Abbas wants, in one way or another, to recruit European nations to his struggle. Having viewed Trumps conduct from the sidelines, they understand that they must take the diplomatic initiative.

After Abbas halted security coordination with Israel following violence on the Temple Mount in July, Israel canceled civilian cooperation with the Palestinians. Security coordination was restarted without an official announcement, although senior officers from both sides have not met at this stage. The cancellation of civilian cooperation is also only for show. Thus, the Israeli response will be interesting when Abbas stands at the podium at the UN General Assembly gathering and declares what Israel too believes he will say: Enough. Were sick of it. My diplomatic offensive starts now.
September 6, 2017

The smell of roasted almonds, pistachios and peanuts fills the air on one of the streets off the main square in Gaza City. Al-Fawakheir Street is known for its old shops, where traditional handcrafts such as pottery are still practiced in shops with clay ovens, gas cookers and old furniture.

The source of the smell is a confectionery factory that makes rahat lokum  or rahat al-hulqum in Turkish  which is translated as "the ease of the throat. The sweet is referred to as lokum or halkoum," better known in English as Turkish delight.

Even though the confectionery machines of the factory are old, it is the main lokum supplier in the Gaza Strip, particularly at times when the demand for the sweets made of sugar, starch and nuts increases before Islamic and Christian holidays, as well as large weddings and family events. Lokum, offered with coffee, is a gesture of hospitality toward visitors.

Mohammed Sawan, the owner of the lokum confectionery factory, told Al-Monitor that his factory is over a hundred years old. Back in 1870, the factory was opened by the Sawan family in the city of Jaffa, which is historically known for exporting this type of candy throughout the region, from the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon in Syria to northern Sinai, he said.

Sawan said he moved his factory from Jaffa to Gaza City after the Arab-Israeli war and the occupation of Palestine in 1948, adding, All of the factorys equipment and all of the tools  which are still in use today to produce lokum  were brought here. The move made no difference in the taste of our lokum, as we trained the new workers in the exact skills of making it in the traditional way.

There are many theories on the origins of lokum. Some historians trace its roots to the Persian court, while others claim it was first made in Istanbul to bring some sweetness to the sultans tables. In any case, it came to the Middle East through the Ottoman Empire, more or less at the same time that the Ottomans started building the first railways to their eastern provinces. Many gastronomy historians believe that Egypt was the first Arab country to learn the skill of making lokum from the Ottomans. The mix of flour, sweets and nuts then made its way to Palestine, and the Palestinians started exporting it to neighboring countries. Subsequently, lokum was produced in the Hauran region of Syria.

Sawan claims his factory is the oldest of its kind in the Arab world, and that the basic equipment has not changed for over a century. The factory is run by the Sawan family, and the skills have been passed on from one generation to the next.

Mohamed Ramadan, who has worked in the factory for 34 years, told Al-Monitor how lokum is made. Boiling water is mixed with sugar and citric acid in large pots and the mixture is stirred until the sugar is dissolved," he said. "Starch  the main ingredient  is then added to the mix. The final mix is poured into separate smaller pots of different shapes and sizes, each containing different types of nuts such as pistachios, peanuts or almonds. Then we add different flavors such as rose water, strawberries or oranges.

In addition to lokum, other types of sweets are made in the factory, such as dragees, honey confection (asaliya), Malban (Lebanese sweets), pistachio and coconut bars, Persian nougat, sesame seed candy and colored licorice.

These are all made in the same way as lokum, but after boiling the water and sugar different ingredients are added and the cooking method differs.

Ramadan explained that the deterioration of the economic situation in the country and the closure of crossings and borders, in addition to the acute electricity crisis, has prevented the export of lokum to the cities of the West Bank, such as Jerusalem, Hebron and Ramallah, as well as to northern Sinai since the mid-1990s. He added, This has curtailed the production of lokum. This sweet, however, is still sold in large quantities in shops and market stands in the Gaza Strip on the occasion of various national, Islamic and Christian festivities."

Mohammad al-Azab, one of the most famous lokum traders in al-Zawiya market  the oldest in Gaza City  told Al-Monitor, The demand for halkoum rises during winter and holidays. Some people call it the winter sweet. In the summer the turnout of customers is very low, except during some holidays or festivities when 70% of the confectionery we sell are the various types of lokum.

Lokum is also used as stuffing in cookies. Pastry chef Fayza Abu Obeid told Al-Monitor that she makes two types of stuffed cookies: with date paste or halkoum paste. She also uses these two stuffings when making mamoul (a semolina cookie filled with dates, pistachios or walnuts), croissants and the Omani sweets called Omania. Add to this a cup of coffee and a strong feeling of hospitality.
September 11, 2017

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas flew to the Turkish capital Ankara for an Aug. 28 meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas.

The Turkish-Palestinian summit is particularly important, as Egypt, which was commissioned by the Arab League to be the exclusive sponsor of the Palestinian reconciliation, has been failing in its role.

A senior official from the Palestinian Authority (PA) told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the meeting followed a suggestion by Abbas himself.

The source noted that Abbas may be steering away from Egypt in light of Fatahs increasing tension with Egypt following Egypts economic concessions to Hamas in Gaza. Abbas had taken a series of measures against Gaza, such as reducing the fuel supply to the power plant and freezing money transfers into Gaza, to push Hamas toward reconciliation.

The PA source explained that Abbas and Erdogan agreed that the latter would form a Turkish committee to meet with leaders from both Hamas and Fatah separately. The committee would also work to resolve the differences that prevented the implementation of previous reconciliation agreements between Fatah and Hamas.

Several agreements have been signed between Hamas and Fatah to end the division, notably the Cairo Agreement in 2011, the Doha Agreement in 2012 and the Refugee Beach Camp Agreement in 2014. However, major disagreements have prevented the implementation of the agreed-upon terms regarding important issues. Hamas refused to hand over the management of Gazas border crossings to the PA, while the Ramallah government refused to disburse the salaries of Hamas' employees. Most recently, Hamas formed an administrative committee to run the affairs of Gaza on March 23, replacing the government of national consensus.

Amin Makboul, a Fatah leader and former adviser to Abbas, told Al-Monitor that the Turkish role could lead to a major breakthrough in the reconciliation process.

According to Makboul, Abbas told Erdogan that Hamas should declare the dissolution of its administrative committee in Gaza and enable the government of national consensus to operate and eventually hold Palestinian elections. Erdogan has reiterated his efforts to end the Palestinian division and will continue to do so until all the differences between the concerned parties are resolved, Makboul added.

He continued, The formation of Hamas administrative committee as an alternative to the government of national consensus eliminated all hopes of reaching a genuine reconciliation, so Abbas worked to push Hamas to dissolve its committee by imposing punitive measures. But Egypts defiance of these measures contravenes the PAs actions.

Makboul explained that Abbas sees Turkey as an intermediary that can pressure Hamas to clear the obstacles it created, given the close relationship between the two.

He explained that Turkeys role will not involve Ankara launching a new initiative, saying, It is an attempt to resolve the differences on reconciliation based on the 2011 Cairo Agreement, and no other mediator can take Egypt's place as an essential party in reconciliation.

While Makboul stressed that Turkeys role will not be a substitute for Egyptian sponsorship, he noted, Egypt's action against the PAs policies toward Gaza delays Palestinian reconciliation instead of moving it forward.

Hamas leader Yahya Moussa welcomed the Turkish move. He told Al-Monitor, Turkey can contribute greatly to bringing Hamas and Fatah closer together. Hamas is fully prepared to be cooperative with Turkey's role. But Moussa said Hamas has lost faith in Abbas and is worried that Abbas' request for Turkey to intervene is a political tactic to counter the understandings Hamas reached with dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan in Cairo.

In any event, we hope Abbas' intentions will be sincere, but at the outset he must take back all punitive measures he imposed on Gaza as a gesture of goodwill, he said.

Moussa ruled out the possibility of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas political bureau, visiting Turkey anytime soon to discuss reconciliation, noting that the Hamas leaders residing in Turkey will represent the movement in coordinating with Turkish parties.

Asked whether the relationship between Hamas and Dahlan will be negatively affected by the move, Moussa said, We are open to dealing with all Palestinians, and reconciliation cannot affect our relationship with any party.

Mustafa al-Sawaf, a political analyst and former editor-in-chief for the Hamas-affiliated Felesteen newspaper, told Al-Monitor, Turkey has strong credentials and attributes that make it an appropriate mediator to end the Palestinian division. It has a good relationship with both sides of the division and an influential relationship with Israel  which tries to thwart any attempt to complete Palestinian reconciliation  as well as a good regional presence.

However, Sawaf also stressed that Turkey cannot take on Egypt's role in the reconciliation. The Turkish role will be supplementary to the Egyptian role, and I think Hamas and Fatah understand this very well, he noted.

Meanwhile, Talal Okal, a professor of political science at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, told Al-Monitor that Abbas is turning toward Turkey with the aim of pulling the rug from under the feet of Hamas and Dahlan and to undermine the understandings they reached under the auspices of Cairo. Abbas move represents an attempt to undermine Egypt and the UAE's opening up toward Gaza, which came within the framework of preparing for Dahlans return to the strip, he added.

Okal downplayed the impact of the reconciliation process on the Hamas-Dahlan rapprochement, saying, I think that the main option for Hamas is Dahlan, not reconciliation with Abbas, because Hamas does not trust Abbas, who continues to impose punitive measures on Gaza.

He stressed that Egypt has not abandoned its sponsorship of the reconciliation. "But it was not pleased with Abbas actions against Gaza either. This is why it is trying to use the economic concessions it made to the Strip to pressure Abbas to put an end to his sanctions.

Palestinians hope the Turkish role will lead to real results and an end to this dark period that has persisted since 2007. However, Okal believes that Abbas' punitive actions against Gaza and Hamas failure to dissolve its administrative committee in Gaza will make Turkey's job exceedingly difficult.
September 11, 2017

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey  Iraqi Kurdistan is gripped by excitement ahead of the Sept. 25 independence referendum. The sense of hopeful anticipation, however, is not limited to Iraqi Kurds. Their cousins in neighboring Turkey  reeling from Ankaras heaviest crackdown in years  are watching the process with an equal excitement, hoping that a vote for independence will boost the standing of Kurds across the region. And some are not only watching. Kurdish groups on good terms with Massoud Barzanis Kurdistan Regional Government have joined forces to promote the referendum, striving to allay deep-rooted Turkish apprehension and hostility toward Kurdish independence.

The Initiative for Support of the Independence Referendum includes small Kurdish movements such as the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), the Turkey Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Azadi Movement, the North Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Freedom and Socialism Party and the Kurdistan Socialist Party (PSK) as well as seven independent figures. Turkeys main Kurdish political movement, the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP)  whose leaders are languishing in jail  is not part of the initiative.

Since its creation in mid-July, the platform has met with Turkish opposition figures and nongovernmental groups, but its bids for meetings with government representatives have so far failed.

The platform is seeking contacts with the United States and European countries as the referendum has received little international support. We got appointments from the European Union and American embassies, Vahit Aba, a PAK activist on the platform, told Al-Monitor. We will explain to them why we back the referendum, that they should respect the outcome because every nation has the right to self-determination, that this is in line with international law, that our brothers in the south have that right, too, and that this should be recognized internationally.

Aba argued that the eventual emergence of a Kurdish state would stimulate democratic progress across the region. Iraqi Kurdistan is already a place with five official languages, where all religious minorities are represented at the religious affairs administration, he said. Its independence would impact surrounding regions as well. Democratic demands would rise in the neighborhood [and] all neighboring states would be compelled to democratize.

Aba said the platform has met with representatives of Turkeys main opposition Republican Peoples Party, but that the platform's requests for meetings with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) have remained unanswered. We met with the main opposition. They listened to us and we conveyed our views, he said. The government has deliberately chosen to stay away and not get involved in this. We have received no reply from the presidency and no AKP body has agreed to meet with us.

The platform has also distributed leaflets printed in Turkish, Kurdish and Zazaki, and sent letters to all Kurdish lawmakers in Turkeys parliament, regardless of their parties, requesting support for the referendum, said Hasan Dagtekin, a PSK activist with the platform.

Their meetings with civic groups have been largely positive, Dagtekin said, stressing that Turkey should not align with Iran in opposing the referendum. We have not met with the government  but we hope they will not reach an agreement with Iran to stand against. Turkey should not act like Iran, he said. Our objective is [to convince] Turkeys public and political quarters to not do that.

Given Turkeys ongoing state of emergency that has severely stifled political activism, especially on the Kurdish scene, the platforms ability to continue its efforts seems quite remarkable.

Ankara, which has enjoyed close ties with Barzani, has voiced opposition to the referendum but has done nothing concrete to prevent it. During a visit to Erbil last month, Turkeys foreign minister asked Barzani to cancel the referendum but made no suggestion at all of sealing the border, revisiting trade or suspending money transfers to Erbil, a senior Iraqi Kurdish official told Al-Monitors Amberin Zaman.

When it comes to the platforms activities, the Turkish authorities are mostly looking the other way, according to Sidki Zilan, who represents the Azadi Movement on the platform. We asked for official permissions on several occasions and got obstructed. There is a de facto situation at present. They are like We dont see you, Zilan told Al-Monitor. He suggested that the AKP, which has enjoyed solid support from conservative Kurds over the years, seemed wary of further antagonizing the Kurdish community ahead of Turkeys crucial presidential election in 2019. They have the election on their mind because the Kurdish vote is decisive," he said.

The platform is planning to hold a rally in Iraqi Kurdistan on Sept. 24, a day before the referendum.

The HDP has also lent support to the Iraqi Kurds. In a message from prison this week, HDP leader Selahattin Demirtas said, We stand by our brothers, no matter what the outcome of the referendum will be.

The HDPs sister party, however, has raised objections. The Democratic Regions Party, which focuses on local politics, said Sept. 10 that the referendum was an attempt to choke the Kurdish demand for freedom and status with a tiny nation-statelet. According to the statement, artificial borders have divided the Kurds for centuries, and it is important to convene a national congress and work for national unity, which it described as the only winning road map for Kurds amid the crisis in the Middle East.

The Rights and Freedoms Party, another Kurdish party that is not part of the platform but nonetheless supports the referendum, argues that Turkey should be the first country to recognize the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan, stressing the potential of significant economic benefits. Turkey should recognize Kurdistans independence before anyone else, which would ensure peace and stability in Turkey as well. Twenty-five million Kurds live in Turkey, and Turkey should take their sensitivities into account, party chair Refik Karakoc said at a Sept. 9 gathering in Diyarbakir. Kurdistan is also one of Turkeys largest trade areas. Meeting Turkeys oil and gas needs from Kurdistan would be much cheaper. An independent Kurdistan will benefit Turkey both politically and economically.

Turkeys Kurds have had a rough patch in the past two years, marked by devastating clashes between militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the security forces and then the heavy-handed emergency rule. The referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan has emerged as a glimmer of hope, as many seem to believe that Kurdish statehood across the border would positively affect the standing of all Kurds in the region. Even sympathizers of the PKK, which has had tense relations with the Barzani administration, are supportive of the referendum. As one of them told Al-Monitor, What matters is that the Kurds have a state  no matter how.
The potential for severe weather in Birmingham later today and overnight has city officials preparing to offer shelter to those in need and to better respond to any possible emergencies.

As of 8 a.m. Monday, the city's SWIFT alert - Snow, Wind, Ice, Fire, Tornado - was activated. The plan calls for officers and other first responders to stay late, come in early, and make sure all critical positions are covered. The Jefferson County EMA opened its Emergency Operations Center in the basement of City Hall, where representatives from all concerned agencies including police, fire and streets and sanitation gather, monitor, and coordinate response.

"We are ready,'' said Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Chief Charles Gordon.

Birmingham Mayor William Bell and other city officials held a morning brief at the EMA command center. "The governor declared a state of emergency and we have been in preparations to deal with any problems created by the storm,'' he said.

At 11 a.m., the city's "safe rooms" or tornado shelters in western Birmingham are set to open. Boutwell Auditorium will open at 2 p.m. for anyone who needs shelter.

As part of the city's SWIFT plan, BFRS has strategically placed equipment - such as boats and extrication tools - across the city. Both the police and fire departments have extra personnel on standby if needed.

Birmingham Municipal Court is closed Monday and Tuesday, and Birmingham City Hall is set to close at 11 a.m.

Jefferson County EMA Director Jim Coker said the biggest threat for the Birmingham area is flooding and downed trees. The most recent National Weather Service information says winds could be sustained at 30 to 40 mph and gusts as high as 55 mph in the warning area in central Alabama.

Birmingham could see sustained wind speeds at between 25 to 35 mph and anywhere from one to three inches of rain.

Forecasters said isolated tree and power line damage will be possible, generally along and east of a line from Oneonta to Sylacauga to Montgomery to Troy. The places not under a tropical storm warning have wind advisories in place starting at noon today. Winds in the advisory area could be sustained from 20-35 mph and gust up to 45 mph.

"Flooding and trees are the main concern here,'' Coker said.

Bell said city works have taken precautionary measures to clean out storm water drains so the water will flow. Still, Valley , Village and Five Mile creeks could still flood with heavy rains.

Bill Harris Arena is also on standby to open for evacuees from Florida and other states, if needed. That effort is coordinated by the Red Cross and Birmingham is in the third-tier of the plan, after shelters in Mobile and Montgomery reach capacity. "So far,'' Bell said, "we haven't gotten the call to implement that but we are prepared."
The Alabama Supreme Court has put a hold on Montgomery County Circuit Judge Johnny Hardwick's ruling ordering refunds to public education employees for part of their health insurance premiums.

Lawyers for the board of the Public Education Employees' Health Insurance Plan filed notice they will appeal Hardwick's ruling and asked the Supreme Court for a stay until the court resolves the appeal.

On Friday, the Supreme Court granted the stay. That means employees won't get refunds unless the court ultimately upholds Hardwick's decision. The refunds are estimated to total about $70 million.

Former Alabama Education Association President Sheila Hocutt Remington sued the PEEHIP board after it raised premiums and other costs for education employees last April. The increases took effect Oct. 1.

Remington claims the PEEHIP board violated the Open Meetings Act when it heard a presentation from PEEHIP staff about the need for the increases and asked questions at a closed meeting.

In an August 20 ruling, Hardwick agreed that the meeting violated the Open Meetings Act, invalidated the increases and ordered the refunds.

Lawyers for PEEHIP say the challenged meeting was a "training session" and not subject to the Open Meetings law. The board held an open meeting the same day, with public notice, and voted to approve the increases.

Lawyers for PEEHIP say the increases are needed to keep up with costs and that even with the increases the program faces a shortfall of more than $200 million in 2020. They say calculating and paying the refunds would ultimately be a waste of time and money if the appeal succeeds.

The increases caused push-back, in part, because they effectively offset part of a 4 percent cost of living raise for education employees the Legislature approved at about the same time. The monthly premium for single coverage increased from $15 to $30 a month. The monthly cost for family coverage including a spouse rose by $80.

"The premium increases unfairly take away much or all of the long-overdue pay raise that was adopted in bi-partisan fashion by the Alabama Legislature shortly before the Board's unlawful action," the lawsuit says.

Mobile attorney Cecil Gardner, who represents Remington, said they could ask the Supreme Court to reconsider the stay but probably will not because it's unlikely the court would change its mind. Gardner said the next likely step is to fight the appeal. PEEHIP will file its appeal brief first.

"We will respond to the appeal on merits in hopes of sustaining Judge Hardwick's decision," Gardner said. "We think Judge Hardwick was correct, of course."
When Aida Oropesa and her husband Manuel hit the road with their four kids in tow to escape hurricane Irma, they didn't know where they'd end up. They just needed to get out of Miami.

"At first we were going to go to North Carolina, then we thought Knoxville in Tennessee might be safe, but the cone of the hurricane was expected to go up that far, so we settled on travelling along the Gulf Coast toward Alabama," said Oropesa, 31, in an interview with AL.com.

The pair took turns driving the 722 mile route, which took 22 hours, more than double the amount of time it's supposed to take owing to the thousands that were also trying to get out of the state. Aida's husband celebrated had his 33rd birthday in their van as they passed rest stops packed with people looking for somewhere to stay for the night.



But instead of stopping for the evening, the family drove straight through.



They struggled to find gas until they made it to Tallahassee, and reported that some hotel prices were upwards of $500 for one night, said Oropesa. "We knew those prices were totally unfair so we tried Airbnb and were lucky to get a place in Mobile over the weekend."



"But we know a lot of people will be stranded."

As hurricane Irma begins its transit over Florida Sunday, lashing the region with wind speeds of up to 130 mph, the family knows they have been fortunate to get out safely and find somewhere to live. Hotels all across cities and towns in the Southeast are fully booked, leaving many having to travel as far as Mississippi and Louisiana to find safe lodgings. However, the rise in popularity of Airbnb in the United States over the last five years has offered people fleeing natural disasters another option instead of paying for expensive hotels or sleeping in their cars. An emergency response program offered by the accommodation sharing giant is helping unite those that are seeking shelter with those that have some space to share.



"We are hopeful that our host community will be able to help make the evacuation process easier for residents and their families," said Kim Rubey, Airbnb's global director of social good in an email to AL.com "Our thoughts are with everyone who might be impacted by the storm, and we thank the dedicated government and emergency response personnel who are keeping our communities safe."

Airbnb's emergency response program was established in 2012 in the wake of hurricane Sandy, which left tens of thousands of New Yorkers temporarily homeless. The program is currently activated in Louisiana and Texas for survivors of hurricane Harvey, and was just activated in parts of Alabama. The program has been used globally more than 75 times over the last five years.

Hosts interested in offering their homes for free are being directed to Airbnb's disaster relief website where they can easily set up an account. Evacuees looking for accommodation are able to use the same link. In addition to having no list price, Airbnb fees and local/state taxes are being waived. People can sign up from now up until Sept. 28, choosing how long their home will be available for.



After Gov. Kay Ivey announced a state of emergency Friday, Airbnb activated its disaster response program in cities and surrounding metropolitan areas of Mobile, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Decatur and Florence. Similar programs have been activated in the Carolina's, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle.

The program isn't normally activated until a state of emergency is called in specific area or state. So the Oropesa's ended up paying full price for their two-bedroom apartment on Mobile's Dauphin Street.

While Airbnb doesn't ordinarily give statistics of occupancy rates from its regular booking system or disaster relief program, the website does show a percentage figure for how many open apartments are available over specific dates. From Sunday to the middle of next week in Mobile, for example, bookings are at about 90 percent of capacity for anyone looking for space for four people. While the average price for Mobile varies dependent on requirement and availability, Airbnb recommends a price between $50 and $200 a night. However, some property owners are asking for $500 and $857 a night. The owners of the two listings did not respond to messages from AL.com as to why their prices are currently so high.



Hurricane Irma first developed off the West Coast of Africa in late August before developing into a category 5 by Sept. 5. The hurricane made landfall on the small Caribbean island of Barbuda the following day with sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h). According to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, more than 90 percent of the buildings and vehicles were damaged and declared the island practically uninhabitable. Irma is one of the most destructive hurricanes to make pass over the Caribbean and is expected to cause mass destruction as it passes over Florida in the coming days.

While the Oropesa family isn't sure when they'll be able to return home, they will leave with a good impression of Mobile and a little extra cash in their pockets. The owner of the Airbnb listing voluntarily refunded the young family the cost of the rental, more than $600.



"My family lost their home and almost everything inside it during hurricane Harvey," said Ellie Rome, 26 who rented her apartment to the family. "The amazing support my parents received reminded me that it's important to give love as often as we can."

"It's time to pay it forward," she added.
Alabama Congressman Bradley Byrne thinks he has an answer for the U.S. Navy's collision problem: more ships and more money.

In a statement released Sunday, Byrne refers to two recent collisions that damaged Navy ships and killed 17 sailors, as well as case of a ship running aground near Japan and another collision that caused no fatalities. He said testimony at a recent subcommittee meeting of the House Armed Services Committee "made clear that investigations into these incidents are still ongoing" but went on to say that "a number of conclusions can be drawn."

The Navy needs improved training programs, more sailors and more ships, he said, arguing that "More ships mean shorter and less frequent deployments per ship." The underlying need, Byrne said, is "lack of adequate funding and funding certainty" for national defense.

At last week's meeting, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune report, four-star Adm. Bill Moran told Congressmen that Navy ships have much more impact when they're stationed near high-tension areas. But such deployment also puts a strain on manpower, maintenance and training.

"Our culture is, 'We're going to get it done,' because that's what the Navy is all about. And sometimes our culture works against us," Moran told the committee, according to the Times-Union report. "Perhaps we've asked them to do too much."

A report issued last week by the Government Accountability Office found that "the Navy has increased deployment lengths, shortened training periods, and reduced or deferred maintenance to meet high operational demands, which has resulted in declining ship conditions and a worsening trend in overall readiness."

More ominously, the GAO report said that a quick fix isn't in the cards. It says the Navy has "extended its time frame for readiness recovery to at least 2021, but it still has not developed specific benchmarks or interim goals for tracking and reporting on readiness recovery."

Byrne has been an outspoken advocate for more ships, supporting an expansion to 355 vessels from the current fleet of fewer than 300. In his newest statement on Navy readiness, he also sounds a theme that he has hit repeatedly in recent town hall meetings: His argument that the House of Representatives has been effective and productive, despite the fact that Senate inaction has rendered many of its actions moot.

"I was pleased when the House passed a strong military funding bill earlier this year. Specific to these concerns, the bill called for bringing on more military personnel and buying eleven more Navy ships," he wrote. "Unfortunately, the Senate has so far failed to pass the military funding bill. This resulted in Congress last week passing a short-term Continuing Resolution that simply holds funding levels in place."

Byrne said the short-term spending bill will continue the "crippling effects" of deferred maintenance and training, among other Navy problems.

Monday afternoon, the Senate is to resume consideration of a motion to proceed to H.R. 2810, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, like Byrne has been highly critical of the Continuing Resolution. In a statement on the Senate floor last week he said that "the state of our military is dire" and that "There is no point to discussing our strategy for Afghanistan, or North Korea, or ISIS, or any of the other myriad of threats we are currently facing, if we're simply going to fund the military through a continuing resolution."

Alabama Sen. Luther Strange indicated support for the 355-ship goal and for spending to help get there -- particularly with ships built by Austal Inc. in Alabama.

"This week, the Senate will have the opportunity to deliver on the Navy's target of a 355-ship fleet, and along with Senator Shelby, I share the House's commitment to seeing it through," he said. "To that end, I have filed an amendment to authorize an additional $1.2 billion for the construction of Littoral Combat Ships in Mobile, which would fund three ships in FY 2018. In a world of emerging threats, the Navy, and the American people, deserve for this adaptable platform to be fully funded."

This story as updated at 5:25 p.m. with comment from Sen. Luther Strange.
Contrary to what Facebook might have you believe, the USS Alabama has not run aground and is ready for battle. Or at least for tourists.

A photo showing low water on the Mobile Bay shoreline went viral over the weekend, particularly after being shared by noted meteorologist James Spann. This led some to believe that Hurricane Irma was somehow sucking water out of the bay and others to accuse Spann sharing a faked photo.

Spann responded tartly to that accusation, posting that "This is from a well-known photographer who took this TODAY ... I don't post 'fake photos.'"

Spann went on to say that "this happens on shallow parts of bays and is not that unusual." And that's certainly true for Mobile Bay, which has expansive shallows in its northern reaches, near the Bayway and Causeway. A sustained north wind - be it from a hurricane or the regular winter pattern - will expose extensive flats in those areas, especially at low tide. It can be eye-catching, though it's not unprecedented.

However, the photo taken Sunday by Skip Baumhower, in conjunction with general interest in Hurricane Irma's impacts, has prompted widespread belief that something really unusual is happening to the Bay right now.

The latest salvo on the topic comes from the guns of the "Lucky A," figuratively speaking at least. Battleship Park issued a statement Monday afternoon stressing that the park was in fact open for business.

"There has been a photograph circulating on social media suggesting that the USS ALABAMA has been grounded as a result of hurricane Irma," said Rhonda Davis, director of sales and marketing for the park. "This has been followed-up by television film footage and other social media postings by travelers. We want to let everyone know that the ship and the park are absolutely fine, and we are open for business as usual.

"With a low tide and a constant north wind blowing, much of the water in Mobile Bay has been blown out, exposing the bay's shorelines and shallows bottom," Davis said. "This is a very common occurrence during the winter months when north winds blow constantly. It is nothing to be alarmed with."

Davis said the ship's keel sits embedded in about 21 feet of sand topped by an additional 6 to 8 feet of water. It's also surrounded by a dam that helps protect it from surges: That's a relatively new feature, put in place after the surge from Hurricane Katrina left the ship listing to one side.

Battleship Memorial Park is open daily from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., with the last ticket of the day sold at 5 p.m. For information on the park, visit www.ussalabama.com or the park's Facebook page.
On Sept. 5, Heather Knowles typed "anywhere" into an airline flight search engine. Hurricane Irma had just been upgraded to a Category 5 storm, and she and her husband Jeremy knew it was time to go.

The Knowles family had lived in Birmingham until a few months ago. Jeremy is Bahamian, and they decided to move back to his home country of the Bahamas earlier this year, to a city in the northwest part of the island nation called Freeport.

But early last week, Hurricane Irma threatened to destroy the peaceful life they had just started to build with their children, ages 7, 4 and 6 months.

"In these island countries, you can't just drive away," said Heather Knowles. "And flights are expensive. I felt guilty for having the privilege to leave. I felt like I was abandoning all our new friends who couldn't leave."

After much prayer, they decided Heather would fly with the children to the United States, and Jeremy would remain to weather the storm.

They booked seats on the last flight out of Freeport Thursday night.

The day before, as scenes of devastation elsewhere in the Caribbean played out on television, Heather Knowles looked around their home, trying to decide what she could or should take with them.

"I was looking around the house and thinking, if we come back to nothing, what would I really be sad that we didn't have anymore?" she said.

She left their heavy wedding album because her parents had another copy. She backed up all their family photos to a cloud service and stored their backup hard drives in waterproof bags on the top shelf of their closet. But everything else?

"I was having a hard time making decisions," she said. "I felt frozen."

She called her mom back in Alabama, who advised her to just take one bag per person: "Everything else can be replaced."

Heather packed a few items from her children's keepsake boxes - the clothes her son and younger daughter wore home from the hospital after they were born; the little dress her older daughter was wearing the day they adopted her from a Bahamian orphanage.

Heather and her children boarded a flight in Freeport that was filled with families. The plan was to fly to Miami and then on to Pensacola, then drive to her parents' home in Cherokee County, Alabama.

Heather Knowles' children Mason, 7, and Karis, 4, sleep during a long flight after evacuating from the Bahamas. (Heather Knowles)

But the flight to Pensacola was delayed, then canceled. They were stuck in Miami on Friday as Irma bore down on Florida.

Heather was exhausted; she was wearing her infant daughter in a carrier in the front, with a heavy backpack on her back, another bag slung over her shoulder, and pulling her older daughter's suitcase. She worried about her son, who was picking up on the panic of other stranded travelers, some who were visibly angry and screaming at harried desk agents.

"People were really emotional," Heather said. She and a few other moms with children gravitated toward each other, and formed a tight-knit tribe in the Miami airport.

They watched each other's children when one of them had to take a child to the bathroom. They buoyed each other up when someone began panicking. They tried to keep their kids entertained and their minds off of what had rapidly become a stressful and dangerous situation.

Heather eventually found a flight to Dallas that had just a handful of seats on it. She and her kids landed at 3:30 a.m. There was a line of American Airlines employees waiting when they disembarked, with bottles of water, cookies and hugs.

An American Airlines employee picked up Heather Knowles' daughter and gave her a big hug when they arrived in Dallas after being stranded in Miami. (Heather Knowles)

Heather's older daughter - a big hugger - went straight for one of the employees and was scooped up into her arms for a hug.

"The flight from Miami to Dallas, there were far more children on that flight than a typical flight, just families everywhere," Heather said. "I have been thinking about how thankful I was that our flight crew was so sweet and caring and doing everything they could to help people be comfortable."

They caught a flight to Birmingham, where her mother was waiting with open arms.

But their luggage was lost - and by that point, they knew that the worst of Irma was going to miss their little island.

Heather felt devastated that she could lose items that were most precious to her because she'd tried to save them.

"But after we got the kids home to my parents' and we were safe, I felt even fine losing those things," she said. "It was fine because we can make new memories."

Her luggage was eventually found. Her husband is safe and their home made it through the storm unscathed. They have friends on other islands who lost everything.

If she had it to do over again, Heather isn't sure she would evacuate. It was terrifying, being stranded in Miami, which at that time was directly in the hurricane's path.

"Next time," she said, "we're going to be much more hesitant to evacuate. We could have just as easily ended up in a much worse situation."

Now they're keeping one eye on Hurricane Jose. Their island is in the path of the storm right now, though that could change. Heather hopes they'll be able to make a decision later this week about when to go back to their new home, back to Jeremy, their friends, the kids' school, their little sailboat.

"I feel God will give us a peace when it's time to go back," she said. "Five days ago, we were preparing for not having a home to go back to."
 

 :      

  ,         ,       .
Thirteen years after Mourad left Guantanamo and returned to his native France, a shadow of suspicion still follows him.

Lyon, France  For days, the rain had battered the sides of the prison, pattering incessantly on its sheet metal walls. A hurricane was on its way  that much Mourad Benchellali had gathered. But no one had come to get him, and from what he could tell, it seemed unlikely that he or any of his fellow prisoners would be moved.

Staring out from a steel-mesh door, Benchellali struggled to contain his frustration. The number of guards he counted patrolling his cellblock had grown fewer and fewer, and those who remained were wearing survival gear. He remembers hearing rumours that the sea might rise and crash into the prison, as the storm tore closer.

One of the guards left on duty was someone he ordinarily enjoyed talking to: a religious man, well-versed in the Bible. Benchellali himself was the son of an imam, and usually, he appreciated the guards gentle presence, his willingness to stop and chat.

But this time, things were different. Benchellali was tense. He didnt know if the hurricane would strike, or if it would swerve into another part of the Caribbean. Precious little information reached him from the outside world, isolated as he was in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

How is it that your lives are important, and ours arent? he remembers calling out to the guard. Us, we can drown. Its not a big deal. But you guys? You save your skin.

The guard, he recalls, replied with his usual fervour: Dont worry. God is with you. The situation, the guard told him, reminded him of Noah, the man chosen by God to survive a world-levelling flood in both Christian and Islamic faiths. With you, its the same. You detainees shouldnt worry. Even if it rains, even if the water bursts its banks, you will be saved in the end.

It wasnt often that Benchellali felt treated like someone worth saving. After all, Guantanamo detainees were supposed to be the worst of the worst, a condemnation repeated by several Bush administration officials during the post-9/11 war on terror.

Even now, a shadow of suspicion follows Benchellali wherever he goes. Thirteen years have passed since he boarded a plane out of Guantanamo, back to his native France. But the stigma has never faded.

A recurring dream in Guantanamo

Sitting in a train station cafe on a rainy Saturday in Lyon, 36-year-old Benchellali wears the straight face of a man who isnt prone to outbursts of sentimentality. And yet, looking back, he admits the guards words touched him  so much so that years later, Noah sprang to mind when it came time to name his only child, a son.





Hes the most beautiful gift that I could ever have gotten, Benchellali says, staring into his empty cappuccino cup. He credits his son for giving him the motivation to talk about his past, although sometimes, he gets fed up with being prodded about his story after all these years.

It tires me out, Benchellali says in French. He has tried to move on, building a life for himself teaching others how to lay tiles. I often remind the people I encounter that Im not just an ex-Guantanamo detainee.

His dark hair slicked back with gel and his broad shoulders hidden under a brown leather coat, Benchellali looks strikingly unremarkable  just another commuter hunkering down in the cafe, waiting for the storm to end.

All the same, he keeps his eyes low. As he prepares to launch into his story once more, his fingers nervously start to rip and twist the empty sugar packets from his coffee into tiny, feathery ropes. Words like al-Qaeda and bin Laden invariably earn him glances from surrounding tables.

Benchellali didnt expect to have the life he has now. During the nights he spent in Guantanamo, he says he kept having the same dream: of a little boy, someone he instinctively recognised as the son hed have one day. But his fellow inmates tried to let him down gently, warning him not to get too attached to the idea. It was just a dream after all. Guantanamo was their reality.

Prisoner 161: held without charges

When Benchellali first set foot in the Guantanamo Bay detention centre on January 17, 2002, he didnt know if he would ever leave again. No one told him how long he would stay, or what he was charged with. He didnt even know he was in Cuba when he arrived.

READ MORE: Obama v Trump on Guantanamo and torture

From that point on, Benchellali was known by the internment serial number 161, a mark of his status as a resident enemy combatant  a term used to designate people involved in hostilities against the United States and its allies. Pentagon documents from 2004 identify him as a member of [al-Qaeda] with a commitment to Jihad and ties to other global terrorist networks.

Those are allegations that Benchellali has long denied. He insists hes not a dangerous man  just a young guy whose naivete led him into trouble. Its difficult to explain, he says. I knew appearances played against me.

Like many of Guantanamos early detainees, Benchellali never had the chance to present his case at trial. He was a terrorism suspect with no means of arguing his innocence  or admitting to his mistakes.

I never said I did nothing wrong. Ive always said, Yes, it wasnt a good idea to go to Afghanistan. Yes, I found myself in an [al-Qaeda] training camp. But what I dont accept is that they called me a terrorist. Thats not true.

Although Guantanamos detainees have been denounced as battle-hardened terrorists, few were ever charged, much less convicted. One high-ranking State Department official went so far as to describe many of the detainees as victims of incompetent vetting, imprisoned without solid evidence against them.

There was no meaningful way to determine whether they were terrorists, Taliban or simply innocent civilians picked up on a very confused battlefield, the official, Lawrence Wilkerson, said in testimony delivered to the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

The 2011 release of confidential Guantanamo documents, orchestrated by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, revealed prisoners from a range of backgrounds. These included an Al Jazeera cameraman, a taxi driver, and even an 89-year-old Afghan man with symptoms of senile dementia, some of whom were explicitly assessed as not affiliated with [al-Qaeda] nor as being a Taliban leader.





Benchellalis file is not so straightforward. It indicates that prisoner 161 had family ties to terrorism; that he admitted to being in an al-Qaeda training camp; and that officials considered him a high risk to the US and its allies.

Travelling to Afghanistan at 19

By his own account, Benchellali was a small, skinny 19-year-old when he decided to leave for Afghanistan with a friend. He says his older brother Menad encouraged them to go, saying it would be a great opportunity to learn about Islam.

Benchellali knew Afghanistan was a dangerous country, with warring factions and a steady arms trade. That was kind of the point. Back home in Venissieux, Benchellali considered himself a weakling  and in his rough-and-tumble neighbourhood, it was strength that counted. He saw visiting Afghanistan as a chance to prove himself, once and for all.

So when his brother offered to set them up with fake travel documents and arrange their travel, Benchellali says he ignored his misgivings and accepted. He trusted his brother, and he saw the whole process as an adventure.

Benchellali and his friend first stopped in London for the travel documents, then made their way to Afghanistan, where his brothers friends awaited them. He says he thought he was going to scale mountains and explore the country. Fighting was the last thing on his mind.

It wasnt about jihad. When I left for Afghanistan, I wasnt angry. I didnt have any hate, he says.

But one day, after arriving in Afghanistan, Benchellali and his friend fell into a trap. Their hosts, fellow French speakers, offered to take them on a trip to meet other young Muslims. Instead, Benchellali and his friend found themselves being dropped off at an isolated al-Qaeda training camp. There, Benchellali would come face-to-face with one of the groups leaders: a tall, bearded man he learned was Osama bin Laden.

Surrounded by desert in an unfamiliar land, Benchellali felt stuck. The camps al-Qaeda leaders refused to grant him permission to leave  not until he had finished two months worth of military training. It was the summer of 2001. By the time he left, the world would be a different place.

After September 11

The September 11 attacks had triggered a global war on terror, and Afghanistan quickly became the subject of a massive bombing campaign. US forces also led a dragnet operation to arrest terrorism suspects on the ground  a campaign that allegedly offered bounties in exchange for prisoners.

In the tumult, Benchellali joined a group of men fleeing across the Pakistan border. When they stopped to have tea at a mosque, they ended up being locked inside and taken into custody.

A Department of Defense report  one of 779 files that WikiLeaks obtained and published  offers no specifics as to why Benchellali was transferred from there to Guantanamo, other than that he possesses intelligence information.

Ultimately, Benchellali said he wasnt surprised that US forces detained him in Pakistan. That they arrested me, I found that normal. I mean, they have the right to ask me about where I went and why I was there. Whats not normal is to send us to Cuba. Whats not normal is to remove all our rights.

READ MORE: Shaker Aamer  Guantanamo is a stain on Obamas legacy

He was 20 years old by the time he arrived in Guantanamo, in January 2002. For the two and a half years, he spent there, Benchellali claims he was subject to insults, isolation and torture, including physical blows, sleep deprivation and sexual violence. All the while, life back home in France moved on without him.

By the time he flew back, the girlfriend he had left behind as a teenager had become someone elses wife. The family he grew up with would be scattered and broken.

But Benchellali didnt know all that when he boarded a plane out of Guantanamo in July 2004. He imagined his nightmare was over  that he would step onto the tarmac and into his parents arms. It was only later that he discovered his family would never be whole again.

His brother Menad  the same brother who arranged for him to go to Afghanistan  had been arrested for manufacturing deadly toxins in the family apartment, as part of an alleged plot to attack Russian targets in France on behalf of Chechen separatists.

Several relatives had been detained in connection to Menads activities, including Benchellalis mother, a fact that left him devastated: It was the worst period of my life, he says.

Not only was his family in turmoil, but his individual ordeal was far from over too. Benchellali still faced terrorism charges in France, and he was sent to the same facility that housed his mother, the Fleury-Merogis prison. As his case, and eventual conviction, drew the medias attention, he started to receive letters of support  including one from the woman whod eventually become the mother of his child.

But some of the letters, however well intentioned, put Benchellali ill at ease. He got the feeling that, even among his supporters, he was perceived as a jihadist, he says. That suspicion lingered even after a Paris appeals court overturned his terrorism conviction.

Becoming an activist

Benchellali wrote a book about his experiences and reinvented himself as an anti-radicalisation activist, with the aim of educating others about groups like al-Qaeda. He hopes that, by sharing his story, he can prevent others from falling into the same trap he once did. His message is particularly aimed at youth.

I tell them, Me, Im going to tell my story. Afterwards, do with it what you like. Thats to say, Im not going to give you lessons, and Im not there to say whats good or bad, Benchellali explains. But after that, you cant say you didnt know.

Over the years, Benchellali has been invited to tell his story to school groups, community centres and law enforcement officials as far away as Australia.

But every once in a while, even today, an invitation gets revoked. Benchellali suspects fear is the driving factor  fear that he might be a recidivist in disguise.

Maybe hes pretending. Maybe hes playing a role  I know people think that, Benchellali says. I understand that theyre afraid. But I think theyre wrong.

Political value of recidivism data

Benchellali maintains that he never converted to al-Qaedas ideology, nor participated in any violence. But of the 714 detainees transferred out of Guantanamo, 121 have, according to a January report by the US Director of National Intelligence, been confirmed as re-engaging in terrorist or insurgent activities. An additional 87 detainees are suspected of re-engaging.

But those numbers are misleading, says lawyer Mark Denbeaux, director of the Seton Hall Law School Center for Policy and Research. He is one of the most vocal critics of the bi-yearly report, which tracks recidivism among former detainees.





Denbeaux points out that no evidence is offered to indicate who is reengaging in terrorist activities, and in what way. His research has uncovered inconsistencies in past reports  including instances where criticising the US government was counted as a return to the fight.

Though Denbeaux dismisses the recidivism reports as fundamentally flawed, he admits the data has political value in order to try and legitimise torture in Guantanamo. He sees the reports as an attempt to skew the publics perception. Right now, the fight going on is: What should the narrative be for Guantanamo?

The fight for Guantanamos legacy hits close to home for Benchellali. He personally has noticed a shift in how the French public perceives Guantanamo. Today in France, there are people who call for a French version of Guantanamo, he says. That wasnt the case five, 10 years ago.

He also worries about US President Donald Trumps campaign promise to continue using Guantanamo as a prison and load it up with some bad dudes.

Trump and Guantanamos resurgence in popularity

Currently, Guantanamos detainee population has dwindled to 41, but the Trump administration is considering plans to keep Guantanamo open indefinitely. Under one proposal, its cells would be filled with suspects with alleged ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). Benchellali fears the move would usher in a renewed era of public acceptance for Guantanamo and its abuses.

We have rehabituated Americans to the fact that Guantanamo is a good thing, he says. The Americans are the biggest power in the world. Its the model that everyone watches. So if the US tortures, its over  everyone will torture.

Laurel Fletcher, the director of the International Human Rights Law Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley, believes that calls to close or reduce the prison population at Guantanamo were strongest in the late 2000s, in a brief period of hiatus between episodes of active, violent extremism.

At the time, the Bush administration had started to reduce the detainee population, and future President Barack Obama was campaigning on a promise to close Guantanamo.

But public anxiety has grown since then. Fletcher points to recent attacks, like the one in Barcelona this past August, as contributing to a backdrop of perceived terrorist threat.

When you have those incidents that are regularly cropping up, I think it activates peoples fear, Fletcher says. She believes its a normal visceral response to support strong action in the wake of terrorist attacks  and thats why Guantanamo may be experiencing a resurgence in popularity, despite evidence that its methods fail to make the public safer, she says.

READ MORE: Oman accepts 10 Guantanamo Bay inmates at US request

Telling his story to young people

In the classrooms and community centres where he does his outreach work, Benchellali has increasingly heard a startling equivocation from the young people he speaks with. They tell him, more and more, that everyone  from the US to ISIL to Bashar al-Assad  is guilty of terrorism. For them, it is simply a tool.

Its a real problem when you explain to young people that violence doesnt change things, and they say, No, its the only thing that can cause change, he says. He prefers not argue with them. Instead, his strategy is to stick to telling his story, in the hope that his experience can serve as a warning.

But the increasing polarisation has made his task more difficult. When he visited Molenbeek, a Brussels neighbourhood that Western media sometimes calls the jihadi capital of Europe, one young student walked out in the middle of his presentation. His friends later told Benchellali that he was a bin Laden supporter who disapproved of Benchellalis story.

On other occasions, its the teachers he meets who dont want to listen. Benchellali says some of them are convinced that their students embrace of Islam is actually a descent into violence and perceived extremism.

Its a frustrating topic to navigate, and Benchellali says he often considers quitting his outreach efforts altogether. In this age of increased tension, he feels discouraged, not least by the treatment he receives in his own country.

Still a suspect in his own country

As a former terrorism suspect, Benchellali also has to deal with Frances FIJAIT system, which requires him to regularly update the government about his whereabouts. Each time his work takes him across an international border  to Switzerland or Belgium, for example  he has to check in with French authorities 15 days beforehand.

How can I go see young people to talk to them when my own country considers me a suspect? Benchellali asks. The prevention work that I do nowadays, because of this supervision order, is difficult to carry out.

One speaking trip in 2015 even landed him back in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs  a uniform he thought hed left behind after his Guantanamo days.

Filmmaker Eileen Thalenberg had invited Benchellali to speak with students at several Canadian universities and colleges, as part of her documentary A Jihadi in the Family. But when Benchellali was due to meet Thalenberg outside Torontos international airport, he never showed up.

Thalenberg says she received a text message from him instead: They want to ask me a few questions. Benchellali was stuck at security.

It was around 7pm, and she and Benchellali were scheduled to catch a connecting flight that same day to Montreal. His arrival should have gone smoothly: After all, Thalenberg had checked with Canadian officials to make sure Benchellali would be allowed into the country.

Just to be safe, Thalenberg had taken other precautions too. She had furnished him with invitation letters from the colleges and universities he would visit, and she made sure his flight was routed through Iceland, to avoid passing through US airspace. American law, after all, effectively bars Guantanamo detainees, both past and present, from entering the US.

But her efforts were in vain. At around 1.30am, with their connecting flight long gone, Benchellali texted her to say hed been arrested. He would later be moved to a maximum security prison, before being placed on a flight back to France.

I felt so guilty, Thalenberg said, reflecting on the incident. I didnt sleep for three days and three nights.

She remains astonished at how calm Benchellali was throughout the whole process, never getting angry.

He was concerned about his little boy, how he wanted to be a good role model for his son, she said. Its the right kind of revenge, not to allow yourself to be completely destroyed.

Choosing to speak out for his son

Back in France, in the hometown where Benchellali himself grew up, his son is on the cusp of adolescence. Hes 10 years old now, with a deep love for video games and sharing videos on YouTube. Its enough to make any parent nervous, but Benchellali especially.

His son already knows about his past, but Benchellali still worries about what he might find online  or that he might one day become the target of harassment. Its with that in mind that Benchellali says he chooses to speak out and shape his own narrative.

My prevention work, the youth outreach, all that  its for him, he says. I want to make this Guantanamo experience into something positive, so he wont be ashamed of it later on.

A faint smile drifts across his face, as Benchellali toys with the idea that having a son might have been his destiny. Fatherhood not only gave him a way to deal with his past, but also a way to escape it.

With all the anxieties that parenthood has to offer, he allows himself to forget his other worries. In those moments, the weight of his past is lifted. The nightmare is over. And the dream that once seemed so distant has become his reality.
Born into a Circassian-Syrian family, Natay Abdullah hails from Aleppo, a city that has been ravaged by conflict since the start of Syrias civil war in 2011. Abdullah, a 29-year-old graphic designer, found himself unemployed in 2012 and spent several months working for local humanitarian aid initiatives before moving to Turkey in 2013 for a job opportunity. This year, Abdullah paid a visit to Aleppo, where his family remains. After making his way through checkpoints and bearing witness to the citys destruction, Abdullah told Al Jazeera why he could no longer call Aleppo home.

When I arrived in our neighbourhood in Aleppo, four years after having crossed the border into Turkey, I jokingly called out to my mum as I used to before: Mama, do you need anything from the grocery store?

She was lost for words. She could not believe I was back home.

I had not told my family that I was returning to see them. They would have been worried sick throughout the entire trip. I immediately headed towards my parents place, and upon entering their building, a lot of memories came flooding back.





Looking at the stairs, I was noting all the small details: This broken step is still there  Ah look, here is another broken step. Then, I stood outside our front door, and I saw them: My sisters and my niece were standing there by chance. I kissed them all, and we started talking; we were very emotional. My father was out, but suddenly the doorbell rang, and I opened the door. He was also lost for words when he saw me.

It was really nice to see them again, especially my little niece. She was five years old the last time I saw her, and now she is nine. She developed her own character and told me about the boy she likes at school.

Before leaving Syria, we used to share a tradition. Every Saturday, we would go to the park, just me and her  no mum, no granny. When she would say something like, I want to take off my shoes! I would respond with, Okay, Ill also take off my shoes. While in Turkey, I made sure to keep in touch with her. I used to send her some drawings, and sometimes we would converse through her mums WhatsApp.

Our neighbourhood, called al-Sabeel, in Aleppo was luckily unaffected by the bombing. It was with my friend, Rami, that I went to see the other parts of the city, especially the old city. I was shocked. The amount of destruction is unbelievable. I could not recognise where I was.

We went to al-Jdeide, Bab al-Hadid, and Sabaa Bahrat neighbourhoods, where we used to hang out with all our friends. I wanted to see all the places that have sentimental value, but devastation was all I found. How will they rebuild such a city with corruption in the Syrian government so prominent nowadays? For the most part, during our visit to the old city, we tried to figure out exactly where we were until we had to ask around to remember parts of the area.

My friend, Rami, stayed in Aleppo throughout the war. He was the unfortunate one out of all of our friends. We all travelled abroad  to Germany, Austria, Turkey, Armenia and Lebanon, but he was the only one who could not make it.

I was afraid of seeing him again. He is a good friend of mine, and I love him. I was afraid to see him completely broken, as had happened to another friend from Aleppo who arrived in Turkey last year. I was afraid that we might not have been able to connect any more. But Rami had found work with children in a primary school nearby, and this kept him alive. He was often depressed and contemplated suicide, but by working with children, he began to live again. For hours, we sat and talked.

I was always thinking this could be my last trip to Syria. I know that there is no fighting any more in Aleppo. Government forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad control the national road from the capital, Damascus, to Aleppo. This made me think it was a good chance to return home.

But I also felt this could be the last time. What would I do if I return? There is nothing to do. How will I survive and support my family? I was completely unfamiliar with the prices. To buy an espresso in the street, you need 250 Syrian lira ($1.22); for electricity, you need to pay for the generator for 10 or 12 hours of power a day.

My sisters house was on the front line; she could go back there, but they have no money to fix it, as is the case with most families in Aleppo. Many want to go back to their properties, but sometimes, in the face of police officers at checkpoints, this is suicide. If, through your name, the police discover that you have a connection to opposition fighters, you will not be able to pass and risk being arrested, or worse.

The road from Beirut to Aleppo by bus via Homs takes about 10 hours. At the Syrian-Lebanese border, soldiers asked me for money, and I had to give them 5,000 lira ($25). Before the conflict, they used to ask for bribes, threatening to cause problems or inventing any excuse to take our money. Now, without any excuse, they just ask you for the amount they want.

Every checkpoint, men have to step out of their vehicles and pay up to guarantee a smooth entry. When you arrive in Aleppo, you see Russian soldiers strolling the neighbourhoods all the time. I heard stories of them getting drunk and shooting in the air just for fun, so this was something new for me to see.

My name, Natay, means the eye of the little horse, which is a Circassian name, but even in the Circassian community, it is not so common. Circassians in Aleppo are a small minority. When I was a child, I had an identity problem: I grew up with my mother, who is the perfect traditional Circassian woman, but I still went to school during former President Hafez al-Assads reign, where there used to be one state and one message. It was confusing for me: Arabic at school, Circassian at home, while all of our familys friends were Armenians or Christians.

Today, at 29 years old, I dont think I will ever again live in my city, Aleppo. I started to revive my life in Turkey, and I dont feel I would be able to do it again in Syria. It would never be the same.
A resident of Myanmars Rakhine State discusses daily life and the abuses and attacks Rohingya endure.

The author of this letter has requested anonymity due to fear of attacks from the government.

He spoke to Al Jazeeras Faisal Edroos who can be followed on Twitter at @FaisalEdroos

Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar  For all my life, all 24 years of it, Ive been a prisoner in this open air jail you know as Rakhine State.

I was born in Myanmar, as were my parents, but my citizenship was snatched away before I was even conceived.

My movement, education, access to healthcare and career have been heavily restricted because of my ethnicity.

Im banned from working in the government, denied the right to pursue higher education, barred from visiting the capital, Yangon, and even stopped from leaving northern Rakhine State.

Im subjected to the worst form of discrimination, all because Im a Rohingya  a Rohingya Muslim.

We're facing extinction, and unless the international community stands with us, one of the most persecuted people in the world, we will face genocide and you, you will all be a party to it. by

For years, my people, who have been denied their most basic rights, are killed on a near daily basis. Shot dead in plain sight, forcibly and systematically made homeless, our homes razed in front of our very eyes; were the victims of a brutal state.

For you to fully appreciate what our conditions are like, Im going to use an analogy: imagine a mouse stuck in a cage with a hungry cat. Thats what its like for the Rohingya.

Our only method of survival is to run, or hope someone helps us get out.

READ MORE: Who are the Rohingya?

For those of us that have remained, theres a systematic campaign to separate us from the wider Rakhine community.

Were called Kalar [a slur often used against Muslims] by Buddhists to our faces. Whether youre a child or an old man, no one escapes the abuse.

We face discrimination at schools and at hospitals, and theres been a boycott campaign by Buddhists to avoid us at all costs.





Only buy from Buddhists, they say. If you give a penny to a Buddhist, theyll help build a Pagoda (temple), but if you give a penny to a Muslim, theyll build a mosque.

These kinds of comments, theyve become the norm and helped encourage Buddhist extremists to attack us.

When Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, won parliamentary elections in 2015 and ended half a century of dominance by the military, we had high hopes change was coming.

We were confident that this woman, hailed as a beacon of democracy, would end our abuse and oppression.

Sadly, it soon became clear that not only would she not be our voice, she would ignore our suffering.

Her silence showed she was complicit in the violence.

In the end, she failed us; our last hope, failed us.

Heartbreaking scenes all over  Inside a Rohingya camp

In 2012, a huge number of the Rohingya were slaughtered in one of the worst bouts of communal violence. Around 140,000 were internally displaced, an event that would repeat itself in 2016.

Shot, slaughtered, and burned alive in front of their families, the violence last October would give rise to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a small group of men who decided to defend themselves and fight back.

Armed with just sticks and stones, they knew they couldnt fend off the well-equipped Myanmar army but they tried nonetheless.

Still, now our sisters and mothers are forced to give birth in paddy fields as we run for our lives in this violence that you say is between two equal sides. It is not.

Children being shot at as they flee and womens bodies floating in rivers is not an equal fight.

Were facing extinction, and unless the international community stands with us, one of the most persecuted people in the world, we will face genocide and you, you will all be a witness to it.








Bangladeshi people are being very kind, donating clothes and food, but I have not seen any international organisation.

A previous version of this story said that Rashida was interviewed at Unchi Prank camp. She was interviewed at Kutupalong new shelter camp near Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

Rashida, 25, comes from Rakhine State, Myanmar, which she fled nine days ago.

My name is Rashida and Im 25 years old. Before the Arakan revolution, I lead a very quiet and simple life. We had some paddy fields which we farmed and I had a house where we lived with my husband and our three children. It was peaceful, and we were very happy until the crisis.

We have left all that behind now. Our house and fields have been burned so we can not earn our living there any more.

When the military started shooting in our village, we quickly took my children into the jungle and hid them; they were scared from the dangers in the wild. But, when I went back to check on the house, I saw right in front of my eyes, that many people had been killed.

From the jungle, we walked for eight days until we reached the border. We were very hungry and had nothing to eat except leaves off the trees. The children kept asking for food, but we could not carry anything with us, only my three children.

We crossed the border on a small boat, it felt very dangerous and I thought it was going to sink, so I was clutching my children tightly.

I am not happy to be in Bangladesh, we used to own animals, an acre (0.4 hectares) of paddy field, a house and we had a nice village in our own country. We have left all that behind, so I am sure you can imagine how sad we feel.

I miss our home. We feel hopeless here, I have no idea what our future will be now.

We are not getting enough support here. The Bangladeshi people are being very kind and are donating clothes and food, but I have not seen any international organisation. I wish they would help us, too  we need food to eat.

My message to the outside world is that we want peace, we have no future without peace.

*As told to Katie Arnold in Kutupalong new shelter camp near Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh.

*This interview has been edited for clarity.

Read this related article to learn more about how the UN has been overwhelmed by the Rohingya refugee crisis: We lack the resources

The plight of Myanmars Rohingya

An estimated more than 270,000, mainly women and children, have fled to Bangladesh in the last two weeks as a result of indiscriminate violence against civilian populations carried out by the Myanmar army.

The UN and other human rights organisations have warned that the mass exodus following killings, rapes, and burned villages are signs of ethnic cleansing, pleading for the international community to pressure Aung San Suu Kyi and her government to end the violence.

The situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, UN human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein said on Monday, September 11.

Read more to find out who are Myanmars Rohingya
Theres a playbook for committing atrocities and being absolved of them. It wasnt written by George W Bush, now a retired painter of dogs in the US state of Texas, but it was popularised and legitimised by his administration at the dawn of the 21st century. And the world today, with its multiple bloody wars on terror fought by allies and foes of Washington alike, sometimes begrudgingly together, reflects this bequeathment.

Terrorism is a useful foe. Wars against it need not be declared, and combatants need not be defined. Traditional warfare, with a uniformed opponent, brings with it the not always avoidable bureaucracy of international law; lawyers saying you cant shoot this or that. No conflict is outside the law, at least on paper. However, an amorphous tactic cant file a petition at The Hague, and when every power of note is on the same page with respect to the need to kill shadowy non-state actors, extrajudicially, its smart statecraft to adopt the rubric of the war on terror, with modern flourishes.





Fake news. Thats the new line in 2017, deployed by Nobel laureate and leader of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi on September 6 to characterise reports of mass murder against the Rohingya people, a mostly Muslim ethnic minority considered unworthy of legal rights by her government. Nearly a quarter-million people have fled largely Buddhist Myanmar in the last year, over half in the last two weeks following a crackdown by security forces engaged in a claimed war against Islamic terror.

Thousands have been killed, with refugees and journalists on the ground reporting horrific scenes: mobs and Myanmars armed forces burning down Rohingya villages, those who arent killed driven away by the tens of thousands to Bangladesh, another country whose government doesnt want them, and only then if they can get by the landmines placed along the border by the military thats exterminating them.

These accounts are widespread, but those who wish to defend the perpetrators of such acts are savvy: they dont defend them, but rather dwell on the typos they find in a war crimes indictment. That means reserving the thrust of ones anger for those who circulate misinformation, a problem during any conflict  apologists for the Khmer Rouge, some still active today, indicted the mainstream narrative about mass death in revolutionary Cambodia by noting The Washington Posts publication of fake photos  but one made all the easier in an unverifiable age of instantaneity.

Aung San Suu Kyi blamed terrorists for sharing those photos today. Its simply the tip of the iceberg of misinformation, she said in a Facebook post, with the aim of promoting the interests of terrorists, an unsurprising goal for misinforming terrorists. The dull math of a war on a terror (them vs us = whose side are you on?) does not allow for much artistic freelancing, so redundancy may be excused.

Russian state media, representing a government that sells arms to Myanmar, appears to just be repeating stock footage. According to Sputnik and RT, George Soros, the billionaire financier, is the wealthy Jew behind this new war, apparently in search of another bloody pipeline  mirroring the conspiratorial explanation for revolution-turned-war in Syria. On Global Research, a pro-Russia Infowars for a conspiracy-mongering left, one may read that Saudi jihadists are behind the crisis.

There's always a fight over what constitutes terrorism and who is a terrorist, but by framing their internal conflicts as a war on terror, one makes a familiar appeal to a built-in audience. by

Bush, likewise, blamed everything but his own actions for the insurgency in Iraq. No act of ours invited the rage of the killers, he told the National Endowment for Democracy in 2005. Rather, Islamic radicalism, he said during the height of attacks on US troops, is enabled by allies of convenience like Syria and Iran that share the goal of hurting America, and use terrorist propaganda to magnify the impact of their support.

In that, Bush wasnt all wrong: Syria did indeed facilitate the transit of jihadists to Iraq. That led the Bush administration to send terror suspects to Damascus, where they were dutifully tortured, even as the US president admonished the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Iran, too, aided Iraqi insurgents, but neither government created the insurgency: the 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation did that. Now, today, both Tehran and Damascus echo the war on terror rhetoric of old, blaming the insurgency in Syria on outside actors  in the case of Iran, actors other than themselves  while denying any agency or cause to those fighting them.

Part of it is there are only so many forms that apologism for war crimes can take; the practice necessitates imitation and repetition. A cartoon that originates in Israel, depicting an Israeli soldier protecting a mother while an armed Palestinian hides behind one, has been repurposed by those who preach resistance to Israeli aggression, shared by partisans of Syrias Assad as well as Egypts Sisi, both of whom are waging self-styled wars on terror in need of excuses for civilian deaths. On Twitter, where hearts and minds are now won, a similar cartoon has been rolled out by supporters of Myanmars genocidal military.





These supporters are echoing governments whose intent is not just to justify, to their own choir, but to attract new and more powerful support  from other states. Assad, for example, has made resistance to US imperialism key to his brand, blaming it for the insurgency that developed after he tried to bomb and torture his way out of reform. But asked about his own support for the so-called American war on terrorism under Bush, when Syria used to help the CIA in the rendition programme and interrogating and torturing people, he didnt even challenge the terminology.

Syria, he said, has long called for international cooperation to fight terrorism, he said. Thats why weve always been ready to help and cooperate with any country that wants to fight terrorism. And for that reason, we helped the Americans, and we are always ready to join any country which is sincere about fighting terrorism.

Theres always a fight over what constitutes terrorism and who is a terrorist, but by framing their internal conflicts as a war on terror, one makes a familiar appeal to a built-in audience. Mentioning Islamists and its variants triggers a Pavlovian alt-morality: the mass murder happens in the context of a recognisable, civilisational struggle, enabling greater acceptance of casualty counts while increasing the chance of killing, cooperatively, alongside the globes leading powers. When the US government finally made good on a threat to bomb Syria, those bombs fell on just about everyone but the regime and its allies, friendly fire and a bruised runway aside.

As US President Donald Trump, asked about the Assad regimes repeated use of chemical weapons, explained at a September 7 press conference, We have very little to do with Syria, other than killing ISIS. While the regime is responsible for the majority of civilian dead, What we do is kill ISIS, which, of course, means killing more civilians still.

A war on extremism cant be won on propaganda and military might alone  an insurgency, defeated, is often resurrected, more extremely, when the grievances it exploits arent remedied. But the war on terror logic and rhetoric spreads with the imprimatur of the US and its official enemies, confusing those whose politics are based on reflexive and binary opposition to one or the other. It spreads in part because states that commit acts of state terrorism can exploit an international system which values the sovereign right of states to terrorise much more than people and their rights.

Every terroriser with a seat at the UN has learned the tune, and the wars keep humming along. Bushs regime change in Iraq gave rise to the forces and political dynamics that would make stability and a regimes preservation the overriding concern of left, right and centre. As hundreds of thousands of dead civilians and thousands more living through war crimes can attest, from Yemen to Syria and Iraq to Myanmar, the war on terror has won.

Charles Davis is a writer currently based in Los Angeles.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Mondays attack the deadliest against Egyptian security forces since July when ISIL killed 23 troops in Rafah.

ISIL fighters ambushed a police convoy in Egypts Sinai Peninsula on Monday, killing 18 officers and wounding seven others in one of the deadliest attacks this year in the restive region.

Police and military officials said roadside bombs destroyed and set ablaze four armoured vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The gunmen later opened fire with assault weapons and commandeered a police pick-up truck truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief media.

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief statement carried by its Aamaq website.

READ MORE: Gunmen kill five Egyptian policemen near Cairo

The attack took place about 30km west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicentre of a long-running rebellion now led by an ISIL affiliate.

The Ministry of Interior confirmed in a statement that the attack on Monday took place and several policemen were killed or wounded. It did not provide any casualty figures.





The prime ministers office called it a traitorous incident.

Prime Minister Sherif Ismail affirmed the states determination to fight these criminal actions that target the safety and will of citizens with its full force, a government statement said.



Mondays attack was the deadliest against security forces since July when ISIL attacked a remote army outpost in the border town of Rafah, killing 23 soldiers. That was the deadliest attack in two years.

The ambush came a day after authorities said they had caught a cell planning attacks in the capital, Cairo. Police said they killed 10 fighters in two simultaneous raids on apartments in a densely populated Cairo neighbourhood. They said the fighters had sneaked into the capital from northern Sinai but did not say whether they were members of ISIL.

El-Arish, the capital of North Sinai province, has been a site of regular conflict between government forces and ISIL fighters in recent months.

Egypt has battled fighters in Sinai for years, but the rebellion became far more deadly after the 2013 military removal of Mohamed Morsi.

Al Jazeeras Middle East analyst Yehia Ghanem said the intensified violence in Sinai over the last four years has been used by the Egyptian government to escalate repression throughout the country.

The Egyptian regime has initiated violence in the Sinai  all over the country but specifically in Sinai. Its a rule  violence begets violence, he said.

The Sinai Peninsula borders Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Former Georgian president says he plans to unseat Ukraines Poroshenko over failed promises made during Maidan protests.

Georgias former president, who later served as governor of Ukraines Odessa region, has pledged to unite the opposition against his former ally and job-giver Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

Mikheil Saakashvili said on Monday he was not seeking the presidency for himself, but wanted to see Poroshenko voted out at the next election in 2019.





The comments came a day after Saakashvili forced his way past border guards into his adopted homeland with hundreds of supporters in protest against the withdrawal of his Ukrainian citizenship by the government.

I am fighting against rampant corruption, against the fact that oligarchs are in full control of Ukraine again, against the fact that Maidan has been betrayed, Saakashvili said at a press conference in the western city of Lviv, referring to the anti-government uprising that saw pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovich toppled in favour of the Western path for the countrys development.

Saakashvili, who studied in Ukraine and speaks fluent Ukrainian, received Ukrainian citizenship in 2015 from Poroshenko when the president made him governor of Odessa.

READ MORE: Georgians guide Ukraines reform path away from Russia

Their relationship dates back nearly three decades to when they were students at the same university in Kiev and their shared opposition to the Russian government brought them together as politicians.

But a bitter spat erupted in November 2016, when Saakashvili quit and started accusing Poroshenko of abetting corruption.

Poroshenkos office said Saakashvili had failed to deliver change as governor, adding his Ukrainian citizenship was withdrawn because he allegedly put false information on his registration form.

Saakashvili said the decision was politically motivated. It left him effectively stateless as he previously lost his Georgian citizenship because of the countrys rules about dual nationality.

INTERACTIVE: Ukraine divided  stories from warring sides

Saakashvili divides opinion in Ukraine, which is at war with Russia-backed rebels in its east.

Supporters see him as a fearless crusader against corruption, but critics say there is little substance behind his blustery rhetoric. Polls show little support for his party in Ukraine, the Movement of New Forces.

Back home in Georgia, he started out as an internationally praised reformer but later he was criticised for monopolising power and exerting pressure on the judiciary.

He was president at the time of a five-day war with Russia in 2008, a conflict his critics argued was the result of his own miscalculations.

Kiev could leave Saakashvili alone or arrest him and possibly extradite him to Georgia, where the 49-year-old is wanted on criminal charges, which he says are politically motivated.
Yangon, Myanmar  Amid the buzzing of tourists and commerce at Yangons most popular bazaar, shoppers gently slide past one another beneath an array of dangling T-shirts emblazoned with the image of Myanmars Aung San Suu Kyi accompanied by the words our leader.

Like much of Yangon, Bogyoke Market  named after her father and national hero, General Aung San  is a place where the Noble Peace Prize laureate continues to enjoy overwhelming support among the Burmese  the largest of the 135 ethnic groups in Myanmar.

This despite increasing condemnation from the international community over her handling of an emerging humanitarian crisis in western Rakhine State that over the past three weeks has seen more than 290,000 majority-Muslim ethnic Rohingya flee into Bangladesh, and hundreds killed in new clashes with the military.

For the Burmese, who endured nearly six decades of violent oppression under a socialist, military government until Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) swept into power during the countrys first largely free general elections in 2015, they are content to reap the fruits of an economic and social revival that has afforded them the chance to live out their lives in relative peace.





Aung San Suu Kyi knows things and Im very happy. She sees things clearly for every problem, said 40-year-old antique vendor Zaw Myo Htun, who attributed much of Myanmars recent integration in Southeast Asia to her.

Like most of the dozen Burmese interviewed by Al Jazeera for this story, Zaw Myo was hesitant to speak about the Rohingya crisis, but nonetheless had every confidence Aung San Suu Kyi would handle it.

Together they [Suu Kyi and the military] are doing the work, he said.

A few stalls down, Thet Mhoo Ko Ko, 25, who helps run his familys eyeglasses shop, said the blame for the Rohingya crisis lies more with the military.

I think the government has many heads. One problem is that she needs a little more time, and then she will be able to make things much better. The Rakhine [situation] is a problem and it is very worrying, he said.

The Rohingya crisis has not dampened Aung San Suu Kyis popularity at home. Indeed, support remains consistent throughout Myanmar, political analyst Yan Myo Thein told Al Jazeera.

I believe that she is still highly popular among the majority of Myanmar citizens here. I think that her popularity in city areas among the intellectual strata was threatened a lot, but there is no other option or alternative to fill up the leadership vacuum in Myanmars democratisation apart from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, he said.

READ MORE: Message to the world from Jashim, a Rohingya

Among those who have criticised or outright condemned Aung San Suu Kyis inaction on Rakhine are numerous international organisations, human rights groups, the United Nations, high-profile US politicians such as Senator John McCain of Arizona, and more than a dozen Noble Peace Prize laureates, including Desmond Tutu.

For most Burmese people, military dictatorship and totalitarianism are historical nightmares and the threat of a return of such nightmares [may] strengthen support toward Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, although they criticise and complain on the mismanagement, wrongdoings, weakness, and failures of the government, said Yan Myo Thein.





The Rohingya have long been subjected to discrimination in the Buddhist-majority country. Prior to the clashes between the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army and the military that began on August 25  when ARSA attacked an army base in the area  about 140,000 Rohingya were displaced during army operations that started in 2012.

According to several international groups, the blame for the situation prior to the latest violence was shared by both the military and powerful hardline nationalists, who for years enflamed anti-Muslim sentiment throughout Myanmar.

Since the start of the political liberalisation in 2011, Myanmar has been troubled by an upsurge in extreme Buddhist nationalism, anti-Muslim hate speech, and deadly communal violence, not only in Rakhine State but across the country, the International Crisis Group said in a report released last week.

Since Aung San Suu Kyi took power, the government has focused considerable effort in curtailing Buddhist nationalism and pushing the top Buddhist authority in Myanmar to ban such groups, yet those efforts have been largely ineffective and have probably even enhanced them, the report said.

But the issue runs far deeper, as anti-Muslim sentiment has progressively crept into many aspects of day-to-day life in Myanmar.

READ MORE: Message to the world from Mohammed, a Rohingya

Bowing to government pressure, some local newspapers, once heralded as the bullhorn of free speech, have abandoned the use of the word Rohingya, while state media now use the word Bengali, which is widely seen as derogatory.

In 2012, people relied a lot on the newspapers for everything, but now is a very strange time and people dont have trust, not even in the newspapers. That is why they base their beliefs on their own sentiment, said Aung Soe Min, 47, a prominent gallery owner.





According to a survey released this month by Myanmar Survey Research under the auspices of the US-based International Republican Institute (IRI), 38 percent of people surveyed in 15 states got most if not all of their news from the social media platform.

According to the same survey, 75 percent believed the country to be heading in the right direction.

Over the years, Buddhist nationalists have also used Myanmars biggest city Yangon as a staging ground for mass protests against the Muslim population.

Most recently on August 30, several hundred Buddhist nationalists, including monks, rallied in Yangon to urge stronger action against the Rohingya.

For the Burmese in Yangon, nearly 700km away from Rakhine, the problem is also one of reliable information as local media is seen by many as peddling their own agendas, while a majority of the population is now taking to notoriously untrustworthy social media accounts to find information.

In fact, little is actually known of the largely Muslim Rohingya population in Myanmar, as the government chose to omit them from the countrys first nationwide census in 30 years that was published in May 2015.

Angry with her

To make matters worse, Aung San Suu Kyi herself has remained largely silent on developments pertaining to the crisis as she continues to work side-by-side with a still-powerful military.

In a rare statement last week by her office, she chose to use the opportunity to blame terrorists for a huge iceberg of misinformation about the violence.

While most Burmese still laud Aung San Suu Kyi, some say it is time she began to use the voice that for three decades spoke out for human rights.

I think she should speak up on the [Rohingya] issue and not be shy, said Aung Zaw, editor and founder of The Irrawaddy newspaper.
Bangladeshs rights commission also says its considering pressing for a trial against Myanmar on charges of genocide.

Bangladeshs foreign minister has said that a genocide is being waged in Myanmars violence-hit Rakhine State, triggering an exodus of nearly 300,000 Rohingya to his country.





The international community is saying it is a genocide. We also say it is a genocide, AH Mahmood Ali told reporters after briefing diplomats in Dhaka on Sunday.

Ali met Western and Arab diplomats and the heads of UN agencies based in Bangladesh to seek support for a political solution and humanitarian aid for the Rohingya.

He told the diplomats that some 300,000 Rohingya had fled to Bangladesh in the past two weeks, taking the total number of such refugees in the country to more than 700,000.

It is now a national problem, Ali said.

At least two diplomats who attended the briefings said the minister told them as many as 3,000 people may have been killed in the latest round of violence, which is a much higher estimate than the 1,000 previously reported by the United Nations.

The UN said 294,000 Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since attacks by Rohingya fighters on Myanmar security forces in Rakhine on August 25 sparked a major military backlash.

Tens of thousands more are believed to be on the move inside Rakhine.

Myanmar leaders may face trial

Alis comments come as the chair of Bangladeshs National Commission for Human Rights said leading figures in Myanmar could face trial for genocide at an international tribunal.

The way the genocide has been carried out in Myanmar, the way the people were killed in arson attacks, we are thinking about pressing for a trial against Myanmar, and against the Myanmar army at an international tribunal, Kazi Reazul Hoque said on Sunday while visiting a refugee camp in Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar district, near the border with Myanmar.

We will come to a decision after assessing what are the steps that should be taken to that end. And at the same time we urge the international community to come forward with their help, Hoque said.

READ MORE: Who are the Rohingya?

Myanmars de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as Myanmars military, have faced international condemnation over its treatment of the Rohingya.

The mainly Muslim minority, who live primarily in Rakhine State, is not recognised as an ethnic group in Myanmar, despite having lived there for generations.

They have been denied citizenship and are stateless.

Many in the Buddhist-majority country consider the Rohingya Bengali, rejecting the term Rohingya as a recent invention.

Bangladeshs Ali accused Myanmar of running a malicious propaganda campaign to term the Rohingya as illegal migrants from Bangladesh and the fighters as Bengali terrorists.

READ MORE: My name is Jashim, I am Rohingya

Ali described actions following the attacks on security forces on August 25 as revenge by Myanmar troops.

Should all people be killed? Should all villages be burnt? It is not acceptable, he said, adding that Dhaka was seeking a peaceful solution, not a war against Myanmar.

We did not create the problem. Since the problem started in Myanmar, thats why they should resolve. We have said well help them, he said, adding that the problem took a new turn after the August 25 attacks.

Inadequate government aid

Al Jazeeras Divya Gopalan, reporting from Coxs Bazar, said that Alis comments are significant because it means they are making a much harder effort to get more international help.





She said, however, that many in Coxs Bazar would say the governments aid so far has been inadequate.

You can ask anyone here, and they will say that they havent received government help, she said.

What we are mostly seeing are local charities filling the void and locals helping out.

Bangladesh has also been criticised for turning back hundreds of Rohingya refugees at its border with Myanmar.

Earlier this year, it had resurrected a proposal to relocate tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees to a remote island that is prone to flooding. The plan has been decried by human rights groups.

A commission led by former UN chief Kofi Annan last month said Myanmar must scrap restrictions on movement and citizenship for its Rohingya minority if it wants to bring peace to Rakhine State.

Ali called on the international community to urge the Myanmar government to immediately implement the recommendations of the commissions report in its entirety.
Barcelona, Spain  Nearly two million people are expected to crowd Barcelonas streets on Monday for Catalonias national day, known as the Diada, as tensions over a referendum on its independence continue.

A Spanish high court last Friday decided to suspend the October 1 vote on the provinces independence pending a decision on its constitutionality.

This year, the national day celebration bears a special name: la Diada del Si, Catalan for the National Day of Yes.

The Yes is a rallying cry in the vote for independence. The Catalan governments ruling coalition, Junts pel Si, or Together for Yes, is a joining of parties from across the political spectrum to achieve this end.

The majority of municipalities in the northeastern region are prepared to facilitate the vote, in spite of Madrids threats to prosecute any mayor who goes ahead with polling.

Playing politics

Joan Maria Pique, the international press secretary for Catalan President Carles Puigdemont, told Al Jazeera that the swell in support for an independent Catalonia has been swift.

Though Pique has always been in favour of independence, he said many in the Catalan government have switched to the secessionist camp over the past few years, and the same can be said for much of the Catalan public.

Now, polls say that unionists and independent sentiments are running neck-and-neck.

Pique explained that many Catalan dont feel welcome in the Spanish state after years of unfair economic relations and recent political measures against the headstrong region.

Talks regarding financial agreements stalled in 2012. Catalonias then-President Artur Mas aimed to create a new fiscal pact that would have more evenly distributed tax income between the regional and federal governments.

Catalonias gross product was 223bn euros in 2016, the highest in Spain, it shares a border with France, and Barcelona is home to Spains most financially successful port.

READ MORE: Spanish court suspends Catalonias independence vote

Mas told CNN in 2012 that if you compare the money we send to Madrid every year and the money we get back from Madrid, there is a difference  a near difference of $20bn.

Pique confirmed that fiscal relations have not improved.

Furthermore, Catalonia is still recovering from the violent attacks committed by ISIL-linked attackers between August 16 and 17 that left 14 people dead, the majority of whom were killed in downtown Barcelona.

It should have been a moment of unity.

However, Pique said the Spanish authorities have mixed the independentist process with the attacks.

The Catalan police were blocked from the Interpol database by the Spanish government, Pique said, which left security forces without valuable information regarding the cell that planned the attack.

Its the Spanish government playing politics with security, which risked the safety of secessionists, unionists and everyone who visits [Barcelona], the press secretary commented.

Spanish fake news

Pique said that it is not only the Spanish government playing politics with the attacks but also pro-union media.

El Periodico, a centre-left Catalan newspaper viewed as a pro-Madrid, published a document at the end of August, originally thought to be correspondence from the US Central Intelligence Agency to Barcelonas police, warning them of possible attacks on May 25.

But the document featured grammatical errors and Spanish words in place of their English equivalent. Observers, including Wikileaks Julian Assange, called on the newspapers editor to resign.

The director of the newspaper admitted that it wasnt real, but said that it was a recreation built from bits of information they had received from unspecified sources, Arkaitz Zubiaga, a visiting professor at Madrids National University of Distance education who researches the fake news phenomena, as well as social media data in the context of journalism, told Al Jazeera.

The way in which this was reported with later clarifications, and the reference to unspecified sources, made it still very questionable, Zubiaga said.

That did not stop the fake news from jumping the language barrier. English-language outlets wrote about the dubious document without including information as to its questionable sourcing.

Zubiaga said the purported CIA document was only a part of the Spanish campaign against the Catalan referendum, going on to cite raids of print shops suspected of producing ballots by the Spanish Civil Guard, a national military-police force.

Madrid has also made threats of sending the Civil Guard to stop voting.

READ MORE: The case against Catalan secession

The Spanish constitution says matters of sovereignty must be decided on the national level, and Article 155 of the Spanish constitution grants Madrid the power to intervene in the running of Catalonias regional government.

But stopping the referendum, a democratic exercise whose outcome is far from certain, may be the more damaging option for the Spanish government.

Zubiaga said, the democratic nature of the Spanish governments practices is being called into question.

New state, what next?

Catalan President Puigdemont has promised to declare independence from Spain within 48 hours if voters back secession.

A new state would emerge, populated entirely by European Union citizens, though Catalonia itself would no longer be in the EU.

This would mean the wealthy region would need to renegotiate economic ties with Spain, as well re-joining the EU.

Pique, the international press secretary for the Catalan president, said it would be in Spains economic interest to make these agreements.

Also, it would be difficult for Spain to block Catalonias EU membership without first recognising Catalonias independence, he claimed.

Maria Mut Bosque, a lecturer of international and EU law at the International University of Catalonia, somewhat agreed.

She told Al Jazeera that it would be beneficial for both parties to adopt a pragmatic vision in their future relationship.

Regarding the EUs role, Bosque said there are two paths it could take: The EU sometimes acts as a mere intergovernmental organisation, where the vision of the member states is the only one that prevails.

This would mean Spain would have a say in Catalonias ascension.

While other times, like in the case of Kosovo, which has not been recognised by Spain and other EU members, the EU has managed to reach an agreement, Bosque continued.

ReAD MORe: Spain to bring charges against Catalan parliamentarians

Kosovo and the EU signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) in 2015, establishing free trade and other agreements between the two parties.

Scholars agree that Catalonia would have to enter the queue to join the EU behind states such as Montenegro, Serbia and others.

An accord like the SAA, or similar trade, monetary and movement agreements, which Switzerland and Andorra enjoy, could serve as a stopgap measure as Catalonia negotiates with both the EU and Spain.

Regardless of external recognition or agreements, it must be borne in mind that an entity becomes a state as soon as it meets the minimal criteria for statehood, Bosque said.

These criteria include territory, population, governmental institutions and sovereignty.

After the October referendum, Catalonia could meet them all.
The victims, including a 13-year-old boy, were travelling in a taxi from Afghanistan to Quetta when they were shot dead.

Gunmen in southwestern Pakistan killed four members of a Shia Muslim Hazara family, in the latest apparent sectarian attack on the minority community, officials said.

Two men on a motorcycle opened fire on a family of eight while they were at a filling station some 30km north of Quetta, the capital of Pakistans Balochistan province, late on Sunday.

Aside from those killed, two others were wounded. Two female members of the family escaped unscathed, having remained in their vehicle.

This was a sectarian attack, senior police officer Tanveer Shah told the Reuters news agency, adding that no group had claimed responsibility for the shooting.

READ MORE: Why is Balochistan an easy target in Pakistan?

Hazaras are frequently targeted by the Taliban, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group, and other Sunni Muslim armed groups in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Many Hazaras fled to Pakistan during decades of conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan, and nearly half a million now live in and around Quetta.

In 2013, three separate bombings killed over 200 people in Hazara neighbourhoods, raising international awareness of the plight of the community.

More than 20 Hazaras have been killed in similar shootings in Balochistan over the past two years, police say.

The ongoing violence in the province has fuelled concern about security for projects in the $57bn China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a transport and energy link planned to run from western China to Pakistans southern deep-water port of Gwadar.
More than three million people are without power amid high winds and flooding, as fears grow over storm surges.

Hurricane Irma is giving Florida a coast-to-coast pummeling with winds up to 210km/h, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes.





The 640-kilometre-wide storm blew ashore Sunday morning in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane before eventually weakening to a Category 2 storm as it moved up the coast.

Forecasters said it could hit the heavily populated Tampa-St Petersburg area early on Monday.

Pray, pray for everybody in Florida, Governor Rick Scott told US media on Sunday.

At least three people were reportedly killed in two separate vehicle accidents in Florida that took place as the stormed arrived. At least 25 people were killed during Irmas destructive trek across the Caribbean earlier this week.

Storm surges

A storm surge of over three metres was recorded in the Florida Keys, and forecasters warned some places on the mainland could get up to 4.5 metres of water.

This is a life-threatening situation, Scott told a press conference.

Al Jazeeras Kristen Saloomey, reporting from Naples in south Florida, said that while the worst of the storm had passed over the city, the next big thing people were worrying about was the storm surge.

She added that a surge of up to 4.5 metres could put the entire downtown area of Naples at risk.

Some 645km north of the Keys, people in the Tampa-St Petersburg area braced for the onslaught on Sunday night.

The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about three million, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921.

READ MORE: What you need to know about Hurricane Irma and its impact

Al Jazeeras Heidi Zhou-Castro, reporting from Tampa, said those in the city are very concerned about storm surges as well.

The real dangers here are three-fold, she said.

People are worried about the winds of 150km/h, which are predicted in Tampa, as well as the rainfall, and the highest concern is the storm surges.

Entire state at risk

While Irma raked the states Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state  including the Miami metropolitan area of six million people  was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

In Miami, a woman who went into labour, was guided through delivery by phone when authorities could not reach her in high winds and street flooding. Firefighters later took her to the hospital.

Two of the two dozen construction cranes looming over the citys skyline collapsed in the wind. No injuries were reported. City officials said it would have taken about two weeks to move the massive equipment.

Al Jazeeras Alan Fisher, reporting from Miami, said there was a point during the afternoon on Sunday that the rain and wind were so strong that visibility was reduced to less than 10 metres.

It was so heavy that you really couldnt see much further than your hand, Fisher said.

The good news is that many people have moved out of their homes, they have gone to the shelters that have been provided  more than 375 of them across the state  and they will stay there, probably until Tuesday or Wednesday when the water starts to recede and things get back to normal.

Power outages

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of south Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported.





Florida Power & Light said that more than three million customers were without power by Sunday evening and more outages were expected as the storm moved further north.

The utility company added that full restoration of service could take weeks.

Nearly seven million people in the southeastern part of the US were warned to evacuate, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

After leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, Georgia, which is some 320km from the sea.

President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Florida, opening the way for federal aid.

Floridas governor also activated all 7,000 members of the Florida National Guard, and 10,000 guardsmen from elsewhere were being deployed.

Irma at one time was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 300km/h, and its approach set off alarms in Florida.

READ MORE: Irma causes devastation across the Caribbean

For days, forecasters had warned that Irma was taking dead aim at the Miami area and the rest of the states Atlantic coast.

But then Irma made a more pronounced westward shift that put a bulls-eye on the Tampa area  the result of what meteorologists said was an atmospheric tug-of-war between weather systems that nudged Irma and determined when it made its crucial right turn into Florida.

Before making its way to Florida, Irma blasted the Caribbean, ripping roofs off houses, collapsing buildings and flooding hundreds of kilometres of Cubas coastline after it had already devastated several other islands in the Caribbean.
Wives and children of suspected ISIL fighters held in camp after groups expulsion from former stronghold in Mosul.

Iraqi authorities are holding about 1,400 foreign wives and children of suspected ISIL fighters in a camp after government forces expelled the group from one of its last remaining strongholds in Iraq, security and aid officials said.

Many of them say they are from Russia, Turkey and Central Asia, but there are also some from European countries, the officials said.

They have mostly arrived at the camp south of Mosul since August 30.

An Iraqi intelligence officer said they were in the process of verifying the nationalities of the wives and children with their home countries since many of the women no longer had their original documents.

READ MORE: ISIL women recruits arrested in Mosul

It is the largest group of foreigners linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group to be held by Iraqi forces since they started expelling the fighters from Mosul and other areas in northern Iraq last year, an aid official said.

Thousands of foreigners have been fighting for ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

A senior security officer said the authorities were trying to find a safe place to house the families while negotiating with embassies for their return home. They are not allowed to leave the camp.

Reuters news agency reporters saw hundreds of the women and children sitting on mattresses crawling with bugs in tents in what aid workers called a militarised site.

Turkish, French and Russian were among the languages spoken.

I want to go back (to France) but dont know how, said a French-speaking woman of Chechen origin who said she had lived in Paris before.

She said she did not know what had happened to her husband, who had brought her to Iraq when he joined ISIL.

The security officer said the women and children had mostly surrendered to the Kurdish Peshmerga near the northern city of Tal Afar, along with their husbands.

READ MORE: What will post-ISIL Mosul look like?

The Kurds handed the women and children over to Iraqi forces but kept the men  all presumed to be fighters  in their custody.

Many of the families had fled to Tal Afar after Iraqi troops pushed ISIL out of Mosul on August 30.

Iraqi forces retook Tal Afar, a city of predominantly ethnic Turkmen that has produced some of ISILs most senior commanders, last month. Most of its prewar population of 200,000 have fled.

Tension

Aid workers and the authorities are worried about tensions between Iraqis, who lost their homes and are also living in the camp, and the new arrivals.

Many Iraqis want revenge for the harsh treatment they received under ISILs interpretation of Sunni Islam that they imposed in Mosul and the other areas they seized in 2014.

The families are being kept to one side (of the camp) for their own safety, an Iraqi military intelligence officer said.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), which is supporting the 541 women and their children, said Iraq must swiftly move to clarify its future plans for these individuals.

Like all those fleeing conflict, it is imperative that these individuals are able to access protection, assistance, and information, NRC said in a statement. They are in de facto detention.

Western officials are worried about fighters and their relatives coming home after the collapse of ISILs caliphate.

French officials have indicated a preference for citizens found to be affiliated with ISIL to be prosecuted in Iraq.

The general philosophy is that adults should go on trial in Iraq, a French diplomatic source told Reuters last month, of those found to have been fighters.

We think children would benefit from judicial and social services in France.

Tricked

The women in the camp were cooking noodles or lying on mattresses with their babies in the hot tents. Many were still wearing the black abayas and face-veils which were mandatory in areas that ISIL controlled.

My mother doesnt even know where I am, said a 27-year-old French woman of Algerian descent who said she had been tricked by her husband to come with him via Turkey into Syria and then Iraq when he joined ISIL last year.

I had just given birth to this little girl three months before, she said holding the infant and asking not to be named.

He said lets go for a weeks holiday in Turkey. He had already bought the plane tickets and the hotel.

After four months in Mosul, she ran away from her husband to Tal Afar in February. She was hoping to make it back to France, but he found her and would not let her leave.

She tearily recounted how her five-year-old son was killed in June by a rocket while playing in the streets.

I dont understand why he did this to us, she said of her husband, who she said was killed fighting in Mosul. Dead or alive  I couldnt care less about him.

She and a few other families had walked for days to surrender at a Kurdish Peshmerga checkpoint beyond al-Ayadiyah, a town near Tal Afar where the fighters took their last stand.

We were getting bombed, shelled and shot at, she said.

Kurdish officials said dozens of fighters surrendered after the fall of Tal Afar but gave no details. One Tal Afar resident said he had seen between 70 and 80 fighters fleeing the town in the final days of the battle.
Cuba reports 10 deaths by Hurricane Irma which is now affecting US state of Florida as a tropical storm.

Hurricane Irma has killed at least 10 people in Cuba over the weekend, the authorities say, bringing the death toll in the Caribbean to 38 as the weakened storm moves up the US state of Florida.

Cubas civil defence authorities said in a statement on Monday that the victims perished due to various causes such as accidents, collapsed buildings and not heeding orders to evacuate in the four provinces of Havana, Matanzas, Sancti spiritus and Ciego de Avila.

Irma, which was downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday, is centred about 170km north-northwest of Tampa area of Florida, with sustained winds of about 110km/h as of 9:00 am local time (13:00 GMT).





Warnings of dangerous storm surges remained in effect through vast swaths of peninsular Florida, where more than six million people had been ordered to flee Irma in one of the biggest evacuations in US history.

As little as six inches of moving water can knock you down, tweeted the states governor Rick Scott following the downgrade.

Irma was churning towards the heavily populated Tampa Bay region, a zone seen as particularly susceptible to storm surges due to its geographical position and sloping land off the coast.

The storm had killed three people when it struck the southern Florida Keys island chain as a more powerful Category Four on Sunday.

Theres a huge difference between a (Category) 3 and 5 when it makes landfall, said private meteorologist Ryan Maue of WeatherBell Analytics Barbuda is an example of that. It was wiped.

This is obviously not the worst case scenario for Florida overall, Maue said. Had the centre of Irma hit Florida 32-50 kilometres to the east it would have been much worse.

READ MORE: What you need to know  Hurricane Irma and its impacts

Irma, which was expected to cause billions of dollars in damage to the third-most-populous US state, it hit just days after the Houston area was deluged by unprecedented flooding from Hurricane Harvey, which dumped more than 127cm of rain in parts of Texas.

Harvey killed at least 60 people and caused an estimated $180bn in property damage.

US President Donald Trump, acting at the governors request, approved a major disaster declaration for Florida on Sunday, freeing up emergency federal aid in response to Irma, which he called some big monster.
President Donald Trump has called the 2015 agreement between Iran and six major powers the worst deal ever negotiated.

The UN atomic watchdog hit back on Monday at US criticism of the Iran nuclear deal, insisting its inspections there are the worlds toughest and that Tehran is sticking to the accord.

The nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran under [the 2015 deal] are being implemented, International Atomic Energy Agency head Yukiya Amano told reporters.

The verification regime in Iran is the most robust regime  currently existing. We have increased the inspection days in Iran, we have increased inspector numbers  and the number of images has increased, he said in Vienna.

From a verification point of view, it is a clear and significant gain.

READ MORE: Iran and world powers clinch historic nuclear deal

US President Donald Trump has called the agreement between Iran and six major powers reducing its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief the worst deal ever negotiated.

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley made a case last week for how the United States could back away from the landmark agreement.

You cant put lipstick on a pig, Haley said. We have to look at the reality that this deal is flawed.

Trump has to certify in mid-October whether he believes Iran is abiding by the nuclear deal and that sticking to it is vital to US national security interests.

If, as seems increasingly likely, Trump decides not to give the green light, Congress will then have 60 days to debate whether to re-impose sanctions on Iran.

Irans President Hassan Rouhani said last month the top foreign policy priority for his new government was to protect the nuclear deal from being torn up by the United States.

The most important job of our foreign minister is first to stand behind the JCPOA and not to allow the US and other enemies to succeed, Rouhani told parliament, using the technical name for the 2015 agreement.
Pontiff calls on politicians to take scientists advice as he raises alarm over global warming after major storms.

Pope Francis has sharply criticised climate change deniers as stupid in the wake of a spate of powerful hurricanes that have wreaked havoc in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Those who deny it [climate change] should go to the scientists and ask them, the pontiff said on Monday during an in-flight press conference on the return leg of a five-day Colombia trip. They speak very clearly.

As his charter plane flew over some of the recently devastated areas en route to Rome, Francis added: I am reminded of a phrase from the Old Testament, I think from the Psalm: Man is stupid, he is stubborn and he does not see.'

READ MORE: What you need to know: Hurricane Irma and its impacts

The popes comments came as Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in a century, caused widespread destruction across the French Caribbean islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Haiti and the US state of Florida. At least 38 people have been killed so far from the Category 5 superstorm.





Meanwhile, Hurricane Katia bore down on the east coast of Mexico, leaving at least two dead.

Far out in the Atlantic, Hurricane Jose, a Category 2 storm, having brushed past the Caribbean also poses a potential threat to the US east coast.

Last month, Hurricane Harvey, one of the worst storms to hit the US mainland in 12 years, led to unprecedented flooding in the southern US state of Texas.

Moral responsibility

Francis is one of the worlds most high-profile campaigners on environmental issues, actively supporting efforts to combat climate change and its consequences.

He said individuals and politicians had a moral responsibility to act on advice from scientists, who had clearly outlined what must be done to halt the course of catastrophic warming.

These arent opinions pulled out of thin air, he said. They are very clear. They [world leaders] decide and history will judge those decisions.

WATCH: State of denial  Trump vs climate change (24:38)

Recalling last months news that a ship crossed the Arctic without an icebreaker for the first time, Francis said: We can see the effects of climate change, and scientists clearly say what path we should follow.





While regularly criticising politicians, the pope has made caring for the environment a hallmark of his papacy.

He wrote an entire encyclical (a letter from the pope disseminated to the bishops of the Church) about how the poor in particular are most harmed when multinationals move in to exploit natural resources.

During his visit to Colombia, Francis spoke out frequently about the need to preserve the countrys rich biodiversity from overdevelopment and exploitation.

Among world leaders, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly made a case sceptical of the existence of climate change.

In June, Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Agreement, which binds countries to national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
North Korea warns Washington will pay the price for any fresh sanctions passed on Pyongyang at UN meeting on Monday.

North Korea threatened to make the United States pay a due price on Monday for leading the push for fresh sanctions on Pyongyang.

The UN Security Council is expected to vote on the US led resolution later today, following North Koreas sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date on September 3.

Original wording, including the imposition of an oil embargo on the isolated state and a travel ban on leader Kim Jong-un, has been watered down to appease fellow Security Council members China and Russia, according to diplomats.

Both states, who each have the power to veto any resolution, have been reluctant to pursue tougher penalties on North Korea.





Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, has expressed concern that increasing sanctions on oil would have negative humanitarian impacts for the North Korean people.

I am concerned cutting off the oil supply to North Korea may cause damage to people in hospitals or other ordinary citizens, he told South Koreas Yonhap news agency on September 6.

China has so far refused to shut off oil supplies to Pyongyang, with Beijing controlling a pipeline that provides approximately 520,000 tonnes of crude oil to its North Korean neighbour each year, according to industry sources.

The final resolution contains reduced sanctions on oil and no longer proposes blacklisting the North Korean leader, a copy obtained by Reuters news agency shows.

An unnamed North Korean foreign ministry spokesman claimed on Monday the US was going frantic to fabricate the harshest ever sanctions resolution by manipulating the United Nations Security Council.

In case the US eventually does rig up the illegal and unlawful resolution on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the U.S. pays due price, the statement, carried by Pyongyangs state media organisation, the Korean Central News Agency (KNCA), added.

READ MORE: North Korea: Kim Jong-un praises nuclear test

Jens Stoltenberg, NATOs secretary-general, condemned North Koreas reckless behaviour on Sunday, claiming Kim Jong-uns actions present a global threat that requires a concerted international response.

The NATO chief stressed the need for any resolution to the crisis on the Korean Peninsula to be conflict-free: We are now totally focused on how we can contribute to a peaceful solution of the conflict, he told the BBC.

Any resolution passed by the Security Council requires nine votes in favour and no veto by either the United States, Britain, Russia, China or France.
Gulf blockade violates human rights and UN should take action against imposing nations, Qatars foreign minister says.

Qatars foreign minister says the blockade by neighbouring Gulf countries violates international law and human rights and the United Nations needs to take action against the Saudi-led bloc.

Speaking at a UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva on Monday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Qatar faced numerous challenges because of the illegal imposition by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain after accusing Doha of funding terrorism.

Qatar has vehemently rejected the allegations.

The foreign minister said there are currently about 26,000 cases filed with Qatars National Human Rights Committee over the blockade. He said he is looking forward to having measures taken against the blockading countries by the international community.

These Gulf countries have taken illegal measures that constitute a grave violation of civil, economic and social human rights, including banning Qatari citizens travelling or transiting through their territories, Sheikh Mohammed said in the session.

This has torn apart many families and has interrupted education and the right to work in Qatar.

Qatar-Gulf crisis: All the latest updates

On June 5, the four countries cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a land, air and sea blockade on their Gulf neighbour.

On June 22, the group issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of Al Jazeera, limiting ties with Iran, and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country as a prerequisite to lifting the blockade.





Doha rejected all the demands, denouncing them as an attempt to infringe on Qatars sovereignty.

The head of Qatars National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri said last month his organisation would be taking legal action against the blockading countries on behalf of citizens who filed official complaints seeking financial and economic redress.

Willing to talk

The Qatari foreign minister also emphasised that the blockading countries tried to hide facts from people and fabricated allegations of supporting terrorism.

The real motivation behind the siege was not fighting terrorism, but rather to interfere in to our (Qatars) foreign policy and undermine its sovereignty, Sheikh Mohammed said, adding the GCC crisis will only be solved through dialogue.

The state of Qatar reaffirms its position in rejecting and condemning terrorism in all its forms, whatever the cause and motives are. Qatar is an active member in the coalition to counter terrorism.

So despite any challenges and allegations, Qatar is willing to talk.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia suspended plans to hold talks with Qatar, shortly after reports of a phone call between Qatars emir and the Saudi crown prince hinted at a potential breakthrough in the crisis.

The call on Friday between Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was the first official contact between Doha and Riyadh since the start of the dispute.

In the phone call, which was reported by state media from both countries, the two leaders expressed a willingness to discuss an end to the rift.

READ MORE: War stopped between Qatar, blockading Arab nations

However, there seemed to be a dispute over protocol  with some reports pointing to Qatar News Agencys (QNA) apparent failure to mention it was Doha that initiated the call.

In the phone discussion, Sheikh Tamim and Mohammed bin Salman stressed the need to resolve this crisis through dialogue to ensure the unity and stability of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), said QNA.

On Thursday, Trump held talks with the emir of Kuwait, who had been acting as a mediator to defuse the crisis, at the White House.

The GCC is an alliance of six Middle Eastern countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
Security Council unanimously imposes new sanctions on Pyongyang in a watered-down version of initial draft resolution.

The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea following its sixth and largest nuclear test.

With backing from China and Russia, the council voted 15-0 on Monday to slap a ban on textile exports and restrict shipments of oil products to North Korea.

The resolution is a watered-down version of the original US proposal.

It does ban North Korea from importing all natural gas liquids and condensates.

But it only caps Pyongyangs imports of crude oil at the level of the last 12 months, and it limits the import of refined petroleum products to 2 million barrels a year.

OPINION: Peace with North Korea is still possible

It also bans all textile exports and prohibits all countries from authorising new work permits for North Korean workers  two key sources of hard currency.

The initial US proposal included an assets freeze on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a complete ban on countries selling oil to his government, but the measures were softened to appease China and Russia.

It is the ninth resolution unanimously adopted by the 15-member council since 2006 over North Koreas ballistic missile and nuclear programmes.

Not looking for war

US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said the bans on textile exports and overseas workers alone would starve the Pyongyang of at least $1.3bn in annual revenues  an estimated $800 million and $500 million respectively.





She added that the US is not looking for war with North Korea and Pyongyang has not passed the point of no return.

If it agrees to stop its nuclear programme, it can reclaim its future. If it proves it can live in peace, the world will live in peace with it, she told the UN Security Council after the adoption of new sanctions.

Todays resolution would not have happened without the strong relationship that has developed between President [Donald] Trump and Chinese President Xi.

Trump has vowed not to allow North Korea to develop a nuclear missile capable of hitting the mainland United States.

However, Al Jazeeras Wayne Hay, reporting from the South Korean capital Seoul, said, we seem to be stuck in this endless cycle of provocation and condemnation, and there is no sign of either side  the US and South Korea combined or North Korea  backing down from their state positions.

North Korea was condemned globally for its latest nuclear test on September 3, which it said was of an advanced hydrogen bomb.

Resume talks sooner rather than later

Chinas UN Ambassador Liu Jieyi called on North Korea to take seriously the expectations and will of the international community that it halt its nuclear and ballistic missile development, and called on all parties to remain cool-headed and not stoke tensions.

Liu said relevant parties should resume negotiations sooner rather than later.

To kick-start talks, China and Russia have proposed a dual suspension of North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile testing, as well as US and South Korean military exercises.

We think its a big mistake to underestimate this Russia, China initiative. It remains on the table at the Security Council, and we will insist on it being considered, Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council.

READ MORE: Three things to know about North Koreas missile tests

Haley has called the proposal insulting.

Al Jazeeras James Bays, reporting from the UN in New York City, said that while both China and Russia supported the sanctions resolution, they made it very clear that they dont believe everything is being done that should be done.

He said that both countries believe there are other things that have to happen, including some that the Trump administration wont like.

This includes removing the THAAD military defence system, stopping military exercises involving the US and South Korea, stopping talk of regime change, and starting fresh talks.

US will pay due price

North Korea warned the United States earlier on Monday that it would pay a due price for spearheading efforts on UN sanctions.





The world will witness how the DPRK tames the US gangsters by taking a series of actions tougher than they have ever envisaged, the foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

DPRK stands for North Koreas formal name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

Traditionally, the United States has discreetly negotiated with China on any North Korea sanctions before expanding talks to the full council once the five veto powers have agreed. More recently this has typically taken one to three months.

But after the latest nuclear test, Haley took a more public approach, announcing that she would circulate a draft resolution to all council members and that she intended to call for a vote on September 11.
The ex-Georgian president, who was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship in July, now risks extradition to Georgia.

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and a crowd of supporters have shoved their way through a line of guards at the Ukrainian border, making good on the politicians vow to return to the land that had stripped him of citizenship.

Saakashvili says he wants to return to challenge that decision in court and get back into politics.

He was initially refused entry on Sunday at the Medyka-Shehyni crossing point on the Polish-Ukrainian border.

But a crowd of supporters, who chanted Misha, Misha  a diminutive of his name  forced their way into Ukraine with Saakashvili, who now risks extradition to his native Georgia.

READ MORE: Ukraine strips Saakashvili of his only citizenship

The return of the divisive and headstrong Saakashvili, who became governor of Ukraines Odessa region after being Georgian president from 2004 to 2013, poses a strong challenge to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who once was Saakashvilis patron.

Poroshenko stripped Saakashvili of his citizenship in July amid a dramatic falling out.

Saakashvili was appointed to the Odessa post in 2015 on the strength of his record of fighting corruption in Georgia. However, he resigned the post after only 18 months, complaining that official corruption in Ukraine was so entrenched he could not work effectively.

Saakashvilis return to Ukraine carries risks for the former Georgian leader, who is currently stateless.

READ MORE: EU approves visa-free travel for Ukrainians

Georgia, where he faces accusations of abuse of power and misappropriation of property, has sent an extradition request for him to Ukraine. It is not clear if Ukraine intends to honour that request.

Saakashvili has said the allegations against him in Georgia are politically motivated.

I am not afraid

The border breakthrough at the Medyka-Shehyni crossing point came after a day of drama and repeatedly changing travel plans.





Earlier on Sunday, Ukrainian authorities blocked a Kiev-bound train in Poland carrying Saakashvili, who eventually got off and took a bus to the Medyka crossing.

Why is President Poroshenko so afraid of me, Saakashvili told reporters before breaking through to Ukraine.

I am not afraid. I demand to be let into my Ukraine, he said.

I was a full citizen without felony or conviction and now I want to go forward towards Ukrainian people.

In the evening, Saakashvili and others arrived in Lviv, western Ukraines largest city. He reportedly met Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi late Sunday night.

Supporters who accompanied him to the crossing point included former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Mustafa Nayyem, a politician who was a key figure in the 2013-2014 protests that drove Russia-friendly Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych out of the country.

Prosecutor-General Yuri Lutsenko said late on Sunday that charges would be pursued against organisers of Saakashvilis unauthorised entry.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said 17 police and border guards were injured in the confrontation.

He opened our eyes

The charismatic Saakashvili is credited with pushing through pro-Western and anti-corruption reforms in Georgia.

At the Medyka border, supporters expressed hope that Saakashvili could deliver some of the same types of reforms in Ukraine.

I am in support of Mikheil Saakashvili because I live here and I want for this person who lifted Georgia from its knees out of the dirt, for him to come here and help us do this too, one supporter said.

Another said he came to support the former Georgian leader because he opened our eyes as the Odessa region governor.

He showed the scale of corruption of Ukraine. He showed who steals, how much and how.
Syrian army reinforcements arrived in Deir Az Zor on Monday for a new push against ISIL (also known as ISIS) as the second day of air raids reportedly killed 19 civilians in the area.

Since 2014, ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group) has controlled most of Deir Az Zor city and the surrounding province, which borders territory the armed group holds in Iraq. The remaining 40 percent of the city still held by the government  and home to about 100,000 civilians  was under a crippling ISIL siege.

Backed by Russian air power, government troops have breached ISILs siege, captured the strategic Jabal Thardah region, and expanded control to half of Deir Az Zor city.

Huge military reinforcements  including equipment, vehicles and fighters  have arrived in Deir Az Zor in advance of an attack to push Daesh from the citys eastern neighbourhoods, said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights chief Rami Abdel Rahman, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

Russian and Syrian regime warplanes are striking IS positions in the city and its outskirts.

READ MORE: Russian air raids kill 34 civilians near Deir Az Zor

Deir Az Zor is the capital city of the oil-rich eastern province of the same name, regarded as a strategic prize by both Russian-backed Syrian troops and US-backed fighters.





Syrian forces have scored major advances in recent days, breaking a pair of ISIL sieges on the city and capturing territory around it.

However, the rapid advance has been accompanied by deadly air raids with the Observatory reporting 19 civilians killed on Monday in suspected Russian air raids northwest of the city.

The raids came a day after the Britain-based war monitor said Russian attacks had killed 34 civilians southeast of the city as they fled across the Euphrates River.

The latest air raids hit the ISIL-held village of al-Khrayta, 14km outside Deir Az Zor city.

Two sets of air raids 30 minutes apart hit civilians sheltering in tents along the Euphrates and boats on the river, the monitor said.

The attacks come as the Syrian army prepares to push into the eastern ISIL-held part of Deir Az Zor city, according to the Observatory.

US-backed force advances

Moscow intervened in Syria in September 2015 in support of its ally President Bashar al-Assad.

Fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday announced a separate offensive to capture ISIL territory east of the Euphrates River, which slices diagonally across Deir Az Zor province.

By Monday, the SDF had seized much of the provinces northeast and was just a few kilometres across the river from Deir Az Zor city.

Colonel Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the US-led coalition backing the SDF, said the militia had made significant gains, capturing about 250-square kilometres since the operation began.

The SDF, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters, is also battling ISIL in its de facto capital Raqqa with backing from the US-led air coalition.

Although the SDF has yet to reach Deir Az Zor city itself, tribal figures affiliated with the alliance said they were laying the groundwork for governing the city after ISILs defeat.

A statement, published by SDFs media council, announced the establishment of a preparatory committee that will discuss the basis and starting points for a civil council for Deir Az Zor.

After liberation

According to the statement, consultations would aim to reach a formulation that will express the aspirations of all our people in Deir Az Zor.

The Deir Az Zor Civil Council will be responsible for running the city immediately after its liberation.

It made no mention of Syrian forces and did not say whether the civil council would coordinate with government authorities.

SDF has said its assault in Deir Az Zor province is not in coordination with Russian or Syrian forces.

But the coalition, the SDF, Syrias government and Russia have agreed on a de-confliction line in northeastern Syria to prevent the two offensives from clashing.

READ MORE: Deir Az Zor: Syrian army close to breaking ISIL siege

Aaron Stein, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, said he did not expect the SDF to enter Deir Az Zor city.

But, he added: The SDF is now racing. The SDF is in a race with the regime. The regime forced everyones hand. They moved faster than expected up the river, so things started to move.

Syrias conflict erupted in 2011 with protests calling for Assads removal, but it has since evolved into a complex war drawing in world powers.

About 400,000 people have been killed, and millions have been forced to flee their homes.
UN rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein calls for investigation into possible rights abuses by Venezuelan security forces.

The United Nations human rights chief has said that Venezuelan security forces may have committed crimes against humanity against protesters and called for an international investigation.

My investigation suggests the possibility that crimes against humanity may have been committed, which can only be confirmed by a subsequent criminal investigation, Zeid Raad al-Hussein told the UN Human Rights Council on Monday.





Venezuelas foreign minister defended the record of the government of President Nicolas Maduro, rejecting the allegations as baseless.

Venezuela has been convulsed by months of demonstrations both for and against Maduro, who critics say has plunged the oil-rich country into the worst economic crisis in its history and is turning it into a dictatorship. At least 125 people have been killed in clashes with police since the protests began.

Zeid said the government was using criminal proceedings against opposition leaders, arbitrary detentions, excessive use of force and ill-treatment of detainees, which in some cases amounted to torture.

Controversial assembly

Last month, Zeids office said Venezuelas security forces had committed extensive and apparently deliberate human rights violations in crushing anti-government protests and that democracy was barely alive.

There is a very real danger that tensions will further escalate, with the government crushing democratic institutions and critical voices, Zeid said.

The opposition, which boycotted the election for the Constituent Assembly, has accused electoral authorities of inflating turnout figures for the July 30 vote. It also called the new assembly and its sweeping powers a rubber-stamp mechanism for Maduro to rule as a dictator.

However, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said that following the election, the opposition in Venezuela is back on the path of rule of law and democracy.

READ MORE: All the latest updates on the Venezuela crisis

Arreaza accused protesters of using firearms and homemade weapons against security forces but noted that the last death was on July 30. Our country is now at peace, he added.

Venezuela is among the 47 members of the Human Rights Council, where it enjoys strong support from Cuba, Iran and other states.

Diego Arria, who was Venezuelas ambassador to the UN from 1991 to 1994, told a separate Geneva event organised by activists and action group UN Watch that Venezuela should be referred to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

I am convinced that the killing in the streets equates to crimes against humanity, he said.

READ MORE: Venezuela crisis  Whats next?

The Hague-based court defines such crimes as including torture, murder, deprivation of liberty, sexual violence and persecution, he said.

Julieta Lopez, the aunt of opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez who remains under house arrest after three years in a military jail, said abuses continued.

There is no right to express a different political opinion without being threatened, beaten or imprisoned, she told the same event.
Director Ziad Doueiri held in Lebanon, reportedly over his previous film The Attack, which was filmed partly in Israel.

French-Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri, whose most recent film won a prize at the Venice Film Festival, was briefly detained after arriving at Beirut airport and must appear at a military tribunal on Monday.

The director arrived in Lebanon on Sunday ahead of the premiere of his new film The Insult, which opened to rave reviews in Venice and earned Palestinian actor Kamel El Basha the Volpi Cup for best actor.

They held me at the airport for two and a half hours. They released me after confiscating my French and Lebanese passports, Doueiri told AFP news agency late on Sunday.

I have to appear (Monday) at 9am (06:00 GMT) before a military tribunal for an investigation into the charges, he said.

Some Lebanese journalists and activists have demanded the director apologise for his previous film The Attack, which was filmed partly in Israel.

READ MORE: Q&A  Director of Bedouin Western heads to the Oscars

Lebanon, which is officially at war with Israel, bans its citizens from visiting the neighbouring country, with which it is locked in a decades-old conflict.

Adapted from the best-selling book by Yasmina Khadra, The Attack follows the story of an Israeli surgeon of Arab origin whose wife is the perpetrator of a suicide attack.

The film was banned in Lebanon in 2013 after it was released because the director filmed it partly in Israel and used some Israeli actors.

I am profoundly hurt. I came back to Lebanon with a prize from Venice. The Lebanese police have authorised the broadcast of my film (The Insult). I have no idea who is responsible for what has happened, the director said.

We will find out at court who is behind this affair, he added.
An anti-corruption group says it has evidence linking Zimbabwes ruling elite to a decade of disappearing diamond wealth.

In a report published on Monday, London-based Global Witness accused Zimbabwes Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) spy agency of holding a concealed stake in Kusena Diamonds  a company active in the Marange diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe.





The groups report, An Inside Job, suggests diamonds produced by the CIO-linked company were traded in Belgiums Antwerp and the UAEs Dubai  two of the worlds leading precious stone marketplaces  and may have funded political repression.

The report accused Zimbabwes highly partisan and oppressive military of having significant links to another Marange diamond company, Anjin.

The company sold diamonds in Antwerp on at least three occasions, the report said, likely in violation of EU sanctions against the military company that holds significant stake in Anjin.

In a statement, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre denied on Monday that Zimbabwean diamonds sold by its auction in 2013 and 2014 breached European sanctions.

According to Global Witness mounting evidence, a 25 percent hidden stake in Mbada Diamonds  the largest diamond mining company in Zimbabwe  was owned by Robert Mhlanga, a retired member of Zimbabwes security forces.

Companies have concealed their finances and shielded their operations from public scrutiny, hiding significant stakes in these companies held by the feared Central Intelligence Agency, the Zimbabwean military, and the government itself, Global Witness said in a statement.

Zimbabwean officials had no immediate comment.

Serious discrepancies

In 2013, a parliamentary committee reported serious discrepancies between what government receives from the sector and what the diamond mining companies claim to have remitted to the Treasury.

Zimbabwes diamonds, discovered in 2006, have frequently been the subject of controversy. The Marange fields are one of Africas biggest diamond finds in recent years.

The army cleared small-scale miners from the area in 2008 in an operation that Human Rights Watch says killed more than 200 people.

An international embargo was imposed on Zimbabwean diamonds following the atrocities, which was lifted in November 2011.
The City of Gainesville and its residents are finalizing last-minute preparations for Hurricane Irma, which has already begun to affect South Florida on Sunday.

Although there is no curfew, all residents should be indoors and off the roads by 4 p.m. Sunday, said Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe. Gainesvilles Regional Transit System shut down at 2 p.m., and all other city operations ended at 4 p.m., Poe said.

This is going to be a serious event for us, he said. We are going to make it through this.

Hurricane Irma is expected to be a Category 1 hurricane when it hits Gainesville, bringing tropical-storm-force winds as early as 6 p.m. Sunday, said Gainesville Fire Rescue Chief Jeff Lane. Alachua County will be under a hurricane warning for Sunday and Monday and a tornado watch until midnight Sunday. The eastern part of Alachua County is at a higher risk of experiencing tornados, Lane said.

Hurricane-force winds will begin whipping through the area around 8 a.m. Monday and last until around noon, Lane said. Tropical-storm-force winds will persist until about 6 p.m. Monday evening. Gainesville can expect between six and 10 inches of rain, and a flash flood watch is in effect for lower, flood-prone areas.

Poe said its likely internet and cellphone connection will be disturbed during the storm. It could take Gainesville Regional Utilities up to two weeks to restore power to some, Poe said.

Interstate 75 will remain open for the duration of the storm, Poe said.

A construction crane, located on Northwest Second Avenue near College Park Apartments, had raised some concerns among Gainesville residents and Poe. City Manager Anthony Lyons said he sent the building department to inspect the crane last week. The crane was deemed secure and storm-ready.

We worked very, very hard last week to ensure that it is, Lyons said.

Joshua Wong, a 21-year-old UF political science senior, came home to his College Park apartment Friday and found a letter from the leasing office taped to his door. The letter warned residents of the construction crane.

We want you to be aware of it if you are not already and to exercise caution, College Park management wrote in the letter.

Wong attempted to contact Roger Development Group, the construction company that owns and operates the crane, Sunday morning but wasnt able to reach them.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now

I think its kind of irresponsible for them to just leave a giant crane in front of buildings, especially when you know a hurricane is coming, Wong said.

For residents of mobile homes and low-lying neighborhoods, county officials declared a mandatory evacuation Saturday. Alachua County Emergency Management also opened five more shelters Saturday, including Eastside High School, High Springs Community School, Oak View Middle School, William S. Talbot Elementary School and Westwood Middle School, which serves as a special needs shelter.

Organizers started searching for people who could help translate for Spanish speakers in Gainesville area shelters Saturday.

Ester de Jong, the director of the School of Teaching and Learning in the UF College of Education, led the efforts and reached out to individuals and language departments at UF, as well as her former advisee, Katherine Barko-Alva, to find translators.

Barko-Alva, a 2016 UF alumna and current assistant professor of English as a second language and bilingual education at the College of William & Mary, spent Saturday afternoon gathering volunteers from Catholic Gators, the UF Center for Latin American Studies and Gainesville acquaintances who could serve as translators.

Organizers also used social media to find translators.

Within a half-hour of beginning their efforts, Barko-Alva and de Jong had compiled a list of 20 translators.

The emails just kept coming and coming, as did the support, Barko-Alva said.

The volunteers are currently on standby and will be called upon to go to any of the shelters in the Gainesville area as they are needed, said Barko-Alva.

As the storm passes and theres help needed and support that needs to be facilitated, (the shelters) will want to have these people on call, Barko-Alva said.

Tania Quesada, a postdoctoral fellow at the UF School of Forest Resources and Conservation, discovered the need for Spanish translators in area shelters on Facebook and signed up as a volunteer.

During the storm, Quesada and her family stayed at the Southwest Recreational Center, one of the shelters on UFs campus.

I want to try to be useful in this hard situation. I want to help in any way I can, Quesada said. There are people who are probably having a hard time getting around and communicating, and I want to be able to help those individuals.

@mkornfield

mkornfield@alligator.org

@camille_respess

crespess@alligator.org

@jessica_giles_

jgiles@alligator.org
In the 1980s, I had a boss who had gotten a masters degree in psychology from New York University. He was a brilliant man; could have been a doctor. He told me a story that explains much of what we see in society today.

It seems that while doing his graduate work in the early 1960s, he had to do research on lab rats, which were given the synthetic hormones used in the then new birth control pills. The results, he told me, showed that the grandchildren of these lab rats would have high rates of homosexual behaviors. From what he told me, the findings were suppressed. Apparently, the powers that be wanted the pill to pass muster. What happened to the second generation of rats that followed was of no consequence to them.

Then my boss told me: The first generation of kids born to mothers using the pill have already arrived. But we should expect in another generation a noticeable increase in homosexual behavior, as they would be the second generation. As that was then still in the future, I was shocked.

This was told me in the mid '80s. By his reckoning, we should have seen a societal explosion of homosexuality starting around 2000, and subsequently. And, of course, we have seen such an explosion. His prediction came true.

Now, to many classic conservatives  whether religious or merely social  homosexuality is a choice, something which can be learned and/or unlearned. The problem is: There is a degree of evidence that it may be contrariwise in some individuals.

I invite one to look at this short CBS 60 Minutes documentary about what happens to lab rats treated with sex hormones early on their development. There is a body of evidence that early hormonal manipulation can have horrific consequences.

We have to ask ourselves, what happens to all those women using hormonal contraceptives when they stop their pills in anticipation of wanted pregnancy. Does the normal human cycle return immediately, or is there a rebound effect where, even if ovulation occurs, the ambient hormonal background in the womb is screwed up? This article addressed the question of whether gonadal steroid exposure during prenatal development is one of the factors, in at least one of the pathways, that lead to variability in sexual orientation outcomes. Based on the compelling evidence that prenatal testosterone exposure influences childrens sex-typical play behavior, on the well-established links between childhood play interests and adult sexual orientation, and on the evidence showing altered sexual orientation in women exposed to high levels of androgens prenatally, because of CAH, the answer appears to be yes. - National Institutes of Health

This next quote seems to confirm what my boss told me that the effect will skip a generation to the grandchildren.

According to a newly released hypothesis, homosexuality might not lie in DNA itself. Instead, as an embryo develops, sex-related genes are turned on and off in response to fluctuating levels of hormones in the womb, produced by both mother and child. This benefits the unborn child, however if these epigenetic changes persist once the child is born, and has children of its own, some of these offspring may be homosexual. - SciTechDaily

There you have it. The anecdote related to me 30 years ago, by my boss, has some scientific merit.

There is a Catholic order of nuns, the Children of Mary, which in 2012 distributed information about this connection  which caused quite some controversy. To be honest, Catholicism's insistence on clerical celibacy sort of undercuts their concern with reproductive health; but the nuns may have a point.

Contraception Video, Produced By Children Of Mary Order, Links Homosexuality With Birth Control  Huffington Post

The Video  (Click Here)

I do not agree with Catholicism's ban on artificial contraception. As long as it is non-abortifacient, I cannot see how it poses a moral issue among married couples. To be fair, it is not just a Catholic issue any more. Some classic Protestants have adopted similar views, such as with the Quiverfull movement.

There is also the secondary issue that hormonal pills can lead to chemically induced miscarriages/abortions, even if that is not the intent of the user. The hormones can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. I do agree with those who see problems in altering the hormonal balance in a woman's body, which leads to this abortifacient action.



So while I would take exception to the Catholic/Fundamentalist Quiverfull prohibition against condoms, I would agree with their condemnation of hormonal birth control pills.

But this poses a tertiary issue.

There is a body of evidence  apparently being suppressed by the popular media  that these convenient chemical alterations of women's bodies is part of the reason for the increase in Western homosexuality. The media now shows homosexuality as a heroic choice. Do they ever admit that it might be a chemically induced aberration?

We were taught in school that our makeup was determined by our DNA; but there is a new science called epigenetics which is indicating that environmental effects may alter how our genes are expressed. While conservatives deny that there is a gay gene, per se, they may have to admit that there may be an epigenetic trigger.

Normal DNA, in a normal fetus, subjected to unstable hormonal fluctuations in a womb, which until recently had been subjected to artificial hormones, may express itself in developing a child given to homosexual tendencies. The child's DNA may not be unusual, but the chemical bath under which the child developed may have set off triggers which led to an altered orientation or proclivity.

New Clues That Sexual Orientation Could Be Epigenetic In addition, evidence has shown that women who are exposed to androgen early in life are more likely to identify as homosexual or bisexual. - Medscape (2015)

This leads to a further issue. It is the province of moralists and many conservative Christians to dismiss, as hogwash, the claim of homosexuals that they were born that way. The inability to isolate a gay gene is proof that it is not genetic. However, it may be epigenetic.

This further introduces more moral issues, particularly to those who would decry homosexuals as willfully degenerate. It may not be a much of a choice as classic moralists might want to think.

Now, I happen to think homosexuality will destroy any society where it is unchecked. I am opposed to gay marriage, because it violates biology. I am also opposed to the media's glorification of homosexuality as the equivalent of normal orientation. It is not.

However, a considerable portion of the blame may be with the pharmaceutical companies which push these pills. Initial tests, done 50 years ago, seem to have shown what problems would arise. My boss' fearful predication told to me 30 years ago has come true.

No doubt, our culture and media compound the problem by encouraging homosexual behavior in individuals who might be easily persuaded to revert back to normal proclivities. However, we may have to address a frightening problem that even were we to re-Christianize our societal worldview  highly unlikely - there will be a considerable swath of individuals who were irrevocably damaged in utero; and who may be beyond complete re-adjustment.

The best that can be suggested is that women be fully informed of the dangers of taking hormonal birth control; and a certain degree of Christian charity  by which I do NOT mean approval  be tendered to those individuals who say they cannot change. In plain terms, society should not allow gay marriage, but should make provisions for individuals who cannot change.

Ideally, the withdrawal of hormonal birth control from the marketplace would be a solution, forcing women to revert to older barrier and prophylactic methods. However, our social engineers would remind us that this would result in poorer women  code word for blacks and minorities  having more unwanted babies, as they are too uneducated to know how to use simpler birth control methods which require a few seconds of extra effort.

And that is the real issue. Social engineers will continue to sacrifice generations of children to the moloch of gender dysphoria to keep the unwanted subterranean Morlocks of society at bay. The unintended consequence is that quite often the individuals hurt will not be in the poorer classes, but in the sections of society they would want to see reproduce.

Mike Konrad is the pen name of an American who wishes he had availed himself more fully of the opportunity to learn Spanish in high school, lo those many decades ago. He writes on the Arabs of South America at http://latinarabia.com. He also just started a website about small computers at http://minireplacement.com.
Steve Bannon is right. China is the main event, North Korea is a sideshow. Nevertheless, one of the poorest nations on the planet has decided that its hearts desire is to have a weapon system that can land one or more nuclear weapons on U.S. cities. Sometimes you are best served by ignoring the absurdity of the situation and concentrate on intent, because people crazy enough to put a lot of effort into something they dont need might, on a whim or a mood swing, decide one day to use it.

There is a cheap solution to this, but lets first work through the expensive options. An air campaign against a very poor country that spent half a century building hardened shelters would just make the rubble bounce. It would also have the effect of reinforcing the regimes legitimacy. John Boyd was the worlds best air warfare theorist and his studies came to the conclusion that a ground campaign is needed to change facts on the ground. An air campaign by itself is unlikely to effect regime change.

So what would a ground campaign look like? It would be a bit like Iraq. At the time of those wars, the qualitative edge of Allied forces overwhelmed the large Iraqi armored forces. The danger of North Korean artillery to Seoul is also overstated. To hit Seouls northern suburbs, North Korean artillery would have to be within five miles of the border and thus easy to eliminate with artillery and rocket systems. The easiest way to make Seoul safe would be to push across the border and on to Pyongyang, and beyond. Central and eastern North Korea are hilly, which has great advantages to the home team. Western North Korea is open enough that progress may not be too costly. Even a successful ground campaign would be a strategic failure though, because all those lives and warstock would be spent on a secondary target.

China is North Koreas enabler, supplying it with most of its fuel requirements. In marketing terms, North Korea is Chinas fighting brand. Companies will create a fighting brand, usually a cheap knock-off of a competitors product, in order to cut into the competitors cash flow. North Korea has created a lot of angst in South Korea and Japan from very little outlay by China itself. To end the North Korean problem, all China has to do is to completely seal its borders with that country. Sanctions would eventually work and the problem would be over.

China is a far more malign influence than North Korea. To paraphrase Orwell on the future of humanity, the future for Asia that China wants is the Chinese boot grinding the faces of its neighbouring countries into the ground -- forever. There is unresolved tension with respect to Chinas South China Sea position in that China wants to declare maritime and air defense identification zones, and starve other countries bases out. That tension can only be resolved by China backing down, which isnt going to happen, or a war at a time of Chinas choosing.

In fighting that war, anything that weakens China is a blessing. To that end, North Korea is an opportunity, not a problem. What would weaken China would be lack of access to the U.S. market. President Trump has wanted tariffs on Chinese goods with an economic outcome in mind. North Korea presents the opportunity of making tariffs and sanctions on Chinese goods politically based, and therefore noble, not grubby. Europe is Chinas other large market. France and the UK are aware of the freedom of navigation issue created by Chinas land grab in the South China Sea. They may not join in on imposing tariffs and sanctions but they are likely to be uncritical of sanctions and tariffs on China due to Chinas support of North Korea.

China hates it when countries are better able to defend themselves against Chinese attack, and thus the Chinese bullying reaction to South Koreas THAAD installation. Which leads to the problem of China having the option of nuclear weapons while South Korea and Japan dont. In the event of losing a conventional war with Japan, China is likely to respond by threatening Japan with nuclear annihilation. In the event that Japan did not concede, and hand over the island chain south of Okinawa, China would start eliminating Japanese cities and dare the United States to go to mutually assured destruction. Early in the presidential election campaign, then-candidate Trump said that he would understand if Japan and South Korea acquired nuclear weapons. That process should be speeded up by leasing those countries perhaps 30 warheads each, with yields of at least 300 kilotons. Most people in Asia would sleep much better as a consequence.

China has announced that it will back North Korea if the United States strikes first. That makes it easy. President Trump is advised to impose sanctions and tariffs on China until North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons, ramping them up as the months pass without compliance. That is the cheap option. There are no good options. Every path ends in war, but that is put off and the odds will be better this way.

David Archibald is the author of American Gripen: The Solution to the F-35 Nightmare
Putting power above principle is a customary occurrence in the political world. So is the emergence of the lost leader, who as Robert Browning wrote in criticism of Wordsworth's change of political views after accepting a public office, "just for a handful of silver he left us, just for a ribbon to stick in his coat."

Nevertheless, it is surprising that this censorious comment should now be made of Aung San Suu Kyi, a lady until recently universally admired and compared in an equivalent way to Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, symbols of defiance against oppression and fighters for independence. Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese heroine, is the intelligent, articulate, photogenic daughter of an independence hero who was assassinated in 1947, who was educated at Christian schools and at Oxford, long married to a British academic now deceased, has been a familiar sight with her sarong and jasmine flower in her hair.

For her courage and bravery, she was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1991, and given the Elie Wiesel award, its highest honor, by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2012. Today, her reputation is less impressive now after a short honeymoon as a wielder of governmental power, forced to face internal crises to which her response has been inadequate.

Strong criticism of her recent behavior has come from many quarters -- the United Nations, Turkey, Indonesia, and the Dalai Lama -- but unexpectedly forceful from another highly respected and revered individual. The 85-year-old Archbishop Desmond Tutu spoke strongly to his "dear beloved younger sister," the 72-year-old Kyi, commenting on the unfolding horror, slow genocide, and ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, the Muslim minority living in the Rahkine region of Burma, and called on her to criticized and to end the military operations against that community. Hitherto, by her courageous stand and personal sacrifice against the forces of injustice in her country Burma she had symbolized righteousness.

Indeed, Kyi was renowned for that courageous stand against the dictator General Ne Win, and the military junta that ruled the country from 1962 to 2011. As a result of her opposition to the regime that suppressed all dissent, she was put under house arrest for 15 years, and was regarded as the symbol of opposition to military rule and oppression.

Archbishop Tutu's comment is devastating, arguing that it is incongruous for a symbol of righteousness, now that she has power, to lead a country, if the political price of her ascension to the highest office in Burma is silence: the price is surely too steep.

The Rohingya community, numbering 1.1 million, live in the western Rakhine state of Myanmar. A group within it, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a group that began operating in October 2016, using knives and bombs, attacked 30 border posts and an army base on August 25, 2017, killing 12 police and leading to severe retaliation, a clearance operation by the military forces of Myanmar. The military attacked and burned villages and targeted civilians. The result so far has been the killing of hundreds but also "ethnic cleansing" and the exodus of more than 270,000 refugees from the Rohingya Muslim community fleeing to Bangladesh. This can be considered as a crime against humanity.

For outsiders, this prompts the question, are government authorities encouraging this flight? It does appear that they are, in order to rid the Rakhine state of as many Rohingya as possible. It is unlikely that they will be allowed back into Burma. Already, after fighting in October 2016, nearly 100,000 Rohingya were forced to flee into Bangladesh, where there are more than 400,000 refugees.

In the 2015 election, the first openly contested election in 25 years, Kyi's political party, the National League for Democracy, won enough seats to form a government.

Kyi is unable to be president of the country for technical reasons. By the constitution she is barred from that position because she has children who are foreign nationals and hold British passports. Ki, "the Lady'", as she is popularly known, has the role of State Counsellor, in a sense above the official president, Htin Kyaw, the first civilian president of the country.

What is surprising is the silence or mild apologetics of the renowned Aung San Suu Kyi, who has not exercised sufficient influence to restrain the military which claims it was getting rid of terrorists among the ethnic Muslim population. The government, Kyi says, still needs to decide how to differentiate terrorists from innocent people. The existing problem is whether ARSA is protecting the minority, or is a terrorist organization, The leader of ARSA. a man named Ata Ullah, was born in Pakistan, was raised in Saudi Arabia, and claims not to be linked to jihadist groups.

Kyi said it was unreasonable to expect her to solve the issue in 18 months. The problem, she explained, goes back to pre-colonial times. She defended her inaction, "our resources are not as complete and adequate as we would like them to be but still we try our best and we want to make sure that everyone is entitled to the protection of the law." This is disingenuous. The Rohingya, who speak a language similar to Bengalis in Bangladesh, are not regarded as citizens, but as illegal immigrants, nor are they recognized as an official ethnic group, but are restricted in freedom of movement, medical assistance, education, and basic services.

Somewhat surprisingly, Kyi also condemned the international news coverage of the crisis, especially the "fake news and fake photos," and the "huge iceberg of misinformation." Amusingly, one of the "fake photos" is one of Sylvester Stallone dressed as Rambo in the film Last Blood, fighting his way, not as Rocky in the ring in Philadelphia, but through the jungle.

Kyi's refusal to condemn the military has led the disenchanted to ask, "Should she return her Nobel Prize?" Already more than 400,000 have signed a petition that it should be taken away. She certainly has not spoken out for justice, human rights, and the unity of her people, as Nobel laureates are supposed to do.

The conclusion must be that Kyi had and still has a moral duty to speak up for justice and righteousness as she did in the past. The middle course and equivocal language is not appropriate. For the moment, at least, she has lost her pinnacle as a moral icon.
Almost seven months have passed since President Trump received the keys to the White House, which forced him to address a series of wrong policies of past presidents.

Dealing with Iran's malign behaviors and destabilizing activities is one of the these challenges.

During the presidential campaign, President Trump described the nuclear deal with Iran, famously known as the Join Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as a disastrous agreement. He argued that the deal did not completely limit Iran's ability to make nuclear weapons. Appeasers of the Iranian regime and proponents of dialogue accused him of disregarding the reality and the advantages of the deal.

But comments from senior Iranian regime officials last week showed that all propaganda against critics of the JCPOA were dishonest and inappropriate slogans.

In a speech, the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, threatened that if the U.S. imposed new sanctions on Iran, his country will turn its nuclear program in a matter of hours to where it was before 2015.

Considering this threat, who can guarantee that Tehran will not surreptitiously abandon the deal.

Rightfully at the same time, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Hale asked officials at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if Iran's military sites need to be inspected because past experience show that the regime in Tehran is able to bypass any scrutiny and is not to be trusted.

She pointed out to this fact by saying that Iran is a country that has a clear history of lying and pursuing covert nuclear program."

Both Rouhani and the Supreme Leader know that President Trump reluctantly recertified Tehrans compliance with the deal for a second time earlier this year. This was due to Tehrans ability to skilfully maneuver between existing American and European disagreements about the deal. In the other words, the theocracy in Tehran has consistently prolonged its grip on power by capitalizing on international conflicts, especially disagreements between Western democracies and allies.

Now, why are the Iranian authorities trying to show a united front at home, which was indicated by President Rouhani's new cabinet? The answer should be in understanding its deceptive policy. Actually following a good cop/bad cop routine, Iran pretends that there are significant differences between the so-called moderates and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Indeed this trick does not deceive the U.S. but apparently cajoles the European Union into embracing Tehrans empty economic promises. Consequently, one must ask the EU, how it wants to trade with Iran while nearly 70 percent of its economy is in IRGC's hands, a paramilitary force that seen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. Congress.

Apparently, these EU officials have not read the new American bill imposing sanctions on Iran and the IRGC, dubbed the Mother of all Sanctions, which was recently signed into law by President Trump.

In this regard, President Trump should put pressure on EU allies to adjust their policy in accordance to this law.

How to end Iran's policy of hostage-taking

President Trump's election promises on Iran explain what he expects. In reality, he is not satisfied with the policies of the two previous U.S. presidents against Iran. His dissatisfaction is understandable considering Tehrans increased interventions in the region since the 2015 nuclear deal.

It is crucial to point out that as history reveals, the Iranian regime has cosistantly forced the West into submission and offering consessions by taking international security as a hostage. For example, the seizure of U.S. Embassy in 1979, the protraction of nuclear negotiations for nearly 10 years, and now by the JCOPA.

To understand what the U.S. can do about this crisis, one should first explain what are the best policies to end the challenges Iran poses worldwide. There are the following choices:

Renegotiation of the JCOPA by forcing Irans hand

It is a known fact that the nuclear agreement paves the way for Iran to increase its threats of abandoning the deal and thereby holding the international community hostage. In this regard, on August 22, the Head of Irans Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, threatened that the Tehran regime can ramp up its uranium enrichment to 20 percent in only in five days. This is one of the agreement's catastrophic shortcomings and no one can guarantee with certainty that the regime has not already done this in secret.

In this case, the U.S. can unilaterally abandon the nuclear deal and convince Iran's oil customers to put pressure on Tehran to comeback to the negotiating table. And the U.S. has enough economic leverage to do that. If Iran does not accept it, the clerics will be in a political impasse. In this way, the U.S. must issue an ultimatum to Irans customers to choose between the Iranian or the American market.

Cut Iran's tentacles in the Middle East

Iranian authorities and senior officials believe that their security borders are in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Thus, an international effort to expel the IRGC and its allies and proxies from these countries will be a major blow to the regime in Tehran and its policy of securing its survival through increased hegemony in the region.

A policy of regime change provides a permanent solution

Although U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced in a congressional hearing that the U.S. policy toward Iran will include support for peaceful regime change, in reality this has so far not yet materialized in concrete policies.

To understand how this policy will trap the regime in Tehran, we should ask what other ways are there to fulfill the democratic aspirations of millions of Iranians, who are not able to live up to their potential under the current theocracy.

In this regard, there is an influential organized opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which leads a huge, organized movement against the mullahs inside and outside of Iran. Their motto has always been No to War, No to Appeasement, support the Iranian people and their legitimate resistance for a democratic change in Iran.

The NCRI is a criterion that determines whether one is a friend or an enemy of the Iranian regime. If President Trump really wants to end crises that Iran is causing, it is necessary to recognize the NCRI as the viable alternative to the current theocracy and support their efforts to organize the Iranian people to bring about a free and democratic Iran.

Hamid Bahrami is a former political prisoner from Iran. Living in Glasgow, Scotland, he is a human rights and political activist, and works as a freelance journalist. Bahrami has contributed to Al Arabiya English, American Thinker, Euractive, Newsblaze and Eureporter as his work covers Irans Middle East actions and domestic social crackdown. He tweets at @HaBahrami and blog at analyzecom
1. On September 9, 2017, Paul Sperry of the New York Post dropped the biggest headline hint so far that, Yes, the Saudis plotted, trained, funded, ordered, and covered up the assault on America on 9/11.

The headline does not come out and actually say that the Saudis committed the greatest anti-American civilian atrocity 16 years ago. It just says that "the Saudis allegedly funded a "dry run" of the 9/11/01 attack two years before it was actually executed. But by now we know so much supportive evidence that we might as well tell the whole truth.

Two years before the airliner attacks, the Saudi Embassy paid for two Saudi nationals, living undercover in the US as students, to fly from Phoenix to Washington in a dry run for the 9/11 attacks, alleges the amended complaint filed on behalf of the families of some 1,400 victims who died in the terrorist attacks 16 years ago."

Well, if you're a bank robber, and you go through a "dry run" of the robbery two years before actually committing it, and "somebody" then carries out the outrageous crime, chances are that the dry runners and the perps are the same.

We have plenty of evidence of Saudi guilt for 9/11. We know that the 17 Wahhabi (Saudi-indoctrinated) terrorists killed civilian cabin personnel and pilots in those four "American" and "United" airplanes, slitting their throats with utility knives, according to the ancient Koranic war command, "you shall cut them at the neck."

We have seen plenty of actual beheadings on ISIS videos, and we know that the Wahhabi priesthood in Saudi Arabia has endorsed ISIS for its Nazilike murders, rapes, kidnappings, and sadistic treatment of innocent children, women, and men wherever ISIS operate. It is vital for Americans to understand that the war theology of "ISIS," "Al Qaida," "Al Nusrah", "Al Qaida in the Maghreb," on and on, are all the same. The hierarchy that runs it from the Sunni Gulf States is the same, the methodology is the same, the utter inhuman cruelty of killing innocents is the same, the religious rationale is the same, on and on and on.

However, it should be understood that the Shi'ites of Iran run a separate chain of command, with separate murderers, etc. We have two fanatical enemies, both based in the war verses of the Koran, but they hate each other to death. Donald Trump has just exploited that split between mass murderers hailing from Sunni Islam, and the mass murderers coming from Shi'te Islam. Trump is now in a formal alliance with the Saudis (and Israelis, and other Sunni Gulf States) against Iran, the Shiite head of the monster.

During WW I the British brought the Saudis to power in order to drive out the Ottoman Turks. British agent "Lawrence of Arabia" (T.E. Lawrence) convinced the Arab speakers of the Arabia desert to rebel against the Turks, supplying them with British arms and advice.

Lawrence of Arabia described the exact tribal war activities we see today in ISIS, including male rape. The Brits then brought the Saudi tribe to power.

Saudi Arabia is always on the edge of collapse, because it is not a modern nation, but a desert tribal federation.

The war theology of desert Islam has been well-described by now, in excellent, scholarly sources freely available on the web.

In human tribal history, war theologies are not unusual. Japanese State Shinto, which led to WW II, was based on Bushido a debased version of the Samurai code. The Teutonic Knights were a similar war cult that eventually led to Bismarck's Prussia, which then forced the unification of the German-speaking provinces in the 19th century in a single, top-down controlled Reich. Hitler's war started as a revenge for losing World War I. Hitler came to power by peddling the "stab-in-the-back" myth to explain Austro-Hungarian defeat in WWI.

Human tribal warfare is very common, as shown by anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon, based on his field work with the Yanamamo of South America. In human tribal history, up to 30% of adult males die in intergroup violence. So war cults and martyrdom cults are part of human history. The Kim dynasty in North Korea has always prepared for and encouraged war. Today, the Iranian Muslims (Shi'a) constantly chant, "Death to America! Death to Israel!" Terrorist groups like Hamas and Hizballah also raise their children to kill any designated enemy, preferably through martyrdom. Successful killer-martyrs are promised life eternal in Heaven, with all the virgins and all that.

American liberals keep telling the world that such things could not exist, because people are fundamentally good. They are utterly ignorant, and "none so blind as will not see."

What happened on 9/11?

The attackers commandeered civilian passenger planes, and suicidally flew them into the Twin Towers in Manhattan; a third passenger plane was flown into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a fourth airplane crashed when its passengers heroically rebelled against the throat-cutting murderers and crashed in Pennsylvania. These assaults count as the biggest enemy attack on American civilians in history. In the Geneva Conventions, the politically motivated murder of civilians is treated even more seriously than surprise attacks on members of the military in uniform.

These are the most likely hypotheses based on the evidence. But we will not know the full truth until the 28 censored pages from the 9/11 Report are published. The U.S. media, which evidently colluded in the greatest national security coverup, must now tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If any media outlet fails to cover this, American patriots must simply boycott them and their owners and sponsors. This is a question of national life or death.

2. Who did the coverup?

When the 9/11 attacks took place, none of our presidents, nor our enormous Deep Government, nor any major news outlets told the truth.

As a result, even today, most Americans know little, except that fake "Islamophobia" is a terrible thing. Americans need to learn the truth and we must know the truth to understand that Jihad War that was launched against us on that second Day of Infamy. No nation can protect itself against future dangers if it only learns lies about previous acts of national aggression.

3. Who ran the coverup and why?

The 9/11 attack was covered up.

a. 9/11/ was not the first attack by Al Qaida and its militant networks against the Twin Towers. There was an amazingly similar truck bomb attack in 1993 by the same network, and some of the perps were caught and sentenced to jail terms.

Andrew McCarthy of the National Review was the federal prosecutor in that case, and has written extensively about it. McCarthy has been one of the truth-tellers in a time of shameful lies and coverups.

Bill and Hillary Clinton knew about the failed truck-bomb attack on the Twin Towers in 1993. We know that Bill was offered Bin Laden's head on a platter by four different Arab regimes, in secret, and that he refused four times. There is no question that the Clintons knew about the danger ahead of time, and utterly failed to pursue Bin Laden's AQ network when there was still time to knock them out. That abject cowardice is interpreted in war theologies like desert Islam as a plain and obvious sign of weakness, and it always increases the chance of more attacks. This is elementary logic about hyperaggressive regimes.

Instead of revealing and mobilizing American public opinion against a clear and obvious danger, the Clintons made money off it. The fact that Huma Abedin has become Hillary's closest friend and assistant over the last 20 years, and that Huma comes from a Muslim Brotherhood family that runs a "charity" in the UK to promote Jihad, makes Huma, Hillary, and Bill criminally liable. They owe the American People an explanation, and instead, they have been taking tens of millions of dollars from known Jihad sources.

We do not know whether Bush-Cheney knew about the danger of attack ahead of time, but it seems unlikely. The assault happened early in the Bush II administration, possibly before they were warned.

We have to understand that after 9/11, every major intelligence agency in the world must have known who the perps were.

Former UCMC Commandant Jim Mattis has often said "There is always treachery." It is a basic rule of war in his lifelong teachings. The fact that Mattis is now SecDec shows where Trump is moving -- against Jihad, finally, after decades of Democrat and RINO betrayal of the American people in their greatest danger.

If you do not believe we are in very great danger today, consider that Kim III now has ICBMs and nuclear weapons, and that Kim always works in collusion with Iranian Jihad. North Korea is thought to have gotten its latest mass murdering toy with cooperation from Tehran. Although Pakistan, which also follows a Jihadist war theology, is another candidate.

On the honorable side, Admiral James Lyon (USN, Ret) has been publicly warning against the Jihad being obviously waged against the U.S. (and other "Christian" countries) by Jihad, both the Sunni and Shi'ite imperial aggressors. I believe Adm. Lyons risked his life to expose the truth, the last time at the Press Club in Washington, DC.

I believe that Donald Trump guessed or knew the truth, as an international businessman, with his own intelligence sources. When Trump ran for office, the Deep State freaked out, in fear of exposure, along with the mass media, which also understood what was going on. The Democrats, the mass media, and the Deep State are basically one.

The Obama Administration was clearly penetrated by pro-Jihad, anti-American forces from the beginning. Obama all but publicly endorsed the Jihad against America. The flagrant use of an Arabic name, instead of his given name Barry Soetoro, is only one little sign. Another is the "disguised" Shahada ring he has worn ever since his trip to Pakistan as a college student with his Pakistani roommate. The Shahada is the oath of loyalty to Islam. Deception is a major war tactic in Islam. Yet a third sign of Obama's Jihad loyalties is his symbolically vital visit to a Muslim Mosque in the waning days of his presidency; the mosque had a prominent sign (shown in the New York Times) that "nothing is achieved without struggle." (The Arabic word for "struggle" is Jihad.) The Obama years constantly played in Muslim Jihadist hints, knowing that most Americans are utterly ignorant about all that. It is part of Obama's personality disorders.

Valerie Jarrett (Obama's "alter ego") was brought up in Iranian-style Islam (Shi'ite). She sold out U.S. and Western safety to Iran in the infamous nuclear agreement.

OIL, OIL, OIL.

The Saudis controlled OPEC, the oil cartel. That gave them worldwide price control, a sword hanging over the heads of all modern nations. Jimmy Carter's Arab oil embargo showed how much power the desert tribes of Arabia had. That is probably why they took the risk of assaulting the United States, and then serially Britain, France, Spain, on and on.

Please note a few bottom lines:

1. The U.S. was betrayed over and over and over again by our political class, by our Deep State, and by our media oligopoly.

I think the Bushes are patriots, but they also have major oil connections.

2. Donald Trump has been brilliant, and he certainly comes across as a genuine patriot. That is why the corrupt Deep State, and the even more corrupt Democrats and media, hate Trump. But slowly, slowly, the truth has been emerging in the Trump campaign, and then in the first Trump year. Without American leadership against evil, the world is full of cowards and traitors.

3. Saudi Arabia has now lost control of the price of oil. Trump's vigorous opening up of U.S. energy has made a huge difference, because now we have the biggest clout over the world price. That was a very deliberate move, previously sabotaged by environmental fanatics who were probably bought off by both kinds of Muslim oil regimes.

So yes, oil was a big part of the picture, but with the advent of shale exploitation around the world, plus the American resurgence in domestic energy production, we now have the upper hand.
Criminals are responding to opportunity in the decline and fall of civil order in Chicago. Like children deciding which presents to open first on Christmas morning, miscreants in the Windy City must choose among the many opportunities provided by encroaching anarchy. Right now, it looks as though all the cool kid gangsters have decided that carjacking is what's in. CWB Chicago, the feisty monitor of crime in a couple of Chicago's hippest neighborhoods, brings us the astounding increase in carjacking downtown and in other upscale neighborhoods (where the nice cars are to be found).

Through August, "vehicular hijackings" were up 30% year-over-year and up 183% compared to 2015. The Loop saw a 1200% increase vs. 2015 with River North up 500%. The 19th Police District, which includes Lakeview, Uptown, North Center, and the north end of Lincoln Park, is up 200% compared to two years ago.

The criminals are getting more blatant:

In a recent case that resulted in arrests, two Austin men are charged with stopping a Loop hotel's valet driver in traffic while he drove a customer's Audi A5 to a parking lot around 9 p.m. last Tuesday. 22-year-old Amos Gibson, on parole for unlawful use of a weapon, pointed a silver revolver at the valet's head while 19-year-old Danthony Nance opened the passenger-side door and grabbed the keys while demanding control of the car, according to prosecutors. The 53-year-old valet was not injured, and cops caught up with Gibson and Nance minutes later in the 600 block of South Wabash. Gibson's charged with attempted vehicular hijacking and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon on parole. His bail is set at $225,000. Nance, who cops said is an admitted Four Corner Hustler street gang member, is charged with attempted vehicular hijacking with a firearm. His bail information was not immediately available.



Gibson (left) and Nance are accused of trying to carjack a Chicago hotel guest's Audi A5.

If you wonder where this all leads, consider Johannesburg. I have spent considerable time with executives based there and have heard astounding stories of the level of chaos and violence that bedevil motorists (among others).

Consider this product, developed for South African drivers worried about the "everyday" hazard of armed carjacking:

And consider that the Carlton Hotel in downtown Johannesburg, a world-famous luxury hostelry rebuilt as a 30-story tower in 1972, had to close in 1998, as civil order (previously maintained brutally by the Apartheid regime) collapsed, and downtown Johannesburg became too dangerous for people of pallor and money. Businesses and affluent residents have relocated to the suburbs, where walls exist to help maintain civil order inside them.

Hat tip: Peter von Buol
A United Nations Security Council sanctions resolution targeting North Korea has been considerably watered down from its original draft in deference to China and Russia.

As the resolution was originally conceived, there would have been a total oil embargo and a ban on textile exports from the North. But not only did China nix the idea of a total embargo on oil; it got the U.S. to relax provisions of previous sanctions on North Korea's oil and gas.

Any way you look at it, China is still running interference for Kim Jong-un.

Reuters:

A U.S.-drafted resolution originally calling for an oil embargo on the North, a halt to its key exports of textiles and subjecting leader Kim Jong Un to a financial and travel ban have been weakened, apparently to placate Russia and China which both have veto powers, diplomats said. It no longer proposes blacklisting Kim and relaxes sanctions earlier proposed on oil and gas, a draft reviewed by Reuters shows. It still proposes a ban on textile exports. ... The latest draft of the resolution reflects the challenge in imposing tough sanctions on the North by curbing its energy supply and singling out its leader for a financial and travel ban, a symbolic measure at best but one that is certain to rile Pyongyang. It will also be a disappointment to South Korea, which has sought tough new sanctions that would be harder for Pyongyang to ignore, as it said dialogue remained on the table. "We have been in consultations that oil has to be part of the final sanctions," South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told a news conference, saying Pyongyang was on a "reckless path". "I do believe that whatever makes it into the final text and is adopted by consensus hopefully will have significant consequences on the economic pressure against North Korea." There was no independent verification of the North's claim to have conducted a hydrogen bomb test, but some experts said there was enough strong evidence to suggest Pyongyang had either developed a hydrogen bomb or was getting close. KCNA said on Sunday that Kim threw a banquet to celebrate the scientists and top military and party officials who contributed to the nuclear bomb test, topped with an art performance and a photo session with the leader himself.

There appeared to be a consensus for the oil embargo among the rest of the representatives on the Security Council, so China's objections actually work against consensus, despite the protestations to the contrary. It shouldn't surprise us. At every turn, the Chinese have used their influence to weaken efforts to make Kim pay for his provocative and dangerous nuclear policies.

The time is approaching when taking Chinese sensibilities regarding North Korea into account won't matter as much. Ambassador Haley has been trying to impress on Beijing the necessity of punishing Kim for threatening the peace of the region and the world.

The Chinese have other strategic interests, including using North Korea to distract the U.S. from their efforts to militarize the South China Sea.

What they fear almost as much as American military action against North Korea is a tidal wave of refugees crossing their border as a result of war. Still, they refuse to use their enormous leverage on North Korea to bring them to heel. Kim's regime could not survive without Chinese deliveries of oil and food. Cutting off food shipments would hurt the average North Korean far more than members of the regime, so it is understandable why the Chinese would resist using food as a weapon.

Their resistance to the oil embargo is far more problematic and shows how unserious Beijing is in reining in the dangerous ambitions of Kim Jong-un.
The Democrats who run the nation's largest state are tired of being ignored in the presidential nomination process. They want to be able to swing a lot more weight in the Democratic Party's choice of candidates. And they want to swing it in the 2020 race. If they succeed, they will help pull the national party even farther to the left.

Gabriel Sites and Gabriel DeBenedetti of Politico write:

California is pushing forward with a plan to change the state's primary date from June to March, a move that could scramble the 2020 presidential nominating contest and swing the early weight of the campaign to the West. If adopted by the legislature this week  as is widely expected  and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown, the early primary would allocate California's massive haul of delegates just after the nation's first contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

This would immediately favor two possible Californian contenders, Senator Kamala Harris and L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti. Both are photogenic and well under 70, which makes them unusual in the current gerontocracy running the party.

[Former DNC chair Don] Fowler said: "The implications for the flow of the winnowing process [of candidates] is very significant in moving California." California for years has sought to exert greater influence in presidential elections. Despite its size, the state has been a relative afterthought in national campaigns, marginalized not only because of its late primary, but also because of the high cost of campaigning here.

The California media will no doubt be grateful for the extra media spending by national candidates for the primary. They will continue their policy of benign neglect of the corruption and decline the state is experiencing under Democrat rule.

Heightening California's influence in the nominating process would pull the Democratic Party toward the left, and perhaps instill the autocratic habits that come with sustained one-party control in future Democrats in the Oval Office. It is also would heighten the likelihood of a Hispanic or Asian or mixed-race nominee, as the two current presumptive beneficiaries of the scheme demonstrate.
Denmark is renowned for high taxes, a welfare state, and a happy populace, qualities that have drawn admiration from many journalists and other liberals. But its status as the showcase for enlightened big government (what American liberals always love to pretend they will bring if only the electorate will permit) may be in jeopardy. Niclas Rolander reports for Bloomberg:

Denmark won't allow any refugees into the country this year under a United Nations program and will seek flexibility in determining how many may resettle in the future instead of a set quota, the Ministry of Immigration and Integration said. Since 1989, Denmark has pledged to take 500 refugees a year selected by the UN for resettlement. The program is separate from European Union efforts to distribute migrants among member states, which has encountered fierce opposition from countries including Hungary.

Denmark is not calling a permanent halt to refugees, but it is establishing the critical principle that acceptance of refugees depends on the ability of the host country to assimilate them.

"It's hard to predict how many refugees and migrants will show up at the border to seek asylum, and we know it may be hard to integrate those who arrive here," Danish Minister of Immigration and Integration Inger Stojberg said in a statement on the UN program on Saturday[.]

There is an unspoken corollary to this position: refugees who come from cultures that make assimilation difficult cannot be accepted in large numbers. And in the background of that corollary is the "fact on the ground" of neighborhoods populated by unassimilated Muslims, so hostile to the host nation that police and firefighters consider their neighborhoods "no-go zones."

With Muslim immigrant communities, time does not heal:

A new study has found Muslims born in Denmark feel more fury at Western foreign intervention, and are more inclined to help Muslims by violent means, than foreign-born people who migrated from conflict zones. An international team of researchers, led by Milan Obaidi of Sweden's Uppsala University, conducted two surveys in order to identify signs of victimisation-by-proxy  whereby, in its most extreme form, Muslims born in Europe who have never lived outside the continent become so angry at the treatment of Muslims abroad that they consider carrying out acts of violence. ... Compared with Muslim immigrants, Denmark-born Muslims scored higher on most predictors of violence, and more strongly identified with Muslims across the world. Muslims born in Denmark also "perceived Western foreign policy as more unjust, felt more group-based anger and showed stronger intentions to support Muslims by nonviolent means," according to the paper, which reported that anger predicts support for violence.

Residents of the capital, Copenhagen, need only cross the resund Bridge to Malmo, Sweden to find Muslim no-go zones  or, as Swedish police prefer to say, "vulnerable areas."

The current iteration of Islam, a product of decades of agitation by the Muslim Brotherhood and funding of radical clergy by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf petrostates, is triumphalist, not assimilationist. The attitude is that the West needs to be brought into the Ummah and turned into Muslims by any means necessary. Currently the most practical means is not conquest, but rather immigration. It even has a name: hijra.

So while Denmark's step is small, it is in the right direction. And it comes from a country renowned for its niceness.

Perhaps Europe will not fall to Islam and convert St. Peter's into a mosque, as was done to Hagia Sophia in Constantinople  now renamed Istanbul. The future Islamic name for St. Peter's; Tome; or Copenhagen, for that matter, remains unclear, at least outside the inner circles of the Muslim Brotherhood, where they think in terms of centuries.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky
Over the last few years, I have supported Senator Bob Menendez for his tough stance on Cuba and Iran. In other words, this is not your typical Democrat who went along with two of President Obama's worst deals.

So thank you to Senator Menendez for showing that there is more to the Democrat than identity politics.

At the moment, Senator Menendez is caught up in a legal battle. Frankly, I don't know how it will end up.

Nevertheless, I do know that no one in the media seems to care about it, as we see in this report:

The trial of Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, kicked off this week but the mainstream media didn't pay much attention. It's the first time a sitting United States senator has faced a federal bribery trial in 36 years, but CBS, ABC and NBC News did not devote any time to the trial in their Thursday night newscasts. Judge Jeanine Pirro reacted this morning on "Fox & Friends," saying it shows that the media is only interested in "truth and justice" for one side.

It's hard to disagree with Judge Pirro.

Media apologists will probably say there is too much going on, from Hurricane Irma to DACA to North Korea to the recovery in Houston, and so on and so on.

We do ask a simple question: would there be this absolute silence if the accused were a GOP senator, especially a staunch opponent of abortion and same-sex marriage?

Let me take a guess and say no, or no way!

And they wonder why their credibility is low.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
Did CBS's 60 Minutes photoshop Steve Bannon into looking like a bleary-eyed drunk in his interview? That's the verdict of a professional photographer, who suspected something off after having seen Bannon in person.

The short video Peter Duke made, explaining the photoshopper's art, is a must-see.

Duke noted that color correction and grading can be used to make faces look better, but they can also be used to make people look worse. He pulled up some stills from the 60 Minutes interview.

The first thing I noticed is that there were red circles around his eyes and his lips looked cherry red. And I also noticed that the curtains in the background looked really orange. Now I've met Steve Bannon, and I know what he looks like  he's Irish and uh, he does kind of have paper skin. But he doesn't have pronounced red circles around his eyes, that's not who he is in real life. So I started comparing the two shots of Steve Bannon and Charlie Rose to see what kind of differences I could find, and it was very interesting.

He began with the color and saturation, noting the differences in the drape colors behind Rose and behind Bannon. The drapes behind Bannon were orangey. The drapes behind Rose  and these were the same curtains  were more of a golden yellow.

Next, he looked at the blue in Rose's white shirt, which was 13 points behind neutral into blue territory. He applied the same bluing degrees to Bannon, and "voila," he said: the bleary-eyed red rims around Bannon's eyes went away.

He applied the same orange effect seen in the Bannon shots to Rose, and suddenly, Rose looked like a circus clown with all his television makeup.

So it was pretty obvious that some photoshopping was going on.

It's a shame, because the great thing about the Charlie Rose interview with Bannon was its no-holds-barred honesty. It made for great television  Rose was laying it all on the line, and Bannon was volleying back. Viewers could decide for themselves what they wanted to think.

But someone behind the scenes at 60 Minutes wanted to put a thumb on the scale and cater to the low-information voters who weren't interested in the battle of ideas, just appearances. Someone made Bannon into a bleary-eyed drunk, reinforcing the prejudices of the left to tilt the scale against Bannon. What a lowdown, corrupt act. Any questions as to why the public despises the mainstream media?
Donald Trump has upended traditional politics, which is unsettling to pollsters and other experts who depend on predictability in their prognostications.

This piece by Nathan L. Gonzales, editor and publisher of Inside Elections, highlights the fact that while traditional analysis shows Republicans in some trouble for 2018, there is a chance that Trump's distance from the Republican Party could help the GOP minimize losses.

Roll Call:

As we've mentioned plenty of times before (and will likely repeat over and over again), history puts the Republican Party at a disadvantage: The president's party has lost seats in 18 of the last 20 midterm elections, with an average loss of 33 seats. Democrats need to gain 24 seats next year for a majority. Midterm elections often a referendum on the president, and when voters disapprove of his performance, they punish his party because his name isn't on the ballot. Historical trends are based on that dynamic. But what happens when voters perceive the president to be outside the traditional two-party system? Trump is technically a Republican because he ascended through the GOP nominating process. Still, many voters see him as his own brand rather than as a party leader. If that differentiation continues, GOP candidates could avoid the typical midterm disaster. It's certainly possible that historical norms will remain in tact and voters will couple Republicans in Congress with the president. Plus, voters could become angered by members' own voting records, or Trump might blame Republicans in Congress for the failures of the country. Any combination of those factors could be problematic for the GOP. For now, we've changed the Inside Elections ratings in 15 House races, all but one of them to a more favorable category for Democrats. Trump's job approval rating continues to hover in mediocrity (39 percent of voters approved while 56 percent disapproved in the latest Real Clear Politics average), creating an uncertainty that is causing more GOP members to be potentially vulnerable. Our ratings (and these ratings changes) are the result of developments at the national and district level.

The "vulnerability" of many Republicans is almost certainly overstated.

Overall, the House playing field includes 48 seats currently held by Republicans and 14 seats held by Democrats. For some perspective, the House battleground is nearly twice as large as it was at the same point two years ago. In September 2015, the list of competitive seats included 25 Republican-held districts and just seven seats held by Democrats. The current battleground is still probably too small for Democrats to win the majority. They would need to hold all of their own seats, win the two Republican seats they are already favored to win, all of the toss-ups, all of the Tilt Republican seats, and almost all of the Lean Republican seats. A Democratic majority is possible, but still not likely at this point. Open seats, including retirements, are critical in shaping the House battleground.

There's a possibility that the GOP will face a tidal wave of retirements, with the reasons most often given being the polarization of Congress and gridlock that makes even the most basic governance nearly impossible. So far, a couple of vulnerable Republicans in true swing districts have announced their retirement plans. But these are extraordinary and unpredictable times. Frustration with gridlock and the president might cause other GOP lawmakers to jump ship.

Polls of congressional races are notoriously inaccurate  even before the uncertainty of today's politics. Democrats are counting on "anger" against Trump to drive minorities, students, and women to the polls. But there is no indication that turnout of those constituencies will be any greater in 2018 than any other midterm election.

That means that the GOP will probably hold the House and Senate.
Just whose side is German chancellor Angela Merkel on?

Running for re-election in a race she is expected to win easily, Merkel said in an interview she would support talks with North Korea about their nuclear and missile programs. She cited the Iran deal as a template for a "good deal" that would prevent conflict and said that "Germany should be prepared to play a very active part in that."

Kim is doing a victory dance.

Jerusalem Post:

"I could imagine such a format being used to end the North Korea conflict. Europe and especially Germany should be prepared to play a very active part in that," Merkel added. She said she thought the only way to deal with North Korea's nuclear program was to come to a diplomatic solution, adding: "A new arms race starting in the region would not be in anyone's interests." Europe should stand united in trying to bring about a diplomatic solution and "do everything that can be done in terms of sanctions," she said. Merkel is expected to win a fourth term in office in a Sept. 24 vote, with polls giving her conservatives a double-digit lead over their rival Social Democrats. Merkel is widely seen in Germany as a safe pair of hands at a time of global uncertainty such as the North Korea crisis, Britain's looming departure from the European Union and Donald Trump's presidency in the United States. Merkel has spoken to leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about North Korea this week. The newspaper said, without naming its sources, that she would speak by telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

So Kim goes off testing nukes and missiles, and Merkel wants to reward that behavior by doing exactly what Kim wants?

She's correct that this would be the same situation that led to talks with Iran. The same kind of incomprehensible thinking that rewards an adversary for dangerous and illicit behavior by sitting down to "negotiate" a deal is being proposed here.

Merkel is under no illusions  nor are any other E.U. leaders who participated in the Iran talks  that Tehran's nuclear program has been permanently shelved. So why go through the same charade with North Korea?

No matter what deal would be reached with North Korea, it would almost certainly include an acceptance of its status as a nuclear power. There are those already saying this is better than going to war. It's repeated like a mantra, with no proof and no logical reason given for that kind of optimism.

North Korea isn't only a rogue state. It is paranoid; belligerent; and, as Kim has already shown, willing to go to the brink of war to get what it wants. You wouldn't give a five-year-old a loaded pistol. Neither should we accept North Korea's status as a nuclear power.

Merkel can spout off like this because no German cities are under threat. It also makes her look like a statesman to the German voter.

To the rest of us, she looks like a dangerously naive and ignorant politician.
An Afghani migrant who raped and murdered Maria Ladenburger, the 19-year-ole daughter of a top European Union official, reveals that he knew every trick in the book for gaming the system to satisfy his lethal urges and get away with them.

That's the obvious that's coming out at his trial as he puts forward his manipulative sob story to sway the judges. Playing them like a fiddle, Hussein Khavari pressed all the right buttons of sudden remorse to get a lenient sentence from soft-headed court officials, who, time and again, have shown they will believe anything:

Reading from a statement he went on: 'I beg your pardon. I want to apologise to the family of Maria. I wish I could undo it. 'What I have done, I am sad for from the bottom of my heart '. He says he dreams of what he did every day as he wiped tears from his face. 'I live with the agony of what I did and this torment destroys my life,' he added. He claims he dragged her into the river 'because I wanted to wash her blood from me'.

A solid Texas or Arizona judge wouldn't fall for it any more than a California traffic court would, but it's different in Europe, home of moral relativism, which time and again has let criminals out even after heinous crimes, accepting migrants' claims of sexual urges, bad childhoods, the fear of danger in their home countries, concern it would "ruin their lives," and supposed remorse as good enough for leniency to avoid a stretch in the Euro-spa prison. Khavari knew that the court would assume that deep down, he was a decent human being with a conscience and a moral compass, which his entire life has shown he obviously isn't, so he played the remorse card.

Here are the other cards he played:

He came as an illegal immigrant, knowing that Angela Merkel had opened the doors to mass migration, no papers necessary. Being from Afghanistan, although no one knows for sure, he came as other refugees came  not to create a new life and assimilate to Europe as a new European, but to invade, express contempt, and pillage, participating in the great Afghani rape jihad that has swept Europe and has been so well documented here.

He came claiming to be an unaccompanied minor, knowing that claiming to be an unaccompanied minor is the ticket to getting into Germany with no trouble. Lying to officials, he falsely claimed to be underage in order to get to first Greece and then Germany.

... his claim to be 17 at the time of the offence is disputed with a specialist saying he is at least 22. According to Bild newspaper, during a morning session of hearings in which press and public were excluded he claimed to be 19. He said he claimed to be 16 upon his arrival in Germany in 2015 'because the situation is better here for under age migrants.'

He dropped his gangsta rap persona for the court, with weird long hair, and showed up as a clean-cut youth, once again to manipulate the court into thinking he is just like them.

He then played the drunk card, claiming that his crimes were solely the result of the corrupting influence of the white man's firewater, which prevented him from raping her and put him in a state of total helplessness. He knew well that European courts have gladly accepted such excuses to let migrants off.

He also played the impulse card, hoping nobody would notice that he had nearly killed a woman in Greece just three years earlier and posted sick, perverted pictures on his social media of a wolfman clutching a European woman, seen here.

He knew that the Europeans are a disorganized mess, with no central system for tracking criminals, and so, gaming the system again, he shopped around for new crime scenes in his rape jihad against the West, first coming to Greece around 2012, where by 2013 he had been caught throwing a woman off a cliff in Corfu. He got sentenced as a juvenile there, getting a ten-year sentence in 2014, and then was the beneficiary of juvenile "amnesty," which got him let out and paroled after just one year for his attempted murder. Failing to make his parole appearance, he went country-shopping again and moved on to his next stop for crimes, Germany, where he raped and drowned the 20-year-old daughter of a top European Union official, and a medical student who volunteered to help refugees, Maria Ladenburger.

Now he's playing the pity card, saying he's all full of remorse for his murder because it ruins his life. Up until now, this has been a get-out-of-jail free card. Will the fact that he murdered a top E.U. official's daughter finally be a wake-up call for Europe? That allowing unchecked, undocumented, and unfriendly migrants into their countries, no questions asked, is a recipe for murder? Don't bet on it. The victim's father, the top E.U. official, reportedly wants everyone to donate to refugee centers as a way to remember his daughter Maria.
The primary Iranian propaganda organ, the Tasnim news agency, says a U.S. Navy warship was warned by an Iranian missile boat off rescuing a fishing boat in distress.

The Navy tells a different story.

Radio Free Europe:

The U.S. Navy said the coastal patrol ship USS Tempest heard the distress call of an unidentified small boat about 140 kilometers from the Tempest's position. It said another ship much closer to the boat in distress offered assistance, with that vessel communicating with Iranian naval forces. "At no time was there any direct contact between the U.S. and Iranian maritime forces," U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) said. The Iranian and U.S. navies routinely have tense encounters in the Persian Gulf and its environs. In August, an unarmed Iranian drone came close to a U.S. Navy warplane as it prepared to land on an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, U.S. officials said at the time. And in July, the U.S. Navy said that one of its helicopters fired warning flares at Iranian vessels approaching its ships in the Persian Gulf.

The Iranian version of the story doesn't hold water. Any U.S. warship  even a coastal patrol boat  is more than a match for any Iranian vessel. They certainly wouldn't be scared off. The American ship no doubt allowed the Iranian vessel to rescue the craft since it was already on the scene and probably offered assistance in accordance with the law of the sea.

But the Iranians couldn't let the incident pass without embellishing what happened by claiming that the U.S. ran away when confronted by the Iranian navy. Despite the fact that the USN could blow any Iranian ship out of the water, the Iranians have such an inferiority complex that they feel the need to tweak the lion's tail every once and a while.

Iranian patrol boats routinely encounter U.S. warships in the strait and sometimes adopt an attack posture, racing toward the U.S. ship. Someday, they are going to go too far, and the Iranian navy will be down one patrol boat.
My buddy, Boomer, who lives with a Nork bulls-eye on him since he's a retired Air Force master sergeant on Guam, eases his constant worries by sending out daily cartoons, one of which really got me pondering. It's an image of a mounted U.S. cavalryman, on proud display at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, one of many you can find around the western parts of this country, so really not unusual. What is different about this bronze tribute is that this statue honors those black cavalrymen who served out west in the four black regiments known as the Buffalo Soldiers. Moreover, it is one of many such shrines to these brave black soldiers who played an integral part in reducing the hostile Indian threat so that settlers could move west and tame the wild frontier. The erection of so many of such tributary statues was all part of the drive in recent years to recognize black contributions to the creation of this nation.

Above is another equestrian tribute, this one at Fort Bliss in El Paso, to those brave soldiers whose role in militarily dominating Native Americans until those hostiles could be rounded up and herded onto reservations was pivotal.

Can you see where I'm going here? Black Americans slaughtered thousands and helped starve even thousands more Native Americans until those Native Americans lost the will to fight and agreed to be subjugated by the white Americans in Washington, D.C.

The question begging to be asked, then, is, "When is an Antifa unit with its swarming mob of culturally hypersensitive camp followers going to attempt to topple one of these monuments, erected by white Americans to honor better armed and equipped black Americans on superior mounts, for running roughshod over a minority of Native Americans?" Talk about racism and cultural oppression: of the thousands of Native Americans killed in the Southwest and on the Great Plains when the Buffalo Soldiers were deployed there, how many were killed by the black units? Don't you just imagine that those Black American soldiers killed thousands more Native Americans than the KKK ever killed blacks?

So...where's the outrage?
Monday, September 11, 2017  On the evening of 5th September 2017 and well into the following day, Hurricane Irma with winds over 180 mph moved over the Leeward Islands. Three of the Courts Member States and Territories, namely, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda and the Territory of the Virgin Islands were severely impacted by the passage of this catastrophic hurricane, in addition to St. Kitts and Nevis which also reported some damage.

On the island of Barbuda, 95% of the buildings were destroyed and the island is almost uninhabitable. Details of the damage and destruction on the Virgin Islands and Anguilla are still being assessed and remain inconclusive; however, from all accounts these Territories have been dealt a devastating blow by Hurricane Irma, resulting in the death of at least four (4) persons in the Virgin Islands. The islands largely remain without electricity and other essential services. Communication is extremely difficult and many parts of the Virgin Islands in particular are cut off from the rest of the world.

Her Ladyship the Hon. Dame Janice M. Pereira DBE, Chief Justice, Judges, Masters and administrative and support staff of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) expresses heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives.

The ECSC stands in solidarity with the people of Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis and the Virgin Islands and is committed to providing its full support in their recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

No effort will be spared in lending a helping hand in ensuring that these Member States and Territories rebuild and that normalcy returns to the lives of their people said Her Ladyship the Hon. Dame Janice M. Pereira DBE.

The courts in Antigua and St. Kitts and Nevis were spared major damage and are open for business. However, at this time, the courts in Anguilla and the Virgin Islands are closed. Judges, and court staff have been displaced and the court buildings have been badly damaged in these Territories. Currently, an assessment is being undertaken by court officials in Anguilla and the Virgin Islands on the state of their courts infrastructure and facilities with a view to determining dates for the reopening of the courts.

As expected in these circumstances, the courts in Anguilla and the Virgin Islands will not operate at the level they did before the hurricane for some time. Nonetheless, the ECSC remains committed to the administration of justice in these Territories and is making every effort to ensure the speedy resumption of the hearing of matters as well as providing immediate interim arrangements to facilitate the hearing of urgent applications and trials from these Territories.

Further updates on the situation in Anguilla and the Territory of the Virgin Islands will be provided via the Courts Website and in the print and electronic media as soon as more information becomes available to the ECSC.
(ANSAmed) - PALERMO - A replica of Palermo's San Lorenzo market, selling Sicilian specialties and street food including typical chickpea fritters and spleen sandwiches, will be set up from September 28 to October 1 in San Michele Square in the town of Mazara Del Vallo as part of the 6th Blue Sea Land Expo of Mediterranean countries. Blue Sea Land is an international expo sponsored by the Fishing and Blue Growth District of Mazara Del Vallo in collaboration with the Region of Sicily to highlight dialogue and collaboration between the production districts of the countries of the Mediterranean, Africa, and the Middle East, and this year it partnered with the San Lorenzo Market to bring it to the expo.



"It's about two different identities that have the same soul," said Giovanni Tumbiolo, president of the Fishing and Blue Growth District, during a press conference in Palermo.



"Walking through this market I felt the same air as that of Blue Sea Land," he said.



"I'm referring to the cultural identity of the products, to offering the public knowledge about the territory, the places, through the largest and most powerful resource that exists in Sicily; that is, its food," he said.



"The two identities have the same values. The value, for example, of the fight against food waste and the value of food as an element of meeting. This 'being different together' is a bit what we've been experiencing for the last few years at Blue Sea Land," he said.



The covered San Lorenzo market in Palermo provides a wide range of food products, about 3,000 of which are from Sicily, made by more than 250 producers throughout the region and beyond. The market is also a hub for events and initiatives linked to food culture and healthy eating.



The market's marketing director, Gaetano Lombardo, said San Lorenzo "is the meeting of many different intentions and approaches to food as raw material from a cultural point of view and as an occasion for conviviality".



"This is also the philosophical approach of the Blue Sea Land expo, with which we consider ourselves to have a common DNA. The great challenge now is to somehow reproduce the atmosphere of the San Lorenzo market in a different place. If we manage to transfer the identity of this place, we can consider it the realization of a great dream, that of experiencing the market as a concept prior to considering it as a large place".(ANSAmed).


BEIRUT - Lebanese director Ziad Doueiry was held in Beirut for a few hours on Sunday night on charges of "collaboration with the enemy" in relation to his previous film, The Attack.

The 2013 movie was partly shot in Israel, with which Lebanon is formally at war. Doueiry, who is also a French national, says he was held for a few hours at Beirut airport before being released.

"I had my Lebanese and French passports confiscated and today I have to appear before the military tribunal," said the internationally acclaimed former director's assistant to Quentin Tarantino.

His last film, The Insult, was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival.
2,011 migrants intercepted in Turkey in a week Half intercepted at sea, 138 alleged smugglers also arrested

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 11 - Over the last week the Turkish authorities have prevented 2,011 migrants and refugees from illegally entering the European Union or crossing the border into Turkey illegally, the interior ministry said on Monday. Of these, 1,081 were intercepted at sea. Some 138 suspected people smugglers were also arrested over the same period. In particular, over the weekend boats carrying dozens of Syrian refugees were intercepted in the Black Sea heading for Bulgaria and Romania. (ANSAmed).




Journalism and war, the difficult search for truth Kittleson awarded in Otranto, tells of complexities of Syria

(ANSAmed) - ROME, SEPTEMBER 11 - It's becoming so dangerous for journalists to report on the Syrian civil war that large media outlets no longer send correspondents, and, as a result, no longer even accept pieces by freelance journalists, who are willing to travel to the front lines on their own expense in order to get the story. This is the situation of the Syrian civil war as told by American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson, who has lived in Italy for 20 years and traveled to the front lines in Syria several times between 2012 to 2015, until Turkey closed the border used by reporters headed to the zones held by anti-Assad rebels.



Kittleson spoke at the Festival of Mediterranean Journalists in Otranto, where she received the Caravella Prize. Behind her, on the screen set up in the evocative Largo Porta Alfonsina, was a video made up of photos she had taken among militants and civilians in the areas closest to many fronts of the long and bloody war. Because the front lines in Syria are many, as are the various sides in the conflict (from the various rebel militias to the many types of jihadism, from Kurdish combatants to numerous regional and international "sponsors"), in a conflict in which the apparent imminent defeat of ISIS seems not to simplify but rather to complicate the puzzle of alliances. "We have to talk about the war in Syria with the courage to represent it in all its complexity," Kittleson said at one of the Festival's debates, titled "News in Theatres of War: Telling the Truth". And in order to do so, she said, "you have to go there". She said there isn't enough truth in war propaganda, in 'briefings' by military commanders, and not even in the vast world of social networks and online. The online world was useful, however, to Sara Lucaroni of Italian weekly newsmagazine l'Espresso, also among the prize winners in Otranto for her reconstruction of the criminal market of Yazidi women kidnapped by ISIS and sold through encrypted Telegram chats to militants, foreign fighters, 'emirates' of the ISIS caliphate in Raqqa, and wealthy buyers in the Gulf. Because the web, despite being a valuable resource, is also a jungle where it's difficult to untangle oneself in order to identify reliable contacts and and sources.



Kittleson is therefore convinced that the "truth" must be sought directly in war zones, as she did from 2010 to 2015 in Afghanistan ("but on my last trip I wasn't even able to break even" she said); from 2012 to 2015 in Syria ("the first time in Idlib I was even able to go around without a hijab") and now only in Iraq, where she knows she can count on another web of friendships and acquaintances. "Is being a woman a problem?" she is asked. "Sometimes yes, but it can also be an opportunity, for example when you can hide in a niqab," she responded. When asked how she would explain the consensus for ISIS, she said "it's many criminals' dream, that has little or nothing to do with religion".



Also at the debate was moderator Stefano Mentana from The Post Internazionale, Luciana Borsatti from ANSA and ANSAmed - who spoke of the Iranian 'rear' in the war in Syria, a place of consensus building and dissent for Tehran's military support of Syrian President Assad - and Felice Blasi, president of Corecom Puglia - who spoke of risks for truly free news on large media outlets in times of war, as they face pressure due to their wider exposure, and in the age of "embedded" journalism and "news management" planned by military leaders.



And wherever there's deficit in news, the debate reminded the public, democracy is also at risk.(ANSAmed).




Ambassador to Libya Perrone meets Sabrata mayor 'Improved security has helped reduce migrant traffic'

(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, SEPTEMBER 11 - Italian ambassador to Libya Giuseppe Perrone has met with the mayor of the western city of Sabrata that is strongly affected by migrant trafficking. "Meeting with mayor El Dwadi. Improved security in Sabrata has helped reduce the movement of traffickers inside and outside the city," the embassy said in a Tweet without giving further details. However, it has emerged that cooperation has increased between the Sabrata authorities and the presidential council led by premier Fayez Al Sarraj and his government of nationl accord.



Hassen Dhawadi reportedly thanked Italy for its support and said he hoped for greater cooperation with Italian municipalities.



Perrone reiterated Italy's commitment to Libya but in particular to Sabrata, which is one of the cities worst affected by illegal trafficking. He also urged the city to continue on the path of reinforcing the "security framework", which can only be of benefit locally and to the country as a whole. (ANSAmed).




Italy govt OK on migrants, Libya - pope 'It's doing its all to resolve humanitarian problems' in Libya

(ANSAmed) - Aboard the papal plane, September 11 - Pope Francis said Monday he approved of the Italian government's line on migrants and Libya. "A government must manage this problem with the primary virtue of a governor, that is prudence. What does that mean.



First: how many places do I have? Second: not only receive, but integrate". On migrant conditions in Libya, he said "I have the impression that the Italian government is doing its all, for humanitarian work, to resolve problems it cannot take on (personally)".



Francis said he was "grateful" to both Italy and Greece for "opening their hearts" on the migrant issue, and said he had seen "very beautiful examples of integration" in Italy.




Only Catalan parliament can remove me, Puigdemont says Big pro-independence march for Diada national day

(ANSAmed) - BARCELONA, SEPTEMBER 11 - Catalan President Carles Puigdemont said in his traditional message for the Diada national day on Monday that only the Catalan parliament in Barcelona and not the Spanish institutions can remove him from office.



Hundreds of thousands of people are expected in the regional capital on Monday afternoon for a huge pro-independence demonstration in defence of the referendum on secession from Spain scheduled for October 1. "Only the Parliament of Catalonia can remove the government that I preside," said Puigdemont.



"No other judicial or political institution can do it." Spanish Premier Mariano Rajoy, with support from the Socialist Party, Ciudadanos and the constitutional court, has said the referendum is "illegal" and can use article 155 of the constitution to suspend the Catalan executive. Puigdemont, his government and the speaker of the Catalan parliament Carme Forcadell have been cited by the Spanish judiciary for alleged disobedience, abuse of power and misappropriation of public money. They could face up to six years in jail. Puigdemont insists that the referendum is "legal" because it is supported by a law passed by the Catalan parliament, "seat of popular sovereignty". (ANSAmed).




AMMAN - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrives in Jordan on Monday to discuss latest development in the Syrian crisis, including measures to set up de-escalation zone near the Jordanian borders, diplomatic sources said.

Jordan has emerged as top ally of Russia during recent months, as both countries have been holding high level security arrangements in Syria in order to find a way to put an end to fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels.

Sources from rebels' alliance told ANSA that Amman has been putting pressure on rebels' groups to quit fighting Syrian regime. They have been told to either enter the kingdom and settle in enclosed camps or head to the isolated al Tanaf military base, near the Iraqi borders.

Rebels accuse Amman of being in cahoots with Russia at the expense of Syrian revolution, saying Amman has threatened them in private meetings if they do not abandon fighting in the Syrian desert region, they would end up on target list of Russian airforce.

Jordan hopes an end to fighting near its borders, would help stop the flow of refugees and open the way for sending some refugees from its territories back to Syria.

Russia has been playing a major role in brokering ceasfire agreements between rebels and government forces, including an agreement in eastern Qalmoun, Eastern rural Damascus and the Golan Heights. The Russian top diplomat will hold meetings with king Abdullah and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman al Safadi as deliberation will also tackle the stand off between Qatar and gulf nations.


Mariano Rajoy made an appeal to Spanish public opinion, taking the starring role in a story written and directed by him. His address, speaking in the name of democracy, peaceful coexistence and the recognition of plurality is a complete distortion of these very values. He and his party are largely responsible for the fact that a political conflict which they created, has now become a problem of a judicial, institutional nature and quite possibly a problem for public order. Rajoy and his party are the architects of the Kingdom of Spains institutional crisis.

Master of the State

It was Rajoy who initiated the process that has led us to where we are today. Rajoy, the man with the 4 million signatures against the Statute and the overturning of the Catalan charter by a Constitutional Court from which a Catalan judge was removed and in which the term served by the judges was extended in an irregular manner. Rajoys campaign to stir up centralist Spanish nationalism and his manoeuvres to defeat Catalan self-government as was done previously with the Basques, and to wear down Zapatero's government, resulted in a Statute approved by both the Catalan and Spanish parliaments and ratified in a referendum which ended up being manipulated and truncated in a humiliating manner by the self-same impromptu Constitutional Court.

In Thursdays statement, Rajoy was careful to appear to be open to dialogue while accusing Puigdemont of being opposed to dialogue. A bare-faced lie. On this occasion, he managed to recognize that the Spanish Constitution could be reformed, even though Rajoy had closed off any political-legal avenue in which a vote would be allowed. He is as cynical as they come. Nevertheless, everything has an explanation and a beginning, undoubtedly everything comes down to a conflict of interests between Madrids court and Catalonia. However, the ideological and personal aspect is the triumph of post-Francoism and Mariano Rajoys revenge. Rajoy, the politician who began by fighting the Constitution and who was finally able to take control, not only of the Spanish government and its administration but of the resulting state, from the Court of Auditors to the justice system as a whole, while turning the Constitutional Court into a sectarian weapon.

Rajoy has succeeded. The man who fought the Constitution and opposed the regions statutes has expelled Catalonia from the constitutional consensus and now seeks to dismantle or even imprison the Catalan government and the Parliamentary Bureau by means of the criminal charges brought by "his" Attorney General. Since the threat also extends to the 947 Catalan mayors, Rajoy will doubtless outlaw Catalonia if it doesnt surrender, as if he were the Count-Duke of Olivares [PM of Spain from 1621 to 1643, whose attempts to centralise power and increase wartime taxation led to revolts in Catalonia and Portugal, bringing about his downfall]. It looks as if the Catalan government ought to contemplate going into exile again.

Every step of the way has been carefully calculated, starting with the PP using its absolute majority rushing to pass an express reform of the Constitutional Court's organic law in 2015. Perversely, Rajoy is using the law to put an end to democracy. He has transformed a political conflict into a lawsuit, since he is well aware that both the law and the State are under his control.

There has been talk of a coup. But if one really wishes to speak the truth, one ought to think about how, slowly and surely, the PP has taken over the state. Some let them get away with it, others just accept it, while others are their accomplices. But let's not forget that Rajoy is the narrator of this story and that life goes on around him. It is no coincidence that he spoke about Catalonia on the same day it was announced that of the 55 billion he spent on bailing out the banks almost nothing will be repaid. And there was no referendum on that decision either. By the way, what does the PNB [Basque Nationalist Party] have to say on the matter?
Organised by Motivate Publishing, the annual Gulf Business Awards recognize the most successful companies and industry leaders across nine categories including IT, banking, real estate, aviation, retail, media, tourism, healthcare and energy. The awards were adjudged by the Gulf Business team and a special independent panel of judges, as well as through public voting. This year also saw the introduction of the Happiness and Positivity Company of the Year award.

McLoughlin said: I am delighted to accept the Retail Business Leader of the Year award for the second time and dedicate this to our team of staff and to our Chairman, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his enormous achievements and ceaseless contributions to the growth of the UAE, especially in Aviation.

Presenting the award to Colm McLoughlin in front of top-business executives in attendance was H.E. Emmanuel Kamarianakis, Consul General of Canada to the UAE.

McLoughlin was accompanied by his wife Breeda McLoughlin and senior officials from Dubai Duty Free including Ramesh Cidambi, COO, Salah Tahlak, Executive Vice President  Corporate Services, Sinead El Sibai, Senior Vice President  Marketing, Sean Staunton, Senior Vice President  Retail Sales and Michael Schmidt, Senior Vice President  Retail Support.
EgyptAir is always seeking development and fleet renewal to provide its customers with best luxuries and comfort services and always working to expand its route network especially under the sever challenges witnessed by the civil aviation industry said Safwat Musllam Chairman & CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company. EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering (EGME) is our strong technical arm and plays a vital role in our fleet development as it is mandatory to qualify our engineers and technicians to provide maintenance services on most recent aircraft types to meet EgyptAir fleet as well as EGMEs customers . This is what EGME managed to do by obtaining ECAA approval to provide maintenance and overhaul services to CFM56-7B engines installed on B737-800 aircraft .

Abou Taleb Tawfik, EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering Chairman & CEO, confirmed that in 2014 EGME began working on adding the capability of maintaining engines CFM56-7B the capability list of the engine overhaul workshop as a result of increasing EGYPTAIR fleet of B737-800 to 20 aircraft. This is in addition to the 9 new aircraft of the same type, expected to be delivered by the end of December, to be 29 aircraft, 58 engines and 4 spare engines with a total of 62 engines. This large number of engines used to be maintained and overhauled abroad, which means higher maintenance cost and consumption of longer time. Accordingly, EGME has been working to increase the capability list of its engine overhaul workshop to obtain the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority approval (ECAA) which authorizes it to provide maintenance and overhaul for this type. The new approval provides hard currency for the company and expands the scope of maintenance services offered to customers other than EgyptAir Group in order to increase profit.

Tawfik added that acquiring this approval came after providing training and technical knowledge through the latest versions of the manufacturers books of B737-800 engine maintenance. The Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority sent a group of inspectors to ensure the engine overhaul workshop capacity to accomplish the maintenance and overhaul of CFM56-7B engine in order to ensure the efficiency of technical teams and comprehending all items related to safety, quality and accuracy. The audit resulted in obtaining the approval.

A plan of action has been prepared and implemented to increase the capacity of engine overhaul workshop, including the qualification and accreditation of the testing apparatus in the workshop to meet the periodic inspections carried out by the various civil aviation authorities. He added that the development of technical service provided and contracting with more customers requires maintaining various international approvals, said Tawfik.

Tarek Ghulam, Chairman of Egypt Aero Management Services Company (EAMS), said that a group of engineers and technicians have been trained on the maintenance and overhaul of GE's CFM56-7B engines and a number of apparatus and equipment have been purchased for the workshop to qualify it to provide full overhaul for that engine type.
Posted on Sep 11, 2017 in Armchair Reading, Books and Movies, Front Page Features

Book Preview of David Doyles New CLEVELAND TANK PLANT Softcover!

Cleveland Tank Plant  Aircraft and military vehicle production at Cleveland Plant 2 (1942-1970)  Book Preview

David Doyle, G-104 Press. 2017 112 pages Soft Cover $25.00 UPC:9781775013303

Silvio Iacuone

David Doyle is world renowned for his books and magazine features on military vehicles, ranging from Squadron Walk Around and In Action books to his Ampersand 1100 combined page book set on Dodges in US Military Service.

In his latest book though, he is stepping away from that and teaming up with G-104 Press, a new publishing company out of Ontario, Canada founded by Scott and Kim Taylor. Instead of a specific vehicle type or series, his newest title Cleveland Tank Plant focuses on a location, a location where parts of one of the best WW2 bombers and most unique Cold War vehicles were manufactured.

{default}

The book is mainly comprised of well captioned photos featuring images of the XP-75 Eagle fighter, B-29 Super Fortress sub-assemblies, M41 Walker Bulldog, M42 Duster, M56 Scorpion, M114 Armored Recon Vehicle, M551 Sheridan, M108 and M109 SPGs, and the original advanced MBT-70. The photos mainly show the plants products in production at different stages from assembly to automotive testing and vehicles being shipped out.

The book features a timeline running across the top of the pages helping the reader to follow along from 1942 when the construction of the plant was commissioned to 1991, the last time the M551 was used in combat.

If you are looking for a book covering specific details of the vehicles and aircraft in this book, this is not the book to get. While it does feature photos of the vehicles in US service, that is not the primary intent of the author. This title features over 200 photos in b&w and color. All photos in the book are well captioned with 30-60+ words each.

The book is only available at this time in softcover format, however the book is printed on high quality glossy paper and the binding thus far appears to be made to last. David Doyles Cleveland Tank Plant is available for $20 on DavidDoyleBooks.com

http://www.daviddoylebooks.com/Detail-G001-CTP-1.htm

Review by Silvio P. Iacuone
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About 74 percent of public school teachers in New Mexico are rated as effective or better when it comes to their success in the classroom, officials announced Friday.

Thats the highest percentage of effective or better teachers since Gov. Susana Martinez adopted a new teacher evaluation system four years ago.

The New Mexico Public Education Department unveiled the latest results under a much-debated system thats the focus of an ongoing court battle. Earlier this year, the Martinez administration announced changes after meetings with teachers around the state to reduce the weight that standardized test scores have on evaluations.

The new results say that the number of highly effective teachers rose 9 percent while the number of ineffective teachers statewide fell around 41 percent.

New Mexico Public Education Secretary Christopher Ruszkowski credited the rise in effective or better teachers to school districts taking advantage of state-funded professional development programs.

The number of school districts and charters who have applied to (these programs) have, like, tripled, Ruszkowski said.

Not all school districts are taking advantage of programs aimed at helping teachers and improving student achievement, Ruszkowski said. Teacher unions didnt buy the latest evaluation results.

Even though teachers checked class lists, some have more or fewer students being counted for their evaluations than they actually teach, said National Education Association in New Mexico president Betty Patterson. Many teachers were docked for days they attended training sessions, including ones required or provided by the PED and the private contractors profiting from this system.

Patterson said students need to learn and be inspired, but that standardized tests are not an accurate measure of a students creativity or potential or of a teachers ability to motivate students.

American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly said teachers were reporting that evaluations had inaccurate, incomplete or missing data.

Sadly, these errors on the part of the NM PED will continue to be used to blame New Mexicos public educators for the shortcomings and failed promises of seven years of so-called PED reforms under (former Education Secretary) Hanna Skandera, and now, Christopher Ruszkowski, Ly said.
Regular twice-daily updates to Live from Katrina come to an end tonight. On Sunday morning Terry will be traveling to Washington, D.C., and from there to Wisconsin (about which more in due course). Hell be blogging from the road as often as possible, but posting of all kinds will be unpredictably intermittent until his return to New York on September 15.

As of Monday, Live from Katrina will no longer appear at the top of About Last Nights front page, but the URL will remain active indefinitely, along with all our links to Katrina-related blogs and other Web sites.

Our thanks to everyone whos written in recent days with words of praise and encouragement. What we did wasnt muchnot compared to the valiant efforts of those on the ground in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coastbut we did our best to spread the word.

If you havent made a donation to relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, scroll down and do it now. Dig a little deeper in your pocket and give a little more than you think you can afford. The more it hurts you, the more itll help them.

(To skip directly to Fridays art-related postings, go here.)

* * *

Heres a list of bloggers whove been posting from/near/about New Orleans and the Gulf Coast:

 BeansIt Happens (reports on conditions in St. Charles Parish and elsewhere)

 Black Cat Bone (blogging by a Mississippi artist familiar with New Orleans)

 Josh Britton (an essential source for news updates and LSU-related information)

 DeadlyKatrina.com

 Electric Mist (first-person blogging from Baton Rouge)

 Everything and Nothing (blogging from Jackson, Miss.)

 A Frolic of My Own (blogging from the New Orleans area)

 Eyes on Katrina (a newspaper blog from South Mississippi)

 Rex Hammock (blogging from Nashville)

 Hurricane Harbor (blogging from Miami)

 Hurricane Katrina (blogging from Baton Rouge, with new posts appearing at the bottom of the page)

 Hurricane KatrinaFirst Reports (a Web page from the American Association of Museums containing information on the post-Katrina condition of museums and other cultural institutions in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region)

 Insomnia (excerpts from postings by New Orleans LiveJournal users)

 Katrina and the Arts (a regularly updated posting at Tyler Greens Modern Art Notes blog, covering Katrinas impact on cultural institutions and the like in Louisiana and Mississippi)

 Katrina Help Wiki Portal (a how-to-help info site)

 Katrinacanes Friends* (more New Orleans LiveJournal entries)

 Kayes Hurricane Katrina Blog (sporadic postings from Baton Rouge)

 Lone Star Times (live blogging from the Astrodome in Houston)

 Brendan Loy (an essential source for Katrina-related local newslinks and summaries and other information, including e-mail from readers in the affected areas)

 Michelle Malkin (a wide-ranging source of links to Katrina-related stories)

 Jeff Masters (a highly knowledgeable weatherblogger)

 Metroblogging New Orleans (a group blog)

 mgno.com, a/k/a The Interdictor (frequently updated reports from New Orleans, plus extensive comments)

 One Hand Clapping (blogging from Tennessee)

 Overtaken by Events

 paultwo (a Baton Rouge-based photoblog)

 Pitch & Green

 Slidell Hurricane Damage Blog (updates from New Orleans)

 a small victory (blogging good-news stories from New Orleans)

 Storm Digest (frequently updated)

 Tulane University Emergency Information

 Updates as They Come In on Katrina (WWL-TVs news blog, constantly updated, an essential source for bulletins from the only New Orleans TV station that has been able to stay on the air continuously throughout the crisis)

* * *

Artsjournal.com, which hosts About Last Night, has a separate page called Hurricane Katrina & The Arts with links to sites and stories about the effects of Katrina on the arts community.

* * *

Heres a link to the APs national wire, to which Katrina-related stories are being posted around the clock.

Heres the breaking-news page from the New Orleans Times-Picayune, which also has an in-house blog, Notebook from the Hurricane Bunker, that is now posting messages from evacuees and those searching for them. Both pages are must reading for anyone wanting to know whats happening on the ground in New Orleans.

Also on the papers Web site is a missing persons forum.

Two other sites are serving as clearinghouses for those trying to get information about friends and family, looking for temporary shelter, or looking for opportunities to volunteer: craigslist New Orleans and katrinacheckin.org. NowPublic is a message board with photos of missing persons. N.O. Pundit is a group of message boards for Orleans Parish survivors, family members, etc., organized by neighborhood.

Hibernia Corporation is requesting that all of its employees who live in areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina call the following toll-free number: 1-800-707-0489. They want to find out where you are and how youre doing. If you need help, they will put you in touch with the right resources. If you see anyone you know who works for Hibernia, please pass along this message to them. Please identify yourself as a Hibernia employee when you call.

Heres a page of Katrina-related e-mail received by the BBC and updated regularly.

Heres an automated aggregrator page of Katrina-related bloglinks.

Heres a transcript of a 2002 radio documentary detailing a worst-case scenario for Category Five hurricane damage in New Orleans.

And heres a feature from the Times-Picayune on the same subject. (This one will make your hair stand on end.)

* * *

Heres an extensive list of flood-aid links recommended by bloggers throughout the sphere.

Our Girl and I recommend the McCormick Tribune Foundation in Chicago, which is matching donations to its Hurricane Katrina Relief Campaign, $1 for every $2 given. Contributions can be made here.

The Southeastern Museums Conference has started a Hurricane Katrina Fund to help support post-Katrina repair and conservation efforts at museums affected by the hurricane and its aftermath. For information on how to contribute, go here.

Ben Jaffe, manager (and bass player) at Preservation

Hall, has announced a fund to help support New Orleans musicians who have been left destitute by the storm. For information, go here.

HurricAid is a group blog devoted to disseminating information about aid efforts.

NBC-TV will be broadcasting a hurricane-relief benefit tonight at eight p.m. EDT (live on the East Coast, via tape delay on the West Coast).

* * *

Heres a sad and beautiful elegy for the New Orleans that used to be, written by a man who knew it well and holds out hope for its eventual restoration.

For a more pessimistic view, go here.

* * *

Finally, a personal word from Terry to all those bloggers posting from the Gulf Coast, and everyone else who was caught in the path of Katrina: we New Yorkers know about disasters, and our hearts are with you. May the world reach out to you as it did to us.
Twelve years ago, as Hurricane Katrina was wreaking havoc on New Orleans, I briefly turned this blog into a homemade, manually updated aggregator of storm-related blogs and other websitesthe first such page, so far as I know, ever to be created. It attracted wide attention and was viewed throughout the world.

To revisit that short-lived exercise in citizen journalism is, as I recalled last year, is a strange experience:

I sound like a whiskery old ham-radio operator reminiscing about the marvels of Morse code. Its easy to forget that blogging was still revolutionary in the days of Katrina.Nowadays, of course, it would never have occurred to me to turn this site into a stormblog. Twitter and Facebook long ago superseded blogs as the medium of choice for snap responses to the news of the day.

Im leaving Hurricane Irma to Twitter and to the professionalsbut Im paying even closer attention to what they have to say. The reason for my particular attention is that Mrs. T and I spend part of each winter in Florida and have good friends and colleagues who live in several of the cities about which youve been reading of late. Not only is Billy and Me, my new play, set to open on December 8 in West Palm Beach, where I spent a month last year directing Satchmo at the Waldorf, but Ive come in recent years to think of Sanibel Island, to which Irma paid a visit on Sunday, as something of a second home. Mrs. T and I have spent countless hours strolling up and down its shelly beaches, eating in its cozy restaurants, and sitting on the back porch of the beach bungalow that we rent each January, gazing contentedly at the Gulf of Mexico. I wonder what that bungalow looks like today.

I can only begin to imagine the feelings of my Florida friends, some of whom toughed out Irma and the rest of whom fled her capricious wrath as best they could. I reached out to them by e-mail last week, and started hearing back from them last night. My heart aches for them all.

Mrs. T and I have been on the move since Saturday, seeing shows in New Jersey and Philadelphia. Nevertheless, we are much preoccupied with Florida, and I have no doubt that we will remain so for some time to come. It is, of course, too soon to say what effect, if any, the coming of Irma will have on the Palm Beach Dramaworks premiere of Billy and Me. I already know, however, that Hurricane Harvey has forced a change in the schedule for the Alley Theatres Houston production of Satchmo at the Waldorf, which will open a week earlier than originally planned, on February 23. We hope to be there anyway, and come November we also expect to be down in West Palm Beach, rehearsing Billy and Me.

Where well go from there remains to be seen. We were planning to spend Christmas on Sanibel, something weve never done before, then see shows in Coral Gables, Fort Myers, Jupiter, Miami, Naples, Orlando, and Sarasota. All that now rests in the hands of the gods, whose recent behavior reminds me of Gloucesters terrible outburst in King Lear: As flies to wanton boys are we to th gods./They kill us for their sport. May they prove to have treated the people of Florida more mercifully than Gloucester and the willful king he loved and served.

To all our friends down there, Mrs. T and I send all the love we have in us. You are not far from our minds.

UPDATE: Bill Hayes, Palm Beach Dramaworks artistic director and the director of Billy and Me, tells me that the theater survived Hurricane Irma intact.

Sanibel Island also appears to have escaped significant damage. As for our bungalow, it got through the storm without a scratch.
The actress said she wanted the world to be inspired by their resilience and their hope for a better tomorrow.

Cairo: Actor Priyanka Chopra, on her maiden visit to a Syrian refugee camp in the Jordanian capital of Amman, is appalled by their plight and said the world should be inspired by their resilience.

More than 5 million people have fled war-torn Syria since the civil war began in 2011 and have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey as well as Jordan.

Priyanka, who is the Unicef global goodwill ambassador, has been documenting her visit to Amman, which hosts 1,80,000 Syrian refugees, on Instagram. She shared her interactions with refugee kids, who are desperately seeking normalcy in their lives.

"Today was very emotional. As we go about our daily privileged lives, it's hard to imagine that everything can be taken from you in an moment. Today we spent the day in a host community meeting Syrian refugee families (like this one) so desperately seeking a safe place of normalcy for their families," the actor posted on the photo-sharing website, along side a short video of her playing with kids from a refugee Syrian family.

Priyanka, 35, shared that more than 80 per cent of the Syrian refugees in Jordan live outside refugee camps in cities, urban centers and farming villages (host communities.)

"Amman hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees, about 1,80,000 people. Refugee families in host communities have limited livelihood opportunities, and after 6 years, have depleted their savings and borrowed money from everywhere to feed and support their families. @unicef #ChildrenUprooted #TheyAreUs," she further wrote.

In a previous post, Priyanka explained her decision to share the plight of Syrian refugees, especially kids, saying she wanted the world to be inspired by their resilience and their hope for a better tomorrow.

"I have never done this when I do field trips, but on this one I feel compelled to reflect on what I feel after every session because I felt a lot. The anger and agony I felt seeing these beautiful hopeful children ravaged by war was so raw.

"The world has seen the pain war has left in Syria but the resilience and joy and hope in spite of it is so inspiring to me. These kids are my inspiration. They should be yours too," she said.
The Muslim body said it respected the court, but it would not approve any kind of interference in Shariat.

The AIMPLB declared its stand on Babri Masjid issue saying that the body would only accept the court decision on the vexed matter. (Representational image)

Bhopal: The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Sunday said there should be no interference in Shariat by court or government.

The Muslim body said it respected the court, but it would not approve any kind of interference in Shariat.

Addressing a news conference after the meeting of the working committee of the body here late on Sunday evening, the AIMPLB leaders accused the Centre of trying to interfere in Muslim personal law and warned This will not be tolerated.

Taking strong exception to the Centres stand on the instant triple talaq before the supreme court earlier in which it wanted the court to declare all such cases till date null and void, Kamal Faruqi, one of the board members said, We record our displeasure (on it) and consider it an attack (by Centre) on our personal law. We categorically state that the community cannot and shall not tolerate such attacks (on Muslim personal law).

He said the Muslim body has already initiated steps to undertake reforms in the community in regards to instant triple talaq.

It has already been declared that those going for instant triple talaq will be socially boycotted, the AIMPLB said. The AIMPLB declared its stand on Babri Masjid issue saying that the body would only accept the court decision on the vexed matter.
Rajnath Singh had earlier while addressing a press conference in Srinagar said that the Centre wants to see smiles on the faces of Kashmiri people.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, has welcomed visiting Home Minister, Rajnath Singhs, statement that various issues confronting the State would be resolved amicably through dialogue with the stakeholders.

The positivity exhibited by the Home Minister would go a long way in putting balms on the wounds of the people of the State, she said.

She also welcomed Mr. Singhs assertion that the Centre will never undermine the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir regarding the States special status.

The Home Minister had earlier while addressing a press conference in Srinagar said that the Centre wants to see smiles on the faces of Kashmiri people who have suffered enormously as a result of violence and terrorism during last nearly three decades. He said that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and his government is eager to resolve the problems confronting the State and its people and sought help from all right thinking people in the endeavour. Asked about the Centres stance on Article 35A, he said, Well not go against sentiments of people.

The Chief Minister in her statement said that she has all along maintained that in a positive outreach with all shades of opinion in the State, coupled with compassion, confidence building and coexistence, is the key of a lasting peace and prosperity for the people of the State, country and the sub continent. He also welcomed the announcement of the Union Home Minister of an increase in the Prime Ministers Developmental Package to around Rs One lakh crore saying it would go a long way in pacing up the developmental revolution in the State.

Her predecessor and working president of opposition National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah while reacting to the Home Ministers statement on Article 35A and the special status of the State said, This is a very important statement from the Union Home Minister He tweeted, His assurance will go a long way towards silencing the noises against 35-A.

However, separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani said that the Kashmir issue can be resolved peacefully only through the Indian Independence Act of 1947. Ours is a humanitarian issue which can be resolved amicably and peace and prosperity can come to Jammu and Kashmir only if and when the wishes and aspirations of the people are fulfilled, he said. He cautioned that India instead of trampling with the fundamental rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, should read writing on wall and fulfil its pledges on the State made before the international community.
All top Dalit leaders have either been thrown out or have left the party and there is a huge vacuum when it comes to dalit leadership in the BSP.

Lucknow: After bringing her brother Mr Anand Kumar into the party, BSP president Mayawati is now ready to launch her nephew Akash. Mr Akash, who has done his masters in business administration from London, is said to be ready to take over a major responsibility in the BSP.

Ms Mayawati may launch Akash at the September 18 rally in Meerut. She is increasingly depending on him, even more than her brother and keeps giving him advice about political issues. She is actually preparing him for a bigger role in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, said a aide close to Ms Mayawati.

According to party sources, Ms Mayawati has stopped trusting party leaders after a series of desertions by top leaders including the likes of Mr Swami Prasad Maurya and Mr Naseemuddin Siddiqui. She is apparently wary of being stabbed in the back and feels that it is only her blood relatives who will protect her from outside influences.

The BSP, till now, has been vehemently opposed to nepotism and has even criticised those political leaders who have been promoting their family members in politics.

Circumstances are changing and even the most trustworthy leaders have betrayed Behenji so it is natural that she will stop trusting outsiders, the aide explained. Another factor that has made Ms Mayawati look within her own family is the dearth of Dalit leaders in the BSP.

All top Dalit leaders have either been thrown out or have left the party and there is a huge vacuum when it comes to dalit leadership in the BSP.

Mr Satish Chandra Misra, BSP general secretary, has been enjoying the second position in the party for more than a decade but he lacks acceptability among dalits.

Mr Misras presence in the party is actually upsetting Dalits who feel that upper caste Brahmins are trying to dominate the BSP. In fact, this is one major charge against Ms Mayawati. The party will have to cultivate new Dalit leaders if it wishes to sustain itself. In that sense, Anand Kumar and Akash will be more acceptable that Mr Misra because they belong to the Dalit class, said a BSP MLA.

Ms Mayawati, sources said, is now determined to reduce dependency on a handful of leaders and asked her office to maintain a record of all activities being carried out and supervised by every leader. Records of new members at the zonal level and the membership contribution taken from, them will also be listed.
The woman was suffering from a disorder that caused her to eat her own hair and led to constant vomiting.

Rare conditions affecting people across the world can cause them to do things which may appear bizarre and lead to shocking consequences. Videos like fingernails being removed from a childs gum by his mother have left people on the internet astonished and now a nauseating video is doing the rounds.

Doctors in Mumbai removed a large hairball weighing almost 1 kg from a 20-year-old womans stomach after she was left weighing just 30 kg due to constant vomiting. The woman was suffering from the Rapunzel syndrome which caused her to eat her own hair.

The oval shaped hairball which is 10 inch long and 4.7 inch wide was removed surgically following which the patient is recovering. People suffering from such conditions are unable to hold their food and vomit it out leading to anorexia.

The disorder causes patients to be restless as they also stop eating which is the main reason behind a drop in their haemoglobin count.
Victims family claims she reported matter but teacher did not pursue it.

New Delhi: The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the alleged sexual assault of a five-year-old girl in a Shahdara school, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday. He also said that a protocol would be chalked out for all city schools to ensu-re the safety of students.

The five-year-old was allegedly raped by a peon on the premises of the private school in Shahdara on Saturday. The accused, Vikas Kumar, was arrested later at night.

Mr Kejriwal said such incidents wont be tolerated. Shameful. Wont be tolerated. Police doing its job. Ordered magsterial inquiry. Will develop protocol 4 all schools 2 ensure children safety (sic), he tweeted.

Delhi revenue minister Kailash Gahlot also tweeted about the incident and said that the inquiry report will be submitted in three days. The arrested man, Vikas, had been working in the school for the last three years. Previously, he worked as a security guard there.

He allegedly took the girl inside an empty classroom around noon on Saturday when he was walking in the corridors after handing over lunch boxes to teachers.

Meanwhile, victims mother said that no investigation to this matter has taken place as yet. No investigation has been taking place. Today it happened with my daughter, tomorrow it could happen with anyone, she added.

Family of the victim has made a shocking claim that the girl had reported the matter to a school teacher who did not pursue it, giving false assurance that she would deal with it. The claim as well as others which range from offering a bribe to them and influencing the staff of the hospital where the child was first taken to, however, have been refuted by the teacher in question and the school management both.

The girl herself, meanwhile, said that when she went to her teacher, complained of pain and said that Vikas had assaulted her, the teacher merely said Main peetungi usko (I will hit him) and chose nothing to do after that.
This facility will provide the commuters complete information on Delhi Metro routes, line details, platform details, fares and more.

Transit details for Delhi Metro would also be available on mobile devices with Google Maps, so commuters can check available Metro schedules to make route changes on-the-go and plan their trips accordingly.

New Delhi: In an initiative to make commutes easier, the Delhi Metro has partnered with Google Maps to share information on Metro routes, fares and connectivity. This partnership with Google has been done keeping in line with Delhi Metros vision for providing a better commuter-friendly public transport system. This facility will provide the commuters complete information on Delhi Metro routes, line details, platform details, fares and more.

Delhi Metros integration with Google will be extremely beneficial to both new and existing commuters. Delhi Metro has launched several such initiatives in the recent past to help commuters to manage their travel time, and make more informed transport decisions. Transit details for Delhi Metro would also be available on mobile devices with Google Maps, so commuters can check available Metro schedules to make route changes on-the-go and plan their trips accordingly.

Officials said that the initiative will greatly benefit the commuters as they will be able to receive the user searches for information to reach from Place A to B on Google Maps. The result shows a map with the possible route and driving directions for the commuter

Additionally, the user will now see an option to open Delhi Metros schematic maps, which give users a quick way to find their way around their city in addition to the powerful route finding Google Maps offers today. The user can zoom around and find relevant information about various Metro routes, platform and fare details. Commuters will get to see the step by step directions for the entire route, a spokesperson with DMC said.
The funds are disbursed by nodal agencies controlled by district officials after MPs submit their project reports.

New Delhi: Opposition members of the Parliament in West Bengal have accused the ruling Trinamul Congress of putting pressure on the administration to stall the release of funds earmarked for them under a Central scheme for development work inconstituencies.

A recent government report shows that many opposition MPs in the state are still to get funds under MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme), but money is flowing in for members of the Trinamul Congress.

The ministry of statistics and programme implementations MPLADS status report for West Bengal reveals that most Trinamul Congress MPs have received money from the Central government scheme for 2017-18, while some in the opposition have not been able to utilise funds for 2014-15.

A sum of Rs 5 crore is given to each MP in two installments every year under MPLADS for development work. The funds are disbursed by nodal agencies controlled by district officials after MPs submit their project reports.

Congress MP from Baharampur Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is yet to get the second installment of `2.5 crore for 2015-16, claimed the state government was putting pressure on the nodal agencies to delay the release of the funds.

Even if project reports are submitted, the district officials deliberately delay the process to tarnish the image of Congress MPs in the eyes of the common people. This is political vendetta, Mr Chowdhury told PTI.

A Trinamul Congress MP, who did not wish to be named, shrugged off the opposition claims. We do not even wish to comment on this, he said.

A letter from the ministry was sent to the principal secretary of planning, government of West Bengal, on August 21, asking it to direct all nodal agencies to furnish documents that would enable the ministry to release the pending funds for Bengal MPs.

CPI(M) MPs Mohammad Salim and Badaruddoza khan were yet to receive their first and second installments for 2016-17 and 2015-16 respectively as the nodal agencies had not sent the utilisation certificates for 2015-16 and 2014-15.

Utilisation certificates are sent by the district nodal agencies to the Centre after the fund has been utilised, stating what project the MP used it for.

Mr Salim alleged that clear instructions had been given to the district administration to slow down the process of releasing funds till the Panchayat elections, which are due in 2018.

Even if some officials are trying to do their job, the Mamata government is bent upon transferring them, he claimed. Central minister and BJP Lok Sabha MP from Darjeeling S.S. Ahluwalia too has not been able to get the first installment of funds for 2015-16 as his utilisation certificate for 2014-15 has not been provided to the Centre by the nodal officers.

According to the status report, a few Trinamul Congress MPs work has also been affected. MPs Kunal Ghosh and Mukul Roy, both said to have been sidelined by the party, have not yet received funds for 2014-15.

In 2015, Roy was removed as party general secretary after his name came up in the Saradha chit fund case. Mr Ghosh, who was arrested and jailed for three years in the case, moved the Calcutta high court last year, seeking direction to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on the utilisation of his MPLAD funds.
Notto will launch the app in next 10 days.

New Delhi: To simplify the process of organ donation, the Delhi government is launching a mobile app in next 10 days where people can voluntarily pledge to donate their organs. In this regard, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (Notto) has developed the mobile app.

Dr Suresh Badhan, the Notto consultant coordinator, told this newspaper that apart from helping people to pledge their organs, the app would provide all necessary information related to organ donation.

Dr Badhan said the app would provide information about the availability of organs, hospital having transplant facilities and number of transplants proposed. In other words, all the information about organ donation will be available to the citizens in their smart phone. The Notto app will launched in next seven to 10 days and will be available at all the mobile platform, he added.

According to Dr Badhan, there was a huge gap between the organs required for transplantation and the organs available; this is due to lack of awareness among masses. Awareness should be created among the people, especially in the case of brain dead, to clear the myths and misconceptions regarding organ donation. For an example, while only 7,500 kidney transplants took place last year, two lakh new patients are required for kidney transplants in the country. And out of these, only 1,500 were donated by the family member of brain dead patients, he said.

Dr Badhan was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of a campaign, Spreading Hope, by Lourd Vijay, professional dancer, to raise nationwide awareness on the importance of organ donation.

Mr Vijay got diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2013 and underwent a transplant in 2016. Through Spreading Hope, he aims to drive from Chennai to Ladakh, covering 9,000 kilometers, in a bid to spread awareness about the seriousness of kidney disease.

The disease has changed the way I look at life. It has given me a new purpose and thats how I started the campaign. This mission is to raise awareness on kidney disease and organ donation in the country, he said.
The major difference between the Indian and North Korean programmes lies in the American attitude.

India celebrated the 70th anniversary of Independence last month. Last Saturday was the 69th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Between them, the two Asian nations have shattered the apartheid the victors of World War II had imposed. This shared link is all the more reason why New Delhi should back Vladimir Putins suggestion of talks to defuse a crisis that has reduced the United States to a state of gibbering hysteria and brought the world to the brink of a catastrophic war.

To suggest that other countries need to understand Pyongyangs fears is not to support either Kim Jong-uns dictatorship or his bizarre haircut. Nor is it to gloss over the grim implications of an episode that can be compared to the Cuban missile crisis. But realism demands an attempt to probe whether an impoverished North Korea is prepared to eat grass (as Mr Putin put it) to build the bomb only because of a rulers megalomania. The fanatic who had first used that phrase was driven by insane hatred, jealousy and suspicion of India. Is North Korea similarly moved by the US and South Korea, or a combination of the two?

Given the menacing magnitude of the 10-day Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint military exercise between the US and South Korean land, sea and air forces, Pyongyangs fears may be understandable. The participants called Ulchi Freedom Guardian a routine annual event, but Kim Jong-un didnt see it as anything but provocative muscle-flexing. North Koreas state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, warned that the joint exercise was the most explicit expression of hostility with no guarantee it wouldnt evolve into full-scale hostilities.

Unfortunately, the recent annual India-Japan defence dialogue made little attempt to explore Mr Kims thinking. It merely echoed the US in strongly condemning North Koreas sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3 when a device of more than 100 kilotons with several times more destructive power than the bomb that flattened Hiroshima in 1945 was exploded. While Japan may be worried about deteriorating conditions in the Korean peninsula, Indias principal  and perhaps only  concern is over Pakistan, which tested a new 2,200-km range Ababeel ballistic missile, carrying a multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV) payload in January this year. Not to be lagging behind, India is also developing MIRVs  a single missile that can carry several nuclear warheads, each programmed to hit different targets  for its Agni series of ballistic missiles.

The major difference between the Indian and North Korean programmes lies in the American attitude. Indias development of nuclear warheads and missiles to deliver them would not have received even grudging global acceptance without George W. Bushs extraordinary rapport with Dr Manmohan Singh. But as Pakistanis and Iranians might lament, what is sauce for the Indian goose is obviously not sauce for the North Korean gander.

The United Nations Security Council meeting early last week confirmed again that the present tenant of the White House is threatening Mr Kim with all manner of dire reprisals if he doesnt abandon his nuclear ambitions. There were immediate threats of military reprisal after the September 3 test. Nikki Haley, the ethnic Indian US ambassador to the UN, had accused Mr Kim of begging for war. It was her way of repeating the warning of a massive military response that US defence secretary James Mattis had threatened. Donald Trump and South Koreas President, Moon Jae-in, are pressing China and Russia for tough new sanctions to freeze Mr Kims personal assets, impose a complete oil embargo, not allow North Koreans to work overseas, and stop importing North Korean textiles.

Even Mr Putin denounced the September 3 test as a crude violation of the Security Council resolutions. But taking a more realistic view of the challenge, the Russian President also added: At the same time, it is clear that it is impossible to resolve the problem of the Korean peninsula only by sanctions and pressure. He feels sanctions alone would be useless without effective diplomacy. This could be Indias opportunity, if India were not so impervious to global imbalances and reluctant to offend Washington.

New Delhi is worried that North Koreas recently-acquired expertise with the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile will also benefit Pakistan, whose 1,500-km range Ghauri-I missile was a derivative of the North Korean Nodong missile. The nexus still continues despite Chinese protestations to the contrary. In fact, over the decades China has systematically promoted both the Pakistani and North Korean nuclear programmes. Apart from the Sangh Parivars instinctive reservations about any Muslim regime having a bomb, it is specially galling that Pakistans rapidly expanding nuclear and missile arsenals should overtake Indias. Pakistan is estimated to have between 130 and 140 warheads, compared to Indias 110-120.

If theres any real difference between the Indian and North Korean positions, however, its that India claims a plausible justification for its nuclear programme. The global nuclear divide is iniquitous. Indias tough neighbourhood demands a deterrent. The primacy of Indias civilian establishment over the military and its commitment to the no-first-use principle ensures the bomb will not be abused. An unstated reason could be Indias yearning for global prestige and permanent UN Security Council membership.

The unpredictable Mr Kim has never offered any rationale for his strategy. Western observers who expected him to celebrate the September 9 anniversary with another spectacular explosion caution that relief on this count might be premature. Theres still the October 10 anniversary of the founding of the Korean Workers Party that Mr Kim is proud to head. This particular riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma must also be unravelled if the world is to sleep in peace. Sabre-rattling alone wont achieve that.
On the contrary, we see most criminals with political links go scot-free, and those who cannot dodge jail get new escape routes.

What is this country coming to? The opening line of Girish Karnads compelling play Tughlaq has come back to haunt us. Karnad is among 25 Kannada writers and intellectuals who have been given police protection following the shocking murder of Gauri Lankesh. For thinkers are in danger. This is the age of hollow men, headpiece filled with straw, leaning together, with dried voices. We must not think for ourselves, or speak out. This is the age of submission, of silence.

Why else would writers need police protection? Traditionally, writers were protected by readers, by a society that valued writers, artists, teachers, thinkers. But for years intolerance of inconvenient thought has been growing  now we have allowed it to escalate into the shameless murder of dissent. From banning books to vandalising libraries and burning texts, from attacking art to hounding artists and chasing M.F. Husain out of India, to brazenly harassing anybody who doesnt conform to my idea of my country. From Salman Rushdies book banned to placate Muslims to Wendy Donigers book banned to placate Hindus, we have come a long way while staying rooted to the same spot. Because we like to magnanimously grant wishes to interest groups for narrow political gain, often going against the basic principles that our nation was founded on. If we really believed in equality as guaranteed by the Constitution, maybe none of this would have happened.

So now, instead of introspecting on what went wrong, we are either gloating over the well-deserved murder of a gutsy journalist, or moving the dialogue towards who killed her. We know who killed her. We may not know who pulled the trigger, but we know who were behind it. We all were.

We have all failed Gauri, my old colleague from Sunday magazine. The State failed her, by allowing and encouraging non-state actors who wreak violence on critics and independent thinkers. The media failed her by either cowering before power or by supporting power beyond the call of duty, by being lured by profit, cosying up to the establishment, brushing aside basic journalistic ethics.

The new and more democratic media, the social media, is the Wild West of curious comments and jubilant jibes, where unmoderated hostility and violence roll on, gathering support in a realm that defies logic, facts and decency. Right-wingers were always cheerfully vocal on these forums, and moderates and liberals found getting down to that crass level beneath their dignity. So the bigots ruled the Internet, creating an illiberal reality that was a lie and deeply problematic for a pluralistic culture.

The publishing industry failed her. By withdrawing and pulping books that ruffled feathers and refusing to publish books that could be problematic they stifled dialogue and paved the way for this majoritarian rule over thought and ideas. The other nurturing ground of thought, education, is being tailored for years to suit this make-believe reality. We allow it.

The industrial houses failed her. By keeping their hands clean and their eyes focused squarely on the bottom line, by caring only about their own profit and not the larger profit of their country and their future generations, they quietly supported injustice and the deliberate destruction of the constitutional guarantees that made India such a wonderfully free, pluralistic democracy.

The police failed her. They failed to stop the murderers as they weaved their way through everyday life and picked out their victims in cold blood  killing Dabholkar, Pansare, Kalburgi before they turned their guns on Gauri. They failed to stop, or nab, the killers of valiant reporters and editors in small towns and villages, fearless journalists silenced by corrupt politicians and powerful enemies.

Most importantly, the justice system failed her. Our old, smug, lugubrious, incredibly slow justice system takes decades to decide cases, and often palpably fails to deliver justice. Its important that culprits are brought to book. Its important that killers are punished. We need to see that criminals get no political protection.

On the contrary, we see most criminals with political links go scot-free, and those who cannot dodge jail get new escape routes. D.G. Vanzara, Gujarats notorious encounter cop, is back in the news contemplating a political career. And Maya Kodnani, convicted of organising massacres during the 2002 Gujarat violence, promises to get BJP president Amit Shah to court to testify in her favour. Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, accused of leading the 1984 Sikh massacre in Delhi, still roam free.

The 1993 Mumbai blasts verdict has finally come. And following a curious verdict by the high court that almost legitimised the 1992 demolition, the Babri Masjid case is now in the Supreme Court.

But would there be the Mumbai blasts  masterminded by Muslims, as we love to say  if there were no Mumbai riots, masterminded by Hindus? Would there be the Mumbai riots if the Babri Masjid had not been demolished by the Hindutva fundamentalists led by the BJP? Would the Babri Masjid be demolished if the then Congress government had not opened the gates to the Ram Janmabhoomi site in order to please the Hindus? Would the secular Congress feel inclined to please the Hindus if it hadnt tried to please the Muslims by supporting the Muslim clerics in the Shah Bano case? We could go on and on

No, Gauris killing was not planned today. It was being hatched for decades. As we slowly moved away from constitutional guarantees and curbed our rights and freedoms as citizens. As we paved the way for the slow stifling of dissent. And the murder of diverse opinions.

We need to stop believing that its beneath our dignity to respond to the fools who attack our culture hoping for a Hindu rashtra. Our media needs to recognise the dangers it is leading our country into by selfish commercial interest, fear or the greed for power. We need to realise that mischievous news and debates on TV can mislead and harm us. We need to get our hands dirty, as citizens who care, to reclaim our identities as citizens who matter.

We need to fight the factless, tactless, graceless, unethical trolls on the social media and the deluded people in real life  friends, family, colleagues  who may be armed with false information and righteous indignation.

We wouldnt be here if we hadnt allowed our politicians to play with our sentiments, if we hadnt tried to take shortcuts in our battle for identity politics. Stop it now. They are at your door.
The draft resolution also no longer proposes an asset freeze on the military-controlled national airline Air Koryo.

United Nations: The UN Security Council is set to vote on Monday afternoon on a watered-down US-drafted resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its latest nuclear test, diplomats said, but it was unclear whether China and Russia would support it.

The draft resolution appears to have been weakened in a bid to appease North Koreas ally China and Russia following negotiations during the past few days.

In order to pass, a resolution needs nine of the 15 Security Council members to vote in favor and no vetoes by any of the five permanent members - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.

The draft, seen by Reuters on Sunday, no longer proposes blacklisting North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. The initial draft proposed he be subjected to a travel ban and asset freeze along with four other North Korea officials. The final text only lists one of those officials.

The draft text still proposes a ban on textile exports, which were North Koreas second-biggest export after coal and other minerals in 2016, totaling $752 million, according to data from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. Nearly 80 percent of the textile exports went to China.

The draft drops a proposed oil embargo and instead intends to impose a ban on condensates and natural gas liquids, a cap of two million barrels a year on refined petroleum products, and a cap crude oil exports to North Korea at current levels.

China supplies most of North Koreas crude. According to South Korean data, Beijing supplies roughly 500,000 tonnes of crude oil annually. It also exports 200,000 tonnes of oil products, according to UN data. Russias exports of crude oil to North Korea are about 40,000 tonnes a year.

The draft resolution also no longer proposes an asset freeze on the military-controlled national airline Air Koryo.

Since 2006, the Security Council has unanimously adopted eight resolutions ratcheting up sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

The Security Council last month imposed new sanctions over North Koreas two long-range missile launches in July. The Aug. 5 resolution aimed to slash by a third Pyongyangs $3 billion annual export revenue by banning coal, iron, lead and seafood.

Foreign Workers

The new draft resolution drops a bid to remove an exception for transshipments of Russian coal via the North Korean port of Rajin. In 2013 Russia reopened a railway link with North Korea, from the Russian eastern border town of Khasan to Rajin, to export coal and import goods from South Korea and elsewhere.

The original draft resolution would have authorized states to use all necessary measures to intercept and inspect on the high seas vessels that have been blacklisted by the council.

However, the final draft text calls upon states to inspect vessels on the high seas with the consent of the flag state, if theres information that provides reasonable grounds to believe the ship is carrying prohibited cargo.

The Aug. 5 resolution adopted by the council capped the number of North Koreans working abroad at the current level. The new draft resolution initially imposed a complete ban on the hiring and payment of North Korean laborers abroad.

The final draft text to be voted on Monday by the council would require the employment of North Korean workers abroad to be authorized by a Security Council committee.

However, this rule would not apply to written contracts finalized prior to the adoption of this resolution provided that states notify the committee by Dec. 15 of the number of North Koreans subject to these contracts and the anticipated date of termination of these contracts.

Some diplomats estimate that between 60,000 and 100,000 North Koreans work abroad. A UN human rights investigator said in 2015 that North Korea was forcing more than 50,000 people to work abroad, mainly in Russia and China, earning between $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion a year. The wages of workers sent abroad provide foreign currency for the Pyongyang government.

There is new political language in the final draft urging further work to reduce tensions so as to advance the prospects for a comprehensive settlement and underscoring the imperative of achieving the goal of complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner.
The US had originally pushed for a strict oil embargo, as well as a freeze on the assets of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, addresses a Security Council meeting of the United Nations. (Photo: AP)

United Nations: The United States has submitted a new North Korean sanctions resolution to the UN Security Council, toning down its demands less than 24 hours before a vote, diplomats said, as it sought to bring China and Russia on board.

Washington has led the international drive to punish the rogue state after it detonated a nuclear device this month.

The US had originally pushed for a strict oil embargo, as well as a freeze on the assets of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

But late Sunday, diplomats said the asset freeze had been dropped from the draft, and it now foresaw a progressive tightening of the oil taps, instead of something sudden and complete.

Among other concessions the new text also softens proposed restrictions on North Koreans working overseas, and on the inspection by force of ships suspected of carrying cargo prohibited by the UN.

Of five key original measures, a ban on textile exports from North Korea remained.

Britain and France -- permanent Security Council members along with the US, China and Russia -- have given Washington their unequivocal backing.

Francois Delattre, the French ambassador to the UN, told AFP: "Maximum pressure today in the form of sanctions is our best hope for promoting a political settlement tomorrow and the best antidote to risks of confrontation."

His British counterpart Matthew Rycroft added: "To give a chance for diplomacy to end this crisis, we need DPRK (North Korea) to change course now. That means the maximum possible pressure."

The sticking point will be opposition from Russia and China, the North's two main backers, who are wary of anything that might force the collapse of the regime and the resulting exodus of refugees.

In addition to bending somewhat to Moscow and Beijing, Washington has dangled the prospect of military action or cutting economic ties with countries that continue to have trade links with the North. Some 90 percent of North Korea's exports are destined for China.

Kim Hyun-Wook, professor at the state-run Korea National Diplomatic Academy, told AFP the Americans had softened their stance because it was vital to keep Moscow and Beijing on board.

"It is only possible to criticise and rebuke China and Russia for not enforcing the sanctions if they vote for it at the UN Security Council," he said.

"That's why I think the US tried to draw a UN sanctions resolution that China and Russia will participate in even if it is not fully satisfactory, which has led to the easing of the initially very strong draft proposal."

- 'Pay the price' -

Early Monday, North Korea said it would not accept any chastisement over its nuclear and missile programme, which it said is vital to stave off the threat of an American invasion.

If Washington does "rig up the illegal and unlawful 'resolution' on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the US pays due price," its foreign ministry said, in a statement published by the official KCNA news agency.

The North has a long history of making florid threats against Washington and its allies without following through on them.

"The forthcoming measures to be taken by the DPRK will cause the US the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history," the ministry said.

"The world will witness how the DPRK tames the US gangsters by taking (a) series of action tougher than they have ever envisaged."

The expected vote later Monday comes after days of hurried diplomacy with Washington seeking to convince Russia and China -- veto-wielding members of the Security Council -- that Pyongyang's weapons advances cannot go unchecked.

Pyongyang has staged a series of missile tests in recent months, culminating in an intercontinental ballistic missile that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range -- ramping up tensions and earning itself a seventh set of UN Security Council sanctions.

It followed up earlier this month with a sixth nuclear test, which it said was a hydrogen bomb small enough to fit onto a missile.

That September 3 detonation was the country's largest to date and prompted global outrage.

Monday's expected vote is seen as a key test of resolve for the council, who united last month to adopt a resolution intended to reduce the impoverished country's export earnings by up to a billion dollars.
The President of Iraqi Kurdistan confirms his intention to go to the polls and to battle for the future of Kirkuk. The city must be a "symbol of coexistence of all ethnicities". The "Yes" victory does not automatically involve the declaration of independence, but will strengthen negotiations with the central government.

Erbil (AsiaNews) - If Baghdad does not accept the outcome of the Kurdish referendum on independence scheduled at the end of the month, Iraqi Kurdistan authorities are ready to separate by tracing unilateral and autonomous borders of the future state. This is what President Massoud Barzani said in an interview with BBC, while also pointing to a path of dialogue and consensual agreement with the central government if the Kurdish people choose secession.

In recent days, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi rejected the referendum by extolling it as "unconstitutional."

However, the Kurdish leadership has confirmed its intention to continue with the vote. President Barzani warns that the population is ready to fight against any group that intends to change the "reality" of Kirkuk - one of the controversial places around which the battle between Erbil and Baghdad is consumed - through "force".

The Peshmerga (Kurdish fighters) have long taken control of the city; the subsoil is rich in oil and represents a desirable reserve to draw for fueling the country's finances. However, inside there is a rich representation of Arabs and Turkmen, and Baghdad itself - just as the Shiite fighter militias - consider the area as an integral and indispensable part of its territory.

The Kurds represent the fourth largest ethnic group in the Middle East, but have never obtained a stable and independent nation. In Iraq, they account for 15 to 20% of the population out of a total of 37 million people and have been subjected to fierce repression by the Iraqi army in Saddam Hussein's times in the 1980's and 90's.

The Kurdistan Independence referendum will take place next September 25 in the three provinces that make up the region: Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaimaniya, as well as "Kurdistan areas outside the regional administration" (including Kirkuk, Makhmour, Khanaqin and Sinjar).

The Kurdish authorities have made it clear that the victory of the "Yes" would not in fact constitute a declaration of independence, but would strengthen the negotiations with Baghdad for further "decentralization" from the central government. "This is the first step," warns Barzani. For the first time in history, the people of Kurdistan will be free to decide their future. " After the vote, "we will begin talks with Baghdad," he continues, "to reach an agreement on borders, water and oil." "This will be our way of proceeding - concludes the Kurdish leader, launching a warning - but if they do not accept it, the dialogue will be quite different."

Finally, the president has warned of alerts from the United States and the United Kingdom, fearing that the referendum could pose a risk to Iraq in the struggle against the Islamic State (IS) and the stability of the region. He looks at Kirkuk's "contention" as the future "symbol of coexistence for all ethnicities".

Over the years, hundreds of thousands of Christians have been sheltered in the region, as well as Muslims and Yazidis who fled the Nineveh plain with the arrival of the Islamic State. And among the critical and opposing voices of the country's division, is precisely that of the Chaldean Church, which has long worked for the unity of Iraq in the face of internal problems and external threats (including the Islamic State). The opposition of the patriarchate is not only about the self-control of the Kurds, but also the projects fed by some Christian groups; in contrast to the policy promoted by Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, they demand the creation of a "Christian ghetto" on the Nineveh plain.
by Pham Van

Twenty "Red Flag" militants broke into the parish. A parish priest: "We are gentle and simple people in faith. We do not even have voice in our daily lives. " Pham Van, a former prisoner in "re-education camps": "Protect the faithful of the parish and the diocese of Vinh."

Hanoi (AsiaNews) - Many Catholics fear violent retaliation against the community of Tho Hoa, Dong Nai province (Southeast Vietnam), who defended their pastor from the aggression of some Communist militants last September 4. Episodes of violence and intimidation continue against the Vietnamese Catholic Church, committed to the promotion of social justice in the country. There are frequent attacks, verbal and physical, of plain clothes police or hooligans hired by local authorities to silence priests and faithful.

Men dressed in civilian clothes and armed with guns, sticks and pepper spray raided the parish of Tho Hoa, in Xuan Loc district. About 20 "Red Flag" militants, a pro-government group, wanted to face the parish priest Fr. Nguyen Nhu Tan (photo) for a post on Facebook where he hoped for a political reform in the country governed by the single Communist Party.

At the arrival of the group, the priest closed the gates of the church and played the bells to alert the parishioners and ask for help. The faithful detained 13 thugs, who declared themselves Catholics and claimed to be angry with Fr. Nguyen Nhu Tan because he wanted to "overthrow the Communist Party and the Government of Vietnam," using denigrating words against the founder of the Ho Chi Minh party.

Pham Van, a Catholic resident in France and former prisoner of "rehabilitation camps," states: "Although parishioners have responded to the aggression in a friendly and respectful manner, in the coming days they will face dangers and difficulties. We need to think about a plan to protect them and their priest. The faithful have behaved with moderation in a very complex context. They recognize the justice and the law of Vietnam, which is why they have the right to maintain order and protect the peace of the community and the parish. "

"We must take an interest in the events of September 4," says Paul Tho, parishioner of Tho Hoa - As our shepherds, we are all kind and very simple people in the faith. We do not even have voice in our daily lives."

Some students in the province of Ha Tinh who study in Ho Chi Minh, state: "First, Catholics must protect parishioners. With them, we also share food and educational support for children who live in very difficult circumstances. "

Pham Van finally puts forward an appeal: "In the coming days, we Catholics, in Vietnam and abroad, we must express our communion to protect the faithful from the parish of Tho Hoa and the diocese of Vinh. Of course, at this moment we also need the support of the Vietnamese Church. "
by Shafique Khokhar

Kashif Masih has received very little compensation from his employer. Most street cleaners in the province are Christians. They have no insurance or medical coverage, and suffer from discrimination.

Faisalabad (AsiaNews)  A Pakistani Christian sanitation worker is still waiting for justice and support for his medical treatment after he was injured in a work accident a month ago.

Kashif Masih, 24, originally from Barkatpura in Faisalabad (Punjab) district, has been employed for the past two years by the Faisalabad Waste Management Company (FWMC).

On 11 August, which happened to be Minorities Day in Pakistan, an FWMC chief ordered Kashif and his colleagues to fix a banner on an electricity poll.

This kind of task is not part of Kashifs job description. However, as a simple labourer, he obeyed. Once he climbed the poll, he was electrocuted and fell 4 metres.

Because of the impact, Kashif was paralysed with burns over 50 per cent of his body as well as a broken foot and knee, plus injuries to the skull.

He was taken to hospital, where he was kept in the surgery ward for two days. Due to a strike by medical staff, his burns were not treated.

Only after the intervention of Robin Daniel, a humanitarian worker, and Khalil Tahir Sindhu, Provincial Minister for Minorities and Human Rights, was Kashif moved to the Burn Unit.

During this period, the FWMC showed no interest in the conditions of the Christian worker. Meanwhile, his family has been forced to foot the bill for the hospital stay.

On 15 August, Robin Daniel went to the District Coordinator's Office where he filed a complaint against the FWMC, accusing them of forcing Kashif to perform a dangerous task that was not part of his duties.

Daniel demanded that the company pay all the medical expenses and, since the worker is unable to work at the moment, pay him 2 million rupees (US$ 20,000) in compensation.

The company responded on 4 September by paying only 50,000 rupees ($ 500) to Kashif, a tiny amount considering its conditions. Four days later, the unfortunate worker was brought home.

The lower part of his body was seriously injured and it will take months before he can walk again. This is a problem for his family who relied on his salary to survive.

Robin Daniel points out that "90 per cent of Barkatpura sweepers are from the local Christian community. They do not have insurance or health coverage and are discriminated by the FWMC. Female workers are also badly treated.

"The local Christian community has raised 23,000 rupees (US$ 220) for Kashif's treatment, a meagre number. But we will continue to fight for his rights and ask for fair compensation [to pay] for his treatment."
by Bernardo Cervellera

Few articles added to the draft. Religions viewed not as the "opium" but the "plague" of peoples. Spasmodic control at all levels of political power of official religions. Massive fines for members of unofficial communities. Seizure and closure of "illegal sites" by the State. Expulsions from schools for "proselytism" activities.

Rome (AsiaNews) - The new regulations on religious activities are aimed at annihilating underground communities and stifling official communities, making it impossible for any outward mission. This is evidenced by the recently published text on the site of the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA). They should come into force on 1 February 2018.

A draft of the new regulations had been published last September.

The new text does not change much from the draft, but - if possible - it is even worse. The few articles added (we counted three) worsen the list of alleged threats and deviations that may come from religions.

In Chapter VIII on "Legal Responsibility", Article 63 has been added, which states: " Advocating,supporting, or funding religious extremism,or using religion to to harm national security or public safety, undermine ethnic unity, divide the nation,or conduct terrorist activities and separatism or terrorist activities, infringing upon citizens rights in their persons and democratic rights, impeding the administration of public order, or encroaching upon public or private property... ". The article also provides punishments for "criminal responsibility in accordance with law ", "administrative penalties in accordance with law ", "compensation" for losses to citizens "in accordance with law ".

In China, you can count the number of attacks of a "religious" matrix on the fingers of one hand and are often subject to several sects with a few thousand adherents, compared to over 500 million believers of different religions. Yet the article - whose list of bad actions is repeated here and there in the text, for example, among the "prohibitions" - gives the impression that religions tout court are not only "the opium of the masses," as Marx said , but the plague of the peoples.

The text reiterates that only a top-down control of religious affairs at all levels - national, provincial, county, city or village  renders a religion livable and acceptable. Representatives of religious offices at all levels are urged to "work", "organize", "test", "control" the work of the community of the faithful (see Articles 6, 26, 27) . This emphasis goes hand in hand with the testimonies that we receive from China: cameras placed at all religious sites; police checks in celebrations; dog-units for anti-drug checks! It should be noted that such checks are carried out even for official communities recognized by the state that behave according to the ministry's instructions.

Under the new regulations, the underground communities should not even exist. As a result any activity that takes place in unregistered places and with unregistered staff results in massive fines: between 100 and 300 thousand yuan for "unauthorized" activities (Article 64); 50,000 yuan per activity in an "unauthorized" site; 50,000 yuan for providing an "unauthorized" site (Article 69); between 20,000 and 200,000 yuan for "unauthorized" travel abroad, even if it is for religious education or pilgrimage (hajj) (Article 70); up to 10,000 yuan for individuals involved in "illegal" religious activities (Article 74). These fines are very high, if you consider that the minimum wage in a city like Shanghai is 2300 yuan. In addition to the fines, the closure of the sites that hosted "illegal" activities and their sequestration and forfeiture to state assets are also included.

Even before the regulations become the norm, for several months now police and representatives of the Religious Affairs Bureau have been meeting priests and lay faithful from underground communities for "a cup of tea" and "advising" them to register in the community official. In particular, priests are faced with a difficult choice: registration at the Religious Affairs Bureau automatically implies membership of the Patriotic Association, which, through its aim to build an "independent" Church, is "inconsistent" with Catholic Doctrine (Benedict XVI ).

Another article added to the definitive text of the regulations is 70b. It states: "Where there is proselytization, organizing of religious activities, establishment of religious organizations, or establishment of religious activity sites in schools or educational institutions other than religious schools; the organ of review and approval or other relevant departments are to order corrections to be made within a certain time and give warnings; where there are unlawful gains, they are to be confiscated; where there circumstances are serious, order that enrollment is to be stopped and cancel education permits.... "

It concerns religious activities in state schools, whose measures have already been enforced before the promulgation of the regulations: students were expelled from schools because they were found praying privately in university buildings.

According to research by the University of Shanghai, at least 60% of students are interested in knowing about Christianity and there is a growth in the number of young catechumens in official and underground communities.

The fact that the new regulations have added a new article aimed at punishing "proselytism" in schools is a sign of the vastness of the phenomenon. But all this is perhaps a symbol that applies to all of the articles of the regulations: it proclaims control, but China's religious awakening is now beyond control.
Pope Francis met thousands of priests, men and women religious, seminarians, and their families at Medellins La Macarena event centre. Many young people discovered their vocation in a context of violence. A priest, a Carmelite nun, of a seminarian's mother bore witness to their experience. The pontiff is optimistic about young people and stressed the importance of having "communities with a contagious apostolic zeal, which inspire and attract others. He called to dwell in Christ by standing by the people in prayer, study and joy.

Medellin (AsiaNews)  Pope Francis spoke to thousands of priests, men and women religious, seminarians, and their families and told them that they are the promise of a new beginning for Colombia, that leaves behind the floods of discord and violence, a Colombia that wants to bear abundant fruits of justice and peace, of encounter and solidarity.

The pontiff made his address at Medellins La Macarena event centre yesterday afternoon; on the podium, the relics of Saint Mother Laura Montoya, a nun who was the first female Colombian Saint, canonised by the pontiff himself on 12 May 2013.

The Holy Father focused on consecrated people to rebuild the country. Colombia has 7,624 priests, 4,513 men religious, 16,083 women religious (3,897 in Medellin alone) out of a population of 48.6 million that is 71 per cent Catholic.

That is a huge number considering that people have lived in a situation of war and corruption for more than 50 years. Yet, this very situation of violence seems to have pushed many young people towards a priestly or religious vocation, as testified by those who spoke before the pope, namely a priest, Fr Juan Felipe Escobar Escobar, a cloistered Carmelite Sister Leidy de San Jose, and a mother, Maria Isabel Arboleda Perez, who has a seminarian son.

In particular, Fr Juan Felipe, who has been a priest for 12 years, said that he wanted to be a doctor, but then seeing the situation and the pain of his people wondered, "What can I do for my people? That is how my vocation was born: God called me to heal and be a shepherd of souls."

In his own reflection, Pope Francis spoke about the conditions under which vocational fruits of special consecration are born: Not only families sustained by a strong love and full of values but also those marked by suffering and bloodshed.

God manifests his closeness and his election; he changes the course of events to call men and women in the frailty of their personal and shared history. Let us not be afraid, in that complex land, for God always brings about the miracle of producing good clusters on the vine, like arepas at breakfast. May there be vocations in every community and in every family in Medellin!

The popes optimism is for young people. Many of you, young people, have discovered the living Jesus in your communities; communities with a contagious apostolic zeal, which inspire and attract others. Where there is life, zeal, the desire to take Christ to others, genuine vocations arise; the fraternal and fervent life of the community awakens the yearning to devote oneself entirely to God and to evangelization (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 107).

Young people are naturally restless and, although there is a crisis of commitment and of communitarian relationships, many of them stand together against the evils of the world and become involved in various forms of political action and voluntary work. When they do so for Jesus, feeling that they are a part of the community, they become street preachers (callejeros de la fe), to bring Jesus Christ to every street, every town square and every corner of the earth (cf. ibid. 106).

Francis warned against living the vocation in lies. We are a people chosen for the truth [. . .] Vocations associated with special consecrations die when they love to be sustained with honours, when they are driven by a search for personal reassurance and social advancement, when the motivation is to climb the ladder, to cleave to material interests and to strive shamefully for financial gain. [. . .] You cannot serve God and mammon (Mt 6:21, 24), we cannot take advantage of our religious state and the goodness of our people in order to be served and gain material benefits.

Turning to the Gospel reading about the vine and the branches in Saint John, Francis said that to respond faithfully to the Lords call and bear much fruit, it is necessary to dwell in him, proposing three ways to make this dwelling effective.

The first one is by touching Christs humanity: With the gaze and attitude of Jesus, who contemplates reality not as a judge, but rather as a good Samaritan; who recognizes the value of the people who walk with him, as well as their wounds and sins; who discovers their silent suffering and who is moved by peoples needs, above all when they are overwhelmed by injustice, inhumane poverty, indifference or by the perverse actions of corruption and violence.

The second is by contemplating his divinity. In view of this, the pope urged the consecrated to study. Citing Saint Augustine, he said we cannot love someone we do not know. This entails the encounter with Sacred Scripture, especially the Gospel where Christ speaks to us, reveals his unconditional love for the Father, and instils the joy that comes from obedience to his will and from serving our brothers and sisters.

Studying can help us to interpret reality with the eyes of God. It encourages to pray, which frees us from the burden of worldliness and draws us out of our self-centredness, from being reclusive in an empty religious experience.

Together with praying, we must learn to adore in silence and be men and women who have been reconciled in order to reconcile, conscious that we are sinners, but also certain that He will never leave us at the side of the road. God does everything to prevent sin from defeating us and closing the doors of our lives to a future of hope and joy.

Finally, the third way requires dwelling in Christ in order to live joyfully: If we remain in him, his joy will be in us. We will not be sad disciples and bitter apostles. On the contrary, we will reflect and be heralds of true happiness, a complete joy that no one can take away. We will spread the hope of a new life that Christ has given to us. Gods call is not a heavy burden that robs us of joy. He does not want us to be immersed in a sadness and weariness that comes from activities lived poorly, but rather wants a spirituality that brings joy to our lives and even to our weariness. Our contagious joy must be our first testimony to the closeness and love of God. We are true dispensers of Gods grace when we reflect the joy that comes from encountering him.

In concluding, the pontiff noted that The Lord has cast his gaze on Colombia: you are a sign of this loving election. It is now up to us to offer all our love and service while being united to Jesus, our vine. To be the promise of a new beginning for Colombia, that leaves behind the floods of discord and violence, a Colombia that wants to bear abundant fruits of justice and peace, of encounter and solidarity.
Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi's spokesman: "We do not negotiate with terrorists." The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) announces the truce until 9 October for humanitarian purposes. Army: Nearly 400 Islamic militants have been killed so far. The exodus of about 300,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh. The displaced among the ethnic groups are 30,000.

Yangon (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Myanmar government has rejected the ceasefire declared by Muslim Rohingya militants to allow aid to thousands of displaced persons in the state of Rakhine, declaring that they do not want to negotiate with terrorists.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) announced the truce on its Twitter account, which called on humanitarian workers to resume assistance to "all victims of the crisis, regardless of ethnicity or religion," during the period up to to 9 October. The press also called on the authorities to "accept this humanitarian break" in the fighting.

On 25 August, hundreds of militants from the Arsa, known by locals like Harakah al-Yaqin (Movement of the Faith), launched a series of coordinated attacks on about 30 police and army posts in the northern Rakhine. The counter-offensive by the Burmese security forces led to the exodus of about 300,000 Rohingya to Bangladesh, while the displaced among the ethnic groups are about 30,000.

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh state that during repression Rakhine's government forces and Buddhists have killed the inhabitants of their villages without distinction, burning down hundreds of homes. Ethnic groups, however, accuse the Muslims of atrocities against their people, while the government asserts that the fleeing Rohingya set fire to their homes to foment fear and anti-state rage.

The authorities and the army of Myanmar did not respond officially to the statement of the truce by Arsa. However, Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi's spokeswoman said on Twitter: "We do not negotiate with terrorists".

The Myanmar government says its security forces are fighting a legitimate campaign against "Bengali terrorists" responsible for a series of attacks on police and army since last October. The army reveals that it has killed nearly 400 militants so far, while some Rohingya refugees claim to have been forced to fight among the ranks of the Arsa.
Ocean City is known and loved up and down the East Coast for its family-friendly foods. Images of pizza slices, custard cones and boardwalk fries dance across childhood memories like the amusement rides that call you to the boards. While those are all still very much a part of the boardwalk experience, Ocean City is quickly becoming known for its vast variety of healthy dining options.

Fresh-pressed juices, smoothie bowls, fresh fruit whips and a bevy of gluten-free options are now as much a part of Ocean City as those pizza and fries. So, whats fueling the health food renaissance of Americas Greatest Family Resort?

Cant eat that

Over the eight years Marie McCullough has been working at Yiannis Cafe in Ocean City, she has noticed some distinct trends toward healthier eating habits.

There are a lot of gluten-free request and, in general, a lot of food allergies. There are also a lot of vegetarian and vegan requests. People are just really looking out for their health, McCullough says.

Even the traditional boardwalk favorites have gone gluten-free and allergy sensitive. At Manco and Manco Pizza and Tony Ps Pies, you can get your favorite slice sans gluten. At Yiannis Cafe, gluten-free options are clearly marked and take center-stage on the menu. Most sandwiches, burgers and entree selections have a gluten-free option. You can even get gluten-free French toast and more.
Australian growers reminded HARPS compliance deadline is approaching





All produce suppliers to major Australian supermarkets and retail outlets are being reminded to ensure they comply with the new Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme before the 1 January 2018 deadline.

The Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme (HARPS) is an industry-funded initiative designed to align the food safety requirements of Australias major retailers. It aims to create one food safety system instead of each retailer having their own system.

HARPS has been funded by Horticulture Innovation using horticulture industry levies and government funds.

Retailers that have developed and recognise HARPS include Aldi, Coles, Costco, Metcash (IGA) and Woolworths.

Australian vegetable industry group, AUSVEG, Environment Coordinator, Andrew Shaw, said there is confusion among growers about who needs to comply and when.

Direct suppliers who have commercial relationship with one or more of the major Australian retailers need to achieve compliance to one of four base schemes plus the elements of HARPS by 1 January 2018, Shaw said.

Furthermore a subcontractor or co-packer who packs to a retailer specification for another business that then supplies one or more of the five chain retailers, is also a direct supplier and is required to be compliant to one of the base schemes plus HARPS by 1 January 2018.

Indirect suppliers, who are growers supplying product for further handling and/or packaging by a direct supplier and then to one or more of the five chain retailers, are not required to implement HARPS. However, indirect suppliers are required to be certified to one of the four base schemes a year, by 1 January 2019.

Growers who want to find out more about HARPS can call the HARPS Helpline on 1300 825 219.

Related articles
Food Safety, ecommerce and Market Insight the key to Asian markets





Hong Kong is buzzing this week as delegates from around the world converge on Hong Kong for Asias leading fresh produce event. Opening with the Asiafruit Congress, an event focused on identifying new market opportunities, the message to exporters was clear  if you want to successfully export into Asia you need to think and act in Asian terms.

Food safety and ecommerce were also identified as key drivers of success in an Asian market that is driven by digital technology and consumer demand for transparent, high quality food experiences. Exporters who can supply quality produce via short, fresh, digital supply chains will not only gain a competitive advantage, but pass this advantage on to their buyers increasing value along the supply chain.

Facilitating this shift to digital supply chains for Australian industry is the HiveXchange, Australias digital marketplace for wholesale produce. HiveXchange CEO and co-founder, Antonio Palanca presented on the power of B2B ecommerce at Asiafruit Congress and says there is an opportunity for Australia to create market demand through digital promises and shorter, information-rich supply chains. Talking from his booth on the Taste Australia pavilion, Mr Palanca said Our aim for this event, and beyond, is to market Australian produce to world buyers via a single digital window. This week we demonstrated the marketplace to representatives from China, India, Mauritius, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia, who are looking to make fresh, digital connections with the world. Asia is a digital consumer market and commercial buyers love the idea of engaging with digital ready collateral through our platform. Communication is a trade barrier and moving away from phone calls and emails to language sensitive, structured workflow in a digital environment is very attractive to Asian buyers.

Hort Innovation launched its Taste Australia campaign at the Asiafruit Logistica trade show on Thursday, the 6 month trade tour it supports will promote the story, science and innovation behind Australias high-quality produce. Suppliers and grower associations from the citrus, grapes, avocados, mangoes, almonds, vegetables and the apple industries were all represented at the event.

To find out more about digital supply chains  click here
Woolworths to bring back Fresh Market Updates





Woolworths is bringing back its popular Fresh Market Updates.

Woolworths Fresh Market Updates previously aired on Australian television screens, providing regular updates from Woolworths team members on the quality and availability of produce.

The new updates will begin with two team members visiting Australian farmers to see their produce.

Woolworths Director of Marketing, Andrew Hicks, said Woolworths customers are looking for ways to make better food choices and want to have all the information they need to make these choices.

Fresh Market Update aims to inform and educate customers so they are aware of what is season and to also highlight the latest news from growers across the country, Hicks said.

The campaign will play out across television, digital, radio, in-store, catalogues and social media.

Woolworths used creative agency M&C Saatchi to help create the campaign.

Related articles
Theres a lot of talk in the media these days about air quality. But who really has a clue how polluted the air is in their own home or work place? Now Luxembourg based company, Airboxlab have brought their connected indoor air quality monitor Foobot to the UK.

What Is It?

The makers describe Foobot as

the most advanced data processing smart monitor in the market, helping you take control of your indoor air quality, either by working with other home automation devices or simply by giving you detailed knowledge of something which is effectively invisible. By scanning your environment day and night and learning from your habits, Foobot will provide you warnings and actionable advice to keep your air in the home fresh and pollution free.

Setup

We setup Foobot in the AV Room at the Automated Home. The install is a 5 minute job using the iOS or Android app. The white cylindrical sensor sits passively in your room, measuring and logging the changing quality of your air over time. The machine takes 6 days to settle and calibrate itself when newly installed or moved to another room.

What Does It Measure?

The World Health Organisation says air pollution was estimated to cause 3 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012.

Foobot measures some of the worst culprates  VOCs, PM2.5s, CO2 as well as temperature and humidity. Results are logged to the app every 5 minutes.

PM2.5s  Particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres, like dust, pollen and pet dander

 Particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres, like dust, pollen and pet dander VOCs  Volatile organic compounds, toxic gases like formaldehyde and ammonia. This sensor is also sensitive to carbon monoxide, a potentially dangerous gas.

 Volatile organic compounds, toxic gases like formaldehyde and ammonia. This sensor is also sensitive to carbon monoxide, a potentially dangerous gas. Carbon dioxide  Exhaled naturally from humans. Not itself harmful, but indicative of poor circulation. This is measured via data from other sensors.

 Exhaled naturally from humans. Not itself harmful, but indicative of poor circulation. This is measured via data from other sensors. Humidity  Low humidity can cause irritation. Excessive humidity let mould and dust mites grow.

 Low humidity can cause irritation. Excessive humidity let mould and dust mites grow. Temperature  Mostly for comfort, but still important to optimise

Poor air quality can have side effects from fatigue and headaches to aggravating allergies and asthma.

In Use

When Foobots LEDs are blue all is well (LEDs can be dimmed, scheduled to be on at certain times only, or switched off completely).

Foobot takes readings from the 3 pollution categories and combines them to give you an air quality score. The lower the number the better.

Once they rise above a threshold the colour of the lights changes to orange then its time to open the app and investigate. The apps background colour mirrors the LEDs on the hardware too.

PM2.5s seem to be particularly dangerous and although perhaps associated mostly with Diesel cars, these tiny particulates can also come from those fancy candles in a jar my Mrs loves as well as wood burning stoves and cooking.

Volatile organic compounds can come from things like the glue used in your furniture or cleaning products. Using aerosols can all set the alarm bells ringing too.

Weve regularly seen very high CO2 levels although It seems the Foobot uses an algorithm to calculate CO2 levels rather than having a specific sensor for it on board.

Outside air quality is also reported in the app using 3rd party data from Breezometer.com  in our case however this was from a town about 250 miles away.

Were not huge fans of the current app design. Its pretty enough, but seems a little form over function. Parts of it are low contrast and hard to read, even on a big iPhone Plus.

Foobot often sends us messages about pollution events asking us to tag what we were doing.

Many of these happen when were out of the house so its impossible to track down the cause.

Once peeling an orange in the room was enough to set the system off.

Integration?

Foobot now integrates with a variety of other smart home products

Foobot can also work closely with other smart home devices with a connected thermostat such as Google Nest to control your homes temperature or can communicate directly with Amazon Echo. When any pollutants exceed healthy levels, Foobot will relay this information allowing Alexa to talk about the problem to you via voice and suggest possible solutions. Foobot can essentially be an active part of the smart home ecosystem helping trigger the ventilation, filtration, purification system or appliances. With the help of IFTTT, Foobot can also connect to 120+ home appliances, including HIVE, the connected thermostat from British Gas.

Although theres currently no way to directly export your data from the app, a couple of clicks on IFTTT turns on the recipe to automatically record your Foobot data into a Google spreadsheet. You can see some of the details here.

Related: Airthings Wave Plus Smart Indoor Air Quality Monitor

Related: Airthings Wave Mini Smart Indoor Air Quality Monitor

Related: Eve Room 2nd Gen Indoor Air Quality Monitor

Summing Up

Foobot is an interesting piece of tech that can provide a real insight into the air quality in your home. Just like with Energy Monitors though, this is just the first step. Once youre armed with the data then its up to you to make the changes. That could be a simple as opening a window for a few minutes or following some of the 49 tips and tricks Foobot provide in this ebook. Theres plenty of additional reading available from Foobots Good Air Resources Center too.

Hopefully the price can fall as this sector gets more popular and more units ship. Wed like to see a desktop browser interface to Foobot and an improved UI on the app too. Weve already seen several app updates in the few weeks that weve had the monitor though, so Im sure improvements will continue.

Available from Amazom

60 Reviews Foobot Indoor Air Quality Monitor - Sold Out - Working on New Generation of Foobot MAKE THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE: Foobot detects the harmful, invisible, and odourless pollutants inside your home, allowing you to visualize your overall air quality level through an LED color display.

HIGHLY ACCURATE: Berkeley National Lab determined Foobot to be among the most reliable monitors for PM2.5 readings. Foobot's sensors only need 6 days to "warm up", so in less than one week you can have full confidence in the readings, alerts, and suggestions it generates.

30-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE: You can try Foobot in your home today, risk-free, to see its value for yourself.

foobot.io

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

LinkedIn

Pinterest

Email

More

WhatsApp

Print



Skype

Tumblr



Telegram

Pocket





Last update on 2022-11-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. will temporarily shut down plants in Georgia and Alabama to avoid potential damage from Hurricane Irma, Reuters reported.

Hyundai will suspend operations at its plant in Montgomery, Ala., for two days starting at 2:45 p.m. Monday, while Kia will halt operation at its plant in West Point, Ga., for one day starting at 6:45 a.m. Monday.

The move will cause lost production of about 3,000 vehicles, the companies told Reuters.
Email contributing columnist Steve Flores at floressteve32@yahoo.com. His work appears here every third Monday; the views expressed are his own.
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.
Hurricane Irma punched its way across the Tampa Bay area overnight with strong winds and heavy rain.

By just after daylight, Irma was downgraded to a Tropical Storm. And when the sun finally came up, it was clear Irma had left its mark.



The large but weaker storm left damage across the region with downed trees and power lines and some property damage and street flooding.

About 6.5 Florida homes and businesses lost power as Irma moved up the Florida peninsula, delivering a historic blow to the Sunshine State. At least 180,000 people huddled in shelters.

At 9 p.m. Monday, 315,482 TECO customers were without power in Hillsborough, East Pinellas, Pasco and Polk Counties.



Meanwhile, Duke Energy reported the following customer outages by area: Pinellas 415,248; Hernando/Citrus 37,101; Polk 61,324 and Hillsborough/Pasco 84,821.

Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative had 111,365 in Pasco/Citrus/Hernando outages. And Florida Power and Light reported 103,980 customers without power in Manatee County and 141,970 without power in Sarasota County.

CLICK HERE FOR THE POWER OUTAGE MAP AND TO REPORT AN OUTAGE.

The conditions were so bad that a number of law enforcement agencies and rescue organizations had to suspend on-the-road operations Sunday night because of storm conditions and dangers.

The huge news Sunday night was the fact that Irma made landfall farther south than forecasted, which resulted in those major hurricane force winds staying south of the Tampa Bay region.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp;

Still, the winds that did come through were strong enough to down trees and power lines and cause some damage, along with the heavy rain.

Storm reports:

Roof damage and water leaking into rooms at the Kenwood Inn in St Petersburg.

Public reported via social media that the Sunoco awning blew over on 66th St N in Pinellas Park.

Wall collapse at Winter Haven Manor Apartments in Polk County.

Significant street flooding with in Plant City with water entering homes near Sam Allen Rd and 39.

19 inches of water in home off Yates Road in Lakeland.

Flooding in Temple Terrace at the apartments at 5618 Gibson Avenue

Flooding in Quail Hollow, Wesley Chapel and at 31952 Tally-Ho Lane, Wesley Chapel

Flooding at Lake Bambi RV Park, Land O Lakes

Damage to the 7-11 in Spring Hill at Spring Hill Drive and Barclay

Mobile homes damage off Palma Sola Blvd. in Bradenton

Hillsborough County reports:

A dozen homes destroyed on the east side of the county, per Hillsborough County officials.

River flooding  worried about the Hillsborough River, Cypress Creek

300,000 power outages at one point

Water is safe to drink

Officials trying to figure out where to take the trash/debris thats on the road

29,000 people evacuated

Irma once was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 185 mph. Irma initially took aim at the Miami area and the rest of Florida's Atlantic coast.

But then Irma made a westward shift and lost some of its punch while crossing Cuba's northern coast - just before a crucial turn into Florida's Gulf Coast.

LATEST UPDATES:

11 p.m. - Tampa Electric began restoring power today for thousands of customers. So far, power has been restored to 90,000 customers.

8:30 p.m. - USF announced an updated timeline for returning to normal operations in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

USF Tampa and USF St. Petersburg faculty and staff should report to work as scheduled on Wednesday, Sept. 13. USF Tampa and USF St. Petersburg classes will resume on Thursday, Sept. 14.

USF Sarasota-Manatee remains without power, and a re-opening day and time has yet to be determined. USFSM students, faculty and staff will be updated regarding plans to reopen as soon as power is restored.

USF Tampa's Marshall Student Center, Library, Campus Recreation Center, Student Health Services and Counseling Center will re-open at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13.

All USF clinics will re-open Wednesday, Sept. 13.

For more information about the updated timeline or schedules, students or parents can call 1-855-382-5049. USF faculty or staff can call 1-855-456-0649. Both phone numbers will be staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12.



8:28 p.m. - Manatee County Schools will resume classes on Monday, September 18.

7:13 p.m. - Hillsborough County public schools will reopen on Thursday.

7 p.m. - Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will remain closed Tuesday to allow for final debris clean-up. Adventure Island is currently operating on a weekends only schedule.



It's expected that Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will reopen Wednesday, but guests are encouraged to check with the Busch Gardens website for updates. All the animals at Busch Gardens have been accounted for.



6:25 p.m. - The Sunshine Skyway Bridge has reopened.



5:28 pm. - The storm surge warnings from Fernandina Beach southward, from the Aucilla River westward, and from Clearwater Beach southward, including Tampa Bay, have been discontinued. But it remains in effect north of Clearwater Beach to the Aucilla River.

5:15 p.m. - (Pinellas Park trash pickup) Trash and recycling pick up for Pinellas Park residents resumes Wednesday and Waste Management Transfer Site for vegetative debris will be open tomorrow. Residents should tie and bundle debris and put it curbside for pick up on Wednesday.

The Waste Management Transfer site/Brush site (for vegetative debris only) will be open tomorrow, Tuesday, September 12th at 5:30 am. Proof of residency required.

5:12 p.m. - (Winter Haven trash pickup) All City of Winter Haven solid waste customers will receive collection service this week on a holiday schedule. This means Monday service will occur Tuesday, and Tuesday service will occur Wednesday.

The priority at this time is the collection of household garbage and recycle material. Yard and horticultural materials will be collected at a later date.

Customers must separate brush and yard debris from junk such as roof shingles, board and construction material. When stacking material for collection, it is important to place it on your property away from fire hydrants, mail boxes, poles and driveways.

5 p.m. - A countywide curfew is in effect for Polk County from midnight to 5 a.m. Tuesday.

5 p.m. - The Salvation Army will serve 600 meals to evacuees and homeless in Tampa from 4 - 6 p.m. Monday at 1603 N. Florida Avenue, Tampa.

4:58 p.m. - (Hernando County trash pickup) Republic Services will begin household trash pick-up starting Tuesday, September 12 with limited staffing and will continue throughout the week. Regular trash collection schedules will resume as soon as Republic Services is fully staffed.

No recycling, yard waste or storm debris will be collected. Announcements about storm debris will be provided when available.

All landfill locations will be open during regular hours of operation.

Hernando County Solid Waste Department Locations, Days and Hours of Operation:



West Hernando Convenience Center

2525 Osowaw Boulevard (CR 595)

Spring Hill, Florida

Phone: (352) 754-4770

Open Tuesday - Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

East Hernando Convenience Center

33070 Cortez Boulevard

Ridge Manor, Florida

Phone: (352) 540-6205

Open Tuesday - Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.



Northwest Solid Waste Facility (Main Landfill)

14450 Landfill Road

Brooksville, FL 34614

Phone: (352) 754-4112

Open Monday - Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.



4: 50 p.m. - (Hillsborough County trash pickup) There will be no solid waste collection Sept. 12, (including garbage, recyclables, and yard waste) in the unincorporated Hillsborough County Service Area, which also includes Tampa Palms, Hunter's Green, and New Tampa. Normal garbage and recycling collection service will resume on the next scheduled day for pickup of those items.

Residents with yard waste should place items in piles along the right of way for storm debris removal, taking care to not block access to stormwater drains, utility boxes, or roadways.

All solid waste disposal facilities will be open extended hours, from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., to support storm debris removal and drop off, including the Southeast County Landfill, Northwest and South County transfer stations, community collection centers, and yard waste processing facilities. Residents will need to bring a photo ID and a copy of their property tax bill, which includes the assessment for solid waste disposal, to utilize the solid waste facilities.

The Hillsborough County's Customer Service Center line, (813) 272-5900, will continue to assist residents 24 hours a day, until further notice.

4:40 p.m. - Pasco County Government is recommending a voluntary evacuation for residents living in the Elfers area surrounding the Anclote River labeled "Evacuation Area" on Map Exhibit 4A. To view the map, click here. For public shelter locations and times, see the Pasco County website at www.pascocountyfl.net Residents may also call the Resident Information Center at 727-847-2411.



4:20 p.m. - Access to Clearwater Beach has reopened.



3:28 p.m. - Following places in Hernando under a boil water notice:

Weeki Wachee Woodlands located east of US 19

Eastern Hernando County - east of I-75

City of Brooksville

2:49 p.m. - All Pinellas County government offices and park facilities will remain closed through Tuesday.

2:46 p.m. - St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport will open to the public Tuesday. Flights will resume Wednesday. Passengers should contact their airlines for more information.

2:40 p.m. - Traffic alert from Tampa Police Department: the Courtney Campbell Causeway is now open in both directions.

2:26 p.m. - The United States Coast Guard anticipates re-opening Port Tampa Bay by Tuesday at 2 p.m. They are expecting three fuel vessels to help with the Tampa Bay shortage.

1:43 p.m. - All access to Clearwater Beach remains closed at this time due to many live power lines and debris on the streets. City crews and Duke Energy crews are working to clean up the aftermath of Irma.

1:05 p.m. - Polk County Utilities has issued a precautionary boil water notice for customers located in subdivisions and places of business near Spirit Lake Road from US 17 to Recker Highway in the Central Region Public Water System. Approximately 4,800 customers are affected. Call 863-534-7351 for questions.

1 p.m. - Hernando Beach residents advised to remain indoors and avoid the roads. There is still a potential opportunity for storm surge equal to that of Hurricane Hermine during today's high tide that will occur at 6:53 p.m., causing coastal flooding.

12:55 p.m. - Hillsborough County is transitioning shelter availability for evacuees who continue to need assistance. As evacuees leave shelters, Hillsborough County will begin to close shelters at most schools. Those who still need somewhere to stay can utilize three remaining shelters:

Burnett Middle School, 1010 N. Kingsway Road, Seffner (pet-friendly)

Middleton High School, 4801 N. 22nd Street, Tampa

Shields Middle School, 15732 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin (No longer accepting pets)

12:50 p.m. - From Citrus County Sheriff's Office: Due to downed trees and power lines, we are asking all residents to stay indoors and NOT BE DRIVING on the roads until further notice. If you absolutely must drive, remember to treat non-working traffic lights as four-way stop signs. This is imperative for your safety and the safety of others.

12:35 p.m. - From Citrus County Sheriff's Office: FLOOD WARNING: Due to rising water levels from the Green swamp, other rivers to our south, and added rain from Hurricane Irma, the Withlacoochee River will be reaching flood stage at 9PM Monday night. Specifically, waters will rise 4 FT above flood stage by Wednesday night. This will affect the area between Highway 200 and Stokes Ferry east all the way to East Channel Drive. Some specific areas to be affected are East River Rd., the area of Arrowhead, and Stokes Ferry. This event is going to be very similar to the flooding event we experienced back in 2004. We are advising all residents who live in this area to take all of the necessary safety precautions to protect yourself and your family.

12 p.m. - County officials announced Hernando County schools will be closed for the rest of the week and will re-open on Monday, Sept. 18.

11:45 a.m. - PSTA will not operate regular bus service today. We do plan to resume service tomorrow.

11:35 a.m. - Polk County Utilities issues precautionary boil water notice. Polk County Utilities is issuing a Department of Health required PRECAUTIONARY BOIL WATER NOTICE due to a loss of pressure. This notice is for customers located in subdivisions and places of business near Spirit Lake Road from US Highway 17 to Recker Highway in the Central Region Public Water System. Approximately 4,800 customers are affected.

11:30 a.m. - East Hernando is under a boil water notice for the entire area east of I-75 due to a water main break from a down tree.

10:30 a.m. - The Florida Highway Patrol has reopened the Gandy and Howard Franklin Bridges. Westbound on the Courtney Campbell Causeway is also open, but eastbound lanes remain closed. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge remains closed.

9:30 a.m. - Deputies will be allowing access back into Pinellas County at 9:30. The barrier islands will remain closed until storm damage and safety is assessed.

When it is safe to re-enter the barrier islands, officials will announce it immediately.



8:45 a.m. - Manatee County curfew lifted.

8:20 a.m. - Hernando County Fire Rescue is now responding to calls.

7:30 a.m. - Assistant County Administrator for Public Safety Kevin Guthrie says power is out to about 50-percent of the county, as of 7:25 a.m. Monday.

7 a.m. - Curfew lifted in Pasco County.

5:15 a.m. - Citrus County can expect to continue to see Tropical Storm force winds for the next several hours. Due to the track of the storm remaining over land the forecasted storm surge has been reduced to 2-5 feet. Citrus County is experiencing wide spread power outages and numerous roads are blocked by debris and fallen trees. Once the storm passes damage assessment and recovery operations will begin. Those in the mandatory evacuation areas on the west side of the county will still be impacted by the pending storm surge.

5 a.m. - Polk County reporting power outages are widespread, many trees and power lines are down blocking roadways, there is extensive private property damage, and many traffic signals are not working.

Make sure to watch our Tropical Updates each hour at :49

 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.
As the sun rises following Irma's move through the Tampa Bay area, more and more people will begin inspecting the damage of their homes and community. We appreciate all the photos from our viewers, but we ask that you take those photos safely. And remember to wait until officials say it is okay to leave your place of shelter and drive around.

Thank you to our viewers for sticking with us through the night. Everyone stay safe when you begin to venture outside.

Here is a photo gallery of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. -- We are one community, we are Tampa Strong, we are Florida Strong.

IRMA DAMAGE: Tree down in Palm Harbor. (Scott Williams, Bay News 9+ app)

IRMA DAMAGE: Tree down in Tampa Bay area. (Rich Tillotson, Bay News 9+ app)

IRMA DAMAGE: Tree and fence down in Tampa Bay area. (Anita O, Bay News 9+ app)



This massive tree toppled onto this apartment home on Magnolia Street West in Lakeland. Four people went to a shelter and four others went to family member's homes. There were no injuries. (Fallon Silcox, staff)


This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

When the 18 inches of water in Aaron and Duchess Watts' Port Arthur home receded, it left behind ruined floors and furniture, and mold.

The 19th Street home isn't safe to live in. "It's making us sick," Duchess said. Aaron already has been to a doctor and been diagnosed with pneumonia.

They're staying in the house anyway, sleeping there at night, or sometimes in their car, because there's nowhere else to go.

They can't find a hotel room nearby, and they need to be in town to work on their house, and help Aaron's mother, Shirley Payne, gut her home as well.

"We're having to live in a house that has mold in it, because there's no lodging," Aaron said. "There's nowhere to live."

Payne is staying with a friend, but that's not a permanent situation, and her house won't be livable for a while - her floors are still wet, and her family and friends were still trying to tear up the carpets before starting on drywall.

"I can't stay indefinitely. I just don't know what I'm

going to do," she said, wiping tears from the mask she wore inside her home.

With thousands of people displaced across Southeast Texas and thousands of homes ruined by Hurricane Harvey and the flooding that followed, temporary housing is badly needed but in short supply.

Hotels throughout the area are booked solid, and those that accept Transitional Sheltering Assistance from FEMA are in high demand, with few rooms to offer. The program pays for "eligible disaster survivors who have a continuing need for shelter" to stay in certain motels or hotels.

Some contacted this week said they had no availability until the end of the month, some said they were indefinitely full, others said to check back later to see if anything opened up.

FEMA spokeswoman Rita Egan said Friday that the agency provides the financial assistance for the program, but it's operated by the state, and hotels' involvement is voluntary.

Close to 2,000 hotels participate in the program, she said.

"The bad news is, they might not be in your area. That's where you start getting into some hard decisions," Egan said.

Payne, who was evacuated from her home in the El Vista area by airboat and went to two shelters in Port Arthur before she was able to go stay with family in Louisiana, said that "hard decision" leaves her without any options.

Her cars flooded inside her garage, so she has to rely on others for rides and can't drive back and forth from a hotel hundreds of miles away. She needs to be nearby to work on her home and to be there when an insurance adjuster comes.

"How can I be here and there?" she said.

Those who could find hotels weren't out of the woods, either.

Wes Tolliver said he and his family qualified for FEMA assistance when their Hamshire home flooded but couldn't find a hotel on the FEMA list with a room.

They paid more than $1,000 to stay in a Beaumont hotel for a week, without potable water for several days, he said, paying prices that rose the longer they stayed.

They've got a room now in one of the FEMA-approved hotels in Winnie, through sheer luck - the hotel didn't answer their calls, "but by walking in and asking, we got probably the only room that's opened," he said.

Payne has heard that advice too - "you have to try hotels in person" - but without a car, and with no rental cars available, she can't run from door to door looking for a room.

Shelters throughout the area have closed over the past week, and fewer people are staying in them. Port Arthur, where officials estimated more than 20,000 homes were destroyed, had about 200 people at Thomas Jefferson Middle School on Thursday night.

Watts and Payne are hoping FEMA will provide trailers, but so far, none are available. Egan said the agency is "looking at other options" for temporary housing, and working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"Nothing is set in concrete at this stage. We are keeping all options open," she said.

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/LizTeitz
CRH Medical Corp. acquired a 51 percent interest in a gastroenterology anesthesia practice in Central Colorado.

Here's what you should know:

1. The Colorado practice provides services to three Colorado ASCs. This is CRH's second acquisition in Colorado.

2. The Colorado practice has an estimated revenue of $5.6 million in 2018.

3. The center is structured as a joint venture. CRH will retain 51 percent interest.

4. CRH CEO Edward Wright said in a release, "This is further evidence of our ability to leverage our strong relationships to grow our anesthesia business. As we have stated before, our acquisition pace during the remainder of the year is increasing and I look forward to updating you on our progress as we grow further."

5. CRH acquired a separate gastroenterology anesthesia practice in August.
Here are seven things ASC leaders should know for Sept. 11, 2017.

KKR to finance Covenant Surgical Partners acquisition through $195M loan

Private equity firm KKR secured a $195 million loan for its Covenant Surgical Partners acquisition. The loan's structure includes a $150 million tranche, which will be funded when the buyout closes. It also includes a $45 million delayed-draw tranche.

GOP promises bipartisan healthcare bill soon

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said a bipartisan healthcare bill could be introduced "within 10 days or so." Mr. Alexander is the chairman of the Senate healthcare committee, a bipartisan Congressional committee. Mr. Alexander said he'd meet with several senators to come up with a proposal that is likely to pass. He wants to introduce the proposal to Senate leadership within 10 days.

Optim launches ENTity VL Video Endoscopy System

Optim recently launched its first video-based imaging product in the ENT field, its ENTity VL Video Endoscopy System. The device includes a flexible video laryngoscope with LED illumination, a digital video processor and an imaging capture suite with a 22-inch touch-screen display.

AANA awards Arthur Zwerling its highest honor

The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists awarded the late Arthur Zwerling, MSN, CRNA, its highest honor, The Agatha Hodgins Award for Outstanding Accomplishment.

University Orthopedics building facility with ASC in Rhode Island

Providence, R.I.-based University Orthopedics is expanding through a new 88,500-square-foot building in East Providence, R.I. The four-story building will include an ASC in addition to exam rooms, treatment rooms, an MRI and an X-ray.

Research finds Vermont CON regulations lower quality of care

Fairfax, Va.-based George Mason University researchers found Vermont's strict certificate-of-need laws increase cost and restrict healthcare access for state residents.

Capitol Pain Institute receives investment to expand practice, ASC

A New State Capital Partners affiliate made a significant investment in Austin, Texas-based Capitol Pain Institute to support the expansion of its practice and surgery center.

More articles on improving performance:

KKR to finance Covenant Surgical Partners acquisition through $195M loan

How can your ASC reduce waste by 5% & accrue savings? Manage your inventory

Malpractice fears spur overtreatment, according to physicians: 5 insights




Shares of major for-profit hospital operators rose Monday after initial reports showed damage in Florida from Hurricane Irma was lighter than expected, according to Reuters.

Shares of Brentwood, Tenn.-based Tenet Healthcare rose 3.9 percent, while shares of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems and Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare climbed 2.8 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively, in morning trading.

The for-profit hospital operators' facilities affected by Hurricane Irma are expected to reopen over the next few days, KeyBanc Capital Markets analysts Jason Gurda told Reuters. "It doesn't look like the worst-case scenario."

More articles on healthcare finance:

Steward Health Care withholds financial information amid growth

Analysis: HCA, Tenet see uncompensated care costs rise this year

Financial updates from Advocate Health Care, Cleveland Clinic & 3 other systems
Providence, R.I.-based Care New England Health System President and CEO Dennis D. Keefe will retire at the end of the year. He will serve as a consultant for the organization for up to one year to help ensure a smooth transition.

Mr. Keefe helmed the four-hospital system since 2011. During his tenure, the organization grew significantly to become a more than $1 billion integrated healthcare delivery system. He is currently co-chair Mayor Elorza's Non-Profit Working Group and in 2015, served as cochair of Governor Raimondo's Reinvent Medicaid Workgroup.

Mr. Keefe's previous roles include serving as CEO of Cambridge (Mass.) Health Alliance and the commissioner of public health for the City of Cambridge. In 2009, the American College of Healthcare Executives honored him with the Massachusetts Healthcare Executive of the Year Award.

James E. Fanale, MD, will take over as interim president and CEO of Care New England. He currently serves as executive vice president, chief clinical officer and COO of the organization.
Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) has ended funding to the state's four federally recognized Native American tribes, which would have expanded addiction and mental health treatments, according to the Bangor Daily News.

The cuts also eliminate the tribal public health liaison, who is responsible for representing tribal interests on state public health boards and educating tribal communities on disease prevention and management. In relation to the state's total population, tribal members have higher rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking and heavy drinking.

The four tribes have been included in statewide public health initiatives since 2011. With the elimination of the liaison position, the four tribal health districts are the now the only health districts in the state without such a liaison. Though the positions were state funded, they were technically employees of the tribal district.

"This is one of the only areas where we receive any state funding," said Penobscot Nation Chief Kirk Francis. "We dont have this big fiduciary relationship with the state. This was really one area where we felt we could put all the politics aside. We could find a way forward in what we see as a top priority and one of the most important issues facing the tribes."

More Articles on Leadership:

CMS: Poor board governance hurt quality at Sonoma West Medical Center

Community Hospital Corporation announces management of Arkansas Continued Care Hospital of Jonesboro

Sen. Alexander says healthcare bill coming 'within 10 days'
Leadership at Lutheran Health Network in Fort Wayne, Ind., and its parent company Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems need to show they are committed to LHN's clinicians and regain the community's trust, a group of physician advocates wrote in a recent op-ed in The Journal Gazette.

CHS and LHN used to have a good working relationship, but the physicians claim that changed when CHS' debt load increased. "An austerity program was introduced at Lutheran Health  staff cuts and deferred maintenance, for example  designed to bail out CHS' bad decisions," wrote William Cast, MD, Matthew Sprunger, MD and J. Philip Tyndall, MD. The three physicians are founders of Northeast Indiana Citizens for Healthcare Excellence, a group focused on holding CHS accountable.

Tensions have flared between physicians in northeast Indiana and CHS since May, when CHS rejected a buyout offer from a group of LHN physicians. Shortly after CHS rejected the physician group's takeover bid, the hospital operator fired two LHN executives and several other LHN executives and board members stepped down from their positions.

LHN appointed Mike Poore regional president and CEO in August. The physicians claim the approach at LHN under Mr. Poore's leadership is "for profit, not for you." Mr. Poore "continues to allow relentless cost-cutting, staff reductions and deferred maintenance, as mandated by CHS," the physicians wrote.

The physicians say CHS and LHN need to work together again. "It is time for Lutheran Health to be treated as a partner, not merely a revenue generator," they wrote. "It is time for Community Health Systems and Lutheran Health Network to regain the community's trust. Time, however, is running out."

More articles on leadership and management:

Nashville Health Care Council opens application for 2018 Fellows class

7 must-read articles for healthcare leaders this week

5 latest healthcare layoffs
DuPage Medical Group, a physician group based in Downers Grove, Ill., acquired Northwest Health Care Associates, a physician group that serves Chicago's northwest suburbs, for an undisclosed amount.

Northwest Health Care Associates is comprised of 20 physicians across various specialties, including cardiology, primary care, nephrology and gastroenterology.

"The mission of Northwest Health Care Associates and its physicians closely aligns with DMG's organizational philosophy and we're proud to welcome them," said Mike Kasper, DuPage Medical Group's CEO. "This addition to our growing team allows us to expand our service area further north, while providing Northwest Health Care Associates' patients additional high-quality services and increased convenience."

DuPage Medical Group revealed plans in June to acquire Northwest Health Care Associates.

More Articles on Hospital-Physician Relationships:

Decomposing body of Keck School of Medicine graduate student discovered in USC dorm room

Massachusetts hospital worker wins $758.7M Powerball jackpot

Watchdog organization calls out Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle website for 'deceptive' health claims
The future of autopsies is uncertain in Greene County, Mo., after the recent departure of the county's chief medical examiner, who was assigned by the University of Missouri in Columbia, according to the Springfield News-Leader.

No replacement has been named to fill the role, leaving the county's medical examiner's office in Springfield unable to perform autopsies. The county has been shipping the bodies of individuals who died of unusual or suspicious deaths to MU for examination.

The county has held a contract with the University to staff and run the medical examiner's office since 2009. However, the contract will expire in December and not be renewed due to budget constraints.

Forensic Investigator Michelle Waters with Greene County told the News-Leader it's unclear what will happen after the contract expires, adding that shipping bodies to Columbia can create longer waits for autopsy results, which can be frustrating for the families of the deceased.

"It is sometimes unpleasant for the family to wait longer. We hate that it requires that, but there's nothing else we can do," Ms. Waters said. "We hope we can keep providing the best service we can until the pieces fall into place. That's the best we can hope for."

Trysta Herzog, a spokeswoman for the county, told the News-Leader commissioners are considering "all available options" to ensure continued medical examiner services after the MU contract expires.

More articles on physician issues:

Malpractice fears are the No. 1 cause of overtreatment, physicians say

How clinicians can come out on top in a MIPS world

70% of malpractice cases against surgical residents involve elective surgery, study shows
Pittsfield, Mass.-based Berkshire Medical Center said it filed an unfair labor practice charge against the Massachusetts Nurses Association, accusing the union of "surface bargaining," as opposed to negotiating in good faith.

The hospital, which has been negotiating with the MNA to reach a labor deal for close to 800 nurses, made the announcement via a Sept. 7 news release.

"We have met with the union nearly 30 times over the past 12 months," said Arthur Milano, vice president of human resources at BMC's parent company, Pittsfield-based Berkshire Health Systems. "It has become increasingly clear in recent weeks that the MNA is now only going through the motions of negotiations to create the appearance that it is bargaining in good faith."

Hospital officials said BMC presented "the best offer it reasonably could" to the union in May, but the MNA almost immediately organized a vote to reject the offer. The union subsequently authorized a strike in July, meaning their bargaining committee has approval to call a strike if they so choose. However, a strike date has not been scheduled.

"MNA leaders have repeatedly claimed they recently have made dramatic 'movement' in their bargaining demands. In reality, the union's 'new' proposals are simply repackaged versions of proposals that Berkshire representatives explained months ago were unacceptable. Rewording proposals or reordering paragraphs of proposed contract language that contains the same terms or achieves the same results as proposals previously rejected does not constitute good faith bargaining. Berkshire Medical Center responded to the union by explaining, once again, why it could not agree to their proposals," Mr. Milano added.

Hospital officials said BMC also believes the union "has adopted a strike-oriented bargaining strategy to advance its political goals rather than to reach a fair and reasonable nurses' contract at our community hospital."

Joe Markman, associate communications director of the MNA, called the charge "unfounded" in an emailed statement to Becker's Hospital Review.

"Unlike the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, which is clearly providing Berkshire Medical Center with industry talking points, MNA nurses approach bargaining as a local issue. BMC nurses have proposed local solutions to patient care concerns they are experiencing at their hospital," he says.



Mr. Markman further contends that "nurses have bargained in good faith the entire time and have made numerous revisions to their proposals."

"BMC nurses have patient care proposals currently on the table that do not include patient limits and that are unique to BMC. To say otherwise is dishonest. We expect that when this charge is dismissed, BMC will settle with MNA BMC nurses. BMC should return to the table, bargain in good faith and address the very real concerns of nurses and the community," he added.

Hospital officials said the charge will be reviewed by the NLRB.
Police shot and killed an armed man late Sunday in Novant Health Huntersville (N.C.) Medical Center, according to WBTV.

Police say they were called to the hospital after the man, whose name has not been released, fired multiple shots inside the facility around 11:40 p.m. Hospital staff and witnesses directed police to the area where the man was last seen. Police say they felt threatened when they encountered the armed man and fired several rounds at him. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to WCNC.

Novant Health tweeted this statement early Monday morning: "We can confirm there was a shooting at Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center resulting in the death of an individual. Without a doubt, this is a tragic situation. Our hearts and prayers go out to the loved ones of this individual and also to our team members and patients who were in the area when shots were fired."

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations is investigating the shooting, according to WBTV.

More articles on healthcare news:

Irma forces 35 hospitals across 3 states to evacuate: 9 things to know

Quorum Health signs definitive agreement to divest Alabama hospital

BCBS of Alabama hit with $8M penalty for charging unapproved rates
Vox recently featured Atul Gawande, MD, a public health researcher, author and endocrinologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, on its podcast, "The Weeds," to discuss the physician's role in the opioid epidemic, among other topics.

Here are three quotes from Dr. Gawande.

1. On treating pain as the fifth vital sign: "I saw this all the time in my surgical training  that we did not treat pain," said Dr. Gawande. "That we left people in terrible pain and suffering, and it was a kind of inhumanity that I thought was unacceptable. So I really keyed into the lessons from people like palliative care clinicians who said we have to measure pain, and we have to treat pain. But what we had not done was continue to measure what was happening along the way  Basically, I was like more is better, take some."

2. On the epidemic: "We as a profession have caused an epidemic that is bigger than the HIV epidemic," said Dr. Gawande. "We have more deaths from drug overdoses than occurred at the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 1995. That's how big this is. It's more deaths than in motor vehicle accidents. The cause in the opioid epidemic starts with getting a prescription of opioids from physicians."

3. On four ways to address the crisis: "Number one  we should be prescribing way less than we often give out, and we should have the research that shows what that need really is," said Dr. Gawande. "Second, we have to teach people that the goal is not zero pain  the goal is that you have enough pain that there will be an ache but you can do the things you want to do. You can sleep, you can eat, you can go shopping. Third, tell people these are addictive and weighing that against your choices. Fourth, teach them how to dispose of these things. The biggest thing is that the leftovers get stolen and then go on the black market that way."

To listen to the podcast, click here.

More articles on opioids:

FDA issues warning letter to Cipher Pharma over opioid marketing materials

Sen. McCaskill to hold roundtable on deceptive opioid sales practices: 4 things to know

CDC awards $28.6M to 44 states for opioid epidemic fight
Birmingham-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama faces an $8 million penalty from the Alabama Department of Insurance for selling policies at rates discrepant from those approved between 2005 to 2013, AL.com reports.

The charges, which were not filed with and approved by the department, comprised approximately 1,400 plans sold to small group employers and short-term Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act plans. The rate changes led to nearly $107 million in undercharges and roughly $33 million in overcharges, according to an Aug. 16 Alabama Department of Insurance order obtained by AL.com.

BCBSA issued refunds to more than 1,400 small group employers and 2,200 COBRA plan enrollees for the overcharges.

"Although premium rate stabilization efforts are common insurance practices, we mistakenly did not document these practices in our small group rate filings," BCBSA told the publication in a statement. "We also did not adjust the rating category for some small business customers when their annual employee health insurance enrollment fluctuated from the previous year."
The Joint Commission seldom revokes its seal of approval for hospitals who do not comply with Medicare regulations, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Investigators analyzed hundreds of Joint Commission inspection reports from 2014 through 2016. About 350 Joint Commission-accredited hospitals violated Medicare requirements in 2014. More than one-third of those facilities had additional violations in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

The Joint Commission, which serves as the accrediting agency for nearly 80 percent of U.S. hospitals, withdrew accreditation for just 1 percent of facilities not in compliance in 2014. More than 30 hospitals maintained accreditation, despite CMS identifying violations severe enough to cause  or likely to cause  serious patient injuries or deaths. The research suggests hundreds of hospitals with patient safety issues could promote accreditation status and bear The Joint Commission's "Gold Seal of Approval."

"It's clearly a failed system and time for a change," Ashish Jha, MD, a practicing internist and health policy researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, told WSJ. "[The investigation] shows accreditation is basically meaningless  it doesn't mean a hospital is safe."

Joint Commission CEO Mark Chassin, MD, told WSJ the organization generally avoids revoking accreditation. He said the group's mission is to "work closely with healthcare organizations to help them improve the care they provide," not punish them for safety incidents.

More articles on infection control and clinical quality:

Online physician ratings do not accurately indicate care quality, study shows

Top 10 infection control stories, Sept. 4-8

52% of adults misuse prescription meds: 5 report findings
'The fall of the Stormont government in January, and the subsequent collapse of talks aimed at restoring it, has been a source of frustration for the business community in Northern Ireland' (stock photo)

If Belgium managed to function without an elected government for 589 days, why is business in Northern Ireland so insistent that the Executive needs to get back-up-and-running as soon as possible?

The fall of the Stormont government in January, and the subsequent collapse of talks aimed at restoring it, has been a source of frustration for the business community in Northern Ireland. Most businesses would agree that restoring power-sharing institutions has been a top priority since the start of the year.

Over the last two decades, Northern Ireland's prosperity and economic improvement has been built on a foundation of peace and political stability.

For business, having a fully functioning Executive is about more than just good governance, it's about creating the kind of stable platform needed to help businesses flourish, attract investment and represent Northern Ireland's interests in national and international discussions.

Take Brexit, for example. As the only part of the UK with a land border to the European Union, Northern Ireland is uniquely affected by the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

While the Scottish and Welsh Governments look to communicate their priorities directly to the UK negotiating team, there is a sense that without a functioning Executive, Northern Ireland's political representation on this issue is absent. Business groups and civil society have stepped in to fill the gap, but a unified Northern Ireland political voice, one that represents the views of all citizens and all businesses, would have a far bigger impact and could potentially shape our economic path and our living standards for years to come.

One of the things that will concern companies about the failure to restore power-sharing institutions, is the potential loss of ambition for Northern Ireland as a place to do business. It was only in January that we were talking about a draft industrial strategy that aimed to make Northern Ireland one of the top three most competitive small advanced economies in the world by 2030. With a UK government preoccupied by Brexit and no Executive to take this forward, we can't allow for ambitious projects like this to be side-lined. The same applies to our infrastructure, energy and our education system.

The business community recognises the concerns of political leaders from all parties; but in the business world we also recognise that success can only be achieved with flexibility and compromise. We understand that there are key areas of difference, from detailed policy asks to issues which are more cultural in nature.

These are issues we contend with every day in offices, lecture halls and playing fields across the region.

Northern Ireland is at its best when we cooperate and the evidence for that is clear when we look back over the last 20 years. Our devolved government had much success. It delivered peace on our streets, attracted inward investment and international tourists and supported local businesses to be global players.

In Northern Ireland, we have hosted international sporting and music events and provided the setting for award winning television dramas.

We reinvented ourselves, we showed the world that we can compromise and live together in a civilised and progressive fashion that provides a hopeful future for our children.

None of this would have been possible without the Good Friday Agreement and the devolved government.

There is no doubt that mistakes have been made, we are all human after all; but we should never lose sight of the fact that the Executive has delivered for Northern Ireland - our progress has been amazing!

From Brexit to the DUP's partnership with the Conservatives at Westminster, make no mistake, the world is watching Northern Ireland closely. Business would much rather that we are being observed for our economic progress and our ability to create peace and a shared future.

The Good Friday Agreement set the mould; it's up to all of us to follow the right path and find a solution that works for all. We must compromise, we must show mutual respect - we must bend with the wind or else we break!

Angela McGowan, Regional Director, CBI Northern Ireland
"Cowboy" tour guides today stand accused of rewriting history and "milking" some of the hundreds of thousands of tourists now flooding into Belfast.

The double-barrelled blast comes from a top city businessman and a veteran Belfast councillor, who has served for more than half-a-century in City Hall.

Bar and restaurant proprietor Willie Jack is one of the entrepreneurs credited with breathing new life into Belfast's Cathedral Quarter, which has become a tourist mecca in the heart of his native city.

He runs two pubs, a restaurant, and Ulster's first Irish whiskey shop in the Commercial Court and Hill Street area he calls the "Half Bap" core of the Cathedral Quarter, and he is currently developing the New Orpheus art gallery, due to open next year.

He has already turned a cul-de-sac former car park into a virtual art gallery courtyard, with wall murals and caricatures celebrating the city and province's prime characters Van Morrison, Ruby Murray, May McFettridge and Gloria Hunniford, as well as an array of Northern Ireland's sporting heroes. But in recent days Mr Jack, a former pupil of the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and a graduate of the London School of Economics, shut the gates on the courtyard gallery during daytime.

He has taken a decision to allow only those walking or taxi tour guides "who know what they are talking about" in to view and explain to their clients what is on display.

He bluntly explained: "I grew more and more tired and angry about some guides - not all of them - simply telling lies about my city and its people.

"This is a beautiful city with beautiful buildings, albeit that some of them are in dire need of repair and renovation to restore them to their former grandeur."

As he spoke, yet another tour guide was chaperoning a group of tourists from the flotilla of cruise ships which have berthed in Belfast this summer around the Quarter's cobblestone streets, a visitor influx reckoned to have injected a welcome 15 million into the local economy.

Mr Jack added: "She's one of the good tour guides. But some of them simply don't know what they're talking about, especially when it comes to so-called 'terror tours'.

"They are either not dealing in facts, or don't know or care about them."

Veteran Belfast councillor Chris McGimpsey backed the businessman last night. "There are bona fide and good tour guide companies and guides who relate the real history of this city, and who appreciate and convey to visitors that the history of Belfast did not start 40 years ago and end 10 years ago," he said.

"In other words, that our civic history did not start and end with the Troubles."

But the long-serving politician pointedly added: "There are also a number of cowboy operators wandering about Belfast talking nonsense and milking money out of people.

"Something definitely needs to be done about that."

He called for a crackdown on such guides, advocating some form of "real and viable" regulation to be introduced, possibly by the City Council.

He said there were other tour guides, among them some taxi drivers, who were also "milking the Troubles".

In that context, he added: "You would certainly get two interpretations of our recent history depending on whether you were being given a tour of the Falls or the Shankill Roads."

However, Mr McGimpsey admitted: "You may try to regulate tour guides by setting up a licensing system or whatever, but regulating what they actually say to tourists may be a completely different problem."

The UUP politician also had a swipe at some of the cruise companies who, he claimed, organised expensive tours once the big ships berth.

"They take a lot of money off those on board, put them on buses into the city centre, and then simply dump them off for a guided tour of the City Hall," he claimed.

"But the tours of the City Hall are free.

"And that means that the ratepayers are getting nothing in return into the city coffers, while the cruise ship operators are cashing in on the City Hall guided tours.

"Maybe that's something else that needs to be looked at."
Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has spoken of his determination to ensure that warmer relationships built up between the UK and Ireland endure during the Brexit process.

In a wide ranging speech, Mr Coveney also urged the UK government to consider remaining in a customs union with the EU after Brexit.

"I find it difficult to accept that while the options available to the UK are now being discussed, debated and negotiated, that the potential option of staying in a customs union would be taken off the table, before negotiations on trade have even commenced with the EU," he told a gather of the Anglo-Irish Association in Cambridge.

"On this front, I listened carefully to what Micheal Martin had to say this morning - we will take on board those proposals and test them in a non-party partisan way. Any approach or proposal that makes sense for better relations between Ireland and Britain we are open to, on something as fundamental as our future together.

"However, I would respectfully hope that the UK government can also approach some of the big questions they face, on the basis of persuasive argument, tested approaches and facts as they emerge rather than party political positioning. I heard Ken Clarke make this point in the House of Commons this week."

Mr Coveney spoke glowingly during Saturday's speech on the warming friendship between his country and the UK, including the visit of Queen Elizabeth to Dublin in 2011.

"The Queen's visit unlocked something in many of us - it marked a real change in our relationship," he said.

"President Higgins cemented this new maturity to our relationship when he visited the UK on a state visit in 2014. It is more important than ever to find ways to continue to collaborate once the UK leaves the European Union - to avoid a situation where, with the best will in the world, friends that don't meet frequently become acquaintances and gradually drift apart. This is the last thing we want and the Irish government will work to ensure it doesn't happen."
Robert Doherty with his son Simon in hospital

A heartbroken father who posted an emotional video on Facebook of his nine-year-old boy fighting for his life in hospital after he was in an accident with a car is begging people: "Please pray for my son."

Simon Doherty remains in intensive care in a critical condition after he was involved in a collision with a black Toyota Avensis car on the Glenravel Road in Cargan, outside Ballymena.

His parents have been maintaining a bedside vigil at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. Simon's father Robert took to Facebook yesterday to issue a desperate appeal for people to pray for the boy's recovery.

"I love you son, if you come out I'll be waiting here for you son", the father-of-seven said as he kissed Simon gently.

"I promise, I'll love you son, I'll never leave. My boy." Robert - who described his son as "my best friend" - added: "Please, please everybody, pray for my son."

A woman in the video can be heard suggesting that Simon could be unconscious for weeks.

It's understood that the young boy is a member of a settled Travelling community.

Police appeal for witnesses to collision on Glenravel Rd, Ballymena around 5pm on Saturday in which young boy struck by car. Info to 101.  PSNI (@PoliceServiceNI) September 10, 2017

The family have lived in the area for around two years. The collision happened near his home in the rural village, some 10 miles from Ballymena.

Paul Maguire, who is an independent councillor for the area, said that his thoughts and prayers were with all involved in the accident.

The Mid and East Antrim Borough Council representative said: "This is a tragic incident and I hope the young boy recovers quickly.

"I also want to offer my thanks to the emergency services and police who attended the scene."

The Northern Ireland air ambulance landed in playing fields close to the scene of the collision.

The young boy was taken from the scene in the helicopter.

A police spokesman said: "The boy was taken to hospital following the collision and remains in intensive care at this time.

"The driver of the car has been spoken to by police.

"The road was closed for a number of hours but has since reopened.

"Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact officers at Ballymena station on 101 quoting reference number 957 09/09/17."

Neighbours of the Doherty family spoke of their shock.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: "It's very sad and we hope the young lad has a speedy recovery.

"Everyone here is praying that he makes it through OK."

A spokesman for the Belfast Trust said yesterday: "The nine-year-old boy remains in a critical condition."
The Dalai Lama speaks at the City Hotel in Londonderry

The Dalai Lama has said force will not solve the North Korean crisis.

The Tibetan spiritual leader called for a denuclearised world following heightened tensions and military exercises in the region.

He said world leaders were not using their common sense.

"To show force, I think, cannot solve the problem," he said.

"Using this force will cause tremendous suffering, particularly South Korea, then to some extent I think Japan also."

His intervention followed deepening tensions on the Korean Peninsula as Pyongyang steps up nuclear weapons tests.

The Tibetan leader-in-exile won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 and has become a symbol of peaceful resistance to oppression throughout the world.

He said it was "unthinkable" to use nuclear weapons.

"Now we must seriously make effort step-by-step, for a nuclear-free world.

"Then eventually the weapons, I think this world should be a demilitarised world."

The 82-year-old said it would not be achieved within his lifetime.

"But it is our duty (to make) efforts to achieve (a) demilitarised world," he said.

"A century of dialogue."

The Dalai Lama visited Londonderry in Northern Ireland for a charity event, repeating calls for a century of peace after the warfare of the previous period.

The United States is seeking a vote on a United Nations resolution which would impose the toughest-ever sanctions on North Korea.

UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has said North Korea's nuclear weapons programme must be halted before it develops a ballistic missile capable of hitting London.

He recently said war must be avoided "at all costs" and stressed the desire for a diplomatic solution, given that the dangers of a "miscalculation" triggering a military response against North Korea are "extremely great".

The Dalai Lama said the emphasis should be placed on talks.

He also called on US President Donald Trump to pay more attention to ecology, pronouncing himself saddened by the US leaving the Paris climate accord.

"America, the most industrialised nation and the leading nation of free world, should take more active responsibility regarding ecology," he said.

Earlier, during his two-day visit to Northern Ireland, he joked about Mr Trump and his attitude to climate change, noting recent events (hurricanes in the Caribbean) may be teaching him something different.

He had also alluded to Brexit during a lengthy address, pronouncing himself an admirer of the EU and calling on Russia to join the bloc in a move towards greater global unity.
Northern Ireland's new air ambulance service has been called into action almost 50 times in its first seven weeks.

Today marks the start of Air Ambulance Week, which celebrates similar services across the UK.

Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (AANI) chief Patrick Minne said three-quarters (77%) of the 47 callouts had been to rural areas - mostly traffic collisions - but also to a range of other accidents.

"The service was actually tasked for its first mission ahead of its official launch," he said.

"A call was received about 11-year-old Conor McMullan, who was injured in a tractor accident near Castlewellan.

"The doctor and paramedic team were on site within minutes and able to treat and stabilise Conor at the scene before flying him to Belfast in a journey lasting eight minutes. He is now recovering well."

Despite suffering a fractured skull, Conor was able to thank his rescuers in person last month.

Yesterday the air ambulance flew a nine-year-old boy to the Royal Victoria Hospital after he was struck by a car in Ballymena. He was in a critical condition last night.

The helicopter is stationed at the Maze-Long Kesh site, with a back-up aircraft at St Angelo Airport, Enniskillen, allowing the medical team to reach anyone in Northern Ireland in 25 minutes.

The service is staffed by six full-time paramedics, a team of 15 doctors and two pilots.

The high-speed rescue service needs 2m in funding a year to keep going. Donations can be made at www.airambulanceni.org or you can contact the charity on 028 9262 2677 or email info@airambulanceni.org.
Andrew with guests at the wedding

A father-of-two was left for dead after he was brutally attacked after a friend's wedding in Co Antrim.

Andrew Barr (32) was discovered lying in a grass area by a night porter who has been working at the reception.

Mr Barr, a popular fitness instructor from Ballymena, lay badly injured for some four hours before being found and rushed to hospital with serious head injuries at 6am on Friday.

He suffered severe brain trauma, punctured lungs and injuries to his face.

Mr Barr, who runs Flamingo Fitness in Ballymena, was at a wedding at the Leighinmohr Hotel in the town's Galgorm Road area.

A photograph taken hours before the attack shows Andrew celebrating with friends and colleagues.

It's understood his wife was also admitted to hospital yesterday, although the cause is not yet known.

His clearly upset father Sam Barr said last night he did not want to talk about the incident.

Earlier, Andrew's mother said her son was in "a very bad way".

She told Belfast Live: "We're just glad that he's still with us. He needs to be for his two little boys."

Expand Close Andrew with guests at the wedding / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Andrew with guests at the wedding

"I'm numb. We are just taking every day as it comes.

"We're taking small steps and taking each day as it comes."

Mr and Mrs Barr pleaded for the public to help find those behind the brutal assault.

They posted a message on social media over the weekend with a link to the Belfast Telegraph story about the assault on their son.

"We wish to inform you all that the man in this article is our precious son Andrew Barr, father of Sam (four) and James (two)," it said.

"Andrew is currently in a critical state and his head injuries sustained were consistent with being repeatedly kicked.

"We won't be posting photos of him to protect his privacy, but they are horrific.

"He has luckily not lost his sight in his left eye and his punctured lungs are recovering. He suffered brain haemorrhaging to both sides of his head, one of which is inoperable.

"It was approximately four hours he lay before he was found.

"Please, please, if anyone has any reliable evidence or can help us find those who did this, please contact Ballymena police station.

"It is being treated as attempted murder."

The PSNI is trying to trace Andrew's movements before the attack.

Detective Sergeant Peter Crothers said: "At approximately 6am it was reported to police a man, aged in his 30s, was found in a grass area close to a licensed commercial premises, and had serious head injuries.

"The man was subsequently taken to hospital, where he remains seriously ill following surgery. Police would like to hear from anyone who was socialising in the man's company earlier that evening at a function he attended in the Leighinmohr Avenue area.

"In particular, police would like to hear from anyone who was with the man between the hours of 1am and 2.30am.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives in Ballymena on the non-emergency number, 101."
The car involved in the accident off the M1 motorway in Portadown

Police have thanked members of the public who stopped to help out in the aftermath of a serious car crash on the M1.

The incident - in which a car crashed into a line of trees - happened at the M12 off-slip at Portadown yesterday.

The front of the car was smashed as the car ploughed into the trees which border the busy road.

Police sources said that the elderly male driver had a very lucky escape.

Writing on the PSNI Craigavon's Facebook page, an officer praised the motorists who had stopped to give help to the car's driver.

"Big shout out to the other motorists who selflessly stopped to help this afternoon at the scene of a serious road traffic collision on the Portadown off-slip of the M1 motorway!" the officer posted.

"It was a wonderful sight pulling up in our police car and seeing so many people already out and helping the elderly male involved - including an off duty doctor."

The PSNI also paid tribute to a group of women who had rushed to rescue the driver of the stricken vehicle.

"A special big thanks to the ladies at the scene who all pulled together to pull the tree off the car! We have some Superwomen in our midst!"

Meanwhile, in Co Down, the Ballybunden Road in Killinchy was closed yesterday following a traffic accident involving a motorcycle which collided with a telegraph pole.

A Northern Ireland Ambulance Service spokesman said the male motorcyclist had been taken to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald for treatment to leg injuries, which were not believed to be life-threatening.

Diversions were put in place while police investigated the cause of the incident.

The narrow country road, which runs from Drumreagh to Baloo crossroads, has now reopened to traffic following the accident.
Seven searches were carried out on Monday

The PSNI has made three arrests following searches in relation to ongoing investigations into criminal activity linked to the North Belfast UVF.

Detectives from the PSNIs Criminal Investigation Branch carried out seven searches on Monday in the Belfast and Greater Belfast areas.

Detective Inspector Heather Whoriskey said: The searches took place in residential and commercial properties during which three people were arrested.

A 56-year-old woman and 39-year-old man were arrested in Newtownabbey and a 56-year-old man was arrested in North Belfast.

"They have all been taken to Musgrave Serious Crime Suite for further questioning. Todays operation demonstrates the PSNIs commitment to tackling all types of criminality linked to paramilitaries.

"While these searches and arrests focused specifically on the North Belfast UVF, we will continue to target all paramilitary groups and disrupt their illegal activities which only serve to blight the communities they operate in.
Secretary of State James Brokenshire will today meet the political parties before Sinn Fein and the DUP head off for intensive negotiations aimed at restoring power-sharing at Stormont.

Political sources last night dismissed speculation that Theresa May would fly into Northern Ireland this week to join the discussions.

But they said that bilateral talks between the parties would continue with hopes that further progress can be made in building relations between the DUP and Sinn Fein.

Stormont insiders want a more low-key approach than previous discussions when both parties would constantly come out to brief the media on developments.

Multilateral talks are unlikely to happen until next week at the earliest, sources said.

While the current round of negotiations was initially shrouded in pessimism, a thawing of relations emerged last week during private discussions between Sinn Fein and the DUP. The chances of a deal are said to have risen from "zero to 50-50".

An Irish Language Act remains the major stumbling block to an agreement to restoring the Executive.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood last night called on London and Dublin to actively intervene if a deal to get the devolved institutions back up and running isn't reached this week.

In the event of failure to make progress, Mr Eastwood (below) said the two governments should set out their own proposals to break the deadlock.

The SDLP leader said it was a welcome change that the DUP and Sinn Fein "have called a ceasefire on megaphone diplomacy and have actually got down to the business of serious engagement".

But he expressed doubts about how genuine they were.

"As formal talks recommence, the question remains whether this is the beginning of positive choreography to finally do the deal or if it is merely positive choreography to avoid blame if the process collapses once more," he said.

"As crises build in our health and education services, the SDLP does not believe it is credible or sustainable to continue to leave the success or failure of this process solely in the hands of the DUP and Sinn Fein.

"We acknowledge that these parties have the big mandates from the electorate but they do not have a mandate to hold the North to ransom in a position of permanent stalemate," he stated.

"I am therefore proposing that if it becomes clear that the DUP and Sinn Fein are incapable of getting a deal over the line, both governments should publicly place their own joint proposal on the table.

"This joint proposal would represent their joint view on what they believe to be a fair deal and compromise for all the people of Northern Ireland.

Mr Eastwood said the British and Irish Governments should then publicly challenge all the parties to sign up to, or reject, their proposal.

"This intervention by the co-guarantors of our political agreements would also bring focus to the real priority of finally getting a government formed which can begin to tackle hospital waiting lists, school budget cuts and the growing numbers of families without a home," he added.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein MLA John O'Dowd said that if the Executive gets up and running again it cannot rely on the British Government acting in the best interests of people in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at a meeting of the British Irish Association in Cambridge on Saturday, he commented: "Any Executive should work with the Irish and Scottish Governments as well as the Welsh Executive to counter-balance the reckless Tory Brexit agenda.

"Experience has shown the British Government have shown scant regard to the needs of the devolved institutions.

"A new approach will be needed to defend our society against Brexit."

Speaking in New York, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said that while he wasn't naive about the challenges facing the parties, he was hopeful that the current crisis could be ended and the political institutions restored "on the basis of equality and respect".
Sinn Fein has not commented on if affirmative action for Irish speakers in civil service recruitment remains among its demands for inclusion in an Irish language act.

The party has consistently said it will not return to government unless there is an Irish language act.

It has said that the draft consultation for an act, set out by the then Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin in 2015, "was the basis" for its proposals in the ongoing talks process.

However, last week there was confusion over the matter.

The BBC reported affirmative action had been dropped. The broadcaster later reported that the republican party had not in fact dropped the demand, but rather it was not requiring a 10% quota of Irish speakers for civil service recruitment - something that was not contained in the proposed draft act.

Asked if the party could clarify the situation, Sinn Fein again stated that the draft act was "the basis for discussion".

It directed us to a blog written by Mairtin O Muilleor in which he repeated that any claim the party was demanding 10% of civil service new recruits be Irish speakers was "bunkum".

Asked if affirmative action was therefore still among its demands, the party has yet to respond.

On tendering his resignation Martin McGuinness cited unfulfilled promises during the previous decade of power-sharing including the pledge to bring about an Irish language act and legacy issues.

Also demanded was the requirement Arlene Foster step aside during the RHI inquiry.
Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 11th September 2017 The scene on the Brustin Brae Road outside Larne in Co. Antrim where shots were fired at a property along with a vehicle being set on fire in the early hours of Monday morning. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

The scene on the Brustin Brae Road outside Larne in Co. Antrim where shots were fired at a property along with a vehicle being set on fire in the early hours of Monday morning. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

The scene on the Brustin Brae Road outside Larne in Co. Antrim where shots were fired at a property along with a vehicle being set on fire in the early hours of Monday morning. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye.com

Shots have been fired at the window of a child's bedroom in what's thought to be the latest attack in ongoing loyalist violence in Larne.

A woman and three young children were inside at the time. A car was also set alight and destroyed.

No one is thought to have been injured. The incident is being linked to loyalist paramilitaries.

It happened in the Brustin Brae area of the Co Antrim town in the early hours of Sunday morning. It's thought four shots were fired at a house with the window of a child's bedroom hit.

Former Sinn Fein MLA urged the police to act.

"This madness has gone to a new level," he said on Twitter.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, he said the UVF was to blame and was behind the recent spate of attacks in the area over recent months. There have been attacks on cars and arsons on homes in recent weeks. Mr McMullan said this was the first time guns were used in relation to the latest violence.

"This is a step up in violence and it is worrying that children are directly involved now. The impact on them in years to come could be dire."

He said over recent months he had helped a number of families relocate because of the threat of violence.

"I am putting this squarely at the door of the UVF and challenging political representatives - as community leaders - to use their influence to put an end to this.

"The UVF are putting themselves up as the protectorate of the community when it is them that are the biggest criminal gang.

"Loyalist paramilitaries need to get off the back of the people in Larne

"The police need to step up their game, they have done in other areas I don't understand why not in Larne. They need to go after the godfathers and ask questions as to what's paying for all their holidays, cars and homes."

DUP MLA Gordon Lyons said whoever was to blame they needed to stop and anyone with information should report it to police.

He added: "I utterly condemn this violence. Over the weekend there has been an arson attack and a home and now reports of shots fired.

"This is completely unacceptable and doing huge reputational damage to the town. I would urge anyone with information to contact police and tell those involved to stop."

Mr Lyons said that in recent months police had stepped up patrol in reaction to the violence.

"That had an affect and I would call on police to again increase patrols in and around the town.

"There is a real risk to life and it is worrying that guns have been involved."

Police said a car was hijacked in the Craigy Hill area on Monday morning by two men armed with shotguns.

Mid & East Antrim district commander Superintendent Darrin Jones said: The local community will continue to see an increased police presence in the town to provide reassurance and deter those involved in this feud from engaging in further criminal actions. I would strongly urge those on all sides to reconsider their position and to resolve these matters without any added escalation in violence.

"We do not want to see more damage caused to property or life.
A leading bishop has told how the Church of Ireland community in the Irish Republic is fearful of the upcoming centenaries of the War of Independence and the Civil War amid concerns they could re-open old sectarian divisions.

The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Dr Paul Colton, admitted that many in the Church of Ireland community in Cork "anticipate the coming centenary commemorations of the War of Independence and the Civil War fearfully and with a certain dread".

Many fear that the ceremonies will re-open old sectarian wounds - particularly given that the descendants of many of those involved in the events of 1919-22 are still living in the same general area.

To underline the seriousness with which the Church of Ireland community takes the upcoming centenaries, Dr Colton delivered his warning in a special sermon in Dunmanway in west Cork - an area which became notorious for a controversial massacre of Protestants at the height of the Civil War.

A total of 17 Protestants, ranging in age from 16 to 82 years old, were killed by the IRA in an orgy of violence across west Cork in retaliation for the killing of IRA commander Michael O'Neill outside Dunmanway in April 1922.

The killings only ended when IRA commanders threatened to shoot any volunteer who carried out such attacks without specific orders.

Dr Colton, in a sermon at St Mary's Church, urged everyone to handle the upcoming ceremonies "extremely sensitively".

"The coming centenary years call for careful thought and even more careful and sensitive commemoration," he stated.

"Among some in our Church of Ireland community, the commemorations are anticipated fearfully and with a certain dread."

Dr Colton said it is vital that, for any understanding of the era, the human stories need to be fully told.

"We know war is cruel, divisive and ugly," he commented.

"We know that Cork was a most violent place in those years. "In every war there are sides; there are enemies, divisions, spies, informers, atrocities and injustices.

"In every situation of conflict, people take sides. Division is part and parcel of the human predicament.

"War scars landscapes and humanity itself. It scars memories."

Earlier this year Dr Colton became the first Church of Ireland bishop from Cork to meet with the Pontiff in Rome.

The audience in May with Pope Francis was facilitated by Bishop John Buckley, the Bishop of Cork and Ross. Bishop Colton described the meeting as an "immense honour".

He was also the first Church of Ireland bishop to openly support same-sex marriage. He started his Ecclesiastical career as a curate in Lisburn in the 1980s.
An Irish man whose sister and niece were killed in the 9/11 attacks has admitted his hopes of seeing those responsible for the atrocity brought to trial have faded under Donald Trump's presidency.

US prosecutors are seeking a 2019 trial date for five Guantanamo Bay prisoners accused of masterminding the terrorist outrage, which took place 16 years ago today.

But Mark Clifford (57) - who will today join other members of his family in his native Cork to privately celebrate the lives of his sister Ruth McCourt and her four-year-old daughter Juliana - is frustrated that no one has been convicted of the atrocity.

"The past year has been very frustrating - just like all the years since 9/11. No progress has been made in terms of bringing those responsible to justice," he said.

"And, to be honest, I don't hold out much hope of that changing under Trump's presidency. It just doesn't seem to be on Trump's radar and it's not something you really see him tweeting about. I just don't think getting the trial under way is a priority for the US administration.

"There doesn't seem to be the political will there to do anything about it."

Mark said the ongoing impasse over 9/11 has made it impossible for the families of the victims to move on.

He added: "It doesn't get any easier because we remain in a state of limbo. The grief doesn't just disappear, particularly when we haven't yet got closure. And the longer this goes on, the more there'll be family members who unfortunately pass on without seeing justice for their loved-ones. We've unfortunately been in this situation, having lost a number of family members since 9/11."

Along with losing his sister and little niece - who were passengers on the second hijacked aircraft to crash into the Twin Towers in New York - Mark's brother Ron narrowly survived the disaster when a ball of flaming wreckage fell on the plaza in front of him.

A ceremony will be held at Ground Zero today to observe the anniversary by remembering and honouring the 2,983 men, women and children killed in the attacks at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, aboard Flight 93, and those who died in the February 26, 1993, World Trade Center bombing.
Joanna Lumley has said the Irish border should not be allowed to return.

The British Absolutely Fabulous actress said frontiers are invented and called on people to oppose the reinstatement of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

After Brexit in March 2019 the UK's only land border with an EU state will be on the island.

Lumley said: "I don't think we, and that means all of us here, should allow that border to be returned, just simply don't allow it.

"Say no, we will do something else but that border will not return."

The actress was visiting Londonderry, one of the border cities that will be worst hit if hard frontier controls are reintroduced on porous and invisible crossing points.

Lumley was born during the dying days of the Raj and India was her family's home for several generations.

She recently produced a new travelogue on India, the latest in a series of televised global wanderings, and said she was getting slightly addicted to travel.

The Irish border is high on the EU's list of priorities for Brexit talks, with the British Government proposing that the vast majority of small businesses should be able to trade unimpeded.

The UK has pledged to seek frictionless arrangements as part of the EU divorce settlement.

Lumley said: "People say, 'oh, but it is Brexit and stuff' - the European Union was set up by men and people who have made the rules, it can be picked apart by people who make the rules.

"It does not exist, the border does not exist, borders actually don't exist in the world.

"We have invented them, we have named these people this name and those people that name, got a piece of paper to go between, 'oh, your government does not like this'."

She said a speaker from Ethiopia had been denied access to speak at the Londonderry conference.

She added: "What is happening to us? This is crazy, so the first thing we say is that there will be no further border, we go on, we deal with whatever it is, the border will not come back."

Lumley was in the city as part of 20th anniversary celebrations for charity Children in Crossfire, which helps impoverished young people in the developing world.

The actress praised the organisation's work, adding: "We can pick up arms and fight or we can put them down and dance."
Noeline Blackwell called for editors and journalists to collaborate with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre

The head of a victims' support charity has called for guidelines on how the media cover the issue of rape.

Noeline Blackwell, c hief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, called for editors and journalists to collaborate with the organisation after broadcaster George Hook made controversial remarks about a trial in Britain.

The Newstalk presenter apologised after questioning "personal responsibility" when discussing the case of a 19-year-woman who alleged she was raped by a former member of the British swim team.

Ms Blackwell said remarks about where blame lies could stop other victims coming forward.

She said: "What we'd probably say is there's a need to build awareness of the realities of rape and sexual violence and criminality.

"Is it clearly understood that sex without consent is rape and that a sexual contact with consent is sex abuse?

"If you were at that stage as a baseline then everything else would flow from that.

"If a person has sex with someone without consent they are committing the rape. That deals with the notion that the victim has responsibility for the rape."

Ms Blackwell added: " Rape is only caused by rapists."

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said it had been considering calling for guidelines in the media.

It said it deals with queries from both journalists and dramatists over how a case or storyline should be covered appropriately and sensitively.

Ms Blackwell said guidelines would also be useful for defining acceptable language, reporting court cases and dealing with initial reports of investigations into rape.

She said the initiative should be done in conjunction with media rather than by trying to impose rules.

Mr Hook made his remarks during his High Noon programme last Friday. He apologised on Saturday in a statement issued by Newstalk.

The station's managing editor Patricia Monahan also issued an unreserved apology over the remarks and said they were "totally wrong and inappropriate and should never have been made".

In a statement Mr Hook said: "I wish to apologise unreservedly for comments I made about rape on my radio programme on Newstalk yesterday.

"It was unacceptable to suggest in any way that blame could be attributed to victims of rape.

"I apologise for the comments which caused hurt and offence, and for this I am truly sorry."
'Officers were called to the church off Rocky Lane, in the Aston area of the city, at 10.50am yesterday. A 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder' (stock photo)

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing inside a Birmingham church.

Minister Kevin Hutchinson told the Birmingham Mail that about 150 people were taking part in the New Jerusalem Apostolic Church's Sunday service when "a man with a knife stormed into our sanctuary".

He said the attacker was challenged at the door by ushers and restrained. He told the paper: "He drew out a large kitchen knife and was restrained by a number of members, about three.

"Three members were injured and were taken to hospital.

"The men in the church were able to restrain him until the police and paramedics came."

In an online statement, the church said: "Following the incident at New J this morning, we would like to give you the following update.

"Three members of our congregation were injured following a knife attack, all of whom have been taken to hospital. The following individuals were injured - Elder Karl George, Adam Brooks and Jorge George. No injuries were life-threatening.

"At this time we are restricting hospital visits to family only and we will keep you updated as regularly as possible."

West Midlands Police said a 33-year-old man was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Officers were called to the church off Rocky Lane, in the Aston area of the city, at 10.50am yesterday. A 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

In a statement police said: "Early indications suggest that the offender and victim knew each other and that this was a targeted attack."

Police said two people who helped to restrain the attacker also received minor injuries, which did not require hospital treatment.
In a response to campaigner Gina Miller the government has said the 1bn DUP deal will require parliamentary approval.

The 1bn package secured by the DUP as part of its deal to support the Conservative government will require a vote in parliament for the funds be released.

This comes after a challenge from campaigner Gina Miller to the government questioning on what legal grounds the funds were being released.

Gina Miller previously took a successful legal challenge to ensure that parliamentary approval was required to start the Brexit process.

The government acknowledgement that a parliamentary vote would be required for the deal to go ahead was laid out in a legal letter to Ms Miller and the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain.

In the letter, the Treasury secretary said that the 1bn package would require parliamentary approval and that no timetable had been set for a vote on the issue.

Read More

Speaking on the BBC's Nolan Show, Ms Miller said: "This means its not a done deal and it is not a question of merely a formality."

She said, like all government spending, there would have to be the necessary scrutiny of where the money goes.

She also raised the possibility of a vote in parliament on the funding being defeated, with potential resistance coming from the Scottish Conservatives.

In response, a DUP spokesperson said: "This is not new or surprising. It is a mischievous process story. All government spending goes through appropriations processes. The package secured by DUP MPs for everyone in Northern Ireland will be delivered.

"This additional funding has been delayed due to unwillingness of Sinn Fein to form an executive. In the event of direct rule it will fall to the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to bring forward the funding through the parliamentary process as part of the Northern Ireland financial allocations. This will need to happen soon."

Expand Close Confusion has arose over how the money can be spent. (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Confusion has arose over how the money can be spent. (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)

A Downing Street spokesman said: "All UK Government spending requires parliamentary authorisation - generally via the Estimates and Supplementary Estimates process. Our focus in Northern Ireland is on restoring powersharing."
Nicola Sturgeon wants a cross-party consensus to ensure Brexit does not derail devolution in Scotland (Russell Cheyne/PA)

Nicola Sturgeon has called for a new cross-party consensus on boosting the powers of Holyrood in the face of Brexit threatening the underpinning principle of devolution.

Scotlands First Minister said differences should be set aside to safeguard and enhance the devolution settlement 20 years on from the 1997 vote that established the Scottish Parliament.

Marking the anniversary with a speech in Edinburgh, Ms Sturgeon warned the UK Governments EU Withdrawal Bill sought to erode the settlement the people of Scotland voted for in 1997.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

She said: Even though there is still disagreement  passionate disagreement  about the final destination of our constitutional journey, we should nevertheless seek a new spirit of consensus to match that achieved in 1997.

With Brexit now threatening the underpinning principle of devolution and many of our vital national interests, it is essential that we do so.

The Scottish Government is to publish a series of papers making the case for extending Holyroods powers in areas such as employment, immigration and trade.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

The more powers our Parliament has, the more we can, collectively, do for Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said. I want to talk about how we can build a new consensus in 2017 to match the spirit of 1997.

Respecting our differences and then working together  not as government and opposition  but as equal partners, to win more powers for the Parliament and assert and protect the rights of our Parliament.

Everyone knows that I believe that becoming an independent country would be the best future for Scotland and that as I said in June at the end of the Brexit process I believe that the people of Scotland should have a choice about our future direction as a country.

Expand Close First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was speaking on the 20th anniversary of Scotland voting to establish its own Parliament (Russell Cheyne/PA) PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was speaking on the 20th anniversary of Scotland voting to establish its own Parliament (Russell Cheyne/PA)

Indeed at its heart independence is the natural extension of the principle that decisions should be taken in Scotland and that doing so improves the lives of people who live here.

Others of course disagree completely with that. But the key point Im making here today is this, 20 years ago that disagreement about the final destination did not stop us from working together to make progress where we could, and it shouldnt stop us today either.

Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly warned the EU Withdrawal Bill represents a power grab by Westminster when powers are repatriated from Brussels to London.

Expand Close MPs will vote on the EU Withdrawal Bill at the House of Commons later (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp MPs will vote on the EU Withdrawal Bill at the House of Commons later (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The First Minister said: Today, ironically on the very anniversary of the vote to establish a Scottish Parliament, there is an attempt to erode the settlement that the people of Scotland voted for.

The EU Withdrawal Bill which the UK Government is attempting to take through the House of Commons today, threatens the very principle on which our parliament is founded.

The devolution settlement  the Scotland Act that established our parliament  is based on the quite genius principle, when you look back and consider it, that everything is automatically devolved unless it is explicitly reserved.

The EU Withdrawal Bill turns that principle absolutely on its head. Westminster will decide what areas of already devolved policy will actually remain devolved in the future.

So on the very day that we should be celebrating devolution, we are also being called upon to defend it.
Several pets and rescue dogs were left displaced by Hurricane Harvey, which lashed parts of Texas.

However, a Canadian rescue dog group has stepped in to help some of those pups who were already staying at rescue centres and theyve made it their new destination: Toronto.

They are here!! Posted by Redemption Dogs on Monday, September 11, 2017

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

Redemption Dogs, an advocacy group for rescue pooches, partnered with six Houston dog shelters to provide a new home for those pups already in the rescue system.

Their aim is to alleviate stress from rescues on the ground in Houston.

As of Monday, 39 dogs had safely arrived in Toronto, where they are being taken care of by vets.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

Over four days, the team hired vans and drove down to Houston to pick up the dogs from overwhelmed rescue centres, and transported them back to Toronto where they are being assessed. They will be up for adoption in the coming days.

Interestingly, each of the three vans was named after Canadian celebrities: Ryan Reynolds, Shania Twain and Ryan Gosling.

Redemption Dogs founder Nicole Simone told CBC: We were not on the streets rescuing dogs or taking dogs that could potentially be missing dogs.

We worked with local rescues that had some dogs that went through Hurricane Harvey and some dogs that had been in rescue for up to two to three years.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

A trending GoFundMe campaign has almost reached its $30,000 goal in less than a fortnight. Proceeds will go towards travel costs and vet care, as well as to six shelters in Houston.

The group of eight volunteers also took down humanitarian supplies to some of the flood-hit zones in the Lone Star state.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

Redemption Dogs is accepting volunteers to help with their Irma rescue efforts, as well as Harvey.
The Welsh flag and Elin and here daughter Elena

A mother has apparently been accused of speaking foreign muck while speaking Welsh to her young daughter  in Wales.

Elin Jones, 32, was in a shop with her young daughter Elena when a lady reprimanded her.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

She just came up to me when I was telling my baby what the fruit was in Welsh and was very serious, Jones, from Lampeter, told the Press Association.

She said You shouldnt be talking that foreign muck here, to which I replied, I was speaking Welsh and this is Wales.'

Jones said the woman then walked off.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

Im not sure whether the lady thought that I was speaking Polish or another language, said Jones. But even so, I dont think that discrimination of anyone is okay.

Elins post on Twitter about the bizarre incident has received a huge amount of attention, racking up over 10,000 retweets in a couple of days.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

The reaction is beyond anything I expected, Jones, who is a Plaid Cymru town councillor and also works at the Grannel Hotel, said.

I tweeted because I wanted to make a point about discrimination not being acceptable in any form.

Theres also been so much backlash against the Welsh language recently, and this is only one small part of that.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

Ive received messages of support from all over the world, added Jones. And I hope that this will do something to shed some light on the issue.
A Londonderry woman living in Florida was last night preparing to bunker down as Hurricane Irma battered the southern US state with 130mph winds.

As the storm pushed north through the Keys, electricity was knocked out for more than 1.5 million people and a large construction crane collapsed in Miami.

In the southern part of the peninsula, nearly 127,000 people took shelter while forecasters warned the entire state was in "extreme peril".

At nearly 400 miles wide, the storm was expected to move up Florida's west coast towards the heavily populated Tampa and St Petersburg areas by this morning.

Yesterday 29-year-old dance teacher Bridget Madden from Derry was bracing herself for the hurricane in the university town of Gainesville.

Speaking briefly to the Belfast Telegraph during the rush to make for shelter, she said: "We are just getting ready to bunker down in preparation for it hitting us."

She added that she hoped to post updates on social media for concerned relatives whenever she got the opportunity.

Last week, as the category five storm hit the Caribbean, she described the destructive weather front headed her way as "frightening".

She added at the time: "We have no idea what damage the hurricane will incur. All we can do is prepare and wait."

Joyce Ferder Rankin, who settled in Portballintrae 21 years ago, flew back to Delray Beach ahead of the storm.

"I'm concerned for my mom, she's not as young as she used to be so it's going to be harder this time to go through this," she told the BBC.

"She's already exhausted because I keep getting her up to take her to a safe room for the tornado watches. But there was a decision I took to come down here and be with her, because we couldn't get her out. So I'm hoping for the best. The storm is not as bad as I was first thinking it would be."

And American-born Michelle Page (53), who has lived in Belfast for 14 years, has family and friends in Florida, and owns a property in Naples, located on the south western coast of the state.

"I'm extremely concerned, I can't even believe what's happening. In Naples there's been a mandatory evacuation and the power's been out for several hours.

"I've several friends there and they've all left. My sister also has a property next door, luckily she's in Massachusetts. My apartment I share with my partner Katrina is on the ground floor, seven feet above sea level, and the surge from the sea is supposed to be about 10 to 15 feet."

She added: "It's just a very difficult time here as Katrina's mother has been put into hospice on Friday, so we're dealing with that while worrying about what we'll do. I might have to go to Florida next week, depending on what we find out happened."

Last week Irma was the most powerful Hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, reaching a peak speed of 120mph and leaving 20 people dead across the Caribbean.

As yet no deaths have been reported in Florida due to the storm.

There are further weather warnings that a weakened Irma could push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.
The violence and injustice faced by the ethnic Rohingya minority in Burma "seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", the UN human rights chief has said.

Speaking at the start of a UN Human Rights Council session, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein first recognised the September 11 attacks anniversary then chronicled human rights concerns about Burma.

He also spoke about rights concerns in Burundi, Venezuela, Yemen, Libya and the United States, where he expressed concerns about the Trump administration's plan to dismantle protection for younger immigrants, many of whom have lived most of their lives in the US.

Mr Zeid, who is a Jordanian prince, denounced how "another brutal security operation is under way in Rakhine state - this time, apparently on a far greater scale".

He noted the UN refugee agency says 270,000 people from Burma, also known as Myanmar, have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh in the last three weeks, and pointed to satellite imagery and reports of "security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages" and committing extrajudicial killings.

"The Myanmar government should stop pretending that the Rohingyas are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages," he added.

He called it a "complete denial of reality" that hurts the standing of Burma, a country that had until recently - by opening up politics to civilian control - enjoyed "immense good will".

"Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," he said.

Mr Zeid said he was "further appalled" by reports that Burma's military is planting landmines along the border.

Aside from Burma, Mr Zeid said the council should consider "the need to exclude from this body states involved in the most egregious violations of human rights", although he did not specify the countries by name.

Human rights advocacy groups have cited Burundi and Venezuela in particular as countries with lamentable rights records that have seats on the 47-member rights council created by the UN.

Mr Zeid lamented how the world has grown "darker and dangerous" since he took office three years ago.

Syria and Iraq, two countries that have long been of concern to UN human rights chiefs, received only passing mention in his address - a testament to the broad concerns about today's world.

AP
Students take part in a sit-down protest in Linenhall Street during a civil rights march in 1968

My first civil rights march started out from in front of the Students' Union building at Queen's on a drab October afternoon.

I felt a little out of it because I wasn't a Queen's student and all the people lining up around me seemed to know each other. But I felt it was important to be there.

I understood the issues and I cared about them. I didn't want to come into my professional life in a Northern Ireland that discriminated against Catholics in jobs and housing, a region in which the local government franchise was weighted in favour of property and education. Local government mattered then for councils had far more powers than they have now.

So I was going to have my say, even if it was just another soft voice chanting with the others: "Craig out! One man, one vote!"

Home Secretary William Craig had exacerbated tensions over civil rights by banning parades, not that there weren't a lot of people on the parades who were up for a ruck with the RUC.

As the parade moved off stewards moved us along, briefing us on what to do if arrested, assuring us that free legal support was available, relaying to us the locations of the police and the counter-protest organised by "the Paisleyites", as we called them then.

The atmosphere was low carnival, a little elated but tempered by the dull weather and uncertainty about how this would end.

It ended with a sit-down in front of the police lines on the damp tarmac of Linenhall Street and a few speeches, and another round of chanting "Craig out!" and "One man, one vote!".

There was no riot that day.

I was remembering this last week when I was on the Nolan show with another journalist, Eamonn Mallie, whose memory goes back as far as my own.

Mallie said that the current deadlock over a stand-alone Irish Language Act was comparable to the dispute over local government franchise - one man, one vote.

He said the broad nationalist community had agreed on a core demand for equality once again, and that demand would have to be met.

So, was he right?

There are certainly similarities between then and now, but there are differences too.

There was no demand for an Irish Language Act from the original civil rights movement. I don't think it occurred to anybody then that there should be.

Irish had been a school subject most of us had left behind along with the quadratic equations and the third declension.

The concept of cultural rights was not part of the debate.

The equality call today also includes a demand for same-sex marriage, another issue that had no traction at the time. We were not even asking for the decriminalisation of homosexuality. That would have seemed especially outre.

Eamonn said that demand for an Irish Language Act was iconic for the nationalist community, that it represented for them a confirmation that their culture and heritage were respected. But the demand for an equal franchise in local government wasn't iconic; it was a material concern. The demand for same-sex marriage is not iconic.

Those who voted for Sinn Fein last March may have expected its MLAs to take their seats and deliver that demand to them.

The story of the campaign for civil rights is complicated, but similarities are there.

People came to the protests with different aspirations. The campaign worked because of the diversity of positions within it. Many wanted ordinary British rights for British citizens. They were concerned that their demands should not be seen as factional or sectarian. As today, they were glad that some Protestants were supporting the demands too.

Others saw the civil rights campaign as leverage that would weaken the Stormont administration, with its huge unionist majority, and advance the cause of republicanism.

Gerry Adams has been mocked for describing himself as a founder member of the civil rights movement, but this misses the point that republicans under Billy McMillen did form one of the original elements.

So also did the Communist Party.

A similarity with those times is that some unionists fear the protest has a hidden agenda, to break the state.

This was said then, and scoffed at then.

Adams said in his later writings that the point was to demand reform in order to expose the injustices of the state. If you believed that Northern Ireland was set up to oppress nationalists then you could bring it down by demanding reforms that it would not be able to survive granting.

So, there was republican militancy with its agenda inside the civil rights movement.

There was also the left-wing student movement that would become People's Democracy. And there was a sizeable section of the Catholic middle class who believed that the state was structured to their disadvantage and who would have settled for practical reform. They didn't want a revolution.

Today a demand is made for equality and the majority of nationalists support it.

The civil rights movement had nothing like the numbers behind it that Sinn Fein has in demanding an Irish Language Act.

But neither is it confronted by a paranoid state on the streets.

Unlike 1968, the police are not cracking heads and incompetently raising tensions towards mayhem and warfare.

And that is in part because the Catholic/nationalist/whatever community is far bigger than it was then and Northern Ireland cannot be governed without its consent and participation.

And that suggests the biggest difference between then and now. If Northern Ireland cannot be governed without nationalists then that imposes a responsibility on them to make it work.

The civil rights movement did not have the power to crash devolution.

That was done by the British Government in March 1972.

Certainly the withdrawal of the SDLP over internment in 1971 compromised the legitimacy of Stormont but it did not make its operations functionally impossible.

And the gamble for those who use the denial of government to enforce their claim for an Irish Language Act risk the possibility of support for it drifting away if they feel that the price of protest is too high.

The most awful development out of the civil rights campaign and its oppression was the escalation of violence.

That seems not to be a danger now, at least not in the same way.

But another parallel is that a small and not especially belligerent IRA was in the background, trying to rearm and anxious for a moment that would make it politically relevant again.

And to most of us sitting in Linenhall Street that damp day, that was the least of our concerns.

Malachi O'Doherty's unauthorised biography of Gerry Adams is published by Faber & Faber, priced 14.99
We live in a time where Islam and Christianity appear to be in a holy war. As a result, many within Christianity and Islam seem to have launched a modern-day, crusade, a slander-to-vanquish battle where the mass media appears to have taken over the sword as weapon of choice.

In an interview with CBS 60 Minutes, the Rev. jerry Falwell called the prophet Muhammad a terrorist and a man of war. Following these comments, televangelist Pat Robertson called the prophet Muhammad a robber and a brigand on his network and Rev. Franklin Graham denounced Islam as a very evil and wicked religion.

On the other side, underground cassette tapes of vitriolic Friday sermons delivered by mullahs across the Muslim world are available from Cairo to Quetta. And from post-9/11 hideouts, al Qaeda continues to release taped messages promising to fight against the infidels.

They have taken their rabbis and their monks for gods beside Allah, and also the Messiah son on Mary, said Osama bin Laden in an audiotape released last November. He was expanding on an earlier warning issued before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that the West had divided the world into two religions  one of faith and another of infidelity, from which we hope God will protect us.

This holy war has divided these religions; thus, generating a lot of anger and fear around religious groups, in addition to widespread misinformation about the beliefs of both. In these contentious times of conflict between the worlds great religions, many Christians believe that Muslims hold the Christian faith in derision if not outright hostility. Yet, this isnt particularly the case. Contrary to the belief of many, Islam and Christianity actually have a great deal in common, including some of the same prophets. Islam, for example, believes that Jesus is the messenger of God and that He was born to the Virgin Mary  beliefs that are similar to Christian doctrine.

Yes, there are important differences between the faiths, but for Christians first learning about Islam, or Muslims being introduced to Christianity, there is often a good deal of surprise at just how much the two important faiths share. One of the biggest clues to what Islam really believes about Christianity can be found by examining Islams holy book, the Quran.

The Quran in Arabic, literally means The Recitation. The Quran is the central religious text of Islam  Every Muslim believes the Quran to be a revelation from Allah and not written by the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that the words of Allah were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through Archangel Gabriel over a period of 23 years when Muhammad was 40 years old. In the Quran, Christians are often referred to as among the People of the Book, meaning the people who have received and believed in revelations from Gods prophets. The Quran contains both verses that highlight the commonalities between Christians and Muslims but also contains other verses that warn Christians against sliding towards polytheism due to their worship of Jesus Christ as God.

There are several different passages in the Quran that speak with respect to the commonalities that Muslims share with Christians. Those verses in the Quran include:

Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians  whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord. And there will be no fear for them, nor shall they grieve (2:62, 5:69, and many other verses.

and nearest among them in love to the believers will you find those who say We are Christians, because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant (5:82).

O you who believe! Be helpers of God  as Jesus the son of Mary said to the disciples. Who will be my helpers in the work of God? Said the disciples, We are Gods helpers! Then a portion of the Children of Israel believed, an a portion disbelieved. But we have power to those who believed, against their enemies, and they became the ones that prevailed (61:14).

The Quran also has several passages that express concern for the Christian practice of worshipping Jesus Christ as God. It Is the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity that most disturbed Muslims. To Muslims, the worship of any historical figure as God Himself is a sacrilege. Those verses in the Quran include:

If only they [Christians] had stood fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. There is from among them a party on the right course, but many of them follow a course that is evil (5:66)

Oh People of the Book! Commit to no excesses in your religion, nor say of God anything but the truth. Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, was (no more than) a messenger of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him. So believe in God and His messengers. Say not, Trinity. Desist! It will be better for you, for God is One God, Glory be to Him! (Far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs. (4:171).

While Christians and Jews agree that they, intellectually at least, worship the same God  the God of creation and of the Jewish Bible, many question if Muslims worship that same God. Many think they dont. But people should understand that the Muslim practice of calling God Allah does not necessarily indicate, intellectually at least, that they worship a god other than the God of the Bible. For allah is the Arabic word for God/god, and the Quran constantly interchanges the words Allah and God. Many Christians dont know that the name of God in the Hebrew Bible which is YHWH/YHVH can be written Yahweh or Yehvah  even though it appears nearly 7,000 times in the Hebrew Bible.

Even though Islam and Christianity have a lot in common, they remain divided. Christians and Muslims might do some good by focusing on their many commonalities than reinforcing their doctrinal differences. Maybe this can begin to bridge the gap, and help us move towards greater understanding and peace.

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.
Updated at 6:06 p.m. ET on 2017-09-11

Myanmar is committing genocide against Rohingya Muslims, Bangladeshi government officials said while the U.N.s human rights chief warned Monday that the violence driving an unprecedented influx of refugees into southeastern Bangladesh appeared to be a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

As many as 313,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since Aug. 25, according to the U.N.s latest estimates, and at least 90 have died while trying to cross over from Myanmars Rakhine state.

Most of them drown, but some were killed when landmines allegedly planted by Myanmar security forces along the border between the two countries exploded, Bangladeshi officials and witnesses said.

Genocide has been taking place in Rakhine state in Myanmar. The Burmese army seems to be out to obliterate the Rohingya. They should be tried at the International Court [of Justice], Kazi Reazul Haque, chairman of Bangladeshs National Human Rights Commission, told BenarNews on Monday.

All types of human rights abuses such as killing, arson, torture and rape have been going on. This is unprecedented, he said in a phone interview from Coxs Bazar, one of the southeastern districts where many of Rohingya refugees have arrived in recent weeks.

His comments echoed remarks a day earlier from Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood after briefing diplomats from Western and Arab countries about the crisis that has strained humanitarian resources in the southeast.

The international community is saying it is a genocide. We also say it is a genocide, Ali said, according to reports.

The number of Rohingya refugees sheltering in camps and settlements in southeastern Bangladesh has now topped 700,000 people, including refugees who fled earlier cycles of violence in neighboring Rakhine state.

On Monday, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told parliament that she would bring up the Rohingya issue during the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Separately, Malaysian Minister Najib Razak was to broach the topic during his scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, the New Straits Times newspaper reported.

On the eve of Najib's visit to Washington, the White House condemned reports of surging violence in Myanmar, including attacks on police posts by suspected Rohingya insurgents.



The United States is deeply troubled by the ongoing crisis in Burma where at least 300,000 people have fled their homes in the wake of attacks on a Burmese security post on August 25th. We reiterate our condemnation of those attacks and ensuing violence, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told a press briefing Monday.

In Dhaka, Hasina called on Myanmar to take back the uprooted Rohingya population and to recognize members of the Muslim minority as citizens, according to state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). The Rohingya are a stateless minority concentrated in Rakhine, where the Buddhist majority looks down on them as Bengalis.

If required Bangladesh would provide all support to Myanmar to overcome the crisis and rehabilitate the displaced people in their homeland, Hasina told lawmakers.

And in a response to U.N. requests that land be made available to house refugee arrivals, Mohammed Shahriar Alam, a Bangladeshi junior minister of foreign affairs, said Monday in a Facebook post that the government offered to free up about 2,000 acres of state-owned land in Coxs Bazar for temporary shelters.

Myanmar in complete denial of reality

In Geneva meanwhile, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, painted a dire picture of the situation in Rakhine state and along the Myanmar-Bangladesh frontier.

His agency had received reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians, as well as reports that Myanmar authorities were laying landmines along the border, Zeid told a session of the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Last year I warned that the pattern of gross violations of the human rights of the Rohingya suggested a widespread or systematic attack against the community, possibly amounting to crimes against humanity, if so established by a court of law, Zeid said, according to a transcript. Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

The Myanmar government should stop claiming that the Rohingyas are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages. This complete denial of reality is doing great damage to the international standing of a government which, until recently, benefited from immense good will.

ARSA: Woefully under-armed

In Myanmar, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has faced widespread criticism for not speaking out for the Rohingya people. Worldwide outrage over the violence in Rakhine and allegations that Myanmars security forces were targeting Rohingya civilians resulted from an iceberg of misinformation, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate said last week.

Since the latest wave of violence broke out in Rakhine late last month, Myanmar authorities have accused an insurgent group, the Arakan Rohingya Salavation Army (ASRA), of being behind burnings of Rohingya villages and neighborhoods.

Over the weekend, ARSA declared a ceasefire, but the Myanmar government rejected a truce, saying it would not negotiate with terrorists, according to reports.

The 10 September declaration of a unilateral cease fire was really smart. It keeps the attention of the international community on the egregious human rights abuses of the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] and their clearing operations, which can only be described as ethnic cleansing, Zachary Abuza, a Washington-based security analyst and BenarNews columnist, said Monday.

People who once eschewed ARSAs violence or tactics, now have nothing to lose. And for the 700,000 people living in squalid refugee camps, where violent gangs prey on people, there is an incentive to join militants like ARSA because it accords them and their families a degree of security, he told BenarNews.

Abuza said it is important to remember ARSA is weak militarily.

While the raids in October 2016 and August 2017 did net them some weapons and ammunition, this is still a woefully under-armed insurgency, he said, referring to attacks mounted by ARSA insurgents on Myanmar police posts in Rakhine.

Insurgents are inherently cautious, and strike when they have high-chances for success. It is inconceivable that they would take on the most battle-hardened divisions of the Tatmadaw while they are undergoing such a robust campaign, Abuza said.

Muslim organizations in Kolkata, India, stage a protest rally against Rohingya abuse in Myanmar, Sept. 11, 2017. [BenarNews]

Protests in India

Apart from Myanmar, Indias Hindu Nationalist-led government has faced criticism for its plan to expel an estimated 40,000 Rohingya refugees who have been in India for years.

Over the weekend and on Monday, protests occurred in New Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Hyderabad, Kolkata and West Bengal.

It is unfortunate that the Indian government is paying no heed to the violence and persecution Rohingya are facing in Rakhine. We are demanding that the Indian government raise its voice against the continuing genocide, Mohammad Nooruddin, president of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, a Muslim group based in New Delhi, told BenarNews, adding, The government should not go ahead with this plan.

Shakir Ahmad, 28, a Rohingya refugee who works as a scrap dealer and lives with 100 other Rohingya families in a camp on the outskirts of Delhi, said deporting his community members to Myanmar would be like signing their death sentence.

I would rather the Indian government kill us here than send us back to Myanmar, where government forces will most definitely torture us to death, Ahmad told BenarNews.

Paritosh Kanti Paul in Kolkata and Akash Vashishtha in New Delhi contributed to this report.
A billboard for Mitra Keluarga Kalideres Hospital in West Jakarta advertises a number to call during an emergency, Sept. 11, 2017.

The death of a 4-month-old turned away by a private hospital last week because her parents could not afford treatment highlights the need for the government to ensure that health-care facilities follow national regulations, Indonesias child protection commission said Monday.

Baby girl Tiara Deborah Simanjorang could have been saved had the Mitra Keluarga Hospital Kalideres in West Jakarta obeyed the law and admitted her for specialized treatment, the commission (KPAI) determined.

Indonesian law stipulates that every patient is entitled to humane, fair, honest and non-discriminatory service, the KPAI said. The law also states that each hospital is obligated to provide facilities and services for poor and needy patients.

So, there should be improvements in the form of periodic, ongoing controls and assurances that all hospitals implement the law, KPAI Chairman Susanto told BenarNews on Monday.

He expressed hope that Deborahs case would swing efforts to improve the nations health system.

This could be an entrance for overall improvement, he said.

Deborahs case shows that some health service providers have not fully considered humanitarian concerns, especially child protection, even though the law requires such coverage, Susanto said.

Arist Merdeka Sirait, chairman of the National Commission for Child Protection, said the case reflected a growing critical lack of compassion in Indonesias health-care system.

Hospitals are no longer an institution to save people, but have turned into business-oriented and economic institutions, Arist told BenarNews.

Hospital demanded full payment

Deborah had suffered from respiratory distress on Sept. 3 and was taken to Mitra Keluarga Hospital, according to her parents, Henny Silalahi and Rudianto Simajorang.

The couple carried the governments BPJS-Health insurance card. But their baby died the same day after the hospital refused to treat her because they could not afford a payment of 11 million rupiah (U.S. $835), even though they had promised to pay 5 million rupiah ($379.19) in advance and the rest after treatment.

Hospital officials said the baby could not be treated at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) until receiving full payment, adding it did not accept BPJS-Health cards, according to the couple.

Many hospital administrators are not aware that all emergency treatment costs at all hospitals are covered by BPJS-Health, Jakarta Health Office chief Koesmedi Priharto said.

For emergency services, even though the hospital has not cooperated with BPJS Health, BPJS still bears the (cost), Koesmedi said, according to Kompas.com.

Activist Birgaldo Sinaga highlighted the girls death on his Facebook page on Sept. 8, and is serving as a lawyer for her family.

Health officer, hospital official speak

On Monday, Koesmedi told reporters that his office had collected information from Mitra Keluarga Hospital. The hospitals director, Fransisca Dewi, was at the news conference.

There is negligence from the hospital, Koesmedi said in a statement released by his office.

Koesmadi did not release details of the alleged negligence nor potential sanctions against the hospital, adding that his office will continue its investigation.

We will also want to hear from the patients side (Deborahs family), Koesmedi said.

Mitra Keluarga Kalideres Hospital in West Jakarta, Sept. 11, 2017. (Arie Firdaus/BenarNews)

Fransisca explained why the baby was not admitted to the PICU unit, despite instructions from her doctor.

We recognize that equipment in special units such as PICU are expensive, so we need to think about the effectiveness and efficiency of the patient, especially since the treatment in a special unit takes a long time, she said, adding that the hospital would cooperate with BPJS.

Having lost their child, the couple said they did not wish to seek financial compensation.

We only want the hospital to admit its mistake and apologize, lawyer Birgaldo said.

The apology, according to Henny, is to ensure that other hospitals do not make the same mistake.

I am speaking out to prevent other children from having to experience the same as my child, Henny told reporters at the KPAI office.
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
ein Google-Unternehmen

Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben

Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen

Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern.

neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern

Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen

personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen

personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen

Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke.

Nicht personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung werden u. a. von Inhalten, die Sie sich gerade ansehen, und Ihrem Standort beeinflusst (welche Werbung Sie sehen, basiert auf Ihrem ungefahren Standort). Personalisierte Inhalte und Werbung konnen auch Videoempfehlungen, eine individuelle YouTube-Startseite und individuelle Werbung enthalten, die auf fruheren Aktivitaten wie auf YouTube angesehenen Videos und Suchanfragen auf YouTube beruhen. Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten.

Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen.
By Bob Cunningham

Christina Furia was homeschooled from the day she started her primary education until the day she graduated. Attending Bowling Green State University is the first chance she gets to spread her wings.

And what does she want to be? A teacher.

Furia, who grew up in West Chester, Ohio, near Cincinnati, is majoring in inclusive early childhood education.

I want to be a teacher, and that stems from me volunteering at my church with the kids there and in child care, she said. I just realized that teaching seemed like the right profession for me because I was able to reach them. Its just a really interesting experience seeing the kids learn and interact with each other.

It was only recently, right about the time she became an 11th-grader, that Furia figured out she wanted to be a teacher. Before her epiphany, she thought she might want to do something in the arts or as an administrative assistant.

I used to be big into artwork and drawing and then I was really into being an organized person, she said. I realized those are things I like and enjoy, but if I want to make something I enjoy my career then it has to be teaching because teaching kids and watching them learn and develop, thats where my passion is.

Furia is the youngest of five children, and three of her siblings  everyone except for her oldest brother, Dennis  attended BGSU: Rob, Douglas and Annie. Douglas lives in Toledo, which is an added benefit for Christina.

Three of my siblings have gone to BGSU before me, and they all had just really positive experiences there, not only with the University itself but the community too, she said. Also, when I visited the campus, it just felt like this is the place I need to be and the Universitys education program is amazing  so it really fit me and my needs.

I toured BGSU with Van Wright (assistant to the vice president for strategic enrollment planning), and hes awesome. He hooked me up with people in the community to speak with and learn from about the campus and everything thats available there. I just found that the community was so welcoming and there was a lot for me there, so it felt like this could be my second home.

Furia, who earned a 4.0 GPA in high school, also is a member of the Honors College. She relishes the challenge.

I just thought it would be good for me, something to challenge me while Im there and something to help me really focus on my coursework and on branching out, she said. I think the projects will be good for me, to challenge me, broaden my horizons and give me some extra skills.

Even though she was homeschooled, the classroom experience wont be a completely foreign concept to Furia.

Its going to be a new experience, for sure, but homeschooling isnt all at home anymore, she said. Ive gone to several co-ops up until I was about a junior and then I started doing College Credit Plus, so I already have some experience with college classes. I feel I am going to benefit a lot from that experience instead of going into something new with a blank slate and actually living on campus and being here fulltime. It will be a little bit scary, but once I find like-minded people Ill have a community here and I wont be so worried about it.

Furia likes to do art projects now and then, and lately has developed a fondness for writing short stories and poems. She plans to implement some of her hobbies in the classroom.

I hope to be able to tell my students stories and teach them to open their minds and be creative, she said. Thats something I really want to be able to use with the kids.
Media Advisory, September 11, 2017 Contact: Roger Peet, (503) 753-7027, toosphexy@gmail.com

Jonathan Evans, (213) 598-1466, jevans@biologicaldiversity.org

Fernando Rush Santos, (510) 612-1905, rushawnone@gmail.com Oakland Endangered Species Mural Celebration Set for Friday California Grizzly Makes Comeback in National Project OAKLAND, Calif. Artists, activists and community groups will celebrate the unveiling of three new California grizzly bear murals in Oakland on Friday, the latest installment in the Center for Biological Diversitys national endangered species mural project. Californias iconic golden bear graces the state flag, but has been absent from the state for almost a century. The grizzly makes a symbolic return this Friday in a series of murals in the Laurel District depicting the spirits of grizzly bears. When we lose wildlife, we lose a lot of what makes a place unique, and we lose our connection to history, said Roger Peet, artist and endangered species mural project coordinator. These murals represent the holes left in our landscapes when iconic species like the grizzly bear disappear. California is poised to reclaim that lost history by bringing grizzlies and other animals back to the state's great wildlands. The series of grizzly bears  nicknamed the Laurel space bears because of the galaxies in their silhouettes  will be painted along MacArthur Boulevard at three locations between High Street and Maybelle Avenue this week by artists Roger Peet and Fernando Rush Santos. Santos teaches art at Lazear Charter Academy in Oaklands Fruitvale neighborhood and is working with students and East Oakland youth to help paint the murals. I want kids to be inspired like I was the first time I helped paint a patch of grass on a mural at my school library in fourth grade, Santos said. Connecting kids with murals in their neighborhood helps them take ownership of their community and find inspiration in art and their environment. What: Endangered Species Mural Project public celebration. Artists Roger Peet and Rush Santos will be available for interviews at the site this week as they paint. The artists and Center for Biological Diversity staff will attend the mural celebration. When: Friday, September 15, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Where: Degrees Plato Tap Room Bottle Shop & Kitchen, 4251 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619. Background

Grizzly bears are the largest omnivores in North America. They once roamed throughout the state, including the San Francisco Bay Area, but Californias state animal was hunted to extinction in the state in the 1920s. The Centers Bring Back the Bears campaign urges state and federal wildlife agencies to reintroduce the grizzly bear into Californias remote wilderness areas to help the species recover. Art inspires us to create a better future and more sustainable connections between human communities and imperiled wildlife, said Jonathan Evans, environmental health legal director at the Center and an Oakland resident. We hope this mural inspires people to learn more about saving endangered species and connect with Californias golden bear. The Center's endangered species mural project has installed 13 murals in public spaces around the country. Regional murals already in place include the yellow-billed cuckoo in Los Angeles; a jaguar in Tucson, Ariz.; and freshwater mussels in Knoxville, Tenn. Oaklands murals are a collaboration between the Center, residents with the Laurel Village Association and businesses in Oaklands Laurel District, including the High Street Pharmacy, Degrees Plato, Pet Choice and Beast Oakland. Financial support has been provided by the Center, Visit Oakland and the city of Oaklands Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council.
For Immediate Release, September 11, 2017 Contact: Kelly Fuller, Western Watersheds Project, (928) 322-8449, kfuller@westernwatersheds.org

Allison Jones, Wild Utah Project, (801) 651-9385, allison@wildutahproject.org

Michael Saul, Center for Biological Diversity, (303) 915-8308, msaul@biologicaldiversity.org

Steve Holmer, American Bird Conservancy, (202) 888-7490, sholmer@abcbirds.org Trump Administration's Fracking Plan Threatens Utah Sage Grouse Survival FILLMORE, Utah Ignoring protests from conservation groups, the Bureau of Land Management is about to auction more than 23 square miles of public land containing priority greater sage-grouse habitat in central Utah for fracking. The lands are part of the last refuge of one the Wests most imperiled populations of greater sage grouse, the Sheeprocks population west of Nephi, Utah. The Bureau is moving forward with auctioning the lands for oil and gas drilling and fracking despite guidance in newly adopted land use plans calling for habitat conservation measures for declining sage-grouse populations. According to University of Utah researchers, the Sheeprocks population declined from 190 males in 2006 to only 23 in 2015. Federal and state agencies have previously prioritized restoring habitat for the Sheeprocks population, and have supplemented the population with birds from elsewhere in an attempt to save it. Why did the BLM say that Sheeprocks sage grouse need to have their habitat restored but then put that habitat up for auction? said Kelly Fuller, energy campaign coordinator with Western Watersheds Project. If the BLM thinks fracking counts as sage-grouse habitat restoration, no wildlife on BLM land is safe. In June conservation groups filed a legal protest of the fracking plan because of its inconsistency with mandatory sage-grouse conservation measures for declining sage-grouse populations set forth in the agencys own land-use plan. The BLM is making it clear that it views sage-grouse habitat as nothing more than an impediment to energy dominance,  said Michael Saul, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. Auctioning off this vital habitat for drilling and fracking may wipe out this population of Utah sage grouse and undermine efforts to save the species throughout Utah and its range. Sage grouse are like canaries in a coal mine. Their population numbers are indicators of sagebrush ecosystem function and health, and when theyre not doing well, its a wake-up call that its time to do what we can to conserve and improve habitat conditions, said Allison Jones, conservation biologist and executive director of Wild Utah Project. In 2011 the BLM assembled a blue-ribbon panel of sage-grouse experts, called the National Technical Team, to make recommendations on land-management strategies that would allow sage grouse to survive. These experts recommended closing priority sage grouse habitats entirely to oil and gas leasing. In the end federal sage-grouse plans committed to prioritizing oil and gas leasing and drilling outside important habitat for the birds. This project is an indication that the BLM and Department of the Interior are heading in the wrong direction, and there may be more bad news for the grouse to come from the Departments grouse review, said Steve Holmer of American Bird Conservancy. We are adamantly opposed to the notion of increasing oil and gas drilling within Focal Areas and Priority Sage Grouse Habitat. The agency should be prioritizing leasing away from these areas to give the grouse a better chance at recovering from its 95 percent population decline. By industrializing public land and destroying habitat, fracking would undermine ongoing collaborative efforts to save the Sheeprocks population. In 2016 nearly $1 million was directed toward Sheeprocks sage-grouse conservation. A BLM field report obtained under the Freedom of Information Act characterizes the public lands being offered for auction as including excellent habit[at] for sage grouse. Fracking would also damage winter habitat for elk and deer, which avoid oil and gas development.
Jem's Birding & Ringing Exploits in the Eastern Province and elsewhere in Saudi Arabia
Brandon Thompson/The Millers (JACKSONVILLE, Fla.) -- One family from Jacksonville, Florida is feeling very grateful to have a strangers shelter over their heads in New Albany, Indiana, after evacuating from the storm, despite driving more than 750 miles to get there.



Xeryus and Letroi Miller, along with their two children, two dogs and Xeryus Millers brother, were running out of options for a place to stay out of Irmas path of destruction, until they came upon Brandon Thompsons Airbnb listing much farther north than they ever imaged theyd have to travel.



We were searching for days, Letroi Miller, 28, told ABC News of the difficult time they had finding a place with room for them. At first we were going to go to Atlanta because its not far from Jacksonville. We looked on Airbnb but we couldnt find anything. Everything was gone and anything that was available, the prices were really, really high. It was also really hard because we have our two dogs with us, but we werent going to leave them behind.



She said they continued to search for Airbnb listings in Alabama, Tennessee and even Kentucky, but couldnt find anything so thats how they ended up in Indiana. Now, they are thrilled with their decision.



Thompson, owner of the dance studio So IN 2 Dance, located below his condo where the Millers are staying, waived the cost of his Airbnb listing for the exhausted family.



They said things were kind of tight with them not knowing what was going to happen, and hes in the Navy, hes military, so it just seemed like the right thing to do, Thompson, 40, said. I was in a position where I could do it easily, and I knew it would make a big difference for them. It just felt right.



The fee for the three-night stay was supposed to be $692 for the Millers. They are overcome by Thompsons generosity and said his two-bedroom condo has been awesome, especially for their young children who both have autism.



We were so happy. I was speechless to be honest, said Letroi Miller. Its absolutely beautiful, its very comfortable. He made our day. We are very grateful to be here. The kids love it, the dogs love it.



The Millers said they are tentatively planning to drive home to Jacksonville on Tuesday, but are playing it by ear depending on the weather.



Hopefully when we go back to Florida it wont be that bad, she said. Im praying. This is overwhelming.



Theyre also still recovering from the terrible drive trying to get out of Florida.



It was very, very hard for us. I dont know how we even made it. We were so tired, she added. Our kids are special needs so they were just over the whole thing. We had to keep constantly stopping at the packed gas stations. People were laying on tarps in the rest areas. It was crazy. The gas stations were shutting down and people were running out of gas, but luckily we made it.



On Sept. 7, Airbnb activated their Disaster Response Program to aid people forced to evacuate their homes, as well as relief workers arriving to provide assistance, due to Hurricane Irma.



Through our program, people in need of temporary accommodations can connect with hosts who are offering their homes free of charge from now through September 28, Kim Rubey, Airbnb Director for Social Good, wrote in a press release. We are proud to see the Airbnb community come together to help their neighbors in need.



Since the programs activation, it has been expanded from Florida to also include portions of Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina. The Miller family was unaware of the program while doing their search.



Through Airbnb's Disaster Response Program and good Samaritans like these Indiana hosts, we're inspired by countless acts of generosity from our host community opening their homes and their hearts to those in need, Ben Breit, spokesperson for Airbnb, wrote to ABC News about Thompsons hospitality.



Other businesses such as hotels and RV parks have also opened their doors to evacuees trying to escape Irmas devastation.



The Barnyard RV Park in Lexington, South Carolina has a flea market on site that they used for additional parking during the recent total solar eclipse, so we figured we could easily do it again, manager Christina Hunter told ABC News.



I feel bad for them, she said of the evacuees. Theyre desperate and theyre worried about their homes and stuff, but for the most part, they are very upbeat honestly, and taking it day by day.



Hunter said opening the additional space for those affected by Irma was what we wanted to do.



We didnt want them to be left out in the rain, she said. Everything around here is full. We knew we could do what we wanted to help. Were watching the news and its just sad. We wanted to help in any way that we could.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
A limited edition collector's item

All Gold tomato sauce is deeply entrenched in South African food culture. As a celebration of that heritage, and the heritage of a family favourite, All Gold worked with Just Design to produce two very iconic limited edition bottle designs.

The first design centres around crammed full of tomatoes - the very essence of All Gold tomato sauce - while the second is a tribute to local flava - South African-isms that we all relate to. Fun, playful and quirky, these illustrative designs have helped to push the brand into a realm of youthful frivolity.

This theme was carried through to the media launch where All Gold fans  young and old  got to test their own creativity with paint, glitter, textures and everything inbetween!

Only two million of the bottles are being produced  so you had better rush into store to get your hands on what is sure to be hot property in the sauce aisle.

About Just Design

For over fifteen years, Just Design has proven time and again that good thinking leads to great creative. With a national footprint and accounts across Africa, Middle East and Europe, they are the strategic design and innovation partners for many blue-chip clients and global brands, and are one of South Africas leading Futures, Strategy and Design agencies.

About All Gold

All Gold is a heritage South African brand that is part of the Tiger Brands stable. It has been around since 1908, with All Gold Tomato Sauce firmly cemented in the lives of all SA consumers. All Gold Tomato Sauce is the undisputed market leader, and the brand as a whole offers sauces, tinned tomato products, jams and pasta sauces.




LONDON - Health anxiety, also known as hypochondria, cost the British healthcare system around 56m a year, researchers said, blaming the internet for a rise in "cyberchondria".

"We suspect that (health anxiety) is increasing in frequency because of what is now called 'cyberchondria'," Peter Tyrer, professor in community psychiatry at Imperial College London said.

"This is because people now go to their GPs (general practitioners) with a whole list of things they've looked up on the internet, and the poor GP, five minutes into the consultation, has four pages of reading to do," he added.

At least one in five people in Britain attend medical clinics because of "abnormal health anxiety," researchers from Imperial College London and King's College London said in their study.

Despite being told that there was no underlying physical reason for their symptoms, they often push for unnecessary further investigation -- such as additional appointments or medical procedures.

When all added up, the cost to the healthcare system is estimated to be at around 56m a year.

To tackle the problem and help patients, the researchers advised using a cognitive behavioural therapy.

The treatment -- already trialled on 444 patients in five different hospitals across England -- lessened the condition from severe to moderate, with symptoms of anxiety and depression also improving.

"The costs of the treatment were more than offset by the savings to health services," the study said.
The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health has been ordered to get its house in order and sort out the healthcare crisis in the province, which is putting patients' lives in danger.

Photo: Independent Development Trust

Following an oversight visit by Parliaments Select Committee on Social Services to Addington Hospital and the Cato Manor Community Health Centre, the provincial department of health was ordered to provide a detailed report with clear timelines on when they intend resolving the chronic staff shortages, slow supply chain management turn-around time, poor infrastructure, lack of equipment, low skills base and underfunding plaguing the province.

Inadequate staffing

The committee was horrified to learn about the high mortality rate at Addington Hospitals maternity unit because of a lack of staff. While we acknowledge that the ward at Addington deals with primarily high-risk pregnancies, it is unacceptable that the quality of services has been compromised due to inadequate staffing, said Cathy Dlamini, chairperson of the committee.

It is also unacceptable that medical professionals are subjected to inadequate working conditions in hospitals impacting on their ability to deliver quality services. The lack of proper equipment has led to an exodus of critical skills from the public healthcare service. The doctors remaining are then faced with daunting workload which impact on their morale. This must be remedied with speed, she emphasised

While the committee acknowledges that the increasing pressure caused by the decreasing funding base within the healthcare system and an ever-increasing population, it reiterates its posture that positions within the healthcare sector must be prioritised and filled with the outmost urgency at all times, a parliamentary statement said.

During the visit the department said it is working on critical minimum posts that will be urgently filled. This process is to ensure that hospitals have the requisite skills at the minimum numbers to render services. It also plans to delegate the authority to appoint critical staff to the hospital which will assist in shortening the recruitment process.

Oncology crisis

The two radiography machines at Addington Hospital are broken, and, in June this year, the last public sector oncologist resigned from her position, leaving thousands of cancer patients without treatment options.

The committee was informed that there are three oncology centres and a satellite site (North Coast) in the province that provide both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These are Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH), Greys Hospital and Addington Hospital as well as a new site that has been established in the North Coast where chemotherapy provided by the state is administered by private oncologists from Joint Medical Holdings (JMH). to alleviate the backlog of cancer patients.

However, the DAs provincial health spokesperson, Dr Imran Keeka, points out a completely different reality.

In a report in the Sunday Tribune he said that oncologists are never on site, with cancer patients either seen by part-time volunteers twice weekly, or by unsupervised trainee oncologists who receive instructions via their cellphones.

It is difficult to comprehend how oncology services at this hospital (Addington) could possibly get any worse. Yet, during this weeks national health portfolio committee meeting, the KZN MEC for health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo painted a very different picture, telling members that oncologists were seeing cancer patients daily, he said.
On 9 September 2017, participating Starbucks store teams in Britain, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Cyprus and South Africa celebrated the group's position in 99% ethical sourcing, by writing 99 on customers' cups.

In London, Starbucks store manager and artist Becca Turner, also decorated Starbucks reusable cups and created a mural store window display to mark the occasion.

Starbucks is the largest coffee retailer to have 99% of its coffee supply chain verified as ethically sourced, working in partnership with Conservation International.

CAFE Practices programme

The cornerstone of Starbucks sourcing practices is its CAFE (Coffee and Farmer Equity) Practices programme, which was developed over 15 years ago, with Conservation International. The practices form a set of growing and buying guidelines that help farmers supplying Starbucks to produce coffee in a sustainable and fair way, and has already affected over one million farmers and workers across four continents.

CAFE Practices set out guidelines that mean any coffee purchased by Starbucks must meet the following standards:

 Economic  a transparent supply chain where coffee suppliers must be able to provide evidence of payments to coffee farmers

 Social Responsibility  Ensure safe and fair working and living conditions for workers and ensure access to medical facilities and children have access to education

 Quality - All Arabica coffee must meet Starbucks quality standards

 Environment Leadership  Help preserve and protect the farming land and water bodies

Reaching 100%

Bambi Semroc, senior strategic advisor, Center for Environmental Leadership in Business at Conservation International, said, Conservation International has been working with Starbucks for over 15 years towards its commitment to sustainable coffee sourcing. Together, we have ensured  from coffee tree to cup  that 99% of Starbucks coffee is ethically sourced. Were honoured to celebrate alongside Starbucks and look forward to working together in reaching 100%.

Kelly Goodejohn, Starbucks director ethical sourcing, added, The group has invested more than $100 million in supporting coffee communities and our comprehensive sourcing strategy means we can improve the resilience of our supply chain and ensure the long-term supply of high-quality coffees, as well as building stronger, enduring farming communities for generations to come. Its fantastic to celebrate our verified 99% ethically sourced coffee with customers around the world but it is the last 1% that means so much, since we have the opportunity to scale our sustainable coffee model to coffee farming communities in new regions as we strive to reach our 100% goal.
South Africans prefer to access their banking services with a mobile app, and they are most likely to complain about bad service, a new survey shows.

The Customer Experience in Banking Survey, queried more than 10,000 banking customers in two waves  the first covering the UK, UAE, India and Australia, and the second South Africa, France, Germany, Italy, and Saudi Arabia. Given the choice, the most popular method for South Africa customers to contact their bank was via a mobile app, selected by 30% of respondents, compared with 26% in India, 24% in the UAE, and just 10% in France and 8% in Germany. Online banking was the second-most preferred channel for South Africans, at 26%, with just 18% preferring to visit their branch.

Getting the customer experience right is vital to South African banks as 67% of respondents would lodge a formal complaint with their bank about bad customer service  again the highest out of all nine countries, with just 37% in Saudi Arabia saying they would complain. South Africans are also second only to Indians in complaining about bad customer service to people they know, with 41% saying they would tell friends and acquaintances. More pleasingly for banks, only 28% of South Africans would change banks because of bad service, the lowest out of all countries, while South African respondents reported the second-highest highest satisfaction levels, at 89%, below only Indias 93%.

Worst experiences

The biggest frustrations South African respondents experience when calling their bank include being kept waiting for a long time, their call being transferred between customer service agents with the problem not being resolved, and being asked to visit the branch to solve their request. When asked about proactive communication from their bank, only 26% of customers in South Africa want to receive information on a new launch or service by the bank whereas 69% of respondents want to be alerted to possible fraud or problematic transactions and 56% want to be informed when their credit card or banking service is up for renewal.

Regardless of how they choose to contact their bank, 68% of South African customers cited getting the same level of experience and service across all channels as a priority. Following that, customers want their problem to be resolved on the first point of contact, with speaking directly with a customer service agent seen as least important.
Over the past 18 months, CEOs have been waking up to the fact that they need to more actively listen to their customers and manage their experiences, in no small part due to the aggressive emergence of disruptors to their traditional markets.

 Tim Gouw - Pexels

For those willing to listen, there is no shortage of data to work with. Social media for instance has given every customer a megaphone and brought to light experience issues that may have previously gone unheard. Big data and analytics tools have also evolved, enabling businesses to gather, consolidate and more meaningfully understand their customers experience of their product or service. Artificial intelligence (AI), while still in its infancy, is also increasingly playing a role in gathering insight as well as enabling customers to resolve their own problems, often via chatbots.

Dealing with data: Boon or bust

While the influx of data can be a boon, it can just as easily be a bane, overwhelming customer support teams and causing an array of reactions. While some companies stick their heads in the sand, others provide half-hearted responses to their customers on social media. Neither is advised. Rather assess incoming feedback, understand it, and use the insights to affect improvements to both business processes and customer experiences. This also needs to come from the top, where an organisations leadership recognises the value and power of becoming customer centric, and acknowledges the danger of failing to do so.

Nobody knows where the next disruptor will come from, and by the time a new threat starts accruing market share, it may be too late to respond. This is a particularly worrisome risk for larger businesses that are often less agile than their small and medium counterparts. Those that can successfully leverage their data to understand their customers experiences will find themselves better equipped to react to, and even mitigate, the impact of a disruptor to their market altogether.

Companies often have a great deal of rich information at their fingertips that just needs to be consolidated and evaluated within the context of the customer journey. Gathering data and making sense of it is thus an essential first step. Insights then need to be translated into real world actions. Two mistakes many businesses make are that they either a) chase symptoms rather than address underlying causes, or b) approach improving the customer experience as a once-off project vs. an ongoing activity that must be integrated into their business.

Landscape shift

Customers themselves are also impacting change. Businesses are now dealing with considerably more tech-savvy consumers, ranging from millennials  notorious for being intolerant of inefficiency  to baby boomers who have become more comfortable with online shopping and technology. Both groups need to be catered to in a way that is consistent and true to a brands promise, regardless of channel. Across all segments, customers are increasingly willing to resolve simple problems themselves too. This means that, when customers do contact a call centre, the query is likely to be complex, and the person on the other end must be suitably proficient in terms of skills, knowledge and ability to address the concern.

Even as AI takes over some of the simpler customer queries, it will likely be used to handle second and third tier customer resolutions in due course too.

Know thy customer

So how can businesses stay ahead of this inevitable disruption? Mapping the customer journey to create a picture of the companys long-term relationship with the customer is a vital start. With this added customer context, turning to big data to glean insights then also becomes more viable; a move that can enhance a businesss agility to innovate and remain competitive in an increasingly untraditional and unpredictable environment.
Until now the events were organised by Leaders in Trade Exhibitions (LTE), which has been in the business of organising trade shows for over 25 years. Speaking at the announcement on Friday morning, LTE member William Scalco said that despite being satisfied with the success of the events, the company believes that handing over the reins to an international organisation will help grow the shows on an international scale.

Scalco referred to a report by McKinsey & Co. that saw African countries  including South Africa, Mauritius, Swaziland, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Egypt and Botswana  being mentioned for the first time as top sourcing destinations for apparel, textiles and footwear. He said that South Africa can become an especially major sourcing destination and that opportunities will continue to surface for local manufacturers.

"Since its inception in 2013, it has been the objective of Source Africa to promote African apparel, textiles and footwear and encourage linkages between international and regional buyers, manufacturers and suppliers, thereby promoting investment into manufacturing capacity in Africa with the goal of accelerating jobs for our people."

"We have found an ideal partner in Messe Frankfurt and with their worldwide network and expertise we can establish Source Africa as the go-to calendar event for international and regional industry professionals."

Global network opportunities

Germany-born Messe Frankfurt is the third largest trade fair company in the world with operations in over 50 countries and is the leader, globally, in textile fairs. It organises over 134 trade fairs around the world with over 90,000 exhibitors and roughly 3.5m visitors. Source Africa and ATF will be added to Messe Frankfurt South Africa's portfolio of local fairs, which include the South African Festival of Motoring, Automechanika and Cape Town International Boat Show.

The MD of Messe Frankfurt SA, Konstantin Von Vieregge, spoke at the launch breakfast and expressed the company's faith in South African industry.

"Our South African branch is a truly South African company with the support of a global network. We are not in South Africa just to make a quick buck. We think 15 to 20 years ahead and we see growth in South Africa and Africa so we are here to stay. We are committed to ensuring the growth of these industries in South Africa and we want to expose South Africas potential to the rest of the world."

Von Vieregge described the benefits of having a global company like Messe Frankfurt run trade events like Source Africa and ATF. "We'll be integrating these two shows into our global network, which will open up new doors and put it on the map as a show that's not just regional, but part of a bigger network.

"Messe Frankfurt has a strong name in the industry and that adds credibility. We have access to global experts because thats what we do on a day to day basis and we can ensure global standards for the show - when we put our name on a trade fair there are certain standards we have to adhere to. Importantly, we have cross-marketing opportunities globally so that means we can promote the SA show around the world."

The Source Africa Trade Show 2018 will take place on 20 and 21 June 2018, at the CTICC in Cape Town. The 2017 ATF Trade Show, which will take place from 21 to 23 November this year at the CTICC in Cape Town will still be managed and organised by LTE.
NAIROBI - The Tanzanian government has confiscated diamonds worth nearly $30m after accusing British company Petra Diamonds of having declared a lower value when trying to export the gems.

32.33 carat pink diamond extracted from Williamson Mine in 2016. Photo: Petra Diamonds

Speaking on government television channel TBC 1, finance minister Philip Mpango said the diamonds extracted from the Williamson Diamonds mine had been "nationalised".

The mine is 75% owned by Petra Diamonds, with the remaining stake held by the Tanzanian state.

The diamonds were seized on August 31 at the airport in Tanzania's main city of Dar es Salaam as they were being shipped to Belgium.

According to Tanzanian authorities, the documents from Williamson Diamonds estimated the value of the shipment at $14.7m based on a lower declared weight, while in fact they were worth double the amount.

"The Williamson Diamonds company documents put the value of the diamonds at $14.7m (before cutting and polishing) while their real value is $29.5m," the finance ministry said in a statement.

Two senior officials in the mining sector who had been cited in parliamentary reports on suspected embezzlement connected with the mining and sale of diamonds resigned following pressure from President John Magufuli.

Nicknamed the Bulldozer, Magufuli swept to power in 2015 on an anti-corruption platform.

He has said government officials implicated in the parliamentary report should resign and not wait for a formal dismissal order.

Magufuli has also locked horns with foreign mining companies which according to a parliamentary report have underreported their production, thus depriving Tanzania of tens of billions of dollars in revenue since 1998.
The Institute for Security Studies has ranked wildlife crime the fourth most lucrative form of organised crime globally and one of the most expensive security challenges facing Southern Africa.

It said most of the available data on wildlife crime focused on poaching and smuggling, resulting in an emphasis on securing national parks and patrolling borders. More information was needed on curbing demand and understanding how organised crime networks operated.

This led to establishing a pilot project, Enact (Enhancing Africa's capacity to respond to transnational organised crime), in partnership with the Global Initiative Against Organised Crime, and Interpol.

Researcher Ciara Aucoin said data were gleaned from media reports. She said the pilot study covered how poachers were recruited and armed, how the smuggling networks operated, the extent of overlap between groups, and the products they worked with. The pilot phase of the study covered 10 countries between 2000 and 2016, focusing on the poaching, smuggling and possession of protected species.

Preliminary findings at a glance:

A total of 1035 wildlife crimes were recorded between 2000 and 2016;

South Africa recorded the most incidents, followed by Zimbabwe and Namibia;

China, Hong Kong and Vietnam topped the list of destination countries;

Firearms (usually hunting rifles) were commonly used;

The police, customs officials or other officials were perpetrators in 5% of incidents; and

The top five illegally possessed, poached, or smuggled species or body parts were rhino horn, elephant tusk, abalone, pangolin, and big cats.

Source: The Times
Africa is known for its rich biodiversity. On a continent where people depend on this biodiversity for their daily livelihood, the question of how animals and plants that live on it will be protected, remains crucial. A difficult question to a lofty ideal. Making leaders accountable for national endeavours affecting the environment is a good start.

In 2016, the 2003 Revised African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, otherwise known as the Maputo Convention, came into force. This is a document exclusively adopted for the African continent.

Why has it taken 13 years to enter into force? The most obvious reason is that it contains strong provisions that could create accountability and also slow down social and economic development.

Much needed change

During colonial rule, Africa had two regional conventions geared towards conservation. The first was established in 1900 and was called the Convention on the Preservation of Wild Animals, Birds, and Fish in Africa. This was practical and looked at controlling wildlife harvesting at the time. But signatories did not ratify it and it never came into force.

A second attempt was the Convention Relative to the Preservation of Fauna and Flora in their Natural State. This Convention entered into force in 1936. As the name indicates, plant based resources was included here. Akin to the first convention, the use of animals and plants by people was a primary concern.

After decolonisation and independence a new conservation document was needed, one that looks after the needs of the people. This resulted in the above 1936 Convention being revised with the help of UNESCO and other bodies. It also resulted in the 1968 African Convention of the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, or Algiers Convention. Even though this convention was lauded it did not have enough teeth to enforce what was in the Convention.

As a result various attempts were made to revise it. Eventually, in 2003, the Maputo Convention was adopted. It is the first revision of Africas environmental framework law in 48 years. This event provides a much needed injection of contemporary environmental norms into African environmental law.

The Maputo Convention contains a number of new provisions but importantly it also contains progressive content. The main difference between the Maputo Convention and its predecessors is its potential to enforce the convention. Complementing this is its recognition of sustainable development and the concept of sustainable use.

Also, the recognition of prevention and precaution as a fundamental obligation is in pace with the importance of nature as a finite resource. There is a clear move away from pure utilitarianism as contained in the 1900 and 1933 conventions.

New and progressive content

The Maputo Conventions strong provisions, ironically, could be its downfall. History shows that regional legal instruments containing strict enforceable provisions get shunned by member states. Proof of this is found in the fact that it took 13 years for 16 member states to ratify the Convention.

This may be due to potential accountability as well as a perceived idea that development will suffer setbacks. The Convention includes the right to a satisfactory environment, a right to development and the concept of sustainable development. These are guiding principles that includes modern environmental approaches.

Another progressive inclusion is the fundamental obligation where parties are obliged to follow preventative and precautionary approaches. They must take into account the interests of present and future generations.

The recognition of military and hostile activities as harmful to the environment is also new and progressive. This was not the case in the predecessors and the inclusion is welcomed since Africa suffers from many internal conflicts. According to the Convention, steps must be taken by states to ensure that the environment is not harmed in conflict. But when it is harmed, parties must restore and rehabilitate the damaged areas.

Acknowledging people and their rights

The Maputo Convention places a duty on states to adopt measures that are legislative and regulatory for the spreading of environmental information. There must be access to this information, public participation in matters with a potentially significant environmental impact, and access to justice.

A final right is given to people affected by trans-boundary issues as it is given to those where the conflict began. This means that people may have access to justice where their own judicial system may not be able to help them.

The Maputo Convention also recognises the importance of the people and aims to empower through education and training as well as the recognition of traditional rights of local communities and indigenous knowledge.

There is a dedicated section regulating the relationship between sustainable development and natural resources. In so doing, a mandate is placed to ensure that development is sustainable.

Giving environmental law teeth

One of the biggest drawbacks of the Algiers Convention was that it had no power to enforce laws. By establishing both a Conference of Parties as well as a Secretariat for implementation and administration, the Maputo Convention can enforce its provisions.

According to this provision, signatories must develop and adopt rules, procedures and institutional mechanisms to deal with damage and compensation. It can however not be determined whether these bodies have been established yet. These provisions give it the teeth needed to potentially make it a successful and effective addition to environmental law in Africa.

Considering that the Algiers Convention remains in force for member states and not yet the Maputo Convention, the efficacy of it remains to be seen. This is especially true in light of the fact that only 30% of African states have ratified the Maputo Convention to date. Some prominent countries who have ratified the Convention include: South Africa, Lesotho, Angola, Rwanda, Chad, Burkina Faso and Burundi. Countries with large and growing economies that have not yet ratified the Convention include: Botswana, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Libya and Gabon.

Despite the uncertainties of how effective it will be, the Maputo Convention is bound to have some influence on African states. It may even become a topic in the African judicial system which may greatly contribute to regional environmental jurisprudence.
Over 20% of Growthpoint Properties' R76.9bn South African property portfolio, not counting its 50% stake in the V&A Waterfront, is located in the Western Cape. With level five water restrictions now in effect in Cape Town, the property investment company has made water saving a priority at its buildings across the city.

Montclare in Claremont

Cape Towns recently announced level five water restrictions require all commercial properties to reduce their monthly consumption of municipal drinking water by 20% compared to consumption for the previous year. Growthpoint says it is already well on its way to achieving this target.

Growthpoint intensified its focus on saving water at its buildings across the country in February 2016. Already, it has reduced consumption of municipal drinking water by an average of 16%, comparing a 12-month period ending February 2016 with a 12-month period ending July 2017, across its entire Cape Town office portfolio. Growthpoint expects to see even further savings as new data comes in, taking it within reach of a total 20% reduction.

It has achieved even bigger savings at some buildings. Montclare has more than halved its water consumption over the past six months. Here, Growthpoint worked closely with its proactive clients, including Virgin Active, to achieve meaningful savings. Paramount Place has also halved its water consumption from six months ago. Both buildings are in Claremont.

Detailed water audits

Head of sustainability at Growthpoint, Werner van Antwerpen, explains that achieving meaningful water savings at any building that you own, but others use, isnt easy.

For Growthpoint, the first step to achieving real, quantifiable water savings is knowing exactly how much water each building uses. Office buildings are then benchmarked against the Energy Water Performance (EWP) tool developed by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) and co-sponsored by Growthpoint.

Growthpoint has conducted detailed water audits of its office buildings to gauge their water efficiency and improve it.

In February 2016, a solid 40% of Growthpoints office buildings performed better than the EWP industry benchmark, which takes 12 months of water consumption into consideration, as well as various other factors. Buildings not performing better than the benchmark were audited to discover the reasons behind their higher consumption, then water savings initiatives were identified and implemented.

By July this year, Growthpoint had improved its benchmark-beating water-efficient buildings to 67%. We expect to grow this number to 73% in the next six months, confirms van Antwerpen.

Immediate solutions Growthpoint applied to reduce its buildings water consumption include halting all irrigation and water features, installing water-efficient fittings including tap aerators and dual-flush toilets, and working with the clients of its buildings to encourage behavioural change.

Smart water meters

Also, Growthpoint has invested, and is still investing, in smart water meters for several buildings, which is proving to be one of its most successful water saving initiatives. These meters help to quickly identify leaks that could otherwise go undetected for weeks, even months.

Van Antwerpen explains that, conventionally, water meter readings are taken every four weeks by an independent meter reading company. So there is about a six-week delay after the readings are checked and reports generated before seeing a buildings water consumption metrics.

With smart water meters, on the other hand, consumption data is measured every 15 minutes. This allows facilities management teams to respond to leaks within hours, instead of weeks.

Smart meters have proven to reduce the amount of water lost substantially. Growthpoint is installing smart water meters at most of its P- and A-grade office buildings to measure bulk water supply, he confirms.

Growthpoint has also ensured that any reports of water problems at its buildings in the Western Cape are automatically designated Priority-1 by the Growthpoint Maintenance Service Desk. It is encouraging anyone who notices a water issue at any of its buildings to report it to the maintenance desk by calling 0860444118 or share it on social media using #GRTwaterwatch, where it will be given top priority.

Growthpoint also has its eye on doing even more in the future by driving innovation to save water and boost environmental sustainability. Some of its projects include greywater recycled from municipal water at Growthpoints Bayside Mall which has reduced its municipal drinking water consumption by three million litres each month. The company also has a proof-of-concept running at its own Sandton head office that turns air humidity into water, and the V&A Waterfront is investigating desalination as a water supply.
The Kwa-Zulu Natal Agricultural union, Kwanalu, marked twenty years at the forefront of agriculture transformation at its annual congress on 7 September 2017, themed Trailblazers of Transformation.

Kwanalu Congress 2017 (Image Supplied)

Looking back over the last 20 years, Kwanalu has positioned itself as the leading union for organised agriculture in KZN and leads the way nationally as a fully integrated, transformed and relevant organisation, said Kwanalu CEO, Sandy La Marque, who has been at the helm of the organisation since 2001.

Setting out her vision for the future, La Marque added: The opportunity for the next 20 years is for Kwanalu and its members to continue being progressive, have sound policy positions, stand united and collectively work at raising the voice of agriculture in KZN and further afield.

Andy Buchan, in his second year as Kwanalu president credited Kwanalus success to its principled approach to represent the collective interests of its members, and the pivotal role the past leaders have played in shaping Kwanalu into the credible organisation it epitomises today.

Change is necessary

Talking about land reform, Buchan stressed that change is necessary. The objective of land reform must be to produce self-sufficient farmers capable of contributing to food security of their families, communities and ultimately to the economy at large. Kwanalu and its affiliates recognise the need for land reform, but the simple acquisition of land without the necessary support to sustain a living, is degenerative and doomed for failure, said Buchan. Encouraging Kwanalu members and farmers, in general, to make a positive difference to South Africa as a whole, Buchan concluded: The strength of Kwanalu, and organised agriculture, is the combined efforts of each individual.

Award-winning journalist, anti-apartheid activist and political commentator, Max du Preez addressed delegates as the custodians of our soil and producers of our food. Speaking at length on land reform, Du Preez recognised that land displacement in SA is a historic fact and an emotional issue driven by pride, arguing that it is not about agriculture in the first place. For that reason, he stressed that an aggressive approach to government about land reform will only backfire on the agricultural industry, encouraging instead more talking and more strategising as a solution. Du Preez added that the modern definition of land ownership has shifted away from being a status symbol and is now about producing food and providing employment.



Farming has become a business  there is no place for emotion or nostalgia anymore, Du Preez said.

Agri SA President, Johannes Moller who also addressed Congress, committed to renewing AgriSAs focus on implementing policies, facilitating change and ensuring transformation is implemented, in a sustainable manner, to ensure food security is a top priority.

2017 Kwanalu KZN Young Farmer of the Year

Young Farmer of the Year 2017 (Image Supplied)

Further cause for celebration at this years Congress was the announcement of the 2017 Kwanalu KZN Young Farmer of the Year. 38-year old golden kiwifruit farmer from Richmond, Ross Lowe, beat off stiff competition to take this years title and will now go on to represent the province at the national Toyota SA/Agri SA Young Farmer of the Year 2017 taking place in October.

As a young farmer, Lowe is blazing his own trail in agriculture by farming golden kiwifruit - a relatively unknown commercial farming commodity in the South African market. As such he has had to learn everything from scratch through extensive research.

On his win and on the future of farming in South Africa, Lowe said: The role of a young farmer in our economy is of huge importance in South Africa. We are the future of our countrys food security and safety and as the custodians of our land, we have to look after and cherish it for future generations. With no food, our economy will not flourish.

As for why Lowe chose the golden variety of the kiwifruit as opposed to its greener counterpart which South Africans are more familiar with, he believes they are sweeter, tastier and have huge potential in the local market as a result of their superior nutritional qualities. Additionally, there is 30-50% higher yield of fruit in comparison to the green variety so, commercially, it makes more sense, explains Lowe.

Lowe is also committed to sustainable farming practices and contributing to the countrys long-term stability through agriculture which is another reason he decided to farm the golden kiwifruit. Land is such a precious commodity in our country and farming kiwifruit requires only a small piece of land to yield a relatively high return. A high-value crop such as the golden kiwifruit also means the potential to increase wages for all staff on the farm.

A firm believer in the role organised agriculture plays in supporting farmers and the agricultural industry as a whole, Lowe is involved in his local farmers association and helped establish the Southern Kiwi Growers Association about a year ago. Still in its early stages, the association not only represents the best interests of kiwifruit farmers in KZN but also acts as a forum for its members to pool ideas, share knowledge and best-practices.

We are always blown away by the calibre of entries we receive for the Kwanalu KZN Young Farmer of the Year competition and this year has been no different. It is encouraging to see our young farmers so involved and passionate about agriculture and farming in the province, said La Marque on the announcement of the title.
The 2017 African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) saw the launch of the multi-million dollar Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA) - an innovative and transformative partnership and financing vehicle to drive inclusive agriculture transformation across Africa.

Together, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide up to $280m to catalyse and sustain inclusive agricultural transformation in at least 11 countries in Africa, which will in turn increase incomes and improve the food security of 30 million smallholder farm households.

Achieving greater impact and value through strategic partnerships

The PIATA reflects a recognition that greater impact and value can be achieved through a strategic partnership that builds on what has been achieved by each partner across the continent, and pulls them together in ways that help catalyse and sustain transformation at scale.

The PIATA is an important collaboration between donors that aligns behind the Malabo agenda agreed to by African heads of state and government in 2014. It signals an enduring commitment to Africas transformation agenda. PIATA is but one of the various means by which each of the partners is supporting African countries to deliver on agricultural transformation. Its partners continue to provide support through avenues including direct support to continental agencies, government bodies, and in-country partners. The partnership will allow partners to align and complement existing efforts, making new investments in developing input systems, value chains, and policy where they will have the most impact.

Speaking at the launch, Mamadou Biteye, managing director of the Rockefeller Foundation Africa Regional Office said: "We are pleased to be part of PIATA. We see it as an opportunity to leverage even more from the partners and their huge networks, for greater impact. We are looking forward to deploying the technologies that we have helped develop over the years, together with our shared knowledge and grant support, to work with our esteemed partners. Together we hope to catalyse Africas pursuit of prosperity through agriculture. PIATA is critical in our ongoing push to build the resilience of farmers and systems that affect them, especially in light of increasing challenges such as climate change, among others.

Agriculture still the best bet for inclusive economic growth

According to the 2017 Africa Agriculture Status Report, Africa needs an agricultural revolution that is distinct and that links millions of small farms to agribusinesses, creating extended food supply chains, jobs and economic opportunities for large segments of the population. Agriculture is still the best bet for inclusive African economic growth and poverty reduction.

Such a transformation will require greater political, policy, and financing commitments from across the public and private sectors. It will also require new partnership models like PIATA, which is hailed as an outstanding example of how partners can collaborating with African countries' visions and systems to deliver on their own transformation, in line with their national economic development strategies.

Rodger Voorhies, the executive director of the Global Growth and Opportunity Division of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said: Weve seen significant progress when countries recognise the critical importance of agriculture to their economic development and help catalyse agricultural transformation with targeted investments, evidence-based policies, and strong national plans. PIATA is an exciting platform that can help countries take the lead in driving agricultural transformation. Our investment reflects our desire to help countries develop high-quality plans linked to national and continental accountability frameworks.

Each PIATA partners boasts strong networks of local, private sector and implementers from across the continent, which, through this platform, will benefit from stronger integration of investments and alignment of approaches to boost not only development but business outcomes as well.

Delivering on Africas potential requires public and private sector engagement

Delivering on Africas potential requires both the public and private sectors to engage in new ways and strengthen collaboration. The role of the private sector and non-state actors in agriculture development and in support of formulation of country agriculture plans is critical for sustainable growth.

This was emphasized by Sean Jones, the senior deputy assistant administrator, Bureau for Food Security, USAID. PIATA offers a new way of doing business across the many public and private actors working to ensure food security and economic growth as called for in country-owned visions and the goals laid out in the Malabo Declaration. Agriculture is, at its core, a private sector enterprise and one of the best bets for job creation and inclusive growth when the right policies and investments allow the private sector to flourish. This partnership offers an innovative mechanism to unlock this investment and realise many of the targets laid out in the Global Food Security Strategy approved by our Congress.

Partnership comes at a critical time for agriculture in Africa

The PIATA launch comes at a critical time in the continents agriculture history. Most African countries have undertaken a rigorous review of the sector, developing and adopting a new generation of sector development plans that prepare them to do business. Continentally, the African Union is coordinating the biennial review of the progress made towards the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) goals, which will be presented in the first Biennial Review Report, along with a scorecard for the Heads of State to guide them in the sectors transformation.

PIATA will shape how partners engage on the continent. Under PIATA, the partners have committed to delivering impact against a shared results framework and aligning PIATA country operations to national agriculture plans. This is the first time a partnership of this scale that is based on a shared results framework has been launched on the continent, its shared results framework is a significant achievement and the cornerstone of this partnership.

Welcoming the new partnership, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), expressed her belief that the initiative would contribute significantly to accelerating Africas path to prosperity by growing inclusive economies and jobs through agriculture.

Scaling up support

We have witnessed significant progress in our agricultural transformation over the past decade, with countries that have prioritised the sector recording notable drops in poverty levels, improved food security, and inclusive economic growth. PIATA will be critical in bringing key players together to support governments in their push to fully unlock the potential of Africas smallholder farming and agribusiness as the surest drivers of job creation and the continents inclusive economic transformation, she said.

AGRA is the primary implementing institution of the partnership under the institutions new strategy for the continent and plan agreed with priority countries. Founded in 2006, AGRA and its partners have spent more than a decade building the systems, tools, and knowledge required for an inclusive agricultural transformation. AGRA now sees the partnership as a way to scale up its support to country agricultural transformation and serve as a go to partner for governments.

The ultimate hope is that the PIATA model will attract other public and private players in the agriculture landscape to join and work together to support Africa on a path to prosperity through agricultural transformation.
In its latest episode, Marketplace Africa, hosted by Zain Asher, has explored South Africa's wine making industry. During the episode, the co-founder, president and CEO of Heritage Link Brands, Selena Cuffe talks with CNN International about how her company creates opportunities for young black people wanting to break into the wine industry.

Cuffe explains to CNN Marketplace Africa: Through Heritage Links Brands, I get to live out my dream, which is to change peoples perceptions in a good way about Africa and her diaspora.

Image Supplied

Inspired by a visit to the Soweto wine festival, Cuffe describes the lightning bulb moment that motivated her. I was just mesmerised. I fell in love. And the very first booth that I stopped at was a woman of colour and she made this amazing rose. I asked her, Where can I get your wine in the States? and she laughed in my face. She said, Im sorry sister. Were barely getting distribution in South Africa, let alone being able to think about exporting our wine.

Changes and trends

Speaking about the changes over the last 12 years and current trends Cuffe explains: Today there are more than 35 different black owned wine brands and black owned vineyards. So, weve seen a trend in just the growth of the industry. There is still a way to go. Within the $3bn industry, blacks probably represent less than 30 million in annual revenue for that industry. But what I see happening for not only the owners who happen to be of colour, but also for consumers, is just a growing adoption of different types of wine that maybe are different than what has been cultivated for the tradition European palate. So, we are seeing many more sweet wines hit the market.

Cuffe goes on to explain that most of the wine in South Africa is exported because largely people drink beer and spirits. There is, however, change taking place as Cuffe reveals: We have seen a dramatic shift in that process and you are seeing not only South African wineries but also Californian wineries looking to speak to the South African consumers.

Export markets

Asher and Cuffe go onto discuss the main export markets for South African wine: Nigeria is a very important market. The United States, China is a growing market Europe because of the cultural ties that have existed specifically in the UK, and the Netherlands continue to be strong markets not only for black produced wines but generally the South African wine market, Cuffe remarks.

Looking back over the success of Heritage Link Brands and considering the future for other African wine makers, Asher asks Cuffe what her advice would be to those who may be hesitant about working in the wine industry. Cuffe recommends that it is important to learn about wine and also identify new opportunities. She says newcomers should, speak to as many people that are in the wine industry as they can to explore not only how they can produce good wine or put their name on an existing wine label, but there are so many innovations within the wine industry now.
MACHAKOS, Kenya - Ever hotter weather and more erratic rainfall has made growing many crops more difficult in Kenya's Machakos County, but one harvest is prospering: mangoes.

Meditations via pixabay

Between 2012 and 2016, mango production in Kenya rose by 47 percent, to more than 80,000 tonnes, said Geradine Nzioki, a spokeswoman for Best Tropical Fruits Company, a Kenyan fruit growing and processing firm. The selling price for processed mango also has increased by two-thirds since 2013, with overall revenue from mango sales hitting 400 million Kenyan shillings ($3.9 million) by the end of 2016, Nzioki said.

"We use the hot sun as a blessing," said Meshaek Ikinya Mutera, who began farming mangoes in semi-arid Machakos County about seven years ago and has seen his harvest increase by more than 40 percent in the last five years.

The region is turning out "some of the sweetest mangoes in the world," said the farmer, who represents a group of mango growers and also has carried out research on mango farming in Kenya as part of a master's degree programme. Over the last three years, his area of Muthetheni has seen a 16 percent increase in mango production, he said, with new farmers moving into the crop.

Many of the county's mango farmers say they have received help from the Ministry of Agriculture in determining which soils work best for growing mangos, how to prune and fertilise trees effectively and when to water. The result has been rising quality, farmers say - and the crop is largely organic, the better to save costs on chemicals and to access a wider and steadier foreign market.

New jobs, markets

Picking the ripe fruit by hand also has created new jobs in the region in the last five years, with up to 300 additional jobs expected once a planned fruit processing plant is set up at Masii in Machakos County, Nzioki said.

Mango farmers say processing fruit - which can easily rot if not sold quickly - into more durable and valuable products such as dried mango, mango powder, mango juice and mango crisps is key to making the most of their harvests. Right now too much of the fragile harvest is lost as it's transported to market, they say - though they expect the new processing plant will help. "We don't have to bring our mangoes to Nairobi for processing. We can process them in Machakos and transport the finished product to other parts of the world," Nzioki said.

With increasing mango production, exports of Kenya's mangos and mango products are growing. In Machakos County organisations including the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Kenya Chinese Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to facilitate the increased sales, Mutera said.

Mango farmers in Machakos County also have organised into groups to help share costs of transport, packaging, marketing and export licenses, he said. To be part of most of the groups, farmers must have a bank account, but gain benefits such as a certificate of origin for consignments of their crop, George Kiondo, agricultural chief executive officer for the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

With the innovations, farmers in the county have cut their mango crop losses by about 40 percent since 2013, largely by using better storage facilities, including low-cost solar-powered cold storage, and better harvesting and packaging methods, officials said. Better fruit fly control, using traps, and the use of harvesting nets have also boosted crop production and income, they said.

(Reporting by Caroline Wambui, Editing by Laurie Goering. Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, and resilience.)
Anew Hotels has launched Anew Hotel Hluhluwe & Safaris, which joins Anew Hotel Ingeli Forest & Spa under the brand. Nestled between the Hluhluwe Game Reserve and the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park in the Elephant Coast region of KwaZulu Natal, the property is special to the group, given the founders' history with the hotel.

In the 1980s, Patrick Eliot and his wife, Jill, joined forces with the Armour family to purchase an old, rundown roadside motel situated beneath the Ingeli Mountain. Together, they transformed the property into a warm, welcoming mountain forest lodge that complements its beautiful surroundings.

Image Supplied

With the partnership having proved successful, the Eliots and Armours procured the Hluhluwe Hotel in 1998. Over a six-year period, the hotel underwent extensive renovations before being sold to a JSE-listed hospitality group in 2007.

New hotel experience

In 2015, that group decided to divest itself of five properties, including Hluhluwe, prompting the Eliot and Armour families to reclaim ownership of the hotel under the newly formed Anew Hotels brand.

With Clinton Armour as CEO and the now semi-retired Eliot as director, the hotel has undergone upgrades to ensure that guests enjoy the true Anew experience  a blend of service, luxury and efficiency, with a family feel. Under the Anew brand, we have breathed new life and energy into the hotel, its management and staff. Now, our mission is to provide guests with a home away from home that offers the ultimate leisure experience, says Eliot.

The wonder of nature

Today, guests at Anew Hotel Hluhluwe & Safaris can immerse themselves in the wonders of nature with activities such as safaris, elephant interactions and visits to the Zulu Croc Reptile Park. When not busy getting acquainted with the Elephant Coasts animals, guests can cool off by the pool, explore the hotels curio shop or dine in the Inkonkoni Restaurant.

Image Supplied

They are also spoiled for choice with a wide range of rooms, including six bedrooms within two new self-catering rondavels and the revamped five-star luxury lodge. In addition, an assortment of conferencing facilities and a variety of wedding ceremony and reception venues are available to add a wild side to events.

Following the successful procurement and launch of Anew Hotel Hluhluwe & Safaris, the group intends to continue growing through the acquisition of additional properties and management contracts in strategic locations around South Africa.
To honour South Africa's top hospitality establishments, Discount Traveler is celebrating National Tourism month with the third annual Sanlam Top Destination Awards, with winner announcements taking place at the Kelvin Grove Club in Newlands, Cape Town on 14 September.

Founder of the Top Destination Awards, Jonathan Pepler

Created to uplift the nations hospitality industry, the awards acknowledges key players within the South African tourism sector, serving as a platform for nominees to compete for the title of top destination in nine categories and five-star gradings respectively.

Hospitality and tourism is a large driving force in our economy and we want to continue to recognise and reward one of our countrys most influential industries, explains Jonathan Pepler, managing director of Discount Traveler and founder of the Sanlam Top Destination Awards.

Sponsored prizes

The stakes have been raised this year by sponsors who have put together an array of generous prizes. Inn-Addition will be giving away a gift hamper, Romatex Hospitality Textiles, the official textiles sponsor of the awards, will be giving one lucky establishment a full bedding set and Rialhem, which crafted the trophies that will be handed out on the evening, will have one lucky winner in attendance win a fully decorated Rialheim room makeover.

Sabre Hospitality Solutions, the title sponsor of the Sabre Top Destination Technology Award, will be giving members who have signed up with Sabres central reservation system, SynXis, before 14 September a chance to win a trip to the Sabre Customer Forum in Europe in 2018. Finally, all finalists who have added their inventory to Bookings Unlimited before Thursday, 14 September, stand a chance to win big with vehicle sponsor, Volkswagen.

We strive to uplift local family businesses that have put blood, sweat and tears into their establishments while also giving recognition to the four and five-star hotels whom all deserve recognition for their stellar contribution, elaborates Pepler.

This years award ceremony will be streamed live via the Sanlam Top Destination Awards Facebook page. Emcees for the evening will include Josie Eveleigh and Tracey Lange. Viewers can expect live performances by Ricky Botsis, ShenFM and an authentically African dance presentation by Blush Productions.
Our exotic neighbour, perhaps best known for its Luso-African culture and beautiful coastline, Mozambique's allure as a business travel destination should not be underestimated. This is especially as international companies flock to set up shop and invest in its mining sector. Following Mozambique's economic resurgence, we have noticed that over 50% of our business is driven from the corporate travel market, says Natalie Tenzer-Silva of Dana Tours, based in Maputo, Mozambique.

Dereje Belachew via 123RF - Maputo

Tenzer-Silva adds that Maputo is currently the prime business destination because it is the capital where most of the multinational businesses have established themselves. She adds that the destinations appeal as a business destination is largely due to its rich natural resources while at the same time upholding the highest-quality business standards.

As any modern-day road warrior will know, a trip to Mozambiques not all work and no play. Mozambiques allure can be directly attributed to the many leisure activities that are unique to the destination. Whether travellers are looking for post-business ocean or safari excursions or immersing themselves in history or culture, Mozambique offers it all, says Tenzer-Silva.

Every country has its own customs and traditions. So, when travelling Mozambique for your next business venture, keep the following guidelines in mind:

1. Make a good first impression

Ensure you get your greeting right. How? It is customary for both men and women to shake hands. Men commonly use both hands when greeting someone, with the left hand placed on the upper arm of the other person. If youre meeting more than one person, make a point of acknowledging everyone with a nod until you are formally introduced. Dont be surprised if women look down when speaking with men  this is a sign of respect and also know that it is customary for the person who initiated the meeting to open business conversations, while the most senior person in the room closes discussions.

2. Titles carry weight

Always address acquaintances in Mozambique by their professional title. If you are not sure about the title, address men in the third person as O Senhor (Mr) and women as A Senhora (Mrs/Ms). It is frowned upon to address someone by their first name unless they have indicated you are allowed to do so. If your business contact has a degree, it is polite to refer to them as Dr or Dra.

3. Plan ahead

Always set up a meeting time and venue in advance, and arrive punctually. Even though meetings in Mozambique may not run as per scheduled, visiting business colleagues are still expected to be punctual. Ensure that you have allocated enough time between appointments as these have a tendency to overrun.

4. Keep it social

Mozambican locals are quite social, so try to start any business meetings with small talk about families and health. You should keep in mind that its all about relationships in Mozambique. Make a real effort to get to know your associates socially, as this will end up helping you professionally.

Also, take note of the following:

 It is seen as a sign of respect to give and receive something using both hands

 Dont worry if you find people hissing at each other or even at you. It is custom in Mozambican culture to make a hissing sound when someone wants to get your attention.

5. Dress

Dress for success in Mozambique. Men are expected to wear a suit or dress pants with a button-up shirt and tie. Women can opt for a dress with a blazer or a business suit or a traditional dress.

6. Negotiation Tips

Most business conversations are conducted in Portuguese. So, make use of translation facilities, which are readily available in Maputo. Or, if you really want to impress, get to know the language first-hand.

If at all possible, try not to schedule any business meetings in January. During this month, national holidays take precedence and many government employees take leave.

Also, keep in mind that business decisions are not made on the fly. Be prepared for ongoing back-and-forth discussions following your initial meeting. Be patient and do not try to rush a decision from your business partners in Mozambique  it could cost you the entire deal.
WASHINGTON, US: As Floridians flee the path of Hurricane Irma, one app is proving to be a hurricane season essential: Zello walkie-talkie.

Allowing users to communicate even when a natural disaster affects phone signal, the app is the most-downloaded software this week.

Developed by tech start-up Zello, based in Austin, Texas, Zello walkie-talkie was launched in 2011.

Transforming smartphones into modern-day walkie-talkies, it topped the download charts on Google Play and the Apple App Store Friday.

Zello says it has 100 million users - although before the arrival of Hurricane Harvey, analysis by Sensor Tower showed it was only the 1400th most-downloaded app.

But over a million people, mostly in Puerto Rico and Florida, installed it earlier this week as Hurricane Irma approached.

"It's voice-focused," explained CEO Bill Moore. "Voice is our natural form of communication. Talking for a few seconds can reveal so much information about your gender, your level of education, your place of origin or the emotions you're feeling."

Users can join a channel and exchange short messages with others. It's as easy as recording a message with your phone and sending it to the group, as with other applications such as Viber and WhatsApp.

It's also possible to send pictures -- but the app does use up a lot of battery.

Contrary to some reports on social media, the app does require an internet connection.

To send a message using Zello, a 2G cellular data connection is enough - making it practical in the case of a natural disaster, when networks can be disrupted.

Zello is also free to download and does not feature in-app adverts.

During Harvey, its users exchanged advice and organized rescue efforts, with several channels created to discuss the aftermath of the hurricane. On Friday, with Hurricane Irma looming, thousands of users in Florida took to the app to swap tips.

But the company warns the app is not intended as a replacement for coordinated rescue efforts and urged users to follow official instructions.

"While Zello has been helpful in Harvey relief efforts, it is not a hurricane rescue tool and is only as useful as the people who use it, and as reliable as the data network available," it said in a post on its Facebook page.

Source: AFP
The seventh annual South African Savanna Comics' Choice Awards (Savanna CCA) was held at the Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City on 9 September 2017.

John Vlismas directed this years show, which featured comedy sketches interwoven with standup routines as the 11 awards were handed out.

This annual variety show features Africas top comedians and celebrities, journalists, and ministers join the entire comedy industry in honouring the best.

Themed The Freedom of Funny, the 2017 instalment celebrated the power that humour has to break down barriers and open borders between African countries and encourage the free flow of comedy talent.

It was the first year that the Savanna Pan-African Award was presented; the five nominees hail from Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Lesotho. Comedians are involved in the selecting process, which means they rate their fellow comedians and decide which of them will receive the Waldo (the awards statuette).

The gist of the show was a hilarious parody of current affairs, with Hlaudi Motsoeneng (played by previous Savanna CCA award winner KG Mokgadi) interrupting the show to take over and save it with a budget of R200m.

Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas was invited to present the Waldo to this years Savanna Comic of the Year.

And the Waldo goes to

Loyiso Gola won the Breakthrough Award for selling out at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival along with his tour of Australia. Up-and-coming contender Thabiso Mhlongo won in the Savanna Newcomer of the Year category with previous newcomer winner Ebenhaezer Dibakwane receiving the Intermediate Award.

Funnyman Salesman (Collen Chepi) received the Non-English Comic Award for his vernacular routines. Mojak Lehoko received the Comics Pen Award for his writing on several local television productions.

For a third time, the Nando's Best Friend of Comedy was awarded to Goliath & Goliath for their ongoing support and facilitation of South African comedy.

The Audience Choice Award is the only category where the public can vote, and this years Audience Choice Waldo went to Elton Mduduzi Ntuli.

Skhumba Hlophe received two awards this year; The Flying Solo Award as well as the Savanna Comic of the Year award.

The inaugural Savanna Pan-African Comic of the Year Award went to Basketmouth (Bright Okpocha) from Nigeria.

The show's finale was a tribute to Cyril Green, who was announced as the Lifetime Achiever recipient shortly before he passed away in July.

A Savanna CCA special, featuring highlights from this years awards show, will air on Vuzu Amp (DStv channel 103) in the coming weeks.
Tractor Outdoor, in partnership with Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company, has recently undertaken a complete rebranding of Cape Town's iconic cable cars. Mastercard South Africa has entered into an agreement to sponsor certain branding elements at the Cableway.

Voted as one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the world in 2011, Table Mountain is also one of the most visited tourist destinations in Africa.

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company takes pride in providing approximately one million visitors from all over the world a world-class experience. The Cableway itself has, to date, transported over 26 million visitors to the summit of Table Mountain. Each of the two cable cars is able to carry 65 visitors every 4-5 minutes, enabling almost 800 visitors to enjoy the trip every hour.

Table Mountain Cableway is one of the most iconic tourist attractions in the world, and we are extremely pleased and proud to be involved in a project of this size and stature. We started our business in 2001 in Cape Town and we are proud to now be the number one supplier of OOH solutions in the region says Simon Wall, Managing Director of Tractor Outdoor Tractor Outdoor is excited to be partnering with a brand that is synonymously thought of as one of the most attractive and majestic destinations in South Africa, and looks forward to providing a fresh perspective with spectacular, high-impact branding experiences for visitors to enjoy.

For more information, visit www.tractoroutdoor.com or call 0869990226.




AfricaCom 2017 takes place 7-9 November at the Cape Town International Convention Centre this year, celebrating 20 years in business. Billed as Africa's largest technology, telecoms and media event, enabling economic empowerment, it has also introduced new innovations for 2017.

AfricaCom 2017 launch.

It promises delegates and exhibitors three days of thought-provoking content and cutting-edge technology and a glimpse into what the future holds in terms of digital and its impact on life as we know it. Organiser KNect365 has introduced a brand-new Technology Arena that will provide a glimpse of the potential the future holds for forward-thinkers  whether it is in the Fintech space, or E-Health, education, energy, agri-tech or more.

The Technology Arena will also house an array of new tech (over 100 exhibitors), some of which, will be interactive and on display in demo pods, along with many other novel developments that will debut at the show. Included in this exciting space is another fresh feature, AfricaCom 20/20. This is a brand-new show floor item dedicated to accelerating Africas digital transformation and is the centrepiece of the new arena.

Underpinning the event is a business-critical agenda and, as always, world class speakers, alongside over 400 exhibitors. But AfricaCom is more than an exhibition and a conference. It is now a staging ground for re-imagining and re-defining how we, as Africans and humans, will communicate and transact with one another.

2017 is a landmark for AfricaCom. Over the past two decades, we have grown from being a purely telecommunications-focused event, to a broader, digital communications show now hosting the foremost group of influencers involved in every aspect of the African digital ecosystem, explained Tom Cuthell, portfolio director of KNect365, the organiser of the event.

As the digi-sphere continues to expand and impact every aspect of our personal and professional lives, AfricaCom has grown in scope to create a broad platform for everybody involved in powering the digital economy in Africa.

Fourth industrial revolution

Over the past two decades, AfricaCom has provided a stage for robust debate, as well as identifying the needs for Africas growth and the solutions and subsequent policy making that has seen the continent leapfrog the desktop era, straight into mobile.

As such, AfricaComs bringing together of front-end developers and backend engine drivers, into one place, is an essential service to the custodians of not just Africas future, but the planets, to embrace the merging of man and machine in the 4th Industrial Revolution.

The first-ever AfricaCom in 1997, was launched in Cape Town as GSM Africa, the same year the first proposal for a regional internet registry for Africa was launched.

In 2012, AfricaCom welcomed 8,000 delegates through its doors and in 2014, Namibia became the first African country to terminate analogue TV signals, with more than 3.8 million jobs being directly or indirectly attributed to the mobile industry by 2015. Now in 2017, over 167-million Africans have access to the internet with around 300 technology hubs on the continent and AfricaCom prepares to welcome over 13 000 delegates from all corners of the world.

As a global events organisation, Informa (incorporating KNect365, the organiser for AfricaCom), took a birds eye view and early-on, recognising the growing confluence of digital, telecommunications and media. Consequently, over the past few years, it has launched several new streams and brought together global influencers to share best practice. The result is a 2017 show and conference menu that is poised to re-engineer thought processes and business outputs.

The calibre of speakers  400 of them  is a major drawcard. The conference tracks will deliver the latest advances in their respective areas. Some of the luminaries to present their insights, include: Herman Singh, group chief digital officer, MTN; John Momoh (OON), chairman and CEO of Channels Media Group; Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, director general of the National Broadcasting Commission and Joseph Hundah, CEO of Econet Media.

Another opportunity to bond is The Village. This is AfricaComs VIP luxury networking space, designed exclusively for C-Level operators and regulators, speakers and ICT leaders from large enterprises.

To register and for more information on the agenda, see https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom/.
South Africa's Vuma Reputation Management announced last month that it was expanding into Africa with the signing of partnership agreements with four leading African communications agencies to bolster its footprint on the continent. It also created an Africa division and appointed Nonye Mpho Omotola to head it up as business director.

Nonye Mpho Omotola.

Omotola is a communications specialist with more than 15 years in strategic brand experience across the United Kingdom, South Africa and Nigeria. She has been a guest lecturer at Gordons Institute of Business to full time MBA students on Executing Marketing Strategies in Africa and senior executives on Doing Business in Nigeria. Omotola has gained extensive experience within the global branding and advertising spheres having started her career in London at Maynard Leigh Associates; followed by TMP Worldwide. She has worked in a number of leading firms in Europe and in other parts of Africa, including: Jupiter Drawing Room, Johannesburg; FCB, Durban; and Insight Grey, Lagos where she was director of strategic planning and new business. She was also the group head of corporate communications at Oceanic Bank Nigeria (now Eco bank).

The African PR agencies that Vuma has signed agreements with, are: BSD Group in Nairobi, Kenya; Zeleman in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Prosper Agbenyega in Accra, Ghana; and Design Innovation in Lusaka, Zambia.

Why is the time right for Vuma to expand into Africa now?

To answer this question, it will be divided into three parts:

The business is in its 12th year of operation, having been founded by Janine Hills, a renowned expert in reputation management. Over this period, we have built a phenomenal culture, a diverse staff base and an executive team that will take us into the next 12 years and beyond. This has resulted in us having a strong client portfolio, with robust relationships and a healthy balance sheet, ultimately attracting multi nationals, based in Europe and South Africa with operations on the rest of the continent.

Given global trends and the dynamics in African markets, there is an imperative for strong reputation management for corporates and professionals alike. At Vuma our tag-line is, Africans Working for Africa. This is something we are passionate about, given that we are a home bred African company, so expanding our presence in Africa was the next logical step.

As Africans working for Africa, partnering with our clients in the markets they operate in is a journey. It has taken us two years to ensure we found the right affiliates who understand our work and share the same culture and business values. Most importantly, we are proud Africans who want to do great work representing what is great about our continent.

What is your strategy?

If you look at the economic outlook of Africa, across sectors there is a favourable outlook for 2017 and 2018, with an expected economic growth of just under 4.9% of GDP. East Africa is the fastest growing region at 5.3% growth, which means companies looking to take advantage of those numbers need to either maintain their strong reputation or build upon it - and that is where we come in. We keep in mind that the work we do here in South Africa will also be a representation for our affiliates in Africa.

How has reputation management grown across the African continent?

Reputation management has grown because of the easy accessibility of information today, largely due to the digital era and various trends including the big data revolution and the fact that data will have consequences for reputation management. Companies will need to either maintain a strong reputation or build upon it in line of what is expected of them in the market. This is where we are able to lead.

How do you expect reputation management to evolve in the near future?

The principle of reputation management wont ever evolve because it is about being authentic. However, the work being done will always evolve because this is now dictated by the digital era. Companies have to be authentic and agile in responding to queries, complaints and disgruntled stakeholders, managing their employees effectively and fairly. The surge in alternative facts (fake news) has meant that brands and companies need to control their share of voice and narrative more than ever before.

How did you choose your partners on the continent?

We went on a road show in the market where our affiliates operate to meet with potential companies. After taking them through our credentials we saw there were significant commonalities in terms of business principles, values and culture, leading to ongoing discussions and a final Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by both parties.

How do you hope to make an impact on the industry in Africa?

As South Africas leading reputation management company, our aim is to replicate our work in Africa, enhancing brand reputation and defining a positive African narrative. We also wish to contribute to sustainable economies by ensuring local communities thrive. This is why it was important to partner with local country affiliates.

What is your business focus right now?

Our focus is to consolidate our partnerships with clients and affiliates, increasing growth and brand presence over the next three years, creating opportunities for our valued employees and our clients.

How does Vuma as a brand differentiate itself from competitors?

Vuma is a corporate reputation company and a partner to our clients. The professional work we do and the relationships we have built demonstrate this. Over the years we have achieved accolades and great client respect.

The biggest trends to note in your industry?

Easy accessibility to data and information via social media and online. The more data costs come down, the greater the accessibility, which will put increased pressure on companies to tighten up their own security and to understand that your employees are the most valuable ambassadors of your brand. Stakeholders have and will always be vital to the reputation of the business. Reputation will continue to play a bigger role in the value of your brand or company.

What is your main challenge?

Main challenge is finding the right skills at various levels, it could be writing, effective media relations, crisis management and work ethic.

Where do you draw your creative inspiration?

Creative inspiration is all around us. South Africa is a very diverse society. Working in Africa means that you always have to customise your approach and your attitude adapting to local nuances, people and culture. This is where curiosity and inspiration comes from. Even our team is diverse so we learn from each other every day.

How do you inspire others?

By enthusing passion for Africa and a desire for growth across sectors and communities as Africans working for Africa, our experiences, understanding and respect of cultures will ultimately enable us tell a greater more impactful African story.

Your life philosophy?

Be the change you want to see!
Africa is still a highly popular investment destination for multinational companies looking to do business with and on the continent. The epicentre of this intrigue is growth: the middle class and affluent segments of Africa's population are expanding fast. In sub-Saharan Africa, what was a 7% annual growth rate from 2005 through 2015, is now accelerating to an anticipated 12% a year through 2035.

Stefano Niavas

Moreover, private consumption is expected to increase at 5% per annum (in real terms) to $1.25 trillion in 2025, within Africas eight largest markets. As other markets mature, growth slows, and volatility rises, Africas consumers are widely and highly optimistic, according to BCGs most recent Drawing a Route to Market for Multinationals report.

There are also many reasons for companies to be cautious, with the most prominent of these being complexity. Africa is anything but another emerging-market opportunity. It comprises more than 50 markets, with each of these being socially, culturally, politically, and economically unique - that span a continent the size of the US, Europe, China, India, and Japan combined.

The logistics alone might be daunting, but is made even more complex when coupled with the intricacies of multiple operating models, supply chains, distribution networks, marketing strategies, as well as regulatory regimes - all in an evolving ecosystem.

Navigating the complexities involved

In order to address Africas complex consumer market, multinational companies should acknowledge that Africa consists of 54 unique markets  all of which have their complexities. New entrants to the market can underestimate the level of managerial, operational and financial support that distribution networks require.

These are the key aspects to assessing the market; understanding the consumer, mapping the supply chain and gauging the competitive landscape. Coming to grips with basic factors about a market such as its size, the drivers of consumer behaviour, and who buys which companys products, can require enormous effort.

Lack of market data

In developed markets, multiple research organisations provide all kinds of data, but in many African markets such organisations dont exist or, if they do, they have very different definitions of categories and products. As a result, assessments of market size and composition are highly inconsistent.

In Nigeria, for example, reported rice consumption totalled 6.5 million metric tons in 2015. Local production accounted for about 2.5 million metric tons and imports for another 2.3 million, leaving a gap of some 1.7 million metric tons between the reported consumption and production figures.

There are many possible explanations, including inaccurate statistics, many instances of smuggling across local borders, and irregular customs processes. Its all but impossible to know exactly which apply and to what extent.

Limited infrastructure

Infrastructure is an issue everywhere. Building quality, transportation, and electric power are problematic in many urban and most rural areas. At the very least, limited and basic infrastructure requires substantial expenditures that cannot easily be passed along to less affluent consumers, and in many places underdevelopment, combined with long distances, makes it difficult or impossible to serve large rural populations cost-effectively.

Take Nigeria, for example. The Nigerian national road network of more than 190,000 kilometres carries more than 90% of all freight and passengers, but fewer than 20% of the roads are paved. This adds significantly to transit times and contributes notable wear and tear to vehicles. Poor road networks also exacerbate heavy traffic, causing big delays, especially on routes to and from ports, where trucks are frequently forced to queue up overnight.

Charting a successful route to market strategy

The greatest rewards, however, go hand-in-hand with the biggest risks. BCG has studied how companies, including local players as well as multinational corporations, overcome the considerable challenges that define Africas business environment.

Although there are outliers and exceptions, we found that most successful companies take the following steps in setting their routes to market. Firstly, these businesses set the level of their ambition and deciding where they want to play.

Next, these companies establish the right structure and distribution plan, before choosing the right partners to help them achieve success. Finally, these organisations design a route to retailers as well as supporting in-store execution.

Taking the time to understand the continents individual markets, determine where to play, choose the right partners, and establish an effective structure and distribution setup can make the difference between a failed experiment and a successful long-term business in some of the worlds fastest-growing markets.
Africa Business Radio has launched a new show to unpack Africa's reputational challenges and opportunities.

Talking to Africa will make its debut on September 27. The show will broadcast on Wednesdays at 3pm, with repeats on Thursdays and Mondays at 9am SAT. The objective of Talking to Africa is to discuss the narrative of Africa: what it currently is; who shapes it; how it impacts the continent's development; and what can be done to ensure Africans own their own storytelling tools and platforms.

Following on the release of her new e-book, Talking to Africa: Considering Culture in Communications for a Complex Continent, PR and Communications maven, Mimi Kalinda, continues the work of ensuring Africans are given a platform to shift the African narrative.

Narrative

Author and managing director of Africommunications Group (ACG), a pan-African public relations company, and now the new host of Talking to Africa, Kalinda leverages her experience of almost two decades in communications in Africa and abroad, to argue and highlight the importance of giving Africans a voice and recreating the African continent's narrative.

The first episode of Talking to Africa is to discuss Africa's shift from what The Economist once dubbed "The Dark Continent", to "Africa Rising", and the exploration will be led by a common goal: to explore and get to know the factors, circumstances and people who shape Africa's narrative, why and how they do it, and what can be done towards achieving reputational equity for Africa that is fair, balanced and truly representative of the realities on the continent.

Subsequent episodes of the show's first season will discuss Agenda 2063, African youth immigrating to Europe, the reforms of the African Union, trade issues in East Africa, African leadership and the issue of culture, African identity and social cohesion, decolonising African education, Cameroon's Francophone and Anglophone conflict, colonial tax in the modern world, trade and politics in Southern Africa, democracy, and Africa's contribution to scientific discovery.

Complexity

Kalinda is an advocate of the African continent and its growth. She regularly writes and speaks about how shaping Africa's narrative positively is vital for the continent to fulfil its potential. She is an associate of the 2017 Archbishop Tutu Fellow Leadership programme, sits on the Africa Brand Counsel and was nominated for the Women4Africa Awards 2016 as a finalist for the International African Woman of the Year Award.

Africa Business Radio is a multi-platform digital business radio station combining the power of traditional online with mobile, social media and Podcast to reach a wider community of business and institutional leaders.

ABR provides insights and analysis regarding the business landscape across Africa, ranging from startups to economics, providing stories useful for doing or planning to do business in Africa.

Its goal is to reduce the risk of failure for businesses of all sizes expanding into or across Africa by demystifying the complexity of the African Business Landscape.
At a meeting held by the Kayin Womens Empowerment Group (KWEG) and Belgium-based Nonviolent Peace Force in Hpa-an on September 8, some organizations said that with the official ceasefire mechanism setting up local-level offices, the CSOs involvement may be seen as redundant, or as meddling if they run against the status quo.

The CSOs are doing ceasefire monitoring. We are cooperating [with the JMC]. The JMC also has its own agenda which needs to be carried out, said Mann Thein Zaw, chair of THWEE Group from Kawkareik township.

The first local-level joint ceasefire monitoring office was established last month in Hpapun township. The eight-member body is comprised of three representatives from the government, three from ethnic armed organizations and two from the local community.

Groups present at the September 8 conference emphasized the need for strong community voices to be appointed to the local-level JMC bodies.

The government will select representatives that share the same view as them. The ethnic armed groups will do the same. So one thing I want to advise is that no matter who is selected as a [community] representative, he or she must understand the peace process very well. If they are a capable representative, I believe they can cooperate with the CSOs, said Saw Ka Lo Htoo, chair of the Hsar Mu Htaw Group.

According to the provisions in the nationwide ceasefire agreement, the JMCs should seek the advice of local political parties, religious leaders, village leaders and CSOs in trying to implement peace.

Nan Myint Tin, from the Kayin State-level Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee (JMC-S), said the CSOs and JMCs are natural collaborators.

The public wants peace. The CSOs want to bring peace. So we must [together] transparently, accurately and in an unbiased way report on whats happening in the regions, she said.
The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels.



You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us!





WARNING:

Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised.





COMMENTS:

We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately.






Nag Missile.

NEW DELHI (PTI): India's indigenously developed third generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) Nag has been successfully flight tested by premier defence research organisation DRDO in deserts of Rajasthan, marking completion of development trials.



The defence ministry said Nag has been successfully flight tested twice by the DRDO against two different targets Friday in Rajasthan. The missile can hit a target up to seven km.



"The ATGM Nag missile has successfully hit both the targets under different ranges and conditions with very high accuracy as desired by the armed forces," the ministry said.



India has been trying to ramp up its military capability in sync changing security dynamics in the region.



The defence ministry said Friday's flight tests and the trials in June marked the successful completion of development trials of Nag missile.



"With these two successful flight trials, and the flight test conducted earlier in June in the peak of summer, the complete functionality of Nag ATGM along with launcher system NAMICA has been established and marked the successful completion of development trials of Nag missile," it said.


Air Hait/WPBF-TV(MIAMI) -- Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida on Sunday, days after the powerful storm's winds and rain devastated many islands in the Caribbean.



Many humanitarian organizations are still reeling from the massive devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which inundated Houston with deadly floodwater less than two weeks ago.



Here are some ways to help those impacted by Irma. All of the charity organizations below have been approved by the nonprofit group Charity Navigator as highly-rated organizations that are currently responding to areas affected by Irma.



American Red Cross



"The Red Cross has mobilized its second massive hurricane response in two weeks to help people affected by Hurricane Irma," the organization said in a statement on its website. "Relief efforts stretch from the U.S. Virgin Islands through Florida to the mid-Atlantic region."

The American Red Cross is accepting donations to help with Irma relief efforts on its website and by phone at 1- 800-RED CROSS. People can also text the word "IRMA" to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Catholic Relief Services

This international humanitarian organization that is affiliated with the U.S. Catholic church and headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, has already begun responding to the devastation in the Caribbean, providing shelter, water, hygiene kits and other supplies to those displaced by Irma. Information on how to donate and where the funds are being allocated is available on its website.

Our emergency team is standing ready to respond to Hurricane #Irma with relief supplies. How you can help: https://t.co/6whfkUo1tO. pic.twitter.com/HQBIxWwS4m  Catholic Relief (@CatholicRelief) September 6, 2017

Direct Relief



The NGO Direct Relief has staff already stationed in Miami, ready to respond to medical needs that arise across Florida, according to its website, where information on how to help is available.

Heart to Heart International

Heart to Heart International, which focuses on providing access to health care, is preparing a disaster team and Mobile Medical Unit to respond in Florida and other parts of the U.S. where Irma hits, according to its website.

HHI is positioning our mobile medical unit, medical team & supplies to be ready to respond. Text IRMA to 41444 to give. #IrmaHurricane2017 pic.twitter.com/Gwx8MFjD0f  Heart to Heart Int'l (@Heart_to_Heart) September 9, 2017

Americares

"Hurricane Irma has already caused significant damage, and millions more people live in its path. Our relief workers are on the ground in several different locations, coordinating with partners and standing ready to help address health needs resulting from the storm, Garrett Ingoglia, Americares' vice president of emergency response, said in a statement on the group's website, which is currently accepting donations.

For every disaster that pulls at our heartstrings&calls upon our expertise, we look to those we serve | Help @#Irmahttps://t.co/wibvPNz9I1 pic.twitter.com/23GO9CAwwu  Americares  (@Americares) September 10, 2017

UNICEF USA

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund has already begun responding to Irma's devastation in the Caribbean. The humanitarian group, which focuses on advocating for children, is also preparing for its response to those affected in the U.S. The group is accepting donations via text and on its website.

Samaritans Purse



The non-demonimational Christian organization has already responded on the ground, bringing critical supplies to those affected by Irma in St. Maarten, and announced on its website that it is "ready to go" in Florida. Donations can be submitted on its website.

Please continue to #pray for Florida and all those in the path of #HurricaneIrma. https://t.co/nVKkYb4E4Y  Samaritan's Purse (@SamaritansPurse) September 10, 2017

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
RTE weather reporter Teresa Mannion rose to fame in 2015 when she braved Storm Desmond to give us this weather report.

Although she will always have a special place in the hearts of Irish people, we feel the title of bravest weather reporter has to go to these American weathermen reporting from Hurricane Irma in Florida.

CNNs Chris Cumo giving a full report standing in gusts up to 142 mph is no joke.

Chris Cuomo battling Irma's full force in Naples. Peak gust 142 mph at 4:35 pm https://t.co/SBp2cjLCIK pic.twitter.com/Gv1IjMAQij  CNN Weather Center (@CNNweather) September 10, 2017

While the Weather Channel tweeted its reporter Mike Bettes struggling to stay upright in the midst of the tempest.

This is what the eyewall of Hurricane #Irma looks like. Watch The Weather Channel for continuing storm coverage. pic.twitter.com/7U7JzbVo3Z  The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) September 10, 2017

Stay safe out there, folks!

It turns out now some serious sh*t in Florida, but why reporters are allowed to be out on evacuated areas? #IrmaHurricane #CNNWeather pic.twitter.com/1D8GT1hV60  Jarno Teittinen (@JarnoTeittinen) September 10, 2017

Crazy reporter in the middle of a crazy hurricane #IrmaHurricane #Irma pic.twitter.com/Ydkyypnlh1  Tony Samia (@tonysamia) September 11, 2017

Weather channel reporter LITERALLY ALMOST GETS SWEPT AWAY on the scene in Naples!!! #IrmaHurricane pic.twitter.com/K19zvzEpcL  George Bretherton (@fifthdownnyc) September 10, 2017
Concern has been raised over the fitness of Irish children as new figures show 90% of secondary schools provide less than two hours of physical education per student per week.

Irish Life Health is today launching the Schools Fitness Challenge with the aim of improving fitness among secondary school students.

Creator of the challenge Professor Niall Moyna has called for an overhaul of the PE system.

"There's a perception out there that the PE curriculum and the PE teachers are qualified to teach them about health and wellness - they're simply not," he said.

Lack of exercise has damaging and lasting effects on the long-term health of students.

According to Irish Life Health's 2016 report which examined 82 15-year-old boys over a period of three years, 87% of students who have low fitness levels had the vascular age of a 55-60 year old man and 62% of 'low-fit' students were at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Irish Life Health also said that children aged 15 and 16 already show signs of heart disease due to poor fitness and that boys with low levels of fitness had significantly more plaque in the walls of the arteries supplying the brain than very fit boys.

"The vast majority of students leaving secondary school wouldn't know where to start to design or evaluate their own own health," Prof. Moyna added.

The fitness gap between boys and girls has been shown to widen as they move through secondary school, with boys measuring 42% fitter than girls.

Reacting to the report, one Dublin mother has expressed her concern about the amount of PE time being provided to her daughter.

"They're only gone down to one 40-minute class per week and that includes getting changed and getting ready as well. I just felt that at the age of 13 or 14, that's the time they're trying to encourage girls to stay in sport."

According to Irish Life Health, the fittest schools in the country last year were Mount Anville Secondary School in Dublin (girls), St Macartan's College in Monaghan (boys) and Milltown Presentation Secondary School in Kerry (mixed).

Over 120,000 secondary school children have taken part in the challenge in previous years.

Teachers can register for the challenge online for free before September 22 with fitness tests, including bleep tests, running from October to December.

Students undergo a bleep test to measure their current fitness levels before taking a six week training programme to improve their cardiovascular fitness.

The bleep test is then repeated and the school's average results are collated to measure improvement.

Irish Life Health said the aim is to make it an enjoyable experience for all involved and, as such, individual performances will not be published to avoid embarrassment.

"We only record pupils fitness levels. Names or personal information are not needed and aren't recorded. Individual fitness test results will be kept strictly confidential. We combine a schools fitness test results, then use an average value to identify the winners," according to their website.

The challenge follows the appointment of a new HSE clinical lead for obesity last week who has raised concern over childhood obesity.

"We have reached a point where we absolutely need to put in aggressive prevention and treatment strategies," Professor Donal O'Shea said.
A man has been charged with the murder of a father of one in Tallaght, Dublin.

Graham McKeever, aged 32, was found with stab wounds outside an apartment block in Deerpark Avenue in the early hours of February 18.
A man in his 20s is to appear before Tallaght District Court this morning in connection with a fatal stabbing back in February.

The incident took place at Deerpark Avenue, Tallaght on February 18.
The UK and Irish governments should publish their proposals to revive powersharing in Northern Ireland if no deal is done this week, the leader of the SDLP has said.

Colum Eastwood said London and Dublin should set out fair and compromise solutions to the deadlock if the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein do not come to agreement.

Major blocks to getting Stormont back up and running include republicans' demands for a standalone Irish language act to give formal rights to speakers.

There are also issues around so-called legacy investigations relating to the Troubles.

As powersharing negotiations resume in Belfast, Mr Eastwood said that as crises build in health and education it is not credible or sustainable to leave success of the talks in the hands of the DUP and Sinn Fein.

"We acknowledge that these parties have the big mandates from the electorate but they do not have a mandate to hold the North ransom in a position of permanent stalemate," the MLA for Foyle said.

Ministers have not sat at Stormont for seven months, after the late Martin McGuinness resigned as deputy first minister in a row over the DUP's handling of a botched green energy scheme.

Mr Eastwood said that if it becomes clear that the two big parties cannot do a powersharing deal then London and Dublin should make their joint proposals public.

"They should then publicly challenge all the parties to sign up to it or reject it," he said.

"This intervention by the co-guarantors of our political agreements would also bring focus to the real priority of finally getting a government formed which can begin to tackle hospital waiting lists, school budget cuts and the growing numbers of families without a home."

Mr Eastwood also questioned whether the DUP's and Sinn Fein's signals in the last week that they were keen to engage in talks are as much about avoiding blame if talks collapse.

AP
Update 3pm: Two tourists from the US have been killed in a car crash in north Cork.

The three vehicle crash happened on the Mallow Road at around 11 o'clock this morning.

The man and woman were both in their 60s and were travelling with their partners.

Photo: John Delea

Update 12.51pm: Gardai have confirmed that a man and a woman in their 60s were killed after the car that they were passengers in was involved in a collision with a truck in north Cork.

The man and woman were pronounced dead in the scene, just north of Blarney on the N20.

The driver of the car and the third passenger, a male and female in their 60s, were injured and were taken to Cork University Hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.

Two people killed, four others injured in Co Cork road crash - @PaschalSheehy reports https://t.co/XPSc9vVnpp pic.twitter.com/2r2OfFrgIa  RTE News (@rtenews) September 11, 2017

The driver of the second car involved was taken to Cork University Hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening and the driver of the truck was uninjured.

This stretch of road is currently closed to facilitate an examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators.

RTE are reporting that a pregnant woman who was not involved in the crash but was at the Waterloo junction was also taken to hospital.

Gardai on duty at one of the road blocks due to the serious road traffic accident at the Waterloo junction, on the Cork to Mallow road. Picture: David Keane.

Diversions are in place on the N20 Cork to Mallow Road and gardai are asking people travelling from Mallow to take alternative routes.

Gardai have appealed for witnesses to contact Gurranabraher garda station on 021 4946200, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

Photo: John Delea

Update 12.33pm: Two people have died and four people have been injured following an horrific crash in Cork this morning, writes Eoin English.

The man and the woman who were travelling in the same car were killed following a collision involving two cars and a lorry on the N20 Cork to Mallow road, close to the Waterloo junction, around 11am.

A man and woman have died, and 4 people are injured following a crash involving two cars and a lorry on #Cork #Limerick Rd near Waterloo  Eoin English (@EoinBearla) September 11, 2017

Gardai have sealed off the accident site for a full forensic collision investigation.

They are also trying to trace relatives of the deceased who it is believed may have been tourists visiting the Cork region.

Earlier: A number of people have been seriously injured in a road traffic accident in Cork.

The collision involving two cars happened in the past hour on the Mallow road at the Waterloo junction.

Emergency services are at the scene and the Northbound lane is closed.
Islamic State militants have ambushed a police convoy in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, killing 18 police and wounding seven others.

It is one of the deadliest attacks this year in the restive region bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Roadside bombs destroyed and set ablaze four armoured vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal-jamming equipment, police and military officials said.

The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pick-up truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief item carried by its Aamaq news agency.

The attack took place about 30 kilometres (nearly 19 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicentre of a long-running insurgency now led by an IS affiliate.

Monday's attack was the deadliest against security forces since July, when IS militants attacked a remote army outpost in the border town of Rafah, killing 23 soldiers.

That was the deadliest attack in two years.

In March, the military said militants killed 10 soldiers during an army raid in Sinai's central region.

Egypt has battled militants in Sinai for years but the insurgency became far more deadly after the 2013 military ousting of Mohammed Morsi, an elected Islamist president.

In recent years there has also been a wave of attacks, mainly targeting security forces, blamed on splinter factions of Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group.

Monday's attack came a day after authorities said they had busted a militant cell planning attacks in Cairo.

Police said they killed 10 militants in two simultaneous raids on apartments in a densely populated Cairo neighbourhood.

They said the militants sneaked into the capital from northern Sinai, but did not say whether they were members of IS.

AP
Boris Johnson has defended the Government's response to Hurricane Irma, insisting that criticism of its reaction to the "biggest consular crisis" the country had faced was "completely unjustified".

The Foreign Secretary faced claims that the UK had done less to evacuate its citizens than other nations and did not have the correct equipment in place to deal with the catastrophe in the Caribbean.

Mr Johnson said there had been an "unprecedented" effort to deal with the aftermath of the biggest storm in the region since records began.

On BBC Radio 4's Today programme Mr Johnson was challenged about claims from the father of a stranded Briton that the Government's response had shown a "callous disregard" to its citizens.

Geoffrey Scott Baker, whose daughter Amy Brown is on Saint Martin, said: "Nothing is happening.

"It seems that everybody can airlift their citizens out except for the UK who are doing absolutely nothing on the ground."

He said his daughter was at risk from looters targeting her resort and added: "The British response has been absolutely pitiful, it's just sheer incompetence, callous disregard for our British citizens."

Mr Johnson responded that Saint Martin was controlled by the Dutch and French who had been evacuating people in accordance with their medical need.

"Some British nationals actually have been evacuated from Saint Martin," he said.

"This is a very big consular crisis and I am confident we are doing everything we possibly can to help British nationals."

Defending the UK's preparedness for the disaster, Mr Johnson said: "It doesn't make any sense when a hurricane is impending to send in heavy aircraft or to send in ships that are not going to be capable themselves of withstanding the storm.

"The French had to ask us for assistance later on because we had got the right sort of kit there.

"If you look at what is happening now you can see an unprecedented British effort to deal with what has been an unprecedented catastrophe for the region."

Mr Johnson said the UK had responded in a "timely and a highly organised fashion", with further promises of support expected on top of the 32 million already committed and the pledge to match donations to the Red Cross appeal.

"We will be announcing further support later on in the course of the next few days," he said.

"This is an absolute priority for our Government and we understand the huge economic blow that has been suffered in these islands."

AP
President Donald Trump, leading his first commemoration of the 9/11 anniversary, has said "the living, breathing soul of America wept with grief" for each of the nearly 3,000 lives that were lost on that day 16 years ago.

Addressing an audience at the Pentagon, one of three sites attacked on September 11 2001, Mr Trump used the anniversary to sternly warn terrorists that "America cannot be intimidated".

He said those who try are destined to join a long list of vanquished enemies "who dared to test our mettle".

Mr Trump and first lady Melania Trump observed a moment of silence at the White House at the exact moment that a hijacked plane was slammed into the World Trade Centre.

The Trumps bowed their heads and placed their hands over their hearts as the Taps bugle call rang out across the South Lawn.

ABC NEWS: President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay wreath at Pentagon 9/11 memorial site in remembrance of terror victims pic.twitter.com/0bG2nt7dk7  Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) September 11, 2017

They were surrounded by White House aides and other administration officials in what has become an annual day of remembrance.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijackers flew commercial planes into New York's World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Mr Trump, a native New Yorker who was in the city on 9/11, said the attack was worse than the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbour during the Second World War because it targeted civilians.

He vowed that it would never be repeated.

"The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit," Mr Trump said later at the Pentagon, where he was joined by defence secretary Jim Mattis and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"But America cannot be intimidated and those who try will join a long list of vanquished enemies who dared test our mettle."

He said that when America is united, "no force on earth can break us apart".

Mr Trump also offered words of comfort for the many whose loved ones perished in the attacks.

Pres. Trump at 9/11 memorial event: Our people will thrive, our nation will prevail and the memory of our loved ones will never ever die. pic.twitter.com/WNCRgau7OL  ABC News (@ABC) September 11, 2017

"For the families with us on this anniversary, we know that not a single day goes by when you don't think about the loved one stolen from your life. Today, our entire nation grieves with you," Mr Trump said.

Later, he said "the living, breathing soul of America wept with grief for every life taken on that day".

Vice President Mike Pence was representing the administration at a ceremony at the 9/11 memorial in Shanksville.

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum ahead of today's memorial service.

Mr Trump has a chequered history with 9/11.

He frequently uses the attack to praise the city's response but has also made unsubstantiated claims about what he did and saw on that day.

Mr Trump often lauds the bravery of New York police officers, firefighters and other emergency responders who rushed to the Twin Towers to help as an example of the resilience of the city where he made a name for himself.

But he has also criticised former president George W Bush's handling of the attacks, accusing Mr Bush of failing in his duty to keep Americans safe.

Mr Trump has made dubious claims about September 11, particularly saying when talking about Muslims that "thousands of people were cheering" in Jersey City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan, as the towers collapsed.

There is no evidence in news archives of mass celebrations there by Muslims.

Mr Trump also said he lost "hundreds of friends" in the attack and that he helped clear rubble afterwards.

He has not provided the names of those he knew who perished in the attack, but has mentioned knowing a Roman Catholic priest who died while serving as a chaplain to the city's fire department.
In the UK, a Christian family is considering suing a Church of England school after two boys were allowed to wear dresses in class.

The couple removed one of their sons a year ago, and have now pulled their youngest out of the un-named primary school.
A British imam voiced support for Islamic State and told children at his mosque that martyrdom was the "supreme success" and better than anything they would achieve at school or college, a court in England heard.

Kamran Hussain, 40, allegedly made a series of radical sermons over four months last year encouraging terrorism and supporting IS in Syria.

The Friday lunchtime speeches at the charity-funded mosque in Tunstall High Street, Stoke on Trent, England, were in front of around 40 worshippers, often including children aged under 15, jurors heard.

He was arrested after an undercover law enforcement officer secretly recorded sermons from June last year.

On September 2 last year, Hussain talked about martyrdom to a congregation of nine children and 35 adults.

Prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse QC said: "Mr Hussain told his audience that martyrdom was the supreme success and was greater than any other success, such as school or college."

Martyrs had nothing to fear when "you go in front of Allah with the bullet wounds and the sword wounds and you are raised in that situation with the blood still coming from your body", Hussain allegedly said.

He continued on the same theme on September 16 last year and criticised the Prevent programme, aimed at identifying and intervening when young people are at risk of radicalisation, jurors heard.

At a meeting on August 19 last year, there were up to 15 children present and 25 adults as he gave a sermon about "Kuffar" or non-Muslims, the court heard.

Hussain allegedly blamed the British government for creating the English Defence League and funding them to "insult" Muslims and put them down.

He also claimed far right group Britain First was a "government-backed project", jurors heard.

In all, the undercover officer known as Qasim attended 17 sermons, 10 of which had "strayed beyond the mainstream moderate Islamic thought", Mrs Whitehouse said.

On June 24 last year, Hussain allegedly referred to IS in his sermon as "a small fledgling state who is standing in the face of a pompous and arrogant army".

On that occasion he called on the congregation of 10 men to pray for their victory and their oppressors to be "annihilated".

On July 22, last year, he prayed for all to live under Sharia law and urged his listeners to stand against sinners, oppressors and infidel, the court heard.

He allegedly urged them to "finish them and remove their heads for what they do", adding: "When you don't fulfil the command of Allah, I'm coming to remove your head."

On August 5 last year he spoke in favour of engaging in jihad to "take over a land" and "stand the black flag".

He allegedly said that neither the "Queen or prime minister" could stand in the way of the law of Allah.

In a recording retrieved from Hussain's phone, he also allegedly predicted the "black flag" would "rise over Big Ben and Downing Street".

After he was arrested in February, Hussain issued a short statement saying the ability to discuss "difficult concepts in a challenging world!" is an essential part of exercising religion and freedom of speech.

Hussain, from Tunstall, denies eight charges, two of supporting IS and six of encouraging terrorism on dates between June and September last year. The Old Bailey trial continues.
Swiss authorities are investigating after a train locomotive crashed into a string of passenger rail cars during a manoeuvring operation, injuring 27 people.

Police and medical teams were rushed to the scene of the accident in the central town of Andermatt involving the locomotive and five cars with about 100 passengers on board.

Regional train operator Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn said the train's locomotive was supposed to move from the back of the train to the front on a parallel track, but instead crashed into the back of the train.

Spokesman Jan Baerwalde said authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.

The Uri regional police department said none of the injuries were life-threatening.

AP
The number of migrants arriving in Europe through Spain has more than doubled this year, the head of the European Union's border agency said.

Frontex director Fabrice Leggeri said "we have registered almost 14,000 arrivals in Spain, arriving from Morocco, from the western part of the Maghreb".

Mr Leggeri said it "means that the figures were multiplied by more than 2.5 this year" compared with the same January-August period last year.

He said this included sea and land arrivals, via Spain's enclaves in northern Africa - Ceuta and Melilla - and that most migrants were Moroccan citizens.

He said arrivals to Europe from Libya through the central Mediterranean have dropped but could not say whether the rise in Spain was due to tougher migrant controls around Libya.

"Frontex has no indication of such displacement," he said.

Despite the increase, the Frontex chief said the route through Spain remains only the third most popular transit route for migrants.

The route via Libya across the Mediterranean to Italy remains the busiest, with more than 100,000 people having entered Europe that way so far this year.

The second most popular route for migrants is crossing from Turkey into Greece, which has seen about 20,000 people so far this year.

AP
Twenty-seven people have been injured in a collision between two trains at a station in the Swiss Alps during a re-routing manoeuvre, a railway operator said.

Police and medical teams were rushed to the scene of the accident in the central town of Andermatt, which involved a locomotive and five rail cars with about 100 passengers on board.
A resident of an island destroyed by Hurricane Irma has told how she was struck by a washing machine as her house was battered by the storm.

Sarah Penney, a British citizen who was born and raised on Tortola, said the washer-dryer could have taken her with it as it was lifted off the ground.

The 33-year-old was saved by her friend, who managed to push the appliance away and into the direction of the wind.

She said: "I sincerely would not be alive, I would not have survived Hurricane Irma, had he not been there."

Ms Penney was sheltering with her eight-month-old baby, her mother, 70, and friend, Chouby, at home during the storm when the group were forced to retreat to the bathroom.

Along with her friend, she attempted to secure the nursery as an alternative shelter, but they were stopped when high winds pulled the glass from the windows.

The door of the nursery was sucked shut by the pressure, trapping the pair inside, but they managed to escape when the winds dropped for a moment.

Drone footage of the devastation on the island of Tortola, British Virgin Islands, from Hurricane #Irma pic.twitter.com/csABwIRsdS  DroneOps (@Drone_Ops) September 11, 2017

Ms Penney said: "The washer and dryer got lifted and thrown towards me when we were trying to get a piece of wood back up on the door.

"It slammed into me, but it would have taken me if Chouby hadn't been able to be right next to me and just push it so that it got directed into the wind."

Ms Penney, who is director of a performing arts school, said of the scene on the island: "It's like we've been bombed.

"There isn't a single leaf on a tree, there's no trees. I think humans have fared a lot better than animals. It's going to take a generation to come back from this.

"People's 'everything' is gone, their businesses, their homes, their churches, their schools, are gone."

But Ms Penney, who helped in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, has chosen to stay behind to help on the ground and is orchestrating "salvage and supply runs".

Ms Penney said: "Most of us need to see this place rebuilt as quickly as it can and that really only happens when those of us who have the know-how and the determination and local knowledge, stay on."
The number of brokers moving into commercial and alternative lending is expected to intensify, according to small business lender OnDeck More brokers will diversify into the SME loan space due to increased competition in traditional markets and growing demand from clients, the lenders head of sales Michael Burke said.Brokers are not only looking to move into online lending because of the speed and ease of doing business it offers, but because their time-poor customers are demanding a more convenient solution involving faster turnaround times.Burke was hired in February this year to expand the lenders broker channel. He said a growing number of mortgage houses were looking at ways to diversify their product offerings.As a result, brokers have to expand their offering to include residential, commercial, asset, equipment finance and more, he said.Online lenders such as OnDeck save brokers time and effort which can be used to process more complex transactions with the larger banks and diversify in a more strategic manner, he added.As well as providing a digital platform to facilitate the loan process, OnDecks underwriting policy also helps ease the brokers burden, Burke told Australian Broker.We only require three months of bank statements up to $150k and out to a term of 24 months. What youll typically find is that within this space, a lot of funders have quite a light credit process up to about $50k but beyond that it becomes quite a traditional underwriting.This can involve a great many documents including finalised accounts from this financial year, a set of comparatives from the previous financial year, a set of management accounts, and more.So the list goes on, Burke said. Whereas a broker dealing with us  all theyll require for $150k is three months worth of bank statements to make a business assessment.OnDecks accreditation process for brokers falls under the Funding Advisers Program (FAP) which boosts credibility in the industry and enhances the lenders customer experience.FAP was OnDecks entrance into the Australian broking marketplace, Burke said, with the lender keenly aware of the role played by brokers within the commercial space.Approximately 70% of SMEs within the Australian market facilitated funding via a broker or intermediary so we knew that it was a big market.OnDecks formal accreditation agreement must be read and signed by the broker prior to writing any loans, and details the lenders commercial guidelines.On top of that, we do a number of searches just to validate and verify who they are, how long theyve been in business, what other accreditations they have, are they with any of the association bodies? We like to understand what accreditation they hold with other financiers as well to ensure that were dealing with established and reputable partners.Training and compliance is also provided at this time which helps brokers operate in line with OnDecks guidelines and expectations.
Perth-based sub-aggregator Diversifi has partnered up with insurer Ensurance allowing member brokers to offer home and contents insurance to their clients.Diversifi, which aggregates through Choice, teamed up with Ensurance after learning it offered insurance quotes directly through a platform, Rose De Rossi, director of Diversifi, told Australian Broker.I thought that was something good that we could look at. Were always looking at new income streams for our brokers or offerings for our clients  something that complements the home loan or finance options that they take with us.Ensurance also had a multi-insurance offering, which makes the arrangement even more attractive, she said. Diversifi has added this platform to its website, which is easy for clients to access by themselves through a simple login link.Were not actually providing any advice. Weve just got the facility there if they want to use it and they can make their own decisions as to whether they go ahead.If theyre with a broker, the broker can sit with them and guide them through. Theyre not actually providing a quote; theyre just going over the way to access the site and what clients need to do. The site then provides all the insurance quotes over a number of insurance companies and the client can take the next step themselves.In the event a client decides to take out insurance through the platform, Diversifi gets sent a certificate of currency which is one requirement for taking out a home loan.This makes the process very simple, De Rossi said.The sub-aggregators brokers will also gain commissions paid on the upfront of each policy sold.As part of the compliance process, all clients are asked whether they want to obtain a home and contents insurance quote at the start of the home loan process.Were making it very open. Were telling them that they need to organise this. We can help them with it or they need to handle it on their own.On getting the disclaimer signed, this is then a trigger point at which the broker has to discuss home and contents insurance with the client, De Rossi said. The act is also a duty of care for Diversifi, providing evidence that the matter has indeed been covered.Since commencing the partnership two or three months ago, the sub-aggregator has brought in ten policy quotes, two of which have converted, she said.In this time, Ensurance has also helped establish an SMS marketing tool for Diversifi to keep in touch with all the firms clients every fortnight.Itll be another reminder for those  if theyre not doing a loan right now and who have done it in the past  we can still make them aware that we have that platform.Diversifi currently has 11 loan writers and six agencies across Australia. Of these, five are in Western Australia and one is in Brisbane.
A Western Australian bank levy is still not completely off the table with comments by Treasurer Ben Wyatt implying that certain progress would have to be made in other areas before the measure is scrapped.In his state Budget speech on Thursday (7 September), Wyatt said that while WA would not implement a state-based bank levy right now, issues with the current taxation system especially around GST mean that it could be introduced in the future.The failure of the GST to provide the expected returns to Western Australian taxpayers means this government must continue to consider alternative revenue measures to make up for this GST shortfall. We will continue consideration of a state-based major bank levy in the absence of genuine GST reform or our parliament not passing other revenue measures.State-based bank taxes, which were given up with the introduction of the GST in 2000, would have raised around $300m in 2017-18 for WA, Wyatt said.A bank levy, similar to that announced by South Australia would, if implemented in Western Australia, improve our net operating balance by around $250m in 2017-18. Anna Bligh , chief executive of the Australian Bankers Association (ABA), said that the decision not to move ahead with a state-based bank levy showed laudable economic discipline and foresight.It is clear the WA Government understands it must remain an attractive and competitive place to do business, she said. The ABA urges the WA Government to maintain sound economic policy and not put the bank tax back on the agenda.She also called upon the South Australian government to follow WAs example and discard its plans to bring in a state-based bank levy before it damaged the SA economy.
Former Bay Ridge Councilman Sal Albanese has thrown his hat into the ring for mayor for the fourth time. The Italian-born self-described political outsider, who now lives on Staten Island, met with the editors of Community News Group and NYC Community Media on Aug. 31 to discuss his Democratic primary challenge of Mayor DeBlasio. During wide-ranging discussion, Albanese  who has $207,781 in his war chest, but has not received any matching funds  had a lot to say about his disagreements with the incumbent, including Hizzoners handling of homelessness, affordable housing, and the failing transportation system. Albanese, who was a public school teacher for more than a decade before getting into politics, lost his bid for the Democratic mayoral nod in 1997, dropped out of the 2001 race when he couldnt raise enough money, and lost the nomination to DeBlasio in 2013. But the mayoral hopeful, who served in the Council from 1982 until 1997  and famously won his 1989 primary as a write-in candidate after a judge ruled his petitions were invalid  thinks this fourth time will be the charm, claiming many New Yorkers are fed up with the mayor.

On his qualifications and why hes running:

Albanese, who immigrated to America when he was 8-years-old, is now an attorney and was previously a financial consultant. He also once ran for seats in Congress and the Assembly. Known for his trailblazing support for gay rights and passing the citys first living wage law, which required companies doing business with the city to pay their employees $12 an hour, Albanese said he believes he has the gusto and the merits to oust the incumbent. He touts his life is a true New York City success story because he was able to benefit from numerous public services and wants to give back to the city that shaped him. Albanese said he hopes voters will chose him when walking into the voting booth on primary day on Sept. 12, instead of an incumbent mayor who has been repeatedly investigated and is known for his cozy relationship with lobbyists and developers.

I was elected to the city Council in 1982 from Bay Ridge, which at the time was one of the most conservative districts in the city. I beat a Republican incumbent, it was a major upset. And on the city Council, Im proud of a couple of votes  one is the Gay Rights Bill of 1986, which was pretty contentious at that time, I was one of the swing votes. I also passed the citys first Living Wage law in 1995. Im proud of the fact I had a reputation for independence and integrity, no one ever questioned that I was certainly an outsider. Im running because I think that under this mayor, the city has become less livable. We also have, in my opinion, have one of the most corrupt periods in the citys history since Ed Koch, where the mayor of New York City was on the front page of the Daily News labeled as Mayor for Sale because of the nine investigations he was subject to. He was not indicted because the pay-to-play laws are murky. I think we need a higher standard for a mayor than just not being indicted. He says people dont care about that around the city, I beg to differ. I dont accept money from lobbyists or big real estate, not because Im anti-development or anti-real-estate developers, but what weve had from DeBlasio is unfettered development, where were seeing the towerization of Manhattan. Neighborhoods are being overrun by these towers and their character has been altered so they are encroaching on public spaces like parks and libraries.

On why he keeps running for mayor rather than another office:

This election will be the third time Albaneses name is on the ballot for mayor, since he dropped out of the 2001 race before Election Day. But he said his previous losses arent deterring him because its his passion to lead the city.

I dont want to be a governor, I dont want to be a president  I cant anyway because Im an immigrant  bottom line is I just want to be a mayor. The difference this time is I think people are tired of business as usual, and I think my proposals are very sound, and also people are beginning to realize that DeBlasio is a failed mayor and they are looking for an alternative. And in this election, the fact that Im the only one standing on the stage besides DeBlasio has made me a viable option. The one problem I do have, the funding is not up to DeBlasios, because I dont accept money from big real estate and lobbyists, and Im considered unreliable by those people given my history in the city Council.

On being called the underdog:

Albanese said he takes issue with being called the long-shot mayoral candidate, and believes DeBlasios camp is using that characterization as a tactic to undercut his viability as an alternative. And he noted that in the last few weeks hes gained popularity, especially after going head-to-head with DeBlasio during the debate, and stumping in neighborhoods across all five boroughs.

People are beginning to recognize me around the city and know that Im running for mayor. Getting my name out there is now starting not to be a problem because of the debate, theres been a huge chunk of media interest. I can convince people I can do this job  and of course my experience is wider and better than DeBlasios. Hes been a professional politician  Ive been a teacher, lawyer, got a finance background, people see that. I think were going to generate a better-than-average turnout because there are a lot of people that want DeBlasio out of office all over the city  people who deeply dislike him or are blah about him. DeBlasios strategy is clear, hes doing everything he can do dampen my candidacy by downplaying it. I think DeBlasios folks are out there trying to say, Well hes not a serious candidate, to dampen the turnout. I believe the race is going to be close, I really do. Its hard to predict victory right now. Im still an underdog, but I think the race is a lot closer than people think, and were going to do very well.

On his relationship with Gov. Cuomo:

Albanese had worked with Cuomo back when he was a district leader and Cuomo was the campaign manager for his fathers 1982 gubernatorial race. He said he certainly does not agree with everything the governor has said and done, but believes establishing a cordial and respectful political relationship, unlike DeBlasios, is the key to successfully running the city.

It would be part of my job to get along with Cuomo  you cant take this stuff personally  its business  you really have to get along with the governor, that doesnt mean you have to do everything that he says. I would be respectful, but very assertive. I think the relationship is toxic with DeBlasio.

On being a sanctuary city:

Albanese did commend DeBlasios efforts to protect immigrants in the city, especially those who are undocumented, and said he would continue to fight against the White House to protect all of the citys residents.

Im going to continue the sanctuary-city approach that weve taken for a number of years, and basically continue to criticize whats happening in Washington. Im not going to turn our police or health-care professionals into immigration agents. That would be a disaster. Its morally wrong and also a public safety issue. I dont know what more we could be doing, I think in this particular case, DeBlasio is doing a decent job at protecting the undocumented. But Im open to suggestions.

On police-community relations:

Albanese criticized DeBlasios relationship with New Yorks Finest and said he unfairly politicizes the force. He said making sure that the men and women in blue look like the communities they serve is crucial for the safety and trust of the people of the city. And he proposed sending out trained mental-health professionals along with officers to handle cases of emotionally disturbed persons, where recently too many victims are being shot and killed.

The police force is majority minority now, which is great, when I was in the city Council it was predominantly Irish and Italian cops. We need more African-Americans, its still not high enough. I think what the police officers resent about the mayor is the way hes politicized policing. Hes demoralized the force. There are a number of people who suffer from mental illness in the city. I also want to explore the possibility of having civilian mental health workers respond to Emotionally Disturbed People incidents. EDPs are skyrocketing in the city, there are a lot. Id like to see a team of mental-health workers respond to some of the jobs and have the cops as a backup because even though supposedly they are being trained, the average police officer I dont think has the knowledge to deal with the EDPs. There are people who have mental-health backgrounds who can go in and actually defuse these situations and the cops will be outside, if they need to go in. I want to experiment with that as mayor because so many of these horrific incidents involve mentally ill people.

On affordable housing:

Albanese wants a pied-a-terre tax  taxing luxury second homes in the city that are not a primary residence and often purchaed by international buyers, as opposed to DeBlasios failed proposal for a millionaires tax  to fund more affordable housing. He also pointed to one of Comptroller Scott Stringers 2016 reports, which found that the city owns more than 1,000 parcels of vacant land that could be developed into affordable housing.

I want to build true affordable housing that the people in these neighborhoods can afford. The city owns 1,000 parcels of land. I want to use those parcels as the affordable housing. We can build about 67,000 true affordable units. We need to redesign this whole program and part of the reason we have this homeless crisis is because of his policies. DeBlasios tax-the-rich scheme doesnt work because hes rolled that out three times and it impacts thousands of New Yorkers. Im also willing to spend capital dollars to get that affordable housing built because its so important to the city.

On transportation:

Albanese called the subway system the lifeblood of the city, but said its crumbling, and hard-working New Yorkers are suffering. Albanese said he supports the MoveNY initiative  which includes congestion pricing in Lower Manhattan and tolls on all East River bridges, and which Hizzoner opposed  to generate revenue to repair the subway.

We have a number of major issues that [DeBlasio] has not addressed, one is mass transit. I want to be the mass transit mayor when I become the mayor. For three-and-a-half years, this mayor has basically ignored mass transit. What I want to do is have a mass-transit summit when I get elected and bring all the stakeholders together and really plan short-range and long-range on fixing the signal systems and expanding parts of the subway service to parts of the city. We have to get people out of their cars. Traffic congestion is the worst ever, I support MoveNY by the way, which DeBlasio doesnt, which would generate another billion dollars into mass-transit roads and bridges.

Lightning round

At the end of the meeting, Albanese answered a quick series of questions.

 Is the media fair to politicians?: Yes.

 Does global warming exist, and if so, is it caused by humans burning fossil fuels?: Absolutely. I believe thats definitely man made, mainly caused by fossil fuels.

 Fracking in upstate New York?: No.

 Should Fort Hamilton Army Base rename the streets within it named after Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson?: Yes.

 Where would you work out?: I have an elliptical machine in my basement. I dont care where [DeBlasio] works out but why would you drive 11 miles everyday to a Park Slope gym to sit on an exercise bike? You can do that at home, you can do that at Gracie Mansion, at City Hall. And he gets to work at 12 pm and he takes a nap, so hes working half a day.
This star kept Kelce from retiring; have Philly fans seen last of Wentz?
One of the big selling points of Teen Wolfs final season before it began was that a bunch of fan favorites were going to return. While the premiere of season 6B opened with Stiles and Derek making brief appearances, that promise has rang rather hollow otherwise. Papa McCall is back and Theos running around, but thats about it. In this episode, titled Werewolves of London, that all changes as a whole troupe of familiar faces returns. Its just in time as well, as there are only about four installments (including this one) left for Teen Wolf.

Is It Time for Melissa to Die on Teen Wolf? >>>

Building an Army

As expected, Melissa was shot in the hunters attack of the McCall House. She wasnt the only one to be shot, however. Everyone, save for Scott and Malia, was caught in the crossfire, and while theyre all fine, it leaves Teen Wolfs newest power couple alone for the moment. Since Gerard has an army, Scott realizes hes going to need one of his own because Theo and Liam clearly arent cutting it. Scotts second choices arent that much better, however.

The first stop on Scotts recruiting mission is Deucalion, the (former) Demon Wolf and Scotts sometimes ally. Although Deucalion has gone up against Gerard before and nearly killed him, hes since turned over a new leaf. Deucalion is no longer a killer. Instead, hes morphed into some pacifist Yoda-type figure, and its not a bad transformation. Frankly, any excuse to see Deucalion is worth it because he has one of the coolest voices in the series, but the zen outlook gives the old character an exciting new approach. Deucalion promises to help Scott, but he will not fight for him.

Scott then must go to his least reliable frenemy, Peter. Peter, unlike Deucalion, is the same (though hes suddenly rich now), but thats the way Peter should be, honestly. Peter is 10 different types of swaggering and smug. It should be old and tired by now, but its not. Peters sass should only be dealt out in small doses, but its a wonderful little treat when given. The sass is only enhanced by the fact that Teen Wolf now has his daughter, Malia, to play off him.

While Peter eventually resists Scotts offer, he does end up joining his cause after realizing how much Malia cares for Scott. Its not exactly heartwarming, as Peter is (and will forever be) a horrible deadbeat dad, but any slight sign of humanity is a good thing for Peter.

Peter has more to offer than banter with Malia. Peter warns Scott that if hes going to win this war, hes going to be just as dedicated as the other side. In other words, Scott McCall is going to have to finally kill. Scotts dilemma over killing has resurfaced time and time again on Teen Wolf, but it is nice its returning for the final season, even if Scott does find another way out of it.

Two Halves of a Creepy Whole

Scott has Peter and sort of has Decualion, but he still needs more troops. But rather than go to Stiles, Derek or that girlfriend he left in the desert (#WhatAboutKira), he goes to some random pack that Malia apparently knows of but never mentioned before now. When the two get there, they find that the entire pack has been killed in that creepy, eyeless, Anuk-ite way.

This fits into the mission of all the other side characters. Lydia has been woken up in the hospital by mysterious visions of death, while Theo and Liam finally learn that the creepy corpse kid (aka Aaron) is one half of the Anuk-ite. The gang puts all their information together and learns that the other half of the Anuk-ite must be werewolf, and they have to find it before Aaron manages to locate them. Its a pretty lame twist, but at least its a mission for the pack to follow.

The Anuk-ite story is just falling flat so far. This is mostly because its been way too obscured in mystery, and the face we do know of the Anuk-ite is a nobody. (Was Aarons name ever even stated before this episode?) Hopefully, the search for the other face will bring some excitement and investment because right now the hunters are the only villains worth investing time in this season, even if theyre awful, awful people.

Quiz: Which Teen Wolf Villain Are You? >>>

The Werewolves of London

The werewolves of London give the episode their name, but theyre incredibly tacked on to the proceedings. These London werewolves are, in fact, Jackson Whittemore and Ethan (no last name ever given), who are now apparently dating. The coupling is a surprise, but its actually rather perfect in practice. Jackson is an overwhelming personality and Ethan (still) has very little, so they balance each other.

Jackson and Ethans anniversary is interrupted by two of Gerards hunters coming into their swanky English flat (like Peter, theyre both super rich now) and trying to kill them. Jackson stops them both in a very cool action scene, and the couple flees to Beacon Hills. Once home, they go to the school, where they run into Monroe and ask for Scott. (By the way, Monroe has now taken over the Sheriffs office for no other reason than all adults that dont have supernatural kids are awful in this universe.)

Monroe, realizing shes meeting Jackson Whittemore, quickly takes both guys  and locks them up. Monroe straps Jackson and Ethan to her electrified torture grate and tries to get information out of them. Jackson and Ethan arent budging and, in fact, appear to be right where they want to be for the moment. (Fingers crossed that they just straight-up murder Monroe in the next episode.)

How do you think Jackson and Ethan will escape? Are you interested in the Anuk-ite? Do you have any theories on the other face? Which character return are you anxiously awaiting? Will Scott finally kill this season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Teen Wolf season 6B airs Sundays at 8/7c on MTV. Want more news? Like our Facebook page.

(Image courtesy of MTV)
Families need help: Donate and Give a Christmas

During the holiday season, in partnership with NJ 211, we are pleased to offer the Give a Christmas program to Burlington County residents.
A family of four people was rescued after getting stranded in a car on Brean beach on Sunday afternoon (September 10th).

BARB Search & Rescue and Burnham Coastguards were called to the beach at 4.45pm where the Fords wheels had sunk into soft sand a quarter of a mile down the beach.

The alarm was initially raised by beach warden Dave Furber and crews were quickly on scene to help.

Three children and an adult were carried to safety by members of Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards Mud Team, assisted by BARBs volunteers.

Given the state of the fast-incoming tide, a nearby Brean farmer was called in to help free the vehicle.

BARB securely attached its safety ropes to the vehicle before the tractor pulled the vehicle free.

Burnham Coastguard Officer Dave Welland told Burnham-On-Sea.com: A call was initially received from the beach warden who was initially concerned that a vehicle was stranded in the mud.

It was initially unknown whether there were still passengers inside, but when it became clear that there were, a team of Coastguards was sent alongside BARB.

Several Coastguard Mud Technicians with stretchers walked out to the car to remove the three children and an adult inside.

As it happened the sand was good all the way up to the car  the sand only gave way to the weight of the car. We assisted the family out of the car and helped to bring the children back to the safety of the beach.

A local farmer was also contacted and his tractor was used to tow the vehicle from the mud before the incoming tide could reach it.

He added: We always suggest that motorists stay on the hard sand at the top of the beach. The occupants did the correct thing in staying in the vehicle until help arrived to safely rescue them.

The BARB hovercraft was also taken by road to Brean Beach during the incident, but was not required to launch on this occasion.

Local farmer Richard Bigwood brought his tractor onto the beach to assist in the recovery of the vehicle.

BARB securely attached its ropes to the vehicle and the tractor then pulled the stricken vehicle out of the mud before the tide was able to reach it. The car owner made a donation to BARB for its time.
Once heavily dependent on the cigarettes segment, corporate behemoth has diversified over the past two decades into many businesses that now generates 58 per cent of its revenue. However, to stay future ready and hedge against volatility, it is now looking at newer segments which it expects would bring in higher growth. Sanjiv Puri, chief executive officer, ITC, shares his plans with Arnab Dutta. Edited excerpts:



You are understood to be moving from shareholders value to societal value

We redefined our vision more than two decades back. We not only decided to make growing contribution to the economy, we set our focus on moving beyond shareholder value to societal value. Shareholder value is the foundation on which this enterprise was built so it has to be taken care of. But it was adoption of a strategic vision which allows delivering societal value, without compromising the other. Market driven supply chain is a focus area for us now.
The net profit of Tata Sons, the unlisted holding company of the Tata group, declined by 72.4% to Rs 832 crore in 2016-17 from the previous years Rs 3,013 crore.
PNB customers will have to shell out money beginning October if they carry out more than five transactions a month from the bank's ATMs.

At present, account holders of the country's second largest public sector bank can make any number of transactions in a month, financial or non-financial, at the bank's ATMs without attracting any charge.

"The number of free transactions and the charges beyond these free transactions for PNB customers on PNB ATMs have been revised. The revised charges will be effective from October 1, 2017," Punjab National Bank (PNB) said in a notice to customers.

The bank said savings fund/current/overdraft account holders would all attract charges at Rs 10 per transaction beyond a limit of five times a month even if the PNB card holder makes the transaction at PNB ATM only.

Thus, customers will be charged beyond free limits for doing financial transaction where cash withdrawal is being made through ATM and non-financial transaction for issue of mini-statement.

However, PNB said there will not be any charge for other non-financial transactions like balance enquiry, fund transfer or green pin request where a secret pin code is sent on mobile phone to facilitate money transactions like for an online purchase, money transfer via phone etc.

In August 2014, Reserve Bank had rationalised the number of free ATM transactions that customers could do at own and other bank ATMs.

For own bank ATM transactions, RBI had advised banks to give at least five free transactions (financial and non- financial) a month on savings accounts at all locations.

"Beyond this, banks may put in place appropriate Board approved policy relating to charges for customers for use of own bank ATMs," RBI had said.

While for other bank ATM transactions, banks were allowed to cut the number of free transactions from five to three a month in six metros-- Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

For other locations, number for free transactions were kept unchanged at five a month for other ATM withdrawals.

"Nothing, however, precludes a bank from offering more than three free transactions at other bank ATMs to its account holders if it so desires," RBI said.

The regulator has capped the maximum charge banks can levy beyond the number of free transactions to not more than Rs 20 per transaction.

So banks have devised their own mechanisms to charge for ATM transactions beyond free within RBI limits.

Country's largest lender SBI charges from Rs 5-20 for financial and non-financial transactions beyond the stipulated free transactions a month for both own and other ATM transactions,



While private lender Yes Bank gives own ATM transactions service free to cost to its customers for any number of transactions a month.

On the other hand, country's largest private sector ICICI Bank allows five free transactions a month and thereafter levies Rs 20 per financial transaction and Rs 8.50 per non- financial transaction.
Smart electric scooter start-up Ather Energy, backed by two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp, is looking at differentiating itself in the segment with digital support through doorstep delivery of scooters and personalised support with customers mapped to dedicated support personnel.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed Jaypee Associates to deposit Rs 2,000 crore with it in connection with insolvency proceedings involving Jaypee Infratech, according to media reports. The court also asked the Interim Resolution Professional, a body set up by the National formed by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), to take over the management of .
When Apple unveils its new top-of-the-line iPhone on Tuesday, it isnt just expected to offer features like infrared facial recognition and wireless charging for the first time.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was elected unopposed to the Vidhan Parishad (legislative council) on September 8, is likely to resign from his Gorakhpur parliamentary seat on Monday.
Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app.

Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006.

Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more.

Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them.

26 years of website archives.
Several Indian-Americans and various organisations of the community are playing a key role in relief and reconstruction work as the US state of Texas crawls back to normalcy after the destruction caused by .

Nearly two weeks after Harvey made landfall in Texas, mounds of garbage, sheet-rock clusters, computer monitors and furniture still cover the sidewalks as volunteers work to clear the mess caused by the storm.

The efforts of government agencies including the federal, state, county and city, police, coast guard, armed forces, Red Cross and others have been phenomenal in saving lives and providing for the needs of those who got trapped in the hurricane.

However, the amount of destruction and devastation caused by Harvey needs a herculean effort to speed up the reconstruction work in the flooded neighbourhoods.

"Over the past two weeks, volunteers have already put in 23,100 hours of work towards various relief and rehabilitation projects and we have raised over $300,000 and the target is 1 million," Gitesh Desai, president of Sewa in Houston, said.

"We plan to support rebuilding efforts of homes that need to be fixed through a public-private partnership with US government agencies and many of the Indian American entrepreneurs in Houston," he said.

As families start to move back into the houses, more than 800 volunteers of different Indian non-profit groups coordinated by Sewa International are helping people clean up the mess that catastrophic floods have left behind.

Worst affected are the poor and less privileged communities.

One such community that Sewa International worked with today was the Cambodian Buddhist community in Houston. Volunteers helped clean up more than 200 mobile homes and trailer homes belonging to the community members.

"Indo-American organisations have been leading fundraising efforts and are planning to contribute to Mayor's Hurricane Relief and Governor's Rebuild Texas funds in addition to contribution in kind exceeding $2 million already," Jiten Agarwal, an IIT alumnus and founder of data analytics firm Expedien in Houston, said.

Indian restaurants have also opened up their kitchens to provide hot meals at various shelters.

"Houston restaurants served over 30,000 meals since the landfall," said Dinesh Purohit, owner of Cafe India, that has been serving free food and supplies.

Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) is also reaching out to Small Business Administration (SBA) and plans to work closely with its District Director Tim Jeffcoat to organise seminars for business loans across the various areas in the region affected.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said today the assurance given by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh should silence all the "noises" against of the Constitution.

Singh, who is on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters that the government will not do anything that hurts the sentiments of the people of the state.

He said the Centre had neither initiated any action nor gone to the court on the legal challenge to Article 35A, which bars people from outside Jammu and Kashmir to acquire immovable property in the state.

"There is no reason for doubts or speculation on this issue. Unnecessarily an issue is being made out. The Central government has not initiated any process on this issue, we have not gone to the court. I want to assure that - I am not talking about only Article 35A, whatever our government does, we will not do anything against the sentiments of the people here. We will continue to respect that," Singh said.

"This is a very important statement from the Union Home Minister. His assurance will go a long way towards silencing the noises against 35-A," Omar tweeted soon after Singh addressed a press conference here.

On the legal challenge to Article 35A, Singh said the government will not do anything that hurts the sentiments of the people of the state.

Omar said the Centre should file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court to defend .

"The Union government must now file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court to defend 35-A. That is the way to carry this assurance forward," he added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ryan International Groups Chief Executive Ryan Pinto and his parents, who are its founders, on Monday approached the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old boy on the institutions campus in Gurugram.

The bail pleas were filed following the arrest of two top officials of the in Gurugram.

Ryan International Groups founding chairman, Augustine Pinto (73), and his wife Grace Pinto (62), who is the managing director of the institution, have along with their son,

Ryan, sought anticipatory bail in the Bombay High Court, their counsel, Niteen Pradhan, told PTI.

Pradhan mentioned the applications on Monday morning before Justice Ajey Gadkari, who posted them for hearing on Tuesday.

The Pintos, in their pleas, said while the death of the boy was unfortunate, the management cannot be held culpable and that they themselves were victims of the unfortunate circumstances.





ALSO READ: Ryan murder: School campuses to stay shut till tomorrow, security increased

The death has caused deep pain and grief not only to the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, management, staff and students of the school, the applications said.

This is not only the darkest hour for the family but also for the institution. Such an incident has taken place for the first time in the past four decades since the institution was set up, the three said in their bail pleas.

Despite taking all necessary steps for security and well-being of the students as required by law and prudence, if such an unfortunate incident occurs, the institution cannot be held culpable as it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances, they said.

Two top officials of the were arrested while the acting principal detained for questioning in connection with the murder of the boy on the school premises, police said on Monday.

ALSO READ: Ryan murder: 2 school officials arrested, angry parents demand CBI probe

Pradhuman Thakur, a class 2 student, was found with his throat slit in a school washroom on Friday.

A bus conductor has been arrested for the killing which has triggered huge public outrage.

According to the pleas, the Pintos read newspaper reports saying the public outcry was for also booking the management for the killing of the child.

Hence, we apprehend action against us in the matter. We seek the court to grant us transit protection from arrest so that we can approach the appropriate judicial authority in Haryana, the pleas said.

They said they were residents of Mumbai and the overall management of the institution is being carried out from the Mumbai office. The day-to-day management of each school was taken care of by the local staff appointed by the management, they said.

The applications also mentioned that the trustees and the management were cooperating with the police to the best of their ability.

While no outside person is allowed to enter the school premises, the bus drivers and the conductors, who have been given identity cards, are allowed to use basic amenities like toilets inside the school premises on humanitarian grounds, they said in the petitions.

Because of the CCTV placed in the corridor covering the entrance of the Gurgaon school washroom where the incident occurred the culprit could be identified immediately and arrested, the pleas added.
A technical snag on Sunday forced an Air India flight carrying 220 passengers from Delhi to Paris to return to the IGI international airport here over 90 minutes after take off.

The flight resumed three-and-a-half hours later after the aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was replaced by another one.

"AI 143 departed from Indira Gandhi International airport at 1:58 pm but returned at 3.38 pm," said a spokesperson.

The substitute aircraft finally departed at 7.10 pm from New Delhi.
Afghanistan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani has extended his country's support for India's permanent membership in United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

"Afghanistan strongly and openly supports India's bid for permanent membership of UNSC," Rabbani said on Monday in a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.

He said Afghanistan's friendship with India does not mean hostility towards other countries in its neighbourhood.

Rabbani said terrorism and violent extremism is threatening Afghanistan and India as well as the stability of the region.

"Current regional trends bring India and Afghanistan closer than ever to protect and achieve our socio-economic, security and trade interests," he said.

India and Afghanistan agreed to remain united in dealing with the challenges posed by cross border terrorism.

Without mentioning Pakistan, Sushma said, "India remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries. We support peace and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from violence and within the framework of Afghanistan's Constitution."

Intensifying relationship with Afghanistan, Swaraj said New Delhi's friendship with Kabul is an article of faith which has a spiritual and civilisation connection with India.

She said India will continue to work and help Afghanistan in their efforts to build secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive nation.

"We commenced Air Freight Corridor in June 2017 to provide direct access to farmers of Afghanistan to the Indian markets. India-Afghanistan trade & investment show in New Delhi on September 27-30, 2017 will provide an opportunity to bring businesses together," she said.

In the areas of connectivity and transit for Afghanistan, she announced that both the countries are expediting the development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran.

Swaraj also said that both ministers jointly agreed to embark on a New Development Partnership in keeping with the priorities of Afghanistan and the main focus will continue on building governance and democratic institutions; human resource capacity and skill development."

"India will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in realising their dreams," she said.

Earlier, Rabbani held delegation level talks with Swaraj aimed at advancing 'India Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council in New Delhi on Monday.

The two countries also signed four agreements in areas like health and transport.

(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.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday batted for innovation and promoting skills among the youth and asked them to work for a modern India.

The world evaluates the country where it is today not what it was 5,000 years ago or during the times of Lord Rama or Buddha, the prime minister said at an event to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago.

Vivekananda supported experimentation and innovation and his government was working according to the ideals shown by him, Modi said.

The prime minister referred to Vivekananda?s address as 09/11 and also referred to the terror attack on the US on September 11, 2001. The devastating terror strike might not have happened if the significance of the other 09/11 had not been forgotten.

Vivekananda, the prime minister added, had given the message of love and brotherhood.

Modi used the occasion to speak against people who litter and said those who do so have no right to say "Vande Mataram". The crowd intermittently shouted 'Vande Mataram' as the prime minister spoke.

Lauding sanitation and cleaning workers, he said they have the first right to say "Vande Mataram".

The prime minister also asked colleges to hold cultural events to celebrate other states and added in a light-hearted vein that he was not against celebrating days like rose day. Students should do more, Modi said, asking them hold a Tamil day in a Haryana college or a Kerala day in a Punjab college.

"There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses. There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation & fulfil the aspirations of our people," he said.

India's standing in the world had risen, he said, crediting 'janshakti' (people?s power) for this.
A new phase of massive violent ethnic cleansing is under way in Rakhine State in western Myanmar. An estimated 160,000 men, women and children of the Muslim Rohingya community have crossed into Bangladesh, fleeing indiscriminate attacks by the armed forces.

The military crackdown was in response to a co-ordinated assault against police posts by a Rohingya militant group known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). The militants killed 12 security personnel. In the armed forces clearance operations that followed, 400 people have died so far.
At the recently held BRICS summit in Xiamen, China, a 43-page declaration was issued. Referring to terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, the members expressed concern about the security situation and also named Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad - among others - in the declaration. This was seen as a concession to India. This came closely after the resolution of the Doklam standoff between Indian and Chinese armies. So, how important is this inclusion? Does it signify China agreeing to India's viewpoint on terrorism that emanates from the Pakistani soil? The author analyses the importance of this event.



Tucked away in the middle of a 43-page declaration issued by the BRICS countries at their annual summit held in Xiamen last week were 43 words of some consequence. In reference to continued terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, the declaration stated, We, in this regard, express concern on the security situation in the region and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al-Qaida and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP and Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state Gujaratis decking up to host Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Ahmedabads potholed roads are getting a quick makeover while the states bureaucrats are having new visiting cards printed in Japanese.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday dismissed as "factually wrong" a CAG report which had stated that the defence forces had ammunition that could last for 20 days in the event of a war, and asserted there was no dearth of weapons with the defence forces.

Facts were wrong and it was unnecessary to debate on the issue, she told reporters in Barmer.

"After taking the charge of defence ministry, I have discussed the issue with senior officers and experts. Purchasing weapons...Is a continuous process," she said.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its report tabled in Parliament recently, had stated that the defence forces had ammunition that could last for 20 days in the event of a war, instead of the minimum requirement of 40 days.

It criticised the state-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) for inadequate quantity of ammunition supplied to the Army since March 2013.

Sitharaman's predecessor in the defence ministry, Arun Jaitely told Parliament that the findings of the CAG report, which had talked about the shortage of ammunition, related to a particular point of time.

"Thereafter significant process has been made. It is a continuous process. Therefore, nobody should have any doubt about the availability of equipment or the preparedness of our forces," he asserted.

Sitharaman, who was appointed the defence minister in the last Cabinet reshuffle, visited the Uttarlai Air Force base here.
The Indian basket of imported crude oils gained nearly $3.50 a barrel during last week even as prices in the country touched their highest levels since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office three years ago, official data showed on Monday.

The Indian basket, comprising 73 per cent sour-grade Dubai and Oman crudes, and the balance in sweet-grade Brent, closed trade on the weekend on Friday at $53.63 per barrel, according to the . The oil basket had gained over a dollar at the start of last week on Monday to close at $51.34 for a barrel of 159 litres.

Meanwhile, under the daily revision of fuel prices, in Mumbai on Monday cost Rs 79.41 a litre, breaching the level it last touched in August 2014.

price was hiked by 13 paise a litre and diesel by 25 paise per litre, applicable from 6 a.m. on Monday. Petroleum products do not come under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and prices vary at locations according to state taxes.

On Monday, petrol per litre cost Rs 70.30 in Delhi, Rs 73.05 in Kolkata and Rs 72.87 in Chennai.

Similarly, diesel price on Monday was Rs 58.62 in Delhi, Rs 61.27 in Kolkata, Rs 62.26 in Mumbai and Rs 61.73 in Chennai.

Earlier this month, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the dynamic pricing regime would continue despite going up by over Rs 7 per litre since the scheme was introduced pan-India from mid-June.

He said dynamic pricing ensures that the benefit of even the smallest change in international oil prices can be passed down the line to the dealers and the end-users.

"Daily revision in prices is good. When we started daily revisions on June 16, rates dropped in the first fortnight. Thereafter, it has increased mainly because of rise in global oil prices," he said.

Daily revision allows any fall in international oil rates to be passed on to consumers immediately rather than having to wait for 15 days as in the old system, he added.

"Should prices be hiked by Rs 2.50 or Rs 3 per litre in one go or they should be spaced out in small doses," he asked.

Earlier, the state-run oil marketing companies used to review and revise retail every fortnight on the basis of global crude oil prices, while the revision took effect from midnight.

Dynamic fuel pricing is followed in many developed countries and India opted for it as a response to the recent volatility in global crude oil prices.

The basket of crude oils of the 13-nation Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) breached the psychologically-important $50-a-barrel-mark also last week, to close at $50.36 a barrel on September 4. As per latest data, the basket closed on Friday at $52.53.

Last month, two of OPECs biggest members  Saudi Arabia and Iraq -- expressed their commitment to abide by an agreement to cut oil production that was signed earlier between and 10 other nations.

(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 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is inviting applications for the post of Junior Scientific Officer (Chemistry) to be hired by Central Forensic Science Laboratory for Directorate of Forensic Science Services under Ministry of Home Affairs. Candidates willing to take up the post can apply for the same till September 28, 2017 (Thursday). The number of vacancy is two reserved for UR (1), OBC (1), SC (0) and ST (0). The qualified candidate would be offered the salary as pre-revised Pay Scale Rs.9,300-34,800/- ( PB-2) plus Rs. 4,600/- (Grade Pay) As per 7th CPC- Level 7 in the Pay Matrix. (Total emoluments excluding T.A. and HRA at the time of initial appointment will be Rs.46696/- plus D.A. p.m. approximately, including DA @4 per cent). The post carries probation of two years. The Head Quarter is at New Delhi with Laboratories at Kolkata, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Guwahati and Pune. However, in connection with performing his duties the officer may be required to serve in any part of India.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is inviting applications for the post of Junior Scientific Officer to be hired by National Centre of Organic Farming (NCF), Ghaziabad for the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation & Farmers Welfare under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Candidates willing to take up the post can apply for the same till September 28, 2017 (Thursday). The number of vacancy is three reserved for UR (1), OBC (1), SC (0), ST (0) and PH (1). The Physical (PH) type means the one with hearing impairment (Partially Deaf). The qualified candidate would be offered the salary of Rs.9, 300-34,800/- (PB-2) plus Rs. 4,600/- (Grade Pay) (Total emoluments excluding T.A. and HRA at the time of initial appointment will be Rs. 44900 /-p.m.in the Pay Matrix Level-7 as per 7th Pay Commission.)The post carries probation of two years. The job location is at Ghaziabad or any of its Regional Centres located at Bangalore, Bhubneshwar, Imphal, Jabalpur, Nagpur, Panchkula, but the applicant is liable to serve anywhere in India.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is inviting applications for the post of Assistant Adviser (Public Health Engineering) to be hired by Central Public Health and Environment Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO) under Ministry of Urban Development. Candidates willing to take up the post can apply for the same till September 28, 2017 (Thursday). The number of vacancy is two reserved for UR (1), OBC (1), SC (0) and ST (0). The qualified candidate would be offered the salary as LEVEL 11 in the PAY MATRIX Pre-Revised PB-3 (Rs. 15600-39100) Plus Grade Pay Rs. 6600/- The post carries probation of one year.
IndusInd Bank Ltd has entered into exclusive talks to acquire microlender Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd, in a deal that will help the private sector bank to expand its consumer business.

IndusInd and Bharat Financial have entered into exclusive talks for a potential strategic combination, both sides said in separate statements on Monday, without providing details on what a potential deal would look like or how long they would pursue the talks.

The two financial firms had long been speculated to be interested in a deal, with analysts saying previously it could come in the form of a share swap.

IndusInd Bank is India's sixth-largest private sector lender by assets and has a market value of about $16 billion, while Bharat Financial Inclusion, formerly known as SKS Microfinance Ltd, is valued at more than $2 billion.

"Of late (IndusInd Bank) has been talking about increasing the proportion of their consumer business. This deal would help it achieve that," said Nitin Aggarwal, an analyst with brokerage Antique Stockbroking.

Credit Suisse said in a note last week Bharat Financial was one of the best-capitalised microfinance players in the market, one that was gaining market share.

IndusInd Bank shares were up 0.9 per cent at 0510 GMT, while Bharat Financial Inclusion gained 2.6 per cent in a Mumbai market that was trading 0.5 per cent higher.
Minister of Education, Belarus, Mr. Karpienka Ihar met the Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, shri Dharmendra Pradhan here today. Various issues pertaining to collaboration between the two countries in the field of vocational education and skill development were discussed. The Minister of Belarus highlighted the expertise of his country in the field of vocational training, with special reference to the manufacturing sector. He also highlighted the training institutes which have been developed to impart training for maintenance and repair of Electronic Vehicles (EVs). Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship highlighted the aspect of creating an Eco-system of trainers for which 50 existing institutes in India are being upgraded. Assistance of Belarus will be invaluable in converting such institutions into centres for global excellence. The meeting ended with the both sides promising to continue the cooperative approach in the field of vocational and technical education and leverage their areas of strength. .

.

AD/
Mr. Salahuddin Rabbani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan calls on Prime Minister

Mr. Salahuddin Rabbani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today afternoon.

The Prime Minister affirmed that India attaches the highest priority to its ties with Afghanistan. The Prime Minister reiterated Indias strong support to Afghanistan in fighting terrorism imposed on that country and its people. He also reiterated Indias full support to the Government and people of Afghanistan, including through humanitarian and development assistance, in their efforts to build a peaceful, united, democratic and prosperous nation.

Foreign Minister Rabbani briefed the Prime Minister on the situation in Afghanistan. Both agreed that the Afghan peace process has to be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.

Foreign Minister Rabbani is in India for the 2nd meeting of the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council that he co-chairs with External Affairs Minister of India.
PM Narendra Modi to receive Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Gujarat, for annual bilateral summit meeting

At the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, will undertake an official visit to India on September 13 and 14, 2017.

Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Abe will hold the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit, at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on the 14th of September. The two leaders will deliver statements to the media. An India Japan Business Plenary is scheduled the same day.

This will be the fourth Annual Summit between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Abe.

The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership' and will set its future direction.
Two-day North East Calling" festival organised by DoNER Ministry concluded yesterday

The two-day festival North East Calling, organized by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) concluded here yesterday. The Cabinet Secretary Shri P. K. Sinha was the Chief Guest at the closing ceremony. The Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Shri N K Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of DoNER Shri Naveen Verma and Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Smt. Rashmi Verma and other senior officers were also present.

During the event, the Assistant Secretaries of 2015 Batch participated in the fashion show and Shri P. K. Sinha felicitated the fashion designers of the show. The event also included various performances depicting the rich culture of North East.

During the closing ceremony, the winners and runner up prizes of the contests were also declared. In the School Quiz contest Know your North East", Ishan Chourasia and Dhruv Sharma from New Era Public School, Mayapuri bagged the first prize.

In the Open Quiz contest, Mukunth Raghavan & Shakya Shamik Kar Khound won the first prize. In the Home Chef contest, the winner was Christina Pukhrambam and Jina Moirangthem for Best Thali. Mr. Joseph Tonthang bagged the first prize for the Videography contest under the theme Explore North East". Under Photography Competition Beauty of North East", 1st Prize was declared for Nirjen Sharma for Best days of a lifetime". Under Symposium Event, Vishal Singh from Salwan Public School was declared best speaker. For the Choreography Event, Joint First Prize was bagged by JIIT & Rajdhani College.

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the North East Calling" festival on Saturday (September 09, 2017).

The two-day event included showcase of rich culture of North East, including Music Festival for bands of North-East, Cultural Night for Dances of North-East. The B2B conferences were also organised at the event.

The event witnessed huge response from the public. People from all sections enthusiastically participated in the event.

The Ministry of DoNER plans to organise more such events in future in various parts of the country under Destination North East series. The purpose of these events is to promote the art, culture, heritage, cuisine, handicrafts, business and tourism of North East India.
The actions of Kim Jong Un are set to further increase tensions in the region, where concerns have grown that a war of words between US President Donald Trump and N Koreas supreme leader could set off a military conflict. Photo: Reuters
President on Monday said America "cannot be intimidated" and vowed to eliminate terrorist safe havens in any part of the world as he led the nation in mourning the death of nearly 3,000 people in the worst terror attack on the US soil 16 years ago.

"The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit," Trump said in his first 9/11 memorial address as the US president.

Nearly 3,000 people, including Indians, were killed when Al-Qaeda militants flew commercial planes into New York's World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Addressing an audience at the Pentagon, one of three sites attacked on September 11, 2001, Trump issued stern warning to terrorists and said, "America cannot be intimidated and those who try will soon join the list of vanquished enemies who dared to test our mettle."



"We're ensuring that they never again have a safe haven to launch attacks against our country. We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp, and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large Earth," he said.

Trump last month issued the sternest warning yet by an American leader to Pakistan for providing safe havens to terrorists that kill Americans in Afghanistan and warned Islamabad that it has "much to lose" by harbouring them.

Earlier today, Trump and the First Lady Melania observed a moment of silence at the White House. He was joined by White House staff and top officials including spokesperson Sarah Sanders, senior advisors Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, National Security Advisor H R McMaster and his Chief of Staff John Kelly.

At 8:46 am, a bell tolled as they stood between the two wings of the crowd with their heads bowed in silence. A Marine Played Taps on the trumpet at 8:47 am and all including Trump and the First Lady placed their hands over their hearts.

It's (8:46 am) the exact time the first plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

Trump said the horror and anguish of that dark day were seared into the national memory forever. "It was the worst attack on our country since Pearl Harbor and even worse because this was an attack on civilians - innocent men, women, and children whose lives were taken so needlessly," he said.

"America does not bend. We do not waver. And we will never, ever yield," Trump said.

"While we had never asked for this fight, we are steadfastly committed to seeing it through, as President Trump has made abundantly clear, and with no more temporizing, as our example of leadership galvanizes other nations to stand united against this threat to all humankind," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said speaking at the Pentagon Memorial.

General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the terrorists believed that these attacks would shake America's commitment to its values.

"And, as President Bush said hours after the attacks, the terrorists thought they could frighten us into chaos and retreat. But they were wrong," he asserted.

"Instead of retreat, the tragedy of 9/11 produced in us an unyielding resolve. Instead of hopelessness, our mourning turned into action. And we have strengthened our commitment to the idea that the freedom of many should never be endangered by the hatred of a few," Dunford said.

"Though our country was wounded that day, today we remind the world that terrorism will never defeat the United States," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

This date also marks a solemn tragedy where four Americans, including two of State Department personnel, were killed in a terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.

"Their loss will always weigh heavy in our hearts," he said in a statement.

"As an American, and as a native New Yorker, memories of 9/11 stir deep emotions, even 16 years later. As we observe Patriot Day to honor those we lost that fateful day, our resolve to 'never forget' remains as strong as ever," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

(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.)
Spain's data protection watchdog said on Monday it has slapped with a fine of 1.2 million euros ($1.44 million) for failing to prevent its users' data being accessed by advertisers.

has collected personal data from its users in Spain without obtaining their "unequivocal consent" and without informing them how such information would be used, the Spanish Data Protection Agency said in a statement.

" collects data on ideology, sex, religious beliefs, personal tastes or navigation without clearly informing about the use and purpose that it will give them," the statement said.

The watchdog said Facebook's privacy policy "contains generic and unclear terms" and it "does not adequately collect the consent of either its users or nonusers, which constitutes a serious infringement" of data protection rules.

The agency said Facebook did not remove the personal data which it collects from its data base even when a user requests this.

It said it fined the company 600,000 euros for a very serious violation of the country's data protection rules and 300,000 euros each for two serious violations.

The 1.2-million-euro fine is small in the context of the company which posted advertising revenues of $9.2 billion in the second quarter, mainly from mobile video ad sales.

Contacted by AFP, Facebook was not immediately available to react to the fine.

It is the latest in a series of legal problems that have beset the social networking giant in recent years.

France's data protection agency in May fined Facebook 150,000 euros for failing to prevent its users' data being accessed by advertisers following a two-year investigation.

It said at the time that Facebook had built up "a massive compilation of personal data of internet users in order to display targeted advertising".

Last year French watchdog had given Facebook a deadline last year to stop tracking non-users' web activity without their consent and ordered the social network to cease some transfers of personal data to the United States.

Belgian, German, and Dutch governments are also looking into how Facebook holds and uses data pertaining to their citizens, according to Spain's data protection agency.

A "contact group" has been formed at the European level to protect that personal data of Facebook users which is made up of the Spanish data protection agency and its counterparts in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

Facebook's social network, now with 2.01 billion monthly active users, is steadily driving sales at a faster pace than other technology giants.
Vishnu Bodapati decided there wasnt enough informed guidance in the market to help him decide on the best investment areas. So, he brought a senior scientist, an economist, and a mathematician together, to help build an artificial intelligence (AI) model that would learn to make informed decisions for them.
Welcoming the list of "fake babas" by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Swami Hardayal Shastri, the astrologer in Shanidhaam temple of Ayodhya, on Monday called for a social boycott of those listed.

The monk informed that a 'Parishad' had been made for the convenience of the administration and it serves as a medium through which the government provides land and other amenities to the country's ascetics.

These councils are, however, exploited by people like Asaram Bapu and Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, he further informed.

"They are not connected with these 'akharas', but through money, they exploit these akharas' to acquire lands and set up camps. This is wrong," Swami Hardayal told ANI.

Besides the legal action taken on such fake saints as Ram Rahim and Asaram Bapu, the monk also called for their social boycott.

"We have the rule of social punishment in Hinduism, but no one has control over society now, and no one is in the control of society either. Hence, after legal boycott they should also be socially boycotted," opined Swami Hardayal.

On Sunday, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, in its committee, issued a list of "fake babas" where the names of Asaram Bapu, Radhe Maa, recently convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and Nirmal Baba were mentioned.

The list was curated after the whole Sadhu community came together to talk about the issue of fake saints bringing disrepute to the community.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court to appoint new observers in 10 days in the Ayodhya land dispute matter.

The apex court bench was headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

This came after Allahabad High Court informed the top court that one of the observers had retired, while the second had been elevated to High Court.

The Supreme Court had earlier said that it will commence the final hearing in the long-standing Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case from December 5.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday spoke with the family of murdered Ryan International School seven-year-old student Pradyuman Thakur and condoled his demise. He also spoke with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar who assured him of an unbiased and speedy probe in the matter.

The Thakur family hails from Bihar.

In the latest development, the Station House Officer (SHO) at Sadar Sohna police station, Inspector Arun, has been suspended with immediate effect in connection with the baton charge launched on parents and media persons in front of the school on Sunday.

Ryan International Group's Northern Zone Regional Head, Francis Thomas, and the Human Resources (HR) Head, Bhondsi branch, Jeyus Thomas have also been arrested.

Amid raging protests over the gruesome killing of a seven-year-old student in the Ryan International School, the state government also issued an order, stating that all campuses of the aforementioned school will be closed till tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in a move to tackle protests, additional security has been deployed across all campuses of the school.

Earlier on Friday, the school's bus conductor was nabbed after the body of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur was found inside the toilet of the high-profile school, with his throat slit, following which the school's principal was suspended.

On Sunday morning, hundreds of people, including parents and locals, held huge protests demanding that the police must take action against the school.

Media personnel were also injured during the lathi-charge and their vehicle was also damaged.

The father of the victim, Varun Thakur, on Sunday, demanded a parallel CBI enquiry as the school has severe administrative loopholes, adding that the family would move the Supreme Court on Monday.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to look into the case has pointed out serious security lapses in the school.

The SIT averred that the school did not have any separate toilets for staff like drivers and conductors, while adding that the administration even did not get their employees identification verified.

The report by the investigative team also highlighted that the CCTV cameras of the school weren't working properly and were not installed everywhere. Also, the fire extinguishers were expired. It was also revealed that the school establishment had broken boundary walls.

The report further said that there were no separate toilets for conductors and drivers and the wall behind the school remained unfinished which easily allowed anyone to enter the school premises without permission.

The report also added that a proper police verification of employees working at Ryan International School was not done by the school authorities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A recent study has found that children, who breathed in the collapse of the World Trade Towers on 9/11, showed early signs of heart disease risk.

Scientist at NYU Langone Health analyzed blood tests of more than 300 children, almost half of children's come into direct contact to the 9/11 "dust."

According to the scientists, they noted that those, who had direct contact with the debris, had higher levels of "artery-hardening fats" in their blood, reveals the report published in the journal Environmental International.

Lead investigator and health epidemiologist Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, an associate professor at NYU School of Medicine said, "Since 9/11, we have focused a lot of attention on the psychological and mental fallout from witnessing the tragedy, but only now are the potential physical consequences of being within the disaster zone itself becoming clear."

The World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR), which is helping to track the physical and mental health, through annual check-ups, of nearly 2,900 children who either lived or attended school in Lower Manhattan on 9/11.

According to Trasande, the study is the first to link long-term cardiovascular health risks in children from toxic chemical exposure on 9/11.

The long-term risk could be because of exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS - chemicals released into the air as electronics and furniture in the towers burned.

Trasande said, "Our study emphasizes the importance of monitoring the health consequences from 9/11 in children exposed to the dust, and offers hope that early intervention can alleviate some of the dangers to health posed by the disaster.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Sunday said that stone-pelting incidents in Kashmir have almost ended, and that the terror outfits are being successfully dealt with by the Indian Army.

The Army Chief was in Ghazipur to attend the martyrdom ceremony of Abdul Hamid.

On the question of stone-pelting incidents, he said that such incidents have almost ended because of the army's actions.

"The stone-pelting has almost ended, because we have been successful in ending their operation," he told reporters.

The Army Chief assured that the situation in Kashmir is comparatively better now, and may not demand a surgical strike in near future.

"The condition in Kashmir is improving if you compare it with the situation during January and February. People there have understood that surgical strikes only end up disrupting the lives," told General Rawat.

Responding to the question of regular terror attacks in Kashmir, Rawat told reporters that the army was conducting successful operations to curb the menace, and would continue to do so in future.

"If we work successfully, peace will prevail," he added.

On the question of resolving issues through talks, Rawat said, "The talks are being carried out by the political leadership and the diplomats. We act according to the orders that we receive."

Speaking on the martyrdom ceremony, Rawat said that Ghazipur was blessed to be the birth place of brave martyrs like Abdul Hamid.

"I want that the martyrdom of Abdul doesn't go in vain and from here a lot of people join the Army so as to continue this tradition," he said, adding that "we should be inspired by the martyrdom achieved by such people and encourage the new generation to enlist in the army."

Impressed by the enthusiasm there, Rawat also said he will soon enlist a person from Ghazipur into the army.

"We can train the youth from this place here so that they can be sent to the defence institutes, as opening colleges here will take time," he added.

In a remark on the recent disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops from Bhutan's Doklam territory, General Rawat said that the situation was normal there, as of now.

"There has been a settlement between the leaders of both the countries and we expect that both countries to stand by it," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Coming down heavily on the BJP-ruled Haryana over the murder of seven-year-old Pradyuman at the Ryan International School, Congress leader Sheila Dikshit on Sunday said that the confidence in Haryana as a progressive state is lost after the recent incident of violence, which has happened soon after last month's similar agitation over Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's rape case verdict.

"The confidence in Haryana that it is a good and a progressive state is lost now," Dikshit said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should consider seriously whatever is happening in the BJP-ruled states.

Condemning the murder of the child, Dikshit said that such incidents occurring in good schools have raised the alarm regarding other schools too.

"Such incidents are happening in such good schools; then what might be happening at other schools?" she said.

While investigation into the case is underway, Dikshit has called for a drastic action to send a message to defaulters.

"There should be an immediate punishment on this so that it gives a message that government is serious about the children and their safety," Dikshit told ANI.

Dikshit also condemned the Haryana Police's lathi charge on media persons that happened amid the violence on Sunday.

The school's bus conductor was nabbed on Friday after body of the seven-year-old was found inside the toilet of Ryan International School, with his throat slit.

The school'sprincipal was suspended following this incident.

On Sunday morning, hundreds of people, including parents and locals, held huge protests demanding that the police must take action against the school.

Media personnel were also injured during the lathi-charge and their vehicle was also damaged.

Former Chief Minister of New Delhi, Dikshit also slammed Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over the case of a five-year-old girl's rape inside the premises of Tagore Public School in Gandhi Nagar on Sunday.

"The current government of Delhi boasts of so many things they have done but what is the benefit of all that?" she said.

"If such things happen in educational institutions and that too in a city like Delhi, then it is not merely the breakdown of law and order, but our system is also on shaky grounds," added Dikshit.

A five-year-old girl of Delhi's Tagore Public School was allegedly raped by a peon inside a classroom in the school premises on Saturday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dr Ashwani Maichand, a Fortis doctor who was implicated by the media and the Delhi Medical Council in a case related to a wrong foot surgery, has been proven innocent and given the clean chit by the Medical Council of India. The case was reported in June 2016, when allegedly a wrong foot was operated.

The news was hyped by the media and incriminated Dr Maichand without waiting for a trial and any conclusive proof. The public upheaval resulted in a punishment by the Delhi Medical Council where the institution removed Dr Maichand's name from the IMR (Indian Medical Register) for 180 days in February, 2017.

However, investigation has proved that the doctor wasn't actually present in the operation theatre (OT) and therefore could not be held responsible for the botched operation. The case was considered by the Ethics Committee of the MCI, where the matter and the statements associated were recorded, and produced for deliberation.

The committee, after some due deliberation, stated: "Dr Ashwani Maichand was absent on the day of the operation due to some personal reasons and was not present in the OT during the whole surgery. The Ethics Committee also noted that the original plan was to operate only on the right leg and not the left leg. Even so, Dr Maichand was only involved in the operational planning. Therefore, he was in no position to know the change in the decision."

Considering the above fact, the Ethics Committee came to the unanimous conclusion that no case of medical negligence could actually be made against Dr Ashwani Maichand. Finally, the punishment levied against the doctor was quashed, and he was exonerated of all charges.

The case also highlights an increasing number of cases against doctors, where even on managing highly precarious operations and situations, good and honest doctors are falsely implicated. However, this case and its forthcoming result could be used as an example, and followed to uphold the esteem and efforts of the medical community.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
While the international community is concerned about the growing plight of Rohingyas Muslims in Myanmar, Pakistan has been adopting double standards when it comes to expressing solidarity with different communities and the 'Muslim' ethnic communities like Baloch and Uighurs in other countries, according to an expert.

Underlining the state sponsored persecution of Baloch, Sindhi, Pakhtun and other ethnic communities within Pakistan, the author, Aasim Sajjad Akhtar, has highlighted that some civilised nations are capable of accepting hypocrisy when it comes to atrocities being carried on certain people by selecting some instances of suffering and to use it as an opportunity to demonstrate that we are a part of the civilised and condemn violence.

"The state persecution within Pakistan? No one can deny the manner in which the state has usurped the freedoms of ethnic communities who have asserted their identity, claimed resources, and demanded a democratic power-sharing arrangement. Even today military 'solutions' are employed liberally within Pakistan to address what are clearly long-standing political conflicts. And the truth is that most of the Baloch, Sindhi, Pakhtun and other ethnic communities that demand their rights and are criminalised in exchange are very much Muslim," Akhtar says in his editorial in the Dawn.

Baloch activists have been protesting for decades against extra-judicial killings by the Pakistan Army and enforced disappearances of the people of Sindh and Balochistan.

"Our sentiments vis-a-vis other disenfranchised 'Muslim' communities are similar - Kashmiris top the list, but Bosnians, Palestinians and Chechens are also beneficiaries of our 'Muslim' solidarity. Standing with the oppressed is an entirely laudable endeavour. But in picking some instances of suffering and remaining shamefully silent on others, we demonstrate only how much hypocrisy supposedly civilised 'nations' are capable of, Akhtar said.

Pakistan government has never raised the issue of Kurds, who have been discriminated and massacred by the Turkish governments and suffered due to Iraqi state violence.

Mocking the Pakistani nationalist narratives, the author said Islamabad has never raised the sufferings of West African communities like the Yoruba and Igbo who have been victims of state-sponsored pogroms across the territorial boundaries of Nigeria, Togo and Benin.

Pakistani governments has been maintaining silence on the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils, who are the most oppressed minority communities in the world, the military operation against the Tamil separatist movement i.e. LTTE during which many humanitarian experts alleged war crimes as because Islamabad has close ties with Sri Lanka .

Akhtar states, "Bred on standard Pakistani nationalist narratives, we justify silence over all these examples of state terror by serving up the religion card: they aren't Muslims, so why should we care?"

Pakistan, whose friendship with China is 'higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the deepest ocean' has remained completely silent on the atrocities being carried on the Uighurs, the Muslim Turkic ethnic group living in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region bordering Pakistan to the north and China seeks to transform by building CPEC.

Pakistan is not making any hue and cry at the manner in which the Chinese state has suppressed their basic freedoms, and is now steadily facilitating the influx of ethnic Han Chinese into Xinjiang to fundamentally transform the region's social mores.

The international community expressed concern over the exodus of Rohingyas Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh.

Aktar states,"Pakistanis have been bred on the notion that Muslims constitute an extra-territorial community of sorts; hence our solidarity with the Rohingyas and lament of their neglect by the rest of the (infidel) ."

He concludes by saying, "It would be much better to stand with the 'wretched of the earth' everywhere, and stop victimising the most vulnerable ourselves and look no further than the way we treat Christians, Hindus and other 'non-Muslims" .

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The second World Congress of Optometry 2017 opened in Hyderabad today. For the next three days (11-13 September), the world's leading eye experts will discuss and present new ideas, share research and knowledge from various facets of Optometry.

Telangana and Medical Minister C. Laxma Reddy, formally opened the conference at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre.

Mr.Papa Rao; Advisor, Telangana Government, Dr. G. N. Rao, Chair, LVPEI, Mr. Vinod Daniel, National Organising Committee Chair and CEO India Vision Institute, Dr.UduakUdom, President World Council of Optometry and Mr. Shameem N. Razak, President, Asia Pacific Council of Optometry, were present.

Also attending was Prof.Kovin Naidoo, Conference Chair and CEO, Brien Holden Vision Institute.

Over 1,500 delegates comprising optometrists, researchers, educators, students and professionals from around the world and India are participating in theconference.

Deliberations will focus on the future of Optometry, upgrading optometrists' skills, as well as developing clinical and professional knowledge and skills. The conference will offer opportunities for networking among participants in a collegial spirit, and further the exchange of knowledge and experiences for professional enhancement, education and career development.

The biennial congress is a World Council of Optometry (WCO) initiativeorganised in partnership with the Asia Pacific Council of Optometry (APCO) and the India Vision Institute (IVI).

The conference theme is 'Accessible, quality vision and eye health', which ties into the WHO's 'Universal Eye Health: A global action plan 2014-2019'. The plan aims to reduce the prevalence of avoidable visual impairment by 25% by 2019. WCO envisions accomplishing this by placing a strong and equitable eye health system within which optometry plays a valuable and essential role.

Dr UduakUdom, said "I am delighted that this important biennial conference is being held in India, a country which is seeing great developments on all fronts, including strides in Optometry and vision care delivery.India has, and should, take the lead in leading the world. We have a lot to learn from India.

Mr Shameem N Razak said "challenges remain and these must be overcome. We hope to address several issues confronting countries around the world at the conference."

Mr Vinod Daniel said, "sometimes all it takes to address visual impairmentis a pair of spectacles. Through vision screening programs and by providing free spectacles to those in need, IVI is hoping to make a difference. Generating awareness in communities will also help play a catalytic role in achieving faster results."

"Of the national requirement of around 150,000 professionals, there are currently only 40,000 optometrists in India. There is clearly a big shortfall in optometrists, which needs to be looked into urgently," Mr Daniel noted.

IVI is anchoring the World Congress. It undertakes vision screening programs across India and provides free spectacles, where needed, to disadvantaged communities. It also assists with skilling optometrists and conducts workshops and leadership programs.

The conference agenda includes presentations by some of the world's leading practitioners and professionals, including seven keynote speakers and several presentations by experts of abstracts from the scientific and education tracks. On the scientific side, there will be discussions and presentations on cutting-edge research and clinical practice. The educator's track will offer participants a platform to discuss and shape optometric education worldwide.

There will also be 16 workshops on a range of education and scientific areas, including school eye health programs and diabetic retinopathy, among others.

Keynote speakers include: Dr Taraprasad Das, Vice-Chairman, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad; Professor GVS Murthy, Director, Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad; Dr Bina Patel, Professor, Director of International Programs, New England College of Optometry, Boston, MA, USA; Dr Sandra S. Block, Faculty, Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago, USA; Dr Ron Melton, Charlotte, NC, USA; Dr Randall K. Thomas, Concord, NC, USA; and Dr Peter G Swann,QUT, Brisbane, Australia & Visiting Professor, School of Optometry, Hong Kong.

Exhibiting during the World Congress are 20 exhibitors representing the world's top companies from the optical industry as well as leading institutions working in the eye health sector.

WHO estimates 285 million to be visually impaired, of which 39 million are blind and 246 million have low vision. Globally, uncorrected refractive errors are the main cause of moderate and severe visual impairment; cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in middle- and low-income countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yair Netanyahu, removed an anti-Semitic meme from his Facebook page after Israeli politicians and Jewish community leaders in the United States created a furore over it.

The image, posted by Yair Netanyahu on Friday, was apparently a take on a classic anti-Semitic cartoon suggesting that Jews control the United States.

'Yair Hun', on Facebook, had captioned the meme "the food chain."

People in Israel and the United States condemned it, expressing shock that the prime minister's son would share such an image.

The Israeli office of the Anti-Defamation League tweeted in Hebrew that "the cartoon posted by Yair Netanyahu blatantly contains anti-Semitic elements."

Former prime minister Barak suggested that the younger Netanyahu sees a psychiatrist.

"Is this what the kid hears at home? Is it genetics, or a spontaneous mental illness? It doesn't matter. In any case, we should fund his psychiatrist instead of security guards and a driver," Barak wrote on Twitter.

Yair Netanyahu responded to Barak: "I hope Ehud Barach [a play on words meaning "Ehud ran away"] didn't tweet about me from his seat in Boston (between one shady deal or another) while drunk on whiskey (as I well recall). Time to get a geriatric nurse, Ehud."

Yair Netanyahu also caused controversy by equating neo-Nazis with activists from the far-left anti-fascist movement antifa, last month, at the time of the neo-Nazi march in Charlottesville.

"I'm a Jew, I'm an Israeli, the neo nazi scums in Virginia hate me and my country. But they belong to the past. Their breed is dying out. However the thugs of Antifa and BLM [Black Lives Matter] who hate my country (and America too in my view) just as much are getting stronger and stronger and becoming super dominant in American universities and public life," the 26-year-old posted on Facebook.

Netanyahu's post, however, drew praise from neo-Nazi groups in the United States as well as from Holocaust denier David Duke, a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday informed that the government has increased the compensation for Indian citizens killed in ceasefire violations from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh.

"Those who suffer more than 50% disability due to ceasefire violations will receive Rs 5 lakh as compensation," the Home Minister said while addressing a crowd at Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh also said that he has instructed authorities to have 60 percent recruitment from people at border areas for Indian Reserve Battalion 5 in Jammu Kashmir.

He also said that the biggest strategic asset of any nation is the people, who live near border area.

"This is India is not the weak India it used to be, it has not become a powerful country, the Home Minister said.

Earlier in the day, he said that due to cost escalation, the Prime Minister's Development Package (PMDP) for Jammu and Kashmir is set to cross more Rs. 1 lakh crore.

The Centre has till now disbursed a total of Rs. 62,599 crores to Jammu and Kashmir under the PMDP for the state.

Earlier, Singh reviewed the progress of the implementation of PMDP project at a meeting which was attended by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, state chief secretary B.B. Vyas and officials from his ministry in Srinagar.

Rajnath, who is on a four-day visit to the state, reiterated his commitment to meet every stakeholder in Jammu and Kashmir and resolve long-standing issues faced by the people of the state.

He also appealed to tourists to come visit Kashmir and businesses to invest in the region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The GreenRoomKip Moore combined his love for music and skateboarding for a good cause on Sunday when he teamed up with international skateboarding champion Tony Hawk in downtown Nashville for a charity event called Music City Skate Jam.

The free concert and skating exposition, held at Music City Walk of Fame Park, served as a fundraiser to aid hurricane relief. It also brought awareness to both Kip and Tony's foundations, which aim to build skateparks for kids in inner cities.

Moore headlined the evening while Hawk and other professional skateboarders took part in an hour-long skate demo. Jordan Davis and Dee Jay Silver were also on hand to perform at the event.

While the event is over, donations are still being accepted through September 15 at 5 p.m. CT by texting HAWK to 52182. You can also visit hawk.gesture.com to bid on special event auction items.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani held delegation level talks with Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj aimed at advancing 'India Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council'in New Delhi on Monday and agreed to remain united in dealing with the challenges posed by cross border terrorism. After the talks, four agreements were exchanged in areas like health and transport.

Without mentioning Pakistan,Sushma Swaraj said, "India remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries.We support national peace and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from violence and within the framework of Afghanistan's Constitution."

Intensifying relationship with a strategic partner,Sushma said, "For India, Strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an article of faith; it is a spiritual and civilisation connect.India will continue to work with people of Afghanistan in their efforts to build secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive nation."

Elaboration on the areas of collaboration, the Minister said, " We commenced Air Freight Corridor in June 2017 to provide direct access to farmers of Afghanistan to the Indian markets.India-Afghanistan trade & investment show in New Delhi on September 27-30, 2017 will provide opportunity to bring businesses together.

We also discussed measures for enhancing trade and investment cooperation. India has liberalized visa, especially for Afghan businessmen."

In the areas of connectivity and transit for Afghanistan, MEA announced that "Both the countries are expediting the development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran.We commenced Air Freight Corridor in June 2017 to provide direct access to farmers of Afghanistan to the Indian markets. We are expediting the development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran. e will begin supply of wheat to Afghanistan in coming weeks through Chahbahar port."

She said that focus would be on 'building governance and democratic institutions, human resource capacity and skill development'. She said that measures to enhance trade and investment cooperation was discussed and India has liberalised visas for Afghan businessmen.

Sushma said, "We signed the Motors Vehicle Agreement today. We hope that it would pave the way for overland transit. India also hopes to join the regional trade and transit Agreements that have Afghanistan at its heart".

India has been and will continue to work with the people of Afghanistan in their efforts to build a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive nation.

Ministry of External Affairs said that "both ministers jointly agreed to embark on a New Development Partnership in keeping with the priorities of Afghanistan and the main focus will continue on building governance and democratic institutions; human resource capacity and skill development."

Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a slew of projects including "116 new High Impact Development Projects would be jointly implemented that would bring socio-economic and infrastructure development.

Sushma said that both India and Afghanistan have seen unprecedented high-level exchanges in last three years and "relations between the countries are important not just for our people, but also for the region."

Sushma said, "India will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in realising their dreams."Sushma said "From 2018, a new 500 scholarships programme for next of kin of the martyrs of Afghan National Defence and Security Forces will begin. India will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in realising their dreams."

His visit comes weeks after US President Donald Trump urged India to play a bigger role in Afghanistan while announcing his new Afghanistan policy. Rabbani will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence this evening.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ahead of Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of the bullet train project, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday said that the country's rail network will be transformed and revolutionised with the initiative.

Recently appointed Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, speaking on the India's most ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project, said that train has not seen a single accident in Japan.

"It has been a zero accident train in Japan and I am sure the track record will remain the same in India," Piyush Goyal said.

Goyal said, "The coming of bullet trains to India will not only boost employment, but also will help India to export it."

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given directions for a holistic development of the Indian Railways," Goyal said, adding, India's transport sector is all set to change and "it is indeed a matter of celebration."

Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe will also be visiting India to attend the 'Bhoomi Poojan' and foundation stone laying ceremony of the Rs. 97,636-crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail link, using Japanese bullet-train technology.

During the visit, Prime Minister Abe will also hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi and is expected to serve as the "top salesman" for the adoption of the Shinkansen technology by other Indian railway systems, with China also aiming to win orders for the projects, the Japan Times had reported, earlier in August.

The 500-km railway will link Mumbai and Ahmedabad in Western India, with services planned to commence in 2023. This train is based on Japanese high-speed technology called Shinkansen, known for its safety and comfort.

India has pledged to build high-speed railways, focused on the four major cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

When Prime Minister Modi went to Japan last November, he travelled by Shinkansen with his Japanese counterpart from Tokyo to Kobe to visit a bullet-train plant of Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., a maker of Shinkansen cars.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Army's prestigious 92 Base Hospital (BH) located in Srinagar celebrated its Platinum Jubilee yesterday.

This flagship combat hospital was raised in Rawalpindi during World War-II on September 10, 1942 as 92 General Hospital and subsequently relocated to different locations in Bengal before being mobilised for war to Kure in Japan on March 2, 1946.

Having demonstrated its capability in war the hospital was moved to Jammu and Kashmir for the Indo-Pak conflict on its return to India. It reached Srinagar on October 2, 1948 and occupied the old Jammu and Kashmir State Forces accommodation.

The hospital was subsequently reorganised as a static hospital and renamed 92 Base Hospital on 28 Aug 1970.

First day cover to mark the occasion was released by Lt. Gen. J. S. Sandhu, the Chinar Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Rajbir Singh, Commandant AMC Centre and Records, Sanjay Sharan, Chief Post Master General, Jammu and Kahmir.

Lt. Gen. J S Sandhu complemented all doctors, nursing officers and the civilian staff for achieving this milestone and rendering yeomen service in providing world class health care in Jammu and Kahmir.

"The Base Hospital is an epitome of professionalism and has truly lived upto its motto of "Touching Hearts, Saving Lives," Lt. Gen. Sandhu said.

92 BH has always been known for its tradition of eminence in patient care during peace as well as various conflicts in the region including OP RAKSHAK, the Kargil war, OP PARAKRAM and the flash floods in Kashmir in Sep 2014 when 92 Base Hospital was tasked with coordinating the medical management and it did so for the rescued civilians including the evacuation of 102 critically ill children from a flood ravaged hospital in Srinagar.

The hospital extends its support not only to the Armed Forces personnel and their dependants, veterans but also to the police and paramilitary forces during the critical period of resuscitation and life saving intervention. Many precious lives have been saved due to the excellent 'critical management' provided by the hospital.

The hospital has kept up with the times and is equipped with the most modern diagnostic tools including automatic analysers, CT scan and MRI. It has in addition a fully licenced blood bank with capability of component segregation . It is recognised by the Medical Council of India for Internship training of graduate doctors to qualify for the degree of MBBS.

In recognition for all the above, 92 BH has the unique distinction of being the only medical unit to be awarded the Chief of Army staff Unit Citation thrice along with the General Officer Commanding in Chief's Unit Appreciation and the Director General Medical Services (Army) Rolling Trophy on two occasions. Individual awards of distinguished service and devotion to duty are innumerable including recognition by the Police and Paramilitary Forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian High Commission in Canberra has issued a 'demarche' to three departments of Australian government- Foreign Affairs, Communications and Agriculture of Australia- over the controversial Meat and Livestock Australia advertisement that hurts the religious sentiments of the Indian community.

Taking note of the protests of the Indian community in Australia, the Indian High Commission stated that the advertisement by Meat and Livestock Australia was "offensive" and "hurt the religious sentiments of the Indian community".

"In a video advertisement released by Meat and Livestock Australia recently, Lord Ganesha along with other religious figures is found to be 'toasting lamb', which the Indian community consider to be offensive and hurting their religious sentiments", the statement added.

"The consulate general of India in Sydney has taken up the matter directly with Meat and Livestock Australia and urged them to withdraw the advertisement," the high commission said.

"A number of community associations have also registered their protest with the government of Australia and Meat and Livestock Australia."

An official diplomatic complaint was lodged after the controversial advertisement by Meat and Livestock Australia, featuring the Hindu deity Ganesha eating lamb, sparked protests by the Indian community in Australia .

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court will hear plea filed by the son of former finance minister P. Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram, on Monday in connection with the INX Media case.

On September 1, the apex court refused Karti Chidambaram's plea to move abroad and had made it clear that he cannot leave India, and till then the lookout notice will continue.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the probe agency in the case, alleged that Karti illegally took service charges for getting the FIPB clearance when his father P. Chidambaram was the finance minister.

The apex court had earlier directed Karti to appear before the probe agency in the case.

The Madras High Court had directed Karti to approach a court in Delhi to quash the FIR lodged against him in a bribery case.

The High Court informed Karti that he would have to take his petition to the Delhi High Court, as the case does not come under the jurisdiction of Madras High Court.

Karti had moved the court after the Supreme Court asked him to appear before the CBI in New Delhi, to help the investigating agency with its probe.

Earlier in August, the Madras High Court had stayed the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against Karti and four others.

The apex court had later said that it would review the High Court order cancelling the LOC issued by Foreigner Regional Registration Officer (FRRO).

On May 16, the CBI raided Chidambaram's residence, along with 13 other locations in New Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai and Chandigarh.

The raids were regarding a 2007 case, in which INX Media had allegedly paid bribes to get an FIPB approval.

An FIR was filed against Karti, Indrani Mukherjee and Peter Mukerjea, who owned INX media.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hurricane Irma has slammed into southwest Florida, threatening to bring dangerous storm surges to coastal areas already battered by the hurricane's powerful winds.

The National Hurricane Center has further said, in its latest advisory, that Irma, now a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, is about 5 miles north of Naples, Florida.

Furthermore, United States President Donald Trump has approved a request from Florida for a disaster declaration ordering federal aid to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts.

The action makes federal funding available in nine counties, including Miami-Dade and Hillsborough, which covers Tampa.

Earlier, the center of Hurricane Irma made a landfall in the Marco Island, near Naples, in southwest Florida as a Category 3 hurricane.

The Marco Island Police Department reported a 130 mph wind gust .

The Naples Municipal Airport also reported a gust of 142 mph, near reports of 135mph gust and sustained winds of 93mph - the most powerful recorded gusts on the mainland.

This was the second landfall in Florida. Irma hit Cudjoe Key earlier in the day as a Category 4 storm.

A crane was also reported to have partially collapsed at a construction site on NE 31st Street. This was the second construction crane to collapse in the city.

Earlier, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, Hurricane Irma was downgraded to Category 3, the National Weather Service said.

Category-4 Hurricane Irma began its assault on Florida, the south-easternmost U.S. state earlier on Sunday, with the storm's northern eyewall reaching the lower Florida Keys on Sunday after making landfall in Cuba.

More than 5,60,000 residents across 19 counties in south and central Florida are without power, according to Florida Power and Light Department.

A few records that Irma has broken are:

- Irma is the strongest Atlantic basin hurricane ever recorded outside the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea

-It spent three days as a Category 5 hurricane, the longest Category 5 hurricane since satellite storm-tracking began

.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Islamic State jihadists ambushed a police convoy, killing 18 officers and wounding seven in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Monday.

Islamic State terrorists detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) targeting armoured vehicles of a security patrol in Arish city in North Sinai that later devolved into a gunfight between the security forces and the terrorist elements, local media reported on Monday.

Four armoured vehicles were destroyed due to roadside bombs and a fifth one carrying signal jamming equipment.

ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group, also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief statement carried by its Aamaq website.

Meanwhile, local media reported that a number of terrorists were killed in fire exchange after the blast.

Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terror activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

A day earlier, nine suspected terrorists were killed in a shootout in Egypt's third largest city Giza, home to the legendary Great Pyramids and the Sphinx.

The police cordoned off several streets in the area and launched the counter-terrorism operation. The security forces broke into an apartment in one of the neighborhood's residence buildings, where the suspects were hiding.

Five police officers were injured in the shootout that took place in the neighbourhood of Agouza, Giza governorate, during a raid on two suspected terrorist hideouts, Sputnik reported.

One of the suspects reportedly attempted to detonate a suicide belt but was killed by the police. Police found huge amount of weapons and ammunition from the two terror hideouts.
Three soldiers were injured in Kashmir's Kupwara district, during a routine patrolling on Sunday, after one of the soldiers accidently set off a landmine explosion.

According to official sources, troops of 16 Madras were conducting routine patrolling at the Khwaja Bailkh Post in the Keran sector, when one of the soldiers accidently set foot on a landmine causing an explosion, which left three troopers injured with splinters.

The injured troopers, Sepoy Bala Subramani, Sepoy Kundu Mahesh and Sepoy HB Swami were rushed to the Military Hospital, Drugmulla, Kupwara, where they are undergoing treatment.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will be on a two-day India visit - on September 13 -14.

During the visit, both leaders will address the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit in Gujarat's Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

This will be the fourth annual summit that Prime Minister Modi and Shinzo Abe would address together.

The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multi-faceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership' and will set its future direction.

Earlier on Friday, Japan's Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu, had said that the relationship between India and Japan is at its best ever, and that New Delhi is a key partner to carry out Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy.

"The India-Japan relationship is at its best ever. India is a key partner to carry out Prime Minister Abe's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy. In this age of vulnerability, we cherish the relationship between the two countries. It's a partnership between the oldest and the largest democracies," Hiramatsu said, while addressing the India-Japan Colloquium session in New Delhi.

"Prime Minister Abe's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy is also intent of Japan to play a larger role in the Indian Ocean under the banner of pro-active contribution to peace," he added.

Hiramatsu further said, "We are living in a that is becoming increasingly vulnerable and unpredictable, with outstanding issues like North Korea. But India and Japan and their partnership provide a certainty in the region and beyond."

Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar asserted that Japan can make a substantial difference to India's nuclear industry.

Speaking at the India-Japan Colloquium session, Jaishankar stressed as to how cooperation and civil nuclear defence will be two key components of the future for both India and Japan.

"The difference that Japan can make to our nuclear industry can be quite substantial. Japan's openness to supply India with military technology also reflects the high level of confidence between the two countries," he said.

The Foreign Secretary also spoke about a number of infrastructural and economic projects which both the countries are planning to undertake.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers' wife has confirmed that she had suffered miscarriage with their second child after the actor's recent alcoholic relapse at the airport.

The news comes days after Meyers was escorted at the Dublin Airport by the security for being too intoxicated to board a flight to Vancouver, Canada.

Mara Jane, the wife of the Irish actor revealed that her husband has not taken the news too well prompting him to turn to alcohol again since he had a history with alcohol addiction in the past and has spent time in rehab to address his problems.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the American actress revealed the devastating news and how they were working together to overcome their loss.

Posting a picture of a little girl and a lion, Jane captioned," With much sadness, we open our hearts to share that J and I lost our second child, who was baking in the oven."

She continued, "Child was very very much wanted (right now especially by J, so he took the news particularly not so well) and we are still working with coping skills over here... when life throws us curve balls such as these."

She went on to admit about her husband's past alcohol addiction and also highlighted how depression is a "real concern."

The mother of one further revealed that, "He has been able to turn any ugliness and hurt in his life into art and is the strongest person I know."

Expressing her admiration for her husband at this tough time, she said, "I do not know anyone who has been through what he has been through and reached his level of successes."

And adding, "To some others, my husband is an Irishman who battles alcoholism and depression and drank between jobs to try to cope with the sadness of this news. I am trying to and still learning/adjusting to living with the public, like one would as a concerned mother-in-law."

She also said that whoever took the picture of her husband in the airport was "slightly wrong" in doing so but she said "its ok" after what it has been done.

Saying that, "Maybe you have/had a family to feed and need/needed money? I don't know. We forgive you."

She affirmed that her husband is recovering for his addiction, adding, "He is safe and with his sober living companion and bodyguard to get into a detox closer to home since he was denied hospital help twice in Ireland because of an already two month wait period."

At the end of the post she sent her love to those in the US, India and Mexico coping with natural disasters.

"We are both so sensitive and the past couple of weeks have been so ouch in our hearts for all humans and animals affected. With Love, M&J," she added.

Jane and Meyers tied the knot in 2016 and on the same year of December they welcomed their first child, a son named Wolf.

Meyers rose to fame after 2002's hit 'Bend It Like Beckham' and later went on to receive his first major award 'Golden Globe' for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in the mini-series 'Elvis.'

The 40-year-old actor is currently starring as Henry VIII in the BBC drama 'The Tudors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A recent study has found the key factor in increased intake of sugar sweetened beverages in countries.

Considerable exposure to sugary drinks combined with a lack of water fountains in high schools are likely important contributors to increased consumption of the beverages, a new study from the University of Waterloo has found.

Focusing on high schools in Guatemala City, researchers from Waterloo and the Cardiovascular Surgery Unit of Guatemala found that that the beverage industry is very visible in schools through industry-sponsored food and drink kiosks, advertisements, and donated goods.

Further, students attending public schools lacked access to free drinking water during school.

"Schools represent an important area of influence for adolescents," said Katelyn Godin, lead author on the paper and a PhD candidate at Waterloo's School of Public and Systems.

"With limited access to clean drinking water and the very visible presence of the beverage industry in schools, it's clear that being in an environment that encourages students to purchase unhealthy sugar-sweetened beverages has an impact on behaviour."

Guatemalan students consume soft drinks an average of 2.5 days each school week, which is twice the rate of their Canadian peers, who have ready access to water fountains at school.

Latin Americans are among the greatest consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages globally. They also face higher rates of obesity, undernutrition and chronic illness than people in wealthier countries.

"The presence of the sugar-sweetened beverage industry in Guatemalan schools suggests that the beverage industry is capitalizing on countries that have fewer enforced regulations to protect youth than places like Canada to access a key subgroup of impressionable consumers," said Godin.

In Canada provincial policies restrict the availability of sugar-sweetened beverages for sale in schools and limit the presence of marketing from the food and beverage industry.

The researchers also found that unlike public schools, the Guatemalan private schools they studied all had free, clean drinking water available to students through water coolers. Private school students consumed sweetened beverages half as often as their public-school peers.

"This finding reflects an important social and inequity, since private school students typically come from wealthier families," said Godin. "An initial step to addressing these problems is enforcing policies that limit the power the sugar-sweetened beverage industry has in schools, while providing students with healthy alternatives to sugar-laden, high calorie drinks."

Latin America is the largest market globally for soda in terms of dollar sales.

The study appears in Public Health Nutrition.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for the creation of a new European Monetary Fund to handle European financial affairs in future.

Asking that International Monetary Fund should take a back seat following the ill fated participation in the Greek bailout,"The presence of the IMF was a symptom of the lack of trust between European states, between European institutions and the member states,IMF, which participated in the Greek bailout due to pressure from Germany, "had no place in EU affairs and therefore reform of Eurozone institutions is needed that would entail the creation of a new European Monetary Fund",Sputnik quoted Macron as saying after a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

The Greek debt crisis started in late 2009, triggered by the turmoil of the Great Recession, structural weaknesses in the Greek economy.The IMF's lending rules stipulated that it would only issue loans to countries which were able to repay their debts, and its resources were mainly used by smaller, developing economies. The IMF therefore became part of Greece's "Troika" of creditors, along with the European Commission and the European Central Bank, provided about 260 billion euros ($312.86 billion)to Greece since 2010, but the IMF has so refused for the third bailout unless European leaders commit to a formal restructuring of Greece's debt.

Any default on Greek debt will therefore scuttle changes of further loan for a Greek bailout from IMF.

French economist Philippe Bechade told Sputnik that "in theory, Europe is not a region in a difficult situation," and should be able to resolve its own financial difficulties without assistance from the IMF.

"Initially, the sum being talked about was 50 billion Euros, which could have been quickly resolved. Germany in principle did not want to do this because it thought that German taxpayers should not have to pay for the stupidity of Greece," Bechade said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
'Million Dollar Listing's Josh Flagg exchanged vows with fiance Bobby Boyd at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California on Saturday.

The 32-year-old posted a video on Instagram and captioned it as, "To the new Mr and Mr Flagg!"

Flagg proposed to Boyd in 2016 during a trip to Paris. The proposal included a flash mob of 40 dancers, who performed on the marble courtyard at the Four Seasons Hotel George V.

"Finding my best friend and soul mate is a gift I will never take for granted #paris," Boyd wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of the two kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal Parliament's Development Committee has endorsed a local government bill that clearly lays down powers of local level authorities granted under the Constitution.

As per the provisions of the bill, civic bodies will have power to register land and issue ownership certificates.

Panel member Ganesh Kumar Pahari said local levels have been allowed to call tender for sale of sand and clinkers under their jurisdiction but the revenue would be shared among the local levels, provinces and the centre.

"We have clearly defined powers and rights of local levels so that when all 553 local levels make their laws, there is uniformity in their laws," The Himlayan Times quoted Pahari, as saying.

He said judicial powers of the judicial committees of the local levels have been defined by the panel which would be formed under deputy chiefs of local levels who will settle minor offences, reducing burden on courts of law.

According to the report, the bill also categorised Dhading, Ramechhap, Gorkha and Eastern Rukum as mountainous districts to enable them to get development aid along the lines of mountainous and remote districts and some advantage of representation in the Parliament.

The bill also allows local level authorities to award licence for operation of FM radios.

It also has a provision for local levels to approve design of those buildings that were built in the past without approval or to allow change in the original design provided that the new design does not violate the building code.

All provisions of the bill were unanimously endorsed by the panel other than the provision relating to right to form associations.

The bill also included a provision to create a fund for the district coordination committees.

Nine lawmakers associated with the main opposition CPN-UML and Rastriya Prajtantra Party were in favour of the provisions of the bill.

However, the 17 lawmakers associated with the ruling Nepali Congress and the CPN-Maoist Centre voted against the provision.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
North Korea has warned that United States will pay a "due price," if harsh sanctions against Kim Jong Un and the country are agreed at a United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday, where members will vote on a draft resolution for imposing new sanctions, including freezing the assets of leader Kim Jong Un over its sixth and powerful nuclear test.

North Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on state media that if the US "does rig up the illegal and unlawful 'resolution'," it would respond in kind.

"The DPRK is ready and willing to use any form of ultimate means," the statement said, referring to the country by its acronym.

"The forthcoming measures to be taken by the DPRK will cause the US the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history."

The draft resolution includes a full ban on exports of oil to North Korea, a full ban on textile imports from North Korea, a ban on North Korean labourers generating earnings overseas, and the asset freeze, which will also target members of the ruling worker's party, the diplomat said, calling it a "hard-hitting, ambitious resolution," CNN reported.

North Korean ally China and neighboring Russia hold veto power on the Security Council. A draft resolution needs nine affirmative votes from members of the Council and zero vetoes from permanent members in order to pass.

The International community condemned North Korea for testing the hydrogen bomb on August 27, marking the sixth time the isolated state has tested a nuclear weapon.

The major powers than convened an emergency session of the security council where U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley argued forcefully for harsher sanctions, saying, "enough is enough," and that Kim was "begging for war."

"We have taken an incremental approach, and despite the best of intentions, it has not worked," Haley said. "War is never something the Unites States wants -- we don't want it now. But our country's patience is not unlimited. We will defend our allies and our territory."

Moreover, South Korea Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said that North Korean leader is likely to launch another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) "on September 9."

"The situation is very grave. It doesn't seem much time is left before North Korea achieves its complete nuclear armament," the prime minister told a meeting of defense ministers in Seoul Thursday.

"A special measure is urgently needed to stop their recklessness.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that due to cost escalation, the Prime Minister's Development Package (PMDP) for is set to cross more Rs. 1 lakh crore.

The Centre has till now disbursed a total of Rs. 62,599 crore to under the PMDP for the state.

Earlier, Singh reviewed the progress of the implementation of PMDP project at a meeting which was attended by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, state chief secretary B.B. Vyas and officials from his ministry in Srinagar.

Rajnath Singh, who is on a four-day visit to the state, reiterated his commitment to meet every stakeholder in and resolve long-standing issues faced by the people of the state.

"I would like to assure this to the people of Jammu and Kashmir that not just five times, if there is a need to come visit Kashmir 50 times in a year I shall come. Whatever efforts need to be made for bringing peace and prosperity, I will do it. Our intention is very clear that we want to solve the ongoing problem in Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

The Home Minister further said that the permanent solution of Kashmir issue is based on 5 Cs - Compassion, Communication, Coexistence, Confidence Building and Consistency.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day "goli and gali" speech, Singh said Kashmiris must be embraced and not abused.

"Even the Prime Minister said that the Kashmir problem can be resolved only through dialogues and not through 'goli and gali'," he added.

He said the situation is improving in the Kashmir valley and they wish to see smiles on the face of the Kashmiri people.

Speaking on Article 35A, Singh said that the government will never take any step, which will hurt the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Government didn't initiate anything on Article 35A nor went to the Court. I assure that the government would never take step which hurts sentiments of people of Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

After holding a security review meeting, Rajnath Singh said kids below the age of 18 would be treated in accordance with the Juvenile Act and not like criminals.

"The kids below the age of 18 should not be treated like criminals, whatever investigation needs to be done it must be in accordance with juvenile act. They must not be sent to prison, must be sent to juvenile homes," he added.

Rajnath Singh also appealed to tourists to come visit Kashmir and businesses to invest in the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated India's strong support to Afghanistan in fighting terrorism.

Prime Minister Modi, during his meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani, affirmed that New Delhi attaches highest priority to its ties with Kabul.

He also reiterated India's full support to the government and people of Afghanistan, including through humanitarian and development assistance, in their efforts to build a peaceful, united, democratic and prosperous nation.

Rabbani briefed Prime Minister Modi on the situation in Afghanistan and both agreed that the Afghan peace process has to be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.

Rabbani is in India for the second meeting of the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council that he co-chairs with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Myanmar has rebuffed a ceasefire declared by Muslim Rohingya militants, declaring simply that it did not negotiate with terrorists.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) took to Twitter to announce the truce in a statement, in which it urged "all humanitarian actors" to resume aid delivery to "all victims of humanitarian crisis irrespective of ethnic or religious background" during the ceasefire period, which runs until October 9.

The ARSA also urged Myanmar to "reciprocate this humanitarian pause" in fighting.

The spokesman for Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi, however, said on Twitter: "We have no policy to negotiate with terrorists."

Myanmar says its security forces are carrying out clearance operations to defend against the ARSA, which the government has declared a terrorist organisation.

The ARSA in Myanmar's Rakhine state had declared a month-long ceasefire starting on Sunday after more than two weeks of violence and called on the Myanmar Government to respond in the same manner.

On August 25, Rohingya insurgents killed 12 security officers in co-ordinated attacks on border posts, according to Myanmar's state media.

In response, the military intensified "clearance operations" against "terrorists," driving thousands of people from their homes.

Bangladesh High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali met Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Saturday and apprised him of the problems caused due to Rohingya Muslims amid a rising exodus from Myanmar's Rakhine State.

At least 294,000 ethnic Rohingyas have fled across the border to Bangladesh since fighting broke out on August 25, according to a situation report from the Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) in Bangladesh. The report said $77 million in funding was needed to deliver urgent aid to the new arrivals.

Rohingyas are not recognised by Myanmar as its citizens and are called Bengali by them and Leaders of countries with majority Muslim populations including Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh have led efforts to increase pressure on the Myanmar government.

So far, an estimated 270,000 Rohingya refugees have fled from the violence affected Myanmar's Northern Rakhine state and sought refuge in Bangladesh where the limited shelter capacity is already exhausted, the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR said on Friday.

Amid a dramatic increase in the number of refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar's Northern Rakhine state, UNHCR called for urgent action to address the root causes of the recent surge in violence, so that people are no longer compelled to flee and can eventually return home in safety and dignity.

Yanghee Lee, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Myanmar, said Friday that at least 1,000 people had been killed in the violence, though she said that figure is "very likely an underestimate.""Figures are difficult to verify because of lack of access to the affected areas," she said. The Myanmar government said 421 people had died.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday while taking cognizance of a petition in connection with the murder of seven-year-old Pradhyuman Thakur of Ryan International School, Gurugram issued a notice to the Centre, Haryana government, Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) and concerned parties, seeking a report within three weeks.

Highlighting that schools have gone scott-free despite security lapses, the victim's lawyer S K Tikriwal urged that a tribunal is formed under the supervision of the apex court in order to place accountability and ensure timely action in such cases.

"There is a need to create a tribunal for enhancing accountability. The Supreme Court should frame guidelines to eradicate security lapses in school, and legal action should be taken immediately. However, the court has said clearly that this is not about one case alone, but pertains to the education system on the whole. All schools will be subject to scrutiny in this matter," Tikriwal told reporters here.

Further, the lawyer also pressed for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the matter.

Reinstating his faith in the judiciary, the victim's father Varun Thakur said he has received the positive response from the state government, urging that proper norms be made for schools to abide by.

"I appreciate the timely action that was taken. I have full faith in the SC and have also received a positive response from the Haryana government. There should be proper guidelines issued so that such incidents don't happen in the future," he said.

Earlier on Friday, the school's bus conductor was nabbed after the body of seven-year-old Pradhyuman Thakur was found inside the toilet of the high-profile school, with his throat slit, following which the school's principal was suspended.

On Sunday morning, hundreds of people, including parents and locals, held huge protests demanding that the police must take action against the school.

Media personnel were also injured during the lathi-charge and their vehicle was also damaged.

(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.)
Schneider Electric, a specialist in energy management and automation on Monday announced the opening of its new office at Dhan Trident Building, Vijay Nagar in Indore, aiming to offer a single window access to the vast range of offers, to all customers and partners in the region.

The Indore office inauguration is in line with the company's plan to consolidate its presence across various cities in India. The office will be led by Revanand Andhale, Regional Sales Director, supported by Debasish Banerji, G.M. Sales- (Madhya Pradesh).

"The opening of our new office in Indore will enable us serve the energy management requirements of customers in the state, and address the requirements from the four end markets that support the EcoStruxure strategy of the company - Building, Data Center, Industry and Grid," said S Nagarajan, President- National Sales- Schneider Electric India.

Madhya Pradesh is one of the few states in India which is power surplus. Schneider Electric believes that this could enable higher industrial growth in the state which anchors industries like automobile, hardware manufacturing, financial services, pharmaceutical, textiles, hospitals, food processing and mines.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jammu and Kashmir Inspector General Police (IGP) Muneer Khan on Monday said that the youth in Kashmir, who choose to shun violence, would be received with open hearts.

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Kashmir Police jointly held a press conference after the arrest of one militant following the encounter in Kulgam.

"It's a clear message to others who have been lured into all this that if they come, we will receive them with open hearts," Khan said.

"The surrendered terrorist Adil could've been killed by forces, preferred to give him chance to live and come to mainstream. That's why caught him alive," Khan added.

CRPF Inspector General (IG) Z Hassan said that he wants to assure a safe future for the youth and make sure that they don't fall into prey to those who are misguiding them.

"I want to assure every person in the Valley that your future would be safe if you decide to get away from whoever is misguiding you," Hassan said.

Earlier, two terrorists of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) were gunned down in an encounter at Kulgam and one terrorist was arrested following the encounter.

The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Khudwani area of Kulgam district yesterday following specific information about the presence of several terrorists.

The killed terrorists have been identified as Dawood Ahmed Ali and Shaiyar Ahmed Wani. The arrested terrorist has been identified as Arief Sofi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday urged the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav to approach the High Court or the Supreme Court if he has any valid evidence against him in connection with the Srijan scam.

Kumar said that Lalu instead of creating brouhaha in the media about his alleged involvement in the scam, should knock the doors of judiciary to get justice.

"If they have any evidence then they should go to High Court or Supreme Court instead of going to the media," Nitish Kumar said.

Earlier on August 26, the CBI had registered an FIR against Bhagalpur based NGO, Srijan Mahila Vikas Samiti in connection of Srijan Scam, involving alleged transfer of government funds to accounts of the non-government organisation in Bihar's Bhagalpur district.

The FIR has also been registered against Director of bank of Baroda (Saharsa), former director of Bank of Baroda (Bhagalpur), former cashier and head Assistant of land acquisition office (Saharsa).

Earlier in August, the CBI began investigation in the Srijan scam.

According to sources, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Modi could also face heat in the regard.

Last week, the Kumar recommended the CBI to probe into Bhagalpur Srijan scam, Lalu accused him of "murdering democracy" in Bihar.

Lalu had also alleged of a "foul play" behind the delay in CBI's investigation into the Srijan scam, in addition to accusing Nitish of 'destroying' all the evidence.

Meanwhile, Modi called his predecessor and Lalu Yadav's son Tejashwi Yadav's protests in the Assembly premises demanding the former's resignation in connection with the Srijan scam as "shameful."

The scam worth around Rs 1000 Crore occurred in Bihar between 2005 and 2013, when Modi was the finance minister of Bihar.

A Bhagalpur NGO named Srijan Mahila Sahyog Samiti, on the pretext of several welfare schemes, had embezzled crores of money from different accounts of district administration with the alleged help of government officials and bank staff.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A suicide car bomber targeted a convoy of foreign troops in Afghanistan's Parwan Province on Monday.

At least three civilians, along with an undisclosed number of foreign troops, were injured after a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle packed with explosives into a convoy of foreign troops in Bagram district, Tolo News reported.

Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Patiala House court in Delhi on Monday will hear the matter of de-sealing of Hotel Leela's suite no. 345 where Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda pushkar was found dead, back in 2014.

On September 4, the court had cracked down on the Delhi Police for delaying the de-sealing of the room.

It had further directed the concerned Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to be present in the court and explain why, even after more than three years, the police needs "more time to investigate."

Earlier on August 30, the Leela Hotel told the court that the police had sent a letter to the hotel, saying that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) will have to visit the hotel again on September 1 to collect further evidence, and hence the room can't be de-sealed yet.

The lawyer representing the hotel told the court that the room had been sealed since 2015, and that no evidence was collected.

On July 14, acting on a plea filed by Hotel Leela Palace seeking to de-seal the room, the court had sought a damage report of the sealed suite from the Delhi Police.

Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma asked the Investigating Officer of the case to file the reply by July 21.

On July 12, the Delhi High Court adjourned the hearing of the Sunanda Pushkar death case on a plea by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy till July 20.

Swamy on July 6 had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court seeking a court-monitored enquiry into the mysterious death of Pushkar.

The Delhi High Court had asked the Home Ministry, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the police to file their stand on the current status in the matter.

Sunanda Pushkar was found dead on the night of January 17, 2014.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
C.R. Saraswathi of T.T.V. Dinakaran-V.K. Sasikala faction of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Monday said that the Tamil Nadu Governor, Vidyasagar Rao, should immediately give a decision on the fate of the chief ministership of the state.

Saraswathi's remarks come a day after Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader M.K. Stalin warned that his party would take the case to the courts if the governor doesn't hold a floor test within a week to decide if the Tamil Nadu government has a majority.

Speaking to ANI, Saraswathi said, "It's been more than 25 days that the Chief Minister met the Governor and we want an answer now. Our only request is that we want to change the chief minister. We hope that he responds to our demands and fulfills them."

The DMK had earlier demanded an immediate convening of the Assembly and to direct the Chief Minister to prove his majority.

Stalin further stated that the AIADMK government had lost its majority as it enjoyed the support of only 114 legislators in the 233-member legislative assembly, excluding the late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa's seat.

Earlier in the week, three more legislators and seven parliamentarians, along with deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran met the governor and sought the removal of both Chief Minister Palanisamy and deputy chief minister O. Panneerselvam.

DMK leaders had met Rao on August 27 too in demand for a floor test.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United States has condemned terror attack in Egypt in which 18 soldiers were killed on Monday.

Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement that the US will continue to stand with Egypt as it confronts the threat from terrorism.

"The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack on a security convoy in Egypt today that left at least 18 dead and others injured. We express our profound condolences to the families and friends of the victims and our wishes for a speedy recovery for those hurt in the attack. We will continue to stand with Egypt as it confronts the threat from terrorism," Heather Nauert said.

Islamic State jihadists ambushed a police convoy and killed 18 officers and wounded seven others in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Monday.

Islamic State terrorists detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) targeting armoured vehicles of a security patrol in Arish city in North Sinai that later devolved into a gunfight between the security forces and the terrorist elements, said local media reports.

Four armoured vehicles were destroyed due to roadside bombs.

ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group, also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief statement carried by its Aamaq website.

Meanwhile, local media reported that a number of terrorists were also killed in fire exchange after the blast.

Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terror activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.

A day earlier, nine suspected terrorists were killed in a shootout in Egypt's third largest city Giza, home to the legendary Great Pyramids and the Sphinx.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Left Supporters in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district clashed with the police outside the District Magistrate's office while protesting against the government's policies on Monday.

People from North 24 Parganas' Barasat area clashed with the police after they were stopped rallying towards the DM's office. The people retaliated by pelting stones at the police.

The police, in return, lathi-charged at the protesters and attacked them with tear-gas.

The tussle led to three or four policemen and more than 10 Left supporters getting injured.

Royal Air Force (RAF) and Combat Forces were deployed in the area as well.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sales reported at Rs 0.15 crore

Net profit of Amit Securities declined 83.33% to Rs 0.01 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 0.06 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. Sales remain constant at Rs 0.15 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 and also during the previous quarter ended June 2016.0.150.1513.3340.000.020.060.020.060.010.06

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bharat Heavy Electricals rose 1.17% to Rs 129.30 at 9:25 IST on BSE after the company announced that it has fixed 30 September 2017 as the record date for the purpose of issuance of 1:2 bonus issue.

The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 8 September 2017.

The company's board at the time of announcement of Q1 results on 10 August 2017 had recommended 1:2 bonus issue.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 168.02 points or 0.53% at 31,855.54.

On the BSE, 13,123 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 6.48 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 129.70 and a low of Rs 128 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 182.65 on 25 April 2017 and a 52-week low of Rs 116.15 on 27 December 2016.

The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 8 September 2017, falling 5.19% compared with 1.02% decline in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, falling 7.59% as against Sensex's 1.52% rise. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one year, declining 18.52% as against Sensex's 9.1% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 489.52 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

Bharat Heavy Electricals' net profit rose 3.9% to Rs 80.82 crore on 2.4% decline in net sales to Rs 5380.60 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q1 June 2016.

The Government of India holds 63.06% stake in Bhel (as per the shareholding pattern as on 31 March 2017).

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Welcoming the imposition of Countervailing Duty on imports of Stainless Steelflat products by the Ministry of Finance, Union Steel Minister Shri Birender Singh said in New Delhi today that, CVD on Stainless Steel will strengthen the ongoing efforts of Indian industry for moving towards 100 % quality regime for better safety and health of users. This will provide a level playing field to the industry to grow to its full potential after attaining 2nd largest rank in stainless steel production in world in 2016. The notification issued by the Ministry of Finance, dated 7th September 2017, prescribes a total of 18.95% CVD on imports of Stainless steel flat products from China for the next five years. Reacting to the development Dr. Aruna Sharma, Secretary Steel said, This is the first case of imposition of CVD on any steel product in India. This would provide the much needed relief to the stainless steel industry from the subsidized imports from China.

Dr Sharma said that this was one among the many steps taken by the Government to help the domestic Stainless Steel Industry. Among the other steps were the imposition of the Stainless Steel Quality Control Order (QCO) and other trade remedial measures. The CVD investigations were initiated on 12th April 2016 by the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) in response to a surge in subsidized imports of stainless steel flat products. These imports were distorting the domestic market, which was under huge stress and was leading to financial stress in the industry. Extensive investigations were carried out by DGAD and the final findings were issued by the DGAD vide notification dated 4th July 2017.

The final findings list a possible 81 known subsidies being provided by China. They were categorized into five different heads including Grants (0.55%), Export Financing (0%), Tax & VAT incentives (2.3%), Provision of Goods & services (15.78%) and Preferential loans and lending totaling 18.95%.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ministry of Civil Aviation unveiled rules to tackle on-board disruptive and unruly behaviour by passengers. The Minister for Civil Aviation Shri P Ashok Gajapathi Raju said that the new rules will allow for the formation of a national, No Fly List of such unruly passengers. He said the promulgation of the No - Fly List in India is unique and first-of-its-kind in the world. Emphasizing the Government's commitment for ensuring safety, Shri Raju said that the concept of the No-Fly List is based on the concern for safety of passengers, crew and the aircraft, and not just on security threat.

The DGCA has revised the relevant sections of the Civil Aviation Requirement ( CAR Section 3, Series M, Part Vl on "Handling of Unruly Passengers ) to bring in a deterrent for passengers who engage in unruly behaviour on board aircrafts. The revision has been done in accordance with the provisions of Tokyo Convention 1963.

The revised CAR deals with unruly behavior of passenger on-board aircrafts. Unruly behavior of passengers at airport premises will be dealt with by relevant security agencies under applicable penal provisions. The revised CAR will be applicable for all Indian operators engaged in scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services, both domestic and international carriage of passengers. The CAR would also be applicable to foreign carriers subject to compliance of Tokyo Convention 1963.

The Minister of State for Civil Aviation Shri Jayant Sinha said that the new rules have been promulgated after a lot of deliberation and consultation with all stakeholders. The focus has been on ensuring on board safety while maintaining an element of balance and safeguarding the interest of passengers, cabin crew and the airlines.

The revised CAR defines three categories of unruly behavior - Level 1 refers to behaviour that is verbally unruly, and calls for debarment upto 3 months; Level 2 indicates physical unruliness and can lead to the passenger being debarred from flying for upto 6 months and Level 3 indicates life-threatening behaviour where the debarment would be for a minimum of 2 years.

The complaint of unruly behavior would need to be filed by the pilot-in-command.

These complaints will be probed by an internal committee to be set up by the airline. The internal committee will have retired District & Sessions Judge as Chairman and representatives from a different scheduled airline, passengers' association/consumer association/retired officer of Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum as Members. As per the CAR provisions, the internal committee will have to decide the matter within 30 days, and also specify the duration of ban on the unruly passenger. During the period of pendency of the enquiry the concerned airline may impose a ban on the said passenger. For every subsequent offence, the ban will be twice the period of previous ban.

The airlines will be required to share the No-Fly list, and the same will be available on DGCA website. The other airlines will not be bound by the No-Fly list of an airline. The No Fly Lists will have two components - unruly passengers banned for a certain period based on examination of the case by the internal committee; and those persons perceived to be national security risk by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The latter component will, however, not be displayed on the DGCA website.

The revised CAR also contains appeal provisions against the ban. Aggrieved persons (other than those identified as security threat by MHA) may appeal within 60 days from the date of issue of order to the Appellate Committee constituted by MoCA comprising of retired Judge of a High Court of India as Chairman and representatives of passengers association/consumer association/retired officer of Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum and airlines as Members.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sales rise 7.93% to Rs 173.44 crore

Net profit of Honda Siel Power Products declined 16.21% to Rs 12.66 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 15.11 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. Sales rose 7.93% to Rs 173.44 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 160.70 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016.173.44160.7012.5615.4525.2628.7419.3623.1012.6615.11

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Receives bids for 18.53 lakh shares

The initial public offer (IPO) of Matrimony.com received bids for 18.53 lakh shares on the first day of bidding for the IPO, data on NSE showed as at 16:45 IST. The IPO was subscribed 66%. The price band of the IPO has been fixed at Rs 983 to Rs 985 per equity share of face value of Rs 5 each. The IPO opened today, 11 September 2017 and closes on 13 September 2017.

Ahead of the IPO, the IPO committee of the board of directors of Matrimony.com on Friday, 8 September 2017, finalised allocation of 22.93 lakh shares to 10 anchor investors at Rs 985 per share aggregating to Rs 225.88 crore. The anchor investors included Small Cap World Fund, Goldman Sachs India, HDFC Trustee Company and Baring Private Equity India among others.

The IPO of Matrimony.com is comprised of a fresh issue of shares aggregating up to Rs 130 crore and an offer for sale of up to 37.67 lakh equity shares by the selling shareholders.

The proceeds of the IPO will be utilized for advertising & business promotion activities, purchase & development of office premises in Chennai, repayment of overdraft facilities, procurement of hardware & software requirements and general corporate purposes.

Matrimony.com is the leading provider of online matchmaking services in India in terms of the average number of website pages viewed by unique visitors in June 2017. Company's brand, BharatMatrimony.com and other matchmaking brands such as CommunityMatrimony.com and EliteMatrimony.com are well- established in India.

Matrimony.com reported consolidated net profit of Rs 43.79 crore in the year ended 31 March 2017 (FY 2017) compared with net loss of Rs 75.07 in FY 2016. Revenue from operations rose 14.91% to Rs 292.82 crore in FY 2017 over FY 2016.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tata Steel UK has received confirmation from The Pensioners Regulator that it has approved a Regulated Apportionment Arrangement (RAA) in respect of the British Steel Pension Scheme.

The BSPS has now been separated from Tata Steel UK and a number of affiliated companies.

As part of the RAA, a payment of 550 million from Tata Steel UK has been made to the BSPS and share in Tata Steel UK, equivalent to a 33% economic equity stake in the company, have been issued to the BSPS Trustee under the terms of the shareholders' agreement.

Tata Steel has also agreed to sponsor a proposed new pension scheme, subject to certain qualifying conditions being met.

The net financial impact of the RAA including payment of the agreed 550 million settlement amount will be reflected in the Q2 FY 2018 financials for the company.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A sharpshooter, hired by a former lawmaker to kill a BJP worker here, has been arrested, the Uttar Pradesh Police said on Monday.

Narendra Gurjar, who had been a personal security officer of former BSP legislator Amar Pal Sharma, was arrested on Sunday and during interrogation, confessed to having killed Gajendra Singh Bhati on the behest of Sharma. He said Sharma was to pay him Rs 10 lakh for the purpose and had given Rs 50,000 advance.

Bhati was shot dead on September 2 in Khoda area bordering Delhi on National Highway-24.

Sharma was booked in the murder case after Bhati's brother lodged a complaint, alleging that the former Bahujan Samaj Party legislator, who is now in the Congress, was behind the killing.

In his complaint, Yogesh Bhati had said that he noticed his brother had been disturbed for the last three-four days and on asking the problem, was told that he (Gajendra Bhati) wanted to contest in the upcoming municipal elections in Khoda but Sharma had threatened him not to enter the fray.

He said that when his brother did not agree, Sharma hired contract killers who killed him.

Gurjar, alias Narendra Fauji, is a resident of Sakalpura village and was arrested from his hideout near Koyal Enclave at 6 p.m. on Sunday. Police seized white-coloured Apache motorcycle, and a .30 calibre pistol with four live cartridges, which were used in the crime, from him.

"The motive of the murder has been established a political one. Sharma's wife is inclined to contest the municipal chairperson's election... it was a case of rivalry between two families. Narendra Fauji has been nabbed and other two accused are on the run. The police teams are conducting raids to nab them," said Ghaziabad's Senior Superintendent of Police H.N. Singh.

He said Fauji has a criminal record with cases of heinous crimes registered against him at different police stations of Ghaziabad.

Sharma, who was the lawmaker from Sahibabad in the previous assembly, denied any involvement in Bhati's murder and said he was being victimised. He demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe.

He has not been questioned during the last nine days since the crime even after he was booked.

Meanwhile, Fauji's wife also lodged a complaint with the SSP saying that her husband was picked up by 14-15 persons in plain clothes on the early evening of September 7.

Suspecting foul play, Reena said she immediately called police control room at 100 twice. But the SSP contradicted her claim and said the arrest was made on September 10 from Koyal Enclave.

--IANS

sps/him/vd

(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.)
Some 313,000 Rohingya migrants have crossed the border into Bangladesh after fleeing deadly violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state, the UN office in Bangladesh announced on Monday.

In a report, the Inter-Sectoral Coordination Group said most of the new refugees, around 246,000, have been put up in temporary shelters and existing camps since an outbreak of violence on August 25, reports Efe news.

The remaining 67,000 are being housed in informal settlements, according to the report, which adds that while the flow of Rohingyas continues, it has slowed considerably.

The influx of Rohingyas to southeastern Bangladesh had steadily increased since the attacks on police and military posts by an insurgent group and Myanmar's subsequent military crackdown.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army had declared a month-long cease-fire on Saturday to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, which the Myanmar government rejected.

The latest wave of refugees comes after the Myanmar army carried out another military campaign at the end of last year following a similar insurgent attack, which triggered an exodus of more than 80,000 Rohingyas.

Before the crisis erupted, between 300,000 and 500,000 Rohingyas had been living in Bangladesh, only 32,000 of whom enjoy refugee status.

--IANS

ksk/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Some 53 militant suspects were arrested in different parts of Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi in police's raids during last 24 hours, said police late on Sunday.

One suspect was killed in the operations, Xinhua news agency cited police as saying.

Adeel Chandio, the Superintendent of Police in Karachi, said that police and law enforcers conducted raids after getting intelligence tips about the presence of militants and criminals belonging to different groups in various areas of Karachi.

According to the details, three suspects were taken into custody during a crackdown in Darakhshan area of the metropolitan.

Police and Rangers cordoned off the Layari area, once considered as a safe haven for drug paddlers, extortionists and militants, and successfully arrested 50 suspects.

However, during a raid in Chakiwara area of the city, some unknown suspects opened fire at police party to avoid arrest. One suspect was killed in retaliation while his companions escaped.

Police said that the arrested were involved in several incidents of militancy and street crimes in the city.

--IANS

sku/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With a staggering 550 million Indians -- close to half the population -- living with uncorrected refractive errors, the major cause of road accidents, and 63 percent of the world's population in need of vision correction, two major stakeholders have come together to address the issue in this country and globally.

"Poor vision plays a critical role in safe driving, but we know that much of that could be avoided. According to an analysis by Boston Consulting Group, 23 per cent of drivers have uncorrected vision, but in India that number is 46 per cent -- the highest of any country in the world," Jayanth Bhuvaraghan, Chief Mission Officer of French lensmaker Essilor International, told IANS during a visit here of the three-year partnership with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

The "Action for Road Safety" partnership aims to create awareness on this global health issue and highlight the importance of regular eye checks for safe driving. The call to "Check Your Vision" will be commonly promoted towards local authorities, institutions, NGOs, eye care & medical professionals, driving schools and road users, among others, he added.

The figures for India are horrifying with some 138,000 people being killed in road accidents each year. Last week, Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari released the annual publication, 'Road Accidents in India - 2016', which revealed that fatalities resulting from these accidents have risen by about 3.2 per cent.

According to the Home Ministry, there was a 17.6 per cent increase in road accident deaths from 2008 to 2012, and 50 per cent of those who died were aged between 15 and 34.

"Something must be changed," exclaimed Kristan Gross, Global Executive Director of the Vision Impact Institute, which is funded by the Essilor Social Impact Fund.

Speaking about the initiative in India, Bhuvaraghan noted that access to optometric eye care is limited, as there are approximately seven doctors of optometry per 1 million people across India, well below the world average of 25/1M.

"But there is one other key barrier to corrected vision that we must still address: Acceptance. In India, stigmas exist around spectacle wear for all ages, but it is a tremendous issue for those in the professional driving industry.

"We have heard from many in this industry that wearing spectacles can be seen as a weakness or a visible defect. Therefore, many drivers are not wearing the correction they need, even when it is prescribed. Drivers were fearful of not being hired if they are thought to be defective," he added.

To this end, The Vision Impact Institute is working to break down these stigmas through education, utilising the personal testimonies of other drivers for which vision correction and eye protection have been a benefit rather than a drawback, Gross explained.

A Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) interim report on 'Assessment of Visual Limitations of Commercial Drivers in Metropolitan Cities in India' focusses on commercial drivers in Delhi. The study was in association with the Vision Impact Institute. The sample size of the survey was 627 drivers and the study was conducted during August 8-14, 2017. Seventy per cent of those surveyed were light motor vehicle drivers, 24 per cent were heavy motor vehicle drivers, four per cent were private bus drivers while one per cent were government bus drivers.

According to the preliminary findings:

* One in every three drivers had either marginal or poor Far Visual Acuity (distance vision)

* Half the drivers surveyed had either marginal or poor Near Visual Acuity (near vision)

* Overall 29 per cent drivers, mostly among the older age group, with marginal and unacceptable stereopsis (depth perception) problems were more likely to be involved in accidents

* Overall 34 per cent drivers were found glare blind (56-60 per cent of the younger group of drivers had glare-related problems, 29-44 per cent of the older group of drivers had glare-related problems)

As for FIA, with its 245 member-clubs, representing over 80 million road users in 144 countries worldwide and its strong showcase in motor sport (F1, WEC, WTCC, WRC, World RX, ERC, Formula E et al), it "is a major global voice in the automotive world and is strongly committed to raising awareness and taking action on this global issue", Bhuvaraghan concluded.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be contacted at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)

--IANS

vm/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Filmmaker Devashish Makhijas Hindi film "Ajji" has been selected to compete at the 22nd Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in its New Currents section.

Backed by Yoodlee Films, "Ajji" is a dark take on the classic fairytale, "Red Riding Hood". It tells the story of a nine-year-old girl, who is denied justice from the society and later her 65-year-old grandmother takes brutal revenge.

"It is not every day that you find your vision being selected from amongst thousands to be one of the 10 films in the New Currents competition at BIFF and to be judged by a jury headed by none other than Oliver Stone," Makhija said in a statement.

"Countless renowned filmmakers and actors as well as important figures from film industries and festivals around the world visit the port city of Busan every year, to celebrate this dynamic festival. I feel fortunate to be counted amongst these select few," he added.

"Ajji" features actors like Manuj Sharma, Sudhir Pandey and Smita Tambe.

Vikram Mehra, Managing Director, Saregama, said: "When you make cinema on themes which others have not dared to delve into, one goes ahead with it simply because of the unflinching belief that we have on the subject, and the passion of the filmmaker.

"And when a prestigious international body like BIFF honours you with an invitation to compete in the festival with our very first Hindi release -- 'Ajji', your belief gets endorsed. We are extremely happy that Ajji will have its world premiere at Busan."

BIFF is scheduled to be held October 12-21.

--IANS

sas/rb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amaal Mallik has composed "very touching and meaningful" song for Saif Ali Khan-starrer "Chef".

Titled "Tere mere darmiyaan", the love song has been sung by Amaal's brother Armaan Malik and the lyrics have been penned by Rashmi Vizag.

Talking about his experience of working with the song's music producer Abhijit Vaghani, Amaal said in a statement: "He is a really talented music producer and understands the composer's vision. I love the fact that he will fight for something new and unheard, yet when a song needs simplicity he just lets it breathe, still keeping things innovative yet simple. It took us 10-12 straight days of no sleep to envision this song. When we cracked it, the feeling was surreal."

Picturised on Saif, the song shows the actor's character understanding things and thinking about where he went wrong and wants to make things right. The track is a blend of Indian music with alternative rock undertones, and instruments like Chinese flutes and banjos have been used.

Commenting on it, Virag said: "This is my first release after 11 months because I wanted to only work on a great song. 'Tere mere...' is a song that has multiple levels - father-son relationship, husband-wife relationship, a man and his dreams, a man and his career. A lot had to be weaved in one song and we did it with ease."

Armaan described the lyrics as "very touching and meaningful", and added: "The song has been very close to my heart since the time I first heard it. I hope the audience does not cry while hearing the song. Even I had goosebumps while recording the song."

--IANS

nn/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trumps decision to fire Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey was perhaps the greatest mistake in "modern political history", former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has suggested in an interview.

Bannon made the statement during an online segment of his interview with "60 Minutes" broadcast on Sunday.

Trump fired Comey last May, a decision that the White House initially said was made based on a recommendation from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as a result of Comey's handling of the 2016 investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State.

But the President contradicted that explanation days later in an interview with NBC News, in which he said he had made up his mind to fire Comey before receiving Rosenstein's recommendation and that his decision had been made with the FBI's Russia investigation weighing on his mind.

Bannon went on to elaborate that he believes Washington is a "city of institutions, not individuals" and that "I don't believe that the institutional logic of the FBI, and particularly in regards to an investigation, could possibly be changed by changing out the head of it".

Had Comey never been fired, Bannon told CBS, the bureau's Russia investigation would not have metastasized into the special investigation currently being led by Robert Mueller.

Bannon said he did not believe Mueller should be fired and that he was never privy to conversations on that potentiality during his White House tenure, the report said.

But while he told CBS he believes Mueller should be allowed to continue conducting his investigation into Russian efforts to interfere in last year's presidential election, as well as allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin in those efforts, Bannon was clear that the special prosecutor's probe will turn up nothing incriminating.

"There's nothing to the Russia investigation. It's a waste of time," Bannon said. "It's a total and complete farce. Russian collusion is a farce."

Asked why the President seems to find it hard to criticise the Russians, Bannon disagreed with the characterisation, the report said.

"He criticises the Russians all the time," Bannon said, adding "He knows the Russians are not good guys".

The former White House official also slammed national security officials in the previous George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations who denounced Trump as President.

"This is once again where the narrative is dead wrong," Bannon said, adding that it was the "geniuses" of the Bush administration that helped cause the trade imbalance with China and the US involvement in Iraq.

Bannon was ousted in mid-August amid a reshuffling of power within the White House.

He has since returned to his role as executive chairman at Breitbart News.

--IANS

soni/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the government will not do anything regarding Article 35A that would be against the aspirations and wishes of the Kashmiri people.

"I feel there is no reason for doubt and confusion on this issue. The centre has not gone to the court in this regard and I want to assure that whatever our government will do, it will not go against the wishes and aspirations of the people," Singh said while addressing media in Srinagar.

He said it was unfortunate that non-issue was being made an issue.

When asked about the RSS and even state BJP leaders and ministers seeking abrogation of the Article 35A and 370 of the constitution, Singh said: "BJP is a political organisation and I speak as a BJP leader and the Home Minister of the country. Whatever I said on this issue should be taken as final".

Replying a question on starting a political initiative in the state, the minister said: "I have never counted the number of times I came here. I have always come with an open mind, but people must come forward to talk."

Asked about the arrests of separatist leaders in the state, the Home Minister said the National Investigation Agency is the premier investigating agency of the country and is acting according to the law of the land, but added that this should not deter those who want to talk to the government.

"Law will take its course, but we are ready to speak to everybody. We have never opposed talks. The all party delegation came here and met everybody, we did not oppose that. I have already said that all stakeholders are welcome and anybody ready to talk to us is welcome," he asserted.

Asked whether a formal invitation would be extended to the separatists for a dialogue Singh said: "What is formal or informal? We invite everyone. I request your help to restore peace and understand the intentions of the Prime Minister who said Kashmir problem will be resolved by embracing the people of Kashmir and not by 'Goli'(Bullet) or 'Gaali' (Abuses)".

He said he has directed the security forces and the administration that children who have been misguided and pushed into violence should not be treated as criminals and put into jails.

"Such misguided children should be dealt with according to the juvenile justice system and not locked up in jails. They should be properly counselled and treated with compassion," he said.

--IANS

sq/ahm/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the annual general debate of the United Nations General Assembly on September 19, a government official said on Monday.

The 72nd Regular Session of the UN General Assembly will convene at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday. The General Debate will open on September 19, with the theme of "Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet", Xinhua news agency reported.

During the general debate, Wang will elaborate on China's position and propositions on the international situation as well as major international and regional issues, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at the daily press briefing.

Wang will express China's resolute determination to work with UN member states to safeguard world peace and stability and promote development and prosperity, said Geng.

As a founding member of the UN and permanent member of the UN Security Council, China upholds multilateralism and stands firmly for the international order with the UN at the core, he said.

China supports the UN to play a leading role in safeguarding international and regional peace, boosting global development and improving global governance, said Geng.

China will continue to actively participate in the UN's work on politics, security, development, human rights and disarmament, promote democracy and rule of law in international relations, and work with UN member states to build a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation and build a community of shared future for mankind, he said.

Before attending the general debate, Wang will pay official visits to Costa Rica and Panama from September 14 to 17, said Geng.

--IANS

soni/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The areas of convergence between India and China are diminishing while those of confrontation have become "more salient", former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran says, adding that New Delhi had "judiciously" handled the two-month standoff on the Doklam plateau.

He also says that India and Pakistan had almost come to an agreement on demilitarising the Siachen glacier and mentions a "missed opportunity" to solve the Sir Creek dispute in Kutch.

"There are areas where India and China have convergent interests, but at the same time there are very divergent interests that are continuing as disputes between the two countries because of the unresolved border disputes. Essentially, over the last several years we have followed a strategy of building upon the areas of convergence with China but at the same time confronting China whenever our interests are threatened.

"If we compare the Indo-China relationship from the time I was the Foreign Secretary (2004-06) and what we see today, the big difference that appears, at least from the Chinese perspective, is that the areas of convergence have diminished in their importance while, inevitably, the areas of confrontation have become more salient," the 71-year old career diplomat told IANS in an interview around his new book "How India Sees The World" (Juggernaut/Rs 599/320 Pages).

Elaborating further on this shift in Beijing's foreign policy, Saran said that China now believes its GDP is five times the size of India and thus it has the dominant position and power in Asia. "It also has a sense that other countries in the region should accept its dominance and when there is a resistance to that, it leads to a rather negative reaction from China," he said, adding that, according to him, the Doklam standoff is "a symptom of that changed attitude" between the two countries.

"In handling the Doklam crisis, India has shown both a certain level of prudence, (and) at the same time a level of firmness. I think it has been a good and judicious combination of being very calm and mature in our reactions to very harsh rhetoric from China, but at the same time maintaining a very firm position that the two sides need to go back to the status quo and China, having disturbed the status quo, has the responsibility to not escalate it further," noted Saran, who has served as India's ambassador to Myanmar, Indonesia and Nepal and as High Commissioner to Mauritius and also being a Prime Minister's Special Envoy after retirement.

Saran maintained that despite border disputes between the two countries, it is possible to manage the situation at the frontier without letting it spill over into a clash of arms. And, he added, as long as New Delhi and Beijing maintain a very high level of engagement, their relations will remain on an even keel.

Responding to a question on the future of Sino-Indian ties, he said: "The management of this responsibility is not only the unilateral responsibility of India, we also need to look at the Chinese perspective and try to bring the perspective of the two countries closer to one another, or more aligned to one another. This can only be possible through dialogue."

Asked whether New Delhi needs to take the growing relationship of China with Russia more seriously, Saran said that the entire international situation is undergoing a transition and so we cannot expect that any alignment or relationship will continue unaltered for a prolonged period.

"This is a reality we have to accept; but at the same time, in the long term, there continues to be a strong convergence of interest between India and Russia. So even if we take into account the China factor, because most of the anxiety in India is about how close Russia and China have become, my own sense is that going further, especially in the long term, China's interests and Russia's interests are not quite aligned. Any expansion of Chinese presence in Central Asia or Eastern Europe, as we see happening, will not be accepted by Russia.

"These are two areas which are of great importance to Russia and, therefore, whatever China may try to do to reduce the anxiety with Russia, I think it is inevitable that China and Russia will not find a commonality of interest, particularly in areas which are of importance to China. We should not react too negatively to the growing Russia-China ties, knowing full well that in the longer term, India's and Russia's interests are likely to be much closer together than would be the case with China," he contended.

The most startling revelation that Saran makes in "How India Sees The World" is that India and Pakistan had almost come to an agreement on demilitarising the Siachen Glacier. According to the book, the draft agreement had been approved by all stakeholders. But the then Army Chief General J.J. Singh and then NSA M.K. Narayanan put forward last-minute reservations, which led to the cancellation of the proposal. The event had unfolded ahead of the India-Pakistan Defence Secretary-level talks in May 2006.

His book also talks about a "missed opportunity" to resolve the Sir Creek issue. "The Indian Navy had come up with a very innovative approach which would have determined the maritime boundary from a point out in the sea on the edge of the countries' respective continental shelves, with equal lines drawn to points on each coast. This would have left a triangular zone of about a hundred square kilometres just at the mouth of the Sir Creek without a demarcation," he writes in the book.

There was keen interest in Pakistan to follow this approach, Saran maintains, but India was unable to explore this further when the Siachen deal fell through.

After completing his tenure as Foreign Secretary, Saran was appointed the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for the India-US civil nuclear deal and later as Special Envoy and Chief Negotiator on Climate Change.

(Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)

--IANS

ss/vm/ky/tb/sac

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said he has some reservations about the Trump administration's decision to pull out of the 2015 Paris climate pact, saying recent disasters have lessons to teach to the world about climate change impact.

"I have some reservations about the slogan 'American first' and the US withdrawal from the Paris accord," the Nobel Peace laureate said on Sunday while addressing the 20th anniversary of the charity Children in Crossfire in Derry in Northern Ireland, according to the official website of the Dalai Lama.

The organisation, started by Richard Moore, is dedicated to eradicating poverty and making healthcare and education more accessible to young children around the world.

The Dalai Lama also offered an apology over his assertions aimed at the US decision of June 1 to quit the Paris Climate Change Agreement, saying: "It seems to me that the natural disasters we've witnessed in recent days have been trying to teach us something about climate change. However, if I've said anything wrong, I apologise."

Stating that he was an admirer of the European Union, the Dalai Lama said: "Peace will not be achieved by force. We need to take a humane approach to resolving human problems.

"Talk and dialogue based on candour and respect are the foundation on which to build peace. I'm an admirer of the European Union and the spirit of the decision to put the common good ahead of narrower national interests."

The Nobel laureate met Moore, who lost his eyesight in an accidental bullet fire 45 years ago, for the first time during his visit to Derry in 2000. The spiritual leader considers Moore not only his friend but also his hero.

The globetrotting elderly monk was invited to talk on the topic "Compassion in Action" at the anniversary function, which was attended among others by one of Britain's foremost actors Joanna Lumley.

Lauding Moore for his immense power of compassion, the Dalai Lama said: "I usually describe you as my hero. When I first met you and heard your story, I was much moved. I often talk about compassion, but I wonder if I had undergone the same experience as you.

"You've shown such inner strength and your work to establish Children in Crossfire shows what it really is to be human."

Moore was blinded by a rubber bullet after being shot by a British soldier in Derry as a boy of 10 in 1972.

He later forgave the shooter and founded Children in Crossfire to help other children in similar situations across the world.

Since then, he has gone on to embody compassion and human values in the face of tragedy.

--IANS

vg/nir/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and Belarus are expected to ramp up their bilateral cooperation, including in defence and security, as the eastern European country's President Alexander Lukashenko arrives on a two-day visit to New Delhi on Monday.

The visit takes place in a year when Belarus and India are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

During the visit, Lukashenko is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday.

An External Affairs Ministry statement said the two sides were expected to discuss bilateral cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology and people-to-people exchanges.

Briefing the media here ahead of the visit, G.V. Srinivas, Joint Secretary (Eurasia) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said that the visit of Lukashenko, who last visited in 2007, is long overdue.

Modi and Lukashenko met for the first time on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tashkent last year.

Srinivas said that Lukashenko will be accompanied by a large delegation including business leaders.

He said that a business forum between India and Belarus was also held here on Monday ahead of the presidential visit.

Bilateral trade between India and Belarus stands at $200 million, with pharmaceutical products being India's main exports to the East European nation.

According to the External Affairs Ministry statement, both sides are also likely to exchange views and assessments on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

"A business forum and parallel meetings organised for the members of the large delegation accompanying Lukashenko would explore opportunities and cooperation avenues," the statement said.

--IANS

ab/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A dreaded criminal from Uttar Pradesh was killed in a shootout with the police in Saharanpur early on Monday, an official said.

Shamshad suffered a bullet injury in the shootout with a police SWAT team and was shifted to the district hospital where he later succumbed, a police official said.

The criminal was a history-sheeter and had 38 cases registered against him involving loot, dacoity, murder and kidnapping.

Saharanpur is 700 km from state capital Lucknow.

--IANS

md/in/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Urging the state BJP leaders and activists to keep working towards the growth and betterment of the party, BJP President Amit Shah on Monday said the party would achieve its ultimate goal when it forms the government in West Bengal.

"Shah said the BJP has seen a lot of growth in recent years, but has not reached its saturation point yet. The ultimate goal of BJP would be to form government in states like West Bengal," BJP state General Secretary Sayantan Basu told IANS after a closed-door party leaders' meeting addresed by Shah at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations auditorium here.

Shah, who is on a three day tour to Bengal, said sky is the limit for BJP and claimed that the party can think it has touched the sky once it succeeds in forming the government here.

According to party sources close, he asked the party activists to stop complaining about problems and start working towards its growth at the booth level in Bengal.

Before the party leaders' meeting, Shah paid floral tribute to Swami Vivekananda at his ancestral house in north Kolkata.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh, national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, Union Ministers S.S. Alhuwalia and Babul Supriyo were present at both the programmes.

Shah would interact with party workers from different districts, who have allegedly been victims of political violence unleashed by the state's ruling Trinamool Congress followed by an intellectuals meeting in the same venue on Tuesday.

He is also slated to hold a meeting with members of the Merchants Chamber of Commerce at a five star hotel in central Kolkata on the last day of his three day tour.

--IANS

mgr/ssp/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least four Egyptian police officers were killed on Monday when an explosive device detonated in northern Sinai, a security official said.

Three other policemen were injured in the blast that was carried out near a police patrol in the western part of al-Arish city, the capital of the northern governorate, Efe news reported.

Clashes erupted after the explosion, during which the security forces killed five suspected militants. No one claimed responsibility for the attack.

Egypt has seen a series of terror attacks, mainly targeting security forces, since the ousting of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

--IANS

soni/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday inaugurated the 65 MW-capacity first stage of the Kashang hydel project in Kinnaur district that will also enable the state earn certified emission reduction credits.

The work on the Asian Development Bank-funded hydroelectricity project with a combined generation capacity of 195 MW was begun in 2009 by state-run Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (HPPCL).

The Chief Minister said it was a major milestone in the state's hydropower generation sector.

He said this is one of the projects registered as a 'Green Power Project' under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the CDM allows emission-reduction projects in developing countries to earn certified emission reduction credits, each equivalent to one tonne of CO2.

These CERs can be traded and sold, and used by industrialised countries to meet part of their emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol.

Speaking at the inaugural function, the Chief Minister said the powerhouse of the 195 MW project was complete.

"But due to some disputes pending with the National Green Tribunal, only 65 MW power is being produced presently and we are sincerely hoping for quick resolution of these disputes," he said.

He expressed satisfaction over the steps taken for rehabilitation and relief provided to project-affected families.

He said the project-hit families would be provided 100 units free electricity per month once the project is fully commissioned.

HPPCL Managing Director Devesh Kumar said rehabilitation and resettlement had been paid up to the tune of Rs 90 lakh to those who lost their land with the project commissioning.

The National Green Tribunal, in its May 4 order last year, directed the state forest department and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, which allowed diversion of 17.6857 hectares of forest land, to ensure that the entire proposal pertaining to the forest clearance was placed before the gram sabha of Lippa, Rarang, Pangi and Telangi villages for its perusal.

The villagers said the project would require diversion of a large area of forest land measuring about 119.6 hectares from the cold desert region at an elevation of 2,000 to 3,155 metres.

During the past decade, there has been a gradual decrease in the forest cover in Kinnaur which now is spread over only 10 per cent of the district's geographical area, the villagers said.

The NGT order was passed by the principal bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar.

--IANS

vg/pgh/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and Afghanistan on Monday sent a strong message to Pakistan and committed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other and fight cross-border and terror sanctuaries.

As the two countries signed 116 agreements in development sectors, including in health, agriculture and education, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India's relationship with Afghanistan was an article of faith as New Delhi would remain with Kabul in fighting the challenges of .

Without naming Pakistan, the Minister said India and Afghanistan remained "united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries".

Sushma Swaraj was addressing a joint media conference with Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani following the "India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council" talks here.

"For India, strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an article of faith. It is not just another relationship or an engagement, but a spiritual and civilisation connect."

Rabbani emphasised India and Afghanistan had suffered from terrorism and violent extremism that has threatened the region's stability.

He named terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad "which have been launching attacks against India and indiscriminately killing civilians of this country".

He said the Pakistan-based groups active in Jammu and Kashmir were "engaged in similar activities along with Taliban, Al Qaeda and Daesh in Afghanistan".

"Together they are killing our people on Afghanistan and destroying infrastructure," he said.

Sushma Swaraj said India honoured the supreme sacrifices made by Afghan Defence and Security Forces for the cause of entire humanity.

"We are indebted to them for ensuring safety of Indians working in Afghanistan," she said, adding that India would begin implementation of the new 500 scholarships programme for next of kin of the martyrs of Afghan National Defence and Security Forces from the academic year 2018.

Sushma Swaraj referred to the high-level visits exchanged between the two countries over the last three years, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visits in December 2015 to inaugurate a new building of the Afghan Parliament in Kabul and then again in June 2016 to inaugurate the Salma Dam in Herat province reconstructed with India's aid.

"Today, building upon our economic and development cooperation, we jointly agreed to embark on a New Development Partnership in keeping with the priorities of Afghanistan," the Indian External Affairs Minister said.

"One hundred sixteen new High Impact Development Projects would be jointly implemented that would bring socio-economic and infrastructure development, especially in the suburban and rural communities in 31 provinces of Afghanistan."

Sushma Swaraj said India would assist in building the Shahtoot dam in the Kabul river basin and drinking water supply project for Kabul, low cost housing for returning refugees, water supply network for Charikar city, and a polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif among others.

"Focus will continue on building governance and democratic institutions; human resource capacity and skill development, including in the areas of education, health, agriculture, energy, administration, application of remote sensing in resource management and space technology in governance," she stated.

Stating that both sides discussed measures for enhancing trade and investment cooperation, Sushma Swaraj said that India has liberalised its visa regime, especially for Afghan businessmen.

She also referred to the Afghanistan-India air freight corridor launched in June this year and said that this would provide direct access for Afghan farmers to the Indian markets.

"We are expediting the development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran," Sushma Swaraj said.

"We will begin supply of wheat to Afghanistan in coming weeks through Chahbahar port," she said.

In a significant development, India and Afghanistan signed a Motors Vehicle Agreement on Monday.

"We hope that it would pave the way for overland transit," Sushma Swaraj said.

On his part, Rabbani thanked India for its continued security cooperation and support in the fight against terrorism.

"We need India's support to increase connectivity," he said, while welcoming the air freight connectivity and seeking more people-to-people contacts.

The Afghan Foreign Minister also invited India's "dynamic media" to visit his country.

--IANS

ab/sar/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be on a two-day visit to India beginning Wednesday during which the two countries are expected to scale up their strategic cooperation.

Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also hold the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit in Gujarat during the visit. This will be the fourth annual summit between Modi and Abe.

"The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation... under the framework of their 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership' and will set its future direction," an External Affairs Ministry statement said.

--IANS

sar/in/sac

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Denying he held undisclosed assets abroad, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram on Monday told the Supreme Court that the Centre should disclose any overseas assets held by him or his family and seize them.

"My father, mother, wife, and myself are income tax payees. If the government or its agencies can tell we have these properties, we will execute decrees in their favour and the government can take their possession," Karti Chidambaram told a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

Senior counsel Kapil Sibal told the bench, also comprising Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, that the Central Bureau of Investigation was levelling "reckless and wild allegations" and that nothing had emerged during the course of his client Karti Chidambaram's questioning by the the central agency that pointed to the existence of undiscovered overseas properties owned by the family.

Sibal said this as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, produced in a sealed cover what he said were details of properties linked to Karti Chidambaram. He said information about these had surfaced during the course of his questioning by the agency.

Sibal objected and said the CBI could not place before the court the documents allegedly linked to his client without filing a separate FIR.

He told the court that nothing, as claimed by the CBI, had emerged during the course of Karti Chidambaram's questioning.

He said the CBI could only produce documents relating to the case in respect of which a lookout notice was issued to ensure that Karti Chidambaram did not leave the country.

Mehta told the court that he would establish that the details of all the assets submitted in the sealed cover were linked to the matter under investigation.

The court then adjourned the matter, saying it would hear it on September 18 and take a final decision.

The court is hearing the CBI's plea challenging the Madras High Court order staying the lookout notice against Karti Chidambaram and others. The High Court order was in turn stayed by the apex court.

The matter relates to alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media when P. Chidambaram was the Finance Minister in the United Progressive Alliance government.

Karti Chidambaram is alleged to have received Rs 3.5 crore from Mumbai-based INX media, now 9X Media, for helping it get FIPB clearance when it was run by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, both accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

The FIR in the case does not mention Chidambaram senior, though it said he cleared the FIPB approval for Rs 4.62 crore of Foreign Direct Investment in the firm at an FIPB meeting on May 18, 2007.

--IANS

pk/tsb/sac

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday urged Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to suspend a staff member of a city hospital for not taking proper care of a five-year-old rape victim here.

The five-year-old girl student was raped inside her east Delhi school on Saturday and a peon of the school was later arrested on charges of rape.

Talking to reporters on Monday, Jain said he had written to Baijal urging that the casualty medical officer of Chacha Nehru Hospital be suspended over gross negligence of services and also sought action against the hospital Director.

An internal inquiry was ordered by the government on Sunday night after allegations of negligence by the hospital surfaced and the report confirmed negligence on the hospital's part.

The victim was later shifted to another hospital.

"If they (the hospital) didn't have facilities to treat her, they should have provided an ambulance or sent a doctor or a hospital staff to accompany the patient to another hospital," Jain said.

The minister said that such negligence will not be tolerated and promised that the government will take strict action.

--IANS

am-nkh/pgh/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The security operation targeting Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar "seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", the UN human rights chief Zeid Raad Al Hussein has said, urging the country to end the "cruel military operation" in its Rakhine state.

More than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since violence erupted there late last month. The military says it is responding to attacks by Rohingya militants and denies targeting civilians, BBC reported on Monday.

The violence began on August 25 when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in northern Rakhine, killing 12 security personnel.

Rohingyas who have fled Myanmar since then say the military responded with a brutal campaign, burning villages and attacking civilians in a bid to drive them out. Rakhine, the poorest region in Myanmar, is home to more than a million Rohingyas. They have faced decades of persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are not considered citizens.

Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the current operation in Rakhine was "clearly disproportionate".

"We have received multiple reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians," he said.

"I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population," he said.

Latest reports put the number of those who have fled to Bangladesh at 313,000. Aid agencies say they are in desperate need of food, shelter and medical aid and that current resources are inadequate.

--IANS

soni/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Haryana government on Monday said that it will not enter into any fresh dialogue with Punjab on the contentious SYL Canal issue despite the Supreme Court giving two months to the central government earlier this year to work out a solution between the two states.

Haryana Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister O.P. Dhankar made it clear that there will be no agreement with the Punjab government on the state's share in river waters.

"There will be no digression from our chosen path of securing implementation of the Supreme Court orders regarding construction of the SYL (Sutlej Yamuna Link) Canal in Punjab, and bringing to Haryana its rightful share in river waters," he said.

Dhankar said it was due to the efforts of the present Haryana government that after 11 years, hearing on the Presidential reference was resumed by the Supreme Court on February 29, 2016, and concluded on May 12 the same year.

On the Presidential reference, the apex court gave a judgment in favour of Haryana on November 10, 2016, he said.

"After this decision, Punjab's Termination of Agreements Act, 2004 is rendered invalid. Now the passage for getting Haryana its just and rightful share in Ravi and Beas waters is clear through the medium of SYL," Dhankar said.

Haryana is seeking more water from Punjab to cater to the water demand of southern Haryana. Both states have been locked in a bitter political and legal battle on the SYL Canal construction issue for the past nearly three decades.

--IANS

js/him/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The upper age limit for joining the National Pension System (NPS) has been raised to 65 years from the current 60, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) announced on Monday.

PFRDA Chairman Hemant Contractor made the announcement at a conference here on "Transferring Superannuation Funds to National Pension System" and said the pension regulator's board had already approved the change and it would be notified shortly.

"NPS is currently open for people between 18 and 60, and our Board has approved raising the age limit for joining to 65," Contractor said.

"The scheme anyway has the option of continuing and making contributions up to the age of 70," he added.

Explaining that the rationale behind government reforms in pensions is to facilitate "portability" -- or the transfer -- of superannuation funds by making the NPS more attractive and customer-friendly, he said the measures were designed to give the pension scheme an "unbundled architecture to make it as competitive as possible".

"The aim is to open up pensions to sectors that are without pensions," he said, noting that only 15-16 per cent of employees in India are covered by pensions because an overwhelming 85 per cent of the workforce is found in the unorganised, or "informal", sector.

Elaborating on the benefits of the NPS, Contractor said it is the "lowest-cost pension product in the world today".

"Costs are important because even one per cent difference in cost over 25-30 years, makes around 15-16 per cent difference at the end because of the compounding factor."

"Our fund management charges are a miniscule 0.01 per cent... the lowest, when you compare others charging 0.4 or 0.5 per cent," he said, adding that the NPS returns compare with the "best in the industry".

The regulator also said that PFRDA had asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to provide a blanket approval for the transfer of superannuation funds to the NPS, but was still awaiting a response from the CBDT. He suggested that companies should individually take up this matter with the CBDT, as the PFRDA is yet to hear from the income tax department.

Contractor explained that NPS enjoys special privileges on income tax that are not available to any other capital market instrument.

NPS has emerged as a scheme for income security of senior citizens, said the PFRDA Chairman adding that it had seen "good growth over the last one-two years".

"Last year, the individual schemes grew by over 100 per cent," he said.

There are various investment options available to an NPS subscriber ranging from equity and secure government bonds to life-cycle funds. Equity investment of a subscriber's funds can go up to 75 per cent of their contribution if one chooses the life-cycle fund. It also offers less risky options with a heavy component of fixed income investment.

--IANS

bc/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Welcoming Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's assurance on Article 35A which gives a special status to Jammu and Kashmir's residents, former state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday asked the government to file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court favouring the constitutional provision.

As Rajnath Singh said that the central government would do nothing on the issue of article 35A that would go against t he aspirations of the people of Kashmir, Abdullah tweeted: "This is a very important statement from the Union Home Minister. His assurance will go a long way towards silencing the noises against 35-A."

In another tweet, he said: "The Union government must now file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court to defend 35-A. That is the way to carry this assurance forward".

--IANS

sq/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With about 7,000 children trafficked in India every year, child rights activist and Nobel Peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi, who set out on Monday on a Kanyakumari-Delhi "Bharat Yatra", to focus attention on the issue, hopes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government will bring in stringent legislation to curb the menace.

Satyarthi said he had spoken to prime ministers in the past but no one took the issue seriously like Modi did, though the Prime Minister had not given him a specific deadline by when Parliament would pass the proposed legislation against child trafficking.

"It is the first time a Prime Minister or any Prime Minister has taken it up," Satyarthi told IANS in an interview before he left for Kanyakumari, adding that he was hoping that Modi would prioritise the legislation.

The 63-year-old Satyarthi, who heads the Bachpan Bachao Aandolan (Save The Childhood Movement), said the Prime Minister had personally written to him, assuring that "since the government is in power in both the houses (of Parliament)" something can be done about the legislation.

"I can't recall any other Prime Minister writing anything about trafficking like Modi had done," he said referring to the letter, adding, however, that no time-frame had been laid down.

A Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill 2016, drafted by Ministry of Women and Child Development, aims to create a strong legal, economic and social environment against trafficking.

The draft bill envisages the creation of a fund for rehabilitation of victims of trafficking. The proposed bill seeks to establish special courts in each district of the country and special prosecutors to fast-track the trials and increase prosecution.

The draft bill is currently awaiting cabinet approval, after which it will be tabled in Parliament and referred to a select committee before being taken up for debate and passing. This process could take up to a year, if not more.

Satyarthi said the BBA is hoping for a stringent and comprehensive law that includes severe and time-bound punishment for offenders and detailed rehabilitation measures for survivors.

Asked how the idea for the yatra was born, then he said it was not his first and that it was a "time-tested strategy" -- and he went a quarter century down memory lane.

"The first major yatra was organised from Bihar to Delhi in 1993 to raise the issue of child labour. It was not a big issue back then and people thought it was a part of life," the Nobel laureate said.

In 1995, he organised another yatra for the same cause along the length of India, from Kanyakumari to Delhi, in over two months.

After the yatra, the government amended the law to broaden activities which were considered as child labour and it was a big success, he said.

"But the major yatra was the 'Siksha Yatra' in 2001 from Kanyakumari to Delhi to make education a fundamental right which needed an amendment of the Constitution. This required two-thirds majority in parliament and we were able to achieve it," he said.

"I believe in the power of the ordinary citizen more than any political party as he's not doing it for himself, but for the society and it's pure," he said.

Satyarthi was also part of "Global March Against Child Labour" in which the heads of 71 countries took part in different legs of the campaign.

He said the current yatra took a year to plan.

"The core team travelling would be around 150-strong and each day they will walk around 10 to 15 km; at least 10,000 people are expected to join us," he said.

Satyarthi said that he will address three mass meetings a day, and there will also be smaller meetings.

He said that groups would be formed in schools and colleges during the course of the yatra and they would then fight against child trafficking and sexual abuse.

Asked about the problems he faced to organise the yatra across 22 states, traversing 11,000 km, he said with a smile: "The problem is positive. People are actually competing among themselves to host us and the response is overwhelming."

(Nikhil Babu can be contacted at nikhil.b@ians.in)

(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 Asif is embarking on a visit to neighbouring Iran on Monday on the second leg of his regional tour as part of Islamabad's diplomatic initiative to offset the possible negative fallout of US President Donald Trump's new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakria said during the daylong trip, the Foreign Minister would call on Iranian President Hassan Rohani and hold formal talks with his counterpart Javad Zarif.

The visit is part of Pakistan's efforts to reach out to key regional countries against the backdrop of Trump's new plan for Afghanistan and South Asia.

Iran was among the countries that denounced Trump's threatening statement against Pakistan. Islamabad and Tehran appear to be on the same page on Afghanistan.

Pakistan is hopeful of a positive outcome of the ministers visit since the months-old strained ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia are on the mend.

The deteriorating ties had complicated Pakistan's efforts to bring regional countries on board.

The foreign minister visited China last Friday and managed to win crucial support from Beijing, which urged the world to recognise Pakistan's sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

China also threw its weight behind Pakistan's stance that solution to the 16-year-long conflict in Afghanistan is not possible through the use of force. Both countries have called for pursuing the political option for achieving peace in the war-ravaged country.

In his policy speech on August 21, Trump announced troop surge to break the stalemate in Afghanistan. He at the same time hit out at Pakistan for what he called supporting "agents of chaos, violence and terrorism".

In a damage control exercise, US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale insisted that Trump did not blame Islamabad for the failure in Afghanistan. The US envoy claimed that Pakistan still had a central role to play in achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan.

--IANS

ahm/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actress Sonakshi Sinha has praised fellow actress Priyanka Chopra, terming her a woman of substance.

Priyanka, the goodwill ambassador for Unicef, is currently in Jordan to help children uprooted by the civil war in Syria.

A large number of Syrians died or were forced to leave their homes due to the conflict. Since then, a number of Syrians have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Jordan.

Sonakshi, 30, on Monday took to Twitter to laud Priyanka's work with Unicef.

"What Priyanka Chopra is doing right now with Unicef is what we must all aspire to do in life - make a difference. Woman of substance," Sonakshi tweeted.

Priyanka also shared a series of photographs of herself, where she is seen spending time with the families of the affected.

On the acting front, Sonakshi will next be seen in "Ittefaq", directed by Abhay Chopra. The film is an adaptation of the similarly titled 1969 film.

--IANS

rb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Rana Daggubati on Monday said he is looking forward to watching actor Jr NTR play the character Jai in upcoming Telugu action-drama "Jai Lava Kusa".

In reply to Jr NTR's tweet in which he shared the trailer of "Jai Lava Kusa", Rana wrote: "What a fine actor you are man! Waiting to watch Jai."

In the Bobby-directed film, NTR plays a triple role - Jai, Lava and Kusa and the characters are modelled after Ram, Lakshman and Raavan.

The character Jai, who speaks with a stutter, plays Raavan.

Released on Sunday, the trailer of "Jai Lava Kusa" has clocked over 4 million views so far.

Slated for release on September 21, the film also stars Ronit Roy, Nivetha Thomas and Raashi Khanna.

--IANS

hp/rb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has said the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election is "a waste of time", the media reported.

"There's nothing to the Russia investigation. It's a waste of time. It's a total and complete farce," Bannon said in an interview on Sunday night.

"Russian collusion is a farce," CNN quoted Bannon as saying.

When asked on whether he believed Russia tried to damage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and sway the election in President Donald Trump's favour, Bannon said that he has seen the intelligence reports about Russia.

"I would never devolve classified information... But let me tell you, I think it's far from conclusive that the Russians had any impact on this election."

Asked why the President seems to find it hard to criticise the Russians, Bannon disagreed with the characterisation, CNN reported.

"He criticises the Russians all the time," Bannon said, adding "He knows the Russians are not good guys. We should be focused on how we bring the Cold War to an end."

The former White House official also slammed national security officials in the previous George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations who denounced Trump as President.

"This is once again where the narrative is dead wrong," Bannon said, adding that it was the "geniuses" of the Bush administration that helped cause the trade imbalance with China and the US involvement in Iraq.

"They're idiots, and they've gotten us in this situation, and they question a good man like Donald Trump."

Bannon was ousted in mid-August amid a reshuffling of power within the White House.

He has since returned to his role as executive chairman at Breitbart News, a position he held before joining Trump's campaign.

--IANS

ksk/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A police officer was suspended on Monday for using force against journalists covering a protest outside the Ryan International School here over the murder of a seven-year-old student, authorities said.

"Inspector Arun Kumar, chief of Sohna police station has been suspended with immediate effect for his lapse in duties," a senior official said.

At least 50 people, including nine scribes and photo journalists, were injured on Sunday when police baton-charged the group of protesters outside the school building located in Bhondsi on Sohna road.

A liquor vend near the school was also set on fire.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had visited the injured journalists at a hospital here later on Sunday.

Angry protesters have staged demonstrations outside the school located in Bhondsi on Sohna road since the victim, Pradhuman, was found with his throat slit inside a school washroom in the morning of September 8.

--IANS

ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Monday launched an 11,000-km march from here to New Delhi against child trafficking and sexual abuse and urged the youth to participate to ensure the safety and security of children

The Bharat Yatra, launched from the Vivekananda Rock Memorial here, is slated to conclude on October 16 in New Delhi.

'I will do everything possible to stop child rape,' Satyarthi said.

He said India is the land of saints and saviours and if even a single child is abused then the country is in danger.

Satyarthi has been campaigning for the freedom, safety and security for children across the globe for the past 36 years. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for his continuous efforts and struggle for the rights of children.

'Child rape and sexual abuse has become a moral epidemic that haunts our society... we can no longer remain silent spectators. Our silence is breeding more violence.

'That is why the Bharat Yatra is the beginning of an all-out war on rape, abuse and trafficking,' said Satyarthi.

'Kanyakumari holds a special place in my heart. The previous Bharat Yatra I undertook, which was the Shiksha Yatra of 2001, was also launched from Kanyakumari and progressed to New Delhi.

'The flag-off from Kanyakumari's Vivekananda Memorial commemorates the 125th anniversary of the great leader's address at Chicago in 1893,' the Nobel laureate added.

Satyarthi was joined by Tamil Nadu's Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan and music composer Ilaiyaraaja.

Radhakrishnan wished the Bharat Yatra great success.

--IANS

vj-sg/ksk/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a plea by Sahara Group urging it to lift attachment of its Aamby Vally project and permit it to enter into agreement with Royal Partners Investment Fund for selling it 26 per cent stakes in it for $1.6 billion.

Seeking the lifting of attachment and halt to the court ordered auction of Aamby Valley, Sahara told the bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice A.K.Sikri that it has already sold its two hotels in New York.

However, the court said that if Sahara group was able to fructify deal with the Royal Partners Investment Fund and deposit the amount with the court, then it would pass appropriate orders to that effect.

On April 16, the top court had asked the Bombay High Court's official liquidator to evaluate and auction the Aamby Valley property of the Sahara Group. In his report on its worth, the liquidator had said that its market value is Rs 37, 390 crore and the fair value is Rs 43,000 crore.

Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Sahara, said that in lieu of $1.6 billion, the de Royal Partners Investment Fund would get 26 per cent stake in Aamby Valley.

Declining to entertain the plea by Sahara group's two companies - Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Ltd and Sahara Housing Finance Corporation Ltd, the court in order said: "However, if the applicant enters into any negotiations and Royal Partners Investment Fund deposits the amount before this Court, appropriate order shall be passed on the next date of hearing."

The court also directed Subrata Roy to present in the court on next date of hearing.

The court rejected Sahara's plea even though Sibal told the court that since last hearing of the matter, the group has deposited about Rs 530 crore and sought time till November 11 to pay the balance of Rs 966 crore.

Urging the court to consider their plea for 60 days time to deposit Rs 966 crore for which Sahara had given the advance cheques, Sibal said that of Rs 24,000 crore that Sahara had to deposit in SEBI-Sahara Refund Account, they have already deposited Rs 16,000 crore. He said in last one year, Sahara has deposited Rs 4,000 crore.

He told the bench to contrast this with those who after taking 40-80,000 crore from the bank were seeking their restructuring.

The court, in the last hearing of the matter on July 25, had directed Sahara group to deposit Rs 1500 crore by September 11.

The two Sahara companies had raised Rs 24,000 crore through optionally fully convertible debentures in 2007-2008 and the top court by its August 31, 2012, order had directed Sahara to refund this amount with 15 per cent interest.

--IANS

pk/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid infighting within the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) over temporary withdrawal of indefinite shutdown, the second round of all-party meeting on the Darjeeling issue will be held on Tuesday.

West Bengal Tourism Minister Goutam Deb on Monday said: "We are hopeful of resolving the deadlock. People of Darjeeling do not want strike."

The meeting will be held in the north Bengal branch of state Secretariat, Uttarkanya.

"Life is slowly getting back to normal and after the meeting I expect things to fall in place," said Deb, a Trinamool Congress leader from north Bengal.

The north Bengal hills have been on the boil for about three months after the GJM revived its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Normal life has been paralysed since June 12 due to the indefinite shutdown, called by the GJM, severely impacting the region's economy based on tea, tourism and timbre.

However, the situation is limping back to normalcy in some areas of the hills -- mainly in Kurseong and Kalimpong -- as schools and many branches of public sector banks opened. Local transport services have also started.

Leaders of the GJM, which is spearheading the agitation, had said they would attend the meeting but did not divulge the details of the participants. They also said the party would press on its demand for a separate state.

However, confusion over the GJM's participants in the meeting remains as the West Bengal Police has been in search of party's chief Bimal Gurung and other key leaders for their alleged role in creating disturbances in the hills.

Meanwhile, in yet another blow to GJM leadership, a district court in West Bengal last week issued an arrest warrant against eight GJM leaders including Gurung.

Ousted leader Binay Tamang, who recently said he and his friends would hold a fast unto death after the September 12 all-party meeting to press the government for ending suffering of people in the hills, on Monday claimed they would attend the meeting.

"We will attend the meeting as representative of GJM because state government extended the invitation to us," he said.

After the first leg of meeting in Kolkata, the principal party in the hills became a "divided house" as a faction of the GJM leadership including Tamang and Anit Thapa had announced withdrawal of shutdown for 12 days.

The top brass of the party rejected the decision, saying the shutdown would continue.

Subsequently, the party leadership expelled Morcha's Joint Secretary Tamang and Thapa, accusing them of conspiring to derail the Gorkhaland movement.

Another key hill party, Gorkhaland National Liberation Front, on Monday said a nine-member delegation led by Maan Ghishing would attend the meeting which will be presided and chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

--IANS

bdc-mgr/him/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has decided to hold daily meetings with all three service chiefs and the Defence Secretary in order to have quick decision making in the ministry, and special emphasis has been laid on acquisitions, an official statement said on Monday.

The statement said the minister, who took charge last Thursday, has held a number of meetings with senior officials to familiarise with the activities and functioning of the Defence Ministry and has already issued "clear directions" on "critical issues".

Sitharaman has laid special emphasis on the need to step up the pace of acquisition proposals.

The minister has also decided to hold meetings of the Defence Acquisiton Council, the highest decision making body on defence procurement in the ministry which is chaired by the minister every fortnight.

Usually the meetings of DAC were held once in a month, though at times the gap between two meetings have been longer.

A whole range of meetings have been scheduled with the Army, Air Force and Navy chiefs to review defence preparedness and allied issues of strategic interests, and the minister will now meet the three chiefs as well as the Defence Secretary every day to facilitate "quick decision making", the statement said.

Other areas of focus would be settling all outstanding land related issues for infrastructure projects and matters relating to welfare of Defence personnel and their families, the statement added.

Sitharaman was elevated to the rank of a Cabinet Minister and given the crucial charge in the recent reshuffle of the Narendra Modi Cabinet. After taking over, she had said she would be a round the clock Defence Minister and has since then also visited Goa, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

--IANS

ao/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The tea industry in Assam has reasons to cheer after a company fetched a whopping price of Rs 5,001 per kilo for the first lot of specialty green tea produced this year.

The Mahalaxmi Tea Estate in Assam's Golaghat district on Monday sold its first lot of specialty tea - 21 kg of specially crafted tippy Assam tea - to Ambootia Tea Exports Pvt Ltd, the largest exporter of tea to Germany and Japan.

The tea was tasted, evaluated and negotiated by Parcon (India) Pvt Ltd, one of India's largest tea broking companies.

The Mahalaxmi Tea Estate had set up its new "Green and Specialty Tea" processing unit with brand name "Anjali" only this year. It is certified under ISO 22000:2005.

"Because of mismatch in demand and supply for CTC teas, we had decided to set up an exclusive factory for manufacturing 'Green Tea'," said Bidyananda Barkakoty, owner of Mahalaxmi Tea Estate.

"We adopt different manufacturing processes to make wide range of specialty teas to suit the requirement of customers."

"The tea market has been changing across the world and it is high time India must start producing high value tea like China and other international players. As of now India's total tea production is 1,260 million kg and 97 per cent is basically black tea," Barkakoty added.

Expressing his happiness over fetching the price, the veteran tea planter also said that some of the Assam cultivars have the potential to make some really high value exotic tea.

"However, making the high value tea is alone not sufficient but we also need to know how to market the product. The producers in Assam lack the skills to market their product," he added.

Sanjay Bansal, Chairman of the Ambootia Tea Group, said: "We have bought 21 kg of specialty tea for exports and we have made an agreement to buy at least 20 per cent of Mahalaxmi Tea Estate's production for exports."

"We will also provide them guidance from time to time to adopt Good Agricultural Practicesand Good Manufacturing Practices."

Rajiv K. Puri, Chairman, Parcon (India) Pvt Ltd, said: "The factory is well equipped and the cultivars are suitable for manufacturing high quality teas. There is a niche market even in India for specially crafted teas."

India's total tea production last year was 1,250 million kg out of which Assam produced about 650 million kg.

--IANS

ah/him/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India's strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an "article of faith" for it and "not just another relationship, but a spiritual and civilisational connect", External Affairs Minister said here on Monday.

Issuing a joint statement with her Afghanistan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani here, she said that their bilateral relations are not important for just the two nations but for the entire region.

Without naming Pakistan, said that India and Afghanistan "will remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries".

She announced that "116 new high impact development projects would be jointly implemented that would bring socio-economic and infrastructure development", especially in the suburban and rural communities in 31 provinces of Afghanistan.

"India has been and will continue to work with people of Afghanistan in their effort to build a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive Afghanistan," said.

She also expressed her gratitude to Afghan security for "ensuring the safety of Indians working in Afghanistan".

(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.)
Tamil superstar Vijay met the parents of Anitha, the Dalit girl who spearheaded the fight against the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) exam and committed suicide when she failed to join the MBBS course.

The daughter of a daily wage labourer, 17-year-old Anitha was one of the respondents against NEET in a Supreme Court case.

Despite scoring 1,176 in her class XII State Board examinations, she was unable to join the MBBS course due to low scores in NEET.

In a series of pictures released on social media, Vijay is seen seated in Anitha's hut with her father and family members.

The suicide of Anitha sent shock waves across Tamil Nadu.

Actors Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan had expressed grief over the incident.

Describing the whole incident as "unfortunate", superstar Rajinikanth had tweeted: "What has happened to Anitha is extremely unfortunate. My heart goes out to all the pain and agony she would have undergone before taking this drastic step. My condolences to her family."

Kamal Haasan had told reporters: "We need to ensure that no student should take such drastic step in the future. This is not the end. We will fight and win. We have to make our argument louder in court."

--IANS

hp/rb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Ben-Hur" star Toby Kebbell is joining actress Claire Holt in psychological thriller "Becoming".

Directed and penned by Omar Naim, the film is based on a young woman who learns that her fiance has become possessed by an entity which takes over bodies, kills families and then moves on to new bodies. But now, he wants to start his own family with leaves her faced with an impossible choice about the one she loves.

The film, which will start production in Kentucky in October, is produced by Michael Philip, Gaby Whyte Hart and Kebbell. Jason Moring, Stanley Preschutti, and Mark Padilla of DDI, and Cory Chen of M-Star International will executive produce it, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

"'Becoming' is such a strong script and we are excited to team up again with Michael Philip. Toby and Claire are sure to lure audiences in," Moring said at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Philip added: "Toby Kebbell and Claire Holt are an amazing tandem for Becoming and set the tone as we move forward into production."

--IANS

ks/rb

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Veteran theatre and film personality Tom Alter, 67, is battling stage four skin cancer at a Mumbai hospital, his son said on Monday.

Upset over "factually incorrect" stories about his father suffering stage four bone cancer, Jamie told IANS over phone: "It is what is called a squamous cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer). It is a relapse of the same thing which had happened last year and unfortunately, for various reasons, it was not detected at that time and has come back."

Last year, Tom Alter had to get his thumb amputated due to the condition.

Now, he is in stage four, Jamie said.

Tom Alter has been admitted for a week in Mumbai's Saifee Hospital.

"He is fighting it well. He is showing the will to battle it out," Jamie said, adding: "He is under the best care possible. Various doctors across the country are in consultation. As a family, we are very happy with the treatment he is getting.

"His bodily functions are absolutely fine. The doctors are very happy with that. The past one week has gone in getting him in a state of physical strength, whereby the doctor is able to start the next round of medication."

Jamie said the family wants privacy in the matter.

"We will be releasing statements to the media as and when things happen."

Known for starring in television shows like "Bharat Ek Khoj", "Zabaan Sambhalke" and "Betaal Pachisi", Tom Alter is an American-origin actor settled in India. He has had a flourishing career on stage, and on the big screen he has played pivotal roles in successful films like "Gandhi", "Shatranj Ke Khilari", "Kranti", "Aashiqui" and "Parinda".

In 2008, he was recognised with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour of India.

According to Bhargav Saikia, director and producer of Tom Alter's short film "The Black Cat", the actor was invited to a special screening of the film in Mussoorie last week. However, he couldn't make it due to his condition.

Tom Alter features as author Ruskin Bond in the film, and Saikia said he missed him a lot during the movie's screening, which was held at the historic Parker Hall of Mussoorie's Woodstock School, the actor's Alma Mater.

Wishing to see him back in action, Saikia told IANS over phone: "I met him last in July. He was fine, and his health was okay. He was working on a theatre production and was also doing some serial.

"We were last in touch in early August via email. But when I emailed him towards end of August to invite him for the Mussoorie screening, I didn't receive any response. That's when I got to know through his manager about his hospitalisation. It is very unfortunate."

(Radhika Bhirani can be contacted at radhika.b@ians.in)

--IANS

rb/nn/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump led a moment of silence in a brief, sombre ceremony at the White House on Monday to mark the 16th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walked onto the South Lawn and stood as bells tolled for the first 9/11 anniversary of Trump's presidency. They then bowed their heads and stood silently before placing their hands on their hearts as a bugler played "Taps."

Thousands were gathering nationwide to mark the deadliest attack on US soil.

Trump and the First Lady will later attend a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon, the Washington Post reported. Defence Secretary James Mattis and General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are also due to host a private ceremony at the Pentagon for relatives of the victims.

Nearly 3,000 people died after hijackers crashed planes into New York's World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a rural Pennsylvania field in 2001. The attacks were directed by Al Qeada leader Osama bin Laden.

The White House commemoration took place at the same time relatives of 9/11 victims, survivors, rescuers and others gathered at New York's 9/11 memorial on Monday at 08.46 (local time) to mark the exact time the first plane struck the World Trade Centre's North Tower.

The names of those killed were being read aloud at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum as bells rang out in memory of the dead.

Vice President Mike Pence travelled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where one of the four hijacked jetliners crashed after passengers overpowered the hijackers. He is scheduled to speak later at the rural site of the crash. He and his wife will tour the Flight 93 National Memorial nearby.

--IANS

soni/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump led a moment of silence in a brief, somber ceremony at the White House on Monday to mark the 16th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walked onto the South Lawn and stood as bells tolled for the first 9/11 anniversary of Trump's presidency. They then bowed their heads and stood silently before placing their hands on their hearts as a bugler played "Taps."

They will attend a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon later on Monday morning, the Washington Post reported.

Vice President Mike Pence travelled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where one of the four hijacked jetliners crashed after passengers overpowered the hijackers. Two planes hit and destroyed the World Trade Centre in New York and the other crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the coordinated attacks directed by Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Trump, a frequent early-morning tweeter, did not post any messages ahead of the 8.46 a.m. ceremony at the White House.

Pence is scheduled to speak later at the rural site of the Pennsylvania crash. He and his wife will tour the Flight 93 National Memorial nearby.

Thousands of 9/11 victims' relatives, survivors, rescuers and others are expected to gather at the World Trade Centre to remember the deadliest terror attack on American soil.

--IANS

soni/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two senior Ryan International School officials were arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a seven-year-old student, police said on Monday.

"Francis Thomas, the school's northern India head and Jeyus Thomas, coordinator and Human Resource (HR) head were arrested late Sunday night under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act," a senior police officer told IANS.

"They will be produced before a court on Monday morning."

Earlier on Sunday, Haryana Education Minister Rambilas Sharma had said that the school's management were also booked under the Juvenile Justice Act.

On September 8, the police arrested Ashok Kumar, conductor of a school bus, for the killing but many believe he was made a scapegoat. The man's family too claimed he was falsely implicated since he was poor.

Angry protesters have staged demonstrations outside the school located in Bhondsi on Sohna road since the victim, Pradhuman, was found with his throat slit inside a school washroom in the morning of September 8.

At least 50 people, including nine scribes and photo journalists, were injured on Sunday when police baton-charged a group of protesters in front of the school building.

The child's father Varun Thakur, a senior executive in a private firm in Gurugram, on Sunday said that though police was doing its duty, the government should order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case.

Pradhuman's mother Jyoti Thakur said the school management "misguided" them after the murder.

--IANS

pradeep/ksk

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two senior officials of the Ryan International School here have been arrested in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old boy in the school premises last week that sparked massive public outrage.

As police constituted at least a dozen teams to probe the brutal murder of Pradhuman, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre and Haryana government on a plea by the slain boy's father seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the September 8 killing of his son who was found with his throat slit in a school washroom.

Police said they also questioned the school staff even as a separate probe team team left for Mumbai to interrogate school CEO Ryan Pinto and director Albert Pinto.

A senior Gurugram police officer told IANS that the school's northern India head Francis Thomas and HR head Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Sunday night after their questioning.

"Francis Thomas and Jeyus Thomas were arrested under the Juvenile Justice Act," the police officer said.

On September 8, the police arrested Ashok Kumar, a conductor of a school bus, for the murder but many believe that he was made a scapegoat. The man's family too claimed he was falsely implicated since he was poor.

The Class 2 student's murder led to angry protestors staging demonstrations outside the school located in Bhondsi on Sohna Road.

At least 50 people, including nine scribes and photo journalists, were injured on Sunday when police baton-charged a group of protestors in front of the school building.

Pradhuman's mother Jyoti said the school management "misguided" them after the murder and his father Varun Thakur, a senior executive in a private firm in Gurugram, was compelled to move the Supreme Court for a probe by the CBI.

The apex court on Monday issued notice to the Centre, CBI and Haryana government on the plea by the father.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud also issued notice to the Union Human Resource Development Ministry and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thakur's plea seeking framing of guidelines for the safety of students in schools.

Thakur also sought the setting up of a committee to inquire into the lapses leading to the death of the child. He wanted to ensure that schools were made accountable in cases related to safety of children.

A bus conductor has been arrested and has confessed to the crime, police said. The school's principal has been suspended while two other staffers have been arrested for negligence leading to the crime, police said.

All Ryan group schools in Gurugram have been ordered to remain shut on Monday and Tuesday following directions of the district administration amid heightened security at the school premises.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, the trustees of the Ryan International Schools filed an application in Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory transit bail to move an appropriate court in Haryana.

Augustine F. Pinto and his wife Grace Pinto, trustees of the St Xaviers Education Trust that manages the Ryan International Schools, have sought the bail.

"Yes, the trust's lawyers have moved an application for an anticipatory transit bail to enable them to go to Haryana and file an application before an appropriate court for relief," said an official connected to one of the schools in Mumbai, who declined to be identified.

The matter is likely to come up for hearing before the High Court on Tuesday, the official added.

The sudden move by the high-profile Pinto couple -- Augustine, a former Sheriff of Mumbai and Grace, close to the top-ranking Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) echelons -- came amidst reports that a Haryana Police team would question them and other trustees.

However, the names and whereabouts of the other trustees of the St Xaviers Educational Trust -- registered as a Public Charitable Trust in Maharashtra in the early 1980s -- are not known and it is not clear whether they would be implicated in the case.

Despite repeated attempts by IANS, the besieged Pintos and their lawyers were not available for comments in the matter.

Meanwhile, shaken by the incident, parents associations of Ryan International Schools in Mumbai, Delhi, Noida and other places protested seeking their children's safety.

In a related development, a police officer was suspended on Monday for using force against journalists covering a protest outside the Ryan International School in Gurugram, authorities said.

"Inspector Arun Kumar, chief of Sohna police station, has been suspended with immediate effect for his lapse in duties," a senior official said.

At least 50 people, including nine scribes and photo journalists, were injured on Sunday when police baton-charged the group of protestors outside the school building located in Bhondsi on Sohna road.

A liquor vend near the school was also set on fire.

--IANS

team-sar/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two senior officials of the Ryan International School here have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a seven-year-old boy in the school premises last week that sparked massive public outrage.

As police set up at least a dozen teams to probe the brutal murder of Pradhuman and shaken parents associations of Ryan International Schools in Mumbai, Delhi, Noida and other places protested seeking their children's safety, the Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Central and Haryana governments on a plea by the boy's father seeking a CBI probe into the September 8 killing of his son who was found with his throat slit in a school washroom.

Police said they also questioned the school staff even as a separate probe team team left for Mumbai to interrogate school CEO Ryan Pinto and director Augustine Pinto.

A senior Gurugram police officer told IANS that the school's northern India head Francis Thomas and HR head Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Sunday night after their questioning.

"Francis Thomas and Jeyus Thomas were arrested under the Juvenile Justice Act," the police officer said.

Both were produced before the court of Judicial Magistrate, first class, Mohammed Zakkaria, who sent them to two days police custody. Police also accused both of tampering with evidence.

Gurgaon Police Commissioner Sandeep Khairwar told a news channel that Juvenile Justice Act had been invoked because there were glaring lapses due to which security of the child was endangered and the crime committed.

Meanwhile, Ashok Kumar, a conductor of a school bus, who was arrested for the murder, was also presented before the court on the expiry of his three day police custody and sent to 14 days judicial custody. However, many believe that he was made a scapegoat and the man's family too claimed he was falsely implicated since he was poor.

A decision to install closed-circuit television in all classrooms, stairways, galleries, washrooms, and other open spaces in all schools was also taken, while in neighbouring Delhi, the government announced police verification of non-teaching staff of all government/private schools in three weeks.

The murder of Pradhuman led to angry protestors staging demonstrations outside the school located in Bhondsi on Sohna Road.

At least 50 people, including nine scribes and photo journalists, were injured on Sunday when police baton-charged a group of protestors in front of the school building. A police officer was suspended on Monday for using force against journalists.

Pradhuman's mother Jyoti said the school management "misguided" them after the murder and his father Varun Thakur, a senior executive in a private firm in Gurugram, was compelled to move the Supreme Court for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Issuing notice, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud also issued notice to the Union Human Resource Development Ministry and the Central Board of Secondary Education on Thakur's plea seeking framing of guidelines for the safety of students in schools.

Thakur also sought setting up of a committee to inquire into the lapses leading to the death of his child. He wanted to ensure that schools were made accountable in cases related to safety of children.

Meanwhile, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said there should be more and women employees in a school campus.

"Even school buses can be driven by women," he said, adding that he will talk to parents and schools.

All Ryan group schools in Gurugram have been ordered to remain shut on Monday and Tuesday following directions of the district administration amid heightened security at the school premises.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, the trustees of the Ryan International Schools filed an application in Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory transit bail to move an appropriate court in Haryana.

Augustine F. Pinto and his wife Grace Pinto, trustees of the St Xaviers Education Trust that manages the Ryan International Schools, have sought the bail and the matter is likely to come up for hearing on Tuesday.

The sudden move by the high-profile Pinto couple -- Augustine, a former Sheriff of Mumbai and Grace, close to the top-ranking Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) echelons -- came amidst reports that a Haryana Police team would question them and other trustees.

However, the names and whereabouts of the other trustees of the St Xaviers Educational Trust -- registered as a Public Charitable Trust in Maharashtra in the early 1980s -- are not known and it is not clear whether they would be implicated in the case.

Despite repeated attempts by IANS, the besieged Pintos and their lawyers were not available for comments in the matter.

--IANS

team-sk-ps/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Abu Dhabi, Sep 11 (IANS/WAM) The UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) has issued a warning to the public regarding the dangers of using some bodybuilding products that are sold online, saying many of these unregulated health stimulants may contain toxic energisers or synthetic male hormone boosters that pose serious health risks.

Amin Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Under-Secretary of Public Health Policy and Licensing at MOHAP, said the Ministry has released a circular to the directors of medical zones and hospitals, as well as to doctors and pharmacists alerting them over indiscriminate use of bodybuilding products, the media report said on Monday.

Al Amiri said that apart from liver injury, absorption of steroids has unhealthy side effects such as severe acne, hair loss, increased aggression and depression, and life-threatening reactions such as kidney damage, heart attacks, stroke and pulmonary embolism blockage of a major blood vessel in the lungs and coagulation in deep veins.

"The US Food and Drug Administration has warned that many of these products are promoted for bodybuilding, and muscles development, whereas they contain synthetic steroids or and hormones related to testosterone," he said.

Al Amiri explained that the consumption of these energising products and hormones without consulting a doctor has become prevalent worldwide among young people.

He emphasised that MOHAP's strict regulation requires a physician's prescription for such products, especially those that are injectable, which makes some users buy them outside the country through individuals coming from countries that allow the purchase of these products without a prescription.

Al Amiri said that MOHAP carries out periodic inspection visits to pharmacies and takes punitive measures, starting from a warning, an alert, and then issuing a violation.

--IANS/WAM

soni/dg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The second World Congress of Optometry began here on Monday to discuss new ideas and share research and knowledge about various facets of optometry.

Over 1,200 delegates comprising optometrists, researchers, educators, students and health professionals from around the world were attending the three-day event.

Deliberations will focus on the future of optometry, upgrading optometrists' skills, as well as developing clinical and professional knowledge and skills.

The biennial congress is a World Council of Optometry (WCO) initiative organised in partnership with the Asia Pacific Council of Optometry (APCO) and the India Vision Institute (IVI).

The conference theme is "Accessible, quality vision and eye health", which ties into the WHO's 'Universal eye health: A global action plan 2014-2019' which aims to reduce the prevalence of avoidable visual impairment by 25 per cent by 2019.

WCO envisions accomplishing this by placing a strong and equitable eye health system within which optometry plays a valuable and essential role, the organisers said.

Professor Kovin Naidoo, CEO of the Brien Holden Vision Institute, South Africa, is the chair of the conference.

Some of the world's leading practitioners and professionals, including seven keynote speakers will make presentations. There will be discussions and presentations on cutting-edge research and clinical practice. The educator's track will offer participants a platform to discuss and shape optometric education worldwide.

Keynote speakers include: Dr Taraprasad Das, Vice-Chairman, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad; Professor G.V.S. Murthy, Director, Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad; Dr Bina Patel, Professor, Director of International Programs, New England College of Optometry, Boston; Dr Sandra S. Block, Faculty, Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago; and Dr Peter G Swann, QUT, Brisbane, Australia & Visiting Professor, School of Optometry, Hong Kong.

WHO estimates 285 million to be visually impaired, of which 39 million are blind and 246 million have low vision. Globally, uncorrected refractive errors are the main cause of moderate and severe visual impairment; cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in middle- and low-income countries.

Around 100 million adults in India suffer from refractive errors, leading to preventable blindness. Equally distressing is the fact that over 10 million children, nearly 5 per cent of all children, affected by the problem.

--IANS

ms/him/vd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With reference to the snippet under Chinese Whispers, Battle of words (September 11), it begins with the remarks that when an election approaches, politicians make headlines for their skill with words. In fact, our self-centred politicians are more concerned about capturing the most coveted space in the national media through their unending skirmishes involving the use of tantalising words whenever they are in any election mode. However, the latest unhealthy and unconvincing wordy duel between the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) chief Amit Shah (pictured) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha does not augur well for both of them in the given situation. Shah, who is virtually out on a political mission to conquer India, should not have taken recourse to publicly indulging in such a sarcastic war of words with the sole intent to demean the BJD. One really wonders whether the BJP truly deserves such a victory on pan-India basis? In all fairness, having much needed confidence is one thing but mistakenly suffering from some over-confidence could always be self-defeating. As an old saying goes, self-praise is no recommendation. And, it should also be kept in mind that all our wishes are seldom granted.
Politics in Maharashtra has become interesting in recent weeks. In a signed article in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Sunday, party Lok Sabha member Sanjay Raut claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had offered a cabinet berth to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya Sule (pictured). Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as NCP rejected the claim. But there have been much speculation of NCP joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in New Delhi. Two of its legislators voted for BJP in the Rajya Sabha polls in Gujarat against Congresss Ahmed Patel. A party leader and former union minister is said to be in touch with the BJP leadership. Raut claimed that Pawar himself had told him sometime back about the offer from the PM, but Sule said she would be the last person to join the Modi-led cabinet. Raut also claimed that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is holding secret meetings with NCP leaders. Raut, however, added the Sena, which is an ally in the Fadnavis government, has nothing to worry about.
The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed to restrain factions led by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam from going ahead with their plans to conduct a joint general council meeting on Tuesday. The petition was filed by Perambur MLA P Vetrivel, a supporter of AIADMK leader T T V Dhinkaran.
Unidentified gunmen opened indiscriminate fire on a vehicle, killing four members of a minority Shia Hazara family, including a 12-year-old boy, in Pakistan's Balochistan, the latest bout of sectarian violence to rock the restive region.

Eight members of the community, including two women, were coming to Quetta from Chaman town on the Afghan border when the attack took place late Sunday in the Kuchlak area.

The vehicle had stopped at a petrol station for refuelling. In the meantime, two men on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire on them, killing three persons on the spot and injuring three others, including the boy, the Express Tribune reported.

While two women travelling with them remained unhurt as they were sitting in the vehicle when the attackers opened fire on the men who were standing outside.

The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital in Quetta, where the boy succumbed to his injuries, police said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri expressed grief at the incident and strongly condemned the terrorist attack. He directed authorities that the culprits should be arrested and brought to justice.

The Hazaras are party of Shia community who live in Balochistan and Afghanistan. They have been often targeted by the Sunni militants.

This is not the first time that the Hazaras has been targeted by extremist outfits in Balochistan. In the last few years hundreds of Hazaras have been killed in either suicide bomb attacks, planted bomb blasts or target killings.

Official reports say that there have been around 1200 incidents of violence against the Hazara community in the last 15 years.

In July, gunmen killed 4 members of a Shia family in the Mastung area.

In October last year, gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Hazara men and women in Quetta. Four women were killed in that attack.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were today killed and another surrendered during an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said.

A joint team of police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Khudwani area of Kulgam district after getting information about Hizbul militants there, a police spokesman said.

He said the forces asked the militants to surrender.

"One terrorist identified as Arif Ahmad Sofi surrendered before police. The other two terrorists tried to escape from the spot while firing indiscriminately. The fire was retaliated and during the ensuing encounter both were neutralised," the spokesman added.

The slain militants were identified as Dawood Ahmad Allaie and Sayar Ahmad Wani.

"The slain terrorists were involved in the killing of the sarpanch of Hawoora village and snatching weapons from guard post Samnoo.

"Dawood Ahmad Allaie was also involved in instigating youth to pelt stones, the firing incident on Yaripora Police Station and bank robbery at Arwani branch of J&K Bank," the spokesman said.

An AK-47 rifle, along with two of its magazines and 63 rounds, and an INSAS rifle, with a magazine and 60 rounds, were seized from the encounter site.

A pistol, along with a magazine and two rounds, was also seized, he said.

Sofi's surrender was the second in as many days. Yesterday, another Hizb militant, Adil, surrendered before security forces during an encounter in Shopian district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two US scientists, whose work has contributed to creating immunological treatments for cancer, and an Indian economist are among the winners of this year's Balzan Prizes announced today, recognising scholarly and scientific achievements.

James Allison of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Robert Schreiber of the Washington University School of Medicine were cited for their work on antibody treatments that has increased the survival of patients with metastatic melanoma.

Other winners included Indian economist Bina Agarwal, a professor at the University of Manchester, recognised in the gender studies category for her "heroic" work studying women's contributions to agriculture in India.

Belgian astrophysicist Michael Gillon was awarded for his work that has helped map new solar systems from the comfort of planet Earth, using robotic telescopes instead of much more costly satellites.

Germans Aleida and Jan Assmann, a married couple was recognised for their work presenting collective memory "as a requirement for the formation of the identity of religious and political communities."



The Balzan Foundation awards two prizes in the sciences and two in the humanities each year, rotating specialties to highlight new or emerging areas of research and sustain fields that might be overlooked elsewhere.

Recipients receive 750,000 Swiss francs (USD 790,000), half of which must be used for research, preferably by young scholars or scientists.

Nobel Prize-winner Jules Hoffman, a presenter of the awards, said the work focusing on using the immune system to fight cancer, expanding from the traditional treatments of removal, radiation and chemotherapy, has already had success in 25 to 30 per cent of melanoma patients in a study who had previously gone through the traditional battery of treatments. It is now being developed for small cell lung cancer and rectal cancer.

This year, the Balzan Foundation also awarded a fifth prize, in international relations, which was deferred from last year after the committee failed to reach agreement on a winner.

It went to Robert O Keohane of the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, best known for his influential 1984 book "After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy."



Prizes will be awarded in Bern, Switzerland, on November 17.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least five persons were today detained in China for allegedly dumping 300 tonnes of diseased dead pigs between 2013 and 2014 in a mountainous area in eastern Zhejiang province, officials said.

The city government issued a circular accusing the Huzhou Industrial and Medical Waste Treatment Company for sending the pigs to a landfill rather than for cremation.

Police investigation shows that the company, which is responsible for disposing the city's dead pigs, has a refrigerated storage facility with a capacity of 50 tonnes.

For six times, the company dumped diseased carcasses at three sites at Dayin Mountain whenever the facility was full, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

Over the last week, the Huzhou government had dug out 224 tonnes of decomposed carcasses and sludge, which will be cremated.

A sample-test report by the municipal agricultural department said that no human-infecting pig diseases, such as H5 and H7 bird flu viruses and foot-and-mouth disease, had been found.

The authorities have ordered that the public security bureau, agriculture and environmental department and the local government to collectively ensure no carcasses are left in the soil.

Later, local environmental service center will carry out an environment impact assessment.

The Zhejiang provincial government has sent inspectors to oversee the treatment process.

East China provinces are known for breeding pigs, and there are rules for disposing of carcasses.

However, illegal dumping occasionally occurs when dealers try to save on bio-safety costs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State-owned AAI will construct a cargo terminal at Imphal airport at a cost of Rs 16.20 crore, with commerce and industry ministry sanctioning a grant of nearly Rs 13 crore.

This follows Manipur government's plans to establish an Export Import Cargo Terminal (EICT) at Tulihal, Imphal airport under a scheme of the ministry.

"The estimated cost of construction of the cargo terminal is Rs 16.20 crore. Out of this, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry has sanctioned a grant of Rs 12.96 crore under TIES (Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme)," an official release said.

The remaining amount for construction of the terminal will come from the internal resources of the AAI (Airports Authority of India).

According to the release, the proposed terminal is expected to give a boost to the export of handicrafts items and perishable cargo.

"This will also help generate employment opportunities in the North Eastern region of the country, thereby fostering economic development of the region.

"In addition to this, the EICT will help establish better connectivity with South & Southeast Asia and give a boost to trade between India and the ASEAN countries," the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US-based Accelerator Group is setting up a USD 25 million fund that will invest in women- owned and led entrepreneurial ventures in India.

The fund -- Achieving Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Fund I -- will invest in early-stage start-ups working in areas like healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture and food.

"There are three key challenges that women entrepreneurs face -- lack of access to capital, gender bias and capacity building. These are the areas that we want to help these women entrepreneurs in," Accelerator Group Managing Director Seema Chaturvedi said.

Discussions are on with institutional investors and the first closing at USD 10 million is expected by March 2018, she added.

"We plan to invest up to USD 2 million in seed and series A rounds in 12-15 companies. AWE Fund I will focus on India and depending on the response, we would hope to have Fund II and III and so on," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Devashish Makhija-directed "Ajji" has been officially invited to compete at this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).

The movie will be showcased in the New Currents section of the 22nd Korean film extravaganza, which is the first Hindi project that has been backed by Yoodlee Films.

"Ajji" is a dark take on the classic fairy tale, "Red Riding Hood".

The story revolves around a nine-year-old girl who is denied justice by the society, after she is raped and how her old fragile arthritic grandmother (ajji) takes the matter in her hands that promises to serve a bloody deterrent to all mankind.

The film features Sushma Deshpande, Sharvani Suryavanshi, Sadiya Siddiqui, Abhishek Bannerjee and Smita Tambe.

Talking about the achievement, Makhija said in a statement, "It is not every day that you find your vision being selected from amongst thousands to be one of the 10 films in the New Currents competition at BIFF and to be judged by a jury headed by none other than Oliver Stone.

"Countless renowned filmmakers and actors as well as important figures from film industries and festivals around the world visit the port city of Busan every year, to celebrate this dynamic festival; I feel fortunate to be counted amongst these select few."



While Vikram Mehra, MD Saregama, parent company of Yoodlee Films, said it is an honour for the film to have its world premiere at the fest.

"Yoodlee Films believes in passionate fearless filmmaking. When you make cinema on themes which others have not dared to delve into, one goes ahead with it simply because of the unflinching belief that we have on the subject, and the passion of the filmmaker.

"And when a prestigious international body like BIFF honours you with an invitation to compete in the Festival with our very first Hindi release - 'Ajji', your belief gets endorsed. We are extremely happy that 'Ajji' will have its World Premiere at Busan," he said.

BIFF runs from October 12-21.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A junior engineer of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) of Arunachal Pradesh won the top prize in the Swachhathon-Swachh Bharat Hackathon contest organised by the Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

The toilet innovation idea of Ram Prakash Tiwari, junior engineer of the Yupia division of PHED was selected among 3,053 entries from across the country and professionals abroad in the category of 'Toilet Technology in Difficult Terrain', an official statement said here today.

Entries for Swachhathon, under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), include a one-minute video presentation on an idea.

The state government had nominated Tiwari's innovation based on locally available materials, particularly mature bamboos wrapped in plastic for use in twin pit latrines as a suitable alternative to bricks.

The grand jury comprising Naina Lal Kidwai, Bindeshwar Pathak and Secretary of Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation Parameswaran Iyer gave top billing for Tiwari's concept.

The first prize comprising a plaque, certificate and Rs 3-lakh was awarded by Union Minister SS Ahluwalia and Union Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation Ramesh Jigajinagi on Friday in New Delhi.

The cost-effective and sustainable solution was built on pilot basis by a beneficiary Tana Techi from Midpu in Lekha panchayat under the direct supervision and technical guidance of Tiwari and the team of Yupia PHE and WS Division.

The technology is to be adopted in the state for achieving Open Defecation Free by December.

Tiwari, meanwhile, donated the cash award for the cause of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) in the state, the statement added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today directed the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to nominate two additional district judges within ten days as observers to deal with the upkeep and maintenance of the disputed Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra passed the order after senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Allahabad High Court registry, informed it that one of the observers has retired and the second one elevated as a judge of the high court.

Dwivedi also handed over to the apex court a list of additional district judges (ADJs) and special judges who could be considered for appointment as observers.

"As the list is long, we think it appropriate that chief justice of the Allahabad High Court shall nominate two persons from the cadre of additional district judges or special judges keeping in view the nature and tenor of the earlier orders passed in this case," the bench, also comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, said.

The top court asked its registry to forward the order to the high court registrar and said, "the chief justice is requested to nominate two names within 10 days hence".

During the brief hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the parties in the matter, said the two observers, T M Khan and S K Singh, were appointed in 2003 and they have been dealing with the issue since then.

"Why should the court change them when they are here for 14 years? This is a very sensitive matter," he told the bench, adding, "please ask them (Khan and Singh), will they continue".

The bench, however, said, "one of them is not holding a post and he cannot continue now".

"We will ask the chief justice of the high court to decide this," the top court said, adding that the "tenor of this court's order was that they must be a part of the system. One of them is no more a part of the system".

"One of them has been elevated as a high court judge. It is not proper that a high court judge is asked to go there and observe all the things. We can't ask a high court judge to do this," the bench said.

The apex court had on August 11 said it would commence the final hearing in the long-standing Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute from December 5, a day before the 25th anniversary of the demolition of the medieval-era structure.

The court had reached a consensus on commencing the hearing on a total of 13 appeals filed against a 2010 judgement of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits.

The high court had ruled a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acre area at Ayodhya among the parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Lord Ram Lalla (deity).

Another sect of Muslims under the banner of Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh had recently moved the top court offering a solution that a mosque could be built in a Muslim- dominated area at a "reasonable distance" from the disputed Ayodhya site.

However, its intervention has been opposed by All India Sunni Waqf Board which claimed that judicial adjudication between the two sects had already been done in 1946 by declaring the mosque, which was demolished on December 6, 1992, as one which belongs to the Sunnis.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, an intervenor in the matter, had earlier made an attempt to raise the issue of the fundamental right of religion of the Hindus under Article 25 of the Constitution.

He had said that during the adjudication of the matter, he would like to make out a case that fundamental right should get precedence over the property right.

However, the bench had made it clear that it would first hear the main appellants and respondents in the case which involved parties like -- Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

A three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Hourt, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: The BJP in Kerala today today flayed the CPI(M) led LDF government's refusal to telecast in colleges the speech delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the occasion of the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's address in Chicago in 1893.

BJP National Executive membe P K Krishnadas told reporters here that government's refusal to air the speech was an 'insult' to Swami Vivekananda and against federal principles.

He wanted the Governor Justice P Sathavisam, who is also the chancellor of the universities in the state, to seek an explanattion from universities in this regard.

Krishnadas also alleged that the ruling CPI(M) was trying to create trouble during the sree krishna jayanti day tomorrow by organisng processions on the same route where the 'sobha yatra' was planned.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A bomb threat to the Vidhana Soudha (state secretariat) and Nehru Planetarium turned out be a hoax and three people were arrested in this connection, today, police said.

Suresh, Nagaraj and Sridhar were arrested for making the call, which led to an extensive search of both the buildings, which turned out to be a hoax, they said.

"At about 12.30 PM, Suresh called the control room saying that by September 25, Nagaraj would plant a bomb in the Chief Minister's Office in VidhanaSoudha and Nehru Planetarium.

"We launched a hunt for the caller and arrested him along with hisaccomplices," said a police officer.

Following the call, security was stepped up in around Vidhana Soudha and the Planetarium and a search was carried out.

Police rushed a bomb disposal team and a dog squad to both places and concluded that it was a mischievous call when nothing was found.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A team of Gurgaon Police arrived in the Maharashtra capital today in connection with its probe into the brutal killing of a 7-year-old student on the campus of Ryan International School in Haryana last week.

The school is headquartered in suburban Kandivli here.

The team is likely to question the school management in connection with the incident, an official said.

However, he refused to divulge whether the team visited the school in the suburb.

In a related development, the Ryan International School has issued a statement saying they were completely cooperating with the investigating authorities on a day when founders of Ryan International Group and their CEO son Ryan Pinto moved the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail.

"The Gurgaon Police team has been sent to Mumbai in connection with the investigation. We reached here this morning," a Gurgaon Police official said without elaborating.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police have denied knowledge about the presence of the Gurugaon Police in the city.

"We have not received any information from the Gurgaon Police about their presence in Mumbai. We are not aware of any such development," a senior Mumbai Police official said.

The school, meanwhile, said it was a "victim" of unfortunate circumstances.

"As the investigations are ongoing, we request all parties concerned and parents to refrain from holding Ryan School culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances.

"We will not succumb to the various false allegations being made nor will we fuel the controversies being spread. We should not unjustly be blamed or branded as the perpetrators. The investigation report should be out soon and all parties concerned need to wait until then. We request the public to refrain from turning violent and to let the police do their work," it said in a statement issued tonight.

Stating that the school has "total faith in the law", it said, "We hope that the investigations will be concluded soon, and the guilty get the severest punishment as per the due process of law".

The Gurgaon Police have arrested two top officials of the Ryan International School and detained the acting principal for questioning in connection with the murder, even as the victim's father moved the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe.

School bus conductor Ashok Kumar, who allegedly tried to sexually assault the class II student in a toilet and slit his throat with a knife when he resisted, on Friday, has been arrested.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Sangh Parivar outfit leader was today booked for allegedly making a hate speech at a public function near here on Friday.

Addressing a function organised by the "Hindu Aikyavedi" at North Paravur, the outfit's Kerala president K P Sasikala had allegedly urged secular writers to conduct "Mrityunjaya Homam" at Lord Shiva temples to save them from meeting a fate similar to that of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh in Karnataka.

The 55-year-old Left-leaning journalist, a fierce critic of Hindutva politics, was shot dead at the doorstep of her house while she was returning from her office on September 5.

The police said Sasikala has been booked under the charge of wantonly giving provocation with an intent to cause a riot.

A case also has been registered against R V Babu, another leader of the Hindu Aikyavedi, for making a provocative speech at the function, the police said.

The case was registered based on a complaint by Congress MLA V D Satheeshan.

Her speech, telecast by media, was criticised by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leaders.

Apparently referring to allegations seeking to link the killing of Gauri to the BJP or people following its ideology, Sasikala had said there was no need for them to indulge in such acts.

She had alleged that Congress in Karnataka was capitalising on such issues and said the party was "facing continuous electoral defeats".

Speaking in Kannur yesterday, Vijayan had said that asking thinkers and writers to conduct 'Mrityunjaya Homam' was meant to disrupt the progress made by Kerala society.

Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala urged the government to book Sasikala for her controversial speech under non-bailable sections of IPC.

The BJP and the Hindu Aikyavedi alleged that the visual media had aired a "distorted version" of her speech.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will take a call on whether to allow Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje to visit Sikkim as demanded by the people of the state, a home ministry official said.

The Home Ministry has prepared a note on the Karmapa's visit to Sikkim and sent it for approval to the CCS, the highest decision making body of the country's security matters, the official said on condition of anonymity.

However, the Karmapa will not be allowed to enter the Rumtek monastery located in East Sikkim, even though he may be allowed to visit the state, the official said.

The central government had banned entry of all the three claimants to the title of Karmapa to the Rumtek monastery in East Sikkim in 1994.

The Sikkimese Buddhists who follow the Khagyu sect recognise the 31-year-old Ogyen Trinley Dorje as the real heir and successor of the 16th Karmapa who passed away in 1981.

The Sikkim government has written several times and passed resolutions requesting the Centre to allow Ogyen Trinley Dorjee to make his claim as the 17th Karmapa. The Centre has, however, not given any decision on it yet.

Ogyen Trinley Dorje, head of the Karma Khagyu (Black Hat) tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, was born in Tibet and had escaped to India through Nepal at the age of 14. He reached the Tibetan exile quarters at McLeod Ganj on January 5, 2000.

He presently lives in Dharamsala and is also recognised by the Dalai Lama.

A delegation of monks of various monasteries of Sikkim had met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in May and urged him to grant early permission for Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje's visit to the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Home ministry is contemplating a "crackdown" on Kerala-based Popular Front of India (PFI) and mulling a ban on it for its alleged links with terror activities, a charge strongly denied by the outfit.

The move comes after the Investigation Agency (NIA) submitted a report on the to the ministry claiming that the group has been involved in terror acts, including running terror camps and making bombs, and it was a fit case to be declared banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a home ministry official said today.

The cases which the NIA cited for PFI's alleged involvement in terror acts are: chopping of a professor's palm in Kerala's Idukki district, organising a training camp in Kannur from where the NIA allegedly seized swords, country-made bombs and ingredients for making IEDs, murder of RSS leader Rudresh in Bengaluru and the plans to carry out terror attacks in South India by involving another outfit, Islamic State Al-Hindi.

The home ministry official said there have been enough documents regarding PFI's involvement in terror activities in South India and the central government cannot remain a mute spectator.

"The time has come to act and carry out the crackdown on before it gets too late," the official said.

The official refused to elaborate the kind of action the home ministry was contemplating against the but its action may include declaring the outfit as banned under the UAPA.

The NIA has prepared the report on the PFI after conducting a detailed probe on it, another official said.

PFI's executive council member P Koya strongly refuted the NIA claims, saying the agency had never approached the outfit to know about its activities if there has been any investigation at all.

"The activities of the PFI were not anti- but more nationalistic. We have never run any terror camps nor involved in any terror act. There is no reason to call us a terror group unless you want to label us a terrorist organisation," he told PTI over the phone.

Koya said there have been just 10 cases against PFI in its 25 years of existence and it was "normal" for any organisation.

He claimed that at least 100 people were killed in the clashes between the RSS and CPI-M in Kerala in recent times yet the two groups were never called as anti-national.

The PFI reportedly has the presence in 23 states and is strongest in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Delhi court today granted bail to promoters of real estate firm Unitech Ltd, Sanjay and Ajay Chandra, in one of the many cases of alleged fraud committed by them by not delivering flats to hassled home buyers.

However, the Chandra brothers, would remain in custody of the police till September 15 to get quizzed in connection with three similar complaints.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sandeep Garg granted bail to the Chandras on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each in the FIR lodged by an 85-year-old woman alleging they had duped her of Rs 41 lakh in the 'Unitech Cascades' housing project in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

The court allowed the bail plea after the Chandras, through their counsel R K Gosain, said they were ready for a settlement through mediation and submitted fixed deposit receipt of Rs 41.5 lakh.

This amount shall be paid to the complainant once the matter is settled, the counsel said.

A court here had last week sent them to seven-day police custody in connection with three FIRs, one of which alleged that he duped a man, who booked a flat in its 'Unitech Verve' project in Greater Noida, of Rs 16.77 lakh.

Ram Narain Aggarwal, a retired government employee, has alleged that the firm floated a residential project 'Unitech Verve' in 2006 in which he booked a flat.

The apartment was scheduled to be delivered by December 2009, but he has not yet got its possession, he alleged.

The other two FIRs also alleged non-delivery of flats to home buyers and fraud committed on them by promoters.

The Chandras have been accused of offences under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC.

Recently, the Supreme Court had refused to grant interim bail to the Chandra brothers till September 15 in one of it Gurugram-based project till the customers' grievances were redressed.

It assured the troubled home buyers of refund of their investment or delivery of homes.

In the last few years, several FIRs have been lodged against the Unitech top brass for allegedly cheating home buyers by not delivering them properties purchased from their firm's housing projects.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sara De Boer/STARTRAKS PHOTO via ABCNickelback welcomed a surprise guest during their concert in Los Angeles Friday night: Chad Kroeger's estranged wife, Avril Lavigne. She joined her ex and his band onstage for a performance of the Nickelback song "Rockstar." You can watch fan-recorded footage of the collaboration now on YouTube.

"You never know who will join us for 'Rockstar' karaoke," Nickelback wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of Kroeger and Lavigne together.

Kroeger and Lavigne got married in July 2013. The Canadian couple announced their separation in September 2015, but they've continued to attend events and work on music together.

Friday's onstage reunion also marked the first show Lavigne, who's been struggling with Lyme disease, has played in nearly three years.

"Good to be back on stage!" Lavigne wrote in an Instagram post. "Feeling excited, happy and grateful."

Nickelback is currently on tour in support of their new album, Feed the Machine.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Certain sections of civil society groups and trade experts today raised questions on the impact of the proposed mega agreement RCEP on domestic manufacturing and services sectors.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a mega trade pact among 16 countries that aims to cover goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, competition and intellectual property rights.

"Elimination of taxes on goods would impact our manufacturing sector. Serious concerns have been raised by some industries. The government has to really dig in its heels and not get into such type of commitments which can impact our industries," trade expert and professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University Biswajit Dhar told reporters here.

In the services sector too, he observed, India would not get much from this agreement as there is no appetite for liberalisation of norms for movement of professionals, a key area of interest for India.

He suggested that the government must ensure interests of the domestic industry must be safeguarded.

Ravindra Gupta of All India Bank Officers Confederation agreed, saying India should not allow banks from China, Australia or Japan to open bank branches here as they would not cater to masses.

"We oppose any kind of opening of bank branches by these countries. They will only cater to classes," Gupta said.

Dharmendra Kumar, from India FDI Watch, said Japan and Indonesia are pressurising India to further open its retail sector in the negotiations.

"The government should not liberalise norms in retail as it would impact livelihood of millions of small traders," he said.

Ranja Sengupta of Third World Network opined that RCEP would have a serious impact on agri, dairy, plantations and pharma sectors. "With China as a prime partner in the RCEP, the threat to Indian industry is obvious," she said.

According to Ashim Roy of New Trade Union Initiative, the trade pact is being negotiated to increase the corporate power and foreign investment protection.

"RCEP members should also talk about harmonisation of wages. MNCs only want access to cheap labour and resources," he added.

The 16-member bloc RCEP comprises 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) and their six FTA partners - India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has written to the chief justices of all high courts asking them to set up special benches on Saturdays for hearing criminal appeals in which legal aid has been provided.

The CJI's letter highlights the issue of increasing pendency of cases, specially criminal appeals, due to delay in disposal.

"As you are aware, a large number of criminal appeals/ jail appeals are pending in various High Courts. Delay in disposal of these appeals raises question about the efficacy of the administration of justice as a whole and criminal justice system in particular," the letter said.

Justice Misra acknowledged that one of the methods to ensure speedy disposal of such appeals was to identify and dispose of such appeals in which legal aid has been provided at the state expense.

"May I, therefore, impress upon you to explore the possibility of hearing such criminal appeals/jail appeals, in which legal-aid-counsel has been provided, on Saturdays by specially constituted Bench for the purpose, after obtaining consent of the concerned legal aid counsel and State counsel. This will go a long way in ensuring speedy disposal of criminal appeals/jail appeals," Justice Misra wrote.

CJI Misra also noted in his letter that some of the chief justices of the high courts have already agreed to go ahead with the project immediately commencing from the September 9.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Assam's Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said he is confident that the BJP, along with its allies, would come to power in all the eight north-eastern states by November next year.

He said the new mission for the party is to be in power in all the eight north-eastern states.

"As of now, we have five states with us... As BJP and with our allies. Recently, we had a convention on north-east political parties. Our national president has said that we should get eight out of eight. This is a new mission for us," Sarma told PTI here.

Asked about resignation of some BJP leaders in Meghalaya over the Centre's ban on sale of cattle in animal markets for slaughter, Sarma said the party has clarified in no uncertain terms that it does not want to interfere with the food habit of anybody.

"I think if somebody is eating something which they feel is good for them, culturally, they feel that it is part of their food habit, we are no one to ask them to change that.

"So, we have said in no uncertain terms, while we like that people should have certain food habits, we do not want to impose that. Because, our liking should not be imposed on somebody else," he said.

The party has told Meghalaya BJP leaders that it does not want to interfere in the food habits, Sarma said.

"We have told them categorically and it has nothing to do with election. We are saying if you have a particular food habit, continue with that. We have no issue," he said, adding those issues are "of the past and we have gone beyond that."



Sarma was in Hyderabad to attend the GST Council meeting on Saturday.

"I think by February 2018, two states -- Meghalaya and Tripura -- are going for election. We should have both. Then (in) November 2018, Mizoram is going for election. I think we will have that also," he said.

"I am confident that by November 2018, we will have all the eight states with BJP or with our allies," Sarma said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress today accused the Haryana government of not acting against the management of Ryan International School in the case of murder of a seven- year-old boy and demanded a criminal case against it as well as a CBI probe into the incident.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala came down heavily on the Manohar Lal Khattar-led government and alleged laxity on its part in not implementing the safety guidelines which were enumerated in 2014.

"We demand that the government register a criminal case against the management of Ryan International School and take decisive action against them.

"We also hope that the Haryana government (would) immediately hand over the investigation in the matter to the CBI...As per the demand of the victim's father. The central government should accord its approval soon," he told reporters.

He said the chief minister had already said that if the parents of the victim wanted a CBI probe the state had no problem in ordering the same.

Surjewala also said the district authorities had drawn up a set of guidelines for safety of children in schools in 2014 jointly with the police, parents, child safety experts, child psychologists, judiciary, civil organisations and members of the media.

"They can become model guidelines to be implemented everywhere. But the important issue is BJP needs to first rise above political partisanship of saving its party members who are guilty and then proceed to implement these guidelines in letter and spirit," he claimed.

Surjewala claimed if the Haryana and central government had read the set of instructions, then they would not be making "myopic and parochial" statements that more staff should be employed for school buses.

"All schools were asked to compulsorily follow the guidelines. These guidelines have been violated by the authorities of Ryan International School," he alleged and demanded strict action against them.

"SC issues notice to Khattar government on CBI inquiry. After beating up parents and media, CM should demit arrogance and agree," he tweeted.

Surjewala alleged that the Ryan management openly flouted these norms as there were no separate toilets meant for school staff, no identity cards were issued to the staff and their police verification was not done.

He alleged that a senior functionary of the Ryan management was a BJP Mahila morcha functionary and this could be a cause of inaction on the part of the Haryana government.

The Congress leader alleged that the guidelines to ensure safety and security of children were violated by the Ryan management and they should be punished as per law.

He also demanded that the guidelines be implemented within a specific time frame in all private and government schools to ensure security and safety of children.

Surjewala also claimed that the boundary wall of the school in Gurgaon was broken and empty liquor bottles were reportedly found inside the premises.

The Congress leader alleged that the BJP governments in states like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Haryana were "insensitive" towards child safety and referred to the deaths of children in hospitals. He also highlighted the gang-rape of a minor in Dumka in Jharkhand.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Jammu and Kashmir BJP today termed as a "political gimmick" the maiden visit of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led policy and planning group to the state and asked the Congress party to play a "positive role" for the interest of the state and the country.

The Congress panel arrived on a two-day visit here yesterday, nearly five months after its formation.

The panel met the party leadership and over 30 delegations representing a cross section of the society, besides representatives of National Conference, CPI(M) and other mainstream opposition parties.

"Even though it (Congress) thinks its fundamental right is to criticise the Centre for its policies regarding Jammu and Kashmir, the team and any of its central leader did not bother to take stock of the situation," state BJP spokesperson Virender Gupta said.

He said the group did not think to provide its "valuable suggestion" to the government in "retrieving the situation".

"Instead of playing political gimmick, it should play a positive role for the interest of the state and the country," Gupta said.

He questioned the seriousness of the planning group, saying, "it did not feel its concern about the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the last five months".

Blaming the Congress for the present situation in the state, Gupta said the party had kept the Jammu and Kashmir issue "alive and burning" because of its "wrong policies since the accession of the state with India".

"It remained in power both at the Centre and in Jammu and Kashmir for the most of the times, it was in power in the state in 1990 when situation in the valley had taken an ugly turn when Kashmiri Pandits and other minorities suffered a mass exodus," Gupta said.

"It was in power from 2002 to 2014 in state and also at the Centre before 2014 for 10 year but it failed to resolve the issue," the BJP leader said.

Gupta asked the Congress party to clear its stand on Article 35A and said the party is a "divided house" on the issue.

"Kashmir leadership of the party supports 35A whereas its leaders in Jammu province oppose continuation of 35A and Article 370 in Indian Constitution, however, the leadership at the Centre is confusing the people by speaking in different tones on the issue," he said in a statement.

Gupta said the Congress should clear its stand on West Pakistan Refugees and on deporting of Rohingyas in Jammu province instead of beating about the bush.

"Congress party needs also to clear its stand on the statements issued by some of its leaders on the Kashmir issue, who are supporting Azadi (freedom) and autonomy for the valley, which include Mani Shankar Ayyar and even P Chidambaram who was part of the visiting team," Gupta said.

Reacting to the statement of senior Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad who said the PDP-BJP government and NDA-led Centre had taken the state back to 1990s when the law and order situation was at its worst, Gupta reminded Azad of the situation in 2008 when he was the Chief Minister and of 2010 when Congress was sharing power with National Conference.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress today termed the tele-medicine system initiated by the Uttar Pradesh government as an "escape route" from addressing the health needs of the people of the state.

"The tele-medicine system adopted recently by the BJP-led UP government is simply devised to escape from addressing the health needs of the people of the state. It is simply an attempt to befool the people especially those living in villages," UP Congress general secretary Onkar Nath Singh told PTI.

He said that the medicines will be suggested after a caller makes a call to the call centre describing his symptoms of illness.

"A major chunk of the population living in the villages is not aware about the medicines and their side-effects. If something untoward happens with them, then who will be held responsible?" he said.

He asked the Yogi government to strengthen the community and primary health centres in the state.

UP Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh claimed that the state government has failed to contain the outbreak of swine flu and dengue.

"Ever since the emergence of non-Congress governments in the state, there has been a visible drop in the health scenario in the state. Until and unless the primary health centres and community health centres are strengthened both in terms of doctors and medicines, improving the health scenario of the state will always remain a distant dream," he said.

UP health minister Siddharth Nath Singh had recently said that to boost health system at the grass-roots level, the Uttar Pradesh government will soon launch a network of '24x7 control centres' across the state that will allow people to consult doctors through telephones.

He said that villagers in remote areas would be able to connect to these control centres through telephone and doctors receiving the calls would be able to prescribe simple medicines.

"If the ailment does not go away, doctors will prescribe antibiotics which would be made available to them at primary healthcare centres (PHCs). Even then if the problem doesn't go away, the patient will be shifted to the district hospital for further treatment," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The district administration relaxed curfew for two hours this evening after reviewing the law and order situation in the violence-hit areas of the city.

Curfew was imposed in Ramganj, Subhash Chowk, Manak Chowk and Galta Gate on the midnight of September 8 after a dispute between police and a bike-borne couple sparked violence in the city, killing one and injuring seven.

The relaxation decision came after the postmortem and burial of 24-year-old Mohammad Raees alias Aadil who had died in the clashes that erupted in Ramganj area on Friday night.

The burial rites were performed peacefully in the presence of peace committee members and local leaders.

"Post law and order situation review, curfew was relaxed from 3.30pm to 5.30 pm today," DCP (North) Satyendra Singh said.

Meanwhile, government and private schools in the curfew hit areas remained closed for the day.

Also, internet services will remain suspended till 11.59 pm today in 14 police station areas of Jaipur police commissionerate.

On Friday night, after the dispute, a mob outside the Ramganj police station pelted stones, damaged two dozen vehicles and torched four others, including an ambulance and a police vehicle, besides setting ablaze a power sub-station.

As tear gas shells and rubber bullets did not deter the mob, police said it was forced to fire in air and then at the miscreants. Six policemen were also injured in the violence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Packaging company Ess Dee Aluminium Ltd is yet to intimate the stock exchanges about the arrest of the chairman Sudip Dutta on September 5., although the rules stipulate that it should have been brought to the bourses' notice within 24 hours.

Regulation 30 of Listing Regulations 2015, that deals with disclosure of unpublished price sensitive or material information says, "Fraud/defaults by promoter or KMP ((key management personnel) or by listed entity or arrest of KMP or promoter is one of the parameters where 'Irrespective' of materiality, you are supposed to disclose to the stock exchanges."



The company had said earlier that Dutta was arrested from Mumbai airport on September 5.

The arrest by West Bengal police was in connection with alleged provident fund default at Ess Dee's Karamhati plant in West Bengal, currently under suspension of work.

A BSE official told PTI that bthe company is supposed to inform the exchanges about such informations within 24 hours.

Company officials could not be reached for comments.

The last time Ess Dee Aluminium communicated with BSE and NSE was on August 12, stock exchange data showed.

Ess Dee Aluminium had also said earlier that the arrest took place at a time when Dutta was on his way to meet various bank officials in Mumbai for critical business revival discussions.

"The Provident Fund payment, though initially delayed due to our financial stress, but subsequently the payment was effected through Demand Draft for Rs 42,00,213 (being the claim amount as per FIR), favouring 'RPFC SRO Barrackpore' and after much deliberation and discussions accepted by the PF authorities and encashed on August 10, 2017," the company had said.

Kamarhati plant is part of India Foils which was taken over by Ess Dee in 2009. It employs around 200 workers. Ess Dee has made huge losses in recent years.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
While the Shiv Sena today staged protests seeking disbursal of farm loan waiver before Dussehra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured the leaders of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party that money will be deposited in the bank accounts of the cultivators by October first week.

A delegation of the Sena ministers met the chief minister and demanded that the process to disburse the loan waiver amount would start from September 21.

Uddhav Thackeray had instructed his party leaders and workers to stage protests against the state government over the issue from today.

Although the Sena ministers kept themselves away from the agitation for being part of the state government, the party MPs and MLAs led agitations in their respective constituencies.

Speaking to reporters at his Mantralaya office, Sena minister Ramdas Kadam, said his party had to stage state-wide demonstrations as the Opposition led by Congress and NCP had failed in its duty.

"Where the opposition fails, the Sena steps in," Kadam said.

Describing Devendra Fadnavis as a "sensitive" man, he added that the chief minister assured them that the first instalment of the relief amount will be deposited in the farmers' bank accounts by the first week of October.

Kadam said that the CM has assured them that the police cases registered against farmers, who had taken part in the statewide agitations earlier this year.

He said Fadnavis apprised them that the aim of the online registration process was to identify genuine farmers and weed out the ineligible ones, and to reduce the quantum of final loan waiver package.

He also said that even after 74 days of the announcement of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetakari Sanman Yojana (the loan waiver scheme), not a single farmer has got its benefit so far.

"Hence, the farmers across the state are disappointed with the government. It was expected that the farmers will get benefit of the scheme during the Kharif season. But due to cumbersome format of the online form and difficulties in online submission, the actual implementation of the scheme has got delayed," he added.

Meanwhile, Revenue minister Chandrakant Patil said the disbursal of loan amount will begin in the last week of October.

Speaking to reporters in Kolhapur, Patil said, "Accounts of ten lakh bogus farmers and their verification is causing a delay in the loan waiver disbursement. The process will be completed by October end."



The scheme was announced on June 28 and Fadnavis had stated that 89 lakh farmers across the state will get the benefit of Rs 34,000 crore as loan waiver.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
To bring in transparency in food safety inspection and sampling, food regulator FSSAI today put in place a nationwide online platform and asked states to adopt this system as it would help eliminate discrepancy and make food safety officers accountable.

The web-based 'FoSCoRIS' system will help verify compliance of food safety and hygiene standards by food businesses as per the government norms.

The new system will bring together all key stakeholders -- food businesses, food safety officers (FSOs), designated officers, state food safety commissioners -- on a nation-wide IT platform and data related to inspection, sampling and test result data will be shared seamlessly by all the officials.

"This system will give a clear picture to the FSSAI on the real-time basis and helps eliminate any discrepancy, hence inspection is accountable," the regulator said in a letter written to states.

The system will ease out the process of sample collection, make it transparent and traceable and controls the quality of compliances, it said.

Directing the states to adopt the new system, the FSSAI said this requires a hand-held device with internet connectivity with FSOs.

It has asked those states that have already provided hand-held devices to FSOs to straightway adopt the system while other states have been asked to provide such devices to FSOs or on rental and even reimburse mobile expenses to them.

The states have been told to appoint a nodal officer for this purpose and send the details of the officers of the state food authority for integrating them with FoSCoRIS.

In the initial phase, the FSSAI said, it has decided to bear the cost of rental plans for first three months to a maximum of Rs 500 per month per connection to first ten states and UTs.

"This would replace the current system of ad hoc and subjective inspections and sampling that are currently carried out by the regulatory staff," it noted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goa Excise department has issued an order to renew licences of the retail liquor shops falling under the municipal jurisdictions in the state.

However, the renewal of licences of those liquor outlets located alongside highways was kept on hold following a directive by the Supreme Court.

The department stated the apex court has amended its order allowing renewal of licences of the liquor outlets in the municipal areas.

State Excise Commissioner Amit Satija has issued the order stating the licences of the retail liquor shops located within the municipal areas of Valpoi, Sanquelim, Bicholim, Mapusa, Ponda, Curchorem-Cacora, Sanguem, Margao, Mormugao, Cuncolim and Canacona and the City of Corporation of Panaji, would be renewed.

The commissioner said the licences would be renewed provided "all the other requirements for the grant or renewal of licences are fully met as provided under Goa Excise Act and Rules, 1964".

In its order dated December 15 last year, the SCstated that licences of liquor outlets located along highways should not be renewed beyond April 1 this year.

The order affected around 3000-odd outlets in Goa. However, the state government denotified certain sections of the roads from the list of highways thus providing relief to many outlets.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former head of anaesthesia department at the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College Dr Satish today surrendered in a local court here in connection with a case related to the death of children in the hospital last month, police said.

"Dr Satish surrendered himself in the anti-corruption court this afternoon. We will seek his remand for interrogation," SSP, Gorakhpur, Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj said.

"Apart from this, evidence gathering is going on," he told PTI.

A committee headed by Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Rajive Kumar probing the Gorakhpur hospital tragedy had earlier recommended initiating criminal action against the then principal of the BRD Medical College Dr Rajiv Mishra, HoD anaesthesia (Paediatric department) Dr Satish, in-charge of 100-bed AES ward Dr Kafeel Khan and Pushpa Sales, the supplier of oxygen cylinders.

Before Satish's surrender, the police had arrested four out of the nine people named in the FIR related to the death of over 30 children within a span of 48 hours beginning August 10.

Last week, the Uttar Pradesh police had nabbed Sudhir Pandey, a clerk of the BRD Medical College, in connection with the deaths.

Pandey was named in the FIR filed in the case and was arrested from near Khajanchi Chowk under Shahpur police station area here on a tip-off.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As swine flu deaths continue unabated in Maharashtra, the state government has directed the municipal commissioners to prepare weekly review reports of the H1N1 patients in the civic hospitals, health officials said.

Preparing audit reports of swine flu-related deaths in private hospitals has also been made mandatory by the state government, they said.

The decision was taken in today's state Infectious Diseases Control Committee meeting held at the Mantralaya chaired by state health minister Dr Deepak Sawant.

"The H1N1 infection has claimed the lives of 525 people in Maharashtra from January to September 8. There are 4,898 swine flu positive cases identified in the state, of which 525 have lost their lives," a senior health officer said.

"If a private hospital is reporting more H1N1 casualties, the municipal commissioners concerned should visit the hospital and carry out the death audit. The swine flu prevalence has increased in the state, but the situation is under control," Sawant said after the meeting.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s measures to control the breeding of malaria mosquitoes has been effective so far, he said.

"The state government has issued the departments concerned to issue a circular to implement the BMC Act across the state. It will be out soon," Sawant said.

The state machinery has so far carried out screening of 15 lakh people, of which 38,718 have been administered with preventive medicines.

Nashik district is the worst-affected region in the state in terms of H1N1 infection.

While 54 H1N1 deaths were reported in Nashik, the deadly infection has killed 43 people so far, followed by 38 deaths in Pune rural. Nagpur and Ahmednagar districts reported 35 and 33 deaths respectively since January this year. Thane and Pimpri and Chinchwad municipal corporation reported 31 deaths each, followed by Kolhapur (28) and Aurangabad 26 deaths, the state officials said.

Dr Pradeep Vyas, principal secretary of health department, Dr Subhash Salunkhe, head of the committee, Dr Satish Pawar, director of health services and Mahesh Zagade, divisional commissioner of Nashik division, were present for today's meeting.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi government has sought suspension of the casualty medical officer of the Chacha Nehru hospital and disciplinary action against its director over "grave negligence" in connection with the case of rape of a minor in a school, Health minister Satyendra Jain said today.

A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a peon inside the premises of a private school in Shahdara in east Delhi on Saturday, according to police.

In another case related to the the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital in northwest Delhi, the government has sought removal of the medical superintendent of a city-run hospital, days after a woman employee accused him of sexual harassment.

Jain said the city government has written to Lt Governor Anil Baijal in connection with the two cases.

"The Delhi government has recommended suspension of the casualty medical officer of the Chacha Nehru super specialty hospital and disciplinary action against its director," he told reporters.

The Minister said he has also directed the DGHS to inquire into the incident. The preliminary report with the aforementioned recommendations was submitted today, he said.

"The casualty medical officer did not follow the laid down norms or protocols pertaining to a victim of rape," Jain alleged.

The victim should have been treated in the hospital itself and should not have been referred to LNJP Hospital, he said.

However, LNJP Hospital treated the victim well and she was released the next morning, the minister said.

"Even while referring, a CATS ambulance should have been used and a woman doctor or an attendant should have accompanied the victim.

"There was grave negligence on the part of the casualty medical officer and the director," he said.

The accused, Vikas (40), was arrested last night, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shahdara, Nupur Prasad said.

The incident came a day after a seven-year-old boy's throat was slit allegedly by a bus conductor of a Gurgaon school for allegedly resisting sexual assault -- an incident that sent shock waves across the country.

In the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital case, the government has sought the action, saying, the acused, "acted against" the CCS (Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules.

According to the complainant, a senior medical officer, the doctor used to call her inside his room and have vulgar conversations. He also tried to touch her inappropriately.

A case was registered against accused Surinder Pal on Friday, police said yesterday, adding that he is on the run.

The woman, however, video-graphed the act and submitted the same to the police as a proof to her claims, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government would complete 99 irrigation projects by 2019 to provide irrigation facilities to farmers, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said here today.

"We will complete 99 (irrigation) projects by 2019," he told reporters after addressing a 'Sankalp se Siddhi' programme here.

The irrigation projects have been taken up as part of the NDA government's initiatives to double farmers' income, the Minister of State for Agriculture and & Farmers' Welfare said.

"Soil health cards, e-NAM, promotion of agriculture and allied sectors like poultry, availability of neem-coated urea, crop insurance scheme are part of the initiatives to double farmers' income," he added.

Talking about the NDA government's resolve to ushering a 'New India', he said the country can be transformed by eradicating corruption, poverty and ensuring all-round development if the countrymen take a pledge to work towards the poor.

"The countrymen had taken similar pledge to attain freedom for the country in the pre-independence era," he said.

Earlier, Shekhawat administered a pledge to those present at the meeting that they will make efforts towards achieving a 'New India'.

Every citizen can contribute in his own way to transform the country into a developed by 2022, when the nation celebrates 75 years of independence, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre has decided to grant nearly complete autonomy and freedom from regulators to 15 per cent of the "top class institutes" of the country, Union minister Prakash Javadekar said today.

The Human Resource Development minister also said that his government was planning to provide loans for creating research infrastructure in the country.

"We are now granting nearly complete autonomy and freedom from regulators to the all the top class 15 per cent institutes which have scored 3.25 on NAAC accreditation. We are trying to provide graded autonomy," he said.

Javadekar was speaking at a function to announce a masters scholarship established in the name of sitting Delhi High Court judge Justice Prathiba Singh in 2013.

The fifth Prathiba M Singh Cambridge LL.M Scholarship this year was given to Ishmeet Kaur of Delhi University, Raveena Kumari Sethia of Jindal Law School and Ansh Singh Luthra from National Law Institute, Bhopal.

Justice Singh, an Indian alumna of the Faculty of Law at the Cambridge University, donated the scholarship that will allow other Indian students to complete an LLM at Cambridge.

Former Chief Justice of India J S Khehar, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said that the next generation will have a say in determining the responses to a variety of challenges India will face.

"India today faces a trilemma of global competitiveness, social inclusiveness and environmental sustainability. A resurgent India is not possible without an invigorated idea of justice which is properly imbibed for being enforced," he said.

Justice Khehar said that legal education is all about management of self and resources to produce persons with values of quality, equity and compassion.

"I would like to remind the awardees not to forget that complete education has to be of the head and the heart. It's only then that it will enable you to possess appropriate thrust for your future endeavours," he added.

Cambridge University Pro-Vice Chancellor Eilis Veronica Ferran gave away the scholarship certificates to the awardees.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jet Airways Chairman has scotched rumours about Gulf carrier Etihad Airways exiting its three-year-old equity partnership and also said he was not looking for another partner.



We have no plans to sell the stake to another investor. Also, our partner Etihad has no intention to exit their investment in Jet Airways, Goyal told reporters on the sidelines of the annual general meeting here. The Abu Dhabi-based Etihad had in April 2013 invested Rs 2,069 crore in Jet for a 24 per cent equity but of late there have been plenty of rumours about both the partners not seeing eye-to-eye and looking for other options.

Our three-year-young strategic partnership with Etihad Airways continues to to deliver synergies across all areas, Goyal said and added that the partnership has enabled the airlines to carry over a million passengers between India and other parts of world.

In the recent months there have been exploratory discussions between Jet and Delta for a stake sale. Jet has an extensive code share agreement with Delta, which in recent weeks has acquired a 10 per cent stake in Air France-KLM.

Jet has also appointed J P Morgan to help raise funds as it looks to reduce debt. Fresh fund infusion could also help the airline in fleet expansion. The airline has 75 Boeing 737Max on order and its deliveries will begin next June. Additionally, the airline is negotiating for extra 75 planes of the type and the fresh funds could be used for pre-delivery payments.

In his speech to shareholders, Goyal said the company reduced its debt by around Rs 1,902 crore for the financial year ended March 2017 and overall in the last two years the debt has reduced by a third.

Operationally, we ran a tight ship. Exercising fiscal prudence, keeping laser sharp focus on costs and adopting a cautious approach to expansion your company (Jet) has has successfully ended every quarter this year (FY17) in profit, Goyal said. Goyal also announced that Harsh Mohan, chief group support services officer of Etihad Aviation Group would be joining the airline's board. He will be Etihad's nominee to the board.

Etihad has two posts on the board which fell vacant following the resignation of its group chief executive officer James Hogan and chief financial officer James Rigney.

Harsh Mohan has extensive experience in the aviation industry covering internal audit, financial planning and controls, business transformation, distribution, strategic cost management and enterprise risk management, having worked with Air Canada, Sabre Consulting and Gulf Air.

(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 situation in Valley has improved significantly over the past year and some green shoots of peace are visible, Union Home Minister said on Monday as he expressed willingness to meet every stakeholder to resolve long-standing issues.

Singh, who is on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters that the trees of peace in has not dried up and that a permanent solution to issue is based on five 'C's -- compassion, communication, coexistence, confidence building and consistency.

"After meeting the delegations and holding meetings here, I understand that the situation in Kashmir has greatly improved.I don't want to claim that everything is completely fine but things are improving, this I can say with firm belief," Singh said.

He said during his visit he has interacted with police and CRPF personnel and he will also meet the army personnel.

"I am willing to meet anyone who wants to help us in resolving problems of Kashmir.There is no question of a formal or informal invitation. Those who want to talk should come forward. I always come here with an open mind," Singh said when asked if the government was ready to hold talks with separatists.

He said the government does not want to leave out any of the stakeholders with whom dialogue should be held.

The Home minister asked Pakistan to stop infiltrating militants in the state so that peace with dignity can be restored.

"While paying tributes to ASI Abdul Rasheed, I again saw the picture of his daughter Zohra.I cannot forget her face. We want smile and happiness on the face of every youth of Kashmir and we will continue our efforts in this regard," he said.

Rasheed was shot at and injured by militants in Anantnag district. He later died at a hospital.

The government, he said, had made sincere efforts for improving relations with all neighbouring countries including Pakistan right from the day it took office in May 2014.

"The Prime Minister invited premiers of all neighbouring countries to the oath ceremony. The intent was clear that we invited them not for shaking hands but for heart to heart relations. The Prime Minister broke all protocol and went there to attend a function. We made all out efforts.

"A B Vajpayee said we can change friends but not neighbours.But what is the neighbouring country (Pakistan) doing? They are infiltrating terrorists here.I will ask Pakistan that it should stop. We have never said that we do not want good relations with neighbours, we want it.

"Be it Vajpayee or PM Modi, everyone has made an effort but Pakistan has not responded the way it should have," he added.

Singh said during his three days in Kashmir he saw that the tree of peace in Kashmir has not dried up.

"We could see some green shoots of peace on this tree," the minister



The Home Minister said there was lot of speculation when he spoke about permanent solution to the problems of Kashmir.

"Our permanent solution is based on five 'C's -- compassion, communication, coexistence, confidence building and consistency. We will continue to strive for peace with honour and dignity of the people of Kashmir," he said.

On the legal challenge to Article 35A of the Constitution, which bars people from outside Jammu and Kashmir to acquire immoveable property in the state, Singh said the Centre has neither initiated any action nor gone to the court in this regard.

"There is no reason for doubt or speculation on this issue. Unnecessarily an issue is being made out.Central government has not initiated any process on this issue, we have not gone to the court. I want to assure that -- I am not talking about only Article 35A, whatever our government does, we will not do anything against the sentiments of the people here. We will continue to respect that.

"I think there are no issues left.It is very unfortunate," he added.

Singh said he has reviewed the Rs 80,000 crore Prime Minister's Development Package (PMDP) for Jammu and Kashmir and work is going on the projects under this programme.

"Some of the projects are big and there has been some cost escalation as well.The total worth of the package has now gone over Rs one lakh crore due to cost escalation.

"However, I have told the officials that the cost escalation should not come in the way. Detailed project reports should be prepared and work started on these projects," he added.

Asked about the allegations that NIA was being used to pressurise separatists, Singh said it is an independent investigating agency and the law will takes its own course.

"We have nothing to do with it. They must have evidence based on which they are acting," he added.

Asked if any of the 55 delegations raised the issue of revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state, Singh said no one raised this issue.

On the use of pellet guns for crowd control, the home minister said this equipment was being used very sparingly now.

"Last year we looked into the alternatives to pellet guns and introduced PAVA (grenades). Though it was not very effective, the pellet guns have been used less compared to earlier," he said.

Singh appealed to all countrymen to visit Kashmir for tourism and trade saying there was no danger in visiting the Valley.

"I want to appeal to all people from India and around the world who are into tourism to visit Kashmir.People of Kashmir are ready to welcome you, they want to make it heaven again and take it back from the hands of terrorists. There is no danger here," he said.

He said the Centre will launch a special promotional drive to promote tourism in Kashmir.
Haryana Agriculture minister O P Dhankar today said the state government will not initiate a fresh dialogue with the Punjab government to come to an agreement on the state's share of river waters.

The Supreme Court had on September 7 granted six weeks' time to the Centre to explore the possibility of an amicable solution to the SYL canal row between Punjab and Haryana.

"There will be no digression from our chosen path of securing implementation of the Supreme Court orders regarding construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Punjab, and bringing to Haryana its rightful share of river waters," Dhankar was quoted as saying in a release.

He also asserted that the state government was committed to getting the SYL canal constructed.

Dhankar claimed that it was due to the efforts of the present state government that after 11 years, hearing on the presidential reference was started by the Supreme Court on February 29 and concluded on May 12 last year.

On the Presidential Reference, the apex court gave judgement in favour of Haryana on November 10 last year after which Punjab's Termination of Agreements Act-2004 was rendered invalid, the minister said.

Punjab had contended that the apex court order was not binding as it was given under its advisory jurisdiction and the Punjab law still stands.

For effective allocation of water, the SYL canal link was conceptualised and both the states were required to construct their portions within their territories.

Haryana constructed the portion of SYL canal in its territory. However, Punjab, after the initial phase, stopped the work, leading to spate of litigations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A greater presence of women  employees and bus drivers  in schools can help address the issue of safety on campus, HRD Minister said today, days after a 7-year-old Gurgaon student was killed in a washroom.

Schools and parents need to work together to find a solution to the issue of students' safety, the minister said.

"There should be more and more women employees in schools and school buses can also have women drivers so that there is more safety for students," Javadekar told reporters here.

The human resource development minister said he would talk to parents and school authorities after the initial probe into the killing of the boy was over.

"The culprits will be booked and charge-sheeted and we will address this issue," he added.

The killing of the class 2 student of Gurgaon's Ryan International School sparked outrage among parents and others on the issue of safety of children in schools.

The boy was found dead, with his throat slit, in the school's washroom last week. The police alleged he had been killed by a school bus conductor.

The minister said the murder and the recent rape of a five-year-old girl, allegedly by a peon in her school premises, were "heinous crimes".

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre and the CBSE in connection with a plea filed by the boy's father, seeking a CBI probe into the case.

"We will definitely give a reply to the Supreme Court. We will arrive at a better solution by talking to everybody," Javadekar said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had on Saturday set up a two-member fact finding committee to enquire into the student's death and negligence, if any, on the school authorities' part.

The CBSE also asked the school to submit a report to it.

Ryan Pinto, CEO of the Ryan International Schools Group, had yesterday said the school should not be held "culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances" and added that the management was cooperating with the police in its probe.

(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 Calcutta High Court today asked the West Bengal government what was it doing to implement Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's announcement to increase the dearness allowance (DA) for the state government employees. The court also termed an alleged comment of Banerjee on the demand of the employees as "unfortunate".

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T Chakraborty asked Advocate General Kishore Dutta as to what was the state government doing to issue a notification on increasing the DA of its employees.

The court asked this after the AG informed it that the chief minister had announced a 15-per cent DA hike for the state government employees from January, 2018 and said the difference of the remaining 39 per cent would be paid, along with the central DA, by the end of 2019.

Hearing a petition filed by the employees, demanding a DA hike and parity with the allowance being paid by the central government to its employees, the bench asked the AG what was the state government doing to make a gazette notification, reflecting the chief minister's announcement.

The AG prayed for some time to take the necessary steps. The court granted time till Wednesday and adjourned the hearing till then.

Appearing for the Confederation of State Government Employees, counsel Amjad Ali submitted that the employees were not "barking", as had been termed by the chief minister, but were only seeking their dues.

Counsel Bikash Bhattacharya, appearing for one of the employees, termed the chief minister's statement as "uncivilised".

At this, the bench observed that the choice of words by the chief minister, as alleged by the counsels, was "unfortunate".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court today issued show cause notice to candidates of various parties contesting tomorrow's Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections as to why action should not be taken against them for allegedly defacing public property with their posters.

The high court also pulled up the Delhi Police for not taking action or arresting the violators for the offence of defacing public properties which attracts a maximum jail term of 10 years.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the offence was cognisable and liable to be punished and a strong message should go so that the violators learn a lesson.

"The offences are cognisable, non-bailable and liable for imprisonment and a message should go to public at large. The Deputy Commissioner of Police concerned shall inform the court against whom police has taken action.

"DCP shall also file status report and explain why you have not registered the cases under the provisions of the DMRC Act. If you would have arrested the violators, next time it will not happen," the bench said.

The court issued show cause notice to over 10 candidates of various parties, including RSS-backed ABVP and Congress- backed NSUI, and asked them to explain why action should not be taken against them for allegedly defacing public property by pasting advertisments and putting banners.

It asked the Election Commission of DU to ensure that notice is served to the candidates.

Among others, the court issued show cause notice to NSUI's presidential candidate Rocky Tuseed and ABVP's Ankit Basoya and Mahamedha Nagar and listed the matter for hearing on September 20.

The high court was hearing a PIL by advocate Prashant Manchanda seeking a complete ban on the alleged defacement of the public properties by the candidates for the DUSU polls tomorrow.

During the hearing, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation told the court that they have removed the banners.

This, however, did not impress the bench which asked the corporations what action they have taken against the violators and how many have been arrested.

The police said they have lodged 33 FIRs in this regard and issued direction that any illegal defacement of properties will be dealt with heavy hands.

The court, however, asked "How many have been arrested? Can't you identify the people? Whose posters are they? Under which sections FIRs have been lodged? We had asked you to take action. What have you done?"



The petitioner argued that the authorities were not taking serious steps though there were legal provisions which carry 10 years in jail and the violators can be arrested.

The high court had earlier expressed shock at the massive use of pamphlets, fliers and plastering of Delhi University walls with posters for the upcoming students union polls and sought responses of the city police and the civic bodies.

Manchanda, in his plea, has alleged that disruption of the classrooms by the candidates and student outfits in "horrible shape and painting (walls) in the classrooms, deals a striking body blow to the Right to life, liberty and education of the students".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to issue No Objection Certificate to open Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), saying the state government should "give up its fear" that Hindi would be thrust upon students though these central schools.

After hearing the state government and the petitioner, Justices K K Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan of the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC ordered the issuance of NOC within eight weeks for starting JNVs.

The state government counsel submitted that it had enough schools to provide education to poor students and there was no need for JNVs funded by the Centre.

Petitioner Jeyakumar Thomas submitted that JNVs are fully residential and imparted education from classes 6 to 12.

He said the objective behind opening JNVs was to identify talented children from rural areas regardless of their socio- economic backgrounds and provide them quality education.

The schools collect nominal fees and 75 per cent of the seats are reserved for rural children, the petitioner said.

They follow three language formula-- English, Hindi and the local language, the PIL said.

The government counsel contended that JNVs were against the state's two-language policy.

Except in Tamil Nadu, Navodaya Vidyalayas have been started in all states, he submitted. Hence, the court should ask the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to establish one school in each district of the state, he said.

The Judges said the government should provide sufficient infrastructure, including land, for Navodaya schools and cooperate with the Centre in starting them.

Referring to the TN government contention that Hindi would be 'thrust' upon students, which was against its two- language formula, the Central government counsel said state's language was being taught in JNVs from class 6 to 8.

Students could choose Tamil as an optional subject in class 11 and 12 and there would be no thrusting of Hindi upon them, he added.

The judges said the state government should give up its fear of Hindi language being thrust upon students and cooperate with the Centre in building these schools.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court today refused to grant interim protection from arrest to activist Madhu Kishwar, against whom a non-bailable warrant has been issued by a Srinagar court in a criminal defamation case.

Justice Vinod Goel questioned her for approaching the Delhi High Court when the Supreme Court had entertained her plea to participate in the court proceedings at Srinagar through video-conferencing from a Delhi court.

She submitted that an NBW warrant was issued against her despite the apex court's July 24 order permitting her to participate in the court proceedings in Srinagar through video conferencing in a defamation case filed by Kashmir-based journalist Syed Shujaat Bukhari.

The high court asked Kishwar's counsel as to what steps have been taken by them following the Supreme Court's July 24 order permitting her to participate in court proceedings at Srinagar through video-conferencing from a Delhi court.

"Why protection? What steps have you taken? You want to avoid the trial. No interim protection," the judge said, adding that she wanted to delay the trial and also avoid video conferencing.

"Have you filed an application before the Srinagar trial court. Give a copy of the Supreme Court order to the Srinagar trial court and, if you fail to get relief from there, move Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

"You go and make a representation to Jammu and Kashmir High Court and inform about the Supreme Court order. You want to avoid video conferencing," the court said.

Kishwar, in her plea, sought quashing of the NBW issued against her by the Srinagar trial court on August 26 in the defamation case and said if the NBW is not stayed, the apex court order will be defeated.

Advocate Ravi Sharma, appearing for Kishwar, submitted that considering the situation prevailing in Kashmir valley, the apex court had exempted Kishwar and her counsel from personally appearing before the Srinagar trial court and directed the trial court to conduct the proceedings through video conferencing.

He argued that the trial court issued NBW disregarding the apex court order and said if the court connects Kishwar through video conferencing, she was ready to appear before the Srinagar court any moment.

The counsel, who claimed they have placed a copy of apex court order before Srinagar court, said the trial court issued NBW for September 16 and Kishwar could be arrested, if not provided interim protection from arrest or the warrant is stayed.

Additional standing counsel of Delhi Police, Nandita Rao, opposed the plea saying the apex court has given liberty to the petitioner to organise video conferencing from Delhi court to Srinagar court and they should approach the registrar general and get it done.

"Through video conferencing, she can file an application for cancellation of NBW before the Srinagar court. Indirectly, they are seeking anticipatory bail from this court and stay on the matter. Even the Supreme Court had refused to transfer the case from Srinagar court. She can move Jammu and Kashmir High Court for any relief," the Delhi Police counsel argued and submitted a status report in the court.

The judge also questioned the activist for not impleading the complainant journalist as a party in this matter, saying he would be taken by a surprise if this court passes any order.

The court listed the matter for October 13.

Kishwar, in her petition, claimed that on the basis of a "few tweets" posted by her on her Twitter handle regarding the state of the media in Kashmir, a complaint was filed by Syed Shujaat Bukhari, the Editor-in-Chief of a daily published from Srinagar, alleging that these tweets were defamatory.

She had approached the apex court challenging the May 24 order of Jammu and Kashmir High Court dismissing her plea seeking transfer of the criminal defamation complaint against her from a court in Srinagar to Jammu.

The apex court had allowed her to participate in court proceedings at Srinagar through video-conferencing from a Delhi court.

It had said if video-conferencing facility was not available in the Srinagar district court where the matter is pending, then the proceedings may take place at any appropriate place or court as per direction of the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

It, however, had clarified that it would be open to the trial court to make any appropriate modification in this arrangement to ensure that trial is not delayed and that "this order will be subject to the proceedings not being obstructed in any manner".

Kishwar had claimed that the apex court should consider the "continuing surcharged atmosphere in the Kashmir Valley, where even policemen are being lynched and security forces face murderous attacks every day".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court today sought to know from the Centre and the AAP government whether the NGT order, directing closure of industries located in residential areas and discharging untreated toxic waste in drains leading to the river Yamuna, was being implemented.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mital and Justice C Hari Shankar posed the query to the governments' counsel, who opposed a PIL for a direction to clean the river, which has a 22 km stretch in Delhi.

The counsel submitted before the court that the National Green Tribunal was seized of the issue and monitoring it.

This prompted the bench to ask whether the NGT order has been complied with or not.

"What are your (governments) efforts? Have you complied it at the ground level," the bench observed, adding that why was a situation being created for a court to monitor the issue.

It listed the matter for September 13, by when it has asked advocate Anupam Tripathi, who filed the PIL, to find out whether a similar issue was pending before the NGT.

The advocate in his plea alleged that the 22 km stretch of the Yamuna has been declared ecologically dead.

The plea alleged that around Rs 6,500 crore has been spent for the revival of the river but the money has gone down the drain due to the "callous" approach of the authorities.

"That the Central Pollution Control Board in its report on the water quality status of Yamuna stated that there are 21 major drains in NCT-Delhi, out of which 18 join Yamuna that pour untreated sewage into the river ... (this has) literally grappled with all the living forms and has deprived the Yamuna of every possible life that it used to sustain," it said.

The Yamuna, which used to be home to various species like Ghariyal, Mugger Crocodile, Checkered Snakes, Indian soft shell turtles and dolphins, are nowhere seen now "due to the impossibility of sustenance of any marine life form in such a polluted water body".

"The 22 km stretch has been declared ecologically dead. For more than three decades, the Delhi Government as well as the Central Government have taken several steps to revive the dying river, yet it has brought about no success.

"The quality of water of the 22 km stretch still remains highly polluted with absolutely no improvement in its water quality. It has been dying a slow and a painful death," the plea added.

Tripathi has also sought directions to the authorities to levy hefty fine on the defaulters who defy the directions and continue to pollute the river.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today said all Indians were originally Hindus and that the doors of Hinduism are open to all.

He was speaking at Patanjali Yogpeeth where a programme was organised by yoga guru Ramdev today to mark Bhagwat's birthday.

"We don't convert people to Hinduisim and we believe that our forefathers, no matter which community we represent today, were Hindus," the RSS chief said.

"The doors of Hinduism are open to all even today as we believe all of us originally are Hindus," he said.

Ramdev gifted the RSS chief a mace on his birthday and appealed to him to keep the flame of Hinduism burning.

Earlier in the day, Bhagwat visited the Suratgiri Ashram for a Ganga Arti and to seek the blessings of the saints and seers.

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat also arrived at the ashram to greet him and gifted him a book and a replica of the Kedarnath shrine.

Bhagwat also felicitated the parents of Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Manoj Pandey, who were killed during the 1999 Kargil war, at the ashram.

Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Premchand Agrawal, Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik and Ashram chief Jagadguru Vishweshwaranand Giri were among those who attended the programme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi government has sought removal of the medical superintendent of a city-run hospital, days after a woman employee accused him of sexual harassment.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said today the government had written to Lt Governor Anil Baijal for initiating an action in the case.

The woman, a senior medical officer at the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital in northwest Delhi, approached the police on Friday.

The government has recommended that the medical superintendent of the hospital be removed, Jain told reporters, adding that he "acted against" the CCS (Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules.

According to the complainant, the senior doctor used to call her inside his room and have vulgar conversations. He also tried to touch her inappropriately.

A case was registered against accused Surinder Pal on Friday, police said yesterday, adding that he is on the run.

The woman, however, video-graphed the act and submitted the same to the police as a proof to her claims, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hyderabad will host the 78th edition of the Skal World Congress from October 5-9, Telangana Tourism Secretary B Venkatesham said today.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will inaugurate the event of the International Association of Travel and tourism professionals on October 6 and around 1,000 delegates from 85 countries will participate in the Congress, Venkatesham told reporters here.

"The SKAL Congress will provide an platform and is an excellent opportunity to showcase Hyderabad and other tourism destinations of the state for the tourists from across the world," he said.

Venkatesham said around 2.5 lakh foreign tourists arrived in Hyderabad and the state in 2016.

"We want to take this number to 1 million foreign tourists by 2020. And events like this offer an excellent opportunity to showcase the various tourist destinations in the state and tourism products," added the senior bureaucrat.

Commissioner of Tourism Sunita M Bhagwat and Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Christina Z Chongthu said, "It is a golden opportunity for Telangana Tourism. We will highlight and showcase all our tourist destinations including Hyderabad and Warangal as Heritage Cities. We will have a huge stall promoting various destinations in the state. We will also organise cultural programmes."



Skal is a professional organisation of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship.

Skal Hyderabad president, Vijay Mohan Raj said "we will be showcasing all tourism products and there will be a travel expo also during the event."



"A top management specialist in India Prof Himanshu Rai will be the celebrity speaker at the inaugural function. It is Indo-US Tourism Year. During the Congress, 9 Indian cities will enter twinning agreement with 12 cities of USA," Vijay said.

Chennai had hosted the 64th World Congress in 2003, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hyundai Motor India today launched CNG powered variant of Xcent Prime, which caters to commercial segment, with prices starting at Rs 5.93 lakh (ex- showroom Delhi).

The two CNG powered trims of the compact sedan are priced at 5.93 lakh and Rs 6.12 lakh, respectively.

"With the addition of factory fitted CNG, we are confident of meeting the request of the fleet aggregators for a vehicle in the commercial segment at a very low cost of ownership," Hyundai Motor India Director Sales & Marketing Rakesh Srivastava said in a statement.

The two trims -- T & T+ are specially tuned for CNG compatibility. The factory fitted CNG would help ease of registration and financing process besides giving registration tax benefit in select areas, Hyundai said.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of South Korea's Hyundai Motor Company (HMC), currently sells ten car models in India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
British actor Colin Firth has admitted he does not think he would make a believable action hero.

The 56-year-old star said he has no intention of making a Liam Neeson-like transition into action films, because he does not think he is suited to the genre, reported DigitalSpy.

"After the first ('Kingsman'), there were some offers like that. But I realised very quickly that you've got to get the context right - with someone like me, anyway," Firth said.

Despite the success of the "Kingsman", the actor cannot imagine audiences accepting him as an action hero on an "earnest basis".

"I'm not just a guy who's believable if I showed up in just any action context and started doing roundhouse kicks. It worked because it was implausible, and the humour was pitched right.

"There's just enough of a send-up for people to be able to accept it. If I tried to go in as a bad*** on an earnest basis, I'm not going to get away with it," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India will buy an additional one million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Australia's Gorgon project after it got Exxon Mobil Corp to cut price agreed to eight years ago.

Exxon will charge 12.5 per cent of prevailing Brent oil price for about 1 mt per annum of additional LNG that Petronet LNG Ltd, India's largest gas importer, will buy over and above the 1.44 million tonnes already contracted.

The additional volumes were agreed upon after Exxon agreed to slash price of LNG under the 20-year deal signed in August 2009, sources privy to the development said.

Exxon will bear the cost of shipping LNG from Australia to India and will charge 13.9 per cent of the prevailing Brent oil price for the 1.44 million tonnes long-term LNG in place of 14.5 per cent of the price of Japan crude imports or JCC.

The sources said the August 2009 deal was Free on board (FOB) trade where the buyer had to arrange for shipping.

At USD 50 per barrel oil price, Gorgon LNG, whose supplies started in January this year, would have cost USD 7.25 per million British thermal unit at the port of loading. Adding another USD 1 for transportation would have led to delivered price of USD 8.25 in the old contract.

In the new formula, Gorgon LNG delivered at Indian port will cost USD 6.95 per mmBtu.

"Happy to share good that India has, yet again, been able to address the long-term price issue of LNG from Gorgon to suit Indian market," Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in a tweet.

India had used its status of Asia's third-largest LNG buyer to renegotiate in 2015 the pricing formula with Qatar's Rasgas to buy the gas at half the original price.

"Indian customers will receive (Gorgon) LNG volumes at an amicable price soon. This is done in a similar way to what we did with LNG from Qatar," Pradhan said in another tweet.

Petronet had last year formally sought at least 10 per cent cut in price of LNG it plans to buy from Australia's Gorgon project as the 14.5 per cent indexation was one of the highest in the world.

Petronet in late 2015 had renegotiated price of the long-term deal to import 7.5 mt per year of LNG from Qatar, helping save Rs 8,000 crore. At that point, it had also signed a contract to buy an additional 1 mt per annum till 2028.

"That deal for an additional 1 million tonne was at 13.05 per cent of the ruling Brent price. So naturally, the expectation is that the Gorgon should lower the indexation to a minimum 13 per cent," the source said.

LNG in spot or current market is available at USD 5-6 per mmBtu.

State-owned gas utility GAIL India, one of the four PSU promoters of Petronet, had in 2013 sought review of the Gorgon LNG price formula.

Its then director (marketing) Prabhat Singh, who now is the Managing Director and CEO of Petronet LNG, in June 2013 had written a letter seeking reduction in price of Gorgon LNG.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India today agreed to extend further assistance to bolster the armed forces of Afghanistan as the two strategic partners decided to deepen security ties and work closely to combat the challenge of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani, co-chairing the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council, deliberated extensively on security related challenges, noting that terrorism was the greatest threat to peace and stability in the region and beyond.

"We remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries," Swaraj said at a joint media briefing with Rabbani.

A joint statement said both sides called for an end to all forms of support, state sponsorship, safe havens and sanctuaries to terrorists against Afghanistan, adding it was agreed to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.

"India agreed to extend further assistance for the Afghan national defence and security forces in fighting the scourge of terrorism, organised crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering," the statement said.

Afghanistan has faced a wave of terror attacks in the last few months and the proposed reconciliation and peace process is yet to make any progress.

Talking about India's development assistance to the war- ravaged country, Swaraj said 116 new "high impact" development projects would be implemented jointly in 31 provinces of Afghanistan. The projects will be part of a next generation 'New Development Partnership'.

Rabbani also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister emphasised that the two nations enjoyed a time-tested and friendly relationship and reiterated India's abiding support for a united, sovereign, democratic, peaceful, stable, prosperous and pluralistic Afghanistan," said the statement.

In the talks, the Indian side reiterated its support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.

"We support national peace and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from violence and within the framework of Afghanistan's Constitution," Swaraj said, reiterating that India would continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in realising their dreams.

Both Swaraj and Rabbani were clear in their references about terrorism emanating from Pakistan though they did not name the country.

Rabbani thanked India for its unflinching support for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

India has already invested over USD 2 billion in the reconstruction of Afghanistan in the last 15 years but has been adopting a cautious approach in supplying military hardware.

India has given four military helicopters to Afghanistan and imparted training to hundreds of Afghan security personnel.

Rabbani said the current regional situation brings Afghanistan and India closer to achieve their socio-economic goal and protect citizens.

"The enabling environment for terrorism is directly linked to continued support they receive from outside of Afghanistan," he said.

He referred to "terrorists groups like LeT and JeM which have been launching attacks against India and indiscriminately killing civilians in this country and engaging in similar terrorist activities along with Taliban Al-Qaeda and Daesh in Afghanistan".

He said Afghanistan's friendship with India or any other country does not mean hostility with others in the neighbourhood.

"Unlike others, Afghanistan has hardly sought security in the insecurity of others," he said.

Afghanistan, Rabbani added, is a landlocked country and its peace and prosperity are dependent on "those of our neighbours near and extended".

"That is why we reject zero sum approaches that undermine our collective security today and the years to come."



Both sides agreed to work towards the expeditious operationalisation of the Chahbahar Port in cooperation with Iran. The Afghan side welcomed the imminent commencement of wheat shipments of 170,000 metric tonnes from India to Afghanistan via the Chahbahar Port.

The joint statement said liberalisation of visa measures by India for Afghan nationals, including the decision to grant up to five-year multiple entry business visas, was welcomed as a measure that would promote bilateral trade and commerce.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian-Americans in Atlanta and Georgia pooled their resources to help several million people from Florida who were affected by that plummeted parts of the US coastal State with wind speed of more than 193 km per hours.

made landfall on Florida's southern islands yesterday and claimed four lives as millions of people, including thousands of Indian-Americans, evacuated the state.

About 120,000 Indian-Americans live in Florida, thousands of them residing in the now-dangerous zones of Miami, Fort Laura deal and even Tampa, according to 2010 census.

While a large number of Indian-Americans stayed inside Florida, several thousand drove out of the state and reached out to their community members in nearby Atlanta.

Given that Florida has a significant Indian-American population and a favourite destination for Indian tourists because of Disneyland, the Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, rushed his New York Consul General to Atlanta to oversee the relief operation and coordinate with the local community leaders.

Led by New York Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty, Atlanta consulate officials visited several evacuee shelters housing people mainly from Tampa, Florida to ascertain their welfare and well-being.

With the help of local residents, Sewa has created a pool of houses where evacuee can stay till the time of improvement in the situation in Florida.

In the forefront in assisting the people affected by Hurricane Irma, American Telugu Association has made accommodation and food arrangements for more than 600 people in the entire Metro Atlanta area.

The Hindu Temple of Atlanta in association with other major Indian organisations, including Indian Friends of Atlanta (IFA) and Seva USA, have provided boarding and lodging facilities for over 100 people.

By late in the evening, officials said overall the situation is normal and there is sufficient additional capacity to handle more evacuees if the need arises.

Officials from the Indian Embassy in Washington and those from Consulate in Atlanta were also maintaining contact with Florida residents.

Several Indian families in Orlando, 241 km from Tampa, were also ready to receive evacuees.

"More than 400 homes in Orlando are ready to provide shelter to those evacuating," Indian Consulate in Atlanta said in a tweet.

Indian-Americans in and around Atlanta opened up their homes for the Florida evacuees and prepared extra meals for them.

As reports came in, individuals, businesses and organisations were working round the clock to ensure that necessary help was provided to every Indian American in need in the aftermath of Irma.

A State of emergency has been declared in Florida and curfews were imposed in several cities.

As Irma left a path of destruction on its way, the US President Donald Trump held another review meeting with his Cabinet of the preparedness and relief operations at Camp David.

"I hope there aren't too many people in the path. You don't want to be in that path. That's a path you don't want to be in. We tried to warn everybody. For the most part, they've left, but that's a bad path to be in," Trump told reporters on his return from Camp David.

Trump said he will visit Florida soon.

"I think it's been going really well. It's a rough hurricane, as you better than anybody. The Coast Guard has been amazing already. You've been hearing what they're doing right in the middle of the storm," he said in response to a question.

In his meeting with officials, Trump stressed that his top priorities are life-saving and life-sustaining efforts in affected areas, the White House said.

"He emphasized the need to remain steadfast in supporting the recovery efforts in Texas, Louisiana, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico while responding to those affected by on the United States mainland," the White House said.

According to Pentagon, the US Army has deployed more than 9,900 Soldiers and US Army Corps of Engineers civilians in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the continental United States.

The Army has six aircraft, almost 500 trucks, and more than 80 generators committed to relief efforts. They have more than 150 aircraft, almost 600 generators, 150 boats, and nearly 3,000 trucks on standby to support response efforts if called upon.

(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.)
As residents of Texas began the process of restoring their homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey, Indian-Americans and their community organisations are also doing their bit by providing relief materials and working tirelessly to clean up the mess caused by the storm.

Nearly two weeks after Harvey made landfall in Texas, mounds of garbage, sheet-rock clusters, computer monitors and furniture still cover the sidewalks.

The efforts of government agencies including the federal, state, county and city, police, coast guard, armed forces, Red Cross and others have been phenomenal in saving lives and providing for the needs of those who got trapped in the hurricane.

However, the amount of destruction and devastation caused by Harvey needs a herculean effort to speed up the reconstruction work in the flooded neighbourhoods.

"Over the past two weeks, volunteers have already put in 23,100 hours of work towards various relief and rehabilitation projects and we have raised over USD 300,000 and the target is 1 million," Gitesh Desai, president of Sewa in Houston, said.

"We plan to support rebuilding efforts of homes that need to be fixed through a public-private partnership with the US government agencies and many of the Indian American entrepreneurs in Houston," he said.

As families start to move back into the houses, more than 800 volunteers of different Indian non-profit groups coordinated by Sewa International are helping people clean up the mess that catastrophic floods have left behind.

Worst affected are the poor and less privileged communities.

One such community that Sewa International worked with was the Cambodian Buddhist community in Houston. Volunteers helped clean up more than 200 mobile homes and trailer homes belonging to the community members.

"Indo-American organisations have been leading fundraising efforts and are planning to contribute to Mayor's Hurricane Relief and Governor's Rebuild Texas funds in addition to contribution in kind exceeding USD 2 million already," Jiten Agarwal, an IIT alumnus and founder of data analytics firm Expedien in Houston, said.

Indian restaurants have also opened up their kitchens to provide hot meals at various shelters.

"Houston restaurants served over 30,000 meals since the landfall," said Dinesh Purohit, owner of Cafe India, that has been serving free food and supplies.

Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) is also reaching out to Small Business Administration (SBA) and plans to work closely with its District Director Tim Jeffcoat to organise seminars for business loans across the various areas in the region affected.

Achalesh Amar, leading the volunteer efforts in Rosharon, says: "We have committed to be here and help as long as it takes to get the community back on its feet".

Swadesh Katoch, the director of disaster relief for Sewa International, also came from Atlanta to support the ground operations in Houston.

"Today I saw the true leadership of India as a global power. Working with the Cambodian community, I saw picture of Hanuman coming out of water on the wall of one of the Cambodian families. These symbols of shared heritage tell the story of the global power that India was and we hope that we are all working towards the same positive global power that India will be," he said.

SEWA International has set up medical camps for sick people. It is also providing construction supplies to support the massive cleanup operation in Houston.

IACCGH President Allen Richards through an animal rescue charity has helped rescue over 150 animals and distributed 30,000 pounds of pet food.

Volunteers also rescued 200 Indian students at University of Houston who were trapped on the top floor of their apartment building near campus when floods hit the building two weeks back, provided them food, essentials and moved them to safer shelters.

ISKCON temple has been serving meals since the day Hurricane Harvey hit Houston.

The Sikh National Center received trucks of supplies for distribution from across the country from other Sikh communities, as far away as Yuba City, California.

In addition to providing cleaning supplies, toiletries, drinking water, shelf food and pet food, the Sikh community put in long hours to prepare meals to be distributed to the displaced families.

Gurudwara Saheb of South West Houston's (GSSWH) Prithvipal Singh Likhari offered up to USD 25,000 in matching funds for all donations made to the hurricane relief fund.

"I think the real winner - the true silver lining in these storm clouds - is the human spirit. It's unfortunate that it takes a disaster to bring us all together, but it is refreshing to know that the spirit of love and compassion is alive in us all," said Mary, a Sugarland resident whose house was damaged completely.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A top deputy to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Israeli leader must push President Donald Trump to cancel or freeze the international community's nuclear deal with Iran.

Yisrael Katz, Israel's minister for intelligence and strategic affairs, told a security conference today that changing the deal should be Netanyahu's "primary mission."



Katz said the world's failed attempts to negotiate a halt to North Korea's nuclear program provide a lesson. "Iran is the new North Korea," he said. "We need to act now so we won't be sorry tomorrow about what we didn't do yesterday."



The deal offered Iran relief from international sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Israel has repeatedly claimed the deal will not prevent Iran, its archenemy, from developing a nuclear weapons capability.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Senior JD(U) leader and Bihar Water Resources minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh today criticised Lalu Prasad for his "inappropriate utterances" against the party leaders and asked him to refrain from crossing the "Lakshman Rekha" in public discourse.

"It does not behove a leader of Lalu Prasad's stature to speak the kind of language that was used at Sunday's Bhagalpur rally. He did not only use undignified language but also indulged in personal character assassination," Singh told reporters here.

"Prasad should mind his language, the Lakshman Rekha while speaking in public. Things could go wrong if he does so the next time and may also face disappointment. His language at yesterday's rally was the manifestation of sheer frustration and desperation."



JD-U too can reply in the same manner "but it is neither its culture nor engrained in its sanskar."



On Lalu Prasad holding rallies on Srijan scam at Bhagalpur, Singh said the RJD does not need to hold dharnas across the state for the purpose but has only to file a petition in the Supreme Court or the High Court for carrying out a CBI probe under its control.

The RJD supremo is misleading the people of the state on the Srijan scam, Singh said adding "If Lalu Prasad has evidence with him then he should file the petition with the all the evidences before the Supreme Court and ask for its monitoring."



The courts cannot order monitoring of the the probe unless and until someone approaches it, he said.

On amassing of benami properties worth thousands of crores of rupees, he dared Prasad either to accept that all the such properties belong to his family or tell the people about the sources of income.

"Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked Tejaswi Yadav to explain in public about the benami properties but he (Tejaswi) did not explain the issue. Why would the chief minister malign his image for you (Tejaswi)?" Singh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Jessica Chastain has denied rumours that she will play Lilandra Neramani in "X-Men: Dark Phoenix".

The 40-year-old star did not reveal her character's identity but she said she is not going to portray the Empress of the Shi'ar Empire, reported Contactmusic.

In the comments section of an Instagram post, in which she expressed her excitement at seeing a rainbow on the first day of principal photography for the movie, she wrote, "Hey folks, want a scoop? I am not playing Lilandra (sic)."



The comes after Chastain teased she would be playing an important, villainous role in the upcoming film after she told co-star James Franco that she would make him cry on set.

"X-Men: Dark Phoenix" is being directed by Simon Kinberg, in what will be his directorial debut after having penned the script on four "X-Men" movies in the past.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karti Chidambaram, son of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, today dared the government and the CBI to provide a list of his undisclosed assets, as alleged by the agency in the Supreme Court, terming the charges as "wild and reckless".

Karti's challenge came after the CBI told the apex court that it has furnished details about his "possible transactions" in foreign countries and 25 alleged offshore properties in a sealed cover.

The affidavit filed by Karti before a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said if he was found guilty of possessing undisclosed assets, then he would give them to the government.

Maintaining that "the wild and reckless" allegations were being made against him, he said "my father, my mother, my wife and I are income tax assessees for many years. All our assets and liabilities are fully disclosed."



"If the government or any of its agencies is of the view that any one of us has undisclosed assets anywhere in the world, I would like to ask the government to make a list of those alleged undisclosed assets and we will execute any document necessary to transfer those assets (allegedly undisclosed) in favour of the government so that the government will become the owner of those alleged undisclosed assets," he said in the affidavit.

"This should put and end to the wild and reckless allegation that I own undisclosed assets," Karti said.

The CBI's FIR, lodged on May 15, had alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Union Finance Minister.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a relief to thousands of transgenders in the state, the Kerala government is all set to open exclusive TG clinics and begin sex-change surgery in the state-run medical colleges for the first time.

The step is part of the state government's various initiatives to bring the marginalised group to the forefront of the society as envisaged in the state Transgender Policy, unveiled for the first time in the country in 2015.

It has been a long pending demand of the transgender community (TG) to get facilities for the sensitive, expensive and time-consuming surgery in the state.

The state Health and Social Justice departments, with the support of Legal Services Society, will begin the Transgender (TG) clinic to address various health issues of the people belonging to the third gender and provide them counselling.

Health Minister K K Shylaja said the first such clinic would be opened in Kottayam Government Medical College soon.

With an aim to empower the TGs, the government has also plans to open a skill development centre in Kochi, she said.

"We are planning to open Transgender Clinics in all government medical colleges in the state.. We have also plans to provide facilities for their surgery at least in two medical colleges," Shylaja told PTI.

The coordination of various departments, including plastic surgery, dermatology, psychiatry, general medicine are needed for the surgery and discussions are underway regarding this, she said.

"Our plan is to start the surgery at Kottayam medical college in the next two months," she said, adding that the initiatives would make the state health sector more TG-friendly.

The minister also said the CPI(M)-led LDF government had a positive approach towards the marginalised group and launched a series of welfare measures in the last one and half years after it came to power.

The government had issued identity cards for transgenders and earmarked Rs 10 crore for their welfare in the last budget, she said.

Sheethal, a transgender activist here, said the proposed TG clinics are expected to create awareness about the issues faced by their community in the society.

"There is a stigma on transgender identity in the health sector also.. I hope that the TG clinics will not only address our health issues but also create an awareness about us among the public," she told PTI.

On the sex-change surgery, the activist said it was not just expensive but also a time-consuming process and majority of the community members have to depend on hospitals and clinics in the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to get the surgery done.

Based on the nature of the surgery, hospitals charge Rs 25,000 to two lakh for it, Sheethal said.

The government had promised to open post-surgery shelter homes in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam for the short stay of transgenders after the operation, she added.

According to unofficial figures, there are over 35,000 transgenders in Kerala.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Uttarakhand Police today claimed to have busted a kidney transplant racket being run at a hospital near here with the arrest of a middleman.

The racket was unearthed when two persons from Kolkata were being packed off to Delhi without being paid the amount they were promised in lieu of one kidney each, Dehradun SSP Nivedita Kukreti said.

The racket was being run at Named Gangotri Charitable Hospital.

A middleman from Mumbai, Javed, who had negotiated the deal with them was subsequently arrested from the forests surrounding Lal Tappad between Nepali Farm and Bhaniyawala area of Rishikesh where the hospital was situated, she said.

He is being interrogated, she added.

A doctor involved in the racket, Amit Rawat, and Rajiv Chaudhry, who ran the hospital after taking it on a lease from Arun Pandey of Allahabad, were on the run, she said.

The two people whose kidneys were removed were Krishna Das and Sheikh Taj Ali.

Two other persons--Sushma from Kolkata and Mauji Bhai from Gujarat--were waiting at the hospital for their kidneys to be removed in return for money.

However, police came to know about the racket before they could be operated upon, the SSP said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Thane unit of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) today filed a 3,000-page charge sheet against seven accused, including six former irrigation department officials, in the multi-crore Kondhane dam scam.

The anti-graft agency said it filed the charge sheet in the special ACB court of V V Bambarde.

The charge sheet was filed against contractor Nissar Khatri of FA Enterprises and FA Constructions and six former officials of Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC)-- the then executive director Devendra Shirke, then chief engineers B B Patil and P B Sonawane, then superintending engineer R D Shinde, then executive engineers A P Kaluke and Rajesh Rithe, an official release by the ACB stated here today.

The release said the government had ordered an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the construction of the dam on Ulhas river at Karjat in the adjoining district.

The ACB had set up a special investigation team (SIT), which carried out an open inquiry. An FIR had been filed in Kopri police station in Thane in September last year.

During the probe, it came to light that administrative approval for the project was granted on May 19, 2011, but it was later put on hold by the government.

Despite the plan being put on hold, the KIDC called for tenders in the same year. FA Enterprises was not eligible to get the contract, but the government officials favoured the firm and tasked it with constructing the dam, the ACB had earlier said.

The accused officials, without obtaining permission from the government, allegedly inflated the project cost to Rs 271 crore. The officials connected with the project deliberately favoured the contractor and caused losses to KIDC and the government, the ACB had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lt Governor Anil Baijal has sought a consolidated list of assets and liabilities of the three BJP-led civic bodies from the urban development department of the Delhi government.

The direction was issued by Baijal today at a meeting which was attended by the chief secretary, commissioners of all three civic bodies, urban development department principal secretary and others.

"The Lt Governor directed the Urban Development department to compile and furnish a consolidated list of assets and liabilities of the three corporations," the L-G's office said in a statement.

Of the three civic bodies, the north and east Delhi municipal corporations are cash-strapped and had on several occasions sought the help of the L-G and the Kejriwal government.

Sanitation workers of both the municipal corporations had protested against non-payment of their salaries in the past.

In January this year, as the sanitation workers of the EDMC had gone on an indefinite strike, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had accused the BJP-run civic bodies of being saddled with "grave corruption".

In the meeting, commissioners of south and east Delhi civic bodies informed the L-G that they will make their areas open defecation-free (ODF) by October 2, while the North Delhi Municipal Commission's commissioner assured that it would be done by December 15, the statement from the L-G's office said.

Baijal also directed all municipal commissioners and the DDA to explore the possibility of building more multi-level stack parking and surface parking facilities in their areas for smooth implementation of the upcoming 'Parking Policy'.

The policy aims at better management of the limited parking space available in the city.

Senior officers should oversee maintenance of municipal assets like parks, flyovers, open gyms. Further, officers should also undertake regular field visit, Baijal said.

The L-G stressed that there is a need to re-engineer the design of dhalaos (garbage dumps) so that garbage does not spill over and stray animals do not loiter around these sites.

"The Lt Governor advised the corporations to explore scaling up the compactors-model deployed in certain areas of SDMC," the L-G office said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Income Tax Department has issued a final attachment order against some assets in connection with its benami deal probe against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family.

Officials privy to the probe said the order was issued against a firm allegedly involved in the case--AB Exports Private Limited-- and also alleged that Prasad's relatives were the "beneficiaries" of the immovable properties of this firm.

A property in south Delhi's New Friends Colony is owned by this firm, they said.

A provisional order for attachment--under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 2016-- was issued by the department in June this year and now the order has been confirmed after adjudication, they said.

The cases of other assets which were provisionally attached in June will also be processed similarly, they added.

The department had earlier served notices of attachment of assets to Prasad, Bihar's ex-chief minister, his wife Rabri Devi, also a former CM, son Tejashwi Yadav, former state deputy CM, daughters Chanda, Ragini Yadav and Misa Bharti, an MP, and son-in-law Shailesh Kumar.

The tax department had attached about a dozen plots and buildings in Delhi and Bihar including a farmhouse and land in the Palam Vihar area, a building in the upmarket New Friends Colony area of south Delhi, nine plots on a 256.75 decimal land area in Patna's Phulwari Sharif area, where a shopping mall was being constructed, among a 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 (benamidar) the property has been purchased.

The Prasad family has said the cases are the outcome of a "political vendetta" against them.

The Act allows for the prosecution of the beneficial owner, the benamidar, the abettor and the inducer to benami transactions.

Under the provisions of the Act, assets held benami after the final prosecution are liable for confiscation by the government without payment of compensation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lightning strike claimed the life of a young woman and injured 17 others in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh.

Jyoti (20), was killed when struck by lightning at village Kallukhapa under Pipariya police station limits yesterday evening.

Police station in-charge Shailendra Sharma said the woman, resident of neighbouring Chandan Pipariya village, was working in fields with others.

"Eleven women and six men were injured. They were admitted to the Community Health Centre at Pipariya," Sharma said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uproot from their homes and living in schools-turned-camps, people living along borders today demanded setting up of "individual bunkers" at their residences near the Line of Control (LoC) as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh reached out to them here.

Over 5,000 people living in 23 hamlets along the LoC were forced to shun homes and hearths in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district following heavy firing and shelling four months ago.

Four civilians were killed and five others were injured while over 100 cattle perished and 40 houses damaged in firing and shelling by Pakistani troops in different sectors of Rajouri in the recent past.

"Our first and foremost demand is that government should set up individual bunkers in each of the border house, if we have to live again along the LoC. This is most and first demand of the LoC people," Jangarh resident Prashtom Kumar said.

Kumar, who is the president of Border Migrants Coordination Committee, conveyed to Singh, who visited one of the six camps setup in Nowshera by the government, said, "We need bunkers more than food. It serves as a bullet-proof jacket to us and our families from Pakistan shelling."



Sarpanch of Kalsian border hamlet Bahadur Choudhary said, "If all the residents get individual bunkers at their homes, no one will leave the LoC hamlets no matter how worse Pakistan may shell us."



Nowshera MLA Ravinder Raina also supported their demand and said a chunk of land should be provided to the LoC dwellers to build safe places.

"I appreciate Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh reaching out to the LoC migrants in Nowshera sector of Rajouri ... The visit will on one hand boost the morale of security forces while the people living along the LoC will feel they have full-backing from the state and the central governments," Raina said.

Forced to take shelter in camps in five schools in Nowshera sector, border dwellers are said to be reluctant to go back to their homes even after four months due to repeated shelling and firing.

The affected villagers rue lack of proper medical facilities and other amenities at the camps which have become their "second home".

"How can we go back when Pakistan army is firing and shelling our homes? We have been facing Pakistani aggression for decades but over the past two years... We prefer to stay away from our homes rather than becoming sitting ducks for unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops from across the border," said Sarveshwari Devi, a resident of Sair Makri village along the zero line in Nowshera sector.

The Union home minister, along with minister of state in the prime minister's office Jitendra Singh and J-K deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, today interacted with men, woman and children at the camp.

"Just wait for some more time, Pakistan will be forced to stop firing. Whether they stop firing today or tomorrow, they will have to stop firing and ceasefire violation," Singh told the border dwellers.

"Whatever is possible, I will do it (to resolve problems of the border dwellers). You are facing unnecessary problems," Singh said.

"I know that whether it is Indo-Pak border or any other border in the world, if their locals will not be living there, and if border belts would be vacant without habitation of people, you never known which foreigners will come and start its activities and encroachment the borderlands. Nothing can be said with confidence about it," he said.

"If there is any biggest strategic asset of India, it is the India citizens living on the borders of the country.If we get strategic successes, it is because of your contribution," he said.

Singh told the border dwellers that he could not visit them earlier due to bad weather conditions and said he has been briefed about their demands and do whatever is possible.

"If need be to talk to the prime minister, I will talk to him too," he said.

He said that five Indian Reserve Police Force (IRP) have been sanctioned and for Jammu and Kashmir 60 per cent of recruitment should take place from border areas.

He also assured the locals that recruitments in para military forces will be undertaken in border belts too.

District Development Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said the government was planning to construct nearly 7,000 underground "individual and community" bunkers along the LoC for the safety of civilians.

The project report has already been submitted to the Centre for its approval and funds.

The government has started construction of 100 bunkers in the worst-hit Nowshera district under the local area development fund and the work is in progress, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 22-year-old man was thrashed allegedly by five men for speaking with his friend in fluent English while dropping him off at a five-star hotel in Lutyens' Delhi, police said today.

The incident was reported in the early hours on Saturday, they said.

Three persons have been arrested in this connection, they said.

According to the police, Varun Gulati, a resident of Noida, had come to the five-star hotel in Connaught Place to drop off his friend Aman in his friend Daksh's car.

While Gulati was walking back to the hotel after seeing off Daksh, a group of five men, who were inebriated, rounded him up. They asked him why was he speaking in English, they said.

Both the sides got into an argument and the men assaulted Gulati, police said.

The assailants fled the spot in a vehicle but the victim managed to note down the number of the vehicle, they said.

On the basis of the number plate, three of the accused were identified and arrested, police said, adding a hunt is on to trace the rest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi government has sought suspension of the casualty medical officer of the Chacha Nehru hospital and disciplinary action against its director over "grave negligence" in connection with the case of rape of a minor in a school, its health minister today said.

A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a peon inside the premises of a private school in Shahdara in east Delhi on Saturday, according to police.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said the city government has written to Lt Governor Anil Baijal in this connection.

"Delhi government recommended suspension of the casualty medical officer of the Chacha Nehru super speciality hospital and disciplinary action against its director," he told reporters.

Jain said he has also directed the DGHS to inquire into the incident. The preliminary report with the aforementioned recommendations was submitted today, he said.

"The casualty medical officer did not follow the laid down norms or protocols pertaining to a victim of rape," Jain alleged.

The victim should have been treated in the hospital itself and should not have been referred to LNJP Hospital, he said.

However, LNJP Hospital treated the victim well and she was released the next morning, the minister said.

"Even while referring, a CATS ambulance should have been used and a woman doctor or an attendant should have accompanied the victim.

"There was grave negligence on the part of the casualty medical officer and the director," he said.

The accused, Vikas (40), was arrested last night, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shahdara, Nupur Prasad said.

The incident came a day after a seven-year-old boy's throat was slit allegedly by a bus conductor of a Gurgaon school for allegedly resisting sexual assault -- an incident that sent shock waves across the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will look at ways to enhance "multifaceted" relations between the two countries and carry forward their special strategic and global partnership when they meet for the annual Summit on Wednesday.

Abe begins his two-day visit on Wednesday during which he and Modi will hold the 12th India-Japan annual Summit in Gujarat capital Gandhinagar.

The summit takes place amid rising tension in the Far East after North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb, launched a ballistic missile over Japan, and the growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.

This will be the fourth annual summit between Modi and Abe.

The two leaders have met 10 times in the last three years, with the last being on the sidelines of the G20 Summit at Hamburg in July. Prime Minister Modi had visited Japan in November last year.

"The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their special strategic and global partnership and will set its future direction," MEA said in a statement.

During his visit, Abe will attend the ground breaking ceremony of the Mumbai-Ahemdabad high-speed railway, a flagship programme of the India-Japan collaboration, marking the commencement of the project, also known as bullet train project.

Through a video link, the two prime ministers will attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the 'High-Speed Railway Training Institute' being set up in Vadodara.

Apart from attending a business plenary, the two leaders will also take a tour of Dandi Kutir in Gandhinagar, which is India's largest museum showcasing the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

India-Japan ties are on an upswing in a range of areas, including defence and security.

At their annual defence dialogue last week, the two countries had resolved to collaborate closely in defence production, including on dual use technology.

When asked about the talks between the two sides on defence, including the sale of amphibious aircraft ShinMaywa US-2 to India, Pranay Verma, joint secretary (East Asia), did not go into details, but noted that defence cooperation remains an area of priority between New Delhi and Tokyo.

Verma was responding to media queries at a briefing on Abe's visit.

Replying to a question on whether work on any project had commenced after the Indo-Japan civil nuclear cooperation deal came into force in July this year, Verma said, It is for the two sides to start discussions to look at how to take this forward in a manner that contributes to India's civil nuclear programme.

The nuclear pact, signed in November 2016, is expected to help foreign players build atomic power reactors in India with equipment from Japan.

Responding to a question on Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, Verma said, talks were going on and India was looking at collaboration with Japan in third countries. "This (the talks) is acquiring gradual maturity."



The initiative is not only being discussed between India and Japan, but also with third countries, Verma added.

Launched in May this year, the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) is an economic cooperation agreement between the governments of India and Japan.

Verma said development in northeast India is an area where the two nations have agreed to cooperate.

"Discussions are clearly to begin in depth....What kind of projects and what sectors...It will be in consulation with the stakeholders, with the concerned departments of government of India as well as the northeastern states. That is still a work in progress," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Swami Vivekananda's message of oneness in his historic Chicago speech was as relevant today as it was in 1893, the Congress party said and accused the Narendra Modi government of doing just the opposite of what the monk-philosopher preached and represented.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi said Swami Vivekananda's slogan of oneness should be the "magna carta" (the great charter) for the way forward in what she described as today's "atmosphere of intolerance and hate".

"Unfortunately three years down the line of this government, we are seeing the preaching (about) attaining every new heights of glory and prose, the practice is completely the opposite, attaining the depths of despair in real life India.

"This government's use and actions including views are the diametrically opposite of what Swami Vivekananda preached espoused or represented," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

Hailing Vivekananda on the 125th year of his address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, Gandhi said his message that sectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism had possessed the earth was still as relevant.

While highlighting the idea of the oneness of all religions, Swamiji promoted with equal zeal the idea of the equality of all human beings, she said.

Recalling that Vivekananda spoke of both tolerance and universal acceptance in his 1893 address, she said, "Today, more than ever, we are engulfed with the same challenges of prejudices which Swamiji spoke about".

"In today's atmosphere of intolerance and hate, Swamiji's message should be the Magna Carta for the way forward," she said in a message.

The Congress president said she hoped his inspiring thoughts would continue to guide everybody, especially the country's youth.

"His clarion call -- 'Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached!' - was at once a call to spiritual as well as political liberation," Gandhi said.

Paying homage to the spiritual leader, she added that he went to Chicago in 1893 to attend the world parliament as a representative of Hinduism and India where he eloquently quoted from the 'Bhagvad Gita'.

"Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair," she quoted Vivekananda as saying.

She described this "universal" message as "time- invariant".

It is as relevant today as it was over 124 years ago" Gandhi said.

Singhvi said Swami Vivekananda personified the eternal energy of Indian youth and their incessant quest for truth.

"But you don't insult him like this when surreptitiously you disobey the path shown by him.

"...When you encourage a culture of hate, bigotry, narrow mindedness, parochialism, politics of prejudice and division, do you really in any sense of the word follow Swami Vivekananda in practice, sprit or action?" he asked, targeting the Modi government.

Singhvi alleged that Modi government decides what we wear, what we eat, where do we move, what we practice, what we do and how we live our lives.

It has completely "strangulated" any kind of dissent and divergence of views. The recent incident of lynchings, the murder of free-thinkers, rationalists, dissenters is a "grim reminder" of the times we live in, he said.

Referring to Modi's talk of respecting women, the Congress leader said while nobody can differ with him but unfortunately the actions of this government are just the opposite.

He said every six minutes, a woman is raped in Delhi and referred to the gangrape of a minor in Dumka in Jharkhand.

Singhvi also said that Modi and his government was waxing eloquent about it Make-in-India initiative but as per CMIE data in one quarter of this year as many as 15 lakh jobs have been lost.

He also criticised the 'Clean India Mission', saying it sent the whole country on a toilet construction spree and a lot of hype was created around it but 51 per cebt of Indian households do not have an improved sanitation system.

"All the height and hoopla on one side - this new toilet truth is a sad truth," he said, adding that most people use dry pit toilets which spreads maximum disease and encourages manual scavenging in remote and rural areas.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Alleging that the BJP government's ongoing 'Narmada Mahotsav Yatra' is a ploy to misguide people ahead of the state assembly elections, former Gujarat Chief Minister Suresh Mehta today claimed the project still stands incomplete and the dam water has reached less than 12 per cent of the total 17.92 lakh hectares land.

"The government's 'Narmada Mahotsav Yatra', a two-week long state-wide event to celebrate the increase in the height of the Narmada Dam to 138.68 metres, makes no sense as the dam water has reached just 11.67 per cent of the 17,92,000 hectares land it is planned to cover under the project, as the BJP government is slow in its implementation," Mehta said.

So far, the project has covered 2,09,057 hectares of land. The Yatra is a ploy to misguide the people ahead of the state assembly elections, he alleged.

On September 6, the government launched the Yatra to celebrate the completion of Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada river.

"As per the government projection, even if the agricultural land covered under the project is increased by 1,21,103 hectares in the next two years, it will still remain 18.42 per cent of the total targeted area," he told reporters here.

Mehta also claimed that the BJP-ruled state government reduced the canal network plan under the project to 71,784 km from 90,389 km originally planned, "without necessary permissions."



"Even after this, the construction of 22,677 km is yet to be done," he said.

He claimed that the government has said that it will construct 3,856 kms of canal network in 2017-18. "At this pace, it will take another eleven years for the project to complete," he said.

While important aspects like the construction of branch canals and minor canals move at a slow pace, the government has, in the last four financial years, allocated Rs 36,000 crore for the project, he said.

"The project cost was originally estimated at Rs 9,000 crore, but due to the delay in its completion, it has since swollen up to Rs 56,286 crore. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) had, in 2012, estimated the cost of the project at Rs 72,000 crore," Mehta said,



"Between 2015 and 2017, Rs 18,050 crore was allocated to the project, but we cannot see the work on the ground. So, where is it going?" he asked.

He also alleged that the fund for the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, being constructed at Kevadiya in Narmada district, was being diverted from the budgetary allocation made to the Sardar Patel Narmada Nigam Limited, a government body to implement the project.

As part of the 'Narmada Mahotsav Yatra', 84 chariots, will travel across Gujarat "to spread awareness about the importance of the Narmada project. The Yatra would culminate in Dabhoi town of Vadodara district on September 17, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi would attend the closing ceremony. September 17 happens to be Modi's birthday.

The event comes ahead of Assembly polls, due by the year-end. The ruling BJP has decided to make the completion of Sardar Sarovar Dam a major campaign plank.

Mehta was the BJP chief minister from 1995 to 1996 After that he had quit the party.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today expanded his Cabinet for the fifth time since June, inducting four more ministers to take its strength to a record 54, and evoking criticism from the poll panel.

Deuba inducted three ministers and a minister of state from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic). With the new inductees, his Cabinet became the largest in Nepal's history.

The new ministers inducted were Science and Technology Minister Dipak Bohara, Forest Minister Bikram Panday, Industry Ministry Sunil Thapa, and Minister of State for Industry Resham Lama.

The 71-year-old leader in June became the prime minister for the fourth time, succeeding Maoist leader Prachanda, who resigned from the position as part of a power-sharing deal.

Nepalese prime ministers have had a history of having a jumbo-size Cabinet.

In 1996, Deuba formed a 48-member Cabinet and a few years later, them premier Baburam Bhattarai had a 49-member Cabinet.

The Election Commission today expressed its dissatisfaction over the Cabinet expansion. The EC said in a statement the expansion was against the code of conduct of Provincial Assembly and House of Representatives.

The chairman of the main opposition party, the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML), KP Oli also took a swipe at the expansion, saying the price of vegetables have increased, but the value of ministers have decreased.

RPP's chairman Pashupati Shamsher Rana said his party decided to join the Deuba government with an objective of concluding the third phase of local level election in province 2 as well as federal and provincial elections, the Kathmandu Post reported.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today mocked Lalu Prasad for holding a rally at Bhagalpur on the Srijan "scam" issue by calling it a "suicidal street play" and said the RJD supremo should approach the judiciary for a court-monitored CBI probe into the matter.

"It was a suicidal street play (atmaghati nukkad-natak) which will cost him (Prasad) heavily," he told reporters while commenting on the public meeting of the RJD chief and his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav at Bhagalpur yesterday.

"Go to the Supreme Court or high court to say that you do not have faith in the CBI and ask them to monitor the central probe agency's inquiry into the Srijan scam," Kumar said on the demand of Prasad and his partymen.

Talking to reporters after his weekly 'Lok Samvad' (interaction with the public) programme, the chief minister said there was no point in getting into a debate with the RJD over the Srijan "scam" when a CBI probe was underway.

"If anyone has any document against anybody related to the scandal, it should be handed over to the CBI," he added.

Prasad and Tejashwi, the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, had yesterday come down heavily on Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi (BJP) and demanded that they spelt out the details of "every penny embezzled" by the Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Ltd, a Bhagalpur-based NGO.

Prasad wanted to know why FIRs were not lodged against Kumar, Modi, Union minister Ashwini Choubey and others in connection with the matter, which, he claimed, was nothing short of a "maha ghotala" (big scam).

The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief has also been making snide remarks against Kumar and Sushil Modi.

"Some persons forget 'maryada' (decency) in politics. I believe in work, instead of wasting time arguing with them," Kumar said in an oblique dig at Prasad.

He also claimed that everyone got to know about the Srijan "scam" after he brought it to the public domain on August 9.

During the hour-long interaction with reporters, the Janata Dal (United) national president answered a barrage of questions on rebel party leader Sharad Yadav calling a national executive meeting in Delhi on September 17.

"Will a political person sit idle? Everyone has the right to get engaged in political activities. Everyone has seen how many legislators, parliamentarians and office-bearers of the party attended their programme and how many of them are with us.

"The publicity he (Sharad Yadav) has drawn from the media in the last one-and-a-half months, he had never drawn in the last 40 years of his political career," he said.

On the outcome of demonetisation, Kumar, who had supported the Centre's move even when he was with the Grand Alliance by describing it as a "fight against black money", said money had returned to the banks and the owners of the money had to explain about it.

He added that he had suggested earlier also that scrapping high-value currency notes alone would not yield the desired result, unless there was a simultaneous attack on benami properties.

"I am happy that an attack has been launched against benami properties," Kumar said, in an apparent reference to the CBI probing cases against Prasad and his family members.

On a question on the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru, Kumar said the investigation should unearth the truth behind the incident.

"Had this happened in Bihar, there would have been a hue and cry all over the country. The Karnataka government should crack the case soon," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today left for Igatpuri in Maharashtra to attend a 10-day Vipassana meditation camp, days after the hectic campaigning for the Assembly bypolls in Delhi.

The chief minister will not have access to newspapers, televisions or any other media during the meditation course.

"The CM today left for Igatpuri. He will be attending a 10-day session of Vipassana," a government spokesperson said.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will take care of day-to-day government affairs in Kejriwal's absence, he said.

In August last year too, Kejriwal had gone to Himachal Pradesh's Dharamkot to attend a 10-day Vipassana session at a meditation centre.

He is known to be an ardent practitioner of the meditation technique. After a hectic campaign post the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and the Delhi Assembly polls in 2013, the AAP chief had taken a break to practice Vipassana.

This time, his meditation break comes after the hectic campaign for the Bawana bypolls, where his Aam Aadmi Party registered a win.

Kejriwal had gone to Bengaluru earlier this year to undergo naturopathy treatment for high blood sugar, after months of campaigning for elections in Punjab and Goa.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he was not against students observing a "rose day" but suggested that colleges in a state also celebrate the culture of another region -- such as Tamil day being marked in Haryana.

Such cultural exchanges will ensure that a day is celebrated and is productive as well, he told a students' convention here to mark 125 years of Swami Vivekananda's address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago and the birth centenary celebrations of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

"Different days are celebrated in colleges. Sometimes it is a rose day. Some people are against it and a few of them may be present here. I am not opposed to it," Modi said, striking a lighter note as the young audience applauded.

Stressing the need for creativity, he said, "We don't have to prepare robots; we need creativity. There is no better place than a university campus to express ourselves and our sensibilities".

Modi then came up with some suggestions for students.

"Does it ever occur to us to celebrate Tamil day in a Haryana college? That a college in Punjab decides it will celebrate Kerala day? We (students) will sing their songs, dress like them...," he said.

These festivals will help make 'Ek Bharat, shreshtha bharat' (One India, great India), he said.

While slogans celebrating India's diversity were raised, efforts should also be made to kindle a spirit of pride over this, Modi said, adding that people should be proud of every state and language.

He also referred to sacrifices of Sikh gurus and said they should also be remembered on campuses. Punjab stood for much more than 'bhangra', he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Onion crop grown in 100 acres and due for harvest was totally damaged in unexpected rains in the last 10 days, a group of farmers said today seeking compensation.

The farmers, belonging to CPI-affiliated Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, came with the rotten onions and submitted a memorandum to District Collector T N Hariharan.

They said unseasonal rains experienced in the district had resulted in total damage of onion crop.

Association President S Palanisamy in the memorandum said tonnes of stored onions had also been damaged, resulting in a loss of Rs.Five lakh per acre to the farmers.

He urged the government to come forward to give compensation of Rs.Two lakh per acre.

Besides, there was heavy loss to banana growers in Mettupalayam, Annur, Sirumugai, Lingapuram and Kanuvai area, due to the heavy rains and they should also be adequately compensated, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today met Iran's top leadership as part of Islamabad's efforts to drum up support for the country after US President Donald Trump criticised it for providing safe heavens to terrorists.

Asif called on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran and exchanged views on latest regional situation and different aspects of the bilateral relations, Radio Pakistan reported.

The foreign minister also held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif.

Ahead of Asif's maiden visit to America, Paksitan's foreign ministry had announced that he will travel to China, Russia, Turkey and Iran to drum up support for Islamabad after Trump warned it of consequences if it continues to support terror groups.

Trump while announcing his policy for South Asia and Afghanistan 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. Pakistan is upset over the allegations.

Asif is accompanied by National Security Advisor Naseer Khan Janjua and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.

The foreign minister earlier visited China and discussed the new US policy with counterpart Wang Yi.

He is also expected to visit Turkey and meet his Russian counterpart later this month as part of efforts to garner support for the country which is facing mounting international pressure to act against the terror groups.

Meanwhile, the foreign minister told Iran's state agency IRNA that the US military approach in Afghanistan has already failed to address the problems in the country.

"No need to say that the approach taken by the Americans which is a military one, has not been able to bring peace to Afghanistan 16 years and military solution will not work," he said.

"I am also planning to meet my Russian counterpart in near future on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session and discuss the peaceful approaches for Afghanistan issue with him," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's Senate today unanimously passed a resolution, condemning the killing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.

The resolution, moved by Leader of the House Raja Zafar- ul-Haq, termed the oppression being perpetrated against Rohingyas "as crimes against humanity".

The House strongly condemned these crimes and killings tantamount to genocide against a peaceful community who are being persecuted on the grounds of race and religion, the Radio Pakistan reported.

The House also urged the International Community to take notice of crimes being committed against humanity in Myanmar.

The Senate called upon the government of Pakistan to immediately take up the matter with UN Secretary General.

The House also urged the government to consider sending dispatching of relief and financial support to Rohingyas.

Last week, the cabinet passed a similar resolution.

Pakistan on Saturday summoned the Myanmar envoy and lodged a strong protest over the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine state.

According to UN estimates, over 1,000 people may have been killed in the crackdown launched by the Myanmar Army in the Rakhine state since last month.

Nearly 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar into Bangladesh since August 25 when a fresh wave of violence erupted there.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistani troops today violated the ceasefire by firing and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

"Pakistan Army troops initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 1345 hours in Poonch sector along the LoC," a defence spokesman said.

The Indian troops were retaliating strongly and the firing is on, he said.

On September 9 also, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Debraj, Krishna Ghati and Ishapur in the Mendhar sector prompting retaliation by the Indian troops guarding the border, a police official said.

On September 4, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice by firing at forward posts along the LoC in Degwar and Maldalyan areas in Poonch and along the International Border (IB) in Arnia sector of Jammu after which the Indian security forces retaliated.

On September 3, the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch along the LoC.

On September 1, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Kamaljit Singh of the Border Security Force sustained bullet injuries due to firing from across the LoC while he was deployed at a forward post in the Krishna Ghati sector. Singh later succumbed to injuries.

Incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan have increased sharply this year.

Till August 1, there were 285 such violations by the Pakistan Army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to the Army figures.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India attaches the highest priority to its ties with Afghanistan and promised strong support to the trouble- torn country's fight against terrorism "imposed" on it.

Modi, while receiving Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani here, also reiterated India's full support to the government and people of Afghanistan, including through humanitarian and development assistance, in their efforts to build a peaceful, united, democratic and prosperous nation, a PMO statement said.

During the meeting, Rabbani briefed the prime minister on the situation in Afghanistan.

"Both agreed that the Afghan peace process has to be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled," the statement said.

It said Modi affirmed that India attaches the highest priority to its ties with Afghanistan.

"The prime minister reiterated India's strong support to Afghanistan in fighting terrorism imposed on that country and its people," the statement added.

Rabbani is in India for the 2nd meeting of the India- Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council that he co-chairs along with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Earlier, after the Strategic Partnership Council meeting, Rabbani said India and Afghanistan have agreed to strengthen security cooperation.

"India has further agreed to provide assistance to Afghan national defence forces," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks tomorrow with Belarus President A G Lukashenko to bring new momentum in bilateral engagement, particularly in areas of defence, trade and investment, the external affairs ministry said today.

Lukashenko will also meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during his two-day visit beginning today.

This is Lukashenko's third state visit to India as the President of Belarus, the last one being a decade ago.

His visit comes in a year Belarus and India are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

"The two sides are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology and people to people exchanges," the MEA said.

It said the two sides are also likely to exchange views and assessments on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

G V Srinivas, joint-secretary (Eurasia) with the Ministry of External Affairs, said Lukashenko last met Prime Minister Modi at the sidelines of the 2016 Shangahi Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tashkent.

The Belarusian president's visit to India is "timely and over-due", Srinivas said during a media briefing on the visit.

Asked whether the talks would include discussions on the Eurasian nation's support for India's bid to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Srinivas said, "All areas of bilateral interest will be discussed."



"Belarus is supportive of the Indian position, both on India's (NSG) application as also in the nature of its United Nations Security Council permanent membership," Srinivas said.

Elaborating on the areas of cooperation between the two sides, the joint-secretary said Belarus has expertise in powder metallurgy.

"India has an advanced research centre in powder metallurgy in Hyderabad, established with the help of Belarus. The country (Belarus) had sent equipment and technology," he said.

A business forum and parallel meetings organised for members of the large delegation accompanying Lukashenko would explore business opportunities and avenues of cooperation in other areas.

According to the MEA, the two-way bilateral trade in 2016 amounted to USD 402 million approximately. The trade balance remains in favour of Belarus primarily on account of imports of potash.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Authorities in North Texas say at least eight people are dead, including the suspect, after a shooting at a home in Plano.

The shooting occurred yesterday in the city less than 20 miles northeast of Dallas.

Plano police spokesman David Tilley says police initially responded to a report of shots fired. When the first officer arrived and went inside the home, the officer confronted the suspected shooter. Tilley says the officer opened fire, killing the suspect.

Two others were injured in the shooting. Their conditions have not been released.

The victims and suspect have not yet been identified. All of those killed and injured are believed to be adults.

Additional details were not immediately available. An investigation is ongoing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An encounter took place between police and Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militants in South Garo Hills district after which the cops seized a cache of arms and ammunition from the area, a police officer said today.

The encounter took place last night in Chokpot area of the district and there was no report of any casualty on the police side but a few GNLA cadres may have been injured in the encounter though they were able to escape from the spot taking advantage of the darkness, the officer said.

"We received information from sources about presence of GNLA cadres and immediately began an operation in the village. While no one was killed, the fleeing GNLA men left behind a cache of arms, including AKs and ammunition along with other materials. A search operation is being conducted in the area of operation today," Superintendent of Police, Abraham T Sangma.

The police seized one AK 47, 3 magazines, 90 rounds of AK ammo, one light machine gun and SMG ammunition.

The GNLA headed by its commander in chief, Sohan D Shira has been demanding a separate state of Garoland.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu today met Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehika Nakao in Manila and discussed ways to promote manufacturing and exports.

"Discussed with ADB, modernising key industries, develop global supply chain to create more jobs and SME (small and medium enterprises) integration, important sectors' exports promotion," the minister said in a tweet.

Both sides also discussed possibilities of integration with global supply chains for promoting manufacturing and export of India.

ADB is a multi-lateral funding agency which finances development projects.

Prabhu is in the Philippines capital Manila to attend the fifth East Asia Summit (EAS) Economic Ministers' Meeting. The minister also participated in the trade ministers' meeting of 16 RCEP member countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Priyanka Chopra, on her maiden visit to a Syrian refugee camp in the Jordanian capital of Amman, is appalled by their plight and said the world should be inspired by their resilience.

More than 5 million people have fled war-torn Syria since the civil war began in 2011 and have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey as well as Jordan.

Priyanka, who is the Unicef global goodwill ambassador, has been documenting her visit to Amman, which hosts 1,80,000 Syrian refugees, on Instagram. She shared her interactions with refugee kids, who are desperately seeking normalcy in their lives.

"Today was very emotional. As we go about our daily privileged lives, it's hard to imagine that everything can be taken from you in an moment. Today we spent the day in a host community meeting Syrian refugee families (like this one) so desperately seeking a safe place of normalcy for their families," the actor posted on the photo-sharing website, along side a short video of her playing with kids from a refugee Syrian family.

Priyanka, 35, shared that more than 80 per cent of the Syrian refugees in Jordan live outside refugee camps in cities, urban centers and farming villages (host communities.)



"Amman hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees, about 1,80,000 people. Refugee families in host communities have limited livelihood opportunities, and after 6 years, have depleted their savings and borrowed money from everywhere to feed and support their families. @unicef #ChildrenUprooted #TheyAreUs," she further wrote.

In a previous post, Priyanka explained her decision to share the plight of Syrian refugees, especially kids, saying she wanted the world to be inspired by their resilience and their hope for a better tomorrow.

"I have never done this when I do field trips, but on this one I feel compelled to reflect on what I feel after every session because I felt a lot. The anger and agony I felt seeing these beautiful hopeful children ravaged by war was so raw.

"The world has seen the pain war has left in Syria but the resilience and joy and hope in spite of it is so inspiring to me. These kids are my inspiration. They should be yours too," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress today said its vice president Rahul Gandhi was visiting the United States to present the opposition's perspective on contemporary India and the way forward for the world's largest democracy.

Hitting out at the BJP for criticising Gandhi's US visit, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the party vice president has gone abroad only 0.0001 per cent as compared to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"If you calculate, Rahul Gandhi's foreign visits constitute barely .001 per cent of the visits made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi abroad.

"But it has become a habit of some people (like BJP) to make fun of this and crack jokes. The BJP has become a master at doing it," he said.

Gandhi, 47, yesterday left for his nearly two-week trip to the United States. He is scheduled to address the University of California, Berkeley, on the subject 'India at 70 -- Reflections on the Path forward', where he will talk about contemporary India and the path forward for the world's largest democracy.

He is expected to meet US politicians with whom he will discuss policy and bilateral issues. The Congress vice president is also likely to meet intellectuals, researchers and the academia and have a first-hand view of emerging technologies like nanotechnology, biotechnology and artificial intelligence, sources said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister Rajnath Singh today said the latest equipment was being inducted into the BSF for better and more effective domination of the border areas along the LoC and to help reduce the work load of personnel.

Singh, who is on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, today met the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on the Line of Control (LoC) campus here in Rajouri district.

"The latest gadgets and equipment are being inducted into the BSF, which besides acting as force multiplier for better and more effective domination of the border areas, will also provide relief to jawans by reducing their work load," Singh told BSF personnel at Noushera campus.

The Home Minister said that excellent border management by the BSF has helped in instilling belief among general public that they are safe as one of the best border guarding force in the world was guarding them.

Praising the jawans of the "First Wall of Indian Defence", he said safety and security of our soldiers, performing duties in complex circumstances, was the prime concern of the government, particularly the Home Ministry.

"Getting the best surveillance equipments under modernisation programme is one of the priorities for the government", he said.

During his visit, Singh also took stock of operational preparedness on the Line of Control and International Boundary (IB) in prevailing security scenario.

The Home minister was welcomed at the Naushera campus by ADG BSF Western Command, Kamal Nayan Chaubey and IG BSF Jammu Frontier Ram Awatar.

Minister of State (PMO) Jitendra Singh, J-K Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, J-K Chief Secretary B B Vyas and J-K DG Police S P Vaid also attended the programme.

The IG BSF briefed the Home minister on the prevailing security scenario, various measures undertaken by the force to strengthen the border protection, the existing border control and protection mechanism undertaken and the likely threats.

ADG BSF Kamal Nayan Chaubey said that due to gallant and vigilant duty by BSF troops, that all infiltration bids from counterpart territory were successfully thwarted during last one year.

Singh also addressed the 'Prahari Sammellan' held with BSF officers and jawans. He had an informal interaction with jawans.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ten Muslim welfare organisations organised a rally in the city today demanding a stop to the atrocities against Rohingyas in Myanmar bringing the city to a halt for about four hours.

"We are extremely aggrieved about the ongoing heinous atrocities on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmmar. Thousands of Rohingya Muslims including children have been killed by the police and military in that country. The Myanmmar goverment must take responsibility," Furfura Sharif Peerzada Toha Siddiqui said.

"We condemn the decision of the central government (to deport Rohingyas living in the country illegally) and demand immediate roll back of it," Mohammed Nuruddin of All Bengal Minority Students Federation said.

West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Adhir Chowdhury, CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty also participated in the rally.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Shiv Sena today alleged the Rohingya Muslim community posed a "threat to the integrity and security" of Myanmar, prompting "strong action" by the country's government.

It praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not entertaining calls by "bogus secularists" to give shelter to Rohingya refugees.

An editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' today also lashed out at sections of the Muslim community in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, for hitting the streets last Friday to protest atrocities on Rohingya Muslims.

"Do the people who came out on streets even know where Myanmar is or what is happening in that country? Do they know anything about Rohingya issue?" it asked.

"The issue of Rohingya Muslims is Myanmar's internal matter. Strong action is being taken against them as they have posed a threat to integrity and security," it alleged.

"Rohingya Muslims follow the fatwas issued by Pakistan's Azhar Masood (leader of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad) and sow the seeds of division by creating religious strife," the editorial alleged.

"Some bogus secularists tried to secure shelter for Rohingya refugees in India...But Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unfazed. For this, we congratulate him specially," it added.

Rohingya Muslims want to divide Myanmar which no country can tolerate, it alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The flyover collapse issue today rocked the Odisha Assembly, with Opposition Congress and the BJP demanding Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's resignation and the House adjourned twice till the post-lunch session.

As soon as the House assembled for the day, Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat asked the chief minister to give a statement on yesterday's flyover collapse incident, in which one person died and 11 other were injured in the state capital.

When Patnaik was reading out the statement, Congress and BJP legislators rushed to the Well of the House, demanding his resignation, as he also holds the Works Department.

Unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings, first till 11.36 am and later till 3 pm.

Patnaik, however, completed the statement, while the Opposition members were demanding his resignation.

He said, a case has been registered under Sections 304, 337, 338 and 34 of IPC against Panda Infra Project (India) Pvt Ltd, Bansidhar Praharaj, deputy executive engineer and Kishore Kumar Rout, assistant engineer.

Both Praharaj and Rout have been placed under suspension, Patnaik said.

Executive engineer Dukhabandhu Behera has also been suspended for prima facie lapses. The case is under investigation, Patnaik informed the House.

He said that a high-level enquiry by a committee comprising the Chief Engineer, Designs and Chief Engineer, Roads has been ordered.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week.

"My government will ensure that stringent and exemplary action is taken against all persons responsible for the tragic incident," the chief minister said, adding, that prompt actions were taken immediately after the flyover collapse.

The Opposition members were, however, unhappy with his statement and demanded Patnaik's resignation.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress and party legislators had moved separate notices to the Speaker for immediate discussion on the matter and suspending the Question Hour.

However, the Speaker allowed the Question Hour, leading to vociferous protests from the Opposition.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ryan International Group's CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, who are its founders, today approached the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old boy on the institution's campus in Gurgaon.

The bail pleas were filed following the arrest of two top officials of the Ryan International School in Gurgaon.

Ryan International Group's founding chairman, Augustine Pinto (73), and his wife Grace Pinto (62), who is the managing director of the institution, have along with their son Ryan Pinto sought anticipatory bail in the Bombay High Court, their counsel Niteen Pradhan told PTI.

Pradhan mentioned the applications this morning before Justice Ajey Gadkari, who posted them for hearing tomorrow.

The Pintos, in their pleas, said while the death of the boy was unfortunate, the management cannot be held culpable and that they themselves were victims of the unfortunate circumstances.

"The death has caused deep pain and grief not only to the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, management, staff and students of the school," the applications said.

"This is not only the darkest hour for the family but also for the institution. Such an incident has taken place for the first time in the past four decades since the institution was set up," the three said in their bail pleas.

Despite taking all necessary steps for security and well being of the students as required by law and prudence, if such an unfortunate incident occurs, the institution cannot be held culpable as it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances," they said.

Two top officials of the Ryan International School were arrested while the acting principal detained for questioning in connection with the gruesome murder of the boy in the school premises, police said today.

Pradhuman Thakur, a class 2 student, was found with his throat slit in a school washroom on Friday last.

A bus conductor has also been arrested for the killing which has triggered a huge public outrage.

According to the pleas, the Pintos read newspaper reports saying the public outcry was for also booking the management for the killing of the child.

"Hence, we apprehend action against us in the matter. We seek the court to grant us transit protection from arrest so that we can approach the appropriate judicial authority in Haryana," the pleas said.

They said they are residents of Mumbai and the overall management of the institution is being carried out from the Mumbai office. The day-to-day management of each school is taken care by the local staff appointed by the management, they said.

The applications also mentioned that the trustees and the management were cooperating with the police to the best of their ability.

While no outside person is allowed to enter the school premises, the bus drivers and the conductors, who have been given identity cards, are allowed to use basic amenities like toilets inside the school premises on "humanitarian grounds", they said in the petitions.

Because of the CCTV placed in the corridor covering the entrance of the Gurgaon school washroom where the incident occurred the culprit could be identified immediately and arrested, the pleas added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today spoke with his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar and the family members of a seven-year-old schoolboy who was found murdered in the washroom of his school at Gurugram.

He urged Khattar to meet the family as it would instill a sense of confidence in them, and also ensure a prompt and impartial probe into the "most brutal" incident.

An official release said Khattar assured Kumar that he would meet the boy's family members and ensure a fast and impartial investigation.

The family originally hails from the Madhubani district of Bihar.

"I talked to the mother and the uncle of the victim this morning to express my heartfelt grief over the incident. And after talking to them, I had a telephonic conversation with Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar," Kumar told reporters.

Asked if he discussed recommending a CBI probe into the incident with the Haryana CM as demanded by the family, Kumar said he urged Khattar to satisfy the family with the probe.

"During my telephonic conversation, the Haryana CM ensured that the culprit responsible for the child's murder would not be spared," he told reporters after his weekly 'Loksamvad' programme.

The class-2 student of the Ryan International School was found murdered with his throat slit in a washroom of the school last Friday.

Kumar described it as "most brutal" incident which has shocked the entire nation and sent an alert to force all schools- government as well as private ones - to follow security norms.

"While a set of parametres for government schools are already in place in Bihar, for private schools, there is an association of theirs which has been told to relook into the security system in schools," he said.

Kumar had asked Khattar yesterday also to take stern action against those involved in the killing. He had also spoken with the father of the boy.

The Bihar CM had directed the Resident Commissioner in Delhi to immediately send officials to Gurugram to meet the grieving family and console them.

On his directives, Bihar Director General of Police P K Thakur had talked to his Haryana counterpart and requested him to to take strong action against the culprits.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Embattled Sahara group today said a Dubai investment fund has agreed to provide a loan of USD 1.6 billion (over Rs 10,000 crore) against security of 26 per cent shares of its Aamby Valley project.

"Royale Partners Investment Fund Limited of Dubai, headed by HE Sultan Al Ahbabi has entered into an agreement with Sahara to provide loan of USD 1.6 Billion against the security of 26 per cent of the shares of Aamby Valley Ltd," a Sahara group lawyer said in a statement.

"They (the fund) have committed through a mutual agreement and the agreement was submitted in the last hearing of the court on August 10, 2017. The same was raised in today's hearing as well," advocate Gautam Awasthy said in the statement.

The statement came on a day when the Supreme Court directed the official liquidator to go ahead with the scheduled auction of Aamby Valley property in Maharashtra, as it rejected Sahara Group Chief Subrata Roy's plea for some more time.

The liquidator has fixed the reserve price for the luxury resort town project at about Rs 37,000 crore, though the group pegs its market valuation at over Rs 1 lakh crore.

The directions came after Roy said he had deposited Rs 533.20 crore in the Sebi-Sahara account and wanted to pay the remaining Rs 966.80 crore through cheques dated November 11.

The top court said that barring "hyperbolic arguments and rhetoric statements" by the Sahara chief, the amount in its entirety has not yet been paid.

The court had on July 25 asked the embattled Sahara chief to deposit Rs 1,500 crore in the Sebi-Sahara account by September 7 and said it may only then deliberate upon his plea seeking 18 months more for making the full repayment of the outstanding amount to be refunded to the investors.

Sahara group said Aamby Valley Ltd has entered into a pact for Royale Partners Investment Fund, registered in Mauritius as a global business company and owned by Dubai- headquartered RPMG Investment, to invest money in return for a strategic stake of 26 per cent.

The pact has been signed with Viktor Koenig UK Limited, with Royale Partners Investment Fund Limited as its nominee.

Sahara has been engaged in a long-running battle with the capital market regulator Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that those who keep the country clean have the first right to chant Vande Mataram and wondered whether people who littered and dirtied the country had any right to the nationalist slogan.

Modi was addressing a students' convention at Vigyan Bhawan to mark the 125 years of Swami Vivekananda's address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago and the centenary celebrations of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

"As I entered, I heard people loudly chanting Vande Mataram...The value of patriotism fills my heart. I am asking all countrymen whether we have the right to chant Vande Mataram. I know this will hurt many people.

"We chew 'paan' and spit it out on Mother India (Bharat maa par pichakaari mare) and then chant Vande Mataram. Throw garbage and then chant Vande Mataram... The sanitation and cleaning workers have the first right to say Vande Mataram," he said.

Modi was welcomed at Vigyan Bhawan with shouts of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. The slogans could also be frequently heard during his speech, which lasted for almost an hour.

Urging people to keep their surroundings clean, the prime minister told the gathering that people may or may not keep their surroundings clean but nobody had the right to dirty places.

The comments come in the backdrop of the government's efforts to 'clean India' by October 2, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Modi also batted for innovation and promoting skills among the youth and asked them to work for a modern India.

The world evaluates the country where it is today not what it was 5,000 years ago or during the times of Lord Rama or Buddha, the prime minister said.

Vivekananda supported experimentation and innovation and his government was working according to the ideals shown by him, Modi said.

Emphasising that Vivekananda's historic September 11 address in the US was a message of love and brotherhood, the prime minister said the devastating 9/11 terror strike might not have happened if the significance of his speech had not been forgotten.

The prime minister also asked colleges to hold cultural events to celebrate other states and added in a light-hearted vein that he was not against celebrating days like 'rose day'.

Students should do more, Modi said, asking them to hold a Tamil day in a Haryana college or a Kerala day in a Punjab college to strengthen the spirit of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat (One India, Great India)'.

"There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses...There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation and fulfil the aspirations of our people," he said.

He said many promises were made during university election campaigns but nobody pledged to keep campuses clean.

Modi also said that only those who respect women can take legitimate pride in the opening words of Swami Vivekanand's address, "Brothers and sisters of America".

Referring to the correspondence between Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tata -- asking the industrialist to set up industry in India -- he said it shows the spiritual leader's concerns on India's self-reliance.

Stressing the importance of the Skill India mission, the prime minister said his government had created a separate ministry for the purpose and added that youth should be groomed in a way that they don't depend on anyone for employment.

"They should be not be job seekers but job creators," he said, referring to various programmes of government like Start Up India, Stand Up India and the Mudra scheme.

Vivekananda, the prime minister said, gave the concept of 'One Asia'. He quoted him as saying that 'One Asia' would have the "strength to show the way" when the world was surrounded by problems.

Modi said India's standing in the world had risen, and credited 'janshakti' (people's power) for this.

"When I go to different countries, I feel that there is change in the way it perceives India (dekhnaykaanajariyabadal chukka hai). This is not the political strength but people's power (janshakti)," he said.
Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi today set on a march across the country to mobilise action against sexual abuse and trafficking of children.

Starting from the southernmost tip of peninsular India, Kanyakumari, and passing through Kashmir, the Bharat Yatra will culminate in New Delhi on October 16.

"Child rape and sexual abuse has become a moral epidemic that haunts our nation and we can no longer remain silent spectators. Our silence is breeding more violence. That is why the Bharat Yatra is the beginning of an all-out war on rape, abuse and trafficking," he said.

Sathyarthi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for his struggle for the rights of children, launched the yatra from the Vivekananda Rock Memorial here.

He urged the youth to join the campaign to ensure the safety and security of children



The rally's flagging off commemorated the anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his support to the yatra and his message was read out at the launch.

The campaign comes days after the killing of a seven-year old Gurgaon schoolboy who had allegedly resisted sexual abuse and the alleged rape of a 5-year-old girl in a Delhi school -- incidents which evoked major outrage in the country.

Satyarthi, who has been campaigning for the freedom, safety and security for children across the globe for the past 36 years, said each time if a single child was in danger, the country was in danger.

"Bharat Yatra is to make India safe again for our children...Make no mistake; this will be a decisive war; a war to reclaim the morality of the Indian soul," he said.

"My war to end all forms of abuse against children starts today. Are you with me?" he asked the thousands gathered at the venue.

Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and noted music director Ilaiyaraaja were present on the occasion.

Satyarthi was joined by government officials, school children and teachers, abuse survivors and mediapersons as he marched for the children of the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The killing of seven-year-old Pradyuman inside his school premises has left several unsolved questions before his parents and the special investigation team (SIT) of Gurgaon Police probing the gruesome murder case which has sparked countrywide outrage.

Also the report of a fact-finding committee, constituted by the Gurgaon district administration, has detected several lapses in the school, including no police verification of bus drivers, conductors and other staff, and broken boundary wall, has broadened the spectrum of investigation.

The SIT, which told a Sohna court that evidence were tampered with in the case, suspects involvement of a third person, while the child's father flagged concerns over the timings of the events on the fateful morning of September 8.

The SIT suspects involvement of a third person, who may have escaped from one of the windows of the toilet which has broken window and is located on the ground floor, SIT sources told PTI.

According to Pradyuman's father Varun Thakur, he had dropped his son and daughter at the Ryan International School at 7:55 am. Thakur claimed he received a call from the school management at 8.10 am informing him about his son being found bleeding inside the washroom.

Saurabh Raghav, a driver of the school bus in which accused Ashok Kumar worked as conductor, entered the school at the same time where Kumar was helping to de-board the students and helped him to park the bus outside at the parking lot, which often takes five minutes.

The crime took place within 10 minutes, between 8 am and 8.10 am. It would take Pradyuman at least 2-3 minutes to reach the main building straight away covering around 400 meters from the gate, while Kumar would spend at least 5-7 minutes in the bus before heading there, the source said.

Such circumstances, the source added, indicate that the boy entered the toilet first and the possibility of Kumar already being there was less.

Since Pradyuman's school bag was found inside the toilet, it indicates that he went there straight from the gate and was attacked by someone who used those windows as escape route, the source said.

Thakur has knocked the door of the Supreme Court seeking CBI investigation into the matter.

Thakur said he feels there is "something fishy" and "missing points" in the police theory.

The police have already arrested Kumar and said he was inside the toilet when Pradyuman entered and grabbed him with the intention of sodomy and when he failed, he slit the child's throat.

Amid the ongoing probe, bus driver Raghav, however, has claimed that the police and the school management forced him to give a wrong statement against the innocent conductor that the knife, which was allegedly used in the crime, was part of tool kit and kept in the bus.

Raghav alleged he was beaten up and tortured in police custody to give the statement.

The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Centre, the CBI and the Haryana government on a plea by Thakur.

The fact-finding three member sub-enquiry committee, which was constituted by Gurgaon district administration, today submitted its report to Vinay Pratap Singh, District Commissioner of Gurgaon.

"The committee has detected five lapses in the school such as broken window, ill-equipped fire extinguishers, common toilets, no police verification of conductors and drivers and other ground staff, broken boundary wall and low quality CCTV without having wide-angle facilities, irregularities in students' toilets without guard," Singh told PTI.

The deputy commissioner said he has recommended to the directorate of Hayana education department to take action against the school.

The education department has three options to take over the management of school, cancellation of license or impose fine of Rs 25,000 for each lapse.

Official sources said the education department is planning to takeover of management to give strong message to other schools.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Farmers and villagers today demanded scrapping of a mega refinery proposed in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, saying the project will destroy the rich flora and fauna in the coastal area and adversely affect the health of its residents.

The petroleum ministry plans to set up the refinery at Rajapur in Ratnagiri district of the region, about 400km from Mumbai. It is to be called West Coast Refinery.

To execute the project, the state government, on May 18, 2017, declared nearly 16,000 acres of land around the project site as an industrial zone under the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) Act.

Farmers and other members of the society are opposing the project under the banner of Konkan Vinashkari Prakalp Virodhi Samiti (Committee for Opposing Destructive Projects in Konkan).

Addressing a press conference here, Samiti convenor Satyajeet Chavan said the project will affect 16 villages and pose health risks to their residents as it will cause pollution and release hazardous gases.

"Residents of these villages are totally against the project, which will cause colossal damage to the natural beauty and environment of the entire region," he said.

Chavan said the project should be scrapped taking into account the potential damage it will cause.

On September 9, scores of farmers, fishermen and orchard owners took out a morcha in Rajapur demanding scrapping of the venture.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has called a meeting of various representatives on September 12 to discuss the project-related issues.

Chavan said he hopes Fadnavis, after the meeting, would announce setting up of a special team to ascertain the impact of the project.

Farmer and local resident Ashok Walam said the project has been envisaged without undertaking survey and eliciting the opinion of the villagers.

"We are going to fight tooth and nail against the project. If needed, I will stage a sit-in before the state government headquarters (Mantralaya)," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A police officer was allegedly shot at and injured by a gang of highway robbers today who fled with his car and mobile phones in the district.

The incident occurred near Yawat, around 50 km from here, on Pune-Solapur Highway.

Police Inspector Mahesh Nilganji, posted at the SRPF police training centre at Nanvij near Daund, was injured after he was assaulted with an iron rod and was shot at in the right leg by the unidentified robbers this morning, the District Police said.

The incident occurred when Nilganji was on his way to the SRPF training centre.

"While he was driving his car, another car came from behind and one of the occupants told Nilganji that the wheel disk of his car's tyre was loosened which prompted him to pull over his car," a Yavat police station officer said.

The moment Nilanji came out of the car, the three occupants of another car got down and attacked him with an iron rod.

"When Nilganji tried to fight back, one of the three assailants took out a pistol and fired a round which hit Nilganji's right leg. The trio then fled with his car, his mobile phones and other belongings kept inside the vehicle," he said.

The Yavat Police have registered a case against four unidentified robbers under relevant sections of the IPC, and a hunt has been launched to trace the robbers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
All eyes are on tomorrow's all-party meeting, convened by the West Bengal government in Siliguri to discuss the Darjeeling crisis, even as the indefinite shutdown in the hills entered its 89th day today.

This is the second all-party meet convened by the state government after the August 29 talks.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), which is spearheading the agitation in the hills and had earlier said it would not attend the meeting if the issue of a separate state of Gorkhaland was not discussed, today said a seven-member delegation of the party, including three MLAs, would take part in the meeting.

"We will attend the meeting tomorrow. We will stress on the issue of Gorkhaland. We also want peace to return to the hills," GJM MLA Amar Singh Rai said.

GJM general secretary Roshan Giri said although the party had decided to participate in the meeting, it had also urged the Centre to hold a tripartite talk to solve the crisis.

The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and other hill parties will also participate in tomorrow's meeting.

Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa, who were expelled from the GJM by party supremo Bimal Gurung, will also attend the meeting in their personal capacity as they have been invited by the state government.

Thapa today urged the GJM leadership to shun the "path of violence" and help restore peace in the hills.

"Some of the GJM leaders are encouraging violence. We feel that peace should return to the hills and for that, we need to shun the path of violence," Thapa said.

A large number of shops were open in the Darjeeling hills today braving threats and intimidation by the GJM.

After the first all-party meeting, the differences within the GJM started coming out in the open, leading to the expulsion of Tamang and Thapa from the party.

For the third consecutive day, the police and administration, through a public address system, appealed to the locals to open shops and restore normalcy in the hills.

Peace rallies were taken out by the residents in Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik.

GJM supporters took out rallies in support of the Gorkhaland demand and the ongoing shutdown in certain parts of Darjeeling, Sonada and Kalimpong.

Picketing was strengthened in some areas and posters and leaflets, in support of the strike, were distributed.

Internet services have remained suspended in the hills since June 18.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Auto industry body SIAM today sought exemption from cess on 10-13 seater vehicles under the recently introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework.

It, however, hoped the new cess rates announced last week would now remain stable and not be increased frequently.

"SIAM feels that the long standing anomaly in the taxation of 10-13 seater vehicles could have been fully corrected and these should have been fixed at a GST rate of 28 per cent without any cess as these are public transport vehicles and not for personal use," it said in a statement.

SIAM hoped this anomaly would be addressed in future, it added.

In the pre-GST era, such vehicles enjoyed concession in excise duty rate.

After GST implementation, the government exempted compensation cess only on ambulances that can carry up to nine persons.

These 10-13 seater vehicles, including ambulances, now attract top tax rate of 28 per cent with 15 per cent cess.

The industry body also hoped that now the states would not unilaterally increase the road taxes as now they would be receiving increased compensation through the revised cess.

Though, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) felt relieved that a GST Cess of 25 per cent has not been imposed across the board on all larger cars as was the apprehension.

With the new GST cess, the taxation on mid-sized passenger cars have been almost restored to the pre-GST levels, while taxes on luxury cars and SUVs have been slightly moderated as compared to the pre-GST rates, it said.

"The government has also recognised the need to encourage hybrid vehicles by creating a differential taxation on hybrid cars, which was one of SIAM's request and this is a welcome step," SIAM said.

Last week, GST Council increased cess on mid-sized cars by 2 per cent, on large cars by 5 per cent and that of the SUVs by 7 per cent.

The council, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, decided not to levy any additional tax on small petrol and diesel cars of up to 1200 cc as well as on hybrid ones.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said Sir Creek, located on the Gujarat border with Pakistan, is a "very important place" for security, particularly Gujarat's security.

The minister said she would visit Sir Creek to ascertain what needs to be done for the defence of Gujarat's border and spend some time with the security force personnel posted there to boost their morale.

"I am going up to Sir Creek today to see what requires to be done for the defence of Gujarat border. Sir Creek is a very important place not only for the security but particularly for Gujarat's security," Sitharaman told reporters at the BJP headquarters here.

"Our forces are doing a very good work in Sir Creek. I will spend time with them and boost their morale," she said.

"During the 2012 Gujarat Assembly elections, the Centre (UPA government) wanted to do something about Sir Creek. At that time even during the campaigning, then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi was worried about it as it concerned Gujarat's security and had taken up that issue," she said.

"Today, I am privileged to go to Sir Creek as a defence minister," Sitharaman said.

Ninety-six-kilometre-long Sir Creek is a tidal estuary on the Indo-Pak border and opens up into the Arabian Sea.

The two sides have discussed the land boundary in the Sir Creek area and also delimitation of International Maritime Boundary between India and Pakistan.

They have expressed their desire to find an amicable solution to the Sir Creek issue through sustained and result- oriented dialogue.
The SIT probing the murder of Gauri Lankesh has been strengthened with 40 additional support staff as investigators continue to grope for clues, six days after the senior journalist was shot dead, sparking a national outrage.

The additional staff include four inspectors and seven sub-inspectors, police sources said.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Inspector General of Police(Intelligence) B K Singh, comprises 21 officers.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru West) M N Anucheth said, "Additional staff has been provided to the SIT. At this juncture, we do not want to reveal their names and identity".

Police sources said the team was scrambling through the footage of CCTV installed by individuals in Rajarajeshwarinagar,where on the night of September 5 unknown assailants shot dead55-year-old Lankesh at her home.

They said police have also taken the digital video recordersat the toll gates on five entry points to the city.

One of the aspects of the investigation was to check the involvement ofsharp shooters from outside the city.

The killing of Lankesh, Left-leaning journalist-activist, has come in for widespread condemnation.

Meanwhile, at a press conference, former naxalites Noor Sridhar alias Noor Zulfiqar and Sirimane Nagaraj ruled out the possibility of naxalites' involvement in the killing of Lankesh.

"I can tell you certainty that naxalites are notinvolved in the murder as has been reported in a section ofthe media. This is only an attention diversion technique," Sridhar said.

Investigators have said they were also probing the Naxal angle.

Media reports had raised the possibility of involvement of Left ultras.

Lankesh's brother Indrajeet had said that there was a threat to Lankesh from some Left extremists.

In the past, Lankesh had negotiated with theultras in the forests of Karnataka and made nine of themsurrender before the police so that they can join themainstream of society.

Sridhar and Nagaraj were among those Naxalites who gave up the violent path at the insistence of Lankesh and began leading a normal life.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The situation in Kashmir Valley has improved significantly over the past year, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today as he expressed willingness to meet anyone who wants to help resolve problems of Kashmir.

Singh, who is on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters that a permanent solution to Kashmir issue is based on five 'C's -- compassion, communication, coexistence, confidence building and consistency.

"After meeting the delegations and holding meetings here, I understand that the situation in Kashmir has greatly improved.I don't want to claim that everything is completely fine but things are improving, this I can say with firm belief," Singh said.

He said during his visit he has interacted with police and CRPF personnel and he will also meet Army personnel.

"I am willing to meet anyone who wants to help us in resolving problems of Kashmir.There is no question of a formal or informal invitation. Those who want to talk should come forward. I always come here with an open mind," Singh said when asked if the government was ready to hold talks with separatists.

He said the government does not want to leave out any of the stakeholders with whom dialogue should be held.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Syrian army reinforcements arrived in Deir Ezzor today for a new push against the Islamic State group, as a second day of suspected Russian strikes killed 19 civilians in the area.

Deir Ezzor city is the capital of the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor, regarded as a strategic prize by both Russian-backed Syrian troops and US-backed fighters.

Regime forces have scored major advances in recent days, breaking a pair of IS sieges on the city and capturing territory around it.

The advances have been accompanied by deadly air strikes, with a monitor saying 19 civilians were killed today in suspected Russian air raids northwest of the city.

The strikes come a day after the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Russian strikes killed 34 civilians southeast of the city, as they fled across the Euphrates River.

The latest air raids hit the IS-held village of Al- Khrayta, 14 kilometres outside Deir Ezzor city.

Two sets of strikes 30 minutes apart hit civilians sheltering in tents along the Euphrates and boats on the river, the monitor said.

They come as the Syrian army prepares to push into the eastern IS-held part of Deir Ezzor city, according to the Observatory.

"Huge military reinforcements, including equipment, vehicles and fighters have arrived in Deir Ezzor ahead of an attack to push Daesh from the city's eastern neighbourhoods," said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"Russian and Syrian regime warplanes are striking IS positions in the city and its outskirts," he added.

Since 2014, IS has controlled most of Deir Ezzor city and the surrounding province, which borders territory the jihadists hold in Iraq.

The remaining 40 per cent of the city still held by the government -- and home to around 1,00,000 civilians -- was under crippling IS siege.

Backed by Russian air power, government troops have breached IS's sieges, captured the strategic Jabal Thardah region and expanded their control to half of Deir Ezzor city.

Moscow intervened in Syria in September 2015 in support of its ally President Bashar al-Assad.

Fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday announced a separate offensive to capture IS territory east of the Euphrates river, which slices diagonally across Deir Ezzor province.

By today, the SDF's Deir Ezzor Military Council (DEMC) had seized much of the province's northeast and were just a few kilometres away from the river.

Abdel Rahman said they had advanced to six kilometres from its eastern banks, at a point across the river from Deir Ezzor city.

Colonel Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the US-led coalition backing the SDF, said the militia had made "significant gains", capturing around 250 square kilometres since the operation began.

The SDF, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters, is also battling IS in the jihadists' de facto capital Raqa with backing from the US-led air coalition.

Although the SDF has yet to reach Deir Ezzor city itself, tribal figures affiliated with the alliance said they were laying the groundwork for governing the city after IS's defeat.

The statement, published by the SDF's media council, announced the establishment of "a preparatory committee that will discuss the basis and starting points for a civil council for Deir Ezzor".

According to the statement, consultations would aim to reach a "formulation that will express the aspirations of all our people in Deir Ezzor".

The Deir Ezzor Civil Council "will be responsible for running the city immediately after its liberation".

It made no mention of regime forces and did not say whether the civil council would coordinate with, or rival, government authorities.

The SDF has said its assault in Deir Ezzor province is not in coordination with Russian or regime forces.

But the coalition, the SDF, Syria's government and Russia have agreed on a "de-confliction line" in northeastern Syria to prevent the two offensives from clashing.

Aaron Stein, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, said he did not expect the SDF to enter Deir Ezzor city.

But, he added, "the SDF is now racing. The SDF is in a race with the regime."



"The regime forced everyone's hand. They moved faster than expected up the river, so things started to move."



Syria's conflict erupted in 2011 with protests calling for Assad's ouster, but it has since evolved into a complex war drawing in world powers.

More than 3,30,000 people have been killed and millions have been forced to flee their homes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Taiwanese democracy activist went on trial in central China today on charges of attempting to subvert the Chinese government, in a case that has further soured cross-strait relations.

Supporters of Lee Ming-cheh, an NGO worker who was arrested during a trip to the Chinese mainland in March, gathered outside the courthouse in Hunan province's Yueyang city, according to photos on social media.

A live broadcast of the trial on the official social media account of the Yueyang intermediate court said that Lee was being tried on charges of "subverting state power".

His wife and mother arrived in Hunan Sunday to attend the trial. Both women were accompanied by several officials from Taiwan's semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, which handles relations with the mainland.

Lee has long supported civil society organisations and activists in China, according to Amnesty International.

He had shared "Taiwan's democratic experiences" with his Chinese friends online for many years and often mailed books to them, said the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

After Lee went missing Chinese authorities confirmed he was being investigated for suspected activities "endangering national security".

Beijing has repeatedly ignored Taipei's requests for information on Lee's whereabouts and details of the allegations against him.

Relations between the two sides have worsened since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May last year. Since then Beijing has cut off all official communications with Taipei.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory waiting to be reunified. It wants Tsai to acknowledge the island is part of "One China", which she has refused to do.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Taiwanese democracy activist pleaded guilty today to charges of attempting to subvert Chinese government power during a trial in China that his wife called a "political show" and further soured cross-strait ties.

Lee Ming-cheh appeared alongside a Chinese co-defendant named Peng Yuhua at Yueyang intermediate people's court in central Hunan province, according to video footage posted on the court's official social media account.

A shaven-headed Lee appeared nervous as he confessed to charges of "subverting state power", stating that he had written and distributed online articles that criticised China's ruling Communist Party and promoted democracy among other topics.

"I know that my behaviour definitely violated Chinese law," said Lee, an NGO worker who was arrested during a trip to the Chinese mainland in March.

"The television I watched in prison has made me understand China's development a little better. I know that my past thinking and the information I received was mistaken," he said.

"This mistaken thinking led me to violate the law. I express my guilt and regrets."



The articles were written at the direction of Peng, who he had become acquainted with online and had met several times on the Chinese mainland, Lee said under questioning from a prosecutor.

Taiwan's presidential spokesman Alex Huang said Taipei was "highly concerned" about Lee, including "his health and the rights he's entitled to."



"The government's consistent stance is to ensure his personal safety and to make every effort we can to bring him home safely, under the premise of safeguarding our nation's dignity," Huang said.

The trial concluded this afternoon, but it is unclear when a verdict will be announced.

His wife and mother travelled to Hunan for the trial and his supporters gathered outside the courthouse in Yueyang city.

Both women were accompanied by officials from Taiwan's semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, which handles relations with the mainland.

After the trial, his wife, Lee Ching-yu, showed reporters permanent tattoos on both her forearms that read, "I am proud of you, Lee Ming-cheh."



"I knew I wouldn't be able to bring anything into the courtroom with me, except for the expression in my eyes," she said, her voice wavering.

In a separate written statement, she said she was allowed to see her husband and that after "being lovers for more than 20 years, I can tell whether what he speaks is genuine or not."



"The world and I today witnessed this big political show, and also witnessed the difference between Taiwan's core beliefs and values and that of China," she said.

Lee has long supported civil society organisations and activists in China, according to Amnesty International.

He had shared "Taiwan's democratic experiences" with his Chinese friends online for many years and often mailed books to them, said the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

After Lee went missing Chinese authorities confirmed he was being investigated for suspected activities "endangering national security".

The language the two co-defendants used to confess their crimes sounded rehearsed, according to Patrick Poon, a China researcher at Amnesty International.

The "language they used was so much like the Chinese government's", he said, calling it a "sham trial."



Frances Eve, researcher for the charity Chinese Human Rights Defenders, said the trial's "phoney transparency" was an attempt to deflect attention from the serious denial of Lee's due process rights.

"He was held for months in a secret location and had already 'confessed' before the trial, according to state media. There is a strong likelihood that he was tortured to force a confession," Eve told AFP.

In the lead-up to the trial, Beijing repeatedly ignored Taipei's requests for information on Lee's whereabouts and details of the allegations against him. Even Lee's family was not given written notification of the trial, Poon said.

Relations between the two sides have worsened since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May last year, with Beijing cutting off all official communications with Taipei.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory waiting to be reunified. It wants Tsai to acknowledge the island is part of "One China", which she has refused to do.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Auto major Tata Motors hopes to build on the ongoing revival of its domestic commercial vehicles having increased its overall market share by 330 bps to 45.6 per cent in August putting the GST and BS-III ban disruptions behind it.

While its passenger vehicles still struggle despite many a new launch, due to regulatory and legal tangles, the company, like the rest of the CV industry, has also been struggling since the beginning of the current fiscal year with the major tailwinds being the note ban in the last quarter of 2016, the BS-III vehicles ban the Supreme Court late March and the GST hiccups in June-July.

"We hope the GST disruptions are behind us and so are the BS-III hiccups if the sales numbers, especially since mid-July through August are any indication. Our sales have been extremely good in August wherein we have increased our total market share by 330 bps to 45.6 per cent. In August our total sales jumped 52 per cent," Girish Wagh, head of commercial vehicles at Tata Motors said here today.

In the first quarter of the fiscal, despite the BS-III ban and the resultant pile of around 15,000 units of unsold inventory, the company saw its sales increasing by 35 per cent over the year ago period, while growth slipped to just 10 per cent in July but zoomed to 52 per cent in August.

Wagh said of these the company has resolved around 35 per cent of the inventory but refused to share details. The company had earlier said it would export as much as possible to Saarc and African markets and the rest would be dismantled for spare parts.

While it increased it market share in the medium & heavy commercial vehicles segment to 53.7 per cent, adding 170 bps, its market share in the ILCV (intermediate and light CVs) rose to 47.6 per cent, an increase of 630 bps Wagh said.

Similarly, in the small commercial vehicles and pick- ups space its market share jumped by 310 bps to 39.7 per cent, in the passenger vehicles space (primarily buses, its market share rose 250 bps to 46.4 per cent, taking the total market share in the CV space to 45.6 per cent which is an increase of 3.3 per cent, he added.

Wagh attributed this to better products, (company has launched a slew of new models and variants since January this year and also to better after-sales service and customer and dealer engagements.

He said since January the company has held more than 1,500 meetings with dealers and other key stakeholders to understand and resolve their problems.

On the customer service front, he said its 15 mobile workshops coupled with over 350 container workshops have gone a great deal to meet customer complaints. Under both these schemes, the company offers within 48 hrs service/repairs or the customer will get compensated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tata Steel today announced that it has concluded a new agreement under which its UK business stands separated from the 15-billion pound British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS).

"Tata Steel UK has received confirmation from the pensions regulator that it has approved a regulated apportionment arrangement (RAA) in respect of BSPS," Tata Steel said in a statement here.

As part of the arrangement, a payment of 550 million pound has been made to BSPS by Tata Steel UK and shares in Tata Steel UK, equivalent to 33 per cent stake, have been issued to the BSPS trustee, the steel giant said.

The BSPS has now been separated from Tata Steel UK and a number of affiliated companies, it added.

Last month, Tats Steel had announced clinching of the deal facilitating detachment of the BSPS from its UK business.

The company, in the statement, said its UK business has agreed to sponsor a proposed new pension scheme subject to meeting of certain qualifying conditions.

"All the members of the BSPS will now be invited to transfer to the new scheme which would have lower future annual increases for pensioners...," it said.

The pact, signed by Tata Steel with the trustee of the BSPS, will pave the way for the Indian steel major's potential merger with German giant ThyssenKrupp.

"The BSPS Trustee will, in due course, communicate with all scheme members about the separation and the proposed new scheme," it said.

Koushaik Chatterjee, Tata Steel's Group Executive Director, said: "The completion of RAA follows many months of hard work to provide the most sustainable outcome for pensioners, current employees and the business."



The next step involves necessary formalities to set up the new scheme with lower risk profile following necessary member consent process led by the trustee, he said.

"This will take some time to implement, given the wide membership base. The net financial impact of RAA including the payment of the agreed 550 million pound will be reflected in Q2 FY18 financials for the company," he added.

The BSPS had been the major hurdle to future plans for Tata Steel in the UK and the latest move had been welcomed by workers' unions who had voted in favour of a deal earlier this year.

The company on May 16 had announced that the key commercial terms of an RAA had been agreed in-principle between the company and the pension scheme trustee.

Trade unions Community, Unite and GMB in a joint statement had welcomed the RAA announcement, which included a commitment that Tata will stand behind a new scheme with reduced annual increases.

RAA is a mechanism that allows a financially troubled employer in the UK to detach itself from defined benefit scheme liabilities. Tata Steel maintained that the agreement offered "more sustainable outcomes for pensioners, employees and the business".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two top officials of the Ryan International School were arrested today and the acting principal detained for questioning following the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old student on campus, even as the victim's father moved the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe.

The police claimed that evidence from the scene of crime had been tampered with and said they would bring the guilty to book.

Ryan International Group CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, who are its founders, approached the Bombay High Court today to seek anticipatory bail in connection with the child's murder in the chain's Gurgaon school.

SHO of Sadar Police Station on Sohna Road in Gurgaon was meanwhile suspended over a baton-charge on protesting parents, as well as journalists, outside the school premises.

Protests continued at other places with the parents of children studying in Ryan International School's Noida and Greater Noida branches seeking an assurance regarding safety of their wards.

Gurgaon police chief Sandeep Khirwar told PTIthat the school'sLegal Head, Francis Thomas and HR Head,Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Sunday night following interrogation.

"Acting principal Neerja Batra has been detained and is being questioned. She is likely to be arrested soon," Khirwar said.

Acting on the report of a three-member panel that had indicated lapses, the two top officials of the school management were arrested under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice act, police officials said.

The two were produced before a Sohna court which remanded them to two days in police custody.

Khirwar said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case believed that evidence in the case was tampered with.

"The SIT said in the court that destruction of evidence was found to have been done. Attempt was made to wash away the blood stains from the spot where the child was found murdered. The blood on his water bottle and bag was also found rubbed. Some other pieces of evidence were also tampered with," Khirwar said.

We will add appropriate sections against the school management or other staff, whoever is found to be involved, at the time of submission of the charge sheet, Khirwar said.

Schoolbus conductor Ashok Kumar, who allegedly tried to sexually assault the class II student in a toilet and slit his throat with a knife when he resisted on Friday last is already behind bars.

The Haryana police has formed fourteen teams to probe the case, which has triggered massive outrage, according to officials. A special investigation team will reach Mumbai to question school CEO Pinto and director AlbertPinto, they said.

The father of the 7-year-old, however, approached the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe, which prompted the apex court to seek responses from the Centre and Haryana.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also sought a response from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on the plea, which has sought framing of guidelines to fix responsibility of school managements in case of such incidents and also regarding the safety and security of children.

"This petition is not restricted only to the school concerned as it has a country-wide ramification," the court said during the brief hearing.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, asked the governments and the CBSE to respond within three weeks.

Barun Chandra Thakur, the father of the student said in his plea filed through advocate Sushil Tekriwal, that free and fair investigation should be conducted by the CBI under the monitoring of the apex court in the matter.

At the Bombay High Court, Ryan International Group's founding chairman, Augustine Pinto (73), and his wife Grace Pinto (62), who is the managing director of the institution, along with their son Ryan Pinto sought anticipatory bail.

Their counsel Niteen Pradhan mentioned the applications this morning before Justice Ajey Gadkari, who posted them for hearing tomorrow.

The Pintos, in their pleas, said while the death of the boy was unfortunate, the management cannot be held culpable and that they themselves were victims of the unfortunate circumstances.

The death has caused deep pain not only to the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, management, staff and students of the school, their applications said.

"This is not only the darkest hour for the family but also for the institution. Such an incident has taken place for the first time in the past four decades since the institution was set up," the three said in their bail pleas.

Despite taking all necessary steps for security and well being of the students as required by law and prudence, if such an unfortunate incident occurs, the institution cannot be held culpable as it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances, they said.

According to the pleas, the Pintos read newspaper reports which mentioned that there were demands for booking the management.

"Hence, we apprehend action against us in the matter. We seek the court to grant us transit protection from arrest so that we can approach the appropriate judicial authority in Haryana," the pleas said.

The petitioners said they were residents of Mumbai from where the overall management of the institution was carried out. The day-to-day management of each school is taken care of by the local staff appointed by the management, they said.

While no outsider is allowed to enter school premises, bus drivers and conductors, who have been given identity cards, were allowed to use basic amenities like toilets on "humanitarian grounds", they said in the petitions.

Because of the CCTV placed in the corridor covering the entrance of the Gurgaon school washroom where the incident occurred, the culprit could be identified immediately and arrested, the pleas added.

Earlier, a fact-finding panel in its report had highlighted several deficiencies, including in the installation of CCTV cameras at the school, lack of separate toilets for drivers and conductors, unsafe toilets, a broken boundary wall, lack of ramps, expired fire extinguishers and lack of police verification of employees, officials said.

The district administration has asked the school to ensure safety at its premises and gave it 15 days to reply to a show cause notice, they added.

All Ryan group schools in Gurgaon have been ordered to remain shut today and tomorrow.

As the outrage over the murder kept mounting, the SHO of Sadar Police Station was suspended in connection with a baton-charge on protesting parents and journalists outside the school.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had yesterday termed as "unfortunate" the baton charging in which some mediapersons covering the protest were also injured and ordered action against erring policemen.

Hundreds of angry parents had staged a protest outside the school demanding a CBI probe into the murder of the 7- year-old.

For applying baton charge on angry mob and journalists outside the school on Sunday morning, Gurgaon Police Commissioner has suspended SHO-Sadar Sohna for negligence," ACP and Chief PRO of Gurgaon Police Manish Sehgal said.

Khattar said the government will bear the medical expenses of journalists who were injured in the police action.

There were protests in Noida and Greater Noida as well where parents gathered outside Ryan International School branches and sought assurance on the safety of their children from the management.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two top officials of the Ryan International School were arrested today and the acting principal detained for questioning following the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old student on campus, even as the victim's father moved the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe.

Ryan International Group CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, who are its founders, approached the Bombay High Court today to seek anticipatory bail in connection with the child's murder in the chain's Gurgaon school.

SHO of Sadar Police Station on Sohna Road in Gurgaon was meanwhile suspended over a baton-charge on protesting parents, as well as journalists, outside the school premises.

Protests continued at other places with the parents of children studying in Ryan International School's Noida and Greater Noida branches seeking an assurance regarding the safety of their wards.

Gurgaon police chief Sandeep Khirwar told PTI that the school'sLegal Head, Francis Thomas and HR Head, Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Sunday night following interrogation.

"Acting principal Neerja Batra has been detained and is being questioned. She is likely to be arrested soon," Khirwar said.

Acting on the report of a three-member panel that had indicated lapses, the two top officials of the school management were arrested under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice act, police officials said.

Schoolbus conductor Ashok Kumar, who allegedly tried to sexually assault the class II student in a toilet and slit his throat with a knife when he resisted on Friday last is already behind bars.

The Haryana police has formed fourteen teams to probe the case, which has triggered massive outrage, according to officials. A special investigation team will reach Mumbai to question school CEO Pinto and director AlbertPinto, they said.

The father of the 7-year-old, however, approached the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe, which prompted the apex court to seek responses from the Centre and Haryana.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also sought a response from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on the plea, which has sought framing of guidelines to fix responsibility of school managements in case of such incidents and also regarding the safety and security of children.

"This petition is not restricted only to the school concerned as it has a country-wide ramification," the court said during the brief hearing.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, asked the governments and the CBSE to respond within three weeks.

Barun Chandra Thakur, the father of the student said in his plea filed through advocate Sushil Tekriwal, that free and fair investigation should be conducted by the CBI under the monitoring of the apex court in the matter.

At the Bombay High Court, Ryan International Group's founding chairman, Augustine Pinto (73), and his wife Grace Pinto (62), who is the managing director of the institution, along with their son Ryan Pinto sought anticipatory bail.

Their counsel Niteen Pradhan mentioned the applications this morning before Justice Ajey Gadkari, who posted them for hearing tomorrow.

The Pintos, in their pleas, said while the death of the boy was unfortunate, the management cannot be held culpable and that they themselves were victims of the unfortunate circumstances.

The death has caused deep pain not only to the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, management, staff and students of the school, their applications said.

"This is not only the darkest hour for the family but also for the institution. Such an incident has taken place for the first time in the past four decades since the institution was set up," the three said in their bail pleas.

Despite taking all necessary steps for security and well being of the students as required by law and prudence, if such an unfortunate incident occurs, the institution cannot be held culpable as it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances, they said.

According to the pleas, the Pintos read newspaper reports which mentioned that there were demands for booking the management.

"Hence, we apprehend action against us in the matter. We seek the court to grant us transit protection from arrest so that we can approach the appropriate judicial authority in Haryana," the pleas said.

The petitioners said they were residents of Mumbai from where the overall management of the institution was carried out. The day-to-day management of each school is taken care of by the local staff appointed by the management, they said.

While no outsider is allowed to enter school premises, bus drivers and conductors, who have been given identity cards, were allowed to use basic amenities like toilets on "humanitarian grounds", they said in the petitions.

Because of the CCTV placed in the corridor covering the entrance of the Gurgaon school washroom where the incident occurred, the culprit could be identified immediately and arrested, the pleas added.

Earlier, a fact-finding panel in its report had highlighted several deficiencies, including in the installation of CCTV cameras at the school, lack of separate toilets for drivers and conductors, unsafe toilets, a broken boundary wall, lack of ramps, expired fire extinguishers and lack of police verification of employees, officials said.

The district administration has asked the school to ensure safety at its premises and gave it 15 days to reply to a show cause notice, they added.

All Ryan group schools in Gurgaon have been ordered to remain shut today and tomorrow.

As the outrage over the murder kept mounting, the SHO of Sadar Police Station was suspended in connection with a baton-charge on protesting parents and journalists outside the school.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had yesterday termed as "unfortunate" the baton charging in which some mediapersons covering the protest were also injured and ordered action against erring policemen.

Hundreds of angry parents had staged a protest outside the school demanding a CBI probe into the murder of the 7- year-old.

For applying baton charge on angry mob and journalists outside the school on Sunday morning, Gurgaon Police Commissioner has suspended SHO-Sadar Sohna for negligence," ACP and Chief PRO of Gurgaon Police Manish Sehgal said.

Khattar said the government will bear the medical expenses of journalists who were injured in the police action.

There were protests in Noida and Greater Noida as well where parents gathered outside Ryan International School branches and sought assurance on the safety of their children from the management.

(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.)
Two men on a motorcycle today robbed a trader of over Rs 10 lakh in the busy Aliganj area of the city, police said.

Sachin Rastogi went to the Nehru Vatika branch of HDFC bank along with his driver and domestic help to deposit Rs 40 lakh in cash, packed in four bags, SSP Dipak Kumar said.

When the help was taking the last bag to the bank, the two motorcycle-borne men snatched it from him and and rode off, Kumar said.

The domestic help and some others had been taken into custody for questioning, he said.

"Prima facie it appears that some of the staff members of the trader have been involved in the loot," he said, adding that the probe was on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two Indian youths were arrested in Nepal today for allegedly possessing protected medicinal herb Yarsagumba, also known as Himalayan Viagra.

A joint team of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force apprehended the two youths with 100 grams of Yarsagumba hidden inside their pocket in Khalanga, district headquarters of Darchula.

The two youths -- Amit Nagyal, 19 and Mannu Rathore, 17 -- were heading to Khalanga of Darchula district in Nepal from Dharchula in India when they were arrested during a security check, police said.

The prized herb is known for its aphrodisiac properties and its transportation, trading and selling is punishable under law.

The two youths have been sent to the Apinampa Conservation Office for further investigation.

According to Conservation Officer Pemba Sherpa, the duo would be charged against the National Park and Wild Life Reserve Act 1973.

Half, plant and half insect herb Yarsagumba with scientific name Cordyceps Sinensis is found in the Himalayan region of Nepal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least two policemen were killed and three others injured today after a roadside bomb targeted their vehicles in the restive North Sinai city of Al-Arish, security sources said.

Ambulances were unable to reach the area of the incident immediately because terrorists were targeting them with fire, they said.

The roadside bomb targeted four police vehicles where two policemen were killed and three others injured, security sources said.

Police forces chased the attackers and killed three of them in an exchange of fire. Security campaigns are currently ongoing in the area, the sources said.

The interior ministry is yet to comment on the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 32-year-old woman who gave birth to a girl and threw the baby out of a window in a plastic bag has been jailed for 10 years by a British court, according to media reports today.

The woman, who was not named to protect the baby's identity, had only just given birth after keeping her pregnancy a secret from her family.

The court heard she did not want the child because it reminded her of the baby's father who she had separated from.

After she admitted attempted murder at a previous hearing, she was jailed for 10 years at Stafford Crown Court last Friday, the BBC reported.

Judge Michael Chambers said: "This isn't a spontaneous reaction of finding out she was pregnant. There was clearly a case of some premeditation. It was a grave and appalling act."



The court heard the woman, from Oswestry in Shropshire, gave birth at a house on April 22 last year.

Prosecutor David Mason said: "She went upstairs into the bathroom and gave birth to a baby girl secretly.

"She was full term and there were no complications," he was quoted as saying by Metro.Co.Uk.

She gave birth in the toilet bowl and put the baby in a plastic bag before throwing her out the window. The baby landed on concrete slabs.

The girl survived, but was left with serious brain injuries, the court was told.

The infant was found outside a house in the Meole Brace area of Shrewsbury in April 2016.

West Mercia Police said then the newborn had been placed in the care of the local authority.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three men, including two British Army soldiers, were today charged under the UK's anti-terror laws after being arrested over a suspected neo-Nazi terror plot.

West Midlands Police said a 22-year-old from Birmingham, a 32-year-old arrested in Powys, and a 24-year-old from Northampton have been charged with being members of a banned neo-Nazi outfit.

They were among five men, four soldiers and a civilian, arrested last week over a plot linked to banned far-right group, National Action.

Two 24-year-olds among them had been released without charge and police had been given more time to question the remaining three suspects, who have now been formally charged.

One among those charged had been arrested in Cyprus and the UK Ministry of Defence had previously confirmed that he was held at the island's British Dhekelia base before being transferred to Royal Air Force (RAF) Akrotiri for a flight back to the UK.

The men are suspected of being involved in the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000, namely on suspicion of being members of a proscribed organisation.

Some of the serving Army men belonged to the Royal Anglian Regiment.

"The arrests were pre-planned and intelligence-led; there was no threat to the public's safety," a West Midlands Police spokesperson had said at the time of the arrests on September 5.

The arrests were carried out in conjunction with counter-terror units from the West Midlands, Wales and the East Midlands. Several properties were searched in connection with the arrests.

National Action, a British far-right group, was banned last year by UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

An entry for National Action in the UK's official list of proscribed organisation says it is a "racist neo-Nazi group" that was established in 2013 and has branches across the UK which "conduct provocative street demonstrations and stunts aimed at intimidating local communities".

Its activities and propaganda materials are particularly aimed at recruiting young people, it notes.

Being a member of, or inviting support, for a proscribed organisation is a criminal offence carrying a sentence of up to 10 years in prison under British laws.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein on Monday flayed any attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar when the ethnic minority community is facing violence in their country.

Speaking at the opening of a Human Rights Council session here, Zeid also referred to the killing of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh, observing that she "tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred."



India's Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on September 5 said Rohingyas were illegal immigrants and stand to be deported. He said nobody should preach New Delhi on the matter as India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world.

Some 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India, and 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation, the UN estimates.

"I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country," Zeid said.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights noted Rijiju had reportedly said that because India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention it "can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion."



"However, by virtue of customary law, its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the obligations of due process and the universal principle of non-refoulement, India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations," the UN human rights chief said.

The violence in Myanmar began in August when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Rakhine, killing 12 security personnel. The military said it responded to the attacks and denies it is targeting civilians.

More than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since then.

Touching upon cow vigilantism in India, Zeid said: "The current wave of violent, and often lethal, mob attacks against people under the pretext of protecting the lives of cows is alarming."



"People who speak out for fundamental human rights are also threatened," he said.

Lankesh was gunned down last week in Bengaluru. Unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen pumped bullets into 55- year-old Gauri as she left her car after reaching her home.

Zeid said he was "heartened by the subsequent marches calling for protection of the right to freedom of expression, and by demonstrations in 12 cities to protest the lynchings.
The UN human rights chief said today that the violence and injustice faced by the ethnic Rohingya minority in Myanmar, where UN rights investigators have been barred from entering, "seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."



Speaking at the start of UN Human Rights Council session, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein first recognised the September 11 attacks anniversary then chronicled human rights concerns about Myanmar.

He also spoke about rights concerns in Burundi, Venezuela, Yemen, Libya and the United States, where he expressed concerns about the Trump administration's plan to dismantle protection for younger immigrants, many of whom have lived most of the lives in the US.

Zeid, who is a Jordanian prince, denounced how "another brutal security operation is underway in Rakhine state - this time, apparently on a far greater scale."



He noted the UN refugee agency says 270,000 people from Myanmar have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh in the last three weeks, and pointed to satellite imagery and reports of "security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages" and committing extrajudicial killings.

"The Myanmar government should stop pretending that the Rohingyas are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages," he added. He called it a "complete denial of reality" that hurts the standing of Myanmar, a country that had until recently - by opening up politics to civilian control - enjoyed "immense good will."



"Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," he said.

Zeid said he was "further appalled" by reports that Myanmar authorities planting land mines along the border.

Aside from Myanmar, although he didn't specify the countries by name, Zeid said the council should consider "the need to exclude from this body states involved in the most egregious violations of human rights." Human rights advocacy groups have cited Burundi and Venezuela in particular as countries with lamentable rights records that have seats on the 47-member rights council created by the UN.

Overall, Zeid lamented how the world has grown "darker and dangerous" since he took office three years ago.

Syria and Iraq, two countries that have been longtime staples of concern from UN human rights chiefs, received only passing mention in his address - a testament to the broad concerns about today's world.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)




Members of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) holding a protest march near the Myanmar Embassy to condemn the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Photo: AP | PTI The UN human rights chief said on Monday that the violence and injustice faced by the ethnic Rohingya minority in Myanmar, where UN rights investigators have been barred from entering, "seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

Speaking at the start of UN Human Rights Council session, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein first recognised the September 11 attacks anniversary then chronicled human rights concerns about Myanmar.

He also spoke about rights concerns in Burundi, Venezuela, Yemen, Libya and the United States, where he expressed concerns about the Trump administration's plan to dismantle protection for younger immigrants, many of whom have lived most of the lives in the US.

Zeid, who is a Jordanian prince, denounced how "another brutal security operation is underway in Rakhine state this time, apparently on a far greater scale." He noted the UN refugee agency says 270,000 people from Myanmar have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh in the last three weeks, and pointed to satellite imagery and reports of "security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages" and committing extrajudicial killings.

"The Myanmar government should stop pretending that the Rohingyas are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages," he added. He called it a "complete denial of reality" that hurts the standing of Myanmar, a country that had until recently - by opening up politics to civilian control - enjoyed "immense good will." "Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," he said.

Zeid said he was "further appalled" by reports that Myanmar authorities planting land mines along the border.

Aside from Myanmar, although he didn't specify the countries by name, Zeid said the council should consider "the need to exclude from this body states involved in the most egregious violations of human rights." Human rights advocacy groups have cited Burundi and Venezuela in particular as countries with lamentable rights records that have seats on the 47-member rights council created by the UN.

Overall, Zeid lamented how the world has grown "darker and dangerous" since he took office three years ago.

Syria and Iraq, two countries that have been longtime staples of concern from UN human rights chiefs, received only passing mention in his address - a testament to the broad concerns about today's world.
The situation in Myanmar is a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing", the United Nations said today, as the number of Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar for Bangladesh topped 300,000.

The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, have faced decades of persecution in Myanmar where they are regarded as illegal immigrants.

But since the latest upsurge in violence on August 25, hundreds of thousands have flooded across the border into Bangladesh bringing stories of entire villages burned to the ground by Buddhist mobs and Myanmar troops.

Today the UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein accused Myanmar of waging a "systematic attack" on the Rohingya and warned that "ethnic cleansing" seemed to be under way.

"Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," he told the UN Human Rights Council.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, has come in for strong international criticism over the military crackdown on the Rohingya, which began when militants ambushed security forces on August 25.

The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar has said the latest violence may have left more than 1,000 dead, most of them Rohingya.

A further 27,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists as well as Hindus have also fled violence that has gripped northern Rakhine, where international aid programmes in Rakhine have been severely curtailed.

Fellow Nobel peace laureates Malala Yousafzai and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have urged Suu Kyi to intervene.

The UN refugee agency says at least 313,000 Rohingya have now arrived in Bangladesh from Myanmar's Rakhine state since August 25, around a third of the total population of 1.1 million.

The true figure could be even higher - the UN said many new arrivals are still on the move and are therefore left out of the calculations.

Dhaka initially stepped up border controls after the violence, stranding thousands of refugees at the Bangladeshi frontier, but in the last week has been allowing them to enter.

Refugee camps and makeshift settlements near the border with Myanmar, which already hosted hundreds of thousands of Rohingya before the latest upsurge in violence, are now completely overwhelmed.

That has left tens of thousands of new arrivals with nowhere to shelter from the monsoon rains.

Most have walked for days and the United Nations says many are sick, exhausted and in desperate need of shelter, food and water.

The UN's Zeid said he was "appalled" by reports that Myanmar security forces were laying mines near the border to stop the Rohingya returning.

Three Rohingya are reported to have been killed by a mine, and at least two more have lost limbs. One of the victims was a young boy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh minister Mohsin Raza today accused Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan of embezzling funds as a minister in the previous dispensation.

"Azam Khan has exhausted almost the entire fund during his tenure as a minister of Haj and Waqf departments," Raza, who has been declared elected unopposed to the state Legislative Council, alleged.

Addressing a BJP workers' meeting here, he accused Khan of grabbing the department's land and misappropriating funds for madrasas.

Hitting out at the previous Samajwadi Party government, Raza accused it of "doing nothing for the development of the madrasas in the state".

Currently, Raza is the minister of state for science and technology, electronics, information technology, Muslim Waqf and Haj.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Brian Blanco/Getty Images(TAMPA, Fla.) -- Hurricane Irma is so strong that it is pulling water away from coastlines, an unusual phenomenon taking place in certain areas of Florida's west coast.



Irma's powerful winds first blow offshore, essentially sucking the water away from the coast.



The winds pulled water out of the Tampa Bay and into the Gulf of Mexico. Portions of the bay that had been filled with water Sunday morning were empty by the afternoon.



Tampa's Office of Emergency Management tweeted a photo of people walking on Tampa Bay, which it said "is very low due to the storm."



"It is dangerous to be walking out there," according to a Tampa city official.

Tampa resident Tim Scheu posted a video of his dogs playing on the bay's shallow water. "Now an effective dog park," he wrote.

#Tampa bay now an effective dog park as we wait for #irma. With @CityofTampa parks closed ahead of storm, this is the best we've got. pic.twitter.com/Op3FADmL3V  Tim Scheu (@scheuster) September 10, 2017

"With @CityofTampa parks closed ahead of storm, this is the best we've got," Scheu wrote.



The shallow waters in the Gulf of Mexico also play a factor, allowing the water to move more easily.



In Naples, Florida, the water on Vanderbilt Beach recessed significantly into the Gulf of Mexico.



As the hurricane moves north and the wind directions change, the water will start to rush back in and storm surge flooding will occur.

The phenomenon occurred on the Bahamas' Long Island, where residents took to social media to express shock that the ocean water appeared to be "missing."

I am in disbelief right now... This is Long Island, Bahamas and the ocean water is missing!!! That's as far as they see #HurricaneIrma wtf pic.twitter.com/AhPAonjO6s  #ForeverFlourish (@Kaydi_K) September 9, 2017

The receding shoreline didn't apply to just ocean water. Water on the island's Salt Pond appeared to be missing as well.

Water receded in Salt Pond Long Island Bahamas yesterday evening. #SendItTo7 #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/ljuTVCams2  Victoria Wells (@Vick_Savalitta) September 9, 2017

The water had returned to Long Island by Saturday, The Washington Post reported.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state is putting all civilians at risk with tens of thousands of people uprooted from their homes, the UN said today.

"Humanitarian activities in Rakhine have either been suspended or severely interrupted, resulting in 170,000 people not receiving the food they usually receive and 15,000 people not receiving their primary health care," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, told reporters at his daily briefing.

According to him, the Myanmar government has said that all 3,500 Muslims living in three camps in the Rathedaung township have left the site and are now believed to be heading to the Bangladesh border.

Violence in Myanmar's northern Rakhine State is putting all civilians at risk, with tens of thousands of people having been uprooted from their homes in the area, Dujarric said.

As of September 10, 313,000 people -- mostly women and children -- who left Rakhine since 25 August, have arrived in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh.

"There is no indication that the pace of these arrivals is slowing," Dujarric said.

The UN and its partners are helping the Bangladeshi government and the local community to respond to the situation by providing food, shelter, healthcare and water, among other means of support.

Noting that the UN and the Bangladesh government are also urgently looking at solutions to allocate land to accommodate the new arrivals, Dujarric said the scale and speed of the influx of people from Myanmar has overwhelmed the capacity on the ground and additional resources are needed.

Aid agencies have prepared a preliminary response plan of USD 77million to deliver urgent, life-saving assistance to over 300,000 new arrivals, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said Swami Vivekananda's slogan of oneness in his historic Chicago speech was as relevant today as it was in 1893 and should be the charter for the way forward in what she described as today's atmosphere of intolerance and hate.

Hailing Vivekananda on the 125th year of his address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, she said his message that sectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism had possessed the earth was still as relevant.

"While promoting the idea of the oneness of all religions, Swamiji promoted with equal zeal the idea of the equality of all human beings," she said.

Recalling that Vivekananda spoke of both tolerance and universal acceptance in his 1893 address, she said, "Today, more than ever, we are engulfed with the same challenges of prejudices which Swamiji spoke about".

"In today's atmosphere of intolerance and hate, Swamiji's message should be the Magna Carta for the way forward," she said in a message on the occasion.

The Congress president said she hoped his inspiring thoughts would continue to guide everybody, especially the country's youth.

"His clarion call -- 'Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached!' - was at once a call to spiritual as well as political liberation," Gandhi said.

Paying homage to the spiritual leader, she added that he went to Chicago in 1893 to attend the world parliament as a representative of Hinduism and India where he eloquently quoted from the 'Bhagvad Gita', saying, "Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair".

She described this "universal" message as "time- invariant".

"It is as relevant today as it was over 124 years ago," Gandhi said.

The Congress leader said the Chicago address was a proud moment in India's history and it heralded the arrival of one of India's greatest spiritual leaders on the world stage.

"It is a deep honour for all Indians to remember the enlightened words and offer homage to this great noble son of India, who by his words and his work inspired millions of people in our country as well as in the entire world," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights will support the campaign to build a violence-free environment for children, its Chairperson Ananya Chakraborti said today.

"Violence against children affects the child's well-being and in many cases, it could leave a permanent scar in the child's life," Chakraborti said at the 'World Vision India' campaign to 'End Child Sexual Abuse by 2021.'



The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights will be part of the initiative by World Vision India, she said on the sidelines of the programme.

"We have been working to encourage the public and the civil societies to be vigilant on instances of child abuse and help to build a violence-free environment for children by collectively addressing the issue with all stakeholders," Chakraborti said.

World Vision India campaign officer Anangadev Singh said a safe and caring environment for children is a critical part and everybody need to work towards it.

The campaign tagline, 'It Takes Every Indian to End Child Sexual Abuse' is aimed at reaching out to 5 million children across 25 states and one Union Territory.

The campaign will also focus on strengthening existing child protection programmes through multi-stakeholder engagement efforts that will include working with the Integrated Child Protection Scheme and child protection units to strengthen the reporting, referral mechanisms and support programmes for child protection incidents, organizing inter-agency child protection review to ensure co-operation and accountability, sensitise and train police, teachers, doctors among others.

The World Vision works in around 100 countries and have been in India since 1962.

Over 6,200 urban, rural and tribal communities spread over 191 districts across different states come under the organisation's activities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The West Bengal government will soon set up a search committee to select the next Vice Chancellor of Aliah University, Higher Education minister, Partha Chatterjee said today.

"With the tenure of the existing VC Prof Abu T Khan to end soon, we will shortly form a search committee to appoint the next VC," Chatterjee told reporters after launching a webportal for online application of scholarship under Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship by Higher Education department at 'Bikash Bhavan' here.

To a question about complaints made against the VC by some students of the university, Chatterjee said, "Yes we received some complaints and these are being looked into."



Referring to the scholarship portal, Chatterjee said, "This Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship has been launched so that deserving students don't face any delay in getting scholarship after clicking on the links of the portal."



"Merit and combined annual family income under the limit of Rs 2.5 lakh will be two eligibility factors for getting the scholarship," he said.

Chatterjee also called upon the student community to emulate the ideals of Swami Vivekananda and referred to the occasion of his historic address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, on this day 125 years back.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India is committed to eliminating tuberculosis (TB) by 2025, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) which is ready to help the country achieve the target by developing strategies in collaboration with the government to fight the deadly disease.

The World Health body has called on countries in South- East Asia Region to build on recent momentum aimed at ending TB by 2030, commending their resolve to take action and urging all countries to review and align national plans with the Delhi Call to Action issued in March.

"India is making commitments now, like we are talking about TB elimination in 2030, Maldives I think will be able to achieve it by 2020. India has announced they will be able to achieve it by 2025. So we are there to support our countries in achieving the targets they make for themselves," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South- East Asia.

It is estimated that India had 28 lakh tuberculosis cases in 2015 and 4.8 lakh people died due to the disease during the year, according to the WHO Global TB Report.

"India has a high burden of TB. There are large numbers in India which also compound the problem. The Prime Minister has announced that India will be able to eliminate TB and the government is working hard to address the problem," Singh said.

Asked whether India can achieve the set target as the country has a high prevalence of the disease, Singh said, "WHO will help India to try to see that this goal is achieved and we are trying our best to see how we can develop strategies with the government and to address this problem which is prevalent in India."



"The Region-wide momentum established to 'bend the curve' and end TB by 2030 is laudable. The Delhi Call for Action, issued by health ministers in March, demonstrates high-level awareness that business as usual is not enough, and that intensified efforts are needed. We have reached a critical consensus; the pressing need now is to translate commitment into action," Singh said.

According to WHO, across the region, TB remains the largest cause of death and suffering due to any communicable disease among the most productive age groups.

Although the region accounts for about one quarter of the world's population, it has nearly half the number of new TB cases and close to 40 per cent of TB deaths globally, WHO said.

In recognition of TB's outsized burden, accelerating progress towards the 2030 target - which requires a 90 per cent reduction in TB deaths and 80 per cent decrease in TB incidence - is now one of WHO South-East Asia Region's Flagship Priority Areas of work, Singh added.

As a critical first step in implementing recent commitments, Singh emphasised the need for countries to align national plans with the 2030 target.

"By reviewing and amending national TB plans countries will enhance their ability to mobilise and utilise resources efficiently. Good planning is key to establishing the foundations for success," she said.

The Regional Director also highlighted the need for countries to identify the package of interventions best suited to their challenges, whether that means focusing on strengthening TB services, accelerating case detection or investing in research and development.

"All countries face unique challenges, meaning they should each adapt the regional and global strategies to their context. We must avoid taking one-size-fits-all approach, and must instead seek-out and embrace tailored solutions that meet specific needs and challenges," Singh said.

She affirmed WHO South-East Asia Region's ongoing commitment to supporting countries implement the Delhi Call for Action, including by implementing mandatory case notification and working with regulatory authorities to introduce newer drugs for the treatment of drug-resistant TB.

She also reiterated WHO's continued support for the provision of universal Drug susceptibility testing (DST)- guided treatment, for addressing MDR-TB and TB in immunocompromised patients, and for increased focus on the social aspects of TB.

"By planning effectively and making smart, high-impact interventions, countries across the South-East Asia Region can lift TB's significant burden and end the disease as a public health threat once and for all," Singh said.

'Bending the curve' and ending TB was a key agenda item at the Seventieth session of the Regional Committee which concluded yesterday in Maldives.

The Regional Committee is the highest decision-making body for public health in the South-East Asia Region, and includes health ministers and senior health ministry officials of the region's 11 Member countries - India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- IndusInd Bank Ltd said on Monday it would enter into exclusive talks with Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd to pursue a potential merger between the two financial firms.

"The Exclusivity Agreement provides for a mutually agreed exclusivity period for due diligence and discussions to evaluate a potential strategic combination between the company and BFIL (Bharat Financial)," IndusInd Bank said in a filing to exchanges.

IndisInd did not provide further details regarding the talks, including whether there was a deadline.

For filing. (http://bit.ly/2xV7t8K)

(Reporting by Jessica Kuruthukulangara in Bengaluru; Editing by Rafael Nam)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A new malware has been detected in India which steals money through victims' mobile phones, cyber security firm Kaspersky said in a report.

Around 40 per cent of target of the malware has been detected in India.

"Kaspersky Lab experts have uncovered a mobile malware targeting the WAP billing payment method, stealing money through victims' mobile accounts without their knowledge," the report said.

is disguised as useful apps like BatteryMaster and operates normally. The trojan secretly loads malicious code onto the device.

Once the app is activated, the Xafecopy malware clicks on web pages with Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) billing - a form of mobile payment that charges costs directly to the user's mo bile phone bill. After this the malware silently subscribes the phone to a number of services, the report said.

The process also does not require user to register a debit or credit card or set up a user-name and password.

The malware uses to bypass 'captcha' systems designed to protect users by confirming the action is being performed by a human. In the captcha system, websites show a set of some letter or numbers which are required to be manually filled by the user.

"Xafecopy hit more than 4,800 users in 47 countries within the space of a month, with 37.5 per cent of the attacks detected and blocked by Kaspersky Lab products targeting India, followed by Russia, Turkey and Mexico," the report said.

Experts at Kaspersky Lab have found traces showing that cyber criminals gang promulgating other trojans are sharing malware code among themselves.

"Our research suggests WAP billing attacks are on the rise. Xafecopy's attacks targeted countries where this payment method is popular. The malware has also been detected with different modifications, such as the ability to text messages from a mobile device to premium-rate phone numbers, and to delete incoming text messages to hide alerts from mobile network operators about stolen money," Kaspersky Lab Senior Malware Analyst Roman Unuchek said.

Kaspersky Lab, Managing Director- South Asia, Altaf Halde said that Android users need to be extremely cautious in how they download apps.

"It is best not to trust third-party apps, and whatever apps users do download should be scanned locally with the Verify Apps utility. But beyond that, Android users should be running a mobile security suite on their devices.
With floodwaters at four feet and rising, a family in Houston , Texas abandoned their possessions and scrambled to their roof during Hurricane Harvey to sit with their pets and await rescue. Unable to reach first responders through 911 and with no one visible nearby, they used their cellphones to send out a call for help through a social media application called Nextdoor

Within an hour a neighbor arrived in an empty canoe large enough to carry the family and their pets to safety. Thanks to a collaboration with Nextdoor, we learned of this and hundreds of similar rescues across Harveys path.
BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday asked the youth of Gujarat not to fall prey to the anti-BJP propaganda being mounted by the Congress on social media. Shah's statement came at a time when messages critical of the 'Gujarat model of development' under the BJP rule in the poll-bound state were being circulated on social media. During his interaction with youths at 'Yuva Townhall', Shah also came down heavily on the Congress and its vice president Rahul Gandhi, who had recently visited the city and questioned the BJP over its development claims.

Replying to questions, Shah touched upon issues such as implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), unemployment and demonetisation, and claimed that the Narendra Modi government has brought in substantial change during its three-year rule.

"I appeal to the youth not to blindly believe the anti-BJP propaganda being spread on WhatsApp and Facebook. Before making any judgement, you need to do analysis of what was Gujarat before the BJP came to power and what is the situation today," said Shah.

"This propaganda is largely spread by our opponent Congress," the BJP president claimed.

Responding to a question about the BJP government's achievements in Gujarat, Shah shared several figures about growth in agriculture sector, increase in per capita income, rise in the size of state budget, increase in the number of universities and several other parameters to prove his point that significant development took place after 1995.

The BJP first came to power in Gujarat in 1995.

"I want you to apply your mind before believing what is being circulated in WhatsApp. Just compare what kind of development took place before the BJP came to power and afterwards. These figures will clearly tell you that it was the BJP which did development," claimed Shah.

He added that these figures related to the development in Gujarat will be uploaded on the BJP's website so that youths can circulate it on social media to counter the propaganda.

"Before 1995, when the Congress was in power, curfew and communal riots were rampant. Even the 'Rath Yatra' was attacked. Power cut of 10 to 15 hours was normal in rural parts of state during the Congress rule. But today, every part of the state is getting 24-hour uninterrupted power supply," Shah said.

"Rahulbaba (Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi) recently came here and raised question about development. I want to tell him that the venue of his event, the Sabarmati Riverfront, was nothing short of a pit of dirty water when the Congress was in power. Today, it is considered as the best riverfront in the world," the BJP chief added.

]"Gujarat's per capita income was just Rs 13,665 before 1995. Today, it is Rs 1.41 lakh. Is this not development Rahulbaba?" asked Shah, adding that the people of Gujarat should not get carried away by the false claims of the Congress and its leaders.

Responding to a question related to the BJP's approach towards creating more employment, Shah said the method of calculating employment in the country needed to be changed.

"I believe that employment should not be linked only with jobs. You can't give jobs to 125 crore citizens. Employment should also mean self employment, start-ups or starting a small business. Thus, the method of calculating the employment generation, which solely takes into account job creation, should undergo change," the BJP chief said.

Responding to a question on the GST and its benefits, Shah said the BJP government at the Centre was trying its best to make it more trader-friendly.

"We know that some (traders) are facing difficulties due to GST. But, the government is aware about it and understand your problem. The GST Council can always change the rules. Our aim is to make GST trader-friendly," he said.

Responding to a question on demonetisation and its success, especially when the RBI has declared that almost 99 per cent notes have came back, Shah said the exercise was aimed at pushing the country's economy forward by increasing the number of tax payers.

"The RBI has declared that around 99 per cent notes have came back. But, did anyone asked the RBI how much were there in the past? Earlier, only 80 per cent currency notes were in the system, as 20 per cent notes used to remain with corrupt people, be it politicians or officers. Now, all these notes are back in the system," said Shah.

"Prior to demonetisation, only 3.6 crore people used to pay income tax. But now, it has risen to 6.3 crore. This shows that people are becoming honest. It is very easy to criticise something. But, demonetisation was an attempt to boost the country's economy by increasing the number of tax payers," he said.

Over one lakh youths sitting in 312 different locations across Gujarat saw the event live while some of them even asked questions through video-conferencing.
Indian Railways' catering services, which is infamous for its food and hygiene, was told to stop asking for tips from passengers. The newly-appointed Railway Minister Piyush Goyal also set a 48-hour deadline.

According to a report in The Indian Express, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has called for overcharging of food items in trains be stopped. "Letters have gone out to all zonal railway units across the country, asking them to ensure that the practice is stopped with immediate effect," the report said.

This will be the first time that a deadline has been set by the Railway Minister on the issue of overcharging of various Railways' services. Also, the issue of catering staff asking for tips was never taken up at this level.

After Goyal's orders and the ministry's directive, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has promptly contacted its catering contractors to convey an ultimatum. Violation will invite heavy penalty, the report said.

IRCTC's catering inspectors are expected to inspect trains to find malpractices prevalent in trains. Indian Railways may also keep a tab on social media posts from passengers about complaining either overcharging or tips.

Railways also put out a chart outlining prices of various food items and beverages.
Automakers such as Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, JLR and Mahindra & Mahindra plan to pass on to consumers the increase in cess of 5-7 per cent on big cars and SUVs following the GST Council's decision on Saturday.

Luxury carmakers said the constant changes in rates could lead to market instability and affect demand growth trends, expressing disappointment over the move. However, some of them heaved a sigh of relief as the hike in the cess was kept below the 10 to 25 per cent range which was within the GST Council's powers.

Mercedes-Benz India MD and CEO Roland Folger said: "With this increase in cess now, the prices are bound to leap back to the pre-GST regime, in some cases higher than the pre-GST regime, thus negating altogether the benefits of GST regime." "The decision to increase the cess yet again is very unfortunate and totally overlooks the contribution we make to the industry and the economy," he claimed.

Though the luxury car industry's volume contribution is very low, the value-wise share is much higher and that has immense potential to grow even more in future if there is fair taxation, he added. "We note the increase in the cess from 2-7 per cent on mid, large- sized cars and SUVs. We see the prices of our products going up proportionately, which may nearly reflect the pre-GST scenario. However, we are ascertaining the real price impact on our models, given the cess hike,'' Toyota Kirloskar Motor vicechairman and whole-time director Shekar Viswanathan said in a statement.

These constant changes could lead to market instability and thus dampen the spirits of the industry across the entire value chain, Viswanathan added.

Mahindra and Mahindra MD Pawan Goenka said: "We are awaiting the exact definition of the categories. Whatever is the impact of the increased cess will reflect in the revised pricing from the effective date."

Goenka also said, "We are grateful that the Council has very thoughtfully not raised the cess to the maximum level that had been enabled by the ordinance."

According to BMW Group India President Vikram Pawah, while the company welcomes the implementation of the GST in India, immediate changes and increase of motor vehicles cess adversely affect stability and growth of the automotive industry in India.

Reacting to the hike in cess, Audi India Head Rahil Ansari said: The prices will go up again, which is disappointing. We will need to study the impact of this hike on the buyer sentiment.

He further said the taxes on the auto industry are already very high and we expected the unfulfilled potential of this segment to increase after the implementation of GST and rationalisation of taxes. Jaguar Land Rover India President and MD Rohit Suri said, "While the increase in cess will impact consumer demand, investment and job creation, we are glad that the government and the GST Council took note of our concerns and somewhat moderated the increase in cess."

Under the new rates, popular mid-sized cars like Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz petrol and the newly launched Hyundai Verna will see price increase by 2 per cent. Similarly, luxury cars such as BMW 3, 5 and 7 series, Audi A3, A4, A6 and A8 along with Mercedes C Class, E Class and S Class will now get more expensive by 5 per cent.

SUVs, starting from Scorpio and XUV500 from the stable of Mahindra and Mahindra, Renault Duster, Toyota Fortuner to luxury ones like Land Rover Discovery, Audi Q3, Q5 and Q7, BMW X3 and X5, along with Mercedes GLA, GLC and GLS will all see prices going up by 7 per cent. In the earlier approved rates, large cars with engine greater than 1,500 cc and SUVs with length more than 4 metres and engine greater than 1,500 cc attracted a cess of 15 per cent.
After a six-month lull in new high-end smartphones hitting the market, consumers have plenty of reasons to cheer this festive season with at least four premium models - iPhone 8, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Nokia 8 and Google Pixel 2 - likely to be launched over the next month.

"There have not been any big launches in this Rs 30,000-plus category since Samsung brought out its S8 model in March. With the festive line-up looking very exciting, there is buoyancy in the segment again," said Croma chief marketing officer, Ritesh Ghosal.

This festive season will be the most competitive one as far as the premium segment is concerned, according to Tarun Pathak, associate director at Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research. Samsung and Apple, the biggest names in the business and lifestyle category, are both set to launch their latest creations on Tuesday. The iPhone 8 will be released alongside the iPhone 8 Plus and the tenth anniversary model, reportedly called iPhone X.

The base model is estimated to cost upwards of Rs 65,000. MEANWHILE, Samsung is launching the Galaxy Note 8 in India in 64GB and 128GB variants. The base storage model is expected to be priced above Rs 65,000. "It's an Apple vs Samsung game in India's premium segment. Together, these brands command over 80 per cent of the market share," said IDC senior market analyst Jaipal Singh.

They have been competing neck-to-neck for the past few quarters, he added. However, the new launch will be an acid test for the South Korean brand after its Galaxy Note 7 disaster. The line, launched in August 2016, had to be junked after users complaints about phone battery explosions poured in. The sales of iPhone 7, launched a month later, reinstated Apple as the world's top smartphone seller in the October-December quarter of 2016, according to some reports.

Google is expected to come out with its Pixel 2 by September-end. While the previous model was criticised for the hefty price tag given its specifications, the 64 GB variant of the new model is reported to cost Rs 61,999. Nokia 8, the brand's flagship Android smartphone, is expected to go on sale in late September or early October with an expected price tag of Rs 39,999. "In the past 12 months, the only big launch was that of Samsung S8," pointed out Ghosal.

It's also a very different sort of a mix this year given that iPhone 7 was essentially the only attractive option for buyers around Diwali last year, he added. "The Samsung Note 7 did not work for the market and had to be pulled off the shelves,'' Ghosal said. Google Pixel, which made its debut last year, is a growing franchise with bigger expectations from it this year," he pointed out. While the high-end models are creating the buzz, it will be the mid-range phones that will be moving the overall market, according to IDC's Singh.

"A majority of the Indian buyers opt for phones priced below $200 (Rs 13,000). These launches are all priced above $500 (Rs 32,500). The mid-segment and lower midsegment where many of the Chinese brands operate bring more volumes," he added. The July-September quarter is expected to usher a record high in smartphone sales after two quarters of slowdown due to demonetisation and GST implementation.

"Along with Chinese smartphones looking to increase their presence in the affordable flagship segment, Q3 is all set to be a record quarter in terms of number of smartphone shipments," said Patha.

In association with Mail Today Bureau
A new malware Xafecopy Trojan has been detected in India which steals money through victims' mobile phones, cyber security firm Kaspersky said in a report.

Around 40 per cent of target of the malware has been detected in India.

"Kaspersky Lab experts have uncovered a mobile malware targeting the WAP billing payment method, stealing money through victims' mobile accounts without their knowledge," the report said.

Xafecopy Trojan is disguised as useful apps like BatteryMaster, and operates normally. The trojan secretly loads malicious code onto the device.

Once the app is activated, the Xafecopy malware clicks on web pages with Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) billing - a form of mobile payment that charges costs directly to the user's mobile phone bill. After this the malware silently subscribes the phone to a number of services, the report said.

The process also does not require user to register a debit or credit card or set up a user-name and password.

The malware uses technology to bypass 'captcha' systems designed to protect users by confirming the action is being performed by a human. In the captcha system, websites show a set of some letter or numbers which are required to be manually filled by the user.

"Xafecopy hit more than 4,800 users in 47 countries within the space of a month, with 37.5 per cent of the attacks detected and blocked by Kaspersky Lab products targeting India, followed by Russia, Turkey and Mexico," the report said.

Experts at Kaspersky Lab have found traces showing that cyber criminals gang promulgating other trojans are sharing malware code among themselves.

"Our research suggests WAP billing attacks are on the rise. Xafecopy's attacks targeted countries where this payment method is popular. The malware has also been detected with different modifications, such as the ability to text messages from a mobile device to premium-rate phone numbers, and to delete incoming text messages to hide alerts from mobile network operators about stolen money," Kaspersky Lab Senior Malware Analyst Roman Unuchek said.

Kaspersky Lab, Managing Director- South Asia, Altaf Halde said that Android users need to be extremely cautious in how they download apps.

"It is best not to trust third-party apps, and whatever apps users do download should be scanned locally with the Verify Apps utility. But beyond that, Android users should be running a mobile security suite on their devices."
Salt Lake Tribune columnist Robert Gehrke recently upset some Wellsville residents and some elsewhere in Cache Valley. His column concerned a Wellsville Founders Day tradition- the Sham Battle  that was held again this past Labor Day. <a href=http://www.sltrib.com/news/2017/09/06/gehrke-historically-inaccurate-and-wildly-offensive-a-utah-town-should-end-its-annual-sham-battle-between-cowboys-and-indians/ target=_blank>He wrote</a> that the re-creation is historically inaccurate and wildly offensive as it highlights a Cowboy versus Indian battle.

Videos and photos of the event have been making the rounds which depicts residents dressed up in Native American garb with red and black war paint smeared on their bodies. The annual event has been flagged by some as being insensitive to native Americans.

On KVNUs For the People program on Friday, one caller said its not Wellsville trying to re-write history but merely a portrayal of what is meant to be a mock battle that the settlers participated in to sharpen their readiness in case there was a real attack. Later in the hour Gehrke called into the program. He said the response to his column has been mostly positive but there has been some negative as well.

Theres been some of that. I think people are sensitive to itthey dont like to be criticized for things that theyve done for generations and generations. But I think by and large, Id say probably five to one, its been positive including Wellsville residents who reached out and said Im glad youre finally bringing this up. Its gone on for too long and it needs to be addressed, explained Gehrke.

The columnist said he has learned that Wellsville City officials do plan on addressing the controversy, perhaps this week, with a meeting with the Tribal Council of the Northwest Band of the Shoshone Nation.
His dual expertise in the fields of finance and law would be very vital in the new five-man team of FECAFOOTs normalisation committee. The Diamare native holds a PhD in Economic Sciences and is equally a 3rd cycle PhD holder in Management Science.

ADS

The scholar who is in his early 50s is also a magistrate of the Audit Bench of the Supreme Court and has been lecturer in the University of Yaounde II since 1994. Dr Oumarou Abdou has attended some of the finest schools in the country and abroad like the International Monetary Fund school in Washington.

Member of the ruling CPDM party since 1985, Dr Oumarou Abdou was treasurer of the 14th Sub-section of CPDM in Yaounde from 2002-2007 and is equally member of the CPDM Permanent Divisional Delegation to Diamare. The experience acquired in the different posts of responsibilities he has occupied would be vital. Fluent in English, French and Arabic, Dr Oumarou Abdous aptitude would go a long way to put in place the appropriate statutes for a better FECAFOOT.

ADS
| BY Ricki Green |

Its not just the copious amount of sweet lady caffeine keeping the Bring-Yo team up at night. Its also the 5 billion un-recyclable coffee cups that go to landfill every year. Thats 27 single-use paper cups every second in Australia alone. So the team has built Bring-Yo, a totally free map-based app connecting coffee drinkers to awesome cafes with discounts for reusable cups via V.I. Melbourne.

With Bring-Yo people can use a map search to find and compare cafes near them that offer a discount.

Cafes can list any discount they like and build a profile including description and gallery for users to browse, compare and salivate.

Says Chris Winterton, founder, Bring-Yo: Theres a massive audience of coffee drinkers for whom the altruistic benefits of being a good human are just not motivating enough to form a habit.

Bashing them over the head with doom and gloom figures is like throwing uncooked spaghetti against the wall  it just wont stick. So we created an un-preachy brand built on a fun user experience and most importantly, the motivation to save money.

Proudly built by agency V.I. in Melbourne, the centre of the modern coffee universe (at least according to Melbournians), its fitting that the app will encourage cafes to lead the cultural shift away from the throwaway cup. Having total control of their listing means the smartest cafes will be able to play around with discount amounts and experiment with short-term flash discounts and free coffees in order to win the hearts of bean chasers.

Client  Bring-Yo

Agency  V.I.

Chris Winterton  Creative Director

Kyle Redpath  Agency Principal

Kieren Redpath  Agency Principal

Chris Beyer  Chief Technical Officer

Cam Hegarty  Senior Front-end Developer

Jerry Chai  Senior Back-end Developer

Vitalie Sofanov  Senior Back-end Developer

Charle Linford  Back-end Developer

Cameron Fry  Front-end Developer
| BY Ricki Green |

A $1 million study by leading independent marketing analytics firm Ebiquity has found that TV is the most efficient media channel when indexed across key participants from four of the economys biggest sectors: Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Automotive, Finance and E-Commerce.

Ebiquity, which was commissioned by ThinkTV in 2016 to carry out the Payback Australia study, was given three years worth of raw sales and campaign data by 21 advertisers with a collective spend of over $500 million in 2016. Ebiquity then used econometric modelling to generate a series of findings, including:

 Medias investment paid back for all four sectors, generating an average sales ROI of $1.30 for every dollar invested by FMCG participants, $5.90 for Automotive, $1.80 for E-Commerce and $2 for Finance participants.

 TV emerged as the most efficient media channel, delivering almost twice the sales uplift relative to media spend than Search and Radio, and circa five times more sales uplift relative to media spend than Out-of-Home, Online Video and Online Display Media.

 TV has the strongest retention rate (the prolonged or lagged effect of advertising on consumer purchase behavior) of all media, followed by Out-of-Home, Print, Online Display, Radio, Search and Online Video in that order, with TVs retention rate, at 68%, almost twice as high as Out-of-Home, at 36%.

 TV generated by far the greatest return on investment by sales in FMCG, Automotive and Finance but trailed other media in the E-Commerce category  where Search proved to be a critical sales component.

 Ebiquity concluded that participants in the Finance category had over-invested in Online Display on average, which was a large part of their combined media spend but which generated the lowest ROI.

 Online Video however, successfully paid back in the Finance category, generating $1.10 of sales uplift for every dollar invested.

Ebiquitys results, which will be unveiled in full by Richard Basil-Jones, managing director of Ebiquity  Asia Pacific, at ReThinkTV in Sydney on September 14, provide unprecedented quantitative insights into the effectiveness of Australian businesses $15 billion-plus annual media spend.

Says Basil-Jones: We know from the World Federation of Advertisers survey earlier this year that one of the most pressing issues for CMOs is the ability to measure business outcomes in an increasingly complex and fragmenting media and marketing landscape.

The results of Payback Australia are designed to meet those needs. ROI is a critical measure for advertisers and although it varies by sector, the order of efficiency by media channel is similar. On aggregate TV emerges as the clear winner across all of industry, which is a testament to its enduring power for brands.

The E-Commerce category showed the importance of Search as a key driver of sales. This reflects the pure-play online nature of the businesses we measured. However, it is important to highlight the role that advertising plays in driving traffic to the Search platform itself, as a major business you cannot live on Search alone and TV is the most effective media to support Search.

Says Kim Portrate, chief executive of ThinkTV: Marketers are hunting growth in challenging conditions and media continues to be a significant contributor to sales, with ROI one of the crucial ways to measure business success.

These results provide empirical evidence that todays TV is not only the most effective media  making advertisers more money than any other media overall  it is also the most efficient with the strongest retention rate of any media.

We launched the landmark Payback Australia study last year at our inaugural ReThinkTV event and we look forward to Richard giving us the All-of-Industry report on September 14 in Sydney.

The first wave of Payback, which took raw data from advertisers including Unilever, Pfizer, Kimberly-Clark, Lindt, Goodman Fielder, Sanitarium and McCain, showed that TV creates by far the best return on investment for FMCG brands in Australia, easily beating online video, online display, radio, press, and outdoor advertising. Every $1 invested in TV advertising generated a return of $1.74 and TV was the only media in the study that generated a positive revenue ROI for the nine participating brands.

The second wave, featuring four automotive brands, found that TV delivered almost twice the ROI as the nearest competitor, Radio, and almost three times as much as the next, Search, with every dollar invested in TV advertising generating a sales return of $8.90, also beating Online Display and Out-of-Home.
| BY Ricki Green |

Cummins&Partners, Melbourne has teamed up with Movember Foundation to globally release a series of online videos to raise awareness of mens mental health in the lead up to World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.

Disguised as how-to videos  where a man takes the viewer through simple tasks such as Make a soda can fishing rod and Never run out of a gas again with this simple trick  each video demonstrates the importance of taking the initiative to ask men how they are doing, and not just assuming everything is O.K.

For the full experience, view the videos on Facebook without sound.

While the video subtitles appear to mirror the mens actions, when the viewer is prompted to un-mute, theyll hear a completely different story that shows the hidden message about men who are beginning to show signs they are struggling.

Research has shown that whilst 70% of men say they are there for their friends when they need support, only 48% are prepared to go to someone when theyre struggling themselves  bringing to life the need for those around men to take themselves off mute and start the conversation.

Says Doogie Chapman, creative director, Cummins&Partners: Mens mental health is an important topic worthy of everyones best efforts. We are constantly looking for ways to inspire these much needed conversations amongst men, and the response to-date has been extremely gratifying and generous.

Since its release, the campaign has been shared across global publications, media and blogs including Huffington Post, Mashable, TripleM, Nova and The Daily Mail, with a steady stream of social support.

The Movember Foundations suicide prevention campaign is a key strategic component of their goal to reduce the rate of male suicides by 25%, and ultimately, the number of men dying prematurely by 25%, by 2030.

To learn more about how you can help the men in your life open up and to view and share the Unmute  Ask him videos visit www.movember.com/iwanttoask.

Client: Movember Foundation

Production Company: Revolver/Will ORourke

Director: The Glue Societys Paul Bruty

Managing Director/Executive Producer: Michael Ritchie

Executive Producer/Head of Project: Josh Mullens

Producer: Jasmin Helliar & Isabella Vitelli

Director of Photography: Jason White

Post Production: The Glue Society Studios

Editor: The Glue Societys Luke Crethar

Colourist/Online Editor: Scott Stirling

Sound House: Otis Studios

Agency: Cummins&Partners Melbourne

Creative Director: Doogie Chapman

Senior Art Director: Connor Beaver

Copywriter: Adam Slater

Head of Broadcast: Chris Moore

Strategy Director, Connection: Johnny Corpuz

Senior Integration Manager: Lauren Peat

Digital Strategist: Zac Martin

Digital Planning Manager: Georgia Pedersen
| BY Lynchy |

MullenLowe Malaysia has hired former Saatchi & Saatchi Malaysia CEO Adrian Sng as their new Managing Director. Sng replaces former MD Mazuin Zin who has decided to step down from her role to pursue other opportunities within the industry.

Sng (pictured left) brings with him rich leadership experience having worked at leading international agency brands such as Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, BBDO and most recently Saatchi & Saatchi Malaysia. He reports to Vincent Digonnet, APAC CEO, MullenLowe Group.

I am very pleased and privileged to have this opportunity to build on Mazuins achievements, said Sng. She has a great team and built an expanded capability and client base which puts us in a strong position for further growth. I am excited by the vision of MullenLowe Group working within Malaysia and the wider region to deliver exceptional client outcomes.

Mazuin says: I am both proud and sad at the same time to leave this business and my team. The great work the team has done ensures that MullenLowe Malaysia is in a rock solid position to continue its trajectory in the very capable hands of Adrian. I feel confident that MullenLowe Group will continue to be an important partner for their clients in Malaysia.
Canberra Business Chamber chief executive officer Robyn Hendry said retail growth, while positive, had to be seen within the context of the last few years. It had taken a number of years to build consumer and business confidence up after a period of uncertainty.
Diner en Blanc started in France more than 20 years ago, and has been held all over the world since. It was introduced in Canberra 2013 as part of the Enlighten festival, and ran in both 2013 and 2014. In 2014 it famously got rained out and was forced to move indoors to the Canberra Centre. It didn't go ahead in 2015 after the ACT government pulled its funding.
That may well be so, but you only need to draw parallels with the financial services industry to see what can happen. Over the past four years, we have seen an overhaul of an industry that was corrupted by a commission culture, where customers did not get the best advice for their circumstance. Instead, those giving advice were in the pay of companies that provided commissions  not the best investment for the customer but the best pay-off for the financial adviser.
THIS WEEK IN CAPE BRETON: Raising the peace flag, reviewing future plans for Centre 200 and more

SYDNEY  During a time of conflict around the world and with racial tensions on the rise in many parts, its clear there are those who want to find a bright, positive light wherever they can. Over the next several days, the YMCA of Cape Breton will ...
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.
The Chinese government has confirmed it is investigating a ban on the production and sales of diesel and petrol-powered vehicles.



Speaking to the countrys official news agency Xinhua, vice minister of industry Xin Guobin said that research was underway to ban traditionally-powered vehicles but said no decision has been made on the timeline of the ban.

Those measures will certainly bring profound changes for our car industrys development, he said.

China is the worlds largest car market and a ban on the production and sale of petrol and diesel vehicles in the country would likely deal a fatal blow to vehicles with internal combustion engines.

The likes of France and the UK will ban sales of diesel and petrol vehicles by 2040 and China has previously said that it hopes all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids will account for at least one-fifth of all vehicle sales by 2025, the BBC reports.

PHOTO GALLERY
Hurricane Harvey is thought to have destroyed about 500,000 cars in Texas and it hasnt taken long for some residents to pick up new wheels, much to the delight of local dealerships.



Chairman of the Houston Automotive Dealers Association, Steven Wolf told AutoNews that dealers are experiencing burgeoning sales as locals start to replace their vehicles. Wolf believes that sales at his Helfman Motors stores this month will be 40 to 50 per cent higher than they were in September 2016.

People have moved past the Oh, my God, what am I going to do? [stage] to Lets get a plan; we need to do this, this and this. At the top of the list, it is, Lets get a replacement vehicle, Wolf said.

Although dealerships will be pleased to see a sudden spike in sales, dealer inventories are low because of how many vehicles were lost in the hurricane. With this in mind, Wolf has urged friends to get replacement vehicles as soon as possible before inventories run out and theyre forced to order and wait for new vehicles.

Many car dealerships in Florida expect a similar flurry of new customers when Hurricane Irma passes through the state.

For example, local dealer Braman Motorcars said it was preparing a post-storm ad blitz.

Were going to hopefully see some of that business coming on the aftermath of the hurricane, said Bramans advertising and marketing manager Danny Bayard.

Were positioning our radio station and TV partners. As important as hurricane preparedness is for our staff, post-hurricane preparedness is just as important.
The first official images of Renaults 2018 Megane RS have emerged on the eve of the Frankfurt Motor Show where the French hot hatch will celebrate its world premiere.



Renault Sports more aggressive take on the standard Megane brings broader wheelarches with the front ones incorporating air vents, spoilered up bumpers on both ends and chunky rims with low profile performance tires.

Other distinguishing exterior features include the front bumpers lower light units that form a chequered flag motif and the prominent rear diffuser with a central mounted exhaust. Theres also a rather inconspicuous rear wing.

From the single interior photo we have we see that the RS gains a sporty steering wheel with a red marker at 12 oclock, body-hugging bucket seats and a combination of red trimmings and aluminum decor throughout.

While it was previously thought that the new Megane RS might get a 2.0-liter turbo mill, its now believed that it will use the use Alpines turbocharged 1.8-liter petrol instead, possibly producing around 300 horses. Renault has confirmed that it will offer both a six-speed manual gearbox and an automatic dual-clutch transmission driving the front wheels.

As with other sporty Megane models, the RS will get Renaults 4Control rear-wheel steering thats controlled by an electromagnetic actuator mounted on the rear axle fitted as standard.

Well have full details on Renaults Honda Civic Type R challenger on Tuesday. In the meantime, you can catch up on all the debuts taking place at the coverage of the Frankfurt Motor Show here.

Photo Gallery
Aimed at those looking to travel beyond the comfort of tarmac, the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure is getting ready to arrive at dealers this month.



Presented earlier this year during the 2017 Chicago Auto Show, the rugged version of the popular SUV will set its future buyers back at least $28,695, including the $995 destination charge, CarsDirect reports.

For the money, the automaker will sell you the front-wheel drive version of the RAV4 Adventure, with an automatic limited-slip differential. Choosing the all-wheel drive model means being ready to pay at least $29,395, before selecting any options from the list. The price tag puts it right between the XLE and SE trim levels.

Visually, the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure is instantly recognizable, with its Adventure badging, large overfender flares, lower body guards, black headlight bezels and fog lamp surrounds, roof racks, and 18-inch alloy wheels, wrapped in 235/55 tires.

The unique trim panels, special door sill protectors, all-weather floor and cargo mats with the Adventure logo, leather-wrapped shift knob, and 120V/100W power outlet in the cargo area make up its interior enhancements.

Compared to regular versions, it has an extra 0.4in (1cm) in ground clearance, plus the standard Tow Prep Package. Safety systems include Toyota Safety Sense P, Trailer Sway Control, Hill-Start Assist, Lane Departure Warning with Steering Assistant, Dynamic Cruise Control, and the Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection.

PHOTO GALLERY
Volkswagen Chairman Matthias Muller has used the Frankfurt Motor Show preview event to announce the company and its various brands will launch more than 80 electrified vehicles by 2025.



Muller declined to go into specifics but confirmed the Roadmap E will see the launch of around 50 battery-electric vehicles and nearly 30 plug-in hybrids. This will be a massive change and Volkswagen believes that approximately one in four of their vehicles could be electric-only by 2025. If this projection pans out, Volkswagen would be selling up to three million electric vehicles annually.

By 2030, the Volkswagen Group intends to have electrified its entire product lineup. As the company explained, every single model would have an electrified variant and that alone would result in around 300 eco-friendly models across the Groups brands.

The massive shift wont come cheap as Volkswagen is earmarking 20 ($23.9) billion toward the research, development, and support of e-mobility. This will cover the creation of two new electric vehicle platforms, plant upgrades, and building a charging infrastructure.

The costs dont stop there as Volkswagen says it will need 150 gigawatt hours of battery capacity annually, by 2025, for its own e-fleet alone. VW notes this is equivalent to at least four gigafactories and this has pushed the automaker to put out a procurement tender of over 50 ($59.7) billion.

Photo Gallery
Photo: Kate Bouey 'Santa' Rick Trehearne leads more than 200 bikers on the Santas Anonymous toy run.

Santa Claus led more than 200 bikers from Kal Lake lookout down Highway 97 at the south end of Vernon on Sunday at the start of the annual Santas Anonymous toy run.

The leather clad group had teddys, games and toys strapped to the motorcycles for the 29th annual event which puts presents under the tree for underprivileged kids at Christmas.

We distribute them year round, said Lyle Peterson who started the event almost 30 years ago. They'll go to the store and be distributed at Christmas.

The store on 29th Street in Vernon also takes donations of toys.

We do birthdays year round for needy kids too with new, gently used and refurbished stuff, said Rick 'Santa' Trehearne who sat in his red suit at the front of the cavalcade.

The riders left the lookout at noon and headed for Lumby.
Photo: Cecelia Louis-Ralston

The K Mountain wildfire near Keremeos remains at just under seven hectares and is being fought from the air.

The 6.9 hectare wildfire has continued to exhibit rank one and two behaviour, which is a crawling ground fire and growth is limited, according to Max Birkner, BC Wildfire Service fire information officer.

There were three aircrafts retrieving water from Osoyoos Lake to battle the blaze, Birkner said.

Fire crews are unable to access the K Mountain wildfire on the ground because it is burning in steep terrain.

"A large portion of the fire is burning in extremely steep terrain," Birkner said. "It is very steep so it may just remain not contained for now."
Photo: Castanet cam Vernon returned to a blue sky on Sunday.

The Ministry of Environment ended much of B.C.'s smoky skies bulletin on Sunday afternoon as rain and wind appeared to wash or blow away choking smoke from the province's wildfires.

The Okanagan was removed from the list as were the Similkameen, Shuswap, Thompson regions and part of the Kootenays.

Even the Cariboo, which has endured the worst wildfires of the fire season got some relief from the smoke.

"While some wildfires remain active in the region, the weather system that is moving through the Interior has significantly reduced the amount of smoke and improved air quality," said a bulletin released by Interior Health. "Local smoke may persist in areas close to active fires, and can vary widely as winds, fire behaviour and temperatures change."
Photo: CTV

Emergency crews are contemplating what they should do with a stretch limousine that crashed into a house in Surrey, Saturday morning.

There is extreme damage to a home after a limo crashed into just after 3:10 a.m., and the limo has yet to be removed says Sgt. David MacDonald, and it was still lodged in the building several hours later.

"It looks like the limousine is actually supporting the structure right now so there is a possibility that the house may collapse, or partially collapse, when it's removed," MacDonald told CTV News.

The collision has forced the occupants out of the home and to find a different place to live because of the extensive damage.

The driver of the limousine sustained injuries and was taken to hospital from the scene.

Police are now investigating what happened.

"We are going to be interviewing witnesses. We're looking for any video in the area and taking it from there to put everything together," MacDonald said.
Photo: Marissa Baecker

The Flames prospects doused the Canucks young guns, 6-2, on Sunday afternoon at the Young Stars Classic.

Both teams now have a 1-1 record through two games at the tournament.

The Flames opened the scoring, 4:22 in, with a goal from Spencer Foo who finished a nifty tic-tac-toe passing play.

The Flames would double their lead just 1:37 later, when Zach Fischer beat Canucks goalie Michael DiPietro over the blocker-side shoulder from a shot in close.

The Canucks got one back 9:24 into the opening period, as defenceman Aaron Irving let go a seeing-eye shot from the blue line that got through a screen and past Flamers goalie Nick Schneider.

The home-province team would knot things up at two, at 8:09 of the second, when Yan-Pavel Laplante got his stick behind Schneider in the Flames crease and tipped in a pass from Mackenzie Stewart. Laplante had hit the post on a breakaway moments before scoring.

The Flames regained their lead just 1:19 later, as Adam Ruzicka put home his own rebound after a wrap-around attempt. Spencer Foo would extend their lead to 4-2 exactly six minutes later, at 15:28, as he rifled a one-timer from the point on the powerplay.

Brett Pollock scored a pair of goals for the Flames in the third period, pushing their lead to 6-2, the eventual final score. His first goal came at 10:09 into the final frame, making a nice move down the right-wing to cut to the goal and a pretty deke to score upstairs. His second came at 12:55, coming short-handed and into an empty net.

The Kelowna Rockets were represented on both sides on Sunday; forward Dillon Dube had a pair of assists for the Flames prospects, while Kole Lind finished with no points after a three-point performance on Friday night.

In Saturday's lone game at the tournament, the Edmonton Oilers prospects blanked the Winnipeg Jets prospects 3-0. The Oilers improve to 2-0, while the Jets fall to 0-2.

The Young Stars Classic concludes on Monday, with all four teams playing their respective third game in four days.

The Jets and Flames prospects meet at 10:30 a.m.. The Canucks and Oilers prospects finish up at 2:00 p.m.
Photo: Google Maps

A small wildfire sparked Sunday morning near Penticton, but has seen little to no growth since, says fire information officer Justine Hunse.

The fire, located seven kilometres west of Penticton near Blue Mountain, was spotted sometime in the morning hours on Sept.10. An initial attack crew was sent to fight the blaze, consisting of three firefighters and one helicopter.

"Structures were not considered threatened today, and we didn't see a rapid rate of spread on the fire," Hunse said Sunday.

The fire is believed to be lightning caused, and crews will be monitoring the blaze through the night.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we see that one disappear from the map pretty quickly," Hunse said.

More information will be provided Monday.
Photo: CTV

A car crash flipped a vehicle on its roof, broke a power pole and wiped out electricity to a large area of Surrey overnight.

The crash happened about 2 a.m. near the intersection of 64th Avenue and 184th Street.

The driver, a 42-year-old Surrey was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

There was extensive damage to both the vehicle and hydro pole.

BC Hydro crews were on scene overnight to restore power, and the area was expected to be closed to traffic for several hours.

Any witnesses to the crash are asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or call CrimeStoppers.
Photo: The Canadian Press

British Columbia's finance minister has hinted that anyone looking for surprises in today's budget update will likely be disappointed.

Carole James says the first financial blueprint put forward by the New Democrat government will outline commitments that were made on the election campaign last spring and reiterated in Friday's throne speech, which kicked off the latest legislative session.

The speech promised increases in welfare and disability rates, the elimination of tolls on two bridges in the Lower Mainland, and funding for education to comply with a Supreme Court of Canada ruling on the size and composition of B.C. classrooms.

Premier John Horgan and the NDP promised a number of costly initiatives on the campaign trail, such as $10-a-day daycare, investments in public transit and expanded health-care infrastructure, including new hospitals and patient care centres.

Today's budget update will mark the first time Horgan's government has put forward a financial plan, and James has downplayed the announcement, saying September is when most governments begin work on full budgets that are presented in February.

Public accounts figures released in late August indicate the province finished off the past fiscal year with a $2.7-billion surplus.
ABCNews.com(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump, who spent the weekend monitoring Hurricane Irma from Camp David with members of his cabinet, called the Category 2 storm "some big monster" on Sunday.



"You don't want to be in that path," Trump said, referring to residents of Florida who remained along the coast. "That's a path you don't want to be in. And we tried to warn everybody and for the most part they've left but that's a bad path to be in."



As Trump landed in Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Hurricane Irma was making landfall on the western coast of Florida. Trump said that he has been in communication with federal agencies and state governors currently on the front lines of the storm.



He praised the United States Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency, saying their work has been incredible.



"The Coast Guard has been amazing, what they're doing, right in the middle of the storms. FEMA has been incredible, we're working very well with the governor and the other governors in the surrounding states," said Trump.



He went on, "I'll tell you we have great people and a group that truly deserves credit is the United States Coast Guard what they've done. They're going right into that and you never know whether you're going to come back out. ... So now we'll see what happens but really the hard part is just beginning. We'll see what happens."



As for the damages from Irma, "It will cost a lot of money but right now we're worried about lives, not costs," Trump said.



On Sunday afternoon, he approved a Florida Disaster Declaration, making federal funds available for residents in affected areas.



Trump also said that he plans to visit Florida very soon. After Hurricane Harvey, the president traveled to Houston, Texas, to meet with volunteers and residents.



In the meantime, the president plans on working to coordinate the efforts between the White House, federal agencies and states in need.



"Look, it's going to play out over the next five or six hours. I'm going in now for meetings but it's all about coordination," he said. "I think we're really well coordinated as well as you can possibly be."



More than 2 million people in Florida are currently without power and at least three people have been killed. Irma is now headed toward Ft. Myers, Florida, after making landfall in Cudjoe Key and Marco Island.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Photo: The Canadian Press

It's a paradox of hurricane coverage: people on television spend days warning the public to get out of harm's way, then station their correspondents squarely in the middle of howling wind and rain and hope they don't get hurt.

That was the case throughout Sunday's gripping coverage of Hurricane Irma's assault on Florida. Journalists were the shock troops allowing the nation to experience the storm from the comfort of their living rooms. Networks all brought their top teams in on the weekend for special coverage, non-stop on the news channels.

Yet when a huge tree limb crashed to the ground behind NBC's Gabe Gutierrez, forcing him to scurry away during a live shot, it illustrated the danger many journalists faced. Network executives were one flying projectile away from a tragedy that would have them facing hard questions about whether they were placing a quest for exciting TV and ratings above common sense and public safety.

Several journalists stationed outside sought the relative security of building balconies that blocked some of the wind or, like NBC's Kerry Sanders, a concrete parking garage. Yet many felt they couldn't truly convey the storm's power without showing themselves getting buffeted by the elements.

The rain "does seem like it's getting shot through a fire hose at you," said CNN's Chris Cuomo, assigned to Naples, Florida, as the intense eye wall passed over him.

NBC's Miguel Almaguer had a yellow tow line, one end wrapped around his waist and the other around a concrete pillar, to steady him as he did a live shot. ABC's Gio Benitez also employed a rope as he stood on a balcony. CNN's Kyung Lah gripped a metal railing.

Other correspondents frequently struggled to keep their footing. "I'm just taking a knee for a second," said Sanders said when the wind got too intense. NBC's Jo Ling Kent seemed fearless walking around Miami Beach. CBS' Elaine Quijano spied some debris blowing her way; fortunately it proved only to be some palm fronds.
Advertising feature

For many drivers, the number they see on the windshield is their biggest consideration when it comes to buying a new car. But the sticker price doesnt tell the full story when it comes to how much your new vehicle will cost. Far from it, in fact.

To help you work out exactly how much your new car will set you back, weve put together a list of four factors to look out for the next time youre on the hunt, alongside a few reasons why choosing a hybrid for your next car purchase might help save you in the long term.

Overall Price

The price tag is important, but what youre getting for it is what really counts. From future-proofing technology such as Bluetooth connectivity and rearview cameras to advanced safety features, its important to go beyond the bottom line to make sure that the car you are getting will be able to handle everything you might throw at it in the future. You may eventually find that by spending a few extra bucks now, you could save yourself a small fortune further down the road.

Retained Value

The majority of Canadians will trade or sell their vehicle within nine years, and so its important to consider depreciation as part of the total cost of any purchase. Some vehicles, such as hybrids, are far better when it comes to retaining of their value. In fact, the Toyota Prius c was recently awarded Best Retained Value for a Sub-compact Car by Canadian Black Book, the definitive guide to car depreciation in the country.

Maintenance and Repair

From oil changes to tire replacement, the cost of car maintenance and repair can add up to a lot of extra expense over a vehicles lifetime. However, drivers choosing hybrids can expect significantly lower maintenance costs than they might be used to.

The very nature of hybrid vehicles means that they do not experience as much wear-and-tear as a traditional gasoline engine. For example, the electric motor means that the secondary gas-engine is put under much less stress; it also means that owners will be able to go twice as long between oil changes.

Fuel

Given that the average Canadian spends more than 2.5% of their annual salary on gas, working out what youre going to be paying at the pump can have a huge impact on the cost of a car over its lifetime. Of course, we cant control the price of gas, but we can control how much of it our vehicles guzzle.

While people traditionally associate hybrid vehicles with the eco-conscious, the truth is that many Canadians are turning to electric motors to save money as well as the environment. And with hybrid vehicles using almost 50% less gas than their non-hybrid alternatives, its easy to see why.

Make sure you look beyond the bottom line before buying your next vehicle, because a few smart choices could save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Apple is expected to sell its fanciest iPhone yet for $1,000, crossing into a new financial frontier that will test how much consumers are willing to pay for a device that's become an indispensable part of modern life.

The unveiling of a dramatically redesigned iPhone will likely be the marquee moment Tuesday when Apple hosts its first product event at its new spaceship-like headquarters in Cupertino, California. True to its secretive ways, Apple won't confirm that it will be introducing a new iPhone, though a financial forecast issued last month telegraphed something significant is in the pipeline.

In addition to several new features, a souped-up "anniversary" iPhone  coming a decade after Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs unveiled the first version  could also debut at an attention-getting $999 price tag, twice what the original iPhone cost. It would set a new price threshold for any smartphone intended to appeal to a mass market.

Various leaks have indicated the new phone will feature a sharper display, a so-called OLED screen that will extend from edge to edge of the device, thus eliminating the exterior gap, or "bezel," that currently surrounds most phone screens.

It may also boast facial recognition technology for unlocking the phone and wireless charging. A better camera is a safe bet, too.

Apple isn't the only company driving up smartphone prices. Market leader Samsung Electronics just rolled out its Galaxy Note 8 with a starting price of $930.

The trend reflects the increasing sophistication of smartphones, which have been evolving into status symbols akin to automobiles.

"People now value their phones more than any other device and, in some cases, even more than food and sex," said technology analyst Patrick Moorhead.
Photo: Lynn Laustrup A power boat started sinking in Okanagan Lake on Sunday.

The owner of a power boat was said to be steamed when his boat began sinking in Okanagan Lake near Vernon's Kin Beach on Sunday.

An eye witness said Conservation officers attended the scene as the boat started to descend into the water, near the buoys off the swimming area at the north end of the lake.

It turned into a worse situation as they tried to pull it out. They had a truck trying to pull it to shore, the eye witness said.

The owner, who lived nearby, turned up in the midst of the trouble.

Upset, he discovered someone had pulled the plug on his boat, the eye witness said.
I would really like to see a proportional, fair voting system in Canada. Our current system, First Past the Post, is based on a winner take all principle. In each riding, one group of voters wins and their votes send an MP to Parliament. Every other voter in that riding loses and their votes are wasted. Their votes do not elect anyone to represent their beliefs or views in Ottawa or Victoria.

In a typical federal election, more than seven million Canadians, just over half of all voters, cast wasted votes. When people feel that their votes do not count, they quit voting. When the system provides no representation for nearly half the voters and routinely creates phony majority governments, people either vote against a party they fear, rather than for a party they support, or they just stay home. Given the way our current system treats voters, it is not surprising that 40% of registered voters do not get to the polls, it is amazing that 60% still do. 4

I feel that Canada would benefit from Proportional Representation. Proportional representation is any voting system designed to produce a representative body (like parliament or legislature) where voters elect representatives in proportion to the votes cast. For example, if 30% of votes are cast for a party, that party would have 30% of the seats. If we had proportional representation, our parliaments and legislatures would mirror Canadas political, ethnic, and gender diversity and would represent all its citizens. It would be fair.

If every citizens vote had equal value more people would get involved in our democracy.

Jane Weixl
Photo: The Canadian Press

British Columbia Premier John Horgan says he has made a "full and fair apology" for remarks about the province's former liquefied natural gas advocate in reaction to a lawsuit claiming millions in damages against the B.C. government.

Horgan and B.C. Jobs Minister Bruce Ralston both filed statements of defence in court last week in reaction in a civil lawsuit launched by Gordon Wilson.

Wilson is seeking $5 million in damages alleging Horgan made defamatory statements to news media by saying there is no evidence of any written reports or briefings to back up Wilson's salary.

Ralston is named for allegedly telling media that Wilson's contract was terminated because an internal review uncovered no documents to support $550,000 in payments since 2013.

In almost identical statements of defence, Horgan and Ralston claim the lawsuit is unnecessary, frivolous or vexatious, adding that any comments they may have made are protected by the defences of fair comment and qualified privilege.

Both Horgan and Ralston say their full apologies to Wilson received considerable coverage in early August and they add the disputed details about Wilson's role as B.C.'s LNG advocate came from trusted insiders.

"...The defendant's statements were made without malice on a matter of public interest on the basis of information from apparently reliable and qualified sources within the British Columbia government and were protected by the defence of responsible communication," Horgan says.

Ralston and Horgan also expressly deny "that the plaintiff has suffered injury loss or damage, as alleged or at all."

None of the allegations made in the statements of claim or defence have been tested in court.

In his legal action, Wilson says information detailing his work on LNG was available on a government website but was negligently or wilfully overlooked and neither Horgan nor Ralston discussed any employment issues with him.

Ralston said in a Facebook post that his claim about there being no written reports was inaccurate, that he regretted making the statements and apologized to Wilson.

Wilson asserts that his termination soon after the NDP took over the government was "political payback" for his support of former premier Christy Clark, who had appointed him as LNG advocate.

He alleges he has been seriously injured in character, credit and reputation and the comments have negatively affected his ability to obtain employment as a government or industry consultant or advocate.
Photo: The Canadian Press The MV Sun Sea is escorted past Fisgard Lighthouse and into CFB Esquimalt in Colwood, B.C. on Aug. 13, 2010

A Sri Lankan man found guilty of smuggling Tamil migrants to Canada has walked free after receiving a four-year prison sentence.

Kunarobinson Christhurajah smiled as a British Columbia Supreme Court judge asked him to stand after announcing his sentence, saying the man won't be serving any more time beyond the seven years he has spent behind bars awaiting trial.

Justice Catherine Wedge says Christhurajah was himself an asylum seeker aboard the MV Sun Sea, which was intercepted on B.C.'s coast in August 2010 with 492 passengers aboard after they'd left Thailand six weeks earlier.

Wedge cited a previous case in which three Chinese men were sentenced to four years in prison as part of an organized-crime-group that brought 190 illegal migrants to the West Coast in 1999.

Unlike in that case, Wedge says Christhurajah was not a mastermind or a leader and that he and his family experienced the same conditions as the other passengers.

A mistrial was declared in Christhurajah's first trial in January when a jury failed to reach a verdict, but he was found guilty by another jury in May.
This is the beach we cleaned up yesterday --- the river was nowhere near those trailers.... These poor people woke up to this. Edit: A huge thank you to Terrace Search and Rescue who drove to Kitimat to help in the efforts and have reportedly rescued 11 people with 2 more rescued via helicopter. As of 10:30 am they have not heard of anyone else requiring assistance Posted by Miranda Kurucz on Monday, September 11, 2017

More than a dozen people had to be rescued Monday after heavy weekend rains caused a river in northern British Columbia to overflow its banks.

The RCMP say search and rescue crews picked up 13 people in Kitimat who had been stranded by rising water levels.

Joanne Monaghan, a former mayor of Kitimat, measures rainfall for Environment Canada and says more than 15 centimetres of rain fell over a 24-hour period ending Monday.

Observers say the Kitimat River rose by more than four metres following the torrential downpour.

Rescuers also used a helicopter to search for other residents who may have been stranded.

Police are asking people to avoid the area near the Kitimat Fish Hatchery until further notice.
Photo: Contributed - Carmen Vanosch In this file photo, Ernie Vanosch stands with Coldstream's friendliest deer. The deer is no longer friendly and no longer alive.

As wildlife officials predicted, things did not end well for Coldstream's affectionate mule deer.

Ministry of Environment Public Affairs Officer, Stuart Bertrand, confirmed Wednesday morning that the deer was "humanely euthanized by the Conservation Officer Service."



Following several human-wildlife encounters involving the young buck last week, the provincial conservation service, with assistance from the wildlife service and a wildlife veterinarian, went in search of the problem deer in order to assess the situation.

Barb Leslie, who is the inspector in charge of conservation officer operations for the region, says that their number one priority is public safety.

Last week, Leslie said the conservation service was looking at whether the animal could be tranquillization and relocated.

"There is always risk associated tranquillizing or euthanizing in a public place. We're going to assess the situation with the guidance of the veterinarian," she said.

On Wednesday morning, the Ministry of Environment released a statement saying the deer was hand-raised and very habituated to humans, which made it a high risk for unpredictable behaviour.

Officials say the deers behaviour was escalating due to the arrival of the breeding season and relocation of the deer was not a viable option.

"This is a perfect example of why people should not feed wildlife," said Leslie.

The Ministry of Environment cautions the public not to approach or feed wildlife. When wildlife become habituated to people and/or conditioned to feeding on human food sources they eventually become a risk to public safety and property.


Sign up for our newsletter
Chemistry live: Using a scanning tunneling microscope, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) were able for the very first time to witness in detail the activity of catalysts during an electro-chemical reaction. The measurements show how the surface structure of the catalysts influences their activity. The new analysis method can now be used to improve catalysts for the electrochemical industry.

No energy transition without catalysts: On their own, the chemical processes necessary in order to manufacture hydrogen gas using electricity, to convert the hydrogen back into electrical energy in fuel cells, or to convert carbon dioxide into fuel are much too slow to be of practical use. Catalysts accelerate the reaction without being used up themselves.

"Catalysts are of enormous importance for the industry. Hence, the industry has a great interest in further improving the materials in order to increase the efficiency of the processes", explains Aliaksandr Bandarenka, Professor for the Physics of Energy Conversion and Storage at the TUM.



Working together with his team, the chemist has now provided a crucial prerequisite for doing so: For the first time, a scanning tunneling microscope has successfully been used to examine the surface during a catalytic process. In this manner, it was possible to determine in detail the locations at which the reaction speed and hence the activity of the catalysts is the highest. The findings have been published in the journal "nature".

On the search for active centers

For a long time now, researchers have suspected that there is a relationship between the surface structure and the activity of heterogeneous catalysts, where chemical reactions take place at the boundary surface between a solid and a liquid or gas. Heterogeneous catalysts are used for example in the electrolytic production of hydrogen gas or for cleaning vehicle exhaust gases.

"However, the chemical reactions do not take place at the same speed at all locations. Instead, there are active centers on the surface of the catalysts", reports Bandarenka. "Previously, we had to rely on model calculations and indirect measurements to localize these centers."



With the new analysis procedure, the existence of the active centers can now be proven experimentally. Samples with catalyst materials  including platinum and a combination of gold and palladium  are covered with a liquid electrolyte layer and examined using a scanning tunneling microscope.

While hydrogen ions (i.e. protons) receive electrons from the electrode at the surface of the catalyst and form hydrogen gas, the tip of the microscope scans the surface of the catalyst at a distance of just a few angstroms. Point for point, the "tunneling current" which flows between the surface and the tip is now measured. A computer connected to the device registers the signals.

A "noisy" mystery

"Interestingly, the tunneling currents are not the same everywhere. There are areas where the current is stronger, but flows unevenly  it is 'noisy' ", reports Bandarenka. The existence of this noise has been known for a long time, but to date, nobody had investigated what causes it.



During the evaluation of the data, the TUM team discovered a distinct relationship between the intensity of the noise and defects on the surface of the catalysts  microscopically small steps, edges, or corners. "As the number of defects increases, so does the noise  more electrons flow and hence more current as well", explains Bandarenka.

The fast food principle

The researcher likes to compare the behavior of the ions with that of guests at a fast food restaurant. When they are only able to find uncomfortable seating, they leave right away without consuming anything. On the other hand, if the seats are exceedingly comfortable, they remain seated for a long time and occupy the seating, blocking it for new guests. It is only when the seating is neither too comfortable nor too uncomfortable that customers come, eat, and leave again.



Viewed in terms of the chemical processes during electrolysis, this means the following: If the surface of the catalyst is too chemically attractive or repellent for the hydrogen ions, the reaction breaks down. The most effective areas are where ions are attracted, but do not remain for too long.

Fewer neighbors make for better reactions

Small defects in the atomic lattice, but also borders between materials  for example palladium on gold  appear to create these ideal conditions for catalysis. But why? "Our experiments show that the number of neighboring atoms and the resulting strength of the bond is a crucial factor for activity", explains Oliver Schneider, one of the co-authors of the publication.



The TUM researchers now intend to use the findings to develop more effective catalytic materials with active areas that are as large as possible.
Police and demonstrators clash in downtown Washington after a limo was set on fire following the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Jan. 20, 2017, in Washington, D.C. The government is trying to get information on visitors to an anti-Trump website as it prosecutes protestors. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

Executives from a Los Angeles-based tech company said they are weighing whether to fight a judge's order to provide D.C. prosecutors with email addresses and other information from people who visited an anti-Trump website in the months leading to Inauguration Day.

The company, DreamHost, filed a motion with D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin last weekrequesting that he put his order on hold while they consider whether to appeal.

Advertisement

But prosecutors, concerned that such a delay could hinder their cases against dozens charged in Inauguration Day riots, have asked the judge to force DreamHost to immediately turn over the data.

In a year where DreamHost was looking forward to celebrating its 20th anniversary, the company instead has been propelled into a high-profile privacy rights case as a result of managing the server for a website that authorities say facilitated Inauguration Day rioting.

Advertisement

In an interview, DreamHost's co-founder and chief executive Dallas Kashuba said the potential implications go beyond this case. He said there is concern among tech companies that Internet users could become fearful of visiting websites if they know government authorities can monitor such information.

"This is a fundamental issue of online privacy and how the internet works. If this goes the wrong way, it could detrimentally impact the internet itself," Kashuba said. "If people become afraid to access websites because they may be found out," he said, "it could chill the online communication."

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Columbia have filed felony rioting charges against some 200 people who they say participated in the riots.

In court, they said they obtained the subpoenas seeking emails, email addresses and IP addresses of anyone who might have engaged with the alleged rioters through the website Disruptj20.org, the site hosted by DreamHost.

Orin Kerr, a computer crime law professor at George Washington University, said the case has caught national attention as observers watch how prosecutors handle concerns over constitutional rights prohibiting unreasonable searches and seizures.

"This is testing the limits of the Fourth Amendment," Kerr said. "It's an important question of the government trying to get records that they haven't obtained in the past."

DreamHost is not the first internet company to challenge the government in its quest to prosecute individuals associated with the riots.

On Thursday, attorneys for Facebook are scheduled to argue in front of the D.C. Court of Appeals over a court order that blocks the social media giant from letting users know when law enforcement investigators ask to search their online information, particularly their political affiliations and comments.

Advertisement

The Inauguration Day riots left six police officers injured and caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage when downtown D.C. businesses were vandalized just blocks from where President Donald Trump and his family paraded following the swearing-in ceremony.

Prosecutors initially reached out to DreamHost on Jan. 27, just seven days after the inauguration. At that time, prosecutors made a preservation request, asking DreamHost to save a snapshot of its data on its servers. DreamHost rebuffed the government's initial request. Then on Feb. 8, prosecutors obtained their first court subpoena for the information they wanted, forcing DreamHost to comply.

On July 17, prosecutors filed a subpoena which the company said would have required it to turn over the IP addresses of about 1.3 million users of its site.

DreamHost objected to such a sweeping petition and requested a hearing in front of the judge. But days before the hearing, prosecutors scaled back their request to include email addresses from just those people who engaged with the website by, for instance, providing their email addresses or signing up to receive information.

Prosecutors argued that their request had to be somewhat broad because they have no idea which site users may be associated with the rioting until they review the data.

Judge Morin ordered DreamHost to turn over user information from the site's inception through Inauguration Day. DreamHost said the current request involves information regarding people associated with about 10,000 email addresses.

Advertisement

Kashuba said he believes prosecutors are trying to charge more people in the case and are trying to use data from his company as evidence to bolster those charges.

"They are trying to figure out every person who they believe may be associated with this group and may have supported them in some way. That would go beyond the 200 people who are already charged," Kashuba said. "They are trying to leverage us and the information we have to assist in their investigation."

Kashuba said DreamHost - which employs about 200 people and has revenue of about $50 million last year - has already spent about $25,000 in legal fees fighting with prosecutors over the subpoenas. To file an appeal, would cost another $150,000.

"It does make me wonder how far they're allowed to go," Kashuba said. "How much of our time should be put into aiding their investigation?"
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Monday that 5.4 million Illinois residents had personal financial information exposed in the massive Equifax data breach last week.

Madigan got the Illinois number from Equifax attorneys Monday.

Advertisement

Madigan said that in addition to the Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and driver's license and phone numbers that were exposed in the breach, some individual credit card account numbers were also taken. Those who had their credit card numbers stolen will receive a letter from Equifax soon, she said.

Madigan also said she reiterated her request to Equifax Monday that the credit reporting bureau pay for credit report freezes at all three bureaus. The other two bureaus are Experian and TransUnion. Credit freezes prevent identity thieves from opening lines of credit using the names of consumers who have had their Social Security numbers stolen. Madigan said Equifax agreed to consider her request.

Advertisement

Earlier Monday, Equifax blamed Hurricane Irma for anticipated longer wait times at its call centers in the wake of the breach, which affected 143 million customers nationwide.

Equifax said Friday that it tripled its call center team to more than 2,000 agents and that it continues to add agents. But on Monday the Atlanta-based credit bureau said Hurricane Irma was a concern because many call center employees work in Florida and Georgia.

"When we recognized that Hurricane Irma could impact some of our call center wait times, we arranged to ramp up agents quickly to replace agents impacted by the storm," Equifax said on its website. "As a result of the storm, we anticipate that call center wait times may be longer than usual for the next few days."

Madigan, who has launched an investigation into the breach, called the Irma-related call center delays a "perfect storm."

Equifax call centers can be reached at 866-447-7559.

The company recommends that consumers visit its website  www.equifaxsecurity2017.com  where consumers can determine if their data were exposed.

There have been numerous complains about the accuracy of the information that site is providing, something that Madigan said she raised with Equifax Monday after she typed a fake name into the site and received a response that the person was potentially impacted by the breach.

Some consumers are doing more than contacting Equifax.

Advertisement

At least two lawsuits, one from Sean Neilan, of Chicago, on Friday and another from Dan Lang and Russell Pantek, of Cook County, on Sunday, were filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago and seek class-action status. Those suits join others already filed in Oregon and Georgia.

Both of the locally filed lawsuits noted that Equifax discovered the breach  which the company said was the work of criminals  on July 29. The unauthorized access occurred from mid-May through July.

"Equifax's decision to wait six weeks after the alleged data breach before informing all consumers was willful, or at least negligent," the Lang and Pantek lawsuit alleges.

Equifax has had other security failures in the past and has continually failed to safeguard consumers' information, the suit says.

"Equifax knew or should have known that the private information contained in its databases was a prime target for hackers," Neilan's suit alleges.

Both lawsuits seek jury trials as well as actual and punitive damages.

Advertisement

Equifax also said Monday that it added a frequently asked questions section to its website to confirm that enrolling in the free credit file monitoring and identity theft protection that it's offering as part of the breach doesn't waive any rights to sue. Some financial services companies require customers to instead take their beefs to arbitration.

Meanwhile, Chicago-based credit reporting agency TransUnion is prominently displaying information on the Equifax breach on the home page of its website, providing a link back to its rival's website for worried consumers.

TransUnion, in its most recent annual shareholder report, said consumer awareness of the increased risk of identity theft is growing, partly due to data breaches. The number of consumers subscribing to a credit monitoring or identity protection service has more than doubled from 2014 to 2016, TransUnion said.

byerak@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @beckyyerak

gmarksjarvis@chicagotribune.com

Advertisement

Twitter @gailmarksjarvis
Protesters face off with police at Los Angeles International Airport after President Trump announced a ban on travelers from Muslim-majority countries on Jan. 29, 2017. (Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)

The harsh words uttered by Donald Trump about Muslims and Mexicans had travel industry leaders worried that international visitors would feel unwelcome and stay away from the U.S. if he became president.

Until now, travel data had showed little, if any, change in the popularity of the U.S. as a tourist destination since Trump took office on Jan. 20.

Advertisement

But industry leaders say new data  based on the latest reports from the U.S. Department of Commerce, air travel booking sites and international aviation groups  show that international travel to the U.S. has, indeed, weakened since January.

The good news for the travel industry is that demand for domestic travel remains strong enough to push the overall number of travelers who fly and book hotels in the U.S. up 1.2% year-over-year, projected through January 2018.

Advertisement

"While forward-looking bookings and searches remain positive, the pace of growth is markedly slower from this time last year," according to the latest travel trend report by the the global economics advisory firm, Oxford Economics. The report was commissioned by the U.S. Travel Assn., the trade group for the nation's travel industry.

The report calculates an index that represents travel volume in the U.S., both international and domestic. Any score on the index above 50 represents growth. A score below 50 is a decline. For the six-month period ended July 31, the report ranked the domestic U.S. travel market at 51.4, while the international market was ranked at 49.4.

Adam Sacks, president of Oxford Economics, said stagnant wages and the fear that Trump may fail to make good on his campaign promises could jeopardize future domestic travel growth.

"Additionally, the president's continued rhetoric and policies weigh heavily on the intentional inbound market outlook," Sacks added.

A report issued last week by the International Air Transport Assn, the trade group for the world's airlines, warned that international travel in North America appears to be weakening, but it did not blame Trump's rhetoric.

"Anecdotal evidence suggests that inbound demand is being negatively influenced by the additional security measures in place for travel to the US," the report said.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.
Days after resuming a full flight schedule in Houston, United Airlines and other carriers are completely shut down across the state of Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

Since downgraded to a tropical storm, Irma made landfall in Florida Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane, creating a wide swath of damage that grounded commercial air travel from Miami to Jacksonville and beyond.

Advertisement

"We're looking to see when it makes sense to resume operations, but for now, we're not operating any flights in and out (of Florida), with the exception of some relief and humanitarian aid," Charlie Hobart, a spokesman for Chicago-based United, said Monday.

FlightAware reported 12,678 delayed flights and 4,461 canceled flights across the U.S. as of early Monday afternoon, with Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International accounting for the bulk of storm-related cancellations.

Advertisement

Southwest and American airlines had the most canceled flights Monday, according to FlightAware, with United less affected by Irma than by Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 hurricane which swept into Houston off the Texas Gulf Coast two weeks ago.

Houston is United's second largest hub after Chicago.

"Orlando is one of our largest nonhub airports," Hobart said. "That being said, our presence in South Florida is quite limited."

United suspended operations in South Florida Friday afternoon, and at other Florida airports on Saturday. The airline added extra flights beginning Thursday to help passengers get out of the state before Irma arrived.

American, which was relatively unaffected by Harvey, is taking a bigger hit from Irma, as Miami is one of its larger hubs.

Dallas-based American had 756 canceled flights as of Monday afternoon, according to FlightAware

American removed all of its planes from Florida in advance of the storm, parking them at distant airports, including Chicago's O'Hare International.

"It's not just because we don't want our aircraft to get damaged, but it's also easier to resume operations once the airport reopens," said Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for American.

Advertisement

An American Boeing 757 was scheduled to take off from O'Hare to Miami on Monday afternoon carrying supplies for the hurricane relief effort, as well as Chicago-based American employees to restart operations there.

"This will give some of our Miami-based employees who have suffered damage from the hurricane time to take care of their homes and families, while still allowing us to get the operation up and running as soon as possible for our customers," American spokeswoman Leslie Scott said in an email Monday.

Operations at major Florida airports are canceled Monday, with flights expected to resume at many, including Tampa International, on Tuesday.

"At Tampa International, we saw sustained winds of 52 mph with a peak gust of 66 mph," Janet Zink, an airport spokeswoman, said in an email. "An early look shows minimal impact to the airfield, terminal and construction sites."

As with Harvey, airlines are partnering with relief organizations to help people impacted by Irma.

In addition to flying in supplies, American is offering members of its frequent flyer program 10 miles for every dollar donated to the Red Cross through Sept. 24, with a $25 minimum donation.

Advertisement

United also is offering bonus miles for passengers who donate at least $50 to the Red Cross and other relief organizations, with the airline pledging to match the first $100,000 raised.

Just 16 days apart, Harvey and Irma mark the first time two Atlantic Category 4 hurricanes have made U.S. landfall within the same year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

For United, marshaling resources for Harvey helped the airline respond more quickly to Irma.

"Clearly we dealt with Houston and we were prepared, more so, in terms of how we would pivot to our operation in South Florida," United spokesman Hobart said.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RobertChannick
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic Andrew Schapiro was the buyer of a four-bedroom, 5,000-square-foot condominium unit in the Lincoln Park area that sold Aug. 29 for $4.53 million.

As Elite Street previously reported, the 22nd-floor condo unit was sold by former Sidley Austin partner Susan A. Stone, who left Chicago to move to New York in February as the general counsel for insurance brokerage and risk management giant Marsh & McLennan. Now public records show that Schapiro, who served as the U.S.' top envoy in Prague from 2014 until earlier this year, was the buyer of the condo, which is in the Park West neighborhood of the Lincoln Park community area.

Advertisement

A Harvard Law School alumnus and friend of former President Barack Obama going back to their days together in law school, Schapiro was a major fundraiser for Obama in 2012. Schapiro again is a partner at the Quinn Emanuel law firm, where he was a partner from 2011 until 2014. He previously had been a partner at Mayer Brown from 2001 until 2011.

Via email, Schapiro declined to comment on the purchase of the condo, which has 4 baths, a library, views of Lake Michigan, a large mudroom, a formal entryway and three private terraces.

Advertisement

Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.







Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 16 (VHT Studios)

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 Billionaire Ken Griffin, Illinois richest man, paid $58.75 million in November for the top four floors in the Near North condominium building at 9 W. Walton St., known as No. 9 Walton. This photo shows a rendering of the lobby. (JDL Development / E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune (inset))
If your understanding of Japanese spirits starts and stops with sake bombs at 2 a.m., you're cutting an entire country's contributions to the wide world of alcoholic beverages mightily short.

Long before the sake bomb came to be, the Japanese began experimenting with grain spirits, starting in the 1500s with a vodka-esque distilled rice spirit called shochu. Moving ahead a few centuries, Shinjiro Torii established Suntory (called Kotobukiya at the time) brewery and distillery in 1899 out of Osaka. Soon thereafter, Torii opened his Yamazaki distillery and began producing Scotch-style whisky  no "e."

Advertisement

Shochu and Japanese whisky are by no means new to the Chicago market, but in the last few months, they've gotten even easier to find, as spots from Noyane in the Conrad Hotel to glossy new Japanese restaurant Katana are battling to snag rare bottles.

Drinkers often have a preconceived notion that the world's best whiskies come from Scotland, said Rusty Thraller, the new lead bartender at Noyane (101 E. Erie St.), as well as restaurant Baptiste & Bottle a floor below. "But when people would close their eyes and not know what they were drinking, people rated these Japanese whiskies extremely high."

Advertisement

In the early aughts, Japanese whisky started arriving in the United States from the Suntory Yamazaki distillery. Bill Murray is frequently, and satirically, charged with sparking interest in Japanese spirits with his appearance in 2003's "Lost in Translation" as an aging actor attempting to sell "Suntory time" in a commercial. In 2010, two of the three top-placing Scottish-style whiskies in the World Whisky Awards hailed from Japan.

"Just as with sushi, there's a ceremony to the way the Japanese make all of these spirits," Thraller said. "It's an extremely high-level product."

Traditionally, Japanese whisky is served as a highball mixed with soda water or cold water  usually, a 1 1/2-ounce pour of whisky with 6 ounces of mixer. At Katana (339 N. Dearborn St.), though, you'll find these whiskies served in drinks that are a bit more elaborate.

Suntory whisky is poured at Noyane in the Conrad Hotel in Chicago, among the new bars pouring more Japanese spirits. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

Beverage director Michael Simon keeps 32 Japanese and Taiwanese whiskies on hand, making up a third of the bar's selections. Simon's version of the highball, on the menu as the Ghost In The Shell, mixes Suntory's Toki, Niepoort tawny port, Weatherby's orange saffron bitters and apricot La Croix.

"I never compromise the beauty of the whisky," said Simon, a former sommelier.

Contributing to the popularity of Japanese whisky, in addition to its quality, is the scarcity of it. With the absence of time traveling, whiskies with age statements can't be created to match demand  though replacements without age statements, such as Toki, have begun to enter the market.

Kevin Yu, owner of Wicker Park's Kizuki Ramen and Izakaya (1482 N. Milwaukee Ave.), sees the way the rarity of certain Japanese whiskies, not just the quality, drives popularity in Chicago. His restaurant offers a flight of three Japanese whiskies beyond the Suntory offerings you'll find around the city, including Akashi's White Oak, Mars' Iwai and Nikka's Coffey Grain.

"We've seen a growth of about 300 people over the past year coming to try this flight," Yu said.

Advertisement

But Yu would be remiss to offer only whiskies on his menu. Kizuki also offers more Americanized cocktails made with the rice spirit, shochu. More closely akin to vodka, shochu takes on the flavors of the ingredients it's mixed with, making it more easily consumed and able to be used in cocktails.

The distilled spirit, ranging from 20 to 40 percent alcohol content, is typically made with rice, but can also be made from barley, sugar cane or sweet potato. According to Yu, drinking shochu is a softer experience than drinking vodka.

"The body of the spirit is elegant, but at 25, 30 or 40 percent alcohol by volume, you get a big bang for your buck," Yu said.

Shochu is used to make sangria at Kizuki Ramen and Izakaya in Chicago. (Kristen Norman / Chicago Tribune)

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

Shochu  not to be confused with Korean spirit soju  is found in many forms on the Kizuki menu, but the most popular is Yu's shochu sangria infused with lime and strawberries. Yu works with seasonal ingredients  melons, strawberries and blueberries in the summer, pumpkin and squash in the fall  when crafting shochu cocktails, keeping the menu ever changing.

Another plus to drinking shochu? The limited likelihood of a hangover  but test this out at your own risk.

"The purity of this alcohol makes it so popular. In making Japanese shochu, distillers refuse to include anything other than water and the main ingredient: barley, sweet potato, rice," Yu said. "The guests get nothing but the scent that the distiller wants. It doesn't burn. There's not much to it."

Advertisement

Yu, who started his restaurant business in Seattle, sees Chicago as a landing spot for food and drink trends that start on either coast.

"Our beverage sales have tripled in the last year after opening," Yu said. "We've been able to grow with these spirits."

sbostedt@redeyechicago.com

Twitter @shelbielbostedt






David Chambers, new VP of development at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Jeff Fitlow)

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association announced Monday the appointment of David Chambers, an experienced, Australian-born arts administrator who most recently served as chief development officer of the Houston Symphony Orchestra, as its new vice president for development, effective Oct. 23.

He succeeds Karen Lewis Alexander, who had held the position since 2012.

Advertisement

As a member of the CSOA's senior management team, Chambers will lead a department of professional fundraisers working to raise more than $30 million annually in operating and endowment support for the CSO and Chorus, the Symphony Center Presents series and activities supported by the CSO's Negaunee Music Institute.

He also will be responsible for managing a portfolio of top donors and will join with CSOA President Jeff Alexander and the board in developing fundraising strategies and implementing them in the short and long term.

Advertisement

Before joining the Houston Symphony administration in 2011, he served eight years in various positions at Houston Grand Opera, including director of institutional giving.

Born in Melbourne, he holds a bachelor of business degree from the Victoria University of Technology in that city. Before coming to America, he served in a variety of arts management and communications positions with several Australian cultural organizations, including Opera Australia and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

jvonrhein@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jvonrhein

[ Related: The Top 10 classical music events of the fall in Chicago  ]

[ Lyric Opera hits another out of the park with season preview concert  ]







Watch the latest movie trailers.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
Dear Amy: My son and daughter-in-law seem to have a lovely relationship. They are on the same page in regard to child-rearing, values, etc. However, I feel that my son shoulders more than his share of the relationship. I always thought this was a mutually accepted situation.

Recently my daughter-in-law turned 40. She chose to spend this special day with her friends in New York City (they live in LA).

Advertisement

My son and grandchildren were very sad about her choice.

My question: It breaks my heart to see my son hurting in this way. He's such a good person.

Advertisement

I want him to feel supported by us, but I don't want to stick my nose in where it isn't wanted.

Should I just stay out of it or is there something constructive to say?

 Upset Mother

Dear Upset: I'm not sure what you mean when you say that your son shoulders more than his share of the relationship, but yes, it is wisest for you to stay out of this.

You don't mention your own marital history, but in many functioning marriages, power and responsibility shifts back and forth, based on whatever life stage the couple and their children are in.

I would also say that a spouse who decides to celebrate a milestone birthday literally a continent away from her family is making an unfortunate statement about where she really wants to be (at least on that particular day), but I can also imagine many situations where that choice would be absolutely fine with everyone.

A wise parent expresses sympathy ("Oh, I'm sorry you're feeling that way"), but not judgment ("What kind of monster would leave you and the kids"). Unless there are clear signs of abuse or neglect, you should let your son experience this in his own way and work things out without too much involvement from you.

Dear Amy: I'm a 28-year-old mother of two young kids under the age of 6.

Advertisement

My spouse is not working. I work full time and support our household while he goes to school. He will finish school by the end of next month, and hopefully he will get a stable job.

I recently caught him sending messages through Facebook to a former co-worker, asking when they could "kick it." (She never responded).

He's had a tendency in the past to search for exes on social media, and that makes me feel betrayed and very insecure.

I confronted him, and as usual, he denies it and pretends to be the victim.

I can easily afford to move out, but it breaks my heart to separate my kids from their father (they really love him and are very attached to him). Plus, I am worried that if I leave him now he will stop pursuing his career and will drop out of school and not complete his last month to graduation, since he will have to work to pay the bills.

I just don't know what to do. I know this is not the way I want to live my life. I love him, but it makes me wonder if he will ever stop?

Advertisement

 Broken Trust

Dear Broken Trust: You sound ready to walk out the door over this, but I think you are overreacting. Leaving your marriage is not something to do when you're upset or disappointed. Ending the marriage with your husband would profoundly affect four lives  and would have the largest impact on your children.

Social media has made it very easy (and tempting) to basically go shopping for company, especially when you're bored, stressed or overwhelmed. Rather than deny this, your husband needs to own up to his behavior, apologize to you and assure you that he wants to be faithfully married. He also needs to understand that this behavior is upsetting, disappointing, disrespectful and embarrassing (to both of you).

Working this through, honestly, will be best for everyone. Confronting your marital problems is a process you will both have to master.

Dear Amy: I can't believe you actually had to counsel "Sale of the Century" to return to a Target store and pay for an item they had (accidentally) not paid for.

Ask Amy Daily No-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. For a limited time, sign up for the Ask Amy newsletter and get the book Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from Americas Favorite Advice Columnist for $5. >

In this politically correct world, people don't even know how to do the right thing.

Advertisement

 Disturbed

Dear Disturbed: I'm not sure what political correctness has to do with this, but even though most of us know what the right thing to do is, we don't always do it (including me). That's what makes ethical dilemmas so interesting.

(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Amy Dickinson, c/o Tribune Content Agency, 16650 Westgrove Drive, Suite 175, Addison, Texas, 75001. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)

COPYRIGHT  2017 BY AMY DICKINSON

DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.

RELATED STORIES:

For adult children, a parent's new younger spouse can be a challenge

How to confront your partner about spending too much time with friends

How Diana's legacy lives on in her sons, grandchildren






Sometimes, death isn't the end. Sometimes, after the heart of a great mystery writer stops beating, his or her characters raise a glass in tribute, and then continue on down those mean streets of their crime series.

Of course, that's just an illusion created by some talented pros standing in the shadows. For instance, the literary novelist John Banville (under the pen name Benjamin Black) has carried on the adventures of Philip Marlowe. Suspense queen Sophie Hannah has recharged those "little grey cells" of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. And hard-boiled masters Ace Atkins and Reed Farrel Coleman, respectively, have rebooted Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Jesse Stone series.

Advertisement

When Stieg Larsson died in 2004 - before his three completed Lisbeth Salander novels were published and became international phenomena - it seemed as though the goth girl with the dragon tattoo was predestined to make a limited appearance in print. But the novels were too successful and Salander's fans were too fervent. So it was that Swedish journalist and author David Lagercrantz was chosen by Larsson's estate to extend the Millennium series with a fourth adventure, "The Girl in the Spider's Web." Though purists were skeptical, that novel received terrific reviews, many praising Lagercrantz for evoking Larsson's numbed noir atmosphere while eradicating the worst of his stylistic tics (among them: robotic dialogue and neurotic attention to his characters' coffee consumption.)

"The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye," Lagercrantz's latest Salander novel, is even bolder - if somewhat more fantastical. It takes Salander on an extended quest into her origins, with plotlines about religious fundamentalism and the long tentacles of the Russian mafia.

Advertisement

The story opens with a quintessential image of Salander: She's entering a small room and closing the door. Radically self-contained, Salander is never more herself than when she's alone, working on mathematical problems such as "loop quantum gravity theory." Yet over the course of the series, Salander's autonomy has been complicated by relationships with, among others, journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his sister, lawyer Annika Giannini, as well as by her one vulnerability: She cannot bear to see bullies torment their victims.

The room Salander is entering is, in fact, a prison cell. She's serving a two-month sentence for questionable actions she undertook (in the preceding novel) to safeguard a gifted autistic child who had witnessed a murder. On the way into her cell, Salander notes that a fellow inmate - a beautiful Bangladeshi woman named Faria - is being roughed up by the prison's resident sadist, a woman who's dubbed herself "Benito" (after Mussolini). Salander eventually intervenes - of course - and puts Benito temporarily out of business. At the same time, she grows more curious about the religiously sanctified abuse that drove gentle Faria over the edge and landed her in prison for murder.

As fans know, when Salander gets curious, nothing, not even prison bars, can keep her away from a laptop.

Meanwhile, on the outside, Holger Palmgren, Salander's elderly former guardian - one of the few people from her past who treated her with kindness - receives a surprise visit from a stranger who once was a secretary at the children's psychiatric clinic where Salander spent some of her grimmest years. The woman has read newspaper accounts of Salander's recent exploits and has decided to turn over some of the clinic's documents to Palmgren. In them, there's a reference to something known as "The Registry."

Salander, along with Palmgren and Blomkvist, becomes convinced that this "Registry" holds clues not only to her identity but to a larger crime perpetrated decades ago in Sweden against children of ethnic minorities. As usual, a little knowledge proves to be a dangerous thing, and this investigation concludes, not only with justice belatedly restored, but also with a funeral.

Larsson had grand ambitions for his Millennium series, projecting a total of 10 novels. In Lagercrantz's hands, the series is realizing grand ambitions of another sort. "The Girl Who Takes an Eye for An Eye" intensifies the mythic elements of Larsson's vision. All the talk of stolen babies and a "search for origins" in this novel - along with the malevolent influence of Salander's evil twin, Camilla - moves the series further into the realms of "Star Wars" and Harry Potter. A little of this legendary stuff goes a long way in Salander's hard world. As Blomkvist thinks to himself during a key point in his investigations: "The sensational always sticks in the mind and stands out at the expense of the ordinary, which - maybe precisely because it is so ordinary - tells us something more significant about the real world."

The enduring draw at the center of the Millennium series is that image of a strange and solitary young woman trying to even the score with all manner of bullies by dint of her brains and, when called for, some martial arts moves. A bit far-fetched, certainly, but it's rooted in the just barely possible. "The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye" is entertaining, but "the girl" at the center of this wild tale is beginning to look like somebody we readers only used to know.

Corrigan, who teaches literature at Georgetown University, is the book critic for the NPR program "Fresh Air."

Advertisement

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye: A Lisbeth Salander Novel

By David Lagercrantz

Knopf. 347 pp. $27.95






At the bleak, lonely center of Nathan Englander's new novel are two prisoners, two men trapped in states of limbo. The man identified for much of the book only as "Prisoner Z" has, as of 2014, spent years enduring an unrelenting, radically isolated captivity in a black site in Israel's Negev desert. Meanwhile, Z's counterpart, a famous military campaigner referred to throughout only as "the General," lingers in a vegetative coma, having succumbed to a severe stroke several years before.

Prisoner Z's only human contact is with his guard, with whom he has established an unusual friendship. It is, Englander writes, "a relationship they've both treasured, in what they both understood to be a very Stockholm-syndrome kind of way, a relationship Prisoner Z liked to call 'Patty Hearstish,' a reference the guard had been compelled to look up." But despite his isolation, Z has not given up hope; one of his few activities is writing letters of appeal which he hopes will somehow reach the General  of whose incapacitation he is, of course, entirely unaware.

Advertisement

One might well worry that a man in a coma and a permanent prisoner would offer limited narrative possibilities. Englander's novel, though, ranges among stories, switching between several places and times. Some of these fill in the back stories of the General and Prisoner Z. The reader is granted access to the constant stream of private memories and fantasies that flood through the General's mind as his body wastes away in its hospital bed. And we are given a view of Z in his pre-incarceration days, as a free man in Paris who, in the aftermath of a fatal error whose details we only gradually learn, becomes aware that his days of freedom are numbered.

Other plotlines revolve around characters whose connections with the central stories, and often with one another, are not immediately apparent. In Berlin in 2002 a friendship slowly grows between Josh, a Canadian businessman, and Farid, a fellow businessman whose real interests lie in improving the lives of his fellow Gazans. On the Israel-Gaza boundary in 2014 two lovers, one Israeli, the other Palestinian, plan to meet for dinner in a secret underground tunnel that lies beneath the border that separates them.

Advertisement

All of these plotlines eventually come together. But "Dinner at the Center of the Earth" is to some degree designed, if not to frustrate its readers, at the very least to test their patience. It is told in plain, unremarkable prose; it is related in the present tense, always a risky choice; and it withholds for much of its length a good deal of information, not only regarding the connections between the various narratives, but even concerning such basic facts as the names of most of the central characters.

There are reasons, both strategic and thematic, behind this withholding. The interminable confinements of Prisoner Z and the General symbolize and express the frustration and desperation engendered by the interminable Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (What is more, it turns out that the characters have real-life counterparts; the General is quite clearly a fictionalized version of Ariel Sharon, while Prisoner Z was inspired by Ben Zygier, the notorious "Prisoner X" who died in an Israeli prison cell in 2010.) Similarly, the aura of uncertainty and metaphysical slipperiness that surrounds the characters' constantly shifting identities metaphorically reflects the shadowy and morally ambiguous world of espionage these characters move through.

Unfortunately, this baggage tends to overshadow the characters themselves. They are part symbol and part cipher, but only rarely do they feel fully human. Englander has in the past written memorably and insightfully about the tragedies and complexities of recent Middle Eastern history. (See, in particular, his weird, luminous and haunting story, "Sister Hills," in his 2012 collection "What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank.") But while "Dinner at the Center of the Earth" might, and should, be admired as a sincere attempt to write a serious novel in the form of a political thriller about one of the globe's most fascinating and most troubled regions, it lacks the verve and incisiveness of Englander's best work. Not every reader will be willing to stick around long enough to watch its various puzzle pieces finally come together.

Troy Jollimore's most recent poetry collection is "Syllabus of Errors" (2015).

'Dinner at the Center of the Earth'

By Nathan Englander, Knopf, 272 pages, $26.95






In a head-to-head comparison of two immunotherapy drugs used to prevent relapse in certain patients with advanced melanoma, one treatment was the clear winner - and it's not the one that most people get.

The international study, released Sunday, involved 900 patients whose tumors were removed by surgery but who remained at high risk of recurrence of melanoma, an often aggressive form of skin cancer.

Advertisement

The drugs were used as "adjuvant" therapy, meaning they were used after surgery, which was the primary therapy, to lower the risk of the cancer coming back. Both drugs work with the patient's immune system to fight cancer cells.

The trial compared Yervoy, the current standard postoperative treatment, with Opdivo, a newer drug. After a year of therapy, 71 percent of patients on Opdivo hadn't had a recurrence, compared with 61 percent of those on Yervoy.

Advertisement

"Results like this will change how we practice medicine," said Jeffrey Weber, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone School of Medicine, who presented the findings at the annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology in Madrid. The results were published simultaneously online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Weber said Opdivo was also much better tolerated by patients. Fourteen percent of patients treated with Opdivo experienced severe side effects, compared with 45 percent of patients on Yervoy. Just 5 percent of Opdivo patients had to discontinue treatment because of severe side effects, compared with 31 percent on Yervoy. The most serious problems for both treatments were diarrhea and fatigue.

Given Opdivo's superior safety and effectiveness profile, Weber said, the drug "could realistically become the new standard of care" for melanoma treatment after surgery.

Asked why Opdivo might be safer and more effective than Yervoy, Weber described Opdivo as "a sniper rifle, much more directed," and Yervoy as "more of a shotgun."

Both drugs are made by Bristol-Myers Squibb, which funded the research.

RELATED STORIES:

Melanoma biopsy results can differ, worrying patients

Melanoma more common in whites, but minorities less likely to survive

Advertisement

Study finds protective link in coffee vs. melanoma






Billionaire Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash is at "great risk" of being brought from Austria to face justice in a Chicago courtroom "within weeks," his lawyer told a federal judge Monday.

But prosecutors say they are concerned that Firtash  who is wanted on racketeering charges and has ties to President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort  will jump on a private jet to Russia if a Chicago judge rules against him before he is handed over to U.S. authorities.

Advertisement

They revealed in court for the first time that they wiretapped telephone conversations in which Firtash allegedly discussed a co-defendant's trip to Chicago to meet with Boeing executives.

Firtash, who has friends in Russian President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin, has been fighting extradition from Austria since his high profile 2014 arrest in Vienna. Accused of masterminding an international titanium-mining racket involving Boeing, he claims he was targeted by the Obama administration as punishment for Putin's annexation of Crimea.

Advertisement

His lawyer, former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb, on Monday told U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer that Firtash has never been to the U.S., and the crimes of which he is accused all happened in India and had no impact on the U.S.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

Webb said he feared Firtash's extradition is imminent, and urged Pallmeyer to throw out the case before Firtash can be put on a Chicago-bound plane.

But prosecutor Amarjeet Bhachu told the judge that the wiretapped conversations linked Firtash to Chicago, and that a bribery scheme also used U.S. banks and cellphones.

He warned the judge that if she ruled against Firtash before he is in U.S. custody, he may "hop on a private plane and head over to Moscow, or to some other country where we can't extradite him."

In a joke about Firtash's enormous wealth (he posted a $174 million bond in Austria), Bhachu added, "We will pay for his travel here."

U.S. interest in the case in recent months has focused on Firtash's links to Manafort, with whom he discussed a New York real estate deal in 2008. Though Manafort is not named in the Chicago case, his home has been raided as part of special prosecutor Robert Mueller's probe of the Trump campaign's alleged ties to Russia.

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
I didn't leave the house on Sunday. The hurricane story unfolding on my television set was too gripping to walk away for even a few minutes.

Television anchors kept warning us that much of Florida could be washed away by gigantic surges of ocean water in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The pictures coming out of Cuba and the Caribbean already had proved how devastating this storm could be. I was terrified for everyone in its path.

Advertisement

But that wasn't the only reason I, and so many others, sat glued to the TV all day. Cable news television gave us a virtual front row seat to the developing storm, providing a riveting performance that was full of adventure, suspense and drama.

The show presented on the TV news was designed to be entertaining. It was meant to keep us captivated for hours, mesmerized by the "heroic" sacrifices of journalists who risked their lives to show us what it is like to stand outside in the midst of a deadly storm.

Advertisement

They described the predicted surge as "a killer water event" and the reporters vowed to run to safety before it occurred. But if we just kept watching  even through commercial breaks  they promised, we would see it for ourselves.

For many of us, this was an uneasy proposition. No one was excited about the possibility of people losing their homes and businesses, perhaps even lives, but the prospect of seeing a hurricane dance up close was too tempting to turn down.

Reporters went up to people who had ventured outside, including one man walking his three-legged dog, and warned them to go back inside before it was too late. The camera panned in on a bird as the reporter surmised that perhaps it had flown with the hurricane from as far away as Cuba. Birds follow hurricanes, he told us. These birds know when it's safe to come out.

The reporters in their plastic rain slickers with the network's logo on the back kept explaining that they were doing all this for us. Regardless of what the critics said about their reckless behavior, "We're here so you don't have to be," they insisted.

The surge never happened Sunday, and we should be grateful for that. What we saw on TV was typical of a hurricane  howling winds, swaying trees and metal stop signs shaking in the distance. The anti-climatic ending left us confused.

How could a 10- to 15-foot surge hyped all day long for Florida's west coast suddenly turn into one of about 3 feet? How could TV meteorologists presented on air as experts and reporters billed as experienced storm chasers get it so wrong?

I still don't know the answers. But it didn't take long to figure out that the cable news coverage from Florida on Sunday wasn't about us at all. It was all about their ratings.

This was a new experience for me. For more than a decade, I covered hurricanes in the South for the Tribune. Hunkered down in Mississippi during Hurricane Katrina, I never had the chance to see how a big storm was covered on national TV.

Advertisement

What I saw on Sunday was both shocking and intriguing.

As a journalist who has covered many hurricanes and tornadoes, I know what it takes to tell a story. Standing in front of a water-splashed camera holding a limb from a fallen tree is not necessary to show the strength of a storm.

I understand that television relies on the power of optics. It is true that a TV camera can paint a picture much more vividly than I could by writing about it on a computer.

While I'm sure some people who have relatives and friends in Florida were grateful for the in-depth coverage, too much of what we saw on Sunday was manufactured drama. Networks took advantage of a heartbreaking situation and made a mockery of it.

Surfing through the channels, the visuals were all the same. Reporters, wobbling in the bristling wind, their words barely audbile as they attempted to convince us that it was OK for them to do what they were warning others not to do.

In one scene, a reporter tried to convince us that the concrete wall he was standing in front of would protect him from the surge. He demonstrated how he could bend down and take refuge from the wind if he needed to.

Advertisement

In the same breath, he warned of flying debris  roof shingles and street signage that could transform into projectiles so fierce that they could knock you out.

On another channel, a well-known meteorologist swayed and stumbled on a sidewalk while the eye of the hurricane went through Naples, Fla. The wind nearly took his breath away and viewers could barely understand what he was saying.

When we did manage to hear a thing or two, it was nothing of importance.

"This is a mid-level Category 3. Imagine if it was a Category 4 or 5?" he boasted. "This is a story you can tell your children and grandchildren."

The anchor watching from the studio in New York seemed somewhat embarrassed. He offered this explanation for the perilous acts.

"So we can see what this does to our natural bodies and our world," he said.

Advertisement

There were no surprises, though. We saw exactly what we expected to see when someone is standing outside in a hurricane.

The irony is that the people who would perhaps benefit from such a display didn't get to see it at all. Millions of people across Florida were without electricity during the height of the storm.

It's probably safe to bet they weren't using up their limited cell phone access watching a news anchor in New York explaining what was going on in their back yards.

This show wasn't meant for them at all. It was for people like you and me who were sitting in our nice dry homes with a bag of popcorn in one hand and the TV remote control in the other.

All of us should be honest about that.

dglanton@chicagotribune.com

Advertisement

Twitter @dahleeng
At least 39 people were shot in Chicago over the weekend, six of them fatally, as the city closes in on 500 homicides for the year, according to data kept by the Tribune.



The violence included a shooting in Roseland on the Far South Side that killed two women and a man. There were five other attacks with multiple victims. More than half the weekend's shootings took place over 22 hours from Saturday morning to early Sunday.



With the weekend toll, at least 2,651 people have been shot in Chicago this year, according to the Tribune's data. There have been at least 485 homicides.



Both numbers are below last year at this time, when at least 3,021 had been shot and there had been at least 527 homicides. Violence last year reached levels not seen in two decades.



Among those killed over the weekend was Dominic Morris, 30, Tyson White, 36, and a 26-year-old woman. They were standing near by parked car in Roseland when two gunmen opened fire, police said. All three died at the scene Saturday night.



About an hour later, 19-year-old Juan Flores was fatally shot by police about 12:50 a.m. Sunday in the 2100 block of North Laramie Avenue on the Northwest Side, according to Chicago police. The officer opened fire after he was pinned by Flores' car, police said.



Early Saturday in the Back of the Yards, Carlos Cortez, 22, was killed in a rifle attack in the 5300 block of South Seeley Avenue, according to police. Cortez was taking a child out of a car when the shooting took place. About 14 rifle shell casings littered the ground next to a silver Ford sedan, which had its windows shot out.
A man was killed in a two-vehicle crash in the Near West neighborhood on Sept. 11, 2017, according to Chicago fire officials. (Elvia Malagon / Chicago Tribune)

Six people were injured early Monday in a two-vehicle crash at West Van Buren Street and South Oakley Avenue on the West Side, according to Chicago fire officials.

About 12:10 a.m., the driver of a 1992 Volvo ran a red light at the intersection and crashed into a Dodge Charger that had been traveling west in the 2300 block of West Van Buren, police said.

Advertisement

That caused the Charger driver to veer into a light pole, police said. The driver, a 30-year-old man, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.

The Charger driver had a green traffic light when the crash happened, according to police.

Advertisement

There were five people, one man and four women, inside the Volvo, police said.

Two people were taken to Stroger Hospital, and two others were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, according to Chicago fire officials. One additional person was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. All five people were taken in serious-to-critical condition.

Detectives were investigating if alcohol could have played a factor in the crash.

Lidia Lopez and Martin Murillo were on their way home when they got off Interstate 290 and came across the crash. They pulled over to check on the people inside the cars.

"Nobody in the red car was responding so when we started trying to open the doors, that's when the guy in the back, like, he was trying to get out," Murillo said. "So I broke the window for he can jump out and then I guess he started calling their names, and they started responding to him."

A woman who was in the back seat tried to get out of the car on her own, but they told her to stay put because blood was coming from her head, the couple said.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

A man, who told the couple he worked as a nurse, also stopped at the crash scene. He told them not to move any of the injured people.

Murillo turned off the cars and waited for paramedics.

Advertisement

The Charger driver was able to get out of the car on his own, though he appeared scared, Murillo said.

"He's the first one that jumped out too and went to go see what was wrong with them, you know," Murillo said. "And he seen that they were unresponsive so he was shook up."

Standing across the street from the damaged cars, the couple said only a few cars separated them from the crash.

"We are just very glad," he said.

Check back for updates.
Locke Bowman, director of the Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center, said the lawsuit against five Cook County judges represents the principle "that it's not only unconstitutional but morally repugnant to imprison a presumptively innocent person, someone who hasn't been convicted of anything, simply because he's too poor to buy his way out of jail." (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

A pivotal hearing Monday could decide the fate of a lawsuit aimed at revamping Cook County's cash bail system, which has been criticized for systematically keeping poor and minority suspects accused of minor offenses languishing behind bars for months and even years at taxpayer expense.

For some time now, a national debate has been underway over how bond is set for those accused in low-level offenses. After a suspect is charged with a crime, a judge decides whether he or she should be released pending trial or required to pay a certain amount of money to get out of jail. In general, bonds are higher for more severe offenses, and in some cases, judges deny bail altogether.

Advertisement

Last fall, lawyers at Northwestern University's Roderick and Solange MacArthur Justice Center sued in circuit court, alleging that criminal court judges routinely set cash bail at unaffordable levels, depriving suspects of their constitutional right to pretrial liberty.

The lawsuit against five Cook County judges, including the chief judges who preside over criminal court and bond courts and three Central Bond Court judges, was on behalf of two defendants, Zachary Robinson and Michael Lewis, who were required to post cash to win their release. The original lawsuit, filed on the heels of similar class actions in eight other states, also named Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, who operates the jail, but his office was later dismissed from the litigation by the plaintiffs.

Advertisement

"The case presents a fundamental principle that Cook County and the state of Illinois have flouted for decades  that principle is that it's not only unconstitutional but morally repugnant to imprison a presumptively innocent person, someone who hasn't been convicted of anything, simply because he's too poor to buy his way out of jail," attorney Locke Bowman said Friday.

Nationally, legal challenges to the cash bail system have had some success. Last spring, a federal judge in Houston ordered the county to stop its unconstitutional detention of defendants held on misdemeanor charges simply because they could not afford to make bail. Harris County  now recovering from Hurricane Harvey  is appealing the ruling.

Here in Illinois, lawyers with the attorney general's office, which is representing the judges, have said in court papers that the changes in state law and Cook County bail procedures over the past year have rendered the lawsuit moot. They include:

A new state law, called the Bail Reform Act, that took effect in June calls on judges to generally find an alternative to cash bail in cases where someone is accused in a nonviolent crime. That could include releasing a suspect on home electronic monitoring as they await trial. It also allows low-level offenders previously held on a cash bond to get a new hearing and any defendant held on monetary bond to get a rehearing within seven days.

An order issued by Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans in July, meant to dovetail with the new state law. It not only creates a presumption that cash bail won't be used, but prohibits judges from setting cash bail at a higher amount than nonviolent defendants can afford to pay. It takes effect for all felony cases on Sept. 18 and for all cases on the first day of 2018.

Additionally, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, whose office is not part of the lawsuit, has ordered prosecutors to stop opposing the release of some nonviolent detainees held on bails of less than $1,000. She also dramatically raised the bar for charging people with retail theft and stopped prosecuting certain types of traffic cases.

A message left Friday for a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office was not returned.

But during what's expected to be an important hearing on the case Monday afternoon, the AG's office is likely to raise those points as it asks a judge to toss the case.

Advertisement

Indeed, attorneys for the judges already have argued that the lawsuit is an improper sideways attack on the criminal courts' jurisdiction, that the claims against individual judges are barred by law and that the plaintiffs have no legal standing to sue.

The members of Northwestern's legal team want to proceed with the lawsuit, arguing that a court decision will cement what they see as piecemeal policy changes.

Bowman "applauded" Evans' order but said there are serious questions about whether it constitutes a permanent change.

"We doubt that if challenged, Judge Evans' order would stand up in court because there's a serious issue as to whether it's beyond his authority," Bowman said, adding that Evans or his successor could also revoke the order at any time.

Judge Celia Gamrath, a former family law attorney who has been on the bench for about seven years, is presiding over the case. She could rule as soon as Monday on whether the lawsuit will be thrown out or set for a hearing.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

Lewis, one of the plaintiffs, was arrested for retail theft last fall after allegedly stealing a handbag and high heels from a Michigan Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue, court records show. He appeared before bond court Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr., who set bail at $50,000  meaning Lewis had to pay $5,000 to be released  after hearing about Lewis' criminal history and past failures to appear, court records show.

Advertisement

Now 41, he pleaded guilty in March and was sentenced to a year in prison with credit for 179 days served.

Robinson, now 26, charged in December 2015 with stealing a laptop from his college, Kennedy-King, while on parole for a marijuana case, was ordered held by bond court Judge Peggy Chiampas on $10,000 bail after hearing he had three prior felony convictions. His subsequent motions to be released on electronic monitoring were denied but in October 2016 he was able to post $1,000 to win his release, court records show.

"I can't work while I'm here and I have nobody to post it," Robinson told a judge at another hearing, court records show.

He pleaded guilty in July and was sentenced to one year in prison, with credit for the 357 days he spent locked up, records show.

sschmadeke@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @SteveSchmadeke
A Chicago police officer was hurt and two others were seriously injured in a three-vehicle crash late Sunday in the Logan Square neighborhood on the Northwest Side, according to police.

About 11:10 p.m., at least one officer, in a police car with its emergency equipment on, was responding to a call, heading east in the 2500 block of West Fullerton Avenue when a 27-year-old man driving a 2002 Dodge Caravan rear-ended the police car, police said.

Advertisement

That caused the Caravan to crash into a 2002 Ford Focus that had been in the westbound lanes, police said.

A 21-year-old man who was in the Focus was taken in serious condition to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, police said. An 18-year-old woman who was in the Focus was taken in serious condition to Stroger Hospital.

Advertisement

A police officer was taken to an area hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

The Caravan driver was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized. Charges were pending early Monday against the man, police said.

Detectives were investigating if alcohol played a factor in the crash.
Dalton Stropes, 22, left, and Raymond Boyle, 23, pled guilty Sept. 11, 2017, to second-degree murder in the 2015 death of 20-year-old Angelica Escamilla. Stropes also uses the name John Dolton Stropes. (Cook County sheriff's office)

Two men charged with murder when a Facebook feud led to the fatal stabbing of their friend in the Ravenswood neighborhood were each sentenced Monday to eight years in prison after they both pled guilty.

Raymond Boyle, 23, and Dalton Stropes, 22, pled guilty to second-degree murder in the 2015 death of their friend 20-year-old Angelica Escamilla. Escamilla was stabbed to death after the three of them cornered another man and baited him into fighting, authorities said.

Advertisement

Both men declined to speak on their own behalf Monday before Cook County Judge Carol Howard sentenced them each to eight years in prison.

Boyle had been "feuding" on Facebook with a then-19-year-old man that summer, prosecutors said after the two men were charged. On June 29, 2015, Boyle along with Stropes and Escamilla lured the man into an alley in the 2100 block of West Windsor Avenue on the North Side, prosecutors said at the time.

Advertisement

In the alley, Stropes and Escamilla surrounded the 19-year-old, who then took out a 2-inch-long pocketknife to scare them away, prosecutors said.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

The three began trying to bait the 19-year-old to fight and he put away the knife, prosecutors said in 2015; Escamilla then got in the 19-year-old's "face and threatened to beat" him. Escamilla punched the 19-year-old in the face, and Boyle and Stropes joined in the beating. The 19-year-old was backed against a pole in the alley as the beating continued.

The beating victim took out his knife again from his boot and stabbed Escamilla, who was in front of him punching him along with Boyle and Stropes, prosecutors said. The victim stabbed and cut Stropes and Boyle, they said.

Escamilla died of a stab wound to the chest, authorities said.

Prosecutors determined that the beating victim acted in self-defense, and he was not charged.

Stropes had also been charged with resisting a peace officer after an incident at Cook County Jail in March 2016. Stropes was tussling with a correctional officer who was injured as he took Stropes to the ground, according to prosecutors and court records.

Stropes, who also uses the name John Dolton Stropes, also pled guilty in that case Monday and was sentenced to 18 additional months in prison.

The Chicago Tribune's Megan Crepeau contributed.
One person was killed in a crash early Sept. 11, 2017, in Chicago's University Village neighborhood, according to fire officials. (Elvia Malagon / Chicago Tribune)

A 26-year-old woman was killed and two others were seriously injured in a crash early Monday in the University Village/Little Italy neighborhood, according to police and fire officials.

About 2:30 a.m., Chicago police officers responded to a car crash and found an overturned car in front of St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in the 1000 block of West Roosevelt Road.

Advertisement

The 26-year-old woman was found on the ground near the crash, police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to fire officials.

Two other people were taken in serious-to-critical condition to Stroger Hospital, according to the Fire Department. Officials did not release their ages or genders.

Advertisement

Police did not immediately have information about how the crash happened. The incident remains under investigation.

Check back for updates.
Illinois Sen. Iris Martinez, D-Chicago, speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield on Jan. 13, 2016. (Seth Perlman / AP)

During the hour and a half when Hurricane Irma engulfed her resort on the Caribbean island of St. Martin, Illinois state Sen. Iris Martinez thought she might not make it out alive.

The hurricane pounded "like a sledgehammer on top of the building," Martinez said Monday, nearly a week after the storm left her stranded on the island. The pressure in her ears made it hard to hear.

Advertisement

"I thought at one point we were going to be blown away," said Martinez, who traveled down to the island with a family friend and took cover in the bathroom as the hurricane's eye blew over.

The Chicago Democrat went to the Oyster Bay Beach Resort on the Caribbean island of St. Martin for what a staff member said was "much-needed days off after this whole mess in Springfield." She was there when Hurricane Irma hit on Wednesday and didn't leave the island for Puerto Rico until Saturday. On Sunday night, she returned to Chicago.

Advertisement

When she emerged from the resort, Martinez said she could see devastation. Cars blown on top of each other. Boats blocking the resorts entrance. There were water and food shortages. Martinez was in a newer building but older ones on the resort sustained a lot of damage, she said.

At least five people died on St. Martin, an island split between the Dutch Sint Maarten and French St. Martin. Homes were splintered, schools were destroyed and the cafes and clothing shops of the French seaside village of Marigot were submerged in floodwater.

Authorities reported gunfire amid looting of TVs as well as food and water. The U.S. government said it was sending a flight Monday to evacuate its citizens from St. Martin, one of the hardest-hit islands. Evacuees were warned to expect long lines and no running water at the airport.

Martinez's resort was on the Dutch side of the island.

A Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship was expected to dock near St. Martin to help in the aftermath, and a boat was bringing a 5-ton crane capable of unloading large shipping containers of aid. A French military ship was scheduled to arrive Tuesday with materials for temporary housing.

About 70 percent of the beds at the main hospital in the French portion of St. Martin were severely damaged, and more than 100 people needing urgent medical care were evacuated. Eight of the territory's 11 pharmacies were destroyed, and Guadeloupe was sending medication.

A reported 70 percent of homes were destroyed on St. Martin.

People at the Oyster Bay Beach Resort banded together to help one another, Martinez said. They looked after one another and rationed supplies.

Advertisement

Looters came by the property and a police officer from New York stepped up to work as a security officer. Eventually, a "special ops" armed guard arrived, Martinez said.

"I think I still am in survival mode," Martinez said. "I haven't cried. I haven't broken down yet."

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

Martinez said she suffered minor injuries  bruises and cuts  but escaped without serious injury.

"My body feels like a train wreck," Martinez said, from poor sleep and nerves. "When you're in survival mode, every hour, (it's) what's next, what's going to happen?"

On Saturday, Martinez left the resort for Puerto Rico. On her way to the airport, Martinez said she saw dead animals on the street. People sat outside what used to be their homes.

"My heart goes out to the native people that live there," Martinez said. "I don't know if they'll ever recover."

Advertisement

The Associated Press contributed.

gpratt@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @royalpratt
CTA riders have lost out on a little more than $16 million by failing to register their Ventra cards, which would have allowed them to get a refund on the $5 cost of purchase, according to transit agency records.

A review of records obtained by the Tribune found that of the $24.27 million CTA passengers paid for Ventra cards between the program's launch in 2013 through July of this year, only $8.14 million has been refunded as transit value.

Advertisement

The $5 fee for a Ventra card can be converted into use for "L" or bus rides if the card is registered within 90 days of purchase. Information about the $5 refund is publicized on the CTA's website and Ventra vending machines, but since about 66 percent of refunds are not collected, apparently most customers either don't know or don't care.

"I didn't know anything about it," said Amy Mercer, 36, of Chicago's Portage Park neighborhood, waiting for a train at the Grand Avenue station on the Red Line.

Advertisement

The $16.12 million not refunded to customers goes to Cubic Transportation Systems, the private San Diego-based company that runs Ventra, not to the CTA. The CTA pays Cubic about $3.5 million a month to operate and maintain the CTA's fare payment system, which includes 400 vending machines and more than 3,000 "validators" on buses and at "L" turnstyles that allow customers to pay by tapping their cards, said CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase.

Chase said that the CTA heavily promotes card registration. The information about the refund is both in small print at the top of Ventra vending machines and on the screen that pops up when a customer elects to buy a Ventra card. Recently, the agency also has been promoting the benefits of registration through advertising cards in buses and "L" trains. This information is not, however, on the Ventra cards themselves.

Other benefits of registering the card include being able to easily add value at vending machines or by "autoload" through credit card and bank accounts, and to get a lost or stolen card replaced with its value intact, Chase noted. Registering the card, which can be done online at ventrachicago.com or by phone, involves giving Ventra a birthdate, name, mailing address and email, as well as the card number.

"We want people to get the most benefits out of Ventra that they can," Chase said. "We want them to get the $5 back."

She said some people do not want to register their cards, and some, like tourists, may not see the need. Chase said that the CTA is the only major transit agency that offers all customers the ability to get the cost of buying a transit value card returned just by registering.

The ORCA card for Seattle transit, for example, costs $5 and is not refundable, though the card cost drops to $3 for seniors and the disabled, according to its website. Bay Area Rapid Transit, or BART, in San Francisco charges $3 for its Clipper transit card, which is waived if customers link the card to a bank or credit account to autoload fares, its website said.

But the CharlieCard  the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's plastic transit card named for a character in a folk song  is free and does not have to be registered unless a Boston transit rider wants to get a refund in case of loss or theft, according to an MBTA representative.

The CTA entered into a $454 million, 12-year contract with Cubic to operate Ventra in late 2011  but that cost climbed to $519 million by 2015 because of a series of change orders.

Advertisement

The best year for CTA Ventra refunds was in 2013  the Ventra system launched in September of that year, moving from the old system of disposable magnetic cards and the Chicago Card or "Chicago Card Plus. The latter cost $5, which was not refundable. In 2013, CTA customers spent about $1.5 million on new Ventra cards and $1.2 million was refunded  an 80 percent refund rate.

The refund rate fell hard as Ventra was fully implemented throughout the system. Between the start of 2014 and the first seven months of this year, the refund rate was about 30 percent.

Chase said fees not refunded through card registration go to the cost of making the cards, mailing them and processing orders.

In a 2016 customer satisfaction survey, 85percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the Ventra app, and 90 percent liked the ease of the fare system.

The cards are not popular with agencies that help the poor and homeless. It's impractical and costly to register a $5 card if a holder has no permanent address, noted A. Anne Holcomb, supportive services supervisor for Unity Parenting and Counseling, which shelters homeless youth.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

"It would really be pointless for us to buy these plastic Ventra cards and try to register them," Holcomb said. "It's just not for our clients, especially in our emergency shelters. We never know if we're going to see a youth again." The agencies instead use single-ride Ventra cards, which have the disadvantages of expiration dates and a 50-cent surcharge, Holcomb said.

Advertisement

A customer service representative at the Red Line Grand Avenue station, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak for CTA, said she always tells people about the advantage of the Ventra card, including the refund. Many tourists buy cards at the station, and she recommends the Ventra card if they're going to be in town longer than three days or if they're part of a large group.

"I always recommend a Ventra card because it's a reloadable card, and it's safer," the representative said.

mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com

gpratt@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @marywizchicago

Twitter @royalpratt
Warning: Video contains strong language. Marnita Carter recounts her experience during an attempted robbery that resulted in her wrestling away a gun from the suspect and shooting him in the hand. (Brian Jackson / Chicago Tribune) (Brian Jackson / Chicago Tribune)

Marnita Carter was thinking of her kids when she heard the gun go click.

Minutes earlier, as the sun was rising Saturday near her South Side bus stop, the 54-year-old was staring at a gun stuck in her face by a man not even half her age. She grabbed it and struggled with the robber. She got off a shot, hitting his hand, but he got the gun back and stood over her on the sidewalk.

Advertisement

And then  as Chicago police later recounted in a report  he told her: "(Expletive), you shot me with my own gun. Now I'm gonna shoot your (expletive)."

The gun jammed. He ran away. She thanked God. And then she began shaking so bad she could barely speak.

Advertisement

"I was shocked that it didn't go off again," she recalled to the Tribune a day after the attack in the 8000 block of South Ashland Avenue. "It was the Lord  that's what it was."

Police arrested Dennis Evans a few minutes later about four blocks away, where the 23-year-old lives with his mom and two sisters, authorities said. A judge Sunday ordered Evans held without bail.

Carter, a mother of three, told the Tribune that her weekend began with little drama. She works in the kitchen of a hotel across town, and she needed to catch the bus around 6 a.m. for the long commute. She walked the couple of blocks from her South Side apartment to get to the stop near a dollar store. That's when, she said, she noticed the man.

She recalled that she thought he was drunk or mentally ill. Then he pulled a gun and demanded her purse and other bag.

"The minute he pulled it out, he cocked it. And I thought, 'I have to think of something,' " she recalled.

She said she saw people across the street, so she screamed for help, but nobody came.

"I had to do what God gave me the strength to do: Defend myself."

She grabbed the gun, she said, and they wrestled over it on the ground. She recalled some men started crossing the street and yelling at the man to leave Carter alone, but he told them she "had something of mine." She screamed she was being robbed and he had a gun. The witnesses went back across the street.

Advertisement

"That made me angry. I'm fighting a big man over the gun, and I didn't see them no more," she said.

She remembers the struggle, using muscles she hadn't used in years, against a man police said was 6 feet and 200 pounds. She said she's 5 feet, 6 inches tall and 160 pounds.

At one point, the barrel of the gun faced her chest. Then she took control of it, fell back and watched him try to reach for the gun.

"That's when I closed my eyes and just pressed the button," she said, describing the trigger.

Police said the round hit Evans' left hand. Carter recalled that Evans jumped on top of her. He seemed stronger, she said. Maybe she was tired from the struggle. But he got control of the gun.

"You know how you struggle so long, with somebody that big, that you can't struggle no more?" she said.

Advertisement

He got up and told her he would shoot her for what she did to him, she recalled. She remained on the ground. She put her hands up. She thought of her three kids -- 37, 17 and 16.

"I thought, 'This is it,' " she recalled. "I thought, 'I'm saying goodbye to my kids.' "

She looked at the gun. She saw his finger pull the trigger. She heard a click but felt no bullet. She couldn't believe it didn't go off. The man then ran away. And she realized she'd survived.

A woman across the street yelled that she'd already called police. Soon officers arrived. They quickly located Evans, his hand bleeding heavily, according to the police report. A blue steel 9 mm gun was found under a nearby parked car, with six live rounds of ammunition, authorities said.

Evans was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for treatment. Authorities said hospital personnel found two more rounds of ammunition on him.

Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. >

Back at the scene, Carter said, she felt her blood pressure skyrocket. She was too frazzled to call work or her kids  the paramedics did that. She was then taken to Holy Cross Hospital, police said, where she was treated for scraped knees.

Advertisement

A day later, Evans was in court, his left hand wrapped and in a brace. A judge ordered Evans, described as a known gang member, held without bail  citing his probation for a felony theft conviction from February. If the court later lifts the detention hold for his probation, he would still have to post a $600,000 bond for the new charges of attempted murder and attempted robbery, according to the judge's ruling.

Sunday night, Carter said she was so sore she could barely move. Still, she prepared for another day of work Monday, with another long commute, albeit with a new strategy.

She'll stop carrying a purse  so would-be robbers won't be enticed. And if she's approached by a gunman again, she won't fight.

"That's wrong for me to risk my life when I've got kids, and all they've got is me," she said.

jmahr@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @joemahr
Just weeks before he won election as governor in fall 2014, candidate Bruce Rauner appeared in a Chinatown restaurant where he pledged to work for immigration reform, including providing youths brought into the country illegally with a way to become citizens.

"I am very pro-immigration. So, for example, I support the DREAM Act. For example I support comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship," he said.

Advertisement

"For folks who are here, hardworking honest folks, we need a way for them to gradually become citizens and to become full parts of the American economy. We can do that," said Rauner, who vowed to "push it on a bipartisan basis" because "I will be a bipartisan problem solver."

Contrast those remarks with what Gov. Rauner said last week when asked about President Donald Trump's decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Absent congressional intervention, the move threatens deportation of hundreds of thousands of young adults across the country who are known as "Dreamers."

Advertisement

Unlike candidate Rauner, Gov. Rauner did not indicate he would be actively working with Washington on the issue. Gone from his remarks was any reference to a path to citizenship, something hard-line Republicans view as amnesty.

"We need comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level with Congress to deal with these challenges," Rauner said.

Asked what he considered to be comprehensive action, Rauner said only that he did not believe the issue of DACA registrants losing their legal status could be addressed on a "state-by-state basis." He then restated his call for "comprehensive immigration reform."

And while Rauner as a candidate expressed empathy for "honest" people living in the U.S. illegally, the governor's only reference to the estimated 42,000 people facing the loss of DACA legal status in Illinois was to say Trump's action posed a "challenge for these children" who "do not deserve to be left in limbo."

The DACA issue is the latest example of Rauner attempting to thread the needle when it comes to Trump. The governor has avoided specific references to his party's president as he seeks to appeal to more moderate suburban voters. At the same time, unlike Republican governors in some other states, Rauner hasn't criticized many of Trump's statements or actions to avoid alienating rural Downstate voters who back the president.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 Protesters gather at the Federal Building at Congress Parkway and Clark Street in Chicago on Sept. 5, 2017, to protest President Donald Trump's action against the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

That kind of political tap dance could be difficult for Rauner to sustain in the coming months as he seeks a second term. For one, potential Democratic challengers already have spent months trying to tie Rauner to Trump, and as the March primary draws closer, such rhetoric can be expected to get louder.

Trump continues to make waves, and that means when Rauner is out in public, reporters are going to ask the state's chief executive his views on the unconventional president, his actions and their affects on Illinois Republicans and state policy.

"Governors are going to be associated with the president of their party, whether they like it or not," said Christopher Mooney, a political scientist at the University of Illinois at Springfield. "If they find themselves in a situation where they're running a state in a blue presidential state, (Rauner's) going to have that on him and there's nothing he can do about it. That's how people think about politics. You can't just ignore it. It's not going to go away. It's how voters think."

Advertisement

The Trump topic has dogged Rauner for a year and a half, dating back to when Trump was seeking the Republican nomination. Despite being the titular head of the Illinois Republican Party, Rauner skipped the Republican National Convention where Trump was nominated.

Rauner's nonspecific comments on DACA and DACA recipients were in striking contrast to remarks he made a week earlier when he hailed Illinois and immigrants as he signed into law a controversial measure preventing local law enforcement from detaining people for federal officials based solely on their legal status.

"One of the main reasons we are a great state is because we are a welcoming state. We love to have people come from around the nation and around the world to come and work here in the great state of Illinois," Rauner said to applause.

Rauner added: "I believe very passionately in my soul, a primary reason that America is the greatest nation on Earth is because we are a nation of immigrants. We are all from somewhere else. We've all come to America for freedom and opportunity."

Unlike Rauner, other Republican governors were directly critical of Trump on DACA.

"President Trump made the wrong decision today that could negatively impact our economy and many of the Commonwealth's families," said Massachusetts GOP Gov. Charlie Baker, who like Rauner is up for re-election next year in a blue state carried by the Democrats in the 2016 presidential election.

Advertisement

In the blue state of Vermont, Republican Gov. Phil Scott, who was elected last year, said it was "unfortunate the president has chosen to end the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, which now leaves it in the hands of Congress for legislative action."

Nevada Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval, who is term-limited, said, "I support DACA." He said of those protected under the program: "They're our neighbors, friends, and the familiar faces at the grocery store. They are Nevadans."

Mooney, the political scientist, said people look to the president at the national level, and governors at the state level, to "provide some kind of understanding of how the world works, in some sense, and to say what's right and what's wrong."

"As a politician, those are statements you should be willing to make," Mooney said.

Rauner's response on DACA is similar to the approach he adopted as Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress sought to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Efforts to end the law would affect about 650,000 Illinois residents who receive health care coverage under an expansion of Medicaid as well as about 350,000 people covered under the insurance marketplace.

Advertisement

Rauner has said Obamacare has "massive flaws" but he urged caution on a repeal without something to "replace it." But the governor did not identify specific concerns or outline what proposals he supported, despite requests from the state's Democratic U.S. senators and Democratic House members who asked that he publicly engage on the issue.

The Republican governor spoke out against Trump most directly at last month's Illinois State Fair. Rauner said he "vehemently" disagreed with the president's response to the deadly protest in Charlottesville, Va., in which Trump sought to equate white supremacists with those protesting their actions.

But Rauner's criticism came after the governor fumbled a response to the Virginia protest, in which a counterprotestor was killed by a driver. Rauner initially would not say the death was an act of "domestic terrorism," but later issued a statement saying it "absolutely" was domestic terrorism.

Mooney said he is puzzled about Rauner's strategy of "worrying about Trump and Trump voters so much" when the governor so far doesn't face a serious primary challenge from the right.

"Voters want to understand who their politicians are and what their values are on a broad range of issues," Mooney said. "That's part of your brand that will be assessed come election time. Rauner's just not comfortable with that."

rap30@aol.com

Advertisement

Twitter @rap30
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg is prepared to spend millions of dollars more to make sure backers of Cook County's controversial soda pop tax don't suffer defeat in next year's elections, a spokesman for the former New York mayor said Monday.

"Mike has made a commitment that he will do everything necessary to ensure that the elected officials who stood up against the soda industry are re-elected," spokesman Howard Wolfson said. "And when I asked him what figure he had in mind for that purpose, his answer was, 'Whatever it takes.'"

Advertisement

Bloomberg's announcement comes after a new political action committee calling itself Citizens for a More Affordable Cook County on Thursday announced its formation and intent to back County Board candidates "who will make the county more affordable for working families and easier for small businesses to thrive." The group's treasurer is well-known Democratic attorney Michael Kasper, who counts among his clients the American Beverage Association.

And it comes two days before county commissioners opposed to the penny-an-ounce tax on sugar- and artificially sweetened beverages will introduce their repeal proposal before the County Board. On Tuesday, the Can the Tax Coalition backed by the beverage industry plans to stage a repeal rally at the Thompson Center Plaza, where they intend to make an issue of Bloomberg's involvement.

Advertisement

"Cook County commissioners have a choice when it comes to the future of the county's unfair, over-reaching and vastly unpopular beverage tax: they can stand with Cook County (Board) President Toni Preckwinkle and New York City billionaire Michael Bloomberg  or they can stand with county residents and businesses and repeal the tax," a news release promoting the rally stated.

Commissioner Richard Boykin, an Oak Park Democrat and repeal sponsor, is expected to take part in the rally an hour after presenting a plan to cut county spending to show "ways the county can continue to operate if the tax is eliminated."

The effort by anti-beverage tax retailers backed by the deep pockets of Big Soda is trying to paint Bloomberg as a Big Apple carpetbagger interfering in Windy City business. Wolfson, a Democratic political operative who's now the senior adviser at Bloomberg Philanthropies, said his side needs to be heard too.

"I think that this is an issue that will be decided on the merits, and our goal is to make sure that people hear both sides of the argument, because certainly the soda industry  which the last time I looked is not headquartered in Chicago either  is likely to be heavily engaged," Wolfson said. "Pepsi is in New York and Coke is in Atlanta, so they are obviously from those places, offering their perspectives on this issue and sharing it with people in Chicago."

Bloomberg, the owner of a media empire, already has committed $5 million to a TV advertising campaign promoting what he views as the health benefits of the tax, which public health advocates say will reduce the sugar consumption that can contribute to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

The beverage industry has committed $1.4 million to TV spots promoting repeal, contending that Preckwinkle engineered the passage of a tax to feed a bloated county government, not promote public health. That effort comes on top of Can the Tax raid ads that have been airing for months, the organization of anti-beverage tax events and a lawsuit by the Illinois Retail Merchants Association that delayed implementation of the tax, which went into effect in early August.

Preckwinkle last November broke a rare County Board tie vote to approve the tax. She has repeatedly stated that the tax is a way to raise money to prevent layoffs at the county's criminal justice and health systems that also has a public health benefit.

It's not clear that backers of repeal have the votes they need to succeed, particularly when it comes to overriding Preckwinkle's expected veto of any repeal ordinance. On Wednesday, their proposal is expected to be referred to the Finance Committee for October consideration.

Advertisement

As a way of highlighting Bloomberg's financial wherewithal, Wolfson said Bloomberg spent $20 million to back successful referendums last year in San Francisco and Oakland, Calif., to enact soda taxes. Wolfson said the effort was designed to counter the $30 million spent by the soda industry. Bloomberg also spent smaller amounts to back soda taxes in Berkeley, Calif.; Boulder, Colo.; and Philadelphia.

Wolfson said backing soda taxes is in keeping with Bloomberg's interest in public health.

"All of the public health issues have been sort of near and dear to him," Wolfson said. "He has led the fight in the United States and around the world against the tobacco industry. He spent about a billion dollars in the last decade to fight Big Tobacco in the United States and around the world. He sees companies that are distributing products that are not good for people and contribute to really, really bad health outcomes  and (are) spending enormous amounts of money to market those products to people."

hdardick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ReporterHal
Scott Drury, Democratic candidate for governor of Illinois, holds a press conference at the Chicago Public Library branch at Fullerton and Racine avenues in Chicago on Aug. 3, 2017, to announce what he's calling his "blueprint to rebuild Illinois." (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

Democratic governor candidate Scott Drury announced Monday he has picked his campaign manager from a recent Illinois House race to serve as his running mate next year.

Alex Hirsch of Deerfield , who has earned more than $18,000 since 2014 from Drury's campaign, was described by the Lake County lawmaker's campaign as a "long-time, trusted advisor to Drury, both formally and informally."

Public records show Hirsch is 26, a year above the minimum constitutional age to hold the post of lieutenant governor. He graduated from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he was president of the campus Democrats. Drury's campaign also said Hirsch was a supporter of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ' failed bid for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.

Drury has made a central theme of his campaign criticism of House Speaker Michael Madigan and longtime Democratic politicians. In a statement, Drury's campaign said it was important to find a "trustworthy running mate" who was "not tied to the Democratic Machine."

"Alex is a welcome addition to our campaign," Drury said in a statement. "Beyond his thoughtfulness and intelligence, Alex is an independent thinker with common sense, traits sorely missing in Illinois politics. Moreover, Alex is prepared to wage the epic battle needed to return Illinois government to its rightful owners  the people of our great state."

Advertisement

Under state law, candidates for governor must run as a team with a candidate for lieutenant governor in seeking signatures for their candidacy petitions. Petition filing ends Dec. 4.

Among other Democratic governor hopefuls, billionaire J.B. Pritzker is teaming with freshman state Rep. Juliana Stratton of Chicago and North Side Ald. Ameya Pawar is running with Cairo Mayor Tyrone Coleman.

State Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston is now paired with state Rep. Litesa Wallace of Rockford. Biss initially picked Chicago Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, but dumped him after less than a week due to differing views on how to deal with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Businessman Chris Kennedy is expected to announce his running mate this week.

Advertisement

rap30@aol.com

Twitter @rap30
Carl Juste/Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Royal Caribbean is sending cruise ships to the Caribbean to help with Hurricane Irma relief efforts and to transport those impacted by the devastating storm to safety, the cruise line announced Sunday.



Ships from Royal Caribbean's fleet are being mobilized and filled with supplies to "help people in need," according to a press release.



On Sunday, the Adventure of the Seas will be making a humanitarian stop in St. Martin, while the Majesty of the Seas will make stops in both St. Thomas and St. Martin. That ship will then assist in transporting evacuees from the island.

Two additional ships -- the Empress of the Seas and the Enchantment of the Seas -- are ready to assist Florida cities such as Key West and Tampa once the hurricane passes through and its impact is known, the press release said.

.@RoyalCaribbean cruise ship available to evacuees at port in Sint Maarten (Dutch side). This vessel is NOT chartered by the US govt. pic.twitter.com/jP4mbisQHc  Travel - State Dept (@TravelGov) September 10, 2017

About 1,500 Americans have been evacuated from St. Martin.



Much of the popular tourist island of St. Martin was destroyed by Irma, which was a Category 5 storm when it hit. St. Martin's famous Princess Juliana International Airport was badly damaged by the storm, making supplies only deliverable via helicopter.



The damage on St. Martin is so bad that some large resort companies, including Sonesta, have canceled reservations for the rest of 2017.



French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the island's "four most solid buildings" had been destroyed and that more rustic structures were probably "completely or partially destroyed."



Ahead of the storm, Royal Caribbean canceled three of its cruises in the Caribbean.



The cruise line's chief meteorologist, James Van Fleet, is closely tracking Irma's progress to determine its potential impact to its current and upcoming sailings, the press release read.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Tina Tchen, a Chicago attorney, was Michelle Obama's White House chief of staff. Tchen is starting new chapters at the Buckley Sandler law office in Chicago, where she will lead the office and act as a partner. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

WASHINGTON  After being first lady Michelle Obama's chief of staff for most of her time at the White House, Tina Tchen said she doesn't miss the frenetic pace of her old job but does miss the capital city she called home for eight years.

Tchen recently began leading the Chicago office of the Buckley Sandler law firm, it announced Monday.. The firm serves the financial sector, including banks and credit card, mortgage and auto loan and financial-technology companies.

Advertisement

"When you're in the middle of the pace in the White House, you're just living it every day," Tchen said.

"You're just going from event to event, moment to moment, issue to issue, giving it your all. And I don't think you realize how intense it is until you step back and you realize instead of working on 20 things a day, you are working on five things a day," she said.

Advertisement

Tchen, 61, was for months an "unemployed civilian" at the end of the Obama administration. She was the first lady's chief of staff for more than six years and afterward hit the lecture circuit, went to Europe and kept up her efforts to empower women and girls. She had led the now-dormant White House Council on Women and Girls.

She's adviser to The United State of Women, which hosted a D.C. summit in 2016 on gender equity issues and recently had regional meetings for women in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, with several more conferences ahead.

She said she misses the White House's permanent staff and the Obama team, which has scattered across the country but keeps in frequent contact.

Tchen views Washington as the rare seat of government that is a chiefly company town, unlike London, for example, which also is a hub for finance, fashion and the arts. Tchen said that since many people stay in Washington when administrations change, there's a rich talent pool.

"What I miss is, you can walk down the street in D.C. and every block or so, you'll run into somebody ... who's an economics expert or somebody who's an international law expert or someone who's doing (work on issues pertaining to) women and girls in Africa," she said.

An Ohio native, Tchen graduated from Northwestern Law and became a partner in the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She was active on the boards of entities such as University of Chicago Medicine and Chicago Public Library.

"Chicago is a great city," she said, calling it vibrant, diverse and filled with "so many people doing exciting things."

kskiba@chicagotribune.com

Advertisement

Twitter @KatherineSkiba
Joey Spalding walks back to his truck down the street where he lives on Sept. 11, 2017, on Tybee Island, Ga. (Stephen B. Morton / AP)

ATLANTA  The remnants of Hurricane Irma forced Atlanta's international airport  one of the world's busiest  to cancel nearly 200 flights early Tuesday. The storm claimed at least two lives in Georgia and one in South Carolina.

The flights canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport put the total number of interrupted trips there due to Irma at about 1,300, spokesman Andrew Gobeil said. The airport remained operational, although some passengers were forced to spend the night at the airport. Gobeil said he didn't have the exact number.

Advertisement

Meteorologist Keith Stellman said Atlanta's airport recorded sustained winds of 45 mph with gusts up to 64 mph. The National Hurricane Center said it expects Irma to drop 5 inches to 8 inches of rain across South Carolina and the northern regions of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi through Tuesday.

More than 1.2 million Georgia Power and Electric Membership Corp. customers were without power Tuesday morning. The utility companies said they would continue to assess damage as power is restored. The Alabama Power reported 20,000 outages. The utilities said repairs could take several days.

Advertisement

In Atlanta, people nervously watched towering oak trees as the city, 250 miles inland, experienced its first tropical storm warning. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority resumed service Tuesday, but with limited routes. The transport operator said it will have rail service running in 20-minute intervals.

Weakened into a tropical depression after strafing Florida, Irma still had enough force when it swirled into Georgia to cause significant damage.

Heavy rain and strong winds caused flooding along the coast, downed power lines and sent trees crashing onto homes. Traffic flowed easily on Atlanta's main highways Tuesday that are usually crammed with traffic during rush hours. Schools remained closed.

In south Georgia, a 62-year-old man had a heart attack and died after climbing a ladder to try to secure the roof above his tractor-trailer.

John Kline was found under debris on the roof of his shed in Worth County, where winds topped 40 mph, sheriff's spokeswoman Kannetha Clem said. His wife had called 911, saying he'd had a heart attack.

County Coroner John Johnson said Kline suffered from chronic heart disease and believes the man's death was not storm-related.

Another man, in his 50s, was killed just outside Atlanta when a tree fell on his house, Sandy Springs police Sgt. Sam Worsham said. In addition, a woman died when a tree fell on a vehicle in a private driveway, the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said on its website.

Some 540,000 people were ordered to evacuate days earlier from Savannah and the rest of Georgia's coast. Irma sent 4 feet of ocean water into downtown Charleston, South Carolina, as the storm's center passed 250 miles away. City officials urged residents to stay off the streets.

Advertisement

Charles Saxon, 57, became South Carolina's first recorded death when he was struck by a tree limb while clearing debris outside his home in Calhoun Falls amid wind gusts of about 40 mph, according to a statement from Abbeville County Coroner Ronnie Ashley.

Communities along Georgia's coast were swamped by storm surge and rainfall arriving at high tide Monday afternoon. On Tybee Island east of Savannah, Holland Zellers was grabbing a kayak to reach his mother in a home near the beach.

"In the street right now, the water is knee-to-waist deep," Zeller said.

Tybee Island City Manager Shawn Gillen said waters were receding quickly, but many of the 3,000 residents' homes were flooded.

"I don't think people who have lived here a long time have ever seen flooding this bad," Gillen said.

The tidal surge sent damaged boats rushing more than three blocks onto downtown streets in St. Marys, just north of the Georgia-Florida state line, St. Marys Police Lt. Shannon Brock said.

Advertisement

Downtown Atlanta hotels remained full of evacuees. Many milled about the CNN Center, escaping crowded hotel rooms in search of open restaurants. Many were glued to storm coverage on the atrium's big screen. Parents pointed out familiar sites, now damaged, to their children.

"We've been here since Friday night, and we're ready to go home" to Palm Beach County, Florida, Marilyn Torrence told her 4-year-old.

Bynum reported from Savannah. Associated Press reporters Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama; John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia; Seanna Adcox in Columbia, South Carolina; and Kate Brumback and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this story.
The Trump administration's move to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, has created an uncertain future for the 800,000 young immigrants in the country illegally who had been granted protection from deportation and permission to work legally. A six-month delay provides a chance for Congress to save the 2012 program. But if we're going to debate the merits of DACA, we should know what we're talking about. Here are some common myths.

1. DACA incentivized an increase in illegal immigration.

Advertisement

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., is among those who support ending DACA because it has "encouraged more illegal immigration and contributed to the surge of unaccompanied minors and families seeking to enter the U.S. illegally." Statements like this betray a misunderstanding of who is eligible for deportation relief under the program. DACA applies only to immigrants who entered before their 16th birthdays and who have lived in the country continuously since at least June 15, 2007  more than a decade ago. No one entering now can apply.

Perhaps the chairman thinks that children coming to the border are confused on this point. But the facts don't support that view either. To begin with, the timing is wrong. According to data from the Border Patrol, the increase in immigrant children in 2012  the year President Barack Obama announced DACA  occurred entirely in the months before the president announced the policy. The rate of increase also remained the same in 2013 as it was in 2012. Even then, the total number of juveniles attempting to cross the border  unaccompanied and otherwise  never returned to the pre-recession levels of the mid-2000s.

Advertisement

Another problem with the theory is that although the majority of DACA beneficiaries are of Mexican origin, the increase in children crossing the border stems from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. These countries share one common trait: much higher than average levels of violence than anywhere else in North America. A careful study of this phenomenon by economist Michael Clemens found that more than anything else, a rise in homicides between 2007 and 2009 set off a chain of events that led to the rise of child migration.

Regardless, overall illegal immigration is far below where it was before the United States' last legalization program, in 1986, when each border agent caught more than 40 border crossers per month. Last year, it was fewer than two per month. DACA had no effect on this trend.

2. DACA has taken jobs from Americans.

In announcing the Trump administration's decision, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said DACA "denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same jobs to go to illegal aliens." This myth even has a name in economics: the lump of labor fallacy. It supposes that the number of jobs in the economy is fixed, and that any increase in workers results in unemployment. Yet this notion is easily disproved. From 1970 to 2017, the U.S. labor force doubled. Rather than ending up with a 50 percent unemployment rate, U.S. employment doubled.

If adding workers made the economy poorer, we might expect that people would try to "free" themselves from competition by moving to a desolate mountain and making everything for themselves. That no one does so is an admission that competition is actually good. We depend on other workers, DACA recipients included, to buy the products and services we produce. That's one reason earlier efforts to restrict immigration did not produce any wage gains.

3. Repealing DACA would benefit taxpayers.

Sessions also argued that ending DACA "protects taxpayers." But the opposite is true. According to the National Academy of Sciences, first-generation immigrants who enter the United States as children (including all DACA recipients) pay, on average, more in taxes over their lifetimes than they receive in benefits, regardless of their education level. DACA recipients end up contributing more than the average, because they are not eligible for any federal means-tested welfare: cash assistance, food stamps, Medicaid, health-care tax credits or anything else.

They also are better educated than the average immigrant. Applicants must have at least a high school diploma to enter the program. An additional 36 percent of DACA recipients who are older than 25 have a bachelor's degree, and an additional 32 percent are pursuing a bachelor's degree. The NAS finds that among recent immigrants who entered as children, those with a high school diploma are positive to the government, to the tune of $60,000 to $153,000 in net present value, meaning it's like each immigrant cutting a check for that amount at the door. For those with a bachelor's degree, it's a net positive of $160,000 to $316,000. Each DACA permit canceled is like burning tens of thousands of dollars in Washington.

Advertisement

4. DACA repeal protects communities from criminals.

DACA repeal, the attorney general further claimed, "saves lives" and "protects communities." He implied that DACA "put our nation at risk of crime." But DACA participants are not criminals. Immigrants in the U.S. illegally  the applicant pool for DACA  are much less likely to end up in prison, indicating lower levels of criminality. More important, to participate in DACA, applicants must pass a background check. They have to live here without committing a serious offense. If they are arrested, DACA can be taken away even without a conviction.

Only 2,139 out of almost 800,000 DACA recipients have lost their permits because of criminal or public safety concerns  that's just a quarter of 1 percent. Four times as many U.S.-born Americans are in prison. About 35 times as many Americans have ended up behind bars at some point before age 34.

5. DACA repeal is just about politics.

Obama criticized Trump's DACA move as "a political decision" that was "not required legally." But legal issues certainly factored into the Trump administration's calculation. The timing coincided with a deadline that several states imposed on the administration, stating that if the president did not wind down DACA by Sept. 5, they would sue. If President Trump wanted to end DACA for political reasons, he could have done so on his first day in office.

Obama should know that defending DACA legally could be difficult. After all, when he attempted to implement a similar but much broader program in 2015 for undocumented parents of U.S. citizens, courts shut him down. Obama implemented DACA without going through Congress, and although some legal scholars dispute whether it faces the same legal issues as the 2015 program, the Trump administration would have confronted a real possibility of defeat had it had chosen to defend DACA in court.

Advertisement

The correct response, however  for economic reasons and security reasons, but above all for moral reasons  would have been to actively push for Congress to enact the program, not to announce its demise and leave the chips to fall where they may.

The Washington Post

David Bier is an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute.
Catholic leaders and university presidents are objecting to Sen. Diane Feinstein's line of questioning for one of President Donald Trump's judicial nominees, arguing the focus on her faith is misplaced and runs counter to the Constitution's prohibition on religious tests. (Cliff Owen / AP)

Washington is currently embroiled in one of its "gotcha" controversies, which often arise when minor missteps are blown into major crimes. It's a game both parties and a variety of activists play whenever they see political advantage in it. The latest one is unfortunate not because it arose but because it involves serious questions that could use calm debate rather than expressions of outrage.

Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing that featured judicial nominees, including Amy Coney Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor chosen for the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, located in Chicago. The issue that came up was whether, as a Catholic, Barrett could fairly decide cases where the result might conflict with her religious convictions.

Advertisement

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., told Barrett that "the dogma lives loudly within you" and worried that it might take priority over the impartial administration of justice. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois asked, "Do you consider yourself an orthodox Catholic?"

It may seem out of bounds for senators to raise the matter of how a judge's Catholic faith would affect her decisions. But the senators didn't raise it; Barrett did, in a 1998 law review article examining the obligations of Catholic judges in death penalty cases. It concluded that judges faithful to church teachings "are morally precluded from enforcing the death penalty."

Advertisement

The liberal Alliance for Justice interprets this to mean that judges "should be free to put their personal views ahead of their judicial oath to faithfully follow the law." But Barrett didn't say a Catholic judge should use her power to prevent death sentences. What she said is that if a judge can't in good conscience follow the law in a capital punishment case, she should recuse herself and let another judge take over.

That's an honest, reasonable position, and it should come as good news to anyone who fears she would enforce religious doctrine from the bench. It's also a position that senators are fully entitled to ask her about in evaluating her nomination.

Given that Barrett said judges shouldn't let religious faith dictate their decisions, the exact content of her Catholicism, which Durbin wondered about, is irrelevant. He and Feinstein also erred by putting the issue in terms that could easily be interpreted to mean they distrust devout Catholics. That gave Barrett's supporters room to accuse them of indulging bigotry and imposing a religious test for office.

It's an implausible charge on its face. Both voted to confirm John Roberts and Sonia Sotomayor, who are Catholics. So, by the way, is Durbin, and Feinstein graduated from a Catholic high school.

But any senator who asks a judicial nominee about her faith has to take great care not to alarm believers or encourage anti-Catholic prejudice. On this, the two senators fell short. Even Christopher Hale, a former staffer for President Barack Obama and now head of the liberal Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, criticized Feinstein's comments.

Barrett has made clear her moral objections to capital punishment and abortion. Senators on either side of the partisan aisle have a right to consider how those views might affect her decisions. But her openness about how judges with such beliefs should handle their duties is reassuring rather than alarming.

At a 2013 event at Notre Dame looking back on Roe v. Wade, by the way, she said it was "very unlikely" the court would ever overturn it: "The fundamental element, that the woman has a right to choose abortion, will probably stand," Barrett said, sounding realistic, not fanatical.

Last week's hearing was an opportunity to illuminate the issue of how judges should handle conflicts between their moral convictions and their constitutional duties. Too bad the senators missed that opportunity.

Advertisement

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.

Become a subscriber today to support editorial writing like this. Start getting full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks.
The U.S. military should shoot down all North Korean missiles as soon as they are launched as an unacceptable offensive military action against the West. This would prevent the perfection and fine-tuning of the missiles' targeting mechanism.

Suppose Kim Jong Un decides to put a nuclear payload on a missile. This poses an unacceptable risk to American citizens and property in addition to our allies, the Japanese and South Koreans. This also would be a good real-world test of the U.S. military might and a showcase for the public similar to joint military exercises with South Korea.

Advertisement

The most likely reason that President Donald Trump refuses to try to protect America is that the U.S. military is unable to shoot down Korean missiles, something that should be given top priority now.

 Thomas Cechner, Lockport
Many who attended the second annual Arlington on Tap Craft Beer Fest in Arlington Heights on Saturday didn't mind drinking beer in the parking lot of a grocery store or the rumble of trains trundling across the Metra northwest line in the distance.

For beer-lovers like Cristina Caputo, 36, who lives in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood, the event was the perfect opportunity to head back to her hometown to visit her parents and sample a plethora of craft beers.

Advertisement

"I grew up in Arlington Heights and I love a craft beer festival in a local atmosphere," Caputo said.

She was one of the hundreds of visitors to the event, which was held in the parking lot of the Jewel-Osco Vail Street Market in downtown Arlington Heights.

Advertisement

"My dad bought our tickets and it's an easy walk from the train station, so I don't have to worry about driving home," said Caputo, who sampled a Lemonade IPA brewed by Evil Twin Brewing that she described as "very refreshing."

Sponsored by the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce, the event featured more than 40 craft beers served alongside live music and barbecue from the Rack House.

"Jewel-Osco was very accommodating by giving us a larger space, and we're excited to have another opportunity to showcase these craft beers that are sold at many of our local restaurants," said Jon Ridler, executive director for the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce.

While Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes refrained from sampling the featured brews, he dropped by the event to visit with residents.

"Fall is my favorite time of year, and it's great to get out to any event in town on such a beautiful day," Hayes said.

Robb Zbierski, of Lakeshore Beverage in Chicago, said the event allowed him to share his knowledge about craft beer with visitors who dropped by the vendor's tent for tastings.

"This Champagne Velvet tastes like brunch after a bachelor party," Zbierski explained. "Or you might want to try the Neapolitan Milk Stout. ... It's like having dessert on the beach in a wet swimsuit."

kcullotta@tribpub.com

Advertisement

Twitter @kcullotta
The former International Harvester building at 251 S. River St. in downtown Aurora will be the site of a banquet hall run by Moveable Feast in Geneva. (Steve Lord/The Beacon-News )

Aldermen are set to vote on a liquor license for a new banquet hall primarily for weddings on Aurora's downtown fringe.

The City Council will vote on the license for Moveable Feast, a Geneva-based catering company that is opening its own banquet facility in the former International Harvester building at 251 S. River St. in what is known as the Belle-Gale Historic District.

Advertisement

The council will be voting on a Class O liquor license, which is for a banquet facility.

The license has been endorsed by the City Council Government Operations Committee, and last week the City Council Committee of the Whole placed it on Tuesday night's consent agenda. Alderman will also vote on two more liquor licenses for two traditional restaurants.

Advertisement

Moveable Feast is a caterer with a deli-style lunch restaurant at 321 Franklin St., Geneva. Matt Marquez, owner, has said his company was catering so many weddings, "the next step was to have our own place."

They bought the building at 251 S. River St. that once housed International Harvester's Aurora location. Because the building is in a small historic district recently approved by the state, it is eligible for historic area tax credits.

The Belle-Gale Historic District is bounded by River, Lake, Gale and Cross streets.

Marquez has said the facility will do primarily weddings, but it would be open to anything that needs a banquet hall and catering.

The building itself will provide 70 parking spaces, and city officials have said the facility also can use the public parking lot next to the Aurora Public Library a block away.

The facility is approved by the Fire Department for as many as 491 people, but Marquez said they would keep it to a maximum of 350 to 400 people for events.

The other liquor licenses to be voted on are for the Big Sea Sushi & Noodles, 2009 W. Galena Blvd., an outbuilding of the West Plaza Shopping Center, and the new Miller's Ale House, on Route 59.

Big Sea Sushi & Noodles is already open, and has applied for a Class F license to serve beer and wine.

Advertisement

Miller's Ale House is applying for a Class E full liquor bar license for a restaurant. The ale house, which will be the 87th store in the chain and the fifth in the Chicago area, has a tentative opening date of Oct. 9.

slord@tribpub.com
Members of the seventh- and eighth-grade band at Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy play Monday as the East Aurora High School NJROTC Color Guard Unit presents the colors during a ceremony to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (David Sharos / The Beacon-News)

For students at Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy in Aurora, the terrorist attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, are a part of history that happened before they were born.

On Monday, the school held a special ceremony to honor the victims of the attacks and let students know how important it is to learn about the tragic events of that day 16 years ago.

Advertisement

Kevin Meadows, a naval science instructor who works at East Aurora High School, supervised the color guard at the event and said "having a remembrance is always a plus."

"I think we all tend to do better when we are prepared for something and by telling people about the things of the past, your hope is they won't have to relive it," Meadows said. "It's important to remember those who have been lost from that day as this is now a part of American history like anything else students have studied for decades."

Advertisement

Meadows said he was working as a recruiter on that day and that "everything went crazy."

"We were all called and asked where our men were and to keep them with us," Meadows recalled. "I like to feel in some ways we're safer now, because we're never going to let our guard down again."

The school's gymnasium was filled with Magnet school students and parents who came to remember the attacks.

Xarely Chaves, 13, an eighth-grader, said the events of 9/11 "are a part of history" and that hopefully "we won't repeat our mistakes."

"I think airports are safer now, but I also feel like people used to trust one another more before this all happened," Chaves said. "I think we are safer in some ways now because people have to be checked, but I wish sometimes they didn't have to be."

Sarai Gonzales, who is also 13 and an eighth-grader, said her mother was in the hospital when the attacks occurred and that "she told us about the planes and the videos."

"It was bad that the planes were hijacked and I feel that was something really scary like we are having now with the hurricanes and earthquakes," Gonzales said. "Sometimes, I feel scared about what will happen next."

Ann Schubert of Aurora came as a resident Monday to experience the program. She said "it was important to be here this morning to remember all those lives."

Advertisement

"I've sort of forgotten that for the children here, there weren't any of these experiences in their lifetime, and you really never know what their lives are going to be like," Schubert said. "Whenever you think about it, it was a sad day."

Sixth-grade science teacher Shaista Khan said she hoped students would come away from Monday's experience "with the caring part of it."

"The caring part of this is what was important and that we are always united when we are caring for each other," Khan said. "It's like today when we have a natural disaster. That was a political, man-made disaster but we were united just the same."

Daniel Holhut, band director at Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy, said he has organized a 9/11 activity in a District 131 school "for at least 10 years."

Holhut said he wanted to make the school's third-graders "the target audience" by offering a short summary of the events from 9/11 so that they understand the importance of the day.

David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News
Talking about their coat drive to help victims of Hurricane Harvey at Shepard Middle School are (from left) Maya Segal, teacher Andrew Staniszewski, Rebecca Harfield, Assistant Principal Sam Kurtz, Jordan Pinsky, teacher Marianne Getz, Nate Schecter, Dylan Gurevitz and Principal John Filippi. (Steve Sadin / Pioneer Press)

A nationwide effort to help victims of Hurricane Harvey was organized by school principals to help colleagues in Texas, and three schools in Deerfield Public Schools District 109 are participating in the effort.

Shepard and Caruso Middle Schools as well as Walden Elementary School got involved around Sept. 1 when their principals learned of a social media effort that was underway to assist the Texas schools.

Advertisement

As part of Principals Helping Principals, students, their families and others in the community are providing clothing, gift cards and other items to their selected schools. Caruso Principal Brian Bullis is working with YES Prep Fifth Ward, a middle school in Houston.

"I got the Google spreadsheet from (Shepard Principal) John Filippi," Bullis said. "As far as I know this was a grass roots effort. I looked through it, found YES needed help and emailed the principal. It took their principal eight days to get back to me. I can't imagine what they're going through."

Advertisement

One of the organizers of the Principals Helping Principals program is Kristen Eriksen. She is part of a collaboration group of administrators who work together through Facebook, according to the group's website. She is now dealing with a storm near her.

"I may have limited access to the internet the next several days," Eriksen wrote on a website post. "I will be preparing for Hurricane Irma. Please keep the state of Florida in your thoughts and prayers."

In Deerfield, Bullis, Filippi and Walden Principal Scott Schwartz are working with their school communities to provide relief to Texas schools while keeping an eye on Florida.

"We don't know yet what will happen but we know there will be damage," Schwartz said last week. "We will see what will happen. People in our community are always willing to help."

Shepard adopted Fred Roberts Middle School in Houston, according to Filippi. The plight of the Fred Roberts students and their families has also touched pupils at Shepard. Maya Segal, a seventh grader, is thinking about Florida too.

"I feel really bad for them," Segal said. "I know people who are dealing with Irma and I want to know how they're doing," she added referring to friends from summer overnight camp. She is communicating with them through social media.

Fred Roberts has about 650 fifth and sixth graders who were set to return to class Sept. 11, according to Filippi. He said how many students will be there is in question.

The Roberts principal has been unable to communicate with approximately half the families with children in the school, according to Filippi. He said they may be in shelters away from the area. The neighborhood was devastated.

Advertisement

"At least half the families lost everything they own," Filippi said. "That's something I can't imagine. I just don't know how you start recovering from that."

After learning of the needs of the families of the Fred Roberts neighborhood, Filippi said the Shepard community is collecting lightweight jackets for the onset of a Houston winter as well as $10 Walmart gift cards.

"We want to collect one jacket for every student at the school," Filippi said.

One of the ways Shepard is raising money to buy the gift cards is a one-mile fun run Sept. 27 at the school, according to Andrew Staniszewski, one of the physical education teachers. He said the minimum donation is $10. He hopes the event brings in at least $2,000. The runners will compete by age group and there will be prizes.

"We're going to reach out to the community for donations for the prizes," Staniszewski said, indicating he wants all funds raised from the run to benefit Fred Roberts School.

While Filippi said damage to Fred Roberts is minimal because the school is relatively new, the same is not true for Kolter Elementary School in Houston, which was adopted by Walden. Schwartz said teachers there lost papers, books, bookcases and more. School is resuming in a different building five miles away.

Advertisement

At Caruso, Bullis said the students and the rest of the school community are filling a request for gift cards for stores like Target, Walmart and Kroger. He said the efforts are going well with students making suggesting to parents and other adults.

"Our Blue Jay mascot is standing at the curb and talking to parents when they drop their children off at school," Bullis said.

Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Kane County prosecutors have secured a prison term for an Elgin man convicted of dealing heroin, according to a news release from the Kane County State's Attorney.

Kane County Circuit Judge John A. Barsanti on Friday sentenced 36-year-old Kentrell M. Montgomery, of the 1-99 block of Plum Street in Elgin, to 12 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Advertisement

Montgomery pleaded guilty July 17 to a class X felony count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a church, the release said.

Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Salvatore LoPiccolo said during the plea hearing that in 2015 on Sept. 11, 15 and 17, Montgomery sold a total of just less than 3 grams of heroin to an undercover police officer within 1,000 feet of two churches on Elgin's west side, the release said.

Advertisement

Montgomery has four prior drug delivery convictions, in Kane and McHenry counties, and has served two prior prison terms.

According to Illinois law, Montgomery is eligible for day for day credit. He was given credit for 2 days served in the Kane County jail.
Leyden School District 212 is participating in Harvey relief efforts. From left to right, Frank Holthouse, director of careers and community outreach, senior Martha Cruz, 16 and Maura Gavin, student activities director, support two fundraisers on Sept. 7 at East Leyden. Holthouse and Gavin helped organize a red, white and blue jeans fundraiser for $5. Cruz sold bracelets for $2. Donations support the Greater Houston Community Foundation. (Rachel K. Hindery/Pioneer Press )

Bracelets and blue jeans became symbols of solidarity between Leyden District 212 and those recovering from Hurricane Harvey's aftermath.

With a donation of $5 for the Greater Houston Community Foundation, faculty and staff could wear jeans and Americana or Texas-inspired clothing. For $2, students and others could support the foundation and choose from two bracelets. According to the district, a total of $1,039.01 was raised between East and West Leyden high schools.

Advertisement

Some of Leyden's fundraising and supply efforts are ongoing.

After learning about Harvey's destruction, East and West Leyden immediately started planning their response.

Advertisement

"It was probably the most grassroots initiative we've had," said Frank Holthouse, the director of careers and community outreach at East Leyden.

Faculty and staff, including Joe Ruffolo at West Leyden and Maura Gavin at East Leyden, researched the best way to help. Ruffolo and Gavin are both student activities directors.

They discovered the type of donation that would benefit the greatest number of people.

"Right now, the consensus is it's best to donate money," Ruffolo said.

Holthouse said they chose the Greater Houston Community Foundation because it is "already embedded within the Houston community."

While Holthouse said he credits "Maura's drive and initiative" for part of the success, Gavin was quick to note that the fundraisers were a community effort.

"We formed the plan together. We got the faculty, staff and students involved," Gavin said.

Martha Cruz, 16, is an East Leyden senior from Franklin Park. She sold bracelets during lunch.

Advertisement

The sales were ways "to help others, not just in the Leyden community," Cruz said.

Ruffolo acknowledged that students have expressed apprehension about Harvey and other recent hurricanes.

"There's definitely a heightened level of concern," Ruffolo said, adding that some teachers at West Leyden are using current events as a "teaching tool" in their classroom.

Holthouse described the fundraiser as another teaching moment.

"We always look at what we're doing for the whole student and broadening our focus as educators to be empathetic to others in our national and global community," Holthouse said.

Holthouse said that community service is not new to students at Leyden, giving the growing numbers of students participating in Leyden's annual "Make a Difference Day" as an example.

Advertisement

For Cruz, the bracelet sale was a way to encourage the students who will lead future fundraisers.

"It's a good way to show the underclassmen what they can do," Cruz said, while "bringing the community together to offer support to others."

Students are eager to help: "We had students ask if we could sell the bracelets next week, too," Gavin said.

Holthouse said that the level of participation surpassed his expectations.

" Because there's a bigger message behind this jeans day, we had good participation from teachers and staff," Holthouse said.

According to Ruffolo, West Leyden's response was similar.

Advertisement

"People can get behind it.  People were even donating above and beyond the recommended donations," Ruffolo said. "I enjoyed the level of support, and the fact that many of my colleagues will get behind something they believe in."

"Every dollar counts, and they need it," Holthouse said.

The Greater Houston Community Foundation tracks donations to its Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund on its website, https://ghcf.org. Dollar by dollar, they've received more than $43 million.

"We continue to receive interest from people all over the country who want to contribute and help. The devastation from Hurricane Harvey is being felt across the country in profound and numerous ways. The genuine heartfelt outpouring of concern is palpable," said Steve Maislin, GHCF's president and CEO.

"I wanted to help out because there were so many things going on, and it would take  years to get back to where they started," Cruz said.

Ruffolo added that Leyden families are responding regardless of their own means.

"People are willing to give what they have to help others," Ruffolo said.

Advertisement

" it's a great thing to be part of. Just with the donations we get we're making a big difference for the people who really need it," Cruz said.

Rachel K. Hindery is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Former District 35 student David Stroud discusses his frustration with the districts response to allegations of sexual abuse he made against a now-retired teacher. ( Daniel I. Dorfman/Pioneer Press )

A former Glencoe District 35 student who says a retired teacher sexually abused him expressed frustration at a recent board meeting with the district's response.

"I expected you to be aghast and eager to help me gather information. Instead my messages went to voicemail and nobody returned my calls," said David Stroud, 55. "I'm baffled by (District) 35's choice to remain silent about my past."

Advertisement

Stroud, who traveled from his home in Colorado to attend the meeting, said he was abused in the early 1970s by a now-retired District 35 teacher. The Pioneer Press is not naming the teacher, who has not been charged with a crime The former teacher, however, has denied having abused Stroud or any other children.

Stroud, who was at the Sept. 7 District 35 meeting with his mother, told the board he believes there were other Glencoe students molested by the teacher and believes there is more the school board should be doing.

Advertisement

Responding to Stroud during the meeting, School Board President Gary Ruben said the board wants to get a clear idea of what happened.

"We very much want to get to the truth of this and find out what information we can provide," Ruben said.

Ruben added after the meeting that efforts have been made to look into Stroud's claims. He said that officials have not been able to find any information in District 35 records that they believed would be useful to an investigation.

"We have looked through files to try and find anything that might be relevant," he said. "We have not found anything. The archives or records  however these folks refer to it that they think are there and somehow we are not releasing  we have not found them."

On Aug. 4, District 35 released a statement saying that a student, later identified as Stroud, had contacted the school district with accusations about abuse taking place in the 1970s. District 35 officials said they also had heard from a second former student making allegations of sexual abuse.

District 35 officials said they had received two anonymous phone calls and a series of emails containing similar accusations against the teacher.

The school district added that previous allegations by Stroud had been reported to the Glencoe Public Safety Department, which includes police, in 2012 and 2014, but no charges were filed.

Glencoe Public Safety Director Cary Lewandowski said that the charges against the retired teacher have been investigated and no charges were brought. Lewandowski said there is no active investigation at this time.

Advertisement

Annie Sarnblad, who said she also attended District 35 schools, spoke to the board about her feelings concerning Stroud's allegations.

"By denying, defending and delaying, you are putting the school board at risk of being sued," Sarnblad said.

Stroud said in addition to his own claim of molestation in the early 1970s, he has heard from others who said they were molested by the same teacher. Stroud said he believes there may be relevant information in the district's archives concerning a deceased school employee.

Glencoe resident Kate Elisco called for the board to look into incidents throughout the teacher's tenure to shed light on the allegations. She brought up multiple dates she believed might be worth another look.

Ruben said the specifics Stroud and Elisco mentioned could assist their investigation.

"We now have more details to go by," Ruben said.

Advertisement

Stroud said he believed it may be time for an outside entity to look into the allegations.

"I think that is the only way to do it," he said. "If they are investigating on their own, they are trying to hide something. It seems there should be an independent investigation."

Ruben said the board would discuss the possibility of an outside firm being brought in.

Meanwhile, Ruben said the school district would continue its investigation, but it was not clear when anything new might be presented to the public.

"We will update the community as we progress with our plans," Ruben said. "But we have been and continue to seek the truth. We are trying to find out what that is and we are going to continue to do that."

Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter.
Longtime La Grange resident Lorna Neuneker remembers cross burnings, people afraid to sell homes to minorities, threats from the Ku Klux Klan and panic peddling during her years.

"I've tried to be optimistic for 58 years of living here," she told those assembled Sunday for the 26th Annual Race Unity Rally. "We're still waiting."

Advertisement

Neuneker, who along with Velaine Carnall received a Diversity Award at the annual gathering by the CommUNITY Diversity Group, might not have to wait much longer, said keynote speaker Jay Readey, a community development attorney and social entrepreneur.

Readey said there has been "eyepopping" integration in recent years, more than people might realize with so much focus on racial unrest in places like Charlottesville, Virginia and Ferguson, Missouri.

Advertisement

He cited a rise in interracial marriage, adoption and friendships in recent years, and said La Grange was a stable community that could be part of what he calls the coming integration, specially noting the community's location as a place for diverse Chicago residents to move.

"There is a faith tradition here and a faith community that has been involved for a long time in finding the promised land," he said, referring to racial integration.

He noted an oft quoted statistic that by 2042, the United States population would be majority minority. That shift, he said, is already being experienced by those 18 to 20 years old.

He said he believes integration will grow with a spike in interracial marriages, which now make up about 16 percent of marriages. In the near future, he said, people won't exclude half the population when looking for a partner.

"At some point, white folks are going to stop marrying just white folks," he said. "The math doesn't hold up."

He urged La Grange residents to work toward integration, which has been a goal of the CommUNITY Diversity Group, which was founded after the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

The group will host a forum on Assisting Integration in La Grange, featuring Carnall and Neuneker, at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at the La Grange Public Library.

This year's unity rally also included performances by Watch My Feet, a youth dance and drama group from The LeaderShop.

Advertisement

The organization also honored La Velle Topps, a 20-year board member and former La Grange Elementary District 102 Board member, with its Appreciation Award.

La Velle Topps accepts his Appreciation Award. (Brett Johnson / Pioneer Press )

Linda Eastman, co-chairman of the Race Unity Rally, welcomes guests at the La Grange Village Hall. (Mike Mantucca / Pioneer Press )

bjohnson@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @brettdale
The mother of a 22-year-old man shot and killed by a Round Lake police officer last year has filed a federal lawsuit against the village and the officer seeking damages for wrongful death and excessive force.

This July, the Lake County State's Attorney's Office announced that after a lengthy investigation, it was determined due to evidence and witness statements that Officer Valerie Liss used reasonable force and was acting in self-defense when she shot Michael Musson Jr. on the night of Sept. 2, 2016.

Advertisement

The suit claims that the officer violated Musson's constitutional rights by using excessive force in shooting Musson several times. It states that "Liss' conduct was objectively unreasonable and was undertaken intentionally, or with reckless indifference to Michael Musson Jr.'s constitutional rights."

As a result, the suit says, Musson suffered severe injuries, pain, suffering, emotional distress and the loss of life.

Advertisement

Musson's mother, Arona, filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Sept. 1.

The suit seeks unspecified compensatory damages, as well as attorney fees, also alleging that his family members, including his parents and siblings, "have suffered damages, including grief, the loss of comfort, love, affection and protection" from Musson due to the shooting, which was described in the suit as a "wanton" action.

The suit asks that a jury hear the case.

Attempts to reach Round Lake police and village officials were not successful Monday.

In July, State's Attorney Michael Nerheim said Liss acted professionally during the incident and only fired her weapon at Michael Musson when she felt her life, and possibly that of a nearby resident, were in danger.

"Numerous witnesses described Mr. Musson's violent, destructive and aggressive actions on the late evening hours of September 2, 2016. These actions are what prompted a multitude of '911' calls," Nerheim said in a formal report.

Musson, who investigators said had consumed six "hits" of LSD before the altercation, appeared to have been breaking windows and lights, and might have tried forcing his way into at least one condominium in the Round Lake neighborhood, according to the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, which investigated the shooting.

A toxicology report also stated that Musson had barbiturates and cannabis is his system.

Advertisement

Musson died after he was shot four times during the incident, and he also had abrasions and contusions on his forehead and face, according to Lake County Coroner's Office records. Nerheim's report said Musson had multiple gunshot wounds to his upper torso and right leg, along with a graze wound on his left hip.

Several neighbors had called 911 that night about someone banging on doors.

When Liss arrived, according to Nerheim's report, Musson was running and slamming his body into the front door of a home along North Macgillis Drive.

Liss called for additional help after arriving at the scene, according to the report, and Musson continued to act erratically and picked up a large shard of glass.

Liss told investigators that when she asked him to put down the glass, Musson smiled at her and, "then charged her. He slammed his body into her body, knocked her to the sidewalk," and she momentarily passed out as he was on top of her, Nerheim's report said.

Liss told investigators Musson then made slashing motions across her throat, threatened to kill her and gouged his fingers into her eyes, the report said.

Advertisement

"Officer Liss screamed for Mr. Musson to get off of her. He continued to smother her with his weight. She again told Mr. Musson to get off of her," according to the report. It stated that Liss was worried that Musson was trying to slit her throat with the piece of broken glass, and that he began repeatedly saying that he was going to kill her.

A neighbor then yelled for Musson to get off of Liss, distracting him and giving her the opportunity to escape from under him, she told investigators, and she was able to stand and draw her gun, the report said.

Liss reported that she had Musson covered with her gun and yelled at Musson, "Don't move! Stay down!" according to the report.

Musson ignored her commands and started to aggressively rush Liss, according to authorities, and fearing that Musson was going to kill her, Liss discharged her gun three times, and then twice more when he continued to move toward her, the report said.

According to a coroner's autopsy report, Musson likely died in less than a minute.

The level of LSD, a psychedelic drug also known as acid, in Musson's blood was 4.2 nanograms per milliliter, according to the coroner's report. Concentrations of LSD between 4 and 6 nanograms per milliliter are usually seen one to two hours after the usual psychedelic dose, according to the state's attorney's report.

Advertisement

The Lake County Major Crimes Task Force handled the investigation, and the Round Lake Police Department did not take part, Nerheim said.

Nerheim also said that Liss' account of the attack mirrors the versions provided by the eyewitnesses.

jrnewton@tribpub.com

Twitter @jimnewton5
Dogs from the Illinois Search and Rescue Task Force stand by a Remembrance Wall at the Wauconda Heroes of Freedom Memorial in Wauconda on Sept. 11, 2017. (Yadira Sanchez Olson/Lake County)

Dozens of miniature American flags lined the ground surrounding the Wauconda Heroes of Freedom Memorial in Wauconda Monday.

On the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, a ceremony took place at the corner of Main Street and Route 176 honoring the lives lost and the first responders.

Advertisement

The brief event was open to the public and included members of the village's police and fire departments, as well as the Wauconda American Legion Post 911 and Wauconda Mayor Lincoln Knight.

Following a prayer and a Pledge of Allegiance to an American flag that flies above the village's remembrance wall  which lists the 2,977 names of people who died in the 9/11 attacks, as well as service personnel who died during the Iraq War  Knight said the village is proud of the first responders "who ran toward the tragedy and not away."

Advertisement

On the wall, the words "Never Forget" are inscribed.

This is the third year that Wauconda has hosted a 9/11 remembrance ceremony.

In 2015, the focal point of the plaza, a 19-foot, 15,000-pound steel beam that was recovered from the wreckage of the World Trade Center's north tower, was donated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Wauconda Police Sgt. Sean Lewakowski carries the American flag during a 9/11 remembrance ceremony in Wauconda on Monday, Sept. 11. (Yadira Sanchez Olson/Lake County)

The beam was trucked to the village from New York, Knight said.

In attendance Monday was Wauconda resident John Lindberg, who wore a 9/11 pin on his shirt and after the ceremony gazed at the wall.

Lindberg said he still remembers how quiet and somber everything seemed after the towers came down that day.

"You can't forget that," Lindberg said. "Our world has changed, and we're still making adjustments."

Eryka McMullins recalls that time differently. An eighth-grader at the time, McMullins said she recalls everything being "mass panic" around her.

Advertisement

On Monday, her boyfriend Mike Kalinski and her 4-year-old daughter Eliza Simeon stood with her in the crowd.

"(The attack) shows our vulnerability, but it also shows the good in people," Kalinski said.

To end the ceremony, Wauconda Police Chief Dave Wermes gave an account of that day, starting with the exact time when the American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. at a speed of 466 miles per hour, with 92 passengers on board.

"At 9:26 a.m., for the first time in United States history, all airspace throughout the country (was) shut down and all airplanes were grounded," Wermes said. "The fires burned for 69 days."

Wermes took a long pause after saying that 3,051 children lost a parent on Sept. 11, 2001.

"Just as Dec. 7, 1941  Pearl Harbor Day  defined a generation, Sept. 11 has undeniably shaped who we are, how we live our daily lives and what we believe in," Wermes said.

Advertisement

"The attacks on the morning of Sept. 11 provide us with an ugly, painful reminder of the hatred and evil, the rage and resentment which resides in the hearts of some," he added. "In the days after Sept. 11, we were left to console the inconsolable. In the weeks after Sept. 11, we tried to explain the unexplainable.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 15 Police Department employee Kathy Koubek carries an American flag with the name of local resident and 9/11 victim Jeff Mladenik during the 9/11 Patriot Day Memorial Ceremony on Sept. 11, 2017, in Oak Brook. Mladenik was on American Airlines Flight 11, one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center. Koubek organized more than 300 volunteers to place all the flags. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

"In the months after Sept. 11, we tried to make sense out of the senseless. And even today, 16 years after Sept. 11, we strive to find hope in the moments of hopelessness that still haunt us."

In addition to the first responders, Wermes thanked all veterans and current military personnel, "for providing security and safety to all Americans in the past, present and our future."

Barry Litberg of the Wauconda American Legion also took the podium to remind those in attendance of The American Legion Legacy Scholarship, which was started following the 9/11 attacks to offer financial support to the children of fallen post-9/11 service members.

This year, The American Legion expanded the scholarship to include children of Veterans Affairs-rated, post-9/11 veterans, too, Litberg said.

Other 9/11 tributes that took place across Lake County Monday, included a Waukegan ceremony with city officials and the fire and police departments, and a memorial ceremony hosted by the Gurnee American Legion Post 771.

Advertisement

Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
The reactor buildings at the nuclear power plant in Zion, seen here in 2012, have not been in use since 1998. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune )

Among the residents of Zion are 60 percent renters, 40 percent overtaxed homeowners and one tenant city officials have been struggling to evict for nearly 20 years.

Those statistics can be attributed to the storage of spent nuclear rods on the property of the closed Zion Nuclear Power Station, according to Zion Director of Finance David Knabel.

Advertisement

"We can't redevelop the property," Knabel said of the land surrounding the facility, which would otherwise be almost 300 acres of prime lakefront real estate.

The site opened in 1973 as a nuclear power plant and was closed in 1998. Now, 61 concrete containers hold the spent fuel rods, which are radioactive waste  and must be monitored around the clock.

Advertisement

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency leases land in various locations around Zion for gamma radiation detectors. Gamma radiation is emitted by nuclear waste, according to IEMA Bureau Chief Kay Foster. IEMA has three detectors a quarter-mile from the Zion plant, and one monitor two miles away. They are monitored 24/7, she said, with reports transmitted every six minutes.

"It's all done automatically," Foster said.

She said the readings obtained from the Zion detectors are similar to readings obtained by two detectors that sit in the middle of an empty field in Springfield, which is not around any nuclear waste. Foster said the readings from the Zion monitors are normal and do not show any gamma radiation coming out from the Zion facility.

"These monitors are very, very precise," she said.

Although a leakage of gamma radiation is not occurring, Knabel said the perception of nuclear waste keeps developers from wanting the empty acreage surrounding the plant, though it is right on the lakefront.

"We're being told it's safe," Knabel said of the 2.2 million pounds of waste at the site. However, he noted it's only about 1,000 feet off the Lake Michigan shoreline, which has been known to erode in big chunks up to 100 feet at a time.

"It's not as far back as you'd think," he said.

In addition, Knabel said, when reports come out of weather catastrophes like those recently in Texas and Florida, it makes the lakefront nuclear waste seem even more precarious.

Advertisement

Knabel added that the perception of imminent danger from the waste keeps Zion from using what would otherwise be its most profitable land from a tax-revenue standpoint.

A 1986 file photo shows the Zion nuclear power plant, which closed in 1998. (Charles Bennett / AP)

The original plan for the nuclear waste, and waste from nuclear plants around the country, was to move it permanently to Yucca Mountain in Nevada, about 100 miles from Las Vegas. Congress voted to use Yucca Mountain for nuclear storage decades ago, but Nevada has fought back. To this day, Congress is still pushing for it, but it hasn't happened.

Zion's financial survival seemingly hangs in the balance.

"Are we supposed to wait another 45 years?" Knabel said.

When ComEd ran the nuclear plant, Knabel said, Zion received about $19.5 million in taxes annually from it. Now that the plant has closed, and its deconstruction is the job of the private company Zion Solutions, the annual tax collected on the land is only $500,000.

Zion has had to make up the difference by dramatically raising property taxes.

Advertisement

"Our tax rate went through the roof," he said.

According to Knabel, Zion's property tax rate is now 19.966 percent, assessed on a third of a property's value. He added that the assessed value of the house is reduced by two-thirds before the rate is applied, meaning the owner of a $100,000 house in Zion would pay $6,655 in taxes.

These rates have caused homeowners to flee the city, he said, and, after the housing crash in 2008, it got worse. At that time, Knabel said, three-bedroom, one-bath Zion homes were going for $20,000 or $30,000. He said developers would come in and buy up 50 at a time, turning them into rentals. The average percentage of residents who rent in a city like Zion should be about 23 percent, he said, not 60 percent.

Also, although Zion, with about 25,000 residents, has only 4 percent of Lake County's population, Knabel said, it receives 40 percent of the subsidized housing vouchers used in Lake County, not including vouchers used in North Chicago and Waukegan.

"We have become the place for low-income vouchers," he said.

In July 2016, then-U.S. Rep. Bob Dold introduced legislation to grant Zion $15 million annually for seven years to compensate for the economic damage of storing nuclear waste. Dold lost re-election last year to Brad Schneider.

Advertisement

Schneider and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth plan to introduce similar legislation, according to a spokesman from Schneider's office, who said, "We are working very closely with the city of Zion and Sen. Duckworth's office."

The legislation would include the grant, tax incentives for development in Zion, and a task force for communities storing nuclear waste, the spokesman added, though he was unable to disclose the amount of the economic impact grant in the new legislation.

While Zion waits for federal intervention with the nuclear waste, it still must do what it can to manage the situation as it is.

The City Council voted last week to renew its lease with the state so IEMA can continue to keep its gamma radiation detectors on city land.

Mary McIntyre is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
Work for it

To all of the children of the illegal citizens: Why haven't any of you applied for American citizenship? It seems to me you just want a free ride without any complications. Work for the citizenship.

Advertisement

Good governor

As I sit here and watch the scenario going on with Hurricane Irma and the governor of Florida. I'm sure he's a Republican, but I've got to give the guy credit because he is doing everything he can do to make it the best scenario possible for what is going to happen to that state. It's kind of refreshing. I cannot say enough good words about Gov. Scott of Florida.

Advertisement

Too many loonies

The story about the pardon of Sheriff Arpaio is ridiculous. Another left-wing writer just beating up Trump on his pardon. You should see all the horrible, disgusting criminals and perverts that Obama and President Clinton pardoned on the way out. I don't remember ever reading any articles about how terrible that was. There are just too many left-wing lunatics in the news media.

Want facts about Equifax

Equifax just announced that a breach may result in 142 million people exposed in their personal information. This may affect many of us in Lake County. Three of their highest ranking administrators, John Jamble, Rodelo Ploder and Joseph Loughran, dumped $1.9 million in stock before the stock fell 13 percent. Remember these rats for who they are, and I hope there will be a full investigation into this and then a class-action lawsuit.

Getting it done

Truthfully, the Republicans that won't get behind Trump and get some of the stuff that he wants  Guess what? He really doesn't care which party he's the head of, just so long as he's running the company. That's just why we elected him, so he could run this business called the United States. We elected him to do just what he's doing  Getting the job done.

Editor's note

Talk of the County is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-4554 or email talkofthecounty@tribpub.com. For a continuously updating blog of Talk of the County comments, go to newssunonline.com/talk.
I have some dreams

I am also a dreamer. I dreamed that the parasite politicians in government would honor their oaths of office. I dream that they would actually put Americans ahead of illegals. I dream of the 40-percent pay cut I've lost in the last 17 years because illegals have flooded the trades and market and ruined our ability to make a living wage. I dream that all lawyers, politicians and journalists would take a 40-percent cut in pay for the next 20 years. I dream that news would be actual news instead of making the stories be tweets to fit a narrative of the left or the right. I'm talking about real news, not opinion pieces, although real news is now an opinion piece. I dream that the left-wing media would stop hyping every story and turning it into a crisis, because as Rahm Emmanuel says, you can get a lot more done for your party with crisis and hysteria when crisis and hysteria is fomented. I have a dream that all DACA children up to age 36 would have their Facebook accounts and computers accounts checked to see if they actually love America, or just our tax money. I dream that all 298,000 people who had to go on unemployment last week who are American citizens get work before the 800,000 Dreamers, or their parents, or their grandparents. I dream that anyone caught hiring illegals would be deported also. I dream that the elected idiots would obey the laws of the land and be subject to the same laws that we are, without any perks. They also should be on Obamacare with no exclusions and no waivers.

Advertisement

Bring back the death penalty

I see in the paper that this guy's sentence got cut two years to 48 years. The man should have gotten the death penalty. He killed somebody right in front of everybody. Come on. How stupid is this judge? How stupid is this country? The man took a life. He should have his taken. People say, well, he's mentally ill. Well, anybody in their right mind would never kill anybody. So come on. I don't care if he's mental or not, he should have his life taken. This is ridiculous. The death penalty should be brought back, and maybe we wouldn't have all these killings.

Advertisement

Take care of daycares

I went to Waukegan the other day and noticed tons of daycares. Do we allow daycares to be placed in the front as a residential property? Waukegan should maybe take a look at its ordinances and maybe modify them. I think half of Waukegan is a daycare and half of Waukegan is mental. Come on, wake up.

Not up to code

What's going on with the landscaping at the new grocery store on South Lewis Avenue? Apparently we don't have an adequate code inspector to go after their landscaping. The stuff is overgrown. They're not cutting their weeds back. They're not cultivating. They're not doing anything. Come on, Waukegan, we have to go after these businesses, too, just not owner-occupied homes that need to be taken care of, or get a better code enforcement staff.

Please resign

To Gov. Rauner, who cannot even let health care workers get a 48-cent-an-hour raise: Please resign and do Illinois a favor.

Editor's note

Talk of the County is a reader-generated column of opinions. If you see something you disagree with or think is incorrect, please tell us. Call us at 312-222-4554 or email talkofthecounty@tribpub.com. For a continuously updating blog of Talk of the County comments, go to newssunonline.com/talk.
(From left to right) Aries A. Rickenbacker, Cordell C. Prince and Eddie L. Hill. (Lake County Sheriff's Office)

Three Chicago men charged with armed robbery in Lake Bluff inadvertently fled into the Highland Park Police Department while trying to elude capture Friday, according to police.

Eddie L. Hill, 24, of the 9300 block of South King Drive, Cordell C. Prince, 21, of the first block of East 100th Place and Aries A. Rickenbacker, 22, of the 800 block of South Vernon Avenue were all charged with armed robbery and related charges on Sept. 9, according to the Lake County Sheriff's website.

Advertisement

At 4:13 p.m. Sept. 8, two men went into a Verizon store at 235 S. Waukegan Road. One had a semi-automatic handgun that he held against the head of a male employee, said Lake Bluff Deputy Chief Mike Hosking.

The men then forced the store's two employees to open the safe and used zip ties on the employee's wrists, he said. They took at least 20 cell phones and other electronic devices from the safe and left through the back door, Hosking said.

Advertisement

The employees freed themselves and called 911, Hosking said. Lake Forest and Highland Park squad cars were stationed along Route 41 and Lake Forest police officers saw a car speeding and run a red light at Kennedy Road, police said.

The chase continued along Route 41 and exited on Old Deerfield Road in Highland Park, Hosking said.

At Richfield Avenue and Deerfield Road, the car crashed, said Highland Park Deputy Chief Timothy Wilinski.

"That's when the suspects bailed," Wilinski said. "They fled on foot. Where the crash was, was adjacent to the police parking lot. One was taken into custody in the rear parking lot of the Highland Park Police Station. The other two fled on foot and ran into the lobby of the police station, where they were taken into custody."

Wilinski said the men may have unknowingly entered the station.

"I don't think they knew it was a police facility," Wilinski added. "They were hiding behind a vending machine in our lobby."

Hill and Prince are each being held at Lake County Jail against $500,000 bond. Rickenbacker is being held against $750,000 bond. If convicted on armed robbery, a class X felony, each could be sentenced to 6 to 30 years in prison, said Cynthia Vargas, spokesperson for the Lake County States Attorney.

All three were also charged with felony possession or use of a weapon, defacement of firearm ID markings and unlawful restraint.

Advertisement

The next court date for all three is Oct. 5.

mlawton@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter: @reporterdude
The Village of Oak Brook held its annual ceremony amid a field of 2,976 flags commemorating the 16th anniversary of 9-11 at the Oak Brook Sports Core on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Oak Brook Fire Chief Barry Liss officiated the ceremony. (Stacey Wescott)

The cards, each with a name and short biography, attached to the U.S. flags in the Healing Field flag display spoke loudly, without uttering a word.

The flags, one for each of the 2,976 Americans who were killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, were staked into the ground in perfect rows and columns Thursday through Monday along the north side of Oak Brook Road, just east of the Oak Brook Public Library. Visitors were able to walk among them and remember the tragedy that shook the nation.

Advertisement

"I feel like it's important to remember," said Vicky Amaro of Elmhurst, who visited Sunday with her children, Maria, 20, and Joel, 17. "Each of these flags is representing somebody, and it takes me back, seeing this. It keeps me grounded in the everyday of what's important."

For Amaro's son, Joel, visiting the Healing Field made what happened 16 years ago more real. He was only a year old on Sept. 11, 2001.

Advertisement

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 15 Police Department employee Kathy Koubek carries an American flag with the name of local resident and 9/11 victim Jeff Mladenik during the 9/11 Patriot Day Memorial Ceremony on Sept. 11, 2017, in Oak Brook. Mladenik was on American Airlines Flight 11, one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center. Koubek organized more than 300 volunteers to place all the flags. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

"All you hear in school is the numbers, how many people were killed," he said. "This makes it a lot more personal because you get to see the names of the people and who they were."

Jennifer and Chad Frahm of Elmhurst brought their children, John, 11, and Kate, 7.

"It's stunning," Jennifer Frahm said of the flag display, which covered more than 2 acres. "We wanted to come so the kids can learn what happened on this tragic, historic day. We wanted the kids to see there is a story for each person."

Frahm's son, John, said it made the 9/11 attacks more real.

"It's kind of sad, it shows how many lives were lost," he said.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 19 The York High School band performs as part of the program. ( Chuck Fieldman/Pioneer Press )

Oak Brook police chief James Kruger initiated the process for Oak Brook to host the Healing Field after seeing it someplace else. He contacted Jerry Christopherson, president of the True Patriots Care Foundation, which presents the program, and work began to make it happen in the village.

"This has been a wonderful week, that could not have gone off any better," Kruger said. "I appreciate all of the volunteers and staff members that made it such a great success. I think this will live in the memory of many who took the time to come and experience it for many months to come."

Among programs over the five days of Healing Field in Oak Brook were several guest speakers, including World Trade Center survivor Dan Basco and Pentagon survivor Ryan Yantis, and musical performances by students from Butler Elementary District 53, York High School and the Navy Band.

Advertisement

Oak Brook hosted the Healing Flag display over the weekend, remembering those killed Sept. 11, 2001. (Chuck Fieldman/Pioneer Press)

cfieldman@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @chuckwriting
Park Ridge fire department captain, Derek Decker salutes during the playing of taps during Mondays 9/11 ceremony in Park Ridge. (Brian OMahoney/Pioneer Press )

The Park Ridge police and fire departments, with representatives of the Police Chaplains program, marked the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks Monday.

Park Ridge's annual ceremony, which moved to the steps of City Hall in 2015 following the completion of a 9/11 memorial there, included reflections on the day from 9/11 volunteer Dr. John Kenney Maine South High School student Noelle Scerba Mary, Seat of Wisdom student Anthony Pena Mayor Marty Maloney 5th Ward Ald. Charlie Melidosian; and the Rev. Matt Hoffmann, pastor of St. Andrews Lutheran Church and a police chaplain.

Advertisement

Taps was played by Maine East High School student Christopher Denton and the Roosevelt Elementary School chorus sang the national anthem and "God Bless America."

Park Ridge's ceremony was one of many across the country that paid tribute to the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

Advertisement

The Park Ridge Fire Department in 2011 acquired a World Trade Center steel beam, which was later incorporated into the city's memorial outside City Hall.
The following are stories as they appeared in The Lake County Star, a weekly newspaper started more than 150 years ago that covered all of Lake County and most of Porter County. The paper was owned and operated by the Wheeler family, descendants of Crown Point founder Solon Robinson. Items are replicated here as they originally appeared.

September 6, 1917

Advertisement

John J. Wheeler, veteran of the civil war and editor of the Star for the past thirty-six years, passed away at his home on North Court street, last Thursday evening, September 6th, at 8:20 o'clock, after an illness extending over a period of nearly two and a half years ten days before his death he took to his bed and gradually failed day by day until the end came.  The deceased was 69 years, seven months and 21 days of age and was born in West Creek township, January 11, 1848, being the first child of John Wheeler and Anna Wheeler. At the age of five years, John J. Wheeler came to Crown Point with his parents, where he had continuously resided up to the time of his death, excepting that portion of his life which was spent in the war of the rebellion from '61 to '65. At the outbreak of the civil war he was in his fourteenth year, when his father John Wheeler as Captain, organized Co. B. 20th Indiana Infantry and joined the Union army of the Potomac. A like spirited animated John J. Wheeler a few months later and the lad of only 15 years followed his father into the Union ranks, serving faithfully in such modest positions as he could fill. Under the tender care of his parent he passed through the memorable conflict of Chancellorsville and as the terrible battle of Gettysburg was dawning early in July, 1863, he was sent home, only a few days before by his father, who had now reached the rank of Colonel, and who was shot from his horse in the front ranks of the raging conflict at Devil's Den and instantly killed.  being not yet 17 years of age when he was mustered out of the service, having the distinction of bearing the honor of the youngest civil war veteran in this section, if not in the state.  He became a member of the Lake Lodge of Masons, being at the time of his death the oldest member in years of membership, which extended over a period of 48 years He was made a Master Mason on December 12th, 1869 and exalted to the most sublime degree of a Royal Arch Mason in Lincoln chapter on March 13th, 1871.  Early in the 70s he was elected county surveyor, having gained his experience in engineering as one of the staff of engineers that put through the old Danville railroad, now known as the Chicago & Eastern Illinois.  resignation to take up his chosen profession as an editor, where his father left off when the war broke out, and until the month of January, 1916, when his affliction came, was continuously "30" was found upon his copy.  During his life he had owned an interest in every paper started in Crown Point. His first venture was as the Crown Point Herald which was destroyed by fire: the second was the Hoosier, a bright little paper which was discontinued when he purchased an interest in the Register, which had been started before the war by his father. In 1882 he assumed the ownership of the Lake County Star, which paper contained his name as editor and publisher up to the date of his death. He was known among his brother editors as the dean of the fraternity, having the honor of being the oldest editor in point of continuous service in the state and probably in the middle west.

September 18, 1942

Advertisement

Pleasing news of Colonel John W. Wheeler's promotion by the War department to a top ranking post in Alaska area was received here this week. According to the information from Colonel John himself he has been promoted to officer in charge of all the Alaska highway, now under construction as a war project in the far northwest. The highway, designed for the rapid movement of war supplies, will be 1,600 miles in length and will extend from Dawson, the terminus of the railroad service, to Fairbanks. Col. Wheeler's permanent address will be Yukon Territory, Canada.

Farmers with corn borers to control next year should plan to attend the plowing demonstration to be held on George and Leon Bailey farm on Thursday, September 24, at 1:30 p.m. Leon Bailey, the operator of the farm. Has a field of corn where the ears are being snapped off for feeding to cattle. R. C. Shipman of the Purdue agricultural engineering department will conduct a demonstration showing the use of Purdue trash shields in turning under the stalks. Clean plowing is one very effective method which can be used in the control of the European corn borer. If one end of a corn stalk is left sticking out of the ground the borers in the stalk have an avenue of escape. The Purdue trash shields were designed to do an unusually effective job of turning under corn stalks as well as all other plant growth, County Agent Cutter said.

September 15, 1967

Conservative Viewpoint By John W. Wheeler After all of the superior military authorities of our nation have recommended to Secretary McNamara and the President that we bomb Haiphong and the harbor, Hanoi and other military installations in North Viet Nam, which would end the war, Secretary McNamara comes up with his wildest scheme to date. It is to disregard all military advice and build a sophisticated wire fence from across the South China Sea to Laos, or a wall which would do nothing but cause our troops trouble and through which the Communists and Viet Cong could come as they chose. Where was McNamara when we saw the complete failure of the Maginot line and all the strong points build as barriers between France and Belgium and the Germans? He must have been dreaming about the conception of the Edsel and paid no attention to the Maginot line and Eben Amael and their complete failure. The Maginot line was somewhat similar to his wire fence except it was a series of strong points build across the French frontier and the German Blitzkrieg executed an end run around the north end and paid no attention as the Communists and the V.C. could do by coming through Laos. The writer was old enough to be in World War I and World War II and can remember no such idiotic procedure as McNamara is giving out. These walls or defense lines or fences have been tried repeatedly since the Great Wall of China and they never slow up an energetic enemy. Hitler in his folly built a defensive line, the Siegfried, on the German frontier with thousands of concrete bunkers but, when the Allied tanks got to this line, they went through the same holes that the Germans had used in their retreat. Defensive lines do not work. We are too close to South Bend to forget that Knute Rockne said, "The best defense is a good offense."

kconley@post-trib.com
George Patrick, 50, has been practicing law in the state of Indiana for half of his life.

This year, Patrick and other attorneys, who have practiced law for 25 and 50 years, were honored by the Indiana State Bar Association.

Advertisement

Patrick is the senior partner at the Crown Point firm of George Patrick and Associates, P.C. located on Merrillville Road.

Patrick specializes in different aspects of Worker's Compensation and employment issues. He helps other attorneys with questions about and issues regarding the Worker's Compensation Act of Indiana, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Indiana Department of Workforce Department and the Indiana Civil Rights Commission in the State of Indiana. Patrick also works with injured employees who are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act as well as other attorneys around the United States.

Advertisement

Patrick is supported at home by his wife Lisa and their three boys, Charlie, Owen, and Liam. Charlie used to ride on his father's shoulders and hang on to his hair with one hand and hold an ice cream cone in the other  dripping ice cream on his dad's head, but George never seemed to mind. He was happy with a son that loves him. That continued on as both Owen and Liam arrived. George loves being a husband and dad. Charlie now a freshman at De Pauw University in Greencastle, Ind., while Owen is a sophomore at Crown Point High School and Liam is a 7th grader at Taft Middle School.

"I received my undergraduate degree in history and political science from Northwestern University," Patrick said. "Then I went on to be awarded my J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law."

In addition to his workers comp clients, Patrick works at Lake County Government Center in the office of Board of Commissioners Attorney John Dull dealing with Health Insurance and workers compensation needs.

"I am very happy to be concentrating on helping people injured while at work," Patrick said.

kconley@post-trib.com
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Gary is examining plans to potentially move Andrean High School to Crown Point, Bishop Donald Hying confirmed.

It is conducting two feasibility studies expected to be completed in mid-October, Director of Education Joseph Majchrowicz said.

Advertisement

In recent months, Hying commissioned a task force to create a four-point plan examining how the diocese could best meet the needs of younger parishioners and the school system, according to school officials.

The diocese is putting together "a very broad-based Catholic education plan. The potential of a new Andrean is in that plan," Majchrowicz said.

Advertisement

The goal is to examine needs at its high schools, grade schools, parish-based religious education and its youth ministry, Hying said.

It is studying what its needs are "in terms of sustaining, keeping them affordable, keeping them Catholic and academically excellent," Hying said.

The diocese is also examining how to keep its schools "geographically accessible," according to a statement issued Monday afternoon.

Andrean's future is one part of that plan, Hying said. Church officials are reaching out to parents, diocese benefactors and other key players for feedback, he said.

The diocese is examining other needs at Bishop Noll Institute and Marquette Catholic High School in Michigan City.

For Andrean, diocese officials are studying whether to renovate the current location or to build a new school, possibly in Crown Point, according to Hying.

He declined to confirm where a new site might be located. If a decision to build a new school proceeds, a financial campaign would follow.

How much a new school would cost is still being determined, he said. Hying and Majchrowicz stressed that any plan is in its early stages.

Advertisement

"Significant infrastructure issues at Andrean High School exist and an assessment is being conducted," Majchrowicz later said in a statement. "Options to address these challenges range from renewing the existing school to relocation.

"While the final cost is not yet known, in the final analysis, a decision will be made based upon the assessment and the vision for Catholic High School Education that also encompasses Marquette Catholic High School and Bishop Noll Institute."

State numbers show Andrean's enrollment was 550 in 2016-17. The school's students are 56.3 percent white, 22.8 percent African-American, 13.2 percent Hispanic, 4.9 percent multiracial and 2.8 percent Asian.

After a succession of principals in recent years, Tony Bonta was named principal in May. He was serving in an interim role since last year.

In May, Andrean was again named a Four Star School by the Indiana Department of Education  a designation for A-rated schools that show excellent ISTEP scores, high graduation rates and successfully close achievement gaps.

The school opened at 5959 Broadway in Merrillville in 1959.

Advertisement

mcolias@post-trib.com

Twitter @meredithcolias
Members of the Wirt-Emerson School of Visual and Performing Arts Concert Choir sing on Monday during a 9/11 observance ceremony on the steps of Gary's City Hall. ( Kyle Telechan/Post-Tribune )

As the Gary police and fire honor guard raised the American flag to half-staff, firefighter Kevin Gee belted out a stirring rendition of the national anthem Monday on the steps of Gary City Hall.

A small contingent of somber city workers and citizens watched the short ceremony that commemorated the loss and sacrifice on Sept. 11, 2001.

Advertisement

Nearly 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and near Shanksville, Pa., after 19 men hijacked four American Airlines and United Airlines commercial planes. In 2011, the U.S. killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, who orchestrated the terrorist attack.

Monday's ceremony brought together city police, firefighters and elected officials.

Advertisement

Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson missed the event because she's in China taking part in an international forum on smart city initiatives with the National League of Cities.

City Council President Ron Brewer praised the bravery of firefighters and police officers.

"They wake up every morning to go to a job we wouldn't do," he said."We salute them today."

Police Chief Larry McKinley spoke to the indefatigable American spirit in the wake of hurricanes pounding Texas and Florida and other southeastern states.

"Whether it's an act of terrorism or an act of nature, we will prevail," he said.

McKinley said many of his officers have asked to go Florida and Texas to help authorities.

"That is the bravery we have," he said

The events of 16 years ago are barely a memory to Kyra Harrold, 17, a senior at the Wirt-Emerson School of Visual and Performing Arts. Wearing black and gold robes, the school's concert choir sang a patriotic medley before firefighter Reginald Gilliam played taps on a trumpet.

Advertisement

Harrold was 1 when the Twin Towers collapsed in Manhattan. Her father, a lifelong soldier in the Army, would later serve in Iraq. Her mother was also in the Army in 2001 but has since retired.

"It's scary what happened," she said.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
A sailboat is pushed up between two buildings in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, in Key West, Fla. (Chris O'Meara / AP)

As Hurricane Irma's raging winds and pounding rain swept through Florida this past weekend, leaving millions of Floridians without electricity, more than 200 workers and contractors were sent Saturday to help restore power.

NIPSCO officials said the group arrived Monday in Tampa Bay.

Advertisement

"In the case of Irma we were having conversations in the early part of last week as the hurricane was approaching Florida, tracking the storm and trying to determine how many resources we could offer up and how many would they need," said Nick Meyer, NIPSCO's director of communications.

Irma was downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday but it continues to push inland, wreaking havoc on nearly the entire Florida peninsula and traveling up through Georgia.

Advertisement

NIPSCO coordinated with Tampa Electric, an electric company that services West Central Florida, to determine how their workers will be assisting with the widespread power outages there.

"This storm has the potential to be devastating, and our goal is a safe and efficient restoration," said Gordon Gillette, president and chief executive officer of Tampa Electric in a press release Saturday. "We have prepared for this scenario, and we're bringing in additional resources to meet the challenge. We stand ready for Irma."

Meyer said NIPSCO sent electrical lineman, logistics personnel, engineers and a range of other workers who would be helping restore power in the affected areas.

"Essentially they would be likely rebuilding significant portions of the electric system down there," he said.

It is unclear how long NIPSCO worker will be in Florida. Meyer said they would have a better idea after they get through there first few days of work.

"Our thoughts are not only with our employees going down there but our focus is on those that are most affected and impacted," he said. "It's a terrible situation to go through and we hope for a quick recovery.

jaanderson@tribpub.com

Twitter @JavonteA
Former Munster resident Jim Kontos, of Tarpon Springs, Fla., was riding out Hurricane Irma in St. Petersburg, Fla., Sunday. (Jim Kontos)

There's a long-held belief in the Tampa Bay area that First Nation tribes blessed the bay and its immediate surrounding land, thereby protecting it from any catastrophic weather.

The area, on the west coast of Florida, has remained remarkably unblemished for nearly 100 years, according to most accounts.

Advertisement

But Jim Kontos, formerly of Munster, said he's not looking to test its reliability. The Tarpon Springs, Fla., resident of 31 years got out of the town known for its Greek sponge collectors and headed southeast to St. Petersburg to wait out the biggest hurricane to hit the United States.

And he's not looking forward to coming back to his home when the coast is clear, either.

Advertisement

"Chances are, that property is going to be destroyed," Kontos said Sunday. "The Tampa Bay is as low as sea level, and 20-foot waves are expected on top of the storm surge."

Kontos said the week leading up to Irma's arrival has been "hectic and stressful." Watching the radar to see her get exponentially bigger, and then change trajectories from east to west, was bad enough. Sunday, he started thinking of the tower cranes in Miami, where he's worked construction.

"When they start spinning (from the wind), the grease in the base starts heating up," Kontos said. "That's going to cause big problems. I hope none of them fall into any of the buildings."

Local Florida media reported Sunday afternoon that two tower cranes collapsed in Miami. One of them is hanging off the side of the building on which it was used.

Former Highland resident Evan Kingston poses in North Shore Park overlooking Tampa Bay. (Courtesy Sean Kingston)

Sean Kingston and his son Evan, 10, who moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., from Highland a year ago, spent early Sunday afternoon traveling to the city's northeast side to stay with a friend until the craziness subsides. At that point, the conditions, "were just like any other day."

"So far, it's just another light, rainy day," Kingston said. "Right now, the wind is blowing, but it isn't howling yet. But we have plenty of food, water and filters. I think we'll be fine."

The two, whose zone was evacuated Friday, have been through tropical storms since moving, but Irma feels way different, especially since she's been unpredictable. And the now 24-hour coverage of her has amplified their uneasiness.

"All the news is making people scared, and maybe for good reason," he said. "My place is on the second floor of our building, but I think the people on the first floor are going to get flooded out. No one knows, though. It depends on the storm surge and where it hits."

Advertisement

The Kingstons' travel buddy, Karen Castle, formerly of Worth, Ill., said her mom had been moved out of a physical rehabilitation facility for higher ground. In her 27 years in the state, she's never been this concerned about the area.

"The way (Irma's) going, I don't know. This is pretty scary," she said. "Most of the weather shelters are full and closed already, and no one's really outside.

"Some people who've gone through it before are staying because they think they can handle it. I don't know, though."

Not only is there Irma to worry about, but adding to the fear is that St. Petersburg was under a tornado watch until midnight, Kingston said.

Evan Kingston, meanwhile, had other concerns, especially about the electricity.

"If there's no electricity, there's no power, and then there's no internet," Evan said.

Advertisement

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 84 A sailboat is pushed up between two buildings in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, in Key West, Fla. (Chris O'Meara / AP)

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Adam Frisch keeps calm waiting for all ballots to be counted in CD-3
By Chet Scheltema

Foreign investors reviewing Chinese financials may find themselves at a loss to ascertain the standard for booking revenue and expenses. Confounded, they may simply conclude that local accountants are engaged in cash-based accounting.

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) dictate revenue and expense recognition standards. While often complex, the core principle requires matching completed work with corresponding revenue in a way consistent with the business arrangement of the parties.

Chinese GAAP is much the same: its accrual-based accounting, not cash-based. But heres the challenge. The onerous demands of Chinas value-added tax (VAT) system may mean that practical VAT system considerations dominate the ordering of business transactions, and deprioritize GAAP financial reporting standards.

We explore these practical considerations below in Part One of this article. Part Two will explore how technical differences between Chinas VAT system and GAAP can lead to skewed revenue recognition  and confused foreign investors.

The VAT system

VAT must be paid on nearly every business transaction in China, with filing and payment due monthly. VAT rates range from zero up to 17 percent. VAT paid by a company on purchases of products and services (input VAT) may qualify as a credit against VAT due at the sale of the companys products or services (output VAT).

In many ways, Chinas VAT system has historically depended upon one simple task: physically printing and handling a thin piece of six by 10 inch paper called a VAT fapiao (notably, China recently introduced electronic fapaio). A company printing, or issuing, this document will have been authorized by means of a network connection to the Chinese tax bureau.

Because the fapiao represents a potentially substantial value as a credit against output VAT, it is regarded virtually as cash. Like cash, it is physically delivered to a counter-party, in order to be used as credit.

VAT system compliance (and tax payment) is handled by means of two electronic, networked systems: one for authenticating and printing the fapiao, and the other for filing and paying the VAT (e-tax filing system). Together, these two systems comprise the so-called golden tax system.

Each companys accountant must work to harmonize the monthly VAT data entered into these two electronic filing systems, and if inconsistencies arise, he or she will be summoned to the tax bureau to explain and mollify in-charge officials.

Tax Compliance Services from Dezan Shira & Associates

How VAT distortions arise

Because these very important VAT fapiao may not be freely printed or issued according to the ongoing needs of the company, a company accountant may be unable to accurately record revenue and expenses according to GAAP principles.

Each company is limited by a monthly VAT fapiao quota. Exceeding this quota requires paying a special visit to the tax bureau to apply for permission to temporarily increase the quota, a requirement of which likely includes, for new companies, pre-paying the entire amount of the applicable VAT exceeding the quota amount. Not a small matter in the case of a large transaction.

Considerable time may be required to receive approval of this application to temporarily increase the VAT quota. Meanwhile, impatient business leaders may decide to forge ahead and sign a deal anyway, even though compliance with VAT system lags behind. Accountants will need to catch up in subsequent months, and will need to make adjustments.

What this all means for financial reporting is the potential for mismatches between business realities (like signed business contracts), recordings of product or service fee payments made pursuant to such contracts, and VAT filing entries in the electronic reporting systems. If the VAT fapiao cannot be issued in a timely fashion (for example, when the quota has been exceeded that month and the application for an increase not yet approved), then accountants may be forced to delay recording the transaction in the e-tax system and their corporate financials.

From the perspective of Chinese accountants, this is all reason for great frustration. It is for these reasons that business leaders in China may find their accountants badgering them to keep the accounting team appraised of imminent, new business deals and related details  so accountants can plan ahead and prepare to timely issue VAT fapiao and make accurate and compliant VAT filings and corporate bookkeeping entries.

Further reason to fudge financial records  under the pressure of VAT system compliance  may arise from difficulty satisfying tax bureau officials during the process of making electronic filings. In-charge tax officials will be alerted to unapproved entries in electronic filings, and they will summon company accountants to explain and justify.

For example, when a company cannot issue a VAT invoice in the golden tax system (perhaps it has exceed its monthly quota), yet needs to recognizes revenue in the financials of the same month in accordance with China GAAP, then the accountant confronts a dilemma.

If he or she records the amount as invoiced in corporate financials, then she would need to record it as a negative in the e-tax system, in order to avoid double-paying VAT in the subsequent month. The problem is that such a negative entry raises the alarm at the tax bureau.

The accountant would be summoned to explain. Supporting documents would likely be demanded, followed by future visits to further explain the case to tax officials with supporting documents. On the other hand, if the accountant doesnt record the revenue in a timely fashion, then he or she runs the risk of violating China GAAP standards (and confusing foreign investors), but at least he or she avoided the burdensome review of in-charge tax officials.

RELATED: Internal Control Review: Audit and Evaluation in China

Simplified revenue recognition, and tax avoidance

Other less complicated reasons exist to explain why the VAT system may lead to distortions in financial reporting, and render foreign investors befuddled. Chinese accountants may choose a simplified standard for recognizing revenue based on when a VAT fapiao is issued, rather than wrestling with complicated GAAP standards.

Commonly, they will issue VAT fapiao in the golden tax system and simultaneously record an equivalent amount as revenue in the books. This keeps things simple. Of course, such simplified standard violates GAAP and greatly increases audit risks.

Finally, there is of course one last reason why skewed reporting occurs, in part because of the Chinese VAT system. Basically, with a top rate of 17 percent, paying VAT is expensive  companies try to avoid it. In one case, acquisition due diligence revealed a brand new unit of very expensive equipment on the factory floor with no corresponding balance sheet entries. After investigation, it was revealed that the purchaser and seller had reached an informal agreement to delay recording and reporting of the transaction to defer a hefty 17 percent value-added tax until later.

This is Part One of a two part article on skewed revenue recognition in China. In Part Two, we will explore how technical differences between Chinas VAT system and GAAP can lead to skewed revenue recognition.



About Us China Briefing is published by Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, including ASEAN, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road, and Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here, and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here. Dezan Shira & Associates is a full service practice in China, providing business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax, IT, HR, payroll, and advisory services throughout the China and Asian region. For assistance with China business issues or investments into China, please contact us at china@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com

Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure

Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017

This Dezan Shira & Associates 2017 China guide provides a comprehensive background and details of all aspects of setting up and operating an American business in China, including due diligence and compliance issues, IP protection, corporate establishment options, calculating tax liabilities, as well as discussing on-going operational issues such as managing bookkeeping, accounts, banking, HR, Payroll, annual license renewals, audit, FCPA compliance and consolidation with US standards and Head Office reporting.

Internal Control in China

In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we provide foreign investors with best practices for implementing internal controls in China. We explain what makes Chinas internal control environment distinct, and why China-based operations need to prioritize internal control. We then outline how to execute an internal control review to gauge organizational resiliency and identify gaps in control points, and introduce practical internal controls for day-to-day operations. Finally, we explore why ERP systems are becoming increasingly integral to companies internal control regimes.

Dezan Shira & Associates
Chinese conglomerate CEFC will buy a 14.16 percent stake in Russian oil major Rosneft for US$9.1 billion from a consortium of Glencore and the Qatar Investment Authority, strengthening the energy partnership between the two countries.

CEFC China Energy has grown in recent years from a niche oil trader into a sprawling energy conglomerate and the transaction will allow China, the worlds second largest energy consumer, to boost cooperation with the worlds top oil producer.

The deal comes as the United States imposes a new round of economic sanctions on Russia, making it difficult for large Western firms such as Glencore to develop partnerships and increase ties with state-owned firms such as Rosneft.

Glencore said in a statement that CEFC will buy shares at a premium of around 16 percent to the 30-day volume weighted average price of Rosneft shares without naming the price. A CEFC spokesman said the company would pay US$9.1 billion.

Rosnefts market capitalization stands at US$57 billion and the deal makes it one of the largest investments ever made by China into Russia.

Glencore and QIA will retain stakes of 0.5 percent and 4.7 percent in Rosneft respectively.

The Kremlin has been seeking to expand its ties with China, especially since the West imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Moscow to punish it for the annexation of Crimea and an incursion into east Ukraine in 2014.

Russia tops the list of Chinese crude suppliers where it competes with its arch-rival Saudi Arabia, the worlds largest oil exporter.

Glencore and QIA agreed to buy a 19.5 percent stake in Rosneft in December 2016 for over 10.2 billion euros (US$12.3 billion) to help the Kremlin plug budget holes.

The transaction coincided with expectations of political detente between Moscow and Washington after Donald Trump became US president and pledged to improve ties with Moscow.

Rosneft is run by Igor Sechin, a close ally or President Vladimir Putin, who awarded special state decorations to the head of Glencore Ivan Glasenberg for executing the transaction.

Putin also awarded state decorations to the Russian head of Italian bank Intesa SanPaolo, Antonio Fallico, for helping fund the deal with a 5.2 billion euro loan.
Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations announced Saturday the conclusion of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement and a related Investment Agreement.

The announcement was made at the second ASEAN Economic Ministers-Hong Kong, China Consultations (AEM-HKC Consultations), co-chaired by the HK governments Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau and Philippine Secretary of Trade and Industry Ramon Lopez, in Pasay City, the Philippines.

ASEAN is a very important trading partner of Hong Kong. It was our second largest trading partner in merchandise trade in 2016 and the fourth largest in services trade in 2015, said Yau.

Our economy stands to benefit from the FTA and the Investment Agreement, which will bring us more and better access to the ASEAN markets, create new business opportunities and further enhance trade and investment flows.

Hong Kong and ASEAN will sign the FTA and the Investment Agreement in November, according to Yau.
The head of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS has called on China to boost prevention and control in Africa by encouraging the country's drugmakers to open production hubs on the continent.

Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS, said the central government should use the China-Africa Development Fund to mobilize key pharmaceutical companies to invest in manufacturing hubs covering many African countries, which will help create a "viable and sustainable" market.

At the same time, medicines for HIV and AIDS produced in China and used by Chinese should be prequalified by the World Health Organization for use in Africa, he added. "We need to create a policy space to make sure those products can be prequalified by the WHO. That is one of the major challenges for the African countries to have easy access to these medicines," said Sidibe, who also is under-secretary-general of the United Nations.

Shortages of drugs and grassroots healthcare workers pose a major challenge for the control and prevention of HIV/AIDS in Africa, he said, while China also has experience and knowledge in the field that can be passed on.

"Ninety-seven percent of the medicine consumed in Africa is from other continents," Sidibe said. "We are happy that we have a very good relationship with the Chinese."

President Xi Jinping proposed intensifying cooperation with Africa in a number of areas, including industrial development, agriculture, finance, poverty alleviation and healthcare, at the 2015 summit of the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation in South Africa.

According to a 10-point action plan, the central government will encourage Chinese enterprises to collaborate with Africa in drug research, development and production, and encourage them to produce drugs in Africa to aid the sustainable development of the local pharmaceutical industry.

Globally, countries are making unprecedented progress in the control and prevention of HIV. For the first time, the world has more people with HIV receiving treatment than people waiting for treatment, and for the first time, HIV transmission from mother to babies is under control.

Moreover, China is committed to improving public health services, Xi said, noting that government health expenditures have increased by 80 percent over the past 10 years, and that it is helping to provide wider access to health services.
You are here: Home

Sanya, a coastal resort in south China, has converted fishing boats into a floating public library.

The floating public library converted from fishing boats in Sanya, a coastal resort in south China. [Photo: Chinanews.com]



"Sea Study" is the first public library on the island of Ximaozhou, eight nautical miles west to the downtown Sanya, Hainan Province.

"A life can not be called life without books," said Chen Muhu, 78, a fisherman who was browsing archeology books in the library.

The pyramid-shaped Ximaozhou Island is home to 4,000 residents, but has only one primary school.

"Locals needed a library badly," said Qin Jiayi, the instigator of the project. "We see quite a few readers every day."

More than 30 fishermen spent four weeks renovating three abandoned fishing boats into a reading cabin, a salon, and a 16-bed hostel.

Qin planned to double the library's collection to 4,000 books.

Due to limited fishing resources nearby and out-of-date equipment, fishermen from Ximaozhou Island are less dependent on the traditional way of making a living. Twenty-four fishing boats have been taken out of service. Timber from some was made into furniture.

Qin decided to bring the boats back to life in a different way, with support from the local government.

The library satisfies local people's needs while making their village more appealing to outsiders, said Jia Peng, a government official.

The government plans to renovate another 21 vessels into theaters, shops and hostels.

"It sounds cool," said Feng Yuetao, a tourist from the plateau province of Qinghai who said would like to visit the library with his family.
China has ended an emergency radiation monitoring after detecting no environmental impact from a nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The monitoring, conducted at the northeastern border areas after the DPRK nuclear test on Sept. 3, was ended at 6 p.m. Sunday, according to a statement from the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).

No abnormal results were showed after eight days of monitoring, the MEP said.

"A comprehensive assessment has concluded that this DPRK nuclear test has caused no environmental impact on China, and conditions for a termination [of the emergency monitoring] have been met," it said.

All monitoring stations in the border areas and surrounding regions, including the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and Shandong, recorded normal radiation levels as of 6 p.m. Sunday, according to the MEP.

The ministry said it would switch to routine monitoring after the emergency response ended, conducting automatic radiation monitoring and regular sampling analysis at key border areas.

Real-time radiation levels recorded at automatic monitoring stations in and near the northeastern border areas will continue to be made public to address people's concerns, the MEP said.

The China Earthquake Administration reported that a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the DPRK at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 3 with an epicenter depth of zero km, saying that it might have been caused by explosion.

The DPRK's Korea Central Television announced on the same day that the country had successfully detonated an H-bomb, a hydrogen bomb that can be carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile.

China's Foreign Ministry has expressed firm opposition to and strong condemnation of the test.
China's State Council Monday made public a guideline to support the economic transformation of coal-rich Shanxi Province.

By 2020, the share of coal mining and preliminary processing in the province's output should have seen a notable decline, and the share of advanced coal production capacity in the total should reach two-thirds, the guideline said.

Shanxi should raise its abilities for clean and efficient exploitation and use of coal, and increase clean energy supply, it added.

The province should also develop new strategic sectors, raise capital input for research and development, and become a base for the commercialization of coal-based scientific and technological innovations, a modern manufacturing base and a tourism demonstration zone by 2020.

Before 2030, the province should have created a clean, safe and efficient modern energy system and accumulated a batch of duplicable reform experiences, according to the guideline.

The government will support Shanxi in replacing coal with clean energy sources, including electricity and natural gas.

The province should also seek better "ecological civilization" and build a "beautiful Shanxi" by stepping up environment rehabilitation in coal mine regions, conducting strict water resource management and pushing for economical energy use.

By the end of 2015, Shanxi had held 270.9 billion tonnes of known coal reserves, accounting for 17.3 percent of the country's total, the third largest following Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions.

Coal is the main energy source in China, accounting for 62 percent of total energy consumption in 2016. China is aiming to reduce the share of coal consumption to less than 58 percent by 2020.
Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba (2nd L) attends the oath ceremony at the President's office in Kathmandu, Nepal, June 7, 2017. Veteran Nepali politician Sher Bahadur Deuba was sworn-in as Nepal's 40th prime minister on Wednesday, a day after he was elected in the Parliament with the support of nearly two-thirds of the members of the 593-strong Parliament. [Xinhua]

Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba triggered a storm of controversy by denigrating Nepal's sovereignty while on a five-day visit to the giant southern neighbor.

PM Deuba brazened it out to get India involved in the internal affairs of Nepal as a part of a move to bolster the current coalition, allegedly created by Indian design. This has, of course, pleased India, but made Nepalese people sink their heads in shame.

During his joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, he offered an apology for being unable to get a constitutional amendment bill through parliament, promising to table it again and make all-out efforts to get it approved.

Nepal's parliament had already voted down the controversial bill with the main opposition CPN-UML leading the fight. It argued the bill not only hurt national interests, but also undermined the rights of the Madhesi people (of Indian ancestry) living in the southern Terai plains area.

Deuba courted trouble by allowing India to dictate Nepal's domestic affairs. This was an outrageous diplomatic blooper damaging the dignity of Nepal as well as indomitable spirit of past patriotic leaders who fought hard to thwart Indian efforts to keep the country under its security umbrella.

The first democratically-elected Prime Minister B.P. Koirala always stood up to the late Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's hegemonic attitude towards Nepal, insisting Nepal was a buffer state of India and an attack on Nepal would be construed as an attack on India itself.

Instead of resisting India's obtrusive activities to micromanage Nepal, Deuba has simply invited India to butt in. This also served to show that the constitutional amendment issue was part of the strategic agenda of India, and not of Nepali people.

Deuba was immediately accused of insulting Nepal's parliament by raising a matter it had already settled. His putative ally, CPN-Maoist Centre chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, took umbrage at Deuba's remarks. Though Prachanda is not seen as having any real guts to take Deuba to task for his diplomatic gaffe, it has created minor cracks in the coalition of two parties.

Nonetheless, Prachanda had himself ingratiated with the Indian establishment during his own visit to India last year as prime minister. He was deemed to have compromised Nepal's non-aligned foreign policy by agreeing that the two countries held similar views on the major international issues.

The Indian media reported that the government in Delhi had put Deuba through wringer by producing this accord and forcing him to support India over Doklam standoff against China. Though Deuba succeeded in keeping this controversial point out of the 46-point final joint statement, many of its contents still raised many eyebrows.

For example, Point No. 41 of the statement stated that the Prime Minister of Nepal reiterated Nepal's support for India's candidature for permanent membership of the UN Security Council. This sort of commitment in advance suggests naive if not imbecilic diplomacy.

Points 11 and 12 talked about defense cooperation that some see as India's efforts to bind Nepal to its own security interests in the region.

One good thing Deuba did during his India visit was that he defended Nepal's cordial relations with China, during a function organized on the sidelines of his official visit. A sense of anti-China paranoia has gripped the Indian media, politicians and intellectuals. They are unable to digest the growing Sino-Nepal ties as well as increasing Chinese investment in Nepal.

Various Indian political leaders displayed deep reservations about Nepal's leaning towards China, and seemed to be pressing Deuba to clarify the position.

Building political trust with China is a key challenge for him. China has shown its readiness to closely work with Deuba for development, stability and mutual benefits.

Adhering to One-China policy is the key to defining China's relations with neighbors and other nations. Nepal has been firm on One-China policy from the very beginning. Moreover, China wants to see a momentum in its flagship Belt and Road Initiative to which Nepal is a signatory. Deuba, therefore, needs to live up to the BRI promises to the benefit of both nations.

Ritu Raj Subedi is an associate editor of The Rising Nepal.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir [File photo]

There are many indications that Saudi Arabia is becoming convinced that its regional pre-eminence is running into a dead-end. However, it may hope to overcome crises calmly, without a retreat that diminishes its perceived position.

The handshake between Adel al-Jubeir, foreign minister of Sunni Saudi Arabia, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, foreign minister of Shiite Iran, regional staunch rivals, during a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, may have more significance than a mere transient encounter.

At previous conferences, Al-Jubeir had always shown naked hostility transcending diplomatic niceties, although Iran has long been trying to find a niche in Saudi Arabia's iron-clad wall of diplomacy.

This was perhaps more for international consumption than anything else. The handshake was not an isolated incident. It was preceded by an official invitation by Saudi Arabia to the leader of the Iraqi Shiite Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr to discuss the strengthening of cooperation between Riyadh and Baghdad, according to an official statement.

It needs to be understood that this invitation to Muqtada al-Sadr came after an 11-year rupture, suggesting that Saudi Arabia is trying to patch up some old quarrels without seeming to be engaged in sudden backtracking in its regional policy.

The Sadrist movement has a critical view of most of the region's developments, and has been particularly critical of Saudi policy, attacking the strategy of closeness to the U.S., Riyadhs guardian. It has long been in favor of confronting America and Israel, for example.

In this context, Saudi Arabia is deviating from the core idea of "whoever is not with us is against us." By meeting with al-Sadr, the Saudis seem ready to try and achieve an end to the wars that have been such a debilitating factor in the Middle East for decades.

It is probable that Saudi Arabia, by changing its arrogant behavior, is trying to test the heat of the regional climate without having to make tangible political concessions.

It has long been facing a major dilemma in war-torn Yemen, where it is leading an Arab alliance backing the Doha government against the Iranian-aligned Houthis, and is now hoping to move negotiations between the Yemeni parties from Oman to Jordan.

This has come after considerable pressure being applied on Riyadh from various sides to stop the devastation and crimes of genocide by means of hunger and cholera.

In this context, Yemeni Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdulmalik Abduljalil Al-Mekhlafi met Jordanian Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi during UN Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed's visit to Amman last August.

However, the parties opposing the Saudi alliance refuse to negotiate in Jordan and try to pressure Ahmed and Jordanian government officials to back down on this option.

In the impasse facing the U.S.-led international anti-terror coalition in Syria, Saudi Arabia is trying to rejuvenate the Higher Negotiations Committee (HNC)  an umbrella body created in Riyadh in late 2015 to represent the Syrian opposition in the planned Geneva peace talks in 2016.

The HNC, which dismissed Khaled al-Mahamid, a member of the negotiations delegation, because he disclosed that "the opposition has become dependent on the Arab role, especially the Egyptians, in resolving the Syrian issue," is now seeking to gain fresh credence among opposition groups that are more realistic in looking at the balance of the powers in the Syrian conflict.

The HNC, having rejected the idea of Syrian president staying in power, no longer has a role at the negotiating table, especially after French President Emanuel Macron and Europe backed down in this regard.

Saudi options and bets have been overtaken by battlefield events in Syria and Iraq, where the ISIS terror organization is in headlong retreat, and in Yemen, where the Saudi alliance has reached a deadlock, further strained after Qatars withdrawal of its forces following the rift between Gulf powers.

Riyadh has missed the regional and international political train. There is no doubt that it has started to sense that, and is trying to change, hoping to save face and maintain its supposed paramount position in the region.

However, it has been badly compromised by the attempt to bring Qatar to heel. Sometimes the survival of nations depends on the wisdom of recognizing their defeats.

Haifa Said is chief editor of the English Department at the Syrian Arab News Agency.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
 Flash

Japan's local governments and tourism industry are currently preparing for the coming Chinese "Golden Week," a 7-day-long vacation that starts on Oct. 1, in a bid to attract more tourists from the world's second largest economy.

Chinese travel agencies predict that Japan is likely to become one of the hottest destinations for Chinese tourists during the Golden Week. According to Ctrip, a major travel service provider in China, Japan will be a top-3 destination for Chinese tourists during the vacation.

A total of 506,000 Chinese tourists visited Japan during the Golden Week last year, and Japan is expecting a new high this year.

Japan's tourism industry is busy preparing for the rush days to attract more Chinese tourists. Recently, a number of the country's local governments have carried out promotion activities in China.

On Sept. 6, a government delegation from Fukuoka came to Shanghai to promote a shopping festival of the city. It is noteworthy that Fukuoka government has taken Oct. 1 as the first day of the month-long festival, with an obvious intention to attract Chinese tourists.

Japanese merchants have also racked their brains to find ways to attract Chinese tourists. Some cosmetic shops have started recruiting Chinese students as part-time employees and more local merchants are using Chinese e-payment systems for convenience.
 Flash

File photo of The Contemporary and Modern History of Three East Asian Countries, written by scholars from China, Japan and the Republic of Korea in 2005. [Photo/baidu.com]

A joint editorial committee of scholars from China, Japan and the Republic of Korea is writing a new history textbook to resist efforts to white-wash Japan's militaristic past.

The committee has published two books: The Contemporary and Modern History of Three East Asian Countries in 2005 and A Modern History of East Asia Beyond The Boundaries in 2012.

Committee members attending a history seminar in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, said Sunday that work on a third book has begun and is expected to be completed in 2020.

Li Xizhu, a fellow of the Institute of Modern History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said scholars from the three countries have reached consensus on the focus of the book.

"It is to address the differences in how we, the three countries, see history and to respond to the current debate on historical issues," Li said.

Ueyama Yurika, a Japanese member, said the committee will create contents in line with education practice in each country's context so that the textbooks can be used more widely.

Scholars agree that a correct perception of history is the foundation for reconciliation in East Asia.

Japanese scholar Kasahara Tokushi said history textbooks in Japan contain fewer and increasingly more obscure contents on the 1937 Nanjing Massacre.

Japanese troops captured Nanjing, then China's capital, on Dec. 13 of 1937 and started a slaughter lasting more than 40 days. About 300,000 civilians and Chinese soldiers who had laid down their arms were murdered. Over 20,000 women were raped.

Tokushi warned that if teachers can't teach it, neither do media report on it, young Japanese might be harder to find out the truth.
 Flash

A tree is toppled onto a car after being knocked down by strong winds as hurricane Irma arrives, in Miami, Florida, the United States, on Sept. 10, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hurricane Irma on Sunday morning made landfall with a maximum sustained wind speed of 215 kph in Florida Keys, a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The hurricane, which arrived in Florida as a Category 4 storm, the second highest level on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, weakened to a Category 2 with a maximum sustained wind speed of 177 kph by afternoon as it marched up the state's west coast.

Still, many areas in Florida have been affected by the hurricane, which killed at least 27 people when it hit the Caribbean.

The death toll is expected to rise as the path of the hurricane is projected to cross ill-prepared population centers in west Florida.

"Once this system passes through, it's going to be a race to save lives and sustain lives," U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long told "Fox News Sunday."

Forecasters warned that the entire state -- including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people -- was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

Much of downtown Miami has been flooded due to the storm surge, and two construction cranes have also been broken.

TV signals have been completely cut off since early morning and the power went out shortly after.

Local media reported that more than 2 million people are out of power in the state of Florida, including three quarters of the Miami-Dade County located in southeast of Florida. Utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

Local police imposed a curfew starting 7 p.m. (2300 GMT) Saturday until 7 a.m (1100 GMT) Sunday, and said police and the fire department will not respond to calls after the wind speed reaches 39 mph, or 63 kph.

After leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time in Atlanta, more than 300 km from the sea coast.

A White House statement said U.S. President Donald Trump is closely monitoring the situation in Florida, and will travel to the state "very soon."

"I hope there aren't too many people in that path," Trump said of Hurricane Irma. "We tried to warn everybody. That's a bad path to be in."
Ageing people consult insurance professionals for advice in Shanghai. Insurance is looking to play a bigger part in offering "living well" solutions for China's seniors, a report from Swiss Re says. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Insurers in China drool as people aged 65 or above are set to grow in numbers

The booming "silver generation" of Chinapeople aged 65 or abovepresents potentially huge opportunities for the insurance industry, an expert said.

"China is undergoing a huge demographic shift, with the proportion of its elderly population aged over 65 on track to grow from 10 percent (of total population) today to 24 percent by 2050," said Domenico Savarese, global head of ageing at Swiss Re.

Domenico Savarese, global head of ageing at Swiss Re. [Photo provided to China Daily]

To be sure, the number of ageing people is increasing in the world's second-largest economy. According to the UN, the country's ratio of working-age population to retirees aged over 65 will decline from 7.7 now to 3.4 within the coming two decades.

Those aged 65 or over are projected to increase from 144 million in 2015 to 330 million in 2050, roughly the current population of the United States and nearly twice the current population of Russia.

The rate of increase in ageing population is more rapid in China than most other comparable countries across the globe.

According to the UN, it has taken China only 34 years for the proportion of its elderly population aged 60 or above to double from 7 percent to 14 percent.

In stark contrast, it took 115 years in France, 85 years in Sweden and 69 years in the US.

"From the perspective of economics, the ageing society does have its upside, as tomorrow's 'gray population' in China and around the world could translate into golden consumption and investment opportunities that insurers and reinsurers cannot miss out on," said Savarese.

Some 30 percent of global consumption growth between 2015 and 2030 is forecast to come from the elderly population in the developed world and China.

The country alone would contribute 10 percent of growth, he said.

With a less mature insurance market and underdeveloped social welfare system, China is known for its much higher level of family support to fund the elderly population, as informal care contributes more than a fifth of the ageing wallet, a latest report from Swiss Re showed.

The ageing wallet refers to the annual amount spent across State, family and private sectors to fund lives of the elderly aged over 65.

Insurance, currently accounting for a mere 2 percent of the nation's ageing wallet, could increase its small share to serve as a complement to such a family dynamic that would not disappear in the foreseeable future, he said.

"The findings highlight the key role that family support plays today, how it would evolve, and how do we make ourselves (reinsurers) relevant in this game," Savarese said.

Family's large share of the ageing wallet fits in well with the country's time-honored culture of "filial piety", where the younger generation cares for the old, says the report.

However, today's support structure appears to be vulnerable as the Chinese society is embracing structural changes, the report said.

A baby boom in 1950s followed by 36-year-long one-child policy meant the majority of working-age Chinese are the sole providers for their parents and grandparents.

Not to mention the nation's low fertility and ongoing rural-to-urban migration, which make the vast funding requirement of China's ageing society a challenge.

"All of these are pieces of a puzzle that should be considered by policymakers and pilot market players to get a better understanding and vie for a share of the country's promising albeit yet-to-be-explored silver economy," Savarese said.

Insurers in China today gain momentum mainly from the sales of health products, while innovations like cancer-only critical illness products also find a place in the market.

As the insurance sector sees itself as part of a wider ecosystem that enables successful ageing, it is looking to play a bigger part in offering "living well" solutions for the country's seniors, the report said.
Professionals enjoy community areas in their exclusive serviced apartments in Jinqiao, Shanghai. [Xu Wanglin/for China Daily]

New policies humanize China's home market that was tending to go askew

Huzhou-based Li Heqin was both elated and anxious when he was told in mid-August that his job promotion would relocate him to Shanghai to work as an automobile parts supplier's regional manager for East China.

Excited because promotion would mean stiffer challenges and bigger rewards; and anxious because the move from Zhejiang province would require him to eject from his own two-bedroom apartment to a rented flat in the big city, a potential nightmare in the current tight property market scene.

Or so he thought, going by his prior experience as a tenant. Over the last 10 years, Li rented several homes in Huzhou until he managed to save a bit and bought a flat in February.

"I'm really fed up of renting. The property owner could call any time and say I should vacate because he wants to sell the property. I had to move out as many as six times in the past nine years for such reasons," he said.

Millions of tenants, especially migrants, scholars and other newcomers to cities, across urban China will probably have similar tales of woe to share.

In China, about 140 million urban residents are tenants. And 196 million migrants are living in rented rooms, according to data of the National Bureau of Statistics.

As it turned out, Li's fears and presumptions proved to be outdated.

He found a lovely two-bedroom serviced apartment in Jiading district of Shanghai. Rent: about 9,800 yuan ($1,462) per monthabout one-third of his income.

He is quite satisfied and even surprised that he could find such a decent flat on a two-year lease. What's more, it came with an option to renew. He was even given the freedom to do up the place as per his tastes.

Li is beginning to see that his long-held beliefs about life as a tenant may need to be refreshed. "Renting a home can also ensure a decent life. If I could have such a place to live in wherever I work, I don't really need to buy any property," he said.

Li's fantasy-like vision could soon become reality in China as the supply of tenant-friendly homes is being sought to be increased in the next few years.

What would make that possible is a wave of measures to make available properties for both leasing and sale.

The policy is regarded as one of long-term mechanisms to ensure healthy and stable development of the market.

Since March, a series of measures across China, covering financing, land supplies, household registration policy, and policies for access to public resources, have been introduced to stoke growth of the home rental market.

In Shanghai, two land parcels were designated for the development of apartments for lease, and two commercial-use land parcels in a key area will be transformed into housing projects for tenants who work in a high-tech park. The housing projects will be complete with kindergartens and other facilities.

In Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, the local government has been piloting an online home rental platform that looks like a digital marketplace, enabling transparent contracts, mutual reviews of property owners and tenants.

In Wuxi, Jiangsu province, tenants who meet a set of criteria (like having lived and worked in the city for a certain number of years, and participation in the social security program), will be able to receive household registration now. They would also have equal access to public resources as property owners.

"Under the context of establishing a housing system that promotes both buying and renting, it's easier for migrants to settle in cities," said Louisa Zhu, business development director of Savills Residence.

"For developers, asset management and capital deployment can be potentially profitable."

For residents, adoption of new lifestyles opens their minds to more housing options. And professional operators can provide them not only more comfortable and safe living environment but also warm communities, she said.

For many tenants, lack of transparency, inadequate information and absence of regulation over contracts and transactions have been major problems, which made the experience of living in a rented home disappointing, said Li Yujia, a researcher with the Shenzhen Real Estate Institute.

Owning a property and living in a rented home are very different, in terms of living experience. That is one of the major reasons why demand has soared in the for-sale market and prices have skyrocketed.

Owning a home is seen as investment in a valuable asset with potential for appreciation in value. When a home is no longer viewed as just a place to live, financial risks could develop, said Li.

But, if living in a rented flat is so good that the gap between rented and self-owned homes narrows; if the development of both for-rent and for-sale segments is also balanced; and if policies supporting the residential leasing market are implemented well in the long-term... then, the real estate market would see sustainable growth, he said.

Experts said it will take time for the nationwide residential property market to see full implementation of such policies, but the trend is by now well-set and appears irreversible.

"Honestly speaking, it's unlikely for all cities and all market players to embrace policies fostering the development of the for-lease market," said an official of a housing authority in a second-tier city in Hunan province. (The official spoke on the condition of anonymity.)

"Natural endowments of cities vary greatly. Smaller cities whose revenue is still highly reliant on land auctions and home sales, might think they have little incentive to support the home rental market," the official said.

But for larger cities such as Chengdu, Wuhan, Nanjing and Suzhou, which have big populations and significant local economies, the importance of making housing affordable and decent extends beyond short-term fiscal numbers.

It's about how to attract and retain talent, which is key to the city's growth in the long run.

Increasing mobility of talent is boosting demand for quality housing. A city that cannot offer quality living risks losing talent to better options.

"As an old saying goes, if you build a gold nest, phoenix would come. In the modern context, ensuring that people are well-housed is important for a city's development," said a prospectus of a new rental housing project aimed at young talents of Wuhan, Hubei province.
Garvin Liu, Asia president of Westinghouse. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Garvin Liu leads Westinghouse's efforts to sustain AP1000, a key nuclear technology, in China

Anxiety erupted in China earlier this year after two South Carolina utilities announced they will abandon two unfinished nuclear reactor projects in the US state.

They had selected the AP1000 reactor design of Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, a nuclear power products and services company in the US majority-owned by Japan's Toshiba.

Westinghouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March after a $9-billion loss, mainly from the two South Carolina projects, savaged its financials.

There were concerns in China because the same AP1000 reactor technology was being used in the under-construction nuclear power projects in Sanmen, Zhejiang province, and Haiyang, Shandong province.

Garvin Liu, Asia president of Westinghouse, admitted the US episodes were a major blow to the future of the nuclear power industry. But he hastened to add they wouldn't have any impact on the ongoing projects in China.

"The progress of the two units in Sanmen and Haiyang sites is quite smooth currently and the hot functional test of the projects has been completed with high quality and zero accident," said Liu during an interview in Beijing in August.

Full of poise and elegance in his pressed suit, Liu presents a picture of confidence in the face of odds. He appears to love the challenge of taking full responsibility for the successful and timely delivery of the AP1000 projects in China.

That level of determination may have its genesis in China's top two universities. He is a thermal engineering graduate from Tsinghua University, and went on to receive his MBA from Peking University.

According to Liu, comprehensive nuclear safety checks were completed in July at the AP1000 reactor at unit 1 of the Sanmen plant, which is incidentally the world's first AP1000 reactor.

"We are happy to see Sanmen and Haiyang are into fuel loading stage," he said. Sanmen was slated to load fuel this month, he said.

State Nuclear Power Technology Corp signed a framework agreement with Westinghouse in 2007 to build four 1,150-megawatt AP1000 reactors in China, a first for the country in terms of the reactor design. Construction started at Sanmen and Haiyang in 2009.

More than 13 years of working experience in Westinghouse have helped Liu to build relationships with customers in China to secure the contracts. Now, his focus is on ensuring smooth transfer of design technology before fuel loading.

State Nuclear Power Technology Corp will take full responsibility for the reactors. To be sure, Westinghouse will continue to offer support services as per project needs. So, Liu's role will remain critical in China's power industry.

Westinghouse in China will make joint efforts to ensure safe and high-quality delivery of the world's first AP1000 reactor, he said.

He is responsible for developing and executing Westinghouse's business strategy, delivering customer projects and interfacing with customers, partners, suppliers and principal shareholders in the Asian market.

"The Chinese nuclear power market plays a predominant role in the global market; and Westinghouse attaches great importance to the development of this market, and is willing to establish long-term cooperative relations with the partners in China," Liu said.

The National Development and Reform Commission had said nuclear power capacity in the country is expected to reach 58 gW by the end of the decade.

According to BMI Research, which provides macroeconomic, industry and financial market analysis, nuclear power capacity in China increased by 8 gW last year, boosting the installed capacity to around 34 gW.

Liu said the industry had seen considerable development over the past 10 years. That came in spite of the Fukushima incident, which made the world rethink nuclear power development policies.

"We are glad to see the bold and wise decisions of the Chinese government shortly after the Fukushima accident and its reiteration of its commitment to nuclear development."

According to Liu, Westinghouse has successfully carried out and completed the transfer of the AP1000 technology over the past 10 years.

"Our Chinese partners are understanding and adopting the technology, and have even successfully developed the CAP1400 nuclear power technology with independent property rights based on this technology," he said.

He said Westinghouse is optimistic the Chinese nuclear power market will develop rapidly.
Judicial professionals are calling for lawmakers to protect intellectual property by increasing penalties for infringements, as online piracy and fake goods are hard to clean up.

Although China has made great efforts in recent years to stamp out IP infringements, especially regarding online piracy and counterfeiting, "IP rights remain hard to protect because of the low fines for infringements," said Zhao Zhanling, a legal researcher at China University of Political Science and Law who specializes in IP cases.

Currently, under a Supreme People's Court judicial interpretation on handling criminal IP cases, people who make or sell unlicensed goods worth 50,000 yuan ($7,700) or more are subject to criminal punishment. For lesser amounts, they are fined.

"In other words, the threshold for committing an IP crime is low," said Zheng Junfang, chief administrative officer of Alibaba, the parent company of e-commerce giant Taobao.

According to a work report from the top court, Chinese courts handled more than 15,000 IP civil, commercial and administrative disputes last year, almost 17 percent more than in 2015.

The report found that a major reason IP protection was not optimal in China was because the fines and other penalties were not stiff enough.

"The compensation IP violators must pay under the law is less than the money they have illegally earned," it said.

Zhao pointed out that the money legally due IP owners for the right to re-create their work online is more than the fines for doing it illegally.

"Administrative penalties, such as the fines for repeated violations of IP rights, should be further increased, and website operators must more carefully review online work," he said.

Zheng said in February that Alibaba has made great efforts to clear fake products from e-commerce, but the low penalties for infringements have been a stumbling block.

In 2016, Alibaba found 4,495 cases in which the volume of fake goods exceeded the threshold for criminal prosecution, yet only 33 people were prosecuted and received criminal punishment, she said.

"Many counterfeit good makers got suspended sentences or just fines instead of strict penalties," she said.

As lawmakers discuss a draft law, "it's necessary to take other measures first, such as increasing the penalties for counterfeit good sellers or shutting down their online shops," said Wang Zhanping, a lawyer from Tongfang Law Firm in Shenyang, Liaoning province.

Ruan Fangmin, a law professor at Zhejiang University, agreed and suggested the legislature lower the threshold for e-commerce cases.

But Wang Xin, a law professor at Peking University, said the current IP laws are sufficient, but they must be strictly enforced, ensuring that every punishment is effective.
NANJING - China's Internet of Things (IoT) industry has seen its output value exceed 900 billion yuan ($140 billion), with a compound annual growth rate of over 25 percent, a senior official said Sunday.

With a huge market, a complete industrial chain and the world's biggest mobile telecommunications network, China will soon take the lead in some frontier IoT sub-sectors, Vice-Minister of Industry and Information Technology Luo Wen said during an IoT expo in Wuxi, Jiangsu province.

IoT connects traditional devices, including home appliances, to the internet.

A number of technological centers and laboratories will be established to support development in this field, while the manufacturers will be overhauled to be more reliant on the IoT, Luo said.

Jack Ma, Alibaba Group's founder and chairman, has predicted that manufacturing will become flexible in the future and with expert programmers working in factory workshops instead of in internet companies.

Luo said the IoT will be expanded in agriculture, logistics, energy, environmental protection, medical care and other areas.

Cooperation between domestic and overseas IoT research institutions and companies will increase, and actively engage in establishing international standards, said Wang Zhigang, vice minister of science and technology.
A model wearing sari walks the catwalk at Vogue Sari 24/7 as part of the India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2017 on March 15, 2017, in New Delhi. [Photo/VCG]

Shenzhen-listed Xinxiang Chemical Fiber Company Limited revealed that its viscose filament, a raw material for manufacturing Indian traditional dress sari, has taken a 52 percent market share in India last year, Dahe Daily, a local newspaper in Central China's Henan province, reported on Wednesday.

Chuai Lirong, in charge of the Henan-based company's export business, said 3,300 tons of viscose filament yarn was sold to two Indian companies for $20.33 million in 2016.

An unidentified executive with Rayontex Yarn Traders Pvt Ltd, an Indian company, told Dahe Daily that Xinxiang Chemical Fiber's yarn, which could be as thin as 20-denier or one third of the thinness of a hair and which is of high breathability and without knots, is popular in India. The yarn can replace silk threads, he added.

The executive said that products supplied by Xinxiang Chemical Fiber are rarely rejected due to quality issues.

The yarn is used in making sari, a female garment that is five to nine yards (4.5 meters to 8 meters) in length and two to four feet (60 centimeters to 1.20 meters) in breadth. The sari is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder.

The company's link with Indian companies dates back to the China Import & Export Fair, the Canton fair held in 2013, when the company signed an order for 40-denier yarns.
Visitors look at a Chinese-branded vehicle displayed at the China-Arab States Expo on Sept 7 in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui autonomous region. [Photo/China Daily by Hao Yan]

Chinese automakers to help partners dominate regional market, lower costs

The China-Arab States Auto Cooperation Conference witnessed the signing of two Sino-Egyptian agreements that aim to shift the two countries' automotive cooperation toward localization, as part of the growing network of international ties along the Belt and Road.

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Industry Committee and Egypt's Holding Company for Maritime and Land Transport inked the deals relating to deepening Sino-Egyptian links in the automotive industry.

"Chinese auto exports are recovering after years of decline, with Egypt being one of the biggest export destinations among the Arab states since 2015," said Wang Xia, chairman of the Automotive Industry Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, in his speech on Thursday at the conference held in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

Mohamed Youssef, chairman of the Holding Company for Maritime and Land Transport, said: "We are going to seal the deal on the production of a total of 900 vehicles a month, with an expectation to leverage Chinese automakers' experience in assembling and machinery."

Youssef announced that the organization's next critical target is to secure agreements on tractors and bulldozers with Chinese partners in 2018.

Egypt has a huge domestic market that could consume a large amount of China-made vehicles, because the products suit local demand, offering lower prices and economic fuel consumption, according to Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Kabil.

He said Egypt's multi-million-dollar automotive market is growing.

According to Kabil, Egypt's development strategy is to focus on local car manufacturing in a bid to conquer its neighboring marketsfor example Turkeythanks to its lower production costs, said Kabil.

The current Sino-Egyptian cooperation agreement is in line with this strategy, as Chinese automakers have shifted their business model away from shipping low-price finished vehicles, toward joint initiatives such as manufacturing locally and co-investing in distribution channels, according to Wang. SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile, BAIC Group, Changan Automobile, Sinotruk Group, King Long United Automotive Industry, JAC Motors, and Chongqing Sokon Industry Group were among the top Chinese auto exporters to Arab markets in the first seven months of this year, according to data from CCPIT-Auto. The auto committee said that, as of 2016, Sudan and Tunis have emerged as the third and fourth most significant long-term auto export destinations among the Arab states, following Egypt and Saudi Arabia, with Djibouti coming in at fifth.

Challenges ahead

The speakers at the conference commented on the challenges Chinese automakers face in the Arab markets, where policy changes could have a significant influence on projects.

"Chinese automakers need to conduct thorough research into the legal framework of the target markets to secure legitimacy while lowering legal risks," said Qiu Yiqing, deputy general manager of Geely.

Luo Zengmiao, general manager of BV-VEO Standards Technical, said there were many detailed issues for Chinese carmakers to examine.

He gave the example: "Many Arab states treat a model with minor changes as a new model, so Chinese auto exporters will have to file new paperwork for those new models.

"If customs were to block products because of a lack of new model documentation, the company would have to spend months making the relevant applications, leaving those products with only minor upgrades stuck in storage."

The auto cooperation conference was organized by CCPIT-Auto as part of the China-Arab States Expo. It brought together Chinese and Arab automobile and transportation leaders in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia, along with government representatives and academics.

The entire expo assembled executives from more than 1,000 companies and nearly 5,000 exhibitors from 31 industries.

The expo has been held three times since 2013, the year the Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed.

At the junction of the Belt and Road that spans across Eurasia, Arab countries are eager to revitalize the ancient trade routes, according to Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister Kabil.

Six Arab states have signed agreements with China relating to Belt and Road projects, and seven are founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

The Belt and Road Initiative, which refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, has made landlocked Ningxia the frontier for opening-up and taking the lead in economic cooperation with Arab countries.
HANOVER - Someone from outside the auto industry should succeed Volkswagen chief executive Matthias Mueller, the man expected to lead the German state of Lower Saxony - the carmaker's second-biggest shareholder - told Reuters on Wednesday.

Investors are calling for more outside expertise on VW's management and supervisory boards to help clear up the German company's damaging diesel emissions scandal and help speed a shift to electric cars and new mobility services.

Mueller, whose contract expires in 2020, came from within the VW ranks and such a pedigree has long been a hallmark of the company's CEOs.

But the tradition has been questioned following the emissions scandal that erupted two years ago on the watch of Martin Winterkorn, a long-serving VW insider.

Mueller, 64, said earlier this year that VW is likely to pick his successor from within its own ranks.

The previous head of VW's Porsche brand has been with the German group for four decades and became its CEO a week after "dieselgate" broke, forcing Winterkorn to resign.

"Perhaps it is good after all to pick someone who is completely unstressed by all conceivable automobile scandals but who still has an affinity towards this important industry," Bernd Althusmann said, without suggesting names.

Althusmann's comments follow the news that current Lower Saxony Premier Stephan Weil, whose Social Democrats Party is forecast to lose the next regional election in October, allowed Volkswagen to vet a speech he made about the diesel scandal.

The 50-year-old Althusmann is the leading candidate for Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative CDU party in a state election it is expected to win on Oct 15, which would likely make him state premier and a member of VW's supervisory board.

"There are for sure highly qualified personalities in German industry who would be capable of leading such a company," Althusmann said, adding he may use his voice on the board to push for an external CEO.

"I see by no means an obligation to select a home-grown manager... there should really be a serious search for a personality who further expands this global player," he said.

Outside change

Outsiders taking top positions at major carmakers is not new.

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne lacked engineering experience and ran a Swiss testing and certification firm before taking the helm at Fiat, while Ford's previous CEO Alan Mullaly joined from plane-maker Boeing.

VW's unions favor an insider for the top job, given the carmaker's peculiar ownership structure, with the Porsche and Piech families together commanding 52 percent of VW voting rights and Lower Saxony controlling a further 20 percent.

Lower Saxony owns an 11.8 percent stake in VW and controls 20 percent of the voting rights in the world's largest carmaker.

Althusmann said he will not sell down the state's capital stake should the CDU win the vote, but he wants to cede one of two seats to a non-political expert and hire a specialist at the chancellery in Hanover to handle matters related to VW.

"We will have to act much more professionally on the supervisory board," he said, adding that investors, who have long criticized the close collaboration between Lower Saxony and the unions as an obstacle to structural change, should not expect miracles from a possible CDU-led government.

"I have already spoken with everyone at the plants including (works council boss) Bernd Osterloh, therefore I'm counting on good ties with the works council," Althusmann said. A poll by opinion research institute Infratest Dimap conducted between August 18 and 26 put the CDU in Lower Saxony at 39 percent, compared with 31 percent for the ruling SPD, with the Free Democrats, Greens and the anti-immigration AfD party at 8 percent each.

REUTERS
Carsten Breitfeld, CEO of Future Mobility Corp, introduces the Byton SUV's innovative user interface. [Photo provided to China Daily]

FMC launches Byton brand, a next-generation smart device

Chinese electric car startup Future Mobility Corp said it is now ready to charge ahead into an increasingly digitalized era with its brand Byton, an ambition made public last week in Shanghai.

"Byton is inspired by 'bytes on wheels'. Byte stands for the internet and wheel stands for the auto industry. We want to build Byton into the next-generation smart device," said Daniel Kirchert, president of the 1-year-old startup when he addressed the audience.

Kirchert believes that a pleasant onboard experience is becoming increasingly important as the auto industry evolves and traffic is becoming heavier in cities.

"We are not made to wait in traffic. We are made to live our life to the full, to enjoy the moment we have. So for mobility engineers for the next 100 years, it's no longer about refining cars, it's about refining life.

"We are here to turn driving into living, we are here to provide enjoyable time for people on the move," he said.

Carsten Breitfeld, former head of BMW's i8 program and now CEO of FMC, said Byton models are a combination of three things: a smart internet communicator, a spacious luxury living room and a fully electric car.

One highlight is the large display. Measuring 125 centimeters long and 25 cm tall, it will provide everything drivers need and is also designed to share the experience with passengers sitting in the front and second rows.

Steering wheels on Byton models are installed with a touch-screen tablet that will allow the driver to interact with the shared experience display, offering the car's most important information and control functions at the driver's fingertips.

Byton's first model, a midsized SUV, is to make its debut at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show in early 2018. It will start production in 2019.

Breitfeld said it has the size of an Audi Q5 but boasts the space of a Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan.

The model will have different versions, running 350 kilometers or 500 km on one charge. Within 10 minutes of charging, it can drive as far as 120 km.

The first Byton is "prepared for autonomy", according to Breitfeld.

"It will have the hardware - the sensors and computing power - that enable it to achieve up to level five autonomous driving, whereas the actual autonomous capability can be flexibly enabled and upgraded by software and over the air."

Besides the SUV, a sedan is scheduled to hit the market in 2021 and a seven-seat MPV, 2022.

FMC's plant in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, which has a designed annual capacity of 300,000 units, has been under construction for some time. When phase one of the plant is finished in 2019, it will be able to produce 100,000 cars a year.

"I believe our startup is founded just at the right time - the coming age of connected cars. Just as Tesla being the pioneer of electric cars, we want to be the pioneer of connected cars," said Breitfeld.
Tencent Chairman and CEO Pony Ma delivers a speech at a forum held at the Tsinghua University, Beijing, on Sept 8, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A Nobel laureate, a domestic tech tycoon and several top scholars of different disciplines gathered at a forum on the Tsinghua campus Friday, discussing how technology will drive industry development.

Tencent Chairman and CEO Pony Ma, who has led the tech company into the world's eighth most valuable brand this year, said the digitalization of traditional industries, along with the integration of information and industrialization, will be the future.

Ma said the basic form of all enterprises will be "using artificial intelligence (AI) to handle big data in the cloud. He made the predictive comment at the forum.

"While electricity consumption has been used as an indicator of an industrial society's development, cloud consumption will be an important indicator of digital economy's development in the future," Ma said.

"Tencent, mainly focusing on the businesses of social media, communication, digital content and financial services in the past, is willing to invest heavily on AI, cloud computing and big data."

Having witnessed how AI, a research field which used to be underrated, has become an investing hotspot since 2011, professor Tang Xiaoou, vice-president of Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, introduced three application directions in which AI has achieved or is expected to achieve breakthroughs.

"The first breakthrough, voice recognition, has become relatively mature now; the second field, image recognition, is the industry's main battleground at present; the third one, natural language processing, is highly-focused and yet unsolved," he said.

Tang, who is also the co-founder of domestic AI startup SenseTime which harnesses Deep Learning as its core technology, said the company's technologies  such as human face recognition, text and character recognition, and human body recognition  have been commercially applied in the fields of security and surveillance, finance, smartphone and mobile internet.

Having cooperated with companies such as UnionPay, China Mobile, Huawei, Xiaomi, Sina Weibo and JD.com, the company received $410 million in its B round of financing in July, creating the world's highest record of single round financing in AI sector, according to a report by awtmt.com.

Tang said around half of the company's researchers were working on self-driving technologies at present.

Pony Ma, mentioning Tencent had also made investment intentions to Tang's company in the past, said Tencent would like to fully cooperate with a large range of companies and research institutions to develop the applications of cutting-edge technologies.

"Tencent, as a company, has a role to play as whether talents or technologies need to follow application scenarios and markets," he said.

"The tech giant has launched an AI medical image processing platform in August and has actively invested in companies far from its main businesses, such as a Tesla, a satellite company in Argentina and some bio-medicine companies."

In addition, Ma, as well as other speakers, are bullish the industrial-academic-research cooperation can better promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.

Brian K. Kobilka, a Nobel laureate in Chemistry who established a company 15 years ago, said he found business and research can promote each other.

Shou-Cheng Zhang, a Chinese-American physicist at Stanford University, said the development of science needed the support of investment and that is why he set up an investment company.

"I have not been involved in any businesses yet, but I might," neurobiologist Rao Yi, dean of Peking University's School of Life Sciences, said, adding he would only devote himself to a business that is important, elegant, unique and of real demand.

Tencent Chairman and CEO Pony Ma (3rd left) and scholars discuss tech-driven growth at a forum held at the Tsinghua University, Beijing, on Sept 8, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Students of the Tsinghua-Qingteng Future Science and Technology School, an education project established by Tsinghua SME and Tencent in April, which focuses on training entrepreneurs of tech-driven businesses including AI, life sciences and new materials, attended the forum.

Mobike founder Hu Weiwei and Quora-like Zhihu founder Zhou Yuan are among the first 48 entrepreneurs with an 89-billion-yuan valuation of businesses in total selected to the project.

The forum, initiated by Research Center for Enterprise M&A and Development, Tsinghua SME, was co-held by the Center for Executive Education and EMBA Programme of the school.
Zhang Mo (third left), founder of AI computer vision engine service provider Yi+, talks with her colleagues in Beijing, Sept 5,2017.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Imagine ordering in a blink of an eye a dress supermodel Liu Wen is wearing in a video.

Instead of entering the description of the dress in a search engine, all you have to do is move the mouse to Liu, and all the information about the dress including the brand, size and price will prop up on the screen and you can buy it instantly!

Yi+,a Beijing-based tech startup, is making "shopping while watching" possible by its cutting-edge technology in computer vision, a field of artificial intelligence that deals with making computers gain high-level understanding from digital images or videos.

"The computer vision technology can not only identify faces but also other items such as flowers, cups or balls," said Zhang Mo, founder of the startup.

With the assistance of the technology, "our eyes can become smarter" as more visual information is provided, she added.

Having recently been rated as one of the top 10 female entrepreneurs in tech in a report released by Ali Research Institute, China Entrep Mulan Club and Alibaba Innovation Center, Zhang believes her qualities of rational thinking, being tech-savvy, intuition and sensitivity to fashion and trends give her advantages over male entrepreneurs.

Zhang started the company three years ago after getting $200,000 angle investment from the Silicon Valley.

She might have established a company in the United States but made the decision to return to China.

"China is a huge market with bright prospects. I hope our products can ultimately serve the Chinese consumers and make a difference," she said.

Yi+ is situated in Zhongguancun, "the second Silicon Valley", in Zhang's words.

The company got investment from China's leading online video services Youku Tudou and LeBox Capital at the end of 2015, which made Yi+ one of the first global companies providing large-scale "shopping while watching" technical solutions.

Zest for entrepreneurship

Zhang had always wanted to be an entrepreneur and when she was an undergraduate she established a tutoring website, which started to make money within one month.

She also had entrepreneurial experience in the AI industry and accumulated extensive experience in this field after graduation from Peking University.

Working at IBM for several years, she then decided to join the Masters of Science Technopreneurship and Innovation Programme (MSc TIP) at Nanyang Technological University in 2012.

She traveled to about 50 countries in two years and talked to numerous entrepreneurs in tech such as Mark Zuckerberg in the US before getting the $200,000 angle investment.

Confident of the future

Having survived the first three years, Yi+ has entered a stable stage of development and revenue is covering expenditure this year.

"Our mission is to explore business value in massive visual information and we try to create products which provide better consumer experience so that more people would like to use it and more business value can be found."

Zhang said how to provide the best consumption experience and make precise marketing by not interrupting the consumers is a challenge and her company has technological advantages in precision algorithm.

"Our technology is of world class and we have beaten big companies Google, Baidu and Tencent to win 10 first prizes in 2015 and 2016 at the ImageNet contest - the Olympics of the computer vision industry."

AI computer vision is not restricted by different languages and boundaries of nations, so AI technological companies focusing on this field have opportunities to go abroad, said Zhang.

"China has the largest and most dynamic market. The engine of AI innovation may be in China in the future."

"Yi+ would like to explore the next generation of interactive ways and services by using computer vision technology."
Lei Jun, founder of smartphone maker Xiaomi, presents an updated version of the company's "concept smartphone" Mi Mix, the Mi Mix 2, in Beijing on Sept 11, 2017.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Chinese tech company Xiaomi launched an updated version of its "concept smartphone" Mi Mix, the Mi Mix 2, on Monday, one day earlier than the planned release date of iPhone 8.

The Mi Mix 2, with a screen aspect ratio of 18:9 like its predecessor, runs on a Snapdragon 835 processor and has a 5.99-inch screen, whose display looks almost as large as the 5.55-inch iPhone 7 plus screen.

Xiaomi's founder Lei Jun said this visual effect is because of its bezel-free screen or "full screen" technology, which rocked the smartphone sector when it was announced Oct 25, 2016 on the Mi Mix.

He revealed that the breakthrough in the ratio from traditional 16:9 to 18:9 involved a lot of communication between Xiaomi and Google, which later confirmed the workability of this change, setting off a new trend of "bezel-free" screens in the smartphone sector. Samsung's S8 has a screen aspect ratio of 18.5: 9.

In addition, the Mi Mix 2 also features a ceramic body, which Lei called "Unibody." Lei also said the whole phone is like a whole jade.

The new "flagship smartphone", in Lei's own words, rather than the previous "concept smartphone", is priced from 3,299 yuan ($506), which is 200 yuan lower than the starting price of Mi Mix, to 4,699 yuan, depending on specifications.

Jin Di, a research manager with IDC China, said what surprised her most were the prices.

Jin said that Xiaomi has been making progress in breaking established standards in engineering and designs in recent years. Jin revealed that in the breakdown data of IDC's quarterly smartphone global shipments for the past several quarters, Xiaomi's devices priced above 2,000 yuan have seen sales growth, but not a markable growth.

"I think the management capability of its supply chain has deterred sales growth in Xiaomi's high-end handsets," Jin said.

"We could never reserve manufactured smartphones for the so-called hungry marketing'", Lei said, adding that the Mi Mix 2 will be on sale Friday.

The Mi Mix won gold at the International Design Excellence Awards on Aug 20 and has been collected by the Design Museum in Finland as it represents the future of smartphones, Lei said.

He revealed that as of now, 12 smartphones including the iPhone 1 have won the IDEA award.

Whether these efforts pay off still needs to be seen in the sales data, Jin said.

Xiaomi also launched the Mi Air Pro, a notebook for professionals, and the Mi Note 3, another flagship smartphone, on Monday.
Retired Major General Zhang Yuhua (center) salutes with his right hand, which was wounded in war, while celebrating the 70th anniversary of the victory in World War II in 2015. FAN JUN/XINHUA

Zhang Yuhua, the retired major general and war hero, died early on Sunday in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, at age 101, reducing the number of generals who fought to establish the People's Republic of China to 25.

Zhang became nationally known after he attended a military parade in September 2015 at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, when he was seen by millions of Chinese TV spectators saluting with his right hand, which was wounded in war.

A native of Shandong province, Zhang was a primary school teacher before he enlisted in 1935 with a local armed force in Wendeng, Shandong province, led by the Communist Party of China.

In 1936, he took part in an armed uprising against the Japanese aggressors. Several battles ensued.

In the following years, Zhang fought Japanese invaders and then Kuomintang troops and suffered multiple injuries in combat. After the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, he became the political commissar of the former 118th Infantry Division. Zhang also led soldiers through many fierce fights in the Korean War.

He was appointed deputy commander of the former 40th Group Army after returning from the peninsula and then became political commissar of the artillery unit of the former Shenyang Military Command. In 1964, he was promoted to the rank of major general.

Zhang was later named deputy political commissar of the former Wuhan and Nanjing military commands. He also had been a provincial leader in Hubei for two periods in the 1970s and 1980s.

After Zhang retired from active service in 1986, he dedicated himself to charities, and had donated nearly 1 million yuan ($154,000) and 100 metric tons of grain to the impoverished, Fan Chengjun, Zhang's secretary, told Qilu Evening News, a newspaper in Shandong.

Fan said that all of Zhang's money went to the poor people and he also volunteered to donate all of his organs for medical purposes after his death.

The People's Liberation Army conferred a total of 1,614 officers with the rank of major general or above before 1965. All of them took part in wars before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and thus have been called "founding generals".

By now, all of the 10 marshals, 10 senior generals, 57 generals and 177 lieutenant generals with the honorable title have passed away. There are only 25 out of 1,360 major generals in the list who are alive after Zhang's passing.

Before Zhang, eight of the founding major generals died this year, including Xiang Shouzhi, who was commander of China's strategic missile force and the former Nanjing Military Command. All were older than 100.
The city government of Huzhou, Zhejiang province, confirmed on Sunday that investigators have dug out the remains of hundreds, and possibly thousands, of rotting carcasses of diseased pigs from three burial sites.

The public security bureau of Huzhou detained five people suspected of the illegal burial of the sick pigs in 2013, and will continue to investigate, according to a statement posted on the city's micro blog account.

The city was told on Aug 30 by environmental inspectors from the central government that some dead pigs had been illegally buried in Santianmen village. The inspectors had been evaluating Zhejiang province since Aug 11 and received reports about the pigs from members of the public.

The city's environment inspectors dug up the decomposed carcasses on Aug 30, and then continued digging in two other places identified by the suspects and by others who first tipped off the authorities, the statement said.

As of Friday, investigators had dug in three places and "finished the sorting process", which yielded "2.24 million metric tons" of material including decomposed pig carcasses and sludge, it said.

"All of them have been removed and burned to protect the biological safety of the environment," it added.

In addition, the city's environmental bureau tested the quality of soil and water both at the surface and underground, and health authorities took steps to decontaminate the site.

An initial investigation by the city's public security bureau found that Huzhou Industrial and Medical Waste Treatment Co had dumped and buried the pigs, which died of disease in 2013 and should have been burned to protect the environment.

Investigators said Shi Zheng, who was manager of the company at the time, ordered the workers to bury the pigs. Shi is currently serving a prison sentence for other crimes. Five other suspects in this case have been detained by the police.

China's eastern region is a major pig breeding area. Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces have issued rules to govern the disposal of dead ones.

The case that came to light on Sunday is not the first case involving diseased pigs. In March 2013, thousands of dead pigs were found floating in a section of Shanghai's Huangpu River. City authorities dragged 5,916 carcasses from the river and the municipality took emergency measure to protect water quality, according to a report by Caixin on Sunday.
A high-speed train heads to Ulanqab from Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in August, marking the openning of the region's first high-speed railway. [Tang Zhe/For China Daily]

At major transfer hubs, passengers no longer need to exit, re-enter gate

Passengers can now reach most of China's major cities by bullet train, thanks to a network that includes linkages of a number of rail routes, as well as efficient major transfer hubs.

According to China Railway Corp, the national rail operator, direct high-speed train services have been arranged between cities with a large number of passengers, including Beijing-Kunming, Harbin-Shanghai and Chengdu-Guangzhou. Those direct services link big cities in different regions by taking more than one rail route.

Service between Dalian, Liaoning province, and Xi'an, Shaanxi province, involves eight high-speed rail routes that link 18 medium-size and large cities.

Running the network is no easy task. A high-speed rail route must not only carry out bullet train services running only on a single line but also on multiple lines.

Source: China Railway Corp

The major transfer hub design allows easy transfers to other bullet trains. Passengers can make travel plans and buy connected tickets in advance. When they arrive at the transfer station, they can use a transfer gateway to board the next service, with no need to exit the gate and enter again. The major transfer hub design offsets the lack of direct service in some areas, providing more convenient travel choices.

Lanzhou West station, the major transfer hub linking the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region with the rest of China, is expected to receive more than 5,000 transfer passengers a day, said Wang Jian, the deputy head of the station. The Baoji-Lanzhou rail route opened in July, and Wang estimates daily passengers will reach 25,000. The route links Lanzhou with the high-speed rail network.

No direct service links Xinjiang with most cities beyond Lanzhou. A passenger from Beijing can take a direct service to Lanzhou and then transfer at Lanzhou West station to Xinjiang.

China's high-speed rail network has surpassed 20,000 kilometers, spanning all provincial level regions except Tibet and the Ningxia Hui autonomous region. Hub cities are scattered around the country and linked by the high-speed network.

The world's longest high-speed rail service in operation is the 2,760-kilometer Beijing-Kunming service, according to China Railway Corp. Beijing has a distinct spring, summer, fall and winter, whereas Kunming has been called "the spring city" because the weather never gets very cold.

Like the Beijing-Kunming service, departure and arrival cities are different, requiring a different model of bullet train to adjust to diverse local environment.

In the northeastern region's winter, when the lowest temperature can hit -40 C, bullet trains need to adjust. In the northwest region's deserts, featuring strong winds and sandstorms, such as along the Lanzhou-Xinjiang line, bullet trains have stormproof designs.

According to a plan released by the National Development and Reform Commission in July 2016, China will expand the high-speed rail network to 30,000 km by 2020, linking 80 percent of major cities. By 2030, the network will link all cities with populations of more than 500,000.
More than 60 Israeli companiesincluding the self-driving car firm Mobileye purchased by Intel in a $15 billion deal earlier this yeargathered in Mianyang, Sichuan province, from Thursday to Saturday for a major high-tech expo.

"It's a record number of Israeli companies participating in any expo in China," said Amir Lati, consul general of the Israeli consulate general in Chengdu, Sichuan.

"As the co-host country for the 2017 China (Mianyang) International Science and Technology Expo, we have brought the firms for business-to-business cooperation," Lati said.

The expo, the fifth annual event, was attended by 11 Chinese State-owned military equipment manufacturers and over 700 firms in total from more than 40 countries, according to the Sichuan government.

As a tradition of the event, a foreign country is highlighted as the guest of honor. That went to Israel this year, which marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with China.

"Over the years, we have discovered the many ways in which our countries complement each other in areas such as science and technology, innovation and R&D," said Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, in his letter of congratulation for the expo.

Premier Li Keqiang said in his letter that a rapidly developing China hopes to cooperate more with other countries on science and technology innovation.

"As 2017 is the first year of the China-Israel comprehensive innovation partnership, I hope the expo can serve as a chance for more exchanges of innovation strategies, opinions and cooperation," Li said.

President Xi Jinping and Netanyahu agreed to build the new partnership in March during Netanyahu's visit to China, which is Israel's third-largest trade partner.

Chinese companies invested $39.87 million in Israel in the first half of the year, according to the Israeli consulate general. And the Israeli investment in China is also growing, Lati said.

Currently, Israel's largest investment in China is from Israeli Chemicals, at around $600 million in Yunnan province. It was also at the expo.

An Israeli consulate general in Chengdu was established in 2014 to cover China's southwest region, which includes Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces and Chongqing municipality.

Israel saw a need for the new consulate because it thinks the region has great potential to promote the two countries' mutual ties, according to Lati.

On Thursday, Sichuan province and the Israeli consulate agreed on an action plan to promote cooperation in 10 industries, including electronic information, artificial intelligence, new-energy vehicles and aerospace.

Backed by the Chinese military and its science and technology authorities, the Mianyang expo is a major player in promoting coordinated development of military and civilian industries.
Bookstores are using a new approach to get people to readand buy their books.

Nine bookstores recently joined a book-sharing program in Hefei, Anhui province, after a trial that took place over a month and a half. That brings the total number of outlets to 10.

With a smartphone application and a 99 yuan ($15) deposit, a reader can borrow up to two books from any one of the 10 stores and keep them for up to 10 days free of charge.

"Readers just need to scan the QR code on the back of each book in the store to get everything done," said Zhu Fei, a manager responsible for the book-sharing program at Anhui Xinhua Media, a State-owned company that runs the bookstores. The Sanxiaokou Xinhua Bookstore launched the program on July 16.

"Since then, more than 20,000 people have borrowed more than 100,000 books through the app," said Huang Zhen, executive from Anhui Xinhua Media.

But not everyone wants to give the borrowed books back. A survey of 601 app users conducted by the company in late July found that more than 90 percent of the readers said they may want to keep some of the borrowed books permanently, but they don't want to visit the store again to complete the purchase, Zhu said.

So, when the nine stores joined in August, the ability to purchase the borrowed books was made available on the app.

"Borrowing also helps to bring down the risk of paying for a book you don't like," Zhu said.

In an earlier interview with China Daily, Bi Shengsi, former vice-head of the Sanxiaokou store, said the bookstore didn't rely heavily on selling books for profit.

"Selling cultural and creative products, like souvenirs, is more profitable," Bi said.

Book sharing expanded on Aug 26 to 120 franchised convenience stores in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province. Media reports indicate that each of the storescalled 365-24 storeshas made about 300 books available to customers. Each book is charged at 1 yuan for one day. Both borrowing and returns can be handled at any one of the 120 franchise stores via the WeChat app, according to a report in Hebei Daily recentlysomething that will be available in more cities in Hebei soon.

Zhu, the Anhui Xinhua Media manager, said businesses can contribute more to promoting reading among citizens.

"Going to libraries is inconvenient nowadays, compared with visiting stores; and reading is getting more popular in China," Zhu said.

"Library books are often old and not popular, while the situation in bookstores is totally different," he said.

Zhang Yu contributed to this story.
Shortages pose major challenges in Africa, chief of program says

The head of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS has called on China to boost prevention and control in Africa by encouraging the country's drugmakers to open production hubs on the continent.

Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS, said the central government should use the China-Africa Development Fund to mobilize key pharmaceutical companies to invest in manufacturing hubs covering many African countries, which will help create a "viable and sustainable" market.

At the same time, medicines for HIV and AIDS produced in China and used by Chinese should be prequalified by the World Health Organization for use in Africa, he added. "We need to create a policy space to make sure those products can be prequalified by the WHO. That is one of the major challenges for the African countries to have easy access to these medicines," said Sidibe, who also is under-secretary-general of the United Nations.

Shortages of drugs and grassroots healthcare workers pose a major challenge for the control and prevention of HIV/AIDS in Africa, he said, while China also has experience and knowledge in the field that can be passed on.

"Ninety-seven percent of the medicine consumed in Africa is from other continents," Sidibe said. "We are happy that we have a very good relationship with the Chinese."

President Xi Jinping proposed intensifying cooperation with Africa in a number of areas, including industrial development, agriculture, finance, poverty alleviation and healthcare, at the 2015 summit of the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation in South Africa.

According to a 10-point action plan, the central government will encourage Chinese enterprises to collaborate with Africa in drug research, development and production, and encourage them to produce drugs in Africa to aid the sustainable development of the local pharmaceutical industry.

Globally, countries are making unprecedented progress in the control and prevention of HIV. For the first time, the world has more people with HIV receiving treatment than people waiting for treatment, and for the first time, HIV transmission from mother to babies is under control.

Moreover, China is committed to improving public health services, Xi said, noting that government health expenditures have increased by 80 percent over the past 10 years, and that it is helping to provide wider access to health services.,
CHEN XU, 30, joined Haidian district's criminal investigation department in 2009 after graduating from Beijing Police College. He now heads a team handling major crimes, such as arson, homicide and robbery.

People usually give me a thumbs-up when they hear I've solved more than 300 cases in the past eight years, and they then tell me how hard it must be to be a police officer. But there is something also special about this job.

For a start, you need to be sensitive to tiny details.

In July 2013, I was assigned to look into a series of arson attacks on five newsstands across Zhongguancun, a busy part of Haidian district, which had all occurred in the same month. I visited business owners and residents, but there was little to go on.

When I watched footage from the area's surveillance cameras, my eyes were drawn to a man who frequently appeared around the newsstands. He never used public transportation, nor did the footage show him returning to any kind of home, which meant I had no obvious way of tracking him down.

The case looked like a dead end. But I kept watching the videos, and I eventually realized the man was wearing the same clothes every time. He could also be seen wandering other parts of the area. I was stuck by an idea: Maybe he's homeless.

With this in mind, my team and I set up stakeouts at five or six sites where the suspect had been spotted.

Fortunately, at about 8 pm on the first day, he showed up at the place I was watching. He was more than 100 meters away and it was fairly dark, but I knew it was him from his walking style and posture, which I'd memorized from the footage.

We detained him, and he soon confessed to the crime.

The moment when you break a case is exciting, but it's more than that for me. The job has also taught me to appreciate life.

In May last year, a street cleaner called police and said he had spotted a human hand after opening a strange box left in a ditch. I went to the scene and found the body of a young woman, whose hands, feet and mouth had been bound with adhesive tape.

She had been suffocated, but it looked like the body had been dumped there, so our first priority was to find where she'd been killed.

An employee ID card was found during a search of the ditch, and the name on it was the same as a woman reported missing from Shunyi district. The woman's parents identified the body as that of their daughter, saying that she had been renting an apartment in Haidian.

I could see the sorrow and helplessness in the parents' eyes. In that moment, I told myself: You must find the killer.

Surveillance footage from the victim's residential building showed a deliveryman enter the elevator with an empty handcart and then leave with what looked like a heavy box, which he then drove away with on the back on an electric bike.

We soon learned that the suspect was holed up in a small hotel. My team went there and, as soon as he came downstairs, he was taken into custody.

I clearly remember it was raining heavily on that day, but after we took him out of the hotel, there was a bright rainbow in the sky.

The suspect, who owed 200,000 yuan ($30,800) in online gambling debts, confessed to robbery and intentional homicide. He said he was familiar with the community, as he's often devilvered parcels there, and came prepared with a knife and adhesive tape.

While some people become numb after handling such cases, I still treasure my life as a police officer. When a man knows how beautiful life is, he will try his best to help the families of those who have lost theirs due to a criminal's actions.
A rainbow appears in the sky as police officer Chen Xu and his colleague, from the Haidian district public security bureau, accompany a suspected killer in Beijing.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Beijing police chiefs have reported significant progress in efforts to boost public safety in the capital by improving criminal investigation techniques and regulating the behavior of officers.

The city introduced 254 guidelines last year, including on evidence collection, interrogations and overall supervision of its 50,000 or so police officers, as China pushes forward the rule of law nationwide.

In particular, officers handling major crimes - homicide, sexual assault and human trafficking - were told to switch focus from securing verbal confessions to finding physical evidence.

As a result, the clearance rate for criminal cases between January and August increased by 17 percent compared with the same period last year, according data provided by the Beijing Public Security Bureau.

Last year, the number of complaints reported to police also fell by 8.7 percent year-on-year, while the number of new cases filed was down by 14.2 percent, the statistics show. But what is life like for the police officers who keep the capital safe? China Daily reporter Cao Yin talked with three active officers about their responsibilities, and their feelings about the job.

Here are the stories:

1. I'm always looking for new ways to find evidence

2. You need to be sensitive to tiny details

3. Polygraphs can be key to solving a case
Lee Ming-che, a Taiwan resident, and Peng Yuhua, from the Chinese mainland, stood trial on charges of subversion at a court in Hunan province on Monday.

Yueyang Intermediate People's Court released footage of the trial on its official Sina Weibo account.

The hearing was open to reporters from the mainland and Taiwan. Lee's mother and wife also attended the hearing.
BEIJING - The Chinese government attaches great importance to advancing the rule of law, and China is willing to have more judicial cooperation with other countries, according to President Xi Jinping.

Xi made the remarks in a letter of congratulation to the 22nd annual conference and general meeting of the International Association of Prosecutors, which opened Monday morning in Beijing.

"As representatives of the public interest, prosecutors shoulder important responsibilities," Xi said.

He said the annual conference, focusing on prosecution in the public interest and building a safe, fair, harmonious and rule-of-law society, holds significance to the progress of rule of law in countries involved.

Xi stressed the Chinese government attaches great importance to the rule of law and has continuously pushed forward legislation in a scientific way, with strict law-enforcement, judicial justice and law compliance by all citizens.

"China works to ensure the country, the government and society are all under the rule of law," the president said.

Xi said Chinese procuratorates are important players in protecting the national and public interest, as they have the functions of punishing and preventing crime and supervising litigation.

Xi encouraged prosecutors from all around the world to share their experience in protecting the public interest and advancing the rule of law to deepen judicial cooperation.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Chinese top legislator Zhang Dejiang said that China's national legislature has revised civil and administrative procedure laws to allow prosecutors to institute public interest litigation.

"China has been actively promoting international and regional judicial cooperation, joined international conventions and signed bilateral judicial assistance and extradition treaties," said Zhang, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

He said China has delivered its commitments in international conventions and played an important role in punishing international crime and developing a global governance based on democracy and rule-of-law.

He said all countries should learn from and support each other to establish a more reliable, practical and efficient international judicial cooperation system.

Zhang praised the International Association of Prosecutors for championing international judicial cooperation and their commitment to making universal the rule-of-law, fairness and justice, as well as respect for human rights.

"Judicial institutions, particularly procuratorates, have a shared mission to combat crime, protect human rights, punish corruption and safeguard justice," Zhang said.

He expressed the hope that all participants at the meeting would have in-depth discussions on how to foster a judicial guarantee for the development of their countries, ranging from combating crime, resolving disputes and protecting public interest to fostering an orderly, rule-of-law environment.
HANGZHOU -- Five people have been detained on suspicion of dumping 300 tonnes of diseased pigs in a mountainous area of Huzhou city, eastern China's Zhejiang province.

The city government issued a circular Monday accusing the Huzhou Industrial and Medical Waste Treatment Company of sending pigs that died of disease to a landfill rather than for cremation between 2013 and 2014.

Police investigation shows that the company, which is responsible for disposing the city's dead pigs, has a refrigerated storage facility with a capacity of 50 tonnes. For six times, the company dumped diseased carcasses at three sites at Dayin Mountain whenever the facility was full.

Over the last week, the Huzhou government had dug out 224 tonnes of decomposed carcasses and sludge, which will be cremated.

A sample-test report by the municipal agricultural department said that no human-infecting pig diseases, such as H5 and H7 bird flu viruses and foot-and-mouth disease, had been found.

The authorities have ordered that the public security bureau, agriculture and environmental department and the local government to collectively ensure no carcasses are left in the soil. Later, local environmental service center will carry out an environment impact assessment.

The Zhejiang provincial government has sent inspectors to oversee the treatment process.

East China provinces are known for breeding pigs, and there are rules for disposing of carcasses. However, illegal dumping occasionally occurs when dealers try to save on bio-safety costs.
CHANGSHA - Taiwan resident Lee Ming-che stood trial Monday in a court in Yueyang City in Central China's Hunan province, accused of inciting subversion of state power.

During the open trial, Peng Yuhua, a suspect from the Chinese mainland, faced the same charge.

Prosecutors accused Peng of roping in dozens of people, including Lee, to establish an organization aimed at subverting state power and overturning the country's fundamental political system, which is enshrined in the Constitution, through instant messaging services.

The two suspects asked members of the organization to exaggerate a number of sensitive issues and make defamatory statements about the Chinese government and its political system, according to the indictment.

They attempted to overturn state power and the socialist system through unscrupulous distortion of the facts and by fanning public hostility against the government and its system, it said.

Prosecutors said that their activities had seriously harmed national security and social stability.

Lee and Peng said their rights had been fully protected during the investigation, and they both pleaded guilty and expressed remorse.

"I regarded biased and malicious reports about the Chinese mainland by media in the West and Taiwan as reality, and had no clear knowledge of the mainland's development," Lee said in the final statement.

Peng also expressed regret to society as well as to his family, saying he felt deeply distressed about his wrongdoing.

During the trial, evidence including documents, witness testimonies, and audio, visual and digital materials were presented by prosecutors in court, along with the two suspects' statements. The defendants and their lawyers examined the evidence. Both sides fully expressed their opinions in court.

More than 30 people, including the defendants' families, legislators, political advisors, domestic and overseas journalists, and members of the public, attended the trial.

Videos of the trial were published on the Yueyang City Intermediate People's Court's official Weibo account. The verdict will be announced at a later date.

On March 19, 2017, Lee, who was on the mainland to participate in illegal activities, was put under coercive measures by the Hunan provincial security organ on suspicions of "subverting state power."
Lu Fangzhou (center), deputy mayor of Pudong district, meets the four 2017 Magnolia Award winners in Pudong, Shanghai, on Sept 6, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Four foreigners recommended by the Shanghai Pudong New Area government received the 2017 Magnolia Award on Sept 6, in recognition of their special contributions to economic and cultural industries in the city.

The winners of the award are General Manager of Shanghai New International Expo Centre Michael Kruppe, President of Carl Zeiss (Shanghai) Co Maximilian Josef Helmut Foerst, Professor of the Literature Department at the Beppu University Nobuharu Arakane, and General Manager of the Business Development Department of IHI (Shanghai) Management Co Koji Toda.

Lu Fangzhou, deputy mayor of Pudong, expressed gratitude to the four winners for their efforts in Shanghai.

"The four winners are all leaders in their fields and have made significant contributions in supporting Pudong's development," Lu said. "We hope they can advise us on how to support the new round of development in the upcoming years.

"We will continue to enhance the living and business environment in Pudong to attract more foreign professionals and projects to the district."

Lu said Pudong, established in 1990, has become a major gathering place for foreign businesses over the past 27 years. Businesses from 154 countries and regions have launched operations in the region.

The district is home to over 300 Fortune 500 companies. The average GDP per capita reached $20,000 during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2010-15) period.

"We hope to boost average GDP per capita to $30,000 during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) period," Lu said.

This year, a total of 50 foreigners received the 2017 Magnolia Award in Shanghai.

"On behalf of the 50 winners today, I would like to say: Shanghai, we love you! China, we love you!" said Kruppe, when giving a speech on behalf of all 50 award winners.

"The magnolia is the city flower of Shanghai. It symbolizes pure friendship and experiences, which raise the city and make it so successful all over the world," said Krupp. "Today is not the end. Today is the start for all of us to create and contribute our wisdom to the further success of Shanghai."

The four winners from Pudong have vowed to strengthen their commitment to supporting Shanghai's economic development and international communication.

Foerst said Carl Zeiss will continue to expand in China. The company is considering expanding its innovation center in Shanghai to support its digitalization strategy.

Toda said he will continue to promote environmental protection by introducing more advanced technologies and bring more support to Shanghai.

Arakane, a 70-year-old professor who has long been promoting cultural communication between China and Japan, said that not only will he continue to strengthen exchanges between the two countries, he will also encourage the younger generations to take forward the work.

The Magnolia Award was first launched in 1989 and has become one of the top awards for foreigners in the city. To date, 1,109 foreigners have received a Magnolia Award.
A corner of Moutai University in Renhuai in southwestern China's Guizhou province. [Photo by Chen Yong/For China Daily]

GUIYANG -- A college sponsored by China's top liquor brand Kweichow Moutai has opened to its first 600 students in Renhuai city in Southwest China's Guizhou province.Moutai University, as referred to by its official website www.mtxy.cn:8000, offers five majors, including distilling, wine-making, food quality and safety, and marketing.Currently, the college has nearly 170 teachers. It has also invited academicians as guest professors and senior professionals from Moutai Group to serve as instructors.Kweichow Moutai, a distilled Chinese liquor produced in Guizhou, is considered the country's national liquor and is often served on official occasions such as state banquets, not to mention many dinner tables throughout the nation.Moutai Group started building the school, which covers an area of 72 hectares, in 2012 with a total investment of 1.88 billion yuan (288 million US dollars).China's Ministry of Education approved its establishment in May.Yuan Renguo, chairman of Kweichow Moutai Group, said that the company would continue supporting the college and train more professionals in the industry.
China's State Council issued a guideline in deepening reform and economic upgrading through encouraging new economic drivers, as well as energy consumption reforms, in north China's Shanxi province. It aims to boost local development from its restriction on traditional resources.

The guideline points out that Shanxi, being China's traditional base for energy and traditional industries, is among the key pilot areas for China's resource-based economic upgrading, and has played an important role in China's resource-based economic transition.

The guideline set a goal that by 2020, the province will attain certain achievements in supply-side reform in key sectors, as well as tangible results in energy reform. This will help to build a comprehensive mechanism of a resource-based economic transition. The guideline urged improvements for clean and efficient utilization of coal, as well as a greater proportion of research investment on local development.

Deepening the "Made In China 2025 Strategy" also will be a key priority in the next couple of years, the guideline said, as well as a good combination of industrialization and information-based development. The guideline said that the government will give incentives to encourage smart manufacturing, information technology, new energy automobiles and the like in Shanxi to boost industrial upgrades and transition.
Chinese police arrest key members of pyramid scheme

Xinhua | Updated: 2017-09-11 20:45

BEIJING -- Several key members of Shanxinhui, a company suspected of organizing and leading a pyramid scheme, have been arrested in Yongzhou in central China's Hunan Province, police announced Monday.



Several key members, including Zhang Tianming, the mastermind of Shanxinhui, are suspected of obtaining illegal gains of more than 2.2 billion yuan (337.22 million US dollars), according to the Ministry of Public Security.



The suspects intentionally distorted the country's targeted policy to eradicate poverty under the guise of helping the poor and building a so-called "new economic ecological model," while setting up a network on the Internet, the ministry said in a statement.



Shanxinhui allegedly enticed people to take part in pyramid selling by promising "high returns" and cheated them out of huge amounts of property, severely disrupting economic and social order, it added.



The ministry said it would maintain pressure on curbing pyramid selling to safeguard people's interests.



Zhang, 42, founded Shenzhen Shanxinhui Culture Communication Co. Ltd. in south China's Shenzhen in May 2013, and Hainan Shanxinhui in May 2016.



Pyramid schemes have been expanding widely through social networks in recent years.



Police investigated 2,826 pyramid scheme cases in 2016, 19.1 percent more than that in 2015, the ministry's figures showed.
Delegates from around the world attending a meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, in Ordos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, get a taste of local food, drink and culture on Sept 11, 2017. [Photo by ZOU HONG/CHINA DAILY]

China will stick to its commitment to fight against desertification and further strengthen the cooperation with all parties and international communities to make joint efforts for a better world, President Xi Jinping said in a congratulatory letter to a UN environment meeting on Monday.

The high-level segment of the 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention to Combat Desertification is being held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, from Monday to Wednesday.

"Desertification is a challenge that is faced by all people, which also has a major influence on world development. We need to promote the principle of respecting and protecting nature. The environment should always be our priority," Xi wrote in the letter.

Xi said it has been 21 years since the UN desertification convention took effect. Major efforts from the parties have produced significant changes since then, but many people still suffer from desertification.

"The theme of this year's conference is Combating Desertification for Human Well-being. Under new frameworks, some major positive influence will be seen to build a better ecosystem for the whole world," he said.

Vice-Premier Wang Yang, who attended the conference, said China will fulfill its commitment and achieve its sustainable development goals by 2030, with green building a crucial part of the country's effort to combat desertification.




HOHHOT - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday stressed global cooperation to combat desertification, which he said is a common challenge for mankind.

Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to a high-level meeting of the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP13) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), which opened Monday in Ordos City in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

In the letter, Xi said land desertification is a major ecological issue affecting the existence and development of mankind, and the situation for controlling desertification remains grave despite the progress the world has achieved since the UNCCD came into effect 21 years ago.

Xi wished the conference a success. He said the conference, with the theme of "Combating Desertification for Human Well-being," intends to develop a new strategic framework for the UNCCD, which will be significant and positive for guaranteeing global ecological security.

China will unswervingly fulfill its obligations under the UNCCD, and continue to push forward communication and cooperation with all member parties and international organizations to work for the targets set during the conference and create a better world, Xi said.

Vice Premier Wang Yang, who read the letter and delivered a keynote speech at the meeting's opening ceremony, said that in fighting desertification, China will ensure closer communication and cooperation with the international community and strive to develop a path of desertification control with Chinese characteristics, which combines fighting desertification with improving people's livelihood.

About 1,400 delegates from 196 parties and more than 20 international organizations attended the biennial conference. Opening on Sept. 6, the conference will last about two weeks.
Dancers from the National Ballet of China rehearse for Dunhuang, which is inspired by the Buddhist art and frescoes in the Mogao Caves. JIANG DONG/CHINA DAILY

Choreographer Fei Bo brings to fore the stories of people associated with preserving Dunhuang's grottoes in a new ballet. Chen Jie reports.

Flying apsaras (supernatural entities in Hindu and Buddhist mythology) on the ceilings of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang have inspired many dancersand Fei Bo is no exception.

But what impressed the Chinese choreographer most about the caves, which are located in Northwest China's Gansu province, was what was behind the preservation of the Buddhist art and frescoes.

He has returned to the caves once every year since his first visit to Dunhuang in 2012. He's inspired by stories of people who have preserved the artworks. And he has created a ballet about them.

The National Ballet of China will premiere Dunhuang at the Tianqiao Theater in Beijing on Sept 19. It'll show in the capital for three days and then tour Gansu from Sept 27 to 28.

When Fei first visited the Mogao Caves, a tour guide told him most of the archaeologists who initially worked there were buried in a nearby desert.

The first batch of experts who came to Dunhuang were 20 years old or younger. They spent all their lives there, discovering sculptures, preserving the artworks and restoring the caves.

"The guide's words lingered in my mind. And I asked for more stories," recalls Fei.

Curiosity lured him back in 2013, when he visited the Dunhuang Research Academy that manages the caves.
Awards-winning actress Siqin Gaowa (right) stars a pivotal role in a family which sees four generations live under the same roof. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Siqin Gaowa has played a number of impressive roles in hit TV series, from the manipulative, wealthy Tiger Girl in Rickshaw Boy to the empress dowager Xiaozhuang in Kangxi Dynasty.

The award-winning ethnic Mongolian actress will take on a new role in the upcoming TV drama, Pingfan Suiyue (The Ordinary Years). She plays the grandfather's youngest sister, who has a pivotal role in the family.

The program reflects China's vast changes over recent decades through the family and their neighborhood's stories, she explained during a Beijing event on Tuesday.

The series ran on Beijing Satellite TV from Sept 10. Two episodes will be broadcast every night.

The cast also includes veteran actor Sha Yi, who's known for the comedy series, My Own Swords Man, and actress Xu Fanxi, who shot to fame from the 2006 youth-themed TV series, Struggle.
A model presents items from the brand Dhela. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Daniella Helayel made her fashion mark with her brand Issa  you may remember Kate Middleton famously wearing the founder and designer's teal-blue silk knit dress to announce her royal engagement  before selling her stake. In 2016, the London-based Brazilian designer launched another brand, Dhela. With its flagship boutique in Tokyo's Roponggi Hills, a selection of Dhela items are also carried at Harvey Nichols, Mitsoukoshi in Tokyo's upscale Ginza district, Boutique 1 in the Middle East and online at Stylebop.

After being out of the fashion business for three-and-a-half years, what brought you back with Dhela?

My Japanese distributors for Issa came to me and encouraged me to get into business again, because they couldn't find the long and short dresses in easy shapes, which I used to do for Issa. There had to be a gap in the market  or else they wouldnt have come to me. This is also why my first distributors and standalone stores are in Tokyo.

Tell us about your creative process.

It's quite complicated in that I do everything myself. Prints are one of my strengths, so I design and develop them myself in China. Contrary to what many people think, there are Chinese factories that do small quantities better and more efficiently than Italy. If I just bought stock prints, my brand would have no exclusivity.
Schooling in status-obsessed city can be expensive but education is priceless Updated: 2017-09-11 07:51 By Anisha Bhaduri(HK Edition)

What's in schooling? Well, what's in good schooling? Plenty, in fact, everything, Hong Kong parents would unhesitatingly shout from rooftops. Or, perhaps they would not bother to, incredulous that such a question could even be contemplated.

After housing, schooling seems to be the principal preoccupation of the territory where parents start worrying about a child's academic future even before it is born. Tiger moms have been known to discuss pre-school pedagogy with a ferocity usually associated with corporate takeovers, and plan their toddlers' academic roadmap with such attention to detail that it borders on the obsessive. Sociologists tell us it is.

So, what does that tell us about Hong Kong parents? Plenty, in fact, everything.

Why does schooling in Hong Kong merit such obsessive attention? Primarily because of a preference for English-medium instruction among the upwardly mobile strata and, secondly, poor faith in the government-subsidized local education system.

Demand abounds but supply is entirely at the discretion of, on one hand, elite local schools which charge few or no fees but are extremely difficult to enter and, on the fee-charging side, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools in the local school system, schools run by the English Schools Foundation, international schools and private independent schools.

What makes the situation complicated is parental prejudice against schools not deemed elite enough (or good enough) and, in my humble opinion, an unclear understanding of what might work best for an individual child. I have also observed that, when it comes to educating children, Hong Kong parents defer to peer pressure more than to an objective evaluation of their children's needs. It must be said that in Hong Kong society, there is also an arriviste element to sending one's children to expensive schools. I have known parents to brag about their ability to afford prohibitive tuition in their children's presence. Just as I have known parents to ruthlessly criticize teachers or caregivers in their children's presence.

Needless to say, such patent lack of good manners will easily manifest in the next generation, who will - whether they know their Oscar Wilde or not - certainly grow up knowing the price of everything but the value of precious little.

The main grouse that Hong Kong parents have against the local school system is the perceived burden of homework and a culture of rote learning. It would be wrong to form and perpetuate such a blanket opinion - the regime differs from school to school and not every school, elite or not, is unduly hung up on mindless homework or rote learning.

As the mother of a 10-year-old who attends a local primary school, I can tell that for every principal who is trying to liberalize the system by moving toward a less homework-intensive regime, there are 50 parents who decry "idleness" in children and demand more homework!

I am also mystified by numerous parents' insistence that a good grounding in English can only be had at elite/expensive schools. In a city with one of the world's most robust public-library systems, what's stopping a child from developing an interest in the English language outside the classroom?

Love for a language can be kindled in the classroom - but also by books, films and people - but one must make personal efforts to cultivate it. The greatest teachers of any language are waiting to be discovered between covers of books or in CDs/DVDs ignored in favor of soul-deadening cyber games. Whose responsibility is it to wean the children off such fixations and take them on a journey of delightful self-discovery?

Also, what's with this parental tendency to racially tinge the whole business of English private tuition in Hong Kong? What kind of prejudices are parents and the private tuition industry trying to perpetuate in Asia's "World City" by linking ethnicity with English lessons?

That Hong Kong suffers from a colonial hangover is understandable but what is not is the willful cultivation of antediluvian sensibilities. Don't they come in the way of raising global citizens?

Mark Twain may have fallen out of favor in the breathlessly wired Hong Kong but here is what he is rumored to have said a century ago: "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." In their obsession for elitist schooling, Hong Kong parents will do well not to undermine the education of their children.

(HK Edition 09/11/2017 page11)
Smart city initiative vital in taking HK forward Updated: 2017-09-11 07:51 By Winnie Tang(HK Edition)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will deliver her first policy address soon. The public have long expected that the new CE would use her maiden policy address to tackle major problems, one of which is to help inject new impetus into Hong Kong's economy, and provide our young people with more opportunities for upward mobility. I think a smart city which emphasizes bottom-up participation, utilizing information and communications technology to improve our quality of employment and life is certainly the way forward.

How can a smart city achieve these goals? Governance with transparency that encourages public participation and creativity is the key success factor I learned from Los Angeles in the United States.

Lilian Coral, chief data officer (CDO) of Los Angeles, came to Hong Kong earlier this year to share best practice in LA. As the CDO, her major responsibility is to bring in tens of government departments to provide data so government departments, public organizations and her office can collaborate with each other to boost efficiency and eliminate the information bottleneck.

Sharing data with the public is essential to encourage creativity. As a result, people in the city were bubbling with ideas while startups were launching, as Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti described after the launch of LA's open-data platform GeoHub.

In June this year, the Hong Kong Smart City Blueprint Consultancy Study released by the government recommended establishing a high-level officer to coordinate various bureaus in ensuring the smooth implementation of smart-city policies.

It's really assuring to hear such news. In fact, in October last year, the Smart City Consortium (SCC) submitted an interim report to the government on future development of the smart city. It pointed out that the government must set up a high-level dedicated department which is very important in that it has to persuade all government establishments to adopt "digital by default" (that is, open data with an application programming interface), and also the department has to establish public data specifications, determine guidelines on collection and process data to protect personal privacy, review the relevant legislation and formulate the implementation timetable. It is an extremely demanding task.

LA, by establishing a strategic position of CDO, is a good example the government should follow.

When talking about LA, I must also mention the well-known Mayor's Dashboard which was boldly presented by Garcetti in 2013. The dashboard not only helps manage the city, but it also allows the public to monitor government's performance.

It lists the data related to people's livelihood and divides the figures into the following four areas:

1. Prosperity - subdivided into three categories: economic development (such as number of new jobs, film and TV series shooting days); economic opportunities (family rent burden, poverty - proportion of elderly and children, homeless); veterans (employment ratio and industry).

2. Livability - three areas: urban services and sustainable development (such as the ratio of girls and youth participation in sports, days elapsed before potholes in streets are repaired); water and electricity (such as household daily water consumption, solar power supply); and traffic matters (eg traffic accidents, bus timeliness).

3. Public security - real-time crime information, including the type of case (violence, theft, drunkenness), and the distribution of cases on map; the response time of police, firefighters and hotline, as well as ambulance arrival time, etc.

4. Efficiency - government efficiency, such as the number of civil servants, visitors to the LA City website, city reserves, and the non-emergency 3-1-1 hotline performance.

Coral said: "The focus of open data policy is to translate the data into wisdom, through free use of the data and associated derivative work, we can enhance the city's innovation and governance vitality." This is also my expectation of the smart city in Hong Kong and the new special administrative region leadership team.

(HK Edition 09/11/2017 page11)
Central Asian regions set up new cooperation institute

By Sun Hui ( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2017-09-11

The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Institute was inaugurated in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Sept 7.

CAREC, established in 2006, will utilize the new institute to provide web-based information and knowledge products, training and events for 11 CAREC member countries with the aim of generating world-class resources for CAREC's priority areas in transport, trade, and energy.

China's Finance Minister Xiao Jie said that the establishment of the CAREC Institute reveals the common aspirations of China and Central Asian countries for regional economic cooperation.

The CAREC Institute is inaugurated in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Sept 7. [Photo by Liu Hongxia/xinhuanet.com]

Xiao Jie hopes that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will continue to provide capital and support to CAREC Institute.

Xinjiang has been promoting the construction of transportation, logistics, financing, technology and medical treatment to become an economic hub for Central Asian regions.

Shohrat Zakir, chairman of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, said that the institute will act as a bridge between Xinjiang and Central Asian countries, driving cooperation and economy.

Senior government officials from CAREC member countries take a group photo on Sept 7. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Senior government officials from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan attended the inauguration ceremony in support of the institute.

The CAREC and ADB institutes jointly organized a global value chains training workshop in March 2015. The workshop focused on how CAREC countries can develop effective policies and programs to benefit Central Asian Economic Corridor and plug into global value chains.

Edited by Zachary Dye
A missile is launched during a long and medium-range ballistic rocket launch drill in this undated photo released by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on August 30, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

If the United Nations Security Council accepts the United States' formal request, it could vote on Monday to impose the severest sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in response to its intensified nuclear program, especially its sixth nuclear test on Sept 3.

But even if the Security Council accedes to Washington's request and temporarily quell the international community's concerns over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests, it may not succeed in defusing the tensions on the Korean Peninsula which, given the rising war rhetoric between the DPRK and the Republic of Korea, risks spinning out of control and triggering a conflict. And a war, even on a limited scale, could have devastating consequences for not just the DPRK and the ROK, but the region as whole.

Some of the countries demanding tougher sanctions might want to believe they will thwart the DPRK's pursuit of nuclear weapons, but Pyongyang has repeatedly proved those optimists wrong by conducting more nuclear and missile tests. Essentially, the previous UN sanctions against Pyongyang have been ineffective.

On the other hand, dialogue and negotiation helped break the Iranian nuclear impasse in 2015. And ultimately, Washington and Teheranthe opposing partieshad to hold talks to "settle" the issue. Similarly, the peninsula issue can be resolved only when the US and the DPRKthe main rivalsagree to hold dialogue.

However, if Washington continues to believe tougher sanctions will force Pyongyang to back down and abandon its nuclear program, the crisis will likely drag on. And if this worst-case scenario comes true, the world will have to live with a nuclear-capable DPRK.

Since the beginning of the peninsula crisis, China has been saying a war should not be an option to resolve it but at the same time the Korean Peninsula should not be allowed to plunge into chaos. It has, along with Russia, also proposed "dual suspension", calling for a freeze on DPRK's nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the suspension of US-ROK military drills, which is the best way to immediately defuse the tensions.

Only dialogue can give all the parties the opportunity to have their grievances and objections heard, and create a platform to address them and build a consensus on how to peacefully settle the peninsula issue.


IN A LETTER TO HIS EMPLOYEES, Ren Zhengfei, founder of Huawei Technologies Co, said he has promoted a staff member who reported the misconducts of his supervisor, in order to encourage all employees to speak the "truth". Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Saturday:

The Huawei founder's 160-word letter touches upon a sensitive subject: Whether it is okay to report an errant senior to the management. That Ren's letter triggered heated discussions and the "truth-speaking" employee has been transferred to another department to avoid possible personal attacks, to some extent, indicates it is not easy to dig up dirt on errant colleagues.

While submitting a report to the senior management, one is tempted to withhold some "troubling" details, which he or she believes would create "unnecessary waves" at the workplace and risk inviting retaliation from those who have been reported against. On their part, the decision-makers would love to hear some truth about the employees rather than receive plain work reports.

Speaking the truth in a workplace, of course, requires courage. By criticizing colleagues or seniors in their presence at a group meeting, an employee will not only embarrass them but also estrange them, especially if their so-called misconducts are trivial in nature.

Worse, some employees tend to draw the wrong idea that a colleague resorted to the move to seek promotion. A report offering "insightful strategies" to the management would be questionable if it comes from a novice who joined the company just a few months ago. Such "truth-speaking" could be interpreted by the managers as currying favor with the employer.

This is not to say employees should not be encouraged to speak the truth. For industrial giants such as Huawei that have expanded at unprecedented rates, their managements could become complacent like bureaucracies, which could take a heavy toll on their long-term development. By speaking the truth an employee could prevent that from happening.
Your digital subscription includes access to all content on our agricultural websites across the nation. Access unlimited content and the digital versions of our print editions - This Week's Paper.
People ride shared bikes in Wuhan, Hubei province, June 26, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

ON THURSDAY, Beijing's transportation management authorities called a halt to new station-less, hire-on-demand "shared" bikes in the city, where some 2.35 million such bikes are being run by 15 companies. Legal Daily commented on Saturday:

The surge in the number of shared bikes has caused parking chaos, as Beijing now has one bike for every 14 residents, a lot more than what a city needs to promote green public transportation. Twelve cities, including four first-tier ones, have suspended new dispatches of shared bikes and, instead, are focusing on keeping the existing ones in order.

In July, the Ministry of Transport said there were nearly 70 bike-sharing operators, with 16 million bikes and more than 130 million registered users, in the country. The ratio of bikes is particularly high in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, posing a serious challenge to urban management.

Many are surprised to see the bike-sharing business boom in less than a year, let alone spread to overseas markets such as the United Kingdom and Japan. Bolstering its success is the fact that Chinese urban commuters are all for bike sharing, especially because it solves the last-mile problem. But illegal parking and oversupply of bikes followed the dog-eat-dog competition between bike-sharing companies. Which could become a nightmare for urban transportation authorities and the Achilles' heel of bike-sharing service providers.

Enthusiastic investors empowered Mobike and its rivals to expand continuously and grab early shares quite rapidly. Their failure to keep shared bikes in order shows the companies lack the means of managing their expansion. As an internet-driven innovation, the bike-sharing business requires smarter, more organized management.

Bike-on-hire platforms should work harder to ensure orderly dispatch of bikes and regulated expansion of service. Credit deduction and blacklisting ill-behaved users, too, could make a difference. And local governments, on their part, must monitor bike-sharing operators and make sure the deposits they collect from the users are in safe hands.


Japanese government offices have requested a record budget of $913 billion for fiscal 2018, with the Foreign Ministry seeking a bigger sum for the country's official development assistance, or ODA. In recent years, Japan has increased its ODA to countries along the routes of the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which together comprise the Belt and Road Initiative. Alone as well as with India, Japan is trying to minimize China's influence in those countries and regions.

Neither Japan nor India has "joined" the Belt and Road Initiative, though Japan has shown interest in it in recent months. In 2013, President Xi Jinping unveiled the initiative which spans 60-odd countries across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

During his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi's visit to Japan last November, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unveiled a joint project called "Asia-Africa Growth Corridor" or the "freedom corridor", in a bid to build sea corridors to extend their influence from the Asia-Pacific to Africa.

Tokyo and New Delhi elevated their ties to a "special strategic and global partnership" in 2014. Japan has seeded a variety of projects in northeast India in sectors such as highways, power, water, sewage and natural resource management. And Modi has welcomed Japan's cooperation as it helps India's goal of building a gateway for Southeast Asia and "Act East" foreign policy.

In northeastern Sri Lanka, the two countries are expected to jointly expand the strategically located Trincomalee port. They are also likely to work together to develop the Dawei port along the Thai-Myanmar border. And Japan is expected to join India in its foray into Iran to expand the strategically important Chabahar port and the adjoining special economic zone.

The Chabahar project is seen as a counterweight to China's support for building the Gwadar port, barely 75 kilometers away, in Pakistan, which would also help connect Japan with Central Asia, a landlocked region with rich resources, newly discovered economic potential and growing population. Japan has made efforts to compete with China in all these areas.

Abe visited five Central Asian countries-Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstanin 2015, inking deals on energy, agriculture and infrastructure. Tokyo is also actively planning to pour billions of dollars in ODA into infrastructure projects in Africa.

Japan is now more focused on South and East African countries along the Indian Ocean. In those countries, it not only runs trade surpluses and sees signs of new resources but also sees its private companies getting more heavily involved in manufacturing and construction.

Japan and India held a separate session with stakeholders from Africa on the sidelines of the African Development Bank meeting in Ahmedabad, India, on May 24 to discuss joint projects on capacity building and infrastructure in Africa. At a ministerial meeting of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Mozambique on August 24-25, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono told African representatives that Japan will conclude new bilateral investment treaties with 13 countries, including Algeria and Morocco.

That the "freedom corridor" is taking shape just months after China hosted the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May, as the African Business magazine put it, has raised suspicions that Japan and India are more interested in using their joint project as a counter-measure to China's initiative.

The investment and technical know-how from China, Japan and India will definitely improve the well-being of people in the vast areas their initiatives cover. But the Tokyo-New Delhi strategy based on a motive to undermine Beijing's influence will widen the rift between the two sides. The three countries should have combined forces for the betterment of the region and beyond. And more importantly, their initiatives should not evolve into competing adversarial power blocs.

The author is China Daily Tokyo bureau chief.
Recent years have seen local authorities revising the population and family planning regulations as well as woman employees' labor protection regulations. As a result, maternity leave has been extended in many areas, and women on maternity leave can receive salary and other welfare benefits, instead of only the basic salary.

Woman employees across China are now entitled to at least 128 days' maternity leave, and many regions have the provision to extend it further. For example, article 14 of the Jiangxi province female employee labor protection special regulation, which came into effect on July 1, stipulates that female employees can apply to their employers for extending the maternity leave till their child is 1 year old.

The stipulation of the State Council, China's Cabinet, on maternity leave is only 98 days, but in some provinces women enjoy up to 335 days of maternity leave. The different duration of maternity leave in different provinces and regions have prompted many to ask what would be the ideal duration of maternity leave.

The special regulations to protect female employees' rights reflect the importance the authorities attach to women's contribution to society, which among other things could help make a success of China's latest population policy to allow all couples to have two children.

From June to September last year, I participated in a study on the implementation of maternity security system under the new family planning policy. According to a survey covering 7,034 people from 12 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, 32.7 percent female employees get less than 90 days of maternity leave, and 46.47 percent want its duration to be more than one year.

So how long should the maternity leave be? As a male employee in Beijing said, one year's maternity leave is too long for female employees to return to their original posts, because they might find it difficult to adjust to their job after "such a long time". But who will take care of the newborns if the new mothers return to work before the kids are admitted to a kindergarten? The authorities should consider this practical difficulty of couples with newborns.

Although many people want the maternity leave to be longer, the negative effects it would have on female employees' career and promotion cannot be ignored. Some enterprises, especially private enterprises, are reluctant to recruit women who don't have a child because of the cost of granting them long maternity leaves. Some companies even make it clear they would prefer to recruit women who already have two children or don't plan to have a second child.

Worse, some female employees working for private enterprises are forced to quit their job because of pregnancy and in some institutions where a majority of the employees are women, such as schools, female employees are required to "queue up" to get maternity leave.

Considering that an extended maternity leave actually aggravates gender discrimination against female employees, maternity leave should not be too long. Instead, the local authorities should help build community nurseries, and ask employing units to plan work schedules in a way that helps female employees with newborns. For instance, they can give women half-day leave or allow them to work from home.

The author is a professor of law at China Women's University.


China has been holding aloft the banner of free trade and criticizing the rising trade protectionism trend in some economies. So how do we analyze its anti-dumping investigations into optical fiber perform products imported from the United States and other economies? And its decision to launch investigations into halogenated butyl rubber imported from the US, the European Union and Singapore?

To begin with, the investigations are not counter-measures to a US probe into China's intellectual property practices under Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, because China cannot possibly start a counter-probe in such a short time.

The Section 301 probe was launched within four days of US President Donald Trump seeking it. But China took a longer time to launch the anti-dumping probes. To seek an investigation, Chinese companies need to collect sufficient materials and evidence according to the Anti-dumping Regulations of China, following which the Ministry of Commerce will review them and then decide whether they merit a probe.

The official statement said that an anti-dumping probe has been launched into halogenated butyl rubber imports, and Chinese companies applied on Aug 14 seeking the probe, implying the preparation started much before the Section 301 probe started. This makes it clear the anti-dumping investigations are not a counter-measure to the US probe.

And even though the US has launched a probe under Section 301, negotiations are more important for China than taking counter-measures. Generally, the US Trade Representative starts negotiations with China once a Section 301 probe is initiated. And only when the negotiations fail will the US impose sanctions on China. As such, the interests of the US and China both can be better protected through negotiations.

China's anti-dumping investigations are aimed at protecting the free trade order with full respect for the rights of all companies. China will impose anti-dumping duties on foreign companies only if they have really dumped their goods in the country. Moreover, if the companies are not satisfied with the decision, they can refer the case to the World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body for counterclaim.

There is a significant difference between the US unilaterally imposing sanctions on other countries through Section 301 and China respecting foreign companies' appeal to the WTO to ensure that fair judgment is delivered.

It is unfair to assume China is taking counter-measures to the US probe, because China's investigations are against products imported from not only the US but also the EU and Singapore. Besides, whether the Ministry of Commerce will conduct anti-dumping investigations depends on foreign companies' prices, competition mode and their influence on Chinese companies and industry. The anti-dumping investigations have been launched to regulate companies that indulge in unfair competition, in a bid to develop a fair and healthy market order, not to counter any country's move.

The Chinese government has the right to protect its rights and interests by, if need be, launching anti-dumping investigations and developing a fair and just market.

The author is an associate researcher at the Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The author poses at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 30, 2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

This is not a fairy tale. It is a true story of a long cherished dream being fulfilled by an unemployed man living in a small village in West Bengal, India. Yes, this is my seven days of real life being in China, which I will never forget.

I have been a loyal promoter of China Radio International (CRI) and India for more than 32 years. Impressed by my love and work for China and CRI, the Kolkata Chinese Consul General Ma Zhanwu sponsored me  along with my wife, Sudeshna, my son, Udit Sankar and my two radio club members  to take a free trip to China for seven days from June 26, 2016.

Visiting Kunming for two days, we disembarked at the imposing Beijing Capital International Airport at the crack of dawn, and the heavy rains welcomed us.

On our first day, we strolled on the Qianmen Street, and met a range of people from the exotic land. Undoubtedly, with its ancient palaces, temples and parks, Beijing is a very modern, cosmopolitan city. I think everything in the Chinese capital is colossal. Whether it's the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven or the Great Wall, everything is outsized. Ancient historical buildings and the glitzy skyscrapers stand side by side in Beijing.

Walking along the Qianmen Street, I enjoyed bargaining with shopkeepers in English. However, it is rather difficult to converse with Chinese vendors in English as most of them cannot speak the language. Although, I did find Chinese people to be very honest and friendly.

On 28 June, we visited the China Radio International, and it is this CRI that made China feel like my second home. All the staff of CRI English and Hindi Service greeted us with warmth and candour, which made us feel so welcomed. I had an exclusive meeting with CRI Editor-in-Chief Ma Bohui, in presence of other CRI dignitaries. He was deeply moved on seeing my love for CRI and China, and appreciated my long association with CRI, while highly praising our blood donation campaigns for CRI. In a cordial atmosphere, we exchanged our views with him about the spreading of CRI broadcasting to the grassroots level in India. Tears rained down my cheeks when he called me as a true friend of CRI and China.

During our stay in Beijing, we also visited well-known historical sites of the capital city  the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. We enjoyed an enchanting boat ride on the massive Kunming Lake. Standing on the complex of the Forbidden City, I realized how much the Chinese are associated with their great history and the pride they feel about what their ancestors left for them to enjoy.

We also visited the Bird's Nest stadium and Water Cube. I had seen the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on our TV at home. However, I had never imagined that one day I would be able to wander around the Bird's Nest Stadium. Sitting on the gallery chairs at the stadium, I was trying to catch the same pulse of the opening ceremony, which the spectators got during the Olympic Games, and by doing this, I felt proud and privileged.

On July 1, we went to see the Great Wall of China. We reached the Mutianyu Great Wall by cable car, and walked and ran on the Wall with excitement. My son and my wife told me climbing the Wall was like a dream come true. We climbed bravely to a few watch towers, and the views from the high watch towers are worth the knee-busting climb. Coming down from the Great Wall, we enjoyed a Toboggan ride. My visit to the Great Wall will remain as an unforgettable experience of my life.

We only spent five days in Beijing, and I knew we only scratched the surface on this city of the great nation of China. I was too impressed to see the modern facilities in the tourists' spots. The roads are also very clean and look like a highly systematic construction to regulate traffic, which shows the Chinese engineers skill.

Chinese people do not smoke in restaurants and on public transport, and smokers do not drop cigarette butts on the streets. The toilets in Beijing are among the cleanest public toilets I've ever seen. We saw lots of Beijingers ride electric bicycles in Beijing's streets.

I saw most of the Chinese young girls and ladies enjoy life with their boyfriends, while returning from work. It is widely seen that young couples and lovers have adopted the Western-style of kissing openly on the streets, parks and crowded restaurants. It's really fantastic!

Our brief stay in China ended on July 2. My visit to China was a short trip, but very impressive with sweet memories. When China Eastern Airlines flight took off from Beijing International Airport to India, looking down at Beijing from the blue sky, I murmured I left my heart in China.
The logo of Huawei is seen at a store in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Jan 19, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co has surpassed Apple Inc for the first time as the world's second-largest smartphone vendor in June and July, a new report said.

According to the latest research by consultancy Counterpoint Research, Huawei has overtaken Apple in global smartphone sales consistently in June and July. With August sales looking strong for the Chinese vendor, a hat-trick for Huawei could be on the cards.

Peter Richardson, research director at Counterpoint, said this is a significant milestone for Huawei, the largest Chinese smartphone brand with a growing global presence. It speaks volumes for this primarily network infrastructure vendor on how far it has grown in the consumer mobile handset space in the last three to four years.

The research firm did not share detailed numbers and only offered a graph indicating that in June, Huawei accounted for around 11 percent of global smartphone sales, up from around 10 percent in May. In contrast, Apple's share dropped to around 9 percent from about 13 percent in the same period.

According to Richardson, Huawei's expanding market share can be attributed to its consistent investment in research and development, and aggressive marketing and sales channel expansion.

"But this streak could be temporary, considering the annual iPhone refresh is just around the corner," he said. Apple is set to unveil its 10th-anniversary iPhone next week.

Richardson also said a weak presence in the South Asian, Indian and North American markets limits Huawei's potential in the near-to mid-term to take a sustainable second place position behind Samsung Electronics Corp.
Workers at a magnetic levitation train manufacturing company in Zhuzhou, Hunan province. [Xu Xing/for China Daily]

China expects to deliver its 600 kilometer-an-hour high-speed magnetic levitation trains and 200 kph medium-speed maglev trains by the end of 2021, according to a leading rail sector executive.

Besides those two kinds, railway major China Railway Rolling Stock Corp is also going full steam ahead on studying three types of freight trains and a high-speed train, said Sun Bangcheng, deputy director of the company's research institute, in a recent speech.

"As one of the nation's 18 research projects, CRRC's advanced rail transit project was launched in 2016. With over 9-billion-yuan ($1.37 billion) funding, the project is projected to be completed by 2021," Sun said.

He was quoted by Science and Technology Daily, the newspaper of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

CRRC's cutting-edge technology and product development have been fueled by the country's Made in China 2025 strategy, which aims to promote high-end manufacturing.

Maglev trains are often considered safer and cheaper in comparison to constructing traditional metro and light rail systems.

The maglev hovers several centimeters above the tracks. It is propelled by electrically charged magnets, and uses specially designed tracks to keep the trains from overturning or derailing.

However, there are concerns about the cost of constructing the infrastructure for a commercial maglev service, experts said.

Zhao Jian, a professor at the School of Economics and Management at Beijing Jiaotong University, said that operators should estimate an appropriate passenger flow volume, which is normally smaller than that of the subway. "Then keep it in control and avoid overloading."

The other challenge, according to Zhao, is to ensure the trains operate at a reasonable frequency.

Hu Siji, another professor at the university, who specializes in logistics, said the fact that maglev trains and subway trains are "two completely different systems" might be one bottleneck for the industry's growth.

"The two systems are not directly linked. Although the maglev train runs faster, passengers' actual travel time will be longer if the transfers are not convenient," Hu was quoted by Beijing Business Today.

Some maglev train line costs ran beyond budget, local media reported.

China's rail transit innovation and immense market potential will provide a solid foundation for the maglev train industry, said Qian Qingquan, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at Southwest Jiaotong University.

The country has already formed a complete industrial chain of low to medium speed maglev trains, he said.

Back in 2002, the world's first maglev line was launched in China, providing a link between a metro station and the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai.

The 30-km journey takes less than eight minutes, as the train has a speed of up to 430 kph.
Decades ago, residents of Changshui village in northern Jiangxi province's Wuning county made a living by cutting down trees. Today, they earn more money by taking care of trees.

With a landscape featuring more hills than farmland, the village has conducted forestry industry reforms for about 10 years, shifting the focus from traditional farming and forestry to tourism.

Wuning's magnificent lakes and mountains are drawing tourists from around the world. Many European tourists come for an annual art festival. In the stunning mountain valley of Changshui, the government policies are drawing migrants to return from big cities to start businesses.

"What would attract the tourists if we cut down all the trees?" said villager Lu Xiancheng.

Lu and his two brothers operate an inn and sell local specialties, such as honey and fruits, which are popular with the tourists.

Throughout Jiangxi, cities and counties are pushing green development by conserving and protecting their lakes and streams, green hills and blue skies. But in contrast to many other regions in China, which focus on treatment after pollution, Jiangxi is seeking greater value from its already excellent natural environment.

Forests cover 63.1 percent of the province. Energy consumption per unit of GDP produced has reduced by 22 percent over the past five years.

The local governments in Jiangxi do not see economic benefits as the sole criterion when deciding to approve or introduce an industrial project. They also consider the environmental effects.

In 2015, a company wanted to invest 18 billion yuan ($2.7 billion) to build a thermal power plant in Zixi county. But before formal negotiations started, the local environmental protection authority launched an investigation and found the project would cause harm. So the county government rejected the project.

Similarly, the Ganzhou government rejected a building materials factory last year, even though it wanted to invest 500 million yuan and promised high revenue and tax payments.

Each governmental unit in Jiangxi has set up an ecology office to push green economic development and improve people's livelihoods through innovative policies.

Zhang Wei, director of the ecology office of Fuzhou city, said the mayor and other leaders are focusing strongly on the environment. The city has set up a high-tech zone focusing on new materials, traditional Chinese medicine, pharmaceutical manufacturing, big data and logistics.

Farmers are also required to use organic fertilizers and are not allowed to raise livestock along streams or lakes. Zhang said that farmers actually welcome these restrictions because they lower their capital costs and allow them to sell their products at higher prices. Many farmers can also attract eco-tourists to their villages.

As a national pilot smart city, central Jiangxi's Xinyu is attempting smart environment protection by establishing a real-time emissions and consumption monitoring network for the city's polluting companies, as well as its high-energy consuming companies and public buildings. Data for air and drinking water quality is also automatically publicized via official websites and social media.

An environmental and resource crime investigation division was set up under the police authority of Yanshan county in February, the first of its kind in the province.

In Shangrao, major tourism sites, including the Sanqing Mountain and Wuyuan area, attracted 78.6 million visitors in the first half of this year, increasing 32.6 percent from the same period last year. Tourism revenue rose to 68.2 billion yuan, up 32.4 percent year-on-year.

In Shangrao's Dexing area, the government has introduced a household waste treatment service that is commonly seen in urban areas to the countryside. It invested more than 17 million yuan to hire professional companies to collect and remove waste in Dexing.

davidblair@chinadaily.com.cn
A 1,086-meter bridge near Nyingchipart of the Lhasa-Nyingchi highwayhas been open to traffic since September 2015. [Photo by HOU LIQIANG/CHINA DAILY]

Investment in ecological restoration and protection along a 96-kilometer stretch of the Lhasa-Nyingchi highway has hit 440 million yuan ($67.2 million), almost nine times the originally planned amount, an official said.

While the construction company invested 170 million yuan, the majority of the work was outsourced to special environmental protection companies, according to Song Xiancai, head of the planning and contract section of Nyingchi prefecture in the Tibet autonomous region.

The highway section, along with another 63 kilometers near Lhasa, opened to traffic in September 2015 after 28 months of construction.

All 15 camps for construction workers, as well as all ground disturbed by stockpiles of construction materials, along the Nyingchi section have been restored and planted with grass and trees, Song said.

Nyingchi, which sits at an altitude of about 3,000 meters in southwestern Tibet, is the first stop for many tourists to the region. Many consider it a perfect transfer station where they can adapt to the altitude before heading to Lhasa's even thinner air.

More than 28 local varieties of trees, covering 194 hectares, have been planted along the highway, so that tourists can enjoy diverse plant species, said Zhao Qing, a Nyingchi forestry official.

Among the trees planted were Paeonia ludlowiiliterally translated as big yellow-flowered peonyand Tibetan cypress, both of which are State-protected plants, he added.

"We also took local people's interests into consideration and planted a lot of fruit trees. They will be able to pick the fruit when it's ready," Zhao said.

The government encouraged local people to work on the project, or to supply construction materials such as sand or stone.

The total length of the four-lane Lhasa-Nyingchi highway is 409 kilometers. Its total cost is estimated at 32.9 billion yuan. In addition to two tunnels, all the other sections of the toll-free highway were completed in June.

The finished project, which is expected to open to traffic in April, will shorten the journey between Nyingchi and Lhasa to five hours from the current eight.
Performers take part in an evening gala for the 2017 BRICS Summit and the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province, Sept 4, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

After eight months' delicate preparations, an evening gala Sail to the Future for leaders and representatives attending the 9th BRICS Summit was held at the Banlam Grand Theater in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province.

Based on the theme of "sea", the gala consists of five chapters including Wind from the Sea, Sky and the Sea, Rhythm of the Sea, Tide and the Sea as well as the Dream from the Sea, highlighting the unique Fujian culture while introducing the strongest features of Xiamen.

Taking advantage of 'sea element to promote cooperation

Sea was the central idea that ran through the whole gala as it is also one of the most distinctive characteristics of Xiamen, a city with three sides facing the sea.

A group of dancers created "billowing waves" during the performance, marking the opening of the evening gala.

In the second part, the popular Chinese song The Sea, My Sweet Home featured the life of the people living in this area, and their proud Fujian, or Minnan culture.

"The unique geographic advantages and of the costal city and the local lifestyle gave us much inspiration of the evening gala," said Xie Nan, general director of the evening gala.

"Many Minnan culture elements, including Fujian opera, fishing culture and Fujian Nanyin, hailed as a "living fossil" of ancient Chinese music, all were incorporated into the stage performance."

"I experienced a great artistic baptism after directing the gala. The combination of Fujian Nanyin and Western symphony symbolized the harmonious co-existence of Eastern and Western culture," Xie added.
Visitors watch lava enter the Pacific Ocean at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. [Photo/China Daily]

Hawaii is introducing new initiatives to lure Chinese travelers.

The island destination hosted a promotional event that brought together its tourism authority, hotel and airline representatives, and Chinese tour operators earlier this month.

A health-themed program has been launched to target urban women this year, managing director of Hawaii Tourism's China operations Reene Ho Phang says.

"We will integrate rich outdoor resources, such as surfing, parachuting and helicopter touring, to bring healthy and happy lifestyles in Hawaii to Chinese tourists," Reene says.

About 170,000 Chinese traveled to Hawaii in 2016, up 3 percent over the previous year.

Over 80 percent were first-time visitors.

More than 122 million Chinese made outbound trips last year, international tourism consultancy IPK International reports.

The Beijing event is one of the many ways Hawaii is trying to gain a bigger slice of the Chinese market.

"We've seen an increase in the duration of stay by Chinese tourists," Phang says.

Chinese spend six and a half days on average.

And Chinese spending topped all the other travelers' at $365 a day.

Tour services have launched programs to cater to Chinese visitors.
A rafting team floats along the Yellow River in a recent competition in the Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Qinghai province. Yushu sits more than 4,400 meters above sea level and is the source of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers. It's ideal for rafting. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Veteran rafters recently competed in an event to mark the 30th anniversary of the first grueling expedition along the Yellow River. Yang Feiyue reports.

It's a commemoration of a dangerous and deadly adventure and achievement.

Twenty-four veteran rafters gathered in the Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Northwest China's Qinghai province in early August to compete in a race to mark the 30th anniversary of the first expedition to raft the entire Yellow River.

Yu Zhongyuan's team took third place in the 10-kilometer race.

The 66-year-old says the average age of his team members is 62.

He led a rafting team that floated along the entire Yellow River in 1987.

"We don't care about the result. We want to relive the past," Yu says.

Yushu is ideal for rafting. The prefecture sits more than 4,400 meters above sea level and is the source of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers.

International Rafting Federation President Joe Willie said last year that the water volume, velocity and vertical drop of the Yellow River in Yushu makes for a technically challenging course.

The recent competition was hosted by Yushu's government and the Chinese Extreme-Sports Association.
From right, Zhang Jianlong, minister of the State Forestry Administration of China and Monique Barbut, executive secretary of UNCCD. The two launched the "Belt and Road" Cooperative Mechanism to Combat Desertification in Ordos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Sept 10, 2017. [Photo by Zou Hong/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

On a cool Sunday evening, the "Belt and Road" Cooperative Mechanism to Combat Desertification was launched in Ordos in Inner Mongolia autonomous region, North China.

As the UN's 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has been going on in the city since Sept 6, the Chinese government determined more efficient cooperation would be required to combat desertification and realize sustainable development.

The Belt and Road Initiative provides a platform to accomplish this goal.

As many countries party to the initiative are also suffering from desertification, the Chinese government proposed increased cooperation on environmental protections, climate change and biodiversity conservation.

In June 2016, the State Forestry Administration of China (SFA) and UNCCD jointly issued the "Belt and Road Joint Action Initiative to Combat Desertification". The proposal called on countries within the initiative to work together to solve this problem.

The mechanism, launched Sept 10, aims to contribute to the effort to achieve global land degradation neutrality and the goals set by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development approved by the United Nations in 2015.

"The mechanism will be carried forward through investment, dialogues, information sharing and technology training," SFA minister Zhang Jianlong said at the launch ceremony.

According to Pan Yingzhen, director general of the National Bureau to Combat Desertification, a group of international organizations will also be invited to engage with or support the mechanism, including the UNCCD Secretariat and United Nations Environment Programme.

Monique Barbut, executive secretary of UNCCD; Ahcene Boukhelfa, Algerian Ambassador to China; Sokhun Ty, state secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia and Daniel Calleja Crespo, head of the Directorate-General for the Environment of the European Union also attended and addressed the ceremony.
Boats are battered by rough waves at a marina in Miami Beach, Florida, as Hurricane Irma arrives in south Florida on Sunday. [Photo/Agencies]

CAIBARIEN, CubaHurricane Irma ripped roofs off houses and flooded hundreds of miles of coastline as it raked Cuba's northern coast after devastating islands the length of the Caribbean in a trail of destruction that has left 22 people dead so far.

As Irma left Cuba late on Saturday and directed its 215 km/h winds toward Florida, authorities on the island were assessing the damage and warning of staggering damage to keys off the northern coast studded with all-inclusive resorts and cities, as well as farmland in central Cuba.

There were no immediate reports of deaths in Cuba but authorities were trying to restore power, clear roads and warning that people should stay off the streets of Havana because flooding could continue into Monday.

Residents of "the capital should know that the flooding is going to last more than 36 hours, in other words, it is going to persist," Civil Defense Colonel Luis Angel Macareno said late on Saturday, adding that the waters reached inland about 600 meters into Havana.

As Irma rolled in, Cuban soldiers went through coastal towns to force residents to evacuate, taking people to shelters at government buildings and schoolsand even caves.

Video images from northern and eastern Cuba showed uprooted utility poles and signs, many downed trees and extensive damage to roofs. Witnesses said a provincial museum near the eye of the storm was in ruins. And authorities in the city of Santa Clara said 39 buildings collapsed.

More than 5,000 tourists were evacuated from the keys off Cuba's north-central coast, where the government has built dozens of resorts in recent years.

Before slamming into Cuba, Irma had caused havoc in the Caribbean, where it ravaged such lush resort islands as St. Martin, St. Barts, St. Thomas, Barbuda and Anguilla.

On the Dutch side of St. Martin, an island divided between French and Dutch control, an estimated 70 percent of the homes were destroyed by Irma, according to the Dutch government.

Prime Minister William Marlin said about 1,600 tourists had been evacuated and efforts were being made to move 1,200 more.

Marlin said many countries and people have offered help to the Dutch side, known as St. Maarten, but authorities were waiting on the weather conditions to see how it could be coordinated. Authorities are still trying to determine the extent of damage to the island, but he said 28 police officers lost homes during the storms.

The US State Department helped more than 500 US citizens fly out of St. Martin, starting with those in need of urgent medical care, spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

Carol Basch, 53, a tourist from Savannah, Georgia, took refuge during the storm in the bathroom of her St. Martin hotel room after windows shattered. She stayed there praying for about four hours, surrounding herself with pillows.

Some islands received a last-minute reprieve from the next storm on the horizon, Jose, as it passed by.

The US National Hurricane Center downgraded a hurricane warning for Barbuda and Anguilla. A hurricane watch also was discontinued for nearby Antigua.




British Brexit secretary David Davis (L) and European Union (EU) chief negotiator Michel Barnier attend a joint press briefing in Brussels, Belgium, Aug 31, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

LONDON - As MPs in the House of Commons prepare to hold their first votes on a crucial Brexit Bill, two leading law experts warned Sunday of the high risks to Britain's future.

European and British law experts, Professor Michael Dougan and Dr Michael Gordon from the University of Liverpool, have both highlighted the potential hurdles for the European Union Withdrawal Bill, known as the Repeal Bill.

On Monday, MPs will vote on a number of amendments to a bill that is aimed at transferring more than 40 years of EU law into British law.

The main opposition Labor Party plans to oppose the bill, describing it as a power grab by the governing Conservatives.

With fears that a number of pro-European Conservatives may vote against the bill, all eyes will focus on how Prime Minister Theresa May, heading a minority government, handles the situation.

Thousands of people campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU staged a march through London on Saturday to the Parliament Square.

In the world of academia, experts have been mulling the possible impact and repercussions of the repeal bill.

In a joint briefing paper, Dougan and Gordon say the Repeal Bill could be seen as the source of significant problems.

They say: "The scheme set out in the bill is based on an extensive centralization of power as well as a massive delegation of power, to the British government.

"The bill's approach generates considerable costs and risks for the relationships between the British government and those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It has a clear potential to destabilize key constitutional relationships, or infringe key constitutional values, not least those relating to democracy and legitimacy.

"Some of those risks could well be mitigated, but it is difficult to envisage any fundamentally different approach to that proposed by the government. As such, the bill demonstrates the inevitable and high price to be paid for the government's strategic choices.

"Protecting our economy and society from significant disruption and uncertainty will require us to sacrifice other constitutional values of at least equal (if not greater) importance," added Dougan and Gordon.

In another major intervention Sunday, former Labor prime minister Tony Blair put forward a plan he said would enable Britain to control immigration while staying as a member of the EU.

Writing in the Sunday Times newspaper, Blair put his name to a report calling on the British government to force EU migrants coming to Britain to register on arrival so they can be counted in and out of Britain. Those who failed to register would be banned from renting a home, opening a bank account or claiming benefits.

The Sunday Times described Blair's move as "an explosive intervention that will electrify the Brexit debate". The former prime minister says proper immigration controls would make it possible to take back control of Britain's borders without leaving the EU.

The report, adds the newspaper, will make uncomfortable reading for Prime Minister May.

Meanwhile, the Sunday Telegraph says an unrepentant Blair has called on MPs and Conservative ministers on the eve of the Brexit vote to rise up against the government and oppose Brexit, as he hinted at plans for a new political party to offer a second referendum.

Blair has also called on the Labor party, now led by Jeremy Corbyn, to reverse its position on Brexit and oppose leaving altogether.

Labor say they support the Brexit referendum decision but they favor Britain continuing with a European single market and customs union trading arrangement with Brussels.
Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono speaks at a news conference in Tokyo, Japan, August 3, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

DOHA - Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono expressed his government's support to resolve the diplomatic rift between Qatar and the Saudi-led bloc through consecutive dialogue during his meetings with Qatari officials in Doha on Saturday, Qatar's state news agency QNA reported Sunday.

Kono held separate meetings with Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al Thani and Foreign Minister HE Mohammad bin Abdulrahman al Thani.

During the media briefing, Japan's Deputy Press Secretary Toshihide Ando said that the outstanding Gulf dispute was one of the key issues discussed during the meetings, QNA said.

Ando mentioned that the Japanese FM supports the mediation efforts of Kuwait and the U.S. to end up the Gulf crisis.

"Foreign Minister Kono said that Qatar and the region are important not only for energy security, but also for regional stability and therefore, Japan is watching the situation closely," he added.

Meanwhile, The Japanese FM discussed with the Qatari officials about what Japan can do in resolving the gulf crisis. The Qatari side responded positively to his comments, Ando said.

Ando said that Kono will be visiting Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt during his Middle East route after Qatar.
A visitor photographs the National September 11 Memorial and Museum on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in Manhattan, New York, US, on September 11, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump will preside over his first 9/11 commemoration in office on Monday, a mostly solemn and nonpartisan occasion that may highlight his muddled claims about the worst terrorist attack on US soil.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump planned to observe a moment of silence at the White House in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 people who were killed when hijackers flew commercial airplanes into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the White House said.

The morning remembrance was scheduled for about the time the first plane struck one of the Twin Towers on the morning of Sept 11, 2001.

Trump and his wife also were to pay their respects at a Pentagon ceremony led by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The observances come as Trump grapples with the death and destruction caused by two hurricanes in three weeks.

Vice President Mike Pence was to represent the administration at an observance at the 9/11 memorial in Shanksville.

A native New Yorker, Trump has a mixed history with 9/11. He frequently uses the terrorist strikes to praise the city's response but also makes unsubstantiated claims about what he did and saw on that day.

Trump often lauds the bravery of New York police officers, firefighters and other emergency responders who rushed to the Twin Towers, in some cases knowing they probably wouldn't make it out alive, as an example of the resilience of the city where he made a name for himself.

But Trump has criticized President George W. Bush's handling of the attacks, accusing his fellow Republican of failing to keep Americans safe.

Trump has also made dubious claims about Sept. 11, particularly saying when talking about Muslims that "thousands of people were cheering" in Jersey City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan, as the towers collapsed. There is no evidence in news archives of mass celebrations there by Muslims.

Trump has also said he lost "hundreds of friends" in the attack and that he helped clear rubble afterward. Trump has not provided the names of those he knew who perished in the attack, but has mentioned knowing a Catholic priest who died while serving as a chaplain to the city's fire department.

Last year's 15th anniversary ceremony in lower Manhattan was tinged by the heated presidential race between Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. Both attended the observance on a warm September morning, but Clinton departed abruptly and was videotaped stumbling as she was being helped into a van.

Clinton later revealed that she had been diagnosed days earlier with pneumonia.

The episode fueled questions that Trump had raised about Clinton's transparency and whether she had the stamina to handle being president. Clinton took a few days off from campaigning to regain her strength. A Trump campaign ad included footage of her staggering to the van.

AP
PLANO, Texas - At least eight people are dead, including the suspect, after a shooting at a home in Plano, Texas, authorities in North Texas said Sunday night.

The shooting occurred around 8 pm in the city less than 20 miles (32.19 kilometers) northeast of Dallas.

Plano police spokesman David Tilley said police initially responded to a report of shots fired. When the first officer arrived and went inside the home, the officer confronted the suspected shooter.

The officer opened fire, Tilley said, killing the suspect. Two others were injured in the shooting. Their conditions were not released.

The victims and suspect have not been identified. All of those killed and injured were believed to be adults.

Police also have not determined a motive for the shooting. Additional details were not immediately available.

Tilley said that a shooting of this magnitude was unusual for Plano, especially in such a quiet neighborhood. He could not say whether police had been called to the home before Sunday.

A police investigation is ongoing.

AP
Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing agrees with the UN Security Council's further responses to Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test, hoping a consensus could be reached based on full discussion among the members.

The Security Council is set to vote on Monday to impose new sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea over the nuclear test this month.

"China agrees that the UNSC further responds to the DPRK's sixth nuclear test and takes necessary measures," Geng said in a daily news conference in Beijing on Monday. "We hope the Security Council members could reach consensus on the basis of full discussion and send a united voice to the outside."

He noted that all past Security Council resolutions have two aspects, namely placing sanctions on Pyongyang while calling for an early resumption of Six-Party Talks.

"We hope the response of Security Council this time could help to realize denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, maintain its peace and stability, as well as pushing forward a peaceful solution through talks," he said.

Contact the writer at mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
IAEA says indications show DPRK's nuclear reactor could be operating

Xinhua | Updated: 2017-09-11 20:15

VIENNA -- The UN nuclear agency on Monday said the Yongbyon Experimental Nuclear Power Plant reactor could be operating according to the indications of the plant.



In a statement to the board governor meeting in Vienna, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was concerned over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s latest nuclear test.



"There were indications at the Yongbyon Experimental Nuclear Power Plant suggesting that the reactor was being operated. At the Yongbyon Nuclear Fuel Rod Fabrication Plant, there were indications consistent with the use of the reported centrifuge enrichment facility," said Yukiya Amano, head of IAEA.



The IAEA chief said IAEA keeps following the development of DPRK's nuclear program, although the country is not under the IAEA's safeguard regime.



Last month, a DPRK Team was formed in the Department of Safeguards to enhance the ability to monitor the DPRK's nuclear program, according to IAEA.



On Sept. 3, the DPRK's Korea Central Television announced that the country had successfully detonated an H-bomb, a hydrogen bomb that can be carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile.
BEIJING -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the annual general debate of the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 19, said a Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday.



The 72nd Regular Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 72) will convene at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday. The General Debate will open on Sept. 19, with the theme of "Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet."



During the General Debate, Wang will elaborate on China's position and propositions on the international situation as well as major international and regional issues, spokesman Geng Shuang said at the daily press briefing.



Wang will express China's resolute determination to work with UN member states to safeguard world peace and stability and promote development and prosperity, said Geng.



As a founding member of the UN and permanent member of the UN Security Council, China upholds multilateralism and stands firmly for the international order with the UN at the core, he said.



China supports the UN to play a leading role in safeguarding international and regional peace, boosting global development and improving global governance, said Geng.



China will continue to actively participate in the UN's work on politics, security, development, human rights and disarmament, promote democracy and rule of law in international relations, and work with UN member states to build a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation and build a community of shared future for mankind, he said.



Before attending the general debate, Wang will pay official visits to Costa Rica and Panama from Sept. 14 to 17, according to Geng.
ZURICH - Two trains collided on Monday in a station in central Switzerland, Swiss police said, injuring around 30 people.

The accident happened in Andermatt, a mountain town in the canton of Uri.

Police did not comment on the severity of the injuries, but said medical personnel were at the scene.

Reuters
The ambassadors of BRICS countries in Belgium have addressed at a conference on their countries' role in the world in Brussels on Sept 8, 2017. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

The European Union should be invited to expand the BRICS partnership and take part in the BRICS+ concept, a senior Belgian official said on Friday in Brussels following last week's BRICS summit in Xiamen, China.

"The Summit in Xiamen added a new dimension to the BRICS+ conceptIn my opinion inviting the European Union (in the future gatherings) would certainly make sense," said Anick Van Calster, director general for Bilateral Affairs of Belgium's Federal Public Service of Foreign Affairs at a conference on BRICS countries' global role arranged by the five embassies in Belgium.

Van Calster said she has noticed that this time not only neighboring countries were invited, but the Chinese host also took the initiative to invite Mexico, Egypt, the President of the African Union, Equatorial Guinea, the President of the G77 Thailand and Tajikistan.

They have joined Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in Xiamen, Fujian province during 4-5 September when China hosted the BRICS annual summit.

"I noted with interest the proposal of Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Qu Xing to devote part of this conference to the relations between the BRICS and the European Union," said Van Calster.

"May I consider this as a hint that the BRICS countries are seriously considering to enrich the BRICS+ concept even further by inviting the European Union to one of their future meetings?"

She said it "makes sense" to invite European Union at the future gatherings.

She added it is inspiring to discuss how to enhance the interaction of the BRICS with the rest of the world in international fora to the benefit of a safer, cleaner and happier world.

Van Calster said that in many statements the BRICS countries underlined their commitment to principles that are also held in high esteem by the European Union and its member states. Van Calster listed strong support to multilateralism and commitments to refrain from protectionism as examples.

"Belgium upholds the same principles and wants to remain a reliable partner for those countries that wish to advance these principles in a multilateral context," said Van Calster.

In their address on Friday, ambassadors of BRICS countries in Belgium have expected that their countries aim to obtain fairer share of saying in evolution of global governance architect and cooperate with European Union to cope with the pressing challenges the world has faced.

Alexander Tokovinin, Russian Ambassador to Belgium said the BRICS countries have contributed greatly to the global economic growth, global peace, stability and multilateral system.

"They could help realize fairer global governance and international democracy by gaining more say," said Tokovinin.

Citing example of the New Development Bank, which is based in Shanghai, Tokovinin said the BRICS countries have already achieved progress in reforming global economic governance architect.

Joining other embassies in organizing the conference themed as the BRICS role in the world, Tokovinin called it as an excellent initiative, which could help Europeans and Belgians better understand the mechanism of BRICS.

Echoing Tokovinin,Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Qu Xing also said the five countries' contribution to global economy is impressive.

Citing numbers, he said since their first summit nine years ago, the BRICS countries' combined GDP has grown by 179 percent and their share in world economy from 12 percent to 23 percent. And the contribution of the BRICS to the global growth rate is up to 50 percent in the past ten years.

"All this has contributed significantly to stabilizing the global economy and returning it to growth and it has delivered tangible benefits to the world," said Qu, who has initiated to make the BRICS to have better presence in Belgium and EU.

"The first decade of the BRICS cooperation is a very fruitful one but the potential is big."

Citing the BRICS leaders' commitments in boosting cooperation and coordination in improving global economic governance to foster a more just and equitable international economic order and safeguard international and regional peace and stability, Qu said the BRICS countries have strong reasons to believe in brighter future in the coming decade.

The five countries have also organized one-week film festival in Brussels on September 4-9.
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.
|

Image: ADF Media

A Christian baker who refused to make a cake for a same-sex wedding has a major backer as his case heads to the US Supreme Court this fall: the Trump administration.

The Department of Justice has sided with Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips, arguing that governments may not  truncate the First Amendment by compelling a person to create a piece of artworkparticularly one that violates the artists conscience.

The amicus brief, issued last Thursday by several leaders in the office of the Solicitor General and the office of the Attorney General, is among 45 filed in support of the Colorado bakers religious and artistic freedom.

This case happens to arise in the context of expression regarding same-sex marriage, the Trump administration officials state. But the First Amendment principles that control here transcend, and will long outlast, the nations current dialogue about same-sex marriage.

The case, Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, represents the highest-profile clash between religious convictions and LGBT protections since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015.

The high courts decision will impact wedding vendors across the country who do not want to service same-sex celebrations because of their religious convictions on marriage. Fellow bakers, photographers, and florists have challenged anti-LGBT discrimination laws in lower courts.

We hope the US Supreme Court will consider the arguments in these briefs and declare that the government cannot force Jack to surrender his freedom in order to run his family business, said Kristen Waggoner, Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel ...
home US Aspiring pastor who is suspected of killing wife in his sleep could face death penalty

An aspiring pastor who admitted that he may have killed wife in his sleep after taking too much cold medicine could face the death penalty or life in prison if he is convicted of the crime.

Matthew Phelps, 29, had told a 911 dispatcher last Friday that he awoke to find his wife stabbed and bloody on their bedroom floor.

"I have blood all over me and there's a bloody knife on the bed and I think I did it," Phelps said, noting that he had taken cold medicine before he went to sleep.

"I took more medicine than I should have. I took Coricidin Cough and Cold because I know it can make you feel good. A lot of times I can't sleep at night. So, I took some," he told the operator, according to USA Today.

Phelps, a former missions and evangelism student at Clear Creek Baptist Bible College in Pineville, Kentucky, had been charged with the fatal stabbing of his 29-year-old wife, Lauren Ashley-Nicole Phelps, who was a Sunday school teacher at the church they attended.

He appeared in court on Tuesday and had been told by the judge that he could face the death penalty or life in prison for if he is convicted of first-degree murder.

However, a seasoned defense attorney had said that Phelps' claim of stabbing his wife in his sleep could hold up in court as a defense.

"It sounds farfetched to the general public," Chris Beechler, of Beechler Tomberlin in Winston-Salem, told People Magazine. "But I will tell you, the idea that certain meds can get into your system and cause you to do things that you're not aware of is completely possible," he added.

Phelps' lawyer, Joseph Blunt Chesire V, had told reporters that his client's use of cold medicine prior to the incident is "certainly an interesting subject of inquiry."

Bayer, which makes Coricidin, had issued a statement expressing company's condolences, but it maintained that "there is no evidence to suggest that Coricidin is associated with violent behavior."

According to Beechler, Phelps' could possibly be convicted with a lesser charge or even be acquitted if he uses the cold medicine claim as a defense in court. He noted that Phelps' defense lawyer could argue automatism, which holds that the suspect was unconscious during the alleged crime and "was unable to control his physical actions."

A family friend has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help raise funds to cover the funeral expenses. As of Sept. 8, a total of $10,442 had been raised towards the $20,000 goal on the crowdfunding site YouCaring.
home US California bill seeks to punish nurses who fail to use preferred pronouns of transgender patients

A proposed bill being considered by the California House of Representatives is seeking to criminalize skilled nursing workers who fail to use the preferred pronouns of their patients who identify as transgenders.

SB 219, also known as the "Long-term care facilities: rights of residents" bill, was introduced by state senator Scott Wiener in February, according to Catholic News Agency (CNA). The measure has already been passed by California's state senate, and it has been moved to the House of Representatives for consideration after being recommended by the state assembly's judiciary committee.

Under the legislation, nursing homes and long-term care workers who refuse to call their patients by their preferred pronouns can be punished with fines of up to $1,000, or jail time for up to a year, or both. It also seeks to punish those who do not allow their patients to use their desired restroom "regardless of whether the resident is making a gender transition or appears to be gender-nonconforming."

Ned Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, expressed concern that the measure could unjustly target religious facilities and place excessive burden on an already-heavily regulated industry.

He told CNA that the bill "would potentially compromise some of the institutions that are religiously sponsored and would not want to be supportive" of gender identity room or bathroom assignments.

Dolejsi further noted that the bill seemed to be solving a problem that was not there, as there had not been widespread reports of gender-based discrimination in nursing homes and long-term care facilities in California.

According to Christian News Network, Wiener had cited a 2011 study, in which 43 percent of the participants claimed they had personally experienced discrimination or witnessed a homosexual or transgender being mistreated.

The California Family Council, which had testified against the measure in July, noted that Wiener had said during the hearing of the bill that it does not carry an exemption for people of faith.

"The argument that religious views can create an exemption for civil rights laws or complying with civil rights laws is a highly radical notion," the senator said at the time.

"Everyone is entitled to their religious view, but when you enter the public space; when you are running an institution, you are in a workplace, you are in a civil setting, and you have to follow the law," he added.

Greg Burt, with the California Family Council, argued during the hearing that the measure would infringe on the First Amendment rights of workers by compelling them to use speech with which they do not agree.

The California Catholic Conference has expressed plans to advocate for a veto if the bill is signed into law. Dolejsi called on concerned Catholics to contact their elected officials by email or phone to voice their concerns about the bill.
home World Christian children in Iran are being told to either study Islam or leave school, report claims

Christian students in two Iranian towns have been told that they must either learn about Shia Islam or leave school, according to a report from a Christian persecution watchdog.

Families belonging to the Church of Iran denomination in the cities of Rasht and Shiraz have previously been able to present a signed letter from the church that exempted them from studying Islam, but the authorities are now saying that the students should either study Islam or go home.

According to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), the officials are rejecting the letter on the grounds that the church is an "illegal organization."

Under the Iranian Constitution, Christians are allowed to have access to religious instruction designed by members of the Christian community and approved by the Ministry of education.

Article 30 of the Constitution states that the government is obligated to provide free education to all children until they complete secondary school. CSW noted that the policy adopted by the authorities in Rasht and Shiraz effectively deprives the Christian students of education unless they agree to religious instruction that is not consistent with their own faith.

CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas expressed concern that the education of the Christian children, most of whom are second generation believers, "will be unduly interrupted until their parents agree for them to study a religion different to their own."

"Education is a basic right which Iran has undertaken to guarantee to all of its citizens. Children should not be victimised in an effort to penalise their parents for exercising the right to adopt a religion of their choice," Thomas said in a statement.

Iran is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which holds that covenant states must grant parents the right to provide their own children with religious and moral education in line with their own convictions.

The Islamic country has also ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which commits signatories to ensure access to primary, secondary and tertiary education.

"Since education is the responsibility of central government, we urge the Special Rapporteur on the right to education and other key international human rights experts to make urgent representations with President Rouhani, with a view to ensuring the country fulfils its national and international obligations to respect the right of the child to education, and particularly to religious education commensurate with the convictions and beliefs of their parents," said Thomas.

Iran has been ranked in the Open Doors 2017 World Watch List as the eighth worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution.

Last month, as many as 500 Christian converts have reportedly fled the country and are now living as refugees in Turkey because of the fear of persecution from Iranian authorities.
home World Christian school in Wales draws backlash over new 'gender neutral' toilets

A Christian school in Wales is facing criticism from parents following the installation of new hotel-style toilets designed to be accessible to both boys and girls.

Last week, the Bishop of Llandaff Church in Wales High School in Cardiff announced on Twitter that it has completed the installation of the gender neutral cubicle toilets.

"Welcome to our new 'open plan' gender neutral toilet facilities in A block. These are in addition to existing boys/girls toilets...we intend to upgrade the boys/girls/staff facilities to same standard (remaining separate) over coming 12-18 months. Thanks for support," the school wrote.

The Twitter post included a photograph showing seven toilets inside cubicles and a sink in the center, which has been designed in the style of a water fountain.

The announcement drew backlash from parents who expressed their concerns over the new gender neutral toilets.

"This work has cost an absolute fortune that could've funded the children's education in a far more beneficial way," said Ian Beesley, according to Metro.

"Are the teachers specifically trained and willing to give up their break times for the necessary supervision that is going to be required?" Richard Morgan asked.

The school, which has pupils aged 11 to 18, explained that the decision to install the new toilets was "purely practical" and was not intended to be political.

"The primary aim is to ensure all students have access to the best possible facilities. For us, this has not been about gender," said head teacher Marc Belli.

Belli explained that the students have already divided each side of the open-plan toilets. He noted that the boys have already gravitated to the cubicles on the left side of the corridor, while the girls have been drawn to the toilets on the right.

He said that there had been no significant investment in the school's toilet facilities for years. He pointed out that the facilities have doors that run from the floor to the ceiling, and explained that the school officials felt that it was appropriate to say that each cubicle should be made available for all as opposed to separating them by gender.

The head teacher also noted that there are other toilets at the school which are gender specific. He said that he is hoping to upgrade the other facilities to a similar standard over the next 12 to 18 months, but there are no plans to make the toilets gender neutral.

The U.K.'s Department of Education has no specific policies regarding gender, and state that the schools are free to make decisions on what facilities they provide, including whether to provide unisex or gender neutral toilets.
home World Church of England primary schools draw controversy for including hijab in their uniform policy

A new survey in the U.K. has found that several primary schools run by the Church of England have included the hijab in their uniform policy.

The findings of the survey conducted by the Sunday Times found that 18 percent of 800 primary schools across 11 English regions, including those run by the Church of England, list the hijab as part of their uniform.

Some have raised concerns about the policy since Muslim girls traditionally do not wear the head covering until puberty. Critics believe that allowing religious headscarves could cause division in classrooms, while others fear that wearing the hijab at such a young age sexualizes the children.

Toby Howarth, bishop of Bradford, dismissed the concerns, saying wearing the hijab is a "matter of religious identity not sexualization."

Gina Khan, a children's rights campaigner in Birmingham, said that some schools may be allowing the hijab as part of the uniform policy for the wrong reasons.

"Schools are allowing it because they are afraid of being called Islamophobic and they have been told that this is a religious garment a but they need to support Muslim girls to have free choices, not to be set apart from other children," she said, as reported by The Christian Post.

Lord Carey, the former archbishop of Canterbury, said that such uniform policies should be "fiercely resisted."

"Personally, I am against the wearing of hijabs altogether. I believe we are in a secular western country largely influenced by the Christian faith," Carey stated.

Michael Nazir-Ali, former bishop of Rochester, said he believes there is no reason for schools to list the hijab as part of the uniform policy.

"If there are difficulties, they can be negotiated on a case-by-case basis between parents and schools. By including it in a policy, parents may come under pressure from religious leaders a who might say you are not a good Muslim if you do not do it," he argued.

The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is reportedly conducting an investigation whether head teachers are being pressured to include hijabs as part of the school uniform.

The findings revealed that 46 percent of 72 primary schools in Birmingham allowed the hijab in their school uniform policies. Thirty-four percent of 68 schools in Tower Hamlets had a headscarf policy, while 36 percent had a similar uniform scheme in Luton.

However, the report did not indicate whether most of the schools are located in religiously conservative areas or not, and whether the distribution of schools surveyed is representative of the whole country. It also did not reveal the percentage of pupils that actually wear the hijab, and it only looked at how many schools would allow the head covering if a child's parents were to put in a request.

The uniform policy is reportedly far less common in areas with large Muslim communities. Only six percent out of 77 primary schools in Leicester listed the hijab as part of their uniform, and only eight out of 133 schools in Manchester did the same. In Blackburn, only six percent out of 50 schools allowed the hijab.
home US Conservative groups call on media outlets to stop citing SPLC's 'hate list'

A coalition of conservative organizations has issued an open letter calling on media outlets to stop using the Southern Poverty Law Center's (SPLC) "hate group" map as a legitimate source of information.

On Wednesday, 47 conservative groups urged journalists to stop using data compiled by the SPLC, which lists conservative advocacy groups alongside Neo Nazis and white nationalists.

"To associate public interest law firms and think tanks with neo-Nazis and the KKK is unconscionable, and represents the height of irresponsible journalism," the letter reads in part, as reported by The Christian Post.

"All reputable news organizations should immediately stop using the SPLC's descriptions of individuals and organizations based on its obvious political prejudices," it continued.

Among the signatories were Media Research Center President L. Brent Bozell III; Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins; Liberty Counsel founder and Chairman Mat Staver; Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) President Michael Farris; ACT for America founder and Chairman Brigitte Gabriel; Traditional Values Coalition President Andre Lafferty; and World Net Daily CEO Joseph Farah.

SPLC was founded in 1971 as a non-profit legal advocacy group that had successfully won battles against racist factions like the Ku Klux Klan.

However, critics have contended that the organization has shifted ideologically over the years and is now being described as "an attack dog of the political left."

"As genuine 'hate groups' such as the Ku Klux Klan have dwindled, the SPLC has broadened its target list in order to justify its continued existence," the FRC stated.

"In recent years, whole categories and new groups have been added not because of actual 'hate' activities, but because they hold conservative positions on controversial political issues such as immigration and homosexuality," it added.

The organization has been criticized for its vilification of Christians and other individuals who speak out against radical Islam, such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Muslim activist Maajid Nawaz.

In the letter, the conservative groups also accused the SPLC of endangering the lives of conservative groups and individuals.

In 2012, Floyd Lee Corkins II went to the offices of FRC in Washington D.C., and shot and badly wounded its building manager, Leo Johnson, who thwarted the attack. It was later revealed in court that Corkins targeted the FRC using the SPLC website's "hate map."

Following the incident, the SPLC issued a statement denouncing the attack, and maintaining that it "deplores all violence."

The SPLC has recently been sued by D. James Kennedy Ministries after the left-leaning organization listed the Christian group in its "hate map."

In July, the ADF demanded an apology from ABC News for describing the conservative law firm in a news report as a "hate group," based on the SPLC's classification.
home World Coptic bishop says ISIS militants are 'loved by God' despite their crimes

Bishop Anba Angaelos, the head of the Coptic Church in Britain, has recently told ISIS militants who killed 100 Christians in Egypt in the past year that they are "loved by God" despite their horrible crimes.

"You are loved by God, your Creator for He created you in His image and according to His likeness, and placed you on this Earth for much greater things," the bishop said in a message to the terrorists.

"You are loved by me and by millions like me because I, and we, believe in transformation," he added.

Angaelos, who recently hosted the Coptic Pope Tawadros II, encouraged the terrorists to "look at our world through the eyes of God."

He said he knows that his message may not be fully accepted, but "it may create at least a shadow of doubt in the minds of those intent on inflicting harm and pain."

At least 117 Coptic Christians have been murdered in Egypt since December, with ISIS claiming responsibility for most of the killings.

ISIS took credit for the Palm Sunday bombings that resulted in the deaths of 45 Christians. The terrorists also warned at the time that they are planning to carry out more attacks. "The Crusaders and their apostate followers must be aware that the bill between us and them is very large, and they will be paying it like a river of blood from their sons, if God is willing," the jihadists stated at the time, as reported by The Christian Post.

In May, 29 people were killed, including a 2-year-old girl, when masked gunmen ambushed Christians who were traveling on two buses and a small truck on a road leading to the monastery in Minya. A survivor of the attack recounted that the extremists forced women to get off the bus and ordered them to renounce their faith in Christ, but they refused.

Experts believe that attacks on Christians were part of the extremists' mission to unravel the entire nation.

Sinai Province, the name of the ISIS affiliate in Egypt, is seeking to implement its strict interpretation of Islam in the north African country.

In a recent interview with Japanese television network Asahi, Tawadros called for prayers for those who carry out terror attacks on churches and murder Christians. He expressed his confidence in the power of prayer, "which can change hearts," and said that "the Coptic Church has prayed for all," even for "the evil people" who persecute Christians.

Churches in Egypt have canceled their plans for various religious activities such as pilgrimages, school camps for young people, or crowded spiritual meetings, on the advice of police and civilian authorities following the series of targeted attacks by jihadists against Coptic Christians.

Some places of worship have expressed their willingness to reopen their doors to visitors and pilgrims, but Church authorities continue to advise caution.
home World Desmond Tutu castigates Aung San Suu Kyi over Myanmar's persecution of Rohingya Muslims

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has criticized Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi over her silence on the issue of the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in her country.

In an open letter to Suu Kyi, the 85-year-old South African archbishop called on the Burmese leader to intervene in what has been described as an "ethnic cleansing" against the Rohingya minority group in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

"I am now elderly, decrepit and formally retired, but breaking my vow to remain silent on public affairs out of profound sadness," said Tutu, according to Christian Today.

"Your emergence into public life allayed our concerns about violence being perpetrated against members of the Rohingya. But what some have called 'ethnic cleansing' and others 'a slow genocide' has persisted a and recently accelerated," he stated.

Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, is one of the latest figures to call on Suu Kyi to intervene in the conflict.

Malala Yousafzai, the youngest ever peace prize winner, said on Monday that "the world is waiting" for the Burmese leader's response.

Suu Kyi, who is a Nobel laureate herself, has recently defended her handling of the renewed violence against Rohingya Muslims in western Myanmar.

In her first statement on the issue since the crisis started in Rakhine state last month, Suu Kyi said that it is "a little unreasonable to expect us to solve the issue in 18 months."

"The situation in Rakhine has been such since many decades. It goes back to pre-colonial times," she argued.

A Change.org petition calling for Suu Kyi's peace prize to be revoked has reportedly been signed by more than 386,000 people.

The Burmese Army has said that it is rooting out "terrorists" among the Rohingya, including fighters from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa), an insurgent group that has carried out dozens of attacks on security sites on Aug. 25.

The government has claimed that 400 people have been killed in the clashes, but U.N. officials have estimated that the death toll could be more than 1,000.

For decades, the Burmese government has deemed the Rohingya, which comprises 1.1 million of the country's Buddhist-majority population, as illegal immigrants, and has denied them citizenship or access to most government services.

According to the U.N., up to 300,000 Rohingya could be displaced in Bangladesh due to "clearance operations" carried out by the Tatmadaw, Myanmar's armed forces.

On Wednesday, a Facebook post on Aung San Suu Kyi's page blamed "terrorists" for "a huge iceberg of misinformation" about the violence, but there was no mention of displaced Rohingya.

The U.N. refugee agency has estimated that up to 270,000 Rohingya have sought refuge Bangladesh in the past two weeks.
home US Donald Trump rescinds Dreamers program despite pleas from evangelical leaders

President Donald Trump has decided to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, despite pleas from several evangelical leaders urged him to show "heart" to the young recipients of the scheme.

On Tuesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that new applications will be halted for DACA, which provided the reprieve from deportation to undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. before their 16th birthday.

"I'm here today to announce that the program known as DACA that was effectuated under the Obama administration is being rescinded," Sessions stated, according to The Stream.

However, the attorney general noted that the Trump administration is giving Congress six months to come up with a legislative solution before the government stops renewing permits for people already covered by the program.

Prior to the announcement, Trump reportedly met with a group of evangelical leaders to discuss the future of the program.

During a meeting at the Oval Office last week, Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia, reportedly pleaded with Trump to protect DACA recipients who were brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents.

Pointing to Trump's love for his own children, the pastor reportedly told the president: "I want to see that kind of heart toward these children."

On Monday, Franklin said that he was "concerned to see DACA expire" but he was thankful that the president granted a "generous six-month extension to dreamer kids."

Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), expressed his dismay over the decision to rescind the program.

"Hundreds of thousands of Hispanic young people will be overcome with fear and grief today," said Rodriguez, who also serves as part of Trump's evangelical advisory board.

"Simultaneously, a multiethnic coalition of tens of millions of law-abiding US citizens will begin to put unrelenting pressure on members of Congress to provide a permanent solution for Dreamers, whose fate is in question by no fault of their own," he added.

On Friday, Rodriguez announced in a tweet that he and fellow advisers "continue to use our access to advocate for #DREAMers."

A Morning Consult/Politico poll released on Tuesday has indicated that two-thirds of evangelicals are in favor of giving DACA recipients work permits, while only 22 percent oppose the move. As many as 57 percent U.S. evangelicals say DACA recipients should be allowed to become citizens, while only 19 percent believe they should be deported.

Other findings revealed that 15 percent of U.S. evangelicals believe that DACA recipients should be allowed to become residents but not citizens, while nine percent say they do not know.
home US Federal court rules in favor of Michigan county over Christian prayers before public meetings

A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of a Michigan county on Wednesday, allowing its board members to continue its practice of opening their meetings with Christian prayers.

In a 9a6 decision, the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the elected public board of commissioners in Jackson County, Michigan did not violate the U.S. Constitution by opening monthly meetings with Christian prayers and inviting audience members to join.

The case against the county was filed by local resident Peter Bormuth, who claimed that he felt compelled to participate in religion just to speak at meetings.

James Shotwell, who serves as the chairman of the Board of Commissioners, argued that the board members just happen to be Christians, and are not favoring one faith over any others.

"While majority, if not all, of the Board of Commissioners are Christian, which they are at this time, if a different person was elected then he would have the right when his turn comes around to lead the prayer the way he feels is appropriate," he said.

In the majority opinion, Circuit Judge Richard Griffin held that the county's "religion-neutral" prayer practice was consistent with Supreme Court precedents allowing Nebraska's legislature and the upstate New York town of Greece to open session with prayer led by clergy.

Griffin also noted that the board's practice of asking the audience members to stand and assume a "reverent" position for invocations was not coercive.

"The solemn and respectful-in-tone prayers demonstrate the commissioners permissibly seek guidance to make good decisions that will be best for generations to come and express well-wishes to military and community members," Griffin wrote, as reported by Reuters.

Karen Nelson Moore, one of the dissenting judges, said that the majority was extending constitutional protections to "a practice that excludes non-Christians from the prayer opportunity and expresses disgust at people who voice a different opinion."

Bormuth, a self-described pagan and animist, had claimed that one of the nine commissioners called him a "nitwit" for objecting to the prayers and that two board members turned their backs while he spoke.

The majority noted that its decision conflicted with a July 14 ruling by the federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, which rejected a similar practice by Rowan County's Board of Commissioners in North Carolina.

Bormuth has stated that he is planning to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which considers federal appeals court splits a key criterion for taking a case.

Ken Klukowski, senior counsel for the nonprofit First Liberty Institute, which represented the board, said that the Supreme Court might take the case in light of the court split.
home Entertainment Former Muslim creates documentary to find and capture American ISIS jihadi

A filmmaker, who converted from Islam to Christianity, is making a documentary film about his efforts to find a white American man, who joined the Islamic State terror group in Iraq, and bring him to justice.

Hazem Farraj, a Palestinian-American who was abandoned by his family when he became Christian as a teenager, has launched a crowdfunding campaign for his upcoming documentary titled "The American: The Search for Al'Amriki."

The film chronicles his advocacy on behalf of ISIS victims and his pursuit of a terrorist known as Abu Abdullah Al'Amriki (Abu Abdullah the American), who reportedly abandoned his Christian faith and left the U.S. to join the extremist group.

Farraj initially heard about Al'Amriki while he was doing relief work with the Somerset Foundation in Iraq in 2014.

"As an ex-Muslim, it was fascinating to see that this man from the West had the complete opposite story of my own, except with utterly opposing views," Farraj told The Christian Post.

In September 2015, a 20-year-old Yazidi woman testified in the U.S. Congress that she had been taken captive by Al'Amriki, who kept her as a sex slave. The young Yazidi girl, who asked to be called "Bazi," said that Al'Amriki showed her pictures of his family and claimed to be a teacher in the U.S. Bazi was eventually rescued after five months in captivity, but Al'Amriki remains at large and continues to hold several other girls captive.

"What we know about Abu Abdullah Al'Amriki is very limited since the FBI has an ongoing investigation," Farraj noted.

"We know he is a male, 30a35 years old, has a wife and two children. According to Bazi, he was proud of his conversion and ultimate role as an ISIS propaganda tool, stating that 'he left Church and found life' within his newly adopted Islamic beliefs," he added.

Farraj said that one of his goals for the documentary is to bring people together for a "challenging, overdue conversation" about the nature of Islam and its implications for the West. He is also hoping that the film will lead to someone recognizing the composite sketch of Al'Amriki and supply the FBI with a name.

The film also recounts Farraj's struggles as an ex-Muslim human rights activist who is now viewed by his Islamic family as an apostate because of his conversion to Christianity.

Farraj suggested that Christians should compare the red letters of Jesus with the Islamic texts within Islam to see the real distinctions between the two worldviews. He believes that when people see the differences, the believers in Jesus will find that there is a true spiritual power behind Christ's words.
home US Georgia school draws outrage for distributing poem comparing God to mythical unicorn

A middle school in Georgia has issued an apology after parents complained about a poem presented during class that compared God to a mythical creature.

Some parents were reportedly outraged after reading a poem that had been distributed to students at Cedartown Middle School.

"God is like a mythical creature/A unicorn with silver blood/If you drink the blood, you will live forever/It makes a good story in a book like Harry Potter," the poem titled "Unicorn" reads, as reported by Christian News Network.

"The idea of God makes young children laugh and feel safe at night/But when you grow older and see the evil in the world/And the face of death like a shadow behind the eyes of every living thing/Then where is God? Then God is revealed in all his foolishness/A naked lie, a childish dream, a mythical creature like the unicorn," it continued.

Principal Shannon Hulsey said that she understands why parents were upset, noting that there were concerns about the basis of the poem and who wrote it.

Officials at the school said that the poem was distributed as part of the ancient mythology curriculum and that the work was used by students to compare to short stories on Greek gods.

Teachers at the school claimed that the poem was used for a sixth-grade Greek mythology lesson to show how a unicorn is supposed to represent a happy and safe place.

Hulsey explained that the work was just pulled out by one of the teachers from a folder full of materials, but she said they are not sure where the poem came from or who put it in the pile of materials.

According to The Blaze, the poem appears in a 2013 collection of poems that is believed to be authored by a teenager named Johar Mohammad.

Mohammad, who noted in the introduction that he's a practicing Muslim, indicated that "Unicorn" was among a number of poems written by his tuition teacher's students. He noted that the work, penned by someone identified only as "Kiefer," was written from an atheist perspective.

However, The Blaze noted that the Polk School District has not confirmed whether the poem was pulled from Mohammad's collection or from another source.

The school principal said that the poem will never be used again. "This was a mistake. In no way whatsoever would we want to defame God or go anywhere in that direction at the school," Hulsey said.
home World Israel's high court rejects plea for recognition of same-sex marriages

The High Court of Justice in Israel has rejected a plea by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Association to recognize same-sex marriages in the country.

On Thursday, the high court turned down the association's petition that demanded the law against same-sex marriage be declared unconstitutional. According to Haaretz, the court justices argued that Israel's practice of not recognizing same-sex marriages does not contravene the Basic Law on Human Dignity and Liberty.

In Israel, civil courts usually deal with material disputes, criminal matters and penalties, while religious courts deal with "personal status" issues like marriages and divorce. Some wives, however, often initially file their divorce cases in civil courts because whichever court first gets the case would determine alimony and child support.

Since Palestine came under British rule in the 1920s, all marriages are under the jurisdiction of the couple's religious entity, not the government.

The strict constitutionalist justices argued that the court does not have the jurisdiction to legally recognize homosexual or any other marriages.

"In essence, the petitioners are asking the court to recognize same-sex marriage via court ruling, despite the fact that Israeli law does not recognize it," Justices Elyakim Rubinstein, Neal Handel, and Anat Baron explained in their ruling, according to Life Site News.

The justices explained that any amendment pertaining to the Basic Law was the responsibility of the legislature, not the courts.

"Regarding the possibility of recognizing marriages which are not performed under religious auspices, including same-sex marriage, there already is a ruling that such recognition is the purview of the legislative body," the justices stated.

Rubinstein further noted that the Basic Law was intended at protecting "the right of rabbinical courts to rule," among other things.

Homosexual activist Chen Arieli expressed disappointment with the decision and contended that giving jurisdiction to the legislature will politicize the issue.

During the first hearing of the petition in January, the judges expressed empathy for the LGBT couples, but they also noted at the time that the issue should be handled by the legislature, not the courts.

The chairwoman of the liberal Meretz political party, Zehava Gal-On, called on the legislature to legalize same-sex marriage.

"LGBT couples have the right to get married just like anyone else. This outrageous discrimination against them is a disgrace for a democratic state," she said.

Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid vowed that he would vote in favor of gay marriages. "A father and father and a mother and mother are families. We don't want to live in darkness," he said.
home US Judge dismisses lawsuit challenging a California mandate that requires insurance plans to cover abortion

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by California churches to challenge a requirement for all insurance companies in the state to cover abortions.

The lawsuit, filed by Life Legal Defense Foundation (LLDF) and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) on behalf of seven churches, alleged that the mandate violates the rights of faith-based employers, Christian News Network reported.

The directive, issued by the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) in 2014, reclassified abortion as a "basic health service" under the Affordable Care Act, and required all insurance plans in the state to being covering abortions immediately. The mandate did not appear to provide any way for religious organizations, including churches, to opt out or choose an alternative plan.

DMHC Director Michelle Rouillard wrote to seven insurance companies that refused to cover abortions, telling them that "all health plans must treat maternity services and legal abortion neutrally."

She contended that the companies must provide coverage for abortions because the "California Constitution prohibits health plans from discriminating against women who choose to terminate a pregnancy."

On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Kimberly Mueller dismissed the case, saying the plaintiffs "have not alleged sufficient facts to make it plausible that the director has selectively applied the law to target the plaintiffs' religious beliefs."

The judge argued that the churches had not proven that Rouillard would not accommodate their religious beliefs, pointing out that the DMHC director had granted an exemption to at least one organization.

The entity reportedly does not have an objection to abortion in the cases of rape or incest, while the churches believe that abortion is always wrong. But Mueller contended that the "exemption evinces, if anything, the director's 'intent to accommodate, rather than impose burdens on, religious belief.'"

The mandate is believed to be a result of the decision by two Roman Catholic/Jesuit universities a Santa Clara University and Loyola Marymount University a in California to stop paying for abortions of employees. Some faculty members reportedly objected to the decision and called on Gov. Jerry Brown to intervene.

The complaint filed by the ADF argued that the DMHC mandate forcing all health insurance plans to cover elective abortions violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

The legal group also cited the federal Weldon amendment, which mandates that a state is forfeited of certain government funds if it forces health care entities to provide coverage for abortions.

The plaintiffs in the case were Skyline Church in La Mesa, Foothill Church and Foothill Christian School in Glendora, Alpine Christian Fellowship in El Cajon, The Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch, City View Church in San Diego, Faith Baptist Church in Santa Barbara, and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino.

ADF Legal Counsel Jeremiah Galus said that the legal group is now consulting with its clients about their next move because the court ruling "ignores the longstanding freedom of faith communities to act consistently with their religious mission."

"Churches should be free to serve their communities according to their religious beliefs without unjust government edicts that force them to violate those beliefs. California has no right to dictate what pastors or churches believe on moral and cultural issues," he added.
home World Majority of Britons reject creationism but some are still skeptical about evolution

A new poll has indicated that a majority of people in the U.K. reject the biblical account of Creation but a significant number of religious people are still skeptical about the theory of evolution.

A Newman University/YouGov survey has found that only nine percent of people in Britain accept creationism, but 19 percent of religious people in the country found it somewhat difficult, difficult or very difficult to accept evolutionary science.

The study, which was released at the British Science Festival in Brighton, West Sussex, on Tuesday, was part of a wider international research project called "Science and Religion: Exploring the Spectrum" funded by the Templeton Religion Trust. It was conducted between May 12 and June 12 among 4,000 adults across the U.K. and Canada.

The findings revealed that 71 percent of the respondents in the U.K., including those with religious beliefs, accept evolutionary theory regarding the origin of species. Around 64 percent said they found it easy to accept evolutionary science as compatible with their personal beliefs, while 64 percent of people with religious beliefs found evolution to be compatible with their faith.

Surprisingly, one in five atheists in the U.K. said they were not satisfied with evolutionary theory, saying they agreed that "evolutionary processes cannot explain the existence of human consciousness." Ten percent of atheists in the country said they also felt that evolution cannot explain the origins of human beings.

In Canada, 60 percent said that they accept the theory of evolution and only 15 percent accept the biblical Creation story.

Fifty percent said they found it easy to accept evolutionary science, while 41 percent of Canadians with religious beliefs found evolution to be compatible with their faith. More than one in three Canadian atheists say they were unsatisfied with evolutionary theory, and 31 percent of unbelievers say they felt that evolution cannot explain the origins of human beings.

Other findings have indicated that individuals struggling with evolutionary theory do not have similar doubts about other fields of science. The respondents, which include Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, overwhelmingly accept science as a reliable source of knowledge.

"What these surprising findings highlight for the first time is that concerns about evolutionary science aren't necessarily based solely on individuals' religious identity," said Fern Elsdon-Baker, the study's principal investigator and the director of the project, according to Religion News Service.

"We found a range of people are uncertain of evolutionary science-based explanations for the origin of humans and human consciousness. It appears rejection of or uncertainty about aspects of human evolution is not necessarily an issue of 'religion versus evolutionary science,' but an issue of universal questions around what it is to be human and about the human experience that affect all of us, across those of all faiths and none. This fundamentally challenges the way we tend to think about evolution and creationism," Elsdon-Baker added.
home US New learning series offers insight on how Christians respond to persecution

A new learning series launched at the University of Notre Dame is offering people the opportunity to examine the lives of persecuted Christians and understand how believers respond to oppression.

Earlier this year, the Religious Freedom Institute teamed up with the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University's Religious Freedom Project to study the extent of Christian persecution worldwide.

The findings of the study called "Under Caesar's Sword" were turned into different resources, including two educational courses that are now offered online for free via Notre Dame's Satellite Theological Education Program (STEP).

The first program called "Christians Confronting Persecution" is being offered to educators, ministers, pastors and adults, who are interested in encountering "the reality of persecution through the lens of faith."

According to Crux, the six-week course, which takes about 3a4 hours of study each week, features lectures from experts such as Tom Farr, Tim Shah, Daniel Philpott and Kristen Haas. A certificate of completion will be handed out to those who complete the course.

The second program called "We Respond" is offered to adult groups, high school students, parishes, and churches who "wish to engage both intellectually and reflectively with the reality of religious persecution today."

The seven-lecture series aims to address several questions about the persecution of Christians, including: "When do they choose to migrate or to hide? To challenge their persecutors and/or to forgive them? To band together with others in solidarity? What fruits has the Lord wrought through their responses?"

Both programs is aimed at exploring how Christian communities respond to persecution, and include videos, Biblical passages, stories and information on how to cultivate solidarity.

"Under Caesar's Sword," which was conducted over the course of three years by a team of 14 scholars, analyzed more than 30 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.

The researchers examined the patterns of religious persecution and the different responses of Christians to persecution. Then, they made recommendations for action against persecution.

The project's website indicated that 76 percent of the world's population lived in religiously oppressed countries since 2012. Christians in 102 countries reportedly experienced harassment in 2013.

"We at the Religious Freedom Institute are seeking to be very concrete in providing very specific ways for our churches, our Christian schools, and the members of our churches to both learn about the plight of Christians in harm's way and to become aware of what they can do to be of help," said Kent Hill, the executive director of the Religious Freedom Institute.
home World Number of non-believers in Britain reaches record high, poll reveals

The number of non-believers in Britain has reached its highest level, with more than half of the population describing themselves as having "no religion."

The British Social Attitudes Survey, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research last year, has found that 53 percent of respondents identified themselves as having "no religion," and only 15 percent said they belong to the Church of England. Those identifying themselves as Anglicans have halved in number since the year 2000, when 30 percent said they belong to the nation's church.

Among those aged 18 to 24, only three percent said they belong to the Church of England, compared to 40 percent of those aged 75 and over.

The number of those who identify themselves as Catholics have remained stable at around one in 10 in the past 30 years. The proportion of Christians belonging to Pentecostal and Methodist groups have also stayed the same at 17 percent.

Overall, the proportion of non-Christians have jumped from two to six percent, according to The Telegraph. Half of the respondents who belonged to other faiths were Muslims, a third were Hindu, followed by a smaller number of Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists and other groups.

Humanists U.K. chief executive Andrew Copson said that the findings were proof that the Church was experiencing an "ongoing and probably irreversible collapse in adherents."

"It is long overdue that the Government woke up to the demographic reality of today's Britain and recognises that ever-increasing state funding for religion, and public emphasis on the activities of religious groups, is the reverse of what the public wants," he said.

The number of believers among older demographics have also shown a significant decrease, with half of those aged 55 to 64 saying they had no religion.

When the British Social Attitudes Survey was first conducted in 1983, 31 percent of the respondents said they had no religion. At the time, 40 percent of the population said they belong to the Church of England. More than two-thirds identified themselves as Christian, but the figure has now fallen to 41 percent.

The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt. Rev. Paul Bayes, said God and the Church "remains relevant," adding that saying "no religion" is not the same as a considered atheism. He maintained that people would recognize the point of faith when they see the difference it makes.

"We need to keep finding ways to show and tell those who say they have 'no religion' that faith - faith in the God who loves them still - can make that life-transforming difference for them and for the world," he said, as reported by BBC.
home World Pakistani Christian student beaten to death in classroom by Muslim classmates

A 17-year-old Christian student at a school in Pakistan's Punjab province was reportedly beaten to death inside the classroom by his Muslim classmates.

Sharoon Masih, who was studying at MC Model Boys Government High School in the Vehari area in Punjab, has been targeted for being a Christian since he started attending the school, according to his parents.

The British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) reported that Masih was beaten up by his classmates on Aug. 27, his fourth day at the school.

The attackers reportedly shouted insults at Masih while they were beating him, but no teachers or school staff came to rescue him.

One teacher, who was supposed to be overseeing the classroom, claimed that he was reading a newspaper and did not notice the attack. The head teacher later stated that the incident occurred between classroom sessions and that the attack happened without notice because one teacher arrived late for class. The school's governing body have reportedly dismissed the head teacher from his post.

According to BPCA, one of the attackers, Muhammad Ahmed Rana, had already confessed and has since been detained by the authorities. Students initially claimed that Masih was killed for bumping into Rana's foot. Rana, on the other hand, claimed that Masih had smashed the screen on his smart phone, which spurred his anger.

Rana was the only suspect named in the First Incident Report (FIR), but he and other students have said that other boys were involved.

The victim's father, Elyab Masih, saved up the money he earned as a brick kiln worker for his son's admission to the school after Christian teachers convinced him to send him to school instead of putting him to work. Masih's mother, Riaz Bibi, said that her son has been called a "chura," which is a derogatory term for people belonging to the lower caste, according to the hierarchy in some South Asian societies.

"My son was a kind-hearted, hard-working and affable boy. He has always been loved by teachers and pupils alike and shared great sorrow that he was being targeted by students at his new school because of his faith," Bibi told BPCA.

"Sharoon and I cried every night as he described the daily torture he was subjected to. He only shared details about the violence he was facing. He did not want to upset his father because he had such a caring heart for others. The evil boys that hated my child are now refusing to reveal who else was involved in his murder. Nevertheless one day God will have His judgement," she added.

BPCA Chairman Wilson Chowdhry has said that Christians are constant targets for persecution in Pakistan.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has ranked Pakistan among the top five nations in the world with the strictest blasphemy laws in its most recent report. The commission has warned that such laws are often used to target religious minorities.

A 16-year-old Christian boy has been arrested last month after he allegedly burned pages of the Quran, which carries the punishment of the death penalty under section 295-B of Pakistan's penal code.
home US Pro-LGBT group launches campaign asking Christians to raise money for gender transition surgeries

An organization is launching a campaign asking Christians to donate money to help transgender people pay for surgeries related to their gender transition as a form of reparations for past discrimination.

Faithfully LGBT, a group that seeks to share the stories of LGBT people of faith, is raising funds for the transgender community through a campaign called #TitheTrans.

"There needs to be tangible ways that progressive Christians, who disagree with anti-trans theology, give to the transgender community," says Eliel Cruz, founder of the organization. "I want Tithe Trans to be a way for Christians to begin to pay reparations for the damage we have caused," he added.

The group noted that transition surgeries can cost anywhere between $10,000 and $90,000. About 20 percent of transgender individuals do not have any form of health insurance, and many insurance companies do not provide coverage for procedures related to gender transition, according to NewNowNext.

"Christians have disparaged the bodies of trans people, which has contributed to a culture of violence against them," a statement from the Tithe Trans fundraising site read.

"From promoting anti-trans bathroom legislation to theology that has lead to suicides and homelessness.For those Christians who have seen this violence and have been horrified by it, it's time to put your tithe money where your beliefs are," it continued.

According to a news release published on the group's website, the money collected by the campaign will be directed to the Jim Collins Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises funds to provide grants to cover gender transition surgeries. Applications for grants are reviewed by a board of trans activists, who provides as many grants as the organization's funds allow.

A fundraising goal of $10,000 has been set by the organizers, and while the campaign is directed at Christians, others are also allowed to donate. The organizers are hoping to surpass its fundraising goal, but, as of Sept, 9, the campaign has only raised $512.

The hashtag #FaithfullyLGBT was first used by Cruz when he was sharing his column of the same name at Religion News Service in 2015. Since then, others have used it to create visibility for the intersection of their faith and their sexuality.

In January 2016, Cruz launched a photo campaign highlighting the faces of LGBT people of faith. The photographs are also featured in the Faithfully LGBT website, each one accompanied by the subject's name, sexual orientation, and religious tradition, as well as a quote about the individual's relationship to sexuality and faith.
home US Publisher recalls book by Hillary Clinton's pastor due to extensive plagiarism

A book by Hillary Clinton's longtime pastor, Rev. Bill Shillady, is being pulled from store shelves after the discovery of an extensive amount of plagiarism.

Abingdon Press is discontinuing the sales of Shillady's book titled "Strong for a Moment Like This: The Daily Devotions of Hillary Rodham Clinton," which is based on emails that were sent by the pastor to Clinton from April 2015 through December of last year.

Days before the book's release on Aug. 14, CNN reported that some of the content in the book had been copied from another pastor without proper attribution. The report prompted the publisher to conduct an "extensive review" of the book according to Rev. Brian Milford, the president and publisher of The United Methodist Publishing House, which owns Abingdon Press.

"Abingdon Press has zero tolerance for plagiarism. Consequently, we have discontinued sales, will remove existing copies from all sales outlets, and will have them destroyed along with our existing inventory," Milford said.

The plagiarism was first discovered by Indiana pastor Matt Deuel, who read a prominent section in the book and recognized that one of the emails sent to Clinton was very similar to a blog post he wrote in 2016.

Shillady immediately issued an apology, saying he was "stunned" by the similarities between his email to Clinton and Deuel's blog post.

Abingdon had initially accepted Shillady's apology and decided to release an amended version of the book with proper credit to Deuel. But the review reportedly uncovered numerous additional instances of plagiarism, prompting the publisher to recall all copies of the book from store shelves.

"I deeply regret my actions," Shillady said on Tuesday. "I was wrong and there is no excuse for it. I apologize to those whose work I mistakenly did not attribute. I apologize to those I have disappointed, including Secretary Hillary Clinton, Abingdon Press, and all the writers and others who have helped me publish and promote this book. I ask for everyone's forgiveness," he continued.

CNN reported that Clinton was supposed to appear at an event in New York on Thursday to promote the book and had written the foreword praising Shillady for his writings.

Abingdon, which publishes mostly inspirational Christian-themed books and bible study aids, did not disclose the other authors that Shillady copied material from.

Shillady formed a spiritual bond with Clinton, who is a lifelong Methodist, after meeting the politician in New York in 2002. The pastor had officiated at Chelsea Clinton's wedding in 2010 and had presided over the memorial service for the former presidential candidate's mother.
home World 'Satanists' are giving away cursed rosaries to unsuspecting Catholics, Filipino exorcist warns

A Filipino exorcist has warned that cursed rosaries and other religious items are being given away by Illuminati "Satanists" to unsuspecting Catholics.

On a recent airing of the Radio Veritas program "Hello Father 911," Fr. Ambrosio Nonato Legaspi, the chief exorcist at the Diocese of Novaliches in the Philippines, warned that some rosaries that Catholics may be using "could actually be infested or cursed."

The priest claimed that the rosaries are being handed out by Satanists, who are said to be members of a group called the Illuminati. The rosaries, he said, have been "prayed over" by its makers and have been consecrated to evil so that whoever uses the items will be followed by evil spirits.

"These were made not only to be simply given away but to deceive Catholics...so that evil spirits will haunt them," Legaspi said, as reported by CBCP News.

Philippe De Guzman, the assistant case officer at the diocese's office of exorcism, noted that the rosaries in question have odd symbols on them and may not be easily noticeable to the untrained eye. The symbols could either be a snake wrapped around the cross, a pentagram, and/or a sun with rays, which is supposedly the insignia of the Illuminati.

The case officer recounted that one such rosary has been confiscated from a recent infestation case handled by the diocese's office of exorcism, and similar items have been collected from prior infestation cases.

Legaspi said that some rosaries have no identifying symbols, but he warned that "a ritual was done on it like the one we mentioned previously about Botanica, the occult store in many places abroad like in the US where religious items are brought so they could inflict harm on others."

The priest narrated how witches supposedly buy religious items, gadgets and paraphernalia used in the occult from Botanica so that a curse or evil spirit can be attached to it before it is given away as a gift.

Legaspi called on priests to bless religious items according to Catholic rituals and to exorcise them, especially if the owners have experienced paranormal incidents.

"Not just a blessing, these items should be exorcised. Not just an ordinary blessing where water is just sprinkledaas most priests commonly doabut to use the Catholic ritual...that would frighten the demon away," he said.

The priest further explained that simply sprinkling holy water on the cursed item would not make the evil spirit go away, especially if the Satanists carried out a ritual that lasted for 30 minutes.

However, he said that there is no need to perform a longer blessing to undo the evil ritual but simply to perform a rite prescribed by the Catholic Church.
home World Singapore bans two foreign Christian preachers over 'Islamophobic' remarks

Singapore has banned two foreign Christian preachers from speaking in the country on Friday due to their "denigrating and inflammatory" towards Islam and other religions.

According to a report from Straits Times, Singapore's Manpower Ministry, in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), rejected the application of the two preachers for short-term work passes that required them to preach in the country.

"Just as I have banned Muslim scholars or preachers from coming into Singapore, the most recent banning has been as regards to Christian preachers. They were very Islamophobic in their statements outside of Singapore and we decided that we will ban them," said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam at a forum on Friday.

A statement from the MHA noted that one of the preachers had described Allah as a "false god" and referred to Buddhist by a Hebrew word that meant "lost, lifeless, confused and spiritually barren" people.

The other preacher had reportedly spoken against the "evils of Islam" and the "malevolent nature of Islam and Mohammed," while contending that it is "not a religion of peace." He also maintained that it is "an incredibly confused religion", interested in "world domination" and "a religion based on... adhering to uncompromising and cruel laws often focused on warfare and virtual slavery."

"Such teachings are unacceptable in Singapore's multiracial, multi-religious society, and the Government will not allow religious preachers of any faith to run down other religions or spread ill-will among the religions," the MHA stated.

The two preachers had applied for Miscellaneous Work Passes (MWP), which are required for foreigners on work assignments shorter than 60 days. Any foreigner who wishes to deliver a talk related to religion, race or politics is required to obtain an MWP, the MHA stated, adding that that the granting of the work permit was a privilege that is accorded to foreigners, not an entitlement.

It also noted that the Ministry of Manpower consults with relevant agencies in assessing MWP applications and that each application is considered on its own merits.

During the Institute of Policy Studies forum on Friday, Shanmugam announced that the government is looking to strengthen the country's Maintenance of the Religious Harmony Act (MRHA), part of which was a legal framework that enacted strict laws on hate speech.

Shanmugam said that the MRHA, which is aimed specifically at clerics, would be strengthened in the context of past incidents in the region, adding that he is prepared to defend the legislation at "any forum anywhere in the world."

The MHA disclosed that it was reviewing the need to enhance the Singapore's legislative provisions to safeguard racial and religious harmony in the country, and it would provide details about the review upon completion.
home US Steve Bannon claims U.S. Catholic Church has 'economic interest' in 'unlimited illegal immigration'

Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has criticized the U.S. Catholic Church over its stance on immigration, claiming that it only supports undocumented immigrants because it needs them to "fill the churches."

In an interview with Charlie Rose for CBS' "60 Minutes," Bannon defended President Donald Trump from criticisms for his decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Bannon, who is Catholic, said that Catholic bishops were "terrible" on immigration issues, and claimed that it has an "economic interest in unlimited immigration."

"The bishops have been terrible about this. By the way, you know why? Because [they're] unable to really come to grips with the problems in the Church, they need illegal aliens, they need illegal aliens to fill the churches. That's obvious on the face of it," Bannon said.

"That's why the Catholic bishops condemn him. ... They have an economic interest. They have an economic interest in unlimited immigration, unlimited illegal immigration," he added.

DACA, which was introduced by former President Barack Obama in 2012, enabled children who were brought illegally to the U.S. to receive a two-year period of deferred action from deportation and make them eligible to receive a work permit.

There are at least 800,000 Dreamers who benefited from the program, including immigrants from El Salvador (28,000), Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, and South Korea (7,300). Immigrants from the Philippines (5,000), and India (3,000) also benefited from the program.

Trump's decision drew criticisms from Catholic bishops, including from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York.

In an interview with SiriuxXM, Dolan acknowledged that protecting the U.S. borders was "essential," but he argued that punishing the undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country as children was not something Christians should stand for.

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migration, argued that children should not be punished for the actions of their parents.

Bannon stated in the interview that he respects Dolan and the other bishops when it comes to doctrine, but he contended that the criticisms about Trump's decision to end DACA "is not doctrine at all."

"I totally respect the pope and I totally respect the Catholic bishops and cardinals on doctrine. This is not about doctrine. This is about the sovereignty of a nation. And in that regard, they're just another guy with an opinion," he said.

This was Bannon's first televised interview since he was fired as the White House chief strategist last month. After leaving the White House, Bannon returned to his position as the chairman of Breitbart News.

He told Rose in the interview that he and Trump are still in good terms, and he expressed his willingness to fight for the president's legislative agenda.
home US Texas churches flooded by Harvey sue FEMA for equal access to emergency relief funds

Three Texas churches damaged by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters have sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over its policy of excluding religious groups from receiving disaster relief funds.

On Monday, a lawsuit seeking a court order to block the policy was filed in Houston on behalf of the Rockport First Assembly of God in Aransas County, Harvest Family Church in Harris County and Hi-Way Tabernacle in Liberty County.

The suit alleged that the government's disaster relief policy violates the U.S. Constitution by denying faith groups the right to apply for relief funds that are readily available to other non-profit organizations, such as zoos and museums.

"The churches are not seeking special treatment; they are seeking a fair shake," Diana Verm, who represents the churches through the nonprofit firm Becket, said in court papers.

"Hurricane Harvey didn't cherry-pick its victims; FEMA shouldn't cherry-pick who it helps," she added in an emailed statement Tuesday, according to Bloomberg.

The churches are hoping to receive funds before the the end of FEMA's month-long application window for Harvey victims.

"Time is of the essence with respect to the subject matter of the churches' claim. Mold will not wait for litigation process to spread through the churches' buildings; storm and flood debris will not stop rotting while the government processes their claims," the lawsuit stated.

Nicole Navas, a spokesperson at the Justice Department, said the government is "aware of the complaint and will examine the claims."

The lawsuit cited a recent U.S. Supreme Court case involving Trinity Lutheran, in which the high court ruled that the Missouri state government could not prevent a church from applying for a public grant just because it is affiliated with a religion.

One of the churches is reportedly being used as a disaster relief shelter for hurricane victims, but it is ineligible to apply for FEMA funds to repair damaged caused by flooding.

The Hi-Way Tabernacle in Cleveland, which has sustained $60,000 of damage, has served as a staging ground and distribution center for FEMA and disaster relief groups during hurricanes Rita, and it stepped up again during Hurricane Harvey.

The church, which is offering shelter for about 65 people, has begun removing debris, but it needs more funds to replace damaged carpets, drywall, insulation, wiring, ceiling tiles and furniture, according to court documents.

"Churches have been told by FEMA: We will use you, but we will not help you," said Daniel Blomberg, an attorney for Becket, which specializes in religious liberty cases. "They're not asking that FEMA give them the money; they just want a place at the table" to apply for it, he added.
home US Trump administration declares support for Christian baker in Supreme Court case

The Department of Justice (DOJ) under President Donald Trump has conveyed its support to a Christian baker who is currently involved in a legal battle at the U.S. Supreme Court over his refusal to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.

On Thursday, the DOJ filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court on behalf of Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips, who was found to have violated Colorado's anti-discrimination act for declining to bake a cake for a same-sex couple in 2012.

"Forcing Phillips to create expression for and participate in a ceremony that violates his sincerely held religious beliefs invades his First Amendment rights," Acting Solicitor General Jeff Wall wrote for the Justice Department.

"The government may not enact content-based laws commanding a speaker to engage in protected expression: An artist cannot be forced to paint, a musician cannot be forced to play, and a poet cannot be forced to write," Wall continued.

The brief stressed that even the majority opinion in the Obergfell case, which legalized same-sex marriage across the U.S., emphasized upholding First Amendment protections for religious objectors. It also noted that Colorado did not acknowledge the validity of same-sex marriages when Phillips declined to make a wedding cake for the gay couple, adding that the state only began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2014.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is representing the same-sex couple in the case, decried the DOJ's decision to file the brief.

"This Justice Department has already made its hostility to the rights of LGBT people and so many others crystal clear," Louise Melling, ACLU's deputy legal director, as reported by The Christian Post.

"But this brief was shocking, even for this administration. What the Trump Administration is advocating for is nothing short of a constitutional right to discriminate," she added.

Several other friend-of-the-court briefs have also been filed on behalf of Phillips. On Thursday, 86 U.S. Congressman signed an amicus brief that questioned whether Colorado's public accommodation law can "compel artists to create expression that violates their sincerely held religious beliefs about marriage."

Phillips filed an appeal to the Supreme Court after lower courts found him guilty of discriminating against same-sex couple Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig in 2012, when he refused to make a cake for their wedding.

The court agreed to hear the case in June and the oral arguments are expected to be scheduled this fall. Last week, lawyers with the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed their opening brief on behalf of Phillips.
home US Washington National Cathedral gets rid of stained-glass windows depicting Confederate generals

The Washington National Cathedral has decided to get rid of stained-glass windows depicting two Confederate generals, saying the images are "inconsistent" with its mission and "a barrier to our important work on racial justice and racial reconciliation."

On Wednesday, Cathedral authorities announced that the stained-glass windows that feature the images of Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson will be removed and stored until the cathedral can find another use for them.

"After considerable prayer and deliberation, the Cathedral Chapter voted Tuesday to immediately remove the windows," Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde wrote, as reported by CBS News.

"The Chapter believes that these windows are not only inconsistent with our current mission to serve as a house of prayer for all people, but also a barrier to our important work on racial justice and racial reconciliation. Their association with racial oppression, human subjugation and white supremacy does not belong in the sacred fabric of this Cathedral," he continued.

According to Religion News Service, the stained-glass windows honoring the Confederate generals were installed in 1953, with the support of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a group that sought to honor the memory of veterans who fought for the South.

An inscription below the window depicting Lee describes him as "a Christian soldier without fear and without reproach," while the etching under Jackson says he "walked humbly before his Creator whose word was his guide."

The removal of the windows was first proposed in 2015 following the racially motivated church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina.

The cathedral officials said they had been discussing how they could potentially keep the windows in ways that would "contextualize" the historical meaning of the images.

In 2016, panels depicting the Confederate flag had been quietly removed from the cathedral and replaced with red and blue panes to match surrounding glass, but the overall glass and stone bays honoring two generals remained.

In late June, the cathedral's dean announced that it would be another year before a decision about the windows would be made. But the officials decided to hasten the decision-making process following the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia last month, when neo-Nazis opposing the removal of a statue of General Lee clashed with counter-protesters.

A 32-year-old woman was killed and 19 others were injured after a man drove a vehicle into a crowd of counter-protesters.

The officials have acknowledged that the removal of the windows is not sufficient for addressing racial injustice. A series of public programs about the Confederacy, the two generals and racial justice had been held at the cathedral, which serves the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.
home US White Christian population in U.S. has fallen below 50 percent, survey finds

The number of white Americans who identify as Christians has fallen below 50 percent, according to a new survey published by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) on Wednesday.

The study, conducted from January 2016 to January of this year, has found that white Christians, once the majority in most mainline Protestant and Catholic denominations, now comprise only 43 percent of the population, compared to 81 percent in 1976.

The findings also indicated that there is a substantial drop among white evangelical Protestants, who were once seemingly immune to the decline experienced by their Catholic and mainline Protestant neighbors. Only 17 percent now identify as white evangelical Protestant, compared to 23 percent in 2006.

"This report provides solid evidence of a new, second wave of white Christian decline that is occurring among white evangelical Protestants just over the last decade in the U.S.," said PRRI CEO Robert P. Jones in a press release.

"Prior to 2008, white evangelical Protestants seemed to be exempt from the waves of demographic change and disaffiliation that were eroding the membership bases of white mainline Protestants and white Catholics. We now see that these waves simply crested later for white evangelical Protestants," he added.

The study was based on interviews with more than 101,000 Americans from 50 states and has a margin of error of plus or minus 0.4 percentage points.

It also noted that there is also a decline among white Roman Catholics and white Mainline Protestants. White Catholics have dropped five percentage points from 16 percent in 2006 to 11 percent in 2016, while white mainline Protestants dropped from 18 percent to 13 percent over the same period.

The findings showed that the share of non-white Protestants has grown steadily from 17 percent in 1991 to 33 percent in 2016.

Thirty-five percent of Republicans have identified as white evangelicals, and nearly three-quarters or 73 percent identified themselves as white Christians. In contrast, white Christians have become a minority in the Democratic Party, dropping from 50 percent to 29 percent over a 10-year period.

Other findings indicated that women are still more likely to be evangelicals than men. Women comprise 56 percent of white evangelicals, 58 percent of black Protestants and 53 percent of Hispanic Protestants.

The study also noted that the representation of the religiously unaffiliated has been growing, with as many as 20 states now having a situation where "nones" comprise a greater share of residents than any religious group. However, it found that the non-religious population is not necessarily atheistic, as atheists and agnostics comprise only 27 percent of all religiously unaffiliated Americans.
home US Wycliffe USA launches second #WhyBible campaign to fight against biblical illiteracy

The Wycliffe Bible Translators have launched the second annual #WhyBible social media campaign to counter the rising scriptural illiteracy among today's youths.

In an interview with The Christian Post on Friday, Scott Everhart, senior director of marketing at Wycliffe Bible Translators, said that the campaign was created as a way to fight against a growing trend in American Christianity that does not take the Bible seriously.

"In 2016, the Barna Group reported that much of the Christian community does not regularly read the Bible. According to that data, one in three millennials do not believe the Bible was divinely inspired," Everhart said.

"Just over 20 percent of Christians are involved in a Bible study and around a third openly and regularly discuss the Bible with their friends and family," he continued.

Last year's campaign was focused on connecting people across ages and communities to share their experiences with the Bible. Everhart said he believes that the month-long observance of #WhyBible will be larger this year, with the inclusion of many ministries and international perspectives.

"Many of the leaders and organizations who partnered with us in 2016 witnessed the impact of these discussions and are enthusiastically joining us again this year, and have encouraged more people to do so as well," he said.

"Unlike 2016, the 2017 campaign will include voices from the across the Americas, Austraila, Africa and Europe. We hope and pray this momentum continues as #WhyBible repeats every September," he added.

He said that one of Wycliffe's goals in launching the campaign was to release an e-book titled "In Your Own Words," which would tell the real-life stories of people who had been impacted by the Bible.

Everhart told The Christian Post last year that he got the idea for the campaign from a millennial member of the Wycliffe Bible Translators team who noted that he was seeing fewer people his own age attending church.

The State of the Bible surveys by the Barna group have shown for years that the percentage of Americans who view the Bible with skepticism continues to rise, especially among young people.

A study conducted by Barna in May last year revealed that the percentage of people who believe that the Bible is actually harmful to people's lives have been increasing, along with the percentage those who believe that self-fulfillment, rather than God, is the ultimate measure of moral good.

However, the survey found that most Americans still believe that the Bible is an influential book, and that it contains everything a person needs to know in order to live a meaningful life.

Everhart contended at the time that the ultimate proof that the Bible still matters to people's lives can be seen in the life changes that occur in people who have been exposed to God's word.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih agreed with his Venezuelan, Kazakh and U.A.E. counterparts to keep all options open in their push to re-balance world oil markets, including the possible extension of output cuts beyond next March.

Al-Falih agreed in separate talks with the ministers in the Kazakh capital Astana that steps taken by OPEC and other major crude producers such as Kazakhstan have contributed to better market stability, according to three emailed statements from the Saudi energy ministry.

Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, both members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, agreed to consider prolonging production cuts beyond the first quarter of 2018, if needed, the Saudi ministry said in one of the statements. The kingdom and Kazakhstan said such an extension would be considered in due course as market fundamentals may dictate, according to a separate Saudi statement.

RELATED: OPEC oil output increases in July

OPEC and other producers including Russia pledged to reduce output by about 1.8 million barrels a day through March to trim global oil inventories and buttress prices. The producers are seeking to strengthen compliance with the cuts accord they reached last year. Benchmark Brent crude has lost 6.2 percent this year and was trading 44 cents lower at $53.34 a barrel at 2:07 p.m. on Monday in London.

Targeted Cuts

Al-Falih met with Venezuelas Eulogio Del Pino, Kazakhstans Kanat Bozumbayev and the United Arab Emirates Suhail Al-Mazrouei on the sidelines of an event by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Astana.

Al-Falih and Al-Mazrouei agreed that an extension of the output cuts beyond March 31 may be considered in due course as fundamentals unfold, according to a Saudi ministry statement. The Saudi energy minister and his Venezuelan counterpart said both their countries are exceeding full compliance with their targeted production cuts and that they shared an optimistic outlook on global supply and demand for crude in 2018, according to a statement.

RELATED: Fears of looming oil shortage wildly overstated

Bozumbayev told Al-Falih that despite the gradual ramp up of the giant Kashagan field this year, Kazakhstan was able, through reducing production in other fields in August, to achieve more than full conformity with its voluntary production level, the Saudi ministry said in a separate statement.

Al-Falih agreed with Bozumbayev to expand cooperation between their two countries in all areas of the energy industry, including two major projects in Kazakhstan in petrochemicals and renewable energy, according to the statement.

To contact the reporter on this story: Wael Mahdi in Kuwait at wmahdi@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nayla Razzouk at nrazzouk2@bloomberg.net, Bruce Stanley, Amanda Jordan

2017 Bloomberg L.P.
Preston Smith's Sept. 7 concert at the Houston of Blues Houston was supposed to be a fine jazz show featuring five other artists. But, much like Hurricane Harvey, quickly developed into something more profound than originally expected.

"The storm had already hit my mom in the Aransas Pass area, and as soon as it came into Houston and the floods started, I knew we had to do something." said Smith, an award-winning trumpeter from the Bayou City.
Israel has joined the outpouring of support for victims of Hurricane Harvey, donating $1 million to members of Houston's Jewish community.

The donation, announced last week, was approved on Sunday by the Israeli government, according to the Israeli news website Arutz Sheva.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Brenda Flores and her mother slowly picked through baby clothes on a small, round table in the Hamilton Middle School lunchroom Thursday morning. She held a few items draped over her arm while she examined a T-shirt held in the other, sizing it up in her mind for her three-month old child.

Flores lives in Acres Homes, northwest of downtown Houston, with her husband, three children and her mother and father. Their home took on six to seven inches of water during tropical storm Harvey, flooding their garage and kitchen. With so many people in one, single-family home, they stored a large portion of clothes in the garage.

Her oldest daughter is a sixth-grader at Hamilton on 20th Street in the Heights, but had yet to start classes due to Hurricane Harvey's devastation across south Texas.

But when she did walk through the doors at Hamilton for her first day of middle school Sept. 11, Flores is relieved it was in clean, new clothes thanks to the efforts of school staff and volunteers who jumped into action and coordinated the donation site for clothing and baby items for families just like her's.

"Kids can nit-pick, especially in middle school," said Flores, although she was gathering clothes for everyone in the household who lost items, including work clothes for herself. "I'm happy it's open because they do pick on other kids for not having name-brand clothing."

She received a phone call that morning from the district letting her know that donated clothing would be available for flood victims, and by 11 a.m. she and her mother were among a few families already sifting through the overflowing stacks of clothes and rows of shoes on the ground.

Donations started flowing in on Tuesday after the school announced on social media that it would accept donations for two days, then on Thursday it would open its doors for flood victims to start replenishing ruined wardrobes.

Julia Almanza, a seventh-grade clerk at Hamilton was helping to coordinate the site. She told families where to sign in and which tables had what they were looking for, although all of them were marked with signs reading, "baby", "mens", "girls", etc.

"It's going quick," said Almanza. "These are not small families, these are larger families and we're trying to stretch what we have. But we're not turning anyone away."

Because Hamilton is a Vanguard school, many of the students don't live in the immediate area, said 6th Grade Dean, Kabrina Johnson Tuesday while the school was still in the collection phase, "So we've had a good number affected," from other areas, she said.

But they've also had a good number who have stepped up to help mobilize the effort, too.

"We've had so many donations from local churches and residents," said Diana vanEk, a parent involved in the PTO at Hamilton. "Truck loads have been streaming in."

Gya Llana, a sixth-grader at Hamilton organized clothing with her mother Tuesday along with about 20 others who were parents, students, former students, staff and volunteers.

"I just feel really bad for everyone who lost their stuff," said Llana. "It feels better to help than to do nothing."
Many students in Houston ISD lost everything - their homes, their school supplies, their clothes, their toys.

Some are staying in the mega-shelters at the George R. Brown Convention Center and NRG Park. Others were flown by military helicopter to Dallas and San Antonio, where they have already started school. Still more are shaken after being plucked from their flooded homes by boats and Humvees.

With more than 600,000 Houston-area students set to return to the classroom Monday, teachers and school officials wonder how many will show up - and if they'll be ready to learn.

And at some schools, business as usual will be a distant memory.

"It's hard to focus on the lesson of the day when you're worried about, 'How is my home? How is my family?" said Ezemenari Obasi, associate dean for research in the University of Houston's College of Education. "Those questions and worries become more salient than the lesson plan at school."

HEADING BACK: A look at traffic as schools ramp up classes

Around the Houston area, school districts are busily putting together lesson plans and repairing buildings damaged by Hurricane Harvey, which dumped almost 52 inches of rain on the region.

In the Pasadena, Texas City and Humble ISDs, damage to schools has displaced about 1,600 students at each of the districts.

More Information For information on the status of individual HISD schools, visit the district's website at www.houstonisd.org/harvey. See More Collapse

In Houston ISD, about 80 of 280 schools will likely not start the school year until Sept. 18 or 25, giving workers more time to complete repairs. Students at nine of these schools will be relocated to other campuses, possibly for the school year. Similar situations are playing out in the suburbs as Harvey scrambled start schedules.

Some districts had recently started fall classes when the storm made landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast on Aug. 25. Others were gearing up to welcome students when the storm hit.

After Kingwood High School suffered severe damage, the Humble ISD board decided to shift its students to Summer Creek High School for the school year. Now Summer Creek will provide lessons for its students from 7 a.m. until 11:19 a.m. and for Kingwood students from 12:11 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sheldon ISD - which sustained heavy damage to four of its eight schools - has delayed the start of fall classes at all of its schools until Sept. 18, though it will begin providing free breakfast and lunch to those 18 and younger on Monday.

As floodwaters receded, a handful of districts - including Conroe, Pearland, Galveston, Tomball, Barbers Hill and Waller - opened their doors shortly after Labor Day. Larger districts that in many cases were harder-hit - HISD, Cypress-Fairbanks, Katy, Pasadena and Fort Bend - scheduled a Sept. 11 return.

If the late start weren't problematic enough, the future of the entire Houston ISD could hinge on how potentially traumatized students perform on a standardized test: the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR. Before Harvey, the Texas Education Agency, citing a 2015 state law, had warned the Houston ISD that it faced a potential state takeover because of schools that had repeatedly not met standards.

If 10 long-struggling schools don't show improvement on the battery of exams, state education officials said, the state could appoint a board of managers to take over governance of the Houston ISD or close those schools. The TEA has not hinted at whether it will relax or postpone some of its accountability measures after Harvey devastated the region from Corpus Christi to Orange - an area that, according to Children at Risk, covers more than 1.4 million Texas public school students.

"The Education Commissioner is aware of the situation, but that's a discussion still to come," said DeEtta Culbertson, a TEA spokeswoman. "Right now, we want schools to focus on getting their buildings ready, getting students back in school and making sure that their students are safe and in a healthy environment."

Long list of challenges

Another challenge facing the Houston ISD involves staffing.

At least 300 teachers have told the Houston Federation of Teachers union that they will not be able to return to work Monday, which will likely force the district to dispatch hundreds of substitutes.

Superintendent Richard Carranza and school leaders are also unsure how many students will show up at their home schools. Some have fled the area and may enroll in school districts hours away. More may be in temporary housing situations that took them to another local school district. Some teens, whose families lost their homes and are struggling financially, may feel like they have to drop out in order to earn money.

In the aftermath of 2005's Hurricane Katrina, enrollment at New Orleans and Biloxi, Miss., public schools dropped so dramatically that schools unaffected structurally by the storm were forced to close years later.

Carranza expects that to happen in Houston ISD, too.

"As good financial stewards of the public's money, we have to look at the cost of rebuilding schools," he said. "I will tell you a conversation we'll have at some point with our community is: How do we rebuild some schools?"

For now, getting back to school - and relative normalcy - could be one of the most powerful healing tools for HISD students.

ELSEWHERE: Students return to school at area districts.

Many have not seen friends since May and do not know how their classmates fared in the floods. They have been unable to commiserate with peers about the hardships, their families' struggles to rebuild and the uncertainty that clings to their futures.

Obasi, who has studied stress' effect on students for more than 10 years, said educators must ensure flood-affected students are able to ease back into their routines and feel comfortable sharing their vulnerabilities.

"Rather than just showing up on Monday as if nothing ever happened, there may be healthy ways in classrooms to check in, see how everyone's doing, see how everyone's holding up," said Obasi. "Those little conversations could go a long way."

Return to normalcy

While school can help provide some sense of normalcy, Obasi said paying attention to lessons and regurgitating a year's worth of knowledge during hours-long standardized tests could prove much more difficult for flood-affected students.

He said the brain's ability to focus can be severely hampered after experiencing significant anxiety, especially for children and teens whose brains are still developing.

"It's really difficult to assess a person's capacity when they're not 100 percent available to focus and attempt the task," Obasi said. "Many things we measure in schools involve students having to focus. They have to have good spatial processing or cognitive abilities, and if you can't focus, it's going to be extremely difficult to do anything, let alone ace an important standardized test."

Obasi said stress can cause a host of physical and mental ailments, from sleeplessness and an inability to concentrate in the short-term to addiction and diabetes in the long-term.

Exhaustion is a real concern, Obasi said, as many have issues falling asleep and staying asleep during times of significant stress. On top of that, anxiety can hamper the brain's ability each morning to release cortisol, a hormone that helps people get out of bed and going, making such tasks exponentially more tiresome for students.

Then there are the constant distractions - random triggers that will remind students of the worst days of their lives, questions about where their family will live, uncertainty about where their next meal will come from.

Carranza said the district is already planning to bring crisis counselors and social workers to as many campuses as HISD can afford, and all teachers will receive crisis and trauma training.

"Now this is an important part of our preparations as we receive students back into our school system. We know many of our students witnessed trauma - many of our students have been exposed to trauma by the sheer nature of the catastrophe that happened with Hurricane Harvey," Carranza said. As a result, he said, all district teachers will receive training in helping students re-integrate.

Carranza, too, is unsure what will happen with accountability and the potential penalties hanging over the district.

"Our students will have lost two weeks of instructional time - what will that do to the STAAR testing schedule?" Carranza asked, before adding that conversations about accountability have taken a back seat to other more pressing issues. "It's not like it's fallen off the agenda, but our priority is when do we get back in school, and based on when we get back in school, we'll have specific dates, specific information to engage in a conversation about some of those waivers and accountability issues."
ROBERT MACPHERSON/AFP / Getty Images

A Houston man was shot while protecting his wife from a would-be robber Sunday night near Cypress Station, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

The chaos kicked off just before midnight when the worried wife spotted a man walking quickly toward her.
As students return to school this week for the first time since Hurricane Harvey stalled the start of the academic year, some will be attending a different campus than originally expected.

Students of Juan Seguin Elementary School in Richmond, which was severely damaged in the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, will attend two nearby schools while their campus is being repaired, Fort Bend ISD announced Thursday.

An assessment of schools in the district immediately following the multi-day deluge brought by Tropical Storm Harvey in the last week of August found that several schools had sustained varying degrees of damage.

Juan Seguin and Goodman Elementary in Fresno were the two most severely damaged campuses. Originally, the district had announced that neither campus would be ready to welcome students and staff in time for the scheduled return to school on Sept. 12, but repairs on Goodman progressed more quickly than expected. The district announced that it would be safe and operable in time.

Repairs continue on Juan Seguin Elementary, however, and students and staff will be housed in two nearby campuses for the start to the school year. Fort Bend ISD Superintendent said in a message to the community that the repairs to Seguin will likely take several months.

Kindergarten through second grade students and staff will be housed at James Patterson Elementary School, a mile and a half away, while third through fifth grade students and staff will be housed at David Crockett Middle School, less than two miles away. The brand new Patterson school has the capacity to accept the additional elementary students and the third-fifth grade students will have a separate instructional area designated at Crockett Middle School, Dupre said.

"Although Hurricane Harvey has disrupted the beginning of our school year, we are doing all we can to minimize the impacts on teaching and learning," Dupre said in a statement Thursday. "Our educators are eager to get back to doing what they do best each and every day."

According to the district, bus transportation will be provided to Seguin students.

Burton Elementary, Colony Bend Elementary and Scanlan Oaks Elementary all experienced either some flooding, power outages or other issues as a result of the storm, but were expected to be repaired and ready in time for the return to school. Additionally, 15 schools had issues with the heating and air conditioning units, which were also expected to be resolved before Sept. 11, according to the district.

Willowridge High School, which was closed before the storm hit due to extensive mold remediation, remains closed, but was not damaged by Harvey. Willowridge students will attend Thurgood Marshall High School until the mold remediation and reconstruction efforts are completed.

In addition to the displaced Seguin and Willowridge students, the district anticipates other enrollment changes as a result of students forced to move to new or temporary homes by storm damage.

Making up for lost time

Dupre announced on Thursday that he intended ask the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees to apply to the state for a waiver to avoid having to make up the 11 instructional days missed due to Hurricane Harvey. The Texas Education Agency Commissioner granted school districts in severely impacted counties permission to apply for such waivers in the wake of the storm's devastation.

The district's Academic Affairs team met in the days following the storm to reconstruct the curriculum for the 2017-18 school year and adapt it to the loss of instructional time. The team did so by identifying "priority standards" to focus instruction and by cutting down on undesignated "reengagement" time, which had originally been planned as an opportunity for students who needed additional help, according to Dupre.

"We will not allow time missed due to Hurricane Harvey to affect student achievement," Dupre said in the Thursday message to the community.

To learn more about resources for Fort Bend ISD families affected by Hurricane Harvey, visit fortbendisd.com/hurricaneharvey.
More flexible policies could help attract talented foreign staffers

With high-end workers leaving and insufficient high-end foreign personnel, China lags behind the world in attracting an international workforce and urgently needs to take action to solve the problem, a report has found.

Shanghai is the most competitive region in China in attracting high-end international workers. The municipality, however, only rates about 3.9 points in an evaluation index system with six parts, including the scale and structure for international workers and the policies to attract more, and the quality of life they expect.

The full score for each of the six subindexes is 1. So Shanghai just passed the "test", said the report titled Blue Book of Regional Talent, which was published on Monday by the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based independent think tank, and the Institute of Development Studies at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

The proportion of international workers in China is far below the international average. In 2015, only 0.06 percent of the country's population were foreigners, while the average worldwide proportion is 3.3 percent, it said, citing various sources from United Nations.

Meanwhile, the country is also troubled by talent outflow. At least 35 million people from the Chinese mainland work overseas.

"Though some of the Chinese emigrants are technical workers, most are well-educated and have bachelor's or even higher degrees in engineering or science and technology. It's highly possible that they will settle down in developed countries," the report said.

International employees are unevenly distributed across the country. Shanghai gets the highest score for its proportion of international workers.

"There has been good top-level planning for the introduction of international talents. Lacking, however, are a key administrative authority that oversees the work and necessary legal support for that," said the report, adding that a special government body should be set up to help manage the introduction of foreign workers to the country.

While proposing more flexible immigration and work policies to attract foreign staff, the report also suggests giving green cards to Chinese who became citizens of other nations, promoting that they return to serve their country.

"China has promoted introducing international talents since the reform and opening-up. However, there has been little progress actually over the years. The main reason for that is China's immigration policy and entry and exit administration were quite strict in the past," said Li Qing, a researcher at the Center for China and Globalization and one of the report's writers.

He said developed and underdeveloped areas in China should resort to different strategies to attract talented workers. The metropolises in East China should create more favorable and tailored working and living environments to attract foreign workers, he said.

Instead of bringing in top employees in various fields, the underdeveloped regions should focus more on those who can support local pillar industries, he said.

International workers are increasingly important as China engages in the Belt and Road Initiative.

"As China carries out the initiative, we cannot do the work well without help of international workers," said Wang Huiyao, president of the Center for China and Globalization.

Xie Shouguang, director of Social Sciences Academic Press, said China should attach more importance to research on policies as well as giving more attention to bring in international staff. "The research on topics related to top foreign workers is weak in China," he said.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Every evening for the past two weeks, 8-year-old Chardrea Hayes insisted that her mother, Charlotte, drive by Codwell Elementary School so she could see the Houston ISD campus.

Hayes said Chardrea was devastated when she learned the planned first day of school on Aug. 28 would be delayed after Hurricane Harvey brought-record breaking floods to the Houston area. But on Monday, Chardrea couldn't stop grinning as she scampered up to the school.

"I'm feeling really excited," she said. "When they said school would start Monday, I really wanted to go."

Chardrea is one of more than 600,000 Houston-area students starting their school year or returning to class Monday following a two-week delay due to Harvey. Ten of the region's 15 largest districts were back in action: Houston, Cy-Fair, Katy, Pasadena, Alief, Clear Creek, Spring, Spring Branch, Lamar and Goose Creek. They joined about 20 districts that returned last week.

Houston ISD, the state's largest school district, opened its doors for the first time this fall, with 243 of its 284 campuses scheduled to re-open Monday. The remaining 41 schools are expected to re-open in the next two weeks, including 29 campuses set to return on Tuesday, according to data posted by the district.

Seven campuses are not expected to re-open this month due to extensive damage. Students attending those schools will attend classes in vacant buildings or existing campuses that can accommodate additional students.

HoustonChronicle.com: As students return, future of Houston ISD hangs in balance

"This is going to be a year of not only incredible academic achievement, it's going to be a year of healing," Superintendent Richard Carranza said Monday.

District officials said late last week they expected 202 schools to re-open Monday, with nine schools remaining closed through this month. Administrators originally expected Askew Elementary School and Burbank Middle School to remain temporarily closed, but those campuses will now re-open for classes Tuesday.

Carranza said about 270 teachers were affected by flooding, leaving some unable to return Monday. In many of those cases, staff members from schools that haven't opened yet were filling in for co-workers. Carranza said he expects all of those 270 staff members will eventually return.

"I have heard, as of last night, no reports of any teachers that have been re-located outside of the city of Houston, and that was a big concern for us, Carranza said.

At Cy-Fair ISD, the state's third-largest district with about 115,000 students, students returned to largely unaffected buildings. Only one campus, Moore Elementary School, has been temporarily closed as repairs are made. Those students are attending classes at a vacant Cy-Fair ISD campus about two miles away.

KATY: New surroundings for Creech, Bear Creek students post-Harvey

Katy ISD, home to about 75,000 students, had two schools temporarily shuttered due to flood damage.

Students from Creech Elementary, near the heavily flooded Cinco Ranch neighborhood, traveled a mile up the road to a University of Houston satellite campus building. Katy ISD officials said they will be adding portable buildings and playground equipment to house the students and staff. The district and the University of Houston have worked out an agreement, which includes Katy ISD having the option to make minor facility modifications as needed.

"We have been working on a tremendously short time line over the past week, and the university has been extremely flexible in helping us to meet the needs of our students and families," Katy ISD Superintendent Lance Hindt said.

To the northeast, Katy ISD issues with the building's water system sent Bear Creek Elementary School students to the district's newest secondary school, Paetow High, about 12 miles away.

Though Humble ISD resumed classes last week, students at two schools -- Summer Creek and Kingwood high schools -- were scheduled for their first day Monday. The two schools will be sharing Summer Creek's building, alternating morning and afternoon shifts in the facility, after Kingwood's campus sustained damage that could keep it closed all year.

HoustonChronicle.com: In Kingwood, 2 high schools unite to make best of the worst

Students at some campuses were expected to find new clothes, shoes and everyday necessities when they arrived Monday after an adopt-a-school program went viral in the past two weeks.

Hayes said she was just as excited as Chardrea to send her kids to Codwell, located on Houston's south side. She's been taking them with her to work at a flood-damaged apartment complex. There, they've seen Harvey's aftermath firsthand, helping residents who lost almost everything.

"I was bringing wood to (neighbors) for them to put on the walls and floors," said 8-year-old Robert Menfee as he walked to Codwell with Charlotte and Chardrea.

Staff writer Mike Glenn contributed to this report.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

More than 4,000 inmates are still waiting to return to Texas prisons flooded by Hurricane Harvey, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

As heavy rains pelted southeast Texas last month, nearly 6,000 convicts were evacuated from five prisons near the bulging Brazos River. The first round of evacuations cleared out the Stringfellow, Terrell and Ramsey units near Rosharon on Aug. 26, and two days later authorities emptied the Jester 3 and Vance prisons in Richmond.

"Our status has improved significantly," TDCJ executive director Bryan Collier said last week when announcing the return of some 1,400 inmates to the Richmond-area units.

But the waterlogged Rosharon facilities still aren't fit for inmate living, TDCJ spokesman Jason Clark said Monday, adding that the state is hard at work making the units safe for inmates' return.

FLOODED: Texas prisons take hit from Harvey, complaints of water, sewage problems surface

"Those units remain mostly dry," Collier said. "However, many of the outbuildings and support services areas appear to be wet, and we're still working to get a full assessment of the damage done."

In the meantime, thousands of inmates are still in limbo, housed at a slew of prisons scattered across the state. More than 1,000 Stringfellow inmates were shuttled to the controversial Pack Unit that's been at the center of an ongoing lawsuit over prison heat, although Clark said the move was temporary.

Even as inmates waited to return to their home prisons, chilling reports surfaced from Beaumont-area facilities that had hunkered down for the storm. But officials dashed the claims of calf-high water, barebones meals and limited drinking water.

The decision to evacuate in light of rising floodwaters triggered a massive inmate-moving effort as at one point the state shuttled more than 4,500 inmates in 24 hours, even as widespread flooding forced many drivers off the roadways. At the same time, high-risk parolees were evacuated from halfway houses in deluged communities, though Collier said they'd since returned home.

"This is an unprecedented flood of historic magnitude," Clark said last week. "The agency will continue to take appropriate steps to ensure staff and offenders are not in harm's way and are safe."
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Starting this month, students riding in the latest model of school buses will have to buckle up.

On Sept 1., Senate Bill 693 went into effect, requiring all newly purchased school buses to be outfitted with three-point seat belts.

The new state law doesn't apply to school buses purchased before 2017, or school districts who vote to opt out of the law because of budget constraints.

NEW TEXAS LAW: Schools must notify parents if lice is found in child's classroom

Houston Democrat and bill author Sylvia Garcia is one state politician who knows the importance of safety when transporting school children. In 2015, an HISD school bus crash resulted in the death of two students in Garcia's district. While the school bus that crashed was equipped with seat belts, the students weren't wearing them.

In May, Garcia told Houston Public Media about the new policy and how it stands apart from other laws that incentivise schools to upgrade buses with seat belts.

"This bill is so different because it says, 'You need to do it.' We're not asking you to spend additional dollars," Garcia said. "If you used to buy 10 buses without seat belts ... we would rather you spend the same dollars, but buy eight."

PESTS: Houston map shows where disease-carrying mosquitos have been confirmed in 2017

According to the most recent data available by the National Highway Safety Administration, between 2006 to 2015, a total of 54 school children died as passengers in school transportation vehicles.

See other laws that changed in Texas in 2017.
A former 40 year Atheist analyzes Atheism, without resorting to theism, deism, or fantasy.

***

If You Don't Value Truth, Then What DO You Value?

***

If we say that the sane can be coaxed and persuaded to rationality, and we say that rationality presupposes logic, then what can we say of those who actively reject logic?

***

Atheists have an obligation to give reasons in the form of logic and evidence for rejecting Theist theories.
AUSTIN  It's the honor no one wants.

Dozens of law enforcement, fire, citizens, citizens and EMS workers or their families accepted the Star of Texas award at the state Capitol for the public service that took their lives or irreversibly changed them.

Among them were loved ones accepting the award on behalf of Clinton Greenwood, a Harris County assistant chief deputy constable and former prosecutor who was ambushed and gunned down as he arrived at work at the Harris County courthouse annex in Baytown.

Three officers from the Houston Police Department who were seriously injured in the line of duty accepted the award, including Ronny S. Cortez, a 24-year department veteran who was shot multiple times during an anti-burglary operation in February in southwest Houston , leaving a bullet lodged in his spine.

He was with Officer Jose Munoz, who was shot once, and was also given the Star of Texas award.

Officer Jason F. Rhodes, also of the Houston Police Department, received the award after he was shot in the arm while trying to stop a possible robbery.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who gives the awards annually, said "now, more than ever, it is important we honor those who have helped respond in those challenging times," alluding to rescues in Houston and across southeast Texas in the last few weeks since the area was battered by Hurricane Harvey.

The ceremony honored 15 officers, firefighters and EMS workers killed in the line of duty and 27 others who were injured, largely in 2016 and 17.

Andrea Zelinski covers politics and education for the Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com.
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.
We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message.
All-Conference WEC teams The All-Conference teams for the War Eagle Conference have been announced with multiple MMCRU and South OBrien volleyball players making...

Crane signs off, for now I miss my ol' buddy, sportscaster Keith Crane on the sidelines. I miss his friendly smile, his dedication to his...
BARCELONA, Spain  Hundreds of thousands of people packed the sunny streets of downtown Barcelona on Monday to celebrate Catalonia's national day, an anniversary that provided a stage for the many Catalans who hope to vote within weeks for the region's independence from Spain.

The Spanish city's broad, tree-lined boulevards were a sea of yellow T-shirts that evoked the yellow-and-red striped Catalan flag. Many participants carried the pro-independence flag, known as the "estelada," which also contains a blue triangle and a white star. The crowd passed a giant banner calling for a secession referendum overhead.

This year's annual celebration came amid growing excitement and tension over the independence vote planned for Oct. 1. Spain's constitutional court has suspended the referendum while it considers its legality, but Catalan leaders say they will go ahead with it anyway.

Spain's national government, based in Madrid, is doing all it can to stop the ballot, which it says is illegal. Catalan independence parties said Monday's huge turnout in the regional capital  estimated by Barcelona's municipal police at 1 million  was a show of strength that would add momentum to their cause.

"Today we have said loud and clear that no orders from any court will stop us," Jordi Sanchez, head of the grassroots movement Assemblea Nacional Catalana, said in a speech to the crowd.

While the standoff between Barcelona and Madrid is creating divisions, the good-humored celebration attended by families produced no signs of conflict

Participants sang and clapped along to recordings of the Catalan anthem "Els Segadors" (The Reapers). At one point, the crowd shouted in unison: "Independencia!"  Independence! The symbolic moment came after organizers counted down over a public address system to 5.14 p.m., which on a 24-hour clock is 1714.

That's the year independence supporters regard as the point when Catalonia lost much of the self-governing power it enjoyed for centuries.

Among the comparatively wealthy region's grievances is that because it accounts for a fifth of Spain's economic output, it pays more into the central government's coffers than it receives.

Nuria Bou, who wore a pro-independence flag tied around her neck like a cape, said she hoped she would get a chance to vote.

"We don't have anything against Spaniards," Bou said. "But for many years the Spanish government has been making cuts to the funds we receive, and what we want is to govern ourselves."

Miquel Puig, 41, a pro-independence Barcelona resident who runs a language school, wore a T-shirt reading "Ara es l'hora," which translates to "Now is the moment." Puig said he was motivated by "a mix of cultural, social and economic issues."

He noted that Catalonia, with a population of 7.5 million, has its own language and culture, that Catalans feel ignored by authorities in Madrid, and that the region can stand alone financially.

In a proof of their commitment to holding the vote, Catalan officials on Monday said mail-in voting by Catalan expatriates had already started.

Most Catalans support a vote on whether the prosperous region's future lies within or outside of Spain, but polls show that a referendum approved by the central government is preferred over a vote Madrid opposes.

Citizens also are divided over the independence issue. According to a June survey by the Catalan government's own polling agency, 41 percent supported independence while 49 percent were for staying in Spain. Outside of Catalonia, most Spaniards reject the idea.

Castillo Cancho, 69 and retired, did not go to the city center to join in the traditional march. He complained that what was once a day to celebrate Catalan culture has been usurped by the separatist cause.

Cancho is not in favor of independence and embraces his dual identity of Spanish and Catalan, but even so, he hopes that the Oct. 1 vote is held.

"If they don't let them vote, I will be annoyed, and I would almost be pushed to go vote if I could," he said. "Repression make you rebel."

His wife Rosa Maria Descalzo, 60, was wary of the vote because of the lack of legal guarantees such as an official voter roll.

"I am not convinced by the reasons they are giving for independence," she said. "When everyone is opening frontiers, why should we be closing them?"
Thirteen million pounds of hazardous waste has been illegally stored in a building in an eastern Missouri flood plain for nearly four years, according to federal and state documents obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch .

The newspaper reports that a federal indictment was filed this year in St. Louis against companies from Missouri and Ohio, and their officers. It alleges that 9 million pounds of the waste was first dumped in Mississippi before being dug up and illegally transported to Missouri.

A lawyer for Penny Duncan, owner of Missouri Green Materials, said Duncan was unaware the material was hazardous. She was told by her husband, Daryl Duncan, that the material was recyclable and could be used as a concrete additive, attorney Paul DAgrosa said.

A lawyer for the Ohio company, U.S. Technology Corp. of Canton, and its president, Raymond Williams, 70, declined to comment to the Post-Dispatch. A phone message left by The Associated Press on Tuesday was not returned.

At issue is bead blast waste created by the removal of paint from tanks, planes and other equipment on military bases. It contained cadmium, chromium, lead and other heavy metals used in paint pigments, the indictment says.

U.S. Technology leased the blasting materials to clients and was supposed to dispose of the waste, the indictment says, adding that the waste is not hazardous if 75 percent of the blasting materials are recycled within one year.

The indictment claims that on 20 days in 2013, as much as 300,600 pounds of waste a day was shipped from Mississippi to the Missouri Green Materials warehouse in rural Franklin County, near the tiny town of Berger. The indictment says no permit was obtained to move the material to Missouri.

The warehouse is in an area overgrown with weeds. It is across the road from Little Berger Creek, which empties into the Missouri River less than a mile away. A state water permit unrelated to the hazardous waste says that the building is in the flood plain.

The potential health risk of the waste isnt clear. An email message left with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources on Tuesday was not immediately returned.

A September 2016 consent agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls for U.S. Technology and Williams to come up with a plan to properly remove the waste from the Missouri facility and test for any soil contamination.

But federal prosecutors said in the April indictment that the waste was still there. DAgrosa said he had not been informed of any leaks or contamination.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
U.S. House lawmakers passed a wide-ranging bill to speed the introduction of self-driving vehicles championed by tech and auto companies racing to develop and deploy the technology.

With this legislation, innovation can flourish without the heavy hand of government, Ohio Republican Bob Latta said on the House floor ahead of the voice vote in the chamber Wednesday. Latta is chairman of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee that developed the legislation.

The action now moves to the Senate, where Republican John Thune of South Dakota and Democrats Bill Nelson of Florida and Gary Peters of Michigan are leading work on legislation of their own. The trio serve on the Senate commerce committee, which on Wednesday announced a Sept. 13 hearing to examine autonomous commercial vehicles and how they may fit into the Senates self-driving vehicle legislation. The House bill only applies to passenger cars and light trucks.

The House bill would put the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in charge of regulating self-driving car safety and preempt competing rules at the state level. Manufacturers would eventually be able to introduce as many as 100,000 self-driving cars per year that dont comply with current safety rules that assume the presence of a human driver. It also instructs NHTSA to develop new standards for self-driving cars. Companies must draft security and privacy plans for autonomous vehicles and document their approach for ensuring self-driving car safety.

If were going to stay at the forefront of innovation and technology in this country, we have to be driving the technology for autonomous vehicles, Michigan Democratic Representative Debbie Dingell said before the vote. Im really proud of the fact that we got this out of the House. We kept our heads down.

Bipartisan support propelled the bill to the House floor, as the House Energy and Commerce committee unanimously cleared the measure in July. The lopsided vote came in spite of concerns raised by some Democrats and criticism over the lack of input on the bill from NHTSA, which still doesnt have a top official appointed by the Trump administration.

Proponents say self-driving vehicles could help eliminate the human error responsible for some 94 percent of the more than than 30,000 fatal vehicle crashes in the U.S. each year. The issue has gained a sense of urgency after a rise of deadly crashes in recent years following a period of decline.

Trade groups representing companies such as Alphabet Inc.s Waymo LLC, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Lyft Inc. and others working on the technology voiced strong support for the bill. Labor unions successfully lobbied to exclude tractor-trailers, buses and other commercial vehicles from the House bill.

Automakers have been developing these technologies for years and this legislation helps address a variety of barriers that otherwise block the ability to safely test and deploy these vehicle technologies, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a Washington-based trade group for GM, Ford, Volkswagen AG and several other automakers, said in a statement.

Safety advocates have raised red flags. The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety told lawmakers in a letter on Tuesday that expanding the cap on safety exemptions to 100,000 vehicles per year could be dangerous and that the bills preemption of state authority is overly broad. The group also urged additional funding for NHTSA.

The Trump administration meanwhile will put its first formal stamp on autonomous vehicle policy when the U.S. Transportation Department releases updated deployment guidance later this month. The non-binding policy was first issued by the Obama administration in September 2016 to provide some basic safety guidelines for autonomous vehicles while stopping-short of issuing new regulations.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
A decade-long lucky streak of decent weather that helped rescue one of Floridas biggest home insurers from collapse could come to a wet, violent end if predictions about Hurricane Irma prove true.

The state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is strong enough to absorb the blow from the monster storm, industry experts say, but all the new claims could punch a hole in its finances, possibly leading to higher premiums in future years.

Irma will threaten the part of the state where Citizens market share is the greatest, directly on the coastline, said Robert Hartwig, an economist and insurance expert at the University of South Carolina. Premiums will rise.

Once a shaky, underfunded company, Citizens has transformed into a model of discipline, flush with money patiently built up over the years.

The company has 218,000 policies in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, according to a March financial report, areas that could get hit hard by Irma. That is 15 percent of total policies in those counties, down from 41 percent just six years ago.

Still, Irma is likely to cost Citizens big money.

Citizens CEO Barry Gilway told his board on Wednesday that despite the insurer being dramatically less exposed, it could still wind up having 100,000 claims after the storm passes. Asked by The Associated Press on Wednesday for a dollar estimate of possible losses, a Citizens spokesman would not give a figure.

Hartwig cited estimates that if all homes insured by Citizens was destroyed, an extreme and unlikely case, the insurer would have to pay out $50 billion to allow owners to rebuild.

Jack Nicholson, director of the Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center at Florida State University, said the storm could wind up costing $100 billion in insured and uninsured damage for homes and other buildings in Florida. He said he has never seen a storm so powerful.

We always talk about the big one, a matter of not if but when, Nicholson said. This has the potential to be the big one.

Irma is already ranked as the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in recorded history. As it moved across the Caribbean toward Florida on Wednesday, the Category 5 storm ripped open rooftops, flooded streets and knocked out electricity. Meteorologists said Irma could hit the Miami area by early Sunday, then pummel the length of the state as it pushes into the Carolinas.

Floridas last spate of bad storms came in quick succession in 2004 and 2005, ending with Hurricane Wilma. The insurance industry reeled from the hits. Many private insurers fled the Sunshine State, leaving Citizens to take over their policies.

By 2006, Citizens had a $1.7 billion deficit, meaning it was unable to cover policyholder claims. That was the largest deficit of any U.S. state-run insurer, said USCs Hartwig. Even a normal hurricane season could have toppled the company, he said, forcing the state to borrow heavily to pay out on policies.

But something unexpected happened as the next few years unfolded. The weather cooperated.

Mother Nature basically left the state alone for a decade, said Hartwig, co-director of the Center for Risk and Uncertainty Management at USCs Darla Moore School of Business.

Spared big payouts, Citizens has been able to hold onto its cash from premiums collected from property owners and to build up a surplus of $7.5 billion. The company has also managed to transfer much of its coverage to many new private insurers.

Citizens now has 453,000 policies, down from a peak 1.5 million in 2012.

Rates were already heading up for many Citizens policyholders, thanks to water damage and lawsuits.

Last month, CEO Gilway said homeowners in Miami-Dade and Broward counties were likely to see 10 percent increases this year. For policyholder in Miami-Dade, Gilway estimated average premiums would rise to $3,219 from $2,926. Broward premiums were set to rise to $2,926 from $2,390.

Insurance expert Lynne McChristian said the Irma forecasts keep changing and that makes it difficult to predict any likely losses to Citizens. But even if Citizens manages to dodge the worst, she noted, the danger remains high given hurricane season still has three months left. Already Hurricane Jose has formed in the Atlantic behind Irma.

Citizens has money to manage one storm, but what happens if we have another one right after that? said McChristian, Florida spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group. Were in peak season right now.

(Fineout reported from Tallahassee, Florida.)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Under Oregon statute O.R.S. 742.056, an insurance companys investigation of a loss or claim under the policy does not estop the insurance company from asserting any provision of the policy or any defense that the insurer may have under the policy. Recently, the Oregon Court of Appeals considered the issue of whether an insurers continued investigation of a property claim created an estoppel relieving the insurer of the policy two-year lawsuit limitation clause.

In Brockway v. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., 284 Or. App. 83, 391 P.3d 871 (Or. App. 2017) the insured reported a property theft claim to Allstate. Allstate assigned an investigator to the claim within a couple of days after the theft was reported. In discussing the theft with the insured, the Allstate investigator did not mention that the Allstate policy contained a contractual provision which required the insureds to file a lawsuit or any other claim arising from the loss against Allstate within two years from the date of the loss. Approximately one year after the theft, Allstate advised the insured that they were required to submit a sworn statement of proof of loss, including the insureds providing relevant documentation supporting the ownership and value of the stolen property. In that correspondence, Allstate informed the insureds that the statute of limitations on the claim expired two years from the date of the loss and that Allstate would insist upon complete compliance with all of the terms of the policy and Oregon law. Thereafter, Allstate sent the insureds numerous letters seeking additional documentation or information while indicating that Allstate was continuing to investigate the loss. Allstate conducted an examination under oath of the insured approximately one year following the loss. In fact, Allstate continued to seek additional information and documents from the insured as part of its investigation of the loss up through February 2012. The theft occurred on or about September 6, 2009 when the insureds discovered that a hole had been cut in their fence and that property had been stolen from their backyard.

In February 2012, Allstate denied the insureds claim based upon alleged misrepresentations and the insureds failure to cooperate with the investigation. Allstate also relied upon its two-year lawsuit limitation provision of the policy.

After the claim was denied, the insured sued Allstate for breach of contract and bad faith. The trial court granted Allstates motion for summary judgment, relying upon the two-year suit limitation provision. During the trial court proceeding the insured argued that Allstate was estopped from relying upon the two-year suit-limitation clause.

The Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed the trial courts grant of summary judgment. The Court of Appeals found that for equitable estoppel to be applicable, an insurance company had to do something that amounted to an affirmative inducement that would cause the insured to delay in bringing the action. Additionally, the insured was required to establish justifiable reliance. The Court of Appeals found that the record did not support an equitable estoppel claim.

First, the Court of Appeals noted that by statute, insurance companies were not estopped from asserting any provision of the insurance policy or any defense of the insurer thereunder arising from the insurance companys investigation. See O.R.S. 742.056. The Court also found that Allstates numerous communications with the insured indicated that Allstate was continuing to investigate the insureds claim but there was no language in those letters which would give rise to an estoppel. Allstate had repeatedly stated that it reserved all of its rights and defenses and that no waiver or estoppel was intended or should be inferred. Additionally, Allstate informed the insureds that their time to file an action relating to their claims expired two years from the date of the loss.

In finding in favor of Allstate, the court noted that Allstate had repeatedly informed the insureds that it continued to investigate their claims and that Allstate did not make any representation that could reasonably have led the insureds to believe that their claims would inevitably be accepted. There was no evidence that, despite Allstates communications, Allstate was not, in fact, investigating the claims. In fact, the record demonstrated Allstates communications reflected Allstates continued attempts to ascertain the losses attributed to the theft of the property and the insureds did not identify any conduct during the investigation that was improper. There was no evidence that Allstate engaged in behavior to reasonably induce the insureds not to commence any legal action prior to the expiration of the suit limitation period. Instead, Allstate repeatedly informed the insureds that Allstate would insist on compliance with all policy terms, reserve all of Allstates rights and defenses, and that no waiver or estoppel of any kind was intended or should be inferred from Allstates communications. In light of those admonishments, along with the circumstances demonstrated by the record, the Court concluded that no reasonable juror could find that Allstate breached its duty of good faith and fair dealing in the case by relying upon its suit-limitation provision.
AKRON, Ohio - An Akron man was shot in the chest late Friday in the city's Summit Lake neighborhood, police said.

The 21-year-old man's injuries were not life-threatening, police said. Akron Fire Department paramedics took him to Cleveland Clinic Akron General for treatment.

No arrests have been made in the shooting, which happened just before 10 p.m. on Boulevard Street near West Thornton Street, according to a police report.

The man did not provide a description of the gunman. Investigators have not said what led to the shooting.

One gunshot hit a 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that was parked on the street, police said.

Investigators recovered several bullet casings at the scene.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments section.
AKRON, Ohio -- Behind the orange barrels, as the Innerbelt expressway is removed, the city is laying the groundwork for smart technology that will transmit Wi-Fi and allow vehicles to communicate with the road.

Ohio and Akron officials on Monday touted the infrastructure improvements at a news conference Monday that focused on developing the city's workforce, attracting businesses and partnering with other government agencies.

The city has partnered with ODOT, the Ohio Public Works Commission, Akron Metropolitan Transportation Study, the Federal Highway Administration and others, said City Engineer Jim Hewitt.

"Without their assistance you would not see the massive amount of construction taking place around Akron today," Hewitt said.

Roads that talk to cars



Ohio Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor told attendees about a recent visit to Ohio Transportation Research Center, where research is ongoing to create roads that communicate to enable vehicles to speed up or slow down.

"We anticipate that accidents will be lessened and will potentially stop in the future," Taylor said.

Akron is including the technology in several projects -- decommissioning the Innerbelt, converting Cedar and Exchange streets to two-way and completing the Main Street promenade. All will incorporate underground conduits and fiber optic cables to support a future smart roads system and transmit Wi-Fi via street lights and other pedestals along the roadway.

The city looks for opportunities to include that technology, which is supported by ODOT, said Mayor Dan Horrigan.

"It's the smart thing to do," Horrigan said. "That sort of transportation network helps companies make decisions about where they are locating and what's the quality of life in and around the city. Plus, they help pay for it."

If voters approve the income tax increase in November, the money would help would support those kinds of improvements.

The city also is trying new paving technology. This fall, from Perkins Street to Route 8, a ground-tire, rubber-asphalt mix will be used to pave the road.

"The goal is to keep tires out of landfills, be comparable in cost to traditional pavement and perform better than traditional pavement in our climate," Hewitt said.

Improvements that draw business

In addition to adding innovative technologies, the city is opening 31 acres of the Innerbelt -- thus reconnecting the Oak Park neighborhood with the city - which is expected to bring new business opportunities in housing, retail and public spaces.

"Infrastructure projects like this project keep the economy growing in two important ways," Taylor said. "They create jobs immediately and also are powerful drivers of future private sector development. When businesses spend money it means jobs."

To help further spur economic development, the state this year will spend $260 million on 19 highway projects in Summit County, and over the next five years will spend $500 million to improve interstate and state route access, Taylor said.

To boost efficiency, the city paired complementary projects, Horrigan said.

Other projects in the works

Akron Waterways Renewed!, the city's $1.4 billion sewer project, was timed to take place during removal of the Innerbelt to save on construction and engineering costs.

The city also plans to work simultaneously on the Main Street Promenade and the State Street Bridge, which runs between Water Street and Main Street downtown. Last year, the city received a $5 million federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant to improve Main Street with sidewalk repairs, on-street parking, dedicated bike lanes, a roundabout, new signage and green infrastructure. It was awarded $7.5 million from the federal government to replace the State Street Bridge.

Such infrastructure improvements are hoped to draw business to Akron.

"They provide us with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to market us as a great destination for existing business who would like to expand, other business who would like to relocate and, I think more importantly, entrepreneurs who eventually want to take that risk," Horrigan said.

Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County will spend $200,000 next year to have a company exterminate bed bugs in homes of seniors and disabled adults.

The problem has increased so dramatically that homes are on a waiting list for treatment. Home healthcare providers will not enter homes if there are bed bugs, said county spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan.

The county's board of control on Monday agreed to pay Terminex International Inc. $200,000 in 2018. The company was paid $100,000 this year but the money ran out in August and an additional $50,000 was allocated, Madigan said.

The Department of Health and Human Services/Division of Senior and Adult Services began a Bed Bug Assistance Program in 2014 for adults over age 60 and adults 18 to 59 years old with a disability. They had to meet income requirements.

In 2016 104 homes were treated. Thus far this year 114 have been treated, Madigan said.

Bed bugs have become an increasing problem in Northeast Ohio.

The annual list by pest control company Terminix ranks Cleveland first in bedbug infestations this year, above Cincinnati and Detroit, which rank second and third. Cleveland was third in the rankings last year.

Orkin, another major pest control company, also releases an annual list. Cleveland ranked 13 this year and 12 the year before, with other cities like Columbus and Cincinnati ranking higher.

Any home or business can be affected by bed bugs, which are tiny insects that live on blood. The parasites are the size of an apple seed and can hide in tiny crevices. Bed bugs can latch onto luggage or purses, riding to infect other locations. They often are found in theaters, buses, offices and libraries, according to Orkin.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -

It's been a busy year for the Greater Cleveland dining scene.

The stunning Marble Room Steaks and Raw Bar in downtown Cleveland just gave new life to the former National City Bank (see our preview, as well as a look at historical photos and current-day architecture). Ramen lovers can slurp up bowls at the just-opened Xinji Noodle Bar in Ohio City. Dante's Inferno is the latest in additions to the East Bank of the Flats.

Fast-casual concepts are popping up all over, including the newest options at Jack Casino. And plenty of favorites are expanding - Otani Noodle will open a second location downtown at the former Noodlecat, Melt Bar and Grilled opened in Avon, Barroco opened in the Larchmere district and Barrio just announced a new location in Willoughby.

Tomorrow, Citizen Pie, which garnered a huge following at its Collinwood location, opens in Ohio City. And finally, at long last, boozy donut eatery Brewnuts will serve up its delicious baked goods from its home in Gordon Square.

Just this month, Jeremy Umansky's Larder, which is slated to open in Hingetown in early December, was named one of the country's "16 Most Anticipated Restaurants Opening in Fall 2017" in the national food publication Eater.

There are still many more bars and restaurants we're waiting on - Michael Symon's Sherla's Chicken & Oysters, in the former Lolita space, is slated for 2018. Bad Tom Smith Brewing and Boss Dog Brewery will join Cleveland's vibrant beer scene. Ohio City BBQ will add to our barbecue obsession. And the East Bank of the Flats will see Rascal Flatts, Backyard Bocce and Thirsty Dog join the waterfront. (See even more in this list of most-anticipated restaurants.)

So, what are your favorite new restaurants, bars and breweries? Which are you most looking forward to? And what would you like to see more - or less - of in region?

Share your thoughts by joining us for a discussion from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for today's edition of "Talk It Out," a civil, moderated, constructive conversation on this topic in the comments section below.

In our Talk it Out pre-curated conversations, comments are published after they are reviewed by a moderator -- promptly -- to ensure they adhere to our community rules, which prohibit indecent, hateful, abusive or harassing comments, personal attacks, vulgar nicknames, personal information including telephone numbers and addresses, email addresses belonging to others, anything inciting criminal behavior and copyrighted material for which you do not own the rights.
WinCo Foods, a low-cost grocery chain in the Rocky Mountain West, plans to move into the lot previously owned by Kmart on 24th Street West and Central Avenue in Billings.

The store would be the company's first in Montana.

WinCo would build new, demolishing the Kmart building, which has stood vacant since the discount retailer closed its doors in early summer 2016, and build a new 70,000- to 80,000-square-foot store on the site, said David Mitchell at Coldwell Banker Commercial.

The new building would have spots for a couple additional retailers, Mitchell said.

WinCo Foods is an employee-owned company with 113 stores across the Northwest as well as Utah, Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma. The closest to Billings is its store in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

In April 2016, WinCo announced it planned to build a store in Bozeman, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported. By November of that year, the company had withdrawn its plan, citing the city's design requirements.

Around the time the company withdrew from Bozeman, WinCo announced plans to build a store in Helena. The company owns 10 acres there and had planned to build a 84,975-square-foot store with 496 parking spaces. The location is close to Super 1 Foods, Albertsons, Natural Grocers and Costco Wholesale.

However, in March those plans were put on hold.

"WinCo directed us to complete our design drawings but not submit for permit," wrote Priya Raman to Helena's chief building official Jon Pallister in a March 16 email obtained by the Independent Record. "We are 'on hold' right now and we do not have a definite date for submittal."

Raman is senior project manager with the Boise firm hired by WinCo to draft design drawings.

WinCo's location in Billings would place it next to Natural Grocers and across the street from Albertsons, which sits on the southeast corner of 24th Street West and Central Avenue.

The company was founded in 1967 under the name Waremart Foods, according to WinCo's website. In the mid-1970s, a Waremart occupied the space to the south of Kmart in Billings. When the Waremart closed, Kmart expanded into the space, according to Gazette archives.

Waremart changed its name to WinCo in 1999.

Calls to WinCo's corporate office in Boise on Monday afternoon were not returned.
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - Companies that make prescription opioids want a Ross County Common Pleas judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine that charged them with stoking Ohio's opioid epidemic by fraudulently marketing their products.

Legal briefs filed by Purdue Pharma, which makes Oxycontin, say U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements for its products preempt Ohio law, and DeWine's lawsuit also failed to prove the company's actions caused the harm he cites.

"The State does not identify a single physician who prescribed one of Purdue's opioid medications to any patient when it was allegedly medically unnecessary, much less, a physician who did so because of Purdue's allegedly misleading marketing or promotional materials," the company's legal filings say.

DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney said the office is reviewing the drug companies' legal filings "and will file our response in due course." A hearing on the case is scheduled this month before Ross County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott W. Nusbaum. DeWine filed the case in Ross County because Southern Ohio was particularly hard hit by the opioid epidemic.

Ohio leads the nation in overdose deaths, and DeWine maintains the drug companies triggered the crisis by flooding the state with prescription painkillers. His lawsuit claims that in order to boost profits, the companies lied to physicians by overstating the drugs' benefits and downplaying their risks.

According to the Ohio Department of Health, approximately eight Ohioans die every day from unintentional drug overdoses. Last year, more than 4,000 Ohio residents died of unintentional drug overdoses, up 32.8 percent from 2015. The increased overdose rate is largely driven by opioids.

The lawsuit is among more than a dozen civil cases that states, cities and counties filed over the past year against the opioid industry. The strategy echoes lawsuits filed against tobacco companies that resulted in a 1999 settlement of more than $200 billion.

But pharmaceutical industry lawyers say the cases are different because the federal government determined their painkillers are safe and effective when used properly. Purdue's legal filing says that because the FDA approved Oxycontin's painkiller use and safety warnings, federal law blocks Ohio from pursuing legal remedies in state court.

Legal briefs the drug makers filed last week also say DeWine's action should be stayed until the FDA completes a pending scientific assessment of "the risks and benefits of opioid prescription."

The legal filing from Purdue, Teva, Cephalon, Janssen, Endo, Watson and Actavis drug companies said "staying this action until FDA completes its scientific analysis will aid this Court by allowing it to benefit from FDA's medical and regulatory expertise and avoid inconsistent rulings on issues presenting pending before the agency."
CLEVELAND, Ohio - There was an irresistible urge to reach out and touch that mangled, rusted hunk of history, almost as if you could feel the horror of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

A steal beam, salvaged from one of the Trade Center towers, was the centerpiece of a First Responders Memorial unveiled Monday outside the KeyBank Public Safety Training Center on the western campus of Cuyahoga Community College.

The unveiling was one of the local events marking the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that claimed 2,997 lives, including 492 first responders.

Commemorative ceremonies also were held at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on Public Square, where wreaths were presented throughout the morning to coincide with key moments of the attacks 16 years ago, and taps played to honor the lives lost.

The memorial at CCC is intended to honor the courage and sacrifice of all past, present and future first responders.

The World Trade Center beam is suspended in the center of the 11-foot-tall sculpture that consists of nine limestone slabs rising in a tower-like stack and inscribed with silhouettes of service patches representing police, fire and emergency services.

"This memorial recognizes our continuous commitment to all who dedicate their lives as first responders, but especially those who were part of the tragic events of September 11, 2001," said Donna Imhoff, western campus president.

More than 200 people attended the ceremony that was capped by the unveiling as a black cloth that shrouded the sculpture was pulled aloft, appropriately enough, by the aerial ladder of a fire truck. A trumpeter played "Amazing Grace."

Once the sculpture was bared, people drew near to reach out and tentatively touch the cold slab of steel that had survived the destruction of 9/11.

Among the spectators was Bob Szabo, a retired Cleveland Heights firefighter who had served as an adjunct faculty member in the college's public safety program. Szabo had acquired the beam in 2010 to use in his classroom as a reminder of the lives lost in 9/11.

Szabo said anyone who saw the beam had to touch it, and he wanted others to share that experience. "I'd rather have it on display so more people can see it," he said.

Retired Cleveland police officer Larry Krumheuer, 76, of Seven Hills, attended the event with his daughter, Joni Stoop, of North Royalton.

"We're here for first responders, whether they're police or fire. We look at it as we're all brothers in blue," Krumheuer said.

Both liked the sculpture. "It's nice to have something nearby, representing what the whole world feels," Stoop said.

The sculpture was constructed so that at 10:28 a.m., its shadow will align with a band of dark paving on the ground, representing the moment when the North Tower collapsed.

Each of the sculpture's stones gets bigger as the structure rises, "the idea being that the energy that was given that day is an increasing thing," said Dale Johnson, of Old World Stone Carving in Sunbury, Ohio.

The artist who created the sculpture also said the steel pins separating the limestone slabs correspond to the Trade Center stairs that emergency personnel used to respond to the attacks.

All the pins are alike, representing "an anonymous effort made on the part of the many for the few, and that's what it is every day," Johnson said.

This anonymous effort has characterized all cultures, eras, civilizations and ethnicities throughout history, according to Johnson.

"We all want to jump in and be able to say we did our part," he added. "That's humanity right there."

In addition to remembering 9/11, Monday was also Patriot's Day and Sen. Sherrod Brown took the opportunity to present a few long-overdue military medals to Cleveland veteran George Burress for his service as an Army Infantryman in Vietnam.

In a ceremony at the Carl B. Stokes Federal Courthouse, Burress received the Combat Infantryman Badge, Vietnam Service Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

Burress had never received the honors due to a paperwork error.

After his military service, Burress served as a law enforcement officer for more than 40 years with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff, East Cleveland police and U.S. Marshall Service.

The medals were obtained through the efforts of the senator, who said in a news release, "Our veterans don't often speak about their service. But through these medals and these ceremonies, we learn their stories."
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A mother and son from Massachusetts pleaded guilty Monday to helping a 17-year-old girl run away from her Parma home earlier this year.

Renee Hanson, 44, and Michael Julien, 19, of Salem each pleaded guilty to inducing panic and interference of custody charges. Hanson also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice charges.

Julien was placed into a diversion program that, if he completes it, will see the case dropped. Common Pleas Judge Joseph Russo is set to sentence Hanson on Oct. 11. She faces anywhere from probation to a maximum of four years in prison.

Parma police, with Cleveland and Boston FBI agents, said that Julien and Hanson plotted to bring the 17-year-old teen to live with them in Salem. Police have not said how the teen knew Julien and Hanson.

Hanson drove from Salem to Parma March 4 to pick up the girl after her parents left their Augustine Drive home.

Two witnesses saw her walking away from the home on her own accord, police said. She left her cellphone behind and didn't appear to pack any clothing.

The girl was found at a Salem home unharmed, police said. She was charged with one count of inducing panic in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court, but that charge was dismissed in June, according to court records.

To comment on this story, please visit Monday's crime and courts comments page.
The U.S. Army lieutenant general who recently assumed command of all U.S. and Allied forces in the Middle East lived for a time in Roundup where his father, also a three-star general, grew up.

According to information provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk II commands forces representing 62 partner nations in the Middle East. His father, Lt. Gen. (Retired) Paul Butch Funk, served 32 years as a soldier and has three degrees from Montana State University, including a doctorate of education and an honorary doctorate from the universitys Engineering Department.

The mother of the younger Lt. Gen. Funk, the former Danny Brown, is also an MSU graduate. Butch and Danny Funk live on Spearhead Ranch near Copperas Cove, Texas, where they raise registered Polled Herefords outside a town near Ft. Hood.

The younger Lt. Gen. Funk, 55, was born in Fort Hood and attended grade school in Roundup. He also attended Bozeman-area schools for four years while his father attended graduate school at MSU and served an overseas assignment in Korea.

He graduated from Ft. Knox High School in Kentucky, then attended MSU, where he earned a Reserve Officers Training Corps commission as an armor officer.

His bachelors degree is in speech communications. He also has a masters degree in administration from Central Michigan University. He is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and completed his senior service college as a fellow attending the Institute of Advanced Technology at the University of Texas in Austin.

Hes been deployed six times, leading soldiers in combat during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, twice in Operation Iraqi Freedom, in Operation Enduring Freedom and in Operation Inherent Resolve.

He is the senior Sigma Chi and MSU alumnus on active duty in the U.S. Army and becomes the senior active duty service member in the U.S. Department of Defense.
A little over a week ago, after strong winds and soaring daytime temperatures pushed a wildfire through a vast swath of the Bears Paw Mountains south of Havre, the situation for the fire team managing the blaze was grim. The more than 15,000-acre East Fork Fire had zero containment, had destroyed at least five cabins and was threatening an estimated 130 additional structures in the area.

Yet firefighters assigned to the blaze had little hope of receiving backup, with national resources stretched uncommonly thin in what has shaped up to be a historic fire season in the Western U.S.

The national situation is there are so many fires and so many incidents going on that there are extremely limited resources, Martin Balukas, who worked as a spokesman with the team, noted at the time. Right now, we have enough to be operationally effective. I dont mean to imply that firefighting resources are being jeopardized, but were in the unusual situation of relying on county and local resources for much longer than is ordinary.

Forecasters are cautiously optimistic that the end of this week could bring a long-awaited shift to seasonal temperatures, with a cold front expected to bring the first significant precipitation that Montana  and much of the inland Pacific Northwest  has seen in well over a month.

But in the meantime, a national shortage of firefighting resources persists throughout Montana and adjacent portions of the Northern Rockies, where more than 2,800 wildfires this year had burned more than 1.2 million acres of land.

Each day, the National Interagency Fire Center reviews the list of major wildfires burning across the west and designates priorities based on ten geographic areas across the country, and the highest-priority fires burning within those regions. The Northern Rockies region comprises Montana, Northern Idaho, North Dakota and portions of Wyoming and South Dakota.

As of Sunday, the more than 130,000-acre Rice Ridge fire, burning in the densely forested mountains north of Ovando and east of Seeley Lake, was highest priority in the nation, out of 38 large, uncontained wildfires currently burning in the United States.

If we had more resources available, we would be ordering them, said Nicole Sticknie, a spokeswoman for the Type 1 incident management team assigned to the Rice Ridge fire. The reality is that everybody is stretched thin with the amount of fires, and the large fires that were facing right now, in pretty much the whole nation.

Incident management teams, assigned by the National Interagency Fire Center to manage the most complex fires burning in the country, draw their personnel from agencies throughout local, state and federal government agencies across the U.S. Type 1 teams are assigned to the most serious wildfires and fire complexes. All 16 of those top-tier teams are currently deployed throughout the country, and four are battling blazes in Western Montana.

It does happen occasionally that weve got so much fire activity nationwide that its a challenge to get resources, Brian Harris, with the Type 1 team fighting the Alice Creek fire northeast of Lincoln. I certainly think this fire season is shaping up to be a remarkable one, with the volume of wildfires going on throughout the United States.

On the western end of the Billings Logan International Airport, a massive DC-10 air tanker parked near the inter-agency fire cache has recently appeared as a testament to the extreme fire conditions persisting throughout Montana. After initially staging out of Helena earlier this summer, fire officials began using the Billings airport due to the visibility-limiting smoke plaguing most of Western Montana.

One of three such firefighting jets in the country, this summer is the first time it began operating out of the Treasure State, and Bureau of Land Management spokesman Al Nash noted that temporary infrastructure needed to be installed at the Billings airport to accommodate the massive aircraft, which has a 11,600-gallon capacity for carrying chemical retardant.

In the Northern Rockies, weve been at Preparedness Level 5 since August 10. Thats atypical, Nash said, referring to the national fire centers ranking for regional wildfire conditions.

He noted that fire crews who typically work 14-day shifts with a two-day rest period in between are being asked to fight fire for 21-day stretches. And their growing fatigue is further compounded by the exodus of college-enrolled crew members returning to school for their fall semesters.

In an average year, the region would have already received a significant dump of rain or snow referred to as a season-ending event, according to Mike Cole, another fire spokesman with the Type 1 team fighting the Rice Ridge Fire. He compared the length and severity of this year to the historic fire season of 2000, which scorched nearly 600,000 acres in Montana.

While season-ending rains may be in store during the next couple weeks, he warned that the prolonged fire conditions in the Western U.S. could have a ripple effect on other parts of the country.

In a normal year, the fires would be winding down in the West right now, and we would be ramping up and being ordered to Florida and Texas for hurricane relief efforts, he said.

As a long-time member of the Kalispell-based incident management team, Cole remembers leaving the wildfires behind and heading to San Antonio, Texas, in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Twenty-person crews and other team members who typically battle flames in the Western U.S. found themselves working under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, assisting hurricane refugees and using their chainsaws to clear downed trees from roadways in the wake of the damaging storms.

FEMA is going to be running into the same problem we are, where they can usually rely on us for additional resources, and were not available, Cole said. Its just kind of bad timing this year.
CORNWALL, Ontario  AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic is presented by WFG Financial Group.

Day 1 of the Shorty Jenkins Classic promises some big names going head to head. The action starts Thursday (September 14th) at noon with 2-time World Champion, 5-time European Champion Niklas Edin from Sweden battling former World Champion and 2-tim European Champ, Norways Thomas Ulsrud.

The 3pm afternoon matches draw some big names as well. Brad Gushue (current Brier and World Champion and former Olympic Champ), Glenn Howard (4-time World and 4-time Brier Champion), John Eppings team with local curling star, Matt Camm. Brad Jacobs (current Olympic Champ and former Brier Champ) starts his campaign at 6pm.

You can see the all the teams with their schedules and scores for the weekend at shortyjenkinsclassic.com.

This is the 21st year for the event. The AMJ Campbell Shorty Jenkins Classic presented by WFG Financial Group will take place at the Cornwall Curling Centre beginning on Thursday, Sept. 14th at 12:30 p.m. and will continue through to Sunday, September 17th with the final match at 3:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Tickets are still available.
Gathered Monday morning on the City College campus of Montana State University Billings, close to 100 students, teachers, community members and armed services personnel stood together in silent remembrance of the tragedies that unfolded on Sept. 11, 2001, and those who lost their lives in the attacks that shook the nation 16 years ago.

MSU Chancellor Ron Larsen spoke first during the memorial ceremony, standing with other dignitaries alongside a gleaming pair of tall, rectangular prisms and a twisted hunk of steel I-beam recovered from the wreckage of the former World Trade Center that together make up Montanas 9/11 Memorial on the college campus.

As fires raged and people tried to flee the scene, it became apparent that something else was happening, Larsen said, recalling his reaction to the tragedy then unfolding in Manhattan. We learned that heroes instinctively step into harms way when others are in need.

In addition to the first responders killed on 9/11  both during the collapse of the Twin Towers and from related health complications that set in months and years later  the chancellor asked those in attendance to keep Montanas first responders in their thoughts.

He acknowledged the hundreds of firefighters still working to contain the wildfires raging throughout Montana and specifically made note of Madison Kane, vice president of the universitys Veterans Club and an Army Reserve soldier recently called into active duty.

During his remarks, City College Dean Clifford Coppersmith asked that Montanans give thanks as well to two wildland firefighters who this summer died while battling the blazes that have rampaged Western Montana. Trenton Johnson, of Missoula, died after he was injured by a tree that toppled over at a wildfire near Seeley Lake. Brent Witham, of Mentone, California, died Aug. 2, while assigned to the Lolo Peak Fire west of Florence. His death was also attributed to a falling tree.

Despite the solemn proceedings, however, the annual ceremony also provides a positive note, when the annual 9/11 First Responder Scholarship is awarded to a local student. This years recipient was Chris Laukant, a paramedic student completing his final year of the program at City College.

Every dollar helps, Laukant said afterwards. The program itself is really teaching you a lot of leadership skills  Being a paramedic as opposed to an EMT, theres a lot more we can do before people get into the hospital.

Despite his young age at the time, Laukant said he can remember having just woken up when he heard the news that the World Trade Center was under attack. It didnt play a direct role in his decision to become a firefighter, however  he said his journey down that career path began even earlier. The Chicago native remembers how every time he would be riding in his parents car and passing a fire department, he would beseech them to stop and let him take a tour.

I walked through the same fire houses maybe 100 times, but every time was a great feeling, he said with a laugh.

Before a student from the colleges jazz program closed out the ceremony by playing taps, former Billings Fire Chief Paul Dextras told the crowd that the states 9/11 memorial serves as a reminder to him that despite the evil in the world, there are many more who practice acts of selflessness each day when called to duty.

Theres something special about coming to this memorial, placing my hand on it  and feeling physically connected to all who lost their lives, Dextras said. This loss of life involved a diverse group of the best of the best our nation has to offer.

Later in the day, people gathered for another ceremony across town. City and county officials joined onlookers and musicians from Billings Central Catholic High School on the Yellowstone County Courthouse lawn to mark the occasion.

A representative read a proclamation from Gov. Steve Bullock, who requested that flags be put at half-staff on Monday. The two U.S. flags in the lawn flew atop their poles, however. One was lowered at the end of the ceremony.

Chuck Carroll, a Billings man who is commander of the Montana VFW, gave the keynote speech. He spoke of threats to the country, as manifested on Sept. 11, 2001, and how the country should answer.

"We will fight for the freedom to live our lives free of tyranny and fear," Carroll said.
Continue Reading Below Advertisement

The newly minted cop killers immediately sped off, leaving homicide detectives with few leads to go on besides a bunch of broken glass. Which, as it turned out, was all they needed.

The investigators knew that the glass came from the windshield of the murderers' vehicle, but not the type of car it came from (or, you know, who was driving it). When one of the fragments was found to have an eensy-weensy letter "H" imprinted on it, they called the local windshield expert, who said it probably came from a Korean vehicle -- either a Hyundai or a Kia. Hmmm, which one could it be?

A forensic scientist flew the glass all the way over to South Korea, where it was learned that it came from the rear windscreen of a 1997 Hyundai (*gasp!*) Excel X3. Armed with this information, the police initiated a massive search for anyone who had or was currently trying to replace a rear Hyundai windscreen (along with any Excel X3s that might have a shitty tape and tarp situation where a windshield should be).

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

This led to a young woman who stated her father had "broken it at work," and finally they had a culprit: a "sexual predator and a thrill killer" named Bandali Debs. He, along with his daughter's boyfriend (who was believed to be his accomplice, although the evidence is a little shaky), were arrested for the murders of Silk and Miller after further analysis proved a positive match. As a bonus, 38 robbery cases in The Pigout Series were also cleared, and Debs was revealed to be a sociopath of the first order, as he was later found to be responsible for murdering prostitutes. We have no idea what goofy name they came up with for those crimes.
Cloud News

Michael Dell To Partners: Get On Board With Containers 'If You Want To Be Relevant In The Future'

Matt Brown

Share this

Fresh off the introduction of Pivotal Container Service, Dell Technologies Chairman, President and CEO Michael Dell is urging solution providers to get into the container game by tapping into a large and eager pool of VMware customers.



In an exclusive interview with CRN, Dell said Pivotal Container Service, which is the result of a partnership between Pivotal, VMware and Google, is a natural for existing VMware customers and an obvious opportunity for solution providers.



"Containers is a new way to deal with new applications, the cloud-native applications," Dell said. "You've got 500,000-plus VMware customers around the world. This is a super-easy way for all those customers to manage, deploy and utilize Linux containers in ultra-modern fashion with Kubernetes, with Pivotal technology, with VMware NSX, and it totally integrates with everything they already have. That's going to be a monster product. That's a big opportunity for all the partners."



[Related: VMware, Pivotal Intro Pivotal Container Service, Partner With Google Cloud To Bring Kubernetes Containers To Enterprises]



Large, long-time VMware partners would be crazy to miss the opportunity presented by Pivotal Container Service, Dell said. "If you want to be relevant in the future, absolutely. It's completely integrated into the VMware architecture. It'll be super easy to use."

Dell said the notion that container technology is a threat to VMware "is totally wrong."

"Who uses more containers than anyone? The answer is Google," Dell said. "If you go to Google, and say you guys have a lot of containers, what do you do with your containers? [They say] we put them in virtual machines. Why do you put your containers in virtual machines? Because it's easier to manage, because if we didn't, if you're running on bare metal, it's not working so well. When you think of the management of things, you end up not with containers versus virtual machines, it's containers and virtual machines. That happens to be very good for VMware now that it has Pivotal Container Service."

At the annual VMWorld conference in Las Vegas late last month, VMware and Pivotal  two members of the Dell Technologies family of "strategically aligned businesses"  introduced the Pivotal Container Service along with Google Cloud.

The service, known as PKS, aims to bring enterprise customers and service providers production-ready Kubernetes container management on VMware vSphere and Google Cloud Platform with constant compatibility with Google Container Engine.



Michael Tanenhaus, CEO of Mavenspire, an Annapolis, Md., solution provider that works with Dell EMC and VMware, agreed that there's room in the market for both containers and traditional virtualization. "There are things that are cloud native, and things that are traditional, and each has strength," he said. "Traditional is about reliability. Cloud native is about innovation, and being nimble and scaling very easily, and more and more workloads in the cloud native side are containerized."



"Software is eating the world," Tanenhaus said. "If you want to be able to scale, there needs to be a cloud native apps sort of function and microservices, and that means containers. This is the way forward because software will eat the world. We're not going to see places where they're trying to do bigger and bigger infrastructure densities, because they're going to do it in containers. At the end of the day, containers are just a format, and it means you're doing something to automate, to make it easier, more functional, to drive more performance. Virtualization used to be described as a suitcase, and you carry everything around in your suitcase. Containers are the new suitcase."





Rick Gouin, CTO of Winslow Technology Group, a Waltham, Mass.-based data center solution provider that works with Dell EMC, said container technology is moving into the mainstream, and Winslow is making sure it's ready to provide containers and container services  and the attendant hyper-converged infrastructure  when customers say they're ready.



"We're starting to see containerization coming out of exclusively the DevOps area, and into standard infrastructure," Gouin said. "It's just like virtualization was a number of years ago. You have to be able to provide that framework for your customers so when they get to that point, you can provide them with the infrastructure they need. It'll be table stakes for deploying that infrastructure."
[Photo by Zhao Tianhua/China Daily]

A large amount of tourists have visited the Provence Lavender Manor this summer, a flower park 30 kilometers far from central Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province.

The largest lavender-themed park in Northeast China covers an area of 800,000 square meters and about ten million flowers  including lavender, verbena and canola flowers  have been planted.
Levi Peaslee has wanted to be a Navy SEAL since he heard about the program when he was 15 years old.

So when he was about 20, he began the enrollment process. He said he passed mental and physical examinations, was in training and had regular contact with recruiters.

That began in 2009. It's now been an eight-year slog for the the 28-year-old Helena man.

There were various reasons for the delay, but Peaslee said he's taken care of all but one: a misdemeanor criminal record that includes a DUI and a disorderly conduct ticket, both from years ago.

A hunter, weightlifter, former wrestler and combat sport fighter, Peaslee said he's in physical and metal shape needed for the special operations enlistment. But recruiters always bring up his convictions.

"You are the prime applicant," Peaslee said, paraphrasing conversations with the military. "You are the type of guy we need in the program. But your record is holding you back."

Now he's hoping a new expungement law, which takes effect in October, will help him realize his goal.

The bill

House Bill 168 passed the Montana Legislature this spring by a comfortable margin. It allows anyone to petition the courts to have his or her misdemeanor record erased, so long as that person has completed the sentence and had no other offenses for five years.

State Rep. Zach Brown, D-Bozeman, was the bill's primary sponsor.

You want to be able to give people an opportunity to be basic participants, and that requires housing, access to credit," he said. "Rehabilitated convicts often have a harder time with those things, and that leads to recidivism."

He said interest in drafting the law grew after hearing from people with misdemeanor records. They included Peaslee, who had reached out to lawmakers to gauge interest in expungement laws.

Peaselee said he was contacted by state Sen. Nels Swandal, R-Wilsall, whom Brown said worked with him and state Rep. Dale Mortensen, R-Billings, to carry the bill.

Swandal is a former district court judge.

According to the law, the process for expungement will be done by Montana's district courts. For most misdemeanors, judges are to presume that expungement will be granted.

But the bill calls for more stringent reviews for people convicted of assault, partner or family member assault, violation of a protective order and DUI. Expungement will not be presumed in those cases, leaving judges to consider other risk factors for recidivism.

We really strove to give the judicial branch some discretion to interpret and apply the law on a case-by-case basis, Brown said.

In practice

The expungement law caught the attention of Layne Scheveck, who is leaving a job with the Montana Office of the State Public Defender to open a private practice.

He spent more than three years as a public defender, representing serious offenders and those with simple misdemeanors.

"Its the ones who are 18 to 25 who just had too much to drink, or they had pot on them and now theyll have trouble getting a job or a CDL (commercial driver's license) because they made one mistake when they were younger," he said.

Now he hopes expungements might be a cottage industry in the law business that will support his practice.

Scheveck said he was happy to see Montana follow the lead of other states with expungement laws. One of the more recent cases is Kentucky, which passed a law last year to erase nonviolent misdemeanors and low-level felonies. Supporters of the bill in that state expressed the same sentiment of second chances.

In addition to brightening job prospects, Scheveck also mentioned the restoration of some gun ownership as potential effects of the bill.

Federal law prohibits people convicted of certain domestic violence crimes from buying guns.

Montana doesn't allow concealed weapons permits for people convicted of carrying a concealed weapon under the influence or carrying a concealed weapon in a prohibited place, which are both misdemeanors.

The state also bans concealed weapons permits for misdemeanors committed as part of more serious sexual and violent crimes.

Scheveck said that for those who left their crimes in the past, it's worth it for the state to grant another chance. He said he's had clients who've tried to do well despite a conviction  even a serious misdemeanor.

I get to see what a conviction does," he said. "A DUI or PFMA is like a misdemeanor on steroids, because it follows you.

For some in the justice system, crime records should follow those who commit them.

Beaverhead County Attorney Jed Fitch said he opposes the law, which he said wipes away the work of prosecutors.

The concept of expungement is a little bizarre to me, Fitch said.

Fitch, who is president of the Montana County Attorneys Association, said that he spoke on behalf of himself as a prosecutor and not the board. In addition to prosecuting crimes, county attorney offices also handle victim advocacy and outreach for many cases.

Fitch noted that defendants in Montana can argue for deferred impositions of sentences, which allow a judge to strike a guilty verdict from the record and dismiss charges.

And some misdemeanors, like DUIs and domestic assaults, are set up so that multiple lifetime offenses become more serious with repeat convictions. That underscores the importance of criminal records, he said.

To me, I take a different view that when I'm prosecuting someone, I would like to know if it's their fifth or sixth conviction, Fitch said.

Trying again

HB 168 includes a provision backing expungement specifically if a person has applied for military duty or to a military academy but has been turned down due to a misdemeanor.

That includes people like Peaslee, who said he made some "pretty foolish" decisions in the past and has worked toward the straight-and-narrow path since then.

To judge a guy based on his past and to prevent him from moving forward with his future is wrong, I think, he said.

There were multiple reasons Peaslee's enlistment hasn't come through. He said an asthma condition noted during high school wrestling raised flags, but he's passed a pulmonary exam since. He rolled his ankle while training, which pushed back what would have been his ship date to basic training.

The military does give waivers for some applicants convicted of misdemeanors, but he said they're not granted as often when the military is going softer on recruitment.

Peaslee said he could take care of the other roadblocks, but not the convictions.

Its pretty heart-wrenching not being able to do that, he said.

Peaslee said he's going to seek expungement when the new law becomes codified, and then he'll try and re-enlist to the SEALs.

Brown said that's an intended effect of the law.

Were not going to be punitive and require people being completely defined by a low point in their lives or a mistake that theyve made, he said.
Components & Peripherals News

Reinventing HP: Beating Apple, Taking On Xerox, And Driving Growth In PCs And Printers

Steven Burke

Share this

HP CEO Dion Weisler says it seems like a lot longer than four years since he took the helm of what was then a declining PC and printer business with outdated products and a bleak future.

"Four years in this business is like 28 years in any other business -- it operates in dog years," said Weisler, who along with his executive team have refashioned HP into a company with innovative products that are redefining the customer experience in both the premium systems market against Apple and in the A3 copier replacement market against Xerox. "As a company, we are incredibly different than what we were back then. The main thing we did is we reinvented ourselves in every single area of our business."

Reinvented indeed. HP was considered a laggard with lackluster me-too products, a dearth of innovation and anything but a leader in product design when Weisler was named the chief of HP's Printing and Personal Systems Group in June 2013. Today the company is winning commercial solutions and consumers  including millennials -- for what by all accounts is flat out the best product portfolio in its history.

[CRN Exclusive: CEO Weisler On Reinventing HP, Market-Share Gains, And 'Creating The Future' With Partners]

That has translated into quarterly results for the quarter ended July 31 that were off the charts. HP reported a 10 percent increase in sales, with the PC business growing at an almost unimaginable 12 percent. The printer business delivered its second consecutive quarter of growth -- helped in part by a "stabilizing" of the all-important printer supplies business.

HP bested the overall PC market unit growth by 9.5 points year over year in the second calendar quarter, remaining the No. 1 global PC market share leader with 22.8 percent share, said Weisler. That puts HP on track to soon ship one out of every four PCs in a $333 billion market.

Just as impressive, HP is beating Apple in the highly profitable premium market segment. From the second calendar quarter of 2015 to the second calendar quarter of 2017, HP has grown its premium segment systems market share 5.4 points. During the same period, Apple's premium market share declined 8.5 points. Apple would not comment on the share decline.

In the printer business, meanwhile, HP has been out of the gate fast with its A3 product portfolio -- a $55 billion market where Xerox has long been considered a leader. HP said A3 sales are ramping and the sales pipeline is exceeding initial expectations.

There is no "magic pill" for the transformation that has taken hold at HP over the past four years, said Weisler. It was born out of taking a "hard look in the mirror" and listening to customers, he said.

"We went to work on the hard things that matter most to our customers, whether it be industrial design or security or the ability to have the right portfolio where the heat is in the market and where we can add value to our customers," added Weisler.

Innovation Ahead

Innovation will be front and center this week at HP Reinvent World Partner Forum in Chicago Sept. 11-13.

HP is kicking off the conference with an extension of its A3 portfolio with two new platforms in a number of different configurations for both transactional and contractual channels.

In enterprise printers, HP is unveiling a breakthrough embedded security feature referred to as HP Connection Inspector that monitors outbound network connections and stops malware. HP said the new software, in effect, learns what is normal network traffic and then stops suspicious packets.

HP Imaging and Printing President Enrique Lores said the company's printer software security advances are a major differentiator versus competitors. "We have been doing a lot of work to analyze what happens with printers when they are hacked," he said. "By analyzing that and understanding what happens and how they are attacked, we came up with this concept of monitoring the network and shutting the printers down. It comes from a lot of analysis and a lot of work."

HP also is unveiling HP Roam  a new universal printing offering that enables business professionals to securely print in another company location or while traveling. "This is a new way for business professionals to get access to print," said Lores. "The impact is going to mean more print and more printers sold. Partners are going to be able to monetize this opportunity because it is going to increase the number of pages printed and enable more printers to be sold to business customers."

Another major advance: the addition of artificial intelligence and machine-learning features to HP's Smart Device Services platform, which is featured on HP's A3 portfolio. "We have improved dramatically our ability to do preventive maintenance so we can detect what parts will be failing based on actual data," Lores said. The net impact on partners, he said, will be a "continued reduction in service costs, which will translate into greater margins for them or in the ability to be more aggressive in deals when they sell HP printers."

HP is going to unveil even more services-oriented tools in the A3 portfolio down the road aimed at helping partners drive more contractual managed print deals, said Lores. He said the Print-as-a-Service business is growing five to 10 points faster than transactional sales. "When I look at what is the best opportunity to grow with us, it is clearly in the A3 space as we expand our portfolio and also in Print-as-a-Service," he said. "More and more of our business customers don't want to buy printers or supplies  they want to buy printing services. Offering those services is the best opportunity for our partners to grow."

Lores said the key message for partners at the conference is that HP has reinvented print and is growing the business. "Many companies will say the future of print is uncertain, unsecure or not predictable," he said. "We think the future of print is whatever we want it to be. And what we want it to be is a growing business."

The Device-As-A-Service Offensive

The biggest game-changer at the conference in the personal systems business is HP's relentless drive in the Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) market. HP Personal Systems President Ron Coughlin said DaaS will be a $60 billion market opportunity by 2020. "This is going to flip like managed print services flipped 10 years ago and we believe no one is positioned better than HP because, first and foremost, we are the most channel-friendly OEM in the industry," he said.

HP has staked out a leadership position with an all-out charge to dominate the DaaS market and it is paying off. DaaS orders are up double digits and over 50 percent of companies are evaluating or deploying DaaS, said Coughlin.

"My message is we have reinvented PCs together and we are driving growth together," he said. "Now we need to go conquer services together. We got lots of feedback last year in terms of what partners wanted. We conducted over 135 individual workshops with individual partners to make sure we heard their needs, to make sure we are customizing our offer, to make sure we are building into our offer what the channel partners need. I don't think there has ever been an initiative that has been so vetted, inputted and worked hand-in-glove with the partners."

As for the company's double-digit PC growth and the gain in the premium segment, Coughlin said it is evidence that HP has closed the gap with Apple on customer experience. "It is all about reinventing the PC," he said. "That has been very successful and it has driven a lot of the share gains."

Ultimately, said Coughlin, there simply may be no supplier that can provide partners with a better economic opportunity than HP. "Our raw growth rate combined with a positive mix shift to more profitable, higher ASP [average selling price] products is extremely attractive," he said. "We are a catalyst with an advantaged offering in areas like Device-as-a-Service and security that provide accretive margin growth areas that allow partners to move up the stack."

If that is not enough, Coughlin points to leadership in future growth areas including commercial market virtual reality, which is expected to be a $10 billion market by 2020. "Our nascent leadership in commercial VR allows partners to start developing a capability in a business that has decades of growth in the future and will ensure their growth and profitability for decades to come," he said.

Partner Sales Growth

Partners say the transformation engineered by Weisler and his senior management team is paying off in robust sales growth and opening the door to new opportunities like A3 and 3-D printing.

Bob Venero, CEO of Holbrook, N.Y.-based solution provider Future Tech, No. 119 on the 2017 CRN Solution Provider 500, said his HP business is up double digits as a result of the improved HP product portfolio.

The more innovative product portfolio is resonating with commercial customers, said Venero. "There is no question they needed to change in order to be a more formidable option for commercial customers," he said. "They have accomplished that by making sexier PCs and notebooks without forgetting about security. And they have also continued to move forward with a strong channel focus."

Future Tech recently closed a large multimillion-dollar global deal with HP's core client products  a testament, said Venero, to HP's product prowess and Future Tech's robust logistics capabilities. That deal, he said, is also a sign of the continued strength of the personal systems market. "There is no technology that is going to take over personal systems in their current shape or form," he said. "It is the single pane of glass that provides employees access to everything in a corporation. You can retwizzle or flavor the PC any way you want  whether it is a notebook or a 2-in-1 -- whatever the form factor it is alive and well. The client business for us remains a very healthy business."

At the same time Future Tech is driving strong growth in the core PC business, it has developed a comprehensive new business plan around HP's A3 and 3-D print business. "We are building a whole practice around A3 and 3-D going into industries like aerospace, defense and automobile manufacturing," said Venero. "This technology is going to provide major cost advantages for those industries. When we look at A3 and 3-D we see a total addressable market of billions of dollars. Whoever takes the lead in this market is going to capture major market share over the next 12 to 24 months."

Venero credits HP with thought leadership aimed at driving future growth with disruptive technology. "You need to be looking three to five years out to continue to be successful by bringing disruptive technology to the table that can be leveraged by the partner community," he said.

Harry Zarek, CEO of Compugen, one of HP's top enterprise partners, No. 63 on the CRN 2017 Solution Provider 500, said HP's transformation is also paying off in double-digit growth for his HP business in both units, average selling prices and strong accessory sales.

Zarek credits Weisler and Coughlin with an amazing product transformation in the personal systems business. "Coughlin in particular has moved the PC away from just a utilitarian device," he said. "He has done a fantastic job infusing a quality and aura around the brand."

HP has captured the zeitgeist with elegant and sleek systems, effectively reinventing the PC for the modern era, said Zarek. "There is a relationship between the quality of the products you are giving employees and how you motivate them," he said. "Many companies say their most important asset is their people and then they give them a lousy PC  a bad notebook. It is almost an embarrassment. I think organizations are realizing if they want to drive productivity, motivate employees and demonstrate how important they are, then they need to give them quality tools. That thematic view is how HP is beginning to positon themselves in the marketplace. It is not about cost-cutting, cost-cutting, cost-cutting. It is about how to drive innovation, creativity and getting people to collaborate better  how to motivate and retain them."

With Office of the Future, HP also is making gains in new modern collaborative workspaces. In fact, Zarek said, he has seen firsthand how old-line companies like legal firms are doing away with the old high cubicles that dominated workspaces in the 20th century. The companies moving forward with those new open collaborative workspaces are increasingly choosing HP devices, said Zarek. The HP Sure View security privacy screen has been particularly attractive to law firms, he said. "That attention to detail that HP is infusing in the product is making a difference," he said. "They understand the use cases and how people are using these devices."

Zarek said HP also has staked out the "leadership pole position" in the DaaS market. "We are focusing heavily on DaaS," he said. "It plays into all of the services capabilities we already offer. It allows us integrate all of that into a single service model. The as-a-service model is really the equivalent of cloud infrastructure. That is really what it is, but you have got to have flawless execution because you need to take on proactive accountability. The traditional services model on PCs is if it is broken we will come and fix it. It is a reactive service. We need to make it proactive.

Joe Hemani, founder and owner of Westcoast, a $3 billion United Kingdom distributor that has bet big on HP, said his HP business will be up 18 percent this year. He credits Weisler and the senior leadership team with an amazing transformation. "It is almost a crime to compare the pre- and post-Weisler era," he said. "It is a completely different energy in that company. I believe in the leadership team so much that I am putting my own dollars behind HP. They are hungry, energetic and driving the business in the right direction. I see an absolute will to win with quality products. There is a lot of momentum behind HP right now."

Just as important as the products, Hemani said, is the "channel trust" and engagement. "When you believe in a partner, and my team believes in that partner, they want to go out and win for them," he said. "The products are a given. The next thing is trust and engagement. If you get that trust and engagement without a whole lot of bureaucracy, everyone gets confident. And when you get confident, you sell."

The product and services growth at Westcoast is across the board in both commercial PCs and printers, said Hemani.

Hemani said he is not surprised by the Apple premium share gains. "The HP products are aesthetically pleasing," he says. "You want one of those products. They look so beautiful and adorable that they are almost edible. Ron Coughlin deserves a lot of credit. He brought really innovative products to market really quickly."

HP security features such as malware protection and self-healing BIOS are also resonating with customers. "Of course it is a big differentiator -- nobody else has it," says Hemani. "We show customers that there are a million instructions before the OS boots and that is where the malware gets in. HP absolutely has the most secure PCs and printers."

Westcoast is selling thousands of HP A3 printers, said Hemani. "It's a superb product," he said. "That product is as aesthetically pleasing as the laptops and systems. Customers are loving it. HP is winning against companies like Xerox and it has only been a few months since the product came off allocation. The real big wins from A3 will come next year."

Finally, Westcoast launched HP's 3-D printer line in the U.K. in June and in the first month the distributor sold six of the $350,000 printers. Westcoast reps are seeing a "wow" factor in the field when customers are presented with the 3-D printers, said Hemani.

Hemani said HP founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard would be "hugely proud" of the way Weisler and his team have brought back the entrepreneurial and community spirit that is the heart of the company. "Dion and his leadership team have kept the honesty and community spirit alive," said Hemani. "Bill and Dave were about community spirit. They wanted to make sure that socially they were responsible while bringing out good products that provided productivity and at the same time helped the community."

Reinventing HP By Embracing The Past

HP executives say one of the most remarkable aspects of the reinvention of the company is indeed the tight connection with the entrepreneurial drive and spirit of HP founders, who are credited with literally inventing the Silicon Valley ethos.

When HP celebrated its historic split on its first day as an independent company two years ago, Weisler invited scions of the Hewlett and Packard families to a dinner. Weisler's embrace of the two families was no small matter given the divisiveness of a shareholder fight that had pitted the families against the company when HP acquired Compaq.

HP's Lores -- a 28-year HP veteran who worked alongside Hewlett and Packard -- said the Weisler reinvention has, in effect, re-created the culture they put in place. "When you look at our values, the culture we are creating, how we behave, the aspirations we have for growth and innovation, what we are doing is not inventing anything new, we are really going back to our roots and going back to what we were when Bill and Dave created the company," said Lores. "This is the direction Dion has taken. This is why it has been so impactful. It is not creating something new. It is about making sure the values the company had were not lost despite all the changes and challenges. It is about making sure those values come to life again."

It is no small matter that the customer briefing center is connected to the original offices of Hewlett and Packard. "We bring customers through the original offices of Bill and Dave," says Lores. "We show them the past  the roots of the company  and then we take them to the future products to where the company is going in the future. What makes us different and better is the ability to merge our past and the values that we had with the future we are creating."

That type of cultural heritage is paying big dividends for customers and partners. That was recently brought home by a meeting that HP's Coughlin had with an executive from a major overseas channel partner who came to HP. "That executive and I spent an hour in Bill [Hewlett's] office talking for an hour," said Coughlin. "At the end of it, we both recognized how fascinating it was that we were talking about the future of our companies and how do we reinvent our offerings in the birthplace of technology. It was kind of a foot in the past and a foot in the future. It was a fascinating moment."

Coughlin said HP's values go back directly to its founders. He said that is a credit to Weisler. "It is not very often you get to define what a company is," he said. "Dion did a masterful job of taking his leadership team and having us step back and say: What do we want this company to be?"

Even Better Days Ahead

Weisler said he is most proud of the fact that HP's success is driven on the back of breakthrough products and innovation. "That is what make me the most confident," he said.

With all the recent success, Weisler is determined not to let the strong performance go to the company's head. "We are far from perfect and we will never reach perfection," he said. "We need to continue to raise the bar and we need to start by using our mouth and ears in relative proportion which the Lord gave them to us."

As long as HP remains "humble, listens to customers and continues to innovate, the company's best days lie ahead, said Weisler. "I couldn't be more upbeat about our future."
Security News

Security Companies Look To Pivot Portfolios, Compensation Plans For New Cloud-First World

Sarah Kuranda

Share this

Customers are moving to the cloud, and top security channel chiefs said they are looking to reposition their businesses and compensation plans to help partners meet that demand.

The demand for cloud security solutions is clear, as is the massive opportunity it presents for partners, Fortinet Vice President of Americas Channels and Emerging Technologies Joe Sykora said in a roundtable discussion of top security channel chiefs hosted by CRN at XChange 2017 in Orlando, Fla.

"There's the opportunity for them, for any solution provider out there.  There's a lot of confusion. In confusion, there's opportunity," Sykora said. "Any partner who cracks that is going to be well-positioned."

Ken McCray, McAfee head of channels and operations for the Americas, agreed, saying the size of the opportunity around security and the cloud is one that doesnt come by every day.

"How many times in your career do we have opportunities like this? When you look at what's happening in security, the opportunity for managed services and the hybrid cloud [is huge]. If you miss this window, then you deserve what you get," McCray said.

[The State Of Security: CRN's 2017 Security Roundtable]

Todd Weber, vice president of partner strategy and research at solution provider Optiv Security, said he also sees customers looking to adapt their businesses to the cloud. He said Optiv sees most customers starting with the public cloud, then working backward to secure their private and on-premise solutions.

Weber said the cloud also means partners need to adapt their selling strategies, as customers change their consumption model with the cloud. He said the consumption model of many security vendors is changing from a Capex license model to an Opex model. He said customers are also looking for security technologies that work across public, private and on-premise environments.

"We do see clients trying to consolidate as much as possible," Weber said. He said companies like Optiv have to adapt to this new model demanded by customers.

Kendra Krause, vice president of global channels at Sophos, said the role of the vendors in that shift is to make sure they offer solutions that are channel-friendly and that partners can make money on. That requires big changes from security vendors, she said.

"We need to make sure [the cloud] is part of the partner program and that's been a big change this past year," Krause said. She said Sophos is readying the launch of a new partner program, adding to its current commission model with Amazon Web Services. She said Sophos will also soon expand to add a Microsoft Azure commission model. "It's been one of the biggest requests from our partners in this market," she said.

Crowdstrike Vice President of Business Development, Alliances, and Channels Matthew Polly said there are two aspects of transformation when it comes to the cloud. First, he said vendors have to realign their billing and sales compensation. Second, he said vendors and solution providers have to think about security technology differently, protecting not only the desktop, laptop and server, but also the cloud.

Kevin Lozeau, director of channel marketing at Kaspersky Lab, said the vendor is also working quite closely with AWS and Azure. He said it is becoming "table stakes" for partners to offer a flexible billing model for products and services.

"Honestly, I can't remember the last time I had a conversation with a partner who was not either heavily into the MSP model or was working out building out that practice area within their business," Lozeau said. "If you don't have a flexible billing model  it's going to be tough to survive moving forward based off of where all the channel partners are. It really is becoming just the state of the market in general."

However, that change isn't easy for vendors or partners. McAfee's McCray said vendors have to realign their internal staff and systems to meet that new mode and the company is working with AWS and other cloud vendors. In addition, he said McAfee sales representatives have had to undergo training on selling MSP and cloud-model solutions and the company overall has had to look at how it compensates salespeople and partners on subscription sales, which don't subscribe to the traditional quota model.

"There's an entire adjustment that the entire ecosystem has to go through internally before you can get to the partner community," McCray said. He said McAfee is taking a "conservative approach" in the transition and is still working to adjust its compensation plan for the cloud. "It's difficult because you're talking about wildly disparate models," he said.

Sophos' Krause said Sophos had to undergo a similar compensation plan when it launched its MSP program in May 2016 and said it has proved largely successful, although she declined to be specific with the competitors in the room. Kaspersky's Lozeau said his business is also going through a similar transition, saying it is a "tough one."

"As the markets shift and everything is moving to the cloud and the partners are changing their business models, we've got to change our business models and adapt at a very granular level, right down to how people are getting paid," Lozeau said.

Fortinet's Sykora said the vendor has also had to undergo a back-end systems change. He said when the company first started with AWS, the security vendor's back-end billing systems had issues processing the new type of orders. Sykora wouldn't comment on how much of an investment Fortinet has made in changing its back-end systems for the cloud.

All the vendors said AWS, for one, is coming around to working more closely with third-party security vendors when it comes to compensation. Sykora and Krause said they both experienced challenges early on with AWS not providing POS reports, but the vendor now "gives you everything" needed as of about two years ago with some requirements.

"They have seen the light," Sykora said.

However, despite the challenges, most channel chiefs said if they were going to start a solution provider business today that they would start with the cloud. Crowdstrike's Polly said it is important to "learn the cloud first and foremost." From there, he said partners can work backward to learn to protect the data center.

McAfee's McCray agreed, saying that he would also emphasize the opportunity around professional services and the cloud for partners. He said that is that is where the "puck is going" in terms of the market for security and technology.

"That's where a lot of opportunity is now to optimize," McCray said. "If you can get the customer on the right solution, you can optimize their experience. That's stickiness."

Sophos' Krause said security and the cloud is an opportunity that will have a lot of tailwind for partners and vendors in the years to come. She said cloud is "where the market is going," converging with the opportunity around managed security services and the public cloud.

"Security is not going away," Krause said. "The hype of this market is not going to go down. It's obviously a fabulous place that we're all in and continue to invest in."
Rackspace's Datapipe Acquisition Further Heats Up Hot Year For Channel M&A

Rackspace on Monday announced an agreement to acquire Datapipe in a blockbuster deal uniting two of the world's largest managed services providers.

The largest acquisition in San Antonio, Texas-based Rackspace's history looks to create an MSP juggernaut with a global data center footprint, broad customer base and deep alliances spanning all hyper-scale cloud operators.

The combined entity will see annual revenue of $2.4 billion, and employ roughly 6,700 people.

Rackspace's Chief Strategy Officer Matt Bradley told CRN that Datapipe's infrastructure, custom-built automation tools, public sector customers, extensive certifications and high-skilled employees would launch Rackspace's managed cloud portfolio to another level.

The Rackspace and Datapipe combination is the latest in a series of major channel M&A deals shifting the managed services landscape in the cloud era. Here are some other notable acquisitions in 2017.
HELENA  As wildfires continue to burn grasslands and forests across Montana and drought continues to worsen, the Montana Department of Agriculture has expanded its hay lottery.

Drought conditions gradually have worsened across Montana throughout the summer, and the Sept. 7 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor for the first time had the entire state in some category of drought condition, from abnormally dry to the most severe category, exceptional drought. More than a quarter of the state now is considered in exceptional drought.

Andy Fjeseth, communications officer for the Montana Department of Agriculture, said since the fires are still burning in many areas, no dollar figure can be attached to disaster evaluations. But anecdotally, the fires have been devastating to many in agriculture, he said.

The Lodgepole Complex fire, which burned earlier this summer in eastern Montana, was the largest and most damaging fire to ranchers thus far, burning more than 270,000 acres of what was largely pasture and grass.

Many of the fires still burning are in forests of western Montana, but Kori Anderson, spokesperson for the Montana Stockgrowers Association, said there have been cattle moved off of pastures in the west, and she has heard of approximately 50 animals killed in a fire in the northwest part of the state.

While animal losses have been minimal considering the acres burned, losses still are adding up.

The largest impact has definitely been loss of feed, hay, grass and fencing, she said.

Fjeseth said calls from people wanting to donate hay to the state have increased in recent weeks, leading the Department of Agriculture to expand its hay lottery. The state has participated in a lottery with North Dakota and South Dakota, but since the hay in that program was delivered to Fargo, North Dakota, it limited its effectiveness for Montana producers.

In the new program, announced Sept. 7, hay will be housed at Miles Community College in Miles City, and the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation will help coordinate cash donations for transportation costs. The Department of Agriculture will draw for the hay in October, and producers who already applied for the past lottery and did not receive hay will be eligible for subsequent drawings.

The outpouring of support for Montanas ag community has been nothing short of amazing. We saw a need to help coordinate donations, so we decided to expand the lottery, Montana Department of Agriculture Director Ben Thomas said in a statement.

Fjeseth said the department has received calls regarding hay donations from numerous states, including Iowa, Utah, Wisconsin and Idaho.

Anderson says one of Stockgrowers directors almost lost his ranch to a fire but stayed up all night to save it. Ranchers have worked alongside neighbors on fire lines. And donations and support have poured in from across the country.

It really shows the spirit of agriculture, she said.

Those interested in making donations of hay/feed or transportation should call MDAs Fire & Drought Assistance Hotline at 1-844-515-1571. Those interested in making a cash donation should call the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation at 406-442-3420.

Livestock producers interested in applying for the hay lottery must submit an application at http://agr.mt.gov/Hay-Lottery-2017. Eligible producers must be from a D2, D3 or D4 or fire-affected county and own at least 25 animal unit equivalents of state-specific livestock. The latest drought monitor depicting the drought levels of specific counties may be found at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MT. The application deadline is Sept. 30.

Hay will be distributed in semi-load lots, with the next drawing in early October. If additional donations are taken in after that date, more drawings will occur. Selected producers will be responsible for arranging transportation of the hay from Miles Community College.

Anyone with questions about filling out the hay lottery application should call the Department of Agricultures Fire & Drought Assistance Hotline at 1-844-515-1571.
We have more newsletters

Something went wrong, please try again later.

Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.

Sign up to FREE email alerts from croydonadvertiser - Daily

Rail passengers have been warned to expect delays of up to 30 minutes and cancellations due to a broken down train at Thornton Heath Station.

Lines between London Victoria, Clapham, Epsom and Reigate have all been affected, with disruption predicted to last till 4pm, according to National Rail.

London Victoria to Reigate services are also starting and terminating at East Croydon Station,

In a statement, National Rail said: A broken down train between Clapham Junction and East Croydon means that trains between the stations are disrupted.

Trains may be cancelled or delayed by up to 30 minutes. Disruption is expected until 4pm.

Southern and Gatwick Express have been advised of a broken down train at Thornton Heath Station.

Engineers are working hard to rectify this fault.

The train is on Platform 3 which is currently disrupting mainline services heading towards Three Bridges.

National Rail added that tickets will be accepted on London Underground and Overground services, London buses, Tramlink, Southeastern and Southwestern services.
Something went wrong, please try again later.

Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.

Safety campaigners have criticised Poundland after a passer-by noticed the Thornton Heath branch displaying large knives in its shop window.



Footage shot by Nicola Peters, who is a member of action group Stop Our Kids Being Killed On Our Streets (SOKBKOOS), showed a selection of large kitchen knives in the shop window near to the entrance on Wednesday (September 6).

The knives appear to be secured only by plastic tags onto cardboard packaging.

Cheryl Small, the administrator for SOKBKOOS, said the display was shocking and horrifying.

She said: To see a display like this in a place such as Thornton Heath, which has had quite a high level of criminal activity recently including incidents with fatalities, is appalling.

I have seen enough crime first-hand to understand the current knife crime situation and climate  if a gang wanted to storm that shop, it would be easy for them to steal the knives, and thats a big worry.

Children are going back to school, and Poundland has chosen to put knives instead of stationery in the window  its shocking, and frankly horrifying.

The display was spotted less than two weeks after a 20-year-old man was stabbed near Thornton Heath High Street, and less than a month after 15-year-old Jermaine Goupall was stabbed to death in the area.

Ms Small, who lives in Peckham and has been a member of SOKBKOOS since it was founded two years ago, added: You would not need to carry out a planned raid to take one of those knives  anyone could rush that shop spontaneously.

Its often the case that when young people are angry that their friends are being killed or their family members are being hurt in knife crime, they dont feel safe on their own street and its easy for them to feel threatened.

If one of these youths feels threatened when they are in a bad mood, they could easily go into fight or flight mode  and with the shop and the knives being right there, they could just grab one in the spur of the moment if they feel they need to protect their life.

She is now calling on Poundland to introduce tighter checks on what kinds of products are displayed in shop windows.

Poundland has to condsider the communities surrounding their shops, Ms Small said.

Shops have a duty of care to their shoppers and that means considering whats happening in south London at the moment with the climate of youth violence.

Ms Smalls concerns have been echoed by Andrea Perry, vice chair of the Thornton Heath Community Action Team.

Ms Perry said: As a resident of Thornton Heath, I hate to imagine what knife crime victims and their families would think as they walk passed this window display.

The problem here is not just about accessibility - it is about the message the display sends. It is unacceptable particularly in the current climate.

The community as a whole, including retailers, have duty to act responsibly.

Responding to the video, Croydon Central MP Sarah Jones tweeted: "I will write to @poundland about this. And looks like it goes against gov guidelines that @poundland have signed up to."

In a separate tweet, she added: "It looks like a breach to me. @poundland what do you have to say?"

The policy Ms Jones is referring to is the 'Sale of knives: voluntary agreement by retailers' which Poundland is signed up to.

Part of the agreement reads: "Retailers will ensure knives are displayed and packaged securely as appropriate to minimise risk.

"This will include retailers taking practical and proportionate action to restrict accessibility and avoid immediate use, reduce the possibility of injury, and prevent theft."



A spokeswoman for Poundland said the retailers strict policy" is that knives are only sold in the home aisle, under CCTV where it's in place, and in sealed packaging.

She added: "Any deviations from this we will address quickly."
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

When Amazon announced last week it was looking to build a second headquarters to complement its main hub in Seattle, just about every city in America put out a press release declaring it had the perfect ingredients to suit the technology giant.

And as analysts parsed the details of Amazons needs and narrowed the potential choices, an unlikely name emerged alongside the Denvers, Bostons and New Yorks of the world.

According to MarketWatch, one of the most-trafficked financial sites, Bridgeport is one of 11 contenders along with the likes of Atlanta, Raleigh, N.C., and Washington, D.C., that can fulfill Amazons needs and attract what the company says will be more than $5 billion in investment and as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs, equivalent to the companys Seattle campus.

For the purposes of MarketWatch, Bridgeport is shorthand for the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk metropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Fairfield County with an estimated population of about 950,000. The city itself, more accustomed to finding itself on lists of highest-taxed cities, welcomed the attention.

We believe that the city of Bridgeport and Fairfield County have the attributes and meet the criteria that Amazon is looking for, Mayor Joe Ganim said in a joint statement with Fairfield First Selectman Mike Tetreau.

Others in the region joined the enthusiasm. We look at Stamford and the lower Fairfield County region as well-positioned and as a desirable location for the second Amazon headquarters, Thomas Madden, Stamfords director of economic development, said. Were currently working with our regional partners and (the state) on this. We hope to put forward a bold proposal.

But even if the most glaring concerns  including an apparent lack of space in tightly packed southwestern Connecticut  could be overcome, a less-talked-about problem is likely to take Connecticut off the table, a state expert says  a lack of viable IT infrastructure.

Fred Carstensen, a University of Connecticut professor who is director of the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis, said the state is utterly noncompetitive for Amazon, I fear, citing a lack of marketing for its ultra-high-speed internet capability and a failure to invest in a data center.

Other states, including our immediate neighbors, have been very alert to the importance of IT infrastructure and to the role it increasingly plays in corporate thinking, he said. Not so Connecticut, as far as I can tell.

Connecticut tends to fare poorly on national surveys regarding business-friendliness, falling short over high costs, transportation and a lack of a major city to rival New York or Boston. It does well in rankings that make note of its well-educated workforce and connectivity, with the state ranking third nationally on a survey that measured download speeds and the percentage of households with high-speed connections.

Carstensen said its not enough, with competing states doing more not only to build capacity, but to let the world know about it. We cant function without a good transportation infrastructure; the same is true of communication infrastructure, he said.

Besides MarketWatch, other analyses havent been as high on the region. The New York Times examined Amazons criteria and didnt move southwestern Connecticut past its initial cut, naming Denver as the best choice given all factors the company cited. Recode, which follows the tech industry, similarly left Connecticut out, including the likes of Baltimore and Tulsa, Okla., among its possible contenders.

IT issues aside, the region could have a hard time matching Amazons Seattle headquarters, which includes 8.1 million square feet of space over 33 buildings.

Even with its 31 percent office vacancy rate, Stamford totals about 5 million square feet of available space, according to Newmark Knight Franks most recent report. Danburys Matrix Corporate Center, one of the largest office complexes in Fairfield County, is mostly vacant at 1.3 million square feet. And the former General Electric headquarters in Fairfield, since sold to Sacred Heart University, boasts about 550,000 square feet of space.

Then theres a planned office park at the 422-acre Remington Woods property, which straddles the Bridgeport-Stratford line and has been the focus of a decades-long cleanup after years as a munitions-testing ground. That project would total 1.3 million square feet of office and commercial space, though it remains years in the future.

The potential payoffs, however, are clear. Amazon estimates its investments in Seattle since 2010 resulted in an additional $38 billion to that citys economy.

Paul Schott contributed to this report.

hbailey@hearstmediact.com
NEW YORK (AP)  Amazon, bursting out of its Seattle headquarters, is hunting for a second home. Must haves: A prime location, close to transit, with plenty of space to grow.

The company said Thursday it will spend more than $5 billion to build another headquarters in North America to house as many as 50,000 employees. It plans to also stay in its sprawling Seattle headquarters, with the new space "a full equal" to that, said founder and CEO Jeff Bezos.

Amazon's announcement highlights how fast the e-commerce giant is expanding, and its need to find fresh talent to fuel that growth. With the lure of so many new jobs, city and state leaders were already lining up Thursday to say they planned to apply. Among them: Chicago, Philadelphia and Toronto. They have a little more than a month to do so through a special website , and Amazon said it will make a decision next year.

Its requirements could rule out some places: Amazon wants to be near a metropolitan area with more than a million people; be able to attract top technical talent; be within 45 minutes of an international airport; have direct access to mass transit; and be able to expand that headquarters to as much as 8 million square feet in the next decade. That's about the same size as its current home in Seattle, which has 33 buildings, 23 restaurants and houses 40,000 employees.

"They're so big in Seattle, they're running out of room," said Kevin Sharer, a corporate strategy professor at Harvard Business School.

Amazon said it will hire up to 50,000 new full-time employees at the second headquarters over the next 15 years, and they would make an average pay of more than $100,000 a year.

The company is hoping for something else from its second hometown: tax breaks, grants and other incentives. A section of the proposal that outlines those says "the initial cost and the ongoing cost of doing business are critical decision drivers."

Brad Badertscher, an accounting professor at the University of Notre Dame, said the public search appeared to be a way to start a bidding war among cities.

"This was like an open letter to city leaders saying, 'Who wants Amazon and all our jobs?'" Badertscher said. "This is Jeff Bezos doing what he does best: adding shareholder value and getting the most bang for the buck."

Amazon gets tax breaks when cities compete for its massive warehouses, where it packs and ships orders. The company received at least $241 million in subsidies from local and state government after opening facilities in 29 different U.S. cities in 2015 and 2016, according to an analysis by Good Jobs First, a group that tracks economic development deals.

In explaining why it was holding a public process, Amazon said on its site that it wanted "to find a city that is excited to work with us and where our customers, employees, and the community can all benefit."

Bezos has crowdsourced major decisions before - in June, just before Amazon announced its plan to buy organic grocer Whole Foods, the billionaire took to Twitter seeking ideas for a philanthropic strategy to give away some of his fortune. And tech companies have been known to set places in competition with each other: In vying to land Google's ultra-fast broadband network, many cities used stunts and gimmickry to get the company's attention. Topeka even informally renamed itself "Google, Kansas."

Amazon.com Inc. said its search is open to any metropolitan area in North America, but declined to say how open it was to going outside the United States. Jed Kolko, the chief economist at job site Indeed, noted that the company's request for proposals mentions "provinces" several times  a clear sign it would consider a Canadian metro area.

Kolko also said an East Coast locale could bring it closer to the company's offices in Europe.

Amazon's arrival might transform an area: Until 10 years ago, the neighborhood near Seattle's campus just north of downtown was dotted with auto parts stores and low-rent apartments. Now it's a booming pocket of high-rise office complexes, sleek apartment buildings and tony restaurants.

And the company keeps growing. Amazon has said it will hire 100,000 people by the middle of next year, adding to its current worldwide staff of more than 380,000. It announced plans to build three new warehouses that pack and ship packages in New York, Ohio and Oregon. And it recently paid close to $14 billion for Whole Foods and its more than 465 stores.

The Whole Foods headquarters in Austin is far smaller than what Amazon said it's looking for  the flagship hub is also a full-service grocery store with shoppers who compete for parking spaces. Even its larger corporate campus that stretches down the surrounding blocks may be too small for the space Amazon would want for a second headquarters.

In Seattle, its rise has not been without critics, who say the influx of mostly well-heeled tech workers has caused housing prices to skyrocket, clogged the streets with traffic and changed the city for the worse. The Seattle Times reported Thursday that the median price for a house in August in Seattle was $730,000, up almost 17 percent in a year.

That itself may be a factor. Amazon may be looking for a spot where it's not as expensive for its employees to live, said Rita McGrath, a professor at the Columbia Business School in New York.

"It's hard to attract people if they can't afford the housing available locally," she said.

___

Associated Press writers Michelle Chapman in Newark, New Jersey; Chris Grygiel in Seattle; Will Weissert in Austin, Texas; and Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this story.
The budget that majority Democrats plan to debate and vote this week in the General Assembly will not raise the current sales tax, leaders announced on Monday after a weekend of negotiations with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.

But the package that leaders plan to introduce on Thursday is not yet complete, they admitted. Minority Republicans complained that they are being shut out of the process and that Democrats have rejected their call for certain major long-term changes to budgeting.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

BRIDGEPORT  Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson has restructured her administrative team in a way she hopes will break new ground in the school district.

There are four new assistant superintendents, all replacing existing positions in the superintendents.

Instead of being assigned to elementary or high school, three new assistant superintendents  Christiana Otuwa, John Lischner and Janet Brown-Clayton  will all be assistant superintendents for instructional leadership, grades pre-kindergarten through 12.

Each will be assigned one or more high schools, as many as a dozen elementary schools.

In addition, Deborah Santacapita, previously principal at Hallen School, is slipping into the role of assistant superintendent for teaching, learning and professional development.`

I was looking for folks who shared a common vision that students can be successful, Johnson said. And really bring a broad perspective because these positions are all Pre-K through 12.

Johnson said she is moving to a central office model common in many urban districts.

I did not want us to work in isolation or silos, she said. We need be more of a supporting cast for student and families.

As much as possible, Johnson said she wants to provide continuity for students and families as they progress from elementary to high school.

Its about building relationships and letting families know we are going to be with them from the beginning until the end of this journey, Johnson said.

Overall, there will be one fewer central office administrator in Johnsons new structure than there was under Interim Schools Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz. The position of supervisor of school security was eliminated and the duties assigned to one of the assistant superintendents.

Still, as the positions were approved by the board over the past month, board member Dennis Bradley cast the lone objection, suggesting the district invest more at the school level and less on the staff who work out of city hall.

We are doing the same policies and we dont see any improvements, Bradley said.

The assistant superintendents will make annual salaries of between $152,000 and $155,000 each.

Lischner came from Prince Georges County, Maryland, where he was a principal. He will have Harding High, the Aquaculture School, 11 elementary schools, in addition to security and the speech, language and hearing department.

Otuwa was a school administrator in Atlanta, Alabama, Pittsburgh and most recently was deputy superintendent in Rochester, New York, where one of her top priorities was working on school climate. She will have Bassick, Fairfield Wheeler, Bridgeport Military Academy  all high schools  six elementary schools as well as adult education and school psychology.

Brown-Clayton spent the past four years as principal at Lincoln-Bassett School in New Haven. Officials there were sad to see her go.

She said in a recent interview that her intent in Bridgeport would be building a community and impacting culture and climate, and therefore education, for students.

Brown-Clayton will be assigned to Central High School, 11 elementary schools and also will oversee the districts social work and nursing staff.

Santacapita will be in charge of testing, data management, early childhood and six academic leaders. John Di Donato will remain chief of special education.

I am very optimistic, Johnson said. Its a great team. They bring broad perspectives; new innovative and creative ideas and ways of thinking and problem solving.
People will die and suffer greatly if the state decides to reduce the rate it reimburses Medicaid providers, ends targeted case management and makes other cuts, according to more than 100 people who begged a state legislative committee to continue its objection to plans by the state health department to lower its budget.

If my children were not getting these services, my son would be in (juvenile detention) or the state hospital. My daughter would be the same or possibly dead, and if she were dead Id be in the state hospital, said Libby Velde, of Missoula. There has got to be another area in our budget that can fluctuate without such a dire consequence to every single Montana citizen.

The proposed rate drop and other cuts are because of a one-two budgeting punch the Department of Public Health and Human Services is facing. It first saw its overall budget reduced by the state Legislature this spring, and now faces additional cuts under a law, Senate Bill 261, passed in April. That legislation triggers more reductions because revenue came in lower than projected.

The hearing came as more than 175 Montanans, many of them disabled, rallied in front of the Capitol in protest of the cuts before coming in to testify. Amid signs that read Disability is not a choice, discrimination is and Our homes, not nursing homes, rally goers told personal stories of the positive impact of direct care programs now in jeopardy.

Mondays hearing was the result of an objection to the cuts in July by the legislative committee that oversees the department. The Children, Families, Health and Human Services interim committee said the cuts did not meet legislative intent and, with their objection, essentially put a six-month hold on the process. The department has countered by saying the delay will only deepen its final cuts because it prolongs the period it pays a higher rate.

The department must come up with $8.6 million in state dollar savings because of cuts triggered by the weak revenue. To do that requires a drop in the rates paid to almost all Medicaid providers in the state, plus massive reductions in targeted case management and services for people with developmental disabilities. The health department initially proposed a 3.47 percent rate, but Monday said it found other places to cut and now proposes to reduce the rate 2.99 percent.

Amid a dismal year for state revenues, agencies across government also announced potential further cuts of up to 10 percent Friday. Those deeper cuts could outright end some programs slated for cuts now, such as some targeted case management and early childhood intervention. The committee did not develop the 10 percent cuts, which came from the health department at the request of Gov. Steve Bullock, and has no control over them. Two other legislative committees can make recommendations on the cuts and it's up to Bullock to ultimately decide what happens unless a special session of the legislature is called.

After the committee voted 7-1 to informally continue its objection and have a lawyer draft a formal objection to review at a November meeting, the health department released a statement from its director saying it will file the rule putting the 2.99 percent cut in effect as soon as they are able. That would let the 2.99 percent cut take effect in January. It's unclear what would happen if the committee files a formal objection. A legislative document says the committee can make a formal objection, which would delay the rule until the end of the next legislative session. But the committee may only make a formal objection if the rule violates specific provisions of the Montana Administrative Procedure Act.

"The objection today does not overrule the bill passed by the Legislature which mandated these cuts and in fact makes the department's job much more difficult as the state faces additional proposed spending reductions. We hope the same legislators who objected to these cuts today will work with the governor to find more responsible solutions in the future," the statement from health department director Sheila Hogan read.

Tyler Stosich said home care services help him stay employed.

It allows me to get to work, get dressed in the morning, shower and just daily needs that everybody has, he said. Without Medicaid and the ability to have this help, I would be in a facility. I wouldnt be contributing to the community, paying taxes, working or just having a sense of fulfillment with my daily life.

Some discussion waded into politics, when people who testified said taxes should be raised to pay for services. Democrats and Republicans, in a year when revenues have come in tens of millions below what was projected, have clashed over raising taxes versus cutting spending. Democrats point to several pitches to increase taxes such as the tobacco tax and alcohol tax that failed during the Legislature, while Republicans say state spending has outpaced revenues.

Kerry Dattilo, the chief executive officer with Quality Life Concepts in Great Falls, asked lawmakers to push past politics.

"At what point does taking care of our most vulnerable population become a nonpartisan issue?" she asked.
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 ...
When the wind suddenly falters in a canyon on the northern border of Oregon, and turbines stop generating pulses of power onto the electricity grid, gusts may well still be spinning the wheels in Carbon County, making up the difference.

Wind power is intermittent. But as long as it has a transmission route, its cheap, and utilities like PacifiCorp, which still get nearly half of their power from coal generation, have long-term plans that include a lot of new wind.

The best wind, and thus the best investment for the companys buck right now, blows through a wind alley in southern and western Wyoming.

PacifiCorp, and its subsidiary Rocky Mountain Power, would like to spend nearly $2.2 billion building new wind farms and laying 140 miles of a high voltage transmission line from the Medicine Bow area of wind alley to the Jim Bridger power plant in Sweetwater County. But they have to get approval, and not just from Wyoming.

The company is under an admittedly tight deadline. In order to keep federal tax credits that make wind generation so cheap, this all must be done by 2020. They cant start until they get approval.

Rocky Mountain Power is a public utility operating in Wyoming, Idaho and Utah. The larger PacifiCorp coverage area extends to Oregon, Washington and Northern California.

Recently, Oregons state regulators criticized the Wyoming wind project. Was it necessary, and could it put the Oregon rate payer at risk to swallow this investment down the line with higher monthly bills?

The company is likely to face similar pushback in Wyoming and for much the same reason. Is the investment risk worth it? Will it benefit consumers or put them on the hook to pay for something they didnt need?

For the next few months, its RMPs job to argue its case before the Wyoming Public Service Commission, answer staff and intervenor questions and ultimately prove its right to build. There will be a preliminary meeting Sept. 25, and two final public hearings, one for the repowering plans Jan. 9 and one for the new generation and associated transmission on Feb 22.

I think this is going to be a pretty heavy lift for them, said Bryce Freeman, administrator of the Wyoming Office of the Consumer Advocate, which acts on behalf of the rate payer in these type of cases. Its never easy to build big stuff, and there are a lot of questions circulating about whether they really need to build it.

Balancing demand

RMP has maintained that it does not believe the wind build out will raise rates. In the long term, the investment is going to be a cost-benefit to consumers in Wyoming in large part because of that federal boost, company spokespeople say. Wind also has zero fuel cost, unlike natural gas and coal generation.

As some aging coal units appear more economical to close down than keep running, Rocky Mountain Power is seeking the lowest cost way to balance the rollercoaster of daily electricity demand, as people switch on air conditioners, flick the lights off or turn on the oven. The availability of power on the grid must always keep pace with the demand for power.

To justify expansion, public utilities have to prove need or benefit to consumers. In Wyoming at least, which provides 30 percent of Pacificorps power and only consumes about 17 percent, more wind isnt precisely a necessity, but certainly a long-term lower cost of electricity or higher reliability on the grid is a benefit.

RMP is out to prove that is the case.

We do see a marginal increase in demand throughout our states. Its not massive, but this particular project will help meet that demand, said Jon Cox, vice president of government affairs for RMP.

The wind project was announced when the company released its latest Integrated Resource Plan, a 20-year outlook that the company reviews every two years.

In looking at the long-term trend, the company is always adjusting its expected power mix, calculating different economic scenarios, to make it to that bottom line, Cox said.

The goal is to find the lowest cost option, and this is what weve identified, Cox said of the wind investment. The [federal tax credit] is part of that, but also the fact that Wyomings wind is good enough that we get more electricity from there than we would anywhere else in our six-state system.

The benefit from that tax credit will flow back to customers, which is why our analysis shows over the course of this project that it does provide a net savings to our customers, he added.

But the risk could also come back to rate payers. Each of the states in the utilitys system carry a different load of that burden, with Utah taking on about 42 percent and Wyoming about 24 percent, Cox said.

Predicting the wind

For some, the companys desire to add new wind, that comes in with a federal tax credit before it goes away, is understandable.

I think they would resist the idea that somehow Wyoming is going to be exporting wind energy to the other states in their system, said Ken Lay, a 25-year Wyoming resident and member of the Norther Laramie Range Alliance, which has challenged a number of wind projects in the last eight years or so.

The group is an intervenor on RMPs current cases before the Wyoming Public Service Commission. The way they look at it, theyre simply diversifying the wind portfolio, making it a more predictable contributor, making the wind portfolio as a whole a more predictable supplier of energy.

The alliance isnt alone in stepping in to raise concern about the companys plans.

The Office of the Consumer Advocate, Wyoming Industrial Electric Consumers and Interwest Energy Alliance are also intervenors on the case. A pending petition to intervene has been put in by a private company, the Rocky Mountain Sheep Ranch, which will be considered Sept. 14.

At this point, early in a process that needs to move rapidly for RMP, there arent so much objections as there are questions.

Lay and others are not convinced yet of the need, not just for the new wind, but for the transmission line.

If seven or eight years from now you are going to decommission the largest facilities on this line (the Jim Bridger plant  which could see partial shut downs of individual coal units in the near term), then why would you need to increase its capacity, at great expenses, today? Lay asked.

There is no doubt that long-term demand is in a gentle decline due to distributed generation and energy efficiency. That was what their IRP was showing until the latest version, which said PacifiCorp needs all this wind energy to replace the coal plants theyve decided to shut down early.

The organization of loosely 900 members has been outspoken on a number of wind issues in the past, from eagle take permits to viewshed issues. One of the consistent arguments they hold is that federal law is forcing RMP to buy power from small wind farms, termed qualifying facilities.

Lays argument is that if RMPs new wind capacity involves buying from these small developers, consumers miss out on the federal tax credit for that power, which the smaller farms will keep for themselves.

Its one of the points hes bringing up in RMP case.

It begins to shift the way you look at the public utility, he said of becoming more aware of the complex federal and state policies that govern power generation and distribution. The public utility becomes your friend, because they have the ability to install these facilities much cheaper, the tax credits go to ratepayers and theyve shown much more responsiveness to citizen concerns about siting, wildlife habitat and viewsheds.

Lays ranch sits south of Glenrock, near the Pioneer Wind Park which sells its power to RMP, and not far from the RMPs own wind facilities north of Highway 25 on the site of a former coal mine.

RMP buys power from nine wind farms that it does not own and operate itself, including Pioneer. Its unclear at this point in the process how much of the new wind power that RMP wants to bring online will be bought from smaller producers, said Cox, spokesman for the company.

But there is disagreement on how much these small facilities influence customer rates. Utilities have to pass on the benefit of the tax credit to their customers and small farms don't.

Though wind farms that produce less than 80 megawatts of wind have a guaranteed buyer from a public utility, mandated by federal law, and though they can keep the production tax credit money, rather than pass it on as a discount to rate payers, they can only sell their power to the utility at an "avoided cost," to utility customers. That price is determined by regulators as the amount of money the utility would spend if they were generating the power from their own sources, whether that be coal, natural gas or wind, said Rob Godby, director of the Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy at the University of Wyoming.

In Wyoming that avoided cost is pretty cheap.

Some utilities don't like the deal -- which foists 20-year purchase agreements on companies like RMP -- but it's designed so that it does not affect the rate payer either way, he said. These companies could probably make more money from their wind in an open power market where all forms of power are in competition. But the advantage of being small and selling to regulated utilities, is that they have 20 years of a fixed price, Godby said.

If a handful of small companies represent part of Rocky Mountain Power's new wind generation, it shouldn't matter to the consumer either way.

A ticking clock

An end to federal tax credits for wind has been a rallying cry for those who dislike the wind industry, dislike its competitive advantage or dislike the look of turbines and their bone-white skeletons shadowing the landscape.

They are about to get their wish. Congress, and wind lobbyists, agreed that wind had the help it needed to become a viable industry. In the next three years, wind projects across the country will be in a mad rush to qualify for the 10-year life credit that they can get up to that point.

Chokecherry Sierra Madre Wind Farm, developed by the Power Company of Wyoming, is also counting on that 10-year credit for the first phase of its 1,000 turbine wind farm near Rawlins.

There is a bigger picture to RMP's wind plans, an electricity grid that's morphing into something new. As Lay, from the Northern Laramie citizens' groups said, the company is looking system wide with this wind.

"They are trying to position themselves so that they have the assets that people need and the ability to move it around the West to where it is needed," said Godby, the UW economist. "This is a strategic decision for [PacifiCorp], to develop this low cost wind now, while the production tax credits exists, because within the next decade they are going to start retiring their coal fired power plants."

In the meantime, the rush to get the job done remains one RMPs biggest challenges.

Rocky Mountain power needs agreements from landowners for right of way permits. It needs approval from the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council, though that group has yet to deny an applicant. There are also county level land use permits that have to be in place, before the company can even get to the construction phase, said Freeman from the Consumer Advocate.

To be fair, they do have some of the biggies out of the way (like federal environmental assessments), he said. There is just a lot of stuff that they are going to have to do  if they cant get it done by the end of 2020, they wont qualify for the full production tax credit which really impacts the economics of what they are trying to do.

And that may be what it boils down to in terms of need. There is an opportunity to get cheap power long term, if the math works out. If the permitting is completed. And if the projected prices, costs and retirement schedules of RMP's various coal, natural and wind generators hold true.

When asked why now and why so fast, at the companys initial announcement of wind investment in April, Senior Vice President Gary Hoogeveen, told the Star-Tribune:

Because we have to.
Pa. Dems could flip the House of Reps. Here's what that might mean
University of Wyoming officials are monitoring changes to the national immigration program known as DACA, while a student group on campus decried the federal government's decision to eliminate the policy.

"The end of DACA symbolizes the end of achieving the American Dream for those who relied on the program for employment, education, and the hopes of a better future," wrote the UW chapter of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, or MEChA, a group that seeks to "establish an awareness and sensitivity of Chicano values through a variety of different events."

Last week, President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals -- a program created in 2012 by then-President Barack Obama -- would be eliminated in six months. The program allowed undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children under the age of 16 to enroll in universities seek lawful employment and join the military.

Trump tweeted that Congress had six months to legalize the program or he would "revisit the issue." He later added -- apparently at the behest of Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi -- that there would be no action against the young people benefiting under DACA over the next half-year.

There are over 800,000 DACA recipients in the United States, and more than 600 in Wyoming, according to federal data. It's unclear how many are UW or Casper College students.

Benjamin Wetzel, the president of UW's student government, said the effect of the announcement was palpable on campus.

"There are students I know who are concerned about this, concerned about their education, concerned about their families," he said. "I dont want to go as far as saying its a dark time on campus, but I think theres definitely tension because of it."

UW President Laurie Nichols said in a statement that the university is "monitoring DACA and immigration developments." She urged students and staff affected by changes to the program to contact UW law professor Adam Severson.

She wrote that the university is "inclusive and committed to nurturing an environment that values and manifests diversity, internationalization and mutual respect. ... I am honored to belong to a university community devoted to the higher education of all students."

Nichols added that the university will continue to respect the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and will "not release student records without written consent from the student or a lawfully issued subpoena, warrant or judicial order."

In an email that was sent to Casper College students and faculty Thursday, officials wrote they would continue monitoring the situation and encouraged students to reach out to the local office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services and to contact the director of admissions, Kyla Foltz, if they had questions.

In its statement, posted to Facebook on Wednesday, MEChA said it was deeply saddened by the decision to end DACA.

"Undocumented lives matter immensely for us," the group wrote. "The American Dream has become their dream. Wyoming is their home. The University of Wyoming is their institution. We are dedicated to preserving the dignity of all undocumented individuals in the face of such ostracism, systemic oppression, and collective misunderstandings and prejudices."

A message sent to the group was not returned Thursday.

The group also expressed displeasure with UW's student government, which -- it suggested -- had stalled on implementing a resolution it passed to create a "sanctuary campus" in Laramie.

The student government -- officially called the Associated Students/University of Wyoming -- put out its own statement, writing that it "stands in support of all undocumented and immigrant students and employees at the University of Wyoming."

In response to MEChA's "displeasure" over the sanctuary campus designation delay, Wetzel said he understood their frustration but that he and other members of the student government were working hard with university officials.

The "sanctuary campus" designation can mean a number of things, he explained. It can be as aggressive as a school telling authorities that it won't release any information at all, or it can be a university requiring a warrant before it will divulge a student's immigration status.

The university's board will have to approve the decision to become a sanctuary campus, Wetzel said.

"I think that it will be a battle in the state of Wyoming to reach the level of sanctuary campus," he said. "That sets a pretty heavy designation. I dont think its going to be something well see, but were going to try."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LOVELL, Wyo.  On a tour of the Lovell-Kane Area Museum, museum president Karen Spragg points out a wood-and-glass display case.

In the 1800s, the display case sat inside the Quarnstrom store, saloon and hotel in Kane, Wyoming, Spragg tells a visitor.

But liquor was never served out of the saloon, she said. If the cowboys wanted to buy liquor or have a drink, they had to get on the morning train about 11, go to Greybull and do their drinking or buy their jug and come back on the 3 oclock train.

The case is just one of many pieces of furniture, photographs, clothing and other items inside the Lovell museum. Housed in a newly remodeled home in the small northern Wyoming town, the museum contains the history of Lovell and other nearby locales  some, like Kane, which no longer exist.

Spragg was raised in Kane, now a ghost town about seven miles east of Lovell.

My mother was postmistress down there when they closed it, she said.

It happened in 1965, when residents were offered buyouts for their property, in advance of the construction of the Yellowtail Dam.

And if (the landowners) didnt take the offered price, they condemned their land and they had to move anyway, Spragg said.

She walks through the museum with a tale to tell about nearly every piece on display, joined by Rich Fink, the museums vice president.

A framed black-and-white photograph on the wall features Henry Clay Lovell, who settled the ML Ranch in 1882 and helped pioneers who came into the area to settle. Lovell was named in his honor.

He had a cattle ranch that went from Thermopolis to the Pryor Mountains, Spragg said. He ran like 25,000 head of cattle and in a blizzard in the 1880s, 12,000 froze to death.

A narrow-waisted black dress on display belonged to Beulah Patton, who arrived in Lovell in 1925 on the train with five children and her husband.

We dont dress like that anymore, let alone travel on the train, she said. It has two petticoats, one black one and one white one.

Fink, a military history buff, nods toward one corner that displays uniforms from various military eras. He points to a photograph of rows of soldiers, including his father, Fred Fink, who served in the 115th Cavalry as a farrier in World War II.

The museum also features the history of other tiny towns. They include Dryhead, Spence, Himes, Crystal Creek, Hillsboro and Crooked Creek.

The different rooms have themes, from military to fashion to specific towns and their industries. Many of the items have been donated or purchased at yard sales and auctions.

For Spragg, its a labor of love.

Ive always been interested in history and genealogy, she said, sitting at a small table inside the museum. And I just love seeing the old things and learning the stories of the people in this area.

The idea for a museum came up back in 2000, when Spragg and her cousins put together a scrapbook of Kane for her parents 60th wedding anniversary. The scrapbook garnered interest as she showed it to members of the community, including one person who said Spragg needed to open a museum.

With help, she started visiting other museums, figuring out what it would take to do that. Then Spragg starting calling people, asking if they would be willing to serve on the board.

In 2011, the board started meeting, collecting historical items and holding fundraisers. When the towns Chamber of Commerce offered space for a museum in 2014, the group jumped at the opportunity.

In early 2017, Spragg got a call from Loretta Bischoff, who had a rental house in Lovell.

She said, would you like that house for a museum?  Spragg said.

The museums board quickly agreed, and renovation began. It cost the $24,000 that supporters had raised over the years to install new flooring and lights and paint the interior, knock out some walls and relocate the bathroom.

The museum, located at 354 Oregon Ave., had a soft opening in June and the grand opening and ribbon-cutting in mid-August. It is open, thanks to volunteer help, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment only once winter hours kick in on Sept. 18.

Were very short of storage space, so were looking at getting a safe to put originals and delicate (pieces) in, Spragg said. From day one Loretta has said the house is not big enough, but I dont care. Its wonderful.

New items come in daily, she said. On the day of the interview, Spragg had gotten a 1917 campaign hat and a scale replica of a hay stacker.

Like Spragg, Fink would much rather have people donate the historical objects they no longer want than toss them out.

What weve seen is these elderly people pass away and their kids take the stuff and haul it to the dump because it means nothing to them, he said. Were throwing away history, and theres so much history there.

The museum relies on fundraisers to continue operations. It originally received some of its funding from the city of Lovell, but then city officials determined donations could not be made to a private entity.

Instead, Spragg is looking into grants and other potential sources. An anonymous gift will help cover the ongoing costs of utilities.

But Fink said it will take everyone working together to continue the work.

I just hope we can get the community to support us to keep it open, he said.
Montanans need only to look at the front page of any statewide paper or turn on the local evening news to know that our state is experiencing a budget deficit made much worse by a severe and long fire season.

But members of the Legislature have been warning Gov. Steve Bullock since long before the 2017 Legislative session that our states finances were headed toward the edge of a cliff. In a recent opinion published by the governor, he asks Montanans not to point blame when it comes to tough budget decisions. This was followed days later by a memo from Budget Director Dan Villa to agency directors stating the blame for budget cuts is first and foremost the fault of the Legislature. Following a strong economic period, the governors budget guy behind the scenes has proven that he is beyond his capability in times of revenue shortfall.

Nowhere is this more clear than in the handling of the Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS) budget. In his memo, the Governors budget director makes an inexcusable attempt to avoid responsibility for the damage done during the years by this administration to private-sector Medicaid providers serving Montanas most vulnerable populations the developmentally disabled, mentally ill, and our aging populations -- all populations that the governor claims to prioritize.

We all should assume that the men and women hired to work at DPHHS are experts in their field and have intimate knowledge of issues facing these populations. But for an unknown reason, officials within DPHHS have been stopped from talking to the press and key legislators without permission from the budget director (who we know does not have expertise in the health and human services field). Montanans and legislators should be outraged by this blatant lack of transparency and the fact that Bullock allows it to continue while claiming to have the best interest of those served by DPHHS in mind.

Since the Legislature left town a few months ago, we have watched the clear priorities that we set forth for DPHHS thwarted and turned against the legislature. Additionally, history has shown that cuts to DPHHS do not represent the intent of the Legislature  they represent priorities from the governors office and his budget director.

This issue will be on display today in Helena, as the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee of the Legislature challenges the DPHHS on their decisions to cut Medicaid rates to providers serving our most vulnerable populations in Montana, as a means to balance the budget.

If history repeats itself, DPHHS officials will sidestep questions and avoid the press, instead directing us to the budget office. We hope instead for an open and honest dialogue with DPHHS officials. Stop using the Legislature as a scapegoat and work with us on real solutions to provide real care to those most in need.

It goes without saying, budgeting is easier at a time when revenues are on the rise, as they have been since this administration has taken office. But to use the current budget crisis, and Montana Code Annotated 17-7-140, as an excuse for cutting funding to our most vulnerable populations and our private sector providers that provide the care, would be inexcusable. Now is the time, Gov. Bullock. Our hopes and prayers are with you to make the tough decisions. Above all, Montana needs to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves.

Rep. Ron Ehli is the House Majority Leader, and Former Chairman of CFHHS Interim Committee and Sen. Fred Thomas is the Senate Majority Leader.
Andrew Marr spoke for Britain yesterday. When interviewing Tony Blair on his Sunday morning BBC show, the presenter could not hold back his anguish when the former prime minister said of his campaign to keep the UK in the European Union: I feel a renewed sense of mission.

Marr groaned: Not a renewed sense of mission, please!

It was Blairs quasi-mystical sense of mission which is partly responsible for an unquantifiable number of violent deaths, the result of an invasion of Iraq based on dodgy intelligence and a complete absence of post-war planning. That tragic product of Blairs messianic certainty is the principal reason he is now the most distrusted figure in British political life.

'It was Blairs quasi-mystical sense of mission which is partly responsible for an unquantifiable number of violent deaths, the result of an invasion of Iraq based on dodgy intelligence and a complete absence of post-war planning'

His assertion in a Sunday Times article yesterday that we have to respect the referendum result in order to change it is precisely the sophistry which will remind so many people just why they feel that if Blair told them it was sunny outside, theyd grab an umbrella.

So although Blairs call has been welcomed by many of those who marched in London on Saturday under the banner of rejecting last years referendum result, they should have been cursing him.

Future

Because although we are in so many ways a divided nation, there is one proposition around which we are able to come together with near unanimity: that Tony Blair is a bit of a stinker.

The pollsters YouGov yesterday re-posted research they carried out last November, which showed that just 2 per cent of the population had a very favourable view of the former prime minister.

I imagine if YouGov had put the late Jimmy Saviles name up for the same survey, that there would have been a similar level of popular endorsement.

'There is one proposition around which we are able to come together with near unanimity: that Tony Blair is a bit of a stinker'

Admittedly, 12 per cent said they had a somewhat favourable opinion of Blair. But the total number of unfavourables was a monumental 74 per cent. Even among those who voted Remain, an almost identical proportion  73 per cent  gave Blair the polling equivalent of a V-sign. Young or old, Northerner or Southerner, it made no difference.

This is not a man that any section of the public much wishes to hear from, either now or in the foreseeable future.

None of this means Blairs arguments are for that reason wrong. We should never dismiss someones opinions or offered solutions just because he is highly unpopular. So lets do him the courtesy of a considered refutation.

His argument is as follows: the British people voted Leave only because they were unhappy about very high levels of immigration, especially from the rest of the EU. So all we have to do, says Blair, is to find ways of restricting that while remaining in the EU: then we can say we have satisfied everyone and call Brexit off. So simple.

Except it isnt that simple  or even possible. First of all, those who voted for Brexit did so for a number of reasons. Its just as idiotic to say it was all because of immigration as it would be to attribute a single motive to all of those who chose to vote Remain.

More pertinently, Blair has not a shred of evidence to support his claim that senior figures within the EU would allow the UK to restrict freedom of movement while remaining a member state.

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has repeatedly made it clear that freedom of movement is a completely non-negotiable part of membership. The same point is made by those in Brussels now negotiating with the UK over Brexit. It is EU theology; fundamental doctrine.

It explains why David Cameron as PM got absolutely nowhere with this ahead of the referendum. He promised the country: I will go to Brussels, I will not take no for an answer and when it comes to freedom of movement, I will get what Britain needs.

'The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has repeatedly made it clear that freedom of movement is a completely non-negotiable part of membership'

In the event, he didnt even ask for it, as Merkel, the decider in such matters, made it clear that the answer would be no.

There is not the slightest indication that the German leader  who seems sure to retain her post after the forthcoming general election  has changed her mind. And in the highly unlikely circumstance that she did, Tony Blair would not be the person shed tell first (or at all).

Garbage

Undaunted, Blairs very own think-tank, the modestly named Institute For Global Change, yesterday published a paper designed to add substance to its owners claim that we could control migration from the EU while remaining inside.

We could, it said seek to impose new, discriminatory (relative to EU nationals) terms and conditions for EU nationals taking up residence in the UK . . . enabling businesses and universities to give preference to UK citizens over EU nationals, for example, with respect to the charging of tuition fees.

Well, with respect to the Institute For Global Change, this is  to use a technical term  garbage.

The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union prohibits discrimination on grounds of nationality. This means it would be absolutely illegal to charge, say, a German, more than a British student for tuition fees at a UK university.

Tony Blair should know this, since he was, as prime minister, a part of all those decisions, which were most recently ratified in the Lisbon Treaty. This, lets recall, was the re-branded version of the European Constitution, over which Blair, back in 2004, had promised the British people a referendum.

He broke that promise.

Now, not content with that, he proposes to overturn the verdict of a referendum promised by another prime minister, who had the decency both to stick to his word and then to accept the outcome.

You would almost have to admire the nerve of it  that is, if it werent based solely on delusional self-belief.

'When Oscar Wilde observed that "each man kills the thing he loves", he cannot have anticipated the career of Tony Blair'

That year, 2004, was highly significant for another reason. It was the year in which ten states, formerly part of the Soviet east European empire, joined the EU. Almost every other existing EU nation took up its right to impose transitional controls over immigration from the relatively impoverished new entrants, which would last for seven years. Only the UK, Ireland and Sweden chose not to impose any controls from the outset.

Despair

Blair was the PM responsible for this decision, now universally recognised as the main reason annual immigration into the UK quadrupled, with net migration into this country averaging a quarter of a million people a year from 2005 to 2010.

Obviously, that was not just from the EU, but the Blair government had (absurdly) claimed only an extra 13,000 extra net migrants a year would come as a result of its decision.

There was no public debate on this  in sharp contrast to those EU countries, notably Germany, which did introduce transitional controls.

Indeed, Blairs former consiglieri Lord (Peter) Mandelson brazenly admitted a few years ago: In 2004, as the Labour government, we were not only welcoming people to come to this country to work, we were sending out search parties.

Perhaps it is not surprising that Tony Blair refused to display a scintilla of regret for this misjudgment. He has not done so for the Iraq war, so why would he for anything else?

Although Blair also yesterday restated his despair at the fact that Jeremy Corbyn is now the leader of the Labour Party, he should reflect on the fact that it was principally Corbyns opposition to the Iraq war that seduced the partys membership into electing this rebellious backbencher, just as it may well have been Blairs botched handling of EU migration which tipped the balance against Remain in the 2016 referendum.

When Oscar Wilde observed that each man kills the thing he loves, he cannot have anticipated the career of Tony Blair, but it certainly applies to him, both in terms of the sort of Labour Party he wanted to bequeath and in Britains relationship with the EU.

As even Ken Clarke  the most durable of Remainers in the House of Commons  said yesterday: Tony Blair thinks we can stay in the EU. But its hopeless to expect that.

In other words: Let it go, Tony. Its over.
Evening Standard editor George Osborne

Lord Adonis  an ex-Labour Cabinet minister who the Tories made head of the body overseeing UK infrastructure strategy  has been ridiculed for demanding the dismissal of the BBC's most respected political anchorman.

The controversial policy guru complained to Corporation chiefs that Andrew Neil  nicknamed 'Brillo'  is 'too pro-Brexit'.

Referring to the 68-year-old Scot's 'journalistic and propaganda talents', he argued that Neil's views 'breach [the BBC's] duty of impartiality'.

This unfounded and outrageous attempt at censorship has led to a vociferous backlash.

Even anti-Brexit cheerleader George Osborne has leapt to Neil's defence against Adonis who, as schools minister, was called ABA (Andrew Bloody Adonis) by his colleagues.

In an editorial in the London Evening Standard, which he edits, the former Chancellor described Neil as 'one of Britain's greatest journalists', saying his interviews 'penetrate the defences of ill- prepared politicians not because they are ferocious but because he does his research'.

Lord Adonis complained to Corporation chiefs that Andrew Neil (pictured)  nicknamed 'Brillo'  is 'too pro-Brexit'

It rejected the claims that Neil is anti-EU, saying: 'It doesn't stand up. He sticks it to all-comers.'

Osborne knows this to his cost.During his six years as Chancellor, he (with boss David Cameron), was reluctant be to be interviewed by Neil despite many invitations.

He did consent during the EU referendum campaign. It was a bruising experience  challenged on Project Fear scare stories about Brexit's effect on pensions, house prices and family incomes.

Osborne admitted he should have stuck to his 'no Neil interviews' policy  and was sacked from the Cabinet weeks later.

A sordid tale for Nye Bevan's heir

Labour MP Chris Evans has written a biography of world light-heavyweight champion boxer Freddie Mills, who committed suicide after an unwise involvement with the Kray Twins.

It was claimed he was a multiple-killer  dubbed Jack the Stripper  responsible for strangling to death at least eight women prostitutes between 1959 and 1965 and dumping their naked bodies in West London.

A strange choice for an MP representing a constituency in South Wales, where the best-known socialist hero is Nye Bevan, regarded as the father of the NHS.

An email sent to staff at the Metropolitan Police's administrative offices in North London warned them not to bring their own breakfast cereals to eat at work because it's costing the force too much to provide the milk.

Inevitably, there was the witty retort: 'Cereal killer alert.'

Riding to the rescue of Boris Johnson  victim of an anti-Brexiteers hate-campaign  is Sir Bernard Ingham, Mrs Thatcher's press secretary.

'Thank heavens Boris is not a servile creature . . .' he says. 'He must be preserved in aspic. After all, most Foreign Secretaries go 'native'  i.e. European. Although the thought of Boris in a mummified state might appeal to some, a Boris Johnson Preservation Society would doubtless get much livelier support.'

'Riding to the rescue of Boris Johnson  victim of an anti-Brexiteers hate-campaign  is Sir Bernard Ingham'

Quote of the week: Ex-Labour MP Tom Harris mocks his party's decision to vote against the EU (Withdrawal) Bill tonight.

'A party that campaigned for Remain, led by an EU sceptic who may or may not have voted Leave, which supports both leaving and remaining in the single market, which demands the resignation of frontbenchers who voted against Article 50, or in favour of permanent membership of the single market, now wants to oppose in principle the legislation that will finally allow us to leave the EU.'

While Tory party numbers continue to decline  to around 100,000  Labour in Scotland expects thousands of new names to sign up.

It's offering membership for a mere 12, entitling people to vote in the contest to replace Kezia Dugdale as Scottish leader.

Scottish Labour clearly hopes for a boost similar to 2015, when the party offered membership for 3  leading to 500,000 new members and Jeremy Corbyn's election as leader.
Kate Winslet has spoken out in defense of her decision to work with controversial director Woody Allen, admitting that she refused to turn down an 'extraordinary part' because of child rape allegations that she doesn't know are 'true or false'.

The Oscar-winning actress made the confession while discussing her new movie with Woody Allen, 81, suggesting that the same thinking applied when she happily accepted an opportunity to work with Roman Polanski, 84, who pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor four decades ago.

The 41-year-old Oscar-winner, who is currently working on an Allen film, said that despite everything, she did not hesitate to take the role because she didn't know if the accusations were true or false and working for the director is a one-in-a-lifetime. Besides, it would make her parents 'incredibly proud'.

Controversy: Kate Winslet, 41, said that she didn't hesitate to work with directors Woody Allen, 81 (pictured), and Roman Polanski, 84, despite child rape allegations

It's fine: 'Woody Allen is an incredible director. So is Roman Polanski. I had an extraordinary working experience with both of those men,' Winslet, pictured with Polanski, said

What about Justin? The Oscar-winner is currently working on an Allen Film, Wonder Wheel, with Justin Timberlake

'Of course one thinks about it,' Winslet told the New York Times about allegations by Dylan Farrow, Allen's former stepdaughter with Mia Farrow, that she was raped by the director as a child.

'But at the same time, I didnt know Allen and I dont know anything about that family. As the actor in the film, you just have to step away and say, I dont know anything, really, and whether any of it is true or false.'

In fact, Winslet admitted that, not only did she happily accept the role on Allen's movie, he was actually the 'catalyst' in her taking on a part in Wonder Wheel, in which she stars with Justin Timberlake.

'[I] probably wasnt going to get another go-round with Woody Allen, so its now or never,' she said.

'And it was an extraordinary part, that I could not believe he was asking me to play, so just the flattery of being offered the role was enough.

'The only reason I wouldnt have done it would have been fear, and that is no way to live a life, man. Plus I knew my parents would be incredibly proud of me working with Woody Allen.'

Controversial: Allen's former stepdaughter with Mia Farrow, Dylan, pictured in Allen's arms, alleges she was raped by the director as a child

Convicted: Polanski (left) plead guilty to unlawful sex with a then-13-year-old Samantha Geimer in 1977, however Allen (right) has repeatedly denied the allegations against him

She also brought in Polanski into the discussion, pointing out it's not the first time she has agreed to work with an 'incredible' director who has a questionable or controversial past.

'Having thought it all through, you put it to one side and just work with the person,' she explained.

'Woody Allen is an incredible director. So is Roman Polanski. I had an extraordinary working experience with both of those men, and thats the truth,' said Winslet, who worked with Polanski in 2009's Carnage.

While the allegations that Allen raped his stepdaughter have never been proven with a conviction, just with the testimony of the alleged victim, Polanski plead guilty to unlawful sex with a then-13-year-old Samantha Geimer in 1977, fled to Europe, and has been avoiding jail time ever since.

But Winslet is not the only actor who's looked past the allegations of misbehavior against Allen; it seems that actors just can't say no to the legendary director.

Alec Baldwin, Blake Lively, and many other stars, have faced backlash for choosing to work with the Oscar-winning director.
A 25-year-old woman living with five different identities has opened up about her male alter egos that can emerge at any time.

Jessica Mayer, from South Wales in the UK, was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder - a rare condition where her personalities take control of her body.

She has five alter egos - all living in her body and four of them are male - Jake, a Hollywood actor; Jamie, a doctor; Ed, a hairdresser; and 14-year-old schoolboy Ollie.

Each identity has its own distinctive trait - Jake has an American accent, Jamie wears prescription glasses and Ed is left-handed.

Appearing on Australian program Sunday Night, Jessica opened up about how her mind would regularly switch from one character to another without warning - and the moment she told her now-husband Gaz about her disorder.

Scroll down for video

Jessica Mayer (pictured), from South Wales in the UK, was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder - a rare condition where her personalities take control of her body

Here, she describes each of her alter egos. She revealed the family tree: Jake and Jamie are brothers. Jamie and Ed are partners who share son Ollie.

Speaking to Melissa Doyle, she said Jake is 'good looking slim, lean and muscular' who has has 'brilliant Hollywood white smile'.

'Jamie has an upper-class British accent. He is very intelligent, very charming. Ollie is a bit of a moody teenager. He wanted to grow up to be a dinosaur,' she said.

'Ed is very artsy, he's very creative and he does all of this left-handed.'

Despite her male alter egos, the happily married woman leads a 'girlie' lifestyle as she juggles full-time work and university.

She has five alter egos - all living in the same body and four are male - Jake, Jamie, Ed and Ollie

Speaking to Melissa Doyle, the 25-year-old opened up about how her mind would regularly switch from one character to another without warning

Opening up about how she manages to share her body with four other identities, she said they follow a 'structure' on a daily basis.

'One of us, whoever it may be, is up in the morning,' she said.

Generally, Jake usually starts the morning because he likes to take the dog out for a walk or go out for a bit of a jog.

Ed usually prepares lunchboxes and set everything up for the week while Jessica would go to her 9-5 job as usual.

'Allowing them to have their own space and their own time is incredibly beneficial to our overall mental health,' she said.

Growing up, Jessica said would find herself at a different location, not knowing how she ended up there.

'I remember one day, I was in a dress with the highest of heels on, blisters all over my feet, it was raining and I had no idea where I was or how I got there,' she recalled.

Jake is a 25-year-old Hollywood actor who is 'good looking slim, lean and muscular' and has has 'brilliant Hollywood white smile'

Ed is a 29-year-old hairdresser who is 'very artsy, creative and he does all of this left-handed'

She explained how some of her male alter egos sometimes feel uncomfortable being inside a female body.

'Jake is very self-conscious of the fact he doesn't appear male to the outside world,' she said.

'Jamie is very good at taking care of me, he's very good at that. I think it's because he's very detached from the body really as is Ed and Ollie.

'I think they don't really feel that this body belongs to them.'

The young woman developed her male identities to 'protect' herself after suffering a traumatic event during her childhood - an ordeal she declines to speak about.

'I think having males around all day everyday in my brain really help me desensitize myself to being afraid of men,' she said.

'I thought, if I was a boy, what happened to me wouldn't have happened.'

Ollie is a 14-year-old schoolboy a 'moody teen and he wanted to grow up to be a dinosaur'

Jamie is a 27-year-old doctor with an 'upper-class British accent' and he's 'very charming'

Recalling the moment they got together, her now-husband Gaz Mayer had initially asked her to be his girlfriend three times until she finally accepted.

'I was so frightened of him seeing that side of me but he was insistent,' she said.

Gaz said Jessica explained to him that she had 'people living inside of her her head' - but he said he didn't seem fazed by her disorder.

The couple also revealed how her personalities can unpredictably appear at any time - even when she's getting intimate with her husband.

'If I notice that she's switching when we are being intimate in any manner, then everything gets stopped and pulled back because I don't know if Jake's going to come out, I don't know if Ollie's going to come out, so everything gets pulled back,' Gaz said.

Australian TV presenter Melissa Doyle met with Jessica for an interview to be aired on Sunday (pictured one of her identities - 14-year-old Ollie who loves dinosaurs)

After meeting with a psychotherapist, she was able to take back control of her body after learning how to manage her identities.

'Hopefully I would be taken seriously and people will recognise this isn't something made up... this is something real life that I have to suffer with daily,' she said.

She also hit back at the stigma surrounding the condition because of the way people with the disorder have been portrayed in movies.

'Alters are very unlikely to harm you and the likelihood of people with mental health issues are more likely to be victims than perpetrators,' she said.
In an age where the cost of living seems to be getting more and more expensive, it can seem like it is harder to squirrel money away.

If you find yourself living from paycheck to paycheck Oceana Setaysha from Australian blog Stay at Home Mum has said you're not alone, with one in five Australians having no money left at the end of the pay period.

She has shared her tips on how to get yourself out of this vicious cycle by making stable financial choices.

If you find yourself living from paycheck to paycheck to Oceana Setaysha from Stay at Home Mum has said you're not alone

SHOPPING IS NOT A HOBBY

Oceana said that when we are hanging out with friends we are often meeting up in areas where there are a variety of shopping destinations.

People also tend to shop online when they're bored and want to fill in time, which is a habit people need to get out of.

'In order to stop living pay to pay its important to recognise that this behaviour isnt benefiting you in the long run.

'Shopping as a hobby is an expensive and ultimately damaging activity, particularly when youre struggling to get through your pay period on the money you have available.'

SHAVE YOUR EXPENSES

Another suggestion was to look at what you're spending your money on from week to week and assess what you can get rid of or cut down on.

Oceana recommended doing things like bringing a thermos to work instead of buying coffee, packing your lunch and going to a less expensive hairdresser.

'These expenses might also include expensive subscriptions to magazines, or memberships at gyms,' she said.

'If youre strapped for cash, all of these represent potential savings.'

Oceana said that when we are hanging out with friends we are often meeting up in areas where there are a variety of shopping destinations

MATCH YOUR MONEY TO YOUR LIFE

She also said that we need to realise that although we may want to, we're not going to be able to afford everything we have our eyes on.

The idea of trying to 'keep up with the Joneses' is detrimental to both your wallet and your mental health.

'Instead, take some time to think about your lifestyle, how much money is available, and the lifestyle you can afford,' Oceana explained.

'It can be a harsh reality check, but if you want to lessen your financial stress its absolutely necessary.'

PAY YOUR BILLS IMMEDIATELY

Her final tip was to make sure that you pay your bills as soon as you are able to, or if the bill isn't due yet put the money aside to pay it as soon as it becomes available.

She recommended setting up a direct debit for bills so that way you are able to focus on the money that you do have.

'Using this method you should be able to better manage your money, and not be hit with unexpected bills.'

Oceana recommended doing things like bringing a thermos to work instead of buying coffee, packing your lunch and going to a less expensive hair dresser

CREATE A BUDGET

Australian finance expert and SugarMamma.TV founder, Canna Campbell, previously shared tips for leaving this way of life behind and building up savings, starting with creating a budget.

'It means you are consciously aware of where your cash is flowing and because of that you can make some very powerful and conscious decisions and changes to create a different outcome,' Canna explained.

'Once you have completed that budget you need to go through it and really question every single expense.'

She said that although you may be after a pair of thigh high leather Gucci boots, they may not be in your means.

DOWNSIZE WHAT YOU CAN

Canna said it's important to look at your life and realise what you might need to let go of.

Although some decisions may be difficult, this can lead to a much more financially secure lifestyle.

'You may look at downsizing your home, you know that you may not need to rent that very expensive apartment each month,' she said.

'Maybe you don't need that big house anymore, maybe you can downsize into something smaller and more manageable and of course, a lot cheaper.

'You may realise that that big flashy car that you have that expensive lease on is no longer a necessity. You can go without it or downsize that car as well. You may look at your internet and pay TV packages and realise that you don't really need the maximum package.'

Make sure that you pay your bills as soon as you are able to, or if the bill isn't due yet put the money aside to pay it as soon as it becomes available

SET GOALS AND REGULARLY REVIEW THEM

Canna said that you need to decide on a budget plan to follow.

'You make a decision to get out of debt, build up savings, start investing, achieve specific financial goals that are going to better your life and your family's life.'

She explained that once you have put this in place you will be feeling like you have more control and have mastered self-discipline.

To remain in this place it's important to review your financial goals regularly.

'You're feeling really proud so as you review your progress, look at what's working and what's not working.'

'Make the necessary tweaks and changes so you can become even more efficient.'
She's the best friend who supported Connie Johnson through her excruciating battle with breast and liver cancer.

And the heartrending moment long-time carer Em Rooke planted a tender kiss on Connie's head was captured in a poignant photograph shared to Facebook.

A chapter in the pair's close friendship tragically came to a close on Friday after Connie - a Melbourne mother-of-two - died after losing her fight to terminal cancer at the age of 40.

The powerful black-and-white image, however, lives on and shows the beautiful friendship the pair shared through thick and thin - as the cancer-stricken woman fought back her tears.

Leaning in for a loving embrace, long-time carer Em Rooke planted a tender kiss on Connie Johnson's head in a poignant photograph

Last November, Gold Logie actor Samuel Johnson took to the Love Your Sister Facebook page to praise the woman behind his beloved sister

Em who also runs the Love Your Sister campaign alongside the Johnson siblings - has always maintained a low profile in the spotlight.

But last November, Gold Logie winning actor Samuel Johnson took to the Facebook page to praise the woman behind his beloved sister.

'Here's one for the carers. The besties. The ones who stay. This is Em. She's been Constance's bestie since like forever,' he said.

'She prefers the shadows but I thought you should know that she also runs LYS, top to bottom, since Day 1.

'On her business card her title is quite rightfully, "The Hectickest". I love this photo. It's what love looks like. #herestothecarers.'

Gold Logie winning actor Samuel Johnson has praised the woman behind his sister's battle Em Rooke (far right) who has supported Connie through her excruciating battle

Mr Johnson paid tribute to his sister who tragically died after losing her fight to cancer

The post comes after Mr Johnson paid tribute to his sister who tragically died after losing her fight to cancer.

'She went so richly, and with such grace. Trust me, she was genuinely cushioned by your love, till the end,' he said.

'I'm sad and sorry to be the one to tell you this, yet at the same time, as the Chief Custodian of my sisters legacy, I also feel extremely grateful and proud.

'I'm off to cuddle the fam and warmly embrace an exquisite whisky, in memory of my sister, who did so bloody well, from start to finish.

'Thanks for everything, Connie Cottonsocks. It was my pleasure to be your Sammy Seal.'
Hillary Clinton's aide Huma Abedin put politics aside on Sunday afternoon in favor of fashion as she took her place on a rather cramped front row at Prabal Gurung's New York Fashion Week show.

The 41-year-old looked incredibly glamorous as she sandwiched herself between the designer's other VIP attendees, including Gloria Steinem, and Cleo Wade, the girlfriend of New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.

Wearing a long-sleeved mid-length Prabal Gurung dress, which she accessorized with black and gold high heels, a gold belt, and statement earrings, Huma's look was a world away from the casual, laid-back outfit she wore on Friday morning when she was pictured on the school run with her estranged husband Anthony Weiner.

Scroll down for video

Breathe in! Hillary Clinton's aide Huma Abedin attended Prabal Gurung's New York Fashion Week show on Sunday, where she was seen squeezing onto a rather packed front row

Networking: The 41-year-old was seated alongside activist Gloria Steinem (left) and Cleo Wade (center), the girlfriend of New Jersey Senator Cory Booker

Fashionista: Huma put on a glamorous display in a long-sleeved blue Prabal Gurung dress, which she accessorized with black-and-gold heels and a yellow patterned clutch

Fashionable friends: Huma took time to pose with designer Prabal backstage

Upon her arrival at the event, Huma, who wore a slick of bold fuchsia lipstick, happily posed for the cameras, showing off her pretty patterned frock, before taking her seat in between Cleo and actress Mia Moretti.

And while the political aide initially looked happy and comfortable on the front row of the catwalk show, the seating eventually became much more crowded as more guests arrived, and Huma was forced to move forward slightly to the edge of her seat in order to make room for more people.

Huma seemed happy to chat away to her fellow VIP guests, however, and was seen engaging conversation with Instagram influencer Cleo and activist and women's rights campaigner Gloria Steinem.

No doubt the fashionable event came as something of a welcome distraction for Huma who publicly reunited with her estranged husband Weiner on Friday.

Huma was seen with Anthony for the first time in close to a year as the two came together to bring son Jordan to his first day of kindergarten, walking along the sidewalk to make the short trip to the school.

The top aide to Hillary Clinton, who filed for divorce from her philandering husband back in May, smiled as she and Weiner both held Jordan's hand while walking him to school in downtown Manhattan.

Chit chat: At one point, Huma was seen enjoying a conversation with Cleo and Gloria

Tight fit: Huma had to move forward to the edge of her seat in order to make room alongside her for her fellow guests, who happily snapped away on their phones during the show

Story time: Instagram influencer Cleo appeared to be entertaining her fellow front row attendees with an interesting anecdote

Happy and relaxed: The political aide's attendance at the show came just two days after she publicly reunited with her estranged husband Anthony Weiner for the first time in nearly a year

Weiner was forced to turn around before the group arrived at the private learning institution, however, where the annual tuition is over $42,000 for each student.

New York state law requires that some on the sex offender registry not be within 1,000 feet of a school; Weiner's retreat comes four months after he was forced to register as a sex offender.

Young Jordan could be seen motioning to his father at one point as he continued on with only his mother by his side.

Weiner was originally set to be sentenced on Friday after entering a guilty plea to a single charge of transferring obscene material to a minor but was able to push back the date so he could take his son to the start of school.

And on the catwalk: Gigi Hadid (L) and her sister Bella modeled contrasting looks at the show

Diversity: Prabal's show featured models of all shapes and sizes, including curvy star Ashley Graham, who modeled a beautiful crop top and matching skirt

Stars of the show: It was Gigi and Bella, however, who stole the spotlight on the catwalk

Pretty in pink: The collection featured vibrant colors, including this bold pink shade which was used in several different looks

Flower power: Many of the prints within the Spring/Summer 18 collection were focused around a fresh floral theme

Mellow yellow: This bright sunshine shade was also one of the bolder themes in the line

Those charges arose after DailyMail.com revealed in September of last year that he had been sexting a 15-year-old high school student from North Carolina for months.

In the wake of that revelation he had his laptop seized, and emails found on the device led to a second FBI probe into Clinton's email server, which she later claimed cost her the election.

Abedin submitted her divorce papers on the same day Weiner appeared in court to enter his guilty plea back in May.

Weiner has agreed to accept any prison sentence of less than 27 months and register as a sex offender as part of his plea deal.

Prosecutors are recommending that Weiner serve a two-year sentence as part of the deal, with the charge carrying a maximum prison term of 10 years and maximum fine of $250,000. He was released on bail and will be sentenced next month.

Reunited: Huma stepped out with husband Weiner as they took their son Jordan to his first day of kindergarten on Friday morning

Happy together: The estranged couple held hands with their son as they walked to his private school in downtown Manhattan, where annual tuition is over $42,000

Working hard: Meanwhile, Huma's boss, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton sat down for her first televised interview since the election with CBS Sunday Morning host Jane Pauley

Meanwhile, hours before Huma attended the Prabal Gurung show, her boss Hillary Clinton sat down for her first televised interview since the election with CBS Sunday Morning host Jane Pauley.

During the conversation, Hillary noted that attending Donald Trump's inauguration was a surreal experience and, like former President George W. Bush, she didn't think much of the president's speech.

'And so there I was, on the platform, feeling like an out-of-body experience,' she recalled. 'And then his speech, which was a cry from the white nationalist gut  what an opportunity to say, "OK, I'm proud of my supporters, but I'm the president of all Americans."'

She also suggested that Trump had missed that opportunity to bring the country together after a rough and tumble election season.
Fans were left in a state of emotion over the latest installment of Victoria which aired on Sunday night after it appeared that two characters died in one episode.

Viewers of the ITV drama have been preparing for the death of Lord M (Rufus Sewell) after his health deteriorated.

However, what fans were not prepared for was the sudden death of Queen Victoria's (Jenna Coleman) King Charles Spaniel, Dash.

Viewers of Victoria were left distraught following last night's episode which saw the unexpected death of her dog Dash

And viewers were left further traumatised when the episode ended with an unblinking Lord M leading them to believe that he too had been killed off.

Taking to Twitter fans of the show shared their emotional reactions admitting to feeling 'heartbroken' following the show.

Sunday night's episode, Warp and Weft, the third in the series, saw the queen holding a ball at the palace to support the silk weavers of Spitafields.

Guests of the ball were instructed to wear silk produced by the weavers after their trade came under threat from cheap imports.

Following the episode fans took to Twitter to share their very emotional tweets

Many viewers admitted that they were left physically sobbing following the latest installment

Following the ball the queen pays a visit to Lord M where she shares an emotional farewell - no longer able to visit him at his home in Brocket Hall as she is carrying her second child.

Viewers were left feeling overwhelmed by their touching goodbye in which Victoria gifts him a mechanical musical bird to remind him of their time together.

But they were left even more distressed as upon her return to Buckingham Palace Victoria discovers her beloved dog Dash is dead.

The ending scenes of episode three saw an unblinking Lord M sitting alone, leading viewers to believe that he too had died

The distressing episode left some fans questioning whether they will continue watching the show without the presence of Dash

The episode ends with Victoria burying her pet switching between scenes of the unblinking Lord M - leading fans to believe that he too had passed away.

Taking to Twitter fans shared their dismay over the highly emotional episode.

One wrote: 'I will not sleep tonight I am heartbroken' while another agreed 'crying my heart out tonight! Such a heartbreaking episode.'

One particularly distressed fan even shared photos of the tears that she had shed during the programme.
A Christian couple taking legal action against their six-year-old son's Church of England primary school because his male classmate was allowed to wear a dress have been branded 'transphobic' by This Morning viewers.

Nigel, 44, and Sally Rowe, 42, from the Isle of Wight, who came under fire when they announced they had removed their son from the school, appeared on the show today to defend their decision.

But This Morning host Phillip Schofield took the pair to task on screen, and suggested it was the couple who had a 'problem' with children who identify as transgender, while insisting that other youngsters had a remarkable ability to adapt to changes.

Many viewers of the show tweet their outrage over the couple's views, after they insisted it was 'wrong' for six-year-olds to be confronted with the complex issue of transgenderism - with Mr Rowe stating: 'A child that young can't make an informed decision.'

Nigel, 44, and Sally Rowe, 42, from the Isle of Wight, came under fire when they announced they had removed their son from the school because a fellow male pupil wore a dress

Phillip Schofield (left) took the pair to task, suggesting it was the couple who had a 'problem' and said children were adaptable

Viewers watching the segment were angry at the couple's attitudes and branded them 'transphobic' and 'bullying'

The Rowes previously withdrew their son's eight-year-old older brother from the school over a similar incident.

'My blood is boiling! How dare they sit there with their prejudice opinion about how children should think & feel?!' fumed one viewer.

'These people are so transphobic... Terrible attitude toward transgender,' said another.

'Kids aren't born hating other people, it's taught by the parents,' a third wrote.

Parents come under fire

Presenters Phillip and Holly Willoughby, meanwhile, were praised by viewers for their 'open-minded' and 'understanding' attitude towards transgender children.

They both pointed out they had had several guests on the show in the past who have bravely opened up about overcoming their own struggle with their identities.

Phillip said: 'Children can adapt remarkably well. If things are explained to them then they understand very clearly.

'Its not an issue with the children, it's an issue with you. You are the ones with the problem,' he told the pair, after they complained it was confusing for children to understand a change in pronoun.

But Mr and Mrs Rowe, who took action after their six-year-old son came home 'confused as to why a boy was now a girl', and now home school both their children, claimed that it was wrong for children to be allowed to identify as a gender of their choice because it was too early for them to understand.

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were praised for their 'open-minded' discussion while talking about transgender children

The Christian couple took action after their six-year-old son came home 'confused as to why a boy was now a girl' and now home school both their children

Some viewers agreed with the pair, claiming that it was their right to 'protect' their child and take action

'Children are too young to understand'

Mr Rowe said: 'A child that young cant make an informed decision. The statistic is that 98% of people who felt like that when they were younger, turn out not to be like that at all. I feel like it could be damaging.

'Its a very social complex issue. For such young children, we feel it isnt right. The reason we wanted to make a stand is that we believe a lot of parents throughout the UK would agree. We have got to think about the whole picture.'

Mrs Rowe explained that she had 'love and compassion' for any family with children coping with gender dysphoria, but repeatedly quoted a statistic from an unknown study claiming that after youngsters go through puberty '98 per cent' of them often 'change their mind and they're sorted'.

Some viewers were in agreement with the parents, claiming that they were just 'protecting' their child and that it was every bit of 'their business' to take action.

Presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were not impressed with the couple's views and suggested they had a 'problem'

Legal action

Lawyers for the couple will argue in a tribunal that the school is discriminating against them by implying that their Christian faith makes them transphobic.

They will also suggest the school is wrong to rely on Labours Equality Act because legal recognition of gender reassignment only applies to people over the age of 18.

Mr and Mrs Rowe believe that it is wrong for children as young as six to be confronted with the complex issue of transgenderism

The school has said it is following Church of England guidance and rules laid out in the Equality Act, which encourages respect for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Teachers are briefed on how to tackle transphobic behaviour, which includes gender inappropriate pronouns, an inability to accept a transgender person is a real male or female and a refusal to use a transgender persons adopted name.

'Hostile interrogation'

The couple previously appeared on the BBC on the Victoria Derbyshire show to defend their position.

One viewer told MailOnline they felt the Rowes were 'interrogated' by the host in a 'hostile' interview, and questioned the presenter for 'giving the distinct impression that she disapproved of their actions'.

'This was in the presence of a transgender LGBT activist guest in the studio. When the host completed the "interview" instead of questioning the studio guest in the same manner, she allowed the studio guest to interrogate the couple.'

The viewer, who remained anonymous, was upset that the couple were 'excluded' from the concluding part of the segment further claiming that the studio guest had 'attacked them'.

But others were in agreement with Victoria, praising her for supporting non-gender conforming children.

'That is what is happening, letting children be children and expressing themselves how they want, glad you support gender non-conforming kids,' said one.

Another added: 'They're missing an opportunity here to teach their children the most importance lessons: to be tolerant, kind, compassionate, open-minded.'

This Morning airs weekdays, on ITV at 10.30am
Here are seven reasons why The Billings Gazette got it wrong in its recent editorial about medical marijuana, and why the Billings City Council got it correct.

The mayor, city council and staff got it right. Marijuana is a federal illegal drug Schedule 1. The city cant issue a business license to any company (pot shop) that is involved in a federal illegal activity. Helena, Great Falls and Kalispell have similar laws banning medical marijuana shops in the city limits.

Medical marijuana green-card holders will still get their medicine in a timely manner. There are lots of choices. There are providers who deliver to your home. A lot of users grow their own at their home. Federal Drug Administration medical marijuana is available at their local pharmacy today, and they can drive outside of Billings to pick up from their provider.

Medical marijuana is not prescription-based. There are no prescriptions or required monitored doctor care in I-182, the new 2017 medical marijuana law. This is why the Gazette was dead wrong in its editorial. The I-182 new green card system allows for in state traveling doctors that charge hundreds of dollars to produce a letter to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services which allows almost anyone a medical marijuana green card for one year. Once the green-card holder (recreation and medical marijuana users) has his or her card, the majority of the time no real doctor or pharmacist sees this user until the next year where they pay this instate traveling doctor again.

If marijuana is a pain medication, why is it handed out by budtenders with no medical education required? Pharmacists go to school and on the job training for nine years for their license. If marijuana is a pain medication, why is not required to be registered in the Steve Bullocks Montana state pain medication registry? This registry of pain medication has been very effective with opioid abuse and would squeeze the recreation use out of medical marijuana.

Why would you give marijuana that has not been human tested to your loved ones? SafeMontana suggests all medical marijuana be run through our FDA, pharmacies and real doctors.

Did you know that there are medical marijuana products at CVS and Walgreens that require a prescription(no green card) and are legal in Billings because they are on Schedule 2, have been human tested, come with warning labels and can only be prescribed for 30 days because you have to be under doctor supervision by a pharmacist, unlike the rules in I-182?

Dispensaries and budtenders are a recipe for recreational marijuana to be dispensed under the guise of medicine, everybody knows this but the tainted Gazette editorial staff. Thats because the paper receives money from dispensaries for advertising and its community board member receives rent from one. Please google Charlton "Chuck" Campbell in Bozeman, the largest distributor of medical marijuana in the state, and convicted felon again.

Please thank Billings Mayor Tom Hanel, city council and staff for protecting our schools and families from illegal drug activity in Billings.

Steve Zabawa founded SafeMontana and lives in Billings.
It's a memorable day for any parent.

And smiling Queen Letizia of Spain looked like any other proud mother as she dropped her two daughters to the school gates on the first day of the new term.

The monarch, 44, beamed as she pulled up at Santa Maria De Los Rosales school in Madrid with her two girls, Princess Leonor, 11, and Infanta Sofia, 10, who have followed in the footsteps of their father, King Felipe VI, in becoming pupils at the Madrid school.

After accompanying her daughters inside, Letizia chatted to fellow mums as she made her way back down the school steps.

The proud mother of two was snapped beaming as she drover her daughters to school

The Spanish Queen mingled with other mothers on the steps of Santa Maria De Los Rosales School in Aravaca

Perhaps anxious not to draw attention to herself on a big day for all parents and pupils at the school, the glamorous Queen chose a low-key outfit for the occasion.

Letizia wore a crisp white shirt and a smart navy jacket, and clutched a pair of sunglasses.

Her daughters looked smart in their matching school uniforms, and Princess Sofia was snapped smiling in the back of the car - perhaps excited at the prospect of being reunited with her classmates after the summer holidays.

Last month the family made the most of the break with a trip to Marivent, their summer retreat in Palma, Mallorca.

Princess Leonor of Spain could be seen in the back seat, looking smart in her school uniform

Last week another young royal made headlines around the world as he was accompanied to school by his father.

Prince George, the eldest son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, arrived for his first day at Thomas's in Battersea on Thursday.

Santa Maria De Los Rosales School was also attended by the girls' father, King Felipe VI

Queen Letizia chose a low-key outfit for the school run, a crisp white shirt under a navy jacket

The four-year-old's father, Prince William, held the little boy's hand as he was greeted by the head of the lower school.

His mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, who is pregnant with her third child, was unable to attend due to suffering extreme morning sickness.

Queen Letizia, 44, clutched a pair of sunglasses to shield her eyes from the early morning sun

Perhaps keen not to draw attention to herself, the Queen chose a low key outfit for the trip

The Spanish Princess' school, in the exclusive suburb of Aravaca, is the alma mater of their father the King, who attended for 12 years.
Sophie Wessex showed she meant business this morning as she hit the phones to sell stock at Canary Wharf for the 13th BGC Annual Charity Day.

The mother-of-two, 52, looked impeccably dressed for the office in a black and white floral dress, teamed with a smart cropped jacket.

Sophie's former sister-in-law, the Duchess of York, later turned up to man the phones, after flying in from a stint in Rome, where she had attended another charity event, Celebrity Fight Night.

Sophie followed in the footsteps of Princes William and Harry and Pippa Middleton by taking part in the charity event, in her role as president of the charity Brainwave, which supports children with disabilities.

Sarah Ferguson was there representing Children in Crisis.

They were in good company at the event held at the office of BGC Partners in Canary Wharf, east London, with celebrities such as Keira Knightley, Liz Hurley, Alan Carr and Mary Berry all on hand to broker deals.

Sophie Wessex hits the phones during the 13th BGC Annual Charity Day at Canary Wharf in London

The royal was joined by presenter Kay Burley to raise money for the charity Brainwave, which supports children with disabilities

Sophie looked animated as she brokered deals on the phone

The Duchess of York also manned the phone lines after flying back to the UK from Italy, where she was attending Celebrity Fight Night in Rome

Sarah Ferguson, who was representing Children in Crisis, makes a trade at the BGC Charity Day in Canary Wharf

Sophie was joined by Sky presenter Kay Burley, who was also on hand to raise money for Brainwave.

The American financial services company, which was originally based in the World Trade Centre, lost 658 members of staff during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

BGC first launched an annual charity day 13 years ago to raise money to support the families of its staff members who died.

Now the event sponsors more than 20 UK charities by inviting celebrities into the firm's London office to have a go at closing telephone trade deals.

Alan Carr and Liz Hurley were among the celebrities who joined the annual event, held in memory of 658 BGC employees who died on 9/11

The Duchess of York rubbed shoulders with tennis star Johanna Konta, who was representing the Sir Stanley Matthews Coaching Foundation

The royal looked business-like in a black and white floral dress, teamed with a smart jacket

She's a natural! The royal looked in good spirits as she took to the phones to broker deals

All proceeds from those deals are donated to organisations such as British Heart Foundation, Make-A-Wish and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.

BCG has raised more than $125million globally to support worthy causes through the event.

The company said: 'Each anniversary is a poignant occasion for us. Charity Day is our way of turning a tragic day into one that is positive and uplifting by helping others.'

She means business: Fergie flexes her verbal muscles on the phones at Canary Wharf

Not your average day of royal duties: The Countess of Wessex turned city trader for the day to raise money for charity

The royal took part in the charity day to represent the charity Brainwave, of which she is president
Size 26 model Tess Holliday has stepped out in a daring sheer dress - just hours after being accused of 'celebrating' obesity by Loose Women viewers.

The mother-of-two, from Mississippi, was forced to defend herself during her appearance on Monday afternoon, after it was suggested that she could be encouraging her fans to be unhealthily overweight.

Later, she continued her tour of London with a book signing in Waterstones Piccadilly to promote her new tome, The Not So Subtle Art of Being a Fat Girl: Loving the Skin You're In.

The 32-year-old showcased her body confidence in a black dress with a sheer, pearl-studded skirt, showing off her shapely pins.

Tess continues her tour of London with a book signing in Waterstone's Piccadilly to promote her new tome, The Not So Subtle Art of Being a Fat Girl: Loving the Skin You're In

Appearing on Loose Women earlier on Monday, size 26 model Tess Holliday insisted she isn't 'celebrating obesity' and wants others to embrace their bodies like she does

Tess, an outspoken advocate for body positivity, has often referred to herself as 'fat', and says she has been on a mission to reclaim the word and encourage others to embrace their bodies.

But some watching at home took to social media to insist Tess, who is a size 26, could not be healthy - with one accusing her of suggesting that 'it's okay to be obese'.

'Can't believe we live in a society where models who are seen as too thin are shunned but obese models are celebrated.'

Body positive: The 32-year-old showcased her confidence in a black dress with a sheer, pearl-studded skirt, showing off her shapely pins

Whirlwind tour: Earlier on Monday, the married mother-of-two had xplained to the Loose Women panel that she was healthy and was determined to be there for her children

The model, who was promoting her new biography The Not So Subtle Art of Being a Fat Girl, is an advocate for body positivity

Viewers watching her appearance on Loose Women slammed the mother-of-two claiming she wasn't healthy

Another fumed: 'This 'plus size supermodel' is not a role model! I'm sorry, being a size 26 is putting your health at risk.

'I'm all up for curves and loving the skin you're in. But she shouldn't celebrate obesity.'

One person said: 'Obesity shouldn't be celebrated. She's not healthy, her organs will be surrounded by fat & her joints will be under huge stress.'

Tess said she is learning to love her body after having her second child, and wants to encourages others to embrace their bodies

Tess has never been afraid to hide her body and often posts saucy snaps on her social media pages

The married mother-of-two explained to the panel - which included Stacey Solomon, Denise Evans, Coleen Nolan and Ruth Langsford - that she was healthy and was determined to be there for her children.

The redhead, who often posts saucy snaps on her social media page said: 'I would not go through having kids and what it does to your body to not be around for them.

'I am very active, I always challenge anyone to keep up with a day in my life.

'I know that I am healthy. It's not my job to tell everyone that I am healthy, it's my job to tell everyone to love themselves.'

Tess, 32, an advocate for body positivity, has often referred to herself as 'fat', and says she has been on a mission to reclaim the word and encourage others to embrace their bodies

The plus-size model, who was promoting her new biography The Not So Subtle Art of Being a Fat Girl, has 1.5 million followers on Instagram and she says she isn't 'celebrating obesity'.

'No one is celebrating obesity, I am celebrating being the first model my size in the world to be in an industry where everyone said I couldn't.

'I am celebrating existing in my body and loving myself, when everybody said I wasn't worth anything.'

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV at 12.30pm
A Welsh-speaking mother was left shocked when a stranger told she should be speaking English to her child.

Elin Jones, 32, a town councillor who lives in Lampeter, Ceredigion, was shopping with her daughter when a stranger approached her about speaking 'foreign muck'.

The mother had actually been speaking in Welsh, which is her native tongue - and to make matters worse, she was also shopping in Wales when the confrontation happened.

She posted about the run-in on Twitter, attracting 11,000 retweets and more than 31,000 likes on the social media site.

Elin has also spoken out to say she is 'proud' to be a Welsh speaker and wants her children to learn the language.

Elin Jones, 32, a town councillor who lives in Lampeter, was told to stop speaking 'foreign muck' to her baby but was actually speaking Welsh in Wales

Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Elin explained she was frustrated with the run-in, writing: 'give me strength'.

She posted: 'Just got asked by a lady in a shop why I don't speak English and not foreign muck to my baby. I was speaking Welsh. In Wales.'

Elin told how she calmly corrected the woman, who then walked away without apologising or making a further comment.

Twitter users were shocked by the episode, with over 1,000 people offering Elin messages of support.

One person replied: 'I feel like apologising on behalf of the English WE ARE NOT ALL LIKE THIS!!'

'You've been incredibly polite about this. I've been struggling to phrase a comment that doesn't contain offensive language for 5 minutes,' another posted.

Elin took to Twitter to vent her frustration at the run-in, saying 'give me strength'

One Twitter user said: 'Wow!! Foreign muck?! What is the world coming to? Even if you were not speaking Welsh this would be so wrong.'

Another agreed: 'That kind of abject intolerance just scares me. It's nothing other than pure nastiness.'

Elin said the comments amounted to 'discrimination' and admitted she hadn't expected so many people to react to her Tweet.

'I'm genuinely shocked at the response to my tweet. I tweeted mainly as I personally will not stand for any sort of discrimination,' she said.

In an interview with WalesOnline Elin revealed how she was a first generation Welsh speaker and wants her children to speak the language too.

Her tweet quickly went viral, racking up 11,000 retweets and more than 31,000 likes

The mum compared the comments to 'discrimination' and encouraged her followers to be tolerant of each other

She said: 'Our home is bilingual and the children learn it in school too. I'm a first-generation Welsh speaker as my grandparents are from the London area.

'I have always been in Welsh education and they are always really proud that I speak Welsh. I wanted to follow that through in my children too.'

The mum also said this sort of incident has happened to her before, with some people even telling her to 'go home', despite her home being in Wales.

'Most people usually recognise that it's Welsh, particularly when I'm in Wales,' Elin added.

'But maybe because I don't sound Welsh when I am speaking it I have had comments from people saying 'go back to your own country', which is very funny because I am from Aberystwyth.'

Elin said the stranger 'walked off' without apologising or saying another word. She later thanked her followers for their support in Welsh

Last month, Newsnight editor Ian Katz was criticised for his response to a letter questioning the show's segment about the Welsh language, which asked if it was 'a help or a hindrance to the nation'.

Katz's response to the letter, which was written in Welsh by Arfon Jones, Plaid Cymru's Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, said: 'Did you mean to send it to me in Welsh? If so, you'll appreciate that I won't be able to reply till I have had it translated.'

The programme apologised for Katz's initial response, but Jones said it had been 'patronising'.
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark looked stylish in a colour-block dress as she met with Hungary's First Lady in Budapest today.

The Australian-born royal, 45, oozed sophistication in the belted pink, black and white frock as she posed for photographs with Anita Herczegh, wife of Hungarian President Janos Ader, on the balcony of the presidential Sandor Palace.

Crown Princess Mary, whose husband, Frederik, is the heir to the Danish throne, is in the Hungarian capital for the 67th session of the World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Europe, of which she is patron.

Elegant: Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, right, with Anita Herczegh, wife of Hungarian President Janos Ader, left, at the presidential palace in Budapest, Hungary, today

Bold: The royal, 45, opted for a pink, black and white colour-block frock for the occasion

Opulent: The women chatted as they strolled through the halls of Sandor Palace in Budapest

Earlier, the princess wore a chic black blazer over her dress as she gave a speech to the opening session of the conference, which takes place this week.

She later whipped off the jacket and slung it over her bag before going to meet Ms Herczegh at the imposing palace, which is situated in the city's St George Square.

Deep in conversation: The two women took in the views from the palace balcony

Sleek: Crown Princess Mary wore her brunette locks down and kept her make-up simple

The mother-of-four showcased her toned and tanned arms with capped sleeves while the black buckled belt cinched in her waist, highlighting her svelte frame.

Crown Princess Mary kept the rest of the look simple, teaming the dress with a pair of pointed black pumps and a black leather handbag.

A simple pair of crystal drop earrings and a fine necklace finished the ensemble.

Important work: Crown Princess Mary addressed the opening session of the 67th session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for Europe in Budapest today

Committed: The princess is the patron of the Patron of the World Health Organizations Regional Office for Europe

Meanwhile Ms Herczegh looked elegant in a metallic silver blouse and taupe skirt, which she paired with nude heels.

The politician's wife wore her hair swept back in a chic up-do and opted for understated make-up and accessories.

The women appeared deep in conversation as they walked through the opulent halls of the presidential palace before taking in views of the city from the balcony.
Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner joined the President and First Lady for a moment of silence in honor of the victims of 9/11 on Monday morning.

The 35-year-old mother-of-three and her husband both stood at Donald Trump's side as he and Melania lead the solemn minute-long memorial.

Wearing a demure green dress with a waterfall hem and lace detailing, Ivanka looked incredibly elegant as she stood alongside Jared, 36, and White House Chief Economic Adviser Gary Cohn, having left her home from the garage inside an SUV.

Scroll down for video

Paying respects: Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner joined the President and First Lady as they hosted a minute of silence at the White House in honor of the victims of 9/11

Somber: The 35-year-old first daughter removed her sunglasses as a sign of respect before the ceremony started

Support: Ivanka and Jared, 36, kept their hands stood solemnly as they waited for her father and the First Lady to begin the memorial

Marking the day: The mother-of-three wore a demure green dress for the occasion

The first daughter wore a pair of dark glasses as she made her way outside, however she removed them before the memorial started.

Ivanka and Jared, who both serve as senior advisers to the President, were pictured chatting with Cohn ahead of the ceremony, even breaking into smiles at one point before Donald and Melania walked out to join them on the South Lawn.

But the smiles soon disappeared from their faces as they prepared to pay their respects to the thousands of people who perished during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

At 8:46 am, the time of the first plane attack, the President and First Lady solemnly hung their heads as church bells tolled in the distance, with the rest of the White House staff following their lead.

The first couple raised their gaze a minute later and the President unclasped his hands, signaling a trumpeter to begin performing military taps.

A fitting tribute: As well as Ivanka and Jared, the President and First Lady were joined by the likes of Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Nick Ayers, chief of staff to the vice president

Ceremonial: At 8:46 am, the time of the first plane attack, the President and First Lady solemnly hung their heads as church bells tolled in the distance

Small talk: Prior to the ceremony, Ivanka and Jared were seen speaking with White House Chief Economic Adviser Gary Cohn, who stood alongside them

A light moment: The trio were even seen laughing at one point before the ceremony began

Both Trumps brought their hands to their hearts in a sign of respect for the 2,977 victims of the coordinated terror attacks, with the group of people behind them quickly following suit.

When the short ceremony was over, the first couple turned around and walked back inside the White House, hand in hand.

The President and First Lady then made their way to the Pentagon for a formal 9/11 remembrance ceremony, where they were once again joined by Ivanka.

American Airlines Flight 77, en route from Dulles, Virginia, to Los Angeles, California, hit the Pentagon at 9:37 am on Sept. 11, killing 184 people.

President Trump is a native of New York and was in Manhattan on the day that plane-hijacking terrorists brought down the World Trade Center's iconic Twin Towers.

Early morning: Ivanka and Jared left their home in plenty of time to make it to the ceremony, traveling in the back of blacked-out SUVs

Working it out: On Saturday, Jared and Ivanka headed out for a couple's jog

Appropriate: Ivanka completed her morning run look in gray leggings with black mesh panels along with a matching hoodie and a pair of gray sneakers

His daughter Ivanka was also born and raised in the city, where she was bringing up her own three children before moving to D.C. to support her father in his role as President.

Ivanka and Jared's attendance at the solemn service comes one day after they were seen out on a morning jog together in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.

The couple were both seen leaving their home in the upmarket Kalorama neighborhood, wearing matching grey sweatsuits as they began their run around the local area.

Ivanka kept her blonde hair braided and adorned a black Secret Service hat, which had an American flag on the front as well as the service's initials, USSS, embroidered on the side.

The two smiled as they jogged side-by-side at the intersection of Kalorama Road and Tracy Place, happily jogging alongside one another as they were followed closely by their Secret Service detail.
His first day at school made headlines around the world and left royal-watchers scrambling to identify his shiny new shoes.

Now eagle-eyed fashion fans claim to have tracked down Prince George's footwear - and they believe them to be a 38.95 moccasin style from Spanish e-tailer Pisamonas.

Royal fashion blog What Kate's Kids Wore contacted the brand on social media to ask if they were the makers behind the future king's footwear.

Pisamonas UK replied: 'Based on recent orders, we think it may be the case, yes.'

Prince George was dropped off at the gates of 3,000-a-term Thomas's Battersea by his father the Duke of Cambridge on Thursday - with royal-watchers scrambling to track down his shoes

Their response suggests that the Cambridges placed the order for the four-year-old's new uniform themselves - contradicting the common assumption that the royals do not pay for their own clothes.

However, not everyone agrees that the shoes are a perfect match with one person tweeting: 'The stitching doesn't match up to me but could be due to different sizes?'

The 38.95 leather shoes come in black and blue colourways and are described by Pisamonas as 'classic and elegant moccasins, premium quality and easy to combine'.

They are now listed as being low in stock, suggesting the young royal has sparked a sales surge for the brand.

The third-in-line to the throne was dropped off at the gates of 3,000-a-term Thomas's Battersea by his father the Duke of Cambridge on Thursday as Kate was treated for severe morning sickness at Kensington Palace - with the adorable images being liked and shared thousands of times.

Fit for a prince: The leather shoes come in black and blue colourways and are described by Pisamonas as 'classic and elegant moccasins, premium quality and easy to combine'

According to the school's website, in addition to smart shoes, boys in reception class require a 36 navy jacket, a 35 jersey and navy Bermuda shorts to kick off the winter term.

In summer, male pupils can switch their jumper for a short-sleeved shirt and white sun hat - all available from John Lewis.

Youngsters will also need to come prepared for messy arts and crafts sessions with a 30 art smock, and ballet shoes for dance lessons from the Royal Academy of Dance.

Altogether there are 24 essential and non-essential items on the list, totalling 368.40.

Pisamonas have previously hinted that they'd love to see their designs worn by Prince George

Royal fashion blog What Kate's Kids Wore contacted the brand on social media to ask if they were the makers behind the future king's footwear - but not everyone was convinced

The Spanish brand say they believe George was wearing their shoes 'based on recent orders'

Pisamonas have previously hinted that they'd love to see their designs endorsed by Prince George.

On a recent blog post on their website, they commented on an adorable 2015 family portrait of the Cambridges writing: 'We'd like to share Prince George's look with little leather shoes.

'They are not from Pisamonas (we don't think so anyway!), but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are great fans of made in Spain children's fashion, so you never know, one day our shoes may be seen in Buckingham Palace!'

MailOnline has contacted Pisamonas UK and Kensington Palace for comment.
Advertisement

Swathed with bandages, their skin criss-crossed with scars and their facial features barely recognisable, these are the brave women living with the horrific injuries caused by brutal acid attacks.

Captured in a set of harrowing images, the women from around the world have spoken candidly about coming to terms with their life-changing injuries.

German photographer Ann-Christine Woehrl travelled through Asia and Africa in a bid to document the daily lives of the women adapting to their physical and mental scars.

The powerful images are set to feature in a new exhibition, part of a project called IN/VISIBLE on behalf of a charity called A.S.T.i who work with acid attack survivors from around the world.

On January 3, 2005, Sokneang, 33 years old was attacked with acid while watching TV in her home in Preah Vihear, Cambodia. The perpetrator was a woman who was jealous of Sokneang's close relationship with her husband. Sokneang received serious burns to the face and left side of her body

The brave women featured in the images have been attacked by flame and acid burns in Bangladesh, Uganda, Cambodia, Pakistan, Nepal and India - with many admitting to attempting suicide.

These countries are where these types of attacks are used as a weapon to destroy lives and where the number of incidents is alarmingly high and leave the victims visibly disfigured - hence become invisible for their society.

The number of incidents is alarmingly high, yet many cases go unreported. These women who burdened such attacks have lost their physical appearance, which is only mirroring their deep emotional scars.

The exhibition will include over 60 reportage photographs, plus several striking portraits, that capture survivors in their daily lives.

A neighbour wanted to marry Makima, from Kolkata, India, but she refused the proposal. While Makima was sleeping at night, his mother came over to her house and poured acid into Makima's face. The perpetrator's family paid Makima a compensation so that she would drop the charge. It is Makima's dream to become a police officer to fight for more justice

Chantheoun, 38, from Kampong Speu, Cambodia, was attacked by the wife of a man with whom she had an affair. She said: 'The woman and three of her relatives drove past me on two motorbikes and threw two litres of acid on me. The man I had had the affair with came to visit me in hospital. He also offered some financial support to my mother about 100 dollars for every visit during the first two or three months. After a while he stopped visiting because he was afraid of his wife'

As Sidra was staying overnight at a friend's house in 2011, she woke up in the night when her friend's brother tried to molest her. The boy's mother was afraid that Sidra, from Lahore, Pakistan, would cause a scandal and told her son to throw acid on the 15-year-old girl. The attack left her nearly blind. The perpetrator was sentenced to 25 and his mother to three years in jail

Flavia, 29, from Kampala, Uganda, said: 'I was attacked in 2009 when I was in my second year of university. I was the first person to come home one night. I heard somebody behind me. As I turned around, someone splashed acid in my face and ran off. I did not know what it was. It began to sting and hurt. I started crying, running around, taking off my clothes. Then I fell over, but I forced myself to get up and get help. I ran to the shop next door'

Recalling her harrowing experience, Flavia (centre) added: 'People kept crowding around me. Then a good family friend saw me and drove me to hospital. It only slowly sank in that I was really badly off. I was angry, sad, depressed. I was crying all the time. I missed what I had looked like. I did not want to accept that I would look like this for the rest of my life'

Farida, 40, from Manikgang in Bangladesh was attacked by her husband after she threatened to leave him over his drug and gambling habit. She recalled: 'I was screaming so loudly that the neighbours came running over. They had to break open the door. It was dark inside and all they could see was a black mark on the bed. So their first thought was that my husband had chopped off my head. But then my son, he was five years old, told them that I was on the floor'

Farida (pictured with her niece) added: 'My husband was jailed for twelve years. When he was released, he threatened to attack me again. But my neighbours drove him away and I have not seen him since'

Three years ago, when she was 16, Christine, from Uganda, was attacked by the ex-girlfriend of her boyfriend Moses. Moses stood by her and today they have a little daughter. Her perpetrator was sentenced to eight years in prison. Christine stays in the house most of the time. She does not like to show herself in public

Nusrat, 32, from Muzzafargarh in Pakistan, was attacked by her husband and brother-in-law: in 2009. She said: 'I was screaming so much that people came over. My brother-in-law told them, that I had thrown acid on myself. My neighbours took me to hospital.When I was in hospital my photo was printed in the papers. My face was badly disfigured'

Charity ASTi works to support thousands of survivors globally and raise awareness of acid violence. Part of its work is helping to train hundreds of local surgeons in many countries including Pakistan, Nepal, India, and Uganda, who in turn have treated thousands of survivors.

A.S.T.i also focuses on systemic change, changing laws and changing attitudes which to date has resulted in the change of laws in Colombia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uganda and Cambodia and has seen acid violence decrease significantly in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Cambodia.

The Leyden Gallery will be exhibiting the IN/VISIBLE project by Ann-Christine Woehrl from Wednesday, September 13th to Saturday, September 16th.
From changing diapers and wiping tears to running errands and paying the bills, raising a family is no easy feat. And it seems that challenge is made all the more difficult if you live in the United States.

The US has been named the worst country to parent in, according to an Expert Market report that reveals the most powerful country in the world is also the worst location in which to raise a family, followed by Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada.

Two lists released reveal both the top 10 best, and worst, countries for work-life balance for growing families and parents, with Finland, Estonia, and Austria claiming the top three slots.

Parental woes: An Expert Market report revealed the United States as the worst country to raise children, with a lack of paid vacation and short maternity leaves to blame

The American dream? Parents are crushed to learn that the US, followed by Mexico, Costa Rica and Canada, are the worst countries to maintain a healthy work-life balance

Meanwhile the US, Mexico and Costa Rica were deemed the worst.

The research's chosen countries were those that performed poorly on the work-life balance bar, which was based on no guaranteed paid vacation and scant maternity and paternity leave opportunities.

The report took four major points into account in their 37-country analysis including average annual work hours, the number of law-permitted paid leave working days and total paid leave for mothers, and paid leave for fathers, using data pulled from The World Bank and The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The United States, although announced as the seventh best country to live in in the world back in March 2017, sunk to the bottom of the work-life balance list thanks to the culpable Fair Labor Standards Act, which does not require employers to provide paid vacation.

Adding to the blow, the US also lacks statutory paid leave for mothers and fathers, making parenting hard to plan for and dependent on the work environment.

Dad duty: Adult duties of tending to children and paying the bills at the same time are deemed the most difficult in the US, but the most feasible in Finland, Estonia, and Austria

On top! A strong contrast from the US ranking is Finland, which wins the top spot as best country to raise a family in thanks to highly paid annual leave and long maternity leaves

On the flip side, Finland won the top spot for best country to manage a parent work-life balance thanks to a highly salaried annual leave. Estonia followed in second place with the best paid maternity leave, providing full pay for up to 85 weeks. Austria followed in third place with an average 51.2 weeks of paid maternity leave.

In contrast, the US averages just 2.8 weeks on regular salary for maternity leave, according to a report by the Independent.

Following on the winning list for best countries to live in is France, Germany, Sweden, Japan, Norway, Luxembourg, and Slovakia.

Japan and Norway are unique as the only winners that are not EU affiliated. Japan's ranked a top score for paid leave for fathers offering a substantial 30.4 weeks. Norway followed for low average working hours.

As for the losers list, Chile, Israel, Turkey, Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland followed the US for poor parent work-life lifestyles.
Kitty split with her property tycoon boyfriend Niccolo Barattieri in July

Lady Kitty Spencer is turning heads at New York Fashion Week with her daring sense of style.

Princess Diana's niece, 26, made sure she was in town for the most unmissable week in the fashion calendar.

Kitty was attending the Zimmermann show at Spring Studios wearing a risque sheer dress with just a skimpy slip worn underneath.

Her appearance comes months after her surprise split with property tycoon Niccolo Barattieri, 45.

Lady Kitty Spencer, 26, looked stylish in a daring sheer dress at New York Fashion Week

The model was off duty for the fashion show, which took place on Monday morning in the trendy Tribeca area.

She wore a pretty floral dress made of a sheer chiffon fabric that fell below the knee.

The outfit also featured a high neckline and long sleeves as well as its modest length.

Despite the demure cut of the dress, the fabric was entirely see-through and flaunted a lingerie-like slip underneath.

Kitty accessorised the look with a pair of pale blue heels, which featured eye-catching jewel detailing.

Kitty kept her jewelry simple, wearing a simple gold bracelet and a delicate ring to pull the look together.

Kitty, who is Princess Diana's neice, was attending the Zimmermann Show at Spring Studios

She wore her blonde locks in beachy waves around her shoulders and looked relaxed as she posed for the cameras.

Kitty recently opened up about her cousin Prince Harry's omission that he'd sought counselling to deal with his grief over his mother's death.

She told The Times: 'It's so healthy to talk about it. It's the only way. It's great that anyone with a platform in the press does talk.'

Kitty split with 45-year-old boyfriend Niccolo in July after three years together, amid reports that they had fallen out over her hopes to marry and have children.

But the daughter of Earl Spencer and his first wife Victoria Lockwood has been taking her mind off the break-up, jetting off for a sun-filled break in Montenegro last month.

Kitty is the daughter of Earl Spencer and his first wife Victoria Lockwood and is making her name as a model

The model was in the country for the wedding of marketing manager Vesna Vasiljevic and oil trader Luka Obradovic, where she was acting as bridesmaid.

Sharing a snap of herself and the bride and groom, she gushed: 'Mr & Mrs Obradovic' alongside a loveheart emoji.

The model looked stunning in an oyster pink gown, believed to be a 225 Salma dress from London label Ghost.

The society wedding was held at the Savina Monastery, and Kitty was spotted leaving the ceremony holding a bouquet of flowers, arm-in-arm with her brother, Louis, as temperatures soared to 40 degrees.

While in Montenegro, Kitty also shared a stunning Instagram snap of her and a host of female friends enjoying a dip in the sea, which she captioned: 'Girls girls girls'.

Model Dasha Denisenko wears a top with padded shoulders teamed with a more modest pair of white trousers

Kitty was attending the Zimmermann show in the trendy Tribeca area of New York

The models in the show were wearing dresses in feminine florals with quirky cuts
She is known for her faultless sense of style.

But Queen Maxima of the Netherlands found herself in a spot of sartorial bother on Monday night when she suffered a wardrobe malfunction at a glitzy awards ceremony in Amsterdam.

Maxima, 46, was forced to grapple with her thigh-split dress as she braved a blustery evening in the Dutch capital.

The queen consort could be seen holding her skirt in place as she arrived at The Cloud building for the 8th annual LOEY Award ceremony.

Scroll down for video

Oops! Queen Maxima, 46, is forced to grapple with her thigh-split dress as she braves a blustery evening in the Dutch capital, swapping heels for sandals

Maxima opted for a dazzling emerald maxi dress and matching earrings, eschewing her usual heels for sensible sandals, and swept her signature blonde hair in a chic side parting.

The LOEY Awards celebrate the best talent in online entrepreneurs from around the country and this year's winner was Nimbles, an online platform that connects parents and tutors.

The recipients could be seen posing on stage alongside Maxima, who is a member of the Dutch Committee on Entrepreneurship and Finance, during tonight's event, proudly clutching their award.

The glamorous royal found herself in a spot of sartorial bother on Monday night when she suffered a wardrobe malfunction at a glitzy awards ceremony in Amsterdam

Queen of fashion! Maxima opted for a dazzling emerald dress and matching earrings, eschewing her heels for sandals, and swept her signature blonde hair in a chic side parting

VIP guest: Mother-of-two Maxima also rubbed shoulders with marketing entrepreneur Heleen van Oord and American physicist Sabrina Pasterski during the ceremony

Important cause: The LOEY Awards celebrate the best talent in online entrepreneurs from and this year's winner was Nimbles, an online platform that connects parents and tutors

Queen in the making: The royal, who is mother to Princesses Catharina-Amalia, 13, Alexia, 12 and Ariane, ten, was born in Argentina and married into the Dutch royal family in 2002

The glamorous royal could be seen chatting to fellow guests as she waited for the winner to be announced on Monday night

Mother-of-two Maxima also rubbed shoulders with marketing entrepreneur Heleen van Oord and American physicist Sabrina Pasterski during the ceremony.

The royal, who is mother to Princesses Catharina-Amalia, 13, Alexia, 12 and Ariane, ten, was born in Argentina and married into the Dutch royal family in 2002, after meeting her husband-to-be in Seville in 1999.

Despite insisting she had no idea that Willem-Alexander was heir to the throne when the pair first met, she eventually became Queen consort when her husband was crowned in April 2013.
Ashley Graham seems to be having her busiest New York Fashion Week ever, but the 'plus-size' supermodel still made sure to return for the Addition Elle runway show on Monday.

The 29-year-old, who has had her own collection with the Canadian lingerie brand since 2013, was the main attraction of brand's presentation this afternoon.

But while Ashley's famous curves were a major pull, she wasn't the only famous face on the catwalk: Kylie Jenner's also 'plus-size' model BFF, Jordyn Woods, was on hand to model and debut her own Addition Elle collection.

Scroll down for video

Va va voom! Ashley Graham walked the runway for Addition Elle on Monday

Working it! The 29-year-old wore a matching black lingerie set

Regular: She has designed her own collection for the brand since 2013

Face: The star helped put Addition Elle on the map and welcome it to the official NYFW lineup

Watch her go: The back of the model's lingerie featured a cheeky lace up detail

Costume change: She later made her way down the catwalk in a teal lingerie set

Show 'em what you got: The lingerie set hugged every curve on Ashley's body

Newcomer: Jordyn Woods, 19, also walked and debuted her new collection

Ashley took to the runway in a black pair of undies and a matching bra which had some sexy but subtle bondage detailing.

The star has spoken about her choice to model for and collaborate with the brand, praising the fact that it carries sizes X-4X and 12-24.

In 2015, she told the Huffington Post that while she is seeing changes, the fashion industry still has a long way to go to accommodate plus-sizes.

'I think a lot of plus size companies also dont fit their clothes properly. A lot of them have one fit model,' she said.

'The beautiful thing about curvy plus size women is that we're all shaped so differently, so its really hard to say that one pair of jeans or one t-shirt would fit the vast majority of women out there who are curvy.'

Ashley was joined by a host of other curvaceous beauties on the Addition Elle runway

A laugh a minute: Ashley was seen messing around with fellow model and friend Jordyn during rehearsals for the show

Strike a pose: The model happily posed for the cameras backstage at the catwalk event

All smiles: Ashley looked happy as can be as she frolicked around in her pretty lingerie

Cheeky! The plus-size star didn't look at all nervous about her catwalk appearance

Cool and calm: The model looked totally confident as she took to the runway

Take it all in: Ashley made sure to strike a strong pose at the end of the runway, before turning around to make her way backstage

Making friends: While getting ready for the show, Ashley flashed her long legs as she chatted with an assistant

Ashley, of course, has also spoken out about not wanting to be called 'plus-size', and the importance of incorporating women of different shapes into the fashion world.

Her words seem to be working. In addition to hitting up several major Fashion Week events  including the Harper's Bazaar Icons party, the Business of Fashion dinner, and Fenty Puma by Rihanna's Spring/Summer 2018  she's also walked the runway herself.

On Sunday, September 10, she walked in the Prabal Gurung show alongside Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, and Taylor Hill, in front of an audience that included Jaime King, Olivia Palermo, and Yolanda Hadid.

While Ashley was the shining star of the Addition Elle show, though, Jordyn Woods also had a major moment.

The 19-year-old  who is close friends with Kylie Jenner and appears on her reality show Life of Kylie  was the most-dressed of the models on the catwalk, and her collection for the brand includes clothing.

Busy lady: On Sunday, Ashley walked in the Prabal Gurung show

Ta da! The supermodel walked alongside Taylor Gigi and Bella Hadid

So much to do! She's had a packed schedule of Fashion Week events

She wore a pair of ripped-up jeans with a lace bralette, and a bomber jacket layered on top.

'I wanted to make something thats me, and trendy and cool,' she told Mic. 'The denim jacket, for instance, is oversized and cut cool and has a cool design, and I feel like theres not a lot of trendy plus-size, oversized things out there.

She said it makes 'total sense' for a curvy woman to design clothes for other curvy women.

'I think it's because we know how we like to wear our clothes. It only makes sense for a curvy person to design curvy clothes, because we know exactly what we like.'

Also modeling the collection were Denise Bidot, Tabria Majors, Shadia, and Victoria Huettenbrink.

Work! Models of all shapes and sizes showed off Ashley's lingerie collection

Mixing it up: The rest of the models are all women who would be considered 'plus-size' in the fashion industry

More (sizes) to love: Addition Elle carries sizes X-4X and 12-24

Know what works: Jordyn said it makes sense for curvy women to design curvy clothes

How cheeky! The lingerie line includes a wide variety of styles that are intended to suit every kind of customer

Here to stay: Addition Elle has been showing during Fashion Week for several seasons now

A buxom blonde struts her stuff in an animal print dress for Addition Elle at New York Fashion Week on Monday
Lela Rose took over Washington Square Park in New York earlier today for her spring/summer 2018 presentation.

The cheerful collection was inspired by 'New York City and all of its splendor. It inspires me every day. From its iconic parks, centuries old architecture and people from every walk of life.'

'New York is the perfect backdrop for spring 2018 on an important day [September 11] to celebrate the city. For me it's all about fashion, food and fun and a Washington Square Park party to debut the new collection illustrates just that,' added the designer.

Lela Rose took over Washington Square Park in New York City earlier today for her spring/summer 2018 presentation

The cheerful collection was inspired by 'New York City and all of its splendor. It inspires me every day. From its iconic parks, centuries old architecture and people from every walk of life.'

'New York is the perfect backdrop for spring 2018 on an important day to celebrate the city. For me it's all about fashion, food and fun and a Washington Square Park party to debut the new collection illustrates just that,' added the designer

Models stood as they would if they were just hanging out in the park, some reading the newspaper and others snapping photos or playing chess.

Meanwhile guests were treated to snack like cab shaped cookies and hot dogs from an NYCfood cart. Caricature artists were on hand to draw portraits, as were florists to help design take-home bouquets.

Standout looks included her signature tailored shirtdresses, a white tunic with ruffled sleeves layered over lime green trousers and a bold striped coordinated set.

Models posed as if they were just hanging out in the park with some reading the newspaper and other snapping photos or playing chess

Meanwhile guests were treated to a snacks like cab shaped cookies and hot dogs from a NYC cart. Caricature artists were on hand to draw guests, as were florists to help design individual bouquets
Miss Texas blasted Donald Trump's Charlottesville comments on the Miss America stage on Sunday night, after one of the judges asked her to react to the commander-in-chief's claims there were 'very fine people on both sides' of the white supremacist protests.

Margana Wood, 22, was competing for the Miss America crown in Atlantic City, New Jersey, when People Magazine and Entertainement Weekly editorial director Jess Cagle asked her the political question.

'Last month, a demonstration of neo-Nazis, white supremacists and the KKK in Charlottesville, Virginia turned violent and a counter-protester was killed,' Cagle reminded the audience. 'The president said there was shared blame with "very fine people on both sides". Were there? Tell me yes or no and explain.'

Scroll down for video

Not mincing her words: Miss Texas Margana Wood (right), 22, blasted Donald Trump's Charlottesville comments on the Miss America stage last night

Contestant: Wood (picture during the swimsuit round on Sunday night) was competing for the Miss America crown in Atlantic City, New Jersey

In just a few seconds, Wood made it abundantly clear she strongly disagrees with the president's response.

Trump's comment came in July, after 32-year-old died when a car rammed into a group of counter-protesters in Charlottesville. A man named James Field has been charged with second-degree murder.

'I think that the white supremacist issueit was very obvious that it was a terrorist attack,' Wood told Cagle, 'and I think that President Donald Trump should have made a statement earlier addressing the fact and making sure all Americans feel safe in this country. That is the number one issue right now.'

The crowd clapped and cheered in response to Wood's answer, which echoed many of the critics Trump earned with his comments on Charlottesville.

'You have some very bad people in that group,' the president said about the white nationalists during a press conference, 'but you also had people that were very fine people on both sides.'

Message: In just a few seconds, Wood (pictured dancing doing the talent round on Sunday) made it abundantly clear she strongly disagrees with the president's response

Winner: Cara Mund (pictured), 23, who took home the crown, answered a political question and said she disagreed with Trump's decition to pull the US from the Paris climate accords

Statement: 'I think that the white supremacist issueit was was very obvious that it was a terrorist attack,' Wood (pictured) said in her response to one of the judges' question

While Wood did not win the Miss America crown, which went instead to Miss North Dakota Cara Mund, 23, she has become a viral sensation, with thousands of social media users marveling at her reply.

'Today was the day Miss Texas became president,' one person tweeted, while another wrote: 'This pageant contestant has greater moral clarity than the President of the United States.

Cagle's question was one of several political moments that unfolded during the evening.

During her own question segment, Mund was asked about Trump's decision to pull the US from the Paris climate accords, which seek to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

'It's a bad decision,' Mund replied. 'There is evidence that climate change is existing, and we need to be at that table.'

Miss Missouri Jennifer Davis, meanwhile, was asked whether or not Trump colluded with Russia and indicated she thought the president was 'innocent' for now, while pointing out she was waiting for more information as the investigation continues.

Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel weighed in on Confederate statues and whether they should be torn down, telling the judges she thought the monuments should be relocated into museums.
Using bleach and common household disinfectants increases the risk of developing a potentially fatal lung disease, a new study has warned.

Regularly breathing in the strong cleaning chemicals can increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)  usually associated with smoking  by up to 32 per cent.

The findings have implications for nurses, cleaners and others who use the products as part of the daily work routine.

Previous studies have linked exposure to disinfectants with breathing problems such as asthma, but much less attention has been paid to their contribution to COPD.

Using bleach and common household disinfectants increases the risk of developing a potentially fatal lung disease, a new study has warned (file image)

COPD is a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties including emphysema, where there is damage to the air sacs in the lungs, or chronic bronchitis which is the long-term inflammation of the airways.

It affects an estimated three million Britons.

The study led by Dr Orianne Dumas from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, looked at nurses who have to disinfect instruments and wards as part of their duties.

It looked at exposure to specific disinfectants such as glutaraldehyde, a strong disinfectant used for medical instruments, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and quaternary ammonium compounds known as quats, mainly used for low-level disinfection of surfaces such as floors and furniture

All of these were associated with an increased risk of COPD of between 24 to 32 per cent.

Dr Dumas said: We found that nurses who use disinfectants to clean surfaces on a regular basis - at least once a week - had a 22 per cent increased risk of developing COPD.

There was a suggestion of a link with the weekly use of disinfectants to clean instruments but this was not statistically significant.

In our study population, 37 per cent of nurses used disinfectants to clean surfaces on a weekly basis and 19 per cent used disinfectants to clean medical instruments on a weekly basis.

The findings were based on more than 55,000 US nurses taking part in the US Nurses' Health Study II, which started in 1989, and looked at nurses still working in the profession in 2009.

They followed them for eight years, during which time 663 of them were diagnosed with COPD.

The study was led by Dr Orianne Dumas from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research

The nurses' exposure to disinfectants was evaluated via a questionnaire and adjusted the results for factors that might affect the outcome, such as smoking, age, body mass index and ethnicity.

Dr Dumas added: The potential adverse effects of exposure to disinfectants on COPD have received much less attention, although two recent studies in European populations showed that working as a cleaner was associated with a higher risk of COPD.

To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report a link between disinfectants and COPD among healthcare workers, and to investigate specific chemicals that may underlie this association.

Our findings provide further evidence of the effects of exposure to disinfectants on respiratory problems, and highlight the urgency of integrating occupational health considerations into guidelines for cleaning and disinfection in healthcare settings such as hospitals.

These are preliminary findings and more research needs to be carried out. In particular, we need to investigate the impact on COPD of lifetime occupational exposure to chemicals and clarify the role of each specific disinfectant.
It may be the perfect solution for workers who feel they are cooped up in the office all day.

Instead of sitting round tables for meetings, we should go for a stroll during them, Public Health England is suggesting.

So called 'walking meetings' are being given official approval as a way to help staff who sit at desks all day get a bit more exercise.

Office workers are being advised to take their meetings outdoors to prevent the perils of sitting at desks

Public Health England is suggesting that meetings branch out of their office environments

Strolling instead of sitting for an office discussion could reduce stress and back pain as well as obesity.

Duncan Selbie, chief executive of PHE is expected to make the recommendations tomorrow at its annual conference. He will warn of the 'perils of sitting at your desk haemorrhaging productivity'.

In remarks reported by the Sunday Times, he will say: 'Move more, get up and about. Walking meetings. I don't just mean in the office  go out for a walk, get some fresh air for a meeting. We are very keen on short bursts of energy.'

The tips are intended for employers to battle the sedentary culture which is a danger to health.

He wants employers to say: 'Moving more is really important. We are all sedentary around here. Who has got ideas about how we get moving a bit more?'

Supporters of walking meetings say they are more creative and help to break down barriers between supervisors and subordinates and between co-workers.
Sir Michael Marmot, director of the Institute of Health Equity at University College London, has written to Jeremy Hunt

The life expectancy of Britons is slowing to a standstill, while those from other European countries will live even longer, a leading academic warned.

British women have the slowest life expectancy growth in Europe, while the men's is second from the bottom.

A woman in Britain can expect to live until 83, three years behind countries such as Spain and France.

While seven countries in Europe predict mens life expectancy at well over 80, Brits languish just above the EU average at 79.

Sir Michael Marmot, director of the Institute of Health Equity at University College London, has written to Jeremy Hunt urging him to investigate why European life expectancy is surging ahead.

Writing in the Times, he branded the news an urgent and deepening problems with the nations health.

He said: Were this to keep up, we would soon become the sick man and woman of Europe. This is a new and worrying trend.

Professor Marmot believes this is the end of 100 years of longer life and says it is more important than the crisis in the NHS.

According to the researcher, the global financial crash has badly affected life expectancy across Europe, but Britain is starting to lag behind.

But while recession-hit Spains life expectancy is rising, economic powerhouse Germany is not showing the same surge.

In July, Professor Marmots team warned life expectancy in Britain was slowing because of the state of the NHS and social care.

Researchers from University College London found women are living an extra year every decade, while mens life expectancy is going up by an extra year every six years.

But in 2010, Brits were gaining an extra year every four years, and the expert even claimed life expectancy could start to decline in the near future.

While seven countries in Europe predict mens life expectancy at well over 80, Brits languish just above the EU average at 79 (file image)

He said at the time: I am deeply concerned with the levelling off, I expected it to just keep getting better. I would say it is a matter of urgency to try and examine why this has happened.

I am deeply concerned that if we do not fund health care and social care adequately people will lead much worse lives.

If we dont spend appropriately on social care, if we dont spend appropriately on health care, then certainly the quality of life will get worse for older people and maybe the length of life too.
Depression is a physical illness that could be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, according to a Cambridge University professor.

An overactive immune system may trigger the mental health condition by causing widespread inflammation that leads to feelings of hopelessness and unhappiness, experts believe.

The immune system may fail to 'switch off' after an illness or traumatic event, they add.

Past research has shown people who suffer severe emotional trauma have signs of inflammation, suggesting their immune system is constantly 'fired-up'.

Around one in 13 people in the UK suffer from depression, which is largely treated by restoring feel-good chemicals in the brain.

Depression is a physical illness that could be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, expert says

COULD THE ILLEGAL PARTY DRUG KETAMINE EASE DEPRESSION? The illegal party drug ketamine could ease depression, research suggested last month. Patients who respond to the horse tranquilizer have greater overall activity levels days after its infusion, a study found. Depressive episodes are partially characterized by a reduced interest in activities. Responsive patients also sleep better the following day, the research adds. Ketamine is a Schedule III drug in the US and a class B in the UK. It can legally be prescribed by doctors as a general anesthetic in humans and animals. Advertisement

'Robust association between inflammation and depressive symptoms'

Professor Ed Bullmore, head of the department of psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, said: 'In relation to mood, beyond reasonable doubt, there is a very robust association between inflammation and depressive symptoms.

'In experimental medicine studies if you treat a healthy individual with an inflammatory drug, like interferon, a substantial percentage of those people will become depressed,' The Telegraph reported.

Researchers from Cambridge University and the Wellcome Trust are hoping to initiate studies next year investigating anti-inflammatory drugs' efficacy in depression.

Immune system triggers inflammation when under threat

When the immune system suspects a threat, it triggers inflammation, leading to changes in the body, such as increased red blood cell counts, in preparation to heal a wound.

Until recently, such a process was denied as a cause of depression as scientists believed the brain and the immune system operated separately.

Yet, recent studies show a link between nerves in the brain and immune function.

Figures have also revealed around 60 per cent of people who visit a doctor with chest pain are actually suffering from anxiety, while approximately 30 per cent of those with conditions such as arthritis have the mental health condition, which is four times high than the population average.

Professor Sir Robert Lechler, president of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: 'Youre not just a little bit miserable if youve got a long-term condition, there is a real mechanistic connection between the mind, the nervous system and the immune system.'

Experts add the outdated approach of separating mental and physical health conditions is holding back medical advances.

This comes after research from North Carolina State University revealed one in five women with postpartum depression keep their anxieties to themselves.

Of these, around half of women claim to have at least one barrier that makes asking for help 'extremely difficult' or 'impossible'.
A 'phenomenal' pill taken twice a day could protect millions of heart disease patients from an early grave.

Rivaroxaban slashes the risk of dying from the world's leading killer by 22 per cent when taken with aspirin, research has found.

In clinical experiments, the tablet, which is already used for other cardiovascular problems, also reduced strokes by 42 per cent.

The 'ground-breaking' trial, based on 27,000 patients from 33 countries, has since been halted - 12 months ahead of schedule.

Dr Derek Connolly, a heart consultant at Birmingham City Hospital who was involved in the global study, welcomed the breakthrough.

Rivaroxaban slashes the risk of dying from heart disease - the world's leading killer - by 24 per cent when taken with aspirin, research has found

He told the Daily Express: 'This is a phenomenal result and this treatment could save thousands of lives.

'Cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer and reducing mortality by 15 per cent means that millions of heart attacks and deaths across Europe can be avoided.'

Dr Connolly added: 'This is a ground-breaking result.' The findings were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

How was the trial carried out?

Scientists split the participants, who all suffered from coronary or peripheral artery disease (CAD/PAD), into three groups.

Some patients were given two 2.5mg doses of rivaroxaban, others were given the same alongside 100mg of aspirin. A third group was just given the aspirin.

What did the researchers find?

The combination reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke deaths by 22 per cent in patients whose condition was stable.

THE BEST HEART DRUG SINCE STATINS Thousands of lives could be saved thanks to a new heart drug hailed as the biggest breakthrough since statins, it was reported last month. In a landmark four-year trial, scientists found that the drug  given by injection every three months  cut the risk of heart attacks by a quarter. The 10,000-patient study, involving 1,000 doctors in 39 countries, also suggested it could halve the risk of dying from lung cancer and prevent arthritis and gout. Harvard Medical School scientists said the treatment marked a new era of therapeutics that could save thousands of lives. The drug, Canakinumab, works by reducing inflammation  a major new approach in heart medicine. Advertisement

However, giving rivaroxaban on its own provided no extra benefits, the study, which was funded by Bayer, concluded.

CAD is deemed the most common type of heart disease, and is the leading cause of death in the US. It affects 15 million Americans.

In the UK, heart disease, which is led to by the condition, kills 230,000 each year. Worldwide, more than 17 million lose their lives to heart disease each year.

PAD, which causes a reduced blood flow to the limbs, affects around one in five over-60s, figures suggest.

Both conditions, often treated with aspirin, are caused by he arteries narrowing due to a build-up of deadly fatty deposits.

Despite use of drugs, around 5 per cent of patients will experience a life-changing, or deadly, cardiovascular event each year.

What is this drug?

Rivaroxaban is a blood-thinning drug which is already an option for atrial fibrillation patients on the NHS.

The health service's rationing watchdog, Nice, also recommend the blood-thinner to be given to patients with blood clots.

Previous research has shown it to be less risky than aspirin - which has previously been found to double the risk of heart attacks and bleeding.

In the new COMPASS trial, the risk of major bleeding was higher in the patients who were given the combination treatment.

Other notable side effects can include abdominal pain, headaches, nausea and rashes. It can also lead to dry mouth and an abnormally fast heart rate.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said the results were 'significant' - despite the drug being expensive.
If a random itch often keeps you awake at night tossing and turning in bed, scientists may finally have some good news for you.

They have discovered that a drug already in use to treat arthritis helps to relieve the annoying urge to scratch relentlessly.

Tofacitinib, when taken twice daily, helped five patients with severe itches from unknown causes make 'dramatic' improvements, a study showed.

The Washington University, St Louis, findings, dubbed 'encouraging', help to identify the mysterious roots of chronic itching.

Scientists have discovered that a drug already in use to treat arthritis helps to relieve the annoying urge to scratch relentlessly

How many people have itches?

Chronic itch affects up to 15 percent of the population, figures suggest, and is most often caused by eczema and psoriasis.

However, cases of chronic itching for which there are no known causes are puzzling and among the most difficult to treat.

Study author Dr Brian Kim said: 'These patients often itch day and night, and for some of them, the urge to scratch never goes away.

'Although this was a small study, the patients taking tofacitinib experienced dramatic improvements in terms of their itch, allowing them to sleep, stop scratching and return to living more productive lives.'

He added: 'Obviously, we'll need to do a larger study, but the early results are very encouraging.'

How was the study carried out?

For the study, published in the journal Cell, five patients with chronic idiopathic pruritus - an itch of an unknown cause - were monitored.

WHY DOES ITCHING HAPPEN? While it may not be the most pleasant feeling, the itch sensation is an important protective mechanism for animals. But chronic itching, often seen in patients with skin and liver diseases, remains a challenging problem to treat. Now, a new study has shed light on the brain mechanism behind itching  which experts say could help to develop a treatment for chronic itching. Researchers from the Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences looked at the precise pathway from the spinal cord to the brain. Advertisement

As well as tofacitinib, they were given other anti-inflammatory drugs to curb their symptoms. However, none of the others proved successful.

Although the patients with chronic idiopathic pruritus usually didn't have rashes on their skin, they still had severe and debilitating itch.

What did they find?

But when taking tofacitinib, those patients experienced, on average, almost an 80 percent improvement in their itch severity.

In tests on both mice and humans, the team of researchers were able to identify the cause of chronic itches.

They showed that sensory neurons, which carry messages of pain to the brain, are activated by an immune signalling molecule called interleukin-4 (IL-4).

It jump starts the process of itching in both patients of inflammation-related skin conditions, and those of unknown causes.

How does the drug work?

The researchers said IL-4 stimulates a key protein within nerve cells  JAK1  that is a critical component of chronic itching.

That finding led the team to suspect that JAK1 may be a uniquely sensitive target for multiple types of itch, even itching of unknown cause.

Tofacitinib, a known JAK inhibitor, blocks this protein and can stop the need to relentlessly scratch to get rid of an itch, the researchers said.
Between Friday and Monday, Bismarck Police and U.S. Border Patrol took nine allegedly undocumented immigrants into custody in separate, unrelated incidents.

Police stopped a 31-year-old man for not having a front license plate around 3:30 p.m. Friday. Border Patrol was called in over discrepancies as to how long the man had been in the country, Bismarck Police Officer Pat Renz said.

At 11:30 a.m. Sunday, police stopped a 46-year-old man for not signaling at a stop sign, Renz said.

The man and three passengers reportedly presented Guatemalan IDs. Renz said they were held for Border Patrol.

Around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, police arrested a 22-year-old man, whose passport reportedly allowed him in the country between June and July 2014, according to Renz.

"So he was way overdue," said Renz, adding that police could not determine where the man was from.

Then around 12:30 a.m. Monday, a police traffic stop on the 1000 block of North Sixth Street led to Border Patrol taking three undocumented immigrant suspects into custody, Renz said. The suspects included 24- and 27-year-old men and a 15-year-old.

Renz said Bismarck Police don't usually find as many allegedly undocumented immigrants here.

"It's not common, that's for sure," he said.
Guinea pigs are making people ill, a new report states.

In three years, at least as many people have been taken to hospital after developing life-threatening pneumonia from their furry friends.

Most guinea pigs likely harbour the bacteria responsible for the inflammatory lung condition, which is detectable by the animals developing pink eye.

Dr Steven Gordon, chair of infectious disease at the Cleveland Clinic, who was not involved in the study, said: 'We love our pets, but we've got to be smart about pets and hygiene.

'We should be washing our hands after pet contact, and certain high-risk people - like those with compromised immune systems - should avoid contact with pets.'

In three years, at least as many people have developed pneumonia from guinea pigs

STEROIDS IN INHALERS PUT ASTHMATICS AT RISK OF PNEUMONIA Asthma sufferers may be at risk of pneumonia if they use an inhaler, research revealed in April. Their risk of being hospitalised with the potentially-fatal complication is 83 per cent higher than non-inhaler users', according to the research carried out by McGill University in Montreal. Breathing in steroids found in prevention inhalers is thought to be to blame. Around 5.4 million people in the UK are being treated for asthma. Steroid-containing inhalers are commonly prescribed to control inflammation in the airways. Advertisement

Three taken to hospital

Researchers from Bernhoven Hospital found three cases of guinea pig-related pneumonia have occurred in the Netherlands over approximately three years.

The incidences involved two women and one man, all in their early 30s.

Out of the three cases, two patients were submitted to intensive care. They both had guinea pigs as pets who had recently shown respiratory symptoms.

The man had two guinea pigs, while one of the female patients had 25. The other woman worked in a vet clinic where she cared for guinea pigs suffering from pink eye and nasal inflammation.

Patient samples revealed the presence of bacteria associated with pneumonia. In one of the individuals, this bacteria could be traced back to their specific guinea pig.

The report was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

'We've got to be smart about pets and hygiene'

Lead author Dr Bart Ramakers said: 'Doctors and veterinarians should be aware of the bacterium, especially now that we have demonstrated that it can be transmitted from guinea pigs to humans.

'The bacterium also has been detected in rabbits, dogs and horses.'

Antibiotics are effective in treating pneumonia, however, most healthy people get over the infection without the need for treatment

Dr Gordon said: 'Many guinea pig owners are exposed to this pathogen, but few are going to develop symptoms to the point of needing hospitalization.'

He recommends people seek treatment for their guinea pig if the animal appears ill, particularly if it shows signs of pink eye or respiratory illness.

Dr Gordon added: 'We love our pets, but we've got to be smart about pets and pet hygiene.

'We should be washing our hands after pet contact, and certain high-risk people -like those with compromised immune systems - should avoid contact with pets.'
Obese people who are otherwise healthy are still more likely to have their lives cut short by fatal diseases, researchers have warned - concluding that being 'fat but fit' is impossible.

A new study from the University of Birmingham looked at whether or not an overweight person who does not have diabetes, hypertension or high cholesterol is just as fit as a person with a healthy weight.

But it found that they are more likely to develop heart failure, coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, which causes strokes.

The new report adds to a slew of evidence showing that even being 'fat but fit' is not achievable, and scientists are warning that using the term is misleading and dangerous.

Obese people who are otherwise healthy are more likely to have their lifespans shortened by heart failure, coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, a University of Birmingham study has found

WHO HAS A HIGHER RISK OF BECOMING OBESE? Obesity can be caused by eating disorders that are influenced by behavioral factors. But hormonal and genetic factors can also cause a person to have an increased risk of becoming obese. Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than they burn through exercise and normal daily activities over a period of time. The two most effective measures that a person can take to ward of obesity are diet and exercise. However, weight-loss medications and surgeries are also popular among patients who are severely obese. But if a person takes a weight-loss medication without dieting and exercising, it is not likely that their obesity will be treated. Weight-loss pills are meant to be used in conjunction with healthy lifestyle changes, not used as an alternative to them. Advertisement

Researchers observed four different groups of three-and-a-half million people for the study, which is the biggest of its kind in debunking the 'fat but fit' myth so far.

Participants were categorized based on their BMIs.

'Underweight' people had a BMI of less than 18.5, participants with a 'normal weight' had a BMI between 18 and 25, those of 'overweight' people fell between 25 and 30 and obese people had a BMI of 30 or higher.

Scientists collected data on the patients for a little more than five years.

While the study's participants were initially healthy, researchers found that obese people were 96 percent more likely to develop heart failure.

They were also about 50 percent more likely to develop coronary artery disease - a symptom of which is high cholesterol - and 7 percent more likely to develop cerebrovascular disease.

Previous research has claimed that up to one in three obese people are 'healthy' despite carrying too much weight, which led to widespread use of the term 'fat but fit'.

But the new study, published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, provides evidence that there is no such thing.

Researchers who worked on the study are urging doctors not to ignore the increased risks of cardiovascular disease for patients who seem healthy but are obese.

And study author Dr Rishi Caleyachetty said doctors should take it one step further and stop using the term 'fat but fit' altogether since it is misleading.

He said: 'Metabolically healthy obesity is not a harmless condition, and it would be incorrect to think so. It's actually better not to use this term as it can create a lot of confusion.'

The CDC has estimated that about 36 percent of US adults are obese. Black Americans are most likely to be obese, followed by Hispanics, white people and Asians.

Middle-age and older Americans are more likely to be obese than younger adults. And high-income families have a decreased risk of obesity compared to low-income families.

The US spends hundreds of millions of dollars on treating obesity-related ailments each year and the medical costs for obese people are about $1,500 more per year than those for healthy people.
A mother and all of her three daughters have a rare, incurable condition that causes excruciating tumours to form all over their bodies.

Sharon Phillips, 44, from Tredegar, South Wales, and her girls Chelsea, 23, Courtenay, 17, and Tyanna, 14, suffer from neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).

Aside from causing unsightly bumps, the condition also leads to violent mood swings, developmental delays and excruciating headaches.

Ms Phillips, who works with children with special needs, said: 'The pain in the joints and spine from NF is the hardest to deal with. They all suffer from awful migraines too. I don't like to see the children in pain.'

The disorder affects around one in 3,000 people and is caused by a genetic mutation.

Sharon Phillips was diagnosed 14 years ago after having severe pain in one side of the her body

Chelsea, 23, had developmental problems, headaches and knee troubles before her diagnosis

Courtenay, 17, has curvature of the spine, which is thought to be associated with NF1

WHAT IS NEUROFIBROMATOSIS TYPE 1? Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic condition that affects one in 3,000 people in the UK to some extent. It is caused by a genetic mutation that affects nerve tissue growth. Around half of cases are inherited from a parent and the other half occur spontaneously. Early symptoms include flat brown birthmarks, and lumps and bumps in unusual places. It is also associated with mild learning difficulties. Most people with NF1 are otherwise healthy and live to a normal life expectancy. There is no cure. Surgery can be performed to remove the benign growths. Source: The Neuro Foundation Advertisement

'I thought it was my last Christmas'

Ms Phillips discovered she had the disorder nearly 14 years ago when she was taken to hospital with severe pains in one side of her body.

After a CT scan, doctors at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London found a large benign tumour growing on her pelvis.

Ms Phillips said: 'I thought it was my last Christmas.

'I had four children and Tyanna [her youngest child] was just a baby. It was mid-December 2003 and I had to wait for the test results until January 30.

'When the results came back the doctors looked me all over and told me I had the genetic condition NF1.

'I was so relieved I didn't have cancer even though nothing can be done for the tumour. I didn't know at the time what NF1 was.'

Ms Phillips' family were then tested at Guy's Hospital in London one-by-one.

Doctors first diagnosed Ms Phillips, followed by Chelsea, who already had certain characteristics of the condition, including developmental problems, headaches and knee troubles.

Courtenay who has ADHD, cafe au lait spots and violent mood swings, was also confirmed as being a sufferer. The teenager has also had to contend with scoliosis, commonly known as a curvature of the spine, which is thought to be linked to NF1.

Tyanna, 14, has autism, attention deficit disorder, tumours in her brain and nodules on her eyes

Ms Phillips says seeing her children in pain is difficult to cope with (pictured with Chelsea)

'I don't like to see the children in pain'

Ms Phillips noticed Courtenay was not developing normally when she was just a few months old and was unable to support her own head.

She said: 'I saw a TV programme about a boy with scoliosis and thought he looked just like Courtenay.

'I asked doctors to do an X-ray and I was right. She had curvature of the spine.

'She developed normally and was even ahead of her age, walking by her first birthday.

'But as she got older she developed another curve in her spine, more of a hump on her shoulders.

'It meant she always held her head to her left and was painful.'

Ms Phillips' youngest daughter Tyanna has autism, attention deficit disorder, tumours in her brain and nodules on her eyes.

As a baby Tyanna was diagnosed with developmental delay, did not walk until the age of two and was selectively mute.

Ms Phillips said Tyanna always seemed much younger than her age, only used a few words when speaking and could not formulate full sentences.

She added: 'Tyanna can't have medication for ADD because of her condition.

'She couldn't sit still and has problems with her co-ordination and concentrating at school so she is now in a special needs unit.

'She has obsessions with things and she is very sensitive to caffeine. She is sociable but she argues a lot with other children.

'She used to play rugby but she had to give that up because any knocks to the head can be especially damaging with the NF1.

'The pain in the joints and spine from NF is the hardest to deal with. They all suffer from awful migraines too. I don't like to see the children in pain.'

Ms Phillips is also in almost constant pain herself.

She said: 'I have a large tumour wrapped around my sciatic nerve so it's painful and it can't be removed. I try not to take painkillers unless I absolutely need them.'

It is unknown whether Ms Phillips' son Cameron suffers from NF1 as his test came back inconclusive.

The condition does not affect the children's father Andrew, 49, who works in a slaughterhouse.

Ms Phillips' daughters have previously been on the Childhood Tumour Trust's activity break, which is funded by Jeans for Genes this year.

She said: 'This trip is fantastic for the children. They get to meet children who are exactly like them, they make new friends and take on new challenges, away from their parents.

'All the children are just like them whereas at home they are the odd ones out. I stayed with the children at their first camp and it was so emotional seeing all the children's achievements.

'One young girl who had a problem with her leg pulled herself up on a rope just by her arms. They all achieve things at the camp that they would never do at home.'
Every GP surgery in a town is planning to close their lists to new patients, claiming they are unsafe.

All seven practices in Folkestone, Kent - which cover 16,000 patients - have applied to NHS bosses to suspend new registrations indefinitely.

The move comes a week after almost half of GPs in England said they were prepared to close their lists on mass in protest against a lack of Government funding.

The doctors union, the British Medical Association, is now considering whether to call on all doctors to suspend their lists.

Surgeries in Folkestone have applied to close their lists independently as they are collectively short of 16 GPs and cannot cope with the rising demand, Pulse magazine reported.

All seven practices in Folkestone, Kent - which cover 16,000 patients - have applied to NHS bosses to suspend new registrations indefinitely

Pressures intensified in May when they were ordered to take on an extra 4,700 patients from the nearby Folkestone East Family Practice, which closed due to a shortage of doctors.

Officials at the local health board, South Kent Coast Clinical Commissioning Group, will consider the cases of all seven practices. If they believe patient safety would be jeopardised, the applications would be approved.

This would mean any new patients moving to the area would be unable to register with a local GP. They would have to travel to surrounding towns or villages - assuming practices there have not also closed their lists.

Is there a crisis?

GPs across England say they are in crisis due to the rising demand of the ageing population and a national shortage of family doctors.

They are also angry at the Government for failing to invest enough money in surgeries - while expecting them to open for longer hours at evenings and weekends.

NHS TO PAY 100M TO RECRUIT GPS The NHS will pay agencies up to 100 million to recruit GPs from abroad in a bid to tackle the growing staffing crisis as the seven-day working week comes into force. They will be paid 20,000 for every doctor found. An estimated 5,000 is needed by 2020, with up to 3,000 coming from overseas. It comes as part of a drive to increase the number of family doctors after a leading medic declared general practice is on the 'brink of collapse' due to increasing workloads and a dwindling workforce. The health secretarys promise to have doctors available every day of the week has placed further pressure on staffing numbers. Initially, plans had been put in place to recruit just 500 doctors from abroad by 2020/21, but this was expanded last week. International recruitment is hoped to begin in the autumn. Advertisement

The British Medical Association said the situation in Folkestone was a reflection of what was happening across the country.

Dr Richard Vautrey, chair of the unions GP committee said: This crisis in Folkestone highlights why four out of ten GP practices in England told the BMA in a survey only last week that they were considering applying to have their practice lists closed because their services are at breaking point.

Many GP services across the country are being put under unsustainable pressure from rising patient demand, falling funding and staff shortages that are stopping them from providing safe, effective care, including enough appointments, to their local communities.

It is unacceptable that even one surgery should be being placed in the position of having to close their practice list.

We need politicians to realise that general practice needs an urgent, immediate plan to invest more resources into frontline patient services as we cannot allow GP services to slide further into crisis.

Don't close your lists!

Last week Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned doctors against closing their lists due to the impact on patients.

But these seven practices claim they have been highlighting the pressures in their area for the past year to local NHS managers and their MP.

They include Central Surgery, Guildhall Street Surgery, Hawkinge and Elham Surgery, Manor Clinic, The New Surgery, Park Farm Surgery and Sandgate Road Surgery,

They issued a joint statement which stated they have taken the unprecedented action of applying to South Kent Coast CCG for formal list closure in order to maintain safe patient care to their current patient population.

It added: We all feel that as a consequence of the national GP shortage which has been acutely felt in Folkestone, with a shortage of 16 full time equivalent GPs we have no other option in the interest of patient safety.
Millions of elderly people were forced to find shelter in Florida as emergency services struggled to evacuate the enormous population of retirees from Hurricane Irma.

About 25 percent of the state's population is 60 years or older, and 30 percent of them are living with at least one disability, according to the Department of Elder Affairs in Florida.

When Hurricane Harvey ripped through Texas, it caused flooded care homes and dirty water filled with diseases that created health risks for those who could not get out.

Florida, especially in the south of the state, is a hub for the retirees.

Care homes and hospitals have been scrambling to find solutions to protect their patients from risks such as transportation problems, increased health symptoms and psychological issues during the storm.

Experts released a study in 2011 claiming that leaving elderly at their care homes during a natural disaster is more beneficial to their health and will keep them alive.

Emergency personnel evacuate a elderly resident from Savannah, Georgia. Care homes and hospitals had to take special care for transporting their elderly when they evacuated so that they didn't cause further injury or symptoms for them

Buses were used to help transport elderly to a different location if their care home or residence was at risk during Hurricane Irma. This man is waiting to board the bus in Savannah, Georgia

More than 6.3 million people in Florida were told to evacuate this past weekend as Hurricane Irma headed towards the United States.

The high-power winds and extreme flooding were a concern for anyone left behind, especially those along the coasts.

Of those 6.3 million were groups of elderly people who had to be transported from their care homes and nursing homes.

There isn't an official count for how many elderly were evacuated, but an estimated 140 care homes transported patients out of their facility by last Thursday.

Also, the counties of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, which have close to a half-million residents over the age of 75, were all told to evacuate.

But some facilities and people decided to stay behind and face the storm.

How care home and hospitals evacuated

A concern when Hurricane Irma made its way towards Florida was how health officials were going to be able to evacuate the elderly safely.

There are more than 370 care homes in Florida for the elderly.

The dangerous fault line along the Pacific Northwest and how it could impact the elderly population The Cascadia fault line runs 620 miles up the Pacific Northwest and into Canada. It runs along the coast of California, Oregon and Washington. While many people have talked about the fault line below this one, San Andreas, Cascadia is anticipated to have a magnitude between 8.7 and 9.2. This can cause a lot of damage and deaths when it happens, whenever that may be. An estimated 22 percent of Oregon's coastal population is elderly. And 26 percent of the state's population is disabled. Since 1995, workers have not been allowed to build hospitals, schools, fire houses and police stations in the high-risk zone. But people, including the elderly, that are left in that zone when the earthquake hits could quickly be taken down by the rubble. Safety policies are currently lax around the fault line, which could end up killing thousands of people because those in the area will not be able to get out. While the government has prepared plans for when this earthquake will occur, they don't have answers yet on how they will help the disabled and elderly get out. Advertisement

In the areas that were asked to evacuate, these care homes had to prepare for a variety of potential problems when they decided to transport a large group of elderly.

Memory impairments such as Alzheimer's disease are a concern because the health officials are taking them away from a routine that they are used to.

Some elderly have reported having an increase in their memory impairment symptoms during a natural disaster when they have been transported from their homes.

To try and combat this, one care home told its patients that they were going on a vacation up north instead of worrying them about the hurricane.

HarborChase of North Collier in Naples, Florida, which is on the gulf coast, evacuated its residents a week early in anticipation of the storm.

'We told them we were going on vacation, so they were all pretty willing to go on the bus with us,' Abigail Mitchell, executive director of HarborChase of North Collier, said to The Washington Post.

They transported their 44 residents in charter buses 100 miles north to avoid the deadliest part of the storm.

These facilities have to prepare medication, equipment and other necessities the residents might need while they are transferred.

Officials have to worry, too, about when they load up their patients that they aren't putting them at risk for injury on these buses.

Where they are transported has to also have adequate care because some larger shelters are not equipped to handle a large elderly population who need specific equipment and medication.

Some care homes took the option of evacuation after what happened during Hurricane Harvey with a residence in Dickinson, Texas.

There were 20 senior citizens who had to be emergency transported to other facilities after their care home flooded.

Many people took shelter from the hurricane in the north of Florida. This is from a shelter in Estero, Florida. Experts worry about transporting elderly people to a large shelter for fear that it won't have adequate supplies and equipment to properly care for them

A picture went viral of the elderly sitting in murky water as they waited for someone to save them causing a lot of controversy for the residence.

So far, no care homes with people still in them have been flooded in Florida during Hurricane Irma.

Why evacuation might not be the best option

Moving elderly people during a natural disaster is not always a good decision, experts warn.

Elderly people are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses, mobility problems and memory impairments.

And researchers from Brown University and the University of South Florida said that moving elderly people might have a greater impact on their health than keeping them where they are.

The researchers looked into previous disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, to see how it impacted the elderly population.

They found that an increased risk of death and injury happened when elderly were transported during a natural disaster.

'There's a wonderful study that showed that people who evacuate under optimal circumstances have increased hip fractures, for example, after moving from one hospital to a nursing home, and that's under optimal circumstances,' said Dr. David Dosa, a geriatrician and lead author of the study to NBC News.

'It's quite clear to us that anybody with cognitive impairment or memory impairment such as Alzheimer's disease is at greater risk in a natural disaster such as a hurricane, they do worse in these circumstances.'

Experts warn that transporting elderly residents too quickly onto buses can cause risk of injury. This is a line of elderly people boarding a bus before the hurricane hit on Saturday

If people are at risk for flooding or building collapses, then the facility should evacuate.

But if possible, Dosa said it is better to keep the facility running as normally.

The study found that elderly who were transported during a natural disaster were more likely to develop a health problem in the first 30 days after the incident.

Care homes in Florida that opted to not evacuate went through a number of steps to prepare them for the storm.

Ponce Plaza Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Miamis Little Havana neighborhood decided not to evacuate even though most of the county was leaving.

The building has shuttered windows and enough supplies to last well into the next week for its residents.

Also, none of the residents live on the first floor where flooding would cause the biggest problem.

Whether staying put instead of evacuating was the best option is still to be determined as the full impact of the hurricane is revealed in the coming days.
Breakthrough: 2.5 million people hospitalised with severe bleeding die every year

Whether its soldiers on the battlefield, women in childbirth or victims of a car crash, heavy bleeding requires a rapid transfusion of plasma  the liquid part of blood thats rich in healing proteins.

Yet a little-known shortcoming in the system to replace lost blood means medics may have to wait 20 to 30 minutes while a patients life ebbs away because the plasma they need is not immediately available.

Around 2.5 million people in Western countries hospitalised with severe bleeding die every year. Some would certainly have survived if theyd been treated before arrival, says Dr Martin Schreiber, a trauma surgeon and a professor of surgery at Oregon Health and Science University in the U.S.

Such patients die unnecessarily and it makes you feel so angry and helpless.

Plasma needs to be delivered to a trauma victim within the golden hour. When that has passed, recovery becomes increasingly difficult. The cause of this potentially deadly bottleneck is that stored plasma is frozen, otherwise it would rapidly go off.

So if frozen plasma has to be thawed at short notice, the golden hour window can be squeezed shut. Thawing plasma in advance for ambulance crews is difficult and rarely an option.

But this should soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a new way of turning plasma into a powder that can be stored in transfusion-ready bags. Doctors could then just add water and have plasma ready to use within minutes.

The technology is being developed in the U.S. and should be available in the UK in a couple of years.

The company behind it, Velico Medical, has adapted a technique called spray-drying to turn liquid into powder, similar to that used to turn fresh milk into powder.

Donated plasma is pumped through narrow nozzles creating a fine spray of droplets that are gently heated to evaporate the water.

Revolution: The technology for powdered blood is being developed in the U.S. and should be available in the UK in a couple of years

Research into the safety and efficacy of dried plasma has largely been done by the military. Earlier this year, a study by the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research reported it was just as effective as normal transfusions in helping the blood to clot.

Part of the impetus for improved treatment came from the experience of medics in Iraq and Afghanistan where uncontrolled blood loss was the leading cause of death in war.

Dr Schreiber did several tours of duty and returned to civilian life determined to improve the way trauma was handled at home.

An estimated 5 to 10 per cent of lives lost to haemorrhaging could be avoided by cutting the delays involved in thawing plasma. The research we did on duty overseas showed just how important the golden hour is, says Dr Schreiber.

Powdered plasma can be kept in fridges near where its needed  in theatres or carried by ambulances and rescue helicopters. Then when extra is needed, it can be rapidly turned back into a liquid with distilled water. Dr Martin Schreiber

Powdered plasma doesnt need large expensive freezers. It can be kept in fridges near where its needed  in theatres or carried by ambulances and rescue helicopters. Then when extra is needed, it can be rapidly turned back into a liquid with distilled water.

Spray-dried plasma is also expected to cut waste; a lot of plasma is unfrozen just in case and never used. This was found to happen to around 30 per cent of supplies sent to cardiac theatres in a large U.S. hospital, according to a recent study in the journal Anaesthesia & Analgesia. Instantly available plasma could also mean an end to putting a saline drip into trauma patients.

This is routinely done in the belief that it helps raise blood pressure and improve clotting. But U.S. military research found it was not just ineffective, but dangerous. Everybody does it, especially if plasma is not available, says Dr Mark Popovsky, chief medical officer and transfusion expert at Velico Medical.

But it is based on the mistaken belief that getting some liquid in when blood pressure is dropping due to blood loss must be good. The bodys clotting system is already messed up and the drip makes it worse, he continues.

It allows blood to leak through the lining of arteries and into the lungs which is particularly dangerous. Plasma reverses those harmful processes which is why the military is phasing out saline.

The new spray-dried plasma still needs further trials to prove its safety and effectiveness but it is being watched with interest by UK medical experts.

We welcome any development that could lead to improvements for patient treatment, says Dr Rebecca Cardigan, head of components development at NHS Blood and Transplant.
Cancer drugs do not cost as much to produce as industry-sponsored research claims, according to a landmark analysis.

Pharmaceutical companies often say it costs $2.7billion to produce medication to fight cancer, though there is no public data to support that.

However, the new study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine concludes it costs around $650million - less than a quarter of the commonly-cited figure.

The researchers at Oregon Health and Science University and Memorial Sloan Kettering say the findings suggest the industry's prices may be wildly extortionate.

Pharmaceutical companies often say it costs $2.7billion to produce medication to fight cancer, but a new study says it costs around $650million

'I think these results would suggest that pharmaceutical drug development is extremely lucrative and the current drug prices are not necessarily justified by the R & D [research and development] spending on these drugs,' Sham Mailankody of Memorial Sloan said.

The highly-critiqued figure, between $2billion and $2.5billion, comes from a 2014 report by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development.

The report was compiled using private datasets.

After Donald Trump cited the figure in January, it triggered a new conversation about drug pricing and manufacturing.

'Fifteen years, $2.5 billion to come up with a product where there's not even a safety problem. So it's crazy,' he said.

So researchers Mailankody, a medical oncologist and hematologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Dr Vinay Prasad, a hematologist-oncologist at the Oregon Health and Science University, investigated.

They identified 10 firms that had a cancer drug on the market.

They looked up the companies' research and development costs, according to their federal stock reporting paperwork, to come up with the average figure of $650 million.

Merrill Goozner, editor emeritus of the magazine Modern Healthcare, said: '[T]he industry consistently generates the highest profit margins among all US industries, which suggests the pricing power afforded by patent exclusivity far outweighs the inherent riskiness of pharmaceutical research and development.'
There is little evidence having the occasional drink while pregnant does any harm to a baby, a review has concluded.

Only last year, official government advice was updated to recommend pregnant women abstain totally from alcohol.

It said: Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink, the greater the risk.

There is little evidence having the occasional drink while pregnant does any harm to a baby, a review has concluded (file photo)

But critics have warned this advice is unduly worrying to women, especially those who drink before they discover they are pregnant.

Bristol University researchers found surprisingly limited evidence that drinking up to four units a week  equivalent to two glasses of wine  leads to birth defects, developmental delay or behavioural problems.

Only last year, official government advice was updated to recommend pregnant women abstain totally from alcohol (file photo)

Researchers examined 26 previous studies on the effects of light drinking, defined as up to four units a week, or about two glasses of wine, compared with no alcohol, during pregnancy.

The study, published in the journal BMJ Open, found an 8 per cent higher risk of smaller babies among women who drank four units a week  insufficient for a robust conclusion.

The researchers stressed this does not mean alcohol is safe  and they recommended pregnant women abstain in case.

But David Spiegelhalter, professor for the public understanding of risk at the University of Cambridge, said: A precautionary approach is still reasonable, but with luck this should dispel any guilt and anxiety felt by women who have an occasional glass of wine while pregnant.

A Department of Health spokesman said: It is important to remember the purpose of these guidelines  they are low-risk guidelines.

As the evidence is uncertain, the lowest risk approach is to avoid alcohol.
Thirty-nine people in the US contracted an infection called Campylobacter from puppies this year, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said in an outbreak notice on Monday.

Twelve employees of Petland stores were infected, and 27 customers who had recently purchased puppies took home more than just a new family member from the pet store chain.

Cases of the infection have been reported in seven states: Florida, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

The infection is common in dogs and can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals, their poop, or food, but isn't normally transmitted from one human to another.

Cute pups can still carry Campylobacter: Thirty-nine Americans were contracted the infection in the last year, according to the CDC (file image)

Campylobacter can cause diarrhea, vomiting and fever in dogs, but symptoms aren't always apparent or obvious. Humans suffer similar symptoms, as well as cramping, nausea and bloody stool.

Coping with Campylobacter

The CDC has advised pet owners to take particular care to clean up after their dogs and wash their hands thoroughly. The notice also suggests animal lovers turn down puppy kisses, and keep them from licking open wounds.

Catching Campylobacter: symptoms to watch for Puppies and people may have: Diarrhea, sometimes with blood

Fever

Vomiting

Nausea

Cramping Advertisement

Though unpleasant, the infection usually runs its course without antibiotics, though they are used to treat some cases. The most important thing to coping with a Campylobacter infection is to stay hydrated.

The CDC said that its investigation into the outbreak's origin is ongoing, and that Petland is cooperating.

Know your animal ailments

Campylobacter is the most common illness that humans contract from both dogs and cats, according to the CDC. People also frequently get various types of worms and rabies from their dogs, and cats can come with trouble too.

Last year, the CDC reported that cats, and particularly kittens were increasingly spreading the second-most common disease given to people by their cats: the infamous 'cat-scratch fever.'

The disease comes from a bacteria in cats' mouths and claws, called Bartonella henselae. It doesn't cause any health problems for the infected felines, but can cause lymph node swelling, fever, and even brain swelling, heart infections and death in humans.

The Campylobacter outbreak notice reminded both pet store employees and pet owners that the best way to prevent the spread of pet-borne disaeases is to be vigilant in keeping animals, their food, water and living space clean.

Stay happy AND healthy with your pet

The CDC still stood by man's best friend (and favorite felines): 'The bond between people and their pets can increase fitness, lower stress, and bring happiness to their owners,' the notice said.

But the agency urged potential adopters to 'pick a puppy or dog that is bright, alert, and playful,' and to have a vet make sure the new family member has a clean bill of health.
For the first time in the country, a team of six female Indian Navy officers embarked on a journey to cover a distance of more than 21,600 nautical miles in eight months around the globe.

The INSV Tarini, manned by Lt. Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lt. P Swathi, Lt. Vijaya Devi, Lt. Payal Gupta and Lt. B Aishwarya, sailed off from the port of Goa on Sunday

Their voyage, which is expected to end in March next year, aims to showcase the empowerment of women in the Navy.

The INSV, which is expected to be at sea for eight months, embarked from the port of Goa in the presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Although women are not allowed on board warships and submarines as part of military protocol, it is believed that such voyages will promote future gender parity.

The mission, titled Navika Sagar Parikrama and led by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, was flagged off by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar and Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lamba were also present as the boat set sail.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is a staunch advocate of promoting women in the forces, also offered his wishes to the crew.

The Navika Sagar Parikrama mission, which is being undertaken by boat, aims to highlight gender equality in the armed forces, as female officers are currently not allowed on board warships and submarines.

'It can happen once in five years, once in 10 years. This is a historic day for India. A historic day, which will be marked in navigation history and globally,' said Sitharaman after the vessel embarked on its global journey.

'Our women are going to stand out for doing something which mostly wouldn't even have been thought of.'

During their voyage the crew will make four stops in different countries. The first stop would be in Free- Mantle in Australia, New Zealand and then to Falklands before reaching their final stop in Cape Town, South Africa.

The mission will see the 6-women crew pass through the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

During their journey, INSV Tarini will be monitored by a Naval command center, apart from the Indian embassies in the countries from where these lady officers would be passing.

The rescue zones of the different countries have also been appraised. Senior Navy officers said that the crew would not be passing through piracy hot spots and are prepared for meeting any eventuality in the sea.

The crew have established a close bonding with each other in the run up to the mission.
Chinese automakers to help partners dominate regional market, lower costs

The China-Arab States Auto Cooperation Conference witnessed the signing of two Sino-Egyptian agreements that aim to shift the two countries' automotive cooperation toward localization, as part of the growing network of international ties along the Belt and Road.

The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Automotive Industry Committee and Egypt's Holding Company for Maritime and Land Transport inked the deals relating to deepening Sino-Egyptian links in the automotive industry.

Visitors look at a Chinese-branded vehicle displayed at the China-Arab States Expo on Sept 7 in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui autonomous region. Hao Yan / China Daily

"Chinese auto exports are recovering after years of decline, with Egypt being one of the biggest export destinations among the Arab states since 2015," said Wang Xia, chairman of the Automotive Industry Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, in his speech on Thursday at the conference held in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

Mohamed Youssef, chairman of the Holding Company for Maritime and Land Transport, said: "We are going to seal the deal on the production of a total of 900 vehicles a month, with an expectation to leverage Chinese automakers' experience in assembling and machinery."

Youssef announced that the organization's next critical target is to secure agreements on tractors and bulldozers with Chinese partners in 2018.

Egypt has a huge domestic market that could consume a large amount of China-made vehicles, because the products suit local demand, offering lower prices and economic fuel consumption, according to Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Kabil.

He said Egypt's multi-million-dollar automotive market is growing.

According to Kabil, Egypt's development strategy is to focus on local car manufacturing in a bid to conquer its neighboring markets - for example Turkey - thanks to its lower production costs, said Kabil.

The current Sino-Egyptian cooperation agreement is in line with this strategy, as Chinese automakers have shifted their business model away from shipping low-price finished vehicles, toward joint initiatives such as manufacturing locally and co-investing in distribution channels, according to Wang. SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile, BAIC Group, Changan Automobile, Sinotruk Group, King Long United Automotive Industry, JAC Motors, and Chongqing Sokon Industry Group were among the top Chinese auto exporters to Arab markets in the first seven months of this year, according to data from CCPIT-Auto. The auto committee said that, as of 2016, Sudan and Tunis have emerged as the third and fourth most significant long-term auto export destinations among the Arab states, following Egypt and Saudi Arabia, with Djibouti coming in at fifth.

Challenges ahead

The speakers at the conference commented on the challenges Chinese automakers face in the Arab markets, where policy changes could have a significant influence on projects.

"Chinese automakers need to conduct thorough research into the legal framework of the target markets to secure legitimacy while lowering legal risks," said Qiu Yiqing, deputy general manager of Geely.

Luo Zengmiao, general manager of BV-VEO Standards Technical, said there were many detailed issues for Chinese carmakers to examine.

He gave the example: "Many Arab states treat a model with minor changes as a new model, so Chinese auto exporters will have to file new paperwork for those new models.

"If customs were to block products because of a lack of new model documentation, the company would have to spend months making the relevant applications, leaving those products with only minor upgrades stuck in storage."

The auto cooperation conference was organized by CCPIT-Auto as part of the China-Arab States Expo. It brought together Chinese and Arab automobile and transportation leaders in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia, along with government representatives and academics.

The entire expo assembled executives from more than 1,000 companies and nearly 5,000 exhibitors from 31 industries.

The expo has been held three times since 2013, the year the Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed.

At the junction of the Belt and Road that spans across Eurasia, Arab countries are eager to revitalize the ancient trade routes, according to Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister Kabil.

Six Arab states have signed agreements with China relating to Belt and Road projects, and seven are founding members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

The Belt and Road Initiative, which refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, has made landlocked Ningxia the frontier for opening-up and taking the lead in economic cooperation with Arab countries.

haoyan@chinadaily.com.cn
North Dakota has its first ever Miss America.

Cara Mund, Miss North Dakota, was crowned Miss America on Sunday night in Atlantic City, N.J.

Mund, a 23-year-old Bismarck native, said during the pageant that North Dakota has only had three contestants make it to the top 10 of the pageant. In response to a question from a judge, Mund said making it to the top 10 was on her bucket list.

"It just proves that it doesn't matter where you come from geographically, if you have the ability to do it and you dream it, you can do it," she said.

Mund, whose platform is "A Make-A-Wish Passion with Fashion," founded North Dakota's annual Make-A-Wish Fashion show when she was 14 and has raised more than $78,500 for the charity.

In recognition of her work for Make-A-Wish, Mund was named a Jean Bartel Quality of Life Award finalist during the competition, the first North Dakotan to receive that honor.

During the pageant, she performed a self-choreographed jazz dance to Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel."

Mund is a Brown University graduate and heading to law school.
Delhi has the highest number of sexual harassment complaints in the workplace according to a report (photo for representation only)

An employee of ONGC Videsh, the overseas investment arm of the government-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, has accused her immediate superior of sexual misconduct and harassment.

In her complaint to the police the woman alleged inappropriate touching and unreasonable demands by the male colleague and says he burdened her with an excessive workload that was ruining her health.

The company has set up an internal committee to investigate the complaint.

Speaking to Mail Today the accused, Shashi Bhushan Singh, said he was unaware of the contents of the FIR, but admitted to having a complaint against him which the panel is probing.

'I have filed my detailed reply to the committee,' he said, while expressing his inability to provide further information as he was travelling.

The woman has alleged that her senior would touch her inappropriately when she pulled out files from the almirah or the table. She said he would force her to work on his desktop and used the opportunity to leer at her. She also alleged that he would make her listen to obscene and personal conversations with his wife.

'When I tried to leave his cabin, he pointed his finger at me and instructed me to sit in his cabin, leaving me in an unbearable and uncomfortable situation,' the complaint said.

A survey report on sexual harassment at the workplace by the Indian National Bar Association that came out this year revealed that demands for sexual favours, inappropriate touches and lewd comments still continue to afflict offices in the country, with the national Capital being the most undesirable city for female workers.

A female participant next to a placard during a protest against sexual harassment of women in New Delhi, which has the highest rates of complaints in the workplace

Of the 6,092 cases studied in the survey, Delhi reported the highest number of victims, 63 percent, followed by Mumbai and Bengaluru. The findings also indicated that workplace harassment was the highest in the IT field, followed by the education, media and legal sectors.

Cops have booked Singh for sexual harassment and 'using word and gesture intended to insult the modesty of the woman'.

The woman also claims that two days after she filed a sexual harassment complaint with the Delhi Commission for Women, National Commission for Scheduled Castes and ONGC's SC/ST employee welfare association, the company transferred her to a different department. When she sought answers, she was allegedly told that it was done on the directives of her senior.

'As a superior, the accused took advantage of his position and created an environment of terror, fear and humiliation in the office,' she said in the complaint.

'This act of the authority discourages a woman to take any action in future against the wrongdoer in the organisation because she would get transferred and the accused would be in the same position.'

The woman told the police that Singh would call her 5-10 minutes before closing time because she often missed her office bus to go back home.

'My boss made me sit till 8pm without a reason and when I requested him to let me go home as it would be difficult to find conveyance, he would shout and often send me with some other male colleague,' she alleged.

The woman also said the accused would make her stand in his cabin for hours without any reason.

'He would do as a silent punishment in situations where I had taken leave for personal reasons. He would threaten to make me work all night in the office and if I do not complete time-taking assignments within an hour or a day,' said the victim.

The woman alleged that her senior's conduct had left a scar on her dignity and made it difficult for her to focus on her family responsibilities.
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

Ms A.R writes: My ex-husband Christopher had a stroke in April 2013 and is now in a nursing home. I have power of attorney in respect of his finances.

In September 2013, he purchased a Mini Cooper car from Dave Negus Cars of March in Cambridgeshire, for 4,995.

But Christopher never received the car and it was not registered in his name. At the time, he owned a Ford Mondeo, bought in 2012 from the same dealer.

Dodgy deal? One reader found that her husband purchased a Mini Cooper but never received the car

Mr Negus took the car to sell on my ex-husbands behalf, but did not hand over the proceeds. I believe Mr Negus has sold both cars and retired. Can anything be done to recover the money?

Tony replies: You are right that Dave Negus has retired, but neither he nor your ex-husbands money has disappeared. In fact, as soon as I found him  still in March  he was keen to talk to me.

He knows you want him to hand over the money and he told me: I have never denied this money is outstanding.

The car dealer added: I will gladly pay it if Ms R supplies me with all the information I requested from her nearly two years ago.

What information was this? Well, you have told me: The only information Dave Negus requested from me was Christophers address, so that he could go and talk to him.

You explained: Christopher is a vulnerable adult and I do not trust Dave Neguss intentions for visiting him.

How do I know that his purpose for the visit is not to trick Christopher into signing a gift affidavit or similar?

I have to say I found this unlikely. In the circumstances you described, it would be easy to have any such gift overturned. But I went back to Dave Negus and put all this to him  and he came up with a fairly convincing argument.

He knew Christopher quite well and regarded him as a friend. He actively discouraged him from buying the Mini Cooper as he felt sure Christopher would never be in a position to drive it. It was only after your ex-husband made repeated visits that he agreed to sell him the car.

But the crunch point is that Dave Negus says that when he last discussed the money with Christopher, he was absolutely clear it should not be handed over to you.

Your marriage had broken down and Christopher was living with someone else. Negus added he had never seen the power of attorney in your favour.

I was able to help on this last point by confirming to him that the Office of the Public Guardian has certified that Christopher did indeed appoint you as his attorney in 2015. Legally, you stand in his place and are entitled to demand any payment due to him.

I hoped this would be a step forward and I proposed to Dave Negus he should transfer the money  around 5,000 in all  into Christophers bank account, which is in his sole name. If Christopher was then happy to let you have access to it, then that would be for him to decide.

Sadly, this did not work. Negus told me: I am going to be just as stubborn as Ms R and try to work out why she does not want me to see Chris.

I admire Neguss loyalty to his friend, but everything I have seen puts you legally in the right. Your next step can only be to sue for the money on Christophers behalf.

Small error leads to big tax demand

P.R. writes: A client of my accountancy firm, Mr G, received a demand from Revenue & Customs, showing that in 2014-15 he underpaid income tax by 56 on three small private pensions. The pensions totalled 1,335 and tax of 364 was deducted at source. As Mr G did not pay the 56, the Revenue resurrected the old self-assessment account and issued a 2014-15 tax return, which nobody knew about until much later. Now the tax office is trying to collect 1,300 in penalties for failure to submit the return.

Mr G retired in 2006 and ceased having to complete self-assessment tax returns because his only income was the state pension and his three small private pensions. It is unclear why the 56 was not collected at source.

His tax office explained it was not allowed to deduct more than half of a pension in tax. But 364 is a lot less than half of 1,335, so that does not add up.

Normally, any Pay As You Earn debt is carried over to the next year and collected along with that years tax deductions.

There is no obvious reason why this was not done, but because Mr G did not respond to the demand for a one-off payment, his tax office seems to have over-reacted.

I asked the Revenues head office to look into this and staff there told me: An error had been made in the taxpayers record. This has been corrected to ensure the correct tax is deducted from future payments.

One reader found a msall error led to a big tax demand from Revenue & Customs

We have cancelled the penalties and waived the outstanding tax. The situation has been explained to the taxpayer and we have apologised.

The right outcome.

Mobile phone firm keeps asking to speak to my husband even though Ive told them he is dead

Mrs H.L. writes: Can you advise me on how to stop Three Mobile ringing nearly every day to speak to my dead husband?

Big companies do seem to have a problem in accepting the death of a customer.

I receive complaints all the time about businesses that are told of a death and then send a reply addressed to the deceased customer. When you told Three Mobile your husband had died, you were asked to send his death certificate.

You did and it was returned promptly, but this did not stop the company from ringing time and again with the same request. Eventually, a letter arrived  addressed to your late husband of course  threatening debt collection proceedings if an outstanding bill of 21 was not paid.

When you complained, you were told to take the death certificate to a Three shop and ask staff to email a copy to customer services.

You did this and were told the account was now closed, but a month later the phone calls started all over again and Three denied seeing the death certificate.

Three has admitted to me its staff did not follow its own procedures correctly. The firm said: We are sorry for the way Mrs Ls case was handled. This is not the experience we want Three customers to have. We would like to reassure Mrs L the account has now been permanently closed and any outstanding balance cleared. Good.

Victims of Cape Verde islands scam compensated with more than 500k Con: Richard Clays victims can claim compensation The Serious Fraud Office has secured more than 500,000 which will be handed over in compensation to victims of fraudsters who told them their savings would be invested in resort developments in the Cape Verde islands. Richard Clay and his accomplice Kathryn Clark ran Arck, an investment firm based in Nottingham. Both were approved persons on the official register of the then City watchdog, the Financial Services Authority. I warned in 2012 that Clay had diverted investors cash into speculating on risky second-hand life insurance policies and in 2015 he was jailed for ten years. Clark was given a two-year suspended sentence. Both were ordered to pay compensation. The prosecution was linked to developments under the names Arck Estrella, Estrella Santiago, Paradise Beach and Joyston. Clay and Clarke also claimed to be investing in property in Fernie, a Canadian ski resort. In total, the pair raked in 47 million from 750 investors. Some have already made successful claims from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The Serious Fraud Office is now inviting claims from investors whose money went into the Cape Verde projects. Details at https://sfo-arck-lpp.egressforms.com/.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
Heathrow said August was the second busiest month in its history

HIGH FLYERS A record 7.5m passengers travelled through Heathrow last month  up 2 per cent on last year.

The airport said August was the second busiest month in its history as passengers booked flights to the Middle East, Latin America and China.

BEAN COUNTING Former Shell and BG Group executive John Hadfield, 42, is joining Kaz Minerals as finance chief.

Now in the same job at product testing firm Intertek, he will move to the Kazakhstan-focused miner in November.

BRIGHT SALES Energy efficient lighting maker Luceco says revenue has jumped 25 per cent to 75million over the first six months of the year and it is ploughing investment into its low-cost manufacturing centre in China.

LED lighting sales grew by 22.4 per cent, wiring accessories by 13.6 per cent, and portable power by 52.2 per cent. It expects full-year results to be in line with market expectations.

OIL EXIT The executive director of AIM-quoted Mongolian oil explorer Petro Matad is stepping down.

The company said Amarzul Tuul would remain as a consultant and as the firms representative on the Mongolian Petroleum Exploration and Production Association.

ENERGY BID Engineer Rolls Royce and partners including Amec Foster Wheeler are urging ministers to back small-modular nuclear reactors.

They say the technology could produce energy for 60 per megawatt hour  about 30 cheaper than the Hinkley Point power plant under construction.

Rolls-Royce is leading a consortium bidding for government funding to develop the technology.

FARM BOOST Renewable energy company Dong Energy has won a contract for the second phase of its wind farm off the coast of Yorkshire for a guaranteed price of 57.50 per megawatt hour, 50 per cent lower than guarantees for wind power two years ago.

It is already building phase one of the Hornsea project, which will be the worlds largest offshore wind farm.

SHOE IN Supermarket giant Sainsburys has appointed an ex-Reebok veteran onto its board.

Jo Harlow has joined the grocer as non-executive director with immediate effect. She also serves as non-executive director of InterContinental hotels.

LENNON DEAL Hotel operator Travelodge has bought Holiday Inns hotel at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The hotel has 100 rooms, a bar cafe and three meeting rooms.
Despite economic uncertainty, Brexit and the soaring euro, it seems British holidaymakers carry on regardless. Ryanair last week revealed a 10 per cent rise in August passenger numbers, and easyJet was not far behind. Other low-cost airlines and travel firms also experienced good growth.

Our dedication to travel augurs well for SSP, which runs eateries, bars and food shops in airports and train stations around the world.

The company floated at 210p a share in 2014 and Midas tipped the stock in October 2015, by which time the price had already risen to 303p.

International operator: SSP runs outlets in 35 countries across Asia, the Middle East, America and much of Europe

Some brokers felt there was little mileage left in the stock, but the business has consistently beaten expectations and the shares have continued to rise.

Today, they are 525p and should rise still further, benefiting from robust market conditions and the highly focused stewardship of chief executive Kate Swann.

SSP operates in 35 countries across Asia, the Middle East, America and much of Europe. The companys brands include Upper Crust, Ritazza and James Martin Kitchen.

It also runs airport and rail outlets for the likes of Starbucks, Burger King and Marks & Spencer, and it has developed a number of local concepts to suit regional tastes, such as herring in Finnish cafes or noodles in Chinese coffee shops.

In 2015, 40 per cent of group turnover came from the UK. Today that has fallen to about 35 per cent.

Not that UK sales have fallen, but rather because the rest of the group has grown even faster, particularly in the US and Asia.

SSP is the second largest food and drinks operator in the American travel sector and is gaining market share fast, winning contracts in important cities such as New York, Chicago and Phoenix, Arizona.

The company is also making healthy progress in the Asia-Pacific region, operating in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan.

It recently began working in India too, where it is expanding at pace.

Over the next two decades, the number of people travelling by air is expected to almost double, with more than 7.2 billion a year taking a plane by 2037.

Economic growth in Asia is the principal reason behind the surge in demand, as local populations use their newfound wealth to take to the skies.

But Swann is not just relying on air traffic predictions to fuel growth. She is also determined to make SSP as efficient as possible, often using technology to keep costs low and deliver value to customers.

At Burger King, for example, punters can order food on a keypad and top up drinks via an automatic dispenser, reducing the need for staff at the counter.

And across the business, state-of-the-art equipment is used to chop, slice, grate and pour food and drink, so fewer assistants are needed in the kitchen. The company is not cutting back on staff, as it is growing substantially  it is just improving productivity.

SSPs financial year ends on September 30 and brokers expect turnover to rise 15 per cent to 2.3 billion, with profits surging almost 30 per cent to about 140 million.

A dividend of 6.5p is pencilled in, compared with 5.4p last year. Over time, the dividend should show solid growth.

Midas verdict: SSP is a well-run business in an expanding sector. Existing investors should continue to hold. New investors may also fancy snapping up a few shares for the long term.

Traded on: Main Market Ticker: SSPG Contact: foodtravelexperts.com or 020 7543 3300
Millions of people are sitting on substantial equity in their home thanks to continued property price rises.

It means families feeling the squeeze of consumer debts or keen to do home improvements could unlock some of the cash tied up in the value of their home.

For older homeowners too, who have paid off their mortgage but seen a drop in household income, equity release plans can be an attractive option.

Rising value: Millions of people are sitting on substantial equity in their home thanks to continued property price rises

Property values have ballooned by around 50 per cent in the past ten years and there is a combined 5.6trillion locked in private residential property.

But there are pros and cons in releasing equity. It is vital to ask the right questions and understand the risks.

REMORTGAGE TO UNLOCK CASH

Releasing equity should be straightforward if you have the income to cover the larger mortgage repayments.

But lenders are more cautious following a tightening of lending rules. So they will typically only allow such unlocking if the cash is for home improvements  which should increase the value of the property  consolidating debts or sometimes for a second property purchase.

For example, helping a child on to the property ladder. Many lenders will not agree to increase a mortgage loan to fund a holiday, car or business venture.

In general, lenders will want to keep the maximum mortgage loan to property value ratio at no more than 85 per cent.

OTHER WAYS TO MAKE MONEY FROM YOUR HOME Rent out a room You can let out a furnished room to a lodger. The Government allows you to earn up to 7,500 a year this way before you must pay tax on the income. Visit gov.uk/rent-roomin-your-home. Let your home to tourists There are numerous websites which enable homeowners to let out rooms or their whole property as a holiday let. Properties close to popular destinations, coastal resorts and national parks are likely to command the highest rents. It is advisable to inform your home insurer and there may be income tax to pay. Parking Let out your spare parking space  on your driveway or garage. Depending on where you live (near a town centre, railway station, entertainment venue or football ground are all popular) you could charge up to 25 per day or 200 per month through one of the many online parking websites. They include parkonmydrive, JustPark and yourparkingspace. You could also let your garage or loft as storage space via a website such as Storemates. Film sets If you think your home may have silver screen appeal, or even the makings of a set for an advert, then there is significant cash to be made. Agencies will pay up to 2,500 per day for the hire of your home. Again you will have to declare any income to the taxman and it may be wise to inform your insurer. Lend your stuff If you have got a bike, power tool, lawn mower or jet washer collecting dust in the shed, they could be working for you. Websites such as RentNotBuy and RentMyItems enable you to rent out individual items by the day or week.

Ishaan Malhi, founder of online mortgage broker Trussle, says borrowers should check there are no penalty fees.

He adds: If you are within an existing fixed or tracker rate mortgage deal there are likely to be early repayment charges if you are remortgaging and increasing your loan to release equity. These penalties can be high.

It is preferable to wait until your existing deal has ended to avoid penalties or you could discuss getting a further advance with your lender.

Any extra borrowing will be subject to usual affordability criteria and you may have to pay your lenders standard variable rate which can be costly.

But this may be preferable if you want to leave your existing first mortgage in place. Right now there are record low mortgage rates.

Know the terms: Extending the term of your mortgage can reduce monthly repayments if you are borrowing more

Switching lender to remortgage and release funds could prove advantageous. Peter Gettins, of mortgage broker London and Country in Bath, Somerset, says: Ask what rate your existing lender can offer but always shop around too. If you are on a standard variable rate, switching the whole loan to a new deal with a different lender could leave you better off even with additional borrowing.

Extending the term of your mortgage can reduce monthly repayments if you are borrowing more.

But you are increasing the length of time you will be paying interest on the loan.

Many lenders will extend your mortgage term to your state pension age. Some will let it run longer but may ask to see private pension projections.

EQUITY RELEASE PLANS

Unlocking funds from your home is becoming increasingly popular for older homeowners.

Alex Edmans, equity release specialist at Saga Money, says: Many retired households are asset-rich but cash-poor.

Equity release can mean continuing to live a certain lifestyle. But she warns equity release is not an option to be taken lightly.

Those considering it should discuss it with family and consider alternatives. Downsizing may be a better option and the only way to ensure you get your homes true market value.

There are two types of equity release plan  home reversion and lifetime mortgage. Expert independent advice is essential as there may be tax implications and it could affect eligibility for benefits.

With a reversion you sell part or all of your home to the equity release firm in return for a lump sum or an income for life.

Expect to get 30 to 60 per cent of the market value of your home. Reversions tend to suit older homeowners who will get better value due to lower life expectancy.

Over-65s are eligible. A lifetime mortgage, available to over-55s, is a loan secured against your home.

The borrower ceases monthly repayments. Instead, interest is rolled up. The interest and loan are repaid when the homeowner dies or goes into care and the property is sold.

So called drawdown plans are available so you can borrow in stages, reducing the overall interest paid back.

Dean Mirfin, of independent adviser Key Retirement Solutions, says: Drawdown gives peace of mind that funds can be accessed later if needed.

Certain plans allow you to ringfence some of the homes value as an inheritance for your children. There is a no negative equity guarantee  so you will not pay back more than the value of the property when it is sold.

To request a free guide written by The Mail on Sundays Jeff Prestridge, call 0800 531 6012 or go to keyretirement.co. uk/campaigns/mos.




DeMario Jackson has revealed why he never stooped low during the sexual assault scandal with his fellow Bachelor in Paradise contestant Corinne Olympios.

Speaking exclusively to the DailyMail.com, Jackson said he was aware he could be seen as a representative for black men and wanted to take the high road.

The 31-year-old said he had 'nothing but love' for Olympios, 24, after they were at the center of a sexual assault investigation that caused the temporary shutdown of the show's production this summer.

Jackson said: 'My hope is that eventually when people type in my name on Google, they see someone who never stooped low throughout this entire thing.

'I wasn't just representing DeMario Jackson. I was representing African-American males.'

DeMario Jackson said he never stooped low during a sexual assault scandal with his fellow Bachelor in Paradise contestant Corinne Olympios because he was 'representing African-American males'

The two were at the center of a sexual assault investigation that caused the temporary shutdown of the show's production in Mexico during the summer (pictured)

Jackson continued: 'I have had random people stop me and say, "You are better than me. You handled that so well, better than I would have."'

He and the blonde beauty were spotted kissing outside of Nightingale Plaza in Los Angeles late last month but denied they were an item, saying they were just friends.

The nightclub outing came a day after Olympios publicly apologized to Jackson after an episode of Bachelor in Paradise and said she harbored no ill feelings towards him.

Olympios sat down with host Chris Harrison to recall the events both before and after the controversy erupted.

She said: 'I would want to tell him ... I respect you as a human, I have nothing against you, I am so sorry you had to go through this.

'I know exactly what it feels like. I wish you all the best, and I'm sorry.'

She added: 'I honestly didn't think he did anything wrong. I don't think it's anyone's fault. It's just a really unfortunate, annoying situation that had to go down.'

The 31-year-old said he has 'nothing but love' for Olympios, 24 (pictured). The blonde beauty publicly apologized to Jackson, saying: 'I am so sorry you had to go through this'

Jackson and Olympios were reunited for the first time after leaving Mexico at a taping for a reunion show in Los Angeles last month (pictured). They hugged and wished the other well

Jackson spoke of their reunion, saying: 'The minute I sat down on the couch, I saw her big old smile and she gave me a hug and I gave her a big hug. We hit it off again.

'It was a real natural flow, a really natural conversation. It was like two old friends picking back up.'

After the taping, the cast members all headed to hotspot Nightingale Plaza, where according to Jackson, he and Olympios partied all night and had fun.

Jackson added: 'I walked her out to her car and we weren't expecting like eight paparazzi. It was like a playful joke.

'One of the photographers yelled out for her to kiss me. It was more like a funny thing, instead of being super awkward.

'For me, it was great because it showed both of our personalities. It showed that through all this darkness, there is still some light. It showed us being super playful and funny before the crazy stuff happened in paradise.'

He and the blonde beauty were spotted kissing outside of hotspot Nightingale Plaza in Los Angeles (pictured) last month but denied they were an item and said they were just friends

Jackson went on to reveal that Olympios also apologized to him in private, adding: 'We both want to move past this.

'She's working on some amazing things right now and I am extremely supportive of everything she does. I have nothing but love for her, her mother, her father, her sister.

'I am just happy that she's happy. The first thing I asked her was, "How are you?'" And she was like "Oh, I'm good" and I was like, "No, how are you? How are you mentally, psychically?"

'It was just good to talk to her and pick up where we left off before all the madness in paradise,' Jackson said.

Jackson quickly shot down any ideas of a romance between him and the reality star, saying: 'I have so much love for Cor. I'm just not even ready for anything like that.

'I am just focused on me right now...I have a lot of baggage that comes with me right now. Dating right now is the last thing on my mind. It's just not a focus.'

The live Bachelor In Paradise finale, followed by the reunion show, airs Monday, September 11.
Scientists in China are expecting the eggs of an extremely rare snake to hatch this week.

The reptile, known as the 'pearl-branded rat snake', has exquisite patterns shaped like pearl necklaces around its body, according to Ding Li, a lead researcher, who called it 'the most beautiful snake in the world'.

The species is so rare that less than 20 of them have been recorded after the snake was discovered in Sichuan, China, in 1929.

Ding Li, a Chinese researcher, claimed the pearl-branded rat snake is the most beautiful snake in the world. Mr Ding and his team have studied the rare reptile species for three years

The female snake successfully conceived this year and laid three eggs on July 21 at a scientific centre in Sichuan. The eggs are expected to hatch this week, according to Mr Ding

The research project was carried out by Chengdu Institute of Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sichuan Academy of Forestry and China West Normal University.

Mr Ding, 48, from Chengdu Institute of Biology, said he and his colleagues found a male and female pearl-branded rat snake in a tiny crack on a mountain in the Laba River Nature Reserve in 2014.

They spent three years trying to breed the species artificially as it was challenging for them to create a natural environment to encourage them to mate in the scientific centre.

Mr Ding said it took him and his team around two years to figure out the ideal temperature and brightness for the snakes.

Mr Ding said he and his colleagues found a male and female pearl-branded rat snake in a tiny crack on a mountain in the Laba River Nature Reserve in 2014. They have studied them since

The female snake successfully conceived this year and laid three eggs on July 21.

The team are expecting the eggs to hatch this week, and so far all statistics show the baby snakes are growing healthily in the eggs, according to Mr Ding.

Native to China, pearl-branded rat snake was discovered in Ya'an in 1929 by American zoologist Leonhard Stejneger.

Living between the altitudes of 1,500 and 2,700 metres (4,921 and 8,858 feet) in the Sichuan Province of China, the pearl-branded rat snake has a similar habitat to the giant panda.

The first picture of the non-venomous snake was only published in 2010 - more than eight decades after the species was established.

The rare picture shows one pearl-branded rat snake eating its food at the centre in Sichuan

Mr Ding said the reptile prefers to live in the sunny and wind-free river valleys and an adult pearl-branded rat snake could grow up to 120cm (four feet) long.

Most pearl-branded rat snake are between 80cm to 100cm long (2.6 to 3.3 feet).

In his explaining his motivation of the project, Mr Ding said: 'Many rare snakes native to China were previously bred by overseas scientists after being smuggled abroad.'

'We want to breed the pearl-branded rat snake so that we can research into the special species by ourselves. It's the right thing to do.'

Mr Ding said he and his team would carry on observing and researching the pearl-branded rat snakes in the foreseeable future.
Miss North Dakota, a 23-year-old who said President Donald Trump was wrong to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, was named Miss America 2018 Sunday night in Atlantic City.

Cara Mund topped a field of 51 contestants to win the crowd in the New Jersey seaside resort, where most of the 97 Miss Americas have been selected.

In one of her onstage interviews, Mund said Trump was wrong to withdraw the U.S. from the climate accord aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

Multiple questions revolved around the political climate and President Trump, who famously owned the similarly named Miss USA pageant from from 1996 to 2015.

Miss Missouri was asked whether or not Trump colluded with Russia and Miss New Jersey was asked if Confederate statues should be torn down.

Miss North Dakota Cara Mund won the Miss America title after answering a question about Trump pulling the US out of the Paris climate accord

The competition took place at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall on Sunday. Miss North Dakota said there is evidence that climate change exists in response to the judge's question on Trump pulling out of the Paris Agreement

In response to Trump's decision on the Paris Agreement, Mund answered: 'I do believe it's a bad decision,' she answered. 'Once we reject that, we take ourselves out of the negotiation table and that's something that we really need to keep in mind.'

'There is evidence that climate change is existing. So whether you believe it or not, we need to be at that table, and I think it's just a bad decision on behalf of the United States.'

Mund isn't worried about what the president or the judges think about her view on climate change.

'I wasn't really afraid if my opinion wasn't the opinion of my judges,' she said. 'Miss America needs to have an opinion and she needs to know what's happening in the current climate.'

She's also not concerned about any pushback from Trump, who said the Paris accord was a bad deal economically for the United States and who also called global warming a hoax.

Trump had not mentioned Mund or her comment on the Paris accord on Twitter as of early Monday morning.

'He is our president and we need to support him,' Mund said. 'I may not agree with all of his opinions, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to support the president.'

In an interview with The Associated Press before preliminary competition began, Mund, who lives in Bismarck, North Dakota, said her goal is to be the first woman elected governor of her state.

She said she wants to see more women elected to all levels of government.

She said the president made a bad decision and pointed out there is evidence that climate change exists

Mund said in an earlier interview her goal is the be the first female governor of North Dakota

Mund's talent for the Miss America pageant was jazz dancing. She held an internship in the US Senate and wants to see more women in government

'It's important to have a woman's perspective,' Mund, who had an internship in the U.S. Senate with Senator John Hoeven, told the AP. 'In health care and on reproductive rights, it's predominantly men making those decisions.'

The first runner up was Miss Missouri Jennifer Davis; second runner up was Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel; third runner up was Miss District of Columbia Briana Kinsey, and fourth runner up was Miss Texas Margana Wood.

Earlier Sunday, as a deadly hurricane was slamming her home state, Miss Florida Sara Zeng sent a message of support to those in harm's way - and was then eliminated from the competition.

As judges were narrowing the field of 51 contestants (each state plus the District of Columbia), they interviewed Zeng, a 22-year-old from Palm Coast, Florida, who noted that her family is safe.

But she expressed concern and support for friends and strangers endangered by Hurricane Irma, which was tearing its way up the Florida gulf coast on Sunday.

'I'm thinking about everyone in Florida every single day, but I know that regardless what happens, we'll all get through this together,' Zeng said.

Shortly after her speech, judges read the names of the remaining Top 15 finalists, which did not include her.

Earlier in the week, Miss Texas Margana Wood gave a shout-out to her flooded hometown, Houston; she won Wednesday night's swimsuit preliminary.

Zeng won Friday's swimsuit prelim, and promised she'd be part of the post-Irma cleanup and recovery effort, whether as Miss America or not.

The competition took place at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, where it originated as a way to extend summer tourism to the weekend after Labor Day.

They were vying to succeed the outgoing Miss America Savvy Shields, who won the title last September as Miss Arkansas.
US Senator John McCain said Sunday his health prognosis was 'pretty good' as he undergoes treatment for cancer, insisting he is strong enough to preside over defense legislation debates this week.

The 81-year-old was diagnosed with brain cancer in July after doctors discovered a brain tumor when the lawmaker underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from above his left eye.

He underwent treatment including radiation therapy at home in Arizona during the summer break.

US Senator John McCain said Sunday his health prognosis was 'pretty good' as he undergoes treatment for cancer, insisting he is strong enough to preside over defense legislation debates this week

'I'm fine. The prognosis is pretty good,' McCain told CNN's State of the Union.

But he warned: 'This is a very vicious form of cancer that I'm facing.'

Despite the aggressive cancer, the Republican 2008 presidential nominee said 'all the results so far are excellent' and he has 'more energy than ever.'

McCain is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and he aims to spend the coming week shepherding the all-important defense spending bill through the chamber.

Ever the maverick, McCain ruffled feathers within his party recently by casting one of the deciding Republican votes against repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, the landmark 2010 health care law known as 'Obamacare.'

He was one of 17 Republicans who voted against a package of hurricane relief aid last week, because it was controversially attached to financial legislation that lifts the debt ceiling and funds government.

And he has come out against President Donald Trump's decision to end protections for so-called 'Dreamer' immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children.

The 81-year-old was diagnosed with brain cancer in July after doctors discovered a brain tumor when the lawmaker underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from above his left eye

But with cancer, the feisty legislator in the twilight of his career acknowledged he was in one of the fights of his life.

'The fact is, you know, I'm facing a challenge,' he said. 'I've faced other challenges. And I'm very confident about getting through this one as well.'

McCain, a former US Navy pilot, was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 and spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war.

The lawmaker said he was feeling 'no side effects' from his cancer treatment other than increased energy levels.

He said he expects to have an MRI scan taken on Monday.

'So far, all indications are very good.'

The tumor, known as glioblastoma, is a particularly aggressive brain tumor affecting adults. It is of the same category of cancer that led to the death of another Senate icon, Ted Kennedy, who died in 2009 at age 77.
North Korea warned on Monday it would inflict 'the greatest pain and suffering' on the United States if Washington persists in pushing for harsher UN sanctions following Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test.

The detonation last Sunday was the country's largest and prompted global outrage, with the UN Security Council set to discuss a new draft resolution presented by Washington that would be the toughest-ever imposed against the isolated regime.

The US is calling for an oil embargo on Pyongyang, an assets freeze on leader Kim Jong-Un, but also an end to textile exports and to payments made to North Korean guest workers.

North Korea warned on Monday it would inflict 'the greatest pain and suffering' on the United States if Washington persists in pushing for harsher UN sanctions. Pictured, Kim Jong-Un at an art performance dedicated to nuclear scientists at the People's Theatre in Pyongyang

Washington wants the Security Council to vote on Monday to impose the sanctions, despite resistance from Beijing and Moscow to the new measures.

In a statement published by the official KCNA news agency, North Korea's foreign ministry warned Washington that if it did 'rig up the illegal and unlawful "resolution" on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the U.S. pays due price'.

'The forthcoming measures to be taken by the DPRK will cause the U.S. the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history,' the ministry said.

'The world will witness how the DPRK tames the U.S. gangsters by taking (a) series of action tougher than they have ever envisaged.'

The Trump administration wants the Security Council to vote on Monday to impose the sanctions, despite resistance from Beijing and Moscow to the new measures

The detonation last Sunday was the country's largest and prompted global outrage. Pictured, a North Korean intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket on August 29 near Pyongyang

The test, which the North said was a hydrogen bomb that could be fitted onto a rocket, came weeks after Pyongyang fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that appeared to bring much of the mainland US into range.

At a dinner to celebrate Pyongyang's nuclear programme, North Korean leader Kim praised the test and urged the country's scientists to develop more weapons, KCNA reported Sunday.

The North says it needs nuclear arms to protect itself, but the US has accused the country of 'begging for war'.

North Korea's foreign ministry warned Washington that if it did 'rig up the illegal and unlawful "resolution" on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the U.S. pays due price.' Pictured, North Kim Jong-Un and his wife at the People's Theatre in Pyongyang

Yonhap, South Korea's official news agency, reported the quake last Sunday struck where North Korea's nuclear test site Punggyeri is located

Pyongyang's drive to stage a slew of brazen tests in recent months, which contravene existing United Nations sanctions, has sparked surging tensions over the country's weapons programme.

Beijing and Moscow have called for a resolution that focuses on a political solution and proposed a freeze-for-freeze that would halt North Korean nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the U.S. and South Korea stopping their joint military exercises. That initiative was rejected by the Trump administration.

Russia argues that sanctions aren't working and President Vladimir Putin expressed concern last week that a total oil cutoff could hurt the North Korean people.

Britain's U.N. ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, backed the tough U.S. measures and demand for a speedy vote, saying Thursday that 'maximum possible pressure' must be exerted on North Korea to change course and give diplomacy a chance to end the crisis.

North Korean television earlier released these photos appearing to show Kim Jong-Un signing the order to carry out the test

The announcement was delivered by news anchor Ri Chun-hee (pictured during the announcement Sunday) - who has been making announcements on Korean Central Television for more than 40 years

Professor Joseph DeThomas of Pennsylvania State University, a former U.S. ambassador and State Department official who dealt with North Korea, said on Friday that the U.S. demand for quick council action was 'an indicator of how the administration thinks time has run out.'

'My sense is they believe that they don't have time for a delicate diplomatic dance,' he said.

'The other possibility... is they want to see the color of China's money. They're putting down the marker here and saying, "OK, are you prepared to do what is necessary to put pressure on North Korea at a moment when we're simply out of time?"'
ADAMS COUNTY  On Sept. 5, something happened in Adams County that hasnt happened in at least four years: The county Farm Bureau held an annual meeting.

Tyler Kostelecky, one of the younger farmers getting the group back up and running, says only six or seven people attended the meeting. But he considers it a start.

At 35, Kostelecky is among the older members of the new Adams County Farm Bureau. The small collection didnt join Farm Bureau for social reasons or to add something to their resumes.

There are issues in the agricultural field that need to be brought up or evaluated in some way. Thats why we got it going again, Kostelecky says. So we can have a voice.

Issues of concern for the group include weather modification and an animal abuse case in neighboring Stark County. By joining Farm Bureau, members hope to have more impact on those and other issues, as well as work toward better consumer relations, than they would have on their own.

And that, leaders of agricultural groups say, is the point of belonging to membership groups in agriculture  so that producers can make their voices heard above the noise of a society that often doesnt understand nor care about issues that affect the agriculture industry.

North Dakota Farm Bureau President Daryl Lies points to the drought that hit North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana throughout the summer as an illustration as to the voice NDFB offers. Lies texted Zippy Duvall, president of American Farm Bureau Federation, the nations largest ag organization, about opening Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying. Duvall, in turn, texted Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. And shortly thereafter, the acres opened up.

Were a pretty powerful organization, Lies says of the AFBFs nationwide membership of more than 6 million people.

But being in an ag group doesnt just mean having a network. It means having a part in the process and a place to make your voice heard.

You can stand on the sidelines and probably be fine. Its not that somethings going to terribly happen to you differently, says Mark Watne, president of North Dakota Farmers Union. But you also lose that input. And its kind of like voting: If you dont participate, its kind of hard to complain.

Reaching out

On Sept. 6, representatives from several North Dakota agricultural groups attended President Donald Trumps speech in Mandan, which included a shout-out to North Dakota Stockmens Association Executive Vice President Julie Ellingson.

Ellingson says the Stockmens contingent had the opportunity to discuss their policies and priorities with decision makers at the highest level. Since those priorities and policies are set by members, it was an example of how grassroots industry groups can have real impact, far beyond what any one farmer or rancher could do alone.

Many voices consolidated together make a louder noise, Ellingson says.

Its that advocacy  the ability to band together to get things done on the local, state and national levels  that most ag groups tout as the main benefit of membership.

Without ag groups, both large membership groups and smaller commodity-specific groups, many of the programs and systems farmers rely on, including crop insurance, wouldnt exist, Watne explains.

Montana Stockgrowers Association Executive Vice President Errol Rice says being a member of a group like his means having lobbyists in state capitols working with legislators, and it means connections to Washington, D.C., to work on national issues.

For not a lot of money, you have someone in Helena day in, day out, Rice says.

Thats also what makes active participation  rather than just membership  important, leaders say.

The only way we can truly represent you is if you give us some input, Watne says.

Participation can vary from active, almost daily, tasks for an organization to showing up to vote at local or state meetings, Lies says. But without that input, the issues wont be argued as effectively.

We want people to be involved in the organization, because it helps us make better decisions, Rice says.

While outreach to government officials on legislation and regulations are important, outreach and advocacy to consumers are becoming more important.

NDFU uses their high-end East Coast restaurants to teach consumers far from the farm about food production. Other efforts include educational programming for children, youth camps and getting members to tell their stories so people more removed from the farm are exposed to the realities of agriculture.

Sometimes we just take this food for granted, Watne says.

Kostelecky says working to spread accurate information about agriculture is one of the goals of the fledgling Adams County Farm Bureau. They want to make sure there are fewer people who think fruit is grown in the back of the grocery store.

Getting younger

While the American Farm Bureau Federation is the largest ag group in the U.S., North Dakota Farmers Union is the biggest in North Dakota. Watne says membership, driven largely by customers in cooperatives and insurance companies, has stayed strong year after year. Active participation, though, is the constant struggle for all organizations.

In recent years, NDFUs active members have become younger, with more female participation, Watne says. Thats largely because of the groups programming, including its Women In Leadership Development, or WILD, program, scheduled for this week in Jamestown.

Ronda Throener, a Cogswell farmer and rancher and an NDFU board member, says the Farmers Union camps were her first connection to the organization and a place where she learned leadership skills. As she left college and she and her husband began farming, they were approached about joining their county Farmers Union and became more and more involved.

Other groups share similar successes for attracting younger members. Lies says Farm Bureaus Young Farmers and Ranchers program has been a reliable source of new leadership and new voices. Ellingson says the North Dakota Stockmens Association has maintained a diverse membership roll, in keeping with the diverse landscape of the cattle industry. Younger members in the Stockmens Association often come by way of student memberships and participation in youth events.

Rice says Montana Stockgrowers Association also has seen more younger people joining up, but he points out that the priorities of younger members have meant changes for the 133-year-old organization. While simply being a member was enough for past generations, younger members want to see more tangible benefits, including education and advocacy opportunities.

When deciding what organization to put time into, Lies suggests looking at a groups values and priorities. Watne says different organizations may have different ways of doing things and different focuses, but they all offer opportunities to speak up about agriculture. Throener agrees.

No matter which organization you choose, just become involved, she says. Become involved in more than one. Just have a voice. Dont just wait for everybody else.

Attracting new members will continue to be a focus for ag groups. And as the average age of agriculture producers has reached into the upper 50s, attracting younger members will be key.

Theyve done a great job, Kostelecky says about past members. And now its our opportunity and our time to step in.
Schapelle Corby has enjoyed a wild weekend on the Gold Coast which saw her pose in front of a fluorescent traffic sign that read 'get a job.'

The convicted drug smuggler posted photos to Instagram of her time at Swell Sculpture Festival on Saturday night which she attended with a group of close friends.

The raven-haired Australian appeared blissfully happy in a turquoise maxi dress and a black cardigan as she shared pictures of naked bronze statues and a collection of giant books.

The raven-haired Australian appeared blissfully happy in a turquoise maxi dress and a black cardigan as she shared pictures of naked bronze statues and a collection of giant books

As the night wore on Corby's shenanigans escalated to posing in front of a flashing traffic sign that was comically telling patrons to 'clean up your room, build a bridge, lighten up, get a job, get a haircut and make yourself scarce'

And it's likely the 40-year-old was in the mood for celebrating, particularly seeing as though her sister Mercedes just won a court case defending herself against an ex-business partner's AVO.

As the night wore on Corby found a flashing traffic sign that was comically telling patrons to 'clean up your room, build a bridge, lighten up, get a job, get a haircut and make yourself scarce.'

She playfully sat underneath the sign, legs crossed and twirling her hair, before pausing the social media video at the part which read 'get a job.'

Corby, who has over 200,000 Instagram followers, has spent the last few months enjoying a life devoid of work as she settles back into her hometown after 13 years in Bali

Corby has previously hit out at claims she is on the dole and said 'there is no shame in asking for help'

Corby, who has over 200,000 Instagram followers, has spent the last few months enjoying a life devoid of work as she settles back into her hometown after 9 years in a Balinese prison.

Her life was forever changed the moment a customs officer lifted 4.2kg of top-quality marijuana from her boogie board bag the afternoon of October 8, 2004, but her return to Australia in May has seen her put the past behind her.

After her night out Corby posted yet another photo, wearing the exact same outfit from the festival, as she took her dog for a walk along Tallebudgera Creek.

After her night out Corby posted yet another photo, wearing the exact same outfit from the festival, as she took her dog for a walk along Tallebudgera Creek

She managed to poke fun at her ample assets, which were displayed in the low-cut dress, by hashtagging the picture 'puppies out' and 'the breast day ever.'

Many of the 230 comments below the photo were quick to point out how hilarious the convicted criminal turned social media maven was.

Corby has previously hit out at claims she is on the dole and said 'there is no shame in asking for help.'
Passengers on board an Air New Zealand flight have described the moment their plane was hit by lightning as a 'nightmare'.

Air New Zealand flight NZ433 was forced to turn back to Auckland on Sunday afternoon after a bolt of lightning hit the aircraft.

The airline confirmed that the plane bound for Wellington returned to Auckland, touching down at 5.30pm local time, as a 'precautionary measure'.

The moment a bolt of lightning struck Air New Zealand flight NZ433 shortly after departing from Auckland on Sunday

The flight, travelling to Wellington, returned to Auckland airport at 5.30pm local time

A passenger told Fairfax media the lightning strike was 'something aerophobia nightmares are made of'.

'When the lightning hit everyone screamed, the light ripped through the aircraft,' the passenger said.

Passengers were put on later flights and the aircraft was set to undergo engineering checks before returning to service.

Flight NZ433 was forced to turn back to Auckland on Sunday afternoon after a bolt of lightning hit the aircraft (stock image)

The plane was struck shortly after take off.

A spokeswoman for Air New Zealand said: 'The aircraft will undergo standard engineering checks before returning to service.'

'Lightning strikes are not uncommon and aircraft are designed with this in mind.'
A Muslim group has denounced Sydney residents for having sex before marriage and allowing children to attend mixed-gender schools.

The Sunni fundamentalist AlKauthar Institute has made a video, featuring a man in a grey hoodie, which portrays the New South Wales capital as 'Sin City galore'.

Standing near Circular Quay, he looks around to be confronted by the Arabic word for sin.

'You look left it's haram. You look right it's haram. You look ahead and it's haram,' the video says with subtitles.

'The solution? Lower your gaze, brother. Fear Allah.'

This man in a grey hoodie looks around only to be confronted by sin wherever he looks

Listing what it regards as sins, there is an image of a heterosexual couple with the subtitle: 'Sex before marriage.'

An image of primary school boys and girls follows, with the phrase: 'Mixed schools.'

The video starts with a montage of perceived sins, including a male model with the subtitle 'hypersexualised culture', to illustrate 'the challenges we face in this world as Muslims'.

A syringe filled with red liquid, to illustrate drugs, and a nightclub also feature on the screen to ask if Muslims can enjoy earthly pleasures, known by the Arabic term 'dunya'.

The man in the dark hoodies looks right as well only to see sin, also known as haram in Arabic

This couple is cited in the video as an example of sin if they have sex before marriage

The man in the video is advised to lower his gaze to avoid glimpsing sin all around him

'The evils of alcohol. Music? Let's not even go there,' a female voice-over says.

The two-minute video, to promote an upcoming conference at Rosehill in Sydney's west, asks if Muslims can enjoy earthly pleasures.

The Twins of Faith conference, marketed under the hashtag '#halalenjoyment', features burqa-wearing Muslim convert Umm Jamaal ud-Din who recently told women it was sinful for them to pluck their eyebrows.

Ironically, the September 24 event is being held at Rosehill Racecourse - a venue that promotes gambling, which is forbidden in Islam.

The end of the video features a red Ferrari outside a mansion to say Muslims are allowed to become millionaires.

'As a Muslim, you can have fun in this dunya. You can become rich,' it says.

'A halal millionaire perhaps. '
A man has been stabbed in the bottom while waiting for a bus just after midnight in Sydney.

The 35-year-old man was stabbed in the buttocks and had his bumbag stolen as he was robbed while waiting for a bus on Parramatta Rd, in the citys inner west.

Police were called to the bus stop near the intersection of Frederick Street in Ashfield at 1.15am on Monday.

Scroll down for video

A man was stabbed while waiting for a bus in the early hours of Monday morning in Sydney

The man was put on a stretcher before being rushed to hospital in a stable condition

Video captured at the scene shows the man limping around with his backside and legs covered in blood, before he was put on a stretcher and lifted into an ambulance.

The victim claimed he was attacked by a man and a woman armed with knives, who stabbed him in the buttocks before taking off with his bag.

When police arrived at the scene they found the injured man being treated by paramedics before he was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

New South Wales police are hunting for the man and woman allegedly involved in the attack.

The man they would like to speak to is missing some teeth and has a tattoo on his right arm.

He is described as being a Caucasian man aged in his 40s, with a skinny build, short light brown hair and blue eyes.

They would also like to speak to a Caucasian woman aged in her 30s, who was wearing white clothing at the time of the alleged attack.
Jeremy Corbyn was accused of performing a con trick on Labour voters last night as his MPs prepare to vote against a critical Brexit law.

The Labour leader will order his MPs to oppose the EU Withdrawal Bill in a Commons vote today. Brexit Secretary David Davis said opposing the bill was a vote for chaos and confusion.

Justice Minister Dominic Raab accused Mr Corbyn of fraud after Labour told Brexit supporters during the election that it would respect the result of the referendum.

He told Sky News: Come Monday evening I think the Labour Party will have their cards called because they toured up and down the country saying they were going to back Brexit.

Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of backsliding on Brexit by Tory MP Dominic Raab

Now theyre voting against this whole bill. That is a fraud, it is Jeremy Corbyns biggest con trick on Labour voters and the country yet. Up to 30 Labour MPs may rebel today by voting for the bill. Those who represent seats that voted for Brexit fear they will face a wave of anger from constituents.

It emerged yesterday that Mr Corbyn has come under fire from one of his own frontbenchers over the decision.

Shadow minister John Healey, the MP for Wentworth and Dearne in South Yorkshire, told Mr Corbyn he was sending the wrong message to voters in the partys northern heartlands.

Sources say Mr Healey, Labours housing spokesman, told last weeks shadow cabinet meeting: We are sending the wrong signal to the country with this. We have to vote for the bill. The law will repeal the European Communities Act of 1972 which enshrines the supremacy of EU law. It will also smooth the path to Brexit by transferring EU laws on to the domestic statute book.

After months of changing its policy on Brexit, Labour now backs staying in the single market and customs union for years after we leave the bloc during any transition phase. Tony Blair yesterday applauded the approach, saying it was greatly to be welcomed.

Mr Corbyn rejected claims the partys position has changed, telling The Mail on Sunday: In case you hadnt noticed, there was a referendum last year. The people voted to leave and that is what we shall do.

Mr Davis will argue today that anyone who votes against the bill is voting for a cliff edge of uncertainty.

The Labour leader is expected to urge his MPs to oppose the EU Withdrawal Bill in a Commons vote today

He will say: A vote against this bill is a vote for a chaotic exit from the EU. The British people did not vote for confusion and neither should Parliament.

Providing certainty and stability in the lead-up to our withdrawal is a key priority. Businesses and individuals need reassurance that there will be no unexpected changes to our laws after exit day and that is exactly what the Repeal Bill provides.

Without it, we would be approaching a cliff edge of uncertainty which is not in the interest of anyone.

Labours Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer has demanded that the UK keeps pace with EU laws on workers rights and the environment after we leave. He also claims the bill gives ministers excessive powers to change laws.

Labour MP Kate Hoey last week accused her party of trying to scupper Brexit. Ministers expect to win the vote comfortably, with Tory Remainers set to keep quiet until the bill returns to the Commons later this year.
A Tory MP will bring her newborn baby to the Commons today so she can vote for Britain to leave the EU.

Andrea Jenkyns, whose son Clifford was born in March, will come to Parliament to help secure the passage of the EU Withdrawal Bill.

The Morley and Outwood MP will put him in a cot in her Westminster office and then go to vote, the Sunday Times reported.

Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns will bring her newborn baby to the Commons today so she can vote for Britain to leave the EU

She has cut short her maternity leave to cast her ballot in favour of the Bill. Party whips have called MPs back to ensure the critical Bill passes despite the governments slim majority.

After the general election, it looked unlikely I would get any leave. I finally got permission to take this month off, but was told I would need to come in and vote on the bill, she said.

Ill put Clifford in a cot in my office while I wait for the balloting, which is expected to go on into the early hours. Hes a really good baby, but I cant say its not exhausting.

The childs father is Conservative MP Jack Lopresti. In 2015 The father of three was forced to confess the affair to his wife of 23 years after the pair were seen holding hands at a railway station.

Her son Clifford was dressed in Conservative blue during the general election campaign
Advertisement

British billionaire Richard Branson has revealed the extent of devastation to his luxurious Necker Island home in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

The entrepreneur posted a video online showing how the storm has destroyed his British Virgin Islands home, with buildings blown away and trees ripped from the ground.

The 67-year-old locked himself in his wine cellar as the hurricane, the most powerful to have ever hit the Atlantic, started raging outside on Wednesday.

The tycoon has now travelled to Puerto Rico where he is helping coordinate the effort to deliver aid and a rebuilding plan for the British Virgin Islands.

Scroll down for video

Richard Branson (pictured) has posted photos and videos revealing just how devastating Hurricane Irma has been on the British Virgin Island of Necker

Ruins: Aerial shots show how Branson's resort was reduced to rubble by the force of Hurricane Irma

Flattened: The hurricane destroyed much of the resort and drove huge deposits of sand up in to its buildings

Trees were torn out of the ground and furniture left strewn around the resort after the devastating hurricane hit

Writing on his blog, he said: 'As you can see from the photos, much of the buildings and vegetation on Necker has been destroyed or badly damaged.

'We felt the full force of the strongest hurricane ever in the Atlantic Ocean.

'But we are very fortunate to have a strong cellar built into Necker's Great House and were very lucky all of our teams who stayed on Island during the storm are safe and well.'

He added: 'I am writing from Puerto Rico, where I have travelled in order to further mobilise aid efforts and rebuilding plans for the British Virgin Islands and wider Caribbean.

'Communications remain mostly down in the BVI after Hurricane Irma.

This was the scene looking out at the damage on the island. Branson said 'much of the buildings and vegetation on Necker has been destroyed or badly damaged'

Mr Branson, 67, stayed locked up in his wine cellar on Necker while the powerful storm started raging outside on Wednesday. Pictured is what is left of part of the island

The plush surroundings were left in ruins as the hurricane ripped across the island last week

The billionaire has now travelled to Puerto Rico to mobilise aid and rebuilding efforts, but said he will soon return to Necker

Paradise: The luxury resort is built on Branson's Necker Island, part of the British Virgin Islands

'After sharing these updates and talking to various governments, aid agencies and media, we will be heading straight back to the BVI to continue helping the recovery effort on the ground.'

Mr Branson said he and his team have spent the last two days visiting people who live on the island of Gorda, handing out aid and supplies.

He said the visit showed 'first-hand just how ferocious and unforgiving' Irma has been.

The billionaire also called on the UK Government to play its part, demanding a 'disaster recovery Marshall Plan' for the British Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands.

The usually pristine coastline is covered with wreckage after powerful winds destroyed buildings

Overhead pictures reveal the shocking extent of damage caused to the island during the hurricane

The tycoon said he has been 'overwhelmed' by people's support and touched by the 'wonderful acts of kindness' in wake of the disaster

He also called on the UK Government to play their part in the recovery effort, demanding a 'disaster recovery Marshall Plan' for the British Virgin Islands and other ones affected

He added: 'The UK government will have a massive role to play in the recovery of its territories affected by Irma - both through short-term aid and long-term infrastructure spending.

'The region needs a "Disaster Recovery Marshall Plan" for the BVI and other territories that will aid in recovery, sustainable reconstruction and long-term revitalisation of the local economy.

'Our thoughts are with all the people and regions hit by Hurricane Irma, and all those in the US communities currently facing the storm.

Huge deposits of sand were driven up in to the buildings at Richard Branson's Necker Island resort

The entrepreneur posted a video online showing how the storm has destroyed his British Virgin Islands home, with buildings blown away and trees ripped from the ground

The hurricane pounded the island, destroying many wooden structures and tearing trees out of the ground

Aerial footage shows how trees toppled down on to buildings during the devastating hurricane

Branson has thanked people for their 'overwhelming' support and said he was touched by the 'wonderful acts of human kindness' in the wake of the disaster

The Virgin founder (pictured) camped out in his wine cellar bunker on Necker Island playing Perudo as the monster storm raged outside

'What makes the Virgin Islands unique is its isolated location  every island has been devastated, so there is no support to come from nearby.

'Over the coming weeks, well have to assess exactly what is needed.

'It is clear to me creating jobs is paramount  there will be a huge amount of rebuilding to be done and people will need work to help rebuild their lives as well as their homes.'

He ended his post by thanking people for their 'overwhelming' support and said he was touched by the 'wonderful acts of human kindness' in wake of the disaster.

Mr Branson's 'paradise' private island pictured before Hurricane Irma left it decimated

The Virgin boss, who is worth around 3.8billion, has now gone to Puerto Rico to try to mobilise aid efforts because communications are still down on the islands which have been belted by the ferocious and unforgiving storm.

At least 28 people were killed when the storm battered the Caribbean. Five of them died on the British Virgin Islands.

Princess Diana, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry are just some of the famous faces who have visited Sir Richard on the remote island, which can sleep a maximum of 34 people.

In 2011 Hurricane Irene hit Necker Island and lightning struck the Great House, resulting in the property becoming engulfed in flames. Around 20 people were forced to flee the eight-bedroom home including actress Kate Winslet, who saved Sir Richards mother Eve, then 88.
A Syrian father was pictured kissing his family through a chain link fence after they were reunited in Cyprus after separated a year ago in their war-torn homeland.

Ammar Hammasho's relatives were among 305 asylum seekers who were brought illegally to the Mediterranean's northwestern coast in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Cypriot police arrested a 36-year-old man Sunday for allegedly driving one of two boats carrying the refugees, while another 29-year-old man was also taken into custody on suspicion of migrant trafficking.

Mr Hammasho, 35, said he felt both joy and relief at seeing his four small children and wife behind the centre's metal fence after fearing for their safety during the trip.

Syrian man Ammar Hammasho, who lives in Cyprus, kisses his child who arrived at the refugee camp in Kokkinotrimithia outside Nicosia, Cyprus

Mr Hammasho's relatives were among 305 asylum seekers who were brought illegally to the Mediterranean's northwestern coast in the early hours of Sunday morning

The 35-year-old Syrian said he felt both joy and relief at seeing his four small children and wife behind the centre's metal fence after fearing for their safety during the trip

Mr Hammasho came to Cyprus a year ago from the Syrian city of Idlib where he said his home was destroyed by airstrikes that killed one of his children.

'It's getting worse,' Hammasho said. 'Everyone on either side is telling their own lies.'

Police spokesman Michalis Ioannou said the 202 men, 30 women and 73 children arrived about midnight in what is thought to be the largest number of migrants to reach Cyprus in a single day.

He said they departed from Mersin, Turkey, on Saturday.

The passengers reported paying up to $2,000 (1,658 euros) each to smugglers for the trip.

Some with relatives in Cyprus have expressed a desire to remain, while others want to go to Germany or Scandinavia.

In Turkey, the coast guard stopped an unnamed fishing boat carrying 93 Syrians and one Afghan migrant Sunday off the coast of Istanbul on the Black Sea. The authorities also caught an alleged Turkish smuggler.

Turkish authorities also announced late Saturday that coast guard boats had prevented two separate migrant landings in the Black Sea.

In one, 68 Syrians and two Iranians were stopped in a sailboat with an alleged Turkish smuggler east of Bulgaria.

Mr Hammasho came to Cyprus a year ago from the Syrian city of Idlib where he said his home was destroyed by airstrikes that killed one of his children

Cypriot police arrested 36-year-old man Sunday for allegedly driving one of two boats carrying the refugees, while another 29-year-old man was also taken into custody on suspicion of migrant trafficking

202 men, 30 women and 73 children arrived about midnight in what is thought to be the largest number of migrants to reach Cyprus in a single day

In the other, Turkish coast guard intercepted 149 Syrian migrants and two Ukrainians thought to be smugglers in a fishing boat east of Romania.

The migrants and suspects were brought to northwestern Kirklareli province in Turkey for processing.

Turkey and the European Union signed a deal in March 2016 to curb the flow of migrants to Greek islands on the Aegean Sea.

A million people crossed the sea in the year before the agreement, with hundreds drowning along the way.
A 25-year-old Canadian man is facing deportation from Australia, even though he has not set foot in his home country since he was two years old.

Colin Martin has an intellectual disability and had been living in Melbourne with his father, Neil Martin.

But after a few run-ins with the law for minor offences, such as graffiti, he is now being held in a detention centre and will soon be kicked out of Australia.

Colin Martin (pictured) has an intellectual disability and had been living in Melbourne with his father, Neil Martin

In June this year, Colin was set to be bailed from Ringwood Magistrates' Court in Melbourne.

But because he is still considered a Canadian citizen by the Australian government, he was instead taken by Border Force officers to Maribyrnong Immigration and Detention Centre.

'He's looking down the barrel of the gun in being sent to his homeland of Canada, where he has no support at all,' his father Neil Martin told the ABC.

Colin claims he was sworn at, threatened and touched inappropriately by two guards during his time at Maribyrnong.

His lawyers sent a letter to the centre on August 22 alleging this behaviour was unprofessional and unacceptable.

The next day Colin was sent to the Yongah Hill centre in Western Australia without his family or lawyers being notified.

Colin was sent to the Yongah Hill centre in Western Australia without his family or lawyers being notified

Colin is due back in Melbourne before a magistrate at the end of October. His lawyers have arranged doctors' appointments and are building a case to allow him to stay in Australia.

In a statement to the ABC, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection said: 'The department is aware of a complaint made by this detainee  all such complaints are thoroughly investigated and that process is continuing.

'Non-citizens, who engage in criminal activity or other serious conduct of concern, regardless of their age or nationality, should generally expect to forfeit the privilege of staying in Australia.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the the Department of Immigration for comment.
A heroic father-of-three drowned while trying to help a father save his four children from a rough rip tide at Wollongong City Beach.

Shaun Oliver, 32, from Victoria, was in Wollongong on business when he raced into the treacherous surf on Sunday afternoon to try and save the children.

'It was an heroic act but it has unfortunately cost him his life,' Detective Inspector Brad Ainsworth of Wollongong Local Area Command told reporters on Monday.

The Wollongong father of the children had managed to get his two younger children to shore, but the two older children aged 10 and 12 got caught in a rip.

Shaun Oliver (pictured) from Victoria, was hailed as a hero after he entered the dangerous surf to save a 12-year-old boy at Wollongong City Beach on Sunday

An off-duty paramedic helped the 10-year-old to shore.

Mr Oliver entered the water and managed to reach the 12-year-old, but got into trouble himself.

A surfer reached the pair and helped the boy towards the beach, but Mr Oliver was swept out to sea.

Three police officers swam out to reach him and pulled him from the water and paramedics gave him CPR but he died in hospital.

The two boys and the off-duty paramedic were also taken to hospital for assessment.

Inquiries into the incident are continuing and police will prepare a report for the Coroner.

Shaun Oliver died after entering the surf to save a 12-year-old boy who was in trouble

The four children were all rescued, but 32-year-old was taken to hospital, where he later died

Mr Oliver's brother Nathanael wrote on a GoFundMe page that he had sacrificed himself to save the children, leaving behind his wife of almost 10 years and their three children.

'Shaun has sacrificed his future happiness and shared life with wife Carla and three beautiful children to do what none of us hope to do in this lifetime be tested,' his brother said.

'Sadly not long before their 10 year anniversary, Shaun was faced with an ultimatum.

'He chose to protect those who could not protect themselves. And he, and his family, have paid a heavy price.'

The two boys and the off-duty paramedic were also taken to hospital for assessment

Surf life saving patrols do not recommence at Wollongong City Beach for two more weeks

Det Insp Ainsworth said people should not have been swimming at the closed beach on Sunday as conditions were bad.

'The beach was closed. There was a heavy surf, a drag, an undercurrent, it was just all the conditions there that you don't go in.'

Surf Life Saving has warned beachgoers of the dangers of the surf.

'It might like picturesque and tame but there is quite a strong undercurrent and tow,' a spokesman said.

'Inexperienced people need to heed the warnings and don't go into the water.'
Next week's ballot offers some intrigue for North Dakotans  from late congressional entries by independent candidates to term limits and marijuana legalization. Voters will decide whether to endorse changing the state constitution to limit the terms of the governor and state legislators. Another citizen-led initiative also will put the question of marijuana legalization before voters, who rejected the idea four years ago. Ninety-eight of the Legislatures 141 seats are on the ballot. All but one Democrat is up for reelection this year. Contests for secretary of state, attorney general and other state offices Also will appear on the ballot.
Orion Krause, from Groton, was charged with four murder on Saturday. The police called the crime a 'tragic incident of family violence'

A 22-year-old Massachusetts man has been charged with murdering his mother, his grandparents and their caretaker in a horrifying attack at their family home.

Jazz drummer and recent college graduate Orion Krause from Groton allegedly beat his family members to death in what the police has described as a 'tragic incident of family violence.'

While the names of the four victims have not officially been released, the Portland Press Herald spoke to Krause's family friend Sherman Stanley who revealed the relationship of those killed.

Police responded to a call to 80 Common St on Friday evening where they found the four victims.

Among them was Elizabeth 'Buffy' Krause, Orion's mother, according to reports.

Three bodies were found inside the property and one was discovered outside.

The victims died from blunt force trauma according to preliminary investigations. Police have recovered the weapon but have not revealed what it is at this point.

The Boston Globe reported a completely naked young man caked in mud and with blood on his came to one of the neighbors' doors to ask for help.

The young man confessed that he murdered four people and asked for sleeping pills.

Walter and Thelka Alcocer called the police who identified the young man as Krause.

They covered him a sheet and were seen holding him upright as they put him into the police car.

Alcocer told The Associated Press that the suspect's eyes were 'very red' and he had cuts on his body and blood above his eye and knee but was unarmed and seemed vulnerable.

Orion Krause was seen covered in a white sheet because he was naked as officer appeared to hold him upright as they led him into the police car

Krause told his neighbor that he killed four people and then asked them for sleeping pills

'He looked like a nice kid who needed help, he was skinny (and) tall. I thought he was the victim of the prank, or in an accident or had a mental health problem. He wasn't bleeding profusely or anything,' Alcocer said.

Alcocer, who had never seen Krause until that night, had thought the alleged confession was 'just crazy talk.' It wasn't until Krause was later taken away in an ambulance that a detective confirmed to Alcocer that the killings had taken place, Alcocer said.

Police have not indicated if he was on drugs at this point.

At Camden Hills Regional High School, Orion was known playing drums in the jazz band and received National Medal of Arts in 2009.

He went on to study music at Oberlin Conservatory at Oberlin College in Ohio and graduated in May.

College President Carmen Ambar and the Dean of the Conservatory Andrea Kalyn said in an email to the Lowell Sun: 'We recognize that this news may be difficult to process and we encourage those personally touched by this news to seek any support you need.'

Krause studied music at Oberlin Conservatory at Oberlin College in Ohio and graduated in May

'We are offering many layers of support to current students, faculty, and staff on campus who are dealing with this tragic news.'

In 2014, he was a drummer for the band Mostly Brothers & Company.

Krause's acquaintances told local sources he was 'gentle' and said they were shocked to learn he was charged with the murders.

He has no criminal record and police also have not released the motive for the murders.

A community vigil for the four victims was held on Sunday in Groton.
An apparent Nazi sympathiser has been allowed to spout vile comments in support of Adolf Hitler's persecution of gays during the Second World War live on ABC radio.

A Victorian man, by the name of Don, called into Melbourne's ABC Radio with Jon Faine during a debate on gay marriage.

But instead of putting forward a sensible argument, Don said he believed it was right that thousands of homosexual men and women were put in concentration camps during World War Two.

When informed that 23 other countries have equal marriage laws, Don said: 'It's irrelevant. We're Australia we're not the other countries.

'Hitler had all those kind of people in their own concentration camps - it's one of the two good things he did. The other one was to build the autobahns.'

Despite the sickening comments, the caller was not booted off of the taxpayer-funded radio station.

The Victorian man, who went by the name Don, called into Melbourne's ABC Radio with Jon Faine (pictured) during a segment surrounding the debate

Mr Faine made the caller repeat himself twice, possibly not quite believing what had just been said live on radio.

But instead of cutting him off, Faine's response was: 'We're going to have to agree to disagree on that.'

The radio host continued: 'You know Don, there is an old saying in public policy... when people invoke Nazism for or against an argument you pretty much know you've lost.'

Don outrightly disagreed with that statement.

The topic had arisen because ABC Radio had invited Victoria's Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner Kristen Hilton into the studio.

Don had called in to ask why Ms Hilton was not supporting both sides of the debate.

'That lady you have there with you, the Commissioner, she sort of shouldn't be in that job if the commission is supporting the yes vote. They should be neutral, shouldn't they?' he began.

'Because I think that's disgusting that she gets out and says "we are going to support the yes vote" instead of saying we don't have an opinion one way or the other because we should be supporting both sides.'

Don had called in to ask why Ms Hilton was not supporting both sides of the debate (pictured Sydney rally)

Ms Hilton calmly explained that her job was to promote equality and there was significant proof to suggest supporting same-sex marriage was the balanced approach (picture from Sydney rally)

Persecution of gays during World War II During Hitler's reign in the 1930s and 1940s an estimated 100,000 men were arrested for being homosexuals and up to 50,000 were sentenced. Most of these men served time in regular prisons, and an estimated 5,000 to 15,000 of those sentenced were transported to Nazi concentration camps. It is unclear how many of the 5,000 to 15,000 would die in the camps, but leading scholar Rudiger Lautmann believes that the death rate of homosexuals in concentration camps may have been as high as 60 per cent. Advertisement

Ms Hilton calmly explained that her job was to promote equality and there was significant proof to suggest supporting same-sex marriage was the balanced approach.

'Well part of my job is actually to promote equality within this state and to make sure to the extent possible that we reduce discrimination. The commission has taken this very deliberate positive support in marriage equality because we believe, and there is also evidence to support this, that the current restrictions on same-sex couples being allowed to marry constitutes discrimination.'

It was at this point during the exchange that Ms Hilton explained that the postal vote was not binding and it will come down to a decision made in parliament about how to legislate.

She explained that Australia should join the 23 other countries in favour of the laws already to which Don explained his two-point positive analysis of Hitler's reign.

A listener has since come forward to say that while Don's words were abhorrent, ABC kept him on the air for a good reason.

She explained that Australia should join the 23 other countries in favour of the laws already to which Don explained his two-point positive analysis of Hitler's reign (pictured Bill Shorten at Sydney rally)

'Was listening this morning when Don called. I think Jon Faine let the guy go on to make a fool of himself. Faine even mentioned to him Godwin's Law and that as soon as you mention Hitler or the Nazis you lose the argument,' they wrote on Reddit.

'I'm sure Don thought he was being very smart but ended up making himself and to a degree all no-voters look like intolerant fools. Certainly didn't help the no campaign at all.'

Daily Mail Australia spoke to the ABC about the incident this morning and were provided with a statement.

'ABC Radio Melbourne presenter, Jon Faine, put to air a call this morning from a person identified as 'Don'. The call lasted just under three minutes and was civil until the caller made a highly offensive remark referencing Hitler. Once Jon had clarified what the caller had said, the call was immediately terminated,' they said.
A teenager became a hero for three young children who were trapped in an upside down car which careered off a bridge and plunged into a river, tragically killing their father.

The crash happened at the Otututu River, north of Greymouth on New Zealands South Island on Sunday night.

Tamati James Rae, 32, died after his car soared off a bridge and landed in the river with his three young children trapped in the passenger seats.

Tamati James Rae died after his car careered off a bridge and plunged into a river

His three children were trapped in the upturned car until a teenager passing by rescued them

The children aged six, nine and 11 were rescued by a heroic teenager who was passing by, freeing the youngsters from the wreckage.

The trio were rushed to Greymouth Hospital after being saved.

Mr Rae's friend Dythaniel Hart told Daily Mail Australia he 'felt sick' when he first saw the photo of the flipped car after the crash.

'[I'm] sad, but glad [the] kids [are] ok.'

He said Mr Rae was a selfless person who loved his family.

'[He was a] good guy, there for his mates, family. Just was an outgoing guy who would do anything for anyone.'

Friends of Mr Rae also took to social media to post heartfelt tributes to him.

Sallyanne Clemett said Mr Rae would be missed.

The children, aged six, nine and 11, were rushed to Greymouth Hospital after the tragedy

'Nephew you will be really missed by your whanau [family] and friends... forever in our hearts Tamati.

Mr Hart posted saying he was 'always saying goodbye to friends'.

'RIP Tamati Rae always had a good piss up in Blackball fly high mate.'

Maegan Griffiths said the tragedy was 'very sad for the family'.

Kate Plunkett said Mr Rae was 'a great guy'.

Friends have paid tribute to Mr Rae, saying he was a selfless person who loved his family

Toni Gaylard posted she would miss 'this cheeky guy'.

Senior Sergeant Brent Cook said the horrific crash was extremely traumatic, and acknowledge the courageous actions of both the rescuer and a local farmer who comforted and sheltered the children.

Police were notified of the crash about 8.20pm on Sunday.

An ambulance and helicopter were sent to the scene immediately, and the polices serious crash unit is investigating.
A Melbourne council will spend $1.1 million to build seven new unisex toilets despite fears women won't use them.

Knox City Council, south east of Melbourne, plans to roll out the unisex toilets within the next five years, according to Knox Leader.

Ratepayers Victoria Knox branch spokesman Frank Sullivan said women would be put off using the unisex toilets because they are unsafe and dirty.

Melbourne council will spend $1.1 million to build seven new unisex toilets despite fears women won't use them (stock image)

One of Knox City Council's planned parks to build the unisex toilet in is Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully (pictured)

'The feedback I've had is that women are not comfortable using them, when they come out there's a guy waiting there, leering at her,' Mr Sullivan said.

Knox Mayor Darren Pearce told the publication the idea for the toilets was to be family friendly, giving both men and women the opportunity to access children's change facilities.

Some people took to social media slamming unisex toilets, saying they wouldn't want their young daughters sharing a public toilet with grown men.

Others said the unisex toilets could encourage sexual assault.

Last year, Melbourne University introduced 37 unisex toilets at their Parkville campus and planned to expand throughout their other campuses.

The move was made to create gender neutral toilets to make transgender people feel comfortable.

One Knox City community member said women would be too scared to used the unisex toilets, where one is planned to be built at Liberty Avenue Reserve in Rowville (pictured)

Having separate male and female bathrooms was compared to having white-only toilets decades ago, some transgender activists argued according to Herald Sun.

Earlier this year, unisex toilets were introduced at offices in Canberra as a move to include transgender and intersex employees, despite the action making employees feel 'uncomfortable'.

Greens senator Janet Rice, whose wife is transgender, wants more gender neutral toilets to be widely accessible.

'It's a really important measure to be supporting gender diverse people,' Senator Rice told Sydney Morning Herald earlier this year.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Knox City Council for comment.
The Greens are demanding Australia immediately accept 20,000 Muslim refugees from Myanmar as the violent humanitarian crisis worsens.

Party leader Richard Di Natale has written to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull insisting Australia issue emergency humanitarian visas.

His call comes as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates 300,000 ethnic minority Rohingyas have fled Myanmar since a military crackdown began on August 25.

The Greens want Australia to immediately accept 20,000 Muslim Rohingya refugees

Greens leader Richard Di Natale has written to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asking for help

'I have written to the prime minister over the crisis in Myanmar and the unprecedented levels of forcible displacement we are seeing,' he told his 71,700 Facebook followers on Monday.

'We need 20,000 permanent humanitarian visas for Rohingya refugees this year and $150 million in emergency funding for the UNHCR.'

The $150 million the Greens are requesting well exceeds the $5 million the Australian government has committed so far to the Rohingya humanitarian crisis.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has urged Myanmar to show 'restraint' and protect civilian life as thousands of Rohingyas flee the country via the western Rakhine state into Bangladesh, a majority Muslim nation.

The Muslim Rohingya minority have been fleeing Myanmar for neighbouring Bangladesh

The Greens want 20,000 permanent humanitarian visas for the Rohingyas fleeing Myanmar

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates 300,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar

The UN estimates 300,000 Rohingya refugees have arrived in neighbouring Bangladesh since Rohingya militant attacks on Myanmar security forces sparked a major military backlash.

The 57-state Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has condemned Myanmar for 'systematic brutal acts' against its Muslim Rohingya minority and asked it to accept international UN monitors, following a summit in Kazakhstan's capital Astana.

They expressed 'serious concern about recent systematic brutal acts committed by the armed forces against the Muslim community of Rohingya in Myanmar.'

It urged Myanmar to accept UN monitors to carry out 'a thorough and independent investigation of all established violations of international human rights.. and bring those responsible to justice'.

The humanitarian crisis has worsened since a Myanmar military crackdown on August 25

Millions of Muslims around the world are posting Facebook message with the phrase: 'Stop Killing Muslims in Burma.'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the existing head of the OIC, has been a vocal critic of Myanmar and its de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's policies against the Rohingya.

The Rohingya are reviled in Myanmar, where the roughly one million-strong community are accused of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Myanmar's de factor leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been condemned for the violent crackdown

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Afghan leader Ashraf Ghani were among the other heads of state who attended the summit hosted by Kazakhstan and the Central Asian country's veteran autocrat Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The plight of the Rohingya has triggered broad international condemnation of Myanmar and Ms Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and democracy activist who spent almost two decades under house arrest.

The Greens' call for Australia to accept 20,000 Rohingyas refugees comes two years after former prime minister Tony Abbott accepted 12,000 Syrian refugees fleeing the brutal dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad, shortly before Malcolm Turnbull rolled him in a Liberal Party leadership coup.
Miami International Airport has been closed after being severely damaged by Hurricane Irma - and officials have not confirmed when it will reopen.

Florida's biggest terminal said there would be no flights at the airport today after it was battered by 100mph winds and left with 'significant water damage throughout'.

Last night, American Airlines said it will not resume commercial flights from the international hub but may operate flights to bring in staff and supplies.

The airline had said earlier that it planned to begin limited operations on Monday after 5pm, but reversed course after the airport said it would remain closed on Monday. The airport may reopen on Tuesday but it did not confirm the plans.

Miami International Airport has been closed after being severely damaged by Hurricane Irma - and officials have not confirmed when it will reopen

Pictures have emerged showing large puddles of water in waiting areas and ceiling tiles on the floor

'American now plans to resume limited operations when the airport reopens,' the airline said, noting federal agencies must assess whether the airport can reopen.

The Fort Worth-based airline canceled all flights at the Miami airport starting on Friday evening in anticipation of Hurricane Irma, along with flights at three other south Florida airports.

All American flights remain canceled through Monday at 12 other Florida airports, as well as Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia.

A Miami International Airport tweet said: 'Travel advisory: There are no passenger flights scheduled at MIA September 11.

'Some airlines will fly personnel and crew members tomorrow in preparations for flights to resume.

Florida's biggest terminal said there would be no flights at the airport today after it was battered by 100mph winds and left with 'significant water damage throughout'

Boats ride out Hurricane Irma in a marina in Miami, Florida last night as ferocious winds caused chaos in the Sunshine State

'After damage assessment, we will determine if passenger flights will resume on Tuesday September 12.'

The airport's chief executive officer, Emilio T Gonzalez, had earlier revealed that the airport had been hammered by winds of up to 100mph.

Pictures posted on social media by NBC News showed large puddles of water in waiting areas and ceiling tiles on the floor.

Orlando International Airport closed Saturday and won't reopen to passenger traffic until after Irma has passed, a damage assessment has been completed, necessary recovery efforts made and the airlines are consulted to determine when best to resume operations.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport says on its website it has no timetable yet to reopen. Its last flights were Friday.

Tampa International Airport also is closed as Hurricane Irma moves up the Florida peninsula.

Airlines are preparing their recovery schedules, which may take several days to execute.
The two Italian policemen who allegedly raped two American students in Florence while on duty brought the women to their home and stayed there for 23 minutes.

Italy's Carabinieri paramilitary police corps has suspended two policemen who allegedly sexually assaulted the women the women, ages 19 and 21.

The CCTV confirms that the Carabinieri patrol car that was raided brought the two girls to their home and stayed there for 23 minutes. This would be a serious violation of the regulations that prohibit the transport of civilians who are not being arrested.

The two women claimed the cops attacked them inside their apartment on in the early hours of Thursday morning after they couldn't find a taxi home from Flo nightclub.

The pair, who are studying abroad, were believed to have been involved in a fight, prompted police to arrive at the venue.

According to Corriere della Sera, one of the cops admitted to having sex with one of the women, but insists it was consensual.

One of the suspects, a married 40-year-old father of two, reportedly told the magistrate: 'She asked me to go to her place.'

Two American students, both 21, alleged that they were raped by Carabeinieri police when they escorted them home from the club Flo in Florence, Italy on Thursday

He also claimed he and the woman he had sex with were both sober.

Italian authorities have collected the women's clothes and the tests they took at the hospital as potential evidence.

The Carabinieri provincial office's command in Florence said the two officers were notified Saturday of the suspension.

Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti said there is 'some basis' to the allegations, The New York Times reported.

At a women's forum on Friday, she said: 'Investigation is still underway, but there is some basis in respect to the allegations.'

'Rape is always something grave. But it's of unprecedented gravity if it is committed by Carabinieri in uniform, because citizens turns to them and to their uniform to have assurances and security.'

Three police cars went to Flo nightclub to investigate a fight. Two of them stayed behind and supposedly took the girls home (file picture). None of the officers in this photo are believed to have been involved in the attack

Italian news media reported that the pair told prosecutors they were drunk and had smoked marijuana that night.

Biological traces of the two suspects were discovered at the women's apartment in the elevator and the entrance.

Italian police stressed the suspension reflects alleged conduct while on duty and is separate from Florence prosecutors' criminal investigation of the alleged rapes.

Investigators are awaiting DNA test results to see if they confirm the women's account. One of the women is from Maine and the other is from New Jersey and both are studying at Lorenzo de Medici in the city center.

Besides the rape allegations, the policemen risk disciplinary charges for driving the women home without informing their superiors.

The officers, members of paramilitary police, are waiting to be questioned.

CCTV footage proves the two women got in the car with the officers and the men stayed at their apartment for 23 minutes

An official from the State Department said they were aware of the allegations and were taking the matter seriously.

The US Embassy in Rome said in an email: 'Due to the sensitive nature of this case and to protect the privacy of those involved, we have no further comment.'

US Consul, Benjamin Wohlauer met both the head of police of Florence, Alberto Intini, and the Commanders of the Carabinieri. He also met the father of one of the two victims who arrived in Florence.

According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the US consul general in Florence met with Florence's police chief Friday morning to talk about the case for about an hour.

The women had been said to be in Florence for several months studying Italian at an school in the area.

Florence has become a popular tourist destination for lots of Americans and offers plenty of study abroad opportunities for students in the States.

Florence mayor Dario Nardella said is working verify the facts of the case as soon as possible.

In January 2016, American woman Ashley Olsen was killed in her flat sparking lots of media attention.

A court in Florence convicted a Senegalese man of murdering the woman and sentenced him to 30 years in prison, later that year.

The 35-year-old had been strangled and suffered skull fractures.

Witnesses had said they'd seen the woman and her attacker meet at a Florence nightclub mere hours before she was murdered.
She was awarded $8,229 in compensation but was not reinstated

She explained she had 'over-indulged' as Anzac Day was her birthday

Avril Chapman left an honest message for her boss the 13 hours before her shift

A salmon slicer was fired after calling in sick for being hungover after Anzac Day

A woman who was sacked for taking the day off for being hungover has been awarded $8,229 compensation because the Australian Fair Work Commission found the decision was 'harsh'.

Australian woman Avril Chapman, a fish slicer for salmon producer Tassal Group, was fired after she left a voice message for her boss informing them she wouldn't be coming to work on her birthday, which was also Anzac Day.

Ms Chapman told her employers she had 'over indulged'.

An Australian woman was sacked after calling in sick to work because she was hungover (stock image)

The woman was fired after working for salmon producer Tassal Group for five years

'Um it's ANZAC day, my birthday, and I admit I have over indulged. So I'm taking into account one of the golden rules - be fit for work - and I'm not going to be fit for work. So I won't be there,' she said on the voice message.

'But um love ya, catch ya on the flip side.'

Tassal sacked Ms Chapman on the basis she 'deliberately made a decision to consume alcohol to the extent that you would not be fit for work on 26 April 2017'.

Hi Michelle, its Avril one of your most loved pains in the a**e. Um it's ANZAC day, my birthday, and I admit I have over indulged. So Im taking into account one of the golden rules - be fit for work - and Im not going to be fit for work so I wont be there. But um love ya, catch ya on the flip side. The voice message Ms Chapman left for her boss 13 hours before her shift began

Ms Chapman said she had visitors arrive unexpectedly at her house on the evening of Anzac Day and they began drinking to celebrate her birthday.

Once she realised the direction the night was heading, she called her boss to let them know she wouldn't be in the next day.

'Would it have been wiser for me to call at 6 am on the 26th and plead illness? I think if I had done that...it wouldn't have been the honest thing to do in my opinion,' she told the Commission.

David Barclay, Deputy President of the Commission, said: 'I have found there was a valid reason for her dismissal but that it was harsh.'

However Mr Barclay still found Ms Chapman had refused to attend work without reasonable justification.

Ms Chapman said she had visitors arrive unexpectedly at her house on the evening of Anzac Day, her birthday (stock image)

'It makes no sense to me that a person at 4.46 p.m, some 13 hours before having to work, and before being involved in any activities which might result in impairment for work would decide to predict that she will be unfit to work the next day,' he said.

Ms Chapman's day off to nurse a birthday hangover came a year after she was given a written warning for a similar incident after Christmas.

Her sacking was found to be valid by the Fair Work Commission but was ruled as 'harsh' (stock image)

She left an expletive ridden message for her employer after finding out her brother was dying of advanced lung cancer.

'I won't be at work today. I am non compos mentis, which means I'm f***in' s***faced,' she said in the message.

Mr Barclay said the sacking was unfair because it was the first time Ms Chapman had behaved in such a way in her five years working for Tassal's.

Ms Chapman was awarded $8,229 in compensation after the Commission found it inappropriate to reinstate her.
Advertisement

At least seven were arrested in Portland on Sunday during violent clashes between Antifa demonstrators and white nationalists.

Two police officers were injured as protesters threw rocks and smoke bombs at police during the 'Patriot Prayer' rally.

Authorities in the city were preparing for violence at around noon as anticipation grew for a rally that was staged by the right-wing organization.

At around the same time, police made sure to create a buffer between Patriot Prayer and several hundred counter-protesters belonging to another group which demonstrated under the banner Shut Down White Supremacy.

There was also a street march organized by the group Portland Stands United Against Hate.

The tensions nearly escalated to a tragedy after police arrested one man who witnesses say attempted to plow his pick-up truck into a group of Antifa demonstrators.

Last month, a woman was killed and 20 others were injured when a suspected neo-Nazi plowed his car into a group of anti-racist demonstrators in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Three of the seven individuals arrested on Sunday have been identified as Tyler Bristow (far left); Thomas 'Sarah' Wallace (center); and Naomi Seraphina (right)

The other suspects have been identified as Eli Richey (far left); Deaclan Lenartz (second from left); Chad Skjei (second from right); and Alice Hall (far right)

At least seven people were arrested after clashing with police in Portland where white nationalists and Antifa counter-demonstrators faced off in tense dueling protests on Sunday

Police officers detain a counter protesting against right-wing group Patriot Prayer in Portland on Sunday

Authorities in the city were preparing for violence at around noon as anticipation grew for a rally that was staged by Patriot Prayer, a right-wing organization

police made sure to create a buffer between Patriot Prayer and several hundred counter-protesters belonging to another group which demonstrated under the banner Shut Down White Supremacy

A small group of supporters of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer march in Portland. Patriot Prayer describes itself as an organization devoted to protecting freedom of speech, though it denies it is racist

Counter protesters amass at a fence separating them from a small group of Patriot Prayer supporters in Portland

Counter-demonstrators who came out to denounce Patriot Prayer are seen above running from an advancing police line in Portland

While the rallies were taking place at the same time, they were kept separate by police, though some shouting could be heard between the two sides, according to KGW-TV.

SEVEN ARRESTED ANTIFA ACTIVISTS Tyler W. Bristow, 27, resisting arrest

Chad Skjei, 37, disorderly conduct

Thomas Wallace, 18, assaulting a police officer

Deaclan Lenartz, 35, disorderly conduct

Naomi Seraphina, 42, disorderly conduct

Alice Hall, 27, disorderly conduct

Eli Richey, 37, interfering with a police officer Advertisement

Overall the demonstrations were largely peaceful, though a small number of Antifa protesters began to throw projectiles, including rocks and smoke bombs at police.

The Patriot Prayer protest which had gathered in Portland eventually moved across the river to nearby Vancouver, Washington, according to KOIN-TV.

Police in Vancouver  aided by officers from Portland  also stood in between the Patriot Prayer demonstrators and the counter-protesters who followed them.

The counter-protesters marched through the streets of Vancouver, chanting Go home, Nazis.

When the far-right rally ended, police had the demonstrators leave eight at a time while they shielded them from attack by counter-protesters.

One scary moment took place when a motorist driving a large pickup truck accelerated toward a crowd of demonstrators.

Luckily, no one was hit by the car. Police surrounded the vehicle and arrested the driver, according to witnesses.

The suspect was driving a black Chevy Silverado with Oregon license plates and two large American flags and several small flags hanging from its windows, according to Willamette Week.

Witnesses said the truck was traveling slowly down the road as protesters walked by.

When a number of protesters began to walk behind the truck and throw debris and water bottles, the driver put the truck in reverse and began to accelerate toward the crowd.

Police officers stand in a cloud of smoke from a smoke grenade as people counter protest against right-wing group Patriot Prayer in Portland

A left-wing protester flips the bird and holds a sign denouncing 'Nazis' and 'Fascist losers' in Portland on Sunday

A police officer tussles with black-clad demonstrators believed to belong to the left-wing activist group Antifa

A woman is seen being detained by police. The demonstrators eventually moved their protests from Portland to neighboring Vancouver, Washington

At least two police officers suffered injuries during the scuffles with Antifa counter-demonstrators

One of the most liberal cities in America, Portland has been the site of numerous political protests that have often turned violent

Police officers are seen on an SUV during the dueling rallies in Portland on Sunday

Police officers hold up a barricade against a crowd of black-clad demonstrators, some of whom are wearing gas masks

Jonathan Zimmerman, a supporter of Patriot Prayer, holds up a peace sign from a secure area as counter-demonstrators look on

David Machado, a resident of nearby Vancouver, Washington, waves an American flag. Machado is a supporter of Patriot Prayer

Police are seen above trying to prevent Antifa demonstrators from approaching members of Patriot Prayer in Portland

People who had been walking on the street jumped out of the way. Police soon arrived at the scene and arrested the driver.

Patriot Prayer is an organization that holds rallies and demonstrations in predominantly liberal enclaves like Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco.

Its founder, Joey Gibson, a Japanese-American, denies accusations that his group is racist.

Patriot Prayer says its goal is to support free speech and the First Amendment, though critics say it seeks to provoke violent responses from Antifa.

Portland has been the site of numerous political protests that have often turned violent.

The predominantly liberal Oregon town was jarred in late May when a man fatally stabbed two passengers aboard a commuter train after they tried to stop him from harassing two young women who appeared to be Muslim.

The alleged assailant, Jeremy Joseph Christian, a resident of the city, was believed to hold racist and extremist beliefs.

A week later, 14 people were arrested after riot police turned out in force in downtown Portland where supporters and opponents of President Donald Trump faced off in dueling political rallies.

Before Sundays rallies, Portlands mayor, Ted Wheeler, warned demonstrators to refrain from violence.

A topless woman is seen above holding a flag that reads 'resist'. She also has 'resist' written on her stomach

Portland has been the site of some of the country's most bitter political demonstrations so far this year

Antifa members are seen above wearing bandanas over their face during a counter-demonstration against Patriot Prayer

Tension in Portland has been high since in late May when a man fatally stabbed two passengers aboard a commuter train after they tried to stop him from harassing two young women who appeared to be Muslim

A week later, 14 people were arrested after riot police turned out in force in downtown Portland where supporters and opponents of President Donald Trump faced off in dueling political rallies

A group of Buddhists meditate during a protest to oppose Patriot Prayer

Portland Police will focus on ensuring that peoples right for freedom of expression and speech is protected, the mayor said.

However, illegal behavior is not acceptable. We will not tolerate acts of violence.

We will not tolerate vandalism. We will not tolerate criminal behavior.

The seven people arrested during the Portland rallies have been identified as Tyler W. Bristow, 27; Chad Skjei, 37; Thomas Sarah Wallace, 18; Deaclan S. Lenartz, 35; Naomi G. Seraphina, 42; Alice E. Hall, 27; and Eli F. Richey, 37.

All seven have been arrested for either interfering with a police officer or disorderly conduct.

One of them, Wallace, faces a charge of assaulting a police officer.

Two others were arrested in Vancouver. They were identified as Nicholas Partin, 37; and Shawna Gonzalez, 34.
Manatees were left stranded on the dry sea floor and had to be rescued after Hurricane Irma sucked water away from Florida coastlines.

Sad sea cows were seen beached in the wake of the hurricane because of the strange phenomenon near Sarasota Bay.

Facebook user Michael Sechler posted the heartbreaking photos of two beached manatees on Sunday.

Authorities saw the posts and quickly sent first responders in Manatee County to the rescue.

One of the citizens who helped save the manatees said the rescuers used a tarp to push the 500lb mammals back into the water.

Marcelo Clavijo told Fox 13: 'With a handful of people and two of Manatee's finest that were knee-deep in mud right next to us... we rolled them on the tarp and then dragged them 100 yards.'

Scroll down for video

Two stranded mantees near Sarasota Bay were stuck on dry land when Hurricane Irma sucked water away from the shoreline

Thankfully, first responders in Manatee County came to the rescue and pushed the sea cows back into the water

Rescuers used tarps to roll the mammals, which can weigh up to 650lbs, back into the sea

'[We] said '1-2-3' and pulled them back to the channel. They both swam off.'

Hurricane Irma is so powerful that it has altered the shape of the ocean in some parts of Floridas, but it will likely be back to normal within a day.

Pressure in a hurricane's center is low and Irma is so strong that it is pulling water into its core, sucking it away from the ocean, according to the Washington Post.

Deputy weather editor and meteorologist Angela Fritz explained that this may be the result of what she calls a hurricane 'bulge'. In the center of the storm, pressure is very low which draws water upward into itself.

She also noted the wind was blowing away from the shoreline on Saturday which is why water did not fill the void in a viral video showing Long Island in the Bahamas.

Before: Hurricane Irma temporarily changed the shape of the ocean after hitting the Bahamas on Friday

After: Twitter user @deejayeasya tweeted this photo on Saturday saying the shoreline where he lives in the Bahamas is back to normal 13 hours later

Some Twitter users were concerned since receding shoreline that exposes the ocean floor is often a sign a tsunami is approaching. However, Fritz said the water will not rush back rapidly.

The International Tsunami Information Center notes on its website, when the sea drains away to not investigate because this is a typical sign of an incoming tsunami.

Twitter user @Kaydi_K from Long Island, Bahamas wrote on Friday: 'I am in disbelief right now... This is Long Island, Bahamas and the ocean water is missing!!! That's as far as they see #HurricaneIrma.'

The strange video shows her walking on the exposed ocean floor which is dry and covered in large shells.

Another Twitter user tweeted a photo of the exposed beach at a different beach in the Bahamas and showed it was back to normal within less than a day.

I am in disbelief right now... This is Long Island, Bahamas and the ocean water is missing!!! That's as far as they see #HurricaneIrma wtf pic.twitter.com/AhPAonjO6s  #ForeverFlourish (@Kaydi_K) September 9, 2017
FARGO  The new chief deputy for the Cass County Sheriffs Department here considers herself a kill em with kindness type of person.

Michele Mickey Harmon said in her nearly 30 years with the department, rarely has she had to wrestle with a suspect.

Once, when she pulled up to a fight and saw deputies preparing to physically take on one of the agitators, a rather large man, she sternly told him to get in her patrol car.

And based on her personality, Harmon likely injected a little humor to diffuse the situation.

He got in and sang a song all the way down to the jail, she said.

Harmon was sworn in as second-in-command at the sheriffs department during a ceremony Thursday, Sept. 7, in the county courthouse.

She becomes the first female chief deputy in North Dakotas most populous county, and possibly the first in the state, certainly for a larger department, said Sheriff Paul Laney.

Flanked by fellow captains and with friends and family looking on, Harmon recited an oath read by Laney, who later said he didnt promote Harmon because of her gender.

She got promoted because of everything she brings as the chief deputy candidate. But the fact that shes a female and the first, is pretty cool, Laney said.

During the ceremony, recently retired Chief Deputy Rick Majerus handed off the colonels wings to Harmon, pinning them on her collar.

Majerus said Harmon has experience with the sheriffs departments $17 million budget and the transition team for the new jail. She has a good feel for the department, Majerus said.

Harmon said all sheriffs department divisions will report to her, while she reports to Sheriff Laney. When hes not around, shell be in charge.

When Harmon began her law enforcement career, she never dreamed of climbing the ladder to this position.

After growing up on a farm south of Minot, she took a job with the Ward County Sheriffs Department there in 1979, becoming the first woman on patrol.

The old farmers mouths would fall open when Id walk in the bars to do a check, she said.

Harmon came to the Cass County Sheriffs Department in 1988 and began putting in her time as a deputy. She was later named supervisor of the court transport unit, and in 2012 was promoted to captain to command the administration and court services division.

From Laneys perspective, Harmon is a natural leader who will push everyone to be better.

Shes tough, but shes fair. Shes kind, and shes got a heart bigger than this room, Laney said.

In her new position, Harmon said shell do what she always does  listen to people and not micromanage others in supervisory roles.

Unless they have a question or an issue, my door is always open, but Im not going to hover over them, she said.

Harmon will be 60 years old this month, kind of in the twilight of my career, she said. Nevertheless, shes excited for the new challenge.

It still hasnt quite sunk in, she said.
Terrified beachgoers were forced to flee the water after a dangerous shark washed up at a popular Sydney swimming spot on Monday.

Dramatic video shows the animal, believed to be a juvenile great white, rapidly moving its tail on the shore of Manly Beach shortly after midday.

'Literally about to take my boys for a swim,' one witness captioned a video posted on social media.

Scroll down for video

Terrified beachgoers were forced to flee the water after a dangerous shark washed up (left) at a popular Sydney swimming spot on Monday. The animal was taken to a nearby rock pool (right) as stunned sunbathers watched on

'Literally about to take my boys for a swim,' one terrified witness captioned this video posted on social media

Another beachgoer told Nine News the shark, which appeared to have suffered an injury to its mouth, was quickly rescued and taken to a nearby rock pool.

'Lifeguards on jet ski kept a close watch and then marine rescue arrived to bring it to shore on a stretcher,' the witness said.

Video and images posted on social media show the young white pointer lurking in the shallow rock pool waters as stunned sunbathers watch on.

'Shark in Manly bower pool right now. She just washed up on Manly beach. Beautiful to see such a gorgeous animal,' one wrote on Twitter.

Dramatic video shows the animal, believed to be a juvenile great white, rapidly moving its tail on the shore of Manly Beach shortly after midday

Rescuers are seen attending to the young white pointer before placing the animal on a stretcher

Another commented: 'No swimming in the pool today.'

It comes hours after a Byron Bay surfer was rushed to hospital following an apparent shark attack left him bleeding and his board snapped on the NSW north coast.

Abe McGrath, 35, was surfing at Main Beach, Iluka, about 6.30am on Sunday when his board was hit hard from below by what he thinks was a shark.

The board snapped and he was thrown into the air.

The shark, which appeared to have suffered an injury to its mouth, was quickly rescued and taken to a nearby rock pool

It comes just hours Abe McGrath, 35, was surfing at Main Beach, Iluka, about 6.30am on Sunday when his board was hit hard from below by what he thinks was a shark

'He's told police the shark began to circle and then turned away,' police said in a statement.

He then grabbed the pieces of his board and swam to shore. One of Mr McGrath's friends posted an image of his broken board to Instagram.

'Life could have been very different this morning... So stoked to still have our mate and not witness something far worse,' he said.
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon says the firing of FBI Director James Comey may have been the biggest mistake in 'modern political history.'

Bannon confirmed he opposed President Donald Trump's decision to oust Comey, calling the FBI 'an institution.'

He told CBS's 60 Minutes Overtime that institutions such as the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives can be changed 'if the leadership is changed.'

But he said the FBI is different.

'I don't believe that the institutional logic of the FBI, and particularly in regards to an investigation, could possibly be changed by changing the head of it,' Bannon said.

Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon says the firing of FBI Director James Comey may have been the biggest mistake in 'modern political history'

Bannon confirmed he opposed President Donald Trump's (left) decision to oust Comey (right), calling the FBI 'an institution'

The ousted White House adviser also said that if Comey hadn't been fired, 'We would not have the Mueller investigation,' referring to special counsel Robert Mueller.

Mueller is leading the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the recent presidential election. Mr Bannon also said he does not believe Mr Mueller should be fired.

Interviewer Charlie Rose asked Bannon: 'Someone said to me that you described the firing of James Comey, you're a student of history, as the biggest mistake in political history.'

Bannon replied: 'That would probably be too bombastic even for me, but maybe modern political history.'

The former White House Chief Strategist also suggested Dreamers  undocumented immigrants who came to the US as kids  should 'self deport' once their DACA work permits run out.

'As the work permits run out they self deport,' Bannon said. 'I think what we have to do is focus on the American citizens,' the ex-Trump aide urged.

Bannon was among those members of Trump's inner circle who wanted him to fully do away with DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that President Obama set up.

He also took aim Sunday at current and former Republican leaders, including former President George W. Bush and his administration, for not embracing Trump.

Bannon said he believes the Republican establishment has been conspiring to 'nullify' Trump's election to the presidency.

But his views on immigration, climate and trade helped shape Trump's presidential campaign and his first months in office.

Bannon also took aim Sunday at current and former Republican leaders, including former President George W. Bush (left) and his administration, for not embracing Trump. Bush's vice president, Dick Cheney, is seen on the right

He called Republican national security officials who had served in the Bush administration 'idiots,' including former secretaries of state Condoleezza Rice (above)

But he was fired by the Republican president last month in a push to end factional fights within the White House.

He called Republican national security officials who had served in the George W. Bush administration 'idiots,' including former secretaries of state Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell, and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

'I hold these people in contempt, total and complete contempt,' Bannon said, blaming them for U.S. trade problems with China and involvement in Iraq.

'They're idiots, and they've gotten us in this situation, and they question a good man like Donald Trump,' Bannon said.

During the election campaign, a number of high-profile Republicans announced that they would support Trump's Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Rosario Marin, who was treasury secretary under George W. Bush, endorsed Clinton, according to the Washington Examiner.

She was joined by other Republicans including Richard Armitage, former deputy secretary of state; former secretary of commerce Carlos Gutierrez; another former treasurer, Henry Paulson; and former undersecretary of state for political affairs Nicholas Burns.

Bannon also singled out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (left) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (right) for criticism, saying that they 'do not want Donald Trump's populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented'

A number of former officials in the Bush White House have been some of Trump's most vocal critics, including Nicolle Wallace, who was communications director from 2005 until 2006.

Richard Painter, the chief ethics lawyer for the Bush White House, has also frequently denounced Trump.

Both Wallace and Painter are seen regularly on the left-leaning cable news channel MSNBC.

Bannon says that since Trump assumed his desk in the Oval Office, Republicans have been working to undermine his agenda.

'The Republican establishment is trying to nullify the 2016 election,' Bannon said, saying it was an 'open secret on Capitol Hill' that many Republicans did not support Trump's agenda, and singling out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan for criticism.

'They do not want Donald Trump's populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented,' Bannon said.

Bannon warned that Republican infighting over the fate of immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children could be so vitriolic that the party loses control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year.

In the interview, Bannon predicted Republicans could lose control in the House in the 2018 congressional elections because of a looming battle over what to do about 800,000 immigrants known as 'Dreamers.'

Trump said last week he would scrap a program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, that allowed the young immigrants to live and work in America.

Thousands join the Defend DACA March in Los Angeles on Sunday to oppose Trump's order to end DACA. Bannon predicted Republicans could lose control in the House in the 2018 congressional elections because of a looming battle over what to do about 'Dreamers'

Bannon supported ending the program, which had been put in place by Democratic former President Barack Obama.

Trump gave the Republican-controlled Congress six months to come up with an alternative, saying he would 'revisit this issue' if lawmakers could not agree.

'I'm worried about losing the House now because of this,' Bannon told CBS.

'If this goes all the way down to its logical conclusion, in February and March it will be a civil war inside the Republican Party,' he said.

'And to me, doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise.'

Republicans are divided over the Dreamers.

Some believe they are illegal immigrants who are taking American jobs, while others say they contribute to the country and deserve compassion.
The Indian government has lodged an official complaint against a controversial lamb ad featuring the vegetarian Hindu god Ganesha having a meal with other deities.

Meat and Livestock Australia advertisement's highest-profile complaint was lodged only four days after it was released for public consumption.

The depiction of Ganesha as a elephant-like, lamb-eating human sitting next to Jesus and across the table from Buddha didn't go down well with India's High Commission in Australia, who want the 'offensive' two-minute advertisement taken off air for hurting 'religious sentiments'.

Scroll down for video

This portrayal of Hindu god Ganesha has upset the Indian High Commissioner in Canberra

'The High Commission of India, Canberra, taking note of the protests of Indian community in Australia, have made a demarche to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Communication and Arts and Department of Agriculture bringing to their notice an offensive advertisement by Meat and Livestock Australia that hurt the religious sentiments of the Indian community,' it said in statement.

They added Ganesha 'toasting lamb' was something 'the Indian community consider to be offensive and hurting their religious sentiments'.

The Consulate General of India in Sydney is pressuring the MLA to withdraw the ad, the High Commission said.

It stems from Ganesha sharing a table with Jesus, Aphrodite, L Ron Hubbard and Buddha, who asks if they should 'address the elephant in the room'.

'It was not funny two and a half thousand years ago, it's not funny now,' Ganesha answers poking a trunk at Buddha as the other table guests laugh.

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) released the ad (pictured) on Monday, and by Tuesday it was referred to the Advertising Standards Bureau over an apparent lack of sensitivity in its portrayal of religious leaders and divinities

The Indian High Commission has complained directly to the Australian government on the ad

Meat and Livestock Australia said they tried to abide by the Advertising Standards Code while being 'irreverent and jovial'.

'We are aware that a number of community groups have raised concerns and are in the process of meeting with and responding to these to better understand their concerns and to reiterate our positive intent behind the concept,' it said in a statement on Monday.

The advertisement has also attracted a huge backlash, with viewers slamming it as 'ignorant'.

'This is really disgusting guys! Please bring down this ad. As ignorant as you are, the Elephant God does not eat meat,' one man said.

In the ad, Jesus is joined by an alien, a Buddhist and other gods and goddesses to enjoy a lamb lunch, with an atheist (pictured) announcing: 'What about we toast to lamb, the meat we can all eat?'

The advertisement (pictured) attracted a huge backlash, with viewers slamming it as 'ignorant'

'This is disrespectful to Hindu religion, hurting our sentiments and a senseless campaign. Your team has got it totally wrong by implying Lord Ganesha is having lamb at the dinner table with other gods,' another man said.

'For your information, Hindu gods and meat do not go together.'

Others 'demanded' the ad be withdrawn immediately.

'I demand an unconditional apology and that you revoke this campaign immediately,' one man said.

In the ad, the Gods poke fun at Ganesha and say 'So can we address the elephant in the room?' to which the Hindu god replies 'It's not funny, it wasn't funny two and a half thousand years ago and it's not funny now'.

The ad also makes a joke at Scientology's expense.

India's High Commission says the portrayal of Ganesha offends Hindu religious sensitivities

When Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard discovers Aphrodite is 'famous' he offers her some lamb and says: 'Have you ever thought about scientology?'

Hubbard is urged to steer clear of religious based discussion at the table, to which he replies: 'I gave up dinner with Tom Cruise for this'.

While gods from most religions made an appearance, Muhammad, the prophet and founder of Islam, did not.

The depiction of Muhammad has been a contentious issue, with Islamic teachings prohibiting Muslims from drawing him.

His lack of appearance in the ad prompted backlash.

The depiction of Muhammad has been a contentious issue, with Islamic teachings prohibiting Muslims from drawing him

While there were hundreds of comments calling for the ad to be dumped, some (pictured) were more supportive of its message

'Poor ad. Obviously scared of offending Muslims, leaving Muhammad out, but all other religions are fair game,' one man said.

Since the ad was released on Monday, a Hindu group has issued a formal request to the Australia Advertising Standards Bureau to ban the ad.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed said Lord Ganesha was 'highly revered in Hinduism and he was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling lamb meat for mercantile greed'.

'Linking Lord Ganesha with meat was very disrespectful and highly inappropriate.'

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed said Lord Ganesha was 'highly revered in Hinduism and he was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling lamb meat for mercantile greed'

'Linking Lord Ganesha with meat was very disrespectful and highly inappropriate' said Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, and some online commenters agreed (pictured)

While there were hundreds of comments calling for the ad to be dumped, some were more supportive of its message.

'Oh come on, it's a joke and I find it hilarious, especially the Tinder match and about Tom Cruise,' one man said.

'Didn't you notice the message about 'getting along together'?'

'I demand an unconditional apology and that you revoke this campaign immediately,' one man said (pictured)

Some Facebook users (pictured) did not approve of the ad and took MLA to task over its 'belittling of religion'

The advertisement was not the first to land Meat and Livestock Australia in hot water.

The MLA released a controversial Australia Day campaign in 2016 in which it spoke about racial insensitivity.

The ad garnered more than 400 complaints but was eventually cleared by the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau.
A man has been sentenced to almost two years in prison after he admitted to secretly filming thousands of people  including schoolchildren in uniform - using toilets at a shopping centre and two of Sydneys busiest train stations.

Benjamin Moorhouse was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Parramatta Local Court today for secretly recording people on the toilet for sexual gratification, according to 9 News.

The 40-year-old was arrested for filming thousands of people using unisex and disabled toilets at North Sydney and Parramatta train stations and at Parramatta Westfield in February and March this year.

Scroll down for video

Benjamin Moorhouse covered his face as he entered the courtroom to be sentenced

The 40-year-old father-of-two admitted to covertly filming thousands of people in toilets

The married father-of-two was fired from his job as a result, and when he was arrested he told police I could have filmed thousands, if people knew they would be disgusted.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of filming people in a private act to obtain sexual arousal, three counts of install a device to film and producing child abuse material.

According to police facts, Moorhouse put cameras in toilets which were at train stations he used travelling from his home in Parramatta to work in North Sydney.

He was finally snapped when a man saw a hidden camera stuck to a sink on February 10.

Moorhouse argued for a lesser sentence, saying his wifes infidelity and his disadvantaged upbringing played a part in his behaviour.

He told police he didnt mean to film children, and deleted all footage of them as they were not sexually gratifying to him, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Pictured is one of the cameras, one of which was found attached to a sink in a train station toilet
A gang of 'African' youths have stormed a Melbourne Coles, leaving shoppers terrified.

Mother-of-three was Alicia Fulcher was shopping with her young children at the Spring Hill shopping centre Coles on Saturday afternoon when the gang crashed through.

'All of a sudden this large crowd of basically teenagers just started crashing their way through the registers with arms full of stock,' Ms Fulcher told 3AW Radio.

Mother-of-three was Alicia Fulcher was shopping with her young children at the Spring Hill shopping centre Coles on Saturday afternoon when the gang crashed through

'I was terrified.'

Ms Fulcher told the program there were about 20-25 young people involved in the looting.

'Some of them looked as young as 11-12 years old,' she said.

'They were all African They are obviously here from Africa and everybody is getting angry about it.

'They seem to be sticking together and taking over I think.'

Ms Fulcher said the young people had no fear of being caught and even stopped to compare what they had stolen only metres from the store.

Victoria Police are investigating the incident.

In a statement police said: 'They went through and grabbed a range of items, leaving the store soon after without making any attempts to pay.

'It is believed confectionary, chips and soft drinks were stolen.

'The teenagers are perceived to be of African appearance and a number of them were wearing hooded jumpers and backpacks.'
A British stag-do reveller has become the first person ever to swim across the iconic Hoover Dam.

Arron Hughes, 28, was fined by police after swimming across the perilous stretch of water on the border of Arizona and Nevada.

And the forklift truck driver from Ruthin in North Wales says the only reason he made it across alive was because nine of the ten hydroelectric turbines were switched off.

Mr Hughes swam the length of the dam in around half an hour - adding he was fuelled by alcohol

Arron Hughes (left) was fined by police after swimming across the perilous stretch of water on the border of Arizona and Nevada

The holidaymaker was arrested at the scene but escaped jail because officers 'couldn't believe' he'd managed it

Some 275 people have died at the Hoover Dam in the last ten years. It stretches across the Black Canyon on the Colorado River, near Las Vegas

The Hoover Dam measures 221 meters (726 feet) with a crest-width of 379 meters (1,244 feet). Some 275 people have died at the site in the last ten years.

It stretches across the Black Canyon on the Colorado River, near Las Vegas.

Mr Hughes is thought to have escaped with his life because nine of the ten hydroelectric turbines were switched off.

And he said he doesn't know how much alcohol he'd had, but said his swim was 'fuelled by drink'.

Mr Hughes told Mail Online: 'It was all down to having enough beer at the time. Ten of us were on a stag do and it was my first time in Vegas.

'We hadn't stopped drinking all week and I just wanted to make the most of it.

'We decided to go and see the Hoover Dam and on the way there, me and my friend were sat in the back of the pick-up. It was like an oven - it was roasting.

'After a few days of drinking I decided I was going to go for a swim. The plan was to have a dip then jump out but in the end I though you only live once - I may as well go for it.

Mr Hughes (left) and the rest of the stag party decided to take a trip to the dam to make the most of their visit to Las Vegas

Mr Hughes was encouraged by his friends, who took pictures as he told them he was 'going for a dip'

Mr Hughes said: 'We hadn't stopped drinking all week and I just wanted to make the most of it'

He added: 'I didn't realise it was an offence. There are no signs saying no swimming - you're just expected not to'

Mr Hughes was led away in handcuffs before being fined 250 - but escaped jail because he was 'the only person who had ever achieved it'

The Hoover Dam measures some 221 meters (726 feet) with a crest-width of 379 meters (1,244 feet)

Photographs taken from above show the forklift truck driver attempting the dangerous swim

An officer at the scene ordering Mr Hughes to put his clothes back on after 'cooling off' in the dam

The 28-year-old's charge sheet, which he was given alongside a hefty 250 fine

'The water pushes you towards the wall so you've got to swim quite hard. It took about half an hour and you can't stop.

'The police were shocked. They were totally fine and just said we can't believe it.

'One officer said "in my whole lifetime I've never seen or heard of anyone doing it."

'I didn't realise it was an offence. There are no signs saying no swimming - you're just expected not to.'

Mr Hughes was led away in handcuffs before being fined 250.
A heroic father-of-three who drowned while trying to save four children from a rip tide in heavy seas has been hailed a hero by their devastated mother.

Shaun Oliver, 32, from Victoria, was in Wollongong on business when he raced into the treacherous surf on Sunday afternoon to try and save the children.

'It was an heroic act but it has unfortunately cost him his life,' Detective Inspector Brad Ainsworth of Wollongong Local Area Command told reporters on Monday.

The Wollongong father of the children had managed to get his two younger children to shore, but the two older boys aged 10 and 12 got caught in a rip.

And now the mother of the two boys struggling in the water has moved to heap praise on Mr Oliver in an emotional interview.

'He is a hero. I'm sure he is very happy in the place that he is now,' Islam Hammad told Seven News.

Scroll down for video

Shaun Oliver (pictured) from Victoria, was hailed as a hero after he entered the dangerous surf to save a 12-year-old boy at Wollongong City Beach on Sunday

'I feel terrible for myself, that I couldn't save him and I couldn't save my sons, I couldn't do anything but he didn't think about anything and he went straight away inside the water.'

'He saw the waves were very high but he went and saved them.'

Mr Oliver entered the water and managed to reach the 12-year-old, but got into trouble himself.

A surfer reached the pair and helped the boy towards the beach, but Mr Oliver was swept out to sea.

Three police officers swam out to reach him and pulled him from the water and paramedics gave him CPR but he died in hospital.

An off-duty paramedic helped the 10-year-old to shore.

The two boys and the off-duty paramedic were also taken to hospital for assessment.

Inquiries into the incident are continuing and police will prepare a report for the Coroner.

'He is a hero. I'm sure he is very happy in the place that he is now', Islam Hammad said

Shaun Oliver died after entering the surf to save a 12-year-old boy who was in trouble

The four children were all rescued, but 32-year-old was taken to hospital, where he later died

Mr Oliver's brother Nathanael wrote on a GoFundMe page that he had sacrificed himself to save the children, leaving behind his wife of almost 10 years and their three children.

'Shaun has sacrificed his future happiness and shared life with wife Carla and three beautiful children to do what none of us hope to do in this lifetime be tested,' his brother said.

'Sadly not long before their 10 year anniversary, Shaun was faced with an ultimatum.

'He chose to protect those who could not protect themselves. And he, and his family, have paid a heavy price.'

The two boys and the off-duty paramedic were also taken to hospital for assessment

Surf life saving patrols do not recommence at Wollongong City Beach for two more weeks

Det Insp Ainsworth said people should not have been swimming at the closed beach on Sunday as conditions were bad.

'The beach was closed. There was a heavy surf, a drag, an undercurrent, it was just all the conditions there that you don't go in.'

Surf Life Saving has warned beachgoers of the dangers of the surf.

'It might look picturesque and tame but there is quite a strong undercurrent and tow,' a spokesman said.

'Inexperienced people need to heed the warnings and don't go into the water.'
A Marine colonel who was awarded the Bronze Star has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison for sexually abusing the six-year-old daughter of one of his men.

On Saturday Colonel Daniel Wilson, 56, was found guilty of touching the genitalia of the little girl in the summer of last year during visits to her family. He was sentenced on Sunday.

Wilson was also found guilty of six counts of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman and being absent without leave after a string of drunken remarks made about a colleague's wife, Military.com reported.

Scroll down for video

Colonel Daniel Wilson (pictured left, and right heading into court), 56, was found guilty Sunday of touching the genitals of the six-year-old daughter of one of the men serving under him

Wilson had abused the girl during a two-week period last summer when he was visiting her family frequently. They said he was drunk and paid special attention to their daughter

Wilson, of Mason, Washington, has served in the Marines for 30 years and made 11 deployments

He had been at the top of his battalion when graduating, and was named platoon and series honorman, The Daily Beast reported.

But he will now be dismissed from the Corps and sent to prison, his career ending in ignominy.

His downfall became inevitable after charges were made in a series of incidents - only some of which involved the child - in Australia, North Carolina's Camp Lejeune, and Beaufort, South Carolina, in 2016.

The court heard how he and his wife Susan had grown close to the girl's family and visited them regularly over a two-week period beginning in June last year - and ending when the girl made the shocking accusations.

During that time the 240lb, 6-foot-3-inch-tall soldier had been left alone with the child on several occasions, and had paid particular attention to her when her parents were present, the court heard.

As well as touching the girl's genitals he was also accused of penetrating her with a finger, and licking and smacking the buttocks of one of her sisters - but found not guilty of both charges.

The girl eventually told her parents what had happened and he was arrested. He was also found guilty of conduct unbecoming of an officer while posted in Australia last year

Wilson (seen here in Thailand in 2014) had obtained photos of another officer's 'scantily clad' wife, shared it with colleagues and asked him for a pair of her panties, among other things

The girl, her sisters and their parents all testified in court about the abuse. He had been drunk on several occasions around the girl, they said.

Susan Wilson told The Daily Beast that her husband had suffered PTSD after driving over an explosive device in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2003.

He had been visibly suffering from alcohol withdrawal during his appearances in court, the site claimed.

The court also heard how Wilson had behaved inappropriately in a series of other, separate, incidents.

In January 2016, Wilson was accused by a woman of assaulting her the previous month, when she was sharing a hotel room with him and his wife in Beaufort.

She claimed that he twice leaped on top of her while she was in bed and penetrated her with his fingers.

The defense then questioned her credibility and details in her story, and Wilson was found not guilty of that charge of sexual assault and assault consummated by battery.

However, he was found guilty of going AWOL during that incident, for not getting permission to leave base during his trip to Beaufort.

Wilson, who has been in the brig in Camp Lejeune since January, was credited with nearly eight months' time served. The decorated officer is being fired from the Marine Corps

He had been dropped as operations officer for II Marine Expeditionary Force aboard Lejeune during the investigations, and was told he had to get permission to leave base - something he failed to do, the court heard.

Wilson was also found guilty on Saturday of six counts of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman while serving in Australia last year.

He had been given a liaison posting in the Australian city of Darwin, and almost immediately began a campaign of appalling behavior, the court heard.

That included making sexual remarks to the wife of another colonel, and soliciting a 'scantily clad' photograph of another officer's wife.

He then shared that photograph with an Australian commander and asked the same officer for a pair of his wife's panties.

Wilson was also found guilty of making a female officer feel uncomfortable with unduly familiar and crude Facebook messages.

He was fired from the liaison posting just 10 days into the job.

In total, Wilson - who has denied all of the claims against him - was found not guilty of six charges.

They were the rape of a child, assault consummated by battery upon a child under 16 years, sexual assault and assault consummated by battery, and three counts of conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman.

He has been granted almost eight months of time served, having spent that period in the brig at Camp Lejeune, where he was placed in January after the second round of accusations came to light.

It's currently unclear whether he or his family will be granted his salary or retirement benefits.
This is the moment a masked robber made off with wads of cash in an empty crisp packet after threatening a cashier by pretending his hand was a gun.

The brazen criminal stormed into the store in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, while the woman at the till chatted to two people as they paid for their shopping.

In CCTV footage from the robbery on Thursday, the suspect, wearing a dark jumper and a black mask, strides up to the counter holding what looks like an empty crisp packet in his left hand and pointing his right hand, hidden beneath his sleeve, at the cashier's face.

Brazen: CCTV footage shows the masked suspect striding up to the counter holding an empty crisp packet in his left hand and pointing his right hand at the cashier's face in Massachusetts

His right hand is covered up and held into position to look like a small gun.

The robber slams the crisp packet down on the counter before gesturing with his left hand, threatening the two customers with his 'gun' so that they back away from him.

The frightened cashier begins removing money from the till and placing it into the crisp packet.

With the crisp packet filled to the brim with notes, the robber walks quickly out of the camera shot and leaves the store.

Threatening: The brazen criminal stormed into the store in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and brandished his hidden right hand at the cashier to make her hand over wads of cash

A man playing the CCTV back and guiding the viewers through the video can be heard saying that the cashier was already wary of the suspect before he made his move.

He said: 'She sees this suspicious character out there. She had seen him around.

'He must have been waiting for the right moment or whatever.'

It is not clear if any arrests have yet been made. MailOnline has contacted West Bridgewater Police Department for more information.
Labour failed to defeat the government in the first vote on the EU Withdrawal Bill tonight.

An amendment that would have denied the crucial legislation a second reading was comfortably defeated by 318 to 296.

Earlier, Labour MPs had made clear they intended to defy Jeremy Corbyn's order to oppose the bill.

Former minister Frank Field said he would be voting for the'referendum result to be implemented'.

His colleague Caroline Flint insisted she would be ignoring Labour's three-line whip to abstain so the legislation can proceed.

But ominously for the government, senior Tory MPs were among those who demanded amendments at a later stage in the parliamentary process.

Jeremy Corbyn was in the Commons for the end of the second reading debate tonight, where he ordered his MPs to vote against the Bill

Former minister Frank Field said he would be voting for the'referendum result to be implemented' by backing the measures at second reading

Caroline Flint insisted she would be ignoring Labour's three-line whip to abstain so the legislation can proceed

The landmark measures would scrap the legislation that underpins our ties to Brussels, while at the same time copying all current EU law on to the domestic statute book to minimise disruption.

Labour and some Tory MPs voiced concern that ministers will also get so-called 'Henry VIII' powers to amend the rules as they are transposed.

Mr Corbyn is ordering his benches to oppose the Bill at second reading, even though it is a vote on the principle of the legislation.

However, he faces a rebellion from up to a dozen MPs who either supported Leave in the referendum or whose constituencies backed Brexit.

David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said efforts to derail the legal overhaul would mean a 'disorderly' Brexit and cause severe damage to the economy.

Mr Field, chairman of the Work and Pensions Committee, said: 'Tonight I will be voting for the only option - the referendum result to be implemented.

'That was the wish of my constituents and that was the wish of the country, and I don't wish there to be any different view put forward about whose side I'm on.

'I'm on the side of the majority of people who voted to come out.'

In a message aimed at ministers, Mr Field added: 'We have seen many people when we started this process bravely going about their lifetime views to actually implement the views of their constituents.

'But given the frailty of human nature, we've had one or two recidivists who are now thinking... about there may be reasons for not doing this and doing the other.

'I therefore put on the order paper, when we come back to committee, grouping them together, a four-clause bill.

The landmark measures being considered by the Commons tonight would scrap the legislation that underpins our ties to Brussels, while at the same time copying all current EU law on to the domestic statute book to minimise disruption

Brexit Secretary David Davis was in the Commons to hear the end of the debate on the EU Withdrawal Bill second reading tonight

Justice Secretary David Lidington wound up the debate for he government tonight

Tory backbenchers supported the bill but many made clear they would seek amendments at a later stage

'Because the Government, by having this mega bill, is storing up no end of trouble by those people, those members who are wolves in sheep's clothing who will actually try and undo the measure.

'The four crucial things we need from this Bill are, first of all, a leave date. Secondly, we need to incorporate all the law that there is - in the European Union and its regulations.

'Third clause will be to give us the means by which this House of Commons and then their lordships review which we want to keep, which we want to improve, which we want to do away with.'

Mrs Flint told MPs the only reason for blocking the legislation would be to 'thwart' Brexit.

'The truth is, whoever was in Government, we would have to pass a Bill of this kind to prepare for leaving the EU in March 2019,' Mrs Flint said.

'And there can be little disagreement on that, unless your ambition is to thwart the result of the EU referendum and prevent or delay the UK leaving the EU.

'Now I believe Labour's job is to improve the Bill by amending it - not killing the Bill at the beginning of its passage through Parliament.'

She added: 'I will work with others to improve this Bill, but tonight I cannot vote to block this Bill and I shall be abstaining to allow the Bill to be further discussed and amended.

'We have a job to do to ensure a smooth, orderly Brexit.'

Labour MP Stephen Kinnock said the legislation amounted to a 'coup'. 'Let us make no mistake, this Bill is not about delivering the will of people, rather it's about gagging our democracy and this House by the way of a false discourse. It is a silent coup d'etat, masquerading as technical necessity,' he said.

Potential Tory rebels had signalled that they would support the Bill at second reading - keeping their powder dry for later in the parliamentary process.

That should mean the government has a comfortable majority in the key vote tonight.

Hundreds of amendments could be table as the legislation goes into committee stage, with peers vowing 'trench warfare' to soften Theresa May's approach to Brexit.

Ahead of the debate, Mr Davis said: 'A vote against this Bill is a vote for a chaotic exit from the European Union.

'The British people did not vote for confusion and neither should Parliament.

'Providing certainty and stability in the lead up to our withdrawal is a key priority.

'Businesses and individuals need reassurance that there will be no unexpected changes to our laws after exit day and that is exactly what the repeal bill provides.

'Without it, we would be approaching a cliff edge of uncertainty which is not in the interest of anyone.

Tories Sir Edward Leigh and Maria Miller both insisted the EU legislation must be allowed to proceed through second reading

Labour's Stephen Kinnock said he believed the legislation amounted to a 'coup' attempt

'That's why I'm urging all MPs of all parts of the UK to come together in support of this crucial legislation so that we can leave the European Union safe in the knowledge that we are ready for day one of exit.'

Mr Johnson told Today that failure to pass the legislation would mean 'the whole thing being disorderly and chaotic'.

He also held out an olive branch to the EU, saying he wanted to see the bloc have a 'renaissance' at the same time as the UK.

'I'm interest to hear that the commission president, Monsieur Juncker - who has many great qualities, by the way - he has said that he regards Brexit as... a moment for the renaissance of the European Union.

'Well, fantastic, let's get on with it, let's have a renaissance of the European Union.'

The Bill overturns the 1972 Act which took Britain into the European Economic Community and incorporates relevant EU laws into the UK statute book to prevent black holes in the law at the point of Brexit.

Three votes are expected - on a Labour amendment, the main second reading motion and the programme motion, which sets out the time available for MPs to go through the Bill line-by-line in the Commons.

There are currently a guaranteed 64 hours over eight days for committee stage, when amendments can be made, but concerns have been expressed by Tory and Labour MPs that this will not be enough time given the constitutional significance of the legislation.

If the Government motion setting out the time for debate is defeated ministers will have to consider an alternative timetable.

The votes are likely to take place in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
When it comes to managing substance use disorders in jails, there are many moving parts and parties involved.

Challenges stemming from inmates with withdrawals after detox and reduced tolerance upon their sober release have emerged in recent years, particularly in the current opioid epidemic. Training available from recent federal funding has kickstarted state assistance for jails to better manage treatment and resources for those afflicted with a substance use disorder. On Wednesday and Thursday, staff from North Dakota jail and corrections entities met in Fargo and Bismarck to discuss addiction treatment moving forward.

The Heartview Foundation and Community Medical Services contracted with the North Dakota Department of Human Services for correctional training and technical assistance, working with jails to help develop policies at this early stage.

"You have to have those policies and implement those policies and see them to fruition," said Pamela Sagness, director of the NDDHS behavioral health division.

She also said that assessments at the time of an inmate's admission are not effective enough. Intoxicated individuals can develop withdrawals. Some people may not have medication like suboxone or methadone with them when admitted to jail, she added.

"We need to make sure we educate jail administrators from corrections staff to officers," Sagness said.

Meanwhile, opioid use on the rise has challenged practices in pain management, said Dr. Lisa Peterson, clinical director for the state department of corrections and rehabilitation. Most users don't start with heroin, she said. Use can even stem from drugs for wisdom teeth removal.

"We definitely see opioid use on the rise and along with that comes overdoses and deaths related to that," she said. "(Addicted) folks coming into our facilities are really at risk in a couple of ways."

Inmates with addiction are at high risk for withdrawals, which can create serious conditions, Peterson said. Also, upon release, inmates can lose tolerance against a drug after sober incarceration. Some people have a predisposition in their brain chemistry to respond negatively as well, she said.

Moving forward, Sagness said medical staff and law enforcement will integrate into training as parts of the equation to better treatment. Thursday's event in Bismarck largely involved jail administrators and their medical and mental health staff, she said.

"It's so important that we recognize law enforcement and medical providers as part of the solution," she said.

Capt. Lisa Wicks, of the Burleigh-Morton County Detention Center, said three staff members attended Thursday's event, including Maj. Steve Hall, behavioral health specialist Mark Kemmet and nurse Tara Canright.
A crane on its way to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee in Dallas was involved in a car accident that killed one person, police say.

The crane collided with a semi-truck around 8.20pm on Sunday, just seven miles from the statue in Robert E Lee Park.

The semi-truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while the crane driver did not suffer any serious injuries.

A crane on its way to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee (pictured) from Lee Park in Dallas collided with a semi-truck on Sunday, killing the truck driver

The crash occurred after the crane turned westbound on a green left-turn arrow. The semi-truck driver had run through a light as he or she drove south on the freeway and collided with the crane, CBS DFW reported.

A statement from the city said that the semi-truck driver 'was travelling ... at a very high rate of speed and failed to yield the right of way, colliding into the crane'.

City manager TC Broadnax told Dallas News that the accident is under official review.

Police are continuing to investigate the crash, and it is unclear how the incident will affect the time frame of the statue removal.

A judge had ruled on Thursday that the statue would be removed, despite the Sons of Confederate Veterans filing a restraining order to halt the removal process.

Court documents show US District Judge Sidney Fitzwater ruled Thursday that Dallas resident Hiram Patterson and the Sons of Confederate Veterans had not proven that the removal violated their free-speech rights or that the city had not provided due process in approving its removal.

Police are continuing to investigate the crash, and it is unclear how the incident will affect the time frame of the statue removal. A judge had ruled on Thursday that the statue would be removed, despite the Sons of Confederate Veterans filing a restraining order to halt the removal process

The Dallas City Council had voted almost unanimously Wednesday to remove the statue immediately.

A harness had been placed around the statue, when Patterson requested a temporary restraining order and a chance to argue his case against removal.

The removal had been scheduled for Friday, but had to be delayed to Sunday due to Dallas not having necessary removal equipment.

The crane that had been scheduled to remove the statue on Sunday night had arrived in the city from Houston less than an hour before the crash.

A removal resolution - which also told the Mayor's Task Force to look for other statues and streets dedicated to Confederate figures - was approved in the city in a 13-1 vote after a proposal by four black council members.

The resolution said that further action may be taken against the other Confederate monuments in the city in November.

Before the resolution was passed, the Lee Park and the Arlington Hall Conservancy said it supported removing the Robert E Lee statue.

Delivered: Sons of Confederate Veterans member Gary Bray (left) delivered the court order to police at the statue. The suit was filed by Hiram Patterson (right)

It noted that the statue was owned by the city, not the conservancy, and said it would 'address' the space left by the statue at a later date.

It also said it hoped to rename itself sooner rather than later.

'We are hoping that process can be expedited, and the Council will simply return the park's moniker to Oak Lawn Park which was the original designation of the property when the park was established in the early 1900s,' it said.

The move comes amid mounting pressure around the country to remove statues to Confederate soldiers in the wake of the violence seen in Charlottesville, Virginia last month.

That saw one die and dozens injured in clashes between white supremacists protesting the removal of a Lee statue and counter-protesters.

Since then a number of statues have been damaged, including one of Robert E Lee at Duke University's Duke Chapel in Durham, North Carolina, on August 19 which was subsequently removed.
A terrified mother and her baby were dramatically rescued as floodwater filled their Miami Beach home during Hurricane Irma.

The woman raised the alarm when she became trapped with her four-month-old child at her home along North East 137th Street in North Miami Beach, Florida.

She had planned to ride out Irma inside until the hurricane had cleared only for flood water to pour in to her apartment.

A terrified mother and her baby were dramatically rescued as floodwater filled their Miami Beach home during Hurricane Irma. Police later posted a picture of the four-month-old baby as they led the couple to safety

Emergency crews arrived in a Mini-Resistant Ambush Protected military vehicle before carrying out the rescue

According to NBC Miami, she decided she had no choice but to call emergency services.

A neighbor is also said to have raised concerns about the pair being trapped.

Emergency crews arrived in a Mini-Resistant Ambush Protected military vehicle.

North Miami Beach Police later posted a picture or a rescuer holding the four-month-old baby in his arms.

The police force tweeted: 'NMBPD utilized its armored personnel carrier to rescue a mother and her four month old child from her flooded home.'

NBC Miami said the mother and child were taken to the North Miami beach Senior High School shelter.

Hurricane Irma took aim at heavily populated areas of central Florida this morning as it carved a path of destruction through the state with high winds and storm surges that left millions without power, ripped roofs off homes and flooded city streets.

The woman raised the alarm when she became trapped with her four-month-old child at her home along North East 137th Street in North Miami Beach (pictured)

Irma, once ranked as one of the most powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic, came ashore on Florida on Sunday and battered towns up and down the state. This was the scene in Miami on Sunday

Irma, once ranked as one of the most powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic, came ashore on Florida on Sunday and battered towns up and down the state.

It weakened to a Category 1 hurricane, carrying maximum sustained winds of about 85 miles per hour by 2am on Monday.

The storm was churning northwest in the center of the state near the Tampa and Orlando metro areas on Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm killed at least 28 people as it raged westward through the Caribbean en route to Florida, devastating several small islands, and grazing Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti before pummeling parts of Cuba's north coast with 36-foot-tall (11-m) waves.

Irma was ranked a Category 5, the rare top end of the scale of hurricane intensity, for days and its ferocity as it bore down on hurricane-prone Florida prompted one of the largest evacuations in U.S. history.

Some 6.5 million people, about a third of the state's population, had been ordered to evacuate southern Florida. Residents fled to shelters, hotels or relatives in safer areas.
Jeanette Fidler (pictured outside court in 2012) has 218 convictions over 20 years

A thieving mother-of-three has walked free from court despite being one of the most heavily convicted women in Britain.

Former recruitment boss Jeanette Fidler, 44, has clocked up 218 convictions over the past two decades after she lost her job and became hooked on heroin.

Police believe she has plundered tens of thousands of pounds worth of items during raids on ladies lockers at gyms, health centres and spas across the North of England.

One victim lost her engagement and wedding ring and on other occasions Fidler broke into five different lockers in one swoop.

Despite being repeatedly arrested and jailed, Fidler would come out of jail and do the same thing again.

She would trick staff into opening lockers for her by pretending a friend had left with the key or that she had lost it.

Fidler, of Oldham, either sold the property or dishonestly used cheques or credit cards to go on spending sprees.

In a bid to stop her thieving spree, Fidler was banned from all leisure centres, gyms or hotels in the UK under the terms of an ASBO-style Criminal Behaviour Order.

But she was arrested again in July after various lockers were broken into after staff let her use the ladies toilet at Salford Community Leisure centre in Greater Manchester.

At Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, Fidler admitted breaching her Criminal Behaviour Order but escaped with a 12-month community order.

Fidler, of Oldham, either sold the property or dishonestly used cheques or credit cards to go on spending sprees

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Fidler (picturedright, in a mugshot from 2013) admitted breaching her Criminal Behaviour Order but escaped with a 12-month community order

The single mother - who has three-year-old son - claimed she was only at the leisure centre because she was desperate for the toilet whilst visiting an art and craft fayre.

But Judge Bernadette Baxter said: 'I don't believe a word of it. The reality is she is a woman who is a heroin addict.

'She knew what this place was, she knew there was a pool there, with lockers and a gym.

'She could have gone to the local shops, pubs, cafes, anywhere that has a toilet. Why did she go out of her way to go to the leisure centre? How daft does she think people are?'

The judge added: 'You have umpteen previous convictions but I'm not going to send you to prison as I think this will encourage your little boy to get involved with the kind of life you have lived.

'We need to prevent you from going to leisure centre, breaking into the lockers and stealing other people's stuff, causing them distress and upset so you must get involved in a drug rehabilitation programme.

'You need to get in control and keep control and you need to start putting your child first instead of yourself.'
The son of Former Fox News host Eric Bolling was enduring 'emotional torture' over the sexual harassment claims against father before he was found dead, it has been revealed.

Eric Chase Bolling, 19, was 'destroyed' after his father parted ways with the cable giant amid claims he sent unsolicited photos of male genitalia to colleagues, though the circumstances surrounding the teen's death remain a mystery.

The University of Colorado Boulder student was found dead in his bed on Friday afternoon, with the covers over him in a normal position.

The working theory is that he died from an overdose, but sources close to the investigation told TMZ that there was no suicide note, and no pill bottles or drug paraphernalia were recovered at the scene.

Eric Chase Bolling (seen right with his father a November 2016 photograph) was 'destroyed' after his father parted ways with the cable giant amid claims he sent unsolicited photos of male genitalia to colleagues

The University of Colorado Boulder student was found dead in his bed on Friday afternoon, with the covers over him in a normal position. The working theory is that he died from an overdose, but there was no suicide note found at the scene

Sources close to Bolling Sr said that the Fox News host parted ways with the cable giant partly because his son was having a hard time handling the sexual harassment allegations against his father.

Bolling Sr found out about his son's death just two hours after confirming his exit deal with Fox.

He said the cause of death is under investigation but that authorities told him there was 'no sign of self harm at this point' and that an autopsy was planned next week.

He was the only child of Bolling, 54, and his wife, Adrienne

Bolling Sr confirmed the tragic passing on Saturday afternoon in a tweet. He wrote that he and his wife were distraught.

'Adrienne and I are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Eric Chase last night. Details still unclear. Thoughts, prayers appreciated' wrote Bolling Sr.

The shocking news was first reported in a tweet by journalist Yashar Ali, who also broke the story last month about alleged lewd texts sent by Bolling Sr to female staff members at Fox News.

Bolling Sr confirmed the tragic passing of the University of Colorado Boulder student on Saturday afternoon. In a tweet, he wrote that he and his wife were distraught

Initial findings: Bolling Sr later tweeted that his son's death did not appear to have been from self-harm

Bolling Sr insists the allegations are false and has filed a $50million lawsuit against Ali.

'Very sad news, Eric Bolling's son, who was only 19, died last night,' wrote Ali earlier on Saturday afternon. 'By all accounts, Eric was incredibly devoted to his son. Heartbreaking.'

Fox News released a statement on Saturday, saying: 'We are very saddened to hear of the passing of Eric Bolling's son.

'Eric Chase was a wonderful young man and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Bolling family.'

President Donald Trump retweeted condolences from Kellyanne Conway and Sean Hannity that lamented the teen's death.

Conway wrote on Saturday: 'Love and prayers for friends Adrienne & Eric Bolling. May Eric Chase know eternal peace.'

Hannity tweeted: '@ericbolling To my dear friend, please know we all love you, will be here for you and your family.'

The tragic death took place one day after it came to light that Bolling Sr agreed to leave the network following an investigation into claims of sexual harassment.

Three of his colleagues claimed that he sent them unsolicited photos of male genitalia via text message.

Sources close to Bolling Sr said that the Fox News host parted ways with the cable giant partly because his son was having a hard time handling the sexual harassment allegations against his father

Eric Bolling's son Eric Chase is pictured here in 2015 before his prom. The caption from his father on the snap read 'My guy is growing up'

The rising Fox News host was suspended during the investigation and left the network where he has anchored several different shows for the past 10 years.

'Fox News Channel is canceling The Specialists, and Eric Bolling and Fox have agreed to part ways amicably,' a network spokesperson told DailyMail.com.

'We thank Eric for his ten years of service to our loyal viewers and wish him the best of luck.'

After the allegations emerged back in August, Bolling Sr had maintained his innocence and tweeted: 'I will continue to fight against these false smear attacks! THANK YOU FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT'.

The network began investigating after two of the women who claimed to have received the photo worked with Bolling Sr at Fox Business Network, while a third woman works at Fox News, Huffington Post reported.

The women all claim they did not solicit the messages and that they knew the message was from Bolling Sr, who has been married to his wife since 1997, because they recognized the phone number from previous informal and work-related interactions.

The Huffington Post reported that the messages were sent several years ago on separate occasions.

As of Saturday afternoon, there was no official confirmation as to the cause of death. Officials are performing an autopsy on Eric Chase's body

After receiving the messages reportedly from Bolling Sr, the women told their colleagues that they were deeply offended and upset.

One of the women replied to the 54-year-old anchor instructing him to never send her photos of male genitalia ever again; he reportedly did not respond.

The identities of the women have not been released to the public. Bolling Sr had previously denied all allegations against him.

It was announced last month that Bolling Sr is reportedly suing the Huffington Post reporter who broke the story claiming that he had sent several female co-workers lewd photos.

Ali tweeted last month that he is being personally sued by Bolling Sr for $50million in damages for the story which led to the Fox reporter's suspension on Saturday.

'It's important to note that Bolling's summons does not include HuffPost - he is coming after me personally. I'm a big boy...but very telling,' Ali tweeted on Wednesday.

Yashar Ali, a contributor to New York magazine and the Huffington Post, broke the news on Saturday that the 19-year-old son of former Fox News host Eric Bolling had died

Ali was the reporter who initially broke the story in Huffington Post last month about the alleged lewd texts sent by Bolling to colleagues at Fox News, resulting in an internal investigation

'Not going to stop reporting on Eric Bolling or anyone else. I've had family members killed/jailed in Iran, a lawsuit isn't going to scare me,' he added, writing that he 'stand(s) by my reporting + will protect my sources.'

Bolling is represented by Michael Bowe - a lawyer from the same firm as Marc Kasowitz, President Trump's personal attorney until July.

The defamation lawsuit seeks $50 million in damages for 'the defendant's efforts to injure the plaintiff's reputation through the intentional and/or highly reckless publication of actionable false and misleading statements about the plaintiff's conduct and character.

'As a result of the defendant's actions, the plaintiff has been substantially harmed,' the summons sent to Ali stated.

Since the allegations emerged against Bolling, a Fox News guest, who claimed in the past she was sexually harassed by Bill O'Reilly, came forward to claim she was also on the receiving end of unwanted advances by Bolling.

Caroline Heldman, a 44-year-old Associate Professor of Politics at Occidental College in Los Angeles, made 'hundreds' of appearances on Fox between 2008 and 2011, many of which were on Bolling's show Bulls & Bears.

Bolling and his wife, Adrienne (above together), have been married since 1997. They have one son together, Chase

The rising Fox News host was suspended during the investigation and will now leave the network where he has anchored several different shows for the past 10 years

Between appearances, she claimed Bolling, 54, called and texted her to invite her to New York to 'have fun'. On one occasion when she was in town, he took her into his office and told her it was his favorite place to have sex, she said.

He called her 'Dr. McHottie' on air and, she said, would sometimes call her afterwards to apologize 'and then do it again'.

Heldman made her accusations in a lengthy Facebook post on Saturday in which she also claimed that 'several other women' received similar treatment from him.

'My only surprise is that it took this long for people to come forward about Bolling's behavior, which has been wildly inappropriate for years,' she wrote.

Bolling denies ever making inappropriate and unsolicited contact with her.

His attorney Michael Bowe told DailyMail.com: 'Mr. Bolling never had any interactions with Ms. Heldman of a sexual nature, and any such accusation would be false and defamatory.'

The father-of-one co-hosted the Fox News show The Specialists and hosted Cashin' In.

Since the allegations emerged, Caroline Heldman (above), a Fox News guest, who says she was sexually harassed by Bill O'Reilly, came forward to claim she was also on the receiving end of unwanted advances by Bolling

Heldman claims she was the victim of unsolicited sexual advances from Bolling between 2008 and 2011 when she would regularly appear on the network. During a 2011 appearance on Bolling's show Bulls & Bears, he referred to her as 'the great Dr. McHottie' (above)

Heldman made the accusations in a lengthy Facebook post after Bolling was suspended

His show The Specialist only just premiered in May. He previously served as one of five anchors on the network's show, The Five.

Prior to joining the network in 2008, Bolling worked at CNBC and was a former commodities trader.

In the past year, the network has faced numerous accusations of sexual harassment and assault by Fox Business and Fox News on-air talent and executives.

Former Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes resigned last year after ex-Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a lawsuit accusing him of sexual harassment.

Numerous current and former Fox News hosts have accused Ailes of harassment since he was forced out of the company.

Twenty-First Century Fox paid out $50million to settle sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits at Fox News in the last 12 months.

The figure was disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The family of a Swedish journalist who died on board an inventor's submarine before her body was dumped at sea have released a heartbreaking tribute video.

In the footage friends praise 30-year-old Kim Wall as a 'phenomenal journalist' and 'a beautiful person' who 'gave the best hugs'.

Her devastated parents, who are also both journalists, have also started a fund to help women interested in 'the undercurrents of rebellion' into their industry.

Family and friends have paid tribute to Swedish journalist Kim Wall who died on board a Danish inventor's submarine while she was following him for a story

A heartbreaking tribute video shows Kim as a child, speaks about her upbringing by two journalist parents, and her own 'phenomenal' talent

Friends say Kim had a 'childlike curiosity' which allowed her to fearlessly travel the world in search of stories to cover

Peter Madsen, the submarine's creator who Kim was following for a story, has been charged with her murder after her naked torso was discovered in Copenhagen harbour on August 23.

He admits killing her by accident after dropping the 150lbs hatch of Nautilus UC3 on her head and dumping her body, but denies murder and mutilating the corpse.

The short video, which was released online last week, starts with Kim herself speaking to the camera from the middle of the Pacific ocean while out on a story.

The award-winning journalist, who had work published by the likes of the New York Times and Time, speaks about her passion, her favourite kinds of stories, and her hopes of making a career in foreign policy reporting.

Her friends then give their emotional tributes, some in broken voices, as footage of Kim's life from childhood to her work plays in the background.

Different voices praise Kim's 'infectious curiosity', her abilities as 'an artist and a storyteller', and her 'innocence and goodwill'.

Emotional voices recount Kim's life, including how she would accompany her parents on small reporting trips as a child (pictured with mother Ingrid)

Kim is praised as a 'beautiful person', with an 'infectious curiosity' that took her all over the world to cover stories she was passionate about

One of her most incredible adventures came while journeying to a nuclear waste dump in a remote part of the pacific (pictured)

As well as being an award-winning journalist, Kim was praised as an exceptional and affectionate friend who formed bonds with people all over the world

'Kim was always having goodbye parties,' on person recalls, 'and I suppose it's an irony that the more you say it to someone, you feel like - soon enough - you'll get to say it to them again.'

'She was always very excited to see you. And she gave the best hugs,' another friend remembers.

'She gave the best hugs,' another voice echoes. 'I don't know what she did to those hugs but they were special and they made you feel all warm inside.'

Speaking about her hopes and dreams, another of Kim's friends says: 'Kim would have wanted more women out there in the world, brushing up against life.'

To that end her parents, Ingrid and Joachim, have started a fund through the Remembering Kim Wall website.

Ms Wall was last seen boarding the submarine with Madsen on the evening of August 10, and was supposed to take part in a test voyage for a story she was writing.

Early the following day the submarine was reported to be in trouble and the coast guard rescued Madsen from the vessel before it sank.

The same day Kim's family reported her missing, and Madsen claimed to have dropped her off on an island in Copenhagen harbour hours earlier.

Madsen was taken for questioning by police and charged with manslaughter after changing his story about his final moments with Kim.

Almost two weeks later her partial remains were discovered, and Madsen was charged with murder and indecent handling of a corpse.

Kim was last seen on August 10 boarding a submarine alongside Peter Madsen, before her dismembered and naked torso was found days later

Madsen (left) admits accidentally killing Kim by dropping a submarine hatch on her head, but denies murder and dismembering her body

Kim's parents Ingrid and Joachim have set up a fund in her honour 'to fund a female reporter to cover subculture and what Kim liked to call "the undercurrents of rebellion"

Police say Ms 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,

Madsen has admitted that Miss Wall died on his submarine, and says he then 'buried her at sea', before deliberately sinking the vessel he had spent years building.

Madsen told a court that the pair had climbed up into the submarine's watchtower after coming up from deep water.

He said he climbed up ahead of her and when Miss Wall came up to join him, he slipped and dropped a heavy hatch on her head.

'If I hadn't slipped, then the hatch would not have fallen - we would have had Kim alive and I would not have been sat here today,' he said according to Aftonbladet.

When Madsen went down after her, she was 'bleeding profusely' from her head, and he says he tried to give her first aid, but came to the conclusion that she had died.

Instead of calling for help, he says he then steered out on the Baltic Sea 'to think'. Despite there being 'a lot' of blood in the submarine, Madsen then slept for a few hours, before he decided to get rid of Miss Wall's body.

He denies that he dismembered or undressed her, saying he carried her body up to the top of the submarine, at which point he says 'her shoe and tights fell off'.

Madsen told the court he tied her hands and feet with a rope and threw her off the submarine into the sea.

When asked by the prosecutor why he lied about dropping Miss Wall off alive on the night before sinking his submarine, Nautilus UC3, he replied he just wanted some time to say goodbye to his wife and cats before 'it all came out'.
Jeremy Corbyn has refused to rule out keeping Britain in the EU single market after Brexit.

The Labour leader said staying in the body was 'open for discussion' - despite such a move implying that free movement would continue.

The comments came as the veteran left-winger faces a damaging rebellion by up to a dozen MPs when the crucial EU Withdrawal Bill has its second reading vote tonight.

Former Europe minister Caroline Flint this morning joined those making clear they will defy Mr Corbyn in order to 'respect' the will of the public.

Jeremy Corbyn has been accused of backsliding on Brexit by Tory MP Dominic Raab

Former Europe minister Caroline Flint said this morning that she would defy Mr Corbyn in order to 'respect' the will of the public. Shadow minister John Healey, the MP for Wentworth and Dearne in South Yorkshire, told Mr Corbyn privately that he is 'sending the wrong message' to voters in the party's northern heartlands

The landmark measures would scrap the legislation that underpins our ties to Brussels, while at the same time copying all current EU law on to the domestic statute book to minimise disruption.

But Labour and some Tory MPs are concerned that ministers will also get so-called 'Henry VIII' powers to amend the rules as they are transposed.

Potential Conservative rebels have signalled that they will support the Bill in principle at second reading - keeping their powder dry for later in the parliamentary process.

That should mean the government has a comfortable majority in the key vote tonight.

Speaking on the BBC Radio 4's World at One, Mr Corbyn pleaded with colleagues to toe the Labour line on the bill tonight.

Pressed on whether his party could support staying in the single market, after a series of shifts in its position on the issue, Mr Corbyn said: 'There has to be a trade relationship with Europe, whether that's formally in the single market or whether that's an agreement to trade within the single market. That's open to discussion or negotiation.'

CORBYNISTAS TAKE KEY LABOUR ROLES FROM MODERATES Ms De Piero highlighted abuse she received from left-wingers during the campaign Corbynistas have taken key Labour roles in a major boost for the party's Left wing. Tottenham CLP secretary Seema Chandwani and ex-Communication Workers Union boss Billy Hayes overwhelmingly beat moderate MP Gloria De Piero and Labour peer Michael Cashman for seats on the Conference Arrangements Committee. The victors - supported by the Momentum campaign group - won around 200,000 votes between them. By contrast the moderates received some 100,000. The result means the left of the party will control much of the agenda for next year's Labour conference. Ms De Piero congratulated the successful candidates, but also highlighted abuse she received from left-wingers during the campaign. She retweeted a message stating: 'Now get the trojan-horse tory blairites OUT of our party.' 'A kinder, gentler politics lives on,' Ms De Piero wrote. Advertisement

He added: 'We want a relationship which allows us to trade within the single market.

'Whether that is formal membership, which is only possible, I believe, if you are actually a member of the EU, or whether it is an agreed trading relationship, is open for discussion.'

Mr Corbyn, who had flatly ruled out staying in the single market before parliament's summer break, also repeatedly dodged saying that free movement should end after a post-Brexit transition deal.

He appeared not to know the current figure for net annual immigration, merely saying it was below 300,000.

And he declined to say inflows should come down, saying EU workers were essential to the NHS.

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn later sought to clarify his words again, saying the 'position hasn't changed'.

'We won't be 'members' of the single market after the transition.

We want to achieve full tariff free access to the single market,' the spokesman said.

'That could be achieved by a new relationship with the single market or a bespoke trade deal with the EU, which was what Jeremy was referring too.'

Tory MP for Bournemouth West, Conor Burns, took a swipe at Labour's chaos over their position on Brexit.

Speaking in the House of Commons during the debate on the EU repeal bill today, he said: 'The shadow home secretary supports free movement. The leader of the opposition and the shadow Brexit secretary say it must end.

'The deputy leader says we would stay in the single market forever. The shadow chancellor says we should leave the single market to respect the referendum.

'The shadow trade secretary has described staying in the customs union as 'a disaster', and the shadow Brexit secretary supports staying in a customs union, while the deputy leader of the Labour Party says we could stay in the customs union indefinitely.

'One could be forgiven for thinking that honourable gentlemen opposite and their ladies on the front bench are getting their inspiration from Heinz, the 57 varieties of Brexit that are on offer.'

Earlier, Mrs Flint told the Today programme: 'I do believe that in respecting the outcome of the referendum, in respecting what I said to my electors in the general election just a few months ago, it is important that we get on with the job of making sure we can have as smooth an exit from the EU as possible.'

Shadow minister John Healey, the MP for Wentworth and Dearne in South Yorkshire, has reportedly told Mr Corbyn privately that he is 'sending the wrong message' to voters in the party's northern heartlands.

CORBYN VOWS TO FIGHT NEXT ELECTION Jeremy Corbyn has vowed to fight the next general election - and insisted it will come before 2022. Under the fixed term parliaments act, Mr Corbyn would be weeks away from his 73rd birthday by the time the country goes to the polls again. The scheduled date for the vote is May 5, 2022. But the Labour leader said he was 'fit and healthy' and determined to continue. Advertisement

Sources say Mr Healey, Labour's housing spokesman, told last week's shadow cabinet meeting: 'We are sending the wrong signal to the country with this.

'We have to vote for the bill.'

The law will repeal the European Communities Act of 1972 which enshrines the supremacy of EU law.

It will also smooth the path to Brexit by transferring EU laws on to the domestic statute book.

After months of changing its policy on Brexit, Labour now backs staying in the single market and customs union for years after we leave the bloc during any 'transition' phase.

Tony Blair yesterday applauded the approach, saying it was 'greatly to be welcomed'.

Labour MP Kate Hoey last week accused her party of 'trying to scupper Brexit'.

Hundreds of amendments could be table as the EU Withdrawal Bill goes into committee stage, with peers vowing 'trench warfare' to soften Theresa May's approach to Brexit.

Brexit Secretary David Davis (pictured in the Commons last week) is braced for the first key votes on the EU Withdrawal Bill tonight

Mr Davis (left) has been embroiled in fraught Brexit negotiations with the EU's Michel Barnier

Ahead of the debate today, Mr Davis said: 'A vote against this Bill is a vote for a chaotic exit from the European Union.

'The British people did not vote for confusion and neither should Parliament.

'Providing certainty and stability in the lead up to our withdrawal is a key priority.

LABOUR'S SHIFTING BREXIT POSITION Jeremy Corbyn, Andrew Marr show, July 23: 'The single market is dependent on membership of the EU. What we have said all along is that we want a tariff-free trade access to the European market and a partnership with (it).' Keir Starmer, Guardian, August 26: 'Remaining in a form of customs union with the EU is a possible end destination for Labour, but that must be subject to negotiations. 'It also means that Labour is flexible as to whether the benefits of the single market are best retained by negotiating a new single market relationship or by working up from a bespoke trade deal.' Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth, Sky News, September 10: Asked whether staying inside the single market could be a 'permanent outcome': 'No I don't think that is the case. Obviously, we are leaving the European Union.' Mr Corbyn, BBC Radio 4, September 11: 'There has to be a trade relationship with Europe, whether that's formally in the single market or whether that's an agreement to trade within the single market. That's open to discussion or negotiation.' Advertisement

'Businesses and individuals need reassurance that there will be no unexpected changes to our laws after exit day and that is exactly what the repeal bill provides.

'Without it, we would be approaching a cliff edge of uncertainty which is not in the interest of anyone.'

The pressures on Mr Corbyn from the wings of his party were underlined last night when shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman insisted free movement must end after we leave the EU.

Many Labour MPs are pressing the leadership to say unfettered immigration can continue so the UK can stay in the EU single market.

But Mrs Chapman  who represents Brexit-backing Darlington  said that was not acceptable.

'We need control. What people wanted when they voted is to have control over the system,' she told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour.

Justice Minister Dominic Raab accused Mr Corbyn of fraud over the weekend after Labour told Brexit supporters during the election that it would respect the result of the referendum.

He told Sky News: 'Come Monday evening I think the Labour Party will have their cards called because they toured up and down the country saying they were going to back Brexit.

'Now they're voting against this whole bill. That is a fraud, it is Jeremy Corbyn's biggest con trick on Labour voters and the country yet.' Up to 30 Labour MPs may rebel today by voting for the bill. Those who represent seats that voted for Brexit fear they will face a wave of anger from constituents.'
A wannabe pirate has narrowly escaped death after falling from height as he climbed the mast of an historic yacht in Newcastle harbour.

As the 20-year-old initially scaled his way up the mast to a height of about 10 metres, he wowed the which had gathered on the jetty below on Sunday afternoon.

But their amazement soon turned to horror as he attempted to make a quick descent down the ropes, only to lose his grip and fall several metres, Nine News reports.

A wannabe pirate has narrowly escaped death after falling (right) from height as he climbed the mast of an historic yacht docked in the harbour at Newcastle, on the NSW Central Coast

Shocking footage caught the moment the man fell from the ropes, before his feet hit an object mid-air and he is flipped onto his back.

The crowd sitting near yacht at Queen's Wharf, in the central coast New South Wales town, gasped and let out screams of horror as the man fell through the air.

But incredibly, despite the height from which he fell, the man reportedly escaped the incident without injury.

Paramedics rushed him to John Hunter Hospital but released him on Monday without even as much as a broken bone.
A bogus refugee who raped and murdered the daughter of a top EU official broke down and asked for forgiveness at his trial in Germany today.

Self-pitying Hussein Khavari was linked to the murder of Maria Ladenburger through his DNA but remained silent after his arrest last year.

On Monday that changed as he wept in the Freiburg District Court as he recalled how he smoked hashish the night he ambushed 19-year-old Maria, raped her and drowned her in the knee-deep water of a nearby river.

He said he took her to the water to wash her blood from his body and clothes and claimed the incident had destroyed his life.

Afghan migrant Hussein Khavari wept in the Freiburg District Court as he recalled how he murdered Maria Ladenburger while he was drunk last October

Hussein Khavari (left), 22, has been charged with raping and murdering Maria Ladenburger (right), 19, in Germany

He said the night of the killing he was so drunk he was ejected from a bar and left alone by his friends in town.

He claims he accidentally came across Maria who shouted out as she fell from her bicycle.

He said he pressed her mouth shut then choked her with a scarf and put her unconscious into the water.

'When I saw how pretty she was, I wanted to have sex with her,' he said, but claims he was too drunk.

He broke down in court and added: 'I want to apologize to the family of Maria'.

Reading from a statement he went on: 'I beg your pardon. I want to apologise to the family of Maria. I wish I could undo it.

'What I have done, I am sad for from the bottom of my heart '.

He says he dreams of what he did every day as he wiped tears from his face.

'I live with the agony of what I did and this torment destroys my life,' he added.

He claims he dragged her into the river 'because I wanted to wash her blood from me'.

Police stand in front of the court in Freiburg ahead of a case that fueled a nationwide debate about the country's migration policy

Prosecutors dispute his account of the murder and say he planned it beforehand.

Hussain, who was 19 at the time of the murder in October last year, ended a life rich in potential and polarised a nation struggling to adapt to over a million refugees in its midst.

It emerged after his arrest that he had been arrested and sentenced to ten years for attempted murder in Corfu in 2013 before coming to Germany seeking refuge in 2015.

It remains unclear why Greece let him out of jail so quickly.

German authorities knew nothing of his past and so let him into the country as a registered asylum seeker.

Ironically his victim, whose father is a senior legal adviser to the European Commission in Brussels, worked in her spare time in the ancient university city of Freiburg helping out migrants in various shelters and homes.

The killing sparked frenzied new waves of hatred and fear of refugees.

Even the leader of the country's police union said her death would have been prevented had the open door asylum-seeker policy of Chancellor Angela Merkel been less lax than it is.

The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was to piggyback on the killer's arrest to highlight what it says are the dangers of unregulated immigration. It calls Maria a 'victim of Merkel's welcome culture.'

Khavari was born in Ghazni in Afghanistan and came to Germany as an illegal unaccompanied minor in November 2015. In numerous posts on the Internet he liked to present himself in the guise of a gangsta rapper: hair slicked back with gel, jogging pants and training shoes.

On Facebook, before the killing of Maria on October 16, he wore his hair long but it was cut back after the crime. A single strand of it was found at the crime scene but he left other traces of his DNA behind on a scarf.

Another disturbing photo he posted on his Facebook page in June shows a wolfman clutching a young maiden in his arms.

Maria's body was found in the Dreisam River less than one mile from the student accommodation where she lived. Khavari stayed free for seven weeks before police arrested him.

He was linked through his DNA to medical student Maria (pictured), who volunteered at various shelters that house migrants in her spare time in the university city of Freiburg

Last week the court heard how Khavariattacked Maria to satisfy his 'sexual urges' before leaving her unconscious in a river to drown, a court heard.

Pictures emerged on Tuesday of Khavari shackled in chains arriving at a district court in the university city for the high profile case, that has shocked the country and reignited tensions over its liberal asylum policy.

Prosecutors accuse him of 'maliciously' attacking the young woman 'to satisfy his sexual urges' before leaving the unconscious victim to drown.

The defendant surprised the Freiburg court today by stating that he wanted to speak at his trial, which opened with people queuing to enter the courtroom.

'I want to testify,' he told the judges, reversing an earlier stance to stay silent.

Sixteen days of hearings have been scheduled for the trial, with a verdict expected in December at the earliest.

Chief prosecutor Ekkart Berger said at the start of the trial of Hussein Khabarovsk: 'What exactly happened that night, the investigators were able to reconstruct in detail. We assume that he had a killing intention from the beginning.

'At about 3am or a few minutes earlier, the defendant Hussein attacked Maria. He grabbed the handlebars of the bicycle and brought her to a halt.'

Khavari's trial has started in Freiburg last week, where he was seen in handcuffs being led in to court (pictured)

The defendant Hussein Khavari is brought back into the court room wearing shackles after a break during his trial in Freiburg

Hussein claims to be Afghani but the court heard that there is evidence he is Iraqi. And his claim to be 17 at the time of the offence is disputed with a specialist saying he is at least 22.

According to Bild newspaper, during a morning session of hearings in which press and public were excluded he claimed to be 19.

He said he claimed to be 16 upon his arrival in Germany in 2015 'because the situation is better here for under age migrants.' The court must decide if he is to be tried as a juvenile or an adult.

A murder conviction as a juvenile would mean a maximum ten year jail term, as an adult a possible life sentence.

Maria's father is a senior legal adviser to the European Commission in Brussels.

The killing sparked frenzied new waves of hatred and fear of refugees. The boss of the country's police union said her death would have been prevented had the open door asylum-seeker policy of Chancellor Angela Merkel been less lax.

The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was to piggyback on the killer's arrest to highlight what it says are the dangers of unregulated immigration. It calls Maria a 'victim of Merkel's welcome culture.'

Maria's body was found in the Dreisam River less than one mile from the student accommodation where she lived.

Khavari claimed to have been born in Afghanistan and came to Germany as an illegal unaccompanied minor in November 2015.

In numerous social media posts he liked to present himself with hair slicked back with gel, jogging pants and training shoes.

On Facebook, before the killing of Maria on October 16, he wore his hair long but it was cut back after the crime.

A single strand of it was found at the crime scene but he left other traces of his DNA behind too.

Another disturbing photo he posted on his Facebook page shows a wolfman clutching a young maiden in his arms.

He said he was 17 at the time but he is thought to be 22. He has not spoken to police since his arrest.

After his arrest it emerged that he was let out of jail early in Greece where he was sentenced to ten years for trying to kill a young woman.

Stern magazine reported that Khavari had thrown a 20-year-old student off a cliff on Corfu, Greece, in May 2013.

The woman was severely injured but 'miraculously' survived and was able to identify her attacker.

Khavari told his lawyer that he 'regretted' what had happened.

The case continues.




A Sydney restaurateur accused of stabbing her husband to death, has revealed the pair's final moments together.

Qian Liu pleaded not guilty to murdering her husband Han Lim Chin, 39, who was stabbed on January 3, 2016 in their Riverwood granny flat.

Fronting NSW Supreme court Monday, the 35-year-old told how in their final moments her husband had said 'I love you very much,' to which she replied, 'I love you very much too, if you love me you have to hold on'.

Sydney restaurateur Qian Liu (pictured), who is accused of stabbing her husband to death, has revealed the pair's final moments together

The Crown claimed Liu deliberately stabbed her husband, while the defence argued she had not realised the cover had come off the knife or that she had stabbed him.

Liu told the jury that the couple had argued and at one stage she had grabbed a sheathed kitchen knife Mr Chin had reportedly put into the bumbag he was wearing.

She said she had touched his chest with the knife, before asking him asking him 'do you want to kill yourself or do you want to kill me'.

'He answered: "How can I kill you, I love you so much and how can I kill myself, I am not the sort of person who can tolerate pain",' Liu said.

She claimed she had no intention of hurting him when she swung towards him holding the knife, demonstrating the movement using a pen.

Her husband had reportedly then pressed his hands over his chest, saying 'Oh, it hurts', to which she replied: 'What is going on?'

Fronting NSW Supreme court Monday, the 35-year-old (right) said she had told him following the 'accidental stabbing', 'I love you very much, if you love me you have to hold on'

Liu claimed she had no intention of hurting Mr Chin when she swung towards him holding the knife, demonstrating the movement using a pen, saying she had not realised the cover had come off it

'I realised the knife did not have the cover on... I saw something pink on the blade of the knife,' Liu told the court.

After seeing her husband slumped following his reply that 'nothing' was wrong, she told him if he was injured they needed to go to hospital as soon as possible.

Liu told the jury her husband had alleged unfounded suspicions of her having an affair with her personal trainer.

She told of his claims that she had been seen driving to the trainer's home and serving him abalone soup.

'I didn't cook the abalone soup for him (the trainer), everyone in the family had a serve of that,' she said.

On the evening of January 3, she had reportedly asked her husband if he wanted a divorce, and had sent him eight messages pushing him to decide.
A family are moving to the Netherlands so they can legally treat their epileptic son with medical cannabis.

Alfie Dingley is believed to be one of only five boys in the world with a rare form of epilepsy that can cause hundreds of seizures a day.

The five-year-old's parents Hannah Deacon and Drew Dingley, want to treat the seizures with medical cannabis oil, but could be jailed if they do so in their Warwickshire home.

Alfie Dingley, his parents Hannah Deacon and Drew Dingley and his sister Annie will be moving to Den Haag so Alfie can be treated

The five-year-old's parents want to treat his seizures with medical cannabis oil, but could be jailed if they do so in their Warwickshire home

PCDH19 Epilepsy PCDH19 Epilepsy is a rare epilepsy syndrome caused by a change or mutation of the PCDH19 gene found on the X chromosome. The first seizures usually occur between 3 months and 3 years of age with an average of 9 months. About 1 in 10 girls that begin having seizures before the age of 5 may have PCDH19 Epilepsy. Advertisement

Alfie's mother Hannah gave up her full-time job in the travel industry to care for her son.

Ms Deacon, from Kenilworth in Warwickshire, said: 'Alfie is deeply affected by the drugs he is given.

'The IV steroids Alfie takes when he has a cluster of seizures have serious side effects. They are toxic and cause him to be very aggressive.

'We have done a lot of research into whole plant medical cannabis and have found many parents around the world who are using it effectively to either reduce or stop very aggressive seizures.'

If Ms Deacon were to give Alfie medical cannabis in the UK, she could be jailed for up to 14 years.

Alfie's mother Hannah gave up her full-time job in the travel industry to care for her son

Alfie spent four months at Great Ormond Street Hospital when he was younger and was diagnosed with PCDH19, an extremely rare genetic disorder, at the age of four

CANNABIS FOR MEDICINAL USE Campaigners continue to argue for cannabis to be made legal in the UK to help people with chronic pain and anxiety. According to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Policy Reform, thousands of people in UK already break the law to use cannabis for medicinal purposes. Following a debate in 2015, the government said: 'Substantial scientific evidence shows cannabis is a harmful drug that can damage human health. 'There are no plans to legalise cannabis as it would not address the harm to individuals and communities.' The Home Office ruled cannabis 'can unquestionably cause harm to individuals and society'. Advertisement

She added: 'This is an absurd situation. We are having to move to a new country to get treatment which could transform Alfie's life.'

Alfie spent four months at Great Ormond Street Hospital when he was younger and was diagnosed with PCDH19, an extremely rare genetic disorder, at the age of four.

The condition usually only affects girls and Alfie misses out on the majority of his schooling because of his condition.

He also has learning difficulties and rarely has the chance to socialise with other children.

The couple will be moving to Den Haag with Alfie and their three-year-old daughter Annie next week.

They are asking for donations on a JustGiving site to help fund their move and have so far raised almost 2,000 of their 15,000 target.

Hannah said: 'It's been very traumatic couple of years for us as a family, but we are willing to do absolutely anything it takes for him to be well.

'We now have to raise enough money to take Alfie abroad so we can try this life saving medicine with him, in the hope that it gives him the chance of a normal and happy life.'
Amir Khan's estranged wife Faryal Makhdoom took a swipe at the boxer this weekend as she indulged in for a bizarre LED facial treatment.

Khan has filed for divorce from the mother of his daughter and called into question her claims she is pregnant with their second child.

Defiant Faryal opted for the hi-tech facial this weekend and posted a barbed comment on social media.

Next to a picture of a father and child, she posted the caption: 'My father said there were two kinds of people in the world: Givers and takers. The takers may eat better, but the givers sleep better.'

Amir Khan's estranged wife Faryal Makhdoom head for an LED facial this weekend, sharing images of the treatment online, as the battle between the couple deepened

She also took aim at her estranged husband with this message posted on Snapchat

The couple, who married in 2013, had a very public falling out online earlier this year, with claims of cheating and angry words on Twitter. Khan has since been seen out with a mystery woman and has been linked to Pakistan model Alyzeh Gabol, 23.

Despite the upset, Faryal posted a video of herself beneath an LED face mask and receiving other treatments this weekend.

She wrote: 'Has anyone tried the LED face mask? It's super cool - can't wait to see the results.'

Last week Faryal uploaded an image of a baby scan to Snapchat along with a heart emoji and praying emoji calling her child 'my angel'.

Khan claimed he would support his child if she was pregnant, but friends of Faryal questioned his commitment today.

Faryal previously posted this baby scan image online, apparently of her second child

A source close to Faryal told The Sun: 'Faryal was heartbroken that Amir had not accompanied her to her scan. She's in the early stages of her pregnancy and, like any expectant parent, knows it's a very critical time for her unborn baby.

'Amir's support is needed more than ever but instead he chooses to spend his time in another country in the company of other women.'

The now-warring couple married in 2013 at New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel, with rights to the 800,000 bash sold to a glossy mag.

But he announced the shock split on Twitter and accused her of seeking a fling with fellow British boxer Anthony Joshua, which she and the world heavyweight champion have strongly denied.

Khan has been linked to Pakistan model Alyzeh Gabol, 23, after he posted a happy birthday message for her on Instagram.

He has exchanged flirty messages with Gabol and described her as 'cute' in a comment on her Instagram account.
London is still the world's most attractive financial centre despite doom mongering over Brexit, according to a survey today.

The City was placed ahead of New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore for infrastructure and access to high quality staff.

London has also stretched the advantage over its US rival with concerns over Donald Trump's stances on trade being blamed.

The City of London (pictured) was placed ahead of New York, Hong Kong and Singapore for infrastructure and access to high quality staff

The findings emerged in the latest global financial centres index (GFCI) compiled by Z/Yen, which ranks 92 financial centres.

New York was 24 points behind London, the biggest gap between the two since the survey started in 2007.

The dip in the American city's score was 'presumably due to fears over US trade', according to the authors of the study.

The results could ease fears about the impact of Brexit on the UK's status as a financial hub.

There have been dire warnings that tens of thousands of jobs could go and the government's revenues could take a major hit if a deal is not struck with the EU.

Since the survey was conducted in June, Brexit negotiations have become increasingly acrimonious with David Davis and the EU's Michel Barnier trading barbs.

The report also underlined just how far ahead London is of its European rivals in the eyes of the worlds leading financiers. Zurich was the only other European city in the top ten of the global rankings, at ninth.

David Buik, a veteran analyst at City stockbrokers Panmure Gordon, said: To think that Frankfurt and Paris, which have no track records as global financial centres, could compete with London is just pure fantasy or even folly.

There has also been a pick-up in the number of banks saying they plan to set up new EU subsidiaries after the UK leaves.

Frankfurt and Dublin are hoping to benefit from institutions insulating themselves from the effects of a poor agreement.

Lobbying group TheCityUK warned against complacency and called for clarity on its transitional arrangements for leaving the EU, which will apply beyond April 2019, when Britain is due to formally leave.

Frankfurt is hoping to benefit from institutions insulating themselves from the effects of a poor agreement. Pictured is the German stock exchange in the city

'Absent this, many firms have already started to activate their contingency plans and others will undoubtedly follow suit if these aren't confirmed as soon as possible - and by the end of this year at the very latest,' said CityUK chief executive Miles Celic.

Frankfurt has moved up to 11th in the table from 23rd a year ago and Dublin has moved to 30th from 33rd.

Since becoming US President in January Mr Trump has pulled out of a planned trans-Pacific trade agreement and has pledged to be more protective of US trading interests.
Marie-Claire Doherty, 25, from Belfast, believes she is 'lucky to be alive' after she was dragged under her moving car after shopping for her wedding dress

A bride-to-be fears she will be unable to walk down the aisle after she was run over by her own car while trying to stop it rolling down the street.

Marie-Claire Doherty, 25, from Belfast, believes she is 'lucky to be alive' after she was dragged under her moving car after shopping for her wedding dress.

After parking up at home Miss Doherty did not realise she hadn't securely put the handbrake on causing her BMW to roll down the street.

In a panic, she tried to stop it but ended up getting her leg caught underneath and was then dragged down the street.

The mother-of-three feared her head would get crushed under the wheels and was only saved when the vehicle bumped into a parked car, allowing her to escape with broken knee tissue, a damaged hand and cuts and bruises.

However, now Miss Doherty is too nervous to get back in the driving seat after the terrifying incident on August 28 and fears her leg may never be fully healed - meaning she may not be able to walk properly down the aisle on her big day.

The 25-year-old said: 'It was a really lucky escape... It's not worth thinking about what could have happened. I feel lucky to be alive.

'I'm giving up driving at the moment. I'm really nervous. It was absolutely terrifying. I'm just glad it wasn't worse. I'm feeling very blessed to have come away with just the injuries I received.

'I thought that the wheel was going to go over my head and no one was going to find me.

'I will 100% make sure the handbrake is secure from now on. I will definitely be warier. It was a big mistake that's for sure.

'Instead of going through to the passenger side I opened the door and my left leg got stuck out the car. In the space of 30 seconds I was left with a broken knee.

After parking up at home Miss Doherty (left, with her fiance) did not realise she hadn't securely put the handbrake on causing her BMW to roll down the street

Marie-Claire Doherty, 25, resting on the couch after the ordeal of being crushed by her own car

The mother-of-three feared her head would get crushed under the wheels and was only saved when the vehicle bumped into a parked car, allowing her to escape with broken knee tissue, a damaged hand and cuts and bruises

'It happened so quickly I was being dragged down by the car. I don't even bear thinking about what could have happened. It was dark outside. It was really scary.

'I am worried that there will be long lasting damage. I've been told by a few friends that once you have a knee injury it will affect you for the rest of your life.

'I'm not sure whether that's true or not but only time will tell.

'It has left me with concerns that I won't be able to walk down the aisle. I've got high heels so I'm hoping I will still be able to wear them.'

After hitting the parked car, adrenaline kicked in and the mother was able to escape.

However, her BMW now has a hole in the front bumper from the accident and the car that was hit has a hole in the back bumper.

Miss Doherty, a full-time mother, said: 'Looking back I don't know how I got out. I was running around trying to find out who the other car belonged to after'

Miss Doherty is too nervous to get back in the driving seat after the terrifying incident on August 28 and fears her leg may never be fully healed - meaning she may not be able to walk properly down the aisle on her big day

Miss Doherty, a full-time mother, said: 'Looking back I don't know how I got out. I was running around trying to find out who the other car belonged to after.

'I was limping and bleeding and she [the owner of the other car] saw the state I was in. She was nice enough and worried about me and told me to go home and to look after myself.

'When I told my family they thought I was joking so they were laughing at first. It was only when they saw the damage that they realised how bad it was.

Pictured (left) is the damage on Miss Doherty's car after the incident and (right) bruising on her stomach

'Everyone just keeps telling me how lucky I am and how much worse it could have been.

'It was a nice happy day at first. I've got a while yet until my wedding. I would cry trying to wear the heels now.

'To top it all off I received a letter from the dress shop that said they are closing down and they have refunded my money.

'So, now I have to go looking for another dress with just over nine months to go. The bad luck is never ending. I hope my luck turns around soon.'
Charles Bronson - dubbed Britain's toughest prisoner - believes officials are 'doing everything in their power to stop my wedding'

Notorious prisoner Charlie Bronson has called the jail chaplain a 'disgrace' for failing to set a date for his wedding to a former Coronation Street actress.

Britain's 'most violent prisoner', whose real name is Charles Salvador, sent a letter of complaint after a meeting between the governor and prison chaplain was cancelled.

Writing from his cell in the segregation unit at HMP Wakefield he said he submitted a 'request to marry' fiancee Paula Williamson in June and paid a 350 fee for the wedding to be arranged.

But he said he had still heard nothing and didn't have a date for his wedding.

Bronson is one of the country's most notorious prisoners and has spent the majority of the past four decades imprisoned for a series of violent crimes.

He first struck up a relationship with Miss Williamson - who also had roles in Emmerdale and Hollyoaks - back in 2013 after they started writing to one another.

On Valentine's Day this year Bronson, who also calls himself Charles Salvador after the artist Salvador Dali, popped the question.

But he has accused officials of trying to block his wedding.

The 64-year-old wants to marry ex Coronation Street actress and pen pal Paula Williamson

He wrote in the complaints form, dated August 11: 'You are doing everything in your power to stop my wedding and mess my bride-to-be up.

'A month ago I submitted my request to marry. Nobody has been to my cage door to discuss it or give me a date.

'Your priest spoke to my bride Paula and told her he will pop in on my visit on August 11 to see us both - the two-faced liar never even turned up.

'Plus he's had all the details given to him by a CSC (Segregation) staff.'

His letter continued: 'It's an absolute disgrace - causing stress for my wife-to-be.

'Although the No1 Governor came on the visit to apologise to my beautiful bride I now feel there's a conspiracy to mess me up.

'How can I get a date to marry when the Sky Pilot (slang for a preacher) won't even show his face - it's a complete farce.'

He added: 'The priest would turn up fast enough if I was going to the gallows to be hung.

'I want a date for our wedding - stop playing games - get the registrar in.'

Bronson described the decision as an 'absolute disgrace' that is 'causing stress for my wife to be' Miss Williamson

Bronson said he had still heard 'no word' regarding the date of his wedding to Miss Williamson

In response the prison chaplain told the prison he hadn't received the application to marry as it 'somewhere in transit'.

The letter from prison bosses added that the chaplain had subsequently received the letter to marry and was set to make contact with Bronson 'later in the week' commencing August 14.

But writing on August 31 Bronson said the meeting still hadn't taken place with the chaplain, adding: 'The pie licker (vicar) is a disgrace.

'Still no word off the religious bigot. It's a complete joke - And all I expect from such a vindictive system - I need a date.'

He added: 'I just found out my 350 has not even been sent to the Wakefield registrar. My lady is stressed over it.'

Bronson has previously said he wants to have children with Miss Williamson, claiming he would be the 'best dad in the world'.

Writing on Facebook on Friday Miss Williamson, who refers to herself as Paula Von Dita, urged 'supporters' to write to the prison to put pressure on them

Writing on Facebook on Friday Miss Williamson, who refers to herself as Paula Von Dita, said the wedding plans still hadn't been arranged.

She urged 'supporters' to write to the prison to put pressure on.

She wrote: 'Just got out of a beautiful visit with my husband to be, really positive!!

'We feel so strong (I knocked the canteen tray of food and drink everywhere clumsy sod that I am!) the No.1 Gov did not turn up as promised though so that's TWICE we've had to put up with this.

'First the vicar, now the Gov. We want a bloody wedding date! Money has been paid and they didn't even send it off. Enough is enough.

'Charlie has asked supporters to please write to the No. 1 Gov Mr David Harding and/or to Father Paul Kirwan to ask for a date for our wedding as we are pig sick of being messed about.

'Please keep any letters respectful. I include the complaint forms that Charlie has sent in and I've also written letters to the No.1 and the vicar the content of which I prefer to remain private but has the complete backing of Charlie ('I'm as proud as punch of you babe, spot on!). So please could all supporters get on this and send your letters in.'

She then give the address of HMP Wakefield, adding: 'We thank you sincerely for your support and loyal friendship xx.'

Salvador, real name Michael Peterson, was first locked up for armed robbery in 1974, but during his time inside he has taken hostages in 10 prison sieges, attacked at least 20 prison officers and caused 500,000 in damage in rooftop protests.

In 1999 he was given a life sentence after taking prison art teacher Phil Danielson hostage at HMP Hull after he criticised one of his drawings.

Salvador, who does 2,000 press-ups a day, tied a skipping rope round the teacher's neck and led him about 'like a dog' while holding a knife and broken bottle to his throat before releasing him after 44 hours.

He now claims to be a 'changed man' and has passed a number of violence reduction courses in jail and is appealing against his life sentence.

He is currently serving a life sentence in HMP Wakefield, from where his letter is addressed, and has been jailed for most of the last 43 years - 37 of which have been in solitary confinement.

In recent years he has turned his hand to art and changed his surname from Bronson to Salvador in tribute to the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali.
A nude model has revealed she was forced to spend the night in an Egyptian prison cell after being caught during a photoshoot at a temple in Luxor.

Belgian nude model Marisa Papen, who describes herself as a 'free-spirited and wild-hearted expressionist', travelled with photographer Jesse Walker to North Africa for a shoot at some of the most famous landmarks of ancient Egypt.

Having bribed young men patrolling temples in Giza, she narrowly avoided trouble and was able to strip off and pose for photographs.

But when four Egyptian security guards spotted them in Luxor, both Papen and Walker were arrested and locked up.

Belgian nude model Marisa Papen, who describes herself as a 'free-spirited and wild-hearted expressionist', pictured here outside a temple in Egypt before she was arrested

The Belgian nude model pictured on the back of a horse with two pyramids peering over the sand in the distance. Having bribed young men patrolling temples in Giza, she narrowly avoided trouble and was able to strip off and pose for photographs

Papen said: 'The last two years I have walked wild and free in at least 50 countries. Rarely do I end up in precarious situations. Until April this year, in Egypt.'

The nude photo model, from the Flanders region of Belgium, met up in Cairo with photographer Walker who flew in all the way from Australia to do the shoot.

And even though the pair said they were aware of the cultural, political and religious differences between Egypt and the West when it comes to nudity, the adventure ended differently than they both expected.

Early in their trip during the first photoshoot near the famous pyramids of Giza, the two got into trouble.

They reportedly bribed a security guard to start the photoshoot when two other men showed up.

Papen said: 'I was suddenly completely awake, like a cold shower at 5am in the morning.

'We tried to explain them that we were making art with the highest respect for Egyptian culture, but they could not see a connection between nudity and art.

'In their eyes it was porn, or something like that.'

In the end, Papen and Walker managed to stay out of trouble by bribing them with 15.

After Giza, the two travelled to Luxor to visit the vast temple complex of Karnak to shoot pictures with the theme of 'dance', which is where their trip unraveled.

When Karnak turned out to be even more guarded than the pyramids at Giza, Papen and Walker had to think of another plan for their shoot.

They decided to hide in the complex just before closing time and to start with the photoshoot 'making pirouettes in Cleopatra's footprints' after all the other people had left.

Papen said: 'But you can guess what happened next. Busted, once again. And yes, this time we were in some serious trouble.'

Four security guards caught the two and brought them 'like two beaten dogs' to the local police.

The Belgian stands at the entrance of a temple in Egypt. Moments later, four security guards spotted them in Luxor, both Papen and her photographer Jesse Walker were arrested and locked up

Papen said: 'Without being able to share words, I made it clear to Jesse that he had to delete the images if he saw the tiniest opportunity.

'Otherwise we would be screwed, big time.'

The Egyptian police officers did not believe the two when they told them they were 'just testing the light' and 'did not take any pictures yet'.

The cops forced Walker to strip down to look for a second SD card, but could not find anything.

The duo were brought from one police station to the other and from court to a local cell and back.

Papen said: 'I knew that a prison in Egypt looks slightly different then in Belgium or any Westernised country but I had no idea what to expect before actually going in.

'The first cell we encountered was packed with at least 20 men, some were passed out on the floor, some were squeezing their hands through the rails, some were bleeding and yelling.

'I had never seen something like this before in real life. Jesse kept telling me, "Marisa don't look" but there was no way not to look.'

After several hours in horrendous conditions in jail Papen and Walker were brought in front of a judge.

Papen said: 'We kept playing the role of stupid tourists who had no idea dancing in skin-coloured underwear - we had to change up the story a little bit because otherwise we probably would have never gotten out - on Egyptian ground it wasn't allowed.

'Our judge was browsing with his big thumbs through these books that looked as old as the pyramids did.

'Eventually, he gave us a warning and told us never to do something so foolishly shameful ever again. We nodded simultaneously.'

Back in their hotel room, Walker even managed to recover the deleted pictures off the SD card with special software.

Thanks to her quick-witted reaction during her arrest, Papen is now able to proudly share her amazing story and Walker's magnificent pictures of the nude Egyptian photoshoot.

Papen said: 'I do think we created something Cleopatra would have been proud of.'
An Australian woman has told how she took her two children to Syria to join ISIS, in a new propaganda magazine for Islamic State.

The first-person article, written by a woman named as Umm Sulaym al-Muhajirah, sees her recount how she lied to her parents to move to the war-torn country and live under Sharia law.

Detailing her reasons for leaving, the woman stated she 'could no longer tolerate living in Australia' as the 'guidance of our "scholars" was insufferable'.

An Australian woman has told how took her two children to Syria to join ISIS, in an article for Islam State's propaganda magazine Rumiyah (pictured)

The story appears in the 13th issue of Islamic State's magazine Rumiyah and describes how the family left Australia for Syria, travelling through Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Turkey.

After her husband died from a bullet strike to the jaw while fighting for ISIS against Syrian militants in 2014, the woman reportedly decided to leave Australia.

'I wanted for my children and myself to be a part of this noble campaign,' she wrote.

'I wanted them to grow up with jihad being our reality, not just pages read in the books.'

Living with her parents in Australia at the time, she told them she would be flying to visit family in Lebanon via Abu Dhabi.

But after her siblings discovered her intentions, her parents reportedly took their passports and forbade them from leaving, before her father relented and agreed to meet her in Abu Dhabi.

The woman, named only as Umm Sulaym al-Muhajirah, recounts how she lied to her parents to move her and her chidlren to the war-torn country and live under Sharia law (stock photo or a woman and children in eastern Syria, 2013)

After her husband died from a bullet strike to the jaw while fighting Syrian militants in 2014, the woman said she wanted to take her children to Syria so they could 'grow up with jihad being our reality' (stock photo of female fighters in the Free Syrian Army)

She also told how the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation or ASIO had been 'blinded' and could not prevent her from flying.

After arriving in Abu Dhabi the family made their way to Dubai, before travelling to Turkey via Istanbul.

The woman and her children were met by Islamic 'brothers' who took them to a safe house and were later intercepted by Turkish Border Forces.

She details how the group, including other women, were asked to remove their coverings and were ''stared at'.

The woman wrote: We complied for a moment but quickly covered our faces again as they were staring at us with their perverted eyes.

The woman and her children were met by Islamic 'brothers' after travelling through Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Turkey, before being taken to a safe house (stock photo of a woman and child walking in Aleppo, Syria)

The woman and her children eventually made it to Syria after being detained by the Turkish Border Forces, however it is unknown what happened to them since (stock photo of a boy and woman in Aleppo, Syria)

The woman and her children eventually made it to Syria, however it is unknown what happened to them since.

It follows another propaganda story from Islamic State released this week, of a young boy claiming to be the son of an American soldier.

The 10-year-old, who identified himself as Yousef, was pictured loading an assault rifle and claiming he was in the Syrian city of Raqqa.

Such stories are believed to be common, with analyst Raphael Gluck telling Nine News they are used to paint the unlikely people as 'heroes'.

'Some of these narratives are from the people you would least likely expect to attempt to reach ISIS...' he said.

'So perhaps these stories are supposed to paint pictures of heroes and heroines.'
In an extra secure section of the Goulburn Supermax jail are 46 inmates, most of whom have been charged with terrorism offences.

The High Risk Management Corrections Centre is also known as the Jihadi Jail because of its high terrorist population.

The men are not allowed to interact with more than one inmate, and their only taste of freedom comes in walking laps around a small running track, A Current Affair reported.

Scroll down for video

Pictured: An inmates at Goulburn's High Risk Management Centre holds up his index finger - an Islamic symbol referring to the 'oneness of God', but commonly used by Islamic State members and supporters

But Islamic inmates are still able to practice their religion, with halal meals and prayer mats allocated for the men, despite the warped religious views that landed most of them behind bars.

NSW Corrective Services Minister Peter Severin told the program: 'Inmates are allowed to practice their faith, to engage in religious ceremonies - but that's as far as it goes'.

Footage taken inside the prison shows prayer mats hanging over walls and inmates walking around in the yard in groups of two or alone.

Goulburn's Supermax jail is home to the High Risk Management Centre, where most inmates convicted of terror offences are held

As cameras pass by, one inmate, seen on the phone, holds up an index finger - the sign is used in Islam to denote the 'oneness of God', but has become widespread among supporters and members of Islamic State.

Inmates from other areas of the jail are seen gathering in groups at the heavy metal gates as cameras pass through the maximum security prison.

There are three wings in the High Risk Management Centre, Unit Nine, where convicted inmates are held, Unit Eight, where inmates awaiting sentence stay, and Unit Seven, which holds new inmates stay along with segregated prisoners.

In one wing, the median age of inmates is about 24.

WHO IS IN THE JIHADI JAIL? Two men accused of being involved in the murder of police accountant Curtis Cheng

A man accused of fleeing to Syria to join Islamic State

Islamic State sympathiser Bourhan Hraichie, accused of carving bloody letters 'e4e' into another inmates body

Ivan Milat Advertisement

NSW Corrective Services Minister David Elliot says the men are afforded few luxuries, but this is how it should be.

'Probably the best part of their day would be walking around in a circle [on the running track],' he told A Current Affair.

'This is Supermax, they're here to be punished. Most of them will die in here.'

While the High Risk Management Centre currently holds 46 inmates, the NSW Government has committed $47million over the next three years towards terror offenders and stopping radicalisation in public prisons.

Despite their offences stemming from a warped view of their religion, the men inside the prison are still able to practice Islam

Halal meals and prayer mats are available inside the jail for inmates who say they are Muslim

The complex is being redesigned to deal with the threat radicalised criminals bring to the prison system, and the new-and-improved prison will be able to hold double the amount of inmates.

A spokesperson from Corrective Services NSW previously told Daily Mail Australia the facility will: 'Create an additional option to place and monitor high risk inmates who are deemed a threat to national security and who bring their extremist views and ideologies from the community into custody'.

Corrective Services do not believe radicalisation within the walls of NSW prisons is a huge threat, and say only five inmates have become radicalised in New South Wales prisons since they acquired their first terror-related inmates in 2009.
A llama-loving bride was surprised with the animals on her wedding day after her maid of honor organized for two to show up before the ceremony.

As Nicole Tafoya and her now-husband, Keith Barrett, took photos before their wedding ceremony in Atla, Wyoming, on August 26, her sister and maid of honor, Mandii, said she had a surprise for the couple.

The couple faced away from their wedding party as the others brought out two llamas - named Peggy Sue and Lucy - as a gift to the couple.

Tafoya's brother, Blake, captured the surprise on camera and later shared the adorable moment on YouTube.

As Nicole Tafoya and her now-husband, Keith Barrett, took photos before their wedding ceremony in Atla, Wyoming, on August 26, her sister, Mandii, surprised them with a pair of llamas

Tafoya's brother, Blake, captured the surprise on camera and later shared the adorable moment on YouTube

'My sister Nicole is obsessed with llamas,' Blake wrote in a description for the video. 'She has llama designed bags, pencils, and pretty much any llama made things you could think of.

'For months she has been requesting llamas at her wedding and been denied the request.

'This is her response when the Maid of Honor, our sister Mandii, and her husband Spencer surprised her with llamas before the wedding.'

The bride, who lives in Commerce, Michigan, can be heard screaming in excitement when she first sees the animals, but then is told to be quiet as to keep them from being spooked.

The bride, who lives in Commerce, Michigan, can be heard screaming in excitement when she first sees the animals

She then starts to tear up at her sister and brother-in-law's kind gesture as she pets the llama

'I told you I'd cry,' she says jokingly to her sister about tearing up on her wedding day. 'They're so pretty.'

And suddenly, everyone is tearing up as they see how much joy the animals have brought the bride on her wedding day.

The video ends as a trainer then teaches Tafoya how to get a 'kiss' from the llamas - by feeding them treats from her mouth.

The couple then posed for a photoshoot with the llamas ahead of their ceremony, with each the bride and groom smiling in delight.

One wedding photo shows the couple kissing as each of them holds one of the llamas by their side.
A 12-year-old boy has paid a heart-breaking tribute to the father-of-three who drowned while saving him and his younger brother from a rip in heavy seas.

Yazan Hammad and his 10-year-old brother Ahmad were swept out to sea in a strong rip at Wollongong on Sunday before they were saved by Shaun Oliver, 32, who rushed into the water and helped pull them to safety.

'He's really brave. Sorry, we didn't mean for him to jump in, unlucky he never made it out,' Yazan told Nine News on Monday.

Scroll down for video

Yazan Hammad (pictured) and his 10-year-old brother Ahmad were swept out to sea in a strong rip at Wollongong on Sunday before they were saved by Shaun Oliver

Shaun Oliver, from Victoria, drowned while trying to save four children, including Yazan and Ahmad from a rip on Sunday.

Mr Oliver was in Wollongong on business when he raced into the treacherous surf after the children.

He managed to pull his two younger children to shore, with the help of a surfer, before he found himself in trouble and was swept out to sea.

One day after the dramatic rescue, Yazan, 12, said he was shocked how quickly he and the other children found themselves in danger.

'We were just standing and playing in the water, we looked back and realised how far out we were,' Yazan said.

'We never even realised we were moving.'

Emergency service workers pulled Mr Oliver from the water and gave him CPR but he later died in hospital.

Shaun Oliver (pictured) from Victoria, was hailed as a hero after he entered the dangerous surf to save a 12-year-old boy at Wollongong City Beach on Sunday

Shaun Oliver died after entering the surf to save a 12-year-old boy who was in trouble

The four children were all rescued, but 32-year-old was taken to hospital, where he later died

An off-duty paramedic helped the 10-year-old to shore.

The two boys and the off-duty paramedic were also taken to hospital for assessment.

Inquiries into the incident are continuing and police will prepare a report for the Coroner.

Detective Inspector Brad Ainsworth of Wollongong Local Area Command told reporters on Monday: 'It was an heroic act but it has unfortunately cost him his life'.

The devastated mother of the boys, Islam Hammad, thanked Mr Oliver for his altruism in an emotional interview on Monday.

'He is a hero. I'm sure he is very happy in the place that he is now,' Islam Hammad told Seven News.

'I feel terrible for myself, that I couldn't save him and I couldn't save my sons, I couldn't do anything but he didn't think about anything and he went straight away inside the water.'

'He saw the waves were very high but he went and saved them.'

Scroll down for video

'He is a hero. I'm sure he is very happy in the place that he is now', Islam Hammad said

Mr Oliver's brother Nathanael wrote on a GoFundMe page that he had sacrificed himself to save the children, leaving behind his wife of almost 10 years and their three children.

'Shaun has sacrificed his future happiness and shared life with wife Carla and three beautiful children to do what none of us hope to do in this lifetime be tested,' his brother said.

'Sadly not long before their 10 year anniversary, Shaun was faced with an ultimatum.

'He chose to protect those who could not protect themselves. And he, and his family, have paid a heavy price.'

The two boys and the off-duty paramedic were also taken to hospital for assessment

Surf life saving patrols do not recommence at Wollongong City Beach for two more weeks

Det Insp Ainsworth said people should not have been swimming at the closed beach on Sunday as conditions were bad.

'The beach was closed. There was a heavy surf, a drag, an undercurrent, it was just all the conditions there that you don't go in.'

Surf Life Saving has warned beachgoers of the dangers of the surf.

'It might look picturesque and tame but there is quite a strong undercurrent and tow,' a spokesman said.

'Inexperienced people need to heed the warnings and don't go into the water.'
Authorities confirmed 10 people had been killed on Cuba bringing the death toll to at least 34 in Caribbean

One bar manager has described how there is 'no rules, no law and no protection' in Maho Beach, St Martin

In some island shops, even the mannequins have been stripped of their clothes and the coathangers are bare

Islanders are taking matters into their own hands, arming themselves with machetes to defend themselves

Many tourists are locking themselves in their hotel rooms as the only way to stay safe during the unrest

Terrified tourists stranded on St Maarten say looters have started raiding hotel rooms, homes and shops

France, which oversees Saint Barthelemy, said police presence had been boosted to 500 amid lawlessness

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said 50 police officers have gone to British Virgin Islands to tackle looting

Sam Branson, son of Virgin tycoon Richard Branson, said: 'It's really sad to say that there is a lot of civil unrest'

On St Martin, the regional police chief said a gang of 600 'local delinquents' was responsible for the trouble

Escaped prisoners armed with guns and knives are terrifying islanders as they recover from the hurricane

Advertisement

Escaped prisoners and hundreds of looters armed with guns and knives are terrorising hurricane-hit islands amid anarchy in the Caribbean, it has emerged.

Britain and France have both sent extra police resources and the Netherlands have dispatched troops to the region amid reports of lawlessness in the wake of the devastating 185mph storm.

Terrified tourists on the Dutch-French island of St Martin have described cowering in their hotel rooms amid reports up to 600 looters are running riot. One soldier posted on the island said he was 'stopping a looter every 10 minutes'.

Sam Branson, the son of Virgin tycoon Richard Branson, whose luxury resort in the British Virgin Islands was destroyed in the storm, warned of 'civil unrest' and said prisoners had escaped.

Frightened residents have also complained of looting on the islands of Anguilla, Barbuda and St. Barts after howling 185mph Irma tore through the region.

Scroll down for video

French police are pictured chasing looters in St Martin amid reports a gang of 600 thieves are terrorising islanders

UK troops have arrived in the British Virgin Islands as part of Britain's response to the disaster. They are pictured meeting locals in Road Town on the island of Tortola

Troops are being called in to stop looters armed with guns and machetes on hurricane-ravaged St Martin with food, water and medicine running low, it has emerged. Soldiers from the Netherlands are pictured patrolling the streets on the Dutch side of the island

Wasteland: There have been reports of widespread looting on the island of St Martin which lies in ruins after Hurricane Irma. This was the scene of devastation on the island this morning

Residents have also complained of looting on the islands of Anguilla, Barbuda, the and St. Barts after howling 185mph Irma tore through the region. A woman and two children walk through the debris left by Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands

French police have been sent to St Martin to bolster security as it emerged up to 600 looters are running riot. The officers are pictured on Guadeloupe before heading to the island

British troops delivering fresh water during disaster relief in Tortola on the British Virgin Islands, where soldiers were deployed to restore order

The deployment of British troops followed reports of looting in the wake of Hurricane Irma and criticism of the government's response

Terrified tourists on the Dutch-French island of St Martin have described cowering in their hotel rooms amid reports up to 600 looters are running riot(pictured in a still taken from a video posted on Facebook)

On St Martin, there are reports of some residents arming themselves with machetes to stop looters amid a crime wave on the island.

Regional police chief Jean-Marc Descoux said some 500-600 local delinquents were probably responsible for most of the looting, taking advantage of the devastation for personal profit.

The storefronts in the centre of Marigot are testament to the paranoid atmosphere gripping the island. Every shop has its metal shutters drawn. Some show signs of being forced open with crowbars.

On one corner, a clothing shop stands open to the elements, its windows smashed in. The mannequins have been stripped of their clothes; the coathangers are bare.

A soldier posted in the Bellevue commercial district to the south revealed he was stopping a looting every ten minutes.

Several people who were stranded on the island said looters had begun raiding hotel rooms and homes to profit from the natural disaster.

Claudia Knight, 33, runs an arts school on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands but managed to return to the UK with her toddler daughter before Hurricane Irma unleashed devastation.

Her marine engineer partner Leo Whitting, 38, stayed behind - but after seeing images of the awesome power of the storm Ms Knight said she thought he had died.

People evacuated from St Martin looked shaken after landing at the Charles de Gaulle airport, north of Paris, on Monday

Dutch king Willem-Alexander at Filipsburg on the Dutch Caribbean island of Saint Martin after it was hit by Hurricane Irma

Willem-Alexander and Minister of Internal Affairs Ronald Plasterk arrive at a damaged Princess Juliana International Airport in St Martin

France, Britain and the Netherlands have all sent extra security resources to the Caribbean. French troops are pictured securing the entrance to St Martin's airport

Terrified tourists stranded on the Dutch-French island St Martin (pictured) say looters have started raiding hotel rooms, homes and shops

One islander said he was 'stopping a looter every 10 minutes' amid reports some business owners are arming themselves wit machetes to keep out thieves

Reinforcements: French Navy frigates FS Ventose and FS Germinal have been sent to St. Martin, to bolster relief support and amid reports of widespread looting

Relief materials and supplies have been delivered to St Martin by the French Navy. France has also sent extra police amid reports of looting on the island

Damaged buildings are seen in Punta Alegre, northern coast of Ciego de Avila province of Cuba after Hurricane Irma passed through the area on September 11

The son of Virgin billionaire Richard Branson has warned of 'civil unrest' in the Caribbean after the devastation of Hurricane Irma as troops were called in to handle looters

She said: 'I honestly thought he was dead. Before I was making jokes like 'make sure you park my car', it was quite light-hearted because we didn't know the storm was going to be that bad.

'The military is everywhere with machine guns. Everyone's turned feral and no-one's going out without being armed.

'You can't drive your car without a weapon, it's turning really nasty. Leo carries a knife with him.'

Ms Knight, originally from Dorset, has lived on the island for the past four years with Mr Whitting and the couple have a two-year-old daughter, Dottie.

She managed to speak with him thanks to 'brief flickers of internet', adding 'he phoned me shortly after and said I'm alive - Tortola isn't.

'He looked like he has been touching death's door, he's very pale and gaunt. My house and my business have been blown away and destroyed. Nothing is left standing on the island.

'But we love it, and we want to go out and rebuild eventually.'

Britain has sent a navy ship and almost 500 troops to help people on the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and the Turks and Caicos islands that were pummeled by the hurricane. Troops are pictured meeting locals in the British Virgin Islands

The British government is defending its response to Hurricane Irma amid claims it has been slow to help its overseas territories devastated by the storm. UK troops are pictured on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands

Britain has pledged 32 million in aid and sent hundreds of troops, supplies and rescue equipment on several flights to the British territories in the Caribbean since Friday. They are pictured talking to an islander on storm-ravaged Tortola

Royal Marines from 40 Commando talk to a local residents in Road Town on Tortola - part of the British Virgin Islands

Ruins: The scale of the hurricane's power can be seen in this aerial picture of a town in the British Virgin Islands

Entire houses were blown apart on the British Virgin Islands while trees were ripped up and power cables brought down

Sam Branson, the son of tycoon Richard Branson, released a video message, warning of lawlessness in the British Virgin Islands. Pictures show the devastation in the area

Luxury yachts are still piled on top of each other in marinas in Road Town, on Tortola - part of the British Virgin Islands. There have been reports of looting in the area

Buildings were left in ruins and Yachts were piled on top of each other in the harbour and many houses in the hillside capital of Road Town (pictured) on the main island of Tortola were badly damaged

On patrol: Royal Marines from 40 Commando could be seen walking the streets on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Isles

Ms Knight said people were beginning to evacuate but you had to 'pay through the nose' to be shuttled off, adding Mr Whitting would hopefully manage to leave in the next few days.

She said: 'I'm so guilty of seeing something terrible on the news then, you know, going back to your dinner after.

'But when it really happens to you and people you love have near-death experiences it's horrible. The Government needs to do more to help.'

Jos Smart, 26, and his girlfriend Julia Taylor, 30, reported being too afraid to leave their 'half-destroyed' hotel amid reports of looting and violence outside.

Richard Branson: We need a new Marshall Plan to help rebuild the Caribbean Branson, has lived in the British Virgin Islands for the past 11 years and weathered Irma on Necker, his private island. In a blog post on virgin.com, he urged a multi-million pound effort to revitalise the Caribbean after the devastation. He called for a 'Disaster Recovery Marshall Plan' to aid in recovery and the long-term revitalization of its economy - a reference to the multibillion-dollar U.S. program that helped rebuild Western European after World War Two. 'We must get more help to the islands to rebuild homes and infrastructure and restore power, clean water and food supplies,' said Branson, head of the Virgin Group conglomerate. He said he was writing from Puerto Rico, where had traveled to mobilize aid efforts, and said he would be returning to the Virgin Islands soon for recovery work. Branson said the British government had a 'massive role to play' in rebuilding its territories, including the British Virgin Islands, an offshore financial center. Advertisement

Describing the apocalyptic scenes in St Maarten Jos Smart's father Ian said: 'They have not had any water for a day.

'They said the sounds were apocalyptic and they have likened it to a war zone. They are holed up in a half-demolished bathroom and their phone is running out of battery. There have been rats in their room looking for food.'

Bryce White, 26, is stranded in Cuba with girlfriend Sophie Clarke, 23, in a hotel room with six others. They said they had just two litres of water and a few ham sandwiches.

His worried father Richard, 58, from Gloucestershire, said yesterday: They have been told there is no more food or water and have been forced to look for fallen coconuts outside.

He said some holiday reps on the island disappeared for 24 hours then reappeared, apologised and then got blind drunk. He added: They keep saying theres nothing we can do. We have begged Thomson to fly them home but they say nothing is wrong.

On St Martin, Cambridgeshire couple Ross McEwan, 61, and wife Lesley, who turns 63 today, have been marooned for six days.

Mrs McEwans sister Elaine Sorensen, 57, said the couple waited for a rescue flight at the airport every day from 5.30am with one Red Cross-issued bottle of water.

The French said that because they hadnt heard from the Foreign Office in an official request they wouldnt take them because they didnt want refugees, she said. They watched a half-empty plane take off.

Charlotte Goffe and her husband Ricky, from Warwickshire, are stuck in Cuba with their young son. Mrs Goffe said it was the honeymoon from hell.

One woman claimed US and British tourists had been attacked after they became stranded.

Troops were called in on Friday to offset the problem.

Meanwhile, a further 50 British police officers were sent to help deal with looting on the British Virgin Islands, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said, as he pledged to be there 'in the long-term' for British residents.

Britain has sent a navy ship and almost 500 troops to help people on the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and the Turks and Caicos islands that were pummeled by the hurricane.

Meanwhile Sam Branson, the son of tycoon Richard Branson, released a video message, warning of lawlessness in the area.

Supplies are pictured stacked up and waiting to be loaded on to a ship in Gibraltar today ahead of a rescue mission to the Caribbean

Crew in Gibraltar prepare to move supplies on to the Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean before she crosses the Atlantic to provide humanitarian assistance and vital aid to British Overseas Territories and Commonwealth partners affected by Hurricane Irma

Britain has faced criticism that it has been slow to help its nationals caught up in the disaster - including in the British Virgin Islands, where five people were killed. But Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called the criticism 'completely unjustified'. Military personnel are pictured loading a ship with supplies ahead of a voyage to the Caribbean

A member of the Royal Air Force hangs a British Navy White Ensign on an helicopter on board the amphibious assault ship HMS Ocean at the Naval Base in Gibraltar before leaving to help with the rescue effort in the Caribbean

Ready for action: The Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean (pictured today) has been loaded up ahead of being sent to the Caribbean to provide vital supplies to the hurricane-hit region

Response: British troops in Gibraltar take a breather as they help to load up a ship destined for the Caribbean

He said: 'I've been getting some updates on the ground out there on the British Virgin Islands and it's really sad to say that there is a lot of civil unrest. Unfortunately some of the prisoners have escaped and are now armed.'

'It's really important if you are helping and you are trying to send supply boats out to the area that you go and get information on the ground from official channels and ideally you have some security on the boats

'I don't want to panic anyone but it's really important people are aware of the situation there. Some areas are okay, some aren't. Just get the right information. It's just incredibly tragic.'

Elsewhere, France, which oversees neighbouring Saint Barthelemy and the other half of St Martin, said the police presence on the two islands had been boosted to close to 500.

The French interior ministry said 11 people suspected of 'malicious actions' had been arrested since Friday as television footage showed scenes of chaos on the islands, with streets under water, boats and cars tossed into piles and torn rooftops.

Emergency aid: Humanitarian freight is loaded in French Guyana ahead of being sent to French overseas territories

Several people still stranded on St Martin (pictured) said looters had begun raiding hotel rooms and homes to profit from the natural disaster

A man walks past debris caused by Hurricane Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas on the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are widespread reports of looting throughout Caribbean islands hit by the hurricane

Jos Smart, 26, and his girlfriend Julia Taylor, 30, were forced to hide in a smashed up hotel room with rats flooding in looking for food

Massimiliano Napoliello, the manager of a bar in Maho Beach, issued a desperate plea for help on Facebook.

'The situation in SXM is a HELL! NO WATER NO FOOD NO ELECTRICITY NO COMMUNICATION!!

'They are completely isolated and there are CRIMINALS carrying GUNS AND KNIVES SHOOTING and looting all over!! NOTHING IS WORKING, THERE ARE NO RULES, THERE IS NO LAW AND NO PROTECTION RIGHT NOW!!' he said.

At the Simpson Bay Resort and Marina, looters went in to unoccupied rooms to steal TVs, one staff member said on Twitter.

'A small minority of sxm-er's were looting our unoccupied rooms until the Dutch military arrived. Not essentials - taking TV's,' he said.

The same man said a bank was robbed the next day.

Laura Conroy's family were stranded on the island and are now awaiting rescue from US military planes.

There were terrifying reports of looting and violence coming out of St Maarten on Friday in the wake of Hurricane Irma

Massimiliano Napoliello, the general manager of Sky Beach, a bar in Maho Beach, shared this desperate plea on Friday

There were snaking queues at the airport as people desperately waited to be taken off the island

They are taking American citizens to the more developed Puerto Rico.

She said that through the intermittent contact she has had with her sister, she learned that looting was a problem. 'Many US citizens are being attacked and robbed,' she told DailyMail.com.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte warned the situation was already 'serious' and made worse by communication problems after 185mph Irma laid waste to infrastructure.

Witnesses on the Dutch side of the island say people are roaming the streets armed with 'revolvers and machetes' while Rutte said most people are surviving without power and running water.

Extra troops and police are arriving on the southern part of the island, which is shared between France and the Netherlands, and part of their job is to help keep order, officials said.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte warned the situation was already 'serious' and made worse by communication problems after 185mph Irma laid waste to infrastructure. A Dutch soldier keeps watch on the island

Witnesses on the Dutch side of the island say people are roaming the streets armed with 'revolvers and machetes' while Rutte said most people are surviving without power and running water. A Dutch Royal Navy officer speaks to a driver at a check point on the island

Up to 95 per cent of the island was destroyed as the hurricane pummeled its shores on Wednesday

Up to 95 per cent of the island was destroyed as the hurricane pummeled its shores on Wednesday.

The badly damaged airport and port have now 'been opened for military purposes,' Rutte told reporters, adding 'we are doing everything possible to get aid to the area.'

He said food, water and security were the priorities on the island, known in Dutch as Sint Maarten.

'We will not abandon Sint Maarten,' he said, adding that officials were also sending medicines, tents, tarpaulins and hygiene kits as fast as possible to the Caribbean.

'The military has two tasks after arriving there. Firstly to ensure that there is food and water, but also to ensure security,' Rutte said.

Extra troops and police are arriving on the southern part of the island, which is shared between France and the Netherlands, and part of their job is to help keep order, officials said

This was the scene at the island's world famous international airport after the hurricane had lashed it with ferocious winds

'There are people on the streets armed with revolvers and machetes,' one witness told the Dutch newspaper AD on Friday. 'The situation is very serious. No one is in charge.'

Dutch officials have confirmed that one person was killed on the Dutch part of Saint Martin by the Category Five storm, before it was downgraded early Friday to a four as it barrelled towards Cuba and Florida.

At least 10 people were killed on Cuba, most of them crushed by collapsing buildings, bringing the death toll to 38 in the Caribbean.

St Martin, which shares an island with the French territory of St. Martin, has been autonomous since 2010, but remains part of the Dutch commonwealth.

Dramatic aerial pictures show scenes of devastation on a Caribbean island after it was ravaged by the most powerful hurricane the Atlantic has ever seen. At a port area, shipping containers were strewn like children's building blocks (pictured)

Astonishing images show the scale of the destruction on the island of St. Maarten in the aftermath of a direct hit by Category 5 Hurricane Irma

Massive waves continued to crash into the coastline of the Dutch side of St Martin last night in the aftermath of the storm

Prime Minister Mark Rutte says that most people are surviving on the island without the basic necessities of life.

Power, running water and most communications were knocked out by the powerful storm and looting has been reported by local authorities struggling to keep control of the island.

He said the first plane already has landed at the airport in the capital, Philipsburg, and navy vessels have unloaded vital supplies in a race against time before the next storm arrives.

'We slept with knives under our beds': British tourist tells of five terrifying days living in fear of armed looters on lawless St Martin - after there were no Delta check-in staff to print his boarding pass

A British tourist who spent nearly a week trapped on a lawless Caribbean island struck by Hurricane Irma has revealed he kept a kitchen knife under his bed to protect against looters.

James Tuffin, 32, was left stranded on St Martin after he was unable to check-in for his flight last Monday because no one from Delta Airlines was available to print his boarding pass.

The public relations professional spent a desperate five days hiding in a hotel room with no running water or electricity and armed men on the loose outside, before eventually boarding a US Army flight which took him to safety.

James Tuffin,(left) spent a desperate five days hiding in a hotel room(right) with no running water or electricity and armed men on the loose outside

Mr Tuffin, who was on holiday with a friend, said he and his family made numerous calls to the UK Foreign Office for advice, but he was given limited information and no offer of evacuation.

And he warned there were tourists from Britain and other countries still trapped on St Martin and in dire need of help after the storm struck on Wednesday.

He told MailOnline: 'The days after the storm were terrible. There was no running water or electricity, the toilets would not flush and food supplies were depleting.

'At nightfall, we would sit in the hotel room in darkness and slept with kitchen knives under our beds because we were so scared someone would break in.

'One day, our neighbours above us came down because she had seen a man with a gun who had come to her apartment to steal food.

'She told us to lock ourselves in the room because he was running around outside.

Mr Tuffin, who was on holiday with a friend, said he and his family made numerous calls to the UK Foreign Office for advice, but he was given limited information and no offer of evacuation. He took photos of the devastation, pictured

And Mr Tuffin he warned there were tourists from Britain and other countries still trapped on St Martin and in dire need of help after the storm struck on Wednesday

'On the same day, a Dutch man, also in the hotel, heard there was a man running around with the machete. People were looting - it was terrifying.'

Mr Tuffin, originally from London, arrived at St Martin by boat on September 4 hoping to catch a flight back to New York, where he lives.

He had been on holiday for five days on nearby Anguilla.

But after entering the Princess Juliana International Airport he was unable to find any Delta Airlines staff to check him in because they had already left to process the other people had the gate.

'By the time we got to the airport on St Martin we only had ten minutes before check-in was closing, as our boat had been delayed because of the weather,' he said.

'The check-in machines weren't working and I could not use the app. When I got to the Delta desk no one was there, everyone had left already.

Mr Tuffin, originally from London, arrived at St Martin by boat on September 4 hoping to catch a flight back to New York, where he lives

But after entering the Princess Juliana International Airport he was unable to find any Delta Airlines staff to check him in because they had already left to process the other people had the gate

'I was starting to panic, I went to all the other airlines and they said the Delta staff had already left. So we missed the flight, because there was no one available.'

Realising he was unable to leave, Mr Tuffin and his 27-year-old friend Michael found a room at nearby Simpson's Bay Resort, where they spent the next two nights.

On Wednesday, the pair attended a briefing at the hotel, where the guests were told to gather food and water in preparation for a category five hurricane that was on its way.

After filling pots and pans with water and bringing in provisions from the supermarket, they settled down for the night, before being woken up at 3am by the sound of the storm.

'By 5am it was really bad,' Mr Tuffin said. 'We went inside the bathroom and padded it out with some of the sofa seat cushions and just waited.

'There was a constant howling noise and the sound of things getting ripped apart.

On Wednesday, the pair attended a briefing at the hotel, where the guests were told to gather food and water in preparation for a category five hurricane that was on its way. The impact of the storm is shown in these photos, taken my Mr Tuffin

On Friday Mr Tuffin saw a Dutch military plane landing at the airport, but he was told by hotel staff these were for women and children only. Pictured: General views of the devastation on St Martin

'By the morning we looked out and the devastation was horrendous. Every car was upside down, with their windows smashed out, and houses had lost their roofs.

'But the worst part was that we could not contact the outside world.

'There were a couple of bars of mobile signal in one part of the resort, which I used to phone my family, but it was hard to get through to anyone else.'

On Friday Mr Tuffin saw a Dutch military plane landing at the airport, but he was told by hotel staff these were for women and children only.

After another terrifying night, he woke up to on Saturday morning to a knock at the door and a worker telling him the US Army was ferrying Americans from the airport.

Thinking that his American visa would get him on board, he went to queue up only to be told by a Marine that they would not be able to take him.

But after waiting until all the Americans had got on board, one of the soldiers said the remaining tourists  seven Britons, a German couple and two French people  would be allowed to join the flight.

Despite the desperate situation they found themselves in, Mr Tuffin said the staff at the hotel and some six hundred guests joined together to share provisions and protect each other

But he slammed the British authorities for not doing enough to help, and he stressed there were still tourists trapped on the island who needed urgent aid

He said: 'The hotel did a good job with helping people, including housing other people who were made homeless and everyone shared what they had'

'That was one of the most heart-wrenching feelings ever,' Mr Tuffin said.

'But we persevered and eventually when all the Americans had been taken onboard the soldiers said we could join to.

'So, thank God, the American Army saved the day, and we flew in a Hercules to San Juan, on Saturday. And there we got a hotel and yesterday I left to New York.'

Despite the desperate situation they found themselves in, Mr Tuffin said the staff at the hotel and some six hundred guests joined together to share provisions and protect each other.

But he slammed the British authorities for not doing enough to help, and he stressed there were still tourists trapped on the island who needed urgent aid.

On Saturday, Mr Tuffin was eventually able to board a US Army plane that was leaving for Puerto Rico

He said: 'Thank God, the American Army saved the day, and we flew in a Hercules to San Juan, on Saturday. And there we got a hotel and yesterday I left to New York'

He added: 'It was an absolutely terrifying five days, and the situation is still so bad there with people still in desperate need of help.' Pictured: The scene on board the Hercules

He added: 'It was an absolutely terrifying five days, and the situation is still so bad there with people still in desperate need of help.

'The hotel did a good job with helping people, including housing other people who were made homeless and everyone shared what they had.

'We did not get any information from the British government and just felt completely trapped.

'I got through to them and heard that they had my details and I should wait for information and to wait for the local authorities.

'But there were no local authorities - there was no information from anyone. There must be Britons still there. I just don't know what the UK is doing.'

MailOnline has contacted Delta Airlines and the UK Foreign Office for comment.
GRAND FORKS  After a brief standoff that shut down a length of a city street, Grand Forks police arrested two young men now accused of armed robbery.

Joe Melvin, 19, and Fahad Hussein, 18, face initial charges of robbery and terrorizing for an incident that started in the middle of a warm, placid Sunday, Sept. 10, in a neighborhood on the western edge of Grand Forks and ended at an apartment building not far from UND campus.

A news release from the Grand Forks Police Department lays out a dangerous encounter.

At about 12:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of shots fired at a residence on the 500 block of Circle Drive West in the Park Manor Mobile Home Park. An early investigation cites the homeowner as telling police theyd heard noises in their residence. When they went to check their source, the resident discovered two male subjects inside the home.

The two men fled from the house upon seeing the homeowner, possibly shooting rounds inside the residence on their way out. They then allegedly fired two additional rounds at the home and the homeowner from outside the building before leaving the scene in a black car.

Officers quickly began the search for that vehicle and soon found it parked at an apartment building on the 1100 block of North 39th Street, about 2 miles to the east of the mobile home.

At that point, the Grand Forks Police Department, UND Police and the Grand Forks Sheriffs Department blocked off a stretch of the road while determining if the alleged shooter was in one of the apartments. About three blocks of the street were eventually cordoned off by patrol cars.

Residents from neighboring buildings watched from front lawns. Some recorded on smartphones as officers wielding rifles took position around the apartment. Others just looked on, unsure of what was happening down the street.

Rachel Shurig was one of that latter group. She said she doesnt usually come out to look when she hears commotion on the street, but something was off about that Sunday afternoon.

I saw my neighbor yelling something about staying out of the doorway, and I said, This is really getting weird, Shurig said.

After that went on for a while, she went outside to check on her cat and on the backyard of a different neighbor that she does work for. In doing that, Shurig almost walked unwittingly into the middle of a standoff.

I looked to my left -- to where an armed officer was waving at her to move away and get around her building -- and thought Id just take a few steps back, she said, laughing at the suddenness of it.

A few other neighbors interacted with officers stationed with a view just around the corner of a set of next-door apartments. A man smoking a cigarette walked up to them to speak before wandering off. A family with a laundry basket approached cautiously and was turned away from using a washing machine inside the building of interest.

Time passed, the neighborhood waited and the officers shouted to those inside before Melvin and Hussein finally exited the apartment with their hands up, walking slowly to comply with orders given at gunpoint.

After the two men were secured, the street soon was reopened to traffic and the neighbors began to drift back to their homes. Many of those who had been watching didnt seem too shocked. This kind of thing had happened before in the neighborhood, they said, and some have suspected that the area has been host to illicit drug activity.

Tyler Machovsky watched most of Sundays activity from atop a nearby curb.

Its unfortunate, it seems like its getting crazier and crazier, Machovsky said of the city, noting the closeness of his neighborhood to the scene of last weeks unrelated double-stabbing. Nothing surprises me anymore.
Six people were mysteriously struck down with breathing problems at Frankfurt Airport on Monday morning.

Firefighters were called to Terminal 1 after several people reported breathing problems at the check-in counters around 11am.

The people were treated at the scene and after no trace of gas was detected the counters were reopened, according to The Local.

Six people suffered eye irritation and breathing problems after an unknown person sprayed the check-in area of Frankfurt Airport with a mysterious gas on Monday morning (file image)

The incident was initially reported by Bild as a gas attack, with the paper saying an unknown assailant had sprayed passengers with a mystery substance.

However, it now appears that information was incorrect.

Airport authorities say the exact cause of the incident is still unclear, but investigations are ongoing.

The check-in area was closed for a short time after the scare, before being reopened around 12.30pm.

Nobody was seriously injured during the incident.
President Emmanuel Macron sparked fury in France by suggesting the country's workers are lazy as he condemned 'slackers' for opposing his employment reforms.

Protesters staging mass walkouts will take to the streets across France on Tuesday in the first major challenge to Macron's promised labour reforms - the biggest and riskiest of his fledgling presidency.

The French leader added fuel to the fire with a lively speech in Athens on Friday in which he said he would not 'yield to slackers'.

Critics claim the former investment banker's comments were 'scandalous', suggesting he was out of touch with the population.

French president Emmanuel Macron (right) delivers a speech next to his wife Brigitte Macron (L) during a welcoming ceremony at the presidential palace in Athens, on September 7, 2017, as part of his two-day official visit to Greece. In it, he warned that he would 'not yield anything, either to the lazy, the cynics or the extremes'

The pro-business Macron is determined to make good on campaign promises to deepen the labour reforms - the unions have dubbed his draft legislation the 'XXL' version of the labour law - as a key to tackling France's stubborn unemployment rate.

On Friday, Macron, a former investment banker, warned that he would 'not yield anything, either to the lazy, the cynics or the extremes.'

Speaking during a visit to Athens, he lamented that France 'is not open to reforms... We rebel, we resist, we circumvent. This is what we are like.'

Currently at 9.5 percent, joblessness in France is roughly twice that of Britain or Germany.

On the campaign trail, Macron pledged to overhaul regulations and reduce the weight of the French state to free up business activity.

Under his plan, bosses would be given more latitude to negotiate working conditions directly with their employees rather than being required to honour industry-wide agreements.

There would also be a ceiling for compensation for unfair dismissal.

Left-leaning politicians such as failed Socialist presidential candidate Benoit Hamon and the head of the radical left France Unbowed party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, both back Tuesday's action.

Hamon on Sunday lambasted Macron for his 'insulting' remarks in Athens, which he said were 'unworthy' of a head of state.

'Lazy people are the independently wealthy, who don't need to work for a living,' he told reporters.

'And a lot of independently wealthy picked Emmanuel Macron as their champion.'

Secretary general of the CGT union, which is behind tomorrow's strikes, Philippe Martinez called Macron's comments 'scandalous'.

He said: 'Who was the president talking about when he said he wouldn't yield anything to the lazy?

'The millions of unemployed and those without stable jobs?'

French President Emmanuel Macron (right) poses for photos with students as he leaves a school in Forbach, Eastern France on September 4, following a visit on the first day of the new French academic year

The CGT union plans to follow up Tuesday's actions with another protest day on September 21, to be followed by another two days later, called by Melenchon.

The protests come as Macron's approval ratings have fallen sharply.

Recent polls showed that only around 40 percent of French voters are satisfied with his performance in office, with analysts attributing the disaffection to a mix of communication problems and political missteps.

'The feeling that the labour reform is unfair is beginning to take hold, which is not a good sign' for Macron, said pollster Frederic Dabi of Ifop.

Macron has to show strength and 'not give in at the start of his term, so as not to give a bad signal to voters,' Dabi said.

But discontent over the labour reforms could morph into more general dissatisfaction with Macron, he warned.

French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and his wife Brigitte (centre), arrives lays at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma square in Athens, Greece

The day of protest tomorrow will gauge the ability of unions to mobilise after deep divisions have emerged between those determined to fight the reforms and those willing to compromise.

The CGT union, one of France's biggest, has asked civil servants, rail and transport workers as well as students to observe the strike.

CGT secretary general Philippe Martinez said more than 180 demonstrations were planned across the country, telling the Paris daily Le Parisien on Sunday he sensed 'very strong discontent'.

The centrist Macron, 39, is hoping to avoid a repeat of the months-long, sometimes violent protests unleashed by labour reforms pushed through last year by his Socialist predecessor Francois Hollande.

Macron's decision to use executive orders to fast-track the labour reforms has angered all the unions, including those that are not striking on Tuesday and are adopting instead a wait-and-see attitude.

The orders must be ratified by parliament but are expected to breeze through given the large majority won by the president's Republic on the Move party in June.

Eric Beynel, spokesman of the progressive Solidaires union, said workers would keep up the pressure 'until the orders are withdrawn'.

The Force Ouvriere (FO) union, which had been shoulder-to-shoulder with the CGT last year, would prefer to keep its powder dry for battles down the road, specifically a proposed reform to unemployment insurance.

Nevertheless several FO sections and activists from other unions plan to defy orders and down tools anyway on Tuesday.
Brenden Bennetts searched for 'best way to dispose of a body' on YouTube the day before he killed Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall, a murder trial has heard.

However, it is not possible to tell what videos, if any, the 18-year-old actually looked at after he made the search.

Bennetts, now aged 21, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but is on trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court for murder as he denies he intended to cause Jayde's death.

Brenden Bennetts searched for 'best way to dispose of a body' on YouTube the day before he killed Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall (pictured), a murder trial has heard

Bennetts (right), now aged 21, pleaded guilty to manslaughter but is on trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court for murder as he denies he intended to cause Jayde's (left) death

The jury heard Jayde and Bennetts started texting each other on Thursday, August 13 after the pair crossed paths at the McDonald's where the 16-year-old worked.

Jayde previously went out with Bennetts' friend Matthew Ross but the two had allegedly not moved in the same social circles for some time.

The court heard on Monday Bennetts used his phone to search for 'best way to dispose of a body' at 12.19pm on the Thursday but police could not determine if he looked at any of the search results.

Bennetts picked Jayde up after school about 3.25pm the next day in his distinctive red Toyota Corolla and was captured on CCTV driving out of town.

He then allegedly texted Jayde's bank account PIN to himself at 3.58pm.

The court heard on Monday Bennetts used his phone to search for 'best way to dispose of a body' at 12.19pm on the Thursday but police could not determine if he looked at any of the search results

Bennetts picked Jayde (pictured) up after school about 3.25pm the next day in his distinctive red Toyota Corolla and was captured on CCTV driving out of town

Bennetts is charged with the murder 16-year-old Jayde Kendall whose body was found on an Upper Tenthill property (pictured), near Gatton on August 27, 2015

The court heard Bennetts' phone allegedly communicated with two cell towers north of the isolated field where Jayde's body was found between 4.24pm and 5.01pm.

Telecommunications specialist Detective Sergeant Adam Riley testified Jayde's phone did not communicate with a cell tower outside the Gatton township during those times, possibly because it was out of battery, turned off or on aeroplane mode.

The court heard Bennetts used Google Maps to find his way back to town, where he was captured on CCTV withdrawing $70 from Jayde's account at a Commonwealth Bank ATM.

The court heard Bennetts' phone allegedly communicated with two cell towers north of the isolated field where Jayde's (pictured) body was found between 4.24pm and 5.01pm

Bennetts allegedly deleted Jayde as a contact from his phone as well as any text messages they had sent to each other.

The court heard Jayde and Bennetts sent 48 messages to each other on the mobile app Snapchat but those images could not be recovered by police.

Jayde's body was found in long grass on August 27 by retiree Tom Tate, who was investigating a strange smell on his property.

Bennetts has pleaded not guilty to murder.
The new polymer 10 note featuring Jane Austen is due to be released this week -and some could be worth thousands.

The release will see a repeat of the scramble to find currency with the coveted 'AA' serial number.

When the 5 polymer notes were put into general circulation earlier this year a lucky few cashed in - making thousands of pounds because of the rarity of their fivers.

The new currency is plastic, difficult to tear and can survive being put through the washing machine and other spills.

Adapting bank cash machines, rail ticket machines, self-service tills and other vending machines to cope with them is costing up to 236million, say consultants CMS Payment.

Not all machines are ready to take the new notes, which have extra security features, making them harder to counterfeit.

These include a see-through window framing the Queens portrait and Big Ben in gold foil on the front and in silver on the back.

Because they are plastic, the notes are difficult to tear and can survive being put through the washing machine and other spills

There are eight different security features on the new bank note revealed this afternoon

To help the blind and vision-impaired distinguish between denominations, new 10 and 20 notes will have tactile features created by a series of raised dots.

The note will be distinguishable by not having raised dots. The denominations will still be different sizes and have a similar colour scheme to existing notes.

More than 30 countries already use plastic banknotes. Australia was the first to launch them in 1988, followed by countries including New Zealand and Singapore.

Scotland has had polymer notes since March, when two mmillion were released by the Clydesdale Bank.

Not all machines are ready to take the new notes, which have extra security features, making them harder to counterfeit. Bank of England governor Mark Carney is pictured with the currency

Legal tender status of the paper 10 featuring Charles Darwin will eventually be withdrawn in Spring 2018. The exact date will be announced at least three months in advance.

Security features on the new 10 note A see-through window featuring the Queen's portrait.

Winchester Cathedral shown in gold foil on the front of the note and silver on the back.

A quill at the side of the window which changes from purple to orange.

A hologram which contains the word 'Ten' and changes to 'Pounds' when the note is tilted.

A hologram of the coronation crown which appears 3D and multi-coloured when the note is tilted.

A book-shaped copper foil patch which contains the letter JA.

Micro-lettering beneath the Queen's portrait with tiny letters and numbers that are visible under a microscope.

The words 'Bank of England' printed in intaglio (raised ink) along the top of the note. Advertisement

Like the 5 note already in circulation featuring Sir Winston Churchill, the new 10 banknote is made from polymer.

It is expected to last at least two-and-a-half times longer than the current paper 10 notes - around five years in total - and stay in better condition during day-to-day use.

The transition to polymer has sparked controversy after the Bank confirmed that an 'extremely small amount' of tallow - or animal fat - was used to produce polymer pellets, which were part of the production process for creating the notes.

Activists and religious groups have been pushing for sustainable, plant-based alternatives and have accused the central bank of forcing unethical products on the public.

The note will be the only one in circulation to feature a woman, aside from the Queen, following the replacement of the old 5 note which featured prison reformer Elizabeth Fry, with the polymer version featuring Sir Winston Churchill.

But the note has caused anger over what is claimed to be a misleading quote from Pride and Prejudice character Caroline Bingley - an antagonist in the famous novel.

The words 'I declare after all there is no enjoyment but reading!' feature underneath a portrait of Austen, commissioned by her family.

Bank of England chief cashier Victoria Cleland with the new 10 note featuring the author

But Twitter users criticised the decision to use a quote from a 'detestable character' who has no real interest in reading and only said it to attract attention from Mark Darcy - the book's heart-throb and eventual husband of protagonist Elizabeth Bennet.

How Austen's character is 'misquoted' on note The words 'I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!' are spoken by Caroline Bingley, a deceitful character who has no interest in books. She says the words as she speaks to Mr Darcy, whom she wants as a husband, and pretends to read a book so she can appear to share his interests. She is also a detested character due to her snobby nature, particularly towards the Bennet family. Despite originally being friends with Jane, she later snubs her after realising her brother, Charles, developed feelings for her. Miss Bingley also is openly rude to Elizabeth at a dinner party, but is later forced to accept her after Mr Darcy and Elizabeth get engaged. Austen writes in the 1813 book that she is 'as much engaged in watching Mr Darcy's progress through his book, as in reading her own'. Carney responded to the criticism by saying today: 'It's two things; it captures much of her spirit, that is the quote, you can read it straight, there is no enjoyment like reading, and we agree with that. 'If you know her work, you can enjoy the irony of that, it draws out some of the aspects of her social satire, it works on many levels.' Advertisement

Alice Banks wrote on the micro-blogging website: 'Whoever made the decision for the Jane Austen quote on the new 10 note has clearly never read Pride & Prejudice.'

Teresa Warner, who describes herself as a 'Jane Austen addict', wrote: 'You know what's a great idea, using a Caroline Bingley quote to celebrate Jane Austen" - said no one ever.'

Omar Moore agreed, and wrote: 'Dear @bankofengland, why disrespect Jane Austen with a quote from a detestable character who despised reading? In poor taste. #janeausten200.'

However, some people suggested the use of the quote was ironic - something Austen is known for.

A Twitter user, known as Hope, said: 'Perhaps they chose the quote tongue-in-cheek, as a tribute to Jane Austen's use of irony.'

Another user, called James, said: 'Jane Austen is the Queen of Irony, so the quote is very apt.'

Sadie Berlin wrote: 'Folk offended by the Jane Austen quote on the tenner are just as fussy & annoying as Austen's fussiest and most annoying characters #fitting.'

It has also caused other problems, with Britains banks urged to upgrade cash machines because the new polymer notes are 'too slippery.

Bosses at Diebold Nixdorf, the firm which makes ATMs, said the network of around 70,000 UK machines would need to be upgraded once the new polymer 10 notes enter circulation.

Some of the devices have already been improved to handle polymer 5 notes after it was released last autumn.

But Andy Mattes, chief executive of Diebold Nixforf, told the Times the new 10 would be a catalyst for innovation around the machines.

He said: Most of the old machines cannot handle polymers because they are too thin and too slippery. There will have to be an upgrade of both hardware and software.

Ms Cleland poses with the new note, which will be issued in two months' time on September 14

It also believed there could be upgrades to allow customers to withdraw cash using their mobile phones following improvements that allow people to pay for products and services using their devices. Barclays is understood to be testing machines to see if it is viable.

Mr Mattes added the death of cash was vastly exaggerated ahead of an ATM Industry Association conference in London this week which marks the 50th anniversary of the cash machine.

According to the Guardian, Diebold Nixdorf has created a prototype iPhone ATM which gets rid of the keyboard and works like a tablet using a touchscreen.

Other futuristic designs include ATMs that allow customers to access funds by scanning a fingerprint or a selfie cash machine where a photo is needed to withdraw funds.

How much would a tenner have been worth in Jane Austen's time? Ten pounds in Jane Austen's time would have been worth the equivalent of 786 in today's money, research has found. If the Bank of England had wanted the new 10 banknote to have the same purchasing power that 10 enjoyed 200 years ago, it would need to be revalued as the 786 banknote, according to analysis by British insurance firm Aviva. But the eroding impact of inflation over time means a tenner has a relative purchasing power of only 13p, compared with what it could have bought in 1817 - the year of Austen's death, Aviva found. Alistair McQueen, head of saving and retirement at Aviva, said: 'Inflation silently shrinks the value of our hard-earned cash. 'Today's new 10 note allows us to powerfully demonstrate the impact of inflation over time.' Advertisement

Campaigners praise raised dots on the note The new 10 note is the first Bank of England banknote with a tactile feature to help blind and partially sighted users - a series of raised dots in the top left-hand corner. The 5 polymer does not have any dots, meaning it will be clear to the visually-impaired that the 10 polymer is a 10 note. The new 20 polymer will have dots when it is released in 2020, but these will be in a different formation. Campaigners for the visually-impaired welcomed the new note, which was designed and printed by De La Rue. Wendy Rankin, director of mobility services at the charity Guide Dogs, said: 'We're delighted that the Bank of England has included a tactile feature on the new polymer 10 note, ensuring that people with sight loss can continue to use cash with confidence.' Advertisement
The 16-year-old daughter of the driver of the minibus in the horrific M1 crash over the August Bank Holiday weekend has paid tribute to her father as a 'man of aspiration and inspiration.'

Bennita was speaking at a memorial service to her father, Cyriac Joseph, 52, who was driving a party of five other men and two women from Nottingham to London, from where they were due to catch a Eurostar.

The 16-year-old, who had collected her GCSE results which were all either A*s or As only weeks earlier, said the family feels 'the darkness before us'.

At a memorial service at the Good Shepherd Church in Woodthorpe, Nottingham, around 500 of Mr Joseph's family and friends paid their respects to the father-of-two.

Bennita was speaking at a memorial service to her father, Cyriac Joseph, 52, who was killed in the horrific M1 crash last month

His daughter Bennita said: 'We lost an incredible father, husband and friend, and in his absence, we don't know what to do.

'Now, we feel the darkness before us. It is a great loss for us because he was the leading figure in our family.

'He was very professional in every part of his life, and he was fully dedicated in his heart and soul to whatever he did.

'This incident has ruined several families' hopes and dreams, and I don't wish upon anyone the pain and loss that my family and I are experiencing.

Mr Joseph, 52, moved to Nottingham from India 13 years ago and set up company ABC Travels, which he ran from his home, in 2008

'My sincere condolences to the families of the seven people who tragically lost their lives.

'At this moment in time, I don't know what more to say, apart from my gratitude to all the different people who are helping in various ways. I take this opportunity to thank the emergency services, Thames Valley Police, the home liaison officer, Milton Keynes hospital staff, and the media, for respecting our privacy, but at the same time sharing the horrifying consequences of this incident.'

Mr Joseph, 52, moved to Nottingham from India 13 years ago and set up company ABC Travels, which he ran from his home, in 2008.

He was taking a group of Indian tourists to London and they were 80 miles into their journey when the crash happened on the M1 at Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.

He died along with five other men and two women, while four more were hospitalised.

His son Benson said he missed his father 'so much' already.

He said: 'We had not seen dad for a while. He stayed home [and didn't go on a family holiday] so he could keep running the company. That's when he agreed to take these clients. We hardly saw him after we got back. I miss him so much already.'

Mr Joseph leaves behind wife Ancy, a cardiac nurse at Nottingham City Hospital; son Benson, who had just been offered a place at the University of Birmingham to study Cyber Security; and daughter Bennita, who had just collected her GCSE results.

Mr Joseph was driving the party of five other men and two women from Nottingham to London, from where they were due to start a tour of Europe

Family spokesman Matthew John said: 'He was a very important figure for this community, as you can gather from the number of people who are here.

'He was a great father, a great leader for the community, and he was very professional in every aspect of his life. These are difficult days for all of us.

'He was a great leader, and he always had a strong opinion, and he had no hesitation to give his opinion to anybody, regardless of who they are. Also he was very kind to people, he would always help people, and that makes him more special.

'It's a disaster for the family, and as his daughter pointed out, it's ruined their lives. They don't know what to do, they have got darkness in front of them.

'We all come from a strong Catholic background, we believe in Jesus, and we believe there is life after death, so that's how we comfort ourselves.'

Two men have been charged in connection with the incident.

Lorry driver, Ryszard Masierak, 31, appeared in court on August 28 to face 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 alcohol limit.

Masierak, of Evesham, in Worcestershire, 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.

The other lorry driver, David Wagstaff, 53, from Stoke-on-Trent, has been charged with eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He appeared at Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court on Monday morning.

Dressed in a dark suit, Wagstaff, who was driving a Mercedes lorry at the time of the incident, did not indicate how he would plead to the charges.

He was granted bail on the condition that he is not to leave the UK without prior approval of the Crown Court.

The case was sent to Aylesbury Crown Court, where Wagstaff will appear on September 26.

The death toll is believed to be the highest on a British motorway since November 1993, when 12 children and their teacher died after a crash on the M40.
One of two men accused of brutally raping a woman as she walked to a Brisbane bus stop will fight the allegations at trial.

Jack Scott Turner Winship and another man are accused of attacking the 20-year-old woman in April 2011.

Police allege they forced her into an alleyway at South Brisbane and aggressively raped her.

Winship was on Monday committed to trial at Brisbane District Court, at a date to be determined.

He is represented by high-profile barrister Saul Holt, QC, the same lawyer who got Gable Tostee off murder charges last year.

Accused rapist Jack Scott Turner Winship (pictured) leaves the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday
A husband fatally stabbed his wife before jumping out of a window on Fredrick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem, New York, Sunday night.

Francisco Ferreiras, 69, fell eight stories to his death.

Police say 53-year-old Bernarda Ferreiras was stabbed to death inside the Manhattan apartment she shared with her husband.

Police say 53-year-old Bernarda Ferreiras (left with her husband and right) was stabbed to death inside the Manhattan apartment she shared with her husband; Francisco Ferreiras, 69 then jumped out a window

New York City police have revealed that a man fatally stabbed his wife before jumping out of a window on Fredrick Douglass Boulevard Sunday night (their apartment building pictured here)

Officers say they found the man unconscious next to the Harlem apartment building.

Investigators found his wife inside the apartment with stab wounds to her torso.

She was pronounced dead at Harlem hospital while her husband was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation is continuing.
The property developer who painted red and white stripes on her multi million-pound townhouse has won her appeal over her plans to demolish it.

Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring always denied the paint job was done to spite her neighbours who objected to her plans to redevelop the 4.75m three-storey property in Kensington, west London, replacing it with a new home and changing its use from storage to residential.

Neighbour Niall Carroll asked the High Court to quash a planning inspector's decision to grant permission for the work.

Stripey-house owner Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring can finally achieve her ambition of demolishing the 4.75 million townhouse and building a new one in its place

The Court of Appeal ruled that Mrs Lisle-Mainwaring's plans would benefit the well-heeled area and rejected objections from her neighbour Niall Carroll

The businessman said the inspector failed to have proper regard to the material consideration of a possible reversion of the property to office use and failed to give adequate reasons for his conclusions.

In October last year, Mrs Justice Lang accepted that it appeared that the inspector misdirected himself in law in his consideration of the possible future reversion.

In a ruling made public on Monday, three judges in the Court of Appeal restored the inspector's decision.

The ruling means she can now go ahead with her ambitious plans for the Kensington property

Lord Justice Lindblom, sitting with Lord Justice McFarlane and Lord Justice Flaux, said that there was ample evidence demonstrating that it would make no sense, economically or commercially, to resume office use and Ms Lisle-Mainwaring had no intention of doing so.

In the circumstances, no rational decision-maker in the inspector's position could have concluded that the prospect was a material consideration.

The inspector concluded that the proposals were in accordance with the development plan, said the judge.

It followed that he had to grant planning permission for them unless material considerations indicated otherwise, and he found they did not do so.

There were considerations in favour of permission being granted, in particular the enhancement of the character and the appearance of the conservation area and the creation of an additional dwelling.

It was a 'perfectly unexceptional case' involving straightforward proposals which did not give rise to any unusual planning issue on a site which was not specifically allocated in the local plan for any particular use.
An acid attack victim who had planned her own death by euthanasia has changed her mind after talking to the Pope.

Colombian Consuela Cordoba, who was horrifically injured in an acid attack 17 years ago, planned to end her life with a doctor's help as euthanasia is legal in her home country in certain circumstances.

But when she recently met the pontiff and asked him for approval to end her life, he refused to give it, saying she was 'very brave and very pretty'.

Conseula decided there and then she would not kill herself.

Consuela Cordoba embraces Pope Francis during his five-day visit to Colombia last week

Consuela, from Istmina in the north-western Colombian department of Choco, has undergone 87 operations in an attempt to save her face. She needs tubes in her nostrils to breathe, can only consume liquid food through a straw and has to wear a mesh body suit at all times

When Consuela recently met the pontiff in Colombia and asked him for approval to end her life, he refused to give it, saying she was 'very brave and very pretty'. Conseula decided there and then she would not kill herself

She was injured when her ex-partner, Dagoberto Esuncho, threw acid over her in 2000 - a crime for which he served a meagre one month in prison.

In an interview with NPR in 2012, Conseula said: I had perfect teeth, I was very pretty. But now, I'm destroyed.

I've thought about committing suicide, she said. I say to myself, why live? With a life like the one I have, what for?

Consuela, from Istmina in the north-western Colombian department of Choco, has since undergone 87 operations in an attempt to reconstruct her face.

She needs tubes in her nostrils to breathe, can only consume liquid food through a straw and has to wear a mesh body suit at all times.

Her recent diagnosis of a brain infection made her decide to end her life with the help of doctors.

The date was set for September 29, so when Pope Francis visited Colombia last week as part of a five-day visit, Consuela asked him for his approval for her plan.

She had been selected to talk to the pontiff and was brought out of the crowd.

The two hugged before Consuela asked him to allow her to end her life.

Consuela, pictured before the attack, had acid thrown over her face and body by her ex boyfriend in 2000. He served just one month in prison for the crime

She said: 'He said no, he was not going to do it. He told me that I was very brave and very pretty.

'That changed my life. Now I want to live.

'Dr Gustavo Quinonez was going to give me the injection, but I'm not going to do it because

God is going to bring greatness to my life.

'So that I do not die, they will donate for the surgery that I need, which will cost several million pesos.'

Consuela, who had planned her own burial, added: 'I am going to tell Dr Gustavo thank you very much for your injection, but it is for another.'
Dr Richard Anthony George, 49, pictured, was a regular on four different London Underground lines and police found the disturbing images when his phone was forensically examined.

A PhD-qualified researcher prowled London's Underground taking pictures up female commuters' skirts with his mobile until he was confronted by two outraged women bringing his three-week spree to an end.

Dr Richard Anthony George, 49, was a regular on four different London Underground lines and police found the disturbing images when his phone was forensically examined.

The majority of pictures taken showed women seated opposite him on the Tube, but sometimes he would stand over them and take snaps of their breasts.

But his lawyer revealed that he now 'takes a book whenever he travels' in a bid to curb temptation.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of outraging public decency, namely taking a picture up a woman's skirt at Leytonstone Underground Station on August 25 last year and taking multiple similar pictures between August 4 and August 24.

George, of Buckhurst Hill, Essex, will return to Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on September 20 for sentencing.

Prosecutor Miss Olivia Bull told the court: 'These offences took place in August last year. On August 25 a woman was travelling on a westbound Central Line Underground train.

'Mr. George was taking taking photos up her skirt using his mobile phone.'

A second woman saw him and they both challenged George at Leytonstone, where he got off the train.

When police traced his movements via CCTV they identified George via his Oyster card when he tapped in and out because it was registered to his address.

When questioned by British Transport Police, George claimed not to have taken any photos and said he 'got off the train because he felt he should not be there with two women and was embarrassed.'

But when police examined the phone his lies were exposed as the 'upskirting' images were revealed.

George, of Buckhurst Hill, Essex, will return to Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on September 20 for sentencing

George continued to try to deceive police, claiming the images were taken of women he dated who had given their permission.

Prosecutor Miss Bull said: 'He said he took the photos with their consent and was seeing several girlfriends at the time and took them as a prank, a fetish.'

But when officers questioned one of George's supposed girlfriends she discredited his fabricated account.

She had met him on August 26, but the upskirt image was dated August 12.

Miss Bull said police identified pictures taken on the Central, Metropolitan, District and Circle Lines.

She continued: 'The photos are taken when females are sitting opposite and their legs are open and there are pictures from above, down low-cut tops.

'He did specifically target women. He's aimed for up their skirts between their legs.'

George must surrender any digital device capable of taking pictures to police on request and must have a valid fare on all trains as conditions of bail.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of outraging public decency, namely taking a picture up a woman's skirt at Leytonstone Underground Station, pictured, on August 25 last year and taking multiple similar pictures between August 4 and August 24

She told the court: 'My job as a prosecutor is to protect members of the public from serious sexual harm.

'The police have made these applications because they have concerns.'

George's lawyer Miss Emma Stuart-Smith told the court: 'The last photo was on October 5 and most were deleted soon afterwards. He stopped that behaviour on his own accord.

'He is a professional man. He took his own course and realised what he was doing was wrong and now he takes a book whenever he travels.

'He is receiving therapy. He is extremely humiliated and remorseful for the position he finds himself in and his behaviour.

'He is extremely sorry and humiliated to be here. The court should not be concerned that he is going to commit any more offences.'

George will return for pre-sentence and psychiatric reports.
FARGO -- Two campsites used by prehistoric Indians for butchering animals lie in the path of the diversion channel designed to provide flood protection for Fargo-Moorhead.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is well aware of the sites and is hiring a firm to conduct extensive archeological studies of the locations in consultation with area American Indian tribes.

One of the sites, with a surface area of about 15 acres, is along the Sheyenne River near Argusville in northern Cass County. The other, with a surface area of about 20 acres, is along the Maple River in southern Cass County.

John Strand, a Fargo city commissioner, briefed the citys Native American Commission on the two sites. Corps representatives have been invited to present their findings to the Native American Commission in October.

The two sites dont appear to pose a threat to the $2.2 billion diversion project, Strand said.

I think the intent is to open the communication clearly, up front, he added. Although the tribes are concerned, I didnt get the impression it was anything like Standing Rock, a reference to massive protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline in central North Dakota.

Federal law requires the corps to identify cultural sites and, when possible, to build around them. When that isnt possible, the corps is required to mitigate the loss through extensive study and documentation, including photographs.

In the case of these two sites, they are in the path of destruction, said Susan Malin-Boyce, an archeologist for the corps in St. Paul.

About 330 sites have been identified by the North Dakota State Historic Preservation Office within the diversion project area. The route of the 36-mile diversion channel has been surveyed, but not all of the upstream staging area has been reviewed, she said.

Walking surveys along the diversion route include those by representatives of area tribes, Malin-Boyce said.

They walked the relevant sections of the diversion channel looking for cultural properties, she said.

Consultations with both Ojibwe and Dakota-Lakota tribes from the region started in 2009, and the walking investigations were performed in 2011 by American Indians, who searched for potential burials and other sacred sites.

Archeologists have surveyed more than 26,000 acres of project land, looking for artifacts and remnants of historical buildings visible on the surface. A second phase of surveys in 2013, focusing on areas where artifacts were found, identified the two campsites, apparently used by hunting parties.

The site along the Sheyenne River, near Argusville, which has been known since 1939, has yielded thousands of bone fragments as well as arrowheads and other points made from Knife River flint, quarried from western North Dakota and traded over a vast area.

Also, three feet below the surface, it contains an area with evidence that a large mammal carcass was burned, she said.

The actual archeological sites are probably much smaller than 15 or 20 acres. Bone fragments and stone artifacts have been spread out over time by frost upheavals, animals burrowing and farming, Malin-Boyce said.

Both sites are about 2,000 years old, placing them within the Middle Woodland era, a period when seminomadic ancient Indians occupied much of the eastern United States, including the Red River Valley. The Woodland Indians cant be traced to individual contemporary tribes, but likely have descendants among many tribes today, Malin-Boyce said.

The two campsite locations, both along rivers, apparently offered advantages in hunting, primarily buffalo and deer, she said. Its likely the sites were occupied seasonally for weeks or perhaps even months at a time.

Teams of specialists will begin investigating and documenting the sites soon, with field work to be completed by Veterans Day, Malin-Boyce said. The teams will include archeologists as well as paleo ethnobotanists, ceramicists and professional photographers, she said.

Following the field work, laboratory analysis likely will take a year.

On the surface, the two campsites, long obscured by time and the elements, are unremarkable.

They just look like fields, Malin-Boyce said. They dont look like anything.
Katy Bethel has been jailed for trying to smuggled 12 immigrants into the UK

A mother-of-four who was caught with her boyfriend smuggling 12 Vietnamese illegal immigrants into the UK in a van of stacked tyres has been jailed for two years and nine months.

Katy Bethel was six months pregnant when the five women, four men and three children aged between 40 and 16 were discovered in the Mercedes Sprinter by border control in Coquelles, France.

The judge said her pregnancy was 'good cover' for the people smuggling operation, and told Bethel today that her children could not spare her from prison.

He said a deterrent sentence was necessary to prevent human trafficking gangs from preying on women with similar backgrounds.

Described by her barrister as 'naive', 28-year-old Bethel was a front passenger in the van while her then boyfriend and father of two of her children, Aaron Harris, was driving.

The illegal entrants were spotted when an officer at the UK control zone saw a pair of jean-clad legs sticking out of the piled-high tyres.

Bethel told a court she had no idea the people were concealed just feet from where she was sitting.

She insisted she and Harris had gone on a last-minute cross-Channel daytrip to stock up on alcohol to celebrate the impending birth of their child.

The group of Vietnamese migrants were found hiding inside stacks of tyres in the van

Bethel claimed she had gone to France to buy alcohol to celebrate the birth of her baby, but no alcohol was found inside the Mercedes van

However, a jury at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent heard no alcohol was found in the van and Bethel was convicted by a majority of 11 to one of assisting unlawful immigration.

Bethel was in tears at the verdict last month and sentencing was adjourned until today so she could make arrangements for the care of her four daughters aged between eight years and one.

Harris, 28, admitted the same charge at a previous court hearing and was jailed for five years.

According to his Facebook page, Harris once worked as an assembly line worker for Channel Tunnel Rail, and when arrested he told officers: 'This is the daytrip from Hell. I'm usually a lorry driver not a criminal.'

Bethel and Harris are no longer together and sat apart in the dock.

The court heard the couple, both from Gillingham in Kent, were stopped at about 9pm on July 4, 2015, as they headed home via the Eurotunnel from Calais.

Harris told officials everything in the works vehicle belonged to him, except the tyres which were his boss's. Bethel claimed they had been to the beach.

The court heard the people inside were in 'a very sorry state' and looked 'distressed'

Prosecutor Michael Morris said: 'Upon opening the doors the officer saw what appeared to be jeans or jeaned-legs within the tyres.

'He asked 'What's that then?' and Aaron Harris replied 'How did he get in?'

'There were 12 Vietnamese nationals concealed in that load of tyres. All were illegal entrants trying to get into the UK.

'The tyres were loaded on top of them so they were in the centre of the piles of tyres.'

Judge Philip Statman remarked the Vietnamese group were in 'a very sorry state, distressed and looking pretty much down at heel'.

Almost 70 calls and texts were made between Harris's and Bethel's phones and an unknown number during the four-hour trip but Bethel said she did not pay attention to what her boyfriend was doing.

Both Bethel and Harris (right), who was driving the vehicle, were jailed by a British judge today

Her phone was also used to make numerous internet searches for van hire.

Sophia Stapleton, defending, said while she was 'a party' in the people-smuggling enterprise, she did not have a prominent role.

'She was a passenger, she was heavily pregnant and would have been unable to move those tyres,' she added.

Harris has been in custody since he pleaded guilty in January this year, having originally denied the offence.

He has eight previous convictions for 16 offences but nothing similar.

Judge Statman remarked that there was no humanitarian motive for the offence and accepted others higher up the chain were involved.
A New Jersey man accused of running over his girlfriend with his Hummer and dismembering her body is finally going to trial on Tuesday, four years after the woman's death.

Matthew Ballister, 47, is accused of killing April Wyckoff, 43, at his Union Township home in October 2013 before dismembering her body and dispersing it across New Jersey. Wyckoff's full body has yet to be found.

Ballister has admitted to running over and killing mother-of-two Wyckoff in his driveway, but insists it was an accident.

Matthew Ballister, 47, is accused of killing April Wyckoff, 43, at his Union Township home in October 2013 before dismembering her body and dispersing it across New Jersey

Police have found parts of Wyckoff's body but some parts still remain missing. Wyckoff is pictured above with family members

He was charged with murder two days after Wyckoff, of Cranford, had been killed, despite police not yet finding the woman's body, NJ.com reported in a summary for the upcoming trial.

The couple had been dating since 2012 and Ballsiter had previously been charged with domestic violence against Wyckoff, but the charges had been dropped.

Police also arrested Ballister's mother, Eleanor Schofeield, on a charge of hindering a police investigation, which is still pending

Police searched Liberty State Park in Jersey City, as well as parts of Union and Essex counties in the days following Wyckoff's disappearance.

Five days after police say she was killed, they found part of her body along the Passaic River in Newark.

Other parts of her body were later found, but some remains are still missing four years later.

Police also arrested Ballister's mother, Eleanor Schofeield, on a charge of hindering a police investigation, which is still pending. She has pleaded not guilty.

Officials said that Ballister called his mother after striking Wyckoff with his car and from there decided to dismember her body.

In June 2015, Ballister told a reporter from prison that he and Wyckoff had been using drugs the month she was killed and were arguing the night of her death.

He said he tried to shock her with a bare electrical wire before deciding to take her to the hospital for drug treatment.

Ballister said he put Wyckoff into his Hummer and returned to the house, unaware that his girlfriend had climbed out the the vehicle and hid underneath.

He told the reporter that he backed out of the driveway, his front tire struck Wyckoff, and she died from the injuries. Ballister insisted the death was an accident.

Ballister rotated through several lawyers in the months after his arrest, and Superior Court Judge Stuart Peim in Union County has denied requests for psychiatric hearing.

His current lawyer, Thomas Russo, requested that he be evaluated for bipolar disorder or paranoid personality disorder.

The upcoming trial starts on Tuesday and is expected to last eight weeks.
Nicola Sturgeon called for Labour to join a 'new consensus' and fresh devolution

Scotland's First Minister demanded new powers for Holyrood after Brexit

Nicola Sturgeon today demanded more powers for the Scottish Parliament in the wake of Brexit.

The Scottish First Minister urged Labour to join the SNP in a 'new consensus' to bring about a fresh wave of devolution to Holyrood.

And she revealed the Scottish Parliament will publish a series of major policy papers demanding more powers on immigration, trade and employment.

Miss Sturgeon has hit out at the UK government over its EU repeal bill - which will be voted on in the House of Commons tonight - describing it as a 'naked power grab' by Westminster.

MPs are concerned that ministers will also get sweeping 'Henry VIII' powers to amend the EU laws as they are put onto the British statute books.

But ahead of the crunch vote, Miss Sturgeon outlined her own plans to use Britain's withdrawal from the the European Union to claim more powers for Scotland.

Scottish Conservative MP Paul Masterton, who represents East Renfrewshire, said Miss Sturgeon is using Brexit to 'manufacture grievance' and push her own agenda.

Nicola Sturgeon, pictured delivering a speech in Edinburgh today, laid out her calls for more powers to be handed to the Scottish Parliament in the wake of Brexit

In a speech in Edinburgh to mark 20 years since the Scottish Parliament was set up, Miss Sturgeon said Brexit was 'threatening the underpinning principle' of devolution.

And she said the EU Withdrawal Bill sought to 'erode the settlement the people of Scotland voted for' in 1997.

She said: 'We should always be restless in our ambition to make life better for the people who live here. And the more powers our Parliament has, the more we can, collectively, do for Scotland.

'So today I want to talk about how we can build a new consensus in 2017 to match the spirit of 1997.

'Respecting our differences and then working together  not as government and opposition  but as equal partners, to win more powers for the Parliament and assert and protect its rights.'

Miss Sturgeon tried to woo Labour politicians and voters to her cause to take fresh powers north of the border, calling for a 'new spirit of consensus to match that achieved in 1997'.

She added: 'Everyone knows that I believe becoming an independent country would be best for Scotland. Others disagree.

'But twenty years ago that disagreement about the final destination did not stop us from working together to make progress where we could, and it shouldn't today.

'We should work, as we did then, to find and make progress on the areas where agreement exists.

'So over the coming months the Scottish Government will work to do just that.'

Holyrood will publish a series of policy papers setting out her plans for greater powers.

As MPs get ready to vote on the EU repeal bill in Parliament tonight, Brexit Secretary David Davis (pictured on the Andrew Marr show last Sunday) warned that blocking the bill would leave Britain in chaos. Jeremy Corbyn (file pic) has whipped his Labour MPs to vote against it

These will cover issues of employment and employability, social security, immigration and trade.

Scotland's First Minister said: 'They will not be intended as the final word  but to stimulate debate and seek consensus.'

She said: 'The devolution settlement  the Scotland Act that established our Parliament  is based on the principle that everything is automatically devolved unless it is reserved.

'The Withdrawal Bill turns that principle on its head.

'As it stands, it will mean that devolved policy areas such as agriculture, fishing and the environment, which are currently carried out at EU level will be automatically reserved, unless the UK government decides to devolve.

'So on the very day that we should be celebrating devolution, we are being called upon to defend it.

But Scottish Tory MP Mr Masterton attacked the First Minister's comments and accused her of 'stoking up manufactured trouble with the constitution'.

He said: 'This is shameless scaremongering from Nicola Sturgeon, who seems to be up to her old constitutional tricks again.

Scottish Tory MP Paul Masterton (file pic) accused Nicola Sturgeon of trying to stoke up constitutional trouble over Brexit to further her own aims

'People in Scotland are sick to death of the First Minister using Brexit to manufacture more grievance.

'She cannot preach to others about consensus while she refuses to take the threat of another referendum off the table.'

The SNP and the Lib Dems will both vote against the Government's EU Withdrawal Bill as it comes to the House of Commons later today.

Jeremy Corbyn has also whipped his MP to vote against it - despite warnings from the Brexit Secretary David Davis that blocking the bill would leave Britain in 'chaos',

Despite the coordinated bid by the parties to try to defeat the bill in the division lobbies, it is expected to pass tonight's crunch vote.

Scottish Labour interim leader Alex Rowley said: 'Labour is the party of devolution, and we will not allow the Tories to use Brexit as a Westminster power grab.

'We will stand up against Theresa May's plan to centralise power in the hands of Tory ministers. That is why Labour MPs from across Britain will tonight be voting against the repeal bill.

'Scottish Labour adopted federalism as our party policy in February, and will continue to look at the devolution of powers around employment, immigration and international trade.'
Donald Trump Jr gave some lip to liberal filmmaker Michael Moore for suggesting President Trump offer his private Mar-a-Lago club up to Floridians seeking refuge from Hurricane Irma.

'Has he opened up Mar-a-Lago as a shelter yet?' Moore had asked.

The president's eldest son wasn't having it, responding: 'It's on an island on both the ocean & [Intracoastal] and in a mandatory evacuation zone... probably not the best idea, but you know, narrative!'

Scroll down for video

Donald Trump Jr (left) lashed out at liberal filmmaker Michael Moore (right) on Sunday night, pointing out that Mar-a-Lago wouldn't be the smartest place to house Floridians

Donald Trump Jr smacked back at documentary filmmaker Michael Moore for suggesting the president open Mar-a-Lago to Floridians seeking refuge from the storm

Mar-a-Lago (pictured) is situated on the narrow Palm Beach Island, meaning the property is both on the ocean and the Intracoastal waterway

The young Trump sent out his tweet Sunday evening, nearly two days after residents and occupants on Palm Beach Island, where Mar-a-Lago is located, were ordered to get out.

That didn't stop some Floridians from calling on President Trump to open the doors of his resort, which he's dubbed the 'winter White House' since becoming president earlier this year.

'He should be doing anything to help the public,' Hollywood, Florida resident Rick Castillo had told the Independent. 'When people need help, you either help or you turn your head.'

'I think Trump is turning his head,' Castillo added.

Trump, however, spent a chunk of his Sunday dealing with the storm.

The president, sitting alongside the vice president and both Melania Trump and Karen Pence, received a 'comprehensive update' from Camp David, the Maryland presidential retreat he's chosen to spend the weekends of as of late.

He later returned to Washington and spoke to reporters as he and the first lady walked from Marine One into the White House.

'It's a rough hurricane, as you [know] better than anybody,' Trump said, calling Hurricane Irma 'some big monster.'

Though he also noted Florida may have been spared the worst.

'We may have been a little bit lucky in that it went on the west and it may not have been quite as destructive, but we're going to see,' the president said.

He also pledged to visit the state soon.

The White House has yet to release an updated schedule saying when the president will travel.

There's also no word yet on what kind of damage, if any, Mar-a-Lago sustained.
Ten members of an uncontacted Amazonian tribe have been slaughtered by gold miners in Brazil, government workers believe.

Funai, the agency responsible for protecting the tribes, says the men were collecting eggs along the Amazon river when they came across the miners and were killed.

The miners then went to a bar in a town along the Colombian border where they bragged about the massacre and showed off a carved paddle which they claim was taken from the men.

Ten members of an uncontacted Amazonian tribe were massacred by gold miners as they hunted for eggs along the river, according to a Brazilian government agency (file image)

The miners are accused of killing the tribe members before bragging about it in a bar, saying they mutilated their bodies and dumped them in the Amazon (file image)

Agency workers say they miners boasted about cutting up the tribesmen's bodies and throwing them into the river, though later claimed 'it was kill or be killed'.

Funai has now lodged an official complaint to the government over the issue, the New York Times reports, prompting authorities to open an investigation.

The incident is reported to have taken place last month in the Jarvai Valley, the country's second-largest indigenous reserve which is home to an estimated 20 out of 103 uncontacted tribes registered in Brazil.

While agency workers say there is substantial evidence that an attack took place, it could take some time to confirm the incident in the very remote region.

The massacre is believed to have happened in the Jarvai Valley last month, which is home to an estimated 20 tribes who have never had contact with the outside world

Police are now investigating the incident which took place somewhere near the Colombian border, but say it may take some time to confirm it

Survival International told the Times that, due to the small size of most of these tribes, it is likely a significant proportion of their population has been wiped out.

Funai accused the government of letting down indigenous groups by slashing funding to their agency, forcing them to close guard posts and cut staff.

This is not the first time that tribes have come under attack from outsiders.

Back in 2011 an entire tribe went missing after heavily-armed drug dealers managed to overrun a Funai outpost.

Agency workers later apprehended the smugglers and found a broken arrow in one of their backpacks, prompting fears that the tribe was wiped out.

Brazil has a policy of not contacting such tribes but working to prevent the invasion of their land to preserve their autonomy.
A chimpanzee sparked panic at a Taiwanese zoo after escaping only to look inside its enclosure and head back in to get away from the human visitors.

Sally, aged 35, escaped her display area and stunned tourists in the African Animal Area of the Taipei Zoo.

Visitors who tried to keep their distance from the chimp said the drama reminded them of the popular sci-fi series 'Planet of the Apes' - in which primates revolt and ultimately overthrow mankind.

Staff members at the zoo were alerted to the primate's escape and rushed over to shuffle tourists away from Sally, who can be seen in videos wandering around the outer wall of the enclosure.

Wu Yi-hsin, a spokeswoman for the Taipei Zoo, said security staff and the resident veterinarian approached Sally, and she climbed back into her display area after half an hour on the loose.

The spokeswoman said Sally, who lowered herself from an extended tree branch, appeared to realise 'it was safer to go home' when the employees tried to head her off.

No tourists were injured and Sally did not appear to suffer any injuries during her attempt to gain freedom, Wu added, saying that she and the zoo's eight other chimps were quickly moved to their indoor enclosures.

A chimpanzee sparked panic at a Taiwanese zoo after escaping only to look inside its enclosure and head back in to get away from the human visitors

Sally, aged 35, escaped her display area and stunned tourists in the African Animal Area of the Taipei Zoo

The display area for the chimps is now being inspected, which means tourists will be unable to see the animals for at least the next few days or weeks.

The Taipei Zoo has promised to make changes to the chimp display area so a similar incident does not happen again.

Sally was brought to the Taipei Zoo in 1987. At 35 years old, her age is equal to about 87 human years.

This was the third time the Taipei Zoo had experienced an animal escape since 2015

This was the third time the Taipei Zoo had experienced an animal escape since 2015 when, in June, its Bengal tiger called Da Tou leapt out of its enclosure and had to be surrounded by shield-wielding staff members who eventually tranquillised it.

Just a month later Asian black bear called Xiao Xiong climbed out of its home and mauled an employee - leaving him in critical care - before being sedated.
The injuries sustained by a Victorian baby allegedly murdered by his father were caused by 'unmistakable violence', a court has been told.

Three-month-old Braxton died nine days after he was airlifted to hospital in an unresponsive state on October 15, 2011.

Scott Hammond faced the first day of his pre-trial committal hearing on Monday, charged with murder and child homicide.

It is alleged he fatally injured his son by shaking him.

Scott Hammond (pictured) is accused of murdering his eight-month-old son Braxton

Dr Amanda Gwee from the Royal Children's Hospital said some of the infant's injuries were most likely caused by abusive head trauma from 'unmistakable violence'.

The child also had fractures to his ribs and femur, bruising, and a twisted leg.

His mother Nakita Cook said she had never seen Hammond hurt the boy but believed he may have 'done something' to him.

She said she once heard Braxton let out a big scream 'like nothing I'd ever heard before' while he was with the accused.

Ms Cook said the boy sometimes turned white and floppy for apparently no reason, and she had sought medical care to work out what was wrong.

Hammond faced the first day of his pre-trial committal hearing on Monday, where he was accused of shaking Braxton to death

The last time she saw Braxton was when she put him down in his bassinet to sleep after his feed.

Under defence questioning, Dr Gwee agreed Braxton's injuries could have been accidental, but the amount of force used was 'something we don't see in the day to day handling of babies'.

'With injuries of this nature, I would expect a clear accident history if there was another cause, such as a fall,' she told the court.

During cross examination by the defence, Ms Cook admitted she may have used the drug speed one or twice, including with the accused, between the time the boy was born and before Braxton's death.

Braxton's mother Nakita Cook recalled to the court a time where she heard her son scream 'like nothing she'd ever heard' while the infant was with Hammond

But she said authorities had 'not for one moment' ever blamed her for his death.

Local GP Raymond Sarkis said he saw Braxton the day before he was hospitalised and didn't see any injuries.

He was concerned Braxton was suffering atypical seizures because his mum described him as being pale and floppy.

The boy was also having constipation and feeding problems and the GP was worried the young mum was not coping.

The committal hearing will resume on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump warned would-be terrorists that 'America cannot be intimidated' on Monday as he delivered remarks at the Pentagon honoring the men and women who perished on September 11, 2001.

Trump said on his first 9/11 as president that America will never again provide safe haven to terrorists who want to destroy the nation and its values.

Those that try to defy him, Trump said, 'will join the long list of vanquished enemies who dared to test our mettle.

'We are making plain to these savage killers, that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp, and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large earth,' Trump declared.

The president proclaimed in his address from the Department of Defense's headquarters, 'Our values will endure, our people will thrive, our nation will prevail, and the memory of our loved ones will never, ever die.'

Trump made the pledge on Monday morning after holding a moment of silence with First Lady Melania Trump on the White House's South Lawn.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

President Donald Trump boldly warned would-be terrorists that 'America cannot be intimidated' on Monday as he delivered remarks at the Pentagon honoring the men and women who perished on September 11, 2001

He delivered the remarks on Monday morning after holding a moment of silence with First Lady Melania Trump on the White House's South Lawn this morning. The first couple is pictured above at the Pentagon

The president placed a large, white wreath at the Pentagon memorial before he began his speech

Sharon and Kenneth Ambrose, parents of Dr. Paul Ambrose who died aboard American Airlines Flight 77, listen to remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump during the 9/11 observance at the Pentagon Memorial

After his speech, President Trump greeted service members and families of those who died on 9/11 at the Pentagon

The president proclaimed in his address from the Department of Defense's headquarters, 'Our values will endure, our people will thrive, our nation will prevail, and the memory of our loved ones will never, ever die.' He's seen greeting an attendee of his remarks

At 8:46 am, the time of the first plane attack, the president and first lady solemnly hung their heads as church bells tolled in the distance. The first couple raised their gaze a minute later and the president unclasped his hands, signaling a trumpeter to begin performing military taps.

Both Trumps brought their hands to their hearts in a sign of respect for the 2,977 victims of the coordinated terror attacks.

When the short ceremony was over, the first couple turned around and walked back inside the White House, hand in hand.

First Daughter Ivanka Trump, a White House adviser, stood behind her her father on his right at the head of a group of aides who had lined up on the lawn for the solemn occasion.

She was joined by husband Jared Kushner, also a White House adviser, Gary Cohn, chief economic adviser to President Trump. White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway also stood in the front row, a little further to their right.

Other White House aides, including Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Communications Director Hope Hicks, the White House Office of Public Liaison's Omarosa Manigault and Nick Ayers, chief of staff to the vice president, were their mirror image, on the first lady's left.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump paused for a moment of silence on the White House's South Lawn this morning in remembrance of those who perished on September 11, 2001

At 8:46 am, the president and first lady hung their heads in silence as bells tolled near the White House

The first couple raised their gaze a minute later and the president unclasped his hands, signaling a trumpeter to begin performing military taps

When the short ceremony was over, the first couple turned around and walked back inside the White House, hand in hand

Director of the National Economic Council Gary Cohn (left) speaks with Jared Kushner (center) and Ivanka Trump (right) as they wait for the president to arrive at this morning's moment of silence ceremony at the White House

President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner (left) and daughter Ivanka Trump (right), who both serve as White House aides, await his arrival on the anniversary of 9/11

The president and first lady went from the White House to the Pentagon for a formal 9/11 remembrance ceremony. Ivanka and Jared also went to the military facility.

'This is an occasion that is extraordinary. And it will always be extraordinary,' President Trump said.

Worse than the worst attack in U.S. history before that, on the U.S. military base Pearl Harbor, Trump said, innocent men, women and children's lives were taken 'so needlessly.'

'For the families with us on this anniversary, we know that not a single day goes by when you don't think about the loved one stolen from your life. Today our entire nation grieves with you,' the president said.

Trump told the families in attendance, 'No force on Earth can ever take away your memories, diminish your love, or break your will to endure and carry on and go forward.

'Though we can never erase your pain, or bring back those you lost, we can honor their sacrifice by pledging our resolve to do whatever we must to keep our people safe.'

The Department of Defense's headquarters, just south of the White House on the other side of the Potomac River, became the third U.S. building to suffer a blow from terror 16 years ago today when 19 hijackers took control of four planes and crashed them into landmarks on the East Coast.

'Maniacs disguised in false religious garb thought by hurting us they could scare us that day,' U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said in a speech that preceded the president's. 'But we, Americans, are not made of cotton candy, we are not seaweed drifting in the current, we are not intimidated by our enemies, and Mr. President, your military does not scare.'

American Airlines Flight 77, en route from Dulles, Virginia, to Los Angeles, California, hit the Pentagon at 9:37 am on Sept. 11, killing 184 people.

'Every one of them had a family, a story, and beautiful dreams. Each of them had people they loved and who loved them back. And they all left behind a deep emptiness that their warmth and grace once filled so fully and so beautifully,' Trump said of the Flight 77 victims today.

The president said, 'The living, breathing soul of America wept with grief for every life taken on that day. We shed our tears in their memory, pledged our devotion in their honor, and turned our sorrow into an unstoppable resolve to achieve justice in their name.'

Growing more forceful in tone, Trump said, 'The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit. But America cannot be intimidated, and those who try will soon join the long list of vanquished enemies who dared to test our mettle.'

The US flag flies at half-mast at the White House before US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump observe a moment of silence on September 11, 2017, during the 16th anniversary of 9/11

President Trump is a native of New York. He was in Manhattan on the day that plane-hijacking terrorists brought down the World Trade Center's iconic Twin Towers.

Two planes hit the World Trade Center, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, within 20 minutes of each other on that day 16 years ago.

Just under an hour later, the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. The north tower crumbled a half-hour later. A total of 2,753 people died in the aerial assault on New York City.

United Airlines Flight 93, which had taken off from Newark, New Jersey, heading in the direction of San Francisco, California, went down at 10:03 am that morning near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers overtook the terrorists and forced a crash landing.

All of the passengers on the plane, including the crew and hijackers, died in the crash, raising the death toll by another 44 people but saving countless lives in the process. Facilitators of the attacks have said the U.S. Capitol building was the intended target.

Vice President Mike Pence delivered remarks in Shanksville today just Trump concluded his address at the Pentagon.

Pence, a former House member, recalled the chaos at the Capitol building on the day of the attacks as the Pentagon came under siege a few miles away.

'When I learned of the attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, I will always remember the scenes of that day, watching the Capitol complex being evacuating,' Pence told the crowd. 'It was as though the building was literally hemorrhaging with people running in every direction.'

'Maniacs disguised in false religious garb thought by hurting us they could scare us that day,' U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said in a speech that preceded the president's. 'But we, Americans, are not made of cotton candy, we are not seaweed drifting in the current, we are not intimidated by our enemies, and Mr. President, your military does not scare'

U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. first lady Melania Trump, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford participate in the Pentagon's remembrance ceremony

A large American flag hangs above the Pentagon during the president's 9/11 remarks. 'Here on the west side of the Pentagon, terrorists tried to break our resolve. Its not going to happen. But where they left a mark with fire and rubble, Americans defiantly raised the stars and stripes,' Trump said

Pence said he had ended up at the headquarters of the Capitol Police, a nearby building that overlooked the Capitol dome.

'Shortly after I arrived, the chief of police set the phone back down and informed the leaders gathered there that there was a plane inbound to the Capitol and he said it was 12 minutes out,' he said.

Pence said he took that moment to admire the Capitol dome, 'with that majestic statue of freedom standing atop it.'

'A dome that's a symbol of the ideals of this nation of freedom and democracy for all the world,' he continued. 'So we waited,' Pence said.

But that inbound plane never came.

'It was the longest 12 minutes of my life,' he admitted. 'But it turned to 13 minutes, then 14. And then we were informed that the plane had gone down in a field in Pennsylvania.'

Trump told attendees of his speech, 'The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit. But America cannot be intimidated, and those who try will soon join the long list of vanquished enemies who dared to test our mettle'

He then turned his attention to the people on that plane, Flight 93 out of Newark, recalling certain San Francisco-bound passengers like a pregnant mother-to-be, a man heading to usher at his college friend's wedding. A woman who had always dreamed of being a flight attendant, a dream that had become a reality.

'Men and women who looked evil squarely in the eye and without regard to their personal safety they rushed forward to save lives,' Pence said.

Calling the passengers 'ordinary people' who became 'extraordinary' on that day, Pence reminded the crowd how Flight 93 was hijacked moments before Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, which allowed the passengers on board to guess the terrorists' plan.

'They learned what the rest of America knew  the World Trade Center had been struck, the Pentagon had been hit...They figured out that the terrorists intended to use their plane for the same purpose,' Pence said, especially since it was being rerouted to Washington, D.C.

The passengers, Pence stated, decided to do something.

Vice President Mike Pence was dispatched to Shankesville, Pennsylvania to lead a memorial service there for victims of Flight 93, which crashed in a Somerset County field

'They not only planned, but history records that they prayed,' the deeply-religious Pence recalled. 'Together with Lisa Jefferson, a phone operator on the ground below, we were told they prayed the Lord's Prayer. They recited those ancient words: "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me."'

'At 9:57, after only 29 minutes, Todd Beamer spoke those words that America and the world will never forget: "Let's roll,"' Pence said. 'They charged the cockpit, they took hold of their fate. Six minutes later at 10:03, Flight 93 plummeted here to the earth.'

The United flight crashed into a quiet Shanksville, Pennsylvania field in Somerset County, where in more recent years a memorial for the dead has been constructed.

'The brave men and women aboard sacrificed their lives for the country we call home,' Pence said.

Shortly after Pence completed his remarks, former President Obama chimed in on Twitter.

'We remember everyone we lost on 9/11 and honor all who defend our country and our ideals. No act of terror will ever change who we are,' Obama said.

While neither President Trump nor Vice President Mike Pence traveled to New York to mark the 16th anniversary of the terror attacks, a number of high-profile politicians were on hand.

The Democratic governor of New York, Andrew Guomo, can be seen among the crowd as he attends a Ground Zero ceremony Monday in New York

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, attended the Ground Zero ceremony Monday marking 16 years since the 9/11 terror attacks

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was on hand at today's ceremony at Ground Zero to commemorate

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is photographed attending Monday's 9/11 commemoration ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was spotted at Monday's ceremony at Ground Zero in New York, where victims' relatives read off their names

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and the state;s junior senator, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., were in the crowd, alongside Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and current New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio were there, too.

Last year's Ground Zero ceremony was at the height of the political season and attracted then-candidate Donald Trump and his rival Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. senator from the state.

On the way out, a dizzy Clinton fainted as she was getting into her vehicle, creating a mini-crisis for her campaign over the next few days. It admitted after the incident that she was recovering from a bout of pneumonia.

This year's ceremony felt more removed from present-day politics, as Hurricane Irma and the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey sucked up the majority of the news coverage.

But as they do every year, victims' family members came to Ground Zero and read each name aloud as bells tolled, marking the falling of the southern and northern Twin Tower.
Advertisement

Eleven men and women have been whipped for crimes ranging from gambling to adultery in Indonesia under brutal sharia law.

The barbaric public lashings, which occurred today in Banda Aceh, are the latest to emerge from the only province in the country to implement the Islamic punishment.

Those forced to take a cane across the back were hit more between 10 and 29 times by a masked enforcer for their respective so-called crimes.

An Acehnese woman is whipped as punishment in front of the public in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, September 11, 2017. The barbaric public lashings, which occurred today in Banda Aceh, are the latest to emerge from the only province in the country to implement the Islamic punishment

A woman is prepared for a whipping punishment in front of the public in Banda Aceh. Two police officers dressed in green can be seen removing her shoes before she is lashed

An Acehnese man grimaces in pain after being whipped by a masked enforcer as punishment in front of his peers in Banda Aceh, Indonesia

A man braces himself just moments before the cane comes crashing into his back. The Acehnese men and women were whipped between 10 and 29 times for their so-called crimes ranging from adultery to gambling

The province began implementing Sharia law after being granted autonomy in 2001  an attempt by the government in Jakarta to quell a long-running separatist insurgency.

Recent barbaric beatings in Banda Aceh In the past year, MailOnline has reported on the troubling rising trend of public lashings carried out in Aceh, Indonesia: March 1, 2016: Woman whipped 50 times for spending time alone with a man at the age of 19. March 24, 2016: Young woman carried from the stage on a stretcher after being lashed for sex outside marriage. August 1, 2016: Another woman is lashed for going on a date in Aceh. August 15, 2016: Elderly man caned for breaking Sharia law. September 11, 2016: Man and a woman lashed for having an affair and among the gathered crowd is the mayor of Banda Aceh. October 17, 2016: Muslim woman screams out in pain on stage after being lashed 23 times for standing too close to her boyfriend. October 31, 2016: A woman, 20, caned in public for getting too close to a man she wasn't married to. November 28, 2016: Man and a woman lashed 100 times each for adultery. February 2, 2017: Enforcer lands 26 beatings across the back of a woman for having sex outside of wedlock. February 10, 2017: Woman collapses in pain on stage as she is being caned. February 27, 2017: Man collapses on stage as he is being whipped for having sex outside of marriage. August 25, 2017: Ten Indonesians sentenced to up to 100 lashes of the whip for adultery. Advertisement

Islamic laws have been strengthened since Aceh struck a peace deal with Jakarta in 2005.

People are flogged for a range of offences including gambling, drinking alcohol, gay sex or any sexual relationship outside marriage.

More than 90 per cent of the 255million people who live in Indonesia describe themselves as Muslim, but the vast majority practice a moderate form of the faith.

The brutal and public beatings have become more prevalent this year with a number of reported incidents of those being punished collapsing in pain on stage.

Back in September 2014, Aceh approved an anti-homosexuality law that can punish anyone caught having gay sex with 100 lashes.

After a three-decade-old separatist movement, a peace agreement signed in 2005 granted special autonomy to Aceh, at the northern tip of Sumatra, on condition that it remained part of the sprawling archipelago.

As part of that deal, Aceh won the right to be the only Indonesian province to use Islamic sharia law as its legal code.

Anybody caught engaging in consensual gay sex is punished with 100 lashes, 100 months in jail or a fine of 1,000 grams of gold.

The law also set out punishment for sex crimes, unmarried people engaging in displays of affection, people caught found guilty of adultery and underage sex.

Religious police in Aceh have been known to target Muslim women without head scarves or those wearing tight clothes, and people drinking alcohol or gambling.

Over the past decade, the central government has devolved more power to regional authorities to increase autonomy and speed up development.

Engaging in homosexual acts is not a crime under Indonesia's national criminal code but remains taboo in many conservative parts of the country with the world's largest Muslim population.

The trend appeared to be slowing down after a string of worrying incidents at the turn of the new year, but the new pictures reveal the practice still looms large in Indonesia.

Men and women have collapsed in pain due to the severity of their injuries and people can be caned for something as innocent as standing too close to a partner in public or being seen alone with someone they are not married to.

An elderly man wearing sandals stands on the public stage in Banda Aceh as he prepares to be lashed by a masked enforcer. A crowd can be seen gathered to see him take his punishment and some security officials on stage appear to be smiling
Walt Disney World in Florida has been accused of price-gouging for charging guests high prices while they were stuck in their hotels during Hurricane Irma.

Jennifer Bruns from Northbrook, Illinois, lashed out at the owners of the Orlando entertainment complex, whose sister park in California is known as the 'happiest place on earth', for selling expensive drinks and snacks to stranded people.

The theme park closed on Saturday following the forecast that the hurricane, which has left up to 4.5million Florida residents without electricity, would hit the state as a Category Five.

'Appalled': Jennifer Bruns lashed out at the owners of the 'happiest place on earth' for selling expensive drinks and snacks to people stranded at the park as Hurricane Irma passes

Ms Bruns, whose friends are staying at the Art of Animation resort, said she was 'appalled' by Walt Disney World's 'price gouging' after posting a photo on Twitter of a small water for $2, and cartons of fruit juice for $2.69.

She said: 'While the rest of us are digging deep to make donations & help, @Disney is price gouging guests stranded on property during Irma. #shameful.'

She added: 'This is a time for corporations to show gestures of compassion and good will, not time to make more of a profit.

'$15 for a hamburger! Totally appalled.'

The theme park closed on Saturday following the forecast that the hurricane would hit Florida as a Category Five. Pictured: Trees felled by the hurricane at the Art of Animation resort

A spokesman for the park told The Street that an 'over-anxious cast member' made a mistake on the pricing sheets in a rush to look after those trapped by the hurricane.

The spokesman added that the error was an isolated situation and that the park is offering 'a variety of food and beverages available at discounted prices'.

Other park visitors have said they are pleased with the service they have had during the storm.

One Twitter user said: 'I am honestly super impressed by the way we're being looked after.'

Another added: 'Four hour queues to get provisions for #HurricaneIrma? Nope. We just stepped off the bus tonight and Disney took care of us.'

Irma was downgraded to a Category One today and the most severe gusts at Walt Disney World are only being forecast as 60mph.

Several of the Orlando, Florida, theme parks that are popular with tourists around the world have plans to reopen now that Hurricane Irma has moved out of the state. Above is the deserted road into Magic Kingdom on Monday

Tourists walk about a very empty Magic Kingdom parking lot on Monday

Mickey and Minnie Mouse characters on stage in the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida

The theme park, which is expected to be open as normal tomorrow, has only closed five times in its history.

Walt Disney theme parks evacuated in 2001 following the September 11 attack due to national safety concerns, particularly in places with large crowds.

The parks also shut down twice in 1999 for Category Four Hurricanes Frances and Floyd which ravaged areas of Florida.

The Florida park also closed for Category Three Hurricane Jean in 2004 which was said to be the deadliest of its season, and back in October, in preparation for Category Five Hurricane Matthew.

Several Disney theme parks in Orlando shut down Saturday as the brunt of Hurricane Irma was expected to hit Florida the worst at the weekend

Up to 10,000 people are believed to have stayed in their Florida Keys homes during the storm and now have no water, food or power, officials have warned.

Irma has left nearly 4.5million people without electricity as the destructive storm hammered the state with strong winds and threats of devastating storm surges.

Five deaths have been reported in Florida so far but officials have said they do not have a definitive number of fatalities yet.
This is Up and Down, where we give a brief thumbs up and thumbs down on the issues from the past week.

Up

The University of Mary is enjoying record enrollment this year. The freshman class of more than 600 students is the largest in history. Overall enrollment of more than 3,200 students is a 5 percent increase from last year. The university has become a year-round campus and that may have contributed to its growth. Several construction projects have been completed, which may be another draw for students. Also on an up note, Forum Communications Co. Chairman Bill Marcil and his wife, Jane, have donated $1.5 million to the universitys Vision 2030 Capital Campaign. The fall term is off to a great start for the school.

Down

State and tribal leaders recently spent several hours discussing differences on tax agreements. The discussion included the ongoing dispute over oil tax revenue from the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The reservation has been a hotbed of oil development in the western part of the state. Reservation officials still feel the Legislature didnt consider their concerns when changing the oil tax law. It was a mistake by legislators not to consider those concerns. Its important that state officials work with the tribes to reach an agreement that satisfies their concerns.

Up

Heavens Helpers Soup Cafe has been closed for two years. Thats a long time for people who relied on the cafe for meals. The good news is that Heavens Helpers has closed a deal on a building at 23rd Street and Thayer Avenue. The former Chesak Seed House will be renovated and become the new home for the cafe. The goal is to open by early November. Heavens Helpers provided a service to the community and it will be good to see it reopen.

Down

The recent bomb threats in Bismarck arent just foolishness, but are potentially dangerous. Anytime you evacuate a large number of people theres a chance of an accident or someone could become scared and have a health problem. Theres nothing funny about a bomb scare. Hopefully, whoever is behind the bomb threats will be apprehended and punished.

Up

NextEra Energy apparently is doing it the right way. The wind farm developer has contacted Native American tribes about the wind farm planned in south central North Dakota. They have worked with the tribes to identify and protect cultural resources in Emmons and Logan counties. It is in our best interest, as well as for the project and all stakeholders, to be as open and transparent as possible, said Steve Stengel, NextEra spokesman. Hes right. Cooperation by all is the best way to get a project completed.

Down

The Lake Region Law Enforcement Center could be shut down. If it happens they have no one to blame but themselves. The jail has failed an inspection with numerous violations of standards. The center also has been plagued by escapes. The center has been relying on federal agencies to house prisoners there. Those agencies are pulling out and that means a drop in the jail population. The center needs to do more than just comply with the standards, it needs to show it can run a safe and secure facility over the long term.
Leonard Graumenz (pictured), 59, was arrested Saturday for allegedly lying about shooting a state trooper

A New York man who thought 'joking' about shooting a state trooper was funny has been arrested after his neighbor called 911.

Leonard Graumenz, 59, is facing charges of reckless endangerment and falsely reporting a crime.

Police said he showed up at a neighbor's home on Saturday with handcuffs attached to his wrist and claimed to have just shot a state trooper.

Graumenz, of 357 County Route 23, had allegedly attached the handcuffs himself.

He then told his neighbor he had crashed his truck and shot a trooper who was trying to arrest him over the made-up accident, police said.

But Graumenz didn't expect his neighbor to actually fall for the joke and call 911.

Police said after responding to the neighbor's 911 call, troopers determined Graumenz had made it all up.

He was issued a ticket and ordered to appear in Constantia court on September 18.

A message left at a phone listing for Graumenz in Constantia wasn't returned.
A one-year-old boy could be left permanently blind in one eye after he was savagely attacked by a magpie.

Jacob Gale was with his family at Whiteman Park in Perth's north-east on Sunday when a magpie swooped, landed on his face and punctured his eye with its beak.

'It almost looked like it was sitting there then it flapped and hovered around, then he screamed out in terror,' Jacob's father Adam Gale said on Monday.

Scroll down for video

Jacob Gale (pictured in hospital) was with his family at Whiteman Park in Perth's north-east on Sunday when a magpie swooped, landed on his face and punctured his eye with its beak

Doctors told the family Jacob's left eye was so badly damaged in the attack, he could lose his sight in the eye permanently.

Mr Gale said he immediately knew the damage was serious.

'I could see the discolouration in the white of his eye and other parts, and I knew it was a lot worse,' Mr Gale told Seven News.

The one-year-old Perth boy had eye surgery on Sunday but doctors told the family it could be weeks before they found out if Jacob would regain his eyesight.

The one-year-old Perth boy had eye surgery on Sunday but doctors told the family it could be weeks before they found out if Jacob would regain his eyesight

'I could see the discolouration in the white of his eye and other parts, and I knew it was a lot worse,' Mr Gale (pictured) said on Monday

While there were magpie warning signs at the Perth park, Mr Gale called for more safety precautions.

He said there should be a clearance area in particularly dangerous areas.

Parks and Wildlife officers said the magpie at Whiteman Park, where Jacob was attacked, was particularly dangerous.

The officers told Seven News the magpie would be 'destroyed'.

Parks and Wildlife officers said the magpie at Whiteman Park, where Jacob was attacked, was particularly dangerous (stock)
The parents of a Texas teenager, who collapsed and died while on a backpacking trip with his Boy Scout troop, have filed a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America for sending their son on an 'extremely aggressive hike' in 100-degree weather.

Reid Comita, 15, was a student at Central High School in Keller, Texas, when he died from heat stroke on June 12 while hiking at Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch.

His parents, John and Copper Comita, recently filed a lawsuit in Dallas County District Court blaming the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for negligence on behalf of their son's death.

John and Copper Comita (left), the parents of Reid Comita (right), 15, who died while on a hiking trip in Texas, filed a lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America for sending their son on the hike in 100-degree weather

Reid's parents allege that their son was 'sent on an extremely aggressive hike', which isn't what they signed their son up for. The Comita family said Reid (pictured before the hike), was signed up for an adult-supervised introductory backpacking class, because that was the safest option

'The Boy Scouts of America are responsible for my son's death. It's that simple. They are responsible,' John told WFAA.

Reid's parents allege that their son was 'sent on an extremely aggressive hike' in 100-degree weather, which isn't what they signed their son up for.

The Comita family said Reid, who was an experienced scout and had almost reached Eagle Scout status, was signed up for an adult-supervised introductory backpacking class, because that was the safest option.

'He wasn't an athlete. He wasn't prepared to go on an advanced hike,' his father told the station.

According to the lawsuit, Reid was not supervised by two adults and instead was accompanied by two teenagers.

The lawsuit also states that Reid didn't receive proper training at the camp before being sent out on the more advanced hike.

Reid's mother, Copper (left, with Reid) said they weren't notified of Reid's death for more than four hours

According to John Comita (left, with his son), who grew up participating in the Boy Scouts, the family hasn't heard from anyone at Boy Scouts of America

'We were calling, and no one could give us a straight answer as to how he was,' Reid's mother, Copper, told the station.

The family said outlined communication issues in the lawsuit, claiming they weren't notified of Reid's death for more than four hours.

According to John Comita, who grew up participating in the Boy Scouts, the family hasn't heard from anyone at Boy Scouts of America.

However, the organization did say in a statement to WFAA that BSA is keeping the 'family in our thoughts and prayers'.

'The health and safety of our youth members is of paramount importance to the BSA, and integral to everything we do. We strive to create a safe environment for youth to experience outdoor adventure,' the organization said.

Reid (pictured with his dad) collapsed at the Buffalo Trails Scout Ranch, where the temperature reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The hikers were in the Davis Mountains where rescue crews could not reach him forcing guides to perform CPR on him for more than an hour-and-a-half

Reid was on a trip to get a badge that would boost him to Eagle Scout rank. His troop awarded him the honor (pictured) posthumously

In June, when the family found out about their son's death, John described his son as possessing all of the characteristics of a Scout.

'A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent,' Reid's dad said at the time. 'He was all those.'

Reid collapsed at the Buffalo Trails Scout Ranch, where the temperature reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

The hikers were in the Davis Mountains where ambulances and other rescue crews could not reach him forcing other guides to perform CPR on him for more than an hour-and-a-half.

Reid was on a trip to get a badge that would boost him to Eagle Scout rank. His troop awarded him the honor posthumously.
The baby of a 13-year-old rape victim has died two days after doctors delivered him despite a court order stating the pregnancy should be terminated.

Doctors in Mumbai delivered the baby by cesarean section after the girl won a court order to be allowed an abortion.

Having spent two days in a neonatal intensive care unit in the western city of Mumbai over the weekend, the baby passed away.

On Wednesday in a rare ruling the Supreme Court had allowed the girl to terminate the pregnancy in view of the 'trauma she has suffered'

The teenager was 32 weeks pregnant, which is well beyond India's 20-week legal limit after which terminations are only allowed where there is a danger to the life of the mother or the baby.

On Wednesday in a rare ruling the country's top court allowed the girl to terminate the pregnancy in view of the 'trauma she has suffered'.

But Nikhil Datar, a Mumbai-based doctor who had examined the girl earlier, said doctors took a call to save the foetus by performing a caesarean section on Friday.

The doctors claim this decision was in line with the Supreme Court order.

'Terminating pregnancy as sought by the Supreme Court means discontinuing the pregnancy and not killing the foetus,' Datar said.

'The Court focused on mother's health as she is a minor and after the termination we have to accept the consequences as they come.'

Before it died the baby was set to be put up for adoption, according to theBBC.

The girl, who cannot be named, was allegedly raped by her father's colleague, who has been arrested.

The doctors claim the decision to deliver the premature foetus by cesarean section was in line with the Supreme Court order

In recent months courts have received a number of petitions from women seeking abortions where pregnancies had gone beyond 20 weeks.

Many of these come from young rape survivors and trafficking victims

Activists say the restriction should be extended to 24 weeks as victims of rape are often late to report their pregnancies.

India has a gruesome record of sexual assaults on minors, with 20,000 cases reported in 2015, according to government data.
North Korea is planning its missile strikes using Google Earth satellite images that are six years old, analysts say.

Kim Jong-un was pictured discussing an attack on Guam with his generals last month as an image of Anderson US Air Force Base, which is located on the island, was shown on the wall behind him.

But experts who spoke to Voice of America say the image was taken by Google back in 2011 before several updates to the military base were carried out.

Kim Jong-un was shown planning a missile strike on Guam with an image of Anderson Air Force Base in the background by the state news agency last month

But experts say the picture is a six-year-old image taken from Google Maps, showing that North Korea does not possess the technology to create its own satellite images

The image shown beside Kim has a noticeable a deforested area which now contains a docking area for aircraft, the site reported.

Another building seen in the picture with Kim has since been demolished, while the runways and other tarmac surfaces are significantly different colours now.

Nick Henson, from Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation, told the site that North Korea seems to be unable to produce its own satellite images and so must take what it can from elsewhere.

The North does claim to have a single satellite in orbit, launched in 2016, though this has never been reliably verified.

North Korea claimed at the time of the launch that the satellite was an observation and weather monitoring craft meant entirely for peaceful purposes.

But the fact that Kim is relying on old Google images could mean the launch was a hoax - likely as a guise for a missile test - or the satellite is unable to function.

Kim has threatened to strike Guam with its latest Hwasong-14 ICBM, though experts believe the out of date satellite image shows the threat is a hoax

Since the plans to strike Guam were announced, the North has carried out a test of what it claims was a hydrogen nuclear bomb capable of fitting on the missile (pictured)

Alternately, the threat to attack Guam is an ruse in order to intimidate the international community.

Kim's military chiefs claim to have drawn up viable attacks plans for a missile strike on Guam, though the country's state news agency said the dictator has decided to wait before giving the order to attack.

The images of Kim with the map of Guam were shown on Korean Central Television on August 15. Since then the country has carried out two more missile tests, including one that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Kim's regime also carried out a sixth nuclear test of what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb on September 3, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions.

A vote on fresh sanctions brought before the UN security council by America is expected to pass today, as the regime warned it is 'ready and willing to act' over the tough new measures.

Meanwhile Donald Trump has said Kim is 'begging for war' - though stressed that military intervention is not his preferred option.
At least 30 people were injured in a train accident today at a station in the Swiss Alpine village of Andermatt, police said.

The accident happened shortly before midday as a train run by the Matterhorn-Gotthard rail company, made up of a locomotive and five carriages and carrying around 100 passengers, attempted a manoeuvre at Andermatt station.

Police and medical teams were rushed to the scene of the accident.

At least 30 people were injured in a train accident today at a station in the Swiss Alpine village of Andermatt, police said

The locomotive was supposed to move to a parallel track to move from the back of the train to the front, and allow the train to head back towards the Alpine resort of Disentis.

But a spokesman for the rail company said something went wrong and the locomotive slammed into the carriages.

He said the locomotive had been travelling at a speed of only 15 to 20 kilometres per hour (9-12 miles per hour).

Sonja Aschwanden, of the Uri cantonal police, said she did not have any immediate information about the type of injuries or material damage.

The accident happened shortly before midday as a train run by the Matterhorn-Gotthard rail company, made up of a locomotive and five carriages and carrying around 100 passengers, attempted a manoeuvre at Andermatt station

Police and medical teams were rushed to the scene of the accident

The regional police and the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board have opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

'No one is in critical condition,' a spokeswoman for the regional police in the Swiss canton of Uri.
A mother of five has been killed in a drive-by shooting after a bullet ricocheted off her one-year-old baby's crib and killed her.

Victoria DeLeon, 22, was struck twice inside her Fort Worth, Texas home at around 3am on Saturday, and rushed to protect her youngest child before succumbing to her injuries, her family said.

'She got hit by two bullets,' her mother Josie DeLeon told the Star -Telegram.

'One went through the air conditioning unit and hit her in the chest and the other ricocheted off the baby's crib and hit her in the side.'

Victoria DeLeon is seen with her five children and her boyfriend, along with two unknown family members (far right and second from left). She was fatally shot in her Fort Worth home

Victoria DeLeon (right) is seen with her mother, who said that after the shooting her daughter's her only though was of protecting her youngest child

The victim's mother said that even though Victoria DeLeon was grievously wounded, her only though was of protecting her youngest child.

'Once she got shot, she rose up and grabbed the baby,' Josie DeLeon said. 'She held the [1-year-old] baby until they came for her.'

Victoria DeLeon was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly after 3.15am.

She died of gunshot wounds to her chest and abdomen, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner said.

Friends and family held a candlelight vigil on Sunday night at Holy Name Catholic Church.

Friends and family held a candlelight vigil on Sunday night at Holy Name Catholic Church

Family members and neighbors said that even though the house had been shot at in a separate incident a few weeks ago, they didn't think Victoria DeLeon or her family were the intended target.

'I don't think this was intended for her,' Josie DeLeon said of the Saturday shooting.

'I think there had been some stuff going on in the neighborhood and that she was the one who got hit,' she said.

Police said they do not know why the shooting occurred at the house.

There are currently no suspects in custody.
Now that Steve Bannon has been unshackled from government service, he's already devising plans to shake up the Republican Party.

Politico is reporting that Bannon is courting a number of GOP primary opponents to go up against sitting Republican senators next year.

For instance, on Thursday, Bannon invited Danny Tarkanian, who's challenging Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., to the 'Breitbart Embassy' in Washington, the Capitol Hill row home where the ex-White House chief strategist resides and runs the right-wing news outlet Breitbart from.

Scroll down for video

Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon plans to meddle in the Republican primaries to get more pro-Trump candidates in the Senate

Politico reported that Bannon made with Danny Tarkanian (left) at the Breitbart Embassy on Thursday. Tarkanian plans to challenge sitting Nevada Sen. Dean Heller (right), a Republican

Steve Bannon's behind-the-scenes moves will put him squarely against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who he's hammered as being part of the 'Republican establishment'

Another endangered species is Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. (pictured), who Steve Bannon and David Bossie, President Trump's former deputy campaign manager, want to take out

According to Politico's Alex Isenstadt, Bannon made clear during the 30-minute meeting that the Nevada lawyer and businessman had his support.

Supporting challengers instead of sitting senators, especially in purple states like Nevada, in which a Democrat could pick a Republican off, puts Bannon on a collision course with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Republican establishment.

Bannon had already fired an opening shot by suggesting, during his lengthy interview with 60 Minutes, that it was McConnell's and also House Speaker Paul Ryan's fault that President Trump was having trouble 'draining the swamp,' one of team Trump's favorite mottos.

'The Republican establishment is trying to nullify the 2016 election,' Bannon charged. 'They do not want Donald Trump's populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented,' the former White House aide said, pointing a finger squarely at McConnell and Ryan.

Beyond Nevada, Bannon is reportedly eyeing Senate races in Arizona, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama.

Alabama's special election run-off will act as a curtain-raiser for the Bannon-McConnell fight, as McConnell has backed incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., who slipped into the seat when Sen. Jeff Sessions left the body to run the Justice Department.

McConnell and his allies has spent millions trying to keep Strange in the seat.

President Trump, at first, backed Strange too, but more recently he's kept quiet as controversial former state Supreme Court Chief justice Roy Moore's effort has gained steam.

On Thursday Bannon also met with Moore in Washington.

Moore also met with David Bossie, the president's 2016 deputy campaign manager who's aligned with Bannon and runs the conservative group Citizens United.

The Bannon-Bossie alliance could prove fatal for Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who's constantly criticized President Trump in public, though has establishment support.

In August, McConnell said Flake had his 'full support' in next year's primary.

Bossie is already trying to find primary challengers to unseat the Arizona Republican, asking Rep. Matt Salmon to consider the job, Politico wrote, though Salmon is reluctant.

Bannon has two more Republican seats in his sights, as he's also thinking of targeting Sens. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

Corker was an early supporter of Trump from the Senate and was even considered for Secretary of State, but more recently he's criticized the president, saying he hadn't demonstrated 'stability' or 'competence' in the office thus far.

Soon after Bannon's departure from the White House, the news site he runs, Breitbart.com, published a story promoting a potential Corker challenger, Tennessee state Rep. Mark Green, Politico pointed out.

It might be a moot point, however, as CNN reported Monday that Corker is mulling retirement.

Looking at the Breitbart tea leaves, the site also touted Mississippi state Sen. Chris McDaniel as a potential candidate to go up against Wicker.

Bannon's meddling in the US Senate comes at the same time that he's predicting Republicans may have trouble holding onto the House, though the GOP has a much firmer grasp on the lower chamber.

During the 60 Minutes interview, Bannon suggested DACA could divide the president's party, as the president kicked the decision to Congress and later said he'd consider looking at it again himself.

Bannon is personally against DACA and suggested the so-called Dreamers could 'self deport.'

'I'm worried about losing the House now because of DACA,' he told Charlie Rose. 'If this goes all the way down to its logical conclusion, in February and March it will be a civil war inside the Republican Party that will be every bit as vitriolic as 2013.'

That year marked major squabbles between the establishment in the House, under Speaker John Boehner, and those who were elected on Tea Party credentials.

'And to me, doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise,' Bannon said.
A mother-of-two was arrested Saturday after leaving her children unattended at a park in Oregon.

Ana Lisa Lara, 28, spent the evening in jail after deputies were called to Harleman Park in the city of Cornelius, according to The Oregonian.

The Hillsboro mother allegedly left her three-year-old and eight-year-old alone for an hour as she visited a local tattoo parlor, the Washington County Sheriff's Office have revealed.

Ana Lisa Lara (pictured here) was arrested Saturday after leaving her two children - ages three and eight - unattended at Harleman Park

According to officials, the two young children were found in a public restroom by strangers after they became frightened by the rain.

The family who discovered the youngsters called police immediately.

According to News Times Sgt. Bob Ray, a spokesman for the sheriff's office said: 'The children were frightened when it began to rain and hid in the park bathroom.'

Authorities arrested Lara for first-degree criminal mistreatment, recklessly endangering another person and second-degree child neglect.

Records show that Lara, who was still in jail Sunday, is being held on $10,000 bail.

Police revealed they have left the two children with another family member.

Lara spent the evening in jail after deputies were called to the park in the city of Cornelius

Authorities arrested Lara for first-degree criminal mistreatment, recklessly endangering another person and second-degree child neglect
Incredible footage has captured the moment a have-a-go hero grabbed a drunk passenger and put him in a headlock after he assaulted the cabin crew.

Other fliers can be heard cheering as the aggressive man is taken down during the flight from Girona, Spain to Luton Airport.

The grey-haired hero can be seen jumping out of his seat, before tightening his grip around the man's throat until he collapses to the ground.

Dean Whiteside, from Dagenham, Essex, was on his way back from a boys' holiday when he captured the incident on his phone.

The grey-haired hero (shown right) can be seen jumping out of his seat, before tightening his grip around the disruptive man (left) until he collapses to the ground

The 26-year-old said the drunk man had been causing issues on the flight for two hours, before he was finally confronted after the plane touched down in England.

Speaking to The Sun, the labourer said: 'He was making a nuisance of himself. Over the course of the flight he was singing loudly with his headphones on

'It was a late flight, everyone was tired and he was rubbing people up the wrong way.

'The stewardess spent about an hour telling him, "Youre going to need to be quiet or Ill call the police".'

When the plane finally landed at about 11pm on June 30, the police were called to deal with the disruptive man.

He is seen trying to push his way past the cabin crew and is heard shouting: 'Get out of my face.'

The unnamed hero jumps from his aisle and apprehends the man, causing one passenger to say: 'Youre a powerful b****** doing that, man'

The man collapses to the floor as the grey-haired hero (pictured) applies a chokehold on him

At this point, the unnamed hero jumps from his aisle and apprehends the man, causing one passenger to say: 'Youre a powerful b****** doing that, man.'

Mr Whiteside added: 'I could see it brewing up that's the reason I got my phone out, ready to film it. The guy was lifeless in his arms like a rag doll.'

It comes as Ryanair called on UK airports to enforce a two-drink limit after it was revealed the number of passengers arrested for drunken behaviour has increased by half.

The budget airline has already banned customers from drinking duty-free alcohol on flights in response to the rise, which has taken place over the last year.

It has also stopped people flying from Glasgow and Manchester to Alicante and Ibiza from bringing any alcohol on board the aircraft at all to improve behaviour.

When the plane finally landed at about 11pm on June 30, the police were called to deal with the disruptive man

The company is now urging airports to ban the sale of alcohol before 10am and to limit the number of drinks per boarding pass to a maximum of two.

There was a total of 387 in the year to February 2017, up from 255 in the period from February 2015 to 2016, according to the statistics.

A RyanAir spokesman told MailOnline: 'The crew of this flight from Girona to London Luton requested police assistance upon arrival after a passenger became disruptive inflight.

'The aircraft landed normally and the passenger was met by police. We will not tolerate unruly or disruptive behaviour at any time and the safety and comfort of our customers, crew and aircraft is our number one priority.

'This is now a matter for local police. This is exactly why we are calling for significant changes to prohibit the sale of alcohol at airports.

Do you know either of the passengers or were you aboard flight? Send an email to tips@dailymail.com
Former Chancellor Alistair Darling last night slammed HS2 as a 'waste of money' and said it should be scrapped.

The former Labour frontbencher said the billions being pumped into the scheme would be better spent elsewhere such as boosting Britain's northern railways.

While Lord Macpherson - the most senior civil servant in the Treasury when George Osborne steered through the project - said he 'totally' agreed with the scathing assessment.

HS2 is Britain's most expensive ever infrastructure project and accounts reveal it has already cost taxpayers 2.3billion before a single piece of track has been laid.

The project has sparked widespread criticism and protests from Britons whose homes face being knocked down and communities scarred by the route.

Former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling said HS2 is a waste of money which should be scrapped and the billions spent on other projects which are better value for money (file pic)

Speaking on the Westminster Hour on BBC Radio 4 last night, Mr Darling said the cash was being wasted on the project.

He said: 'I think what the Government does need to do is they need to do more on infrastructure, and I would do smaller stuff rather than things like HS2 which I think is a waste of money frankly.'

He added: 'You are far better doing incremental stuff  the railways.

'Frankly, doing stuff in Northern England is politically as well as economically imperative rather than making it easier to come from Birmingham to London.'

Lord Macpherson, who served as Permanent Secretary to the Treasury from 2005 to 2016 before joining the House of Lords, said he 'totally' agreed it is a waste of money.

But he remained tight-lipped about the precise advice senior civil servants gave to David Cameron's government over pursuing the project, but hinted it was not positive.

He said: 'It was a political decision and I think it would be inappropriate of me to reveal the Treasury advice on that issue.'

Lord Macpherson, the former Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, said he 'totally' agreed with the assessment that the high speed rail link in a expensive waste of money (file pic)

George Osborne, pictured in the royal box at Wimbledon in July, championed HS2 while at the Treasury despite widespread opposition and protests from residents affected

Mr Darling chimed in saying: 'It is a political decision to do that, it always was. And it went from a back of the envelope to here we are about to spend a lot of money on it.

'And there are lots of things that are crying out to have money spent on them.'

The spiralling cost of Britain's biggest ever infrastructure project was revealed in accounts slipped out in June this year.

The annual report showed the company established by the government to build the railway spent 500million in the year to March 31 - up almost 30 per cent from 352.9million the year before.

It takes the total amount spent by HS2 so far to more than 1.9billion since 2009.

Separate accounts published by the Department for Transport showed it has spent another 366million on HS2.

The bulk of this was on compensating individuals and businesses who own property and land near the planned line.

This takes the total spent on the project to just under 2.3billion amid warnings that the project could end up costing more than 100billion.

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: 'HS2 will be the backbone of our national rail network, bringing huge economic benefits across the country, creating thousands of jobs and apprenticeships and helping to ensure this government delivers on its promise to spread wealth beyond London and the south-east.

'HS2 will free up local services, meaning more comfort, more seats and more trains for passengers across the north and the Midlands.'
An Adelaide woman who licked a bloodied knife after stabbing a man in the chest, has been sentenced to life in prison.

Leanne Carol Prak, 42, was found guilty Monday, over the murder of 65-year-old Michael McEvoy at a unit at suburban Holden Hill in May last year.

A Supreme Court jury took less than two hours to make the unanimous judgement, after the prosecution refused a guilty plea for manslaughter, The Advertiser reports.

Scroll down for video

Adelaide woman Leanne Carol Prak (pictured), 42, who licked a bloodied knife after stabbing a man in the chest, has been sentenced to life in prison

Justice David Peek sentenced Prak, who had showed no emotion to the verdict, to life imprisonment.

'I have to advise you that, as you probably already know, you have been convicted of murder...' he said.

'And there is only one sentence that may be passed in South Australia and that is a sentence of life imprisonment.'

Mr McEvoy's family members were heard yelling 'yes' and seen embracing as the guilty verdict was handed down.

A Supreme Court jury took less than two hours to return a unanimous guilty verdict, with Justice David Peek sentencing Prak (pictured) to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for murder

Prak was found guilty of killing 65-year-old Michael McEvoy at a unit at suburban Holden Hill in May last year

The family of Michael McEvoy (pictured) cheered and embraced when the guilty verdict was handed down

Speaking during the trial last week, prosecutor Chris Edge told the jury that Prak was drunk at the time of the attack and had been in a 'yelling match' with Mr McEvoy.

At one stage Prak had then picked up a kitchen knife and lunged towards the victim, stabbing him through the heart.

After he had collapsed, Prak had reportedly 'licked the blade of that bloodied knife,' with her saliva found on the blade.

He said the 41-year-old woman went on to stab the victim seven more times in the back, with some of those wounds also penetrating his chest.

He died from a combination of the stab wounds and their effects on his heart and lungs, the court heard.
This is the shocking moment a woman was mauled by a bison that rampaged through a tourist spot in India.

In a short clip, residents of the hill town of Kodaikanal screamed as the dangerous bison, known also as a guar, flicked its long horns at them.

Dozens of people who had been relaxing in the town square in the state of Tamil Nadu, southern India, scattered as the beast became more aggressive.

Residents of the hill town of Kodaikanal screamed as the dangerous bison, known also as a guar, flicked its long horns at them before targeting a woman in a green dress (pictured)

Several onlookers tried to intimidate the mighty bison - which would have weighed between 2,200 and 3,300 pounds (1.1 to 1.65 tons) - by shouting at it.

But it targeted a woman wearing a green dress and red headscarf.

She tried to run away but it barged into her and she tumbled to the ground.

Dozens of people who had been relaxing in the town square in the state of Tamil Nadu, southern India, scattered as the beast became more aggressive

Several onlookers tried to intimidate the mighty bison - which would have weighed between 2,200 and 3,300 pounds (1.1 to 1.65 tons) - by shouting at it - but it targeted a woman (pictured)

It then rammed into her for a second time as she lay helplessly in the mud. The severity of the woman's injuries is unknown.

The bison then left its victim in a heap on the ground and darted across the square to an opening in a fence and escaped into a wooded area.

The guar is the world's largest species of wild cattle and is one of the largest living land mammals after hippos, elephants and rhinos, according to the WWF.
Douglas Hammersley is thought to be the oldest paedophile to be sentenced in Britain. He avoided a jail term today for offences stretching back 40 years

Britain's oldest paedophile to be sentenced has avoided a jail term for sex attacks on a schoolgirl 40 years ago.

Douglas Hammersley, who will turn 102 this month, molested his young victim during the 1970s.

The woman, now in her 40s, finally went to the police after his family threw him a party for his 100th birthday last year, which was reported in a local newspaper.

She was praised for her bravery and courage during the sentencing hearing at Aylesbury Crown Court on Monday.

Hammersley, who was excused from attending, was given a two-year suspended prison sentence, placed on the sex offender register and ordered to pay 25,000 compensation.

Judge Francis Sheridan said: 'To award compensation is wholly unusual in a case like this but the young victim has carried this cross of abuse for year upon year upon year.

'She very properly complained to anyone that would listen. She has waited a very long time for justice but I hope justice is what she has got.

'She was telling the truth the whole way through, from the first complaint to the last. For that I applaud her for her steadfastness in getting justice.'

The victim, who cannot be identified, sat in court during the sentencing hearing.

Hammersley's victim came forward after seeing a local paper article about his 100th birthday

Judge Sheridan told her: 'You are a brave woman and I applaud your determination to get justice.

'I hope now you can leave feeling that ultimately you have been vindicated for persevering and hope you have seen justice done.'

The former second world war telephone engineer was photographed at his favourite New Malden pub in 2015 enjoying a pint when he turned 100.

Young's Brewery presented Mr Hammersley with a book because he had been drinking at Woodies Freehouse for 68 years.

Hammersley, of New Malden in Surrey, said he had no memory of the time around the attacks.

He previously pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault against a girl under the age of 14, in 1977 and 1979.

Last year, retired haulier Ralph Clarke was jailed for 13 years for a string of sex offences against young children in the 1970s and 80s. He was also 101 when he was sentenced but younger than Hammersley.
Poached from forest and kept in rusty cages, slow loris is one of the most trafficked animals in Asia because people think their huge brown eyes are cute and would buy them as pets.

One of them, recently rescued in China, has become so scared of humans it screamed and hid itself when vets tried to save it.

An animal lover, who helped rescue the male primate, described the heart-breaking scenes to MailOnline as a video of the animal being treated emerged on the internet.

The wounded slow loris was so terrified of humans it tried to hid itself behind a computer

When vets at a clinic in China tried to hold it, it immediately covered its head with its hands

The animal, found abandoned in Shenyang, China, also screamed when humans approached it

SLOW LORISES SHOULDN'T BE PETS Slow lorises are nocturnal animals. Therefore, being kept in a brightly lit room causes pain and suffering. In the wild they travel long distances at night in their search for food, making confinement in a small cage incredibly cruel. In the wild the slow loris would feed on a complex diet of fruits and insects. Owners often struggle to meet these special dietary needs. This leads to obesity as well as other serious health problems such as infection, pneumonia, diabetes, metabolic bone disease and malnutrition. Slow lorises have a venomous bite that is harmful to humans. Usually their teeth are clipped but if they are still intact they mix venom secreted from a gland inside their upper arm with saliva to deliver a venomous bite. This can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans. Slow lorises are in serious danger of extinction, with the biggest threat to survival being the illegal trade in wildlife. Source: International Animal Rescue Advertisement

The adult male primate, found in northern China, is believed to have been abused and abandoned by animal traffickers, according to Wang Weiyan, a worker at the Shenyang Raptor Rescue Centre.

It's known that animal traffickers in Asia would have the animal's teeth clipped with pliers so they could be sold as pets.

Mr Wang took the slow loris to the clinic on August 29 for medical attention.

The animal, a protected species in China, sustained injuries on its face and had trouble opening its eyes.

Footage shared by Pear Video shows the slow loris hiding behind a computer as a vet tried to catch it.

When another vet, who held a chewing bone, approached the primate, the animal immediately put its hands over its head and started screaming.

The two vets later worked together to hold the animal as they tried to calm it down for medical treatment.

Mr Wang told MailOnline that the animal had been found by the pupils at the local Guangming School in mid August.

It was said to be heavily wounded when it was found and had lost most of its hair due to a skin disease. It also had cat blood all over its body.

A teacher from the school kept the slow loris for about two weeks trying to look after the slow loris, but its health did not improve. Therefore, the teacher went to Mr Wang's centre for help.

The slow loris was heavily wounded when some school pupils found it in Shenyang

The pupils gave the animal to their teacher who tried to look after the animal. However its health was not improving, so the teacher went to Shenyang Raptor Rescue Centre for help

Mr Wang suspected the slow loris had been caught and kept by animal traffickers. He said the animal usually live in tropical southern China, such as the Guangxi Province, but this slow loris was found in Shenyang in north-east China.

Mr Wang also said that it was highly likely that the animal had been 'treated badly' by the traders - judging from its reactions to the vets.

He also said that the traffickers had likely abandoned the animal after it fell sick.

Slow loris is the only venomous primate in the world. It has a poisonous gland under either armpit, and when it feels in danger, it would lick the glands which would give them a toxic bite.

Slow loris is one of the most trafficked animals in Asia because people would buy them as pets

'The animal moves so slowly, so to survive in the nature, it has evolved to have the ability,' said Mr Wang, who also said that a slow loris would lose its poisonous glands after being kept by humans for more than three months.

The slow loris Mr Wang rescued was not venomous, which led the man to believe that it had been kept by humans for a while.

Luckily, vets were able to treat the animal after they calmed it down.

Mr Wang said the Shenyang Raptor Rescue Centre had been looking after the slow loris after its visit to the clinic, and it was recovering well.

It released a video to MailOnline showing the animal eating a banana in the centre.

Slow loris is a Class I protected animal in China and there are less than 1,000 of them there

According to the centre, it will work with the authority and send the slow loris back to nature in southern China after its health stablises.

He also pleaded the public to stop keeping slow lorises as pets.

'When the buying stops, the killing can too. Please stop buying them as pets, otherwise they might become extinct in a decade,' said Mr Wang emotionally.

Slow loris is a Class I protected animal in China. There are less than 1,000 of them in the country, making the animal as precious as the panda.
A man who raped, tortured and murdered a young girl in 1989 may walk free from jail as soon as Tuesday, despite having served just 28 years of a life sentence.

Lauren Hickson was only four years old when she fell victim to Neville Towner, during a vile attack at Emu Plains, a suburb in the west of Sydney.

The 23-year-old abducted the young girl from the caravan park where she lived with her family, before bashing her over the head with a rock, attempting to rape her and eventually drowning her in the Nepean River.

But despite Towner being convicted of murder and sentenced to life behind bars, he could be given the green light to return into the community as soon as a parole hearing on Tuesday - a move that has outraged Lauren Hickson's devastated mother.

Lauren Hickson (pictured) was only four years old when she was raped, tortured and murdered by Neville Towner, during a vile attack at Emu Plains, a suburb in the west of Sydney, in 1989

Towner (pictured) was convicted of murder and sentenced to life behind bars, but could walk free as soon as Tuesday when he will face the NSW State Parole Authority

Lauren first came into contact with Towner through his mother, who was entrusted as her regular babysitter but chose to let her son look after her the day she went missing.

A huge police search discovered her lifeless body two days later lying by the river 500 metres west of the caravan park.

Towner was eventually charged murder and intent to sexually assault a child under the age of ten.

With the public outraged at the crime, he attempted to take his own life twice while in custody.

He was eventually sentenced to life in prison, but that was overturned in 2002 to allow him the minimum non-parole period.

And now, less than three decades on from the shocking murder, Towner has freedom within his reach should the State Parole Authority (SPA) approve his release.

Lauren (pictured) first came into contact with Towner through his mother, who was entrusted as her regular babysitter but chose to let her son look after her the day she went missing

The four-year-old was abducted from the caravan park where she lived with her family, before being bashed over the head with a rock, raped and eventually drowned in the Nepean River

The possibility of her daughter's killer walking free has Jurina Hickson outraged, and backing a Change.org petition calling on the SPA to block Towner's parole.

'I'll never forgive him while I've still got breath in my body,' Ms Hickson said.

'The murder was so horrific. He sexually assaulted and tortured her.

'I just can't understand why a prisoner of his calibre is going to get a get-out-of-jail-free card.'

Steve Ticehurst, who was the lead investigator on the case echoed the statements of Ms Hickson in opposing Towner's parole, saying he did 'not deserve to be released'.
Natural disasters are great levellers, figuratively and literally.

They spare nobody, regardless of wealth or colour, background or creed.

Billionaire tycoon Sir Richard Branson was no more able to defend his Caribbean home on Necker Island from the ravages of Hurricane Irma than the poorest family in nearby Barbuda.

The horror and tragedy created by storms, earthquakes, floods, volcano eruptions and blizzards can be utterly devastating.

Natural disasters are great levellers. Billionaire tycoon Sir Richard Branson was no more able to defend his Caribbean home from Irma, seen here ravaged, than the poorest family could

But these disasters invariably inspire the very best of humanity too.

Never has this been more apparent than during the past fortnight as first Hurricane Harvey and now Hurricane Irma have wrought their deadly havoc.

The first responders have excelled themselves, working incredibly long shifts to save people, without a thought for their own safety.

How heart-warming has it been to see so many of them wading through water clutching women and children, or pulling them up to the safety of helicopters?

Just as inspiring has been the response from ordinary people whove never had to rescue anyone in their lives and have zero training to do it.

Disasters can inspire the best of humanity and first responders and civilians have excelled. Here two men carry Quintin Sanders, who has cerebral palsy, off a rescue boat in Texas during Harvey's floods

Responders are working long shifts and ordinary people are stepping up without a thought for their own safety, pulling women and young children to safety

I think of those neighbours in Houston who formed a human chain to help a woman in labour wade get to safety through rising floodwaters.

I think of the pastor in the same city who swam for hours a day checking cars to see if anyone was inside.

I think of the little girl on the outskirts of Miami who saved her family and others after she smelled smoke from a fire sparked by Irmas fury and jumped out of bed to raise the alarm. Her house is gone, along with two others next to it - but thanks to her quick-thinking, three families survived.

I think of all those who have worked so hard to save threatened animals too, from family cats and dogs to large herds of cattle and congregations of alligators.

I think right now of the local villagers who are cutting through giant fallen trees with chainsaws to reach the trapped husband and two baby children of a friend of mine in the British Virgin Islands.

And I think of the hundreds of small boats pulled by myriad trucks to Houston from all across the South, driven by people prepared to sacrifice their own time, money and property, and to risk their own lives, to save complete strangers. This was Texass Dunkirk, and no less important or valiant.

The past two weeks have also been a supreme test of two endlessly squabbling foes: the US President and the US media.

Its been a test they have both passed superbly well.

Donald Trumps finally learned how to be presidential. He put his taunting, aggressive, fight-picking stick away and replaced it with a much-needed compassionate carrot.

Donald Trump, seen here Sunday in a teleconference with FEMA about Irma, has finally learned to be presidential

Whether you love him or loathe him, only the most deranged Trump critic could deny that he has risen to the challenge of these record-breaking storms with calm authority and efficiency, and appropriate concern.

He has utilised the full force of the federal government in a way that has, Im told, greatly impressed those at state level involved at the sharp end of trying to fight the storms.

And unlike George Bushs shameful abrogation of responsibility over Katrina, Trump has personally gone to where the action is and shown real care for those caught up in it.

He even kissed little babies left temporarily homeless. Many mocked those images, but I felt it was genuine and it was good to finally see Trump displaying the human side that his family and friends know exists but which he usually prefers to keep hidden from the world for reasons that baffle me.

This has also been the moment when CNN rediscovered its mojo.

Ive watched in increasing despair since Trumps election as my old network ditched its hard-fought non-partisan reputation to go to bitchy, belittling, toxic war with the President as if he were their political opponent.

Hurricane season has served as a timely reminder, not least perhaps to CNN itself, that Americas first and best 24-hour cable news channel is at its most effective when it commits its vast resource to reporting the news as it happens, with courage, tenacity and a simple desire to tell the truth.

Meanwhile CNN has recovered its mojo. The cable news channel is at its most effective when it commits its vast resource to reporting the news as it happens. My former colleagues like Chris Cuomo, Kyung Lah and Jon Berman have been outstanding

Last night, like many millions around the world, I watched former colleagues like Chris Cuomo, Kyung Lah and Jon Berman reporting for long, hugely difficult hours from the very eye of the hurricane. They were outstanding.

A week ago, I watched live as CNN reporter Ed Lavendera rescued a helpless old man from his water-logged home in Houston. That, too, was a stunning piece of socially responsible journalism.

THIS is CNN, not lining up a bunch of sneering Trump-bashing pundits to spend all day mocking and abusing the president for whatever he says or does, in a blatant, cynical bid for ratings and money.

Other members of the so-called Fake News mainstream media, both print and broadcast, have been just as impressive and helped so many people in the process.

I hope Trump acknowledges this fact.

Of course there have been some idiots too, led by the mindless looters caught on camera raiding empty unprotected stores to line their pockets, knowing the police were distracted elsewhere.

Then there are those habitual imbeciles who think its fun to post dramatic hoax photos and videos of fake sharks or old tsunamis on social media, which causes needless extra panic among members of the public already living in great fear.

And the selfie-loving clowns who think a hurricane is a great chance to film themselves surfing, or tying their bodies to a tree, or walking out over areas where the sea has withdrawn, oblivious to the fact that they inevitably steal rescuers attention away from those who didnt deliberately court their difficulties.

All these people are repulsively selfish and stupid.

But they are a tiny minority and should not diminish from the bigger picture here, which is that America has risen to the challenge of these record-breakingly powerful and destructive hurricanes with magnificent resolve.

My lasting memory will be of a large-framed black man in Houston who had taken his boat to help.

What are you about to do? asked a TV reporter.

Im gonna try to save some lives, he replied, simply.

He wasnt doing this to be a hero.

He was doing it because he is an American and other Americans were going to die if he didnt.

That, right there, was a shining example of the spirit, kindness, bravery and sense of duty that has been seen again and again during this hellish fortnight.

If Donald Trump truly wants to make the country great again, then I strongly suggest he harnesses these values and runs with them as hard as his fellow Americans have run to help each other in their time of need.
A British carer who fought against Islamic State on the frontline has been arrested after landing at Manchester Airport.

Aiden Aslin, 23, is being held for questioning after he was accused of 'engaging in preparation to fight against Daesh' and 'possessing articles for terrorist purposes'.

A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman told MailOnline: 'A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.

'The 23-year-old was arrested following claims he had allegedly engaged in the preparation to fight against Daesh and possessed articles for terrorist purposes in Iraq/Syria.

'He will be interviewed by specialist officers later today. The individual is known to the police and is part of an ongoing enquiry.'

Aiden Aslin said he had earned their respect and that of British Special Forces operating in the area, who had offered to provide intelligence

Mr Aslin most recently left the UK in January this year to join the battle to take Raqqa from ISIS.

He rejoined Kurdish forces following the cancellation of police bail that saw him surrender his passport to prevent foreign travel following his previous time spent in Syria and Iraq.

During his last stint in Syria he had met with British and American servicemen during Kurdish attempts to capture the town of Jezra.

He said: 'I had met members of the US 82nd Airborne Division just outside the town of Jezra during the operation to take it and, for a few days, got to know them by joking around the fire and socialising.'

Mr Aslin said he had earned their respect and that of British Special Forces operating in the area, who had offered to provide intelligence.

'Over there we are allies, but when we return we are treated as the enemy,' he said.

In a previous interview he said: 'Daesh is like a cancer. You leave it untreated and it is going to keep growing.

'Anti-war protesters have no idea what kind of people Daesh are. They can't be negotiated with.'

After seven months in Syria he returned to the UK and armed police boarded his flight to arrest him as it touched down in Manchester on July 16.

He said: 'I'm done with Britain's treatment towards us. I did my seven months in Syria and was just exhausted.

'So I came to Greece last month to do humanitarian work at a refugee camp for Kurds to help teach them English so they have a smoother time going though Europe and can better report exploitation and sexual harassment, missing family members and things like that.

'I'm probably going to live in Greece.'

The 23-year-old first joined the fight against ISIS in April 2015 after being sickened by its barbarism and abuse of Kurdish people.

He was arrested at Heathrow Airport in February 2016 as his flight home landed and was on police bail until October, while an investigation took place into what he had been doing. No charges were brought.

Mr Aslin's grandmother, Pam Hall, said the family were unaware he was going back to Syria this year until he let them know he was there.

The Home Office leaves it to individual police forces to decide what to do when non-military personnel return from fighting ISIS.
A driver believed to be drunk plowed through a group of 25 cyclists in Brooklyn on Sunday morning, critically injuring a 55-year-old woman.

The alleged driver of the van, 39-year-old Abel Pina of Brooklyn, was arrested at the scene in Borough Park on charges of vehicular assault, driving without a license and driving while impaired.

Police say Pina was intoxicated when he struck cyclists waiting for a red light around 9am - leaving 55-year-old Nancy Pease in critical condition, a 31-year-old man hospitalized in stable condition and a third cyclists with minor injuries.

An alleged drunk driver struck a group of cyclists in Brooklyn on Sunday morning, pinning a 55-year-old woman under his car. Abel Pina, 39, of Brooklyn, was arrested at the scene in Borough Park on charges of vehicular assault, driving without a license and driving while impaired

Other cyclists looked on as officials rescued 55-year-old Nancy Pease from underneath the van

The cyclists involved in the crash were taking part in the NYC Century Bike Tour, a 100-mile ride through four boroughs that advocates for safer streets.

Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, which organized the event, said that the cyclists were 'mowed down' by the Dodge van.

'One of the victims is fighting for her life right now,' White told NBC New York, referencing Pease. 'This occasion of joy should not have turned into this.'

Pease, a former English teacher from Queens, had to be freed from underneath a van by firefighters.

Police say Pina was intoxicated when he struck cyclists waiting for a red light around 9am - leaving 55-year-old Nancy Pease in critical condition, a 31-year-old man hospitalized in stable condition and a third cyclists with minor injuries

The cyclists involved in the crash were taking part in the NYC Century Bike Tour, a 100-mile ride through four boroughs that advocates for safer streets

Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, which organized the event, said that the cyclists were 'mowed down' by the Dodge van

She was then taken to Maimonides Medical Center in critical condition.

Brandon Painter, 31, told New York Daily News that the driver of the van had 'floored it and went through all of us'.

'He ran over us. He ran over my bike. I was under the front left tire,' Painter, whose right foot was run over in the crash, told the Daily News.

Approximately 25 cyclists were waiting for a red light went the car rammed into the group.

Painter said that Pina looked 'intent on running the group of people over' and that he looked 'crazy' before the incident occurred.

Painter's friend, another cyclist in the group who did not want to be named, said that Pina got out of the car in a daze, 'not able to comprehend what's happening'.

A bystander threw Pina on the ground as others called 911. They held the man until police arrived.
NBC's Kerry Sanders was one of many reporters who spent days in Florida warning the public to get out of harm's way as Hurricane Irma barrelled into the Sunshine State.

However, he's the only correspondent who, while reporting live, helped rescue two dolphins that became stranded on Marco Island.

Sanders was in the middle of reporting on a storm surge that came in on the south side of the island after Irma touched down in the area just before he helped rescue a baby dolphin.

NBC's Kerry Sanders helped rescue two dolphins - one being a baby (pictured) - that became stranded on Marco Island. A passerby (left) who spotted the baby dolphin walked up to Sanders and asked for his help

Sanders and the good Samaritan, only identified as Mark, tried desperately to help the baby dolphin back into the water slowly and carefully. And after several attempts the baby finally made its way back into the ocean

A passerby who spotted the baby dolphin walked up to Sanders and asked for his help.

Sanders and the good Samaritan, only identified as Mark, tried desperately to help the baby dolphin back into the water slowly and carefully.

'We've been trying to give this little dolphin, which is no doubt exhausted by the hurricane, an opportunity to catch its strength,' Sanders said in the first video.

Sanders said he and Mark had been holding the dolphin for about 15 minutes to give the disoriented animal a chance to rest.

The pair spent several minutes trying to guide the dolphin back into the water. The video showed the adorable dolphin fighting rolling waves that kept pushing it back toward shore.

But finally, the animal found its way.

Just 30 minutes later, Sanders came across a much bigger dolphin (pictured) stranded on the shore

Sanders (left in blue), along with six other people, joined forces to aid the dolpin that was seen lying helplessly on the sand

The group poured water on the sea creature until they were able to pick it up and walk it back out to sea (pictured)

Just 30 minutes later, Sanders came across a much bigger dolphin stranded on the shore.

Sanders, along with six other people, joined forces to aid the dolpin that was seen lying helplessly on the sand.

The group poured water on the sea creature until they were able to pick it up and walk it back out to sea.

According to Sanders, the second dolphin was released into the water effortlessly, unlike the baby who had trouble swimming back into the sea.

Sanders spent Sunday stationed outside a concrete parking garage to gather gripping coverage of Hurricane Irma that killed five people and left more than seven million others without power when it touched down as a Category 4 storm in Florida.

Last week, Irma battered the Caribbean, leaving at least 23 dead, with another 10 deaths reported in Cuba.

Sanders (pictured) helped the second dolphin gain its strength before letting it go in the water

According to Sanders (pictured), the second dolphin was released into the water effortlessly, unlike the baby who had trouble swimming back into the sea
Shortages pose major challenges in Africa, chief of program says

Executive Director of UNAIDS Michel Sidibe speaks during a press conference to present UNDAIDS's latest figures on the AIDS epidemic at the Paris City Hall on July 20, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

The head of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS has called on China to boost prevention and control in Africa by encouraging the country's drugmakers to open production hubs on the continent.

Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS, said the central government should use the China-Africa Development Fund to mobilize key pharmaceutical companies to invest in manufacturing hubs covering many African countries, which will help create a "viable and sustainable" market.

At the same time, medicines for HIV and AIDS produced in China and used by Chinese should be prequalified by the World Health Organization for use in Africa, he added. "We need to create a policy space to make sure those products can be prequalified by the WHO. That is one of the major challenges for the African countries to have easy access to these medicines," said Sidibe, who also is under-secretary-general of the United Nations.

Shortages of drugs and grassroots healthcare workers pose a major challenge for the control and prevention of HIV/AIDS in Africa, he said, while China also has experience and knowledge in the field that can be passed on.

"Ninety-seven percent of the medicine consumed in Africa is from other continents," Sidibe said. "We are happy that we have a very good relationship with the Chinese."

President Xi Jinping proposed intensifying cooperation with Africa in a number of areas, including industrial development, agriculture, finance, poverty alleviation and healthcare, at the 2015 summit of the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation in South Africa.

According to a 10-point action plan, the central government will encourage Chinese enterprises to collaborate with Africa in drug research, development and production, and encourage them to produce drugs in Africa to aid the sustainable development of the local pharmaceutical industry.

Globally, countries are making unprecedented progress in the control and prevention of HIV. For the first time, the world has more people with HIV receiving treatment than people waiting for treatment, and for the first time, HIV transmission from mother to babies is under control.

Moreover, China is committed to improving public health services, Xi said, noting that government health expenditures have increased by 80 percent over the past 10 years, and that it is helping to provide wider access to health services.

wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn
Today the United Nations Security Council will meet and vote on a resolution to impose new restrictions on North Korea. This resolution is a direct response to recent North Korean missile activity and threats from Kim Jong Un. On July 4, North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile and claimed it could hit any nation on Earth and just last month, North Korea launched a Hwasong-12 missile over Japan. CNN reports that the nation has already fired 21 missiles in 2017. Kim Jong Un threatened the United States (which drafted the resolution) that it would pay a due price if such sanctions pass.

Earlier this year I interviewed Suzanne Scholte for a Religion & Liberty cover story on human rights abuses in totalitarian regimes. After North Koreas most recent missile launch, I checked in with Scholte to get her reaction. She is the president of the Defense Forum Foundation and an expert on North Korea and its human rights violations You can read the entire exchange below.

Acton: When policy analysts and news commentators talk about a possible outbreak of hostilities on the Korean peninsula, they talk about a catastrophic human tragedy. They talk about a mass migration of North Koreans into China. What are they risk, from your point of view, for a people who have already suffered greatly?

[Scholte:] There are no good options on the table right now except the one that is being ignored: a dedicated outreach to the people of North Korea. I believe that Kim Jong Un will push and threaten to the extreme but will not do anything that could provoke a military response from either the USA or the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Heres why: He simply wants to maintain power and he will not do anything that could risk the loss of his dictatorship. His ultimate goal is reunification and taking over the South. Everything he is doing is working towards that goal  testing the ROK-US alliance which is the single greatest obstacle in his way. His strategy is playing out beautifully as pro-Kim Jong Un leftists protest the THAAD deployment and the ROK-USA alliance. And we fall into the trap because we are not remembering the people of North Korea. We should be doing everything we can to broadcast to them that the USA is their friend, not their enemy, and it is that very friendship that we have had with South Korea that helped propel them to being one of the worlds most advanced countries in the world. That is the same vision we have for North Korea and we have to articulate that strongly to the people of North Korea, who are brainwashed from childhood to hate us and believe all sorts of lies about us. Just to illustrate that point, during North Korea Freedom Week in April 2017, the defector delegation kept telling us: the truth will set them free. The real tragedy here is that when we focus on Kims threats to bomb Guam and not reiterated strongly our concerns for the people of North Korea we play right into Kim Jong Uns strategy: that Americas only is the harm Kim can do to us, not the horrific harm he has done to his own people. We help feed into the lie that Kim uses to justify his nuclear ambitions.

Would the current North Korean regime, if it survives, become even more reactionary and oppressive?

YES, it must to maintain power and what is happening to the refugees trying to escape is just one small example of that. Right now, 80 percent of North Koreans who attempt escape carry poison as they would rather die than face repatriation back to North Korea. Just recently, a family of five committed suicide after their anguished appeals to the Chinese security went ignored and they were transported to the China-North Korea border to be turned over to North Korean authorities. Last month Kim Jong Un declared that he wanted eight defectors assassinated: the top two on the list were Kim Seong Min, who broadcasts the daily Free North Korea Radio, and Park Sang Hak, who organizes the balloon launches. Others on the list were defectors involved with getting information in and out of North Korea.

What is the most helpful thing President Trump and the United States could do right now?

First, Save refugees trying to escape by focusing on the horrific, inhumane, barbaric, and ILLEGAL repatriation policy of China and highlighting what China is doing; Second, Vigorously enforce sanctions; Third, Call for the international community to end the forced slave labor of North Koreans which brings in cold cash to the regime and; And finallyand most importantlysupport the work of the defectors NGOs  they get no support from the ROK or USA governments and yet they are the most effective advocates for bringing about the end of the regime peacefully by bringing about pressure internally. For example, those who served in the military are reaching out to military leaders in North Korea and telling them about what happened in Rumania and Egypt: side with the people against the dictator!

China?

China has a choice: continued support for Kim regime which will lead to death for more North Koreans, continued instability and uncertainty and worst of all for China, a nuclear arms race in Asia OR work with the international community and South Korea and the USA and end support for the Kim dictatorship this is in Chinas economic interests which until this current crisis with DPRK enjoyed a robust and strong economic relationship with the ROK

South Korea?

Moon needs to remember who his friends are. I heard him speak at CSIS in June and he said nothing about the suffering people of North Korea. He talked about we just want peace, we do not want regime change and he talks about engagement and financial support for the North  the sunshine policy of the past was a complete failure and resulted in the deaths of millions of North Koreans. The moonshine policy will only bring the same. When Moon made that speech what flashed through my mind was the scene from Independence Day when the US president asks the alien: can we have peace between us? The alien replies: No peace. The President asks: What do you want form us? The alien replies: Die. Kim Jong Un does not want peace, he wants to carry the same death and darkness to the entire Korean peninsula and reunify Korea as a totalitarian dictatorship. My Korean American friends cannot sleep at night, because they know this truth. [emphasis added]

Anything else youd like to add?

We ordered bulk copies of the book The Accusation  and are offering them for $20.50  the only book written by a dissident in North Korea  its powerful  you can see more at defenseforumfoundation.org

You can read the original interview with Scholte here, a Powerblog preview of the interview here, a collection of anecdotes from survivors of totalitarian regimes, and some information on what Americans can do to help the people of North Korea.

Featured Image: North Korea Victory Day 139 by Stefan Krasowski (CC BY 2.0)
An Indiana farm planted a Princess Leia-shaped corn maze in honor of the late actress Carrie Fisher.

It opened at Goebel Farms in Evansville, Indiana, this weekend and outlines the face and iconic hairdo of the Star Wars character and reads 'Carrie Fisher RIP 1956-2016'.

The creative maze even caught the attention of Fisher's brother, Todd, who tweeted the photo calling it 'a very cool tribute'.

Carrie, who played the character in the blockbuster Star Wars saga, died suddenly in late December at 60.

Scroll down for video

Todd Fisher, the brother of late actress Carrie Fisher, tweeted a photo of the maze that honored his sister, calling it 'a very cool tribute'

Goebel farms in Evansville, Indiana, opened a corn maize this weekend in the shape of the Star War's character Princess Leia to honor the actress who played her . It reads 'Carrie Fisher RIP 1956-2016'

Carrie Fisher is pictured as Princess Leia, in the role she was most famous for. Carrie died suddenly in December at age 60

The maze was designed by Jeremy Goebel in February and planted this spring using a GPS device.

Goebel told the Evansville Courier & Press: ' I've always been a Star Wars fan and I just wanted to pay tribute to Carrie Fisher.'

He's designed corn mazes at his family farm for 16 years. Though the process used to be done by hand and much more laborious, now it's mostly done on computers.

Goebel began by taking a photo of Princess Leia and using Photoshop to trace the design, adding pathways and dead-ends necessary for a corn maze.



Once the design was set, Goebel uploaded it into a tractor computer and used GPS to plant the field, a process that takes 40 minutes.

But this maze designer doesn't consider himself an artist and is relieved that they started using GPS 13 years ago.

The corn maize opened this weekend and is a huge attraction for any Star Wars fan who wants to celebrate Carrie Fisher and get lost in their beloved Princess Leia.

The maze reads 'Carrie Fisher RIP 1956-2016' and has an outline of Princess Leia's face and iconic hairdo
A woman reporting on Hurricane Irma in Miami got an answer she could not have predicted when she asked a family why they were not evacuating.

A man began to answer that he believed they were safe, but a young boy quickly interrupts.

'Because we're savages,' he said.

A Hurricane Irma reporter asked why a family did not evacuate Miami, and a boy responded: 'Because we're savages'

The clip is making the rounds across social media, with many hailing the boy as hilarious while others question the family's decision.

Mandatory evacuation affected nearly 650,000 people in Miami-Dade county, and more than 1.3million people overall.

Hurricane Irma broke records for sustaining 185mph winds for 37 hours. 5.8million Floridians are without power.

Irma tore through Miami and swamped it with storm surge as well as blowing the roofs off homes.

Users took to social media to react to the viral clip.

'I really want to see a "where are they now?" after the storm with this character' one Twitter user said.

'Even tho (sic) I think they're idiots for staying, I hope they're safe. Nature is by far the most beautiful thing to look at, but it can also be deadly' another said.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott says there's damage across the state caused by Hurricane Irma and it's still too dangerous for residents to go outside or return from evacuation.

Some 200,000 people waited in shelters across the state as Irma headed up the coast.

The National Hurricane Center predicts the storm will cross Monday into Georgia, where Atlanta has been put on a tropical storm warning for the first time in history.
The event is one of a series that the royals are attending to commemorate the nation's war dead, ahead of the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Queen Elizabeth, who died nine weeks ago at the age of 96, considered Remembrance Sunday one of the most significant and important engagements in her royal calendar and missed just a handful of services in her historic 70 years as monarch. This year marks the King's first year as head of state and will double as a tribute to the late Queen. Charles (right) and Camilla (inset) were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales (pictured left), the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife (bottom right) were also in attendance. Kate was glowing in a tailored belted black blazer and flowing calf length skirt, with three poppies pinned to her collar. Camilla also opted for a black dress, adorned with sequined poppies and a delicate red poppy brooch, along with her favoured Van Cleef drop earrings. The King, meanwhile, showcased his collection of medals and wore a single poppy for the occasion.
A leading pro-Israel campaigner and two family members were beaten up in their own home near Paris during a violent robbery that has been described as anti- Semitic.

Roger Pinto, 78, claims his life was threatened after three masked attackers burst into the property in the suburb of Livry-Gargan last Thursday.

They cut off the electricity, tied up Mr Pinto and his wife and grown-up son, and then made off with jewellery, credit cards and cash.

Roger Pinto (pictured), 78, claims his life was threatened after three masked attackers burst into the property in the suburb of Livry-Gargan last Thursday

Mr Pinto, who is head of a group called Siona that is committed to defending the Jewish people and the State of Israel, said they were specifically targeted because of their religion.

In an interview with the Tel-Aviv based i24 news channel, Mr Pinto said: There were three young men of black race, who were particularly violent and they shouted: "Youre Jewish, you have lots of money."'

French prosecutors have now opened an investigation into illegal detention, theft and extortion with violence motivated by the religious affiliation of the victims.

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said everything would be done to catch the perpetrators of a cowardly act that appears directly linked to the victims religion.

Mr Collomb added that he offered deep support to the family and leaders of Jewish institutions in France.

Groups such as Sinco encourage European Jews to move to Israel, because they consider better security will be offered in the Jewish state.

Following the latest attack on a Jewish family, Francis Kalifat, president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) said this horrible act is the proof, if needed, that the Jews of France are particularly threatened in the street and for some time even within their own home, which is even more worrying.

Marc Bensimhon, the Pinto family lawyer, said: The community is very upset because this aggression affects one of its eminent members.

Since this morning, Ive received calls from people who ask me: Do you think we have to leave?

Interior Minister Gerard Collomb (pictured) said everything would be done to catch the perpetrators of a cowardly act that appears directly linked to the victims religion

Neighbours of the Pintos, who include members of other vulnerable religions and ethnic minorities, have also reported burglaries in recent days.

Police were alerted to the crime in the Pinto household by a Muslim neighbour identified only as Djamila who heard Mr Pinto shouting for help from an upstairs window.

The robbers brandished knives and screwdrivers, and are said to have punched and kicked their victims, who were all released from hospital after check-ups.

The value of the property taken is said to amount to a few thousands euros, said an investigating source.

There are up to half a million Jews in France  the largest community outside the USA and Israel  and complaints about anti-Semitism are rife.

The far-Right National Front party, which came second in the French presidential election in May, has a long history of anti-Semitism behind it, and is still regularly linked with Nazi sympathisers and Holocaust deniers.

The attack on the Pintos has reminded many of the 2006 kidnapping and anti-Semitic killing in the Paris suburbs of 23-year-old Ilan Hami, who was of Moroccan Jewish ancestry.

Jews have also been among the victims of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda terrorists who have launched attacks around Paris and other major French cities in recent years.

Such groups also target Muslims, Christians, and non-believers, and their atrocities have led to French Jews moving to Israel. According to figures released by Israel, around 40,000 Jews have emigrated from France to Israel since 2006.

However, analysts concede that a number move for religious, family and economic reasons, and not solely because they fear for their security in Europe.
The Victorian Premier has become the most 'liked' Australian politician on social media after spending more than $280,000 of taxpayer dollars on Facebook ads.

Premier Daniel Andrews funneled $281,469 into promoting his Facebook page in the past two years  helping him amass an impressive 387,000 followers on the social media platform.

The controversial advertising method earned him the title 'vain Premier' from his critics who claimed he was misusing taxpayer dollars, the Herald Sun reported.

Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured with wife Cath) funneled $281,469 into promoting his Facebook page in the past two years

Victoria Greens' Greg Barber said the taxpayer funded advertising was 'the ultimate insult'.

'They made a big deal of their ban on taxpayer-funded political advertising, but then they left themselves a sneaky loophole so the Premier can spend as much as he wants through his Facebook account. Typical dodgy Labor.'

Guidelines ban taxpayer funded government ads from TV and mainstream media, but do not apply to Facebook.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said the department was using taxpayer funds as a Labor campaign slush fund.

'Three years in and Daniel Andrews' priority is buying Facebook friends for his vanity project rather than solving chronic congestion. This Premier puts his ego first and people second,' Mr Guy told the Herald Sun.

The controversial advertising method earned Mr Andrews (pictured with his wife Cath) the title 'vain Premier' from his critics who claimed he was misusing taxpayer dollars

Guidelines ban taxpayer funded government ads from TV and mainstream media, but do not apply to Facebook (Mr Andrews' Facebook profile picture)

The $281,469 price tag for Facebook ads did not include the cost of social media staff running the page or video producers creating its content.

With the help of sponsored posts, the Premier's Facebook page garnered 387,000 followers, surpassing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Facebook page which fell short at 372,646 likes.

While his Facebook posts reached millions of viewers, the department racked up huge advertising bills.

For a post urging Victorians to 'like' the Premier's page, the department spent $977.88.

The January post asked Victorians to 'like' the page if they supported the introduction of medicinal cannabis.

The January post asked Victorians to 'like' the page if they supported the introduction of medicinal cannabis

With the help of sponsored posts, Mr Andrews' Facebook page garnered 387,000 followers, surpassing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's Facebook page which fell short at 372,646 likes

The department paid $606.42 in September 2016 when the page made a post about the Grand Final public holiday saying: 'If you're reading this it's grand final Friday eve'

The department paid $606.42 in September 2016 when the page made a post about the Grand Final public holiday saying: 'If you're reading this it's grand final Friday eve'.

The post was a spin on musician Drake's latest album cover.

Despite the costs, the Department said it saved $20 million in advertising costs over three years.

A government spokeswoman told the Herald Sun the department was using Facebook to advertise because it was the most effective way of sharing information with Victorians.

'Daniel Andrews wants to reach people ages 18 and older who live or were recently near Melbourne, Victoria,' a Facebook post reads

The department 'abolished' taxpayer-funded political advertising in 2015.

The Andrews Labor Government committed to 'tightening' government advertising - including a requirement restricting unfunded projects from being promoted in paid advertising.

The department said it was a step towards 'reducing the cost to taxpayers'.

'We won't waste public money on political advertising for shonky or imaginary projects,' the department said in April 2016.

In July this year the government said 'we are delivering on our promise to return integrity to government advertising by strengthening oversight and introducing legislation to ban political advertising'.
Body-cam footage has been released of the terrifying moment an armed man opens fire on a police officer in Glendale, Arizona.

Officer Anthony Cano was on patrol when he saw a red sedan that looked like it had recently been involved in an accident.

Cano approached the car and saw a man lying inside. The man was later identified as Abel Rodriguez, 29, according to a police.

Cano approached the vehicle that appeared to have recently been in an accident

Rodriguez opened fire on Cano, who quickly drew his own weapon and retreated

Cano returned fire and injured him. Rodriguez was taken to the hospital for non-lethal injuries

He told the man to open his door but he didn't. Cano again ordered Rodriguez to open his door when Rodriguez pulled a gun that had been hidden under his shirt and shot at the officer. 'No man'.

Several shots can be heard before Cano retreats from the car and radios 998, the code for an officer involved shooting.

Abel Rodriguez (left), 29, opened fire on Officer Anthony Cano (right) on January 20

Rodriguez then fired again at Cano, who was not hit. According to a press release, Rodriguez had exited the vehicle from the passenger side. Cano returned fire and hit the suspect.

Cano can be heard yelling at nearby residents to get back in their houses. He repeatedly yelled at Rodriguez to get on the ground.

When backup arrived Rodriguez was treated on the scene and then transported to a nearby hospital and treated for non-lethal injuries.

The incident happened January 20, but the body-cam footage has only been recently released.

Aerial footage shows police investigating the sedan Rodriguez had been driving
A heartbroken pianist who vowed to play non-stop in a park until his girlfriend took him back has failed to strike a chord with the public - who have branded him 'entitled' and 'horrible' online.

Luke Howard, 34, said he didn't know what the woman, who he wouldn't name but referred to as his 'Rapunzel', would do when she saw his very public performance in Bristol.

The pair recently split up after a four-month relationship and the break-up has left him devastated.

But his non-stop piano playing has been dubbed 'stalker like' by people online who says he needs to get over it.

Heartbroken Luke Howard set up a piano in a park and vowed to play non-stop to win his girlfriend

The founder of Bristol Women's Literary Festival, Sian Norris, said: 'Men, women are allowed to leave you. You are not entitled to a girlfriend'.

She also slammed 'this expectation that she should suck up her feelings and give him what he wants'.

Jo Brodie posted: 'Isn't this a bit creepy? I'm always wary of people who make big public declarations about private matters.'

Georgia Rae Dunkley was withering in her assessment of the action. 'This is truly horrible and no okay.'

Twitter user Amanda said:. 'Sense of entitlement here is awful.

'A sentient being with her own ability to make decisions. He should move on, stop being a brat.'

But another tweet said: 'Have you never been heartbroken? Never asked for a second chance? Not outsider her house. Not stalking her. People do daft things.'

The Twitter backlash grew and grew as Mr Howard continued playing into Saturday evening.

'Four months* personally I would probably consider that a long fling,' said Siobhan Tatum.

And a Twitter user called Hamdodger had some advice for the 'object' of Mr Howard's stunt.

'She should picnic with another guy, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THIS A**3.'

He said that he was playing 'for love' on a sign set up close to where he was playing on College Green, Bristol

He began playing his piano on College Green, in Bristol, on Saturday morning, saying it was his 'last throw of the dice' to win back his former girlfriend.

Mr Howard, of Bath, said: 'If it was anything bad why we split up then I wouldn't be doing this, but it's the only thing I can think of doing. It just seems life just got in our way.

'It may sound whimsical but she completely changed my life. My entire world shifted.

'I know people in my situation will send flowers or text or write letters but that only ever seems to make things worse.

'I wanted to do something that she might see, to let her know how much I love her, that she can see it and then take it or leave it.

'I'm just going to play. I was totally devastated and didn't know what to do. The more I thought the worse it became and the only thing I could think to was play.'
Kamran Sabir Hussain (above) was recorded by an undercover police officer delivering 17 sermons in a mosque aimed at recruiting members for IS, the Old Bailey heard

An imam who encouraged his congregation including children to join Islamic State told them martyrdom was better than school or college, a court heard yesterday.

Kamran Sabir Hussain, 40, was recorded by an undercover police officer delivering 17 sermons in a mosque aimed at recruiting members for IS, the Old Bailey was told.

On September 2 last year, he allegedly told nine children and 35 adults that martyrdom was the supreme success, greater than any other such as school or college.

Those who died fighting for Allah had nothing to fear because they would be forgiven, he is claimed to have said. They would be martyrs in paradise hated by no one except unbelievers and hypocrites.

In front of a congregation of ten to 15 children under the age of 15 and about 25 adults on August 19 last year, Hussain allegedly said the Government funded groups such as the English Defence League and Britain First to insult Muslims, attack them and put them down.

Kamran Sabir Hussain, who is seen in a court sketch, allegedly gave a series of sermons encouraging terrorism at a converted high-street shop in Stoke-on-Trent

The kuffar [unbelievers] will attack you and kill you, he added. Stand up and be ready to sacrifice, be ready to stand in the face of the elements of shaytan [satan], be ready to spill blood and have your blood spilt.

An undercover officer known as Qassim began attending the mosque in Stoke-on-Trent in June last year and recorded sermons given by Hussain over a period of some weeks.

Nobody knew he was a law enforcement officer and nobody knew he was recording the sermons, said Sarah Whitehouse QC, prosecuting.

Ten of the sermons, in a mixture of English and classical Arabic, are to be played to the jury, covering current affairs and reminders to the congregation to fear God and the day of judgment.

Much of the context of Mr Hussains sermons was unobjectionable, Miss Whitehouse said. The sermons took the classic form of any sermon preached in a mosque up and down the country.

Some of the sermons, however, strayed beyond mainstream moderate Islamic thought and moved into support and encouragement to those carrying out acts of terrorism.

At the Old Bailey (pictured) a jury heard Hussain said the Government funded groups such as the English Defence League and Britain First to insult Muslims, attack them and put them down

The court heard that in March last year Hussain posted a chilling message on social media in which he said the Khilafah  a reference to IS  was knocking on your door and the fulfilment of Allahs command is near and if you dont like it and are enraged by it, then our message to you is simple: Die in your rage.

In another post, he wrote that Islam is the light of Allah, pre-destined to eliminate the darkness of kufr [non-believers].

The court was told that on June 24 last year, nine days after the start of Ramadan, Hussain delivered a 23-minute sermon to around ten people in which he gave an account of Islamic military victories.

On the subject of the Battle of Badr in which the Prophet Muhammad was victorious against a much larger army, Hussain is said to have compared the circumstances to Syria today.

He spoke of a small fledgling state who is standing in the face of a pompous and arrogant army  described in court as a clear reference to IS  and asked his audience to pray for it to be victorious and its oppressors annihilated.

On August 5 last year, he is claimed to have told his congregation that mujahideen [holy warriors] take over a land, they stand a black flag, and establish the law of Allah over the necks of the people, whether they like it or dont like it and nobody  not the Queen, not the Prime Minister  can say that you are not allowed to establish the law of Allah.

The sermon echoed a recording made at a demonstration in which someone was heard saying: Inshallah [God willing], we will see the black flag of Islam over Big Ben and Downing Street.

Hussain, who had been living in a flat close to the mosque where he preached his sermons, is accused of two charges of encouraging support for IS and six of encouraging others to commit acts of terrorism.

He was arrested on February 14. He refused to answer questions but gave police a written statement saying the ability to discuss difficult concepts in a challenging world was an essential part of religion and freedom of speech and he did not believe he had encouraged anyone to be a terrorist.

Hussain denies the charges and the trial continues.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will use military planes to spray chemicals near Houston to help control disease-carrying mosquitoes following Hurricane Harvey, Texas health officials say.

Harvey's rains flooded the region, and standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes, including those that carry the West Nile and Zika viruses.

There haven't been reports of the viruses in the region, but health officials want to prevent any outbreak and control 'nuisance' mosquitoes that could interfere with recovery efforts.

Similar measures are expected to occur in Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

FEMA is using modified Air Force C-130 aircraft to spray chemicals in Houston to help control disease-carrying mosquitoes from breeding in the region following recent storms. Pictured above, Interstate highway 45 in Houston is submerged from the effects of Hurricane Harvey

Similar measures are expected to occur in Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Pictured above, Robert Gonzalez, his wife Maria and son David, 10, survey the flooded Town & Country Drive in front of their home in Kissimmee, Florida on Monday

Texas Health and Human Services spokesman Chris Van Deusen said that spraying begins Saturday evening east of Houston, in Jefferson, Orange and Chambers counties.

Van Deusen said FEMA is using modified Air Force C-130 aircraft to spray the chemicals, which he says don't pose health risks to humans or pets.

Harvey killed 71 people when the hurricane-turned-tropical storm hit Texas and Louisiana at the end of August.

Since then, stagnant water has exploded Texas's mosquito population, and its only expected to grow because the insects lay their eggs in water.

Tyler Bennett and a coworker captured cell phone footage of thousands of mosquitoes swarming them in Refugio, Texas.

Refugio, which has a population of about 3,000 people, is about 165 miles from Houston. No one in the town was injured by Harvey, but Refugio is currently without electricity and multiple people have lost their homes.

Mosquitoes swarm a worker in Refugio, Texas after Hurricane Harvey caused an explosion in the insect population

Stagnant water has exploded Texas's mosquito population, and its only expected to grow because the insects lay their eggs in water. Pictured: Thousands of mosquitoes on a car in Texas

The men were wearing long sleeves and mosquito nets.

They can be heard saying they filmed the mosquitoes because photos 'didn't do it justice.'

'Mosquito populations usually increase greatly after flooding,' according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal in the world and are responsible for the deaths of at least one million people a year, according to the World Health Organization. The majority of deaths come from malaria.

Houston was already 'the mosquito capital of the United States,' Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor University in Waco, Texas told The Hill.

Mosquitoes can carry dangerous diseases including Zika, West Nile virus, and dengue. Texas had 370 cases of West Nile virus in 2016. It is likely there will be more this year due to the mosquito influx

Texas' mosquito population was temporarily decimated by flooding, but due to the stagnant flood water and new breeding grounds it has bounced back in enormous numbers.

Mosquitoes can carry deadly diseases including West Nile virus, dengue fever and Zika.

West Nile has been in Texas since 2002, and the state had 370 cases in 2016.

A study done one year after Hurricane Katrina in 2006 found that cases of West Nile virus had more than doubled in places that had been affected by the storm.

'Most of these mosquitoes are considered nuisance mosquitoes and will not spread viruses,' the CDC said. 'However, some types of mosquitoes could spread viruses like Zika, dengue, or West Nile.'
A rented luxury supercar worth around 160,00 and with a top speed of 201mph was seized by police after it was spotted speeding erratically through the streets of Bolton.

Police stopped the white Lamborghini Huracan - which can do 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds - in the Greater Manchester town on September 2 following several reports of anti-social behaviour.

Witnesses said the car had been seen speeding and driving inappropriately on 30mph roads.

The Lamborghini Huracan (pictured) - worth around 160,000 and with a top speed of 201mph - was spotted speeding through the streets of Bolton and was seized by police

The car had already been subject to a Section 59 warning, which meant police could seize it if it was seen being driven in an anti-social manner again.

The rented Lamborghini was impounded by police and has since been collected by the owner.

Nobody has been arrested in connection with the incident.

PC Wayne Clemens said: 'We had received reports it had been driving in an anti-social manner - speeding or driving inappropriately for the speed limit.

'We had a look around and stopped it. It already had a Section 59 warning about the vehicle being driven like that last time.'
 After UCI Sanctions for SJP, LA Times Gives Voice Only to Those Who Drowned Out Other Voices | Main | Iranian Proxy Threatens U.S. Troops, Media M.I.A.Again 

September 11, 2017

Haaretz English Edition Conjures Palestinian 'Political Prisoners'

In an article about the possible loss of state funding for Jaffa Theater, Haaretz's Judy Maltz conjures up "Palestinian political prisoners." Online and in print (Thursday, page 1), Judy Maltz wrote that a June production included the reading of letters penned by Palestinian "political prisoners":





Finance Ministrys legal adviser, Asi Messing, said representatives of the Jaffa Theatre would be summoned to a hearing in connection with two specific events held on their premises: a performance in June based on the recital of letters written by Palestinian political prisoners . . . (Emphasis added)

According to the U.S. State Department 2016 Human Rights Report for Israel: "There were no reports of civilian political prisoners or detainees" (page 16).



On what basis does Haaretz identify the prisoners in question as "political prisoners"? Political prisoners are (see, for example, the definition by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly) are imprisoned "for purely political reasons without connection to any offence." (Emphasis added.)



The play does not identify the prisoners by name or their offenses. If Haaretz editors knows the identity and specifics of these prisoners allegedly held only the basis of their political activity, they haven't said so.

In a Hebrew article published the same day as Maltz's piece, Yair Asheknazi refers to the letter of a "security prisoner":

Ashkenazi's Hebrew article stated (CAMERA's translation):

In the production "Prisoners of the Occupation," produced by Einat Weizman, in early June at the Jaffa Theater, letters recited included correspondence between a security prisoner and his childhood friend, in which he described the daily life of prisoners.

Haaretz's English version of Ashkenazi's article omits mention of the security prisoner.



See also "Haaretz, Lost in Translation"

Posted by TS at September 11, 2017 02:59 AM

Remind who the English editor's boyfriend is?

Posted by: Yisrael Medad at September 12, 2017 07:43 AM

Guidelines for posting

This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material.

Post a comment
Pope Francis has gone after President Trump over yet another controversial immigration issue, saying if the president is 'pro-life' then he should reconsider his order to rescind DACA.

The pontiff commented on the issue on a flight back to Rome from a trip to Colombia, saying the decision  which he noted remains firmly in Trump's hands  should be 'rethought.'

'The President of the United States presents himself as pro-life and if he is a good pro-lifer, he understands that family is the cradle of life and its unity must be protected," Pope Francis said.

'The President of the United States presents himself as pro-life and if he is a good pro-lifer, he understands that family is the cradle of life and its unity must be protected," Pope Francis said

Pope Francis spoke about DACA upon his return flight from a trip to Colombia

Pope Francis, showing a bruise around his left eye and eyebrow caused by an accidental hit against the popemobile's window glass while visiting the old sector of Cartagena, Colombia, is greeted by faithful on September 10, 2017.Nearly 1.3 million worshippers flocked to a mass by Pope Francis on Saturday in the Colombian city known as the stronghold of the late drug lord Pablo Escobar

Scroll down for video

The administration announced it is ending the Obama-era program, with six months to 'wind down' the program. The president has urged Congress to solve the problem in the meantime.

The pope  who weighed in on Trump's border wall during the campaign  may have been downplaying his knowledge of the U.S. political scene when he spoke about the process relating to the controversial decision.

"I think this law comes not from parliament but from the executive," Pope Francis said. "If that is so, I am hopeful that it will be re-thought."

His comment made clear it was within Trump's power to reverse the decision.

Pope Francis recently met with a group of members of Congress as well as White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

The pope is sporting a bruise from an accident involving the bullet-proof glass of his popemobile.

Francis' shot on DACA comes days after former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon went after church bishops for their criticism of the administration's decision.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks flanked by first lady Melania Trump (L) and Defense Secretary James Mattis (R) during ceremonies in honor of the victims of the 9/11 attacks on the 16th anniversary of the attack at the Pentagon in Washington, U.S., September 11, 2017. The Pope criticized his DACA decision

He said they 'need illegal aliens to fill the churches,' prompting a swift rebuke from the bishops.

'Man is a stupid and hard-headed being,' Pope Francis said.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced last week the policy was being rescinded.

Then, Trump surprised opponents and supporters with a tweet Sept. 5th, when he wrote: 'Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can't, I will revisit this issue!'

The pope and Trump clashed during the campaign, when Francis said Trump was 'not Christian' if he built pursued the wall.

'A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the gospel,' Francis said in February during the campaign.

People wave to Pope Francis as he passes by in his popemobile in Medellin, Colombia, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. Francis flew to a rain-soaked Medellin on Saturday to console orphans, the poor and sick and to demand priests and ordinary Colombians look beyond rigid church doctrine to care for sinners and welcome them in

Trump shot back in a statement then: 'No leader, especially a religious leader, should have the right to question another man's religion or faith.'

'If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS, which as everyone knows is ISIS's ultimate trophy, I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been president," Trump added in the statement.

Since that time, Trump and his family had an audience with Pope Francis on their trip to Rome.

Trump tweeted words of encouragement to roughly 800,000 DREAMers brought here illegally by their parents, after House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says she urged him to reassure them.

'For all of those (DACA) that are concerned about your status during the 6 month period, you have nothing to worry about - No action!' Trump tweeted last week.

If Trump were to carry out deportations, many DREAMers would be forced to live in countries they barely know or do not recall.
Seven tigers, six lions and one leopard were discovered in a barn in Northeast Arkansas on Saturday.

The Poinsett County Sheriff's Department went to the scene after receiving an anonymous tip.

Deputies went to the scene and saw the animals in cages through one of the buildings open doors.

Seven tigers, six lions and one leopard were discovered in a barn in Poinsett County in Northeast Arkansas on Saturday

Police received an anonymous tip about the animals and could clearly see them in cages through one of the barn doors when they arrived on the scene

Authorities spoke with the owner of the barn who said they were temporarily housed there while waiting for shipment to Germany via Memphis International Airport on Tuesday.

No arrests have been made in connection to the animals found but the investigation is ongoing.

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesman Randy Zellers told KAIT8 that there is someone in the area to make sure the animals don't get out.
A state board has denied parole to a tailor who played a key role in a prison break.

The prison break is the subject of a Showtime miniseries being filmed in the northern New York region where it happened.

Joyce Mitchell will remain behind bars for at least two more years for passing tools to killers Richard Matt and David Sweat, which enabled their escape from the maximum-security Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora in June 2015. Mitchell was a correctional officer at the prison.

The convicts used tools Joyce Mitchell arranged to be smuggled in using hamburger meat to cut their way out of their adjacent cells and get into the catwalk between the cell block walls.

They crawled through an underground steam pipe and reached a street near the prison walls through a manhole. Joyce was supposed to be their getaway driver but got cold feet and checked herself into a local hospital at the time she was due to help them escape.

The killers led cops on a weeks long hunt that kept northern New York State terrified before Matt was shot and killed, and Sweat was shot and recaptured. He is now serving out the rest of his life sentence in the maximum security Five Points Prison.

In this July 28, 2015 file photo, Joyce Mitchell raises her hand during a court appearance in Plattsburgh, New York. The state parole board on Friday, September 8, 2017, denied her parole. She was previously denied parole earlier this year

Mitchell is pictured with her son, Tobey, and her husband, Lyle. Mitchell helped two prison inmates at the maximum-security prison where she worked to escape. She had sexual relations with one of them and they were planning to flee to Mexico after the escape

Mitchell's lawyer tells the Plattsburgh Press-Republican the parole board denied her release Friday. This was the second time she had been denied parole. Her first parole attempt was in February of this year.

Mitchell's son, Tobey, said he and his father, her husband, are saddened by the news.

'We are both very heartbroken by this, and so is she,' he said.

'I'm disappointed in the decision and need to explore Mrs Mitchell's remedies, carefully and completely,' her attorney Peter Dumas said.

Dumas said he plans to appeal the decision. The next time she could be up for parole is June 2019. Mitchell could stay in jail until June 2022.

He said her husband, Lyle, 'is a client and, more importantly, a friend. I'm truly upset for him.'

Mitchell was having a sexual relationship with Richard Matt before the escape.

Her husband, Lyle, previously told DailyMail.com of how he chose to stand by her side.

When she was originally arrested in 2015 Lyles lawyer, Peter Dumas, said her husband would not be standing by her. 'He doesn't want to support her. He doesn't want to be in the public eye saying "oh my wife is innocent," Dumas told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview in June 2015. 'He will not be that person.'

But Lyle soon changed his mind and by the time Joyce was in court when she was sentenced to two-to-seven years, saying he would stand by her. On his Facebook page he had posted several pictures of the two of them together with different frames including one surrounded by hearts and another celebrating the New England Patriots fifth Super Bowl win in February.

Pictured are Lyle and Joyce Mitchell, who worked a correctional officer at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York and helped two inmates escape

He spoke of how he felt it was unfair that another individual involved in the prison break named Gene Palmer only spent four months in jail.

Palmer knew everything that was going on, but it was easier for them to put all the blame on my wife not him,' he said.

Palmer admitted promoting prison contraband by bringing needle-nose pliers and a screwdriver into the prison in Dannemora, near the Canadian border, and smuggling in hamburger meat, which he said he did not know contained hacksaw blades that Joyce Mitchell had hidden inside.

He also admitted giving Matt and Sweat access to a restricted catwalk but denied knowing they had planned to break out. He told police he provided the convicted killers with supplies and granted them special privileges in exchange for information about their fellow inmates' illegal activities.

Palmer had served 28 years as a guard at the prison. He was so highly regarded that after the escape he escorted New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on a tour of the facility.

Matt had been convicted of strangling his 72-year-old boss with his bare hands because he thought he had a large stash of money. After the murder he fled to Mexico where he stabbed another man to death. Sweat killed a cop who had been called to a report of a robbery at a fireworks factory.

The murderers allegedly planned to kill Lyle Mitchell and escape with his wife.

But after the escape, Sweat soon got fed up with his older escapees antics, which included getting drunk on booze found in remote cabins, and decided to dump him in a bid to make his way to Canada alone.

Matt was shot dead three weeks after the escape by searchers in woods west of the prison. Sweat was shot and captured two days later near the border.

Richard Matt, then 48, is pictured in May 2015. Matt had been convicted of strangling his 72-year-old boss with his bare hands because he thought he had a large stash of money. He also killed another man in Mexico. Matt was shot and killed by police amid the manhunt for him and Sweat after they escaped

David Sweat, then 35, is pictured in May 2015. Sweat was shot and recaptured after the escape

Mitchell had supervised the two inmates in the prison's tailor shop and had sexual relations with at least one of them.

She claims she only had oral sex with Matt and not Sweat and that there was never any consensual sex.

She said she only helped the pair escape because she feared they would hurt her family. The judge did not buy this excuse from Mitchell.

Mitchell pleaded guilty to providing hacksaw blades and other tools to Matt and Sweat, who broke out of the maximum-security prison on June 6, 2015.

Lyle told NBC in 2015: 'My wife has a heart of gold. Thats her biggest downfall.'

As she was led out of court on September 28, 2015, Mitchell appeared to mouth 'I love you' to her husband.

Joyce said she was going through a tough time in her marriage and the inmates made her feel special.

She told: 'I was going through a time where I didn't feel like my husband loved me anymore...I was going through depression, and I guess they saw my weakness and that's how it all started.

'Their attention made me feel good.'

A damning report found that the killers seduced her almost every single day. They suggested to her that they could settle on the beach in Mexico when they got out.

The revelations were uncovered in a widespread investigation into the escape of the two murderers. It concluded that the men should have been caught 400 times before their widely publicized prison break.

The report from State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott says that chronic staff complacency, complicit employees and failures of basic security procedures were to blame for the breakout.

According to the report, Mitchell was flirtatious with other inmates in the prison's tailor shop where she was stationed.

But she paid the most attention to Sweat and Matt, and even gave them cookies and cakes. She even bought Sweat a Big Mac at one point.

Other prisoners also told investigators she would be 'bent over' their machines throughout the day and would let them get away with not doing any work.

The pair's plan kicked into motion when Matt told Mitchell he had feelings for her, and even claimed he loved her.

Over time, Mitchell's and Matt's relationship turned sexual.

According to Mitchell, she was 'scared s***less' after Matt grabbed her in the tailor shop and kissed her.

Asked by a State Police investigator if she was 'scared but excited?' Mitchell responded, 'Yeah.'

Mitchell claimed that while the encounter meant nothing to her, Matt might have seen it differently.

However it turned out that the convicted killer was trying to placate her with affection, in a bid to get her on his side.

On another occasion, Mitchell admitted she performed oral sex on Matt while the pair were grabbing tools for the escape.

Another inmate said Matt asked him to be a lookout during one of his so-called encounters with Mitchell during a work shift.

According to the inmate, Matt said: 'I'm gonna get that . . . I'm gonna take her in the room, we already talked about it, she's saying I can, I gotta be quick.'

When Matt emerged from being alone with Mitchell, he placed his fingers under the inmate's nose, saying: 'Here, smell this.'

Micthell said Matt would stand by her desk daily and ask her to fondle his penis by reaching into his pants through a hole he had cut in his prison jumpsuit.

'He wanted me to tell him how much I wanted it and how much I liked it. It's like he needed his ego fixed or something,' she told investigators.

In April or May 2015, Mitchell said, she took photographs of her naked body at home.

After making prints on her home printer, she took copies into the tailor shop for Matt and Sweat.

Around this same time, coworkers - both civilian and security- noticed that Mitchell's appearance and dress began to change.

She told investigators that she had begun dieting and dressing more attractively, but claimed it was so she would look better for her husband.

By that time, Mitchell had started to willingly provide support for Sweat and Matt's escape plan.

Eventually, Mitchell said, she decided she would join Sweat and Matt after their breakout, agreeing to meet them in her vehicle and drive away with them.

Sweat and Matt 'zoned in on my unhappiness,' Mitchell testified, until she became 'caught up in the fantasy... of a different life.'

As their escape neared, Mitchell and the killers discussed the possibility of killing her husband Lyle.

According to the report, she said: 'Oh, pop my husband, hes worth more to me dead than he is alive.'

Patricia Arquette plays Mitchell in Showtime's 'Escape at Dannemora,' being produced by Ben Stiller. The limited series also stars Benicio del Toro as Matt, Paul Dano as Sweat and Eric Lange as Lyle.

The real Lyle Mitchell said he would not cooperate with the production. The film's crew had wanted to film at his house, and he said no.

Penelope Ann Miller starred as Mitchell in a Lifetime movie that aired in April.
Five lions are roaming around South Africa's most populous province as authorities attempt to track them down.

Police in Fochville contacted conservation group Captured in Africa on Friday to report lions were on the loose in the town, which is 60 kilometres (37 miles) south-west of the country's biggest city, Johannesburg.

Captured in Africa founder Drew Abrahamson said: 'Police spotted the lions while investigating an animal carcass.'

Five lions are roaming around South Africa's built-up Gauteng province, which is the country's most populous (stock photo)

Authorities are tracking five lions after police spotted them while inspecting a carcass in South Africa (stock photo)

She added this could mean they were owned illegally, as a law-abiding owner would have reported the missing predators to police.

'A small plane is searching for the lions,' she said.

The incident in Gauteng province is unusual because much of the area is developed.

In July, South African officials shot and killed three lions that escaped from the country's Kruger National Park.
A recent college graduate who has been charged in the slayings of four people in a Massachusetts home has pleaded not guilty.

Orion Krause, 22, from Rockport, Maine, was ordered held without bail at Bridgewater State Hospital pending a competency hearing at his arraignment on murder charges Monday in Ayer.

Investigators identified the victims at a news conference Monday afternoon.

Scroll down for video

Orion Krause, pictured here, is seen being escorted by police to his arraignment in Ayer District Court after murder charges in a picture obtained by Mass Live

Krause, 22, stands with his attorney Edward Wayland in court, after being ordered to have a mental health evaluation

The recent college graduate, who has been charged in the slayings of four people including his mother, his grandparents and his grandparetns carer, has pleaded not guilty

Frank Darby Lackey III, 89, and Elizabeth Lackey, 85, are Krauses grandparents, while Elizabeth Krause, 60, has been identified as Krauses mother, and Bertha Mae Parker, 68, as a home health carer.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said the victims appeared to have died of blunt force trauma at their home on 80 Common St., as they believe a baseball bat was the deadly weapon used.

Police arrived at the horrific scene on Friday, as they discovered three bodies inside, his mother and grandparents, and one body outside, his grandparents' carer.

Pictured here is Elizabeth Krause, 60, whohas been identified as Krauses mother

In this photo taken Friday police officers are seen taking Krause, covered in a white sheet, to a police vehicle in Groton

She called the situation 'a tragic incident of family violence'.

Ryan said: 'Our investigation reveals that at some point late on Friday afternoon, Mr. Krause made a phone call to an individual that is known to him and made statements that were concerningconcerning enough that that individual began to reach out to family members,' The Boston Globe have reported.

Groton Police Chief Donald Palma said: 'Its a horrific situation that were not used to dealing with. I want to assure the town that we are safe, your department is safe and were going to continue on.'

A vigil was held for the victims on Sunday: 'Four people are dead, two of them elderly, killed by a young man who was known and loved by them,' Reverend Elea Kemler said.

'We do not understand that.'

Krause was ordered held without bail at Bridgewater State Hospital pending a competency hearing at his arraignment on murder charges Monday in Ayer

The police officers were seen escorting Krause, who has been accused of a quadruple murder, to the car near his home in Massachusetts

According to Mass Live Wagner Alcocer, who lives on Krause's street, heard a knock on the door and was shocked to see Krause naked and covered in mud.

The college graduate actually confessed to the murders to Alcocer.

The 22-year-old college graduate was seen being escorted out of a police car as he arrived at court to face the charges regarding the quadruple murder on Monday.

Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan (pictured here) says that her office has not determined a motive for the murders yet

A vigil was held for the victims on Sunday: 'Four people are dead, two of them elderly, killed by a young man who was known and loved by them,' Reverend Elea Kemler said

Krause has been ordered to have a mental health evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital.

Krause, who's attorney is Edward Wayland, is an Oberlin College graduate and jazz drummer.

According to the Portland Press Herald he has been described as 'a really good guy,' and 'musically talented,' by a friend from his High School, Camden Hills Regional.

Duryea Decker Griffith said he was 'absolutely stunned,' when he hears the news and that he even saw Krause with his family in Rockport last Wednesday, two days before the brutal killing.

Mary Alexander, who is a friend of the victims, was seen crying at the vigil on Sunday
Delta canceled almost 900 flights Monday as Tropical Storm Irma continued its passage towards its hub, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

That's bad news for many other airlines, too, as Hartsfield-Jackson is the most heavily trafficked airport on the planet.

In fact, the number of cancellations nationwide since Irma arrived in the Caribbean is now more than 13,100 and counting.

This is just part of the struggle that the tourism industry faces in the southern US states, in the wake of a storm that has seen cities trashed, airports affected by tornadoes and Disney World shuttered.

Scroll down for video

Delta canceled 900 flights on Monday as its hub - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport (pictured in July) - faced heavy crosswinds thanks to Tropical Storm Irma, which is on its way

Passengers were left waiting in the airport (pictured) as other flights were delayed. In total Monday there were more than 4,300 cancellations and almost 12,000 delays across the US

Hurricane Irma will cross into Georgia on Monday, bringing heavy wind and rain to the state. There are concerns that crosswinds will make it dangerous for planes to land

Delta announced its Atlanta cancellations on Monday, citing dangerous north-south winds that threatened the safety of any planes trying to land on Atlanta's east-west runways.

Crosswinds of up to 40mph can be managed, but Irma - now downgraded from hurricane status as it breaks up over land - is expected to push harder than that.

It also planned 15 cancellations on Tuesday.

Also logging substantial cancellations on Monday were Southwest with 761, and American with 741. Both are headquartered in Hurricane-Harvey-stricken Texas.

Southwest told USA Today at least 65 Atlanta flights and 10 in Birmingham had already been canceled, but that it hoped 'to resume normal operations by Tuesday' at those airports.

In total, at least 4,364 planes across all airlines were canceled for Monday over the whole of the US, with a total of 1,449 already canceled for Tuesday.

Those figures were counted up by Flight Aware, which also noted the total number of delays for Monday at 11,892 as of 1:30pm. The figure continues to rise.

Schools and most employees were off in Atlanta today (pictured) as the city hunkered down ahead of the storm. Southwest and American also canceled more than 700 Atlanta flights each

This image taken at 1:30pm Monday shows how few planes are flying in the areas affected - or to be affected - by Irma, stretching up from Cuba to Georgia

In total, 100 airlines said that they would drop at least one flight from Hartsfield-Jackson on Monday.

However, the airport said that it would remain open for operations, and would monitor air conditions with the FAA.

Also suffering cancellations is Charlotte, North Carolina, where 300 American Airlines flights were dropped amid similar concerns over strong winds.

And of course, disruption continued throughout Florida, in the wake of Irma's assault on Sunday.

Miami International Airport announced that it would remain closed on Monday while inspectors were 'assessing water damage at all concourses, fallen trees, airfield, fuel & other damages,' airport director Emilio Gonzalez tweeted.

It's not yet confirmed whether it will reopen on Tuesday. If it does, American may still hang back on reopening its flights.

An airline spokesman said that depended on whether federal aviation officials gave the go-ahead, and whether security screeners and airport vendors could return to work.

Cancellations were also rife elsewhere, as Miami airport (pictured September 8) remained closed on Monday, as did Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood and Key West airports

Miami International Airport is seen with empty runways on Monday. Damage at all three locations is being assessed. MIA and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood may reopen Tuesday

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport announced that it would also be closed to passengers throughout Monday.

It said that it is 'expected to resume operations on Tuesday, September 12, at 4am.'

And Key West International Airport, which suspended its operations indefinitely on Thursday, is still closed 'until further notice'.

Flight Radar 24, which tracks every plane in the sky, showed notably blank skies above Florida and its northern neighbors, as of noon on Monday.

Travel woes are just a small part of the severe hit that Florida's tourism has taken during Irma's rampage up the state.

Some of the state's biggest attractions have announced temporary closures, including amusement park giants Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, Legoland and Sea World, which all planned to close through Monday.

Meanwhile, many cruise ships that make Miami their home port or a port of call have had to move ships out of the area and revise schedules.

Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean are two around 20 lines that sail to and from Miami. Both are now holding back until they know how things will progress in the area.

Disney canceled the Monday sailing of one of its cruise ships and said it is assessing future sailings, which stop throughout the Caribbean and in the Bahamas.

Disney World in Florida was also closed due to the storms. Florida's main source of income is tourism, and the damage done by the storm may impact future earnings

A lighter time was had on the Norwegian Escape, which has 4,000 passengers on a 'cruise to nowhere,' enjoying free food and drink until a safe landing can be made in the US.

'We said to guests that we cannot confirm when or where you'll be coming back, but obviously we'll make every effort to return the ship to port as soon as it's safe to do so,' said Norwegian Cruise Line spokeswoman Vanessa Picariello.

'We're making every effort to have at least one port of call,' Picariello said. 'If not, it will be a cruise to nowhere and everyone will have a good time.'

As of Monday, the ship was off Cozumel, Mexico.

Florida is one of the world's top tourism destinations. Last year nearly 113 million people visited the state, a new record, and spent $109 billion, state officials said earlier this year.

The first half of 2017 was on track to beat that record pace, officials said.

The damage Irma's winds and storm surges have done to Florida's 660 miles of beaches and their buildings will be critical to how quickly the state's 's number-one industry recovers.
Police are facing an Albanian crime wave with 50 thugs arrested each week amid a surge in drug-related gang warfare.

New figures revealed thousands of people from the tiny Balkan state are being detained in the UK for murder, sex offences, drug dealing, money laundering, people smuggling and death threats.

It follows warnings from the National Crime Agency that gangs of Albanian drug dealers are now 'a significant threat' on Britain's streets  with increasing levels of ruthless brutality against victims.

Thousands of people from Albania (capital Tirana is pictured) are being detained in the UK for murder, sex offences, drug dealing, money laundering, people smuggling and death threats

Police chiefs said organised crime groups from the former Communist country now have huge influence on supplying cocaine around the country  and were willing to inflict serious violence to protect their lucrative illegal market.

In total last year, police arrested Albanian crime suspects 2,781 times  up 8 per cent on the 2,578 held in 2015.

It suggests around 1 in 11 of the 32,000 Albanian-born residents in England and Wales were detained, although some individuals may have been taken into custody more than once.

But thousands of Albanians allowed into the UK are suspected of adopting bogus identities from neighbouring Kosovo, claiming persecution during the regional conflict 18 years ago.

Imposters are now fronting a drugs and prostitution scandal on Britain's streets.

MEP Jane Collins, the UKIP home affairs spokesman, said: 'The number of Albanians arrested for other crimes who are here illegally demonstrates that our borders are currently not fit for purpose, even though we are an island.

'It seems to me that we have people in the government and Home Office with a 16th century view of border management, whilst trafficking gangs are developing new strategies each day to get their human cargo into this country illegally.

'We are hamstrung by our membership of the EU, which limits our ability to deal with immigration but a huge amount of the blame needs to be put at the door of the politicians and civil servants who have repeatedly mismanaged and cut finances for policing and security.'

MEP Jane Collins, the UKIP home affairs spokesman, said Britain is 'hamstrung by our membership of the EU'

The damning figures were uncovered in answers from 37 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

There were 649 Albanian inmates in jails at the end of June, making them the third largest foreign group.

The NCA report revealed that criminals from the Balkans were increasingly forging direct links with cocaine traffickers from South America.

'The threat faced from Albanian crime groups is significant. London is their primary hub, but they are established across the UK,' said the document.

In the capital, a total of 1,325 Albanians were arrested  up 14 per cent year-on-year. The next highest number was the West Midlands with 225, followed by Sussex (140), Greater Manchester (107) and Kent (95).

In one case last year, a gang of 20 Albanian gangsters using fake Greek and Italian passports ran a round-the-clock dial-a-drug racket in Manchester, targeting the city's nightclubs while living in lavishly decorated flats.

The armed Albanian thugs dressed in designer clothes to target revellers looking to buy cocaine at some of Manchester's most exclusive nightspots.

Known in underworld circles simply as 'The Albanians', they also operated a sophisticated 'dial-a-drug' phone line, raking in 250,000 and living in lavishly-decorated apartments in the city centre.

They are believed to have worked with Manchester's more established gangs - but were arming themselves with guns in case of conflict.

One of the main players, Mevlan Gjeta, 33, was jailed eight years after a kilo of cocaine plus 55,000 were found at his flat in the city.
A jury has been selected to decide the mental competency of a girl accused of stabbing a classmate in 2014 to please a fictional horror character known as Slender Man.

Anissa Weier, 15, has pleaded not guilty due to mental illness in a stabbing that nearly took the life of classmate Payton Leutner at a park in Waukesha, Wisconsin when the girls were aged 12.

She appeared at at Waukesha County Courthouse on Monday for the jury selection in the case.

Prosecutors allege she and Geyser stabbed their classmate 19 times in a Waukesha park and left her for dead following a sleepover on Memorial Day 2014.

The two teens then allegedly planned to walk hundreds of miles north to meet Slender Man in a forest.

A jury has been selected to decide the mental competency of, Anissa Weeier (above on Monday), a girl accused of stabbing a classmate in 2014 to please a fictional horror character known as Slender Man

Weier, 15, has pleaded not guilty due to mental illness in a stabbing that nearly took the life of classmate Payton Leutner (above) at a park in Waukesha, Wisconsin when the girls were aged 12

Prosecutors allege she and Geyser stabbed their classmate 19 times in a Waukesha park and left her for dead following a sleepover on Memorial Day 2014.

The two teens then allegedly planned to walk hundreds of miles north to meet Slender Man in a forest.

Leutner managed to crawl out of the woods to a path where she was found by a bicyclist with stab wounds to her chest, abdomen and arms.

Doctors later stated that the knife passed less than a millimeter from a major artery, leaving Payton 'the width of a human hair' away from death.

Prosecutors allege Weier (above left on Monday) and Morgan Geyser (right) stabbed their classmate 19 times in a Waukesha park and left her for dead following a sleepover on Memorial Day 2014

When Weier was arrested, she told investigators that 'Slender Man' told her to carry out the attack. She was just 12 years told at the time.

Weier was originally charged as an adult with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, but she agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge last month.

In the plea deal, Weier will serve 10 years in prison if she's found not to have been mentally ill.

But a judge could sentence her to as many as 25 years behind bars.

When Weier (above left on Monday) was arrested, she told investigators that 'Slender Man' told her to carry out the attack. She was just 12 years told at the time

If she's found to have been mentally ill, she would be committed to a mental hospital for at least three years.

On Monday a pool of 12 jurors and four alternates were selected from a group of 150 potential jurors within six and a half hours.

Those selected will be sequestered by Monday evening as Weier's trial is set to begin on Tuesday morning.

Weier has been behind bars since May 2014, while Geyser was moved to a mental health facility in March last year.

A second classmate, Morgan Geyser, will go on trial next month, as her attorney told WISN that they are trying to negotiate a plea deal similar to what Weier received.
A corrections worker has killed a female colleague and then shot himself in a suspected murder-suicide, police said.

Stephanie Meyer, 43, and Joseph Williams, 45, were found dead in a Bridgeton, Connecticut home on Saturday after friends of Meyer called police because they hadn't heard from her.

Both Meyer and Willaims worked for the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

Police found the pair dead from gunshot wounds in the basement of the home at around 10pm, Bridgeton Police Chief Michael Gaimari Sr told NJ.com.

Stephanie Meyer, 43, and Joseph Williams, 45, were found dead from gunshot wounds in the basement of this Bridgeton, New Jersey home on Saturday night

Meyer worked as a senior corrections officer at Bayside State Prison and Williams was a senior investigator at Southern State Correctional Facility.

The dead man and woman are not believed to have been married to each other, and the nature of their personal relationship was not immediately clear.

Tax records listed Williams as the sole owner of the house.

Police believe Williams shot Meyer before killing himself, but stressed that the investigation was ongoing.
A TV host has sparked outrage after cutting away his co-presenter's dress with scissors during a live midday broadcast.

Juan y Medio was presenting Spanish show 'Afternoon Here And Now' with his co-host Eva Ruiz when he produced a pair of scissors and shortened her dress.

Despite claiming it was revenge for a previous stunt against him, the embarrassed presenter was forced to cover her modesty while the cameras kept rolling.

A TV host in Spain has sparked outrage after cutting away his co-presenter's dress with scissors during a live midday broadcast. Juan y Medio has been criticised for his ill-judged prank

Medio said the scissor trick was revenge for Ruiz cutting up his trousers as part of a previous prank after he refused to dance on air.

However in the original prank, Ruiz cut up a pair of trousers her male co-presenter was not wearing at the time.

Footage shows In the recording Medio said: 'What's up, is she the only one that can cut?'

Juan y Medio was presenting Spanish show 'Afternoon Here And Now' with his co-host Eva Ruiz when he produced a pair of scissors and shortened her dress

Despite claiming it was revenge for a previous stunt against him, the embarrassed presenter was forced to cover her modesty while the cameras kept rolling

He then revealed the scissors and began snipping away at Ruiz's svelte black dress.

An embarrassed Ruiz laughed off the prank while a show runner came on screen and helped cover up the attractive presenter.

Not all were amused by the stunt, however, as politician Teresa Rodriguez lashed out at the poorly judged stunt via Twitter.

Medio said the scissor trick was revenge for Ruiz cutting up his trousers as part of a previous prank after he refused to dance on air

However in the original prank, Ruiz cut up a pair of trousers her male co-presenter was not wearing at the time

She wrote: 'What if our children find this on the public television channel in Andalusia? Would they think it is funny to do it to other girls?'

Meanwhile the broadcaster Canal Sur apologised via social media and called the prank 'a joke between co-presenters'.

While Ruiz defended Medio claiming she had known about the joke beforehand and was comfortable with his actions.
A Tesco customer has posted stomach-churning footage of what appear to be tiny beetles crawling in her porridge oats.

The weevils can be seen crawling through the oats making their way up the side of a white bowl.

Rachel Carter, from Wigan, posted the 20-second clip to Tesco's Facebook page on Sunday after her grandmother spotted the critters seconds before tucking in for her breakfast.

Tesco customer, Rachel Carter, from Wigan, shared stomach-churning footage of what appears to be tiny beetles crawling in her porridge oats onto Tesco's official Facebook channel on Sunday

The phobia-inducing clip begins by zooming in on the bugs that have made themselves at home in the breakfast cereal.

Around ten beetles can be seen trying to make their escape from the bowl, while more of the insects can be seen scurrying underneath the Tesco's own brand Easy Oats, which cost 1 for ten sachets.

Mrs Carter took to Tesco's Facebook page to complain on her grandmother's behalf.

The phobia-inducing clip begins by zooming in on the bugs that have made themselves at home in the breakfast cereal

She posted the clip with the caption: 'Hello Tesco! This morning my Nan opened a sachet of your Easy Oats, the Chunky Oat and Barley variety. As she was about to pour the milk on, we found these nasty little critters crawling from out of the oats.

'It's safe to say they've put my Nan off eating any type of oat ever again! Can you please give us an explanation as to why my Nan had the cast of A Bug's Life in her breakfast today? Thanks!'

A Spokesman for Tesco replied: 'Hi Rachel, Thanks for getting in touch. I'm so sorry that your Nan's oats had some critters in it. I understand your concern as I'd feel the same way.

'Could you please return the oats & packaging to the customer service desk in your nearest Tesco Extra, Metro or Superstore so that we're able to get this sent off for investigation with our specialist team?'

Around ten beetles can be seen trying to make their escape from the bowl, while more of the insects can be seen scurrying underneath the Tesco's own brand Easy Oats, which cost 1 for ten sachets

Social media users were quick to comment on the post.

Tanya-Louise Gowar said: 'Oh my, they are ghastly little things! Horrible.'

Maria Del Greco commented: 'Oh my god. That takes the biscuit.'

Shelby Wills added: 'Oh my god.'

While Dom Robinson joked: 'Every little helps.'

A Tesco spokesperson said afterwards: 'We're sorry to hear about this incident and have asked Rachel to return the product to one of our stores so we can investigate further.

We have robust food quality processes in place and take great care preparing our products.'
An eight-year-old New Hampshire boy was hospitalized after a teenager allegedly used a rope to hang him from a tree, leaving horrific injuries on the child's neck.

Quincy was taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center on August 28 for treatment to his bloody and badly bruised neck.

His mother, Cassandra, wrote on Facebook that a 14-year-old boy was to blame for her son's injuries.

Eight-year-old Quincy, of New Hampshire, was hospitalized after a teenager allegedly used a rope to hang him from a tree, leaving horrific injuries (pictured) on the child's neck

'So my son is being flown to Dartmouth after a 14 year old kid decided to hang him from a tree. I don't care if this was a so called accident or not.

'My son almost died because of some little sh** teenage kids,' she wrote last month.

Quincy's grandmother, Lorrie Slattery, told Valley News that her grandson and a group of teenagers were playing in a yard in their neighborhood around 5pm on August 28.

She said the teens started calling Quincy racial slurs because he's biracial. She said they also started throwing sticks and rocks at his legs.

Slattery said some or all of the teens then stepped up on a picnic table and grabbed a nearby rope that had been part of a tire swing.

'The (teenagers) said, "Look at this," supposedly putting the rope around their necks,' Slattery told the Valley News.

'One boy said to (her grandson), "Let's do this," and then pushed him off the picnic table and hung him.'

But according to the 14-year-old, the kids were playing and 'it was an accident'. However, Slattery said she believes it was an 'intentional' act.

Quincy's mother said the reason she shared the photos (above) of her son's badly cut neck was because she wanted to 'show this country that racism does in fact still exist'. Claremont Police Chief Mark Chase said officials are still investigating the incident

Quincy's mother said the reason she shared the photos of her son's badly cut neck was because she wanted to 'show this country that racism does in fact still exist'.

'That it is still so alive that our children are living in a world of hate.

'Being exposed to all types of hatred. It truly saddens me that even in a city so small, racism exists,' she wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Quincy was released from the hospital and is currently recovering from his injuries.

Claremont Police Chief Mark Chase said officials are still investigating the incident and wouldn't release any more details.

A GoFundMe account was set up for the family and has raised more than $45,000.

The account says as a result of the incident, Quincy's mother is struggling with significant financial hardship due to the loss of work incurred while she is caring for her sick and injured children.

Quincy's younger brother was also recently diagnosed with a blood disorder (ITP) and has been hospitalized.
The boyfriend of a slain North Dakota woman says DNA tests confirm they are the parents of a newborn girl found in the apartment of the two people charged in the case.

Ashton Matheny, 21, told Inforum that legal custody of baby Haisley Jo hasn't been awarded, but he believes it will happen soon. He said she has been in his care for nearly a week.

Brooke Crews and her boyfriend, William Hoehn, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping in the death of 22-year-old Samantha LaFontaine-Greywind of Fargo.

Her body was found wrapped in plastic and duct tape in the Red River on September 3 by kayakers.

Ashton Matheny, 21 (left), the boyfriend of slain North Dakota woman Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, 22 (right), says DNA tests confirm they are the parents of a newborn girl found in the apartment of the two people charged in the case

This week, Matheny shared the first pictures of Haisley Jo, whose mother was allegedly murdered while pregnant with her by 'womb raiders'

Brooke Crews, 38 (left), and her boyfriend William Hoehn, 32 (right), have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping in the death. Bond has been set at $2million each

Little Haisley Jo was seen publicly for the first time at LaFontaine-Greywinds funeral on Thursday.

Matheny posted two photos of the girl on his Facebook page on Friday and Saturday. He also posted photos to his Snapchat account with comments that the newborn looked 'just like her mother'.

LaFontaine-Greywind, was eight months pregnant when she went missing on August 19 after allegedly going to the apartment of her neighbor, Crews, who asked her to model a dress. She never returned.

Hoehn, 32, told police he came home to their bloodied apartment on August 19 and claimed Crews, 38, presented him with the baby girl saying: 'This is our baby. This is our family.'

He said he took garbage bags containing bloody shoes and his bloody towels and disposed of them away from the apartment complex, according to court documents filed on Monday.

It is a different version to what his girlfriend claimed happened.

LaFontaine-Greywind, was eight months pregnant when she went missing on August 19 after going to the apartment of her neighbor, Crews, who asked her to model a dress. She never returned (seen two months pregnant in sonogram)

Crews (pictured) told police that LaFontaine-Greywind gave up her baby before admitting to taking advantage of the woman in an attempt to get her baby

Hoehn, (pictured), told police he came home to their bloodied apartment on August 19 and claimed Crews presented him with the baby girl saying: 'This is our baby. This is our family'

Crews told police that LaFontaine-Greywind gave up her baby before admitting to taking advantage of the woman in an attempt to get her baby.

Experts had previously said it was possible LaFontaine-Greywind was the victim of womb raiders, people who cut babies out of pregnant women to steal them.

While womb raiding is a terrifying scenario, it's also exceptionally rare, at less than 20 cases in the US total.

Matheny said that when LaFontaine-Greywind (pictured) became pregnant, he quit his job in Minnesota and moved back to North Dakota as the babys due date approached

Matheny (pictured) says once custody is awarded to him, as he believes it will, he plans to move back to Spirit Lake Reservation with his daughter

Neither Crews nor Hoehn entered pleas and their bond was set at $2million each.

Matheny had been living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, working construction, when Lafontaine-Greywind became pregnant, but quit his job and moved back to North Dakota as the babys due date approached, reported the Grand Forks Herald.

He says the couple had rented an apartment together and were planning to move into it on September 1.

Once custody is awarded, however, Matheny says he plans to move back to Spirit Lake Reservation with his daughter.
Two septuagenarians have been killed while test driving a 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat on an airport runway and launching the car into a ravine.

Driver Lynd Fitzgerald, 71, and passenger Roger Lichtenberger, 76, died on Friday night when the sky-blue Challenger Hellcat rocketed off the runway at Central Colorado Regional Airport in Buena Vista, Colorado.

The pair had permission to use the runway to test-drive the $64,000 car and broke no laws, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze told the Denver Post.

'They were just test-driving this car. They went a little too fast,' said Spezze.

Driver Lynd Fitzgerald, 71, and passenger Roger Lichtenberger, 76, died while test driving a 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat like the one pictured in this file photo

'They probably got to the end of the runway and, at that speed, didnt realize they were there so fast. And they lost control. It was just too high a speed and they got to the end of the runway,' the sheriff continued.

'Ive never seen anything like it,' he said.

Police said that Fitzgerald, from Colorado Springs, drove southbound on the runway 'at a high rate of speed' with Lichtenberger, who is from San Marcos, California, in the passenger seat.

The muscle car overshot the runway and continued for over 300 feet before going airborne over a ravine, investigators said.

After striking the ground, the car went airborne again, flipping end over end before coming to rest on its wheels 650 feet from the end of the runway.

EMS personnel administered attempted lifesaving measures on the two men, but both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Beth Freeman, 54, hit and killed and Minnesota police officer while he was stopped to pick up debris

A Minnesota woman has been charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide after she ran over a police officer who had stopped to pick up debris.

Officer William Matthews, 47, was struck and killed on Friday by Beth Freeman, 54.

According to charges filed Monday, Freeman was on drugs and using her phone at the time of the crash. She was also driving without a license.

Freeman has a long criminal history of speeding, reckless driving, driving without a license and at least six convictions for drug possession.

Police found cocaine and other drug paraphernalia in her car.

'What have I done?' Freeman allegedly said after getting out of her vehicle immediately after hitting the officer, according to the Star Tribune.

Matthews was rushed to the hospital where he died.

William Matthews, 47, is pictured with his wife and seven-year-old son. Freeman was on drugs and using her phone at the time of the accident

Freeman did not currently have a driver's license at the time of the accident because of her poor driving history. She is being held without bail.

The criminal complaint states that a law enforcement officer administered a sobriety test on Freeman 75 minutes after the crash.

It determined that 'the influence of a controlled substance was evident. 'Freeman had an elevated pulse, constricted pupils and difficulty counting backwards.' The complaint did not address whether drugs had played a role in the crash.

Matthews had stopped to pick up debris on the side of the road. Freeman is being held without bail and charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide

Investigators also discovered an Instagram post that showed Freeman still at the scene saying: 'I just looked up and he was there.'

Matthews was a nine-year veteran of the Wayzata police department. He leaves behind a wife and seven-year-old son.

Matthew's funeral is scheduled for Thursday at 11am and his family has asked for privacy.
The White House encouraged the Department of Justice to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey today for leaking 'privileged, government information' to journalists.

Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it's 'something they should certainly look at' after she accused the former law enforcement official of conducting himself in a manner that may have been illegal.

'I think if there's ever a moment where we feel someone has broken the law, particularly if they're the head of the FBI, I think that's something that certainly should be looked at,' she stated.

The White House encouraged the Department of Justice to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey today for leaking 'privileged, government information' to journalists

The White House has been on a crusade against Comey since he told Congress, under oath, that the president demanded his loyalty and waved him off a probe into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Sanders was inspired to shred Comey further in back-to-back news conferences this week after Steve Bannon, an ex-adviser to the president, claimed that the president committed a monumental political misstep when he sacked the law enforcement official.

Bannon told CBS that Trump's firing of Comey while his campaign was under federal investigation was not helpful to the president.

Asked by Charlie Rose about a comment he is said to have made about the Comey debacle, having reportedly called it 'the biggest mistake in political history,' Bannon said, 'That probably would be too bombastic even for me, but maybe modern political history.'

Sanders said Tuesday that Trump 'is proud of the decision that he made' and 'was 100 percent right.'

'He knew at the time that it could be bad for him politically but he also knew and felt he had an obligation to do what was right, and do what was right for the American people and certainly the men and women at the FBI,' she stated.

Sanders said Tuesday that Trump 'is proud of the decision that he made' and 'was 100 percent right' to fire former FBI Director James Comey

Comey's actions since he was fired have only served as vindication for the president, Sanders asserted.

'There is no secret Comey, by his own self-admission, leaked privileged government information. Weeks before President Trump fired him, Comey testified that an FBI agent engaged in the same practice; they face serious repercussions. I think he set his own stage for himself on that front.

'His actions were improper and likely could have been illegal. Comey leaked memos to the New York Times, your own outlet,' she told the Times' Maggie Haberman. 'He politicized an investigation by signaling he would exonerate Hillary Clinton before he ever interviewed her or other key witnesses.'

Sanders gave Comey a similar tongue-lashing on Monday.

'On the Comey firing, I think that we've been pretty clear what our position is, and certainly, I think that it has been shown that in the days that followed that the president was right in firing Director Comey,' she said then.

Bannon stirred controversy Sunday when he argued in a CBS News interview that president likely made one of the biggest mistakes in 'modern political history' when he fired his FBI director.

The law enforcement official's sacking led the Department of Justice to appoint a special counsel who's reportedly expanded a Russia investigation to include a review of Trump's decision, he pointed out.

'We would not have the Mueller investigation. We would not have the Mueller investigation and the breadth that clearly Mr. Mueller is going for,' he told 60 Minutes, making reference to Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon sat down for an extended interview with 60 Minutes, which aired in full Sunday night. Among his claims: the president's dismissal of James Comey was the biggest mistake in modern political history

Sanders rejected Bannon's position on Monday, and again on Tuesday, during her daily briefings.

'Giving false testimony, leaking privileged information to journalists, he went outside of the chain of command, and politicized an investigation into a presidential candidate,' she said. 'I think the president's been very clear about his position on that front.'

Trump appointed and the Senate confirmed current FBI Director Christopher Wray for a 10-year term after Comey exited the administration.

'He's very pleased with the new direction and has full confidence in [Wray] to fully restore and lead the FBI,' Sanders said on Monday.
A British tourist who spent nearly a week trapped on a lawless Caribbean island struck by Hurricane Irma has revealed he kept a kitchen knife under his bed to protect against looters.

James Tuffin, 32, was left stranded on St Martin after he was unable to check-in for his flight last Monday because no one from Delta Airlines was available to print his boarding pass.

The public relations professional spent a desperate five days hiding in a hotel room with no running water or electricity and armed men on the loose outside, before eventually boarding a US Army flight which took him to safety.

James Tuffin,(left) spent a desperate five days hiding in a hotel room(right) with no running water or electricity and armed men on the loose outside

Mr Tuffin, who was on holiday with a friend, said he and his family made numerous calls to the UK Foreign Office for advice, but he was given limited information and no offer of evacuation.

And he warned there were tourists from Britain and other countries still trapped on St Martin and in dire need of help after the storm struck on Wednesday.

He told MailOnline: 'The days after the storm were terrible. There was no running water or electricity, the toilets would not flush and food supplies were depleting.

'At nightfall, we would sit in the hotel room in darkness and slept with kitchen knives under our beds because we were so scared someone would break in.

'One day, our neighbours above us came down because she had seen a man with a gun who had come to her apartment to steal food.

'She told us to lock ourselves in the room because he was running around outside.

'On the same day, a Dutch man, also in the hotel, heard there was a man running around with the machete. People were looting - it was terrifying.'

Mr Tuffin, originally from London, arrived at St Martin by boat on September 4 hoping to catch a flight back to New York, where he lives.

He had been on holiday for five days on nearby Anguilla.

But after entering the Princess Juliana International Airport he was unable to find any Delta Airlines staff to check him in because they had already left to process the other passengers at the gate.

Mr Tuffin, who was on holiday with a friend, said he and his family made numerous calls to the UK Foreign Office for advice, but he was given limited information and no offer of evacuation. He took photos of the devastation on St Martin, pictured

And Mr Tuffin he warned there were tourists from Britain and other countries still trapped on St Martin and in dire need of help after the storm struck on Wednesday

Mr Tuffin, originally from London, arrived at St Martin by boat on September 4 hoping to catch a flight back to New York, where he lives

But after entering the Princess Juliana International Airport he was unable to find any Delta Airlines staff to check him in because they had already left to process the other people had the gate

'By the time we got to the airport on St Martin we only had ten minutes before check-in was closing, as our boat had been delayed because of the weather,' he said.

'The check-in machines weren't working and I could not use the app. When I got to the Delta desk no one was there, everyone had left already.

'I was starting to panic, I went to all the other airlines and they said the Delta staff had already left. So we missed the flight, because there was no one available.'

Realising he was unable to leave, Mr Tuffin and his 27-year-old friend Michael found a room at nearby Simpson's Bay Resort, where they spent the next two nights.

On Wednesday, the pair attended a briefing at the hotel, where the guests were told to gather food and water in preparation for a category five hurricane that was on its way.

On Wednesday, the pair attended a briefing at the hotel, where the guests were told to gather food and water in preparation for a category five hurricane that was on its way. The impact of the storm is shown in these photos, taken my Mr Tuffin

On Friday Mr Tuffin saw a Dutch military plane landing at the airport, but he was told by hotel staff these were for women and children only. Pictured: General views of the devastation on St Martin

Despite the desperate situation they found themselves in, Mr Tuffin said the staff at the hotel and some six hundred guests joined together to share provisions and protect each other

After filling pots and pans with water and bringing in provisions from the supermarket, they settled down for the night, before being woken up at 3am by the sound of the storm.

'By 5am it was really bad,' Mr Tuffin said. 'We went inside the bathroom and padded it out with some of the sofa seat cushions and just waited.

'There was a constant howling noise and the sound of things getting ripped apart.

'By the morning we looked out and the devastation was horrendous. Every car was upside down, with their windows smashed out, and houses had lost their roofs.

'But the worst part was that we could not contact the outside world.

'There were a couple of bars of mobile signal in one part of the resort, which I used to phone my family, but it was hard to get through to anyone else.'

At least 28 people were killed when the storm battered the Caribbean. Pictured: Scenes of devastation on St Martin, captured by Mr Tuffin

These minibuses were left with their windows shattered in one of the many scenes of devastation seen on the island

Dozens of other tourists on the Dutch-French island described cowering in their hotel rooms amid reports up to 600 looters are running riot

One soldier posted on the island said he was 'stopping a looter every 10 minutes'. Pictured: A devastated street

Pictured is a courtyard strewn with tree branches and other debris following the category five hurricane

On Friday Mr Tuffin saw a Dutch military plane landing at the airport, but he was told by hotel staff these were for women and children only.

After another terrifying night, he woke up to on Saturday morning to a knock at the door and a worker telling him the US Army was ferrying Americans from the airport.

Thinking that his American visa would get him on board, he went to queue up only to be told by a Marine that they would not be able to take him.

But after waiting until all the Americans had boarded, one of the soldiers said the remaining tourists  seven Britons, a German couple and several French people  would be allowed to join the flight.

The British tourist slammed the UK authorities for not doing enough to help, and he stressed there were still tourists trapped on the island who needed urgent aid

He said: 'The hotel did a good job with helping people, including housing other people who were made homeless and everyone shared what they had'

'That was one of the most heart-wrenching feelings ever,' Mr Tuffin said.

'But we persevered and eventually when all the Americans had been taken onboard the soldiers said we could join to.

'So, thank God, the American Army saved the day, and we flew in a Hercules to San Juan, on Saturday. And there we got a hotel and yesterday I left to New York.'

Despite the desperate situation they found themselves in, Mr Tuffin said the staff at the hotel and some six hundred guests joined together to share provisions and protect each other.

But he slammed the British authorities for not doing enough to help, and he stressed there were still tourists trapped on the island who needed urgent aid.

On Saturday, Mr Tuffin was eventually able to board a US Army plane that was leaving for Puerto Rico

He said: 'Thank God, the American Army saved the day, and we flew in a Hercules to San Juan, on Saturday. And there we got a hotel and yesterday I left to New York'

He added: 'It was an absolutely terrifying five days, and the situation is still so bad there with people still in desperate need of help.

'The hotel did a good job with helping people, including housing other people who were made homeless and everyone shared what they had.

'We did not get any information from the British government and just felt completely trapped.

'I got through to them and heard that they had my details and I should wait for information and to wait for the local authorities.

'But there were no local authorities - there was no information from anyone. There must be Britons still there. I just don't know what the UK is doing.'

Pictured are military personnel at the Princess Juliana International Airport, where the US Army plane took off on Saturday

He added: 'It was an absolutely terrifying five days, and the situation is still so bad there with people still in desperate need of help.' Pictured: The scene on board the Hercules

A FCO spokesman told MailOnline: 'We have been in regular contact with the Dutch and the Americans since the onset of this crisis to co-ordinate our response and help for all those affected.

'We understand that evacuation is based on individual need, rather than nationality, with the most vulnerable prioritised. A number of British citizens have been evacuated from St Maarten by the US.

'We are in touch with British nationals on St Maarten and have advised them to follow the local advice on the ground.

'We have already deployed staff to Curacao to help British nationals evacuated there and we are expecting to get a team to Saint Maarten in the next day to provide further assistance.'

MailOnline has contacted Delta Airlines for comment.
Amika Witt, 20, was found with a 13-pound handgun in her vagina when she was strip searched after being arrested for possession of drugs

A Missouri woman was found with a fully-loaded handgun stashed in her vagina after being arrested for possession of drugs and an intention to sell.

Amika Witt, 20, was stopped going 90mph on I-55 in Illinois at 5am last week.

Police found heroin in Witt's bra as well as ecstasy while searching the car, according to a statement by Assistant State's Attorney Layne Roberts.

Witt was taken to McLean County jail and strip searched by a female officer who found the 13-ounce Kimber .380 handgun.

The gun had a fully loaded magazine and 'a bullet in the chamber ready to fire,' said Roberts.

Witt is charged with armed violence for possessing a weapon during the alleged commission of a felony and while in possession of drugs, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Stock image shows the Kimber .380 handgun that was stashed inside Witt's vagina

Clinton McDonald, 29, was also in the car and charged with unlawful possession of heroin with the intent to deliver, and possession of ecstasy.

McLean County Sheriff Jon Sandage told The Pantagraph: 'When you find drugs, you look for guns.'

He added that a complete body search is performed on all suspects brought into the jail on drug charges and it's common for people accused of dealing drugs to be armed.

Fortunately for Witt, she didn't suffer any accidental misfiring in her packed pants.

Witt and McDonald were both jailed and have bail set at $40,035, and $20,035.
A Maryland judge has ordered that an investigation into the professional conduct of three of Hillary Clinton's lawyers should go forward after they oversaw the deletion of emails stored on their client's home server.

'There are allegations of destroying evidence,' Annapolis-based Circuit Judge Paul F. Harris Jr. said in explaining why a complaint filed by a New York-based lawyer should be allowed to go forward.

The complaints against the three prominent lawyers are 'egregious,' he said, the Washington Times reported.

Texas lawyer Ty Clevenger, who lives in New York, filed a complaint against lawyers David Kendall, Cheryl Mills and Heather Samuelson over the email issue.

Former State Department Chief of Staff Cheryl Mills (L) and Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton take a break in a hearing of the House Select Committee on Benghazi October 22, 2015 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Three Clinton lawyers face a bar inquiry after a Maryland judge's decision

Clinton said she relied on her legal team to sort through the thousands of emails that were found to be stored on her home private email server from her time as secretary of state.

She was required to turn the information back over to the government due to federal record keeping laws.

Clinton and her former presidential campaign said the lawyers sifted through the huge cache using search terms, handed over work-related emails, and deleted the ones that were deemed personal.

Since the charge in the complaint 'appears to have merit,' a state board that handles professional complaints will now go forward with an investigation.

The Maryland Bar Counsel had earlier ruled the complaint was frivolous.

David Kendall, Hillary Clinton's personal attorney for more than 20 years, reacts to a comment during the House Select Committee Hearing on Benghazi, on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. Kendal received a Top Secret clearance from the State Department to review information related to the House Benghazi investigation. He's also the person who kept a secure thumb drive with copies of Clinton's emails in his office

Clinton attorney Heather Samuelson is the third lawyer involved

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testifies before Congress about her knowledge of the events that occurred in Benghazi Libya in 2012 where 4 Americans that asked for U. S. assistance were killed at the American Embassy while Clinton was Secretary of State. Cheryl Mills listens to the questioning

Longtime Clinton attorney David Kendall is one of the lawyers involved. Another is Cheryl Mills, a longtime Clinton associate who is also included on multiple emails as Clinton's former state department chief of staff.

The third lawyer is Heather Samuelson. All are licensed to practice law in the state of Maryland.

'My thesis is: If you are a politically prominent attorney, you are held to a different standard,' Clevenger told the Baltimore Sun, which got no comment from the trio of Clinton attorneys. 'I've seen this in Texas, California  I choose this case because I knew people would pay attention,' he said.

Clinton had 33,000 emails deemed personal deleted after State asked her to turn over her work-related emails. She ultimately turned over about 30,000 emails.

The FBI ultimately decided not to prosecute Clinton after it 'found no evidence that any of the additional work-related emails were intentionally deleted in an effort to conceal them.'

The legal ruling comes a day before Clinton launches her book tour for 'What Happened,' her memoir that settles scores with various people Clinton blames for her defeat.
Parents are left shocked after a Utah high school gave students a 'drug and sex' quiz that scored their decency.

Students at Roy High School took a 1981 Dear Abby questionnaire titled Know Thyself for a class called 'Adult Roles and Financial Literacy.'

The teacher who gave the questionnaires to juniors has since been put on leave.

The questions then measured the teen's decency on a scale of 'nerd' to 'hopeless and condemned.'

The quiz is a series of 30 yes or no questions that are each worth a certain amount of points for a yes answer.

Questions start simple with: 'Ever gone out with a member of the opposite sex?'

They quickly escalate to things like: 'Have you ever passed out from drinking?' and 'Have you ever had more than one abortion?'

Being kissed against your will is worth 2 'indecency' points, but experimenting with the same sex is worth more points than drugging someone's drink.

Question 29 asks: 'Even though you are straight would you go kinky to see what its (sic) like'.

The quiz was enough to prompt concern from parents.

Students at Roy High School were given a test that measured their 'decency' on a scale of 'nerd' to 'hopeless and condemned'

'I was in shock. I couldn't believe something like this was handed out to students,' Heather Danks Miller told the Salt Lake Tribune. 'My daughter actually filled it out in class and was upset about the grading.'

'I don't think those questions should be put to anyone by a person a position of authority,' Danks Miller said. 'Students should trust their teachers, but this puts them in a vulnerable position to get a grade.'

The Weber School District said they were unaware of the questionnaire, even though it is hosted on a district website portal.

Spokesman Lane Findlay said it was not part of the course curriculum and did not know how many students were given the assignment.

The school is about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City.
The first trial of one of Holly Bobo's accused killers has finally begun, six years after the young nurse went missing, with jurors hearing stomach-turning accusations of drugs, rape and murder.

Zachary Adams, 33, took the defendant's chair in a Savanna, Tennessee courtroom Tuesday as the trial began six years after Bobo, the cousin of country music star Whitney Duncan, first disappeared.

Prosecutor Paul Hagerman told the jury that Adams lived in a 'dark, dark world' of meth and morphine, and had abducted the nursing student from her rural home.

Hagerman said that Adams drugged, raped and shot Bobo before discarding her body and bragging about it to friends.

He promised that a co-conspirator would testify to Adams' role in the sick crime during the course of the trial.

Bobo was 20 when she disappeared from her home in the rural town of Parsons in April 2011

The trial of Zachary Adams (pictured) began on Tuesday in Savanna, Tennessee. Adams is charged with kidnapping, raping and murdering nursing student Holly Bobo

Dana Bobo, left, father of Holly Bobo, testifies in the trial as a photo of Holly is displayed

Adams has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, raping and killing Bobo, who was 20 when she disappeared from her home in the rural town of Parsons on April 13, 2011. Her remains were found in woods in September 2014.

Adams' defense attorney, Jennifer Thompson, said her client is not guilty.

She said in her opening statement that authorities found no hair, fingerprints or DNA belonging to Bobo in a search of Adams' home before he was charged in 2014.

The first witness called by prosecutors was Bobo's father, Dana Bobo, who recalled learning that his daughter had been abducted from a phone call at work.

'Holly's been taken,' he recalled hearing through the phone.

Judge C. Creed McGinley moved the trial to neighboring Hardin County because of widespread attention it received closer to Bobo's home

Zachary Adams, left, enters the courtroom after a break in his trial for the kidnapping, rape and murder of nursing student Holly Bobo

Bobo was 20 when she disappeared from her home in the rural town of Parsons in April 2011

Holly Bobo's boyfriend Drew Scott, neighbor James Barnes, mother Karen Bobo, and brother Clint Bobo also took the witness stand on Tuesday to testify.

Karen Bobo, asked to identify items in evidence including a sandwich she had packed for her daughter's lunch on the day she was kidnapped, fell faint on the witness stand and had to be attended by EMTs.

Paramedics treated her and the trial resumed after a brief recess.

Judge C. Creed McGinley moved the trial to neighboring Hardin County because of widespread attention it received closer to Bobo's home.

The jury was selected Saturday. It is being sequestered.

Adams faces the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.

Adams' brother, John Dylan Adams, and another man, Jason Autry, also are charged with kidnapping, rape and murder in the case.

Zachary Rye Adams (center) was one of three men charged with kidnapping, raping, and killing Bobo. Jason Autry (left) and John Dylan Adams (right) are also charged

Bobo, a cousin of country music singer Whitney Duncan, was 20 when she went missing from her home in Parsons, Tennessee, in April 2011. Her skull was found in the woods in 2014

Autry's attorney told the judge in February that there is no need to schedule a trial for him, raising the possibility that Autry could testify in return for a reduced charge. No trial date has been set for him or John Dylan Adams.

McGinley has ordered Bobo's friends and family to refrain from wearing T-shirts or other displays of support in court.

Bobo's brother told authorities he saw his sister walking away from their home with a man in hunting camouflage on April 13, 2011, the day she went missing.

Investigators and volunteers scoured the town and surrounding pastures, barns, flowery fields and dusty back roads. Residents adorned lamp posts and store fronts with pink bows, symbols of hope. Pink became the color associated with Bobo because she was wearing a pink shirt when she disappeared.

Adams' property in Decatur County was searched days before his arrest.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has floated the idea of giving a polygraph test to every member of President Donald Trump's national security staff in a leak investigation.

The extraordinary move would be part of an effort to hunt down the individual or individuals who leaked the transcript of President Trump's phone calls to the heads of Mexico and Australia at the start of his term.

Both revelations proved embarrassing, as Trump pleaded with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to stop publicly opposing the wall, and vented to Australian President Malcolm Turnbull about an immigration agreement he had difficulty understanding.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has brought up a plan to give polygraph tests to every member of the National Security Staff to try to find out who leaked transcripts of the president's phone calls with foreign leaders

The idea, reported by Axios, would be to require every member of the National Security Council to take a poligraph where they would get asked about the leak of the transcripts of Trump's calls with foreign leaders.

The Washington Post reported the full transcripts of the Australia and Mexico calls in August.

According to the report, Sessions suspects someone on the NSC leaked the transcripts.

Early in the administration, Trump loyalists complained about a 'deep state' of advisors and specialists who burrowed into jobs in Washington who were intent on undermining Trump.

Lawmakers in both parties condemned the leak of the transcripts as a threatening breach, potentially providing advantageous ground from which to pursue a leak investigation, as opposed to leaks that were simply politically damaging to President Trump.

It was not clear whether Sessions ran the idea by National Security Advisor. H. R. McMaster

Sessions, whose position was considered to be extremely tenuous just weeks ago, has announced a tripling of leak investigations by the Justice Department.

In the leaked Post transcript published in early August, Trump vented to Turnbull about an Obama agreement to accept 1,250 people who tried to get to Australia by boat.

'That is why they lost the election, because of stupid deals like this. You have brokered many a stupid deal in business and I respect you, but I guarantee that you broke many a stupid deal. This is a stupid deal. This deal will make me look terrible,' Trump fumed.

One transcript featured a tense and awkward phone call with Australian Prime Minister Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Another transcript featured Trump pleading with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto not to say Mexico won't pay for the border wall

'Mr. President, I think this will make you look like a man who stands by the commitments of the United States,' countered Turnbull.

Trump repeatedly misstates the numbers in the agreement, at one point saying it was 'like 5,000.'

If the leak investigation idea was meant to stay secret, it didn't work. A source also confirmed it to CNN. The report said Sessions brought it up with White House staff, but it was 'unclear' if he had raised it with national security adviser H.R. McMaster, who has been overseeing replacement of aides linked to fired National Security Advisor Mike Flynn and ousted chief White House strategist Stephen Bannon.

In the Pena Nieto call, Trump pleads with his Mexican counterpart not to say publicly that Mexico won't pay for the border wall.

'We cannot say that anymore because if you are going to say that Mexico is not going to pay for the wall, then I do not want to meet with you guys anymore because I cannot live with that,' said Trump, according to the transcript.

'Believe it or not, this is the least important thing that we are talking about, but politically this might be the most important talk about,' the president said.
Holly Branson wrote of the 'unimaginable devastation' on the British Virgin Islands as her brother, Sam, left to help the relief effort there

Richard Branson's daughter has spoken of the 'unimaginable devastation' on the British Virgin Islands as her brother left to help the relief effort there.

Holly Branson said it was 'heart-breaking' to see so many people left without their homes or possessions after Hurricane Irma ravaged the British Oversea Territory on Wednesday.

Five people died during the category five storm and hundreds more have been left without running water or electricity.

Writing on Virgin.com, Holly wrote: 'It is truly heart-breaking to see such devastation in a place we call home and to communities we love dearly.

'People have been left with nothing; no home, no running water, no power or possessions  and we are only just beginning to understand the extent of the damage caused.'

The blog post included a photo of Holly embracing her brother, Sam, who has documented the destruction left by the storm on Instagram.

On a video posted three days after the storm struck, Sam said simply: 'If you have boats, then please get them to the BVI.'

Holly wrote: 'My brother Sam is currently travelling to the BVI with supplies and aid, ranging from nappies and clothing to water purification tablets and tarpaulin for shelter.

Holly(left) wrote: 'My brother Sam(right) is currently travelling to the BVI with supplies and aid, ranging from nappies and clothing to water purification tablets and tarpaulin for shelter

Sam, documented the destruction left by the storm on Instagram. Pictured is a still from a video taken on Nicker Island

'Its been very hard to gain an understanding of the situation on the ground with power on the islands still down, but he will be keeping you all updated as much as possible via his Instagram account.

'Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the disaster across the BVI, Caribbean and beyond and we will continue to do everything we can to help.'

Sir Richard spent the storm in his wine cellar while his island was devastated.

He bought 74-acre Necker Island when he was 28 for around 90,000 and has spent an estimated 7.6million transforming the uninhabited land into a luxury resort and home for his family.

The father-of-two likened the destruction to that felt by Europe at the end of the Second World War, calling for a Disaster Recovery Marshall Plan to help British Virgin Islands residents.

The Virgin boss, who is worth around 3.8billion, has now gone to Puerto Rico to try to mobilise aid efforts because communications are still down on the islands which have been belted by the ferocious and unforgiving storm.

At least 28 people were killed when the storm battered the Caribbean. Five of them died on the British Virgin Islands.
A 19-year-old Michigan man is accused of fatally shooting his mother while she slept after she told he couldn't keep a puppy.

Andrew Willson was charged with murder and felony firearm possession on Monday after he allegedly shot his 51-year-old mother, Lisa Marie Willson, while she slept in her bed early Friday morning in Wheatfield Township, the Lansing State Journal reported.

Authorities say the teen called 911 around 7am on Friday to report that he came back home to find his mother murdered.

Andrew Willson (left in arrest photo) was charged with murder and felony firearm possession on Monday after he allegedly killed his 51-year-old mother, Lisa Marie Willson (right)

Police say he shot his mother in the back of her head while she was asleep after he became upset over her saying he was not aloud to keep a puppy. They are pictured above together.

The mother (above) reportedly told her son that he would have to keep the dog he had recently found at his dads home in Dansville on Thursday evening

Police officers and sheriff's deputies arrived to the scene in the 200 block of Linn Road near Williamston and found her body inside her bedroom.

The mother had been shot once in the back of the head, authorities said.

Ingham County Sheriffs detective Charles Buckland said that investigators had determined that no one besides her and her son had been inside the house the night of the killing.

Buckland said that the mother told her son that he would have to keep the dog he had recently found at his dads home in Dansville on Thursday evening.

The 19-year-old told authorities that he removed a .22 Magnum rifle from a locked cabinet overnight. He allegedly told police he went into his mother's (above) room and shot her in the back of the head as she slept. He is being held in jail on no bond

The 19-year-old told authorities that he removed a .22 Magnum rifle from a locked cabinet overnight.

He allegedly said that he went into her room and shot her in the back of the head as she slept, the newspaper reported.

Willson then drove around and got rid of the weapon, but it was recovered by police.

Authorities said the weapon had a spent shell casing and a live round in it.

Willson was arraigned at 55th District Court in Mason on Monday in front of Judge Mark Blumer.

The judge denied him bond and he is set to appear in court again on September 28.

He does not have a past criminal history.
The situation in Burma is a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing', the United Nations rights chief said yesterday, as the number of Rohingya Muslims fleeing the country for Bangladesh topped 300,000.

The UN warning came as it emerged the Dalai Lama wrote to de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi urging her to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in the mainly Buddhist country.

The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, have faced decades of persecution in Burma where they are regarded as illegal immigrants.

Rohingya Muslims wait for relief near a camp in Bangladesh after fleeing from ongoing military operations in Burma's Rakhine state

But since the latest upsurge in violence on August 25, hundreds of thousands have flooded across the border into Bangladesh bringing stories of entire villages burned to the ground by Buddhist mobs and Burma troops.

On Monday the UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein accused Burma of waging a 'systematic attack' on the Rohingya and warned that 'ethnic cleansing' seemed to be under way.

'Because Burma has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing,' he told the UN Human Rights Council.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, has come in for strong international criticism over the military crackdown on the Rohingya, which began when militants ambushed security forces on August 25.

The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma has said the latest violence may have left more than 1,000 dead, most of them Rohingya.

The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, have faced decades of persecution in Burma where they are regarded as illegal immigrants

On Monday it emerged that the Dalai Lama had joined fellow Nobel peace laureates Malala Yousafzai and Archbishop Desmond Tutu in urging Suu Kyi to intervene.

'Questions that are put to me suggest that many people have difficulty reconciling what appears to be happening to Muslims there with Burma's reputation as a Buddhist country,' the Tibetan spiritual leader wrote in a letter to Suu Kyi shortly after the latest fighting broke out.

'I appeal to you and your fellow leaders to reach out to all sections of society to try to restore friendly relations throughout the population in a spirit of peace and reconciliation.'
The Chinese authority has reportedly suspended two hospital workers after a pregnant woman committed suicide during labour because she couldn't have a Caesarean section.

In a case that shocked the Chinese public, the expectant mother, named Ma Rongrong, allegedly jumped from the hospital's fifth-floor window on August 31 because she couldn't bear the pain anymore.

The hospital reportedly denied her a C-section, an operation known to carry many risks. But doctors said the woman's family turned down the opportunity to relieve her of the pain.

A special investigation team announced today that the person in charge of the hospital in Yulin city, Shaanxi Province, and its head gynaecologist had been removed from their positions, according to People's Daily Online.

Ma Rongrong (left) resorted to desperate measures on August 31 after she could not bear the pain of childbirth (right) and her request for a C-section had been denied

Earlier reports claimed that Ms Ma, said to be 26 years old, was experiencing strong contractions before the incident took place at the Yulin No.1 Hospital.

She was said to be 42 weeks pregnant and admitted to the hospital on August 30. She reportedly committed suicide around 8pm on August 31.

Video footage circulating online claimed to show Ms Ma moments before her death.

The footage showed the pregnant woman leaving the labour room to find her family.

A surveillance camera shows Ms Ma leaving the labour room to find her family member

The woman can be seen in great agony in the video and kneeling on the ground on two occasions when her family and a nurse attended to her.

At first, media reports claimed that she was kneeling in front of her family members to beg them to give permission to the doctors, so she could have the C-section.

In China, doctors would only carry out major operations after receiving a written consent from the patient's next of kin.

Accounts claimed that Ms Ma's family refused to give the doctors a consent for unspecified reasons, leading to Ms Ma's suicide.

The hospital also claimed they had informed Ms Ma's family a natural birth could be risky for Ms Ma because of the baby's 'large head', according to a previous report fro the People's Daily Online.

Ms Ma is seen kneeling on the ground in front of her family and a nurse. Earlier reports claimed she was begging her family to agree to the C-section, but her husband said she knelt on the ground because she could not bear the pain

However, Yan Zhuangzhuang, Ms Ma's husband, has released a statement since the incident became headlines across Chinese media and his family got criticised by the public.

Mr Yan, 29, claimed that doctors at the Yulin No. 1 Hospital had denied his late wife a C-section at the last minute.

He also claimed that in the footage his late wife was kneeling on the ground because she could not bear the pain.

According to the hospital, Ms Ma's family and the hospital have settled on the matter, reported Huanqiu.com, an affiliation to People's Daily.

The two sides were said to have agreed on financial compensation on the term that the family members do not accept media interviews anymore, but the hospital did not reveal the amount of the payout.

Ms Ma was helped by nurses to go back to the labour room and wait for a natural birth, said various reports. Two hospital workers (not pictured) have been suspended

Ms Ma reported jumped from the fifth floor of the hospital because she couldn't bear the pain

The investigation team, set up by the Yulin Health Bureau, didn't explained how Ms Ma's request for a C-section had been denied in their statement today.

The investigation team said they recognised the hospital had taken all the necessary steps in dealing with Ms Ma's childbirth, including informing family members.

The team said they had decided to suspend the two workers because the hospital had not provided 'enough humanitarian care to the pregnant woman', and that it reflected the lack of management of the hospital.

The statement also claimed that the hospital had not got enough staff to respond to emergency matters.

The hospital has been ordered to rectify the existing problems immediately.

For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a local branch or go to www.samaritans.org.
It has baffled astronomers since it was first discovered in 2015, but now experts believe they may be one step closer to solving the mystery of Tabby's star.

The star, otherwise known as KIC 8462852, is located 1,400 light years away.

It dims at a much faster rate than other stars, which some experts have suggested is a sign of aliens harnessing the energy of a star.

But a new study 'eliminates the possibility of an alien megastructure', and instead, suggests that a ring of dust could be causing the strange signals.

Scroll down for video

It has baffled astronomers since it was first discovered in 2015, but now experts believe they may be one step closer to solving the mystery of Tabby's star (artist's impression pictured)

THE STUDY Researchers collected observational data of Tabby's star from two Nasa telescopes  Swift, which takes X-ray and UV measurements, and Spitzer, which measures objects in infrared. They found that from UV, throughout the visible spectrum to IR, the star is dimming at every wavelength. This suggests that initial data collected by Nasa's Kepler telescope was incorrect. The researchers also discovered that the dimming rate of Tabby's star differed between UV and infrared. The team suggests that 'micro-sized dust screens' are to blame for this irregular dimming, and not an alien megastructure. Advertisement

Researchers from the University of Arizona have submitted a new study which refutes the idea that the staggering dimming of Tabby's star is caused by aliens.

The researchers collected observational data of Tabby's star from October 2015 to March 2017 from two Nasa telescopes  Swift, which takes X-ray and UV measurements, and Spitzer, which measures objects in infrared.

Speaking to Inverse, Huan Meng, lead author of the study, said: 'We found that from UV, throughout the visible spectrum, to IR, the star is dimming at every wavelength we monitored.'

This suggests that initial data collected by Nasa's Kepler telescope was incorrect.

The researchers also discovered that the dimming rate of Tabby's star differed significantly between UV and infrared.

The team suggests that 'micro-sized dust screens' are to blame for this irregular dimming.

Dr Meng said: 'Only microscopic fine-dust screens are able to scatter the starlight in the way characterized by measurements.'

Rather than aliens, the researchers strongly suspect that a microscopic dust ring originating from circumstellar material found in the system is causing the dimming and brightening of Tabby's star.

Dr Meng said: 'It cannot be anything from the interstellar medium.'

Previous studies have claimed the strange dimming could be evidence of a Dyson Sphere  a hypothetical structure which could be used by an advanced alien race to harness the energy of a star (artist's impression pictured)

TABBY'S STAR Tabby's Star, known officially as KIC 8462852 but named for Tabetha Boyajian who first discovered it in 2015, has baffled experts ever since. Observations revealed its light dimmed regularly, as do distant stars when their planets pass in front of them. But while the stars of most exoplanet systems are seen to dim by a few per cent, KIC 8462852 dimmed by more than 20 per cent over periods of months. Some have claimed this dimming could be evidence of a Dyson Sphere  a hypothetical structure which could be used by an advanced alien race to harness the energy of a star. Scientists remain sceptical, offering that the dimming could be explained by a dust ring around the star or a hail of comets passing in between the star and Earth. Advertisement

But while the researchers suspect the dimming is caused by a dust ring, they stress that 'this is not a firm conclusion.'

The researchers will publish their study in the next few weeks, and suggest that Nasa itself will also publish research from the Swift and Spitzer telescopes.

Dr Meng added: 'This is of great interest to the astronomy community.'

The findings contradict research published at the end of August, which suggested that a ringed Saturn-like planet was to blame for the irregular dimming.

Researchers from the University of Antioquia in Colombia made the claim in a paper published on the Arxiv electronic archive.

They argue that if a ringed planet like Saturn was in close orbit of the star with tilted rings, it would seem to dim the light coming from it in an irregular pattern.

The rings would first block the light as the planet passed in front of the star, followed by the planet itself, before the rings again blocked more light.

And because the tilted rings would be at a different angle on each pass, it would appear to be a random occurrence.

But with enough information, a pattern could be established.
When you think of the moon you might picture a dry, desolate, rocky place, but recent evidence has been putting this idea to the test.

A new study shows the surface of the moon has more water than we thought, suggesting the interior of our natural satellite could hold a deep reservoir of water.

This new finding bolsters the idea that the lunar mantle is surprisingly water-rich, which could make colonising it for future space exploration much easier.

Scroll down for video

Pictured is a map of water molecules on the moon in the morning and midday, crafted by reading how certain wavelengths of light are reflected or absorbed at its surface. The warmer colours show where there is more water on the lunar surface (credit: TU Dortmund)

BIRTH OF THE MOON Many researchers believe the moon formed after Earth was hit by a planet the size of Mars billions of years ago. This is called the giant impact hypothesis. The hypothesis claims the moon is debris left over following an indirect collision between our planet and an astronomical body approximately 4.5 billion years ago. The colliding body is sometimes called Theia, after the mythical Greek Titan who was the mother of Selene, the goddess of the moon. But one mystery has persisted, revealed by rocks the Apollo astronauts brought back from the moon - why are the moon and Earth so similar in their composition? Several different theories have emerged over the years to explain the similar fingerprints of Earth and the moon. Perhaps the impact created a huge cloud of debris that mixed thoroughly with the Earth and then later condensed to form the moon. Or Theia could have, coincidentally, been isotopically similar to young Earth. A third possibility is that the moon formed from Earthen materials, rather than from Theia, although this would have been a very unusual type of impact. Advertisement

A group of researchers from the Technical University of Dortmund, Germany, used data from the Moon Mapping Mission to search for clues of water in the spectrum of light reflected from its surface.

By looking at which wavelengths of light are absorbed or reflected by the surface, scientists could get an idea of which minerals and other compounds are present.

In a paper published in Science Advances, the authors found there is water present across the whole surface of the moon, at all times of the day.

Previously it had been thought there was only water at the poles, and our current explanation of how water forms on the moon would not explain it being found at all times of the day.

This means there might be something else going on, like a reservoir of water lurking underneath the surface.

Possible sources are, amongst others, hydrated minerals or a reservoir at large depth, Professor Christian Wohler, lead author of the study, told Wired.

Earlier this year Professor Stephen Hawking said mankind could have a station on the moon within 30 years, saying it will be a useful stopping off point to other planets.

But one of the biggest problems for any human settlement is the difficulty in transporting vast quantities of water from Earth.

A study in July found volcanic deposits scattered across the surface of the moon containing unusually high amounts of trapped water, but another paper published in August contradicted this.

Dr James Day, a geochemist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the leading author of the August study, said at the time: 'It's been a big question whether the moon is wet or dry.

'It might seem like a trivial thing, but this is actually quite important.

'If the moon is dry - like we've thought for about the last 45 years, since the Apollo missions - it would be consistent with the formation of the moon in some sort of cataclysmic impact event that formed it.'

A new study shows the surface of the moon has more water than we thought, suggesting the interior of our natural satellite could hold a deep reservoir of water

The new results could throw into question the most widely accepted theory of how the moon was formed.

Many researchers believe the moon formed after Earth was hit by a planet the size of Mars billions of years ago.

This is called the giant impact hypothesis.

The hypothesis claims the moon is debris left over following an indirect collision between our planet and an astronomical body approximately 4.5 billion years ago.

The colliding body is sometimes called Theia, after the mythical Greek Titan who was the mother of Selene, the goddess of the moon.

Researchers found there is water present across the whole surface of the moon, at all times of the day. This means there might be something else going on, like a reservoir of water lurking underneath the surface. Pictured is a map of water on the moon's surface around midday

But one mystery has persisted, revealed by rocks the Apollo astronauts brought back from the moon - why are the moon and Earth so similar in their composition?

Several different theories have emerged over the years to explain the similar fingerprints of Earth and the moon.

Perhaps the impact created a huge cloud of debris that mixed thoroughly with the Earth and then later condensed to form the moon.

Or Theia could have, coincidentally, been isotopically similar to young Earth.

A third possibility is that the moon formed from Earthen materials, rather than from Theia, although this would have been a very unusual type of impact.
A new propaganda video claims that scientists in China have created a working prototype of the 'impossible' fuel-free engine.

The radical EmDrive has been hypothesised for years by Nasa, but the space agency has been unable to create a working version.

If the physics-defying concept is brought to reality, it's said the engine could get humans to Mars in just 10 weeks.

Scroll down for video

A new propaganda video claims that scientists in China have created a working prototype of the 'impossible' reactionless engine

THE EMDRIVE The concept of an EmDrive engine is relatively simple. It provides thrust to a spacecraft by bouncing microwaves around in a closed container. Solar energy provides the electricity to power the microwaves, which means that no propellant is needed. The implications for this could be huge. For instance, current satellites could be half the size they are today without the need to carry fuel. Humans could also travel further into space, generating their own propulsion on the way. But when the concept was first proposed it was considered implausible because it went against the laws of physics. Its allegedly fuel-free nature also means the drive may directly contradict the law of conservation of momentum. It suggests it would produce a forward-facing force without an equal and opposite force acting in the other direction. Advertisement

The video was posted by CCTV.com, and is titled 'Propellantless propulsion: The Chinese EmDrive by CAST scientist Dr Chen Yue, China's Space Agency.'

It claims that Chinese scientists have developed the EmDrive, and will soon put it into space - although it does not state any technical aspects of the device.

The EmDrive is an engine that provides thrust without the need for fuel.

Instead, it bounces microwaves - provided by solar energy - around in a closed container.

With no fuel to eject, the EmDrive would violate Newton's third law, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

This isn't the first time that China has claimed to have made a working EmDrive.

In December, researchers with Cast confirmed the government had been funding research into the technology since 2010, and claimed they had developed a device that's already being tested in low-Earth orbit, IBTimes UK reported.

And in November, anonymous sources told IBTimes UK that tests on the EmDrive were underway aboard Tiangong-2.

'National research institutions in recent years have carried out a series of long-term, repeated tests on the EmDrive,' Dr Chen Yue, head of the communication satellite division at Cast said at the press conference, IBTimes UK reports.

'Nasa's published test results can be said to re-confirm the technology. We have successfully developed several specifications of multiple prototype principles.

'The establishment of an experimental verification platform to complete the milli-level micro thrust measurement test, as well as several years of repeated experiments and investigations into corresponding interference factors, confirm that in this type of thruster, thrust exists.'

A new propaganda video claims that scientists in China have created a working prototype of the 'impossible' reactionless engine. Pictured is a prototype of the EMDrive

THE NASA PAPER The paper, which has now been published in the AIAA's Journal of Propulsion and Power, describes a series of successful tests carried out at Nasa's Johnson Space Center in Texas. It outlines a experiments with a 'closed radio frequency cavity'. The paper describes how early tests of the system in a vacuum, recreating the conditions of the engine if were used in space. Engineers carried out controlled bursts at 40, 60 and 80 watts, reporting that the thrust achieved in a vacuum was similar to the performance achieved in air. The tests managed to generate powers of 1.2 millinewtons per kilowatt (mN/Kw), a fraction of the current state of the art Hall thruster, which can achieve a massive 60 mN/Kw. But the researchers say that the lack of fuel consumption could make up for the drop in power. Advertisement

Cast is a subsidiary of the Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and the manufacturer of Dong Fang Hong satellites.

According to Li Feng, chief designer of Cast's communication satellite division, the team has built a prototype that so far generates just a few millinewtons of thrust, IBTimes UK reports.

For it to work on a satellite, they will need to bring the levels up to something between .1-1 Newtons.

This means they will have to improve the cavity design to reduce electrical losses, and develop a solution for the placement of the microwave thruster on the satellite itself.

'This technology is currently in the latter stages of the proof-of-principle phase, with the goal of making the technology available in satellite engineering as quickly as possible,' Li Feng said at the conference, IBTimes reports.

'Although it is difficult to do this, we have the confidence that we will succeed.'

But Nasa research published in November was dismissed by many people who thought the results were an experimental error.

The Nasa tests managed to generate powers of 1.2 millinewtons per kilowatt (mN/Kw), a fraction of the current state of the art Hall ion thruster, which can achieve a massive 60 mN/Kw (illustrated)

This includes advanced propulsion systems expert Brice Cassenti, who says there is likely a 'mundane explanation' behind the findings.

But, while the expert argues that there's a 'slim' probability that the results will hold up in further investigation, he also notes that 'it's not zero.'

The violations seen in the EmDrive concept would 'invalidate much of the basis for all of physics as we know it,' Cassenti, an engineering professor at the University of Connecticut, told UConn Today.

The paper, now published in the AIAA's Journal of Propulsion and Power, describes a series of successful tests carried out by scientists at Nasa's Eagleworks Laboratories.

Its publication means it has been reviewed by scientists independent to the study, adding to its credibility  but, this does not necessarily mean that the results are valid.

The technology has been dubbed the 'warp drive' for its similarity to the fictional propulsion system seen in the Star Trek series

As there is no 'plausible proven physical explanation' for the findings as of yet, either experimentally or theoretically, the expert says the results may boil down to an experimental error.

'I personally believe that there is a mundane explanation for the results,' Cassenti said.

'For example, electric currents are heating components within the Drive that expand during the experiments, causing motion that would appear as a force.

'It is very difficult to remove such effects, although the authors of the journal article tried to remove not only these thermal effects but also many other possible sources for experimental errors.'

According to Cassenti, it's extremely difficult to be certain that all sources of error have been eliminated, and this can only be proven through independent tests of the hypothesis.

If the physics-defying concept is brought to reality, it's said the engine could get humans to Mars in just 10 weeks

If the EmDrive results do turn out to be valid, the achievement 'points to new physics.'

And while there have been circumstances where Newton's laws have been found not to apply at high speeds, as in large gravitational fields and with tiny molecules, the researcher note that 'Newton is still mostly right.'

'Over my professional life, I have seen several of these exciting experimental or theoretical results reported in peer-reviewed literature,' Cassenti said.

'So far only the reality of black holes has come through.
Hackers could one day order sex robots to kill their human lovers, a cyber security expert has warned.

Cyber criminals could easily breach the robots' inner defences and turn them against their human owners, lecturer Dr Nick Patterson says.

Hacking into modern-day robots would be far simpler than accessing more sophisticated devices like smartphones and computers, he claims.

Scroll down for video

Hackers could one day order sex robots to kill their human lovers, a cyber security expert has warned. Cyber criminals could easily breach the robots' inner defences and turn them against their human owners, lecturer Dr Nick Patterson says (stock image)

SEX ROBOTS There are around five makers of sex robots worldwide, with prices ranging from around 4,000 ($5,275) to more than 11,600 ($15,300) for a 'deluxe' model. But while they are becoming ever more realistic, scientists say it could be 50 years before robots are able to move and talk spontaneously like a partner and have facial expressions that look truly human. Supporters of the use of sex robots say they could be useful for lonely people or those unable to form relationships. Some psychologists suggest that sexual relations with robots will 'desensitise humans to intimacy and empathy'. Some of the sex dolls already on sale come with 'compliant' personalities that run the risk of encouraging rape. Advertisement

The technology expert, from Deakin University in Victoria, Australia, told the Star Online: 'Hackers can hack into a robot or a robotic device and have full control of the connections, arms, legs and other attached tools like in some cases knives or welding devices.

'Once a robot is hacked, the hacker has full control and can issue instructions to the robot.'

Sex androids will use an operating system, much like modern computers or phones, Dr Patterson said.

This means that if the system is ever connected to the internet it could be vulnerable to hackers.

'The last thing you want is for a hacker to have control over one of these robots,' Dr Patterson said.

'Once hacked they could absolutely be used to perform physical actions for an advantageous scenario or to cause damage.'

Over the next ten years realistic sex androids will become more common, according to a report published in July.

Realistic sex robots will bring about a social and technological revolution in Britain, experts claimed.

But politicians and the public need to understand and deal with the ethical issues that sex robots will pose to society and relationships.

Sex androids will use an operating system, much like all modern computers or phones, Dr Patterson said. This means that if the system is ever connected to the internet it could be vulnerable to hackers (stock image)

This was the warning from Noel Sharkey, professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at the University of Sheffield, and Dr Aimee van Wynsberghe, assistant professor in ethics and technology at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands, who coauthored the report.

Supporters of the use of sex robots say they could be useful for lonely people or those unable to form relationships.

But the researchers sounded grim predictions about the 'dark side' of the advancing technology, that could mean grappling with issues such as rape and paedophilia.

There are around five makers of sex robots worldwide, with prices ranging from around 4,000 ($5,275) to more than 11,600 ($15,300) for a 'deluxe' model.

But while they are becoming ever more realistic, scientists say it could be 50 years before robots are able to move and talk spontaneously like a partner and have facial expressions that look truly human.
Tesla drivers will soon be able to charge their cars in urban areas.

The firm has announced a plan to expand its Supercharger network into city centers and downtown areas, starting with Chicago and Boston.

To support high usage and accommodate for having less space for the stations, Tesla is also developing a brand new smaller Supercharger specifically for cities.

Scroll down for video

Tesla drivers will soon be able to charge their cars in urban areas. The firm has announced a plan to expand its Supercharger network into city centers and downtown areas, starting with malls, grocery stores, and other shopping centers in Chicago and Boston

CITY SUPERCHARGERS Tesla has announced a plan to expand its Supercharger network into city centers and downtown areas, starting with Chicago and Boston. It will install them in malls, supermarkets, and other popular places so users can get a charge while running errands. To support high usage and accommodate for having less space for the stations, Tesla is also developing a brand new smaller Supercharger specifically for cities. Each will have 72 kilowatts dedicated to power each car, which means charging speeds won't be affected if multiple cars at charging at once., This will result in more consistent charging times around 45 to 50 minutes. The existent stations charge with up to 145 kilowatts of power that is distributed between two adjacent cars and can get a Tesla to 80 percent in 40 minutes. Advertisement

'As part of our commitment to make Tesla ownership easy for everyone, including those without immediate access to home or workplace charging, we are expanding our Supercharger network into city centers, starting with downtown Chicago and Boston,' the company said in a blog post.

While a lot of talk about Tesla has been its move toward allowing for longer drives with Supercharge stations along highways and popular driving routes, it has installed 'Destination Charging' connectors at hotels, resorts, restaurants, and more.

The company will do the same in urban areas, opening Supercharger stations at supermarkets, malls, and other busy destinations.

'Supercharger stations in urban areas will be installed in convenient locations, including supermarkets, shopping centers and downtown districts, so its easy for customers to charge their car in the time it takes to grocery shop or run errands,' Tesla said.

To fit their chargers into cities, Tesla has developed a new smaller Supercharger design.

These chargers will be the same price as the current Superchargers, but they will work a little differently. Each will have 72 kilowatts dedicated to power each car, which means charging speeds won't be affected if multiple cars at charging at once

'Superchargers in urban areas have a new post design that occupies less space and is easier to install, making them ideal for dense, highly populated areas,' Tesla said.

These chargers will be the same price as the current Superchargers, but they will work a little differently.

Each will have 72 kilowatts dedicated to power each car, which means charging speeds won't be affected if multiple cars at charging at once.

This will result in more consistent charging times around 45 to 50 minutes.

The existent stations charge with up to 145 kilowatts of power that is distributed between two adjacent cars and can get a Tesla to 80 percent in 40 minutes.

This will result in more consistent charging times around 45 to 50 minutes. The existent stations charge with up to 145 kilowatts of power that is distributed between two adjacent cars and can get a Tesla to 80 percent in 40 minutes

'We will continue to expand our charging networks so that Tesla owners always have abundant and reliable access to charging wherever they go,' Tesla said.

In April, Tesla revealed it will be 'doubling' its charging network with massive solar powered stations  from 5,000 to 10,000 by the end of the year.

In the US, the firm has planned to increase its Supercharger stations by 150 percent, which will spread out across highways, alongside existing facilities and be setup in urban areas.

Tesla has also announced that it expects to expand its Destination Chargers stations, which sit at hotels and restaurants, from 9,000 to 15,000.

Tesla has revealed it will be 'doubling' its charging network with massive solar powered stations  from 5,000 to 10,000 by the end of the year. Tesla has also revealed that it expects to increase the number of its 'Destination Chargers' that sit at hotels and restaurants from 9,000 to 15,000

SUPERCHARGER STATIONS Tesla plans to increase number of stations from 5,000 to 10,000 by the end of the year. The number of facilities in the US will increase by 150% and will be placed across highways, alongside existing facilities and be setup in urban areas. Tesla also expects to increase the number of its 'Destination Chargers' that sit at hotels and restaurants from 9,000 to 15,000. Some of the stations will also run on solar panels. Advertisement

Tesla plans to go as green as possible with the new stations and design some of the new units for these Superchargers to run on solar panels, Bloomberg reported.

Many sites will soon enter construction to open in advance of the summer travel season,' Tesla said in the post. 'We're moving full speed on site selection.'

The firm also noted that as it prepares for its first mass-market vehicle and continues to increase our Model S and Model X fleet, charging is becoming an even greater priority.

'It is extremely important to us and our mission that charging is convenient, abundant, and reliable for all owners, current and future,' Tesla explained.

'In 2017, we'll be doubling the Tesla charging network, expanding existing sites so drivers never wait to charge, and broadening our charging locations within city centers.'

Tesla first revealed its plans for the Supercharger stations in 2012.

'High traffic corridors across the US over the next year, with units heading to Europe and Asia in the second half of 2013,' CEO Elon Musk said in the announcement.

And as the years past, Musk began expanding his vision to turning highways into 'electric superhighways' in an attempt to persuade drivers to switch to battery-powered cars.

The firm also noted that as it prepares for its first mass-market vehicle and continues to increase our Model S and Model X fleet, charging is becoming an even greater priority

Musk has come a long way from the first announcement, as it now has over 5,400 Superchargers and more than 9,000 Destination Charging connectors that replicate the convenience of home charging by providing hotels, resorts, and restaurants with Tesla Wall Connectors.

'We started 2017 with over 5,000 Superchargers globally and by the end of this year, Tesla will double that number to total more than 10,000 Superchargers and 15,000 Destination Charging connectors around the world,' Tesla said in Monday's announcement.

In the US, the firm has planned to increases its Supercharger stations by 150 percent, which will spread out across highways, alongside existing facilities and be setup in urban areas. Red are current stations and gray are those set to come

Parts of Europe are also set to get a slew of new Supercharger stations. Red are current stations and gray are those set to come

TESLA MODEL 3 DETAILS Elon Musk has boasted the firm's production facility for its much anticipated Model 3 will look like an 'alien dreadnought'. Musk has said the facility, which is separate from the firm's 'Gigafactory', will be 'the machine that makes the machine,' and told analysts it will stun people. 'It's like, 'What the hell is that?'' said Musk. Musk revealed the in-house term for the manufacturing advancement he hopes to introduce is 'alien dreadnought.' 'The point at which that's what the factory looks like, that's when you know you've won.' He also revealed the line will evolve in stages. 'By version 3, it won't look like anything else,' he said. 'You can't have people in the production line itself, otherwise you drop to people speed. 'So there will be no people in production process itself. 'People will maintain the machines, upgrade them, and deal with anomalies.' However, there will still be people working in the factory, though, mostly overseeing the robots and making sure everything is running at peak efficiency. Advertisement

'In North America, we'll increase the number of Superchargers by 150 percent, and in California alone we'll add more than 1,000 Superchargers.'

'We're moving full speed on site selection and many sites will soon enter construction to open in advance of the summer travel season.'

The firm is set to build the stations further off the highway and will bring them into more urban areas.
While hurricane Irma has battered Florida and caused flooding in coastal regions, experts say flooding is set to become even more frequent on the East coast in the future.

According to a new study, the states of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina are most at risk.

In these states, coastal regions are being immersed by up to three millimeters per year - and some of this is due to human activities such as groundwater extraction.

Scroll down for video

Cities such as Miami on the East Coast are being affected by flooding much more frequently. But the causes are often not hurricanes with devastating rainfall such as Katrina, or the recent hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Flooding can even happen on sunny, relatively calm days

WHY THE EAST COAST IS SINKING Cities such as Miami on the East Coast are being affected by flooding much more frequently. There are primarily two reasons for this phenomenon: During the last ice age around 20,000 years ago, large parts of Canada were covered by an ice sheet. This mass pressed down on the continent, and some areas of the earth's mantle were pressed sideways under the ice, causing the coastal regions that were free of ice to be raised. But when the ice sheet then melted, this process was reversed. The East Coast has thus been sinking back down for the last few thousand years, and this effect explains the submerging of the coastal regions, but only in part. The area between 32 and 38 degrees latitude has been sinking more quickly than in the previous millennia - in some cases, by more than three millimeters a year The melting of the ice sheet is responsible for a maximum of a third of this. The researchers say that they assume the other part is caused by the significant use of groundwater in the region. When groundwater is removed, the land mass can be compressed more greatly. It practically collapses into itself and thus sinks even more. Depending on the distance from the sea, the creation of reservoirs can also contribute to the sinking or even the raising of the coastal region Advertisement

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, was conducted by researchers at the Universities of Bonn, South Florida and Rhode Island.

Cities such as Miami on the East Coast are being affected by flooding much more frequently.

But the causes are often not hurricanes with devastating rainfall such as Katrina, or the recent hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Flooding can even happen on sunny, relatively calm days - it causes damage to houses and roads and disrupts traffic, yet does not cost any people their lives, so it's called 'nuisance flooding.'

According to the researchers, this type of nuisance flooding is set to occur much more frequently in the future.

To conduct the study, the international team of researchers evaluated data from the East Coast of America, including GPS and satellite measurements.

These show that large parts of the coastal region are slowly but steadily sinking into the Atlantic Ocean.

'There are primarily two reasons for this phenomenon,' said Dr Makan A. Karegar from the University of South Florida, currently a guest researcher at the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation at the University of Bonn.

'During the last ice age around 20,000 years ago, large parts of Canada were covered by an ice sheet.

'This tremendous mass pressed down on the continent.'

Some areas of the earth's mantle were pressed sideways under the ice, causing the coastal regions that were free of ice to be raised.

'When the ice sheet then melted, this process was reversed,' said Dr Karegar.

'The East Coast has thus been sinking back down for the last few thousand years.'

This effect explains the submerging of the coastal regions, but only in part.

In the last decade, the area between 32 and 38 degrees latitude has been sinking more quickly than in the previous millennia - in some cases, by more than three millimeters a year, and the melting of the ice sheet is responsible for a maximum of a third of this.

The researchers say that they assume it is caused by the significant use of groundwater in the region.

Water allows the land mass to swell up to some degree - similar to how carbon dioxide bubbles in cake mix cause it to rise.

The melting of the Canadian ice sheet since the last ice age 20,000 years ago is responsible for a maximum of a third of the submerging of the East Coast. The researchers say that they assume the other part is caused by the significant use of groundwater in the region

'When groundwater is removed, the land mass can be compressed more greatly,' says Dr Karegar.

'It practically collapses into itself and thus sinks even more.'

'Depending on the distance from the sea, the creation of reservoirs can also contribute to the sinking or even the raising of the coastal region,' says Professor Jurgen Kusche from the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation.

'This effect was taken into account with the help of satellite measurements, which were evaluated in our working group.'

Many cities on the East Coast of America were founded at the end of the 16th or start of the 17th centuries, and the researchers calculated that these cities lie at least 45 centimeters lower today than back then, solely due to the glacier effect.

In recent years, they've been sinking much more rapidly in some places due to the removal of groundwater.

A further factor is the rising sea level due to global warming, an effect that now also totals more than thee millimeters per year and is responsible for another 15 centimeters of submerged land.

This increase is set to gain much more momentum in the future.

When groundwater is removed, the land mass can be compressed more greatly. It practically collapses into itself and sinks even more. Depending on the distance from the sea, the creation of reservoirs can also contribute to the sinking or even the raising of the coastal region

'Even if the removal of groundwater is reduced, the number of floods will this continue to increase,' says Dr Karegar.

'The sums of money that need to be spent to rectify the damage associated with this will also increase significantly.

'One should, therefore, assume that the USA has a vested interest in combatting climate change with all its resources.'
Japanese scientists have successfully used gene-editing to change the color of flowers.

Using the CRISPR technique, a team of researchers altered the flowers on morning glory plants, changing them from purple to white.

While scientists have used the tool to edit human embryos, this is the first case of using it to edit the color genes of plants.

Scroll down for video

Using the CRISPR technique, researchers altered the flowers on morning glory plants from purple to white. By targeting a single gene rsponsible for the color of the plants' flowers, stems, and leaves, they were able to change the color without altering the plants' other genes

THE STUDY Using the CRISPR technique, a team of researchers altered morning glory flowers from purple to white. By targeting a single gene, dihydroflavonol-4-reductase-B (DFR-B), responsible for the color of the plants' flowers, stems, and leaves, they were able to specifically and accurately change the color without altering the plants' other genes. They deactivated the enzyme produced by DFR-B, which resulted in the absence of color pigment (anthocyanin) in the flowers. Isolating the desired gene without affecting DFR-A and DRF-C, which sit right next to it, was the team's main challenge. They found success in 24 of the 32 (75 percent) of the plants, which ended up with white flowers and green stems, as opposed to the purple flowers and stems their DNA originally coded for. The change was noted early in the tissue culture process. Advertisement

'These results demonstrate that CRISPR technology enables the exploration of gene functions in this model horticultural plant,' the study reads.

'To our knowledge, this report is the first concerning flower color changes in higher plants using CRISPR.'

CRISPR works as a type of molecular scissors that can selectively trim away unwanted parts of the genome, and replace it with new stretches of DNA.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Tsukuba, Yokohama City University, and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO).

By targeting a single gene, dihydroflavonol-4-reductase-B (DFR-B), responsible for the color of the plants' flowers, stems, and leaves, they were able to specifically and accurately change the color without altering the plants' other genes.

They deactivated the enzyme produced by DFR-B, which resulted in the absence of color pigment (anthocyanin) in the flowers.

Isolating the desired gene without affecting DFR-A and DRF-C, which sit right next to it, was the team's main challenge.

They found success in 24 of the 32 (75 percent) of the plants, which ended up with white flowers and green stems, as opposed to the purple flowers and stems their DNA was originally coded for.

The change was noted early in the tissue culture process.

The flowers and stems of morning glory plants. A) turned white using CRISPR B) a wild morning glory C) a plant where CRISPR edited the flower's mid-layer D) a plant in which CRISPR edited the outer layer

Those with an active enzyme grew to have purple stems and flowers.

Further, a series of genetic analysis confirmed it was indeed the gene-targeting process that altered the DNA rather than a different mutation that occurred independently.

The team will next analyze the new generation of morning glory plants, including some which raise don't show any signs of the introduced DNA.

Considering the fact these plants are considered both transgenic (based on how they were made), and non- transgenic (based on the presence of foreign DNA in the final product), the experiment raised interesting questions.

Morning glory plants were originally darker in color, and white didn't appear until after 850 years.

What took nature nearly a century was achieved in less than one year in this study.

They found success in 24 of the 32 (75 percent) of the plants, which ended up with white flowers and green stems, as opposed to the purple flowers and stems their DNA was originally coded for. The change was noted early in the tissue culture process

The team chose the Japanese morning glory, or Asagao, because it is one of two traditional horticultural model plants in the National BioResource Project in Japan.

Additionally, extensive genetic studies on the plant have already been performed, including experiments in which its genome was sequenced and DNA transfer methods have been established.

The team thought its popularity would also help them educate the public on the topic of CRISPR and gene-editing, which has become increasingly controversial in Japan and worldwide.

In July, US scientists used the technique to edit human embryos for the first time.

The controversial study was seen as the first real attempt at creating 'designer babies.'

The 'cut and paste' gene-editing technique technique means the next generation may benefit from powerful gene therapies that can delete or repair flawed genes.

It could act as a golden bullet for diseases like cancer, HIV and genetic conditions such as Huntington's disease.

But some countries have signed a convention prohibiting the practice based on concerns it could be used to create 'designer babies'.

Technology that allows alteration of genes in a human embryo has been used for the first time in the United States. The research shows it is possible to safely correct defective genes that cause inherited diseases (stock image)

CRISPR GENE EDITING CONTROVERSY Technology that allows alteration of genes in a human embryo has been used for the first time in the United States. The research, led by Shoukhrat Mitalipov, head of OHSU's Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy, involves a technology known as CRISPR. Scientists in China have previously published similar studies with mixed results. But many are opposed to these types of experiments over concerns it could be used to create 'designer babies'. The US intelligence community last year labelled CRISPR a potential 'weapon of mass destruction.' In recent days the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) created the Safe Genes program in order to better understand how these gene editing technologies work. And in December 2015 Scientists and ethicists held and an international meeting held at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington. They said it would be 'irresponsible' to use gene editing technology in human embryos for therapeutic purposes. Advertisement

Researchers from Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in Portland carried out the study, according to MIT's Technology Review.

So far, three previous reports of editing human embryos were all published by scientists in China.

But this experiment is believed to have broken new ground in the number of embryos experimented upon.

None of the embryos were allowed to develop for more than a few days, according to sources familiar with the study.

The research, led by Shoukhrat Mitalipov, head of OHSU's Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy, involves a technology known as CRISPR.

This has opened up new frontiers in genetic medicine because of its ability to modify genes quickly and efficiently.

Speaking to Technology Review, a scientist familiar with the project said: 'It is proof of principle that it can work.

'They significantly reduced mosaicism.

'I don't think it's the start of clinical trials yet, but it does take it further than anyone has before.'

Scientists in China have previously published similar studies with mixed results.

But many are opposed to these types of experiments, including religious, civil society and biotech groups.

The CRISPR/Cas9 technqiue uses tags which identify the location of the mutation, and an enzyme, which acts as tiny scissors, to cut DNA in a precise place, allowing small portions of a gene to be removed

The US intelligence community last year labelled CRISPR a potential 'weapon of mass destruction.'

In recent days the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) created the Safe Genes program in order to better understand how these gene editing technologies work.

And in December 2015 Scientists and ethicists held and an international meeting held at the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in Washington.

They said it would be 'irresponsible' to use gene editing technology in human embryos for therapeutic purposes, such as to correct genetic diseases, until safety and efficacy issues are resolved.

Earlier this year however, NAS and the National Academy of Medicine said scientific advances make gene editing in human reproductive cells 'a realistic possibility that deserves serious consideration.'
Scientists have captured the moment a massive burst of radiation erupted from the sun, in the largest solar flare observed in over 12 years.

Using the Swedish Solar Telescope in La Palma, the researchers were able to gather unheard of views of the powerful event in the opening moments of its life.

The flare spotted on Wednesday was one of three events known as X-category flares that took place over the course of 48 hours, with each reaching energies comparable to one billion hydrogen bombs.

Scroll down for video

Using the Swedish Solar Telescope in La Palma, the researchers were able to gather unheard of views of the powerful event in the opening moments of its life, as seen in the video above. The largest flare occurred at 13:00 GMT (9:00 a.m.) and had an energy level of X9.3

HOW THIS TYPE OF STORM AFFECTS US According to the NOAA's space weather prediction center, last week's solar storm was a G4 level, which could affect: Power systems: Possible widespread voltage control problems and some protective systems will mistakenly trip out key assets from the grid. Spacecraft operations: May experience surface charging and tracking problems, corrections may be needed for orientation problems. Other systems: Induced pipeline currents affect preventive measures, HF radio propagation sporadic, satellite navigation degraded for hours, low-frequency radio navigation disrupted, Visible aurora: Aurora has been seen as low as Alabama and northern California (typically 45 geomagnetic lat.). Advertisement

Its very unusual to observe the opening minutes of a flares life, said Dr Chris Nelson from the Solar Physics and Space Plasma Research Centre.

We can only observe about 1/250th of the solar surface at any one time using the Swedish Solar Telescope, so to be in the right place at the right time requires a lot of luck.

To observe the rise phases of three X-classes over two days is just unheard of.

According to the team, an X-class flare can form and reach its peak intensity in roughly five minutes, making it difficult to catch the opening moments when these events emerge.

But in this case, the researchers were able to do so for three.

One of these flares was the largest seen in over 12 years, and the 8th largest in modern records, which began in 1996.

The sun is currently in what we call solar minimum, said Dr Aaron Reid, a research fellow at Queens University Belfasts Astrophysics Research Center.

The number of Active Regions, where flares occur, is low, so to have X-class flares so close together is very usual.

These observations can tell us how and why these flares formed so we can better predict them in the future.

With these high-detail observations, researchers can investigate the conditions in which these events form.

This could help scientists create more accurate ways to predict them in the future.

And, it could help to better protect satellites and other instruments.

Flare number six: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of an M8.1 solar flare, as seen in the bright area on the right, on Sept. 8, 2017. The image is a blend of extreme ultraviolet light in the 131 and 171 angstrom wavelengths.

Solar flares are the most energetic events in our solar system and can have a major impact on earth, said Professor Mihalis Mathioudakis, who led the project at Queens University Belfast.

The dedication and perseverance of our early career scientists who planned and executed these observations led to the capture of this unique event and have helped to advance our knowledge in this area.

The flare that erupted from the sun last week was the biggest seen in 12 years, and caused radio blackouts on Earth.

Two high-intensity solar flares were emitted, the second of which was the most intense recorded since 2005, the Space Weather Prediction Centre (SWPC) said.

The biggest solar flare seen for 12 years erupted from the sun last week, causing radio blackouts on Earth. Two high-intensity solar flares were emitted in total, both captured by Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) satellite in this animation (credit: Nasa)

CATEGORY-X FLARES Solar flares are giant explosions on the sun that send energy, light and high speed particles into space. These flares are often associated with solar magnetic storms known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The number of solar flares increases approximately every 11 years, and the sun hit another solar maximum in 2013. The biggest flares are known as 'X-class flares' based on a classification system that divides solar flares according to their strength. The smallest ones are A-class - near background levels - followed by B, C, M and X. Similar to the Richter scale for earthquakes, each letter represents a 10-fold increase in energy output. So an X is ten times an M and 100 times a C. Within each letter class there is a finer scale from 1 to 9. Advertisement

Just days later, NASA said the storms are continuing, with what the space agency says is a 'mid-level solar flare' that peaked at 3:49 a.m. EDT on Friday.

It was the sixth sizable flare from the same active region since Sept. 4, NASA said.

And, the event caused stunning auroras over northeast America, and even as low as Alabama and northern California.

The earlier flares knocked out radio communications for one hour on the Earth's side facing the sun, as well as low-frequency communications used in navigation.

During larger solar flares, the sun can also fire out a cloud of energetic plasma in an event called a coronal mass ejection (CME). Yesterday's category X eruptions triggered a massive coronal mass ejection (pictured), which was also captured by SDO (credit: Nasa)
When they're wireless, even seemingly simple medical devices like syringes can be taken over and maliciously controlled by hackers.

The Department of Homeland Security has discovered a vulnerability in an automatic syringe infusion pump used to administer medications and anesthesia in hospitals.

In an advisory, the agency's Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT) warned the security flaw in the device - called the Medfusion 4000 - could allow remote hackers to take over and control it.

Scroll down for video

Security researcher Scott Gayou identified eight vulnerabilities in the Medfusion 4000 (pictured), which is manufactured by Smiths Medical. The company plans to fix the security flaw and release a new version in 2018, but until then, hospitals should be aware

WHAT THE REPORT REVEALS The Department of Homeland Security issued an advisory after security researcher Scott Gayou discovered a popular wireless medical syringe is vulnerable to hacking. 'Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities may allow a remote attacker to gain unauthorized access and impact the intended operation of the pump,' the warning reads. Six of the vulnerabilities discovered involve issues with authentication, hard-coded credentials, and certificate validation issues, all of which would allow to access to the device. The two other vulnerabilities involve third-party components, and one of those would allow 'remote code execution' of the device. While the report says this particular flaw would be difficult to exploit, the risk is high since it would allow a hacker to control the release of medication. 'An attacker with high skill would be able to exploit these vulnerabilities,' the report reads. Advertisement

'Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities may allow a remote attacker to gain unauthorized access and impact the intended operation of the pump,' the warning reads.

'Despite the segmented design, it may be possible for an attacker to compromise the communications module and the therapeutic module of the pump.'

Security researcher Scott Gayou identified eight vulnerabilities in the syringe, which is manufactured by Smiths Medical.

The company plans to fix the security flaw and release a new version in 2018, but until then, hospitals should be aware.

'An attacker with high skill would be able to exploit these vulnerabilities,' the report reads.

The Medfusion 4000 is used commonly on critical care, pediatric, and neonatal patients.

In newborns, medication dosing needs to be especially precise and can be fatal in the case of slight errors.

The device is a replacement for manual dosing and is supposed to be a safer way to ensure the correct dose is administered.

Six of the vulnerabilities discovered involve issues with authentication, hard-coded credentials, and certificate validation issues, all of which would allow access to the device.

The two other vulnerabilities involve third-party components, and one of those would allow 'remote code execution' of the device.

The Department of Homeland Security has discovered a vulnerability in a syringe infusion pump used to administer medications in hospitals. The agency warned the security flaw in the device - called the Medfusion 4000 - could allow remote hackers to take over and control it

While the report says this particular flaw would be difficult to exploit, the risk is high since it would allow a hacker to control the release of medication.

According to Gayou, three separate versions of the Medfusion 4000 device can be corrupted: 1.1, 1.5, and 1.6.

Smithes Medical - a British company - released a letter addressing the report and downplaying the vulnerabilities.

'The possibility of this exploit taking place in a clinical setting is highly unlikely, as it requires a complex and an unlikely series of conditions,' the company's chief technology officer, Brett Landrum, wrote in the letter, addressed, ' Dear Valued Customer.'

'I sincerely apologize for this inconvenience,' he added.

While the report says this particular flaw would be difficult to exploit, the risk is high since it would allow a hacker to control the release of medication. 'An attacker with high skill would be able to exploit these vulnerabilities,' the report reads. Stock image

Hacking is just one of the risks affecting today's smarter medical technology.

Last month, it was found that more than 465,000 patients with St Jude pacemakers are at risk of potentially fatal hacks - and need to undergo a risky 'software update.'

The matchbox-sized devices are implanted in a person's chest to fix abnormal heart rhythms.

Running its own software, it keeps the heart running normally and can also transmit information about a patient's condition to their doctor via the internet, sounding the alarm when something's amiss.

St Jude manufacturer Abbott Laboratories sent warning letters to thousands of clients telling them that their high-tech devices have nothing to defend them against hackers.

They also warned patients that the devices' batteries may run down earlier than expected.

Writing in an advisory to doctors, Abbott said patients need an urgent - and life-threatening - software update to protect them from 'nearby attackers' that could make the device 'stop pacing'.

The Medfusion 4000 is used commonly used on critical care, pediatric, and neonatal patients. The device is a replacement for manual dosing and is supposed to be a safer way to ensure the correct dose is administered

To perform the update, doctors need to put the device in back-up mode. Abbott warned some patients may need to be in a clinic with temporary generators available in case there is a malfunction.

It marks the second round of updates for the heart implants that Abbott has announced since buying medical device maker St Jude Medical earlier this year.

The U.S. government launched a probe last year of claims the devices were vulnerable to potentially life-threatening hacks that could cause implanted devices to pace at potentially dangerous rates or cause them to fail by draining their batteries.

The company also identified a separate problem with lithium batteries in its heart devices last year.

St. Jude recalled some of its 400,000 implanted heart devices last October due to risk of premature battery depletion, which was linked to two deaths in Europe.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said then that hospitals should return unused devices and warned patients with an already implanted device to seek immediate medical attention if they get a low-battery alert.

The new update will be designed to reduce the risk of hacking.

Abbott Laboratories, the manufacturer, warned more than 465,000 patients with pacemakers (file image) are at risk of hacks and batteries running out earlier than expected

Writing to doctors on Tuesday, Abbott representatives said: 'If there were a successful attack, an unauthorized individual (i.e., a nearby attacker) could gain access and issue commands to the implanted medical device through radio frequency (RF) transmission capability, and those unauthorized commands could modify device settings (e.g., stop pacing) or impact device functionality.'

Abbott said it will also provide doctors with an earlier warning when the batteries in the implantable cardioverter defibrillators are at risk of early depletion.

The company said there have been no reports of unauthorized access to any patient's implanted device and that compromising the security of the devices would require a complex set of circumstances.

An Abbott representative told Daily Mail Online: 'As weve said before, Abbott is resolving all old St. Jude Medical issues.

'These planned updates further strengthen the security and device management tools for our connected cardiac rhythm management devices.

'The cybersecurity landscape is always changing, which is why were working across the healthcare sector to proactively address issues that affect all connected technologies.'

The FDA said it approved the update to ensure that it addresses the cyber security vulnerabilities, and reduces the risk of patient harm.

The agency and the Department of Homeland Security confirmed in January that St Jude devices were vulnerable to hacking.

But they said they knew of no cyber attacks on patients with the company's cardiac implants.

The FDA said the benefits of continuing treatment outweighed cyber risks, and DHS said only an attacker 'with high skill' could exploit the vulnerability.

They launched the probe in August after short-selling firm Muddy Waters and cyber security firm MedSec Holdings said the devices were riddled with security flaws that made them vulnerable to potentially life-threatening hacks.

When Muddy Waters went public with the claims, it also disclosed it was shorting shares of St Jude Medical, which was preparing to sell itself to Abbott.

The short-selling firm said it believed that disclosure of the vulnerabilities could cause the $25 billion deal to fall apart, but Abbot completed the deal in January.
Controversial plans to build a 1.8-mile road tunnel under Stonehenge have been given the go ahead by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.

The scheme is intended to hide the sound and sight of the road from the monument site.

However, there were concerns it would pass too close to the site and disturb the view of the sun setting at the winter solstice.

Following protests by druids, archaeologists and conservation experts, the government has now changed the preferred route of the tunnel.

It has shifted the tunnel an extra 160ft (50 metres) away from the monument.

The A303 (pictured) is often gridlocked near the landmark, causing frustration for holidaymakers heading to and from the South West and businesses

The A303 is often gridlocked near the landmark, causing frustration for holidaymakers heading to and from the South West and businesses.

The road is to be put into a dual carriageway tunnel in the upgrade by Highways England.

Mr Grayling said: 'This Government is taking the big decisions for Britain's future and this major investment in the South West will provide a huge boost for the region.

'Quicker journey times, reduced congestion and cleaner air will benefit people locally and unlock growth in the tourism industry.'

The tunnel will closely follow the existing A303 route but will be a further 164ft (50 metres) from the monument.

Department for Transport officials claim it will avoid important archaeological sites and will not intrude the view of the setting sun from Stonehenge during the winter solstice.

Thousands of individuals and organisations responded to a public consultation on the plans earlier this year.

But opponents are concerned the plan, with a tunnel past the stones that would emerge within the World Heritage Site and a bypass to the north nearby Winterbourne Stoke, would damage the wider archaeology and environment.

Time Team presenter Tony Robinson has previously described the scheme as 'old- fashioned' because it 'assumes what needs to be protected is that little clump of stone'.

He said the stone circle was invaluable, but over the past 20 to 30 years, experts had begun to appreciate that the area around it was a complex network of henges, pathways, barrows and track-ways.

Professor David Jacques from the University of Buckingham warned that a report Highways England had commissioned on the geology underneath

Stonehenge showed chalk dug up for the tunnel could damage the landscape and lead to subsidence under the monument.

Experts warned that the 1.6billion project would still compromise the 'unutterably precious' archaeology of the site and could lead to subsidence

He said: 'The Stonehenge landscape is unutterably precious and you tamper with it at your peril.

'There should be perpetual inquiry here and the Government, National Trust and English Heritage either value that or they don't.

'The tunnel scheme will compromise the archaeology,' he said, adding politicians should 'stop digging themselves into an even deeper disaster'.

The Stonehenge Alliance, which is supported by environmental and heritage organisations, said the plans would cause 'severe and permanent damage' to the archaeological landscape of the World Heritage Site, in direct conflict with international advice to the Government.

In March the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos) UK, which advises United Nations cultural body Unesco, said it 'firmly objected to the proposals.

Important criteria had not been met, including ensuring the tunnel was long enough that its entrances did not harm the World Heritage Site and adequately considering options for constructing a bypass outside the 10 square mile protected area, Icomos said.

Following Mr Grayling's announcement, Historic England, the National Trust and English Heritage said in a joint statement the scheme 'would restore peace and tranquility' to the Stonehenge landscape.
Octopuses are known to keep to themselves, going through much of their lives in solitude.

But, according to a new study, these creatures might be more social than previously thought.

In the waters off the east coast of Australia, researchers have discovered that the cephalopods sometimes congregate in small groups, often putting them within arms reach of other individuals.

Octopuses typically maintain a solitary lifestyle, only coupling up to mate. Then, they go their separate ways. Under the right conditions, however, researchers now suspect they may sometimes congregate. A gloomy octopus at the Jervis Bay site is pictured

WHAT THEY FOUND At the Octlantis site, the octopuses were found to reside roughly 10-15 meters underwater in a space just 18 meters long and 4 meters wide. There, the team noted a few patches of exposed rock, and beds of discarded shell from prey animals. They also found 13 occupied and 10 unoccupied octopus dens, which the creatures create themselves by digging into sand or shell piles. By diving to the site equipped with GoPro cameras, the researchers were able to capture 10 hours of footage, revealing numerous encounters. The octopuses were found to communicate with each other in a number of ways, from mating to showing signs of aggression, including chasing and even evicting others from their dens. Advertisement

The octopuses seen in two sites off Australia were found to communicate with each other in a number of ways, from mating to showing signs of aggression, including chasing and even evicting others from their dens.

A settlement of gloomy octopuses (Octopus tetricus) was first spotted in Jervis Bay in 2009.

At the site, dubbed Octopolis, the researchers found up to 16 octopuses interacting, including several dens constructed by the creatures.

Scientists later spotted a second community a few hundred meters away, which theyve named Octlantis.

This site is home to roughly 15 gloomy octopuses.

Observations of the group revealed the individuals engaged in both direct and indirect forms of communication.

At both sites, there were features that we think may have made the congregation possible  namely several seafloor rock outcroppings dotting an otherwise flat and featureless area, said Stephanie Chancellor, a Ph.D. student in biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an author on the paper.

In addition to rock outcroppings, octopuses who had been inhabiting the area had built up piles of shells left over from the creatures they ate, most notably clams and scallops.

These shell piles, or middens, were further sculpted to create dens, making these octopuses true environmental engineers.

Octopuses typically maintain a solitary lifestyle, only coupling up to mate.

Then, they go their separate ways.

At the Octlantis site, the octopuses were found to reside roughly 10-15 meters underwater in a space just 18 meters long and 4 meters wide. There, the team noted a few patches of exposed rock, and beds of discarded shell from prey animals. This is illustrated above

Under the right conditions, however, researchers now suspect they may sometimes congregate.

At the Octlantis site, the octopuses were found to reside roughly 10-15 meters underwater in a space just 18 meters long and 4 meters wide.

There, the team noted a few patches of exposed rock, and beds of discarded shell from prey animals.

They also found 13 occupied and 10 unoccupied octopus dens, which the creatures create themselves by digging into sand or shell piles.

By diving to the site equipped with GoPro cameras, the researchers were able to capture 10 hours of footage, revealing numerous encounters.

Animals were often pretty close to each other, often within arms reach, Chancellor said.

Some of the octopuses were seen evicting other animals from their dens. There were some apparent threat displays where an animal would stretch itself out lengthwise in an upright posture and its mantle would darken.

Often another animal observing this behaviour would quickly swim away.

While this behaviour could be territorial, the researchers says we still dont really know much about octopus behaviour.

More research will be needed to determine what these actions might mean.

In displaying antagonistic behaviour, an octopus exerts a lot of energy, the researcher explains.

This could even put it at risk of injury, causing experts to wonder what the purpose of this action might be.

According to Chancellor, We still dont know what the benefits are of this kind of behaviour, which is linked closely to living in densely populated settlements, compared to the life of a solitary octopus.
Advertisement

It has been more than two years in the making.

But visitors to Northern Ireland's capital city can finally enjoy Belfast's stunning new Titanic Hotel, which officially opened for business over the weekend.

The dazzling development, which cost a staggering 28million, welcomed its first-ever customers on Sunday after a ribbon-cutting ceremony capped 24 months of dramatic renovations to the former Harland & Wolff headquarters, where the historic vessel was conceived and executed in the early 1900s.

Ta-dah! Mr Pat Doherty, Chairman of Harcourt Developments - the company who managed the project - welcomed family, friends, tourists and locals into the brand new site

Open for business: The reception desk of the brand new hotel is pictured moments before the public gained access

Back in the day: Billed as the worlds most authentic Titanic-themed inn, it occupies the former Harland & Wolff headquarters, where the historic vessel was conceived and executed in the early 1900s

Chairman of Harcourt Developments, Mr Pat Doherty - who managed the project - welcomed family, friends, tourists and locals into the brand new site, which sat empty for thirty years.

The dilapidated property, which is located on Belfasts Queens Road, has been revived thanks in part to a 5million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Inside the new Titanic, however, guests will be housed in 120 rooms over four storeys, each with a classic, maritime-chic design.

Thankfully, however, many of the original architectural features have been retained.

The famous Drawing Rooms, where draftsmen sketched their designs for the ill-fated liner, have been sympathetically transformed into a function room and a bar. One even features the same tiles that lined the Titanic's swimming pool.

Stunning parquet floors, which the naval industries' biggest names would've walked across, have also been brought back to life.

Instant interest: Some of the venue's very first guests check-in at the reception desk, where they cross the threshold

Historic: The famous Drawing Rooms, where draftsmen sketched their designs for the ill-fated liner, have been sympathetically transformed into a function room and a bar

New lease of life: The dilapidated property, which sat empty for 30 years, has been revived thanks in part to a 5million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund

Making history: A sea of hard-working men sketch technical designs for the notoriously ill-fated cruise liner

The stunning result comes 105 years after the RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York.

More than 1,500 people died when the ship, which was carrying 2,224 passengers and crew, sank under the command of Captain Edward Smith.

Some of the wealthiest people in the world were on board, including property tycoon John Jacob Astor IV, great grandson of John Jacob Astor, founder of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

Millionaire Benjamin Guggenheim, heir to his family's mining business, also perished, along with Isidor Straus, the German-born co-owner of Macy's department store.

A nod to the tragic past: A miniature model of the doomed vessel sits inside the brand new Titanic Hotel

Setting sail: A team of receptionists process guests into the 119 rooms throughout the transformed building

Eagerly anticipated: After 24 months of steady progress, the public were finally allowed access to the site

Modern incarnation: Impressively, the Drawing Room bar features the same tiles which lined the Titanic's swimming pool

The ship was the largest afloat at the time and was designed in such a way that it was meant to be 'unsinkable'. It had an on-board gym, libraries, swimming pool and several restaurants and luxury first class cabins.

There were not enough lifeboats on board for all the passengers due to out-of-date maritime safety regulations.

After leaving Southampton on April 10, 1912, Titanic called at Cherbourg in France and Queenstown in Ireland before heading to New York.

On April 14, 1912, four days into the crossing, she hit an iceberg at 11:40pm ship's time.

Poignant: The stunning result comes 105 years after the RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York

Observing history: A man and his son look out over the brand new site, which sat empty for thirty years

Previous success: Harcourts Development managed the project after earlier triumphs with London's Chelsea Harbour Hotel

James Moody was on night watch when the collision happened and took the call from the watchman, asking him 'What do you see?' The man responded: 'Iceberg, dead ahead.'

By 2.20am, with hundreds of people still on board, the ship plunged beneath the waves, taking many, including Moody, with it.

Despite repeated distress calls being sent out and flares launched from the decks, the first rescue ship, the RMS Carpathia, arrived nearly two hours later, pulling more than 700 people from the water.

It was not until 1985 that the wreck of the ship was discovered in two pieces on the ocean floor.

In context: Interior designers consulted historians and people connected with the company to create an authentic aesthetic

Local economy boost: More than 100 jobs will be created by the venue, which finally launched at midday on 10 September

Spacious: Hotel guests will be housed in 120 rooms over four storeys, each with a classic, maritime-chic design
United Airlines is set to launch an ultra long-haul service between Houston and Sydney.

It will take around 17 hours and 30 minutes to fly the 8,596-mile route, making it the fourth longest flight in the world.

The daily, non-stop service - still subject to government approval - will start running on January 18 on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft with a total of 252 seats.

United Airlines is set to launch an ultra long-haul service between Houston and Sydney

Flights will depart from Houston at 8pm and arrive two days later in Sydney at 6:30am.

And on the reverse, they will depart Sydney 11:50am and arrive in LA at 10:35am on the same day.

If the service goes ahead, it will mean that United will operate the three longest flights offered by a U.S. airline, as well as the fourth, fifth and sixth longest flights in the world.

Commenting on the planned offering, Scott Kirby, president of United Airlines said: 'Our Houston hub is stronger than ever and it continues to be an absolutely vital part of our industry-leading network.

'We are honored to have served this vibrant city for nearly half a century, and this exciting intercontinental flight is one more way we are demonstrating United's commitment to our customers who call Houston home as well as the millions of customers who connect through Houston each year.

Flights will depart from Houston at 8pm and arrive two days later in Sydney at 6:30am. And on the reverse, they will depart Sydney 11:50am and arrive in LA at 10:35am on the same day. Pictured is United's 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that features 48 Polaris business class seats

United Economy seats feature an adjustable headrest and seat-back monitor, while the United Economy Plus offers up to five inches of extra legroom. Pictured is business class on Singapore Airlines' Boeings

'This new route will serve more than 70 cities across North America making one-stop service to Sydney faster and more convenient than ever before.'

United has served Sydney since 1986, when it began flying Los Angeles-Sydney. United also flies San Francisco-Sydney and Los Angeles-Melbourne.

United Airlines announced earlier in the year that it will launch an 18-hour flight between Los Angeles and Singapore this October, making it the longest route to or from the United States.

Westbound flights will come it at 17 hours and 55 minutes. Flight UA 37 will depart Los Angeles at 8.55pm daily and arrive in Singapore at 6.50am two days later local time. The total distance is about 8,700 miles.

The return flight, UA 38, will depart Singapore's Changi Airport at 11.00am daily, arriving at Los Angeles International Airport at 10.15am the same day.

Flying times will be approximately 17 hours, 55 minutes westbound and 15 hours, 15 minutes eastbound, with the prevailing tail wind.
A small and shrinking school district near Los Angeles came up with a novel way to stem its enrollment loss: Set up a virtual school and enroll students from far-away Catholic schools.

The hitch?

Those students continued to attend their Catholic schools full-time while also being counted as full time enrollees in the district. This legally dubious arrangement is at the center of a Los Angeles Times story published Friday, and it highlights how some struggling districts may use virtual schools to help prop up their enrollment.

The Times story describes how the nearly 5,000-student Lennox school district partnered with St. Francis Parish School in Bakersfieldmore than 100 miles from Lennoxin what was described by St. Francis as a unique pilot program.

Students were supposed to log in to their public online school daily, although it appears they rarely did. Lennox officials reported to the state education agency that the Bakersfield students were attending its virtual school full-time and received extra money from the state. By enrolling students in Lennoxs virtual school, St. Francis got a cut of that money as well as free Chromebooks for each participating student. Here are more details from the LA Times:

What Lennox got out of it was more kids, and more kids meant more money. That year, according to state education data, the district's state funding increased by at least $3 million as overall enrollment rose, largely through students signed up for the virtual academy. "Catholic schools nationwide have been struggling with enrollment too, and some have been forced to close. Lennox's offer of free classroom technology came at an opportune moment."

Is this arrangement legal?

Probably not, according to legal experts interviewed by the LA Times. Not only are the districts claims to these doubly-enrolled students shaky, California also has strict rules separating church and state. (I encourage you to read the full LA Times story for all the details.)

This isnt the first example of a district creating a virtual school to enroll students outside its geographic boundaries.

Education Weeks Benjamin Herold and I reported on this practice in rural Colorado and Tennessee as part of an investigation into virtual schools and the for-profit companies that often run them on behalf of districts and charter school boards.

Rewarding Failure: And Education Week Investigation Into the Cyber Charter School Industry

Nationally, virtual schools receive more than a billion dollars in public money each year, and they continue to expand despite a poor academic track record and over a decade of state and media investigations documenting mismanagement in many schools.

However, this case in California is the first example Ive seen of a virtual school duel enrolling students from private schools.

In other virtual school news...

One of North Carolinas two, closely watched online charter schools showed some improvement this year, although both schools continue to struggle academically.

State lawmakers created a five-year pilot program allowing two online charter schools to open, despite their troubled track record in other states and recent studies casting doubt on the effectiveness of such schools.

As part of that Education Week investigation I mentioned earlier, I reported on the lobbying efforts by one online school company , K12 Inc., to get North Carolina lawmakers to pass such a law. (To read K12 Inc.'s response to Education Weeks investigation, which includes details about North Carolina, click here .)

Both North Carolina Virtual Academy, run by K12 Inc. and North Carolina Connections Academy, run by Connections Education (which, in turn, is owned by Pearson), received D grades for the 2016-17 school year, same as the prior year.

However, Connections grades climbed from a C to a B in reading, and an F to a D in math. North Carolina Virtual Academys grades remained a C in reading and an F in math.

Related stories:
How else could you visit California, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, the Bahamas and Florida in two weeks, not go through airport hell and only have to pack and unpack your suitcase once?

I was on a Holland America cruise to write about Colombia. But sadly, Cartagena on the northern tip of that country turned out to be such a jam-packed, elbow-to-elbow tourist resort that we were only too happy to flee, re-embark to the safe retreat of our cabin and wait to sail off on one of the four cruise ships that had decanted some 12,000 visitors into this city on that day alone.

But Nicaragua Cruise liners dont block its small port, and tourists are still a novelty. This is a country racked by civil war until only a few years ago, now picking itself up, dusting itself off and opening its arms to the rest of the world.

Paradise found: A shot of Leon, a colourful city in western Nicaragua

Here we turned out to be the attraction, quietly stared at by the local inhabitants who were curious and courteous. Yes, at last, a place not trodden flat and pulverised by battalions of new arrivals every 24 hours, filled with locals dying to tell us that Nicaraguans are the most friendly folk in all Central America.

We docked on the west coast at the small port of Corinto and travelled by bus inland to the town of Chinandega.

Our guide, Luis, gripped us with the story of how he had been forced to fight with the revolutionary Sandinistas during the civil war, how he had seen his best friend killed, while taking shrapnel himself in his right knee.

We stopped briefly in the old town of El Viego to visit the 17th Century colonial church with its magnificent mahogany roof which resonated with history and, on a boiling hot day outside, provided a welcome cool break.

Several of us pottered round the covered market, much to the astonishment of the locals who smiled and shook hands with us.

Action shot: While he was in Nicaragua, Tom watched a small group of dancers perform a couple of Nicaraguan/Spanish dances in their national dress

There were no beggars, no polyester T-shirt stalls, just housewives shopping among the colourful range of raw meats, fruit and vegetables, and stallholders who offered us oranges. And the friendly faces I couldnt get used to just being smiled at.

As we entered Chinandega, Luis guided us through streets with broken pavements while shopkeepers came out to watch us shyly or occasionally wish us buenos dias.

We finished up in the courtyard of another grand colonial church just off the town square where a small group of dancers performed a couple of Nicaraguan/Spanish dances in their national dress.

There were no beggars, no polyester T-shirt stalls, just housewives shopping among the colourful range of raw meats, fruit and vegetables, and stallholders who offered us oranges

These fresh young things put their heart, soul and nimble legs into their work and glowed to our applause.

Next, into a local artisan shop where I discovered, hidden and neglected behind some clothes, the most beautiful hand-made wooden vase at a price so low that I felt obliged to offer more than asked.

Was it locally made? You bet. Handcrafted by a man who lives in the foothills of the local volcano. I wish Id had time for a visit to see how it was made and order a dozen more.

Around us, the town square throbbed with life. We stopped and sat on benches and drank it all in. I wished we could have spent much, much longer in this still desperately poor, but very hospitable land.

A quick mention, too, of next-door Guatemala and a rushed visit to the town of Antigua and the jade museum. This strange, smooth stone is Guatemalas gold, much faked, but all the museum jade is guaranteed kosher.

Green gold: In Guatemala, Tom visited a museum in the town of Antigua, where he discovered that jade is worth a fortune and it is often faked

Here we learned to observe the four Cs for buying jade: colour, clarity, character and cut. But the real experts never ever look at the jade they are asked to evaluate. They operate solely by touch, just like a blind man tuning a piano.

The high point of the cruise was to squeeze our big ship east through the narrow hips of the Panama Canal to the Caribbean Sea.

A guide on board maintained a running commentary as we rose and sank through the locks, and bumped against the canals all-too-tight walls. A trip through this wonder of the world, flanked by jungle and ospreys diving for dinner in the lake segments of the canal, is an experience to savour.

On board we had a huge cabin at not too huge a price, and room service was impeccable. The food was pretty good, nobody queued for anything and the organisation of tours was faultless.

These are not really trips for children or energetic teens, and I was relieved for once not to be the oldest man on board a vessel where grey hair was de rigueur.

Come fly with me? No way, Jose, Ill stick to my water wings as long as there are liners.
She stars in the artsy, odd drama, The Square.

And on Sunday, Elisabeth Moss looked lovely at the film's Toronto International Film Festival premiere.

The 35-year-old star was a vintage beauty in a red and black ensemble.

Her big day: On Sunday, Elisabeth Moss, 35, looked lovely at the The Square premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere

Elisabeth tucked a black, three-quarter-sleeve sweater into a red lace, tea-length skirt.

The blonde beauty accessorized with a bold clutch and added a pair of black, round toe heels decorated with an ornate brooch.

The star wore her shoulder-length hair down and to one side. For make-up, Elisabeth's blue eyes popped against her bright red lip.

Pretty: The star wore her shoulder-length hair down and to one side. For make-up, Elisabeth's blue eyes popped against her bright red lip

Classic look: The actress tucked a black, three-quarter-sleeve sweater into a red lace, tea-length skirt

In The Square, Elisabeth appears to play a reporter named Anne.

She interviews and falls for a museum owner, who has a taste for odd forms of art.

According to IMDB, the film 'is a poignant satirical drama reflecting our times - about the sense of community, moral courage and the affluent person's need for egocentricity in an increasingly uncertain world.'

Coordinating: Elisabeth accessorized with a bold clutch that blended in with her dress

The former Mad Men star is set to appear in two additional films this year.

Elisabeth will join Robert Redford and Casey Affleck in the comedic crime-drama, Old Man and the Gun.

The Handmaid's Tale actress will also star in The Seagull alongside Annette Bening.
She's preparing to make her screen debut as The Bachelorette.

And this week, Sophie Monk has revealed that she begged producers to be on the show.

The 37-year-old also shot down claims that she was paid a whopping $300,000 for the gig.

Scroll down for video

'It's not really on brand to bring someone like me in': Sophie Monk admits she BEGGED producers to be The Bachelorette and shoots down rumours she was paid a whopping $300,000

Speaking to Woman's Day, Sophie told the publication: 'I had to persuade the show to take me on.'

'They weren't sure because it's not really on brand with The Bachelor to bring someone like me in, but I'm so glad they did.'

Sophie added that she wasn't paid $300,000 to appear on the show and had actually lost money by going on the program.

'I've missed out on money': Sophie added that she wasn't paid $300,000 to appear on the show and had actually lost money by going on the show

'I've missed out on money, if anything - because I've missed out on so much work!'

But it seems it's all worth it for Sophie, who told NW this week, that she's found 'the one' and wants to start a family with the lucky guy who she met on the show.

'I'm fully in love and I'd love to have my own [kids]...I think in a year maybe ,' Sophie said.

Smitten! But it seems it's all worth it for Sophie, who told NW this week, that she's found 'the one' and wants to start a family with the lucky guy who she met on the show

When asked how many she is planning to have, the blonde bombshell said, 'We'll start with one and see how it goes!'

That said, Sophie did reveal that an engagement is not imminent.

'I've done that before [made a fast commitment] before and it burns out too quickly. You need everything to settle.'

Looking back: Sophie recently revealed why she's been so unlucky in love in the past, telling The Daily Telegraph that she has previously made the mistake of dating famous people (pictured with ex fiance, Benji Madden)

Sophie recently revealed why she's been so unlucky in love in the past, telling The Daily Telegraph that she has previously made the mistake of dating famous people.

'Living in LA for 10 years, I've dated high-profile people like actors and rock stars, but that's not at all what I've been looking for,' she said.

'I'm so lucky to do what I do...but the one thing you do sacrifice is a really healthy, good relationship.
She's at the Toronto International Film Festival with her director beau Darren Aronofsky where their chiller Mother! is due to screen.

But all eyes were likely on Jennifer Lawrence who put on a sexy display in a very low-cut black lace crop top that showed off her decolletage during a Q&A for the movie at the Canadian city's TIFF Bell Lightbox venue on Sunday.

The 27-year-old actress teamed her revealing top, which also flashed her toned tummy, with a smart black jacket and black and silver patterned wide-leg pants.

Scroll down for videos

Quite a view: Jennifer Lawrence put on a sexy display in a low-cut black lace crop top that showed her cleavage at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday

And every time the actress leaned forward to answer a question, she offered a view straight down her cleavage.

Jennifer was also upfront about Darren, her 48-year-old boyfriend of a year, saying reading his script for Mother! made her question his sanity, according to People.

'It was an instant yes before I even read anything,' the Oscar winner admitted.

'He told me his ideas and I thought they were brilliant and unique and challenging.'

Talking up their movie: The 27-year-old actress and her director beau, Darren Aronofsky, 48, took part in a Q&A about their chiller, Mother!, which he also wrote, due to play at Toronto

Beautiful view: The blonde star teamed her revealing top, which also flashed her toned tummy, with matching black and silver patterned wide-leg pants

She continued, 'Ive been a fan, so once he told me the ideas floating around in his head I said yes.

'Then I got a script and when I read it I threw it across the room and told him he had severe psychological problems. But its a masterpiece.'

Darren, who sat next to the beautiful blonde, looked casual in a heavy black shirt worn over another one and black pants.

Covering up: Jennifer donned a black jacket for the Q&A

With his dark hair slicked back, he sported a light beard and designer stubble.

Jennifer plays the young wife of a poet, played by Javier Bardem, whose seeming idyllic life is ruined when two strangers turn up, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer.

The chiller, has been doing the rounds of festivals including Spain's San Sebastian and Venice in Italy, is due to open in the US on September 15.
Pedestrians in New York City were in for a big surprise on Sunday afternoon if Bella Hadid's Instagram was any indication.

The 20-year-old model shared a steamy sneak preview of a photo shoot she was the subject of, wearing red lingerie in broad daylight on an NYC sidewalk.

Bella shared a video with her 14.7 million followers showing off her enviable body in the skimpy set as she mugged for the camera.

Scroll down for video

What a sight! Bella Hadid took to a New York City sidewalk in red lingerie for a photo shoot Sunday, as shared on Instagram Stories

Another clip showed the model indulging in a slice of pizza with her fit tummy peaking out from under her garter belt.

Black thigh high boots could be seen in the short Boomerang video that was taken in between takes of her photo session.

Bella kept a simple white cotton shirt on to protect her modesty for the outing, which took place before the sun set in the city.

Yum: The model, 20, showed off her enviable figure and proved she can eat whatever she wants, indulging in pizza between takes

Her dark raven locks were pulled back into a tight ponytail that put extra emphasis on her perfect features.

Bella appeared to be very pleased with her make up for the shoot, as she gave an extreme closeup of her face, showing off the fiery eye shadow hues her glam squad applied.

She did not divulge with her followers what the shoot was for.

Racy: Her red lingerie set was barely covered by a white cotton button-front shirt as she walked around in broad daylight

Hadid has been extremely busy, modeling in fashion shows for Alexander Wang, Jason Wu and Brandon Maxwell for New York Fashion Week, as well as attending many of it's glitzy parties.

She recently announced that she was one of the models chosen for Victoria's Secret's annual fashion show which will take place in Shanghai, China later this year.

It will be a family affair, as her sister Gigi, 22, is also slated to walk in one of the most anticipated runways of the year.

Practice: Bella will be back in lingerie for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show later this year

Bella announced the news via Instagram on August 26, writing: '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'
They're the controversial reality TV couple who were rocked by accusations of cheating from fellow contestants on The Block.

And now Ronnie and Georgia Caceres have revealed they have been left shocked again - this time by online abuse aimed at their children.

Georgia, 33, said the abuse has lead to her no longer looking at Facebook, as the couple begin to fear for their children, New Idea reported.

Scroll down for video

Controversial couple Ronnie and Georgia Caceres from The Block have revealed their shock at online abuse aimed at their young children

Georgia and Ronnie share two children together, Leo, four, and Charlotte, two, while Ronnie also has son Giordano, 16, from a previous relationship

'There has been some pretty nasty stuff. There have been some threats towards our kids as well, which is just not on,' Georgia said.

The children's clothing designer and tradesman Ronnie, 41, share two children together, Leo, four, and Charlotte, two, while Ronnie also has son Giordano, 16, from a previous relationship.

Ronnie said it's Giordano who has been most affected by online abuse - particularly rumours that the pair's marriage is on the rocks.

'We've had to sit him down over the last couple of weeks and teach him about social media and these stories,' Ronnie told New Idea.

'There has been some pretty nasty stuff': The Block's Georgia said the abuse has lead to her no longer looking at Facebook

'We've had to sit him down': Ronnie said the pair have had to speak with eldest son Giordano about the backlash

'He knows what me and Georgia are like and he knows we're rock solid.'

But Georgia admitted she's unsure if Giordano will take on board everything they tell him, as '16-year-olds are really impressionable'.

The pair's comments come only two weeks after Georgia first revealed to OK! Magazine, the online backlash the family was receiving.

'It's bad, it's really bad and it's made me worry for my children,' the brunette said.

'I don't know how people can spew such hatred towards people they don't even know.'
She uses her hair as a blank canvas.

Kylie Jenner debuted a bright new blushing hairdo on her Instagram account Saturday afternoon.

The 20-year-old reality television personality also shared a sneak peek on social media of what fans can expect on Sunday night's newest episode of Life of Kylie.

All day, all day! Kylie Jenner debuted a bright new blushing hairdo on her Instagram account Saturday afternoon, which she captioned 'Rose'

Showing off her perfected pout, the youngest Jenner daughter posed for a selfie with her new hair.

She sported a grey zip-up hoodie with a bright red zipper that was unzipped enough to let the reality star's bronzed shoulder peek through.

With a full face of makeup and standout dark brown eyebrows, Kylie captioned the sultry photo, 'Rose', with a sweet pink emoji of a ribbon tied into a bow.

Helping hands: The 20-year-old reality television personality also shared a sneak peek on social media of what fans can expect on Sunday night's newest episode of Life of Kylie

The lip kit queen was also keen on sharing a peek of a clip from tonight's Life of Kylie episode where she travels to Peru with Smile Train, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on helping children born with cleft lips and palates.

'Staying in tonight and watching the new episode of #LIFEOFKYLIE on E!' Jenner wrote on Instagram Sunday afternoon.

'This one is all about our adventures in Peru with @smiletrain as they take us to visit their patients and partners. It was amazing to see up close the lives that have changed from my @kyliecosmetics donation and I'm excited to continue our relationship and help more people around the world smile!'

Good cause: Kylie travels to Peru with Smile Train, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on helping children born with cleft lips and palates on Sunday's episode of Life of Kylie

'Seeing a childs new smile for the first time after their surgery was a life-changing experience, and I am forever grateful,' Jenner said in a similar post shared on the nonprofit's Instagram.

The budding philanthropist recently celebrated her 20th birthday by making a contribution for a generous half-a-million dollars worth of sales from her new Kylie Cosmetics line to Teen Cancer America.

'Thank you @teencancermaerica, @harryhudson, and of course YOU guys for helping me celebrate my birthday in such an impactful way!' the young makeup maven captioned her photo announcement on Wednesday.
They went public with their romance back in March, and have been spotted putting on a cosy display at multiple events since.

But Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus proved they were more loved-up than ever on Sunday, as they packed on the PDA at the US Open Men's Tennis Final in New York City.

The 41-year-old Troy actress and her new beau could not keep their hands off each other despite the exciting tennis match, as they indulged in a number of smooches courtside.

Scroll down for video

The perfect match: Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus proved they were more loved-up than ever on Sunday, as they packed on the PDA at the US Open Men's Tennis Final in New York City

Pucker up: The 41-year-old Troy actress and her new beau could not keep their hands off each other despite the exciting tennis match, as they indulged in a number of smooches courtside

The pair appeared more besotted than ever as they cosied up in their seats, with Diane watching the game with her head rested on her beau's shoulder.

Proving their sweet relationship, the duo were then seen snapping a few selfies together, before the pair indulged in a number of quick kisses in a break from the action.

Known for her chic sense of style, blonde beauty Diane looked typically stylish at the match in a sleek leather biker jacket.

My man: The pair appeared more besotted than ever as they cosied up in their seats

Say cheese! Proving their sweet relationship, the duo were then seen snapping a few selfies together

Sweet: The pair also indulged in a number of quick kisses and cuddles in a break from the action

Going hell for leather: Known for her chic sense of style, blonde beauty Diane looked typically stylish at the match in a sleek leather biker jacket

Keeping casual but chic, she teamed the jacket with washed out grey jeans, which she tucked into stylish knee-high heeled boots.

With a cool baker boy hat, Diane placed her trademark blonde tresses behind her ears as she accessorised with a pair of white retro shades.

Sporting minimal make-up, the star proved her natural beauty as she intently watched the action between Rafael Nadal and Kevin Anderson.

Style queen: Keeping casual but chic, she teamed the jacket with washed out grey jeans, which she tucked into stylish knee-high heeled boots

Stylish: With a cool baker boy hat, Diane placed her trademark blonde tresses behind her ears as she rocked a pair of white retro shades

Natural beauty: Sporting minimal make-up, the star proved her natural beauty as she intently watched the action between Rafael Nadal and Kevin Anderson

Trendy: Meanwhile her The Walking Dead star beau wrapped himself in a black sweatshirt and equally retro shades, proving them to be a stylish pair as they enjoyed a day of sport

Meanwhile her The Walking Dead star beau wrapped himself in a black sweatshirt and equally retro shades, proving them to be a stylish pair as they enjoyed a day of sport.

The couple went public with their romance back in March as they enjoyed a boozy night out together in New York.

It came eight months after Kruger split from lover of a decade Joshua Jackson, who she met while filming 2015 film Sky.

It's ace: The pair excitedly clapped as the game reached some of its most intense moments

Dynamic duo: The couple (pictured in 2016) went public with their romance back in March as they enjoyed a boozy night out together in New York

Star-studded: The exciting final attracted a star-studded turn-out - with model Nina Agdal (L) also enjoying proceedings alongside Christie and Jack Brinkley (above)

She's got it: Despite attending a tennis game, Nina stood out from the crowds in a classic white cricket jumper - made more trendy by sexy cold shoulders and cropped sleeves

Striking: The model, who has previously been linked to Leonardo DiCaprio, showed off her slender frame in distressed boyfriend jeans

Meanwhile Reedus shares a son Mingus, 16, with his former flame supermodel Helena Christensen.

Diane appeared to be taking a break from her busy filming schedule, ahead of promotion for her flick JT Leroy with Kristen Stewart, as well as the cyber drama The Women of Marwen in 2018.

The exciting final attracted a star-studded turn-out - with model Nina Agdal also enjoying proceedings alongside Christie and Jack Brinkley.

Despite attending a tennis game, Nina stood out from the crowds in a classic white cricket jumper - made more trendy by sexy cold shoulders and cropped sleeves.

Stunning: Sweeping her hair into a loose ponytail, the model displayed her radiant complexion for all to see as she laughed and joked with Christie and her rumoured beau Jack

But first, let me take a selfie! The blonde proved her close friendship with her rumoured boyfriend's mother as the pair snapped a few photos during the game

The model, who has previously been linked to Leonardo DiCaprio, showed off her slender frame in distressed boyfriend jeans, adorned with delicate white pearls all over for a hint of glitz.

Sweeping her hair into a loose ponytail, the model displayed her radiant complexion for all to see as she laughed and joked with Christie and her son Jack courtside.

The famous model, 63, showcased her youthful complexion as she fooled around with her younger company during the game, in a jumper to match Nina's.

Meanwhile Jack, who Nina is rumoured to be dating, looked typically handsome in a black button-up shirt as he spent a day with his family.
Johnny Ruffo has opened up about his brain cancer battle.

The 29-year-old former Home And Away star appeared on Nova's Fitzy and Wippa on Monday, when he spoke about first being rushed to emergency by his dancer girlfriend, Tahnee Sims, before his diagnosis.

Johnny revealed his blonde girlfriend was in 'absolute tears' when she found out he had a brain tumour, before signing off on his life-saving emergency surgery to have it removed.

Scroll down for video

'She was in absolute tears': Johnny Ruffo reveals dancer girlfriend Tahnee Sims' had to sign off on his life-saving emergency surgery to remove a tumour...as he bravely talks about his brain cancer battle

Johnny revealed he was in emergency overnight, before he had to undergo the surgery.

'It's 8am in the morning and she gets a call from the emergency department, saying you need get down here immediately because he's got a brain tumour, so she was in absolute tears at the time,' Johnny said.

'And she had to drive down there and they said "look, we need to do an emergency operation." Because by this stage, I had slipped into a coma,' he added.

Health woes: Johnny said that doctors told Tahnee there was a one in 20 chance he could die from the operation

Life-threatening: After the surgery, doctors told him he would of died if he didn't go to emergency, and would of fallen asleep at home and had a brain aneurysm

'She had to sign a form to give permission.'

Johnny said that doctors told Tahnee there was a one in 20 chance he could die from the operation.

After the surgery, doctors told him he would of died if he didn't go to emergency, and would of fallen asleep at home and had a brain aneurysm.

Johnny revealed his brain tumour was seven centimetres long, and that doctors are 'fairly confident they can beat this thing'.

His support: The blonde is pictured hugging Johnny shortly after his operation

Struggles: Johnny revealed his brain tumour was seven centimetres long, and that doctors are 'fairly confident they can beat this thing'

The surgeon removed 95 per cent of the tumour, and the other five percent will be removed by radiotherapy.

He's undergoing six weeks of radiotherapy.

New Idea recently reported that doctors said the growth in his brain was a rare cancer affecting only three per cent of brain cancer patients.

The publication also reported that Johnny is getting both chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

He's a fighter: The publication also reported that Johnny is getting both chemotherapy and radiotherapy

The star, who rose to fame on The X Factor Australia, told Daily Mail Australia mid last month that he went to hospital with a migraine before being rushed into emergency surgery.

'On Sunday I went into hospital with a migraine. I had to have emergency surgery to have a brain tumour removed,' he said.

'I am on the mend and feeling positive. Keep me in your thoughts.'

Fans sent Johnny well wishes on social media, with one commenting: 'Please get better soon and sending a lot of love your way.'

Another wrote: 'Sorry to see and hear this. Hope you have a good recovery. Prayers and thoughts are with you.'

Johnny's management also shared an Instagram photo of Johnny in hospital after the operation, adding: 'You are in our thoughts and Prayers Ruffo. We love ya.'
They have proved that age is nothing but a number since they started dating in 2014.

And Antonio Banderas, 57, looked undeniably dapper as he accompanied his stunning girlfriend Nicole Kempel, 36, to the Celebrity Fight Night event in Rome on Saturday night.

The Spanish actor was suited and booted to perfection, while his striking other half made a sexy statement - despite revealing much more than she bargained for with a plunging semi-sheer lace gown.

Scroll down for video

Hot couple! Antonio Banderas, 57, looked undeniably dapper as he accompanied his stunning girlfriend Nicole Kempel, 36, to the Celebrity Fight Night event in Rome on Saturday night

Nicole oozed sex appeal in the figure-hugging number which flattered her frame to perfection with its saucy detailing.

And while the semi-sheer element perfectly showcased her leggy frame, it also managed to reveal too much when it came to its daringly low cut neckline.

Clearly pulling out all the stops, the number also boasted a thigh-high split - showing off her towering nude heels which boosted her height.

Joining her was Antonio, who cut a very handsome figure in a blue blazer with a white shirt, tie, trousers and trainers.

Saucy: The Spanish actor was suited and booted to perfection, while his striking other half made a sexy statement - despite revealing much more than she bargained for with a plunging semi-sheer lace gown

While the semi-sheer element perfectly showcased her leggy frame, it also managed to reveal to much when it came to its daringly low cut neckline

Dapper: Joining her was Antonio, who cut a very handsome figure in a blue blazer with a white shirt, tie, trousers and trainers

The Desperado star, who recently took a short course in menswear design at Central St Martins, looked content as he enjoyed the evening with Nicole.

Antonio shocked fans in March when he revealed he'd suffered a heart attack back in January and had been hospitalised in England.

The star - who is the ex-husband of actress Melanie Griffith, 59 - reassured fans it hadn't been serious and there was no lasting damage.

He underwent a procedure to introduce three stents to his arteries and insisted the whole incident hadn't been dramatic or anything to worry about.

Happy: The Desperado star, who recently took a short course in menswear design at Central St Martins, looked content as he enjoyed the evening

Meanwhile, Celebrity Fight Night also drew out Sharon Stone, 59, who dressed her frim figure in a sensational cream-coloured gown.

She cinched in her waist with a chunky black belt and accentuated her height with a pair of open-toe black heels.

The American actress looked flawless as she enjoyed the evening out.

Striking: Celebrity Fight Night also drew out Sharon Stone, 59, who dressed her frim figure in a sensational cream-coloured gown

Glamorous: She cinched in her waist with a chunky black belt and accentuated her height with a pair of open-toe black heels

Beautiful: The American actress looked flawless as she enjoyed the evening out

Clearly smitten, Steven Tyler, 68, was accompanied to the event with his much younger girlfriend Aimee Preston, 28.

The pair matched with the ensemble with Steven donning an elongated white shirt and his other half wearing a chic white top and midi-skirt.

Veronica Bocelli and Lady Monika Bacardi were also in attendance at the event.

Clearly smitten: Steven Tyler, 68, was accompanied to the event with his much younger girlfriend Aimee Preston, 28

Trendsetters: The pair matched with the ensemble with Steven donning an elongated white shirt and his other half wearing a chic white top and midi-skirt

Guests: Veronica Bocelli and Lady Monika Bacardi were also in attendance at the event




Hundreds of thousands of Houston-area students were set to return to classes Monday more than two weeks after Hurricane Harvey upended their lives and interrupted their education.

While school leaders in the Houston Independent School District and elsewhere in southeastern Texas are re-opening schools, theyre facing plenty of questions and uncertainty.

Theyre unsure how many of the students are back in school today: Many of the children displaced by Harvey are living in shelters or attending classes in districts in neighboring counties or other Texas cities such as Dallas or San Antonio.

Many districts are still struggling to open buildings and assess the damage to schools after Harvey dumped more than 50 inches of rain on the region. The damage estimates in Houston alone could top $700 million , as my colleagues Denisa R. Superville and Arianna Prothero reported last week.

Superintendent Richard Carranza told our reporters that students from at least nine schools in the 215,000-student district will relocate to other buildings, and three of those schools may not open at all this year, because of extensive damage. But Carranza remained optimistic and hopeful Monday as students and staff returned to classrooms.

At a bus stop with the @HISD_Supe and he just met a bus driver on her first first day of school! #HISD #BackToSchool pic.twitter.com/pq8XA7z16P  Houston ISD (@HoustonISD) September 11, 2017

Theres this overwhelming sense of enthusiasm. People are excited to be back. - @HISD_Supe pic.twitter.com/iMsZv6d6Bq  Houston ISD (@HoustonISD) September 11, 2017

However, the outlook isnt as bright in some schools systems in the region, including Aransas County, where schools will remain closed indefinitely.

Thank you so much for your patience as we work through the details of our recovery plan. We know that families... https://t.co/c1VFOk9ezT  Aransas County ISD (@ACISD) September 8, 2017

Most students in Aransas County will attend classes in the neighboring districts of Galena Park and Sinton. In a Facebook post to parents, students, and staff, Aransas schools Superintendent Joseph Patek wrote that the two schools systems are quality school districts and have made significant strides to provide the very best transition for children displaced by the hurricane. The loss of 40 instructional days while waiting for our school to re-open could put these students at a significant academic disadvantage.

Photo: Wearing a hairnet, Houston Independent School District Superintendent Richard Carranza, right, helps hand out breakfast to students on their first day of school at Codwell Elementary School on Sept. 11 in Houston. Students in Houston are finally starting their new school year following a two-week delay because of damage from Hurricane Harvey. (--David J. Phillip/AP)
Victoria Beckham's move from pop to frocks led many in the snooty fashion world to carp that she would do little more than lend her name to others' designs.

But the former Spice Girl is determined to prove she's not scared of elbow grease.

David Beckham's wife shared this photograph of her ironing a piece of cloth ahead of her New York Fashion Week show yesterday.

Victoria shared this photograph of her ironing a piece of cloth ahead of her New York Fashion Week show yesterday

Dressed in a loose-fitting white T-shirt, the mother-of-four wrote 'Final show prep!' as she posed next to an ironing board.

She was joined by her son Brooklyn, 18, who is about to begin a photography course at New York's Parsons School of Design.

Wearing a black and white striped Kent & Curwen shirt, he chose to demonstrate his cutting-edge credentials by sporting a safety-pin earring.

Clearly he's a very Posh punk.

Wearing a black and white striped Kent & Curwen shirt Brooklyn Beckham chose to demonstrate his cutting-edge credentials by sporting a safety-pin earring (right)

When Charlie Courtenay, 42, who is married to ex-Baywatch actress A. J. Langer, became the Earl of Devon on the death of his father in 2015, it was clear he was going to shake things up at Exeter's Powderham Castle.

But his first big move has stunned locals and allegedly upset his mother, Diana. He has sold off Black Forest Lodge, the point-to-point racecourse, where cyclist Victoria Pendleton made her debut as a jockey.

Clerk of the course Norman Chanin admits: 'We had a big shock.'

Foyles heiress's joy at baby Arthur speaks volumes

Serena Foyle and her baby boy Arthur

Despite her ancestors founding what was the world's largest bookshop, Foyles, Serena Foyle's new baby, Arthur, may end up reading music before learning his ABC.

'The first piece of furniture we bought was a piano,' says Serena, who is married to Daniel Balfour, the Earl of Balfour's cousin.

The couple now have grand pianos at their homes in Scotland and London, from where she runs her business Foyle Fireworks.

Pianist Serena adds: 'Arthur is very keen on music already.

'I have been playing Rachmaninoff, Debussy and Bach to him, which is very calming.

'But he has also been exposed to hip-hop, rap, drum 'n' bass, jazz and dubstep.'

It's a bitter-sweet accomplishment that 'er indoors, Penny Cole, widow of late Minder star George Cole, has completed writing a sitcom.

George, who played 'Arfur' Daley in the hit series, encouraged her to finish her script before his death two years ago, as he was due to appear in the show, about a group of elderly actors.

'He'd say, 'You have got to get on with this, you have got to finish it',' says former actress Penny, 79.

'So he would be very pleased.'
Laverne Cox dared to bare in a rear-revealing Mikael D gown for night two of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday.

The 32-year-old transgender icon's racy black dress selected by stylist Christina Pacelli featured gold detailing at the hips, back, and left side.

The Daytime Emmy winner accessorized with an Edie Parker clutch, Kenneth Cole stilettos; as well as jewelry from L'Dezen, Jason of Beverly Hills, and Narcisa Pheres.

Scroll down for video

Werk! Laverne Cox dared to bare in a rear-revealing Mikael D gown for night two of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday

Flash: The 32-year-old transgender icon's racy black dress selected by stylist Christina Pacelli featured gold detailing at the hips, back, and left side

Golden girl: The Daytime Emmy winner accessorized with an Edie Parker clutch, Kenneth Cole stilettos; as well as jewelry from L'Dezen, Jason of Beverly Hills, and Narcisa Pheres

Kiyah Wright coiffed Laverne's blondette wig into a tousled ponytail and Deja Smith applied her fully contoured make-up.

Cox presented a trophy and competed for outstanding guest actress in a drama series for her role as Litchfield convict Sophia Burset in Netflix's Orange Is the New Black.

But Alexis Bledel beat the America's Got Talent guest judge for her role as Emily/Ofglen in Hulu's hit dystopian feminist drama The Handmaid's Tale.

On Friday, the Rocky Horror Picture Show stunner tweeted that she was 'so excited' about ABC ordering a pilot for her Ghost-inspired drama Spirited produced by Elizabeth Banks.

In the hot seat: Kiyah Wright coiffed Laverne's blondette wig into a tousled ponytail and Deja Smith applied her fully contoured make-up

Selfie: Cox presented a trophy and competed for outstanding guest actress in a drama series for her role as Litchfield convict Sophia Burset in Netflix's Orange Is the New Black

Winner: But Alexis Bledel beat the America's Got Talent guest judge for her role as Emily/Ofglen in Hulu's hit dystopian feminist drama The Handmaid's Tale

Laverne was recently tapped by none other than pop diva Beyonce to be the brand ambassador for her athleisure brand Ivy Park's FW/17 campaign.

And Cox's upcoming film Freak Show - in which she plays Felicia Watts - will next screen at the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival on September 23.

Sting's wife Trudie Styler helmed the cross-dressing high school dramedy - based on the 2008 James St. James novel - which also stars Bette Midler, Abigail Breslin, AnnaSophia Robb, and Alex Lawther.

According to Deadline, IFC Films will release Freak Show 'early next year' in US theaters.

'I feel the spirits!' On Friday, the Rocky Horror Picture Show stunner tweeted that she was 'so excited' about ABC ordering a pilot for her drama Spirited produced by Elizabeth Banks

'BTS': Laverne was recently tapped by none other than pop diva Beyonce to be the brand ambassador for her athleisure brand Ivy Park's FW/17 campaign

Practically all the ladies were seeing red at the Microsoft Theatre including Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash (in Regard Style), and Kathryn Hahn.

The 47-year-old Claws diva thought their spontaneous coordination was hilarious, writing on Instagram: 'We are starting a singing group right NOW!'

The Goldbergs funnywoman, 47, got to meet one of her 'idols' - two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks - and she also snapped a red carpet Instagram selfie.

Next gig: And Cox's upcoming film Freak Show - in which she plays Felicia Watts - will next screen at the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival on September 23

Hitting US theaters 'early next year!' Sting's wife Trudie Styler (L) helmed the cross-dressing high school dramedy - based on the James St. James novel - which also stars Bette Midler

Master of None's Angela Basset also opted for crimson in a single-strapped leggy gown alongside her husband, American Crime Story actor Courtney B. Vance.

Other couples enjoying date nights included Tales of Titans' Jason Ritter and his fiancee Melanie Lynskey as well as The Big Sleep's Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon.

The Americans' Alison Wright easily defied her 41 years in her dazzling navy-sequinned mermaid gown and magenta clutch.

Triple take: Practically all the ladies were seeing red at the Microsoft Theatre including (from L-R) Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash (in Regard Style), and Kathryn Hahn

The 47-year-old Claws diva thought their spontaneous coordination was hilarious, writing on Instagram: 'We are starting a singing group right NOW!'

Starstruck: The Goldbergs funnywoman, 47, got to meet one of her 'idols' - two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks - and she also snapped a red carpet Instagram selfie

Date night! Master of None's Angela Basset also opted for crimson in a single-strapped leggy gown alongside her husband, American Crime Story actor Courtney B. Vance

Tux: Other couples enjoying date nights included Tales of Titans' Jason Ritter and his fiancee Melanie Lynskey as well as The Big Sleep's Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon

Other dapper attendees included Modern Family's Ty Burrell, Comrade Detective's Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and You're the Worst's Chris Geere (in Ted Baker).

Also suited and booted was Dropping the Soap's Jane Lynch in a burgundy blazer, bejeweled broach, skinny black pants, and patent leather flats.

And Stranger Things' Shannon Purser, The Handmaid's Tale's Ann Dowd, and You're the Worst's Kether Donohue all selected not-so-basic black ensembles for the ceremony.

British beauty: The Americans' Alison Wright easily defied her 41 years in her dazzling navy-sequinned mermaid gown and magenta clutch

Dapper dudes: Other attendees included Modern Family's Ty Burrell, Comrade Detective's Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and You're the Worst's Chris Geere (in Ted Baker)

Standing tall: Also suited and booted was Dropping the Soap's Jane Lynch in a burgundy blazer, bejeweled broach, skinny black pants, and patent leather flats
Handsome marketing manager Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson had his heart smashed to pieces before the nation when he tried to woo Georgia Love on The Bachelorette.

This year, the tables have turned as the 30-year-old is set to leave two more women heartbroken before picking 'The One' in The Bachelor finale.

And former 'villain' of the franchise, Keira Maguire, thinks she knows exactly who will be capture Matty's heart in the end, revealing her pick to this week's NW magazine.

Scroll down for video

Giving her two cents: Former reality TV 'villain' Keira Maguire (left) told NW magazine this week that she thinks Laura Byrne (right) will win The Bachelor this year

'I definitely think Laura [Byrne] is going to win,' Keira, who vied for Bachelor Richie Strahan's love in 2016, told the publication.

'What I've noticed is every time someone says something nice and then follows it with "but", everything before "but" is a lie. And Matty says "but" with everyone except Laura.'

The 31-year-old cheekily added: 'And she looks like Georgia Love, sooo....'

Winning woman? Keira's pick to win the heart of Matty J (right) is Laura, who is currently the Sportsbet favourite to take out the competition

The controversial blonde placed Laura ahead of rivals Tara Pavlovic and Elise Stacy who are also in the top three.

Keira believes Elise will leave the show 'heartbroken' and thinks Tara is too 'full-on' for Matty to see a future with.

It appears Keira's predictions may come to fruition, with Laura currently the Sportsbet favourite to take out the winner.

Won't make the cut: The 31-year-old said Tara Pavlovic (left) is too 'full-on' while Elise Stacy (right) will be left 'heartbroken'

Seeing double? Keira added she thought Laura was a dead ringer for Georgia Love (left), who broke Matty's heart on The Bachelorette last year

This isn't the first time Keira has voiced her opinion about the current season of The Bachelor.

In July, the busty blonde took issue with Bachelor 'mean girl' Jennifer Hawke calling fellow contestant Elizabeth Duncan 'this year's Keira'.

Keira hit back via social media, commenting: 'How's the chick saying that someone else is me when they're pinning her as the villain?

She continued: 'What a delusional FREAK! What a freak!'
Her stunningly good looks cemented her the coveted title of Victoria's Secret Angel.

And Stella Maxwell, 27, looked incredible as she teased at her cleavage by going braless under a scanty black crop top attending the Rihanna Fenty PUMA fashion show during NYFW in New York City on Sunday.

Her sizzling display comes after she enjoyed a romantic date with girlfriend Kristen Stewart, 27, in the Big Apple earlier that day.

Scroll down for video

Racy: Stella Maxwell, 27, looked incredible as she teased at her cleavage by going braless under a scanty black crop top attending the Rihanna Fenty PUMA fashion show during NYFW in New York City on Sunday

Stella turned heads in her raunchy ensemble for Rihanna's fashion collaboration; she clad her long, slender legs in a pair of black PVC trousers and slipped a pair of loafers on her feet.

The model flashed her impossibly flat midriff in the sultry look, and she shrugged a black embroidered jacket over her shoulders.

Stella kept a low profile by donning a large pair of dark sunglasses, and tossed her honey blonde tresses over her shoulder as she ambled to the fashion show venue.

Romantic: Her sizzling display comes after she enjoyed a romantic date with girlfriend Kristen Stewart, 27, in the Big Apple earlier that day

Casual: Stella had enjoyed a romantic day with Kristen before storming the catwalk. The inseparable couple stepped out in NYC wearing casual outfits, just one day after Stella hit the runway for Phillip Plein

Courting attention: Stella turned heads in her raunchy ensemble for Rihanna's fashion collaboration; she clad her long, slender legs in a pair of black PVC trousers and slipped a pair of loafers on her feet

Figure-flashing: The model flashed her impossibly flat midriff in the sultry look, and she shrugged a black embroidered jacket over her shoulders

Stella accessorised with a simple silver ring and matching necklace, and carried a gift bag full of goodies.

She sported peach blush to emphasise the her cheekbones, and painted her plump pout with pink lipstick.

The fashionista looked to be deep in concentration as she strutted to the venue, and tossed her luscious locks over her shoulder.

Low profile: Stella kept a low profile by donning a large pair of dark sunglasses, and tossed her honey blonde tresses over her shoulder as she ambled to the fashion show venue

Lucky girl: Stella accessorised with a simple silver ring and matching necklace, and carried a gift bag full of goodies

Glamorous: She sported peach blush to emphasise the her cheekbones, and painted her plump pout with pink lipstick

Storming the catwalk: Stella looked incredible as she wore a pair of raunchy thigh high green and black boots for Rihanna's Fenty PUMA preview

Sultry: Stella flaunted her slender legs in the provocative look

Stella had enjoyed a romantic day with Kristen before storming the catwalk.

The inseparable couple stepped out in NYC wearing casual outfits, just one day after Stella hit the runway for Phillip Plein.

Kristen showed off her hair's new growth since she shaved her head in March of this year.

Backstage: Stella posed with fellow models Taylor Hill and Adwoa Aboah behind the scenes of the show

Low-key: Stella kept things low-key as well, opting for a black graphic t-shirt and sweatpants with slippers as she took a break from catwalk duties

The Personal Shopper actress sported a navy jacket with a white t-shirt, black linen pants and black sneakers for her casual outing in Soho with her lady love.

Stella kept things low-key as well, opting for a black graphic t-shirt and sweatpants with slippers as she took a break from catwalk duties.

Though they were in New York, Stella appeared to be dreaming of Los Angeles, rocking a $147 t-shirt by Local Authority which read City Of Angels.

Fashion hangover: Though Fashion Week is not over until Wednesday, Stella and Kristen did not have on their Sunday's best

High profile: Stella hit the catwalk for Phillip Plein (L) and Jeremy Scott (R) for Fashion Week

Maxwell walked for Phillip Plein on Saturday and hit Jeremy Scott's runway in a bikini top on Friday.

Later this year she will head to Shanghai, China for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Kristen recently wrapped her film Underwater where she plays a marine biologist whose team is affected by an earthquake, putting them directly in danger.

Stewart has dated both men and women in the past, infamously cheating on her Twilight co-star boyfriend Robert Pattinson with her Snow White And The Huntsman director Rupert Sanders.

Though she said she was 'so gay' during her 2017 monologue while hosting Saturday Night Live, Stewart has admitted she's open to dating men again.

'Yeah, totally. Definitely... Some people aren't like that. Some people know that they like grilled cheese and they'll eat it every day for the rest of their lives. I want to try everything. If I have grilled cheese once I'm like, "That was cool, what's next?"', she told Harper's Bazaar UK.
He was the beloved wildlife warrior tragically killed by a stingray barb eleven years ago.

And the circumstances surrounding Steve Irwin's death have come under question by a doctor who has claimed he 'didn't have to die'.

Woman's Day alleges that Steve's wife Terri Irwin is 'going through hell' due to Dr. Gabe Mirkin's extraordinary and unsubstantiated claims, which he made after reportedly viewing bootleg video of her late husband's death.

Scroll down for video

Could Steve Irwin's death been prevented? Doctor claims wildlife warrior 'didn't have to die' as new footage of the moment he was stung by a stingray emerges

The American doctor made recent remarks on the footage, which was reportedly copied under suspicious circumstances from the original film shot by Steve's crew.

'The stingray tail effectively acted as a plug, and the second he removed it he bled to death,' the Maryland-based doctor allegedly told RadarOnline.

'Steve Irwin didn't have to die,' he added.

'The stingray tail effectively acted as a plug, and the second he removed it he bled to death,' the Maryland-based doctor allegedly told RadarOnline

Meanwhile, a friend of Terri's allegedly revealed to Woman's Day the mother-of-two is 'going through hell' following the doctor's extraordinary claims.

'The truth is, Steve was so badly wounded nothing could've saved him, given the remote area where it happened,' the 'source' allegedly told the magazine.

According to the report, Terri, 53, is now 'vowing to stamp out the rumours and hunt down' anyone who might profit from the bootleg footage.

'The truth is, Steve was so badly wounded nothing could've saved him, given the remote area where it happened,' the 'source' allegedly told the magazine

A renowned conservationist known as the 'Crocodile Hunter', Steve's chest was pierced by a stingray barb during filming of the documentary Ocean's Deadliest.

The television personality's fatal injury happened on September 4, 2006 while on location in Batt Reef, Queensland.

In a January 2007 interview with Access Hollywood, Terri stated all footage of her late husband's injury and death had been destroyed.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Australia Zoo for further comment.
It was previously reported that The Bachelor's Matthew Johnson 'unexpectedly' proposed during the season finale, which airs on Thursday, only to be rejected.

And in an interview with TV Week, Tara Pavlovic may have hinted she won the show by confessing that if an engagement was on offer, she would personally decline.

Considering the fact it is widely believed Laura Byrne is now dating Matty J, if Tara was the official winner, it would mean a 'Blake Garvey 2.0' scenario had taken place.

Scroll down for video

Will Matty J do a Blake Garvey? Tara Pavlovic (pictured) hints she's the winner of The Bachelor but says she will turn down a proposal. Meanwhile, it's believed Matty J is dating Laura Byrne

'If he did do that (propose) at the end I'd probably say no,' the 27-year-old nanny said.

'I don't think you can know someone fully from this show. It's the weirdest thing to make that commitment to someone you don't know off camera,' she added.

It comes after NW magazine claimed Bachelor producers were forced into 'damage control' to make sure Matty appeared to get his 'fairytale finish' in the last episode.

An alleged 'source' told the magazine the winning girl turns down Matty's proposal because it was 'too soon' for them to make that commitment.

That's gotta hurt! It was previously reported that The Bachelor 's Matthew Johnson (pictured) 'unexpectedly' proposed during the season finale, which airs on Thursday, only to be rejected

'It was brutal. She just stood there for a while before she started crying and told him that she couldn't say yes - not yet,' the insider supposedly claimed.

'She was trying to be realistic about the whole thing. Think about it - up until the day before, he had three girlfriends!' they continued.

'It was devastating because everyone wanted Matty to find true love. It's his biggest fear that he'll be single forever.'

Second best? Considering the fact it is believed Laura Byrne (pictured) is now dating Matty J, if Tara was the official winner, it would mean a 'Blake Garvey 2.0' scenario had taken place

Despite turning down a marriage commitment, the winner apparently 'insisted she was 100 percent in love' and wanted to see their relationship work 'in the real world'.

According to the report, producers of the reality TV show 'sprung into damage control' to re-edit the final episode so it didn't show Matty's 'second heartbreak'.

In last year's finale of The Bachelorette, Matty was left devastated by Georgia Love after she rejected him in favour of Melbourne-based mechanical plumber Lee Elliott.

If Matty were to propose to Tara and be rejected, a Blake Garvey-type situation would be on the cards, as it is understood the marketing manager is currently dating Laura.

In the second season of The Bachelor, Perth auctioneer and stripper Blake proposed to 'winner' Sam Frost in the series finale - only to break up with her weeks later.

He later began dating the show's second runner-up, blogger Louise Pillidge, but they eventually split after 18 months.

The Bachelor finale airs on Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm on Network Ten

Tense: In last year's finale of The Bachelorette, Matty was left devastated by Georgia Love after she rejected him in favour of Melbourne-based mechanical plumber Lee Elliott
He was recently spotted looking very relaxed as he enjoyed a couple of beers on a luxury yacht ahead of his first solo gig in Australia.

And former One Direction star Niall Horan nailed his one-off performance at Sydney's Enmore Theatre on Sunday.

Each of the 23-year-old's tunes, including his hit Slow Hands, were met with shrill screams and singalongs from his Directioner fans, News.com.au reported this week.

He Niall-ed it! former One Direction star Niall Horan nailed his one-off performance at Sydney's Enmore Theatre on Sunday

The Irish heartthrob played other hits This Town, The Tide and Too Much To Ask, which were well received by the hyped crowd.

Niall walked out on stage wearing a sensible, casual outfit consisting of a white t-shirt and black skinny jeans.

His t-shirt featured a print that paid homage to the album Rumours by legendary rock band Fleetwood Mac.

What a show: Each of the 23-year-old's tunes, including his hit Slow Hands, were met with shrill screams and singalongs from his Directioner fans

The Slow Hands crooner previously said the band's sound had been a major influence on his upcoming debut album Flicker, along with the Eagles.

Sunday night's concert was the fourth leg of a worldwide tour, in which Niall will bring an intimate experience to 21 cities.

'My gigs are going to be a bit more intimate with minimal lighting, more of a gig than a show,' he recently told News Corp.

Impressive: The Irish heartthrob played other hits This Town, The Tide and Too Much To Ask, which were well received by the hyped crowd

International: Sunday night's concert was the fourth leg of a worldwide tour, in which Niall will bring an intimate experience to 21 cities

Niall went on to say that he was lucky to have performed on big stage productions and arenas with One Direction.

'I wouldn't have swapped it for the world and I have no problem going and doing it again, but for this type of music that I've been writing, I feel like bringing it down to me and the band...', he said.

Niall will return to Australia's shores in June next year, playing three shows on the nation's east coast.
She recently admitted she 'begged' producers to let her star as The Bachelorette.

And Sophie Monk is having fun in the lead-up to the reality show's September 20 season premiere, poking fun at her relationship status before it changes.

The 37-year-old expertly channeled Beyonce in her iconic 2008 music video for 'Single Ladies' in a new NW magazine photo shoot, with the issue containing the shoot on-sale now.

Scroll down for video

All the Single Ladies! Sophie Monk channels Beyonce's iconic music video in NW magazine shoot as she prepares to look for love as The Bachelorette

The Queensland-born bombshell flaunted her svelte figure in a black one-piece with a plunging neckline.

She also showed off her trim pins in what appeared to be a pair of black Azzedine Alaia Bombe Studded heels, priced at $1,530.

Her blonde hair was worn in a bouffant style slicked back on both sides to reflect Beyonce's quintessential look in the video, which was directed by Jake Nava.

The original: Beyonce's Single Ladies was certified quadruple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)

Iconic: In 2010, the song won three Grammy awards including Song Of The year

Eager: She recently admitted she 'begged' producers to let her star as The Bachelorette

The shoot also featured her in various poses inspired by other famous single characters, including Bridget Jones and Sex & The City's Carrie Bradshaw.

In her accompanying interview, Sophie happily acknowledged she had found love on the dating series.

'I was thinking maybe it would develop after (the show), but it happened in the mansion. Im fully in love!' she gushed.

'I was thinking maybe it would develop after (the show), but it happened in the mansion. Im fully in love!' she gushed

Due to the secrecy surrounding the show as it airs, the happy couple and failed contestants are all forced to stay off social media for an extended period of time.

This means Sophie has had to be extremely careful with her chosen beau, whom she 'can't see until it's over'.

'God its tricky, but at the same time, its such a relief to be with someone and I dont have to have that discussion, like, "Do we come out as a couple?"' she offered.

The issue of NW magazine, which contains the shoot, is on-sale now
She is one of Australia's most sought-after models.

And Montana Cox instantly warmed up New York City's autumn weather on Thursday while stepping out for the first day of Fashion Week.

The 23-year-old turned heads in a dazzling gown by Welsh designer Julien Macdonald for his 'Runway to Runway' show in partnership with Etihad Airways.

Scroll down for video

Golden girl: Montana Cox warmed up New York City's autumn weather on Thursday as she stepped out for the first day of Fashion Week

The Australia's Next Top Model winner sizzled in a fitted floor-length dress that featured intricate detail from top to toe.

The embellished frock's stunning gold mesh design was complimented by no accessories, nude stilettos and a neutral makeup palette.

The Fashion Week event, held at Skylight Clarkson Square, was presented by Etihad Airways, which is an official supporter of 17 fashion week events around the world.

Metallic: The 23-year-old turned heads in a dazzling gown by Welsh designer Julien Macdonald for his 'Runway to Runway' show in partnership with Etihad Airways

Dazzling: The embellished frock's stunning gold mesh design was complimented by no accessories, nude stilettos and a neutral makeup palette

The company debuted their newest safety instructional video at the VIP soiree, which was curated by Julien Macdonald as an ode to the world of fashion.

The in-flight footage features over 17 couture outfits by the designer, who was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to fashion in 2006.

The video has a unique concept in that it displays the synchronicity of producing a high-end fashion show and preparing for a safe flight.

Elegant: The company debuted their newest safety instructional video at the VIP soiree, which was curated by Julien Macdonald as an ode to the world of fashion

Beautiful people: Montana was spotted with Julien Macdonald OBE and Halima Aden

Model behaviour: Montana and fellow model Halima Aden smile for the cameras

Other famous faces at the launch event included teenage style sensation Halima Aden and Australian model Ajak Deng.

2017 has thus far proved a successful year for Montana, who was earlier announced as the face of Bendon Lingerie.

She also landed herself another lucrative role as ambassador for skincare brand Neutrogena last month.
She's famed for her sensational figure.

And Karrueche Tran, 29, made the most of it as she went braless under a plunging red silk mini dress at an even for Netflix special Def Comedy Jam 25 in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The actress cheekily flashed her black undergarments underneath the frock, and pouted seductively for the cameras with her hand on her hip.

Scroll down for video

Busty: Karrueche Tran, 29, made the most of her sensational figure as she went braless under a plunging red silk mini dress at an even for Netflix show Def Comedy Jam 25 in Los Angeles on Sunday

The beauty scraped her brunette tresses back into a tight bun, and sported bronze make up to bring out her pretty features.

The short length of the frock meant that Karrueche paraded her slim, gym-honed legs, and she cinched in her tiny waist with a red waist belt.

She elongated her legs with a pair of red strappy heels, which featured gold accenting on the ankle.

Flaunt it: The actress cheekily flashed her black undergarments underneath the frock, and pouted seductively for the cameras with her hand on her hip

Beauty: The beauty scraped her brunette tresses back into a tight bun, and sported bronze make up to bring out her pretty features

The Netflix event was to celebrate the special series of Def Comedy Jam 25, which will celebrate the legacy of the long-running HBO comedy series that launched the careers of black comedians such as Martin Lawrence, Cedric The Entertainer, Sheryl Underwood and more.

HBOs Def Comedy Jam, created by Russell Simmons, aired on HBO from 1992-1997 and returned in 2006-2008.

Last month saw the series premiere of Claws, a TNT drama that's still airing its first season and that centres on nail salon staff who begin money-laundering.

Leggy lady: The short length of the frock meant that Karrueche paraded her slim, gym-honed legs, and she cinched in her tiny waist with a red waist belt

Karrueche plays an ex-prostitute and now-money-laundering-manicurist called Virginia Loc amid a cast including Niecy Nash, Carrie Preston and Judy Reyes.

Created by Eliot Lawrence, who used to write on The Big Gay Sketch Show, Claws has now been renewed for a second season, as Deadline reported in July.

Karrueche last June won a five-year restraining order against her ex Chris Brown, who she'd testified in court had threatened her with violence, according to TMZ.

She'd previously got a restraining order against him this February, maintaining in a sworn declaration that he'd 'punched me in my stomach twice,' 'pushed me down the stairs' and 'told a few people he was going to kill me,' as TMZ had reported.
Back in May, education research watchers may have been at least half-optimistic when the Institute of Education Sciences escaped mostly unscathed in President Trumps proposed fiscal 2018 budget, which introduced sharp cuts to federal education and social research programs in other agencies.

As it turns out, the Education Departments research agency hasnt dodged the budget bullet quite yet. As part of the Houses fiscal 2018 omnibus spending bill being debated this week, GOP Rep. Francis Rooney of Florida offered an amendment to strip more than $195.3 million from IES fiscal 2018 budget, for which the White House had proposed $617 million .

That would slash nearly a third of IESs current budget, based on Congresss April budget agreement for fiscal 2017which itself was below fiscal 2016 levels. Rooneya major GOP donor and first-term Congressman on the House Education and Workforce Committee and the conservative Republican Study Committeedid not include why he wanted the cut, but the amount matches IES $195 million research, development and dissemination budget, which includes most of its core research competitions, as well as the federal Research and Development Centers, the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) and the What Works Clearinghouse.

These would just be devastating cuts. Theres almost no word I can say that would be strong enough, said Ruth Curran Neild, the director of the Philadelphia Education Research Consortium and a former acting director of IES. You are just wiping the whole thing out ... right in the context of implementing ESSA, when all of this was understood to be so critical to states and districts. Its hard to overstate the problems that would cause.

Because IES research grants are funded annually, the cuts would likely stop new research competitions and make it difficult to continue many current projects. Research advocacy and professional groups including the American Educational Research Association , the Consortium of Social Science Associations , and the Knowledge Alliance each urged their members to protest the proposed amendment.

IES, a premier federal source for education research, evaluation, and statistics, must be fully funded so that educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders can continue to improve outcomes for all students, said Felice Levine, AERAs executive director, in a statement on the proposed cut.

Ironically, Congress will be debating the cuts at the same time the full House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform holds a hearing on soon-to-be-introduced legislation by House Speaker Paul Ryan on improving federal systems and protections for data collection and research evaluations . That legislation is intended to begin to implement recommendations by the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking.

Photo Source: Getty

Related:


She makes no secret of her love for her and husband Chris Hemsworth's laidback lifestyle in Byron Bay.

And on Saturday it was another day in paradise for Elsa Pataky and her family, with the Spanish-born beauty taking her three-year-old twin sons Sasha and Tristan on a day out alongside her father Jose Francisco Lafuente.

The 41-year-old looked every bit the boho babe in a flowing white skirt at Byron Bay hotspot The Farm.

Boho babe! Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky enjoys day out with twin sons Sasha and Tristan in Byron Bay

Elsa fit in perfectly at the hipster collective, wearing a white maxi skirt with an embellished khaki jacket.

The Fast and the Furious actress paired her look with a string of beads and black boots, wearing a felt fedora hat.

The ageless beauty appeared to go makeup-free for the day out, showing off her flawless complexion.

Doting mum: Elsa was every bit the attentive parent during the day out with her toddler sons

Casual: Elsa fit in perfectly at the hipster collective, wearing a white max skirt with an embellished khaki jacket

Beware! Elsa appeared unperturbed by a sign warning her of swooping magpies

Meanwhile, her twin sons were dressed adorably in jeans and brightly-coloured shirts.

Every bit the doting mother, Elsa could be seen carrying one of her son's shoes and bags of food for the toddlers.

Also accompanying Elsa and her twin sons was the actress' father, Jose.

Cowgirl: Elsa paired her boho outfit with a pair of stylish black cowboy boots

Hands full: Elsa was kept busy during the outing, holding shoes and food for her toddler offspring

Father-daughter day out: Elsa was joined for the day out by her dad Jose

Laidback: Spanish-born Elsa has called Byron Bay home since 2014

The family made their way around The Farm at a leisurely pace, clearly enjoying the sunshine and warmer temperatures.

The popular Byron Bay attraction is a collective which features eateries, fresh produce and agriculture exhibitions for children.

Chris and Elsa have called Byron Bay home since 2014, reportedly splashed out on a $7.2 million property.

Mother of three: Elsa shares her three children with Australian actor Chris Hemsworth

Pricey home: Chris and Elsa reportedly splashed out on a $7.2 million property in Byron Bay in September 2014

Hollywood star: Elsa has previously starred in Snakes on a Plane and Fast and the Furious
They kicked off their European tour at the weekend in Germany, with no sign of slowing things down.

And The Rolling Stones' guitarist Ronnie Wood was looking on fine form as he rocked the Stadtpark stadium in Hamburg - noticeably healthy after his cancer battle.

And in a nod to his wife - whom he credits as being his rock - the 70-year-old wore a guitar strap with the name Sally emblazoned across it.

Scroll down for video

Tribute: Ronnie Wood looked happy and healthy as he continued the tour with the rest of The Rolling Stones just four months after beating cancer... and wore his wife Sally's name on his guitar strap

Every stone needs his rock: And in a nod to his wife - whom he credits as being his rock - the 70-year-old wore a guitar strap with the name Sally emblazoned across it

The band wowed a packed stadium of 82,000 fans, with Ronnie receiving what could only be described as a hero's welcome.

He had an operation in May after a tumour was discovered by chance that proved to be cancerous.

Sally, 39, who is the mother to his 15-month-old twins Gracie and Alice, was watching the show from the audience at the weekend.

He told The Sun: 'We're all equally surprised at how great at how great the vibe is, because we love to make people happy with our music and it seems to work.'

He added: 'It's like a gift that can't be bought. It's an amazing feeling.'

Ronnie  who quit smoking a week before Gracie and Alice were born  said last month: I had this thought at the back of my mind after I gave up smoking a year ago: How can I have got through 50 years of chain-smoking  and all the rest of my bad habits  without something going on in there?

Welcome back: The band wowed a packed stadium of 82,000 fans, with Ronnie receiving what could only be described as a hero's welcome

So I went along to see our good old doctor, Richard Dawood, because we all have to be checked before we go on tour, and he asked me if I wanted him to go deeper and check my heart, lungs and blood. I said, Go for it.

'And then he came back with the news that I had this supernova burning away on my left lung. And, to be totally honest, I wasnt surprised. I knew I hadnt had a chest X-ray since I went into Cottonwood [a rehab clinic in Tucson, Arizona] in 2002. He asked me what I wanted to do and my answer was simple: Just get it out of me.

But then there was a week of tests. They needed to know if it had set up encampments and spread to my lymph nodes. If that had happened it would have been all over for me.

They're off: The Rolling Stones kicked off their No Filter tour in Hamburg... with a nod to The Beatles and a promise to fans that they're not slowing down any time soon

50 years later: The Rolling Stones were back on tour on Saturday night, wowing a packed stadium of 82,000 fans in Hamburg, Germany

So there was this one week when I didnt know what was happening. Sally was amazing. Its only since weve got through it that she has been able to tell me how it was the worst seven days of her life.

I was prepared for bad news but I also had faith it would be OK. Apart from the doctors, we didnt tell anyone because we didnt want to put anyone else though the hell we were going through. But I made up my mind that if it had spread I wasnt going to go through chemo, I wasnt going to use that bayonet in my body.

ROLLING STONES NO FILTER SET LIST 1. Sympathy For The Devil 2. It's Only Rock'n'Roll 3. Out of Control 4. Just Your Fool 5. Ride 'em on Down 6. You Can't Always Get What You Want 7. Play with Fire 8. Dancing with Mr D 9. Under my thumb 10. Paint it Black 11. Honky Tonk Women 12. Slipping Away 13. Happy 14. Miss you 15. Start me up 16. Brown Sugar 17. Satisfaction 18. Gimme Shelter 19. Jumpin' Jack Flash Advertisement

Kicking off their 'STONES - NO FILTER' tour Mick Jagger, 74, Keith Richards, 73, Charlie Watts, 76, and Ronnie played to the Stadtpark venue and unveiled a spectacular new stage design for the first major live music event at the venue in 28 years.

To add to the joy, fans were left cheering as the boys declared they weren't ever going to stop performing.

Keith told fans: 'We havent finished yet. Its still too early for me to talk about the Stones legacy. Theres one thing that we havent yet achieved, and thats to really find out how long you can do this.

'Its still such a joy to play with this band that you cant really let go of it. Im more interested in learning how far this bunch can take it.'

Sir Mick added: 'Its incredible to think about working with the same band for more than 50 years.

'Of course, members have come and gone, but it is still the Rolling Stones. Inevitably it makes you think about the mortality of it. But here we are making plans.'

Mick also made a nod to The Beatles, by saying: 'We were told by our friends from Liverpool that Hamburg is a good place to make a start with your career!'

The band rocked the house, treating fans to a set list full of classics from their formidable arsenal of songs including Its Only Rock And Roll, Paint It Black, Start Me Up and Brown Sugar.

Kicking things off: Mick Jagger, 74, Keith Richards, 73, Ronnie Wood, 70, and Charlie Watts, 76, played to the Stadtpark venue and unveiled a spectacular new stage design for the first major live music event at the venue in 28 years

Lapping it up: To add to the joy, fans were left cheering as the boys declared they weren't ever going to stop performing

Keith told fans: 'We havent finished yet. Its still too early for me to talk about the Stones legacy. Theres one thing that we havent yet achieved, and thats to really find out how long you can do this'

They belted out hits Just Your Fool and Ride Em On Down from last years number one album Blue and Lonesome.

Chosen by the fans, the band performed Under My Thumb, and also pulled a few surprises with Play With Fire from the early days and Dancing With Mr D from Goats Head Soup.

They brought the show to a thrilling close with Satisfaction, Gimme Shelter and Jumpin Jack Flash.

Saturday marked the first stop of this fourteen date tour visiting twelve different venues across Europe in September & October - although the UK is not on that list.

Sir Mick added: 'Its incredible to think about working with the same band for more than 50 years. Of course, members have come and gone, but it is still the Rolling Stones. Inevitably it makes you think about the mortality of it. But here we are making plans'

Mick also made a nod to The Beatles, by saying: 'We were told by our friends from Liverpool that Hamburg is a good place to make a start with your career'

Rocking out: The band rocked the house, treating fans to a set list full of classics from their formidable arsenal of songs including Its Only Rock And Roll, Paint It Black, Start Me Up and Brown Sugar

Not slowing down: They belted out hits Just Your Fool and Ride Em On Down from last years number one album Blue and Lonesome

Chosen by the fans: The band performed Under My Thumb, and also pulled a few surprises with Play With Fire from the early days and Dancing With Mr D from Goats Head Soup

The tour will now head for Munich (Germany), Spielberg (Austria), Zurich (Switzerland), Lucca (Italy) Barcelona (Spain), Amsterdam (Holland), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dusseldorf (Germany), Stockholm (Sweden), Arnhem (Holland) and rounds up with three shows in Paris (France) at the brand new U Arena, the first concerts to be staged at this venue.

Keith also declared to the audience: 'Weve had some near disasters, but I honestly dont think weve ever played a bad show.

'Its an indescribable feeling to get out there and whack into "Jumpin Jack Flash" for starters. That rapport between the band and the fans  its like youve got these millions of friends.'

Closing the show: They brought the show to a thrilling close with Satisfaction, Gimme Shelter and Jumpin Jack Flash

On tour: Saturday marked the first stop of this fourteen date tour visiting twelve different venues across Europe in September & October - although the UK is not on that list

Keith also declared to the audience: 'Weve had some near disasters, but I honestly dont think weve ever played a bad show. That rapport between the band and the fans  its like youve got these millions of friends'

Announcing plans for the tour in May, frontman Mick said in a statement: 'I'm so excited to be touring Europe this autumn and returning to some familiar places and some we've never done before.'

Guitarist Keith - whose tour will include such cities as Zurich, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Copenhagen - added: 'Hey Guys, here we come. See you there!'

The tireless rockers recorded their comeback album, Blue And Lonesome, in just three days back in 2015.
It's one of the most successful music festivals on the Australian touring circuit.

But The Laneway Festival suffered a bit of a setback on Monday when its official media partner Pedestrian leaked the lineup for the 2018 iteration a day early.

According to Music Feeds, the online music news portal's excitement over the impressive line-up saw them publish the entire bill on Monday morning before quickly realising their error and talking the announcement down.

Oops: The Laneway Festival suffered a bit of a setback on Monday when its official media partner Pedestrian leaked the lineup for the 2018 iteration a day early. Pictured is father John Misty

It was a case of too little, too late however, and the festival itself was forced to confirm who would be on stage at the travelling festival.

North American acts Mac DeMarco and Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals had already been confirmed to appear prior to the leak.

After a bravura turn at the recent Splendour in the Grass festival, brooding troubadour Father John Misty will make a welcome return for Laneway.

Anticipated: One act sure to draw a few punters is Philadelphia-based rockers The War On Drugs

Another act sure to draw a few punters is Philadelphia-based rockers The War On Drugs.

Also, the festival will represent the first Australian appearance of UK dream pop outfit Slowdive.

Up-and-coming Brisbane songstress Amy Shark will also make an appearance, capitalising on the success of her Night Thinker EP which reached number two on The ARIA charts.

Coming Down Under: North American acts Mac DeMarco and Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals (pictured) had already been confirmed to appear prior to the leak

It's been a big year for Amy who as also announced as a support for Sia's November Australian tour.

The bill will also feature: Aldous Harding, Bonobo, Billie Eilish, Cable Ties, City Calm Down, BADBADNOTGOOD, Alex Cameron, Wolf Alice, TOKiMONSTA, The Internet, Sylvan Esso, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Dream Wife, KLLO, Loyle Carner, Miss Blanks, Moses Sumney, ODESZA, Alex G, Shame, and The Babe Rainbow.

The Festival will kick off in Adelaide on February 2 before moving on to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Freemantle.
She's the Married At First Sight star who welcomed her first child, Harper, into the world in November last year

And Zoe Hendrix is still very much in doting mother mode and she proved as much after she took a bath with her cherubic daughter on Monday.

The reality star took to Instagram to share the motherly shot that showed a naked Zoe reclining in the bath with Harper, 10 months, perched on her chest.

Tender: MAFS star Zoe Hendrix is still very much in doting mother mode and she proved as much after she took a bath with her cherubic daughter on Monday

Zoe was seen gently kissing her daughter on the head in the tender photo.

She wore her brunette locks in a beehive 'do' and interestingly a pair of sunglasses sat in the wall of hair.

Using a quote from African American poet Nayyirah Waheed, Zoe captioned the post: 'My mother was my first country, the first place I ever lived.'

Mum and bub: The reality star took to Instagram to share the motherly shot that showed a naked Zoe reclining in the bath as Harper, 10 months, perched on her chest

Fans were quick to fawn over the familial post with the likes of: 'Beautiful picture of Mother & daughter,' and: 'Skin to skin with baby is so pure. Enjoy these moments for they are over all too soon.

Zoe took to the social media site in July to share another intimate photo detailing one of the shortcomings of breastfeeding.

Speaking out: Zoe Hendrix, 27, reveals the not-so-glamorous side of breastfeeding in a revealing snap shared to her Instagram on Wednesday

The picture showed her breasts looking notably lop-sided, with her sarcastically coining the unfortunate circumstance 'one of the joys' of becoming a mother.

Captioning the post she wrote: 'MILK JUGS gone uneven. One of the many joys of breastfeeding.'

But the situation did answer a few questions for the mother-of-one, who admitted to receiving some strange looks while in public during the unfortunate occurrence.

Sharing the struggle: In her post on Wednesday, Zoe revealed how breastfeeding had left her breasts uneven (picture with daughter, Harper)

'I wondered why I got a few stares at the pool that day. Awkward!,' she added.

Notoriously open about her life as a new mother, she has been known to spread awareness for issues faced by parents that weren't regularly spoken about.

A strong advocate for normalising such happenings, she added the hashtag '#normalisebreastfeeding' along with ''#mymilkshake #bringsallthebabiestotheyard.'

Struggle is real! In sharing the intimate photo, the mother hoped to normalise breastfeeding and the shortcomings that come with along with it

Many followers were quick to express their gratitude for the post, empathising with the mother through shared experiences.

'I love how real your posts are. Babies always have a favourite side. I remember when I eventually stopped breast feeding. The smaller went back to an a cup whilst the popular side engorged to a DD. what the hell. Definitely not a good look lol,' one fan wrote.

Showing she was able to see the funny side, Zoe added in laughing emoji over the photo, along with an image of a baby bottle.
Her Hollywood day job couldn't be further from answering the phones on the trading floor.

But Elizabeth Hurley looked right at home at the BGC Charity Day in London on Monday morning, as she raised money for Walking With The Wounded/Wounded Veterans Fund.

A sight for sore eyes in a fuchsia minidress, the ultra-glamorous 52-year-old could have stopped traffic with her appearance as she played up to the cameras with phones on both ears.

Scroll down for video

Tickled in pink: Liz Hurley seemed to be having a terrific time answering the phones at the BGC Charity Day on Monday morning

Kicked back with her legs crossed in strappy stilettos, the brunette did her best to blend in and got stuck in with the phonecalls.

But she made quite the contrast to suited and booted BGC partners in her tiny pink bodydress dress.

The extravagant, pussybow garment featured a feathered bust and a keyhole cutout on the collar with sequinned flowers decorating it.

Helping hand: The glamorous Hollywood star was representing Walking With The Wounded/Wounded Veterans Fund

To match her bright appearance, the Royals actress was in a giddy mood, laughing out loud as she surprised callers at the other end of the line.

She laughed and chatted in a playful manner while comedian Alan Carr spurred her on from the sidelines.

Actress Elizabeth is an ambassador for the Walking With The Wounded charity, which raises funds for and awareness of the issues faced by wounded ex-servicemen and women.

Raising the stakes: The glamorous brunette couldn't be missed in her fuchsia outfit

Leggy look: Glamorously turned out in strappy sandals, the actress put her legs on display

The moviestar is well known for her charitable work, the most notable of which include the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Oxfam and Macmillan Cancer Support - which is often the reason behind her fuchsia fashion choices.

The annual BGC charity day takes place on September 11 in conjunction with the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund.

It is held to remember 658 friends and colleagues of the company and the 61 Eurobrokers employees who were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001.

Right at home: The British star seemed to take to the role like a duck to water

Yes, you heard correctly: Liz laughed out loud as she spoke on the other end of the line

Hilarious: She seemed to find the situation particularly amusing

Margot Robbie and Jake Gyllenhaal are among the Hollywood stars who have lent their support to the annual fundraiser by answering phones.

Liz had her Hollywood pals in mind on Saturday when she paid tribute to former co-star and ex-boyfriend Hugh Grant.

Writing a birthday post to her 'best friend of 30 years', Elizabeth shared a throwback picture with the 52-year-old from their heyday.

'My best friend of 30 years': Elizabeth proved she and former boyfriend Hugh Grant were still on the best of terms on Saturday, as she wished him a happy birthday with a throwback snap on Instagram

Giddy: Giddy Liz looked perfectly coiffed for her busy morning on the phones

Hello, it's me, Liz: The stunner was gauging a reaction from the callers

Having a laugh: She was accompanied by comedian Alan Carr
She was booted from The Bachelor last week after an attempted kiss with Matty Johnson went horribly wrong.

And Elora Murger, 27 has taken to Instagram to break her silence about her tumultuous time in The Bachelor mansion, revealing her 'whole world has flipped upside down' since the elimination aired on television.

It comes after a well-placed insider told Daily Mail Australia Elora had 'a full meltdown' after her exit, burning memorabilia given to her by Matty.

'My whole world has flipped upside down': Bachelor reject Elora Murger speaks out about her elimination

Elora was booted from The Bachelor on Wednesday night's episode after attempting to kiss Matty during a cocktail party.

Taking to Instagram on Monday, the genetically-blessed beauty shared a cheeky selfie and revealed why she had been absent from social media.

'Sorry it's been a few days without posting, but my whole world has flipped upside down,' Elora wrote.

Emotional post: Taking to Instagram on Monday, the genetically-blessed beauty shared a cheeky selfie and revealed why she had been absent from social media

Thanking fans for their support, the self-described 'Tahitian goddess' said she was 'grateful I have been given a voice, and I will do my best to use it to inspire you into pursuing your wildest dreams'.

Acknowledging her journey hadn't ended in love as she hoped, Elora said the show had made her a 'stronger person'.

'Love did not happen to me, but I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason,' she concluded her post.

Using her celebrity for good: Elora said she was 'grateful I have been given a voice, and I will do my best to use it to inspire you into pursuing your wildest dreams'

'I'm going to focus on being kind to myself and others': Acknowledging her journey hadn't ended in love as she hoped, Elora said the show had made her a 'stronger person'

'So for now, I'm going to focus on being kind to myself and others, and to let life happen, until one day, I can write my Once Upon a Time story.'

Elora's heartfelt Instagram post comes after a well-placed insider told Daily Mail Australia she had a 'full meltdown' after being eliminated by Matty.

'She got the boot had a full meltdown. She even demanded Simone (Ormesher) fly up and keep her company for four days,' the source exclusively told Daily Mail Australia.

Wasn't happy: Elora's heartfelt Instagram post comes after a well-placed insider told Daily Mail Australia she had a 'full meltdown' after being eliminated by Matty

They added: 'She called Warner Bros, demanding that she had better get something out of this other then a broken heart.'

The insider also alleged that Elora sent out a Snapchat video filming herself burning the memorabilia she collected during her time in the mansion.

'Then she put all the roses she dried out, her date cards she saved and the selfies from their first date in a bin and set it on fire. She sent the video with the caption: 'F**k you Matty J'.
They are practically inseparable and are often seen walking the red carpet together.

And on Sunday Blac Chyna and best friend Amber Rose enjoyed some valuable bonding time as they were pictured taking selfies at the Day 'n' Night festival in Anaheim, California.

The former strippers showcased their voluminous curves, with Blac Chyna going braless in a tight white mini-dress.

Scroll down for video

Shapely: Blac Chyna going braless in a tight white mini-dress and wore her platinum tresses poker straight

The 29-year-old wore her platinum locks poker straight, opting for smokey eye make-up, generous lashings of mascara and a neutral lip tone.

She kept it casual with a pair of comfortable orange shoes and a matching box-shaped handbag.

Amber Rose, who was accompanied by boyfriend 21 Savage, flashed her abs in a hooded red tracksuit, which flaunted her sizeable cleavage.

The 33-year-old paired the ensemble with a pair of red and black sliders, shielding her eyes from the sun with a pair of large shades.

Strike a pose: Blac Chyna (left) and Amber Rose (right) looked in good spirits as they posed for selfies at the festival

Lady in red: Amber married rapper Wiz, 29, on July 8, 2013 and they separated in September the following year

The stars looked in good spirits as they posed for selfies at the festival.

Atlanta rapper 21 Savage went shirtless in a pair of chequered pair of dungarees, showing off his gym-honed arms.

Amber has been in a relationship with the rapper, whose real name is Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, since July.

The curvy video star and TV host has already told TMZ that she wants to tie the knot with the 24-year-old, despite their seven-year age gap.

Best friends: The former strippers showcased their voluminous curves in figure-hugging outfits

'I want to marry him,' she declared when the website caught up with her at LAX earlier this month.

Amber's new romance is doubtless helping keep her mind off her legal battle with ex-husband Wiz Khalifa's mother.

She has lawyered up after being sued for defamation by Katie Wimbush-Polk, who claims Amber accused her of being an unfit grandmother.

Showing off her figure: Chyna, meanwhile - born Angela Renee White - has been linked to rapper Mechie since July

Swinging: She uploaded a sultry-looking swing shot in the same outfit to her Instagram

Amber married rapper Wiz, 29, on July 8, 2013 and they separated in September the following year.

In 2016 they agreed to share custody of their son, Sebastian, four, after a nasty court battle.

Chyna, meanwhile - born Angela Renee White - has been linked to rapper Mechie since July, when he was revealed to be the man in a steamy video shared by Chyna's ex fiance Rob Kardashian, 30 during his revenge porn tirade.

Curvaceous: Amber Rose has been in a relationship with 21 Savage, whose real name is Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, since July

Bold and bright: Amber's new romance is doubtless helping keep her mind off her legal battle with ex-husband Wiz Khalifa's mother

Act natural: Blac posed for her Instagram followers

They've been spotted together a few times since then, including at a music festival in San Bernadino on August 26, as well as in Los Angeles on August 28 and 29.

The star has been moving on from the revenge porn drama and ensuing custody battle with ex Rob, who is the father of her daughter Dream, 10 months.

Chyna wound up getting a temporary restraining order against Rob, which his lawyer Robert Shapiro - infamous for having been part of O.J. Simpson's legal team alongside Rob's father - didn't oppose, according to TMZ.

Chyna is also mother to King Cairo, four, with ex-boyfriend Tyga, 27, who went on to have his own on-off relationship with Kylie Jenner, 20 - Rob's half sister.
She's the former Victoria's Secret model known as one of Australia's most successful fashion exports.

And on Sunday, after taking the Philipp Plein runway by storm, Shanina Shaik couldn't wipe the smile of her face as she left the venue alongside fiance Gregory 'DJ Ruckus' Andrews, 33.

Sporing a dramatic all-black leather ensemble, the 26-year-old walked hand-in-hand with her hunky beau.

All smiles! On Sunday, after taking the Philipp Plein runway by storm, Shanina Shaik couldn't wipe the smile of her face as she left the venue alongside fiance Gregory 'DJ Ruckus' Andrews, 33

Wearing a zipped up biker jacket, Shanina showcased her lean legs in chic skinny BLANKNYC vegan leather skinny pants.

Completing her look, the model sported her $975.00 Aquazurro heels she wore the night before at the Harper's Bazaar Icon's Gala and accessorised with a designer bag.

After donning an intense makeup look for the show, Shanina walked out fresh faced letting her natural radiant skin shine through.

Stunner: Wearing a zipped up biker jacket, Shanina showcased her lean legs in figure hugging detailed pants

Fashion forward: Sporting a plain t-shirt and casual jeans, the musician accessorised with rings and gold chains around his neck

Also not fazed by the cameras, DJ Ruckus was all smiles.

Sporting a plain t-shirt and casual jeans, the musician accessorised with rings and gold chains around his neck.

Holding his jacket with one hand, the other was seen interlocking with his partner.

Stunner: Earlier in the day she took the NYFW Philipp Plein runway by storm

The high-profile pair who spent last week together at the Burning Man music festival have continued to keep mum on the date of their upcoming nuptials ceremony.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia earlier in the year, Shanina did however reveal the location wouldn't be down-under but still on a beach.

'Ruckus and I plan to get married on a beach. Growing up in Australia, all Aussie's love a beach so we'd love to see that happen,' she said.

The pair became engaged after Shanina accepted the DJ's proposal in January last year.
Advertisement

She's used to the pressure of a holding a blockbuster film on her shoulders with roles in Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.

And now Keira Knightely, 32, has swapped the stress of a movie set for the office for the BGC Charity Day in London on Monday morning alongside national treasure Mary Berry, 82.

The cinematic beauty took the day in her stride as she showcased her personal style in a striking floral midi dress while manning the phones all in the name of charity.

Scroll down for video

All for a good cause: Keira Knightely (L), 32, has swapped the stress of a movie set for the office for the BGC Charity Day in London on Monday morning alongside national treasure Mary Berry, 82

Her full-length maxi dress featured charming silk cuff detail and matching collar which added a whimsical edge to her designer ensemble.

Keira's chic look skimmed her leafy figure with aplomb while she added inches to her petite frame with a pair of suede wedge platform heels that featured studded detailing.

Looking effortlessly stylish, the Anna Karenina actress - who is mother to daughter Edie with husband James Righton - left her glossy brown tresses loose in a straight style while working a soft smokey eye for the occasion.

Style muse Keira sartorial display is unsurprising as she was first unveiled as the face of Coco Mademoiselle in 2007, taking over the role from Kate Moss.

She has since starred in campaigns for other Chanel lines, including fine jewellery collection Coco Crush and lipstick range Rouge Coco.

For a good cause: Keira was representing the SMA Trust at the fundraising event, where she was joined by a host of stars

Hanging on the telephone: The cinematic beauty took the day in her stride as she showcased her personal style in a striking floral midi dress while manning the phones all in the name of charity

Star attraction: Kiera led a host of stars at the fundraising event in the capital's Canary Wharf

Getting chic done: Her full-length maxi dress featured charming silk cuff detail and matching collar which added a whimsical edge to her designer ensemble

Centre stage: As always the British actress commanded attention as she took to the phones

Two phones are better than one: Kiera held a receiver to each ear as she posed for photos

Having fun: Looking effortlessly stylish, the Anna Karenina actress - who is mother to daughter Edie with husband James Righton - left her glossy brown tresses loose in a straight style while working a soft smokey eye for the occasion

Back to it: Earlier this year, Keira reprised her role as Elizabeth Swann in the new Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Cinematic: The Chanel darling returned to the famous series after ten years, having skipped its fourth installment On Stranger Tides in 2011

All smiles: Keira was first rumoured to be returning to the series back in December, but producers have remained quiet about her cameo until the trailer was released earlier this year

Earlier this year, Keira reprised her role as Elizabeth Swann in the new Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

The Chanel darling returned to the famous series after ten years, having skipped its fourth installment On Stranger Tides in 2011. Keira was first rumoured to be returning to the series back in December, but producers have remained quiet about her cameo until the trailer was released earlier this year.

Just before Christmas it was reported the actress had filmed scenes for the flick on Queensland's Gold Coast, Australia, in secret.

TooFab went on to claim her role was simply a 'small cameo during the end credits' - however it is thought to be a vehicle for her more significant lead in the series' already-confirmed sixth chapter.

Check her out: Ellie Goulding, 30, donned a check Stella McCartney dress for the morning which accentuated her ample assets

Starry-eyed: The thigh-skimming look showcased her slender pins to perfection while she took a call for her chosen charity Centrepoint

Sock it off: The beauty added inches to her diminutive frame in a pair of suede sock boots

Perfect pair! Ellie posed for a photo with Davina McCall, 49, during the 13th annual BGC charity day

After filming Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End, the actress was adamant she wouldn't be reprising her role as the proper young lady turned swashbuckling pirate.

Speaking in 2014, she confessed: 'No, I dont think so. It was an amazing point in my life, but it was a good five year chunk. I cant really imagine going back to it.'

The film follows a string of hit projects for Keira, who took some time away from acting in recent weeks after welcoming her daughter Edie.

She finished shooting new post WWII drama The Aftermath in the Czech Republic at the start of this year, before going on to star in the Comic Relief special of iconic rom-com Love Actually.

The star only made two films across 2015 and 2016 - in light of giving birth to her now 22-month-old Edie, with Klaxons frontman husband James Righton.

Otherwise engaged: The Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry was in high spirits at the event on Monday

Fundraiser: While celebrated cook Mary donned a vibrant aqua blue blazer for the charity day which commemorates the 658 employees and 61 Eurobroker employees of BGC who were lost in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11

Dressed to impress: Teaming her look with statement necklace, she wore a black knit under her jacket while she raised funds for Child Bereavement UK

Raising some dough: The TV personality beamed as she chatted to members of the public during the charity event

Quirky boots: Cheryl was commanding attention again as she put on a quirky sartorial display at the star-studded BGC Charity Day in London on Monday afternoon

Hello: The 34-year-old singer, who welcomed baby Bear in March, showed off her trim post-baby body in a graphic print tee teamed with bizarre thigh-high checked stiletto boots

It's a deal: Looking glowing and radiant, the pop princess wore her glossy chestnut locks loose and flowing over her shoulders

Glowing: She cinched in her shirt with a Gucci belt, which has certainly done the rounds as boyfriend Liam Payne was also seen wearing the expensive accessory last week

Pin-credible: Penny Lancaster - who was representing Caudwell Children's charity - showcased her enviable pins in a black dress

All in her stride: The Loose Women panellist smiled as she took her charitable trade in her stride

Stopping off: Holly Willoughby represented Together4ShortLives as she stopped by the event following This Morning

Suit you: The ITV darling donned a pair of FCUK trousers and a shirt by Warehouse

Golden gal: Holly's blonde locks cascaded down her shoulders in a soft wave during her time at Canary Wharf

Sitting pretty: The This Morning presenter showed off her naturally pretty features at the event on Monday

Getting involved: Holly's closes pal Fearne Cotton (L) was joined by Davina McCall (R)

All set: Actress Jorgie Porter wore a bardot striped mini dress for the outing

Scrummy: Rugby player Danny Cipriani represented Oasis at the event on Monday afternoon

A family affair: Gabby Logan was joined by rugby player husband Kenny

Gabby on line one: The sports presenter was representing Sparks

While celebrated cook Mary Berry donned a vibrant aqua blue blazer for the charity day which commemorates the 658 employees and 61 Eurobroker employees of BGC who were lost in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11 in 2001.

Teaming her look with statement necklace, she wore a black knit under her jacket while she raised funds for Child Bereavement UK.

Elsewhere, Elizabeth Hurley looked right at home at the fundraiser as she raised money for Walking With The Wounded/Wounded Veterans Fund.

A sight for sore eyes in a fuchsia minidress, the ultra-glamorous 52-year-old could have stopped traffic with her appearance as she played up to the cameras with phones on both ears.

Kicked back with her legs crossed in strappy stilettos, the brunette did her best to blend in and got stuck in with the phonecalls.

Side by side: Lorraine Kelly (L) and Sadie Frost (R) represented Centrepoint

Pals: Fearne and Davina embraced after joining an array of celebrities at the event on Monday

Liz on the line: Elizabeth Hurley threw herself into the job at hand

Leggy look: Glamorously turned out in strappy sandals, the actress put her legs on display

Raising the stakes: The glamorous brunette couldn't be missed in her fuchsia outfit

A show of support: Elizabeth was supporting Walking With The Wounded and the Wounded Veterans Fund at the event

But she made quite the contrast to suited and booted BGC partners in her tiny pink bodydress dress. The extravagant, pussybow garment featured a feathered bust and a keyhole cutout on the collar with sequinned flowers decorating it.

To match her bright appearance, the Royals actress was in a giddy mood, laughing out loud as she surprised callers at the other end of the line.

She laughed and chatted in a playful manner while comedian Alan Carr spurred her on from the sidelines.

Actress Elizabeth is an ambassador for the Walking With The Wounded charity, which raises funds for and awareness of the issues faced by wounded ex-servicemen and women.

The moviestar is well known for her charitable work, the most notable of which include the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Oxfam and Macmillan Cancer Support - which is often the reason behind her fuchsia fashion choices.

Comedy gold: Alan Carr joined the actress in supporting the charity on Monday

Right at home: The British star seemed to take to the role like a duck to water

Having a laugh: She was accompanied by comedian Alan Carr

Yes, you heard correctly: Liz laughed out loud as she spoke on the other end of the line

Head in hands: Giggling Liz was not your average office worker

Don't mind me: The glamorous star was hard to miss on Monday afternoon

Stopping by: Hollywood star Danny DeVito, 72, stopped by the worthwhile event

The annual BGC charity day takes place on September 11 in conjunction with the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund.

It is held to remember 658 friends and colleagues of the company and the 61 Eurobrokers employees who were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001.

Margot Robbie and Jake Gyllenhaal are among the Hollywood stars who have lent their support to the annual fundraiser by answering phones.

Liz had her Hollywood pals in mind on Saturday when she paid tribute to former co-star and ex-boyfriend Hugh Grant.

Writing a birthday post to her 'best friend of 30 years', Elizabeth shared a throwback picture with the 52-year-old from their heyday.

The Saturdays Frankie Bridge, 28, and her husband Wayne, 37, joined the stream of celebrities for worthwhile day, showcasing her newly-dyed pixie crop, who debuted her tresses late last month.

Main man: Danny was supporting the SMA Trust on Monday

Hello handsome: Damien Lewis attracted plenty of attention as he took to the phones on behalf of Sohana

Casual: The actor sported a black leather jacket and loose fitting shirt at the Canary Wharf event on Monday

Mane attraction: The Saturdays Frankie Bridge and her husband Wayne joined the stream of celebrities for worthwhile day, showcasing her newly-dyed pixie crop

Feeling charitable: The pair appeared in jovial spirits as they raised funds for the Lily Foundation

Hair-raising: The new look is quite the revamp from her usual brunette pixie cut. She previously grew out her locks to a shoulder length tousled bobs, a dramatic change from her girlband days of brown hair extensions

Let's do this: Frankie was representing The Lily Foundation with husband Wayne

The new look is quite the revamp from her usual brunette pixie cut. She previously grew out her locks to a shoulder length tousled bobs, a dramatic change from her girlband days of brown hair extensions.

Prior to rocketing to fame in 2007 as one fifth of The Saturdays, Frankie got her first hint of fame in S Club Juniors from 2001 to 2005.

Frankie's appearance comes after she and her footballer husband spoke openly about their struggles to keep the spark alive in the bedroom on the Channel 4 show Married to a Celebrity.

She blamed her husband's inability to read her cues on the show, complaining that he has a habit of trying to initiate sex at the wrong time.

Getting involved: Wayne's former Chelsea teammate Didier Drogba called in on behalf of his own foundation

Main man: Didier Drogba posed for a photo during the 13th BGC Annual Charity Day at Canary Wharf in London, in commemoration of the 658 employees and 61 Eurobroker employees of BGC who were lost in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11

Frank: Frankie's appearance comes after she and her footballer husband spoke openly about their struggles to keep the spark alive in the bedroom on the Channel 4 show Married to a Celebrity

Havign fun: She blamed her husband's inability to read her cues on the show, complaining that he has a habit of trying to initiate sex at the wrong time

Honest: But ex-footballer Wayne insists that whenever he attempts to be spontaneous between the sheets, Frankie always has an excuse

Far from pawful: Frankie posed alongside Fearne Cotton - who was at the event to raise much-needed funds for breast cancer charity CoppaFeel - and an adorable pug

What a pair! Frankie (L) was joined by Melanie Sykes - who was fundraising for Together4ShortLives at the financial centre

Happy couple: Wayne and Frankie were in good spirits as they manned the phones

But ex-footballer Wayne insists that whenever he attempts to be spontaneous between the sheets, Frankie always has an excuse.

Wayne, who took part in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here 2016, admitted while appearing on the reality show that the pair struggled to have sex because their children, Carter and Parker, took up so much of their time.

But Frankie told the Channel 4 cameras: 'Every relationship will have this same issue. Everyone is tired.'

The former pop star added that remarks like 'I have a headache', or 'babe, I am particularly tired tonight' had a tendency to go 'straight in one ear and out of the other.. and [then he thinks] "oh, it's a really good time to put the moves on" at like two in the morning'.

Packing a punch: Former boxer Chris Eubank represented Children with Cancer at the fundraising event

Radiant: Pregnant Katie Piper, 33, looked radiant in a scarlet red dress from her maternity collection with Want That Trend which she teamed with a pair of butterfly detailed heels

Camera ready: The activist (L) was joined at the event by CBB winner and Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding

Relaxed: Sarah, 35, appeared at ease as she placed her boots on the desk while taking calls

Asked why he chose not to inform his wife of his intentions sooner, Wayne replies that he 'wasn't horny' then.

A good-natured Wayne then suggested that they pre-arrange a time for intercourse, but an unimpressed Frankie shoots him down. 'I don't like booking it in. I like a bit of spontaneity,' she explains.

'You like spontaneity but you moan about it when Im doing it,' he retorted. His wife fired back: 'I still want a bit of romance, but just not when I have a headache.'

'You do have a lot of headaches' he agreed, but the pair are all smiles as they chat on screen.

Also on hand to help raise funds was Hollywood actor Danny DeVito, pregnant Katie Piper, CBB winner and Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding and TV presenter Melanie Sykes.

Royal seal of approval: The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson was also keen to help out at the event

Call on me: Sarah looked jubilant after chatting to one member of the public on Monday

Pointing it out: The Royal appeared to be momentarily distracted by something on the office

One is most honoured: Sophie, Countess of Wessex also got involved at the event

Happy: The stunning TV host smiled as her photo was taken while making a successful trade

Red Devil: : Sir Alex Ferguson represented Muscular Dystrophy at the event

It must be Karma (Chameleon): Old friends Debbie Harry and Boy George attended the Vin + Omi fashion Show on behalf of the charitable event

In attendance: (L-R) Jasmine Guinness, Ella Willis and Nina Nesbit were also present on Monday afternoon
They celebrated their second wedding anniversary in May, after three blissful years together.

But it seems the spark is very much alive for Geri Horner, 45, and husband Christian, 43, after they were pictured sharing a romantic kiss in Hyde Park in London on Sunday.

The duo were taking in The Last Night Of The Proms with patriotic British flags in one hand and camera phones poised in the other for selfies.

Scroll down for video

Stealing a kiss: Geri Horner shared a kiss with husband Christian on Sunday as they took in The Last Night Of The Proms in London's Hyde Park

The videos later appeared on Instagram with Geri enthusing: 'Proud to be British! Amazing atmosphere - who thought flag waving could be so much fun.'

They were dressed in complementary jackets as they stood on the balcony overlooking the hoards of crowds.

It is a rare couple's night out for the pair, who welcomed their first child together in 2016.

Happy memories: With a flag in one hand, the beauty took pictures of the couple that later appeared on Instagram

Having a laugh: While her husband sang and chatted, Geri was glued to her phone

Geri, who became a second-time mum at 44, revealed last month that there is 'room for more' when it comes to children in the Horner household.

'He's our gift,' she told HELLO! of eight-month-old son Monty. 'He really is the sweetest, most affectionate baby - such a cuddler.

'And I totally understand now that protective thing mums have with their sons; that deep-rooted feeling of "That's my boy".'

Proud to be British: Captioning a video for Instagram after the event, Geri said she felt 'proud to be British'

Among friends: The duo were surrounded by friends from their vantage point

On having more children, the Spice Girl added: 'If that happened that would be great. But either way is okay. We've got our hands pretty full and we're very grateful for what we have. It is so lovely to have this little person who is half each of us.'

Geri has an 11-year-old daughter Bluebell with her ex Sacha Gervasi while Christian is father to three-year-old daughter Olivia by former partner Beverley Allen.

The former Spice Girl and the Formula 1 boss went public with their relationship when his first child was six months old.

Having fun: It was a rare night out for the couple, who welcomed their first child eight months ago

Happy together: They have now been together for three years and married in 2015

Reasons to celebrate: They marked their second wedding anniversary in May

Geri took her pre-teen daughter on national TV two weeks ago for a baking segment on This Morning.

Brimming with confidence and impressive baking skills, Bluebell won a legion of fans who clamoured for her to be given her own cookery show.

During a phone in on social media and monitoring children, Geri revealed daughter Bluebell is still not allowed on social media.

'Ive got an 11-year-old daughter and shes been campaigning all this year to be on social media. Shes the only one in her class who doesnt have a mobile phone,' she said.

The star admitted she wanted her daughter to enjoy other hobbies instead of being glued to her phone.

Giddy: The spark didn't seem to have gone out for Geri and Christian

Snapping away: Between them, the couple now have three children
The Migration Policy Institutes National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy has put together a framework to evaluate states Every Student Succeeds Act plans to determine if they meet the laws requirements for English-language-learner students.

Outlining 33 key questions, the brief guides readers through sections in state plans that should address English-learner accountability and offers guidance on how to evaluate the effectiveness of policies that states plan to adopt.

As the report authors write, ESSA requires states to provide a much clearer picture to the public on how English-learners are doing in schools, including keeping a closer eye on their English-proficiency progress and academic achievement. But there is already friction in some states over that mandate.

My colleague Daarel Burnette II took a look at the debate in Florida between English-learner advocates and the state education department , which is seeking a waiver from portions of the federal law.

Florida doesnt want to judge schools based on how well English-learners perform on language-proficiency exams and also wants to avoid giving proficiency exams in students native languages as ESSA requires because, it says, the state constitution declares English as Floridas official language.

ELL educators in Florida, which has more than 275,000 English-learner students , praised ESSA when Congress passed the law in December 2015, but the devil is in the details.

Advocates argue that the waiver, if granted, could weaken the laws accountability measures for ELLs, wiping out the potential benefit for those students. Despite the concerns, state education department leaders insist that they intend to follow the spirit of the law.

Heres a look at the Migration Policy Institute report .

Further Reading

More Testing is Forecast for Nations ELL Students

ESSA: Ed. Dept. Release English-Language-Learner Guidance

Florida to Seek Waiver From Key ESSA Provisions

Civil Rights Groups Mobilize to Block Floridas ESSA Waiver Request
He marked his 87th birthday two weeks ago - but Sean Connery still seemed determined to keep active on Monday morning.

Now relying on the help of a full-time caregiver, the James Bond superstar was moving slowly and walking with a cane in his right hand.

The legendary moviestar was only just visible beneath a hat as he towered over his helpful companion.

Keeping active: Sean Connery was sported on a walk with his caregiver on Monday morning in Manhattan

Where his hair was once raven and his suits slick black, Sean displayed a silver beard and matching off-white attire.

Before June, the retired actor was rarely seen but he put in a surprise appearance at the US Open in August.

It's here that Sean is said to have suffered a fall but he is believed to have been unhurt, save for a bruise on his face.

Guiding hand: He was guided by an aide but also walked with a stick

Who's that guy: Now with silver hair and comfortable clothes, the 007 style was far from his iconic image

Well remembered: The actor was the original James Bond and the first to take on the titular film role

'The bruise was from a fall,' a representative explained to the Daily Express in August. 'He is absolutely fine.'

Later that week, Sean visited a New York massage center and has been seen most days taking a walk in New York.

Sean is best known as the original James Bond, first on the titular book character role in Dr. No in the Sixties.

Comfortable: He took a stroll in comfortable shoes but needed his cane to steady himself

Helping hand: It's not the first time the actor had been seen with his caregiver

He starred in seven more Bond films between 1962 and 1983 with the last being Never Say Never Again.

The 007 community lost one of its legends in May with the passing of Sir Roger Moore.

Following his death, Sean paid tribute by saying that their friendship off the screen had been 'filled with jokes and laughter.'

He told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I was very sad to hear of Roger's passing. We had an unusually long relationship by Hollywood standards... I will miss him.'
She welcomed her first child into the world with husband Dane Rumble, 35, back in July.

And on Monday, Nikki Phillips marked two months since the birth of her baby boy Jett Phillips Rumble.

Taking to Instagram, the 33-year-old gushed over her little bundle of joy in a heartwarming snap.

Scroll down for video

Celebration: On Monday, Nikki Phillips marked two months since the birth of her baby boy Jett Phillips Rumble

'Can't imagine my world without you in it!' she captioned the sweet post.

'Today my little man is 2 months old. 2 months of just staring at his little face.'

Wearing an oversized red Balenciaga sweater and blue skinny jeans, Nikki gazed down into her son's eyes.

Precious: 'Today my little man is 2 months old. 2 months of just staring at his little face'

Miracle baby: But it hasn't all been smooth sailing for the New-Zealand born model and TV presenter who experienced three heartbreaking miscarriages before Jett's birth

With her hair worn loosely and sporting flawless makeup, Nikki tenderly cradled Jet.

But it hasn't all been smooth sailing for the New-Zealand born model and TV presenter who experienced three heartbreaking miscarriages before Jett's birth.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph last month, Nikki, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer a decade ago, said her pregnancy was filled with fear.

Worried: Speaking to the Daily Telegraph last month, Nikki who was also diagnosed with cervical cancer a decade ago said her pregnancy was filled with fear

New responsibilities: 'The moment he came out and I put him on my chest, you have this little life on top of you'

'The moment he came out and I put him on my chest, you have this little life on top of you,' she said.

'The fear and worry doesn't go anywhere because now you have this amazing little human being and how do you look after him.'

But her worry hasn't stopped her from wanting to expand her family.

'It is something we are already talking about,' she told the publication.
They've been working together on-screen ever since their children's TV days, 20 years ago.

But Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton, both 36, never thought they'd be working the trading floor together, as they were in London on Monday.

The bubbly TV blondes and long-term BFFs were among the big names lending star power to the 13th BGC Annual Charity Day at Canary Wharf by answering calls.

Scroll down for video

Leggy look: Holly Willoughby showed off her slim figure as she joined stars at the 13th BGC Annual Charity Day at Canary Wharf in London

Holly was showcasing her newly-slim figure in skinny-fit trousers from high street fashion giant, French Connection.

She elongated her slim legs with pointed heels and kicked them up as she provocatively perched on the edge of a desk, answering calls.

Still wearing the same chic floral shirt from breakfast TV, Holly had dashed straight across from the ITV Studios where she had been filming This Morning.

Raising money: Fearne Cotton was there to support CoppaFeel and even sported the T-shirt

Answering phones: The bubbly blonde manned the phones in honour of the anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks

Doing her thing: She looked chic in a floral blouse, paired with blue trousers

The annual BGC charity day takes place on September 11 in conjunction with the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund.

It is held commemoration of 658 friends and colleagues of the company and the 61 Eurobrokers employees who were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001.

Fearne wore her support on T-shirt, indicating that she was at BGC to raise funds for CoppaFeel.

Stunning: Holly had rushed straight over from the ITV Studios after filming for This Morning

BFF: Holly and presenter Fearne have been firm friends ever since working on children's TV together

The radio and TV presenter has been a patron for the charity, which encourages women to check their breast in order to stamp out the late detection of breast cancer, since 2011.

She wore her special charity top with characteristically kooky red trousers which cut off with a frayed edge to meet chunky ankle boots.

Holly and Fearne have known each other since they were 19 years old when they were both emerging presenters.

Helping hand: The duo probably never thought that they'd work the trading floor together

At the time, Fearne was known for her work on Diggit from CITV and CBBC shows Smile and Fingertips, having started work on TV at the age of 15.

Holly was similarly working in children's TV, appearing on CITV on S Club TV and CBBC on X-perimental and CBBC at the Fame Academy.

Having forged a strong friendship, the duo have gone onto work together on ITV2's Celebrity Juice.

Five minutes with Holly: Callers would have been surprised to hear from Holly

Presenter pals: Fearne put on a playful display with fellow TV star Davina McCall
She's the star of popular Channel Seven dramedy 800 words.

And, given the show films in New Zealand, Melina Vidler has revealed she considers the Land Of The Long White Cloud her second home.

Speaking to Confidential on Tuesday, the 24-year-old, who plays Shay Turner on the show, admitted that she knows that it's time to return to Australia when she starts to lose her 'bogan' Queensland accent.

Dual citizen? With the popular dramedy 800 words filming in New Zealand, star Melina Vidler revealed she considers the country her second home admitting it's time to come home when she starts to lose her bogan accent

'Coming from Queensland I have an Aussie bogan voice, so that's how I know I've spent too much time there when I speak with an accent,' she said.

The publication reported that Melina spends seven months of the year filming the popular series in New Zealand and she admitted that she has become well acquainted with her adopted home of Auckland.

'I do feel like a local,' she said. 'I know the streets, I don't need GPS. I even have my markets I go to every weekend.'

True Blue: 'Coming from Queensland I have an Aussie bogan voice, so that's how I know I've spent too much time there when I speak with an accent,' she told Confidential. Melina is pictured with co-star Benson Jack Anthony

Best of both worlds: 'I do feel like a local,' she said. 'I know the streets, I don't need GPS. I even have my markets I go to every weekend.'

She added that she currently straddles two separate worlds - revealing that she does her best to ensure one doesn't interfere with the other.

'I live in two different worlds,' Melina said. 'There is my NZ world and NZ family and when I come over here I have friends who I've known for 10 years - those worlds can't cross.'

Speaking to the publication in 2016, Melina admitted that she doesn't like talking about her role on the show off-set for fear that she might divulge spoilers.

'You wont over hear me in a coffee shop talking about the storylines,' she said.

'I dont talk to anyone about it unless it is the cast or crew on set, then youd get some juicy stories.'
Mohamed Hadid sure is into his young fiancee.

The multi-millionaire father of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid was seen planting a passionate kiss on Shiva Safai, 35, as they left Japanese restaurant Nobu in Malibu on Sunday evening.

The silver fox wrapped both arms around the pretty young lady as he smooched her repeatedly by the valet stand of the oceanfront hot spot where the Kardashian family often dines.

Close: Mohamed Hadid and Shiva Safai were spotted cuddling up as they exited dinner at beachside hotspot, Nobu, on Sunday

May/December is OK for them: She is only 35 and he is 68, but they don't seem to mind

The Beverly Hills resident looked Euro-dapper in his ivory leather motorcycle over a white T-shirt and skinny jeans with fresh-out-of-the-box white sneakers.

The good friend of Lisa Vanderpump, who has often appeared on The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, wore his long grey locks down and had on his prescription glasses.

His fiance looked fetching in her dark grey leather pants and maroon pumps.

Haute guy: The Beverly Hills resident looked Euro-dapper in his ivory leather motorcycle over a white T-shirt and skinny jeans with fresh-out-of-the-box white sneakers

More girls: There were two other females with them: a tall blonde woman in a black minidress with strappy heels as well as a brunette in cage heels with studs

The beauty also had on a light grey sweater and a maroon purse that matched her shoes.

Her face could not be seen, but her lush locks were on full display as they cascaded down her back in soft waves.

There were two other females with them: a tall blonde woman in a black minidress with strappy heels as well as a brunette in cage heels with studs.

The two were last seen on a yacht in St Tropez in August.

Home: The father of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid learned this summer he would avoid jail time for the illegal construction of his 30,000 sq ft mansion in Bel Air, on July 20

His sentence: His neighbors were bitter when they learned the billionaire would be fined $3,000, pay $14,191 in fees and serve 200 hours of community service

Hadid spent the day with Safai, who he has been engaged to since 2014, and other friends, including French DJ Cedric Gervais and his model girlfriend Sandra Kubicka.

The developer was spotted leaning over a rail watching his younger friends paddle-board and splash around in the water.

The reality TV star on E!'s Second Wives Club later shared a photo of herself with her 645,000 Instagram followers and wrote: 'Summer state of mind'.

Hadid followed his fiancee's suit and uploaded a stoic photo of himself on the yacht and captioned it: 'Wind blown'.

His family: His ex Yolanda Hadid was with Bella and Gigi in NYC for the Prabal Gurung Spring/Summer 2018 Runway Show during New York Fashion Week

He learned this summer he would avoid jail time for the illegal construction of his 30,000 sq ft mansion in Bel Air, on July 20.

His neighbors were bitter when they learned the billionaire would be fined $3,000, pay $14,191 in fees and serve 200 hours of community service.

'He's a criminal and he should have gone to jail, blasted Hadid's neighbor Nicole Behrstock, 81, to DailyMail.com. 'And he should be forced to knock down that monstrosity.'

Top of the supermodels: Bella, left, and Gigi, right, are the highlights of the week

However, the mogul could still go to jail if he fails to reduce the size, complete the house and bring it up to code. Judge Eric Harmon gave him three years to comply.

Hadid was often a no-show during his court appearances at Los Angeles Superior Court in Van Nuys where, on May 30, he pleaded 'no contest' to three charges of criminally violating building regulations and ignoring orders to stop construction while building the 30,000-square-foot luxury home in Bel Air.

Because it is so huge, the house has been dubbed 'Starship Enterprise' by neighbors who claim that the illegal over-building at the site could cause landslides that could destroy their nearby homes.

Neighbors left the hearing feeling let down and expressing feeling ranging from outrage to disappointment.

Here they are: Gigi, left, and Bella, right, on the catwalk for Prabal Gurung

'Hadid is a career criminal,' added Nicole Behrstock. 'And the judge is letting him get away with his criminal activities. Why has he been allowed to break the law, ignore orders from the city over and over again.

'My daughter bought a house 18 years ago and six months ago a city inspector came by, told her one of her bathrooms wasn't up to code and had to be demolished.

'And like a good citizen who obey the law, she demolished her bathroom.

'This guy Hadid thinks the law doesn't apply to him. This is a slap on the wrist. In fact it's not even that. It's nothing. It's nothing to him, just another delay, just like all his other delays over the past three years. It's going to drag on and on and on.

She loves her lingerie: Here Bella is seen in red lingerie for a Snapchat video

What happened in court today is telling other developers, "You can do what you like and get away with it."'

Neighbors watched with increasing alarm as the massive house grew bigger and bigger. By 2014, the house was 9,000 square feet bigger - and 31 feet taller - than regulations allowed, they protested. And a 70-seat IMAX movie theater, plus two huge decks included on the property, were also illegal, they insisted.

But Hadid - hoping to sell the giant mansion for $50million plus - continued to build, despite orders from Los Angeles City Council to stop, and in December 2015, in an almost-unprecedented move, the city decided to prosecute him criminally.

Hadid has vowed that he won't tear down the massive house. 'Demolish this house? Never!' he told Town and Country. 'This house will last forever. Bel Air will fall before this will.'
She has been recovering after her split from boyfriend of one year Elon Musk last month.

And Amber Heard showed she was feeling chipper, and very confident, as she posted a jaw-dropping photo from her sun-soaked Bali break to her Instagram on Monday.

The 31-year-old actress stripped down to just a tiny pair of bikini bottoms as she emerged from a crystalline pool, flashing her perfectly peachy posterior in the process.

Scroll down for video

Cheeky: Amber Heard showed she was feeling chipper, and very confident, as she posted a jaw-dropping photo from her sun-soaked Bali break to her Instagram on Monday

The Rum Diaries star also revealed her tiny waist and her two back tattoos.

One of the tattoos is a Spanish inking that translates as: 'I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul,' while the other is a Sanskrit inking.

Flashing a relaxed smile in the photo, the star wore a light dusting of make-up to bring out her pretty features, including fluttery lashes.

She accessorised with a stylish cream panama hat with a navy ribbon.

Glam: The 31-year-old actress stripped down to just a tiny pair of bikini bottoms as she emerged from a crystalline pool, flashing her perfectly peachy posterior in the process

Toned: Amber is currently winding down after wrapping filming in Australia on Aquaman, which is slated for release in 2018

Amber is currently winding down after wrapping filming in Australia on Aquaman, which is slated for release in 2018.

The star has clearly got her sparkle back after splitting from the billionaire businessman 46,with the pair blaming 'distance' on the demise of their long-term relationship,

In a joint statement, released to People, the former couple said: 'The distance has been really tough on our relationship, because we havent been able to see each other much. All relationships have their ups and downs, of course.

It's over:The star has clearly got her sparkle back after splitting from the billionaire businessman 46,with the pair blaming 'distance' on the demise of their long-term relationship

'People occasionally send out speculation, which has no basis in fact, without our knowledge, believing that that they have our best interests in mind. Sometimes, other agendas are at work. It can get a little weird

'However, we would like to state directly that we have the utmost respect for one another, and it would be troubling if anyone had the impression that we thought otherwise.'

The tech entrepreneur is based in Los Angeles, California, while Amber is based in Sydney, Australia, meaning the former couple have been forced to endure a long-distance relationship for the duration of their romance.

The joint statement concluded: 'As a closing note, it is worth bearing in mind that events are always amplified and dramatized in a high profile relationship, whether the people involved like it or not (and we definitely dont).

Amber and Elon's joint statement in full 'The distance has been really tough on our relationship, because we havent been able to see each other much. All relationships have their ups and downs, of course. 'People occasionally send out speculation, which has no basis in fact, without our knowledge, believing that that they have our best interests in mind. Sometimes, other agendas are at work. It can get a little weird 'However, we would like to state directly that we have the utmost respect for one another, and it would be troubling if anyone had the impression that we thought otherwise. 'As a closing note, it is worth bearing in mind that events are always amplified and dramatized in a high profile relationship, whether the people involved like it or not (and we definitely dont). 'The reality is that this is just a normal relationship with a giant magnifying glass applied.' Advertisement

Opening up: The actress, 31, broke her silence on her split from billionaire businessman boyfriend, 46, this week, confirming the former couple 'care deeply for one another'

'The reality is that this is just a normal relationship with a giant magnifying glass applied.'

Amber broke her silence on her split from the businessman earlier this week, confirming the couple 'remain close' and 'care deeply for one another' after parting ways.

The actress - formerly married to actor Johnny Depp, 54 - thanked fans via her Instagram page for their 'support, respect and privacy during a difficult time'.

Amber's words come just hours after the Telsa CEO, 46, confirmed the couple's split, but hinted a reconciliation could be on the cards in the future.

Speaking out: Amber thanked fans via her Instagram page for their 'support, respect and privacy during a difficult time'

Writing on her Instagram page, Amber said: 'Being in the public eye means having to explain yourself to so many people, so much of the time. In this case, I'd like to remain more quiet.

'Although we have broken up, Elon and I care deeply for one another and remain close.

'Thank you for the continued support, respect, and privacy during these difficult, very human times.'

Musk confirmed the couple's split via an announcement on his ex-girlfriend's Instagram page on Monday, but hinted a future romance could be on the cards.

Writing under a picture Amber posted, he shared: 'Btw, just to clear up some of the press storm this weekend, although Amber and I did break up, we are still friends, remain close and love one another.'

He continued: 'Long distance relationship when both partners have intense work obligations are always difficult, but who knows what the future holds.'

The snap, which saw Amber emulate The Little Mermaid by running a fork through her hair in place of a comb, also warranted a 'V cute' comment from the billionaire.

Amber was said to be is devastated after the tech tycoon Elon Musk ended their year-long romance.

Cute: Elon commented on Amber's snap emulating The Little Mermaid by running a fork through her hair in place of a comb

A source told The Mail on Sunday: Its all over between Amber and Elon and shes devastated. It was his decision.

He ended it a week ago. Hed heard certain things about her behaviour that didnt sit well with him.

'Amber can be very manipulative and selfish. Elons back in LA while shes licking her wounds in Australia.'

Musk, worth a reported $15 billion, made his first fortune as co-founder of online service PayPal.

The creator of electric car giant Tesla and private space company SpaceX, he was spotted with Heard in Australia in April where she is filming the $129 million superhero movie Aquaman and was said to have put his private jet at her disposal.

Their romance began shortly after South African-born Elon divorced British actress Talulah Riley, 31, for a second time last year.

As their relationship struck up, Amber was still recovering from what she called a toxic split with Johnny Depp.

Her lawyers accused the actor of hitting her and subjecting her to repeated abuse throughout their 15-month marriage, claims he denied.

Amber received $6.8 million from the divorce which she vowed to give to charity.

A spokesman for Elon, who has five sons from his first marriage to Canadian writer Justine Musk, declined to comment.

Amber met actor Depp while filming The Rum Diaries back in 2011, before tying the knot in a private civil ceremony at their home in Los Angeles in February 2015.

The actress filed for divorce in May 2016 and after a lengthy legal battle, a settlement was reached in August 2016.
She's famed for her sizzling dancer's physique.

And Kristina Rihanoff, 39, looked sensational as she displayed her hourglass shape in a yellow silk dress as she showcased her new fashion collection with Pia Michi.

The blonde bombshell flaunted her ample bust in the number, which flattered her curves as she worked her angles for the shoot.

Scroll down for video

Wow: Kristina Rihanoff, 39, looked sensational as she displayed her hourglass shape in a yellow silk dress as she showcased her new fashion collection with Pia Michi

The pro recently revealed motherhood to daughter Milena has 'completely changed' her priorities in life.

She told The Sun: 'The same things dont bother me like before, like how I look, what I weigh or what people say about me.'

Kristina said she didn't put pressure on herself to lose her baby weight fast or have the perfect figure since becoming a mother, saying her main focus was her newborn.

Ample: The blonde bombshell flaunted her ample bust in the number, which flattered her curves as she worked her angles for the shoot

Change: The pro recently revealed motherhood to daughter Milena has 'completely changed' her priorities in life

She said: 'I didnt want to be stressed or worried about how much I weigh because Ive never been a skinny girl. Thats never been me, so why add that pressure?'

Kristina, who estimates it took her around eight months to return to her pre-pregnancy figure, credits 200 hours training to a hot yoga teacher for her toned physique.

The ballroom queen also gave her opinion on the well documented Strictly curse, which has seen the end of celebrity relationships including Rachel Riley and Georgia May Foote.

She told The Sun : 'The same things dont bother me like before, like how I look, what I weigh or what people say about me'

Priorities: Kristina said she didn't put pressure on herself to lose her baby weight fast or have the perfect figure since becoming a mother, saying her main focus was her newborn

The well documented curse hit Kristina's partner Ben, who split from his wife Abby Blayney the year after he appeared on the show.

Kristina met former ruby player boyfriend Ben when they were partnered up and became a couple the following year.

The pair have always insisted they only got together after Ben split from his childhood sweetheart Abby Blayney, who he shares twin daughters with.

She said: 'I didnt want to be stressed or worried about how much I weigh because Ive never been a skinny girl. Thats never been me, so why add that pressure?'

Yoga bunny: Kristina, who estimates it took her around eight months to return to her pre-pregnancy figure, credits 200 hours training to a hot yoga teacher for her toned physique

Abby and Ben announced their separation in September 2014, with the athlete's relationship with his Kristina becoming public in 2015.

Speaking about the curse, which saw last year's finalist Louise Redknapp reportedly split from husband Jamie, she said she would never judge anyone for their actions and that break-ups also occur on other reality shows.

She said: 'I think its partly to do with people finding themselves in a different state of mind and they want different outcomes in life Everything is magnified because you go through those emotions together.'

Curse: The ballroom queen also gave her opinion on the well documented Strictly curse, which has seen the end of celebrity relationships including Rachel Riley and Georgia May Foote

The star, who left Strictly after seven years in 2015, said she was impressed by the new line-up for the show, including former Playboy model Nadiya Bychkova and the addition of Latin dance queen Shirley Ballas as head judge, replacing Len Goodman.

Kristina said although she wouldn't rule out marriage to Ben in the future, the pair are focusing on parenthood and family life.

The celebrity dancer explained about the collaboration with Pia Michi: 'I've been a loyal fan of the brand over 8 years.

Well-known: The well documented curse hit Kristina's partner Ben, who split from his wife Abby Blayney the year after he appeared on the show

Moving on: Abby and Ben announced their separation in September 2014, with the athlete's relationship with his Kristina becoming public in 2015

'Pia Michi was the first brand I started wearing for red carpet events when I moved to the UK.

'I always had loads of compliments so I stayed with the brand. It's my go-to brand for any occasion.

'So it is a natural progression to collaborate with Pia Michi. I am thrilled to be releasing my capsule collection for Fall/Winter 2017.

Pia Michi's designer Alper and business partner Pelin admitted that they are pleased with the collaboration: 'Kristina Rihanoff is our long-standing client and embodies everything we appreciate about fashion.

'Our long embellished dazzling gowns ensure clients stand out for the right reasons.'
As a onetime Disney star, she grew up in the shadow of Mickey Mouse.

And Demi Lovato was back in the Disney groove on Sunday, and couldn't have been happier about it.

Squealing with delight, the 25-year-old didn't hold back as she the California Screamin' roller coaster at Disney's California Adventure with a gal pal.

Delighted! Demi Lovato seemed to be looking for a thrill on Sunday, riding the California Screamin' roller coaster at Disney's California Adventure with a gal pal

Demi - who formerly starred on the Disney Channel show Sonny With A Chance - held hands with her friend on the ride.

The actress had tied a pink and black flannel shirt around her waist, teaming a simple white T-shirt with ripped black jeans she'd slightly rolled up.

She accessorized with sunglasses, huge hoop earrings, a chic pendant and a bracelet, as well as a watch and ring.

Her friend with the Louis Vuitton bag looked as cheery as she did, especially once they'd got in their California Screamin' carriage.

Having a laugh: The 25-year-old actress and singer - who once starred on the Disney Channel show Sonny With A Chance - held hands with her friend that day while off the ride

Former child star Demi has worked a few times for Disney Channel, not only on Sonny With A Chance - which ran from 2009 to 2011 - but also in TV movies.

Camp Rock, which first aired in 2008 and co-starred the Jonas Brothers, was followed by Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam in 2010.

Though Sonny With A Chance and the Camp Rock movies comprise Demi's most famous work for Disney, she'd also featured on the short show As The Bell Rings, which ran from 2007 until 2009.

Simply chic! Demi had tied a pink and black flannel shirt around her waist, teaming a simple white T-shirt with ripped black jeans she'd slightly rolled up

So glitzy! She'd accessorized with sunglasses, huge hoop earrings, a chic pendant and a bracelet, as well as a watch and ring

Last year, while she and Nick Jonas were touring together, they'd given a joint interview to Billboard in which she'd discussed her life as a Disney star.

'We joked around that it was Disney High, except we all were shooting shows and really overworking. I joke that I sometimes have PTSD after leaving the channel, because if my schedule starts to get too busy, I rebel and I get b****y...'.

During that interview, she also recalled that 'when you're on set, you work like an adult. I always wanted to be the next Shirley Temple, to be the youngest person to ever win a Grammy and an Oscar. It didn't turn out that way. I don't regret it, but I probably won't allow my kids to get into the industry unless it's on their terms.'

The old days! Former child star Demi has worked a few times for Disney Channel, not only on Sonny With A Chance - which ran from 2009 to 2011 - but also in TV movies
She's currently starring in Netflix's The Defenders as Claire Temple.

But Rosario Dawson, 38, took some time off from her professional duties to attend Burning Man in Utah earlier this month.

The movie star opted for bedroom glamour in a silky black jumpsuit that she paired with a bright blue floral robe.

Enjoying the desert sun: Rosario Dawson, 38, took some time off from her professional duties to attend Burning Man in Utah earlier this month opting to wear a bright blue robe to the festivities in the desert

The Rent actress left the mini robe, which featured flowers and rainbows, untied and loose around her waist.

She appeared to be having a great time in Black Rock City as she spend time with a man dressed in Native American attire, including a full head dress.

The actress showed off her active side as she pushed a bike along her left side in the dusty desert.

At one point, the actress, who looked gorgeous despite wearing no makeup, shielded her face and head with a long purple scarf.

Having fun in the heat: The actress showed off her active side as she pushed a bike along her left side in the dusty desert

Protecting herself from both the desert heat and sun, she also sipped on a cool pink drink to ensure she stayed hydrated in the dry climate.

The New York native opted for white slip-on shoes that were quickly covered in dust as she walked alongside the crowd of people.

Burning Man takes place every year in the Black Rock desert and, according to the website, is an "annual experiment in temporary community dedicated to radical self-expression and radical self-reliance."

Sun protection: At one point, the actress, who looked gorgeous despite wearing no makeup, shielded her face and head with a long purple scarf

It's dusty! The New York native opted for white slip-on shoes that were quickly covered in dust as she walked alongside the crowd of people

The festival is a far cry from the role Rosario currently plays for multiple Netflix series.

In The Defenders, she plays Claire Temple, a doctor who is in love with superhero Luke Cage.

Luke, or Power Man, is played by Mike Colter, 40. He is known for his mighty strength and unbreakable skin.

While the talented actors are indeed among The Defenders' ensemble cast, the twosome also star in the series' spin off, Luke Cage and Rosario appeared as Claire Temple in the series Jessica Jones as well.
From action hero Lara Croft to period drama Tulip Fever, it seems Alicia Vikander can turn her hand to anything.

And the Oscar winning actress looked the epitome of elegance as she sat down with Euphoria's Swedish director Lisa Langseth to discuss her latest role.

The film is the third time they have worked together after Alicia starred in Lisa's debut film Pure in 2009 and also starred in her sophomore follow-up Hotell in 2013.

New leading role: Alicia Vikander looked the epitome of elegance and class as she sat down with Euphoria director Lisa Langseth to discuss her latest acting project

Latest project: The talented actress sat down with her Swedish director to discuss their latest project, which is the third time they have worked together

The Swedish actress showed off her svelte frame in a fitted white ribbed sweater that she paired with loose-fitting grey dress pants.

In their latest pairing, Alicia stars as Ines, a woman who meets up with her estranged sister Emilie, in Europe for a holiday to try to mend their unresolved issues.

Naturally pretty: The gorgeous star, who is currently dating Michael Fassbender, 40, wore her long brunette lock in loose waves around her shoulders

In her latest pairing with the director, Alicia stars as Ines, a woman who meets up with her estranged sister Emilie, in Europe for a holiday to try to mend their unresolved issues

Dancers body! The Swedish actress, 28, showed off her svelte frame in a fitted white ribbed sweater that she paired with loose-fitting grey dress pants

Eva Green stars as Alicia's sister Emilie, while Charlotte Rampling and Charles Dance also appear in the film.

Unlike Langseth's other film festival offerings, Euphoria did not receive rave reviews from critics at the Toronto festival.

However that shouldn't prove too much of a distraction for 28-year-old Alicia, who is busy getting ready to marry longtime boyfriend Michael Fassbender, 40, on the Spanish isle of Ibiza next month.
Washington

The president of the largest national teachers union repeatedly condemned the Trump administration for pushing policies that hurt children in a speech Friday at the National Press Club.

We are facing a reckless and irresponsible administration that creates chaos and confusionwhich is badbut [President Trump] does something worsehe creates fear in children, and that is unforgivable, Lily Eskelsen Garcia said at the luncheon.

In particular, Garcia pointed to what she called the cruel, senseless, unnecessary ending of DACA. The president has said he will repeal the Obama administration program that gives people who came to the United States illegally as children work permits and temporary reprieves from deportation . About 800,000 immigrants, including tens of thousands of school-age students , are protected under the program.

The union leader has been persistent in saying that theres no reason to trust Education Secretary Betsy DeVos , and that she wont meet with the secretary until DeVos answers questions on whether shell protect all students from discrimination and hold privately managed charters to the same accountability standards as public schools. DeVos did extend an invitation at one point, which Garcia said she refused.

When asked in an interview after the speech today what might sway her to engage with DeVos, Garcia said, I dont see it.

This is a woman that has ideas, positions, that hurt children, said Garcia, pointing to recent Education Department decisions to rescind Obama-era civil rights guidance on transgender students and change Obama administration rules on how colleges and universities respond to allegations of sexual assault on campus . Anything that gives this administration credibility ends up being complicit.

She went on to say that DeVos has sought the demise of public education. ... I cant imagine what wed have to talk about.

Interestingly, DeVos has used some similar language in defending her approach to civil rights enforcement, saying Obama-era policies expanding the scope of investigations harmed students. She has vowed to consider cases individually rather than looking for systemic violations of civil rights, which she said leads to longer processing times and backlogs.

Last week, Randi Weingarten, the president of the other large national teachers union, the American Federation of Teachers, criticized the education secretary in a C-SPAN interview for not bringing the education community together after the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville that left a woman dead and the horrific storm in Houston .

She also said DeVos has not gained much ground on her efforts to expand voucher programs and privately managed charter schools.

DeVos has given oxygen to this movement to privatize, Weingarten said. On the flip side, Ive seen more energy and focus on saving and protecting public schools than Ive seen before. What shes actually done is moved parents and teachers who were never active before to say, wait a second, this is what supports our democracy, to save public education.

Weingarten and DeVos did visit schools in Ohio together in April , but the experience from settled their differences.

See the full C-SPAN interview with Weingarten (and Ed Week Associate Editor Stephen Sawchuk) below:

Image: National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia answers questions during a 2014 interview with The Associated Press in her office at NEA headquarters in Washington.J. David Ake/AP-File

See also:

For more news and information on the teaching profession:

And sign up here to get alerts in your email inbox when stories are published on Teacher Beat.
She married the love of her life and childhood sweetheart Matt Kay in Ibiza last week.

And after sharing an insight into her big day, the EastEnders actress looked a tad glum as she returned to work at BBC Studios in London on Monday.

The star, who won the hearts of the nation as Stacey Slater on the soap, was under the weather when she was pictured in her car outside the office.

Scroll down for video

Feeling post-wedding blues? EastEnders actress Lacey Turner looked a tad glum as she returned to work at BBC Studios on Monday after getting married to Matt Kay in Ibiza last week

No doubt getting back to work after the exciting nuptials in the sun-soaked paradise had taken its toll on the newly wed.

Worlds away from her bridal figure, the brunette caught the eye in her canary yellow top as she sat comfortably in the vehicle.

The actress showed off her glowing tan from her sun-soaked Spanish wedding as she ditched heavy show make-up.

Lacey wore her brunette locks in a loosely tousled style, a far cry away from her picture-perfect bridal hairdo.

Tieing the knot: Lacey (centre) married her childhood sweetheart Matt (left) in Ibiza last week and shares the cover of OK! magazine with her EastEnders co-stars and guests (right)

She was delighted to finally tie the knot with her childhood sweetheart Matt, whom she has been with for 10 years.

The madly-in-love couple announced their engagement in September 2016.

Surrounded by soap co-stars, the bride is pictured for the first time in her exquisite applique floral gown.

The actress discussed her hopes for four children with barber shop owner Matt.

The whole day was amazing,' Lacey told OK! magazine in the wedding spread. 'And we felt so much love. Its incredible; its something youve never felt before.

Better known on-screen as Stacey Slater, Lacey made sure her co-stars James Bye (Martin Fowler), Jake Wood (Max Branning), Aaron Sidwell (Steven Beale), Laurie Brett (Jane Beale), Scott Maslen (Jack Branning) joined the 120-strong guestlist.

Former EastEnders veteran Dame Barbara Windsor, best loved for her role as Peggy Mitch, also reunited with the BBC stars for the weekend.

Set to wed: The duo have been together since she was 18, after knowing each other as friends first

Engaged: They got engaged last September and tied the knot almost a year to the day

Of her pre-wedding nerves, Lacey confessed: I had a few tiny moments when I panicked, but on the day I couldnt wait to get down the aisle and marry Matt.

'I was like, hurry up, I want to get married! I wasnt nervous walking down the aisle, which was strange as I cant walk down a red carpet without wanting the ground to swallow me up.

Lacey and Matt chose an exclusive hideaway in northern Ibiza, a location that Lacey chose partly because it allowed her to marry bare feet, she admits.

The actress once explained that she wanted her ceremony to be far from the BBC One scenes that portrayed her doomed marriage to Bradley Branning (played by Charlie Clements).

Not what you hoped for: As EastEnders character Stacey Slater (pictured), Lacey has seen her fair share of wedding dresses

First time is not a charm: Lacey's doomed marriage to Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements, pictured) in the show, encouraged her to choose low fuss nuptials with a dress that did not make her feel uncomfortable

Finding the one that fits: Fans will know that Stacey is now married to Martin Fowler (pictured at their soap wedding in May 2016)

Getting married seems so stressy, she told Sunday magazine in 2007. I wore that [wedding] dress for 15 days and I couldnt breathe out. I wont do it.

'Id hate being the centre of attention too. If I had to get married, I think Id wear Ugg boots and pyjamas.

True to her word, Lacey and Matt's ceremony broke with tradition, even seeing the duo deciding to stay together the night before their wedding.

Feeling comfortable: The brunette chose Ibiza so that she could go barefoot, after saying that she often feels uncomfortable on the red carpet (here in 2016)

Lacey explained to OK!: 'Originally Matt was going to stay with his mum down the road but we thought that, as we hadnt done much that was traditional, we might as well just stay together!

'It felt special to wake up on the morning of our wedding day together. I probably wouldnt have slept as well anyway if I didnt have Matt there.

Notoriously private, the pair have been inseparable since they started dating at the age of 18, following years of friendship.

Romantic: The pair said their ceremony broke with many traditions but it suited them better

Matt: Its so special that we met at such a young age. It doesnt happen for a lot of people and I feel elated and very lucky to have Lace in my life and were lucky to have met when we did. I think it was meant to be.

Thoughts have already to turned to children for Lacey, who has previously said that children were way in the future because she was focussing on her career.

I want four children, said Lacey, to which her new husband added: I want three!

Lacey added: When you have four you need to start thinking about a minivan to put them all in, whereas with three you just need a car. I dont care, though; Ill have a minivan!

Read the full interview with Lacey Turner in this week's OK! magazine
He won the hearts of women across the country with his brooding gaze and hunky physique as the dashing Ross Poldark.

And Aidan Turner looks set to get his fans swooning once again as he filmed new action scenes for the upcoming fourth series in Cornwall on Monday.

The actor, 34, looked every inch the handsome hero when he performed horseback stunts in the countryside.

Scroll down for video

He's back! Aidan Turner looks set to get his fans swooning once again as he filmed new action scenes for the upcoming fourth series in Cornwall on Monday

Clad in a brown waistcoat and long trailing coat, the handsome star took charge as he stormed the rocky landscape.

The former British army officer commanded the centre of attention during filming, recognisable as the hunky hero complete with his trademark hat.

Pulling out all the stops, Aidan worked his irresistible charm and rugged good looks as he shot scenes for the installment of the franchise.

He was joined on the set by his female co-star Ellise Chappell, who plays Morwenna Chynoweth in the series.

Revealed: He was joined on the set by his female co-star Ellise Chappell who plays Morwenna Chynoweth in the series

He's back! The former British army officer commanded the centre of attention during filming

Wow: He was recognisable as the hunky hero complete with his trademark hat

She was tipped to be in the hottest couple of the series as her romance saw her sneak around with forbidden lover Drake Carne (Harry Richardson).

The couple enjoyed a blossoming Shakespearean Romeo and Juliet love affair.

Looking out onto the sea, Ellise looked every inch the young governess as she was dressed head-to-toe in black formal attire.

What a figure of a man! The handsome star took charge as he stormed the rocky landscape

Dressed to impress: The television sensation was clad in a brown waistcoat and long trailing coat

Swooning: The television hunk looked every inch the brooding hero

Easy rider! Aidan looked at ease on the back of a horse after learning how to ride for the show

Viewers were left on a knife's edge when his marriage to the feisty Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) was on the rocks in the gripping finale of the third series.

The beautiful redhead gave into her passions when she was seduced by Lieutenant Hugh Armitage (Josh Whitehouse).

With their feelings simmering over the third series, the pair finally enjoyed a steamy romp amid the sand dunes.

Charming: Aidan worked his irresistible charm and rugged good looks

Yee-haw! The hunk looked like he was having a blast as he charged around while gesturing to the crew

Gripping: Viewers were left on a knife's edge when his marriage to the feisty Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) was on the rocks in the finale of the third series

Demelza's betrayal left fans torn where their loyalties stood between the couple.

It was a long time coming ever since Ross was first unfaithful to her when he bedded his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth (Heida Reed) which sparked controversy.

Paying less attention to his pretty wife, he was blissfully unaware he had left their relationship open for Demelza's affections to be courted by another man.

Betrayed: The beautiful redhead gave into her passions when she was seduced by Lieutenant Hugh Armitage (Josh Whitehouse), betraying Ross

Change: The character must step up his game to ensure he doesn't lose his wife forever

Fair game: It was a long time coming ever since Ross was first unfaithful to her when he bedded his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth

Writer Debbie Horsfield dropped another bombshell that there are more martial dramas set to plague the lovebirds in a recent interview with Digital Spy.

Debbie told the publication: 'Ross and Demelza not knowing where their relationship was going.

'Leaving it at a critical point, it just seemed a perfect place to end the series and therefore to begin to explore the ramifications of what's just happened in series four.'

Shock: The steamy scene commanded attention from viewers and sparked controversy amid fans

Exposed: He was blissfully unaware he had left their relationship open for Demelza's affections to be courted by another man when he paid less attention to her in the series

Test of love: Demelza's betrayal left fans torn where their loyalties stood between the couple

Drama ahead: Their marriage troubles will play a central role in the fourth series of the Cornish romance epic

In good company: Meanwhile, the storyline of Ellise's character saw her sneak around with forbidden lover Drake Carne (Harry Richardson) in series three

What a view: Looking out onto the sea, Ellise looked every inch the young governess as she was dressed head-to-toe in black formal attire

It was announced a fifth series of the series will wrap up the Cornish romance drama.

Filming for the fourth series will take place across Bristol and Cornwall.

The scripts closely follow the 12 Poldark novels penned by Winston Graham, who died in 2003.



Making of a hero: Aidan won the hearts of women across the country

Shirtless: The hunk had first courted attention when he went shirtless in the first season but through series three he kept his clothes on

Storming the seas: He also caught eyes with his smouldering gaze and hunky physique as the dashing Ross Poldark

Heartfelt: It was announced there will be a fifth installment of the series

End of an era: But the fifth series in the franchise will bring the narrative to a close

Show-stopping: Filming for the fourth series will take place across Bristol and Cornwall
She's been dating the brother of the US President's most trusted adviser for five years.

And during New York Fashion Week, American supermodel Karlie Kloss, 25, showed she has the perfect dress ready to wear should long term boyfriend Joshua Kushner ever pop the question.

Taking to the runway during the John Paul Ataker show to model the wedding look on Monday, the former Victoria's Secret Angel showed her bridal bona fides to perfection.

Born to bride: During New York Fashion Week, Karlie Kloss, 25, showed she has the perfect dress ready to wear should long term boyfriend Joshua Kushner ever pop the question

Dressed to impress: The ruffled organza dress was just long enough that it brushed the runway as the 6'2" model strutted

The ruffled organza dress was just long enough that it brushed the runway as the 6'2" model strutted.

The gown also featured floor length draping sleeves and heavy gold braid gave it a touch of color.

The Danish-German-Polish beauty's peroxide blonde locks were parted unevenly and held back with a loose, low bun.

Backstage beauty: The Danish-German-Polish stunner's peroxide blonde locks were parted unevenly and held back with a loose, low bun

Look of love: Kloss is notoriously tight-lipped about her love life, but told OK! Magazine in February: 'I was definitely not planning on falling in love'

The star of Taylor Swift's Bad Blood music video has been dating Ivanka Trump's brother-in-law Joshua Kushner since 2012.

Kushner, 32, is a millionaire investor and businessman and brother of Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump's husband and a key figure in the Trump White House.

The Chicago, Illinois native is notoriously tight-lipped about her love life, but told OK! Magazine in February: 'I was definitely not planning on falling in love. But I think that's the thing about it, you can't anticipate or plan it.'

Here comes the bride: The gown also featured floor length draping sleeves and heavy gold braid gave it a touch of color

Isn't she lovely: Backstage, Kloss smiles and claps in delight at the conclusion of the John Paul Ataker show

In June, Kloss posted a rare social media image of her with Kushner.

The caption read: 'My atoms love your atoms, It's chemistry.'

'Happy birthday to my best friend and partner in crime. The past 5 years of our adventures together have been some of the best memories of my life. I love you @joshuakushner'
She's been flitting about town during New York Fashion Week.

And part of Victoria Justice's schedule on Monday was the John Paul Ataker Show at Gallery 1 in Skylight Clarkson Sq in West SoHo.

The 24-year-old had draped her enviably trim figure in a frilly off-the-shoulder dress with oversized sleeves that dangled over and past her hands.

Scroll down for video

Hello, gorgeous: Victoria Justice was radiant on Monday attending the John Paul Ataker Show at Gallery 1 in Skylight Clarkson Sq in West SoHo

A retro chic blue clutch with metallic accents added a pop of color to the ensemble, which also featured a pair of white ankle-strap stilettos.

She'd slicked her hair down severely, tucking it behind her ears and winding it into a low ponytail, and she'd accessorized with hoop earrings and a stack of chokers.

Her legs were elegantly crossed when she settled herself into her front row seat, seated right by three other actresses - Lela Loren, Landry Bender and Liz Hernandez.

Looking fabulous: The 24-year-old had draped her enviably trim figure in a frilly off-the-shoulder dress with oversized sleeves that dangled over and past her hands

Posing up a storm: A retro chic blue clutch with metallic accents added a pop of color to the ensemble, which also featured a pair of white ankle-strap stilettos

Liz had on an especially eye-catching outfit, with black trousers that glinted under the lights and a translucent black top that played up her ample decolletage.

As Fashion Week's been thundering along, Victoria's itinerary has included a stop at the TRESemme At Rebecca Minkoff event thrown on Saturday.

She'd also been among the cavalcade of celebs who'd hit the red carpet on Friday night for the 2017 Harper's Bazaar celebration of ICONS By Carine Roitfeld.

Owning: Karlie Kloss wore a bridal inspired dress which featured caped sleeves

All that glitters: A gold theme ran through the catwalk show, as well as bright white

Splashes of glitz: She'd slicked her hair down severely, tucking it behind her ears and winding it into a low ponytail, and she'd accessorized with hoop earrings and a stack of chokers

Gorgeous: The star shined brightly on the sidewalks of New York in her fetching getup

Victoria's latest role, as her IMDb page attests, was in a film called The Outcast out this April that centers on high-school misfits who join forces against bullies.

She was also in The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do The Time-Warp Again, last year's TV remake of the 1975 cult classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Victoria had a starring role as one of the protagonists, Janet Weiss, a role that in the original version was played by none other than up-and-coming Susan Sarandon.
After blowing his 100 million fortune and being declared bankrupt in June, the three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has not had a very fruitful year.

Happily, the same fate has not befallen his 17-year-old daughter Anna Ermakova, who is enjoying a burgeoning career in fashion. The model, who was conceived at a London restaurant after a romp between Boris and Russian model Angela Ermakova, shared on social media this picture from a recent shoot in which she sprawls across the floor wearing a golden Michel Mayer couture gown.

My daughter Anna is one of the best things in my life, says Boris, 49. Im very proud of her.

Boris Becker's 17-year-old daughter Anna Ermakova (pictured) is enjoying a burgeoning career in fashion. Anna was conceived after he romped Russian model Angela Ermakova at a London restaurant

After blowing his 100 million fortune and being declared bankrupt in June, the three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has not had a very fruitful year

Jude shows off wizard new beard

Jude Law has revealed the transformation he has undergone to play one of the worlds most famous wizards.

The 44-year-old actor, who will play the young Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the sequel to JK Rowlings Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, which started filming last month, has grown a moustache and beard for the magical role.

The look was debuted on social media by his model daughter Iris, 16, who took the selfie at a family meal in London to mark the 15th birthday of her brother Rudy  who, like Iris, is one of Judes children with ex-wife Sadie.

Jude Law has revealed the transformation he has undergone to play one of the worlds most famous wizards in the young Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the sequel to JK Rowlings Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

Former wild child socialite Amanda de Cadenet has an amusing take on finding out she was pregnant by Duran Duran star John Taylor, who went on to marry her. There was never a question whether we would keep the pregnancy, Amanda writes in her book, Its Messy, which is published next week. John was as ready as he would ever be. Hed run out of supermodels to date and had decided an 18-year-old TV host was the way to go.

We've watched only the launch show for this years Strictly Come Dancing, but Pointless host Richard Osman is convinced hes seen signs of future romances among the competitors, saying on social media: Spotted two definite affairs already.

Surely, its far too soon for the worrisome curse of Strictly to have struck a married contestant?
Sales of new energy vehicles in China topped 500,000 in 2016

China is gearing up to ban petrol and diesel cars, a move that would boost electric vehicles and shake up the world's biggest car market in a country that is plagued by pollution.

The plan would follow decisions by France and Britain to outlaw the sale of such cars and vans from 2040 to clamp down on harmful emissions.

The government did not give a date for the ban, but the announcement drove up the shares of automakers and lithium battery makers in Asia, with Chinese electric car leader BYD closing 4.07 percent up in Shenzhen and Toyota up 1.22 percent in Tokyo.

Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology, told a weekend forum in the northern city of Tianjin that his ministry has started "relevant research" and is working on a timetable for China.

"These measures will promote profound changes in the environment and give momentum to China's auto industry development," Xin said in remarks broadcast by CCTV state television.

"Enterprises should strive to improve the level of energy-saving for traditional cars, and vigorously develop new-energy vehicles according to assessment requirements," he said.

- Long road ahead -

While Xin did not give a deadline, the head of the National Passenger Car Association, a Chinese auto industry group, said it would be "a long process".

"It will be hard to stop producing traditional fuel-powered vehicles for the next decade or two decades," the association's secretary general, Cui Dongshu, told AFP.

"We may make significant headway in passenger cars in 2040 or even earlier, but for other products like the heavy-duty trucks it would be difficult."

Automakers "have not really tried hard in this sector" and consumers are not so familiar with new-energy vehicles, Cui said.

But Bill Russo, managing director of Gao Feng Advisory Group, said the move bodes well for Chinese automakers who are already able to compete with foreign car companies when it comes to making electric vehicles.

He added: "If China says no more ICE (internal combustion engines), the rest of the world will follow because the rest of the world can't lose China's market. It's too big."

China produced and sold more than 28 million vehicles last year, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.

The sale of new-energy vehicles topped 500,000 in the world's second largest economy in 2016 -- over 50 percent more than the previous year, according to national industry figures. The majority were made by Chinese firms.

The government introduced draft regulations this June compelling automakers to produce more electrically-powered vehicles by 2020 through a complex quota system.

Xin said the policy would be implemented "in the near future", according to the official Xinhua news agency.

- Race for green cars -

As the measure looms, foreign automakers have announced plans to boost the production of electric cars in China.

Market leader Volkswagen sold a few hundred "green" cars among the four million vehicles it sold in China in 2016, but the German manufacturer plans to sell around 400,000 new-energy vehicles in the country by 2020 and 1.5 million by 2025.

Christoph Ludewig, VW's communications director in China, declined to comment on Xin's announcement, but he noted that the company has a joint venture with JAC that will produce such cars by next year.

"Our efforts are quite huge, so we want to contribute to and be on the forefront of the electrification of the Chinese automotive industry. Thats clear," Ludewig told AFP.

He also said VW would "work hard" to comply with the NEV quota once China implements it next year.

Volvo will introduce its first 100-percent electric car in China in 2019.

Ford envisages that 70 percent of all Ford cars available in China will have electric options by 2025. It is establishing a joint venture with China's Zotye Automobile to make and sell all-electric vehicles.

"We are already aggressively pursuing an electrification strategy to provide a comprehensive range of electrified vehicles in the country by 2025, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully battery-powered electric vehicles," said Anderson Chan, a Ford spokesman in China.

French carmaker Renault, which started producing cars in China last year, will roll out two new-energy vehicles in the country -- a sedan and small SUV -- in 2018 and 2019, said Florence de Golfiem, its communications vice president for China.

"We already have a very advanced technology," she told AFP.
President Bashar al-Assad addresses members of Syria's diplomatic corps buoyed by battlefield successes in this picture released by state media on August 20, 2017

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad appears to be winning the war against those who sought his overthrow, but he will preside over a ruined country with an economy in tatters.

"Assad remains in charge of most of the population and most of the important territory, and I expect him to continue to rule most of Syria," said Aron Lund, a Syria expert with the Century Foundation think-tank.

"The war goes on, but in the larger strategic sense he has defeated those who sought to depose him," Lund told AFP.

The writing is on the wall even in the halls of the United Nations, where special envoy Staffan de Mistura last week bluntly urged Assad's opponents to be more pragmatic.

"Will the opposition be able to be unified and realistic enough and realise that they did not win the war?" he asked.

The comments drew ire from anti-government figures, who have long insisted that Assad must step down and cannot be part of any transitional government.

The head of the opposition High Negotiations Committee, Nasr al-Hariri, called them "shocking and disappointing."

Syria troops shell Islamic State group positions during their advance on the eastern city of Deir Ezzor on September 7, 2017

But the opposition's demand for Assad's ouster looks increasingly unrealistic, as his regime finds itself in perhaps its strongest position since the eruption of the conflict in 2011.

His army controls the country's main cities and possesses a considerable advantage in terms of firepower, thanks to the support of allies Iran and Russia.

- 'Completely destroyed' -

Over the past week, Syrian troops have made major advances in the east of the country, relieving two government-held enclaves in and around the city of Deir Ezzor that had been under siege by the Islamic State group since 2014.

That leaves the government in control of half of Syria's territory and two-thirds of its population, more than any other side in the complex war.

Kurdish-led forces hold around 23 percent of its territory and IS 15 percent, according to geographer and Syria expert Fabrice Balanche.

Just 12 percent is held by other armed groups, most of it by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate and its allies.

Syrian children walk through the ruins of a rebel-held neighbourhood of the southern city of Daraa, on September 6, 2017

But despite his territorial gains, Assad is likely to face low-level insurgencies for years to come, said Thomas Pierret, a Syria specialist at the University of Edinburgh.

"Assad will stay in power for a long time -- but with a strong probability that there will be ongoing, endemic armed insurrections," Pierret told AFP.

"They will not threaten the central state directly, but they will be structurally threatening for a regime with other major weaknesses."

Assad's regime will also need to pick up the pieces in a country that has been ravaged by six years of brutal conflict that have left more than 330,000 people dead, millions displaced and public infrastructure across much of the country in ruins.

"He has definitely regained momentum and regained territory," said Maha Yahya of the Carnegie Endowment's Beirut-based Middle East Centre.

"But frankly, he's regaining control of a country that's completely destroyed. I don't know what winning the war really means in a context like this."

- Problematic reconstruction -

Syrian refugees carry their belongings as they head home from Jordan after crossing the border near the town of Nasib on August 29, 2017

According to the World Bank, the conflict has cost the Syrian economy some $226 billion -- about four times the country's gross domestic product in 2010.

The fighting has damaged or destroyed 27 percent of Syria's housing stock and about half the country's medical and educational facilities.

About 85 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and half are unemployed.

"In the current state, I don't think there will be a rebuilding of the country," said Jihad Yazigi, author of the weekly Syria Report.

With the cost of total reconstruction in Syria estimated to come to around $200 billion, Yazigi said it was more likely that medium-term rehabilitation would take place.

"There will be a period of relative economic improvement lasting around 18 months to two years, as the electricity is repaired in certain areas and oil and gas extraction could resume," he said.

Syria's financial institutions are not in a position to fund reconstruction efforts, as the assets of its 12 banks add up to a meagre $3.5 billion, according to Yazigi.

War-damaged buildings crowd the skyline of Syria's southern city of Daraa in this general view taken on August 21, 2017

And foreign bodies that could foot the bill will refuse to do so after years of accusing the Damascus government of atrocities and war crimes.

"Those who could finance this reconstruction like Gulf states, the European Union, the World Bank -- they have no intention of doing it," Yazigi said.
Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-cheh, an NGO worker who was arrested during a trip to the Chinese mainland in March, appeared at court in Hunan province's Yueyang city

A Taiwanese democracy activist pleaded guilty Monday to charges of attempting to subvert Chinese government power during a trial in China that his wife called a "political show" and further soured cross-strait ties.

Lee Ming-cheh appeared alongside a Chinese co-defendant named Peng Yuhua at Yueyang intermediate people's court in central Hunan province, according to video footage posted on the court's official social media account.

A shaven-headed Lee appeared nervous as he confessed to charges of "subverting state power", stating that he had written and distributed online articles that criticised China's ruling Communist Party and promoted democracy among other topics.

"I know that my behaviour definitely violated Chinese law," said Lee, an NGO worker who was arrested during a trip to the Chinese mainland in March.

"The television news I watched in prison has made me understand China's development a little better. I know that my past thinking and the information I received was mistaken," he said.

"This mistaken thinking led me to violate the law. I express my guilt and regrets."

The articles were written at the direction of Peng, who he had become acquainted with online and had met several times on the Chinese mainland, Lee said under questioning from a prosecutor.

Taiwan's presidential spokesman Alex Huang said Taipei was "highly concerned" about Lee, including "his health and the rights he's entitled to."

"The government's consistent stance is to ensure his personal safety and to make every effort we can to bring him home safely, under the premise of safeguarding our nation's dignity," Huang said.

The trial concluded Monday afternoon, but it is unclear when a verdict will be announced.

- 'Big political show' -

His wife and mother travelled to Hunan for the trial and his supporters gathered outside the courthouse in Yueyang city.

Both women were accompanied by officials from Taiwan's semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, which handles relations with the mainland.

After the trial, his wife, Lee Ching-yu, showed reporters permanent tattoos on both her forearms that read, "I am proud of you, Lee Ming-cheh."

"I knew I wouldn't be able to bring anything into the courtroom with me, except for the expression in my eyes," she said, her voice wavering.

In a separate written statement, she said she was allowed to see her husband and that after "being lovers for more than 20 years, I can tell whether what he speaks is genuine or not."

"The world and I today witnessed this big political show, and also witnessed the difference between Taiwan's core beliefs and values and that of China," she said.

Lee has long supported civil society organisations and activists in China, according to Amnesty International.

Lee's wife arrived in Hunan Sunday to attend the trial, with several officials from Taiwan's semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, which handles relations with the mainland

He had shared "Taiwan's democratic experiences" with his Chinese friends online for many years and often mailed books to them, said the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

After Lee went missing Chinese authorities confirmed he was being investigated for suspected activities "endangering national security".

- 'Sham trial' -

The language the two co-defendants used to confess their crimes sounded rehearsed, according to Patrick Poon, a China researcher at Amnesty International.

The "language they used was so much like the Chinese government's", he said, calling it a "sham trial."

Frances Eve, researcher for the charity Chinese Human Rights Defenders, said the trial's "phoney transparency" was an attempt to deflect attention from the serious denial of Lee's due process rights.

"He was held for months in a secret location and had already 'confessed' before the trial, according to state media. There is a strong likelihood that he was tortured to force a confession," Eve told AFP.

In the lead-up to the trial, Beijing repeatedly ignored Taipei's requests for information on Lee's whereabouts and details of the allegations against him. Even Lee's family was not given written notification of the trial, Poon said.

Relations between the two sides have worsened since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May last year, with Beijing cutting off all official communications with Taipei.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory waiting to be reunified. It wants Tsai to acknowledge the island is part of "One China", which she has refused to do.
The Security Council is set to vote Monday on the US-led effort to impose harsher new sanctions against North Korea, which has defied multiple measures to rein in its weapons programme

The United States released a revised draft for new sanctions against North Korea on Sunday, diplomats said, making concessions to Russia and China as it seeks to convince the UN Security Council to punish Pyongyang for its recent nuclear test.

The Security Council is set to vote Monday on the US-led effort to impose harsher new sanctions against North Korea, which has defied multiple measures to rein in its weapons programme.

The new draft moderates the toughest parts of the original proposal, with a potentially crippling oil embargo on North Korea to be introduced progressively, diplomats said.

Following four days of tough negotiations, notably with Beijing and Moscow, it eliminated an assets freeze on leader Kim Jong-Un, according to diplomats, which had been called for in the earlier draft.

Among other concessions the new text is slightly softer when it comes to the situation of North Korean guest workers and the inspection by force of ships suspected of carrying cargo prohibited by the UN.

The new draft includes a textile ban, which Washington had pushed for originally.

The proposed raft of sanctions come as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in an interview the showdown over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile program was the world's worst crisis "in years" and had left him deeply worried.

The purpose of the latest measure is to isolate North Korea, leaving it with little choice but to come to the negotiation table.

North Korea for its part has shot back that it would inflict "the greatest pain and suffering" if new measures are passed.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is calling for a toughening of the country's defences in the face of North Korean threats

Japan's prime minister on Monday called for a boost to the country's defences in the face of North Korean threats, warning that Tokyo needs to be able to protect itself.

The call is a common refrain from nationalist leader Shinzo Abe, who has long advocated a stiffening of Japan's military posture, despite its officially pacifist constitution.

In a speech to senior officers of the Self-Defense Forces -- Japan's name for the military -- Abe said: "No one else will protect you if you don't have the mindset of protecting yourself."

"We have to take all appropriate measures against (incidents such as) North Korea's missile launch over Japan," added the premier, who said he had asked his defence minister to draw up a blueprint for Japan's medium-term defence strategy.

Abe, who moved quickly after the election of Donald Trump to keep the mercurial US president close, said that "strengthening the Japan-US alliance is vital" to ensure regional stability.

"We have to deter North Korea's repeated provocative acts," he said, noting recent joint drills with the United States in the Sea of Japan and defence cooperation with like-minded countries including Australia.

Abe's comments come as the US pushes for the United Nations Security Council to vote on harsher sanctions on North Korea.

Diplomats said that a new draft resolution circulated recently is slightly less tough than the original but includes a "progressive" oil embargo on Pyongyang.

Speaking at the same meeting, Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said he hoped to quickly introduce Aegis Ashore, a land-based version of the maritime Aegis missile-defence system.
Judges Push Back Travel Ban Against Family Members, Refugees

That Hawaiian judge stopped President Trump -- again.

Judge Derrick Watson, slighted by Trump's legal general as that "judge sitting on an island in the Pacific," blocked the president's controversial travel ban in March. The Trump administration appealed up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which temporarily allowed a modified ban, but one issue came back to Watson:

What about relatives of U.S. citizens who travel from those Muslim-majority nations? Watson struck the administration's ban on certain relatives, and the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with him -- again.

It's headed for another Supreme Court showdown, but this time the president is on the outside looking in. That's because the Supreme Court crafted the modification that Watson applied to extended family members.

'Bona Fide' Family Relationships

The president's last order barred nationals from Somalia, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Iran for 90 days and stopped all refugee resettlement for 120 days. Watson said it unconstitutionally discriminated against Muslims.

Federal appeals courts continued to block the ban until June, when the Supreme Court said it could be implemented as long as it did not stop anyone with a "bona fide" relationship in the U.S. Administration officials said that allowed only limited familial relations.

Watson said it should include grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and brothers- and sisters-in-law. A Ninth Circuit panel agreed.

"The government does not meaningfully argue how grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins of persons in the United States can be considered to have 'no connection' to or 'lack any bona fide relationship' with persons in the United States," the judges said.

Refugee Relationships

Trump's lawyers had also argued that a refugee's relationship to a resettlement agency did not amount to a "bona fide" U.S. connection. Watson's decision cleared the way for 24,000 refugees to travel.

In upholding his decision, the appeals court said its ruling would take effect in five days because the refugees' "lives remain in vulnerable limbo during the pendency of the Supreme Court's stay."

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the travel ban on October 10.

Related Resources:
Buddha 'would definitely give help to those poor Muslims' fleeing violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, Tibetan spiritual leader The Dalai Lama has said

The Dalai Lama has urged Aung San Suu Kyi to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Myanmar and expressed concerns about violence that has led around 300,000 Muslim Rohingya to flee the Buddhist-majority country.

The top Buddhist leader wrote to Myanmar's de facto civilian leader, a fellow Nobel peace laureate, shortly after new violence erupted in Rakhine state in August.

He urged her to "reach out to all sections of society" to try to resolve the crisis in Rakhine, where the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, have endured decades of persecution.

"Questions that are put to me suggest that many people have difficulty reconciling what appears to be happening to Muslims there with Myanmars reputation as a Buddhist country," he wrote in the letter, seen by AFP on Monday.

"I appeal to you and your fellow leaders to reach out to all sections of society to try to restore friendly relations throughout the population in a spirit of peace and reconciliation."

The Dalai Lama is the latest Nobel peace laureate to speak out against the violence, which the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar says may have left more than 1,000 dead, most of them Rohingya.

Nobel laureates Malala Yousafzai and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have also urged her to intervene on behalf of the Rohingya.

"If the political price of your ascension to the highest office in Myanmar is your silence, the price is surely too steep," said Tutu, who became the moral voice of South Africa after helping dismantle apartheid there.

Myanmar's population is overwhelmingly Buddhist and there is widespread hostility toward the Rohingya, who are denied citizenship and labelled illegal "Bengali" immigrants.

Buddhist nationalists, led by firebrand monks, have operated a Islamophobic campaign calling for them to be pushed out of the country.

The Dalai Lama said he had spoken to Suu Kyi in the past about religious tensions in her country and was urging her again to curb the violence.

"As a fellow Buddhist and Nobel laureate I am appealing to you and your colleagues once more to find a lasting and humane solution to this festering problem," he wrote.
Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, son of the late dictator, poses for a picture with Batac residents after a mass on Sunday marking the 100th anniversary of his father's birth

Riot police on Monday blocked hundreds of protesters trying to prevent the family of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos from celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth at the Philippines' "Heroes Cemetery".

Three decades after a bloodless "People Power" revolution toppled the Marcos regime, his family holds influential political posts and is busy rehabilitating his legacy -- with the help of family friend President Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte last year allowed the remains to be buried at the cemetery, reserved for soldiers slain in battle and former presidents. Last week he declared the birth anniversary on September 11 a holiday in the ex-leader's home province.

"This is an insult to the memory of my father," said Amira Lidasan, one of a group of anti-Marcos protesters estimated by police to number 500 who marched on the cemetery gates.

Lidasan said her father was imprisoned for a month for a nighttime curfew violation in the early 1970s, when Marcos put the country under martial law for more than eight years.

The father died from illness shortly afterwards, she added.

But about 300 riot police blocked a road leading to the Marcos tomb, allowing the family to hold a private reception inside the cemetery grounds.

About 50 elderly women supporters of Marcos meanwhile flashed V-for-victory signs and sang "Happy Birthday" for Marcos at a separate gathering outside the cemetery gates.

"He achieved many things during his presidency. He built roads and many other structures and he kept the prices of grocery items low," Erlinda Taning, 65, told AFP.

Marcos oversaw widespread human rights abuses during his 20-year rule. Thousands of people were killed, tortured or imprisoned, according to rights advocates and previous Philippine governments.

He has also been accused of embezzling billions of dollars from state coffers during his rule, with anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International in 2004 naming him the second most corrupt leader of all time, behind Indonesian dictator Suharto.

However no member of the Marcos clan has ever gone to prison and the family has made a dramatic political comeback in recent years, with his widow and two children being elected to office.

The election last year of Duterte, a family friend, has accelerated the rehabilitation.

Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, the dictator's son, lost the vice-presidential election last year but has filed an election protest in hopes of overturning the result. Duterte, who was elected separately, has endorsed his protest.

Protesters Monday burned a banner that read "Marcos Duterte Fascist" and which depicted a two-faced man -- half Marcos and half Duterte.

"There should be no compromise, no immunity to a plunderer and a murderer," Marie Enriquez, a human rights activist whose sister was tortured and killed in a Marcos martial-law prison, said in a statement.
Rohingya Muslim refugees near the Bangladeshi town of Teknaf after crossing the border from Myanmar

Police fired rubber bullets to break up a mob which stoned the home of a Muslim butcher in central Myanmar, authorities said Monday, as religious tensions rise amid a surge of violence in the west.

The mob attack on Sunday night in the Magway region of the mainly Buddhist nation was fuelled by anger over the deepening crisis in the western state of Rakhine, according to a government press release.

Rakhine has been gripped by violence since militants from the Rohingya Muslim minority attacked security forces in late August, triggering brutal army reprisals that have left hundreds dead and pushed nearly 300,000 Rohingya across the border to Bangladesh.

The exodus accounts for nearly a third of Myanmar's Rohingya population, creating a humanitarian emergency as a flood of famished and wounded refugees pour into Bangladesh's already overcrowded camps.

The fighting has also pushed some 27,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus to flee their homes in northern Rakhine.

The conflict, marked by competing accusations from different ethnic groups, has intensified long-running mistrust between Myanmar's Buddhists and its maligned Muslim minority.

Those tensions bubbled over in Taung Twin Gyi township on Sunday night when dozens of villagers in a 400-strong crowd sang the national anthem and lobbed rocks at the home of a Muslim butcher before marching over to the local mosque, where police dispersed the mob.

Police arrested one man, 30-year-old Hnin Ko Ko Lin, who said the group acted because "they could not accept the things that happened in Rakhine", according to the government statement.

Min Thein, a lower house MP for the township, confirmed to AFP that the butcher was Muslim.

"Now we are urging all the people to stay calm and we have already told the Muslim residents to stay in their homes," he added.

Tensions between Buddhists and Muslims have simmered in Myanmar since 2012 when sectarian violence erupted in Rakhine, leaving hundreds dead and pushing more than 100,000 Rohingya into decrepit camps.

The country's new civilian government, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, is desperate to avoid a repeat of anti-Muslim riots that swept through central Myanmar in 2013, leaving scores dead.

Since then Buddhist hardliners have led sporadic attacks on mosques and other Islamic sites across the country.

But western Rakhine, which is home to the Rohingya, has remained the epicentre of religious unrest.

Myanmar has denied the Rohingya citizenship, claiming they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and severely restricted their access to jobs, healthcare and other basic services.

Analysts say years of state-backed repression contributed to the emergence last year of the Rohingya militant group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, whose attacks have triggered the worst violence to engulf the region in years.
The Security Council is set to vote Monday on the US-led effort to impose harsher new sanctions against North Korea, which has defied multiple measures to rein in its weapons program

The UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea, banning textile exports and restricting shipments of oil products to punish Pyongyang for its sixth and largest nuclear test.

The resolution, passed after Washington toned down its original proposals to secure backing from China and Russia, came just one month after the council banned exports of coal, lead and seafood in response to North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the tough new measures were a message to Pyongyang that "the world will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea," but she also held out the prospect of a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

"We are not looking for war. The North Korean regime has not yet passed the point of no-return," Haley told the council, adding: "If North Korea continues its dangerous path, we will continue with further pressure. The choice is theirs."

During tough negotiations, the United States dropped initial demands for a full oil embargo and a freeze on the foreign assets of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

The resolution instead bans trade in textiles, cuts off natural gas shipments to North Korea, places a ceiling on deliveries of refined oil products and caps crude oil shipments at current levels.

It bars countries from issuing new work permits to North Korean laborers sent abroad -- there are some 93,000, providing Kim's regime with a source of revenue to develop its missile and nuclear programs, according to a US official familiar with the negotiations.

Under the measure, countries are authorized to inspect ships suspected of carrying banned North Korean cargo but must first seek the consent of the flag-state.

Joint ventures will be banned and the names of senior North Korean official and three entities were added to a UN sanctions blacklist that provides for an assets freeze and a global travel ban.

It was the eighth series of sanctions imposed on North Korea since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006.

- 'Concrete action' -

Seoul welcomed the resolution, calling it a "grave warning that (North Korea's) continued provocations will only intensify its diplomatic isolation and economic pressure."

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the sanctions were much stronger than earlier measures and urged Pyongyang to take "concrete action" toward denuclearization.

The United States and its allies argue that tougher sanctions will pile pressure on Kim's regime to come to the negotiating table to discuss an end to its nuclear and missile tests.

Russia and China are pushing for talks with North Korea, but their proposal for a freeze on Pyongyang's missile and nuclear tests in exchange for suspending US-South Korean military drills has been rejected by the United States.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi again called for talks "sooner rather than later."

China, North Korea's sole ally and main trading partner, had strongly objected to an oil embargo initially sought by the United States out of fear that it would bring the North's economy to its knees.

Instead, annual crude oil supplies are capped at current levels -- China is believed to supply around four million barrels a year through a pipeline, while deliveries of refined oil products such as gasoline and diesel are limited to two million barrels a year.

That would amount to a 10 percent cut in oil products, according to the US Energy Information Administration, which estimates annual exports to North Korea at nearly 2.2 million barrels.

The US official said the ban on textile exports would deprive North Korea of some $726 million in annual revenue.

- 'Further provocations' -

But analysts were sceptical about their impact.

North Korea has made rapid progress in its nuclear and missile programs despite multiple sets of UN sanctions, and Go Myong-Hyun at the Asan Institute of Policy Studies said the latest measures were "not enough to cause pain."

Kim Hyun-Wook of Seoul's Korea National Diplomatic Academy, predicted: "The sanctions will only provide North Korea with an excuse for further provocations, such as an ICBM launch."

Kim Jong-Un heads a regime that has repeatedly shrugged off outside pressure to press ahead with a banned missile and nuclear programe

Washington has said military action remains an option in dealing with Pyongyang and threatened to cut economic ties with countries that continue to trade with it.

Earlier, North Korea said it would not accept any chastisement over its weapons development, which it says is vital to stave off the threat of an American invasion.

In an official statement it threatened to cause the US "the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history."

Pyongyang has staged a series of missile tests in recent months that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range.

It followed up with a sixth nuclear test on September 3, its largest to date, which it said was a miniaturized hydrogen bomb.
The Maldives' image as a tourism paradise is being tarnished by political unrest

Maldives authorities suspended 56 lawyers on Monday, including all those who are defending dissidents, for demanding the rule of law in the politically restive archipelago.

The Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) said those who signed a petition making the demand were suspended indefinitely because they had violated several laws and were in contempt of court.

"The petition is an unlawful document and signing it is an act that interferes and puts pressure on the justice system," said a DJA statement.

The ban applies to over a third of the 150 lawyers in private practice in the Maldives and to the entire legal team of exiled opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed and other dissidents.

An alliance of four opposition parties said the suspension by President Abdulla Yameen's government means dissidents would no longer have access to quality legal counsel.

"An immediate practical implication of the suspension is that individuals unfairly targeted by President Yameens regime will find it virtually impossible to find effective legal counsel," they said in a statement.

"This includes high profile politicians, as well as members of parliament who were recently stripped of their seats."

It urged the international community to consider imposing "targeted travel and financial sanctions" against controversial chief justice Abdulla Saeed.

The holiday paradise has been in political turmoil since the toppling of Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected president, in February 2012.

He is living in exile in Britain after escaping a 13-year prison sentence for a terrorism conviction which the United Nations has called flawed and politically motivated.

Lawyer Husnu al-Suood said the group made the petition to the Supreme Court, which refused to accept it. On Sunday they refiled the petition with the attorney general.

"The thrust of our petition is the demand for rule of law," al-Suood told AFP by telephone. "Last night we went to the AG with a copy of the petition and today we have been suspended."

In August the last remaining opposition leader, Qasim Ibrahim, was handed a 38-month prison sentence for bribing lawmakers in March in a failed bid to impeach Speaker Abdulla Maseeh, a close ally of Yameen.

Ibrahim was allowed to travel to Singapore last week for urgent medical treatment for a heart condition.

Since coming to power in November 2013 Yameen has led a crackdown on political dissent in the Indian Ocean nation of 340,000, raising fears over stability and denting the Maldives' image as an upmarket honeymoon destination.

Yameen narrowly defeated former leader Nasheed in a controversial 2013 election run-off.
Local Bangladeshis help Rohingya Muslim refugees to disembark from a boat on the Bangladeshi side of Naf river near the Bangladeshi town of Teknaf on September 11, 2017

The situation in Myanmar is a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing", the United Nations rights chief said Monday, as Washington condemned a surge in violence that has sent more than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing for Bangladesh.

Hours after the UN warning, the Security Council announced it would meet Wednesday to discuss the violence, prompting an ongoing exodus of Rohingya into neighbouring Bangladesh.

Refugees fleeing the unrest have brought stories of entire villages burned to the ground by Buddhist mobs and Myanmar troops.

Myanmar's de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize laureate, has faced strong international criticism over an army crackdown on the Muslim minority, which began when Rohingya militants ambushed security forces in Rakhine State on August 25.

The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority who have faced decades of persecution in Myanmar, where they are regarded as illegal immigrants

On Monday the UN human rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, accused Myanmar of waging a "systematic attack" on Rohingya civilians and warned that "ethnic cleansing" seemed to be under way.

"Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," he told the UN Human Rights Council.

The stateless Rohingya have faced decades of persecution in Myanmar, where they are regarded as illegal immigrants.

The White House broke its silence on the crisis on Monday, saying it was "deeply troubled" by attacks by both sides, including the militant ambushes in Rakhine.

We "reiterate our condemnation of those attacks and ensuing violence", Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, without directly accusing the Myanmar military of carrying out a crackdown.

- 'We will follow' -

The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar has said the latest violence may have left more than 1,000 dead, most of them Rohingya.

Bangladeshi volunteers from the Chhagalnaiya village council distribute food donations to Rohingya Muslim refugees at Naikhongchhari in Chittagong on September 10, 2017

The UN refugee agency says at least 313,000 Rohingya have now arrived in Bangladesh from Rakhine State since August 25, about a third of the total population of 1.1 million.

The actual figure could be even higher: The UN said many new arrivals are still on the move and are therefore left out of the calculations.

Most have walked for days, and the United Nations says many are sick, exhausted and in desperate need of shelter, food and water.

Safura Khatun, 60, was among the hundreds who crossed into Bangladesh on Monday.

She told AFP it had taken her 15 days to reach Bangladesh from her village south of Maungdaw, where her husband and three sons had been killed.

"I had only water for the last five days," she said, rocking on the spot in a yellow headscarf.

"I don't know what I will do here. We will follow the others."

Rohingya Muslim refugees build temporary, makeshift shelters, after crossing the border from Myanmar, in the Bangladeshi town of Teknaf on September 10, 2017

A further 27,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists as well as Hindus have also fled violence that has gripped northern Rakhine, where international aid programmes have been severely curtailed.

As concern grows over the crisis, Britain and Sweden requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council, due on Wednesday.

"It's a sign of the significant worry that Security Council members have about the situation that is continuing to deteriorate for the many Rohingyas who are seeking to flee Rakhine state," British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters.

On Monday it emerged that the Dalai Lama had joined fellow Nobel peace laureates Malala Yousafzai and Archbishop Desmond Tutu in urging Suu Kyi to intervene.

"Questions that are put to me suggest that many people have difficulty reconciling what appears to be happening to Muslims there with Myanmar's reputation as a Buddhist country," the Tibetan spiritual leader wrote in a letter to Suu Kyi shortly after the latest fighting broke out.

"I appeal to you and your fellow leaders to reach out to all sections of society to try to restore friendly relations throughout the population in a spirit of peace and reconciliation."

- 'Appalled' -

Refugee camps and makeshift settlements near the border with Myanmar were already hosting hundreds of thousands of Rohingya before the latest influx, and are now completely overwhelmed.

That has left tens of thousands of new arrivals with no shelter from the monsoon rains.

Dhaka, which initially tried to block the Rohingya from entering, said Monday that it would start registering all new arrivals.

The Bangladesh government plans to build a huge new camp that will house a quarter of a million refugees.

But it remains unclear when or whether they will be able to return.

The UN's Zeid said he was "appalled" by reports that Myanmar security forces were laying mines near the border to stop Rohingya returning.

Three Rohingya are reported to have been killed by a mine, and at least two more have lost limbs. One of the victims was a young boy.

On Sunday, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, the militant group whose attacks sparked the latest crackdown, declared a unilateral ceasefire to allow aid to reach the increasingly desperate refugees.

There was no immediate response from Myanmar's military, but on Saturday authorities said they would set up three relief camps in Rohingya-majority areas.
The ICRC flag flies at half-mast in Kabul in February after a previous deadly attack on staffers

A Spanish physiotherapist working for the Red Cross in northern Afghanistan was shot and killed Monday by a wheelchair-bound patient, in the latest attack on the international charity.

Lorena Enebral Perez, 38, was shot inside the aid group's rehabilitation centre in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where she treated disabled children, women and men including amputees, the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement.

Perez was taken to the NATO military base hospital at Camp Marmal where she died of her wounds.

"Energetic and full of laughter, Lorena was the heart of our office in Mazar. Today, our hearts are broken," said Monica Zanarelli, the ICRCs chief in Afghanistan.

"Lorena was a skilled and caring physiotherapist who assisted patients, especially children. The violent fluctuations of life seem particularly cruel today."

Two people have been arrested over the deadly attack, including the 21-year-old shooter whom police said was a "regular patient".

"He had hidden the pistol in his wheelchair which he used to shoot the victim," police spokesman Shir Jan Durrani told AFP.

Deputy police chief Abdul Razaq Qaderi said the man "opened fire on the doctor as soon as she entered the consultation room". The motive for the attack was not clear.

It was the latest deadly assault on the Red Cross in northern Afghanistan, where Taliban and Islamic State militants have been terrorising the local population.

Aid workers have increasingly become casualties of a surge in militant violence in recent years.

Most of the Red Cross's programmes in the north have been on hold since February, after six Afghan employees of the ICRC were shot dead when their convoy was ambushed in Jowzjan province.

Two of their colleagues were abducted and only released by their captors last week.

No group claimed responsibility for the abduction or killings but Jowzjan police had blamed local IS jihadists.

Last December a Spanish Red Cross employee was abducted when workers from the charity were travelling between Mazar-i-Sharif and the neighbouring Taliban hotbed of Kunduz.

He was released several weeks later.
Indian rights activist Kailash Satyarthi has begun a new campaign, to protect children from sexual exploitation

Indian Nobel peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Monday started a cross-country march aimed at forcing authorities to clamp down on the widespread sexual abuse and trafficking of vulnerable children.

Satyarthi and scores of supporters embarked on the "India March" at Kanyakumari on the country's southernmost tip. He hopes to get one million people involved in various stages of the march to New Delhi.

"If our children are not safe in India, if our children are not safe in schools, then we have to change it," 63-year-old Satyarthi told NDTV television.

"We cannot just wait and watch. One cannot be a silent spectator," he said, calling child sexual abuse a "growing menace, a growing epidemic".

The march will finish in New Delhi on October 16 after he and his supporters travel across all 29 states and seven union territories, covering 11,000 kilometres (6,835 miles).

More than 9,000 children were trafficked in India in 2016, up nearly 25 percent from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

About 14,000 children were victims of rape and sexual harassment in 2015, data from the National Crime Records Bureau showed.

But those figures may only be the tip of the iceberg, with experts saying the government underestimates the numbers in a country where a shroud of silence surrounds such crimes.
The futures of around 800,000 so-called 'dreamers' are now in doubt

The UN rights chief raised concern Monday about Washington's decision to end an amnesty for hundreds of thousands of people brought illegally to the country as children, saying they should be granted "durable legal status".

US President Donald Trump last week abrogated an order issued by his predecessor Barack Obama that protected around 800,000 young people by granting them temporary legal status as part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA).

The move gives the so-called "Dreamers", many of them Hispanic who are now in their twenties, somewhere between six and 24 months before they become illegal and subject to potential deportation.

"I am concerned by the government's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme," UN rights chef Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said at the opening of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

He pointed to evidence of the programme's "positive impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of young migrants, and on the US economy and society," and said he hoped Congress would now act to provide former DACA beneficiaries with "durable legal status".

- 'Frightened migrants' -

Trump's move fulfilled a campaign promise of zero tolerance toward illegal immigrants.

But the president insisted he was showing compassion for the Dreamers, many of whom know only the United States and speak only English, by giving Congress six months to craft a lasting legal solution.

Zeid also voiced alarm at an "increase in detentions and deportations of well-established and law-abiding immigrants" in the United States.

He said the number of detentions of migrants with no criminal convictions was 155 percent higher during the first five months of this year than during the same period of 2016.

"Some migrants, including longstanding residents, are now so frightened of expedited deportation they refrain from accessing police protection and courtrooms," Zeid said.

He said reports of rape filed by Latina women in the city of Houston fell by 43 percent in the first three months of 2017.

Zeid also reiterated his concerns over the anti-semitism and racism on display last month in Charlottesville, Virginia, and also "increasingly manifested online and in public debates".

"Free speech is an invaluable and essential right, under both international standards and US law, and it should not be weaponised by calls for violence and hatred," he said.

Last month, the UN rights chief said Trump was largely to blame for the deteriorating discourse in the country, warning among other things that his relentless attacks on the media could trigger violence against journalists.
A total of 6.3 million people were told to leave their homes in Florida

Irma, once a deadly hurricane in the Caribbean, weakened Monday as residents in Florida and across the region surveyed the widespread damage and dealt with heavy floods.

Here is a roundup of the effects of the storm that has claimed dozens of lives and wreaked havoc that will cost billions of dollars to repair.

- Irma's toll -

As of late Monday, the death toll was around 40. Fourteen were killed on the French island of Saint Barthelemy and the neighboring Dutch-French island of Saint Martin, at least 10 in Cuba, six in the British Caribbean islands, at least four in the US Virgin Islands, at least two in Puerto Rico, one in Barbuda and at least one in Haiti.

Two deaths occurred in Florida due to car accidents.

US forecaster AccuWeather said the combined economic cost of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma could reach $290 billion.

- Barbuda -

Irma first made landfall on Barbuda on Wednesday as a Category 5 hurricane, with winds of up to 180 miles (290 kilometers) per hour. The island suffered "absolute devastation," with 30 percent of properties demolished and 99 percent of buildings damaged.

A child died on the island of 1,600 residents, and 1,413 people were evacuated to Antigua.

- Saint Martin, Saint Barthelemy and Anguilla -

St Martin -- divided between France and the Netherlands -- and Saint Barthelemy were also hit on Wednesday.

France said 10 people died on its side, while the Netherlands said the storm killed four on the Dutch side, called Sint Maarten, where 70 percent of the infrastructure has been destroyed.

France's state-owned reinsurer CCR estimates damage on the two islands at $1.4 billion.

France and the Netherlands are rushing in logistical support, as well as hundreds of extra police amid reports of looting.

Authorities in Cuba said they had evacuated more than a million people

French aid includes helicopters, engineering equipment, medical supplies and a million liters (265,000 gallons) of water.

French President Emmanuel Macron travels to Saint Martin on Tuesday, and Dutch King Willem-Alexander was visiting Sint Maarten.

In the British archipelago of Anguilla, one man was crushed to death in a house.

- Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico -

Five people were killed in the British Virgin Islands.

Just east of Puerto Rico, it is home to roughly 28,000 people and includes British billionaire Richard Branson's Necker Island.

At least four were killed in the US Virgin Islands, and at least two were killed in the US territory of Puerto Rico, with more than half of its three million residents without power.

- Dominican Republic, Haiti -

Around 20,000 people were evacuated in the Dominican Republic, the eastern part of Hispaniola island, which is shared with Haiti.

Hurricanes

Irma caused at least one fatality, with another person missing, but passed further north than had been feared.

Authorities said 5,000 houses flooded, while 8,000 families were declared disaster victims after their homes were severely damaged or destroyed.

- Cuba -

Cubans reported "deafening" winds, uprooted trees and power lines, and rooftops blown off after Irma made landfall Friday as a maximum-strength Category 5 storm.

Enormous waves lashed the Malecon, Havana's emblematic seafront, and residents were waist-deep in floodwaters after Irma forced the evacuation of more than a million people.

Havana residents remained without water supplies and phone connections and schools were closed until further notice.

- Florida -

More than four million homes were without power throughout Florida and more than six million people had been ordered to flee their homes.

Florida Governor Rick Scott said Irma's storm surge saw many areas inundated, including historic levels in at least three counties.

Power lines were down across the state, with 65 percent of homes without electricity, and many roads were impassable due to debris.

The military was helping in relief operations, with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arriving off Florida late Sunday to help in the southern part of the state and along the Florida Keys.

- Irma: Where next? -

Warnings of hazardous storm surges persisted in several areas as Irma's center moved over southwestern Georgia after passing by the northwestern coast of Florida.

The National Hurricane Center warned of possible tornadoes along the South Carolina coast overnight.

A state of emergency has been declared in Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and Florida.

- Hurricanes Jose, Katia -

The holiday islands of St Martin and St Barts suffered the highest toll among Caribbean victims of Irma

A weakening Hurricane Jose passed north of Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin over the weekend, despite earlier fears the islands would suffer a second storm within days.

Another hurricane, Katia, made landfall in eastern Mexico late Friday, killing two people.

burs-wat/oh
Members of the Rakhine State government offered food to monks in the morning, and then laid wreaths at U Ottama Park.

The state chief minister also presided over a poetry reading and arts, essay and knowledge contests.

Rakhine martyr Sayadaw Ashin U Ottama was a respectable person and the first martyr who led the revolution against the British colonists for Myanmars independence, said Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu.

Born in 1879, U Ottama wad periodically jailed throughout his lifetime for leading a movement against the British. He encouraged monks to get involved in the fight for independence. He died at the age of 60 in 1939.

Rakhine youth writer Wai Hin Aung called on the government to designate U Ottama Day a national public holiday.

Commemorative events were also held in other townships throughout Rakhine State and in Yangon.
This file picture taken on September 7, 2017 shows a member of the Syrian government forces looking on as smoke rises on the horizon in Al-Shula on the southwestern outskirts of Deir Ezzor

Syrian army reinforcements arrived in Deir Ezzor Monday for a new push against the Islamic State group, as a second day of suspected Russian strikes killed 19 civilians in the area.

Deir Ezzor city is the capital of the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor, regarded as a strategic prize by both Russian-backed Syrian troops and US-backed fighters.

Regime forces have scored major advances in recent days, breaking a pair of IS sieges on the city and capturing territory around it.

The advances have been accompanied by deadly air strikes, with a monitor saying 19 civilians were killed Monday in suspected Russian air raids northwest of the city.

The strikes come a day after the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Russian strikes killed 34 civilians southeast of the city, as they fled across the Euphrates River.

The latest air raids hit the IS-held village of Al-Khrayta, 14 kilometres (nine miles) outside Deir Ezzor city.

Two sets of strikes 30 minutes apart hit civilians sheltering in tents along the Euphrates and boats on the river, the monitor said.

They come as the Syrian army prepares to push into the eastern IS-held part of Deir Ezzor city, according to the Observatory.

Anti-IS forces advance in eastern Syria

"Huge military reinforcements, including equipment, vehicles and fighters have arrived in Deir Ezzor ahead of an attack to push Daesh from the city's eastern neighbourhoods," said Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"Russian and Syrian regime warplanes are striking IS positions in the city and its outskirts," he added.

Major General Issam Zahreddine of the Syrian Republican Guard in Deir Ezzor on September 10, 2017, as government forces press their advance against Islamic State group jihadists

Since 2014, IS has controlled most of Deir Ezzor city and the surrounding province, which borders territory the jihadists hold in Iraq.

The remaining 40 percent of the city still held by the government -- and home to around 100,000 civilians -- was under crippling IS siege.

Backed by Russian air power, government troops have breached IS's sieges, captured the strategic Jabal Thardah region and expanded their control to half of Deir Ezzor city.

- US-backed force advances -

Moscow intervened in Syria in September 2015 in support of its ally President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian pro-government forces on the outskirts of Deir Ezzor on September 10, 2017

Fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces on Saturday announced a separate offensive to capture IS territory east of the Euphrates river, which slices diagonally across Deir Ezzor province.

By Monday, the SDF's Deir Ezzor Military Council (DEMC) had seized much of the province's northeast and were just a few kilometres (miles) away from the river.

Abdel Rahman said they had advanced to six kilometres (four miles) from its eastern banks, at a point across the river from Deir Ezzor city.

Colonel Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the US-led coalition backing the SDF, said the militia had made "significant gains", capturing around 250 square kilometres (96 square miles) since the operation began.

The SDF, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters, is also battling IS in the jihadists' de facto capital Raqa with backing from the US-led air coalition.

Although the SDF has yet to reach Deir Ezzor city itself, tribal figures affiliated with the alliance said they were laying the groundwork for governing the city after IS's defeat.

The statement, published by the SDF's media council, announced the establishment of "a preparatory committee that will discuss the basis and starting points for a civil council for Deir Ezzor".

- 'After liberation' -

According to the statement, consultations would aim to reach a "formulation that will express the aspirations of all our people in Deir Ezzor".

A Syrian flashes the victory sign in Deir Ezzor on September 10, 2017 as government forces advance against Islamic State group jihadists

The Deir Ezzor Civil Council "will be responsible for running the city immediately after its liberation".

It made no mention of regime forces and did not say whether the civil council would coordinate with, or rival, government authorities.

The SDF has said its assault in Deir Ezzor province is not in coordination with Russian or regime forces.

But the coalition, the SDF, Syria's government and Russia have agreed on a "de-confliction line" in northeastern Syria to prevent the two offensives from clashing.

Aaron Stein, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, said he did not expect the SDF to enter Deir Ezzor city.

But, he added, "the SDF is now racing. The SDF is in a race with the regime."

"The regime forced everyone's hand. They moved faster than expected up the river, so things started to move."

Syria's conflict erupted in 2011 with protests calling for Assad's ouster, but it has since evolved into a complex war drawing in world powers.

More than 330,000 people have been killed and millions have been forced to flee their homes.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (R) meets Algerian Senate speaker Abdelkader Bensalah in Algiers on September 11, 2017, in a handout picture released by the Venezuelan presidency

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited fellow OPEC member Algeria Monday for talks after announcing Caracas would sell crude oil in non-dollar currencies in a bid to resist US sanctions.

Maduro arrived late Sunday in the North African country and met Senate speaker Abdelkader Bensalah on Monday to discuss oil policies, the Venezuelan government said.

The Algerian presidency said Maduro and his hosts were to review the situation on world oil markets.

The statements made no mention of whether he would meet his ailing Algerian counterpart President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 80, and an official told AFP Monday the issue was still unclear.

Algeria's official APS news agency said Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia and Energy Minister Mustapha Guitouni were also at the meeting.

It took place at Bouteflika's official residence in Zeralda, where he receives foreign guests, it said.

The Venezuelan presidency said the talks covered a 2016 OPEC deal to cut oil production in a bid to boost low crude prices.

After the meeting, Maduro said there was "a climate favourable to the policy of a fair price for black gold", it said.

It said oil sector cooperation between Algiers and Caracas was also on the agenda.

Both Algeria and Venezuela are members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel, and have been hard hit by low oil prices following a market slump in 2014.

Venezuela has to make $3.8 billion in debt payments in October and November, while its foreign currency reserves have sunk under $10 billion.

It has also been hit by tough new American sanctions that bar American banks from trading in new bonds issued by Venezuela's government or the state-run oil company PDVSA.

Washington's goal is to restrict the South American country's access to vital bond and equity markets.

Maduro said on Friday he planned "to start selling oil, gas and all other products that Venezuela sells with new currencies, including the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen, the Russian ruble, the Indian rupee among others.

"An economy free from the US imperialist system is possible," he said during a television broadcast.

The slump in crude oil prices has also forced Algeria's government to raise taxes and mothball many public projects as the country struggles with high unemployment.

Maduro arrived from Astana where he attended a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Poachers have killed more than 7,100 rhinos across Africa over the past decade

A Mozambican rhino poacher caught at a world famous game reserve in South Africa has been jailed for 20 years, police said.

Mapoyisa Mahlauli, 30, was sentenced on Thursday following his arrest last year in the Kruger National Park, which borders Mozambique.

"Mahlauli was sentenced to an effective 20 years imprisonment after he was found guilty... for various rhino-poaching related crimes," said police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale in a statement on Monday.

"This will send a strong message to other potential rhino poachers about the consequences of their actions if caught."

Rangers tracked the poachers after they heard gun shots and discovered a white rhino whose horns had been freshly sawed off, in March last year.

A shoot-out ensued before Mahlauli was discovered with a rifle and a pair of rhino horns. His accomplice had fled.

Police said they also arrested a Hong Kong-bound Chinese national at Johannesburg's international airport on Friday, after he was found in possession of five rhino horns wrapped in foil.

South Africa is home to around 20,000 rhinos, about 80 percent of the worldwide population, but the country has suffered a record loss at the hands of poachers in recent years.

Poachers have killed more than 7,100 rhinos across Africa over the past decade.

Rhino horns are highly prized in Asia, where they are mistakenly believed to have medicinal powers.

The horns consist mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails, and are sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseases -- as well as a purported aphrodisiac -- in Vietnam and China.
Syrian refugees head back home from Jordan on August 22, 2017 after Jordan, Russia and the US brokered a ceasefire in southern Syria where they hope to set up a safe zone

Jordan and Russia said Monday a ceasefire brokered with the United States for southern Syria was "successful" and the next step would be to set up a safe zone there.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov made their remarks at a joint news conference in Amman.

Jordan shares a border of more than 370 kilometres (230 miles) with Syria, where upwards of 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 came into force on July 9.

Both Safadi and Lavrov told reporters the ceasefire had been "successful".

"We discussed issues pertaining to setting up a de-escalation zone in southeastern Syria," Lavrov said, according to an Arabic translation of remarks he made in Russian.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi say a ceasefire deal they jointly brokered with the US in southern Syria in July has been a success

Safadi said Jordan, Russia and the United States were "determined to meet the objective" of setting up a safe zone in the area "as soon as possible".

He said talks were under way between the three countries to establish the zone.

De-escalation in southern Syria is part of a broader Moscow-backed plan to create four "de-escalation zones" in rebel-held parts of the country.

Russia and Iran, main allies of the Syrian government, and rebel-backer Turkey agreed in May to create the four zones in a deal aimed at bringing about a lasting truce.

Last month, Jordan government spokesman Mohamed Momani said Amman was hoping to reopen border crossings with Syria, noting that relations between the neighbours had been going in the "right direction".

The economy of Jordan, a country devoid of natural resources, has been severely affected by the closure of its borders with Iraq and Syria, which are both at war.

The United Nations says Jordan is hosting more than 650,000 Syrian refugees, but authorities in the kingdom put their actual number at 1.4 million.
Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani

Qatar's foreign minister on Monday accused the "illegal" blockade against his country for trying to force it into a "state of trusteeship".

Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani decried the "illegal siege which clearly violates international laws."

Qatar has been hit by a land and air embargo imposed by Saudi Arabia and its allies, who cut ties with Doha on June 5 accusing it of backing extremists.

But Al-Thani insisted that "it is no secret that the real motives behind the siege and the severing of diplomatic relations with the state of Qatar were not aimed at fighting terrorism."

"But rather an attempt to force Qatar into a state of trusteeship to interfere in its foreign policy, to undermine its sovereignty and to interfere in its domestic policy."

Qatar "cannot tolerate this situation," he said.

His comments came after Saudi Arabia vowed Sunday to keep pressuring Qatar until demands by the bloc of Arab states had been met, dampening hopes for a US-mediated resolution to their diplomatic crisis.

The bloc's 13 demands include Doha ending its alleged support for Islamist extremist groups, closing a Turkish military base in the emirate and downgrading diplomatic ties with Tehran.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani (right) recently spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to try to resolve the diplomatic crisis

The Saudi move came just two days after US President Donald Trump spoke with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Qatar in a bid to mediate.

Trump said he believed the dispute between Riyadh and Doha, both key US allies, could be solved "fairly easily".

The Saudi and Qatari rulers spoke by phone on Saturday, raising hope for talks.

But Riyadh later suspended the dialogue, accusing Doha of distorting facts by wrongly implying that Saudi Arabia had initiated the outreach.

On Monday, the Qatari foreign minister said his country was taken aback when Saudi Arabia disputed a readout of the "positive" call.

"Unfortunately, we have seen -- half an hour later -- a retaliation from their side by issuing a statement that what we have issued is a lie," Al-Thani told reporters on the sidelines of the rights council.

He however stressed his country's "readiness for dialogue to end this crisis.

"We are willing to talk to them, we are ready to engage if it is based on principles which are not violating the international law and respect the sovereignty of each country."
A US serviceman in Afghanistan: the Taliban have vowed to make the country a 'graveyard' for foreign forces

A suicide bomber drove a car packed with explosives into a foreign military convoy in Afghanistan on Monday, wounding two US soldiers and three civilians, officials said.

The Taliban claimed the attack near Bagram airfield, America's largest base in the country. It comes a few days after another insurgent blew himself up outside the military facility over a US propaganda leaflet deemed highly offensive to Muslims.

The attack follows the Taliban's vow to turn Afghanistan into a "graveyard" for foreign forces after US President Donald Trump pledged to keep American troops in the country indefinitely.

"We had two US soldiers wounded and their injuries are not life-threatening," Navy Captain William Salvin, a spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, told AFP.

Parwan provincial police chief Mohammad Zaman Mamozai told AFP that three civilians were also wounded in the attack.

The Taliban, which ruled the war-torn country from 1996-2001, claimed responsibility for the latest assault in a WhatsApp message sent to journalists, saying 24 "invaders" had been killed and injured, and three military vehicles destroyed.

The militants routinely exaggerate battlefield claims.

It is not clear if the attack is also linked to the leaflet drop in the northern province of Parwan, where Bagram is located.

The leaflet depicted a lion chasing a white dog -- the same colour as the Taliban's flag -- with the Islamic statement of faith -- "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is the messenger of Allah" -- superimposed on its body.

Dogs are seen as unclean creatures by some Muslims and the association of Islam with a canine in deeply religious Afghanistan angered many people.

Major General James Linder, who heads the US and NATO special operations forces in Afghanistan, apologised for the leaflet design, which he said was an "error".
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump observe a moment of silence on the 16th anniversary of the September 11, 2001

President Donald Trump on Monday paid tribute to the 2,977 people killed on September 11, 2001, warning that "savage killers" who threaten the United States will find no haven on earth.

On the 16th anniversary of the attacks, Trump's first as president, he observed a moment of silence at a White House before laying a wreath and delivering remarks at the Pentagon, where 184 people died.

His tone unbending and solemn, Trump championed America's resilience and "common bonds," but issued a stern warning to "enemies" that "America cannot be intimidated."

"Those who try will soon join the long list of vanquished enemies who dared to test our mettle," he said, as a drone of jet engines carried echoes of a day half a generation ago that many Americans have vowed not to forget.

A makeshift memorial lines the fence at the World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial in New York on the 16th anniversary of the attacks that toppled the trade center's iconic twin towers

In Trump's native New York, at Ground Zero, there was a minute's silence at 8:46 am (1246 GMT), the moment the first of two hijacked airliners struck the World Trade Center.

In all, four planes were hijacked by Al-Qaeda militants who used them to topple the trade center's twin towers and hit the Pentagon.

The fourth plane, Flight 93, crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Vice President Mike Pence traveled for the day.

"It was the worst attack on our country since Pearl Harbor and even worse because this was an attack on civilians -- innocent men, women and children whose lives were taken so needlessly," Trump said.

The attacks remain the deadliest ever on US soil, plunging the United States into a chain of rolling wars against Islamic militants, in which Trump has vowed to give no quarter.

Next year, Americans who were born after 9/11 are due to be deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq for the first time.

"We're ensuring that they never again have a safe haven to launch attacks against our country," Trump said.

"We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large earth."
French-Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri speaks to reporters outside a military court in Beirut on September 11, 2017

French-Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri walked free Monday and was given back his confiscated passports after a military court hearing over his filming of a movie in Israel.

The 54-year-old was briefly detained on Sunday night after arriving in Lebanon to premiere his new film "The Insult".

He was released but his passports were confiscated and he was ordered to appear before a military court over his 2013 movie "The Attack", which he filmed partly in Israel.

Lebanon, which is officially at war with Israel, bans its citizens from visiting the neighbouring country, with which it is locked in a decades-old conflict.

French-Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri with his French and Lebanese passports outside the military court in Beirut on September 11, 2017

After a hearing of several hours at a Beirut military court, Doueiri walked free, brandishing his two passports.

"My client was released. No charges have been filed against him," Doueiri's lawyer Najib Lyan told reporters, adding that the case would be "definitively closed".

However, a judicial source told AFP "it is possible that the issue will be referred to a military court, for the crime of entering an enemy country without prior authorisation".

Doueiri is in Lebanon to promote "The Insult", which opened to rave reviews at the Venice Film Festival and earned Palestinian actor Kamel El Basha the Volpi Cup for best actor.

Lebanon has chosen the film as its official entry for the foreign film category at the Oscars.

But Doueiri has been criticised by some Lebanese journalists and activists for partly filming "The Attack" in Israel.

Adapted from the best-selling book by Yasmina Khadra, "The Attack" follows the story of an Israeli surgeon of Arab origin whose wife is the perpetrator of a suicide attack.

The film was banned in Lebanon.

"Three years have passed since the acts of which he is accused, since the filming took place in 2012," said Lyan.

He said that before filming Doueiri had requested permission "to film on the ground, to defend the Palestinian cause... without ever receiving a response from the defence ministry".

Doueiri said he had been released "because there was no criminal intent".

"The Insult" is due to premiere in Beirut on Tuesday.
Children who fled fighting in Mosul sit in a vehicle in the city's western district on July 8, 2017, waiting to be relocated

Iraq has in its custody more than 1,300 women and children from Islamic State group families who surrendered to Kurdish peshmerga forces, an official said Monday.

"The peshmerga handed over 1,333 women and children from jihadist families from the Islamic State group," said the senior official in the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC).

Iraqi forces in late August ousted IS from the jihadists' one-time stronghold of Tal Afar, near Iraqi Kurdistan, after facing fierce resistance in the town of Al-Ayadieh.

The women and children "surrendered to Kurdish forces" deployed north of Al-Ayadieh, said the official, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.

"We settled them in a camp for the displaced near Mosul," 70 kilometres (43 miles) east of Tal Afar, he said, adding the women and children were of "14 different nationalities".

During the battle for Tal Afar, images circulated on social media showing armed men in peshmerga uniforms among jihadists who were standing in line or sitting on the ground.

Witnesses said dozens of jihadists surrendered to the peshmerga after helping their families flee east and to Mosul. They had sought to blend in with other displaced people fleeing Tal Afar.

Peshmerga commanders have declined to comment on the reports.

However, in a statement published on the website of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK) party of Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani, one said "many jihadists are trying to sneak out among the displaced".
Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi on the campaign trail on December 21, 2014, prior to being elected

Tunisia's President Beji Caid Essebsi strengthened his grip on power late Monday when parliament approved a cabinet reshuffle ahead of key elections.

Observers say the new cabinet, which places Essebsi allies in key positions, consolidates the 90-year-old president's hold on the executive, months ahead of Tunisia's first post-revolution municipal polls.

"It is the president who pulls the strings," French language daily Le Quotidien said.

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed easily won a confidence vote for his new line-up, backed by lawmakers from his own Nidaa Tounes party and its Islamist ally in government, Ennahdha, which together dominate parliament.

He announced the new line-up last week after talks with Essebsi, who founded secular Nidaa Tunes and later became prime minister before being elected president in the wake of a 2011 revolution that overthrew veteran dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Chahed, the youngest premier in the North African country's post-independence history, promised a "government of combat" to continue "the war against terrorism, the war against corruption, the war for growth, the war against unemployment and regional inequalities".

He played up his government's economic achievements and said he had appointed new interior and defence ministers "to strengthen our country's capacities in the fight against terrorism, organised crime and smuggling".

But observers say the new team consolidates the clout of Essebsi's Nidaa Tounes.

The new cabinet includes former advisers to the president as ministers of finance and health, while the nominee for the defence ministry, Abdelkrim Zbidi, held the same post when Essebsi was prime minister.

Analyst Selim Kharrat said Essebsi had the government under his control well before the reshuffle.

Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed addresses parliament in Tunis ahead of a vote of confidence in his reshuffled government on September 11, 2017

"The only difference is that it is much more blatant... and that the presidency hardly hides," he said.

Essebsi has yet to give any indication of his intentions when his five-year term ends in 2019.

Many of his detractors have voiced concern about the intentions of his son, Hafedh Caid Essebsi, the influential leader of Nidaa Tounes.

In a country still marked by decades of dictatorship, many have also criticised the nomination of ministers who served under Ben Ali.

Chahed said his new cabinet would respect the "national unity" needed to pass much-needed reforms.
People wade through the flooded streets of the San Marco historic district of Jacksonville, Florida

Millions of Florida residents were without power Tuesday as the remnants of Hurricane Irma spun northwest into the southeastern US, drenching the region and causing rivers to overflow.

Most of the Sunshine State appeared to have dodged forecasts of catastrophic damage despite dire early warnings.

But Irma's overall death toll jumped to at least 40 after Cuba reported that 10 people had been killed there over the weekend.

Irma roared ashore as a powerful Category 4 hurricane when it hit the far southern Florida Keys on Sunday, tearing boats from their moorings, uprooting palm trees and downing power lines, after devastating a string of Caribbean islands.

By the time it hit the US mainland the storm had been downgraded, and by late Monday it had weakened further to a tropical depression.

Across the Caribbean, hard-hit island residents struggled to get back on their feet as Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States increased relief efforts.

French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to the region Tuesday to tour devastated French territories, joining the Dutch king who had arrived in his country's Caribbean territories on Sunday.

In Florida, the damage in most cases were not as bad as feared.

"If this had been a Category 4 hurricane the whole scenario would have been completely different," said Bob Lutz, a 62-year-old business owner.

About 15 million people in Florida were without power, however, and Governor Rick Scott said the island chain known as the Keys had suffered widespread damage.

"It's horrible what we saw," Scott said after flying over the island chain aboard a Coast Guard helicopter.

He said the water, electricity and sewage systems in the Keys were non-operational, and that trailer parks had been "overturned."

Residents sit on rubble in the Cojimar neighborhood of Havana following Hurricane Irma

"We now go through the much longer phase, which is the recovery phase," said Miami Mayor Carlos Gimenez. "And believe me, folks, some of this is going to take a while, especially power restoration."

Most Keys residents evacuated from the low-lying tourist archipelago, known for its fishing, scuba diving and boating, before Irma struck.

The storm felled trees and left debris and vehicles strewn across the streets. But concrete homes appeared to have withstood the powerful gusts.

Authorities were allowing residents and business owners in the upper part of the Keys to begin returning on Tuesday.

"Returning residents should consider that there are limited services. Most areas are still without power and water. Cell service is spotty. And most gas stations are still closed," Monroe County authorities said in a Facebook post.

- Irma now a tropical depression -

A fallen tree toppled by Hurricane Irma blocks a street in downtown Miami

The National Hurricane Center downgraded Irma to a tropical depression in its 0300 GMT Tuesday bulletin.

Irma's maximum sustained winds dropped to 35 miles (56 kilometers) per hour, and the storm's eye was in western Georgia, and expected to cross into eastern Alabama and Tennessee later Tuesday.

"Additional weakening is forecast, and Irma is... likely to dissipate by Wednesday evening," the NHC said.

Heavy rain, however, was a problem: Florida's northeastern city of Jacksonville, population 880,000, ordered urgent evacuations amid record flooding along the St Johns River.

Flooding was also reported in Charleston, South Carolina.

Irma's path from Africa to North America

Irma had triggered orders for more than six million people to flee to safety, one of the biggest evacuations in US history.

In flood-prone Miami, the largest US city in Irma's path, crews were busy clearing branches, debris and fallen street signs from downtown.

- 10 dead in Cuba -

A police checkpoint on US Highway 1 blocks access to the Florida Keys following Hurricane Irma

In Bonita Springs, a city of 50,000 people on Florida's hard-hit southwest coast, large areas were flooded and the entire city was without power. Some residents were trying to reach their homes by walking through waist-high floodwater, while others paddled canoes.

"I don't think I can make it over to the house. I'd like to walk through there, but it looks like it's three feet (one meter) deep at least, and my boots are only a foot deep and I don't like cold water, which explains why I live here," local resident Sam Parish told AFP.

Authorities across the state warned of downed power lines, raw sewage in floodwaters and -- being Florida -- displaced wildlife like snakes and alligators.

"Don't think just because this has passed you can run home," Governor Scott said. "We have downed power lines all across the state.

"We have roads that are impassable," he said. "We have debris all over the state."

President Donald Trump has approved the state's request for emergency federal aid to help with temporary housing, home repairs, emergency work and hazard mitigation. He has promised to travel to the state "very soon."

A family is escorted by a French soldier at the Grand-Case Esperance airport on the French Caribbean island of Saint-Martin

Before reaching the United States Irma tore through a string of Caribbean islands, going from tiny Barbuda on Wednesday to the tropical paradises of Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Panama said it was distributing at least 90 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Saint Martin and Cuba, while Venezuela -- itself beset by shortages amid a crippling economic crisis -- sent 30 tonnes of food, drinking water and supplies to Cuba and other Caribbean islands.

About 400 exhausted and traumatized hurricane survivors landed in France and the Netherlands on Monday aboard military planes.

Both the French and Dutch governments have been criticized for delaying their emergency response, and especially over the handling of looting on Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin, the latter an island with both French and Dutch sectors.

Cuban officials said Irma was the deadliest hurricane to strike the island since Dennis in 2005, adding that three-quarters of the population was without power.

"This is a big warning already, when you know that climate change is getting more and more cruel," said Francisco Garcia, coach of Cuba's national karate team, whose home was damaged by Irma.

burs-acb/jm
A pilot sits in the cockpit of a UAE fighter jet during raids against Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen, in a handout image issued on September 11, 2015 by the United Arab Emirates News Agency (WAM)

An Emirati pilot and soldier have been killed in separate incidents in Yemen while taking part in a Saudi-led military campaign, the United Arab Emirates military said on Monday.

First Sergeant Nasser Gharib al-Mazrouei "died of wounds" he suffered whilst fighting in Yemen, the UAE military said in statement carried by the country's official WAM news agency.

Hours later, it said pilot Sultan al-Naqbi had been "killed by a technical malfunction" on his plane.

The spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition battling rebels in Yemen offered more details on the plane crash via Saudi Arabia's official SPA news agency.

Colonel Turki al-Maliki said the Emirati pilot had been on a reconnaissance mission Monday morning off Yemen's Red Sea coast when his plane went down.

The UAE is playing a key role in a Saudi-led military campaign launched in 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after Iran-backed Huthi rebels forced him into exile.

The role of the UAE has expanded over the course of the conflict.

Last month, Emirati-trained Yemeni special forces launched a major US-backed operation against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which has exploited years of conflict to expand its presence in southern Yemen.

Some 100 Emiratis have been killed in Yemen since the start of the Saudi-led intervention.
Since 2007, Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda linked group, has been fighting to overthrow the internationally backed government in Somalia

Somali soldiers, some of them wounded, fled across the border into Kenya during an attack by Islamic militants on the town of Bulo Hawo on Monday, security sources said.

At least 12 people died when fighters from the Al-Qaeda-aligned Shabaab group attacked the border town, according to witnesses, while many soldiers fled westward a few kilometres to the Kenyan town of Mandera.

"We have several of the soldiers from Somalia who ran to Kenya after the attack," said Mohamud Saleh, regional coordinator for north eastern Kenya. "Some are injured and have been taken to hospital."

Another regional security official, who did not want to be named, said the Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers numbered "more than 100".

The assault on Bulo Hawo followed standard Shabaab procedure with a vehicle-borne improvised bomb exploding at the entrance to the town's main military post, followed by a coordinated attack by militants from several directions.

"Shabaab militants attacked Bulo Hawo early this morning and heavy fighting erupted inside the town," said Ibrahim Dahir, a Somali army officer in the area.

Abdukadir Moalim, a local elder, said at least 12 people were killed, "most of them combatants".

Bulo Hawo resident Ahmed Omar said that lacking reinforcements the SNA soldiers, left the town "and some of them crossed the border with Kenya".

The militants stole vehicles and weapons before withdrawing.

In a statement translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, Shabaab claimed responsibility for the raid saying it killed 30 soldiers and released 35 prisoners from jail.

Shabaab has been fighting to overthrow successive internationally-backed governments in Mogadishu for the last 10 years, and also carries out occasional terrorist attacks in neighbouring Kenya.

Somalia's army is supported by a 22,000-strong African Union force while the US also carries out drone strikes against Shabaab commanders and has, in recent months, played an increasing role in Somali commando raids targeting the group's leaders.
Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser -- now 15, but 12 years old at the time of the 2014 crime -- were charged with attempted first-degree murder for the brutal attack blamed on their belief in Slender Man -- an online horror villain

Opening statements were to start Tuesday in the trial of one of two US teens accused of stabbing a friend to appease a fictitious internet character, in a case that inspired a TV documentary.

Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser -- now 15, but 12 years old at the time of the 2014 crime -- were charged with attempted first-degree murder for the brutal attack blamed on their belief in Slender Man -- an online horror villain.

The two are accused of stabbing friend Payton Leutner, who survived the attack, 19 times at a park in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a suburb of the Midwestern city of Milwaukee.

A jury of 12 and four alternates was empaneled Monday for Weier's trial, and were to be sequestered in a hotel for the duration, which could last as late as September 21.

Both teens have asserted insanity defenses, saying they had wanted to please Slender Man to avoid him hurting their families.

Geyser is to stand trial next month.

The case has been the subject of public fascination, with video of the girls' police interrogations featured in the 2016 HBO documentary "Beware the Slenderman."

"Morgan jumped on top of Bella and started stabbing her repeatedly, and that's when I turned around because I couldn't stand to see that," Weier tells police in the interrogation video, using a nickname for the victim.

Geyser, during her own police interview, claimed it was Weier who jumped on Leutner and "held her to the floor."

"I think Anissa stabbed her first, and then I continued."

Weier pleaded guilty in August to a reduced attempted second-degree homicide charge in a Wisconsin court. The trial will determine Weier's mental health and whether she is to be sentenced to prison or a hospital.

Under the terms of Weier's guilty plea, prosecutors would recommend 10 years in prison if the jury rejects her insanity defense, but the judge could impose a sentence of as much as 25 years.

Weier would be committed to a mental hospital for at least three years if the jury finds her impaired by mental illness.

Psychologists testified in pre-trial hearings that Weier suffered from depression and a delusional disorder that made it difficult to tell reality from fantasy, according to US media.

Geyser was being treated at a mental hospital for schizophrenia.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren on Monday dismissed at least two dozen potential jurors, including several who expressed skepticism of an insanity defense, US media reported.

"They think they can get off with a lesser penalty - just put 'em in a nut house a couple years and let them out," the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel quoted one potential juror, who was excused, as saying.
Heavy winds and rain from Hurricane Irma are seen in Miami, Florida on Sunday. The storm is churning its way north through the state

The city of Jacksonville in northeast Florida ordered urgent evacuations on Monday as record floods from monster storm Irma were set to rise even higher with the oncoming high tide.

"If you are in Evacuation Zone A or B along the river you need to heed this warning and get out now," the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said on its Facebook page Monday morning, referring to neighborhoods along the St Johns River which bisects the city.

"Historic flood levels already. Levels will continue to rise. Expect 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 meters) above normal high tide levels. Very significant river flooding is coming. It is going to be bad at high tide around 2:00 pm (1800 GMT)."

Residents who needed help getting out were urged to put a white flag, T-shirt, or other white object in front of their home to grab the attention of search and rescue teams.

"In the event of rising water, go up, not out," the sheriff's department added.

Video posted on Twitter Monday morning showed murky floodwater flowing quickly along a street in downtown.

Jacksonville, population 880,000 was not in the direct path of Irma, which was downgraded to a tropical storm earlier Monday and traveling north roughly in line with the state's western coast.

But that placed Jacksonville in the northeast portion of the massive storm, putting it at the greatest risk of powerful winds and rain, with Irma's tropical storm-force winds extending out 415 miles (665 kilometers) from the eye.
Opposition supporters keep an all-night vigil to press for constitutional reform in Lome, on September 7, 2017

Togo on Monday cancelled an upcoming Africa-Israel summit, citing lack of time to prepare, after days of anti-government protests targeting President Faure Gnassingbe.

The summit was due to have been held in the capital, Lome, late next month and was billed as a chance for closer cooperation in trade, security and diplomacy.

"The summit has indeed been postponed," a source at Togo's foreign ministry told AFP, confirming an earlier statement from his counterparts in Israel.

"No new date has been agreed yet," he added, without elaborating.

Israel's foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said Gnassingbe himself had requested the event be pushed back after discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The president of Togo has emphasised that elaborate preparations are needed in order to guarantee the success of the event," said Nahshon.

A number of African countries were reportedly threatening to boycott the October 23-27 event, in protest at Israel's conduct in the Palestinian conflict.

Morocco's king Mohamed VI stayed away from a summit of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS in Liberia in June, because Netanyahu was invited.

The summit postponement also comes after Togo's opposition parties turned out in force in Lome and other cities across the country last week, calling for Gnassingbe to resign.

Opposition leaders on Monday called for another huge turn-out on Tuesday to demand constitutional reform outside parliament, were lawmakers were due to meet.

Further marches were scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday.

Gnassingbe's government last week approved a draft bill for political change after protesters called for limits on presidential mandates and a two-round voting system.

The president has been in power since 2005, when he took over from his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for nearly 40 years.

Opposition parties have called the bill a "delaying tactic" and the government has since suggested it may not be discussed in full or approved on Tuesday.

Any amendment to the constitution requires the approval of four fifths of the national assembly.

"We're going to keep up the pressure until Faure Gnassingbe goes," said Eric Dupuy, spokesman for the main opposition National Alliance for Change party.
Partially submerged boats caused by Hurricane Irma sit in the water in a marina in downtown Miami, Florida, September 11, 2017.

Residents of Miami awoke Monday to fallen trees and branches, broken traffic lights, closed roads and sunken yachts.

Despite that, there was widespread relief that the storm surge triggered by Hurricane Irma, which swamped the city's business district, had not caused the catastrophic damage that had been predicted by meteorologists.

Clean-up teams were out at daybreak to clear the streets of debris, toppled traffic signals and downed trees left behind as the storm moved northwards and the floodwaters receded.

On Sunday, parts of the central business district of Brickell were swamped when the storm surge overwhelmed the sea front and flooded several blocks of high-end hotels, businesses and condo buildings.

The Miami waterfront, as well as the islands that make up the city, are used to flooding because much of the city is low lying and facing rising sea levels.

Some residents refused to follow the evacuation order and were out on the streets Monday, walking dogs and evaluating the damage to their town. Their relief at having weathered the storm was evident.

"If this had been a Category 4 hurricane the whole scenario would have been completely different," said Bob Lutz, a 62-year-old business owner.

"We wouldn't have power for weeks, and we just got the power restored this morning. We wouldn't have provisions for at least a week. This would have been a whole different scene now if it had been a Category 4 or 5. So everybody is glad that didn't happen."

A downed tree caused by Hurricane Irma blocks a pedestrian walkway in downtown Miami, Florida, September 11, 2017.

"If we had evacuated, we maybe would have evacuated to Tampa or Naples, which would have been right into the storm," he noted. "But it was a big surge yesterday, there was a lot of water."

In Brickell's marina, yachts and pleasure craft were partially submerged or totally under water.

Irma hit the Florida Keys to the south as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, but was quickly downgraded to a still-dangerous Category 3. By the time it had passed Naples on the Gulf coast, it had been reduced to a tropical storm.

Miami had been geared up to face a potential Category 5 as the storm barrelled across the Caribbean, but in the end was spared the worst as the weather system veered off to the west coast of the panhandle before grinding its way north.

- Curfew -

Nevertheless, the outer bands of the hurricane smacked the city with gusts of 90 miles per hour, triggering sudden tornados on the streets.

"There was a car that had water up above the wheels," said 53-year-old nurse Estrella Palacios who also stayed put in Brickell. "It was sad to see it like that but we were expecting worse, the news reports were really alarming."

A man carries a street sign that had fallen due to the winds by Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida, September 11, 2017.

Miami-Dade's mayor, Carlos Gimenez, imposed a county-wide curfew from 1900 to 0700 until further notice, noting that 80 percent of the population had no electricity.

Resident of Miami Beach were informed that they would only be allowed to return to their homes to assess the damage if they could show proof of residency, and even then only once the authorities deemed it safe to make the journey. That could be on Tuesday or Wednesday, official said.

Some residents who had stayed on the tourist-friendly barrier island off the coast of mainland Miami told AFP that the streets had been flooded and that the wind had uprooted trees and the area's trademark palms.

"It's a show but not a catastrophic event," said Roberto Cuneo, a 41-year-old resident of Miami Beach who sat tight through the storm. He estimated waters had risen by 30 cm during the storm surge.

The extent of damage to the Florida Keys, which bore the brunt of the hurricane's fury, was still unclear. Roads leading there were blocked as far north as Homestead, 25 miles from Key Largo, the first in the string of small islands that stretch off Floria's southern coast and which are connected by road bridges.

Florida Governor Rick Scott flew over the Keys on Monday in a Coast Guard aircraft and was hoping to land with them as they dispatched teams to evaluate the damage.
A boat is beached after the passage of Hurricane Irma in Florida but damage from the massive storm was not as bad as initially feared, which may have spared the state's insurance companies a devastating blow

Florida insurance companies appear to have avoided what could have been a catastrophic hit after damage estimates from Hurricane Irma on Monday fell sharply due to last-minute shifts in the storm's trail of destruction.

The storm spared cities on Florida's eastern coast, which analysts said reduced the potential losses considerably.

"Our nightmare scenario did not materialize," Shahid Hamid, director of the insurance laboratory at Florida International University's hurricane research center, told AFP.

"The storm shifted track. Bad luck for the west coast but we're very happy."

Initial models showed the storm's path would take it over three major urban areas -- Miami, West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale -- where residential and commercial real estate values are about $1.2 trillion.

But having strafed the Caribbean, the storm veered slightly to the west.

Hamid, who oversees stress-testing of Florida insurers to verify they can absorb the costs of the storms that routinely hit the state, said a $100 billion storm could have threatened the viability of the state's insurers.

Damage of that magnitude raised questions about "how many insurance companies can really cope with a hurricane like Irma," he said last week, adding that with "exceptionally high" losses, "all bets may be off" for the companies.

Financial analysis company Demotech told The Miami Herald local insurers had a total claims-paying capacity of $60 billion, so even the lower damage estimates are significant.

Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide cut its estimate of insured losses down to a range of $20 billion to $40 billion, lowering the maximum by $25 billion.

Prior to landfall, disaster modeling firm Enki Research and AccuWeather each forecast the total economic toll from Irma at $100 billion or more in the US alone.

But Enki Research founder Chuck Watson told AFP on Monday his latest economic damage estimate had dropped to $50 billion: "Not as bad as it could have been but bad enough."
US Supreme Court accepted the Trump administration's emergency petition to stay a ruling by the San Francisco Appeals Court that would have allowed thousands of refugees already in the pipeline to come to the United States despite the ban

The US Supreme Court kept the Trump administration's strict refugee ban in place Monday, at least temporarily dashing the hopes of some 24,000 already-approved immigrants.

Justices of the highest court in the land accepted the administration's emergency petition to stay a ruling by the San Francisco Appeals Court last week that would have allowed thousands of refugees already in the pipeline to come to the United States despite the ban.

That put the broader legal challenges to the travel ban -- which halts all refugees and travelers from six mostly Muslim countries -- off until an expected Supreme Court review on October 10.

The court, however, left the door open for opponents of the ban to file their arguments against it by midday Tuesday, paving the way for yet another reversal on the status of possible refugee arrivals.

On September 8, the San Francisco court upheld a ruling against the travel ban, saying that refugees who have formal assurances of resettlement in the United States from refugees assistance agencies are not covered by the ban.

The ruling would have taken affect on Tuesday, reopening the door to 24,000 people left in limbo by President Donald Trump's on-again off-again travel ban.

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to place that decision on hold until the high court can review broader issues of the travel ban next month.

It argued that the appeals court's ruling "would upend the status quo and do far greater harm to the national interest."

- Softened definition of 'bona fide' ties -

The arguments hinged on a stipulation in the travel ban that refugees in the pipeline can only be accepted if they have a "bona fide relationship" with a US individual or entity.

People take part in a rally to protest restrictive guidelines issued by the US on who qualifies as a close familial relationship in June 2017, in New York

The government said formal assurances from a refugee agency that may not have had direct, personal contacts with the refugee were not covered in that exception.

But opponents to the ban sued, arguing that people with formal assurances should be admitted.

In its filing Monday, however, the Justice Department gave in on another challenge to the travel ban over its narrow interpretation of "bona fide relationship" when determining exceptions for refugee family members.

Originally, the agency said the definition included parents, spouses, children, sons- and daughters-in-law, siblings and step- and half-siblings of people in the United States.

The appeals court ruled that grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins of American citizens must also be included in the definition of close family and be accepted into the country.

The six countries included in the general travel ban are Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen.
A group of people evacuated from the French Caribbean island of St Martin landed at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport on Monday

Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States have ramped up relief efforts for their territories in the Caribbean after the passage of Hurricane Irma last week left devastation in its wake.

There has been some criticism of the response, particularly in British overseas territories.

Here's a snapshot of international assistance so far:

- Britain -

Britain has pledged 32 million (35 million euros, $42 million) in assistance and sent 10 flights of aid since Friday to its affected Caribbean territories, the British Virgin Islands and the Anguilla archipelago, with six people killed in the storm.

The flights have carried medical supplies, emergency shelter kits, rations and clean water to affected islands, as well as engineers and military personnel.

The Royal Air Force carry supplies on board the amphibious assault ship HMS Ocean before leaving to provide humanitarian assistance and vital aid to British overseas territories in the Caribbean.

Almost 700 British troops have been deployed and more than 50 officers have also been sent following reports of looting.

"More will deploy in the next few days, including military doctors, dentists, nurses and other experts," the Foreign Ministry said Monday.

The RFA Mounts Bay, a Royal Navy ship which was in the region when the mega-storm hit, has been deployed, while a second warship, HMS Ocean, is being loaded with disaster relief supplies in Gibraltar before it sets off for the region on Tuesday.

But Britain's response to Irma has been criticised by some local inhabitants as too slow and some Britons have voiced frustration over Britain's failure to evacuate their loved ones from the area.

Foreign Minister Boris Johnson has rejected the criticism, calling it "completely unjustified".

"I am confident we are doing everything we possibly can to help British nationals," Johnson told the BBC.

- France -

France said 10 people died on St Barts and on its side of St Martin, a joint French-Dutch territory where Irma left most of the 80,000 inhabitants homeless.

French aid includes helicopters, engineering equipment, medical supplies and a million litres of water, as the three water-treatment plants on the island will be knocked out for months.

The French defence ministry also announced that a military ship, set to leave France on Tuesday, would carry an additional four helicopters and 1,000 tonnes of supplies, and be used as a "floating hospital".

About 1,500 people have been deployed so far including emergency personnel, troops and police officers.

Evacuations started in earnest again on Sunday after the Grand-Case airport on St Martin was reopened.

The French energy group EDF said it would send 140 tonnes of electrical equipment including generators and pumps from nearby Guadeloupe as soon as conditions permit.

French President Emmanuel Macron is due to travel to St Martin later on Monday.

Opposition figures have accused Macron's fledgling government of bungling the response to the disaster, with the radical leftist leader Jean-Luc Melenchon calling for a parliamentary inquiry.

- The Netherlands -

The Dutch defence ministry had stationed two naval vessels in the area before the storm, carrying a helicopter and supplies.

Four people have lost their lives on the Dutch side of St Martin, known as Sint Maarten.

So far four military flights loaded with troops and aid -- including food, water, medicines and medical equipment -- have been sent.

The Red Cross has also sent a plane with 60 tonnes of aid on board in collaboration with French-Dutch carrier Air France-KLM.

The first group of wounded and sick survivors were evacuated by helicopter off the island late Friday.

Tourists have also begun to be evacuated by both the travel company TUI, which operates its own planes, and the Dutch military.

Mass distribution of food and water was due to start Monday on St Martin, and desalination equipment and purification tablets were also on their way.

Members of Dutch Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) ready to head to Sint Maarten where the massive recovery effort from Hurricane Irma is getting under way.

A 59-member search-and-rescue team composed of doctors, rescue personnel and emergency workers was also dispatched Monday to the island.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander arrived on Sunday in Curacao, another Dutch Caribbean island, to view the aid operation and was to travel to St Martin on Monday, Dutch media reported.

There has been some criticism that the government has not moved fast enough.

"They reacted far too late. The French were much quicker on St Martin to evacuate people," Kitty Algra, a tourist, told the Dutch newspaper AD.

- United States -

The US military has evacuated US citizens from St Martin to Puerto Rico. The US estimates that 2,000 to 3,000 US citizens still need to leave the affected areas.

US amphibious assault ships have also been assisting residents of the US Virgin Islands, where four people were killed by the storm.

The USS Abraham Lincoln, with 24 helicopters aboard, arrived off Florida on Sunday to conduct relief operations in southern Florida and along the Florida Keys.

Additionally, the Pentagon said about 4,600 troops were helping in the Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico region, and the US Marines were helping transfer UK counterparts in St Croix on to the British Virgin Islands.

The US military's Southern Command has coordinated the evacuation of 1,904 US- and non-US people from St Martin over the past three days, the Pentagon said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet with Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela on Saturday

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi will visit Panama at the end of this week, according to officials -- three months after the countries established diplomatic ties at the expense of Taiwan.

Wang will lead a delegation aimed at "advancing the bilateral agenda of Panama and China," including on tourism exchanges, trade links and the maritime environment, the Central American nation's foreign ministry said in a statement.

He will meet with Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela on Saturday.

Varela announced his country had opened diplomatic relations with China on June 12, upgrading ties previously focused only on trade.

That automatically ruptured diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province.

China is the second-biggest user of the Panama Canal after the United States.
Tourists arriving with the first flight from Sint Maarten, walk on the tarmac at the Eindhoven Military Airbase

In flooded resorts and storm-ravaged beach hotels dotted along the Caribbean archipelago, hundreds of US tourists are waiting for news from the State Department crisis task force.

More than 2,000 Americans left stranded by the passage of Hurricane Irma have been flown out of the holiday island of Saint Martin by the Air National Guard -- or loaded onto passing cruise ships.

As many more again are thought to be in the region, although exact numbers are hard to come by with many phone and power lines down.

Now the focus is shifting to farther flung resorts, where hundreds more tourists and expats await news -- some of them cut off without communication, other just in need of a flight.

On the seventh floor of the State Department in Washington, between a table heaving with emergency supplies of coffee and doughnuts and banks of screens and phones, Lucia Piazza is taking stock.

The air bridge set up by the New York, Kentucky and Puerto Rico National Guard units is bringing out tourists by the planeload, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has picked up hundreds more.

"Part of the challenge has been we don't have a presence there and communication lines were almost completely disrupted," said Piazza, the head of a team from the office of crisis management support.

"But where we know we have a few pockets of American citizens we think we may have a couple of thousand more," she estimated.

"We're also starting to focus resources on the British Virgin Islands, where we know we have a number of American citizens in distress," she told AFP on a visit to the center on Monday.

Maps of the Caribbean islands are plastered along the walls of the room, where staff in headsets and in front of screens monitor the rotation of the planes and the collection of stranded families.

A young man -- one of the diplomats and civil servants seconded to the emergency team -- puts his phone aside after a call from one of the islands and says: "A plane just landed, it can take 120."

- Critical situations -

Buildings collapsed in Grand-Case in Saint Martin after it was hit by Hurricane Irma

Most of those picked up in the islands are brought out to San Juan in Puerto Rico on National Guard flights. A Royal Caribbean liner will stop at Saint Thomas and a flight has arrived in Turks and Caicos.

In a room across the corridor from Piazza's emergency logistics team, Elizabeth Cherry -- director of consular crisis management -- has a team taking calls from anxious US families.

The State Department has issued an emergency number and a switchboard ranks the incoming calls in three tiers.

Tier one calls from citizens expressing general concern or offering donations are politely redirected. Tier two calls with news of citizens stranded in the hurricane zone come to the crisis center.

There, so-called tier three calls get priority, Cheery explains: "Those critical situations. Someone who has run out of medication, or there's an infant child in distress."

The operation is proceeding, and so far there have been no nasty surprises -- no US citizen has been confirmed killed by the storm on the holiday islands -- but the search continues.
Federal Reserve Board Chair Janet Yellen had a breakfast meeting with President Donald Trump's daughter and adviser Ivanka in July, according to a document posted on the Fed's website

US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen met briefly in July with presidential adviser and first daughter Ivanka Trump, according to the Fed chief's appointment schedule released Monday.

Ivanka Trump is an unpaid adviser and assistant to her father, a role that is not clearly defined and has drawn criticism.

The previously undisclosed meeting, unusual for a member of the president's family, came as President Donald Trump was considering whether to reappoint or replace the central bank chief, a decision he still has yet to announce.

Yellen's current four-year term as Fed chair expires in February.

According to her July calendar, which the Fed posted on its website, Ivanka Trump had breakfast with Yellen at the Federal Reserve's headquarters July 17. The calendar does not specify the purpose of the meeting or the topics discussed.

A week later, Trump told The Wall Street Journal Yellen was "in the running, absolutely" for another term at the helm of the Fed, surprising some who thought he was likely to replace her.

But in a speech last month Yellen strongly defended banking safeguards put in place after the 2008 financial meltdown, which though simply repeating her previously-stated position, was seen as a warning to the Trump administration that may have caused her to lose favor.

The Fed chair takes weekly meetings with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and also met in July with senior Trump economic advisor Gary Cohn, who was considered a leading candidate to replace Yellen.

But Cohn criticized Trump's response to deadly violence by white supremacists at a rally last month in Virginia and media reports say he is no longer the frontrunner.
US authorities say a former executive of German bank Deutsche Bank mislead investors about the quality of the residential loans backing $1.4 billion in securities sold prior to the 2008 financial crisis

The Justice Department brought civil fraud charges Monday against a former Deutsche Bank executive over alleged misrepresentations on more than $1 billion in mortgage-backed securities sold ahead of the 2008 financial crisis.

US prosecutors are seeking an unspecified civil penalty from Paul Mangione, former Deutsche Bank head of sub-prime trading, charging that he misrepresented the quality of loans backing a pair of securities worth a total of $1.4 billion.

Mangione "falsely represented" that Deutsche Bank had strict underwriting guidelines and a strict monitoring process for the securities, US officials said. Pension plans, financial institutions and religious organizations suffered "significant" losses as a result.

"This individual knowingly took steps during the lead up to the financial crisis to sell defective mortgage loans while hiding the poor quality of the loans from investors," said Rene Febles, deputy inspector general for investigations at the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

The case is connected to a $7.2 billion settlement with Deutsche Bank over mortgage-backed securities announced in January, the Justice Department said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has begun the first visit by an Israeli premier to Argentina

Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Buenos Aires on Monday for in the first visit by an Israeli premier to Latin America.

Surrounded by security, the Prime Minister held a closed-door meeting with members of Argentina's Jewish community, estimated to be Latin America's biggest with 300,000 members.

Netanyahu will also participate in a ceremony to remember victims of two bomb attacks at the Israeli embassy in 1992 and a Jewish community center in 1994. The event is closed to the press.

The embassy attack killed 29 and injured 220, while the community center blast left 85 dead and 300 injured.

Israel blamed the embassy attack on the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

Argentine investigators accused five former Iranian officials of sponsoring Hezbollah's attack on the community center. Iran denied any involvement.

Pro-Palestinian and left-wing demonstrators will protest Netanyahu's visit on Tuesday, when he will meet Argentine President Mauricio Macri.

Israel is looking to expand its commercial ties with new regions -- seeks allies likely to vote in its favor at UN bodies, where it is regularly condemned over the occupation of Palestinian territories.

"There is a good opportunity to increase investment and trade," a senior official in the Argentine foreign ministry said.

Argentina will also make a statement regarding the transfer of some 140,000 World War II documents and photos to allow for further research on the Holocaust.

Following the two-day trip, Netanyahu will visit Colombia and Mexico before heading to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
NEW YORK (AP) - A day after credit-reporting company Equifax disclosed that "criminals" had stolen vital data about 143 million Americans, it had somehow managed to leave much of the public in the dark about their exposure, how they should protect themselves and what Equifax planned to do for those affected.

The breach is unquestionably serious. It exposed crucial pieces of personal data that criminals could use to commit identity theft, from Social Security numbers and birthdates to address histories and legal names.

That data - the "crown jewels of personal information," in the words of independent credit analyst John Ulzheimer - can't be changed, and once it's in circulation, it's basically out there forever.

This July 21, 2012, photo shows Equifax Inc., offices in Atlanta. Credit monitoring company Equifax says a breach exposed social security numbers and other data from about 143 million Americans. The Atlanta-based company said Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, that "criminals" exploited a U.S. website application to access files between mid-May and July of this year. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

But Equifax's response has satisfied almost no one.

UNHAPPINESS EVERYWHERE

Consumers complained of jammed phone lines and uninformed representatives. An Equifax website set up to help people determine their exposure looked like a scam to some, and provided inconsistent and unhelpful information to others. Congress planned hearings.

Anders Ohlsson, a 47-year-old technical manager in Scotts Valley, California, called a hotline multiple times and was disconnected; entered the last six digits of his Social Security number into Equifax's emergency website; and finally spoke with a call center manager. He still doesn't know whether his information has been compromised.

"I don't think I've gotten hold of a person that actually cares," he said. "Now they're fumbling to tell people what's going on. But they really don't know what's going on."

Equifax plays a key role in the financial industry, making this breach more alarming than previous ones at Yahoo or retailers. The company is a storehouse of personal information, like how much people owe on their houses and whether they have court judgments against them.

Lenders rely on the information collected by three big credit bureaus - Equifax, TransUnion and Experian - to help them decide on financing for homes, cars and credit cards. Credit checks are sometimes done by employers when deciding whom to hire for a job.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Even if you don't know if you're one of the 143 million, you might want to consider extreme protective measures.

Your strongest immediate option involves placing a credit freeze on their files with the major credit bureaus. That locks down your information, making it impossible for outsiders to open new accounts and bank cards in your name. But it also blocks you from opening new accounts, and might involve fees depending on the state you live in.

"The credit freeze is the nuclear option of credit protection," said Matt Schulz, an analyst with CreditCards.com. "But in the wake of a breach this big, it's worth considering."

You should also be more diligent about checking your credit reports, where you can see if anyone has opened unauthorized accounts in your name . You can get those files for free once a year from the three major bureaus; use the official site, annualcreditreport.com .

It's best to spread those requests out by getting one every four months. And you'll need to be ready to keep checking for a while - potentially years.

"Bad guys can be very patient with data," Schulz said.

If you're not ready for the freeze, Ulzheimer recommends setting up fraud alerts on your files. These force creditors to contact you directly, usually by phone, for approval before approving an account.

And if you've been a victim of repeated identity fraud, you can request a new Social Security number with the Social Security Administration.

In addition to the emergency Equifax website, https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/, you can also call 866-447-7559 for information. The company also says it will send mail to all who had personally identifiable information stolen.

HOW EQUIFAX REACTED

Any data breach threatens to tarnish a company's reputation, but Equifax hasn't done much to minimize that damage.

Atlanta-based Equifax said Thursday the breach took place between mid-May and July of this year. It discovered the hack July 29, but waited until Thursday to warn consumers. Its communications with the public have so far been limited to official statements.

Then there's the company's emergency-information website. To Georgia Weidman, founder and chief technology officer for security firm Shevirah, it looks a lot like the kind of site scammers would use to trick people into giving up passwords or other crucial information.

"It's teaching people entirely the wrong things about using the internet securely," Weidman said. She said says she's also troubled by Equifax's approach to security generally, including reports that it didn't respond to basic scripting bugs it was warned about last year.

Company officials are also under scrutiny. Three Equifax executives sold shares worth a combined $1.8 million just a few days after the company discovered the breach, according to documents filed with securities regulators. Equifax said the three executives - one of them the company's chief financial officer - didn't know about the breach at the time of the sales, but didn't answer further questions.

Equifax's security lapse could be the largest theft involving Social Security numbers, one of the most common ways to confirm a person's identity in the U.S. It eclipses a 2015 hack at health insurer Anthem Inc. that involved the Social Security numbers of about 80 million people .

FALLOUT

Washington regulators and politicians swiftly criticized Equifax, and Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said he will call for congressional hearings.

An Equifax requirement that appeared to force affected customers into arbitration also drew a backlash. Democrats in the House and Senate called on the company to pull back from language that suggested anyone who signs up for credit monitoring also gives up their right to join a class-action lawsuit against Equifax.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the nation's chief watchdog for financial services, likewise blasted the arbitration requirement. The CFPB recently passed a rule requiring financial companies to let customers sue together when a large group has been wronged.

New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman said he was starting his own investigation.

After a day of all that, Equifax released a statement Friday evening declaring that the arbitration requirement and class-action waiver will not apply to this particular breach. The company also said it had fixed problems with the emergency website and tripled its call center team to over 2,000 agents.

Equifax shares fell about 13 percent to $123.75 in heavy trading. The decline equates to about $2.28 billion in lost market value.

___

AP Technology Writers Michael Liedtke and Ryan Nakashima in San Francisco, and Matt O'Brien in New York, contributed to this report.
HOUSTON (AP) - As Harvey's floodwater rose quickly above cabinets, counters and toward the ceiling, Viet Dao scrambled to figure out how he would save his young children, wife and in-laws if the water wouldn't stop. What if he couldn't rescue them all?

"It hits you right there: We have nowhere to escape," Dao, 48, said by phone Wednesday. "If it was just me, it's OK, I can survive. But I just don't know how can I help my children and family get out. It's really frustrating."

Decades ago, it was Dao's parents who were trying to get him out of harm's way by sending him away from Vietnam on a crowded fishing boat when he was 18 so that he could make a better life for himself in America. The two situations are incomparable, but Dao says he now better understands the desperation of wanting to protect family.

Viet Dao talks about his experiences during Hurricane Harvey in his home in Spring, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. "It hits you right there: We have nowhere to escape," Dao, 48, says. "If it was just me, it's OK, I can survive. But I just don't know how can I help my children and family get out. It's really frustrating." (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Some of the more than 110,000 Vietnamese in the Houston area are among the tens of thousands of people whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Harvey. They share a common heritage in the United States that stems from leaving a homeland and starting anew.

Houston, an official resettlement site for refugees after the Vietnam War, is home to the largest concentration of Vietnamese Americans outside of California. The population includes recent newcomers whose limited English is dotted with "ma'am," and those who came decades ago after a city then called Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese in 1975.

Like the rest of the region, they have been shoveling debris from ruined homes, mopping up wet floors and pitching in however they can to help with recovery efforts from the devastating storm that killed more than 70 after landing on the Gulf Coast of Texas on Aug. 25 as a Category 4 hurricane.

The Lien Hoa Buddhist temple in Houston earlier this week bustled with dozens of upbeat adults and teenagers who unloaded crates of bottled water and filled a table with plastic supply bags to send to needy families. The teens cracked jokes. The elders finished lunch. Everyone worked.

People came by to pick up donated cleaning supplies and to seek help from English-speaking volunteers, said manager Lang Bui. Chau Ho, for example, was helping 48-year-old Lisa Nguyen file for unemployment after her nail shop in the town of Refugio flooded and lost electricity.

"She doesn't know. She doesn't know what she'll do," said Ho, 35, of Houston.

A popular local chain of restaurants, Kim Son, reopened its downtown location last week after minor damage, offering free buffet meals to first responders. It delivered egg rolls, crab puffs and broccoli chicken to hundreds of evacuees and police off-site.

The restaurant, which serves Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, was founded by a couple who landed in Houston with seven children in 1980. Among them was Tina La, now 43, who says she is proud to give back to the city that took in her family.

"I've been here all my life and if it weren't for any of these people we wouldn't be where we are," she said.

Experts say the numbers of Vietnamese ramped up in the Houston area after early refugees gained U.S. citizenship and sponsored family members to live in America. They opened restaurants and other businesses catering to the community. By 2000, they numbered about 60,000 in the area.

Today, growing numbers of South Asians and Chinese are moving to Houston for jobs in mathematics and science, but Vietnamese remains the third most spoken language in Texas, said state demographer Lloyd Potter. It is a far distant third after English and Spanish.

Jannette Diep is executive director of Houston's chapter of Boat People SOS, an organization founded in the 1980s to rescue refugees escaping Vietnam. A refugee herself, she fled the country by boat when she was 6, with her parents and two baby brothers.

Diep has been keeping track of Vietnamese American fishermen outside Houston and helping elderly and non-English speaking victims fill out forms for aid in the aftermath of Harvey. She says it took years for families along the coast to rebuild after 2008's Hurricane Ike wiped out shrimping and fishing boats along the Gulf Coast.

"There is this history of having to leave your home from disaster, from place to place," she said.

On Wednesday, she was still in spotty communication with about 200 Vietnamese American families in nearby Port Arthur, an area 90 miles east (124 kilometers) of Houston hit hard by flash floods. She said families in nearby Anahuac did not sustain much damage to homes, but lost netting and fishing traps to water.

Dao, the homeowner in the Houston suburb of Spring, said his family owned a jewelry store in Saigon before 1975. He fled his country in a fishing boat with more than a dozen others, ending up in a refugee camp in Thailand, where he stayed for nearly a year. From there, he eventually moved to Wisconsin, then San Diego before settling in Houston.

He married his childhood friend's sister, Christine Truong, with whom he has two children, a 6-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl. He opened a deli and they bought their dream home.

The family survived Harvey, camping out upstairs with a mini refrigerator for several nights. But the house that Truong calls the best she's ever lived in is soggy and soiled. Like many people, they do not have flood insurance.

Dao dreads bringing the children home but says they have no choice.

"We break down from time to time, of course, but we try not to let them see it," he said, "because if we give up, how are we going to rebuild what we have?"

___

Har reported from San Francisco. AP data journalist Angeliki Kastanis contributed to this report.

___

HURRICANE NEWSLETTER - Get the best of the AP's all-formats reporting on Irma and Harvey in your inbox: http://apne.ws/ahYQGtb

Viet Dao walks through debris in the foyer to his home in Spring, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, flooded in Hurricane Harvey. As Hurricane Harvey's flood water rose quickly above cabinets, counters and toward the ceiling, he scrambled to figure out how he would save his young children, wife and in-laws if the water wouldn't stop. What if he couldn't rescue them all? (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Volunteers from the Vietnamese Buddhist Lien Hoa temple unload water bottles to send to Vietnamese American families without water service in Beaumont, Texas in the aftermath of Harvey Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston. The fourth-largest city in the U.S. was an official resettlement site for refugees after the Vietnam War, and is home to the largest concentration of Vietnamese Americans outside of California. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Volunteers from the Vietnamese Buddhist Lien Hoa temple unload water bottles to send to Vietnamese American families without water service in Beaumont, Texas in the aftermath of Harvey Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston. The fourth-largest city in the U.S. was an official resettlement site for refugees after the Vietnam War, and is home to the largest concentration of Vietnamese Americans outside of California. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
MIAMI (AP) - Dozens of personnel from the Environmental Protection Agency worked to secure some of the nation's most contaminated toxic waste sites as Hurricane Irma bore down on Florida. The agency said its employees evacuated personnel, secured equipment and safeguarded hazardous materials in anticipation of storm surges and heavy rains.

The Associated Press surveyed six of the 54 Superfund sites in Florida before Irma's arrival, all around Miami in low-lying, flood-prone areas. There was no apparent work going on at the sites AP visited this past week. The EPA said that if there was no activity, a site should be considered secured but would be closely monitored. The sites were in various stages of federally directed, long-term cleanup efforts.

At the Miami-Dade Emergency Operations Center on Saturday, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said the EPA workers he's spoken with seem "generally positive" about the prospects for toxic sites remaining secure in the coming hurricane. But "they can't guarantee it 100 percent," he told AP.

In this Sept. 6, 2017, photo, the Miami Drum Services Superfund cleanup site in a fenced off area behind a rail yard. At least five of the most flood-prone Superfund sites located in South Florida are in various stages of cleanup. Strong winds and driving rains from Irma could damage years of cleanup work completed at the sites and spread contamination, endangering public health by spreading the contamination. As Hurricane Irma bears down on Florida, the Environmental Protection Agency is emphasizing its efforts to evaluate and prepare some of the nation's most contaminated toxic waste sites from the risks posed by howling winds and surging water. (AP Photo/ Jason Dearen)

"EPA feels they got a handle on it." he said. "They think that the risk is real but certainly not as severe as some other places. Not to minimize it - it's something to think about."

AP was not able to fully evaluate each site's readiness for the hurricane.

"If any site in the path of the storm is found to pose an immediate threat to nearby populations, EPA will immediately alert and work with state and local officials and inform the public - and then take any appropriate steps to address the threat," EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman said Friday. "So far no sites have risen to this level that we are aware of."

A risk analysis by EPA concluded in 2012 that flooding at such sites in South Florida could pose a risk to public health by spreading contaminated soil and groundwater. Flooding could disturb dangerous pollutants and wash it onto nearby property or contaminate groundwater, including personal wells, said Elizabeth "Betsy" Southerland, who retired last month as director of science and technology in EPA's Office of Water after 30 years at the agency.

"The agency needs to quickly respond with careful monitoring after the storm," said Southerland.

A recent analysis for the Government Accountability Office by two researchers at American University found that a storm surge in South Florida of just 1 to 4 feet could inundate the half-dozen sites visited by AP in recent days. Irma was predicted to push in a wall of water up to 12 feet high.

Of particular concern was the one-acre Miami Drum Services site. It is located over a drinking-water aquifer in a heavily industrial area of Doral, in west Miami-Dade County. The site was once home to more than 5,000 drums of various chemicals, some of which were dumped onsite after the metal containers were washed with a caustic cleaning solution. That solution, mixed with the chemical residues in the drums, leaked into the Biscayne Aquifer, a drinking water source.

The EPA's community involvement coordinator for the site, Ronald Tolliver in Atlanta, told AP he was not sure what the agency was doing to prepare the site or contact residents whose drinking water could be affected by serious flooding from Irma. Bowman said Tolliver was a new employee and may not have been familiar with the EPA's hurricane procedures for Superfund sites.

At the Homestead Air Reserve Base Superfund site south of Miami, it would take only about a foot of storm surge to swamp the nearly 2,000-acre Superfund site. Numerous apartments and a shopping center with a supermarket are nearby.

The EPA needs to do a better job helping people who live near Superfund sites stay informed with accurate information, said Stephen Sweeney, a former graduate fellow in EPA's office of policy and one of the American University researchers who conducted the Superfund flooding study.

"These residents need to be aware of their surroundings, and what could be in their water and the floodwater," said Sweeney, now a private consultant. "There needs to be some sort of public communication. Either mass distribution of information or evacuating residents - it's up to the agency to make that call."

At the Anodyne site in North Miami Beach on Friday, the AP found three sealed steel drums labeled as being filled with "IDW" soil and water in the open, weed-covered field behind a building. IDW is the designation for "investigation derived waste." The drums were labeled, "Do not disturb." Bowman said the barrels were low-risk to human health.

A worker from a nearby building, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said he saw workers putting soil and water into the drums. Soil and groundwater at the former industrial site was contaminated with a brew of toxic chemicals, including pesticides, solvents and heavy metals.

After AP inquired about the drums, the EPA said Saturday it dispatched workers to Anodyne to remove the containers. They had contained "drill cutting and purge water" produced during the installation of a new monitoring well the prior week, the agency said.

The EPA has made significant efforts over the last week to publicize its response to flooding at Superfund sites in Texas and allay concerns about similar sites in Florida. That followed an Aug. 26 report by AP that at least seven Superfund sites in the Houston region had flooded during Hurricane Harvey. AP journalists on the scene in Texas surveyed the sites by boat, vehicle and on foot.

Hours after AP's story last week, the EPA said it had reviewed aerial imagery confirming that 13 of 41 Superfund sites in areas affected by Harvey had flooded and were experiencing possible damage due to the storm. The EPA also confirmed that its own personnel had not yet visited the Houston-area sites.

Since then, EPA has been issuing daily updates about its efforts. On Monday, the agency organized a media tour of one of the Houston sites highlighted in AP's reporting, though AP was not notified about the press event and was not able to attend. After AP informed the EPA in Washington that its reporters had been surveying Superfund sites in South Florida, the agency warned in a press release that "unauthorized entry at any Superfund site, either prior to or following the storm, is prohibited as these sites can be extremely dangerous and can pose significant threats to human health."

Following his appointment by Trump, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has repeatedly said that cleaning up Superfund sites is among his top policy priorities. He appointed a task force to study the issue quickly, adopting 42 recommendations and saying he wanted to develop a "top-10 list" of the most dangerous sites.

Pruitt, who has questioned the severity of consequences from global warming, has been largely silent on the threat posed to Superfund sites by rising seas and more powerful storms.

A nationwide climate change adaptation assessment conducted by EPA under the Obama administration in 2012 determined that more than 500 Superfund sites are located in flood zones. Nearly 50 are in coastal areas that could also be vulnerable to sea level rise and storm surge, including several located in Florida.

"There's a sharp contrast between the recommendations left behind for the Pruitt EPA and what his task force examined," said Mathy Stanislaus, who served as EPA's assistant administrator for solid waste and emergency response under President Obama. "They completely omitted any consideration of increasing vulnerability from climate change."

The EPA declined to make Pruitt available for an interview with the AP. But asked about the issue by CNN, he said now is not the time to debate the impacts of global warming.

"To have any kind of focus on the cause and effect of the storm; versus helping people, or actually facing the effect of the storm, is misplaced," Pruitt said Thursday. "What we need to focus on is access to clean water, addressing these areas of superfund activities that may cause an attack on water, these issues of access to fuel.... Those are things so important to citizens of Florida right now."

___

Biesecker reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Kelli Kennedy in Pompano Beach, Florida, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck and Jason Dearen at http://twitter.com/JHDearen

___

Submit a confidential tip to The Associated Press at https://www.ap.org.tips

Barrels identified by stickers as IDW, or "investigation derived waste," full of soil and water sit in a field designated by the EPA as an intensely polluted Superfund site called Anodyne North Miami Beach on Sept. 6, 2017. At least five of the most flood-prone Superfund sites located in South Florida are in various stages of cleanup. Strong winds and driving rains from Irma could damage years of cleanup work completed at the sites and spread contamination, endangering public health by spreading the contamination. contamination. EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman said the barrels were low-risk to human health and said an EPA contractor will remove them before Hurricane Irma hits Florida. (AP Photo/ Jason Dearen)
CAIBARIEN, Cuba (AP) - Irma battered Cuba with deafening winds and relentless rain Saturday, while a second hurricane, Jose, threatened to lash already-reeling islands elsewhere in the Caribbean.

Cuban coastal cities were clobbered by high winds from Irma that upended trees, toppled utility poles and scattered debris across streets. Roads were blocked, and witnesses said a provincial museum near the eye of the storm was in ruins.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in Cuba in addition to the 22 dead left in Irma's wake across the Caribbean, where the storm ravaged such lush resort islands as St. Martin, St. Barts, St. Thomas, Barbuda and Anguilla.

Residents walk near downed power lines felled by Hurricane Irma, in Caibarien, Cuba, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. There were no reports of deaths or injuries after heavy rain and winds from Irma lashed northeastern Cuba. Seawater surged three blocks inland in Caibarien. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

Many of Irma's victims fled their battered islands on ferries and fishing boats for fear Jose would destroy or drench anything Irma left untouched.

On the Dutch side of St. Martin, an island divided between French and Dutch control, an estimated 70 percent of the homes were destroyed by Irma, according to the Dutch government. Officials said Jose was forecast to dump more rain on the island's buildings, many of which lost their roofs to Irma.

The U.S. State Department helped more than 500 Americans fly out of St. Martin, starting with those in need of urgent medical care, said spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

Carol Basch, a 53-year-old tourist from Savannah, Georgia, took refuge during the storm in the bathroom of her St. Martin hotel room after windows shattered. She stayed there praying for about four hours, surrounding herself with pillows.

"I kept saying, 'Lord, please stop this, and soon, soon,'" said Basch, who was evacuated to Puerto Rico. "I'm glad I'm alive. I didn't think I was going to make it."

Some islands received a last-minute reprieve from Jose as it passed by.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center downgraded a hurricane warning for Barbuda and Anguilla. A hurricane watch also was discontinued for nearby Antigua.

By late Saturday afternoon, Irma passed Cuba and slowly chugged toward Florida with winds of 125 mph (205 kmh). Jose was 85 miles (135 kilometers) northeast of the Leeward Islands, with winds of 145 mph (230 kmh).

As Irma rolled in, Cuban soldiers went through coastal towns to force people to evacuate, taking people to shelters at government buildings and schools - and even caves.

Video images from northern and eastern Cuba showed uprooted utility poles and signs, many downed trees and extensive damage to roofs.

Eastern Cuba, a major sugarcane-growing area and home to many poor, rural communities, faced a staggering recovery, with its economy in tatters even before the storm hit due to years of neglect and lack of investment.

Civil Defense official Gergorio Torres said authorities were trying to tally the extent of the damage, which appeared concentrated in banana-growing areas.

More than 5,000 tourists were evacuated from the keys off Cuba's north-central coast, where the government has built dozens of all-inclusive resorts in recent years. In much of central Cuba, power was cut off and downed trees blocked roads.

In Caibarien, a small coastal city about 200 miles (320 kilometers) east of Havana, winds downed power lines and a three-block area was under water. Many residents stayed put, hoping to ride out the storm.

Looting was reported on St. Martin. Curfews were imposed there and on St. Barts, and French and Dutch authorities announced plans to send hundreds more troops and police to keep order.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose popularity has been sinking over unpopular domestic policies, held an emergency meeting as he came under criticism from stranded residents in the country's Caribbean territories. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who lost the presidential election in May, accused the government of having "totally insufficient" emergency and security measures.

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe insisted that the government's support for Irma's victims isn't "empty words" and that it was "completely mobilized" to rescue and rebuild.

It was not immediately known whether U.S. President Donald Trump's luxury property on St. Martin had been damaged.

On Anguilla, Vanessa Croft Thompson crammed into her home's laundry room with her husband, her best friend and their children along with their cats and dogs, as Irma's floodwaters swamped her house. The storm peeled off her roof, rained water inside, and sheared paint from her walls.

"Our hurricane-proof door was bending in, it was warping ... and the entire house was shaking like it was an earthquake," she said.

Thompson, the head of the English department at Anguilla's only high school, said: "I don't even know something that's not destroyed. There's nothing here that hasn't been ripped apart by Irma."

___

Associated Press writers Michael Weissenstein and Andrea Rodriguez in Havana; Ben Fox in Miami; Ian Brown in St. Thomas, U.S Virgin Islands; Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Seth Borenstein in Washington; Alina Hartounian in Phoenix; Thomas Adamson and Angela Charlton in Paris; and Mike Corder in The Hague contributed to this report.

___

HURRICANE NEWSLETTER - Get the best of the AP's all-formats reporting on Irma and Harvey in your inbox: http://apne.ws/ahYQGtb

A man wades through a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in Caibarien, Cuba, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. There were no reports of deaths or injuries after heavy rain and winds from Irma lashed northeastern Cuba. Seawater surged three blocks inland in Caibarien. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

A woman and child use a blanket as protection from wind and rain as they walk in Caibarien, Cuba, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Hurricane Irma battered Cuba on Saturday with deafening winds and unremitting rain, pushing seawater inland and flooding homes before taking aim at Florida. Early Saturday, the hurricane center said the storm was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) northwest of the town of Caibarien. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

A tree felled by Hurricane Irma blocks a road in Caibarien, Cuba, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. There were no reports of deaths or injuries after heavy rain and winds from Irma lashed northeastern Cuba. Seawater surged three blocks inland in Caibarien. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

Residents walk in rain brought on by Hurricane Irma, in Caibarien, Cuba, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Irma battered Cuba on Saturday with deafening winds and unremitting rain, pushing seawater inland and flooding homes before taking aim at Florida. Early Saturday, the hurricane center said the storm was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) northwest of the town of Caibarien. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

Residents ride their bikes through flood waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in Caibarien, Cuba, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. There were no reports of deaths or injuries after heavy rain and winds from Irma lashed northeastern Cuba. Seawater surged three blocks inland in Caibarien. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

A fire truck turns onto a street in Caibarien, Cuba, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. Hurricane Irma battered Cuba on Saturday with deafening winds and unremitting rain, pushing seawater inland and flooding homes before taking aim at Florida. Early Saturday, the hurricane center said the storm was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) northwest of the town of Caibarien. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

Bicyclists ride along the seawall in wind and rain brought on by Hurricane Irma, in Caibarien, Cuba, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Irma battered Cuba on Saturday with deafening winds and unremitting rain, pushing seawater inland and flooding homes before taking aim at Florida. Early Saturday, the hurricane center said the storm was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) northwest of the town of Caibarien. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

Men board up a door in preparation for Hurricane Irma in Caibarien, Cuba, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Cuba evacuated tourists from beachside resorts after Hurricane Irma left thousands homeless on a devastated string of Caribbean islands and spun toward Florida for what could be a catastrophic blow this weekend. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

This photo provided by Caribbean Buzz shows the destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Irma Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, in the U.S. Virgin Islands The death toll from Hurricane Irma has risen to 22 as the storm continues its destructive path through the Caribbean. The dead include 11 on St. Martin and St. Barts, four in the U.S. Virgin Islands and four in the British Virgin Islands. There was also one each in Barbuda, Anguilla, and Barbados. The toll is expected to rise as rescuers reach some of the hardest-hit areas. (Caribbean Buzz via AP)

CORRECTS DAY - This photo provided on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, shows storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Virgin Gorda's Gun Creek in the British Virgin Islands. Irma scraped Cuba's northern coast Friday on a course toward Florida, leaving in its wake a ravaged string of Caribbean resort islands strewn with splintered lumber, corrugated metal and broken concrete. (Caribbean Buzz Helicopters via AP)

This photo provided by Caribbean Buzz shows boats clustered together after Hurricane Irma Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. The death toll from Hurricane Irma has risen to 22 as the storm continues its destructive path through the Caribbean. The dead include 11 on St. Martin and St. Barts, four in the U.S. Virgin Islands and four in the British Virgin Islands. There was also one each in Barbuda, Anguilla, and Barbados. The toll is expected to rise as rescuers reach some of the hardest-hit areas. (Caribbean Buzz via AP)

CORRECTS DATE - This Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, a man walks past an uprooted tree sitting in the middle of a road in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands. Irma scraped Cuba's northern coast Friday on a course toward Florida, leaving in its wake a ravaged string of Caribbean resort islands strewn with splintered lumber, corrugated metal and broken concrete. (Jalon Manson Shortte via AP)

CORRECTS DAY - This Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 photo shows storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands. Irma scraped Cuba's northern coast Friday on a course toward Florida, leaving in its wake a ravaged string of Caribbean resort islands strewn with splintered lumber, corrugated metal and broken concrete. (Jalon Manson Shortte via AP)

This Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 photo shows storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands. Irma scraped Cuba's northern coast Friday on a course toward Florida, leaving in its wake a ravaged string of Caribbean resort islands strewn with splintered lumber, corrugated metal and broken concrete. (Jalon Manson Shortte via AP)

CORRECTS DAY - This photo provided on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, shows storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in St. John's Caneel Bay in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Irma scraped Cuba's northern coast Friday on a course toward Florida, leaving in its wake a ravaged string of Caribbean resort islands strewn with splintered lumber, corrugated metal and broken concrete. (Caribbean Buzz Helicopters via AP)

CORRECTS DATE - This Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017 photo shows boats washed ashore in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands. Irma scraped Cuba's northern coast Friday on a course toward Florida, leaving in its wake a ravaged string of Caribbean resort islands strewn with splintered lumber, corrugated metal and broken concrete. (Jalon Manson Shortte via AP)
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Denmark's minority center-right government doesn't want to accept any refugees this year that come in under a U.N. quota system, an official said Saturday.

The U.N. refugee agency has made deals with countries, including Denmark, to take in a number of refugees each year. Since 1989, Denmark has accepted about 500 such refugees every year.

But now Denmark "doesn't want to commit ourselves," said Integration Minister Inger Stoejberg, considered an immigration hardliner. "I don't believe we have room for quota refugees this year."

In this Friday, Sept. 8, 2017 video frame grab image, made available by Turkey's Coast Guard Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, a Syrian migrant among others, briefly lifts a small child, on a rubber dinghy while trying to cross to Greece from Turkey's Izmir province. Authorities say 40 Syrian migrants, among them 18 children, were stopped Friday from illegally crossing to Greece. Turkey and the European Union signed a deal last year to curb the illegal flow of migrants to Greece. Turkey is host to more than 3 million Syrians who have fled the ongoing civil war in their country. (Turkish Coast Guard via AP)

Stoejberg said Denmark had received about 56,000 asylum-seekers since 2012 and many of them are expected to try to bring relatives in. She said those already in Denmark should be integrated first.

The anti-immigration Danish People's Party, which backs the government, supports the proposal.

Holger K. Nielsen, a senior member of the small opposition Socialist People's Party, said it was "totally wrong of Stoejberg to close the door to quota refugees," saying she was letting down "the weakest refugees in the world."

No date for a vote in the 179-seat Parliament was set.

Denmark has received about 20,000 asylum-seekers in 2015, a small number compared with its Swedish and German neighbors.

Last year, Stoejberg said the reception of refugees through the UNHCR program had been postponed, saying Danish municipalities should have "a little breathing room to better take care of those who have already arrived."

In other migrant developments:

- Coast guard forces from Romania and Bulgaria intercepted 217 migrants in the Black Sea who are suspected of trying to illegally enter Romania. Romanian border police said Saturday they spotted a tourist ship carrying 97 migrants from Iran and Iraq sailing close to Romanian waters late Friday and sent it to the port of Mangalia. Separately, a joint Romanian-Bulgarian effort blocked a fishing vessel carrying 120 migrants in the Black Sea near the northern Bulgarian town of Shabla. The ship and its passengers were handed over to Turkey.

- Germany's interior minister called Saturday for benefits for asylum-seekers to be standardized across the European Union, reducing his country's attractiveness for would-be migrants. Thomas de Maiziere also urged that legal procedures surrounding asylum and deportation to be standardized. More than 1 million people came to Germany as asylum-seekers in 2015 and 2016.

-Turkish authorities said 40 Syrian migrants were stopped Friday from illegally crossing to Greece from the western province of Izmir. In footage filmed from a coast guard boat, the group is seen in a rubber dinghy. As the coast guard vessel approaches, one man lifts and then briefly lowers a small child toward the sea, while another man raises his arms in prayer. The coast guard then pulls in the dinghy and transfers the migrants to its boat.

Turkey and the European Union signed a deal last year to curb the illegal flow of migrants to Greece. Turkey is hosting more than 3 million Syrians who have fled the war in their country.

___

Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul contributed to this report.

FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015 file photo, the new migrant reception camp in Vordingborg, 100 km south of Copenhagen, is opened to the media. Denmark's minority center-right government doesn't want to accept any refugees this year that come into the country under a U.N. quota system, an official said Saturday Sept. 9, 2017. (Per Rasmussen/Polfoto via AP, File)

In this Friday, Sept. 8, 2017 video frame grab image, made available by Turkey's Coast Guard Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017, a Syrian migrant among others, lifts a small child onto a Turkey's coastguard vessel from a rubber dinghy, caught while trying to cross to Greece from Turkey's Izmir province. Authorities say 40 Syrian migrants, among them 18 children, were stopped Friday from illegally crossing to Greece. Turkey and the European Union signed a deal last year to curb the illegal flow of migrants to Greece. Turkey is host to more than 3 million Syrians who have fled the ongoing civil war in their country. (Turkish Coast Guard via AP)

FILE - In this Tuesday Jan. 26, 2016 file photo, Denmark's Minister of Integration from the Liberal Party Inger Stoejberg sits in Parliament, in Copenhagen. Denmark's minority center-right government doesn't want to accept any refugees this year that come into the country under a U.N. quota system, an official said Saturday Sept. 9, 2017. (Peter Hove Olesen/Polfoto via AP, File)

Demonstrators from Far-Right groups, Forza Nuova and Roma ai Romani (New Force and Rome to Romans) confront with Italian Policemen in riot gears near a migrants and refugees shelter during a protest against their presence in Rome, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Demonstrators from Far-Right groups, Forza Nuova and Roma ai Romani (New Force and Rome to Romans) confront with Italian Policemen in riot gears near a migrants and refugees shelter during a protest against their presence in Rome, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Demonstrators from Far-Right groups, Forza Nuova and Roma ai Romani (New Force and Rome to Romans) walk near a migrants and refugees shelter to protest against their presence in Rome, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Demonstrators from Far-Right groups, Forza Nuova and Roma ai Romani (New Force and Rome to Romans) walk near a migrants and refugees shelter to protest against their presence in Rome, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (AP) - The 7-year-old Rohingya boy lies on a tattered mattress on the floor of a crowded government hospital in Bangladesh, bandages covering the spot where a bullet fired by Myanmar troops tore through his chest a week earlier.

He is one of 80 Rohingya patients - most males with gunshot wounds - being treated at this overwhelmed medical facility in a coastal city now deluged with more than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims who have fled a two-week surge in violence and a lifetime of persecution in neighboring Myanmar's Rakhine state. He is the youngest of six patients with gunshot wounds interviewed by The Associated Press on two recent visits.

"The soldiers just started firing. I saw my son on the ground," the boy's father Abu Tahir said.

Shoabib, 7, lies on the floor next to his father at Sadar Hospital in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Shoabib got a bullet injury on the chest when Myanmar soldiers attacked his village. He and his father lost track of their family members when fleeing to Bangladesh. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

In the chaos that followed they lost track of the rest of their family before Tahir carried his son across the border to safety. Now he watches as his child's ribs rise and fall in the hospital, praying that he recovers.

Sadar Hospital is the main medical facility for the Cox's Bazaar area. At the best of times it's stretched to the limit, with 20 doctors responsible for the treatment of hundreds of patients. Now it's at nearly twice its capacity and for the first time its doctors are dealing with injuries like gunshot wounds, blunt force trauma and stab wounds on a massive scale as Rohingya refugees pour in.

"We have never seen such violent injuries before," said Dr. Shaheen Abdur Rahman Choudhury, the head of the hospital.

The violence and exodus began on Aug. 25 when Rohingya insurgents attacked Myanmar police and paramilitary posts in what they said was an effort to protect their ethnic minority from persecution by security forces in the majority Buddhist country. In response, the military unleashed what it called "clearance operations" to root out the insurgents.

Accounts from refugees show the Myanmar military is also targeting civilians with shootings and wholesale burning of Rohingya villages.

Abdul Karim lies on a mat in another corner of the hospital. A mob of soldiers and Buddhist monks attacked his village in Rakhine state, set the houses on fire and sprayed the area with automatic gunfire that nearly blew off his left foot at the ankle. Another bullet wound marked his right shoulder.

The stench from his ankle made clear that Karim would lose his foot.

"We carried him on a blanket," his brother Asir Ahmed said, pointing to his shoulders to indicate how the family carried Karim and walked for days to reach Bangladesh.

In the first week of the exodus, doctors at Sadar Hospital treated 30 Rohingya for gunshot wounds. The next week they treated another 50. The hospital is now setting up a separate area for the Rohingya and expects even more in the weeks and months ahead.

Choudhury said he fears that there will be grievous injuries and deeply infected wounds as the refugees wade through filthy creeks and walk in the humid heat will no medical attention along the way. He said his hospital will need a lot more help and money if they are to cope with what lies ahead.

"This is a desperate situation," he said.

EDS NOTE GRAPHIC CONTENT - Rohingya men Abdul Karim lies on the floor at Sadar Hospital in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Karim sustained severely bullet injuries on his left foot and chest when Myanmar monks and soldiers attacked his village. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Rohingya men Abdul Karim lies on the floor at Sadar Hospital in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Karim sustained severely bullet injuries on his left foot and chest when Myanmar monks and soldiers attacked his village. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - The Latest on the Miss America competition (all times local):

11 p.m.

Here she is: Miss North Dakota has been crowned Miss America 2018.

Miss Louisiana 2017 Laryssa Bonacquisti show the crowd her shoe during a parade on the Atlantic City, N.J., Boardwalk Saturday, Sept 9, 2017. (Edward Lea/The Press of Atlantic City via AP)

Twenty-three-year-old Cara Mund bested a field of 51 competitors from each state and the District of Columbia during the weeklong event's finale Sunday night in Atlantic City.

Miss America 2017, Savvy Shields, former Miss Arkansas, placed the crown on her teary-eyed successor's head as the new Miss America accepted applause and cheers from the audience and judges.

The Bismarck, North Dakota, resident emerged victorious through a series of swimsuit and talent contests, onstage speeches and two rounds of interviews by judges.

___

10: 54 p.m.

The final five contestants have been selected in the Miss America competition.

They are from: from Missouri; Texas; North Dakota; New Jersey; and District of Columbia .

They were selected Sunday night during the scholarship pageant's televised finale in Atlantic City. Next up: the three finalists.

They are among 51 women - one from each state and the District of Columbia - vying to become the next Miss America. They hope to succeed the outgoing Miss America, Savvy Shields, who won the crown in 2016 as Miss Arkansas.

___

10:25 p.m.

The final 10 contestants have been selected in the Miss America competition.

They represent: Missouri; Texas; Pennsylvania; North Dakota; Alabama; New Jersey; District of Columbia; Louisiana; South Carolina; and Virginia.

They were selected Sunday night during the scholarship pageant's televised finale in Atlantic City. The field now shrinks to five finalists.

They are among 51 women - one from each state and the District of Columbia - vying to become the next Miss America. They hope to succeed the outgoing Miss America, Savvy Shields, who won the crown in 2016 as Miss Arkansas.

___

9: 25 p.m.

The final 15 contestants have been selected in the Miss America competition.

They are from these states: Tennessee; Virginia; Pennsylvania; Louisiana; District of Columbia; Texas; New Mexico; Alabama; Missouri; Alaska; Georgia; South Carolina; New Jersey; North Dakota; and Illinois.

The 15 finalists were selected Sunday night during the scholarship pageant's televised finale in Atlantic City. The field now narrows to 10 finalists.

They are among 51 women - one from each state and the District of Columbia - vying to become the next Miss America. They hope to succeed the outgoing Miss America, Savvy Shields, who won the crown in 2016 as Miss Arkansas.

___

12:26 a.m.

The next Miss America will soon be crowned, just as a deadly hurricane slams into Florida and not long after another one inundated Texas.

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have been a backdrop to the Miss America preliminary competition this week, with contestants from storm-tossed or threatened states sending messages of support and promises of prayers to those in harm's way.

Contestants from Texas and Florida have each won a preliminary competition leading into the nationally televised finale.

The winner will be crowned in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall at around 11 p.m. EDT Sunday.
YUEYANG, China (AP) - A Taiwanese pro-democracy activist pleaded guilty Monday to subverting state power in China's first criminal prosecution of a nonprofit worker since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations.

Lee Ming-che's supporters, though, quickly said he had been forced to confess to crimes he hadn't committed.

Lee told the court in the central Chinese city of Yueyang that he had "spread articles that maliciously attacked the Communist Party of China, China's existing system and China's government." He said he had also organized people and wrote articles "intended to subvert the state's power."

Reporters watch a screen showing a video footage of detained Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-Che testifying at his trial at the Yueyang Intermediate People's Court in Yueyang, south China's Hunan province, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. The trial of the Taiwanese activist accused of subversion of state power began Monday in central China, the first prosecution of a nonprofit worker on criminal charges since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations. (AP Photo/Emily Wang)

Subversion of state power is a vaguely defined charge often used by authorities to muzzle dissent and imprison critics.

Lee's wife, Lee Ching-yu, who was in Yueyang for the trial, had warned that he might be pressured into pleading guilty. China's wide-ranging crackdown on civil society has featured a string of televised "confessions" - believed to have been coerced - from human rights activists accused of plots to overthrow the political system.

On Monday, his supporters blasted the legal process.

"This trial is illegal," said Hsiao I-Min, who traveled to Yueyang with Lee's wife, and is with the Taiwanese non-governmental organization Judicial Reform Foundation. Lee "was forced to confess a false truth."

"Pursuing democracy and freedom is not a crime," Hsiao continued. "Mr. Lee was accused by the Chinese government of discussing and spreading ideas about democracy from the West. We think this is a basic human right."

Dozens of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong marched to the China Liaison Office on Monday to protest Lee's prosecution.

Former lawmaker and social activist Lee Cheuk-yan said Beijing was simply looking for ways to silence its critics.

"With this regime, whenever you criticize them about their human rights record, then they will take it as subversion," said Lee.

Security was tight at the Yueyang City Intermediate People's Court, with barricades on the streets, dozens of security personnel patrolling the perimeter and reporters ordered to leave the area.

Lee Ming-che, 42, has conducted online lectures on Taiwan's democratization and managed a fund for families of political prisoners in China. He cleared immigration in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of Macau on March 19 but never showed for a planned meeting with a friend later that day.

Amnesty International and other rights organizations have called for his immediate release.

The new law says foreign NGOs must not endanger China's national security and ethnic unity, and subjects nonprofit groups to close police supervision. It is seen as an attempt to clamp down on perceived threats to the ruling Communist Party's control.

Relations between Taiwan and China have been near an all-time low since the election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has advocated Taiwan's formal independence. China cut off contacts with Taiwan's government in June, five months after Tsai was elected.

Lee's co-defendant, Peng Yuhua, who is from mainland China, also pleaded guilty. Peng said he had founded an organization called Palm Flower Co. to pressure China to accept a multiparty political system. Lee was his deputy in charge of education, Peng said.

A policeman stands watch from the barricaded Yueyang Intermediate People's Court where detained Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-Che stood trial in Yueyang, south China's Hunan province, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. The trial of the Taiwanese activist accused of subversion of state power began Monday in central China, the first prosecution of a nonprofit worker on criminal charges since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations. (AP Photo/Emily Wang)

In this photo released by Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Lee Ching-yu, right, wife of detained Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-Che, poses for a photo with Wang Li-ping, a former Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker, before entering the Yueyang Intermediate People's Court in south China's Hunan province, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Lee Ming-Che is standing trial accused of subversion of state power, the first prosecution of a non-profit worker on criminal charges since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations. (Taiwan Association for Human Rights via AP)

In this photo released by Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Lee Ching-yu, wife of detained Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-Che, shows a pass allowing her to enter a courtroom upon arrival at the Yueyang Intermediate People's Court in south China's Hunan province, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Lee Ming-Che is standing trial accused of subversion of state power, the first prosecution of a non-profit worker on criminal charges since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations. (Taiwan Association for Human Rights via AP)

In this photo released by Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Lee Ching-yu, right, wife of detained Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-Che, hugs Wang Li-ping, a former Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker, before entering the Yueyang Intermediate People's Court in south China's Hunan province, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Lee Ming-Che is standing trial accused of subversion of state power, the first prosecution of a non-profit worker on criminal charges since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations. (Taiwan Association for Human Rights via AP)

Kou Shou-chin, mother of detained Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che, center, is chased by reporters as she arrives at the Changsha International Airport ahead of her son's trial which open on Monday, in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Lee is accused of subversion of state power, a vaguely defined charge often used by authorities to muzzle dissent and imprison critics.(AP Photo/Emily Wang)

A protester, left, holds a photo of Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che during a demonstration outside the Chinese liaison office in Hong Kong Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Lee pleaded guilty to subverting state power in China's first prosecution of a nonprofit worker on criminal charges since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign non-governmental organizations. The photo reads: "Release Lee Ming-che." (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
PLANO, Texas (AP) - At least eight people are dead, including the suspect, after a shooting at a home in Plano, Texas, authorities in North Texas said Sunday night.

The shooting occurred around 8 p.m. in the city less than 20 miles (32.19 kilometers) northeast of Dallas.

Plano police spokesman David Tilley said police initially responded to a report of shots fired. When the first officer arrived and went inside the home, the officer confronted the suspected shooter.

Onlookers watch police work the scene of a shooting at a home in Plano, north of Dallas, Texas, Sunday night, Sept. 10, 2017. Authorities in North Texas say several people are dead, including the suspect, after a shooting at the Plano home. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

The officer opened fire, Tilley said, killing the suspect. Two others were injured in the shooting. Their conditions were not released.

The victims and suspect have not been identified. All of those killed and injured were believed to be adults.

Police also have not determined a motive for the shooting. Additional details were not immediately available.

Tilley said that a shooting of this magnitude was unusual for Plano, especially in such a quiet neighborhood. He could not say whether police had been called to the home before Sunday.

A police investigation is ongoing.

A police officer works the scene of a shooting at a home in Plano, north of Dallas, Texas, Sunday night, Sept. 10, 2017. Authorities in North Texas say several people are dead, including the suspect, after a shooting at the Plano home. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

Police officers work the scene of a shooting at a home in Plano, north of Dallas, Texas, Sunday night, Sept. 10, 2017. Authorities in North Texas say several people are dead, including the suspect, after a shooting at the Plano home. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (AP) - The Bangladeshi prime minister was traveling Tuesday to struggling refugee camps that have absorbed hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar in recent weeks - a crisis she said left her speechless.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina lambasted Myanmar for "atrocities" that she said had reached a level beyond description.

"I have no words to condemn Myanmar," she told lawmakers Monday night, noting that Bangladesh had long been protesting the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

A Rohingya man stretches his arms out for food distributed by local volunteers, with bags of puffed rice stuffed into his vest at Kutupalong, Bangladesh, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. With Rohingya refugees still flooding across the border from Myanmar, those packed into camps and makeshift settlements in Bangladesh are becoming desperate for scant basic resources and dwindling supplies. Fights are erupting over food and water. Women and children are tapping on car windows or tugging at the clothes of passing reporters while rubbing their bellies and begging for food. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Regardless, "they are sending Rohingya to Bangladesh afresh," she said, as more continued to stream across the border. "Women are being raped and tortured, children are being killed, and houses are being set on fire" in Myanmar's Rakhine state."

At least 313,000 Rohingya have arrived since Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts, prompting Myanmar's military to retaliate with what it called "clearance operations" to root out the rebels.

The crisis has drawn sharp criticism from around the world. The United States said it was deeply troubled by the violence, and Germany halted several aid projects in Myanmar in protest.

The U.N. human rights chief said violence and injustice faced by the ethnic Rohingya minority in Myanmar - where U.N. rights investigators have been barred from entry - "seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

"The Myanmar government should stop pretending that the Rohingya are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages," Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said Monday in Geneva, calling it a "complete denial of reality."

Meanwhile, a Rohingya villager in Myanmar said security forces had arrived Monday in the village of Pa Din village, firing guns, setting new fires to homes and driving hundreds of Rohingya to flee.

"People were scared and running out of the village," the villager said, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear for his safety.

Myanmar police disputed that, saying the houses were burned by terrorists they called Bengalis. That term is used derisively by many in Myanmar to describe the Rohingya, who they say migrated illegally from neighboring Bangladesh, though many Rohingya families have lived in Myanmar for generations.

The Bangladeshi prime minister demanded that Myanmar bring the Rohingya back, while the country's parliament on Monday night urged the U.N. and other countries to pressure Myanmar to ensure their safety and citizenship once they returned.

"We don't understand why successive Myanmar regimes carried out such atrocities on a particular community when the country is comprised of different groups," Hasina said.

Bangladesh said it would free 2,000 acres (810 hectares) of land for a new camp in Cox's Bazar district, to help shelter newly arrived Rohingya. The government was also fingerprinting and registering new arrivals.

Two pre-existing Rohingya camps were already beyond capacity. Other new arrivals were staying in schools, or huddling in makeshift settlements with no toilets along roadsides and in open fields.

Basic resources were scarce, including food, clean water and medical aid.

Hasina was expected to visit the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar district on Tuesday. The U.N. refugee agency also said it expected new relief supplies for 20,000 people to arrive by air during the day.

Aid agencies have been overwhelmed by the influx of Rohingya, many of whom are arriving hungry and traumatized after walking days through jungles or being packed into rickety wooden boats in search of safety in Bangladesh.

Many tell similar stories - of Myanmar soldiers firing indiscriminately on their villages, burning their homes and warning them to leave or to die. Some say they were attacked by Buddhist mobs.

In the last two weeks, the government hospital in Cox's Bazar has been overwhelmed by Rohingya patients, with 80 arriving in the last two weeks suffering gunshot wounds as well as bad infections.

At least three have been wounded in land mine blasts, and dozens have drowned when boats capsized during sea crossings.

Myanmar's authorities said more than a week ago that some 400 Rohingya - mostly insurgents - had died in clashes with troops, but it has offered no updated death toll since.

Rohingya have faced decades of discrimination and persecution in Myanmar and are denied citizenship despite centuries-olds roots in the Rakhine region.

Before Aug. 25, Bangladesh had already been housing more than 100,000 Rohingya who arrived after bloody anti-Muslim rioting in 2012 or amid earlier persecution drives in Myanmar.

___

AP writers Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Jamey Keaten in Geneva and David Rising in Berlin contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to say that Bangladesh is offering 2,000 acres (810 hectares) of land for Rohingya camp, not 2 acres (.8 hectares).
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump was in the mood to celebrate after cutting a big deal with opposition Democrats.

Joshing with Northeastern officials in the Cabinet Room, Trump hailed New York Democrat Andrew Cuomo as "my governor" and traded banter with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, another fellow New Yorker.

"If you just dropped in from outer space, you wouldn't know what the last eight months have been like," said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., recalling the friendly exchanges between Trump and Schumer during the meeting with New York and New Jersey lawmakers.

In this Sept. 7, 2017, photo, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., accompanied by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. speak Capitol Hill in Washington. Congressional Democrats are rising again. Since President Donald Trump entered the White House in January, they've been relegated to playing defense and pouncing on Republican missteps. But now, they've been boosted by a deal their leaders cut with President Donald Trump on extending federal borrowing authority for three months. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

That would be the same Schumer whom the president had previously slammed as a "clown" and "Cryin' Chuck."

And now?

"In some ways it's almost like they were completing each other's sentences," King said.

On display at that chummy scene Thursday was the Trump who's emerged in full this past week: Trump the independent.

A president who spent months catering to the Republican conservative wing now appears unbound by ideology and untethered by party allegiances.

It's not a complete surprise to his fellow Republicans. They long have worried that Trump, a former Democrat, might shift with the political winds. But Trump's overtures to Democrats have left Republicans in an awkward and perplexing position, undercut by their leader and unsure of what's next.

"Our grass roots are very confused," said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., head of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, on MSNBC Friday. Meadows said he viewed the deal as a "unique situation because of the devastation in Texas."

Trump's deal with Democrats to raise the U.S. borrowing limit and keep the government running for three month months - all in the name of speeding relief to hurricane victims - quickly passed Congress and gave him the opportunity to savor a victory after months of legislative setbacks.

He's now talking about possible future deals with Democrats - doing away with votes on the raising the debt cap, and shielding from deportation young immigrants living in the United States illegally who were brought here as children.

"I think that's what the people of the United States want to see," Trump said. "They want to see some dialogue."

It's unclear how much of Trump's turnabout is a deliberate strategy to create space for his tax overhaul this fall or simply a deal-maker's gut decision, bargained during an Oval Office session that left his fellow Republicans befuddled.

Trump has been frustrated by GOP leaders and blames House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., for his inability to score big triumphs in Congress. He's appeared unconcerned about dismissing their opposition to the debt ceiling deal, focusing instead on the fact that the move has delivered him rare kudos with some television commentators.

Trump sprinkled salt on the wound Friday by reminding GOP leaders via Twitter about their failed efforts to overhaul former President Barack Obama's health law: "Republicans, sorry, but I've been hearing about Repeal & Replace for 7 years, didn't happen!"

In venting about Republican congressional leaders, Trump may just be channeling his supporters. Trump, who essentially hijacked the party two years ago, has positioned himself as the voice of voters who feel alienated from Washington and disdain both parties.

"The Republicans in the Senate did not follow through on their commitment in working with the administration to repeal Obamacare. So what's he going to do?" asked Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council.

Perkins said he didn't think Trump's most loyal supporters would approve of extended dealings with Schumer and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California. But, he added, "They're just as mad at the Republican leadership as they are the Democrats."

Still, Trump's startling agreement on the debt left Republicans wondering how far he's willing to stray from party orthodoxy in pursuit of a deal.

Their frustrations spilled out during a closed-door meeting Friday with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, a former South Carolina congressman, who were sent to Capitol Hill to defend the deal. At one point Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs executive and Democratic donor, drew hisses when he asked House Republicans to "vote for the debt ceiling for me," according to Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C.

From the start of his presidency, Trump has repeatedly labeled Democrats as obstructionists, and few expect his budding alliance with Schumer and Pelosi to be long-lived. Trump is loathed by the Democratic base, many of whom talk more openly about impeachment than cooperation.

But there's little doubt that Trump's talk of "dealmaking" may occasionally open up possibilities for Democrats.

"I think the president, when it comes to making deals, is an enigma," said Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

King said he will continue to work with Trump, but acknowledged that the past week had been a "little unsettling" and noted that "conservative allies have been leaving the West Wing at a fairly regular pace."

One of the top aides King was referring to was Steve Bannon. The strategist was ousted in August but remains a vocal proponent of the president's agenda.

Trump announced the deal with Democrats while Bannon was sitting for an interview with CBS News, but the Breitbart executive chairman saved his most pointed remarks for McConnell and Ryan, accusing them of trying to "nullify" the results of the 2016 election.

The headlines on the Breitbart website Friday reflected the anti-establishment wing's distrust of some of Trump's New York allies, as well as party leadership - but not of Trump himself.

Other Republicans are willing to give Trump a pass, for now. "Of course I view him as a Republican," said Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. He said that when Republicans can't solve a problem by themselves, "then the president has that obligation to be that neutral arbitrator."

__

Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman in Washington and David Klepper in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.

__

Follow Ken Thomas on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KThomasDC and Catherine Lucey at http://twitter.com/Catherine_Lucey
BEIRUT (AP) - Lebanese officials say film director Ziad Doueiri was briefly detained upon arrival in Lebanon over previous visits to Israel.

It was not clear why the Paris-based Doueiri, director of the award-winning civil war film "West Beirut," was detained Sunday night, as he has visited Lebanon several times since traveling to Israel.

Lebanon and Israel are in a state of war and Beirut bans its citizens from visiting Israel or having business dealings with Israelis.

The judicial officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, say a military tribunal will question Doueiri on Monday.

Doueiri's latest film, "The Insult," opens in Lebanon this week, after winning the best actor award at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month. His previous movie, "The Attack," was banned in Lebanon.
ISTANBUL (AP) - A media advocacy group accused Turkey's president of trying to silence the country's main opposition newspaper and free press as the second hearing of a trial against staff members of the paper began Monday.

Christophe Deloire, the secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, called the case against Turkey's pro-secular Cumhuriyet newspaper "a mockery of justice."

"(Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan succeeded in suppressing pluralism and free press in this country. There are only a few remaining free media and we have to defend them," he said.

Under the watchful eye of a Turkish army soldier standing guard outside a court, a protester holds a copy of the Cumhuriyet newspaper, with headline in Turkish reading: 'We want justice," during a demonstration against the trial of journalists and staff from the newspaper, accused of aiding terror organizations, in Silivri, Turkey, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. The trial against journalists and staff from Cumhuriyet newspaper staunchly opposed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues in Istanbul, a case that has added to concerns over rights and freedoms in Turkey. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Deloire spoke to The Associated Press outside Silivri prison on the outskirts of Istanbul where five Cumhuriyet employees are being held in pre-trial detention. Among the jailed are editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu and columnist Kadri Gursel who have been in prison for 316 days as well as investigative journalist Ahmet Sik, in prison for 255 days.

Prosecutors have charged 19 employees of the paper with allegedly "sponsoring terror organizations," including Kurdish militants, a far-left group and the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who the government blames for a failed coup last year. Gulen denies any involvement.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said the defendants were facing various charges with jail sentences ranging from seven to 43 years in prison.

More than 50,000 people have been jailed in the aftermath of the bloody July 15, 2016 coup attempt for alleged links to Gulen and other terror groups. But critics say the crackdown has been widened to quash opposition voices, including journalists, activists and parliamentarians who have been put behind bars.

Cumhuriyet employees and supporters gathered Monday outside Silivri prison's courthouse, holding the paper's edition with the headline "We want justice."

The newspaper's Ankara representative Erdem Gul told the AP that Turkey "holds a record for imprisoned journalists," with some 170 media workers behind bars.

"But despite everything, we will continue our journalism," he said.

The government insists that none of them are in prison for their journalistic work, arguing that they are behind bars for various crimes, including terrorism.

Gul is on trial in a separate case, accused of espionage and aiding Gulen's network, for a 2015 story alleging that Turkey's intelligence service was smuggling arms to Syria. He accused the government of labeling all opposition as terrorists.

"It is journalism, freedom of thought and expression that are on trial," Gul said.

Seven Cumhuriyet staff members, including cartoonist Musa Kart, were released after the first hearing in July. Two people are being tried in absentia.

Also on trial and in prison is Kemal Aydogdu, who is not related to the newspaper but is suspected of using a Twitter handle critical of the government. He is accused of being a "manager" in a terror group, according to Anadolu.

Protesters hold copies of the Cumhuriyet newspaper, with headlines in Turkish reading: 'We Want Justice" as they protest against the trial of journalists and staff from the newspaper, accused of aiding terror organizations, outside the court in Silivri, Turkey, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. The trial against journalists and staff from Cumhuriyet newspaper staunchly opposed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues in Istanbul, a case that has added to concerns over rights and freedoms in Turkey. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Under the watchful eye of a Turkish army soldier standing guard outside a court, protesters, one holding a Turkish flag with an image of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of Modern Turkey, demonstrate against a trial of journalists and staff from the Cumhuriyet newspaper, accused of aiding terror organizations, in Silivri, Turkey, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. The trial against journalists and staff from Cumhuriyet newspaper staunchly opposed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues in Istanbul, a case that has added to concerns over rights and freedoms in Turkey. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

A Turkish police officer stands close to a demonstration outside a court where a trial of journalists and staff from the Cumhuriyet newspaper, accused of aiding terror organizations, resumed, in Silivri, Turkey, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. The trial against journalists and staff from Cumhuriyet newspaper staunchly opposed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues in Istanbul, a case that has added to concerns over rights and freedoms in Turkey. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Turkish army soldiers stand guard outside a court where a trial of journalists and staff from the Cumhuriyet newspaper, accused of aiding terror organizations, resumed, in Silivri, Turkey, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. The trial against journalists and staff from Cumhuriyet newspaper staunchly opposed to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues in Istanbul, a case that has added to concerns over rights and freedoms in Turkey. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
GENEVA (AP) - The U.N. human rights chief said Monday that the violence and injustice faced by the ethnic Rohingya minority in Myanmar, where U.N. rights investigators have been barred from entering, "seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

Speaking at the start of the latest Human Rights Council session, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein first recognized the Sept. 11 attacks anniversary then chronicled human rights concerns about Myanmar. He also spoke about rights concerns in Burundi, Venezuela, Yemen, Libya and the United States, where he expressed concerns about the Trump administration's plan to dismantle protection for younger immigrants, many of whom have lived most of the lives in the U.S.

Zeid, who is a Jordanian prince, denounced how "another brutal security operation is underway in Rakhine state - this time, apparently on a far greater scale." He noted the U.N. refugee agency says 270,000 people from Myanmar have fled to neighboring Bangladesh in the last three weeks, and pointed to satellite imagery and reports of "security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages" and committing extrajudicial killings.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is pictured on a tv screen during the opening of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, UN, in Geneva, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

"The Myanmar government should stop pretending that the Rohingyas are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages," he added. He called it a "complete denial of reality" that hurts the standing of Myanmar, a country that had until recently - by opening up politics to civilian control - enjoyed "immense good will."

"Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," he said.

Zeid said he was "further appalled" by reports that Myanmar authorities planting land mines along the border.

Aside from Myanmar, although he didn't specify the countries by name, Zeid said the council should consider "the need to exclude from this body states involved in the most egregious violations of human rights." Human rights advocacy groups have cited Burundi and Venezuela in particular as countries with lamentable rights records that have seats on the 47-member rights council created by the U.N.

On Venezuela, Zeid called for an international independent investigation of possible rights violations, citing a report from his office last month that documented allegations of excessive use of force by security forces to quash protests against President Nicolas Maduro's government.

"My investigation suggests the possibility that crimes against humanity may have been committed, which can only be confirmed by a subsequent criminal investigation," Zeid said, urging the council to set up an international investigation into rights violations in Venezuela.

The International Criminal Court says "crimes against humanity" involve certain types of crimes like torture, enslavement, murder and extermination used against civilians in a "widespread and systematic" way, which his report last month had alleged to have occurred in Venezuela.

The rights chief warned of "a very real danger that tensions will further escalate, with the government crushing democratic institutions and critical voices."

Overall, Zeid lamented how the world has grown "darker and dangerous" since he took office three years ago.

Syria and Iraq, two countries that have been longtime staples of concern from U.N. human rights chiefs, received only passing mention in his address - a testament to the broad concerns about today's world.

Delegates attend the opening of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, UN, in Geneva, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, left, shakes hand with Ambassador JoaquIn Alexander Maza Martelli, right, from El Salvador, President of the Human Rights Council, as they arrive for the opening of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, UN, in Geneva, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, left, arrives with Ambassador JoaquIn Alexander Maza Martelli, right, from El Salvador, President of the Human Rights Council, for the opening of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, UN, in Geneva, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, shakes hand with delegates before the opening of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations, UN, in Geneva, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP)
BRUSSELS (AP) - The head of the European Union's border agency says the number of migrants arriving in Europe through Spain has more than doubled this year.

Frontex Director Fabrice Leggeri said Monday that "we have registered almost 14,000 arrivals in Spain, arriving from Morocco, from the western part of the Maghreb."

Leggeri said it "means that the figures were multiplied by more than 2.5 this year" compared to the same January-August period last year. He said most migrants were Moroccan nationals.

Migrants from Syria wait in a line as they arrive at a refugee camp at Kokkinotrimithia, outside of the capital Nicosia, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Cyprus police say a 36-year-old man was arrested Sunday for allegedly driving one of a pair of boats that brought 305 Syrian refugees to the island's northwestern coast. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

He says arrivals to Europe from Libya through the central Mediterranean have dropped but could he not say whether the rise in Spain was due to tougher migrant controls around Libya. He says, as of now, "Frontex has no indication of such displacement."

Migrants from Syria walk towards a refugee camp at Kokkinotrimithia, outside of the capital Nicosia, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Cyprus police say a 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly driving one of a pair of boats that brought 305 Syrian refugees to the island's northwestern coast. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Migrants from Syria look outside from a bus as they arrive at a refugee camp at Kokkinotrimithia, outside of the capital Nicosia, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Cyprus police say a 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly driving one of a pair of boats that brought 305 Syrian refugees to the island's northwestern coast. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A woman with her child migrant from Syria walk towards a refugee camp at Kokkinotrimithia, outside of the capital Nicosia, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Cyprus police say a 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly driving one of a pair of boats that brought 305 Syrian refugees to the island's northwestern coast. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A woman migrant from Syria stands inside a refugee camp at Kokkinotrimithia, outside of the capital Nicosia, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Cyprus police say a 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly driving one of a pair of boats that brought 305 Syrian refugees to the island's northwestern coast. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Women and a child migrants from Syria walk towards a refugee camp at Kokkinotrimithia, outside of the capital Nicosia, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Cyprus police say a 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly driving one of a pair of boats that brought 305 Syrian refugees to the island's northwestern coast. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Migrants from Syria walk towards a refugee camp at Kokkinotrimithia, outside the capital Nicosia, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Cyprus police say a 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly driving one of a pair of boats that brought 305 Syrian refugees to the island's northwestern coast. The migrants they departed from Mersin, Turkey on Saturday late. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Ammar Hammasho, migrant from Edlib in Syria who lives in Cyprus, holds the hand of one of his four children after they arrived with their mother to a refugees camp in Kokkinotrimithia outside of the capital Nicosia, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Cyprus police say a 36-year-old man was arrested Sunday for allegedly driving one of a pair of boats that brought 305 Syrian refugees to the island's northwestern coast. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Ammar Hammasho, migrant from Edlib in Syria who lives in Cyprus, kisses one of his four children after they arrived with his mother to a refugees camp in Kokkinotrimithia outside of the capital Nicosia, in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Cyprus police say a 36-year-old man was arrested Sunday for allegedly driving one of a pair of boats that brought 305 Syrian refugees to the island's northwestern coast. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
News / Local

by Stephen Jakes

BULAWAYO - A suspected conman is in trouble after he cheated a job seeker of her $100 when he promised him a job in the city.The man Themba Seletswane (38) was denying the charge when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Sithembiso Ncube. He was found not guilty at acquitted at the close of the state case due to lack of evidence.It was alleged that on August 11 this year at 3pm the complainant was walking from 3rd avenue along Fort Street when she met the accused who promised her a job to look after his goods which he claimed to be in a truck somewhere.He ordered her to surrender all the money she had to him so that he takes care of it while she was working. The woman gave him the money and he disappeared with it.He then ordered her to wait for him across the road saying he wanted to meet his boss. He later signed an envelope which he claimed to be having the complainant's money and gave it back to her. He then went to look for his boss and never returned while the complainant remained waiting for him.She later discovered that she had been conned and made a report to the police. The accused was later identified by the complainant who alerted the police leading to his arrest.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - A physiotherapist working at the International Committee of the Red Cross' rehabilitation center was shot by a patient in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province, a statement released by the ICRC said.

Spanish national Lorena Enebral Perez, 38, was "a skilled and caring physiotherapist who assisted patients, especially children," the statement said, quoting the ICRC's head of delegation in Afghanistan, Monica Zanarelli.

"Energetic and full of laughter, Lorena was the heart of our office. Today, our hearts are broken," Zanarelli added.

Lorena's work involved helping children, women and men who lost limbs or with other forms of disability learn how to walk and feed again themselves.

"The violent fluctuations of life seem particularly cruel today," the statement said.

It was not immediately clear if Monday's attack was politically motivated or related to a personal dispute.

Sher Jan Durani, a spokesman for the provincial police chief, said two suspects have been arrested.

Physical rehabilitation was one of the ICRC's first activities in Afghanistan, starting in Kabul in 1988, according to the organization, which now has seven centers across the country.

The seven centers manufacture more than 19,000 artificial legs, arms and other orthopedic devices a year and treat hundreds of thousands of patients, according to the ICRC.

Last week, two local ICRC staff members were released after being held by an armed group for seven months. The two were abducted on Feb. 8 while on their way to assist in the northern Jawzjan province with six other colleagues, who were shot and killed. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the Taliban denied involvement.

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a Taliban suicide bomber targeted international forces on patrol in the northern Parwan province, in an attack that wounded three Afghan civilians, according to Gen. Zaman Mamozai, the provincial police chief. He was not aware of any casualties among the foreign troops.

A statement issued by the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission said that a small number of service members and Afghan civilians were wounded when a suicide attacker targeted their convoy with a vehicle carrying an improvised explosive device.

"The wounded service members were taken to the Bagram Airfield hospital for treatment. None of the injuries are considered life threatening," the statement added.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack.
MOSCOW (AP) - Ukraine's president on Monday criticized former governor Mikhail Saakashvili for illegally crossing into Ukraine from Poland.

Saakashvili and a small crowd of supporters on Sunday shoved their way through a line of guards at the Ukrainian border, making good on the politician's vow to return to the country that had stripped him of his Ukrainian citizenship.

Saakashvili, who became governor of Ukraine's Odessa region after being Georgia's president from 2004 to 2013, poses a strong challenge to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who once was Saakashvili's patron but then revoked his citizenship in July.

Supporters of the Former Georgian President and former Ukraine official Mikheil Saakashvili clash with border guards at Shegini check point on Ukrainian-Polish border, Ukraine, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Saakashvili and a crowd of supporters are proceeding into Ukraine on foot after breaking through a line of guards on the Polish-Ukrainian border. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Poroshenko condemned Saakashvili on Monday for crossing the border without proper documents and said law enforcement agencies should look into the incident.

He said Saakashvili should have contested the decree stripping him of citizenship in court if he disagreed with it.

"But instead, he committed a crime - because the state border must not be violated," Poroshenko said.

Speaking to reporters in the western city of Lviv later Monday, Saakashvili rejected the accusations, saying that stripping him of Ukrainian citizenship "was the crime."

Saakashvili was appointed to the Odessa post in 2015 on the strength of his record of fighting corruption in Georgia. But he resigned after only 18 months, complaining that official corruption in Ukraine was so entrenched he couldn't work effectively.

The return carries risks for Saakashvili, who is stateless. He gave up his Georgian citizenship when he got the job in Ukraine. Georgia, where he faces accusations of abuse of power and misappropriation of property, has sent an extradition request to Ukraine. It's not clear if Ukraine intends to honor it.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - The Dutch government says it will continue contributing to the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali and NATO's force in Afghanistan.

The Cabinet on Monday informed Parliament about the extension into next year of Dutch participation in the military missions.

The foreign ministry said in a statement that the fragile international security situation means that "the Netherlands will continue to take its responsibility." It says that the priority in the missions is "fighting terrorism and preventing irregular migration."

In this March 9, 2016 file image, a Dutch army trainer, right, helps a Kurdish Peshmerga soldier during a military training session at a shooting range, at Bnaslawa Military Base in Irbil, northern Iraq. The Dutch government says it will continue contributing to the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali and NATO's force in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Alice Martins, File)

About 250 Dutch troops will take part in the Mali mission in 2018, about 100 in NATO's Afghanistan force and four F-16 fighter jets will carry out missions against IS in Iraq and eastern Syria from January.
LONDON (AP) - Edinburgh Zoo says giant panda Tian Tian won't give birth this year.

The zoo announced last month that Tian Tian was believed to be pregnant but that her due date was hard to predict.

Zoo panda director Iain Valentine said Monday that "tests show that her hormone levels and behavior have returned to normal" as the year's breeding cycle ends.

FILE - This Sept. 22, 2014 file photo shows Edinburgh Zoo's giant panda Tian Tian. Edinburgh Zoo panda director Iain Valentine said Monday Sept. 11, 2017, that Tian Tian will not give birth this year. "..tests show that her hormone levels and behavior have returned to normal" as the year's breeding cycle ends. (Danny Lawson/PA via AP, File)

Giant pandas have difficulty breeding and their pregnancies are notoriously difficult to follow. Their fetuses are tiny and hard to detect, and the animals also experience "pseudo-pregnancies" during which behavior and hormonal changes indicate they are pregnant when they are not.

Tian Tian and male panda Yang Guang, both 14, arrived in Edinburgh on a decade-long loan from China in 2011 and are the only giant pandas in Britain.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Scandals. Recalls. Threats of bans. The diesel engine is a public enemy for many environmental activists and politicians.

And yet, when the world's biggest automakers unveil new models at this year's auto show in Frankfurt, among the new electric vehicles and digitally-enhanced prototypes there will also be diesel cars.

The carmakers at the show, mainly Germany's big manufacturers, are hoping to modify diesel engines to make them cleaner rather than throw them out altogether. It's a bid for stability in an industry roiled by change.

The image provided by Daimler shows smart vision EQ fort. The self-driving concept car will be presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, which opens for journalists Tuesday and Wednesday and to the general public from Saturday through Sept. 24, 2017. (Daimler AG via AP)

Here's a quick look at the major themes and vehicles expected at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, which opens for journalists Tuesday and Wednesday and to the general public from Saturday through Sept. 24.

___

DIESEL DILEMMA

German carmakers, which have relied heavily on diesel, have been bruised by controversy over the technology since Volkswagen's scandal, in which the company admitted to illegally rigging cars to turn off diesel emission controls when not on test stands. Subsequent investigation found that many diesels by other manufacturers met official test standards but emitted far more pollution during every day driving, often by exploiting legal loopholes that permitted them to turn off controls at certain temperatures. German carmakers are recalling some 5 million older diesel vehicles to tweak their engine control software in hopes of warding off pressure for diesel bans in some cities.

So expect a lot of emphasis on emissions-free technology such as battery-powered cars. Daimler will show off a fully electric, compact car under its EQ brand, which represents the company's push into areas it has bundled under the acronym CASE: connected, autonomous, shared and services, and electric.

It also will unveil the Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell, a fuel-cell and battery plug-in hybrid that emits only water vapor. Fuel cell-powered cars are not yet a practical option for consumers, with only 33 hydrogen fuel stations in Germany, but it's one possibility for the future in which government regulation will increasingly require low-emission vehicles.

___

DIESEL DESPITE THAT

But diesel remains in the mix -with what automakers say are better emissions controls to meet European Union standards in which cars will be tested under real-world driving conditions, as well as on test stands. Diesels get better mileage - a big consumer issue in Europe, where fuel taxes make gasoline painfully expensive. A liter of gasoline costs 1.31 euros in Frankfurt, or $5.97 a gallon. And diesels emit less carbon dioxide, meaning they help meet regulatory limits on the greenhouse gas believed to contribute to global warming. The new T-Roc small SUV from Volkswagen, for instance, will come with three possible gasoline engines to choose from - and three diesels. Automakers "won't be shouting about it, but diesels will be part of their lineup," says Ian Fletcher, principal analyst at IHS Market.

IHS estimates diesel's market share will fall from 49.7 percent in Europe to 46.9 percent this year, and to 32.8 percent by 2025.

Mercedes-Benz spent 3 billion euros to develop new diesels, which are already being used in its E-Class sedans.

___

THE HOME TEAM

Increasingly, carmakers are finding other ways to unveil new models than auto shows and that has become even more evident ahead of this year's show. Volkswagen's Porsche brand showed off its new Cayenne SUV at an extravagant event Aug. 29 with the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra Prague and dancers livestreamed from its home base in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Automakers skipping the show this year include Fiat Chrysler's namesake Fiat and its Jeep and Alfa Romeo brands, Peugeot and its DS luxury division, plus Nissan, Infiniti and Volvo.

Yet the Frankfurt show remains a very big deal for the home team: Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz luxury brand, Munich-based BMW AG, and Volkswagen, all of which will have giant display stands. Some 1,000 exhibitors will show off 300 premieres on 200,000 square meters of space. Chinese brands WEY and Chery will exhibit for the first time.

___

DIGITAL AND ELECTRIC DISRUPTION

Automakers will be eager to show off technologies that can help people get around without owning a car. That could include ordering rides through an app, sharing someone else's car for a price, and autonomous vehicles.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, will speak at the opening ceremony, while Google is a sponsor for the media night. Computer security company Kaspersky Labs and AVL Software and Functions GmbH are showing off a product to protect cars from hackers. Daimler announced Wednesday it was investing in peer-to-peer car sharing company Turo and said it plans to fold its own car sharing pilot project, Munich-based Croove, ahead of Turo's entrance into the German market in 2018.

___

HOT PRODUCT

The main reason to hold an auto show, of course, is to show off autos. Some of the models attracting the most industry attention will include: Audi's A8 four-door sedan with an eight-speed transmission and all-wheel drive; the eighth generation of the Rolls-Royce Phantom; and a new version of Volkswagen's Polo compact, which comes in gasoline and, yes, diesel versions.

Small SUVs remain a popular category for new vehicles. Car buyers like the higher seating position, while carmakers save development costs by putting a new body style on top of mechanical components they've already paid to develop for compact cars. They include: the SEAT Arona, Jaguar E-Pace, Kia Stonic, Citroen C3 Aircross, Skoda Karoq, and a so-far unnamed offering from Chery.

___

HYPERCARS

It wouldn't be an auto show without freaky fast, completely unaffordable supercars to gawk at. Daimler has the Mercedes-Benz-AMG Project ONE, a two-seat hybrid with over 1,000 horsepower and a top speed of 350 kph (217 mph.) A teaser photo shows the silhouette of a car with a low silhouette and big wheel wells.

The image provided by Daimler shows the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet. The concept car will be presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, which opens for journalists Tuesday and Wednesday and to the general public from Saturday through Sept. 24, 2017. (Daimler AG via AP)

FILE - In this Aug. 2, 2017 file photo Harald Krueger, CEO of German car maker BMW, Dieter Zetsche, chairman of German car maker Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz cars and Matthias Mueller, CEO of German car maker Volkswagen, from right, attend a so-called diesel summit in Berlin. German government officials and automakers met to discuss the future of diesel vehicles. Diesel is one of the major themes at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, which opens for journalists Tuesday and Wednesday and to the general public from Saturday through Sept. 24, 2017. (Axel Schmidt/Pool Photo via AP, file)

The image provided by Daimler shows the front luggage area of the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet with a set of two suitcases, exclusively created for the vehicle. Plenty of space has also been provided for further additions such as picnic accessories or personal items. The concept car will be presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, which opens for journalists Tuesday and Wednesday and to the general public from Saturday through Sept. 24, 2017. (Daimler AG via AP)

The photo provided by Audi shows an artist rendering of Audi A8 L. Audi's A8 four-door sedan will premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, which opens for journalists Tuesday, Sept. 12, and Wednesday and to the general public from Saturday through Sept. 24, 2017. (Audi via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest news surrounding observances marking the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks (all times local):

7:30 p.m.

Two giant towers of light have lit up the lower Manhattan skyline as a visual memorial to those who lost their lives on 9/11.

A man stands at the edge of a waterfall pool at ground zero during a ceremony on the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Holding photos and reading names of loved ones lost 16 years ago, 9/11 victims' relatives marked the anniversary of the attacks with a solemn and personal ceremony. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The September 11 Memorial & Museum's "Tribute in Light" art installation switched on just after sundown Monday.

The light beams reach up to four miles into the sky and are comprised of 88 searchlights positioned into two squares that represent the twin towers.

The Memorial Plaza will be open to the public until midnight Monday to view the lights, which were first installed six months after the attack and are now a yearly tradition.

They'll stay lit until dawn.

___

3:15 p.m.

Some Americans are marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by volunteering on service projects.

In New York City, shifts of volunteers gathered at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum to put together meals to be distributed to people in need locally, as well as those affected by hurricanes in Texas and Florida.

The co-founder of 9/11 Day, which pushed for Sept. 11 to become recognized as a national day of service, said, "We simply wanted something good to come from this day."

Among the volunteers was 16-year-old Hillary O'Neill of Norwalk, Connecticut, who was born the day of the attacks. She said volunteering was a way to bring something positive to the day.

___

11:45 a.m.

A 10-year-old boy who helped pull an unconscious kayaker to safety has posthumously been given an award named for a flight attendant aboard a hijacked jetliner that was flown into the World Trade Center.

Jaydon Dancy was named recipient of the Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery on Monday at a Massachusetts Statehouse ceremony marking the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Jaydon's mother, Michelle, accepted the award.

Jaydon was playing on the Salem waterfront in August 2016 when he saw the kayaker capsize. He and an older woman swam out to pull the unconscious man from of the water.

Jaydon was struck and killed by a train in June.

Sweeney quietly provided ground crews with critical information about the terrorists aboard American Airlines Flight 11.

___

11:40 a.m.

A Fox News Channel host, in an interview with Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke (ZINK'-ee), appeared to equate a memorial to victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to the controversy over statues of Confederate soldiers.

Zinke was a guest on "Fox & Friends" Monday. He was talking about his appearance with Vice President Mike Pence at the memorial to passengers on hijacked United Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11, 2001.

Host Brian Kilmeade asked if Zinke worried that 100 years from now, "someone's going to try and take that memorial down like they're trying to remake our memorials today."

It was an apparent reference to debates over the future of memorials to Confederate figures from the Civil War.

After a brief pause, Zinke replied: "I'm one that believes we should learn from history."

___

10:55 a.m.

Vice President Mike Pence is addressing the family and friends of the victims of United Flight 93 and the hundreds of citizens attending the somber service in Pennsylvania.

Pence tells the crowd he was in Washington as a member of Congress on 9/11. That's where he learned a hijacked plane was heading to the U.S. Capitol and was only 12 minutes away. He says that was the longest 12 minutes of his life, but he soon learned the plane went down in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Thirty-three passengers and seven crew members were killed.

The ceremony started at 9:45 a.m., the time that federal investigators determined passengers decided to revolt against their four al-Qaeda hijackers, who ended up crashing the plane in a field 60 miles (96 kilometers) southeast of Pittsburgh.

Pence says those passengers might well have save his life.

___

10:29 a.m.

A bell is tolling to mark the moment when the north tower of the World Trade Center collapsed on Sept. 11, 2001.

The U.S. on Monday is marking the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attack that killed nearly 3,000. Four hijacked planes hit the trade center towers and the Pentagon, and crashed in a Pennsylvania field. A moment of silence followed the bells.

The commemoration began with a moment of silence at tolling bells at 8:46 a.m., when the first terrorist-piloted plane slammed into the World Trade Center's north tower.

Victims' relatives are reading the names of those killed.

At a Pentagon ceremony, President Donald Trump said the nation grieves for the victims, and when America is united "no force on earth can break us apart."

___

10:10 a.m.

President Donald Trump says during a 9/11 ceremony at the Pentagon that the nation grieves for the people "who were murdered by terrorists" 16 years ago.

The president and first lady Melania Trump joined with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, members of his Cabinet and military personnel at the Pentagon to observe the anniversary of the attacks on the nation's defense headquarters.

The president is issuing a warning to extremists, saying "America cannot be intimidated" and those who try will join the list of enemies "who dared to test our mettle."

He says when America is united, "no force on earth can break us apart."

The native New Yorker is observing the 9/11 anniversary for the first time as president. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when four hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and at a Pennsylvania field.

___

10:04 a.m.

Moments of silence have been held to observe when the south World Trade Center tower collapsed on Sept. 11, 2001, and when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The fourth and fifth bells tolled to mark the moments: 9:59 a.m. for the tower and 10:03 a.m. for the United flight on the 16th anniversary of the terror attack.

Monday's commemoration began with a moment of silence and tolling bells at 8:46 a.m. It's the time when a terrorist-piloted plane slammed into the World Trade Center's north tower. Other bells tolled when a second plane struck the south tower, and when a plane struck the Pentagon.

Then, victims' relatives began reading the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed when four hijacked planes hit the trade center, the Pentagon and at the Pennsylvania field.

___

9:50 a.m.

A somber ritual that includes the tolling of bells and a reading of the victims' names is underway in Pennsylvania, honoring the 33 passengers and seven crew members killed in the terror attack on United Flight 93.

Vice President Mike Pence is at ceremony outside the park's visitor center in Shanksville. It began at 9:45 a.m., the time that federal investigators determined passengers decided to revolt against their four al-Qaeda hijackers, who ended up crashing the plane in a field 60 miles (96 kilometers) southeast of Pittsburgh 16 years ago.

On Sunday, ground was broken at the national memorial on the last element of the park, a 93-foot (28-meter) Tower of Voices with 40 tubular wind chimes, one for each victim. It should be completed in time for the 17th anniversary of 9/11.

___

9:38 a.m.

A third bell has tolled at 9:37 a.m. at ground zero to mark the moment a plane slammed into the Pentagon on 9/11.

Monday marked the 16th anniversary of the terror attacks.

Then victims' relatives then resumed reading the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed when four hijacked planes hit the trade center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field on Sept. 11, 2001.

Republican President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, observed a moment of silence at the White House. He will also be participating in the observance at the Pentagon. It's his first time observing the anniversary as president.

There is also a ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

___

9:03 a.m.

A second bell has tolled at 9:03 a.m. at ground zero to mark the moment a second terrorist-piloted plane slammed into the World Trade Center's south tower.

Monday marked the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Then victims' relatives again began reading the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed when four hijacked planes hit the trade center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field on Sept. 11, 2001.

Republican President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, observed a moment of silence at the White House and then participating in an observance at the Pentagon. It's his first time observing the anniversary as president.

There is also a ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

___

8:47 a.m.

President Donald Trump is leading a national moment of silence on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

The president and first lady Melania Trump joined with staffers on the South Lawn of the White House on Monday morning to mark the moment when the first plane struck the World Trade Center 16 years ago.

The president and first lady bowed their heads as bells tolled and then placed their hands over their hearts as taps played.

This is Trump's first 9/11 commemoration ceremony as president.

Trump was in New York during the 2001 attacks. He has offered unverified accounts of friends he lost that day and reports of Muslims celebrating when the World Trade Center towers collapsed.

Trump will participate in a 9/11 observance at the Pentagon later Wednesday morning.

___

8:47 a.m.

Victims' relatives, survivors and rescuers are observing the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks at ground zero.

Monday's commemoration began with a moment of silence and tolling bells at 8:46 a.m. It's the time when a terrorist-piloted plane slammed into the World Trade Center's north tower.

Then victims' relatives began reading the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed when four hijacked planes hit the trade center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field on Sept. 11, 2001.

Republican President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, is observing a moment of silence at the White House and then participating in an observance at the Pentagon. It's his first time observing the anniversary as president.

There is also a ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

___

5:45 a.m.

Police officers are on hand after a threat referencing Sept. 11 was found written in a bathroom stall in a Pennsylvania school.

Officers are patrolling Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown as a precaution Monday.

It's not clear what the threat said. But principal Timothy Donovan told parents the situation was promptly addressed to ensure the safety of students and teachers.

The school will excuse the absences of any students if parents decide to keep their children home.

___

2 a.m.

A series of paintings, sculpture and illustrations depicting the New York City Police department's actions during Sept. 11 is part of a new exhibit at John Jay College.

NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill says the works are from both the department's headquarters and the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington. The New York Post reports the exhibit opened Friday and will run for four months.

O'Neill was present at the ribbon cutting and says the exhibit will uphold the legacies of those who died on 9/11.

The exhibit is titled "Bravery & Sacrifice" and is on display in John Jay's Memorial Hall.

___

12:15 a.m.

While the U.S. contends with the destruction caused by two ferocious hurricanes in three weeks, Americans also are marking the 16th anniversary of one of the nation's most scarring days.

Thousands of 9/11 victims' relatives, survivors, rescuers and others are expected to gather Monday at the World Trade Center to remember the deadliest terror attack on American soil.

Observances also are planned at the Pentagon and the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Nearly 3,000 people died when hijacked planes slammed into the trade center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville on Sept. 11, 2001.

Republican President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, is observing the anniversary for the first time as the nation's leader. The White House says he'll observe a moment of silence and also participate in an observance at the Pentagon.

A couple embraces on the Brooklyn Promenade as the Tribute in Light rises above the lower Manhattan skyline Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in New York. The two blue pillars of light provide a visual reminder of how the Twin Towers, destroyed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, once stood above the city skyline. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

The Tribute in Light rises above the lower Manhattan skyline, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, in New York. The two blue pillars of light provide a visual reminder of how the Twin Towers, destroyed in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, once stood above the city skyline. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

People hold up signs with the names and pictures of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks during a ceremony at ground zero in New York, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Holding photos and reading names of loved ones lost 16 years ago, 9/11 victims' relatives marked the anniversary of the attacks at ground zero with a solemn and personal ceremony. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

West Virginia National Guard Staff Sgt. Sean Ruth, right, mourns the loss of his father, Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 William Ruth, who died in the September 11 attack on the Pentagon, while at the September 11th Pentagon Memorial on the 16th anniversary at the Pentagon, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. He was visiting with his family including his daughter Ayslynn Ruth, 4. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

President Donald Trump lays a wreath during a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, at the Pentagon. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A U.S. flag is unfurled at the Pentagon on the 16th anniversary of the September 11th attacks Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The National September 11 Memorial and Museum are set for a memorial service, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in New York. Thousands of 9/11 victims' relatives, survivors, rescuers and others are expected to gather Monday at the World Trade Center to remember the deadliest terror attack on American soil. Nearly 3,000 people died when hijacked planes slammed into the trade center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pa., on Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump stand for a moment of silence to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The podium awaits the arrival of President Donald Trump as a U.S. flag is unfurled at the Pentagon on the 16th anniversary of the September 11th attacks Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump stand for a moment of silence to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

A man pays his respects at the Wall of Names at the United Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Fred Vuich)
STOCKHOLM (AP) - Sweden has started its largest military exercise in over 20 years with nearly 20,000 troops drilling on air, land and sea, including a contingent of over 1,000 U.S. soldiers, amid rising military activity in the Baltic Sea region.

The three-week Aurora 17 drill kicked off Monday and will chiefly take place around the strategic Baltic Sea island of Gotland and the regions surrounding Stockholm and Goteborg.

The Swedish military said the exercise by the non-NATO nation is designed "to deter potential attackers, and force them to carefully consider the risks of attacking our country."

Troops from non-NATO Finland will also attend along with NATO soldiers from Denmark, Norway, France, Estonia, Lithuania and the United States.

Russia and its neighbor Belarus are holding a massive joint-military exercise, Zapad 2017, that begins Thursday near the borders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
ATLANTA (AP) - Irma weakened to a still-deadly tropical storm as it swirled beyond Florida Monday, killing at least three people in Georgia, flooding the coast, sending trees crashing onto homes and forcing the world's busiest airport in Atlanta to cancel hundreds of flights.

The former hurricane remained an immense, 415-mile (668-kilometer) wide storm as its center moved on from Florida Monday afternoon, giving its still-formidable gusts and drenching rains a far reach.

Some 540,000 people were ordered to evacuate days earlier from Savannah and the rest of Georgia's coast. Irma sent 4 feet of ocean water into downtown Charleston, South Carolina, as the storm's center passed 250 miles (400 kilometers) away. City officials urged residents to stay off the streets as 3 feet (0.91 meters) of water above dry ground is expected overnight.

Joey Spalding walks back to his truck down the street where he lives, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, on Tybee Island, Ga. Spalding just finished repairing his house from nine inches of water after Hurricane Matthew past the island last year. He said the Tropical Storm Irma brought three feet of storm surge into his living room today. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

In Atlanta, people nervously watched towering oak trees as the city, 250 miles inland, experienced its first tropical storm warning.

The body of a 62-year-old man who climbed a ladder behind his home was found under debris on the roof of his shed in southwest Georgia, where winds topped 40 mph (65 kph), Worth County sheriff's spokeswoman Kannetha Clem said. His wife had called 911 saying he'd had a heart attack.

"He was lodged between two beams and had a little bit of debris on top of him," Clem said. "He was on the roof at the height of the storm."

Another man, in his 50s, was killed just outside Atlanta when a tree fell on his house, Sandy Springs police Sgt. Sam Worsham said.

And a woman died when a tree fell on a vehicle in a private driveway, according to the website of the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities did not immediately release the names of any of the three who died in Georgia.

Charles Saxon, 57, became South Carolina's first recorded death when he was struck by a tree limb while clearing debris outside his home in Calhoun Falls amid wind gusts of about 40 mph, according to a statement from Abbeville County Coroner Ronnie Ashley.

Communities along Georgia's coast were swamped by storm surge and rainfall arriving at high tide Monday afternoon. On Tybee Island east of Savannah, Holland Zellers was grabbing a kayak to reach his mother in a home near the beach.

"In the street right now, the water is knee-to-waist deep," Zeller said.

Tybee Island City Manager Shawn Gillen said waters were receding quickly, but many of the 3,000 residents' homes were flooded.

"I don't think people who have lived here a long time have ever seen flooding this bad," Gillen said.

The tidal surge sent damaged boats rushing more than three blocks onto downtown streets in St. Marys, just north of the Georgia-Florida state line, St. Marys Police Lt. Shannon Brock said.

Downtown Atlanta hotels remained full of evacuees. Many milled about the CNN Center, escaping crowded hotel rooms in search of open restaurants. Many were glued to storm coverage on the atrium's big screen. Parents pointed out familiar sites, now damaged, to their children.

"We've been here since Friday night, and we're ready to go home" to Palm Beach County, Marilyn Torrence said as her 4-year-old colored.

FORECAST

The tropical storm warning applied to almost all of Georgia, parts of South Carolina and most of eastern Alabama. Meteorologist Keith Stellman said Atlanta's airport recorded sustained winds of 45 mph (72 kph) with gusts up to 64 mph (103 kph). The National Weather Service said flooding rains were a major concern Monday, with 8 to 15 inches (20 to 38 centimeters) of rainfall predicted in southeast Georgia. Alabama Emergency Management Agency meteorologist Jim Stefcovich said strong winds could linger until 2 a.m. Tuesday.

TRANSIT

About 800 flights had been canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which remained operational Monday, even as many planes turned corners of the tarmac into a parking lot. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority suspended all bus and rail services Monday but said it would resume limited service Tuesday morning with plans to expand service as weather conditions improve. Downtown Atlanta's streets were eerily quiet, with restaurants, businesses and schools closed. Traffic flowed easily on the city's interstates, normally a sea of brake lights during rush hours.

POWER

Nearly 1.5 million Georgia Power and EMC customers were without power. Alabama Power reported 45,000 outages. Utilities said thousands of employees were prepared to respond, but repairs could take several days.

COASTS

Georgia's coast was largely empty less than a year after Hurricane Matthew caused $500 million in damage and killed three people last October. In Charleston, South Carolina, the ocean topped the Battery wall that typically protects downtown. Only Hurricane Hugo's direct hit in 1989 and a 1940 hurricane that hit a short way down the coast pushed higher seas.

Smaller communities also were inundated - the entire South Carolina town of Edisto Beach, population 530, was covered with several feet of water, Mayor Jane Darby said, despite a $17 million dune restoration project following Matthew's destruction.

TREES

Atlanta Parks and Recreation Commissioner Amy Phuong said six crews were responding to fallen trees around the city as winds and rain intensified. About half the city's land area is covered by trees - more than most urban areas. Savannah's winds caused palm trees to bend and sway. And much of Alabama has pine trees that can snap in high winds.

Firefighters were rescuing people from homes struck by trees near the Florida line in Lowndes County, Georgia. With wind gusts reaching 70 mph (112 kph), authorities imposed a daytime curfew for the 112,000 residents of Lowndes County, which includes Valdosta, county spokeswoman Paige Dukes said.

___

Bynum reported from Savannah. Associated Press reporters Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, John Raby in Charleston, West Virginia, Seanna Adcox in Columbia, South Carolina, and Kate Brumback and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this story.

___

HURRICANE NEWSLETTER - Get the best of the AP's all-formats reporting on Irma and Harvey in your inbox: http://apne.ws/ahYQGtb

Rain from Tropical Storm Irma makes Victory Drive next to Daffin Park a water challenge to drivers Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Savannah, Ga. (Steve Bisson/Savannah Morning News via AP)

A City of Tybee police officer checks the well being of a resident fleeing her flooded home on Tybee Island, Ga., Monday, Sept., 11, 2017. Parts of the coastal Georgia island suffered from Tropical Storm Irma. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

Bethany Kellam walks onto the southend beach of Tybee Island, Ga., Monday, Sept., 11, 2017. The National Weather Service placed most of Georgia under a tropical storm warning. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

The Atlanta skyline is seen Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. More than 250 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico - was under a tropical storm warning for the first time on Mon., Sept. 11, 2017. Forecasters said the metro area could expect peak winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and gusts up to 55 mph (90 kph) on Monday as Hurricane Irma's remnants moved across the southeastern United States. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - Hungarian-American film producer Andy Vajna has added a newspaper publisher to his media portfolio, further increasing the influence over Hungarian media by allies and supporters of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Vajna's Avalue company said Monday it had bought Lapcom, the publisher of tabloid newspaper Bors and two daily newspapers in southern and western Hungary. The purchase price was not disclosed, but the deal includes the newspapers' online editions and two printing plants.

Vajna also owns TV2, one Hungary's largest broadcasters, and is the Hungarian government's film commissioner.

While Orban's allies have gained control of more and more Hungarian media outlets, Orban has still identified media he claims are "operated" by the European Union and billionaire George Soros as key foes of his government ahead of parliamentary elections in April 2018.
GENEVA (AP) - The Latest on a train crash in central Switzerland (all times local):

3:45 p.m.

Swiss police say none of the people hurt in a train crash in central Switzerland has life-threatening injuries.

The cantonal, or regional, Uri police department provided new details after the late-morning accident Monday in the Alpine town of Andermatt during a maneuvering operation.

Regional train operator Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn said 27 people were injured after a train locomotive crashed into its own passenger cars while trying to move from one end of the train to the other to reverse its direction.

The accident involved the locomotive and five rail cars with about 100 passengers on board.

___

3 p.m.

A Swiss railway operator says 27 people have been injured after a train locomotive crashed into its own passenger cars during a maneuver at a station in the Swiss Alps.

Police and medical teams were rushed to the scene of the accident in the central town of Andermatt involving the locomotive and five rail cars with about 100 passengers on board. The locomotive was supposed to move from the back of the train to the front on a parallel track, but instead crashed into the back of the train.

Spokesman Jan Baerwalde of train service operator Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn said authorities were investigating the cause of the crash.

Spokeswoman Sonja Aschwanden of the Uri cantonal police said she did not have any immediate information about the type of injuries or material damage.

.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Mugabe today says Zim has the right to comment on SA because the two countries' "revolutionary objectives" were the same.

via @harare_post  Zim Media Review (@ZimMediaReview) September 7, 2017

Mugabe has today described Gwede Mantashe as "stupid", saying the ANC sec gen doesn't want economic freedom.  Zim Media Review (@ZimMediaReview) September 7, 2017

There are social media reports that President Robert Mugabe has responded to the ANC after its Secretary General Gwede Mantashe this week moved to call on the Zimbabwean leader to stop attacking Nelson Mandela's legacy.Mugabe today described Gwede Mantashe as "stupid", saying the ANC sec gen doesn't want economic freedom.Mugabe today said Zimbabwe has the right to comment on South Africa because the two countries' "revolutionary objectives" were the same.Mugabe said the country did not remove the whites from the industry but on land.Mantashe on Tuesday told the media in Johannesburg that he had lodged a formal complaint in a telephonic conversation with his counterpart in Zanu-PF for Mugabe to stop making "unwarranted and unfortunate attacks" on Mandela.Mantashe accused Mugabe of destroying his country's economy."The reality of the matter is that you have destroyed the economy of your country," Mantashe said during a press conference at the ANC headquarters at Luthuli House.More to follow....
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) - Pope Francis is urging President Donald Trump to rethink his decision to end a program protecting young immigrants from deportation, saying anyone who calls himself "pro-life" should keep families together.

"If he is a good pro-life believer he must understand that family is the cradle of life and one must defend its unity," Francis said during an in-flight press conference en route home from Colombia.

Francis said he hadn't read up on Trump's decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Children Program, which allows some immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children to stay. About 800,000 people are affected by Trump's decision to give Congress six months to end their limbo status.

Supporters of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) demonstrate on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in Washington, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. President Donald Trump ordered and end of protections for young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children, but gave Congress six months to act on it. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

But he said in general, removing children from families "isn't something that bears fruit for either the youngsters or their families."

"I hope they rethink it a bit," he said. "Because I heard the U.S. president speak: He presents himself as a person who is pro-life."

Already the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has denounced Trump's decision to end the DACA program, calling it "reprehensible" and placing "unnecessary fear for DACA youth and their families."

Francis has clashed previously with Trump over issues of immigration, saying that anyone who wants to build a wall as Trump does on the Mexican border to keep out migrants is "not Christian." He has called for migrants and refugees to be welcomed and insisted on their rights to flee violence, natural disasters and poverty in search of a better life elsewhere.

On Sunday, though, he also acknowledged that countries have to manage migrant flows and make sure new migrants can be integrated into society.

In his airborne news conference, he was asked about Italy's new policy of stopping migrant departures from Libya, which it has achieved by supporting increased Libyan coast guard patrols and backing Libya's government in working with militias that once facilitated trafficking to now stop it.

Francis said he was grateful to both Italy and Greece for having welcomed so many migrants in. But he said governments have to manage refugee flows "with prudence," taking into account how many people it can successfully integrate into its society.

"I have the impression that it is doing all it can with humanitarian care to also resolve the problem it cannot take on," he said, referring to efforts to improve investments in Africa so many people don't feel compelled to leave.
MARIGOT, St. Martin (AP) - In the chaotic days after Hurricane Irma smashed St. Martin, the storm also exposed simmering racial tensions on the island's French territory, with some black and mixed-race residents complaining that white tourists were given priority during the evacuation.

It was the type of anger that has long plagued France's far-flung former colonies - especially its Caribbean territories, where most of the population identifies as black and is poorer than the white minority.

Johana Soudiagom was disturbed to find herself among a tiny handful of non-whites evacuated by boat to nearby Guadeloupe after Irma devastated the island.

Debris and wreckage litter the streets of La Baie residential, after the passing of Hurricane Irma, in Saint Martin, on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees. Significant damage was reported on the island that is split between French and Dutch control. (AP Photo/Amandine Ascensio)

"It's selective. Excuse me, but we saw only mainlanders," she told Guadeloupe 1ere television, visibly shaken. "That's a way of saying, 'I'm sorry, only whites. There are only whites on the boat.'"

It's common practice for tourists to be evacuated first from disaster zones for practical reasons, as they are staying in hotels and not in their homes and tend to have fewer resources such as food and vehicles. The French prime minister insisted Monday that the only people being prioritized were the most vulnerable.

Government spokesman Christophe Castaner said he understood islanders' frustration with the government response but blamed part of the controversy on their "emotional shock, an impact that's extremely hard psychologically."

Soudiagom and other witnesses told Guadeloupe 1ere that the boat they took Friday carried tourists, including Americans, to safety but left many St. Martin residents behind, including needy mothers and children.

On Monday, France's Representative Council of Black Associations asked the government for a parliamentary inquiry, citing concerns that those who were evacuated were not "necessarily the most in distress."

"In my eyes, Irma is for the French Antilles what Hurricane Katrina was for Louisiana in the U.S. - an exposer of racial and social inequalities," the group's spokesman, Louis-Georges Tin, told The Associated Press.

The terror of facing down a Category 5 hurricane has combined with a long-held sense of isolation among local residents of St. Martin, some 6,700 kilometers (4,200 miles) from the French mainland and popular with European tourists.

"The natural catastrophe occurred in a place that's very vulnerable socially, where there is a population of many different skin colors and a history of slavery," said Michel Giraud, a French researcher who writes on race. "Of course there will be a perception of racism."

The island of St. Martin - divided in the 17th century into the French territory of Saint-Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten - measures just 87 square kilometers (34 square miles). Its 80,000 residents are a vibrant ethnic mix descended mainly from Africa, Europe and Asia. The two sides of the island share a creole language that draws heavily on English vocabulary.

The French part of St. Martin is similar to other French holdings in the Caribbean in that its white minority is generally wealthier than its black majority. Because France bans the collection of data on race, there are no statistics to show how much wealthier.

It began as a colony whose economy was fueled by African slaves. But after slavery was abolished in 1848, Tin said, "there were no reparations for the slaves, only for the slave owners," so the former slaves won freedom but remained destitute. "The economy is now based on tourism but it is still poor. The wages are significantly lower than the mainland France."

The government is not the only one being accused of racial bias in the wake of the storm. Giraud said French television reports on the devastation focused disproportionately on white people.

"When I saw the pictures, I was shocked," Giraud said. "In the coverage I saw, the victims were mostly white tourists, or white French mainlanders. But the poorest are always the first victims."

Irma hit St. Martin on Wednesday, killing at least nine people on the French part of the island and damaging a majority of its buildings.

The following day, looters were seen hauling food, water and televisions from shops, and videos featuring predominantly black people raiding shops circulated online. Some took to social media to blame the thieving on non-whites and characterized the white evacuees as innocents escaping the chaos.

Tin said the island's poorer residents were doing what they had to after an ineffective government response.

"What some call theft, others call survival," he said. "When the state doesn't do its job, it's normal that the poorest do what's necessary to survive."

"In Florida, there were more than 1 million evacuated, and France says that with four days' notice they couldn't evacuate a much smaller number," Tin said. "The question must be asked: Does it have to do with racism?"

The government argues that it is more difficult to transport tens of thousands of people off small islands in stormy weather than it is to tell people to drive to safety.

French President Emmanuel Macron planned to fly to St. Martin on Tuesday to inspect the damage and relief operations and to reassure the local population.

___

Adamson reported from Paris.

A palm tree lays on a car after the passage of Hurricane Irma, near the shore in Marigot, on the island of St. Martin, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. The island is divided between French St. Martin and Dutch Sint Maarten. (AP Photo/Amandine Ascensio

Damaged palm fronds lay on Baie Orientale beach, after the passing of Hurricane Irma, in Saint Martin, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees. Significant damage was reported on the island that is split between French and Dutch control. (AP Photo/Amandine Ascensio)

This photo provided by the Dutch Defense Ministry on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017 shows people walking into a military plane on St. Maarten, after the passage of Hurricane Irma. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, including this island that is split between French and Dutch control. (Gerben Van Es/Dutch Defense Ministry via AP)
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) - Pope Francis has sharply criticized climate change doubters, saying history will judge those who failed to take the necessary decisions to curb heat-trapping emissions blamed for the warming of the Earth.

Francis was asked about climate change and the spate of hurricanes that have pummeled the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean recently as his charter plane left Colombia on Sunday and flew over some of the devastated areas.

"Those who deny this must go to the scientists and ask them. They speak very clearly," he said, referring to experts who blame global warming on man-made activities.

Pope Francis talks to journalists during a press conference he held on board the flight to Rome, at the end of a five-day visit to Colombia, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Francis' visit to Cartagena got off to a rocky start when he banged his head on his popemobile when it stopped short amid swarms of well-wishers. The pontiff, who only had a hip-high bar to hold onto, lost his balance and suffered a bruised, black left eye and a cut on his eyebrow. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, pool)

Francis said scientists have also clearly charted what needed to be done to reverse course on global warming and said individuals and politicians had a "moral responsibility" to do their part.

"These aren't opinions pulled out of thin air. They are very clear," he said. "Then they (leaders) decide and history will judge those decisions."

Francis has made caring for the environment a hallmark of his papacy, writing an entire encyclical about how the poor in particular are most harmed when multinationals move into exploit natural resources. During his visit to Colombia, Francis spoke out frequently about the need to preserve the country's rich biodiversity from overdevelopment and exploitation.

For those who have denied climate change, or delayed actions to counter it, he responded with an Old Testament saying: "Man is stupid."

"When you don't want to see, you don't see," he said.
JERUSALEM (AP) - A top deputy to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said the Israeli leader must push President Donald Trump to freeze, change or cancel the international community's nuclear deal with Iran during an upcoming trip to the United States.

Yisrael Katz, Israel's minister for intelligence and strategic affairs, told a security conference in the central Israeli city of Herzliya on Monday that changing the deal should be Netanyahu's "primary mission." Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump next week on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

Katz said the world's failed attempts to negotiate a halt to North Korea's nuclear program provide a lesson. "Iran is the new North Korea," he said. "We need to act now so we won't be sorry tomorrow about what we didn't do yesterday."

The deal offered Iran relief from international sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Israel has repeatedly claimed the deal will not prevent Iran, its archenemy, from developing a nuclear weapons capability.

On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly criticized the nuclear agreement as a bad deal. His administration has faced two 90-day certification deadlines to state whether Iran was meeting the conditions needed to continue enjoying sanctions relief under the deal and has both times backed away from a showdown. But Trump more recently has said he does not expect to certify Iran's compliance again. The next deadline is in mid-October.

On Monday, Yukiya Amano, the head of the U.N. agency monitoring Iran's compliance with the deal, said Iran is honoring the agreement. Amano spoke in Vienna at the start of a 35-nation board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Israel considers Iran to be its greatest threat, citing the country's nuclear ambitions, its developing of long-term missiles, hostile anti-Israel rhetoric and support for anti-Israel militant groups. Israel has grown increasingly concerned about Iran's involvement in the civil war in neighboring Syria, where its troops are supporting President Bashar Assad.

Israel is worried that Iran, and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, will establish a long-term presence in Syria near the Israeli border.

Katz claimed that Assad is in the process of signing a long-term deal with Iran that could allow the Iranians to deliver sophisticated weapons and operate Shiite militias with tens of thousands of fighters with the goal of threatening and battling Israel.

Israel has largely stayed out of the fighting in Syria. But it has carried out dozens of airstrikes against suspected weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah. Last week, Syria accused Israel of attacking a government facility, described by some as a missile-producing factory and others as connected to Syria's chemical weapons program.

Israel has not commented on the accusations.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration is back at the Supreme Court, asking the justices to continue to allow strict enforcement of a temporary ban on refugees from around the world.

The Justice Department's high court filing Monday follows an appeals court ruling last week that would allow refugees to enter the United States if a resettlement agency in the U.S. had agreed to take them in. The appellate ruling could take effect as soon as Tuesday and could apply to up to 24,000 refugees.

Justice Anthony Kennedy issued a brief order Monday that will keep the ruling on hold for the time being, at least until the ban's challengers submit written arguments by midday Tuesday and the full court has a chance to act.

The administration is not challenging the part of the ruling that applies to a temporary ban on visitors from six mostly Muslim countries. The appeals court ruled that grandparents and cousins of people already in the U.S. can't be excluded from the country under the travel ban.

The Supreme Court already has weighed in twice on lower court rulings striking down or limiting the travel and refugee bans, though it has to rule on their validity.

In June, the high court said the administration could not enforce the bans against people who have a "bona fide" relationship with people or entities in the United States. The justices declined to define the required relationships more precisely.

In July, the justices issued an order that temporarily allowed strict enforcement of the exclusion of refugees. But the Supreme Court refused to go along with the administration's view that it could keep out grandparents, cousins and some other family members.

The 90-day travel ban affects visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The high court is scheduled to hear arguments about the legality of the travel and refugee bans in October. By that point, the original 90-day travel ban will have lapsed and the 120-day refugee ban will have just a few weeks to run. The administration has yet to say whether it plans to renew the exclusions, expand them or make them permanent.

The administration told the court Monday said that changing the way it enforces the policy on refugees would allow "admission of refugees who have no connection to the United States independent of the refugee-admission process itself."
SAN DIEGO (AP) - The America's Cup is going back to single-hull boats after the last three editions were contested in multihulls.

America's Cup champion Emirates Team New Zealand confirmed it is working on designs for a "high-performance" monohull. It did not say whether they will have foils or canting keels.

Team New Zealand released a statement after Patrizio Bertelli of the Italian Challenger of Record Luna Rossa told an Italian newspaper that the next regatta will be sailed in monohulls as a condition of his group helping the Kiwis in the 35th America's Cup.

Team New Zealand says it will release full details for the 36th America's Cup at the end of the month.

The 2013 and 2017 America's Cups were raced in foiling catamarans. In 2010, an American trimaran beat a Swiss catamaran.
SAVANNAH, Tenn. (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a man charged with kidnapping and killing a Tennessee nursing student (all times local):

5:15 p.m.

The brother of a slain Tennessee nursing student says he thought his sister was walking with her boyfriend into woods behind her house on the day she went missing.

Zachary Adams, left, enters the courtroom after a break in his trial for the kidnapping, rape and murder of nursing student Holly Bobo on Sept. 11, 2017, in Savannah, Tenn. Bobo, 20, disappeared from her home in Parsons, Tenn. on April 13, 2011, and her remains were found in September 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)

Clint Bobo testified Monday in the trial of Zachary Adams, who is accused of kidnapping, raping and killing his 20-year-old sister Holly.

Bobo said he heard voices coming from the carport behind the home he lived in with his sister Holly and his parents in Parsons, Tennessee, on April 13, 2011. Bobo said he thought his sister was having a discussion with her boyfriend, Drew Scott, and they sounded upset.

When he looked outside, he said he saw his sister walking with a man wearing camouflage hunting gear into the tree-line. He said the person looked heavier and stockier than Scott. Bobo said he went outside and saw blood in the carport.

Bobo said he spoke with his mother, Karen, on the phone. He said she told him the person was not Scott and ordered her son to "get a gun and shoot him."

Bobo said he did not do that because he was confused about what was happening.

___

12:30 p.m.

A prosecutor says a man who lived in the "dark, dark world" of methamphetamine and morphine abducted a Tennessee nursing student from her rural home, then drugged, raped and shot her before discarding her body and bragging about it to friends.

Paul Hagerman made the comments during opening statements Monday in the trial of 33-year-old Zachary Adams in Savannah, Tennessee.

Adams has pleaded not guilty kidnapping, raping and killing Holly Bobo, who was 20 when she disappeared from her home in the rural town of Parsons on April 13, 2011. Her remains were found in woods in September 2014.

Adams' defense attorney, Jennifer Thompson, said her client is not guilty. She said in her opening statement that authorities found no hair, fingerprints or DNA belonging to Bobo in a search of Adams' home before he was charged in 2014.

___

1:41 a.m.

Lawyers are scheduled to make opening statements in the trial of a man charged with killing Tennessee nursing student Holly Bobo.

Zachary Adams goes to trial Monday in Savannah, Tennessee, about 100 miles southwest of Nashville. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, rape and murder.

Bobo was 20 when she disappeared from her home in the rural West Tennessee town of Parsons in April 2011. Authorities say her remains were found in September 2014 by two men in woods not far from her home in Decatur County.

Judge C. Creed McGinley moved the trial to neighboring Hardin County because of widespread attention it received closer to Bobo's home.

The jury was selected Saturday. It is being sequestered.

Adams faces the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder.

Dana Bobo, father of Holly Bobo, testifies in the trial of Zachary Adams on Sept. 11, 2017, in Savannah, Tenn. Holly Bobo, a 20-year-old nursing student, disappeared from her home in Parsons, Tenn. on April 13, 2011, and Adams is charged with her kidnapping, rape and murder. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)

Dana Bobo, let, father of Holly Bobo, testifies in the trial of Zachary Adams as a photo of Holly Bobo is displayed Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Savannah, Tenn. Holly Bobo, a 20-year-old nursing student, disappeared from her home in Parsons, Tenn. on April 13, 2011, and Adams is charged with her kidnapping, rape and murder. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)

Attorney Jennifer Thompson gives the opening statement for the defense in the trial of Zachary Adams Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Savannah, Tenn. Adams is charged with the kidnapping, rape and murder of nursing student Holly Bobo. Bobo, 20, disappeared from her home in Parsons, Tenn. on April 13, 2011, and her remains were found in September 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)

Attorney Paul Hagerman gives the opening statement for the prosecution in the trial of Zachary Adams, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Savannah, Tenn. Adams is charged with the kidnapping, rape and murder of nursing student Holly Bobo. Bobo, 20, disappeared from her home in Parsons, Tenn. on April 13, 2011, and her remains were found in September 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)

Zachary Adams looks back at the crowd during a break in his trial for the kidnapping, rape and murder of nursing student Holly Bobo, on Sept. 11, 2017, in Savannah, Tenn. Bobo, 20, disappeared from her home in Parsons, Tenn. on April 13, 2011, and her remains were found in September 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)

Judge C. Creed McKinley speaks at the start of Zachary Adams' trial for the kidnapping, rape and murder of nursing student Holly Bobo on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Savannah, Tenn. Bobo, 20, disappeared from her home in Parsons, Tenn. on April 13, 2011 and her remains were found by hunters In September 2014. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, Pool)
The photographer whose camera was used to take the photos of the crested macaques in Indonesia has agreed to donate 25 percent of any revenue

Attorneys announced a settlement Monday in a lawsuit over who owns the copyright to selfie photographs taken by a monkey before a federal appeals court could answer the novel legal question.

Under the deal, the photographer whose camera was used to take the photos agreed to donate 25 percent of any future revenue from the images to charities dedicated to protecting crested macaques in Indonesia, lawyers for an animal-rights group said.

Attorneys for the group and the photographer, David Slater, of Chepstow, Monmouthsire, asked the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to dismiss the case and throw out a lower court decision that said animals cannot own copyrights.

Andrew J. Dhuey, an attorney for Slater, declined to comment on how much money the photos have generated or whether Slater would keep all of the remaining 75 percent of future revenue.

There was no immediate ruling from the 9th Circuit.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sued on behalf of the macaque monkey in 2015, seeking financial control of the photographs for the benefit of the monkey named Naruto that snapped the photos with Slater's camera.

David Slater - the photographer - will keep all of the remaining 75 percent revenue

PETA sued on behalf of the macaque monkey in 2015, seeking financial control of the photos for the benefit of Naruto who took the photos with Slater's camera

'PETA and David Slater agree that this case raises important, cutting-edge issues about expanding legal rights for non-human animals, a goal that they both support, and they will continue their respective work to achieve this goal,' Slater and PETA said in a joint statement.

Lawyers for Slater argued that his company, Wildlife Personalities Ltd., owns worldwide commercial rights to the photos, including a now-famous selfie of the monkey's toothy grin.

The photos were taken during a 2011 trip to Sulawesi, Indonesia, with an unattended camera owned by Slater.

Mr Slater, a freelancer, had previously said that the dispute had left him so broke he was considering becoming a dog walker and that he could not afford to run a car.

He said: 'Every photographer dreams of a photograph like this. If everybody gave me a pound for every time they used (it) I'd probably have 40million in my pocket... the proceeds should have made me comfortable now, and I'm not.'

U.S. District Judge William Orrick said in a ruling in favor of Slater last year that 'while Congress and the president can extend the protection of law to animals as well as humans, there is no indication that they did so in the Copyright Act.' The 9th Circuit was considering PETA's appeal.

The lawyers notified the appeals court on Aug. 4 that they were nearing a settlement and asked the judges not to rule. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit heard oral arguments in the case in July.
PHOENIX (AP) - Prosecutors said Monday that a ruling explaining the reasoning behind former Sheriff Joe Arpaio's criminal conviction should be thrown out now that President Donald Trump has pardoned the Arizona lawman for disobeying a judge's order in an immigration case.

The U.S. Justice Department said in a court filing it agreed with Arpaio's attorneys who argued the lawman's conviction and the 14-page ruling should be voided, arguing the case and any punitive consequence from it are mooted by the pardon.

The filing brings Arpaio's criminal case one step closer to a conclusion after the former lawman's attorneys argued the ruling should be tossed in a bid to clear their client's name.

Arpaio's lawyers also want to prevent its possible use in future court cases as an example of a prior bad act. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton, who found Arpaio guilty, has not yet carried out the formality of dismissing the case.

Trump two weeks ago pardoned Arpaio's misdemeanor contempt of court conviction for intentionally disobeying another federal judge's 2011 order to stop his traffic patrols that targeted immigrants.

Arpaio was accused of continuing the patrols for 17 months so that he could promote his immigration enforcement efforts in a bid to boost his successful 2012 re-election campaign.

Arpaio, who endorsed Trump and appeared alongside him at rallies during the 2016 campaign, has acknowledged prolonging the patrols.

But he insisted his disobedience was not intentional and blamed one of his former attorneys for not adequately explaining the importance of the order.

In the ruling that Arpaio wants thrown out, Bolton cited TV interviews and news releases in which the sheriff made comments about keeping up the patrols, even though he knew they were no longer allowed.

"Not only did defendant abdicate responsibility, he announced to the world and to his subordinates that he was going to continue business as usual no matter who said otherwise," Bolton wrote in the July 31 verdict.

Since the pardon, Arpaio has said he did nothing wrong, criticized Bolton as biased and called the offense behind his conviction a "petty crime."

Arpaio, defeated last year in the same election that sent Trump to the White House, is now talking about getting back into politics.

In an unusual move for a criminal case, the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center petitioned Bolton to let Arpaio's conviction stand.

The group, which is a public-interest law firm that advocates for human rights and social justice, said Arpaio's pardon would have "the effect of eviscerating the judicial enforcement of constitutional rights."

___

Follow Jacques Billeaud at twitter.com/jacquesbilleaud. His work can be found at https://www.apnews.com/search/jacques%20billeaud.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Teachers are demanding that Government allows them to go on vacation leave, as denying them that opportunity constitutes unfair labour practice and violates rights enshrined in the Constitution. Government deferred vacation leave for teachers last year as a cost-cutting measure.The employer cited lack of resources to pay relief teachers during the three-month period that the full-time teachers would be away.Teachers raised the issue at a National Joint Negotiating Council held recently. NJNC is a platform that brings Government and workers' representatives to the negotiating table.Government was spending an estimated $2,5 million in outsourcing services from relief teachers. Apex Council chairperson Cecelia Alexander said Government was violating Statutory Instrument 1 of 2000, which contained Civil Service Commission regulations.
Police charged Lonnie Belt with the murder of five-year-old James Spoonamore

A Kentucky man was charged Monday with the murder of a five-year-old boy who watched helplessly as his mother was beaten, bound and pushed off a cliff over the weekend.

The mother survived and was found by two hikers who alerted police, prompting a two-day search that ended earlier Monday when the boy's body was discovered near where his mother was left for dead.

Police arrested Lonnie Belt, 41, and charged him with the murder of James Spoonamore. Belt also faces charges of assault, kidnapping and tampering with evidence. James' mother, Jessica Durham, is recovering at a Lexington hospital.

Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rick Sanders said he did not know how the boy died. Results of an autopsy likely won't be available for another two days.

It's unclear if Belt has an attorney. Sanders said Durham and Belt are acquaintances and were not romantically involved.

Police offered few details of what happened. But a police report says Belt and Durham got into a fight over money and 'he hit her on the head, tied her up and took her to the cliff where he assaulted her again.' According to the Washington Post, they were not romantically involved.

Belt is also charged with kidnapping and tampering with evidence. He is accused of assaulting Spoonamore's mother Jessica Durham who was found at the bottom of an 80-foot cliff by two hikers Saturday

More than 200 people searched for the boy on Saturday and Sunday. He was found about 180 feet off the road in Jackson County, about 65 miles southeast of Lexington

Video courtesy of WYMT

Sanders said two hikers discovered Durham Saturday morning at the bottom of an 80-foot embankment.

'James was with Jessica when he took her to the cliff and assaulted her,' the report states.

Sanders declined to answer questions about what happened. He said more than 200 people searched for the boy on Saturday and Sunday. The search involved police dogs, aircraft from the National Guard and lots of volunteers. Sanders said authorities found the boy at 9:31 a.m. about 180 feet off the road in Jackson County, about 65 miles southeast of Lexington.

The news was devastating for Durham and her family, which includes some relatives in Florida who were enduring Hurricane Irma while authorities were searching for the boy.

'Honestly, it's been hell. That's the only way to describe it,' said Mary Batson, Durham's sister.

Cynthia Wallace, Durham's mother and the boy's grandmother, said she is still without power at her home near Winter Haven, Florida. She described James as a sweet boy who loved playing with cars and trucks and being in the water. He recently started kindergarten, and Wallace said she enjoyed looking at photos Durham sent her of the boy's first day at school.

'He was so happy, he loved school and he even wanted to go on the weekends,' Wallace said. 'It's hard. It hurts. I just went through a hurricane and all of this here on top of me, I'm just hurt.'
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Enbridge Energy has failed to establish the need for its proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota and it might be better to just shut down the existing line, the Minnesota Department of Commerce said Monday.

In filings with the state Public Utilities Commission on Monday, the agency said refineries in Minnesota and the upper Midwest already have sufficient supplies of crude oil and little capacity for processing more of it. It said Minnesota's demand for gasoline and other refined petroleum products appears unlikely to increase over the long term. And it said the proposal carries serious environmental and socio-economic risks that outweigh the benefits to Minnesota.

"In light of the serious risks of the existing Line 3 and the limited benefit that the existing Line 3 provides to Minnesota refineries, Minnesota would be better off if Enbridge proposed to cease operations of the existing Line 3, without any new pipeline being built," said a filing by Kate O'Connell, manager of the department's Energy Regulation and Planning Unit.

In an Aug. 21, 2017 photo, a pipe fitter lays the finish finishing touches to the replacement of Line 3 stretch before it is covered up. Enbridge already has started building the 14-mile stretch of Line 3 from the Minnesota line to its terminal in Superior, Wis. In filings with the Public Utilities Commission Monday, Sept. 11, The Minnesota Department of Commerce says Enbridge Energy has failed to establish the need for its proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. Instead, the department says it might be better to just shut down the existing line. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP)

The proposal by Calgary, Alberta-based Enbridge to replace Line 3, which was built in the 1960s to carry Canadian crude to its terminal in Superior, Wisconsin, has generated strong opposition from tribal and environmental groups. That's because the company's preferred route cuts through the Mississippi River headwaters region and pristine lake country where Ojibwe bands harvest wild rice, and because the new pipeline could carry tar sands oil, which they consider dirtier to produce than lighter crude. Business and labor groups back the $7.5 billion Enbridge project.

The final decision on whether to grant a certificate of need is up to the commission, which is independent of Gov. Mark Dayton's administration, though the Democratic governor appointed all five commissioners. The commission must also decide on a route. Enbridge wants to follow Line 3's existing corridor at the start of its route across Minnesota, but take a more southerly path for the rest.

The commission is scheduled to decide those questions in April after extensive further proceedings and more chances for the public to weigh in.

Dayton called the Commerce analysis "very comprehensive," but said he would wait for the "complete record" to emerge from the 30-day response period before declaring his view on the project. He said he was confident the commission would make a decision in the state's best interests.

"This document will arouse considerable controversy," the governor said in a statement. "That discord should be recognized as part of the wisdom of the process."

Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt called the filings "yet another example of (Democrats) siding with extreme environmental activists while putting Minnesotans' jobs and safety at risk."

In a statement Monday evening, Enbridge said it disagreed with the state agency's filings and is reviewing the evidence.

The company called the infrastructure critical, adding that it would be "replaced with the most advanced materials, most up to date technology and under superior construction methods."

The company will have a chance to file a formal response with the commission within the 30 days. But Enbridge previously said it needs to replace Line 3 because it has had to sharply restrict the volume the pipeline carries to just over half its original capacity of 760,000 barrels per day. And it said the old pipeline's maintenance needs continue to grow. It calls Line 3 a vital link for meeting the demand for Canadian oil from refineries in Minnesota, Wisconsin and elsewhere. The replacement would have a capacity of 844,000 barrels per day, the Commerce filings said.

Commerce said that if the PUC approves the project, it should require a stronger emergency response plan, thicker pipe and other safety measures, as well as more insurance coverage and other financial assurances for cleaning up major releases and decommissioning the pipeline when it reaches the end of its useful life.

In an Aug. 21, 2017 photo, workers make sure that each section of the replacement Line 3 that is joined passes muster. Enbridge already has started building the 14-mile stretch of Line 3 from the Minnesota line to its terminal in Superior, Wis. In filings with the Public Utilities Commission Monday, Sept. 11, The Minnesota Department of Commerce says Enbridge Energy has failed to establish the need for its proposal to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. Instead, the department says it might be better to just shut down the existing line. (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP)
Theresa May is facing a titanic battle over her flagship Brexit bill, after scores of amendments were tabled within hours of it passing its first parliamentary hurdle.

A total of 157 amendments to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, covering 59 pages, were published, including many from senior Conservative europhiles.

The Bill cleared its second reading in the House of Commons by a margin of 36 in the early hours of Tuesday, after a mooted rebellion by Remain-backing Tories failed to materialise and seven Labour MPs rebelled against Jeremy Corbyn to vote with the Government.

But the raft of changes proposed by Tories including former ministers Kenneth Clarke, Dominic Grieve, Nicky Morgan and Anna Soubry, serves notice on the Prime Minister that she faces a rough ride in the remaining stages of the Bills passage through Parliament.

MPs have approved a timetable guaranteeing 64 hours of debate in the following stage, when the Bill will be scrutinised line by line and votes taken on proposed amendments.

But Justice Secretary David Lidington said the Government was willing to consider giving more time if there is good reason.

The result of the House of Commons vote on Labour's amendment to the second reading of the EU (Withdrawal)

The Bill will repeal the 1972 act taking Britain into the European Economic Community and transpose relevant EU law on to the UK statute book to ensure there are no gaps in legislation at the point of Brexit.

Labour has tabled a raft of amendments designed to curb the Governments use of so-called Henry VIII powers that allow reforms to be passed with little parliamentary scrutiny.

It also wants to secure protections on human rights and environmental standards.

The result of the House of Commons vote on the programme motion - or timetable - of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill)

The Bill will transpose relevant EU law on to the UK statute book to ensure there are no gaps in legislation at the point of Brexit.

The vote allowing it to move on to the next stage in Parliament passed by a comfortable majority of 36, which included all 10 of the DUP MPs that are propping up the minority government.

No Conservatives opposed the move but five, as well as two Tories acting as tellers, did not walk through the voting lobbies.

Boris Johnson said victory in the Brexit Bill would be a major moment for Theresa May (Carl Court/PA)

Mrs May hailed the vote declaring: Earlier this morning Parliament took a historic decision to back the will of the British people and vote for a Bill which gives certainty and clarity ahead of our withdrawal from the European Union.

Labour said the result was deeply disappointing and the Liberal Democrats described it as a dark day for the mother of parliaments.

Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said: This Bill is an affront to parliamentary democracy and a naked power grab by Government ministers.

This Bill will lead to division and chaos when we need unity and clarity @Keir_Starmer https://t.co/tNZi2Fg5Uq  Labour Press (@labourpress) September 11, 2017

It leaves rights unprotected, it silences Parliament on key decisions and undermines the devolution settlement.

Labour will seek to amend and remove the worst aspects from the Bill as it passes through Parliament.

But the flaws are so fundamental its hard to see how this Bill could ever be made fit for purpose.

Keir Starmer

Tom Brake, Lib Dem Brexit spokesman, said MPs who backed the Bill should feel ashamed and attacked Labour rebels who backed the Government.

This is a dark day for the mother of parliaments, he said. Labour rebels have handed the Government sweeping anti-democratic powers.

Gov takes another big bite out of our democracy today by giving themselves a majority on committees when they don't have a majority in Parlt  Tom Brake (@thomasbrake) September 12, 2017

A significant number walked hand in hand with the Tories and have given the Government extreme powers not seen since the Middle Ages.

Mrs Mays official spokesman said: We will look at all the amendments and consider them in the usual way. The Prime Minister has said she is going to listen to the concerns of her colleagues.
Police have released CCTV footage of a young boy being used to steal a mobile phone at a candle shop.

The 16-second clip shows the boy, believed to be about five years old, and a man at the shop in Bromley, south-east London.

Officers were called to The Candle Shop in The Glades shopping centre at 4.50pm on August 30.

In the footage, a man is seen standing by the till and distracting the shop assistant by pretending to want a candle.

He moves from side to side as the young boy goes behind the counter, takes the shop assistants phone and tries to open the till.

Both the boy and the man are then seen leaving the shop with the phone, a Samsung Galaxy S7.

Police Constable Ben Briselden, of the Metropolitan Police, said: We are keen to identify the man in the CCTV footage who appears to use the child in their care to steal from those working in a candle shop.

Police want to speak to this man in connection with the mobile phone theft (Met Police/PA)

We would also urge anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us.

The man is described as a large white man, aged in his mid 30s, 5ft 7ins tall, with short brown hair and a beard.

He was wearing a brown hat, brown jacket, blue jeans and black shoes.

The boy is described as white, with short brown hair. He was wearing a blue coat and dark trousers.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police added: No arrests have been made and inquiries continue.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the force on 101 or by tweeting @MetCC. Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Boris Johnson has defended the Governments response to Hurricane Irma, insisting that criticism of its reaction to the biggest consular crisis the country had faced was completely unjustified.

The Foreign Secretary faced claims that the UK had done less to evacuate its citizens than other nations and did not have the correct equipment in place to deal with the catastrophe in the Caribbean.

Mr Johnson said there had been an unprecedented effort to deal with the aftermath of the biggest storm in the region since records began.

Hurricane Irma's trail of destruction

On BBC Radio 4s Today programme Mr Johnson was challenged about claims from the father of a stranded Briton that the Governments response had shown a callous disregard to its citizens.

Geoffrey Scott Baker, whose daughter Amy Brown is on Saint Martin, said: Nothing is happening.

It seems that everybody can airlift their citizens out except for the UK who are doing absolutely nothing on the ground.

Defending the UKs preparedness for the disaster, Mr Johnson said: It doesnt make any sense when a hurricane is impending to send in heavy aircraft or to send in ships that are not going to be capable themselves of withstanding the storm.

Royal Marines of 40 Commando speaking to the locals in Tortola in the British Virgin Isles who have had their homes devastated by Hurricane Irma (Joel Rouse/MoD Crown Copyright/PA)

The French had to ask us for assistance later on because we had got the right sort of kit there.

If you look at what is happening now you can see an unprecedented British effort to deal with what has been an unprecedented catastrophe for the region.

Mr Johnson said the UK had responded in a timely and a highly organised fashion, with further promises of support expected on top of the 32 million already committed and the pledge to match donations to the Red Cross appeal.

We will be announcing further support later on in the course of the next few days, he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron is travelling to the hurricane-hit areas on Tuesday

This is an absolute priority for our Government and we understand the huge economic blow that has been suffered in these islands.

French President Emmanuel Macron is heading to the hurricane-battered region on Tuesday, but Downing Street was not aware of any plans for British ministers to visit the Caribbean disaster zone.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said: The action of other governments puts Theresa Mays response in sharp relief.

Asked why the UK had not airlifted its citizens out of the area before the hurricane struck, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: We are talking about a huge number of British citizens who are in the path of this hurricane, and we are doing everything we can to help them.

Lib Dems leader Vince Cable said other governments were putting the UK's to shame in their response to the hurricanes

The spokesman said the UK had been able to provide assistance with strategic airlift capacity in response to a French request for help, with an RAF C17 being used to fly helicopters to the region.

The morning after Irma hit, Mounts Bay delivered six tonnes of shelter and cleared the runway to allow relief flights to land, he said.

The ship moved to BVI (British Virgin Islands) and got the airfield operating again. It will deliver further supplies to Anguilla today, having resupplied.

Weve provided 32 million in immediate assistance to the overseas territories. DFID are matching every pound donated to the British Red Cross by the public.

Weve deployed almost 700 troops to the region. We have three helicopters and an A400 aircraft to help transport personnel between the islands. There will be more helicopters arriving with HMS Ocean. Twenty tonnes of aid are there.

Kate Osamor said people affected by the hurricanes need to see the Government are doing all they can to help them

Other countries are asking for our assistance in the region. The French asked for our assistance and we are providing that.

Shadow international development secretary Kate Osamor said: Boris Johnson was clear on Sunday that this is a national disaster being treated as though in Inverness, Dover or St Ives. Donald Trump is headed to Florida, and now Emmanuel Macron will visit St Martin tomorrow.

But with the UK response to Irma drawing wide criticism, Theresa May is still to announce whether she or Boris Johnson will visit those most affected, look them in the eye and put their concerns at the centre of her Governments response plan.

The British people in the Overseas Territories deserve to see first-hand that the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary are doing everything they can to get a grip on this national disaster.
Turkeys president has been accused of trying to silence the countrys main opposition newspaper and free press as the second hearing of a trial against staff members of the paper began.

Christophe Deloire, the secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, has called the case against pro-secular Cumhuriyet newspaper a mockery of justice.

Mr Deloire was speaking outside a prison on the outskirts of Istanbul where five Cumhuriyet staff members are being held in pre-trial detention.

Turkish army soldiers stand guard outside a court where a trial of journalists and staff from the Cumhuriyet newspaper, accused of aiding terror organizations

Prosecutors have charged 19 staff members from the paper with allegedly aiding terror organisations, including Kurdish militants, a far-left group and the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who the government blames for a failed coup last year.

Mr Gulen denies any involvement.

Among the jailed are editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu and columnist Kadri Gursel, who have been in prison for 316 days, as well as investigative journalist Ahmet Sik, in prison for 255 days.

Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency said the defendants were facing various charges with jail sentences ranging from seven to 43 years in prison.

Those journalists should be honored by their country, but they are in jail and tried today : @RSF_inter defends them #turkey #PressFreedom pic.twitter.com/L6sHvgVwVv  Christophe Deloire (@chrisdeloire) September 11, 2017

More than 50,000 people have been jailed in the aftermath of the bloody July 15 2016 coup attempt for alleged links to terror groups and Mr Gulen.

But critics say the crackdown has been widened to quash opposition voices, including journalists, activists and parliamentarians who have been put behind bars.

Cumhuriyet employees and supporters gathered outside Silivri prisons courthouse, holding the papers edition with the headline We want justice.

The newspapers Ankara representative Erdem Gul said Turkey holds a record for imprisoned journalists, with some 170 media workers behind bars.

Just a few of the 17 @cumhuriyetgzt journalists on trial today on politically motivated charges in #Turkey. Journalism is not a crime! pic.twitter.com/1eo2JB491v  Rebecca Vincent (@rebecca_vincent) September 11, 2017

But despite everything, we will continue our journalism, he said.

The government insists none of them are in prison for their journalistic work, arguing that they are behind bars for various crimes, including terrorism.

Mr Gul is on trial in a separate case, accused of espionage and aiding Mr Gulens network, for a 2015 story alleging that Turkeys intelligence service was smuggling arms to Syria.

He accused the government of labelling all opposition as terrorists.

Well over 100 people queing to try to get into the remote, small Silivri courthouse to observe today's @cumhuriyetgzt trial in #Turkey. pic.twitter.com/Eyoq5ulpT2  Rebecca Vincent (@rebecca_vincent) September 11, 2017

It is journalism, freedom of thought and expression that are on trial, Mr Gul said.

Seven Cumhuriyet staff members, including cartoonist Musa Kart, were released after the first hearing in July. Two people are being tried in absentia.

Also on trial and in prison is Kemal Aydogdu, who is not related to the newspaper but is suspected of using a Twitter handle critical of the government.

He is accused of being a manager in a terror group, according to Anadolu.
More than 2,000 UK holidaymakers are to be evacuated from Cuba by Thomas Cook following Hurricane Irma.

The tour operator said it is also sending extra support staff to the island, which suffered severe damage due to the extreme weather.

A number of UK tourists have complained about a lack of information and access to resort reps.

Thomas Cook are to evacuate more than 2,000 UK holidaymakers from Cuba after Irma

Thomas Cook thanked customers for their continued patience.

The company said in a statement: We are working on an evacuation plan for our 2,350 customers in Varadero, to bring all of them home in the coming days.

We have an additional 26 members of our special assistance team waiting to fly out from the UK to provide further support to customers as soon as we can get into airports in Cuba.

The safety of our customers is always our first priority and that we continue to follow local and government authority advice.

All of our customers in Cuba were accommodated in hotels that were built to withstand a hurricane as the worst of the storm passed through.

We understand that this is a worrying time, both for our customers in resort and friends and family back home watching the news. We are grateful to our customers for their continued patience.

One customer, Joe, from Manchester, accused Thomas Cook of leaving us in Cuba after his flight home on Friday was cancelled, meaning he was still in the country when the hurricane hit.

In a Twitter message he wrote: Not angry about the fact there was a hurricane. The argument is we were meant to leave before it and were delayed and left in danger, with no guidance.

He added that there was no team in resort and posted photographs of a badly damaged hotel.

Janine Hall sent a message to Thomas Cook saying her disabled sister has been stranded in Varadero, Cuba after begging to fly home Friday and needs urgent medication.

Pity you haven't done the same for my disabled poorly sister, still stranded in varadero after begging to fly home Friday   J (@mrshappyhall) September 11, 2017

Thomas Cook customer Emma Stothard, who is on holiday in the Dominican Republic, described how she was so frustrated with the lack of communication from the rep over here.

Nikki Kershaw, who is also in the Dominican Republic, claimed tour operator Thomson has been useless.

She said: We have not seen our rep. Really upset with them and will be lodging a complaint on the other side of this.

A spokeswoman for Thomson said tourists arriving in Cuba will continue their holidays as planned with the support of our resort teams as the hurricane has moved away.

She said guests in Cuba are a key focus as it assesses Hurricane Irmas impact.

The spokeswoman continued: For the time being everyone, including our team of reps supporting guests, is being kept for their own safety inside hotels and the full extent of damage to the areas affected is still to be confirmed.

Thankfully initial reports indicate that none of our customers or staff have been injured, however, we understand what a frightening experience it will have been for them.

@ThomsonHolidays absolutely disgusted with the service of Thomson, abandoning us in the middle of a hurricane with no information  Rebecca (@beccapress) September 7, 2017

We are offering support to anyone affected from our independent expert, the Centre for Crisis Psychology.

As a result of the storm, communication channels have been impacted, but we are doing all that we can to keep in regular contact and to update our customers on next steps.

We have planned flights to operate for customers who have been impacted by the hurricane once the airports have reopened to return them safely to the UK.

Reps in resort will advise customers once details have been confirmed.
Manchester United make their much-anticipated Champions League return against Basle on Tuesday evening.

Ahead of the Swiss champions arrival at Old Trafford, Press Association Sport takes a look at some of the talking points.

Can Lindelof and Smalling shine?

Mourinho on Lindelof: "He needs a bit of time to adapt to the Premier League but he's a very good player with a lot of potential." #MUFC pic.twitter.com/avwRchpbqH  Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 11, 2017

Phil Jones has impressed for club and country in recent weeks, while Eric Bailly continues to show the promise that led United to sign him from Villarreal last summer. The pair have established themselves at the heart of Jose Mourinhos defence but both are suspended for the Group A opener and Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof will get the chance to stake their claim for starting berths. Smalling has slipped behind England team-mate Jones in the pecking order, while Lindelofs only competitive appearance since his summer move from Benfica was shaky  albeit all-conquering Real Madrid were the Super Cup opponents in Skopje.

Manchester United's Chris Smalling warms up ahead of the clash with Leicester

Red Rom ready for the Champions League?

Fresh from netting the 150th goal of his club career in Saturdays 2-2 draw at Stoke, Romelu Lukaku is now looking to score in the Champions League group stage for the first time. A third-round qualifying appearance against Wales TNS and three play-off matches with Anderlecht have been his the only chances at the continents top table so far. The big-money summer signing now has the chance for his first group-stage goals, having netted nine times in seven outings for club and country this term.

Fellaini able to make presence felt?

Jose Mourinho provides an update on @Fellaini in his @ChampionsLeague press conference... pic.twitter.com/qrME9j07OH  Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 11, 2017

The re-occurrence of a calf complaint meant Marouane Fellaini missed Saturdays 2-2 draw at Stoke  a match that left Mourinho bemoaning his absence. The 29-year-old is back in contention after returning to training and Mourinho would love to have the Belgian back in his squad. Hes a very important player for me  much more important than you can imagine, Mourinho said on Monday. I feel weaker without Fellaini in my squad. It doesnt matter if it is on the pitch or on the bench, so if his condition improves he will be selected because I need him.

Another bad day against Basle?

.@D_DeGea on FC Basel: "They're a strong team. They are playing at Old Trafford & will be extra motivated. It's going to be a tough game."  Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 11, 2017

United do not have particularly fond memories of Basle, having twice tried and failed to beat them at Old Trafford. The Swiss side secured a memorable 1-1 draw on their first visit in March 2003 and were on the cusp of a famous triumph in September 2011 after recovering from two early Danny Welbeck efforts to go 3-2 up. Ashley Youngs goal at the death saw United snatch a draw but Basle exacted revenge with a 2-1 win at St Jakob-Park when Sir Alex Fergusons men needed a point to progress from the group. History bodes well for Basle, but their current form does not  they have gone three domestic matches without a win and suffered a surprise loss to Lausanne Sport at the weekend.

Is that Ricky van Wolfswinkel?

The team has arrived in Manchester. Up next: Training at Old Trafford this evening. #FCBasel1893 #UCL pic.twitter.com/wy1wFLDnOh  FC Basel 1893  (@FC_Basel_en) September 11, 2017

Norwich fans may well rub their eyes in disbelief when their one-time record signing lines up for Basle on Tuesday evening. Van Wolfswinkel arrived to much fanfare in 2013, yet three years and two loan spells later he quietly exited Carrow Road after mustering just two goals in 28 appearances in all competitions. A resurgent season with Vitesse Arnhem led Basle to come calling this summer and, while his team has yet to hit the heights expected of them, the Dutch forward has plundered seven goals in as many games.
SOFIA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

-- Bulgaria is considering building a second bridge over the Danube River to link Bulgarian city of Rousse with Romania, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said. (24 Chasa, Trud, Monitor, Standart, Duma)

TRUD - Bulgarian teachers are ready to protest if the government does not repeal the obligatory annual test for their mental health, teachers' trade unions said.

-- Gas wholeseller Bulgargaz said it has proposed to lower the gas prices for the third quarter by 7.3 percent. The energy regulator is to set the prices later this month. (Standart, Sega)

-- The government extended additional 100 million levs ($61.44 million) for road repairs and overhaul the country's crumbling road infrastructure. (Trud, Sega, Capital Daily)

CAPITAL DAILY - The Bulgarian Stock Exchange made a correction to its main blue-chip index SOFIX one day after it amended the index following proving new rules for its calculation.

($1 = 1.6277 leva)
Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that could affect Poland's financial markets on Monday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours):

CPI

Statistics office will release its CPI data for August and trade data for the January to June period at 1200 GMT.

ROSSMAN

Poland's leading drugstore chain Rossman expects to increase its sales by 10 percent in 2018 from this year's 9 billion zloty ($2.55 billion), its chief executive told the Rzeczpospolita newspaper.

BANKS

Polish banks' net profit fell by almost 17 percent to 6.9 billion zloty in the first half of the year compared with the same period of 2016, according to statistics office data quoted by the Puls Biznesu newspaper.

****Reuters has not verified stories reported by Polish media and does not vouch for their accuracy.****

For other related news, double click on: Polish equities E.Europe equities Polish money Polish debt Eastern Europe All emerging markets Hot stocks Stock markets Market debt news Forex news For real-time index quotes, double click on: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX ($1 = 3.5283 zlotys) (Reporting by Warsaw Bureau; Editing by David Goodman)
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

Zanu-PF ward 15 Councillor Roy Danha reportedly forced a group of pastors from Wedza North to contribute 50 cents each towards Heroes' Day commemorations recently.Zimbabwe Peace Project reported that Danha had allegedly tasked pastors Welcome Midzi and Terrence Zarura to collect contributions and later the pastors were appointed to Zanu PF posts as chairperson and secretary."Danha threatened the pastors "Guys kana mukasagadzirisa mari idzodzo muchaona moto, muchapinda mupfuvhu". Loosley translated, he said the pastors would get themselves into trouble if they do not pay up," reported ZPP."Danha told the pastors that no one was exempted from the contributions, as Heroes Day commemorations were a national event. Meanwhile on the same day a group of American Christians donated books, pencils and boxes of vegetable seeds."ZPP said District chairperson Peter Chigodora and Danha publicly claimed that the donations were meant for their campaign.
By Gul Yousafzai

QUETTA, Pakistan, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Gunmen in southwestern Pakistan killed four members of a Shi'ite Muslim Hazara family, including a 12-year-old boy, on Sunday, in the latest sectarian attack on the minority community, a senior police official said.

Two men on a motorcycle opened fire on a family of eight while they at a filling station some 30 kilometres (19 miles) north of Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's Baluchistan province.

Aside from those killed, two others were wounded. Two female members of the family were unscathed, having remained in their vehicle.

"This was a sectarian attack," senior police officer Tanveer Shah told Reuters, adding that no group has claimed responsibility for the shooting.

Hazaras are frequently targeted by Taliban and Islamic State militants, and other Sunni Muslim militant groups in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Many Hazaras fled to Pakistan during decades of conflict in neighboring Afghanistan, and nearly half a million now live in and around Quetta.

In 2013, three separate bombings killed over 200 people in Hazara neighbourhoods, raising international awareness of the plight of the community.

More than 20 Hazaras have been killed in similar shootings in Baluchistan in the past two years, police say.

The ongoing violence in the province has fuelled concern about security for projects in the $57-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, a transport and energy link planned to run from western China to Pakistan's southern deep-water port of Gwadar. (Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
GENEVA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The United Nations has verified 5,144 civilian deaths in the war in Yemen, mainly from airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition, and an international investigation is urgently needed, U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein said on Monday.

"The minimal efforts made towards accountability over the past year are insufficient to respond to the gravity of the continuing and daily violations involved in this conflict," Zeid said in a speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

It is the third year running that he has appealed for an international inquiry into human rights violations in Yemen where a two-year conflict pits the Saudi-backed Yemen government against Iran-supported Houthi rebels. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay, editing by Tom Miles)
The following are some of the stories in Russia's newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- Sunday's elections held in Russia's regions showed a record low level of voter turnout which did not prevent the victory of candidates from the ruling United Russia party, the daily writes.

- Russia's government will regulate purchases of foreign passenger planes from January 2018, according to Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. State carriers will have to coordinate with the transport ministry their plans for purchases of foreign planes, the daily reports.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- The victory of candidates from the ruling United Russia party in Sunday's election of regional leaders and lawmakers was inevitable due to a lack of strong opposition candidates, the daily writes.

- Some Turkish agribusiness companies, selected by Russia's food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor, will be allowed to resume their export of tomatoes to Russia in October, the daily reports.

- Russia's Constitutional Court has turned down complaints by Levada Centre opinion poll foundation against including it in the list of "foreign agents". The Justice Ministry has said that Levadas's opinion surveys "influence public and political views in society", the daily writes.

KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA

www.kp.ru

- Yulia Lipnitskaya, Russia's youngest ever Winter Olympic Gold medallist in Sochi 2014, has officially announced about her resignation from figure skating at the age of 19 after being treated for anorexia, the daily writes.

- Natalia Poklonskaya, a member of Russia's lower house of parliament, has filed a lawsuit with a court in St.Petersburg on behalf of a distant relative of Russia's last tsar Nicolas II against film maker Alexei Uchitel, in a bid to bar his new film Mathilde from public showing. Poklonskaya believes that showing a relationship of the young tsar with a ballet dancer offends the memory of his family considered martyrs by the Russian Orthodox Church. (Reporting by Tatiana Ustinova; Editing by Dmitry Solovyov)
By Fathin Ungku and Karishma Singh

SINGAPORE, Sept 11 (Reuters) - There are no Muslim Malays in the top echelons of Singapore's army, and few among the senior ranks of its judiciary, but a member of its poorest ethnic minority is set to become the first woman president of the Southeast Asian city state this week.

Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament, will be formally named to the mostly ceremonial post on Wednesday, media reported, after other candidates fell short of the criteria set for contesting the election.

Aiming to strengthen a sense of inclusivity in the multicultural country, Singapore had decreed the presidency would be reserved for candidates from the Malay community this time.

Halimah's experience as house speaker automatically qualified her under the nomination rules.

Of the four other applicants, two were not Malays and two were not given certificates of eligibility, the elections department said.

The last Malay to hold the presidency was Yusof Ishak, whose image adorns the country's banknotes.

Yusof was president between 1965 and 1970, the first years of Singapore's independence following a short-lived union with neighbouring Malaysia, but executive power lay with Lee Kuan Yew, the country's first prime minister.

The separation of Singapore from Malaysia gave ethnic Malays a clear majority in Malaysia, while ethnic Chinese formed the majority in independent Singapore.

PRESERVING HARMONY

Leaders of both countries, however, recognised that peace and prosperity depended on preserving harmony between the two groups.

But living in a Muslim-dominated neighbourhood, with Malaysia and Indonesia next door, Singapore's leaders have long worried about the risk of conflicted loyalties among Malays.

"You put in a Malay officer who's very religious and who has family ties in Malaysia in charge of a machine-gun unit, that's a very tricky business," the late Lee Kuan Yew was widely quoted as saying in 1999.

For Lee, whose son, Lee Hsien Loong, is now prime minister, the answer to social cohesion lay in creating a culture of meritocracy, rather than adopting policies of positive discrimination to boost the chances of advancement for Singapore's Malay and Indian minorities.

Still, a government report published in 2013 found Malays felt they were sometimes discriminated against and had limited prospects in some institutions, such as the armed forces.

Singapore's economic success and education policies have helped swell the ranks of middle-class Malays, but the last census in 2010 showed they lagged other ethnic groups on socio-economic measures such as household incomes and home ownership.

Malays, who form just over 13 percent of Singapore's 3.9 million citizens and permanent residents, also underperform on measures such as university and secondary school education.

Despite being the establishment candidate, Halimah wears a hijab, which is banned in state schools and public sector jobs that require uniforms. But she has seldom spoken publicly on the issue and there is little sign of change in official attitudes.

Farid Khan, one of the unsuccessful candidates and the chairman of marine services firm Bourbon Offshore Asia, told Reuters more Malays now hold political office, and some are making their way in the corporate world, but "there is still room for improvement."

The prospect of a Malay president is by itself unlikely to resolve concerns over under-representation, but analysts and advocates say it could help foster trust among communities.

Yet the reserved election has also injured some pride.

"It cheapens the credibility of a Malay person that it requires a token election for us to be president," said Malay comedian and television personality Hirzi Zulkiflie. "Some people intending to run are very capable." (Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Clarence Fernandez)
MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A Spanish physiotherapist working for the Red Cross in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif was shot dead on Monday, apparently by a hospital patient, officials said.

Police said two arrests had been made and an investigation was underway.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Lorena Enebral Perez, 38, was killed in its orthopaedic rehabilitation centre in Mazar-i-Sharif.

"Energetic and full of laughter, Lorena was the heart of our office in Mazar. Today, our hearts are broken," said the ICRC's head of delegation in Afghanistan, Monica Zanarelli.

Perez's work in Afghanistan involved helped people, including children, who had lost legs or arms, mostly in the war, to learn to walk again or feed themselves.

Sheer Jan Durani, a spokesman for the police chief in Balkh province, said two patients were admitted to hospital and one took out a pistol apparently concealed in a wheelchair and shot the woman. Both men were arrested, he said.

Afghanistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for aid workers, with groups including the ICRC often facing attacks on their staff, both Afghan and foreign.

Perez's death followed the killing in February of six ICRC staff in northern Afghanistan in an attack in which two other Afghan employees were abducted. The kidnapped Afghan staff were released six days ago, the ICRC statement said.

The ICRC has seven rehabilitation centres in Afghanistan that manufacture more than 19,000 artificial limbs per year and treat hundreds of thousands of patients. (Reporting by Abdul Matin Sahak and Tom Miles in Geneva; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
Sept 11 (Reuters) - Oil demand is likely to fall by about 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) in September due to the combined impact of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Goldman Sachs said on Monday.

"Irma will have a negative impact on oil demand but not on oil production or processing. Harvey's negative impact on demand will remain larger, however, given the large concentration of energy-intensive petrochemical activity in its path," analysts at the bank said in a note.

Goldman estimates that with disruptions in production and demand factored in, the hurricanes alone will add 600,000 bpd to global oil inventories in September.

Hurricane Harvey hit the United States two weeks ago, shutting roughly a quarter of its refinery capacity, while Irma took aim at heavily populated areas of central Florida after making landfall on Sunday.

The storms are likely to reduce demand by about 300,000 bpd in October according to rough estimates, the bank said.

Gasoline would bear the brunt of the impact on demand and that would be in addition to the 150,000 bpd decline in September due to seasonal factors, the bank said. (Reporting by Arpan Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Potter)
VIENNA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Monday Iran was playing by the rules set out in a nuclear accord it signed with six world powers in 2015, after Washington suggested it was not adhering to the deal.

The State Department must notify Congress every 90 days of Iran's compliance with the deal. The next deadline is October, and President Donald Trump has said he thinks by then the United States will declare Iran non-compliant.

Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said Iran had not broken any promises and was not receiving special treatment.

"The nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran under the (deal) are being implemented," he said in the text of a speech to a quarterly meeting of the IAEA's 35-member Board of Governors.

Most sanctions on Iran were lifted 18 months ago under the deal and, despite overstepping a limit on its stocks of one chemical, it has adhered to the key limitations imposed on it.

In April, Trump ordered a review of whether a suspension of sanctions on Iran related to the nuclear deal, negotiated under President Barack Obama, was in the U.S. national security interest. He has called it "the worst deal ever negotiated."

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, travelled to Vienna last month to speak with Amano about Iran and asked if the IAEA planned to inspect Iranian military sites, something she has called for.

Iran dismissed the U.S. demand as "merely a dream".

Iran has been applying an Additional Protocol, which is in force in dozens of nations and gives the IAEA access to sites, including military locations, to clarify questions or inconsistencies that may arise.

"We will continue to implement the Additional Protocol in Iran ...as we do in other countries," Amano said.

In addition, the IAEA can request access to Iranian sites including military ones if it has concerns about activities or materials there that would 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. (Reporting By Shadia Nasralla; editing by John Stonestreet)
LONDON/DHAKA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Bangladesh has shortlisted global commodity traders Trafigura and Gunvor to arrange the installation of two floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals in 2018 as the country transforms into a major LNG consumer.

"Trafigura and Gunvor have been shortlisted out of 13 companies for two 200 million cubic feet/day LNG import terminals," a director at state-run energy firm Petrobangla's LNG division told Reuters.

Petrobangla will hold talks with the companies and deals will then be finalised, he added.

Industry sources say Bangladesh wants the terminals, also known as Floating Storage and Regasification Units (FSRU), in place in 2018.

Gunvor will use an FSRU barge provided by Belgian shipping company Exmar, which fits the shallow water conditions at the port of Chittagong in southeastern Bangladesh where both terminals will be located, industry sources said. (Reporting by Oleg Vukmanovic and Ruma Paul; Editing by Susan Fenton)
By Karen Lema

MANILA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The Philippines plans a cut of 75 percent in spending next year on drug rehabilitation facilities, while at the same time seeking a massive hike in funding for a war on drugs that has killed thousands, fuelling concerns among lawmakers.

The government has rejected criticism that it lacked the commitment to rehabilitate drug users, saying it has attracted financing and is building treatment facilities, but had underestimated the scale of addiction.

More than 3,800 people, most of them drugs suspects, have died in police operations in the drug war unleashed by President Rodrigo Duterte in July last year.

Police deny they were executing suspects, saying those killed had violently resisted arrest.

Senator Ralph Recto, who has questioned the government's anti-drugs budget, said he would scrutinise its proposal to cut expenditure on drug rehabilitation centres by 2.3 billion pesos ($45.23 million), compared to this year.

The government has asked Congress for an increase of more than 40 times in next year's police budget for anti-drugs operations next year.

"I will discuss these issues when the budget is formally presented," Recto told Reuters in a text message.

The lack of rehabilitation centres would cripple the "declared government policy" to wean substance abusers off drugs, Recto said in a statement over the weekend.

In August, Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial said eight drug rehabilitation centres would be built across the Philippines, funded by private firms, including conglomerate San Miguel Corp and property firm Megaworld.

Last year, Manila opened what it called a "mega" drug rehabilitation facility to treat up to 10,000 patients and funded by a Chinese tycoon.

The Department of Health submitted a budget of 759.6 million pesos for state-managed rehabilitation facilities under the government's proposed 2018 spending plan, significantly less than this year's budget of 3.08 billion pesos.

Methamphetamine use for a year or more would shrink the brain of a person, Duterte said in a speech in August last year, adding, "Therefore he is no longer viable for rehabilitation."

He estimated there are already more than 3 million Philippine drug users in a country of more than 100 million people.

The government's 13 drug abuse treatment and rehab facilities treated 14,733 out-patients in 2016, up more than three times from the previous year, and close to 30,000 in- patients, up four percent over 2015, the health department says.

Duterte has said the drugs war will continue and would be "unremitting as it will be unrelenting". ($1=50.8540 Philippine pesos) (Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
ISMAILIA, Egypt, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Four Egyptian policemen were killed and three others injured when an improvised explosive device went off on Monday near a security convoy in Sinai Peninsula, security and medical sources said.

The attack near Arish, the capital of North Sinai province, which is gripped by an insurgency, wounded three others, including a brigadier general who lost his leg, and destroyed three armoured vehicles. It also destroyed a signal-jamming vehicle.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Islamic State militants have been waging an insurgency in the area that has gained pace since the military toppled President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's oldest Islamist movement, following mass protests against his rule in mid-2013.

Hundreds of soldiers and policemen have been killed since.

There was no immediate comment from the Interior Ministry on Monday's attack. State news agency MENA quoted a high ranking ministry official confirming the attack and casualty figures.

Security forces were exchanging fire with militants near the explosion site and managed to kill several of them, MENA said. (Reporting by Yusri Mohamed; Additional reporting by Hesham Hajali in Cairo; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
News / National

by BBC

International campaign group Global Witness has released a new report outlining what it says are the significant stakes held by Zimbabwe's security forces in the country's diamond mines.The report alleged that Zimbabwe's military intelligence, blamed for human rights abuses, profited from partnerships with several companies based outside the country, in what it called an opaque and secretive industry.Neither the company representatives nor Zimbabwean government officials were available for comment.Global Witness spokesman Michael Gibb said the people of Zimbabwe deserved to know how much had been made from their diamonds, and where the money had gone.
Sept 11 (Reuters) - Legal and Forensic Report on Turkeys Actions Post-Coup Concludes

o "No doubt" that Turkey has breached the Convention rights of those arrested and detained since the failed coup of 2016

o There are no grounds for detaining or convicting thousands of people for the alleged use of a (Bylock) messaging application

o Perpetrators of torture in Turkey can be prosecuted in England and Wales

London, 11 September, 2017: The actions of the Turkish state have "without doubt" breached the Convention rights of those arrested and detained since the failed coup of 2016 found a report containing a legal opinion and a digital forensic analysis published today. The report demonstrates how the alleged use of Bylock - a publicly available encrypted smartphone messaging application that allowed users to communicate between each other privately like the popular WhatsApp application - cannot be used as evidence of any criminal activity, far less as evidence of membership of a terrorist organization. This is particularly significant since the Turkish authorities have dismissed and imprisoned thousands of people on the basis of their alleged use of this messaging application which was free to download on Google Play and the Apple iTunes stores. The author of the opinion also notes that "torture is an international criminal offence and those responsible can be prosecuted in the United Kingdom and in many other countries irrespective of where the torture occurred."

The opinion was authored by William Clegg QC, Queens Counsel since 1991, judge at the Central Criminal Court in London for some 23 years and an expert on English Criminal law, European Human Rights Law and International Criminal Law. Mr Clegg QC was assisted in this opinion by Simon Baker, an experienced barrister with particular expertise in IT issues. Mr Clegg QC and Mr Baker had the benefit of the digital forensic analysis produced by Thomas K. Moore, an experienced forensic IT specialist and an expert witness under instruction from law firms in the United Kingdom and Europe, when preparing their legal opinion.

Upon an examination of a number of documents, including a technical report produced by Turkeys intelligence agency on the Bylock messaging application relied upon by Turkish courts, William Clegg QC and Simon Baker found the evidence cited by Turkish courts to detain and convict people for being members of the Gulen movement, which the Turkish government has added to a list of terrorist organisations, to be "utterly unconvincing and unsupported by any evidence", "nonsensical" and "ridiculous". Since the Turkish state has relied on the alleged use of the Bylock messaging application to detain and convict thousands of people in Turkey, Mr Clegg QC and Simon Baker paid particular attention to this application and whether its alleged use could provide a safe basis for conviction.

On this, Mr Clegg QCs legal opinion is unequivocal and damning. He states,

o I find the evidence that the Bylock App was used exclusively by those who were members or supporters of the Gulen movement utterly unconvincing and unsupported by any evidence. Indeed, in my opinion, there is no evidence at all from which any reasonable person could conclude that the Bylock messaging application was exclusively used by members of the Gulen movement.

o In reaching this decision I rely upon the following facts, the App was available to everyone, it had features that could be attractive to many and was used in many countries. The App had been downloaded throughout the world and was in the top 500 Apps in 41 separate countries. It is ridiculous to suggest that all those users were members of the Gulen movement. It follows that if the Bylock App cannot sensibly be claimed to be the exclusive province of those members and supporters of the Gulen movement then there can be no justification for the arrest and/or detention in Turkey of those who had used the App without other compelling evidence.

o What is so worrying is that, on the basis of what has been reported in the media, contained in numerous international NGOs, reported on by human rights organisations, by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by the US State Department, evidence of this type has been used not just in this case but in many similar cases. This raises fundamental questions about the legality of the detention and imprisonment of many thousands of people following the failed coup.

Having examined the trial transcript and court judgement where the accused was found guilty of being a member of a terrorist organisation on the basis of his alleged use of the Bylock application, William Clegg QC found that "there is no doubt that the detention of people on this basis is arbitrary and in breach of Article 5" and that "however the courts approach the issue of fair trial in this case", there are "clear breaches of Article 6". Mr Clegg QC added that "to convict people of membership of a terrorist organisation on the basis of alleged actions which was not unlawful at the time of commission, such as the use of the Bylock application, is clearly retrospective criminality and a clear breach of Article 7."

Furthermore, William Clegg QC, who is also a recorder at the Central Criminal Court in London for some 23 years said that: "on the material before me there is strong evidence that some of those detained following the failed coup have been tortured. If the identity of those responsible for this torture can be established, then that would be an international criminal offence over which the courts of this country would have jurisdiction pursuant to Sections 135 & 136 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. Those individuals could be placed on trial in this country subject to the Attorney Generals consent."

William Clegg QC and Simon Baker had the benefit of a digital forensic analysis prepared by Thomas K. Moore, an experienced forensic IT specialist. His analysis is published in full as an appendix to the opinion. Mr Moores analysis addresses a series of questions such as what is Bylock? How does it work? Is it possible to identify how widely it was used? Is it possible to establish through any technical means whether use of Bylock is limited to supporters of any particular political or social movement?

In particular, on the alleged exclusive use of this messaging application by one group or another, Mr Moore notes:

o The Bylock application was available for download from the Google Play store and the Apple iTunes Store. Since both application marketplaces are managed by their respective corporations, the developer of Bylock, having made the application available for download, would have no direct control over who could obtain it. Historical ranking data available from iTunes Store shows that the Bylock messaging application achieved a ranking in the top one thousand such applications in 60 of these countries. It was downloaded over 600,000 times between April 2014 and April 2016 by users all over the world. It is, in my opinion, therefore nonsensical to suggest that its availability was restricted to a particular group of people.

Mr Moores forensic report also provides a detailed analysis of the Bylock Application Technical Report produced by representatives of Turkeys national intelligence agency or MIT (hereafter referred to as the `MIT report). On this, Mr Moore concludes:

o The MIT report contains glaring inconsistencies, speculation masquerading as technical evidence, and assertions that are either factually unsustainable or put forward without any evidential source or justification. Some of the observations in the report reflect either a lack of understanding on the part of the author or an intention to mislead a non-technical reader. Furthermore, the report draws a number of conclusions without eliminating more plausible and straightforward explanations. As such it is impossible to say whether the assertions are correct or not. In consequence of this, no Court receiving the MIT report would be in a position properly to assess the credibility or accuracy of the assertions, and so it would be quite unfair and improper for any Court to rely upon those assertions to found a conviction.

For the full report or its executive summary see: https://www.2bedfordrow.co.uk/opinion-on-the-legality-of-the-actions-of-the-turkish-state/

ENDS

Media

For all media enquiries, please contact info@legalassistance-consultancy.com

Notes to Editors

About the Gulen movement The Gulen movement is a civil society network of individuals and religious, humanitarian, and educational institutions that subscribe to Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulens advocacy of interfaith dialogue, community service, and universal education. The movement refers to itself as the Hizmet (or `Service) movement after its philosophy of serving others.

About the report: William Clegg QC of 2 Bedford Row, London, WC1R 4BU was instructed to advise on the circumstances in which people have been arrested and detained in Turkey since the failed coup and to give an opinion on whether the convention rights of those arrested and detained have been breached and whether the actions of the Turkish State since the failed coup has breached International Criminal Law and in particular to consider whether the alleged use of the Bylock messaging application could provide a safe basis for conviction. William Clegg QC was assisted in the drafting of this opinion by Simon Baker who drafted paragraphs 21 and 22 of this opinion and has been responsible for the liaison with our technical experts. William Clegg QC instructed Thomas K. Moore to provide an expert forensic opinion on the accuracy of the technical assessment of the Bylock application, its mode of operation and the server-side computer system through which it was operated.

Content provided by Legal Assistance Consultancy, via Reuters.
By Ricardo Brito

BRASILIA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A Brazilian judge on Monday suspended criminal aspects of the leniency agreement of J&F Investimentos SA, a holding company run by the scandal-ridden Batista family, adding to uncertainty about billions of dollars of asset sales.

Federal Judge Vallisney de Souza Oliveira held up the criminal immunity of additional J&F executives until the Supreme Court makes a final ruling on Joesley Batista's plea bargain in a corruption probe, whose benefits were revoked due to evidence he had hidden some crimes from prosecutors.

Police flew Batista to Brasilia on Monday following his surrender to authorities in Sao Paulo over the weekend after he lost immunity from prosecution. Police also raided J&F's headquarters and Batista's home on orders from Supreme Court Justice Edson Fachin.

Uncertainty about J&F's leniency agreement could threaten an estimated 14 billion reais ($4.5 billion) of recent asset sales and jeopardize the future of a company that diversified from meatpacking into fashion, energy, wood pulp and banking over the past five years.

JBS SA, the world's largest meatpacker and the crown jewel of the Batistas' empire, also signed terms last week to participate in the J&F leniency agreement. On Monday, JBS agreed to sell its British poultry unit Moy Park to U.S. subsidiary Pilgrim's Pride Corp for $1 billion.

Joesley Batista signed a plea deal in May after handing in evidence of bribes paid to hundreds of politicians, including a recording of his conversation with President Michel Temer that led to a corruption charge against the leader.

But additional evidence later handed to prosecutors included another tape that appeared to show that Batista had been helped by federal prosecutor Marcelo Miller in crafting the plea deal and concealing certain crimes, according to prosecutors.

Police also raided Miller's Rio de Janeiro home on Monday. His lawyers said he cooperated with the search and with investigators.

J&F lawyers said Joesley Batista "did not lie or omit information" in his plea deals. A lawyer for Batista did not take calls seeking comment.

The scandal was the latest shock to Brazil's business and political establishment after three years of investigation into widespread political bribery and kickbacks on contracts with state-run companies.

The recording of President Temer provided to prosecutors by Batista allegedly revealed him endorsing hush payments to a possible witness in the graft probe. Temer has repeatedly denied the accusations and the lower house of Congress voted against him standing trial at the Supreme Court. ($1 = 3.10 reais) (Additional reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal in Sao Paulo, Pedro Fonseca in Rio de Janeiro and Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia; Writing by Anthony Boadle and Brad Haynes; Editing by JS Benkoe and Jonathan Oatis)
By Josh Smith

KABUL, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan said on Monday Washington would never allow militants to use the country as a sanctuary, as American and allied troops in Kabul commemorated the Sept. 11 attacks.

U.S. President Donald Trump in August committed nearly 4,000 additional troops to Afghanistan as part of an open-ended campaign against Taliban insurgents who have made advances in recent years.

A U.S. led intervention sparked by the Sept. 11 attacks toppled the Taliban government in 2001. Since then more than 2,400 American troops and more than 1,000 international allies have died in Afghanistan.

"Today we remember how this conflict began but let us also remember how this must end, with Afghanistan never again serving as an ungoverned space, sanctuary or base for those who are bent on attacking us and our allies," ambassador Hugo Llorens told a crowd of soldiers at the NATO coalition's headquarters in Kabul.

The United states would also "completely annihilate" Islamic State militants in the region, Llorens said.

The Taliban on Monday claimed responsibility for a suicide car bombing that wounded several NATO troops and Afghan civilians in a province north Kabul. (Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
By Bruno Federowski SAO PAULO, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Brazilian stocks hit a record high on Monday as investors grew more confident about the passage of President Michel Temer's sweeping economic agenda, including a challenging revamp of the country's social security system. Billionaire Joesley Batista, an owner of JBS SA, the world's largest meatpacker, surrendered to the police over the weekend after losing immunity from prosecution under a previous plea deal. Traders perceived the arrest as a boost to Temer, whom Batista accused of taking bribes. The allegations forced him to spend political capital in Congress fighting corruption charges rather than pushing laws that investors consider key to Brazil's long-term economic growth. A review of the "JBS plea deal will weaken the political punch of accusations against Temer," analysts at political consultancy Eurasia Group wrote in a report. Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index rose as much as 1.9 percent to 74,472, surpassing a previous all-time high of 73,920. The index is up 23 percent so far this year. Blue-chip and state-owned companies led the rally. Shares of state power utility Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA , which Temer plans to privatize, posted the biggest increase, extending its five-day gain to 20 percent. JBS shares were nearly flat after Batista's arrest and the company's deal to sell British food unit Moy Park Ltd to Pilgrim's Pride Corp, also a JBS subsidiary, for about $1 billion. The Brazilian real strengthened 0.3 percent on a day when trading of most Latin American currencies was range-bound. Concerns over an escalation of military tensions between the United States and North Korea subsided on Monday after Pyongyang did not conduct a nuclear test over the weekend. The United States and its allies had been bracing for another long-range missile launch in time for the 69th anniversary of North Korea's founding on Saturday. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 1500 GMT: Stock indexes daily % YTD % change change Latest MSCI Emerging Markets 1098.78 0.7 26.55 MSCI LatAm 2982.69 1.38 25.7 Brazil Bovespa 74258.61 1.61 23.30 Mexico S&P/BVM IPC 50335.03 0.5 10.28 Chile IPSA 5135.24 0.85 23.70 Chile IGPA 25679.58 0.8 23.85 Argentina MerVal 24118.40 0.42 42.56 Colombia IGBC 11243.38 0.3 11.01 Currencies daily % YTD % change change Latest Brazil real 3.0829 0.31 5.39 Mexico peso 17.6555 0.34 17.49 Chile peso 622.5 -0.55 7.74 Colombia peso 2913.29 -0.35 3.03 Peru sol 3.231 0.03 5.66 Argentina peso (interbank) 17.2075 -0.01 -7.74 Argentina peso (parallel) 17.82 0.34 -5.61 (Reporting by Bruno Federowski; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
By Sam Edwards

BARCELONA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Around one million Catalans rallied in Barcelona on Monday, waving red and yellow striped flags and banging drums, in a show of support for independence after Madrid moved to block a referendum on the region's split from Spain.

Sept. 11 marks the 'Diada', Catalonia's national day, which commemorates the fall of Barcelona to Spain in 1714 and is traditionally used by pro-independence activists to call for secession for the northeastern region with a distinct language.

However, this year's event had particular significance as a show of strength for the independence movement just three weeks ahead of a referendum on the issue which Madrid has declared illegal and taken steps to obstruct in the courts.

Demonstrators climbed on each others' shoulders to form human towers, a Catalan tradition, while others carried banners reading 'We're going to be a free country!' and 'Full of hope' while wearing fluorescent yellow t-shirts with the word 'yes'.

City police said on Twitter that around one million people took part, one of the highest turn-outs in recent years. Protesters said they hoped the vote would go ahead as planned on Oct. 1.

"We hope that we will be able to hold the referendum with total normality, because in a democracy it is normal to be able to vote," said German Freixas, a 42-year-old engineer accompanying his family to the rally.

"If the people want it to happen, it will go ahead."

The Constitutional Court last Thursday suspended the referendum after a legal challenge by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Police have since searched newspaper offices and printers for signs of any preparation for the referendum.

The head of Catalonia's regional government, Carles Puigdemont, told journalists on Monday: "It's not an option that the referendum won't go ahead. It's 20 days away and we've already overcome many hurdles."

Puigdemont is facing criminal charges of misuse of public money, disobedience and abuse of office for organising the referendum. He is prepared to go to prison, he has said.

A majority of Catalonia's mayors have so far said they will allow the use of municipal facilities for the vote. The mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, said on Monday she would do everything possible to allow people to vote but would not put civil servants' jobs at risk.

Polls have shown support for independence waning in recent years with those wanting a separate state in a minority. However, a majority of Catalans want to vote on the issue.

At a peaceful march in August, convened as a show of unity in the wake of Islamist attacks that killed 16, mostly in Barcelona, the king and Rajoy were booed and jeered by the crowds in a show of resentment towards Madrid.

Protesters on Monday held a minute of silence for the victims of the attacks. (Writing by Sonya Dowsett; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
By Jussi Rosendahl

HELSINKI, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Banking giant Nordea's decision to move its headquarters to Helsinki is being heralded in Finland as the ultimate endorsement that a long-lasting economic downturn is finally coming to an end.

The Nordics' biggest bank is set to become the largest company run out of Finland when it moves next year, overtaking fallen telecom giant Nokia in market value.

"There will be a lot of potential. We could get new players to the industry as we have a large bank that aims to grow internationally," Finance Minister Petteri Orpo told Reuters.

"I think this has a big symbolic significance for all of us."

But the move also has dangers.

It will make Finland the smallest country in the world to host a bank classed by regulators as systemically important globally and bring with it a balance sheet of more around 600 billion euros ($719.04 billion)- close to triple Finland's annual economic output.

That leaves Finland at risk of a major economic hit if the government were ever called on to backstop its deposits or - in an extreme situation - bail it out.

"This is a very big bank for a relatively small country," said Nicolas Veron, an economist at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel. "This creates additional risks for Finnish deposit guarantees."

Moving to Finland brings Nordea into the regulatory sphere of the European Central Bank (ECB) and out from under what it said were unduly tough requirements from regulators in Sweden.

The ECB will be responsible for enforcing how much capital Nordea should hold and setting other requirements aimed to ensure that taxpayer money will not be used if it runs into difficulties.

But it will be the Finnish government that is responsible for making sure the first 100,000 euros held by Nordea depositors are guaranteed, and the Finnish taxpayers will be the ultimate backstop if a rescue were ever to be required.

That means the government must ensure its deposit protection scheme can safeguard additional bank deposits of around 90 billion euros following Nordea's move - almost tripling the amount it currently has to backstop to around 140 billion euros.

Sweden's central bank governor Stefan Ingves stressed that risk when he was quizzed by the media on Thursday.

"We will certainly see a discussion about to what extent the economy can cope with a banking system of that size if things go badly," Ingves said.

"There must be enough money in that system, in an economy which is half the size of the Swedish economy."

A SOUND BANK

The euro zone's regulatory framework has been transformed since the 2008 financial crisis to build in more safeguards and mechanisms for ensuring taxpayer money is not used to rescue banks.

Exceptions are still made, however. Italy deployed around 20 billion euros this year to shore up three of its banks.

Proposals have been made for a common European Union deposits scheme - meaning banks across the bloc would pay into a common fund - but they have stalled due to German opposition.

Tuija Taos, head of Finland's Financial Stability Authority (FSA), told Reuters the risk that Nordea would ever require state money is very small.

"First, this is financially a very sound bank," she said. "In a rare bail-in situation, deposit guarantee fund could also be used. But that is extremely unlikely."

Shareholders and bondholders would be required to absorb any losses before any deposits or taxpayer funds were tapped, she said.

Further, the Finnish banking sector, which also includes the privately-owned OP Financial Group and Denmark's Danske Bank , had an overall strong capital position as of end-March, according to the FSA.

Eurosceptic Finnish politicians have blamed euro zone membership for the country's economic woes in recent years. The economy fell into recession after the financial crisis in 2008 due to a series of problems, including declines in Nokia's phone business, rigid labour markets and a slump in Russia, a major trading partner.

Output is still below pre-crisis levels, but the economy is now recovering, with GDP expected to grow around 3 percent this year.

Finance minister Orpo noted it was Finland's membership in the euro zone that lured Nordea, which said in its announcement that it wanted to cut the costs of compliance in Sweden, which is not a euro member, and achieve a level playing field with ECB-supervised rivals.

"This will strengthen the (banking) sector," Orpo said.

Still, the shift doesn't promise many immediate economic benefits. The bank has said "quite a limited number" of jobs will move, and additional tax revenue will be limited.

Economist Valtteri Ahti from Evli Bank said the main hope is that it help Helsinki's financial sector compete in the Nordic region.

"Nordic capital markets have consolidated and significant know-how has migrated to Stockholm and Copenhagen, and banks have deployed operations such as trading and research into these hubs," he said.

"The headquarters of major firms may attract complementary auxiliary services such as law and consultancy services. Nordea HQ brings some of that critical mass to Helsinki, perhaps encouraging new players into the financial sector." ($1 = 0.8344 euros) (Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; Additional reporting by Simon Johnson, Helena Soderpalm and Niklas Pollard in Stockholm; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
By Zofeen T Ebrahim

KARACHI, Sept 11 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A Pakistani teenage couple who tried to elope were murdered with electric shocks in an "honour killing" by family members who were carrying out the orders of an influential tribal council, police said.

The teenagers in the port city of Karachi were said by the Pashtun council of elders, or jirga, to have brought dishonour on the community.

"The innocent souls were tied to a charpai (rope bed) and given electric shocks," said Aman Marwat, the police officer who arrested the two fathers and two uncles and is pursuing some 30 members of the jirga who have gone into hiding.

The 15-year-old girl had allegedly run away with her 17-year-old boyfriend last month, Marwat said.

"The girl was killed and buried first followed by the murder of the boy the next day," he added.

More than 500 people -- almost all women -- die in Pakistan each year in such killings, usually carried out by members of the victim's family meting out punishment for bringing "shame" on the community.

Marwat, who has been in the police for 25 years, said he has dealt with many honour killing cases happening in Karachi.

"It indicates a tribalisation of society where jirgas exercise more power than law enforcers," said Zohra Yusuf, a human rights activist in Pakistan.

Jirgas are often convened, particularly in conservative rural areas, to settle local disputes especially between poor families, and although they operate outside the law, their decisions are often honoured and ignored by authorities.

In this case, the two families had come to an agreement for the pair to get married, together with a financial settlement to be paid to the girl's family, according to Kamal Shah, of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, a non-governmental organisation that works in the area.

"The girl's side had agreed but not the jirga and they warned that if the two families did not carry out the barbaric deed, their family in their village back home would have to bear the consequences," said Zia Ur Rehman, a Pakistani journalist who first reported on the case.

The case highlights the influence of tribal councils and social pressures in Pakistan, which are often more powerful than the law.

"Laws seem useless," said Maliha Zia Lari, associate director with Karachi-based Legal Aid Society. "The boy's father did not think he could seek protection from the state and the jirga members did not fear any reprisals from it either." (Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, resilience and climate change. Visit www.trust.org)
BERLIN, Sept 11 (Reuters) - European sanctions imposed on Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis should be phased out gradually if an internationally agreed ceasefire deal was implemented, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Monday.

The conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists has claimed more than 10,000 lives since it erupted in 2014.

Germany and France have tried to convince both sides to implement a peace deal agreed in Minsk in 2015 but with little success.

"The official agreement is: Only if there is 100 percent peace, then we'll lift 100 percent of the sanctions," Gabriel said during a panel discussion organised by German business daily Handelsblatt in Berlin.

Gabriel said, from his point of view, this was a "totally unrealistic" position.

"We introduced the sanctions gradually and we'll lift them gradually - this is actually a commonly known fact," Gabriel said.

He said that if there was a lasting ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, then the United States probably would also be willing to take similar steps.

Gabriel is a senior member of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners in Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition and historic advocates of dialogue with Russia. Germany is heading towards a Sept. 24 federal election.

Merkel has insisted that European sanctions against Russia could only be lifted if the Minsk peace deal was fully implemented - not only the ceasefire agreement which is one part of the broader Minsk peace plan.

Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron last month called for Russia and Ukraine to increase their efforts to implement the fragile ceasefire.

Kiev accuses Moscow of sending troops and heavy weapons to the region, which Russia denies. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold and Michael Nienaber; Editing by Alison Williams)
SAO PAULO/BRASILIA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Brazil's government intends to approve its proposed pension overhaul in the lower house of Congress in October, prioritizing it over a possible tax reform in the tight schedule ahead of the 2018 election year, ministers said on Monday.

The pension overhaul, considered vital by the government to avoid an eventual debt crisis, has been stuck in Congress since May, when President Michel Temer was accused of corruption by the billionaire owners of meatpacker JBS SA.

Monday's remarks by Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles and Planning Minister Dyogo Oliveira nevertheless suggest policymakers are more confident about securing majority in Congress for unpopular measures given the widespread perception that Temer will not stand trial.

Legislators blocked a first set of corruption charges against Temer a month ago, and congress leaders have signaled they would not remove their support for the president if a new charge is presented this week, as expected.

The government has resumed talks about the proposed changes in the pension system in order to have it voted next month, Meirelles said on Twitter.

Economists say the pension overhaul is key to avoiding financial meltdown of the government, but unions oppose proposed benefit cuts and the creation of a minimum retirement age.

After approving the pension reform, the government would then seek to pass legislation to simplify the tax system, Meirelles added.

A broad tax reform may not be politically viable though, Planning Minister Dyogo Oliveira said at an event.

The government has not yet formally presented its tax proposal, which has also ranked among Temer's priorities. Legislators have analyzed a separate bill, presented by Congressman Luiz Carlos Hauly.

Oliveira also said the government had asked state development bank BNDES to return 50 billion reais ($16.2 billion) to the Treasury this year and 130 billion reais in 2018.

BNDES, the world's third-largest development bank, will change its business model to depend on market resources instead of scarce government funds, Oliveira added.

Oliveira repeated that the government was trying to unfreeze 8 billion to 10 billion reais in public spending after approving a looser budget target in Congress. He said the exact number had yet to be confirmed.

$1 = 3.0850 reais) (Reporting by Thais Freitas in Sao Paulo and Silvio Cascione in Brasilia; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Marguerita Choy)
By Brendan Pierson

NEW YORK, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Two nephews of Venezuela's first lady should serve at least 30 years in prison for their convictions in the United States on drug trafficking charges, U.S. prosecutors said on Monday.

They said in a filing in federal court in Manhattan that the two men, Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, tried to make $20 million through drug trafficking so as to keep their family in power and to "enrich themselves while their countrymen starved in the streets."

The men are nephews of Cilia Flores, the wife of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Under Maduro, oil-producing Venezuela has fallen into an economic and political crisis in which more than 120 people have died in four months of protests. The United States announced new sanctions against Maduros government in July.

The prosecutors also said Flores de Freitas and Campo Flores lied in an effort to suppress evidence in the case. The prosecutors said that federal guidelines called for sentences of life imprisonment, though they asked only for "substantial terms of not less than 30 years."

Lawyers for Flores de Freitas, 32, and Campo Flores, 30, could not immediately be reached for comment.

In their own filing last month, they argued for a sentence "far beneath" the guidelines recommendation of life, saying prosecutors had proved only that the two men engaged in "bungling discussions of a drug plot that could never actually have been executed."

Flores de Freitas and Campo Flores were convicted in November by a jury of conspiring to import cocaine into the United States.

Days later, Maduro blasted the conviction in a speech as an instance of "U.S. imperialism." Maduro has frequently cast U.S. accusations of drug trafficking as a pretext for meddling in Venezuela and trying to topple him.

Flores de Freitas and Campo Flores were arrested in Haiti in November 2015 and flown to the United States following a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sting operation.

Prosecutors said the two men plotted to use a Venezuelan airports presidential hangar to send 800 kgs of cocaine to Honduras for shipment into the United States.

They said recordings of meetings with two DEA informants showed the nephews wanted the cash to counteract money they believed the United States was supplying to Maduro's opposition before Venezuelas December 2015 National Assembly elections.

Maduro's Socialist Party lost its parliamentary majority in that election. (Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; editing by Grant McCool)
News / National

by Staff Reporter

President Robert Mugabe has explained how Zanu PF national political commissar and Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Saviour Kasukuwere started the G40 faction.According to Mugabe, Kasukuwere intended to succeed him.During Zanu-PF Youth Interface Rally held in Bindura over the weekend, Mugabe said G40 was initially called Obama because it was coined after Obama had won US presidency.Watch video below:
BRUSSELS, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The murder of a Belgian city mayor whose throat was cut in a cemetery on Monday has shocked the country, and the country's prime minister expressed "horror" at the death of the retired national lawmaker.

Citing the public prosecutor, Belgian media said Alfred Gadenne, 71, the conservative mayor of Mouscron, an industrial town of 57,000 just across the border from the northern French city of Lille, was found dead in a graveyard close to his home where he acted as caretaker and locked the gates each night.

Local news service SudInfo, citing unnamed sources, said a suspect had handed himself in to police and that the motive was unclear. The case was handed to a local prosecutor rather than to national counter-terrorism investigators.

"I have learned with horror of the brutal death of Alfred Gadenne," Prime Minister Charles Michel, a liberal, said on Twitter. "All my thoughts are with his family and friends."

Among the many others offering condolences was Martine Aubry, the former French Socialist party leader and long-time mayor of metropolitan Lille.

Philippe Courard, president of the parliament for Belgium's French-speaking south, tweeted: "Terrifying. What kind of world are we living in?" (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Leslie Adler)
By Caroline Pailliez

PARIS, Sept 12 (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron faces the first challenge on the streets to his business-friendly reform agenda on Tuesday, when workers from the hard-left CGT union will march through French cities to protest a loosening of labour regulations.

Sounding a call to the working class, Philippe Martinez, the head of the Communist Party-linked CGT, branded the reforms a "social coup d'etat", but Macron will take comfort from divisions among France's three main unions over the issue.

After weeks of negotiations, the government last month revealed measures including a cap on payouts for dismissals adjudged unfair and greater freedom for companies to hire and fire and to set pay and working conditions. It plans to adopt the new decrees on Sept. 22.

"I am fully determined and I won't cede any ground, not to slackers, nor cynics, nor hardliners," Macron told French business leaders on Friday during a trip to Athens.

French workers have long cherished a strict labour code protecting their rights. But companies complain it has deterred investment and job creation and stymied economic growth.

The reforms are being closely watched in Germany, where they are seen as a test of the French leader's resolve to re-shape the euro zone's second-biggest economy, a must if he is to win Berlin's backing for broader reforms to the currency union.

CGT workers from the rail, oil and power sectors have said they will heed his call for strike action on Tuesday. CGT boss Martinez called Macron's talk of slackers "scandalous" and said public discontent was rising.

Macron, asked on Monday if he regretted his choice of words, fired back: "We cannot move forwards if we don't say things as they are."

UNIONS DIVIDED

For decades, governments on the political left and right have tried to overhaul the 3,000-page labour code, but ended up watering down their plans in the face of street demonstrations.

Macron was economy minister in the socialist government of former president Francois Hollande, whose attempt at labour reform - dubbed the El Khomri law - led to weeks of protests and stoked a damaging rebellion within his own ruling party.

An opinion poll published on Sept. 1 showed voters have mixed views on the reform. Nearly six in every 10 people oppose Macron's labour decrees overall, but when they look at specific measures they approve most of them.

With economic growth accelerating, unemployment on a downward trend and the country's leading unions divided in their response to the reforms, it is not clear whether the protests will gain momentum.

French voters "chose Macron to carry out the reforms which France have shrunk away from for 30 years," Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told the newspaper Les Echos.

While the largest union, the moderate CFDT, described Macron's labour decrees as a "deep disappointment" it has said it will not join the CGT demonstrations.

So has the smaller Force Ouvriere (FO), usually an ally of the CGT, a decision that has led to discord within the FO's ranks with some factions saying they would join the protests.

"We took part in the protests against the El Khomri law. These decrees are El Khomri plus plus," Patrice Clos, head of one federation within the FO told Reuters. "We can't accept something that we were against a year ago." (Writing by Richard Lough, editing by Larry King)
DUBAI, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it foiled an Islamic State plot to bomb its defense ministry headquarters and also said it had arrested several people suspected of carrying out espionage in the kingdom on behalf of foreign powers.

It was not immediately clear whether the two announcements, made separately by a security official to state news agency SPA and a security source speaking to Reuters, were related.

The would-be bombers were identified as two Yemeni nationals living under aliases in the kingdom who were detained along with two Saudi citizens also suspected of involvement in the attack planned for the capital Riyadh, the official from the Presidency of State Security added.

Saudi Arabia has previously been hit by deadly bombing and shooting attacks by Islamic State militants targeting security forces and Shi'ite Muslims.

The assailants were training in the use of explosive belts, the security source added, while authorities said they seized grenades and firearms during the operation to foil the attack.

Islamic State has for years criticized the leadership of Western-allied Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, accusing it of deviating from their strict interpretation of Islam and advancing the interests of their U.S. enemies.

In a separate news item, SPA quoted a security source saying authorities uncovered "intelligence activities for the benefit of foreign parties" by a group of people it did not name.

A Saudi security source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters that the suspects were accused of "espionage activities and having contacts with external entities including the Muslim Brotherhood", which Riyadh has classified as a terrorist organisation.

"The group is also accused of having contacts with and receiving financial and other forms of support from two other countries to harm the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and with the aim of destabilizing the security and national unity in preparation to overthrow the Saudi regime in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood," the source said.

Citing an ongoing investigation, the source declined to name the countries or the members of the group.

The source said one of the detainees is a member of the armed Houthi movement, which is locked in 2 1/2 years of war with a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, and is in direct contact with the group. The suspects are in custody and will be granted legal rights and due process, the source added.

(Reporting By Rania El Gamal, Ali Abdellati and Noah Browning; Editing by Stephen Kalin and Mary Milliken)
From left: Karunarathna Paranawithana, Deputy Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training, Amali Nanayakkara, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa MP, Minister of Disaster Management, Dunesh Gankanda MP, Deputy Minister of Disaster Management and John Senevirathne, Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations

The foundation stone laying ceremony of the proposed Seneha Siyapatha Gammanaya at Ehaliyagoda, Rathnapura, initiated by Dialog Axiata PLC, was held under the auspices of Anura Priyadarshana Yapa MP, Minister of Disaster Management.



John Senevirathne MP, Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations, Dunesh Gankanda MP, Deputy Minister of Disaster Management, Karunarathna Paranawithana MP, Deputy Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training, Amali Nanayakkara, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC, Malani Lokupothagama, District Secretary Rathnapura, R.H.S. Disanayake Divisional Secretary, Eheliyagoda, representatives from the Ministry of Defense, representatives from the Sri Lankan Navy, representatives from the Sri Lankan Air Force also graced the foundation stone laying ceremony as special invitees.



A total of 37 houses will be constructed under Seneha Siyapatha 2017 at a cost of Rs. 57.5 million. Civil construction services will be contributed at no cost by the Ministry of Defense with participation from Tri-forces personal of Sri Lanka. The programme mustered Rs.16.53 million through the generosity of Dialogs customers, whilst Dialog Axiata added Rs.33.47 million and RIL Property PLC, also made a kind donation amounting to Rs.7.5 million to raise the Seneha Siyapatha fund to Rs.57.5 million.



Under phase one of Seneha Siyapatha 2017, construction work has commenced to build 12 houses at Kotapola in the Matara district. The houses are constructed as per specifications given by the NBRO (National Building Research Organisation) under the aegis of the Ministry of Disaster Management and the project is managed by Dialog Axiata PLC.



The Seneha Siyapatha Fund was initiated by Dialog Axiata for the first time on the 20th of May 2016, in line with the mission to serve communities who are affected by natural disasters. Dialog Axiata PLC, appealed to its subscribers to donate Rs.50 for relief operations via SMS (Short Message Service), Star Points and eZ Cash following the natural disasters. Dialog tripled the donation by adding Rs.100, thereby donating Rs.150 to the project fund.
Contesting the application made by Presidents Counsel Gamini Marapana appearing for Arjun Aloysius that he was not prepared to appear before the PCoI and as such it could not compel him to give evidence, ASG Dappula de Livera said today if Aloysius did not appear before the PCoI then it would be a failure.

Mr. Marapana, PC raised a legal objection against his client being summoned to give evidence at the PCoI and said Mr. Aloysius was not willing to give evidence before the PCoI and that the Commission could not compel him to give evidence according to the law.

Referring the Section16 (legal representation of a witness before the Commission) and Section 24 (Summoning witnesses) of the Commission of Inquiry Act, Mr. Marapana PC said the entire proceedings commenced as a result of a bond issue in which Perpetual Treasuries Ltd took part and that Mr. Aloysius was the major shareholder in that Company.

He observed that the Commission can recommend certain legal action after the proceedings and based on that report the Attorney General would file charges at an appropriate criminal court in connection with the matter.

Mr. Marapana PC was of the view that subsequently, Mr. Aloysius would have to be tried in Court.

Mentioning Article 3, 13(3) and 13(5) of the Constitution, He said the Sovereignty of the people constituted fundamental rights in which fair trial and presumed innocent until proven guilty are linked with.

Citing several Supreme Court judgments relating to the importance of acting fairly and under the rule of law he also ascertained that Section 14 of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) Act also gave immunity to witnesses as well.

Mr. Marapana PC said Mr. Aloysius has the right to avoid self-incrimination during the evidence, which could jeopardize his future right to a fair trial and therefore, Mr. Aloysius could not be compelled to give evidence against himself considering the possibility of hid being an accused in a court of law.

He questioned the way in which Mr. Aloysius personal communications were being taken into custody by the PCoI according to the law.

ASG De Livera contested the legal argument moved by Marapana PC.

Referring to Section 2 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, ASG De Livera highlighted the warrant of the Commission by the President, which is explained in the mandate of the commission.

He said the PCoI was appointed to find the truth behind the bond auction relating to a particular time period. The mandate provided to the it was to discover broadly as to what happened in trading in government securities and not things which were particularly relating to an individual or a company.

ASG De Livera said therefore the Commission could summon anyone to appear before it to find the truth.

He said there was no determination to be concerned about particular individuals or an entity by the PCoI, therefore all the agencies and parties should assist the Commission.

ASG De Livera also contested Mr. Marapanas argument saying that the cited precedents relating to the matter are not applicable since the precedents he cited were in connection with the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry Act (SPC), but this Commission was operating under the Commission of Inquiry Act (CoI).

He said Mr. Aloysius evidence would enable the PCoI to determine the truth and would assist the commission to do so.

The ASG said the President had appointed the PCoI taking into consideration the national interest as well.

People of this country are keenly awaiting the outcome of the commission, not only about the wrongdoers, but as to who is responsible for this blunder or the robbery, ASG Livera said.

He said Aloysius evidence was significant to the PCoI not only to identify the facts but also to recognize other people who had been involved.

The ASG drew the Commissions attention at this point to the two deleted phone conversations in which Aloysius had referred to a friends in the department.

There is information which can only be provided by Arjun Aloysius, because some facts are within his sole knowledge, therefore the Commission ought to call Aloysius before the Commission, ASG Livera said.

He also observed that the Commission would not serve its purpose, if it fails to get Aloysius testimony before the Commission.

There will be a travesty of justice if Arjun Aloysius is not called here. The whole country is waiting till Aloysius came before the Commission. There are two persons who ought to take this witness stand. They are Arjuna Mahendran and Arjun Aloysius, and there may be others. I wont name them. There may be (he emphasized). So if these two persons dont come, then this Commission will be a failure, the ASG said.

At this point Counsel Chanaka de Silva who was appearing for Arjuna Mahendran extended his discontent over the reference to his client since he had not made any such application so far not to appear before the Commission.

PCoI Chairman Justice Jayawardena then asked whether he was going to do so in the future. Counsel de Silva said he had no instructions so far, amid ripples of laughter in the court room.

ASG Livera replying said that he was referring to persons who ought to testify before the PCoI in terms of the mandate and the evidence led so far.

He said he was also referring Section 14 of the Commission of Inquiry Act which said that such evidence before the Commission could not be used in subsequent place against that person.

The ASG said the Commissions proceedings were regarded as an inquisitorial process and thereby any witness is a competent witness relevant to the inquiry.

However, Mr. Marapana also contested the ASGs argument over what the ASG referred to as an inquisitorial process.

ASG de Livera said the communications devises of Aloysius had been taken into custody after receiving proper orders from the Commission.

At this juncture Presidents Counsel Kalinga Indatissa expressed the view that his client, Kasun Palisena (CEO Perpetual Treasuries) cannot be questioned on the call recordings, because it was contradictory to the Commission of inquiry Act.

While he was submitting his stance before the commission that fairness should be considered in the proceedings Commissioner Justice Prasanna Jayawardena noted:

A large number of people are talking utter rubbish about the Bond controversy over the past two years without any particular knowledge. There are pundits who know nothing when they make pronouncements. We also knew nothing when we came here. Now we are in the process of learning facts as opposed to wild rumors about this. We are only interested in facts. So all witnesses have a role to play in assisting the commission to understand the facts, and that is all.

Justice Jayawardena said: Let me also make this clear. This Commission has so far not come to any finding or fact over any wrong doing. We are still in the process of trying to arrive at whether there were wrongdoings.

The Commission also considering both legal applications by Mr. Marapana PC and ASG Livera fixed the order to be given on Wednesday (September 13) morning.

Meanwhile, PCoI Chairman said Arjun Aloysius had been served with summons through a fiscal of the Court yesterday afternoon to appear before the Commission on September 13 (Wednesday) to testify.

At this point, Presidents Counsel Gamini Marapana sought the Commissions indulgence to provide Aloysius sufficient time to invoke the superior court over the matter if the Commissions order on Wednesday was against Aloysius.

However, the Commission seemed reluctant to provide more time to appeal to a superior court over the matter and observed that it could continue the proceedings until an order comes from an appropriate authority.

At this moment, ASG Livera intervened and asked: Is that some sort of a threat to the Commission. In replying, Mr. Marapana PC emphasized that he doesnt want to threaten any of the Judges, and his submission is not a threat but only a consideration of the rights of a citizen in the country because time constraints cannot be observed in providing individuals the access to justice.

The PCoIn said it would consider the matter on Wednesday.

PTL CEO Kasun Palisena will continue testifying today. (Shehan Chamika Silva)
Amana Takaful Life, which has continually grown and expanded to make a significant mark in the insurance industry in Sri Lanka, hosted its awards ceremony for the year 2017 on a high note, at Galadari Hotel Ballroom recently.



Amana Takaful PLC Chairman Tyeab Akbarally graced the occasion as the chief guest, alongside the renowned, veteran management consultant, author, trainer and speaker Deepal Sooriyaarachchi, who graced the occasion as the keynote speaker for the night.



Annual Awards Night is one of the most awaited events in Amana Takaful Lifes corporate calendar as this splendid event celebrates its top achievers and performers for their efforts and commitment in steering the company to new heights.



The awards night, aptly themed, Widening Horizons perfectly framed the organisations goals and aspirations for the future. Amana Takaful shows stability and growth as its net profit amounted to Rs.93 million at the half year ending in June 2017.



Commenting on this performance, Akbarally said, The stakeholders will be happy to note that in the last 12 months, amidst the challenges in group restructure, listing of the life company and the successful accomplishment of the rights issue, which was necessitated in fulfilling the regulatory requirements, the position of the group has been strengthened for stability

and growth.



Furthermore, he extended his gratitude and sincere thanks to his staff members for their untiring efforts and allegiance towards the company. Congratulating the winners for the night he noted, I would like to congratulate everyone on the shortlist and especially our winners. You show true innovation and leadership in driving responsible business and our staff remains the driving force behind our success story.



Amana Life CEO Gehan Rajapakse sharing his thoughts at the occasion stated, It indeed is a special day for all at Amana Life, as we celebrate and take pride in our achievements for the year 2016. As a team driven by dedication and commitment, you all have worked towards keeping the momentum alive. Thank you and congratulations.



The Annual Awards Night recognizes the efforts of both the sales and operations staff honouring their commitment in steering the company to enduring success. Employee motivation and recognition remains a key feature of this annual event encouraging the Amana team members to achieve their maximum potential in a thriving corporate environment.



Commitment and dedication towards achieving companys vision was recognized and acknowledged throughout the Awards Night and the most prestigious award Champion of Champions was awarded to A.C.M. Ramzan of the Metro branch.



Amana Takaful PLC continues to show stability and rapid progress over the years. In comparison to 2016, the gross written premium (GWP) growth at Amana Takaful PLC has doubled to 10 percent. Therefore, consequently ATPLC records a profit of Rs.30 million in comparison to a loss of Rs.98 million in 2016, which includes an intercompany dividend of seven million. The companys strategies to boost productivity and to implement tactical insurance solutions have had a greater effect in the significant growth of profit recorded over the years. Amana Takaful Maldives PLC too continues to sustain its GWP at Rs.670 million with a profit outturn of

Rs.44 million.



Amana Takaful has made its mark in the insurance industry in Sri Lanka since 1999 and continues to expand and grow while providing total Takaful solutions for its growing clientele. Its innovative services and products make it the forerunners in the Sri Lankan insurance industry, carving a niche for it as the leader of Takaful way.
Engineers have suggested that villagers close thousands of cracks with mud

Water covers 71% of the Earths surface. It is vital for all known forms of life

Water in Udugampola, Minuwangoda, and Mirigama areas has been affected by tube wells

Other countries in the world dont permit deep drilling activities like in Sri Lanka

Residents of Kalutara and Galle have encountered a serious issue regarding drinking water

Ground water aquifers in Heeloya area in Badulla have been damaged

The next world wars will be fought over water, experts have predicted. Many countries in the world are destined to fight over the limited sources available in the future. Since they are living in an island, Sri Lankans might never be in a situation where they will have to fight with other countries over water. But a matter to be concerned of is that Sri Lankans are incapable of managing their water resources wisely. This is because the islanders are selling their water to multinational companies and also engaging in deep drilling activities to obtain ground water, endlessly. Sri Lankas human rights are violated by exporting water, because this activity deprives citizens of a basic need.



Pope Francis has warned that we could be moving toward a major world war over water. The Pontiff made these comments when he addressed participants at the concluding session of an international seminar on the human right to water, held at the Vaticans Pontifical Academy of Sciences.



In 2015, NASAs satellite data revealed that 21 of the worlds 37 large aquifers are severely water-stressed. With growing populations and increased demands from agriculture and industry, researchers indicated that this crisis could worsen.

Water covers 71% of the Earths surface. It is vital for all known forms of life. On Earth, 96.5% of the planets crust water is found in seas and oceans, 1.7% in groundwater, 1.7% in glaciers and the ice caps of Antarctica and Greenland, a small fraction in other large water bodies, and 0.001% in the air as vapor, clouds (formed of ice and liquid water suspended in air), and precipitation. Only 2.5% of this water is freshwater. 98.8% of that water is in the form of ice (excepting ice in clouds) and groundwater. Less than 0.3% of all freshwater is in rivers, lakes, and the atmosphere, and an even smaller amount of the Earths freshwater (0.003%) is contained within biological bodies and manufactured products. A greater quantity of water is found in the earths interior.

(Wikipedia)



Leaking Uma Oya

Ground water aquifers in Heeloya area in Badulla have been damaged and water is leaking in to the Uma Oya tunnel. Four out of seven cracks have paved the way for water to leak in to the tunnel. Three more cracks are expected in the future. Many buildings, located on both sides of the tunnel, are collapsing. This is the pathetic sight within a 15 km area away from the tunnel.



The destroyed aquifers were naturally created millions of years ago. Therefore they wont replenish in the same speed at which their contents are being sucked by the thirst-driven humans. As a result the chemical content in underground water reaches harmful levels. The ground water level is descending further deeper due to the impact of tube wells.



The ground water aquifers help to steady the earth to some extent. And when it is parched the ground becomes unstable. This is what has happened in Badulla now. Engineers have suggested that villagers close thousands of cracks with mud. But the mud plasters will be washed away with the arrival of the next heavy rains. Meanwhile politicians are planning to distribute water to the villagers using tube wells.



Politicians are taking water from Badulla to Hambantota. People in Badulla people have protested over losing what they possess while Hambantota residents have protested against not having water. Politicians are playing tricks on civilians.



Residents of Kalutara and Galle have encountered a serious issue regarding drinking water. This is because rivers in the south are being dug up regularly to obtain sand. This activity has paved the way for salt water to flow into the land which in turn mixes with coastal aquifers. Water projects and water bottling activities are also increasing in the area. There are around 40 tube wells in a place where the ground water is not suitable for consumption. Water is undrinkable in Anuradhapura and Kurunegala. Water in Hambantota contains a high level of calcium carbonate and a high fluoride level. People used natural filtering materials like bricks and limestone in past to make the water fit for consumption.



Safety of water

It is said that there are 103 rivers in Sri Lanka. Therefore people have mistaken that this country is gifted with pure water. The tank system, paddy fields and lowlands have been destroyed. The surface water alone cant fulfill the water requirement of the population. Water bodies, forests and paddy fields are necessary to keep the ground water table healthy and replenished. This is what helps recharge the ground water table.

Deep drilling

Other countries in the world dont permit deep drilling activities like in Sri Lanka. They have identified the importance of water as well as preserving it.



Recently the Water Resource Board introduced a new law to register water drilling activities. This rule applies to anyone pumping more than 30,000 litres of water. But this law doesnt apply to those pumping water using tube wells.

Tube wells in the dry zone

More than 4980 tube wells have been drilled in Anuradhapura and the dry zone exceeding the limit specified for a square kilometer. Such activities destroyed wells during the regime of the previous president. Sri Lankans assume that they have clean water for sanitation,. Yet the sanitation level in Sri Lanka was clarified during discussions on sustainable development. Estate residents are directing sewage from their toilets into water streams, polluting water in rivers.



Sometimes in urban and areas not falling in to this category the toilet and the well are located close by. This is the set-up in homes where the land is not bigger than 10 perches. This set-up makes living unsafe because contents in the septic tank could leak into the well. Nearly 47% of water available in the country is unsafe due to various leakages.

Tax, water and controversies

Sajeewa Chamikara - a Naturalist in MONLAR (Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform) speaks about Water privatization



A number of attempts were made to privatize water in Sri Lanka after taxes were imposed on this commodity. Taxes made water a consumer product. Water is a common resource. If anyone privatized water the public lost the right they had to water. It is easier to prevent an act from being passed rather than defeating the powers which want to maintain water as a commodity with a price. A number of institutions, mostly companies which generate profits through the sale of water, are debating about the quality of the water. These institutions are doing their best to promote public opinion that Drinking bottled water is safe. These institutions took the water act into consideration for their advantage, but their views were defeated. This was due to the presence of several controversies such as taxing the wells and the quality of water. The controversy regarding tax on water was deeper than what it appeared to be. There was a controversy regarding the sale, taxing and destroying the irrigation systems and agriculture in Sri Lanka.

The present situation in Colombo and suburbs

Hemantha Withanage - Executive Director Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), Senior Environmental Scientist



The ground water in Colombo and suburban areas are completely polluted up to Maharagama. Water in some areas smells of kerosene. There is also a presence of heavy metals in the polluted water, Withanage said.



Water in Rathupaswala is too acidic. Water in Udugampola, Minuwangoda, and Mirigama areas has been affected by tube wells maintained by Indian water bottling companies. These wells suck up ground water and sell it to Indian companies that produce soft drinks.



Negombo is also in grave danger after the Muthurajawela wetland was turned in to a waste-yard. Garbage enters the water and seeps in to the lagoon. Close to 3000 fishermen make a living off the lagoon. Jagath Senarathna of the University of Peradeniya did a research on the chemical levels in human hair found in the Negombo lagoon. The research revealed that 4.77 micrograms of mercury were found in their hairs. This reading far exceeds the level of mercury supposed to be in human hair. Arsenic and Mercury have both been identified in lagoon water.

Soft drink products

Many foreign investors are interested in investing in Sri Lanka. This is due to globalization. The Coca Cola company banned in India is in the process of relocating here in Horana. This is after this company set its sights on the ground water sources in Sri Lanka. Research done by the CSE on ground water revealed the presence of pesticides in the water released by the company.



The forceful pumping of water by several Indian companies, to make soft drinks, is recorded in the Udugampola area. The soft drink product, made using ground water in Sri Lanka, was sent to India. Nobody has to pay for ground water in Sri Lanka, hence these companies are by force using our precious water to make profits. This is a violation of a basic human right of Sri Lankans.



An EIA should be compiled to discourage any company that is pumping huge volumes of water. Ground water sources cant be controlled. This is because ground water is a vast table. The more one obtains ground water, the more ground water comes to fill that space, until the table dries up. Many Indian and local factories located in Ja-Ela are using ground water for their productions. Lack of laws and regulations to control overusing and misusing of water has paved the way for this grave problem in Sri Lanka.

More than 4000 factories located along the Kelani River bank are releasing waste water into the river. Almost 2000 factories dont possess a license. More than 45% of toilets, located in Kaduwela, dont have toilet pits. As a result a lot of waste has been released into the Kelani River. The PH level of acid in the Kelani Basin reads 2.3.



Acidic water in Rathupaswala

It is true that the water in Rathupaswala area is too acidic. People carried water samples to the PHI. That was the only way to determine the acidity in water. The Environmental Authority and the WRB had to check the water in this area and figure out what was wrong with the water. This is the responsibility of the authorities. If there was some other chemical leak in Rathupaswala, the Environmental Authority should have done a research. There could have been a problem in the factory. There is also a possibility that the real reason behind the contamination of water could have been something else. There were no scientific conclusions regarding the water contamination in Rathupaswala.



Too much acidity is present when heavy metals dissolve in the water. When the PH level reads a figure between 2-3, the water is undrinkable. Water cant be purified once it gets contaminated with heavy metals.



No scientific background

No scientific explanations have been produced yet with regard to most of the issues associated with water contamination. Most importantly this is true with environment related issues. Unscientific people are providing scientific explanations and solutions for issues like water contamination. Even if people with a scientific background air their views the public doesnt trust them. This is because they believe that scientists and experts are biased. Other professionals who speak regarding these issues arent very sure about what they are saying.



Even regarding other environmental issues like the leakage in the Jaffna power plant, water pollution and kidney disease in Rajarata, no one is able to provide a scientific explanation.



Surface water

There is no methodology to collect surface water. It is better if one can store water as much as possible.



Tanks unused and misused

Some tanks in North Central Province arent being used for irrigation purposes. Certain minor tanks help recharge bigger ones. Kalu Wewa for instance is in a silt blocking stage while the Biso Wewa is to be used instead of Maha Wewas when its water levels decrease. The water discharging from paddy fields goes through the Ketala, Kohila, Nelum and Kumbuk cultivation ( hydro remedial plants). As a result harmful substances are absorbed and the water is purified before it pours in to the next tank (wewa). The tanks in dry zone are a complicated network. The ancestors took good use of these tanks, something that the present people have forgotten.



Save the environment

It is said that middle-class people destroy the environment. This happens mostly because they fail to understand the value of a balanced ecosystem.



Illegal ownership

Natural resources in our country dont have legal ownership. The river belongs to none, but all. Therefore anyone can do anything with the rivers. Nobody maintains the catchments in the rivers as well.



Digging of tube wells can be controlled if the authorities charge a fee. In the 90s a tax was to be imposed regarding private wells. Actually this decision was aimed at doing some good, but eventually it turned out to be not so good. Businessmen operating on a large scale should pay tax and not civilians.



The irrigation projects like Mahaweli are launched to unsure that all the canals are fully concreted. This is done under the pretext that otherwise water will be wasted. If the earth absorbs water through the canals, the ground water table is subject to charged. When water is passed to a tank using a fully concreted canal, it prevents the ground from absorbing water. This in turn makes it easier to fix water metres with regards to agriculture. A natural canal is an ecosystem that has rich volumes of ground water. The safety of croplands depends on the surrounding ground water level.



Many companies are obtaining water from the ground water table for the use in factories. Some factories sell ground water to other factories. Drilling deep tube wells has had its consequences. This has been the case in the Matara District. Deep wells draw ground water in large quantities. Water has already become a profitable consumer product in the North and East.



Privatization of water is done very tactfully. The North-Western Local Government has already approved this act. In this area there is a scarcity of water. Bottling water is not the best solution to address the pollution of water.

There are a number of institutions responsible for the protection of water in Sri Lanka. There are no standards when releasing waste water. Many release water violating the National Environment Act. Some butcheries are functioning close to waterways. The Central Environment Authority (CEA) and Local Government Institutions possess the same power to take action and prevent the privatization of water. The water issue is centered around humans. When it becomes a commodity people are deprived of the right to have it. The Z canal is one such example. Many elephants die falling into it while trying to drink water.



Water is fast becoming a limited resource in the world. Meanwhile, using of pesticides has become an unstoppable process in Rajarata. It is difficult to change the mindset of the farming generation. Polluted drinking water, pollutants and pesticides could be reasons for kidney disease in Rajarata.



Wayamba Ela is to be constructed using concrete. If this is done it will deprive the right other animals to consume water. This canal runs through the Kahalla - Pallekale sanctuary. Global institutions like World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) are handling those activities through Government institutions and approve loans. Sri Lanka became the prey of Agro chemicals through the activity of International Monetary Fund (IMF).
By Sakif Samy Nanvir

Joseph Michael Perera, a former Minister of the UNP and one time Speaker of Parliament, in an interview with our sister paper Deshaya aired his views on the No confidence Motions, New regulations, political situations and other parliamentary procedures. Following are excerpts of the interview.



Q What are the factors that have led to certain parliamentarians being resentful within the parliament chamber?



This is because people have failed to elect those who are knowledgeable on parliamentary procedures.



QDoes that mean you believe that there are issues among these parliamentarians?



I dont say so. There may be some issues. They are shouting in an uncontrollable manner. Dinesh Gunawardene shouts in that manner, without reason.



QDuring the past bringing a no confidence motion was a very responsible move. Now there are moves to bring in no confidence motions at every turn. Doesnt the Parliament have a better way of doing things.



Even today moving a no confidence motion is a responsible act. Now they are planning to bring a no confidence motion against Rajitha Senaratne. The Parliament isnt a place where MPs can iron out personal matters. What they have to do is speak about official functions, their duties and how the funds allocated by the Parliament are being used. They are also required to submit public opinions for discussions. These matters can be moved as Private members bills or as questions that are raised. The relevant Minister should answer these questions. The prime duty of a MP is to be in Parliament whenever sessions are on. An MP should listen to questions and form replies.



QIt is expected that The Speaker of the House should always remain neutral. Considering your experience and the present complex situation can The Speaker act independently setting aside politics?



Yes. The Speaker is the protector of MPs. His duty is to see that necessary assistance is provided, in keeping with the legal requirements, to have the enactment of all bills presented by the Government. An MP should assist bills and acts proposed by the Government so that they can be passed in accordance with the legal procedures, Standing Orders and Constitution. Acting neutral doesnt mean that you allow all what the Opposition proposes and allow them to be passed. Acting in a neutral manner means that you act according to the Parliamentary standing orders and the Constitution. The Speaker is bound by the Standing Orders. In situations that dont come under Standing Orders, an MP could solve them in a justifiable manner by resorting to obtaining other opinions. These are normally handled by the office of the Speaker, but such a responsibility lies with The Speaker.

Q The two main parties two years ago agreed on forming a conscientious Government. The people had high hopes on this Government. But the Unity Government has failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people.



No they havent failed, nor have they found it difficult. After the President was elected, how much have they achieved within one year? There is a reduction in the cost of living. When the fisher folk protested against the fuel hike, the Mahinda Rajapaksas Government responded using firearms. One fisherman died. When we assumed power we reduced the price of fuel, gas and milk powder and also offered the nutrition pack. To do whatever we wish, we have the blessings of the parliament majority and the 2/3 rd power. The benefit of forming a Unity Government is well depicted here.

After the President was elected, how much have they achieved within one year? There is a reduction in the cost of living. When the fisher folk protested against the fuel hike, the Mahinda Rajapaksas Government responded using firearms

QThe expectations of the people arent realized because when ever the UNP brings in a proposal the SLFP raises objections. When the SLFP brings in a motion the UNP cries foul. Where does the fault lie?



That was in the past.



QWhat I am referring to is the situation within the conscientious Government.



There are no issues, and both groups are working together. The Leader of the country is the President and the deputy is the Prime Minister. The Cabinet consists of both parties. Decisions are arrived at after consultations with both the President and the Prime Minister. Subject matters are afterwards brought before the Cabinet. This is possible because of the 2/3 rd majority the Unity Government possesses. This proves what unity can achieve in many ways.



QDuring the time the COPE was active, we witnessed how one report was thrown into the dustbin. This time it is different. The President appointed a special commission to probe the alleged fraud in the Bond Scam. When a commission is appointed regarding this matter, what will be the next move?



A COPE committee should investigate all state enterprises to find out whether there had been any malpractices. They must investigate the manner in which revenue had been earned and spent. These reports are then studied by MPs in Parliament. Earlier too these COPE reports had been presented in Parliament and debated on. These reports had never been thrown away. The Bond Scam is a different one altogether when compared to what COPE handled.

There are many unfulfilled promises made by the Government after being in power. There are many areas that havent been completed, areas which were mentioned in the election manifesto. For example some genuine people had been ignored when granting Samurdhi benefits

QThis Government which assumed power stating that it would nail the rogues of the former Government are now engaged in doing other things. How and why has this situation arisen?



I see that the job isnt being done properly, not only by those who were in the former Government, but by those in the present one. All those who are involved fraud must be probed. There are people outside Parliament who benefited from both the present and past governments. Even these people should be probed.



QDuring the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government the AGs Department was under the President. This was highly criticized by the intellectuals of the country. Now there are allegations that agreements are signed without informing The Parliament.



When signing agreements it isnt necessary to inform the Parliament. Did Mahinda Rajapaksa present the agreements to vest the Hambantota Harbor or the Port city to The Parliament?



Q As a former Speaker, what is the legal position relating to the signing of international agreements?



The legal position is that all these shouldnt be tabled in Parliament. There are certain obligations when it comes to Governments and agreements. What is brought before the Parliament is the manner in which one should enter into agreements. For example there are international agreements on womens rights, Youth rights and Covering the health sector. These agreements are brought before Parliament. But all agreements that the Government enters in to with other countries dont need to be brought before the Parliament. There is no legal requirement for that.



QNow the Government has been in power for the past two years. Do you see any signs of this Government having made progress?



There are many positive signs. I also see lapses. There are many unfulfilled promises made by the Government after being in power. There are many areas that havent been completed, areas which were mentioned in the election manifesto. For example some genuine people had been ignored when granting Samurdhi benefits. Though they have promised to rectify this situation it still hasnt been done. When providing jobs certain Ministers have acted on their own. A promise was made to compensate those politically victimized, but it hasnt been done yet. These things should be attended to by this Unity Government. The grassroots dont benefit from the good that is being done. Therefore it seems that the people arent convinced. The benefits of whatever programme implemented by the Government, arent passed onto the people due to bureaucracy.
Gone are the days when on seeking an opinion on anything  be it an idea, food, movie, clothing  one would have a wide variety of answers. The range would include  good, very good, somewhat good, not bad, tolerable, bit bad and bad. There was an assortment of middle ground opinions or nuances between the good and the bad.



Today ask a person for his or her opinion and more often than not the answer is limited to the two extremes. Its either, awesome or rotten or fabulous or horrible or anything on those lines. Everything is black or white. Occasionally one would throw around a so, so indicating a middle ground or gray area. However this too is becoming rare.



Ask what one thinks about the world, country, politicians, movies, culture and the sure answer is not worth even talking about or horrible. There is so much of negativity in their opinion because according to them if things are not good they can be nothing else but bad. While the world, its people and almost everything is grayer in the middle ground, the world population is fast unlearning the terms they used to describe nuances. They are restricting their thinking and vocabulary to the extremes  the good and the bad or the black and the white.



This polarized thinking has made people see an exaggerated version of whatever one experiences in life. Even a small mistake or lapse is seen as a crime. According to them spouses can either be good or bad and because wife takes long time to dress up, she is bad. A husband is bad because he keeps the cap off the toothpaste tube in the bathroom. Colleagues in office are either awesome or rotten and the colleague who did not invite one to her childs birthday party was awful. The food is either fabulous or yucky and the food at the reception was yucky because there was too much of salt in the mushroom curry and there wasnt much of a choice in desserts.



Similarly driving in Colombo is frustrating and time wasting though one has got caught to bigger traffic jams overseas. The son is a miserable case as he could not get the expected grades at A/Ls despite spending so much on his education, branded clothes and outings with friends. The country is rotten because todays papers reported two murders and a daylight robbery. What is this country coming to? As gloom hovers over every aspect of ones life, life itself is nothing but absolutely hopeless.



Psychology defines this cognitive distortion, seeing everything in black and white, as splitting which runs the risk of leading one to excessive levels of stress, depression and personality disorders. Stress because one feels that if he or she is not an achiever the person ends up as a failure. This undue pressure to succeed plays havoc on ones health. When a few things in life fail to turn out the way one wanted them to be a black and white leads to depression.



Besides even a slight change in such a person is attacked to make the person feel vulnerable and unstable.



Looking at peoples values or lapses with magnifying glasses often leads to disappointment as it is unrealistic to expect someone to have an established and fixed personality. Peoples behaviour is largely dependent on a wide range of causes and conditions and circumstances and therefore fluid. Being predictable in every aspect of life is the last thing one should expect from individuals. Todays friend may turn unfriendly tomorrow and someone disliked by one today may help one to get out of some trouble and thus be a friend tomorrow. There are no inherently virtuous or vicious people in the world. They have both good and bad tendencies in varying degrees and those who maintain a larger good quotient steadily, over a considerable period, are treated as good. This however is not at all a guarantee that they would remain good all the time.



While in extreme cases one needs psychiatric treatment, others can cultivate the missing gray by being patient and gentle with oneself and others. Its alright to make mistakes as long as they do not harm others. Life is not a circus where we perform to impress others by risking our lives and forsaking happiness. Stop being obsessively judgmental about others. Relax and look at the larger picture of life.
The Sri Lanka-Pakistan Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) hosted a delegation from the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) recently.



The LCCI is the oldest and largest trade body in Pakistan with strong credentials, having a large membership base standing around 20,000 members. The LCCIs history dates back to the early part of the last century. The LCCIs prime objective is to serve its membership to their utmost satisfaction. It acts as a bridge between the government and internal agencies on important national and international policy matters.



In addition to its regular advisory and support services to the members, it actively promotes regional and international economic cooperation and trade. The LCCI is involved in extensive research used in nearly every discipline, formulating recommendations and analyzing various national and international policies affecting business, trade and industry.



The delegation was led by LCCI Senior Vice President Amjad Ali Jawa. It consisted of pharmaceuticals, IT and beauty sectors. The Sri Lanka-Pakistan Business Council organised a business forum.



Council President Rohitha Thilakaratne welcomed the delegation and discussed the relationship the two countries enjoy and the possible opportunities that exist.



Pakistan Acting High Commissioner Dr. Safraz Ahmed Khan Sipra addressing the delegates mentioned the importance of the business forum and the assistance the Pakistan High Commission is willing to extend.



State Pharmaceuticals Managing Director Dr. H.U.M. Rumie spoke on the topic of Importing laboratory items and medical devices, specially highlighting the tender procedures. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Association for Software and Services Companies Executive Director Chrishan de Mel elaborated on What makes Sri Lanka a popular destination for IT/BPM services. Sri Lanka Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers Association President Trihan Perera discussed Pharmaceutical manufacturing in Sri Lanka: Overview and opportunities.



Board of Investments of Sri Lanka Executive Director Vidharshana Fernando encouraged investment opportunities available in the interested sectors.



The business forum ended with business-to-business meetings between the members of the Sri Lanka Pakistan Business Council and delegates from the LCCI.
News / National

by eNCA

The Zimbabwean community in South Africa is calling for the inclusion of undocumented Zimbabweans in South Africa's new permit criteria.The Home Affairs Department has announced the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit.It allows Zimbabweans to stay in South Africa for a maximum of four years.According to Ngqabutho Mabhena, Zimbabwe Community in South Africa chairperson, "Our wish certainly is that we should have these other Zimbabweans that are not on special permits and documented. After the 31st December 2010 a number of Zimbabweans have come to SA who are working here and not documented. We'd love to see a situation that every Zimbabwean in SA not documented is documented. This helps a lot in that even the Minister of Police realised that an undocumented person if they commit a crime it will be difficult to locate them. So we'd like to have this situation where they're documented, but we understand under these circumstances the minister says they'll only accommodate those who are holders of ZSP and we hope that the window of engagement is still open for us to make further presentations to the minister to government."
Alleged Bond Scams

The alleged Treasury Bond scams under the Yahapalanaya government are arguably one of the largest financial scams to have taken place in the post-independence history of Sri Lanka. For sheer impunity and involvement of a wide spectrum of politicians in collusion with a section of the corporate sector and regulatory authorities it is hard to beat. The muted response of the opposition exemplifies the rot in the governance of this country.



This article is written in the Public Interest from information available in the public domain. Both Rosy Senanayake and Dr. Harsha de Silva hold influential positions directly under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.



While Ms. Senanayake is Deputy Chief of Staff in the PMs core team at Temple Trees, Dr. de Silva is Deputy Minister, Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs where the PM is the minister-in-charge.

Response to Journalist on Footnotes

Minister do you at any point now regret the footnotes on that COPE report? Going by what is being revealed now, do you regret it or was there a lack of information at that point?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL0p8o580K4



Watch his response from (21:25:40)  what does it indicate?



Clarification from Dr. Harsha de Silva is awaited.

Clarification from both parties is in the Public Interest

Rosy Senanayake

Media reports of proceedings in the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the alleged Treasury Bond Scams have given prominent coverage to the clarification by Nuwan Salgado, Chief Dealer of Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL) relating to the purported phone recording of a call originating in the UK on August 8, 2016 from Kasun Palisena CEO of PTL requesting Nuwan Salgado to obtain from PTL owner Arjun Aloysius documents on his (Palisena) testimony given to COPE for onward transmission to former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran. The recording has Palisena purportedly telling Salgado that Arjun Aloysius had received the documents from Rosys son.



The media has Salgado clarifying to the Commissioners under oath that:



i) Rosy referred to by Palisena is Rosy Senanayake (Former member of D.E.W. Gunasekaras COPE in the 7th Parliament)



ii) Rosys son was identified as Kanishka Senanayake



(Ref. Daily Mirror September 7, 2017)



Ms. Senanayake has strongly denied this allegation stating she was not a COPE member after the August 2015 parliamentary elections.



The question then arises as to what made PTL CEO Kasun Palisena in August 2016 to refer to Ms. Senanayakes son in regard to COPE documents? Media reports do not enlighten the public whether the documents referred to were from the D.E.W.

Gunasekara-led COPE report prior to the August 2015 parliamentary elections when she was a member or from the Sunil Handunnetti- led COPE report after the August 2015 parliamentary elections when she was no longer a member.



If the reference was to the D.E.W. Gunasekara-led COPE report, Ms. Senanayake would presumably have a copy. This would not be so, if the reference was to the Sunil Handunnetti-led COPE report. In the public interest and in the interest of Rosy Senanayake herself should not the PCoI Commissioners and the media clarify the same?



Be that as it may, would not Ms.Senanayake in her capacity as Deputy Chief of Staff in Premier Ranil Wickremesinghes core team have access to both COPE reports? The question arises whether this was the context in which Kasun Palisena made reference to Rosys son?



Clarification from Rosy Senanayake is awaited.



http://www.pmoffice.gov.lk/staff-members.php

Dr. Harsha de Silva

Reference is made to the following excerpts from The Sunday Times October 30, 2016 on the controversial footnotes in the Sunil Handunetti-led COPE Report on the alleged Bond Scams signed by UNP members of COPE which included Dr. Harsha de Silva: (emphasis added)



http://www.sundaytimes.lk/161030/columns/the-dramatic-bond-issue-how-cope-went-beyond-bioscope-215374.html



At no time before has the United National Party (UNP) used its might so strongly in Parliament to try and block what it perceived was a report not to its liking.



Handunetti revealed that the following 16 members accepted the report without the footnotes. Sunil Handunnetti (Chairman), Rauff Hakeem, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Lakshman Seneviratne, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Anura Dissanayake, Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Bimal Rathnayake, Weerakumara Dissanayake, S. Sritharan, Gnanamuthu Srinesan, M.A. Sumanthiran, Nalinda Jayathissa, Mavai S. Senathirajah  from the SLFP, JO, JVP, TNA and the SLMC.



Those who accepted it subject to the inclusion of the footnotes, he said, were: Ravindra Samaraweera, Wasantha Aluvihare, Harsha de Silva, Ajith P. Perera, Ashok Abeysinghe, Hector Appuhamy, Sujeewa Senasinghe, Harshana Rajakaruna and Abdullah Mahroof  all of the UNP.



As is clear, the thrust of these footnotes is to make clear that Mahendran has not been responsible of any impropriety.



The UNP is confident that it can, through the documentation Deputy Minister Harsha de Silva has received, prove its case that its man Arjuna Mahendran is not to blame.
The Institute of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka (CMA) conducted a CPD seminar on Setting the tone in a changing landscape recently, at the CMA auditorium.



The objective of this seminar was to discuss the impact of the ethical standard on non-compliance with rules and regulations (NOCLAR) to professional accountants in public practice and business and to those charged with governance.



CMA President Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala inaugurated the seminar and delivered the welcome address. He emphasized on the importance of NOCLAR and said that CPD seminars of this nature would be conducted on a regular basis to widen and update the knowledge of members.



The resource person at this seminar, Ernst & Young Partner Anoji De Silva in her presentation addressed the following key aspects of NOCLAR: Why NOCLAR?, process to be followed by professional accountants faced with NOCLAR, impact of NOCLAR to those charged with governance in companies and next steps to be considered for the effective implementation of NOCLAR.



De Silvas presentation was followed by a panel discussion, which was moderated by Prof. Lakshman R. Watawala. The panellists, Ernst & Young Partner Manil Jayesinghe and South Asia Gateway Terminals (Pvt.) Ltd Chief Finance Officer Channa Gunasekera expressed the viewpoints from the accountants in public practice and professional accountants in business and also shared the different perspectives of management.



Further, the need for an enabling environment to protect the professional accountants from the possible implications of reporting non-compliance was discussed.



Prof. Watawala informed that CMA Sri Lanka will adopt the standard as a best practice for one year and thereafter decide on either full adoption or continuation as a best practice.



CMA Vice President H.M. Hennayake Bandara thanked everyone for their participation and support.
The EDB entered into a Letter of Understanding (LoU) with the PUM Netherlands senior experts with a view to supporting particularly export-oriented Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by obtaining services of PUM experts from mainly Europe in the areas of technology transfer, process improvement, product development, capacity building and training needs.



PUM Netherlands senior experts, Head Quartered in the Netherlands is a non-profit organization which has been advising businesses in developing countries for almost 40 years. The renewed partnership of EDB and the PUM Netherlands will accrue many benefits to

Sri Lankan SMEs.



Cess Van Dijl, PUM Expert signed the LoU on behalf of the PUM Netherlands while Indira Malwatte, Chairperson & Chief Executive of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board signed on behalf of the EDB.



This facility will provide PUM assistance for the needs of the export industry at sectoral level and enterprise level to increase Sri Lankas exports. EDB invites product associations, exporters and potential exporters to send their proposals to the EDB enabling as their designated partner to channel those to PUM Netherlands to obtain suitable PUM Senior Experts.



PUM Netherlands has assisted many export oriented sectors and enterprises through the national coordinator based in Colombo. One among the beneficiary sectors is the packaging industry in 2014 for 07 companies and in 2016 for 06 companies where experts of PUM Netherlands have immensely contributed for upgrading of the industry. Also, the services of an expert to the floriculture sector was provided through the EDB following which individual companies are being directly assisted by the expert. The unique feature under this scheme is that the government of Netherlands meets the expenses of travel of the expert while the Sri Lanka side has only to provide local accommodation and travel and that no expert fee is charged.
Last week the Daily Mirror reported that a group of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) parliamentarians have informed President Maithripala Sirisena that they would be leaving the government and that to discuss their next step they would soon meet Mahinda Rajapaksa, their former supremo.



According to the report, there are twelve prospective pole vaulters including Ministers Susil Premajayantha and Anura PriyadarshanaYapa and Deputy Ministers T.B. Ekanayake, Dulip Wijesekara, Nimal Lansa and Arundika Fernando.



The reason for their defection is that they have found it increasingly difficult to be in the government amid corruption allegations such as the bond scam and questionable highway projects



The irony is not missed. They were not born yesterday. They were members of the former regime, who dared not utter a word against mega corruption that permeated the then government. They were sycophant acolytes of the Rajapaksas under whose orders they placed their signatures on a blank paper which was later annexed to the No-Confidence Motion against the then Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. They voted with both hands for the 18th Amendment, the most regressive constitutional making exercise in recent history. They were also hapless victims of an all-powerful autocrat who oversaw the concentration of power in his office and in his family at the expense of Parliament and independent institutions. The Rajapaksa regime was run by the Rajapaksas -- Basil, Gotabaya and the ministries that were under the purview of then president Rajapaksa gobbled up more than 70 per cent of the governments budget. The others in his Cabinet did not have a voice. Their existence did not count, except, to vote and bark when they were told. There was a bit too much barking since all the poodles competed for the masters attention. (Arundika Fernando even narrated an imaginary meeting with disappeared journalist Pragreeth Ekneligoda.) Some others volunteered to be proud nannies of the Rajapaksa scions, soon G.L. Peiris, foreign minister monopolized that, becoming nanny Peiris, while Rajapaksa sidekick Sajin Vas ran the foreign ministry and the Sri Lankan Airlines, both to the ground.



Those were of course not the best of times to fall foul of the powers that be. Former army chief, Sarath Fonseka, whom the Rajapaksas called the best army commander in the world in his glory days learnt that in the hard way. Thus, the absence of open discontent was understandable, but, it was not just coercion and fear, there was voluntary servitude of abundance. Most members of the Rajapaksa regime were willing participants of a ritual of self-debasement. In truth, they were a sorry excuse of elected representatives and undermined the public trust in the elected office.



Now, their crying wolf over corruption sounds hollow, simply because they are hypocritical cants. Corruption of course is a problem in this country, however difference is that, unlike during the former regime, allegations of corruption are now being probed. Take for example the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the bond scam, of which findings have caused embarrassment to the government and cost the job of a former finance minister, who surely deserves that. The Rajapaksas would have taken the judges for a white van ride or got the MPs to sign on another blank paper for the mass dismissal of judges.



Sri Lanka should foster and nurture those new found freedoms and judicial independence. The starting point should be acknowledging that there is a qualitative improvement. However, Sri Lankas habit of denouncing the entire system for rectifiable minor imperfections has often tempted the people to overlook the good side of things, which effectively created the groundswell for three insurgencies.



SLFPs problem is two-fold: First there is virtual anarchy in the party due to the Presidents failure or reluctance to put his foot firmly down. If he opts to play a J.R Jayawardene or R. Premadasa and pull strings, he could still regain authority in the party. The UNPs deliberate delaying of investigations into the Rajapaksas is gradually taking its toll on the President and SLFP. Sooner the UNP will feel the bite.



The other is that SLFP members are already feeling disgruntled for having to play second fiddle. Though that is understandable for any political party, the SLFP has a history of doing politics at the expense of the country, a practice that dates back to its founding father S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike.



That habit is now making a comeback. It has so far played an obstructionist strategy on economic development. Now, its constitutional proposals smacks of the same machinations. In its proposals submitted to the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly, the SLFP has opposed the abolition of the executive presidency, which was the main election pledge of President Sirisenas campaign. Instead, the SLFP contends: The opinion of the SLFP is that complete abolition of the Executive Presidency, that is present today is not wise. Considering various terrorist and extremist activities that happen in various countries in the world, the SLFP believes a President should be elected directly from the public mandate with a certain amount of powers to protect the unitary status of the country and to keep and to protect the stability of the country specially in a situation where a large volume of power is granted to the Provincial Councils.



On face value, the proposal has its own logic which cannot be dismissed. It argues for the interests of national security and political stability, which are paramount for any country, and especially for us given our social economic conditions and the recent history of separatist violence.



However, then, about the already existing constitutional provision incorporated under the 19th Amendment, which prevents the president from dissolving Parliament within the first four and half years, which has an equally significant bearing on the political stability in the country, the SLFP has a different take.



It states: We agree to the fact that (in the 10th Paragraph) of the draft, that not to dissolve Parliament during the first four and half years of the Parliament, except for a special situation. But it should be further discussed under which circumstances Parliament can be dissolved in between that time period. However, while implementing the concept that a government made of a majority of public representatives should govern the country, the constitution should be made ensuring opportunities for the public representatives to remove a government democratically.



Almost all functioning electoral democracies preclude the president from arbitrarily dissolving Parliament for that itself is an impingement of the democratic rights of voters. Too many elections also distract the country from its developmental priorities. However the SLFP wants to crawl back to power by any means possible and the existing constitutional provision is a handicap. And its removal could provide an illusory hope for SLFP grassroots of the possibility of forming a SLFP government. In the same vein, it wants to empower the executive presidency, because Maithripala Sirisena is the holder of the office. Get the President to dissolve Parliament, and then run the circles around the President himself and remove the term limits of presidency and bring back the Rajapaksas, who will then release all crooks on one large presidential pardon.
An appeal has been filed against the High Court verdict by the Lawyers of former presidential secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Anusha Palpita the former director general of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.

Colombo High Court Judge Gihan Kulatunga sentenced them to three years rigorous imprisonment after finding them guilty to the charge of misappropriating Rs.600 million belonging to the TRC and using it to distribute Sil Redi during the 2015 presidential election campaign.

The Judge also imposed a fine of Rs.2 million on each of the convicts and ordered that they pay Rs.50 million to the TRC as compensation.
Amid a growing trend of Nepali men and women being trafficked via Sri Lanka, two Sri Lankan women have been rescued from the clutches of traffickers who tried to send them to various foreign destinations using Nepal as the transit point.

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police rescued two Sri Lankan women from a hotel in Thamel on August 25. Both of them left for their homes on Thursday.

The CIB, with support from the International Organi-zation for Migration (IoM) and Shakti Samuha, an NGO working against trafficking, rescued the women aged 24 and 33. They had arrived in Nepal on May 21.

The duo was brought to Kathmandu some three months ago by a broker who promised to send them to Canada. They were first taken to Indonesia, said Nepal Police Spokesperson SP Mira Chaudhary.

The CIB had raided Hotel Bishwonath in Tridevi Marga, Thamel and rescued the girls from Kilinochchi district in Sri Lanka.

They were lured by a broker to be sent to Canada using Nepal as the transit point.

Upon their arrival in Kathmandu, the Sri Lankan broker abetted by a Nepali man kept them in the hotel before disappearing. The girls knew that they were duped only after the hotel owner presented them with a bill of Rs300,000 including the cost of their stay of days.

According to Dilip Koirala, legal and training coordinator at Shakti Samuha, the girls said in their statements that the hotel owner had taken away Rs20,000 each, promising them visa extension.

Many women and men are found to have been trafficked to various Gulf countries via Colombo. Traffickers use the route for lax airport security and easy visa processing for Nepali nationals in Sri Lanka. A team from the Home Ministry including Nepal Police officials visited Sri Lanka two years ago to discuss the rise in trafficking via the country.

Nepal is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking, stated a recent report of the US Department of States annual Trafficking in Persons.(Kathmandu Post)
Midnapore, (Hindustan Times), 8 Sept. 2017 - In a rerun of the Robinson Street skeleton case of Kolkata, a 35-year-old man spent three days with the lifeless body of his mother in Durgapur town in West Bengal.



The matter came to light only after local people in Rabindrapally locality complained of foul smell coming from the tiny apartment and informed the police. The body of Sananda Nandi (72) was recovered on Friday night. Police said she died at least three days ago.



Indradeep Nandi (35), the younger son of the deceased, did not inform anyone that his mother had died although his elder brother Indraneel (40) lives in the same neighbourhood. He told the police that his mother was not talking to him for a few days and wasnt eating anything either. He said he used to sleep on the same bed where the body was found.



I cooked some rice and dal and offered her but she did not eat. She was not talking to me, police quoted Indradeep as saying.
REUTERS, 10th SEPTEMBER, 2017-North Koreas reckless behavior is a global threat and requires a global response, the head of the NATO military alliance said on Sunday.



NATO has not been directly involved in the crisis, which saw Pyongyang carry out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test a week ago, but has repeatedly called on North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.



The reckless behavior of North Korea is a global threat and requires a global response and that of course also includes NATO, NATO head Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with BBC television.

Asked whether an attack on the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam would trigger NATOs Article 5, which requires each member of the alliance to come to the defense of any other, Stoltenberg said: I will not speculate about whether Article 5 will be applied in such a situation.



We are now totally focused on how can we contribute to a peaceful solution of the conflict, he said.

There is no easy way out of this difficult situation, but at the same time we have to ... continue to work for political solution, continue to press also the economic sanctions.



The United States and its allies had been bracing for another long-range missile launch in time for the 69th anniversary of North Koreas founding on Saturday, but no fresh provocations were spotted while the North held numerous events to mark the holiday.
For the first time since Eelam War IV ended nearly eight years ago, a book entitled Mission Impossible: Geneva by Sanja de Silva Jayatilleka has come out on Sri Lankas path breaking diplomatic victory at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on May 27, 2009.



While Sri Lankas decisive military victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on May 19, 2009 is still talked about for its historic significance for Sri Lanka, the region and the world, the diplomatic victory registered over the Western powers at Geneva has not got sustained recognition.



This could be attributed to the opposition to the then Ambassador in the UN system in Geneva Dayan Jayatilleka within the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry and subsequent policy changes in Colombo vis-a-vis the UNHRC.



Sanja de Silva Jayatillekas racy narration of events, peppered with interesting vignettes, reveals the dramatic moves executed by her husband Dayan Jayatilleka to get a pro-Sri Lanka resolution passed while stalling a determined move by the Western powers to present their own resolution asking Sri Lanka to stop the war when victory was in sight, and be accountable for war crimes on top of that.



To the surprise and dismay of the Western powers, and to the shock of the international human rights and pro-LTTE lobbies, the UNHRC passed a Sri Lanka-inspired resolution praising the island nation for winning the war against terrorism and separatism and seeking international assistance for its post-war relief and rehabilitation programs.

Societies cannot be reordered from outside using military force - Manmohan Singh

India was on Sri Lankas side in regard to the Special Session

India supported SL despite pressure from the politically-influential Tamil Nadu lobby



If the Sri Lankan resolution, opposed tooth and nail by top dogs US,UK, EU and France, was passed, with 29 voting for, 12 against and six abstaining, it was undoubtedly because of the doggedness, energy and creativity displayed by Dayan Jayatilleka.

Though a first-time diplomat Jayatilleka had a vast and deep knowledge of world history. He also had a background of left-wing political activism. With such a background he came up with out-of-the box ideas and implemented them with awesome energy.

The strategies that he employed to enable a small and weak country to successfully resist the hegemony of the Big Powers are now a subject matter of study in some universities under the rubric Asymmetric Diplomacy, the book says.

Given his leftist background, with expertise especially in Latin American history and politics, he came up with the idea of getting the support of Asian, African and Latin American countries, and which were wedded to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)



As the war was coming to a close in April 2009, the Western powers tried to lobby in New York for Security Council action. But Russia and China with veto power would not allow it. They then moved to the UNHRC in Geneva intending to have a Special Session on the island nations conduct during the war in which they said war crimes were committed. The move was seen in Sri Lanka as a bid to rescue the LTTE leadership (which was at the end of its tether) and carve out a role for themselves in Sri Lankas ethnic issue. That the move sought a Special Session in May, days before the beginning of a regular section in June, made its motives doubly suspect. India was on the side of Sri Lanka in regard to the Special Session. New Delhi was against country-specific Special Sessions and country-specific resolutions outside the Universal Periodic Review framework.



Dr. Jayatilleka had to come up with a strategy to defeat the Western Powers design to punish Sri Lanka for ending terrorism and preventing its dismemberment.



Given his leftist background, with expertise especially in Latin American history and politics, he came up with the idea of getting the support of Asian, African and Latin American countries, and which were wedded to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Given the fact that the Afro-Asian-Latin American bloc had a majority in the 47- member UNHRC, Dr. Jayatilleka set about engaging them vigorously and constantly without a days break.



He had a tough task before him because Sri Lanka was not a member of the Council at the time, and therefore, it had no vote to trade it for favours. And, as the Foreign Office in Colombo feared, many of the NAM countries were tied to the Western powers out of economic and political compulsions. He had to convince these to switch sides.



His approach was novel. He was not one-sided and partisan. He would dialogue with all groups including the Tamil Diaspora and Western diplomats. He would take what is good and reject what is bad in an effort to find areas of agreement while staunchly safeguarding Sri Lankas core interests.



Jayatilleka was by no means a tight-lipped diplomat who spoke only what was scripted and worked only behind closed doors. He would accept speaking engagements and speak to the media, answering every point raised by the latter without fail on the Sri Lankan missions website which became popular for this very reason.



But he would not meekly submit to formulations routinely mouthed by Western diplomats. When a top EU official claimed to be speaking for the international community, Dayan asked her whether she represented the Afro-Asian-Latin American bloc which had a majority in the UNHRC or even the Asian regional powers, India ,Pakistan and China. The official fumbled and finally admitted that she represented only the EU.



And when a powerful Western country demanded that Sri Lanka submit itself to an international inquiry, Jayatilleka sportingly accepted the demand, but on the condition that, for fairness sake, the Western powers also accept a similar inquiry on their depredations in various conflict zones in the world. Great Britain should account for the Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in 1972 and France for what it did in Indo-China and Algeria, he said.

He sought support on universal principles such as equity, transparency, democracy and practicality. He argued forcefully that a legitimate democratic state could not be equated with a terrorist group infamous for its brutality and lack of concern for civilian lives



According to the author of the book, Jayatilleka succeeded because his approach was not emotional or crassly political but intellectual. He sought support on universal principles such as equity, transparency, democracy and practicality. He argued forcefully that a legitimate democratic state could not be equated with a terrorist group infamous for its brutality and lack of concern for civilian lives.



His wide knowledge of current and past conflicts across the world, enabled him to explain the intricacies of Sri Lankas case and seek a tailor-made solution, not one which is based on the theory that one size will fit all.



He argued forcefully on the need to respect the sovereignty of nations quoting internationally known authorities on the dangers inherent in foreign interventions under the Right to Protect (R2P) principle.



Jayatilleka quoted Michael Savage to say that international laws are ethereal and divine but have no institutional existence (except in the case of treaties). Therefore, they cannot fill the void created when sovereignties are vacated in favour of international norms. Chaos invariably ensues R2P. Savage also says that when it comes to the brass tacks, international law is just a reflection of power.



Jayatillekas elucidations secured the willing support and active cooperation of newly emerging countries and even powerful countries in the region like India, Pakistan and China. India supported Sri Lanka despite pressure from the politically-influential Tamil Nadu lobby.



India and Pakistan, at daggers drawn over Kashmir and other issues, were united not only in supporting Sri Lanka on the resolution, but helped it draft the resolution in the interest of equity and national sovereignty.



Jayatilleka was able to kindle in the NAM countries an interest in the preservation of national sovereignty as it enabled them to be stable. Internal stability is key not only for the maintenance of law and order but for the success of social, political and economic development schemes. Unprincipled outside interference could be counterproductive.

He stressed the fundamental necessity of maintaining and ensuring national sovereignty by quoting Indian PM Dr.Manmohan Singhs speech at the UN General Assembly in 2011.



Dr. Singh said: The observance of the Rule of Law is as important in international affairs as it is within countries. Societies cannot be reordered from outside using military force. People in all countries have the right to choose their own destiny and decide their future. 
Wandering with Pleasure along the Roof of the World, the fourth book in a series of Beauty of Travel publications authored by Saman Athaudahetti is to be launched in Beijing, China today at the Wnashou Hotel multiple activities hall.



This publication titled Sonduru Sarisera - Sakwala Piyasa Dige contains detail information on Social, Cultural and political subjects which are inherent to China and the Tibetan region.

The book will be launched in Beijing, China today at the Wnashou hotel



This launch will be presided by the Minister of Lands and Parliament Reforms, Gayantha Karunathilaka and Director General of the Chinese Communist Party, International Department of CPC Central Committee, Yuan Zhibin. Prof Sunil Ariyaratne will be the main speaker at this event. The Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China, Dr Karunasena Kodithuwakku will be the special guest of honour.



This event to felicitate and express the honour of the Chinese Communist Party to an author from Sri Lanka is organized by the International Department of the Chinese Communist Partys Central Committee.
News / National

by Staff reporter

First Lady Grace Mugabe has reportedly denied that she assaulted a young South African model Gabriella Engels, 20, after she allegedly found her with one of her two sons Bellarmine Chatunga at a hotel in Sandon last month.According to a statement dated August 17 and seen by, Grace dismissed Engels' version of events as "malicious allegations" and maintained that she was attacked after "going to help her sons".The first lady portrayed herself as the victim after intervening on behalf of her sons Chatunga and Robert jnr who were "in trouble with a drunken young woman"."She was worried about them (sons) and went to see them at their hotel suite," read the statement. "Upon her arrival, Ms Engels, who was intoxicated and unhinged, attacked Dr Grace Mugabe with a knife after she was asked to leave the hotel."Grace made headlines after she allegedly assaulted Engels on August 13 using an extension cord while her bodyguards looked on.Engels claimed that Grace burst into the room where she was waiting with two friends to meet Chatunga and started assaulting her with an electric cable.Photos taken by her mother soon after the incident showed a gash of Engels' forehead and head. She also had bruises on her thighs, the report said.But the statement suggested that Engels' injuries were as a result of a fight she had at a nightclub the previous night.South Africa granted Grace diplomatic immunity, allowing her to evade immediate prosecution for assault, although Engels and Afriforum have challenged that decision, saying the first lady was not in South Africa on official business.
The 13th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka  France Business Council (SLFBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was held recently.



Jean-Marin SCHUH, the Ambassador for France in Sri Lanka and Maldives hosted the event at his official residence.



The event was attended by Buddhi Athauda  Sri Lanka Ambassador designated to France, the membership of the Business Council and other distinguished guests.



The SLFBC was inaugurated in 2004 under the aegis of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce with the primary objectives of promoting trade, tourism and investments and services between Sri Lanka and France and vice versa.



Dr. Asanka Ratnayake, Group Director  Hayleys Advantis Limited was re-elected as the President of the Council for the year 2017-2018. In his address Dr. Ratnayake emphasized the importance of France as a trading partner for Sri Lanka.



Yatin Kundra, Senior Investment officer of Propaco India and Martin Parent, Director, AFD Colombo office made presentations on AFD and Propacos activities and how the business community could connect with them. The event was attended by over 60 persons from business sectors of member and non-member companies.



On networking front the SLFBC partnered with the Cultural Section of the Embassy of France at Beujolais Nouveau - celebration of the launch of new wine. The event was held in November 2016 at the Waters Edge. It was open for Business Council members and their guests to participate and connect with French culture.



Beginning of July, the Business Council organized another cocktail and networking event with the performance of French Jazz Band Gala Swing Quartet which was attended by over 70 guests.

With positive changes in the regulatory environment, the European Union approved GSP+ concessions to Sri Lanka in May this year. This opens up a plethora of new opportunities for Sri Lankan exporters to enhance trading with French companies.



Speaking at the event, the Chief Guest, Jean-Marin SCHUH spoke of the steady growth in trade and tourism between Sri Lanka and France and acknowledged the improved strength in bilateral relationships between the two countries. He commended the efforts directed towards building strong relationships and mentioned about the MOU to be signed between EDB and Business France.



The Business Council also took the opportunity to bid adieu to Hugues REYDET, the Economic Counsellor of the French Embassy, completing his assignment in Sri Lanka. The President of SLFBC lauded him for his contribution and for the support rendered.



Senake Amerasinghe, Managing Director, Carmart Limited and Godfrey Aloysius, Managing Director  Free Lanka Trading Company (Pvt) Limited were appointed as vice presidents for the ensuing year.
Sri Lankas Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran has said the Tamil minority communitys demand for a federal solution to meet their political aspirations was not aimed at dividing the country.

You [the South] think we [Tamils] are all terrorists. We do not want to divide this country. When we ask for federalism we are being accused of trying to divide the country, Mr. Wigneswaran said.

He said the Tamils want their distinct identity recognised by the majority Sinhalese.

Mr. Wigneswaran made the remarks on September 9 in Kandy where he had gone to meet the Buddhist clergy to highlight the grievances faced by the Tamils. He met Mahanayake Thera of Malwatta Most Venerable Tibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala.

He said the Malwatta sect chief, one of two leading Buddhist sects, acknowledged the issues faced by the Tamils.

Mr. Wigneswaran is being seen as towing the hardline Tamil nationalism in contrast to his party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The TNA shows a conciliatory attitude towards the current government.

Tamils favoured the incumbent Maithripala Sirisena in the presidential election held in 2015 against the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the favourite among the Sinhala Buddhists.

Despite supporting Mr. Sirisena in the election, the Tamils have begun to feel uncomfortable with the slowness in reconciliatory steps taken by him.

They claimed that only symbolic steps had been taken over the last two years to address Tamils grievances.(PTI)
BY Amila Muthukutti

Be it an individual or government, they have to plan well, if they need to accomplish something successfully. President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe recently launched the good governance governments policy framework titled V2025: A Country Enriched explaining the nation how the government will bring economic prosperity over the next few years.

However, such kind of economic policies are not so unfamiliar for citizens in Sri Lanka, since almost every government that ruled the country has launched similar policies. This might cause a doubt among people whether V2025 is also just another policy or not, just like the ones that were introduced in the history.



We need a new policy, mainly due to two reasons. The first is, the previous policies were not successfully implemented. The second is that the socio-economic environment is changing unprecedentedly, which needs updated economic policies to resolve timely problems.



Furthermore, the country, being in a crisis situation where the mountain of debt, lack of foreign direct investment, political instability and natural disasters play a negative role, urgently requires an economic policy like this to wisely change the direction of the economy, avoiding possible economic repercussions in the future.



Vision

It is stated that their vision is to make Sri Lanka a rich country by 2025. The way in which they are going to do this is by creating a knowledge-based, highly competitive social-market economy and by positioning the country as an export-oriented economic hub at the centre of the Indian Ocean. It is amidst these setbacks that Sri Lanka has been able to regain GSP Plus. Put your political ideologies aside, in order that we can have a birds eye view on two selected terms: knowledge-based economy and export-oriented economic hub.



Knowledge economy is an economy in which growth is dependent on the quantity, quality and accessibility of the information available, rather than the means of production. The main contributing factor to the economic growth is knowledge, especially knowledge about markets, new technology, new products and patterns of consumer demand so and so forth. We know different ways whereby we add values to products.



Nevertheless, values can be added to humans only by quality education for which the public sector must join hands with the private sector. The literacy rate is not just sufficient to build this knowledge economy. For this purpose, the government must further encourage private sector investors to pour money into education, especially vocational education.



The export-oriented economy has been a hot topic among the public over the years, as the nation feels its importance like never before. It is needless to state here that exports are mainly backed by the regain of GSP Plus and marginally encouraged by rupee depreciation because rupee depreciation in my view is not a sustainable solution for a rise of exports and seemingly, the country is not yet ready to fully harness the GSP concession, owing to so many reasons such as severe labour shortage in the apparel sector.



The export-oriented economy can be created only by diversifying export items as well as destinations, new free trade agreements (FTA) with strategically important countries and most importantly empowering the local producers financially to become exporters.



Constraints

When a policy is put into action, constraints have to be clearly identified and then avoided. The policy document says that a steady decline in government revenue generation over time has resulted in a steady increase in public debt accumulation, particularly concentrated on high-cost and high-risk non-concessional foreign borrowing. Accordingly, the government has to be ready for financing in order to settle debt. Almost everything that the government will do economically will be connected with this debt settling in the future.



V2025 further states that the fragile financial standing and the poor quality of public service delivery of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are additional constraints to productivity and growth. It is a known fact that public enterprises play a pivotal role in the countrys economy, as many companies listed in Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) are fully or partly owned by the government directly or indirectly. If we have a look at the banking industry in the country, the majority of banks are fully or partly owned by the government. Hence, their underperformance has been a constraint to the economic growth, making news on a daily basis.



The public

No matter whatever the visionary policy is, it needs public support, in order that it becomes a reality. It has to be noted here that due to political parties struggling for power, public support has been badly divided into different parts, which try to take the country on different paths. However, what policymakers should not forget is that policy suggestions can never be put into practice without the public support. Thats why, I emphasize here that Vision 2025 needs to be communicated to the public properly.

It is when the public feels that this policy will bring economic prosperity to the country that they start supporting for its implementation. Accordingly, the governments next duty should be to convince the public and get their support.



(Amila Muthukutti is an economist)
We, Old Joes are well aware that you, Chaplain R.R.W.F. Pereira, have been doing Marine & Navy Missions chaplaincy work in the Port of Colombo for many years. I came to know that you have been in this honorary voluntary ministry for about 40 years, said Chief Engineer Abeyesekera. You are right, Chief, it would be 40 years on March 30, 2016.. The documentary evidence I could produce to substantiate this historical fact is a call card that Warden Mr. Felix Abeykoon gave me when we went to the Port 40 years ago. Though I am not from the Missions to Seamen Club, I accompanied its warden to the Port that day as it was very necessary for him, Fr. Pereira said.



 Father, could you, please, like to elaborate on some important happening that took place during these 40 years, I asked. I have this young naval officer from the Sri Lanka Navy with me today and I think I have got something very interesting and appropriate to tell you which would very much be of interest to him and the people of Sri Lanka responded Fr Pereira and then went on saying.

One morning in the mid eighties I went along the Queen Elizabeth Quay from ship to ship on my usual ship visits. The last ship I boarded was the USS naval vessel, Samuel Gompers. I walked up the gangway with my identity card held up in my right hand. I heard an officer say He seems to know how to identify himself. I received the usual salute. After which the duty officer asked me what I needed. I said that Id like to meet the chaplain on board. The chaplain then came and took me to his office. We had a quiet and friendly introductory talk. As far as I could remember he was Chaplain Fr. Bob N Feagle, US Navy. When we finished our talk he said, Thank you for your visit. I then left the vessel.



When I came to my office that day I heard the office secretary say that there was a lady who was in tears because her son has been bitten by a dog and the Pharmacist at the General Hospital had the anti-rabies serum for dog bites but would not give it to her son unless he was paid Rs.4000 for it. I did not pay much attention to this as I knew that I was not in a position to do anything to get it for her nor to get the Rs.4000 commission needed.



The next day as I did the previous day I went along the QEQ and finally ended up in the USS Samuel Gompers naval vessel. We, the two chaplains, the one on the vessel and I the honorary voluntary service chaplain for the US Navy by the invitation of the Pearl Harbor Fleet Chaplain in Hawaii, sat down once again to talk matters over. When our conversation came to a finish I just mentioned about the Sri Lankan mother who was desperately looking for the anti-rabies serum for her twelve year old son.



As I was about to head to the gangway Chap. Bob N Feagle said looking at me Wait a minute Chaplain Pereira. He then went up to his telephone and gave a call to Chaplain Fr. Gallagher who was at that time on USS Super Air Craft Carrier Kitty Hawk which was anchored at Panadura and asked him if the Doctor on that Air Craft Carrier had the specific anti rabies serum needed. The response was positive. Chaplain Gallagher then told Chaplain Feagle that he would have the anti-toxic serum sent to the Sri Lankan Air Force Grounds. That was to the Saracens grounds where we had watched many a match and had seen Old Joe Captain Keerthi R Caldera keeping wickets for the

Sri Lankan Air Force Team.



We, the two chaplains disembarked,got into a car that was at the QEQ. It sped off to the Air Force Grounds. We got off the vehicle and waited. It did not take ten minutes for me to spot the USS Air Force Helicopter coming our way. It landed with the wind blowing up my hair and cassock. An officer jumped off the Helicopter with the required serum in a polythene bag filled with ice cubes. It was given to Chaplain Feagle who handed it over to me. We then got into the car and came back to the Port where my bicycle had been parked.



I rode to the church where our secretary a Miss Carmichael worked. I handed over the ice packed bag with the serum to her. She put it into a flask with ice and got it in quick time to the childs mother.



The child was then given the serum by the doctor at the General Hospital. I then looked at the Naval Officer who was with us and said Well son, you were that boy the dog had bitten and today you are Lieutenant Commander S N Dias of the Sri Lankan Navy, whom Chaplain Fr. Gallagher of Super Air Craft Carrier, USS, Kitty Hawk had saved. I concluded saying to the young Sri Lankan Naval Officer, As we all thank Chap. Fr. Gallagher of the US Navy please remember to Praise and Thank God for making all the connections and timing to fit into place so perfectly well. Gods timings are perfect timings. 



Dear Chief Engineer Sunil Abeyesekera you seem to come in at the correct time to write the right thing worthwhile at my 40th anniversary. If you had not come the People of the US and the people of Sri Lankans would not have known what the US Navy did for the Sri Lankan Navy. Thank you.



Chief Engineer Paul Sunil Abeysekera, OBUSJC
As former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan pointed out, the central bank until the first week of September 2016, although consulted, was not asked to take a decision on demonetisation.

The RBI annual report 2016-17 shows that 98.96 per cent of the demonetised currency notes which were withdrawn from circulation returned to the banking system, which means only Rs 16,000 crore (1.04 per cent) did not return. In contrast, in the earlier demonetisation drives of 1946 and 1978, about 14 per cent and 16 per cent respectively, of high denomination currency notes did not return to the RBI.

Printing new notes to remonetise the economy cost the RBI Rs 7,965 crore, more than double its expenditure spent on printing notes the previous year. The surplus amount transferred to the government was only Rs 30,659 crore, less than half of what it was the previous year. This diminished transfer to the Union government was largely caused by the increased expenditure for the RBI due to demonetisation. The largely increased currency because of demonetisation led to banks having larger deposits with the RBI. This forced the central bank to pay more to these banks as interest payments.

The economy has also suffered. The recent RBI annual report 2016-17 was a clear indication that demonetisation had been undertaken without any understanding of economic indicators. A day after the report was released, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) revealed that the April-June 2017 quarter saw the GDP drop to 5.7 per cent, markedly lower than the 6.1 per cent growth estimated for the January-March 2017, the quarter just after demonetisation.

In sharp contrast, the April-June quarter of 2016, the previous year saw a high growth rate of 7.9 per cent.

These results were shocking and the Economic Survey 2016-17, Vol II noted in August that the decline in GDP growth rates "predated demonetisation but intensified in the post-demonetisation period".

Even official estimates sharply highlight the negative relationship between demonetisation and the GDP growth expectations. In sum, the secretly planned - which included the refusal to get the approval of the Central Board of the RBI, Section 24(2) - demonetisation far from being a game-changer has turned out to be a veritable disaster.

However, that has not deterred the official rhetoric despite the avalanche of data and inferences from official quarters. The talks of pushing the GDP growth beyond that of China has been given a quiet burial. The critical question that remains answered is: Will anyone or any office be held accountable for this ecomomic debacle?
After hitting Islamabad on the head with the BRICS declaration that named two outfits based in Pakistan for fomenting violence in the region, Beijing is now applying soothing balm on its good brother and ironclad friend by saying that it has fought the good fight against terrorism.

The Chinese aim, as indeed the US goal, is to gently nudge Pakistan in the direction of abandoning support for its proxies which include not just the Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, but the Taliban, which in turn shelters the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

No victory for India

Unlike India, which has an adversarial attitude and is happiest when Islamabad is humiliated, China and the US see considerable value in retaining good ties with Pakistan.

People in India who saw the BRICS declaration as some kind of victory for Indian diplomacy are delusional. China, as the host country, drafted the declaration and did so with its eyes open.

After all, China has been party to UN actions to proscribe the LeT and JeM in the past. It needs to be recalled, too, that the context of the statement was in relation to Afghanistan.

Photo: Reuters

China would hardly abandon Pakistan at this stage. It has invested a great deal of treasure and goodwill in the half-century to use Pakistan to offset Indian primacy in the South Asian region. Now, Islamabad has become an even more important prop for its ambitious Belt Road Initiative, both as a means of providing blockade-free access to oil from the Persian Gulf, as well as a platform to reach out to the rich Gulf region for trade and investment.

Checking militants, be they the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, or the ISIS, is also important for the security of Chinas Belt Road ambitions.

Pakistan probably knows what it needs to do. It has, after all, suffered enormously from the blowback of its support to jihadi terrorists. According to the authoritative South Asia Terrorism Portal, Pakistan has suffered a loss of 21,900 civilians and 6,813 security forces personnel in fighting terrorism since 2003.

In comparison, a much larger India has lost 24,983 civilians and 10,000 security force personnel since 1994. A great deal of terrorist violence in India was, of course, fostered by Pakistan-based groups, or those who were financed and sheltered by the Pakistani state.

Pakistan suffered too

The challenge, as Islamabads friends, the US and China, realise is to get Pakistan to work against its baser instincts. These arise primarily from its kneejerk attitude towards India. Islamabad is happy cutting its own nose to spite its face, when it comes to dealing with New Delhi.

This is the time when India has to decide whether it wants to gloat over Pakistans difficulties, or, in its own interests, become part of the process which will, if handled well, not only transform Pakistan, but the region.

Indias challenge, which it has miserably failed in meeting, is to break the Sino-Pakistan alliance. The problem is that its approach has been incorrect. Instead of enhancing Indias equities in both countries and then dealing with them from a position of strength, New Delhi has been content to deal with the issue in a securitised framework which emphasises military responses over economic.

Wrong approach

A major reason for this is that Pakistan becomes fodder for the electoral process. Bashing Islamabad has played well for the BJP going back to Modis Mian Musharraf days in Gujarat. Now, all that we seem to have in the menu are surgical strikes and more surgical strikes.

The second reason is that many in the establishment simply cannot stomach the idea of an India-Pakistan reconciliation. Revenge seems to be the overriding emotion, rather than a pragmatic approach which would argue that Indias interests are served better by encouraging Islamabads transformation with the help of China and the US, rather than in the schadenfreude of seeing Pakistan squirm in being pinned down on the issue of terrorism.

Let us be clear about one thing. Pakistan is not about to go away from our neighbourhood. The hardliners can seek perpetual confrontation which will not get them what they want  wiping Pakistan from the face of the earth.

It is a large, nuclear armed state and Indias military options are very, very narrow, especially since it has powerful friends in China and the US. All the braggadocio about two-front wars, is essentially self-defeating bluster. It is also a volatile polity.

The challenge is to enable Pakistan to make a soft-landing rather than a crash that can have unpredictable consequences.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has urged the Registrar General's office to consider issuing free identity documents (IDs) to poor Zimbabweans ahead of the 2018 general elections, says a report.According to New Zimbabwe, the Morgan Tsvangirai led party said that it was only fair that poor Zimbabweans be issued with the new identity cards for free, as many of them were not able to pay the $10 required to acquire them.MDC spokesperson Obert Gutu said that his party was not going to accept anything less than free IDs for the poor."No eligible Zimbabwean citizen should be denied a national ID simply because he/she is too poor to pay for the acquisition of such an important document. Similarly, no eligible Zimbabwean citizen should be denied his/her constitutional right to register as a voter simply because they couldn't acquire the relevant national ID," Gutu was quoted as saying.Native applicants were required to pay $10 while aliens are expected to fork out $50 to obtain the IDs.Fresh voter registrationGutu's sentiments came less than two weeks after the MDC called on the country's registrar general Tobaiwa Mudede to ensure that the three months national mobile registration exercise for national identity cards, birth and death certificates in preparation for voter registration was carried out fairly across the country.The new national Identity Documents registration was expected to run from September 4 to November 30.But, according to the report, Mudede's announcement contradicted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC)'s proclamation early this year.The electoral body announced that it was going to roll out a fresh voter registration exercise, removing Mudede from administering the election process.In light of the announcement, Gutu said it was important that the exercise reached even the most rural places in the country to ensure that all Zimbabweans eligible to register to vote were able to do so."On numerous occasions, Zimbabweans, particularly those who live in urban areas, have complained about the long delays in queues for voter registration, which state of affairs has unfortunately contributed to voter apathy in these areas. The planned national mobile registration exercise should, thus, be designed in such a manner that no eligible person would fail to obtain the new machine  readable national ID," said Gutu at the time.
News / Regional

by Stephen Jakes

Nkayi villagers are reported to have gone for three months without getting their pay under the food for work programme.Zimbabwe Peace Project reported that in Nkayi South constituency at ward 29, it is alleged that villagers who had been working under the food for work program had not received their allocation for 3 months March - May period."It is said that when they enquired about their dues from the Social Welfare Officer, Ishmael Makamba and Thabani Tshabalala (village head), they were only advised that they would be given in the next program since the remaining maize stockswere left for campaigns'," said ZPP."Makamba and Tshabalala are on record of giving out maize to individuals thatwere not part of the food for work programme."
Opinion / Columnist

Government needs to restrain itself from being pushed into a messy relationship with South Africa.Events of the last two weeks or so have raised real fears of plunging Zimbabwe into dangerous waters as rants by President Robert Mugabe and his government's decision to ban and reverse later, the visit by South African socialite Zodwa Wabantu, clearly miffed our neighbours, south of Limpopo.Our government is acting with reckless abandon in as far as South Africa is concerned.There are many incidents which are pointing towards triggering off a huge diplomatic row with our powerful neighbours who have at times been forced to give many concessions, just to support Mugabe and his government.Last month, South African government granted diplomatic immunity to First Lady Grace Mugabe when she was facing arrest in Johannesburg.The South African government clearly flouted its laws to avoid upsetting Mugabe and government when it granted Grace diplomatic immunity following allegations of assaulting Gabriella Engels, a 20-year-old South Africa model she found with her two sons at an upmarket hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg last month.It is disturbing that our government is not looking at the big picture that of maintaining cordial relations with our biggest trading partner and neighbour by dissuading Mugabe from making inflammatory attacks against South African people.The issues of banning Zodwa and attacking the late Nelson Mandela expose us to unnecessary tension with South Africa especially when considering how its general populace views fellow Africans.No one has forgotten how Zimbabweans were targeted in Afrophobic and Xenophobic violence which displaced many Africans and Asians in South Africa a few years ago.Zimbabwe has an estimated two million people living and working in South Africa and cannot behave and act as if it wields economic power and has high moral ground over its biggest trading partner and neighbour.The view from South Africa is that the Zimbabwe government is ungrateful and has a very small memory.This is so true.The South African government fought in Mugabe's corner during the political turmoil of 2008 and both Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma took a lot of brickbats for shielding the excesses of Zanu PF government.Naturally, anyone in their right senses would expect Mugabe and his government to view South Africa and its people as true friends not fair weather friends.Someone needs to whisper to our president that South Africa is important to him and indeed all of us.
Virginia State Police reported that the plane landed near the 2000 block of James Madison Highway. There were no injuries, police said.

According to NBC29, the pilot was flying with his family from Buffalo, New York to Greene, North Carolina when he reported engine trouble. The pilot attempted to land the aircraft at a nearby airport, but instead was forced to land in a field about five miles south of Gordonsville.
On Aug. 23, the first day of school this year, Esmont felt like a ghost town.

For resident Peggy Scott, and many others in the community, they had grown accustomed to seeing yellow school buses and children getting dropped off and picked up at Yancey Elementary School around this time of year.

But the Albemarle County School Board voted 5-2 to close it at the end of the last school year, in a move that for many in Esmont seemed abrupt and sudden.

The vote created a rift between the community and the School Board and eroded many residents trust in the board, Scott said.

They punished a community of people who innocently sent their children to be taught and educated, and trusted that the county would do whatever was necessary to make sure it happened, [but] had to then turn around and receive another punishment of not having a school in the community at all, she said.

Scott and a few others in the community have since been appointed to the B.F. Yancey Transition Committee that on Aug. 24 delivered a list of suggested uses for the school building. The School Board has expressed an interest in keeping the building open for community use, likely transferring ownership of the building to the Board of Supervisors.

Other options for the School Board are to keep it or sell it, but the collective interests expressed at recent public meetings have leaned toward transferring the building to the county.

Scott said she and others left the meeting on Aug. 24 feeling hopeful that things can improve, but that they want to keep the committee in place to make sure their voices are still heard and that school division and county officials are held accountable moving forward.

We're very hopeful, I will say that, she said. But  our trust, we're concerned.

The School Board is expecting to vote on a resolution at its meeting Thursday on whether to pass ownership of the building to the county.

It's really progressed, from a public point of view, much smoother than one could imagine, said Bernard Hairston, executive director of community engagement for the school division. However, there are probably a lot of people in the community who are struggling with this decision because they are seeing a part of their history change with the closure of that building.

***

The transition committee was created after a June 29 community meeting at Yancey where residents offered suggestions for what they thought should be done with the building.

The committee is made up of eight community members and was assisted by Hairston; Tim Shea, the school divisions legislative and public affairs officer; and Emily Kilroy, the countys community engagement specialist.

The first phase in the report delivered to the School Board calls for an immediate reopening of the building so that residents can start using it for recreation, as a place for internet access and whatever else the community sees fit for now.

Since Yanceys closure, the building has been regularly maintained by the division to keep it in working order.

This committee is suggesting that theres a sense of urgency that should occur in terms of the use of the building, that it should not sit dormant for an extended time period, Hairston said. I do believe that both boards agree with that concept.

The second phase, asked to be completed by October, calls for the transfer of Yancey to the Board of Supervisors so that educational programs and other social services can be moved into the building.

Some of the potentials include afterschool programs, literacy classes, health department clinics and a satellite police office.

Many residents of southern Albemarle County see this as an opportunity to bring more resources closer to home.

When it comes to the southern part of the county, the citizens that were there at the meeting, the community meeting, felt strongly that theres very little received from the county in the way of sincere support, except for the school, Scott said. The school was the only thing they felt was able to, they were able to see the benefits of their taxes, the benefit of their engagement, the benefits of them being a part of southern Albemarle.

The final phase calls for the initial funding to put these programs in place, as well as creating a historical exhibit and memorial to Benjamin Franklin Yancey, for whom the building is named. The school was founded in 1960.

It also suggests reopening Yancey as an elementary school should the population in that part of the county increase in the future and neighboring schools start to face overcrowding issues.

***

For Scott and many others, its important for the building to serve a purpose in Esmont because the elementary school was seen by many as a hub and epicenter of the community.

Many in the area felt betrayed when the School Board voted to close it on account of an anticipated cut in federal funding, declining enrollment numbers and loss of accreditation. As part of the reaccreditation process, Yanceys turnaround plan involved some changes to instruction and atmosphere at the school.

But since the vote to close was not unanimous, some residents frustrated by the decision dont blame the entire board for what happened. Jason Buyaki and Graham Paige, who is an Esmont native, voted against the closure.

Albemarle County School Board five is what we called it, yeah. ACSB Five, Scott said.

Scott said she thinks the decision to close the school and bus the current Yancey students to Red Hill and Scottsville elementary schools was done so quickly, whos to say they shouldn't feel concerned about the suggestions for the buildings future use.

And thats why, as a way to ensure a sense of transparency and trust in the future, a request has been made to keep the transition committee in tact beyond the School Boards decision on whether to transfer the property to the county.

We thought that if we stayed in play we would be able to at least go back and say this is what we requested, this is what you sounded favorably in support of and this is what has transpired, so a continuing we would see if they would follow through on what they agreed upon, Scott said.

So far, their work has been noticed and appreciated.

Their direct contact is important, and so I think that the transition committee will give the community the feeling that they are being heard, that what their thoughts are  being heard by the School Board, Paige said.

The reopening and future use of Yancey is seen by many as a way to rebuild trust between the School Board and the community.

I think that the community wants something good from it, something good from something that was so hellaciously sad and so devastatingly, essentially demeaning, Scott said.
Law-enforcement agencies across the country use license-plate readers, mounted on vehicles or on stationary poles near roadways, to capture millions of images of license plates each week. The potential invasion of privacy is enormous. Whether it becomes an actual invasion of privacy could turn on who prevails in the courts: The ACLU, or ... the ACLU.

The California Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of the ACLU Foundation of Southern California and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which argued that the license plate reader data collected by the Los Angeles police and sheriffs departments are not confidential and must be publicly disclosed. The court sent the issue back to the trial court to ponder how the data could be released to the plaintiffs in a way that protects drivers identities.

In the meantime, the Virginia Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal brought by the ACLU of Virginia on behalf of a Fairfax man.

A Virginia statute stipulates that government agencies shall not collect personal information except as explicitly or implicitly authorized by law.

Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli warned law-enforcement agencies against storing such data, and the Virginia State Police began deleting it after 48 hours. Many other law enforcement agencies simply ignored Cuccinellis opinion. And a lower court ruled that LPR data is not personal information.

The widespread use of LPRs amounts to dragnet surveillance, and the retention of data for long periods is an invitation to mischief. Court decisions so far have opened up the possibility that anyone with access to moderately sophisticated software could produce a record of someone elses movements that would be the envy of any would-be stalker.

Last year Virginia lawmakers passed a bill to limit LPR data retention to seven days, but Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoed it. The legislators need to pass it again. Hopefully, the next governor will show more sense.

Excerpted from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Red Back Hymnal Singing will be Sunday, Sept. 17, at 6 p.m. at the Hullander Farm in Apison.

Bill Hullander said there will be a special offering to help long time friends living in Florida that received extensive damage from Hurricane Irma. Everyone is welcome.

The Hullander Farm is at 10944 London Lane, Apison, Tn.
Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson has received an official request for assistance due to Hurricane Irma. Seven Bradley County Sheriff's Office deputies and three Bradley County constables have been deployed to parts of North Carolina to provide temporary security coverage. The coverage duration

will be determined by hurricane Irma's path and will cease when the situation stabilizes.

"Those who choose the law enforcement profession are a family," said Sheriff Eric Watson.

"Many forget when tragedy comes, most often times those who protect need assistance as well. The Bradley County Sheriff's Office is proud to be able to provide that assistance to those who have taken thesame oath of service to the public as we have. They go with their tools, their labor and our prayers."

The officers will be working under a Declaration of a State of Emergency Executive Order signed by Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina.
Works for Red Hat on open source integration projects such as Apache Camel, fabric8 and hawtio. Author of Camel in Action books.
A meditation and sharing support group that brings together the practice of meditation, Buddhist teachings and the 12 steps of recovery integrating the basic sanity of the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation.

The Heart of Recovery is a meditation and sharing support group with the purpose of bringing together the practice of meditation, the Shambhala and Buddhist teachings, and the Twelve Steps of Recovery with the goal of integrating the basic sanity of the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation with our commitment to abstinence. We welcome all those who wish to share in these common interests.

There are no requirements to attend our meetings.

Suggested donation: $5

The Heart of Recovery is a meditation and sharing support group with the purpose of bringing together the practice of meditation, the Shambhala and Buddhist teachings, and the Twelve Steps of Recovery with the goal of integrating the basic sanity of the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation with our commitment to abstinence. We welcome all those who wish to share in these common interests.

There are no requirements to attend our meetings.

Suggested donation: $5
Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts (CSLA) and Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences (CSAS) will begin their process of Admissions for Kindergarten 2018-19 in the coming weeks. If your child will be 5 years old by August 15, 2018, they will be eligible to be entered in the Kindergarten Lottery for the two schools that will be held October 4, 2017.

In order to submit an application for your child into the lottery, a parent or guardian must attend one of the Orientation Meetings at the school they are interested in attending. If a parent is interested in both schools, they will need to attend a meeting at EACH school. Meetings are designed for adults and children are not encouraged to attend. These meetings should last no longer than 1  hours. At the conclusion of the meeting, the parent/guardian will be given an application for that particular school with a Lottery ID number on it. Applications must be filled out and returned that evening to be placed in the lottery. On October 4, the lottery will be live-streamed from HCDEs Central Office and parents/guardians will be able to see when their Lottery ID number is drawn. Separate lotteries will pull applications from CSAS and CSLA that same day. During the Orientation Meetings, parents/guardians will be informed of the process and requirements after the lottery if they choose to pursue possible admission for their child. CSLA and CSAS can only admit Hamilton County residents to their schools and proof of residency will be required if a student is offered admission.

CSLA Orientation Meetings (attend ONE)  Tue, Sept.

CSAS Orientation Meetings (attend ONE)  Thur, Sept. 21 @ 6pm and Tue, Sept. 26 @ 6pm. CSAS is located at 865 East Third Street downtown. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes prior to park and be seated for meeting to begin.

Additional information about Kindergarten Admissions is available on both the CSLA website (csla.hcde.org) and the CSAS website (mycsas.com). Both schools accept applications for grades beyond Kindergarten at any point in the year and students are added to the wait list for those grades based on the date the application is submitted. Applications can also be found at the school websites.
Mumbai: India's dream for laying high-speed rail corridor networks across country is going to get a further push as reports say Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe are set to lay foundation stone for Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail Network, according to a report in The Financial Express.

The project cost of the 516-km long route on India's western map, according to some preliminary estimates, has been pegged at Rs 1 lakh crore or $16 billion. The foundation stone laying ceremony will take place in Ahmedabad on September 14 where Abe will also remain present. Abe is also likely to pay a visit to Sabarmati Ashram during his brief Gujarat trip.

For the uninitiated, the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail Network is India's first high-speed rail corridor being built as a joint venture partnership between the Indian and the Japanese governments. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is arriving in India on his three days official visit and is expected to sign as many as 10 memorandums of understandings.

Abe will also accompany Modi to the latter's home state Gujarat which has so far received $1 billion worth of investments from Japan. On Abe's visit, that investment is likely to be raised to over $3 billion.

Once the bullet train starts plying between the two cities, travel time taken will also come down substantially and the project will get India a place among countries famous for high speed rail corridors.
Mumbai: Naresh Goyal on Monday scotched rumours about Gulf carrier Etihad Airways exiting its over three year-old equity partnership with Jet Airways and also said he is not looking for another partner.

"We have no plans to sell stake to another investor. Also, our partner Etihad has no intention to exit their investment in Jet Airways," Goyal, the chairman of the country's largest international airline told reporters on the sidelines of the AGM here.

The Abu Dhabi-based Etihad had in April 2013 invested Rs 2,069 crore in Jet for a 24 per cent equity but of late there have been plenty of rumours about both the partners not seeing eye-to-eye and looking for other options.

In recent months there have also been reports about Jet courting American carrier Delta after the two entered into a extensive code share agreement. Rumour mills were also active about other Gulf carriers looking at a stake in Jet.

The speculation became active after government liberalised foreign ownership norms for the aviation sector wherein 100 per cent FDI is allowed in the sector provided the foreign investor is not an airline operator and 49 per cent if the investor is an overseas airline.
New Delhi: Equity mutual funds registered a record inflow of Rs 20,362 crore in August on strong participation from retail investors and steps taken by markets regulator Sebi to create awareness about such investment products.

This also marks the seventeenth straight month of inflows into equity schemes. Prior to that, such funds had witnessed a pullout of Rs 1,370 crore in March 2016.

The strong inflows have pushed the asset base of equity mutual funds (MFs) by more than 2 per cent to Rs 6.44 lakh crore at the end of August from Rs 6.3 lakh crore in the preceding month.

According to data of the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi), equity funds, which also include equity-linked saving schemes (ELSS), saw net inflows of Rs 20,362 crore in August, higher than Rs 12,727 crore in the preceding month.

"The correction in equity markets in August failed to dampen the spirits of investors as equity mutual funds saw accelerated net inflows in the month. A strong SIP book and 'dip buying' by investors resulted in strong net inflows in equity funds," Bajaj Capital CEO Rahul Parikh said.

Kaustubh Belapurkar, Director (Manager Research) at Morningstar is of the view that last three years, especially 2016, have been characterised by large inflows into equity with increasing participation from retail investors.

"We have witnessed spectacular increase of flows into mutual funds, especially equity funds since demonetisation announcement. While this cannot solely be attributed to the effects of demonetisation, but to a culmination of the combined efforts of the entire industry value chain to reach out to the investors and educating them on the benefits of investing," he said.

The flow of money into formal economy post demonetisation has further helped in increasing the attractiveness of mutual funds as an investment avenue.

Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) have been the preferred route for retail investors to invest in mutual funds as it helps them reduce market timing risk. At present, the industry receives about Rs 5,000 crore per month through SIPs -- an investment vehicle that allows investors to invest in small amounts periodically instead of lump sums. The frequency of investment is usually weekly, monthly or quarterly.

"Another heartening trend is that unlike earlier market corrections, in the market correction of November 2016, significant flows came into equity funds and continued to come in through the months after. This can be attributed to increasing awareness and maturity levels of investors. Domestic flows have acted a counterbalance to volatile foreign flows through the year," Belapurkar said.

Over the last few years, Sebi has been taking measures to increase MF penetration in smaller cities and getting newer investors into the fold by allowing for an additional 30 basis points expense and 2 basis points towards investors' education.

Overall, the assets under management (AUM) of the MF industry, comprising 42 players, reached to an all time high of Rs 20.6 lakh crore in August-end from Rs 19.97 lakh crore at the end of July.
Kangana Ranaut, who is gearing up for her next film, Simran's release, sat down with Deccan Chronicle for a quick chat and spoke about her experience in the industry, Simran, Rangoon's failure, her upcoming projects among many other things.

Excerpts from the interview:

How was your journey from playing Simran in Gangster to your next film Simran?

Well, Gangster is a very important film in my career. It changed a lot in my life. It was like a magic moment. Like in my upcoming film Simran, that magic moment never happened in her life otherwise there is no difference between Kangana and my character. The role I am playing in the film is called Praful Patel but you have to see the film to find out how she became Simran.

Your character in Simran is touted as a free-spirited woman, how different it is from Queen?

So far the roles for women are shown filled with pain and loneliness. For the first time ever, Hansal sir has treated a woman like a human. There is a lot more than love in her life. She also wants to drive a fancy car and eat nice like a man. She has full right to have desires like a man. I am a huge fan of Hansal sirs work. Though it is a real portrayal but I wanted to add some comic element in it. We added a lot dialogues on the sets too.

What is your idea of feminism?

Feminism is equality. It is compensation, not a concept. I feel it should not exist in healthy society. It is a sick society and feminism is its medicine.

Do you still feel an outsider in the industry?

I dont think so. I have been a part of some of the most amazing films in Bollywood and I am a leading face of the industry. I have done significant films and have bagged three national awards. How can I be still an outsider? I am somebody who is an integral part of the industry so far.

How did you handle the failure of Rangoon?

I have learned a lot from the failure of Rangoon. I was disturbed since I had expectations from the film but on the other hand I got a reality check too. I thought if I keep expecting from myself like this, it will become a vicious circle. But now I feel free and liberated. I have build a beautiful house in Manali. Who knows my films will work or not ahead but it is like an added bonus to my career. I will be always remembered as one of the leading faces of the Indian cinema. After this nothing matters. Rangoons failure was like my biggest fear come true. I feel nothing worst can happen than this. Nothing can bring me down when you are so down already. (Laughs)

Does criticism still bothers you?

I dont feel that as a human I am perfect. I am open for criticism but if someone just wants to play around with me for time pass, thats unacceptable. Bullying is totally different from criticism. A lot of people say that I gave that interview just to promote my film but any film isnt bigger than a womans character. It is about my life and not the films. Whoever will point out finger for my conduct as a human being, I am going to protect my dignity as a woman. No one can tell me that I cant protect my dignity when my film is around the release.

How did the idea of direction come to you?

When you achieve a certain level in your work, you tend to look out in venturing other aspects. When I came to Mumbai, I saw few dreams and now they are fulfilled. I feel a person should not forget their goals. As a public figure, there are certain responsibilities towards society. I want to make films to communicate with the audience.

Is it a conscious effort to do films which strictly have meaty roles for you?

Of course it is my conscious decision. If I am investing my time and hard work in a film, my fans also have expectations from me. In fact, whenever I have done films with established stars, they surprisingly didnt work at the BO, be it Katti Batti or Rangoon. I dont regret leaving Sultan even for that matter. When a film comes to you, you know if they will do business unlike they are Queen which became a sleeper hit. Its such a beautiful phase of my life. Life isnt a bed of roses.

Are you lonely in life despite being on the top?

I feel, if your family or few close friends are there in your life with whom you can spend good time then you are not lonely. There are few such people in my life too. I make sure that I am not lonely. There are few good friends in the industry too who give me respect and love. I could easily seek help from them.

One thing you want to change in yourself?

I over think a lot. I take small things too seriously. I feel I shouldnt! Like, I reach before time everywhere. I expect the same from my team even.
Cairo: Actor Priyanka Chopra, on her maiden visit to a Syrian refugee camp in the Jordanian capital of Amman, is appalled by their plight and said the world should be inspired by their resilience.

More than 5 million people have fled war-torn Syria since the civil war began in 2011 and have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey as well as Jordan.

Priyanka, who is the Unicef global goodwill ambassador, has been documenting her visit to Amman, which hosts 1,80,000 Syrian refugees, on Instagram. She shared her interactions with refugee kids, who are desperately seeking normalcy in their lives.

"Today was very emotional. As we go about our daily privileged lives, it's hard to imagine that everything can be taken from you in an moment. Today we spent the day in a host community meeting Syrian refugee families (like this one) so desperately seeking a safe place of normalcy for their families," the actor posted on the photo-sharing website, along side a short video of her playing with kids from a refugee Syrian family.

Priyanka, 35, shared that more than 80 per cent of the Syrian refugees in Jordan live outside refugee camps in cities, urban centers and farming villages (host communities.)

"Amman hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees, about 1,80,000 people. Refugee families in host communities have limited livelihood opportunities, and after 6 years, have depleted their savings and borrowed money from everywhere to feed and support their families. @unicef #ChildrenUprooted #TheyAreUs," she further wrote.

In a previous post, Priyanka explained her decision to share the plight of Syrian refugees, especially kids, saying she wanted the world to be inspired by their resilience and their hope for a better tomorrow.

"I have never done this when I do field trips, but on this one I feel compelled to reflect on what I feel after every session because I felt a lot. The anger and agony I felt seeing these beautiful hopeful children ravaged by war was so raw.

"The world has seen the pain war has left in Syria but the resilience and joy and hope in spite of it is so inspiring to me. These kids are my inspiration. They should be yours too," she said.
Chennai: Ace filmmaker AR Murugadoss said shooting his upcoming bilingual project 'Spyder', featuring Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, was extremely challenging.

The director said making a film was a tough task as they had to shoot simultaneously in Tamil and Telegu.

"While shooting bilinguals, filmmakers usually shoot the close-up sequences alone twice. But, we have walked the extra mile in 'Spyder.'

"We had even filmed some silence sequences twice to ensure authenticity in details for both Tamil and Telugu. It was a taxing experience. It's definitely not an easy task to make an authentic bilingual," AR Murugadoss told reporters at the audio launch of the movie here.

The 42-year-old filmmaker said he wanted to make 'Ghajini' and 'Thuppakki' in Telugu with Mahesh Babu, but things did not work out.

"Since 'Ghajini' was dubbed in Telugu, I later wanted to remake 'Thuppakki' in Telugu with Mahesh. But, it also didn't happen. When I had an exciting line for a spy thriller and approached him for a straight bilingual in Tamil and Telugu, he gave his nod immediately."

Appreciating the actor's commitment and dedication, Murugadoss said, "When we had to shoot continuously during the night for more than two months, he gave us full support without making any qualms. He was also keen to extend the call sheet if there was a need.

"Last I witnessed such commitment from an actor was when I made 'Ghajini' with Aamir Khan."

Mahesh Babu said 'Spyder' is an intense film with great action sequences.

"The action sequences in the movie were physically demanding. Stunt master Peter Hein has given his best effort for the film. I had a great experience working on a bilingual project for the first time."

The actor said making a foray into Tamil industry was never planned.

"Even after 18 years in the industry, I still feel like a debutant. By God's grace, I have a huge market in Andhra Pradesh. The immense love of my fans is enough for this lifetime. Since the movie is made on a huge budget, it always helps to have an additional market. But I'm glad that I'm making my Tamil debut with a film like 'Spyder'," he said.

The movie features Rakul Preet as the female lead and actor-director SJ Suryah plays the antagonist. Harris Jayaraj has composed the music for the film.

Produced by NVR Cinema and Tagore Madhu, 'Spyder' will release worldwide on September 27.
Patient samples revealed the presence of bacteria associated with pneumonia. (Photo: Pixabay)

A new study shows that guinea pigs or cavies are making people ill. The statement comes after three people, in three years have been taken to hospital after developing life-threatening pneumonia from their pets.

Studies show that most guinea pigs likely harbour the bacteria responsible for the inflammatory lung condition, which is detectable by the animals developing a pink eye.

According to researchers from Bernhoven Hospital, who conducted the study, they found three cases of guinea pig-related pneumonia have occurred in the Netherelands in three years.

All three incidents involved two women and one man, all in their early 30s.

They had guinea pigs as pets who had recently shown respiratory symptoms.

The man had two guinea pigs, while one of the female patients had 25. The other woman worked in a vet clinic where she cared for guinea pigs suffering from pink eye and nasal inflammation.

Patient samples revealed the presence of bacteria associated with pneumonia. In one of the individuals, this bacteria could be traced back to their specific guinea pig.

The report was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

According to lead author Dr Bart Ramakers, doctors and veterinarians should be aware of the bacterium, especially now that we have demonstrated that it can be transmitted from guinea pigs to humans.
The doctor said he can be treated but further delay can cause bigger problems (Photo: AFP)

Self styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahims conviction for raping two female followers was followed by widespread unrest and violence by his supporters. Now the Dera Sacha Sauda chief is reportedly feeling uneasy and restless in addition to trouble with diabetes.

Doctors who examined Singh revealed that he is a sex addict and cited the same as a reason for his restlessness in jail. A doctor who was part of the team told a leading publication that the rapist godman has no access to physical pleasures ever since he has been in jail, and this is making him uneasy.

The doctor added that his condition can be treated but a delay in diagnosis can lead to a bigger problem. Its still not clear if he is addicted to drugs but a former member of the Dera Sacha Sauda mentioned that he did consume energy drinks and sex tonics imported from Australia on a regular basis.

Singh also reportedly requested authorities to allow his closest aide Honeypreet to stay with him claiming that she was his physiotherapist and he required her massage.
Veteran Congressman R. Ramalinga Reddy, considered a soft-spoken politician, has taken over the hot seat of home minister. Less than 48 hours after he took over, the city witnessed the gruesome murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh which shook the conscience of the country. In a free-wheeling interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr Reddy spoke about various issues-from taking over the mantle to cracking the Gauri murder case. Here are excerpts from the interview.

You had done a good job as transport minister. Suddenly your portfolio was changed. Do you feel sad?

Not really. It is quite common, theres nothing unusual.

Did the Chief Minister discuss this with you? One version is that you wanted to retain the transport portfolio besides taking up the responsibility of home.

He told me about this a week back. It is not true that I insisted I would keep the transport portfolio besides taking up the new responsibility. I have never asked for any portfolio, I have followed this tradition since 1994. Whatever portfolio the CM gave me, I took it up.

Do you feel bad? The credit for what you did in the transport department may go to the new minister?

No. Why should I? Ramalinga Reddy as an individual cannot win the election without the Congress party. It is the Congress which gave me this opportunity. So the credit should go to the party, not me.

The police department seems to be having a unique problem. The power to transfer IPS officers is with the CM. Then how will the home minister function?

Not only in the police wing, in all other departments, the power to transfer IAS and IPS officers is vested with the CM only. For instance, under the transport department, I had KSRTC which had four or five IAS and IPS officers. Once they are posted, they have to take commands from the minister.

Unlike other departments, the police department has the highest central cadre officers (IPS) from top to bottom. A large section of officers constantly lobby for plum posts or they are transferred frequently for political reasons. For instance, Bengaluru city had four commissioners in four years!

City commissioner is a ADGP rank post. What happens is sometimes, the officer comes to this post at a stage when he is due for promotion. Once they get promoted, they move on. Thats why when you look at it from outside, it looks like frequent transfers.

But the officers focus seem to be on transfers and getting key posts. How can citizens expect safety and security from these officers?

You know the city has so many police stations. From the lower to middle level, we have so many officers working here. So, they do a professional job. As for city police commissioner, he may have worked in the city in different capacities. For instance the incumbent, Suneel Kumar, knows the city very well because in the past, he had worked here.

Irrespective of political parties which form governments, the chief minister keeps the intelligence wing with him. On several occasions, intelligence failure led to crimes but people blame only the home minister, not the chief minister. Is it fair?

Not really. The home minister will get almost all the inputs that the CM gets. The intelligence wing keeps track of many activities be it social movements, rallies and farmer agitations. Sometimes, organised crimes cannot be tracked because the plot might be hatched outside the state`s border. Under such circumstances, it is virtually impossible to track them.

Moving on, a year-and-a-half ago, the cabinet took a decision to drop cases filed against the minority community and a few organisations. The police now claim to have cracked the murder cases of RSS activist Sharat Madiwala and the Mysuru Kyatamaranalli case. In both cases, the arrested belong to one organisation. In hindsight, do you regret the cabinet decision?

The cabinet took a wise decision. But before that, the cabinet constituted a sub-committee which vetted the cases and their merits. See, farmers agitating on the Cauvery issue, political agitations, the Tipu Sultan agitation are some of the cases which we said should be dropped. Accordingly, we took a decision. Cases serious in nature have not been dropped. For instance, the cases involving murder charges or destruction of public property would not be dropped.

The police feel the pattern in the Gauri Lankesh murder case is similar to that of Kalburgi murder. The state government did not hand over the Kalburgi murder case to the CBI. But you are ready to give the Gauri case to CBI. Why?

No, in Kalburgis case, his family did not want a CBI probe. In Gauris case, what we said was we are open to a CBI probe.

There is a perception gaining ground that the investigation seems to be going nowhere. If you hand over the case to the CBI now and the central agency fails to crack the case before the polls, you could go around the state and blame the CBI, isnt it?

Why? Didnt we give the lottery case to CBI? If we give all the cases to CBI, what will our police officers do? We have competent officers and they do justice to their work. Moreover, the Dhabholkar case was handed over to CBI in 2013. Four years have passed and nothing has happened. One individual belonging to Sanatana Samsthe was arrested but the one who pulled the trigger is still at large. How can you say that CBI can crack the case? Our police crack 99 per cent cases.

After the Gauri case, writers and intellectuals who were with the Congress government all these four years, seem to have developed a trust deficit.

I can understand their growing anxiety. What they feel is: if the perpetrators of the Kalburgi murder had been brought to book, this incident would not have happened. Therefore, we constituted a SIT in no time. We genuinely want to crack this case and book the perpetrators.

Finally, are you confident that you can discharge your duty free of any influence?

(smile) Why? Do you have any doubt?

The buzz in Vidhana Soudha is that Mr Kempaiah (the home ministers advisor) will override you?

He is a security advisor. He can give suggestions. Along with his inputs, I will take the advice and suggestions from retired officials and opposition leaders and will then take decisions. What you said is a misconception. A minister is a minister. No one can take away his power. So, don't worry, I will discharge my duties freely.
Chattanooga firefighters who responded to the Woodmore Bus Crash on Nov. 21, 2016, were recognized for their efforts on Monday by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

The recognition is normally reserved for one first responder, but in this case it made an exception.





Here is a portion of what Commissioner Purkey read out loud before presenting the certificate: "On November 21, 2016, a school bus carrying 37 K-5 students from Woodmore Elementary School crashed into a tree, killing six children and injuring many more. This incident drew national attention due to the tragic loss of life, and the coverage that followed related to the bus driver. What did not make the news were the heroic actions of Chattanooga firefighters. This was a very complicated extrication operation. The bus was partially wrapped around a large tree. In addition to the injured and deceased students, several were trapped in the twisted wreckage. It took the firefighters roughly two hours to free all of the victims. Even knowing the gravity of what they were dealing with, the firefighters fell back on their training and stayed focused until the job was done. As a result, many other children on that bus were saved due to the heroic actions of the firefighters, and the support they received from EMS and police."





Here is a list of all the firefighters who were involved in the fire department's response to the Woodmore Bus Crash:




Assailants fled the spot in a vehicle but the victim managed to note down the number of the vehicle (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: A 22-year-old man was thrashed allegedly by five men for speaking with his friend in fluent English while dropping him off at a five-star hotel in Lutyens' Delhi, police said today.

The incident was reported in the early hours on Saturday, they said.

Three persons have been arrested in this connection, they said.

According to the police, Varun Gulati, a resident of Noida, had come to the five-star hotel in Connaught Place to drop off his friend Aman in his friend Daksh's car.

While Gulati was walking back to the hotel after seeing off Daksh, a group of five men, who were inebriated, rounded him up. They asked him why was he speaking in English, they said.

Both the sides got into an argument and the men assaulted Gulati, police said.

The assailants fled the spot in a vehicle but the victim managed to note down the number of the vehicle, they said.

On the basis of the number plate, three of the accused were identified and arrested, police said, adding a hunt is on to trace the rest.
Nirmala Sitharaman, who was appointed as the Defence Minister in the last Cabinet reshuffle, visited the Uttarlai Air Force base in Barmer on Sunday. (Photo: Twitter/@IAF_MCC)

Barmer: Dismissing the CAG report, which stated that the defence forces had ammunition that could last for 20 days in the event of a war, as "factually wrong", Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday asserted there was no dearth of weapons with the defence forces.

Facts were wrong and it was unnecessary to debate on the issue, she said.

"After taking the charge of defence ministry, I have discussed the issue with senior officers and experts. Purchasing weapons...is a continuous process," she said.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its report tabled in Parliament recently, had stated that the defence forces had ammunition that could last for 20 days in the event of a war, instead of the minimum requirement of 40 days.

It criticised the state-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) for inadequate quantity of ammunition supplied to the Army since March 2013.

Sitharaman's predecessor in the Defence Ministry, Arun Jaitely had told Parliament that the findings of the CAG report, which had talked about the shortage of ammunition, related to a particular point of time.

"Thereafter significant process has been made. It is a continuous process. Therefore, nobody should have any doubt about the availability of equipment or the preparedness of our forces," he had said.

Nirmala Sitharaman, who was appointed as the Defence Minister in the last Cabinet reshuffle, visited the Uttarlai Air Force base in Barmer.
Historian Ramachandra Guha was issued a legal notice by Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha over his statement on murder of senior journalist and social activist Gauri Lankesh. (Photo: PTI | File)

Bengaluru: The Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha's secretary on Monday issued legal notice to historian Ramachandra Guha over his statement on murder of senior journalist and social activist Gauri Lankesh.

The notice comes after Guha in an interview to Scroll.in the day after Lankesh was killed, said, It is very likely that her (Gauri Lankeshs) murderers came from the same Sangh Parivar from which the murderers of Pansare, Dabholkar and Kalburgi came.

He went on to say, "The ruling dispensation in Delhi has created a climate of hate and intolerance."

The historian made a similar statement to The Indian Express newspaper where he said, "The climate of hate and intolerance that has been promoted by this current (BJP) government, aided by television channels and freelance goondas, is complicit in this murder. It is chilling. We are becoming mirror images of Bangladesh and Pakistan, where writers are killed for what they say. This is an attempt to silence all of us, all of those who believe in democracy and decency."

Senior journalist and social activist Gauri Lankesh was murdered outside her Bengaluru residence last Tuesday. Seven bullets were fired at the senior journalist, when she was about to enter her Bengaluru house. Three bullets hit her  two in her chest and one in the forehead.
The Prime Minister referred to Vivekanandas address on 09/11 and also referred to the terror attack on the US on September 11, 2001. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday batted for innovation and promoting skills among the youth and asked them to work for a modern India.

The world evaluates the country where it is today not what it was 5,000 years ago or during the times of Lord Rama or Buddha, the Prime Minister said at an event to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago.

Vivekananda supported experimentation and innovation and his government was working according to the ideals shown by him, Modi said.

The Prime Minister referred to Vivekanandas address on 09/11 and also referred to the terror attack on the US on September 11, 2001.

The devastating terror strike might not have happened if the significance of the other 09/11 had not been forgotten. Vivekananda, the Prime Minister added, had given the message of love and brotherhood.

Modi used the occasion to speak against people who litter and said those who do so have no right to say Vande Mataram.

The crowd intermittently shouted 'Vande Mataram' as the Prime Minister spoke.

Lauding sanitation and cleaning workers, he said they have the first right to say Vande Mataram.

The Prime Minister also asked colleges to hold cultural events to celebrate other states and added in a light-hearted vein that he was not against celebrating days like rose day. Students should do more, Modi said, asking them to hold a Tamil day in a Haryana college or a Kerala day in a Punjab college.

There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses. There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation & fulfil the aspirations of our people, he said.

Indias standing in the world has risen, he said, crediting janshakti (peoples power) for this.
Police personnel maintain security at the Ryan International School in the view of protests in Gurugram on Sunday, two days after a 7-year-old class 2 student of the school was brutally murdered. (Photo: PTI)

Gurgaon: The Station House Officer (SHO) at Sadar Sohna, Inspector Arun, was suspended on Sunday night with immediate effect in connection with the Ryan International School murder case, confirmed the Gurugram Police Commissioner.

Ryan International Group's Northern Zone Regional Head, Francis Thomas, and the Human resources (HR) Head, Bhondsi branch, Jeyus Thomas have also been arrested.

Amid raging protests over the gruesome killing of a seven-year-old student in the Ryan International School on Friday, the state government on Monday issued an order stating that all campuses of the aforementioned school will be closed till Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in a move to tackle protests, additional security has been deployed across all campuses of the school.

Earlier on Friday, the school's bus conductor was nabbed after the body of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur was found inside the toilet of the high-profile school, with his throat slit, following which the school's principal was suspended.

On Sunday morning, hundreds of people, including parents and locals, held huge protests demanding that the police must take action against the school.

Media personnel were also injured during the lathi-charge and their vehicles were also damaged.

The father of the victim, Varun Thakur on Sunday demanded a parallel CBI enquiry as the school has severe administrative loopholes, adding that the family would move the Supreme Court on Monday.

"It's been two days that my son is dead and we all miss him a lot. My only wish is that the truth should come out and justice be given to me and my wife. There is something which the local police are missing and so the case should be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). I am not happy with the police investigation, and I want a detailed investigation as there is something which is missing in the probe. There are a lot of loopholes which need to be investigated and the CBI can do an in-depth investigation which will clear the motive of the murder."

"The murder took place within 10 minutes, which means the conductor was already prepared to kill my son. As soon as the kid entered the toilet, the accused attacked him. Also, why did no one listen to my child when his throat was slit? Did they ignore deliberately? I think the investigation is being influenced by someone who does not want the truth to come out. No culprit must be spared. Even if one of them is let loose, it'll boost the morale of people like them," he added.

Demanding Section 304 of the IPC slapped against school management, the weeping father said that the school should own up the blunder and take measures to ensure the safety of children.

"If the conductor has no criminal history then how did he plan the murder? What instigated him to kill my son? Why did he take a knife with him only on that day? The police have added Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act against school management, but I demand that the police should also add Section 304 (death by negligence) of the IPC . Also, no one from the school management has met us or spoken to us so far. Soon after the incident, the school is not coming forward to accept negligence on their part. They should accept their mistake and speak up. They should own up the blunder and take measures to ensure safety and security of other students. I have lost my son, but I do not want history to repeat," he said.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to look into the case has pointed out serious security lapses in the school.

The SIT averred that the school did not have separate toilets for staff like drivers and conductors, while adding that the administration even did not get their employees identification verified.

The report by the investigative team also highlighted that the CCTV cameras of the school weren't working properly and were not installed everywhere. Also, the fire extinguishers were expired. It was also revealed that the school establishment had broken boundary walls.

The report further said that there were no separate toilets for conductors and drivers and the wall behind the school remained unfinished which easily allowed anyone to enter the school premises without permission.

The report also added that a proper police verification of employees working at Ryan International School was not done by the school authorities.
Earlier on Thursday too, the Pakistan Army violated ceasefire across the Line of Control in Poonch sector. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Poonch (J&K): The Pakistan army violated ceasefire by resorting to firing at P-1and P-2 posts in the Shahpur sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

Further details are awaited.

This comes two days after the Pakistan Army once again turned to unprovoked ceasefire violation in the Poonch sector.

Earlier on Thursday too, the Pakistan Army violated ceasefire across the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch sector.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said all the 22 languages included in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India are national languages and should be given equal importance. (Photo: File)

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday wrote to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and asked him to direct Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) to amend language proficiency clause for the state.

In his letter, Siddaramaiah said, "I wish to bring to your attention an urgent issue concerning the centralised recruitment system for the banks across the country."

He said the candidates, with proficiency in local language, should be given preference in selection of Bank Officers and Office Assistants in Karnataka.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the selected candidates must know the local language, Kannada to communicate with the people in rural areas.

"The Central recruitment agency, IBPS, while framing rules for recruitment of Office Assistant and others to RRBs has diluted the clause on language proficiency. The recent notification of IBPS dated 22.07.2017 is attached. This change in rules under the system is proving to be utterly insensitive to the regional sentiments causing large scale resentment among youngsters of our state," the letter said.

Karnataka CM writes to Finance Minister, asking him to direct Institute of Banking Personnel Selection to amend language proficiency clause. pic.twitter.com/lvcfTt6Wyp  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

The Chief Minister said all the 22 languages included in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India are national languages and should be given equal importance.

"All 22 languages included in Schedule VIII of the Constitution India are national languages and they demand equal importance with no language having preference over other. Therefore, the medium of examination should in all the 22 officially languages of the Constitution," stated Siddaramaiah.

Siddaramaiah said this period can be extended by the Boards of RRBs within the framework of the rules and provided that such extension should not be beyond the probation period.

"This deviation from the earlier recruitment policies is going against the very founding principles of establishment of RRBs, which are meant to cater to the banking needs of rural masses. The employees of RRBs are transferred, promoted and placed within the geographical limits of a few districts. These employees are supposed to acquire thorough knowledge of local language and environment to better appreciate the needs of people," he wrote.

Earlier in March, the Karnataka Government had ordered the officers of the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) to implement Kannada as the administrative language in the state saying it would initiate an action against those who failed to do so.

The development came after the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) issued a show-cause notice to senior IAS officer Srivatsa Krishna, who is currently the secretary of the public enterprises department, after he allegedly instructed his subordinates to put up files in English citing they would be returned if instructions were not followed.

The authority reportedly asked Srivatsa for an explanation and an immediate withdrawal of his directive, which reportedly stated that all files had "to be put up in English with relevant acts, latest government order, circulars otherwise the files would be returned."

The notice stated that Kannada is the administrative language in the state and hence, should be implemented at every stage of development adding that the directive by Krishna was "highly condemnable and unpardonable."
People crowd near the site of mishap where an under-construction ovebridge collapsed at Bomikhal in Bhubaneswar. (Photo: PTI)

Bhubaneswar: A motorist was killed and a few workers were feared trapped under the rubble of an under-construction flyover that collapsed at Bomikhal here in the city on Sunday.

According to eyewitnesses, the mishap occurred at around 12.30 pm when 30-40 workers were at the site. We have rescued six persons. More people are believed to be trapped under the rubble, said Mr Anil Kumar Sahoo, a local resident.

He added that the death toll was likely to increase as some of the rescued workers were critically injured. The deceased was identified as 40-year-old Satyabrata Patnaik of Bhubaneswar.

Satyabrata was returning home on his scooter after picking up his eight-year-old daughter Sheetal Patnaik alias Isu from her dance class when a huge chunk of construction materials fell on them.

While Satyabrata died on the spot, his daughter was seriously injured in the incident. She was first sent to Capital Hospital and later shifted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar as her condition was deteriorating. At least 15-20 injured workers were also rushed to Capital Hospital.

We were engaged in the cementing work when suddenly a portion of the flyover collapsed, said Amrit Kerketa, an injured worker.

Two teams of National Disaster Rapid Action Force and fire brigade personnel were engaged in the rescue operations.

Public works secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan said two engineers who were incharge of flyover construction were suspended and probe order given into the mishap.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met the injured persons in the Capital Hospital and announced `5 lakh ex-gratia for the bereaved family of the deceased. He also announced free treatment for the injured.

Im deeply shocked over this unfortunate incident. A high-level probe has been ordered. Exemplary actions will be taken whosoever will be found guilty, the CM said.

Rescue operations were on still this report was filed. The BJP and Congress blamed Naveen Patnaik for the tragedy.

We have been complaining about the sub-standard work of the flyover by Panda Infrastructures. We had submitted memorandum to the Chief Minister through his work secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan. The CM minister who is the works minister never took our complaint seriously. Instead, he allowed the contractor and the public works department to change the original drawing of the flyover for inflating the project cost. This is a huge scam and needs to be investigated by CBI, said BJP vice president Sameer Mohanty.

Congress leader Suresh Kumar Routray said the construction work was going on at slow pace for over 10 years and there was deliberate neglect to escalate the project cost for political funding. Mr Routray also sought a CBI probe into the flyover collapse.
Security was tightened at Ryan International School, Gurgoan after protest sparked over the murder of a 7-year-old boy. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Centre, HRD Ministry and Haryana government seeking a report within three weeks into the death of a 7-year-old boy who was found murdered in Ryan International School, Gurgaon on Friday.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also sought a response from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on a plea which has sought guidelines to fix responsibility of school managements in case of such incidents and also on the safety and security of children.

Read: Gurgaon: Boy, 7, found brutally murdered in school toilet

Father of class 2 student Pradyuman Thakur, who was found with his throat slit in the school washroom on Friday, moved the apex court on Monday to seek justice for his son.

During the brief hearing, the bench observed that "this petition is not restricted only to the school concerned as it has a country-wide ramification".

After the SC's decision, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said, "Will definitely give reply to SC. We will arrive at a better solution by talking to everybody."

Read: Action taken against management, owner of Ryan International School: Haryana Education Minister

Meanwhile, an SIT team has reached Mumbai to interrogate school CEO Ryan Pinto and director Albert Pinto.

CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents have filed an anticipatory bail plea in Bombay High Court on Monday.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar spoke to Varun Thakur, father of Pradyuman, on Monday and assured him of a CBI investigation.

On Friday, Pradyuman was found murdered inside a toilet of Ryan International School, Gurgaon with his throat slit.

The police have arrested the school bus conductor for the murder of the 7-year-old boy. They said the accused, Ashok, 40, had attempted to sexually assault the boy and killed him when he raised an alarm.

Ryan International Group's Northern Zone Regional Head, Francis Thomas, and the Human resources (HR) head, Bhondsi branch, Jeyus Thomas have been arrested.

They were produced in Sohna Court on Monday which has sent them on a two-day police custody.

The Station House Officer (SHO) at Sadar Sohna, Inspector Arun, was also suspended on Sunday.

Read: Gurgaon's Ryan International School shut till tomorrow; 2 officials arrested

Hundreds of parents had staged protests outside the school in Gurgoan on Sunday demanding a CBI probe. Security has been tightened and all Ryan group of schools in Gurgaon have been ordered to remain shut till Tuesday.
The FIR lodged by the CBI on May 15 had alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Finance Minister. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday fixed on September 18 the appeal of the CBI challenging the Madras High Court order staying government's look out circular against Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram, in a graft case.

The FIR lodged by the CBI on May 15 had alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Finance Minister.

A bench comprising of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, meanwhile, said that its direction staying the Madras High Court order on look out circular will remain in force in the meantime and as a result, Karti will not be able to leave India.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Karti, alleged that all baseless allegations have been levelled against Karti and challenged the probe agency to bring out the details of any property which the Chidambarams cannot account for.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, vehemently countered the submission and said that the probe was at a very crucial stage and substantial information have been given to the court in a sealed cover.

The bench then fixed the matter for final disposal on next Monday. On September 1, the CBI had told the apex court that there were "good, cogent" reasons for issuing look out circular against Karti.

On August 18, the court had asked Karti to appear before the investigating officer at the CBI headquarters in New Delhi for questioning in the case. The bench had given the probe agency the liberty to question Karti as many times it wanted. Prior to this, the apex court had said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the case.

The court had then stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the LOC issued by the Centre against Karti.

The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious".

The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge in New Delhi and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.
'Goodbye Chicago' Writer Says Locals Missed The 'Subtleties' In His Essay On Leaving Our City

By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 11, 2017 8:20PM

So, about that burger that has corn chips inside the patty? Apparently it's Revolution Brewing's Hombre Burger. And that notorious $7 Lagunitas? If memory serves Eric Barry, it was Racine Plumbing Bar and Grillalthough there are "a million places" in Chicago where such prices reign.

If you already know those references, that's a testament to the sheer supernova virality of Barry's now-infamous "Goodbye Chicago" essay, which was published on Huffington Post's Contributor platform last Tuesdayand, once Chicago social media found it, on Thursday night, prompted a collective clapback like few we've ever witnessed. (We had a hand in the backlash, too.)

Now that the spectacular Twitter dustup has more or less settled, Barry says he doesn't really have any regrets about the essayalthough he thinks some excoriators glossed over what he said were the piece's subtletiesand so far, the erstwhile Chicago resident is loving his move to East Coast.

Barry, a copywriter by trade and aspiring comedian, shared "Goodbye Chicago" with several friends before it blew up, and got positive feedback, he said. "It was reassuring to other people who had similar experiences," he told Chicagoist by phone. "I thought was the end of it, then somehow it started to spread... I was prepared for some pushback on some of my perspective. But at the end of day, it was my experience so I didnt think [the backlash] would be too bad."

It was. But Barry doesn't regret his take, stressing that "my experience was my experience" and floating the idea that what he described as some of his self-aware nuance was bowled over in a gleeful pile-on.

"I literally start off the essay by navel-gazingwhich some people didnt understand," he said in reference to him gaining 40 pounds in Chicago. Same deal for the Lagunitas, which did not have their Douglas Park brewery built when he first arrived, he said. "I wasn't coming from Bay Areawhere Lagunitas comes fromthinking it wouldn't be available. "I was hoping readers would be taking my personal journey, as opposed to me noting, four years after the fact, that Chicago has Lagunitas." And he does know how bus transfers work, too, he said. But unemployed, having declared bankruptcy and just scraping by for a time in Chicago, he couldn't tie a Ventra card to a credit card, he said.

The whole thing was all blown out of proportion, and not to Chicago's benefit, he said. "I think it's fascinating that one persons essay would cause so much ire. Who gives a s***? Why is this even a thing? It doesnt bode well with any outsiders coming in," he said.

Of course there were far greater issues taken with the essay than beer, burgers and belly-growth blame, namely an anecdote Barry relays about an ugly bar encounter with a group of women. One of the women who said she was there, comedian Allyssa Bujdoso, blasted Barry for his behavior in a Medium post after his essay went viral. Barry said he's certain the run-in happened at a different bar than Bujdoso recounts; and he said he doesn't believe the confrontation involved her. (Meanwhile, Katie Rife, in the A.V. Club, took exception to what she called Barry's "'but what about me?!' undercurrent" to his professed sex-positivity.)

Angry comments poured in, and he said he disabled his Twitter account as a result. But the comments weren't from any women he referenced in his essay, according to Barry. He also said that the native Chicagoans by which he first ran his letter happened to be women, and they said it was fair and evenhanded, he told Chicagoist.

At this point, he's focused on his next chapter, in New York Citywhere the essay was considered a tempest in a teacup, if it was considered at all, he said. He's crashing with friends, pursuing advertising copywriting gigs, and working on a loosely autobiographical TV pilotabout an out-of-work writer who becomes a "gay-for-pay" escortand related book.

As for Chicago, Barry said he'll miss our architecture (both its downtown jewels and neighborhood vernacular idiosyncrasies, like spacious, grilling-friendly back porches). And the friends he made. (The perception that he's "angry, sexless and friendless" is false, he added.) Nonetheless, Barry doesn't mind Chicagoans running with the joke at this point. He hopes Revolution even assembles a burger juggernaut that combines all those toppings he ticked off in his "the more, the better" shot at Chicago food culture. That would be cheese, bacon, egg, poutine, fries, onion rings, BBQ sauce, and, of course, corn chips, in case you don't recall.

Yeah, that sounds like overkill, but actually, we wouldn't really mind a taste. And going ahead and making the damn thing sounds just like the kind of cheeky swipe that Chicago would do. Ain't this town great?
Rajnath Singh said the worst affected groups in Kashmir are the youth, the traders, workers and the poor. (Photo: DC)

Srinagar: Home Minister Rajnath Singh, on Monday said, the government at the Centre will not go against the sentiments of people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Well not go against sentiments of people, he said when asked about the Centres view of the question of abrogating Article 35A of the Constitution.

Taking a dig at the separatists and various opposition parties who have pledged to fight it tooth and nail and even threatened to launch an agitation if any attempt to repeal or tamper with Article 35 is made, the Home Minister said, There are no issues left that is why such issues are being raised.

Article 35A empowers the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature to define permanent residents of the State and provide special rights and privileges to those permanent residents. A petition seeking removal of Article 35A is currently pending before a bench of the Supreme Court.

An NGO, We the Citizens, believed to be an RSS think-tank, challenged 35A in the SC in 2014 on grounds that it was not added to the Constitution through amendment under Article 368 and that it was never presented before Parliament, and came into effect immediately.

In another case filed in the SC in July, two Kashmiri women argued that the State's laws, flowing from Article 35A, had disenfranchised their children.

The Home Minister who is on a 4-day visit of Jammu and Kashmir while addressing a press conference in Srinagar said that the government wants to see smiles on the faces of Kashmiri people who have suffered enormously as a result of violence and terrorism during last nearly three decades.

He was, however, happy to see the situation improving in Jammu and Kashmir and promised all the efforts required towards restoring peace and a complete normalcy in the State.

Singh said, The situation is improving in the Kashmir Valley. It is much better when compared to the situation of last year. We wish to see smiles on the face of the people.

He added that the trees of peace in Kashmir have not dried out completely and that he could see the green shoots of peace in the Valley. He asked Pakistan to stop infiltrating militants and terrorists into the State.

He reiterated that he and the government at the Centre wish to resolve problems confronting the State and its people and sought help from all right thinking people in the endeavour.

He said that he once again wants to convey to all the stakeholders that he is always open to discussion with anyone on the issues as he earnestly wants amicable solution to the Kashmir imbroglio.

I have said it before and I want to repeat it that I am willing to talk with open heart and mind to anyone who is willing to help us in resolving problems of Kashmir, he said.

He said that he met a number of delegations representing various political, social and trade organisations besides civil society groups during his stay in Srinagar.

Acknowledging the hardships of the people associated with the Valleys tourist trade due to poor inflow of the visitors, he made an appeal to the people of the country to visit Kashmir.

Terrorism has adversely affected the tourism sector. I appeal everyone to come to Kashmir, he said. He said that the Centre will run a special drive for Kashmir to promote tourism.

He said the worst affected groups in Kashmir are the youth, the traders, workers and the poor. Terrorism has destroyed generations of Kashmir. We will not allow another generation of Kashmir to go waste, he said.

He added a new mantra of 5 Cs to reach out to the Kashmiri people. These, he said, are compassion, communication, coexistence, confidence and consistency. He said that the outreach to the people of Kashmir would be based on the basis of these five Cs so that permanent solution of the Kashmir issue is found.

He said that he would continue to meet every stakeholder in Jammu and Kashmir in the Centres effort to find lasting solutions to the issues confronting the State.

Not just five times, if there is a need to visit Kashmir fifty times in a year, I shall come. Whatever efforts need to be made for bringing peace and prosperity I will do, he said.

Asked if he was willing to talk to the separatists as well, he said, I would like to talk to all the stakeholders. I have always said this. When I come here I come with open heart and mind and do not keep any reservations in mind.

Replying to another question, he said that minors detained by the police in the Valley should be sent to juvenile homes and not jails. The youngsters below 18 detained by police should not be treated as criminals but as juveniles. They should be sent to juvenile homes and not jails, he said.

During his stay in Kashmir, the Home Minister also reviewed the law and order situation in the Valley with the government functionaries and top commanders and officers of various security forces. He also held one-on-one meetings with Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

While Singh was in the Valley, three encounters between militants and security forces took place in the south and north of the Valley, leaving five militants including a district commander of Hizbul-Mujahideen dead whereas one militant surrendered and another was arrested. The militants killed one policeman and injured another in a sneak attack in southern Anantnag town.

The officials said that during the Home Minister's visit the Pakistani troops have violated the November 2003 ceasefire agreement by opening fire towards the Indian forward positions and civilian areas twice, so far, along the Line of Control in Poonch district. At least, one civilian was injured.

The Home Minister will in the second leg of his tour visit the Jammu region of the State for two days from Monday afternoon. He tweeted, After spending 2 days in Kashmir Valley I shall be heading to the Jammu region today. Shall visit the forward areas on Indo-Pakistan border.
Chennai: The late Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaas long-time aide and confidante V.K. Sasikala will be removed as interim general secretary of the AIADMK at the much-awaited general council scheduled here on Tuesday. A steering committee, to be headed by Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, is also expected to be appointed at the meeting.

Three resolutions sacking Sasikala from the post to which she was appointed in December 2016 immediately after the death of Jayalalithaa, ratifying the merger of rival EPS and OPS factions and appointing a steering committee to run the affairs of the party till a full-time general secretary is appointed  are expected to be moved at the meeting and may be passed unanimously.

Decks for the conduct of general council were cleared by the Madras High Court late on Monday night as it dismissed a petition filed by T.T.V. Dhinakaran supporter and Perambur MLA P. Vetrivel who demanded a stay on the meeting expected to be attended by a majority of 2,780 members. Besides MPs and MLAs, headquarter secretaries will participate in the council meeting as special invitees and an almost full attendance is expected.

As the EPS-OPS faction fear supporters of the Sasikala family would create trouble at the venue  Sri Varu Venkatachalapathy Palace  more than a hundred private security personnel have been deployed, besides heavy presence of police personnel.

The main agenda of the meeting is to remove Sasikala from the post of interim general secretary and from the party since it was one of the major pre-conditions set by O. Panneerselvam for merging his faction with EPS camp, a senior leader told DC.
New Delhi: Income Tax department has issued final attachment order against RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family assets spread in Delhi and Bihar. According to officers, the properties which have been attached include a posh house in South Delhi.

Last week, Enforcement Directorate (ED) too had attached a farmhouse owned by Misa Bharti, daughter of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, in connection with its investigation into `8,000 crore money laundering case.

The farmhouse, located at Palam farms in South Delhis Bijwasan area was attached provisionally under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It belongs to Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar and is held in the name of Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited. It was purchased using `1.2 crore involved in money laundering in the year 2008-09, the ED alleged.

Income tax had issued a provisional order for attachment in June under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 2016 which has now been confirmed after adjudication.

In June, I-T department had attached about a dozen plots and buildings in Delhi and Bihar including a farmhouse and land in the Palam Vihar area, a building in the upmarket New Friends Colony area of south Delhi, nine plots on a 256.75 decimal land area in Patnas Phulwari Sharif area, where a shopping mall was being constructed, among a few others in the same area in Bihars capital.

I-T officials said that others cases which were too provisionally attached will be processed for final attachment. Benami properties are those in which the real beneficiary is not the one in whose name (benamidar) the property has been purchased.

Earlier, I-T had served notices for attachment to Mr Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi, former state deputy CM, daughters Chanda, Ragini Yadav and Misa Bharti, an MP.

I-T had alleged that these alleged benami assets bear a deed value of about Rs 9.32 crore but the taxmen has estimated their market value at Rs 170-180 crore.
Kochi: The North Paravur Police on Monday registered cases against Hindu Aikya Vedi president K. P. Sasikala and secretary R.V. Babu three days after their controversial hate speech. Referring to the Sept 5 gunning down of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, Ms Sasikala had asked secular writers to conduct a Mrityunjaya Homam, a ritual dedicated to Lord Shiva to avoid untimely death.

Cases were under section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the Indian Penal Code, an officer said. They collected video and audio samples of alleged hate remarks following complaints of Congress legislator V.D. Satheesan before the state police chief and DYFI block secretary K. S. Saneesh to the chief minister. In her speech at a public function at North Paravur on Friday, the right-winger asked all secular writers to conduct the homam saying, you never know when you'll become victims.

In his complaint, Mr Satheesan also accused Mr Babu of making threatening and provocative speech. Ms Sasikala, however, clarified that she had been referring to the Congress party in Karnataka while making the statement and accused the MLA of taking it out of context with an intention to defame her. What I told the secular writers here was to perform Mrityunjaya Homam as I have no idea about what the Congress could do to them for votes. So I told them to go to some Shiva temple and perform the ritual or else they could be victimised like Lankesh, she said.

No decision on case against her in Kozhikode

The High Court is yet to send any intimation to the Kasaba police after registering a hate speech case against Hindu Aikya Vedi president K.P. Sasikala last year. She made it in 2006 against granting bail to the accused in the Marad case, and its video was uploaded on Youtube, ten years later. On October 26, 2016, C. Shukoor, the former Kasaragod district government pleader and public prosecutor, filed a petition with the police to initiate action against her.

However, it was found that the speech was made in Muthalakulam, Kozhikode, under the Kasaba police. On December 10, the case was shifted there, and the inspector investigated the case. Meanwhile, Ms Sasikala approached the High Court to prevent her arrest as she was preparing for an all-Kerala march. However, the HC had not given any instruction to the police to proceed with the arrest, said Kasaba CI Pramod P., who probed the case.
Chennai: Facing heat from the opposition parties over National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (Neet), especially with its image on the downward graph in the wake of medical aspirant Anithas tragic death, the BJP took up cudgels against DMK daring it for a debate on its performance when that party shared power with Congress during the UPA regime.

BJP senior and Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan tore into DMK saying it had betrayed students on Neet. Daring DMKs Working President M.K. Stalin for a debate on DMKs performance during UPA regime, the Minister asked, What did your DMK do for Tamil Nadu when your party enjoyed power with Congress at the Centre?

Lets have an open debate on this. You had asked what did the BJP government do in three years of its rule. I shall explain.. I am prepared for a debate, Radhakrishnan said. He claimed that while all along BJP had insisted that Neet is here to stay, the political parties in the state had proclaimed that they would not allow Neet. They misled the students with false assurances, Radhakrishnan said accusing the DMK of indulging in opportunistic politics.

Interestingly, the saffron partys Saturday rally at Tiruchy is a maiden attempt to explain its stand on Neet on a public platform and also to inform people how TN political parties had left the student community bewildered on whether Neet will be held or not.

When asked about Stalins remark that she became a doctor without appearing for Neet, party president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan replied, There was no Neet then. Had it been mandatory (then) I would have written it. If I am to write now I can. Can Stalin clear it?

Party demands strict action against anti-Neet protesters

Accusing the opposition DMK of indulging in opportunistic politics, the BJP on Sunday has demanded the State government to initiate stringent action on all those inciting the students to agitate against Neet.

Certain political parties like the DMK are indulging is bad and opportunistic politics with regard to Neet. The State government should take stringent action on all those inciting the students to protest against Neet, BJP state president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said.

Asserting that both social justice and equality have been protected in Neet, she said the students are aware of this fact. She also announced that her party would stage an agitation in a democratic manner in support of Neet in Chennai on September 14.

Recently, DMK working president M.K. Stalin, who led the opposition parties in a protest against Neet had said he would strive to bring down the BJP-led government at the Centre and also the AIADMK government in the state, over Neet.
Chennai: DMK working president M.K. Stalin accused the BJP-led Government at the Centre on Sunday of allowing the Edappadi K Palaniswami administration to continue in Tamil Nadu despite its minority status since it knew that his party was sure to come to power if elections were held and the DMK cannot be shaken for 25 years.

Speaking at the wedding of a party functionary here on Sunday morning, the opposition leader exuded confidence that the days were numbered for the AIADMK government and asserted that the DMK will never make an attempt to come to power through the backdoor.

His comments came a day after he declared at a public meeting in Thanjavur that the AIADMK Government had lost majority since 21 MLAs of the ruling party have sided with rebel leader TTV Dhinakaran. He has been demanding that the Governor order a floor test to determine whether government enjoys majority.

The Governor very well knows the numbers in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, but is maintaining silence due to pressure from the Union Government, Stalin said, addressing the gathering at a wedding hall in Teynampet.

At the Thanjavur meeting, Stalin warned of a peoples struggle to unseat the AIADMK government, if no action was taken by the Governor. This is not for grabbing power, but to safeguard the self-respect of the people of Tamil Nadu, he said.
Beautiful river Ponni claimed the Kudagu mountains as her birthplace and spent her infancy trickling through its fastnesses. But time passed; she grew to womanhood and the time came for her to join her beloved, the ocean. She gurgled over rocks, flowed through forests, tumbled off hills and gushed through vales; her eagerness to reach her destination growing each moment. As she poured over the plains, it occurred to her that she was closer than ever to her loved one. Her heart trembled; she swelled with sheer delight. She went further two limbs branched out from her, eager to embrace her lover. She leapt forward, her hands stretched in front but they simply seemed not enough. How could they, when such love overflowed in her heart? Her hands grew from two to ten, twenty, a hundred; she extended them all in a bid to touch Samudhra Rajan, the ocean king

Rivers make civilisations, as history proves beyond a doubt but they dont stop short of providing for mankind: theyre the source of all inspiration; the lifeblood of society; the witness to earth shattering events; the harbingers of destiny and beyond all this, the favoured muse of writers, just as river Cauvery, also known as Ponni was, to legendary historical fiction writer Kalki R. Krishnamurthy.

His magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan, spanning 5 volumes is not just a loving ode to Chola history and emperor Raja Raja I, but also river Cauvery who might have originated in one state but showers her bounty upon another. To Kalki, Cauvery, also known as Ponni, the golden one, was at one moment a beauteous, shy maiden; at another, a raging, rampaging Goddess; at one a benevolent mother intent on nourishing her children and the next, an avenging angel, breaking her banks and destroying livelihoods.

River Ponni is a continuing motif throughout the novel. Flowing from one volume to another, sometimes calm and collected and at others, natures fury, frightening to behold but underneath her varying facades, she is a benevolent force building what she destroyed, blustering through a deluge, yet leaving behind a treasury and ultimately nurturing and raising prince Arulmozhi Varman into an emperor and enshrining herself into history, in that process.

(The writer is an author, journalist, translator, artist, historian, editor and farmer not necessarily in that order. Shes currently engaged in translating Kalkis Ponniyin Selvan into English; the first passage is an excerpt from her work)
India celebrated the 70th anniversary of Independence last month. Last Saturday was the 69th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Between them, the two Asian nations have shattered the apartheid the victors of World War II had imposed. This shared link is all the more reason why New Delhi should back Vladimir Putins suggestion of talks to defuse a crisis that has reduced the United States to a state of gibbering hysteria and brought the world to the brink of a catastrophic war.

To suggest that other countries need to understand Pyongyangs fears is not to support either Kim Jong-uns dictatorship or his bizarre haircut. Nor is it to gloss over the grim implications of an episode that can be compared to the Cuban missile crisis. But realism demands an attempt to probe whether an impoverished North Korea is prepared to eat grass (as Mr Putin put it) to build the bomb only because of a rulers megalomania. The fanatic who had first used that phrase was driven by insane hatred, jealousy and suspicion of India. Is North Korea similarly moved by the US and South Korea, or a combination of the two?

Given the menacing magnitude of the 10-day Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint military exercise between the US and South Korean land, sea and air forces, Pyongyangs fears may be understandable. The participants called Ulchi Freedom Guardian a routine annual event, but Kim Jong-un didnt see it as anything but provocative muscle-flexing. North Koreas state newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, warned that the joint exercise was the most explicit expression of hostility with no guarantee it wouldnt evolve into full-scale hostilities.

Unfortunately, the recent annual India-Japan defence dialogue made little attempt to explore Mr Kims thinking. It merely echoed the US in strongly condemning North Koreas sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3 when a device of more than 100 kilotons with several times more destructive power than the bomb that flattened Hiroshima in 1945 was exploded. While Japan may be worried about deteriorating conditions in the Korean peninsula, Indias principal  and perhaps only  concern is over Pakistan, which tested a new 2,200-km range Ababeel ballistic missile, carrying a multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV) payload in January this year. Not to be lagging behind, India is also developing MIRVs  a single missile that can carry several nuclear warheads, each programmed to hit different targets  for its Agni series of ballistic missiles.

The major difference between the Indian and North Korean programmes lies in the American attitude. Indias development of nuclear warheads and missiles to deliver them would not have received even grudging global acceptance without George W. Bushs extraordinary rapport with Dr Manmohan Singh. But as Pakistanis and Iranians might lament, what is sauce for the Indian goose is obviously not sauce for the North Korean gander.

The United Nations Security Council meeting early last week confirmed again that the present tenant of the White House is threatening Mr Kim with all manner of dire reprisals if he doesnt abandon his nuclear ambitions. There were immediate threats of military reprisal after the September 3 test. Nikki Haley, the ethnic Indian US ambassador to the UN, had accused Mr Kim of begging for war. It was her way of repeating the warning of a massive military response that US defence secretary James Mattis had threatened. Donald Trump and South Koreas President, Moon Jae-in, are pressing China and Russia for tough new sanctions to freeze Mr Kims personal assets, impose a complete oil embargo, not allow North Koreans to work overseas, and stop importing North Korean textiles.

Even Mr Putin denounced the September 3 test as a crude violation of the Security Council resolutions. But taking a more realistic view of the challenge, the Russian President also added: At the same time, it is clear that it is impossible to resolve the problem of the Korean peninsula only by sanctions and pressure. He feels sanctions alone would be useless without effective diplomacy. This could be Indias opportunity, if India were not so impervious to global imbalances and reluctant to offend Washington.

New Delhi is worried that North Koreas recently-acquired expertise with the Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile will also benefit Pakistan, whose 1,500-km range Ghauri-I missile was a derivative of the North Korean Nodong missile. The nexus still continues despite Chinese protestations to the contrary. In fact, over the decades China has systematically promoted both the Pakistani and North Korean nuclear programmes. Apart from the Sangh Parivars instinctive reservations about any Muslim regime having a bomb, it is specially galling that Pakistans rapidly expanding nuclear and missile arsenals should overtake Indias. Pakistan is estimated to have between 130 and 140 warheads, compared to Indias 110-120.

If theres any real difference between the Indian and North Korean positions, however, its that India claims a plausible justification for its nuclear programme. The global nuclear divide is iniquitous. Indias tough neighbourhood demands a deterrent. The primacy of Indias civilian establishment over the military and its commitment to the no-first-use principle ensures the bomb will not be abused. An unstated reason could be Indias yearning for global prestige and permanent UN Security Council membership.

The unpredictable Mr Kim has never offered any rationale for his strategy. Western observers who expected him to celebrate the September 9 anniversary with another spectacular explosion caution that relief on this count might be premature. Theres still the October 10 anniversary of the founding of the Korean Workers Party that Mr Kim is proud to head. This particular riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma must also be unravelled if the world is to sleep in peace. Sabre-rattling alone wont achieve that.
The leaked photo shows a smartphone from the back that is identical to the Moto X4  curved edges, glass body and a dual camera sensor.

Days after Xiaomi revived Googles forgotten Android One program (read here), popular tipster Evan Blass has leaked photos of an Android One smartphone from Motorola. The smartphone seems to be based on the recently unveiled Moto X4.

The leaked photo shows a smartphone from the back that is identical to the Moto X4  curved edges, glass body and a dual camera sensor. However, there is an Android One branding at the bottom of the device, marking it aside from the regular X4. No other detail of the device leaked so far.

Since Motorolas Android One smartphone is also supposed to sport a dual camera setup like the Moto X4, we expect it to sport similar specifications to the Xiaomi Mi A1. This means that apart from the Moto X4s Snapdragon 630 chipset, it could end up having 4GB RAM and 64GB storage as standard, apart from a 5.2-inch Full HD LCD display and a dual 12MP camera like the Xiaomi Mi A1.

It then seems that smartphone manufacturers are actually treating Android One as a way to offer their popular devices in a stripped and lightened iteration. The only thing to ponder is what difference will a Motorola Android One smartphone have compared to the standard version, provided that Motorola already uses stock Android to power its smartphones.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
A Rohingya child kisses his mothers cheek as they rest after crossing over to Bangladesh (Photo: AP)

United Nations: The top UN human rights official on Monday denounced Myanmars brutal security operation against Muslim Rohingyas in Rakhine state, saying it was disproportionate to insurgent attacks carried out last month.

Zeid Raad al-Hussein, addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), also criticised India for seeking to deport Rohingyas who have taken shelter in India.

I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country, Zeid said, noting that some 40,000 Rohingyas had settled in India, including 16,000 who have received refugee documentation.

Noting Indias obligations under international law, he said: India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations.

Communal tensions appeared to be rising across Myanmar on Monday after two weeks of violence in Rakhine state that have triggered an exodus of about 300,000 Rohingya Muslims, prompting the government to tighten security at Buddhist pagodas.

Zeid said more than 270,000 people had fled to Bangladesh, with more trapped on the border, amid reports of the burning of villages and extrajudicial killings.

We have received multiple reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians, Zeid told the Geneva forum.

He cited reports that Myanmar authorities had begun to lay landmines along the border with Bangladesh and would require returnees to provide proof of citizenship.

Rohingya have been stripped of civil and political rights including citizenship rights for decades, he added.

I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred, and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population, Zeid said.

The situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

Last year, Zeids office issued a report, based on interviews with Rohingya who fled to Bangladesh after a previous military assault, which he said on Monday had suggested a widespread or systematic attack against the community, possibly amounting to crimes against humanity.
 Flash

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay an official visit to Panama this week at the invitation of Isabel Saint Malo de Alvarado, Panama's vice president and foreign minister, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Monday.

Geng made the announcement at a daily press briefing, saying that Wang will pay an official visit to Costa Rica and Panama from Sept. 14 to 17 before he attends the UN General Assembly annual General Debate in New York on Sept. 19.

Geng said that during Wang's visit, he will meet with President of Panama Juan Carlos Varela and hold the first political consultation between the two governments with his Panamanian counterpart. The two sides will also inaugurate the Chinese embassy in Panama, said Geng.

Panama is an important Latin American country and there has been a long history of friendly exchanges between the two peoples, Geng said.

China and Panama established political relations in June, as the Panamanian government recognizes and promised to adhere to the one China policy and severed "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan.

"This unveils a new chapter in China-Panama relations," said Geng, adding that China is willing to push forward relations with Panama with a quick start and in a steady way.
In this geocolor GOES-16 satellite image, the eye of Hurricane Irma moves up Florida's west coast. (Photo: AP)

Tampa: A weakened but still dangerous Irma pushed inland Monday as it hammered Florida with winds and floodwaters that created hazards even for rescuers trying to help beleaguered residents.

Irma was downgraded to a tropical storm over Florida, but it still had winds near hurricane force. Its outer bands were also blowing into Georgia, where the storm's center was expected to arrive later in the day. With rough conditions persisting across Florida, many communities in Irma's wake feared what destruction would be revealed as daylight allowed authorities to canvass neighborhoods.

Winds knocked a utility pole and power lines onto a sheriff's cruiser late Sunday in Polk County east of Tampa, illustrating the dangerous conditions for emergency personnel. A deputy and a paramedic, who had just escorted an elderly patient to safety, were trapped for two hours until a crew could free them. Both were unhurt.

And more than 120 homes were being evacuated early Monday in Orange County, just outside the city of Orlando, as floodwaters started to pour in. Firefighters and the National Guard were going door-to-door and using boats to ferry families to safety. A few miles away, 30 others had to be evacuated when a 60-foot sinkhole opened up under an apartment building. No injuries were reported in either case.

In Redington Shores west of Tampa, attorney Carl Roberts spent a sleepless night riding out Irma in his 17th floor beachfront condo. After losing power late Sunday, he made it through the worst of the storm shaken but unhurt.

"The hurricane winds lashed the shutters violently, throughout the night," he wrote in a text message, "making sleep impossible."

As morning broke, he couldn't open the electric shutters to see outside.

"It's so dark in here," he said.

Nearly 4.5 million homes and businesses across Florida lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone. More than 100,000 were in the dark in Georgia.

Hurricane Irma topples cranes, swallows streets and leaves millions without power as it unleashes its fury on the US state of Florida pic.twitter.com/NvgFh14FsY  AFP news agency (@AFP) September 11, 2017

Irma's center was about 105 miles (170 km) north of Tampa when forecasters announced it had weakened to a tropical storm. However, they warned its maximum sustained winds were 70 mph (110 kph), with higher gusts.

The monster storm, which arrived in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, has toppled at least three constructions cranes - two over downtown Miami and one in Fort Lauderdale.

People in the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area had feared a first direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921, but the storm weakened to a Category 2 as it approached.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said the situation was not as bad as it could have been, but warned residents that dangerous storm surge continued. He also described downed power lines and other debris.

"What we feared the most was the surge," he said Monday on MSNBC. "The surge is yet to be finished."

Meanwhile, rescue efforts ramped up in the evacuated neighborhood near Orlando as Guardsmen in helmets and fatigues rolled through standing water in a high-clearance vehicle. Firefighters rescued a puppy from one of the homes there and leashed the anxious dog to the front of one of their trucks to give it water and snacks.

As the sun rose in Orlando, many tried to survey the damage, but authorities warned that conditions remain dangerous and asked people not to venture outside because of a curfew.

No deaths in Florida were immediately linked to the storm. In the Caribbean, at least 24 were people were killed during Irma's destructive trek across exclusive islands known as the vacation playground for the rich.

In one of the largest US evacuations, nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to seek shelter, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

More than 200,000 people waited in shelters across Florida.

At Germain Arena, where thousands sought refuge south of Fort Myers, people sat amid puddles on the concrete floor Monday morning. Officials said the arena remained in one piece, but wind-driven water leaked in at the height of the storm.

"Irma went over and we were all like, 'Oh good, we survived.' And then all of a sudden some of the panels came off the roof, I guess, and we started getting water pouring down in different places," said 61-year-old Mary Fitzgerald. "It was was like, 'Oh my God, what is going to happen?'"

Bryan Koon, Florida's emergency management director, said late Sunday that authorities had only scattered information about damage, but feared worse reports could come in Monday.

In the low-lying Keys, appliances and furniture were seen floating away. Authorities were set to begin house-to-house searches Monday to check on survivors.

About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused.

John Huston, who stayed in his Key Largo home, watched his yard flood.

"Small boats floating down the street next to furniture and refrigerators. Very noisy," he said by text message. "Shingles are coming off."

Next, Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, and school was canceled in communities around the state.

Irma once was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 185 mph (300 kph). For days, forecasters warned Irma was taking dead aim at Florida. Irma made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane Sunday morning at Cudjoe Key, not far from Key West. It then rounded Florida's southwestern corner and hugged the coast closely as it pushed north.
A Rohingya man carrying his son and belongings walks through a broken road after crossing the Bangladeshi border at Shah Porir Deep, in Teknak, Bangladesh. (Photo: AP)

Geneva: The UN human rights chief on Monday slammed Myanmar's apparent "systematic attack" on the Rohingya minority, warning that "ethnic cleansing" seemed to be underway.

"Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein told the UN Human Rights Council.

The Rohingya are reviled in Myanmar, where the roughly one million-strong community are accused of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

The United Nations says 294,000 bedraggled and exhausted Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since the militants' attacks on Myanmar security forces in neighbouring Rakhine state on August 25 sparked a major military backlash.

Tens of thousands more are believed to be on the move inside Rakhine after more than two weeks without shelter, food and water.

"The operation... is clearly disproportionate and without regard for basic principles of international law," Zeid said.

"We have received multiple reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians," he said.

Aung San Suu Kyi's government has come in for strong international criticism over the military's treatment of the Rohingya.

"I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population," Zeid said.

He said he was particularly "appalled" by reports that Myanmar authorities had begun laying landmines along the border with Bangladesh to prevent those who fled from returning.

He also criticised "official statements that refugees who have fled the violence will only be allowed back if they can provide 'proof of nationality'," pointing out that Myanmar since 1962 had been stripping Rohingyas of a wide range of rights, including citizenship rights.

"This measure resembles a cynical ploy to forcibly transfer large numbers of people without possibility of return," he said.

Zeid urged the Myanmar government to "stop pretending that the Rohingyas are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages."

"This complete denial of reality is doing great damage to the international standing of a government which, until recently, benefited from immense good will," he said, calling on authorities to allow his office access to investigate the situation in the country.
FBI documents claimed the two Saudi nationals were members of the Kingdoms network of agents in the US (Representational Image)

New evidence submitted in an ongoing 9/11 lawsuit against the Saudi government claims that the Saudi Arabian embassy in Washington may have funded a dry run for the hijackings.

According to the documents, two years before the attacks, the Saudi embassy paid two Saudi nationals, who were living in the US as students, to fly from Phoenix to Washington in a dry run for the 9/11 attacks.

The complaint was filed on behalf of the 1,400 family members of the victims who died in the Twin Towers attack in 2001.

Sean Carter, lead lawyer for the plaintiffs, said, Weve long asserted that there were longstanding and close relationships between al Qaeda and the religious components of the Saudi government.

The New York Post reported that the lawsuit argued that a pattern of both financial and operational support from the Saudi government helped the hijackers in the months before the attacks.

FBI documents claimed the two Saudi nationals were members of the Kingdoms network of agents in the US. The documents claimed the men trained in Afghanistan with a number of other al-Qaeda operatives that participated in the attacks.
The president, and his wife, Melania, placed their hands on their hearts and bowed their heads as a bell tolled and a Marine played the mournful Taps on a trumpet. (Photo: Facebook)

Washington: US President Donald Trump observed a moment of silence Monday at a White House ceremony marking the 16th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

The observance, along with another at Ground Zero in New York, was held at 8:46 am (1246 GMT), the moment the World Trade Center in Manhattan was struck by the first of two hijacked airliners.

The president, and his wife, Melania, placed their hands on their hearts and bowed their heads as a bell tolled and a Marine played the mournful Taps on a trumpet.

In all, four planes were hijacked by Al-Qaeda militants who used them to topple the trade center's twin towers and hit the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

The attacks, the deadliest ever on US soil, killed 2,997 people, and plunged the United States into a chain of rolling wars against Islamic militants.

Memorial ceremonies were also being held in New York and at the Pentagon and Vice President Mike Pence were to deliver remarks in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the fourth plane crashed.

Pence was also scheduled to tour the Flight 93 National Memorial Visitors Center and take part in a wreath-laying ceremony.
British officials fear that Iran may be secretly helping North Koreas missile programme, according to media reports.

Senior government sources told The Sunday Telegraph it is not credible that North Korean scientists alone brought about the technological advances. North Korean scientists are people of some ability, but clearly theyre not doing it entirely in a vacuum, a minister told the paper.

Another foreign office source reportedly added: For them to have done this entirely on their own stretches the bounds of credulity.

While Iran is at the top of the list of countries suspected of giving some form of assistance to North Korea, Russia, too, is in the spotlight.

UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson had hinted at similar concerns. There is currently an investigation into exactly how the country has managed to make this leap in technological ability, he said last week while taking questions from MPs about the North Korea crisis.

We are looking at the possible role that may have been played, inadvertently or otherwise, by some current and former nuclear states, he had said.
Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants were killed and one was caught alive during an overnight encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of south Kashmir during wee hours of Monday.



Sources said based on a specific input about the presence of the militants, Army's Rashtriya Rifles troops and special operations group (SOG) of J&K police started a search and cordon operation in Khudwani area of Kulgam, 65 km from here, on Sunday evening.



As the security forces intensified the search operation, the militants hiding in the area opened fire triggering off an encounter. The operation was halted for the night. Early in the morning the gun battle resumed in which two local militants were killed while the third one was captured alive, they said.



The slain militants were identified as Dawood Illahi and Sayar Wani, both residents of Kulgam and affiliated with Hizbul. Police said two weapons were recovered from the encounter site.



The arrested militants were identified as Arif Sofi and a pistol has been recovered from his possession, they said. The arrest of a militant during a gun fight is rare. On Sunday had two local Hizbul militants were killed in an overnight encounter in neighbouring Shopian district.



Over 140 militants, including top commanders Sabzar Bhat, Junaid Matoo, Ayoub Lelhari, Bashir Lashkari, Abu Dujana and Mehmood Gaznavi, have been killed by the security forces this year, which is highest in the last eight years. The security forces are going after militants as part of operation "hunt down" and on the basis of a hit list of militants.



Recently reports had emerged that majority of Hizbul and Lashkar-e-Toiba militants have gone into hiding in the upper reaches of south Kashmir. Recently Hizbul had also reportedly asked its cadres not to use cell phones, that over the years have proved fatal for militants operating in Kashmir.
Former union railway minister Lalu Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav will not appear before the CBI today and tomorrow respectively for questioning in connection with alleged graft in giving maintenance contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.



Yadav has cited his ongoing court case in Ranchi while Tejashwi has said he has prior political commitment while expressing inability to appear before the agency on the date of summons-- September 11 and 12--issued by the CBI, the sources said.



"We will work out new dates for fresh summons," said an official here today. The RJD leader was asked to appear for questioning at the agency headquarters today while Tejashwi was summoned tomorrow, the CBI sources said.



It is alleged that Yadav as Railway Minister handed over maintenance of two Railway hotels BNR Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel (a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar) after receiving a bribe in the form of prime land of three acres through a benami company.



The FIR alleged that Lalu as railway minister abused his official position for extending undue favours to Kochhars, acquired a "high value premium land" through a benami company Delight and as a quid pro quo, dishonestly and fraudulently managed award of leasing BNRs at Ranchi and Puri to the company of Kochhars.



The CBI has registered the case against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi, Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, former union minister.



Others named as accused in the FIR include Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owner of Chanakya Hotel, Delight marketing company, now known as Lara Projects and the then Managing Director P K Goel.PTI ABS DV
The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre, CBSE and the Haryana Police on a plea by the father of a seven-year-old boy who was killed at a school in Gurugram for laying down guidelines to ensure safety and security of children.



A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said that the issue has country-wide ramifications.



The court sought a response from the CBI and others within three weeks on the petition filed by Barun Chandra Thakur, who contended that the matter was not confined to one state in view of flagrant violations culminating in the vulnerability of the security and safety of children studying in schools.



The petitioner-father contended that though an FIR was registered on September 8 and a bus conductor was arrested, the entire investigation stands concocted, fabricated and manipulated and even basic fundamentals of investigations are not being followed.



It appears nearly impossible for a man to commit such crime in such a short span without any larger conspirational networking and where the conductor is being made to confess on behalf of the real culprits, his petition contended.



The petitioner sought a CBI inquiry, alleging that the Haryana Police are trying to hush up the case and letting the management of Ryan International School go scot-free.






A woman thought to have been killed by her husband along with her four children last month actually died by suicide, authorities said Monday.
Ryan International Group's CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, who are its founders, today approached the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old boy on the institution's campus in Gurgaon.





The bail pleas were filed following the arrest of two top officials of the Ryan International School in Gurgaon.





Ryan International Group's founding chairman, Augustine Pinto (73), and his wife Grace Pinto (62), who is the managing director of the institution, have along with their son Ryan Pinto sought anticipatory bail in the Bombay High Court, their counsel Niteen Pradhan told PTI.





Pradhan mentioned the applications this morning before Justice Ajey Gadkari, who posted them for hearing tomorrow.





The Pintos, in their pleas, said while the death of the boy was unfortunate, the management cannot be held culpable and that they themselves were victims of the unfortunate circumstances.





"The death has caused deep pain and grief not only to the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, management, staff and students of the school," the applications said.





"This is not only the darkest hour for the family but also for the institution. Such an incident has taken place for the first time in the past four decades since the institution was set up," the three said in their bail pleas.





Despite taking all necessary steps for security and well being of the students as required by law and prudence, if such an unfortunate incident occurs, the institution cannot be held culpable as it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances," they said.





Two top officials of the Ryan International School were arrested while the acting principal detained for questioning in connection with the gruesome murder of the boy in the school premises, police said today.





Pradhuman Thakur, a class 2 student, was found with his throat slit in a school washroom on Friday last.





A bus conductor has also been arrested for the killing which has triggered a huge public outrage.





According to the pleas, the Pintos read newspaper reports saying the public outcry was for also booking the management for the killing of the child.





"Hence, we apprehend action against us in the matter. We seek the court to grant us transit protection from arrest so that we can approach the appropriate judicial authority in Haryana," the pleas said.





They said they are residents of Mumbai and the overall management of the institution is being carried out from the Mumbai office. The day-to-day management of each school is taken care by the local staff appointed by the management, they said.





The applications also mentioned that the trustees and the management were cooperating with the police to the best of their ability.





While no outside person is allowed to enter the school premises, the bus drivers and the conductors, who have been given identity cards, are allowed to use basic amenities like toilets inside the school premises on "humanitarian grounds", they said in the petitions.





Because of the CCTV placed in the corridor covering the entrance of the Gurgaon school washroom where the incident occurred the culprit could be identified immediately and arrested, the pleas added.


In the TV commercial from industry group Meat and Livestock Australia, a number of religious figures -- including Lord Ganesha, Jesus, Buddha and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard -- are seen sitting down together to a lamb-based meal and raising a glass to the meat.



The image of elephant-headed Lord Ganesha, who is widely considered to be vegetarian, was met with anger in Australia's Indian community.



The Indian high commission (embassy) in Canberra said it had taken the issue up with the Australian government.



"Lord Ganesha along with other religious figures is found to be 'toasting lamb', which the Indian community consider to be offensive and hurting their religious sentiments," the commission said in a statement Saturday.



The Indian consulate in Sydney has also made a direct appeal to Meat and Livestock Australia to withdraw the commercial, according to the statement.



The industry body said it was meeting community groups to respond to their concerns.



It said it had undertaken extensive research and consultation when producing the advertisement, which was intended to promote inclusivity and not intended to offend.

India has lodged an official complaint over an Australian advertisement that features the Hindu god Ganesha and other religious icons endorsing lamb.


The police said Sasikala has been booked under the charge of wantonly giving provocation with an intent to cause a riot.



A case also has been registered against R V Babu, another leader of the Hindu Aikyavedi, for making a provocative speech at the function, the police said.



The case was registered based on a complaint by Congress MLA V D Satheeshan.



Her speech, telecast by media, was criticised by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leaders.



Apparently referring to allegations seeking to link the killing of Gauri to the BJP or people following its ideology, Sasikala had said there was no need for them to indulge in such acts.



She had alleged that Congress in Karnataka was capitalising on such issues and said the party was "facing continuous electoral defeats".



Speaking in Kannur yesterday, Vijayan had said that asking thinkers and writers to conduct 'Mrityunjaya Homam' was meant to disrupt the progress made by Kerala society.



Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala urged the government to book Sasikala for her controversial speech under non-bailable sections of IPC.



The BJP and the Hindu Aikyavedi alleged that the visual media had aired a "distorted version" of her speech.

A Sangh Parivar outfit leader was today booked for allegedly making a hate speech at a public function near here on Friday.Addressing a function organised by the "Hindu Aikyavedi" at North Paravur, the outfit's Kerala president K P Sasikala had allegedly urged secular writers to conduct "Mrityunjaya Homam" at Lord Shiva temples to save them from meeting a fate similar to that of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh in Karnataka.The 55-year-old Left-leaning journalist, a fierce critic of Hindutva politics, was shot dead at the doorstep of her house while she was returning from her office on September 5.
WASHINGTON  House Speaker Paul Ryan could not have been more clear.

After meeting with his Republican caucus Wednesday morning on the first day back from their long summer break, he declared at a news conference that Democrats call for a three-month extension of the governments borrowing limit was ridiculous.

Thats ridiculous and disgraceful, that they want to play politics with the debt ceiling at this moment, he repeated. He called it unworkable, said it would jeopardize hurricane response and called out Democratic leaders by name for promoting what I dont think is a good idea.

About an hour later, Ryan and other GOP leaders sat in the White House with President Trump, who told them he wants ... a three-month increase of the debt ceiling, just as Democrats proposed.

Such chaos and confusion at the highest level of American government hadnt been seen since, well, the day before.

On Tuesday, even as the administration announced that it was ending protection from deportation for the 800,000 dreamers  mostly young people who know no country but America  there were signs that Trump had no idea what he was doing. As late as one hour before the decision was to be announced, administration officials privately expressed concern that Mr. Trump might not fully grasp the details of the steps he was about to take, and when he discovered their full impact, would change his mind, Michael Shear and Julie Hirschfeld Davis of the New York Times reported, citing an anonymous source.

Sure enough, Trump fired off a tweet Tuesday night that revised his position. He called on Congress to legalize the dreamers program and vowed to revisit this issue if Congress cant.

Even Trumps close advisers seem to have little knowledge of, much less control over, what he says and does.

Trump has signaled that he wants to end a free-trade deal with South Korea, even though his national security adviser, his defense secretary and the director of the National Economic Council all object. He and Defense Secretary James Mattis have contradicted each other about whether to talk with North Korea. Chief of Staff John Kellys attempts to tone down Trumps antics have reportedly led Trump to escalate his attacks  on Kelly. Trump has publicly criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions and repeatedly contradicted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner have let it leak that Trump ignored their advice on Charlottesville and other matters.

One imagines a future scene in the Situation Room:

The president: Why dont we bomb Guam so the North Koreans cant?

The secretary of state: Thats part of our country, sir.

The secretary of defense: We have thousands of troops there.

The national security adviser: And 150,000 innocent civilians.

The chief of staff: It would be a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe.

Ivanka Trump: Please dont do this, Dad.

Jared Kushner: [Silence.]

The president: Its settled. We begin bombing in five minutes. Lets hit Hawaii, too. But not my hotel in Waikiki.

The unreliability of Trump has put an unusual burden on Congress, which is ill equipped to bear it.

Outside the House caucus gathering the morning after Trumps immigration announcement, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), an immigration hard-liner, angrily opposed legislative action for the Dreamers, saying they can live in the shadows and demanding GOP leaders not divide our conference over an amnesty act.

Minutes later, Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), took the opposite view, threatening to use a discharge petition with Democrats to force a vote on protecting the Dreamers if the House doesnt act.

Ryan put the responsibility right back on Trump for the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) legislation. We will not be advancing legislation that does not have the support of President Trump, because were going to work with the president on how to do this legislation, he said. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) urged Trump to lead.

But what does Trump support?

We love the dreamers. ... We think the Dreamers are terrific, Trump said last week, four days before putting them in jeopardy of deportation.

I have a great heart for the folks we are talking about, a great love for them, Trump said on the same day his administration announced the end of protection for the dreamers.

What does the president want? Nobody knows  not his advisers, not his fellow Republicans in Congress, and probably not Trump himself.
India will award projects worth $ 300 million to Afghanistan besides enhancing the security cooperation with its north-western neighbour, as the two nations deepened their strategic partnership to deal with the challenge of cross-border terrorism.



The projects include implementation of 116 new schemes in 31 Afghan provinces with high socio-economic impact. In addition, India would support the proposed Shahtoot dam and drinking water project for Kabul as well as building a road to Band-e-Amir in Bamyan province.



The announcements came following extensive talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani here on Monday.



India agreed to extend further assistance for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in fighting the scourge of terrorism, organized crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering, said the joint statement issued after the meeting.



We agreed to strengthen security cooperation with India. However, friendship with India doesn't mean hostility in our territory, said Rabbani.



While the nature of enhanced security cooperation was not disclosed, India in the past supplied military helicopters to Afghanistan besides training their men. The Border Roads Organisation, an agency under the defence ministry also constructed a crucial road in the war-ravaged nation.



"We remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries. Our strategic partnership is an article of faith," Swaraj said.



None of the minister named Pakistan, but made veiled reference to terrorism emanating from Pakistan.



Afghanistan faced a wave of terror attacks in the last few months and the proposed reconciliation and peace process is yet to make any progress.



On the 116 projects, Rabbani said these schemes would help protect the Afghan citizens against recruitment by the terrorists.



Other approved programmes are establishing a water supply network for Charikar city in Parwan; setting up a Gypsum board manufacturing plant in Kabul, building a polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif and a low cost housing for Afghan refugees in Nangarhar.



India would also award 500 scholarship to the children of Afghan security personnel, who died in the line of duty. Also 170,000 tons of wheat would be supplied to Afghanistan via Chahbahar port in Iran that offers an alternate access to Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan.



The two sides inked four pacts, including one on vehicular movement to boost overland transit and orbit frequency coordination agreement for the South Asia satellite.



India has already invested over $ 2 billion in reconstruction of Afghanistan in the last 15 years.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today began his two-week visit to the US during which he will interact with global thinkers and political leaders, and address overseas Indians as part of an outreach initiative by his party.



In his first engagement, Gandhi would address students of the prestigious University of California, Barkley on 'India at 70: Reflections on the Path Forward', in which he will offer his reflections on contemporary India and the path forward for the world's largest democracy.



A day before the event, the University announced that the event venue has reached its maximum capacity and registration has been closed.



Gandhi, 47, was received at the San Francisco airport by senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda and Shudh Singh, the president of Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC), US.



"He is here at the University of California Berkley, where Pandit (Jawaharlal Nehru) addressed in 1949 as the Prime Minister. Today, we are at the cross roads where core value of Indian democracy secularism and pluralistic society is in danger," Congress spokesman Madhu Goud Yaskhi said.



"He (Rahul Gandhi) strongly believes in these values for India to be a strong nation, and what is the way forward for India and his views and his thoughts about Indias future," the spokesman told PTI giving a preview of Gandhi's speech.



During his trip to the US, he said, Gandhi will also engage with the Indian diaspora with the purpose of making them a part in Indias development.



From San Francisco, Gandhi is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles. He is likely to visit Aspen Institute to interact with the think-tank community.



In Washington DC, the Congress vice president is scheduled to interact with members of the think-tank community, political leaders and government officials.

Gandhi is also scheduled to travel to Princeton University before his final address to overseas Indians in New York.




Speaking at the opening of a Human Rights Council session here, Zeid also referred to the killing of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh, observing that she "tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred."





India's Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on September 5 said Rohingyas were illegal immigrants and stand to be deported. He said nobody should preach New Delhi on the matter as India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world.





Some 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India, and 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation, the UN estimates.





"I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country," Zeid said.





The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights noted Rijiju had reportedly said that because India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention it "can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion."





"However, by virtue of customary law, its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the obligations of due process and the universal principle of non-refoulment, India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations," the UN human rights chief said.





The violence in Myanmar began in August when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Rakhine, killing 12 security personnel. The military said it responded to the attacks and denies it is targeting civilians.





More than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since then.





Touching upon cow vigilantism in India, Zeid said: "The current wave of violent, and often lethal, mob attacks against people under the pretext of protecting the lives of cows is alarming."





"People who speak out for fundamental human rights are also threatened," he said.Lankesh was gunned down last week in Bengaluru. Unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen pumped bullets into 55- year-old Gauri as she left her car after reaching her home.





Zeid said he was "heartened by the subsequent marches calling for protection of the right to freedom of expression, and by demonstrations in 12 cities to protest the lynchings."

UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein today flayed any attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar when the ethnic minority community is facing violence in their country.
The last rites of a 22-year-old boy Mohammad Aadil, who was allegedly killed in the police firing during violence in Jaipur on Friday night, took place at the Ghat Ghate graveyard on Monday under high-security cover.



The body Aadil was handed over to his family members after the post-mortem, which was conducted after the family's approval. They agreed for the post mortem when State Government assured an allotment of a dairy booth and payment of compensation to the family. Police also promised a special investigation into the firing incident in connection with the other cases registered under violence.



The curfew remained intact in four police station areas in the city for the third consecutive day. However, the ban on the mobile internet was lifted from several places except for 14 police station areas. "Curfew could be lifted on Tuesday depending on the situation in the Ramganj and nearby area. No violence has been reported so far", police commissioner Sanjay Agarwal told DH. Life remained paralysed in the city on the third day and colleges and schools remained closed.



The clash began on Friday night at Ramganj, Jaipur after a police constable allegedly assaulted a couple on a two wheeler. Following which hundreds of people gathered at a police station in the area in protest and started throwing stones at the cops. In retaliation, Police tried to disperse the mob and by opening tear gas and fired in the air which allegedly led to the death of a local. Nine people including four policemen were severely injured in the clashes.



Ramganj is situated in the walled city of Jaipur. The area is known for its busy market and crowded streets and is demographically a Muslim majority area.
The opposition party DMK on Monday object to Tamil Nadu government's plans to appoint BJP's national executive member H Raja as the head of Scouts and Guides in the State.



"The news that chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswamy and education minister Sengottaiyan are colluding to appoint Raja, one of the leaders of Tamil Nadu BJP had shocked the Scouts and Guides community as well as many the members of the civil society", DMK working president M K Stalin said.



Claiming that the governor is the chief patron and education minister being the subordinate, Stalin said: "this attempt by them to appoint H.Raja as the head of Scouts and Guides in Tamil Nadu, is clearly seen as an attempt to influence the gullible minds".



With the long pending election in the Scouts and Guides organization will be held on 16th September 2017 and the people who can vote in this election include chief educational officers of the district, district educational officers and teachers, Stalin alleged that Raja has evinced interest in taking part in the election for the top position in this organization



"It was the agenda of his (Raja) meet with Palaniswamy a few days back", the DMK leader claimed.
The National Council of Catholic Women Celebrates 97 Years of Service at Annual Convention in Dallas, Raises Funds and Donates Necessities to Hurricane Victims



WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2017 /



More than 600 women from all around the United States, undeterred by hurricane Harvey and the imminent threat of Irma, joined with their Council sisters to pray and worship, hear motivating talks from renowned speakers, vote on resolutions, welcome incoming officers, visit the jam-packed exhibit hall and tour Dallas while staying at the beautiful Hilton Anatole in the Dallas Design District.



From the hilarity of Sister's Christmas Catechism, to liturgies that filled attendees with peace and a profound sense of camaraderie as hundreds of NCCW sisters and Spiritual Advisors joined in praise, NCCW members not only experienced a most memorable time together, they also raised funds for and donated necessities to hurricane victims.



Speakers for the 2017 National Convention included: Mary Rice Hasson, a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. where she directs the Catholic Women's Forum, an initiative that responds to Pope Francis's call for Catholic women to assume a higher profile within the Church; Stacy Thomlison, missionary for the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (Focus); Dale Recinella, spiritual counselor and Catholic lay chaplain to prisoners as well as author of numerous books on the death penalty; and Mother Susan Catherine Kennedy, a former Nacogdoches County judge who founded the order of the Daughters of Divine Hope in 2010 after the death of her husband.



A special treat for Convention attendees was the opportunity to view the trailer for SONY Picture's movie, THE STAR and to attend a pre-release presentation of the movie, Same Kind of Different as Me, based on the best-selling book.



"In Convention, the scope and breadth of our NCCW becomes vibrantly apparent as we gather from across the country to pray, laugh, and learn what together we can do through the interaction of all levels of Council to make our world a better place. I expect that attendees will come away with a renewed sense of appreciation for our NCCW, thankful for all those who established and who have remained true to our Mission through these last 97 years. We now look to a future bright with promise as we move forward in our commitment to unite and assist American Catholic women to live fully the Joy of the Gospel," said Maribeth Stewart, NCCW President.



NCCW's mission is to act through its members to support, empower and educate all Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service. Its programs respond with Gospel values to the needs of the Church and society today. To request an interview with NCCW President Maribeth Stewart, contact



Share Tweet Contact: Laraine Bennett, National Council of Catholic Women , 703-224-0990, lbennett@nccw.org WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- The National Council of Catholic Women, founded on March 4, 1920, celebrated its 97th year of service to God and the Church at the annual Convention September 6-9, 2017 in Dallas, Texas with the theme: Catholic Women: Living the Joy of the Gospel.More than 600 women from all around the United States, undeterred by hurricane Harvey and the imminent threat of Irma, joined with their Council sisters to pray and worship, hear motivating talks from renowned speakers, vote on resolutions, welcome incoming officers, visit the jam-packed exhibit hall and tour Dallas while staying at the beautiful Hilton Anatole in the Dallas Design District.From the hilarity of Sister's Christmas Catechism, to liturgies that filled attendees with peace and a profound sense of camaraderie as hundreds of NCCW sisters and Spiritual Advisors joined in praise, NCCW members not only experienced a most memorable time together, they also raised funds for and donated necessities to hurricane victims.Speakers for the 2017 National Convention included: Mary Rice Hasson, a Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. where she directs the Catholic Women's Forum, an initiative that responds to Pope Francis's call for Catholic women to assume a higher profile within the Church; Stacy Thomlison, missionary for the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (Focus); Dale Recinella, spiritual counselor and Catholic lay chaplain to prisoners as well as author of numerous books on the death penalty; and Mother Susan Catherine Kennedy, a former Nacogdoches County judge who founded the order of the Daughters of Divine Hope in 2010 after the death of her husband.A special treat for Convention attendees was the opportunity to view the trailer for SONY Picture's movie, THE STAR and to attend a pre-release presentation of the movie, Same Kind of Different as Me, based on the best-selling book."In Convention, the scope and breadth of our NCCW becomes vibrantly apparent as we gather from across the country to pray, laugh, and learn what together we can do through the interaction of all levels of Council to make our world a better place. I expect that attendees will come away with a renewed sense of appreciation for our NCCW, thankful for all those who established and who have remained true to our Mission through these last 97 years. We now look to a future bright with promise as we move forward in our commitment to unite and assist American Catholic women to live fully the Joy of the Gospel," said Maribeth Stewart, NCCW President.NCCW's mission is to act through its members to support, empower and educate all Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service. Its programs respond with Gospel values to the needs of the Church and society today. To request an interview with NCCW President Maribeth Stewart, contact lbennett@nccw.org . Visit nccw.org for more information on the National Council of Catholic Women.


He said that the medicines will be suggested after a caller makes a call to the call centre describing his symptoms of illness.



"A major chunk of the population living in the villages is not aware about the medicines and their side-effects. If something untoward happens with them, then who will be held responsible?" he said.



He asked the Adityanath government to strengthen the community and primary health centres in the state.



UP Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh claimed that the state government has failed to contain the outbreak of swine flu and dengue.



"Ever since the emergence of non-Congress governments in the state, there has been a visible drop in the health scenario in the state.



"Until and unless the primary health centres and community health centres are strengthened both in terms of doctors and medicines, improving the health scenario of the state will always remain a distant dream," he said.



Reacting to the allegations levelled by the Congress, UP health minister Siddharth Nath Singh said, "Yogi Adityanath government is focused on reaching out to the last man in the villages of UP with best of health facilities.



Something the Congress doesn't understand except giving slogans like Garibi Hatao.



"As far as Gorakhpur is concerned we are working on strengthening primary health and for prevention it is our government which vaccinated 93 lakh children for Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in May 2017."



Singh had recently said that to boost health system at the grass-roots level, the Uttar Pradesh government will soon launch a network of '24x7 control centres' across the state that will allow people to consult doctors through telephones.



He said that villagers in remote areas would be able to connect to these control centres through telephone and doctors receiving the calls would be able to prescribe simple medicines.



"If the ailment does not go away, doctors will prescribe antibiotics which would be made available to them at primary healthcare centres (PHCs). Even then if the problem doesn't go away, the patient will be shifted to the district hospital for further treatment," he added.

The Congress today termed the tele-medicine system initiated by the Uttar Pradesh government as an "escape route" from addressing the health needs of the people of the state."The tele-medicine system adopted recently by the BJP-led UP government is simply devised to escape from addressing the health needs of the people of the state."It is simply an attempt to befool the people especially those living in villages," UP Congress general secretary Onkar Nath Singh told PTI.
Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants were killed and one was caught alive during an overnight encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of south Kashmir during wee hours of Monday.



Sources said based on a specific input about the presence of the militants, armys Rashtriya Rifles troops and special operations group (SOG) of J&K police started a search and cordon operation in Khudwani area of Kulgam, 65 km from here, on Sunday evening.



As the security forces intensified the search operation, the militants hiding in the area opened fire triggering off an encounter. The operation was halted for the night. Early in the morning the gun battle resumed in which two local militants were killed while the third one was captured alive, they said.



The slain militants, Dawood Illahi and Sayar Wani, were residents of Kulgam and affiliated with Hizbul. Police said two weapons were recovered from the encounter site.



The arrested militant is Arif Sofi. A pistol has been recovered from him. The arrest of a militant during a gun fight is rare.


Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has decided to hold daily meetings with the three Service Chiefs and Defence Secretary in order to expedite the decision-making process in the government that take years to conclude a defence deal.



It has also been decided to have the meetings of the Defence Acquisition Council  the highest decision making the body in the ministry, chaired by the minister  in every fortnight, the defence ministry said in a statement on Monday.



As per the existing norms, the defence minister normally meets the three Service Chiefs once in a week and the DAC meeting takes place once in a month.



Sitharaman, who took over as the new defence minister last week, gave clear instructions on the need to step up the pace of acquisition proposals. Sources said quicker decision-making within the ministry is expected to speed up several pending acquisition cases.



Other areas of focus would be settling all outstanding land related issues for infrastructure projects and matters relating to the welfare of defence personnel and their families.



The new minister toured the Sir Creek area in Gujarat that borders Pakistan on Monday.



Sitharaman visited the naval establishment in Panaji and Uttarlai air base in Rajasthan on Sunday. She was accompanied by the Chiefs of the Navy, Air Force and Army during the official programme.



More meetings with detailed presentations are planned in the coming weeks with the three Service Chiefs to review defence preparedness.



The NDA government on last Sunday announced Sitharaman's elevation from the relatively low -profile Commerce Ministry to the Defence Ministry, making her the second woman in the high-profile Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) along with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.



Soon after taking over, she said modernising the military would be one of her priority areas.
After Chinese premier Xi Jinping in 2015, the city of Ahmedabad is now being decked up to welcome its second foreign head of the state Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for two-days on September 13 and 14.



The city of Ahmedabad is being decked up and potholed roads on the route Japanese delegation is expected to travel have been resurfaced. Series of performances would also be held along the route to showcase cultural diversity of the country for Japanese to see.



In a packed itinerary, Prime Minister Abe and his host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would arrive in Ahmedabad on Wednesday afternoon and shall visit Mahatma Gandhis abode Sabarmati Ashram later in the evening. They would also be paying a visit to 16th-century mosque in the old city - Sidi Saiyad Mosque known for its iconic window filigree work synonymous with Ahmedabad. They would end the day with a dinner and a closed door meeting at a heritage hotel  House of MG - next to this mosque.



On September 14, both the dignitaries would begin their day by laying a foundation stone for the much talked about Rs 1.08 lakh-crore Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train at Sabarmati Railway Station. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Indias Railway Ministry has already inked a MoU for the 508-km corridor, with Japan to partially fund the entire project. With the capacity to accommodate 750 people, is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from seven to roughly three hours. The train, that is expected to be complete by the year 2022, will have a dozen stoppages en route.



A 21-km-long tunnel will also be dug between Boisar and BKC in Mumbai, of which 7km will be under the sea.



Thereafter, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Abe would hold the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit, at Mahatma Mandir in the state capital Gandhinagar. This will be the fourth Annual Summit between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Abe, where they are expected to review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership'.



The summit comes amid rising tension in the region following a nuclear test by North Korea and growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.



The two countries are also expected to sign multiple economic deals and launch projects, including Suzuki car manufacturing plant at Hansalpur, about 170-km from Ahmedabad, via remote control. A parallel CEO conference is also planned during the visit of Japanese premier.



The two leaders will also visit Dandi Kutir, the museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, at the Mahatma Mandir. Both the leaders would later visit Science City for dinner hosted by Gujarat chief minister before Japanese premier leaves for Tokyo on Thursday night.
The Supreme Court today fixed September 18 for hearing a plea challenging the government's decision to deport illegal Rohingya Muslim immigrants back to Myanmar.



A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud considered the submission Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, to defer the hearing.



"As prayed for by Tushar Mehta, Additional Solicitor General, let the matter be listed on September 18," the bench said.



The apex court had earlier asked the ASG to take instruction from the Centre about its response to the petition challenging the decision on various grounds, including that it violated international human right conventions.



The plea, filed by two Rohingya immigrants, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, who are registered refugees under the United Nations High Commission of Refugees (UNHCR), claimed they had taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there.



The violent attacks allegedly by Myanmarese armymen have led to an exodus of Rohingya tribals from the western Rakhine state in that country to India and Bangladesh. Many of those who had fled to India after the earlier spate of violence, have settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.



Former RSS ideologue and Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan leader K N Govindacharaya has recently moved the apex court seeking to make him a party in the case filed by the two Rohingya Muslims.



Govindacharya has opposed their plea saying they were "a burden" on the country's resources and posed a serious threat to national security.



However, the Rohingyas, in their plea filed through Prashant Bhushan, said their proposed deportation was against the fundamental rights and the international human rights conventions.



"Proposed deportation is contrary to the constitutional protections of Article 14 (Right to Equality), Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) and Article 51(c) of the Constitution, which provides equal rights and liberty to every person.



"This act would also be in contradiction with the principle of 'Non-Refoulement', which has been widely recognised as a principle of Customary International Law," the plea said, while seeking a direction to the government not to deport them and other members of Rohingya community.



It has also sought a direction that Rohingyas be provided "basic amenities to ensure that they can live in human conditions as required by international law".



It also said that India has ratified and is a signatory to various conventions that recognise the Principle of "Non- Refoulement', which prohibits deportation of refugees to a country where they may face threat to their lives.



The principle of non-refoulement or not sending back refugees to a place where they face danger is considered part of customary international law and is binding on all states whether they have signed the Refugee Convention or not.



The petition further said that India has traditionally been a hospitable host to refugees and displaced people, both from South Asia and across the world.



The government has recently raised "serious concern" over reports of renewed violence and attacks in Myanmar and extended its "strong" support to the Myanmarese government at this "challenging moment".



On August 18, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had issued notice to the Centre over its plan to deport the Rohingya immigrants, who have been residing in various parts of India.


RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today said all Indians were originally Hindus and that the doors of Hinduism are open to all.



He was speaking at Patanjali Yogpeeth where a programme was organised by yoga guru Ramdev today to mark Bhagwat's birthday.



"We don't convert people to Hinduisim and we believe that our forefathers, no matter which community we represent today, were Hindus," the RSS chief said.



"The doors of Hinduism are open to all even today as we believe all of us originally are Hindus," he said.



Ramdev gifted the RSS chief a mace on his birthday and appealed to him to keep the flame of Hinduism burning.



Earlier in the day, Bhagwat visited the Suratgiri Ashram for a Ganga Arti and to seek the blessings of the saints and seers.



Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat also arrived at the ashram to greet him and gifted him a book and a replica of the Kedarnath shrine.



Bhagwat also felicitated the parents of Captain Vikram Batra and Captain Manoj Pandey, who were killed during the 1999 Kargil war, at the ashram.



Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Premchand Agrawal, Cabinet Minister Madan Kaushik and Ashram chief Jagadguru Vishweshwaranand Giri were among those who attended the programme.
Three to Get Married: Fr. Brian Mullady Addresses Theology of the Body Lake County Right to Life Hosts Noted Theologian, September 16 at National Shrine in Libertyville



Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333,



GRAYSLAKE, Ill., Sept. 11, 2017 /



The event is recommended for Catholics who want a greater understanding of the Church's essential position on marriage and sexuality, and is appropriate for teenagers and adults. The presentation is hosted by Lake County Right to Life, an organization dedicated to informing and educating the community about the value of human life.



"Father Mullady addresses the often divisive subjects of marriage, divorce and sexuality in profound, yet approachable ways," shared Bonnie Quirke, President of Lake County Right to Life. "We eagerly welcome his defense of traditional marriage in a society that has turned tradition upside down." Mullady draws from St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, St. Thomas Aquinas and the principles of natural law to justify the Catholic teaching on marriage.



The title, "Three to Get Married," is drawn from a Biblical reference to Ecclesiastes 4:12, "a threefold cord is not quickly broken," often used to refer to marriage between a man and woman as strengthened by their mutual reliance on God. This idea was popularized by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen in his books and speaking.



Mullady offered this in reference to his presentation, "Sex concerns the innermost spiritual being of people. It is a level of soul connection that is only intended to bind a man and woman together and last until death parts them. Catholic doctrine is clear, a man and a woman give themselves to one another through acts which are exclusively intended for marriage and complement the unique biological makeup of each gender."



A Dominican and Doctor of Sacred Theology, Mullady has openly criticized governmental endorsement of same-sex marriage. He said it, "is contrary to the natural law and is one of the things that will undercut the existence of the family and the state, because the family is the building block of the state."



The Saturday morning program begins at 8 a.m. It's free of charge and includes a light continental breakfast, but reservations are required. To register or obtain more information about "Three to Get Married," Father Brian Mullady and Lake County Right to Life, visit



While this event is geared to those who participate in the Catholic Church, it is open to anyone interested in the topic of Biblical marriage and sexuality.



About Lake County Right to Life

Lake County Right to Life was loosely formed in 1973, within months of the United States Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, and has worked to educate and persuade the community and its leaders of the inalienable and inherent right to life of all human beings, from conception to natural death. The organization actively works to inform and educate those in Lake County and beyond about the innate value of human life and the damage caused by abortion and euthanasia. Lake County Right to Life supports and assists women and families in choosing life for their pre-born children, even in difficult situations. For more information, visit



Share Tweet Contact: Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333, tc@tcpr.net GRAYSLAKE, Ill., Sept. 11, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- "When it comes to marriage, there is a natural law," explains Father Brian Mullady. "As sweat exists to cool the body, human seed exists for one purpose  to produce babies." Mullady, a noted theologian who teaches around the globe, will present, "Three to Get Married," on Saturday, September 16, 2017, at Marytown, a national shrine in Libertyville, Illinois (1600 W. Park Ave).The event is recommended for Catholics who want a greater understanding of the Church's essential position on marriage and sexuality, and is appropriate for teenagers and adults. The presentation is hosted by Lake County Right to Life, an organization dedicated to informing and educating the community about the value of human life."Father Mullady addresses the often divisive subjects of marriage, divorce and sexuality in profound, yet approachable ways," shared Bonnie Quirke, President of Lake County Right to Life. "We eagerly welcome his defense of traditional marriage in a society that has turned tradition upside down." Mullady draws from St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, St. Thomas Aquinas and the principles of natural law to justify the Catholic teaching on marriage.The title, "Three to Get Married," is drawn from a Biblical reference to Ecclesiastes 4:12, "a threefold cord is not quickly broken," often used to refer to marriage between a man and woman as strengthened by their mutual reliance on God. This idea was popularized by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen in his books and speaking.Mullady offered this in reference to his presentation, "Sex concerns the innermost spiritual being of people. It is a level of soul connection that is only intended to bind a man and woman together and last until death parts them. Catholic doctrine is clear, a man and a woman give themselves to one another through acts which are exclusively intended for marriage and complement the unique biological makeup of each gender."A Dominican and Doctor of Sacred Theology, Mullady has openly criticized governmental endorsement of same-sex marriage. He said it, "is contrary to the natural law and is one of the things that will undercut the existence of the family and the state, because the family is the building block of the state."The Saturday morning program begins at 8 a.m. It's free of charge and includes a light continental breakfast, but reservations are required. To register or obtain more information about "Three to Get Married," Father Brian Mullady and Lake County Right to Life, visit lcrtl.org/three-to-get-married-presented-by-father-brian-mullady/ or call 847.223.7022.While this event is geared to those who participate in the Catholic Church, it is open to anyone interested in the topic of Biblical marriage and sexuality.About Lake County Right to LifeLake County Right to Life was loosely formed in 1973, within months of the United States Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, and has worked to educate and persuade the community and its leaders of the inalienable and inherent right to life of all human beings, from conception to natural death. The organization actively works to inform and educate those in Lake County and beyond about the innate value of human life and the damage caused by abortion and euthanasia. Lake County Right to Life supports and assists women and families in choosing life for their pre-born children, even in difficult situations. For more information, visit www.lcrtl.org
Faith Movement 'In God We Trust' Celebrates Trump's Proclamation for National Days of Prayer and Remembrance for 9/11 Contact: Jennifer Willingham, 615-483-4729, jennifer@iconmediagroup.com



PITTSBURGH, Sept. 11, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Friday, President Trump proclaimed September 8-10 to be "National Days of Prayer and Remembrance" for 9/11. The movement In God We Trust (IGWT) recently presented its petition to the President with more than 200,00 signatures asking for a day of prayer, fasting and repentance recognizing September 11.



In his Proclamation, Trump said, "As a Nation, we pray that the love of God and the comfort of knowing that those who perished are forever remembered brings them peace and gives them courage."



Responding to the Proclamation, Don Black, President of Cornerstone TV Network and the In God We Trust initiative, said, "We are thrilled by President Trump's Proclamation. Now, millions of Americans will join together in prayer. By humbling ourselves before Almighty God in national prayer, we will begin to redeem September 11th.



"The purpose of 'In God We Trust' is to come together as committed Christians on behalf of our nation. Therefore, throughout the weekend and on 9/11, we are and will be praying for those impacted by Hurricane Irma and for every other problem our nation is facing."



IGWT is a unique coalition of broadcasting networks, statesmen, and denominational leaders united around the message for a renewed call to intercede for America. Gov. Mike Huckabee, Alveda King, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Jonathan Cahn, Rabbi Daniel Lapin, Kay Arthur, Andrew Wommack, Dr. Richard Lee, Gordon Robertson, Perry Stone and Dr. Pat Robertson are lending their voices to a television special titled "In God We Trust  9/11 Triumph from Tragedy," which is being shared by Cornerstone Television Network with many other Christian broadcasting networks. This special programming may be joined via its syndicated group and live-streamed content through www.ingodwetrust.tv and www.facebook.com/CornerstoneTV.



About In God We Trust:

In God We Trust is a movement dedicated to God's Truth and seeks to reestablish the traditional biblical foundation of our founders, as presented in the U.S. Constitution.



Share Tweet
By Hal Bernton

9 September 2017

BEACON ROCK STATE PARK, Skamania County (The Seattle Times)  As night fell last Monday in the Columbia River Gorge, the Oregon slopes burned as if carpet-bombed from above. Winds acted like bellows in a hearth to supercharge the flames spread by embers flying from ridge to ridge. Stands of trees that matured over decades  sometimes centuries  were engulfed within minutes.This Eagle Creek blaze is a dramatic reminder that the forests of Western Oregon and Washington, so often cloaked in snow or drenched by rain, have a cycle of fire and renewal. When conditions are right, they can burn in spectacular fashion just like the more arid landscapes east of the Cascades.The fires are less frequent than in drier forests, but the burn cycles are not etched in stone. They reflect a climate that scientists forecast to undergo big changes in the decades ahead as global combustion of fossil fuels warms the Earth. In the Pacific Northwest, climate models indicate that average summer temperatures will warm later in this century by 4.7 degrees to 6.5 degrees compared with the last half of the 20th century.This warming is likely to shorten the burn cycles in the Puget Sound region as well as other parts of Western Washington and Western Oregon.We expect to see more fires and bigger fires, said Amy Snover, director of the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington. People are just beginning to wake up to this, but public lands managers do think about this and the potential risks. [more]
By David Smiley

8 September 2017

(Miami Herald)  Miamis Republican mayor called on President Donald Trump and the head of the Environmental Protection Agency Friday to acknowledge that climate change is playing a role in the extreme weather that has slammed his city and the continental U.S. this summer.

Speaking from Miamis Emergency Operations Center in downtown, where the citys senior public safety and political authorities will ride out Category 4 Hurricane Irma this weekend, Mayor Tomas Regalado told the Miami Herald that he believes warming and rising seas are threatening South Floridas immediate and long-term future.

This is the time to talk about climate change. This is the time that the president and the EPA and whoever makes decisions needs to talk about climate change, said Regalado, who flew back to Miami from Argentina Friday morning to be in the city during the storm. If this isnt climate change, I dont know what is. This is a truly, truly poster child for what is to come. []But Trump once called climate change a hoax. And on Thursday, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt told CNN that the time to discuss the cause and effect of this summers intense hurricanes, including Irma, its not now.Regalado, however, said hurricanes like Irma and Harvey, which devastated the Houston area of Texas last month, ought to spark conversations about climate change  not dampen them over concerns about political sensitivities.I dont want to be political but the fact of the matter is that this is a lesson that we need protection from nature, he said. [more]
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida, 10 September 2017 (Associated Press)  Two manatees were stranded after Hurricane Irma sucked the water out of Sarasota Bay, in Floridas Manatee County.

Several people posted photos of the mammals on Facebook Sunday, hoping rescue workers or wildlife officials would respond. Michael Sechler posted that the animals were far too massive to be lifted, so they gave them water.

Marcelo Clavijo posted that a group of people eventually loaded the manatees onto tarps and dragged them to deeper water.
Judicial Watch Election Integrity Project Director Robert Popper to Give Testimony to Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity Contact: Jill Farrell, Judicial Watch, 202-646-5172



WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Judicial Watch Senior Attorney and Director of its Election Integrity Project Robert Popper will provide testimony to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, concerning the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA). Date: September 12, 2017



Time: Panel begins 10 am ET, Popper to give testimony in the afternoon



Location: New Hampshire Institute of Politics

Saint Anselm's College

Manchester, New Hampshire Prior to joining Judicial Watch, Popper worked for eight years, five as deputy chief of the Voting Section, in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, in which capacity he garnered numerous professional awards. In his role as the Director of the Election Integrity Project, Popper has spearheaded Judicial Watch efforts nationwide to ensure clean elections, enforcement of both Section 8 of the NVRA and the federal Help America Vote Act requiring states to maintain accurate voting rolls.



In his prepared testimony for the presidential election commission, Popper states: The American people have come to believe that there are serious problems with our electoral system. One study from last year showed that Americans have little faith in the integrity of their elections and postulated that this partly explains low voter turnout. A Rasmussen poll from 2016 reported that only 41% of those polled believe "American elections are fair to voters." A Washington Post-ABC News poll from 2016 found that 46% of those polled believed that voter fraud happens either "somewhat" or "very" often.



***



There are over 2,800 counties in states covered by the NVRA. Of these, 415, or about 15% of all covered counties, did not report sending any confirmation notices during the two-year period from 2014 to 2016. This fact suggests a widespread failure to comply with the NVRA. Moreover, of the counties that did report sending confirmation notices, another 581, or about 20% of the total, reported sending notices during the last two-year period to fewer than 5% of their registered voters. Given that the Census Bureau reports that about 11% of Americans move every year, these low rates also suggest that these counties are not diligently conducting voter list maintenance.



Counties' overall registration rates also reveal compliance issues. Our study showed that, in 462 U.S. counties, the number of voter registrations exceeded the number of citizens over the age of 18 who resided in those counties. In other words, those counties' registration rates exceeded 100% of the population eligible to register. Federal courts have repeatedly held that such an imbalance between registrations and age-eligible citizens is grounds for believing that a jurisdiction is not living up to its list maintenance obligations. These 462 counties, moreover, constitute about 17% of all U.S. counties covered by the NVRA where we have enough data to make these calculations. MORE: www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-election-integrity-project-director-robert-popper-give-testimony-presidential-advisory-commission-election-integrity/

Share Tweet
The HDR feature enhances the contrast of any photo or video by adding more detail to it. For the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the Xperia XZ Premium, the Youtube app now supports video playback of upto 1080p 60fps.

YouTube has rolled out HDR video playback for the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Sony Xperia XZ Premium. Both devices feature HDR capable displays and the latest YouTube update will enable users to play videos at max resolution of 1080p, but in HDR. The YouTube app currently does not support 4K video playback on mobiles.

Image credits: Reddit Galaxy S8 thread

There aren't many Android devices that support HDR video playback. Besides Youtube, Netflix and Amazon are also expanding their HDR content library. While Netflix supports both HDR and Dolby Vision, Amazon supports HDR 10. Moreover, HDR content is only supported by a handful of devices, such as the LG V30, Xperia XZ Premium and some more. Also, not every video is available in HDR on the online content streaming platform and not all phones that support HDR, support Dolby Vision and vice versa.

Many users who tried out HDR on their Samsung Galaxy S8 and Xperia XZ premium smartphones posted on Reddit that streaming HDR content has its own set of problems. According to a Reddit thread, many Galaxy S8+ users experienced stuttering issues while testing out the new HDR feature. Users also claimed that HDR videos substantially increased screen brightness, which is believable for viewing HDR content. However, this may end up draining battery faster.

YouTube has been making some changes and recently revamped its look across the mobile app and the website. The websites old tube-in-tube logo was replaced by a more modern and familiar YouTube play button. The website was also overhauled to give a more crisp and material look. The new desktop design also features a Dark Theme which the website says, provides a better viewing experience.
The malware clicks WAP form links on websites which charge users directly to their phone bill. The malware also deletes incoming messages which would notify users of the unauthorised billing.

Kaspersky has discovered a new malware Xafecopy, which steals money through its victims mobile phones. The report states that around 40 percent of the malwares targets have been detected in India. The Xafecopy malware disguises itself as a useful app such as BatteryMaster and behaves normally.

The report states that, once executed, the app injects a malicious code into the victims device and takes control in the background. The malware then starts clicking on web pages hosting Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) billing forms. The WAP billing form is a type of mobile payment which directly charges the user's mobile phone bill instead of any debit or credit card. After this, the malware silently subscribes the phone to a number of services.

As mentioned earlier, victims do not even need to set up their debit/credit cards or a username and password. The malware also bypasses the Captcha system WAP forms use to verify if a person or a bot is performing the requested actions. "Xafecopy hit more than 4,800 users in 47 countries within the space of a month, with 37.5 per cent of the attacks detected and blocked by Kaspersky Lab products targeting India, followed by Russia, Turkey and Mexico," the report said

Kaspersky Lab Senior Malware Analyst Roman Unuchek said, "Our research suggests WAP billing attacks are on the rise. Xafecopy's attacks targeted countries where this payment method is popular. The malware has also been detected with different modifications, such as the ability to text messages from a mobile device to premium-rate phone numbers, and to delete incoming text messages to hide alerts from mobile network operators about stolen money."

Kaspersky Lab MD, South Asia, Altaf Halde said that Android users should not trust third-party apps and need to be extremely cautious in how and from where they download apps. Whatever apps users do download, should be scanned locally with the Verify Apps utility, but Android users should be running a mobile security suite on their devices.

The scare of malwares making their way to Android is nothing new. Recently, Judy malware was found affecting nearly 36.5 million devices. Judy malware was an auto-clicking adware designed to generate revenues for its perpetrators by generating large amount of fraudulent clicks on advertisements. Trying to tackle the issue of malicious apps, Google has integrated the Play Protect feature in its play store and upcoming devices. The feature scans an android device in real-time and reports if any issues or abnormalities are found.
As I sit here to write about Apple and its Tenth Anniversary iPhone, a poster of Steve Jobs stares at me (the famous Jobs stare-down) with a quote from the man saying, If today were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you are about to do today?"

While I shudder to think of an answer to Jobs rhetorics right now, I do know that I, along with the rest of the tech world, am bracing for one of the most important iPhone announcements today, and yes, I am happy writing about it.

Now that we have that personal rant of an opening out to the way, heres what you can expect from the Apple event taking place for the first time at the Steve Jobs theater today.

How to Livestream?

Lets get the most obvious answers out of the way first. Yes, Apple will livestream the launch of the new iPhones, the Apple TV 4K, Apple Watch Series 3 and then some. The Apple launch event is scheduled for 10:30PM IST and will be available for livestream here. To watch the Apple event livestream, you will need any one of the following - iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Safari on iOS 9.0 or later, a Mac with Safari on macOS v10.11 or later, or a PC with Microsoft Edge on Windows 10. Streaming via Apple TV requires an Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation) with software 6.2 or later or an Apple TV (4th generation). You can also join us for a fun and engaging Live session as the event progresses tonight. We will take all your opinions, play some cool games and maybe even have some surprise gifts for those who tune into our Facebook Livestream.

What to expect?

We are no strangers to the leaks and rumours that have plagued the iPhone launch this year, just like every other year. By now, most of you will probably be aware of things like - the iPhone X will not feature Touch ID, or that its shipments might be delayed thanks to production hurdles faced by Apple. However, an alleged leak of the final build of iOS 11 has given us the best ever look at what we can truly expect from Apple at a $1000 price tag.

The Names

The most important piece of information is a confirmation of the names of the upcoming iPhones. Apple is expected to unveil three new iPhones namely - iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X. The X here is to be pronounced as Ten, keeping with the tenth anniversary of the iPhone. This was one of the reveals that came from the iOS 11 GM leak. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are expected to be iterative updates to their predecessors, while the iPhone X will bring the much anticipated design refresh to the iPhone.

The Specs and Features

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are expected to house 5.5-inch and 4.7-inch LCD displays respectively, while the iPhone X is getting a brand new 5.8-inch curved edge-to-edge OLED display with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. As per leaks, the iPhone X will have a seamless bezel-free display, with a cutout on top housing a structured light transmitter, structured light receiver, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor and the front camera. The iPhone X is also expected to ditch the home button in favour of Face ID. This will change the locking/unlocking mechanism on the new iPhone and is being seen as the demise of Touch ID on Apple phones going forward. The most recent leak suggests that one will have to present their faces in multiple angles to register them for Apples Face ID. This means that a 3D model of the user's face will be scanned and one may not be able to fool the facial recognition feature easily, as can be done with the Galaxy Note 8. Face ID can also expect to be used for purchases made on iTunes and App Store, and also for Safari AutoFill. We dont know if the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus will also ditching fingerprint recognitionm, but it is unlikely that they will.

Face ID enrollment process (with layout issues on first page) pic.twitter.com/KczOHEy9ir  Guilherme Rambo (@_inside) September 9, 2017

When it comes to RAM, expect the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus to pack 3GB of RAM, while the cheapest iPhone 8 gets 2GB of RAM. On the hardware front, Apples new processor, the A11, will power all the three iPhones with 6 cores - four high performance Mistral cores and two high efficiency Monsoon cores. Since Apple is ditching the home button, it is expected that a side button will add new functionalities. Double-clicking the side button will display Apple Pay cards and a long press will activate Siri. The removal of the home button will also pave the way for a new UI on the iPhone X. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that the device will feature an app dock similar to the iPad at the bottom of the screen and a software bar under it.

Dual Cameras and AR Capabilities

In the photography department, the iPhone X is expected to get a vertical dual camera setup. The OLED iPhone may get two 12MP cameras at the back and a 7MP camera in the front. Latest leaks suggest that the shutter button on the 2017 iPhones will give a haptic feedback to users. The upgraded cameras on the iPhone X are likely to support OIS on both the wide-angle and telephoto lenses. It is also expected to support 4K@60 FPS. Looks like the two rear cameras on the iPhone X will be accompanied by an LED flash which will rest in the middle of the two lenses. Both the front and rear cameras on the new iPhones will be capable of supporting AR functions, with an added rear 3D laser on the iPhone X for improved depth perception. The front of the iPhone X is may house an infrared transmitter and an infrared receiver to support 3D modeling.

Charging without wires

All three iPhones will most likely feature Wireless charging and a patent also revealed that the wireless charging dock may double up as a Siri-enabled device. It has also been reported that the wireless inductive charging dock may be sold separately from the iPhones.

Pencil or no Pencil?

There are rumours that Apple will take on Samsungs Galaxy Note 8 with added support for the Apple Pen. However, there isnt much evidence to support that theory.

You're the emoji

An interesting feature addition will come to the iPhone X in the form of Animoji, a new type of emoji which augments the users face and expressions. Animoji is expected to use the 3D facial recognition skills of the new iPhone to superimpose a users facial expressions on animals such as chimps, robots, pigs, cats, chickens, dogs, foxes and also, poop. Something similar to Snapchat filters.

Yes, do not fear! There is a 'poo' Animoji. Because of course there is. @9to5mac pic.twitter.com/bBwxnyBDjb  Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) September 9, 2017

iOS 11 and ARKit

The new iPhones will all run on Apples latest iOS 11. The final build of iOS 11 will be released tonight, while the public beta for iOS 11 is already available for download. Apple will also demonstrate some cool augmented reality apps built using its ARKit framework. Many developers have been working to build ARKit apps since the past few months and those will be made officially available on the App Store starting tonight.

Three colours and $1000

The iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X are all expected to have 3 colour variants - Black, Silver and Gold. Lastly, the iPhone X is expected to be priced between $1000 - $1200 (Rs 63,860 to Rs 76,632), while the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are expected to get a price tag of $649 (Rs 41,445) and $769 (Rs 49,108), respectively. Obviously, the India pricing of the three iPhones will be considerably higher if previous launches are anything to go by.
Airtels widely rumoured VoLTE network is live, making the telco only the second in India to offer Voice over LTE. While this is indeed a notable development for the Indian telecom market, it doesnt automatically mean there will be benefits for consumers. To be clear, VoLTE is certainly a future-facing and improved service, but you may not feel the impact just yet. Heres why.

Device support

Currently, Airtels website details only a few smartphones that will support the companys network. For the market leader in Indian telecom, this seems like a rather limited rollout of LTE services. Here are the phones that support Airtel VoLTE as of now.

Apple iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus

Samsung Galaxy J700 (J7), Galaxy A800 (A8), Galaxy J2 Pro (2016)

Xiaomi Mi Max Prime, Redmi Note 4, Mi Max, Mi 5

Gionee A1

Oppo F3 Plus

One of the first requirements for using VoLTE calling is a VoLTE capable smartphone. In the current smartphone ecosystem, that covers almost every major smartphone launched in the past 24 months. While support from the manufacturer (device) end isnt an issue, VoLTE compatibility also depends on the telcos end.

Why does Airtel support so few devices right now?

Support on your device covers the hardware aspects of VoLTE. From the service providers end, VoLTE is a software feature as far as you (the user) is concerned. Voice over LTE is based on something called the IP Multimedia Core Network Subsystem (IMS). This is a framework that serves as the backbone of a VoLTE enabled network. This IMS framework also allows VoLTE to interoperate with current circuit switched networks, which are the legacy networks your 2G and 3G services were based on, including voice calls.

A VoLTE network, on the other hand, is a packet switched network. To understand the difference between a circuit switched and packet switched click here.

Back? Now that you know the difference, you know interoperability is an important aspect of good VoLTE support. In Airtels case, the company has incredibly wide coverage with its legacy networks, so the comparatively newer LTE networks will have to fall back on them from time to time. If you read the story linked above, youd know that VoLTE calls will drop the minute you lose LTE connectivity.

To ensure that this doesnt happen, the VoLTE standard provided a functionality called Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SR-VCC), that ensures interoperability. Imagine a man, sitting and monitoring your movements. This mans job is to make the necessary changes (on the network end) whenever youre leaving LTE coverage while on a VoLTE call. Thats exactly what the SR-VCC ensures, minus the man. With SR-VCC, an LTE mobile tower recognises that youre about to leave its coverage and starts a whole new connection over the legacy networks, to ensure that your call doesnt drop. To be sure, Jio has to have the same setup on the backend, to ensure interoperability.

This is too difficult to understand!

We do apologise for that, but the above explanation was important to explain why Airtel doesnt support a lot of devices yet. You see, the IMS framework and its accompanying technologies make for a whole new IP networks. These networks are accessed by what is called a Gateway, which is literally the entry way to a particular IP network. Unknowingly, you access these gateways every day from your mobile phone.

To make it simpler, remember how telecom service personnel say theyre sending Settings to your handset, that you must install? What they send is an APN (Access Point Name), which is literally the name of a Gateway. Essentially, this is the brick wall separating platform 9 and 10 from Platform 9 and  (from the Harry Potter series).

Your phone already has the necessary APNs required to access Airtels LTE network. What it doesnt have is the APN that will access the private VoLTE network. Airtel could just make the network public, but that would make it insecure. As a result, the company has to add these new APNs to its Radio Interface Libraries, which is the interface between your phones modem and Airtels network.

That, in turn, will differ based on the chipset your phone uses, so Airtel indeed has a big task at hand. It has to provide for the n number of chipsets our phones run today. This also explains why it was so easy for the company to add support for so many iPhones. Apples devices dont differ a lot in terms of the chipsets and modems used. From the looks of it, Airtel also has support for the Snapdragon 625, Snapdragon 652, MediaTek Helio P10 and MediaTek Helio P20. While we do not have official confirmation on this, one could reasonably expect Airtel VoLTE support on Qualcomm and MediaTeks 2016/17 chipsets soon enough. This is probably also the reason why Samsungs Galaxy flagships arent supported, since they sport the companys own Exynos chipsets in India.

It takes so much to just get support! Do I actually gain anything with VoLTE?

In a word, the answer to that question is yes, but admittedly, the benefits of VoLTE to Airtel are far more (in the long run) than to you, the consumer.

HD Calling

VoLTE enabled HD calling, meaning it allows more audio frequencies over calls. As a result, overall voice quality is increased. Many older devices also support HD voice over 3G, and interoperability on Airtels network ensures that you get HD voice on such phones as well. This is the only tangible benefit for you, from a VoLTE network.

No drop in background data speeds

You make another gain with VoLTE support. You know how transfers or downloads slow down when youre on call sometimes? Thats because circuit-switched networks drop connectivity to 2G/3G when youre on a call. With VoLTE, your phone remains on an LTE network, meaning data transfer speeds are still the most Airtel can provide.

Rich Communication Services (RCS)

Youve probably heard of RCS before, and while you do get a shot at this, smartphone users wont care much. RCS can be enabled over the VoLTE network by telcos themselves. You may not be familiar with the term, but RCS basically covers things like iMessage, WhatsApp, Skype and more. All the features these apps offer, can now come directly from Airtel. Of course, itll need a supporting app, network support and device support. Truth be told, its basically a way for Airtel to battle WhatsApp and other services, and has less meaning for you.

You may soon get an app from Airtel that gives you video calling, instant messaging and so on.

Faster calling

Another benefit that youre likely to ignore is faster call connections. A VoLTE network connects calls faster than the legacy networks. But, given that calls connect within seconds anyway, its unlikely that you will notice any difference.

Better battery life

In our opinion, theres a one percent chance that you will notice the above benefits. But, this next one will certainly make no difference to you. Thats because it will come into play only when were on VoLTE only networks. The idea is that battery life over calling will be better on VoLTE, since your phone is not changing networks at all. Research says that VoLTE phones, on VoLTE calls, offer better battery life than others.

So, Airtel did this for Airtel, right?

Yup, thats pretty much true. Its easy to list down some benefits of VoLTE calling on your phone, but truth be told, HD calling is nothing compared to the benefits Airtel will draw from this. Over the longer term, VoLTE frees up spectrum for Airtel, and it can redo its 2G and 3G networks into LTE versions instead. With voice moved to the LTE bands, Airtel frees up spectrum (it already owns) to offer other services and boost its revenues.

Its unfair to say that consumers will have no benefits from VoLTE, but Airtels benefits outweigh your by miles. Of course, that doesnt really matter either, since Airtels VoLTE benefits are coming to you without any additional cost. The telco also said that VoLTE calling data will be charged to voice plans, rather than data. So, you can keep accumulating data over months on Airtels networks, while still making as many calls as you want.
Save my User ID and Password

Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site.

Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site.
Assets of 7 MPs, 98 MLAs saw substantial increase, CBDT tells SC

At least seven members of Parliament and 98 members of legislative assemblies of states have seen ''substantial increases'' in their assets and the matter is under investigation, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) told the Supreme Court on Monday.

The CBDT told the apex court that it will submit the names of these members in a sealed cover on Tuesday.

CBDT said the Income Tax Department has conducted preliminary investigations into their assets. The I-T probe has revealed that there had been "huge" increases in the Lok Sabha MPs' assets and "substantial" increases in MLAs' assets.

The Supreme Court was hearing a plea by NGO Lok Prahari on the income and assets disclosed by candidates contesting elections to Parliament and state assemblies while filing nominations.

The petitioner has alleged increases of up to 500 per cent in the assets of some politicians.

The Supreme Court, however, expressed unhappiness over the centre's non-disclosure of the action it has taken against these politicians whose assets saw an exponential rise during their tenure. The apex court had directed the government to place necessary information in this regard before the court, but the government has not complied with this.

The CBDT also informed the Supreme Court that a preliminary assessment is underway into the assets of another nine Lok Sabha MPs, 11 Rajya Sabha MPs and 42 MLAs.

The petitioners also pointed out that the candidates, while disclosing the assets of their spouses, children and other dependants in their nomination papers, fail to reveal their sources of income.

The preliminary investigations by the I-T department followed the filing of a plea by Lucknow-based NGO, 'Lok Prahari', which sought an inquiry into the significant increase in the assets of 26 Lok Sabha MPs, 11 Rajya Sabha MPs and 257 MLAs, as was stated in their election affidavits.
Beverage industry capitalizing on countries with fewer health regulations

Considerable exposure to sugary drinks combined with a lack of water fountains in high schools are likely important contributors to increased consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, a new study from the University of Waterloo has found.

Focusing on high schools in Guatemala City, researchers from Waterloo and the Cardiovascular Surgery Unit of Guatemala found that that the beverage industry is very visible in schools through industry-sponsored food and drink kiosks, advertisements, and donated goods.

Further, students attending public schools lacked access to free drinking water during school.

"Schools represent an important area of influence for adolescents," says Katelyn Godin, lead author on the paper and a PhD candidate at Waterloo's School of Public Health and Health Systems. "With limited access to clean drinking water and the very visible presence of the beverage industry in schools, it's clear that being in an environment that encourages students to purchase unhealthy sugar-sweetened beverages has an impact on behaviour."

Guatemalan students consume soft drinks an average of 2.5 days each school week, which is twice the rate of their Canadian peers, who have ready access to water fountains at school.

Latin Americans are among the greatest consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages globally. They also face higher rates of obesity, undernutrition and chronic illness than people in wealthier countries.

"The presence of the sugar-sweetened beverage industry in Guatemalan schools suggests that the beverage industry is capitalising on countries that have fewer enforced regulations to protect youth than places like Canada to access a key subgroup of impressionable consumers," said Godin.

In Canada provincial policies restrict the availability of sugar-sweetened beverages for sale in schools and limit the presence of marketing from the food and beverage industry.

The researchers also found that unlike public schools, the Guatemalan private schools they studied all had free, clean drinking water available to students through water coolers. Private school students consumed sweetened beverages half as often as their public-school peers.

"This finding reflects an important social and health inequity, since private school students typically come from wealthier families," said Godin. "An initial step to addressing these problems is enforcing policies that limit the power the sugar-sweetened beverage industry has in schools, while providing students with healthy alternatives to sugar-laden, high calorie drinks."

Latin America is the largest market globally for soda in terms of dollar sales.

The study appears in Public Health Nutrition.
Cara Pharmacy, which has its headquarters in Ballyshannon, has announced the acquisition of Abbey Healthcare.

With an annual turnover in excess of 10 million, the Abbey Healthcare takeover will push turnover of Cara Pharmacy to approximately 37 million. Following the deal, the number of staff employed by Cara Pharmacy will rise from 160 to 245.

Established in 2002 by husband and wife Canice and Ramona Nicholas, the Cara Pharmacy chain quickly expanded to 14 Pharmacies and has a presence in counties Donegal, Sligo, Galway, Leitrim, Cavan, Longford and Fermanagh.

Abbey Healthcare came into being in January 1998. Up to this date, it had been the healthcare division of Hayes Conyngham & Robinson (HCR). In 2009, after the sale of HCR to Boots, Abbey Health moved its pharmacy and Head Office to a purpose built location on Pottery Road Dun Laoghaire.

Speaking on behalf of the Cara Pharmacy, Ramona Nicholas said: We have been searching for the correct site for expansion into Dublin for quite some time now, and we see Abbey Healthcare as the perfect acquisition. It is a great fit for us both in terms of location but also an amazing chance for us to develop our skills in the service of Nursing Homes. We look forward to continuing to provide the excellent service Abbey Healthcare has been providing over the years. Moving to Cork also makes us a national brand and through the statistics on our online shop, we believe our brand will continue to grow there also.

Cara has a current turnover of circa 25 million, which grew both organically and through acquisition since 2002.

Canice Nicholas, Joint Managing Director of the company said: We are delighted to have completed this deal. We do not plan on immediately making any changes to the composition of Abbey Healthcare, and we value the extensive knowledge and experience of Managing Director Michael Shiell and all the existing staff. The management team are also a huge asset to the business and we do not plan to make any changes to the staffing structure.

Through time, we will integrate the Cara business model, but our motto on all acquisitions is to get to know the company and their people first, most importantly.
Medical Center Enterprise is continuing to prepare and plan for the arrival of Hurricane Irma into our area. In doing so, our primary concern is the care of our patients, those arriving into our Emergency Room, and the safety of our community. Our physicians, nurses, and staff will continue to work through the night to keep our patients safe during any significant weather changes.

Due to the possibility of severe winds, we are asking that anyone entering the hospital to please use the Emergency Room entrance. All other entrances will be closed until further notice.

Childbirth Classes scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday have been cancelled.

Enterprise Express Care (located at 805 East Lee Street, Enterprise) will be closed on Monday, Sept. 11.

Medical Center Enterprise employees should communicate with department managers for specific details regarding current work schedules.

Below is a list of our neighboring offices who will be closed, Monday, Sept. 11:

American Family Care (Enterprise Location)

Callahan ENT & Facial Plastics

Digestive Health (Enterprise location)

Dothan Specialty Clinic (Enterprise location) (Closed Monday & Tuesday)

Enterprise Medical Clinic

Enterprise Pediatric Clinic (Closed Monday, Until Noon on Tuesday)

Enterprise Womens Center

Kettunen Surgical Care

Ladies First (Enterprise Location)

Lawrence Medicine

Lyster Army Health Clinic (open, but very limited staff, acute primary care walk-ins only)

Professional Medical Associates

SARHA (Enterprise location)

Sawyer Surgery Clinic

Southern Bone & Joint (Enterprise location)

Surgery & Endoscopy Specialist

Wiregrass ENT

The Coffee County Emergency Management Agency has announced that the Enterprise High School is to open as shelter at 6:00pm today, September 10, 2017. The Enterprise High School is located at 1801 Boll Weevil Circle, Enterprise. Cots will be available. No pets, weapons, illegal drugs, or alcohol allowed.

The City of Enterprise has imposed a city-wide curfew for the residents of Enterprise from 11 p.m. on Sept. 10 until 6 a.m. on Sept. 11 to help ensure the safety of our residents.

At this time, Medical Center Enterprise plans to resume normal operations on Tuesday, Sept. 12. We will remain in contact with the Coffee County Emergency Management Agency, the City of Enterprise, as well as our first responders and will send another update as details emerge.
Alan Moore knows a little something about hard times.

Moore grew up without much money, and at times his family did not have a vehicle. Folks helped Moore out and he never forgot it.

Thats why when Moore and his wife, Bette, had the chance to help a Florida evacuee, they didnt hesitate.

The Moores opened up their home to Janis Scheiber, a retired nurse from Missouri who had just moved into her home in Leesburg, Florida , a month ago. Scheiber hit the road Thursday after hearing reports about the anticipated severity of Hurricane Irma.

I talked to my sister-in-law, and she told me we still had a lot of living to do, so I got out, she said.

Scheibers journey took her north, where she ended up at Loves Travel Stop in Ozark. It was an arduous trek through hours of traffic, and Moore arrived tired, without her cell phone, and without a place to stay.

Scheiber began asking around at the travel stop about possible places to stay. All the inns were full, but Scheiber had traveled as far as she could for the day and was desperate for a place to stay. Bettes daughter, Betsy Mose, a clerk at the travel stop texted Bette and asked if Scheiber could stay with them.

We had been watching the news and felt like we needed to do something, Alan said. It just felt like something we needed to do.

Since then, Scheiber has been staying with the Moores in their townhouse in Ozark. Theyve spent the last few days swapping stories and monitoring the news.

She just feels like part of the family now, Bette said. Like a long-lost cousin.

Scheiber said she feels incredibly grateful to the Moores for extending their hospitality to her.

I think God sent them, she said. Theyre like guardian angels.

Scheiber hasnt gotten any word about the condition of her home as of yet. Shes hoping to return within the week. The Moores say shes welcome to stay.

It seems the more we help people, the more we are blessed, Alan said.
Monday, 11th October 2017

Source: MYOB

MYOB has called for Australian SMEs to consider the impact that a cybersecurity attack could have on their business and consider implementing stronger measures to ensure that an online security breach wont mean having to close shop.

The call to action comes following findings from MYOBs SME Snapshot that showed Australias SME sector remains unfazed from global security threats affecting big business, with the majority of SMEs (87 per cent) stating they consider themselves safe.

The MYOB SME Snapshot found that small businesses who believed they were safe from attack attributed this to having antivirus software installed.

Head of Information & Cyber Security at MYOB, Christie Lim said that while anti-virus software was an important measure that businesses invest in it was not fail-safe.

Its great to see that small businesses are embracing technologies such as the cloud and taking some measures to protect themselves from cyberattacks, however there is still more that can be done to reduce online threats, Ms Lim said.

Cloud based technology is now one of the safest systems businesses can invest in as security constantly being updated by software providers to ensure information is secure. Its great to see that nearly three-quarters of SMEs (72 per cent) believe their information is either moderately or completely safe when stored in the cloud. Other measures businesses can take include regular review of active accounts to ensure only the right people are given access to company information and adopt multi-factor authentication where available.

Barriers to protection

The MYOB SME Snapshot found that while the SME sector felt adequately protected from cyber threats, alarmingly only 13 per cent of businesses surveyed stated they had a cybersecurity plan in place.

The biggest barrier SMEs feel they face when improving their cybersecurity is not having sufficient expertise (38 per cent), followed by not having a strong online presence (32 per cent), closely followed by a lack of understanding and finding the whole issue too complex (28 per cent).

Small businesses dont have big budgets to spend on securing their online systems. However, there are small steps they can take to beef up their online security including using vendors that adhere to best-practice security protocols.

Ms Lim recommends that businesses familiarise themselves regularly with best-practice approaches through websites such as Stay Smart Online Small Business Guide and seek advice from the Australian Government via the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

Moving forward with cyber-tech

The MYOB SME Snapshot found that around half the SMEs surveyed were planning to improve cybersecurity measures in the next 12 months. Updating software, education and changing passwords were the most frequently cited plans.

Government initiatives such as the instant tax write-off are helping small businesses inject money into parts of their business that really matter, such as improving security measures. This protects business owners and means they can invest more energy in developing other parts of their business such as innovation.
This domain was recently registered at Namecheap.com. Please check back later!
Apruve last week announced a strategic alliance with Matrix Payment Systems to create a turnkey solution to mitigate the risk of advancing a revolving line of credit to business customers.

Under the agreement, the companies will help businesses streamline the extension of credit with less financial risk and fewer back office overhead expenses.

Apruve and Matrix have partnered to expand the reach of B2B payment solutions for distributors, wholesalers and manufacturers, said Apruve CEO Michael Noble.

In the B2B space, most companies pay on terms  by using purchase orders or a standing line of credit, he told the E-Commerce Times. Some simply pay with credit cards.

Many companies have an accounts receivable department, and the process of accepting payments involves credit approval, invoicing, collections, cash applications and payment application.

The new relationship is the first Apruve has entered with an independent sales organization like Matrix, said Noble.

Both companies have dozens of customers that range from small firms up to the Fortune 500.

Every touch reduces the profit margin of the order being managed, Noble said.

Matrix will incorporate the Apruve product into its existing telemarketing process to existing and prospective clients, said CEO Glenn Hughes.

Matrix provides electronic credit card and ACH processing services to the B2B industry via online payment gateways, e-commerce and standalone credit card terminals, he told the E-Commerce Times. This will be our first endeavor offering risk-free, revolving lines of credit, and we feel this product will help strengthen our overall product offering to the B2B industry.

Apruves Platform

Apruve offers a cloud-based platform, built on Ruby on Rails, that is used to validate buyers and check out orders, Noble said. The system plugs into all common e-commerce platforms and uses an API to handle customer integrations.

Once a business buyer gets approval for a line of credit with its supplier, for example, Apruve issues a limit. The firm then can add as many buyers to the accounts as it wants to. When buyers go online to procure goods or services from their suppliers, they can use Apruve to check out instead of using a credit card.

We validate their status and credit limit before sending a webhook to the e-commerce platform to trigger fulfillment, Noble said.

The need for a solution that Apruve and Matrix agreed to is a longstanding industry problem, noted Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

In many cases, suppliers who know their customers willingly offer handshake agreements, but that can unnecessarily expose them to risk, he told the E-Commerce Times. Other alternatives include extending lines of credit and supporting purchase orders, both of which tend to be highly time-consuming and manual.

Apruve intends to leverage Matrixs payment processing ISO to speed application and approval processes for revolving lines of credit, King said. That will allow Apruve to pursue deals more quickly and efficiently, thus increasing customer satisfaction and possibly opening up additional business opportunities.

Anything that slows down the sales process kills sales, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group.

The longer a transaction takes, the more likely the buyer will lose interest, find a different product, different vendor, or even a completely different solution, killing the sale, he told the E-Commerce Times.

Removing friction from the process results not only in closed deals, but also in happier and more loyal customers, Enderle said.

Angels on the Doorstep

Apruve claims to be one of the fastest-growing fintech startups in the U.S. The company last year received US$2.25 million in Series A funding from TTV Capital and Allegis Capital.

Apruve this spring entered a couple of key agreements with e-commerce firms.

One was with OroCommerce, which offers a B2B platform to help companies manage customer relationships. The OroCommerce platform is designed for companies that sell online to manage buyer-seller negotiations, multiple price lists, multiple and customized catalogs, and other aspects of online transactions.

Apruve also became an official partner of the IBM Websphere commerce platform. It helps companies with order management, marketing and offering enhanced buyer experiences, according to IBM, while also providing a secure cloud infrastructure.
Blog Archive June 2021 (1) May 2021 (77) April 2021 (77) March 2021 (82) February 2021 (68) January 2021 (64) December 2020 (67) November 2020 (66) October 2020 (66) September 2020 (67) August 2020 (74) July 2020 (83) June 2020 (92) May 2020 (86) April 2020 (104) March 2020 (105) February 2020 (74) January 2020 (75) December 2019 (75) November 2019 (70) October 2019 (89) September 2019 (69) August 2019 (81) July 2019 (77) June 2019 (73) May 2019 (110) April 2019 (110) March 2019 (102) February 2019 (85) January 2019 (123) December 2018 (116) November 2018 (112) October 2018 (121) September 2018 (107) August 2018 (150) July 2018 (163) June 2018 (190) May 2018 (145) April 2018 (112) March 2018 (124) February 2018 (113) January 2018 (164) December 2017 (150) November 2017 (144) October 2017 (169) September 2017 (171) August 2017 (135) July 2017 (131) June 2017 (147) May 2017 (160) April 2017 (138) March 2017 (156) February 2017 (143) January 2017 (203) December 2016 (208) November 2016 (185) October 2016 (173) September 2016 (194) August 2016 (232) July 2016 (225) June 2016 (238) May 2016 (231) April 2016 (215) March 2016 (246) February 2016 (226) January 2016 (252) December 2015 (230) November 2015 (250) October 2015 (234) September 2015 (222) August 2015 (253) July 2015 (275) June 2015 (279) May 2015 (223) April 2015 (226) March 2015 (243) February 2015 (258) January 2015 (281) December 2014 (292) November 2014 (296) October 2014 (413) September 2014 (472) August 2014 (506) July 2014 (483) June 2014 (488) May 2014 (512) April 2014 (497) March 2014 (531) February 2014 (482) January 2014 (535) December 2013 (482) November 2013 (441) October 2013 (416) September 2013 (491) August 2013 (521) July 2013 (491) June 2013 (470) May 2013 (457) April 2013 (426) March 2013 (420) February 2013 (414) January 2013 (489) December 2012 (433) November 2012 (504) October 2012 (469) September 2012 (430) August 2012 (427) July 2012 (360) June 2012 (336) May 2012 (362) April 2012 (322) March 2012 (263) February 2012 (224) January 2012 (291) December 2011 (295) November 2011 (325) October 2011 (330) September 2011 (319) August 2011 (333) July 2011 (318) June 2011 (387) May 2011 (373) April 2011 (389) March 2011 (375) February 2011 (335) January 2011 (400) December 2010 (445) November 2010 (395) October 2010 (312) September 2010 (262) August 2010 (277) July 2010 (323) June 2010 (386) May 2010 (360) April 2010 (333) March 2010 (351) February 2010 (336) January 2010 (384) December 2009 (353) November 2009 (300) October 2009 (308) September 2009 (350) August 2009 (298) July 2009 (255) June 2009 (203) May 2009 (193) April 2009 (186) March 2009 (197) February 2009 (173) January 2009 (148) December 2008 (181) November 2008 (197) October 2008 (236) September 2008 (304) August 2008 (314) July 2008 (273) June 2008 (27) May 2008 (1) April 2008 (6) October 2007 (1) May 2007 (1) April 2007 (6) March 2007 (2) February 2007 (1) October 2006 (1) September 2006 (1) August 2006 (4) July 2006 (4) June 2006 (1) July 2005 (1) May 2005 (2) March 2005 (1) June 2004 (2) May 2004 (1) April 2004 (4) March 2004 (2) February 2004 (2) July 2003 (2) June 2003 (5)
(Photo: REUTERS / Carlos Garcia Rawlins)Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro attends to a meeting with representatives of the opposition, the Roman Catholic Church and Union of South American Nations' (UNASUR) at Miraflores Palace in Caracas April 10, 2014. Maduro hosted Venezuelan opposition leaders on Thursday at the start of mediated talks intended to stem two months of political unrest that has killed dozens in the OPEC nation.

Pope Francis has spoken on the political and human rights crisis that is still devastating in Venezuela, saying that the United Nations needs to be involved in reaching a solution.

Francis spoke to journalist aboard his overnight flight from Colombia to Rome on Sept. 10 after his trip to the South American country and touched on Venezuela, Catholic News Agency reported.

"It seems that it's a very hard thing, and the most painful is the humanitarian problem, the many people who escape or suffer...we must help to resolve it in any way (possible). I think the U.N. must also make itself felt there to help," the Pope said after the Sept. 6 to 10 visit.

Francis, his eye bandaged and blackened after an accident in the popemobile, wrapped up his trip to Colombia on appealing to the country to "untie the knots of violence" after a 50-year civil war, Reuters reported.

"I think that the Holy See has spoken strongly and clearly," he said on the plane, also mentioning the many times he has spoken about the situation in Venezuela during his Angelus addresses.

The pontiff was asked about President Nicolas Maduro's inconsistent rhetoric, in particular his claim to be "with" Pope Francis, while at the same time speaking out violently against the country's bishops.

"What President Maduro says, he can explain. I don't know what he has in his mind," Francis said,

On Sept. 11 the UN human rights chief said in a speech that Venezuelan security forces may have committed crimes against humanity against protesters and called for an international investigation.

"There is a very real danger that tensions will further escalate, with the Government crushing democratic institutions and critical voices," said Zeid.

However, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said at the same meeting as Zeid, that protesters used firearms and home-made weapons against security forces, but said, "Our country is now at peace."

FOUR EX-PRESIDENTS

In his on flight conversation the Pope mentioned the extensive work of the Holy See to promote dialogue in the country, including the agreement to send a group of four ex-presidents as facilitators in a meeting between the Venezuelan government and the opposition Oct. 30, 2016.

The group was made up of former Colombian president Ernesto Samper Pizano, the secretary general of UNASUR (the Union of South American Nations); Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain; Martin Torrijos of Panama; and Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic.

The Vatican also sent Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli to participate as a nuncio of the Holy See.

Francis said that after "speaking with the people," the Holy See has also spoken to Venezuela in a private manner, possibly referring to a private meeting that occurred between him and President Maduro at the Vatican last October.

Venezuela continues to face escalating protests and violence, as President Nicolas Maduro has suppressed opposition and democracy activists, and moved to seize legislative power in the country.

The United Sates and several other nations have dismissed as illegitimate the results of a July 30 election convened by Maduro.
Our countrys schoolswhether they be charters, recovery districts, traditional public schools, or those that take vouchersare becoming increasingly difficult to categorize. Recent changes in school governance, funding, and practice have arisen in response to both some legitimate and some wrongly perceived failures of public schools. Some states, seeking alternatives to low-performing public schools, have chosen to use vouchers to redirect children living in those districts into private or religious schools funded by public taxpayer dollars, believing those schools can raise student performance. These changes could be accelerated by President Donald Trumps plans to expand school choice via more voucher programs, an approach celebrated by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

Too often, some so-called public schools are only formally public in the sense that they are government-run, taxpayer-funded, and subject to various accountability measures. Many struggle to fulfill a key expectation of what public schools were meant to do: provide equal opportunities for all children. Many citizens have been content to accept the formal classification of public without upholding criteria for the way that public schools ought to function. This is a problem.

Proponents of newer and alternative types of public schools, such as recovery districts and for-profit charter schools, increasingly cast public schools in formalist termscategorizing them by their form, rather than their functionwhile trimming those terms to better align with their own structure.

According to the definition of one longtime school choice advocate, senior fellow and president emeritus of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute Chester E. Finn Jr., a public school is any school that is open to the public, paid for by the public, and accountable to the public. It need not be run by the government. Such labeling allows private and for-profit service providers to run public schools as long as they meet minimum formal criteria of being publicly funded and held to basic accountability standards.

There are five responsibilities schools should have in order to truly be defined as 'public.'"

But this label fails to encapsulate how corporate-managed charter schools operate as autonomous entities. About half the students attending charter schools go to one that is privately corporate-managed, according to estimates by the research nonprofit National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado. For example, they may be accountable to communities only through standardized-testing performance, but not through an elected school board. They often draw on additional funding from private investors, who in turn hold the management organizations to their own expectations of profit and success at the expense of students.

In fact, its in the interests of those advocating for private and alternative schools to redefine the nature of public schools in ways that will enable more of the annual $600 billion spent on public schools at the local, state, and federal levels to flow their way. Vouchers, according to a July tweet from DeVos, are an investment in individual students. This thinking argues that providing direct funds to students families is equitable. But it downplays the limited nature of voucher schools, which can hold meetings behind closed doors, impose admissions criteria to block out certain students, and submit minimal accountability data. Whats more, emphasizing financial investment in an individual child is directly the opposite of long-standing views on what public schools should be doingserving our democracy through the common good.

In this changing terrain, there are five responsibilities schools should have in order to truly be defined as public":

 Public schools should be open to the public, meaning all children are not only permitted but are also welcomed and equitably supported, even if their education may be more costly than average, such as that of students with disabilities or English-language learners.

 They should serve the public, meaning they meet societal needs like preparing active citizens to maintain the government and economy or to serve in the military or on juries, while also preparing graduates to critique and revise those needs.

 They should be responsive to the public, enabling comunity members to vote out school officials or change school policies through meaningful and viable avenues like elections, referendums, and open school meetings.

 They should be creators of the public, meaning that they cultivate citizens who know how to exchange ideas and respond to the ideas of others, while tolerating and working across differences.

 They should sustain democracy by developing skills and dispositions within children for participating and enacting freedom-oriented decisionmaking.

As places where students come together to deliberate, learn, celebrate, and solve problems, public schools can unite large and diverse groups around common culture, while still maintaining respect for individuality and distinction. As the late political theorist Benjamin Barber believed, public schools are places where children learn to be a public.

Sustaining democracy requires the skills and knowledge best offered in schools that are formally and functionally public. This is not to say that many dont fall short of democratic goals. Yet the nature of public schools outlined in those five criteria provides the potential for meeting those ends in ways not always possible in private or for-profit charter schools, whose missions, student bodies, ideologies, and closed-door-governing practices are often too constrained to be aligned with democratic aims.

The debate will no doubt continue about which types of schools deserve public tax dollars. If we continue to focus on categorizing schools as public merely on the basis of their increasingly narrowed elements of formal operation, we will gloss over their function as places of citizenship development. We must instead concentrate on what public schools can and should provide for all studentsand be careful about where we toss the label. The health of our education system and democracy depend on it.
Search All categories Advertising General Aerospace General Agriculture General Airlines General America - Post 9/11 General Apparel General Apple Products General Architectural General Architecture Architecture Art & Entertainments Books Celebrities Country Music Dance Magazines Movies Museums Music Music Downloads News & Talk Shows Performing Arts Photography Television Web Sites Arts/Culture General Auction General Automotive Aftermarket Classic Autos Consumer Publications General Motorcycle & Bike Racing Recreational Vehicle Repair & Service Trade Publications Blogging & Social Media Blogging & Social Media Business Advertising / Marketing Books Consumer Research Direct Marketing e-Commerce Entrepreneurs Finance Franchise Human Resources Insurance Investment Management Markets Network Marketing Online Marketing / SEO Payday Loans Public Relations Publications Real Estate Retail Stocks Supermarkets Women in Business Careers/HR General Chemical General Coaching / Mentoring Coaching / Mentoring Computers Apple Products Databases Games & Entertainment General Hosting Instruction Linux / GNU "Open Source" Macintosh Microsoft Windows PC Operating Systems Programming Security Software Tablet PCs Utilities Construction General Consumer Gifts and Collectibles Hobbies Web sites / Internet Design Graphic Design Industrial Web E-Cigarette General eCommerce General Economy General Education College / University General Home Schooling K-12 Post Graduate Technical Electronics General Email Marketing General EmailWire Press Releases Press Release Tips Employment/Careers General Engineering General Entertainment General Environment General Events / Trade Shows General Finance General Food General Franchise General Fraud / Identity Theft General Gaming General Government General Judicial Law Enforcement Legislative Local National Public Services Security State Transportation Healthcare General Home and Family Banking / Personal Finance Bereavement / Loss Home Furnishings / Interiors Landscaping & Gardening Marriage / Relationships Money Parenting Payday Loans Pets Taxes Wedding / Bridal Home Schooling General Hotels/Resorts General Household General Industry Aerospace / Defense Agriculture Apparel / Textiles Broadcast Construction / Building Electrical Food Funeral Healthcare Leisure / Hospitality Logistics / Shipping Manufacturing / Production Mining / Metals Oil / Energy Paper / Forest Products Plumbing, Heating & AC Print Media Printing Publishing Radio Restaurants Tobacco Toy Insurance General Internet/Online General Legal General Leisure General Lifestyle Beauty Dating / Singles Diet / Weight Loss Fashion Food / Beverage Health & Fitness Hotel / Resorts Pastimes Restaurants Retirement Travel & Tourism Machinery General Maritime General Medical Addiction Allergies Alternative Medicine Asthma Cancer Cardiology Chiropractic Dental Dermatology Diabetes Emergency Family Medicine General General Geriatrics Hospitals Infectious Diseases Internal Medicine Managed Care / HMO Medical Products Mental Health Neurology Nursing Nutrition OB / GYN Pediatrics Pharmaceuticals Physical Therapy Plastic Surgery Psychology Radiology / Imaging Research Sports Medicine Surgery Vision Military General Mining/Metals General Miscellaneous General Nanotechnology Nanotechnology Non-profit General Occupational Safety Occupational Safety Oil/Energy General Opinion / Editorial Opinion / Editorial Paper Products General Paper/Forest General Pharmaceuticals General Podcasting Announce Tools and Services Politics Politics Print Media General Public Utilities Public Utilities Publishing General Radio General Real Estate General Religion Christian General Islam Jewish Other Restaurants General Retail General RSS & Content Syndication RSS & Content Syndication Science and Research Science and Research Self-Help / Personal Growth Self-Help / Personal Growth Shipbuilding General Society African American Interests Asian Interests Childrens Issues Disabled Issues / Disabilities Gay / Lesbian Hispanic Mens Interests Native American Senior Citizens Social Services Teen Issues/Interests Womens Interest Software General Sports Baseball Basketball Bicycling Boating / Maritime Bowling Boxing Fishing Football Golf Hockey Hunting Martial Arts Outdoors Rugby Soccer Tennis Water Winter/Snow Sports/Fitness General Stocks General Supermarkets General Technology Biotechnology Computer Electronics Enterprise Software Games Graphics/Printing/CAD Hardware / Peripherals Industrial Information Internet Multimedia Networking Public Sector/Government Robotics Semiconductor Software Telecommunications Webmasters Telecom General Wireless Television General Tobacco General Trade General Transportation General Travel General Utilities General Volunteer Volunteer Weather Weather
The Antifa movement  Coming to a theater near you

By Mark Alexander



Most Americans  those with jobs, families and community obligations and responsibilities  had likely not heard of "Antifa" before throngs of its masked thugs initiated the riots in Charlottesville last month  though the "group" played dominant roles in riots at Berkeley University in February and Evergreen State College in June.

What, then, is Antifa?

Correctly stated, it is a domestic derivative of "Antifaschistische Aktion," the paramilitary wing of the 1930s communist movement in Germany.

Reemerging in the U.S. in the 1990s under Bill Clinton, it has metastasized over the last eight years under Barack Obama's regime into an autonomous collective of radical "useful idiots."

The movement was invigorated by Obama's Marxist agenda and that of his socialist bourgeoisie cadres. It coalesced around Obama's revolution-tested politics of disparity, as instilled in him by his Marxist mentors. Antifa is the current manifestation of his repugnant Red October uprising, "Occupy Wall Street," in the fall of 2011.

Recall that Obama proclaimed to his Occupy cadres, "You are the reason I ran for office."

This growing radical anarchist/socialist movement, also referred to as the "alt-left," declares that it is anti-fascist  but this is Orwellian. In truth, the movement bears strong resemblance to Hitler's brownshirt fascists, whom they claim to oppose. As American Enterprise Institute fellow Marc Thiessen aptly notes in a Washington Post op-ed: "Yes, Antifa is the moral equivalent of neo-Nazis. ... Both practice violence and preach hate. They are morally indistinguishable. There is no difference between those who beat innocent people in the name of the ideology that gave us Hitler and Himmler and those who beat innocent people in the name of the ideology that gave us Stalin and Dzerzhinsky."

Over the last eight years, the Occupy Wall Streeters and their kissin' cousins, the so-called "Black Lives Matter" cabal, have had a hand in every urban-area riot across America. Like them, the Antifa thugs typically organize protests using social media accounts, websites and email blasts.

In 2016, the Antifa movement was further energized by the socialist platform of Bernie Sanders, until his presidential campaign was bushwhacked by the Democrat National Committee and Hillary Clinton.

Antifa is composed of mostly white adolescent agitators, violent malcontents between 18 and 30 years of age, from about 200 autonomous anarchist and anti-capitalist factions. Thus, it's not an overtly formal organization  yet.

Who benefits from Antifa propaganda and violence?

The lack of organization doesn't mean that no one is benefiting from Antifa's propaganda and violence. Indeed, the Antifa movement has created a fundraising windfall for leftists, particularly the Democrat Party race-baiters and the hate-hustling profiteers at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

These two money-grubbing organizations have generated an endless stream of revenue beginning with their faux indignation at Donald Trump's condemnation of both hate factions involved in the Charlottesville riots. The Democrat leadership and their Leftmedia propaganda machine devoted all their bandwidth to castigating Trump for daring to call out the thugs from both alt-right and alt-left.

Despite the Demo-goguery, historian Victor Davis Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, observed: "In the olden days, demonstrators decked out in black, with masks and clubs, would have been deemed sinister by liberals. Now are they the necessary shock troops whose staged violence brings political dividends? Antifa's dilemma is that its so-called good people wearing black masks can find almost no bad people in white masks to club, so they smash reporters, the disabled, and onlookers alike for sport  revealing that, at base, they perversely enjoy violence for violence's sake. As the cowardly Klan taught us in the 1920s and 1960s: Put on a mask with a hundred like others, and even the most craven wimp believes he's now a psychopathic thug."

National Review's Jim Geraghty notes, "Antifa chants, 'No Trump, no wall, no USA at all.' The label 'anti-American' is not a pejorative, it's just descriptive."

And NR's Rich Lowry calls out the hypocrisy: "Too many people were willing to perfume Antifa in the wake of Charlottesville. But Berkeley demonstrates once again the true nature of this left-wing movement, which is thuggish in its tactics and totalitarian in its sensibility. Anyone who at this point makes excuses for Antifa  or worse, justifies it  is participating in its moral rot. ... There was certainly moral equivalence between Hitler and Stalin. Likewise, bully-boy fascists spoiling for a fight and black-clad leftists looking to beat them up exist on the same moral plane. They both thrill to violence and benefit from the attention that comes from it. They both reject civility and the Rule of Law that make a democratic society possible. They both are profoundly illiberal. ... Liberal commentators spread memes comparing Antifa to American GIs who stormed the beaches at Normandy. The comparison would be apt if the 1st Infantry Division got together to spend an afternoon beating up fellow Americans rather than giving its last measure of devotion to breaching Hitler's Atlantic Wall."

Lowry was referring to, among others, this absurd social media post from The Atlantic's editor in chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, who equated our nation's valorous D-Day forces with Antifa: "Watching 'Saving Private Ryan,' a movie about a group of very aggressive alt-left [Antifa] protesters invading a beach without a permit."

Shame on him. Far better men than Goldberg shed their blood on those Normandy beaches so that he could have the freedom to make such profoundly dullard remarks.

One of the nation's most noted liberal protagonists, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, warned that Democrat leaders are making a grave mistake by embracing those who want to "tear down America" and by not condemning both sides of the riotous mobs in Charlottesville.

He implores his fellow Democrats: "Do not glorify the violent people who are now tearing down the statues. Many of these people, not all of them, many of these people are trying to tear down America. Antifa is a radical, anti-America, anti-free market, communist, socialist, hard-left sensorial organization. They use violence. ... I'm a liberal, and I think it's the obligation of liberals to speak out against the hard-left radicals, just like it's the obligation of conservatives to speak out against the extremism of the hard right."

After being uniformly condemned by conservatives and most moderates, even House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi finally condemned Antifa, declaring, "Our democracy has no room for inciting violence or endangering the public, no matter the ideology of those who commit such acts. The violent actions of people calling themselves Antifa in Berkeley this weekend deserve unequivocal condemnation, and the perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted."

Even that most entrenched of the Trump-hating Leftmedia outlets, The Washington Post, is now playing catch-up. The paper recently ran a headline proclaiming, "Black-clad Antifa members attack peaceful right-wing demonstrators in Berkeley."

How dangerous is this latest iteration of communo-fascist malcontents?

Ahead of the 2016 presidential election, the FBI issued alerts to DHS about the increasing risk of Antifa violence, noting that "anarchist extremists" were responsible for most of the political violence across the nation.

The Antifa tactics clearly fall within the federal guidelines defining domestic terrorism, most notably that the intent is "to intimidate or coerce a civilian population," and "to influence a state or federal government policy by intimidation or coercion." Despite this, it will be difficult to officially label Antifa a terrorist organization because, at present, it is not a formal organization but an amalgam of communist, fascist and anarchist political ideologies.

However, as previously noted, Antifa is not an overtly formal organization  yet.

Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post.
Former prosecutor and Sheriff Arpaio attorney: Trump was perfectly in his right to pardon him By Rachel Alexander

Many are criticizing President Trump for pardoning former Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio. Even some on the right have chimed in against the pardon. Arpaio used to be the most popular sheriff in the country, and until just a few years ago, no one had a problem with him arresting illegal immigrants. Now, a federal judge has convicted him of criminal contempt for racially profiling illegal immigrants. I am a former prosecutor with Maricopa County who briefly represented Arpaio in 2010. For the latter, I have been viciously targeted through the legal system ever since. I could have easily turned on Arpaio after all the misery Ive been through, but I know the truth and wont take the easy way out. Trump didnt do anything wrong, nor did Arpaio. This was political. Not criminal. It comes down to this description by Arpaios lead attorney, What the sheriffs trial is actually about was a non-existent crime for not following a preliminary injunction that was unclear to everyone who read it except the federal judges. So what happened? The left turned race into a very toxic issue against the right in recent years. They did it cleverly, showcasing the good-looking children of illegal immigrants and referring to them with the sentimental term Dreamers in order to evoke maximum sympathy. Higher crime rates by illegal immigrants were swept under the rug. The left got the public to see illegal immigration as a race issue, not a border security issue, even though it does not affect Hispanics who are legal residents or citizens, and it affects all illegal immigrants, not just Hispanics. This emboldened left-leaning judges to turn against Arpaio. Compounding the issue of the pardon is the timing of the left-leaning medias recent firestorm toward Trump after his remarks about Charlottesville. While there is no evidence Trump supports white supremacists  in fact hes denounced them repeatedly over the years  the left and complicit media were able to create an impression even among some on the right that Trump must have some nefarious opinions on race. Pardoning Arpaio immediately afterward must be more evidence of that racism. Normally logical thinking people on the right are now condemning the pardon as fast as they can, afraid of being tarnished with the racist card. This isnt going to help them in the long run, because now that the left has found a phony issue that is resonating, it is expanding the definition of racism to even more absurd levels. The Confederate monument controversy is the lefts latest successful way to smear the right on race. Never mind that it was primarily Democrats who started Jim Crow laws, fought against civil rights laws and erected these monuments. Not content with merely taking down statues of famous Confederates, the left is now demanding to take down the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument and Mt. Rushmore. How far will they go? Trump is accused of abusing his presidential power by pardoning Arpaio. But former President Obama pardoned or commuted the sentences of far more unscrupulous characters than Arpaio. He commuted the sentence of Oscar Lopez Rivera, who helped lead a terrorist group whose bombing resulted in the deaths of four people. He commuted the sentence of Bradley/Chelsea Manning, who leaked confidential American military and diplomatic information to Wikileaks, putting American lives at risk. He also commuted the sentences of hundreds of drug dealers with violent records. As Ive written previously, Arpaio was a very deserving candidate for a pardon. The two judges on his case should have recused themselves for bias. Arpaio should have been granted a jury trial since it was a criminal charge. Even Arpaios local detractors agree here. Instead, he received a bench trial by a biased judge. Of course it looked like Arpaio was racially profiling for the obvious reason that Arizona has a lot of illegal immigrants and they commit crimes  including traffic-related crimes and offenses  at a higher rate than the general population. Yet the judge decided that this higher arrest rate meant his office must have been racially profiling in order to detain illegal immigrants. Every witness in the case testified that the judges order telling Arpaio to stop racially profiling was incoherent. The judge later clarified she meant Arpaio could not turn detained illegal immigrants over to federal authorities anymore without citing an accompanying crime  even though Arpaio had been doing this for years. This change came at the whim of the Obama administration, without Congressional approval, and was arbitrarily enforced until it was time to get Arpaio. Even so, as the late SCOTUS Justice Antonin wrote in a dissenting opinion in the 2012 opinion Arizona v. U.S., federal law expressly provides that state officers may cooperate with federal authorities when identifying a removable alien and holding him for federal determination whether he should be removed. As a result of what happened to Arpaio, police officers from other law enforcement agencies in Maricopa County have privately told me they are terrified to pull over someone while driving who appears to be an illegal immigrant. Tempe Police Officer David Lewis has been under investigation for years and taken off the street beat because of accusations of bias against illegal immigrants. But his beat included the Arizona Mills mall, known for large numbers of illegal immigrants, and also a higher crime rate because it is a mall. Insiders tell me Lewis is a kind, decent man without a racist bone in his body. Trump is also being attacked on technical grounds for pardoning Arpaio. But the Constitution doesnt specify technical grounds. Those are laid out in instructions at the Department of Justice  which are subject to the authority of the president. Furthermore, requirements such as a five-year waiting period appear to apply to those applying for a pardon. Arpaio never applied for a pardon, Trump merely decided on his own to issue one. Considering Arpaio is 85, it wouldnt even make sense to wait five years, or to wait until his appeals run out. Trump has possibly the finest legal team in the world, does anyone actually think he made this decision rashly without consulting them as to the constitutionality and legality? Trump is also being accused of obstruction of justice for asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions previously if the DOJ could drop the prosecution. There was nothing wrong with this. As president, Trump is over the DOJ, which reports to him. If he saw the prosecution as a politically motivated vendetta by out-of-control prosecutors, he is perfectly within his rights to shut it down. Its really easy to pretend to take the high moral ground and criticize Trump for pardoning Arpaio. No one wants to be a target of the left in an area where theyve had a lot of success lately demonizing people. But when is someone going to stand up to the race bullies? We saw people of all races working together during Hurricane Harvey. This country doesnt have horrible race relations. Instead, it has former Nazi collaborator George Soros funding racial violence in order to demonize the right, falsely claim were the neo-Nazis and create the impression we have race wars. Whats next, renaming Washington, D.C. and Washington state? Do blacks with last names like Washington and Jefferson change their names? First they came for Arpaio. Who are they coming for next, people descended from slave owners (who have probably discovered through DNA tests recently that they are part black)? Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, and other publications. Home
Trump justice: 'Dreamer' wanted for murder nabbed by feds in NJ and extradited By Jim Kouri

Judicial Watch applauds the Trump administrations decision to rescind the Obama administration amnesty program for 800,000 illegal aliens. Judicial Watch already exposed how the Obama administration bypassed security background checks for DACA recipients, which placed the nations security and public safety at risk. President Trumps decision helps restore the rule of law and constitutional governance. The Trump administrations enforcement action on immigration shows the best immigration reform is to finally enforce the law. - Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed a criminal alien from the U.S. and turned him over to Honduras police officials in Central America, according to the Department of Homeland Security. This removal, and others like it, are taking place in the midst of political arguments regarding the rescinding of President Barack Obama's DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) by President Donald Trump. The criminal alien -- 22-year-old Erick Raudales-Raudales, a/k/a Gerson Reiniri Raudales-Acosta -- was immediately arrested by Honduran law enforcement authorities and charged with homicide. ICE officials say that Raudales unlawfully entered the United States, prior to 2012 when he was 18-years-old, but they claim how and where he entered the U.S. remains a mystery. On Feb. 12, 2012, U.S. Border Patrol agents captured Raudales as an alien present in the United States without being admitted or paroled under the name Gerson Raudales-Acosta. He was subsequently brought before an administrative judge who ordered him released on bond pending formal immigration proceedings. The teenager never showed up for his scheduled court appearance and fell off of ICE's "radar" until May 16, 2017. On that day, ERO's Newark (New Jersey) Office received a picture and fingerprint card of a subject identified as Erick Raudales-Raudales from the ICE Attaches Office in Honduras, notifying ERO Newark that Erick Raudales-Raudales had warrants in Honduras for homicide. ERO agents in Newark confirmed that the fingerprints were an exact match for those taken from Gerson Raudales-Acosta at the time of his arrest by the U.S. Border Patrol in 2012. "On May 18, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) filed a motion to reopen Raudales-Raudales immigration proceedings with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). An immigration judge granted DHSs motion to reopen the case, and ERO Newark arrested Raudales-Raudales and canceled his immigration bond on June 9, 2017," according to a DHS/ICE statement. It wasn't until July 6, 2017 that the suspected killer finally admitted to EOIR that he indeed is Erick Raudales-Raudales, the man wanted for at least one homicide in Honduras. On Aug. 9, 2017, an immigration judge ordered Raudales-Raudales removed from the United States to Honduras. He waived his right to appeal. During the Labor Day holiday weekend, ERO officers turned him over to Honduran authorities. Conservative Base's editor, Jim Kouri, CPP, is founder and CEO of Kouri Associates, a homeland security, public safety and political consulting firm. He's formerly Fifth Vice-President, now a Board Member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, a columnist, and a contributor to the nationally syndicated talk-radio program, the Chuck Wilder Show. Kouri appears regularly as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Fox News Channel, Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, etc. He also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty (Law & Order). He holds a bachelor of science in Criminal Justice from Southwest University and SCI Technical School in New York City and completed training at the NYC Police Academy, FBI Continuing Education Program, and the Certified Protection Professional (CPP) of the American Society for Industrial Security. Home
Hijacking the laws of occupation By Amb. Alan Baker

The fact that there are 40 or more ongoing conflict and occupation situations throughout the world, including in Iraq, Afghanistan, Western Sahara, East Timor, East Congo, Nagorno-Karabakh, Northern Cyprus, and the Crimea, is not widely known. The international community does not appear to be very bothered with these occupation situations. In fact, curiously, these situations are rarely seen by the international community as occupations. Nor are the respective parties involved described as belligerent occupants or occupying powers. It is rare to find resolutions or agenda items in the highly politicized and partisan UN Human Rights Council that deal with such situations of occupation and transfer of people to establish settlements in the territory they are occupying. However, the objective criteria for such occupations are evident for all to see, and they clearly fall within the factual definitions of occupations, as set out by the international law of armed conflict and specifically in the 1907 Hague Regulations and the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention. Furthermore, it appears that most of these occupation situations involve extensive movements of people from the occupiers territory into the occupied territory for purposes of settlement. But there is little or no international discussion as to whether such actions and such situations violate international humanitarian law and the laws of occupation. But this is not the case regarding Israel. In fact, from the extent and volume of international attention directed toward Israel and the excessive number of UN resolutions and international declarations, any objective observer might be led to assume that Israel is considered within the international community to be the only occupying power. This singling out of Israel for special international scrutiny and criticism is indicative of a distinct double standard, so much so that one cannot but conclude that the laws of occupation have indeed been hijacked for one political purpose  to single out Israel only. Why this is the case? Ongoing Situations of Occupation Examining some examples of recent and ongoing military occupations throughout the world, all of which involve significant situations of invasion, occupation, and movement and settlement of people, is instructive. The 1974 Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus has been accompanied by extensive settlement activity by over 200,000 settlers on land owned by former Greek Cypriot residents. They are in fact the majority of the population of Northern Cyprus. The international community has never recognized Turkeys claims vis-a-vis Northern Cyprus. Apart from one major General Assembly resolution from 1983 calling for an end to the occupation, the international community remains silent regarding both the occupation and related settlement activities in Northern Cyprus, and further resolutions have been few and far-between. The 1975 Moroccan occupation and annexation of Western Sahara has not been recognized by the international community. Several General Assembly resolutions have deplored the continued occupation of the territory by Morocco. Morocco has settled hundreds of thousands of settlers in the area, doubling the local population. But no international resolution has made reference to this settlement policy.



During a 2016 visit to Sahrawi refugee camps in southern Algeria, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described Moroccos presence in Western Sahara as an occupation. This resulted in the expulsion by Morocco of the civilian component of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Only after the UN Secretary-General expressed regret over a misunderstanding in his use of the word occupation to describe Moroccos annexation of Western Sahara, was the situation remedied.





During a 2016 visit to Sahrawi refugee camps in southern Algeria, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described Moroccos presence in Western Sahara as an occupation. This resulted in the expulsion by Morocco of the civilian component of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Only after the UN Secretary-General expressed regret over a misunderstanding in his use of the word occupation to describe Moroccos annexation of Western Sahara, was the situation remedied. The Indonesian 1975 occupation and annexation of East Timor was condemned by UN General Assembly resolution 3485 (XXX) of 1975 and Security Council resolution 384 (1975), which strongly deplored the military intervention of the armed forces of Indonesia in Portuguese Timor and called upon the Government of Indonesia to desist from further violation of the territorial integrity and to withdraw its armed forces from the territory.



However, these resolutions made no mention of occupation. Nor was there any international reference to the transfer of over 100,000 Indonesian settlers (20 percent of the population) into the territory.





However, these resolutions made no mention of occupation. Nor was there any international reference to the transfer of over 100,000 Indonesian settlers (20 percent of the population) into the territory. The 1978 Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia lasted for 10 years, during which hundreds of thousands of people were transferred into the territory. While the General Assembly, in resolutions adopted between 1979 and 1989, deplored foreign armed intervention and occupation, no mention was made regarding the transfer of settlers.





The 2004 Syrian occupation of Lebanese territory was dealt with in Security Council resolution 1559 (2004) calling for all remaining foreign forces to withdraw from Lebanon. This resolution and others dealing with the Syrian presence in Lebanon made no mention of occupation or of the settlement of thousands of Syrians in the territory.





The 1992-1994 Armenian occupation and annexation of the Azerbaijan area of Nagorno-Karabakh involved extensive movement of Armenian settlers into the territory. While General Assembly resolution 62/243 of 2008 entitled The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and various Security Council resolutions acknowledged the fact that this is an occupation, no mention is made of the settlement activity.





The 2002 seizure by Russia of Abkhazia and South Ossetia from Georgia and the subsequent organized migration of settlers into Abkhazia amounting to some 4 percent of its population has not given rise to any significant international resolutions regarding the Russian actions.





The 2014 Russian seizure, occupation and annexation of Crimea from the Ukraine was condemned by General Assembly resolution 68/262 (2014) but without any mention neither of occupation, nor the extensive settlement of over 100,000 Russians in the area. Occupation, Belligerent Occupation, and Occupied Territory The classical rules of occupation are set out in the international law of armed conflict and specifically in the 1907 Hague Regulations and the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention. They approach a situation of occupation in a simplistic and straightforward manner such that the Hague Regulations define the existence of an occupation when territory comes under the control of a hostile army (Hague Regulations, article 42). The Fourth Geneva convention goes further and requires that the territory of a High Contracting Party comes under partial or total occupation (Fourth Geneva Convention, article 2). The nature of occupations, their length, and their component elements have been the subject of several recent ICRC expert meetings and studies. They indicate a difficulty  especially in an era of increasing non-international conflicts and complex historic and legal situations, as well as prolonged or protracted occupations  to conclude any clear and all-embracing formula. In his introductory section of a 2012 ICRC Report on Expert Meetings on the Subject of Occupation, Dr. Knut Dormann, Head of the Legal Division of the ICRC, stressed:  References to unlawful occupation can be misguiding, as they confuse the issue of the lawfulness of the resort to the use of force with that of the rules of conduct to be applied once armed force has been used, and therefore also obscure the fundamental distinction between jus ad bellum and jus in bello. He goes on to state: Recent occupations have demonstrated that even when States consent to be bound by occupation law in the course of their military operations abroad, they sometimes take a self-serving approach to its application. Some States have even taken the view that occupation law cannot cope with the political, humanitarian and legal challenges created by contemporary occupation; they argue that these situations are very different from classical occupation and should be governed by rules that are more specific than those contained in occupation law at present. In summarizing the experts discussion on the topic of the end of an occupation, the issue of the political connotation given to the term occupation was addressed. The report stressed the need to distinguish between politically-influenced terminology and the actual protection required by the international norms: Finally, a majority of the experts declared that the difficulties associated with assessing an occupation were largely due to the pejorative connotation of occupation. Some participants felt that there was a need to replace the term with one that was less offensive, with a view to making IHL rules more acceptable for States concerned about the political consequences of being perceived to be occupying a foreign territory. In this regard, the necessity of dissociating the label from the related legal framework was underlined. In fact, some of the States who seemed to be most apprehensive about being associated with the concept of occupation per se expressed much less concern about the substantial provisions of occupation law. In this respect, it appeared to some experts (though not all) of the utmost importance to change the existing terminology in order to make sure that the protection afforded by occupation law would not be affected by the pejorative connotation of occupation. Concepts such as effective control or extraterritorial administrative responsibilities were proposed as potential alternatives. In light of the evident politicization of the concept of occupation there seems to be an urgent need to draw a clear distinction between, and to de-link, two basic elements inherent in occupations: On the one hand, the substantive humanitarian requirements inherent in occupation law, dealing with the manner in which a power fulfills its international obligations in controlling the territory. These requirements are applicable irrespective of conflicting views on the political status of the territory. The task of monitoring this should be the only task of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), without political value-judgments. On the other hand, the political, legal, and historical status of the territory in dispute should be dealt with through the appropriate negotiating forum. This cannot and should not be a factor in supervising the humanitarian implementation of international obligations. Political issues regarding the status of the territory, including the outcome of disputes regarding the determination of its sovereignty, should be outside the purview of implementing international humanitarian obligations vis-a-vis the territory and its population. Israels Challenge and Dilemma Israel has consistently claimed that the simplistic and straightforward definitions of occupation in the 1907 Hague Rules and 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, may not necessarily be appropriate with regard to the West Bank areas of Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip area, which do not fit within the rubrics set out in the above conventions. This is all the more evident in situations where the sovereign status is recognized to be legally unclear or non-existent and as such cannot be seen as territory of a High Contracting Party as defined by the Fourth Geneva Convention. The legal questionability of pre-1967 Jordanian sovereignty, as well as Egypts self-admitted non-sovereign military administration of the Gaza Strip, give added relevance to the question whether the classic and simplistic concept of belligerent occupation could be legally relevant and applicable to Israels unique situation in the territories? It is well known that prior to 1967, Jordans annexation of and claim to sovereignty in the West Bank were not accepted in the international community, except for the UK and Pakistan. Jordans claim to east Jerusalem was not accepted by the UK either. This is especially the case when the territory itself has a long and unique historic and legal background that differentiates it from the simplistic, generally accepted rubric based on the concept of the ousted sovereign. However, the interpreters of the conventions, led first and foremost by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the main repository and arbiter of the conventions, have given themselves an overly wide and liberal margin in interpreting accepted factual definitions in the international instruments. Simply speaking, they ignore the actual and unique factual, political, legal, and historic situation of the territory that sets it apart from the simplistic international definitions. Thus, the use by the international community of the terms belligerent occupation and occupied territory almost exclusively to refer to Israels status in the territories has taken on a distinct politicized connotation that ignores the legal, historic, and political situation on the ground. The terms extend far beyond the simplistic rubrics foreseen in the definitions. Relentless efforts by Israel to draw a distinction between political and legal issues of status of the territory, on the one hand, and issues of applicability of international humanitarian norms on the other, have not been accepted by the international community. In hundreds of politically generated resolutions and determinations, the international community seems to have created a specific political terminology applicable only to Israels situation. Israeli Practice Israel has never denied the fact that it took control of territory in 1967 and is obligated to govern them in accordance with accepted norms. Indeed, concomitant with its assuming control in June 1967, Israel committed itself, through a series of military proclamations and orders, to conduct itself in accordance with the relevant norms of international law. It committed to observe the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention in all matters including property, respecting existing local legislation, and other general provisions. In the same context, Israel committed itself to apply the humanitarian provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention vis-a-vis the local population, but without officially acknowledging the formal applicability of the Convention to the territories. To this end, Israel has endeavored to cooperate with the ICRCs humanitarian role as set out in the Convention to restore and improve the living conditions of the local Palestinian population with a view to both ensuring respect for their basic rights and offering the prospect of a future political solution to the conflict. Based on the accepted humanitarian norms applicable to Israel, the Israeli Supreme Court maintains strict supervision of the actions of Israels military and other governmental authorities functioning in the territories. Clearly, if Israels governance of the territory does not accord with its international obligations, then there is room for substantive and pragmatic dialogue and criticism. However, such dialogue and criticism should not be hijacked and become a partisan political issue through politically-generated resolutions and determinations by political and even humanitarian bodies such as the ICRC. Politicization of the Language of International Law of Occupation Over the years, the international community ignored the legal and historic reasons put forward by Israel to distinguish the situation of the territories and determined that Israel is a belligerent occupant. This has become lingua franca throughout the international political system, despite Israels insistence on using the less-politically-loaded phrase disputed territories, which is devoid of any interpretative doubt or slant. This terminology has been enhanced by annual politically-generated resolutions in the UN General Assembly and Security Council as well as by determinations by the ICRC, lacking any legal authority, yet nevertheless declaring that the territories are both occupied and Palestinian." However, there have been no legally binding agreements, resolutions, or declarations determining that the territories are indeed Palestinian, there has never been sovereign Palestinian territory, nor have the territories ever belonged to any Palestinian entity. Clearly, the repeated use of what is blatantly partisan and political terminology cannot create legitimacy. It thrives through pressure by regional groups carrying a distinct political agenda. The result of such manipulation has been a generally accepted yet totally flawed international opinion that Israel stole territory that belonged to the Palestinians. However, what is surprising is the fact that such determinations figure in official positions and statements by the International Red Cross on the status of the territories, including by the ICRCs President and official ICRC publications such as the 2002 International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 84, No. 847, entitled Implementation of the Fourth Geneva convention in the occupied Palestinian territories: history of a multilateral process (1997-2001). As such they appear to have become accepted terms of art within the ICRC itself, and not only in the United Nations and international community. This runs counter to the ICRCs very basic fundamental principles of impartiality, neutrality, and independence as required and defined in the Preamble to the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and reaffirmed in the Article 4 of the ICRCs own Statutes and statements. The cumulative effect of such legally flawed assumptions in effect prejudges the central negotiating issue between Israel and the PLO  the permanent status of the territories. That issue constitutes an agreed-upon negotiating issue pursuant to the 1993 Oslo Accords in which the Palestinians themselves agreed to negotiate the permanent status of the territory. If they themselves are committed to negotiate the permanent status of the territories, there can be neither logic nor justification in assuming that the territories are Palestinian, and hence the term occupied Palestinian territory is redundant. Therefore, the expression occupied Palestinian territory which appears in ICRC and UN documentation, as well as in declarations and statements by world leaders and international resolutions and even in the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice of July 9, 2014 regarding Israels security barrier, is clearly nothing more than a political term of art that has never emanated from any genuine legal analysis. Conclusion During the course of the 50 year period since 1967, factual complexities and legal, political, and military developments in the region, as well as the development and refining of international humanitarian law in the wider international context, have all generated legal uncertainty in the normative context. In the specific Israeli-Palestinian context and despite the complex history and unique sui generis situation, any evaluation of core principles cannot ignore the fact that there is an ongoing and evolving process that is intended ultimately to determine the final and permanent fate of the territories. This process is pending, with considerable and ongoing international efforts to restore the negotiating process. The continuing trend in the international community of prejudging the outcome of this negotiating process through politically-generated and influenced determinations as to the attribution of sovereignty, whether by states or international bodies including the ICRC, would appear to run counter to any constitutional necessity of neutrality, impartiality, and independence. Any claim or determination, even by the ICRC, attempting to designate and assign the territory to one party or to deny the rights and status of any party could only be seen to be a departure from the strict policy of neutrality dictated by the fundamental principles of the Red Cross movement. Any genuine evaluation of the past, present, and future of the law of belligerent occupation cannot ignore these realities. Amb. Alan Baker is Director of the Institute for Contemporary Affairs at the Jerusalem Center and the head of the Global Law Forum. He participated in the negotiation and drafting of the Oslo Accords with the Palestinians, as well as agreements and peace treaties with Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. He served as legal adviser and deputy director-general of Israels Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as Israels ambassador to Canada. Home
My Pilgrimage, Chapter Twenty-Eight: The New World Order Committee Versus The Trumpets By Michael Moriarty

The day and age of the Big Red Bullies? The list: Stalin,

Mao,

Pol Pot,

Castro

And both last

And unquestionably least:

Kim Jong-un of North Korea Apparently this fading tradition of Communist dictators will end, not with a whimper but with some hydrogen Bang out of a profoundly creepy, spoiled-brat, prep-school fatty in North Korea.

The Psychotic End to a Long and Homicidal Line of Communist Tyrants Communist leaders, even quasi-Communist Chairmen such as Vladimir Putin? They will be inevitably replaced by Committees known as Politburos. Gatherings such as the collection of know-it-alls who run Beijing and most of Asian Communism. They are unquestionably cleverer and more tenaciously survivable than Communist nightmares such as Kim Jong-un . Since the presumptive leadership of The New World Order, the ultimate Committee of The United Nations, is expressing dismay over this last and most foul-smelling reminder of Communist Chairmen at their worst  Kim Jong-un  this pathetic last gasp of Leninist insanity, though unmistakably dangerous and a threat to millions of people in American territories, this Hitlerian leader of North Korea is inevitably facing the only alternative left for him: To become the least memorable name among Historys greatest villains. Does that mean dictatorial Communist Committees are the ultimate governing principle for this insanely Progressive New World Order? Since the United Nations has already drawn up some kind of back-room deal with the Islamic World to give them a slice of the New World Order Pie some form of Red Islamic Politburo shall rule. Where does that leave America, Israel and the rest of whats left of a Free World? In very, very grave danger. Only President Donald Trump seems to be holding out for some form of Individual Freedom. I dont think Kim Jong-un will prove to be something and someone President Trump cant handle. However, with both the increasingly Far Left Democrat Party and the Bush Family, New World Order version of the Republican Party joining hands in a Clinton Family/Bush Family Campaign for The New World Order?!

The Bush/Clinton Coalition That Bush/Clinton Coalition for A Progressive New World Order run by the United Nations demands the dismantling of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and its Bill of Rights. That is treason. President Trump knows that but he cant say it! Why? He now depends upon both the Democrat and Republican Parties to accomplish anything at all. Because of the Bush Family campaign within the Republican Party to stop Donald Trump from accomplishing anything as President, the President has had to turn to the Democrats for support. This past week he received complete support! Now what do the Clintons and the Bushes do?!



Donald Trump, by a clever and lightning-quick decision, just created a Third American Political Party, possibly but secretly called The Trumpets. That, ladies and gentlemen, is Individual Freedom-Thinking at Its Best! Your move, Anti-Trumpets. Michael Moriarty is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in the landmark television series Law and Order from 1990 to 1994. His recent film and TV credits include The Yellow Wallpaper, 12 Hours to Live, Santa Baby and Deadly Skies. Contact Michael at rainbowfamily2008@yahoo.com. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@MGMoriarty. Home
Something went wrong, please try again later.

Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.

Get the latest on all the biggest court and crime news in Essex direct from our expert court reporter

A Colchester zoo worker who sexually abused a five-year-old boy will not see his jail time increase after his "unduly lenient" sentence was reviewed at an appeal court.

David Pennery, 26, was jailed for seven years for sexually abusing the young child, leaving his victim's family "emotionally wrecked" and the youngster himself "deeply traumatised".

Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC, referred it to London's Appeal Court for judges to look at the sentencing again after he criticised it for being too lenient.

Pennery, a catering assistant at the zoo, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault on a child under 13 and making indecent photographs of children after the family of the child reported him to the police.

Police searched his address on Rayner Road, and found a hoard of child abuse content amounting to thousands of images and dozens of videos on his computer.

He later admitted to taking a picture of the private parts of the boy he had abused and storing it on his phone.

Pennery, who has "distorted attitudes and beliefs", told the authorities that he was "disgusted with himself" for what he had done.

But a report on him noted that he seemed "devoid of emotion" and must still be regarded as a danger to children.

At the appeal court, lawyers for the Attorney General argued that the judge who jailed Pennery treated his crimes as less serious than they really were.

They also pointed out the severity of the psychological harm caused and the "extreme youth" of the victim should have put him in the highest sentencing category.

The court also heard how the victim now has to "cocoon himself" in multiple layers of clothing and blankets before he feels safe enough to sleep at night after the abuse.

But Lord Justice Nigel Davis, sitting with Mr Justice Stephen Phillips and Mr Justice Neil Garnham, ruled that Pennery's punishment was not too lenient and refused to up it.

He concluded: "Our conclusion is that the sentence was one which was within the range open to the judge.

"We do not think it was unduly lenient."
Something went wrong, please try again later.

Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.

Get the latest on all the biggest court and crime news in Essex direct from our expert court reporter

The family of a man who was stabbed to death in South Ockendon have paid tribute, describing him as lovely, go lucky and caring.

Daniel Adger, 34, suffered serious knife injuries after he was attacked in Eden Green, South Ockendon, on Monday August 21. He was taken to hospital but sadly died upon arrival.

His family said: Danny was far from perfect but he did not deserve to die the way he did. He was a lovely, go lucky and caring son, brother, father, cousin and grandson.

He had the most infectious laugh, was funny and had the biggest heart. He would help and support anyone.

Danny was a genuine person and would have given the shirt off his back to help others. However, Danny stood alone and would never be in the crowd but would always have other peoples backs.

Lee Dowman, 50, of Lytton Road, Grays, was charged with murder and is due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday, October 31.

Essex Police also arrested a 42-year-old man from Tilbury, a 31-year-old woman from South Ockendon, a 32-year-old man, of no fixed abode, and a 21-year-old woman from London on suspicion of murder. They have been released on police bail until a date later this month.

A 30-year-old man from Barking who was also arrested on suspicion of murder has been released under investigation.
Something went wrong, please try again later.

Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.

Get the latest on all the biggest court and crime news in Essex direct from our expert court reporter

Essex Police have sent officers to the Caribbean to help with the recovery following Hurricane Irma.

Seven police officers, led by Superintendent Andy Mariner, have made the trip across the Atlantic.

They are among 53 officers from 14 UK forces providing support.

They flew out of RAF Brize Norton yesterday (Sunday, September 10) in co-operation with the Ministry of Defence.

An official location is yet to be confirmed by the force, but Essex Live understands that they are tasked with supporting the local authorities maintain law, order and policing services.

(Image: NASA)

They may also have a hand in helping to locate missing people.

Supt Mariner said: "All of us have seen the footage on the news of the hurricane and the utter devastation its left behind and wanted to help.

"When the opportunity came to help out it was something we felt we had to do.

"Were lucky enough to be in a position where we can go and hopefully make a bit of a difference.

"Policing is about helping people, often when theyre most in need and at their most vulnerable, and this situation is no different.

"I think were all nervously anticipating what its going to look like when we get there but optimistic about what we can do to help."

Assistant Chief Constable Pippa Mills said: "Im really proud of the team going to help those affected by Hurricane Irma.

"When the call came in for help, they didnt hesitate to volunteer despite the impact being away will have on their families.

"At least two of the officers will be missing their childrens birthdays as well as other family events.

"I think this attitude and dedication to putting other people first, especially those in real need, exemplifies what is great about our officers.

"I wish them the best of luck and know their expertise and knowledge will be invaluable in supporting the local force."

The team will spend two weeks in the Caribbean.
Something went wrong, please try again later.

Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.

Get the latest on all the biggest court and crime news in Essex direct from our expert court reporter

A model is on trial accused of benefiting from her ex-boyfriend's conspiracy to defraud a large number of elderly people.

Rebecca Batchelor, 21, is alleged to have known that huge sums of cash transferred into her bank account as part of her former lover, Anis Ben-Sghaier's, dodgy dealings, were the proceeds of crime.

Known as Bekka, Batchelor rose to fame as she was one of a number of cheerleaders at Billericay Town who were sacked for being too distracting to players.

Batchelor, of Helena Road, Rayleigh, came before Chelmsford Crown Court for the start of the case against her today (Monday, September 11).

Alongside her in the dock were Anis Ben-Sghaier's younger brother, Bilal, of Collins Meadow, Harlow, and Cathereen Welch, of Lamplighters Close, Waltham Abbey, who is also the former lover of Ben-Sghaier.

All three defendants, who are alleged to have committed one count of converting criminal property between January 2013 and September 2016, deny the charges.

Turning to the case against the trio, prosecutor Sarah Przybylska explained to the jury of twelve how the defendants were supposedly connected to the widespread scam.

She outlined how brothers Anis and Amin Ben-Sghaier, who have already pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to defraud a number of people, would cold call elderly people and offer to make them lot of money.

Their victims would be fooled into believing that by making a payment of cash upfront, which they were told constituted taxes, auctioneer fees and down-payments, they would be able to make a hefty profit.

"It was all a lie," said Ms Przybylska.

"The money they paid would not go to auctioneer houses or to the tax man.

"It would go to Anis, Amin, and their associates.

"These defendants were among those people."

Expanding on the prosecution case, Ms Przybylska explained how the defendants had money paid into their accounts by some of the victims and went on to spend it.

"Each of them knew, or suspected, that the money were the proceeds of crime," she said.

"The prosecution say that they did know  they of course say that they didn't."

Ms Przybylska then read from a list of victims who lost money at the hands of the older Ben-Sghaier brothers, including 79-year-old John Price who was conned out of 190,763.07 between November 2013 and May 2015.

Mr Price, who was cold-called and told he was buying investments in rare earth metals, paid money into accounts belonging to Amis, Amin, Bilal, Welch and Batchelor, it is claimed.

Turning to another victim, Ms Przybylska revealed how 87-year-old Dorothy Hepper lost 780 as part of Anis and Amin Ben-Sghaier's scam, but that money was not paid into any of the defendants' accounts.

However, a WhatsApp conversation between Anis and Batchelor revealed the latter had drafted a letter to be sent to the pensioner and the pair discussed the contents at length.

The letter, which is said to have been drafted by Batchelor and sent by Anis, claimed Ms Hepper would have her deposit repaid on completion of the sale of her carbon credits.

Ms Przybylska alleged the transactions made by the defendants' following the receipt of cash into their accounts was not consistent with their claims that they innocently received the funds.

The court heard extensive details as to the spending of the three in the dock, including how 23-year-old Welch, who used to work for Harrods, spent a total of 28,595.60 between November 2013 and April 2015, despite earning less than 1,500 per month.

Examining specific deposits made, Ms Przybylska noted Welch received 3,400 from Mr Price on February 24, 2014, and went on to make purchases at stores including House of Fraser, Next and Ikea.

Between July 16 and July 28, 2014, Bilal received 5,380 as part of his brothers' defrauding of Mr Price, with all of the money being spent or withdrawn rather than being transferred to anyone else.

Batchelor too had money transferred into her account, with one example being the 2,535 she received from a Mr Singh, which she then spent on a shopping spree including a 517 lunch at a restaurant in London.

Batchelor, along with Anis, Amin and Bilal Ben Sghaier, were arrested on January 19 last year.

During her interview with police, Batchelor, who started dating Anisin January 2015, claimed she grew suspicious of his dealings and that he later admitted he was defrauding people out of their money.

She also told officers that she had allowed her ex to use her bank account to receive payments as she believed he did not have one of his own.

Welch admitted to police that when she went out with Anis she allowed him access to her accounts so he could pay the rent on their flat but denied knowing anything about a fraud.

The trial continues.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), a leading medical charity, said last week that EU aid to Libya whose main aim is to stop migrants from entering Europe is fueling a Libyan detention network that is taking advantage of the chaos in the country by facilitating kidnappings, torture and extortion. Joanne Liu, the charitys president, described the situation for refugees and migrants in Libyan detention centers as horrific. Libyas detention of migrants must be named for what it is: a thriving enterprise of kidnapping, torture and extortion, she wrote in the letter addressing European capitals.

The European Union has been providing funding, training and aid to Libyas coastguard to stop smugglers from taking people in flimsy boats across the Mediterranean to Europe, which results in both less arrivals in Italy or Greece but also more migrants being sent to detention centers. Mrs. Liu, however, said that calling fewer migrant departures a success in preventing deaths in the sea and targeting smuggler networks amounts to pure hypocrisy or worse, a cynical complicity in what is really happening. She further said that migrants are packed into dark, filthy rooms with no ventilation in the detention centers.

Mrs. Liu said that all the people she had met had tears in their eyes, asking again and again to get out. Detainees reported to MSF that women are often raped and made to call family back home asking them for money to free them, while men are forced to run naked in courtyard until they collapse from exhaustion. Catherine Ray, spokeswoman for the EUs diplomatic service, responded to the letter, saying that the EU is trying to tackle the abuses: We are completely aware of the unacceptable, often scandalous, even inhumane conditions in which migrants are treated in reception camps in Libya. We are trying to support the organizations which have access to these camps so that they can help the migrants.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused the European Union of committing violence against migrants by imposing a plan of their relocation throughout the bloc. His comments come despite the fact that his cabinet had been committing obvious violence against migrants before the country closed its door by building a border wall along its southern border.

After Brussels refused to cover half of the cost of Hungarys border protection, Mr. Orban launched a new attack on the blocs plan to share thousands of migrants around the bloc, saying that the EUs insistence on the relocation plan is forcing his country to take part in the scheme bordered on violence. Mr. Orbans comments are poised to meet with criticism mainly from Germany, who welcomed refugees and asylum seekers in 2015, which was in stark contrast to the reaction in Hungary that shocked the world by images of violence against migrants. The fresh attack on the relocation plan comes after the European Court of Justice, the EUs top court, rejected a legal challenge to the relocation scheme made by Budapest and Bratislava.

Earlier last week, President of the EU Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, criticized Hungary especially for its outspoken request for extra funding on its border wall while refusing to take part in the compulsory migrant redistribution scheme. Solidarity is not an a-la-carte dish, Mr. Juncker had said. Mr. Orban, who had previously called immigration the Trojan Horse of terrorism, said that he was stunned and puzzled by Mr. Junckers response. The interpretation of the principle of solidarity described in your letter is in essence the transformation of Hungary into an immigrant country, against the will of the Hungarian people, he added.
The free trade agreement between the European Union and Japan has the potential to become a very symbolic and substantive move when it comes to challenging the stance of US President Donald Trump towards multilateral trade liberalization. The EU-Japan deal, which was aptly timed with the G20 summit in Germany, may serve as a turning point for Washington as the new US administration is deciding on its future trade agenda.

Both Europe and Japan have a very special connection to the United States  their present-day security and prosperity is largely derived from the US-led international rules-based order. As major export-oriented economies, they have a huge stake in shaping the future of world trade. Both sides have for years been focused on separate trade agreements involving the United States  Japan on the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the EU on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

The rationale behind the economic integration with the United States was both economic and geostrategic for both Europe and Japan. They saw their respective prospective FTAs as a way to uphold the international rules-based world trade by setting high joint standards in multiple areas such as labor, digital, environment, safety and consumer protection underpinned by shared values, thus essentially forcing emerging countries, such as China, to adhere. Moreover, free trade deals with Washington would also boost their security partnership with the United States, which would be more than desirable at a time of growing pressure from Russia in Europe and China in Asia.

The rise of Donald Trump and his immediate decision to withdraw the United States from TPP and de facto freeze the TTIP negotiations was a major setback for both Brussels and Tokyo. The EU and Japan, however, turned this disappointment into an opportunity and decided to intensify works on their own free trade pact  the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (JEEPA).

The swift progress with JEEPA demonstrated that neither Tokyo nor European capitals are planning to sit idle and wait for Washington to make up its mind. However, beyond symbolism and negotiation tactics, the potential impact of JEEPA is what counts the most. American businesses that produce or market pork, beef, wine, shoes, cosmetics, or plastics to Japan could face a substantial drop in price competitiveness, as tariffs will fall for EU exports. US automakers could be in turn disadvantaged in both the EU and Japanese markets and, importantly, rules around auto safety standards, intellectual property rights or trade in services might end up being written without US input.

Although JEEPA does not include important part of todays economy  such as digital trade  and its ratification might be a lengthy process, it raises the question of whether global trade liberalization is possible without Washingtons leadership. And as such, the JEEPA is already a potential landmark deal and a significant milestone.

Can the EU-Japan Deal Prompt a US Recalibration on Trade?  Op-ed by Erik Brattberg and James L. Schoff  Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

(The Op-ed can be downloaded here)
Hi, I'm currently on a 457 visa and looking to move into new employment - things are very unstable in my current place. To do so I'm looking to go on to my de-facto partners 457 visa to give me unrestricted work rights, allowing me to move out of the recruitment industry.



My partner is also applying for PR in the next 2/3 months so this will help our de-facto PR application I imagine?. I'm wondering how long the processing time roughly takes to go on his 457 and the cost for this?



If it's 3+ months then it might be worth waiting and just applying for the partner PR together?



Would be great to hear some advice.



Thanks,

Michael
The Rascal said: if it's taken a month (getting on to) already I'd suggest it's not positive. Click to expand...

its adnoc so there is no way of telling... i myself sat on a hire for about four months because the position number did not get assigned by hr...
AUSTIN  With two federal courts again blasting Texas for intentional discrimination against blacks and Hispanics in drawing political boundaries, concern is mounting that voter rights litigation could upend the states 2018 elections calendar.

State officials insisted Friday that they expect to stop the court challenges on appeal and reverse Texas losing streak on the voting rights lawsuits; legal experts predicted that Texas could end up back under federal supervision of its elections rules if the appeals fail.

In short, the court fight is shaping up as a political game of chicken, with significant consequences no matter how it turns out.

In both of the cases where there are new decisions, the courts have ruled that Texas has purposefully maintained intentional discrimination in the way it drew its maps, said Michael Li, an expert on Texas redistricting who is senior counsel with the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.

Thats an important finding that could result in Texas being placed back under preclearance coverage, he said.

While other legal experts and political scientists agree with Lis assessment, Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton both insist that the state will win the cases on appeal  so Texas voting can proceed uninterrupted through the March primaries.

These issues (in the states congressional redistricting case) have been ruled on previously, and we won at the Supreme Court, explained Abbott, who litigated the case for the state when he was attorney general. We anticipate winning on appeal.

An Aug. 24 decision by a three-judge panel in San Antonio found that nine House districts in Dallas, Nueces, Bell and Tarrant counties were drawn intentionally to dilute the strength of black and Hispanic voters. It also said that, in some cases, the Legislature went so far as to ensure Anglo control of some legislative districts  a legal misstep that would violate federal law.

The ruling marked the states fourth court loss on voting rights in less than two weeks.

Earlier rulings questioned the legality of two districts on Texas congressional map and of a voting law restricting language interpretation access at polls. And an Aug. 23 decision by a federal judge in Corpus Christi invalidated the states new voter ID law as discriminatory.

In the Aug. 23 decision, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos implied that it may be necessary to renew federal supervision of Texas voting laws, the process called preclearance that the state has not been under since 2013.

If Texas comes back under federal supervision, it would be the first state to be brought back under federal say-so since a federal court removed the restrictions in an Alabama case.

Texas has had one recent victory in the voting rights fight: The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Tuesday put the Aug. 24 decision on hold, pending a hearing on arguments from both sides in December, just three months before Texas spring primaries are to take place.

The prolonged legal battle over the redistricting maps has cost Texas taxpayers upward of $3.9 million, a sum that doesnt include any costs incurred since mid-2014, when the sum was tallied.

There have been so many rulings of intentional discrimination by Texas Republicans that counting them is trivializing them, said Matt Angle, a veteran Democratic Party political strategist in Texas.

Rulings by federal courts that Texas Republican leaders have adopted and defended intentionally discriminatory and redistricting laws has become horribly commonplace. ... It is a fact established over and over again by federal judges appointed from both parties.

While the Republican leadership has repeatedly denied those accusations, insisting that the states new voter ID and redistricting maps pass federal muster, they remain hopeful that the prolonged litigation that has gone on for six years will not continue until the next redistricting process starts in 2021.

Paxton has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the lower-court decision on Texas congressional maps. We are confident that the Supreme Court will allow Texas to continue to use the maps used in the last three election cycles, he said.

Even so, until that appeal is decided, we dont expect or anticipate any delay in the Texas election schedule, said Marc Rylander, Paxtons communications director.

Li and other legal experts are not so sure.

First, an appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn the Aug. 24 ruling will almost certainly not be decided until after the filing period in November and December for House seats is over.

And if appellate court rulings in other cases go against the state, the schedule could be upended by court orders to redraw political boundaries for candidates running in those elections. And any boundary changes to benefit blacks and Hispanics could mean gains for Democrats, whom those groups traditionally vote for.

Theres a good chance that, given the way these cases stand with the courts, that the primary election schedule could be affected, Li said.

If the district maps have to be redrawn, that will have a cascade effect, especially with the state House maps where changing the lines may affect surrounding districts. Its like shifting around in a conference room with too many people. ... You may have to put some in another room, he said.

On Friday, lawmakers in the House  as well as political consultants whose candidates are running in the nine contested districts  were huddling to determine worst-case scenarios if the map lines have to be redrawn. They also wondered how new lines, and perhaps new members, might affect the seemingly assured re-election of House Speaker Joe Straus.

Jerry Polinard, a political scientist at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley who has studied Texas redistricting for decades, said that because state officials have turned back suggestions to hold a special legislative session to resolve the map issues, revised maps will have to be drawn if the states appeal fails.

This is just the gift that keeps on giving, because there are the potential of major consequences on down the road depending on how the courts rule on these pending issues, he said. Texas has had more voter rights litigation than other states. ... And these cases will be watched closely because among the issues is partisan gerrymandering thats being raised in Republican-controlled states.

Amid the continuing political squabbles over voting rights and redistricting, Democrats blame the GOP leadership with using redistricting and the new voter ID law to continue state-sponsored voter suppression and a return to election discrimination of the 1950s, labels that Republicans reject as inaccurate invective.

We hope the primaries next spring are not delayed, but already the sign-ups for precinct chairmen are being delayed, and the counties need the district maps by October, said Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party.

The states legal strategy for these discriminatory redistricting and voter ID laws has failed so far in the courts, and we believe it will fail again.

Like the states top GOP leaders, Republican Party of Texas Chairman James Dickey rejects accusations that Republicans are trying to suppress voting.

We oppose any identification of citizens by race, origin or creed and oppose use of any such identification for purposes of creating voting districts, he said. If lawmakers are forced to redraw these House districts, we ask that they be drawn accordingly.
MARIGOT, St. Martin  At dawn, people began to gather, quietly planning for survival after Hurricane Irma.

They started with the grocery stores, scavenging what they needed for sustenance: water, crackers, fruit.

But by nightfall on Thursday, what had been a search for food took a more menacing turn, as groups of looters, some of them armed, swooped in and took whatever of value was left: electronics, appliances and vehicles.

All the food is gone now, Jacques Charbonnier, a 63-year-old resident of St. Martin, said in an interview on Sunday. People are fighting in the streets for what is left.

In the few, long days since the storm Irma pummeled the northeast Caribbean, killing more than two dozen people and leveling 90 percent of the buildings on some islands, the social fabric has begun to fray in some of the hardest-hit communities.

Residents of St. Martin, and elsewhere in the region, spoke about a general disintegration of law and order as survivors struggled in the face of severe food and water shortages, and the absence of electricity and phone service.

As reports of increasing desperation continued to emerge from the region over the weekend, governments in Britain, France and the Netherlands, which oversee territories in the region, stepped up their response. They defended themselves against criticism that their reaction had been too slow, and insufficient. Both the French and Dutch governments said they were sending in extra troops to restore order, along with the aid that was being airlifted into the region.

After an emergency meeting with his government on Sunday, President Emmanuel Macron of France said he would travel on Tuesday to St. Martin, an overseas French territory. Macron also announced late on Saturday that he would double Frances troop deployment to the region, to 2,200 from 1,100; officials say the increase is in part a response to the mayhem on St. Martin.

St. Maarten, the Dutch territorial side of the island, which uses a different spelling, has also experienced widespread looting of shops, though the problem was reported to have subsided by Sunday, though not completely.

There was some looting in the first few days, but the Dutch marines and police are on the street to prevent it, Paul De Windt, publisher of The Daily Herald, a newspaper in St. Maarten, said Sunday. Some people steal luxury things and booze, but a lot of people are stealing water and biscuits.

More than 265 Dutch military personnel have been deployed to St. Maarten, and another 250 are expected to be sent to the region in the next few days to help maintain order and assist with relief efforts, the Dutch government said. In addition, 90 police officers have been flown in from Curacao, another Dutch territory.

The storm delivered a direct hit on the region starting Wednesday, destroying airports and ports, knocking out power and potable water systems, and leaving many tens of thousands of residents and tourists isolated and increasingly desperate, unable to go anywhere.

The crisis worsened on Saturday as Hurricane Jose rumbled through the region. Though the islands hit by Irma avoided a direct blow from the second hurricane, its arrival forced the suspension of relief and rescue operations, prolonging the agony for many.

On Sunday, officials announced that two more bodies had been discovered in St. Maarten, increasing the death toll in the Caribbean attributable to Hurricane Irma to at least 27. So far, about a dozen deaths on both sides of the island have been attributed to the storm, according to The Associated Press. People here, however, insist that the death toll is much higher.

While there is no way to verify such claims, they illustrate the fear and the rumors swirling through an island as people cut off from the rest of the world, with roads blocked and most areas without cellular service. News, for the most part, is being relayed by word-of-mouth, leading to outsize claims. One popular rumor making the rounds on Sunday was that hundreds of people had died, some at the hands of escapees from a local prison.

The French government denied the rumors about the alleged prison break on Sunday. But some residents spoke of witnessing violence, with people fighting over food at grocery stores, and looters armed with guns and other weapons.

Residents reported that armed men had entered the Hotel Flamboyant in Marigot, the capital of the French side, and robbed tourists by knocking on the doors to their rooms, flashing guns and demanding valuables.

The French National Gendarmerie, whose troops are in St. Martin and St. Barthelemy, another French overseas territory ravaged by the hurricane, announced on Twitter on Sunday that it had made 23 arrests. In a statement, the French Interior Ministry said: Extraordinary resources have been sent to the Antilles. The government is totally mobilized.

U.S. officials said Sunday that they had helped evacuated about 1,200 American citizens from St. Martin, many on C-130s, which flew evacuees to Puerto Rico.

On Sunday, Cuba was also reckoning with the damage from Hurricane Irma, which roared along the island nations northern coast on Saturday.

Although there have been no reported fatalities or casualties, Havana awoke Sunday morning to substantial damage. The capitals inhabitants, who spent the night in darkness after authorities cut power as a precaution, found fallen trees, mangled lampposts, and smashed water tanks. Floodwaters reached more than 600 yards into the city.

But damage in the capital was light compared with elsewhere on the island. In the coastal city of Matanzas, 60 miles east, one-story houses were completely under water, and damage to Cayo Romano and Cayo Coco, popular tourist islands, was severe. A video posted on Facebook showed hotel roofs caved in, and mounds of concrete and coils of steel in lobbies. The northern keys are home to more than 50 all-inclusive hotels, which provide essential hard currency for cash-strapped Cuba.

The Cuban government immediately began relief efforts, deploying security forces in large numbers to the hardest-hit areas, along with convoys of trucks carrying food and heavy equipment to help remove debris.

Cuba is very organized, said Orlando Eorlsando, 53, as he replaced his front door with bloated plywood in Havana. The priority of the government is to keep people safe and preserve life.

While the Cuban response seemed to be a well-oiled machine, elsewhere in the Caribbean the government reaction has been halting, critics say.

In France the criticism of the governments response to the storm came first from President Macrons opponents, who were eager to use the hurricane to find fault with his administration.

A more measured critique came from a former minister of Frances overseas territories, Victorin Lurel, who said that the situation needed more resources, more logistical planning, more transport and a hospital boat.

People could have been evacuated ahead of time, he said in an interview Sunday on the news channel Europe1. The government response on the Dutch side, he insisted, was better than the French side.

In Marigot, a French Gendarmerie helicopter hovered over the city on Sunday afternoon, flying low and scanning the storm-blistered streets. Boats in the marina had been upturned, half-submerged or tossed onto the beach by the storm.

Families with relatives on the island organized convoys of boats from as far away as Guadeloupe, bringing water, canned goods, fuel and the chance to escape. But even that has become dangerous. Several boats turned back from the islands main port, fearful of the crowds gathered seeking aid.

As one boat pulled into the Marigots harbor on Sunday, a family raced to the docks to offload goods  and load several children on board. Goodbyes were said quickly, and the new passengers who climbed aboard heaved a sigh of relief as the boat pulled off.

Maeva Canappele, 20, wept as the boat began to distance itself from the island of St. Martin, destined for Guadeloupe, a six-hour ride on choppy seas. She was grateful.

It was getting bad on the island, she said. Someone broke into our home and tried to rob us, but my parents managed to scare them away.

In a statement on Sunday, the French interior ministry said that after emergency needs are dealt with, reconstruction will begin. Among its priorities, the statement said, it intends to distribute 1 million liters of drinking water; secure private property from looters; and get the telecommunications systems running again.

On Tuesday, a French navy ship equipped with a hospital and carrying helicopters, troops and reconstruction material, will depart from France.

In Britain, lawmakers from both the governing Conservative party, as well as the Labour opposition, have accused the government of failing to take adequate precautions to protect the residents of three British territories lying in the path of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose.

About 75,000 people, most of them British nationals, live on the Caribbean territories of Anguilla, Turks and Caicos, and the British Virgin Islands  each of which suffered substantial damage from Hurricane Irma.

In preparation for the hurricane season, the British government had sent a naval supply ship to the region in July. Following the storm, the ship brought 40 relief specialists to Anguilla, who helped to restore power at the islands main hospital and carry out repairs at its airport, according to the British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson.

Since Friday, Britain has also sent two transport planes carrying almost 20 tons of emergency supplies to its Caribbean territories, as well as 250 marines and two extra military helicopters. Britains largest warship will arrive in the Caribbean in around 10 days, carrying eight more helicopters.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

He wasnt the first animal in space. And he didnt go where no monkey had gone before.

But for a short time after his 12-minute flight aboard a Mercury spaceship took him 55 miles above the Earths surface, Sam Space was the most famous astronaut in the country.

Following his Dec. 4, 1959 flight, the little rhesus monkey was the subject of a crowded press conference and he told his story to reporter Jack Anderson in Parade magazine.

Later, he was subjected to 11 years of medical scrutiny by researchers at the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks AFB. And he lived out his days as a semi-celebrity at the San Antonio Zoo.

During his parabolic sojourn, Sam was wired up so researchers could monitor the effect of suborbital flight on his heart and central nervous system, and from those results extrapolate what effects similar journeys might have on humans.

Officially known as 11X, the name tattooed on his chest soon after he was born in 1957, Sam was selected for the U.S. space program out of a field of 15 because he was a standout at the Balcones Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin. Researchers at the USAF School of Aviation Medicine, located at Randolph AFB at the time, nicknamed him Sam, an acronym for the schools name. The school moved to Brooks in 1959 and changed its name to the School of Aerospace Medicine in 1960.

As rhesus monkeys go, he was a nice one, Dr. Billy Welch, a physiologist in charge of the Department of Space Medicines space ecology section, said in a 1995 Express-News article by reporter David Uhler.

Sam arrived at Randolph in the wake of the Russian launch of Sputnik I, the tiny artificial satellite that put America on notice that the two countries were in an all-hands-on-deck space race. In the U.S., the Air Force already was the leader in the development of ballistic missiles, and in San Antonio, the School of Aviation Medicine was the cutting edge.

But before men could be launched into space, tests needed to be done to explore the then-unknown effects on the human body of radiation, weightlessness, heat and acceleration.

Thats where Sam and the other astronaut-primates came in.

Sam underwent training similar to what human astronauts would undergo in the coming years. They spun him in a centrifuge. Loaded him in a test chamber for up to a day at a time where he breathed oxygen made by algae. And they trained him to pull a lever every time a red light on the control panel blinked. During his flight, this would tell the technicians on the ground whether hed become disoriented or had passed out.

Since space flight was such a new concept, many of the tests and equipment had to be designed and built from the ground up. For example, the 100-pound biopack capsule they developed was a miniature spaceship that supported Sam during his flight. It contained oxygen tanks, regulators and carbon dioxide scrubbers.

Perhaps the best example of the projects can-do attitude involves the development of Sams protective space suit. As the story goes, radiobiologist and physiologist H.L. Lou Bitter went home for lunch one day and told his wife Edna that his team needed something that was both heat resistant and had straps to keep the monkey restrained. Did she have any ideas?

In a 2004 Express-News interview, reporter Jeanie Tavitas-Williams wrote, Eyeballing her ironing board, Edna  stripped off the silver padded cover, making two panels. After cutting out a small hole for the monkeys head in one panel, Bitter fashioned ties out of the remaining material to hold the panels together.

Bitter estimated it took her 30 minutes to custom-make the Hoover apron spacesuit that served as a prototype for the many monkey suits that followed.

In the Parade magazine story titled My Trip to Outer Space that ran several months after his flight, Sam describes his experience to correspondent Jack Anderson. The as told to story is told through a decidedly rose-colored helmet visor:

I may as well confess I was a reluctant hero and put up a struggle before I was strapped down. For a frisky monkey, there is no harder work than holding still . I stole a last lingering look at the setting sun before the (nose cone) door clicked shut . The acceleration force (during liftoff), 12 times the pull of gravity, thrust me back into my foam cushion until I felt like a tattoo.

Sam survived his ordeal unharmed and was eventually flown back to Brooks aboard a C-47. There, reporters from around the country attended a news conference where the star of the show was missing because he was quarantined.

Even as other animals were launched into space  Sams colleague Miss Sam flew to 48,000 feet six months after his flight  Brooks role as a leader in the space race was beginning to ebb as NASA took over manned flight efforts. Instead, the military took on the supporting role of providing technology to the civilian space agency, including developing food for astronauts and cabin environments.

As for Sam, he remained at Brooks and under observation until 1971, when officials concluded hed suffered no long-term effects from his flight and sent him into retirement at the San Antonio Zoo.

His life there was apparently fairly routine. According to the book San Antonio Uncovered by Mark Louis Rybczyk, Sam was given a companion but had grown too fat to mate. A plaque outside his cage told visitors they were in the presence of a pioneer.

Sam died Sept. 19, 1978, at 21, several years short of the expected rhesus monkey lifespan. Even after death, Sam served the cause. A necropsy performed at Brooks found no space-related abnormalities, only that Sam had signs of old age and arthritis.

rmarini@express-news.net

Twitter: @RichardMarini

COMING TUESDAY: Melchor De la Garza house one of citys oldest residential structures.
Some CSU students at Muresk are adamant they have been told it could still be possible new students may join them between now and at least the first semester 2020, when the last of the current crop of CSU degree students will graduate.
Vegetarian meals will be available but a menu has not been decided yet as it is dependent on the amount of guests who opt for that choice.
Last Updated: 2017.09.11

Fast Retailing Wins Best of Japan Award at the ARC Awards, the World's Largest Annual Report Contest

FAST RETAILING CO., LTD.

to Japanese page

Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.'s English-language Annual Report 2016 was granted the Best of Japan Award at the 31st Annual International ARC Awards, the world's largest annual report contest held in the United States. In its business category, Fast Retailing was awarded Gold for Chairman's Letter, Gold for Interior Design, and Silver in Traditional Annual Reports. Fast Retailing was selected from among a group of nominated finalists to receive the prestigious Best of Japan Award.

The ARC offers Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honors awards across a range of annual report categories, including Overall Excellence, Cover Design, Chairman's Letter and Interior Design. The reports are evaluated on a specific set of factors, including how succinct and crisp the overall corporate message is, the persuasiveness of the text, the clarity and readability of financial data, the originality of the cover and interior design, and the level of cohesion and consistency of the whole report. Judging is extremely strict, with any report that fails to achieve the required minimum score labeled as "non-applicable". Winning a Gold Award is even more challenging, and requires the winning candidate to earn over 90 out of a possible 100 points for all the categories. Only 5% of prize-winning reports ever achieve that score.

The International ARC Awards contest is an annual report competition held by MerComm, Inc., an independent awards organization located in the United States. The organization is free from the influence of specific industries, advertisers, or sponsors, with reviews and evaluations carried out in a fair manner by judges from a variety of countries and industries. The competition's nearly 200 judges work in such fields as the financial industry, private corporations and production industries. This year marked the 31st year of competition, with 1,987 entries from 33 countries. (See ARC's own reporting of the event: "ARC Awards - the world's largest annual report competition - announced the Grand Award winners" http://www.mercommawards.com/arc.htm)

Fast Retailing Annual Report 2016

Fast Retailing's Annual Report 2016 is available on the company's website.

Top of page
Only subscribers with PAID Print or E-Edition subscriptions enter here to gain access. If you are not a Current Paid subscriber do not go through this portal. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Thank you!
The future of Fauquier Times now depends on community support. Your donation will help us continue to improve our journalism through in-depth local news coverage and expanded reader engagement.

Support
Peggy Whitson is a 57-year-old American woman from Iowa.

Katy Brand By Karla Gowlett

She has just returned from space. You may have read about her earlier in the year, when she was congratulated by President Donald Trump for her services to NASA. As a record-breaking astronaut who has commanded the International Space Station and is also the first female to head the NASA Astronaut Corps, I imagine being garlanded by the massive orange toddler was a bit like how it must feel to be on MasterChef: The Professionals, and Gregg Wallace is the one that likes your food. That is to say, broadly irrelevant.

My new stand-up comedy show, I Couldve Been An Astronaut, is inspired by Peggy Whitson. I would say, and others like her, but in a sense, she is peerless. She holds the record for most consecutive days in space, and for being the oldest astronaut in space. There arent many like her. But there will hopefully be more, if we can encourage increasing numbers of girls to study maths and physics.

I went to a Roman Catholic Convent School in the pre-National Curriculum days, and for the first few years of my education, I didnt really do any maths  I think the nuns thought it was the work of the Devil. We just did art and Jesus, and if we could combine those two for a whole lesson, then that was considered ideal. To this day, I have unparalleled expertise at colouring crucifixes whilst staying inside the lines.

So, in my show, I talk about how we come to see ourselves because of early experiences, and how that influences what we become. Was it inevitable that I would become a comedian, just because I was told I was funny as a kid and given the part of the jester in the school play? After all, merely dressing up in something doesnt necessarily determine what you will become  for example, one boy in my class was dressed as Jimmy Savile how times change

After moving house, I went to a new school and started to learn maths properly, but the gaps in my education meant that when I later developed an interest in astronomy, I didnt have the qualifications to back it up. I was behind with maths for the rest of my life, and have never considered myself able to catch up  numbers make me panic. But if things had been different, maybe I couldve been an astronaut. So, due to my admiration for Peggy Whitson, I am going to challenge myself to see if I can change. Its not too late  Im only 38, after all. Maybe one day I will even break Peggys record as the oldest woman in space, as a newly qualified 78-year-old NASA recruit

Katy Brand: I Couldve Been an Astronaut is at the Soho Theatre between 19th and 23rd September. Tickets www.sohotheatre.com

[http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/katy-brand-i-couldandrsquo-ve-been-an-astronaut/]
Christopher Nolan didn't use any green screen while filming 'Dunkirk'.

Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan

The 47-year-old filmmaker helmed the epic World War II blockbuster and he admitted he wanted to make the film "real" and decided against using CGI and opted for real ships, explosions and planes.

Speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday (10.09.17), the filmmaker said: "When those boys are out there on those beaches and explosions are going off, they're going off.

"There's no green screen. They're in it."

Although known for CGI heavy-movies including 'Inception', Nolan admitted the CGI graphics wouldn't have been as good for this WW2 epic.

He said: "You could make a period perfect CG version of a ship, but it wouldn't feel as real. We felt that the match-up, the patina that computer graphics have is a very poor match for this kind of imagery from World War II."

Previously, Nolan revealed he researched by watching real life footage and reading records from the British-led rescue mission in 1940 in which 330,000 Allied troops were rescued from the clutches of the Nazis.

The impressive cast include Sir Kenneth Branagh and Sir Mark Rylance, others are Nolan regulars such as Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy, as well as newcomers Fionn Whitehead and One Direction star Harry Styles.

The idea of realism and authenticity was something important for Nolan who even made Styles change the way he tied his shoelaces as soldiers would have done it a specific way.

Styles previously said: "When I heard about Chris doing it I was kind of already excited to watch it to be honest and I just wanted to be involved...

"On my first day he told me my laces were tied wrong."
Netflix announced this past week that principal photography had started in the UK on their upcoming original film from director David Mackenzie, Outlaw King. Tackling the story of the legendary King of Scots Robert the Bruce, the period drama reunited Mackenzie with Chris Pine following the hugely successful Hell or High Water. You can see a first look picture from the set of Pine below:

Mackenzie commented: I am so happy to have the opportunity to dig deep into the story of Robert the Bruce and to discover some of the truths that often get obscured by legend. This is my sixth feature film shot in Scotland and autumn is my favourite time of year to shoot so I am excited to bring this film to light in the beautiful Scottish elements  come rain, shine, storm or snow. I am proud that our little Glasgow-based production company, Sigma Films, has been able to make this film and thank Netflix for letting us do it.

He added: I am also delighted that Chris Pine, with whom I had a great time on our last film, has joined our Scottish and international cast and crew including the excellent Aaron Taylor-Johnson and the exciting emerging talent of Florence Pugh and Billy Howle. I know Chris will bring intensity and flair to Robert the Bruce and his struggle to take back his country, being crowned King of Scots, then suffering a disastrous defeat and left on the run with just a handful of supporters only to claw his way, with bravery and cunning, back to victory. This was an early form of guerrilla warfare against the might of a vastly bigger, better-resourced enemy and is one of the great comeback stories of history.

Tony Curran and Stephen Dillane also star in the film, which is being produced by Mackenzie and Gillian Berrie via their company Sigma Films, alongside Richard Brown and Steve Golin of Anonymous Content.

Outlaw King is slated for release at some point in 2018.

by Daniel Falconer for www.femalefirst.co.uk

find me on and follow me on
James Gunn has promised more backstory for Rocket Raccoon in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'.

James Gunn

Rocket Raccoon first appeared in the first 'Guardians of the Galaxy' movie, and was voiced by Hollywood hunk Bradley Cooper, and now Gunn has announced the genetically enhanced hero will be given more of a backstory in upcoming films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Speaking at HASCON, the filmmaker said: "We are going to learn more about where Rocket comes from in the coming sagas. It's going to be a little different from the comics. We already know a lot about from where he came from. It's a little bit more horrible than what it is in the comics when you come down to it. We will learn more about that."

Created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Keith Giffen, Rocket first appeared in Marvel Preview #7 in 1976.

The Guardians of the Galaxy squad are set to appear in 'Avengers: Infinity War' where they have to work with the Earth-bound heroes to stop the mad titan Thanos.

Gunn recently gave fans of the superhero movies an insight into what they can expect from Marvel films over the coming decades, revealing the third 'Guardians' will perform a key role.

Asked whether the character of Richard Rider, who is also known as Nova, will appear in future Marvel Cinematic Universe films, Gunn explained: "Yes, definitely. Nova comes up occasionally as someone we might use. One of the things I'm doing with creating 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3', it will take place after the next two 'Avengers' movies and it will help to set up the next 10, 20 years of Marvel movies."

Gunn made the confession during a fan Q&A, and the seemingly innocuous query prompted him to reveal some of Marvel's long-term plans.
Indias Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) will collaborate with PetroVietnam to restart the Dinh Vu polyester plant in Haiphong. Plant operator PetroVietnam Petrochemical and Textile Fiber JSC (PVTex), PetroVietnam, and Reliance discussed cooperation plans last month. Reliance will provide personnel for maintenance, material supply and sales operations.The official plan to restart the plant will be published before September 15, according to a report in an online newspaper in Vietnam. PVTex is a joint venture of PetroVietnam and Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex), both state-owned.

India's Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) will collaborate with PetroVietnam to restart the Dinh Vu polyester plant in Haiphong. Plant operator PetroVietnam Petrochemical and Textile Fiber JSC (PVTex), PetroVietnam, and Reliance discussed cooperation plans last month. Reliance will provide personnel for maintenance, material supply and sales operations.#

The plant, with an investment of about $325 million, was set up to use feed from the Dung Quat oil refinery in the central Quang Ngai province to produce fibre.PetroVietnam owns 75 per cent of the plant based in Dinh Vu Economic Zone in the northern port city Haiphong. The plant stopped production in October 2015 due to losses after the first year of operations. The plants accumulated losses are around $68 million.Besides, PVTex also worked with domestic partners to discuss plans to collect capital to maintain the operation of the plant, while simultaneously collaborating with experts to evaluate the quality of drawn textured yarn (DTY) manufacturing lines.At present, 24 of 29 machines are operable and the remaining machines require maintenance before joining the manufacturing process. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
At today's awards presentation ceremony for the 17th Footwear Design Competition Hong Kong, Bernard Chan, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, HKSAR Government (L) and Mandy Tang, President, Federation of Hong Kong Footwear Ltd (R) present the BELLE Overall Champion prize to designer Joanne Li Wai-ting (2nd from L). Her entry "Infinity" also won Gold Award in the Ladies' Shoes category and Best Design Award.

Bernard Chan, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, HKSAR Government (L), Selina Chow, Permanent Honorary Advisor of the Hong Kong Footwear Design Competition (4th from L) and Mandy Tang, President, Federation of Hong Kong Footwear Ltd (R) present prizes to winners in the Design & Make Collection DIY - Green Footprints Creation category.



HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Sam Ho Tel: +852 2584 4569 Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org Agnes Wat Tel: +852 2584 4554 Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

HONG KONG, Sept 9, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - An awards presentation ceremony for the 17th Footwear Design Competition Hong Kong and a product parade of the winning entries were held today, on the last day of CENTRESTAGE. Recognising creative designers in the footwear industry, the competition was co-organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Footwear Ltd (FFHK) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). Guests at the ceremony included Bernard Chan, Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development; Frank Leung, Chairman, Federation of Hong Kong Footwear Ltd; Mandy Tang, President, Federation of Hong Kong Footwear Ltd; Selina Chow, Permanent Honourary Advisor of the Hong Kong Footwear Design Competition; Felix Chung, Peter Shiu, Wong Ting-kwong, members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, and Stephen Liang, Assistant Executive Director of the HKTDC.An annual signature event for the industry, the Footwear Design Competition Hong Kong is recognised as the cradle for nurturing and discovering new footwear-design talent needed to sustain future development of the industry. About 70 pieces were shortlisted from nearly 800 inspiring entries received this year, by a judging panel comprised of professionals from related fields. Among them were fashion designers and image consultants, such as Henry Lau, Mountain Yam, Polly Ho, and Christina Dean, founder of the environmental NGO Redress, as well as representatives from the HKTDC, design institutes and industry elites.Entries competed in six categories: Ladies' Shoes, Ladies' Boots, Handbag, Children's Shoes, Men's Shoes as well as the Design & Make Collection DIY - Green Footprints Creation, the latter of which is a new category to promote environmental living. Gold, Silver and Bronze Award winners were named in each category, along with prizes awarded to a BELLE Overall Champion and a Best Design Award, voted by the public via the FFHK's Facebook page.The entry "Infinity" was named BELLE Overall Champion, Gold Award in the Ladies' Shoes category and Best Design Award. Motivated by the environment problem of coral bleaching, designer Joanne Li Wai-ting was inspired to use 3D printing technology in her creation. She used a white-colour theme to symbolise dying coral reefs, in a bid to raise public awareness about marine pollution.Designer Chan Ka-ling, Chan Pui-lam and Lam Wing-yee each received two awards for their exceptional designs.All the shortlisted and winning works are on display at CENTRESTAGE, held 6-9 September.The 17th Footwear Design Competition Hong Kong- List of awardees (Chinese only): http://bit.ly/2gPr478- Photos of winning entries: http://bit.ly/2f6xzyJCENTRESTAGE website: http://centrestage.com.hkThe Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest webpage: http://www.fashionally.comCENTRESTAGE activity schedule: http://centrestage.com.hk/en/event/schedule.phpPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/2xkfJD8For Media:Media representatives wishing to cover the event may register on-site with their business cards and/or media identification.About HKTDCEstablished in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.- Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdc- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdc- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest 2017 awards ceremony took place yesterday (9 September), with Arto Wong named Champion and winner of the "New Talent Award."



HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Sam Ho Tel: +852 2584 4569 Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org Agnes Wat Tel: +852 2584 4554 Email: agnes.ky.wat@hktdc.org

HONG KONG, Sept 10, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - The Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest 2017 awards ceremony took place yesterday (9 September), with Arto Wong named Champion and winner of the "New Talent Award." She received a cash prize and a study trip aboard, including a visit to the Japanese design G.V.G.V. studio, sponsored by Sun Hing Knitting Factory Ltd. Ms Wong will also receive mentorship from JOYCE Boutique, to develop a capsule collection that will be sold at select shops under JOYCE Boutique. The winners of the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest 2017 are:Champion and New Talent Award: Arto Wong: "Zero to Unlimited"First Runner-up: Sonic Lam: "Barren Land"Second Runner-up: Wilson Choi: "The Stolen Soul"Best Footwear Design Award: Jason Lee: "Kingdom of the Underground"Inspired by the immense possibilities of transforming molecules to matter, Arto Wong's design sought to play with weight and proportion. The overall YDC champion and winner of the New Talent Award said that it was a challenge finding time to finish the outfits being a full-time designer. Apart from time-management challenges, she encountered difficulties in trying to create volume, weight and the bounce effect for the ruffles in her knitwear collection, eventually succeeding after trying numerous techniques. The experience, Ms Wong said, has inspired her to continue exploring the infinite possibilities of knitwear.Sonic Lam, the first runner-up of this year's YDC, said that the YDC is a competition that every Hong Kong fashion design student aspires to take part, and was delighted to have won the award on his first try, saying, "I participated in this year's YDC as a motivation to get out of the rut I was in after working full-time for three years post-graduation. I look forward to the study trip abroad in Australia to get out of Hong Kong and explore the world, to experience and adapt to foreign cultures, and incorporate these learnings into improving who we are," Mr Lam added that he would eventually like to start his own brand after the study trip, adding that he was ready for the challenge of the endeavor.International PanelYDC 2017 invited Mug, founder and designer of popular Japanese fashion brand G.V.G.V., to serve as the VIP judge. A graduate of Japan's Kuwasawa Design School, Mug set up G.V.G.V. in 1999 in Tokyo, and under her guidance, G.V.G.V. has become one of Tokyo's most sought-after fashion labels.Mug praised the overall performance of YDC designers and said that each contestant should strive to express their own style through designs that are true to themselves. She praised the winning knit collection, which she said showcased originality, personal style and market value, noting that Arto Wong will go on to have a flourishing design career. Mug encouraged designers to remain focused, noting that while marketability was important, designers should not easily be influenced by trends, nor should they find ways to adapt their works to the trends.Mug joined other senior industry and media representatives that comprised the judging panel. Lawrence Leung, Chairman of the HKTDC Garment Advisory Committee served as Chief Judge, alongside fellow judges: Tasha Liu, Brand Director and co-founder of C.DONGLIANG and LABELHOOD; Michael Mok, General Merchandising Manager of Joyce Boutique (Hong Kong) Ltd; Marcella Wong, Chief Editor of Marie Claire; Deborah Cheng, Chief Commercial Officer of I.T Apparels Ltd; Brian Tam, Project Manager of The Woolmark Company; and Virginia Chan, Head of Footwear at I.T Apparels Ltd, who served as judge for the Best Footwear Design Award. The judges selected the best works based on creativity and originality, market potential, workmanship, use of fabrics and overall visual appeal.Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), YDC has been nurturing and identifying emerging talents in the local fashion industry for nearly four decades. To further promote Hong Kong fashion designers to the world, the HKTDC launched the FASHIONALLY.com online platform in early 2012 to provide a one-of-a-kind networking and exchange platform for global fashion experts to connect, inspire and share information. The YDC was one of the highlights of the fashion spotlight CENTRESTAGE, which ended yesterday (9 September).Arto Wong: "Zero to Unlimited"ChampionThe Design:Inspired by the immense possibilities of transforming molecules to matter, Arto Wong sought to play with weight and proportion. She chose to use knitwear, which offered versatility as patterns could be created from scratch, and is not bound by what is commercially available. The designer showed off her eye for vivid and striking motifs, which are complemented by a solid background. Crafted from polyester yarn, the designs achieved volume, while remaining incredibly light. The collection serves as a story of aspiration and empowerment to never underestimate the energy released by combining small molecules.Champion Prizes: (1) Cash Prize of HK$35,000; (2) A study trip to Japan, including a visit to G.V.G.V. studio, sponsored by Sun Hing Knitting Factory Ltd.New Talent Award Prizes: (1) Cash Prize of HK$10,000; (2) Mentorship from JOYCE Boutique to develop a capsule collection to be sold at a JOYCE shopPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/2vVxSHgSonic Lam: "Barren Land"First Runner-upThe Design:Although raised in Hong Kong, Sonic Lam was only exposed to its metropolitan beauty through Wong Kai Wai films, as well as the dystopian Japanese animation Ghost In The Shell. Fascinated by how Hong Kong has evolved from a barren rock to an international hub, he strives through his designs to preserve the best from the city's past and make them relevant for this generation. Watered gauze, a wispy, silky fabric from the olden days, was extensively used in this collection. Its deliberately washed-out texture lent itself to a distinctive vintage feel. By fusing together old and new, the collection breathes new life into old traditions.Prizes: (1) Cash Prize of HK$25,000; (2) A study trip abroad sponsored by the Woolmark CompanyPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/2gTCEyeWilson Choi: "The Stolen Soul"Second Runner-upThe Design:Collegiate apparel with a rebellious undertone defines Wilson Choi's collection. The 50s Swedish movie Ondskan compelled him to examine the subversive bullying culture plaguing schools and society. Navy blue, a colour broadly associated with school uniform, was chosen as the primary colour that ties together his collection. Furthermore, the maroon brushstroke stripes introduce a sense of defiance, resembling graffiti-like street art. The sportswear-inspired pieces incorporate bonding and seamless techniques on wool; affixing a number of pockets to enhance the designs' practicality and functionality.Prizes: (1) Cash Prize of HK$20,000; (2) A study trip abroad sponsored by MINI.Photo Download: http://bit.ly/2eNt8s8Jason Lee: "Kingdom of the Underground"Best Footwear Design AwardThe Design:What if grunge rocker Kurt Cobain found himself in the Qing Dynasty? It would be a clash of ancient civilities and irreverent street culture. With this far-out idea in mind, Jason Lee let his imagination run wild in creating a collection that links Chinese culture with a grunge theme. Flannel and denim elements accent the unisex collection of loose-fit outerwear and bottoms, which also feature the modern techniques of 3D printing and digital printing. Despite these modern techniques and styles, the collection effectively incorporates traditional Chinese influences. For example, the standard Magua jacket was made oversized with new badges nesting alongside traditional dragon embroidery.Prizes: (1) Cash Prize of HK$10,000; (2) Mentorship from I.T Apparels Ltd to develop a capsule collection to be sold at select shops under the i.t groupPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/2facF1NWebsitesThe Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers' Contest webpage: http://www.fashionally.comCENTRESTAGE: http://centrestage.com.hkPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/2facF1NAbout HKTDCEstablished in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.- Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdc- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdc- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
CAMBERLEY, England, September 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

O ver 15,000 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed in the UK each year [1]

First adjuvant study to demonstrate a clinical benefit in patients receiving targeted therapy for a BRAF V600 mutation [2]

The three-year relapse-free survival (RFS) rate for patients treated with the combination was 58 % , compared to 39 % with placebo [ 2 ]

Consistent improvement in RFS observed across all pre-specified subgroups, including stage III A, B and C melanoma[2]

Novartis today announced results from a Phase III study of 870 patients with stage III BRAF V600E/K mutation-positive melanoma treated with the combination of Tafinlar (dabrafenib) + Mekinist (trametinib) after complete surgical resection.[2] Findings from the COMBI-AD study, which met its primary endpoint, found a statistically significant 53% reduction in the risk of death or recurrence in patients treated with the combination of dabrafenib (a BRAF inhibitor) and trametinib (a MEK inhibitor) versus placebo (HR [hazard ratio]: 0.47 [95% CI (confidence interval): 0.39-0.58]; median not reached vs. 16.6 months, respectively; p<0.001), with no new safety signals reported.[2] Results of the study will be presented during the Presidential Symposium today at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress (ESMO) in Madrid (Abstract LBA6), and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine.[2],[3]

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and the fifth most common cancer in the UK, with over 40 cases diagnosed every day.[1] Rates of melanoma have increased by 45% in the last 10 years, and it's becoming increasingly prevalent in younger people.[1] Approximately 40 - 50% of people with melanoma skin cancers have a mutation in the BRAF V600 gene.[4]

"Today's findings provide important new insights for the treatment of stage III melanoma, a condition where many patients are at high risk of disease recurrence after surgery," said Professor Ruth Plummer, Consultant Medical Oncologist and study lead at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. "The reduced risk of disease recurrence seen in the COMBI-AD study clearly demonstrates the value of combined dabrafenib and trametinib treatment in patients with stage III A, B and C BRAF V600E/K mutation-positive melanoma who have undergone surgical resection to help reduce the risk of melanoma returning."

The combination of Tafinlar + Mekinist is currently available in the UK for use in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.[5] Stage III melanoma is currently treated by surgical removal of the lymph nodes (lymphadenectomy), after which adjuvant radiotherapy is only recommended in specific cases.[6]

"COMBI-AD is the first study to demonstrate a clinical benefit in stage III melanoma patients receiving targeted therapy in the adjuvant setting for a BRAF V600 mutation," said Barak Palatchi, Oncology General Manager, Novartis UK & Ireland. "We strive to improve the lives of people with melanoma and these findings demonstrate our ongoing commitment in scientific research, to help address significant unmet patient needs. We look forward to discussing the results with regulatory authorities, with the potential to make the treatment combination available to stage III patients in the UK."

About COMBI-AD[2],[3]

The COMBI-AD study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase III study and included a total of 870 patients with stage III, BRAF V600E/K-mutant melanoma who had undergone prior complete surgical resection. Patients were treated for 12 months and stratified based on BRAF mutation (V600E vs. V600K) and stage (IIIA vs. IIIB vs. IIIC). The primary endpoint was RFS. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), freedom from relapse (FFR), and safety.

The COMBI-AD study evaluated Tafinlar + Mekinist in patients with stage III, BRAF V600E/K-mutant melanoma without prior anticancer therapy, randomised within 12 weeks of complete surgical resection. Patients received the Tafinlar (150 mg BID) and Mekinist (2 mg QD) combination (n = 438) or matching placebos (n = 432).[2] After a median follow-up of 2.8 years, the primary endpoint was met, with the combination therapy shown to significantly reduce the risk of disease recurrence or death by 53% vs. placebo (HR: 0.47 [95% CI: 0.39-0.58]; median not reached vs. 16.6 months, respectively; p<0.001).[2] The relapse-free survival benefit among the combination arm was observed across all patient subgroups, including stage III A, B and C. The combination treatment group also saw an improvement in the key secondary endpoint of OS (HR: 0.57 [95% CI: 0.42-0.79] p=0.0006, which did not cross the predefined interim analysis boundary of p=0.000019 to claim statistical significance).[2],[3] Other endpoints, where the combination demonstrated a clinically meaningful benefit include DMFS (HR: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.40-0.65]), and FFR (HR: 0.47 [95% CI: 0.39-0.57]).[2]

Adverse events (AEs) were consistent with other Tafinlar + Mekinist studies, and no new safety signals were reported.[2] Of patients treated with the combination, 97% experienced an AE; 41% had Grade 3/4 AEs and 26% had AEs leading to treatment discontinuation (vs. 88%, 14%, and 3%, respectively, with placebo).[2]

About Tafinlar + Mekinist Combination

Combination use of Tafinlar + Mekinist in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma who have a BRAF V600 mutation is licensed and NICE approved in the UK, as well as the US, EU, Australia, Canada and other countries.

Tafinlar and Mekinist target different kinases within the serine/threonine kinase family - BRAF and MEK1/2, respectively - in the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway, which is implicated in melanoma, among other cancers. When Tafinlar is used with Mekinist, the combination has been shown to slow tumour growth more than either drug alone. The combination of Tafinlar + Mekinist is currently being investigated in an ongoing clinical trial programme across a range of tumour types conducted in study centres worldwide.

Tafinlar is also licensed in the UK and in over 60 countries worldwide, as a single agent to treat patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600 mutation.

About Novartis

Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2016, the Group achieved net sales of USD 48.5 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 118,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

In the UK, Novartis develops, manufactures and markets innovative medicines, devices and diagnostic tests which help improve patient outcomes. Based on four sites across the north and south of England, we employ approximately 1,500 people to serve healthcare needs across the whole of the UK, as well as supporting the global operations of Novartis by manufacturing the active pharmaceutical ingredients used worldwide in many medicines. In 2015 Novartis in the UK invested over 50million in R&D and is the largest commercial sponsor of clinical trials. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.co.uk.

Novartis UK is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @NovartisUK at https://twitter.com/novartisuk

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit https://www.novartis.co.uk/news/media-library

References

1. Cancer Research UK. Skin cancer statistics. Available from: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/skin-cancerheading-Zero. Accessed September 2017.

2.Hauschild A, Santinami M, Long GV, et al. COMBI-AD: Adjuvant Dabrafenib (D) Plus Trametinib (T) for Resected Stage III BRAF V600E/K-Mutant Melanoma. Abstract LBA6. 2017 European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), September 8-12, 2017, Madrid, Spain.

3. Long GV, Hauschild A, Santinami M, et al. Adjuvant Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib for Stage III BRAF V600E/K-Mutant Melanoma. New England Journal of Medicine. 2017.

4. Cancer Research UK. Genetic tests on your melanoma cells. Available from: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/melanoma/getting-diagnosed/tests-stage/genetic-tests-your-melanoma-cells. Accessed September 2017.

5. NICE. Trametinib in combination with dabrafenib for treating unresectable or metastatic melanoma: Technology Appraisal TA396. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ta396/documents/final-appraisal-determination-document. Accessed September 2017.

6. NICE. Managing melanoma: Stage III. Available from: http://pathways.nice.org.uk/pathways/melanoma/managing-melanomacontent=view-node%3Anodes-stage-iii-melanoma. Accessed September 2017.

Novartis UK Press Office

Tel: 01276 698 691

E-Mail: press.office@novartis.co.uk

TMC17-E004
TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Japan will on Monday release July figures for core machine orders, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Machine orders are expected to rise 4.1 percent on month and fall 7.8 percent on year after sliding 1.9 percent on month and 5.2 percent on year in June. Japan also will see July numbers for its tertiary industry index, as well as August data for money stock and machine tool orders. The tertiary industry index is expected to add 0.1 percent following the flat reading in June, while machine tool orders surged 28.0 percent on year in July. The M2 money stock is tipped to rise 4.1 percent on year after gaining 4.0 percent in July, while the M3 is called steady at 3.4 percent. New Zealand will provide August figures for credit card spending. Overall card spending is expected to add 0.2 percent on month after falling 0.7 percent in July. Retail spending is called higher by 0.5 percent after losing 0.5 percent in the previous month. Malaysia will see July numbers for industrial and manufacturing production. Industrial production is expected to rise 5.5 percent on year after gaining 4.0 percent in June. Manufacturing production is called higher by 4.9 percent, up from 4.7 percent in the previous month. The Philippines will provide July figures for imports, exports and trade balance. In June, imports were worth $7.06 billion and exports were at $4.91 billion for a trade deficit of $2.15 billion. 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.
SHANGHAI, China, Feb. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/-- The Organizing Committee of Shanghai International Ballet Competition (SIBC) announced on February 8th that the 6th SIBC will take place at Shanghai International Dance Centre from August 3rd to 11th, 2018, and the registration is open to dancers around the globe from now on until 24:00 May 31st, 2018 (Beijing time). The amount of Grand Prix Award for this year is USD 50,000. 2018 SIBC's slogan is "Dance to the Rhythm of Shanghai".

The competition jury for the 2018 SIBC will consist of internationally recognized personalities of the dance world. The competition is divided into two groups: Junior Division for dancers aged 15 to 18 and Senior Division for dancers aged 19 to 26. Participants shall enter the competition either as soloists or in couples/pas de deux. Effective from today, dancers could register online at SIBC's official website: www.shanghaiibc.cn. To find out the rules and regulations and schedules, please visit SIBC official website.

The Grand Prix Award for this year's competition has increased from USD 30,000 to USD 50,000 for the winner.

Prize amounts for Senior Division medalists are: one Gold Medal for Male and one Gold Medal for Female (USD 15,000 each); one Silver Medal for Male and one Silver Medal for Female (USD 11,000 each); one Bronze Medal for Male and one Bronze Medal for Female (USD 7,000 each);

Prize amounts for Junior Division medalists are: one Gold Medal for Male and one Gold Medal for Female (USD 10,000 each);one Silver Medal for Male and one Silver Medal for Female (USD 7,000 each); one Bronze Medal for Male and one Bronze Medal for Female (USD 4,000 each);

Additional prizes include one Best Choreography Award, USD 4,000; one Jury Special Award, USD 3,000; one Best Couple/Pas de Deux Award, USD 1,500 each; and three Special Acknowledgement Awards, USD 1,000 each.

Xin Lili, Chairman of Shanghai Dancers' Association and well-known ballet artist, stated that raising the amount of Grand Prix Award is to attract more talents to participate and present a feast for eyes with their stunning performances. In order to discover and foster ballet promising stars both home and abroad, professional institutes like Shanghai Ballet would offer the winners opportunities to take part in performances or further their studies, and create more platforms to show their talents.

As one of the cultural and artistic landmarks in Shanghai, the newly-built Shanghai International Dance Center officially opened in the second half of 2016. In August this year, the 6th SIBC will be held in this artistic architecture. In addition to this competition, it will be home to a variety of events and activities, such as Opening & Closing GALA, Forum, Master Class and Summer Camp. Ballet contestants and students all over the world shall have the chance to interact with top-class ballet masters face to face, whereas ballet professionals could communicate and exchange ideas on ballet teaching, creation, performance and development.

To share the exciting moments of SIBC with ballet lovers, the Organizing Committee will organize a series of featured activities to the public like "You are the Ballet Ambassador" auditions, "Top of Shanghai, Capture the Moments" photo shooting and "Shanghai Service" volunteer recruitment. Contestants might have the chance to take part in video shootings like "Date with Shanghai", "Dancing in Shanghai" and "Bloom in Shanghai".
SONIPAT, India, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The Centre for India Australia Studies (CIAS) of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) recently launched its flagship initiative, the Young Leaders Externship Advancement Programme (YLEAP) in Australia. The CIAS has partnered with the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department and a number of leading Australian law firms for YLEAP, an initiative that provides unique internship opportunities for JGU students in Australia.

The launch of YLEAP allows students to gain valuable international work experience in law firms and government organisations, and provides a unique stepping stone for Indian students who are considering a potential career in Australia. With YLEAP, JGU and the CIAS are another step closer to realising the vision of making Indian students more aware of opportunities in Australia and importantly, making Australia more accessible to India.

Commenting on these developments, Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, stated, "As a global university, JGU always strives to provide unique global opportunities to our students. The Australian education system is truly world class and we have close ties with some of the leading global universities based in Australia. These internship opportunities are a welcome addition to the opportunities that we provide for our students in Australia."

The Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department, Mr. Chris Moraitis PSM, noted, "I look forward to welcoming students of the O.P. Jindal Global University to participate in this exciting internship opportunity at the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department. I am confident that these internships will be educational and rewarding."

Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Mr. John W.H. Denton AO, stated, "We are excited to be collaborating with Jindal Global Law School, and to having some of Jindal's top performing students joining our seasonal clerkship program. Our partnership with one of India's top law schools in the areas of legal education, publications and internships solidifies our commitment to the Indian market, and is a first for a large Australian firm."

Executive Director, Centre for India Australia Studies and Assistant Dean of JGLS, Shaun Star, noted, "We are excited to announce these partnerships which will provide unique opportunities for Indian students in Australia. Creating pathways into Australia will play an important role of building institutional and people-to-people links between our two countries."
FELTON, California, October 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The global hernia repair market is expected to reach USD 6.60 billion by 2024. Rigorous research & development activities, growing number of obese patients and high susceptibility of geriatric patients to suffer from hernia are expected to drive the market over the forecast period. Increasing technological sophistication in repair devices and rigorous research and development of the drug-eluting mesh is projected to boost the demand for hernia repair devices and consumables.

Post-operative pain is growing concern post-repair with synthetic mesh. Though the cause of pain varies from patient to patient, a primary reason for pain is inflammation associated with the synthetic mesh. Other chronic illnesses related to the use of implanted mesh are abdominal pain, infection (sepsis), bowel obstruction and adhesion. In spite of increasing technological sophistication in mesh technology, synthetic materials remain the most widely used mesh products for hernia repair especially the polypropylene mesh due to their low cost and easy availability.

The biological mesh is gaining momentum in developed countries especially in the U.S. Biologic mesh development has overcome the problem associated the synthetic mesh including foreign body interaction, chronic inflammation, infection, and stiffness. Presence of favorable reimbursement policies coupled with the well-regulated healthcare insurance and increasing prevalence of an inguinal and ventral hernia in developed economies have rendered increased acceptance of this product.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Hernia Repair Market Size and Forecast, By Product [Consumables (Synthetic Mesh, Biologic Mesh), Surgical Devices], By Procedure (Tension Free, Open Hernia Repair, Laproscopic) And Trend Analysis, 2014-2024" at: https://www.hexaresearch.com/research-report/hernia-repair-market

The above mentioned factors collectively boost demand for overall hernia repair consumables and surgical devices market over the forecast period. Owing to shortcomings of synthetic mesh, manufacturers are working on developing cost-effective and technological advanced mesh. For instance, Ariste Medical is developing drug-eluting mesh. These repair products are anticipated to improve the patient outcomes specifically in vascular procedures including hernia and peripheral bypass hemodialysis processes.

Also, manufacturers are focusing on developing composite or hybrid mesh. The hybrid mesh is a result of the combination of best features of biologic and synthetic mesh. Mesh that combines a minute quantity of synthetic material such as polypropylene and biologic building blocks derived from animal tissue has the property to diminish the hazards of inflammatory reactions along with providing long-term durability. Medtronic and COOK Medical are investing in the development of cost-effective composite mesh. This product may overcome the disadvantages associated with the synthetic mesh such as inflammation, sepsis and abdominal adhesion. These factors render cost advantage over the biologic mesh, which in turn is expected to boost the hernia repair market.

Browse reports of similar category by Hexa Research:

Blood Gas and Electrolyte Analyzers Market - Global blood gas and electrolyte analyzers market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2016 to 2024. It is estimated to reach around USD 715 million by 2024.

- Global blood gas and electrolyte analyzers market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2016 to 2024. It is estimated to reach around by 2024. Bioelectronics and Biosensors Market - Global bioelectronics and biosensors market was estimated at USD 11.4 billion in 2013. The market is anticipated to grow at a healthy CAGR over 10%, exceeding USD 28 billion from 2016 to 2024.

- Global bioelectronics and biosensors market was estimated at in 2013. The market is anticipated to grow at a healthy CAGR over 10%, exceeding from 2016 to 2024. Home Infusion Therapy Market - Global infusion therapy market was valued at USD 13.0 billion in 2015. Infusion therapy is the procedure usually performed when oral medication treatments are not effective in the patients.

- Global infusion therapy market was valued at in 2015. Infusion therapy is the procedure usually performed when oral medication treatments are not effective in the patients. Gynecological Devices Market - The global gynecological devices market is expected to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period owing to the changing lifestyle with more emphasis on health.

Hexa Research has segmented the global hernia repair market based on product, procedure, and region:

Segmentation by product, 2014 - 2024 (USD Million)

 Consumables

 Synthetic Mesh

 Biologic Mesh

 Surgical Devices

Segmentation by procedure, 2014 - 2024 (USD Million)

 Tension Free

 Open Hernia Repair

 Laparoscopic

Segmentation by region, 2014 - 2024 (USD Million)

 North America

 U.S.

 Europe

 Germany

 Asia Pacific

 China

 Central & South America

 Brazil

 Middle East & Africa

 UAE

Key players analyzed:

 Ethicon, Inc.

 Medtronic

 C. R. Bard

 Atrium

About Hexa Research

Hexa Research is a market research and consulting organization, offering industry reports, custom research and consulting services to a host of key industries across the globe. We offer comprehensive business intelligence in the form of industry reports which help our clients obtain clarity about their business environment and enable them to undertake strategic growth initiatives.



Contact:

Michelle T.

Corporate Sales Specialist

Hexa Research

Phone: +1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-800-489-3075

Email: sales@hexaresearch.com



Web: https://www.hexaresearch.com/




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
The "Germany Sintering Market: Prospects Trends Analysis Market Size and Forecasts up to 2023" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The report on Germany Sintering Market is a customer intelligence and competitive study of the Germany market.

Moreover, the report provides deep insights on demand forecasts, market trends, and, micro and macro indicators in Germany market. Also, factors that are driving are restraining the Sintering Market are highlighted in the study.

This is an in-depth business intelligence report based on qualitative and quantitative parameters of the market. Additionally, this report provides readers with market insights and detailed analysis of market segments to possible micro levels.

Segments Covered:

Segmentation based on Material Analysis

Low Grade Alloy Steel

Key Topics Covered:

1. Report Overview

1.1 Report Description

1.2 Research Methods

1.3 Research Approaches

2. Executive Summary

3. Overview

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Market Dynamics

3.2.1 Drivers

3.2.2 Restraints

3.2.3 Opportunities

3.2.4 Challenges

3.3 PEST-Analysis

3.4 Porter's Diamond Model for Germany Sintering Market

3.5 Growth Matrix Analysis

3.6 Competitive Landscape in Germany Sintering Market

3.7 Import-Export data matrix

4. Germany Sintering Market by Material Analysis

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Low Grade Alloy Steel

5. Company Profiles

5.1 Manufacturer's Suppliers

5.1.1 Earth Panda-Fas Magnet (Europe) Gmbh

5.1.2 Amtag Alfred Merkelbach Technologies Ag

5.1.3 Eos Gmbh Electro Optical Systems

5.1.4 Kapp Niles

5.1.5 Glt-Gleitlagertechnik Gmbh

5.2 Dealer's/Distributor's Profile

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/sh4c2b/germany_sintering

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171121005746/en/

Contacts:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

Related Topics: Metals and Minerals
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/11/17 -- Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. ("Tetra" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: TBP)(OTCQB: TBPMF), today announced that it has added international expert Dr. Louis-Philippe de Lorimier, a board certified veterinary oncologist, to its clinical advisory board for the veterinary market.

"We are leveraging our current R&D work in humans to accelerate the development of the first cannabinoid-based drug for pets in the cancer-associated supportive therapy market, including pain. This market is underserved and patients and their owner are waiting for alternatives that are safer, more tolerable and more efficacious. We believe that our collaboration with Dr. de Lorimier will bring significant contributions to the launch of the first Health Canada approved drug for pets using cannabinoid-based active ingredients," states Dr. Guy Chamberland, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Tetra.

Once approved, the trial will be run at private veterinary clinics across Canada, which treats tens of thousands of animals every year. Cancer is the leading cause of death in pets, affecting 50% of dogs above age 8, and 40% of cats above 10 years of age. Tetra is developing cannabis-based products for the treatment of acute and chronic conditions that affect domestic animals, including cats, dogs and horses. The company is going to use its pharmaceutical formulation and drug development expertise to bring innovative therapies to veterinarians. Animals suffer from conditions that are similar to those affecting humans, such as cancer, nausea, appetite loss, anxiety, ophthalmologic diseases, and chronic pain. Pet owners want the safest and most effective therapies for their animals as well as cost effective therapies. According to the American Pet Products Association, in 2016 consumers in the USA spent $66.75 billion dollars on pets. $15.75 billion dollars was spent on veterinary care. According to different market studies, the veterinary cancer therapeutic market is expected to reach USD $300 million by 2024. Cannabis-based therapies can target multiple clinical signs including pain, appetite, and nausea, thereby making the veterinary therapeutics market ideal for Tetra. Tackling these markets will allow Tetra to maximize its investment on several of its current drug therapies being developed for comparable human conditions.

"With our recent addition of Dr. Anne-Sophie Courtois - who has a veterinary doctor's degree - as VP of Marketing, along with the world class research we are going to be conducting with Dr. de Lorimier, we are positioning ourselves at the forefront of new therapies in the veterinary market, which is very lucrative and is showing strong growth. This further show how Tetra is establishing itself as the global leader in cannabinoid-based drug discovery and development", commented Mr. Bernard Fortier, CEO.

It is an honour to add Dr. de Lorimier to Tetra's development and commercialization team. His expertise and guidance will help Tetra market safe and effective cannabis-based drug therapies that will help treat pain and nausea, and improve appetite and overall quality of life of pets worldwide.

About Dr. Louis-Philippe de Lorimier, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (Oncology):

After obtaining a BSc degree from McGill University, Dr. Louis-Philippe de Lorimier earned his veterinary doctorate degree from the Universite of Montreal in 1996. He practiced veterinary medicine in Montreal, Quebec, for 4 years before entering the veterinary oncology residency program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He completed this medical training in 2003 and became board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, oncology specialty. He worked as an Associate Professor from 2003 to 2007 at the UIUC and subsequently returned to Canada to join the team of veterinary specialists of Centre Veterinaire Rive-Sud in 2007. Dr. de Lorimier is a member of several national and international veterinary oncology committees. He is the author or co-author of more than 40 scientific articles and over a dozen chapters in veterinary textbooks.

Along with his core expertise in the management of veterinary cancer patients, Dr. de Lorimier's interest in cannabinoid based therapies and his clinical research experience brings considerable expertise to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cannabinoids in pets. Focusing our development on therapies that address unmet medical needs and that can easily be administered to pets is a crucial aspect to commercializing new veterinary drugs. Dr. de Lorimier will be instrumental in guiding TBP's product development to commercialize new therapies that address the management of pets with cancer and that can easily be administered to the animals by the owners.

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

(514) 360-8040 Ext. 203

edward@tetrabiopharma.com

www.tetrabiopharma.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/11/17 -- First Mining Finance Corp. (TSX: FF)(OTCQX: FFMGF)(FRANKFURT: FMG) ("First Mining" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the seventh and final set of assay results, comprising 26 drill holes from its Phase 1 infill diamond drill program. (See Tables 1 and 2) at its 100% owned Goldlund Gold Project ("Goldlund"), located near the town of Sioux Lookout in northwestern Ontario, Canada.

Drilling Highlights:

-- Hole GL-17-103 intersected 52.0 metres of 2.18 grams per tonne gold -- Including 32.0 metres of 3.41 grams per tonne gold -- Hole GL-17-069 intersected 66.0 metres of 1.51 grams per tonne gold -- Including 28.0 metres of 2.03 grams per tonne gold -- Hole GL-17-068 intersected 68.0 metres of 0.91 grams per tonne gold -- Including 42.0 metres of 1.36 grams per tonne gold -- Hole GL-17-041 intersected 60.0 metres of 1.02 grams per tonne gold -- Including 18.0 metres of 2.26 grams per tonne gold

Note: Assaying for the Goldlund 2017 drill programs are being done by SGS Canada Inc. at their laboratories in Red Lake, ON. and Burnaby, BC. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut.

The primary goal of this year's Phase 1 infill drilling campaign at Goldlund was to upgrade Inferred resources into the Measured and Indicated categories and to gain further knowledge of the geology and gold mineralization at Zone 7 and Zone 1 (See Figures 1 and 2). The latest drilling results yielded significant intersections of gold in 17 of the 26 holes. The Phase 1 program is now complete and comprised a total of 100 holes (24,300 metres) of which 87 holes intersected intervals of significant gold mineralization.

Based on the success of Phase 1 drilling, First Mining has already commenced a Phase 2 drill campaign to identify new areas of gold mineralization and to expand the overall resource base at the Goldlund property. Data collected from the Phase 1 and Phase 2 drilling programs will be incorporated into the calculation of a new resource estimate, which is expected to be completed in 2018. The Company will provide more specific guidance for the Goldlund resource estimate at a later date.

Keith Neumeyer, the Chairman of First Mining, stated, "We are very encouraged by the assay results from the Phase 1 drilling at Goldlund and I believe that further drilling with the Phase 2 program has the potential to add ounces to the existing resource and further advance this project."

CORPORATE UPDATE

Given the success of the current drilling campaign the Company has elected to dedicate the majority of its remaining 2017 drilling and exploration budget to the Goldlund Project. Specifically, the company is continuing with its Phase 2 drilling program at Goldlund targeting granodiorite hosted gold mineralization that lies outside of the current resource area. Therefore, given the change in drilling priorities, the company has elected to defer drilling at the Cameron project until 2018 and has also reduced the scale of the drilling program at Hope Brook.

At Hope Brook, which is located in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Company has commenced on a limited exploration diamond drilling program. Drilling at Hope Brook will comprise of three holes for 750 metres and will focus on identifying new areas of mineralization within the Ironbound Hill target which is located approximately 25 kilometers from the main resource area and eight kilometers from Highway 480. The drilling campaign is scheduled for completion later this month and assay results are expected to be released as they become available.

Also, the Company has recently acquired two claim groups, the Satterly Lake Claims (the "Claims"), totaling 2,368 hectares, are adjacent to the western edge of the Company's Springpole Gold Project ("Springpole"). The Claim groups collectively consist of 17 claims covering gold mineralization drilled by St. Joe Canada in the 1980s. The Claims also surround the Company's Horseshoe Island claims in the Red Lake Mining District, 12 kilometers southwest of Springpole.

Furthermore, First Mining is close to completing an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for its wholly owned Springpole Gold Project, located in northwestern Ontario and the Company expects to release the results of this PEA by the end of the current quarter.

Table 1. Drill Hole Assay Results from Goldlund

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-041 GL-17-041 126.0 146.0 20.0 0.48 inc 130.0 136.0 6.0 0.99 and 198.0 200.0 2.0 11.50 and 226.0 286.0 60.0 1.02 inc 226.0 244.0 18.0 2.26 and inc 228.0 230.0 2.0 7.47 and inc 268.0 274.0 6.0 1.85 and inc 272.0 274.0 2.0 3.28 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-054 GL-17-054 no significant mineralisation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-062 GL-17-062 12.0 24.0 12.0 1.44 inc 16.0 18.0 2.0 5.24 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-063 GL-17-063 46.0 64.0 18.0 2.44 inc 46.0 48.0 2.0 6.49 and inc 62.0 64.0 2.0 6.65 and 96.0 164.0 68.0 0.28 inc 98.0 100.0 2.0 1.82 and inc 124.0 130.0 6.0 0.99 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-064 GL-17-064 45.8 48.0 2.2 2.78 and 78.0 80.0 2.0 3.64 and 122.0 174.0 52.0 0.46 inc 122.0 124.0 2.0 4.64 and inc 172.0 174.0 2.0 2.99 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-066 GL-17-066 8.0 30.0 22.0 0.38 inc 28.0 30.0 2.0 2.10 and 50.0 52.0 2.0 11.07 and 78.0 104.9 26.9 0.50 inc 84.0 86.0 2.0 3.44 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-068 GL-17-068 116.0 184.0 68.0 0.91 inc 142.0 184.0 42.0 1.36 and inc 146.0 148.0 2.0 3.79 and inc 174.0 182.0 8.0 4.77 and inc 180.0 182.0 2.0 16.06 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-069 GL-17-069 234.0 300.0 66.0 1.51 inc 234.0 262.0 28.0 2.03 and inc 234.0 236.0 2.0 13.93 and inc 260.0 262.0 2.0 5.90 and inc 284.0 300.0 16.0 1.65 and inc 296.0 300.0 4.0 4.19 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-078 GL-17-078 no significant mineralisation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-079 GL-17-079 no significant mineralisation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-080 GL-17-080 no significant mineralisation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-081 GL-17-081 no significant mineralisation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-086 GL-17-086 45.0 47.0 2.0 0.73 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-087 GL-17-087 no significant mineralisation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-088 GL-17-088 no significant mineralisation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-089 GL-17-089 29.0 42.7 13.7 0.65 inc 31.0 35.0 4.0 1.30 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-091 GL-17-091 76.0 84.0 8.0 0.55 inc 80.0 82.0 2.0 1.16 and 96.0 120.0 24.0 0.33 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-096 GL-17-096 16.0 22.0 6.0 0.87 inc 18.0 20.0 2.0 2.05 and 32.0 50.0 18.0 1.02 inc 40.0 42.0 2.0 2.15 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-097 GL-17-097 48.0 92.0 44.0 0.82 inc 48.0 68.0 20.0 1.33 and inc 54.0 56.0 2.0 4.23 and inc 60.0 62.0 2.0 6.18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-098 GL-17-098 78.0 98.0 20.0 0.36 inc 80.0 82.0 2.0 2.22 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-103 GL-17-103 329.0 381.0 52.0 2.18 inc 329.0 361.0 32.0 3.41 inc 329.0 331.0 2.0 5.76 and inc 345.0 349.0 4.0 16.41 and inc 347.0 348.0 1.0 45.45 and inc 353.0 355.0 2.0 8.23 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-104 GL-17-104 361.0 369.0 8.0 1.04 inc 361.0 363.0 2.0 2.06 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-109 GL-17-109 no significant mineralisation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-110 GL-17-110 294.0 400.0 106.0 0.59 inc 308.0 312.0 4.0 2.14 and inc 320.0 322.0 2.0 4.23 and inc 356.0 358.0 2.0 2.07 and inc 396.0 398.0 2.0 3.13 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-111 GL-17-111 no significant mineralisation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-112 GL-17-112 268.0 286.0 18.0 0.65 inc 282.0 284.0 2.0 3.17 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assaying for the 2017 Goldlund drill program is being done by SGS at their laboratories in Red Lake, Ontario, and Burnaby, BC. Prepared samples are analyzed for gold by either Bulk Leach Extractable Gold (BLEG) assay techniques or by lead fusion fire assay with an atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) finish. Multi-element analysis on the mineralized zones is also being undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish.

To view Figure 1. Plan Map, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1102047_fig1.jpg

Table 2. Drill Hole Locations

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Azimuth Hole ID degrees Dip degrees Length (m) UTM East UTM North Section ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-041 0 -90 347.26 545850 5527228 545850E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-054 0 -90 302 545950 5527225 545950E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-062 0 -90 74 546000 5527305 546000E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-063 0 -90 200 546000 5527285 546000E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-064 0 -90 269 546000 5527265 546000E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-066 0 -90 164 546050 5527315 546050E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-068 0 -90 248 546050 5527275 546050E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-069 0 -90 320 546050 5527255 546050E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-078 0 -90 251 546100 5527275 546100E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-079 0 -90 200 546150 5527290 546150E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-080 0 -90 284 546150 5527270 546150E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-081 0 -90 275 546150 5527250 546150E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-086 0 -90 98 546300 5527305 546300E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-087 0 -90 137 546300 5527285 546300E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-088 0 -90 230 546300 5527265 546300E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-089 0 -90 89 546350 5527315 546350E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-091 0 -90 179 546350 5527275 546350E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-096 0 -90 101 546400 5527315 546400E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-097 0 -90 131 546400 5527295 546400E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-098 0 -90 149 546400 5527275 546400E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-103 0 -90 491 546050 5527200 546050E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-104 0 -90 443 546150 5527205 546150E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-109 0 -90 251 546200 5527280 546200E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-110 180 -80 431 546200 5527280 546200E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-111 0 -90 102.5 546250 5527300 546250E ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- GL-17-112 180 -80 296 546250 5527300 546250E ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To view Figure 2. Cross-Section through the Goldlund Project, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1102047_fig2.jpg

Gold observed during the current drilling program at Goldlund occurs both as fine disseminations in quartz vein stockworks and as more discrete larger grains up to 2 mm spatially associated with pyrite in the quartz veins. Calaverite, a gold telluride mineral, has been noted occasionally in higher grade intervals on fracture surfaces in the quartz veins. Higher grade gold distribution in the granodiorite dike is often, but not always, associated with zones of more intense quartz stockworking and potassic alteration. Figure 2 above displays a cross-section of the geology and gold mineralization with drill holes GL-17-066 to GL-17-069, and GL-17-103.

QA/QC Procedures

The QA/QC program for the 2017 drilling program at Goldlund consists of the submission of duplicate samples and the insertion of certified reference materials and blanks at regular intervals. These are inserted at a rate of one standard for every 20 samples (5% of total) and one blank for every 30 samples (3% of total). The standards used in the 2017 program consist of 5 different gold grades ranging from 1 to 9 g/t, and are sourced from CDN Resource Laboratories in Langley, BC. Blanks have been sourced locally from barren granitic material.

Field duplicates from quartered core, as well as 'coarse' or 'pulp' duplicates taken from coarse reject material or pulverized splits, are also submitted at regular intervals with an insertion rate of 4% for field duplicates and 4% for coarse or pulp duplicates. Additional selected duplicates are being submitted for screened metallic fire assay analysis and to an umpire lab for check assaying. SGS also undertake their own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration.

Dr. Chris Osterman, P.Geo., CEO of First Mining, is the "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and he has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

ABOUT THE GOLDLUND PROJECT

The Goldlund deposit is situated within a land package of approximately 280 square kilometres (28,000 hectares) referred to as the Goldlund Gold Project. The Property has a strike-length of over 50 kilometres in the Wabigoon Subprovince. Goldlund is an Archean lode-gold project located in northwestern Ontario, approximately 60 kilometres from the township of Dryden. The claims that make up the land package cover the historic Goldlund and Windward mines.

On January 9, 2017, the Company announced an initial mineral resource estimate for Goldlund. At a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade, the Goldlund deposit contains pit constrained Indicated Resources of 9.3 million tonnes at 1.87 grams per tonne or 560,000 ounces of gold. At a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade, the Goldlund deposit contains pit constrained Inferred Resources of 40.9 million tonnes at 1.33 grams per tonne or 1,750,000 ounces of gold. The technical report for this resource estimate is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and is also available on the Company's website at www.firstminingfinance.com.

ABOUT FIRST MINING FINANCE CORP.

First Mining is a mineral property holding company whose principal business activity is to acquire high quality mineral assets with a focus in the Americas. The Company currently holds a portfolio of 25 mineral assets in Canada, Mexico and the United States with a focus on gold. Ultimately, the goal is to continue to increase its portfolio of mineral assets through acquisitions that are expected to be comprised of gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc and nickel.

ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING FINANCE CORP.

Keith Neumeyer, Chairman

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating the future operating or financial performance of the Company, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things: the potential results of the Company's Phase 2 drilling program at Goldlund and the timing of the dissemination of such results by the Company; the views of the Company that the Goldlund project is amenable to bulk mining methods, completion of the Phase 2 drilling program, preparation of a new 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the Goldlund project and the timing for the completion of such a resource estimate, the potential for the Phase 1 and Phase 2 drilling programs to provide further upside to future project economics at the Goldlund project; any upgrade to, or expansion of, the resources on the Goldlund project; and the potential for further value to be unlocked at the project. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies.

Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the results of future exploration efforts at the Goldlund project; management's discretion to refocus its exploration efforts; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar); changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; and title to properties. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these times. Except as required by law, First Mining does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

Contacts:

Derek Iwanaka

Vice President, Investor Relations

Toll-free: 1-844-306-8827

Direct: 604-639-8824

info@firstminingfinance.com

www.firstminingfinance.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/11/17 -- Editors Note: There is a map associated with this press release.

Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSX VENTURE: MMG) (OTC PINK: MMNGF) ("Metallic" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in 36.4 square kilometres ("km2") of mining rights (the "Property") along the Australia Creek drainage, a tributary to the Indian River, in the Klondike gold district near Dawson City, Yukon. In parallel with this acquisition, Metallic has entered into a production royalty agreement with an experienced alluvial mining operator with respect to a 2.8 km2 portion of the Property (Lower Australia Creek). Under this agreement, the operators will have exclusive rights to mine the Lower Australia Creek property, in exchange for a 12% royalty on all gold production payable to Metallic. The property is road accessible and is permitted for alluvial gold production. Mining equipment has been mobilized to the site to commence test work in September for the remainder of the northern field season.

Australia Creek is part of the historic Klondike gold district that is estimated to have produced over 20 million ounces of gold since its discovery in 1898. Australia Creek and its benches are now recognized by Yukon Geological Survey as an eastern continuation of the highly-productive Indian River drainage, which is the largest placer gold producing area in the Yukon. Mining on the Indian River began in the late 1970s and has produced about 250,000 ounces or more than 40% of all placer production in the Yukon through 2015. With the expansion of larger-scale, open-pit operations, production on the Indian River has doubled since 2010 and accounted for 46% of the Yukon's total placer gold production in 2015(1 ).

Despite extensive mining activity nearby, Australia Creek itself was never historically mined due to its importance as a source of water and hydro-electric power for supporting the broad scale, floating dredge operations that were being conducted in the area by Yukon Consolidated Gold Company (YCGC) which operated in the Klondike Region between 1920s and 1960s. The dams on Australia Creek have been removed with only the historic diversion channels now remaining. YCGC did limited exploration churn drilling at the mouth of Australia Creek, but no further exploration up the drainage. The mouth area is being actively mined at present and auger drill holes on Lower Australia Creek have returned values in the gravels similar to other parts of the Indian River, with initial test pits in 2015 to 2017 confirming the presence of alluvial gold.

(1)Yukon Geological Survey ("YGS") Yukon Placer Mining Industry Report 2010-2014

At the beginning of September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Yukon Premier Sandy Silver announced a combined $360 million in federal and territorial funding for the improvement of existing road access in the territory as part of a demonstrated commitment to facilitating resource development. One portion of this initiative is the upgrading of the existing public road through the Klondike gold district that begins near Dawson City and travels along Hunker and Sulphur Creeks before reaching Australia Creek and continuing south to the Dawson Range in the central part of the Yukon Territory.

Greg Johnson, CEO and Chairman of Metallic Minerals, noted, "We are very pleased to have acquired the high-potential Australia Creek Property in the prolific Klondike gold district and to have entered into our first production royalty agreement on the lower 2.8 km2 of this package. We also support the commitment by the Federal and Territorial governments to improving infrastructure for resource development in the region, which will benefit development at Australia Creek. Though the core focus for Metallic will remain on exploration in the Keno Silver district, we see an opportunity to build a portfolio of production royalties from our holdings in the Klondike region, starting with this first one on Lower Australia Creek, and to increase the number of production royalties on the remaining large land position with additional experienced alluvial operators over time. Test work is anticipated to be conducted starting in September and continue throughout the remainder of the 2017 season. The alluvial mining operators are expected to make a decision regarding full-scale production, with respect to these Lower Australia Creek claims, in early 2018."

Terms of the Australia Creek Property option agreement are as follows:

-- Upon regulatory approval of the agreement, a total of $50,000 is to be paid by Metallic to the underlying claim holders upon signing for partial reimbursement of accrued expenditures. -- In December 2017, a further $25,000 is to be paid to the underlying claim holders for carrying out consulting and supervision activities in 2017 and 250,000 shares are to be issued based on a program of drilling, geophysics and test pitting, provided at least $75,000 has been spent on the ground by Metallic or its operating production royalty parties. -- In December 2018, another $50,000 is to be paid and 250,000 shares are to be issued based on follow-up exploration and test mining program producing gold and at least $100,000 spent on the ground by Metallic or its operating production royalty parties. -- In December 2019, a final $50,000 is to be paid and 400,000 shares are to be issued based on continued mining on the Australia Creek property with gold royalty production or a new mining lease agreement with another alluvial mining operator on additional claims.

Under the option agreement on the Australia Creek Property the underlying claim holders will receive a 4% royalty on all alluvial gold production from Metallic. Metallic can purchase each 2% of the underlying royalty for $250,000 in cash, gold or Metallic shares at a minimum price of $0.35 per share. One of the co-partners in this option agreement is a related party as a director of Metallic. The option agreement is subject to regulatory approval.

Update on Keno Silver and McKay Hill Projects

Metallic Minerals has been engaged in a two-phase exploration season at its flagship Keno Silver project, which commenced in May with targeted geophysical and geochemical surveys, stratigraphic mapping, and trenching to further refine the identified priority targets. Diamond drilling on the project commenced in August and is focused on testing down-dip and along-strike extensions of previously identified mineralization along the known mineralized trends, including at some of the historic producing mines on the property. Initial samples from drilling and continued surface work on the Keno Silver project have been submitted for assay and results are pending. In addition to work undertaken in the Keno Hill silver district, Metallic also engaged in a program of surface sampling and trenching at its McKay Hill silver-gold project 50 km northwest of Keno Hill. The Company expects to provide updates and results from these programs over the ensuing weeks.

About Metallic Minerals Corp.

Metallic Minerals Corp. is a growth stage exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of high-grade silver and gold in the Yukon within underexplored districts proven to produce top-tier assets. Our objective is to create value through a disciplined, systematic approach to exploration, reducing investment risk and maximizing probability of long-term success. Our core Keno Silver Project is located in the historic Keno Hill silver district of Canada's Yukon Territory, a region which has produced over 200 million ounces of silver and currently hosts one of the world's highest-grade silver resources. The Company's McKay Hill project northeast of Keno Hill is a high-grade historic silver-gold producer. Metallic Minerals is also building a portfolio of gold royalties in the historic Klondike gold district. Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success, including large scale development, permitting and project financing.

Qualified Person

Scott Petsel, P.Geo, Vice President, Exploration and an employee of Metallic Minerals Corp., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Petsel has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this news release and approves the disclosure contained herein. Mr. Petsel has reviewed the results of the sampling program and confirmed that all procedures, protocols and methodologies used in the drill program conform to industry standards.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the map associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20170908-Australiacreek.jpg.

Contacts:

Metallic Minerals Corp.

604-629-7800 or Toll Free: 1-888-570-4420

chris.ackerman@metallic-minerals.com

www.metallic-minerals.com




IRVINE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/11/17 -- Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC PINK: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabinoid-based medicines, announces that its senior executives will participate in the Constituency for Africa's (CFA) 2017 Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series. The Series will be held September 18th-22nd in Washington, DC.

For over 26 years, CFA has established itself as one of the leading, non-partisan organizations focused on educating and mobilizing the American public and the African Diaspora in the U.S. on U.S.-Africa policy. As a result, CFA has helped to increase the level of cooperation and coordination among a broad-based coalition of individuals and organizations committed to the progress, development, and empowerment of Africa and African people worldwide.

The highlight of CFA's annual initiatives is the Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series. The theme of this year's series is Mobilizing the Diaspora in Support of the U.S.-Africa Agenda, and the series is being organized by CFA in cooperation with the African Union Mission to the United States. The purpose of the 2017 Series is to bring together stakeholders from the U.S., Africa, and the African Diaspora to assess the U.S. Administration's Africa policy, and to identify challenges and opportunities in a number of key areas, including African healthcare infrastructure. The expected outcomes of the Series will include policy recommendations for the U.S. Administration and the African Union.

Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, Cannabis Science's President, CEO, Co-founder, and Director, and Dr. Allen Herman, CBIS' Chief Medical Officer, will deliver remarks at CFA's African Healthcare Infrastructure Roundtable on Tuesday, September 19th, and participate in a bi-partisan, senior-level U.S.-Africa Policy Forum on Thursday, September 21st. "I look forward to Cannabis Science's participation in this year's Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series. This Series provides our company with the opportunity to engage with key U.S. and African stakeholders in government, private sector, civil society, and academia. These potential partnerships will enable Cannabis Science to accelerate our African drug-development initiative, as well as to build on our current collaborations for research and multi-center clinical trials," stated Mr. Dabney.

The theme of CFA's African Healthcare Infrastructure Roundtable is Reversing Africa's Brain Drain: The Role of the African Diaspora in Strengthening the Healthcare Infrastructure of Africa. This roundtable will explore strategies that invest in Africa's health workers, healthcare and social services infrastructure, logistics, surveillance and health information systems, healthcare governance, and drug supply systems. Confirmed speakers will include H.E. Arikana Chihombori, the African Union's Permanent Representative to the United States; Dr. Roscoe M. Moore, Jr., former Assistant United States Surgeon General and Rear Admiral, United States Public Health Service (Retired), and Interim Chairman of CFA's Board of Directors; Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Professor Akin Abayomi, Principal Investigator (Academic) of the Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium (GET Africa), and Chief Pathologist and Head of the Division of Hematology at the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa).

Mr. Dabney will participate in a panel discussion on Investing in African Healthcare Infrastructure, and his remarks will focus on exploring drug development opportunities in Africa. As part of his remarks, Mr. Dabney will provide an update to stakeholders on specific activities the company is implementing that will positively impact the communities where the company operates, including cities throughout Africa. CBIS' comprehensive approach leverages the company's core competencies to contribute to overall economic development through education and training, food security and agriculture, technology and communications, and the implementation of public policies that create the enabling environment for the aforementioned.

For his remarks, Dr. Herman will provide an update on the operational strategy he developed for CFA's African Healthcare Infrastructure Committee, a network of Africa-focused healthcare experts launched during CFA's Ronald H. Brown Series in 2015.

CFA's U.S.-Africa Policy Forum will be the highlight of the 2017 Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series. Policy Forum participants will discuss, debate, and ultimately agree on a strategy to improve U.S.-Africa cooperation in a number of key policy issues, including on strengthening Africa's healthcare infrastructure. The Policy Forum will be moderated by Ambassador Reuben E. Brigety, Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University, and former U.S. Representative to the African Union.

For more information on CFA's Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series, please visit www.ronaldbrownseries.org.

Mr. Dabney is a Co-chair of the 2017 Ronald H. Brown African Affairs Series, and a member of the CFA Board of Directors. Cannabis Science is an official sponsor of this year's Series.

About Cannabis Science, Inc.

Cannabis Science, Inc. takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, medicinal characterization, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing 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. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include 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. Cannabis Science, Inc., does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a 'safe harbor' for forward looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts are forward looking statements with respect to events, the occurrence of which involved risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company is detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Cannabis Science, Inc.

Dr. Allen Herman

Chief Medical Officer (CMO)

allen.herman@cannabisscience.com

Tel: 1-888-263-0832



Cannabis Science, Inc.

Mr. Raymond C. Dabney

President & CEO, Co-Founder

raymond.dabney@cannabisscience.com

Tel: 1-888-263-0832






WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund, has been crowned Miss America 2018.



The 23-year old multi-talented Ivy League Honors Graduate is the first Miss America from North Dakota.



She beat beauties who represented all 50 states and the District of Columbia to claim the highly coveted crown in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall Sunday night.



The first runner-up in the competition was Miss Missouri, Jennifer Davis, who earned a $25,000 scholarship. Miss New Jersey, Kaitlyn Schoeffel, is the second runner-up. She received a $20,000 scholarship.



At the age of 14, Cara founded North Dakota's Annual Make-A-Wish Fashion Show. For 10 years, Cara has brightened 23 Wish Kids' lives, became a 'Certified Wish Granter,' and raised more than $78,500 for Make-A-Wish. In 2011, President Barack Obama recognized her charitable efforts.



The Miss America 2018 is headed to law school.



During the talent portion of the competition earlier in the evening, the national dance champion impressed the judges with a jazz routine to Michael Jackson's The Way You Make Me Feel.



During the question and answer session, Cara said it was a 'bad decision' by President Donald Trump to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord.



A relative of Victoria Claflin Woodhull, the first woman to run for U.S. President, Cara dreams of becoming the first female Governor of North Dakota.



Cara now begins a journey that will take her to every corner of the nation and around the world during her year of service as Miss America 2018. She will embark on her national speaking tour about her platform, A Make-A-Wish Passion with Fashion, and act as the official National Goodwill Ambassador for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Regulatory News:

"Chronic Care Connect" is a remote monitoring solution in order to support remotely patients with chronic conditions at home using digital. Thanks to this technology, patients are monitored on a daily basis remotely with individualized support provided by Air Liquide (Paris:AI) nurses via a certified nursing center.

Depending on the medical monitoring protocol prescribed by the physician, patients use one or more connected systems (blood pressure monitor, scale, pulse oximetry, glucose meter or ventilator, for example). Each device is connected to a digital tablet that allows patients to access their monitoring. Patient medical data is sent to and analyzed by the nurses who serve the Air Liquide center, which exchanges information regularly with patients and their physicians.

Patients benefit from personalized support, which helps to improve their quality of life, staying at home. As for their physicians, they have access to an operational solution that allows for preventive management of patient condition evolution. By avoiding hospitalization, the Air Liquide connected solution for the remote monitoring of patients also meets the challenges of healthcare costs control.

A study in Germany involving patients with chronic heart failure who benefit from this kind of monitoring revealed a likelihood of survival increased by nearly 50% one year out.1

Air Liquide's connected solution is currently being rolled out in France and in Spain, currently available for selected patients suffering from chronic heart failure and diabetes. In the months ahead, it will also be made available to patients care with chronic respiratory failure.

Francois Jackow, member of the Air Liquide group's Executive Committee, supervising Healthcare activities, said: "The rapid adoption of digital technologies, coupled with human healthcare support, opens up new opportunities to provide innovative services to patients, physicians, and healthcare systems. With its first e-health solution, Air Liquide is able to support patients in their homes and respond to the challenges facing health authorities."

Air Liquide Healthcare Air Liquide provides medical gases, home healthcare services, hygiene products, medical equipment, and specialty ingredients In 2016, it served more than 15 000 hospitals and clinics and more than 1.4 million home healthcare patients around the world. In 2016, Air Liquide's Healthcare business generated revenue of 3,111 million euros with the support of its 15 000 people Air Liquide Home Healthcare Business Air Liquide, European leader in home healthcare, provides home healthcare services in compliance with medical prescription for patients suffering from chronic diseases such as COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), sleep apnea and diabetes. These home healthcare services are being developed in addition to hospital care, enabling patients to enjoy better quality of life and local authorities to reduce costs. Home healthcare represents 50% of Air Liquide's revenue in Healthcare in 2016

The world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 80 countries with approximately 65,000 employees and serves more than 3 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide's scientific territory and have been at the core of the company's activities since its creation in 1902.

Air Liquide's ambition is to lead its industry, deliver long-term performance and contribute to sustainability. The company's customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders.

Air Liquide's revenue amounted to 18.1 billion in 2016 and its solutions that protect life and the environment represented more than 40% of sales. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes.

1 Herold R, et al. Telemedical Care and Monitoring for Patients with Heart Failure has a positive Effect on Survival. Health Services Research, 2017 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28138988

www.airliquide.com

Follow us on Twitter @airliquidegroup

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911005862/en/

Contacts:

Air Liquide

Corporate Communications

Caroline Brugier, +33 (0)1 40 62 50 59

Aurelie Wayser-Langevin, +33 (0)1 40 62 56 19

or

Investor Relations

Paris

+33 (0)1 40 62 50 87

Radnor

+1 (0) 610 263 8277

or

Air Liquide Healthcare Communications

Coralie Gazzeri, +33(0)1 49 69 45 40
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/11/17 -- In accordance with regulatory requirements, Dundee Corporation (TSX: DC.A) announces that, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Dundee Resources Limited, it has acquired 7,461,538 units ("Units") of Reunion Gold Corporation (the "Issuer") at the price of $0.13 per Unit for aggregate consideration of $970,000. Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Issuer and one-half of one share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire, on payment of $0.20, one common share in the capital of the Issuer for a period of 36 months.

Immediately prior to the acquisition of securities described in this report, Dundee owned 45,377,300 common shares representing an approximate 24.21% interest in the Issuer. Immediately following the transaction that triggered the requirement to file this report, Dundee owns 52,838,838 common shares and 3,730,769 Warrants, representing an approximate 19.88% interest in the Issuer on an undiluted basis and a 21% interest on a partially diluted basis.

Dundee acquired the Units of the Issuer for investment purposes only. Dundee intends to review, on a continuous basis, various factors related to its investment, including (but not limited to) the price and availability of the securities of the Issuer, subsequent developments affecting the Issuer or its business, and the general market and economic conditions. Based upon these and other factors, Dundee may decide to purchase additional securities of the Issuer or may decide in the future to sell all or part of its investment.

For additional information, an early warning report can be found on SEDAR or may be obtained by contacting:

Dundee Corporation Legal Department 1 Adelaide Street East, Suite 2100 Toronto, Ontario M5C 2V9 Tel: (416) 350-3388

About Dundee Corporation

Dundee Corporation is a public Canadian independent holding company, listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "DC.A". Through its operating subsidiaries, Dundee Corporation is engaged in diverse business activities in the areas of investment advisory, corporate finance, energy, resources, agriculture, real estate and infrastructure. Dundee Corporation also holds, directly and indirectly, a portfolio of investments mostly in these key areas, as well as other select investments in both publicly listed and private enterprises.

Contacts:

John Vincic

Investor and Media Relations

Dundee Corporation

(647) 402-6375



Lucie Presot

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Dundee Corporation

(416) 365-5157




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/11/17 -- Alex Tapscott, author of #1 Globe and Mail best-seller, Blockchain Revolution, co-founder of Toronto's Blockchain Research Institute and founder of NextBlock Global, a company dedicated to investing in the digital asset space will be keynoting a the Extraordinary Future Conference on September 20th at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Tapscott recently closed an oversubscribed $20 Million financing for NextBlock Global. The firm will be using the funds to buy cryptocurrencies and invest in startups built using blockchain technology.

"We are delighted with the outcome of this financing and we are ready to lead in this fast changing and disruptive marketplace." - Alex Tapscott.

Blockchain technology will be a substantial focus at the Extraordinary Future Conference. Alex Tapscott will be joined by Harry Pokrandt, CEO of Hive Blockchain, Guy Halford-Thompson, CEO of BTL Group and Marc Van Derr Chijs, Founder of First Block Capital on a blockchain panel discussion moderated by Blake Corbett of PI Financial.

The Extraordinary Future Conference will be showcasing Canadian technology companies spanning blockchain technology, virtual and augmented reality, health technology, the future of energy and more.

Extraordinary Future is produced by Cambridge House International Inc., Canada's undisputed leader in technology and mining investment conferences.

To learn more about the Extraordinary Future conference, please visit ExtraordinaryFuture.com or call 604-687-4151.

Contacts:

Company presentation opportunities:

info@cambridgehouse.com



Media inquiries:

Lbrodie@cambridgehouse.com



Speaking Inquiries:

Danielle@cambridgehouse.com




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - California's Bureau of Cannabis Control unveiled new regulatory rules that will ban drones from delivering marijuana, according to a report in Ars Technica. The regulations says, 'Transportation may not be done by aircraft, watercraft, rail, drones, human-powered vehicles, or unmanned vehicles.' The new regulation also requires all ground-based deliveries to be done by a human driver. 'Deliveries may be made only in person by enclosed motor vehicle. Cannabis goods may not be visible to the public during deliveries. Cannabis goods may not be left in an unattended motor vehicle unless the vehicle has an active alarm system. Vehicles used for delivery must have a dedicated, active GPS device that enables the dispensary to identify the geographic location of the vehicle during delivery.' California will begin issuing retail licenses to marijuana businesses on January 1, 2018. 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.
Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) today announces that it has purchased, through PSH's agent, Jefferies International Limited ("Jefferies"), the following number of PSH's ordinary shares of no par value (ISIN Code: GG00BPFJTF46) (the "Shares"):

Date of purchase: 11 September 2017 Number of Shares purchased: 2,932 Shares Highest price paid per Share: 1,013 pence 13.35 USD Lowest price paid per Share: 1,003 pence 13.21 USD Average price paid per Share: 1,008.64 pence 13.29 USD

PSH intends to cancel these Shares. The net asset value per Share related to this Share buyback is USD 16.52 GBP 12.68 which was calculated as of 5 September 2017. After giving effect to the above Share buyback, PSH has outstanding 237,939,371 Shares. The prices per share in USD were calculated by Jefferies.

The number of PSH Management Shares and the 1 special voting share (held by PS Holdings Independent Voting Company Limited) has not been affected.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911005999/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact:

Maitland

James Devas, +44 20 7379 5151

Media-pershingsquareholdings1@maitland.co.uk
According to the Complaint, throughout the Class Period, Vitamin Shoppe made false and/or misleading statements, and/or failed to disclose: that the Company's retail segment was continuing to dramatically decline; that the Company's ongoing "reinvention plan" had been unsuccessful and brought more than $168 million in goodwill impairment, and it was not properly recognizing that impairment charge; and that as a result of the above, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. Upon release of this information, shares of Vitamin Shoppe fell in value materially, which caused investors harm according to the Complaint.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vancouver, 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


Vemo Education, a Vienna, Va.-based provider of solutions for postsecondary institutions to develop, launch, and implement income share agreements (ISAs), raised $7.4m in seed funding.

The round was led by University Ventures and NextGen Venture Partners, with participation from Route 66 Ventures, Third Kind Venture Capital, Haystack Partners, and Task Force X Capital.

The company intends to use the funds to hire new people, accelerate investment in the technology platform, and expand market development.

Led by Tonio DeSorrento, Founder and CEO, Vemo Education provides partners with colleges and universities to design and implement income share agreements (ISAs) which fund students college costs, and in exchange, students agree to pay a percentage of their future income for a set period of time, with no principal balance or interest.

FinSMEs

11/09/2017
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has said counting machines are "not being used" for tallying the total number of demonetised notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 in any of its offices, according to an RTI reply.

The central bank also refused to give the total number of personnel deployed for counting of the scrapped notes, saying compiling the information would "disproportionately divert" its resources.

In its annual report for 2016-17 released on 30 August, the RBI had said Rs 15.28 lakh crore, or 99 per cent of the demonetised 500 and 1,000 rupee notes, have returned to the banking system.

The central bank in the annual report, which was for the year ended 30 June 2017, said that only Rs 16,050 crore out of the Rs 15.44 lakh crore in the old high denomination notes have not returned.

As on 8 November 2016, when the note ban was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there were 1,716.5 crore pieces of Rs 500 and 685.8 crore pieces of Rs 1,000 notes in circulation, totalling Rs 15.44 lakh crore, it had said.

"Counting machines are not being used for the purpose in any offices of Reserve Bank of India," the RBI said in the RTI reply dated 10 August.

The central bank also said no counting machines were taken on lease to reconcile the total figure of the junked notes.

It was asked to give details about machines being used for counting the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

The central bank also denied sharing information on the total number of personnel deployed for counting of the old notes.

"Compiling the information would disproportionately divert the resources, the information sought cannot be furnished as per Section 7 (9) of RTI Act, 2005," the RBI said in its reply to the RTI query filed by a PTI correspondent.

The Section says that information shall ordinarily be provided in the form in which it is sought unless it would disproportionately divert the resources of the public authority or would be detrimental to the safety or preservation of the record in question.

To a query seeking the dates of beginning of the counting of the demonetised notes, it said "the processing of notes is a continuous activity".

The RBI did not give any specific reply when asked about the last date of counting of the demonetised notes.

"Subject to future corrections based on verification process when completed, the estimated value of specified bank notes received as on June 30, 2017, is Rs 15.28 trillion," the central bank had said in its annual report.

While the counterfeit currency notes made up for a minuscule number, the RBI post-demonetisation spent Rs 7,965 crore on printing new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 and other denomination notes, more than double the Rs 3,421 crore spent in the previous year, it said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said demonetisation, which had slowed down economic activity and put common man at much inconvenience, was aimed at flushing out black money, eliminating fake currency, striking at the root of terror financing, converting non-formal economy into formal one to expand tax base and employment and giving a big boost to digitisation of payments to make India a less-cash economy.

In his reaction to the RBI report, ex-finance minister P Chidambaram had wondered whether demonetisation was "a scheme designed to convert black money into white".

"RBI gained Rs 16,000 crore, but lost Rs 21,000 crore in printing new notes! The economists deserve Nobel Prize.

"Rs 16,000 cr out of demonetised notes of Rs 15,44,000 cr did not come back to RBI. That is 1%. Shame on RBI which recommended demonetisation," Chidambaram had said in a series of tweets.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has reduced rates on 40 products, most of them daily use items, rendering them cheaper for the consumer, while the cess on mid and high-segment cars went up by 2-7 percent, which is likely to raise the prices of these cars. The decision to this effect was taken at its 21st meeting Hyderabad on Saturday, which was also the second review meeting after the GST rollout.

Briefing the media, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said with the changed nature of economy, the government could afford to have the rates of some these items reduced. The reduction in rate is likely to make these items cheaper.

Here are the details:

Idli and dosa batter will attract 12 percent GST, against 18 percent before, while brooms and brushes have been totally exempted from the levy.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council also decided to reduce levy on computer monitors of up to 20 inches, cotton quilts, rubber bands and kitchen gas lighters.

As per the list of items uploaded on the website of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), khadi fabric sold through KVIC shops have been exempted from GST.

Also, rate on saree fall, dhoop batti, corduroy fabric, walnut, dried tamarind and roasted gram has been brought down to 5 percent, from 12 percent earlier.

Accordingly, plastic raincoats and rubber bands have been fitted in the slab of 18 percent and 12 percent, respectively, as against the earlier 28 percent.

Kitchen gas lighters will attract 18 percent compared to 28 percent GST earlier while prayer beads will fall in the 5 percent slab against 18 percent previously.

As against 28 percent, computer monitors with size of up to 20 inches will attract 18 percent-- thus bringing it on par with those whose screen size is up to 17 inches.

Cotton quilts costing up to Rs 1,000 will attract 5 percent while those above that will face 12 percent GST, against the earlier uniform rate of 18 percent.

Tableware, kitchenware, other household items and toilet articles of porcelain or china or those other than porcelain or china clay will be levied 12 per cent against 18 percent and 28 percent, respectively.

All goods, including bells, gongs and the like, non-electric, of base metal; statuettes and other ornaments of base metal will attract 12 per cent GST compared to 18 per cent earlier.

Here's the full list:

(With inputs from agencies)
New Delhi: Subdued demand growth, consistent capacity additions, and better networks may result in India producing surplus power in the current fiscal, although sporadic outages continue and 24 percent households are yet to be electrified, according to the latest report by Fitch Ratings.

The American agency said in its newsletter "India Power Watch" that India could actually produce a power surplus in this fiscal, with an energy deficit of just 0.6 percent in the first quarter ended March, which is a period of high seasonal electricity demand.

"However, in reality, sporadic outages continue to plague the country. At the same time, about 24 percent of households are yet to be electrified in India," it said.

Fitch said the inability of hugely indebted power distribution companies (discoms) to purchase power, along with the absence of adequate transmission network coverage, exerts significant pressure on India's thermal power utilisation.

The cost-revenue gap remains at Re 0.42 per kilowatt hour (kWh) along with aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses of 20.6 per cent overall.

"Improving these operational inefficiencies will drive any sustainable improvement," it said.

The report noted that electricity prices at power exchanges dropped by 11 per cent to Rs 2.4 per kWh in 2016-17.

"Tariffs are taking a hit mainly from the prevailing electricity demand-supply dynamics, lower coal costs and a decline in renewable tariffs," it said.

According to the credit rating agency, discoms are hesitating to tie-up new long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) for both thermal and wind capacity as they await more clarity on the auction route for wind power, supported by the availability of cheaper spot electricity.

From the perspective of discoms in Delhi, for instance, the primary reason behind the national capital getting expensive power is that they are bound by long-term PPAs that run for 25-35 years, which were signed with generators well before privatisation in 2002.

From the perspective of the generators, with electricity demand growth in India not keeping pace with the excess capacity addition and with tariffs falling, producers are facing offtake issues on power that they have not already tied up for sale through long-term PPAs.

J SW Energy Chief Executive Prashant Jain told a news channel recently that while the company had tied up for the offtake of about 65 per cent of its power generation through long-term PPAs, it is facing challenges about disposal of its remaining "untied capacity".
New Delhi: Unfazed by the recent upheavals at the board, Infosys will continue to hire about 6,000 engineers annually over next 1-2 years, same as last fiscal, according to a top company official.

The country's second largest software services firm has also ramped up its hiring process in the US and European markets as it looks to tap opportunities and tide over visa- related issues.

"...we continue to recruit. This year that just concluded we had a net addition of 6,000 and we expect similar kind of additions over the next 1 or 2 years, depending on the kind of growth you see in the market," Infosys interim-CEO and MD U B Pravin Rao said at an investor meet last week.

The Bengaluru-based firm has been in the eye of a storm over the past few months, with the founders and former board members clashing over alleged corporate governance lapses and irregularities in Infosys USD 200-million Panaya acquisition.

The spat, which often spilled over into the public domain, led to the then CEO Vishal Sikka as well as former Chairman R Seshasayee and three other board members quitting.

Co-founder Nandan Nilekani was named the non-executive Chairman in a move that was seen as the company bowing to the demands of co-founders and large institutional investors.

After Sikkas exit, Rao assumed the additional charge as interim CEO and MD.

Rao said over one million graduates pass out each year, which may look like a large number but only 20-30 per cent of that is quality talent.

"(This is the number that) we and our competitors focus on...It is a question of doing more with less, how can one be more productive," he said while answering a query on whether increasing automation would result in job losses.

At the end of June 2017, Infosys had a total of 1,98,553 employees on its payroll. The company does not provide country-specific headcount.

During the said quarter, Infosys hired 8,645 people at a gross level but its overall headcount was lower by 1,811 people on a net level (which factors in attrition numbers).

Earlier this year, there were reports of layoffs across the IT sector. With Infosys stating that it was stepping up hiring in international markets like the US, there were concerns that it could impact the companys recruitment plans in India.

Infosys had, at that time, stated it planned to hire 20,000 people (gross) this year.

Infosys has stated that it is in favour of a healthy mix of local and global personnel, even though hiring locals in overseas markets often pushes up operational costs for IT outsourcing companies.

During the investor meeting, Rao said Infosys is also looking at increasing localisation of its workforce and is recruiting about 10,000 people in the next few years and setting up development and innovation hubs in the US.

"...we have already started the process and we will only accelerate," he added.

The US, which is the largest market for Infosys, much like its peers, accounted for over 61 per cent of its topline in June 2017 quarter. Europe accounted for 22.4 per cent of the companys USD 2.65 billion (Rs 17,078 crore) revenue during April-June 2017 quarter.

To a query on the companys India business, Rao said Infosys continues to be selective about projects in the country.

"...we continue to be very cautious about India...there are pricing challenges, sometimes getting payment is a challenge," he said.
Hong Kong: He grew up in Chandigarh and never thought he would be a billionaire and one of the richest people in Hong Kong. But Harry S. Banga has done that successfully in the fields of commodities, ship management and asset management.

With a net worth of $1.02 billion, Harindarpal Singh Banga, as the chairman of the fairly young Caravel Group, not only figures among the list of Top-50 richest people (Forbes Magazine) in Hong Kong but is known as the tycoon who has staged a comeback in the commodities sector in a big way.

"It's been a great journey. (I am) So proud of achieving what we have done. Obviously, there were a lot of ups and downs. Never realised on leaving Chandigarh that I will be where I am today. By the grace of god, it has been a wonderful and successful journey. One day I will write a book," Banga told IANS during an interview in the swanky headquarters of the Caravel Group in the Central Plaza skyscraper in Hong Kong's busy Wan Chai commercial area.

Banga, who started as a shippie, has reasons to feel proud.

He exited the Noble Group, in which he was a co-founder in 1988, just before it started crumbling on the business front. Setting up the Caravel Group in 2013 with an $800 million investment, Banga was soon back in the big league of Hong Kong billionaires early this year.

"We have three verticals within the Caravel Group. The first one is Asset Management. It is purely investing in liquid assets in equity, fixed income and debt investment and some private equity investment. The other part is brick and mortar business in Caravel International which has got two verticals. One is Caravel Resources under which we do the commodities business. Then we have Caravel Maritime and Caravel Fleet Management Limited.

"Today we are the third largest ship management company in the world. We have 450 ships under our management, close to $20 billion dollars of assets. Total officers and crew are about 18,000 -- the majority of them from India," he explained.

With operations spread in 19 countries across most continents, Banga says that doing business with China is easier.

"Seventy percent of our total turnover comes from China. I have been dealing with China since 1983. Dealing with officials and corporates in China, I find them very easy to develop and do business with.

"Our business mainly focuses around China, which is the main consumer of commodities today. Today, we are the largest international trading company supplying iron ore to China. Total volume is 40 million tonnes. The originating countries are India, Australia, and Brazil. Caravel Carbon does the thermal coal business. Sixty per cent of that goes into China and 40 percent to India to power plants, cement plants etc," he said.

Though his company has offices in India, the business dealing is limited.

"While in other countries in Europe, Australia, America it is either a green light or red light -- it is all very clear. Though in the last three years it is changing, in India it is permanent amber light. So, you don't know if it is red or green. They do come with a policy in India but it takes a long time to understand that policy," said Banga, who was honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Award in 2011 by the Indian government.

"Ours (India) is not easy. We have religion issues, caste issues, language issues, states have their own issues. All these things are very challenging. New Delhi takes decisions. The implementation is in districts. It is a very different world there (in the districts). In Beijing, one guy decides, everyone implements," he said.

Banga is worried that too many young people in India are getting education and skills, but not enough jobs are available.

"In India, we have the beauty product and health product e-retail company called Nykaa. That is one of the major investments that we have," he added.

Born in Amritsar, Banga, 66, did his schooling and bachelor of engineering in Chandigarh before moving out in the 1970s.

"I became the youngest captain at the age of 27-and-a-half. I worked with companies in London, Geneva and Hong Kong, where I arrived in 1984," he said.

Among other things, Banga has an eye for contemporary paintings and antiques.
The Rules relating to a no-fly list released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Friday have been expected for a while now. The need to have a no-fly list in India was highlighted after Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulted an Air India employee with sandals earlier this year.

This disgraceful and violent behaviour was captured on mobile phones and circulated on social media. Thereafter, he was barred from flying by all domestic airlines until he tendered a written apology to the Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju expressing his regrets over the unfortunate incident. Subsequently, the ban was lifted following a written order from the ministry of civil aviation.

While his inability to fly highlighted the fact that even MPs are accountable for their actions; it also raised the issue of whether airlines could legally refuse to let him fly. In this context, having clear rules regarding a no-fly list is a welcome move.

The rules divide unruly behaviour into three categories depending on the nature and gravity of threat to other passengers, crew or to airline property.

Level 1: Unruly Behaviour (physical gestures, verbal harassment, unruly inebriation etc.) - Ban up to 3 months

Level 2: Physically Abusive Behaviour (pushing, kicking, hitting, grabbing, sexual harassment etc.) - Ban up to 6 months

Level 3: Life Threatening Behaviour (choking, murderous assault and damage to aircraft operating systems) - Minimum ban of 2 years with no upper limit

The pilot-in-command has been made the final authority to assess if the passenger can be controlled and accordingly inform the airlines central control.

The rules also impose certain obligations on airlines such as establishing Standard Operating Procedures, training their cabin crew, flight crew and ground staff. Further, airlines are required to constitute Internal Committees to adjudicate on complaints of unruly behaviour.

The Internal Committee is to be headed by a retired Sessions Judge and is required to adjudicate on and decide the complaint within 30 days and in case it fails to do so, the passenger shall be free to fly. In the event that the decision of the Internal Committee is unacceptable to the passenger, he has the option to appeal before an Appellate Committee within 60 days of the decision of the Internal Committee.

However, while the dispute resolution mechanism is satisfactory, there are several areas of concern in the rules. The most pressing concern is the provision which empowers the Ministry of Home Affairs to identify certain individuals as a national security threat. Further, the fact that this list will not be published as part of the no-fly list and will only be shared with the airlines, amplifies this concern.

Given the manner in which the clause on national security is drafted, it seems that the DGCA does not have any power to refuse, differ or otherwise distinguish the Ministry of Home Affairs decision to include certain individuals on the no-fly list.

Moreover, the rules require that passengers should be 'carefully monitored' by the airlines and that the airline staff should observe 'early signs of potential unruly behaviour' and are required to act on these 'early signs' instead of only dealing with escalated events. These are very vague and overbroad phrases which allow considerable discretion to private airlines to refuse passengers from boarding aeroplanes.

Similarly, airlines have been given the power to employ 'restraining devices' once all other means have been exhausted - what are these devices and who will prescribe standards relating to them are important questions that need more specificity to protect the rights and interests of the passengers and prevent any undue injuries.

Rav P Singh is a senior resident fellow and Samraat Basu a research fellow at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy
New Delhi: Travelling long distance on a train and scared to eat from the pantry? This has been the usual state of affairs on the Indian Railways, as rotten food routinely gets served on board, catering staff is invariably rude and often these workers also seek tips after inflating prices of eatables, illegally. Besides, in a clever ploy, they also sell less quantities of an item than prescribed, allegedly siphoning off the difference. Well, if newly minted Railways Minister Piyush Goyals latest diktat is any indication, at least eating on the train may not be so heavy on the pocket from today. Even if the minister has as yet given no hint on how the food will be made edible or underweight packets tackled, what he has proposed to do about catering is a good start. From today, Railways catering inspectors are supposed to fan out across the trains to check if the catering staff are asking for tips or over-charging for food. The Railways also promised to monitor social media platforms to look out for passengers complaining about overcharging and waiters asking for tips.

The minister wrote to all zonal units and put a 48-hour deadline on such malpractices, The Indian Express report said. Action against the corrupt should start from today. Needless to say, this is a welcome move though only partially addressing the huge catering rip off that passes off for service on Indian Railways. What is needed is a complete overhaul of the catering business to make eating on trains less hazardous. In this tweet, the Rail Ministry put out a list of common eatables with their rates and suggested that passengers seek a bill each time they buy something to eat on the train. In several responses below the tweet, passengers said forget a bill, catering staff was regularly inflating prices and refused to share a menu card with the price list. The tea/coffee priced at Rs 10 was routinely sold at double the amount, said one, while another wondered when will Goyal begin addressing food quality.

In a report titled Performance audit on Catering Services Reports in Indian Railways, the Comptroller & Auditor General had said in Parliament in the just-concluded Monsoon Session that not only did it find food sub-standard and hazardous for passengers health, its audit also found numerous instances when the weight of the food item was less than prescribed. Basically, passengers were charged more for less. Standalone, one may not find a discrepancy of 5 or 10 gram disturbing. But remember, the Railways caters to over 22 million passengers on a daily basis. If even half of this travelling public is eating off the Railways kitchens or at the stations, imagine the kind of money being siphoned off by the unscrupulous contractors, vendors and staff by reducing minimal weight of food items!

As per Para 2806 Indian Railway Commercial Manual, the quantity of cooked rice, rotis, vegetables etc. served should be according to the standard measurement prescribed by Railway Board/Zonal Railways and the price list given out before meals are served on a train indicates the measurement (gram for solid food stuff and ml for beverages like coffee, tea and soup) per unit. Minister Goyal would do well to crack the whip on this aspect too, if he really wants to rein in corruption in the catering business on Railways.

The C&AG audit was conducted between July and October 2016. It found food stuff served was less than the prescribed scheduled quantity. So the weight of a piece of paneer was found to be 3 gram against the prescribed standard of 5 gram in one train, a reduction of 40 percent. In the Food Plaza of Gwalior station (NCR), against the scheduled weight of 175 gram, the actual weight of Poori was only 130 gram; a vegetable sandwich was lighter by 25 gram at all six stalls of licensee at Agra Fort station. 10 gram had been lopped off from dhokla and bread pakodas sold at Gwalior station. Quantity of ice cream (Vadilal) served was 90 ml instead of contractual quantity of 100 ml, ditto for curd. A sachet of 10 gram tomato ketchup was served instead of the standard 15 gram.

In the same report, the countrys chief auditor also said foodstuff sold at 26 stations/trains was unfit for human consumption. It also found rats and cockroaches in the pantries, uncovered food lying around and much more. Much of the blame has been laid at the door of unscrupulous catering contractors hired by the Railways, its inability to provide all long-distance trains with pantry cars and frequent changes in the catering policy.

The audit by the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) found contaminated, recycled and shelf-life expired foodstuff, unauthorised brands of water bottles and much more being sold in trains and at stations. At Bokaro Steel City station, the shelf-life of the flavored milk sold had expired; at Agra, catering units were selling petha which later tested positive for fungal growth. Deficiency in quality of malaipaneer, dressed broiler chicken and refined oil were found at another station; a 100 pieces of unsold paranthas  obviously for reuse - were found in the base kitchen of Zonal Railway for catering in train no.12033-34 (Kanpur  New Delhi  Kanpur). Goyal's predecessor, Suresh Prabhu, had initiated work on a new catering policy, it now needs to be expedited.

In order to upgrade quality of food preparation, IRCTC is to set up new kitchens and upgrade existing ones. The salient features of this policy include the mandate to IRCTC to manage catering service on all mobile units - pantry car contracts awarded by zonal railway to be reassigned to IRCTC and meals for all mobile units to be picked up from the nominated kitchens owned, operated and managed by IRCTC. The policy discourages IRCTC from outsourcing catering services to private licensees, instead retaining ownership and therefore accountability for all the issues pertaining to setting up and operation of the Base Kitchens and quality of food. IRCTC will also be responsible for management of Food Plaza, Food Courts, Fast food units within the ambit of this policy. And Zonal railway to manage static unit (catering stall /milk stalls/ trolleys etc.) except base kitchens and kitchen units to be handed over to IRCTC.
Aamir Khan is reportedly all set to launch a distribution wing under his existing banner Aamir Khan Productions ahead of the release of his upcoming movie Secret Superstar.

The newly established distribution section will be headed by Prakhar Joshi, who was previously the India theatrical distribution division head for Disney for the last three years. He reportedly quit his job at Disney earlier this week as he heads towards Khan's newest venture, according to a report by Scroll. Joshi was a programmer at PVR prior to this.

It comes as no surprise that Khan might be headed in this direction, having always been one to push the boundaries and dabble in different spheres. The actor first turned producer with (the then considered risky) Lagaan, which turned out to eventually become a blockbuster, almost gaining the status of a cult film. He then continued producing quality cinema with movies like Taare Zameen Par (TZP), Dangal, Delhi Belly, [PEEPLI] Live and Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na.

He went on to try his hand at direction with Taare Zameen Par; a film that received much critical acclaim and a successful run at the box-office. The actor has also hosted the popular television show Satyamev Jayate which deals with various socially relevant issues in today's world (specifically those prevalent in India).

Secret Superstar will see Khan's Dangal co-star  the young actor Zaira Wasim in the lead role and the movie will be clashing with Rohit Shetty's Golmaal Again at the box-office.

Secret Superstar, directed by Advait Chandan, is all set to see a Diwali release  hitting the silver screen on 19 October.
AR Aneesh, a police officer, has been suspended for allegedly misusing his post in order to aid Pulsar Suni, the chief accused in the case of the abduction and assault of a Malayalam actress.

The News Minute reports that the police officer confessed to his involvement in the case. He is the 14th accused in the case, besides the likes of Suni and Malayalam superstar Dileep. The same report states that Aneesh has been accused of helping Suni get in touch with filmmaker Nadirshah, Dileep and his wife Kavya Madhavan through phone, while the prime accused was in police custody.

Also read - Malayalam actress assault case: 60 days after Dileep was arrested, a look at developments

The report states that Aneesh has also been accused of destroying evidence, as he deleted all the messages and voice notes that Suni sent to Dileep and the offices of Laksyah, the online clothing boutique owned by Kavya. The police officer reportedly tried to contact Kavya on three occasions, besides the voice notes that were sent to Dileep and call to Nadirshah.

Manorama Online reports that Aneesh was arrested on Saturday, 9 September, but has been released on bail now.

Also read - Malayalam actress assault case: Women in Cinema Collective stages protest for justice, at State Film Award venue
Members of the Women in Cinema Collective, headed by Malayalam actress Manju Warrier, protested at the venue of the State Film Award to seek justice for the Malayalam actress who was abducted and assaulted on 17 February.

The campaign they started at the venue has been called 'Avalkkoppam', which means 'With Her', and it was spearheaded by actress Sajitha Madathil and director Vidhu Vincent. "Through the campaign, we were trying to gather public support for the attacked actress," said Vincent, as quoted by The New Indian Express.

The campaign was inaugurated by Nilambur Ayisha, and during the protest, members demanded that shooting spaces should be made free of exploitation and sexual violence. Badges about gender equality were also distributed.

Signatures were also collected from the public, which will reportedly be submitted to Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan. Apart from the protest, the Women in Cinema Collective also publicly responded to MLA PC George, who ridiculed the Collective for filing a case against him for making offensive and derogatory comments about the survivor. It has sought action against him. It also chastised MLA KB Ganesh Kumar for siding with Dileep, which it felt showed a disregard for the Constitution and was an undemocratic action.

Only a few days ago, Madathil responded to the support that Dileep was receiving from members of the Malayalam film industry. "Those who visited Dileep in jail have not even bothered to call up or inquire about the attacked actress. Apart from her close friends, none from the industry visited her. From this, it is evident that top Mollywood stars are still with the accused and are supporting him. Women in Cinema Collective will look into the matter and take necessary decisions," she said, as quoted by Manorama Online.

The Special Investigation Team, which is responsible for probing this case, approached the Anagamaly judicial first-class magistrate on 9 September to place a restriction of the number of people visiting Dileep in the Aluva sub-jail. The demand for this restriction was in response to the press conference MLA KB Ganesh Kumar held near the jail, where he supported Dileep and exonerated him of charges.

Also read on Firstpost - Malayalam actress assault case: 60 days after Dileep was arrested, a look at developments
Toronto: The language palette of Priyanka Chopra's Purple Pebble Pictures is all set for new additions  Assamese, Malayalam and Gujarati.

This was revealed by Madhu Chopra, the actor's mother and head of the production company, on the sidelines of the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Friday.

Speaking exclusively to PTI after the world premiere at TIFF of Purple Pebble's Nepali-language, Sikkim-set film Pahuna: The Little Visitors, written and directed by debutante Paakhi A Tyrewala, Madhu said, "We are delighted that we will be working with veteran Assamese filmmaker Jahnu Barua next."

Having already produced films in Bhojpuri, Marathi and Punjabi, the banner is now in the process of giving finishing touches to the screenplay of its first Bengali film, Nalini, which tells the story of a 17-year-old Rabindranath Tagore finding his first love in Maharashtra during a stay there with his elder brother and ICS officer Satyendranath Tagore.

The banner is at the same time finalising plans for films in Malayalam and Gujarati as well, Madhu said.

Regarding the upcoming Barua film, the producer said, "We approached him for a collaboration with us. He asked for some time to make up his mind. He recently gave his go-ahead to the project."

Purple Pebble Pictures, which plans to bankroll at least three films a year on an average, has submitted the script for the Tagore film to the vice-chancellor of Viswa-Bharati University for final vetting. "The film is about a towering figure and deals with sensitive aspects of his life, so we cannot afford to slip up at all," Madhu, a former Army doctor who now presides over her daughter's film production activities, said.

Tyrewala has showered lavish praise on the production company for its approach. "I had the desire and confidence that I could direct a film, but the film wouldn't have happened had they not backed me to the hilt. They are hands-on but very non-interfering," she told this correspondent.

At the premiere of Pahuna, Tyrewala had divulged how a string of Mumbai producers had rejected her script. She was a woman and a first-time director wanting to make a children's film in Sikkim. Nobody saw any potential in the project until she approached Priyanka. "She said she would back my film for the very reasons that the others had rejected it," the director said.

Pahuna tells the story of three children separated from their parents as the family flees political unrest in Nepal. They end up in Sikkim and confront their fears and uncertainties with childlike innocence, hope and tenacity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a students' convention on Monday to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address and BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary celebrations. The theme of the convention was 'Young India, New India'. To mark the historic occasion, Firstpost reproduces the full text of the speech given by Swami Vivekananda at the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago on 11 September 1893.

Dear sisters and brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. l thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of the millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration.I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to the southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny.

I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings:

As the different streams having there sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to thee.

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world, of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita:

Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the chief justice of Allahabad High Court to appoint new observers within 10 days in the Ayodhya land dispute matter.

Ayodhya land dispute matter: Supreme Court asks Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court to appoint new observers within 10 days.  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

In the last few months, different parties have staked claim to the disputed Ayodhya land. The high court's Lucknow Bench had said the disputed 2.77-acre area at Ayodhya should be partitioned equally among three parties  the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

On 21 August, the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board (UPSCWB) had said it was the commander of Babar's army who had built a mosque in the midst of temples in Ayodhya in early 16th century, thus sowing seeds of discord between Hindus and Muslims.

"Mir Baqi was the commander of Babar's army. He was a Shia and used the Mughal army against the feelings of the Hindus by building a grand mosque located in middle of temples in Ayodhya in 1528-29. He sowed the seeds of dispute," UPSCWB chairman Waseem Rizvi said in a statement.

According to IANS, the Supreme Court plans to start hearing appeals in Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid case from 5 December and that no adjournments will be allowed.

A three-member bench of Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice Abdul Naseer asked contesting parties to translate into English, within 12 weeks, the exhibits of the documents on which they will likely rely upon since these were in eight different languages.

The Uttar Pradesh government was asked to translate within 10 weeks the evidence recorded for adjudication of the title dispute in the Allahabad High Court into English.

The apex court reached a consensus on commencement of the hearing on the cross-appeals filed against the 2010 high court judgment.

With inputs from IANS
Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said a memorandum has been sent to the Centre seeking an assistance of Rs 7,636 crore on account of floods in 19 districts of the state that claimed 514 lives and left behind a trail of destruction.

According to official sources, the Centre, without any delay, has informed the state government about the visit of an inter-ministerial team for on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

The team, for assessment of damage caused by the floods, would be headed by Mukesh Mittal, the joint secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

It would have representatives from the ministries of agriculture and farmers welfare, finance, rural development, drinking water and sanitation, road transport and highways and water resources.

Speaking to reporters after the weekly 'Lok Samvad' (public interaction) programme in Patna, Kumar said, "A memorandum of Rs 7,636 crore prepared with pragmatic approach has been sent to the Centre for assistance to carry rehabilitation and restoration work in 19 districts that faced inundation."

"The memorandum, incorporating details of damage to crops, houses, damaged roads and other items, has been prepared in a pragmatic manner and not like a thick piece of document consisting of impractical details," he said.

Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after aerial survey of flood-hit districts of Purnea, Kisanganj, Araria and Katihar on August 26 had announced immediate assistance of Rs 500 crore and promised that the Centre would provide more funds after getting reports of damage caused.

He took potshots at leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and other Congress leaders for mocking the prime minister's announcement of Rs 500 crore earlier, which they had said was half the amount that the UPA government had provided to the state after the floods in 2008.

"The UPA government had given Rs 1,000 crore in 2008 only for basic relief like distribution of food packets, polythene sheets and others. It had given no assistance for rehabilitation and restoration work post-Koshi flood," Kumar, flanked by Disaster Management minister Dinesh Chandra Yadav and principal secretary Pratyay Amrit, said.

"The state government had to get loan from the World Bank for carrying out large-scale rehabilitation work after devastating flood of 2008," he said.

Kumar said besides carrying out relief and rescue operation on a war footing, the state government has made available Rs 2,600 crore for distribution of gratuitous money to families who suffered from flood fury.

"Around 13 lakh families have been given Rs 6,000 each for meeting their immediate needs, including ration, through RTGS in their bank account and the rest would get it in another one-two weeks," he said.

According to the state government, there are 38 lakh families who would get Rs 6,000 each as gratuitous money.

On state health minister and BJP leader Mangal Pandey performing "political duty" in other states while flood victims are facing problems after water has receded at home, Kumar said "A minister also hails from a political party and performing the duty for the party is nothing unusual."

Pandey is the BJP's in-charge in Himachal Pradesh, which is slated to go to polls later this year.

"In the digital age, distance is not a big issue. A minister can keep a tab over the functioning of his department with the help of gadgets," the chief minister said.

When asked about the Rs 5 cr cheque from the Gujarat government for flood relief which has been accepted by Kumar, bringing back the memories of 2010 when he had returned a donation from the then chief minister Narendra Modi, he said, "The media is free to make its own interpretation."
Dhamupur (UP): Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Sunday unveiled a memorial of 1965 Indo-Pak war hero Abdul Hamid in Ghazipur district's Dhamupur and felicitated the widow of the soldier who was awarded Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal.

On the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of his supreme sacrifice, General Rawat and his wife Madhulika met Rasoolan Bibi, wife of Company Quartermaster Havildar Hamid, and several other war widows and felicitated them.

The Army chief also bowed down and touched the feet of the 80-year-old widow of the Param Vir Chakra recipient.

Unveiling a memorial in Hamid's honour in his ancestral village, he exhorted the youth to join the armed forces.

Lauding the contribution made by the people of the district to the armed forces, General Rawat said a recruitment drive will be held soon in Ghazipur to encourage the youth to join the Army and contribute to the country's security.

Hamid had destroyed several tanks of the Pakistan Army during the 1965 war in the Lahore sector.

"Jahan Hindustan ki sena khadi hai, wahan khatra kisi aur se nahi hai (where the Indian Army is present, there is no threat from anyone)," the Army Chief said.

"Hamid is an inspiration for the youth and his extraordinary bravery made the country proud," he said.

On the Doka La issue, Gen. Rawat said India and China have held talks and the situation there is under control.
Raipur: Congress party in-charge of Chhattisgarh PL Punia on Sunday said that the BJP government in the state was "most corrupt" and his party will contest to win the 2018 assembly elections as "victory in the state is our right".

He also said that the party will keep in mind the youth, dedicated workers and women workers for the party ticket and ban liquor if it comes to power.

"Congress will fight elections in Chhattisgarh not only to win the Bastar region, but will fight to win the entire state in 2018 elections. There are no differences within the party in the state. We will contest election with full strength," Punia told reporters in Raipur.

"Congress party feels victory is their right (in the state) and we will contest the polls in an united manner. If our party comes to power, liquor will be banned in Chhattisgarh," he added.

He also said that due to the pressure from the opposition, the state government was forced to give bonus to the farmers in the state. "Our party got the tribals their rights in MNREGA and education. Chhatissgarh is the most corrupt state in India and people mock it," he added.

On journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh's death, Punia said it was very unfortunate and a serious situation.

"Under the BJP government, no one has the freedom to write or speak anything. Four such incidents have come to fore in Chhattisgarh as well.

"Every time the names of the accused related to such incidents come out in open, they are found to have links with the BJP or the RSS," he added.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant interim protection from arrest to activist Madhu Kishwar, against whom a non-bailable warrant has been issued by a Srinagar court in a criminal defamation case.

Justice Vinod Goel questioned her for approaching the Delhi High Court when the Supreme Court had entertained her plea to participate in the court proceedings at Srinagar through video-conferencing from a Delhi court.

She submitted that an non-bailable warrant was issued against her despite the apex court's 24 July order permitting her to participate in the court proceedings in Srinagar through video conferencing in a defamation case filed by Kashmir-based journalist Syed Shujaat Bukhari.

The high court asked Kishwar's counsel as to what steps have been taken by them following the Supreme Court's 24 July order permitting her to participate in court proceedings at Srinagar through video-conferencing from a Delhi court.

"Why protection? What steps have you taken? You want to avoid the trial. No interim protection," the judge said, adding that she wanted to delay the trial and also avoid video conferencing.

"Have you filed an application before the Srinagar trial court. Give a copy of the Supreme Court order to the Srinagar trial court and, if you fail to get relief from there, move Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

"You go and make a representation to Jammu and Kashmir High Court and inform about the Supreme Court order. You want to avoid video conferencing," the court said.

Kishwar, in her plea, sought quashing of the NBW issued against her by the Srinagar trial court on 26 August in the defamation case and said if the NBW is not stayed, the apex court order will be defeated.

Advocate Ravi Sharma, appearing for Kishwar, submitted that considering the situation prevailing in Kashmir valley, the apex court had exempted Kishwar and her counsel from personally appearing before the Srinagar trial court and directed the trial court to conduct the proceedings through video conferencing.

He argued that the trial court issued NBW disregarding the apex court order and said if the court connects Kishwar through video conferencing, she was ready to appear before the Srinagar court any moment.

The counsel, who claimed they have placed a copy of apex court order before Srinagar court, said the trial court issued NBW for 16 September and Kishwar could be arrested, if not provided interim protection from arrest or the warrant is stayed.

Additional standing counsel of Delhi Police, Nandita Rao, opposed the plea saying the apex court has given liberty to the petitioner to organise video conferencing from Delhi court to Srinagar court and they should approach the registrar general and get it done.

"Through video conferencing, she can file an application for cancellation of NBW before the Srinagar court. Indirectly, they are seeking anticipatory bail from this court and stay on the matter. Even the Supreme Court had refused to transfer the case from Srinagar court. She can move Jammu and Kashmir High Court for any relief," the Delhi Police counsel argued and submitted a status report in the court.

The judge also questioned the activist for not impleading the complainant journalist as a party in this matter, saying he would be taken by a surprise if this court passes any order.

The court listed the matter for 13 October.

Kishwar, in her petition, claimed that on the basis of a "few tweets" posted by her on her Twitter handle regarding the state of the media in Kashmir, a complaint was filed by Syed Shujaat Bukhari, the editor-in-chief of a daily published from

Srinagar, alleging that these tweets were defamatory.

She had approached the apex court challenging the 24 May order of Jammu and Kashmir High Court dismissing her plea seeking transfer of the criminal defamation complaint against her from a court in Srinagar to Jammu.

The apex court had allowed her to participate in court proceedings at Srinagar through video-conferencing from a Delhi court.

It had said if video-conferencing facility was not available in the Srinagar district court where the matter is pending, then the proceedings may take place at any appropriate place or court as per direction of the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.

It, however, had clarified that it would be open to the trial court to make any appropriate modification in this arrangement to ensure that trial is not delayed and that "this order will be subject to the proceedings not being obstructed in any manner".

Kishwar had claimed that the apex court should consider the "continuing surcharged atmosphere in the Kashmir Valley, where even policemen are being lynched and security forces face murderous attacks every day".
New Delhi: At least 545 fresh dengue cases were reported over the last week in Delhi, taking the total number of people affected this season to 1730, according to a municipal report released on Monday.

The number of cases of dengue reported till 2 September was 1,185, thus a jump of 46 percent in a week.

The total number of cases of malaria and chikungunya recorded till 9 September stand at 611 and 432, respectively.

Of the 1730 cases of dengue, 829 affected people were residents of Delhi, while the rest were patients from other states. Of the 829 cases of Delhi residents, 125 were reported this month.

As many as 518 cases were recorded in August.

Vector-borne diseases are reported between mid-July and November-end. Cases of all the three vector-borne diseases were reported much earlier this time, which doctors had attributed to early arrival of the monsoon. Dengue and chikungunya are caused by aedes agypti mosquito, which breeds in clear water. Anopheles mosquito, which causes malaria, can breed in both fresh and muddy water.

According to the report, breeding of mosquitoes has been reported at 1,75,051 households in Delhi. All the three municipal corporations have stepped up awareness drives -- distributing pamphlets and plying vehicles with loudspeakers issuing dos and don'ts for prevention of the diseases.

The city government has banned over-the-counter sale of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and brufen as their use may "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. 17 deaths suspected to be due to malaria 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 have kept the death tally at zero.

In one of the worst outbreaks, a total of 12,221 chikungunya cases were reported in Delhi till 24 December, 2016, out of which 9,749 were confirmed.
The Karnataka BJP Yuva Morcha's secretary slapped a legal notice on noted historian Ramchandra Guha on Monday, days after the latter alleged the involvement of the Sangh Parivaar in journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder in an interview. The historian had reportedly said that Lankesh's killers came from the same Sangh who had killed Dabholkar and Pansare, a day after the scribe's murder.

K'taka BJP Yuva Morcha's Secy issues legal notice to historian Ramachandra Guha over his statement on #GauriLankesh murder, in an interview.  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

The legal notice says that Guha in an interview given "in the context of the unfortunate killing of Lankesh in Bengaluru on 5 September 2017" blamed the Sangh Parivar for her death. The notice has been issued by Haranahalli Law Partners on behalf of State BJP Yuva morcha Secretary Karunakar Khasale. Guha's comments were not immediately available.

According to the notice, Guha had said: "It is very likely that her murderers came from the same Sangh Parivar from which the murderers of (Narendra) Dabholkar, (Govind) Pansare and MM Kalburgi came."

Guha was quoted saying by The Indian Express: The climate of hate and intolerance that has been promoted by this current (BJP) government, aided by television channels and freelance goondas, is complicit in this murder. It is chilling. We are becoming mirror images of Bangladesh and Pakistan, where writers are killed for what they say. This is an attempt to silence all of us, all of those who believe in democracy and decency.

Lankesh, 55-year-old left-leaning journalist and a fierce critic of Hindutva politics, was shot dead on the doorstep of her house while she was returning from her office on 5 September. Since the senior scribe's death, speculations have been rife over the ruling party's involvement in the murder.

Guha, however, isn't the only one to have raised a finger at BJP, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had slammed Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for "trying to establish that Gauri Lankesh was a Naxalite supporter".

While criticising the Karnataka government, Prasad had said that the state should have protected Gauri because she worked to make Naxals surrender, thereby, incurring the wrath of their leaders.

"Indrajit Lankesh (Gauri's brother) is on record stating his sister was working actively to ensure Naxals surrendered... so was she doing it with consent and approval of the state government...and if so, why was she not provided adequate security?" Prasad had said at a press conference.

To this, Surjewala had said: "There is a conspiracy to suppress the voice of writers, journalists, and activists. By passing a condemnable and controversial remark of linking Lankesh with Naxalites, he (Ravi Shankar Prasad) has shamed the whole country."

Previously, BJP had lashed out at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on 8 September, in a strongly-worded attack on his comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Sangh Parivar in the wake of Lankesh's murder.

"Mala fide comments are being made on the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh," Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said at a press conference at BJP central office in New Delhi.

"Violence does not have any place in a democracy. We condemn the killing of Gauri Lankesh," he had said.

The Karnataka government has formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the coldblooded killing that has caused national outrage and protests.

With inputs from agencies
Bengaluru: The SIT probing the murder of Gauri Lankesh has been strengthened with 40 additional support staff as investigators continue to grope for clues, six days after the senior journalist was shot dead, sparking a national outrage.

The additional staff includes four inspectors and seven sub-inspectors, police sources said.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) BK Singh, comprises 21 officers.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru West) MN Anucheth said, "Additional staff has been provided to the SIT. At this juncture, we do not want to reveal their names and identity".

Police sources said the team was scrambling through the footage of CCTV installed by individuals in Rajarajeshwarinagar, where on the night of 5 September unknown assailants shot dead 55-year-old Lankesh at her home.

They said police have also taken the digital video recorders at the toll gates on five entry points to the city.

One of the aspects of the investigation was to check the involvement of sharp shooters from outside the city.

The killing of Lankesh, Left-leaning journalist-activist, has come in for widespread condemnation.

Meanwhile, at a press conference, former Naxalites Noor Sridhar alias Noor Zulfiqar and Sirimane Nagaraj ruled out the possibility of Naxalites' involvement in the killing of Lankesh.

"I can tell you certainty that Naxalites are not involved in the murder as has been reported in a section of the media. This is only an attention diversion technique," Sridhar said.

Investigators have said they were also probing the Naxal angle.

Media reports had raised the possibility of involvement of Left ultras.

Lankesh's brother Indrajeet had said that there was a threat to Lankesh from some Left extremists.

In the past, Lankesh had negotiated with the ultras in the forests of Karnataka and made nine of them surrender before the police so that they can join the mainstream of society.

Sridhar and Nagaraj were among those Naxalites who gave up the violent path at the insistence of Lankesh and began leading a normal life.
Gorakhpur : Former head of anaesthesia department at the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College Dr Satish on Monday surrendered in a local court in Gorakhpur, taking to five the number of those held in connection with the death of children in the hospital. "Dr Satish surrendered himself in the anti-corruption court this afternoon. We will seek his remand for interrogation," SSP, Gorakhpur, Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj said. "Apart from this, evidence gathering is going on," he told PTI.

Circle officer of Cantt police station Abhishek Singh said, "The court has sent Dr Satish to jail. Police have sought a remand of two days from the court for interrogating him."

A committee headed by Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Rajive Kumar probing the Gorakhpur hospital tragedy had earlier recommended initiating criminal action against the then principal of the BRD Medical College Dr Rajiv Mishra, HoD Anaesthesia Paediatric department Dr Satish, in-charge of 100-bed AES ward Dr Kafeel Khan and Pushpa Sales, the supplier of oxygen cylinders.

Before Satish's surrender, the police had arrested four of the nine people named in the FIR related to the death of over 30 children within 48 hours beginning August 10. Last week, the Uttar Pradesh police had nabbed Sudhir Pandey, a clerk of the BRD Medical College, in connection with the deaths.

Pandey was named in the FIR filed in the case and was arrested from near Khajanchi Chowk under Shahpur police station area here on a tip-off. The Uttar Pradesh police on September 2 arrested Dr Kafeel Khan who had been earlier removed from his post in the state-run hospital.

The Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh police had on 29 August arrested the former principal of BRD Medical College, Rajiv Mishra, and his wife, Purnima Shukla. Mishra was suspended as principal of the medical college on 12 August after the deaths were reported. He resigned thesame day taking moral responsibility.

There were allegations that the deaths occurred due to disruption in oxygen supply as the vendor had not been paid for several months.

While the Uttar Pradesh government vehemently denied that shortage of oxygen led to the deaths, a high-powered probe committee headed by the chief secretary indicted Mishra and others on charges of laxity among others. Mishra was accused of sitting over the issue of payments to the vendor supplying oxygen gas to the hospital. The medical college attracted global attention when more than 60 children, mostly infants, died at the hospital within a week last month. The issue also acquired a political colour with the opposition attacking the government over it.
On Friday and Saturday, October 13 and 14, Dark Sky New Mexico (DSNM) and The Albuquerque Astronomical Society (TAAS) will host a star party in southwestern New Mexico. The second Americas Darkest Sky Star Party will occur in Animas, New Mexico, a lovely area dominated by antique silver mining that now boasts one of the best skies in the world for stargazing.

Along with a clear dark sky, one of the highlights of any star party is the lectures that attendees hear. And this star party will feature four excellent ones.

Two sets of illustrated talks  with lunch and solar observing in between  will take place Saturday, October 14, in the Animas Community Center located at 21 Maverick Road. Two members of the TAAS will be among the presenters for this event along with Astronomys Editor, David Eicher, and Senior Editor, Michael Bakich.

Dale Murray, President of TAAS, will be the first speaker. His talk, Basic Telescope and Mount Designs, is a great introduction for observers who are looking to purchase a telescope.

Bakich will follow Murray. His topic is Star Death! It deals with the births and lives of objects like the Sun. But those are only part of the story. Because after they die, stars become some of the strangest objects in the universe.

After a break for lunch, attendees will do a bit of solar observing. Well look at the Sun through a Hydrogen-alpha telescope. Such an instrument allows only a particular wavelength (656.28 nanometers) of the Suns light through. But even though its a tiny percentage of our stars output, well see the Suns chromosphere and any prominences that are dancing at its edge.

TAAS member Dee Friesan will begin the afternoon session. His talk is called the Fabulous 50, Fall Version. It is one of four that he presents  one for each season  and it is intended to orient the attendees to the current constellations and to allow them to find objects in and around those constellations. In it, he also shows how to use a star chart.

Finally, David Eicher will present, The Science of Galaxies. This fascinating look at the universes star cities will address the history of these objects, our current state of knowledge of them, and their evolution as the universe ages.

All speakers will allow time for questions after their talks.

Sound good? Then join us. To register for The Darkest Sky Star Party, click here.
With questions being raised over the security lapses that led to the killing of a 7-year-old boy in Gurugram's Ryan International School on Friday, Haryana Police is sending a team to question the CEO of Ryan International Group Ryan Pinto in Mumbai, TV reports said.

CNN-News18 quoted Gurugram Police commissioner and reported that a total of 14 teams have been put together to crack this case and the teams will head to Mumbai to quiz the top brass of the organisation.

Owners of Ryan International School in Gurugram have moved the Bombay High Court for anticipatory bail ahead of Pintos questioning, News18 reported.

"The school's founding chairman and managing director, Augustine Pinto, and his wife Grace Pinto, who is the chairperson of the school, have along with their son Ryan Pinto sought anticipatory bail in the Bombay High Court," their counsel Niteen Pradhan told PTI.

Pradhan mentioned the applications on Monday morning before Justice Ajey Gadkari, who posted them for hearing on Tuesday.

Gurugram Commissioner and DCP have visited Ryan International School. Meanwhile, Bihar chief minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar talked to the victim's family over the phone and called Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who assured his Bihar counterpart that an impartial and fast probe was being conducted.

We had been interrogating Acting Principal since day before yesterday & she is in hospital now. Investigation underway: DCP South #Gurugram pic.twitter.com/1UJ10Kmvkz  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

On Sunday, Pinto said the school should not be held "culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances." Insisting that the well being and safety of students is the school's priority, Pinto had said, "We will not succumb to all the false allegations being made, nor will we fuel the various controversies being spread. We should not unjustly be blamed or branded as the perpetrators." The Supreme Court has decided to hear a public interest litigation in this matter at 12.45 pm on Monday, CNN-News 18 reported. "They forced me to admit that the knife was part of the bus tool kit" This comes right after the arrest of a bus conductor has come under scrutiny after another staffer alleged that the accused and he were being forced to confess to a narrative. A bus driver who worked with the accused claimed that he was being forced by the police and school officials to admit that the knife used in the crime was part of the bus tool kit, India Today reported. "Since I am the driver of the bus in which Ashok Kumar (the main accused) was a conductor, I was interrogated by police officers and top officials of the school. They forced me to admit that the weapon of crime (knife) was part of the bus tool kit. They detained me till 1.30 am on Saturday and tried every possible way to terrorise me. Since the knife was not part of the toolkit, I categorically denied it," the report quoted the driver as saying.

The driver also said, "There was the principal, three teachers and some top school officials present along with the police officers on the campus. Officers in civil dress threatened to apply third degree on me if I did not admit that the knife was a part of the toolkit. I inspected the toolkit just a day earlier and I am 100 percent sure that the knife was not part of the toolkit." ANI reported on Monday that Ryan International Group's northern zone head Francis Thomas and the Bhondsi branch's coordinator were arrested by Gurugram Police on Sunday evening. CBI probe This development comes amid protests staged by hundreds of angry parents on Sunday who demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter, a demand echoed by former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The protests eventually turned violent, after which the police detained several parents. "The Gurugram Police had to use mild lathicharge to disperse the agitators. The police detained over 20 protesters found agitating outside the school," police said. Reacting to the events, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar termed the baton charging in which some media persons covering the protest were also injured as "unfortunate", and ordered action against the erring policemen. Khattar also said that if the victim's parents insist on a probe by the CBI, the government is not averse to recommending the probe by premier investigating agency.

Police deployment at Gurugram's #RyanInternationalSchool amid raging protests, all campuses of the school in the city closed till tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/mTwAjSdymu  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

Reiterating that swift justice will be provided in the case, Haryana education minister Ram Bilas Sharma blamed the Ryan International School management and said that the state government will show no leniency to those behind the murder. Sharma added that the management and owner of the Ryan International School have already been booked under Section 75 of the Juvenile Act.

Major security lapses

Sharma also said a three-member fact-finding committee has found major security lapses on part of its management. He said that the committee has found that there were no separate toilets and washrooms for the 40 bus drivers and conductors of the school. "They had to use the students' toilets. No frisking of bus drivers and conductors were done. No security checking system was found in the school. No CCTV cameras were installed covering each and every corner inside school," the minister said.

Earlier, the Gurugram district administration on Saturday announced a committee to find out whether there were any errors in the investigation and promised to conclude the probe and filing of a chargesheet within seven days.

Meanwhile, CNN-News18 reported that the school will remain shut for two days as parents refused to send their kids to the institution on Monday.

With inputs from agencies
Chandigarh: Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has termed as "unfortunate" the baton charging on Sunday outside the Ryan International School in Gurugram in which some mediapersons covering the protest were also injured and ordered action against the erring policemen.

Hundreds of angry parents staged a protest outside the school for a CBI probe into the murder of a seven-year-old school boy.

Over 50 protestors and nine journalists from regional as well as national media were injured as the Gurgaon Police launched baton charges to quell the protest. The act also resulted in damage to equipment of some mediapersons.

The chief minister condemned the incident and described it as unfortunate.

"I have always supported the freedom of speech of the media and the press. It (the baton charging) is unfortunate and it shouldn't have happened. I am ordering action against policemen responsible for it and they will be punished," he said here.

Khattar said the government will bear the medical treatment expenses of the journalists who were injured in the police action. He also assured best medical treatment to them. "Medical treatment will be given to the injured journalists and all the losses will be compensated," he said.

On the demand for a CBI probe into the murder of Class II boy Praduman Thakur, who was found with his throat slit in a school washroom on Friday, Khattar said the accused has been arrested and police were speedily conducting the probe.

He said a deadline of a week has been set during which police will complete all other formalities to fast track the probe.

He, however, added that if the parents of the child still insist on a probe by the CBI or any other agency, the government is not averse to recommending the probe by premier investigating agency.

Earlier in Gurgaon on Sunday, Opposition leader and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda condemned the state government's "use of force" during the protest.

"Attack on media is condemnable. In a democracy, the government's doesn't work with batons and bullets. Media is the fourth pillar of democracy and raises concerns of the people, it should not be suppressed like that...," he said, while the injured journalists in the Gurgaon Civil Hospital.

During his meeting the Praduman's parents, Hooda backed their demand for a CBI probe into the gruesome killing.

"The Khattar government is inexperienced to rule the state. He has failed to handle the situation. His inexperience came to the fore when police baton charged innocent protestors and journalists performing their duty on ground," he said.

Hooda alleged that state government wants to "display power and might" to prove its point. "Assaulting journalists cannot be acceptable. It is highly condemnable in a democracy," he added.
Gurugram: Ryan International School, where a 7-year-old boy was found murdered three days ago, said on Sunday that its management is "cooperating to our fullest" with the police investigations, and hoped that the guilty would be given the severest punishment as per law.

In a statement, Ryan Pinto, CEO of Ryan International Schools Group, said the school should not be held "culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances."

Insisting that well being and safety of students is the school's priority, Pinto said, "We will not succumb to all the various false allegations being made nor will we fuel the various controversies being spread. we should not unjustly be blamed or branded as the perpetrators."

He said the Ryan International Group of schools was facing "one of its saddest periods" since its inception due to the loss of life of one of its innocent students, as a result of a reprehensible crime.

"We are all in shock by the horror of this crime that occurred despite various security protocols," he said.

"We share the deep pain and grief of the bereaved parents and family in this darkest hour. On behalf of the entire school staff, students and management we want to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family," the statement said.

"It is understandable that everyone is seeking answers. So are we, and we are cooperating to our fullest with the police investigations," said Pinto.

He said the Ryan group has a four-decade-long reputation "as a credible educational institution educating lakhs of students across the nation. We would like to emphasise that Ryan School takes all efforts to ensure the security of its students."

The CEO said the school is giving complete cooperation to the investigating authorities and "we have total faith in the law. We hope that the investigations will be concluded soon, and the guilty get the severest punishment as per the due process of law."

He went on to add, "As the investigations are ongoing, we request all parties concerned to refrain from holding Ryan School culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances.

"The investigation report should be out soon and all parties concerned need to wait until then. We request the public to refrain from turning violent and to let the police do their work."

While expressing confidence that "the truth will ultimately prevail", he said, "Once again, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Praduman's parents and we pray that God almighty would bestow His everlasting peace on the departed soul."
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre, CBI and Haryana government on a plea by the father of a seven-year old student of Ryan International School in Gurugram who was found murdered in the washroom last week.

Slain Pradhyuman's father Varun Chandra Thakur had moved the apex court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death of his son on 8 September.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud also issued notice to the Union human resource development ministry and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thakur's plea seeking framing of guidelines for the safety of the students in the schools.

Thakur also sought the setting up of a committee to inquire into the lapse leading to the death of the child. He wanted to ensure that schools were made accountable in cases related to safety of children.

A bus conductor has been arrested and has confessed to the crime, police said. The school's principal has been suspended while two other staffers have been arrested for negligence leading to the crime, police said.

The school is located in Bhondsi on Sohna Road, Gurugram.

Click here to follow LIVE updates
Washington: Indian-Americans in Atlanta and neighbouring areas opened up their homes for friends, families and community members from Florida on Sunday, as catastrophic Hurricane Irma made landfall on the state's southern islands.

Sewa International, one of the Indian-American organisations carrying out relief and rescue work, provided shelter to more than 300 families in the homes of its volunteers and members in and around Atlanta.

With other Indian-American community organisations and religious groups, a collective count took the figure to a minimum of 2,000 families.

At least four temples in Atlanta region have opened up their doors for people fleeing from Florida, residents of a large parts of which have been asked by the State government to evacuate.

While the Indian Consulate in Atlanta was coordinating with various community groups and was in constant touch with community leaders and Indian passport holders, the Indian American community organisations in Atlanta launched an unprecedented relief effort for those in distress due to Hurricane Irma.

The hurricane made a landfall in lower Florida Keys just before 9 am (local time) with wind gusting 130 miles per hour.

Several of the community organisations from Florida have moved their bases to Atlanta as a precautionary measure.

Popular Amma Kitchen announced they will serve free food to those coming from Florida like several other Hindu temples.

Most of the Indian-Americans are being accommodated in individual homes. Indian-Americans who own hotels have opened up their unreserved rooms and in many cases their banquet halls have been converted into makeshift dormitories for those who left their homes in Florida to escape from the wrath of the hurricane.

As per 2010 census, Florida has an Indian-American population of 1,20,000. The number is now believed to have increased to 160,000 with the largest of their concentration in Miami-Fort Laura Deale area followed by Tampa and Orlando area.

Tampa is another major city that comes in the path way of Irma.

"This is going to impact our whole state. You know, you're going to get the wind and the rain on the east coast, but right now, it's impacting the Keys. It's going to impact my home town of Naples, Florida, all of the west coast," Florida governor Rick Scott told Fox News.

"What's scary is the unbelievable storm surge potentially in my own town, 15 feet of storm surge above ground level. And we are talking about that and something with the Keys. People have asked what can we do, the first thing I tell them is pray, pray for everybody in Florida. They can donate to disaster, text disaster at 2022," Scott said.

President Donald Trump, who is personally reviewing the preparations and rescue and relief operations, spoke on Sunday morning.

"My concern right now is people  hopefully everyone has evacuated. I looked at our traffic cameras around the state this morning. People are off the roads. I just hope everybody has evacuated and gotten to safety. So, I hope everybody will pray for us," he said.

Local news reports said at least one crane collapsed in Miami, as a result of the high wind speed of Irma, which was estimated to be at least 100 miles per hour.

It's a worst-case scenario for Florida on the west coast," said FEMA Administrator Brock Long.

Thousands of homes in Florida were reported to have power outage.
New Delhi: India on Monday agreed to extend further assistance to bolster the armed forces of Afghanistan as the two strategic partners decided to deepen security ties and work closely to combat the challenge of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan

counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani, co-chairing the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council, deliberated extensively on security related challenges, noting that terrorism was the greatest threat to peace and stability in the region and beyond.

"We remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries," Swaraj said at a joint media briefing with Rabbani. A joint statement said both sides called for an end to all forms of support, state sponsorship, safe havens and sanctuaries to terrorists against Afghanistan, adding it was agreed to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.

"India agreed to extend further assistance for the Afghan national defence and security forces in fighting the scourge of terrorism, organised crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering," the statement said. Afghanistan has faced a wave of terror attacks in the last few months and the proposed reconciliation and peace process is yet to make any progress. Talking about India's development assistance to the war-ravaged country, Swaraj said 116 new "high impact" development projects would be implemented jointly in 31 provinces of Afghanistan. The projects will be part of a next generation 'New Development Partnership'.

Rabbani also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister emphasised that the two nations enjoyed a time-tested and friendly relationship and reiterated India's abiding support for a united, sovereign, democratic, peaceful, stable, prosperous and pluralistic Afghanistan," said the statement.

In the talks, the Indian side reiterated its support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.

"We support national peace and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from violence and within the framework of Afghanistan's Constitution," Swaraj said, reiterating that India would continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in realising their dreams. Both Swaraj and Rabbani were clear in their references about terrorism emanating from Pakistan though they did not name the country.

Rabbani thanked India for its unflinching support for peace and stability in Afghan .

India has already invested over $2 billion in the reconstruction of Afghanistan in the last 15 years but has been adopting a cautious approach in supplying military hardware.

India has given four military helicopters to Afghanistan and imparted training to hundreds of Afghan security personnel. Rabbani said the current regional situation brings Afghanistan and India closer to achieve their socio-economic goal and protect citizens.

"The enabling environment for terrorism is directly linked to continued support they receive from outside of Afghanistan," he said. He referred to "terrorists groups like LeT and JeM which have been launching attacks against India and indiscriminately killing civilians in this country and engaging in similar terrorist activities along with Taliban Al-Qaeda and Daesh in Afghanistan".

He said Afghanistan's friendship with India or any other country does not mean hostility with others in the neighbourhood. "Unlike others, Afghanistan has hardly sought security in the insecurity of others," he said.

Afghanistan, Rabbani added, is a landlocked country and its peace and prosperity are dependent on "those of our neighbours near and extended". "That is why we reject zero sum approaches that undermine our collective security today and the years to come."

Both sides agreed to work towards the expeditious operationalisation of the Chahbahar Port in cooperation with Iran. The Afghan side welcomed the imminent commencement of wheat shipments of 170,000 metric tonnes from India to Afghanistan via the Chahbahar Port. The joint statement said liberalisation of visa measures by India for Afghan nationals, including the decision to grant up to five-year multiple entry business visas, was welcomed as a measure that would promote bilateral trade and commerce.
New Delhi: Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, on Monday dared the government and the CBI to provide a list of his undisclosed assets, as alleged by the agency in the Supreme Court, terming the charges as "wild and reckless".

Karti's challenge came after the CBI told the apex court that it has furnished details about his "possible transactions" in foreign countries and 25 alleged offshore properties in a sealed cover.

The affidavit filed by Karti before a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud said if he was found guilty of possessing undisclosed assets, then he would give them to the government.

Maintaining that "the wild and reckless" allegations were being made against him, he said "my father, my mother, my wife and I are income tax assessees for many years. All our assets and liabilities are fully disclosed."

"If the government or any of its agencies is of the view that any one of us has undisclosed assets anywhere in the world, I would like to ask the government to make a list of those alleged undisclosed assets and we will execute any document necessary to transfer those assets (allegedly undisclosed) in favour of the government so that the government will become the owner of those alleged undisclosed assets," he said in the affidavit.

"This should put and end to the wild and reckless allegation that I own undisclosed assets," Karti said.

The CBI's FIR, lodged on 15 May, had alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Union finance minister.
On Friday, one person was killed in Jaipur's Ramganj area when police opened fire on a mob after it went on a rampage, setting ablaze a power house and several vehicles, following an alleged assault of a couple by a constable, the police said.

As the district administration on Sunday lifted the ban on mobile internet services from 50 out of 64 police stations in Jaipur, Muslim organisations are all set to stage a dharna in Rajasthan's capital to demand justice for the civilian killed in Friday's police firing. In a bid to maintain the law and order situation in the city, internet services remained suspended in 14 police stations till Monday. There was no relaxation in curfew in Ramganj and its adjoining areas.

A 24-year-old man, Raees, died while six policemen were injured after violence erupted on Friday night as protesters gathered at Ramganj police station.

Following an inconclusive meeting with the authorities on the incident, Muslim organisations decided to hold a dharna on Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg on Monday, reported The Indian Express. A delegation of community leaders, led by former state minister Duru Miyan, had met the commissioner and the district collector on Sunday to place their demands on behalf of Raees' family, but were dissatisfied with the response.

Family members of Raees have refused to allow an postmortem of the body. Demanding a compensation of Rs 1 crore, government job, reported Hindustan Times, the family has also asked for suspension of the staff stationed at the Ramganj police station.

Neither Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, nor state home minister Gulab Chand Kataria have given any statement addressing the issue.

Since Friday, normal life has been affected in many areas of the city. Amid the demand for justice for Raees, the policemen on Sunday distributed milk and bread with the help of NGOs in some curfew-hit areas, The Times of India reported. The locals, however, had mixed reactions to the gesture since the police were also on the receiving end of flak.

The incident occurred on Friday when a policeman had tried to stop a motorcycle in the Ramganj area when the rider tried to escape but the policeman managed to hit the pillion rider, who was taken to a police station. Hundreds of people gathered at the police station after the incident. The police tried to pacify them but failed.

A mob damaged two dozen vehicles and torched four others, including an ambulance and police bus, besides setting ablaze a power sub-station.

There were also reports of stone pelting in some areas of the city and the police, as a preventive measure, had fired in the air to control the violent mob.

#LatestVisuals from Jaipur after violent clash between locals and police yesterday, curfew has been imposed pic.twitter.com/tC7p0g4373  ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2017

Ramganj has a prominent Muslim population. While several residents raised concerns about the insensitivity of the locality's police officials, commissioner of police Sanjay Agarwal, speaking to The Wire, said that there was nothing wrong with what the police had done. "It was an unfortunate incident but the situation is under control. We have full proof that the police behaved properly that day, he said.

Following the incident, curfew was imposed in four police station areas of the city  Manak Chowk, Subhas Chowk, Galta Gate and Ramganj police station area till Saturday.

With inputs from agencies
Srinagar: Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asked security forces in Jammu and Kashmir to treat youngsters, who might have committed some mistakes, under the Juvenile law and not like criminals.

Security forces have also been asked to avoid use of excessive force while dealing with law and order situation, he said.

"I appeal to the youth not to be swayed by the attempts of some people and stay away from stone-pelting. We all including the Prime Minister are concerned about the future of the youth," he told reporters in Srinagar.

The Home minister said the people of Jammu and Kashmir want to shape their destiny and future by their hard work. "Terrorists have destroyed many generations and we will not allow them to destroy one more generation. I have told the security forces to treat youngsters, who might have committed some mistakes, under the Juvenile act. They should not be treated as criminals," he said.

"However, we will be firm in our response to terrorists and their activities." Singh said
Srinagar: Two Hizbul militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, media reports said on Tuesday.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khudwani area of Kulgam district on Sunday following specific information about the presence of some militants, a police official told PTI.

During searches, the militants opened fire at the security forces who retaliated, leading to a gunfight.

J&K: Two Hizbul terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam, one OGW apprehended. AK 47 rifle & Insas rifle recovered pic.twitter.com/ioHOD6LMMk  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

Confirming the killing, Armys northern command in Udhampur told Hindustan Times that the two militants were killed in an encounter with police army and CRPF in Khudwani, Kulgam. He also added that the forces had arrested one and recovered weapons from them.

With inputs from PTI
For many of the participants in Sundays Out of the Darkness Walk, the death of a loved one by their own hand marked not the end, but the beginning.

Roughly 200 area residents attended the walk at the Carlisle Fairgrounds to help raise money for suicide prevention efforts. In several cases, this was not their first event, but part of an ongoing effort that began with the death of a friend or family member.

The worst tragedy of my life turned into meeting some of the best people of my life, said Deb Rose of Shermans Dale, who lost her daughter to suicide in 2009.

Sunday was Roses eighth local walk. She has also completed 10 national-level overnight walks, organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which take place in major cities across the United States.

This year was Carlisles third local event to raise money for the the foundation, said event chair Tricia Carbaugh.

My family and I decided we had to make appositive out of a negative, and this is what we found, said Carbaugh, whose nephew took his own life in 2014. The following year, Carbaugh and her family formed the core of what would become the local walk organization for the foundation.

The idea of local walks is for advocates to seek per-mile donation pledges from their friends, neighbors and co-workers. Carbaugh also seeks lump-sum contributions from local businesses, as well as material support  Giant Food Stores, for instance, provided walkers water and snacks.

Carbaugh estimated roughly $15,000 would be raised on Sunday, with the majority going toward the foundations counseling and support efforts in Central Pennsylvania.

The thing I like is that they have a very high rating as a charity, Carbaugh said of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Their overhead costs are very low, and the majority of the money stays local.

Many walkers were in groups dedicated to a specific person who had died. Judy Runyan of Harrisburg was one of roughly 20 people with Team Jeron T-shirts, in remembrance of a recently deceased loved one.

In order to come out of the darkness, you need help, Runyan said. Getting support now is different than getting it before. Maybe he didnt know how to ask for help. We dont know.

Most national estimates point to a significant increase in the suicide rate across the United States, and especially in rural areas. A Centers for Disease Control report earlier this year indicates a 40 percent rise in the rate of suicide in rural counties from 1999 to 2015, with a current rate of 22 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 12 per 100,000 in urban statistical areas.

The problem is often blamed on lack of easily-accessible mental health care in more rural parts of the nation. Without the availability of professional help, rural Americans can become increasingly distressed with few outward signs or symptoms.

It crosses all the usual boundaries  white, black, rich, poor. People may not seem depressed, and then theyre gone, Rose said.

Everybody knows somebody whos been impacted, but few people still want to talk about it, said Roses friend, Annie Strite.

During an invocation before the walk began, Pastor Ivy Berry described the movement as more than just an event for us to walk in the sun.

We have an obligation as children of God ... to take care of our brothers and sisters, Berry said. When one person hurts, we all hurt.
The United Left Alliance may have swept the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) polls, but the high number of votes polled in favour of NOTA (none of the above) option could well be an indicator of the increasing dissatisfaction with the Left-wing politics.

On all posts, other than the post of president, the percentage of people choosing NOTA rose significantly from previous years. In the central panel, a total of 1,512 NOTA votes were polled for all the four posts. In the vice-president and joint secretary post, the number of NOTA votes were 495 and 501 respectively. A total of 4,620 valid votes were polled in these elections.

An absolute comparison of the number of NOTA votes from the year before, however, could not be made due to the seat cuts across academic programmes. The JNU administration had cut nearly a 1,000 seats. Research courses in the humanities stream bore the maximum brunt of the trimming in strength.

Rise in NOTA 'good news' for ABVP?

The huge number of people opting for NOTA is largely perceived to be an indicator of the rising anti-incumbency with the Left-wing politics. In the highly opinionated high pitch polls, traditionally, the right-wing votes are never transferred to NOTA.

The option is reflective of the mood of students disenchanted with the incumbent student union's functioning yet too Left-leaning to go out and choose the right-wing ABVP.

However, statistically, the biggest loser in the rise of NOTA was Congress-backed National Students Union of India. Although it was never a game-changer in the Left bastion, this year, NSUI did not even manage as many votes as NOTA.

Compared to 728 votes, that the four candidates of NSUI bagged, NOTA was chosen by 1,512  more than double the number of students.

"Candidate-wise, NSUI's presidential candidate got 82 while there were 127 NOTA. For the post of vice-president, Francis Lalremsiama got 201 compared to 495 NOTA. For general secretary, Preeti Dhruve got 223 votes while 389 students opted for NOTA and joint secretary aspirant Alimuddin got just 222 votes against NOTA tally of 501," Hindustan Times reported.

Simply put, more people would not make a choice in the elections than see a NSUI candidate take their vote.

The BJP-backed ABVP, however, emerged as the single largest party on campus, garnering 950-odd votes on average for every central post, and over 10 councillor posts at the school-level, primarily from science.

It managed to come second in all four central panel posts  president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary  building on last year's two runner-up positions. Birsa Phule Ambedkar Students' Association's (BAPSA) vote share was the casualty as the Ambedkarite party was pushed down to the third position.

ABVP also consolidated its stronghold of the School of Sciences, from where its presidential candidate Nidhi Tripathi secured more votes than any other candidate.

However, as compared to 1,200 total last year, ABVP's votes went down but again, due to the seat cuts, an absolute percentage-wise comparison of dip or rise in vote share was not possible.

ABVP office bearers, however, remain buoyant in defeat and say they have made inroads into ULA's vote share.

This comes in the backdrop of raging student issues like Najeeb Ahmed's disappearance, infrastructural issues, demand for increased gender equality, seat cuts in research courses. Perhaps, amid the raging Red vs Saffron debate and hegemony of party politics, student issues have a taken a back seat.
With less than three weeks left for the southwest monsoon season to end, agriculturally-important states like Maharashtra are seemingly coming closer to a drought-like situation.

According to Hindustan Times, the governments drought warning system predicts there could be a drought in 225 districts across 17 states of India, putting further strain on an already distressed agriculture sector. Drought conditions also loom over the chronically distress-prone areas of Vidarbha, Marathwada, Bundelkhand and Telangana.

Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab which recently announced farm loan waivers will find have to cope with more distress as the prospect of another miserable year looms over farmers in these regions.

According to SkyMet Weather, monsoon rains are likely to reduce over most of Maharashtra in the coming days. So far, Maharashtra is rain deficient by six percent.

While sub-division wise, Vidarbha is deficient by 28 percent and Marathwada by seven percent, Konkan region has witnessed normal rains and Central Maharashtra is rain surplus by 12 percent.

In 2016, the Maharashtra government had declared drought in over 29,000 villages as the state was facing it for the second year. Maharashtra had 78 percent drought-affected districts in 2015-16 and had been allotted the largest sum of relief funds  amounting to Rs 3,049 crore.

This year, even as monsoons came late by more than a week to drought-hit areas of Maharashtra, its arrival had soon covered 90 percent of the vulnerable areas, reported The Indian Express. The onset of southwest monsoon took place from the eastern parts of Vidarbha, unlike the usual arrival from the west.

According to The Times of India, entire Vidarbha and parts of Marathwada region were facing acute shortage of water owing to a poor monsoon in August. Some dams in Vidarbha also reported zero stock. On 14 August, dams across Maharashtra had 52.1 percent water.

Citing data obtained from the Agriculture Department, The New Indian Express reported that almost half of the revenue circles in Maharashtra received below 75 percent of the average rainfall by mid-August.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh has received 24.7 percent below-normal rainfall, with 31 out of 51 districts recording deficient rainfall while being 10-20 percent below-normal in 11 others, reported The Indian Express. The rainfall deficiency has been less in the Neemuch-Mandsaur-Ratlam belt that bore the farmers agitation in June.

About four million hectares of agricultural land has been affected by the sharp imbalance this monsoon, resulting in a drop in area under cultivation for crops such as rice, pulses, oilseeds and coarse cereals, reported Hindustan Times.

This monsoon, floods hit Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, while five states witnessed heavy rainfall Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Mizoram. The southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telangana, on the other hand, witnessed drought conditions or dry spells.

However, in July, the country as a whole had seen only a one percent deficit so far, with north west experiencing a 31 percent surplus, and the eastern states being affected by flooding, reported The Hindu Business Line.

While kharif sowing has taken a hit in the South, standing crops such as moong, maize and other pulses were facing water stress in Southern Karnataka.
New Delhi: Days after the murder of a seven-year-old boy in Ryan International School in Gurugram, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Monday said that political support to the big private schools helped them in evading CBI probe in such cases.

Recalling the death of six-year-old Devansh Kacrora at Delhi's Ryan International School on 30 January, 2016, he said that he had then asked for a CBI probe in the case but to no avail.

"I had then asked for a CBI probe in the matter but I do not know why it was not conducted," said Sisodia, who holds charge of education, adding that may be it was because of "political support" to the school.

"Had the CBI probe in the matter been launched 1.5 years back, we would have probably stopped the recent death in Gurugram school," he claimed.

Sisodia added that because of political support, big private schools were able to hide many such incidents which occurred in their premises.

"Until big private schools are freed of the political patronage, they will continue to act according to their whims and fancies"" the Aam Aadmi Party leader told reporters.

A seven-year-old boy was found murdered on 8 September at Ryan International School in Bhondsi area on the Sohna Road in Haryana's Gurugram district.

On the same day police have arrested Ashok Kumar, a conductor of a school bus, for the murder.

Two senior officials of the Ryan International School here have also been arrested in connection with the murder of the Class 2 student in the school premises last week that sparked massive public outrage.
Mumbai: A baby boy born to a 13-year-old rape survivor died barely 48 hours after his birth at a government hospital in Mumbai, doctors said.

The girl, who was allowed by the Supreme Court to terminate her 32-week-old pregnancy on medical grounds, had on Friday delivered the baby after a caesarean section operation at the hospital, a doctor had earlier said.

The baby, who weighed 1.8 kilograms, died on Sunday at around 10.30am.

The premature infant was kept in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the JJ Hospital as most of his organs were underdeveloped, hospital sources said. His condition turned critical and doctors removed him from an oxygen machine and put him on a ventilator, they said.

A medical officer said the hospital could not comment on the cause of the death as the postmortem report was yet to be finalised.

The teenager, who is still in the hospital, is being treated by gynaecologist Ashok Anand. "We will discharge her from the hospital after her recovery," Dr Anand said.

In its ruling on 6 September, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had directed that the medical procedure be conducted on the girl at the earliest, preferably on 8 September, after it took note of the report of the Supreme Court-appointed medical board comprising doctors of the JJ Hospital.

The victim, a Mumbai resident and a Class 7 student, had to knock the doors of the apex court as the law prohibits the abortion of a foetus after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The bench also took note of the risk factors and asked the hospital to admit the girl a day before the abortion.

Section 3(2)(b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act prohibits the abortion of a foetus after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The doctors at the JJ Hospital said the girl's family members, who initially wanted the girl's pregnancy to be terminated, later changed their mind and were thinking of keeping the baby.

The girl was allegedly raped by her father's associate. In August, the family discovered that she was pregnant.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will look at ways to enhance "multifaceted" relations between the two countries and carry forward their special strategic and global partnership when they meet for the annual summit on Wednesday.

Abe begins his two-day visit on Wednesday during which he and Modi will hold the 12th India-Japan annual summit in Gujarat capital Gandhinagar.

The summit takes place amid rising tension in the Far East after North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb, launched a ballistic missile over Japan, and the growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.

This will be the fourth annual summit between Modi and Abe.

The two leaders have met 10 times in the last three years, with the last being on the sidelines of the G20 Summit at Hamburg in July. Prime Minister Modi had visited Japan in November last year.

"The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their special strategic and global partnership and will set its future direction," MEA said in a statement.

During his visit, Abe will attend the ground breaking ceremony of the Mumbai-Ahemdabad high-speed railway, a flagship programme of the India-Japan collaboration, marking the commencement of the project, also known as bullet train project.

Through a video link, the two prime ministers will attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the 'High-Speed Railway Training Institute' being set up in Vadodara.

Apart from attending a business plenary, the two leaders will also take a tour of Dandi Kutir in Gandhinagar, which is India's largest museum showcasing the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

India-Japan ties are on an upswing in a range of areas, including defence and security.

At their annual defence dialogue last week, the two countries had resolved to collaborate closely in defence production, including on dual use technology.

When asked about the talks between the two sides on defence, including the sale of amphibious aircraft ShinMaywa US-2 to India, Pranay Verma, joint secretary (East Asia), did not go into details, but noted that defence cooperation remains an area of priority between New Delhi and Tokyo.

Verma was responding to media queries at a briefing on Abe's visit.

Replying to a question on whether work on any project had commenced after the Indo-Japan civil nuclear cooperation deal came into force in July this year, Verma said, It is for the two sides to start discussions to look at how to take this forward in a manner that contributes to India's civil nuclear programme.

The nuclear pact, signed in November 2016, is expected to help foreign players build atomic power reactors in India with equipment from Japan.

Responding to a question on Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, Verma said, talks were going on and India was looking at collaboration with Japan in third countries. "This (the talks) is acquiring gradual maturity."

The initiative is not only being discussed between India and Japan, but also with third countries, Verma added.

Launched in May this year, the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) is an economic cooperation agreement between the governments of India and Japan.

Verma said development in North East India is an area where the two nations have agreed to cooperate.

"Discussions are clearly to begin in depth....what kind of projects and what sectors...it will be in consulation with the stakeholders, with the concerned departments of government of India as well as the northeastern states. That is still a work in progress," he said.
Even as West Bengal refused to telecast his speech in the state's universities viewing it as a 'saffronisation' attempt, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday made a strong pitch for Clean India mission, and said that it was the sanitation workers than deserved to say Vande Mantaram.

"Before 2001, the world didn't know the significance of 9/11. It wasn't the world's fault; it was our fault, that we had forgotten it," Modi said. He was talking about Swami Vivekandanda, whose lecture in Chicago completed 125 years on Monday.

Lauding the intellectual leader's spirit of never bowing down to pressure, the prime minister said, "By saying 'brothers and sisters of America' in his address, Vivekananda introduced India to the world."

Modi was addressing a student leaders' convention on the theme of 'Young lndia, New India - A Resurgent Nation: from Sankalp to Sidhhi' in New Delhi on the occasion of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary celebration and 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's address at the Chicago World Parliament of Religions.

Modi urged the youth to follow Vivekananda, a strong believer in jan seva prabhu seva (public service is equal to serving god). "In my country, I want to ask the youth, do we respect women? Do we see them with respect? The ones who do, I would appreciate them hundred times. But those who don't see human inside a woman, they don't deserve to clap on Vivekananda's 'brothers and sisters of America'," he said.

He added, "Both Rabindranath Tagore and Vivekandanda were Bengal's children. On my international visits, I feel proud to say Tagore wrote national anthems for Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. Do we take pride in this?"

Pointing out that there were 800 million Indians who were younger than 30 years of age, Modi mentioned that Vivekananda was about that age during his Chicago speech. "About 120 years ago, this man gave birth to Ram Krishna Mission. Baat chhoti hoti hai magar akalmand ko ishara kafi hota hai (The issue is small but a hint is enough for the wise). The way mission was born, there is no dilusion or diversion. How strong would the foundation be, clear the vision and action plan would be, that even after 120 years, the mission is going on the same way," he said.

"When it was Vivekananda's 9/11 speech's centenary, I was there in Chicago. Has anybody thought in this world that a lecture would have anniversary? They were just a few moments but are still alive today and have the ability to stay alive for long, " he said.

Modi also urged Indians to play an active role in Swachh Bharat mission. "Do we deserve to say Vande Mataram? I know I will offend many people, but think 50 times whether we deserve to say it. Do we eat paan and spit on our mother land, and then say Vande Mataram? If there is anybody who deserves to say it with pride, it is the one who cleans; those are India's true children. And that's why we should think that whether we clean or not, we don't have the right to litter."

The prime minister mentioned how water bodies like ganga continued to get polluted because of mutual ignorance. "Ganga might wash your impurities, but are we stopped from polluting its water? We think we are healthy because of good hospitals, good doctors, but that's is not the case. We are healthy because of a sanitation worker," he said.

"I remember saying once pehle shauchayala phir devalaya (first toilet, then temple), and receiving flak for it. But today, I know there are women who won't marry into homes without toilet," he added.

He urged the citizens to change their mindset when it came to India. "If we go to a clean place, we feel that it's not like India. How often does that happen to us?" he said.

Pitching for a youth-driven India, Modi said, "There is no life without creativity. The human beneath us to always stay inspired. But he should do things in the benefits of the nation," he added.

#WATCH: Do we have the right to chant 'Vande Mataram' if we litter our country? asks Prime Minister Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/dydAlxwPuU  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

University Grants Commission (UGC) had asked all the vice chancellors of universities and heads of higher educational institutions to "provide opportunity and facility to the teachers and students to view" Modi's address, which did not go down well with West Bengal.

"This is a clear attempt to saffronise education. They are taking decisions on their own without consulting us," West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee said.

The state refused to telecast Modi's speech across universities in state.

"We did not get any directive so we will not give any instructions to universities and the idea that state-run varsities will follow through the Centre's directive without consulting us, is wrong," Chatterjee had said.

With inputs from IANS
New Delhi :Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a students' convention on Monday to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address and BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary celebrations.

The theme of the convention is 'Young India, New India'.

" Tomorrow I look forward to addressing a gathering of students on the theme of Young India, New India'," Modi tweeted. The convention of students is being held on a day Vivekananda delivered his historic address at Chicago in 1893, he noted.

Tomorrow I look forward to addressing a gathering of students on the theme of Young India, New India.'  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 10, 2017

"This year, we are marking 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekanandas Chicago address and Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya centenary celebrations," the prime minister said in another tweet.

This year, we are marking 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekanandas Chicago address & Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya centenary celebrations.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 10, 2017

He said Vivekananda strongly believed in the power of "Yuva Shakti' (youth power) and saw a vital place for youngsters in the realm of nation-building. "Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, we are working tirelessly towards realising the dreams and aspirations of our youth," the prime minister said.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold talks on Tuesday with Belarus President AG Lukashenko to bring new momentum in bilateral engagement, particularly in areas of defence, trade and investment, the external affairs ministry said on Monday.

Lukashenko will also meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during his two-day visit beginning on Monday.

This is Lukashenko's third state visit to India as the President of Belarus, the last one being a decade ago.

His visit comes in a year Belarus and India are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

"The two sides are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology and people to people exchanges," the MEA said.

It said the two sides are also likely to exchange views and assessments on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

GV Srinivas, joint-secretary (Eurasia) with the Ministry of External Affairs, said Lukashenko last met Prime Minister Modi at the sidelines of the 2016 Shangahi Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tashkent.

The Belarusian president's visit to India is "timely and over-due", Srinivas said during a media briefing on the visit.

Asked whether the talks would include discussions on the Eurasian nation's support for India's bid to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Srinivas said, "All areas of bilateral interest will be discussed."

"Belarus is supportive of the Indian position, both on India's (NSG) application as also in the nature of its United Nations Security Council permanent membership," Srinivas said.

Elaborating on the areas of cooperation between the two sides, the joint-secretary said Belarus has expertise in powder metallurgy.

"India has an advanced research centre in powder metallurgy in Hyderabad, established with the help of Belarus. The country (Belarus) had sent equipment and technology," he said.

A business forum and parallel meetings organised for members of the large delegation accompanying Lukashenko would explore business opportunities and avenues of cooperation in other areas.

According to the MEA, the two-way bilateral trade in 2016 amounted to $402 million approximately. The trade balance remains in favour of Belarus primarily on account of imports of potash.
The overhang of the Doka La confrontation was such that the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Xiamen on 5 September was seen purely in its context. While analysts on both sides heaved a sigh of relief, the considered wisdom was that Doka La will leave deep scars and that India-China relations will take a while to mend.

But the Indian delegation that has come back from Xiamen is fully upbeat about the outcome. Their understanding of how things went is that Beijing is willing to see beyond Doka La. The take away from the meeting was that China gave unambiguous signals that the relationship between the two Asian giants will find a new equilibrium after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to be held in Beijing beginning 18 October.

At the congress, Jinping is expected to get a second term as general secretary and firm up his grip on the party as many top politburo members will retire making way for new members.

The first hint of the coming change is the removal of two generals of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA)  Feng Fenghui and Zhang Yang  from the list of attendees at the party congress. This is seen as the political leadership firming up its grip over the military and underscores Jinping's determination to carry out political reforms in civilian and military establishments as a logical sequel to economic reforms.

In Indias context, this development is particularly encouraging. Though the removal of the PLA generals may not be directly linked to the Doka La stand-off, the perceived dissonance between China's political authority and the military leadership has a direct bearing on India. This first came to light during Jinping's first visit to India, when he was hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad.

Even as the two were meeting, the PLA made a foray into Indian territory in Ladakh. As pointed out in this article, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is learnt to have personally called up Modi to inform him about the belligerence of the PLA. The situation became particularly awkward for Modi as he was playing a perfect host on the banks of Sabarmati river. He, however, broached the issue subtly with Jinping wondering if it was more than a mere coincidence that every high profile visit was often marred with the PLAs muscle-flexing. Upon his return, Jinping initiated concrete action to the satisfaction of the Indian government.

The bonhomie between the political leadership, particularly between Modi and Jinping, therefore began with trust. But the historical baggage of distrust and subterranean hostility is so enormous that each side is wary of the other. There were instances when Modi jettisoned conventional diplomatic advice to reach out to Jinping. And on his part, Jinping has always played the role of a leader who is not only unencumbered by history but is also keen to chart a new relationship between India and China.

While everybody seems to be talking about India vs China, Modi seems to suggest a joint destiny. "There can be (a) difference of opinion about whether India will be a superpower or China will be (the one), but there is no doubt that this is the Asian Century," he said at a function in New Delhi on Monday, underlining the need for Asian countries to seize the opportunity.

Highly placed sources say that it would not be apt to describe the meeting between Modi and Jinping and his BRICS tour merely as "very good". They say it was "excellent" for many reasons. One, both the leaders left the shadow of Doka La far behind and agreed to a constructive futuristic relationship. Modi is learnt to have effectively disabused the notion that India had any interest in "containing China". Far from it, India has shown a keen interest to learn a lot from China, particularly the manner in which Jinping ushered in political reforms in his country.

In the 19th National Congress of CPC, a large number of senior leaders (around five) crossing the age of 69 would be shown the door. Fenghui, considered to be close to Jinping's predecessor Hu Jin Tao and a powerful general, has been suddenly dropped from the congress ostensibly on charges of "corruption". Of course, Jinping's determined drive against corruption in Chinas power superstructure has seen many purges of top leaders like Bo Xilai and his wife Gu Kailai following their implication in the murder of a British businessman and series of corruption cases. In todays China, Jinping has particularly focused on the elimination of corruption and a substantial reduction of pollution that plagues Chinas urban centres due to reckless pursuit of growth and industrialisation. At the domestic front, Jinping has been grappling with a lot of variables to set the country on a right course.

Incidentally, Indias political leadership which has also been grappling with an almost similar set of problems is also cognisant and sympathetic towards Chinas compulsions. Unlike China, India has a multi-party democracy, though the BJP seems to be getting into the position of the dominant principal pole. The trajectory of the BJPs organisational structure which expanded phenomenally in the recent past has features which are quite similar to CPC. Former US treasury secretary Henry M Paulson in his authoritative book, Dealing with China, quotes Jinping as telling him about the one-party system: Because we have one party rule, we need to be a good party. So, we have three tasks: self-improvement, self-purification and self-regulation.

After Modis recent visit, India is keeping her fingers crossed for a positive outcome after the conclusion of the 19th National Congress of the CPC. Given the burden of history, both the sides are hiding their optimism, and are guided, perhaps, by Deng Xiaopings memorable quote "crossing the river while feeling the stones".
India's new defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman faces a fresh challenge within days of assuming charge as more than 100 Indian Army officers have moved the Supreme Court, alleging "discrimination and injustice" in the promotion of officers of the Services Corps.

According to The New Indian Express, over 100 serving officers have moved the apex court against the Army Headquarters deploying them in operations but denying them benefits. The officers were named as 'non-combatants' by the army in its submission before the apex court last year. As per the report, the Army Headquarters had called the services cadre (roughly 20 percent of the army) 'non-operational'.

As a result, many personnel among the service cadre felt wronged by the order and expressed their objection to report on operational postings  including in forward and counter-insurgency areas.

"This act of army and Union government (discrimination in promotion) has created tremendous injustice to the petitioners and others which is detrimental to the morale of the officers and, in turn, to the defence of the country," the petitioners in the case said, as per The Times of India.

The crux of the argument in the joint petition is that since services cadre officers are deployed in operational areas, where they tackle challenges similar challenges to combat arms corps, then why should the army deprive them of promotional avenues. The 100 or so servicing officers have claimed that they were falsely declared as 'non-operational'.

According to The New Indian Express report, the petitioners stated that legally they are not supposed to wield arms as noncombatants, yet they are being used in operations.

"The army or the government has no power to declare any part of regular army 'non-operational', since the officers of the regular army are operational by statute," read the petition.

On 15 February last year, the apex court had upheld the army's 'Command-Exit model' for the promotion of its officers. As per this policy, preferential promotion of officers serving in the command unit was allowed.

The decision of the apex court came nearly a year after the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) struck down the policy, calling it discriminatory and violative of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, according to India.com.

The petitioners sought to challenge the selective treatment of services corps officers as 'operational' and 'non-operational' as per convenience without questioning the Supreme Court's 15 February decision.

"The petitioners also wish to draw the attention of the Supreme Court that the sacrifices of officers of services corps are at par, if not more, with officers of combat arms corps in the Indian Army," they said, according to The Times of India.

The Command-Exit model policy was believed to be highly skewed in favour of Infantry and Artillery, as compared to other branches. It left many officers feeling miffed, which flamed an unrest as officers claimed they were adversely affected by the decision.

According to The Indian Express, after the army decided to switch to the Command-Exit policy after 2009, five officers had approached the AFT against the policy. The AFT had upheld their contention and ruled that the policy violated Article 14 (equality before the law & equal protection within the territory of India).

The government then filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court against the AFT judgment. On 25 March, the apex court had stayed the AFT ruling.
A Carlisle native took part in Area Support Group-Kuwait's 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony Monday at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

Pvt. Brian Jarnagin, ASG-Kuwait information technology specialist and a 2016 Carlisle High School grad, took part in the ceremony Monday.

"We remember an event that tested us as a nation, but showed the character of resilience, a resilience that is demonstrated when out nation is in crisis, that same resilience that we saw recently during Hurricane Harvey: Americans helping Americans," said Col. Steven Berger, the ASG-Kuwait commander.

ASG-Kuwait implements the Defense Cooperation Agreement on behalf of U.S. Army Central with the Kuwait Ministry of Defense. It operates as the Base Operations Support Integrator and Security Coordinator for Kuwait, Command and Controls U.S. Army Camps and Security Forces, and provides support for reception, staging, onward movement, and integration of forces to facilitate theater operations.
New Delhi: A group of parents on Monday approached the police with a complaint against the Ryan International School at Vasant Kunj in New Delhi, alleging that the CCTVs on the school premises were not functioning and the septic tank was also found to be open.

Last year, a student had drowned in the septic tank of the school.

The complaint comes in the backdrop of increased concerns about students' safety in schools, following the killing of a seven-year-old boy in the Ryan International School, Gurugram.

"We have received a complaint from a group of parents, in which it has been alleged that the school does not have adequate safety measures for students. So far, no FIR has been lodged," a senior police official said.

The school authorities were not available for a comment.

Parents also staged protests outside the branches of the Ryan International School at Gurugram, Delhi and Noida.
Washington: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday began his two-week visit to the US during which he will interact with global thinkers and political leaders, and address overseas Indians as part of an outreach initiative by his party.

In his first engagement, Gandhi would address students of the prestigious University of California, Barkley on 'India at 70: Reflections on the Path Forward', in which he will offer his reflections on contemporary India and the path forward for the worlds largest democracy.

A day before the event, the University of California announced that the event venue has reached its maximum capacity and registration has been closed.

Gandhi, 47, was received at the San Francisco airport by senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda and Shudh Singh, the president of Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC) US.

"He is here at the University of California Berkley, where Pandit (Jawaharlal Nehru) addressed in 1949 as the Prime Minister. Today we are at the cross roads where core value of Indian democracy secularism and pluralistic society is in danger," Congress spokesman Madhu Goud Yaskhi said.

"He strongly believes in these values for India to be a strong nation, and what is the way forward for India and his views and his thoughts about Indias future," he told PTI giving a preview of Gandhi's speech.

During his trip to the US, he said, Gandhi will also engage with the Indian diaspora with the purpose of making them a part in Indias development.

From San Francisco, Gandhi is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles.

Gandhi is likely to visit Aspen Institute to interact with the think-tank community.

In Washington DC, the Congress vice president is scheduled to interact with members of the think-tank community, political leaders and government officials.

Gandhi is also scheduled to travel to Princeton University before his final address to overseas Indians in New York.
Srinagar: The situation in Kashmir has improved significantly over the past year, Union home minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday as he expressed willingness to meet anyone who wants to help resolve problems of Kashmir.

Singh, who is on a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters that a permanent solution to Kashmir issue is based on five 'C's  compassion, communication, coexistence, confidence building and consistency.

"After meeting the delegations and holding meetings here (Srinagar), I understand that the situation in Kashmir has greatly improved. I don't want to claim that everything is completely fine but things are improving, this I can say with firm belief," Singh said.

He said during his visit he interacted with police and CRPF personnel and he will also be meeting army personnel.

"I am willing to meet anyone who wants to help us in resolving problems of Kashmir.There is no question of a formal or informal invitation. Those who want to talk should come forward. I always come here with an open mind," Singh said when asked if the government was ready to hold talks with separatists.

He said the government does not want to leave out any of the stakeholders with whom dialogue should be held.
One would expect television news channels to focus on the home ministers visit to Kashmir. They did over the past three days.

One would not normally expect the home minister to be asked, during such a visit, to focus on news channels. But that is what happened repeatedly during home minister Rajnath Singhs interactions in Kashmir between Saturday an Monday.

A strikingly large proportion of those who met him, many of them in delegations of various hues, told him that certain television news channels were terribly alienating Kashmiris. The point was repeatedly made to him that the discourse on these channels was Islamophobic, and that these tended to present Kashmiris as enemies and in a constantly negative light.

Furthermore, some of those who met Singh also pointed out that, by deepening a Hindu-Muslim divide, the discourse of such channels was fanning the flames of radical fundamentalism and pan-Islamism among young Kashmiris. The home minister listened to these complaints attentively. Some of his visitors from Kashmir got the impression that he had taken note of their points.

Nightly vitriol

Lengthy 'discussion' programmes on several news channels have taken to focusing on Kashmir frequently. Some channels format these 'discussions' as battles between those whom they present as Indian nationalists and those they frame as anti-national sympathisers of terrorism.

In these polarised paradigms, they tend to equate nationalism with the army, other forces, and various sorts of security agencies. On the other hand, they tend to present Kashmiris as uniformly seditious, pro-Pakistan, and backers of terrorism. Many of those invited to these discussions as `nationalist voices tend to be hard-line former generals. Others are introduced as 'security experts.'

Most of these people have shown a dismal lack of knowledge or understanding  for instance, not being able to distinguish between Jamaat-e-Islami and Ahle-Hadith (Islamic movements that often dislike each other) or different militant groups.

Blinkered by Islamophobia, some 'experts' even bracket militant Zakir Musa with Pakistan, although he has decried any sort of nationalism, specifically including Pakistani nationalism, and has publicly valourized Islamic State and Al Qaeda.

At least one of the presumptive 'security experts' who frequently appears on several such 'discussions' has used viciously abusive language without being restrained by the anchors who are meant to moderate them. Many Kashmiris have been enraged and disgusted by this.

Disgusting shouting matches

Although they are meant to be 'discussions,' these frequently turn into shouting matches in which viewers cannot hear what either side  or even the anchor  is saying.

Ironically, many army officers, including key officers posted for counter militancy operations in the Valley, say off the record that they find such programmes counterproductive, even obnoxious.

Many Kashmiris are convinced that these channels engage in this sort of rhetoric in order to boost their ratings. Others suspect that they demonize Kashmiris and Muslims in general at the behest of sections in the government.

It was pointed out to the home minister that these programmes are watched by a very large number of Kashmiris, whose impression of India and the government is shaped by the animus expressed on these `discussions.

Security setback

Some of those who met the home minister explained to him that this sort of discourse not only divides society and the polity, it strengthens the hands of external enemies. Enraged people on the ground could potentially become a great resource for inimically disposed countries.

Many of Indias security analysts have recently begun to take the twin threat from Pakistan and China far more seriously. The tragic fact is that most of them have in the past categorized the governments policies with regard to the people and the state government of Kashmir as totally separate from policies on external relations and potential military threats.

In this context, the home ministers public statements during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir were laudable. With regard to internal security, he instructed the forces to exercise restraint, particularly with regard to teenagers and other young people. And on the borders, he said soldiers would not fire first but would respond strongly if provoked.
Srinagar: On Saturday, home minister Rajanth Singh reiterated the central governments commitment to the implementation of agenda of alliance  a common minimum programme that was framed by the PDP and BJP before they formed the government in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2015  in his meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Nearly over two years after the PDP-BJP dispensation took over in the state, the alliance partners are sparring over a petition before the Supreme Court on Article 35-A which prevents outsiders from owning property in the state. This is contrary to the AOA, which emphasised that a status quo will be maintained on Jammu and Kashmirs constitutional position with the Government of India.

All major promises which were made in the agenda of alliance including the transfer of two hydro power projects from National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to the state as well starting talks with separatists and developing confidence building measures within the state and across the line of control (LoC) have not been taken forward either.

Singh in his one-on-one meeting with Mufti recognised the need for timely implementation of the agenda of alliance, which the two leaders said provides a definite roadmap to resolve the problems confronting the state".

During the meeting, Mufti told the Union home minister that the "needs and problems of the people of the state have been recognised in the agenda of alliance and its implementation needs to be fast-paced".

Mufti had earlier asked the central government to implement the agenda of alliance, but that had not yielded any progress. Instead, the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and the PDP is now worried that any decision by the Supreme Court to scrap Article 35-A will completely erode its vote bank in Kashmir.

BJP has said that it will welcome the decision of the Supreme Court to abrogate Article 35-A.

Sunil Sethi, chief spokesman, BJP, said, "The Article 35-A has done damage to the state. The discrimination due to the Article 35-A is not only between state subjects and non-state subjects. It is among state subjects as well. If the Supreme Court gives a decision to revoke Article 35-A that will be vindication of our stand and we will welcome it."

Sethi said that children of women from the state who get married outside can't own property in Jammu ad Kashmir, while there was no such bar on the men who marry outside the state.

The BJP stand on the abrogation of Article 35-A comes even though the party reiterated in the agenda of alliance with the PDP that "the present position will be maintained on all constitutional provisions pertaining to Jammu add Kashmir including the special status in the constitution of India."

The protection of the special status was reiterated in the agenda of alliance even though the BJP and PDP had maintained divergent stand on Article 370 during the election campaigns.

While campaigning for the 2014 Assembly election, BJP leaders had accused both PDP's Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and National Conference leaders and former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah of being corrupt politicians while raising the pitch for the abrogation of Article 370.

BJP had bagged 24 seats from the Jammu region on the promise of the abrogation of Article 370 in 2014 Assembly elections while PDP had emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats in the December 2014 election results.

The two parties took over two months to work out a common minimum programme, before Sayeed could took over as chief minister on 1 March, 2015.

Noth only both PDP and BJP are fighting publicly over the protection of special status of the state, the alliance has also failed to deliver other promises in the agenda of alliance. Mufti

Sayeed had described the agenda of alliance as an agenda for governance and had described the purpose of the alliance to "catalyse reconciliation and confidence building within and across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, thereby ensuring peace in the state".

However, BJP had maitained a hard stance on the political promise of starting talks with the separatists. Mehbooba as well as the separatists have been often referring to the policy adopted by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had initiated a dialogue with the political groups including the Hurriyat Conference, in what was described as "in the ambit of Insaaniyat (humanity), Kashmiriyat aur (and) Jamhooriyat (democracy)".

In the agenda of alliance, it was reiterated that the "coalition government will facilitate and help initiate a sustained and meaningful dialogue with all internal stakeholders, which will include all political groups irrespective of their ideological views. This dialogue will seek to build a broad consensus and resolution of all outstanding issues of Jammu and Kashmir".

The agenda of alliance also mentioned that the 390 MW Dulhasti and 480 MW Uri hydro power projects will be transferred to the state as "compensation for the use of water resources by the NHPC in the state". But the central government ruled out transfer of the power projects, the state government has maintained that it was "actively pursuing the matter with Centre".

The PDP-BJP dispensation also promised the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). But officials said that the matter couldnt be pursued due to the deterioration of the security scenario in the state. The PDP and BJP had agreed that "as part of the agenda for governance of this alliance, the coalition government will examine the need for de-notifying disturbed areas, which as consequence, would enable the Union Government to take a final view on the continuation of AFSPA in these areas."

The alliance failed to make any progress on the issues mentioned in the agenda of alliance, even though a group of ministers (GOMs) was constituted during the tenure of Sayeed on April 2015 to pursue its implementation with the central government. The GOM, headed by BJP leader and deputy chief minster Nirmal Singh comprises finance minister Haseeb Drabu, law minister Abdul Haq Khan, and co-operatives minister Chering Dorje, among others.

The National Conference (NC) provincial president, Nasir Aslam Wani, said that the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir has only worsened during the PDP-BJP rule. "Of the commitments which were made in the agenda of alliance, none has been implemented. It was emphasised by PDP and BJP that they will become a bridge between India and Pakistan. Nothing has been done in that respect. It was also said that they will act as a bridge between separatist and mainstream ideology and we will get them on board for talks, but nothing has happened on that."

He added that instead of taking confidence building measures, the relationship between India and Pakistan has deteriorated. "The incidence of cross-LoC firing is more than any of the previous years. So, where is the agenda of alliance being implemented? I dont see it anywhere," he said.

Wani said that even the commitment made to improve governance in the state has not been fulfilled. "There is no governance in the state," he said, adding, "The PDP-BJP government has even failed to bring about transparency in the functioning of its government and the execution of developmental works is only taking longer time."
On Saturday, noted jurist and maverick lawyer Ram Jethmalani announced that at the grand age of 94, he was drawing the curtains on his seven-decade long career as an advocate. He also took the opportunity to call the present state of governance a "calamity" and said that he will continue to combat corrupt politicians.

While Jethmalani is a sitting member of the Rajya Sabha and has had an illustrious career as lawmaker as he served as the law minister as well as the Minister of Urban Development, it is as a lawyer that he is most well-know. It is hard to say whether he follows controversy or if its the other way around but he does find a way to stay in the news.

His entry into the profession was newsworthy in itself. After getting a double promotion at school and completing matriculation at 13, he finished his LLB degree by the time he was 17, according to The Times of India. A special resolution had to be passed to allow him become a lawyer at 18 as the minimum age at the time was 21.

After moving to India after partition, his legal career took off after he got involved in the Nanavati case in 1962, reported Livemint. He had been engaged as counsel by the sister of the deceased to look after her brother's interests. The case established him at the Bombay bar after which he embarked on a remarkable legal journey. It snakes through defending smugglers and assassins to most recently defending Arvind Kejriwal in a defamation case against Arun Jaitley. This piece will take a look at some of the highlights of Jethmalani's substantial legal career.

Smuggler's lawyer

He initially picked up a reputation as a 'smuggler's lawyer' as he defended a string of smugglers in the 1960s, the most famous of whom was Haji Mastan. To those who would question his choice of clients, he would point out that he was only doing his duty as a lawyer, according to The Times of India.

He would then go on to defend the killers of two prime ministers  Indira and Rajiv Gandhi. In Indira's case, he was not engaged by the accused in the trial court, says a report in Outlook. In the High Court, the accused told the court that they wanted Jethmalani's services. Taking the request of the High Court as a command, he accepted and managed to save one of the accused.

In Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, Jethmalani argued for the convict Murugan as he told the Supreme Court that the suicide bomb attack was not a crime against India, says The Times of India. He defended his decision to represent the convicts as he said, They are entitled for the commutation as there was a long delay. The noose was hanging over the three persons every day, every hour and every minute.

Defended white-collar criminals

Jethmalani didn't shy away from defending economic crimes either. He represented both Ketan Parekh and Harshad Mehta, perhaps the two-most famous white-collar criminals India has seen. He was setting precedents for lawyers' fees even at that time as told to The Economic Times by veteran lawyer Rohit Kapadia who said, "This was the first time they started charging Rs 1 lakh per appearance. That kind of money was not billed by even the most successful of Supreme Court lawyers."

Spoke for some of the most hated men in the country

Speaking about Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, Jethmalani had demanded commutation of his death sentence, as he felt that life imprisonment for him would be alright, reported The Times of India. He thought that Guru did not get a fair trial and he was "ashamed" of the incident as he was a Cabinet minister at the time.

While he never represented Guru, he did take up the case of Manu Sharma, the accused in the Jessica Lal murder case, as per The Hindu. The case eventually concluded with Sharma being given life imprisonment but not before Jethmalani caught the nation's attention by questioning Lal's character.

Represented politicians

He represented Kanimozhi, daughter of former Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, who was accused of corruption in the 2G scam case, according to NDTV. While listing the reasons why she should be given bail, he said, "She's a law abiding citizen, an MP and a woman." He also said that she was being targeted because of her political lineage.

Most recently, he represented Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a case against Union minister Arun Jaitley. That relationship did not end too well as he quit as Kejriwal's lawyer after saying that his client had lied about giving him instructions.

Apart from this, he also appeared for BJP president Amit Shah in several fake encounter cases and defended Jayalalithaa, the late chief minister of Tamil Nadu, who was ultimately convicted in a disproportionate assets case, according to International Business Times.

The "maverick" lawyer is a highly-paid one

A Livemint report mentions that in 2015, based on interviews with law firm partners and advocates to determine how much lawyers charge per hearing  Jethamalani was said to charge Rs 25 lakh. The publication wrote, "Jethmalani can afford to price himself out of the market for all but the most affluent clients because a majority of the cases he does take up these days, he handles pro bono.

The bar has certainly lost one of its most remarkable characters with Jethmalani's retirement. He was a man who wore the word "maverick" as a badge of honour, said Hindustan Times. He said that a maverick is someone who thinks independently, who has not mortgaged his soul or intelligence to anybody." At 83, he was fine "with the appellation." As he retires from law at 94, there is little evidence to suggest that much has changed.
Chandigarh: Union minister Ramdas Athawale has asked Dalits not to support self-styled godmen like convicted Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and instead follow B R Ambedkar's ideology.

The minister, a prominent leader from the community, advised political parties not to go to "bhondu babas" such as Ram Rahim after knowing the "reality".

The 50-year-old dera chief was jailed for 20 years in two rape cases by a court last month. The conviction led to widespread violence in which 41 people died.

"Ram Rahim Singh has been exposed, Dalits should not support him," Republican Party of India (A) leader Athawale told reporters.

He appealed to Dalits to pursue the ideology of Ambedkar, one of the framers of the Constitution.

The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment said one can have faith in somebody, but it should not be a blind one. "It is not right to support those babas who are on the wrong path," he said.

Ram Rahim, who is lodged at Rohtak's Sunaria jail, has a huge number of followers in Punjab and Haryana and other parts of the country, and many of them are Dalits.

"No political party should go to such a 'bhondu' baba . Parties after seeing the situation should properly inquire about babas before going to their places.

They should never go with blind faith," Athawale said. Dera supporters should not have resorted to violence after Ram Rahim was convicted in the rape cases on 25 August, he said. "It was not right to take the law into ones own hand for the 'characterless' baba after he was convicted," he said, lamenting the incidents of violence and damage to public and private properties
News reports coming in from Myanmar indicate a steadily worsening crisis, as an estimated 270,000 Rohingyas fled a crackdown by Myanmar security forces in the Rakhine state, that borders Bangladesh. The images tell of a human tragedy on an epic scale confounded by weather, sheer poverty, and the desperation of men, women and children with nowhere to go. This is a problem that has been festering for decades, particularly after the military government's Citizenship Act of 1982 that left out the Rohingyas altogether as its citizens.

Buddhist-Muslim tensions, however, date back to pre-independence days, when the former backed the incoming Japanese Army, and the latter remained loyal to the British. Later, an attempt at creating an independent Muslim state was defeated by the then Burmese State forces, leading to the first flood of refugees into neighbouring states.

Refugee movement into Bangladesh began with a few hundred, and increased sharply after 2012 to reach more than 27,000 in 2016. This movement is facilitated by the fact that refugees can easily cross the river Naf, and into Teknaf town, thereafter, more often than not, spilling over into India. The India route is operated through lucrative human smuggling cartels that send desperate refugees into dubious trades, including prostitution. For most, India is seen as a land of milk and honey, and there are many who finally manage to make a modest living. Within India such refugees usually spread outwards where ever cheap labour is required. Thus concentrations are in Delhi, Jammu, Nuh in Haryana, Jaipur and other areas. Less than a quarter are 'recognised' as refugees by the UNHCR ( United Nations High Commission for Refugees ) who at any rate is only able to offer a pittance.

The issue has raised four important issues for India's consideration.

First, the initial stirrings of jihadi group activity is more than apparent in violence hit areas of Myanmar. The Harqah al Yaqin (HaY) also know as the ARSA ( Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) appears to be commanded by Rohingya migrants in Saudi Arabia, and "officered" very capably by locals and refugees from Bangladesh. Its leader, according to the International Crisis Group, is a Rohingya born in Karachi where there has long been a large Burmese refugee population, and educated in Saudi Arabia. Its first acts of violence were in late 2016.

Thereafter, it has been able to execute some serious attacks, the most recent being coordinated attacks on police posts and an attempted attack on an army base in August 2017. This led to heavy reprisals by Myanmar Armed Forces, leading to the present mass exodus. ARSA has now called for a ceasefire and is said to be assisting the fleeing refugees in camps in Bangladesh. ARSA clearly has a large support base, unlike its earlier incarnations like the Rohingya Solidarity Front and others like it who rose in the mid 1980's. This support could be attributed to the rising levels of insecurity among Rohingyas, as well as the fact that ARSA has strong support from local maulvis, in particular a Mufti from Maungdaw, the core centre of the rebellion.

It is also far better organised than its predecessors, with its own Twitter handle and effective communication strategies. For India, the problem is that ARSA has a definite Pakistani link, with some reports noting that the group may have been trained there, or even in Afghanistan. Second, there have been reports of the entry of Lashkar e Tayyba /Jamaat ud Dawa cadres into Myanmar since the last several years.

Third, the Falah-e-Insaniyat, the so-called charitable arm of the core jihadi group has been claiming relief activities for fleeing Rohingyas. It's leaders have been active in refugee camps in Indonesia in Langsaah and Louk Samawa. Fourth, Hafeez Saeed, the undisputed terrorist prima donna in Pakistan, has been actively involved in supporting the Rohingya cause with workshops and related activities among refugees in Karachi in particular. This connection is enough to cause India to pause, even though the ARSA itself has shown on extremist religious tendencies at all.

The second issue for India, arises from the first. The movement of Rohingyas across the subcontinent underlines that the community is well-networked throughout the region. This raises serious fears about ingress of terrorists in the guise of refugees. This trend is already apparent in Europe where Islamic State terrorists hid among refugees fleeing to the Greek Island of Leros, to enter the continent, and launch attacks in Paris that killed more than a hundred and thirty.

In Germany, at least three attacks in July last year were committed by refugees. This has led to a worldwide suspicion on refugees, even though the actual numbers are extremely low, relative to the numbers of refugees moving out of conflict zones. For India, however, there is an added caution.

Fear of radicalisation by an extremist group is certainly a problem, particularly after the call of support to Rohingyas by Zakir Musa, who is said to lead the Al Qaeda faction Ansar Ghazwat ul Hind in Kashmir. The greater threat, however, is the use of the Rohingya population by Pakistan's state intelligence, the Inter Services Intelligence, which has a four decade experience in sponsoring terror. With Rohingyas well-established across India and in the national capital, the fear that these could host well trained terrorists is not without foundation, particularly at this juncture.

The third issue for India is the stability of Bangladesh.

Coping with nearly a quarter of a million refugees is a difficult task for even the most advanced economies. For Bangladesh, the human catastrophe is a nightmare. Yet the country has courageously stepped up to deal with the unprecedented crisis. Medicines, water and food are in short supply, and the UNHCR has sent out an appeal for help. The issue has already become a cause for internal politicking, with the opposition BNP ( Bangladesh Nationalist Party) accusing the government of fudging the figures.

Bangladesh has unsurprisingly backed the call for a Commission of Enquiry by Yanghee Lee, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, on the same lines as those set up for Syria among others. As Dhaka struggles with a growing crisis, aid on the ground has been provided by Malaysia and Denmark. India could have very well sent a planeload of relief goods as a humanitarian gesture, that would have done well for its overall South East Asian policy. While India did step up with aid after the severe cyclone attack in May, a helping hand at this juncture is vital in terms of its public diplomacy efforts.

The fourth issue is overall relations with Myanmar at a time when it is being wooed by China and Russia. India has not backed the call for a Commission of Enquiry, reasonably noting that the present Myanmar government has hardly had a year in office, and needs time to work through a problem that is more than four decades old. During the recent prime ministerial visit, the joint statement while calling for peace and communal harmony, expressed concern at both civilian and security forces casualties, indicating a very even-handed response. An earlier press briefing hardly mentioned the crisis.

China, on the other hand, has condemned the terrorist attacks, and has not hesitated to offer mediation between Myanmar and Bangladesh. China and Russia had earlier blocked a UN Security Council statement expressing concern at the humanitarian crisis. Recent statements by Myanmar's officials indicate that they would be again seeking support from these countries, as well as Turkey. With India still grappling with north east insurgent camps based in Myanmar, the room for maneuver seems limited.

A country with great power aspirations cannot, however, conduct its diplomacy fearful of interference by neighbours on myriad issues. Fear of China increasing its influence on North East insurgents, or Pakistan getting its claws on Rohingya's in India are not reason enough to hamstring Indian options, particularly when it comes to doing what we are best at , taking the high moral ground of providing sustenance to the poor and needy.

A hefty dose of humanitarian assistance will provide the underbelly for strengthening the much talked about "soft power" of the Indian state. Just being soft will however hardly draw results. In the longer term, it is useful to remember that the Rakhine State was once a hub of commercial trade with natural links to the subcontinent. At a time of a search for connectivity across the continent, this should be a thrust for both stabilisation efforts and commercial outreach by Indian institutions and Ministries alike.
Kolkata: Ten Muslim welfare organisations organised a rally in the city on Monday demanding a stop to the atrocities against the Rohingya in Myanmar bringing the city to a halt for about four hours.

"We are extremely aggrieved about the ongoing heinous atrocities on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmmar. Thousands of Rohingya Muslims including children have been killed by the police and military in that country. The Myanmmar goverment must take responsibility," Furfura Sharif Peerzada Toha Siddiqui said.

"We condemn the decision of the Central government (to deport Rohingyas living in the country illegally) and demand immediate roll back of it," Mohammed Nuruddin of All Bengal Minority Students Federation said.

West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president Adhir Chowdhury, CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty also participated in the rally.
Auto refresh feeds

Police has stepped up security outside and around the school, and has denied reports that the school has been temporarily sealed

While we are all in great shock and grief at the loss of life of our beloved student Pradhyuman Thakur, we are taking these steps simultaneously to ensure vigorous safety measures in place for all our students and staff. We are closely working with the investigating authorities so that we could be guided further with their expertise.

Following the tragic incident at our school yesterday, the school authorities have seriously taken up the review of the security measures at the school. All necessary improvements and measures are being audited and reinforced with the help of experts. We are also seeking advice from the police department to guide us in this regard.

The accused in the case Ashok Kumar has been sent to three-day police remand by a Gurugram court, according to ANI

The accused, Ashok, was not a permanent employee of the school, according to CNN-News18. His family claims that he cannot do any such thing and he is being used as a scapegoat by the school authorities. While talking to CNN-News18, Ashok's wife claimed that he was forced to say that he committed the crime.

Recovery of a sharp weapon near the body of the child, who was brutally murdered on Friday, is an evidence strong enough to prove that there was serious lapses in the security system of the school.

The murder of a seven-year-old student in Ryan International School, Gurugram, brings to limelight the reality that it is high time private school authorities are held accountable for the safety and security of the school premises. In the last two years, deaths of three students have taken place in posh schools located in Delhi - National Capital Region.

ANI quoted the acting principal of Ryan International School, Gurugram as saying that authorities have taken up review of safety measure in the school. She also assured that necessary measures are being reinforced with help from experts and the police.

She also said that they can enter from the reception area or from anywhere else. Whenever the students tried to bring up the issue or complain about this, the teachers ignored them, she added.

Pradyumna's sister, who studies at the same school, told CNN-News18 that there is not much security at the school and conductors enter the school campus without any problems.

DCP of Gurugram told CNN-News that according to the preliminary inquiry, the accused already had the knife with him when he came to the washroom. Inside the washroom, he tried to sexually assualt the victim but failed. Fearing that Pradyumna would disclose his identity, he killed the child, the DCP added.

The committee will submit its report on Monday and based on the report, further action will be taken.

In a press conference, Gurugram police said that to expedite the investigation, a special public prosecutor has been appointed along with a three-member committee. The committee members are at the school, studying its compliance to safety standards. The police has also ordered a comprehensive audit of all schools within 15 days.

The police further told reporters that they are interrogating the accused and if he someone else is found to be involved, appropriate action will be taken. Technical, scientific and documentary evidence will be taken into account, police added.

"School has been asked to send a report along with FIR filed in this case with in two days and a fact finding committee has been set up to enquire into the matter in detail and to submit report at the earliest," CBSE told News18.

Just minutes after seeking a report from Ryan International School, CBSE formed a probe panel. "If the school administration is held responsible, its CBSE affiliation might get cancelled," said Upendra Kushwaha, MoS HRD ministry.

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that he has asked for a report and if lapses are found, appropriate action will be taken. He further said that he has appealed to the court to give the verdict as soon as possible.

He told reporters that such incidents have raised alarms for parents and school management over the safety of children. "Investigation is going on and police have arrested an accused. I hope that justice will be served," the minister said. - IANS

Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar called it an "unfortunate incident". "The brutal murder of a seven-year-old student is an unfortunate incident," Javadekar said, adding that it is like a warning to people and schools.

"We have formed a new committee headed by DEO (District Education Officer) to probe the matter. The record will be checked," he added.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Haryana, told ANI "We talked to the boy's father and other relatives. We have told them everything, what the culprit has admitted, what all evidence we have got. They are satisfied with the investigation. They demanded that action should be taken against the authorities of the school."

Police officials said that a committee comprising the district education officer, block education officer and an officer of the women and child development department would submit a report on whether the school followed security norms.

At a press conference, Gurugram police commissioner Sandeep Khirwar also said that a three member committee, which is also probing whether the school followed the safety and security norms, would submit a report on Monday.

Investigations into the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old boy at the Ryan International School in Gurugram will be concluded in seven days, the Gurugram police said on Saturday.

Supreme Court intervenes in Ryan School murder case Supreme Court agrees to hear today plea of father of student killed in Gurgaon's Ryan International School, reports PTI. He is seeking CBI or SIT probe.

Supreme Court agrees to hear separate PIL raising the issue of lack of safety measures in private schools across the country, reports PTI.

CNN-News18 quoted Gurugram Police commissioner and reported that a total of 14 teams have been put together to crack this case and the teams will head to Mumbai to quiz the top brass of the organisation.

With questions being raised over the security lapses that led to the killing of a 7-year-old boy in Gurugram's Ryan International School on Friday, Haryana Police is sending a team to question the CEO of Ryan International Group Ryan Pinto in Mumbai, TV reports said.

Owners of Ryan International School in Gurugram have moved the Bombay High Court for anticipatory bail ahead of Pintos questioning, News18 reported. Gurugram Commissioner and DCP have visited Ryan International School. Meanwhile, Bihar chief minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar talked to the victim's family over the phone and called Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who assured his Bihar counterpart that an impartial and fast probe was being conducted.

Bihar chief minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar talked to the victim's family over the phone and called Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who assured his Bihar counterpart that an impartial and fast probe was being conducted.

Gurugram police says two school officials, Ryan International school's north zone chief and Bhondsi branch coordinator of tampering with crucial evidence in the murder case, CNN News18 reported.

Apart from not constructing separate toilets for bus drivers and conductors, and installing inadequate CCTV cameras in the campus, the school has been found to have flouted multiple other guidelines issued by Gurugram Police for the safety of children in schools.

With questions being raised over the security lapses that led to the killing of a 7-year-old boy in Gurugram's Ryan International School on Friday, a three-member fact-finding committee has found major security lapses on part of its management.

Section 2.2.1: There should be only one entry/exit point to the premises; side gates are to be avoided. In case there is a side gate, this must be manned by a security guard maintaining a record of every entry and exit in a register.

Sharma, speaking to the press on Sunday, blamed the Ryan International School management and said that the state government will show no leniency to those behind the murder.

Haryana education minister Ram Bilas Sharma vowed that those responsible for the killing of a seven-year-old boy in a private school will be brought to book within a week.

CNN News18 quoted Haryana Police officials saying that the investigation into the murder of Pradyuman has not yet completed. However, the police did add that the investigation is moving in the positive direction.

Section 2.2.5 of the guidelines is for bus drivers "Specifically for bus drivers and conductors, whether employed by the school or contracted out, access area must be limited to just the bus area, and specific instructions must be given to them on which areas are out of bounds for them. It is therefore suggested that a toilet is provided in this area or other such clearly specified area with visible though secluded access, to prevent need for such persons to enter the actual school premises."

The matter is likely to come up for hearing before the High Court on Tuesday, the official added.

"Yes, the trust's lawyers have moved an application for an anticipatory transit bail to enable them to go to Haryana and file an application before an appropriate court for relief," said an official connected to one of the schools in Mumbai, who declined to be identified.

The trustees of the Ryan International Schools on Monday filed an application in the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory transit bail to move an appropriate court in Haryana in a seven-year-old's death at their Gurugram school, official sources said.

According to CNN-News 18, another tragedy had hit the same branch of the Ryan International School, allegedly due to safety lapses. A five-year-old was found dead after he accidentaly fell into an open septic tank.

In 2015, a five-year-old had died at the same school after falling into an open septic tank

The HRD ministry has once again sent the existing security advisory to private schools urging them to put in place the measures suggested. Union minister Prakash Javadekar said that he will also ensure that more women employees are hired to make the public space for kids safer.

CNN-News 18's report from the crime scene revealed that the staff washrooms, where the 7-year-old's body was found, was not secured properly. Lack of CCTV cameras in that particular section of school has been observed, also a broken window to the washroom could become an easy escape root for outsiders trying to break into the school premises. Watch the full report.

Kumar also spoke with his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar, requesting him to meet the family members who hail from Bihar's Madhubani district.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday spoke with the family members of a seven-year-old boy who was killed in the toilet of a Gurugram school.

In the case of the Gurugram murder there were so many breaches of security. 1) That the bus conductor or driver were allowed to use the same washroom as the kids. 2) The accused was allowed to carry a knife inside the school. 3) There was no female attendant from the school outside the washroom. 4) When the child screamed there was no one to help immediately. 5) The school management tried to cover up the crime 6) There was a huge breach in the school wall; no doubt a huge risk to the security of the school

Shahane lists out a range of red flags that should have been enough to raise alarm at the school.

The management of Ryan International school will appear in the Haryana court at 4 pm today, News18 reported.

Barun Chandra Thakur intervened through his lawyers Sushil K Tekriwal and Mamta Tekriwal in the hearing of the bail plea of the three school trustees - Augustine F Pinto, Grace Pinto and Ryan Pinto. IANS

The adjournment follows an intervention application  filed by the father of seven-year-old Pradhyuman Thakur, who was murdered inside the Haryana school on 8 September  seeking dismissal of the anticipatory transit bail plea filed by the school trustees.

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday adjourned till afternoon the hearing in the anticipatory bail plea filed by Ryan International School trustees in a case involving the murder of a Class II student at their Gurugram branch.

The Pinto family had applied for the anticipatory transit bail to move an appropriate judicial authority in Haryana  which came up for hearing on Tuesday when the court posted it for Wednesday. IANS

The bail plea by the trustees of the St Xaviers Education Trust  which manages the Ryan International Schools across India was filed apprehending arrest on Monday.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar considered the submission of senior advocate KTS Tulsi that the fundamental right of a person to be represented by a lawyer of his choice is getting infringed.

An official of the Ryan Group on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the student murder case from outside a local court at Sohna, alleging the bar has restrained lawyers from representing the accused in the sensational case.

A high-level meeting will be chaired by Maneka Gandhi, Prakash Javadekar along with officials of the two ministries, NCPCR, CBSE, NCERT, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan for tightening child safety on school premises.

Varun Thakur intervened through his lawyers Sushil K Tekriwal and Mamta Tekriwal in the hearing of the bail plea of the three school trustees - Augustine F Pinto, Grace Pinto and Ryan Pinto.

The father of a seven-year-old boy murdered inside the Gurugram branch of the Ryan International School in Haryana last week, filed an application on Wednesday in the Bombay High Court seeking dismissal of the anticipatory transit bail plea filed by the school's trustees.

Multiple versions of what happened and pressure from parents and media has perhaps led police to start fresh interrogation. What seemed like an open and shut case is probably being reviewed. Police even plans to recreate the murder scene.

"Minutes later, Anju Madam arrived there and sought the bus conductor's help to carry the child to a vehicle to shift him to a private hospital. Kumar took Praduman to the vehicle," Harpal said. - IANS

"I went there to have water from the water cooler installed near the toilet. Some children were shouting 'please call Anju Madam'. At the same time, I saw the bus conductor coming from the main gate side. Kumar's clothes didn't have any blood stains on them," said Harpal, a gardener in the school.

Harpal, 25, an employee of the Ryan International School on Sohna Road, said he saw the Class II student lying in a pool of blood in the corridor close to the toilet's main door.

Gurugram police chief Sandeep Kairwar says they are trying their best to satisy the parents and the court through their investigation. "There are legitimate questions which we are trying to answer, in due course we will find the answer," says Kairwar.

Nothing has been destroyed; we have sufficient evidence from crime scene, says Gurugram Police chief Sandeep Khirwar

The website was hacked on the same day when the Bombay High Court granted relief to Augustine Francis (73) Pinto, founder of the Ryan International School and his wife Grace Pinto, managing director of the Ryan International Group of Institutions in connection with the murder of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur. Read more here .

Ryan International School's website was hacked on Wednesday by a team of hackers who call themselves as Team Kerala Cyber Warriors or GHO57_R007. However, the website is no longer accessible.

Multiple versions of what happened and pressure from parents and media has perhaps led police to start fresh interrogation. What seemed like an open and shut case is probably being reviewed. Police even plans to recreate the murder scene.

"Minutes later, Anju Madam arrived there and sought the bus conductor's help to carry the child to a vehicle to shift him to a private hospital. Kumar took Praduman to the vehicle," Harpal said. - IANS

"I went there to have water from the water cooler installed near the toilet. Some children were shouting 'please call Anju Madam'. At the same time, I saw the bus conductor coming from the main gate side. Kumar's clothes didn't have any blood stains on them," said Harpal, a gardener in the school.

Harpal, 25, an employee of the Ryan International School on Sohna Road, said he saw the Class II student lying in a pool of blood in the corridor close to the toilet's main door.

#RyanMustAnswer There are legitimate questions that we are trying to answer: Sandeep Kairwar, Gurugram Police Chief on Pradhyumn's murder pic.twitter.com/KMYUAHTTgX

Gurugram police chief Sandeep Kairwar says they are trying their best to satisy the parents and the court through their investigation. "There are legitimate questions which we are trying to answer, in due course we will find the answer," says Kairwar.

Nothing has been destroyed; we have sufficient evidence from crime scene, says Gurugram Police chief Sandeep Khirwar

The website was hacked on the same day when the Bombay High Court granted relief to Augustine Francis (73) Pinto, founder of the Ryan International School and his wife Grace Pinto, managing director of the Ryan International Group of Institutions in connection with the murder of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur. Read more here .

Ryan International School's website was hacked on Wednesday by a team of hackers who call themselves as Team Kerala Cyber Warriors or GHO57_R007. However, the website is no longer accessible.

Ryan International School, where a 7-year-old boy was found murdered three days back, tonight said its management is "cooperating to our fullest" with the police investigations and hoped that the guilty would be given the severest punishment as per the law.

In a statement, Ryan Pinto, CEO of Ryan International Schools Group, said the school should not be held "culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances."

Insisting that well being and safety of students is the school's priority, Pinto said, "We will not succumb to all the various false allegations being made nor will we fuel the various controversies being spread. we should not unjustly be blamed or branded as the perpetrators."

He said the Ryan International Group of schools was facing "one of its saddest periods" since its inception due to the loss of life of one of its innocent students, as a result of a reprehensible crime.

"We are all in shock by the horror of this crime that occurred despite various security protocols," he said.

"We share the deep pain and grief of the bereaved parents and family in this darkest hour. on behalf of the entire school staff, students and management we want to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family," the statement said. "It is understandable that everyone is seeking answers. So are we and We are cooperating to our fullest with the police investigations," said Pinto.

He said Ryan has four-decade-long reputation "as a credible educational institution educating lakhs of students across the nation. We would like to emphasise that Ryan School takes all efforts to ensure the security of its students."

The CEO said the the school is giving complete cooperation to the investigating authorities and "we have total faith in the law. We hope that the investigations will be concluded soon, and the guilty get the severest punishment as per the due process of law."

He went on to add, "As the investigations are ongoing, we request all parties concerned to refrain from holding Ryan School culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances.

"The investigation report should be out soon and all parties concerned need to wait until then. We request the public to refrain from turning violent and to let the police do their work."

While expressing confidence that "the truth will ultimately prevail", he said, "Once again, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Praduman's parents and We pray that God Almighty would bestow His everlasting peace for the departed soul."
Sixteen years ago the world changed.

For a new generation, many of whom are nearly ready to graduate high school, the images that shook the United States are largely housed in history books.

However, for many millennials and baby boomers, its hard to forget where they were on Sept. 11, 2001.

Its that we today, just like we have the last 16 years, pause and reflect on the things we have to continue to do to make sure that never happens again, U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Daniel Dailey said. I ask you, where were you on 9/11?

Dailey, a veteran of Operations Desert Shield/Storm and four tours of duty in Iraq, spoke during an annual 9/11 observance ceremony held in front of Root Hall at the U.S. Army War College Monday morning in Carlisle. Dailey reflected on the nearly 3,000 lives lost as hijacked planes crashed into two towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and a field Shanksville.

He also spoke of the lives lost as a result of the terrorist attacks in 2001 and the global war on terror since.

Its important that the next generation, the generations who were not alive on that day, remember the impact to the nation as a whole, Dailey said. But most importantly, its a tribute to over 2,900 people who lost their lives that day. ... Its a tribute to the families who lost their loved ones in the towers, in the Pentagon and in the airplanes and also to loss of the loved ones of the first-responders who responded without hesitation the day those events happened.

Its a tribute to all those who lived in fear for many years that terror brings to a nation, to a peaceful place, he said. And its a tribute to all those who raised their hand and said I will continue to serve and sacrifice for this nation.

Among those who died in the attacks on 9/11 and the subsequent war on terror include nine service members from Cumberland County and eight U.S. Army War College graduates.

Audience members bowed their heads and closed their eyes as those names were read aloud.

Where were you on 9/11?

So much has happened and so many people have been affected, Dailey said. It is important that we continue to ask that question.

Dailey was sworn in as the 15th sergeant major of the Army on Jan. 30, 2015. In that capacity, he serves as the Army chief of staffs personal adviser on matters affecting the enlisted force.

The Christian Business Mens Connection of Carlisle also hosted its third annual 9/11 Community Prayer Breakfast prior to the ceremony at Root Hall. The breakfast featured keynote speaker Col. Jim Puchy (retired), who provided his eyewitness account of the events that unfolded on the morning of 9/11 at the Pentagon.

Defense Distribution Center hosts Perry

For it Patriot Day Remembrance & POW/MIA Recognition Day 2017 event, the Defense Distribution Center, Susquehanna installation in New Cumberland hosted U.S. Congressman Scott Perry who served as the events keynote speaker.

Installation commander Army Col. Brad Eungard opened the event, asking the audience to remember the words offered by President George W. Bush in response to the Sept. 11 attacks.

We will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail. Eungard told the audience that the day honors not only those citizens and first-responders who lost their lives on Sept. 11, but also those service responders that risk their lives every day for the safety of the countrys citizens.

During his remarks, Perry reflected on how the day often brings about conflicting emotions.

I can remember exactly what I was doing 16 years ago, Perry said. The nation was awakened from a slumber. I remember feeling hopelessness ... what can I do? What should I do? I had feelings of outright rage and anger. But its appropriate to forgive. Its also appropriate not to forget.

Concluding his remarks, Perry reminded the audience of the way the country came together following the attack, and asked that everyone recognize that the country works best in unison.

Think about our country and how we came together when we chose to  and it is a choice. It doesnt take a tragedy, Perry said. We love what we have in this country and its worth fighting for; its worth coming together for.

The event closed with a field cross ceremony performed by the American Legion Riders, Post 143 and a bagpipe rendition of Amazing Grace.
When it comes to vulnerable populations, children being one of them, we as a nation prefer to wait until something horrific happens until we take action, be it death due to lack of oxygen in a hospital, or sexual assault and murder inside school premises.

The sexual assault and murder of a young boy at Ryan International School, Gurugram, and alleged rape of a young girl at Tagore Public School, Delhi, has thrown light on the appalling state of child safety in India, but what is equally unfortunate is that the incidents will soon recede from public memory, and children across the country will continue to be unsafe.

The point that needs to be driven home is that this is not a stray incident, that Ryan International is not a unique defaulter, that status quo will ensure that grotesque crimes like these are likely to repeat themselves and we don't know when or where, unless something changes now. At a time like this, we need to persist and ask  what are the preventive measures in place for child safety in schools, to what extent are they followed, who is accountable for lapses, and what needs to be done to fix the flaws in the system?

Lack of preventive measures in law

If we look at the law, the Right to Education Act (RTE) prescribes recognition norms for schools. However, by way of safety, the only conditions schools are required to follow is 'arrangements for securing the school building by boundary wall or fencing' and providing separate toilets for girls and boys. It is another matter that there are likely to be a large number of schools which don't meet even these basic standards.

The RTE Rules in each state may instate further conditions, but most states don't have specific measures relating to child safety. For instance, the Haryana RTE Rules which are applicable to Ryan International, enable the state government to require schools to furnish compliance reports, but don't elaborate on the nature of compliances. States also have their own Education Acts which impose additional conditions on schools, but these are likely to be in the nature of furnishing building and fire safety certificates at the time of applying for recognition.

The RTE also provides for monitoring mechanisms in the form of the National and State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights. However, suo motu action on part of these commissions is infrequent and they are only called into play once a grievance is registered. Moreover, they are notoriously under-resourced and ill-equipped to properly enforce child rights across all the schools in their jurisdiction.

The POCSO Act criminalises sexual abuse of children and lays down punishments for offenders. It also, incidentally, prohibits media reports from disclosing the identity of the victim - a provision which is being flouted with abandon in this case. However, while the law provides forums for registering complaints and consequences for violations, there simply aren't adequate preventive measures for ensuring child safety.

Model child safety norms for schools

What would such measures look like? There are several protocols we may refer to. At the Central level, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has published guidelines for regulating private play schools which include detailed conditions for toilet facilities, CCTV surveillance, and affidavits from office bearers of the school stating that they have never been convicted under any child rights legislation. These guidelines are in line with the National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy, 2013 - another comprehensive policy which addresses child safety within schools.

There is a Model Education Code prepared by the National University for Educational Planning and Administration in 2015, which prohibits construction work in schools during working hours and requires all rooms of the school, including toilets, to be checked before the building is locked, among other things. IN 2014, the MHRD itself had notified a set of guidelines in pursuit of child safety and well-being in schools. These include training for children and teachers for dealing with specific hazards on their way to school, and strict background checks for drivers and other staff.

Karnataka notified a Model Child Safety Policy last year, following a spate of incidents where children were molested or otherwise harmed in Bangalore schools. The policy lists tasks for each department of the State government dealing with children or schools, as well as a coordination mechanism. It requires schools to set up child protection committees of their own and create a customised child safety protocol. It also recommends supporting measures such as helplines, child complaint boxes and thorough background checks for recruiting teachers and other staff.

The trouble with all these policies is that they are unenforceable - there is no legal obligation for school managements or government officials to abide by them.

Points of action

Both the central and state governments must consider notifying in law a set of non-negotiable child safety conditions for schools. These can be added as amendments to the RTE, or states can create customised norms in line with Central guidelines and accordingly modify their RTE Rules or State acts. These conditions must be applicable to all schools  government, private, minority, non-minority. There is a critical regulatory objective that the state needs to adopt here  a school which is incapable or unwilling to guarantee child safety should simply not be allowed to function.

A crucial step in ensuring child safety is regular monitoring - an area where the state continues to fail. This is where parents need to step in. School Management Committees in government schools and PTAs in private schools are in a good position to regularly demand information and compliance from school managements. They need to question  does the school have a safety protocol in place? Are the backgrounds of teachers and all persons who come in contact with the child verified? Are they trained in dealing with children who are under stress or trauma?

Another important point of action is for the state to stop flinching at the prospect of sex education in schools and institute a comprehensive curriculum which informs children of their rights and educates them about healthy and appropriate sexual behaviour. There is much talk about the evils of social media, but the fact is that children cannot be locked away from exposure to information on the internet. The onus should be on caregivers to direct them to the right information.

There is a lot that can be done to prevent further incidence of child abuse in schools, if all stakeholders act now. The key is to focus on sustained prevention everywhere, rather than wait for specific cases to blow up.

The author is a former Research Fellow at the Education Initiative, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

Click here for LIVE updates on the case
New Delhi: In the wake of a boy's murder in a Gurugram school bathroom and rape of a minor girl in a school, the Delhi government on Monday announced police verification of non-teaching staff of all government and private schools in three weeks.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said all schools would furnish details of such staff within a week to police which in turn will complete the verification in 15 days.

Sisodia said the decision was taken in an emergency meeting in New Delhi on Monday.

A decision to install closed-circuit television in all classrooms, stairways, galleries, washrooms, and other open spaces in all schools was also taken.

Though no deadline was given for this, Sisodia said, monthly reports on whether the CCTVs were functional or not should be submitted by all schools to the Delhi government.

He said a committee comprising principals of schools of Municipal Corporations of Delhi, Delhi government, New Delhi Municipal Council, private ones and officials of transport and education departments to suggest steps to ensure student safety in schools.
New Delhi: A greater presence of women  employees and bus drivers  in schools can help address the issue of safety on campus, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Monday, days after a 7-year-old Gurugram student was killed in a washroom.

Schools and parents need to work together to find a solution to the issue of students' safety, the minister said.

"There should be more and more women employees in schools and school buses can also have women drivers so that there is more safety for students," Javadekar told reporters here.

The human resource development minister said he would talk to parents and school authorities after the initial probe into the killing of the boy was over.

"The culprits will be booked and charge-sheeted and we will address this issue," he added.

The killing of the class 2 student of Gurugram's Ryan International School sparked outrage among parents and others on the issue of safety of children in schools.

The boy was found dead, with his throat slit, in the school's washroom last week. The police alleged he had been killed by a school bus conductor.

The minister said the murder and the recent rape of a five-year-old girl, allegedly by a peon in her school premises, were "heinous crimes".

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre and the CBSE in connection with a plea filed by the boy's father, seeking a CBI probe into the case.

"We will definitely give a reply to the Supreme Court. We will arrive at a better solution by talking to everybody," Javadekar said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had on Saturday set up a two-member fact finding committee to enquire into the student's death and negligence, if any, on the school authorities' part.

The CBSE also asked the school to submit a report to it.

Ryan Pinto, CEO of the Ryan International Schools Group, had on Sunday said the school should not be held "culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances" and added that the management was cooperating with the police in its probe.
New Delhi: The Tamil Nadu farmers, who have resorted to increasingly desperate modes of protest for loan waiver and other demands, now say they plan to march nude and even attempt suicide.

On Monday, they marched near Jantar Mantar clad in just loin cloths, demanding a Rs 40,000 crore drought relief package, insurance for their crops and the setting up of a Cauvery Management Board by the Centre.

The Parliament Street Police detained around 25 farmers.

Farmers leader P Ayyakkannu said, "They detained us without citing any reasons. No one has the right to stop people from protesting." "Tomorrow we will take out a nude procession. If our demands are not met, we will even commit suicide by slitting our throats," he threatened.

A senior official from the Parliament Street Police Station said the farmers were detained after they started stripping on the protest street in Jantar Mantar where women were also demonstrating.

On Sunday, the farmers, who have been protesting for nearly two months in their second round of agitations in the national capital, consumed human excreta to draw attention towards their issues.

In their first round of protests earlier in 2017, they had shaved their heads and half their moustaches, held mice and snakes in their mouths, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and even carried skulls of other farmers who had committed suicide due to debt pressure.
There was quite a media frenzy when over 1.6 lakh students from Varanasi were told that they would have to attend school on 17 September, a Sunday on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 67th birthday, on Sunday. But the Uttar Pradesh government has since clarified that state primary schools will not be open on the holiday.

 17 , 2017                     Government of UP (@UPGovt) September 8, 2017

Nonetheless, the celebrations do not end there for Modi's upcoming birthday as the Uttar Pradesh BJP unit has gone all out with a slew of programmes to celebrate the occasion.

The state's BJP wing will be organising celebrations in schools a day prior to Modi's birthday, on 16 September. Over 130 Varanasi government schools will have to attend a lecture by party leaders and MLAs on "public welfare schemes and achievements" of the government, and they will also be given "gift packets" of sweets and stationary. According to the party state co in-charge, Sunil Ojha, the celebrations will be held from 8 to 11 am.

It is interesting to note that Varanasi districts Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Brij Bhushan Chaudhary told Indian Express, I have not received any application so far from BJP for permission to hold any such programme in government primary schools. Once they submit an application, it will be considered.

In retaliation, the partys Varanasi Mahanagar president Pradeep Agrahari said that the primary schools in question are government schools and hence they (the BJP workers) do not need permission to hold celebrations there. Whether this back and forth for permission will come into play during the premature birthday celebrations is worth looking out for.

BJP spokesperson for Kashi, Sanjay Bhardwaj said that it would be mandatory for schools to place a picture of the Modi at the programme.

UP BJP spokesperson Chandramohan told the Economic Times that children are the future of the country and "there is no better time to groom them."

Anupma Jaiswal, minister of state for basic education (independent charge), told the Times of India that this would be an opportunity for BJP MLAs in the state to go to one school each and "take stock of the facilities in the schools" while the celebrations take place.

"MLAs who have adopted schools in their region will go there and promote prime minister Modis message of cleanliness as a part of the celebrations," she said. Satish Mahana, minister for industrial development told the Economic Times that all senior officials, not just MLAs and party leaders, but even senior police officials and bureaucrats, will be "encouraged" by the state government to visit the schools.

As if that was not enough fanfare, the Indian Express report adds that in honour of the beti bachao, beti padhao scheme, a programme will be organised at Assi ghat on 16 September. Add to that the various Swachh Bharat initiatives the party has planned on Modi's birthday too.

Media sources report that party workers will participate in cleanliness drives across the constituency on 17 September and it is compulsory for workers to clean all crossings in Varanasi during the day. Come evening, the crossings will be adorned with 67 earthen lamps, Modi's age, of course.

Driving the age point further, the party women workers will decorate exactly 67 ghats and release earthen lamps in river Ganga. Free medical camps will also reportedly be organised in the city.

Recently, the Union human resource development ministry also sent a directive to educational institutions to have a 'cleanliness fortnight' i.e. a 'Swachhta Pakhwada' from 1 to 15 September, reports the Hindustan Times. Not just schools, vice-chancellors of colleges were also told to organise activities in their universities and to make sure affiliated colleges participated in these events.

To ensure that Modi lives up to his social media prowess, the team of the second most followed leader on Twitter has already devised a hashtag '#NamoBirthday' to mark the occasion. "Write your wishes with hashtag #NamoBirthday as comments below by logging in directly or through Facebook, Twitter or Google+. You can also SMS your wishes to toll-free number 9227411117," the leader's website NarendraModi.in states.

Modi celebrated his 66th birthday in Gujarat, a highlight of which was when he spent time with his mother. Some argue that even these undertakings were a calculated move.

Economic Times adds that BJP has 311 MLAs in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly, which could explain the grand-scale celebration.
Days after a 7-year-old boy was murdered by a bus conductor in a private school in Gurugram for allegedly resisting a sexual assault, another case of a 5-year-old girl being raped by a peon inside the premises of a Delhi school has sent shock waves across the country, prompting many to question our laws regarding sexual offences.

Until 2012, India did not have a dedicated legislation to prosecute those accused of child abuse. All such cases were tried under the Indian Penal Code and the offences were treated as rape (Section 375), outraging the modesty of a woman (Section 354) or unnatural offences (Section 377).

The POCSO Act

On 22 May 2012, the Parliament passed Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act, now popularly known as the POCSO Act. The Act, which does not discriminate on the basis of gender of the victim, provides for a variety of offences under which an accused can be punished.

The Act defines a child as a person under age of 18 years (however, it does not consider the mental age of the victim). It recognises forms of penetration other than peno-vaginal penetration and criminalises other acts of immodesty against children, too. With respect to pornography, the Act criminalises even watching or collection of pornographic content involving children.

In order to provide a speedy trial, the state government, in consultation with the chief justice of the regional high court, is required to designate for each district a Court of Session to be a special court to try the offences under this Act.

However, the POCSO Act has has its biggest impact through the various procedural reforms it has brought about, making the tedious process of trial significantly easier for children. Some of these procedural reforms have been explained below.

Reporting of cases of child abuse

Beyond stipulating details of how the incident is to be reported to the local police and the duty of the police to relay the information to the Child Welfare Committee and the Special Court within 24 hours, the Act says that the person who reports the incident "in good faith" will not be under any legal liability after the registration of the case.

However, anyone in the knowledge of the crime who fails to report it to the police shall be punished as per law.

The Act also warns against false complaints, saying that anyone who files a false report "solely with the intention to humiliate, extort or threaten someone, shall be punished with imprisonment, fine or with both".

If the local police feels the child against whom the offence has been committed is in need of care and protection, it is duty-bound to make immediate arrangements to give him/ her adequate protection, such as admitting the child into a shelter home or to the nearest hospital within 24 hours of the report.

Recording the child's statement

The POCSO Act requires the statement of the child to be recorded at the victim's residence, and preferably by a woman police officer. The officer who is recording the statement cannot be in uniform, and has to converse to the child in a language that is understood by him/ her.

The Act says that it is the duty of the police officer involved in the investigation to ensure that at no point of time the child comes in the contact with the accused while the examination is on. It goes on to state that the child is not to see the accused later at any point of the trial in the either.

The medical examination of the child has to be conducted in the presence of the child's parents, and in case the victim is female, the examination has to be carried out by a woman doctor.

When the child gives his/ her statement to the magistrate, it is compulsory for the authorities to record it on an electronic medium, and hold it in the presence of the child's parents.

Procedure for the media

Media houses, in their reports on the incident, cannot disclose the identity of the child including his/ her name, address, photograph, family details, school, neighbourhood or other particulars.

However, if the special court feels such a disclosure is in the interest of the victim, the media is free to report on them. Failure to adhere to these norms will lead to punishment for the publisher or owner of the media house.

In another section, the Act makes it mandatory for the media to report to the police on coming across any material which is sexually exploitative of a child through the use of any medium.
Kolkata: BJP national president Amit Shah on Sunday arrived in the city on a three-day visit to expand the party's base in Bengal.

BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said, Shah arrived at around 11 pm and is scheduled to hold meetings with party leaders on Monday.

"On 12 September, he is scheduled to meet party workers who are victims of TMC's violence and will also meet intellectuals of the city," Bengal BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu said.

Basu said Shah would hold a press meet on 13 September besides attending a meeting with a chamber of commerce.

State BJP sources said, detailed report of the party's rise in vote share in the recently held civic polls in seven municipalities would be placed before him.

Shah had last visited the state in April 2017.
Hyderabad: Assam's Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said he is confident that the BJP, along with its allies, would come to power in all the eight north-eastern states by November next year.

He said the new mission for the party is to be in power in all the eight north-eastern states.

"As of now, we have five states with us... as BJP and with our allies. Recently, we had a convention on north-east political parties. Our national president has said that we should get eight out of eight. This is a new mission for us," Sarma told PTI in Hyderabad.

Asked about resignation of some BJP leaders in Meghalaya over the Centre's ban on sale of cattle in animal markets for slaughter, Sarma said the party has clarified in no uncertain terms that it does not want to interfere with the food habit of anybody.

"I think if somebody is eating something which they feel is good for them, culturally, they feel that it is part of their food habit, we are no one to ask them to change that.

"So, we have said in no uncertain terms, while we like that people should have certain food habits, we do not want to impose that. Because, our liking should not be imposed on somebody else," he said.

The party has told Meghalaya BJP leaders that it does not want to interfere in the food habits, Sarma said.

"We have told them categorically and it has nothing to do with election. We are saying if you have a particular food habit, continue with that. We have no issue," he said, adding those issues are "of the past and we have gone beyond that."

Sarma was in Hyderabad to attend the GST Council meeting on Saturday.

"I think by February 2018, two states  Meghalaya and Tripura  are going for election. We should have both. Then (in) November 2018, Mizoram is going for election. I think we will have that also," he said.

"I am confident that by November 2018, we will have all the eight states with BJP or with our allies," Sarma said.
In Delhi University's North Campus, student bodies across political lines, it appears, are united in their defiance of Swachh Bharat.

Ahead of the elections, which are scheduled for 12 September, every other wall is taped with posters and the streets are besieged by a sea of pamphlets. While some continue to believe that paper wastage isn't as big a problem as chemical or industrial wastage, data from the Studies conducted by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), as quoted by NITI-Aayog's 2015 report of the sub-group of chief ministers on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, shows that solid waste composition has changed rapidly during 1996-2011. If in 1996, paper composed 3.63 percent of the country's solid waste then in 2011, the figure stood at 9.63 percent.

Just last week, the Delhi High Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) expressed their shock over the massive misuse of pamphlets, flyers and posters during the DUSU elections. A high court bench asked authorities to inspect areas where such posters had been put up by student wings and sought an action report before the next date of hearing on 11 September, a day before the elections. The court is hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate Prashant Manchanda, alleging disruption of classrooms by candidates and student outfits.

Judgments have been made in the past but haven't as such managed to intervene. In July 2016, the NGT principal bench responded to an application regarding directing paperless canvassing in DUSU elections and ensuring of environment-friendly methods of campaigning. The applicant raised the issue of large-scale abuse of paper in canvassing for the election for the Delhi University and South University Unions and to curtail this abuse.

Counsel appearing on behalf of the applicant submitted: "This Tribunal has taken cognizance of the wrong to the environment caused on account of the indiscreet use of paper in elections resulting in environmental degradation. It is true that the abuse of paper finally adds to the pollution load on the environment."

The same order stated that the University Grants Commission (UGC) reveals that it has no power to direct and regulate the conduct of the elections to the student unions in the university. So, it directed that the respondents 'shall not allow use/pasting of posters/pamphlets everywhere within the campus and public streets by the students but only allow the candidates contesting elections or their pre-notified student agents to utilise handmade posters at certain notified places not exceeding two within each campus'.

Another point it makes is that the respondents 'shall strictly enforce the Lyngdoh Commission recommendations and for that purpose frame rules or incorporate in the rules governing the student body elections stringent provisions  even to the extent of disqualifying the concerned contestants for implementation of the said recommendations including these directions.'

The Lyngdoh Committee was set up by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2006 as per the direction of the Supreme Court to reform students' union elections and to get rid of money and muscle power in student politics. Here are the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations specific to cleanliness:

"No candidate shall be permitted to make use of printed posters, printed pamphlets, or any other printed material for the purpose of canvassing. Candidates may only utilize handmade posters for the purpose of canvassing, provided that such hand-made posters are procured within the expenditure limit set out herein above. Candidates may only utilize hand-made posters at certain places in the campus, which shall be notified in advance by the election commission/University authority. No candidate shall, nor shall his/her supporters, deface or cause any destruction to any property of the university/college campus, for any purpose whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the college/university authorities. All candidates shall be held jointly and severally liable for any destruction /defacing of any university/college property. All candidates shall be jointly responsible for ensuring the cleaning up of the polling area within 48 hours of the conclusion of the polling."

We asked both the NSUI and ABVP candidates about the excessive use of paper while campaigning. ABVP's presidential candidate Rajat Choudhary said that the NSUI had put up more posters and then moved on to other issues his party is focusing on  metro fair, lack of hostels and women's safety at night.

We also asked Avinash Yadav of the NSUI, who is contesting for the post of joint secretary, about the environment and he immediately reacted by saying that the ABVP has made the university's environment violent and volatile.

Independent candidate Raja Choudhary told Firstpost that he had received threats from ABVP saying they'd cancel his nomination. They let him retain his candidacy only after his supporters staged a protest. "In the Lyngdoh Committee, it is stated that students will be the representatives and student bodies cannot overpower them. Among the many other recommendations of the committee that are being violated is a budget ceiling of Rs 5,000 per candidate and paperless campaigning," he elaborated.

His supporters can be seen on campus carrying hand-coloured chart papers, staging a silent procession. Raja has now been given security following his complaint to the police and the chief election commissioner about being beaten up and threatened by the ABVP.

In this social media age, it might be logical and easier to go paperless. Unlike in JNU, where satire and poetry are sketched on walls and street plays and parodies lend rhythm to the elections, a typical DU wall will carry a cluster of similar posters  bearing only the name and party of the candidate and sometimes a ballot box number.

It lacks the sort of creativity that is expected from young minds committing themselves to democracy and change. Instead, an arrogant violation of guidelines and a flashy show of power foster an environment of hostility, making both the students and the locals tense.
    :             ,     
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday spoke with the family members of a seven-year-old boy who was killed in the toilet of a Gurugram school.

Kumar also spoke with his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar, requesting him to meet the family members who hail from Bihar's Madhubani district.

In his telephonic conversation, Kumar said a meeting of the Haryana chief minister with the deceased's family would not only instill a sense of confidence but also ensure a faster and impartial probe, an official release said.

Khattar assured Kumar that he would meet the family members, it said.

Kumar had on Sunday also asked Khattar to take stern action against those involved in the killing.

The Bihar chief minister had directed the resident commissioner in Delhi to immediately send officials to Gurugram to meet the grieving family and console them.

On the chief minister's directive, Bihar Director General of Police PK Thakur had talked to his Haryana counterpart and requested him to to take the strongest possible action against the culprits.

The Class II student was found dead with his throat slit inside a toilet of Ryan International School on 8 September.

Click here to follow LIVE updates
India is a strange place. Here, the chief minister of a state stops students from watching live prime minister's address to the nation, and yet claims to be a champion of free speech. In the fiefdom of West Bengal, the Mamata Banerjee government crushes dissenting voices, prevents Opposition from holding conventions in state-run auditoriums while she appears at a candlelight vigil to mourn the death of a journalist whose murder she blames (without any evidence) on 'intolerance'.

The move to deny university students in Bengal the chance to watch prime minister's speech was in particularly bad taste. Only one other state had joined Mamata Banerjee in her pettiness. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah's compulsions could still be attributed to jitteriness ahead of the impending Assembly polls, though nothing justifies the blocking. Narendra Modi wasn't delivering an election rally.

The prime minister was addressing students across the nation on Monday morning from New Delhi's Vigyan Bhavan to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address and Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary celebrations. The subject themed on 'Young India, New India,' was apolitical, the speech was unexceptionable and the message was simple: using the power of youth for nation-building.

The Bengal government, however, preempted a saffron ghost inside prime minister's communication and asked all state-run universities and colleges to ignore UGC's directive on live-streaming Monday's event. "It is not acceptable to us as we feel it is a clear attempt at saffronisation of education. The colleges and universities in the state were surprised by the UGC circular. Then they approached us. I have clearly told them that there is no necessity to adhere to the UGC directive, Partha Chatterjee was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

This isn't the first time that the West Bengal government has refused to abide by UGC circulars. During Independence Day, it had asked all educational institutions under its aegis to ignore the programmes suggested by the Centre to celebrate India's freedom from British rule.

Heavy handed tactics like these are usually counterproductive. Though there has been no evidence to prove that Gauri Lankesh's murder was driven by politics or ideology, the tragic incident reinforced in public discourse the cliche about ideas transcending the brute force of bullets. By denying the students a chance to watch live-streaming of prime minister's address, all that Mamata Banerjee succeeded in doing is to appear churlish and showcase her hypocrisy in the fight against suppression of dissent.

Modi didn't waste the opportunity. Knowing well the motives behind the move, he shunned all political messaging and delivered an inclusive, directional and inspirational speech. He picked up threads from Swami Vivekananda's 1893 Chicago address and weaved it into his idea of a 'New India'. Further, in his eulogisation of Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda as "Bengal's children", the attempt to draw a contrast with Mamata's 'intolerance' was clear.

"Both Rabindranath Tagore and Vivekandanda were Bengal's children. On my international visits, I feel proud to say Tagore wrote national anthems for Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. Do we take pride in this?" the prime minister asked. Modi added,"After Rabindranath Tagore was given the Nobel Prize for Literature and Swami Vivekananda was known across the world for his Chicago speech, India gained a significant place in the world map. It is a matter of pride that both these individuals hail from Bengal."

The reference to Tagore will cut deeper than is apparent at first. In the fight fo a footprint in Bengal, BJP's biggest weakness, which Mamata Banerjee has been able to exploit, is a lack of a cultural connect. The chief minister has sought to battle BJP's upward curve by trying to showcase it as a sort of 'non-Bengali other'  a political force antithetical to the culture and 'idea of Bengal'. This creation of a sub-identity of 'Bengalism' within the larger national identity is deliberate and is meant to transcend the 'Hindu victim' card that BJP has bet on while trying to make inroads.

Mamata didnt waste the chance when an RSS ideologue suggested a revision of school textbooks by removing references to Tagore. "Soon they will remove everyone from the country. How can one even talk of removing Tagore from school text books? This is just rubbish. He is the pride of the world, everybody respects him," Mamata had said in July.

Modi's reference to Tagore on Monday, therefore, was both a gambit against Mamata's 'intolerance' and an attempt to appropriate the strongest signifier of Bengali identity. Apart from the deliberate messaging, the unintended one was equally important. There might be a thousand political opportunities for Mamata to pit herself as the fulcrum of Opposition resistance against BJP. But to attempt to do so on this occasion was a poor move. If anything, by blocking the prime minister's speech while he celebrated Swami Vivekananda's philosophy as the cornerstone of nation-building effort, Mamata may have unwittingly let BJP appropriate yet another icon.

In his rather long address, Modi sought to marry two rather diverging ideas into one cognitive whole.

When he said Swami Vivekananda's way of reaching God was not through rituals, but through service to mankind and attached it to cleaning the nation by asking, "Do we even have the right to chant Vande Mataram today? I know my question will hurt some people, but how can we chant Vande Mataram while soiling the nation? Those who clean the nation are the real sons and daughters of Bharat Maata," he was trying to link faith and religiosity with nation-building  with one fervor replacing the other.

We find a reinforcement of this attempt when he mentioned toilets before temples, stressed on sanitation of workers, touched upon social ills of untouchability and urged students to build a cross-cultural connection to build a unified India. He also encouraged students to create employment and dipped into Vivekananda's correspondence with Jamsetji Tata to stress on the need for self-reliance.

Modi's overall attempt was to elevate nation-building and nationalism on to a much higher plane where these are immune to Leftist construct of fascism. It was clear that Modi was aware of the controversy around his address and sought to maximize his gains by appearing more inclusive than his rivals. This was a master communicator at work.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) elections were once again swept by the Left Unity panel comprising AISA-SFI-DSF (All India Students' Association, Students' Federation of India, and Democratic Students' Federation respectively).

The voter turnout was slightly lower in terms of percentage  56 percent as compared to 59 percent last year. However, in absolute numbers, the voting was much lower due to a reduced total, as the JNU administration had cut nearly a 1,000 seats for the current academic session. For a comparison with elections at full academic strength, it would require adding roughly 150 votes to the totals of the top three major parties, given a similar turnout.

Out of 4,620 votes polled for the president's post, AISA's Geeta Kumari secured 1,506 votes, leaving behind Nidhi Tripathi of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) by almost 460 votes. For the vice-president's post, Simone Zoya Khan got elected with 1,876 votes. SFI's Duggirala Srikrishna got a massive 2,082 votes to be elected as the general secretary, grabbing the highest number of individual votes for any post as well as the highest margin of victory. He also got the highest voting percentage out of all the central panel candidates from the school they studied in. DSFs Shubhanshu Singh got 1,755 votes to secure the post of joint secretary.

As had happened last year, the ABVP emerged as the single largest party on campus, placed with concrete 950-odd votes on average for every central post, and over 10 councillor posts at the school-level, primarily from science. However, as compared to 1,200 total last year, ABVP's votes went down.

ABVP pushed the Ambedkarite party, Birsa Phule Ambedkar Students' Association (BAPSA), to the third position in every central panel post, with average votes in the late 800s, despite being backed by the Muslim group Students Islamic Organisation (SIO). Last year, Rahul Sonpimple from BAPSA had been a particularly strong runner-up for president, securing 1,488 votes.

The presidential debate did not change the outcome of the election significantly the way it had, in 2015, when it had propelled Kanhaiya Kumar to victory, or Rahul Sonpimple in 2016. The showstopper of the presidential debate this year was an independent candidate, Mohammad Farooque Alam, who was the only major male candidate and a colourful speaker. He secured 419 votes, leaving the AISF candidate Aparajitha Raja, who had been widely expected to dominate the presidential debate, behind at 416 votes. His performance is a sign that the campus is still open to a candidate critical of the hegemony of party politics and one who talks about 'chatraneeti' and not 'rajneeti'.

Interestingly, on posts other than the president, the number of NOTA votes, representing liberal and progressive voter dissatisfaction with the Left, were seemingly high this time. In the vice-president and joint secretary post, the number of NOTA votes were 495 and 501 respectively.

But, in a surprise, SSS didnt vote a single NOTA in the councillor posts maintaining the character of the school as a highly opinionated one. Congress's students wing, National Students' Union of India (NSUI), could not secure more votes than NOTA in any of the office-bearer posts.

Newly elected JNUSU president Geeta's relatively lower margin of victory is not necessarily an indicator of a weak candidacy. Firstly, to compete with her name recognition and popularity, every party nominated a female candidate for president, attempting to herd the female vote back into party lines.

Secondly, NOTA votes in JNU are an indicator of dissatisfaction with the incumbent Left, and right-wing votes never go NOTA. The NOTA votes at the president's post were far fewer than other posts, showing a relatively higher voter satisfaction with the choices and the candidate of the incumbent (as evidenced by the NOTA votes in other positions, where the fight was between the Left, ABVP and BAPSA).

At the general secretary post, there was a huge NOTA vote count despite the Left candidate having the highest margin for any post. Thirdly, unlike last year, and unlike at the other posts, there was a strong second Left candidate, namely Aparajitha of AISF.

Apart from the central panel, the Left got majorities in all the three big schools viz School of Social Sciences (SSS), School of International Studies (SIS) and School of Languages, Literature and Culture Studies (SLL&CS). In SLL&CS, out of the total 1,481 votes polled, AISAs Aditi Chatterjee, who was running for a second term, secured the highest number of votes at 678. The other winners are Gulam Qadeer, Parveen Sheikh, Raju Kumar and Swati Singh  all from the Left panel.

In SIS, out of a total 806 votes, Marie Pegu got 302 votes, topping the list. The other elected councillors are Aishe Ghosh, Pramod Kumar, Sarthak Bhatia and Shashi Kant Tripathy. In SSS, a lacklustre outgoing set of councillors led to Umar Khalid's organisation Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Students' Association (BASO) fielding its only candidate Chepal Sherpa, topping the list with 552 votes out of a total 1,285 votes polled. The other councillors are Sudhanya Pal, Aejaz Ahmad Rather, Shreyasi Biswas and Satish Chandra Yadav, all from the AISA and SFI, with votes in the late 400s.

ABVPs biggest success is that they have successfully penetrated the SLL&CS over the past decade. Even though the elected councillors in SLL&CS are all from the Left camp, ABVP still has a large share of votes coming from the school, which has been a Left base for years. Further, in the science schools, ABVP and ABVP-backed candidates maintained their bastion, though the margins were slightly reduced.

BAPSA, on the other hand, with its espousal of Dalit causes and combative anti-Left rhetoric, has maintained its position, showing it is here to stay, a force which the Left and the Right must take account of. In just a few years of formation, they have made a significant presence and it seems they have a concrete cadre base and a stable vote bank (800-1000 votes of SC/ST and some of the OBC vote, along with the vote of those dissatisfied with the Left parties. BAPSA and ABVP are nearly on equal footing  enough to stand a shot at victory if the Left alliance crumbles in the future, or against a badly performing incumbent.

AISA, in particular, has lost most of its Dalit and much of its Muslim base (which along with the liberal/progressive OBC vote gave full AISA panels victory over Left and ABVP competitors in the past till 2015), and the Left Unity alliance has been reduced to consolidating the liberal segment of the upper caste, OBC and Muslim sections of the student community, which were earlier strewn among various Left parties.

Further, preoccupation with national politics and media visibility as well as non-performance of Left panel school councils last year led to reduced vote share for the Left at the school level, with specific candidates campaigning on school-level issues doing better than their panel members in SSS.

The entry of BASO into electoral politics and elected office has many implications. BASO, formed in 2016 out of Democratic Students' Union (DSU), another far-Left organisation, did not contest elections till this year, being an anti-Lyngdoh Committee party. With the prospects of its political mileage due to the national coverage its leaders received in the February 2016 controversy eventually drying out, it joined the electoral fray.

Despite fielding only two candidates (one of whom won), and not differing substantially from the mainstream Left on campus issues (being outspoken and more radical on national-level issues), the organisation is currently seen to stand for alternative Left politics on campus  a charge it will be measured up to, which the party has not yet had the chance to prove. Non-performance would lead to it being lumped with the other Left parties in the eyes of the voters, further leading to disillusionment with the Left as a whole on campus-level issues.

Electoral violations also seemed to be on the rise. AISF members were allegedly wedging their election manifesto in students' doors at 5:40 am on a no-campaign day. Further, former JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid alleged in a Facebook post that the ABVP had indulged in a series of electoral violations:

The AISA-SFI-DSF led Left Unity has got an absolute majority mandate in the campus for another year. However, it must deal with trappings of its own incumbency, the many issues the campus is facing  such as the seat cut row, infrastructure issues, the Najeeb Ahmed case and issues on gender justice. It must also address the increasing divide between public needs on campus and the political deeds of parties on national issues.

Saib Bilaval is a PhD research scholar in Modern and Contemporary History at Centre for Historical Studies, JNU. Pinak Pani Datta is an MA scholar in Modern and Contemporary History at Centre for Historical Studies, JNU.
A week after the Union Cabinet reshuffle, Shiv Sena on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had offered a Cabinet berth to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule, but she refused the offer.

These claims were made in the Sunday edition of Shiv Sena's mouthpiece Saamna. In his editorial, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut wrote that Pawar had denied getting closer to the BJP-led NDA dispensation at the Centre as well as the state.

The editorial noted that the four-time Maharashtra chief minister decried all media speculations around NCP joining the Union Cabinet, adding that his daughter had told Modi that she would be the last person to join the BJP.

The editorial quoted Pawar as saying that the NCP is clear about its role as an Opposition party, while rumours of his party joining NDA are only circulating to create confusion. Reportedly, a close aide of the NCP chief told the media that Pawar was in Baramati, his hometown, and would respond to the Saamana article at an "appropriate" time.

However, the editorial had its suspicion on Pawar's intentions as it also claimed that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is in touch with NCP legislators. Raut speculated that BJP and NCP leaders might be having regular meetings to decide the terms of the alliance but added that would not impact the Shiv Sena.

Shiv Sena also warned that a BJP-NCP coalition will expose the ruling party, while it would end up being the "last straw on camel's back" for the 41-seat NCP. The Saamna editorial comes a few days after The Economic Times speculated in a report that Pawar, a three-time Union minister, might be inducted into reshuffled Cabinet. However, putting all speculations to rest, senior NCP leader Praful Patel tweeted that his party would not be part of the NDA.

There is no basis for speculation that NCP is joining government in Delhi.  Praful Patel (@praful_patel) August 28, 2017

Notably, the NCP had pledged unconditional support to the BJP after it emerged as the single largest party in the 2014 Assembly elections. However, after the BJP and Shiv Sena buried their hatchet to form an alliance, the party withdrew its support.
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Monday alleged the Rohingya Muslim community posed a "threat to the integrity and security" of Myanmar, prompting "strong action" by the country's government.

It praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not entertaining calls by "bogus secularists" to give shelter to Rohingya refugees.

An editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana Monday also lashed out at sections of the Muslim community in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, for hitting the streets last Friday to protest atrocities on Rohingya Muslims.

"Do the people who came out on streets even know where Myanmar is or what is happening in that country? Do they know anything about Rohingya issue?" it asked.

"The issue of Rohingya Muslims is Myanmar's internal matter. Strong action is being taken against them as they have posed a threat to integrity and security," it alleged.

"Rohingya Muslims follow the fatwas issued by Pakistan's Azhar Masood (leader of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad) and sow the seeds of division by creating religious strife," the editorial alleged.

"Some bogus secularists tried to secure shelter for Rohingya refugees in India...But Prime Minister Narendra Modi was unfazed. For this, we congratulate him specially," it added.

The editorial also alleged Rohingya Muslims want to divide Myanmar which no country can tolerate.
Reuters

Google appealed on 11 September against a record 2.4-billion-euro ($2.9 billion) EU antitrust fine, with its chances of success boosted by Intels partial victory last week against another EU sanction.

The worlds most popular Internet search engine, a unit of the U.S. firm Alphabet, launched its appeal two months after it was fined by the European Commission for abusing its dominance in Europe by giving prominent placement in searches to its comparison shopping service and demoting rival offerings.

The Luxembourg-based General Court, Europes second-highest, is expected to take several years before ruling on the appeal.

A court spokeswoman said Google had not asked for an interim order to suspend the European Union decision.

The Commission, which ordered Google to stop the practice by Sept. 28, is reviewing Googles proposal on how it would comply with the EU decision.

The EU competition enforcer will defend its decision in court, a spokesman said.

Lobby group FairSearch, whose members include Google rivals such as British shopping comparison site Foundem and U.S. travel site TripAdvisor (TRIP.O), said the EU decision was sound.

The Commissions decision stands on firm ground, both legally and factually, and we expect the Commission to win on appeal, FairSearch lawyer Thomas Vinje said.

The EU Court of Justice (ECJ) ordered a lower tribunal last week to re-examine U.S. chipmaker Intels appeal against a 1.06 billion euro fine, a rare setback for the Commission.
tech2 News Staff

After a previous drop in price, LG has now cut the price of its flagship G6 smartphone once again. The new price cut comes down from a previous Rs 39,990, to a much lower Rs 37,990. The price of the device at launch was Rs 51,990 and has received several price cuts so far thanks to its specifications.

The LG G6 was a victim of short-sighted thinking as the device arrived early in markets without the latest chipset at the Mobile World Congress in February this year. With a year-old chipset, it was hard for buyers to even consider the device despite its dual camera setup and that 18:9 Full Vision display.

As of now the price tag has dropped down to Rs 37,990, but the new price cut only applies to the Astro Black and the Mystic White models.

Still then, the LG G6 makes for a rather interesting competitor to the OnePlus 5. It feaures IP 68 dust and water resistance and even a fish-effect second camera (using a 100 degree lens), which makes pictures a lot more interesting than a 1.6x zoom. Those looking for microSD card expansion will not be disappointed either as the LG G6 accepts microSD cards of up to 2 TB in capacity.

The first price cut that LG G6 received was a lot bigger at Rs 10,000. Still then, LG fans will be awaiting the arrival of the true flagship, the LG V30, which was recently announced in Korea. As of today, LG has yet to reveal the details of the India launch.
tech2 News Staff

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is hosting a series of campaigns across India under the "Campus Connect" initiative. The program is an effort to promote financial literacy among students across the country. The series of events started off in August, with integration of digital payments in campuses across the country. Management institutes in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai will host over 3,000 students from 25 universities. The students will be made familiar with financial products by NPCI such as the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM).

Mr. Nishith Chaturvedi, VP and Head, Human Resources, NPCI said, "The objective is to create awareness about significance of having a less-cash society to celebrate World Literacy Day. It also

serves the purpose of pre-placement talk at the campuses before NPCI visits the institute for campus hiring."

The program is being lead by the Human Resources vertical of the NPCI. The students will also be invited to participate in the "NPCI Ideathon", brainstorming sessions to come up with new ideas for the BHIM and UPI applications. A number of third party applications have started integrating UPI, which allows consumers to execute transactions directly from their bank accounts. Recent applications to support the feature include Uber and the Beta version of WhatsApp.
tech2 News Staff

While Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset sporting phones are still making their way to the market, rumours about its next flagship are already making the rounds online. Snapdragon 845, the alleged upcoming flagship System-on-Chip from Qualcomm has started appearing on benchmarking websites like GeekBench 4.

According to a report by Wccftech Snapdragon 845 beats the GeekBench 4 score of Apple A9 in the single-core category. The interesting thing to note here is that Qualcomm has not even announced Snapdragon 845.

According to the original post of Chinese microblogging website Weibo, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 scores more than 2600 on the single core benchmark test which means that it is more than the score of Apples A9 chipset. One must take into account, that the Apple A9 is not the latest and greatest from Apple and it powered the now considerably outdated iPhone 6S. This does show off the huge gap in the performance between Qualcomms Snapdragon and A series from Apple when it comes to single core performance.

Recently, reports were out stating that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 836 chipset does not exist. This chipset was allegedly going to be seen on the upcoming Google flagship phones, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

Android Police spoke to sources familiar with Qualcomm plans, who confirmed that there hadn't been a Snapdragon 836 in the works. XDA Developers has also confirmed with sources that the next premium SoC from Qualcomm will not be the Snapdragon 836.
Sheldon Pinto

After its first official announcement on 24 August this year at the IFA Berlin, Samsung Mobile India is all geared-up to launch its flagship Note 8 phablet in India on 12 September.

The company has been actively teasing and promoting the device across its social media channels and while we know about the device, its specifications, the big announcement in Delhi for Note fans (who have been waiting for more than a year now) at the launch will be its price tag.

The hype

Coming a little over a year later, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 will see a warm welcome from fans of the Note series in India. A recent report citing industry sources hinted that over 2.5 lakh fans in India have registered to buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. Out of these, about 1.5 lakh have registered on the Amazon India website with about 72,000 pre-bookings taking place on the very first day of the opening of the registrations.

Add to the above, nearly one lakh interested buyers who have registered to buy the Galaxy Note 8 on the Samsung India website and it is fairly clear that fans have been desperately waiting for a new Note after the last one was withdrawn from sales after some units started catching fire.

Where to catch it live

We have been invited to the grand launch to be held in Delhi at 12 pm on 12 September, but for those who cannot, the event will be live-streamed online for everyone to see. You can check out the Samsung Mobile India page for a live stream link. One that should be up a few hours before the launch takes place.

If you are not in an area with a stable network, you can follow us on Twitter for live updates, for the India specifications, options and finally the launch price. Simply search for @tech2eets and hit that 'follow' button.

Specifications and options

Since the international announcement took place in August, everyone is pretty much aware about the hardware specifications that will arrive on the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 in India.

That display would be a 6.3-inch QHD+ display sporting a resolution of 1,400 x 2,960 pixels in what Samsung has branded as the Infinity Display.

The overall shape is now more Note-like with sharper corners that are still rounded and maintain the new flagship design philosophy. On the back, things have changed a bit with a dual camera setup and the fingerprint reader now moving farther away from the centre, which may annoy a few users. Other finer details include an IP 68 dust and water resistance rating and the device weighs in at a hefty 195 grams.

As for the core specifications, buyers in India will be treated to a Samsung-made Exynos 8895 chipset instead of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset inside the US model. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy S8 that packed in 4 GB RAM as standard at launch (a 6 GB RAM model was launched later), the Note 8 will pack in 6 GB RAM (LP DDR4) with 64 GB/128 GB and even a 256 GB of internal storage that is expandable via a microSD card slot.

For now, there is no confirmation as to which of these variants would arrive in India, but expect Samsung India to launch only the 64 GB model to keep the pricing low. For those finding it a little too less, there's also a hybrid SIM setup to for expand storage, but it will only allow for microSD cards of up to 256 GB in capacity.

Moving to the cameras, the Galaxy Note 8 is the first smartphone from Samsung to pack in a dual camera setup. The device packs in two 12 MP cameras with varying lens setups. The front facing camera is an 8 MP AF unit with an f/1.7 aperture.

With the dual camera setup at the back, there is a 12 MP Dual Pixel AF camera with an f/1.7 aperture and OIS paired with a wide-angle lens. The second 12 MP camera features AF along with an f/2.4 aperture and OIS but with a telephoto lens that delivers 2X optical zoom. The camera can deliver up to 10x digital zoom.

Connectivity options include, 4G LTE support, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth v5.0, NFC, GPS and USB Type-C.

The device is equipped with an accelerometer, barometer, fingerprint sensor, gyro sensor, geomagnetic sensor, hall sensor, heart rate sensor, proximity sensor, RGB light sensor, iris sensor and a pressure sensor.

All of the above is powered by a 3,300 mAh battery that comes with Fast Charging. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 runs Android 7.1.1 out of the box and will be available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Maple Gold and Deepsea Blue. We can expect all three finishes to arrive in India.

Pricing

Indeed, this would have to be the most perplexing bit about Samsung Galaxy Note 8 launch in India and this is for two reasons.

The international model which has gone on pre-order in the UK is up for grabs at 869, which is approximately Rs 73,000 in Indian currency. This obviously does not include the various duties and taxes, but Samsung can control the price well, if it builds the Note 8 in India, like it did with the Samsung Galaxy S8 earlier this year.

Now is where we need to factor in the two reasons we mentioned earlier. We have the Samsung Galaxy S8+ model priced at Rs 64,900 officially. Then, there is the 6 GB RAM variant of the S8+ that is priced a tab bit higher at Rs 65,900 (currently out of stock). The 6 GB RAM version got a price cut recently and was earlier priced at Rs 70,900 in India.

Keeping the above in mind, it's easy to conclude that the Note 8 should be priced at Rs 69,900 for the 64 GB model, with a top of the line 256 GB model priced at around Rs 73,900. Indeed, these are not official yet, but going by the current pricing of the current Galaxy lineup, it seems most likely to be the way forward.

Like the Samsung Galaxy S8, Samsung could include a free-wireless charger for those who pre-ordered the device or even provide the Dex Station at half price. Those who pre-ordered the device should be in for a sweet surprise.
PTI

Scotland Yard today began an eight- week trial of a drone to support its policing operations across London. The drone, an Aeryon Skyranger being loaned to the Metropolitan Police by Sussex Police, will be available to officers dealing with incidents where air support would be of use, such as high risk missing people, serious traffic collisions, searches for suspects, weapon sweeps and others.

The drone will also provide aerial support for pre- planned and spontaneous firearms operations and surveying premises, as well as providing live footage of operational deployments to assist ground commanders decision making. "Today we are starting an eight-week trial of the drone, which we hope will assist officers with both day-to-day policing and complex pre-planned operations," said Met Police Commander Simon Bray.

"UAVs are already being used by police forces across the UK; the MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] currently owns one for examining crime scenes. We are committed to working with technology that can assist our officers with the wide range of often difficult and dangerous incidents they deal with on a daily basis," he said. While the drones primary purpose is similar to that of the police helicopters, the Met believes it has a distinct advantage over the helicopters in its small size and ability to cope with a wider variety of incidents.

The drone can operate in adverse weather conditions as well as indoor areas, and can send footage and images back to officers at the scene in real-time. A comprehensive analysis of the technique will take place at the end of the trial period.
Shefaly Yogendra

Even if the widely accepted statistic 8 out of 10 startups fail is wrong, it is true that a vast proportion of startups are likelier to fail than to succeed. As a result of hearing about it often, somewhere in our subconscious, we are perhaps better prepared for failing than we are for wild success, both the road to it and handling it.

But wild success can come to founders, and often does.

Many things go into the making of a successful business. The founder brings an idea, strategic focus, extreme discipline, execution abilities, ability to hire, inspire and retain people, integrity, and bus loads of luck. Luck is, of course, a funny thing because it cannot be modelled or otherwise made into a 2x2 matrix for others to emulate. Luck can be anything from being in the right place at the right time to having the right networks but also having the courage to call on people, uncommon resilience, finding a match between own risk appetite and the actual risk involved, and many other factors. It is also worth remembering that on the way to big success, most founders have given up control of the company.

But what does success look like? IPO? Millions in the bank? Including myself as a former founder, few founders spend time visualising what they will consider success. So external metrics often rule.

So the first tip to prepare for success  visualise it.

What does success mean to you? What is its form? What does it bring? What impact will it have on you?

Amongst good things, success may bring wealth and opportunity, and with it, the opportunity to use wealth to do more good or multiply the wealth itself. Wealth can buy material comfort and offer greater choices in daily life.

On the flip side, success can bring loss of control and, sometimes, of privacy. While building the business, many founders rightly seek publicity for the venture. The scrutiny can expand into their personal lives, something very few are prepared for. Fewer still are ready for the loss of control and the demands on their limited time success can bring. The humbler ones, who have not let success go to their heads, can ironically suffer more.

A successful founder in Delhi, who is a friend, is often unable to take any time to relax in one of his oldest hang-outs. I joked with him once that I saw him there and wanted to say hello, but he looked like he was in a business meeting. He sighed and said, Please, Shefaly, next time, come and rescue me, because all people want from me now is venture funding, and please lets not even mention the sycophancy I get. Oops!

Another founder in London told me how she was baffled by constantly being asked to collaborate or invited to events, by people who had never given her time of day during her hardest slog. I asked if she realised they were trying to borrow her brand equity and her social capital to advance their aims. She had not, and was surprised by the realisation.

The second tip to prepare for success  now that you feel less beholden to others than you were, be prepared to exercise much greater discretion than before.

The visualisation also helps generate options for the inevitable question, Now what?, especially if you as a founder are not engaged any longer in an executive capacity with what you created, and sometimes even if you are.

We end this series on Rudyard Kiplings If, wisdom that is good throughout the founding journey:

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, dont deal in lies,

Or being hated, dont give way to hating,

And yet dont look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dreamand not make dreams your master;

If you can thinkand not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth youve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: Hold on!

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kingsnor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything thats in it,

Andwhich is moreyoull be a Man, my son!

Shefaly Yogendra, PhD is a decision-making specialist, and advises founders and CEOs on technology, risk, branding and talent. She can be found on Twitter @Shefaly

This is the concluding part of the 22-part series (part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 , 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21) on the startup ecosystem.
IANS

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday lauded the contribution of Space Application Centre (SAC) here in India's space programme, saying it gave valuable inputs and thus made value additions to several prestigious space missions.

Currently, on a two-day visit to Gujarat, the Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space held a detailed review meeting with SAC scientists here.

Jitendra Singh appreciated advanced technology developed at SAC with regard to origami lens, indigenously developed Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit, and airborne low mass x-band Miniature Synthetic Aperture Radar for strategic applications as well as disaster management and optical trans-receiver satellite mobile radio among others.

The Minister said India has emerged as a world leader in space technology.

This has not only vindicated the noble initiative of Indian space programme's founding fathers like Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan, but also set example for other countries about how the space technology can be used effectively even for non-satellite mission programmes.

He said under the Modi government, the Department of Space has entered into memorandums of understanding with other ministries to enable space technology application in several important government programmes like Smart City, tele-education and telemedicine.

According to previous reports, Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space Jitendra Singh had said India was a world leader in space technology, owing to its recent landmark achievements in the field.

"Even as India is making rapid strides towards achieving the goal of becoming a world power within next one decade, it has already attained the position of a world leader in space technology through some of the recent landmark achievements," Singh said in a meeting with space department officials in New Delhi.
tech2 News Staff

After months of speculation, Xiaomi will finally unveil its new flagship, bezel-less smartphone, the Mi Mix 2 in an event in Beijing. The event will go live at 11:30 am Indian time (2 pm CST) and you can watch it on Facebook here, while also having an option of viewing it here on YouTube.

Xiaomi's CEO, Lei Jun had announced earlier that the Mi Mix 2 would launch on 11 September and the company also took to their Twitter handle to tease the new phone over the past week. Having created a stir last year, the Mi Mix was touted as the first truly bezel-less phone, making the launch of the Mi Mix 2, one of the most anticipated launched ahead of Apple's iPhone 8 event.

The Mi Mix 2 will feature what Xiaomi calls Full-screen display 2.0, the company's second iteration of the bezel-less display technology. Based on the latest reports we have, the display on Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 will be a 6.2-inch 2960 x 1440p AMOLED panel made by Samsung. While this does sound similar to the one on Samsung's Galaxy S8 Plus launched earlier, the Mix 2 is expected to have the highest screen-to-body ratio seen on a smartphone.

A beauty waiting to be unveiled - stay tuned for #2017MiProductLaunch! Who's watching out live stream at https://t.co/1uvcERxp3R ? pic.twitter.com/RrY85XUGHv  Mi (@xiaomi) September 10, 2017

In terms of internals, the Mi Mix 2 is expected to come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. Taking to social media platform Weibo, the chipset make Qualcomm pushed aside rumours of the Snapdragon 836 chipset making its way to the device. The phone is supposed to come with a healthy 6 GB of RAM and a sizeable 4,400-4,500 mAh battery.

The phone is also supposed to come with Android Oreo 8.0 atop Xiaomi's MIUI 9 user interface. The company is also expected to launch a second smartphone which would likely be the Xiaomi Mi Note 3. The company's co-founder Lin Bin teased the smartphone on social media, making it very clear that a second smartphone would be launched alongside the Mi Mix 2.

The Mi Mix 2 was earlier expected to launch on the same day as the Apple iPhone 8 but this was later clarified by the CEO, stating that the launch would happen a day earlier.
Beijing: China is joining France and Britain in announcing plans to end sales of gasoline and diesel cars.

China's industry ministry is developing a timetable to end production and sale of traditional fuel cars and will promote development of electric technology, state media on Sunday cited a Cabinet official as saying.

The reports gave no possible target date, but Beijing is stepping up pressure on automakers to accelerate development of electrics.

China is the biggest auto market by number of vehicles sold, giving any policy changes outsize importance for the global industry.

A deputy industry minister, Xin Guobin, said at an auto industry forum on Saturday his ministry has begun "research on formulating a timetable to stop production and sales of traditional energy vehicles," according to the Xinhua News Agency and the Communist Party newspaper People's Daily.

France and Britain announced in July they will stop sales of gasoline and diesel automobiles by 2040 as part of efforts to reduce pollution and carbon emissions that contribute to global warming.

Communist leaders also want to curb China's growing appetite for imported oil and see electric cars as a promising industry in which their country can take an early lead.

China passed the United States in 2016 as the biggest electric car market. Sales of electrics and gasoline-electric hybrids rose 50 percent over 2015 to 336,000 vehicles, or 40 percent of global demand. US sales totaled 159,620.

The reports of Xin's comments in the eastern city of Tianjin gave no other details about electric car policy but cited him as saying Beijing plans to "elevate new energy vehicles to a new strategic level."

Beijing has supported electric development with billions of dollars in research subsidies and incentives to buyers, but is switching to a quota system that will shift the financial burden to automakers.

Under the proposed quotas, electric and hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles would have to make up 8 percent of each automaker's output next year, 10 percent in 2019 and 12 percent in 2020. Automakers that fail to meet their target could buy credits from competitors that have a surplus.

Beijing has ordered state-owned Chinese power companies to speed up installation of charging stations to increase the appeal of electrics.

Chinese automaker BYD Auto, a unit of battery maker BYD Ltd., is the world's biggest electric vehicle maker by number of units sold. It sells gasoline-electric hybrid sedans and SUVs in China and markets all-electric taxis and buses in the United States, Europe and Latin America as well as in China.

Volvo Cars, owned by China's Geely Holding Group, announced plans this year to make electric cars in China for global sale starting in 2019.

General Motors Co., Volkswagen AG and Nissan Motor Co. and others have announced they are launching or looking at joint ventures with Chinese partners to develop and manufacture electric vehicles in China.
China will be joining France and Britain in the list of nations signalling the end for sale of petrol and diesel cars.

The industry ministry in China is developing a timetable to stop production and sale of traditional fuel cars. Additionally, the ministry aims to promote the development of electric technology, a Cabinet official told The Independent.

No target date has been finalised for the complete transition from fossil-fueled vehicles to greener options, but Beijing is strongly urging carmakers to accelerate development of electric cars.

The move can be seen as an attempt to combat the worsening air quality in Beijing.

In other instances, to curb deteriorating air quality, a deadline was set to end consumption of fossil-fuels by vehicles. According to Live Mint, the Chinese government will set a deadline to end sales of vehicles powered by fossil-fuel.

"Xin Guobin, the vice minister of industry and information technology, said the government is working with other regulators on a timetable to end production and sales. The move will have a profound impact on the environment and growth of Chinas auto industry, Xin said at an auto forum in Tianjin," as reported by Live Mint.

The article further mentioned that an electric car will be launched by Honda Motor company in 2018. Honda is working with Chinese joint ventures of Guangqi Honda Automobile Company and Dongfeng Honda Automobile Company to develop an electric model.

Honda will be creating a new brand with the two companies, China's chief operating officer Yasuhide Mizuno said at an auto forum.

By setting a deadline to end sales of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles, China became the largest market to "accelerate the push into the electric car domain led by companies including BYD Company and BAIC Motor Corp," Bloomberg Technology reported.

China has promised to cap its carbon emissions by 2030 and reduce air pollution, as per the report.

In February 2017, Beijing banned high-emission vehicles to battle the problem of smog.

Concerned about the damage done to the environment by persistent smog, the municipal government promised to take extraordinary measures in 2017 to curb emissions from coal consumption and cars.

Chinese government officials have stated that research in relevant fields has begun, and measures are taken to promote the auto industry.

Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology, told a forum in the northern city of Tianjin that his ministry has started "relevant research." "These measures will promote profound changes in the environment and give momentum to China's auto industry development," Xin told AFP.

In signaling the ban on sales of petrol and diesel cars, China might seem to be headed in the right direction, since, as per The Telegraph, "motorists in China are also already the biggest buyers of cars powered by electric and hybrid systems."

"In the first seven months of this year, 204,000 electric vehicles were sold in China and Ford has predicted that demand for electric vehicles in the country will reach 6 million a year by 2025," as stated in the report.

France decided to end sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040. The decision was made keeping in mind targets for the Paris climate accord.

"We are announcing an end to the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040," ecology minister Nicolas Hulot said, calling it a "veritable revolution".

Following France, Britain also said it would ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2040, according to Reuters.

With inputs from agencies
Washington, United States: President Donald Trump on Monday paid tribute to the 2,977 people killed on 11 September, 2001, warning that "savage killers" who threaten the United States will find no haven on earth.

On the 16th anniversary of the attacks, Trump's first as president, he observed a moment of silence at the White House before laying a wreath and delivering remarks at the Pentagon, where 184 people died.

His tone unbending and solemn, Trump championed America's resilience and "common bonds," but issued a stern warning to "enemies" that "America cannot be intimidated."

"Those who try will soon join the long list of vanquished enemies who dared to test our mettle," he said, as a drone of jet engines carried echoes of a day half a generation ago that many Americans have vowed not to forget.

In Trump's native New York, at Ground Zero, there was a minute's silence at 8.46 am (12.46 GMT), the moment the first of two hijacked airliners struck the World Trade Center.

In all, four planes were hijacked by Al-Qaeda militants who used them to topple the trade center's twin towers and hit the Pentagon.

The fourth plane, Flight 93, crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Vice-President Mike Pence traveled for the day.

"It was the worst attack on our country since Pearl Harbor and even worse because this was an attack on civilians  innocent men, women and children whose lives were taken so needlessly," Trump said.

The attacks remain the deadliest ever on US soil, plunging the United States into a chain of rolling wars against Islamic militants, in which Trump has vowed to give no quarter.

In 2018, Americans who will be born after 9/11 are due to be deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq for the first time.

"We're ensuring that they never again have a safe haven to launch attacks against our country," Trump said.

"We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large earth."
Jerusalem: Israeli authorities were on Sunday set to discuss granting building permits that would create the largest Israeli settlement inside a Palestinian neighbourhood, a watchdog group said.

Jerusalem city council's planning and construction committee was to examine issuing building permits for a settlement in the occupied east Jerusalem Palestinian neighbourhood of Jabel Mukaber, the Peace Now NGO said.

Committee members said on Sunday that the committee meeting was ongoing and they could not yet provide further details.

The permits would allow for an expansion of the Nof Zion settlement to add 176 housing units on top of the existing 91 units. Plans for the new units have already been approved and the issuing of building permits is the last major bureaucratic step.

Peace Now and other settlement watchdogs say the approvals would make Nof Zion the largest Israeli settlement inside any Palestinian neighbourhood. Most settlements, particularly in the occupied West Bank, are located outside of Palestinian residential areas.

"Within east Jerusalem, it's a very serious development," Peace Now spokeswoman Anat Ben Nun told AFP.

"It's indicative of a trend that we're seeing of settlement expansion inside Palestinian neighbourhoods in east Jerusalem."

Israel occupied east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.

It sees the entire city as its undivided capital, while the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

The Israeli government has announced several settlement expansions since US President Donald Trump took office.

Trump has been far less critical of Israeli settlement expansion than his predecessor Barack Obama.

Israeli settlements are seen as illegal under international law and major stumbling blocks to peace as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state.

Jerusalem's status is ultra-sensitive and central to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Settlement watchdogs and Palestinians accuse far-right Israeli groups of pushing for settlements in east Jerusalem to ensure the city can never be divided.

Today's meeting comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves for the first ever Latin American trip by a sitting Israeli premier, followed by his annual appearance at the UN General Assembly.

He is due to visit Argentina, Colombia and Mexico before continuing to New York.
Yangon/Shah Porir Dwip Island: Myanmar on Sunday rebuffed a ceasefire declared by Muslim Rohingya insurgents to enable the delivery of aid to thousands of displaced people in the violence-racked state of Rakhine, declaring simply that it did not negotiate with terrorists.

Attacks by militants on police posts and an army base on 25 August prompted a military counter-offensive that triggered an exodus of Rohingya to Bangladesh, adding to the hundreds of thousands already there from previous spasms of conflict.

According to the latest estimate by UN workers in the Coxs Bazar region of southern Bangladesh, about 294,000  many of them sick or wounded  have arrived in just 15 days, putting a huge strain on humanitarian agencies operations. Thousands of Rohingya remaining in the north-western state of Rakhine have been left without shelter or food, and many are still trying to cross mountains, dense bush and rice fields to reach Bangladesh.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) insurgent group declared a month-long unilateral ceasefire, starting on Sunday, so that aid could reach these people. The impact of ARSAs move is unclear, but it does not appear to have been able to put up significant resistance against the military force unleashed in Rakhine state, where thousands of homes have been burned down and dozens of villages destroyed.

ARSAs declaration drew no formal response from the military or the government of Buddhist-majority Myanmar. However, the spokesman for Myanmars leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, said on Twitter: We have no policy to negotiate with terrorists.

Myanmar says its security forces are carrying out clearance operations to defend against ARSA, which the government has declared a terrorist organisation.

Human rights monitors and fleeing Rohingya say the army and Rakhine Buddhist vigilantes have mounted a campaign of arson aimed at driving out the Rohingya, whose population is estimated at around 1.1 million.

About a dozen Muslim villages were burned down on Friday and Saturday in the ethnically mixed Rathedaung region of Rakhine, two sources monitoring the situation said. Slowly, one after another, villages are being burnt down - I believe that Rohingyas are already wiped out completely from Rathedaung, said one of the sources, Chris Lewa of the Arakan Project, a Rohingya monitoring group.

It was unclear who torched the villages, and independent journalists are not allowed into the area.

Landmine allegation

In Coxs Bazar, Reuters journalists saw waves of Rohingya arriving on Sunday, and crowds of desperate people  mostly women and children  queuing for handouts of food and clothes.

More than 300 people arrived on small boats and fishing trawlers on Shah Porir Dwip island, a short distance from the mouth of the Naf river that separates the two countries and flows out into the Bay of Bengal. Many collapsed on the beach from motion sickness and dehydration.

Three Rohingya were killed by landmines on Saturday as they tried to cross from Myanmar, a Bangladeshi border guard said, and Amnesty International said there were two landmine incidents on Sunday, including a blast that blew off a mans leg. All indications point to the Myanmar security forces deliberately targeting locations that Rohingya refugees use as crossing points, Tirana Hassan, Amnesty internationals Crisis Response Director, said in a statement.

This is a cruel and callous way of adding to the misery of people fleeing a systematic campaign of persecution, she said.

A Myanmar military source told Reuters last week that landmines had been laid along the border in the 1990s to prevent trespassing and the military had since tried to remove them. But none had been planted recently.

Dipayan Bhattacharyya, the World Food Programmes spokesman in Bangladesh, said the latest estimate of new arrivals was 294,000 and there were discussions underway to revise up the prediction made last week that it would reach 3,00,000.

The government of Bangladesh is planning for an influx of up to 4,00,000, Additional Superintendent of Police for Coxs Bazar Afruzul Haque Tutul told Reuters.

The United Nations has appealed for aid funding of $77 million to cope with the emergency in southern Bangladesh.

The wave of hungry and traumatised refugees is showing no signs of stopping, the UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Robert Watkins said in a statement late on Saturday. It is vital that aid agencies working in Coxs Bazar have the resources they need to provide emergency assistance to incredibly vulnerable people who have been forced to flee their homes and have arrived in Bangladesh with nothing, he said.

The International Crisis Group said in a report that the strife in Rakhine is causing more than a humanitarian crisis. It is also driving up the risks that the countrys five-year-old transition from military rule will stumble, that Rohingya communities will be radicalised, and that regional stability will be weakened, it said.

Aung San Suu Kyi has come under international pressure to halt the violence. Critics complain that Suu Kyi, who won a Nobel peace prize for championing democracy, has failed to speak out for a minority that has long complained of persecution.
Cartagena: Pope Francis wrapped up his Colombia trip with a deeply personal final day on Sunday honouring St. Peter Claver, a fellow Jesuit who ministered to thousands of African slaves who passed through the port of Cartagena during Spanish colonial times.

His visit to Cartagena got off to a rocky start, however, when he banged his head on his popemobile, cutting his eyebrow and getting a swollen, black left eye. Francis iced his cheekbone and received a butterfly patch to cover the cut, and he continued his popemobile tour without incident.

Francis was visiting the poor San Francisco neighbourhood to dedicate new houses for the homeless before paying homage to Claver at the church that bears his name in the city's historic centre.

Claver, the self-described "slave of the slaves forever," has been revered by Jesuits, popes and human rights campaigners for centuries for having insisted on recognising the dignity of slaves when others treated them as mere merchandise to be bought and sold. On the eve of his visit to Cartagena, Francis celebrated Claver's feast day by praising the 17th century Spanish missionary for having "understood, as a disciple of Jesus, that he could not remain indifferent to the suffering of the most helpless and mistreated of his time, and that he had to do something to alleviate their suffering."

History's first Latin American pope has similarly insisted on ministering to society's most marginal and making them the focus of the Catholic Church's mission. He takes special care of the homeless who live around the Vatican, makes regular phone calls to prisoners, brought a dozen Syrian refugees home with him from a Greek refugee camp, and embraces the sick, the maimed and the deformed every chance he gets.

He is to pray at Claver's tomb today after laying the foundation for new residences for homeless people in Cartagena, the city famous for its UNESCO-awarded historic center but also home to slums and shanties.

Francis is likely to hold Claver up as a model for today's Catholic Church, someone who insisted on recognizing the inherent human rights of everyone. It's a message he referenced in Medellin on Saturday during a Mass on a rain-soaked airport tarmac that drew upward of 1 million people. Francis demanded that his church not hold fast to rigid doctrine but instead seek out the sinners and outcasts and welcome them in.

"My brothers, the church is not a customs post," Francis said. "It wants its doors to be open."

Francis returns to Rome from Cartagena on Sunday night, ending a five-day visit highlighted by a huge prayer of reconciliation that brought together victims of Colombia's long-running conflict and demobilised guerrillas and paramilitary fighters.

While in Colombia, Francis refrained from making any public comments about the deteriorating political and humanitarian situation next door in Venezuela, though he did meet briefly with a delegation of Venezuelan bishops.

He will most certainly be asked about it during his airborne press conference en route home.
An ATV accident in Washington County on Friday resulted in a 9-year-old child being flown to Childrens Hospital for serious injuries, according to a report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The report states that a 7-year-old Steven Emily of Potosi was driving an ATV on an unnamed trail on Simpson Road in Washington County with 9-year-old Virginia Emily of Potosi at 4:45 p.m.

The undercarriage of the vehicle reportedly struck a rock and ejected the passenger. The ATV then struck the ejected child, who received serious injuries and was flown to Childrens Hospital via Air Evac.

A Farmington man was injured in an unrelated accident on Saturday in Jefferson County, according to a report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

According to the report, Timothy Callahan, 44 of Farmington was driving north on Route B south of Cedar Trace Road around 5:30 a.m. when the 2003 Ford Focus he was driving travelled off the left side of the roadway, struck an embankment and a tree and overturned.

Callahan reportedly received minor injuries and was transported to Mercy Hospital by ambulance. His vehicle sustained extensive damage.
The Rahul Gandhi US tour powered by a brainstrust headed by Sam Pitroda will pitch tent at University of Californias famed Berkeley campus on Monday evening for a lecture by the Congress Vice President who is on a two week visit to America to reach out to both public intellectuals and wealthy donors as well as the Indian diaspora - which Indias prime minister Narendra Modi has done to telling effect over the last few years.

Credited with having laid the foundation for Indias telecommunications and technology revolution of the 1980s, Sam Pitroda, most recently, served as Advisor to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation, with the rank of a Cabinet Minister. This was during the Manmohan Singh years.

In a tweetstorm early morning on the US West Coast, Sam Pitroda put on show all his years of networking and goodwill on the US tech circuit, getting 50 leading Silicon Valley leaders for dinner and early morning breakfast with TIE leaders as part of Rahul Gandhi's meetings.

Tech billionaire and co founder of Sun Microsystems Vinod Khosla has already been checked off the list.

Sitting MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor and former MP Milind Deora figure prominently on Rahul Gandhis trip where venture capital rock stars of Silicon Valley are firmly on the Congress radar.

Adressing nobody in particular, Pitroda today clarified that RG visit was planned several months ago to get right people and platform to optimize consultation process. Back home, BJP President Amit Shah has flagged off campaigning for the upcoming Assembly election in Gujarat and Rahul Gandhis dates are not yet out in the open. Rahul Gandhi has now been in politics for 13 years and the high point of his political career so far comes from almost a decade ago when the Congress, fighting alone, won 21 seats in UP in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul Gandhi has travelled first to Norway en route the United States where he arrived over the weekend in the West Coast when Hurrican Irma made landfall in Florida.

Rahul Gandhis visit officially kicks off from Americas West Coast on the 16th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and then moves east to New York when the UN General Assembly jamboree welcomes a parade of world leaders for its general debate.

In the week ahead of Rahul Gandhis visit, reports spread swiftly that he would be in the US to speak on artificial intelligence. Clearly, Rahul Gandhis US tour will be quite a task for the Congress Partys social media handlers. It finally took a Sam Pitroda tweet to stem the wild stories - I dont know who is behind it but it seems like it has gone viral. Rahul Gandhi is not coming to talk about Artificial Intelligence, Pitroda wrote on Twitter.

His Facebook post adds some meat to the sketchy details: I have seen news in media that Rahul Gandhi is coming to the US to give a talk on Artificial Intelligence. This is FALSE information. I dont know who is behind it but, it seems like it has gone viral. Rahul Gandhi is not coming to talk about Artificial Intelligence. But he is coming to meet with students and academicians and various thinking people in the US.

He will be giving a talk at University of California, Berkley and he will be also meeting with Indian Overseas Congress executive members and others. There is a major event planned in NY with the Indian Overseas Congress. Which he will be attending.

During the second leg of his trip, Rahul Gandhi will speak at a gig organised by the Indian Overseas Congress at a 1900 seat capacity space in the Mariott Marquis hotel in Times Square on September 20, 2017.

Another post, again by Sam Pitroda, explains pretty neatly the task that's cut out for the Indian Overseas Congress:

"Overseas Indians have a lot to offer to local communities, India & the world. The opportunity to mobilize global Indian resource is interesting & exciting.

Indian democracy needs strong opposition and checks & balances with values & vision of India we believe in. Indian overseas can help in the process.

On IOC, I have spoken to many and learned that we have 18 IOC global cells that need expansion, excellence & equity with diversity, resources and restructuring.

Based on various inputs and advise, we have prepared a plan for the IOC and available at - https://goo.gl/6dvEda

Our plan is a beginning and a good start. It will evolve based on input, involvement and actions of the people participating individually and collectively.

We invite all individuals interested in public service to review the plan & join IOC local cells & /or help start new cells with commitment to help achieve IOC objectives.

We need more women, academicians, scientists, engineers, Social workers, activists, business people & other Professionals to join IOC.

We also need more young talent at IOC to collaborate, cooperate & Communicate Congress messages & values on digital media to the world.

As a next step, I plan to meet with leaders from US cells in NY in July to listen and restructure organization to meet future needs.

At the same time, I invite cell leaders in other countries to prepare & communicate their plan for the next 12 months. I also plan to meet with cells in Europe & Middle east.

I invite you to join IOC. Come help us. Here is your chance to engage, explore, experience & network to make a difference in your communities and India."

In the US East Coast, Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit the Centre for American Progress in Washington DC and travel to Princeton University before the New York leg.

I have seen news in media that Rahul Gandhi is coming to the US to give a talk on Artificial Intelligence. This is FALSE information.  Sam Pitroda (@sampitroda) September 10, 2017

At a Silicon Valley reception in honour of @OfficeOfRG. Great seeing legendary VC @vkhosla & Ram Shriram, @Google's founding board member pic.twitter.com/J9eG5kaVTJ  Milind Deora (@milinddeora) September 11, 2017
Point Lookout: A Long Island beach where people gathered and watched in horror as the distant World Trade Center towers collapsed on 11 September, 2001 is the site of the latest memorial to victims of the terror attacks and among a growing number that honour people who died of illnesses years after participating in the rescue and recovery effort.

The monument, built by the town of Hempstead near the Atlantic Ocean on Long Island's south shore, features a twisted, 30-foot-tall beam of Trade Center steel, an elevated walkway and granite plaques engraved with the names of the nearly 3,000 people who died in the attacks.

A separate plaque will have the names of 582 police officers, firefighters, construction workers, cleanup volunteers and others who spent time in the rubble of the World Trade Center in the days or months after the attacks and, years later, died of a variety of causes that they, their families or their doctors suspected were linked to toxic ash and smoke at the site. There will be room to add more names.

"I think what the town of Hempstead is doing is nothing short of honourable," said John Feal, a longtime advocate for 9/11 responders with health problems. "People who lost a loved one to illness suffer just like someone lost on that day. Hopefully this will offer some ease and comfort to them."

Hempstead will officially dedicate its $1.3 million memorial at a service on Monday, the 16th anniversary of the attacks.

It joins a short but growing list of similar memorials recognizing people who fell ill after participating in the rescue and recovery operation.

In May, officials at the National 11 September Memorial & Museum announced plans to set aside a commemorative space at the World Trade Center to honour rescue and recovery workers.

New York's police and fire departments also have memorials for personnel who have died of illnesses since 11 September. A 9/11 memorial in Staten Island recently added a plaque with the names of residents there who have died of illnesses.

Feal's charitable organization also maintains a memorial wall to 9/11 responders in Nesconset, New York.

"I truly believe that everyone there that day was a hero," said Robert Gies, who was 13 when his father, New York City fire department Lieutenant Ronnie Gies, died in the south tower. "Whether they died on 9/11 or four years later, every person is a hero. Those people who worked there in the aftermath in those hazardous conditions, those people touch my heart. They rushed there to save and find my father. They found him and he was able to be laid to rest. That's huge closure."

Researchers continue to study the long-term health impact on people exposed to sooty air at the Trade Center site.

Determining how many people had serious illnesses directly linked to that exposure is a challenge, especially because many of the people involved are now of an age where health problems, like cancer, are quite common.

Roughly 30,000 people have applied to the government compensation fund for people with illnesses they think might be related to 9/11 attacks. Officials overseeing the fund still are reviewing those claims but have so far awarded $3 billion. About 2,700 of the 17,400 people whose claims have been approved have cancer.

Through the end of August, 144 of the approved claims involved someone who died of an illness that made them eligible for compensation.

That doesn't mean the government has concluded that their illness was definitely caused by toxins unleashed on 9/11. The program was designed to cover anyone who could show they were exposed to World Trade Center smoke, dust and ash and was subsequently diagnosed with an illness that, at least theoretically, might be caused by some of the chemicals present at the site.

Hempstead officials said their criteria for inclusion on their memorial mirrored rules set by Feal for a similar list of dead that he maintains.

In addition to the steel beam, planted like a flag, and the plaques with names, the memorial park includes a table inscribed with the Walt Whitman poem "On the Beach at Night."

The east side of the park features a pear tree grown from a seedling from the so-called "Survivor Tree" that lived through the destruction at ground zero.

Another plaque will point in the direction of the rebuilt World Trade Center, visible 24 miles in the distance.

"Having it on the beach at Point Lookout, the same place where hundreds of people assembled in the wake of the terrorist attacks, makes it uniquely compelling," town supervisor Anthony Santino said.
Karachi: Thousands of supporters of Pakistan's main Islamic Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) party gathered in Karachi to protest Myanmar's treatment of its Rohingya Muslim minority.

The JI supporters rallied on Sunday on a main Karachi street for hours chanting slogans in support of the Rohingyas.

The JI leader Senator Sirajul Haq, addressing the rally by video link, urged world powers to carry out their role in immediately stopping the "planned genocide of the oppressed Rohingya Muslims"

Another Islamic party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, held a rally in northwestern city of Peshawar in support of the Rohingya Muslims. JUI leader Jaleel Khan condemned the "atrocities" committed against Muslims in Myanmar.

The rallies come a day after Pakistan's Foreign Ministry summoned Myanmar's ambassador to protest the violence against Rohingya Muslims.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and visiting Afghanistan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani promised to overcome challenges faced by cross-border terrorism and find socio-economic and trade interests between each other.

In a joint press statement issued by Swaraj and Rabbani on Monday, India and Afghanistan exchanged four agreements. Swaraj described the strategic partnership between India and Afghanistan as "an article of faith" and "not just another relationship or engagement". Both countries signed agreements on pharmaceutics and medicines, Motor Vehicle agreement, a bilateral agreement on orbit frequency coordination of South Asia satellite and letters to commence new development partnerships between the two nations.

Rabbani extended Afghanistan's support for India's permanent membership of the UN Security Council. "Afghanistan strongly and openly supports India's bid for permanent membership of UN Security Council," he said.

Swaraj underscored the importance of India-Afghanistan relations saying that it was not just for the people but for the region as well. "India will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan," Swaraj said in her statement.

Swaraj also said that 116 new high-impact development projects will be implemented for the socio-economic infrastructural development of suburban and rural communities in the 31 provinces of Afghanistan.

"India continues to work with people of Afghanistan in their efforts to build a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive nation," said Swaraj.

She also said: "We are expediting development of Chahabar port in trilateral cooperation with Iran." She added that India would also begin the supply of wheat in the coming weeks.

Without naming Pakistan, Swaraj said that India and Afghanistan "will remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries".

In response, Rabbani agreed that both countries suffer from "terrorism and violent extremism that threaten us and the region's stability".

Rabbani, however, also clarified that friendship with India or any other country did not imply Afghanistan's hostility towards others in the region. On socio-economic security for both countries, Rabbani said, "Current regional trends bring India and Afghanistan closer than ever to protect and achieve our socio-economic, security and trade interests."
Describing the situation of Myanmars Rohingya minority as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, the United Nations' high commissioner for human rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, on Monday criticised the Indian government for planning to deport Rohingyas from the country.

I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country, said Al Hussein in its opening statement at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Al Hussein expressed dismay at growing intolerance towards minorities in India, and said mob attacks under the garb of cow protection is alarming. He also mentioned the murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh and said people who speak out for the fundamental human rights are threatened in the country.

People who speak out for the fundamental human rights are also threatened. Gauri Lankesh, a journalist who tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred, was assassinated last week, he said.

Targeting the central government, the UN high commissioner further said that human rights defenders in India who work for the rights of the countrys most vulnerable groups are not given protection by the state.

Al Hussein said he was "heartened by the subsequent marches calling for protection of the right to freedom of expression, and by demonstrations in 12 cities to protest the lynchings".

In its opening statement, Al Hussein came down heavily against the Myanmar government saying that its denial on the Rohingya issue was doing great damage to the international standing of a government which had until recently, he said, benefited from immense goodwill.

Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, he said.

In its critical observation towards Indias role on the issue of Rohingya refugees, said: The minister of state for home affairs has reportedly said that because India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention, the country can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion.

However, by virtue of customary law, its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the obligations of due process and the universal principle of non-refoulement, India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations.

More than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since then while some 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India, and 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation, the UN estimates.

The violence in Myanmar began in August when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Rakhine, killing 12 security personnel. The military said it responded to the attacks and denies it is targeting civilians.

Al Hussein also criticised New Delhi and Islamabad for not engaging with the UN office for human rights on matters involving the two countries including a failure to grant access to Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control to verify the worrying developments that continue to be reported there, he said in his address.

He said in the absence of access to Kashmir from both the South Asian countries, the UN office is undertaking a remote monitoring of the human rights situation in Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control.

With inputs from PTI
Juchitan de Zaragoza (Mexico): Rescuers pulled bodies from the rubble and grieving families carried coffins through the streets Saturday after Mexico's biggest earthquake in a century killed 65 people, while elsewhere two died in mudslides unleashed by storm Katia.

Officials raised the death toll from Thursday night's quake as more bodies were found in the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas.

In the town of Juchitan, Oaxaca, hundreds of families spent the night camped in the streets, too scared to go back inside for fear of aftershocks.

The Mexican Seismological Service reported 721 aftershocks.

On Saturday, people in Juchitan queued up for food at a shop window as families carried flowers and wreaths, and eventually coffins.

Ignacio Chavez said his son died in the quake.

"He didn't have time to get out and the building completely collapsed," Chavez said.

"It was a very old building, over 200 years old, and unfortunately out of the seven people who were inside only four were able to be rescued. The other three died."

Authorities raised the overall death toll throughout Saturday.

In Juchitan, emergency teams with search dogs found the body of a policeman under the rubble of city hall.

Federal civil protection chief Luis Felipe Puente told Televisa three more people were found dead in Chiapas state.

Record quake

President Enrique Pena Nieto described the quake as "the largest registered in our country in at least the past 100 years" -- stronger even than a devastating 1985 earthquake that killed more than 10,000 people in Mexico City.

Mexico's seismology service measured Thursday's quake at magnitude 8.2.

The US Geological Survey measured it at 8.1 -- the same magnitude as the 1985 disaster.

The epicenter of Thursday's quake was in the Pacific Ocean, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the town of Tonala in Chiapas.

AFP reporters in Tonala saw residents salvaging belongings from their ruined houses.

"All my body is shaking," said local man Roberto Olivera, 39. "Every time a car passes by, I feel like it's an earthquake."

Child victims

Pena Nieto earlier toured Juchitan, its streets a maze of rubble, with roofs, cables, insulation and concrete chunks scattered everywhere.

He said authorities were working to "restore water and food supplies and provide medical attention to those affected."

"I can't remember an earthquake this terrible," said Vidal Vera, 29, one of around 300 police officers who dug through the rubble.

"I don't know how you can make sense of it. It's hard. My sister-in-law's husband died. His house fell on top of him."

In Tabasco state, two children were among the dead, officials said. One was crushed by a collapsing wall. Another, an infant on a respirator, died after the quake triggered a power outage.

'My house fell down'

Meanwhile, Katia made landfall in the neighboring state of Veracruz as a Category One hurricane.

It was later downgraded to a tropical storm, before petering out on Saturday.

In Xalapa, the capital of the eastern state of Veracruz, "two people died in mudslides" triggered by the rainstorm, Puente said.

In Tecolutla, a coastal town of 8,000 residents, trees and branches were felled as families hunkered down to weather the storm.

Puente said rivers that flooded in Veracruz had damaged 235 homes and affected more than 900 people.

"My house fell down at about one o'clock in the morning. I was hiding in another house," Castellano Espinosa, a 75-year-old tour guide said in Tecolutla.

"I got out in time with my important belongings and papers."

She was trying to sell some of her belongings to buy food.
On Saturday, the Missouri Mines State Historic Site in Park Hills had a number of special guests who came to reflect on their own careers in the mines and to pass along their knowledge of the industry that gave the Lead Belt its name.

The Annual Mines Open House gives the community the opportunity to come to the museum for free, while also having the additional resource of actual men who worked in the mines and used some of the equipment on display.

One such man is Charles Sitzes, now 92, who worked for the St. Joseph Lead Company for almost half of his life.

I worked for the company for 40 years, almost to a day, Sitzes said. I was hired Sept. 2, 1944 and retired Sept. 1 1984.

Sitzes said he did a number of jobs for the company before being moved down into the mine to work. For about a year, he ran a mainline locomotive, which was used to haul ore between the mine and the mill.

Once, while working on a 50-food ladder, Sitzes fell and broke 14 bones. The fall landed him in Barnes Hospital for about nine weeks. When he came back, he worked for a while as a machinist, then a sheet metal man, and finally a blacksmith.

So I did about all the jobs, Sitzes said. Except I never did get on a St. Joe shovel. The St. Joe shovel  you had to be top-priority to get that job.

Sitzes said the St. Joe Shovel, which is on display in the Missouri Mines State Historic Site Musuem, was really what put the St. Joseph Lead Company on the map.

Its the piece of equipment that really made St. Joe, he said. It was first made in the early 20s, and its the reason St. Joe survived and a lot of other companies didnt.

Sitzes said the 220 volt shovel was used the whole time the mines were active in Park Hills, but were replaced by diesel shovels when the company moved the focus of its operation to Viburnum.

Touring the museum, Sitzes explained how each machine was operated and for what purpose, occasionally stopping to tell a story or two, like the time a worker greased the rails to see what would happen, causing a foremans vehicle to run into a wall. Luckily for the man who greased the rails, Sitzes said with a laugh, the foreman was uninjured.

When all the area mines were in operation, Sitzes said you could travel underground from Leadwood to Delassus through the companys tunnels, which connected the mines.

Being 92, its difficult to make it to the mines for every annual event, but Sitzes said he does his best to be there when hes able. He said theres not a lot of guys like him, who worked in the mines in the era that he did, but hes more than willing to share his memories and knowledge of the 40 years he spent there.
Country

Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cuba, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Dominican Republic Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Jamaica Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Mexico, United Mexican States Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
Xiaomi just announced the Mi Note 3, the companys latest smartphone in the Note series in China, along with the Mi MIX 2. It has a 5.5-inch 1080p screen, is powered by an Octa-Core Snapdragon 660 Mobile Platform and has 12-megapixel dual rear cameras with 2x optical zoom and portrait mode, similar to the Mi 6, but this has a 16-megapixel front-facing camera with Adaptable AI beautify features that is said to offer realistic beautify effect without compromising on quality.

It has a fingerprint sensor on the front and also supports face unlocking. It features a curved glass body with aluminum frame, comes with stereo speakers and packs a 3500mAh battery with support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0.

Xiaomi Mi Note 3 specifications

5.5-inch (19201080 pixels) Full HD display with 550 nits brightness, 94.4% NTSC color gamut, 1500:1 contrast ratio

Octa Core Snapdragon 660 14nm Mobile Platform (Quad 2.2GHz Kryo 260 + Quad 1.8GHz Kryo 260 CPUs) with Adreno 512 GPU

6GB LPDDR4x RAM with 64GB / 128GB (eMMC 5.1) internal storage

Android 7.1 (Nougat) with MIUI 9

Dual SIM (nano + nano)

12MP rear camera with 1.25m pixel size, f/1.8 aperture, dual-tone LED flash, 4-axis OIS, 4K video recording, secondary 12MP camera with 1.0 m pixel size, 52mm portrait lens, f/2.6 aperture

16MP front-facing camera, 2m pixel size

Fingerprint sensor, Infrared sensor

Stereo speakers

Dimensions: 152.673.957.6 mm; Weight: 163g

4G LTE, WiFi 802.11ac dual-band (22 MU-MIMO ), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, NFC, USB Type-C

3500mAh (typical) / 3400mAh (minimum) battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging

The Xiaomi Mi Note 3 priced at 2499 yuan (US$ 383 / Rs. 24,500 approx.) for the 6GB RAM with 64GB storage version and 2899 yuan (US$ 445 / Rs. 28,420 approx.) for the 6GB RAM with 128GB storage version in Black and the same version in Blue costs 2999 yuan (US$ 460 / Rs. 29,400 approx.).

Source
Xiaomi today unveiled the Mi MIX 2 smartphone at an event in China. Manu Jain, Group Vice President and Managing Director of Xiaomi India just tweeted that the company will be launching it in India soon, even though the company did not bring its first Mi Mix to India. He did not share if the Mi Note 3 will come to India.

[HTML1]

It has been over one and half years since Xiaomi launched its flagship Mi 5 smartphone in India. It did not decide to launch the Mi 6 in the country, instead it launched several budget and mid-range smartphones in the Redmi series sold well, making it one of the top players in the Indian market.

Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 specifications

5.99-inch (2160  1080 pixels) Full HD+ 18:9 display with 1500:1 contrast ratio, DCI-P3 color gamut

2.45GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 835 64-bit 10nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 540 GPU

6GB LPDDR4x RAM with 64GB / 128GB / 256GB (UFS 2.1) storage , 8GB LPDDR4x RAM with 128GB storage (Special Edition)

Android 7.1 (Nougat) with MIUI 9

Dual SIM (nano + nano)

12MP rear camera with Sony IMX386 sensor, 1.25m pixel size, f/2.0 aperture, dual-tone LED flash, 4-axis OIS, 4K video recording

5MP front-facing camera with facial recognition, 1080p video recording

Fingerprint sensor

Dimensions: 151.8x 75.5 7.7 mm; Weight: 185g (Standard); Dimensions: 150.5x 74.6 7.7 mm; Weight: 187g (Special Edition)

4G LTE, WiFi 802.11ac dual-band (22 MU-MIMO ), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, NFC, USB Type-C

3400mAh (typical) / 3300mAh (minimum) battery with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging

The Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 starts at 3299 yuan (US$ 506 / Rs. 32,350 approx.) for the based 6GB RAM with 64GB storage version and goes up to 4699 yuan (US$ 721 / Rs. 46,060 approx.) for the 8GB RAM with 128GB storage Special Edition model. We dont know which version the company plans to launch. Hope its not just the base version like it did for the Mi 5.
In a complex year for the agri sector, Canada plans to reduce 30% of its fertilizer use by 2030 in order to meet climate targets. However, Saskatchewan and Alberta... Read More
Cargill Asia Pacific

More than simply a food ingredients supplier, Cargill deeply understands our customers' strategies, consumers, distribution channels and competition. We deliver solutions that help the food industry and beverage manufacturers drive growth through new product innovation and reformulation. Cargill helps reduce costs through supply chain and manufacturing process efficiency and managing commodity price risk. Cargill helps our food industry and beverage manufacturing customers create unique products that fill product pipelines and reduce time-to-market by connecting our diverse food ingredients supplier capabilities  marketers, research scientist, application experts, risk managers and manufacturing process engineers  and seamlessly delivering these resources to customers. As a service and solution-oriented food ingredients supplier, our broad portfolio helps our customers address their food product development needs across the spectrum of applications and categories. Cargill helps our customers safely manufacture products every day around the world by reliably originating and distributing grain, oilseeds and other food ingredient commodities and by processing a diverse food ingredients supplier portfolio that spans core and specialty ingredients, ingredient systems and finished food systems.
Equifax, one of the three main credit reporting companies, said this week that a major data breach exposed Social Security numbers and other important information of millions of people.

The breach affected about 143 million in the United States, as well as some people in Canada and the United Kingdom, but Equifax didn't provide a number. Hackers had access to the data between May and July, Equifax said. The company discovered the hack on July 29 and publicly announced it more than a month later on Thursday.

Here's what else you need to know about the breach:

___

WHAT INFORMATION WAS TAKEN?

Hackers had access to Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, driver's license numbers, credit card numbers and other information. Those are all crucial pieces of personal data that criminals could use to commit identity theft. Those are what John Ulzheimer, an independent credit consultant who previously worked at Equifax, called "the crown jewels of personal information."

Equifax's security lapse could be the largest theft involving Social Security numbers, one of the most common methods used to confirm a person's identity in the U.S. The data breach is especially damaging to Equifax, since its entire business revolves around being a secure storehouse and providing a clear financial profile of consumers that lenders and other businesses can trust. The credit profiles it holds contain personal information, like how much people owe on their houses and whether they have court judgments against them.

___

AM I AFFECTED?

Equifax set up a site, equifaxsecurity2017.com , where you can type in your last name and six digits of your Social Security number to find out if your data may have been compromised. Consumers can also call 866-447-7559 for information. The company says it will send mail to all who had personally identifiable information stolen.

Equifax is also offering free credit monitoring for a year. The company says the service will search suspicious sites for your Social Security number, give you access to your Equifax report and other offerings. You can sign up at the same site listed above, and the deadline to do so is Nov. 21.

Initially, though, there was a catch  signing up would also commit you to binding arbitration with the credit monitor, which would mean giving up your right to sue. Several politicians and consumer groups have criticized this provision. Democrats in the House and Senate called on the company to pull back that requirement. Late Friday, Equifax said the arbitration language that appears on its website "will not apply to this cybersecurity incident."

___

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

You can view your credit reports for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. You're entitled to get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three big agencies once every 12 months. Review it closely for unauthorized accounts or any mistakes.

And you may need to be vigilant much longer than the free year of credit monitoring Equifax is offering. "If any of the data was exposed, you will be living with that for the rest of your life," said Rich Mogull, who runs the security research firm Securosis.

You can consider freezing your credit reports, but it comes with some downsides. A freeze stops thieves from opening new credit cards or loans in your name, but it also prevents you from opening new accounts. So each time you apply for a credit card, mortgage or loan, you need to lift the freeze a few days beforehand.

Freezes can be done online at the websites of the three credit reporting agencies -- Equifax , Experian and TransUnion . You'll need to freeze all three reports for the best protection. Each company will give you a code that you'll need again in order to lift the freeze, so keep it in a safe place. When you plan to apply for a credit card, mortgage, or other loan you'll need to go back to each site and lift the freeze.

The credit reporting agencies may charge a fee, usually under $10, depending on which state you live in. But it's free for residents of some states, including Maine, New Jersey and South Carolina.

A freeze doesn't protect you from everything: thieves can still file a fraudulent tax return in your name or charge things to your already opened credit card accounts. A freeze won't affect your credit score or report. The report stays open and is updated to keep track of your debts, payments and other information.

___

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

Equifax is blaming an unspecified "website application vulnerability." Security experts say it's hard to say for sure without more information, but such vulnerabilities typically don't require a lot of sophistication to exploit.

Mogull says the web app breach suggests "things are broken down in a couple of different areas." He says someone likely made a programming or configuration mistake.

Corporate culture could also be a factor. Often, Mogull says, corporate security is underfunded or isn't given the authority it needs to make sure application developers do what's right.

Ryan Kalember of the security company Proofpoint says that even if the vulnerability was known and fixable, "coordination between app developers and security teams in a lot of organizations are not on the best of terms."

Another security expert said the website Equifax created to help customers find out if they were affected raises its own security questions. The site looks like the kind set up by attackers to trick people into disclosing information, says Georgia Weidman, founder and chief technology officer for security firm Shevirah.

"It's teaching people entirely the wrong things about using the internet securely," Weidman said. She said says she's also troubled by Equifax's approach to security generally, including reports that it didn't respond to basic scripting bugs it was warned about last year.

___

WHO'S INVESTIGATING THIS?

Potentially, a lot of people. Credit bureaus like Equifax are lightly regulated compared to other parts of the financial system.

U.S. Rep. Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said he will call for Congressional hearings. And Rep. Greg Walden, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, says he'll hold a hearing examining what wrong and how to better protect against future hackings.

Several state attorneys general have also said they would investigate, including those from New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. New York's attorney general, Eric Schneiderman, said his office aims to "get to the bottom" of how the breach occurred.

Company executives are also under scrutiny, after it was found that three Equifax executives sold shares worth a combined $1.8 million just a few days after the company discovered the breach, according to documents filed with securities regulators. Equifax said the three executives "had no knowledge that an intrusion had occurred at the time they sold their shares."
Every day, Wall Street analysts upgrade some stocks, downgrade others, and "initiate coverage" on a few more. But do these analysts even know what they're talking about? Today, we're taking one high-profile Wall Street pick and putting it under the microscope...

Allegheny Technologies (NYSE: ATI) stock has been something of a "good news, bad news" story for investors this year. On the one hand, ATI shares have handily outperformed the rest of the stock market, rising 27% over the past 12 months versus the S&P 500's 14% gain. On the other hand, Allegheny Tech's sharp rise in stock price -- unaccompanied by a positive P/E ratio -- has made analysts leery of recommending it. On Wall Street, more analysts rate Allegheny Technologies stock a hold than a buy.

But at least no one is recommending selling Allegheny Technologies stock -- at least, not anymore.

Merrill Lynch reverses course

That wasn't always the case. In fact, as recently as Friday last week, the bankers at Bank of America's Merrill Lynch brokerage unit did recommend selling Allegheny Tech stock. (According to the scorecard on S&P Global Market Intelligence, Merrill was the only brokerage to do so.) But as StreetInsider.com (subscription required) reports, Merrill abruptly reversed course this morning and upgraded Allegheny Technologies stock two rungs, skipping a neutral rating and taking the stock all the way from underperform to buy. In so doing, Merrill Lynch also hiked its price target on the stock by 50%, from $16 to $24, in effect promising investors a 17% profit from buying Allegheny Technologies stock today.

Plane and simple

What makes Merrill Lynch so suddenly optimistic about Allegheny Technologies stock?

Well, there's the booming market for airplanes, for one thing. The biggest part of Allegheny's business, you see, is manufacturing high-stress parts for industry, and the airplane industry in particular (where Allegheny is a specialist in making airplane engine parts). Merrill Lynch cites ramping production of 737 MAX airliners at Boeing and A320neo jetliners at Airbus as two key drivers of Allegheny's stock performance over the coming years.

At last report, Boeing still had a backlog of 3,827 737 MAX airplane orders awaiting production -- roughly two-thirds of the company's total backlog of 5,665 planes. Airbus's waiting list is even longer, with 5,520 single-aisle planes on order, amounting to 82.5% of the company's total backlog.

With so many of its customers' planes in backlog, Allegheny will be kept busy making plane parts -- and collecting payment on them -- for years to come (if not decades).

Smooth sailing for flat-rolled production

The other big part of Allegheny's business is producing sheets of stainless and other alloyed steels -- flat-rolled products, or FRP in industry parlance. And here, too, Merrill Lynch sees things rolling along quite nicely for Allegheny.

Over the course of the next five years, Merrill anticipates that 40% of Allegheny's workforce will be entering retirement. That sounds like a problem for Allegheny, but to Merrill's way of thinking, it may also be an opportunity as more expensive workers roll off the payroll, to be replaced by cheaper (and perhaps fewer) new hires -- cutting labor costs. At the same time, Merrill notes that "better commodity values" will boost Allegheny's profits in the short term, and predicts that will become evident as early as Q4 of this year.

What investors should watch

All of the above works out to a very bullish scenario for Allegheny Technologies stock, in Merrill Lynch's view. That being said, this stock is not without risks.

I've already mentioned that Allegheny Technologies has no profits. In fact, Allegheny hasn't booked a full-year GAAP profit in more than three years. On the plus side, it has recorded small quarterly profits in each of the past three quarters, so there's some indication that a turnaround may be underway.

However, Allegheny has posted negative free cash flow for four straight years, and its last two quarters featured negative cash burn as well -- so maybe things really aren't getting better as quickly as investors might wish them to improve.

The good news for investors is that we may not have to wait very long to find out if Merrill Lynch is right about Allegheny beginning a sustained turnaround. The company last reported earnings on July 25. While no official release date has been set for third-quarter earnings, chances are they'll roll out sometime around Oct. 25. Whether Allegheny stock is a buy will soon be apparent.

10 stocks we like better than Allegheny TechnologiesWhen 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 Allegheny Technologies wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

Click here to learn about these picks!

*Stock Advisor returns as of September 5, 2017

Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The current retail environment is challenging, to put it mildly. E-commerce players like Amazon are wreaking havoc on many brick-and-mortar retailers. There's been a wave of retail bankruptcies in recent years, and many once-great retail chains like Sears Holdings are struggling to survive.

Realty Income (NYSE: O) and Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) are two excellent ways to invest in retail during this difficult time, but for very different reasons.

Doing well in a tough retail environment

Realty Income is a good pick primarily because of the type of retailers that occupy its properties. Most Realty Income tenants operate in e-commerce- and recession-resistant types of retail. For example, retailers like Walgreens, Realty Income's top tenant, sell things people need, and often in a timely manner. Discount retailers like tenants Dollar General and Walmart offer bargains that are tough for online retailers -- even Amazon -- to match. And finally, service-based and experiential retailers like LA Fitness and AMC Theatres are naturally immune from e-commerce headwinds.

On the other hand, Simon Property Group is a mall REIT and has many tenants that might seem vulnerable. However, Simon is a best-in-breed mall operator and invests heavily in its properties in order to keep up with the changing environment and keep foot traffic flowing through its malls. For example, Simon has been proactively transforming its malls into mixed-use centers, with nonretail elements like offices, hotels, and apartments, which create a natural source of customers. And Simon has been adding more entertainment options and modern dining facilities, often in the spaces formerly occupied by Sears or J.C. Penney stores. Because of this strategy, Simon's sales per square foot actually increased over the past year, despite the challenging retail environment.

Income considerations

One of the primary reasons people invest in REITs is for income, so let's take a look at how these two companies fare in that department.

Realty Income yields 4.7% and pays its dividend in monthly installments. It's difficult to find a stock anywhere in the market with a more impressive track record -- Realty Income has increased its dividend 98 times since its 1994 NYSE listing and has made 578 consecutive monthly payments.

Simon Property Group has a 4.6% dividend yield and makes quarterly payments. While Simon has increased its dividend aggressively in recent years, it doesn't quite have the historical consistency of Realty Income. As you can see in the chart below, the path to the current dividend wasn't straight up, especially around the time of the financial crisis:

So while both of these are excellent income stocks, Realty Income has the clear edge when it comes to investors seeking consistent, rising income.

Valuation

The best way to value a REIT is in terms of its funds from operations, or FFO. Traditional "earnings" don't really apply to REITs -- without getting too complicated, they don't do a great job of accurately conveying the amount of cash generated from real estate investments.

With that in mind, here's a look at how these two REITs stack up side by side:

Company Recent Stock Price 2018 FFO (guidance) P/FFO (midpoint of guidance) Realty Income $56.16 $3.16 to $3.21 17.6 Simon Property Group $175.72 $12.05 to $12.13 14.5

So on the surface, Realty Income is the more "expensive" stock. However, there's a good reason. The company was built for predictability and reliability, and that's what it has provided year after year. On the other hand, Simon has a bit more volatility risk, especially given the problems facing some of its tenants right now.

To be clear, I think both companies will do very well over the long run. I just feel that Realty Income's path will be a much smoother one, and that's certainly worthy of a valuation premium.

The verdict

I don't think investors will go wrong with either stock over the long run, as both have the potential to produce market-beating total returns. And Simon's valuation makes it a particularly compelling investment at the current price. I place tremendous value on consistency and reliable dividend growth, which is why Realty Income is one of the largest stock holdings in my own portfolio.

However, I'm inclined to call this one a toss-up, and it depends on your own preferences. If you have the stomach to handle a little more volatility, Simon looks like the better deal. On the other hand, if you're like me and like to watch your income consistently increase over time and want to worry as little as possible about your investments, Realty Income is probably the way to go.

10 stocks we like better than Realty IncomeWhen 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 quadrupled the market.*

David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Realty Income wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

Click here to learn about these picks!

*Stock Advisor returns as of August 6, 2018

John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Matthew Frankel, CFP owns shares of Realty Income. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Cruise stocks were higher on Monday, a sign of optimism for the state of Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma, which battered some of the worlds busiest ports over the weekend.

As of Monday afternoon, shares of Royal Caribbean (NYSE:RCL), Carnival Cruise Lines (NYSE:CCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NASDAQ:NCLH) were all more than 3% higher. All ships scheduled to leave and/or dock at South Florida were either cancelled or forced to change course over the weekend.

There were concerns cancelled trips could wreak economic havoc on some of the cruise companies, as the worlds top three busiest ports are located in Florida. According to 2016 data from Cruise Industry News, nearly 4.9 million passengers travelled through the Miami port in 2016, making it the busiest port in the world. Miami was followed by Canaveral, Florida, which experienced traffic of nearly 4 million passengers and the port located in the Everglades, where more than 3.6 million people passed through.

Despite Mondays stock recovery, there is worry that the consequences of the storm will impact the companies financial results at the end of the quarter.

While the damage from Irma, which was downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday, was less severe than experts initially projected, more than 6 million residents in the state were left without power, officials said. Some individuals could be without electricity for weeks to come. Some areas were also experiencing dangerous flooding and storm surges on Monday.

Irma prompted the largest evacuation in U.S. history of 7 million residents, or 30%, of Floridas population, according to Accuweather. State officials were asking residents and visitors to wait a bit longer before returning to their homes and businesses on Monday.
As the number of complaints continue to rise following credit reporting agency Equifaxs massive hack last week, the scale and scope of the breach is troubling cybersecurity experts who warn nearly every adult in the United States could have been affected.

Youre talking about a good portion of U.S. adults, Hiep Dang, director of Product Management at Cylance and former leader of McAfees threat team, told FOX Business. Conservatively, maybe 75% [of us were affected], aggressively, probably all of us.

What makes this hack particularly damaging is that thieves dont just have one isolated piece of an individuals personal information, they have an entire set of data points correlated to the individual, Dang pointed out.

Unfortunately, that means victims are at risk of a lot of criminal activity.

From getting a loan, to opening a bank account, [the hackers] could potentially do anything with this information, Dang said.

Why freezing your credit is not enough

The first step all experts, including Dang, recommend is freezing your credit. However, if hackers have all of an individuals personal information, they also have all the information needed to unfreeze an account.

Dang is recommending that individuals be more diligent than ever when it comes to personal accounts. He said people should consistently monitor bank accounts and credit activity for anything suspicious. He also warns people to be wary of clicking links via email or social media claiming to originate from Equifax, as thieves are likely try to further capitalize on the event through malware. Dang said everyone should have anti-virus and anti-malware protection.

Its a Pandoras box  Now that our data is out there  you cant put that information back into its sealed container, Dang warned.

More than 143 million people were affected by the breach, which was announced by the credit reporting firm on Thursday. The breach occurred between May and July, and hackers potentially accessed information including Social Security and drivers license numbers. The company said it knew about the breach on July 29.

This breach of customer trust will be difficult for Equifax to recover from, Dang said, but he hopes it can be used as a learning experience for other credit agencies moving forward.
Oil prices were mixed on Monday, with Hurricane Irma's continued pounding Florida raising demand fears, while U.S. refinery restarts and Saudi cut extension talks gave upward pressure.

Brent crude oil futures were down 13 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $53.65 a barrel at 12:17 p.m. (1617 GMT) while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose by 59 cents, or over 1 percent, to $48.07.

Hurricane Irma knocked out power to nearly 5.8 million Florida homes and businesses on Sunday after millions were told to evacuate ahead of the storm.

Irma hit Florida on Sunday morning as a dangerous Category 4 hurricane. It gradually lost strength and weakened to a tropical storm by Monday morning as it headed towards Georgia.

Harvey struck the U.S. oil hub of Texas two weeks ago, knocking out a quarter of the nation's refineries.

Now many refineries are restarting, including the largest U.S. refinery. On Monday, Motiva Enterprises restored the 325,000 barrel per day (bpd) VPS-5 crude distillation unit at its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery to minimum production levels sources said.

But the oversupply of U.S. crude persists, causing a recent widening in the WTI/Brent spread, said James Williams, president of energy consultant WTRG Economics.

"Were waiting for our refineries to all get going," he said, "On the east coast we dont have enough gasoline so we have to import more product from Europe, which adds a boost to Brent."

The Brent/WTI spread has narrowed on Monday, however, dropping by 69 cents to minus $5.09 by 12:24 p.m. ET (1624 GMT).

The two hurricanes are expected to inflict a "bearish shock" on oil balances in September, denting global demand by 900,000 bpd and supply by about 300,000 bpd, Goldman said.

The longer-term focus, however, was on a possible extension to the 15-month production pact between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC producers including Russia.

Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih met his Venezuelan and Kazakh counterparts at the weekend to discuss an extension of a deal to cut production by about 1.8 million bpd until March 2018 by at least three months, the Saudi energy ministry said.

On Monday, Falih and his United Arab Emirates counterpart also agreed to consider an extension beyond March.

The deal aims to curb a glut that has weighed on crude prices for more than three years.

The deal agreed late last year helped to keep prices as high as $58 a barrel in January, but they have since sagged as global stocks have not fallen as quickly as expected.

China has begun studying when to ban the production and sale of cars using traditional fuels, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing comments by the vice industry minister, who predicted "turbulent times" for automakers forced to adapt.

(The story corrects paragraph 9 to show the spread between Brent and U.S. futures was narrowing on Monday, not widening)

(Additional reporting by Ron Bousso and Fanny Potkin in London, Osamu Tsukimori in London; Editing by Dale Hudson and Marguerita Choy)
It may be the first $10 million car.

A Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta was sold at auction this past weekend for 8.3 million euros, making it possibly the most expensive new car ever sold. The 950 hp hybrid hypercar was offered at an RM Sothebys event in Ferraris hometown of Maranello to celebrate the automakers 70th anniversary.

The LaFerrari Apertas list price is (just?) $2.2 million, so the winning bidder paid an astounding premium for the Rosso Fuoco-painted car, which is the last of 210 built.

The cash haul wasnt a birthday present to the company, however. The open-top two-seater was auctioned for charity with the proceeds going to the Save the Children fund. The auction house waived its fee on the sale, but the winning bidder will have to pay tax on the final sale price.

That price far eclipsed the $7 million paid last year for a hardtop LaFerrari that Ferrari auctioned off to raise money for victims of the devastating Italian earthquakes.

Earlier this year, Rolls-Royce unveiled a one-off custom car for a client called the Sweptail that took it four years to create and reportedly sold for nearly $13 million, but the price was never confirmed by the company, which makes the LaFerrari officially the most expensive new car delivered from a factory.

FERRARI PORTOFINIO: AN ENTRY-LEVEL EXOTIC YOU PROBABLY STILL CAN'T GET INTO
Two men have been killed while using the runway at a small Colorado airport to test drive a 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat.

The sky blue muscle car crashed after rocketing off the runway at the Buena Vista Regional Airport Friday, becoming airborne and sailing across a ravine, the Denver Post reported.

They were just test driving this car, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze told the paper. They went a little too fast. I dont want to surmise.  They probably got to the end of the runway and, at that speed, didnt realize they were there so fast. And they lost control. It was just too high a speed and they got to the end of the runway.

Lynd Fitzgerald, 71, of Colorado Springs, and Roger Lichtenberger, 76, of San Marcos, Calif., were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Spezze told the paper Fitzgerald and his friend had permission to use the runway.

They were likely going more than 100 mph when they ran off the runway, the paper reported. Fitzgerald was behind the wheel.

Spezzes office issued a press release Sunday that said that after speeding down the runway and continuing another 315 feet, the Challenger became airborne over a ravine.

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS SAYS THE DODGE DEMON SHOULD BE BANNED

The release went on to say that after striking the ground the vehicle became airborne a second time flipping end over end over a second ravine before coming to rest on its wheels.

Deputies found the wreckage about 650 feet past the runway.

The airport boasts on its website having the longest mountain runway in Colorado at 8,300 feet, or more than a mile and a half.

Ive never seen anything like it, Spezze said, according to the paper. They had permission to be there. There were no laws broken.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.
A weekend birthday celebration for actress Michelle Williams ended with a trip to the emergency room for Busy Philipps.

Last night ended super weird I had a crazy excruciating pain in my lower right side and after a long time at Mass Gen, it was determined my ovary had flipped over- its called torsion, the star, 38, shared on Instagram Sunday morning along with a photo of her with an IV in her arm.

Mine flipped back by itself and Im ok but sometimes if it doesnt you have to get surgery or you can lose your ovary (which actually happened to a really good friend of mine), she shared.

Philipps said she initially felt like an idiot for going to the hospital, but as she explained it was the right decision. It always is! she said. Even if they say youre fine and send you on your way! And a huge thank you to the amazing doctors and nurses who took care of me!

Before Philipps night took a wrong turn, she shared photos with Williams strolling through the streets of Boston. The pals even wore matching leather jackets with a broken heart that read, Best Friend.

A request for comment on Philipps condition wasnt returned.

This article originally appeared in Page Six.
Ariel Winter may be best known on social media for baring her body, but now she is also known for bearing arms.

The 19-year-old "Modern Family" actress posed with with a handgun Sunday on Instagram at the Los Angeles Gun Club.

She captioned the black and white pic: "Prepping for the zombie apocalypse, obviously..."

In another shot that was posted on some websites but no longer posted on her Instagram account, she posed with two, much larger guns.

Winter posted on Twitter the same day that she completed a firearm safety class that day.

It's not the first time Winter has shown off her shooting skills. In July she posted a video of her self taking target practice on Snapchat.

The actress' social media followers had mixed reviews of the teen queen packing heat.

One user gushed, "Congratulations, Ariel! Good work...you're taking a big risk with this in anti-freedom Hollywood; hoping you'll inspire others!"

Another one wrote, "Could be one of the hottest pics I have ever seen!!! Love the female guns...and the side arm too."

While another was not impressed, "Guns are not the solution. Not something you should be proud of."
Kate Winslet didnt let the rape allegations against filmmakers Woody Allen and Roman Polanski prevent her from working with them.

Polanski, 84, was charged with raping a 13-year-old girl in Los Angeles 40 years ago. Shortly after, the French-born Polish director fled to Europe and has avoided extradition.

Vanity Fair reported in April Polanski was trying to reopen the case so that he can return to the United States without facing prison time.

In 2014, Dylan Farrow, Woody Allens adopted daughter, published a detailed account of the alleged 1992 sexual abuse by the director in the New York Times.

The 41-year-old British actress recently worked with Allen, 81, in a film titled Wonder Wheel, which is slated to debut later this year. She previously worked with Polanski in a 2011 film titled Carnage.

Winslet told the New York Times that she reportedly didnt know enough about the allegations or the two men personally.

Of course one thinks about it, she explained. But at the same time, I didnt know Woody and I dont know anything about that family. As the actor in the film, you just have to step away and say, I dont know anything, really, and whether any of it is true or false. Having thought it all through, you put it to one side and just work with the person. Woody Allen is an incredible director. So is Roman Polanski. I had an extraordinary working experience with both of those men, and thats the truth.

Winslet also added she wasnt sure if she would ever get another opportunity to work with Allen.

[And] it was an extraordinary part, that I could not believe he was asking me to play, so just the flattery of being offered the role was enough, she said. The only reason I wouldnt have done it would have been fear, and that is no way to live a life, man. Plus I knew my parents would be incredibly proud of me working with Woody Allen.

Winslets mother passed away in May.

Every day I would call her home [from the set] and she wanted to know absolutely everything about the day, she recalled. It was a really big part of the last few months of her life. I feel grateful that I did it.
Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund, was named Miss America 2018 Sunday night in Atlantic City following a night of political questions ranging from the Trump administration's alleged collusion with Russia to Confederate monuments.

The event got political after the Miss America candidates were asked multiple questions about the current political climate and President Trump during the question-and-answer session.

During one of the onstage interviews, Mund said Trump was wrong to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord aimed at combating climate change.

I do believe it's a bad decision,' she said. Once we reject that, we take ourselves out of the negotiation table and that's something that we really need to keep in mind.

There is evidence that climate change is existing. So whether you believe it or not, we need to be at that table, and I think it's just a bad decision on behalf of the United States, she added.

In an interview before the preliminary event, Mund said she hopes to become the first elected woman governor of her state.

It's important to have a woman's perspective, she said, stressing the importance of women in important government jobs. In health care and on reproductive rights, it's predominantly men making those decisions.

Mund, however, was not the only candidate to receive political questions.

Miss Missouri Jennifer Davis was asked to be the jury on whether Trump colluded with the Russian government to win the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton and give innocent or guilty verdict.

Right now I'd have to say innocent because not enough information has been revealed, Davis said, adding however that we should investigate it to its fullest extent.

Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel, meanwhile, was asked to give her opinion on Confederate statues and whether they should be removed from public display  to which the contestant suggested to move the statues to museums.

The contests hosts also asked Miss Texas Morgana Wood what she thought about Trumps comments after the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville where he blamed the violence on both sides.

Wood branded the death of counter protester Heather Heyer as a terrorist attack and said the President should have made a statement earlier addressing the fact and making sure all Americans feel safe in this country.

The first runner up of the competition was Miss Missouri, while Miss New Jersey was the second runner up.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Miss Texas slammed President Trump during the Q&A portion of the televised Miss America pageant Sunday night in Atlantic City.

Margana Wood was asked about Trumps response to Augusts deadly rally in Charlottesville, VA. which resulted in the death of 32-year Heather Heyer, who was killed when a car rammed through a crowd protesting white supremacists.

Trump sparked a huge backlash when he initially blamed both sides for the violence and questioned whether taking down Confederate statues would lead to the removal of memorials dedicated to George Washington.

The 22-year-old used her 20 seconds to criticize Trumps response.

"I think that the white supremacist issue, it was very obvious that it was a terrorist attack," she said. "And I think that President Donald Trump should've made a statement earlier addressing the fact, and in making sure all Americans feel safe in this country. That is the No. 1 issue right now."

Wood initially won the first night of preliminary competition Wednesday night where she remembered flood victims of Hurricane Harvey in her hometown of Houston. She told Fox News Thursday her home was spared by the dangerous floodwater, but has many friends whose homes were destroyed.

It was very important for me to let everyone know that my heart is still in Houston, she explained. I also didnt want everyone to think that Miss Texas should win Miss America because of the storm. I want to become Miss America because the judges believe in me and believe I can do the job. Not because of a sympathy vote or anything.

Ive heard some people say that to me and I just want to set the record straight. The judges are there for a very specific reason. But it was extremely important for me to let everyone know that I am thinking of them while Im here in Atlantic City and that I am here with a heavy heart, but Im also just as excited for the experience.

Miss North Dakota Cara Mund, a 23-year-old who said Trump was wrong to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, was named Miss America 2018.
The Walking Dead is shutting down production on Season 8 once again, this time due to extreme weather conditions heading to its Atlanta, Georgia set.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, production on the zombie drama has been temporarily shut down in anticipation of inclement weather from Irma, which has been downgraded from a Category 5 hurricane to a tropical storm. Fortunately for fans of the series, the shutdown seems to be temporary and a decision on whether or not to resume production is expected to come later tonight or early tomorrow.

The call to shutter production reportedly came after the states governor, Nathan Deal, declared a state of emergency that includes 159 counties in the state.

This isnt the first time that production on The Walking Dead Season 8 has shut down temporarily. In July, the Atlanta, Georgia set faced tragedy when stuntman John Bernecker died after an on-set accident. The decision was made to temporarily shut down production to address safety concerns and out of respect for the departed. The producers paid tribute to Bernecker at the San Diego Comic Con, where they later debuted the below trailer for the new season.

No one from AMC was immediately available for comment.
A Chick-fil-A restaurant in Sandston, Va., has agreed to open its doors on Sundays, but not for the reasons youre thinking.

The fast food restaurant is allowing a displaced congregation from the White Oak Community Church to conduct its meetings inside the eatery until the group can find a more permanent solution, reports WTVR.

CHICK-FIL-A PATRONS CAUGHT ON CAMERA TRASHING RESTAURANT AFTER HEATED EXCHANGE WITH STAFF

According to a series of Facebook posts they shared between Sept. 3 and Sept. 11, the White Oak Community Church arrived at their usual place of worship  a local Econo Lodge  only to be informed that the hotel could not host their weekly gatherings due to building issues.

The only legal use of any of the spaces are for the Econo Lodge to conduct business, the church initially informed its followers. We obviously do not have church this morning.

White Oak was allowed to remove its equipment and supplies from the Econo Lodge, but canceled the days activities until they could work out a solution. Later that evening during an emergency meeting, one of the church members called her boss at Chick-fil-A, who agreed to let White Oak temporarily use its space.

They are NOT open for business, the church clarified in a subsequent Facebook post. They have simply agreed to let us use their space for worship this week.

CHICK-FIL-A WORKER SAVES CHOKING CO-WORKER DURING LUNCH BREAK

Lead pastor Dave Wilde, a veteran of the Marine Corps., also shared his appreciation for Chick-fil-A and its manager, sending a huge thank you to Greg Williams and Chick-fil-A for graciously agreeing to host us next Sunday.

Wilde, however, was quick to add that there would be no food served during the meeting. [But] if youre a current or future attender, and you always wanted to worship in a restaurant setting, this is your lucky day.

Wilde also uploaded a video of Sundays Chick-fil-A-based sermon to Facebook, though the post has since been removed.

It is unclear if the group will continue to meet at Chick-fil-A this coming Sunday. White Oak later explained on Facebook that Econo Lodge had fixed the building issues, but would not be returning to the space for a number of reasons.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Representatives for Chick-fil-A or the White Oak Community Church were not immediately available for comment.
A city-wide alert went out for pet owners in Alameda, California, after a devastated couple shared a harrowing tale about their 2-year-old rescue dog who died after getting into the garbage. Zac Bowling and his fiance said their schnauzer-terrier mix named Benny accidentally ate a cupcake that was made with xylitol, a popular sugar substitute.

Yesterday Benny, a 2-year-old dog that lives here in Alameda, ate a cupcake out of the compost that contained xylitol and passed away, the Sept. 5 alert to residents said. While heartbroken, Bennys family wants to make sure that other dog owners are aware of this poison.

THIRD GRADER USES CPR TO SAVE UNCONSCIOUS MOM

Dr. Michael Miller, a veterinary at Providence Veterinary Hospital & Clinic in Alameda, explained in the alert that xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs and can be found in chewing gum, breath mints, peanut butter and nasal sprays.

Its best to avoid xylitol completely and use other sugar substitutes, Miller said in the alert. If you cannot avoid using products containing xylitol, then make absolutely sure they are stored safely out of reach of your pets.

Bowling said Benny started vomiting after he ate the cupcake, so he called his mom to find out what ingredients she made them with. Once he started googling potential symptoms, he rushed Benny to the veterinarian but it was too late.

He was the best dog ever, Bowling wrote in a Sept. 5 post. Always had something stuck in his mustache. So happy when we came home. So unfair to lose him at 2 years old.
Once every 72 minutes.

That's how often U.S. military veterans kill themselves.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, around 20 veterans committed suicide per day in 2014 - the most recently available statistics.

Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin has labeled the figure an unacceptable statistic, according to The Hill.

Were reaching out to community groups, to academic groups, Shulkin was quoted as saying. Were doing research in this area. Were trying new therapies and treatments. And I certainly hope that we can have a big impact on this problem.

There were 71 active duty suicides, 20 reserves suicides and 31 National Guard suicides in the first quarter of 2017, according to the latest quarterly suicide report available on the website for the Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO).

Experts are currently attempting to reduce those numbers by evaluating a series of factors.

Risks

Suicide risk factors for soldiers, veterans and civilians include being male, Caucasian and having psychiatric trauma, according to Dr. Craig Bryan, the executive director of the National Center for Veterans Studies at the University of Utah.

For both Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and suicide, part of the issue is not necessarily combat-related, Dr. M. David Rudd, the co-founder and scientific director of the center, told Fox News. He cited the stress of being in the military during wartime, saying theres an intensified operations pace for those both deployed and at home.

Suicide risks for civilians, active and reserve service members are relatively the same, Dr. Keita Franklin, the director of the DSPO, said. The average age of civilians at high risk of suicide is older than it is for service members, Franklin explained.

Tackling mental health issues

The earlier you ask, the more effective treatment is, Rudd said. People with PTSD often do not report it for years and it may become severe, making the disorder more difficult to treat, he explained.

Franklin echoed this, saying that for service members having issues, when they come early, the easier it is to help them.

It helps to have a "crisis response plan." As part of the process, you help someone figure out ways they deal with stress and who they can reach out to, Bryan said. People can refer back to index cards which include this information as well as mental health resources.

Active-duty Army soldiers at Fort Carson were given either one of two types of crisis response plans (CRP), or a different suicide prevention method called a contract for safety, in a study published this year.

Those who were given a CRP were 76 percent less likely to attempt suicide than those who were given the other method, Bryan confirmed. He, Rudd, and others worked on the study.

Bryan noted that some PTSD therapies may reduce suicide risk.

Military resources

The military, Franklin explained, has been trying to distance people at risk of suicide from methods that could be used to harm themselves, like by giving out gun locks. Most military suicides involve a privately-owned weapon, she said.

Were not trying to restrict their weapons, she said, instead stressing that its a risk reduction method. There have also been efforts involving messaging around suicide.

Some resources available include the website Military OneSource, military family life consultants, a peer support line, and embedded behavioral health providers for units. Treatment facilities are also an option.

For therapy methods, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard, Franklin explained, which helps people kind of unpack their current beliefs.

With counseling, whats right for one person isnt right for another, and its important to have multiple methods, she said.

Treatment

For veterans hes worked with, a short-term form of CBT called brief cognitive behavioral therapy (BCBT), is by far the most effective method, according to Bryan, who said that it goes directly at the underlying cause of suicide.

BCBT involves 12 sessions, he said, instead of years of treatment.

In a study published in 2015, active-duty Army soldiers at Fort Carson were assigned either regular treatment, or their regular treatment along with the therapy method.

Regular treatment included individual and group psychotherapy, psychiatric medication, substance abuse treatment, and/or support groups.

Rudd, Bryan, and others found that soldiers in brief CBT were approximately 60 percent less likely to make a suicide attempt during follow-up than soldiers in treatment as usual.

There are also other approaches to consider.

Evidence-based therapies for PTSD, including prolonged exposure and cognitive processing therapy, have been shown to decrease suicidal ideation, VA spokesman Terrence Hayes told Fox News in an email, adding that they are available at every VA medical center.

Both prolonged exposure therapy and CPT may help patients in the wake of trauma. Prolonged exposure instructs people on how to slowly handle things they've avoided, the VA says online. People are also taught to examine and alter their thinking with CPT.

A Military Crisis Line is available for both service members and veterans, and they can also text for help. Service members can participate in an online chat with a VA responder, as can veterans. There are also other online resources.
Dating back at least to the 1980s, experts have debated the safety of metal amalgam cavity fillings, which contain a mixture of metals like silver, copper, nickel andmost alarminglymercury.

The American Dental Association (ADA) has long taken the position that mercury in these amalgam fillings is safe.

Amalgam is a valuable, viable and safe choice for dental patients, according to a report from the ADAs Council on Scientific Affairs.

RESCUE DOG DIES AFTER EATING CUPCAKE MADE WITH SUGAR SUBSTITUTE

Other national health organizations, including the FDA, support this stance.

While the FDA acknowledges that mercury vapor may leak from amalgam fillingsleading to elevated levels of mercury in the bodyit says theres not good evidence that this mercury leads to negative health outcomes.

Even for nursing mothers, the FDA states, Infants are not at risk for adverse health effects from the mercury in breast milk of women exposed to mercury vapor from dental amalgam.

WHAT AN EXPERT SAYS

Looking at the existing body of evidence, studies dont support the belief that there would be negative health effects, says Stefanie Russell, DDS, PhD, a clinical associate professor of epidemiology and health promotion at New York University. People should not be worried.

Earlier this year, Russell authored a report in the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice. In her report, she examined a recent study of pregnant women and blood mercury. While that study linked having four or more amalgam fillings with elevated mercury levels, it did not find any associated health risks among the women or their kids.

People have been using amalgam fillings for a very long time, she says. (More than 150 years, actually.) Theres no compelling evidence that they cause disease.

Its important to point out that Russell, the FDA, and the ADA arent claiming that amalgam fillings cannot raise your body or bloods mercury levels. Instead, theyre saying theres no evidence that the uptick in blood mercury from amalgam fillings is dangerous to your health.

Of course, mercury can cause disease, Russell says. But people are exposed to small amounts of mercury all the time. (Seafoods like tilefish and swordfish contain heavy amounts of mercury, and the EPA recommends pregnant or nursing women and children avoid them. Many other types of fish and shellfish, most notably tuna, also contain mercury, and should be eaten in moderationno more than 12 ounces per weekper the EPA.)

When it comes to fillings, Dr. Russell says, the evidence doesnt warrant freaking out.

STILL, SOME RESEARCH IS CONCERNING

Not all health authorities believe the mercury in amalgam fillings is harmless.

NEWLYWED'S LEG RAVAGED BY SPIDER BITE WHILE ON JAMAICA HONEYMOON

Norway has banned the use of amalgam fillingsas well as many other mercury-containing products. But their justification for the ban was that mercury is finding its way into waterways and fish, and so its continued use constitutes an environmental health concernnot a direct threat to humans.

Two recent studies from Taiwan have linked amalgam fillings to brain diseases like Parkinsons and Alzheimers. In the Alzheimers study, women exposed to amalgam fillings were 13% more likely to develop the disease than those never exposed.

But here in the U.S., even many holistic dentists who advocate for non-mercury composite fillings dont highlight health concerns as the reason for their anti-amalgam stance. Most point to cracked teeth caused by the expansion or contraction of amalgam fillings as a reason to avoid them.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Despite a few scary studies, large-scale reviews of all the existing research have not found strong evidence of amalgam-filling-related mercury dangers.

A 2016 review from the University of Ottawa in Canada found that, while mercury levels are elevated in people with amalgam fillings, there was no statistically significant link made to adverse health outcomes.

That doesnt mean amalgam fillings are guaranteed safe. It just means that, if you have them, theres no compelling reason to have them removed.

Whether its a nursing mother or an older adult with a mouth-full of metal fillings, Dr. Russell says, There is no situationshort of a broken or defective fillingin which Id tell a patient to have amalgam fillings removed.

In fact, mercury is most likely to escape from an amalgam filling during implantation and removal, she says. So if youre worried about mercury, having your metal fillings replaced doesnt make much sense.

But if youre in need of a fresh filling, or one of your existing amalgam fillings is damaged? Different story.

Tooth-colored composite fillings are better than ever, Dr. Russell says. It used to be that they werent as strong or long-lasting as amalgam, but theyve improved a lot over the last 10 to 15 years. (They also arent as conspicuous as amalgam fillings.)

If you need a new filling, play it safe and go with composite.

This article first appeared on Rodale's Organic Life
A Long Island cop who moonlights as a model made an arresting appearance in her first-ever Fashion Week show.

Samantha Sepulveda, who patrols Freeport, N.Y., strutted the catwalk Friday in a dazzling bead-studded wedding gown with a plunging neckline.

That was so exhilarating! Sepulveda told The Post, saying it rivaled a hot call for police. It was a different kind of adrenaline pump.

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK RUNWAYS MORE DIVERSE THAN EVER BEFORE

Australian designer Azulant Akora chose Sepulveda, who modeled for her Down Under last year, to close her 12-gown show as a bride.

Im inspired by her confidence, Akora said. I feel Sam represents millennials and I wanted to create a wedding gown for millennials.

The form-fitting frock features hand-sewn beads to mimic ripples of water,  Akora said. I wanted to capture the fluidity and serenity of the light.

Since The Post revealed Sepulvedas sideline in January, the people of Freeport have reacted warmly, she said: Theyre a lot nicer because they feel they know me. Im not just a jerk cop.

But she hasnt gone soft: Im still the No. 1 summons issuer.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Sepulveda, 33, plans to step up her worldwide modeling, and may venture into acting or reality TV.

While a real-life wedding is not on the horizon, Sepulveda hopes her bridal gig is foreshadowing. She doesnt have a boyfriend now, but Im ready to settle down.

This article originally appeared on The New York Post.
I still vividly remember Sept. 11, 2001, when my 5th grade teacher in a suburb of Albany, New York, stopped class and told us a about the horrific mass murder of our fellow New Yorkers a few counties to the south.

On that day 16 years ago, 19 monsters who despised the noble ideals of freedom and equality that America stands for took the lives of almost 3,000 of our fellow countrymen in New York City, at the Pentagon and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The terrible events of 9/11 are starting to fade in memory and out of public discourse. Now an entire generation too young to remember the day is starting to become active in civic affairs.

For millennials such as me, the day was the beginning of our introduction to world affairs. Its aftereffects have defined many portions of our lives since.

On this 16th anniversary of 9/11, we should remember that to our external enemies, we are all fundamentally the same  free human beings with a love of God and liberty, united by the Constitution and draped in Americas proud history.

I still remember watching on television as President George W. Bush stood among the ruins in Manhattan and warned our attackers that we would strike back. And I remember later when he spoke before Congress about the need to invade Iraq.

I remember the feeling of unity our country felt afterward, as we realized that despite our many differences, we are not as divided as we seem.

I remember seeing how many of my brave classmates in high school signed up to join our armed forces out of patriotic devotion as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq raged on.

I remember seeing pictures and news stories of how, no matter our background or belief, American soldiers united in fighting the enemy that took so many American lives on 9/11. I remember seeing how our civilian population back home stood united in backing our troops and one another.

Now new international security challenges confront us as 9/11 moves to the history books, though it remains fresh in the minds and hearts of everyone who lived through it, particularly those who lost loved ones. Like the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor for an earlier generation, it is a historical marker engraved in the collective consciousness.

Much of the modern world is still defined by the tragedy that happened 16 years ago. We still are fighting in Afghanistan. Iraq remains a battlefield, as we continue to destroy ISIS and its extremist brethren across the world.

Furthermore, I believe there is an important lesson we should still recall from 9/11  that of unity.

Our country right now is perhaps the most divided it has ever been since the Civil War. A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll described how Americans are polarized across ideological and partisan lines.

The election and administration of President Trump has drawn media attention to this polarization. But surveys and studies have shown that in recent years, even before the 2016 election, Americans have been drifting further and further apart.

Our political discourse is filled each day with opposing sides not only engaging in policy debates but personal attacks and demonization. Rather than seeing those in the other party as decent and sincere people simply holding alternate viewpoints, too many of us now see them as enemies.

However, in all this hostility, the truth is that we are not as different from one another as it seems. While liberals and conservatives have many disagreements in policies and philosophy, we still all support our fundamental constitutional ideals and the belief in our right to purse life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that has defined our nations image and path.

On this 16th anniversary of 9/11, we should remember that to our external enemies, we are all fundamentally the same  free human beings with a love of God and liberty, united by the Constitution and draped in Americas proud history.

On this solemn day, it is worth remembering what brings us together. Perhaps someday our country can be as united again as it was on Sept. 11, 2001.
Worldwide attention on North Korea has been misplaced. Distracted by missile ranges, warhead yields, and tweet-based geopolitical posturing, pundits and policy makers have ignored the most vulnerable stakeholders in this crisis: the North Korean population. A tool to help these people remains overlooked  a global political commitment called the Responsibility to Protect (R2P).

When leaders perpetrate crimes against their own people, their claim to wield legitimate sovereign power evaporates. The United Nations can then take measures to protect the population  even measures toward regime change, including the collective use of force if authorized by the UN Security Council.

Although exploring such strong measures may do more to provoke than ease tension, such options need to be discussed as serious consequences for the North Korean regime to contemplate. Kim Jong Un must understand that he cannot hide behind a cloak of sovereign immunity.

Kim Jong Un must understand that he cannot hide behind a cloak of sovereign immunity.

Life in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) is marred by arbitrary detention and torture; rape and forced abortion; denial of the rights to food, free thought, conscience, and freedom of movement; and social and political discrimination in access to housing, jobs, education, and even potential marriage partners.

These evils have not gone unrecognized.

A UN inquiry determined that these North Korean human rights abuses resembled those of the Nazis. The chairman of that inquiry wrote Kim Jong Un to warn that he could be tried at The Hague for war crimes.

That inquiry was three years ago, yet the problems remain.

Sadly, the world has not turned to what has been called the most important shift in the definition of sovereignty...since the Treaty of Westphalia of 1648  the emergent norm of R2P.

R2P is no mental exercise. Endorsed by all UN member states at the 2005 World Summit, R2P has become increasingly important.

? Kenyan ethnic violence in December 2007 was met with an appeal to the UN Security Council in the name of the responsibility to protect, and the prompt international response was described as a model of diplomatic action under the Responsibility to Protect principles by Human Rights Watch.

? 2011 post-election violence in Cote dIvoire elicited a unanimous UN Security Council resolution condemning violence on all sides, calling for legitimately-elected Alassane Ouattara to receive power immediately, and reaffirming that the UN could use all necessary means to protect life and property. Ex-President Laurent Gbagbo was brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face charges of crimes against humanity.

? In 2011 the Security Council explicitly cited R2P when authorized military intervention in Libya.

? Within the last five years the Central African Republic, Syria, Burundi, and Yemen all have presented cases of R2P due to violent mass atrocities against civilians.

R2P has three pillars. First, states have a sovereign responsibility to protect their people from serious harm including repression and state failure. Second, the international community has a responsibility to provide assistance and build capacity should a state prove unable or unwilling to meet these responsibilities. Third, the international community should respond in a timely and decisive manner.

The leaders of North Korea know they run afoul of the first pillar. They know North Korea is an artificial state that exists solely to support a life of leisure for a decadent family dynasty. They know their foundationless state ultimately must crumble. They may even realize that R2P could provide the basis for international action to promote regime change (possibly though recognition of a North Korean government in exile to take the DPRKs seat in international fora, possibly through more direct measures).

But these leaders are also shrewd. They want to survive, so they want to make the international community unwilling to live up to its second- and third-pillar commitments. In nuclear weapons the North Korean leaders believe they have found a tool to prolong the half-life of the DPRK.

How?

Fifteen years ago Victor Cha  noted academic, author, and former national foreign policy advisor who has been nominated to serve as Americas new ambassador to South Korea  wrote about how North Koreas nuclear program could provide a shield for deterrence, a sword for warfighting, and a badge for prestige.

In short, North Koreas leaders want to provide nuclear-based existential security for their regime. The existential insecurity of North Koreans citizens is of no concern to them.

Meanwhile, the window of opportunity for timely and decisive action is rapidly closing as DPRK nuclear and missile capabilities increase.

Will nations come together to take Responsibility to Protect seriously? Or will nations individualistically decide that the plight of the North Korean people is merely an unfortunate problem not worth addressing?

Actions speak louder than words. By this measure, the world remains largely silent  and the North Koreans suffer.

Father Brian Muzas, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Center for United Nations and Global Governance Studies at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University.
Im sure Im not the only person to make this observation, but it feels like were living through calamities of biblical proportions.

Lately I feel like Im on the apocalypse beat, careening between coverage of monster hurricanes and the threat of nuclear war.

Perhaps its just the curse of the news gods, but we have ricocheted between the catastrophic Texas flooding unleashed by Harvey, the blustery threats and hydrogen bomb test of Kim Jong-un, and the devastating fury of Irma hitting Florida yesterday.

And that has made me ruminate a bit about the nature of leadership.

President Trump, who draws so much criticism, has performed reasonably well during this period. Hes taken the most flak for his tough words against Kim after each new bomb or missile test. This can be unnerving, but the approach of the last two decadesdiplomacy and sanctionshasnt worked either. Whether we have edged closer to a nuclear confrontation is hard to discern, but every administration has to maintain a credible military threat against the rogue regime.

The twin hurricanes remind us that there are limits to government in the face of mother natures fury. But so far you have to credit both federal and state officials with a herculean effort. Countless people were rescued from the Houston floods, and Rick Scott was on TV so often urging South Florida to evacuate that it seemed the governor had his own show. I still cant get my mind around the mind-boggling task of evacuating nearly 7 million people, almost as many as live in New York City.

After the media cast Hurricane Harvey as a major test for Trump, most never got around to reporting that he did pretty well. He quickly visited Texas as FEMA did a stellar job of coordinating rescue and relief efforts. There was some carping about Trump not showing enough empathy, but even that faded after the presidents second visit, when he met with victims in Houston after avoiding the city at the height of the flooding. And with Democratic help, Trump has pushed a $15-billion relief package through Congress, which amounts a down payment on whats needed.

Its obviously too soon to say how the government will perform after Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida.

But one thing that has been inspiring in Texas is how many ordinary people got into boats to rescue folks trapped in their homes, and how many community organizations and churches pitched in to help. Volunteers rose to match the moment of crisis. And journalists who ventured into dangerous conditions in Florida and Texas deserve credit as well.

It still feels like were trapped in the grip of relentless danger: Ever more destructive hurricanes, ever more deadly wildfires in California and Oregon, and a particularly devastating earthquake in Mexico. But the silver lining is that it has fostered a sense of community too often lacking in these polarized times.
A leading ObamaCare architect is the latest Democratic figure to get behind the push for single-payer health care, as Sen. Bernie Sanders prepares to unveil his Medicare for all bill this week  kicking off a campaign sure to put immense pressure on senior Democrats and 2020 presidential hopefuls to support the costly proposal.

The push for government-funded health care once was relegated to the fringes of the Democratic Party but has made its way into the mainstream. The latest example of this was former Sen. Max Baucus saying last week that lawmakers should start looking at single-payer.

"I just think the time has come," he told NBC News, after making similar remarks at a public event in his home state of Montana.

Baucus led the Senate Finance Committee during ObamaCare talks and acknowledged he opposed single-payer at the time, because it was branded as socialistic by too many people.

WHAT IS SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE?

Times have changed  at least among Democratic lawmakers.

Sanders plans to introduce his bill on Wednesday, along with Senate co-sponsors. Sanders recently confirmed one of them  Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.  and another, California Sen. Kamala Harris, also revealed to constituents she plans to co-sponsor the bill.

Harris is considered a potential 2020 presidential candidate and her early endorsement of Sanders plan indicates how the legislation could emerge as a litmus test for other 2020 candidates  demonstrating their alignment with the liberal wing of the party.

In a fundraising email at the beginning of the month, Sanders vowed to run Medicare for all like a campaign  pointing to the pressure his supporters will exert on members of Congress.

We're going to put together a grassroots movement that organizes people in all parts of this country much like we did during the presidential race, Sanders wrote. There will be rallies, buttons, bumper stickers, shirts and most importantly people organizing in their communities across the country.

The proposal, though, is likely to come with enormous taxpayer costs.

Under this European-style health care system, the government is solely responsible for covering health care expenses. Sanders, I-Vt., rolled out an earlier version of his proposal during the Democratic presidential primaries in 2016.

At the time, he initially estimated the plan would cost $13.8 trillion over the first 10 years. But according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Urban Institute, the single-payer system would cost the federal government more like $32 trillion over the first decade, requiring an average annual tax increase of $24,000 per household. (That increase would be offset in part by a big reduction in private health care spending, and state/local government spending.)

A spokesman for Sanders recently told Fox News that the Urban Institute's figure was "not accurate" with respect to the 2017 proposal.

"This bill is substantially different and more detailed than the brief plan released during the campaign," the Sanders spokesman told Fox News.

Democrats do not have the numbers to pass any such legislation right now, but the issue could become a focal point of the partys efforts to win back one or both chambers in the 2018 midterms. A majority of House Democrats already support Medicare-for-all legislation.
Republicans multimillion-dollar fundraising edge over Democrats extends to the battle for control of state capitals, with the partys gubernatorial fundraising arm outpacing its Democratic counterpart by $15 million so far this year.

Facing 38 gubernatorial contests over the next two years, Democrats repeatedly have made clear the importance of winning those races -- considering Republicans now control 33 of the 50 governorships.

But their money really doesnt match their words, Republican Governors Association spokesman Jon Thompson told Fox News. Donors are not ponying up.

The RGA has outraised the Democratic Governors Association, $36 million to $21 million, so far this year.

Those numbers do not reflect fundraising for individual campaigns, many of which have yet to even launch. But they fit a historical pattern. The RGA has outraised the DGA by at least $10 million in at least the past seven election cycles -- including $105 million-to-$44 million in 2016, according to OpenSecrets.org.

DGA spokesman Jared Leopold on Monday acknowledged the RGAs recent fundraising dominance. But he disagrees with the notion that the DGA is struggling to capitalize on the anti-Trump sentiment at the state level.

Were cutting into that right now, said Leopold, who also says Democrats are now putting more money and other resources into races outside of Washington, where Republicans control Congress and the White House.

These races are extremely important. When you look at rebuilding the Democratic Party, gaining [state-level] seats is critical, said Leopold, also pointing out the $21 million haul broke a DGA fundraising record for this period in a campaign cycle -- $13 million in the first half of 2013.

The governorships and state legislative seats are important for influencing policy ranging from minimum wage to abortion rights to health care. The state capitals also are critical in the next cycle, as more power at the state level would help Democrats immensely in reconfiguring congressional districts to their advantage after the 2020 census.

The fundraising gap, though, is part of a broader pattern.

The Republican National Committee over roughly the same period is ahead of the Democratic National Committee $86.5 million to $42 million, with the DNC recording its worst July fundraising in a decade.

Historically, Republicans have been structurally better organized than Democrats in state elections, Caleb Burns, a Republican strategist and partner in the Washington law firm Wiley Rein, said Monday. Theyre clearly concerned about changing that and about the 2020 census and redistricting. But will it be too little too late?

Burns pointed out that Democrats have recently created the super PAC Forward Majority to help them win upcoming state legislature races, which he said is critically important if they want to lead efforts in redrawing the congressional districts.

Turn resistance into power, the Forward Majority say on its website. Republicans, including Donald Trump, won the majority of 2016 races despite losing the popular vote. Why? Because in the past decade Republicans have outspent Democrats 3-to-1 in state legislative races and gained nearly 1,000 seats in state capitals, where they are redrawing districts to distort national outcomes.

A total of 38 governor races are taking place in the next two years  with New Jersey and Virginia holding theirs this year and the rest coming in 2018.

Republicans in that period must defend 27 of the 34 seats they hold, which includes the New Jersey seat  which term-limited GOP Gov. Chris Christie will vacate. And about a dozen of the GOP-held seats are open, meaning the sitting governor is not seeking reelection.
EXCLUSIVE: White House Chief of Staff John Kelly fired back at a prominent House Democrat who called him a disgrace to the uniform, in the Gold Star father and retired Marine Corps generals first public response to the personal attack on his service.

Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez had leveled the criticism at Kelly over his support of President Trumps decision to end a controversial program that shielded young illegal immigrants from deportation.

In an email to Fox News late Sunday, Kelly responded by saying Congress did nothing to help so-called Dreamers when they had the chance.

As far as the congressman and other irresponsible members of congress are concerned, they have the luxury of saying what they want as they do nothing and have almost no responsibility, Kelly said. They can call people liars but it would be inappropriate for me to say the same thing back at them. As my blessed mother used to say empty barrels make the most noise.

He concluded, The congressman has a right to his opinion.

Kelly had advised the president to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program with a six-month wind-down, as announced last Tuesday.

Former President Barack Obama had created DACA via executive action, and both Democrats and Republicans have questioned the legality of the move even if they support the policy itself. Conservative voices are mostly unified in their view that Obama exceeded his constitutional authority by circumventing Congress. Even Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said on MSNBC that the policy was on shaky legal ground, urging Congress to pass a law.

But the vocal and increasingly powerful left wing of the Democratic Party has been leading activist rallies across the country against the Trump decision on DACA.

In a statement last Tuesday, Gutierrez said Kelly has no honor and should be drummed out of the White House along with the white supremacists and those enabling the Presidents actions by just following orders.

In announcing the DACA decision with a six-month delay, Trump urged Congress to come up with a legislative solution.

Kelly indicated hes not getting his hopes up.

Every DOJ and DHS lawyer says DACA is unconstitutional. Every other legal scholar - right and left - says the same thing. Trump didn't end DACA, the law did. That said, I worked and succeeded to give the congress another six months to do something. I am not confident, he said.

Kelly previously served as secretary of Homeland Security, before taking the reins at the Trump White House. In his response to Gutierrez, he noted how he tried to get Congress to focus on DACA since the beginning of the Trump administration.

During my time at DHS - from 20 Jan until this moment - I have met with hundreds of members on both sides of the hill  My [message] always was I have bought you time to do something on DACA. I begged and pleaded with them. They did exactly nothing.

Gutierrez office took exception at Kellys description.

[S]o far we have seen no courage to fight for DREAMers from the President or his Chief of Staff. There is a clear majority in the House today to support measures to defend DACA recipients, but Republicans need to choose whether they want to let that happen or not. So far, the answer is not, Gutierrez spokesman Douglas Rivlin said.

He added, Ending DACA amounts to surrender without a fight for the President and his Chief of Staff.

The Trump administration announced the end to the program under the threat of lawsuit from Republican state attorneys general. But Rivlin said, The constitutionality of DACA has never been challenged successfully in court and the Department of Homeland Security, which administers the program, certainly never questioned its constitutionality at its inception or while hundreds of thousands signed up for it.

At this time it appears that Republicans, who control Congress, have at least three options for dealing with DACA.

They can let it expire without a legislative fix, favored by some conservatives; they can pass a bill that would essentially grant amnesty for the Dreamers and give them work permits, favored by congressional leadership; or they can work with Democrats like Feinstein on some sort of immigration compromise that might include funding for the border wall.
New Hampshire, the state that helps kick off presidential elections, is now at the center of a partisan battle over voter fraud, and the debate is set to heat up Tuesday.

The Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, created earlier this year by President Donald Trump, convenes for just the second time Tuesday in Manchester, hosted by New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner.

The session comes less than a week after commission co-chairman and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach charged in a column on conservative news site Breitbart that voter fraud in the Granite State may account for Democrat Maggie Hassans extremely narrow Senate victory last November over incumbent Republican Kelly Ayotte.

Kobach cited a report, compiled by Gardner and released by New Hampshire Republican state House of Representatives Speaker Shawn Jasper. It showed that more than 5,500 people who registered to vote last November using out of state drivers licenses never subsequently obtained in-state licenses or registered their cars in the state.

The states laws allow a person to be domiciled in New Hampshire for voting purposes and still be a resident of another state for driver's licensing purposes. One example are students who are in New Hampshire attending colleges or universities. But state law also requires that people who come to live in the state and have a vehicle register it and obtain a New Hampshire drivers license within 60 days.

Ayotte lost to Hassan by just over 1,000 votes out of nearly three-quarters of a million ballots cast. In the same election, President Trump lost New Hampshires four electoral votes to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton by less than 2,800 votes.

Trump trounced Clinton in the all-important Electoral College vote, 306 to 232, to win the presidency. But he lost the national popular count by nearly 3 million votes to Clinton.

Soon after his victory, then-President-elect Trump claimed "in addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally.

And he singled out New Hampshire as one of three states with serious voter fraud.

Many New Hampshire Republicans have long railed against their states same-day voter registration law, saying it allows Democrats to game the system. Earlier this year the GOP-dominated state legislature passed a bill tightening voting laws. That measure was signed into law by Gov. Chris Sununu, the states first Republican governor in a dozen years.

Democrats argue the commission is a voter suppression effort led by Trump to justify his voter fraud claims. Top New Hampshire Democrats have urged Gardner, a Democrat who has served more than four decades as secretary of state, to quit the commission. He has no plans to step down.

I dont have a problem serving on a commission with people who I might disagree with," Gardner told Fox News. "We dont get anywhere if you refuse to talk to people who you might disagree with.

Vice President Pence, the commission chairman, will not attend Tuesdays meeting, which will be held at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on the campus of Saint Anselm College.
The White House on Monday accused James Comey of giving false testimony and suggested the Justice Department look at whether he perjured himself, as Republican lawmakers stepped up pressure on the former FBI director to clarify apparent discrepancies in his public statements to Congress.

Since the directors firing, weve learned new information about his conduct that only provided further justification for that firing, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said, citing false testimony among her examples.

Asked to clarify whether she thought Comey perjured himself or at least misled Congress, Sanders told Fox News John Roberts: I think thats something probably for DOJ to look at, not me. Im not an attorney.

Sanders, who defended the Comey firing in response to criticism from former chief strategist Steve Bannon, did not specify what testimony she was citing. But the comments came after Sen. Lindsey Graham told Fox News Catherine Herridge last week that he wants to bring back Comey to Capitol Hill, over concerns about his statements on the conclusion of the Hillary Clinton email case.

This doesnt add up, and I smell a rat here, Graham, R-S.C., said.

Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, added to those calls on Monday, saying Comey absolutely should be brought back to testify.

The American people rightfully have enormous concerns about the manner in which the Clinton email investigation was conducted, he told Fox News in a written statement. Recent reports suggesting the outcome of the investigation was predetermined only heighten these concerns.

GRAHAM WANTS TO HAUL BACK COMEY TO TESTIFY

Both Graham and Ratcliffe were responding to new allegations that Comey drafted an exoneration statement for Clinton weeks before interviewing her.

That raised concerns for Ratcliffe, because the congressman seemed to get a different explanation from Comey during a September 2016 hearing before the House Judiciary Committee.

At the time, Ratcliffe asked Comey whether he made the decision not to recommend criminal charges against Clinton before or after she was interviewed by the FBI in early July.

After, Comey said.

But interview transcripts obtained by Graham and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, revealed claims of an exoneration statement.

The transcripts were from interviews conducted by the Office of Special Counsel, which interviewed James Rybicki, Comeys chief of staff, and Trisha Anderson, the principal deputy general counsel of national security and cyberlaw, the GOP senators said. The notes reflected claims that Comey wrote a draft of his exoneration statement around early May 2016. Another passage suggested that Comey sent around a draft in an attempt to be forward-leaning given the direction the investigation was headed.

It remained unclear whether Comey could have drafted a similar statement for a scenario in which charges would be filed against Clinton.

But they called Comeys testimony in multiple instances into question. During his more recent testimony in June before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Comey was asked whether his decision to announce the results of the investigation in July 2016 was influenced by then-Attorney General Loretta Lynchs infamous meeting days earlier on an Arizona tarmac with former President Bill Clinton.

Yes, in an ultimately conclusive way, that was the thing that capped it for me  that I had to do something separately to protect the credibility of the investigation, Comey said.

Graham said last Thursday he didnt think Comey perjured himself, but suggested the interview transcripts raised questions that must be resolved.

Graham said there are two issues he wants to discuss. The first is whether Comey had predetermined the result of the email investigation before the Clinton interview. The second concerns Comeys claim that he jumped into the fray because of the tarmac meeting. Graham said he has reason to believe the real reason may have been some email between the DNC and the Justice Department about the scope of the Clinton investigation.

Asked what he thinks would be the appropriate forum in which Comey could clarify matters, Ratcliffe told Fox News that whats most important is getting to the truth but this should be done in the most transparent way possible.

After the public hearings weve already had surrounding this investigation, the American people should be given that same opportunity moving forward, he said.

Comey, whom President Trump fired in May amid tensions over the Russia probe, also testified in June there were other things that contributed to his decision to go public, including Lynch allegedly urging him to refer to the email probe as a matter and not an investigation.

In his July 2016 announcement, Comey famously called Clintons email arrangement extremely careless though he decided against recommending criminal charges.

Fox News Catherine Herridge and John Roberts contributed to this report.
Pope Francis took a swipe at President Trump over the weekend for moving to wind down the Obama-era program shielding some young illegal immigrants from deportation, suggesting the decision is not pro-life.

Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane on Sunday, Francis reportedly said he hopes the decision is re-thought somewhat.

According to Reuters, Francis said young people feel like they have no hope, and everything from drugs to suicides afflicts them when they are torn from their roots.

The president of the United States ... presents himself as a man who is pro-life. If he is a good pro-lifer, he understands that the family is the cradle of life and you have to defend its unity, the pope said, according to Reuters.

This is not the first time Trump and the pope have sparred from afar.

Back in February 2016, during the presidential campaign, the pope seemed to question Trumps Christian faith in connection with his plans for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, telling reporters: "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel."

Trump quickly responded, saying, For a religious leader to question a persons faith is disgraceful.

The two have since put that dispute behind them. Trump met in May with the pope at the Vatican, as part of his first foreign trip as president. He later tweeted the visit was the honor of a lifetime.

Pope Francis weighed in on the immigration debate after Trump last Tuesday announced he would roll back the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The 2012 program was meant to give a deportation reprieve and work permits to some immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children.

Trump made the decision under the threat of a lawsuit from Republican state attorneys general. In doing so, he called on Congress to find a legislative solution and suggested he could revisit the policy next year. In a written statement, Trump made clear his concern was more with the unilateral implementation of the policy under the Obama administration than with the policy itself.

As President, my highest duty is to defend the American people and the Constitution of the United States of America. At the same time, I do not favor punishing children, most of whom are now adults, for the actions of their parents. But we must also recognize that we are nation of opportunity because we are a nation of laws, he said.
President Trump commemorated the Sept. 11 attacks for the first time as commander-in-chief on Monday, leading a moment of silence and sharing words of strength on the 16th anniversary of that tragic day.

We can never erase your pain, but we can honor their sacrifice by pledging our resolve to do whatever we must to keep our people safe, Trump said, speaking to hundreds of family members gathered at the Pentagon.

The president, a New Yorker, was joined by first lady Melania Trump to observe a moment of silence first at the White House in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 American lives lost in the attacks -- when hijackers led by Usama Bin Laden crashed airplanes into New York Citys World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pa.

The moment of silence at 8:45 a.m. commemorates the moment the first plane, American Flight 11, struck the north tower of the World Trade Center. The second plane, United Flight 175, struck the south Twin Tower at 9:03 a.m. 16 years ago.

The president and first lady then visited the Pentagon to observe another moment of silence led by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford. The president laid a wreath at the Pentagon to honor the victims.

We never asked for this fight but we are steadfastly committed to seeing it through, Mattis said at the Pentagon. We Americans are not made of cotton candy. Were not seaweed drifting in the current. We are not intimidated by our enemies.

Mattis added: Mr. President, your military does not scare.

Trump took the podium following Mattis remarks, honoring the families and the lives lost, and the heroism that day.

The horror and anguish of that dark day were seared into our national memory forever. Innocent men, women, and children whose lives were taken so needlessly, Trump said.

The president honored each family, ensuring that no force on earth can ever take away your memories, diminish your love or break your will to endure, and carry on and go forward.

On that day, not only did the world change, but we all changed. Our eyes were open to the depths of the evil that we face, he said.

The president added: In that hour of darkness, we also came together with renewed purpose. Our differences never looked so small.

Trump went on to honor the nearly 5 million men and women who have joined the ranks in the last 16 years to defend the United States of America. Since 9/11, nearly 7,000 service members have died. The presidents remarks come after the administration announced a renewed Afghanistan policy late last month. A senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News that the president signed off on sending an additional 4,000 troops to Afghanistan, after apparently listening to appeals from his generals.

Were ensuring that they [terrorists] never again have a safe haven to launch attacks against our country, Trump said. We are making claim to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp, and nowhere to hideanywhereon this very large earth.

The president thanked members of the military for their service and said, America does not bend. We do not waver. And we will never, ever yield.

Meanwhile, Vice President Pence led the ceremony in Shanksville, where Flight 93 crashed into an open field at 10:03 a.m. 16 years ago. Many believe the passengers on that flight prevented a larger attack by fighting back.

In his remarks, an emotional vice president recalled being on Capitol Hill on 9/11 during what was his first year in Congress. Pence remembered the heroes on Flight 93 that prayed with a phone operator before plummeting to the ground, and assured the family members gathered at the memorial that this was personal.

Among the many lives that were saved by their selfless courage, they might well have saved my own life that day, 16 years ago, the vice president said, thanking the audience for the privilege of speaking. I will always believe that I and many others in our nations Capitol were able to go home that day to hug our families because of the courage and selflessness of the heroes on Flight 93. For me, its personal.

He added: "We will drive the cancer of terrorism from the face of the earth."

As the ceremonies took place in Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania, hundreds gathered at Ground Zero in Manhattan for reading of the names of those who lost their lives 16 years ago.
Residents of San Franciscos exclusive Presidio Terrace neighborhood hired a lawyer in hopes of winning back the private street they lost to an investor for $90,000 back in April 2015, but some say they dont have a case.

Many of the extremely wealthy residents didnt even know the street was up for sale and were not pleased after it sold.

Presidio Terrace is an oval-shaped street sealed off by a gate from the tony Presidio Heights neighborhood. Lined with towering palm trees and multimillion dollar mansions, the street has been home, over the years, to famous residents including Sen. Dianne Feinstein and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

Thanks to a city auction stemming from an unpaid tax bill, Bay Area real estate investor Michael Cheng, and his wife Tina Lam, bought the street and now own the sidewalks, the street itself and other areas of "common ground" in the private development that, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, has been managed by the homeowners association since at least 1905.

BETSY DEVOS VACATION HOME SPARKS UPROAR ON TWITTER

It turns out the homeowners association for Presidio Terrace failed to pay a $14-a-year property tax, something that owners of all 181 private streets in San Francisco must do, the Chronicle reported.

So the city's tax office put the property up for sale at the cost of $994 in an online auction to regain unpaid back taxes, penalties and interest. The couple eventually won the street with a $90,100 bid.

Scott Emblidge, the attorney for the Presidio Homeowners Association and former assistant city attorney, said in a letter to the city that the owners failed to pay because the tax bill was mistakenly being sent to the address of an accountant who hadn't worked for the homeowners association since the 1980s, the Chronicle reported.

Emblidge said the residents didn't know their street was put on the auction block, let alone sold, until May when a title search company hired by Cheng and Lam reached out to ask if any residents had interest in buying back the property.

That was one of several options Cheng and Lam have considered for making the investment pay off.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Another option is to charge residents to park on their street  and rent out the 120 parking spaces that line the grand circular road.

"As legal owners of this property, we have a lot of options," Cheng said, adding that nothing has been decided.

The Homeowners Association will meet with the Board of Supervisors in two months to argue for the reversal of the sale. Emblidge will head up the legal battle. They also hired former city attorney spokesman Matt Dorsey and Boe Hayward, onetime chief of staff for ex-Supervisor Bevan Dufty, to work with politicians behind the scenes and the media to get the story out.

But despite their heavy-hitting team, it might not be enough to win.

Unless they can show clearly and convincingly that proper procedures were not followed, I see no reason to rescind the sale, said Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who was recently visited by the homeowners team of advocates, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Sales like this happen every day to all kinds of people and businesses, he said.
Imagine your neighborhood is placed under a hurricane watch.

When the threat of a hurricane looms, its important for residents to know if hurricane warnings or watches have been issued for the areas they live in. Read on for a look at the two terms.

Hurricane conditions

Hurricane warnings and watches have different meanings slightly concerning hurricane conditions, or sustained winds that hit 74 mph or above, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations National Ocean Service (NOS) says.

A warning means that hurricane conditions are expected, whereas a watch means that conditions are possible, the office explains.

What else should I know?

Hurricane warnings and watches are issued 36 hours and 48 hours, respectively, before tropical storm-force winds may strike, according to the NOS.

Because hurricane preparedness activities become difficult once winds reach tropical storm force (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph), the hurricane warning is issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds to allow for important preparation, the group says.

The office shares a message when a warning is underway.

During a hurricane warning, complete storm preparations and immediately leave the threatened area if directed by local officials, the NOS adds.

Hurricane warnings also can be in effect for other reasons.

The warning can remain in effect when dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and waves continue, even though winds may be less than hurricane force, the National Weather Service says online.

What about tropical storm warnings vs. watches?

When a warning is issued, that means tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the specified coastal area within 36 hours, according to the NWS.

The agency says that a watch, however, indicates that the conditions are possible within the specified coastal area within 48 hours.
Members of an uncontacted tribe, said to include women and children, have allegedly been massacred by gold miners in a remote part of the Brazilian Amazon.

Federal prosecutors in Brazil have opened an investigation into the reported massacre of about 10 members of the tribe, according to the New York Times.

FUNAI, the Brazilian government Indian Affairs department, told Fox News that at its request, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office of Tabatinga in the state of Amazonas, has been investigating the alleged killings, together with the Federal Police.

INCREDIBLE PHOTOS OFFER GLIMPSE OF UNCONTACTED AMAZON TRIBE

The New York Times reports that the investigation was launched after the gold miners were heard bragging about the killings in a bar. The miners reported brandished a hand-carved paddle taken from the tribe.

The reported massacre took place last month along the River Jandiatuba in Western Brazil, according to tribal advocacy group Survival International, which reports that more than ten members of the tribe were massacred. If confirmed, this means up to a fifth of the entire tribe have been wiped out, the group added in a statement.

Survival International noted that women and children are believed to be among the dead.

FUNAI says that the area under investigation is near the Jandiatuba and Jutai rivers, near Brazils border with Peru, about 621 miles from the city of Manaus.

EYE IN THE SKY: TECH HELPS PROTECT ISOLATED AMAZON TRIBES

The miners who discussed the attack were arrested and questioned but have not confirmed the deaths. To date, no material evidence has been found to substantiate the alleged massacre, so it is not possible to confirm the veracity of the deaths, said FUNAI.

The alleged massacre highlights the threats faced by remote tribes, from violence to exposure to diseases carried by newcomers such as flu and measles.

Survival International says that there is inadequate government funding in Brazil for groups protecting indigenous territories in the Amazon. The Indians are more vulnerable now than they have been for years, as theyre now at the mercy of thousands of loggers and goldminers who are massing on their borders, or actually invading with impunity, said Survival International Director Stephen Corry, in a statement emailed to Fox News. Only a global outcry can prevent more Indians from being killed.

PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURES INCREDIBLE IMAGES OF ISOLATED AMAZON TRIBE

In its statement, FUNAI said that, last month, authorities conducted an operation to combat illegal mining in the region where the attack is said to have taken place. The operation resulted in the destruction of four dredgers. Six miners were fined more than 1 million Brazilian Reals ($322,190) for environmental crimes.

Brazils Federal Prosecution Service (MPF) says that it has received reports of violence, child prostitution, and homicides in the area.

Survival International estimates that there around 100 uncontacted tribes in the world, the vast majority of which are in the Amazon.

WORLD'S TALLEST TROPICAL TREE IS TALLER THAN THE STATUE OF LIBERTY

The outside world occasionally gets a glimpse of uncontacted and isolated tribes in remote parts of the Amazon when they are caught on camera.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
Floridas Department of Health has warned residents to beware of alligators and snakes displaced by Hurricane Irma.

After storms, be alert to wildlife-snakes, alligators, etc. may have been displaced as a result of strong winds or rain, the Department tweeted Monday.

There are about 1.3 million alligators in the state.

WHY ALLIGATOR ATTACKS ARE SPIKING IN FLORIDA

There has been a recent spate of alligator attacks in southwest Florida, which was blamed partly on this summers hot weather conditions. The fact that alligators become more active in higher temperatures, combined with people spending time near the water during the summer, likely contributed to the spike in attacks, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told Fox News in July.

There are 44 species of native snakes in Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, of which six are venomous  the diamondback rattlesnake, the canebrake rattlesnake, the pygmy rattlesnake, the cottonmouth, the copperhead and the coral snake.

Hurricane Irma, which left a trail of devastation across the Caribbean, made landfall as a Category 4 storm in the Florida Keys Sunday morning, before setting out on a path along Floridas western coast. By Monday, Irma had weakened to a Category 1 and then a tropical storm.

HURRICANE IRMA: THE SCIENCE OF THE DEADLY STORM

In an advisory sent out at 8 a.m. ET Monday, the National Hurricane Center explained that, although Irma had weakened to a tropical storm, it was still producing some wind gusts near hurricane force. At that time, the storm was about 105 miles north-northwest of Tampa.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
First, the bad news: Divers stole a prehistoric human skeleton from an underwater cavern near Tulum on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula five years ago. Police have yet to solve the case. But the good news? The looters didn't take everything. Some bits of bone were preserved under stalagmites, mineral growths shaped like upside-down icicles on the cave floor.

By analyzing what's left of this ice age grave site, researchers determined that the skeleton could be up to 13,000 years old, making it "one of the oldest human skeletons from America," study author Wolfgang Stinnesbeck, an earth scientist at Heidelberg University in Germany, said in a statement.

Stinnesbeck and his colleagues first became aware of the skeleton in a submerged cave called Chan Hol in February 2012 from photos on social media. Unfortunately, 90 percent of the skeleton was looted a month later. [The 25 Most Mysterious Archaeological Finds on Earth]

The researchers used pre-robbery photos to reconstruct the skeleton, determining that the person had likely been male, and that he likely died in the cave at a time in the ancient past when the site was dry. The researchers also collected the bone fragments remaining in the cave, including part of a hip bone that was stuck under a stalagmite.

Often, to determine the age of human remains, scientists look at bone collagen and measure a radioactive isotope of carbon that decreases at a regular rate once a living thing dies. In this case, carbon dating wasn't possible, however; the collagen in the skeleton had completely degraded after years of exposure to tropical water, the researchers said.

As an alternative, the researchers looked at the relative levels of uranium and thorium isotopes in the stalagmite growing on top of the bone. Those results showed a minimum age of 11,300 years. But Stinnesbeck and his colleagues speculated that the skeleton could be even older, based on another sediment deposit located between the bone and the stalagmite. The researchers estimated that the remains could be as old as 13,000 years.

Jim Chatters, an archaeologist with Applied Paleoscience in Bothell, Washington, who was not involved in the study, said he wasn't convinced by this extrapolation, adding that deposits under the stalagmite could have formed more rapidly.

"I could buy that skeleton being over 11,000 years old," Chatters told Live Science, "but not 13,000, at least not with the evidence presented."

Even at 11,000 years old, the bones would still join a special class of human skeletons from the Americas. "We don't have very many individuals from that age range," Chatters said.

Prehistoric human skeletons could help scientists understand how and when the Americas were first settled  still a subject of much debate in archaeology. Stinnesbeck told Live Science that the new finding is further evidence that humans were settled in the Americas before the Clovis culture, long thought to be the first to arrive to North America via a land bridge from Asia about 13,000 years ago. The "Clovis first" hypothesis has been challenged by recent findings at sites like Monte Verde in Chile, where scientists have found traces of human occupation at least 14,800 years old, and an underwater sinkhole known as the Page-Ladson site in Florida where scientists have found 14,550-year-old stone tools.

The Yucatan Peninsula has emerged as one of the most important sites for pre-Clovis findings. Once-dry caves like Chan Hol flooded with rising water when glaciers melted at the end of the last ice age, preserving human remains as well as extinct animals like giant sloths and saber-toothed cats. "The area appears to be [a] prime site and paleontological and paleoanthropological bonanza, with so many finds from the late Pleistocene in a really small area," Stinnesbeck told Live Science in an email.

In 2007, divers found the skeleton of a teenage girl, nicknamed Naia, in Hoyo Negro, another submerged Yucatan cave; in 2014, Chatters and his colleagues determined that the teenager likely died 12,000 to 13,000 years ago, based on radiocarbon dating and uranium-thorium dating.

Chatters said it was unfortunate that the Chan Hol site was looted, and noted that archaeologically rich caves in the region are becoming more accessible to divers, which puts the sites at greater risk of being disturbed or plundered.

"Carelessness and lack of skill, even notwithstanding looting, are real threats to the integrity of these finds," Chatters said, adding that he's found bones moved or broken at Hoyo Negro since the site's discovery.

The results from the Chan Hol remains were published online Aug. 30 in the journal PLOS One.

Original article on Live Science.
James Damore, who was fired from Google for posting a controversial memo about bias and discrimination in the workplace, claims there is an "underground conservative network" in Silicon Valley.

In an interview with Joe Rogan obtained by conservative website The Daily Wire, Damore said that there are a lot of people, both at Google and in Silicon Valley, who don't conform to the traditional stereotype that everyone is liberal.

"Theres some underground efforts within Google to at least document some of this, because while the [underground operators] may not be the majority, theyre sort of a silent coalition within Google thats sort of upset about a lot of this," Damore said, adding that the number of conservative people that work at Google is "definitely more than zero" but may be less than 20 percent.

GOOGLE EMPLOYEE'S ANTI-DIVERSITY MEMO GOES VIRAL, PROMPTS RESPONSE BY EXECS

"I think there are a lot of libertarians [at Google], so that would be the main counter to the extreme left  the main retributions against people are the social conservatives, and they feel completely alienated," Damore added. "So its really unfortunate for them."

At the end of the second-quarter, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, employed 75,606 people, up from 66,575 in the year-ago quarter.

Damore went on to say there is an "underground conservative network," looking to connect people that work at different companies. He stated that there is a lot of verification needed to join one of these groups.

"You dont need to be totally anonymous  but you dont want, because there [are] active attempts to try to infiltrate these groups," Damore said.

GOOGLE EMPLOYEE'S ANTI-DIVERSITY MANIFESTO PROMPTS TORRENT OF RESPONSES, SPARKS WIDER DEBATE

Rogan asked whether that was indeed the case and Damore responded saying it was. "This happens a lot, where theyll try to [join] a group, act as if theyre one of them, and then just record whats happening and then expose them," he said.

Damore went on to say that these people look for something they "disagree with," then look through their history at Google, including emails in an attempt to blacklist them or "show that this person is evil, therefore they should be fired."

Damore was fired last month for a memo that went viral. It has been published in full by the tech website Gizmodo.
Several cruise ships are racing toward Caribbean islands ravaged by Hurricane Irma to deliver supplies and assist in evacuation efforts for victims of the massive storm, cruise line officials said.

Royal Caribbean announced this weekend that it will cancel scheduled cruise trips to dispatch two of their ships, Adventure of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas, to St. Thomas and St. Maarten to make humanitarian stops by bringing rescue supplies and transporting evacuees.

HURRICANE IRMA LEAVES CRUISE PASSENGERS WITH UNLIMITED FOOD AND BOOZE

Adventure of the Seas, which has a passenger capacity of 3,800, was scheduled to stop in St. Maarten Sunday, where Hurricane Irma killed at least four and caused significant damage to 70 percent of its infrastructure, Dutch officials told Yahoo! News. Looting, gunshots and a lack of clean drinking water were reported on the French side of the island Saturday.

The other ship, Majesty of the Seas, will be dispatched first to St. Thomas to deliver supplies and will later go to St. Maarten to transport evacuees. The ship, which has a passenger capacity of 2,800, was originally scheduled to depart for the Bahamas on Sept. 15. Royal Caribbean said it will fully reimburse passengers for the cancellation.

Likewise, Norwegian Cruise Line deployed Norwegian Sky, a 2,000-passenger ship, carrying supplies and assistance to St. Thomas as well, according to a release.

Another ship, Norwegian Escape, will depart Cozumel, Mexico, an island near Cancun, Monday night with about 4,000 displaced guests from both ships that were unable to secure flights back home.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Royal Caribbean added that its Empress of the Seas ship is standing by ready to assist in Key West once the impacts of the storm are fully known.

The cruise company also opened its 2,400-passenger ship Enchantment of the Seas to employees and their families in need of shelter to evacuate toward calm waters before the storm hit Friday.
These are not friendly skies.

A US air-traffic diagram Sunday showed planes all over the United States, shuttling passenger to their destinations  except in Florida.

The entire state, plus big chunks of southern Georgia and South Carolina, were free from airline traffic amid Hurricane Irma.

Flights in and out of Florida might not be running until mid-week at the earliest, officials warned.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post
Antifa demonstrators hurled smoke and projectiles at police officers during rallies in downtown Portland on Sunday, injuring at least two, according to police.

The Rally and March Against White Nationalism, which was organized by the Portland Stands United Against Hate group, started off at a park on the waterfront with speakers leading demonstrators in song and prayers, Fox 12 reported.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS PROFANITY

After police changed the planned route of the march to avoid violence, tensions built up between the demonstrators and an opposing group, Patriot Prayer, also scheduled to hold a rally.

Police said demonstrators threw projectiles and smoke bomb  and knocked down a fence that police had put up. They also said seven suspects were in custody.

Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson originally planned to hold a larger rally in Portland but it was moved to nearby Vancouver, Wash., to try and keep it safe and family-friendly, according to Fox 12.

Patriot Prayer bills itself as a peaceful First Amendment advocacy group that appears in locations where there have been past confrontations over free speech.

Gibson told Fox News their rallies are rooted in a philosophy about promoting love and peace but doing it in a way thats respectful. Its about building bridges.

Antifa members, Fox News previously reported, have over the last year increasingly made their violent presence known at progressive demonstrations and counter-protests to alt-right groups and speakers across the country  leaving critics to question Antifas role in the leftist protest movement and to ask if the group is causing more harm than good.

Antifa, short for anti-fascist, traces its roots back to militant anti-fascists operating in Nazi Germany during the 1930s. The emergence of these modern groups in the United States  which are comprised predominantly of radical anarchists and focus more on fighting far-right ideology than on encouraging pro-left policies  coincided with a rise of white nationalists following the election of Barack Obama in 2008, analysts said.

Since the election of President Trump, Antifa activists have become even more active, fighting with right-wing activists and police in cities from Philadelphia to Houston to Hamburg, site of this years G-20 summit.
The Gold Star father who challenged President Trump to rethink his stance on the place of Muslims and people who arent Christian in American society during the 2016 presidential race told a crowd on Saturday that Trump was illiterate and uneducated.

Khizr Khan spoke to more than 1,000 people at St. Lukes United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. The title of the event: Talking Through Unity and Civility with Khizr Khan.

In reference to Trumps rollback of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, according to The Indy Star, Khan said: It is totally uncompassionate by an illiterate, uneducated president who would cause that harm to the nation and country.

He added, Hopefully Congress will address this.

Khan, a lawyer, was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States with his wife, Ghazala, in 1980. The couple had three sons and they became American citizens in 1986.

Khans son was killed in 2004 while serving as a U.S. Army captain in Iraq. Khan came to public attention when he blasted Trumps stance against immigrants and Muslims in a speech at the Democratic National Convention last summer.

The Trump administration last week officially announced its plan to end DACA  which provides a level of amnesty to certain illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children  with a six-month delay for current recipients.

With the delay, the solution for protecting young immigrants from deportation is punted to Congress, with only a few months to pass immigration reform legislation. President Trump urged lawmakers on Tuesday to do your job with DACA.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke said Tuesday that while DACA will be phased out for current recipients, no new initial requests or associated applications filed after today will be acted on.


In the aftermath of Irma, all interests across the East Coast of the United States should keep a close eye on Hurricane Jose as it meanders across the central Atlantic Ocean this week.

Jose, currently a Category 2 hurricane, is churning hundreds of miles northeast of the Turks and Caicos. While some weakening may occur, Jose is expected to maintain hurricane status through the week.

The storm will remain over warm water for the next several days, and this should allow it to maintain a robust circulation, AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said.

The movement of a large area of high pressure, or clockwise flow of air in the atmosphere, will guide Jose along this week.





This high pressure area will drift to the southeast of Jose then south of the hurricane, causing it to move in a circular fashion during most of this week, according to Kottlowski.

Jose is expected to remain between Bermuda and Hispaniola for the next several days but then eventually move westward late this week and then more northward this weekend, he added.

How close Jose passes to the Turks and Caicos and eastern Bahamas late this week will determine whether its outer bands of rain and wind impact these areas, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio.

At the very least, dangerous seas will be stirred along the north- and east-facing beaches of these islands, some of which were left decimated by Irma.

There are several paths Jose can take this weekend and during the third week of September.

Possibilities include direct impacts to the mid-Atlantic, New England or Atlantic Canada. Jose could also be swept completely out to sea next week, posing no direct threat to land.





Regardless of Joses exact track, there will be beach concerns up and down the East Coast as the storm churns offshore.

Surf and rip currents will be enhanced along the coasts of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and the Outer Banks of North Carolina, especially later this week and this weekend, according to Rossio.

Rough surf could then follow along the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts.

Beach erosion that was inflicted by Irma along the southern Atlantic Seaboard could be exacerbated.

Anyone from Bermuda to the Bahamas, U.S. East Coast and Atlantic Canada should continue to monitor AccuWeather.com for the latest updates on Jose.
A Florida deputy who was helping at a Hurricane Irma evacuation center and a corrections officer heading to start his shift were killed in a head-on crash Sunday morning.

Hardee County Deputy Julie Bridges died during the crash in southeast Tampa, WFLA reported. The Florida Department of Corrections said Sgt. Joseph Ossman, who was heading to start his shift at the Hardee Correctional Institution, also died.

We are heartbroken by this loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and fellow officers at this time, Corrections Sec. Julie Jones said in a statement to the Miami Herald.

TRUMP HUDDLES WITH CABINET OVER IRMA; PENCE VOWS 'WE'LL BE THERE'

Bridges was a 13-year veteran and was heading home to pick up more supplies for the shelter when the incident happened.

"Two officers killed in Hurricane Irma evacuation zone crash," the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office tweeted. "They were both on duty. Let's take a moment to recognize these heroes #IRMA."

The Florida Highway Patrol confirmed the deadly crash on Sunday, but did not clarify if the heavy rain and gusty winds from Hurricane Irma played a role in the crash. An investigation is being conducted.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., tweeted Saturday afternoon that he was "saddened" by the loss of both officers, adding, "We honor those working 24/7 to keep us safe."

A deputy in Weston also shot a suspected burglar about 3 a.m. Saturday. Another teenager at the scene was arrested.

The teenager who was shot was rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The hurricane made landfall in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm Sunday morning and headed up the state's southwest coast, dumping at least 12 inches of rain.

Power was knocked out for about 3.6 million customers, affecting more than 7.2 million people in Florida, according to TC Palm.

As Irma heads for Georgia and other Deep South states on Monday, the Nationaol Hurricane Center downgraded it to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of up to 65 mph.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Two Florida first responders were rescued early Monday morning after a live power pole and electric lines crashed onto their patrol car, trapping the pair in the midst of Hurricane Irmas damage.

Polk County Sheriffs Officer Sgt. Chris Lynn and Polk County Fire Rescue Paramedic James Tanner Schaill were heading back to north Lakeland when the power pole toppled onto their moving car, trapping them for two hours, the sheriffs office wrote in a Facebook post. The duo had just dropped off an elderly patient at a medical center.

Neither Lynn nor Schaill were able to exit the car due to the risk of electrocution.

Lakeland Electric crews were eventually able to disconnect the lines and free Lynn and Schaill about 1:15 a.m.

The scary incident helped illustrate why the sheriffs office urged residents to stay in their homes as officials assessed the damage in the neighborhoods, including downed trees and power lines that were blocking roadway.

Please be careful out there! We strongly recommend that citizens do not drive on roads unless it is necessary. Downed power lines are very dangerous. Debris on roadways is common, the office wrote on Facebook.

Live power lines pose a serious issue during hurricanes. A Houston man was electrocuted while walking in floodwaters caused by Hurricane Harvey last month. He was walking to his sisters house, treading through four feet of water, when he accidentally stepped on a live electrical wire.
A man who lived in a "dark, dark world" of methamphetamine and morphine abducted a Tennessee nursing student from her rural home, then drugged, raped and shot her before dumping her body and bragging about it to friends, prosecutors said Monday.

The charges were laid out in Savannah, Tenn., during opening statements in the trial of 33-year-old Zachary Adams, who is accused of killing Holly Bobo in April 2011.

Adams has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, raping and murdering Bobo, who was 20 when she disappeared from her home in the rural town of Parsons on April 13, 2011. Her remains turned up in nearby woods in September 2014. If convicted, Adams faces the death penalty.

Adams' defense attorney, meanwhile, said her client is not guilty. She said in her opening statement that investigators found no hair, fingerprints or DNA belonging to Bobo in a search of Adams' home before he was charged in 2014.

In their opening argument, prosecutors described chilling details: Adams, they said, asked his friend, Jason Autry, to help him dispose of Bobo's body after he had raped her. Thinking she was already dead, Adams told Autry he was going to "gut" Bobo's body so she would not float to the surface once they dumped her into the Tennessee River, according to the prosecution.

Bobo allegedly was wrapped in a blanket inside the vehicle -- but apparently she was still alive. She then made a noise, prompting Adams to shoot her in the head, prosecutors claimed.

"Jason sees a blanket in the bed of Zach's truck. Theres a body in the blanket," assistant Shelby County District Attorney Paul Hagerman said in opening statements.

Hagerman told jurors that evidence and testimony will show Adams told Autry that he, Shayne Austin, and John Dylan Adams -- the defendant's brother -- had kidnapped and raped Holly. Austin was found dead of an apparent suicide in 2015.

Hagerman said Autry will tell jurors that he asked Adams, "How did this [expletive] get in your truck?" and that Adams told him the three men had kidnapped her.

Zachary Adams "took her. He raped her. He killed her. He discarded her. He covered it up. He bragged about it. And he almost got away with it," Hagerman said.

In all, six men were arrested for varying degrees of involvement in the death of Bobo  including Autry, who in July was offered federal immunity in exchange for his testimony against one of his co-defendants, according to court documents.

Bobo, a nursing student at the University of Tennessee at Martin, who lived with her family in Decatur County, was last seen by her brother in the early morning of April 13, 2011.

Clint Bobo, then 25, reported seeing his sister being led by a man into the woods near their home at 7:30 a.m. Clint told investigators he initially assumed Holly was with her boyfriend, but said he grew concerned after finding blood outside, prompting him to call 911.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation then launched the costliest and most exhaustive missing-persons search in the state's history, scouring woods and fields by air and foot. Investigators also used high-resolution underwater imaging to search lakes and ponds.

On Sept. 7, 2014, two men looking for ginseng found Bobo's remains about 400 yards into the woods north of County Corner Road in northern Decatur County, about 20 miles from her family's home.

Most of the arrests were made based on a confession by John Dylan Adams, who told investigators he saw his brother, Zachary, and friend, Jason Autry, with Bobo at his brother's home after her abduction.

Dana Bobo, Holly's father, was the first witness to take the stand on Monday.

Fighting back tears, Bobo described frantically searching for his daughter after hearing someone had taken her from the family home on her way to school.

"It was the worst feeling you could possibly feel -- that something bad has happened to one of your kids," Bobo said.

The father said he remained hopeful his daughter would be found alive until TBI agents informed the family her remains had been found.

Neighbor James Barnes described hearing screams around 7:45 a.m. the morning Holly disappeared -- alarming enough, he said, for him to drive over to check on the Bobo home.

"It sounded like she was arguing with someone. She said, "Stop. I said stop,'" Barnes told a packed courtroom.

Bobo's mother, Karen, said she taught both Zachary Adams and Autry in school. She collapsed on the stand when shown items that belonged to her daughter, like her lunchbox and wallet. The judge said it was a legitimate medical issue and wasn't an attempt to garner sympathy from the jury.

Karen Bobo earlier told jurors how she raced home from her job as a second-grade teacher after hearing Holly was snatched by a stranger.

"Everything was normal [that morning]," Karen Bobo said. "I told her goodbye and I loved her."

Bobo's brother, Clint, said that on the day Holly went missing, he saw his sister walking with a man, who was wearing camouflage hunting gear, into the tree-line. At first, Clint said he thought it was Holly's boyfriend, Scott, but later realized it wasn't.

Clint Bobo said he went outside and saw blood on the carport, then called his mother. Karen told Clint to "get a gun and shoot" the man.

He said he didn't shoot the man because he was confused about what was happening.

Clint Bobo added that he met both Adams and Autry after his sister disappeared, when his family was investigating tips received from people who lived in the area. He said the man who walked into the woods with Holly didn't look like either of the men.

Click for more from Fox 13.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Authorities in Florida warned residents that "going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice" following a series of burglary arrests as Hurricane Irma was slamming the state with heavy rains and winds.

Police in Fort Lauderdale said nine were arrested in connection to a sportswear store burglary. The group, which was filmed by a local news staton, allegedly stole sneakers.

Police Chief Rick Maglione warned people in the statement that Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice and residents should instead Stay home and look after your loved ones and be thankful they are all safe.

The Miami-Dade Police Department also said on Twitter that there were 28 arrests for looting.

Similar warnings were issued by other police departments across the state. Any looters who come to Pembroke Pines will be greeted by our officers. Choose wisely and stay home, wrote the Pembroke Pines Police Department.

The Broward County Sheriffs Office, meanwhile, wrote: ATTENTION LOOTERS; Every incident will be investigated. Evidence collected will be used to pursue charges after the fact.

The warning came hours after a Broward deputy shot a 17-year-old burglary suspect in Weston, Fla. The out-of-town homeowners spotted a burglary in progress on their home security cameras and called the Broward Sheriffs Office, authorities said.

Dylan Lemon of Weston was shot outside the home about 3 a.m. Sunday, officials said. He went to the hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He and his alleged accomplice Jean Coello, 17, also of Weston, were charged with burglary and grand theft.

Meanwhile, police in Stuart, a town in Martin County, tweeted a mugshot alongside a photo of a box of sunglasses, and said Michael Woods was arrested after stealing the sunglasses from a shop in town.

Woods was arrested, confessed to his crime and returned the stolen shades to law enforcement.
As Tropical Storm Barry makes landfall on the Lousiana coast, many pet owners should consider the needs of their four-legged friends and how to keep them safe.

Here are some safety tips from the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Safety measures

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Congress passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act in 2006, which requires plans for the evacuation of pets, in addition to people.

Under the act, FEMAs director is required to ensure that state and local emergency preparedness operational plans address the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals prior to, during, and following a major disaster or emergency.

To get ready for a disaster, people should find out where they can bring their pets, which can be done by contacting hotels or shelters to see what their policies are, FEMA explained.

Pet owners also may wish to reach out to people they know.

Ask friends, relatives, or others outside the affected area whether they could shelter your animals, the agency says. If you have more than one pet, they may be more comfortable if kept together, but be prepared to house them separately.

Pets need their own emergency necessities, too, including food, water, bowls, leashes, carriers, cat litter, medicine and medical records.

Keep items in an accessible place and store them in sturdy containers that can be carried easily (duffle bags, covered trash containers, etc.), it advises.

On the road

If youre evacuating with your pets, dogs should be leashed and carriers should be used for cats, the agency advised.

Dont leave animals unattended anywhere they can run off, it says. The most trustworthy pets may panic, hide, try to escape, or even bite or scratch.

The agency suggests that pet owners allow their companions time to settle back into their routines upon returning home.
"It also has the potential to significantly strain FEMA and other governmental resources occurring so quickly on the heels of (Hurricane) Harvey."  Evan Myers, chief operating officer of AccuWeather

A weakened but still dangerous Irma pushed inland Monday as it hammered Florida with winds and floodwaters.

Irma was downgraded Monday morning to a tropical storm. On Sunday, it made landfall in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm hurricane after leaving a deadly path of destruction in the Caribbean, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm has already knocked out power to more than 6.5 million homes and businesses across Florida. More than 100,000 customers in Georgia and more than 80,000 in South Carolina were without power.

The storm killed at least 35 people in the Caribbean.



Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to leave in one of the largest U.S. evacuations, including 6.4 million in Florida alone. Officials estimated that about 25 percent of Key Wests residents stayed through the storm despite evacuation orders.

More than 120 homes were being evacuated early Monday in Orange County, the region where the city of Orlando is located, as floodwaters started to rise. Firefighters and the National Guard were going door-to-door and using boats to ferry families to safety.

Heres what you should know about Tropical Storm Irma and its trajectory.

Where is Tropical Storm Irma now?

By Monday evening, the tropical storm was continuing to push its way into Georgia.



FLORIDA KEYS AND HURRICANES, A LONG HISTORY

The tropical storm was about 55 miles southeast of Columbus, Ga., as of the National Hurricane Center's 8 p.m. ET advisory. It has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and is moving in a north-northwest direction at 16 mph.

Over the next two days, Irma is expected to move into Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

What else should I know about the storm?

"This hurricane has the potential to be a major event for the East Coast. It also has the potential to significantly strain FEMA and other governmental resources occurring so quickly on the heels of (Hurricane) Harvey," Evan Myers, chief operating officer of AccuWeather, said in a statement.

AS IRMA ARRIVES, ANIMALS ARE HAULED OFF TO JAIL  FOR PROTECTION

Georgia officials declared a state of emergency in all 159 counties on Sunday in preparation for Tropical Storm Irma after the National Weather Service issued a tropical storm warning in Atlanta  for the first time in the citys history.

South Carolina and North Carolina also declared states of emergency ahead of the storm.

Fox News' Jake Ingrassia, Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Zoe Szathmary, Nicole Darrah and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Floridas airports have succumbed to the wrath of Hurricane Irma.

Miami International Airport (MIA) will be closed Monday after sustaining significant water damage as the storm hit Florida on Sunday, according to the Miami Herald.

While flights had been grounded since Saturday, in advance of the hurricane, the terminal had remained opened for over 600 guests and another 40 stranded passengers who could not find lodging.

Operations at MIA are expected to re-open with a limited schedule on Tuesday.

Nearby Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, which also closed ahead of Irma, will also keep its doors shut Monday as it assesses damage and makes any necessary repairs. The area surrounding the airport sustained extensive damage from 100 mph winds.

American Airlines began shutting down operations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Sarasota and West Palm Beach by Friday afternoon and cancelled flights through the weekend. JetBlue Airways said on Wednesday afternoon that it had canceled about 130 flights.

American, JetBlue, United and Delta offered waivers letting customers change travel plans to Florida and the Caribbean without the usual charges for changing a ticket. Dates and covered locations varied.

The Associated Press contributed to this story
After Hurricane Irma ravaged the string of islands known as the Florida Keys, officials are now warning tourists and residents to stay away until further notice, noting: The Keys are not open for business.

Houses and mobile homes were uprooted and other infrastructure was destroyed, while an innumerable amount of boats in the Keys also suffered damage from Irma's powerful winds.

In a tweet Monday morning, a WFOR reporter said its hard to describe" the lower Florida Keys, but it could be best described as a war zone.

For most of the Florida Keys, there is no fuel, electricity, running water, or cell service, Monroe County officials said in a news release.

Hurricane Irma made its first landfall in Florida Sunday morning in the Keys as a Category 4 storm, with 130-mph winds.

Monroe County is allowing residents and business owners back into certain areas of the Florida Keys on Tuesday at 7 a.m., according to the Keys Weekly. Those looking to get back to Key Largo, Tavernier or Islamorada will need to provide proof of residency or business ownership.

George Ramos, a Summerland Key resident who decided to ride out the storm in his home, told the Miami Herald that Irma's winds "sounded like war. It sounded like explosives."

Although residents of the Keys were warned of Irmas forecast path through the islands, hundreds stayed behind  and now, officials say that supplies are running low and anxiety is running high.

Monroe County Emergency Management Director Martin Senterfitt told the Miami Herald that the destruction caused by Irma could be a potential "humanitarian crisis."

"The help is on its way," Senterfitt said Sunday during a conference call. "We're going to get more aid than we've ever seen in our lives."

Nobody can enter the island via bridges in the Florida Keys until they are inspected by the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT), Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi told WFOR.

Florida DOT tweeted that U.S. Route 1, the only passage in or out of the Keys is closed, and that residents and visitors cannot return until assessments of roads and bridges are complete.

Monroe County officials said that four bridge inspection teams were dispatched Monday morning, as well as five cut-and-toss crews, in an effort to clear roadways and other blocked areas.

Senterfitt said that among the service crews going to assist the Keys are "disaster mortuary teams."

Crews planned to begin searching each home, house-by-house, in the Keys Monday to check on survivors, Gastesi told The Associated Press. He added that an airborne relief mission was planning to deliver emergency supplies to areas walloped by Irma.

Scott flew with a U.S. Coast Guard crew on Monday to survey the damage in the Keys. After his flyover, Scott said there is "devastation" in the Keys. He later tweeted, "We'll get through this together."

The hardest-hit area of the Keys, according to Gastesi, is between Cudjoe Key and Marathon, two islands in the Keys that are roughly a 40-minute drive apart.

Thats known as ground zero if you will. Thats the worst spot, Gastesi told WFOR. I am very confident that well be able to handle this challenge. The Keys are a very resilient community. Well be fine. This is the cost of living in paradise.

Meantime, the USS New York -- built with steel from World Trade Center rubble -- arrived off the Florida coast for Hurricane Irma relief 16 years to the day after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Fox News' Adam Housley at Key Largo, Mike Arroyo, Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Irma's powerful winds triggered strong damage in the areas where the storm made a direct hit -- but for cities including Jacksonville, Fla., and Charleston, S.C., it unleashed pushing amounts of storm surge.

In fact, the storm surge flooding in Jacksonville broke a record, according to the National Weather Service.

Surge flooding water levels from the St. Johns River, under the Main Street Bridge, hit a record-high of 5.57 feet, the NWS reported. The previous surge record was 4.12 feet in September 1964 during Hurricane Dora.

Florida Highway Patrol tweeted that "Now is NOT the time to go sightseeting" in Jacksonville, and that dangerous conditions still persist throughout the city.

The City of Jacksonville tweeted that the flooding is an incident of historic proportions. The St. Johns River has not seen these flooding levels since 1846.

Fox News Correspondent Peter Doocy said Monday afternoon in Jacksonville that there are basically whitecaps here, standing in what was a typical city street before the floods began.

Severe flooding also appeared to take over the Jacksonville Landing, a marketplace downtown.

Meanwhile, Charlestons downtown streets were experiencing incredible flooding, according to the NWS.

The surge in Charleston came from the Atlantic Ocean, and forecasters predicted that the water would push about a mile inland.

The Post and Courier reported that at least 100 roads in the Charleston area were shut down due to storm surge flooding, and reported that by 10:30 a.m., NOAA's tidal gauge in the area was at 7.5 feet.

A flash flood warning remains in effect for Charleston until 10 p.m. Monday. The NWS said "most flood deaths occur in vehicles," and added, "turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads."

Meanwhile, the death toll from Hurricane Irma continues to rise. At least three people died from the storm in Georgia, The Associated Press reported, bringing the total number of people dead from Irma to 44.

Additionally, four deaths were reported in the U.S. Virgin Islands, three deaths were reported in Puerto Rico, six deaths were reported in Florida and one death was reported in South Carolina.

Fox News' Peter Doocy and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An apparent attempt to skirt traffic in California resulted in a mans arm being severed and a pregnant woman being air lifted to a local hospital after the car they were travelling in flew off the highway and into a nearby orchard.

The unnamed pair were traveling north on Interstate 5 near Modesto in a Chevrolet Aveo when the compact car swerved into the center divider in an attempt to pass traffic, witnesses told the Modesto Bee.

The driver lost control when returning to the roadway and veered across all northbound lanes of traffic before careening down a 50-60 foot embankment. The car rolled numerous times, went through a barbed wire fence and came to rest about 150 feet inside an almond orchard.

It was unclear who was driving the car, but a 29-year-old man from Bakersfield was taken to a Modesto hospital after completely severing his arm and a 27-year-old woman suffered a laceration to her head.

She was flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital as a precaution due to her pregnancy. It is unclear how many months she is into her pregnancy.
A man accused of groping women in a New York City subway station while wearing a Santa hat earlier this year has been arrested again, police said.

David Cruz-Rodriguez, 33, allegedly groped three women in less than 30 minutes on Sunday near a boardwalk at Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, the New York Post reported. Cruz also exposed himself to one of the three women, cops said.

Cruz-Rodriguez made headlines earlier this year when he was arrested in March for groping women on the subway the month before. Photos taken by one of the women showed Cruz-Rodriguez wearing a Santa hat and rose-colored glasses.

Weeks later, police spotted Cruz-Rodriguez littering in Bryant Park while donning a Santa hat and recognized him from the womans photos, cops said. He was arrested and charged with forcible touching in connection with the alleged gropings.

Cruz-Rodriguez has been charged again with forcible touching, as well as resisting arrest.


Now, the long road to recovery begins.

With the arrival of what is one of the most devastating storms to ever hit Florida, officials have set aside nearly 1 million gallons of water, filled 67 trailers with meals, and amassed 24,000 tarps.

They also have asked the federal government to kick in 11 million meals and millions of more gallons of water, plus nearly 700 cases of baby supplies.

But emergency officials wont know if they have enough supplies until it is finally safe to start recovery efforts.

Some of the challenges the state in the immediate aftermath of the storm will be: Restoring power across the state, removing debris from roads, dealing with possible fuel shortages, and making sure nursing home and hospital patients who were evacuated can safely return.

State officials are also fearful the massive rain that was soaking the state could also lead to flash floods.

Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys on Sunday morning with top sustained winds of 130 mph. While the projected track showed Irma raking the state's Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire Florida peninsula  including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people  was in extreme danger from the monstrous storm, almost 400 miles (640 kilometers) wide. Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to get out of the storm's path, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

More than 4.2 million residents have lost power, and it could be days before officials can provide food and water to those struggling in the aftermath of the powerful storm.

Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long said Hurricane Irma is going to pose challenges for first responders.

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday as Irma began its assault on Florida on Sunday morning, Long called the storm a "complex event" in particular because of its movement from the southern part of the state to the north.

"The power's going to be out for a long time. It's going to be tough for us to get in to perform search and rescue in South Florida. We have to wait till all the elements pass through," he said. "Once this system passes through it's going to be a race to save lives and sustain lives."

Florida has already spent $77 million ahead of Irma's arrival. Scott has called up and sent out 7,000 National Guardsmen across the state, some of whom have been dispatched to the more than 400 shelters that have been set up.

Meanwhile, search-and-rescue teams located in Orlando and other staging areas were waiting out the storm until it was safe enough to go out and assess the extent of the damage and injuries. One of the teams was preparing to fly into Key West, directly in the path of the storm.

About 11,000 utility workers from across the country will be heading to Florida to assist in recovery efforts as well.

ComEd, a utility company based out of Chicago has already sent a crew of 700 volunteers to assist with power restoration. They are expected to spend at least two weeks assisting with efforts.

Im looking forward to the opportunity to go and help individuals that are going through a hard time right now, and hopefully turn their lights on and bring back, at least, small conveniences, ComEd worker Larry White said to CBS Chicago.

Frist responders from Philadelphia will be heading down to Florida in a show of their trademark brotherly love to help with recovery efforts.

The state of Michigan will be sending over 1,000 soldiers and first responders, including a task force that is capable of surface water rescue, wide-area searches, structural collapse, canine and technical search, according to The Detroit News. They will be joining other task forces from Florida, Wisconsin, and Tennessee before receiving their assignment from a staging area in Jacksonville.

The Associated Press contributed to this story
Miamis mayor on Sunday imposed a 12-hour curfew beginning at 7 p.m. in the wake of flooding and other damage caused by Hurricane Irma.

The Miami-Dade Police Department tweeted that it will FULLY enforce the lockdown ordered by Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

The mayor had announced on Saturday that he wouldnt impose a curfew on Miami-Dade County at this time, but on Sunday said the move was needed for the safety of our residents.

More than two dozen people were arrested in Palm Beach County for violating an open-ended curfew imposed at 3 p.m. Saturday.

In addition to the misdemeanor charge, which carries up to 60 days in jail, some of those busted could face drunken-driving and drug-possession charges, officials said.

Click here for more from NYPost.com
Irma weakened to a Category 1 storm as the massive hurricane zeroed in on the Tampa Bay region early Monday after hammering much of Florida with roof-ripping winds, gushing floodwaters and widespread power outages.

The hurricane's maximum sustained winds weakened to 85 mph with additional weakening expected. As of 2 a.m. EDT, the storm was centered about 25 miles northeast of Tampa and moving north-northwest near 15 mph.

OVERNIGHT DEVELOPMENTS: Branson show's devastation; Miami Beach closed until Tuesday; Miami on lockdown; Looters arrested;

OVERNIGHT VIDEOS: Door-to-door searches in the Keys | 2 babies born during storm | 2 Palm Beach County officers die

FOX BUSINESS: Average US gas price jumps after Harvey shuts refineries

SEPT. 11 EVENTS

Watch live on Fox News Channel and FoxNews.com

6:46 AM ET: Ceremonial Sept. 11 American flag unfurling ceremony on memorial side of Pentagon at sunrise.

8:46 AM ET: President Trump and Melania lead a moment of silence in remembrance of those lost on Sept 11, 2001. White House South Lawn.

9:11 AM ET: Sept. 11th Pentagon Memorial Observance Pre-Ceremony with the reading of names.

9:30 AM ET: VP Pence makes remarks during ceremony. Flight 93 Natl Memorial, Shanksville, PA. Watch live on Fox News and FoxNews.com

9:30 AM ET: Secretary Mattis, Joint Chiefs Chair Dunford lay a wreath and make remarks at the Sept. 11th Pentagon Memorial Observance Ceremony.

9:35 AM ET: President Trump and Melania participate in a 9/11 observance. Pentagon's National 9/11 Memorial.

7:11 PM ET: Tribute in Light returns for one night as a tribute to all those who were lost on 9/11.

PAGEANT POLITICS

Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund, was named Miss America 2018 Sunday night in Atlantic City following a night of political questions ranging from the Trump administration's alleged collusion with Russia to Confederate monuments.

The event got political after the Miss America candidates were asked multiple questions about the current political climate and President Trump during the question-and-answer session.

NFL PARTY SHOOTING

The unidentified gunman opened fire inside the party at a single-family home off Spring Creek Parkway around 8 p.m., local reports said. A total of seven were killed in the melee while another two were hospitalized.

Plano police spokesman David Tilley said police initially responded to a report of shots fired. When the first officer arrived and went inside the home, the officer confronted the suspected shooter.

US CALLS FOR SANCTIONS VOTE

The United States called for a vote Monday on new U.N. sanctions against North Korea, though exactly what measures would be in the resolution remained a mystery.

Security Council diplomats, who werent authorized to speak publicly because talks have been private, said the U.S. and China were still negotiating the text late Sunday.

COMING UP ON FOX BUSINESS

9:15 AM ET: Rep. Dennis Ross will be on 'Varney & Company'

10 AM ET: Rep. Francis Rooney will appear on 'Varney & Company'

NOON ET: Pam Bondi will be on 'Cavuto: Coast to Coast'

4 PM ET: Maria Brous, director of Media & Community Relations of Publix will be on 'After the Bell'
Parole was denied Monday to prison tailor Joyce Mitchell, who provided hacksaw blades, chisels and other tools that two killers used to break out of prison in upstate New York.

In a plot reminiscent of "The Shawshank Redemption," Richard Matt and David Sweat escaped through a manhole outside the walls of the maximum-security Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora in June 2015.

Mitchell will remain behind bars for at least two more years, according to a parole board decision. The panel said it was likely that Mitchell, 53, would break the law again if released.

The panel believed that you were easily manipulated by inmate Matt as he consistently and inappropriately professed his love for you that led to clouding your judgment, the board said in the decision following an interview with Mitchell last week at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, where shes serving 2 1/3 to 7 years.

You stated to the panel that you were afraid for your husbands life, however you never consider the lives of the community at large by assisting with the escape of two extremely violent convicted felons, the board said.

Mitchell also was denied a bid for early release in February.

Her next parole hearing is in June 2019.

Mitchells lawyer, Peter Dumas, told the Plattsburgh Press-Republican hes disappointed with the decision and plans to appeal. The board made its decision Friday, Dumas said.

Dumas described Mitchell as a model prisoner, who had not committed any infractions while behind bars.

Parole is supposed to be that carrot. If youre good while youre incarcerated youre supposed to get parole, Dumas told WPTZ. She doesnt know what more she can do really.

Sweat, 35, was serving a life sentence without parole for killing a sheriffs deputy. Matt, 48, was doing 25 years to life for the 1997 kidnap, torture and hacksaw dismemberment of his former boss.

MITCHELL'S HUSBAND ANGRY OVER DELAYED PAROLE HEARING

Matt and Sweat used tools smuggled by Mitchell to cut through a steel cell wall and several steam pipes to make an escape route through the bowels of the prison on June 6, 2015. Matt was killed by a U.S. Customs and Border patrol agent on June 26. Sweat was wounded and captured by a trooper two days later. The massive three-week manhunt cost New Yorks state police and Department of Corrections $23 million in overtime.

Fox News previously reported that Mitchell admitted to becoming close with Matt and Sweat.

Mitchell, who admitted to having sexual relations with the two men, agreed to be their escape driver but checked herself into a hospital the day of their escape after suffering a panic attack.

The two men reportedly were planning on killing Mitchells husband after they escaped.

Mitchell said she helped the two inmates because they made her feel special.

I was going through a time where I didnt feel like my husband loved me anymore.  I was going through depression, and I guess they saw my weakness and thats how it all started, Mitchell said.

Their attention made me feel good.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Hurricane Irma gave Florida a one-two punch this weekend, slamming first into the Florida Keys Sunday morning as a powerful Category 4 storm then again about 6.5 hours later as a Category 3 storm over Marco Island in southwestern Florida.

Irma made landfall over Cudjoe Key in the lower Florida Keys at 9:10 a.m. Sunday with sustained winds of 130 mph, causing widespread destruction from wind and storm surge.

Monroe County Emergency Management officials said roads and runways in the Keys are being cleared Monday to allow resources to arrive by air and land, and experts warn residents not to return at this time.

The Keys are basically connected by a series of bridges so officials will have to inspect all of those bridges to make sure that they are still structurally sound for people to actually be able to come back to the Keys, said Steve Travis, AccuWeather meteorologist.





Irma hit Marco Island as a Category 3 hurricane at 3:35 p.m. EDT Sunday, and it whipped southwestern Florida with 115-mph sustained winds and gusts as high as 142 mph, recorded in Naples.

The east coast of Florida also suffered wind and storm surge damage, even though cities like Miami and Fort Lauderdale were about 100 miles from the center of the storm, according to Travis. There were multiple reports of tornadoes across eastern Florida as well, which is unusual for this part of the United States, Travis said.

Florida doesnt usually get the types of storms that cause tornadoes  supercell thunderstorms," Travis said. "Its really only in a hurricane that this area would get these types of conditions to cause tornadoes.

In Jacksonville, officials expanded the mandatory evacuation Monday as the St. Johns River in the downtown area has already risen at least a foot above the previous high level crest, recorded in 1964 during Hurricane Dora.





Two law enforcement officers were in a fatal car accident in Hardee County on Sunday; a third person was in a single-vehicle accident Sunday in Orange County, Florida. On Monday, the mayor of Miami-Dade County confirmed a person died from carbon monoxide poisoning after running a generator inside a house without proper ventilation.

As of 11:51 a.m. EDT Monday, Irma has left more than 6.5 million without power in Florida.

This is the first year that two Atlantic Basin hurricanes have made landfall at Category 4 strength in the U.S. in one season since records began in 1851.

Irma prompted the largest evacuation in U.S. history, taking 7 million people out of their homes. More than 30 percent of Florida's entire population were asked to evacuate.


Authorities in Portland, Ore., are reportedly scrapping their database of suspected gang members out of fear that these labels will most negatively affect minorities.

Portland police, next month, will end its two-decade-old practice of designating people as gang members or associates following the pressure from the community, The Oregonian reported.

Activists have been trying to abolish the database and gang designations for years, claiming they disproportionately affect minority communities.

According to the data compiled by the paper, out of the 359 criminal gang affiliates listed in the polices database, 81 percent were from an ethnic or racial minority.

Mayor Ted Wheeler  who also serves as the citys police commissioner  welcomed the decision, saying the change was too long coming and the right thing do to do.

He added that the change shows the polices commitment to rebuilding trust with the people.

Capt. Mike Krantz, who also supported the change, emphasized that the decision does not mean the police is not taking gang crime seriously anymore.

Gang violence isn't going to go away. There are still crimes attributed to known gang sets. There are still criminal gang members. That doesn't go away because we don't have a gang designation, he said, according to The Oregonian.

We're not pretending gang violence doesn't exist. We're just taking this one thing away.

In the past, Portland Police officers were able to include any individual in the gang database who self-identifies as a member of a gang, participates in a gang ritual, commits crimes related to a gang or shows at least two signs of a gang membership, according to The Oregonian.

No arrest or conviction was needed to designate a person as a criminal gang affiliate." More than 100 people a year were put in the registry by police authorities.

According to Krantz, any reports indicating any persons designation as a gang member will no longer exist from October 15. The police will instead record alleged criminal activities to help the officers evaluate whether an individual possesses a threat.

He added that some police officers have voiced their concerns about the new policy, fearing it will impact their ability to tackle gang crime in Portland.
Miami Beach residents and business owners who were looking to return to their city one day after Hurricane Irma tore through it were out of luck on Monday.

No one except emergency management personnel was allowed to enter until Tuesday  at the earliest. Those who tried were turned around by law enforcement officials stationed at each of the citys entrances.

If you leave the city please remember that you will not be permitted to enter until Tuesday at noon, Miami Beach officials said late Sunday.

Sure enough on Monday, police vehicles were lined up at each of the citys entrances and turned away frustrated residents, some who begged police to let them in.

It was a no-go for Orlando Ruiz, 48. He, along with his wife and three children, left their home in Miami Beach ahead of the storm.

We havent been home since Thursday, Ruiz said. He tried pleading with the officers but was told he could come back Tuesday at noon.

Those who decided to ignore evacuation orders were asked not to leave their homes until city workers cleared the area of downed power lines, repaired gas leaks and removed mountains of debris.

As the sun rose Monday, Florida Power & Light said 2 million of the 2.7 million homes and businesses in south Florida were still without electricity.

The streets were simply a mess. Uprooted palm trees and debris where thrown around, littering street after street. In some areas, there was still significant flooding with cars stuck and stalled trying to go through.

Despite orders to stay put, some people took matters into their own hands.

By midafternoon, a lot of tourists and residents were out and about.

Weve been cooped inside for days, Atlanta resident Kay Redman told Fox News near Biscayne Bay. This was supposed to be my bachelorette party. We rented a condo and were told we couldnt go outside, go to the beach or go shopping. Its sunny out today. Were going out.

Redman's group didn't really have a plan for what to do since businesses were closed. I told them about a possible Monday night curfew too. They weren't happy.

Around 4 p.m., a handful of stores had reopened, including Price Choice Supermarkets, where Jane Colgine and her daughters Lily Ann, Winter and Kerri were picking up some essentials -- cereal, fruit and wine.

Down the street, two pizza shops, a Subway and another restaurant had opened its doors to customers with lines out the door.

Near the Port of Miami, bikers, people on skateboards and families took some time to take in the view -- and the damage.

Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine reiterated in a statement Monday that many roads remained unsafe, as first responders worked to clear the roads.

"On behalf of myself and our entire City of Miami Beach government, we are with you now and throughout the recovery process," Levine said.

Once the city gives the all-clear, officials will start the re-entry process, beginning first with residents, then business owners, their employees and finally contractors.

Residents will be asked to show a state ID or other documentation showing proof of residency in Miami Beach. Business owners, their employees and contractors must supply the proper documentation they were given ahead of the evacuations.

Miami Beach schools will also be closed until further notice. The airport is expected to open Tuesday with limited service.

On Sunday, Hurricane Irmas punishing winds were to blame for two cranes in the city collapsing, as well as glass panels from an 85-story high-rise plunging to the ground. A third crane collapsed in Fort Lauderdale.
A crane set to aid in the removal of a controversial Texas statue of Robert E. Lee collided with a semitrailer Sunday night, killing the driver of the truck, police said.

The crane was heading to Lee Park and was attempting to make a left on a green light when the semitrailer ran a red light and plowed into the machine in downtown Dallas, Assistant City Manager Jon Fortune said.

"[The semitrailer driver] was traveling...at a very high rate of speed and failed to yield the right of way, colliding into the crane, a city news release said.

The semitrailer driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The crane driver was not seriously injured in the crash.

Our condolences are going out to the family of the semitruck driver. At this time the city is again feeling a little sad this evening about the incident that occurred, Dallas city manager T.C. Broadnax told FOX4.

The crane had been in Houston to help with Hurricane Harvey cleanup, delaying Dallas' plan by a week to remove the controversial 81-year-old Lee statue. The Dallas City Council voted 13-1 last week to remove the Lee monument, despite calls to keep the memorial.

The crane was badly damaged in the crash, delaying the removal again.

Were going to regroup and figure out how to proceed [on Tuesday] after we spend some time assessing the current situation, Broadnax said.

The calls to remove Confederate statues in U.S. cities grew louder after a woman protesting white supremacists died when she was rammed by a vehicle in Charlottesville in August.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Holding photos and reading names of loved ones lost 16 years ago, 9/11 victims' relatives marked the anniversary of the attacks at ground zero on Monday with a solemn and personal ceremony.

Every Sept. 11 since the date of the deadliest terror attack on American soil, Rob Fazio has come to the place where his father, Ronald Carl Fazio, and thousands of others died.

"I'll come every year for the rest of my life," the son said. "It's where I get my strength."

At least 1,000 family members, survivors, rescuers and officials were gathered as the ceremony at the World Trade Center began with a moment of silence and tolling bells. Then, relatives began reading out the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed when terrorist-piloted planes hit the trade center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field, hurling America into a new consciousness of the threat of global terrorism.

Some said they couldn't believe 16 years had passed since a tragedy that "still feels like yesterday," as Corina La Touche put it as she honored her father, Jeffrey La Touche.

To others, it was an occasion to thank first responders and members of the military, to express concern for those affected by Hurricane Irma as it continued its destructive path as a tropical storm, or to plead for a return to the sense of unity they felt after the attacks.

"Our country came together that day. And it did not matter what color you were, or where you were from," said a tearful Magaly Lemagne, who lost her brother, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Officer David Lemagne. She implored people to "stop for a moment and remember all the people who gave their lives that day.

"Maybe then we can put away our disagreements and become one country again."

Added Michael Buhse, who lost his brother, Patrick: "We will never forget  and we will never forgive."

Sixteen years later, the quiet rhythms of commemoration have become customs: a recitation of all the names of the dead, moments of silence and tolling bells, and two powerful light beams that shine through the night.

Yet each ceremony also takes on personal touches. Some name-readers added messages ranging from the universal to the personal  updates on family graduations and marriages, memories of personality traits and favorite foods.

Some have never even had a chance to meet the relatives they lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

"I wish more than anything that I could have met you," Ruth Daly said, her voice breaking, after she read names in remembrance of her slain grandmother, Ruth Lapin. "I'm very proud to be your namesake. I hope you're watching down on me from heaven."

President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker observing the anniversary for the first time as the nation's leader, said the nation grieves for the people "who were murdered by terrorists" 16 years ago.

Speaking at an observance at the Pentagon, the Republican president issued a warning to extremists, saying "America cannot be intimidated."

When America is united, "no force on earth can break us apart," he said.

Vice President Mike Pence and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke were scheduled to deliver remarks at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It's on the field where one of the airliners crashed after passengers and crew fought to wrest control away from the terrorists who'd hijacked it and were heading for Washington.

The ceremony on the National Sept. 11 Memorial plaza strives to be apolitical: Politicians can attend, but since 2011, they haven't been allowed to read names or deliver remarks.

Yet last year's 15th-anniversary ceremony became entangled in the narrative of a fractious presidential campaign when Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton left abruptly, stumbled into a van and ultimately revealed she'd been diagnosed days earlier with pneumonia.

This year, the focus remained on the names read out beneath the waterfall pools and lines of trees.

"It does feel good to know you have other people who are feeling the same pain that you're in," Marvaline Monroe said as she headed into the ceremony to remember her brother, Keith Broomfield. She comes to the ceremony as often as she can.

"It's very hard. We'll never forget, but we just have to live with the memories that we have of him."

Delaney Colaio read names in honor of the three relatives she lost: her father, Mark Joseph Colaio, and her uncles Stephen J. Colaio and Thomas Pedicini. She is making a documentary about the children who lost parents in the attacks.

"I stand here as a reminder to the other families of 9/11 and to the world," she said, "that no matter how dark moments life can get, there is light ahead if you just choose hope."
A 35-year-old surfer was taken to hospital after a shark snapped his board, tore his hip and flung him into the air off the Australian east coast.

A police statement says Abe McGarth was surfing at Iluka on the north coast of New South Wales state on Sunday when what he described as a 3.5-meter (11-foot) great white shark attacked the board from underneath.

The shark's teeth tore McGrath's wetsuit and left a gash on his right hip.

Police say McGrath grabbed half his board and surfed to shore. McGrath's friends drove him to Ballina Hospital. He was then flown to Lismore Hospital for further treatment but was discharged Sunday night.
A massive crowd around 1-million strong surged into the streets of Barcelona Monday to mark Catalonias national day - the "Diada" - and show support for an independence referendum that Spains central government says is illegal.

Catalonia's pro-independence government plans to hold the referendum on Oct. 1 in defiance of Spain, the BBC reported. Catalonia has passed a law to secede from Spain if the vote is Yes.

Opinion polls suggest the vote, if it takes place, will be very close, the BBC reported.

The Spanish city's broad, tree-lined boulevards were a sea of yellow and red t-shirts that evoked the striped Catalan flag. Many participants carried the pro-independence flag, known as the "estelada," which adds a blue triangle and white star. The crowd passed a giant banner calling for a secession referendum overhead.

This year's annual celebration came amid growing excitement and tension over the independence vote planned for Oct. 1.

Spain's national government, based in Madrid, is doing all it can to stop the ballot, which it says is illegal. Catalan independence parties said the rally's huge turnout was a show of strength that would add momentum to their cause.

"Today we have said loud and clear that no orders from any court will stop us," Jordi Sanchez, head of the grassroots movement Assemblea Nacional Catalana, said in a speech to the crowd.

Diada commemorates the fall of Barcelona to Spain in 1714 and is traditionally used by pro-independence activists to call for secession for the northeastern region with a distinct language, Reuters reported.

Barcelona police said on Twitter that around 1 million people took part in the rally-- one of the highest turn-outs in recent years, according to the news outlet.

"We hope that we will be able to hold the referendum with total normality, because in a democracy it is normal to be able to vote," said German Freixas, a 42-year-old engineer who attended the rally with his family.

"If the people want it to happen, it will go ahead," he told Reuters.

Spains Constitutional Court last Thursday suspended the referendum after a legal challenge by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

Police have since searched newspaper offices and printers for signs of any preparation for the referendum, according to Reuters.

It's not an option that the referendum won't go ahead, the head of Catalonia's regional government, Carles Puigdemont, said Monday. It's 20 days away and we've already overcome many hurdles.

Puigdemont is facing criminal charges of misuse of public money, disobedience and abuse of office for organizing the referendum and has said that he is prepared to go to prison.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An Afghan migrant told a German court Monday he raped and murdered a 19-year-old medical student who had cycled past him when he was drunk and high on drugs.

The dpa news agency reported Hussein K., whose last name was withheld in adherence to Germany's privacy laws but who has been widely identified as Hussein Khavari, admitted his crime to the Freiburg state court and apologized to the victims family.

Hussein testified he pulled the student, identified in media reports as Maria Ladenburger, from her bicycle last October before raping her and dragging her unconscious body to a river, where she drowned to death.

Pleas aren't entered in Germany, and confessions, which can mitigate sentences, are common.

Hussein, who entered Germany in 2015, maintains he was 18 at the time of the crime, but prosecutors say he was 22, which could mean the difference between a 15-year youth sentence or an adult life sentence.

Hussein was born in Afghanistan, but moved to Iran at the age of 13. After "problems with the police," he then fled the Islamic Republic for Turkey, before moving on to Greece and finally Germany, according to a report by German newspaper Deutsche Welle.

The murder trial has gripped Germany and sparked a nationwide debate over the countrys migration policy, as Hussein arrived in Germany during the height of the migrant crisis in the autumn of 2015 and registered as an unaccompanied minor.

During an investigation following his arrest last December, it was revealed the Afghan had previously been sentenced to 10 years in a Greek prison for almost killing a woman by pushing her off a cliff. He was released after spending just over a year behind bars in order to make space in Greeces overcrowded prisons.

Following his release he joined the wave of migrants fleeing the violence in places like war-torn Syria to sneak out of Greece and into Germany.

The revelations of Husseins past reignited anger at German Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow hundreds of thousands of refugees into the European country in 2015. Outside the courtroom on Monday, about 10 supporters from the far right Alternative for Germany gathered to protest Merkels policies.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A court in Russia-annexed Crimea has sentenced a leader of the region's Tatars to eight years in a labor colony on a charge of organizing a riot in the crisis of 2014.

Akhtem Chiygoz was deputy chairman of the Mejlis, a representative body for the Tatars, an ethnic group of Turkic origin. The Mejlis was outlawed by Russia after it took control of Crimea.

Chiygoz was convicted in connection with a demonstration by thousands of Tatars in the Crimean capital, Simferopol, as fears grew that Russia would try to annex the peninsula from Ukraine in the wake of protests in Kiev that drove out the Russia-friendly Ukrainian president.

Russia sent troops to Crimea and declared annexation about three weeks later.

Amnesty International on Monday said his trial was a sham.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Argentina on Monday for a two-day visit seeking to strengthen ties with the country that has Latin America's largest Jewish community.

Netanyahu's arrival marked the first visit by an Israeli leader since the creation of Israel in 1948. He is also scheduled to visit Colombia and Mexico before going to New York, where he will address the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 26.

Netanyahu will meet with President Mauricio Macri on Tuesday and is also expected to press for answers on two unsolved terror attacks in Argentina.

Israel and Argentina have long accused Iran of being behind 1990s bombings in Buenos Aires that killed 29 people at the Israeli Embassy and 85 people at a Jewish community center. Iran has denied any wrongdoing.

The leading prosecutor investigating the attack on the community center was found dead in his apartment on Jan. 18, 2015. That case remains unsolved.
North Korea vowed the United States would face pain and suffering if the United Nations approved tough new sanctions on the volatile regime Monday, with Pyongyang's threat coming even as Russia and China worked to lessen the severity of the UN package and pushed for talks to solve the nuclear crisis.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved the sanctions Monday night in a watered-down resolution without an oil import ban or international asset freeze on the government that the Trump administration had requested.

North Koreas Foreign Ministry issued its statement on Monday saying it was ready and willing to retaliate if the new U.N. sanctions were approved.

The forthcoming measures to be taken by [North Korea] will cause the U.S. the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history, the foreign ministry said in the statement.

The Foreign Ministry also said the U.S. was trying to strangle and completely suffocate the regime for developing weapons, which Kim Jong Un's dictatorship sees as a matter of self-defense.

"Since the U.S. is revealing its nature as a blood-thirsty beast obsessed with the wild dream of reversing [North Korea's] development of the state nuclear force which has already reached the completion phase, there is no way that [North Korea] is going to wait and let the U.S. feast on it, the statement read.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been vocal about his distaste for imposing additional sanctions on North Korea, saying a Russian-Chinese road map will resolve the nuclear crisis. He also cautioned global leaders against amplifying military hysteria and imposing useless sanctions.

Ramping up military hysteria will lead to nothing good. It could lead to a global catastrophe, Putin told reporters during a visit to China for the BRICs summit last week. Theres no other path apart from a peaceful one.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday also stressed the importance of diplomacy and offered to act as a facilitator if needed.

"If our participation in talks is wanted, I will say 'yes' immediately," she said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper.

The call for tougher sanctions was spawned after North Korea conducted the sixth nuclear test in its history last week after a series of missile launches earlier this year  violating U.N. resolutions. The regime claimed it detonated a hydrogen bomb, calling it a perfect success. The world braced for another possible intercontinental ballistic missile launch last weekend during its founding day celebration, however, the launch didn't come on the expected date.

Fox News' Ben Evansky and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Albany Regional Museums History Bites at Noon lecture series will focus on emergency preparedness on Wednesday.

Chuck Perino, city of Albany emergency manager, will discuss how local families can plan ahead and be ready for disasters and other emergencies.

The session will feature a short film on the Japanese earthquake, and discussion on risks to our city, emergency planning for your home and emergency kit creation.

Light refreshments will be served and admission is free.

The Albany Regional Museum is at 136 Lyon Street S. For more information, go to armuseum.com, email armuseum@peak.org or call 541-967-7122.
Residents here are used to endless diatribes and offensive actions by the regime north of the DMZ. And they usually take it in stride.

But the mounting threats by North Korea have finally rattled its neighbor to the south.

In recent days, following the strong nuclear test by the Kim Jong Un regime, and the barrage of North Korean missile launches, South Koreans are worried.

Its a major leap, former foreign minister and U.S. Ambassador Han Sung-Joo told Fox News. Not just the size of the bomb, but that they can put it on top of a long-range ICBM, which threatens the U.S. Thats a game-changer.

NORTH KOREA AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT - WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THE SUFFERING OF ITS PEOPLE?

South Koreans are more worried now for the simple reason that they feel they might literally be caught in a nuclear crossfire. The thinking here goes: If North Korea targets the U.S., the U.S. will target North Korea, and then North Korea will obliterate South Korea.

Here in Seoul, we regularly hear of the threat to turn Seoul into a sea of fire, Chad OCarroll of the Korea Risk Group told Fox News. What happens when those threats start emerging about New York and Washington? I dont think there will be much tolerance for that (from the U.S.)and understandably so.

Thats why, for the first time, Fox News has learned that countries and companies are looking at possible evacuation plans for foreign nationals and employees in the event of war on the Korean peninsula. And some hardened South Koreans are thinking about bomb shelters.

NORTH KOREA THREATENS 'PAIN AND SUFFERING' IF NEW UN SANCTIONS APPROVED

Im very concerned about the situation, one woman told us, very concerned about the future of South Korea.

While another man noted: I feel that Im worried, but I think the general public is not worried because theyre too busy with their own lives.

And that IS important. Along with new concerns and fears, life does go on in this bustling hi-tech industrious country. The roads are jammed, the shops and restaurants are busy, the streets are filled with people. Basically because South Koreans have no alternative but to get on with life even in the face of the unthinkable.

And they have to trust that leaders can somehow figure out a way to rein in Kim Jong Un.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has historically favored dialogue with the North, is pushing hard for tough defensive measures and stringent anti-Pyongyang economic and political sanctions.

As for President Trump? The view from South Korea is that along with the increasingly aggressive North Korean dictator he is the other wild card in the mix.

Some here are concerned about his strident rhetoric. Other South Koreans think there could be a method to the madness.

They like the sound of this...this sort of vulgarsticking it to the North Koreans,  Michael Breen author of The New Koreans told us. They kind of like that because they know North Korea pays attention to it.

But now South Korea must watch and wait, unclear what comes next.
Ukraine's president has criticized former governor Mikhail Saakashvili for illegally crossing into Ukraine from Poland.

Saakashvili and a small crowd of supporters on Sunday shoved their way through a line of guards at the Ukrainian border, making good on the politician's vow to return to the country that had stripped him of his Ukrainian citizenship.

Saakashvili, who became governor of Ukraine's Odessa region after being Georgia's president from 2004 to 2013, poses a strong challenge to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who once was Saakashvili's patron but then revoked his citizenship in July.

Poroshenko condemned Saakashvili on Monday for crossing the border without proper documents and said he should have contested the decree stripping him of citizenship in court if he disagreed with it.
The United Nations Security Council on Monday unanimously approved new sanctions against North Korea in a weakened resolution that wont ban oil imports or an international asset freeze on the government or dictator Kim Jong Un, which the Trump administration had wanted.

The resolution bans the regime from importing all natural gas liquids and condensates, and caps Pyongyangs imports of crude oil at the level of the last 12 months. It also limits the import of refined petroleum products to 2 million barrels per year.

The sanctions also ban all textile exports and prohibit all countries from authorizing new work permits for North Korean workers, both of which are sources of hard currency for the regime.

NORTH KOREA THREATENS 'PAIN AND SUFFERING' IN RETALIATION FOR NEW U.N. SANCTIONS

This resolution sends a very clear message to North Korea that the Security Council is united in condemning North Korea's violations and demanding North Korea give up its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the U.S. mission to the U.N. responded.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley tweeted after the vote, "The UN Security Council unanimously adopted the strongest sanctions ever against North Korea: #15-0"

Ahead of the vote, North Korea vowed the United States would face pain and suffering, and vowed it was ready and willing to retaliate if any new sanctions were approved by the U.N.

The forthcoming measures to be taken by [North Korea] will cause the U.S. the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history, North Koreas Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

An initial draft of the U.N. sanctions called for a ban on all oil and natural gas exports to North Korea, as well as a freeze on all foreign financial assets of the government and Kim Jong Un.

A call for tougher sanctions against North Korea came after the country said detonated a hydrogen bomb last week after a series of missile launches earlier this year.

Fox News' Ben Evansky and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

The United States called for a vote Monday on new U.N. sanctions against North Korea, though exactly what measures would be in the resolution remained a mystery.

Security Council diplomats, who weren't authorized to speak publicly because talks have been private, said the U.S. and China were still negotiating the text late Sunday.

Previous U.N. sanctions resolutions have been negotiated between the United States and China  North Korea's main trading partner and ally  and have taken weeks, and in some cases months, to finalize.

But the Trump administration adopted a totally new approach with this resolution, presenting its draft to China and all other Security Council members last Tuesday and demanding a vote in six days. Diplomats said China's U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, who was on a Security Council trip to Ethiopia, flew back to New York on Thursday to take part in negotiations.

North Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a statement early Monday saying it was watching the United States' moves closely and warned that it was "ready and willing" to respond with measures of its own. It said the U.S. would pay a heavy price if the sanctions proposed by Washington are adopted.

Ethiopia's U.N. mission, the current Security Council president, said late Sunday that members would vote on a North Korea resolution following a meeting Monday afternoon on implementing existing sanctions against the Pyongyang government.

The draft circulated by the United States called for imposing the toughest-ever U.N. sanctions on North Korea, including a ban on all oil and natural gas exports to the country and a freeze of all foreign financial assets of the government and its leader, Kim Jong Un.

The U.S. is also seeking to ban all countries from hiring workers from the North and from importing textiles from the northeast Asian nation  two key sources of foreign currency.

In another key measure, the U.S. draft identified nine ships that have carried out activities prohibited by previous U.N. sanctions resolutions. The draft would authorize the 192 other U.N. member states to stop these ships on the high seas to check their cargo without their consent. It would permit the use of "all necessary measures," which in U.N. language includes force, to carry out an inspection and direct the vessel to a port.

Whether those provisions would remain in any resolution put to a vote Monday remained to be seen.

Beijing and Moscow have called for a resolution that focuses on a political solution and proposed a freeze-for-freeze that would halt North Korean nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the U.S. and South Korea stopping their joint military exercises. That initiative was rejected by the Trump administration.

Russia argues that sanctions aren't working and President Vladimir Putin expressed concern last week that a total oil cutoff could hurt the North Korean people.

Britain's U.N. ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, backed the tough U.S. measures and demand for a speedy vote, saying Thursday that "maximum possible pressure" must be exerted on North Korea to change course and give diplomacy a chance to end the crisis.

Professor Joseph DeThomas of Pennsylvania State University, a former U.S. ambassador and State Department official who dealt with North Korea, told The Associated Press on Friday that the U.S. demand for quick council action was "an indicator of how the administration thinks time has run out."

"My sense is they believe that they don't have time for a delicate diplomatic dance," he said. "The other possibility ... is they want to see the color of China's money. They're putting down the marker here and saying, 'OK, are you prepared to do what is necessary to put pressure on North Korea at a moment when we're simply out of time?'"
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.
Fredericksburg police arrested a Caroline County man Sunday evening in connection with the fatal shooting of his girlfriend the night before in the citys Mayfield neighborhood.

Cortez Antonio Mills, 34, of Milford has been charged with second-degree murder in a case that marked the second shooting in Mayfield since late July, police said. He is being held in Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.

Antoinette Anne Beverly, 26, of Milford was found Saturday night with a fatal gunshot wound in the drivers seat of a car, which had struck a utility pole on the 300 block of Palmer Street about 9:40, according to the Fredericksburg Police Department.

The car apparently hit at least two parked vehicles on Palmer Street before crashing into the wooden pole, which looked like it had nearly broken in half. The vehicle had been towed by late Sunday morning, but car parts littered the ground.

One Mayfield resident pointed out what appeared to be a blood stain on the sidewalk by the crash site.

James Fauntleroy, who has lived on Palmer Street for 20 years, said he got home from a family gathering in Spotsylvania County shortly before the shooting. He was taking a shower when his wife heard gunshots, he said.

The car rammed into the pole, he said, and its engine was still running when he stepped outside. A piece of the vehicles headlight sat near his front yard Sunday, about 100 feet from the scene of the crash.

Another car part lay near sidewalk chalk drawings that included hearts and a sun with a smiley face. Im going to clean it up in a little bit, Fauntleroy said of the debris.

He said he thinks out-of-towners are to blame for the neighborhoods problems.

Another woman, who is 18, was shot in the head July 27 on Tyler Street in Mayfield. She survived but is in critical condition. Police have offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of the shooter, described only as a black man.

This neighborhoods been messed up for the last nine or 10 years, Fauntleroy said. You got guys coming from out in the city. Its just roughits terrible.

Another Mayfield resident, who declined to give her name, said she rushed out her front door Saturday night after hearing four or five gunshots.

A car had hit her SUV before crashing into the pole, she said.

Residents told The Free LanceStar that the vehicle initially ran into the back of a parked truck before swerving to the other side of the street. The impact pushed the truck onto the sidewalk and into the car in front of it.

I guess she just panickedhit a whole bunch of stuff, one resident said.

Spotsylvania resident Jody White said he drove to Mayfield Saturday night to visit a friend, only to find Palmer Street blocked off by police. White said he grew up in downtown Fredericksburg and used to play in Mayfield as a child.

Its getting crazy, you know? he said of the recent crime. Its sad, man. I mean, any loss of life, for whatever reason, its just uncalled for.

Just a few blocks away, two women chatted outside Grace Redemption Church late Sunday morning. One, who identified herself as R. Logan, said shes lived in Mayfield for 40 years, but typically keeps to herself.

Logan said she doesnt know what to make of the recent violence. Young people, they just get into a lot of things these days, she said. I dont know whats going on. I try to leave people alone and stay in my little corner and let them stay in theirs.
A man who accidentally killed his friend while driving drunk in King George County last year has been ordered to serve six years in prison.

Joshua Lee Garrett, 29, of Montross was sentenced Thursday in King George Circuit Court to 10 years with four years suspended in connection with a June 12, 2016, accident that resulted in the death of 26-year-old Katelyn A. Kipp of Prince William County.

Garrett had previously pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughterDUI and possession of marijuana.

The sentence handed down by Judge R. Michael McKenney far exceeded the recommended state sentencing guidelines, which called for a maximum of six months to serve.

According to the evidence presented by Commonwealths Attorney Keri Gusmann, Kipp, Garrett and others had been at Ricks on the River in Fairview Beach that night celebrating a friends pending wedding. Kipp would have been the maid of honor in the wedding.

They and two others left the nightspot at closing time, around 2 a.m., and rode off in Garrretts 2001 Toyota Tacoma. They were on State Route 218 about a mile east of Vertical Ridge when Garrett lost control of the vehicle and flipped it several times.

None of the four vehicle occupants were wearing seat belts and all were ejected from the Tacoma. Kipp, who had been in the back seat, was run over by the vehicle after being ejected. She was flown to Mary Washington Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Route 218 was closed for about eight hours that day as state police and rescue workers investigated the crash and rendered aid to the injured victims.

Garrett on Thursday expressed remorse and took full responsibility for the accident. He testified that the maximum six-month sentence called for in the guidelines was not enough.

Defense attorney Robert May said he could not recall having a client state that a recommended penalty was not severe enough.

Members of Kipps family agreed and asked the judge to sentence Garrett to the full 10 years, the maximum amount allowed by law.
A police chase Saturday night ended with a Spotsylvania County mans arrest in the Lees Parke subdivision, according to the Sheriffs Office.

Cody Cole, who turned 27 on Monday, is accused of fleeing from Spotsylvania deputies in a stolen car, leading them on a chase down southbound Interstate 95 all the way to southern Caroline County, Spotsylvania Lt. Charles Carey said. The suspect got onto northbound I95 near Carmel Church, and law enforcement officers continued their pursuit until his arrest at an aunts home off Spotsylvania Parkway, he said.

Carey said he had not heard of any injuries to the suspect or law enforcement officers.

The aunt had called the Sheriffs Office earlier in the day to tell them her nephew stole a rental car from her, Carey said. Deputies found the suspect at Q Ball Cafe off State Route 3, but he fled after they activated the emergency lights atop their cruisers, he said.

Virginia State Police joined the pursuit on I-95, Carey said. He did not release any other details, such as how fast the cars were going.

Cole has been charged with two felony counts of eluding police, possession of a controlled substance, driving without a license and two counts of reckless driving, Carey said. More charges are expected.
A Tappahannock man died Saturday after his truck crashed into a gully and caught fire, according to Virginia State Police.

Kevin Jack Bareford, 62, was pronounced dead at the site of the single-vehicle accident on Lewis Level Road, less than a mile north of Sunnyside Road. A 2012 Chevrolet Silverado drove off the right side of the road and down a gully, striking several trees, said Trooper D.P. Compton, who is investigating the crash.

A nearby resident called 911 about 6:50 p.m., Compton said. The witness heard a man in the truck moan for help, but he could not get near the vehicle because it was engulfed in flames.

Virginia State Police are investigating another fatal single-vehicle crash that occurred late Saturday night in Louisa County. One man died after a Chevrolet pickup truck ran off the right side of the road and struck a tree at the 5400 block of Byrd Mill Road.

A state police spokeswoman did not release the mans name.
At least 22 people from the greater Fredericksburg area or with loved ones living in the area were killed in the terrorist attacks on 9/11:

Allen Boyle, 30, Navy contractor, who had been living temporarily in a Spotsylvania motel. He left behind a pregnant wife and two young children.

Jamie Lynn Fallon, 23, of Woodbridge, storekeeper third class for the Navy. Survivors included a 7-month-old son and a sister, who lived in Fredericksburg.

Amelia Fields of Dumfries turned 46 on 9/11, her second day on the job as an Army administrative employee. She was survived by her husband and two adult children.

Brenda Gibson, 59, of Spotsylvania, Army budget analyst. The Washington native was a huge Redskins fan, and loved spending time with her family. She doted on her son and granddaughter.

Robert J. Hymel, 55, of Woodbridge, retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency. Awarded the Purple Heart during the Vietnam War. Survived by his wife, daughter and granddaughter.

Army Maj. Lacey B. Ivory, 42, of Woodbridge. Survivors included his wife, who had enlisted in the Army with him.

Judith Jones, 53, of Woodbridge, Navy employee.

Jennifer Lewis, 37, and Kenneth Lewis, 49, of Culpeper, flight attendants on American Airlines Flight 77. Friends dubbed the inseparable couple, known for living life to the fullest, "Kennifer."

Teri Martin, 45, of Stafford, Army budget analyst. She loved entertaining family and friends in the dream home she built with her husband, John. She also was active in her church.

Molly McKenzie, 38, of Montclair in Prince William, Army budget analyst. The introverted Pennsylvania native enjoyed mystery novels, and she loved spending time with her daughters, ages 13 and 10.

Diane Padro, 55, of Woodbridge, Army accountant. She enjoyed traveling and socializing. Survivors included her husband and two sons.

Rhonda Rasmussen, 44, of Woodbridge, Army budget analyst who had been approved the day before 9/11 for a job transfer to California. Her husband, Floyd, worked in a nearby office and escaped after the attack. She also was survived by four young adult children, ages 19 to 25.

Martha Reszke, 56, of Aquia Harbour, Army budget analyst. She and her husband settled in North Stafford after he retired from the military. She left behind two adult children and four grandchildren.

Judy Rowlett, 44, of Woodbridge, Army employee.

Edward Rowenhorst, 32, of Woodbridge, Army accountant. He and his wife and two daughters had lived in Ferry Farm in Stafford. He was known for his sense of humor and strong Christian faith.

Marian Serva, 47, of Stafford, Army congressional affairs liaison. She and her husband of 26 years were still madly in love. She also loved spending time with her 19-year-old daughter.

Don Simmons, 58, of Dumfries, Army employee.

Cheryle Sincock, 53, of Dale City, Army administrative assistant. The mother of five enjoyed making toys and crafts for her six grandkids.

Sandra White, 44, of Montclair, Army accountant. Survived by her husband of 24 years and two teenage sons. Known for her kindness, White was a stickler for a balanced family checkbook and always insisted on an enormous Christmas tree each year.

Seth Morris, 35, of Kinnelon, N.J. His parents lived in King George, and his brother lived in Stafford. He was a managing director and partner at Cantor Fitzgerald who worked on the 105th floor. The husband and father of three had carried a pregnant woman on his back down 103 floors after the 1993 bombing of the WTC.

Jeff Simpson, 38, of Lake Ridge was in New York on business, and the EMT rushed several blocks to the WTC to help. He died in a tower collapse.

Staff report
Free Freightnet Membership

List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours.
The EUs food safety watchdog has concluded that glyphosate, the active ingredient of the Monsanto herbicide Roundup, is not an endocrine disruptor.

The European Food Safety Authoritys (Efsa) assessment, based on industry data and published on 7 September, found there is no evidence that glyphosate is having a harmful effect on human endocrine (hormone) systems.

This conclusion comes after the European Commission had asked Efsa in October 2016 to identify plant protection products (PPPs) and biocides with endocrine-disrupting properties.

See also: On-farm trials focus on growing without glyphosate

The Efsa report said: The current assessment concluded that glyphosate does not have oestrogen, androgen, thyroid and steroidogenesis (EATS)-mediated endocrine-disrupting properties.

Its also in line with the US Environment Protection Agencys assessment of glyphosate, which concluded glyphosate doesnt pose any threat to the endocrine system.

Efsas assessment is the latest in a long line of in-depth assessments by national and international regulatory bodies that found glyphosate can be safely used.

These include studies by the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Health Organisation, the European Chemical Agency (ECHA), the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

Sarah Mukherjee, chief executive of the UK Crop Protection Agency, said: This latest conclusion from Efsa is consistent with the findings of other expert regulators around the world  glyphosate is not an endocrine disruptor or carcinogenic.

Over 40 years of robust scientific evidence has shown that glyphosate is safe for human health and the environment. We urge member states to support the science and vote in favour of a full, 15-year renewal.

Findings disputed

However, other studies, including one by Mesnage and colleagues last year, have concluded that human exposure to glyphosate is rising and fresh, independent analysis is needed.

Furthermore, a report by the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) had declared glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans.

Monsanto has strongly contested the IARCs findings, saying they are not supported by scientific data.

In the UK, according to the Soil Association, glyphosate use has risen by 400% in the past 20 years as the popularity of no-till farming has increased. Glyphosate is a key herbicide for pre-harvest weed control in oilseed rape and establishment of cereal crops.

The NFU has warned that European Commission plans to restrict the use of pesticides classified as endocrine disruptors could have a devastating effect on UK agriculture.

Guy Smith, NFU vice-president, has said changes to endocrine disruptor definitions could result in the loss of 40 key active ingredients, including azole-based fungicides.

A proposal to reapprove glyphosate for use in the EU for a further 10 years will be decided on later this year.

Research published by Oxford Economics and consultants Andersons, on behalf of the Crop Protection Agency (CPA), suggested UK farm output could fall by 940m without glyphosate, partly due to a 20% drop in wheat production.

A ban on the weedkiller would seriously damage UK food production and drive up food prices for consumers, the report warned.
Fluke can lead to the rapid loss of condition and sudden death but Zoetis vet Dave Armstrong says farmers frequently get caught out by fluke by not treating it in time.

He says farmers will often delay treatment until nearer to tupping or housing time, without realising that immature fluke can cause production loss, as well as adult fluke.

Fluke can also lead to black disease (mainly in sheep), which is caused by the bacterium Clostridium novyi.

While this bacterium, ingested from pasture, can remain in the liver for some time with no apparent ill effect, if there is damage to the liver caused by migrating fluke, it can produce death-causing toxins.

All farms that contain wet areas could be at risk of fluke, as its those conditions that favour the flukes intermediate host  the mud snail.

Anywhere that is wet, such as around gateways and water troughs, can provide the ideal location for the mud snail, explains Dr Armstrong.

If you detect fluke early and treat stock, then you can reduce the risk going forward by stopping the lifecycle before it infects pastures, he adds.

Fluke facts A single adult can shed about 50,000 eggs per day, chronic infection 100s of fluke

Hermaphrodite  can self-fertilise

Longevity  live as long as host, continually shedding eggs

Snail is intermediate host  spread and amplify infection

Fluke may be overwintered in snails as sporocysts  meaning no shedding or maturation

Fluke may also overwinter as metacercariae on grass

Detecting fluke on your farm

For sheep, constant management of fluke is necessary because there is often no break in the grazing cycle.

So, with no product persistent against fluke, a sheep treated one day can pick up infection the next if they are grazing infected pasture.

That means farmers need to be aware of what is happening on their farm, says Dr Armstrong.

Although faecal egg tests will pick up fluke that are 12 weeks old, it wont pick up immature fluke, which can cause acute disease and sudden death.

Copro-antigen testing will pick up fluke from about six weeks old, [but] a negative test doesnt discount the presence of fluke under six weeks of age.

Dr Armstrong recommends using testing along with other resources, such as abattoir feedback, post mortems on sheep that have died of unknown causes, and general stock health to make a decision on treatment.

Signs and production losses in cattle and sheep All stages of fluke will cause production loss. Immature fluke cause acute disease whereas adult fluke cause chronic disease. Acute fluke is most prevalent throughout the autumn and winter and is caused by immature flukes (more than 2,000 in sheep) migrating through the liver. Signs include: Rapid loss of body condition and poor coat quality, despite adequate nutrition

Severe depression

Inappetence

Weakness In cattle, acute fluke is rare due to them having a larger liver that can tolerate a greater burden. Chronic fluke is most likely to occur from winter through to the spring and is caused by adult fluke in the bile ducts (up to 500). Each fluke can consume 0.5ml of blood every day. Signs of chronic fluke include: Loss of condition

Bottle jaw

Reduced fertility

Livers trimmed or condemned at abattoir

Anaemia

Terminal diarrhoea

Fluke treatment in sheep

When selecting treatment options mid-season, farmers need to consider the age of the fluke they are treating for.

Many fluke treatments focus on killing egg-laying adults, which means most immature fluke will still be present. These will continue to cause damage as they migrate through the liver and go on to develop into adult fluke.

Triclabendazole is the only ingredient that is effective against fluke from two weeks old with other products, such as closantel and nitroxynil, effective on fluke more than six weeks old. However, their efficacy at this stage in sheep is only 50-90% effective compared to 99-100% effective when using triclabendazole.

If youve got a mixed worm burden, then using a broad-spectrum combination product, which contains moxidectin and triclabendazole will be effective against worms for up to eight weeks and is also effective against immature fluke.

Dr Armstrong says other flukicides should then be used in rotation to target the stage of fluke causing the problem.

Its important you have a plan in place and make sure you treat for the appropriate risk at that time, he says.

Fluke treatments Oxyclozanide , albendazole and clorsulon 50-70% effective on fluke between nine-and-a-half weeks old, rising to 80-99% effective on fluke between eleven-and-a-half weeks old to 14 weeks

, and 50-70% effective on fluke between nine-and-a-half weeks old, rising to 80-99% effective on fluke between eleven-and-a-half weeks old to 14 weeks Nitroxynil and closantel 50-90% effective on fluke between six-and-a-half weeks to nine-and-half weeks, rising to 91-99% effective after

and closantel 50-90% effective on fluke between six-and-a-half weeks to nine-and-half weeks, rising to 91-99% effective after Triclabendazole is 90-99% effective on fluke between one-and-half weeks old to three-and-a-half weeks old rising to 99-100% effective from three-and-a-half weeks to 14 weeks

Treatment options for cattle

In cattle, a dual-purpose product, which contains moxidectin and triclabendazole has been found to be 90% effective against early immatures, 99.5% against late immatures and 99.9% against adults.

By comparison, products containing closantel killed 26.8% of early immatures, 90% of late immatures and 99.3% of adults.

Like sheep, no fluke treatment has persistency, meaning cattle can become infected with fluke immediately after treatment if they are grazing contaminated pasture.

This is why its important to treat again at housing, regardless of whether you have treated midseason, advises Dr Armstrong.

Treating at housing cleans out parasites including fluke thereby supporting a healthier transition period. The benefits of this will extend into the new grazing season when the parasite burden on the pasture will be lower as a result.

The WVSC recommends consideration should be given to treatments active against immature fluke.

Dr Armstrong adds: Your adviser will help you decide which products to use based on your farms situation.

Fluke lifecycle Lifecycle of fluke outside the sheep Eggs hatch in spring (more than 10C) to release miracidia (motile) which must penetrate a mud snail within three hours

Develop inside snail (sporocyst and redia)

Cercariae (motile) emerge from snail

Encyst on grass (metacercariae)

Infection of a snail with one miracidium can produce more than 600 metacercariae (three or more months) Lifecyle inside the sheep Once ingested, metacercariae excyst in small intestine and the immature fluke migrate through the gut wall to penetrate the liver

The immature fluke tunnel through liver for six to eight weeks before entering bile ducts where they reach maturity

Time from infection of cattle or sheep to adult egg-laying fluke is 10-12 weeks

Little/no development of immunity
Story Highlights 67% of those working variable hours say their hours don't cause hardship

Solid majority are satisfied with the hours they work weekly

52% prefer their hours to vary; 44% prefer a consistent number of hours

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- About one in six U.S. employees are nonsalaried hourly workers who say the number of hours they work from week to week varies. Moneywise, the majority of this group does not consider the variability in work hours a problem, with 67% saying their variable hours do not cause them financial hardship.

Hourly Workers Who Work Variable Hours Say The Variability Does Not Cause Hardship Does the fact that the number of hours you work each week varies cause you financial hardship or not? Yes, causes hardship No, does not % % Aug 23-Sep 4, 2017 33 67 Asked of hourly workers whose hours vary from week to week Gallup, Aug. 23-Sept. 4, 2017

These results are based on interviews conducted Aug. 23-Sept. 4 with 528 hourly workers who say the number of hours they work each week varies. Thirty-seven percent of all hourly workers -- equivalent to 18% of all U.S. workers -- say the number of hours they work varies from week to week, while the rest say their hours are fixed.

A recent New York Times story highlighted the possible negative effects of unpredictable and variable working hours, suggesting that the lack of a fixed schedule causes workers stress and financial hardship. The issue is one of potentially increasing importance as the economy transitions from one in which most workers can expect traditional full-time and lifetime employment.

The results of Gallup's special study on this population of workers with variable hours indicate that while some report not getting enough work hours and likely suffering financial hardship, this represents the minority of such workers. Additionally, the estimated 6% of all employed adults who say they are experiencing hardship as a result of varying hours is small on an absolute basis, although it could certainly have economic and social implications for those who feel this way.

Improve Your Workplace

Be exceptional. Attract, hire and retain top performers. Learn more

Moreover, 29% of all variable-hour workers (or about 5% of all workers) say they wish they could work more hours, while 69% are satisfied with their weekly hours.

Majority of Americans With Variable Hours Prefer It That Way

Many workers with variable hours actually like it that way, with a modest majority (52%) saying they would prefer their hours to vary and 44% saying they would like a consistent number of hours per week.

Regardless of whether they prefer it, the majority (57%) of those who work variable hours apparently have little choice in the matter, because they report that their employer determines the number of hours they work each week. Thirty-six percent of these workers say they choose their own hours.

Workers who have variable hours tend to be younger, with lower education levels and lower income, when compared with the overall U.S. employed population.

Implications

Work schedules with varying hours have existed for many years, although it is quite possible that with an increasing emphasis on "gig" employment, this type of work will increase in the future.

But dissatisfaction with varying, unpredictable work hours does not appear to be a major problem in the U.S. today. Gallup research shows that this situation affects only about 18% of the working population, and a minority of those who work variable hours express negative feelings about their hours or their pay.

Although the group believing that their variable hours cause financial hardship is small on a relative basis, it is still a problem on an absolute basis for those negatively affected. In particular, variable hours could be problematic for those who want consistency in their weekly schedule or have regular financial commitments that suffer because their hours vary.

On the other hand, variable working hours could provide flexibility for students or those who have retired from their primary career. Gallup data show that a majority who work in this particular framework are satisfied with the consistency of their weekly schedule. In general, despite some media reports to the contrary, those who are involved in this work lifestyle appear to be content with at least some aspects of their irregular schedule.
Brownsvilles long-running marijuana saga has taken another turn.

A new public hearing on whether Green Cross Dispensary, 221 W. Bishop Way, can switch from a medical marijuana dispensary to a recreational pot shop will be held next week.

In July, the Brownsville Planning Commission voted 4-2 against a conditional use permit that would allow the change. The matter will be before the Brownsville City Council on appeal during a meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19.

In general, medical marijuana operations are subject to far more stringent state rules and regulations regarding surveillance records, patient records and more, said Gayle Simpson, who owns Green Cross Dispensary with her husband Randy Simpson.

Legally, they dont have the right to turn us down. The land use committee made their decision based on their personal opinions, which are prohibitionist, Gayle Simpson said.

The Planning Commission went against the will of voters, Randy Simpson said.

Anybody who is pro-marijuana should be outraged. Even non-marijuana people should be outraged, he added.

Planning Commission members, however, expressed concerns about adverse conditions that could occur with the recreational dispensary. Those include its impact on the health of children, the effects on a nearby playground, and whether edibles, which could be attractive to kids, would be sold.

Commissioners also noted that marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and some were concerned with how quickly the Simpsons were switching from medical to recreational marijuana. Green Cross Dispensary opened in May off of Highway 228.

City staff had recommended that the Planning Commission approve the conditional use permit, however.

If the City Council rejects the Simpsons appeal, the Simpsons could take the case to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. And if they do so, the Simpsons likely would prevail, noted the city attorney, in July 31 Planning Commission meeting minutes.

The Simpsons are looking to switch to recreational marijuana because it makes business sense. Randy Simpson has said that Green Cross Dispensary has turned away numerous potential clients who dont have Oregon Medical Marijuana Program cards, and theres only a limited number of OMMP patients in the area.

During the (Bi-Mart Willamette Country Music Festival), we were turning away dozens and dozens of people a day. Its really frustrating for us, Randy Simpson said.

The battle over marijuana issues in Brownsville has been happening for years.

The Simpsons tried to get a medical dispensary opened in a downtown storefront, but the city determined that location wasnt congruent with local zoning laws for the historical, family-friendly area and its existing businesses.

In response to the city, in the first days after marijuana became legal on July 1, 2015, the Simpsons gave away 12 pounds of pot from the downtown storefront, Gayle Simpson said. Ironically, the free pot event would have been illegal for a dispensary to organize.

The pot giveaway didnt endear the Simpsons to City Council members, however, and some publicly blasted the event.

The city finally had to relent on the Simpsons dispensary plans after the November general election. By a vote of 445-442, Brownsville voters approved the sale of medical and recreational marijuana.
Midwife joins

Samaritan team

Peggy Lisa McCullum, CNM, has joined Samaritan Obstetrics & Gynecology in Corvallis.

McCullum has nearly 20 years experience as a nurse midwife, most recently serving as the director of Maternal and Infant Services at Peace Health Medical Center in Florence. She earned bachelors degrees from Mills College and Samuel Merritt College/St. Marys Intercollegiate Nursing Program, and masters degrees in nursing and public health from Emory University.

McCullum provides care for adolescent and adult women, including adolescent health, family planning, pre-conception care, wellness exams and menopause care.

Physician takes

new patients

Lance McQuillan, M.D., a family medicine physician, is accepting new patients at The Corvallis Clinic at 1705 Waverly Drive SE in Albany. To make an appointment, call 541-967-8221 or fill out an online form at Find a Physician Request.

Prior to joining The Clinic in April 2016 as its chief medical officer, he was the program director of Samaritan Health Services Family Medicine Residency Program and a family practice physician at Samaritan Family Medicine.

McQuillan is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is on the board of directors of the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians.

Prior to joining Samaritan in 2009, he practiced at Southwest Washington Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington, and at Marshfield Clinic in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

McQuillan completed his residency at Family Medicine of Southwest Washington, in Vancouver, in 2006, and his internship at Mercy Redding Family Practice in Redding, California, in 2004. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, in 2003.

OSU professor

receives award

The Oregon Heritage Tree Program recently announced that the 2017 Maynard C. Drawson Memorial Award winner is educator and arborist Paul Ries.

Ries received a plaque recognizing his contributions to preserving Oregon's notable trees last April at the Oregon Department of Forestry in Salem.

Ries was a founding member of the Oregon Heritage Tree Program and friend of Drawson. Drawson is considered to be the founding father of the program; the award was created in 2015 as a way to honor his name and encourage others to engage in the preservation of Oregon's historically significant trees.

For over 25 years, Paul Ries' urban forestry experience has encompassed local, state, national, international, nonprofit and academic levels. Ries is an urban forestry instructor and extension specialist in the Oregon State University College of Forestry and was manager of the Oregon Department of Forestry Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program.

At OSU, he teaches online urban forestry courses and is lead curriculum developer for new undergraduate and graduate degrees in urban forestry.

Broker joins real

estate agency

Town & Country Realty in Corvallis recently welcomed Angelica Rehkugler to its team as a broker, serving clients with over 15 years of experience.

Rehkugler has been a Realtor since 2000, and has earned her Graduate Realtor Institute and Accredited Buyers Representative certifications. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, she worked for several years at Apple Computer, and then went to San Jose State University for her teaching credential.

She taught English as a Second Language for 10 years at both adult and high school levels. German is her first language and she has a working knowledge of Spanish.

Rehkugler can be reached at 541-740-0959 or angelica@tncrealty.com.

Bank hires

credit officer

David A. Frances joined Willamette Community Bank in Albany last July as its Chief Credit Officer. David has worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years with a focus on credit and risk management. He has a Bachelors Degree in Business Management and an Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University.

David and his wife, Kim, recently relocated to the greater Albany community.

Land management

business started

Devon Durant recently started Epoch Land Management, a consulting and small equipment operation business focusing on sustainable land management for small to medium acreages.

Durant transplanted to the Corvallis area from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and has spent the last 11 years here, working in landscaping, horticulture, land management and restoration. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture from Oregon State University in 2009.

He owns and operates the one man operation which does consulting, excavator work, brush clearing, terracing, restoration, and more for small to medium sized properties anywhere in the greater Corvallis-Albany area. 541-231-8263, free estimates.

NuScale Power

adds executive

Diane M. Hughes recently joined NuScale Power, LLC, in Corvallis as vice president of marketing and communications.

She has responsibility for brand, marketing, external communication (public relations, media relations and public affairs), digital experience (web, social media and digital channels) and internal communication.

In her new role, Hughes reports to Tom Mundy, chief commercial officer, and is a member of the Executive Leadership Team.

Hughes previously served as Director of Social Media and Digital Experience/Marketing at NextEra Energy, Inc./Florida Power & Light Company. She led a digital customer experience transformation, executed digital marketing and communication strategies, and built a social media all-hazards crisis communication team. Prior to that, Hughes was Director of Social Media and Web Engagement, as well as Deputy Crisis Team Officer at Baltimore Gas and Electric Company.

In addition, Hughes has held positions with the Greater Baltimore Committee, Hermann Advertising Design/Communications and contracted by MaCS GmbH to support Hewlett-Packard's public relations division in Germany.

Hughes holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Business Management and a Master of Science in Management Technology: E-Business from University of Maryland.
Here's the good news: The bill that Congress passed last week for billions of dollars in aid for the victims of Hurricane Harvey also included additional money to fight this year's crop of wildfires.

It's true that the money is more or less an afterthought to the $7.85 billion Congress (quite properly) allocated to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund, but that doesn't make the wildfire allocation any less welcome. The approved wildfire fighting provision allows for payments to cover additional firefighting costs that go over agency budgets. Staff members for U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley said that amount is estimated to be at least $300 million, but our guess right now is that's low.

The additional money means that the federal agencies primarily charged with battling blazes (the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management) can pay their firefighting bills without having to dip too deeply into other programs. And the programs that often get raided during severe wildfire years often are those designed to pay for maintenance work on lands so that future fires don't burn with the same intensity that we've seen recently.

Which leads to the bad news: Congress still has not moved to end this practice, known as "fire borrowing," despite having ample opportunity the past few sessions. And we don't see any sign that makes us think that this dereliction of duty will end any time soon. Apparently, the preferred congressional solution to the issue of how to pay firefighting bills is to toss money at it when required  which actually is a step forward, we suppose  but ignores the better solutions that are available.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, in a letter last week to President Donald Trump, gave the president a quick primer on the issues. (A copy of the letter is included with the online version of this editorial.)

Wyden reminded Trump of the scope of this year's fire season: More than 7.65 million acres have burned (or are burning) this season across the Western United States. Nearly 28,000 firefighters are battling the blazes, and they've been shuttled from state to state as new fires erupt, often with startling speed, across the landscape. "This is a truly a national natural disaster," Wyden wrote, "on the scale of hurricanes, tornadoes or floods."

Wyden noted that fires across the West are "burning hotter, longer and more severely due to the effects of climate change. The reality is that by providing more funding to reduce hazardous fuel loads in our nation's forests we can get ahead of these disasters and reduce the length of fire seasons."

But, he added, that requires a consistent source of funding. And that's what's been lacking: Agencies faced with huge firefighting bills have no other choice but to tap into the funding for those programs. The result: As summers grow hotter and drier, forests that haven't been properly maintained become tinderboxes.

Wyden noted in his letter that Congress has been discussing this effort for a number of years. Among the solutions is one that would treat the nation's very biggest wildfires as true national disasters and allow money to fight those to come from a FEMA fund. That would help protect money used to maintain forests and other wildlands.

But these common-sense and often bipartisan solutions never seem to get the traction they need to win congressional approval; they often get tied up in broader efforts to reform federal land policies, and sink of their own weight. In the past, we thought it would take a fire season like this one to finally make lawmakers take notice of the issue. But here we are, and we have nothing to show for it except fears that each successive fire season will be worse than the one before. It's not an encouraging thought. (mm)
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Bonn Sudstadt : 30-year-old woman attacked in apartment building entrance hall

Bonn A 34-year-old man attacked and robbed a young woman in the entrance hall of her apartment building in Bonns Sudstadt on Saturday night. The police arrested the man a short time later.

Teilen

Teilen Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Tweeten

Tweeten Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Drucken

The 30-year-old woman told officers she was walking in the Konigstrae area of Bonns Sudstadt at around 1.50 a.m. on Sunday morning when she noticed someone was following her. When she opened the door to her apartment building, the man followed her into the entrance hall.

The 34-year-old then threatened the woman and stole her purse. The perpetrator tried to hold the womans mouth shut but she managed to call for help. Police said several residents heard her shouts and came to help the woman. The police were immediately called and were able to catch the perpetrator when he was still in the entrance hall.

Officers established after initial enquiries that the 34-year-old was known to police because of various violent offences. The man also had a blood-alcohol reading of 2.4 mg/l and a blood test was ordered. The perpetrator was arrested and taken to the police station.
Duesseldorf airport : Passengers angered by continued delays at airport security checks

Duesseldorf Duesseldorf airport used signs to blame security staff for delays at the weekend. There are also delays in Cologne-Bonn airport.

Teilen

Teilen Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Tweeten

Tweeten Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Drucken

The tense situation at the passenger controls at Duesseldorf airport got worse yesterday. After long delays again at security checks at the weekend, the airport put up signs advising passengers that only a few security gates were open because of a staff shortage at the security company Kotter. This meant the blame for the entire chaos was put on the security personnel, said Ozay Tarim, secretary of the Verdi union. Those employees affected were horrified. The airport decided to remove the signs during the course of the day.

Airport spokesman Thomas Kotter defended the measures. He said the signs were there to give waiting passengers an unbiased idea of waiting times. We dont explicitly state either the number of employees on duty or the shortfall or the anticipated waiting time, emphasised Kotter.

However, overstretched employees described the reaction of passengers in clear words: We were verbally abused and insulted by many passengers. Some no longer wanted to follow our instructions and laughed at us when we said something, reported one security employee. The signs were clearly the cause.

There have been long queues at security checks at Duesseldorf airport for around two months. Passengers regularly miss their flights as a result. The main reason for the misery is severe staff shortages at the security company Kotter, which carries out person and baggage controls on behalf of the Federal police. There is a daily shortage of up to 75 personnel and the tense situation will continue until at least the middle of October.

No other airport in the country has the sort of severe problems currently being encountered at security checks in Duesseldorf. At Cologne-Bonn airport there is currently a shortage of 20 to 25 staff at peak times sometimes also causing long queues. There were also problems this year at controls at Stuttgart airport. Passengers had to wait up to an hour longer because of staff shortages. The security firm responsible used staff from other companies to relieve the shortage. Kotter is currently planning something similar at Duesseldorf airport.
Article

Protecting the worlds oceans  an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy

The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs.
clarajancita at 11-09-2017 11:31 AM (5 years ago) (f)

80-year-old Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis has been left with a cut near his eyes after getting injured in Colombia. Pope Francis sustained minor injuries on Sunday after hitting his head against the vehicle in which he was traveling in Cartagena, Colombia. Giving details about the injury, a spokesman for the pope confirmed the injuries, which were captured on video, saying he has a wound on his cheekbone and eyebrow but he is fine. He is receiving ice treatment, the spokesman added.

80-year-old Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis has been left with a cut near his eyes after getting injured in Colombia. Pope Francis sustained minor injuries on Sunday after hitting his head against the vehicle in which he was traveling in Cartagena, Colombia. Giving details about the injury, a spokesman for the pope confirmed the injuries, which were captured on video, saying he has a wound on his cheekbone and eyebrow but he is fine. He is receivingthe spokesman added. The incident occurred while the 80-year-old Catholic Pontiff was traveling in the popemobile, a customized vehicle outfitted with bulletproof glass designed to protect the pope while he greets crowds.



He appeared to be leaning outside a glass panel in front of him when the vehicle stopped and his face made contact with the barrier. Pope Francis has been visiting Colombia since Wednesday, making stops in the cities of Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena. The incident occurred while the 80-year-old Catholic Pontiff was traveling in the popemobile, a customized vehicle outfitted with bulletproof glass designed to protect the pope while he greets crowds.He appeared to be leaning outside a glass panel in front of him when the vehicle stopped and his face made contact with the barrier. Pope Francis has been visiting Colombia since Wednesday, making stops in the cities of Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena.

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 11-09-2017 11:31 AM (5 years ago) | Hero
felicilin at 11-09-2017 02:43 PM (5 years ago) (f)

Some terrified swimmers were forced to flee the water today after an injured Great White shark washed up on a popular Australian beach.

Some terrified swimmers were forced to flee the water today after an injured Great White shark washed up on a popular Australian beach. The ocean predator was spotted on the shore of Sydney's popular Manly Beach shortly after midday.

Footage shows the animal, believed to be a young Great White, moving its tail around as shocked beachgoers looked on.

Lifeguards on jet skis kept watch over the shark before marine rescue arrived to bring it to shore using a stretcher.

After being rescued, the Great White was stretchered into a nearby rock-pool at Fairy Bower to recover.

Rob Townsend, life sciences manager at Manly Sealife Sanctuary, was in charge at the scene, along with six members of staff.



He said: We got a call that a shark, which we originally thought was a mako, was washed up on the beach, so we sent some people to have a look.

The immediate course of action was to see if it was strong enough to swim away."

He added: "A couple of attempts were made to put it back in the ocean but it kept washing up on the beach. Apparently it washed up four or five times.

"Given the proximity of the pool we though it was a good place to leave it in the interim while we work out what to do.

Obviously a shark of this size and species, its not something we can immediately deal with without a bit of preparation time, to see what were dealing with.

Having put it in the pool, weve realised its not a mako, its a juvenile white shark, so being a threatened species theres a whole lot more bureaucracy and paperwork to make sure were doing everything by the book.

Hundreds of onlookers had gathered at the scene and daredevil spectators were seen brazenly jumping in to the pool for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to swim with the dangerous predatory animal.

The shark did not display any signs of aggression and was gliding back and forth in the water, occasionally bumping in to the wall.

Witness Kyle Goodman, who has just got back from the Bahamas where he was doing shark research, said the sight wasnt too peculiar for him - but was extremely peculiar for the northern beaches.

I got a text from my sister and I cried bulls*t, but I had to come down and check she was right.

He said: This is the only shark, apart from a whaler or a Port Jackson or a wobbegong Ive seen in this area and Ive been diving here for three years.

Amazed onlookers took to social media to post photos.

Alex Martiniuk wrote on Twitter: "Shark in #Manly bower pool right now. She washed up on Manly beach. Beautiful to see such a gorgeous animal."

The ocean predator was spotted on the shore of Sydney's popular Manly Beach shortly after midday.Footage shows the animal, believed to be a young Great White, moving its tail around as shocked beachgoers looked on.Lifeguards on jet skis kept watch over the shark before marine rescue arrived to bring it to shore using a stretcher.After being rescued, the Great White was stretchered into a nearby rock-pool at Fairy Bower to recover.Rob Townsend, life sciences manager at Manly Sealife Sanctuary, was in charge at the scene, along with six members of staff.He said:He added: "A couple of attempts were made to put it back in the ocean but it kept washing up on the beach. Apparently it washed up four or five times.Hundreds of onlookers had gathered at the scene and daredevil spectators were seen brazenly jumping in to the pool for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to swim with the dangerous predatory animal.The shark did not display any signs of aggression and was gliding back and forth in the water, occasionally bumping in to the wall.Witness Kyle Goodman, who has just got back from the Bahamas where he was doing shark research, said the sight wasnt too peculiar for him - but was extremely peculiar for the northern beaches.

Post Reply Posted: at 11-09-2017 02:43 PM (5 years ago) | Hero
Nigeria Is Bringing War To Us - IPOB Leader Nnamdi Kanu Finally Reacts To Army Invasion (Video)

kacylee at 11-09-2017 07:32 PM (5 years ago) (f)

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi kanu has accused the Nigerian Army of attempting to kill him over his determination to actualize Biafra.

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi kanu has accused the Nigerian Army of attempting to kill him over his determination to actualize Biafra. He said this while speaking to press men, following the rumoured attack the Nigerian Army carried out on his group in his home in Abia.



Recalling the event for the press men, Kanu claimed the Nigerian Army drove toward his house while shooting indiscriminately at people protesting and asking what they were coming to do.



3 people were shot, he said, and they were taken to a secure location where they are receiving treatment.



When asked about the polices statement that 3 people were at their clinic receiving treatment for machete wounds, he said it was characteristic of the Nigerian Government to lie, and they should not be believed.



Nigeria is bringing war to us, he said. They want us to become armed, so that the world can say Nnamdi Kanu is leading a violent armed group. Which is not the case.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSDeMHydkmM&feature=youtu.be

However, the Nigerian Army in a statement has said that the allegations that it attacked anybody or killed anyone are totally false.



The army said IPOB members blocked the road against troops of 145 Battalion while they were on a show of force along FMC-Word Bank Road in Umuahia town, Abia State.



The army continued that while the IPOB members pelted the military vehicles with stones and bottles, insisting it would not pass, warning shots were fired into the air, which dispersed the agitators.



No life was lost, the statement read. Read it below:



He said this while speaking to press men, following the rumoured attack the Nigerian Army carried out on his group in his home in Abia.Recalling the event for the press men, Kanu claimed the Nigerian Army drove toward his house while shooting indiscriminately at people protesting and asking what they were coming to do.3 people were shot, he said, and they were taken to a secure location where they are receiving treatment.When asked about the polices statement that 3 people were at their clinic receiving treatment for machete wounds, he said it was characteristic of the Nigerian Government to lie, and they should not be believed.Nigeria is bringing war to us, he said. They want us to become armed, so that the world can say Nnamdi Kanu is leading a violent armed group. Which is not the case.However, the Nigerian Army in a statement has said that the allegations that it attacked anybody or killed anyone are totally false.The army said IPOB members blocked the road against troops of 145 Battalion while they were on a show of force along FMC-Word Bank Road in Umuahia town, Abia State.The army continued that while the IPOB members pelted the military vehicles with stones and bottles, insisting it would not pass, warning shots were fired into the air, which dispersed the agitators.No life was lost, the statement read. Read it below: Quote The attention of 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, has been drawn to fictitious news going round especially on the social media that troops have invaded the home of Nnamdi Kanu and killed 3 persons.



This is far from the truth. Rather, it was a group of suspected IPOB militants that blocked the road against troops of 145 Battalion while on show of force along FMC-Word Bank Road in Umuahia town, Abia State at about 6.00-6.30pm, today.



They insisted that the military vehicles would not pass and started pelting the soldiers with stones and broken bottles to the point of injuring an innocent female passerby and a soldier, Corporal Kolawole Mathew.



The troops fired warning shots in the air and the hoodlooms dispersed. No life was lost.



Therefore the public are kindly enjoined to disregard the rumours going round and the fictitious photographs of purported victims of attack.



Both the soldier and the innocent female passerby have been evacuated to the units Medical Inspection Room and are receiving treatment.



We would like to use this opportunity to warn mischief makers threatening the peace and security of the country through falsehood such as above.



Members of the public are please requested to go about their lawful business and report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or security outfit. You are please requested to disseminate this information to the public through your medium.



Thank you for your kind cooperation.



Major Oyegoke Gbadamosi



Assistant Director Army Public Relations 14th Brigade Nigerian Army

Watch a video accompanying the Nigerian Armys statement below;



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dszz5hZLvEo Watch a video accompanying the Nigerian Armys statement below;

Post Reply I have been reporting for several years now and I am very interested in visual news reportage with strong inclusion of photos and video multimedia. Posted: at 11-09-2017 07:32 PM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero

gogoman at 11-09-2017 07:37 PM (5 years ago)

(m) Posted: at 11-09-2017 07:37 PM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero Reply

tunasco4u at 11-09-2017 07:39 PM (5 years ago)

(m) You should just tell the truth that u are nt fighting for igbos u are looking for fame.igboland is where you can turn to hero overnight Posted: at 11-09-2017 07:39 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming You should just tell the truth that u are nt fighting for igbos u are looking for fame.igboland is where you can turn to hero overnight Reply

Floyd29 at 11-09-2017 07:46 PM (5 years ago)

(f) Keep quiet you are a small boy, you can do anything Posted: at 11-09-2017 07:46 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Keep quiet you are a small boy, you can do anything Reply

tegonwa at 11-09-2017 08:44 PM (5 years ago)

(m) War Is Not Good For Anyboday; And Nigeria Is Better And Bigger As One.Nawaa O! Posted: at 11-09-2017 08:44 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac War Is Not Good For Anyboday; And Nigeria Is Better And Bigger As One.Nawaa O! Reply

chukkychukky at 11-09-2017 08:52 PM (5 years ago)

(m) just one command we will crush d zoo Joramentity aka chukkychukky Posted: at 11-09-2017 08:52 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac just one command we will crush d zoo Reply

freethinker at 11-09-2017 09:16 PM (5 years ago)

(m) Quote from: Floyd29 on 11-09-2017 07:46 PM Keep quiet you are a small boy, you can do anything

I HAVE TOLD YOU TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL............OR YOU CAN WRITE IN YORUBA LANG IF YOU CAN OR EVEN IN PIGEON ENGLISH

Posted: at 11-09-2017 09:16 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac I HAVE TOLD YOU TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL............OR YOU CAN WRITE IN YORUBA LANG IF YOU CAN OR EVEN IN PIGEON ENGLISH Reply

dareper at 11-09-2017 10:08 PM (5 years ago)

(m) in Biafra we stand no matter what they do to us. Posted: at 11-09-2017 10:08 PM (5 years ago) | Hero in Biafra we stand no matter what they do to us. Reply

Oworen25 at 12-09-2017 12:09 AM (5 years ago)

(m) So where are the westerner Posted: at 12-09-2017 12:09 AM (5 years ago) | Hero So where are the westerner Reply

ejikeiyo at 12-09-2017 12:19 AM (5 years ago)

(m) WASTED GENERATION Posted: at 12-09-2017 12:19 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac WASTED GENERATION Reply

faka4u at 12-09-2017 04:00 AM (5 years ago)

(m) fools thread where angels fear....bring d war na, foolish man, ur elders are scared of war, u are threatening war, kuku bring it and sacrifice d remaining ( or a larger) percentage of the Igbo tribe na.....idiot that will end up running away when things turn upside down.... Posted: at 12-09-2017 04:00 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming fools thread where angels fear....bring d war na, foolish man, ur elders are scared of war, u are threatening war, kuku bring it and sacrifice d remaining ( or a larger) percentage of the Igbo tribe na.....idiot that will end up running away when things turn upside down.... Reply

Haso112 at 12-09-2017 04:19 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Quote from: freethinker on 11-09-2017 09:16 PM I HAVE TOLD YOU TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL............OR YOU CAN WRITE IN YORUBA LANG IF YOU CAN OR EVEN IN PIGEON ENGLISH





SEE PERSON WEY DEY TELL PERSON MAKE HIM GO BACK TO SCHOOL... CAPITAL OLODO, EMPTY SKULL...! I WONDER WHEN PIGEONS STARTED SPEAKING ENGLISH... YOU BLANK SKULL... IT'S SPELT ''PIDGIN ENGLISH'' AND SCHOOL DOESN'T TEACH YOU EVERYTHING, THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN FROM AROUND YOU, BUT YOU ARE ONE CLOSED MINDED, HATE FILLED, SUBJECTIVE, ONE DIRECTION ZOMBIE... WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE BEAN, LIFE'S BIGGER THAN THE PICTURE YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR... LOVE RULES..... Posted: at 12-09-2017 04:19 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac SEE PERSON WEY DEY TELL PERSON MAKE HIM GO BACK TO SCHOOL... CAPITAL OLODO, EMPTY SKULL...! I WONDER WHEN PIGEONS STARTED SPEAKING ENGLISH... YOU BLANK SKULL... IT'S SPELT ''PIDGIN ENGLISH'' AND SCHOOL DOESN'T TEACH YOU EVERYTHING, THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN FROM AROUND YOU, BUT YOU ARE ONE CLOSED MINDED, HATE FILLED, SUBJECTIVE, ONE DIRECTION ZOMBIE... WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE BEAN, LIFE'S BIGGER THAN THE PICTURE YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR... LOVE RULES..... Reply

idontno at 12-09-2017 05:44 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Quote from: Floyd29 on 11-09-2017 07:46 PM Keep quiet you are a small boy, you can do anything



ERROR Posted: at 12-09-2017 05:44 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Reply

sandra78 at 12-09-2017 06:09 AM (5 years ago)

(f) Quote from: Floyd29 on 11-09-2017 07:46 PM Keep quiet you are a small boy, you can do anything



Illiterate......... Posted: at 12-09-2017 06:09 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Illiterate......... Reply

abrakata at 12-09-2017 06:58 AM (5 years ago)

(m) When did this platform became floor for expressing grievances, please contribute wisely so that we too can learn from you. Thanks. Posted: at 12-09-2017 06:58 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming When did this platform became floor for expressing grievances, please contribute wisely so that we too can learn from you. Thanks. Reply

sensations77 at 12-09-2017 08:51 AM (5 years ago)

(f) I wonder when ethnic nepotism will stop,the ethnic hate is too much,what is all this?even in online forums, we hate, why are we together in one country?this is getting too much,bitterness and pure hatred, its better we split than continue this endless circle of hate Posted: at 12-09-2017 08:51 AM (5 years ago) | Newbie I wonder when ethnic nepotism will stop,the ethnic hate is too much,what is all this?even in online forums, we hate, why are we together in one country?this is getting too much,bitterness and pure hatred, its better we split than continue this endless circle of hate Reply

ruthie at 12-09-2017 09:52 AM (5 years ago)

(f) THIS KANU IS JUST HEATING UP THE POLITY...HIS TIME WILL SOON COME...WE ARE WATCHING Posted: at 12-09-2017 09:52 AM (5 years ago) | Hero THIS KANU IS JUST HEATING UP THE POLITY...HIS TIME WILL SOON COME...WE ARE WATCHING Reply

yawa_don_gas at 16-09-2017 04:44 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Please please hold on, why e be say everywhere I take even when I wan hide yawa dey there?

Why why?

Na yawa life, yawa goes on Posted: at 16-09-2017 04:44 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero Please please hold on, why e be say everywhere I take even when I wan hide yawa dey there?Why why?Na yawa life, yawa goes on Reply

tegonwa at 21-09-2017 06:51 AM (5 years ago)

(m) People Who Talk About War Are The Gullible And Hopeless Creatures In Nigeria.Too Hopeless!Nawaa O! Posted: at 21-09-2017 06:51 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac People Who Talk About War Are The Gullible And Hopeless Creatures In Nigeria.Too 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.




state voter data kept by the Center for Election Systems was compromised [and that] the Georgia Secretary of State uses the Center for Election Systems at Kennesaw State to facilitate elections in all Georgia counties and maintain voting machines... Sources said the breach happened Wednesday night and the hacker made off with millions of voter records." The GA-06 special election to replace right-wing nut Tom Price race was universally viewed as a referendum on Trump. If Ossoff would have won, the White House and the Kremlin feared that congressional Republicans will abandon Trump and his legislative agenda in droves. So the Kremlin felt around to see if it would be possible steal the Georgia special in similar ways they helped steal swing counties in the Rust Belt. Think I'm kidding? WSB is the biggest TV station in Atlanta. They reported that the FBI investigated a data breach at the Center for Election Systems at Kennesaw State University just before the special election. So? Kennesaw isn't even part of GA-06. It's in the 11th district. But WSB reported that "thevoter data kept by the Center for Election Systems was compromised [and that] the Georgia Secretary of State uses the Center for Election Systems at Kennesaw State to facilitate elections in all Georgia counties and maintain voting machines... Sources said the breach happened Wednesday night and."





How big a deal was this? Of course, Putin isn't claiming responsibility. But... a group of technology experts said Georgia should stop using electronic voting machines and switch to paper ballots for the April 18 Special Election. The successfully hacked Center for Election Systems tests and certifies Georgia's voting machines and electronic polling books used to check in voters at polling locations. Employees also format ballots for every election held in the state. In a letter to Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp (R), a candidate for Governor in 2018, twenty technology experts and computer science professors affiliated with the national Verified Voting organization said paper ballots will preserve voters' confidence in the results of an upcoming special election to fill Georgia's 6th District congressional seat. The letter said using equipment maintained by the center while it is the focus of a criminal investigation "can raise deep concerns."

Verified Voting, which closely tracks voting systems used throughout the U.S., and other advocacy groups have long expressed concern with Georgia's reliance on voting machines. Barbara Simons, chairwoman of the nonpartisan organization's board, said paper ballots allow voters to ensure their choices are correct and create a trail if there are any questions about the results. It also lets officials do a hand count of the physical ballots, she said.



"Under the circumstances, the only prudent thing to do is make sure voting is done in a secure fashion," Simons said. "This should not be a partisan issue. Republicans and Democrats both care about secure elections."

Kemp's office rejected their plea and said the special election would use electronic voting machines-- which it did-- even though the cyberattack could easily have infected the electronic voting machines with a virus that could manipulate vote totals.





Journal-Constitution The Atlanta reported a dust-up over this between Kemp, a highly partisan wing nut who could easily be on Trump's or Putin's payroll, and DuBose Porter, chairman of the Georgia Democratic Party, who demanded Kemp accept help from the Department of Homeland Security to get to the bottom of the hack. Kemp, true to form, accused Porter of playing politics while trying to create a "manufactured crisis" to help Democratic candidates. Something of a fascist, Kemp said of the Democrats that "They would love nothing more than for us to flout Georgia law and use paper ballots so they can challenge the results when they lose, but we will not cater to such childish antics."





It turned out to be the most expensive House race in history. The two campaigns, along with outside organizations, spent more than $50 million on the election. Karen Handel won-- 134,799 (51.8%) to 125,517 (48.2%)-- and has turned out to be a terrible congresswoman in every way predicted. ProgressivePunch ties her record for the worst in Congress-- ZERO crucial vote score.





Around the same time that Georgia Republicans were happy to welcome Russian hacking and interference in their elections, Holland was also facing elections. They took a very different approach than the GOP, basically "better safe than sorry."

The tech-savvy country scaled back the use of computers to count votes and opted for an all-paper, all-manual election this month.



...The Dutch government has known about some of the vulnerabilities in the voting software since 2006 and banned electronic voting in 2007, but has been publicly  and frequently  reminded ever since by academics and hackers of vulnerabilities in the software used to count the votes. A decade later, the country still hasnt come up with a secure tech system to cast and count votes.



It was only after the U.S. blamed Russia for hacking during the presidential election cycle last year that the Netherlands announced it was dropping computers entirely. The countrys almost 13 million voters will line up March 15 at more than 9,000 polling stations to tick the box for their candidate with pencils, and these votes will be counted by hand. Its unclear how long it will take officials to get it done.



...Dutch officials say the threat extends beyond voting: Politicians computers could be hacked and fake news could infiltrate media and blogs, they say.



In early February, Rob Bertholee, head of Dutch intelligence agency AIVD, said his services had identified hundreds of attacks by Russia targeting government systems that were intended to steal confidential documents.

Paper ballots counted manually at every step by volunteers and polling station officials carried final tallies on paper to local communes, which aggregated the tallies by hand and then ran with another piece of paper to one of 20 regional constituency offices, where officials did the same and then rushed to The Hagues electoral council building to file the results-- on paper.





In the end, Putin's (and Trump's) neo-fascist candidate, Geert Wilders and his party, won just 13.1% of the vote and 20 seats in the 150 seat House. Of 10,563,456 votes cast, Wilder's fascists got just 1,372,941.





The German general election will be in 2 weeks, September 24. The 4 polls released last week showed Angela Merkel's CDU leading the Socialist Party 38-22%, 37-23%, 37-21% and 34-24%. Alexander Gauland's and Alice Weidel's neo-fascist party (AfD) is showing up with between 11% and 9% of the vote. All the other parties have ruled out being in any kind of coalition that includes the fascists, which is being heavily supported by Russians in Germany-- just as Russians in places like south Brooklyn and the Bustleton and Somerto neighborhoods of Philly overwhelmingly backed Trump in the U.S. election. Their loyalties are with Putin, not with Merkel's CDU. Ironically Russian-Germans-- around 2.5 million of them-- were once considered the Christian Democrats most loyal constituency. Many have switched their allegiance to the AfD, attracted by its pro-Kremlin stance and hard line on Muslim refugees."





When it comes to the growing specter of election hacking, there is one form of attack that causes far more concern that the rest: Could hackers access the ballot count itself and directly manipulate the number of votes cast in favor of one candidate?



Security researchers in Germany have found that its possible to do exactly that.



The hacking collective Chaos Computer Club (CCC) has uncovered a selection of serious vulnerabilities in some of Germanys voting software.



By infecting large-scale, we could have changed every single submitted result, Linus Neumann, a CCC spokesperson told The Daily Beast. This software is not the same as that used in U.S. elections, but the discovery highlights the serious risk hackers can pose to voting infrastructure as U.S. authorities try to assess the exact damage hackers caused during the 2016 election.



The issues revolve around a piece of software called PC-Wahl, which the researchers say Germany has used in national, state, and municipal elections for decades.



PC-Wahl is used for the recording, calculation, graphical presentation, reporting and statistical follow-up of election results, according to a Google translated version of the products website.



Neumann explained that the researchers were able to take over the server that provides software updates to PC-Wahl and insert a malicious program that manipulates the votes.



Neither the software itself, nor any of the transmitted results are authenticated properly, he said. Updating the software is also a mandatory process before each use, Neumann added, meaning that if a hacker surreptitiously inserted a piece of malware, it could rapidly spread to target machines.



Targeting a piece of softwares update mechanism is a novel, but fairly established way of attacking systems. Earlier this year, hackers attatched their own ransomware, which locks down victims computers, to an update of Ukrainian financial software. Victims included shipping giant Maersk.



Germany has faced suspected Russian hackers in the past. In 2015, hackers targeted the countrys Bundestag, or parliament. Germanys domestic security agency said Russian military intelligence was responsible for the attack. Judging by forensic evidence, the hackers behind the Bundestag breach were the same as those responsible for attacking the Democratic National Committees servers in 2016. WikiLeaks went on to distribute a cache of stolen emails and documents from the DNC.



In the U.S., likely Russian hackers have also targeted companies and organizations within the election supply chain. In June, The Intercept reported that hackers sent spoofed emails to VR Systems, a Florida-based provider of voting services and equipment, days before the election. Last week, a New York Times report revealed hackers breached at least two other providers of critical election services. During a hearing earlier this year, former FBI Director James Comey said Russian hackers targeted hundreds of entities.



There is no convincing evidence that hackers directly manipulated U.S. votes by targeting voting software or machines themselves during the 2016 election. Previous academic research has found some voting machines are vulnerable to malware that could manipulate votes.



During the annual DEF CON hacking conference this year, researchers were given free-rein to dig through and probe a variety of voting machines used in U.S. elections. One hacker successfully compromised a machine in a matter of hours.



CCC hackers who worked on the German software released a selection of tools so others may be able to replicate or build on their results. One tool can be used to swap votes for one party to another.

The Trump Regime has downplayed Russian electoral threats and have been-- at best-- "unconcerned."
With one hurricane leaving a path of destruction in Texas and another racing toward Florida, the Gods Pit Crew crisis response team is preparing to send thousands of supplies to affected areas, and organizers say they need the help of the public.

The Danville-based nonprofit disaster relief agency held an emergency Blessing Bucket assembly Saturday, after Hurricane Harvey struck Texas last week and Hurricane Irma was expected to make landfall in Florida on Sunday. Around 400 volunteers gathered Saturday to fill about 3,300 buckets with essential items like food, water, toiletries, flashlights and cleaning supplies.

Blessing Bucket coordinator Julie Burnett said the volunteers began working around 9:30 a.m. at the organizations headquarters on North Main Street. The buckets were either headed to Texas or Florida, depending on the severity of Irma.

We have already loaded four tractor trailers [for Florida], Burnett said. They are already in Florida, so were ready. We have our equipment ready.

Burnett said the organization had basically cleared out of their stock of bucket supplies, and needed the Dan River Regions help in refilling the stock.

Weve been cleaned out totally, Burnett said.

Residents can drop off the supply donations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the headquarters at 2499 N. Main St. A full list of supplies can be found on the Gods Pit Crews website at www.godspitcrew.org.

Volunteer Earl Kirks said he said spent the day refilling blessing bucket supplies, cleaning up trash from the floor, answering questions and completing any other tasks around the warehouse. Kirks, who has been volunteering for three years, said he loved being able to help others unconditionally.

If Im being honest, its a big honor, Kirks said. It puts a good feeling deep inside me.

Kirks said even though he couldnt always make it to the disaster areas to help people firsthand, he loved seeing the dozens of volunteers work to make the thousands of buckets.

Its just amazing, Kirks 14-year-old son, Dakota, said. Words cant even explain it.

Dakota added that people just come out and help, without expecting anything in return. Kirks said he was proud to help pass those values on to his son.

Burnett said future Blessing Bucket assembly events will be posted on the organizations website as well as social media accounts.

Founded in 1999, Gods Pit Crew is a nonprofit crisis response organization that delivers supplies to victims of such disasters as hurricanes, floods, fires and earthquakes. The group also provides items for local charitable organizations that help those in need.
Tears fell and frustration mounted in Richmonds Gilpin Court on Sunday as residents of the citys largest public housing community saw their neighborhood wracked by four early morning homicides.

The fatal shootings of four adults Sunday brings the number of killings in the city to eight in eight days and pushes to 58 the number of lives cut short by violence in Richmond this year.

That is compared to 45 killings at this point in 2016, which was the worst year in a decade. Those numbers include some types of deaths that police do not report in their annual tally of homicides, such as self-defense cases, manslaughter and killings deemed to be justifiable.

"This is the two deadliest weekends we've had back-to-back in the city of Richmond," Police Chief Alfred Durham said Sunday. "We need people to step up and let us know who is doing this. There are too many guns out here and too many people dying."

Three people were found shot dead inside an apartment on St. Paul Street just before 4:30 a.m., Durham said. Police then heard the sound of another shooting around 5:40 a.m. on Federal Street, a few blocks away.

None of the victims' names has been released, and police have not said whether the killings are related.

Another man was shot in the head Saturday in an incident in the citys North Side that also injured a teenage girl. Police said the man's wounds were life-threatening.

"People out here are saying, 'Chief, you've got to stop these murders,'" he said, gesturing toward the scene of the triple killing. "Well, I say, 'What will you do to stop them?'"

Nearby, a woman paced the sidewalk, waiting to hear whether one of the bodies in unit 1204-A belonged to a friend.

Its weighing heavy, so heavy on my heart, said the woman, who at first gave her name, then withdrew it out of fear she may be targeted for speaking out.

She said Durhams plea for more help from nearby residents was unrealistic.

The police need to be protecting us  its not anything we can do to keep people from killing each other, and if we talk, were at risk she said. But I do know this  Ive lived here seven years, and Im tired.

The violence on Sunday erupted one week to the day after three people died in separate shootings across the city. A fourth victim was also found shot to death last Monday.

As word of the deaths ripped through Gilpin Court on Sunday, Ernest Morton relived the worst day of his life, again.

All this violence just, it makes me think about my son every time, he said, holding a hand to his heart. Nearly two years gone now and we still dont have answers.

On days like this Morton said he calls family members to talk about Djan Robinson, 36, who was found shot to death two miles away on Jan. 6, 2016.

He shook his head, remembering the phone call that day from his sister as he got off work from his job with the citys Department of Public Utilities.

He deserved better  they all do, said Morton, who lives in North Side and was passing through the Gilpin Court on Sunday. I dont come over here late; this place is quiet during the daytime, but its wild at night.

Robert Bailey, 63, agreed. A former resident of North First Street who now lives nearby, Bailey said he took his first bullet in the chest at 16, and two more in the back 18 years later.

We need more than love out here now. We need God, because its totally gone mad, he said. They cant even let their babies play outside anymore.

He took a drag of his cigarette outside the Golden Eagle market, a squat brick convenience store facing a white-sided building marked Mount Olive Congregation Church of God, and smiled.

I have to believe God let me live because he had a purpose for me, Bailey said. History repeats itself unless we make a correction; my message for the young people is not to get caught up in the drugs, in the violence, to have hope.

One street over, Linda C. Jenkins readied herself to pray for a better future as she arrived for Sunday morning service at Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, where she is associate minister.

The church overlooks part of the sprawling Gilpin Court apartment complex and ministers to many of its roughly 2,000 residents.

Whenever there is violence  even if we arent directly involved  it affects everyone, Jenkins said. People dont want to talk about what happened, out of fear, but we have to speak up about what violence steals and robs from us.

As church parishioners trickled up the stairs on North First Street, rescue workers began washing down the site of the slaying on Federal Street.

Water flowed downhill through a gutter that ran before crowds gathered to watch several blocks over as authorities wheeled three dark blue bags from the ground-floor apartment on St. Paul Street, one by one.

Body by body by body, a woman shouted.

By 11:23 it was done. Police began ripping up the yellow crime scene tape and packing up. Detectives searched for family members of the victims and reasons for the bloodshed.

Durham left for a walk-through of Monument Avenue ahead of a threatened protest there next Saturday by a group that calls itself CSA II: The New Confederate States of America.

Its never-ending, he said, before heading out. These caseloads are hard on my detectives  but the streets talk.

Of the 37 homicides listed on the police departments website for 2017 as of the beginning of the month, 20 are labeled unsolved.
1.07 g/t Au over 114 m, including 2.49 g/t Au over 36 m down hole

VANCOUVER, Sept. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - Mirasol Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: MRZ, OTCPK: MRZLF "Mirasol", "The Company") is pleased to report results from the second season of drilling by Yamana Gold at the Atlas Project, Gorbea JV in the Mio-Pliocene Belt of Northern Chile.

Current drill results at Gorbea include the best down-hole intersection to date from the Atlas project, comprising 1.07 g/t Au intersected over 114 m, including 2.49 g/t Au over 36 m in oxidized high sulphidation epithermal (HSE) vuggy silica breccia. Drilling to-date at Atlas (Figure 1) has outlined Au mineralization (the "Steam Heated Zone") in an area of 650 m by 125 m by over a 200 m vertical interval (Figure 2). The Steam Heated Zone may represent a body of Au+Ag mineralization that as defined to date is open to depth and laterally in all directions outside the area of current drilling. As currently known, the top of mineralization is located between approximately 255 to 310 m depth beneath altered cap rocks, which is a characteristic in-common with other recent, HSE gold discoveries elsewhere on this same mineral belt in Chile. Further drilling is required at Atlas to determine the size, continuity and grade of the Steam Heated Zone and to establish if extensions of this mineralization occur closer to surface, where it may be accessible via open pit mining.

Stephen Nano CEO of Mirasol stated "We are very encouraged by these results that demonstrate the presence of a large, strongly mineralized and deeply oxidized, HSE gold system at Atlas. Yamana has made significant advances in understanding the controls on gold mineralization at the project and are planning a large drill program this season to test for extensions of the Steam Heated Zone mineralization and to test a number of other compelling targets at Atlas and the other Gorbea JV projects."

During the last drill season (October 2016 to April 2017), Yamana completed 2,558 m of diamond core drilling in seven holes (Figure 1, and Table 1 and Table 2; holes CATRAD0014 to 20) at the Atlas project. Total drilling completed since inception of the Gorbea JV in May 2015 is over 8,704 m, and Yamana's total exploration spend to May 2017 is approximately US$5.2M, against the US$10 M required to trigger the 51% earn-in milestone over a maximum of 4 years. In addition, on May 12, 2017 Yamana made a US$400,000 option payment to Mirasol Resources to continue the JV into its third year (see news release May 30, 2017).

Yamana also recently advised Mirasol that it has increased its 2017 Gorbea JV exploration budget by an additional US$700,000. The additional exploration funds will be directed to drilling at the Atlas Steam Heated Zone and other new targets at the project. Yamana is planning to re-commence drilling at Atlas for the southern hemisphere 2017 spring field season in October.

Last season's (October 2016 to April 2017) drill campaign at Atlas was focused on a series of outcropping breccia bodies that were highlighted during a pre-drill geological mapping campaign.

Best results from this drill campaign were received from holes 15 and 16 (Figure 2, Table 1) and include:

114.1 m at 1.07 g/t Au and 1.78 g/t Ag, including 36 m at 2.49 g/t Au and 3.08 g/t Ag (hole 15)

45.8 m at 0.32 g/t Au and 0.81 g/t Ag (hole 16)

The intersection in hole 15 starts from 347 m down hole. Hole 16 is interpreted to have drilled across the top of this same breccia body. Drill holes 15 and 16 were drilled toward each other ("scissor holes") from the NW and SE to cross each other at depth, testing a zone beneath an area of coincident outcropping breccia, weakly anomalous soil geochemistry and a geophysical anomaly that lies midway between drill holes 7 and 10 from last season's drilling. Holes 7 and 10 returned the best results from the 2015-16 drill campaign including 40 m at 1.38 g/t Au, with 28 m at 1.82 g/t Au. The mineralization at Atlas is interpreted to be oxidized to depths of more than 400 m downhole. Deep oxidation is considered a positive feature at Atlas as it may suggest the potential for favourable metallurgical characteristics of the mineralization at the project.

The geometric relationship of mineralization intersected in drill holes 7, 10, 15, and 16 (Figure 3) outlines a target zone with dimensions of 650 m by 125 m by over a 200 m vertical interval, potentially representing a body of Au+Ag mineralization that is open to depth and open in all directions surrounding these holes. The top of the mineralization in hole 15 lies approximately 255 to 310 m below surface from the RL of the drill collar or the hill top, respectively. However, the geometry of the surface soil anomaly, distribution of un-explained stream sediment gold anomalies and alteration, suggest the target zone may extent to the south where topography is more favourable, highlighting the possibility for mineralization to occur closer to surface in this area.

Gold and silver mineralization in holes 15 and 16 is hosted in a multiphase breccia body (Figure 3) characterized by intense quartz-alunite+/- jarosite alteration with vuggy silica breccia clasts and a phase of late-stage translucent barite hosting visible gold. This style of mineralization is typical of HSE Au+Ag deposits elsewhere in the same belt of mineralization in Chile (click here for information on these deposits). These deposits including the recent multi-million ounce gold discoveries by Barrick Gold at Alturas (6.8 M ounce resource at 1.00 g/t Au1) and Gold Fields at Salares Norte (3.8 M ounce resource at 3.6 g/t Au and 43.8 M oz Ag at 53.1 g/t Ag2) located 70 km due south of the Atlas project. At these projects gold is hosted in breccia bodies and the vuggy silica altered wall rocks and was discovered by drilling through thick geochemically barren alteration caps as seen at the Atlas project.

Anomalous Au-Ag epithermal path finder elements and changes in alteration mineral chemistry were also detected in a separate breccia body intercepted in hole 20 at Atlas. Based on knowledge gained from modelling of results from the Steam Heated Zone, the results from hole 20 suggest that further drilling is warranted in this area to test for higher grade Au-Ag mineralization.

Information gathered from this season's exploration indicates that the mineralization at Atlas is hosted in a cluster of phreatomagmatic and hydrothermal breccia bodies that when combined outline a larger breccia complex. Preliminary geological models show mineralization identified at Atlas is hosted in both the breccia bodies and in stratabound zones of vuggy silica developed in the wall rock adjoining the breccia. This association of mineralization styles is seen at a number of other large HSE Au+Ag deposits in the Mio-Pliocene age mineral belt that hosts the Atlas mineralization.

Mirasol invites investors to follow the Gorbea  Yamana JV story by visiting www.mirasolresources.com and signing up to receive our new releases.

Stephen Nano, President and CEO of Mirasol, has approved the technical content of this news release and is a Qualified Person under NI 43 -101.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control of the Gorbea exploration program:

Under the terms of the Gorbea Agreement, all exploration is managed by Yamana. All pre-Joint Venture exploration on the projects was supervised by Mirasol CEO Stephen C. Nano, who is the Qualified Person under NI 43-101. All information generated from the Gorbea Joint Venture program is reviewed and validated by Mirasol prior to release. The technical interpretations presented here are those of Mirasol Resources Ltd.

Yamana applies industry standard exploration methodologies and techniques. All geochemical rock and drill samples are collected under the supervision of Yamana's geologists in accordance with industry practice. Geochemical assays are obtained and reported under a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program. Samples are dispatched to an ISO 9001:2000-accredited laboratory in Chile for analysis. Assay results from drill core samples may be higher, lower or similar to results obtained from surface samples due to surficial oxidation and enrichment processes or due to natural geological grade variations in the primary mineralization.

Forward Looking Statements: The information in this news release contains forward looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include: changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, costs and supply of materials relevant to the mining industry, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding future exploration programs, operation plans, geological interpretations, mineral tenure issues and mineral recovery processes. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, results may vary, and we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Mirasol disclaims any obligations to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

___________________________

1 Barrick Gold Corp.. (2016). Annual Report 2016.

2 Gold Fields. (2016). The Gold Fields Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Supplement to the Integrated Annual Report 2016.

SOURCE Mirasol Resources Ltd.
Vancouver, September 11, 2017 - Opawica Explorations Inc. (TSXV: OPW) (the "Company") announces the appointment of Mr. David Taylor as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of the Company.

Mr. Taylor has over 25 years experience in financial markets in Asia, the USA and Canada. His experience includes securing finance personnel in Tokyo and the recruiting of executives for firms such as Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs.

He has held positions with Thomson Reuters (Tokyo) in marketing US software products to clients such as The Bank of Japan, LTCM (Tokyo), and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, as well as Private Equity benchmarking contract with the Japanese government, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Mr. Taylor has worked in San Francisco, CA, where he managed relationships with Private Equity Firms in the Western USA, focused on Californian Venture Capitalists. In 1996, Mr. Taylor and his team launched the first Venture Capital database for the US National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), and he was instrumental in the research and coordination of clients such as Intel Capital, In-Q-Tel, Accel Partners, Kleiner Perkins, and Microsoft Ventures.

Mr. Taylor was a member of a boutique provider of alternative asset management applications for domestic and international institutions and family offices. His clients included the Rockefeller Foundation, CALPERS, CALSTERS, UTIMCO, Princeton University, Stanford University, Cascade Investments (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), MSD Capital (Michael Dell), Mousse Capital (Chanel Family) and the Hewlett Foundation.

In 2007, Mr. Taylor founded a financial advisory service which evolved into an Exempt Market Dealer (EMD), one of the first in British Columbia. Using this EMD platform he conducted financings and marketing Canadian junior companies in the resource and technology sectors. He holds a BBA in Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.

Mr. Ferdynand (Fred) Kiernicki has resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer but will remain as a director and exploration contractor of the Company.

The Company has allocated 1,019,000 incentive stock options to directors and consultants of the Company that are exercisable at $0.07 per share for a one year term, in accordance with the Company's stock option plan.

PRIVATE PLACEMENT

Pursuant to the Company's proposed private placement to raise gross proceeds of up to $1,200,000 that was announced on August 15, 2017, the Company announces an amendment to the allocation of units proposed to be issued. The Company proposes to raise up to $800,000 through the sale of up to 16,000,000 non flow-through units priced at $0.05 (the "NFT Units") and up to $400,000 through the sale of up to 5,000,000 flow-through units priced at $0.08 (the "FT Units"). Each NFT Unit consists of one common share and one half of a share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant (the "Warrant") exercisable into one further common share at a price of $0.10 for a term of one year. Each FT Unit consists of one flow-through common share and one half of a share purchase warrant, with each whole Warrant exercisable into one further common share at a price of $0.10 for a term of one year.

The Warrants will contain an accelerated expiry clause such that, in circumstances where the closing price of the shares of the Company on the TSX Venture Exchange is $0.15 or greater for a 20 day consecutive trading period, they will expire if not exercised 14 days following the 20 day trading period. The accelerated expiry clause will be in effect after the initial four month hold period has elapsed.

ABOUT OPAWICA EXPLORATIONS INC.

Opawica Explorations Inc. is a junior resource company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and evaluation of gold and base metal mineral properties in Canada. The Company owns 100% interest subject to certain royalties in the Bazooka gold property located in the Beauchastel Township approximately seven kilometres southwest of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The Bazooka property comprises seven contiguous kilometres of strike length along the prolific Abitibi Gold Belt on the Cadillac Larder Lake Break. The eastern border of the Bazooka gold property adjoins Yorbeau Resources Inc.'s ("Yorbeau") Rouyn property that is actively being explored by Kinross Gold Corp. under an option agreement (see Yorbeau press release dated October 25, 2016). The western border of the Bazooka gold property adjoins Richmont Mines Inc.'s Wasamac gold property (~3 million ozs Au resources). The Company also holds 100% interest in the McWatters gold property which is contiguous to the eastern border of Yorbeau's Rouyn property, and the Arrowhead gold property in the Joannes Township, Quebec.

For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.opawica.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David Taylor

President and Chief Executive Officer

Opawica Explorations Inc.

Mobile: 778-318-8186

Email: david@opawica.com



Head Office

Telephone: 604-681-3170

Fax: 604-681-3552





Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release.


Yesterday was California Admission Day. We became a state on September 9, 1850, the U.S. having forced Mexico to give up what is now the state after the Mexican-American War (1848). British and Spanish ships began exploring the coast of California by the mid-1500s. By the 1700s Spanish missionaries started building missions and the Spanish military started building forts and towns-- including what are now Los Angeles and San Jose. In 1821 when Mexico won its independence from Spain, California was part of the deal. Earlier (1812) the Russians had set up a trading post at Fort Ross in what is now Sonoma County and held onto it until 1841 when the Russians sold it to John Sutter. The Russians never had much of a presence beyond trapping sea otters and other furry creatures.

Fast forward to Trumpanzee America and there's a pitiful Russian effort underway to get California to secede from the U.S.-- Calexit. Two GOP morons Louis Marinelli, a Russian spy and obsessed homophobic fanatic, and Marcus Evans, a typical right-wing hate talk radio blowhard started "the movement," which is meant to appeal to low-info, self-identifying "progressives" and is headquartered in... Yekaterinburg, at once the 4th biggest city in Russia and the scene of the gruesome 1918 murder of Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, and their children Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Tsarevich Alexei. Marinelli's "movement," Yes California , has "an embassy," paid for by the Kremlin, in Moscow. They need to get over half a million signatures to get the beginning of their secession plan onto the ballot next year. The chance of that happening is generally rated zero. However... the Russians may have more luck in another part of the U.S. that was once part of Mexico: Texas , a;best as part of an appeal to right-wing imbeciles, not left-wing imbeciles.

Earlier this week, Facebook announced that they had shuttered almost 500 accounts they believe were associated with a Russian company that spent some $100,000 on ad buys since June 2015. As a release from Facebook noted, these accounts and Pages were affiliated with one another and likely operated out of Russia. Tabbing the accounts as inauthentic, Facebook added that the accounts and affiliated ads focus[ed] on amplifying divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum-- touching on topics from LGBT matters to race issues to immigration to gun rights.





One other arena these actors may have targeted: secession movements within the U.S. At this point, its little secret that a number of American secession movements-- including Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and both white and black nationalists-- have constructed links with Russian actors, including those funded by the Kremlin... As Jonathon Morgan, the founder of Data for Democracy, noted a few months back in detailing the online footprint of Russia and California secessionists, the primary group pushing #Calexit was further amplified by many of the same accounts that infiltrated conservative Twitter communities and promoted a pro-Trump, white nationalist agenda. Not exactly an organic upswell.





But for all of the egregious links between Russia and California separatists, the earliest foray into ties between Moscow-linked actors and American secession movements, per my research, was found in my former home: Texas. Back in 2015, I put together a piece for Politico Magazine detailing the ties between Lone Star secessionists and Russia, dovetailing off a recent visit from the Texas foreign minister to St. Petersburg, where the Texan turned to Russian media to fan the flames of secession. As local Russian officials were threatening to deliver arms to Mexico (and unidentified guerrillas) to allow Mexico City to reclaim Texas, Texas secessionists themselves were finding sympathetic ears in Moscow.





...Heart of Texas, the Facebook site, for the past two years, existed as the most prominent Texas secession social media presence online. With over 225,000 followers as of summer 2017, the page, at one point last year, boasted more Facebook fans than the official Texas Democrat and Republican pages combined.





The page was laced with the kind of xenophobic, nativist, and anti-immigrant material many still associate with the Texas secession movement. Plenty of posts targeted Muslim immigrants and refugees, slammed liberals and LGBT activists, condemned vegetarians and Hillary Clinton. Taken on its face, the Heart of Texas page plugged material largely associated the American far-right-- an amalgamation of InfoWars conspiracy, neo-Confederate separatism, and white nationalist calls for a return to an America past. The page supported the armed insurgents in Malheur, pushed conspiracies surrounding Jade Helm and Antonin Scalias death, shared fake Founding Father quotes, and came with the type of Texas-first chauvinism few other states can match:





















































But there was always something off about the Heart of Texas page. There was no contact information ever listed, for instance. Unlike TNM, there was no address, no phone number. No individuals identified behind the Heart of Texas page. Unlike those fake news pages run by Macedonian teens, there were never any ads placed on the pages, meaning the project was either a bizarre labor of love or something backed by some kind of money. Likewise, while its unclear when the Facebook page was founded, the sites Twitter page (twitter.com/itstimetosecede) went live in November 2015-- within the time-frame listed by Facebook for its surge of Russia-linked inauthentic accounts. And when it came to the sites paltry about section, all we learned was that Texass the land protected by Lord [sic].





And then there were the typos. Horrible, no-good, laugh-till-you-cry typos, lining every other post, especially through 2016. Theres no possible way I can capture the types of aggressively strange typos-- often complete with Russian grammatical structures, no less-- in a synopsis, so Ill let these posts provide an overview of the type of grammar and spelling the Heart of Texas page brought to bear:





































If the site was limited to eye-bleeding typos and paeans to Dr. Pepper and Whataburger, the page might have been simply another odd, tone-deaf attempt from actors trying to collect fans who dont care about things like literacy or fact-based analysis. Idiotic, sure-- but largely harmless.





Last November, however, the Heart of Texas page tried to roll into the real world, organizing a series of Nov. 5 rallies across the state. Claiming that Its time to say a strong NO to the establishment robbers, the page said a Clinton victory would lead to higher taxes to feed undocumented aliens, more refugees, mosques, and terrorist attacks, and even the outright banning of guns. We are free citizens of Texas and weve had enough of this cheap show on the screen, the organizers wrote.





...As it is, the rallies didnt generate much participation  only a few dozen people showed up at scattered sites across the state, if memory serves correctly. (In combing my screenshots, it doesnt look like I snagged any screen-caps of the small turnout, unfortunately.) But in transferring its support from online to on-the-ground participation, the move mirrored, in a certain sense, the Columbian Chemicals plant explosion hoax in Louisiana, perpetrated, presumably, by Russian actors.





But the rally organization did do one thing. In gathering online support, the Heart of Texas page obtained identities of potential supporters of Texas secession-- supporters whose information the folks at the Heart of Texas said they would pass along to the TNM. That is to say, the Heart of Texas page-- a page likely run by foreign, presumably Russian, actors-- was putting its talents toward recruiting for a very real Texas secession organization, one that had already received funding from a Kremlin-backed group.





For the past few months, things seemed hunky-dory for the folks behind Heart of Texas. They chugged along, posting much of the same material, albeit recently (and unfortunately, for those laughing along) cleaning up many of the sites typos.





Then, Facebook announced it was cleaning up hundreds of inauthentic accounts linked to Russia. And like that, the Heart of Texas, along with its Twitter page, was gone. Just like that, Facebooks most popular Texas secession page was no more.













While no Russian actors have come forward to claim responsibility for the site, theres any amount of circumstantial evidence-- the typos and grammatical structure; the strategic goals behind the site, and the fact that it was shuttered at the same time as hundreds of other Russia-linked fake pages; the parallel rhetoric put forth by other Russia-linked, U.S. domestic politics-related pages; even the ties with the TNM, a group already supported materially by a Kremlin-financed outfit-- pointing to actors in Russia as the ones pulling the sites secession strings.





So RIP, Heart of Texas. We hardly knew ye. (Literally.) Looking forward to seeing where pro-secession foreign actors turn to next on Facebook-- and where we can enjoy those wonderful typos once more. After all, as Heart of Texas told us, for those in love with Texas shape, always be ready for a Texas size.
On Sunday, in the morning, at St Lukes Catholic Church, Woolloongabba, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC attended the dedication of St Lukes Catholic Church, officially opened St Lukes Green and addressed guests.

In the afternoon, the Governor and Mrs Kaye de Jersey departed Brisbane for an official visit to Townsville.
On Monday, in the morning, at The Ville Resort-Casino, Townsville, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey hosted an Investiture Ceremony for residents of Queensland, recipients of Australian honours and awards announced in The Queens Birthday 2017 Honours List and Australian Bravery Decorations announced in March 2017.

Following, the Governor and Mrs Kaye de Jersey returned to Brisbane.
On Saturday, in the morning, at the Royal Queensland Yacht Club, Manly, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, with Mrs Kaye de Jersey, officially launched the 133rd Sailing Season for the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and addressed guests.

In the evening, at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) Cultural Forecourt, Brisbane, the Governor attended the Brisbane Festival Opening Night Function.

Following, at the Playhouse, QPAC, the Governor attended the Brisbane Festival Opening Night Performance of PER TE.
Description

GIS - 11 September 2017 : The Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo, called upon the community to be more vigilant and attentive to those who are vulnerable and at risk of suicide. This appeal was made this morning during the official function held at Gold Crest Hotel in Quatre Bornes to mark World Suicide Prevention Day.

Speaking on the essential role that the community must play in the fight against suicide by supporting and protecting those who are vulnerable and at risk, the Minister invited the population to lend a helping hand and ear to someone in need. It is through adequate communication that the suffering of those who are struggling with suicidal tendencies will be alleviated, she highlighted.

Suicide is preventable, and is an issue which requires our undivided attention, stated Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo said, adding that in order to deal effectively with this problem, the risk factors should be identified so that immediate assistance may be provided to those in need of help. Mental disorders such as depression, personality disorders and substance abuse, financial difficulties, troubles with relationship, and bullying constitute risk factors which can trigger suicidal tendencies.

She also stressed on the need for consulted efforts to find long term sustainable solution to the problem of suicide. Effective and evidence-based interventions can be implemented at population, sub-population and individual levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts, she said. The functions of the Life Plus Unit operating under the aegis of her Ministry were moreover underlined by Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo. She recalled that the Unit is using its professional expertise to assist those who are at risk through primary prevention techniques as well as multi-sectorial and holistic approaches.

Also present at the event, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Mauritius, Dr Laurent Musango, commended the efforts of the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare for the integrated and coordinated approach in suicide prevention. Stressing that suicide was not only a problem of public health but was also an economic and social issue, Dr Musango said that according to WHOs figures, close to 800 000 people take their own life globally and up to 25 times as many make a suicide attempt.

Workshop on role of the community in suicide prevention

The official function was followed by a workshop on the role of the community in suicide prevention, targeting some 100 representatives of both public and private sectors, and of non-governmental organisations as well as other stakeholders. The objective of the workshop was to provide a platform to determine the role to be played by all relevant stakeholders and the community to curb the rising tide of suicide and to come up with practical ways to do so.

The World Suicide Prevention Day, an initiative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, was endorsed by the WHO in 2003 and observed annually on 10 September. The theme for this year is Take a minute, change a life. In Mauritius, the rate of suicide is around 6 per 100 000 persons annually. Sixty-six suicides and 356 cases of attempt at suicide had been reported in 2016.
Description

GIS  11 September 2017: Our wealth is our people and the wealth of our people is education and we want to make Mauritius a centre of knowledge, said the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, this morning in Port Louis.

The Prime Minister was addressing the student population of Port Louis State Secondary School (SSS) for Girls at a ceremony for the renaming of the school after Abdul Hamid Goolam Mahomed Issac.

In his speech, Mr Jugnauth recalled that tomorrow the youth, who represents hope and the future, will have the responsibility of the society and the country as a whole. On that score, he pointed out that the vision of Government is to make students become models and ensure that they acquire the necessary knowledge and skills so as to contribute in a positive manner to the progress of the country.

If Mauritius has developed and reached where it is today, it is mainly due to education despite the fact that the country is deprived of natural resources, he said adding that it is important to ensure that money does not become a barrier in a childs education. The Prime Minister recalled that Government is providing subsidies to all children taking up the School Certificate and Higher School Certificate examinations without taking into consideration whether their parents have the means or not. He expressed his satisfaction that the number of scholarships has increased. This is so because we want all children, who make sacrifices and efforts, to learn and succeed, he added.

The Prime Minister also spoke about making the school environment pleasant and offering a holistic education programme by including not only academic subjects but also one which englobes dance, music, theatre, arts and sports. Children have to be taught values and how to live within the society in respect of all communities given the fact Mauritius is a very good example of multiculturalism, he said. He called on parents to take up their responsibility in educating their children as education starts at home.

The Prime Minister paid homage to Mr Abdul Hamid Goolam Mahomed Issac and urged the young people to inspire themselves from the vast contribution he made to Mauritius as well as from his accomplishments.

For her part the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, said that students always come to school to acquire knowledge but learning soft skills and know-how is also necessary and this is the principle that guided Mr Issac. Today the college is being renamed after him and all students must adopt the same principle. According to Mrs Luchoomun-Dookun, Mr Issac demonstrated values and compassion for the most vulnerable groups of the society, he highlighted the importance of education for girls as well as the need to respect one and all and live in harmony.

Mr Issac, born on 11 September 1910, had actively promoted access to education for all and was engaged in ensuring the welfare of educators. He had also contributed considerably in the political, cultural, and social fields. He was a poet, journalist, educator and politician and served as Municipal Councillor and was a Member of Parliament (1959-1963) representing Constituency Port Louis Central. Mr Issac taught English, English Literature, Greek and Latin during several years at Bhujoharry College in Port Louis.

A former student of Royal College of Curepipe, Mr Issac pursued his tertiary education in the UK at Bennett College where he obtained a diploma in journalism. He passed away in 1972.
Description

 GIS - 11 September, 2017: The Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, had a meeting on Friday 08 September with representatives of Business Mauritius, the Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture and the Mauritius Export Association at the Treasury Building, Port Louis.

The meeting was held following representations from these institutions concerning the serious challenges facing the export sector. The Prime Minister had set up a technical committee comprising representatives from both the public and private sectors as well as the Bank of Mauritius to assess the situation and to propose appropriate remedial measures.

Prime Minister Jugnauth had a fruitful meeting with members of the Technical Committee and following a working session with them announced that a series of recommendations were considered and that Government has agreed to implement a series of relief measures.

One of the measures is to provide assistance to the Sugar Industry for Crop Year 2017 by suspending the CESS. In addiction the SIFB is also giving a financial support of Rs 1 250 per metric ton of sugar to the planters and millers.

As regards the Export Oriented Enterprises, Government will introduce an Exchange Rate Support Scheme with the following features:

 A financial support calculated on the basis of the difference between the rate at which the export enterprise has exchanged its dollar proceeds and a reference rate of Rs 34.50 per US Dollar. The maximum support will be set at Rs 2.50 per US Dollar.

 The Scheme will be for a period of six months, based on the receipts for exports effected as from 11 September 2017. The payments will be made on a monthly basis as from 02 October 2017.

These measures were favourably received by the economic operators as they will help protect thousands of jobs in the country. They will also give a significant relief to small sugar planters and cooperatives as well as small and medium enterprises operating in the export sector.
The roof is strapped down

Hurricane window glass

Hurricane garage doors

A ballistic curtain to protect their outdoor patio

A mondo hurricane front door

A natural-gas-fired 15 KW home generator, wired to the home

Yesterday, Sunday, I was in contact with my sister periodically throughout the day. While they lost Internet and landline telephones, their cell service remained functional for the entire event.They are located with a Naples address, but in Collier County, about 10 miles inland (13 feet above sea level) from the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven years ago they did a total remodel of their home, down to the studs, and put in all the hurricane mitigation measures they could. These included:Other functional things they did in preparation for the storm was to bring in all their patio furniture and other items that could become missiles, blown by the wind. They also have what is called a "cage" in Florida speak, over their pool. They had slashed the screens to allow the wind and water to blow through.All of the steps taken above paid off when Irma roared through their region. The eye passed over where they live (an opportunity to take the dog outside) and just before that eye they got the full brunt of the storm's winds  much stronger than the continuous 70 mph winds they had earlier in the day.Now the clean-up begins. Part of their cage was damaged by a falling tree and there is debris everywhere. Power in their immediate area is underground, but I heard this morning that parts of Florida will take two weeks or more to get powered restored. There are over 17,000 electrical workers staged and now out there working in the region, once winds died down to 35 mph.Remember, disaster mitigation pays off!
(TNS)  Sept. 11  What struck Clarence Wilburn Jr., when he arrived at Ground Zero was the heat  and the sheer rawness of it all.It was November 2001. The towers had fallen two months earlier and flames still rose from the wreckage. The fires would burn for 100 days.A trained paramedic, Mr. Wilburn of Millbury was deployed to New York with the Toledo Area Disaster Medical Assistance Team, since rechristened the OH-1 DMAT.For nearly two weeks, the team ran first-aid stations, working 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. They wore respirators to protect themselves from air still thick with ash and dust two months after the terrorist attack.Mr. Wilburn called home each day to tell his wife, Debra, about his experiences  about the people he'd treated, about the ceremonies for fallen firemen, even about the bus ride from the Sheraton to the site. It was his first time in New York.When the team returned to Toledo, there was no hero's welcome. Mr. Wilburn resumed his job with Mobile Medic and remained an active DMAT member.In 2014, however, he noticed blood in his stool. Doctors told him he had cirrhosis, a liver disease common among alcoholics. He had no history of drug or alcohol abuse.Immediately, Mr. Wilburn linked his condition to his service at Ground Zero. His doctors were not so convinced."He was trying to see if maybe that might have something to do with it," Mrs. Wilburn said. "He was always very frustrated that they kept saying, with the liver, they couldn't really confirm it."But when the coughing began, there was no doubt. In May, Mr. Wilburn was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a rare condition characterized by scarring of the lung tissue. He was told he would likely need a lung transplant. He declined."He felt that he couldn't handle it anymore," Mrs. Wilburn said. "He decided that he didn't want to go through life-saving measures ... and he just wanted to be done. So he's done hurting now. That's what he had told us."Mr. Wilburn died in July. He was 58.Few need reminding of the nearly 3,000 who perished on Sept. 11, 2001. Many can even recall where they were when they heard the news.Cases like Mr. Wilburn's receive less attention. But since 2001, the 9/11 death toll has continued to climb  and will for the foreseeable future.When the towers collapsed, a slew of chemicals and carcinogens were discharged into the air, said Michael Crane, director of Mount Sinai Clinical Center for the World Trade Center Health Program. Because the fires burned for so long, the toxins remained in the air well after the towers fell, according to a 2002 study.Equipment designed to protect responders from the harsh environment proved insufficient against so potent and concentrated a mixture."Even when they got prepared for it ... the material was so thick in the end they really couldn't use the respirators effectively," Mr. Crane said.As of March, 1,319 people have died from illnesses resulting from exposure to the toxic environment at Ground Zero, according to data collected by the World Trade Center Health Program, which treats people suffering from long-term health issues related to the 9/11 attacks. More than 92 percent of the deceased were responders.The health program's records date back only as far as its establishment in 2011  meaning they omit all earlier deaths. In addition, the data do not include the more than 20,000 responders that Mr. Crane estimates are not enrolled in the program.Of the 76,972 living responders and survivors who are enrolled, more than half have been certified as suffering from at least one 9/11-related condition. These range from relatively superficial sinus infections to fatal cancers and lung diseases, not to mention mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression.Immediately after the attacks, many first responders came down with the now-notorious World Trade Center cough, a cough so debilitating that it put some out of work.Over the long term, Mr. Crane said, 9/11 responders seem to develop cancer at an especially high rate. Nearly 6,600 responders and survivors are living with some form of cancer, and almost 7,400 suffer from a respiratory disorder, according to health program data.Last year, at the age of just 52, Churton Budd of Toledo, a former OH-1 DMAT Unit Commander and 9/11 responder, died of lymphoma, one of the most common cancers among Ground Zero responders, according to health-program statistics.When Mr. Budd's parents learned he would be going to New York, they were concerned. They always were when their son deployed to a disaster site.This time however, neither they nor their son understood the full extent of the danger he faced at Ground Zero, said his father, Geoffrey Colin Budd."I don't know if they had any idea about" the health risks, the elder Mr. Budd said.Mrs. Wilburn certainly did not. And for good reason.Government officials repeatedly dismissed concerns about the quality of the air at Ground Zero in the wake of the 9/11. Just days after the attacks, then-head of the Environmental Protection Agency Christine Todd Whitman assured lower Manhattan residents that the air was "safe to breathe."At the time, Mr. Crane said the shock and sense of urgency made it nearly impossible to prevent people from rushing in to join the rescue effort. The practical and technological challenges of equipping so many responders with protective gear further complicated matters.Looking back, Mr. Crane thinks more could have been done to keep responders safe or at least to communicate the risks  especially for those arriving as long after the attacks as the OH-1 DMAT."There could have been many more controlled-environment suits and controlled-environment respirators," he said. "We could have controlled the site better. We had many people volunteer to come down who were not prepared mentally, physically or emotionally to do what they took upon themselves to do very, very bravely, and some of them are quite hurt now."The World Trade Center Health Program and Victims Compensation Fund represent efforts to make amends.The fund's first incarnation, active from 2001 to 2004, offered compensation to injured survivors and the families of the deceased. Not until Congress reactivated the fund and established the health program with the passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act did those suffering from the long-term consequences of the attacks gain access to federally funded recourse.For both the health program and Victims Compensation Fund, reaching responders dispersed across the 50 states and even beyond has proved a major challenge."In the New York City area, there's been a tremendous amount of outreach," said Rupa Bhattacharyya, the special master of the Victims Compensation Fund. "But we know there are many people who came from all over the country in response to the crisis to volunteer to work at the site, and reaching them is more difficult."To advertise its services, the Victims Compensation Fund works with local fire departments, police stations, and congressional offices.John Feal, a responder injured at Ground Zero and one of the leaders of the effort to pass the Zadroga Act, has long been an active surrogate for the outreach effort. He has traveled across the country publicizing the programs he spent years advocating on Capitol Hill. It was through Mr. Feal that Mr. Wilburn found his way to the health program and Victim Compensation Fund."How do I say this without sounding pretentious? Nobody's put more people in the program than I have," he said. "Nobody. And I don't say that lightly."Mr. Feal knows there is more work to be done. In spite of his efforts, many responders remain unaware of the services available to them. Former OH-1 DMAT member Barbe Fisher said she thinks about half the team members who deployed to Ground Zero don't know of the World Trade Center Health Program.At Mr. Wilburn's funeral in July, she spoke with a fellow 9/11 responder who had never heard of the program.Sixteen years after returning from Ground Zero, Ms. Fisher, 65, remains in good health. She doesn't think back to her time there every day. But the memories are never far away."I can't say I dwell on it," she said. "I do bring my photo album wherever I'm working ... you know, to remind other people what it was like. A lot of them didn't know."Ms. Fisher said she doesn't worry about developing a serious illness like Mr. Wilburn's or Mr. Budd's. She figures any affliction would probably have manifested itself by now.But the risk now may be greater than ever. Cancers stemming from harmful exposure often lie dormant for 15-25 years, Mr. Crane said, meaning the responder population could face a new wave of deadly disease in the coming years. Experts have predicted that, by 2020, the 9/11 death toll from long-term illnesses will surpass the body count in the immediate aftermath of the attacks."I'm afraid we have not seen the worst of it yet," Mr. Crane said.And still, responders and their families see little reason for regret. Ms. Fisher said she thought every responder she'd talked to would rush back into the haze without hesitation.Mrs. Wilburn is sure her husband would."Even though he got sick ... he would have done it again in a heartbeat," Mrs. Wilburn said. "That's what he loved to do  to help people and to be a part of a community."On Sunday, Mr. Wilburn will join the ranks of fallen responders honored at the 9/11 Responders Remembered Park in Long Island. There, his name will be etched upon the 60-foot granite wall bearing the names of the responders who died as a result of their service at Ground Zero.His younger brother, Jim Wilburn, will be there. Such ceremonies should be reminders that, even now, 9/11 continues to claim victims, the younger Mr. Wilburn said."It's taken a lot bigger toll on this country than what people realize," he added. "People don't realize and don't hear about the people that are passing on today from what they did in 2001."The flames may have died after 100 days. But almost 16 years later, the fire is still burning.___(c)2017(Toledo, Ohio)Visit The Blade (Toledo, Ohio) at www.toledoblade.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS) -- A cybersecurity education program in downtown Colorado Springs is training active-duty military from Colorado Springs who are leaving the service for careers in the cybersecurity industry under a new partnership with Fort Carson.Seventeen military personnel transitioning to civilian work - 16 from Fort Carson and one from the Air Force Academy - started the 20-week SecureSet Academy cybersecurity training program, called Core Technical Program, on July 31 to get them ready for civilian careers as security engineers, penetration testers, security consultants or information assurance analysts. They are part of a new initiative at Fort Carson to add cybersecurity training to the post's career skills program for soldiers who are leaving the Army, but the training is available to personnel from any military installation."We hope to enroll 25 (military personnel) in the next round of classes beginning in January," said Martha Laughman, senior manager of workforce investments for SecureSet. "All of our (military) students are preplaced with an employer, who provide them with scholarships. We hope to have 100 percent of them placed by the end of the program in December."Colorado Springs is home to more than 100 cybersecurity companies, nonprofit organizations, military contractors and military units specializing in cybersecurity, including the National Cybersecurity Center, which began operating late last year. The local industry has hundreds of unfilled positions.The SecureSet curriculum includes 800 hours of instruction and labs in 12 courses that include network fundamentals and security, system fundamentals and security, cryptography, detection and logs, risk and compliance, threat intelligence, strategy and analysis and security culture. All of the courses and labs will be at SecureSet's campus, 523 S. Cascade Ave., Suite 140. Tuition for military personnel is $25,000, though $10,000 is paid by a corporate scholarship with the rest eligible for GI Bill education benefits, and also includes Security Plus and Certified Information Systems Security Professional certifications.SecureSet's Core Technical Program for military personnel also is open to veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserves and spouses, but tuition for the civilian program is $20,000 because it does not include the certifications, Laughman said. Military program students are in the same classes as civilian students, she said.Denver-based SecureSet opened its Colorado Springs campus at a temporary location in January and moved to the downtown location in July. The company, which also operates campuses in Denver and Tampa, Fla., offers two other programs - a 36-week version of the Core Technical Program on nights and weekends and a 12-week Hunt Analyst training program for security analysts.
Nonprofit groups may submit announcements of upcoming events to events@elkodaily.com.

Silver Stage Players to meet Sept. 21

ELKO  The Silver Stage Players will host a general membership meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 21at Round Table Pizza on Mountain City Highway.

Participants will recap the 2017 season, work on future planning, and make a revision to the bylaws, all while enjoying some pizza and friendship.

Anyone interested in the many aspects of theater is encouraged to attend, including acting, directing, costumes, technicians, etc. There is no age requirement or membership fee to join the theater company, only a desire to offer the areas best theater and your time.

The Silver Stage Players, celebrating its 81st year, is a nonprofit theater company dedicated to providing the finest theater, community service and educational opportunities to its members and the residents of northeastern Nevada.

Productions throughout Silver Stages nearly 80-year history include Steel Magnolias, Bard in the Yard, The Little Princess, Pirates of Penzance, The Wizard of Oz, and many others.

Bereavement support group

meets Sept. 18

ELKO  A bereavement support group meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Horizon Center, located in Horizon Hospice at 1250 Lamoille Highway, Suite 413.

All adults teens children and families are welcome to attend this peer-supported, no-cost gathering. A light supper and dessert will be provided.

Call 778-0612 for more information.

Two attractions at haunted house

ELKO  HAUNT After Dark, Nevadas scariest haunted complex terrorizing Elko, is coming in October.

HAUNT has been expanded into two premier attractions featuring the Psycho Circus and the After Dark Haunted House. Both haunts are professional, high-fear haunted attractions with new animatronics, technology and scare tactics never witnessed before.

Chicken doors have been installed for the weak to escape when they cant handle the fear. Enter at your own risk.

The haunted house is located at 729 Douglas St., opening every Friday and Saturday night and Halloween at 7 p.m. starting Oct. 6. Admission is $10 for each haunt or purchase the $18 combo to experience both attractions. Whatever you fear you will find it in here.

Contact 738-2759 or HauntElko.com for the gory details. All proceeds benefit FISH and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elko.

Yellow Dot stickers available

LAMOILLE  The Lamoille Womens Club continues to provide the Yellow Dot Program, in which a yellow dot sticker is placed on a vehicles rear window to let first responders and rescue personnel know there is a yellow packet in the glove compartment with emergency and medical information should the vehicle be involved in an accident.

Yellow Dot Packets are available at the main Fire Station on the corner of Idaho Street and Mountain City Highway, the County Managers Office, the Elko Police Department, the Sheriffs Department, Nevada Highway Patrol and the County Ambulance Service.

The Yellow Dot Program will also be available at the Fire Safety Firemens picnic Sept. 30 at the city park. For inquiries or more information, contact Martha Wallace at 340-6922.

Lamoille Harvest Festival is

coming soon

LAMOILLE  The 23rd Annual Lamoille Harvest Festival is fast approaching, and there are still openings for vendors.

The event, sponsored by the Lamoille Community Presbyterian Church, is Oct.7-9 at the Lamoille Ranchers Center.

The festival is open to vendors selling handcrafted items only. Booth space is $70 for 8x10 inside or 10x10 outside. Contact Susie at 738-2823 or Gina at 340-4934.

After-school crafts

at the library

ELKO  Join Elko County Library for some creative fun with After-School Crafts @ Your Public Library. Children can be preregistered for Fall After-School Crafts to be held every first and third Wednesday of the month beginning Sept. 20 and running through Dec. 20.

Preregistration is required and there is no cost. This program is designed for children ages 5 years and older. Drop by the Library to register or call 738-3066 for additional information.

Local RPEN

to meet Sept. 13

ELKO  The Elko County Retired Public Employees will hold their September meeting and picnic at 5 p.m. Sept. 13 at the VFW Hall located at 731 VFW Drive.

RPEN Director of Finance and Operations Kerry Armanasco will speak at the event.

All active and retired public employees are invited to attend. Chicken will be provided and members are asked to bring a side-dish or dessert.

For more information call Janice Barton at 738-8739.

Friends of the Ruby Mountains to meet

Friends of the Ruby Mountains will meet from 6-8 p.m. Sept.13 at the U.S. Forest Service office on 12th Street. Everyone is welcome.

The agenda will include going over summer events, possible projects with the dispersed campsites in Lamoille Canyon, and possible winter events/projects.

Call 385-8870 for more info.

Mayors Arts Awards seeks nominees

ELKO  The Honorable Mayor Chris Johnson and the Elko Arts and Culture Advisory Board are seeking nominations for the annual Mayors Arts Awards.

Nomination forms are available at the City of Elko website, www.ci.elko.us, or can be picked up at City Hall, 1751 College Ave.

Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Sept. 28. For questions or more information call Jeremy Draper at 777-7217.

Heart and Shield: Family violence prevention

ELKO  The Heart and Shield program provides parents and children with resources and skills to strengthen family relationships and build resilience. Parent survivors of former domestic violence and their children ages birth-18 may be eligible to participate.

This 9-week education program includes a light meal, separate skill building activities for adults and children, and family activities to practice skills together. Families practice ways to encourage one another, communicate and problem-solve together; build trust, teamwork and hope for the future; and learn new coping and stress management skills.

This free program begins mid-September. A program demonstration will be from 5:30-6:30 Sept. 13 at the Elko County Cooperative Extension office, 701 Walnut St. Call 340-8360 or email woodburyj@unce.unr.edu for more information.

Meet Elkos newest healthcare providers

ELKO  Meet two medical residents and their instructors who will soon be opening family medicine practices in Elko.

Elko will welcome these new doctors to town from 5-7 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Western Folklife Center. The free event is sponsored by the Medicare in Elko Workgroup and will include finger foods and an open bar.

UNRs School of Medicine has started a Rural Family Health Residency Program. Two future doctors will move to Elko next summer and see patients for two years as they complete their residency program.

Two UNR instructors will also move to Elko and open family medicine practices in January. Both instructors and residents will see Elkos Medicare and Medicaid patients.

Christian camp slates retreat for men

SPRING CREEK  Cowboys Rest Christian Camp is hosting its 16th annual mens retreat on Sept. 15-17.

The cost is $100 and covers two nights of lodging at the camp. Also included are five meals featuring wild game. Activities include paintball, mountain biking, canoeing and a trap shoot competition.

This years guest speaker is retired three-star general Tex Brown of the U.S. Air Force.

For more information, call 934-9806 or visit cowboysrest.org.

Third annual Puppy Love run/walk

ELKO  The Family Resource Center is hosting the third Annual Puppy Love, a 5k fun run/walk, Sept. 17 at Johnny Appleseed Park with proceeds to benefit the Family Resource Center.

This unique event allows participants to run or walk with their dogs. Registration is $30 and free for entrants under age 16. Wag bags with goodies, including race shirts, are free for adults entering the run/walk.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. with walkers beginning at 7:45 a.m. and runners at 8 a.m. A finish-line celebration includes race medals, awards for dogs and a raffle. Raffle prizes include huge gift baskets and many more items. Raffle tickets are $1 each.

Pre-register online to save $10 off the registration fee at https://runsignup.com/Race/NV/Elko/PuppyLove5K.

Everyone is welcome to participate with, or without, dogs. For safety reasons all dogs must remain on a 6-foot leash and be friendly participants. For information call the Family Resource Center at 753-7352 or visit www.elkofrc.org.

Discussing Walden at the library

ELKO  On Monday, Sept.18, the Elko County Library Book Club will discuss Henry David Thoreaus self-reliance classic Walden.

The book club will meet at 6 pm in the Library Meeting Room. Copies of the book are available for check-out. All are welcome to attend.

Call Patrick Dunn at the library for more information, 738-3066.

Making things at the library

ELKO  Elko County Library invites youth, ages 10 to 18, to explore, discover, create and invent things at the Library.

Bring your imagination and join us Sept. 18 at 4:30 p.m. for Maker Monday (the third Monday of each month). Children will be working with optical illusions. Are you up to the challenge? The Library will provide all of the materials.

For more information, please contact the Library at 738-3066 or visit www.elkocountylibrary.org.

Healing workshops for survivors of suicide loss

ELKO  Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt will present Understanding Your Suicide Grief, Exploring Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart, in 12 sessions, one hour each, starting Sept. 18 in classroom 1 at Elko Hospital.

The free workshop runs from 6-7 p.m.

There will be required reading and writing. Understanding Your Greif Workshop is limited to 10 participants.

To sign up for the workshop send an email to: sosofelko@gmail.com or call Lynette Vega at 775-397-1911.

Losing a loved one or a friend to suicide can be a difficult unique journey. It is OK to reach out for help, Vegas said. The workshop is a safe place to explore your emotions.

Spring Creek water meeting set

SPRING CREEK  Spring Creek Association property owners are invited to a Community Water Consumer Session at 6 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Spring Creek High School gym.

The forum is presented by the Bureau of Consumer Affairs, State Sen. Pete Goicoechea, Assemblyman John Ellison and the SCA to discuss current water issues.

For information, call the SCA at 753-6295 or visit their website at www.springcreeknv.org.

Spaghetti fundraiser for strings orchestra

ELKO  The fifth annual spaghetti lunch fundraiser for the Elko High School strings orchestra is set for noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Northeastern Nevada Museum.

Cost is $10 per person or $30 for four people. Funds raised go toward students travel accounts.

For information, contact string orchestra director Rod Royce at 738-3375, ext. 103, or rroyce@ecsdnv.net.

Tween Book & Movie Club

ELKO  Tweens! Books! Movies! All three are coming together at the Elko County Library for the Tween Book & Movie Club on Sept. 26 from 4:30- 6:30 p.m.

For the September meeting, tweens (ages 10-13) will watch the film Where the Red Fern Grows and then enjoy a lively discussion about the film and the book by Wilson Rawls. Snacks will be served.

Tweens may pick up a copy of the book at the Library so they can read it before watching the film. For more information, contact the Library at 738-3066 or visit www.elkocountylibrary.org.
Sept.9

Carl A. Bond Jr., 41, of Elko was arrested at 2065 Idaho St. for assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder. Bail: $120,000

------

Eric J. Callahan, 22, of Spring Creek was arrested on Spruce and Noddle streets for DUI and failure to yield at stop or yield sign. Bail: $1,335

------

Torrie A Foutz, 20, of Elko was arrested on Moren way for driving with a suspended license. Bail: $355

-------

Luis M. Gonxalez-Orozco, 25, of Elko was arrested at 448 Idaho St. for failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor. Bail: $605

------

Ben Gutierrez, 49, of Elko was arrested on Lamoille and Pinion Road for failure to maintain lane or improper lane change; improper color of lamps, lights, or reflectors; DUI; and failure to possess or surrender driver's license Bail: $3,445

-----

Ty Lewallen, 26, of Spring Creek was arrested at 2747 Mountain City Highway for second offense DUI. Bail: $1,640

------

Amanda N. Reed, 23, of Elko was arrested on Fifth and Court streets for violation of probatin or condition of suspended sentence; DUI; driving with a revoked license for DUI; and headlamps not illuminated. Bail: $2,395
Twelve colorful concerts to be expected

The 11th Yerevan International Music Festival tries to bring big names with small budget. According to Ruzanna Sirunyan, Director of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, it succeeds thanks to the great connections of the artistic directors of the festival, Alexander Chaushyan and Eduard Topchyan in the international music world. Today, at the Aram Khachatryan Concert Hall, the opening ceremony of the 11th Yerevan International Music Festival will feature a 15-year pianist, as he is called "The Modern Phenomenon of the Russian Piano School" Alexander Malofeyev and Italian famous clarinetist Alessandro Carbonari. "The talented Alexander is in Armenia for the second time. His concert schedule is so dense that we succeed to bring him here only for one day," says Mrs. Sirunyan. "I have started playing from the age of five. I can say that clarinet is my toy. My family members also played on non-popular instruments." The clarinetist also held a master class and and thinks that we have wonderful and prospective young musicians. He will help them to get good instruments and has a wish of visiting Armenia once more, for a longer period and promised to devote more time to master classes. Twelve interesting and colorful concerts are expected. According to the organizers, 11th Yerevan International Music Festival will feature not only pure classical concerts, but also special projects this year. On October 6, the Yerevan audience is expected to meet with Argentinean tango evening banjoist Pablo Marinetti, and two German renowned pianists will "fight"on stage on October 12. The 200th anniversary of Hovhannes Aivazovski will also be celebrated. With the jubilee concert the 70th anniversary of Ruben Aharonyan will be celebrated, where the renowned violinist and his "Borodin Quartet" will be present.The closing concert of the festival, dedicated to the 95th anniversary of Ohan Duryan will also be jubilee.
GREENSBORO  A Greensboro man who barricaded himself inside a house at 1001 Huffine Mill Road on Sunday surrendered to police around 10:55 a.m. Monday following an 18-hour standoff.

Richard Roof, 57, faces six counts of felony assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in the city limits.

Officers first responded at 5:15 p.m. Sunday to a reported shooting on Huffine Mill. The first investigator who responded reported that he heard shots coming from inside the house.

No one was hurt during the shooting.

Greensboro Police officers helped family members escape the house on Sunday evening but continued negotiating with Roof through Monday morning.

Greensboro Police Capt. T. Biffle said officers are investigating the case as a domestic disturbance and are trying to determine what led Roof to allegedly fire weapons and barricade himself. She said that those officers who responded to the initial call on Sunday were returning to work and would complete their reports before filing charges, if any, against Roof.

Early Monday morning, Greensboro Police Chief Wayne Scott used a televised news conference to ask Roof to surrender.

We encourage you, I encourage you as police chief, to contact us again, Scott said. There are things we can work out once we get you out of there safely.

Scott told reporters gathered at a Walgreens near Roofs house that officers had been communicating with Roof through family members and text messaging.

Police evacuated the block as a safety measure shortly after the incident began, and surrounding roads were closed throughout Sunday and Monday morning.

Guilford County Schools officials canceled classes for the day at nearby Bessemer Elementary School and Gateway Education Center.

Residents who were not allowed to return to their homes had access to a temporary shelters set up by the county.

Dan Owens, a Red Cross leader setting up an emergency shelter for Hurricane Irma evacuees, said he was put on notice that Huffine Mill Road residents might have needed to use the shelter Monday night if Roof had not surrendered by that time.
GREENSBORO  As the last note of ethiojazz  we had to look it up, too  echoed through downtown Sunday night, the National Folk Festival closed out its three-year run in Greensboro.

This years event brought an estimated 160,000 people downtown who were entertained by 54 acts and 300 artists, according to organizers. That doesnt include the numerous vendors that lined the streets.

The three-day celebration, launched in 1934, highlights a vast array of music and arts from around the world.

And people looking to be entertained.

Richard Hughes of Stokesdale walked through downtown carrying a ... hula hoop. In case the music moved him to dance, Hughes said.

Ive been amused by so many types of music, he explained. I love the diversity of music because I love to dance.

People weaved in and out of the crowds searching out their next stage or food truck. Occasionally in the midst of chaos, someone would reach down to stop and pet a dog or hug a friend.

And a large crowd of people cheered as a breakdance competition happened under a tent.

Nearby, Kelsey McEvoy of New York City walked along Davie Street with two of her friends. A sophomore at Elon University, she was assigned to visit the festival.

I had to come for class to write a blog for geography, McEvoy said. Were supposed to experience different things from around the world.

McEvoy took in both polka and Moroccan music and tried Sri Lankan food.

Her friend, Ashley Tanshak of New Jersey, said the festival reminded her of street fairs in New York City.

We wanted to come and expose ourselves to something different, Tanshak said. Weve been studying a lot this week and sometimes its nice to get away from the Elon bubble.

In 2018, the National Folk Festival will move to Salisbury, Md., and will be replaced here by the North Carolina Folk Festival.

Weve learned an incredible amount about how to produce a festival of this size and scope, said Tom Philion, the president and chief executive officer of ArtsGreensboro, which co-produced the festival.

Philion said he wont know how many people attended this years festival until later in the week. Based on accounts from food vendors, who saw a 30 percent increase in sales, and reports from the Greensboro Police Department, he believes that attendance was somewhere between 150,000 to 160,000.

There were a lot of people we know were here, Philion said, but what is even better is there is a lot of people we dont know.
GREENSBORO  Sixteen years have passed, but sculptor Jim Gallucci said he still can smell the burning fuel from the planes that struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

That smell followed him from a scrapyard in New Jersey back to Greensboro, where he brought 16 tons of steel collected from the rubble of the Twin Towers.

Last week, he installed in downtown Greensboro two of those pieces  steel beams  in a sculpture that serves as a reminder of the terrorists attacks on New York and Washington.

It still had the smell of diesel fuel and burnt things, Gallucci said. It was really scary.

Nearly 3,000 people died when 19 al-Qaeda hijackers crashed two commerical airliners into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and a fourth into an empty field in western Pennsylvania, short of its intended target.

Like the rest of the nation, Gallucci said he couldnt take his eyes off what was unfolding on television. He said he wanted to do something in response, so he created a 22-foot-tall sculpture that symbolizes the images of that day.

Last Tuesday, cranes lifted that sculpture above the parking lot where Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Elm Street intersect.

Galluccis sculpture replaces the former statue of Martin Luther King Jr., which is being recast in bronze and moved to its original location a few blocks away, on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive near the Greenway. Gallucci said Kings monument will be featured more prominently in its new location.

But the 2-story height of Galluccis Sep. 11 sculpture has a more noticeable presence at the intersection.

The base of the statue is shaped like the Pentagon, with the two steel beams from the World Trade Center rising above and holding together a gate that pivots to different angles.

The gate, we found, is very symbolic, Gallucci said. It (Sept. 11) was a gateway moment in our country. It was a gateway moment of things that have happened with us and us as people and us in society. There were two weeks where we were one country, and nobody cared who you were. This was an offense against my neighbor, whoever my neighbor was.

Galluccis sculpture also includes a haunting visual from Sept. 11. From the top of that gate, 50 paper-shaped pieces of steel seemingly flutter to the ground.

When the buildings went down, there were thousands of pages that flew all over the place, Gallucci said.

Before the buildings collapsed in 2001, papers fluttered from the impacted office spaces to the ground below.

Gallucci said the sculpture will have another visual reminder of that day, but once lights are installed he said he wants people to write letters, poems and songs that will be transferred to bronze plates to be hung on the sculpture. Those notes are symbolic of what happened in the aftermath of the terrorists attacks.

People were posting notes with family members faces on it (in New York), just trying to find where they were, Gallucci said.

Gallucci said he received the last permit issued that allowed people to visit the scrap yards where materials from the World Trade Center were taken. He said he had to submit resumes, references and prove he planned to use the materials for the right purposes.

One of the pieces Gallucci found had WTC carved into steel. He said the carving came from a volunteer who was helping with clean up.

That carving is now incorporated into Galluccis sculpture.

Gallucci first unveiled this piece in 2002, on the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, at his studio in Greensboro. Since then it has traveled to two sites in New York, Elon University, Fayetteville and Dallas.

The sculpture returned to Greensboro last year, and city officials requested its permanent installation.

It has come back home in a great way, Gallucci said.
GREENSBORO  As Hurricane Irma moved north away from Florida, the city became an important hub not only for storm preparations, but for those seeking refuge.

On Sunday afternoon, Gov. Roy Cooper touched down by helicopter in Greensboro to meet with members of the National Guard. Nearby, American Red Cross officials set up a shelter for people trying to escape the 400-mile wide storm.

People are traveling north to escape the hurricanes path, but as they travel theyre finding all of the hotels are full, said Dan Owens, who is in charge of setting up the Greensboro shelter for the Red Cross.

Owens said its rare for a shelter to open in Greensboro. It typically happens only when the Red Cross shelter in Charlotte  the states largest city  meets 75 percent capacity.

Whats unique about Greensboros shelter is that it can hold up to 500 cots and has a second room for pets, with a door to a fenced area so they can be walked outside.

Owens said highway signs and rest areas are alerting evacuees to the shelters in five cities across North Carolina.

Meanwhile, a last-minute change in the forecast led state officials to relocate the staging areas for emergency-response teams to other parts of North Carolina.

What were doing is moving a number of our resources from the east to the west because we know western North Carolina will likely be most impacted, Cooper said.

Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida on Sunday morning as a Category 4 storm, but weakened as it began to move up the states western coast.

Early forecasts predicted that Irma would then travel toward North Carolina. Now, radar shows the hurricane traveling farther west.

Hurricane Irma continues to track west of North Carolina so we wont be caught in the crosshairs of this storm, Cooper said. But there will still be rain and wind particularly in the west side of the state.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Raleigh said that bands of moderate to heavy rain will pass through central North Carolina today and Tuesday bringing almost two inches of precipitation. The storm will also bring 15 to 20 mph winds with frequent gusts reaching 30 mph.

On Sunday afternoon, Cooper talked with members of the National Guard as they practiced water rescues with the Greensboro Fire Department.

I stopped by to tell you how grateful I am for all of you, Cooper said.

At least 315 members of the National Guard will be deployed across the state. Another 12,000 are on standby.

Sgt. Randy Ly has seen the devastation that hurricanes can cause to a community and residents.

During Hurricane Floyd in 1999, Ly said he went to an island to feed stranded people. He said he would never forget when a young boy grabbed his leg and thanked him.

He cried, saying Thank you, sir. Thank you. I havent had food in three to four days, Ly recalled. Being one of the soldiers and seeing the effect, you dont worry about yourself.

Members of the Greensboro Fire Department had similar stories to share Sunday.

Firefighter Luke Easter remembered the relief on the faces of a couple he helped during Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

We went to rescue a couple in a flooded housing development, Easter said. When we turned the boat around, I saw their faces and they knew we were it. We were their last hope.

None of the men and women training in Greensboro on Sunday know where they will be needed or what they will face in the coming week.

We hope we dont need them in North Carolina, but they may be needed in other states, Cooper said.

Still, Cooper said he knows Hurricane Irma could turn back toward North Carolina at any time.

The tracks could change and shift back to the east, Cooper said. We need to be ready.
GREENSBORO  Responding to a request from community members, The Guilford County Board of Education voted last week for a resolution supporting the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

DACA, set up at the order of former President Barack Obama, offers temporary work permits and protection from deportation to some immigrants who entered the country illegally as children. President Donald Trump sharply criticized the program when he announced last week a plan to start ending those protections six months from now. At the same time, he also signaled he might sign legislation with similar aims if it were passed by Congress.

School board Chairman Alan Duncan asked the board to act after a few speakers called on the board to support DACA during the public comment period of the Sept. 7 school board meeting.

Verenice Ortiz said her son is a Guilford County Schools graduate and DACA recipient. She said she recently asked him if he was considering moving to a state where he might have better protection, in light of the DACA changes.

He said, Mom, I dont want to go anywhere else, because I dont want to leave Greensboro until I give back to my community, she said.

To qualify for DACA, recipients must have no criminal record. If they are accepted into the program and then get arrested, they face deportation to their home country. They also must have been 30 or younger when the program was launched and brought to the U.S. before age 16. The application cost is nearly $500, and permits must be renewed every two years. About 800,000 people living the in the United States are currently covered by DACA.

Duncan said the board previously voiced its support for DACA as part of a slate of legislative priorities it endorsed back in 2016. But that, he said, was before elections brought five new members to the board.

School board member T. Dianne Bellamy-Small made a motion that the board endorse a resolution supporting DACA, based on the wording of what the last board passed, with flexibility for Duncan to craft a final version and share it with the board before it goes out.

Board members voted 8-to-1 to approve the motion. Board member Anita Sharpe was the sole no vote. She shared concerns about a sentence in what the board passed in 2016 that called on the North Carolina General Assembly to join with other states in allowing DACA students and other immigrants who meet admission requirements to receive in-state tuition.

Superintendent Sharon Contreras has separately spoken out in support of the aims of the DACA program, putting her name on a letter published by the education advocacy group Stand for Children.
GREENWICH  The deadline for running for the Representative Town Meeting is quickly approaching. Current members are hoping for a last-minute rush.

To run, a resident must submit a petition, with 25 signatures from registered voters living within the district sought, to the Town Clerks office by 4 p.m. Friday. The RTM is a non-partisan body so signers can come from either party of be unaffiliated.

As of Monday, there were only 165 confirmed candidates for the 230 spots on the body. Vacancies exist in all but one of the 12 districts. In districts without competition, candidates will be seated on the RTM with as few as one vote.

Every seat is open and if anyone has interest in running they can do it, said John Dolan, a member of District 7, North Central Greenwich, who is running for re-election. RTM terms are for two years.

Vacancies can be filled after Election Day by sitting members in each district. But the November ballot is the only way for voters in the general town population to have a say on who represents them.

Only District 6, Old Greenwich, has more candidates than seats with 21 candidates vying for 20 spots. None of the other has enough candidates for a full slate with District 10, Northwest Greenwich, having the most vacancies with nine.

Dolan said typically 5 to 10 percent of sitting members do not run again for new terms, meaning there usually are many vacancies to be filled and the search is ongoing for candidates to fill them.

More Information RTM Vacancies District 1: South Center of Greenwich, 15 candidates for 19 spots District 2: Harbor Area, 11 candidates for 14 spots District 3: Chickahominy, 7 candidates for 11 spots District 4: Byram, 9 candidates for 17 spots District 5: Riverside, 15 candidates for 18 spots District 6: Old Greenwich, 21 candidates for 20 spots District 7: North Center of Greenwich, 14 candidares for 20 spots District 8: Cos Cob, 19 candidates for 26 spots District 9: Pemberwick/Glenville, 12 candidates for 20 spots District 10: Northwest Greenwich, 11 candidates for 20 spots District 11: Northeast Greenwich, 18 candidates for 24 spots District 12: Havemeyer, 13 candidates for 21 spots See More Collapse

There have been changes as the town clerk adjusts seat allocation on the RTM every two years depending on population shifts.

This year, Districts 1, South Central Greenwich; 3, Chickahominy; and 4, Byram, are all gaining one seat while Districts 2, Harbor Area; 5, Riverside; and 10, Northwest Greenwich, are all losing one.

Dolan said he expects the numbers of vacancies to shrink in the closing days of eligibility. The petition and instructions are available online at http://rtm.greenwich.org/ along with other information about the body and a meeting schedule.

There will probably be some people who show up at the last minute with their petitions, Dolan said Monday. But we wanted to get the word out and make sure people know how easily they can get involved. We want to see as many people as possible run. Its always better to have a full slate and get people out there as candidates. We dont want to see situations where people can get on the RTM with just one vote.

RTM Moderator Tom Byrne said he hoped people would take advantage of the opportunity to run for the RTM.

If the number of candidates is substantially below 230 after the Sept. 15 deadline, I will be disappointed that our residents have not recognized the rare opportunity afforded them, Byrne said. Ultimately, all 230 seats will be filled, one way or another. The RTM will remain a vibrant entity, exercising the common sense and good judgment of the community at large. So I remain confident that Greenwich government will remain an example of the closest form of pure democracy that exists today.

Dolan said he had heard groups like Indivisible Greenwich, which formed in response to the election of President Donald Trump, were trying to get people to run. On Monday Joanna Swomley, founder of Indivisible Greenwich, said it and other local groups like March On believe close to 40 candidates would be stepping forward to run for the non-partisan body.

Its a very organic effort, Swomley said. Its not just our members.

Ive enjoyed being on the RTM. Dolan said. Its a great way to get involved and meet together with people who have the same interests in being a part of town government. Plus there are so many vital issues in town that come before the RTM. Youre not just voting on the budget. You have a role in how it looks and on what the town does.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

GREENWICH  U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., was visiting Ridgefield last week when a young nurse named Adriana approached him.

She had come to the United States as a child, Himes said, and wasnt told she lacked documentation to legally reside in the United States until high school. She does not know her native language very well, but she does know how to save lives at Bridgeport Hospital every day, Himes told a Greenwich audience this week.

Since the Trump administration last week announced plans to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Adriana, who is protected by DACA, has feared deportation looms on her horizon, Himes said. If she is forcibly removed from her family and the only home she knows, she will no longer be able to treat those who require her help to survive, he said.

Himes told her story at Eastern Middle School Sunday night to members of Indivisible Greenwich, the local chapter of a national organization formed to oppose Trumps agenda. He called the decision to end DACA the manifestation of evil.

The school auditorium was filled with residents from senior citizens to recent high school graduates to first-time candidates running in local elections this November.

Attending the meeting with Himes were U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both D-Conn., who also addressed the group. While conversation ranged from health care to the Russian probe to Greenwichs first selectman campaign, DACA was the top talking point of the evening.

Instituted by President Barack Obama in 2012 by executive order, DACA aims to prevent the deportation of U.S. residents who came to this country as children, and who have a clean record and are contributing to their communities through work or education.

The Migration Policy Institute estimates the state of Connecticut has 15,000 residents, most of whom are Mexican, who are eligible for DACA. By the 2016 fiscal year, nearly 9,000 DACA applications had been accepted statewide, according to data collected by U.S. Immigration and Citizenship services.

Blumenthal said the issue is personal to him. His father fled to the U.S. in 1935 to escape Nazi persecution in Germany. Despite being 17 years old, with little understanding of the English language, Martin Blumenthal made a life for himself in what was once known as a land of opportunity, the senator said, saying his father would be ashamed of how the country is dealing with young immigrants decades later.

Blumenthal, who said he agreed to serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee because he was assigned to the Border Security and Immigration Subcommittee, called protecting DACA the fight of the moment.

Right now, they are terrified, he told the Indivisible Greenwich members. Think of it for a moment. Six months from now, 800,000 young people could be deported.

Trump delayed the cancellation of DACA for six months, calling on Congress to come up with a legislative plan for dealing with the people it covers in that time.

In a statement last week, Murphy wrote that rescinding DACA for Dreamers wont just disrupt their lives, it will also hurt our economy and the local communities that they are an integral part of.

Theyre highly skilled and highly educated, and their contribution to the labor force and the economy is substantial, Murphy said. These are taxpaying residents that wouldnt be contributing to state and local coffers if they were all of a sudden ripped away from their families.

Joanna Swomley, co-founder of Indivisible Greenwich, told the crowd the national organizations task right now is to defend DACA recipients.

We want the DREAM Act attached to every must-pass bill in Congress, she said.

Murphy said because the majority of Americans support legislation to protect the young people in question, he thinks it should be pretty easy to pass a bill, though he warned Republican leaders may try to demand something they want in return.

It shouldnt be a Democratic issue, he said. Unfortunately, Republicans are already playing games.

Blumenthal said he fears some congressional conservatives will add an attachment to defund Planned Parenthood to the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, which he said he considered one of the few options available to replace DACA through legislative means. Blumenthal has co-sponsored the bill for six years, but has never been able to funnel it through Congress.

DACA is terribly important, said Sandy Litvack, Democratic first selectman candidate and Swomleys husband. The only thing that ought to be done with DACA is it ought to be enacted into law by the Congress.

Though DACA was the focus of the meeting, Blumenthal, Murphy and Himes also plugged Litvack, whom they had endorsed at the Democratic Town Committee Picnic at the Garden Education Center earlier on Sunday.

I would expect that Democrats would endorse Democrats, so its not surprising, said incumbent Republican First Selectman Peter Tesei on Monday.

A first-time nominee, Litvack was co-chairman of Indivisible Greenwichs state politics group.

After an introduction from Murphy, Litvack took the mic to promote his campaign and civic engagement. As a former general counsel to Disney during negotiations on EuroDisney, he joked that when people talk about difficulties, when people talk about dealing with Hartford, I dealt with the French.

Litvack decided to run for office in part because of Trump, he said.

I am concerned that there is an effort to migrate the national Trump agenda into Greenwich, Conn., he said. And I dont want it, and I dont think the people of Greenwich want it.

As a 501(c)(4), a federally recognized social welfare organization, Indivisible Greenwich is not allowed to hold events for a candidate, said Nerlyn Pierson, who co-chairs Indivisible Greenwichs state politics group. At moments, Sunday nights meeting resembled a rally for Litvack, though Pierson insisted Swomley and Indivisible Greenwichs other leaders have kept the campaign and their movements mission separate.

Tesei suggested that wasnt the case.

Im not equipped to evaluate the legalities of it, but certainly it creates a false perception about its neutrality and openness in that its chosen to be so selective in its advocacy without even a modicum of evaluating all candidates, Tesei said of Indivisible Greenwich.

After the speakers concluded, Blumenthal, Murphy and Himes took questions from the audience that focused on the Russian probe, health care and specific pieces of legislation.

Blumenthal said if his reservations on stipulations about womens health care are resolved, he plans to support U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., single-payer system.

Murphy championed an expansion of Medicare to allow for more public access last week, an idea he touted at the meeting when addressing health care reform. But in an interview he said, The proposal that Ive laid out is one that is not going to be taken up by a Republican Congress.
These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales.
The Nokia 8 has made its way to Asia. The Snapdragon 835-powered flagship smartphone is now available to purchase in Malaysia, where it costs RM 2,299, which currently translates into just over $545.

Available color options include Stainless Steel, Tempered Blue, Polished Blue. The Polished Copper variant will be made available at a later date. Other countries where the phone is currently available include Germany, Finland, and Australia.

Via




Haiti - FLASH : A national shame and an affront to Dany Laferriere





Sunday, around 1 pm, a group of young people, a member of the Mixed Front of Liberation of Petit-Goave, erased the name of Dany Laferriere from the newly rebuilt library...



Our Dany, a native of Petit-Goave who grew up in Rue Lamarre, our only academician and our national pride, does not deserve such a fate. What a desappointment ! What a shame !



"These young people from Petit-Goave, who by eagerness and malice have erased the name of Dany Laferriere from the library have made a big mistake."



Moreover, the German NGO Welthungerhilfe (Agro Action Germany - AAA), which financed this library, recalls that it had not yet handed over the keys to the Haitian State... "As long as this formality is not fulfilled, the authorities have no rights over the library."



By pretending to defend the Constitution, these young "intellectuals" blinded by a supposed nationalistic passion have made an illegal act. It was necessary to wait until the work was officially handed over to the local authorities. Once again, the FML, in spite of the correctness of its claims are very badly started...



"The violation of the Constitution should not serve as a pretext for anyone to openly fight an intellectual who has done honor to Haiti on an international scale."



HL/ HaitiLibre / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondant Petit-Goave)






















Haiti - FLASH USA : Travel Warning for Haiti





The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to carefully consider the risks of traveling to Haiti due to its current security environment and lack of adequate medical facilities and response. The Department of State also warns U.S. citizens to carefully reconsider travel to Haiti due to Hurricane Irma, a category 5 storm projected to impact Haiti. This storm may bring significant rainfall and wind that may result in life-threatening flooding, flash flooding, mudslides, and storm surge. This replaces the Travel Warning dated May 22, 2017.



Rates of kidnapping, murder, and rape rose in 2016. While there is no indication that U. S. citizens are specifically targeted, kidnapping for ransom can affect anyone in Haiti, particularly long-term residents. Armed robberies and violent assaults reported by U.S. citizens have risen in recent years. Do not share specific travel plans with strangers. Be aware that newly arrived travelers are targeted. Arrange to have your host or organization meet you at the airport upon arrival or pre-arranged airport to hotel transfers. Be cautious when visiting banks and ATMs, which are often targeted by criminals. Fewer incidents of crime are reported outside of Port-au-Prince, but Haitian authorities' ability to respond to emergencies is limited and in some areas nonexistent. U.S. Embassy employees are discouraged from walking in city neighborhoods, including in Petionville. Visit only establishments with secured parking lots. U.S. Embassy personnel are under a curfew from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Embassy personnel must receive permission from the Embassy security officer to travel to some areas of Port-au-Prince and some regions of the country, thus limiting the Embassys ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens.



Protests, including tire burning and road blockages, are frequent and often spontaneous. Avoid all demonstrations. The Haitian National Polices ability to assist U.S. citizens during disturbances is limited. Have your own plans for quickly exiting the country if necessary.



The U.S. Embassy remains concerned about the security situation in the southern peninsula departments of Grand Anse and Sud following the devastation of Hurricane Matthew. Embassy employees are not permitted to travel to those departments without special approval for and official trips only.



Medical care infrastructure, ambulances, and other emergency services are limited throughout Haiti. Check that your organization has reliable infrastructure, evacuation, and medical support in place. Comprehensive medical evacuation insurance is strongly advised for all travelers.



This travel warning informs U.S. citizens that on September 5, the Department authorized the voluntary departure of U.S. government employees and their family members due to Hurricane Irma. This replaces the Travel Warning dated May 22, 2017.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Budget ratified in 2nd reading by the deputies1

On Saturday, the deputies ratified the draft budget 2017-2018 in the same terms as the senators (78 votes for, 8 against and 5 abstentions.) The 2017-2018 budget will now be transmitted to the Executive for publication in the official newspaper "Le moniteur".



Fatal accident

Sunday a traffic accident occurred in Madeline (Cap-Haitien), involving a tank truck and a motorcycle. Results: one dead and one seriously wounded. The passenger of the motorcycle died on the spot, while the motorcyclist, seriously injured was rushed to the hospital.



Petit Goave : Arrest of  Timemet 

The police of Petit-Goave apprehended, Edner Borgella aka Timemet" to the Street Benoit. Originally from Vallue, Edner Borgella (30) was actively wanted by the police. after about 20 complaints filed against him and other charges including robbery, theft, illegal possession of firearms, according to the police. Asked on Radio Preference, Edner Borgella says he does not know why he was arrested. HL/ HaitiLibre / Guyto Mathieu (Correspondant Petit-Goave).



Return of Moise JC on the concrete

Moses Jean Charles, of the Platform "Pitit Dessalin", defeated candidate in the last presidential elections, announced a demonstration in the streets of the capital, Tuesday 12 of September to denounce the mismanagement of the team and the draft budget law which he describes as a "criminal", a budget that according to him "aims to impoverish the population".



The Ambassador of Haiti in the USA recalled

Paul Altidor Ambassador of Haiti to Washington was recalled...



Closing of the 2nd session of the legislative year

This Monday, September 11, teh Deputies and Senators of the 50th Legislature will close the second regular session of the 2017 legislative year. Even if closed, Senators will continue their regular work, while the deputies will be called to the Extraordinary Assembly by the Executive in case of need. The next parliamentary return will take place on January 8, 2018.



Words of Moise

"IRMA has just struck Cuba. All our solidarity goes to that brother-people with whom we have always walked hand in hand [...] At the moment when IRMA strikes Florida, all my thoughts are for the inhabitants of this state, especially my compatriots living there," said President Jovenel Moise.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news

Login Sign Up

 New Ad-free Subscriber Login

Email

Password

Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password.

Stay logged in

Help
Discover the road less travelled at SITT Autumn

By Jo Gilbert

Theres only one week to go until SITT Autumn, when once again the Harpers team will be bringing independents a one-day event packed with discussion and discovery.

As the only tasting that is devoted to fulfilling the needs of the independent sector, across two days in Bristol (September 18) and London (September 20), visitors will be able to taste over 800 different wines  none of which are available in the supermarkets or high street chains.

Whether youre an independent wine merchant, regional wholesaler, owner, manager or part of the F&B team of an independent restaurant or bar, at SITT, its our mission to bring you some of the worlds most intriguing wines, which will not only set your offering apart from the crowd, but over-deliver on price and taste.

Part of that is a series masterclasses which will focus on specific regions or areas of interest which can add value to independent businesses.

Kicking off the day in London will be a breakfast briefing, hosted by Harpers editor Andrew Catchpole, who will be looking at various ways specialists can hone their USP.

At both events in Bristol and London, Beyond Tokaj will offer visitors a taste of Hungary.

Host Peter McCombie MW will be talking and tasting his way through top picks from this evolving region.

At both events McCombie will also be looking at wines from Lebanon while Christopher Cooper will be exploring how to capture the biggest emerging wine drinking market  millennials.

Chenin Blanc from the Loire will be the topic of Laure Patry, executive sommelier for Jason Atherton Restaurant Holdings and SITTs new on-trade ambassador for SITT Autumn.

Last but not least, at this upcoming edition of SITT we are introducing our new Spotlight On feature, giving a platform to an area of specialist interest.

For autumn 2017 that spotlight will be shining on Bordeaux.

Watch out for neck labels highlighting top picks from this historic region or visit Planete Bordeaux at their stand to find out more.

There is also the option to attend the SITT Spotlight on Bordeaux / Bordeaux Superieur masterclass which will focus on great wines at affordable prices hosted by educator Raul Diaz.

Masterclasses are free to attend with places offered on a first come, first served basis.

Simply visit the masterclass desk in the exhibition hall on the day and return to the desk approx. 15 minutes before the class is due to start.

See our dedicated SITT supplement which went out with Harpers September issue for more information.

The full schedule for masterclasses and registration can also be found at www.sittastings.com










Exports for Beaujolais categories to the UK soar

By Lisa Riley

Exports for all Beaujolais categories to the UK soared during the first part of this year, according to the latest figures released today by Business France.

An overall increase of 15% and 23% in volume and value respectively had been recorded in Beaujolais wine exports to the UK from January to May 2017 compared to the same period last year, the report revealed.

Exports of Beaujolais AOC were up 19% in volume and 55% in value, with Beaujolais Villages posting a 14% increase in volume and 12% in value, while the crus reported a 14% and 20% increase respectively.

The boost follows a significant uplift in 2016 over 2015.

Boasting an excellent indigenous grape variety and style of wine, Beaujolais was increasingly relevant to the contemporary wine-drinking audience, said Mark Andrew MW.

At Noble Rot we have always been huge fans and supporters of the region, so to see such an impressive increase in demand is wonderful news and evidence that customers are looking for characterful wines of place that are a pleasure to drink."

Aurelie Vabre, export manager for Beaujolais Wines said: The time for Beaujolais has clearly come and we cant wait to see what the future holds for our growers and what the influx of young winemakers to the region will create.
A man caught injecting drugs into his groin in broad daylight on a city centre street refused to stop when confronted by gardai.

Liam Dunne (28) was arrested for the incident in a shop car park, as well as another episode in which he hurled abuse at hospital emergency room staff.

Dublin District Court heard he had since turned his life around, was working as a lab- ourer and aimed to become a personal trainer.

Dunne, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to public order offences.

Judge Bryan Smyth fined him 300.

On February 23 last year, gardai on patrol at 2.25pm saw Dunne in a doorway of the Brown Thomas car park, which was a fire escape.

He was injecting drugs into his groin and failed to stop when confronted by gardai.

The court heard he was charged with offensive behaviour, but no drugs offence.

Begging

On August 1 last year, Dunne was seen begging aggressively on O'Connell Bridge at 9.45am. He had a cup in his hand and was approaching passers-by, blocking their paths.

Gardai were called to the Mater Hospital's emergency department on August 11 last year. Dunne was acting in a threatening and abusive manner to staff and refused to leave the hospital when officers told him to. He was arrested.

The court heard there was no alcohol or drugs involved that the gardai could tell, but he was in a state of "delirium".

The accused had past add- iction issues and fell under the "detrimental influence of other people", said his barrister, Joe Mulrean.

However, he completed a residential treatment programme last year and was now clean of all substances and back living at home with his family.

"His offending comes from the addiction, which he has now rid himself of," Mr Mulrean said. "He is now a contributing member of society and hopes to put this chapter of his life behind him."
A man who stole groceries from a north Co Dublin supermarket told gardai when he was arrested that he worked with the Taoiseach.

James Carey, who suffers from mental health issues, said he was a public servant and claimed he worked with the government leader, who at the time of the offence was Enda Kenny.

The defendant (34) went into Tesco at Millfield Shopping Centre in Balbriggan and filled a trolley with 45 worth of groceries.

He then went past all points of payment and left the store with the stolen property, which was recovered a short time later.

When Carey was arrested, he said he was a government employee and worked with the Taoiseach, Insp Declan Yates told Balbriggan District Court.

Carey, of Stamullen, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to the theft of the groceries from the supermarket last October 6.

He has 15 previous convictions, including two for assault and a theft conviction.

Unwell

Defence barrister Patrick Jackson told the court that Carey was on disability allowance and handed Judge Dermot Dempsey a note regarding a medical condition.

"He has gone through periods of not coping very well," said Mr Jackson.

"His answers to the gardai were during the period he was unwell."

Mr Jackson added that when the defendant's health was good, he did a lot of charity work and had raised a lot of money.

"After that time, he became unwell, and this offence is the result of that. It's clear he is a lot better now," said Mr Jackson, asking Judge Dempsey to consider putting the case back for medical evidence to verify his improvement.

The judge agreed to adjourn the case until early December for a probation and welfare report and for medical evidence to be produced.

In 2009, the defendant stood as an independent candidate in the Meath County Council elections in the Slane electoral area, polling 734 first preference votes before being eliminated on the seventh count.
A woman who stole clothes while on a shopping trip in Dublin had made a mistake due to "youthful exuberance", a court heard.

Karoline Silva (22) was left without a criminal record after she made a 50 charity donation.

Silva, from The Grange, Raheen, Limerick, pleaded guilty to stealing clothes worth 58 from Penneys on Mary Street.

Judge Anthony Halpin struck the case out.

Dublin District Court heard the incident happ-ened last June 13.

The accused passed all points of payment with the goods and was stopped by security staff as she left.

The clothes were recovered in a saleable condition.

Homesick

Silva had no previous convictions.

The court heard she was from Brazil and had come to Ireland to "comfort" her mother, who had been here for three years and was homesick.

On the day, Silva went to Dublin with friends and took the clothes while shopping.

The court heard she had made "a very stupid decision as a result of youthful exuberance".

She was very remorseful for what happened and was due to start a job soon.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers and his wife Mara Lane with their son Wolf

Jonathan Rhys Meyers' wife Mara Lane has rev-ealed that the couple recently suffered a miscarriage, after the actor was spotted looking disorientated in Dublin Airport.

The Cork man (40) was said to be "intoxicated" when he was in the airport earlier this week and was looked after by security personnel.

His wife has now shared the heartbreaking news that Jonathan, who has struggled with alcoholism for many years, relapsed after learning the couple had lost their baby.

Struggle

"With much sadness, we open our hearts to share that J and I lost our second child, who was baking in the oven," she wrote in a post on Instagram.

"Child was very, very much wanted (right now especially by J, so he took the news particularly not so well) and we are still working with coping skills over here."

Expand Close The actor when he previously fell off the wagon / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The actor when he previously fell off the wagon

Writing about her husband's struggle with depression and alcoholism, Lane said the actor is the "strongest" person she knows.

"Depression is a real concern from past abuse as well as alcoholism, which he was born with," she said.

"He has been able to turn any ugliness and hurt in his life into art and is the strongest person I know.

"I do not know anyone who has been through what he has been through and reached his level of successes.

"It does seem, though, that every time we seem to be making so much progress. Sometimes it's like two steps forward, one step back."

The actress (39) also expressed her gratitude for the support of friends and family.

"Thank you family and friends and all of you lovely kind, beautiful people who send us good energy and thoughts and support. It is so appreciated," she wrote.

"I have so much love for you. To some others, my husband is an Irishman who battles alcoholism and depression and drank between jobs to try to cope with the sadness of this news."

Lane went on to say that Rhys Meyers was now "safe" after being seen staggering through the airport, and claimed he was refused entry to two Irish hospitals because of lengthy waiting periods.

"He is safe and with his sober living companion and bodyguard to get into a detox closer to home since he was denied hospital help twice in Ireland because of an already two-month wait period," she wrote.

"Life is life. Life is beautiful. Life is tough sometimes, though, so let's try not looking down at someone unless we intend on helping them up."

The couple, who secretly tied the knot last year, welcomed their first child, Wolf, last December 2016.

Lane has described her husband as a great father who is "super-protective".

"J is the best father btw. Ridiculously loving, super- protective, patient and attentive," she wrote.

"Wolf is basically snuggled, kissed, adored, sang to and entertained any free minute he has by his Papa."

Dishevelled

In May 2015, the actor shocked many of his fans when he was pictured walking down a street in London looking dishevelled, drinking spirits from a bottle.

The Tudors star issued an apology afterwards and said he hoped it had not changed people's opinion of him.

"Mara and I are thankful for your support and kindness during this time. I apologise for having a minor relapse and hope that people don't think too badly of me," he said.

"I'm on the mend and thank well-wishers. Sorry for my appearance as I was on my way home from a friend's and had not changed."
BRISTOL, Va.  An elderly Bristol, Virginia, woman  trapped for 24 hours in her overturned car while family and police searched for her  has no memory of the ordeal and believes guardian angels got her through it.

Novella Thompson, 85, was reported missing by family members when she didnt show up for a beauty shop appointment on Aug. 31. Thompson said she never imagined that her car would end up overturned in a creek.

I came out of the driveway and remember circling around the Lowes parking lot and going under an underpass, Thompson said at home on Friday afternoon. I also remember going up this road and there were gravels all over the road and the next thing I remember is being in the emergency room.

Her son, Frederick Thompson, went looking for his mother when her hairdresser called to report she didnt show up for her appointment.

I came by her house and noticed that the car was gone, Frederick Thompson told the Bristol Herald Courier in an exclusive interview. My brother and I went out looking all over the area for her and couldnt find her.

Frederick Thompson went to the Bristol Virginia Police Department and filed a missing person report and asked Capt. Maynard Ratcliff if they could locate his mother by her cell phone.

She has an older flip phone, but they were able to find a ping on the phone and trace it back to the Benhams area, of Washington County, he said. That ping on the phone is what helped us.

Still not sure whether his mother was alive or dead, Frederick Thompson and several other family members started searching Benhams Road.

Her sisters grandson had come in from Charleston and decided to go out looking for her, Frederick Thompson said. He is the first one who found her overturned in the creek.

Novella Thompsons white Toyota Prius was found on Lone Star Road on Friday, Sept. 1, overturned in the cold creek water. She was airlifted to Bristol Regional Medical Center and treated for several cuts and bruises.

I want to thank everyone for what theyve done for me, Novella Thompson said. Im just so lucky to be alive.

Novella Thompson said she knows angels were watching over her.

I had a silver guardian angel visor clip that I kept in my car, Thompson said. Those angels were watching over me.

Frederick Thompson said the visor clip was found in the seat beside Thompson after the accident.

Clinging to the only thing thats left of her car, Novella Thompson looked down Friday and read the message on the clip: Protect me, my passengers, and all who I pass by with a steady hand and a watchful eye.

Thompsons other son, Mark Thompson, admits that they feared the worst while out searching.

I thought somebody had done the worst to her, Mark Thompson said. I kept thinking the entire time, if someone took her, why cant they just drop her off in a parking lot somewhere.

The rural area where Novella Thompson was found has a lot of small, private roads and weak cell phone reception. Frederick Thompson said hes thankful she wasnt attacked by a wild animal.

That is such a rural area out there, he said. My cousin posted a photo of a bear walking across the road out there the other day. A bear, snake or anything else could have gone right in on her  but nothing happened  she doesnt even have a mosquito bite.

Novella Thompson said she no longer drives and will stay close to home.

I was lucky that I didnt get on the interstate and run out of gas or hit somebody, she said. Ive had a lot of friends who have come to see me since I came home from the hospital. I didnt know I had that many friends  but it shows people really care about me.
President Trumps decision to end the Obama-era protections shielding the children of undocumented immigrants from deportation has been called both a restoration of the rule of law and heartless.

It may be the former, depending on how you view the constitutionality of Barack Obamas executive order creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Its certainly the latter. These are young adults who basically know no other home than the United States. The average age at which they were brought to this country was 6 and a half. Many are now fully part of the fabric of American life  married, with kids  except for one thing. They lack the paperwork making them Americans. Now, they could be deported  back to countries they never really knew. If thats not cruel (as Obama said) and heartless (as U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine said), then were not sure what is.

Theres a third aspect to the debate over the so-called Dreamers that hardly anybody talks about it, though. Demographically, the United States needs these Dreamers  and a whole lot more just like them.

This debate would seem to be one that doesnt have much resonance in this part of Virginia. After all, we have a relatively small immigrant population, legal or otherwise. Yet thats exactly why this issue matters here. Rural Virginia  indeed, all of rural America  needs more immigrants, not fewer.

Heres why. The United States is demographically unbalanced. We have a huge baby boom generation that is growing older  and living longer. The boomers parents had lots of kids. The boomers did not.

This has lots of implications that few politicians want to talk about.

Lets start with Social Security. In 1960, there were 5.1 workers paying into Social Security for each beneficiary. Today, that figure is down to 2.9 workers. By 2035, its expected to be down to 1.9 workers for each beneficiary. Thats where the Social Security crisis comes from. To preserve the system, we either need to tax existing workers more (they wont be happy), raise the age at which people become eligible for benefits (they wont be happy) or figure out how to get more people paying into the system. Thats why former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush  in a speech at Bluefield College three years ago  advocated in favor of immigration as a way to rebuild the demographic pyramid.

He obviously lost, but that doesnt make his argument wrong. The math is still undeniable.

Canada faces the same demographic pressures, but has somehow managed to craft a bipartisan national policy that encourages immigration without much hullabaloo. Both liberal and conservative governments in Ottawa have encouraged immigration  especially young adults with marketable skills  as a way to grow that countrys economy. Its a mystery why so many conservative politicians in the United States, who typically run as pro-growth candidates, support anti-immigration policies that actually choke that economic growth.

Last year, the Federal Reserve issued a little-noticed report that concluded the root cause of the economys slow growth was simple demographics. Essentially all of the slowdown in economic growth over the past few decades can be traced to the makeup of the American population, the report said. It warned that a slow-growth economy will be the new normal for decades to come because there arent enough young adults to power a faster recovery.

Heres a closer look at how that works (or doesnt): Concerned about slow economic growth statewide, Virginia has set up nine different regional councils of business and educational leaders to develop growth and diversification plans for their parts of the state. Each one of those nine GO Virginia councils has now reported back and each one cites the same problem: Their region has a critical lack of skilled workers to fill a coming wave of baby-boomer retirements and, consequently, needs to attract more young adults just to keep the economy where it is now. Thats true not just in rural areas, but even in Northern Virginia. Yes, even the golden goose of Northern Virginia warns that it is facing a worker shortage in many key fields.

You can blame local problems if you want for an inability to attract enough young adults  a lack of cultural amenities in rural areas, a high cost of living in Northern Virginia. But at some point, they all add up: The United States needs more young adults, period. Thats why it doesnt make demographic sense to risk deporting nearly 800,000 young adults who are already here when what we need is to create more of them. Realistically, the only way to do that is through Canada-style immigration policies.

Indeed, the business leaders in one of the most Republican parts of the state  the Shenandoah Valley  specifically listed foreign-born talent as a potential fix for the valleys inability to find enough homegrown skilled labor. Their GO Virginia report praised the valleys reputation as an immigrant- and refugee-friendly area as a potential economic asset because many of these individuals may have held skilled positions prior to their migration. Trumps immigration policies may play well with his xenophobic base but run directly counter to the economic policies that really would make America great again.

Thats why Southwest Virginia, in particular, should be concerned. Like many rural areas, Southwest Virginia is seeing many of its young adults move away. The GO Virginia report for the region cites a declining labor pool as the biggest obstacle to building a new economy. Demographers at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia compute that even if no one moved out, the population in the coalfields will still decline, at a rate of 1,300 to 1,800 people a year. Thats because the population is skewed so old that deaths now outnumber births. In reality, the demographic deficit will be even bigger.

There are only two solutions to fix that: One is for every young woman in the coalfields to have more children, at a rate equivalent of the 1950s baby boom and would need to be sustained for much longer than the baby boom lasted. Or Southwest Virginia could encourage immigration.

Thats why the congressmen from rural Virginia should be the loudest voices in favor of immigration. Its the best pro-growth vote they could cast.
Rachel Carson's expose shocked the world. And we're better for it

columns
HICKORY  Erick Rivera was all smiles while he talked about his future during the Apprenticeship Catawba 2017 graduation and signing ceremony last month.

They need engineers because these companies all have robots and not many people are getting into engineering programs, Rivera said.

The Newton-Conover High School senior was one of several local students who were chosen to be part of Apprenticeship Catawbas newest cohort. The program is part of a growing trend across the country to help fill the need for skilled workers in manufacturing.

The unfulfilled necessity has become significant enough that in June the U.S. Department of Educations (DOE) Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education released information from a recent study it did to explore the potential for connecting secondary career and technical education (CTE) students with apprenticeship training opportunities.

Labor market projections indicate a growing gap in the supply of qualified employees for middle skills jobs  those that require training beyond high school but less than a four-year degree, according to the recent DOE study.

Shortfalls in the supply of qualified employees are expected to be particularly acute in fields critical to the nations economic competitiveness, such as computer technology, nursing, and advanced manufacturing, according to the study.

Apprenticeship Catawba was one of eight programs in the country the DOE selected for the study.

Rivera signed with Technibilt a Wanzl Company for his apprenticeship and will be earning an Associate in Mechatronics  a combination of mechanics, electronics and computers. A skilled mechatronics technician can earn $62,000 a year on average, according to cvcc.edu.

Apprenticeship Catawba began in 2013 and is a program through Catawba Valley Community College.

The program offers a four-year pathway leading to a Journeyman Certificate from the N.C. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Labor, along with an Associate in Mechatronics Engineering Technology or Computer Integrated Machining Technology.

Students get paid as they learn, working at a local company, and their college education is free.

Hands-on experience

This was the common thread among all the programs in the DOE study. Career and technical education and apprenticeships combine classroom instruction with workforce training  integrating rigorous academic, technical, and employability skills within a career context, according to the study.

Employers partner with the schools to ensure the coursework prepares students for entry into in-demand fields and are aligned with industry standards.

Classroom instruction is reinforced by hands-on application to give learners a deeper understanding of the field, according to the study.

Before Apprenticeship Catawba, Rivera was already thinking about a career as an engineer but wasnt sure how to pursue it.

He admits when he was younger being at the top of the class hasnt always been at the top of his priority list. However, the chance to be part of the program inspired him.

My first two years of high school I was a procrastinator. I knew the content. I just didnt put forth the effort to do it, Rivera said. This past year when I moved to North Carolina, as soon as I realized I could do this I pushed myself harder because I could have just taken regular classes, but I tried taking honors classes whenever I could in order to stand out more.

Along with the other hopeful students this summer, Rivera participated in the internship program.

Employers select students who are successful in the internship to be eligible for the four-year apprenticeship program.

Two occupations expected to add the most jobs in manufacturing through the next five years include industrial machinery mechanics and metal and plastic computer-controlled machine tool operators, according to a 2014 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, bls.gov/careeroutlook.

In Catawba County, manufacturing makes up 27 percent of the workforce compared to 10 percent nationally, according to the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation.

In 2016, out of the 85,566 employed, 22,895 were in manufacturing, according to the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

Opportunity knocks

Justus Hullender had no experience in the field of mechatronics either and had no idea what it was before Apprenticeship Catawba.

It was a little bit hard for me at the beginning, but once everything clicked, I realized this was what I wanted to do, the senior at Fred T. Foard said.

He knew he wanted to get a college education, didnt want to pay for it, so he had two choices, the U.S. Air Force or Apprenticeship Catawba. A free college degree, actual work experience and a paycheck were the main incentive for Hullender to try for the apprenticeship program.

After the summer internship, he was invited to join the Technibilt apprenticeship program as well.

CVCC President Garrett Hinshaw was eager to recognize the hard work the three current Apprenticeship Catawba graduates (Josh Arnett, John Propst, Lillian Seibert) represented. Theyre all employed at Sarstedt.

Life is about choices, Hinshaw said. Each and every one of them has the potential of leading you down one pathway or another. A lot of those pathways are very positive, but some can be very negative.

You made a choice when you decided to give up a lot of the fun stuff that your friends were doing in school. You made a choice to make a commitment to an employer as they were making a commitment to you.

He acknowledged the group of 10 new apprentices who made the same choice to pursue their career paths through the same program.

A lot of your friends will struggle as they continue through higher education and try to find work. Youve solved that problem by your choices, Hinshaw said.

Seibert is excited about having skills in cutting-edge technology like mechatronics.

It covers a little bit of everything. Its mechanical. Its electrical. Its hydraulics and pneumatics, Seibert said. Its the prime degree you would look for in a maintenance technician or to be the most versatile employee.

While she wouldnt change a thing about the last four years, Seibert admits it was not always easy seeing her friends coming home from a four-year college and not having the need to work.

We had a 40-hour work week and school on top of that; while theyre home and having fun, we have work. We have to think, If I go out with my friends tonight and call out tomorrow, Ill get in trouble, Seibert said.

She is the first woman graduating from the Apprenticeship Catawba program, and she hopes more follow her lead.

Not only do we bring a different point of view, we have a finer skill point of attention to detail which is greatly needed in engineering in upgrading plant work, Seibert.

Lela Yang is a 2017 graduate from Challenger Early College High School, will be doing her apprenticeship at Technibilt, and is the only female in her group as well.

What do you fear? Theres nothing. Just take the opportunity and go, Yang said.

She was looking to get into the engineering field as soon as possible and be hands-on with her education and training and wants to get started on her bachelors degree as soon as she can.

Real pay for real work

Apprentices begin the program making $9 an hour, and earn at least $13.90 an hour by the end of four years, with the possibility for performance bonuses twice a year based on job and academic performance.

Upon completing the apprenticeship program, graduates earn a base salary of $34,000 a year and four years of seniority, according to cvcc.edu.

Karen Boyles is the Career and Technical Education coordinator for Hickory Public Schools and has worked with students from both Lincoln County Schools and from Hickory Public Schools who have become apprentices through the Apprenticeship Catawba program.

Shes seen firsthand how an apprenticeship can change the life of a student and contribute to the growth of the local economy.

Mark Ward is a 2017 West Lincoln High graduate and is entering his first year in the program, and Boyles remembers him being unsure about what he wanted as a career. He was actively exploring his options though. After months of working after school for a local restaurant, Mark and his parents were happy when he was accepted into the Apprenticeship Catawba Program.

Its an incredible opportunity for young men and women to be able to gain such valuable work experience and training, while, at the same time, earn their (associates) degree debt free, Boyles said.

Hickory High 2017 graduate, Andres Vences, also recently entered the Apprenticeship Catawba Program, signing with Starstedt.

A representative from Starstedt made a point to tell me how well Andres had performed during his summer internship with the company, Boyles said.

Apprenticeship Catawba was established in 2013, and they have had 5 apprentices to graduate the program (all of which are with Sarstedt), and currently, the program has 40 apprentices total, CVCC Apprenticeship Coordinator Kimberly Propst said.

The new cohort of apprentices includes: Dakota Cooper, Andres Vences and Mark Ward Jr. working at Sarstedt; Frank Hatchett at Continental; Lela Yang, William Hullender and Erick Rivera-Vargas at Technibilt; Cameron Sudgen, William Whitaker, Tyler Wesson and Robert Sharpe at Popplemann.

Apprenticeship Catawba has five apprentices whove graduated and 40 total working at various stages in the program.

The DOE study highlighted how employers drive the programs design, which helps earn their trust and commitment to the partnership, committed to filling the gaps.
CONOVER  A long-time leader in the Greater Hickory Jaycees will be taking on a new role as the president of the North Carolina Jaycees organization.

Anna Price, running unopposed, was elected 2018 North Carolina Jaycees president in August, becoming the fourth person from the chapter to be elected to that role.

Civic engagement has been a part of Prices life since childhood.

Growing up in the small, rural town of Reynoldsville, Pa., Price participated in the Girl Scouts and church activities, among other volunteer efforts.

Travel also was an important part of Prices life growing.

The trips the family would take convinced Price to go into the hospitality industry.

Im a very social person so meeting people, that, from all different areas of life that would stay at a hotel, and even just the thought of having my own hotel someday, or like a bed and breakfast, that was kind of my dream, Price said.

After graduating college in Pennsylvania, Price started work at the Courtyard by Marriot after her grandmother, who lives in Claremont, urged her to look for jobs in the area.

Though Price grew up in Pennsylvania, her mother was from Catawba County and the family would visit the area on almost an annual basis.

Price still works at the hotel and is now the assistant general manager.

Prices first exposure to the Greater Hickory Jaycees was during a Hickory Alive concert, and she joined in 2006.

They were just a very dynamic group, Price said. There was a broad age range; there was a broad, different professions, all these different people that kind of had a passion toward making the community a better place, and I just really felt like I wanted to be a part of that.

Valerie Huffman, who was involved in a number of roles with the chapter before she moved away from the area, recalled Prices early involvement in a phone interview.

It was funny because she joined, and when she walked in, she seemed like she was tentative, and then she started talking to people and with her it was, she was one of those people that from the very beginning her eyes lit up about the kind of things that the Jaycees do, Huffman said.

(She is) one of those people where the organization immediately clicked with her.

Huffman praised Prices leadership and commitment, saying Price was careful to make steady progress through the organizations leadership rather than taking on too much, too early.

Price took on a lower-level board position early on in her time with the group before moving on to a variety of local and state offices.

On two different occasions, Price has served as the president of the chapter.

Her second term in 2014 came when the chapter faced challenges Price needed to address.

At that time, we werent afraid to make changes, Price said. Some of the things that we were doing wasnt working.

The organization moved its meeting spot from Hickory to Conover when it was decided the Hickory building repairs would be too expensive.

We felt like our resources could be better used giving back to the community and doing some other things, Price said.

Price made growing membership a key organizational priority.

Chapter President Colleen Anderson became a member in 2014, and credits Prices enthusiasm with inspiring her to take a greater role in the organization.

She has an amazing personality, and her energy is just magnetic, and she really kind of embodies everything that the Jaycees are about, Anderson said.

Under Price, the organization placed a greater emphasis on forging connections with members at the individual level, Anderson said.

Price said the organization worked with members on dues, allowing for payment plans and lessening the burden for members who worked a certain number of events.

Price was recognized as being one of the top 10 chapter presidents for her work that year.

Beyond just being a way of helping the community, Price also sees the members of the group as her family.

The people that are in the Jaycees with me are my family, Price said. Theyre my social life, too. Theyre people I hang out with outside of even doing Jaycee things.

Prices election as state president came after her second bid for the office.

In 2013, Price said she lost in a close race.

I took a few years and grew personally as well as with some Jaycees stuff, and I decided really kind of around April of this year that this is something that I wanted to pursue again, Price said.

Strengthening bonds, both between the local chapters and the local chapters and the state board, is a major priority for Price during her tenure.

Huffman, who served as the state president in 2009, spoke positively of the impact she believes Price will have on the state organization.

Anna is one of those people who gets an understanding of what needs to happen, and then she comes up with a plan, and she executes it, and her results are fantastic, Huffman said.

I think shes one of the best things that happened to the Hickory organization, and I think the state is going to benefit greatly from her tenure as state president.
This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/
The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) began as a liberal-Left university in some ways by chance. Initially, in the student elections of 1970-71, it was both Left and liberal. In 1973, when Prakash Karat was elected president and Gyan Prakash was elected general secretary in an SFI-AISF alliance, it seemed that the Left had come to stay. The SFI was the Students Federation of India linked to the CPI(M) and AISF was the All India Students Federation linked to the CPI. Prakash Karat later became the CPI(M) General Secretary while Gyan Prakash went on to become a Professor of History in Princeton University, in the United States.

In the meantime many changes occurred in JNU. The university consistently expanded, and many new science schools (faculties) were established. During the UPA II, JNU was asked to expand its students strength by 54%. But things changed markedly with the NDA government. There were crackdowns on student protests in February 2016, and three student leaders  Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya  were jailed on sedition charges. The Delhi High Court later dismissed these charges. This period was preceded by a new vice- chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar, who had previously had no experience of guiding a university, and had little appreciation for the JNU model, to which he was diametrically opposed.

Early this year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) ruled that the faculty had too many research students, which were reduced by 82%. The UGC did not deign to discuss this issue systematically with the faculty and students. The fact that the previous government had asked JNU to increase the student strength by 54% was brushed aside. This angered both the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) and the JNUSU (JNU Students Union). In the JNUTA elections earlier this year, the Left-liberal alliance swept the election. The Left had been dominant in the earlier JNUSU last year. In the course of its struggle to stop the reduction in research seats and new restrictions on students, a Left Unity alliance was built up in recent weeks.

The Left Unity alliance comprised of the AISA (All India Students Association, the SFI and the DSF (Democratic Students Federation). The DSF was a breakaway group from the CPI(M) but was welcomed into the alliance, a typical instance of JNUSU liberalism and openness. In the election on September 8, it was expected that the contest would be between the Left Unity and the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) of the Sangh parivar. But another formidable force was the BAPSA, a alliance dominantly of Dalits united with OBCs.

The election results validated these expectations. The United Left got a landslide victory. They won all four office bearer posts of the union, with president, vice president, secretary and joint secretary. They won 13 councillors in the three biggest schools: the School of Social Sciences, the School of International Studies and the School of Language, Literature and Cultural Studies. In addition, the three office bearers also have a vote in the JNUSU Students Council, with the President having a casting vote. The ABVP which linked up with independent candidates in the Science Schools, came second with 10 councillors. BAPSA came third in popular votes. Liberalism and dissent are alive and well in JNU.

Kamal Mitra Chenoy is former vice-president of JNUSU, and three-time president of JNUTA

The views expressed are personal
Kancha Ilaiah, a popular writer and activist, has landed in a controversy over a Telugu book that describes Vysyas  members of the trading community  as social smugglers.

Ilaiah, known for his pro-Dalit stand, complained to the Hyderabad police on Monday that he has been receiving threat calls from unidentified people ever since his book was launched. The calls and messages are abusive, and they have even threatened to cut off my tongue, the retired political science professor with Osmania University told mediapersons. Maybe they intend to murder me just like Gauri Lankesh was killed in Bengaluru.

A particularly caustic extract from the book  Samajika Smugglurlu Komatollu (Vysyas are social smugglers)  goes thus: Vysyas have always hated Shudras, Dalits and OBCs who are involved in the production of goods. They never take up the job of protecting the country  there is no baniya regiment in the Army. They are part of the ruling class  Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are baniyas  and they are backed by business tycoons like the Ambanis and Adanis. They are culturally vegetarians, so how can they fight mighty enemies like Pakistan and China if they dont eat meat or beef?

The Arya Vysya Sangham held protest rallies across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh after the contents of the book were circulated in the social media. According to association members, Ilaiah habitually insults certain castes and communities through his writings. He also made derogatory comments against Hindu gods in the past, hurting religious sentiments, one of them said on the condition of anonymity.

J Venkateshwar, president of the Andhra Pradesh Arya Vysya Mahasabha, said a complaint would be lodged against Ilaiah. Pointing out that several members of the Arya Vysya community  including Mahatma Gandhi  had played a crucial role in the freedom struggle, he said: Ilaiah should apologise to the Arya-Vysya community people, failing which we will register protests wherever he goes in the state.

The Vysya community demanded that the book be banned, and Ilaiah placed under arrest immediately.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Four people have been arrested in Madhya Pradeshs Panna district for not completing construction of toilets under swachh bharat mission. The arrests have been made under section 151of CrPc (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences.) on the order of sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Panna.

The four arrested hail from village Kalayanpur in Ajaygarh Janpad of the district. Earlier strict actions have been taken against people for open defecation. This is apparently for the first time that action has been taken for not completing toilet construction. In June last year, authorities in Harda took action against three villagers for open defecation and sent them to jail under section 151of CrPc for speaking against the open defecation-free campaign. In the same, month a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) in Barwani sent a youth to jail after he was caught defecating in the open in his village Jalgon under Section 151 of CrPC .

Speaking to HT, Ajaygarh block coordinator for swachh bharat abhiyan Yogesh Singh said that the four people who were arrested for not completing construction of the toilets Rudri Yadav,Nasir Khan, Allauddin Khan and Swamidin Rajak

Under swachh bharat mission, government provides Rs 12000 for toilet construction. It is done in two ways - either beneficiary constructs toilet in one go and following inspection Rs 12000 is transferred in his or her account or the beneficiary constructs base of the toilet and after inspection Rs 6000 is transferred into his account as first installment, he said.

Singh said in Kalyanpur village, these four people had had received Rs 6000 as first installment for constructing the toilet base around 5 to 6 months back. However since then they were not constructing their toilet further despite many reminders from sarpanch, panchayat secretary, janpad officials and so on .The situation reached to such an extent that started misbehaving whoever reminded them of their incomplete toilet, he said.

On September 7, Singh said, during meeting of district panchayat, the chief executive officer of the zila panchayat came to know about the matter . He he instructed the SDM to lodge police case against these four. And accordingly SDM directed the local Dharampura police station to lodge a case under section 151 of CrPc against these four villagers. They have been granted bail on the condition that they will complete toilet construction at earliest.

SDM Panna Vinay Dwivedi told local media that on the directions of the zila panchayat CEO and collector, four people have been arrested 151 CrPc for not completing the construction of their toilets in the village Kalyanpur, despite the fact they were provided money. They have been granted bail on the condition that they will complete toilet within a week, he said

The Centre, under Swachh Bharat Mission has set a target to make the country open defecation-free (ODF) by October 2, 2019, which coincides with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

With MP having around 52000 inhabited villages, the district administrations are racing against time to ensure their respective districts are declared ODF as soon as possible. Of 51 districts in MP, 11 districts and 17,549 villages have been declared ODF so far
In a rare incident, an elephant drowned in Ken River in the core of Panna Tiger Reserve, situated in the Vindhyan ranges, spread over Panna and Chhatarpur districts in north- east Madhya Pradesh.

It is not clear how the largest terrestrial animal was drowned in the Ken river, which meanders through the tiger reserve from south to north for some 55 kms. Elephants can swim and are known to use their trunk to breathe like a snorkel in deep waters.

Field director Panna Tiger Reserve Vivek Jain told HT that the tiger reserve had 14 elephants, who after their routine patrolling rounds in the reserve, are routinely taken by the mahauats for foraging trips in the forests nearby.

Many times during such trips, these elephants got to Ken River to drink water and take a dip in its waters. (Elephant drinks over 200 litres a day). On Saturday, two elephants had gone to Ken river near Pipar Tola area of the Reserve but only one returned. The 14-year-old elephant known by the name Vindhya (after the local Vindhyan range) died in the drowning incident. Later the body of the elephant was located downstream. It is not clear what happened in the water that led to the drowning of one elephant while another came back, he said.

Jain said post mortem of the elephant confirmed that it died due to drowning. We have sent the samples of its viscera to the animal lab at Jabalpur for detailed analysis to establish the exact reasons for its death, he said.

Jain said it is perhaps for the first time in the state when an elephant has died in a drowning incident.

In February 2015, two wild male elephants had died due to electrocution in Sidhi district, near Sanjay Gandhi Tiger Reserve. They died after coming into contact with a live electric wire that was connected to an irrigation pump in a farm.

There are no wild elephants in the forests of Madhya Pradesh, except for their occasional straying into the bordering districts close to northern Chhattisgarh.

According to experts, elephants migrate from Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh to adjoining areas in Chhattisgarh and occasionally bordering districts MP as areas in these states have abundance of bamboo, standing crops and water, which attracts them.

Also, elephants come to MP in search for mahua flower, sugarcane, paddy and other eatables in fields and houses.

The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant. Since 1986, Indian elephant has been listed as Endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last 60 to 75 years or three generations. Asian elephants are threatened by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation.
Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn has always been known as the quintessential tough, macho hero, and films such as Singham (2011) and the recent heist thriller Baadshaho have further enhanced that image. But what very few people know is that Ajay melts easily when it comes to indulging his kids, daughter Nysa, 14, and son Yug, who turns seven on September 13.

 A post shared by Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) on Apr 13, 2017 at 10:42pm PDT

He reveals that at home, he is the one who spoils the children and that his wife, actor Kajol, holds the reins. Kajol is the strict one, and handles the discipline of the house. What [Nysa and Yug] dont get from her, they come and complain to me, and I give them whatever they want. But I also say, Dont tell this to your mom! laughs the 48-year-old. And what happens when Kajol eventually gets to know about it? Ajay says, First, she gets annoyed. I ask her to calm down, and then I tell her that its my decision!

But Ajay realises that its important to keep his kids grounded. He says, However indulgent I might be, I draw some lines. My upbringing at home has been typically very middle-class. Me having a very big house and everything doesnt change things. I still live in a joint family; my parents (Veeru and Veena Devgn) stay with me. The kind of upbringing my kids have got is also similar. They know whats right and wrong.

With @nysaadevgan at the @smilefoundationindia event yesterday. Let's pledge to ensure education for every girl. Don't say no because she's a girl, give her wings because #SheCanFly A post shared by Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) on Sep 29, 2016 at 2:01am PDT

Nysa has recently gone abroad to Singapore to complete her schooling. Asked how difficult the decision was, Ajay says, I am still shaken up. Shes only 14, and she has never been alone and left the house. The whole family is a little upset, but shes adjusting there well, so I am happy about that.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor will play an aspiring musician in Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehras Fanney Khan that also stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Even as Anil shared his first look from the film and tagged it as 50 shades of black and grey, we have learnt that it took over 50 hours to finalise Anils salt-and-pepper look for the film.Directed by Atul Majrekar, the film also stars Rajkummar Rao and Divya Dutta.

#FanneyKhan has many faces, but don't be fooled by his appearance...He's hiding a whole world of secrets under that silver hair! pic.twitter.com/mysqoUlOqo  Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) September 10, 2017

After several discussions with the makers of the film, the Dil Dhadakne Do star visited a popular salon in Mumbai suburb for continuously five days and spent over 10 hours each day before the look was finally zeroed in.

Anil Kapoor essays the role of the lovably flawed and rough-around-the-edges Fanney Khan and has also gone lean for his look. Sources close to the actor claim he incorporated alternative forms of workouts because of an ankle injury and it took him over a month to achieve the desired results.

Producer of Fanney Khan, Arjun N Kapoor said in a press release,  Anil Kapoor plays a character who celebrates the extraordinary in the ordinary and hence looking the part was extremely crucial. He managed to pull it off beautifully and continues to inspire all of us with his dedication and passion.

Anil Kapoor is an actor par excellence who gives his 200 percent to any character he portrays. The love and passion he has for films is visible in the time he has invested to get his look right and the dedication he has shown to get the perfect physique, Bhushan Kumar added.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Rangoli Chandel has always made sure her sister, Kangana Ranauts side of the story is properly documented on social media by tweeting every time the star is attacked. While Kanganas recent explosive interviews have left a lot to be explained, Rangoli has responded quite angrily to Sona Mohapatara, Zarina Wahab and even Kamaal R Khan, all of whom attacked Kangana. Kangana has now called her sister happy and hormonal, blaming her pregnancy for the impulsive tweets.

Speaking to Indian Express, Kangana said, We are very excited, she (Rangoli, Kanganas sister) had a terrible time before, as she had a miscarriage, she had a terrible time. But now she is very happy and very hormonal. So I ask her to not tweet please, but she keeps on tweeting very impulsive things, and I am like, can you please not do that? So, we are very happy, and the baby comes in November first week. We are looking forward to it.

Kangana, in her interview to Rajat Sharma, had said that she went to Zarina Wahab for help alleging that her husband, Aditya Pancholi was abusive towards her, but Zarina turned her away. Referring to Aditya, Kangana said, He got an apartment for me but didnt allow my friend to come there. It was a kind of house arrest. Then I went to meet his wife. His daughter is a year older than me. My film Gangster was about to release then. I met his wife and asked for her help. She said to me that they are happy whenever he is not at home otherwise he raises his hands on domestic helps and others around. Its actually good for us if he is not around, so I cant help you.

Rangoli has blasted Zarina, who said in the press that she (Kangana) was dating my husband (Aditya) for four and a half years, so how can I say that shes like my daughter? Rangoli tweeted, Sana Pancholi is born in 1985 Kangana Ranaut is brn in 1987 do u hv shame u r a prt of dis exploitation of a grl youngr dan ur own daughter?

Kangana has been at the centre of a storm for the past two weeks, ever since she raked up controversies by speaking about her past relationships with actors Hrithik Roshan, Aditya Pancholi and Adhyayan Suman in three different interviews. While Hrithik chose to walk away when asked for a reaction, Aditya has announced he will take legal action against her. Adhyayan, on the other hand, claimed ignorance of the entire episode and refused to say anything.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Actor Richa Chadhas phone has been ringing non-stop, with questions from friends, family and the media, ever since her relationship with actor Ali Fazal went public. However, she seems to have made peace with her personal life being in the public eye.

Its none of anyones business who Im dating or not, but then I think that if Hollywood wont leave Jennifer Aniston alone at this stage, asking [her] about when she wants to have children, then I dont have a chance to be left alone. You have to put up with some really crazed out people, says Richa, who has been dating her Fukrey (2013) co-star Ali for over a year now.

Richa, who has otherwise remained mum on her relationship status, sent out strong tweets against things being written about her. She says, Honestly, I dont like to make a big deal about it. The thing is that its such a personal choice and I now understand why people like to keep things under wraps, because [others] write whatever they feel like.

Actors Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha have been dating for over a year now.

Talking about how she and Ali reacted to the fan frenzy around their relationship, she says, We were laughing [and thinking] that what has happened to people? I never thought anyone would care. Were so easygoing and laidback; were not from the film industry; we dont strategise and plan or send hints to the press or give tip-offs that well eat here and take our picture.

Richas next film is Jia Aur Jia, and shell co-star with Ali in the Fukrey sequel. Even though its their first film as a couple, things havent changed much for them. Ali and I were always friends from our theatre days, and we had a common friend circle. When we went back to the Fukrey sets, we had the Fukrey gang and because of that bonding, we were never weird with each other, she says.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Sonakshi Sinha has praised fellow actor Priyanka Chopra, terming her a woman of substance.

Priyanka, the goodwill ambassador for Unicef, is currently in Jordan to help children uprooted by the civil war in Syria.

What @priyankachopra is doing RIGHT now with @UNICEF is what we must all aspire to do in life - make a difference. #womanofsubstance  Sonakshi Sinha (@sonakshisinha) September 11, 2017

A large number of Syrians died or were forced to leave their homes due to the conflict. Since then, a number of Syrians have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Jordan.

Sonakshi, 30, on Monday took to Twitter to laud Priyankas work with Unicef.

What Priyanka Chopra is doing right now with Unicef is what we must all aspire to do in life - make a difference. Woman of substance, Sonakshi tweeted.

Amman : Priyanka Chopra, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, greets a Syrian woman and her baby at UNICEF's Makani Center in Amman, Jordan, Sunday, Sep. 10, 2017. (AP)

Priyanka also shared a series of photographs of herself, where she is seen spending time with the families of the affected.

On the acting front, Sonakshi will next be seen in Ittefaq, directed by Abhay Chopra. The film is an adaptation of the similarly titled 1969 film.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Veteran theatre and film personality Tom Alter, 67, is battling stage four skin cancer at a Mumbai hospital, his son said on Monday.

Upset over factually incorrect stories about his father suffering stage four bone cancer, Jamie said, It is what is called a squamous cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer). It is a relapse of the same thing which had happened last year and unfortunately, for various reasons, it was not detected at that time and has come back.

Last year, Tom Alter had to get his thumb amputated due to the condition. Now, he is in stage four, Jamie said.

Tom Alter has been admitted for a week in Mumbais Saifee Hospital. He is fighting it well. He is showing the will to battle it out, Jamie said, adding: He is under the best care possible. Various doctors across the country are in consultation. As a family, we are very happy with the treatment he is getting.

His bodily functions are absolutely fine. The doctors are very happy with that. The past one week has gone in getting him in a state of physical strength, whereby the doctor is able to start the next round of medication.

Jamie said the family wants privacy in the matter. We will be releasing statements to the media as and when things happen.

Known for starring in television shows like Bharat Ek Khoj, Zabaan Sambhalke and Betaal Pachisi, Tom Alter is an American-origin actor settled in India. He has had a flourishing career on stage, and on the big screen he has played pivotal roles in successful films like Gandhi, Shatranj Ke Khilari, Kranti, Aashiqui and Parinda.

In 2008, he was recognised with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour of India. According to Bhargav Saikia, director and producer of Tom Alters short film The Black Cat, the actor was invited to a special screening of the film in Mussoorie last week. However, he couldnt make it due to his condition.

Tom Alter features as author Ruskin Bond in the film, and Saikia said he missed him a lot during the movies screening, which was held at the historic Parker Hall of Mussoories Woodstock School, the actors Alma Mater.

Wishing to see him back in action, Saikia told IANS over phone: I met him last in July. He was fine, and his health was okay. He was working on a theatre production and was also doing some serial. We were last in touch in early August via email. But when I emailed him towards end of August to invite him for the Mussoorie screening, I didnt receive any response. Thats when I got to know through his manager about his hospitalisation. It is very unfortunate.
Rebel super-hacker Lisbeth Salander is back in the fifth book in the Millennium series, this time battling neo-Nazi prison gangs and honour killings as well as trying to uncover the secrets about her troubled childhood.

The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye is the long-awaited return of Salander, the small but combative computer wizard and hobby quantum physicist, who was introduced to readers in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, published in 2005.

The best-selling series, which made the Nordic Noir genre of gritty Scandinavian crime novels popular globally, was created by author and reporter Stieg Larsson who had completed the first three novels before he died of a heart attack in 2004.

Author David Lagercrantz was commissioned to write a fourth novel, published in 2015, and this time around he delves deeper into the mystery of her childhood where she often witnessed her mother being abused by her father.

The big question is of course why does Lisbeth Salander have a big dragon tattoo on her back and you can be sure that a girl like her wouldnt (get) a dragon tattoo without a very good reason, David Lagercrantz said.

I had to find something you know that was really heavy and mythical, and when I did, I sort of had a story. Ive added more darkness to Lisbeth Salander.

The book, which releases on September 16, also draws inspiration from issues Sweden has grappled with in recent years, such as a resurgent far-right movement and honour killings  both fiercely debated topics in the Nordic country.

Sweden is now changing so quickly and that is something I have to deal with as well, Lagercrantz said.

Sweden was shocked after members of a neo-Nazi cell conducted a string of bombings in the city of Gothenburg around the turn of the year while the far-right Nordic Resistance Movement has stepped up its activity.

As a reporter, Stieg Larsson devoted much of his life to investigating Swedens far-right movement. In 1995, he co-founded the anti-Fascist magazine Expo and worked there until his death.

That was the core of Stieg Larsson, to fight intolerance, racism and Fascism, said Lagercrantz.

Honour killings have also been on the agenda. A recent report by Swedish public service radio showed 10 of the 105 murders in Sweden last year were honour killings. The government has launched an investigation and said its reviewing relevant legislation.

The original three books have been translated into 50 languages and sold more than 80 million copies while the fourth sequel, the first penned by Lagercrantz, has sold 6 million copies.
Your power levels have gone down. This tube you see will take liquid power inside your body so you can become strong again like Chhota Bheem. Ever since Ive mentioned this to my 4-year-old, Rudra, he flexes his tiny, needled arm every night before sleeping. Weve tried different ways to answer his innocent questions and he seems to have liked this the most. I dont have the strength or courage to tell my son that the reason hes going through such painful tests is the six-lettered disease the world dreads - cancer.

FOUR-YEAR-OLD RUDRAS PARENTS ARE DESPERATELY SEEKING FUNDS TO COVER THE COSTS OF HIS CANCER TREATMENT. YOUR THOUGHTFUL DONATION CAN HELP HIM FIND A NEW LEASE OF LIFE. FIND OUT MORE ON HIS FUND-RAISING PAGE ON KETTO.

Im Dinesh Pote, a freelance gym trainer by profession. I live with my wife and two children in a small chawl in Chembur, Mumbai. A good month for me means earning around Rs. 6,000 from clients; however, there are times when I struggle to find even one. Right now, Im holding a report in my hands, which states that my son has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. The treatment for this will span a period of 2-3 years and cost at least Rs. 10 lakh. Desperate, scared, and frantic, weve now pinned all hopes on the kindness of strangers  like you  and the crowd-sourcing forum Ketto to help bring our boy back from the sure jaws of death.

It all started one unfortunate afternoon, when we received a frantic call from Rudras teacher informing us that he had collapsed at school. He was running a temperature and limped while walking. On our local doctors advice, we got an X-ray done. All reports were normal but Rudra continued to limp.

Cancer patients family appeals to the kindness of strangers

A few days later, while attending an aarti for Ganesh Chaturthi, I noticed a black spot on his forehead. In a few days, these spots started spreading to other parts of his body; some even looked like blood clots. After a few tests at the nearest hospital, the doctors explained that Rudra had blood cancer. It was curable, provided we get the treatment started at the earliest.

For my family and me, it was like the sky had come crashing down. Both, the cancer and the cost to save my sons life have left us devastated. My inability to pay for his cure can cost us his life. How will I live with myself if my son dies because I failed to raise the money for his treatment? Your support in the form of donations can help save my sons life.

The first few days at the hospital were extremely difficult for us. Rudra went through a series of painful tests - most of them would end with him screaming and begging us to take him home. It was such an excruciating sight; his mother would often start crying too. When I saw Rudras arms at night, my heart would break  they had turned purple and black because of the constant pricking. I decided to shift him to Hinduja Hospital immediately; thankfully, the tests my son undergoes here are not painful anymore.

So far, weve spent over Rs. 1.5 lakh over tests, medicines, and hospital charges. I mortgaged my wifes jewellery, as well as turned to trusts that help families of patients that cant afford medical treatment. But I havent come even close to the amount I need to pay. Ive written to many other trusts but Im yet to hear from them. I dont have a lot of time. Now, my only hope lies in the contributions from people who read my story.

Cancer patients family appeals to the kindness of strangers

Over the last couple of days, things have changed dramatically for Rudra. Hes come from his classroom bench to a hospital bed, from being surrounded by friends to being around nurses, doctors, and other patients. Hes at a high risk of infection so we make sure that everything is dust-free. Rudra is a smart child: He often reminds me to use the sanitizer before I come near him. He says, Baba, how can you touch me before sanitizing your hands? Hes very co-operative for a 4-year-old and we try to keep things normal around him. He loves to colour so I ensure theres always a colouring book by his bedside.

Rudra needs his treatment before the cancer gets worse. I havent managed to gather any more money. The thought of losing my child haunts me when Im sleeping; but, when I wake up, my two children still look up to me like Im their hero.

We desperately want to see Rudra healthy and happy again. Please help me pay for my sons treatment by donating to our fundraiser page on Ketto. Your prayers and your contributions can make all the difference in his  and our  little world.

-By Dinesh Pote as told to HT Brand Studio

Founded in 2012, Ketto is a trusted crowdfunding platform that focuses on raising funds and awareness, chiefly on issues in the social domain. Much like an online support network, it allows individuals to know more about issues they support and actively facilitate change through donations. Theyve previously helped raise significant amounts for a variety of different causes. Presently, the organization is trying its best to make Rudras story a positive one by ensuring that he receives his treatment on time. Find out how you too can be a part of this here.

(This content was created in partnership with HT Brand Studio and not the editorial team)
India will buy an additional one million tonnes (mt) per annum of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Australias Gorgon project after it got Exxon Mobil Corp to cut price agreed to eight years ago.

Exxon will charge 12.5% of prevailing Brent oil price for about 1 mt per annum of additional LNG that Petronet LNG Ltd, Indias largest gas importer, will buy over and above the 1.44 million tonnes already contracted.

The additional volumes were agreed upon after Exxon agreed to slash price of LNG under the 20-year deal signed in August 2009, sources privy to the development said.

Exxon will bear the cost of shipping LNG from Australia to India and will charge 13.9% of the prevailing Brent oil price for the 1.44 million tonnes long-term LNG in place of 14.5% of the price of Japan crude imports or JCC.

The sources said the August 2009 deal was Free on board (FOB) trade where the buyer had to arrange for shipping.

At $50 per barrel oil price, Gorgon LNG, whose supplies started in January this year, would have cost $7.25 per million British thermal unit at the port of loading. Adding another $1 for transportation would have led to delivered price of $8.25 in the old contract.

In the new formula, Gorgon LNG delivered at Indian port will cost $6.95 per mmBtu.

Happy to share good news that India has, yet again, been able to address the long-term price issue of LNG from Gorgon to suit Indian market, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in a tweet.

India had used its status of Asias third-largest LNG buyer to renegotiate in 2015 the pricing formula with Qatars Rasgas to buy the gas at half the original price.

Indian customers will receive (Gorgon) LNG volumes at an amicable price soon. This is done in a similar way to what we did with LNG from Qatar, Pradhan said in another tweet.

Petronet had last year formally sought at least 10% cut in price of LNG it plans to buy from Australias Gorgon project as the 14.5% indexation was one of the highest in the world.

Petronet in late 2015 had renegotiated price of the long-term deal to import 7.5 mt per year of LNG from Qatar, helping save Rs 8,000 crore. At that point, it had also signed a contract to buy an additional 1 mt per annum till 2028.

That deal for an additional 1 million tonne was at 13.05% of the ruling Brent price. So naturally, the expectation is that the Gorgon should lower the indexation to a minimum 13%, the source said.

LNG in spot or current market is available at $5-6 per mmBtu.

State-owned gas utility GAIL India, one of the four PSU promoters of Petronet, had in 2013 sought review of the Gorgon LNG price formula.

Its then director (marketing) Prabhat Singh, who now is the managing director and CEO of Petronet LNG, in June 2013 had written a letter seeking reduction in price of Gorgon LNG.
Embattled Sahara group on Monday said a Dubai investment fund has agreed to provide a loan of $1.6 billion (over Rs 10,000 crore) against security of 26% shares of its Aamby Valley project.

Royale Partners Investment Fund Limited of Dubai, headed by HE Sultan Al Ahbabi has entered into an agreement with Sahara to provide loan of $1.6 Billion against the security of 26% of the shares of Aamby Valley Ltd, a Sahara group lawyer said in a statement.

They (the fund) have committed through a mutual agreement and the agreement was submitted in the last hearing of the court on August 10, 2017. The same was raised in todays hearing as well, advocate Gautam Awasthy said in the statement.

The statement came on a day when the Supreme Court directed the official liquidator to go ahead with the scheduled auction of Aamby Valley property in Maharashtra, as it rejected Sahara Group Chief Subrata Roys plea for some more time.

The liquidator has fixed the reserve price for the luxury resort town project at about Rs 37,000 crore, though the group pegs its market valuation at over Rs 1 lakh crore.

The directions came after Roy said he had deposited Rs 533.20 crore in the Sebi-Sahara account and wanted to pay the remaining Rs 966.80 crore through cheques dated November 11.

The top court said that barring hyperbolic arguments and rhetoric statements by the Sahara chief, the amount in its entirety has not yet been paid.

The court had on July 25 asked the embattled Sahara chief to deposit Rs 1,500 crore in the Sebi-Sahara account by September 7 and said it may only then deliberate upon his plea seeking 18 months more for making the full repayment of the outstanding amount to be refunded to the investors.

Sahara group said Aamby Valley Ltd has entered into a pact for Royale Partners Investment Fund, registered in Mauritius as a global business company and owned by Dubai- headquartered RPMG Investment, to invest money in return for a strategic stake of 26%.

The pact has been signed with Viktor Koenig UK Limited, with Royale Partners Investment Fund Limited as its nominee.

Sahara has been engaged in a long-running battle with the capital market regulator Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India).
In a fresh setback to Subrata Roy Sahara, the Supreme Court of India on Monday rejected Roys plea to defer the auction of Sahara Groups Aamby Valley city in Maharashtra and ordered the auction to go on as per schedule.

The court appointed the Registrar general of Bombay High court as Supreme courts representative and said, the Official Liquidator is permitted to carry out the auction as per procedure and during the auction the Registrar General of the High Court of Bombay, who is designated as Supreme Court appointee, shall remain personally present to over see the physical auction at the auction venue at Mumbai.

SC bench headed by the chief justice of India, Dipak Misra added, He, who thinks or for that matter harbours the notion that he can play with law, is under wrong impression.

In its order the court rued the fact that Subrato Roy had used the court as a laboratory and said,  We are constrained to state that the respondent-contemnor (Roy) in his own way has treated this Court as a laboratory and has made a maladroit effort to play, possibly thinking that he can survive on the ventilator as long as he can.

Subrata Roy-owned Sahara Groups Aamby Valley city in Maharashtra was put up for auction on August 14th, 2017, in keeping with the Supreme Court order for its sale to recover the money owed to investors.

The official liquidator, attached to the Bombay high court, published a notice inviting bids for the property located in the lush green Sahyadri mountain ranges close to the popular hill station of Lonavala. The reserve price has been fixed at Rs 37,392 crore.

The ultra-exclusive chartered city has residential options ranging from the timber chalets to fabulously modern and customised villas in distinct architectural styles and several amenities such as golf course, airport, hospital, adventure sports, retail, entertainment, international school and hospitality, the notice said.

Up for bidding are 6,761.64-acre Aamby Valley City Development, 1,409.87 acre of land surrounding the project and another 321.66 acre in the adjoining Satara district.

Roy had earlier sought permission for an agreement with Victor Koenig UK Limited for an investment of US $ 1.67 billion in Aamby Valley. The court allowed Sahara to begin negotiations but refused to put the auction on hold.

The auction is the fallout of the courts April 27 order that found Sahara guilty of contempt in a dispute with the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

Sahara has been ordered to refund millions of small investors who put money in its two schemes that were declared illegal by the market regulator.

The company has so far paid a little over Rs 11,000 crore and wanted time till July 2019 to deposit remaining Rs 14,779 crore with Sebi.
Tata Steel UK on Monday announced it has received confirmation from Britains Pensions Regulator about the approval of a Regulated Apportionment Arrangement (RAA) in respect of the British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS).

The BSPS has now been separated from Tata Steel UK and a number of affiliated companies, the company said in a statement. Estimated to be worth 15 billion , the pension fund threatened to drag the company into insolvency, making it less attractive to a potential buyer of its assets.

As part of the RAA, a payment of 550 million from Tata Steel UK has been made to BSPS and shares in Tata Steel UK, equivalent to a 33% economic equity stake in the company, have been issued to the BSPS Trustee under the terms of a shareholders agreement.

The company said: Tata Steel UK has also agreed to sponsor a proposed new pension scheme, subject to certain qualifying conditions being met. Now the RAA has been completed, all members of the BSPS will be invited to transfer to the new scheme.

If the qualifying conditions are met, members who choose to, will transfer to the new scheme. The new scheme would have lower future annual increases for pensioners and deferred members than the British Steel Pension Scheme, giving it an improved funding position which would pose significantly less risk for Tata Steel UK.

Koushik Chatterjee, Tata Steels group executive director, said: The completion of the RAA follows many months of hard work to provide the most sustainable outcome for pensioners, current employees and the business.

Although much work is still needed to ensure the business is competitive in future, the next step in this pensions process involves necessary formalities to set up the new scheme with a lower risk profile following the necessary member consent process led by the trustee.

He added, This will take some time to implement given the wide membership base of the scheme. The net financial impact of the RAA including the payment of the agreed 550 million settlement amount will be reflected in the Q2 FY18 financials for the company.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Moti Ram, 53, is associated with the BJP as a volunteer for the past two decades. His house being just 20 metre away from the party office on Balbir Road, he has in the past played host to many local leaders including Dehradun mayor Vinod Chamoli and MLA Doiwala Umesh Sharma Kau, but here is an opportunity for him to serve a person, he says will give him special pleasure.

Ram, a Dalit, is likely to host a lunch for BJP national president Amit Shah, who will come to Dehradun on a two-day visit on September 19.

I dont think the party has finalised any name yet, but if its me, then there could be no better pleasure than to serve a meal to our national president, Moti Ram told Hindustan Times.

Shah will have meal with a Dalit family as a part of his Dalit outreach programme. Earlier, he had meals with Dalit families in Rajasthan, Haryana, UP and other states. The saffron party won 57 of the 70 seats in the last assembly elections in Uttarakhand and Dalits, considered to be the traditional voters of Congress, believed to have voted for the BJP in the elections.

Ram, who works with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, does not hesitate in expressing his political inclination. I am a volunteer and my political inclination should not worry anyone as its my personal choice, he said.

MLA Rajpur Khazan Das, who won from a reserve seat during the last assembly elections, is incharge for shortlisting a Dalit family to host a lunch for Shah. He said, As his (Shah) schedule will be tight, we will choose a family (for hosting the lunch) that stays close to the BJP office, so that no time is wasted on travelling.

Rams five-member family, including two daughters and a son, is obviously thrilled. His wife, Poonam Devi, 48, who is also an active BJP member, said, It would be a dream come true situation, if we serve a meal to him (Shah).

The family lives in a habitation that has open drains and broken roads. Right now, construction work is going on at the residence of Moti Ram, who aims to complete the work within two days. While there are strict orders that the meal hosted would be ghar ka khana with no fancy dishes, Poonam has some bright ideas to satisfy the taste buds of Shah. Party leaders say that he will eat simple home-cooked food. Its not final yet that he will come here, but I have plans to cook two types of vegetables; one will be matar paneer and other could be aloo gobhi, besides dal-rice. I will also cook kheer for him, she said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Congress on Monday accused the ruling BJP of promoting land mafias and illegal sale of government lands by bringing more villages under jurisdiction of urban civic bodies.

The state cabinets decision to incorporate more rural areas in municipalities is designed at promoting of land mafia as latter will either purchase properties from farmers at throw away prices or encroach government lands that will be acquired by the municipal bodies, PCC president Pritam Singh to the media.

Singh said similar merger of panchayat bodies happened in the past and land acquired by Dehradun Municipal Corporation were encroached and sold by unscrupulous elements in collusion with the local administration.

Earlier, Dehradun city was a municipal board but was converted into Corporation and a large area of panchayat bodies were acquired by the new Dehradun municipal body but what happened latter is well known to everyone.

Its going to be a repeat of it for government lands will meet the same fate at the hands of mafia. However, the Congress will oppose it tooth and nail and not let the state government succeed in its nefarious design, said Singh.

He said had the government made its decision on developmental plank it would have first set the civic facilities of existing municipal corporation area in order and then thought of merger.

Ill designed merger of panchayt bodies, law and order situation in the state has come down to its worse with BJP workers going no holds bar across the state, Congress state unit chief said.

The state machinery of the state has failed to curb violence by BJP workers in Haridwar, he said.

BJP workers man handled their own MLA in Haridwar but FIR was lodged against the legislator not the accused vandals. In another similar cases supporters to two ministers clashed with each other but police and district administration watched quietly, said Singh.

He claimed that the BJP leadership was unable to keep its rank and file under control as they have least regard for law of the land.

He said the BJP government has no intention to fight against corruption as they have backed off from their earlier announcement to hold CBI probe in NH 74 scam and handed out matter to SIT.

They knew it well who all would have been in the net had there been CBI probe. Governments retreat over previous decision for CBI inquiry was to save their own men said the Congress president.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) took suo-motu cognizance of media reports and issued a notice to an east Delhi school where a five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a peon.

The girl was hospitalised after her parents found her bleeding. A medical examination confirmed that she had been raped. The accused, a peon at the school, was later arrested on Saturday.

It has been reported that the accused has assaulted other kids in the past, as well. Therefore...the Commission has instituted an enquiry into the matter, the notice read.

The DCW has demanded background details of the accused, such as his year of appointment, role assigned, and whether his credentials were verified by the police at the time of appointment, among other things.

We have given three days time to the school for replying to all our queries. After this, we will decide on further action to be taken, said a DCW representative.

The commission has also directed the schools management to counsel all students and interrogate about the occurrence, if at all, of similar offences with others in the past. The name of the school in Gandhi Nagar is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim.

The Delhi government has also ordered a magisterial inquiry, headed by the Vivek Vihar sub-divisional magistrate, into the assault and asked the panel to submit a report within three days .

Meanwhile, the school will remain closed till September 13 for security reasons, the principal said.

We have not faced any agitation from the parents, so far. Some parents enquired about the incident and were provided with all the details. We are also supporting the police in their investigation, he said.

The incident comes close on the heels of the murder of an eight-year-old boy by a member of the support staff at Ryan International School, Gurgaon.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Saturday was the first time in five months that the five-year-old refused to have lunch with her father after returning from school. The usually bubbly child refused to utter a word, despite much cajoling by her parents, leading them to believe she had fever.

It turned out she was looking for a chance to quietly slip into the bathroom.

As it turned out, their girl had been raped, allegedly by a peon of her school in Gandhi Nagar, and was looking for a chance to wash the blood stains off her clothes.

I saw my daughter frantically washing her clothes. This was a highly unusual behaviour, so I entered the bathroom to check. I saw blood stains on her clothes and blood-laced water on the bathroom floor. I checked further to realise that she had been raped, recounted the girls mother.

According to the child, she had mentioned the abuse to one of her female teachers immediately after managing to run out of a room where she had been raped by the 40-year-old suspect Vikas Jaiswal.

She alleged that she mentioned that Uncle had beaten her with fingers down there. But, the teacher allegedly laughed off the complaint and said that she would beat the uncle later.

Had the teacher acted, my daughter wouldnt have been washing her own blood, the girls father said.

The parents further alleged that when the child was taken to Chacha Nehru Bal Chitiksalaya, the same teacher turned up and asked for permission to speak privately with the child. The teacher then offered her chocolates in a bid to suppress the case, the girls mother alleged.

The teacher, however, denied the allegations and claimed that the girl had not even approached her.

I visited the hospital on humanitarian grounds after receiving a call from her parents. Why will I want to do something like offering her chocolates to keep her mouth shut? she asked.

The child lives with her parents and a sibling in east Delhi.

She has alleged that she was taken to the store room located in the school, where the accused Vikas locked the room from inside and allegedly raped her. When the school administration told the police that there was no store room in the school, the girl pointed out that it was the same room where teachers would threaten to send the students if they misbehaved or did not complete their homeworks.

The girl was admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital on Saturday night before being discharged on Sunday afternoon. Though she is stable, she is under immense trauma of getting her private parts bandaged every three hours.
A day after 40-year-old Vikas Jaiswal was arrested for allegedly raping a five-year-old inside a school in Gandhi Nagar, a bunch of other children enrolled at the institution have alleged that the suspect was notorious for harassing women staffers and threatening girl students.

Vikas uncle visited our classroom once a week. He would approach one of us and jokingly threaten to take us home with him. We tried to avoid him as he usually spoke very rudely to us, said a girl student.

Another child alleged that Jaiswal would often be seen hitting women staffers, much to their discomfort. One staff even started crying once, said another child.

However, the school principal claimed that there was not a single complaint against Jaiswal in the last two years that he worked here. He worked with other schools in this neighbourhood before we took him to guard our school buildings, ferry students to and from school on a rickshaw and do odd jobs, said the principal.

DCP (Shahdara), Nupur Prasad, said no complaint at the local police stations had been received against Jaiswal either. But we are speaking to other students to know if he had assaulted anyone earlier, said the DCP.

However, no mandatory police verification or background check on Jaiswal was done, the principal confessed while speaking to Hindustan Times. We had collected his Aadhaar card copy and address proof. This is the first such case in the school since it began functioning in 1982, he said.

A native of Jharkhand, the accused lived in the same neighbourhood with his wife, teenage daughter and a son. The police will also get in touch with two previous schools, where Jaiswal worked at, to know if there were any complaints against him.

DCPs told to conduct safety audit

Delhi Police commissioner, Amulya Patnaik, has directed district DCPs to get the security and safety audit done of the schools under their jurisdiction. The schools will have to install CCTV cameras at all vulnerable points, get police verification done of every employee and hire people only from authorised agencies, said Dependra Pathak, Delhi Police spokesperson, quoting the CP.

The security audit would involve checking if there is any time when the children are left unattended, whether they are handed over to their parents under supervision and the list of areas the children and teachers have access to.
The virtues of the famous Banarasi paan were extolled by actor Amitabh Bachchan in a hit song from his 1978 film Don. But 39 years later, the administration of Varanasi is worried that its spittle is ruining ancient cityscape.

The municipality plans to fine people up to Rs 500 for each paan spit and Rs 100 for littering public space with wrappers. If they succeed, they will achieve a feat that the strictest civic agencies across the world had failed to.

Sprays of betel and tobacco juice embellish urban landscapes across India. Catch a spitter in action and the pet refrain will be how it is the most Indian thing to do.

In the national capital, the paan and gutkha stains are like public art. You can see the spittle trails on the exteriors of stately government buildings, the snow white walls of Connaught Place, railings of elevated roads and flyovers, the boundaries of expensive hotels and even in car parks.

The Kolkata Port Trust has been complaining about how the citys iconic Howrah Bridge that it maintains has lost half its protective metal casing to the acids contained in paan. Last year, the central and western railways declared that they were spending Rs 3 crore a month to scrub paan stains out of Mumbais local trains.

We have also carried the tradition abroad. Brent, a London council that is home to a large south Asian immigrant population, started cracking down on people spitting paan on pavements in 2010. The stains were so stubborn, wrote the BBC, that even special teams using high powered water jets were unable to totally remove them.

So the authorities plastered the neighbourhood with posters saying: Its Nasty Man: Dont Spit Paan. Spending as much as 20,000 every year to clean the smears, the council has since last year also started penalising violators with a fine of 80.

The reddish-brown splotches on the sidewalks of Jackson Heights in Queens, New York, have disgusted the authorities and the local press alike. Last year, the municipality of Abu Dhabi issued fines of 1,000 Dirham each to 180 people spitting out betel juice on the streets and walls of the capital city of the United Arab Emirates.

In Indian cities, where authorities are preoccupied with piles of garbage killing bystanders or open manholes sucking in pedestrians, fighting littering or spitting is not even considered a civic priority. But last year, Union health minister JP Nadda faced ire of his fellow MPs who demanded strict action spitting in public places.

The on and off awareness campaigns launched by the municipalities have done little to dissuade people from turning Delhi into an open spittoon. After a gap of seven years, billboards carrying a counter to Su Su Kumar and Thu Thu Kumar with new characters Mrs Saf Suthiri and Mr Swachh Kumar were recently reinstalled in Delhi.

Penalties can be a deterrent. But a fine as low as R 50 may not be enough. Officials of South Delhi Municipal Corporation say that they are pushing for a ten-fold increase under the bylaws for National Solid and Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.

However hefty penalties need to be enforced to discourage spitting. For that, the municipalities will need more boots on the ground. A sanitation inspector and his deputy in each ward, who are supposed to monitor collection and transportation of citys garbage to dumpsites and also enforce bans on the use of plastic bags and littering, already have their hands full.

Till five years ago, Delhi Metro had just one magistrate to impose fines for violations on its entire network. The administration then decided to grant the powers to one Metro personnel at each station to impose and collect on-spot fines. It probably made a difference. Today, metro stations are the cleanest and the best preserved public space in the national capital.

Metro officials say that, over the years, the number of fine for spitting has declined because people know they will be caught and made to pay up. Civic officials, however, argue that metro stations are closed spaces where laws are easily enforceable.

They are right as global experience shows it is never easy to fight paan spitters across the city. But are they up to the open challenge?

shivani.singh@hindustantimes.com

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Monday morning commuters in Delhi found themselves stuck in long traffic jams on their way to work. Traffic snarls affected many parts of the city, but areas in south Delhi, Azadpur Mandi and Rao Tula Ram flyover seemed to be the worst impacted.

The Delhi Traffic Police s official Twitter handle put out a few advisories to alert commuters as well:



Traffic Alert

   11              |     |  Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) September 11, 2017

Traffic Alert

            G.T.K   G.T.K         |  Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) September 11, 2017

Traffic Alert

              accident      |  Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) September 10, 2017

Commuters took to social media to complain of traffic jams in Vasant Vihar, Karkari Mor, SP Marg, Mongolpuri and Mayapuri. At Rao Tula Ram flyover, traffic came to a halt for almost half an hour, before moving at a snails pace. Moolchand flyover was choked while commuters using the DND flyover, that connects Delhi and Noida, struggled because of congestion.

Twitter user Roshni Chawla shared a video of traffic inching slowly on her way from Gurgaon to Delhi. Distressed commuters tweeted to the Delhi Traffic Police account, asking them to intervene and resolve the traffic jams.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday left for Igatpuri in Maharashtra to attend a 10-day Vipassana meditation camp, days after the hectic campaigning for the Assembly bypolls in Delhi.

The chief minister will not have access to newspapers, televisions or any other media during the meditation course.

The CM today left for Igatpuri. He will be attending a 10-day session of Vipassana, a government spokesperson said on Monday.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia will take care of day-to-day government affairs in Kejriwals absence, he said.

In August last year too, Kejriwal had gone to Himachal Pradeshs Dharamkot to attend a 10-day Vipassana session at a meditation centre.

He is known to be an ardent practitioner of the meditation technique. After a hectic campaign post the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and the Delhi Assembly polls in 2013, the AAP chief had taken a break to practice Vipassana.

This time, his meditation break comes after the hectic campaign for the Bawana bypolls, where his Aam Aadmi Party registered a win.

Kejriwal had gone to Bengaluru earlier this year to undergo naturopathy treatment for high blood sugar, after months of campaigning for elections in Punjab and Goa.
Alls well that ends where things were before.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has iterated the need for Asias two largest countries to ensure Doklam-like incidents do not take place again. In this he was repeating what Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to at the BRICS summit in Xiamen. As was shown by the manner in which the Doklam standoff was brought to an end, New Delhi and Beijing understand that neither side will receive any real benefit in a genuine military confrontation.

There is considerable economic ballast between the two countries. But the fundamental reason that both sides prefer to keep their guns holstered is geopolitical. India may be economically smaller than China, but it is still large enough to cause Beijing serious problems, especially as Chinas global footprint grows faster than its ability to project power to defend these interests.

However, the ministers remarks also underline how the India and China relationship is driven by pragmatism, without a shred of sentiment or affection. He pointed fingers at India when it came to explaining why Doklam had happened, saying relations had been affected and undermined and implying it was up to New Delhi to do the repair work. Neither government may wish conflict, but neither sees any reason to shine sweetness and light on their ties.

The Indian Army chiefs remarks about the need to be prepared for a two-front war against both Pakistan and China are the subtext of India-China ties. While the timing of General Bipin Rawats remarks can be questioned given their proximity to the Xiamen meeting, they reflect a stubborn military reality that has been built into Indian strategic thinking since 1962. Pakistan and China are de facto military allies. The Indian militarys worst case scenarios with either country must presume conflict with both simultaneously. Doklam is a reminder that this hard-nosed reality has not changed.

The way forward is to build on the pragmatic calculation of both India and China that conflict is not a viable option. Therefore the two sides must work out institutions, as they have been doing over the past few decades, to ensure their run ins do not spiral out of control. At a time when both countries are accruing interests and capabilities at a rapid clip, this is a necessity to maintain the present bilateral equation of no problems and no trust.
The extremely tragic incident of a child having been found murdered in a prominent Gurgaon school raises several questions regarding the safety and security of children within schools. With school admissions becoming more and more complicated each year, perhaps parents and schools need to take another look at their priorities when it comes to admissions. Many schools advertise their world-class facilities that make the school look more like a five-star hotel than a school, with hi-tech systems, air-conditioned classrooms, Olympic-sized swimming pools, an International Baccalaureate (IB) courses etc.

It was only a few months ago that a child died in another prominent south Delhi school by falling from a second floor corridor. And now a child has been murdered in a bathroom within the school. Teachers and school authorities must remember that they are responsible for the well being of the child in loco parentis for all the time that the child has been entrusted in their care. More important than air-conditioned classrooms is whether the school premises are safe for a child. Things such as whether the railings in corridors are too low, and whether windows grills are enough to keep small children from falling off must be considered more important than whether the colour of the walls are vibrant enough.

While it is important to think about whether the board exam results of the schools students are in the high 90s, it is equally important to ensure that children are always within shouting distance of a responsible adult. Whether that adult is the principal of the school, the driver of the students school bus, the class teacher responsible for the student, or the bathroom attendant; a parent must know that the child will be safe with those that the child spends time with in the school.

Are bathrooms child friendly? Do the smaller children have separate bathrooms? Does the school have a strict no corporal punishment policy? Is there a counsellor, a paediatrician and a nurse available at all times on campus? These are the sort of questions that are important while looking for a school. It is not important if high academic achievers are given a different coloured tie to wear. What is important is if the atmosphere in the school encourages you to leave your child in that environment secure in the knowledge that her safety is taken care of.
Students in Madhya Pradeshs capital Bhopal staged a protest in front of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans residence on Sunday night alleging irregularities during the counselling session for admission to over 90 seats in the states private medical colleges through National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET).

Students created a ruckus during the counselling session for admission to 94 vacant seats in eight private medical colleges throughout the day alleging delay in the allotment and for non-display of the vacant seats in various medical colleges, among other complaints.

Candidates were unhappy that the seat allotment list for the mop up round, which was to be released at 9am, came out after a delay of two hours at 11am. Students were also angry with the delay in the release of the merit list of 940 candidates, which was released around 5.30pm by the state level counselling committee.

They complained that a candidate, who secured the 13th rank at the national level and first rank at the state level, also featured in the merit list of the mop up round under the state quota.

Their other complaint was that candidates from other states also featured in the merit list despite the Supreme Court and the Madhya Pradesh high court orders that only those from the state will be considered for admission.

The Madhya Pradesh government recently cancelled the admissions of students to medical and dental colleges through NEET 2017 after the Supreme Court rejected the states plea challenging the high courts August 24 decision on admission of non-domicile candidates.

The counselling process was scheduled to start from August 31 and according to the top courts order, a new merit list had to be issued and the process completed within 10 days.

The controversy erupted over allegations that a number of candidates belonging to other states secured admission in the states medical colleges on fake domicile certificates.

The complainants moved the high court after the directorate of medical education didnt take any action despite repeated complaints about the names of outsiders students.

Jabalpur bench of the high court granted a stay over the counselling and directed the state authorities to conduct counselling, draw up the list of candidates eligible under the state quota by taking into consideration and treating as final the option and information regarding the state to which the candidate belongs as furnished in the NEET form.

Later, the state government moved the Supreme Court, which refused to interfere with the order of the high court.

The directorate of medical education found that 34 students mentioned the name of other states in the NEET form but sought admission in the state quota seats in MP.
Human biology anywhere in the universe is similar. It implies that the knowledge pertaining to its healthcare is also to be standardised. Therefore, students need to be imparted same level of competency in terms of knowledge, domain and skills. Though the brainpower of a human being is enormous, one of the most brilliant persons ever, Albert Einstein, used only 0.5% of this power. Therefore, it can be concluded that most of us use only a fraction of the brains capacity to memorise and reflect in terms of skills. The medical curriculum does not require a brilliant brain, but a person who has the capacity to work hard the entire life vis-a-vis any other profession, because it requires total commitment to work in the field of healthcare.

Quality is the key

Now, if we look at the level of healthcare in our country, it is desired that all doctors graduating from medical colleges must have basic knowledge of the medical sciences. It is on this that he or she has to build a career by doing specialisation or super-specialisation.

Taking the plea that students in some remote areas are still not able to cope with the minimum required knowledge for the entrance means are proposing to induct unbaked or half-baked students in a profession, which deals with matters of life and death of human beings? Its high time that we should start thinking about maintaining quality rather than only focusing on quantity. The National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) shall be a sieve that will identify students who have an aptitude for the medical profession and eventually it shall remain upon the teachers to shape them into good doctors.

Check on private colleges

In order to identify the desired level of students, NEET has been introduced with a careful thought only to mitigate the malpractices existing in our country in admitting students to medical colleges. Even with NEET, it has been observed that dubious means are used by private colleges to fleece students for admissions. It is also unfortunate that under the guise of developing infrastructure, fee in private colleges has been enormously increased.

With the introduction of NEET, the hassle of appearing in examinations on different dates and different places, which used to be cumbersome for both students as well as parents, has been mitigated. It has also set a benchmark in terms of admissions across the country.

By bringing private universities and deemed universities under the ambit of common and centralised counselling, the practice of capitation has been done away with to some extent. But the erring institutions have adopted other means such as increasing fee rather than taking capitation, which needs to be examined by the Supreme Court so the this menace is mitigated. It is sad when a deserving candidate is unable to pay the fee and is devoid of getting admissions to a medical college.

All institutions under one umbrella

NEET has also brought minority institutions under one umbrella as they were using different scales to admit students on their own whims and fancies. The plea by students for a question paper in their local language knowing well that modern medicine across the world is practiced in English has also been discarded by the Supreme Court.

By observing the success of NEET-UG and PG, the Supreme Court has instructed the National Board of Examination to conduct Super Specialist Entrance Test also through a single window, ie NEET. We have observed that the admission process following NEET examination, particularly the mop-up round as well as the criteria for leftover seats, has remained variable in different states, which also needs to be rectified. This will make the admission process more transparent.

No seat to remain vacant

NEET was also supplemented with instructions to deposit fee only to nodal agencies conducting centralised counselling. Its emphasis not to leave any seat vacant in the all-India quota by preventing students from leaving seats after the second round of counselling has proved to be a fair decision. Impact of NEET can certainly be improved if the methods are adopted to prevent dummy admissions in schools and to have multiple domiciles. The clause of domicile can also be strengthened by taking students, who instead of doing 10+2 from particular place, should have done 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th from the same state.

(The writer is vice-chancellor, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, and chairman, monitoring committee, Medical Council of India)
Reading is a tool that sparks imagination and stimulates curiosity in children. It allows them to think and travel through different realms of their imagination. Through reading the child interacts with various characters, decodes various situations and ultimately this influences their personality and plays a role in their cognitive development. Reading, if cemented as a habit in a child early on, continues into adulthood and instills a love for books and knowledge. It helps children not only develop vocabulary and prepare them for school but also helps increase their attention span. It forms an integral part of a persons personality, an instrument through which the person copes with everyday stress, escapes into a world filled with possibilities and draws inspiration from. Reading allows the mind to expand; it enables people to test boundaries and plays a role in changing their perspectives.

We all have fond memories of our grandparents narrating folk tales to us. Listening to the fairy tales, stories from Panchatantra we, as kids, were also inspired to read about them, and thats how the love for books and reading was inculcated in us. However, in the generation that lives in the digital world, reading has taken a back seat and fast-paced visuals that they can access just by a click have become the choice. Parents often resort to easy forms of engaging children like TV and digital games. So amid the clutter of smartphones, tablets, laptops and video games, revival of books has become crucial. Here are some tips for caregivers to help their child develop an interest in books and reading.

1.Establish a reading routine, a reading time. It may be just before sleeping or after returning from school, according to the parents and childs convenience.

2.However busy you are, dont forget to out time to read out age-appropriate stories to your child.

3. Make reading fun by buying colourful illustrated books for your little one.

4.Go for books shopping with your child, and let him/her choose the book of their choice.

5.Storytelling sessions can involve parents and grandparents who then narrate stories, play roles and engage in enactment with kids.

6.It is important to create a reading friendly atmosphere at home. If space permits create a small library or books corner in the house where a child can sit at ease and read.

7.As the kid grows, join a library with your child, and make it a point to pick one book a week.

8.Understand your childs interests and link the books she reads to those.

Reading is to mind what exercise is to body. Research has proven that reading not only helps in academics but also helps in grooming the childs personality, increasing knowledge and fostering skill development. Reading also makes a great hobby that enriches life in ways more than one. Reading is, in fact, vital in shaping your childs future. So just grab an interesting story book and help your kid read it.

The author is content expert at Sesame Workshop in India
Lucknow In the wake of the murder of a student at Ryan International School in Gurugram, the district inspector of school (DIoS), Lucknow, has issued a circular asking schools here for police verification of school staff and private school van drivers and conductors.

The student was killed allegedly by the conductor of one of the school buses on Friday last week.

Most of the schools dont verify the antecedents of drivers of school buses, private vans or auto-rickshaws ferrying school kids. Schools barely check their history and employ them on the basis of licence they carry, said DIoS (Lucknow) Mukesh Kumar Singh.

Parents too cannot shy away from their responsibilities as they hire private vans for their convenience. The education department seeks the support of both school management and parents for the safe transportation of their children to school. He said even parents will have to shoulder responsibility.

In the absence of any such rule, the education department also has its hand tied whenever the issue of police verification emerges.

The parents must also keep a watch on van drivers and conductors. The education department officials and school management will also pitch in. It is the duty of all to ensure safety of children, the DIoS said.

Singh further said schools must take preventive measures so that Gurugram-like incidents could be averted in future.

School managements have been told to ban use of smartphones by drivers and conductors of school vehicles as they may use them to show objectionable things to children and sexually exploit them, he said.

This will be ensured by checking both by the schools and by the department, Singh added. The education department has asked schools to check students coming to school on bikes (motorcycles) and that they should not be allowed entry unless they have proper driving licence. Here too parent cooperation is a must because they do not prevent children from riding bikes, the DIoS said.
More than 100 parents from various schools gathered at the Mini-Secretariat on Monday and submitted a memorandum to officials seeking strict guidelines for schools in the city to ensure the safety and security of students.

The demand for security guidelines has come days after an eight-year-old student of Ryan International School in Bhondsi was found with his throat slit outside the schools toilet.

The police later arrested Ashok Kumar, the 42-year-old bus conductor, after he confessed to the crime.

Police said that the accused, on being interrogated, confessed that he attempted a sexual assault on the child inside the toilet before killing him.

The parents handed over their demands stating that the administration should conduct surprise inspections at schools and also demanded action against the school management. They expressed sorrow over the incident saying it has left them fearing for the safety of their children.

Mamta Lathar, whose son studies in Ryan International School in Sector 40, said, I am not sure if we can send our children to school in the light of this incident. They are not safe there. The school management has also not assured safety of our children.

With the parents erupting in protest demanding action against the school, a sizeable contingent of police personnel have been deployed outside the school to avoid any untoward incident.

Prerit Agarwal, whose children are in classes 6 and 1 of Ryan International School, Sector 31, said, The schools lack basic facilities and the same often expose our children to grave security risks. There should be proper background checks of all non-teaching staff.

Read I Ryan International School murder: SC to hear boys fathers plea for CBI probe

The district administration has urged the parents to give the school authority more time to consider their demands.

The schools should provide the card pick-up facility for parents or attendants who come to collect the children after school. The district administration will also conduct monthly meeting with all school principals and parents representatives to address all issues, said sub divisional magistrate SDM (north) Bharat Bhushan Gogia.

Assuring parents that quick action will be taken in all school-related incidents, he also said, Grievance cells will be formed in each and every school to enable all issues related to students and school to be resolved within 48 hours. A group will also be formed where all principals and parents representatives will be able to discuss problems.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Supreme Court will hear on Monday the petition of the father, whose eight-year-old son was killed inside Ryan International School near Gurgaon, for a CBI investigation into the cold blooded murder and seek guidelines for school managements in cases of security lapse.

The Class 2 student was found with his throat slit outside a toilet at Ryan International in Bhondsi, near Gurgaon, on September 8. A day later, a 42-year-old school bus conductor was arrested after publicly confessing to killing the boy, who he had allegedly tried to abuse sexually.

But the parents think there is more to the murder.

It is not possible that my son was killed within 10 minutes of entering the school without any motive, the boys father told Hindustan Times on Sunday. His son had seen something in the school and that was the reason he was targeted.

The accused was already in the toilet with a weapon and he only targeted my son whereas more than 10 children had used the toilet that day, he said.

In the petition, he will highlight the alleged loopholes in the police investigation, making a case for a CBI probe and comprehensive guidelines for all schools so that such incidents were not repeated.

The cold blooded murder was a conspiracy and more people were involved in the murder, his lawyer Sushil Tekriwal said.

The father, who would also seek police protection, accused the school management, which is under fire over the murder and its failure do a background check on the conductor, of tampering with evidence.

The school management is responsible for negligence in providing safety and security to the students, he said.

A panel probing the murder found that around 40 adult staff, including drivers and conductors, shared toilets with students, sources said. Toilet windows were broken and there were no guards.

Police found that the bus conductor was sacked by another school eight months ago for his sexually predatory behaviour.

They would seek guidelines so that school managements provided and were held accountable in case of a security lapse, Tekriwal said.

Licence or affiliation of schools should be scrapped for failing to comply with the guidelines that should be drawn up by a retired judge and implemented under the courts supervision, Tekriwal said, suggesting a security audit.

The school management was on Sunday charged with cruelty to a child as hundreds of parents tried to enter the private school, prompting police to a cane-charge.

About a dozen people were detained for arson and rioting and many more wounded in the police action. Cameras of some photojournalists were also damaged.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Supreme Court on Monday sought replies from the Centre and Haryana government on a petition filed by a father seeking a CBI probe into the murder of his eight-year-old son at Ryan International School in Gurgaon.

The court order came a day after police arrested two top Ryan officials and accused school authorities of tampering with evidence by wiping bloodstains from floors and walls.

A 42-year-old school bus conductor was arrested after publicly confessing to killing the Class 2 boy, who he had allegedly tried to abuse sexually. The child was found with his throat slit outside the schools toilet on September 8.

The boys father asked for comprehensive guidelines for all schools to prevent such crimes. He also sought a national tribunal to look into such cases across the country.

The petition relates to  command the authorities of the school management and the promoters to take steps so that safety and security is sustained and no one is affected, said a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

Besides the government, the CBI, Haryana police and the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) were asked to submit their stand in three weeks.

The court took up the case as an urgent matter after the visibly shaken and traumatised father requested for an early hearing.

He wants a CBI investigation, saying police failed to unearth the conspiracy behind the cold-blooded murder. The parents think there is more to the murder.

It is not possible that my son was killed within 10 minutes of entering the school without any motive, the father said on Sunday.

They think their son was killed because he must have seen some dirty secret in the school.

The murder was a conspiracy and more people were involved, his lawyer Sushil Tekriwal said.

The father accused the school management of lax security on the campus, a fact corroborated by a government-appointed inquiry committee.

The panel found that around 40 adult staff, including drivers and conductors, shared toilets with students. Washroom windows were broken and there were no guards.

The Ryan management is also accused of not conducting a background check of the bus conductor, who worked for a private agency contracted by the school to provide non-teaching staff.

Police found that the bus conductor, a native of Ghamroj village near Gurgaon, was sacked by another school eight months ago for his sexually predatory behaviour.

The school management is responsible for negligence in providing safety and security to the students, the boys father said.

His petition underscores growing concern across the country over a spurt in students facing sexual violence in schools, especially by non-teaching staff.

The father said a committee headed by a former top court judge should be appointed to suggest safety guidelines for schools.

His plea seeks instant revocation of licences to schools that either fail to adhere to the requisite criteria.

Union human resource development minister Prakash Javadekar suggested that drivers, conductors and non-teaching staff in schools should be women to prevent sexual assaults on children.

There should be more and more woman employees in schools and school buses can also have woman drivers so that there is more safety for students. We can have woman security guards too, he said.

According to Gurgaon police, Ryan groups regional head Francis Thomas and human resource chief Jayesh Thomas were arrested and charged with section 75 of the juvenile justice act. This section deals with cruelty and crime against children in a persons care.

Francis faced charges before when a student of Ryan International School in south Delhis Vasant Kunj drowned in a water tank on the campus in January last year.

The CEO of Ryan International, Ryan Pinto and parents Grace and Augustine Pinto, applied for anticipatory bail in the Bombay high court on Monday.

The district administration ordered the Ryan management to keep its schools in Gurgaon closed on Monday and Tuesday. Security was beefed up after angry parents staged a protest on Sunday and police lathi-charged the crowd.
Two top officials of Ryan International School Group arrested after the murder of an eight-year-old Class 2 student were remanded to two-day police custody on Monday for further questioning.

The parents want the school shut until a CBI inquiry is ordered and stricter legal provisions are slapped against the management for the murder on Friday. Ashok Kumar, a 42-year-old bus conductor, was arrested after publicly confessing to slitting the throat of the student who he tried to sexually abuse inside the toilet at Ryan International.

Francis Thomas, regional head of the Ryan group of institutions, and HR head Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Sunday night and booked under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act. Section 75 of the JJ Act deals with cruelty and crime against children under custody of someone and invites punishment of 5-10 years.

Police produced them at the Sohna court on Monday and demanded three-day remand but the court granted two-day custody. The police also added section 34 (common intention) of the IPC in the murder case.

Prosecution counsels demanded addition of section 201 of the IPC (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender). The police told the court that the school authorities tampered with the evidence at the crime spot.

Francis was also booked in connection with drowning of a boy in a water tank at Ryan international school in South Delhis Vasant Kunj area. A victim Devansh Meena went missing on January 30 last year and his body was recovered the same day from a water tank in the school.

Delhi Police had made Francis the first accused as he was responsible for administration and civil work inside the school premises.

Gurgaon police arrested the duo on Sunday following pressure by protesting parents and opposition to act against the school for alleged lapses, which led to the murder of the class 2 student in the school toilet on Friday.

Acting principal of the school, Neerja Batra, who was suspended on Saturday, was rushed to a private hospital in Khandsa road on Monday after she complained of sudden pain in the chest during questioning by a Special Investigation Team of the police. The SIT is questioning three teachers including Batra.

Police said her blood pressure fluctuated suddenly and she was taken to a hospital. Batra claims that she took bleeding boy to a hospital in her car. Police sources said she might be arrested for negligence.

All Ryan group of schools in Gurgaon have been ordered to remain shut on Monday and Tuesday on the directions of the district administration. Security has been stepped up at the school.

Police had on Friday night arrested the accused, Ashok Kumar, a 42-year-old bus conductor. However, parents and others demanded action against school authorities, especially after police revealed that Kumar was fired from a private school in his village Ghamroj because of his suspicious behaviour.

Police also suspended inspector Arun Kumar, the SHO Sohna Sadar police station, in connection with the baton-charge on protesters which left several media persons injured and drew strong criticism from the opposition.

Gurgaon police spokesperson said the SHO was suspended after probe found that baton-charge was uncalled for and could have been avoided.

According to news agency PTI, fourteen police teams constituted to probe the case are questioning the school staff while an SIT team is headed to Mumbai to interrogate school CEO Ryan Pinto and director Albert Pinto.

Meanwhile, CEO of Ryan group of Institutions Ryan Pinto has reportedly applied for anticipatory bail in Bombay High Court, and court is likely to hear the matter on Tuesday.

Haryana education minister Ram Bilas Sharma on Sunday said action was being initiated against the school under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act and more sections could be added after the government received a report by three-member committee on loopholes on the part of the school on Monday.

Hundreds of parents tried to enter the private school in Bhondsi, near Gurgaon, prompting police to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd on Sunday. About a dozen people were detained for arson and rioting and many more wounded in the police action. Cameras of some photojournalists were also damaged in the clashes.

(With inputs from Leena Dhankhar, Ipsita Pati and PTI)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
An 11-year-old girl was sent to the boys washroom as a punishment for not wearing the school uniform by a teacher at a private school in Hyderabad.

The Telangana government ordered an inquiry into the incident on Monday after the Andhra Pradesh Child Rights Association lodged a complaint with the State Human Rights Commission and also the police.

Child rights association president P Achyuta Rao said he has sought action against the insensitive staff and the school management. He said confining a girl to the boys washroom was nothing short of sexual abuse of a child.

Rao said he received a complaint from the girls father, A Ramakrishna, on Sunday, saying his daughter, studying in Class 5 in Raos High School inside BHEL premises, Ramachandrapuram on the city outskirts, went to the school on Saturday without wearing the uniform.

As she was entering her class, her physical education teacher Priyanka stopped her and asked her the reason she was not wearing her uniform. The girl told the teacher she had given the uniform for being washed. Enraged at this, Priyanka dragged her to the boys washroom on the first floor of the school building and made her stand there for some time.

Some students from Class 4 saw me in the washroom and laughed at me. I felt very bad and ashamed, she said in the video clipping that her father sent to the child rights association along with his complaint.

Though the girl was finally allowed into the class with a warning, she felt humiliated as the teacher proudly told three other teachers the punishment she had given to her.

After returning home in the evening, my daughter was crying all through the night and is now refusing to go the school again. She wants me to shift her to another school, Ramakrishna said in the complaint.

Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao, son of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, also tweeted about the incident after a video clipping of the girl narrating the episode went viral on social media in Hyderabad.

Ridiculous and absolutely inhuman. Will take it up with Honble Deputy CM education (Kadiyam Srihari) for appropriate action on the school, Rao tweeted.

Students unions staged a protest at the school on Monday morning. Protesters entered inside the school and ransacked the furniture demanding action against the staff who meted out the alleged punishment.

Corporal punishment is prohibited in schools in India but it is still seen as an accepted way of disciplining children in the country.

Under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, physical as well mental harassment of students is prohibited and a punishable offence.

A private school teacher in Lucknow allegedly slapped a Class 3 student 40 times and dragged him for not responding to roll call in August, following which she was booked by the police.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Two militants were killed on Monday in an operation by security forces in Rudwani area of Kulgam in south Kashmir.

Security forces also arrested one militant. According to army spokesman two weapons have also been recovered in the area.

The operation which started late last night was called off after the killings.

Confirming the killing, Armys Northern Command in Udhampur said, Two militants were killed in an encounter with police army and CRPF in Khudwani, Kulgam. One arrested. Weapons recovered.

According to a police spokesman based in Srinagar, the operation was jointly carried out by Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Five high courts across the country have constituted special benches to hear criminal appeals in cases where the accused has got a lawyer at the expense of a state through the legal aid cell.

These benches have already started functioning in the high courts of Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka, official sources in the Supreme Court told HT.

The move follows a letter from Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra to HC chief justices, pointing to the necessity of giving priority to such cases.

A week after he took over, CJI Misra sent a communique to the chief justices asking them make five-plus zero a reality.

To achieve the target of hearing appeals not more than five years old, the CJI suggested early hearings to criminal appeals filed directly by inmates languishing in jails.

Delay in disposal of such appeals raises question about the efficacy of the administration of justice as a whole and the criminal justice system in particular, read his letter dated September 4.

He recalled suggestions made in the past to fast-track cases in this specified category. Some of the measures included constitution of special courts and working during vacations.

The letter called upon the chief justices to explore the possibility of hearing such criminal appeals/jail appeals, in which legal aid has been provided, on Saturdays by specifically constituted bench, after obtaining consent of the concerned legal-aid counsel and state counsel.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Union home Rajnath Singh on Monday warned Islamabad to mend its ways and stop firing at Indian posts and villages along the 744 km long Line of Control and 198- km long International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singhs warning followed the latest ceasefire violation by the Pakistani army in Shahpur Kerni sector of Poonch district in the morning.

Addressing displaced border villagers at a relief camp in Nowshera town in Rajouri district, Singh said that he had told the BSF DG in 2014 that we shouldnt fire first but if they (Pakistani forces) fire even a single bullet then there should be no count of bullets from our side.

He was accompanied by Union minister Jitendra Singh and Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh.

The situation has improved from what it was in 2014 after security forces were authorised to retaliate strongly. It will improve further in the days to come. Pakistan has no option but to stop ceasefire violations today or tomorrow. I assure all of you that situation will improve in the coming days, he said.

Singh said he had told the director general of border-guarding force Pakistan Ranger in 2015 that Pakistan was resorting to firing violating certain protocols which should be respected and followed.

India today is not a weak country anymore. It is a changed country under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi. The world today has started acknowledging India as a force to reckon with. Indias image has changed across the world today, he asserted.

Nowshera is the place from where the Indian army had launched its surgical strikes on September 29 last year on terror launch pads in Bhimber Gali area across the LoC.

But since May this year, over 4000 people have been displaced from several villages along the LoC in Nowshera sector following several ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces.

These displaced people have been living in six relief camps. During their interaction with Singh, the migrants demanded that bunkers be set up at their homes along the LoC.

Our first and foremost demand is that the government should set up bunkers in each of the border houses if we have to live again along the LoC. We need bunkers more than food, Jangarh resident Parshottam Kumar, the president of the Border Migrants Coordination Committee, told Singh.

The home minister heaped praise on the border villagers describing them strategic assets of the country.

Though no amount of money can ever compensate a human life, it was our government that raised the ex-gratia to the next of kin of those who die in Pakistani firing from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Those with more than 50% disability are also entitled for RS 5 lakh compensation, he said.

Rajnath Singh said that the country was indebted to the border residents. He said he would ensure that 60% posts were kept reserved for the youth of border areas in recruitment drive for various central police and paramilitary forces.

The home minister began a four-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir on September 9 as part of an exercise to find solutions to the problems that the state faces.

(With PTI inputs)

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Prompted by recent controversies surrounding self-styled godmen, the apex body of Hindu sadhus -- the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad  has released a list of 14 fake babas and demanded a crackdown on rootless cult leaders by bringing in a legislation.

Giving out the list, the parishads president Swami Narendra Giri said: We appeal to even the common people to beware of such charlatans who belong to no tradition and by their questionable acts, bring disrepute to sadhus and sanyasis.

Here are the 14 fake babas on the parishads list:

Asaram Bapu (Asumal Sirumalani)

The 76-year-old white-bearded man was arrested in 2013 after a teenage devotee accused him of raping her at a religious event. Another female follower later also accused him of rape. He has been in jail since 2013 on charges of rape and criminal intimidation. Yet Asaram continues to have thousands of supporters flock to court when he appears for hearings.

Several local newspapers have reported on the mysterious killings of three witnesses in the criminal cases he faces.

Radhe Maa (Sukhwinder Kaur)

A Punjab resident, Sukhwinder Kaur later changed her name to Radhe Maa and moved to Mumbai. She hosts regular religious events at her Radhe Maa Bhawan located in Boriwali. The Punjab and Haryana high court recently issued a notice against a police official asking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for failing to act on a complaint against Kaur.

A Phagwara-based man had lodged a complaint against her, seeking registration of a case in 2015 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, threatening and other offences under the IPC.

Last year, Mumbai resident Niki Gupta filed a complaint, accusing Kaur of instigating her in-laws against her for dowry.

Sachchidanand Giri (Sachin Datta)

He is called Builder Baba by many. Sachin Dutta alias Sachidanand Giri had been declared a proclaimed offender in a case registered with the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of the Delhi Police and was later arrested from his house in Lucknow.

In 2015, a case of fraud had been registered at Sector 58, Noida against Dutta and seven others for allegedly mortgaging sold flats in an Indirapuram housing society to obtain bank loans. The case was subsequently transferred to the Indirapuram police station and the accused declared a proclaimed offender.

Gurmeet Singh

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Singh, known as the guru of bling for the bejeweled costumes he wears in self-produced films, was recently sentenced to 20 years jail after being convicted of raping two female followers. Hundreds of his followers went on the rampage when he was convicted, attacking train stations, buses and television vans.

Secret tunnels, including one which linked the jailed sect chief plush residence with female disciples hostel, an empty box of AK-47 cartridges, an illegal firecracker factory were among the detections made during a search at his sect headquarters.

Swami Omji (Vinodanand Jha)

In November 2008, an FIR was registered against Vinodanand Jha aka Swami Omji on a complaint by his younger brother Pramodh Jha, who accused him of breaking the lock of his bicycle shop in Lodhi Colony along with three men and stealing 11 bicycles, expensive spare parts, sale deed of the house and important documents.

The self-proclaimed godman also faces charges under the Arms Act, Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in other matters.

Nirmal Baba (Nirmaljeet Singh)

Nirmaljeet Singh Narula, better known as Nirmal Baba, has appeared on television as part of his show, Third Eye of Nirmal Baba. This Jharkhand-raised self-styled godman shot to fame through the controversy surrounding the donations and the charging of admission fees (Rs. 2,000 per person) to his darbar sessions. He is estimated to be worth hundreds of crores and has a huge following despite dispensing advice bordering on the absurd. He even has an app on Facebook called Live Darshan 24/7. A polarising figure, Nirmal Baba has ardent devotees and vocal doubters.

Ichchadhari Bhimanand (Shivmurti Dwivedi)

Shivmurti Dwivedi was arrested in 2010 for allegedly running a sex racket. Dwivedi, alias Icchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot, was booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. He has political ambitions. He did not want to join politics now but was gaining ground steadily. He wanted to use his followers as his vote bank, a senior police officer had said after his arrest.

Swami Aseemanand

Right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand was recently acquitted along with six others in the 2007 Ajmer blast case by a special court. Judge Dinesh Gupta let off Swami Aseemanand and six others giving them benefit of doubt

Narayan Sai

Asarams son Narayan Sai is in jail for allegedly raping a Surat-based woman disciple of his father between 2002 and 2005. She was allegedly raped when she was living at Asarams ashram in Surat. Sai, 40, is also accused of having physical relations with eight other girls.

Rampal

In November 2014, five bodies were discovered by the police after they stormed the ashram of a self-styled godman, Rampal, in Haryanas Hisar. Another of the mans followers died in hospital. The police were seeking Rampals arrest after he refused court orders to appear to answer charges including conspiracy to murder, inciting mobs and contempt of court.

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 cannon 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.

Acharya Kushmuni

Acharya Kushmuni Swarup is national spokesperson Akhil Bhartiya Dandi Sanyasi Prabudh Samiti. After the list of fake babas, Kushmuni alleged most of the people in the akhada had criminal cases against them. He has in the past called for fake babas to be reprimanded.

Brahaspati Giri

Giri allegedly tried to gain control of temples of Alkhnath Trust in Uttar Pradesh.

The other two babas on the list are Om Namah Shivay Baba and Malkhan Singh.

With inputs from agencies
A Bharatiya Janata Party legislator has written to assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami and Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, seeking a baby feeding room for lactating mothers who have no alternative to bringing their babies to work.

Assamese film star-turned-MLA Angoorlata Deka, who represents the Batadraba assembly seat in central Assam, cited the example of the Tanzanian parliament where lactating mothers like her have facilities to nurse their babies.

I hope you will consider my suggestion for a hygienic baby feeding room, the MLA, who gave birth to a girl on August 3, said. The baby is named Namami.

Deka said she could feel the hardship faced by working women after she became a mother. She said she was losing out on discussion time because of shuttling from the assembly to her official quarters every now and then to feed her baby.

Goswami said there is little scope for a baby room within the assembly building. But a facility could be provided in the assembly guest house less than 100 metres from the complex.

Deka is one of the eight women MLAs in the 126-member Assam assembly. The Congress has three women MLAs followed by BJP and its ally Bodo Peoples Front with two each and Asom Gana Parishad with one.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to nominate two additional district judges within ten days as observers to deal with the upkeep and maintenance of the disputed Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra passed the order after senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Allahabad High Court registry, informed it that one of the observers has retired and the second one elevated as a judge of the high court.

Dwivedi also handed over to the apex court a list of additional district judges (ADJs) and special judges who could be considered for appointment as observers.

As the list is long, we think it appropriate that chief justice of the Allahabad High Court shall nominate two persons from the cadre of additional district judges or special judges keeping in view the nature and tenor of the earlier orders passed in this case, the bench, also comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, said.

The top court asked its registry to forward the order to the high court registrar and said, the chief justice is requested to nominate two names within 10 days hence.

During the brief hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the parties in the matter, said the two observers, TM Khan and SK Singh, were appointed in 2003 and they have been dealing with the issue since then.

Why should the court change them when they are here for 14 years? This is a very sensitive matter, he told the bench, adding, please ask them (Khan and Singh), will they continue.

The bench, however, said, one of them is not holding a post and he cannot continue now.

We will ask the chief justice of the high court to decide this, the top court said, adding that the tenor of this courts order was that they must be a part of the system. One of them is no more a part of the system.

One of them has been elevated as a high court judge. It is not proper that a high court judge is asked to go there and observe all the things. We cant ask a high court judge to do this, the bench said.

The apex court had on August 11 said it would commence the final hearing in the long-standing Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute from December 5, a day before the 25th anniversary of the demolition of the medieval-era structure.

The court had reached a consensus on commencing the hearing on a total of 13 appeals filed against a 2010 judgement of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits.

The high court had ruled a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acre area at Ayodhya among the parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Lord Ram Lalla (deity).

Another sect of Muslims under the banner of Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh had recently moved the top court offering a solution that a mosque could be built in a Muslim- dominated area at a reasonable distance from the disputed Ayodhya site.

However, its intervention has been opposed by All India Sunni Waqf Board which claimed that judicial adjudication between the two sects had already been done in 1946 by declaring the mosque, which was demolished on December 6, 1992, as one which belongs to the Sunnis.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, an intervenor in the matter, had earlier made an attempt to raise the issue of the fundamental right of religion of the Hindus under Article 25 of the Constitution.

He had said that during the adjudication of the matter, he would like to make out a case that fundamental right should get precedence over the property right.

However, the bench had made it clear that it would first hear the main appellants and respondents in the case which involved parties like -- Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

A three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Hourt, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
The Supreme Court directed on Monday the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to nominate two additional district judges within ten days as observers to deal with the upkeep and maintenance of the disputed Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra passed the order after senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Allahabad High Court registry, informed it that one of the observers has retired and the second one elevated as a judge of the high court.

Dwivedi also handed over to the apex court a list of additional district judges (ADJs) and special judges who could be considered for appointment as observers.

As the list is long, we think it appropriate that chief justice of the Allahabad High Court shall nominate two persons from the cadre of additional district judges or special judges keeping in view the nature and tenor of the earlier orders passed in this case, the bench, also comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, said.

The top court asked its registry to forward the order to the high court registrar and said, the chief justice is requested to nominate two names within 10 days hence.

During the brief hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for one of the parties in the matter, said the two observers, T M Khan and S K Singh, were appointed in 2003 and they have been dealing with the issue since then.

Why should the court change them when they are here for 14 years? This is a very sensitive matter, he told the bench, adding, please ask them (Khan and Singh), will they continue.

The bench, however, said, one of them is not holding a post and he cannot continue now.

We will ask the chief justice of the high court to decide this, the top court said, adding that the tenor of this courts order was that they must be a part of the system. One of them is no more a part of the system.

One of them has been elevated as a high court judge. It is not proper that a high court judge is asked to go there and observe all the things. We cant ask a high court judge to do this, the bench said.

The apex court had on August 11 said it would commence the final hearing in the long-standing Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute from December 5, a day before the 25th anniversary of the demolition of the medieval-era structure.

The court had reached a consensus on commencing the hearing on a total of 13 appeals filed against a 2010 judgement of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits.

The high court had ruled a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acre area at Ayodhya among the parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Lord Ram Lalla (deity).

Another sect of Muslims under the banner of Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh had recently moved the top court offering a solution that a mosque could be built in a Muslim- dominated area at a reasonable distance from the disputed Ayodhya site.

However, its intervention has been opposed by All India Sunni Waqf Board which claimed that judicial adjudication between the two sects had already been done in 1946 by declaring the mosque, which was demolished on December 6, 1992, as one which belongs to the Sunnis.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, an intervenor in the matter, had earlier made an attempt to raise the issue of the fundamental right of religion of the Hindus under Article 25 of the Constitution.

He had said that during the adjudication of the matter, he would like to make out a case that fundamental right should get precedence over the property right.

However, the bench had made it clear that it would first hear the main appellants and respondents in the case which involved parties like -- Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

A three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Hourt, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
BJP president Amit Shah visited the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda in Kolkata on Monday and paid floral tributes.

Shah was accompanied by BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, union ministers Babul Supriyo and SS Ahluwalia besides state BJP president Dilip Ghosh among others.

The BJP president will hold meetings with party leaders in Kolkata.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) he is scheduled to meet party workers who are victims of Trinamool Congress violence and will also meet intellectuals of the city, BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu said.

Shah would attend a chamber of commerce meeting on Wednesday.
Bodo groups demanding the creation of a separate Bodoland state by carving parts of Assam imposed a 12-hour shutdown at several places on Monday.

This the second part of their agitation, which resumed on August 28 with a 10-hour blockade of national highways, urging the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governments at the Centre and the state to hold tripartite talks to solve the three-decade long issue.

Though Bodo groups exempted educational institutions from the purview of such strikes in the past, this time they have imposed a total bandh with an aim to put pressure for early talks.

Only emergency services and examinations have been allowed to continue. Business establishments, offices, and banks are closed, said Lawrence Islary, general secretary of All Bodo Students Union.

The strike, which began at 5am, has affected normal life in the four districts comprising Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and is having a partial effect in the four-five other districts at places where Bodos reside.

Bodo groups are unhappy that despite assurances by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the 2014 general elections to address their demand for a separate state, nothing has happened in the past three years.

Prior to last years assembly election, the saffron party reiterated its commitment to solving the issue. But nothing concrete apart from some informal talks has taken place.

The demand for a separate state in areas of lower Assam where indigenous Bodo people, the states biggest tribal group, are mostly concentrated has been continuing since the late 1980s.

But it was put on hold in 2014 after the BJPs promise.

Over three dozen Bodo organisations under the banner of Peoples Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement (PJACBM) have decided to intensify their stir if talks arent held soon.

Mondays programme will be followed by a mass hunger strike on October 1 and a blockade of trains later in the month.

We have been very patient and are seeking resolution of our demand in a peaceful manner. But if talks arent held, the agitation could turn ugly, said Islary.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Former union railway minister Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav will not appear before the CBI on Monday and Tuesday respectively for questioning in connection with alleged corruption in giving maintenance contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private firm.

Lalu has cited his ongoing court case in Ranchi while Tejashwi has said he has prior political commitment while expressing inability to appear before the agency on the date of summons  September 11 and 12  issued by the CBI, the sources said.

We will work out new dates for fresh summons, said an official here on Monday.

The RJD leader was asked to appear for questioning at the agency headquarters Monday while Tejashwi was summoned Tuesday, the CBI sources said.

It is alleged that Yadav as railway minister handed over maintenance of two Railway hotels BNR Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel (a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar) after receiving a bribe in the form of prime land of three acres through a benami company.

The FIR alleged that Lalu as railway minister abused his official position for extending undue favours to Kochhars, acquired a high value premium land through a benami company Delight and as a quid pro quo, dishonestly and fraudulently managed award of leasing BNRs at Ranchi and Puri to the company of Kochhars.

The CBI has registered the case against Lalu, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi, Sarla Gupta, wife of Prem Chand Gupta, former union minister.

Others named as accused in the FIR include Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owner of Chanakya Hotel, Delight marketing company, now known as Lara Projects and the then managing director PK Goel.
A court in New Delhi on Monday adjourned hearing on the consideration of the chargesheet in Rs 3,726 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case against former Indian Air Force chief SP Tyagi and eight others.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special Judge Arvind Kumar deferred the hearing in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case for October 9.

The CBI on September 1 filed a chargesheet against Tygai, his cousin Sanjeev alias Julie, then IAF Vice Chief JS Gujral, advocate Gautam Khaitan, Italian defence and aerospace major Finmeccanicas former chief Giuseppe Orsi, former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini and three European middleman Christian Michel, Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa.

In the chargesheet, Khaitan is described as the brain behind the deal.

Orsi and Spagnolini have already been sentenced by an Italian court for bribing Indian officials to get the contract illegally.

Tyagi, who was Indian Air Force chief from 2004 to 2007, his brother Sanjeev and Khaitan were allegedly involved in irregularities in the procurement of 12 AW-101 VVIP helicopters from Britain-based AgustaWestland. They were arrested in December last year by the agency in connection with the case.Currently they are out on bail.

The CBI, which registered an FIR in the case on March 12, 2013, has alleged that Tyagi and the other accused received kickbacks from AgustaWestland to help the manufacturer win the contract. The FIR mentioned charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI said the company was favoured in lieu of illegal gratification accepted through different companies in the name of consultancy services.

Tyagi, the CBI has alleged, took bribes of several crores, through middlemen and a complex route of companies in several countries, from AgustaWestland to change the specifications of the contract - reducing the operational flight ceiling from 6,000 metres, as originally proposed, to 4,500 metres and bringing down the cabin height to 1.8 metres.

The CBI probe revealed that several payments were made to the Tyagi brothers by European middlemen Haschke, Gerosa and Michel as part of the alleged bribery.
Urging the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and activists to keep working towards the growth and betterment of the party, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday said the party would achieve its ultimate goal when it forms the government in West Bengal.

Shah said the BJP has seen a lot of growth in recent years, but has not reached its saturation point yet. The ultimate goal of BJP would be to form government in states like West Bengal, BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu told IANS after a closed-door party leaders meeting addressed by Shah at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations auditorium here.

Shah, who is on a three-day tour to Bengal, said sky is the limit for BJP and claimed that the party can think it has touched the sky once it succeeds in forming the government here.

According to party sources close, he asked the party activists to stop complaining about problems and start working towards its growth at the booth level in Bengal.

Before the party leaders meeting, Shah paid floral tribute to Swami Vivekananda at his ancestral house in north Kolkata.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh, national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, Union Ministers S.S. Alhuwalia and Babul Supriyo were present at both the programmes.

Shah would interact with party workers from different districts, who have allegedly been victims of political violence unleashed by the states ruling Trinamool Congress followed by an intellectuals meeting in the same venue on Tuesday.

He is also slated to hold a meeting with members of the Merchants Chamber of Commerce at a five star hotel in central Kolkata on the last day of his three day tour.
The central government wants to provide sex reassignment surgery for transgender people. It wants to protect their right to live at home with their families. It wants to outlaw each of the particular forms of discrimination, abuse, and coercion that they face.

But theres a catch: the whole system, if passed into law, would apply only to people who have a new transgender ID card. And the government, which is deciding how to distribute the IDs, might not understand what being transgender means.

A debate about the most basic elements of gender identity is not getting settled even as the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill moves closer to passage. The most recent stage of its progress, a parliamentary report issued on July 22, revealed a state of confusion. The report alternates between advancing a psychological and a biological definition of being transgender.

It exposes equally unresolved arguments about other essential aspects of the lives of transgender people: how they experience sex, what they do to earn money, where they live. In each case, representatives of the transgender community and the government are on opposing sides.

According to the chairman of the committee that produced the report, BJP MP Ramesh Bais, the proposed law is a first step toward changing popular attitudes about transgender people. We are talking here about giving transgender people legal recognition, he said. They remain isolated, so to merge them with the mainstream, we got this bill.

Its a poisonous bill, countered Grace Banu, a transgender woman who deposed in front of the committee. We all hate that bill.

Men of influence

Bais, 70, has been a Raipur councillor, MLA, or MP almost continuously since 1978. He said his family, farmers for many generations, owns 700 acres of land. Before Bais began work on the report, he hadnt had much experience with transgender people. I never realised that this was such a big issue, he said.

His committee, which was composed of eight members of the ruling NDA and ten members of other parties, needed expertise. The most influential advisor may have been Dr. Piyush Saxena, who is the founder of an organisation called Salvation of Oppressed Eunuchs.

Piyush Saxena, founder of Salvation of Oppressed Eunuchs organisation, played an important role in framing the transgender rights bill. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

Saxena has written a book and produced a movie about transgender life in India. He said he is advising a dozen Ph.D students studying the transgender community. Professionally, Saxena is a senior vice president of Reliance Industries. His website also describes him as a naturopath, past life regression therapist, poet, painter, and magician.

Saxena said he has had sway with policymaking about transgender issues for years: Whatever I have suggested, it has been accepted in toto. In an interview, Bais attributed some of his claims about transgender life to Saxena personally.

Bodies or minds?

Yet many beliefs of this independent researcher run counter to those of transgender people and specialists in the field.

Authorities have widely agreed, for example, that being transgender is a natural part of human psychology. According to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the feeling that ones gender is different from ones assigned sex at birth is a common and culturally-diverse human phenomenon.

In a 2014 ruling, National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) v. Union of India, the Supreme Court of India adopted this psychological understanding. It defined transgender people as those whose gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to their biological sex.

Bittu Karthik, an associate professor at Ashoka University, says transgender people should get to decide their own identity. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)

Bittu Karthik, an associate professor of biology and psychology at Ashoka University who organised committee depositions from fellow transgender people, described being transgender as a characteristic that is innately self-identified. It is not something that another person can decide.

Vidya Rajput, a transgender woman who is a member of the Third Gender Welfare Board of Chhattisgarh, agreed. This is a matter of emotion, it is a psychological matter, she said. How will you measure it?

Saxena, on the other hand, believes in measuring. He posited a variety of essential biological traits that distinguish transgender people. Sometimes, theyre sexually very hot, said Saxena of transgender women, even though they never have an erection. Erection is one thing they never have. This is the fundamental difference between a gay and a transgender. They dont have erections, they have a masculine body, and they want penetration to be done by their male boyfriend.

For people born with female bodies who later identify as men, Saxena also had a biological explanation: that they have an enlarged clitoris.

Bais seemed convinced of this line of thinking, and shared his own biological theory. He said that transgender people have an abnormal composition of hormones, so that, for example, male-bodied people who later identify as women start growing breasts around the age of 10.

The meaning of a definition

These conflicting positions will determine who the legislation benefits and who it excludes.

As it stands, the bill defines a transgender person as someone who is neither wholly female nor wholly male or neither female nor male or a combination of female and male.

To be considered for an ID card, the bill proposes that applicants must go through a screening process. The people in charge will include a medical officer and a psychologist or psychiatrist.

The apparent reference in the definition to genitalia and the presence of doctors in the screening committees both contradict the psychological view of gender. They imply that a hijra born as a man who has not had sex-reassignment surgery, for instance, cannot be considered transgender.

The report criticises these measures on scientific and legal grounds. It says that the definitions reliance on physical characteristics conflates intersex and transgender persons and violates the fundamental rights to equality, dignity, autonomy but also freedom of transgender persons guaranteed under Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution.

Tests of medical eligibility, meanwhile, risk pathologising trans identities, and violate the right of transgender persons under the Supreme Court judgement and international human rights law and standards - to have their self-identified gender recognized, says the report.

These statements indicate the influence of the transgender people who deposed before the drafting committee. In some ways, said Karthik, the committee responded really well to being talked to about this subject.

Yet the report ultimately defends the bills provisions. It accedes to the governments argument that using psychological criteria and omitting doctors from screening committees would each create a threat of misuse of the IDs.

The report does not explain the meaning of misuse or its supposed likelihood. Neither the bill nor the report specifies what exactly the medical officer is supposed to do. Given that the screening committees are meant to have a separate psychologist or psychiatrist, it is hard to see the purpose of medical officers unless they are employing physical tests.

In effect, the report advocates using a definition of transgender that it describes as violating fundamental rights.

The science of transgender identity is also implicated in the new punitive system the bill would establish. Crimes against transgender people ranging in severity from verbal to sexual abuse would all be punished the same way  with imprisonment for not less than six months and not more than two years. Current rape laws for women are much harsher, recommending a prison term of seven years to life.

The report recommends greater proportionality in these punishments. But asked if the rape of a woman should be punished differently from the rape of a transgender person, Saxena again pointed to biological differences. Vagina rape causes a different sort of mental trauma to the lady, he said. Asked for evidence, Saxena referred to his personal experiences as a researcher. I know that the conditions are different, he said.

Told about Saxenas and Baiss claims regarding the science of gender, transgender people responded with laughs, groans, and exclamations.

Karthik said that there is no evidence of a link between hormones or clitoral size and transgender identity; that some transgender women do have erections; and that not all of them necessarily want to have surgery. He and another interviewee were both left speechless by Saxenas contention about gender and rape.

Searching for security

The contradictory influences of Saxena and representatives from the transgender community are clearest in the reports account of the families of transgender children and jamaats, the communes that many South Asian transgender women have traditionally lived in.

In one section, the report criticises the bill for assuming that biological families are a protection unit for transgender persons. The truth, it says, is that the family that is the seat of violence, abuse and a denial of identity for young trans-person.

Conversely, this section describes jamaats as places of refuge and Hijra elders as adoptive parents. The section concludes that it is imperative that alternative family structures are recognized.

In a later section, however, the report adopts the term beggary syndicate from the Centre and agrees that a bonded labour system must be discouraged.

Interviews with Bais and Saxena confirmed that people involved with the report associate these terms with jamaats. Bais said that jamaats demand their young members pay hefty fees, compelling them to perform galat kaam (wrong deeds). Bais said he got this information from a CD sent to him by Saxena.

Saxena characterised jamaats in yet harsher terms. In his view, jamaat gurus abuse their charges; many young transgender people in jamaats are forced into begging and sex work; and residence in the communes is tantamount to a form of slavery.

Grace Banu is the guru of a jamaat in Tamil Nadu. She disputed these points. She said that she was not aware of forced begging, that jamaats in Tamil Nadu were involved in helping transgender people get schooling and employment, and that jamaats created family.

According to Karthik, living in a jamaat often involves being part of an informal legal system. This system may, in some situations, impose punishments that are unfair and violating of human rights.

But Karthik also said that jamaats provide many transgender people with a significantly better life than otherwise possible. The begging jamaat members do, for example, tends to be well organised and safe, he said, especially when compared to the begging done outside the jamaat system.

However jamaats should or should not be regulated, Karthik argued that a prohibition against begging is not the right course of action. Begging is not caused by the existence of jamaats, he suggested; its the result of a lack of other employment opportunities. The fundamental issue that we should solve is an entry issue, said Karthik. It is an issue of getting the job.

In the 2014 NALSA ruling, the Supreme Court directed the government to give transgender people reservations in education and public employment. The next year, a bill passed the Rajya Sabha that reserved for the transgender community 2% of public-sector jobs and 2% of seats in public schools. It also directed the government to provide incentives to employers to hire transgender people. The aim was to make them 2% of the workforce within five years.

The Transgender Persons Bill, however, makes no mention of reservations. The report points out the bills silence in this matter, but does make any recommendation itself.

Bais said that he would recommend that transgender people get reservations along the lines of the Rajya Sabha bill, but added that this was for the government to decide.

In interviews with transgender people, no issue was discussed more passionately. If there is reservation, the community will merge with the mainstream, said Rajput. Karthik went further: The only thing that would help is reservations.

A question of power

If anything is clear from the many voices speaking through the Lok Sabha report, it is that Parliament stands ready to be influenced. If transgender people feel that certain improvements need to be made in the bill once it is passed, that can be incorporated by taking the amendment route, said Bais. The bill is meant for their betterment, not to upset them.

More readings and votes in both the lower and upper house still await the Transgender Persons Bill. The government is listening  the question is, who is it listening to?

(With inputs from Samarth Bansal)
A greater presence of women -- employees and bus drivers -- in schools can help address the issue of safety on campus, Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said on Monday, days after a 7-year-old Gurgaon student was killed in a washroom.

Schools and parents need to work together to find a solution to the issue of students safety, the minister said.

There should be more and more women employees in schools and school buses can also have women drivers so that there is more safety for students, Javadekar told reporters here.

The human resource development minister said he would talk to parents and school authorities after the initial probe into the killing of the boy was over.

The culprits will be booked and charge-sheeted and we will address this issue, he added.

The killing of the class 2 student of Gurgaons Ryan International School sparked outrage among parents and others on the issue of safety of children in schools.

The boy was found dead, with his throat slit, in the schools washroom last week. The police alleged he had been killed by a school bus conductor.

The minister said the murder and the recent rape of a five-year-old girl, allegedly by a peon in her school premises, were heinous crimes.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Centre and the CBSE in connection with a plea filed by the boys father, seeking a CBI probe into the case.

We will definitely give a reply to the Supreme Court. We will arrive at a better solution by talking to everybody, Javadekar said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had on Saturday set up a two-member fact finding committee to enquire into the students death and negligence, if any, on the school authorities part.

The CBSE also asked the school to submit a report to it.

Ryan Pinto, CEO of the Ryan International Schools Group, on Sunday said the school should not be held culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances and added that the management was cooperating with the police in its probe.
Hundreds of women gathered under the aegis of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to protest against any move aimed at diluting the Sharia law, which provides for the banned triple-talaq practice, at Iqbal Maidan in Bhopal on Monday.

This move came a day after the Islamic organisation decided on constituting a panel to look into the Supreme Court verdict against the controversial practice. Several AIMPLB office-bearers, including general secretary Syed Mohd Wali Rahmani and womens wing leaders Asma Zehra and Sufia Hasnaini, addressed the gathering.

The speakers announced that they would seek the signatures of about three crore Muslim women on a memorandum against the Supreme Court judgment, which would then be sent to the Chief Justice of India. They termed triple talaq as a right that should not be taken away from them simply because some uneducated women had moved the apex court against it.

The AIMPLB, established in 1973, is one of the leading Islamic organisations in the country. It is opposed to any interference either from the court or the government as far as the Sharia is concerned. The board is a party to the petition on triple talaq, which was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court on August 22.

Though the boards working committee proclaimed its respect for the Supreme Court at a meeting in Bhopal on Sunday, it decried any attempt at interfering with the Sharia law. It then decided to form a committee to check if the judgment was in contravention with the same. The Muslim leaders maintained a similar tone on Monday.

Attacking the NDA government at the Centre, AIMPLB executive committee member Asma Zehra wondered why the central government was trying to interfere only with the law governing Muslims when women face atrocities and domestic violence in all religions.

We feel empowered due to Sharia, and triple talaq is the best way to get rid of a husband if he harasses his wife, said Dr Sufiya Hasnaini, convenor of the AIMPLB state womens wing. We can ourselves bring about any required change by educating people on triple talaq, but we will not allow anybody to change our law.

Board member KR Sajjad Naumani agreed, stating that it would be wrong to perceive that a majority of Muslim women are against triple talaq.

While AIMPLB general secretary Syed Mohammad Wali Rahmani conceded that triple talaq can be misused, he insisted that it is also effective under certain circumstances. Any dilution in the Sharia will lead to women being abandoned, Rahmani said.

However, Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan activist Shaista Ali said the Supreme Court judgment would go a long way in resolving the problems faced by Muslim women. Its in favour of Muslim women who have long been suffering due to the malpractice of pronouncing the triple talaq in one sitting. The AIMPBs opposition to the judgment is not surprising, but they have no option but to accept it.

Though hundreds of women participated in the convention, they were not allowed to share their views with the press. The organisers even announced over the public address system that they should not interact with the media.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Indian government has arranged for evacuation of Indian nationals from the hurricane-hit Caribbean island of Sint Maarten, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday.

The evacuation of Indian nationals from Sint Maarten is a priority for us, Swaraj said in a tweet.

She said that the evacuation process was to begin on Monday but the plane chartered for the purpose could not fly.

We are organising another aircraft to carry out the operation, she said.

Sint Maarten, that is jointly administered by France and the Netherlands, was directly in hurricane Irmas path. The island suffered widespread destruction after the storm made landfall last week and wreaked havoc on the Caribbean islands.
The Haryana government has opened an investigation to ascertain if illegal abortions were carried out at the Dera Sacha Sauda hospital in Sirsa, officials said on Monday, a day after search operations ended at the sects 600-acre campus.

Shah Satnam Ji Super Speciality Hospitals records for 2015 had some discrepancies that made them suspicious, a doctor with the Sirsa civil hospital who was part of the search team, told Hindustan Times. He refused to share the details as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

The medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) act was not being followed properly in the hospital and irregularities have been detected, deputy commissioner Prabhjot Singh said.

The dera faced the scrutiny after its flamboyant leader, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, was on August 25 found guilty of raping two disciples and sent to jail for 20 years.

His followers went on a rampage in Haryana and neighbouring states over the guilty verdict. Thirty-eight people were killed, six of them at Sirsa, in clashes with security personnel.

A few days later, the Punjab and Haryana high court ordered the sanitisation of the dera headquarters, which is a township in its own right equipped with educational institutes, a cinema hall, a stadium, a seven-star hotel, shopping complexes and several residential buildings, including luxury bungalows. The hospital, too, is part of the sprawling campus.

Though chief medical officer Govind Gupta declined to comment, saying he is not authorised to speak to media, a government official said a show-cause notice would be issued to the dera, which has a sizable following in Haryana, Punjab and neighbouring states.

Deputy director (information) Satish Mehra said the health department team found irregularities under the MTP act in the hospital record.

It cannot be ruled out that Dera Sacha Sauda carried medical termination of pregnancies in about six cases, he said, adding the health department and civil administration had begun a probe.

The dera is already in the dock for not keeping a record of bodies the hospital donated to medical colleges in the region for research.

A skin bank was being run without a licence, an official said.

The search also yielded a luxury car, explosives, an illegal fire-cracker factory and an empty box of AK-47 cartridges among others.

Secret tunnels, including one that linked sect chiefs plush residence, or the gufa as the followers knew it, to a womens hostel, was also found.

It was in the gufa that the two women were raped.
Its been just over a week since Nirmala Sitharaman took oath as the defence minister of the country, only the second woman after Indira Gandhi to hold the post since independence.

Within days of taking charge on Thursday, Sitharaman flagged off an all-women naval crew that will circumvent the globe, visited Indias first underground airbase in Rajasthan and sat in the cockpit of a MiG 21 fighter jet.

Sitharaman, who was the commerce minister, was promoted to the cabinet rank earlier this month and became the second woman to be part of the all-powerful Cabinet Committee of Security.

Heres a look at her first week in office:

Sitharaman flags off INSV Tarini, a ship that will circumnavigate the globe, in presence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, in Goa. (PTI Photo)

Sitharaman interacts with IAF personnel at in Uttarlai, Rajasthan. (Twitter)

Flagging off INSV Tarini in Goa. (Twitter)

Sitharaman with IAF chief BS Dhanoa. (Twitter)

Nirmala Sitharaman meets President Ram Nath Kovind. (Twitter)

Nirmala Sitharaman meets Army chief General Bipin Rawat and army officers from the Southern Command in Ahmedabad. (Twitter)

Sitharaman inside the cockpit of MIG-21 Biscon during her visit to Air Force Station Uttarlai. (PTI Photo)

An IAF pilot explains the functioning of a fighter jet to defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her visit at Uttarlai, Rajasthan. (Twitter/ Raksha Mantri)

Sitharaman with Home Minister Rajnath Singh at the DRDO Bhawan in New Delhi. (Arun Sharma/HT Photo)

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman coming out of her office after taking charge at South Block in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman after taking charge at her office in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)

An official installing the nameplate of new defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman outside her office at South Block. (PTI Photo)
India will widen cooperation with Afghanistan in space technology by extending assistance in remote sensing, a joint statement after the 2nd Strategic Partnership Council Meeting between two nations said.

India also welcomed Afghanistans participation in the South Asia Satellite (SAS) project, a gift from New Delhi to its neighbours, as the two sides exchanged an Orbit Frequency Coordination Agreement on the project.

Except Pakistan, all South Asian countries have participated in the satellite project, which was launched in May this year.

As a part of the 2nd Strategic Partnership Council Meeting, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani held talks on wide- ranging topics.

It was decided to implement 500 scholarships for graduate studies in India for the next-of-kin of martyrs of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces from the Academic year 2018-19, and expand the medical assistance for Afghan National Army personnel.

The Foreign Service Institute of India would also organise a workshop for Afghan diplomats in December 2017, including in consular matters.

The two sides agreed to further cooperation in strengthening of the Afghan National Agricultural Sciences and Technology University in Kandahar as an agricultural university.

The two sides also welcomed the establishment of the Air Cargo Corridor between Kabul and Kandahar with New Delhi in June 2017.

It was agreed to expand it to include other cities in Afghanistan and India as well as to increase the frequency of the cargo flights between the two countries, the statement added.

The air cargo flights has given Afghan farmers a direct access to Indian markets.
India has lodged an official complaint over an Australian advertisement that features the Hindu god Ganesha and other religious icons endorsing lamb.

In the TV commercial from industry group Meat and Livestock Australia, a number of religious figures -- including Lord Ganesha, Jesus, Buddha and Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard -- are seen sitting down together to a lamb-based meal and raising a glass to the meat.

The image of elephant-headed Lord Ganesha, who is widely considered to be vegetarian, was met with anger in Australias Indian community.

The Indian high commission (embassy) in Canberra said it had taken the issue up with the Australian government.

Lord Ganesha along with other religious figures is found to be toasting lamb, which the Indian community consider to be offensive and hurting their religious sentiments, the commission said in a statement Saturday.

The Indian consulate in Sydney has also made a direct appeal to Meat and Livestock Australia to withdraw the commercial, according to the statement.

The industry body said it was meeting community groups to respond to their concerns.

It said it had undertaken extensive research and consultation when producing the advertisement, which was intended to promote inclusivity and not intended to offend.
The Supreme Court will hear on Monday a plea filed by Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram, in connection with the INX Media case.

On September 1, the apex court refused Kartis plea to move abroad and had made it clear that he cannot leave India, and till then the lookout notice will continue.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the probe agency in the case, alleged that Karti illegally took service charges for getting the FIPB clearance when his father P Chidambaram was the finance minister.

The apex court had earlier directed Karti to appear before the probe agency in the case.

The Madras High Court had directed Karti to approach a court in Delhi to quash the FIR lodged against him in a bribery case.

The high court informed Karti that he would have to take his petition to the Delhi High Court, as the case does not come under the jurisdiction of the Madras High Court.

Karti had moved the court after the Supreme Court asked him to appear before the CBI in New Delhi, to help the investigating agency with its probe.

In August, the Madras High Court had stayed the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against Karti and four others.

The apex court later said it would review the high court order cancelling the LOC issued by the Foreigner Regional Registration Officer (FRRO).

On May 16, the CBI raided Chidambarams residence, along with 13 other locations in New Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai and Chandigarh. The raids were regarding a 2007 case, in which INX Media had allegedly paid bribes to get an FIPB approval. An FIR was filed against Karti, Indrani Mukherjea and Peter Mukerjea, who owned INX Media.
The Supreme Court on Monday asked real estate firm Jaypee to deposit Rs 2,000 crore before October 27 and asked for a plan within 45 days on how it will protect homebuyers interest.

The court also restrained directors and managing director of Jaypee Infratech and its holding company, Jaypee Associates, from travelling abroad.

The holding company will have to deposit the money.

We are not concerned about the company, we are only concerned about homebuyers, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said, handing over the management of Jaypee Infratech to insolvency resolution professional.

The insolvency resolution professional will have to come with a plan for more than 30,000 buyers, who have expressed concern that the insolvency proceedings against Jaypee would leave them in a lurch and remediless to either get a house or compensation from the company.

Insolvency proceedings against Jaypee were admitted by the Allahabad bench of National Company Law Tribunal on August 9 after IDBI Bank, the lead consortium of lenders to the construction firm, moved a petition that the company defaulted on a Rs 526-crore loan.

But last month, the Supreme Court put the insolvency proceedings on hold after homebuyers petitioned it to ensure their investments were protected.

The case, which is being closely watched as several constructions projects are failing deals with firms citing shortage of funds, will now be heard in November.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Denying he held undisclosed assets abroad, Karti Chidambaram, the son of former Union finance minister P Chidambaram, told the Supreme Court on Monday that the Centre should disclose any overseas assets held by him or his family and seize them.

My father, mother, wife, and myself are income tax payees. If the government or its agencies can tell we have these properties, we will execute decrees in their favour and the government can take their possession, Karti Chidambaram told a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

Senior counsel Kapil Sibal told the bench, also comprising Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud, that the Central Bureau of Investigation was levelling reckless and wild allegations and that nothing had emerged during the course of his client Kartis questioning by the central agency that pointed to the existence of undiscovered overseas properties owned by the family.

Sibal said this as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, produced in a sealed cover what he said were details of properties linked to Karti. He said information about these had surfaced during the course of his questioning by the agency.

Sibal objected and said the CBI could not place before the court the documents allegedly linked to his client without filing a separate FIR.

He told the court that nothing, as claimed by the CBI, had emerged during the course of Kartis questioning.

He said the CBI could only produce documents relating to the case in respect of which a lookout notice was issued to ensure that Karti did not leave the country.

Mehta told the court that he would establish that the details of all the assets submitted in the sealed cover were linked to the matter under investigation.

The court then adjourned the matter, saying it would hear it on September 18 and take a final decision.

The court is hearing the CBIs plea challenging the Madras High Court order staying the lookout notice against Karti and others. The High Court order was in turn stayed by the apex court.

The matter relates to alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media when P Chidambaram was the finance minister in the United Progressive Alliance government.

Karti is alleged to have received Rs 3.5 crore from Mumbai-based INX media, now 9X Media, for helping it get FIPB clearance when it was run by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, both accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

The FIR in the case does not mention P Chidambaram, though it said he cleared the FIPB approval for Rs 4.62 crore of Foreign Direct Investment in the firm at an FIPB meeting on May 18, 2007.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Swami Vivekananda on Monday at a students convention to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekanandas Chicago address and Pt Deendayal Upadhyayas centenary celebrations.

Read: Swami Vivekananda, youngster from India won over the world

The theme of the convention was Young India, New India.

Here are highlights of PM Modis speech:

-- India is changing, Indias standing at the global stage is rising and this is due to Jan Shakti.

-- There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation and fulfil the aspirations of our people.

-- There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses.

-- Swami Vivekananda had given the concept of One Asia. He said that the solutions to the worlds problems will come from Asia... Today, the world says 21st century is Asias century... One Asia has the potential to solve the worlds problems. We should look at his ideas in todays concept.

-- Both knowledge and skills are equally important.

-- The correspondence between Swami Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tata will shows the concern Swami JI had towards Indias self-reliance.

-- I want to specially mention all those people who are working tirelessly to keep India clean... We clean the country or not, we dont have the right to litter.

-- Do we have the right to say Vande Mataram? We eat paan and spit it out and then say Vande Mataram, we litter and say Vande Mataram? If anyone has the right to say Vande Mataram in the country, it is the people who clean the country.

-- Swami Vivekananda did not believe in sermonising. Swami Vivekananda converted ideas to idealism and made an institutional framework... He gave birth to Ramkrishna Mission Ashram, not Vivekananda Mission Ashram.

-- More than being in search of a Guru, Swami Vivekananda was in search of the truth.

-- Swami Vivekananda said that only rituals will not connect an individual to divinity...he said Jan Seva is Prabhu Seva.

-- Swami Vivekananda raised his voice against the social evils that has entered our society.

-- Just with a few words, a youngster from India won over the world and showed the world the power of oneness. The 9/11 of 1893 was about love, harmony and brotherhood.

-- Today is 9/11...this day became widely spoken about after 2001 but there was another 9/11 of 1893 which we remember. 125 years ago, there was a 9/11, when a young man from the country, wearing gerua-vastra, which the world wasnt acquainted with, says PM Modi as he pays tribute to Swami Vivekananda.

11.25am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins addressing a convention of students.

-- Prime Minister Narendra Modis tweet: This speech by Swami Vivekananda, delivered on this day in 1893, continues to reverberate & inspire generations.
With the Madras high court dismissing a petition on stalling the AIADMK general council meeting on Tuesday, the ruling party is set to hold the meet to invalidate decisions taken in contravention of party bye-laws, a party leader said on Monday. A resolution was expected to be passed to declare all those decisions null and void, the leader said on condition of anonymity.

The resolution, once passed, would automatically make the appointment of jailed general secretary VK Sasikala void ab initio and also her subsequent decisions about party matters, he said.

On Monday, the Madras high court not only dismissed a petition of lawmaker P Vetrivel to stall the proposed meeting but also imposed a fine of 100,000 on the loyalist of party deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran.

A two-member bench of the Madras high court cleared legal hurdles in holding the meeting but said all the decisions taken would be subject to scrutiny at the next hearing, fixed for October 23.

Vetrivel had challenged the one judge ruling that rejected his plea for barring the meeting in the two-member bench. Vetrivel contended that the council meeting convened by the ruling faction was illegal since only the party general secretary has the power to call such a meeting.

The decision to call a meeting was taken on August 28 at an AIADMK meeting. It was also decided to retrieve the partys mouthpiece Namadhu MGR and television channel Jaya TV
A 22-year-old man was thrashed allegedly by five men for speaking with his friend in fluent English while dropping him off at a five-star hotel in Lutyens Delhi, police said on Monday.

The incident was reported in the early hours of Saturday, they said. Three people have been arrested in this connection, they added.

According to the police, Varun Gulati, a resident of Noida, had come to the five-star hotel in Connaught Place to drop off his friend Aman in his friend Dakshs car.

While Gulati was walking back to the hotel after seeing off Daksh, a group of five men, who were inebriated, rounded him up. They asked him why was he speaking in English, they said.

Both the sides got into an argument and the men assaulted Gulati, police said.

The assailants fled the spot in a vehicle but the victim managed to note down the number of the vehicle, they said.

On the basis of the number plate, three of the accused were identified and arrested, police said, adding a hunt is on to trace the rest.
The arrest of 10 men for allegedly cloning fingerprints to subvert Aadhaars vaunted biometric-based security system has revealed fresh vulnerabilities in Indias controversial identity project.

On Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh police announced they had busted a Lucknow-based gang, which stole the fingerprints of authorised Aadhaar enrolment operators.

These fingerprints were cloned and used to access the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)s enrolment service to create fake Aadhaar numbers.

The gang hijacked the fingerprints and login-ids of Aadhaar enrolment operators, and also bypassed UIDAIs iris-scan based security, Uttar Pradeshs additional superintendent of police for cybercrime, Dr Triveni Singh, told HT, describing a modus-operandi that sounded like the plot of a sci-fi movie.

The arrests were made on the basis of a complaint filed by the Unique Identification Authority of India on August 16 this year. In a press note, the UIDAI said the attempt to generate fake Aadhaar card was foiled by the robust UIDAI system.

However, experts say the arrests point to the inherent vulnerability of Aadhaars architecture.

Modus operandi

Enrolling a fresh user to the Aadhaar database requires the presence of an authorised enrolment operator, who accesses the UIDAI system using his fingerprints and a scan of his retina.

In the Lucknow case, the police said, the gang acquired images of the fingerprints of Aadhaar enrolment operators, printed these images on butter-paper, and placed these prints on a sheet of a light-sensitive resin which was then exposed to ultra-violet light.

The cloned fingerprint obtained at the end of this process, Dr Singh said, looks like an office rubber-stamp that can be pressed down on a biometric reader.

When the police raided the gangs premises, they confiscated 46 such fingerprint stamps.

The hackers also devised a way to subvert the retina-scan requirement. We are on the lookout for the software developer who helped them bypass the retina-scan, Dr Singh said, adding that fingerprint stamps and technical knowhow was widely distributed to allow multiple logins and enrolments using the stolen credentials.

Security experts have repeatedly pointed to the inherent vulnerability of systems like Aadhaar that rely on biometric security.

Biometrics are public information as they can be captured and replicated using a high resolution camera, said Subhashis Banerjee, Professor of Computer Science Engineering at IIT Delhi, Using biometrics alone as a passcode is conceptually flawed.

However, many new applications like the Aadhaar-Enabled Payment System (AEPS) use biometrics as the sole authenticator for financial transactions.

Prof. Banerjee said biometric theft was likely to increase as the widespread adoption of aadhaar, particularly for financial transactions, would increase the incentives for criminal activity.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
An ongoing government crackdown on illegal mining has hit sand supply for construction work in Patna and neighbouring districts of Bihar. Many builders have been forced to halt work for now due to a shortage in supply or higher costs, leaving thousands of labourers and others associated with the trade, unemployed.

In the New Patna area, which has been witnessing construction boom, work has stopped at 900 under-construction buildings, said Vishnu Kumar, a construction engineer in Danapur.

Sand brought from outside costs Rs 8000-10,000 per tractor. Earlier it was available at Rs 3000 per tractor.

Sand mining is a high-stakes business, and the estimated trade ranges between Rs 7000 and Rs 8000-crore annually, though Bihar government earns revenue of nearly Rs 500-crore out of it..

Police are cracking the whip on illegal sand mafia through raids in Patna, Maner, Ara and other districts and have seized huge stocks of sand. So far, police have confiscated 40 Poclain machines (meant for quarrying sand) and more than 600 trucks and arrested over 200 persons. The law prohibits mining on the riverbed during monsoon (July 1 to September 30).

The crackdown started soon after the new NDA government took over amid allegations of sand mafias links with the Rashtriya Janata Dal. Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi has been linking the sand-mining business to RJD chief Lalu Prasad for a long time.

In the face of crisis, representatives of the real estate sector, chamber of commerce and industries recently called on Sushil Kumar Modi, who is said to have assured them that the seized stocks would be released. But the government has announced an auction of the same.

We have around 75-lakh CFT seized stock of sand in Patna and Saran and auction at the two places will be held on September 11-12, said states mines director Satish Kumar Singh.

Also, the states department of mines and geology is working on a new policy -- Bihar minor mineral rules, 2017 -- for complete takeover of the trading business, following the cancellation of all the existing licenses. Mining of sand and trading will not be with the same person anymore. The move, which has been approved by chief minister Nitish Kumar, is aimed at cleaning the system besides generating additional revenue directly to the government and address growing environmental concerns.

Principal secretary, mines and geology, KK Pathak has also asked concerned district magistrates to serve show-cause notices to all the 25 license holders for not adhering to environmental guidelines/ laid down tender provisions and mining beyond the approved area.

We expect revenue from sand mining to increase 10 times to reach around 5000-crore once the loopholes are plugged, said Singh.

In Bihar, mining lease has been settled in favour of 25 companies, allegedly owned by powerful people. Bihars unprecedented floods this year -- which have claimed over 520 lives  have been blamed on indiscriminate sand mining as one of the reasons. The weakening of embankments due to unplanned mining activities was cited as one of the key reasons behind Gandak breaches.

Due to mining, there are topographical changes in the river, causing depositions in the form of siltation. That causes floods, said VS Dubey of the department of geology, Patna University.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had offered NCP chief Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya Sule a berth in his cabinet.

In a signed article in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana Sunday, Raut, who edits the newspaper, recalled that during a meeting with Pawar, he had asked about media reports that Pawar would be joining the Modi cabinet.

Pawar told me there is no truth to media reports. He described such reports as height of stupidity, Raut wrote.

Rumours are being spread about my party. Modi had once told me he wanted Supriya in his cabinet. Supriya, who was present at that meeting, told Modi that she would be the last person to join the BJP, Raut claimed Pawar as saying.

The Sena MP also said Pawar told him that NCPs stand is very clear, yet rumours are spread to create confusion.

Sharad Pawar says this. But there are senior NCP leaders who are in touch with (Maharashtra) chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The Shiv Sena has no reason to be worried even if the NCP seeks to be part of the Fadnavis cabinet and the chief minister is holding secret meetings with NCP leaders, said Raut.

When PTI tried to contact Pawar for his reaction, a close aide of the NCP chief said he was in Baramati, his hometown, and would respond to the Saamana article at an appropriate time.
After ditching ally Congress in last months Rajya Sabha elections by voting for BJP candidates, the NCP has now decided to go solo in the Gujarat assembly polls to be held in a couple of months time.

The NCP will be contesting all 58 seats in Saurashtra region. The plans for other three regions would be announced soon, NCP state president and MLA Jayant Patel told HT on Monday.

We will raise issues of farmers and unemployment, he said.

Saurashtra has a significant Patidar population. Along with North Gujarat, it is Saurashtra that Congress is counting on in the backdrop of Patidars OBC quota agitation.

But in the absence of an alliance between Congress and NCP, Patidars votes are likely to split and eventually benefit the BJP.

Fielding candidates from all 182 seats will be a daunting task for the Sharad Pawar-led party, given that the last elections in 2012 had only nine NCP candidates in the fray.

An alliance with the JD(U) announced earlier does not stand any more after Nitish Kumars party joined hands with the BJP in Bihar to form a new government in July.

While the NCP is keeping the option open for an alliance with the Congress, it is so far not happy with what it called its failure on put up a strong opposition.

Congresss 14 MLAs deserted the party in the crucial RS elections. Besides, the Congress is marred with infighting. We have kept the option of alliance open. But it is yet to be seen how Congress handles its issues, Patel said.

The NCP will again put up its Kutiyana MLA, Kandhal Jadeja, who voted for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Jayant Patel has claimed that he voted for Congresss Ahmed Patel, but BJP insiders maintained that both NCP MLAs, as per their high command diktat, voted for the BJP.

As per reports, it was JD(U) MLA Chhotu Vasavas vote that proved critical in Ahmed Patels victory.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said Indians need to go back to their roots for living in harmony with each other.

Pointing out that most people knew India through the perspective of foreign writers, Naidu said the young generation should be fully acquainted with Indian culture, its history and ethos.

However, he said, culture and religion were two different things.

When we talk of culture, we are not talking of religion. Culture is a way of living while religion is a way of worship, the Vice President said after releasing a documentary film on the Kumbh Mela.

He said the mela illustrates that India is the spiritual capital of the world and that it is an event where great spiritual integration of people takes place.

Unfortunately, over the past many years, the projection of Kumbh Mela was not positive and accurate... there is a greater need for comprehensive information from an authenticated Indian viewpoint about the origin, history, and significance of the Kumbh Mela, an official statement quoted Naidu as saying.
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday denied she had dubbed as false a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on shortage of ammunition for the troops.

I never commented on the CAG report, said Sitharaman, who on Monday visited Sir Creek, a tidal estuary that flows into the Arabian Sea and separates Gujarat from Sindh province in Pakistan.

A report on Sunday had quoted Sitharaman as allegedly calling the national auditors report on ammunition shortage as factually wrong.

Buying ammunition is a continuous process. The process is on. Sometimes, you think something has to be bought in more quantity. Sometimes, you are trying to fill the gaps, she said.

Sir Creek is an important place for national security, including of Gujarat. I am visiting Sir Creek to see what more needs to be done for the protection of the area, Sitharaman said.

A CAG report said that 55% ammunition used by the Indian Army would not last long to meet the minimum operational requirements.

For the remaining 45%, the army has stock which could be put to use for a maximum of 10 days in case of an intense war, the report added.

The report also pointed towards insufficient steps taken after 2013 to improve on ammunition stock for the armed forces. As per the operational requirement target set for 2019, the Army should be equipped with ammunition that could last 40 days of intense war.

Sitharamans predecessor Arun Jaitley, speaking on the report on multiple occasions, had said that the Indian forces are prepared to face any contingency, adding that the report was in reference to a particular point in time, and since then progress has been made.
Pakistani troops on Monday violated the ceasefire by firing and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district.

Pakistan Army troops initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 1345 hours in Poonch sector along the LoC, a defence spokesman said.

The Indian troops were retaliating strongly and the firing is on, he said.

On September 9 also, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Debraj, Krishna Ghati and Ishapur in the Mendhar sector prompting retaliation by the Indian troops guarding the border, a police official said.

On September 4, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice by firing at forward posts along the LoC in Degwar and Maldalyan areas in Poonch and along the International Border (IB) in Arnia sector of Jammu after which the Indian security forces retaliated.

On September 3, the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch along the LoC.

On September 1, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Kamaljit Singh of the Border Security Force sustained bullet injuries due to firing from across the LoC while he was deployed at a forward post in the Krishna Ghati sector. Singh later succumbed to injuries.

Incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan have increased sharply this year.

Till August 1, there were 285 such violations by the Pakistan Army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to the Army figures.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday assured people living in border areas of the Jammu region that India was taking steps to ensure Pakistan was forced to stop firing.

Just wait for some more time. Pakistan will forced to stop firing. If a single bullet is fired from Pakistan, then India should not count the bullets fired in retaliation, he told a rally of migrants here from the Line of Control (LoC).

Over 5,000 people living along the LoC were forced to move out their homes in the Naushera sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir four months ago in the wake of heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan forces.

Singh said, Whether they (Pakistan) stop firing today or tomorrow, they will have to stop firing and ceasefire violation.

Flanked by Union minister Jitendra Singh and J-K deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, the home minister said after the 2014 ceasefire violations, he had told the BSF director general that no firing should be carried out from the Indian side as Pakistan was a neighbour.

Dont fire first because Pakistan is our neighbour, he recalled as having said.

He said, Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to always says that friends can be changed but not neighbours.

Singh said he had conveyed to the BSF DG that if a single bullet was fired from across the border, then bullets fired in retaliation by the Indian side should not be counted.

He said, The situation was better to an extent. The situation is better now also. I hope that the situation in the future will better too.

The minister, who visited border camps and interacted with migrants including woman and children, assured them that steps would be taken to mitigate their problems.

Whatever is possible I will do. People across the country have great respect and regard for the residents of the border areas. People in the border areas are facing unnecessary problems, he said.

The minister said he had told the director general of border-guarding force Pakistan Ranger in 2015 that Pakistan was resorting to firing violating certain protocols which should be respected and followed.

India is not a weak nation now. It has emerged as a powerful country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No one in the world now considers India as a weak nation.

The image and prestige of India has increased globally as compared to the past, he said.

Singh said after he took over as the home minister, the compensation paid to the next of the kin of people killed in cross-border firing was raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

He also said that five India Reserve Battalions have been sanctioned for J-K and 60% of recruitment for these should take place from the border areas.

The minister said that recruitment in paramilitary forces also would be undertaken from border areas.

The migrants, during their interaction with Singh, made a strong demand for setting up of bunkers at their homes along the LoC.

Our first and foremost demand is that the government should set up bunkers in each of the border houses if we have to live again along the LoC. We need bunkers more than food, Jangarh resident Parshottam Kumar, the president of the Border Migrants Coordination Committee, told Singh.

The home minister visited one of the six camps set up in Noushera by the government for the migrants.

The sarpanch of Kalsian border hamlet Bahadur Choudhary said, If we have bunkers in our homes, we will not leave our homes at all.

Naushera MLA Ravinder Raina demanded safer places for the LoC dewellers, besides waiver of loans.

Singh also visited BSF troops at a camp near the LoC here and said latest equipment was being inducted into the force for better and more effective domination of the border.

The latest tehnology would act as a force multiplier and also reduce the workload on the troops, he told BSF personnel.

He lauded the troops for guarding the border areas under adverse conditions.
Ryan International School murder: Management booked, police lathicharge parents and protestors

The Ryan International School management was charged on Sunday with cruelty to a child after the murder of an eight-year-old student, but the move didnt pacify angry parents demanding a CBI investigation. Hundreds of parents tried to enter the private school in Bhondsi, near Gurgaon, prompting police to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. About a dozen people were detained for arson and rioting and many more wounded in the police action. Cameras of some photojournalists were also damaged in the clashes. The parents want the school shut until a CBI inquiry is ordered and stricter legal provisions are slapped against the management for the murder of a Class 2 boy on Friday. Read the story here.

Hurricane Irma batters Florida

Hurricane Irma made landfall on Floridas southern islands on Sunday and claimed three lives as millions of people, including thousands of Indian-Americans, evacuated the state in the wake of the storm that left a trail of death and destruction across the Caribbean. Hurling 130 mph winds, Irma struck Florida Keys as it barrelled towards the US states west coast where millions of people have evacuated turning many places into ghost towns. There is imminent danger of life-threatening storm surge flooding along much of the Florida west coast, including the Florida Keys, where a storm surge warning is in effect, the hurricane centre said. Read the story here.

Found at Deras Sirsa HQ: Secret tunnels, firecracker factory, womens hostel, empty box of AK-47 cartridges

No proper record of dead bodies being sent from the hospital running inside the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters was maintained while a skin bank was running without license, a senior official said as the mammoth sanitisation exercise of the complex was completed on Sunday. Secret tunnels, including one which linked jailed sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs plush residence with female disciples hostel, an empty box of AK-47 cartridges, an illegal firecracker factory were among other shocking detections made, according the Haryana government. Read the story here.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat wants a legal system reflecting Indias moral values

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat pitched for reforms in law on Sunday as he stressed the need to develop a legal system based on the ethos of the society. Addressing the concluding ceremony of the silver jubilee celebrations of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta (Advocates) Parishad in Hyderabad, Bhagwat said though the new Constitution was drafted after Independence, some old laws were taken from foreign sources. Our constitution was written based on the understanding of the Bharatiya ethos of our founding fathers, but many of the laws that we are still using are based on the foreign sources and that laws were made as per their thinking...seven decades have passed since our independence...this is something we must address, he said. Read the story here.

Rahul Gandhi leaves for US; will meet thinkers, political leaders, overseas Indians

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday left for the US, where he will interact with global thinkers, political leaders and overseas Indians on international, economic and technology issues. Gandhi, 47, will begin his nearly two-week trip to the US with an address at the University of California, Berkeley, tomorrow on the subject India at 70 -- Reflections on the Path forward, where he will talk about contemporary India and the path forward for the worlds largest democracy. His great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, Indias first prime minister, delivered a speech at Berkeley in 1949. Read the story here.

Hindu seers group releases names of 14 fake godmen; Ram Rahim, Asaram on list

The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), the apex body of Hindu sadhus, released on Sunday what it said was a list of fake saints even as it demanded a crackdown on rootless cult leaders. The move by the ABAP, which is an umbrella organisation of 13 recognised akharas, or monastic orders, came against the backdrop of a series of controversies surrounding self-styled godmen, including Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh who has been convicted of rape. Read the story here.

TN farmers protesting at Jantar Mantar eat own excreta, say human flesh next

A group of farmers from Tamil Nadu, who have been protesting at Jantar Mantar for almost two months, have made a desperate attempt to draw attention of the authorities by allegedly eating their own excreta in protest. Ten of their men, including their leader P Ayyakannu, took the drastic step on Sunday. I feel like throwing up when I even think about it, said Palanichamy, who was one of the 10 who allegedly ate their own excreta. We collected the excreta in the morning (in plastic bags) and then ate it... By not giving us revised drought packages, compensation for crops ruined by the bad weather conditions and refusing loan waivers, the central government has forced us into a position of having to eat our own waste, said Ayyakannu, president of the national south Indian rivers linking farmers association. Read the story here.

Gauri Lankeshs fate awaits you, Kerala Hindu group leader warns writers

Kerala Hindu Aikyavedi leader KP Sasikala, notorious for her inflammatory speeches, threatened secular writers on Sunday saying the fate of murdered Kannada journalist Gauri Lankesh also awaits them. Addressing a meeting in North Paravur in Ernakulam district, 250 km north of the state capital, she urged such writers to perform a Mruthunjaya Homam (a ritual to escape from the clutches of death) at Lord Shiva temples if they did not want to meet the fate of Lankesh who was shot dead in Bengaluru last week. Her speech which was widely shared on social media has riled both the government and the opposition. Read the story here.

Some hacked to death, some shot dead by army: Rohingya Muslims recount Myanmar village massacre

Myanmar soldiers barred the entrance to the mosque, men arrived with machetes and petrol cans and then, according to Rohingya Muslim eyewitnesses, the killing began. Those that ran were hacked to death. Others that got away were shot by the army, said Master Kamal, a 53-year-old teacher, and one of the survivors of the massacre in Aung Sit Pyin in Myanmars Rakhine state. They were burning houses. We fled to save our lives. Kamal told AFP he saw three neighbours -- including a father and son -- butchered as he fled, making a 10-day trek across monsoon-drenched hills, rivers and fields to Bangladesh. Interviews with about 10 people from the village who found refuge at Balukhali camp in Bangladesh revealed horrific details of the events in Aung Sit Pyin on August 25. Read the story here.

Five Shia Hazara community members gunned down in Pakistan

Five members of the minority Shia Hazara community, including two women, were killed on Sunday in an attack by unidentified gunmen in Pakistans restive Balochistan province. The gunmen targeted a car in Kuchluck area of Quetta while it was coming from the Chaman border crossing area, police said. The firing took place when the travellers had stopped at a filling station to refuel their vehicle. Five people, including two women, died in the attack, the Express Tribune reported. Read the story here.

It hurts a lot: Hillary Clinton on 2016 US elections loss to Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton says she is done being a political candidate, and that her shock US presidential loss last year to Donald Trump remains a source of deep anguish. It still is very painful. It hurts a lot, the 2016 Democratic nominee said in an interview on CBS Sunday Morning, the first in a series of appearances to highlight the upcoming publication of What Happened, her memoir about the campaign. I am done with being a candidate, she said. As an active politician, its over. Read the story here.

Iranian warship turns away US battleship in Persian Gulf

A rocket-bearing Iranian military vessel confronted an American battleship in the Gulf and warned it to stay away from a damaged Iranian fishing boat, Tasnim news agency reported Sunday, but the U.S. Navy denied any direct contact with Iranian forces. The American battleship turned away after the warning from the Iranian vessel, which belonged to the naval branch of the Iranian army, according to Tasnim. The Iranian military vessel then towed the fishing boat, which had sent out a distress signal after taking on water, back to shore. Read the story here.

Photos | From Gauri Lankesh to Ganesh Visarjan: India last week in pictures

From the killing of Gauri Lankesh, where she was shot dead outside her house in Bengaluru, to Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in India; a roundup of top photos from across the country. Check out the pictures here.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday began his two-week visit to the US during which he will interact with global thinkers and political leaders, and address overseas Indians as part of an outreach initiative by his party.

In his first engagement, Gandhi would address students of the prestigious University of California, Berkley on India at 70: Reflections on the Path Forward, in which he will offer his reflections on contemporary India and the path forward for the worlds largest democracy.

A day before the event, the University announced that the event venue has reached its maximum capacity and registration has been closed.

Gandhi, 47, was received at the San Francisco airport by senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda and Shudh Singh, the president of Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC), US.

He is here at the University of California Berkley, where Pandit (Jawaharlal Nehru) addressed in 1949 as the Prime Minister. Today, we are at the cross roads where core value of Indian democracy secularism and pluralistic society is in danger, Congress spokesman Madhu Goud Yaskhi said.

He (Rahul Gandhi) strongly believes in these values for India to be a strong nation, and what is the way forward for India and his views and his thoughts about Indias future, the spokesman told PTI giving a preview of Gandhis speech.

During his trip to the US, he said, Gandhi will also engage with the Indian diaspora with the purpose of making them a part in Indias development.

From San Francisco, Gandhi is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles. He is likely to visit Aspen Institute to interact with the think-tank community.

In Washington DC, the Congress vice president is scheduled to interact with members of the think-tank community, political leaders and government officials.

Gandhi is also scheduled to travel to Princeton University before his final address to overseas Indians in New York.
Sorry wont do on Twitter, it seems. Actor-politician Paresh Rawal on Sunday tweeted that Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was not accorded the 21 gun salute after he died fighting terrorists during the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.

When he people pointed out that Major Unnikrishnan, a National Security Guard (NSG) commando, was cremated with a 21-gun salute in Bengaluru in November 2008, Rawal tweeted this.

Maj Sandip Unnikrishnan who martyred in Mumbai Taj attack was from Banglore, was not given 21 gun salute by the state !  Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) September 10, 2017

Sorry the Word NOT was written by mistake in Maj Sandip's tweet . So pardon the mistake n get the sarcasm !  Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) September 10, 2017

When a journalist asked Rawal why doesnt he admit that he made a mistake, the BJP leader tweeted:

Sarcasm is not about Maj sandips Death n u know what the tweet means n who I am hinting at so don't misinterpret! https://t.co/zdfRruP6Qm  Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) September 10, 2017

Twitter users accused him of propaganda, with many asking him to verify his statements before posting utterly ignorant stuff. They also said BJPs BS Yeddyurappa was the chief minister of Karnataka in 2008.

The BJP leaders tweet came days after senior journalist and Hindu right-wing critic Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead in Bengaluru, was laid to rest with full state honours.

Rawal had kicked off a Twitter storm in May after he said that writer Arundhati Roy should be tied to an army jeep, suggesting she be used in a manner similar to a Kashmiri man in the Valley. Rawal also endorsed a tweet by another user that suggested journalist Sagarika Ghose be treated similarly, with many users seeing it as an attempt to incite violence by an elected public representative.

Heres a look at some of the responses:

Paresh pappu ban gaya. Hahhaha  Prasanna Senapati (@senapati4) September 10, 2017

A high class actor and a low class propagandist, that's what he has become.  Ankur Tandon (@tweet_me_80) September 10, 2017

How lies spread. Maj Unnikrishnan was created with full military honours. Using the death of a soldier for propaganda is really low. https://t.co/rXjwt3otLe  Saikat Datta (@saikatd) September 10, 2017

Hope you realise what you've become.  Ratnabali B (@reallybadhairda) September 10, 2017

Paresh rawal is an actor he can do anything for money he can act like nationalist or spread fake news.anupurm kher is also doing same .  Mir hyder hussain (@Mirhyderhussai5) September 11, 2017

Sir BS Yediyurappa was CM in 2008 November when Major Unnikrishnan sacrificed his life for the nation!  Arun not official (@MisraArun080565) September 10, 2017

Sir ji thoda google kar liya karo .. you r great actor but pls don't make of real life comedy  Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha (@Mrityunjoykjha) September 10, 2017

There were few, however, who believed his statement and defended Rawal.

Omg @SirPareshRawal. Shame on @siddaramaiah and his government. Now i m sure this time there will be BJP's government. Waiting for this.  Rohit Kumar (@RohitKumar305) September 10, 2017
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will set the future direction of the special strategic and global partnership between the two countries when they meet this week, the ministry of external affairs said on Monday.

Abe begins a two-day visit on Wednesday, during which he and Modi will hold the 12th India-Japan annual summit in Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

The summit takes place amid rising tension in the region following the nuclear test by North Korea and growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.

This will be the fourth annual summit between Modi and Abe.

The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their Special Strategic and Global Partnership and will set its future direction, the MEA said in a statement.

India-Japan ties are on an upswing in a range of areas, including defence and security.

In their annual defence dialogue last week, the two countries had resolved to collaborate closely in defence production, including on dual-use technologies.

Prime Minister Modi had visited Japan in November last year. Both sides had decided to ramp up bilateral defence and security cooperation during the visit.
Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has decided to meet the three service chiefs every morning to speed up the decision-making process and ensure military readiness, a spokesperson said on Monday.

A whole range of meetings has been scheduled with the three defence service chiefs to review military preparedness and allied issues of strategic interest, the official said, adding that the defence secretary will also be required to meet her on a daily basis.

Sitharaman, who took charge of the ministry on Thursday, is the first woman after Indira Gandhi to be anointed as a full-time defence minister. Gandhi held the portfolio 35 years ago, when she was the Prime Minister.

The Defence Acquisition Council, the ministrys apex decision-making body, will now meet every fortnight to speed up weapon purchases. Earlier, the council used to meet on a monthly basis. The military needs to scale up its capabilities swiftly to counter the threat of a two-front war with Pakistan and China.

After taking charge last week, Sitharaman held a string of meetings with top officials to familiarise herself with the ministrys functioning. She said her top priorities are military preparedness; developing weapons and systems under the Make-in-India initiative; welfare of soldiers; and attending to long-pending issues. It is no secret that the military is struggling to fill capability gaps despite the induction of new fighters, submarines, helicopters, tanks, artillery guns and assault rifles.

Sitharaman has taken over at a time when the military is undergoing significant reforms. An extensive restructuring of the Army will see 57,000 soldiers being redeployed in combat roles in an attempt to sharpen its fighting edge. The exercise follows recommendations made by an 11-member expert panel, headed by lieutenant general DB Shekatkar (retd), on enhancing the Armys combat potential and trimming its revenue expenditure.

Other recommendations under consideration include creating a post for the chief of defence staff as a principal military advisor to the government; restructuring the Defence Research and Development Organisation; and setting up special operations, space and cyber commands to fight future wars.
Indias strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an article of faith for it and not just another relationship, but a spiritual and civilisational connect, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday.

Issuing a joint statement with her Afghanistan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani, Swaraj said their bilateral relations are not important for just the two nations but for the entire region.

Without naming Pakistan, Sushma Swaraj said that India and Afghanistan will remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries.

She announced that 116 new high impact development projects would be jointly implemented that would bring socio-economic and infrastructure development, especially in the suburban and rural communities in 31 provinces of Afghanistan.

India has been and will continue to work with people of Afghanistan in their effort to build a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive Afghanistan, Sushma Swaraj said.

She also expressed her gratitude to Afghan security for ensuring safety of Indians working in Afghanistan.
The police, army and the CRPF on Monday jointly appealed all the militants of Kashmir to lay down arms and join the mainstream after two of their colleagues surrendered during encounters in the past two days in south Kashmir.

They assured that those joining mainstream will have a safe future while heightened anti-insurgency operations in Kashmir would continue as part of a carrot-and-stick policy.

The appeal by security forces comes as home minister Rajnath Singh, on a four-day visit to Kashmir, spoke about compassion, communication, coexistence, confidence building and consistency for a solution to Kashmir issue.

Kashmir Inspector General of Police, Munir Khan, GoC Victor Force BS Raju and CRPF IG (operations) Zulfikar Hassan briefed media on Monday about the two encounters in south Kashmirs Shopian and Kulgam districts over the past two days.

While four militants were killed (two in each operation), a militant Adil Hussain surrendered in Shopian while Arif Ahmad Sofi, an over ground worker of militants surrendered in Kulgam.

The slain militants killed in Kulgam on Monday were identified as Dawood Ahmad Allaie and Sayar Ahmad Wani, a police spokesman said.

With a very clear message to others who have been lured into this that if they come, we will receive them with open arms, not necessarily during encounters. Even now they can come and join the mainstream. You must know that two other militants got killed in that encounter because after persuasion they choose to carry on with firing on the forces and fight a lost battle, Munir Khan told media at police control room Kashmir.

Khan said that Arif was an established and chronic over ground worker and a lifeline for militants in that area and nobody would have questioned them if he was killed because he was with the militants.

There were all the reasons to knock him off during the encounter but he did not have a weapon so we did not kill him. This is the difference between a disciplined force and terrorists, he said.

The IG said that the surrender policy is not only for those who come from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Im specifically referring to militants who surrender during encounters as happened yesterday. There is a policy for militants who come and surrender. The government is keen to rehabilitate them, he said.

He also said security forces supposed to rehabilitate and help a militant join the mainstream if he is arrested or surrenders provided he is not involved in any heinous crime.

Read more: Two militants killed, one arrested in encounter in J-Ks Kulgam

Kashmir has been witnessing vigorous anti-insurgency operations by security forces in the past few months particularly after increase in militant activities following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July last year. Around 140 militants have been killed this year after security forces drew up a hit-list of top militant commanders and started going after them.

BS Raju, GOC of Victor Force gave details of the Shopian encounter and revealed that it took them four to five hours of hard talking and persuasion to make Adil Hussain surrender who was hiding with a weapon in a house. It was well past midnight (in wee hours of Sunday) that finally Adil Hussain decided to surrender and then he came out of the house unharmed and laid down his arms. We truly appreciate the courage the individual took to come out, Raju said.

The operation resumed in the morning after evacuating families. The third terrorists in the house was injured we offered him to surrender but he did not and opened fire and we retaliated and neutralised him, he said.

Raju appealed to everybody who wants to surrender that the forces would a safe passage. That is an assurance directly from all the security agencies and Adil is a living example of that, he said.

IGP CRPF (Operation) Zulfikar Hassan said that they wanted to assure every citizen of Kashmir that if anyone wants to surrender, safe passage is assured. When three top agencies (police, army and CRPF) combine together with all their resources we can ensure a safe life for anyone who wants to surrender and join the mainstream. We want to assure every person that your future will be safe if you decide to get away from anyone who is misguiding you, he said.

Hassan said that biggest reward is given to a person who chooses to surrender or ensures that somebody surrenders because that is the biggest achievement. Surrender will always be given priority, he said.

However the officials said that the pace of operations against the militants will continue. Our main target is the militant leadership who recruit people, said IGP Khan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed a students convention to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekanandas Chicago address and Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya centenary celebrations.

Commemorating Vivekanandas 1893 speech, Modi said in his address, Just with a few words, a youngster from India won over the world and showed the world the power of oneness. The 9/11 of 1893 was about love, harmony and brotherhood.

Here is a primer on the Hindu monk who took Hinduism to the world stage in the late 19th century

Who was Vivekananda?

Swami Vivekananda was the chief disciple of 19th century mystic and yogi Ramakrishna Paramhansa. Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Math, a monastic order based on his gurus teachings in Kolkata and a worldwide spiritual movement known as the Ramakrishna Mission based on the ancient Hindu philosophy of Vedanta.

Vivekananda is credited with contributing to a revival of modern Hinduism and inspiring nationalist consciousness during colonial rule. But he is best known for his famous 1893 speech where he introduced Hinduism to the Western world in Chicago.

Vivekanandas early life

Vivekananda, born Narendranath Datta, belonged to an influential family from North Kolkata. He was born on January 12, 1863 .

His father, Viswanath Dutta, was a well-known attorney and his mother, Bhuvaneswari Devi, a very religious woman, was a housewife. Vivekananda studied at the Metropolitan School in Kolkata and later at the General Assemblys Institution, where he studied Western logic, Western philosophy and European history. It was here that he was first introduced to the work of Ramakrishna during a lecture by Professor William Hastie.

Meeting with Ramakrishna

Vivekananda met Ramakrishna in late 1881 or early 1882. He initially did not accept Ramakrishnas ideas or philosophy, but began to visit the monk frequently and hold discussions with him.

In 1884, Vivekanandas family suffered a sudden reversal of fortune when his father died. It was then that Vivekananda found solace in Ramakrishnas teachings and eventually accepted him as his guru. Vivekananda received saffron robes from Ramakrishna in 1885, before the guru died of throat cancer.

In 1888, Vivekananda began a tour of India as a wandering monk, living on bhiksha or donations and trying to discover the country by talking to common folk.

The Chicago speech

Vivekananda delivered his now famous Chicago speech at the Parliament of the Worlds Religions which was held in 1893 from September 11 to 27 at the Art Institute of Chicago.

His speech, which began with, Sisters and brothers of America, got him a standing ovation at the summit. In his speech, Vivekananda touched upon the fact that though people may follow different religions, yet all paths eventually lead to god.

He had also warned against the dangers of sectarianism and bigotry:

Sectarianism, bigotry and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilisation and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now.

He also presented a paper on Hinduism at the conference and talked at length about religious unity. Swami Vivekanandas teachings and his style of oratory captured the interest of America and the monk was invited to deliver lectures at various places of repute during his tour of the country.

Founding of Ramakrishna Math

In 1897, Vivekananda founded the Ramakrishna Ashram. In 1899, he established the Belur Math/monastery on the West Bank of the Ganges, which became an important centre for the teaching of the philosophy and principles associated with Vedanta.

Death

Swami Vivekananda died on July 4, 1902. He was meditating at Belur math when a ruptured blood vessel in his brain led to his death. His followers believe that the rupture was due to brahmarandhra (an opening in the crown of his head) being pierced when he attained mahasamadhi.

Vivekanandas writing and speeches

He wrote four classics, Jnana-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Karma-Yoga, and Raja-Yoga, which are his treatises on Hindu philosophy and the teachings of Vedanta. In addition, his ideas and philosophy come through in the many lectures he delivered, the letters he wrote to friends and disciples, poems and songs composed by him.

Vivekanandas influence

Vivekanandas writings and teachings had an impact on many of Indias nationalist leaders, who were fighting against the colonial rule. Subhas Chandra Bose called Vivekananda the maker of modern India and Mahatma Gandhi credited Vivekanandas with increasing his love for his country a thousandfold.

January 12 , Vivekanandas birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day in India to mark the monks ideas on how the young should participate in the modern world while upholding their values.
Tawang, the centre of Chinas obsession with Arunachal Pradesh, has revived an event to celebrate the special bonding between the local people, mostly the Buddhist Monpas, and the armed forces.

The two-day event, Maitree Divas, was last organised more than six years ago.

Its revival attained significance after the stand-off between the Indian and Chinese army at Doklam on the Bhutan-Tibet border about 550 km west of the north-western tip of the 2,085 sq km Tawang district.

The relationship between the local populace of Tawang and the armed forces has been of respect and interdependence. We hope the beautiful relationship been built and maintained over the ages will continue to safeguard the interest of our nation, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu, a Tawang native, said.

Bad weather prevented the chief minister from attending the inaugural event on Sunday.

His father and former chief minister Dorjee Khandu had started the Maitree Divas celebration during his four-year reign. The event was discontinued after Dorjee Khandu died in a chopper crash on April 30, 2011.

Dorjee Khandu, who had served the army in its Intelligence wing, had conceived the event. His idea was to acquaint the locals with the armed forces and motivate them to join the armed forces or a niche force such as Arunachal Scouts - envisaged as a second line of defence during external aggression.

Another objective was to let the locals get to know about intelligence gathering or other jobs the army might offer civilians from time to time.

People in Tawang, having borne the brunt of China-India conflict in 1962, are generally apprehensive about a possible invasion by the Peoples Liberation Army.

Lt Gen AS Bedi, commander of the armys Tezpur-based 4th Corps, underlined the importance of military-civilian bonding in a sensitive Himalayan border area like Tawang.

It is imperative that we work hand-in-hand to ensure external as well as internal security of our nation. The army will continue to work towards realising the dream of a self-reliant and dignified Arunachal Pradesh, he said at the inaugural programme of the event organised in Tsangyang Gyatso Stadium in Tawang town, about 550km northeast of Guwahati.

Soldiers, who outnumber the 49,977 inhabitants (2011 census) in Tawang district, often depend on the local people for information about the terrain and movement of suspicious or foreign elements in far-flung areas.

Defence spokesperson Lt Col Sombit Ghosh said a run for peace and unity preceded the main event that entailed helicopter flypast, weapons display, a show of army dogs and army mules besides local cultural extravaganza.

We also provided information about recruitment in the army, he said.

A Tawang district official said the local administration took the opportunity to push for Aadhaar card enrolment and inclusion of locals for various central beneficiary schemes.

The event was organised jointly by the army, the BJP government in the state, the local administration and an NGO named Yuva Arunachal.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Four policemen on vehicle- checking duty and a bystander were crushed to death by a speeding truck in Bihars Muzaffarpur district late on Sunday night.

Five other policemen were also injured in the incident that took place on the national highway 28 near Akuraha village in Panapur outpost area, 30 km west of Muzaffarpur and 81 km north of Patna.

The injured policemen included deputy superintendent of police (west) Krishna Murari Prasad and Panapur outpost officer in-charge DN Jha. They have been admitted to a private nursing home at Muzaffarpur.

Police said the team, led by the DSP, was checking vehicles near Akuraha village when the truck, coming from Motihari side, rammed into their vehicle. The truck driver managed to escape after the accident.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vivek Kumar, who visited the accident site along with district magistrate Dharmendra Singh, said, Prima facie, it appears that the truck was at a high speed and the driver lost control over the vehicle. Whether the driver was in an inebriated condition or fell asleep on the wheels will be known only when he is arrested.

This is the second incident of road accident in the last six months in which police personnel have been killed in north Bihar.

Earlier on April 15, seven policemen and a Maoist prisoner were killed when a prisoners van rammed into a stationary truck on national highway-77 near Gaighat village in Runnisaidpur police station area, 25 km south of neighbouring Sitamarhi.
The UN high commissioner for human rights on Monday criticised India for the rise of religious intolerance and attacks on freedom of expression, including the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, as well as its handling of Rohingya refugees.

In unusually frank remarks made while addressing the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Zeid Raad Al Hussein said rights defenders working for Indias most vulnerable groups were being harassed or denied protection by the state instead of being seen as allies in building a more inclusive society.

Al Hussein also criticised India and Pakistan for not cooperating with his office to assess the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC).

There was no official reaction from the Indian government to Al Husseins comments.

Al Hussein said he was dismayed by the rise of intolerance towards religious and other minorities in India. The current wave of violent, and often lethal, mob attacks against people under the pretext of protecting the lives of cows is alarming, he said.

Referring to attacks on people who speak out for fundamental human rights, he pointed to the murder last week of journalist Gauri Lankesh, who, he said, tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred.

Though Al Hussein said he was heartened by protests against Lankeshs killing and other lynchings, he noted that rights defenders working for the most vulnerable groups, including people threatened with displacement by infrastructure projects such as the Sardar Sarovar Dam, were being subjected to harassment and criminal proceedings, or denied protection. Such groups, he added, should be considered allies in creating a more inclusive society.

Al Hussein, who described the Myanmar governments handling of the Rohingya issue as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, specifically targeted minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju for his stance on deporting Rohingya refugees.

I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country, he said.

The minister of state for home affairs has reportedly said that because India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention the country can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion, he said, noting that 40,000 Rohingyas had settled in India.

On Saturday, India asked Myanmar to handle the situation in Rakhine state with restraint while focussing on the welfare of both civilians and security forces. It also called for violence in the region to be ended expeditiously.

Al Hussein also regretted what he described as the reluctance of India and Pakistan to cooperate with his office on human rights concerns, including a failure to grant access to Jammu and Kashmir on both sides of the LoC.

He said his office is remotely monitoring the rights situation in Kashmir in order to make the findings public in the near future.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday the BJP-led government at the Centre will not go against the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir on constitutional provisions that guarantee special privileges to the restive state, amid a debate over articles 35A and 370.

Singh is on a four-day visit to the state which comes at a time when the valley is experiencing agitation against attempts to abrogate Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives special rights to the permanent residents of the state, and the arrest of seven separatist leaders by the NIA in alleged terror-funding cases.

The government did not initiate anything on this or go to court. I assure the government would never take any step which will hurt the sentiments of people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Singh called it a non-issue and said it was being raised by people who have nothing else to talk about.

He said his assurances have come as a home minister of India after he was asked about the individuals or organisations challenging these constitutional provisions were affiliated to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJPs ideological mentor.

I dont want to comment on who is saying what but I am talking as a leader of the BJP and home minister of India, he added.

The Supreme Court last month asked the Centre to file a reply within three weeks to a writ petition filed by an NGO seeking that Article 35A be struck down.

The PIL said the state government, under the guise of Article 35A and Article 370, which grants special autonomous status to the state, has been discriminating against non-residents who are debarred from buying properties, getting a government job or voting in the local elections.

The top court is likely to hear the arguments in the case after Diwali.

Singhs comments generated instant debate in the valley as netizens reacted to his statement. Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah said the assurances should be carried forward.

The Union government must now file a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court to defend 35-A. That is the way to carry this assurance forward, Abdullah tweeted.

Abdullah met Singh on Sunday as led a delegation of his National Conference (NC) party. In a memorandum to the home minister, the NC registered its strong protest at the ambiguity that exists on behalf of the central government in defending the states special status in the Supreme Court.

The home minister also said the security situation in Kashmir Valley has improved as compared to last year and appealed to tourists in India and rest of the world to visit the region known for its scenic beauty again.

I assure the tourists from India and rest of the world that Kashmiris are ready to welcome them, Singh said.

He also said give Cs form the basis for resolution of the problems of Kashmir  compassion, communication, coexistence, confidence-building, and consistency.

I have asked the security forces to treat youth below 18 years, who are involved with any criminal activities (militancy), as juveniles. They should be tried in juvenile courts and also be separated from hardened criminals, he added.

Singh, however, added no militancy is acceptable and militants will meet their fate.

He said the Narendra Modi government has taken unprecedented steps to improve relationships with Pakistan but it was not reciprocated. Pakistan should stop infiltrating terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir, the home minister said in Srinagar.

Singh, who met about 55 delegations of civil society and representatives of political parties, said he was willing to talk to any stakeholders. I have come with an open mind. I am willing to talk to anyone. I am inviting everyone who is willing to help us in resolving problems of Kashmir, Singh added.

He, however, refused to comment on why a formal invitation was not extended to separatist Hurriyat as most of its leaders are under house arrest or detention since Singh began his visit to the state.

Singh will travel to Srinagar, Anantnag, Jammu and Rajouri and meet civil society members, leaders of political and social outfits, business leaders and others, a move seen as a follow-up to the Prime Ministers Independence Day speech in which he had reached out to the people of the valley.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday met President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

During his day-long stay, Adityanath also called on Union finance minister Arun Jaitley.

There was no official word on the meetings.

A state government official, however, described them as courtesy calls.

The chief ministers visit to the national capital comes against the backdrop of death of several children in hospitals of Uttar Pradeshs Gorakhpur and Farrukhabad regions allegedly due to lack of oxygen supply.

Over one lakh shiksha mitras (assistant or temporary teachers) are also on a warpath with the BJP-led state government, seeking a hike in Rs 10,000 monthly salary announced by the state after the Supreme Court upheld an Allahabad High Court order terming their appointment as illegal.
Over the last two days, 65-year-old Shafique Ahmed has been making several rounds to police stations in Jaipur to secure a few curfew passes for his nieces wedding on Monday.

His niece, Haseena Banos fiance Tanvir Ahmed and his family and guests from outside require passes to enter the Walled City area of Jaipur where curfew was imposed following violent clashes between locals and policemen on Friday night.

Over 1,500 guests were supposed to come to the wedding, but now we will be lucky if we are given even five passes, including for the groom, Ahmed told HT.

A youth was killed when police fired to disperse a mob that had gone berserk on Friday night after an alleged assault on a couple by a constable in Ramganj area of the walled city.

A heavy posse of security force was deployed after the incident, and strict checking is being done at the entry points.

They (police) are also doing headcounts multiple times for each group, said Khalil Ahmed, who hopes to get at least seven passes for his daughters bridegroom and kin. The wedding is scheduled for Monday evening.

But this is marriage season, said Mohammed Afzal, a local. On an average, there are around 10 weddings scheduled every day in Ramganj, he said adding that the curfew has taken a toll on weddings as large parties are not allowed.

Around 50 weddings are scheduled this week, with 7-8 planned for Monday.

Families have suffered substantial monetary losses in calling off the lavish arrangements. Most of the weddings that took place in the past two days had less than 10 guests.

People had ordered sweets and paid caterers in advance for the weddings, believing that a large number of guests will turn up. Now, most of the food will go waste in absence of guests, said Khalil Ahmed.

He said he has put a request through an acquaintance to the police for the passes.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A Muslim woman in Pokhran area of Jaisalmer district has received a letter from her husband through which he has conveyed his triple talaq message to her. The divorce letter, sent through speed post, was received by the woman early this month.

Last month, the Supreme Court struck down the instant triple talaq among Muslims citing it unconstitutional. The apex court has ordered the centre to enact a law within six months to govern marriage and divorce in the Muslim community.

The woman, Kalsum, resident of Mangolai village in Pokhran, married Mohammad Arshad, resident of a neighbouring village Kali Magri, three years ago.

According to the Kalsums family, ever since her marriage, Kulsums in-laws would often beat up her and send her back to her parental house. The elders of the villages would reconcile the matters, but only to have her abuse repeated. The husband would say that she was dark complexioned and he wont keep her. They also made issues about dowry, said Abdul Aziz, Kalsums cousin.

On September 1, Kalsum received a letter from her husband dated August 14. Nobody being literate in their family, they could not read it. It was in Urdu and my uncle thought it would have something to do with land or property, said Aziz, who teaches in a madrasa in Kota.

When Aziz saw the letter, he told Kalsums family that her husband has given her triple talaq through the letter. The letter was sent from Saharanpur near Deoband, where her husband had gone to study, but could not take admission, Aziz said. The womans family approached the police on September 8.

The police said they have received a complaint from the womans family about domestic violence and harassment over dowry. We have lodged a case against the husbands family for cruelty to woman. Although we heard that the woman has been given triple talaq, no official mention was made by the complainant, said Manak Ram, station house officer, Pokhran. He said the police have recorded Kalsums statements and started investigations.
The family of a missing e-rickshaw driver, whose body was discovered at the SMS Hospital mortuary on Monday, alleged that he had died during violence at Ramganj on Friday night.

The family of the man, identified as Bharat Kodnani (29) who was specially abled  refused to give approval for a postmortem. They have demanded an investigation into his death and compensation.

The police have refused to confirm that Bharat died in Ramganj violence.

The body of the man was found between Manak Chowk and Ramganj on Friday night and was sent to the hospital by a constable and a CLG member. The cause of his death could only be ascertained after the postmortem, said additional commissioner of police, law and order, Nitin Deep Blaggan.

Naraindas Kodnani, Bharats uncle, who is a resident of Choudhary Colony under Brahmapuri police station area, said that on Friday at 11 pm, he received a phone call from Bharats cell and the caller said that Bharat was lying in Ramganj Bazaar. When we reached there, the police did not allow us to go there, said Naraindas.

He said that later when the policemen were told about the phone call, they gave keys to the e-rickshaw and told that us that he had been sent to the trauma centre at SMS Hospital by 108-ambulance.

We searched for Bharat at the trauma centre at SMS hospital and other hospitals namely Kanwatia Hospital, Jaipuria hospital, and other places, but couldnt find him. On Saturday midnight, there was a phone call from Bharats cell phone, but no one spoke. The phone has been coming on Friday and Saturday, but the caller didnt say anything, said Naraindas.

On Sunday, they lodged a report about Bharat at Brahmapuri police station and on Monday we received a phone call that a body of a physically challenged man was lying at the SMS mortuary and we were asked to come and identify the body, which turned out to be of Bharat, he said.

Naraindas said that Bharat earned his livelihood by running e-rickshaw. On the day of the incident, he had gone to drop passengers to Ramganj Bazar around 10 pm. We will not allow the authorities to conduct a postmortem till the government gives compensation and assurance of a fair probe, he said.

He said that Bharat is survived by his mother Jyoti (52) and his sister, who is married. Bharat was unmarried.

Meanwhile, SMS hospital spokesperson Dr SS Yadav said that the person identified as Bharat on Monday was brought to the hospital on Friday night dead and was kept at the mortuary as he had not been identified.
A woman was allegedly gang-raped in West Bengals Birbhum district on Monday and a bottle thrust into her private parts after she sought to end an extra-marital affair, police said.

District police officers told Hindustan Times that they had arrested a man, Tarak Bhaskar, who barged into the womans house around 1.30am on Monday along with two friends and attacked her.

We have arrested key accused Tarak Bhaskar on the basis of the complaint of the victim. We are interrogating him. We are also trying to nab the two others, said Neelkanth Sudheer Kumar, Birbhum district police superintendent.

The woman told the police that the culprits were apparently inebriated. She is in a critical condition in a local hospital. She needs to be urgently operated upon but cannot be moved to a bigger hospital because of her physical condition, police said.

The incident took place in ward 3 of Sainthia municipality, about 195 kilometers from Kolkata, where the victim lives with her 13-year old daughter and nine-year old son. Her husband lives in another state where he has gone for work.

Local residents said Tarak lived in the same locality and was married with two children. When the woman told him she wanted to end their relationship, he took her to an abandoned room near Sainthia bus stand and allegedly sexually assaulted her. When the woman told neighbours and others about the behavior, he resorted to Mondays gangrape.

After they raped me, they thrust a bottle in my private parts before leaving, the woman told the police. According to police officers, the culprits likely thrust the liquor bottle they were drinking from into her. The woman was taken to the hospital on Monday morning, more than five hours after the alleged rape.

This is the latest case of sexual assault to have rocked the state in recent years, after the Park Street rape case in February and the Kamduni rape case in 2013.
The Calcutta high court on Monday described as unfortunate West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees preference for the words gheu gheu - the vernacular equivalent of the sound of a dogs bark  while ticking off government employees demanding a raise in dearness allowance.

The court was hearing a case filed by state employees who are demanding dearness allowance (DA) at par with their Central government counterparts. Acting chief justice Nishita Mahtre observed that use of such words was unfortunate.

On September 7 while addressing a meeting of state government employees, Banerjee had said: Let me tell you, it is useless to bark (to extract financial benefits). You cant make me do something by exerting pressure. She told the employees that her government would clear DA backlogs by 2019.

The chief minister used the words gheu gheu at least thrice in her speech at Nazrul Mancha.

Have those, who are barking, found out how a government manages to run under great financial stress? You have raised loans all these years... she remarked.

Banerjees choice of words instantly became a subject of lampooning with people posting photos and caricatures of dogs and calling the canines state government employees standing at the receiving end. Many started posting metaphors, interpreting a dogs life.

On Monday, the bench of acting chief justice Mahtre and justice Tapabrata Chakraborty was hearing a case filed by Confederation of State Government Employees, a frontal organisation of the Congress, and the Lefts government employees unions. The unions questioned the states decision to pay them 55% less DA than the Centre.

When the case came up for hearing, advocate general Kishore Dutta told the court that the chief minister announced 15% hike in DA on September 7 which will be effective from January 2018.

Chief justice Mahtre told the advocate general that she would hear the case again on Wednesday and copy of the official notification on this hike should be submitted by then.

At this point counsel Sardar Amjad Ali, who is representing the employees, mentioned the chief ministers comment on barking by dogs. Chief justice Mahtre said, The use of such set of words is unfortunate.

While announcing the hike in DA, Banerjee had said, We give DA to our employees every January. We announced a hike in DA by 10% which was applicable from January 1, 2017, she said. This hike will cost the state exchequer an additional Rs 4,500 crore, she added.

After this 15 per cent hike, the difference in DA given to Central and state employees will come down to 40%.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is planning a show of strength in its divisional workers conference which will be inaugurated by party president Mayawati in Meerut on September 18.

The BSP supporters have launched a massive campaign on the social media to mobilise party workers for the conference.

Though the BSP has no official account on any social media platform, the supporters have started Twitter accounts such as Behan Mayawati, Bhaujan Samaj India, Dalit News Network, Bahujan Bharat and Bahujan Yuva to call upon BSP supporters to attend the conference.

Some of the supporters have launched Meerut Chalo campaign on the social media.

Mayawati is also holding regular meetings with party leaders at her official residence to review the preparation for the conference.

The meet will also mark the launch of the BSP campaign for the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

Mayawati is screening candidates for the 80 Lok Sabha seats and is appointing them as in-charge of the Lok Sabha seats as well. The candidates have been entrusted with the task of transporting party workers to the rally ground on September 18.

A BSP leader said the conference might announce a bigger role for Mayawatis brother Anand Kumar, who has been appointed national vice-president of the party, and her nephew Akash who has completed MBA from a foreign university.

To win over the youths, Mayawati has planned to promote Akash in the organisation and also assign him a bigger role in politics, he said.

Mayawati, who resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 18 for not being allowed to speak on Dalit atrocities, is planning to highlight the sacrifice that she made for the community.

After the rebellion by senior leaders rattled the party, Mayawati plans to send across the message that despite the revolts she enjoys the support of party workers.

The conference has been strategically planned in west UP which has a large Muslim population.

Addressing party workers in a meeting organised last month, Mayawati called for Muslim-Dalit unity. Under the BSP rule, Dalits and Muslims are being targeted by the saffron brigade. Both the communities will have to come together to fight for their rights, she had said.

To safeguard the rights of Dalits and the poor, I resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 18. I have decided to launch a countrywide agitation against the NDA, he added.

After Meerut, the party will hold meetings on the 18th day of every month. These conferences, to be held at the divisional level and in assembly segments, are likely to continue till next year. The BSP will also organise demonstrations on public issues in UP and other states.

Mayawati has upset the plan of opposition parties to form anti-BJP alliance by turning down the proposal to attend the BJP Bhagao, Desh Bachao rally organised by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna on August 27.

Questioning the efforts of opposition parties to form a secular alliance to challenge the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Mayawati said the parties should finalise the seat-sharing formula before forging a pre-poll alliance.

The durability of an alliance is dependent on the distribution of seats among partners. The tussle of seat sends wrong signal to the people and will benefit the BJP, she said.

The opposition has not lost hope and has offered her to contest by-poll on Phulpur Lok Sabha seat that will be vacated by deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya after his election to legislative council on Friday. Mayawati is yet to open her cards.

Mayawati earlier announced that she would not contest the election and the BSP would not field a candidate in the by-polls. She might support the opposition candidate.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
An inebriated private security guard on Monday shot dead two children and critically wounded another in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh, police said adding that he has been arrested.

Surendra Singh, working in a school in Detaria village, demanded water from children playing around while he was drinking.

When the children did not pay heed, he allegedly pulled out a gun and shot them, killing Gulfansa, 6, and Shaan Mohammad, 3, on the spot. Soni, 4, was injured.

Villagers overpowered him and beat him up before handing him over to police. The murder weapon has been seized.
Human bodies donated for medical studies are usually transported to the medical college concerned within the first six hours of the death.

Sirsa (Haryana) falls about 12 to 14 hours from Lucknow by road. Hence, in a new twist to the GCRC cadaver row, experts are raising eyebrows over the fact that a medical college in Lucknow got bodies from Sirsa for its students. We accept body donation from a maximum distance of 200 kilometres, said Prof Navneet Kumar, HoD, anatomy at the King Georges Medical University.

He said before keeping the body for long, there was a process to be followed. Cant comment whether or not they did proper body embalming before transporting it here but if they did not, then the fact that rigor mortis starts in the body about six hours after death will make it difficult for use of medical studies, said Prof Navneet.

Why would a college take bodies from so far and why should Dera provide body to a medical college in Lucknow when there are colleges in Haryana that can be reached in 4 to 5 hours are questions that remain to be answered.

MEDICAL EVENTS UNDER SCANNER

After exposure of a medical college getting bodies from Sirsa, the medical education events that include cadaveric hands on training have also come under scanner.

The medical conferences include training sessions and part of the training is done on cadavers. The responsibility of arranging cadavers is on the college where the training is done.

The fact that rate of body donation is very poor in the state makes private colleges arrange bodies from outside the state. We are probing the issue, said SSP, Lucknow.

NOT JUST UTTAR PRADESH

Bodies from Sirsa were not just sent to Uttar Pradesh but also to other states, including Uttarakhand. Some other colleges in other states also got the bodies for hands on training during the continued medical education programmes, said a doctor.

Among the 14 bodies that reportedly came from Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa, Haryana, to GCRG Medical College in Lucknow, eight were of women and six of men. Uttar Pradesh police will now coordinate with the Haryana police to cross-check the list of bodies..

Haryanas health minister Anil Vij has already ordered an inquiry to ascertain if the Dera Sacha Sauda had sent 14 bodies to the medical college in Lucknow.

Read more: Lucknow institute under radar after receiving 14 bodies from Dera

As the matter was noticed after a union health ministry letter stating that the college obtained bodies without following proper procedures, probe will also include other private medical colleges to see if there is a racket to supply bodies from Dera.

The letter dated August 17, from the union health ministry, had pointed out that the explanation offered by the college in obtaining 14 cadavers from Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa, Haryana without requisite permission and death certificates was inappropriate and it was a serious issue to be looked into by the authorities concerned .

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Voices to get the earthen dam near Kudiya Ghat removed are growing louder. Experts say the dam, built during the riverfront beautification project, is obstructing the flow of Gomti, leading to a build-up of pollutants and causing an adverse impact on the quality of water at Gau Ghat intake.

Removing water hyacinth The students, staff and management of Pioneer Montessori Inter College (PMIC) Lucknow, Eldeco branch, volunteers from NGO Swayam Siddha, and members of Pirthvi Innovations and other organisations assembled at Kudiya Ghat on Sunday to remove the green water hyacinth covering up river Gomti. The group, including 15 students of PMIC, principal Sharmila Singh, vice principal Debjani Pakrasi, Swayam Siddha member Sakshi Tripathi and Anuradha Gupta of Prithvi Innovations, worked vigorously. Our mission (Hamari Gomti Hamara Gaurav) believes that every bit counts. Gradually, the water will regain its purity. We will not stop till we achieve our aim, said a volunteer.

Spearheading the efforts to get the dam removed is Hamari Gomti Hamara Gaurav - a citizen-led campaign that seeks to sensitise and mobilise Lucknowites, and persuade the government to develop a roadmap for Gomtis rejuvenation and accord it the state river status.

The campaign was kicked off last month. Activists and aware citizens take up river cleaning every Sunday. We plan to continue this as our Satyagrah till the time the dam is removed, said Porf Venkatesh Dutta of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU).

This Sunday, a group of citizens gathered at Kudiya Ghat, demanding the removal of the earthen dam. Dutta explained that during the riverfront beautification project, thousands of geo-synthetic sandbags were dumped into Gomtis main channel to check its flow.

Now that the bridge at Kudia Ghat and the diaphragm walls on both sides of Gomti have been completed, the dam serves no purpose except choking up the river, creating a sort of artificial pond. The irrigation department had promised that the dam would be removed once the diaphragm walls were completed, said Dutta.

Due to pollutant logging, the river oxygen level has dipped to almost nil levels, tremendously revving up the need for biological oxygen. In addition, sediments from the dam get transported downstream, which is causing a great sustained environmental impact, he added.

Dutta said that in the coming days the campaign would reach out to more citizens, especially students and youths. For this, a series of talks by river scientists and environmentalists, and other awareness generating activities will be organised, he said.

Farrukh Rahman Khan, regional manager, WaterAid India, said, There are direct and indirect impacts on the biological, chemical and physical properties of a river and its ecosystem. For example, the transformation of a free-flowing river to stagnant water will affect the habitat. Damming also brings about changes in the rivers chemical composition, oxygen levels and other physical properties. All this together can make Gomti unsuited to aquatic life.

If forests and trees function as lungs for the city, water bodies serve as arteries. Together, they keep the ecosystem healthy, Khan added.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Army chief General Bipin Rawat touched the feet of Rasoolan Bibi, the widow of Vir Abdul Hamid, at an event at Dhamupur in Ghazipur district to mark the 52nd anniversary of his martyrdom. He also felicitated her and described her as more like his mother.

General Rawats move drew the attention of one and all in the crowd which cheered enthusiastically.

In an exclusive chat with HT on the sidelines of the event, General Rawat said, Rasoolan Bibi is more like a mother. During the felicitation, I felt as if I were felicitating my mother. Therefore, I bowed before her and touched her feet as a mark of respect. It is a matter of great joy and respect to see her on this occasion.

The army chief revealed that Rasoolan Bibi visited his place in New Delhi three months ago and invited him to the event.

I promised her I would come to Dhamupur. I am quite thankful to Rasoolan Bibi for inviting me to the event as it gave me an opportunity to see the land of bravehearts, he said.

As General Rawat spoke to her and saluted her on the dais, Rasoolan Bibi looked at the chief of Army staff affectionately. She stood up and presented a memento to him. She wished him good luck and gave her blessings while General Rawat looked at her in reverence.

Rasoolan Bibi asked the general, Babu (a term used by locals to address younger people), did you drink water and did you eat anything? The general nodded. His wife Madhulika Rawat also interacted with Rasoolan.

Rasoolan Bibi told HT, General Rawat is like my son. He touched my feet. This is a great honour for me. I gave my blessings to General. He will succeed on all fronts. I am quite delighted that he visited my place on my invitation. He kept his word.

She revealed that when she visited Army chief in New Delhi, he gave her great respect. He is very good at heart. Youngsters should learn from the General. How polite he is and how humble he is, she said.

Rasoolan asked other Army officials to have snacks.

General Rawat said that he was proud to visit Dhamupur where a braveheart like Abdul Hamid was born.

Addressing the gathering, Rawat lauded contributions of Ghazipur district to the armed forces. General Rawat exhorted the youths to join hands for development and security of the nation.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Reminding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of its pre-poll promises, saints and seers from across the country warned the Centre and Uttar Pradesh governments to construct the Ram temple by 2019 or be ready to face a countrywide movement on the issue.

The demand was raised on the concluding day of a weeklong tribute programme held in memory of Mahant Digvijaynath and Mahant Avaidyanath at Gorakhnath temple, on Sunday that was attended by hundreds of saints from all over the country. The temple is observing 48th death anniversary of Mahant Digvijaynath and 3rd death anniversary of Mahant Avaidyanath, former temple heads and public representatives.

Addressing the gathering Mahant Suresh Das of Digambar Akhara, Ayodhya, said, The entire saint community as well as Hindus want early construction of the temple. No excuse will be accepted as Modi government is at the Centre while Yogi Adityanath is at the helm of affairs in the state. Now, construction of the Ram temple is moral responsibility of the BJP. The hall echoed with Jai Shri Ram as Das gave his ultimatum.

Incidentally, CM Yogi Adityanath, who had also arrived to attend the programme, was not present on stage when Mahant Suresh Das made this comment as he had gone to receive Governor Ram Naik.

Earlier CM Yogi Adityanath, who paid tributes to the two saints, recalled the role of Mahant Avaidyanath and Digvijaynath in promoting sanatan Hindu dharma and their role in development of Gorakshpeeth. The chief minister said that Gorakshpeeth temple had witnessed attacks by foreign rulers but its pride and glory was restored by Mahant Digvijaynath and the legacy was carried forward by Mahant Avaidyanath.

Gorakshpeeth has a historic relation with Ram janam bhoomi. While Mahant Digvijaynath played a crucial role in the temple movement in 1949 (by placing the idol of Lord Ram inside Babri mosque), saints and seers gave Mahant Avaidyanath the key responsibility to lead the Ram janam bhoomi movement.

The CM assured people that Gorakshpeeth will continue promoting and safeguarding Hinduism by following the values and ideal of the two mahants.

Governor Ram Naik, who was the chief guest, hailed the role of Gorakshpeeth in promoting sanatan Hindu dharma and added that it was his pleasure to be a part of tribute programme of two saints.Fortunately, countrys biggest state is led by a saintYogi who is trying make UP into Sarvottam Pradesh (best state).

Caption: CM Yogi Adityanath honouring governor Ram Naik on the concluding day of a weeklong tribute programme held in memory of of Mahant Digvijaynath and Avaidyanath at Gorakhnath temple on Sunday.
Uttar Pradesh government is all set to begin social audit of work carried out under various schemes, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the Prime Minister Housing Scheme (Rural), to ensure more transparency and stem corruption.

District magistrate asked to set the ball rolling The government has asked the district magistrates to immediately begin the process for constitution of four-member block-level social audit teams for this purpose.

Each four-member social audit team will have one member each from general, OBC and scheduled caste/scheduled tribe categories and one job card holder worker of his son or daughter. One of the members will necessarily be a woman. Anyone between 40 and 60 years of age with a high school (class 10) certificate will be eligible for appointment as social auditor. According to the circular, the social auditors will be responsible to conduct spot inspections to verify the execution of work, examine the muster rolls and the entries done and payments made to workers under the MGNREGS, verification of bank transactions by the village panchayats etc

The government has asked the district magistrates to immediately begin the process for constitution of four-member block-level social audit teams for this purpose.

Director, Social Audit, Zubair Bin Saghir on Friday issued a circular to all the DMs and chief development officers with detailed directions in this regard, expecting them to constitute such teams by October 9 on priority.

Each four-member social audit team will have one member each from general, OBC and scheduled caste/scheduled tribe categories and one job card holder worker of his son or daughter. One of the members will necessarily be a woman. A woman will be given preference if she is a member of a self-help group.

Anyone between 40 and 60 years of age with a high school (class 10) certificate will be eligible for appointment as social auditor. There will be one four-member audit team each for 10 village panchayats. There are around 60,000 village panchayats in UP.

The appointment of social auditors will be valid till March 31, 2019 after which the government may go for a fresh panel of social auditors.

The circular, however, makes it clear that social auditors so appointed will be considered as social workers and will not be able to claim a government job on that basis or demand regularisation of the services.

As remuneration, each social team member will be paid Rs 500 per social audit as professional fee on the completion of the audit which they will be asked to carry out from time to time.

The selection committees headed by DMs have been asked to invite applications for the appointment of social auditors by September 25, completing the entire process by October 9.

According to the circular, the social auditors will be responsible to conduct spot inspections to verify the execution of work, examine the muster rolls and the entries done and payments made to workers under the MGNREGS, verification of bank transactions by the village panchayats, looking into if they (panchayats) had made various purchases as per the rules and any other work allotted to them by the director, Social Audit.

The social audit teams will submit their reports to the officers concerned for necessary action, says the circular.

Social audit of government schemes in villages by the stakeholders is a good step being emphasized by the Centre for years, said an official, adding, This keeps pressure on panchayat functionaries to keep their records clean.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The baby born on Friday to a 13-year-old rape survivor from Mumbai, whom the Supreme Court had granted permission to abort her 32-week-old foetus, died on Sunday morning.

The baby, which had respiratory complications and needed mechanical breathing assistance, had spent 48 hours on a ventilator.

Because of the premature birth, the baby which weighed 1.8kg, had smaller organs. A full-term baby - between 39 and 40 weeks - has to be around 2.5kg. Usually, in premature deliveries, babies internal organs are too small and fail to recuperate with the body. This child, too, had smaller lungs and heart, causing respiratory restrictions, said Dr Ashok Anand, head of gynaecology at the hospital.

Doctors added that the child is most likely to have suffered internal bleeding, which caused the death. We will have to check the autopsy report to ascertain the exact cause of death, said one of the doctors from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.

The hospital had put together a team of five doctors to conduct the surgery.

The teens pregnancy came to light on August 9, when her mother took her to a local doctor to understand the cause of her sudden weight gain. The childs parents then approached a Mumbai doctor who helped them file an application in the Supreme Court asking for permission to terminate the pregnancy. Abortion in India is legal only up to twenty weeks of pregnancy.
The father of a 29-year-old pianist, who jumped to his death from the 12th floor of a building in Bandra on Saturday, has asked the police to check his mobile messages sent to his good friend. Karan Josephs father, who is doctor, believes this may give them clues.

Karan jumped from the building in the presence of his two friends, one of whom is from Estonia.

According to the Bandra police, Karan recently moved to his friend Rishi Shahs Bandstand apartment. His parents live in Bangalore.

Shah told us that Joseph was depressed after he had a tiff with some people at a restaurant. He said people had some problems with him. Josephs father Thomas has told us that he has sent some messages from his phone to one of his good friends before committing suicide. We are checking both angles, said a Bandra police official.

The incident took place at 8.45am on Saturday. Shah, who works with a music magazine, and Estonian national Suzana Usma were home at the time of accident at 8.45am on Saturday. They were drinking juice when Karan suddenly got up and jumped.

An officer from Bandra police station, requesting anonymity, said, Karan had come to the city to make a career in music. During the time of the incident, two servants were also present in the house. Karan was seated near the window for two hours. He suddenly got up and leapt off, before his friends could react, the police said.
The mess at the University of Mumbai, one of Indias oldest, is getting worse. Now it has missed the deadline to apply for a fresh rating from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The A grade rating awarded in April 2012 was valid for five years and is no longer applicable, though the universitys website still displays this grade, misleading students.

Why did this happen? The university was busy trying to clean up the mess it had made of the degree examinations by starting online assessment without proper preparation. This callousness has already cost students dear. All the results have been delayed. Some are yet to be declared. Those that have been are full of errors.

If the university applies to NAAC in November for fresh accreditations, the ratings may come in only at the end of the academic year. That will be too late for students, who look at a universitys national ratings before making a choice of institutions to apply to. The university may not get access to central government funds either.

The vice-chancellor has been sent on leave. He should be sacked and someone competent appointed immediately to save the university.
To keep Indias promise to the United Nations of curbing road accidents by 50% by 2020, the states transport department will roll out an elaborate action plan by September for next five years.

As reported by Hindustan Times earlier this year, 1,02,219 people were killed in the state between 2009 and 2016. Of them, 88,125 (86.2%) deaths were caused by human error.

Data showed on an average 35 people died daily in the corresponding period.

A senior official from the transport department said, The previous action plan has become redundant. All stakeholders are coming together to sketch a new five-year action plan. We will prepare it by the end of September.

The stakeholders are from the safety patrol (HSP), transport department, police, regional transport offices, revenue, public works department (PWD), national highway authority of India (NHIA), municipal bodies, education department, NGOs and other agencies. They will meet this month. The transport official said, In 2016, the accidents came down despite these bodies functioning independently. But now a committee will monitor their work constantly and ensure coordination between various agencies. We want to their suggestions and set realistic goals. The coordinating committee will be led by the transport commissioner.

Apart from drawing up a five-year plan, the transport department has asked the PWD and HSP to send an elaborate report on black spots  areas which are vulnerable to accidents  by next week. It will then classify them and try to find out long-term and short-term solutions.

A big help to transport department is also coming from an NGO, World Resources Institute (WRI), headquartered at Washington DC in the United States. It will provide an analysis on road accidents and suggest solutions to prevent them. It is assisting the transport department free of cost. Another transport official said, We have signed a pact with WRI and provide them with statistics related to accidents in Maharashtra. They gave a presentation two months ago. The State Road Safety Council also attended the presentation.
For the past few weeks, especially since the Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections took place in August, there have been speculations that Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is likely to join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Soon after the elections that saw senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel barely managing to get elected to the Rajya Sabha from his home state, the Congress bitterly raised doubts over the NCPs support to him.

While the NCP insisted that its two Gujarat MLAs voted for Congress nominee, the Congress did not believe in it. In fact, one of the two MLAs himself announced that he voted for the BJP. The entire episode had then led to speculations whether the NCP would join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance though senior party leader Praful Patel was quick to deny the same.

The speculations are back now following Saamana executive editor Sanjay Rauts claim in his Sunday column in the Sena mouthpiece that Modi had offered a ministerial post to Pawars daughter and NCP MP Supriya Sule but the latter had denied it.

Sule had even said she would be the last person to join the BJP cabinet, Raut has written by quoting none other than senior Pawar. Sule has denied any such meeting took place while Pawar has not commented on it yet. It is well-known within the NCP and Shiv Sena circles that Pawar and Raut enjoy cordial relations. As such, the revelation has raised eyebrows in the political circles with several in the NCP wondering what would be the next move of the party leadership if Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen on keeping the NCP on his

side.

It is no secret that the BJP is giving Pawar a lot of importance even though the party had targeted him during the election campaign.

Modi went on record to say how the NCP chief has been a good friend and even guided him on occasions.

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday praised Pawar for putting interest of the nation ahead of politics.

In the past three years, PM Modi as well as several top ministers in the Union government have participated in functions at Pawars hometown Baramati. Considering this, Pawar should have been in the NDA camp by now. However, he continues to keep everyone guessing.

A few senior leaders in the NCP also seek attention to other obvious debate in the party: Is Supriya going to be the face of the party?

For past few years, there have been speculations in the party whether nephew Ajit will be anointed as the political heir of Pawar or will it be daughter Supriya?

Ajit has been the one who is handling the party organisation for several years. Brash and aggressive, he is also seen as a go to person in the party over handling election management. He has also experience of handling administration in the state.

Supriya on the other hand is seen as partys urban and urbane face.

Her organizational skills are yet to be put to test. Like her father, she is suave, can be comfortable both with urban and rural masses and has cordial relations with national leaders in Delhi. Ajits image is more like say MK Stalin of DMK in Tamil Nadu or Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh.

Significantly, for the past two-three years, Ajit is keeping a low profile following the setback he suffered after his name popped up in the irrigation scam. At the same time, Supriya has been travelling across the state and trying to connect with the masses. But then, will one of them be put forth as the political heir of Pawar or the party leadership will keep it issue vague?

Though she is occasionally projected as the partys frontline leader, will there be a definite move to put her forth as the fresh face of the NCP? Or just like the first questionCongress or BJPthe dilemma will continue over this one too?

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Reports that NCP MP Supriya Sule turned down PM Narendra Modis offer to join the NDA as a minister have sparked speculation that she is being projected as the new face of the party her father, Sharad Pawar, founded.

The buzz in political circles in Maharashtra is that Sule could be asked to take up the responsibility as most of the first-rung leaders of the party are facing serious corruption charges.

In his column in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Sunday, that partys MP Sanjay Raut had quoted Pawar as telling him about meeting Modi and discussing the offer. Raut claimed that Sule, who was also present at the meeting, said she would be the last person to go with the BJP.Sule has rubbished Rauts claim. There has been no such meeting where I met Mr Modi with Mr Pawar, said Sule.

The timing of Rauts comments is crucial as the message was meant to convey that Sule is in charge, say NCP leaders. Raut is close to the NCP chief and it is not possible for him to disclose such sensitive information without Pawars permission, which is also part of a private discussion between them, said a key NCP leader, who spoke on condition he would not be named.

Political commentator Prakash Bal said Pawar has been trying to put Sule at the helm. Pawar wants Sule to be the face of the NCP and Ajit Pawar to take administrative responsibility, Bal told HT.

NCP sources claimed they had got an offer from the BJP but that the leadership was not keen on joining the NDA fold. The party chief was not keen on joining NDA. Also, Sule was against it. She was the first person to refute rumours of the NCP joining NDA when speculation was rife, said a senior party leader.

Sources said Sules quote used in Rauts article was enough to clear all speculation that they are joining the NDA. But NCP leaders said the revelation about the offer also means the leadership is trying to achieve more. It is a clear message to all those thinking about joining the BJP that the NCP is still relevant when it comes to power. Thus, there is no point in switching sides. Further, the party needs a face like Sule, sources said.

The speculation assumes significance considering the charges NCP leaders Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare are facing in the irrigation scam. Another party senior, Chhagan Bhujbal, is in jail over allegations of corruption.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Political circles are abuzz after the Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut wrote in the partys daily Samana on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to induct the Nationalist Congress Partys Supriya Sule in his cabinet.

In his weekly column in Saamana, Raut said the NCP chief Sharad Pawar told him that Modi wished to include his daughter Supriya in the cabinet. She is the MP from Baramati.

Both the NCP and the BJP have dismissed the report, with the later terming it rubbish. The BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari told HT, Such contentions are not worth responding to...its rubbish. The Sena should focus on internal matters as not the NCP but the Senas legislators and leaders are keen on joining the BJP.

A senior state BJP minister said Raut lacked any credibility and should not be taken seriously. He said there was no question of the BJP wooing the NCP.

Raut quoted Pawar as telling him, These rumours are premeditated. Once Modi told me he wants Supriya in his cabinet. Supriya was with me at that time. She told Modi to his face she will probably be the last person to join the BJP. Our stand is clear, but just to create confusion, these rumours are spread.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, said though Pawar dismissed the rumours, even today NCP leaders in Maharashtra were in touch with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. If the chief minister wishes that the NCP should join the BJP in Maharashtra and if they are having secret meetings with NCP leaders, the Sena doesnt need to worry. For the NCP, which has 41 legislators, it will be the last straw on the camels back and the BJP will also be exposed, Raut wrote.

Relations between allies Sena and BJP have been increasingly choppy with the latter trying to spread its footprint in Maharashtra, the Senas home turf. The Sena has donned the role of an opposition within the government and has issued several veiled threats of withdrawing support.

On the other hand, a few key NCP state leaders are in touch with the state BJP leadership and appear eager to join the saffron fold.
What forced 29-year-old pianist Karan Joseph to commit suicide? Who was the person or people who beat him up? And what was the severity of the threats that Karan received which caused him to commit suicide? The Bandra police are probing all possible angles to figure out who abetted his suicide.

This was specifically after Karans father Thomas Joseph asked police officials to check his sons mobile phone messages, which could possibly hint at what may have led to the suicide. Karan Joseph committed suicide by jumping from the 12th floor of a building on Saturday morning, in front of two of his friends, one of whom is from Estonia.

Karan had recently shifted to his friend Rishi Shahs Bandstand apartment, and had informed Rishi of a tiff he had with some people at a restaurant.

Rishi has told us about Karan mentioning a tiff. And we are also looking at his phone messages. We are checking both angles to find out if there is any abetment to his suicide, said a Bandra police officer, requesting anonymity.

The incident took place around 8.45am on Saturday. During the time of the incident, Shah was in the house, along with Estonian national Suzana Usma. The duo were drinking juice, when the musician suddenly got up and jumped.

Joseph was seated at the window for around two hours. He suddenly got up and before his friends could react, Joseph jumped, police said. An officer further said, The friends in the statement said that the three met in the night and were listening to music and eating food the whole night.

According to the police, since the time he came in, Joseph looked depressed and was just sitting at the window. The two friends even inquired but he refused to talk, police said

Police have learnt that the victim had been to a friends house in Bandra itself and investigating what lead to the incident.

We have identified the person Joseph was with for four hours in the night. We are recording his statement and we will find out what led him to commit suicide, said an officer.
Police were posted outside two Ryan International schools on Monday after a group of parents whose children go to the Noida Sector 39 branch staged a protest when they were not allowed to meet the principal.

The parents want the management to step up security after a Class 2 student was murdered in a toilet of the Bhondsi branch of the private school in Haryanas Gurgaon on September 8.

The murder left parents shaken and exposed lax security arrangements at the Gurgaon school, with victims father demanding a CBI probe into the murder.

The parents began assembling at the gate of Ryan International in Sector 39 at around 8am and wanted an assurance that their children were safe, sources said.

As the group began to swell, the school called police. The parents were told that the principal would meet them after school hours.

She (the principal) has assured of meeting after 2pm as our entry into the school could have disturbed the school children, a parent said.

Police were also guarding the Ryan International at Kasna in nearby Greater Noida.

A group of parents had gathered to carry out a candle march so we deployed personnel there, Kasna station house officer Jitendera Singh said.

The management is under immense pressure as a panel report has pointed to several security lapses at the Gurgaon school, including children sharing toilets with adult staff.

The Gurgaon Police have arrested a bus conductor for the murder of the eight-year-old after he confessed to slitting the throat of the chid after allegedly trying to abuse him sexually.

But the parents say, the school was hiding something and the probe should be handed over to the CBI.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
One of the major strands of the Bengal Renaissance that stretched from the 19th to the early 20th century was religious awakening. A crucial lesson that Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886), the most prominent religious face of this period, left for his disciples is that gods are also found in temples. Primarily, they reside in our homes as a member of the family. Not one to issue idle sermons, the saint walked the talk. He used to treat goddess Kali as his mother and even fed and bathed her, spoke to the deity and sung songs for her. If he was delighted he would speak to her in a jovial tone, but would turn sombre if he felt low and even chide her when his mood was foul. His most prominent disciple who spread his philosophy around the world was Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), the social-religious leader many in the saffron camp swear by.

It is quite a pity that despite lessons by such leading lights, Jawed Habibs innocent advertisement Maa Durga arriving for a spa with her family has triggered vandalism, trolls and even police complaints from the saffron army. It should be noted that tempers were not lost in Bengal and Kolkata, the global capital of Durga puja.

Even if one sets aside lessons from a nineteenth century saint, a cursory enquiry about the ethos and practices in Bengal will highlight the futility of the Right-wing umbrage. In this state, the mainstream religious thoughts teach people to love gods and not fear them.

Nowhere is this expressly manifested as during Durga puja in Kolkata, where hundreds of community puja organisers unleash one of the biggest displays of public art over a full week. Artists are free to decorate the idols that are also worshipped with full rigour.

There are hardly any reins on imagination when it comes to decorating the pandals. Almost everything from earthen cups to recycled plastic wastes, tyres to sweetmeats, cow dung cakes to motorcar parts are used to make whole pandals in which the idols are kept and worshipped. The walls of many pandals regularly carry political caricatures and social messages.

Several publishers bring out special puja editions of magazines both in Bengali and English. Every year, some of them commission prominent artists to draw pictures of Durga. Anyone who has lived in Bengal has seen that Durga is depicted in quite unconventional ways in these pictures. In one she and her children are seen playing a music band, while in another she is seen taking a ride on a speedboat with the family and a few Disney characters.

For more than 100 years Bengalis have written books and made films where gods have been given comic treatment. All these follow from the Bengali tradition that Durga is like a daughter returning annually to spend a few days with her parents. The mother goddess and the daughter become one and the same. Extending the same liberal philosophy, numerous Muslim artists work on decoration items of Durga. There are even examples of Muslims assisting Hindu priests in rigorous and elaborate rituals to worship the goddess on all four days of the festival.

And Durga is no exception. Bengal has more minor goddesses such as Shasthi (for the well-being of children) and Manasa (to protect the locals from snakes). In rural Bengal, they are all treated like members of the household.

Habib placed his communication against the backdrop of this liberal ethos in Bengal  and theres no need to get worked up over a visit to a salon.

Twitter: @avijitghosal3

Avijit.Ghosal@htlive.com

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Swami Vivekanandas message to India and the world at the 1893 Chicago Parliament of Religions is even more relevant in the present context, wrote Dr Nitish Sengupta in Hindustan Times on February 14, 1993. We republish the column, which portrays Vivekanandas secular and socialist ideals, on the 125th anniversary of his speech.

The centenary year of the 1893 Chicago Parliament of Religions is an appropriate occasion to recall Swami Vivekanandas message to India and the world, and to be amazed at how relevant it is even after a century. Vivekananda was just not a religious saint, but a Vedantic teacher propounding the concept of a universal religion; Indias first socialist, a firebrand nationalist and yet a true internationalist who was ahead of his time, a social reform activist, an educationist and, above all, a humanist who believed in the innate greatness of human beings. In his clarion call at the Chicago Parliament, he emphasised the fundamental unity of all religions deprecating the prevailing tendency to emphasise the greatness of ones own religion and decry other religions. He urged followers of various religions to be true to their fundamental tenets, and not to emphasise secondary details.

One cannot but recall his stirring words, The Christian has not to become Hindu or Buddhist, nor a Hindu or Buddhist to become Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the other, and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth. Every religion has produced men and women of most exalted character. If in the face of this evidence, anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart.

This Vedantic concept of eternal universal religion could not be the exclusive property of the Hindus. Believing in the unity of all mankind and the same God manifesting himself through all beings, he felt that Islam as a religion had gone the farthest in achieving this Vedantic concept of equality of mankind. How I would long to see my India as an Islamic body with a Vedantic head (letter to a friend, Sarfaraz Khan). Again, If you are born a Christian, be a good Christian. If you are born a Hindu, be a good Hindu. If you are born a Muslim, be a good Muslim.

For a generation which is troubled with the Ayodhya phenomenon, these are indeed very comforting words. Different sects fighting for the exclusive right to worship in different names of the same God is contrary to all that Swami ji stood for. Swami Vivekananda would have liked to see both Hindus and Muslims offer prayer to God --called by whatever name -- at the same place and in harmony, without disturbing each other.

Advaitism is the religion of the future enlightened humanity. Yet practical Advaitism which looks upon all mankind as ones own soul was never developed among the Hindus universally. If any religion approaches this equality, it is Islam alone. It was from the Vedanta again that several other strands of his thought evolved. He wanted the caste system to be completely eradicated, the poorer sections of the people to be given a fair deal and religion to be freed from priestly tyranny and vulgar ritualism. Man is an incarnation of God. If this is so, if God resides in every soul, there cannot be any high caste, any low caste, any master or slave. For a true Vedantist, there is no room for difference or special privileges on the basis of the accident of birth, no room for difference between nations. Just as a body where blood does not flow through all the limbs equally becomes diseased, the same with the society where large sections of the people are kept backward and deprived of basic facilities and education.

In his stirring words again, Think of the last 600 or 700 years of degradation when grown up men have been discussing for years whether they should drink a glass of water with the right hand or the left, whether they should gargle five or six times. Our religion is in the kitchen.Our God is in the cooking pot and our religion is dont touch me, I am holy.

For him, the problem of the caste was a part of the greater national problem. To remedy this he suggested free flow of spiritual and secular knowledge among the masses of the people and free flow of opportunities so that all could see the evils of the caste system and resist the humiliation and exploitation. Religion is neither in books, nor in intellectual consent, nor in reason. Reason, theory, dogmas, doctrines, books, ceremonies are all helps to religion. Religion itself consist of realisation.

For a true Vendantic, all these rituals that the priests propagate were meaningless. For centuries these priests had been doling out ditch water as religion overlooking the eternal fountain of Amrit that lies behind us. I consider the great national sin is the neglect of the masses and that is one of the causes of our downfall. No amount of politics would be of any avail until the masses in India are well-educated, well-fed and well-cared for. If we want to regenerate India, we must work for them. So long as millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who having been educated at their expense, pays no heed to them. I do not believe in a god who cannot give us bread here, giving me eternal bliss in heaven.

These thoughts were forged in the course of his 14 years of travel on foot across India when he came to know hunger, starvation, shelterless living, the misery of the poor and also their great potential. His prescription was a programme of national regeneration in which education must play a major role. He addressed his appeals to three sections: the youth, the women and the lower classes. He demanded that the task of educating the younger generation should be taken over from the hands of the foreign rulers and from orthodox religious institutions and given to the society as a whole. Also, he considered it necessary that education should be patriotic, useful and that the achievements of advanced technology should be mastered by our younger people.

Again, he attached great importance to professional vocational training and to further education and informal education -- ideas which have become fashionable only just now after a century. Also, spend no more money on the Brahmins education, but spend all on the Pariah.

Our aristocratic ancestors went on treading the masses of the country under feet till they became helpless, till the poor people nearly forgot that they were human beings. They have been compelled to be merely hewers of wood and drawers of water for centuries, so much so the most demoniacal and brutal arrangements culled from the crude ideas of hereditary transmission and other such gibberish from the western world are brought forward to brutalise and tyrannise over the poor.

He, therefore, wanted the upper classes in India to forget their exclusive privileges and merge themselves with the masses. The new India, according to him, would arise out of the peasants cottage, grasping the plough, out of the huts of fishermen, the cobbler and the sweeper, the grocers shop, from the oven of the fritter seller, from the factory, from the mart and from markets, from the forests, from hills and mountains.

Vivekananda was by far the first in India to call himself a socialist. In his remarkable pamphlet I am a Socialist, he did not quite preach an armed struggle between the classes but surely, advocated a complete fusion of all classes and castes. According to him, the world having passed through the Brahmanic age, the Kshatriya age, and the Vaishya age, it was inevitable that the Shudras will take over. Few, at that time, understood the significance and value of labour and propagated their upsurge through education and mass upsurge. The state of a civilisation is to be judged by the way it treats its women. He also attached tremendous importance to women.

If I get 500 motivated men, it will take me 50 years to transform India. If I get 50 motivated women it may take only a few years. in his programme of national regeneration, he attributed tremendous significance to mass education, the education that is not religious in the conventional sense but both spiritual and scholarly, at the same time scientific and cosmopolitan. All the reform movements in India, in his opinion, failed to succeed because they were confined only to the 0.5% of the people, the upper class, and so long as that they are made to believe that they are born as slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water. With all our boasted education of modern times, if anybody says a kind word for them, our men shrink at once from the duty of lifting them up -- these poor downtrodden people.

Not only so, but I also find that all sorts of the masses of the people were not transformed through education, these reform movements were bound to be confined to a very narrow base. Seeing the Roop Kanwar incident and the like, even in todays India one cannot but endorse this assessment. Today, a century after the Parliament of Religions, it is important to recall Swami jis stirring message. He did not surely preach nationalism as such, but when he preached freedom, the need for emancipation from all bondage, and to be fearless against all oppression, including domination by foreigners, he surely laid the foundation of a great nationalistic movement that arose a few years after him.

Let us recall his words from his famous address at Lahore in 1897, So give up being slaves. For the next 50 years that alone should be our keynote, our Mother India. Let all other vain gods vanish for the time from our minds. This is the only God.

If the generation that followed saw, three years after Vivekanandas death, the revolt of Bengal, the prelude to the great movement of Tilak and Gandhi, if India today has taken part in the collective action of organised masses, it is due to the message from Vivekananda, said Romain Rolland.

His chosen instrument for transformation was the youth. He wanted to organise a hundred thousand strong brigade of educated young men and women to send them like waves all over India bringing comfort, morality, religion, education to the doors of the meanest and the most downtrodden. These would be gigantic waves and nothing could resist these young people with muscles of iron and nerves of steel inside, whose life is one of burning love, self reliance, meeting death face to face, if necessary. That task remains unfulfilled even after a century. It is for our generation to fulfil this task and build a new India and a new world.
Instead of going in for big water tanks, which take time to build and may not be cost effective, the government now plans to go in for smaller units in every municipal ward to realize its goal of providing clean tap water to all habitations by 2020.

Public health engineering department (PHED) minister Vinod Narayan Jha told HT that while the ongoing schemes and projects on the verge of completion would go on, new units would be set up ward wise without requiring the need for big water tanks.

We are also examining the viability of old water towers. Those which cannot be restored will be razed. However, there are many which can be renovated for use and that will be done. The ward-wise plan is to add speed to work, said Jha, adding, in the first phase areas affected by arsenic, fluoride and iron contamination would be taken up.

A few years ago, the Bihar government had planned multivillage water supply projects in 200 arsenic-affected villages in three districts  Buxar, Vaishali and Patna. This was done following findings of high levels of arsenic contamination in the groundwater of 15 Bihar districts on either side of the Ganga river, posing the threat of cancer.

But the desired progress could not be made.

Now, work has started anew in 1,000 fluoride affected wards. In 126 such wards, tap water has reached, while in 650 others tenders have been floated. Work will start soon. We are confident of meeting the deadline. In the 961 arsenic affected wards, tenders have been floated for 590 in the first phase, he added.

In Bihar, 4510 wards have been identified as fluoride affected, while 2038 are arsenic affected. The centre has approved potable water schemes for 755 settlements and provided Rs 161.32-crore grant for it, while the state will provide the matching grant, he added.

The government will send another proposal for 1366 fluoride and arsenic affected wards to the centre by September 30, 2017. The first instalment of Rs 80.66 crore will be released in a few days. I have had talks with the union ministry in this regard. The centre is also sensitive to the cause of providing clean water, said Jha.

Jha said that in view of serious problem of iron contamination of underground water in nine districts  Kishanganj, Purnea, Araria, Katihar, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul, Khagaria and Begusarai, the government would water purification units in 20719 wards.

Our focus is on ensuring that every household gets potable water through pipe. For rest of the usage, they can manage with existing sources. The government is also planning to set up 72 water testing laboratories, besides nine mobile labs for far flung areas.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday mocked Lalu Prasad for holding a rally at Bhagalpur on the Srijan scam issue by calling it a suicidal street play and said the RJD supremo should approach the judiciary for a court-monitored CBI probe into the matter.

It was a suicidal street play (atmaghati nukkad-natak) which will cost him (Prasad) heavily, he told reporters while commenting on the public meeting of the RJD chief and his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav at Bhagalpur on Sunday.

Go to the Supreme Court or high court to say that you do not have faith in the CBI and ask them to monitor the central probe agencys inquiry into the Srijan scam, Kumar said on the demand of Prasad and his partymen.

Talking to reporters after his weekly Lok Samvad (interaction with the public) programme, the chief minister said there was no point in getting into a debate with the RJD over the Srijan scam when a CBI probe was underway.

If anyone has any document against anybody related to the scandal, it should be handed over to the CBI, he added.

Prasad and Tejashwi, the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, had yesterday come down heavily on Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi (BJP) and demanded that they spelt out the details of every penny embezzled by the Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Ltd, a Bhagalpur-based NGO.

Prasad wanted to know why FIRs were not lodged against Kumar, Modi, Union minister Ashwini Choubey and others in connection with the matter, which, he claimed, was nothing short of a maha ghotala (big scam).

The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief has also been making snide remarks against Kumar and Sushil Modi.

Some persons forget maryada (decency) in politics. I believe in work, instead of wasting time arguing with them, Kumar said in an oblique dig at Prasad.

He also claimed that everyone got to know about the Srijan scam after he brought it to the public domain on August 9.

During the hour-long interaction with reporters, the Janata Dal (United) national president answered a barrage of questions on rebel party leader Sharad Yadav calling a national executive meeting in Delhi on September 17.

Will a political person sit idle? Everyone has the right to get engaged in political activities. Everyone has seen how many legislators, parliamentarians and office-bearers of the party attended their programme and how many of them are with us.

The publicity he (Sharad Yadav) has drawn from the media in the last one-and-a-half months, he had never drawn in the last 40 years of his political career, he said.

On the outcome of demonetisation, Kumar, who had supported the Centres move even when he was with the Grand Alliance by describing it as a fight against black money, said money had returned to the banks and the owners of the money had to explain about it.

He added that he had suggested earlier also that scrapping high-value currency notes alone would not yield the desired result, unless there was a simultaneous attack on benami properties.

I am happy that an attack has been launched against benami properties, Kumar said, in an apparent reference to the CBI probing cases against Prasad and his family members.

On a question on the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru, Kumar said the investigation should unearth the truth behind the incident.

Had this happened in Bihar, there would have been a hue and cry all over the country. The Karnataka government should crack the case soon, he added.
As the political lingo in Bihar hit a new low, the ruling JD (U) took exception to the language used by RJD leaders against chief minister Nitish Kumar and other NDA leaders during a rally organised by the Lalu Prasad-led RJD at Bhagalpur in south-eastern Bihar on Sunday to highlight the Srijan scam.

At the rally, RJD chief Lalu Prasads son and former minister Tej Pratap Yadav had said social media pictures of Nitish Kumar reminded him of a pregnant woman. Others had alleged that most of the NDA leaders had girlfriends.

Taken aback by such barbs, the ruling NDA warned the RJD to either maintain restraint in use of words or be ready to face the music.

On Monday, two senior JD (U) ministers, Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh came down heavily on the RJD leadership for losing its mental balance out of desperation after the party was kicked out of office in late July, when the grand alliance government fell in the wake of Kumars resignation as CM.

Kumar had quit after deputy CM Tejeshwi Prasad Yadav of the RJD had failed to clear the air on an FIR filed against him by the CBI, naming him as a beneficiary in land in lieu of railways hotels lease, an alleged scam from the days when his father Lalu Prasad was railways minister (2004-09).

Kumar subsequently formed a new government along with the BJP.

That the JD (U) had taken the RJD utterances very seriously was evident from the fact that all the six party spokesperson were present during the press conference addressed by the two ministers.

At least this was not expected from a leader of Lalu Prasads stature. It is uncivilized, said Singh and Yadav, jointly addressing the media persons.

The two leaders advised the RJD leadership to be prudent in its choice of words. Mind your language and maintain restraint. If you start crossing the Laxmanrekha, we will not sit back, warned Singh. He (Lalu) has become desperate, he added.

The JD (U) leaders denied the charge levelled by RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh that the use of uncultured language was started by JD (U) spokespersons.

CM Kumar, ever since he joined hands with the BJP, had been at the receiving end of harsh words from the RJD.

If it was not RJD chief Lalu Prasad, then it was his son and former deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav taking on a person he moved around with till a couple of months ago and called him his chacha.

The RJD chief, after the alliance broke, described JD (U) spokespersons as Alsatians (a breed of dog). Recently, he said ullus (owls) were unable to see during daytime, in an obvious reference to JD (U) questioning the magnitude of the gathering at a recent RJD rally.

In fact, use of intemperate language started during the Bihar assembly polls, held in 2015, which will be long remembered for jibes such as Rojana Jungle Raj ka Dar (RJD), Janata ka Daman aur Utpidan (JD-U), Badka Jhuta Party (BJP), brahmapisach, shaitan and chara chor.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Battle of Saragarhi was fought in the rugged mountains of North-West Frontier Province 120 years ago, but it still continues to inspire countless soldiers across the world. And for many civilians, it has become a lifes mission to document the unparalleled bravery of 21 soldiers of 36th Sikhs pitted against 10,000 Pashtun Orakzai tribals in September 1897.

Saragarhi Day at Sandhurst The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (British Armys initial officer training centre, which is located in Camberley, 34 miles southwest of London) has been commemorating the Battle of Saragarhi at the Indian War Memorial room, which was set up in 2013 with a glass wall dedicated to the battle heroes. This year, the Saragarhi commemoration day will be held at the National Memorial Arboretum that has a statue of a Sikh soldier

Gurinderpal Singh Josan, the US-based chairman of the Saragarhi Foundation, is among them. He is here with a 14-member team of British officers and soldiers led by Maj Gen Duncan Francis Capa, to mark the 120th anniversary of the battle on September 12.

Col John Kendall, who is here for the second time, says: Its a hugely important tale of courage and sacrifice that many people seem to have forgotten.

Also read | Ajay Devgn unveils Sons Of Sardaar poster and it is all about love and rage

But those who have heard it seldom forget it. Col Kendall, who has done a stint in Afghanistan, says the battle resonates with him as he met the troops the Sikh soldiers fought against. There are three aspects of the battle, he says. One is the tactical part: soldiers led by Havildar Ishar Singh did not panic and made the most of their ammunition to inflict the maximum casualties on the enemy. Second is the lesson in valour it offers. These soldiers upheld to the highest standards the core values of the British Army  courage, discipline, respect for others, integrity and loyalty in the face of grave odds, he said.

General JJ Singh (retd) being honoured by SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar after inauguration of a gallery dedicated to the martyrs who lost lives in the Saragarhi battle, in Amritsar on Sunday. Maj Gen Duncan Francis Capa, who is leading a team of 14 British officers to mark the 120th anniversary of the battle, is also seen in the picture. (Sameer Sehgal/ht)

The battle was unique, says Kendall, inasmuch as it was recorded as it unfolded by Gurmukh Singh, the 21-year-old signalman, who continued to report to the commanding officer, Lt Col Haughton, until the very end. The local tribes also still remember the battle, says Kendall.

Col Kendall says he was introduced to the human side of the battle heroes by Josan, who authored The Epic Battle of Saragarhi.

Josan, who was raised in the neighbourhood of a gurdwara dedicated to Saragarhi in Amritsar, recalls how he used to see it locked throughout the day except for the brief time when the priest came to conduct the prayers. Fired by the valour of Saragarhi martyrs, Josan set up a group and began to hold martial art camps at the memorial. In his spare time, he also began piecing together their story. So, it was no surprise when the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) tasked him with finding out the descendants of the 21 soldiers to mark the 100th anniversary of the battle in 1997.

Josan says he got in touch with their parent regiment, 4 Sikhs, then stationed at Sri Ganganagar, and got some basic information about these men. Armed with it, he scoured Punjab for their families and succeeded in tracing their descendants, who were honoured by the SGPC.

Its a hugely important tale of courage and sacrifice that many people seem to have forgotten.

Soon after, Josan migrated to the US but continued to work on Saragarhi, and completed his book in 2014. Saragarhi, he says, remains his lifes passion. He was thrilled when Punjab chief minister and military historian Captain Amarinder Singh called him up last year to speak about his book Saragarhi and the Defence of the Samana Forts: The 36th Sikhs in the Tirah Campaign 1897-98. I am so glad he has given Saragarhi its due by declaring a holiday on September 12 to mark the battle, says Josan.

On his part, Josan commissioned the portraits of the 21 soldiers and Khuda Dad, the NCE (non-combatant enrolled) to be presented to the war museum in Amritsar. I hired a researcher to visit the families and a painter to draw their likeness, says Josan, who feels Havildar Ishar Singh looks much older than his 39 years in the sketch that has been used until now.

Josan is also all set to release the second edition of his book, which will carry extracts from the letters JA Lindsay wrote to his wife after retaking the fort on October 6, 1897, four days after the Battle of Saragarhi.

It may be 120 years, but for Saragarhi, it will never be the curtains.
Police have arrested 13-year-old boy for allegedly raping a seven-year-old girl at Dhakoli in Zirakpur. The accuseds family hail from Uttar Pradesh. His father is a migrant labourer and the two families were neighbours.

The victims father has been working in a factory as labourer and the family hail from Bihar. They had been living in Dhakoli for many years.

I had sent my daughter to a shop in the neighbourhood to buy milk around 8am. However, when she did not return for more than half-an-hour, we got worried and launched a search for her, the victims father said. She was not traceable.

Around 9am, the victim child came back to the house and started crying. When questioned, she alleged that a boy took her into the shrubs and did something with her.

We failed to understand what was wrong, but as she kept crying, we took her to a hospital where doctors told her that she had been raped.

Dhakoli police post in-charge sub-inspector Jagjit Singh said, We have registered a case. The accused has been arrested and further investigation is on.

Police have got conducted a medical examination of the victim, where the report is yet to come. A case has been registered under Sections 376 (rape) and POCSO (the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act at the Zirakpur police station.
There will be hopeful news when we meet next in December, as the new chancellor has offered to help us, said Panjab University vice-chancellor professor AK Grover, at the senate meeting, held on Sunday.

Zero hour discussions Revaluation results are delayed Members of scrutiny meeting for MEd counselling gets Rs 2.5 per form The PUCASH committees are yet to take decisions. They are violating the act. Lackadaisical attitude towards the meetings Teachers have not got their payments for the paper checking No manpower in PU affiliated colleges in Punjab Tuition fee for the third gender students to be waved off

Professor Grover announced that the new chancellor Venkaiah Naidu will be visiting the Panjab University in February, 2018. In the senate meeting, professor Grover shared that he will be submitting an executive summary of the varsitys financial status to the chancellor, soon.

He said that the PU has done a little progress in terms of finances but it has survived and it will be able to disburse the salaries of the staff, till the end of this year.

The V-C also highlighted that the UT administration wants the varsity to have tight security across both the campuses, raise walls at all the boundary walls, have corridors and motorable roads across the campus.

He added, The administration had this concern that 15,000 students are coming from across India to study here. They want PU to be secure as possible. They impose directions on us but we do not have money.

We have to go back via the new chancellor to state that if we are a city within a city then the civic needs of the campus ought to be their responsibility. Either they accept the responsibility or make us grant available as we have to do everything through internal income by enhancing the burden on the students, said Grover.

Reconstituted committees to give a plan on finances

He said that it is the task of the reconstituted think tank to give a plan on cross subsidy for who all can pay and who all cannot.

Observations made by Punjab government adviser PU should think of a way to not to waste so much paper in printing the agenda. If it cant be eliminated. It should be reduced. Some student has failed to get a degree for the past three years. Students services in the varsity should be digitised. PU should not only focus on degrees but should take up steps to be able to provide skills to the students.

The fee committees have been reconstituted for looking what should be charged from the students on the campus, from the students in Chandigarh city and from students who are enrolled in affiliated colleges. The first committee, which is bound to respond, is that how the affiliated colleges will survive.

We are enjoined to submit to the central government some revised estimates in the background of the centre having given us Rs 208 crore. If we dont send it, they will question us on this. I may earn a wrath for it, he added.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The Centres efforts to settle the contentious issue of completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal by offering an alternative plan have not gone down well with the opposition parties in Haryana.

The options the Centre suggested included giving up the demand for construction of the SYL canal by Haryana and instead make the Hansi Butana Bhakra mainline link canal functional under the management and supervision of an independent agency like the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

The Centre also suggested that 1,000 cusecs additional water can be released to Haryana from by Punjab. A draft affidavit in this regard was prepared by the Union ministry of water resources but could not be submitted in the Supreme Court as Haryana expressed reservations.

Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the Supreme Court order has attained finality and there is no other option with Punjab but to complete the canal construction.

The issue of the Hansi Butana link canal cannot be linked with the SYL canal completion. We will never accept the Centres proposal, Hooda said. The Congress leader said if the BJP government in Haryana succumbs to the proposal it will harm the interests of the state.

The Hansi Butana link canal was built to carry Haryanas share of Ravi-Beas waters from the Bhakra command to the Western Jamuna canal and lift command. Its operation has been stayed by the Supreme Court.

Leader of the Opposition in Haryana assembly, Abhay Singh Chautala said their party, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), would launch a massive agitation if the Haryana government agrees to the Centres proposal.

We will never let this happen at any cost. This will be gross injustice to the people of Haryana. We will never tolerate this. How can the central and the state governments refuse to comply with the orders of the Supreme Court? he said.
Nine years after the Punjab government recommended Central status for Panjab University to the Union government only to withdraw it later, PU senators continue to be divided over the issue. The status will go a long way in ensuring the financial stability of the varsity as the Centre will then fund it.

At Sundays Senate meeting, even after discussing the issue for hours, there was no decision.

Dr Gurmeet and Professor Navdeep Goyal raised the issue that the PU should follow Allahbad University model by naming it an institute of national importance, as per the act on its official website. Some senators, however, maintained that PU does not need any central status and some emphasised that central status will be a solution to the varsitys financial problems.

Senator Ashok Goyal said, The issue of varsitys central status has not been taken up seriously by Prof Navdeep Goyal, who was the proposer, and even the syndicate. It has been brought to the senate in a casual manner ...to send the message with a political motive. The purpose is to show that the authorities are trying to get Central Status for the varsity. He added, There is a set procedure to bring a resolution to the senate. It needs to be communicated to the registrar, four weeks before the senate meet.

Former PUTA president, Professor Rajat Sandhir, said that the central status will bring long-term financial sustenance for the university. Few senators claimed that PU should remain a heritage instead of getting a central status. Senators including Rabindernath Sharma and Varinder Gill maintained that University does not need any central status as things are fine without it.

The representatives of the PU-affiliated colleges also differed in their opinions and stated that they wont accept any money from the Haryana government.

Former vice-chancellor professor RP Bhamba highlighted how former chief ministers have been withdrawing their consent, earlier permitting Central status for the University, which is why, the current chief minister needs to be taken into confidence before passing any resolution.

Punjab government advisor Amar Singh, who was also present in the meeting, said, There is no point of passing any resolutions without the governments consent. What if the government denies it yet again?

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
It is very important for a language to be on the internet to survive in the present time, said Asaf Bartov of the Wikimedia foundation who was in Chandigarh on Sunday to conduct a workshop for Punjabi wikipedians.

Asaf Bartov who is the senior Program Officer of emerging communities at the Wikimedia Foundation held the workshop at Sood Bhawan.

Wikipedia is a platform where anyone can contribute. However, there will be a fact check by the administrators. Many volunteers are contributing to the Punjabi Wikipedia as they believe the internet should be for anyone even if they do not know English.

Long term survival of languages

Asaf pointed out, For long term survival of a language, it has be on the internet. Now we have historical records of languages on the internet and the discourse continues.

Wikipedia in Punjabi language started back in 2002 but did not do very well until around 2010. Around 2010, Satdeep Gill from Patiala started contributing to it, and started a group for it which included his father too. At present he is working as a strategy coordinator with the foundation.

From that time on, the group has grown, and many youngsters and even older people are now contributing to the Punjabi Wikipedia. It is not paid work, it is a service for the language, he said.

Over 18,000 people are contributing to the Punjabi Wikipedia, 88 of which are active users while 7 are acting as administrators.

Social impact

Bartov said, It has a social impact too. One who cannot understand any other language than his own . As the articles on Wikipedia increase in a particular language, it will start coming up on the internet as a major search.

Adding to it, he said, We cannot escape the fact that it is a hobby for the middle class. Those people who have a laptop or a smart phone and can spare time, edit on the Wikipedia.

He also said that Wikipedia in regional language will help all those people who can only read their own language and will help preserve the languages.

Presently, 26,791 articles are available in the Punjabi language on Wikipedia.
Lets teach our students about the Battle of Saragarhi. Lets teach them to be brave. Welcoming the Punjab governments decision to declare a holiday to commemorate Saragarhi Day (September 12), a serving woman squadron leader from the family of Naik Lal Singh, one of the 22 heroes of Saragarhi, hopes the Union government, too, will honour them by including their bravery in textbooks.

The young officer, who cited the Indian Air Force code of conduct to seek anonymity, speaks from experience. I grew up listening to how 21 soldiers and a non-combatant killed more than 200. I was told how my great-great-grandfather, who was seriously injured, continued to fire till his last breath. It made me who I am today, says the young woman who was commissioned into the IAF in 2010.

Naik Lal Singh was the oldest of the 22 men at Saragarhi in the North West Frontier Province on September 12, 1897, when the sentry on duty reported that tribals numbering anywhere between 8,000 and 15,000 were marching towards the block house at Saragarhi that was the communication centre for Fort Gulistan and Fort Lockhart, built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and renamed by the British.

Describing the last hour of the battle in his book Saragarhi and the Defence of the Samana Forts, Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh writes: Naik Lal Singh, though severely injured, was lying on his bed. Although unable to move, he was conscious and able to fire his weapon, and is reported to have kept up a steady fire, killing more pathans, as did Gurmukh Singh and Sep/Swpr Dad.

Here to commemorate Saragarhi Day from London as part of a delegation, Lance Corporal Harpreet Kaur of the British Army says she draws courage from the battle whenever she finds herself in a difficult situation. These soldiers knew they faced certain death, yet they fought with all their wits to the last bullet to make it easier for their unit.

Maj Gen Raj Mehta (retd), coordinator of the War Museum at Amritsar, says British historians compare the battle that lasted six hours and 45 minutes to the Battle of Thermopylae fought by the Spartans, which was until then considered the greatest last stands in the military history of the world.

In a rare gesture, Queen Victoria awarded the 21 soldiers  leaving out the non-combatant  of the 36th Sikh (now 4 Sikh) the Indian Order of Merit (comparable with the Victoria Cross) along with two marabas (50 acres) and Rs 500 each. It was for the first time that a gallantry award was given posthumously.

Gen Mehta says its a measure of the bravery displayed by these men that even today the Khyber Scouts regiment of the Pakistani army mounts a guard and salutes the Saragarhi memorial close to Fort Lockhart.

The British, who regained control over the fort after a few days, used burnt bricks of Saragarhi to build an obelisk to the martyrs. They also commissioned gurdwaras at Amritsar and Ferozepur in their honour. This year, the War Museum at Amritsar dedicated a gallery to the Saragarhi heroes. A 100-foot-long and 30-foot-wide 3D strip called Saragarhi greets you at the entrance. Maj Gen Mehta says they also play this battle in 7D.

Two days ago, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee unveiled a Saragarhi gallery in a serai by the same name, which was inaugurated in April.

Charanjit Singh, a fifth-generation descendant of Naik Lal Singh, is grateful for these recent efforts to bring the heroic battle back into public memory. Until 1997, we used to mark the day with an akhand path (chain prayers) in our village gurdwara, while the 4 Sikh used to commemorate it in their unit. Things have picked up recently, but even today its celebrated with greater fervour in Canada and UK than here.
Diya Aur Baati Hum actor Anas Rashid married his fiancee Heena Iqbal in Malerkotla, Punjab on Saturday night. It is an arranged match.

Both Anas and Heena hail from Malerkotla and the match was fixed by their parents. Anas Rashid, 38, got engaged in April this year to Heena, who is 14 years younger than the actor.

Heenas family moved to Chandigarh where she was working in immigration sector. The wedding was a family affair with friends and locals attending it. The family organised a reception on Sunday night.

#HeeNas #happydaysahead #anasrashidmediahubofficial A post shared by ARMH -Team Anas (@anasrashidmediahub) on Sep 7, 2017 at 11:39pm PDT

A post shared by ARMH -Team Anas (@anasrashidmediahub) on Sep 9, 2017 at 10:02am PDT

A post shared by ARMH -Team Anas (@anasrashidmediahub) on Sep 9, 2017 at 11:17pm PDT

Happy martied life A post shared by ARMH -Team Anas (@anasrashidmediahub) on Sep 9, 2017 at 11:11pm PDT

Were all happy today. We congratulate you both on this happy occasion and wish a lot of happy years together!Congratulations on your wedding! ANAS HEENA  A post shared by ARMH -Team Anas (@anasrashidmediahub) on Sep 9, 2017 at 4:32pm PDT

A post shared by ARMH -Team Anas (@anasrashidmediahub) on Sep 10, 2017 at 12:42am PDT

At the wedding, Anas wore a golden sherwani while Heena was dressed in a pink and sea-green lehenga.

Before the wedding, mehendi and haldi ceremonies were organised over the weekend. The TV actor also shared pictures from his haldi ceremony.

 A post shared by Anas Rashid (@anasrashid2016) on Sep 7, 2017 at 11:52pm PDT

A post shared by Anas Rashid (@anasrashid2016) on Sep 8, 2017 at 1:39am PDT

A post shared by Anas Rashid (@anasrashid2016) on Sep 8, 2017 at 11:05am PDT

A post shared by Anas Rashid (@anasrashid2016) on Sep 8, 2017 at 11:05am PDT

When asked about why he didnt choose a girl from the (TV) industry, Anas had earlier told Hindustan Times, Everything happened very quickly. Im working in this industry; aur agar bahu bhi kaam karegi, toh ghar pe kaun rahega? (And even if my wife works here, who will be at home?) For my family, the fact that Im working in this industry is enough.

Heres a picture from Anas engagement:

#anasrashid #engaged #buddies #withbride A post shared by Raman Romana (@raman_romana) on Apr 9, 2017 at 11:56pm PDT

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Sixteen years back on this day, more than 2,000 people were killed when two passenger jets destroyed the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre, the symbol of New Yorks financial wealth and confidence.

On September 11, 2001, the first foreign terrorist attack on US soil in nearly two centuries ruptured a sense of safety and plunged the West into wars still being fought today.

Two planes smashed into the World Trade Center and a third hit the Pentagon in Washington, killing 184 people. Forty more died after a fourth plane headed for Washington crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers and crew apparently fought with the hijackers.

The image of the two towers being hit by the plane brought home the horror of the attack.Heres a look at how the newspapers covered the terror attack that would define the course of modern history:
The US ambassador to Afghanistan said on Monday Washington would never allow militants to use the country as a sanctuary, as American and allied troops in Kabul commemorated the September 11 attacks.

US President Donald Trump in August committed nearly 4,000 additional troops to Afghanistan as part of an open-ended campaign against Taliban insurgents who have made advances in recent years.

A US led intervention sparked by the September 11 attacks toppled the Taliban government in 2001. Since then more than 2,400 American troops and more than 1,000 international allies have died in Afghanistan.

Today we remember how this conflict began but let us also remember how this must end, with Afghanistan never again serving as an ungoverned space, sanctuary or base for those who are bent on attacking us and our allies, ambassador Hugo Llorens told a crowd of soldiers at the NATO coalitions headquarters in Kabul.

The United States would also completely annihilate Islamic State militants in the region, Llorens said.

The Taliban on Monday claimed responsibility for a suicide car bombing that wounded several NATO troops and Afghan civilians in a province north Kabul.
California sued the Trump administration on Monday over its decision to end a program that gives protection from deportation to young immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children or by parents who overstayed visas.

The lawsuits legal arguments largely mirror those already filed in a lawsuit last week by 15 other states and the District of Columbia.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra said he was joined in his suit by the attorney generals for Maryland, Maine and Minnesota. The lawsuit alleges the Trump Administration violated the Constitution and other laws when it rescinded the program.

The lawsuit makes largely procedural arguments, including that federal law requires that such decisions be made for sound reasons and only after the public has a chance to make formal comments. It said the administration also failed to follow a federal law requiring it to consider negative effects of the decision on small businesses.

It also cites the Fifth Amendments due process guarantee in warning that the administration and immigration officials could use information provided by program participants to deport them and prosecute their employers. The suit said that would amount to misusing sensitive information that was provided in good faith by program participants.

Becerra told The Associated Press last week that California would file its own lawsuit because more than 200,000 of the 800,000 participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program live in the state and that California would be the state hit hardest by the end of the program.

But the lawsuit mirrors a suit already filed in New York by 15 states and the District of Columbia. Plaintiffs include New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

The University of California has also filed a legal challenge to ending the program.

US Attorney General Jeff Session announced last week that new applications for the program are being halted and that it will end in six months if Congress does not take action.

Sessions said President Barrack Obamas creation of the program without Congressional approval was an unconstitutional exercise of authority.

But the states lawsuit says the administration still must follow federal procedural laws if it wants to end the program.
Cambodian premier Hun Sen threatened to dissolve the countrys embattled opposition party on Monday, as rival politicians protested outside a remote border prison where their leader is being held for alleged treason.

Last weeks dramatic arrest of opposition leader Kem Sokha was the latest move in a years-long crackdown on the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which poses the only real threat to Hun Sens 32-year grip on power in next years national elections.

The 64-year-old politician was accused of conspiring in a secret plan with foreign entities that began in 1993, with Hun Sen alleging that the US was involved in the plot.

On Monday, two dozen opposition politicians travelled to the prison where Kem Sokha was sent on the border of Vietnam to protest his arrest.

Back in the capital Phnom Pehn, Hun Sen threatened to dissolve the party if it continued to protect its leader.

If the political party continues to block (proceedings) and continues to protect the traitor, it means this party is also a traitor, so there is no need to keep this party in Cambodias democratic process anymore, said the self-described strongman.

The legal punishment could be the dissolution of the party, he added.

The opposition politicians made the three-hour trip to the prison in Tboung Khmum province on the same day lawmakers from Hun Sens ruling party voted to continue the proceedings against Kem Sokha.

We demand the release of president Kem Sokha immediately and unconditionally, said CNRPs deputy leader Mu Sochua, flanked by other MPs in front of a police blockade outside the jail.

Mu Sochua also threatened to boycott the 2018 poll if the veteran politician was not released, saying the election would no longer be free and fair.

Although Cambodia is nominally a democracy, Hun Sen has ruled the impoverished nation for more than three decades, amassing extensive control over its judicial system, security forces and economy.

Rights groups say he has been systematically silencing his opponents - in politics, media and NGOs - since his party nearly lost to the CNRP in the last 2013 election.

The CNRP fared well in this years local polls, buoyed by a wave of anger over the corruption, inequality and rights abuses that have flourished under Hun Sen.

But the partys prospects are dimming with its top two leaders sidelined by the courts, with Kem Sokhas predecessor Sam Rainsy living in exile to avoid a string of convictions he says are politically motivated.
Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to discuss the crisis in North Korea in a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, her spokesman Steffen Seibert said on Monday.

Seibert said Merkel had already discussed the issue with other leaders, including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and a call was also planned with Putin.

Seibert said Germany remained ready to support discussions about ways to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, noting that Berlin was one of few countries with diplomatic ties to North Korea.

That is why we have offered to be helpful in the search for new ways to deescalate the situation, he told a government news conference.
Hurricane Irma gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummeling with winds up to 130 mph, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline Monday.

Calling the hurricane some big monster and praising officials for their efforts to protect people, US President Donald Trump said he wanted to go to the state soon. The bad news is that this is some big monster, Trump said at the White House.

Right now, we are worried about lives, not cost, Trump said after returning from Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland where he monitored the storm and met with his Cabinet.

The 400-mile-wide (640-kilometer-wide) storm blew ashore in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then began a slow trek up the states west coast, its punishing winds extending clear across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side.

Irma was expected to reach the heavily populated Tampa- St. Petersburg area by early Monday, though in a much-weakened state. While it arrived in Florida a Category 4 hurricane, by nightfall it was down to a Category 2 with winds of 105 mph (177 kph).

Pray, pray for everybody in Florida, Gov. Rick Scott said on Fox News Sunday as more than 160,000 people waited out Irma in shelters statewide.

There were no immediate confirmed reports of any deaths in Florida in addition to the 24 people killed during Irmas destructive trek across the Caribbean.

In the low-lying Keys, where a storm surge of over 10 feet (3 meters) was recorded, appliances and furniture were seen floating away, and Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said the ocean waters were filled with navigation hazards, including sunken boats. But the full extent of Irmas wrath there was not clear.

The county administrator, Roman Gastesi, said crews would begin house-to-house searches Monday morning to check on survivors. An airborne relief mission, led by C-130 military cargo planes, was set to bring emergency supplies to the Keys.

A Miami woman who went into labour was guided through delivery by phone when authorities couldnt reach her because of high winds and street flooding. Firefighters later took her to the hospital.

Many streets were flooded in downtown Miami and other cities. In downtown Miami, two of the two dozen construction cranes looming over the skyline collapsed in the wind. No injuries were reported.

The Tampa skyline is seen in the background as local residents (L-R) Rony Ordonez, Jean Dejesus and Henry Gallego take photographs after walking into Hillsborough Bay ahead of Hurricane Irma in Tampa, Florida, Sunday. (Reuters Photo)

An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast. Flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Floridas midsection.

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.

Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other items from a sporting goods store and a pawn shop during the hurricane.

More than 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

While Irma raked Floridas Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to evacuate, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused, in part because to many storm-hardened residents, staying behind in the face of danger is a point of pride.

John Huston, who stayed in his Key Largo home, watched his yard flood even before the arrival of high tide. Small boats floating down the street next to furniture and refrigerators. Very noisy, he said by text message. Shingles are coming off.

Irma made landfall just after 9 am at Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) outside Key West. During the afternoon, it rounded Floridas southwestern corner and hugged the coast closely as it pushed toward Naples, Sanibel, Fort Myers and, beyond that, Sarasota, at 14 mph (23 kph).

A gas station sign lays destroyed after Hurricane Irma blew though Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US, Sunday. (Reuters Photo)

Forecasters warned some places could see a storm surge of up to 15 feet (5 meters) of water.

Gretchen Blee, who moved with her husband to Naples from Long Island, New York, after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 heavily damaged their beach home, took cover in a hotel room as Irma raged.

I said lets go and live the good life in paradise, she said. And here we are.

Some 400 miles (640 kilometers) north of the Keys, people in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area started bracing for the onslaught. The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about 3 million, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921.

Ive been here with other storms, other hurricanes. But this one scares me, Sally Carlson said as she snapped photos of the waves crashing against boats in St. Petersburg. Lets just say a prayer we hope we make it through.

Along the Gulf Coast, two manatees became stranded after Hurricane Irma sucked the water out of Sarasota Bay, in Floridas Manatee County. Several people posted photos of the mammals on Facebook amid reports rescuers were able to later drag them to deeper water.

After leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, some 200 miles (320 kilometers) from the sea.

President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Florida, opening the way for federal aid. Once this system passes through, its going to be a race to save lives and sustain lives, Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long said on Fox News Sunday.

Irma at one time was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 185 mph (300 kph), and its approach set off alarm in Florida.

For days, forecasters had warned that Irma was taking dead aim at the Miami area and the rest of the states Atlantic coast. But then Irma made a more pronounced westward shift as the result of what meteorologists said was an atmospheric tug-of-war between weather systems that nudged Irma and determined when it made its crucial right turn into Florida.

Floridas governor activated all 7,000 members of the Florida National Guard, and 10,000 guardsmen from elsewhere were being deployed.
Hurricane Irmas path of destruction up Floridas Gulf Coast on Sunday threatens to disrupt a thriving state tourism industry worth more than $100 billion annually just months ahead of the busy winter travel season.

Some of the states biggest attractions have announced temporary closures, including amusement park giants Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, Legoland and Sea World, which all planned to close through Monday.

About 20 cruise lines have Miami as a home port or a port of call, according to the PortMiami website, and many have had to move ships out of the area and revise schedules.

Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean have cancelled and revised several sailings as a result of the storm and have offered credits and waivers on trips where passengers are unable to travel.

A Carnival spokesman said the situation in Florida on Sunday was still not clear enough to fully assess how widespread the effects will be.

We will know more in the hours ahead since the hurricane is active in Florida right now, spokesman Roger Frizzell said.

Irma made a second Florida landfall on Sunday on southwestern Marco Island as a Category 3 storm bringing winds of 115 miles per hour (185 kph) and life-threatening sea surge.

Disney cancelled the Monday sailing of one of its cruise ships and said it is assessing future sailings, which stop throughout the Caribbean and in the Bahamas.

Florida is one of the worlds top tourism destinations. Last year, nearly 113 million people visited the state, a new record, and spent $109 billion, state officials said earlier this year. The first half of 2017 was on track to beat that record pace, officials said.

The damage Irmas winds and storm surge do to Floridas 660 miles (1,060 km) of beaches and the structures built along them during more than 30 years of explosive population growth will be critical to how quickly the states s No. 1 industry recovers. The Gulf beaches west of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, are squarely in the storms path.

In 2016, more than 6.3 million people visited Pinellas County, which encompasses those cities, and generated more $9.7 billion in economic activity.

Up and down the wide, sandy beaches of Pinellas County are traditional old Florida waterfront hotels such as the Don Cesar, a coral pink 1920s hotel on St. Pete Beach, which was closed by the storm. There are also modern high-rises and resorts that are part of the nations biggest chains and brands including Hyatt Hotels, Marriott International, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

The low-lying barrier islands would be inundated if Irmas storm surge reaches forecast heights of as high as 15 feet (4.6 meters).

While some newer structures in the area are built on elevated pilings, many older homes and businesses are not.
Islamic State militants ambushed a police convoy in Egypts Sinai Peninsula on Monday, killing 18 police and wounding seven others in one of the deadliest attacks this year in the restive region bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Police and military officials said roadside bombs destroyed and set ablaze four armoured vehicles and a fifth one carrying signal jamming equipment. The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief item carried by its Aamaq news agency.

The attack took place about 30 kilometers (nearly 19 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicenter of a long-running insurgency now led by an IS affiliate.

Mondays attack was the deadliest against security forces since July, when Islamic State militants attacked a remote army outpost in the border town of Rafah, killing 23 soldiers. That was the deadliest attack in two years.

In March, the military said militants killed 10 soldiers during an army raid in Sinais central region.

Egypt has battled militants in Sinai for years, but the insurgency became far more deadly after the 2013 military ouster of Mohammed Morsi, an elected Islamist president. In recent years there has also been a wave of attacks, mainly targeting security forces, blamed on splinter factions of Morsis Muslim Brotherhood group.

Mondays attack came a day after authorities said they had busted a militant cell planning attacks in Cairo.

Police said they killed 10 militants in two simultaneous raids on apartments in a densely populated Cairo neighborhood. They said the militants sneaked into the capital from northern Sinai, but did not say whether they were members of the IS group.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Monday installed the largest cabinet in Nepals history with 54 ministers, breaking his own record dating back to 1996.

With three ministers and a minster of state being administered the oath of office, the size of his cabinet swelled to 54.

Deuba faced a huge backlash in public and on social media as people questioned his decision to expand the cabinet at a time when the next general election has already been announced and the government will be in office for only four months.

With the third phase of elections to local government bodies scheduled for September 18, there were allegations that he had violated the code of conduct for polls.

KP Oli, chairman of the main opposition CPN-Unified Marxist-Leninist, jokingly remarked that even a potato has its value but there is no value for ministers in Nepal.

A statement issued by the Election Commission on Monday evening stated that the expansion of the cabinet is a clear violation of the code of conduct and it will also raise question of impartiality of the government as elections to the local level (are) just one week (away).

The expansion of the cabinet will affect free and fair elections and the government should not resort to such actions, the commission said.

After the fifth expansion of the cabinet, it currently has 30 ministers and 24 ministers of state, making it the largest in Nepals history. In 1996, Deuba had set a record by forming a 48-member governing team.

I do not see any rationale behind the huge size of the cabinet at a time when we are in a transitional phase, political analyst Nilamber Acharya tweeted.

Opposition parties protested Deubas decision while ruling parties called it the compulsion of the coalition.

Many leaders of the ruling party also expressed dismay at the expansion. But the Prime Ministers Office defended the decision. Neither the PM has split any ministry nor he has added any additional portfolio. He inducted the parties who supported him during the PMs elections, said Govinda Pariyar, the senior media adviser to Deuba.
Leading his first commemoration of the solemn 9/11 anniversary, President Donald Trump said Monday that the living, breathing soul of America wept with grief for each of the nearly 3,000 lives that were lost on that day 16 years ago.

Addressing an audience at the Pentagon, one of three sites attacked on September 11, 2001, Trump used the anniversary to warn terrorists that America cannot be intimidated. He said those who try are destined to join the long list of vanquished enemies who dared to test our mettle.

Trump and first lady Melania Trump observed a moment of silence at the White House on Monday at the exact moment that a hijacked airplane was slammed into the World Trade Center. The Trumps bowed their heads and placed their hands over their hearts as Taps rang out across the South Lawn. They were surrounded by White House aides and other administration officials in what has become an annual day of remembrance.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed when al-Qaeda hijackers flew commercial airplanes into New Yorks World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Trump, a native New Yorker who was in the city on 9/11, said the attack was worse than the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor during World War II because it targeted civilians, innocent men, women, and children whose lives were taken so needlessly. He vowed that such an attack would never be repeated.

The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit, Trump said later at the Pentagon, where he was joined at a 9/11 observance by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. But America cannot be intimidated, and those who try will join a long list of vanquished enemies who dared test our mettle.

He said that when America is united no force on earth can break us apart.

Trump also offered words of comfort to the many whose loved ones perished in the attacks.

For the families with us on this anniversary, we know that not a single day goes by when you dont think about the loved one stolen from your life. Today, our entire nation grieves with you, Trump said. Later, he said the living, breathing soul of America wept with grief for every life taken on 9/11.

Vice President Mike Pence told an audience gathered at a 9/11 memorial in Shanksville that the passengers aboard the plane that crashed there may have saved his life. He recalled being in Congress and learning that the Capitol was a possible target of the hijacked plane, which was 12 minutes out.

Passengers aboard the flight  it left a New Jersey airport with San Francisco as its final destination  revolted against their hijackers, who ended up crashing the plane in the field. Pence said it was the longest 12 minutes of my life.

I will always believe that I, and many others in our nations capital, were able to go home that day to hug our families because of the courage and selflessness of the heroes of Flight 93, Pence said.

Trump has a checkered history with 9/11. He frequently uses the attack to praise the citys response after the attack, but has made unsubstantiated claims about what he did and saw on that day.

Trump often lauds the bravery of New York police officers, firefighters and other emergency responders who rushed to the Twin Towers to help as an example of the resilience of the city where he made a name for himself.

But he has also criticized President George W. Bushs handling of the attacks, accusing Bush of failing in his duty to keep Americans safe.

Trump has made dubious claims about Sept. 11, particularly saying when talking about Muslims that thousands of people were cheering in Jersey City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan, as the towers collapsed. There is no evidence in news archives of mass celebrations there by Muslims.

Trump also said he lost hundreds of friends and that he helped clear rubble after the attacks. Trump has not provided the names of those he knew who perished in the attack, but has mentioned knowing a Roman Catholic priest who died while serving as a chaplain to the city fire department.
Police fired rubber bullets to break up a mob that stoned the home of a Muslim butcher in central Myanmar, authorities said on Monday, as religious tensions rise amid a surge of violence in the west.

The mob attack on Sunday night in Magway region of the mainly Buddhist nation was fuelled by anger over the deepening crisis in the western state of Rakhine, according to a government press release.

Rakhine has been gripped by violence since militants from the Rohingya Muslim minority attacked security forces in late August, triggering brutal army reprisals that have left hundreds dead and pushed around 300,000 Rohingya across the border to Bangladesh.

The exodus accounts for nearly a third of Myanmars Rohingya population, creating a humanitarian emergency as a flood of famished and wounded refugees pour into Bangladeshs already overcrowded camps.

The fighting has also pushed some 27,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus to flee their homes in northern Rakhine.

The conflict, marked by competing accusations from different ethnic groups, has intensified long-running mistrust between Myanmars Buddhists and its maligned Muslim minority.

Those tensions bubbled over in Taung Twin Gyi township on Sunday night when dozens of villagers in a 400-strong crowd sang the national anthem and lobbed rocks at the home of a Muslim butcher before marching over to the local mosque, where police dispersed the mob.

Police have arrested five people, including 30-year-old Hnin Ko Ko Lin, who said the group acted because they could not accept the things that happened in Rakhine, according to a statement posted by the governments information committee.

Min Thein, a lower house MP for the township, confirmed to AFP that the butcher was Muslim.

Now we are urging all the people to stay calm and we have already told the Muslim residents to stay in their homes, he added.

Tensions between Buddhists and Muslims have simmered in Myanmar since 2012, when sectarian violence erupted in Rakhine, leaving hundreds dead and pushing more than 100,000 Rohingya into decrepit camps.

The countrys new civilian government, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, is desperate to avoid a repeat of anti-Muslim riots that swept through central Myanmar in 2013, leaving scores dead.

Since then Buddhist hardliners have led sporadic attacks on mosques and other Islamic sites across the country.

But western Rakhine, which is home to the Rohingya, has remained the epicentre of religious unrest.

Myanmar has denied the Rohingya citizenship, claiming they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and severely restricted their access to jobs, healthcare and other basic services.

Analysts say years of state-backed repression contributed to the emergence last year of the Rohingya militant group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, whose attacks have triggered the worst violence to engulf the region in years.
The UN high commissioner for human rights on Monday described the situation of Myanmars Rohingya minority as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing and criticised both Yangon and New Delhi, the latter for seeking to deport Rohingyas who fled to India.

Delivering the opening statement at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the high commissioner for human rights, asked the Myanmar government to stop claiming the Rohingyas were setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their villages.

Al Hussein came down heavily on the Myanmar government, stating that its denial on the Rohingya issue was doing great damage to the international standing of a government which had until recently, he said, benefited from immense goodwill.

Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, he said.

I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population. I strongly urge the authorities to allow my office unfettered access to the country, he added.

Al Hussein also expressed dismay at what he called the broader rise of intolerance towards religious and other minorities in India, and alleged that those who spoke out for fundamental human rights faced threats.

Gauri Lankesh, a journalist who tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred, was assassinated last week. I have been heartened by the subsequent marches calling for protection of the right to freedom of expression, and by demonstrations in 12 cities to protest the lynchings, he said.

Referring to Indias approach to Rohingya refugees, Al Hussein said he deplored New Delhis measures to deport them, noting that nearly 40,000 had settled in India and 16,000 of them had received refugee documentation.

He said: The minister of state for home affairs has reportedly said that because India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention, the country can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion.

However, by virtue of customary law, its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the obligations of due process and the universal principle of non-refoulement, India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations.

The UN official expressed regret at the alleged reluctance of India and Pakistan to engage with his office on human rights concerns he had raised in recent months, including failure to grant access to Jammu and Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control to verify developments that continue to be reported there.

In the absence of such access, my office is undertaking remote monitoring of the human rights situation in Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control, with a view to making the findings public in the near future, he said.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
The widow of Indian national Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was shot and killed in a suspected hate crime in Kansas in February, faced deportation from the US after her husbands murder till a lawmaker and others helped her get a one-year visa.

Sunayana Dumala lost her US resident status after Kuchibhotla was gunned down in a bar in Olathe, Kansas, on February 22 by a man who shouted racial slurs before he opened fire.

Kevin Yoder, a Republican member of the house of representatives, said he became apoplectic when he heard the news and began working to help Dumala maintain her residency after she travelled to Hyderabad for her husbands funeral and feared she would be unable to return to the US.

We are not going to deport the widow of the victim of a hate crime, Yoder was quoted as saying by The Kansas City Star.

With the help of Yoder and others, Dumala was granted a one-year visa to resume work at a marketing agency in Overland Park.

In a Facebook post, Yoder wrote about Dumala losing her husband in a senseless murder no one should ever have to endure. He added that Dumala also faced the prospect of having to return to India because of her visa status. Thankfully, we were able to help her stay for now and are working towards a permanent fix..., he wrote.

As we begin to debate the future of DACA, I want to highlight another injustice in our broken immigration system:https://t.co/ylQyXR6tax  Rep. Kevin Yoder (@RepKevinYoder) September 6, 2017

But Yoder also said more will have to be done to prevent Dumalas deportation and help her secure permanent residency.

We were not going to let this happen, and did everything in our power to prevent it. Glad we were able to help. https://t.co/wgNIorhDwV  Rep. Kevin Yoder (@RepKevinYoder) September 8, 2017

At a time when the Trump administration is cracking down on migrants, Yoder is the lead sponsor of a bill that could speed up permanent resident status of well-educated immigrants from India, China and other highly populated countries who face strict limits in acquiring green cards, The Star reported.

Sunayana Dumala with congressman Kevin Yoder. (Facebook)

In an email sent to The Star, Dumala wrote: On the fateful night of Feb 22, I not only lost my husband but also my immigration status...Im very fortunate that many people came to my rescue to get me back on a temporary status...and are continuing to work on a permanent fix.

Dumala has lived in the US since she enrolled in a Minnesota college in 2007. She married Kuchibhotla, a technical engineer, in 2012 and they applied for a green card on his H-1B visa.

Adam Purinton, the man accused of killing Kuchibhotla and injuring his colleague Alok Madasani, was indicted by a federal grand jury on hate crime charges in June. Purinton had shouted "get out of my country" before he opened fire.
A unique memorial to British victims of terrorism overseas  including the 2008 Mumbai attacks  will soon be unveiled in the sylvan National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, in the hope that sitting beside it will offer a kind of balm.

Called Still Water, it will be installed later this year and a dedication event is planned for the spring of 2018. Its design by artist Alison Wilding and sculptor Adam Kershaw has been described as simple, sensitive and beautiful.

British nationals have been victims in several terror attacks in recent years, including the Mumbai carnage, the attack on Bataclan theatre in Paris, bombings in Bali, and the explosions in Moscows Domodedovo airport. A specific compensation scheme is available for such victims and families.

Tobias Ellwood, minister in the Foreign Office until June who was tasked in 2015 by former premier David Cameron to deliver the memorial, said: My hope is that this memorial will become a peaceful and contemplative site, offering solace and comfort to those affected by the terrible terrorist events that we have seen taking place overseas, and impacting on British citizens.

Belinda Green, whose husband Stephen was killed in an attack on an Algerian gas plant in 2013, said: Still Water represents the calm after a storm. For me it reflects how the trauma of the event for any person who suffers loss will eventually lessen but not be forgotten.

Officials said the memorial is sited a short distance within the copse so that it might gradually reveal itself, like coming across a hidden pool within a woodland glade. The pathways leading to the memorial will be made of natural materials and softened by the growth of the woodland floor so that this feeling of discovery is enhanced.

The memorial itself is composed of a concrete ellipse set just below ground level so that its perimeter becomes blurred and softened as nature takes its course.

The memorials description says: Colour is added to the top layer of cement, which is hand-trowelled to give a ruffled effect, as if the dark waters of the hidden pool are being stirred by a gentle breeze. The concrete ellipse is crisscrossed with brass meridian lines that form a strong armature for the base of the work and also echo the lines encircling the globe.

The surface of the ellipse contains seven pale cast concrete shapes, which shift between figuration and landscape and reference a mountainous terrain. Three elements, water, land and air, come together in the work which is titled Still Water.

If sitting by a woodland pool offers a kind of balm, the artist hopes that so might this memorial. The seating comprises a two-tiered quarter section which follows the curve of the concrete ellipse, with slats of heat-treated ash providing the base and back between the armrests. It is turned away from the main pathway to allow for quiet contemplation.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
A suicide bomber attacked a convoy from the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan on Monday, wounding at least three civilians, officials said.

It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties among the troops in the convoy which was attacked near Bagram airfield, outside the capital Kabul.

Resolute Support headquarters in Kabul said it was aware of the attack and would release details once more information became available.

District Governor Abdul Shukor Qodossi said at least three civilians had been hurt and one of the vehicles damaged.

A statement from the Taliban militants said 13 Americans had been killed and 11 wounded and three armoured vehicles destroyed.
The Trump administration is back at the Supreme Court, asking the justices to continue to allow strict enforcement of a temporary ban on refugees from around the world.

The Justice Departments high court filing on Monday follows an appeals court ruling last week that would allow refugees to enter the United States if a resettlement agency in the US had agreed to take them in.

The appellate ruling could take effect as soon as tomorrow and could apply to up to 24,000 refugees.

The administration is not challenging the part of the ruling that applies to a temporary ban on visitors from six mostly Muslim countries.

The appeals court ruled that grandparents and cousins of people already in the US cant be excluded from the country under the travel ban.

The Supreme Court already has weighed in twice on lower court rulings striking down or limiting the travel and refugee bans, though it has to rule on their validity.

In June, the high court said the administration could not enforce the bans against people who have a bona fide relationship with people or entities in the United States.

The justices declined to define the required relationships more precisely.

In July, the justices issued an order that temporarily allowed strict enforcement of the exclusion of refugees. But the Supreme Court refused to go along with the administrations view that it could keep out grandparents, cousins and some other family members.

The 90-day travel ban affects visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The high court is scheduled to hear arguments about the legality of the travel and refugee bans in October. By that point, the original 90-day travel ban will have lapsed and the 120-day refugee ban will have just a few weeks to run.

The administration has yet to say whether it plans to renew the exclusions, expand them or make them permanent.

The administration told the court today said that changing the way it enforces the policy on refugees would allow admission of refugees who have no connection to the United States independent of the refugee-admission process itself.
London-based Gurinder Bharaj has been sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to eight counts of possession and supply of significant quantities of unauthorised and unlicensed erectile dysfunction (ED) medication.

UKs Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said on Monday its investigators raided a property belonging to Bharaj in Ealing, west London, where some 100,000 individual doses of unlicensed ED medicines worth more than 30,000 were seized.

Following an initial hearing, Bharaj, who is based in Southall, west London, pleaded guilty to all charges. He was sentenced on Friday to 20 months imprisonment with immediate effect (concurrent to all counts) and ordered to pay a 75 victim surcharge.

MHRAs head of enforcement, Alastair Jeffrey, said: Selling unlicensed medicines is illegal and can pose a serious risk to health. The fact that a medicine is unauthorised means that it has not been subjected to the regulatory scrutiny and quality assurances required to get a license.

These products can be dangerous as their contents are unknown and untested and the consequences for your health can be devastating.

MHRA said it was running the #FakeMeds campaign to warn people against buying potentially dangerous or useless unlicensed medicines sold by illegal online suppliers.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
North Korea says it will make the United States pay a heavy price if a proposal Washington is backing to impose the toughest sanctions ever on Pyongyang is approved by the UN Security Council this week.

The Norths Foreign Ministry issued a statement early Monday saying it is watching the United States moves closely and threatened it is ready and willing to respond with measures of its own.

The United States has called for a vote Monday, New York time, on new UN sanctions against North Korea.

Last Tuesday, the US circulated a draft resolution proposing the toughest-ever UN sanctions on North Korea, including a ban on all oil and natural gas exports to the country and a freeze on all foreign financial assets of the government and its leader, Kim Jong-un.

Security Council diplomats, who werent authorised to speak publicly because talks have been private, said the US and China were still negotiating the text late Sunday.

Previous UN sanctions resolutions have been negotiated between the United States and China, and have taken weeks or months. But the Trump administration is demanding a vote in six days.

The US is trying to use the DPRKs legitimate self- defensive measures as an excuse to strangle and completely suffocate it, the statement said, using the acronym for North Koreas formal name.

Since the US is revealing its nature as a blood-thirsty beast obsessed with the wild dream of reversing the DPRKs development of the state nuclear force which has already reached the completion phase, there is no way that the DPRK is going to wait and let the US feast on it.

North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test a week ago and has been launching ballistic missiles at a record pace. Both are violations of UN resolutions, but Pyongyang claims it must carry them out to build nuclear deterrent against what it sees as US aggression.

Undaunted by the international criticism of its test, which Pyongyang says was of a hydrogen bomb, Pyongyang celebrated through the weekend, with concerts and banquets for the countrys nuclear scientists and engineers.

Blocking textile exports and cutting off the flow of oil from China would potentially be crippling measures. North Korea gets nearly all of its oil supply from China, with a much smaller amount coming from Russia or the open market.

According to a recent study by the Nautilus Institute think tank, a massive cutback in the flow of oil from China would definitely hurt the North Korean economy, and especially average citizens. But the report said the impact would likely be blunted on the military, which probably has enough fuel stockpiled to continue normal operations for the immediate future.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently expressed doubt over whether sanctions are an effective means of getting the North to stop its missile and nuclear testing, and China, harboring similar concerns, has repeatedly hesitated in the past to fully support US sanction plans.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday also stressed the importance of diplomacy and offered to act as a facilitator if needed.

If our participation in talks is wanted, I will say yes immediately, she said in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper that was published Sunday.

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany conducted long-running talks with Iran that led to a 2015 deal for international sanctions to be lifted in exchange for Tehran curbing its nuclear activities.

I could also imagine such a format to settle the North Korea conflict, she said.
The Dublin-duo have unveiled their new single, 'Feel It Again', which is taken from their upcoming EP.

Their first new material since 2015's Singing for Strangers, the as-yet untitled EP was produced by Ryan Hadlock, known for his work with the Lumineers and Vance Joy, and mixed by Ruadhri Cushnan, who has previously worked with Ed Sheeran and Mumford & Sons.

The group also announced an eleven-date Irish tour, which includes two shows at Whelans, Dublin, and can be read below:

October

12th: Mike the Pies, Listowel

13th: Roisin Dubh, Galway

14th: Nerve Centre, Derry

26th: Spiegletent, Wexford

27th: De Barras, Clonakilty

28th: Dolans, Limerick

November

25th: Cypress Avenue, Cork

26th: Spirit Store, Dundalk

28th: Oh Yeah Centre, Belfast

Advertisement

December

17th: Whelans, Dublin

18th: Whelans, Dublin

Listen to 'Feel It Again' here:
St. Vincent  aka Annie Clark - has announced her new album, MASSEDUCTION, to be released October 13 on Loma Vista Recordings.

Themes of power and sex, imperiled relationships and death slice through the album, Clarks first since her 2014 breakout St. Vincent. The thirteen tracks on MASSEDUCTION swirl with guitar and piano, synths and strings, and drum beats that punch with purpose. The album was co-produced by St. Vincent and Jack Antonoff at Electric Lady Studios in Manhattan, with additional recording at Rough Consumer Studio in Brooklyn, and Compound Fracture in Los Angeles.

Every record I make has an archetype, says Clark. Strange Mercy was Housewives on Pills. St. Vincent was Near-Future Cult Leader. MASSEDUCTION is different, its pretty first person. You cant fact-check it, but if you want to know about my life, listen to this record.

Advertisement
Its a case of fangs for the memories for former Vampire Diaries star Michael Malarkey, who has swapped his days as an on-screen blood slurper for the life of a footloose troubadour.

The whole thing is a real double edged sword, he says of the fame garnered as bad boy vamp Enzo St. John in the CW channel hit. Theres an immediate gain in the fanbase and the international interest makes it easy to tour. The hurdle is that there are a lot of bad connotations in terms of actors becoming musicians. Of course, in this case, I was a musician before I was an actor.

The Vampire Diaries, for the benefit of those not au-fait with ratings-gobbling teen drama, was a hit supernatural series that cannily blended elements of Twilight, Buffy and Dawsons Creek, and which generated stellar ratings until the conclusion of its eight-year run in 2016.
Just over two weeks after Hurricane Harvey struck the heart of U.S. energy production in Texas, Irma is threatening another region with almost $200 billion worth of damage.

Irma has knocked out power to 2.4 million customers, paralyzed tanker traffic and shut about 6,000 gasoline stations. Once the storm makes its way up Florida's west coast, it'll also threaten more than $1 billion worth of crops.

NextEra Energy Inc.'s Florida Power & Light utility warned Sunday that some customers may go without power for weeks and parts of its system may need to be rebuilt "from the ground up." The company took offline one of two reactors at its Turkey Point nuclear plant south of Miami. Ports critical to supplying the state with gasoline and diesel were also closed, and energy companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Kinder Morgan Inc., shut fuel terminals and pipelines.

"Fuel deliveries in Florida are virtually nonexistent," Mansfield Oil, a Georgia-based energy supplier, said in a report late Saturday. "Fuel markets will take time to fully recover, particularly if Irma damages fueling infrastructure."

Irma, which is forecast to rake all of Florida's west coast, threatens to send natural gas futures plunging by cutting demand from power plants and will weigh on oil and refined products prices by blocking shipments to the nation's third-largest gasoline market. The hurricane may also wreak havoc on Florida's farmlands, menacing $1.2 billion worth of production in the top U.S. grower of fresh tomatoes, oranges, green beans, cucumbers, squash and sugar cane.

Citrus production is the most vulnerable of crops as Irma moves north along Florida's west coast, said Paul Markert, a meteorologist at MDA Weather Services in Gaithersburg, Md. About 25 percent of the crop may be lost.

Florida's orange, grapefruit and other citrus trees are full of developing fruit that Irma may blow away. Winds could also destroy the trees themselves in a region that accounts for almost 10 percent of the nation's fruit and vegetable farmland. Orange-juice futures and domestic sugar prices rallied last week as Irma drew closer.

Meanwhile, ports and terminals, including Miami, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Port Everglades and Jacksonville, were closed to traffic. Florida, which depends wholly on pipelines and tankers for fuel supplies, was already facing fuel challenges after Hurricane Harvey knocked offline refining capacity in the Gulf Coast.

Kinder Morgan shut a pipeline system that carries gasoline, ethanol, diesel and jet fuel to land-locked Orlando from Tampa, all of its fuel terminals in Florida and the Elba Island liquefied natural gas plant in Georgia.

Florida Power & Light said in a press conference broadcast online Sunday that restoring electricity will be "one of the most complex" endeavors the utility has ever faced. The feed to the broadcast itself cut out for several minutes due to a power failure.

"Unfortunately, we are not immune to Irma's wrath," Rob Gould, a spokesman for the utility, said after the feed for the webcast had been restored.

Irma's path forced the largest evacuation in Miami-Dade County history and sent millions of Floridians fleeing the state's first major hurricane since Wilma in 2005.

Irma's last-minute shift westward may exacerbate damages for victims who expected to miss the worst of the storm and then were left with too little time to prepare.

"Most people expected it to impact the east coast rather than the west coast," said Duncan Ellis, the U.S. property practice leader at Marsh & McLennan Cos.' main brokerage unit. "It took a turn to the left, and that's caused a bit of a scramble in getting properties ready for the storm and evacuations."

Just before Irma's landfall, Enki Research disaster modeler Chuck Watson said the storm could cost $192 billion and threatens $2 trillion of property. Total losses from Hurricane Katrina reached $160 billion in 2017 dollars after it slammed into New Orleans in 2005.

The storm's impact rippled across the nation. In Atlanta, shoppers besieged grocery stores, stripping shelves of water, bread and milk. South Carolina opened shelters to accommodate an expected flood of refugees; in Florida, 6.5 million residents had evacuated.

In Miami, at least two construction cranes collapsed under the force of ferocious winds, leaving them teetering on the sides of buildings under construction.

Firefighters ventured out in an armored vehicle to inspect one on downtown Biscayne Boulevard, said spokesman Captain Ignatius Carroll. Fire officials asked neighbors to take refuge on the other side of their buildings.

Along flooded Brickell Avenue, the city's financial district, side streets became tributaries and wind whipped up whitecaps on water coursing by office buildings.

At the J.W. Marriott hotel in the neighborhood, guests were pulled into an emergency shelter in the fifth-floor ballroom. Hotel staff set up a video screen to play movies, provided board games and even a special room for pet care. Speakers played soothing lounge music, and a giant video screen cycled images of tropical beaches.

Worse could be in store farther north. The storm's track along Florida's west coast "is almost, if not, a worst-case scenario for Tampa Bay," said Rob Miller, a meteorologist at AccuWeather Inc. in State College, Pa. "It shoves all the water into Tampa Bay and then shoves it right into downtown."

The continental shelf there is relatively shallow for as much as 90 miles offshore, said Jeff Masters, co-founder of Weather Underground in Ann Arbor, Mich.

On the city's Bayshore Boulevard, the waters of Tampa Bay had receded as much 200 feet Sunday morning. Detritus such as discarded beer cans and sea shells could be seen atop muddy sand that until recently had been submerged.

Downtown, the commercial center, the port and cruise terminal were virtually deserted as rain increased and winds picked up. Buildings were fortified with boards over windows and three-foot walls of sandbags at the doors.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

An untimely confluence of labor shortages, rising material costs and the possibility of tougher development guidelines in the wake of Hurricane Harvey is expected to result in escalating prices for new homes across Houston, a part of the country frequently lauded for its affordably priced housing.

Likewise, existing homes in areas that avoided flooding could see their values rise as buyers become more selective about where they purchase homes.

It's too early to estimate how high prices on new construction could go, but buyer incentives that were readily available before the storm are already disappearing amid a housing shortage, said David Jarvis, senior vice president of the Houston office of John Burns Real Estate Consulting.

Across Harris County, an estimated 815 single-family homes were destroyed and 14,546 had major damage, the latest figures from the Texas Division of Emergency Management show. Broader estimates have topped 100,000 homes damaged.

Thousands of apartments have flooded too, and the number of homes for sale on the Multiple Listing Service fell almost 7 percent from Aug. 7 to Sept. 7, according to the Houston Association of Realtors.

Rising construction costs are on the minds of members of the Greater Houston Builders Association, said Casey Morgan, the group's executive vice president and CEO, though she hasn't heard concerns about housing affordability declining.

"There has been some discussion about price increases just because of the labor shortages and the need for work," Morgan said. "There is some concern there may be an increase in prices for building materials."

Jay McManus, area president for M/I Homes, expects the cost of drywall, insulation, cabinets, flooring and paint to go up because of all the additional remodeling and renovation of homes flooded by the storm.

Before Harvey, the average price of an existing home was a little more than $299,000. Earlier this year, the average new-home price was around $391,000.

After Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, wages and salaries per construction worker jumped by more than 14 percent in Mississippi, as a shortage of workers drove up costs, research from John Burns Real Estate found.

Increased government regulation could mean higher costs as well.

Jarvis cited the aftermath of Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 when flood maps were redrawn, resulting in builders putting homes on higher elevations and increasing water detention in neighborhoods.

"On the issue of stormwater management," Jarvis said, "it's difficult in Houston because we cannot depend on our streets, bayous and creeks to take care of all that."

The issue of MUDs

Whatever changes may come, McManus said they should be focused in areas that have repeatedly flooded.

"It might not serve the consumer best to add a bunch of regulation in areas that probably weren't impacted," he said. "It would just add to the cost of housing, which we don't need."

One of the reasons housing here has remained affordable is that builders can increase the supply of homes relatively easily.

Municipal utility districts allow land developers to carve out wide swaths of land outside the city's limits for new housing. Bonds are used to pay for the infrastructure.

If investors were to lose their appetite for those bonds post-Harvey and the use of MUDs became more limited, affordability could be threatened.

"It would put a damper on our ability to develop and meet demand," said McManus, who's heard rumblings about the issue. "Whether it gets real legs, I don't know."

A report last week from S&P Global Ratings said builders should expect some delays in home closings, but it predicted construction activity will return gradually with sales improving by year's end.

David Weekley Homes, which the ratings agency placed on a credit watch due to debt levels and exposure in the Houston market, said many of its homes are built in suburban locations with updated detention and drainage requirements designed to mitigate flooding.

"We had no water in homes," said Heather Humphrey, chief financial officer of Weekley Homes. "We were very fortunate."

Humphrey said production builders typically carry higher levels of debt while in a growth mode.

"This is no different than what we've done historically," she said, adding that it is premature to say how the storm will affect the business.

Houston builders are selling about 27,000 new homes a year. Before the storm, John Burns estimated that figure would rise about 4 percent in 2018. Jarvis said he now expects that increase to be higher.

Buyers, he said, are going to be looking in neighborhoods that remained dry.

"If that means driving out a little farther, I think they'll do that," he said.

'They want to get in now'

Trendmaker Homes has sold 14 homes since Harvey hit, and the company's model homes are seeing "lots of very active shoppers," president Will Holder said.

M/I Homes has gotten about 10 contracts for homes since the flood. About half were from affluent flood victims.

"We've seen two scenarios," McManus said. "One is maybe they've been flooded a second or a third time and they're like, 'We're out. We're going to buy new,' and they'll have a higher-end rental. The second is they'll buy a second, less expensive home to live in while they renovate their (flooded) home."

Investors are also starting to look for opportunities.

McManus said his company has been approached by groups wanting to buy as many as 30 new homes. Some want to buy homes to rent out, while others think they might be able to buy before prices rise.

"They want to get in now," McManus said.
In "Bluebird, Bluebird," Houston native Attica Locke pens a poignant love letter to the lazy red-dirt roads and Piney Woods that serve as a backdrop to a noir thriller as murky as the bayous and bloodlines that thread through the region.

Locke  the daughter of former Houston mayoral candidate and lawyer Gene Locke and a writer and producer of the hit TV drama "Empire"  is no stranger to arresting plots and tangled twists. In her fourth novel, she again draws on her life growing up black in Texas and the imprints of those complicated yet binding memories that trace along U.S. 59 like veins. Locke stitches a tale of murder and bloodlust, forbidden love, family ties and a violent racial history that bleed into the narrative of East Texas like the mournful moan of a Lightnin' Hopkins song.

Darren Mathews, the raw-edged hero with a hankering for whiskey, is a black Texas Ranger who fights for justice  and battles with his own persistent demons. But he knows that justice, especially for blacks, often isn't blind. He acknowledges the benefits of the badge but adheres to "the ancient rules of Southern living ... how easily a colored man's general comportment could turn into a matter of life and death." Mathews works from the Houston office on a task force targeting the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, a ruthless prison gang built on white supremacy. But a family friend's missing gun and a dead ABT member  and his wife's thinning patience  call him back home to Shelby County.

Home for Mathews is rooted deep in the fertile soil of Camilla, the sleepy town in which the Mathewses have lived for generations, refusing to flee and carve a life in the foreign promise of Chicago or Detroit: "(W)hat they were not going to be was run off. The belief that they were special ... was the most quintessentially Texas thing about them. It was an arrogance born of genuine fortitude and a streak of hardheadedness six generations deep."

He was raised by his twin paternal uncles  one a Texas Ranger, the other a lawyer  who, despite often finding themselves on opposite sides of the law's ideological divide, ingrained a sense of responsibility in their nephew that, following the 1998 dragging death of James Byrd in Jasper, eventually lured him from law school in Chicago to the Stetson, boots and badge of the storied Texas Rangers.

For Mathews, "(it) was hard to put into words the fury he felt at the fact that someone had literally dragged a black man through a town not a hundred miles from the place where Darren grew up ... (he) felt ashamed of his country and his home state." But with the weighty ambivalence shared by many Texans of color, Mathews also "felt a hot rage at the students and professors around him, most of them white Northerners, clucking their tongues and whispering Texas in a way that suggested both pity and disdain for a land that Darren loved, a state that had made him a gentleman and a fighter in equal measure."

In 2016, he gets a text from a friend in the FBI about the startling death of a black man followed by the ominous death of a white woman. The news takes that gentleman and fighter on a treacherous trek a few miles up the road to Geneva Sweet's place, chasing a case that races and winds past segregated roadside diners, meth dens and living monuments of the sordid stain of slavery and racial iniquities.

Author appearance Attica Locke will discuss and sign "Bluebird, Bluebird," 7 p.m. Wednesday, Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet; 713-523-0701 or brazosbookstore.com. See More Collapse

But just when you think this race-centered saga will play out like most others, Locke shows off her chops as a superb storyteller who spent three years in the writers' room of "Empire." She is adept at crafting characters who don't easily fit the archetypes of good and evil, but exist in the thick grayness of humanness, the knotty demands of loyalties and the baseness of survival. Locke holds up the mirror of the racial debate in America and shows us how the light bends and fractures what is right, wrong and what simply is the way it is  but perhaps not as it should be.

More than anything, Locke, who now lives in Los Angeles, gives wing to what it means to belong, even if flawed, to Texas  a full-throated cry to the broken heart that will always be home.
Antone's is celebrating its 55th anniversary this week, and to commemorate its 1962 founding, it's selling its iconic Houston sandwich - the Original Po' Boy - for just 55 cents.

That's a song, considering that the price of what used to be one of the city's most affordable treats has risen to $5.95 over the decades, from what I remember as about a buck in the mid-1960s, when this mild-mannered stack of wafer-thin meats and cheese first turned my head.

There are a couple of catches. The 55-cent deal applies only from 1 to 3 p.m. through Sunday. It's available only at Antone's sit-down locations at 4520 San Felipe and 2724 West T.C. Jester, plus the grab-and-go kiosks in the downtown tunnels and underneath Greenway Plaza, so don't go into your grocery store and expect a sale on the sandwiches there. There's a limit of four po' boys per customer per visit.

Special prices on other sandwiches apply, too, but it's the 55-cent Original bargain that captures my imagination because that sandwich played a role in my coming of age in this city.

I figure I ate my first Antone's Po' Boy in 1966, a year after I arrived in Houston to attend Rice University. Like most of my friends, I had a very limited budget. We couldn't spend much on the few occasions we kicked over the traces of dorm food and ventured beyond the university's hedges.

Bill Williams' fried chicken was an extravagance. So was a cheap steak at the Far East Frontier, a Texas-Chinese hybrid east of campus.

But an Antone's Po' Boy was something I could afford. The long, cylindrical packages - then as now swaddled in white paper - flew off an assembly line run by wisecracking women at the Taft Street grocery store. It was founded by Jalal Antone to cater primarily to the local Syrian and Lebanese community, but the po' boys made it a mecca for Houstonians of all stripes. The line that formed at noon in front of the sandwich counter was one of the most democratic dining experiences I had encountered in the newly integrated city.

To my impressionable 19-year-old brain, the rambling Antone's space was an exotic wonderland, chockablock with foodstuffs from the Middle East and beyond, festooned with sausages and crammed with cheeses I'd never heard of. After perching on an upturned pickle barrel to eat my sandwich, I'd browse the shelves with as much intensity as I would pay to a museum exhibit. In a city where steakhouses, seafood palaces and Italian-American spots ruled the dining scene, Antone's pointed the way to a wider world.

The po' boy itself, though, was pure Houston, and so it has remained during the five decades I've enjoyed it. Playing off the archetypes of the New Orleans po' boy and the East Coast Italian-American sub, the sandwich's slather of mayonnaise and sweet-tart chow chow added a distinctly Southern note, suited to a tea party under the magnolia trees.

The custom rolls - then as now made by Houston's Royal Bakery -were soft and slightly chewy, with none of the crusty, shattery snap crucial to a New Orleans po' boy. Instead of the brisk oil-and-vinegar dressing that sets off a classic East Coast sub, the mayonnaise used by Antone's imparted a certain buttery softness that was echoed by the interior bundle of mild, soft meats and cheese. Only a scatter of dill pickle slices broke the dominant impression of gentleness with their sharp crunch.

Then, as now, I could not rise in court to vigorously defend the ham and salami involved. They have always fallen more in the midcentury American genre of "cold cuts" than in that of obstreperous, texturally interesting Old World salumi.

Yet somehow the salty, thinly shaved ham and the pale-pink salami rounds, freckled with plenty of white fat, worked in their Antone's Po' Boy context, especially against the nutty twinge of provolone cheese. Invariably, I finished one with the satisfaction that comes instinctively with the sense of "getting enough protein."

Careful, though, about too much protein: I have always maintained that the Original Po' Boy (once called the "Regular") was the way to go since the more expensive "Super" version, which doubles the meats and cheese, alters the balance of flavors too much. With the proportions skewed, the particular sandwich magic flees.

In the end, after a lifetime of sandwich connoisseurship, I may crave a formidable New Orleans po' boy sandwich more, or yearn more fiercely for a New Jersey sub dripping with spicy capicola and tart oil and vinegar. But the Antone's Po' Boy comforts me in a way its swaggery cousins can't. It has seen me through thick and thin, fat times and lean, picnics and parties, study sessions and deadlines. It's hardly changed a bit, except for the price, which means I can still taste my long, complicated relationship with Houston in every bite.

So go get one this week, while they're 55 cents each. That's not much for a piece of Houston history. And here's a tip: Don't rip the wrapper off in the car when you pluck the supremely portable po' boy from its home in Antone's refrigerator case. Take it home. Wait until an hour has passed.

Then bite. With the chill shed and the textures at their softest and most buttery, the piquant red chow chow leaping through, you will have arrived at Peak Antone's Original. It's a profoundly Houstonian condition.
As the shelter population ebbs in the Houston area two weeks after Hurricane Harvey flooded thousands out of their homes, government agencies are shifting their focus to helping residents obtain federal assistance to rebuild their lives.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Sunday that it will open three disaster recovery centers in the Houston area  in Greenspoint, Katy, and Baytown starting Monday, Sept. 11.
Volunteers from across the country lending a hand. First responders whisking people to safety, and law enforcement and soldiers keeping everyone that way while the monumental scope of recovery sinks in.

In some very visible ways, shell-shocked Houston digging out from Hurricane Harvey resembles the aftermath of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, whose anniversary we mark today. Though the storm is a wholly different kind of tragedy for our state and nation, it is proving no less unifying - #HoustonStrong is known coast to coast to coast.

Most of today's youths weren't yet alive when that other disaster unfolded, but in the past two weeks they've seen a new wave of patriotism. What does it look like to those with special needs?

A Special World invited them to show how they picture the concept of Harvey heroism. Here are some examples of their work.

Gracie W., 10, Spring Branch/Memorial

When asked to draw a picture about her love of America, Gracie's face lit up, and she pulled out her phone and drew this flag on her sketch app. This is what the love of her country means to her at this moment.

Gabriel Islam, 14, Meyerland

Gabriel's family knew their home would flood, as it had before, and they considered riding out Harvey upstairs, with an inflatable boat on hand. But they decided to leave for higher ground and stay with family. Their home got nearly 3 feet of water inside, destroying the entire first floor - again. Many of the Islams' neighbors had to evacuate by boat and helicopter - and Gabriel decided to draw a firefighter rescuing a family by boat.

Steven O'Connor, 21, Jersey Village

"I was out of town during Harvey. I drew a USA flag and a Texas flag. I also drew a soldier, police officer, boy, girl, doctor and a nurse to show how our country comestogether in a time of trouble."

Nora V., 10, Spring Branch/Memorial

Nora and her family rode out the storm at home, where they lost power. Since she has noise sensitivity and anxiety, the helicopter noise was stressful. Her family also took a financial hit, like many, because for several days her father wasn't able to get to work.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

WHITE OF THE WEEK

2016 Penner-Ash Viognier

Overall score: 17.4 (8.9 for quality, 8.5 for value)

Our tasters: Missed a unanimous recommendation by one-tenth of a point but received six scores of 9. "Floral, well-textured." My score: 9. "Bright, crisp flavors. Honeysuckle."

Alcohol: 14.3 percent

Varietal/blend: 100 percent viognier

Winery/vineyards: Lynn and Ron Penner-Ash launched Penner-Ash in Oregon's Willamette Valley in 1998; their current sustainable gravity-flow winery in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA opened in 2005. The fruit is sourced from vineyards in both the Columbia and Rogue valleys.

Winemaking: Penner-Ash is a proponent of small-lot indigenous yeast fermentation with extended cold soaks, which contributes to a fruit-focused, textured mouth-feel for the wine. The wine was aged in stainless-steel tanks.

Winemaker notes: "Aromas of peach, stone fruit and white flowers with tropical notes. Dense and creamy texture with green pear-skin, honeydew melon, tart peach and exotic spice on the palate. Summer fruits along with fresh honeysuckle extend to a crisp finish."

Critical acclaim: Wine Enthusiast awarded 92 points.

More Information About our recommendations Eight to 12 tasters, a mix of industry professionals and knowledgeable consumers, convene once per month to sample 40 to 50 wines with Dale Robertson, the Chronicle's wine columnist. The grape varietals are identified, but the labels are covered. A 10-point scale is used, with a taster's score of 8.5 or higher considered a recommendation. The quality score is the average of the tasters' scores. The value score and, hence, the overall score are determined by Robertson once a wine has been selected to receive a recommendation. Value is based on the price listed. See More Collapse

Pairings: Pad Thai, Asian chicken salads, dishes made with ginger, saffron and coconut

Price: $29.44 by special order through Spec's

RED OF THE WEEK

2014 Frank Family Vineyards Zinfandel

Overall score: 17.9 (8.9 for quality, 9 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of 9. "Rich, ripe red fruit with a nice minerality." My score: 8.8. "Classic California zin."

Alcohol: 14.6 percent

Varietal/blend: Zinfandel (86 percent), petite sirah (14 percent)

Winery/vineyards: The Calistoga winery dates to 1884, when it was known as Larkmead, and the massive stone central building is listed on the National Register of History places today. Rich Frank, the onetime Disney executive, and his wife, Leslie, are the co-proprietors and the zinfandel fruit is sourced from Brown Vineyards in Chiles Valley, located in the Vacas Mountains in the hilly northeastern quadrant of the Napa Valley AVA.

Winemaking: The wine spent 16 months in 33 percent new French oak barrels and the rest in twice-filled French oak barrels.

Winemaker notes: "Garnet in color, it opens with aromas of raspberries, vanilla and earthy dried herbs notes. Medium bodied on the palate with an abundance of fresh fruit and black pepper flavors on the entry, this wine is round, silky, and finishes with flavors of ripe blackberries."

Critical acclaim: Wine Spectator awarded a score of 89.

Pairings: Burgers and barbecue

Price: $29.29 at Spec's

ALSO RECOMMENDED

2015 Raeburn Russian River Valley Chardonnay

Overall score: 18.3 (8.8 for quality, 9.5 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with four scores of 8.9. "Tropical fruit, tart lemon." My score: 8.9. "Oaky and fruity. Easy drinking." Alcohol: 14 percent. Derek Benham, a longtime winemaker/marketer in the Russian River Valley, opened Raeburn in 2014. Raeburn, from Olde English, means "the stream where one drinks."

Price: $17.99 at Spec's

2014 Argento Reserva Malbec

Overall score: 18.9 (8.9 for quality, 10 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of at least 9. "Tight and well-balanced." My score: 8.9. "Lovely tannins complement the fruit." Alcohol: 13.9 percent. Made from 100 percent Mendoza (Tupungato, Lujan de Cuyo and San Carlos) malbec, the wine spent a week fermenting in stainless steel, then nine months in American (60 percent) and French oak.

Price: $16.03 by special order from Spec's

2015 Cameron Hughes Lot 533 'Limestone Cowboy' Chardonnay

Overall score: 18.8 (8.9 for quality, 10 for value)

Our tasters: Missed a unanimous recommendation by one-tenth of a point but received three scores of 9. "Crisp lean citrus notes." My score: 8.7. "Lemony, minerally." Alcohol: 13.9 percent. The grapes were grown in a Santa Barbara vineyard famous for its limestone soil; hence, the name. The wine receives neither wood nor malolactic fermentation. Cameron Hughes is a value-driven negociant, owning neither vineyards nor a winery.

Price: $13 from chwine.com

2014 Beringer The Waymaker Paso Robles

Overall score: 18.4 (8.9 for quality, 9.5 for value)

Our tasters: Missed a unanimous recommendation by one-tenth of a point but received six scores of at least 9. "Dark and rich. Prune flavors. Spicy." My score: 9.1. "Blue fruits, elegant." Alcohol: 14.5 percent. A blend of seven grapes with syrah (56 percent) at the forefront, The Waymaker reflects the chalky soils of Camatta Hills vineyard in which the fruit was grown. The juice spent 16 months in seasoned oak barrels to soften the tannins and add spicy notes.

Price: $24.99 from wine.com
Dan called our office six or seven times in the days after Harvey, worried about his swimming pool. We were among the lucky ones: Our office and our storage yard had been spared. The flood waters caused minor damage to some equipment, but the trucks were sound, and once the roads were passable, we were back at work.

There was a lot of work to do. We have customers all over the east side of metro Houston, from Kingwood to Texas City, from Chambers County to Pearland. Every single home we service had been inundated. Even if they hadn't flooded, the pools we care for had taken on enormous quantities of rain water, more than 18,000 gallons of it in many cases, a volume greater than the capacity of many backyard pools.

Dan lives in Dickinson. "Man, I need someone out here, right away," he urged. My staff was all over town, dealing with all sorts of problems. Dan, normally an easygoing, reasonable guy, sounded stressed, edgy, desperate. I decided to walk away from the incessantly ringing telephones for a bit, and head down to Dickinson myself.

Everything had flooded. A mountain of waterlogged couches was piled outside Heartbreakers, the strip joint on I-45. The club was open, fifteen or twenty cars parked in its lot. Add "exotic dancer" to the list of "Hurricane-proof jobs." Shops on the I-45 feeder were closed, nothing but darkened storefronts and piles of ruined merchandise. A car dealership looked as if it had sustained bomb damage, dented and damaged autos strewn like a pile of Matchbox toys.

Like a lot of Dickinson, Dan's neighborhood is a mix of small, humble houses, and bigger, newer, more upscale dwellings. The floodwaters spared no one. The piles of ruined sheetrock, of ruined lives, was eye-high and enormous in front of every home. One house featured a large warning, hastily spray painted on a hunk of plywood: "YOU LOOT? WE SHOOT!" A block over, a man sat in a lawn chair in front of a battered bungalow, a shotgun across his lap. He looked exhausted.

Dan's house is beautiful, a rambling brick contemporary, surrounded by a tasteful wrought iron fence and set on a large, pleasant lot. Dan built the place himself, he and friends. It's his dream home.

I walked into the back yard. Dan was out on the patio, smoking a cigarette, waiting for me. "Pool service!" I announced. In Friendswood and Baytown, some of my employees had been stopped by ad hoc community watch groups, armed and anxious, protecting what was left of their neighborhoods from looters. Given the guns and the warning signs I'd already seen, I wanted to make clear that I came in peace, peace and chlorine.

Dan popped out of his chair, strode over, and gave me a big hug. You don't get a lot of hugs in my line of work, especially not from tough men who spent their lives working in the refineries. "Man," Dan said. "Am I glad to see you!"

His pool was crystal-clear. The chemicals were off, of course, but there wasn't a speck of dirt, not a spot of algae, nothing but inviting blue water. I added some of this, and I added some of that. I inspected the equipment, to make sure everything was working properly. It took maybe ten minutes.

"You probably think I'm crazy, calling the way I did," Dan said. I smiled and shook my head, resisting the urge to say, "Yeah. I'm going to have fifteen or twenty phone messages waiting for me when I get back. This could have waited."

"I need to show you something." Dan put his hand on my arm, and guided me into his house. It was nothing but concrete floors and two-by-fours, the ruined carpet ripped out, the soaked drywall cut away, its rooms empty and lifeless. "At 2:45 in the morning, I didn't have a drop of water in my house," Dan said. "Before 3:30, it was covering the kitchen counters. Four feet of water in 37 minutes. There wasn't time to save anything."

Dan led me to the garage. "The mattresses and stuff are out on the pile," he said, gesturing to the mountain of detritus on the far end of his property. "I rented one of those roll-off containers, so I could load that stuff and haul it away, but there's no place to dump it, so I had to cancel. Anyway, that's just trash. Look at what's in here."

The garage was filled with furniture and personal items and artwork, all of it waterlogged, all of it ruined. "I'm just waiting for the insurance adjuster to show up," Dan sighed, "Then all of this is getting tossed, too."

Dan grabbed my arm again. "You have to understand. This is my whole life. I built this place sixteen years ago, and now I'm basically starting over. Even with insurance, I'm looking at $80,000 out of pocket to put things back the way they were. Right now, that pool is the only thing in my life that's working. That pool is the only thing that's keeping me sane."

We shook hands. I wished him the best, and I drove back to the office, past blocks and blocks of other ruined houses, of other weary people, all of them looking for something that still works, something to keep them sane, humbled, teary, grateful to feel something good, something noble, about this silly little thing I do for a living.

There are Dans in every corner of our community. There are Dans in Kingwood, and Baytown, in Sienna Plantation and Cinco Ranch, in Meyerland and in the hardscrabble neighborhoods on the northeast side, searching for something, anything, to keep them going.

SATURDAY MORNING, in a west side neighborhood not far from my home, our church group helped some strangers muck out their house.

Floods are cruel. There are no secrets in a flood: your life is ripped out and deposited on the front lawn, sopping and ruined, for all the world to see. A few blocks over, the neighborhood was spared. A few of the lucky ones wander down your street, holding hands, walking the dog, whispering to one another and gesturing toward the great stinking pile of wreckage quietly rotting on your front lawn.

They've never set foot in your house, but now they know you, know that you had special pot holders, embroidered with poinsettias, that you put out at Christmastime, that your guest bathroom featured a photograph of two cheetahs on the savanna, lying in repose. They know that your dining room table was a heavy, oaken thing, and that you kept a basket of children's books, for when the grandkids came over.

Some things they don't see. They don't see that the flood took your wedding album, but left a forgotten stack of ancient back issues of Bon Appetit magazine untouched. They don't see you, sitting in the ruins of your back yard, ordering pizza for the army of volunteers, strangers themselves, who've come to cut away the soaked wallboard and haul out the warped floorboards and create that pile of ruin out on the lawn. They don't see how tired you are. They don't see your despair. Or your hope.

Houston is one of those Bozo the Clown punching bags we had when we were kids. Hit it as hard as you want, as many times as you want, and it always finds a way to stand up again. This is a resilient city. Maybe that resiliency is foolhardy, ill-advised. Maybe 6.5 million people shouldn't be living a few feet above sea level, in a place that's been prone to storms and rain and catastrophic flooding since the days when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Maybe we need to rethink our mania for the new, new homes in new developments, built in new places where nothing should have ever been built.

We need to talk about those things.

First, the millions of us  and there are millions of us  who were blessed enough or lucky enough to stay dry through this ordeal, need to reach out to hundreds of thousands of Dans here among us. We need to serve them. We need to mourn with them, and comfort them.

We need to do what we can to help them find that something, that anything that still works. We need to give them a little sanity. We need to give them a little hope.

Cort McMurray, a Houston businessman, writes frequently for Gray Matters.

Bookmark Gray Matters. It comes in peace, peace and chlorine.
Two weeks ago, as the new school year was just about to begin, thousands of families were already knee-deep in the college quest, a rite of passage full of stress and anxiety largely manufactured by our status-conscious culture.

Perhaps now, for the thousands of families affected by Harvey, we can put the college application process into proper perspective.

Getting into one's dream school is not a matter of life or death  we've seen literal death and devastation every day. Floodwaters might be toxic, but the college process needn't be.

Still, the reality of the situation is that the first round of college application deadlines are fast approaching, Harvey or not. Early application deadlines for most schools are Nov. 1, and some are as soon as Oct. 15.

November sounds like a long time away, but two months isn't much when your life has been completely upended.

The good news is that colleges are well aware of what's happening in Texas and are willing to help.

'As flexible as humanly possible'

Before the full extent of the flooding was known, Texas Christian University became the first college to communicate with prospective students.

On Aug. 28, TCU Dean of Admissions Heath Einstein sent out an email to calm the nerves of potential applicants:

"At this time of devastation, college applications may be the last thing on your mind. We certainly understand. Know that as the days and weeks unfold, we stand ready to assist in any way possible. If our $50 application fee presents a problem, we will waive it. If our deadline poses an issue, we will extend it. If counselors at your school are unavailable, we will offer you college counseling services."

Einstein said in a phone interview that if TCU is a student's top choice, the school will be lenient on application deadlines  anywhere from a few weeks to a month. "We will be as flexible as humanly possible."

Since the TCU announcement, colleges across the nation have expressed similar flexibility when it comes to deadlines and fees. If students are interested in a specific college, they should contact the Office of Admissions directly and find out how they are prepared to assist.

Einstein noted that it's normal at this time of year for students to be working on college applications, whether wrapping them up or just getting started. The intent of his email was to let students know "we're with you. Don't worry. Focus on you and the health and safety of your loved ones."

Learning from Katrina

Back in 2005, students in New Orleans faced a similar situation when they were were forced to evacuate just as the school year had started.

According to Ed Graf, the co-director of college counseling at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans: "Every single one of our seniors was at another school for at least one semester."

HISD estimates that at least 100,000 students will begin this school year at a new school. For seniors, Graf says to contact your school counselor as soon as possible, and if you are at a new high school, seek out that counselor.

High school counselors, already overworked and understaffed, will necessarily be spending much of their initial time back at school working on class schedules and providing crisis management.

'Special circumstances'

For the next few years, families affected financially by Harvey will need to submit a letter of "special circumstance" to college financial aid offices. Normally, colleges utilize the FAFSA or CSS Profile to determine a student's need-based aid, but losses incurred from Harvey may not yet be reflected on a family's income tax statement.

School counselors typically prepare the letter of special circumstance, but if one is not available, a parent can write it. Contact the colleges directly to determine what information they require.

According to Marie Bigham, also co-director of college counseling at Newman, colleges have the flexibility to look beyond formulas to assess financial aid, but the reality is that "the ability to pay sometimes trumps all other qualities."

While financial limitations might negatively impact some students affected by Harvey, Bigham notes that the silver lining might be that the tragedy helps students catch the eye of some colleges that will take care of them better.

"You learn a lot about campus culture from how the office of admissions treats people," Bigham said. If colleges aren't willing to be flexible with students affected by Harvey, perhaps students should look elsewhere. "If it feels like the college is being inflexible, especially right now during this time of remarkable need," she said, "I would question whether to go there."

Writing about tragedy

In the aftermath of tragedy, the question is inevitable: Should I write about it for my college essay?

For the assiduous students who completed their essays before the storm struck, do not scrap your hard work just to write about Harvey. The common application has an additional information section that offers students up to 650 words to explain any extenuating circumstances regarding their application. Students should use this section to tell their straightforward story. Do not embellish. The facts will be more than enough.

Brett Coomer/POOL

Students who have yet to write an essay will justifiably consider using Harvey as a topic.

Colleges understand the hardships associated with Harvey, but the college essay should be an opportunity to convey who you are, and that might not be possible while students are still processing the trauma.

For younger students who will have some perspective in a few years, Harvey might be a viable essay topic, but having seniors write about it now might be too soon for some.

Bigham has worked with students who lived in New York City during 9/11 and New Orleans during Katrina. When it comes to the college essay, "students should never feel like they have to write about a specific topic," she said. "There is no penalty or expectation to write about tragedy."

Parents: 'Absorb the emotions'

Parents should be careful how they react to their children as they go through the college process. Students are stressed about themselves as well as their friends and teachers. They don't need parents exacerbating everything that goes wrong in the application process, especially after a major catastrophe.

Jamie Kim, an associate director of college counseling at St. John's School, says that eventually students will find their place, but along the way, when kids are most upset, "parents need to act like a sponge and absorb all their emotions  don't react to them."

It may be a long time before life returns to normal, but when it comes to the hysteria that surrounds the college application process, it would be better for everyone concerned if we never went back to the way things used to be.

High school graduation ceremonies this spring will be a whole lot more meaningful, so try to maintain perspective between now and then.

David Nathan is a high school English teacher and Nick Accrocco is a college counselor who have collaborated on a book about college admissions. Have a question about the process for them? Email admissionsguys@gmail.com.





Bookmark Gray Matters, Harvey or not.
As Florida residents fled Hurricane Irma over the weekend, some Tesla owners got a little surprise from the auto maker to help them get out of the danger zone.

On Saturday, Tesla began pushing a software update that increased the battery capacity of some Model S sedans and Model X SUVs. All the cars that received the update belonged to those living in what emergency officials had identified as the evacuation area.

The real-time update extended the range of the cars by unlocking previously inaccessible battery power, meaning the vehicles could now go farther on a single charge. The change will not be permanent; Tesla said the temporary upgrade will be reversed on Sept. 16, presumably once the immediate danger has passed.

The decision reflects a key distinguishing feature of Tesla's business, one that could divide consumers as they think about the future of car ownership.

The Model S and Model X vehicles updated on Saturday were all built with a 75 kilowatt-hour battery. At full capacity, that's enough for a Model S to travel roughly 250 miles.

When those cars were first sold, Tesla gave customers the option of a lower-capacity battery at a more affordable price, and some decided to take the savings rather than purchase the full, 75-kWh battery.

But downsizing didn't mean replacing the big battery with a physically smaller one; it just meant using a bit of computer code to restrict how much of the battery the car could access. If they wanted, they could later have Tesla lift the software lock by paying an additional fee, which can run into the thousands of dollars.

What happened this weekend is that Tesla temporarily lifted that software lock at no cost, after receiving requests for help from customers whose cars were stuck in Hurricane Irma-related traffic.

The decision highlights one of the most innovative aspects of owning a Tesla. The company's ability to add range instantly to a vehicle, using software, is something no conventional car can achieve. You can't simply make a gas tank bigger at the click of a button.

This isn't the first time Tesla has used wireless software updates to expand a car's capabilities. The total value of all the optional software upgrades Tesla now offers adds up to tens of thousands of dollars, according to some estimates. Nor is the concept of software-unlocks a novel one; from video-game expansion packs to premium Spotify subscriptions, software is now commonly used to expand the range of features available to us in other products.

What makes this use of the software key so interesting is that, for many consumers, this is the first time they've seen the practice extended to their cars. It forces us to think a bit differently about what it means to truly own a vehicle.

Tesla's decision to offer lower-priced cars with certain performance compromises could be viewed as expanding consumer choice and giving users flexibility. At the same time, because the underlying hardware remains the same no matter what level of software you've purchased, you could say that Tesla has locked the full potential of its vehicle behind an arbitrary paywall.

This is a paradigm shift. When you buy any other car, you get its full capabilities. In many cases (though less so now than in decades past) you can open up the hood and tinker with everything yourself. This has historically been the way we've thought about buying a car. When you roll it off the lot, it's really yours -- you get the whole thing, and you can basically do with it whatever you want.

In Tesla's case, it's not quite the same. There is a community of amateur hackers who poke around inside their cars and sometimes make fascinating discoveries, but the company has a significant degree of control over the vehicles even if it doesn't exercise it all the time. As we've seen, Tesla can remotely install new software, including code that enables and disables features unilaterally.

This can be a gift, when getting caught with the "wrong" feature package risks putting you in a hurricane's way. At the same time, it highlights the tremendous power your car company can have over you, not to mention whether it's consumer-friendly for a company to charge you thousands of dollars to access hardware that takes just a few keystrokes to turn on. The debate has already taken off on Reddit.
Stephen Bannon - President Donald Trump's former chief strategist who left the White House in August - declared war Sunday against the Republican congressional leadership, called on Gary Cohn, Trump's top economic adviser, to resign, and outlined his views on issues ranging from immigration to trade.

Bannon, in a interview on CBS's "60 Minutes," accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky., and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., of "trying to nullify the 2016 election." It was Bannon's first television interview since leaving the White House and returning as executive chairman to Breitbart News, the conservative website he previously led.

He blamed them for failing to repeal and replace former president Barack Obama's signature health-care law and made clear he would use his Breitbart perch to hold Republicans accountable for not helping Trump push through his agenda.

"They're not going to help you unless they're put on notice," he told CBS's Charlie Rose. "They're going to be held accountable if they do not support the president of the United States. Right now there's no accountability."

Stressing absolute loyalty to Trump, Bannon criticized members of the administration who, he said, had leaked to the media their displeasure with the way Trump handled the white-supremacist-fueled violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, which left one dead and more injured.

"You can tell him, 'Hey, maybe you can do it a better way.' But if you're going to break, then resign. If you're going to break with him, resign," he said. "If you find it unacceptable, you should resign."

He explicitly mentioned Cohn, Trump's director of the National Economic Council who had criticized Trump's response in an interview with the Financial Times, and said he "absolutely" thought Cohn should have resigned.

Bannon joined the Trump campaign in August 2016 and emerged as the president's ideological ID, channeling his populist and nationalist impulses. Though he made many enemies within the West Wing, including the president's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, and clashed with John Kelly, Trump's second chief of staff, Bannon remains close to Trump.

Recalling a particularly low moment in the campaign, when the "Access Hollywood" tape emerged of Trump bragging about groping women, Bannon dismissed it as "just locker room talk" - but said the moment served as an important "litmus test" for loyalty to Trump.

At the time, Reince Priebus, Trump's first chief of staff, urged the then-candidate to either drop out of the race or face a historic loss. And, Bannon said, Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., who served as a campaign adviser overseeing Trump's transition plan, lost a likely spot in the president's Cabinet because of his response to the video.

"I told him, 'The plane leaves at 11:00 in the morning. If you're on the plane, you're on the team,' " Bannon said, referring to Christie. "Didn't make the plane."

On China, Bannon reiterated his calls for the United States to take a tougher stance over trade and appropriating U.S. technology. "Donald Trump, for 30 years, has singled out China as the biggest single problem we have on the world stage," he said. 'The elites in this country have got us in a situation. We're at not economic war with China; China is at economic war with us."

And he also seemed to criticize the president's recent decision to rescind protections for "Dreamers" - those 690,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the country as young children - while giving Congress six months to devise a legislative solution. The move, he said, could cost Republicans the House in the 2018 election.

"If this goes all the way down to its logical conclusion, in February and March, it will be a civil war inside the Republican Party that will be every bit as vitriolic as 2013," Bannon said. "And to me, doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise."
Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton pointed to her willingness to speak to Wall Street firms and the poor "optics" of those highly paid appearances as a contributing factor for her loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 election.

Clinton takes responsibility for what she termed a "mistake" in "What Happened," her memoir of the campaign that goes on sale Tuesday. In the book and a TV interview ahead of its release, Clinton said she doesn't intend to run for office again but will not step back from political life.

"As an active politician, it's over. I am done with being a candidate," Clinton said in an interview with CBS's Jane Pauley that aired Sunday. "But I am not done with politics because I literally believe that our country's future is at stake."

Ten months after her loss, the former secretary of state and first lady said she's still coping with it. "I think I am good, but that doesn't mean that I am complacent or resolved about what happened. It still is very painful," she said in the interview.

After facing rounds of criticism for taking too little or the wrong kind of responsibility for her loss, Clinton, 69, made a clear effort in the book to account for the mistakes that "burn me up inside." Bloomberg News obtained a copy of the book before its official release.

One mistake Clinton describes in the book was her decision to deliver paid speeches to Wall Street firms after leaving the State Department in 2013. While her speeches to investment bank Goldman Sachs and other companies were meant to be "interesting" to her audiences, they weren't newsworthy, she wrote. Still, they gave her opponents -- first, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders during the Democratic primary race, and then Trump -- ammunition to use against her.

"My opponents spun wild tales about what terrible things I must have said behind closed doors and how as president I would be forever in the pocket of the shadowy bankers who had paid my speaking fees. I should have seen that coming," Clinton wrote. "When you know why you're doing something and you know there's nothing more to it and certainly nothing sinister, it's easy to assume that others will see it the same way."

Ultimately, it was "a mistake," she said.

"Just because many former government officials have been paid large fees to give speeches, I shouldn't have assumed it would be okay for me to do it," Clinton wrote. "Especially after the financial crisis of 2008-2009, I should have realized it would be bad 'optics' and stayed away from anything having to do with Wall Street. I didn't. That's on me."

Watching Trump now, Clinton said, she's angered by his embrace of financial industry officials, including former Goldman Sachs executives Steven Mnuchin, now Treasury secretary, and Gary Cohn, director of the White House's National Economic Council.

"When I read the news that he filled his team with Wall Street bankers after relentlessly accusing me of being their stooge, I nearly threw the remote control at the wall," Clinton wrote.

"What Happened," published by CBS-owned Simon & Schuster, includes an accounting for many of the missteps and strategic errors that Clinton said she made during the campaign, and for which she explicitly takes responsibility.

"The most important of the mistakes I made was using personal email," Clinton told Pauley. Even so, the book includes a lengthy defense of her decision, after becoming secretary of state, to use for official business an email account hosted on a server in the basement of her Chappaqua, New York, home. It also delves into an accounting of the investigations and media scrutiny she faced during the 2016 campaign.

Clinton pins particular blame on then-FBI Director James Comey's decision to send lawmakers a letter about his agency's probe just days before the election. Without that late October bombshell, she wrote, "I believe that in spite of everything, we would have won the White House." She also discusses at length alleged Russian interference in the election, Trump's ties to Russia, and developments through the first half of 2017.

Clinton's language about her future in the CBS interview was more definitive than in her book, in which she said she was "amused and surprised" by talk earlier this year that she was considering running for New York mayor. She said she needs to nurture younger leaders in the Democratic Party, while adding that she's not going to back down just because she lost the presidential race.

"If Al Gore, John Kerry, John McCain, and Mitt Romney can find positive ways to contribute after their own election defeats, so can I," Clinton wrote. "I will speak out on the causes I care about, campaign for other Democrats, and do whatever I can to build the infrastructure we need to succeed."

In the book, Clinton grappled with the criticism she's faced for more than a quarter century in the national spotlight. She pinned much of it on gender.

"What makes me such a lightning rod for fury?" she wrote. "I'm really asking. I'm at a loss," she said, before detailing some of the ways her gender has complicated her political career.

"I suspect that for many of us -- more than we might think -- it feels somehow off to picture a woman president sitting in the Oval Office or the Situation Room," she wrote. "It's discordant to tune into a political rally and hear a woman's voice booming ("screaming," "screeching") forth. Even the simple act of a woman standing up and speaking to a crowd is relatively new."

Clinton said she looked to another former first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, as a potential model for the final years of her life because the wife of the 32nd U.S. president "put up with so much vitriol, and she did it with grace and strength." By the time Roosevelt died in 1962 at 78, "the New York Times obituary described how she outlasted ridicule and bitter resentment to become 'the object of almost universal respect,' " Clinton wrote.

The former Democratic nominee has plenty of work to do to change public opinion. Last month, only 30 percent of those surveyed for an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll said they had very or somewhat positive views of her -- six points worse than Trump.

"There is no way I am going to waste the time I have," Clinton wrote. "I know there is more good to do, more people to help, and a whole lot of unfinished business."
The Alief Independent School District was lucky.

In southwest Houston, it suffered almost no damage to its 45 schools. Only tiny leaks sprang in the roofs of a handful of schools, but the district had already patched the holes and cleaned up the water earlier in the week.

But schools in Alief will not open until Monday Sept. 11 at the earliest after it, like many of the school districts faced with a natural disaster, confronted a mountain of challenges having nothing to do with soggy campuses.

Our biggest barriers are our staff, said Kim Smith, a spokeswoman for the district. Our staff live in surrounding areas, and a lot of them experienced challenges and damage to their homes. We want to ensure they have time to start to recover before welcoming students back.

School leaders across the area continue to wrestle with how to get back to relatively normal operations after Hurricane Harvey dropped nearly a years worth of rain on the Houston area in less than a week. The storm flooded thousands of homes, soaked hundreds of thousands of cars and left many with only what they were able to lug out of their homes in trash bags.

Some districts - including Conroe, Pearland, Galveston and Tomball ISDs - were able to start Tuesday Sept. 5.

But in the more heavily affected districts, where maintenance workers are drying out water-logged schools, principals are trying to figure out what happened to all their teachers. Teachers are trying to make sure their students are still living in the area. District leaders are trying to figure out whether theyll need to put students from damaged campuses into other, dry schools with extra space.

Their challenges are not new.

Officials in Hurricane Katrina-battered Biloxi, Miss., and New Orleans said flood- and wind-damaged schools were only one of the many struggles they faced as they tried to rebuild their school systems.

They said they learned hard lessons in the storms aftermath about FEMAs federal bureaucracy, unscrupulous construction contractors, the fragility of their previous communications networks, a sudden drop in student enrollment and teachers who never came back to their classrooms.

Where are all the teachers?

In Houston ISD  Texas largest and the states seventh largest school district  Superintendent Richard Carranza said all 190 of the schools inspected by maintenance workers on Thursday sustained some sort of damage, with about 4 percent of those school suffering serious damage and about 60 percent suffering moderate damage. At least 13 will not be able to start school on Sept. 11, according to HISD Board President Wanda Adams.

District staff must submit its report on which schools are damaged and how extensive the damage is to board members by noon Wednesday.

Aside from the damage to buildings, Carranza said two factors have also worked to push back the districts tentative start date to Sept. 11: Damaged and flooded roads that make it difficult for buses to transport children, and teachers and school staff who may have lost everything or fled the area.

We know theyve undergone lots of loss and trauma, Carranza said. Were doing a roll call now - teachers calling teachers, department heads calling their staff.

Carranza said he wants to avoid different schools starting on staggered dates, instead hoping schools with the heaviest damage will be able to be consolidated with drier schools that have space to spare.

We have probably 15 different scenarios weve been working through without the full data set, without knowing all the schools conditions, Carranza said.

Some issues have already been resolved somewhat. The Texas Education Agency said school districts within counties declared disaster areas by Gov. Greg Abbott can apply for waivers that will ensure students will not have to make up days missed due to Harvey at the end of the school year. They waivers will cover the past week that schools missed and the week of Labor Day, when many will remain closed.

The TEA will deal with schools and districts that will remain closed past next week on a case-by-case basis.

Lessons from Katrina

Years after Hurricane Katrina hit Biloxi, Mississippi, the citys school district was still closing campuses.

But it wasnt because of another storm.

So many students had fled the area, enrolling in school systems elsewhere, that once-bustling campuses had turned into ghost towns.

One year, long after the national news blinked its attention elsewhere, the district had to close three schools.

That was a big experience on our end, closing the schools, said Shane Switzer, chief financial officer of the Biloxi Public School District -- who worked for the district when Katrina hit. Weve closed four schools, but we just built back a junior high. But right now, I truly have three schools that were open at Katrina that we will never open back up.

It took Biloxi schools about six weeks to reopen the first of its campuses to students. In New Orleans, where 80 percent of the city flooded after catastrophic levee failures and a record-making storm surge, it took four months.

Both Switzer and Ken Ducote, a now retired director of facility planning for the Orleans Parish Public Schools district, urged school officials to document and take photographs of all the damage done to their schools to facilitate with insurance reimbursements and FEMA aid.

Switzer recommended focusing rebuilding and renovations to schools with the least damage, as those would be the first schools to reopen anyway. Those with significant damage will likely take months, if not years, longer to fix.

Ducote urged Houston school districts not to lay off their maintenance workers like the Orleans Parrish Public Schools did after their storm, opting instead to hire contractors. He said districts should keep on all their maintenance staffers while also contracting out with companies, as the needs are often greater than they first appear.

Grief and crisis counselors are also a key to moving forward for both students and staff who experienced trauma in the storm.

Ducote couldnt help but marvel that Tropical Storm Harvey devastated Houston during the 12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on Aug. 29. He still remembers how he spent his birthday that year - at a shelter in Cleveland, Miss., without a way to get in touch with his loved ones other than occasional emails.

It took much longer for him to be able to regularly communicate with school staff, and it took years before any sense of normalcy returned to the schools he oversaw.

Although the damage done by Katrina may have been more devastating than the horrors wreaked by Harvey, both Ducote and Switzer said Houston-area school districts, especially the larger ones, have a long road ahead.

The magnitude of the problem may be different, but your numbers are a lot higher, Ducote said. We only had 65,000 students at the time Katrina hit.

Houston ISD, by comparison, was projected to welcome more than 217,000 students to school before Hurricane Harvey.
As the full extent of Hurricane Harvey's damage came into view last week, Hambrick Middle School Principal Rebecca Sanford sent out a nationwide call for help.

The Aldine ISD educator posted a plea on "Principals Helping Principals," a widely shared public spreadsheet matching hurricane-damaged schools with campuses willing to lend support. Her students, among the most impoverished in the greater Houston area, now needed clothes, shoes, toiletries, food and more.

Within two hours, she had responses from school leaders in upstate New York and northern Kentucky, pledging to send aid.

"I was in tears," said Sanford, a district employee for more than 20 years. "My husband was looking at me, asking what was wrong, and I was just choked up. It was uncontrollable emotion, that people would be so generous."

In the days since Harvey made landfall Aug. 26 and then dropped 52 inches of rain on the Houston area, the "Principals Helping Principals" open-source spreadsheet has helped pair more than 300 campuses needing help with nearly 375 schools offering aid, creating a nationwide network of support buoying storm-ravaged schools.

Using the spreadsheet, leaders of Texas schools damaged by the hurricane can put out a request for help.

Administrators across the country can "adopt" those schools and send large aid packages. To date, principals of schools in more than 40 states have signed up.

It's an organic, grass-roots effort that began with Kristen Eriksen, an elementary school principal in Keller ISD, near Fort Worth.

While watching Harvey crash into the Texas Gulf Coast last month, Eriksen posted in a private Facebook group of school principals, asking if anyone would be willing to adopt a school in need. When she received about 100 positive responses, Eriksen created the spreadsheet through Google Docs, posted it on social media and watched it unexpectedly go viral.

"I don't necessarily understand or know what it's like to deal with a natural disaster, but I do know the stress and pressure of trying to do it all for your kids," Eriksen said. "As leaders of our campuses, we get into this business because we want to help as many people as we can, and naturally that means our students and staff members."

Specific requests

To date, principals in about 45 public school districts, as well as several private school administrators, have sent out calls for help. Principals can post specific requests, with most asking for clothing, undergarments, nonperishable food and gift cards. Many principals said it's too early to know what will be needed, writing "TBD."

A few principals made unique requests, including Alvin Elementary School's Tracy Olvera. In addition to requesting gift cards to assist families in shelters needing clothes and shoes, Olvera asked children at an elementary school to "have your students write letters and pen pal with our kids, so they can share their experiences." Her campus was matched with one in Provo, Utah.

"It will be really cathartic for our kids to share what they've gone through in a real, authentic way," Olvera said. "I don't know that the monetary need will be the biggest thing for us."

So far, Texas principals have found willing partners.

Campuses have stepped up from Anderson, Mo., to Zeeland, Mich. Schools in Friendship, Tenn., and Uniontown, Kan., lived up to their names. One school, Enchanted Lake Elementary School, agreed to send help from Hawaii.

Eriksen said the number of schools added to the spreadsheet support continues to climb, albeit at a slower rate as days pass. As volunteers continue to offer support, some schools have been adopted by two campuses.

Gaining friendship

Hallie Booth, principal of Grant County Middle School in Dry Ridge, Ky., south of Cincinnati, ended up paired with Sanford's school in Aldine ISD after spotting "Principals Helping Principals" on Twitter. Administrators there sent a letter home to parents Friday, asking them to donate goods that will be shipped next week.

"It gives our students a sense of being helpful," said Booth, whose school is about 35 miles south of Cincinnati. "And along the way, we're going to gain some friends. Maybe we'll be able to Skype back and forth when things get up and running."

Sanford said about one-quarter of her staff was affected by the storm, with 10 percent "losing everything." Students returned to class Thursday.

Monday is the first day back for students at Houston ISD as well as a number of suburban districts.

Sanford hopes she'll be able to provide much-needed help in the days after the return to classes. In addition to the Kentucky campus, a school outside Rochester, N.Y., is trying to collect 1,000 polo shirts to send students as replacement uniforms.

"That will be one less thing for our parents to have to worry about," Sanford said. "Many of our parents already were worried about supplies they struggle to get. That would be a huge relief for them, to have something for our students when we open our doors."

Shelby Webb contributed to this report.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Houston's lawyers and judges compared it to the first day of college, with people looking for their courtrooms which were spread out across at least five county buildings, like classrooms spread across a small campus.

One well-respected defense attorney misread the schedule and showed up at the right courtroom but at the wrong time, arriving four hours early to his 1 p.m. docket call.

The snags seemed minor Monday as the Harris County's courtrooms reopened after being officially closed since Aug. 28 when Hurricane Harvey rolled in with record flooding.

"At least I'm going to get in my 10,000 steps today," said Staci Biggar, a defense lawyer who made a 9 a.m. docket call on the upper floors of the civil courthouse at 201 Caroline before heading to the misdemeanor courts in the Family Law Courthouse at 1115 Congress.

She also planned a stop at the jail at 49 San Jacinto to see a client, for a total of four courts in three buildings. Some lawyers also had court in the Juvenile Justice Center at 1200 Congress or inside the Baker street jail.

Flood waters damaged several buildings in the courthouse complex , which is spread across a dozen city blocks in north downtown. The county's shiny new underground jury assembly building flooded, but the biggest casualty was probably the destruction that has closed the 20-story criminal justice center for at least six to nine months. The loss is immense because the building housed the entire district attorney's office, an agency of 330 lawyers and almost 400 staffers, the public defenders office and 40 courtrooms, staffed with clerks, coordinators, court reporters and others.

The reason it is such a hardship to relocate is because each of those courtrooms had holding cells and access to private elevators so inmates could be brought securely from the Harris County Jail across Buffalo Bayou in tunnels and bridges without any contact with the public.

With the loss of that building, the county's 22 felony courts have doubled up in courtrooms in the civil courthouse, pushing the civil, family and probate courts together.

Since there are few if any holding cells in the relocated courts, the people in jail are expected to have court in jailhouse courtrooms with revolving dockets. The very few holding cells will likely be reserved for trials when jury selection resumes Sept. 25.

On Monday, defendants free on bail had to find the new location of their court and the time of their docket.

One defendant, who refused to give his name, said he was told to be at court at 9 a.m. only to arrive and learn his docket would be heard at 1 p.m.

"I'm missing work," he said. "They want me to pay this money, but how can I when I'm missing work?"

At 9 a.m. the first-floor lobby of the civil courthouse was stacked with lawyers and defendants waiting in long lines to get on one of the four working elevators that could take them above the eighth floor.

But officials handing out paper copies of courts locations were optimistic that there was not a crush of people lining up around the corner to get in the building.

"I expected traffic out the door this morning and it didn't happen," said Judge Bob Schaffer, the administrative judge helping to oversee the transition. "You saw the crowds outside of the elevators, but it's going to be like that for a while. Seventeen courts just moved into our building with all the traffic that that brings and we're dealing with it as best as we can"

He said prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges and defendants seemed to be staying patient in the face of a confusing time.

"The community is still trying to recover from the storm, and I think we're doing a pretty good job in that regard," he said. "But this is going to be 6 to 9, maybe 12 months and I'm sure that at some time, feelings will get frayed, all the way around."

Harris County District Clerk Chris Daniel was also on hand to oversee how the new system was working.

"The biggest hiccup seems to be the elevators, with long delays in getting elevators to the upper floors," he said. "For the most part, everyone has been patient with a wait and see attitude."

He said jury service is cancelled through Sept. 22, so people with jury summonses don't have to come to court.

Officials said defendants free on bail should contact their bailbondsman or the court or the district clerk's office to get dates and new locations.

Questions about court dates or jury duty can be addressed by the Harris County District Clerk at www.hcdistrictclerk.com or call: (832)927-5800

Specific locations for courts will be posted at the following websites and social media sites:

1. The Harris County Criminal District Courts Facebook Page

2. The Harris County District Clerks Facebook Page

3. www.justex.net

4. www.ccl.hctx.net/criminal
Eight people were shot and killed Sunday night in a North Texas home, including a man shot by police, according to news reports.

Plano police responded to a shooting at a residence near West Spring Creek Parkway Sunday evening where they found a gunman still inside, the local FOX News affiliate reported.
AUSTIN - With two federal courts again blasting Texas for "intentional discrimination" against blacks and Hispanics in drawing political boundaries, concern is mounting that voter-rights litigation could upend the state's 2018 elections calendar.

State officials insisted Friday they expect to stop the court challenges on appeal and reverse Texas' losing streak on the voting-rights lawsuits. Legal experts predicted Texas could end up back under federal supervisions of its election's rules if the appeals fail.

In short, the fight is becoming a political game of chicken, with significant consequences no matter how it turns out.

"In both of the cases where there are new decisions, the courts have ruled that Texas has purposefully maintained 'intentional discrimination' in the way it drew its maps," said Michael Li, an expert on Texas redistricting who is senior counsel with the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.

"That's an important finding that could result in Texas being placed back under pre-clearance coverage. Based on that, there may be a good chance that could happen."

While other legal experts and political scientists agree, Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton insist that the state will win the cases on appeal - so Texas' voting can proceed uninterrupted through the March primaries.

"These issues (in the congressional redistricting case) have been ruled on previously, and we won at the Supreme Court," explained Abbott, who litigated the case for the state when he was attorney general. "We anticipate winning on appeal."

Thursday's decision by a three-judge panel in San Antonio that nine House districts in Dallas, Nueces, Bell and Tarrant counties were drawn intentionally to dilute the strength of black and Hispanic voters marked the state's fourth court loss on voting rights in nine days.

The San Antonio decision said that, in some cases, the Legislature also went so far as "to ensure Anglo control" of some legislative districts - a legal misstep that would violate federal law.

The victory was short-lived: The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Tuesday put on hold the decision, giving the state a legal victory in the long-running case, even as plaintiffs in the case have promised to continue pursuing their challenge. The appeals court is to hear arguments from both sides in December, just three months before Texas' spring primaries are to take place.

'Horribly commonplace'

Earlier rulings questioned the legality of two districts on Texas' congressional map, of a voting law restricting language interpretation access at polls and of a Wednesday decision by a Corpus Christ federal judge invalidated the state's new voter ID law as discriminatory.

In that decision, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos invalidated the voter ID but went farther, implying that renewed federal supervision of Texas voting laws may be necessary, the process called pre-clearance that Texas has not been under since 2013.

If Texas comes back under federal supervision, it would be the first state to be brought back under federal say-so since a federal court removed the restrictions in an Alabama case.

The prolonged legal battle over the redistricting maps has cost Texas taxpayers upward of $3.9 million, a sum that doesn't include any costs incurred since mid-2014, when the sum was tallied.

"There have been so many rulings of intentional discrimination by Texas Republicans that counting them is trivializing them," said Matt Angle, a veteran Democratic Party political strategist in Texas.

"Rulings by federal courts that Texas Republican leaders have adopted and defended intentionally discriminatory and redistricting laws has become horribly commonplace ... It is a fact established over and over again by federal judges appointed from both parties."

Prolonged litigation

While the Republican leadership has repeatedly denied those accusations, insisting that the state's new voter ID and redistricting maps pass federal muster, they remain hopeful the prolonged litigation that has gone on for six years will not continue until the next redistricting process starts in 2021.

Paxton has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the lower-court decision on Texas' congressional maps. "We are confident that the Supreme Court will allow Texas to continue to use the maps used in the last three election cycles," he said.

Even so, until that appeal is decided, "We don't expect or anticipate any delay in the Texas election schedule," said Marc Rylander, Paxton's communications director.

Li and other legal experts are not so sure.

First, an appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn Thursday's ruling by the three-judge panel will almost certainly not be decided until after the filing period in November and December for House seats is over.

And if appellate court rulings in other cases go against the state, the schedule could be upended by court orders to redraw political boundaries for candidates running in those elections. And any boundary changes to benefit blacks and Hispanics could mean gains for Democrats, who those groups traditionally vote for.

"There's a good chance that, given the way these cases stand with the courts, that the primary election schedule could be affected," Li said.

"If the district maps have to be redrawn, that will have a cascade effect, especially with the state House maps where changing the lines may affect surrounding districts. It's like shifting around in a conference room with too many people ... You may have to put some in another room," he said.

On Friday, lawmakers in the House - as well as political consultants whose candidates are running in the nine contested districts - were huddling to determine worst-case scenarios if the map lines have to be redrawn. They also wondered how new lines, and perhaps new members, might affect the seemingly assured reelection of House Speaker Joe Straus.

Jerry Polinard, a political scientist at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley who has studied Texas redistricting for decades, said that since state officials have turned back suggestions to hold a special legislative session to resolve the map issues, revised maps will have to be drawn if the state's appeal fails.

"This is just the gift that keeps on giving, because there are the potential of major consequences on down the road," he said. "Texas has had more voter-rights litigation than other states ... and these cases will be watched closely because among the issues is partisan gerrymandering that's being raised in Republican-controlled states."

'Voter suppression'

At the same time partisanship is targeted in the court challenges, Republicans and Democrats are paying more attention to local non-partisan elections for school boards and municipal offices, which they see as training grounds for future state leaders. Both parties have plans to endorse and support candidates for the first time.

Amid the continuing political squabbles over voting rights and redistricting, Democrats blame the GOP leadership with using redistricting and the new voter ID law to continue "state-sponsored voter suppression" and a return to election discrimination of the 1950s, labels that Republicans reject as inaccurate invective.

"We hope the primaries next spring are not delayed, but already the sign-ups for precinct chairmen are being delayed, and the counties need the district maps by October," said Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party.

"The state's legal strategy for these discriminatory redistricting and voter ID laws has failed so far in the courts, and we believe it will fail again."

Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa called the ruling "an historic victory for the sacred voting rights of all Texans" and urged state officials to quickly remedy the issues.

"Once again, Texas Republicans didn't just cheat to win a silly game, they used Jim Crow-era tactics to rig our election system," Hinojosa said. "Make no mistake, Republicans have stolen the voice of Texans at the ballot box for years.

Like the state's top GOP leaders, Republican Party of Texas Chairman James Dickey disagrees.

"We oppose any identification of citizens by race, origin or creed and oppose use of any such identification for purposes of creating voting districts," he said. "If lawmakers are forced to redraw these House districts, we ask that they be drawn accordingly."
As high school seniors in our area finally head back to school this week, one of the most important lessons they ought to learn deals with a basic obligation of citizenship. After they turn 18, they should register and vote.

A little known provision of the Texas Election Code was written to help teach that lesson. State law requires all high school principals in Texas - or someone they designate - to serve as deputy voter registrars in their schools. That's a fancy way of saying principals are expected to give voter registration applications to students who will turn 18 before Election Day.

The noble intent behind this part of the election code is stimulating civic engagement among our state's youngest voters. Signing them up to vote when they're young might make going to the polls a lifelong habit. Considering the low turnout in most of our elections, any idea that might encourage more citizens to cast ballots is welcome.

Unfortunately, it seems most of our state's high school principals either don't know or don't care about this part of their job. Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos reports that fewer than 200 of the more than 1,400 public high school principals in our state asked for voter registration applications before the 2016 elections. As any high school math teacher can figure out, that amounts to about 14 percent.

State law on this subject is quite clear. The election code plainly says, "At least twice each school year, a high school deputy registrar shall distribute an officially prescribed registration application form to each student who is or will be 18 years of age or older during that year..."

That's why our state's highest-ranking elections official is on a mission to encourage high school principals to sign their students up to vote. He has publicly promised he'll make it as easy as possible for principals to receive the materials they need to register students turning 18. He has vowed that every public high school principal in the state will receive a packet of information reminding them about this widely neglected part of their job. They'll also receive an order form for voter registration applications.

At a time when Republicans and Democrats are fighting about voter ID's and accusations of vote suppression, it's especially heartening to see a state official waving a non-partisan flag for broader voter registration. We appreciate everything educators do for our students, and we know school principals have a lot of issues on their plates, especially with so many students and teachers dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. But we urge high school principals to follow the secretary of state's lead and do whatever they can to make registration applications available to our state's youngest voters.
Flood risks

Regarding "Number of flood insured on the decline" (Page A15, Saturday), the article is a sign of the ongoing misunderstanding of flood risks when reading the FEMA maps. In reality, all areas in coastal regions like Houston have some degree of flood risk. Being outside the designated 100-year or 500-year flood zones does not mean being flood-safe, but that seems to be the interpretation taken by homeowners and lenders.

The FEMA maps are an incomplete picture. Flooding may occur not only from overflowing bayous (the only source of flooding assumed in the maps), but also from overwhelmed storm sewers or ditches.

Redrawing the maps with updated data is needed, but showing only one level of risk will not provide better information. A map depicting several layers of risk - for example high, medium, moderate or low - could be more informative. An objective description for each layer is part of the task.

It is time to broaden the definition of flood risk because all properties in Houston are flood-prone. The challenge ahead is to reduce and manage the risk, which will never be eliminated.

Andres Salazar, Pearland

Our Texas

Regarding "The right is now fine with big government" (Page A15, Thursday), now that Houston is in recovery and many people from different states are helping out, it is hard to hear some people beginning to bash our great city. They wonder why we stay and rebuild on a swampy flood plain that is barely 50 feet above sea level. It is the same reason people in California stay and rebuild after each earthquake.

We have Montana and other states battling fires. These people will also rebuild. There are those who stay in "tornado alley." They roll up their sleeves and pick up the pieces. So during the coming months and even years, people don't need to question why we stay. We stay because this is home. This is where are hearts are happy. This is where our families are settled.

Linda Anderson, The Woodlands

Blame is obvious

Regarding "They warned us" (Page A22, Friday), I have lived in Houston for over 50 years and the history and purpose of the Addicks and Barker reservoirs have been so widely and frequently published that it is almost inconceivable that one could be oblivious to the risk of building or buying in an area that all know with certainty will flood at some point.

To fail to buy flood insurance is surely a willful blindness to reality. Sue your developer or builder or your realtor, perhaps, but suing the city, county, or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is ludicrous in the extreme when the Corps' facility is doing just what it was planned to do.

The problem is not with the Corps of Engineers. It is with the city that allowed permits and the developers who built there in the first place knowing it would certainly flood at some point.

Robert Wiemer, Houston

Helping hands

Regarding "Houston girl sells lemonade to commuters stuck in traffic to raise money for Harvey victims" (Chron.com, Friday), I love our city. We have our differences, but I have seen the best come out of us (during the floods). Even the kids feel the need to help; it's beautiful!

Steve Jones, posted via Chron.com
On Sept. 12, 2001, I was revising a middle-school textbook I had co-authored with another historian when I received a call from my editor. "You know what happened yesterday," he declared.

Of course I did. Like many Americans, I had watched the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on television. "You have to write something for the latest edition," he said.

The words came quickly, if not easily: Two planes transformed by terrorists into "guided missiles slamming" into the twin towers and "setting them aflame"; people "leaping to their deaths" from the buildings to avoid being "burned alive"; two more planes suddenly becoming "weapons of war," one hitting the Pentagon, the other "crashing to the ground" as "doomed" passengers "stormed the cockpit" to prevent another attack.

When my editor received the draft, he called again. "All wrong!" he barked. "We'll be selling this book to New York City schoolchildren. Some of them have lost parents, relatives and friends of their families. They're only 12 or 13, and what you've written is too hot for some of them to handle."

In the end, we settled on a less explosive rendering of events and stressed the unifying effects of the attacks in their immediate aftermath. I focused on the candlelit vigils all over the country and members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, singing "God Bless America" on the steps of the Capitol.

More for you Rarely seen 9/11 photos from Pentagon show aftermath of terrorist attack

What my editor wanted was closer attention to context. Historians examine context all the time as we try to understand the complexities of the past. But in this case, I had ignored the most important context: the present in which our young readers lived.

The events were still too fresh for them. A good text demanded sensitivity missing from that first draft. As important, we knew little about what had occurred, little about who did it or why or even the number of people who perished, let alone what that terrible day meant.

Today we know much more. And we face the opposite problem. The students who read our textbooks and whom we teach in class are far removed from 9/11. They also confront a sharply different context. In the fight against terror, Afghanistan has become America's longest war, and the Islamic State group has replaced al Qaeda as the most daunting threat. What once united us now often divides us as we battle over the legacy of the Patriot Act, the meaning of immigration and the mounting refugee crisis.

Today we need to teach 9/11 with the perspective that comes from distance, much as the way we teach about the Civil War or the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, however painful they were to those who experienced them.

Whereas 16 years ago textbooks and classrooms concentrated, as I did, on the event and its immediate impact and on the emotional and psychological effects, now we must probe more deeply.

We must examine 9/11 through the hard lens of history. That demands a dispassionate accounting of causes and consequences and an appreciation of the increasingly tangled circumstances we have faced since that day.

We need to do a better job exploring the complex set of causes that produced 9/11, among them the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and postcolonial nationalism as well as the spread of globalism and regional conflicts.

And we can look at the consequences even as they are still unfolding, not just in the Middle East but also in other things such as airport security lines and heavily armed police in cities across the globe.

To those we add the creation of new intelligence bureaucracies, the economic and political costs of security, the rise of anti-Muslim nativism and the lessons learned about how to protect ourselves.

Taken together, we can see 9/11 as a hinge of history, no longer just the horrific shock we felt in the present of 2001, but the first stroke in what has become a larger threat looming across multiple fronts.

Unless we invite our students to share that understanding, they are destined to live in ignorance, which might be the most dangerous consequence of all.

Stoff is an associate professor of history and a University Distinguished Teaching Professor at The University of Texas at Austin.
Over the past month, farmers across southeast and south central Missouri have let me into their day to day lives, opening up their homes  and their barns  sharing the issues they struggle with and talking about what I can do to help.

During last years focus on farms, the biggest concern I heard about was government overreach and regulations. Fortunately, President Trump and I have begun the work to remove many of those burdensome regulations. Weve made a difference, but theres always more to be done. This year, the new concerns I heard were about our complicated tax code, skyrocketing healthcare costs for families and how hard it is to find labor when competing against robust government welfare programs.

Agriculture is one of the top drivers for Missouris economy, and like every other business, young family or budding entrepreneur, our farmers need relief from this countrys complicated and burdensome tax code. Not only are many of these folks farmers, but they run agribusinesses as well. Whether their farm hosts a fall festival or runs a farmers market, they are overwhelmed each year by the work they have to do just to figure out how much money they owe the federal government. Its not right. The government should be taking the least amount of money from people as possible.

In Ozark and Pemiscot counties, farmers and small agribusiness owners shared with me that when looking for talented labor, they simply cannot compete with robust, liberal federal welfare programs. Multiple times, I heard folks sitting on the employment sidelines tell me that they can make just as much money or, in some cases, more money on government programs than they can by doing an honest days work. There is a tremendous amount of pride in knowing you worked hard for what you earned. Thats how I grew up. I think its important to pass that work ethic along and not let folks just get something for nothing. Thats why I support work requirements for welfare recipients so we can reduce poverty and government dependency while increasing self-sufficiency.

I heard from folks in Crawford and Shannon counties who are concerned about healthcare. Farmers in southeast and south central Missouri are plenty busy with taking care of their land, raising their families and running their agribusinesses, and they shouldnt have to spend their valuable time worrying about how much health insurance is going to cost. That is why Im fighting for Missourians to see the cost of their care up front, control the price of procedures and drive healthcare expenses down. I also helped author and pass a bill that will allow farmers and small businesses to ban together with other farmers in southeast and south central Missouri to buy health insurance and lower their costs.

Getting out of Washington and back to Missouri for longer than just a weekend was a welcome change from the multiple flights back and forth and having to sleep in my office. It was so good to be home! We drove more than 2,500 miles  about the same distance as driving from my hometown of Salem to New York City and back  stopping in every county across southeast and south central Missouri to meet with our hardworking farmers.

The best part about the time I got to spend with folks was hearing what I need to do to make a difference in your life. The couch in my office isnt nearly as comfortable as my bed at home, but Im proud to be back here, fighting for what Missourians need and fighting to keep our rural way of life out of the governments hands.

Jason Smith represents Missouris 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Contact him at 573-335-0101 or visit https://jasonsmith.house.gov
Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.
As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to.

After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS!

OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK

The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.
Of the employment agreements hes seen, Blake says around 20 per cent have included specific measures to reimburse staff for jury service. Of those 20 per cent, Blake says many employers choose to do so because they believe its an important social service.

With people being so busy in this day and age, its a lot harder for juries to be populated and its very common for there to be a real difficulty in getting a jury together, he says.

Some employers like to think that theyre part of the solution to that by assisting the employee and ensuring theyre not disadvantaged in any way.

Currently, jurors receive $62 every day for the first five days they attend court  on the 6th and subsequent days, their compensation jumps to $80 per day.

According to the Ministry of Justice, jurors also receive additional pay for staying late and can claim back expenses for travel and childcare. They can also apply for a government top-up if they can prove they will suffer financial hardship as a result of serving.
fotosipsak via Getty Images

I wanted a fresh start. I was living in New York. My boyfriend, Adam, had just broken up with me and moved across the country to Los Angeles. He was a good guy - it was just one of those 'going nowhere for three years' relationships.

Advertisement

Neither of us had done anything horrible, like have an affair. We just weren't a good fit. Which my mother used to tell me on the phone the whole three years. Very gently. Like, "You're both such nice people. Maybe you're just not a good fit."

But Adam and I were both just passive enough to keep it going. If things got bad, and one of us might begin to muster the courage to pull the plug, then it would be one of our birthdays. Or we'd get really great concert tickets. And that would keep the relationship going for a few more months. And months turned into years.

In three years Adam never told me he loved me. And I think I loved him, but I wasn't going to say it first. (Because I'm so mature.) Then one night Adam took me out to this beautiful dinner. He told me he cared about me very deeply. And that he never wanted to marry me. It was essentially a reverse proposal.

And that was it. He broke up with me, he moved to Los Angeles, it was over. And it was so painful for me.

Advertisement

I remember just wanting to forget him - forget the past three years and just wake up one morning and start fresh. I got my wish.

I woke up in an ambulance, wearing a cheerleading outfit (which, if you're over 30 and it's not Halloween, raises questions, you know?).

There were EMTs (emergency medical technicians) all around me, and then I was on a gurney. Then I was being placed into a CT scanner, and then I was in this hospital room with all these concerned strangers gathered around me. But they weren't strangers. I just couldn't identify them.

What I didn't know was that earlier that day there'd been an accident. I'd been filming this television pilot. It was a movie spoof show. The pilot was a parody of Bring It On, the cheerleading movie. We were asked to do a stunt that we never rehearsed.

The stunt was I was to be thrown high up in the air and caught. I was thrown high up in the air... but I landed on my back and my head. I suffered a massive concussion and a slipped disk in my back. I could barely walk, and I had no idea who I was. Diagnosis: amnesia.

Advertisement

So I also didn't know that my boyfriend had dumped me a few weeks before and moved to Los Angeles. I didn't know anything.

In the hospital someone put a phone up to my ear and told me it was my mother. I heard this frantic female voice on the other end of the line, and it meant nothing. A friend knew where I lived, took me home, dug the keys out of my purse, got me into my apartment, and put me into bed.

I wanted to call my dad. I remember having that thought. My friend said, "Why don't you rest? We can call him later."

But I wanted to call my dad, and I needed help, because I didn't know the number.

Again my friend kind of put me off. "Why don't you rest? We'll call later. Sleep a couple of hours."

I started getting frustrated. "Why aren't you helping me? I want to call my dad!"

My friend was looking at me like I was out of my mind.

Finally he said, "Don't you remember? You just called your dad. You've talked to him three times. We've done this three times. So you can call him, but it'll be the fourth time. And I'm just worried we're starting to freak him out."

This whole conversation, by the way, is happening with me still wearing the cheerleading outfit. This little white pleated skirt and matching top. Because when the hospital discharges you, it's like prison - they give you the clothes you showed up in, which for me was the costume from the pilot.

Advertisement

I had both short and long-term amnesia. So I knew some things: I knew how to speak and I knew how to read. But I didn't know the big stuff, like who I was. I also couldn't retain anything. So if someone left the room and came back 10 minutes later, we had to start over.

I was living quite literally moment to moment.

A cat walks into the bedroom. Why is there a cat in here? People tell me it's my cat.

Everyone that came and went, they were just strangers to me from a past I didn't even know existed.

They tried to help. I remember my best friend, Amy, stormed into the bedroom, screaming, "She's a vegetarian! Don't let her eat any meat!"

That sounded familiar, but it didn't mean anything. I mean, I could have been gnawing on a veal shank. But it sounded important, and I didn't want to forget it, so I wrote it down. There was a pad of Post-it notes on a table next to my bed. I wrote, "You are a vegetarian."

Someone had called Adam, and he flew in from L.A. right away and was at my bedside with tears in his eyes.

Advertisement

In fact, the first night he slept in my bed with me, which I remember was kind of weird and, I thought, presumptuous because, like, 'who is this guy in my bed? He said he was my boyfriend, but he could have been the mailman. I don't know - I've got amnesia.'

The next day Adam showed me pictures of us together, to see if maybe that would jog my memory (and maybe even to make a case for the fact that we were a couple). Pictures of a recent trip I had taken to L.A.: Adam and Cole at the beach, Adam and Cole in front of Mann's Chinese Theatre, Adam and Cole in the Ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier. I was in the pictures but I remembered none of it.

I wrote down everything. I was terrified of forgetting. Every piece of information was precious. Anytime someone told me something, or on the rare occasions when something might come back on its own, I wrote it down.

"You are a vegetarian."

"We are at war with Iraq."

"Kristen is your friend who is slutty."

One afternoon I was in a cab, coming home from physical therapy, going over the Queensboro Bridge. I noticed the hole in the skyline where the Twin Towers used to be. My accident happened in November of 2001, and this was a month or so after that.

Advertisement

I thought, that's funny...

I wrote it down on a Post-it: "Twin Towers gone."

Adam was the Wonderful Boyfriend. This accident was the best thing that could ever have happened to our relationship. He moved into my apartment. He took me to my weekly neurologist appointments and almost-daily physical therapy. He doled out my medications at night and then held me when I woke screaming in the middle of the night from the nightmares that those medications gave me. Or from the sheer disorientation of not knowing who or where I was.

A girl from yoga visited. I do yoga? What else do I do? I was on this detective mission to find out who I was.

I found journals written in my handwriting, in another language. Adam told me it was Portuguese from when I lived in Brazil. I lived in Brazil?

Cool. What else? Do I paint? Can I cook? Am I an asshole? (I mean, what if I'm an asshole?)

I overheard doctors saying things like, "We don't know how long she's going to be like this" and "We're not sure if she'll ever fully recover." And they're talking about me. I mean, I'm sitting right there in the room. The only thing I could be sure of was this growing pile of Post-it notes on my bedside table. I thought the bigger that pile got, the more of a person I became. But it still wasn't me. It was just information, filling an empty space.

Then one afternoon I was in a cab coming home from physical therapy, going over the Queensboro Bridge again. I started to cry. I had no idea why. But I couldn't stop.

Advertisement

And it was right as we passed the hole in the skyline where the Twin Towers used to be. When it first happened, there was that really chilling empty space, like ghosts of buildings.

I felt flooded. I mean, I wailed. And I couldn't figure it out. And then it came to me: I was remembering. But it wasn't a fact or a thing - it was a feeling. It was the first time since the accident that I felt real.

That night Adam was tucking me into bed. He had just given me my medications, and he was writing it down on a Post-it note, for when in five minutes I asked if it was time for my medications, as I did every night.

I watched this man taking such wonderful care of me, and I was overcome with emotion. I said, "I love you."

Advertisement

And he said nothing.

So I said it again (because I had amnesia and I could get away with that).

"I love you."

Again nothing. I didn't understand.

And then I remembered. The breakup and all the pain that went with it. His move to L.A. Then a post-9/11 reconciliation. September 11 happened, and we were going to give it one more try.

I went out to L.A. to visit him. We went to the beach, and we went to Mann's Chinese Theatre, and we rode the Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier. I thought of everything he was doing for me. If this wasn't love, what was?

Why was he even here? And I think the answer is, he's a good, good man, and he cared for me very deeply. But he was a Giuliani boyfriend. Good in crisis.

Maybe he loved me and just couldn't say the words. I'll never know. I mean, I think I loved him, and I wanted to hear it. But maybe I just wanted to say, "Thank you," and I couldn't differentiate.

It took about six months for me to recover. My memory just came back slowly over time. And then I must have been fully healed, because a few months after that, Adam and I broke up again. Only this time I knew it was coming because we'd done it before.

Advertisement

I wanted this fresh start. And I got it. I lost myself completely, and then got myself back, almost as if following a script, replaying my entire history with Adam. Nothing had changed.

But this time, that was comforting. Because if nothing changed, it meant I knew who I was. That I was a real person. And that even without my memory, I was still me.
Toby Melville / Reuters

It's now a little over a decade since Steve Jobs stepped confidently onto a stage in California and projected the world into the smartphone era. Ever since, there's been no shortage of debate about the implications of our ever more connected, always-on digital lifestyles.

Technology now governs every aspect of our lives: how we shop, how we work, how we play, even how we vote, have all been transformed by the march of digital. It's brought risk, as well as benefits, not least in its impact on our mental health.

Advertisement

But what can't be disputed is its overwhelming power to disrupt traditional ways of working and create new possibilities for consumers.

In healthcare, the pace has been slightly slower but the direction just as clear - from the Royal Liverpool using sophisticated sensors to provide 24/7 observation to cardiac arrests, to Imperial in London using automation to undertake remote measurements in its maternity wards, you will find tomorrow's technology happening today.

Yet while the more eye-catching and extraordinary world of artificial intelligence, robotics and genomic medicine tends to grab the headlines, we should not ignore the quieter and equally transformative opportunity that technology gives us: namely, to open up the NHS to scrutiny and use technology as a democratic force within our public services.

By digitising, sharing and democratising healthcare information and advice, we can deliver the same sort of transfer of power and control to the individual that we've seen in the media and across popular culture.

Advertisement

And arming people with the right information to self-care, self-determine and intelligently self-select their healthcare options according to personal needs is the best way we can protect against the fear - most recently expressed by the brilliant Martha Lane Fox - that technology may widen health inequality within our society.

But what does this mean in practice?

Let me give you just three examples of the digital standards I want the NHS to reach by the end of it 70th anniversary year in 2018, and also why they matter.

The first is establishing universal access to some core digital services. Every NHS patient should be able to access their individual medical record, book an appointment and get their repeat prescription online as standard by the end of June 2018.

It should also be possible for people to book appointments for their GP online, rather than attempt to call through to busy surgeries - a practice that many will find anachronistic and baffling given how digital is used in other sectors, such as banking and retail.

But this is about more than just convenience - evidence shows that giving people the ability to book online reduces missed appointments, something that costs the NHS millions a year. If we could get around a quarter of appointments booked online rather than by phone, it is estimated that this could bring around 31million worth of benefits to GP practices.

Advertisement

The second big agenda is around improving direct and round-the-clock access to healthcare advice online, specifically by extending the 111 advice service online.

While digital is not going to be the answer for every individual or every circumstance, there is surely more we can do to use technology as a way of extending access to high quality and trusted NHS advice.

It's particularly important that we use technology to support people with long term, chronic conditions. A simple example is MyCOPD, a website that helps people with lung disease to monitor their symptoms and adjust their medication dose.

COPD is a complex condition, accounting for more than 120,000 hospital admissions every year - each costing around 1,500. So if we can use technology to empower and support people to monitor their condition and spot early signs of deterioration, we can potentially transform people's health and also save the NHS millions.

And finally, I want to build up the MyNHS service that I set up three years ago. This brings together data from across the health and care sector, and is part of a plan to create the most open, transparent healthcare system in the world.

Advertisement

By opening up a further 90 clinical datasets, we will make it easier for the public to compare performance across more parts of the NHS, giving the patients and professionals more insight and information about local services and providing the healthcare system with the raw data to compare and improve.

Transparency and patient power can be a more powerful defender of the NHS core values than any politician. Being able to compare performance across healthcare services can be the invisible force that drives up standards everywhere and for all.

So there you have it: three big agendas I want to progress in the NHS's 70th year. And what better way to mark its anniversary than securing its place in our modern society and rooting our healthcare services firmly in the digital age?
Want to be a better ally to lesbian, gay, bi and trans people but not sure where to start?

Unsure what's a stereotype, what's an assumption and, for want of a better term, what's absolute rubbish?

This might get you started.

Here are 10 common misconceptions about LGBT people and their lives:

1. Coming out only happens once

Incorrect.

'Coming out' is something LGBT people have to do again and again, if they choose to do so.

Whether we start a new job, meet new neighbours, make new friends, come into contact with old friends or meet up with distant relatives, it's a decision we have to make constantly.

There's also a misconception that people usually come out at a young age. Realising you're LGBT, and feeling comfortable enough to tell others, can happen at any stage of life, whether you're 15, 55 or 95 years old.

Advertisement

For trans people, depending on whether passing* is an integral part of someone's trans identity or not, they may choose not to come out.

For non-binary people, meaning those who don't identify as only male or only female, or may identify as neither or both of these genders, coming out can be time-consuming, as it might involve explaining their identity outside of what other people understand about gender. Find out more about Coming Out.

*Passing - if someone is regarded, at a glance, to be a cisgender man or cisgender woman. Cisgender refers to someone whose gender identity matches the sex they were 'assigned' at birth. 'Assigned at birth' means which gender the doctor told the child's parents the child was when they were born. This might not match up with how that child feels later in life.

This might include physical gender cues (hair or clothing) and/ or behaviour which is historically or culturally associated with a particular gender.

Advertisement

2. Same-sex couples have 'male' and 'female' roles

Same sex relationships come in different shapes and sizes. Some people may display attributes or take on responsibilities typically associated with what it means to be 'male' or 'female' but others won't.

(And even then, there's a longer conversation to be had around the fact that those associations are based on sexist stereotypes, rather than what makes someone 'male' or 'female'.)

On the flipside, people's assumptions that same sex couples don't form families is also way off.

There's a whole host of ways for LGBT couples to have children, whether that's donor insemination and fertility treatment, adoption, fostering, or surrogacy. Find out more on Parenting Rights.

3. Gay men are 'feminine' and lesbian women are 'butch'

Nope. There's a whole spectrum of identities within the LGBT community and 'butch' and 'feminine' are just some of the ways people might identify. These attributes aren't related to gender identity or sexual orientation. They are just part of who someone is and how they present themselves to the outside world.

4. Bisexual people are greedy and/or they can't make up their minds

Again, this is an out-and-out no, and is a biphobic assumption to hold.

Being attracted to more than one gender doesn't make someone 'greedy', or imply that they plan on dating more than one person at a time.

Advertisement

It also has no impact on someone's fidelity. Genuine commitment isn't related to who or how many genders you find attractive.

You might have heard the term pansexual. And you might have heard the gag about it meaning you have the hots for a saucepan. Groan.

'Pansexual' is a term people might hear used less often, but it has absolutely nothing to do with kitchen utensils.

Identifying as 'pansexual', in a nutshell, means your emotional, romantic and/or sexual attraction towards another person isn't limited by biological sex, gender or gender identity.

You're attracted to the person. Full stop. It's kind of simple when you think about it.

Stop for a minute and think about all the different things you find attractive in a person. Don't get carried away!

Advertisement

Are you always attracted to people of the same weight, height, race? With the same eye colour, hair colour, accent? No? Does that mean you can't make your mind up? Or that you don't know what you want? No.

For bi and pansexual people, part of this openness is the genders they're attracted to. It doesn't mean they're confused or undecided. Find out more about our Bi Workplace Role Models Programmes.

5. Being trans means having surgery

Trans is an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

Being trans doesn't automatically mean that someone will undergo any medical interventions. Each person's transition will involve different things.

For some trans people, this might include hormone therapy or surgeries, but not all trans people want or are able to have this.

Advertisement

Transitioning might also involve things like changing name, 'coming out' to friends and family, dressing differently or changing official documents.

People who identify in other ways that sit within the trans umbrella (that Stonewall uses), like non-binary, might not necessarily opt for medical interventions either. Find out more about Stonewall's work with the trans community.

6. Being trans means you're straight. Or gay. Or you only date other trans people.

Who you're attracted to is who're you're attracted to.

Someone's gender identity, before, during or after transition, doesn't make a difference.

People in the trans community come in all shapes and sizes. Some trans people are lesbian, gay and bisexual, in the same way that some are straight.

This is no different to the way in which people who aren't trans identify.

And trans people don't only date other trans people, like people with blue eyes don't only date other people with blue eyes!

7. We look and act like the LGBT people you see on telly

Unfortunately, we're still at a point where LGBT representation is often white, young, cisgender and of non-faith background.

Advertisement

That leaves a LOT of gaps for a LOT of people who're part of our community. If you hear LGBT people talk about 'visibility' a lot, that's because it's vital for us.

Have you heard the phrase, 'you can't be what you can't see'? Well, if you're growing up without visible role models, it can be really hard to understand and embrace your identity.

Don't forget that LGBT people are present across all communities within society - this means there are lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people who are also:

Senior citizens

People of colour and /or black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME)

Disabled people

People of faith

Young people

That might sound obvious, but often the specific experiences of those groups are overlooked, which in part is because LGBT representation is not diverse enough.

It's important to understand the idea of 'intersectionality' - a term which describes how someone can suffer lots of different types of discrimination just because their identity overlaps several minority groups, like race, class, gender, age, ethnicity, health and so on.

Advertisement

For example, a bisexual person with a disability might face 'dual discrimination' for being both those things.

8. The LGBT community is one big happy family

Being part of a minority group in no way means LGBT people are from a community without prejudice.

Racism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia are all, sadly, present in the LGBT community.

It's also easy to think homophobia biphobia and transphobia aren't an issue within the LGBT community, but that isn't the case.

This is why we, as LGBT people, have to also be active allies to all individuals within our own community.

9. Gay people thrive working in arts and media

This is most definitely a myth. In fact, these are the sectors which are least represented in our Top 100 Employers list at the moment. The Top 100 is part of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, a great benchmarking tool which employers can use to measure their progress on lesbian, gay, bi and trans inclusion in the workplace. Find out more about the WEI.

10. Queer

This was, and still can be, used as a derogatory term for LGBT individuals.

But the term has been reclaimed by many LGBT people, particularly those of a younger age, who feel empowered by it.

Advertisement

For many, 'queer' provides a particular freedom of expression that 'gay', 'lesbian' bisexual' or 'trans' might not, and provides an identity that they feel relates to their experience.

Some LGBT people of dual identities might not feel that terms like 'gay' represent them, because of the historic prejudice that those people have faced within 'gay' circles'.

This is the case for many POC, which is why we often see the acronym QTPOC (Queer or Trans People Of Colour) used in conjunction with or instead of LGBT POC.

At Stonewall, we recently made the decision to expand our 'Some People Are...' t-shirt range to include queer, because many supporters and individuals approached us asking for this option to reflect their identity.

We did this with the knowledge that not everyone uses this word and some people might have different, often negative associations with it. We will always strive to be sensitive to that. Check out our new t-shirts

Advertisement
If any authors were going to make the case for local government as a crucial element in the democratic viability of our unitary state and equally as crucial to local social, economic and environmental welfare it would be Professors George Jones, John Stewart and Steve Leach.

Their new book 'Centralisation, Devolution and the Future of Local Government in England' published by Routledge this summer proves this to be the case.

Sadly and unexpectedly George Jones died just before the book's publication. I had known George since my under-graduate days at the LSE and continued our friendship for forty-four years. Coincidentally, I had met George only a few days prior to his sudden death and on that occasion he was keen to tell me about the book and its arguments, as he had on previous times we had met. Therefore, reading this book has been both an emotional and an intellectual experience.

Advertisement

I picked up 'Centralisation, Devolution and the Future of Local Government in England' with high expectations and these were to be realised from the introduction to the final page.

Given the impact of central government imposed austerity, and the consequential cuts which have disproportionately hit local government and the continuous rhetorical promotion of 'localism', 'decentralisation' and 'devolution' in England, the book is very timely. The authors refer to what they call the 'myth of localism' and challenge the assumption that recent governments (including the current one) really want to strengthen local government by devolving power, authority and resources to elected local politicians. I have much sympathy with their argument.

They are understandably critical of New Labour's micro-performance management though could have recognised it had some short-term results though in the long term strangled local government.

The current government is centralising control of schools, failing adequately to transfer sufficient funding to match devolved powers, cutting financial support to local authorities and taking additional powers to control and direct local authorities under the claim of 'localism'.

Advertisement

The autors cite Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in the Coalition government as saying his priorities were "localism, localism and localism" - this at the same time as he extended his powers of direction and intervention, capped council tax increases and even attempted to instruct local authorities how frequently they should empty local dustbins!

Mr. Pickles was a former council leader yet he spent much of his time in office attacking local government in a most populist manner. Sadly, he was not the only former councillor who on becoming a minister sought to control local authorities from Whitehall.

The current underfunding and cuts to local authorities' finances are simply amplifying the straitjacket that central government - politicians and civil servants - seemingly like to impose on their local government colleagues. Of course, these centralists clearly but wrongly do not see council leaders, elected mayors and councillors as colleagues with their own democratic mandate. This is a serious English governance problem.

The chapters on how local government and central government relations have developed over decades and the implications for local government are illuminating. They are very important if we are to understand the current state of relations and of local government itself.

All three of the authors are passionate about the importance and the role of local government and of councillors. They say there is no evidence that councillor quality and effectiveness is in decline (though England has fewer councillors than most EU countries per head of population). They make the case for strong scrutiny and representative roles for councillors - a role that can be forgotten when so much emphasis is placed on elected mayors, leaders and cabinets. And thankfully, there is recognition that political parties have an important contribution to make and that those who argue that they don't are mistaken - parties strengthen democracy.

Advertisement

The book suggests that the core values for local government should be based on

building and articulating community identity

promoting citizenship and participation

dispersing power (subsidiarity)

I would personally add two more

shaping and leading place

promoting place externally

The emphasis on community governance, and building and promoting communities is core to what local government should be about. These can't be undertaken by central government, nor when public services are fragmented.

The authors make the point that central government's fixation with markets and market solutions in the wider context of neo-liberalism has often driven the imposition of policies on local government - e.g. Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT), relaxation of planning controls, diminishing council housing and introducing a market-based social care system, etc. - which have not raised standards in services nor enhanced local democratic choice.

Central government and Parliament have a right to legislate but when this impacts on local government and potentially limits the latter's choice, there should be appropriate engagement with local government prior to introducing laws.

Central government should not be seeking more powers and more controls, and should not attempt to do what ought to be locally decided. The book rightly questions the damaging and constraining impact this can have on the civil service machine and indeed ministers. Subsidiarity is important in England as much as in the EU; and in local places with local government devolving to local communities.

Advertisement

The authors make the strong case for a constitutional settlement to define and protect the role and rights of local government. They argue that this should be overseen by a unit at the centre of central government, which would monitor how all departments (and especially departments such as Health, Education and the Home Office), respect and honour the settlement and the principles on which it was based. There would be a joint committee of both Houses of Parliament to monitor the government's behaviour. The settlement would have eight core principles based on local democratic practice and subsidiarity. And it would reflect the European Charter of Local Self-government, which the UK has actually adopted, if not often practised.

Jones, Stewart and Leach are very strongly in favour of local authorities deriving their finance locally from their own taxes and charges, including the retention of business rate revenues. They would like local government to have wider local taxation policies than is currently the case. They rightly argue that these approaches would both enhance the independence of local government from Whitehall and strengthen local democratic accountability.

However, they naturally acknowledge and support the need for central government to provide financial support to compensate for the vast inequalities between places and their tax raising potential. The authors say that this funding should be an equalisation measure to respond to disparities in revenues and not be based on some centrally created formula based on some form of central assessment of need as is the case today. Personally, it would have been useful if the book had explained in more detail how this might work. I also wonder if the impact of gross inequalities of revenue raising potential and of social, economic and environmental needs will require more pro-active central government redistribution than might be implied in the book.

It would be hard to disagree with the authors' call a revaluation of property values with a greater number of higher council tax bands. I have always thought that this would be a better policy than the introduction of a Whitehall driven 'mansion tax'. Likewise, with their proposals for capital investment and borrowing.

The book raises some important questions about unitary versus two or even three tier local government - though inexplicably, there is too little (actually, there is almost no) reference to parish, town and community councils; and about the electoral system and whether some form of proportional representation should be introduced. I believe that this would strengthen local government but it would be important to retain the direct link between wards and neighbourhoods and elected councillors.

Advertisement

There is a democratic deficit in England and undermining local government adds to this. This must be addressed; it must be addressed based on place; it must include local democratic decision-making and accountability for much more of public expenditure and state activity than is currently the case; and it must be based around communities and a real sense of what place is and means for the people who live there.

Having recently read Fenner Brockway's excellent biography of Dr Alfred Salter the radical pioneering Leader of Bermondsey Borough Council I am reminded more than ever why local government matters and can be a force for good. Salter should be a role model for all council leaders. I believe that he would have enjoyed 'Centralisation, Devolution and the Future of Local Government in England'.

It is an important book. It should be read by contemporary councillors, council officials, civil servants, parliamentarians and ministers, and by commentators. And it should be a rallying call for those of us who share its authors' passion for local government.
It's something that not many people give that much thought to, but postnatal depression affects somewhere between 13-19% of mothers, and around 10% of fathers (numbers vary depending on the studies). That's quite a lot of people. So what I aim to do here is give a few ways that I feel, either from my own experiences or through research, may alleviate, or in some cases help prevent, postnatal depression. Due to the fact that I am a father, some of what I'll say here is aimed more at other fathers as opposed to the mothers, but the majority of it applies to both. Here we go:

1. Be Involved

Be as involved with the baby as possible. Research shows that the more the fathers were involved, reporting higher in care-giving but also in play time, the less likely they were to suffer from stress and depression. I'll admit, this did little to help with me, at least at first, but it makes sense. The only way you're ever going to form the bond needed with the baby is to actually be there with the baby. This is part of the reason why paternity leave should be extended from two week to at least four. Two weeks is not enough time for the father to not only bond with the baby, but also support the mother. But that's a different issue.

Advertisement

Another thing that research showed was that it was important to have a supportive co-parent. Those who felt that their co-parent had confidence in them were also less likely to experience stress and depression. I know you'll both be going through an awful lot of stress when this baby comes, but it's important that you try and do it together.

2. Limit Your Expectations

You've probably heard countless stories from people about how much they loved their newborn, and how instantly the feelings came on. Well sometimes this doesn't happen. If you have a stressful birth it can be extremely hard for you to form an instant emotional bond as the process still hasn't been internalised. Remember, we don't have any say in our emotions and feelings. You don't control who you love, when you love them and how much you're going to love them. The same goes for your newborn. Maybe it won't happen at first, maybe it won't be there after three months, but if you keep at it, and spend all that time with them, it should eventually come.

The important thing to remember is that depression can easily form when our expectations and reality are too far apart. It's one of the factors why depression is so prevalent in richer countries as apposed to poor ones. We expect far more from life than those in third world counties. If we limit and manage our expectations then our reality will be much closer to what we expected.

3. Don't Forget About Each Other

If this is your first child, then chances are you and your partner were used to having a lot of alone time. You had your relationship where you wanted and you connected with each other a lot more than you are about to. This new baby will put so much strain on your relationship, that you are very likely to see a decline in your relationship.

Advertisement

There's a strong possibility that you're going to argue more, and sling the odd insult at each other. One bit of advice, anything said between midnight and 5am doesn't count. You're going to be tired, agitated, annoyed, frustrated, short-tempered, shall I go on? You will say things that you probably shouldn't, but they will be things said from a bad place. Don't take these things personally, and quickly forget them. The same probably goes for the rest of the day, but that time in the middle of the night will see you at your worst.

It's important to still do things together and never see your newborn as a burden. You can still do the majority of the things you used to be able to do, maybe now it just takes a little more time and planning.

4. Go Away Together

This is one that truly worked for me. Just going away with the baby to a hotel for a few nights places you in a position where you are more absorbed in the baby without all the distractions. There's no work, no visitors, no house work, and a different place that isn't the same four walls you've felt trapped in. Yes, it might seem daunting taking a young baby on a road trip, but it can easily be done, even more so if you're breastfeeding. My partner and I have been away a few times now, starting with one night in Weston, then two nights in Bournemouth, two nights in Glastonbury, and at the end of August we're travelling around the UK (with a trip to Amsterdam) for six nights, expect a travel blog for that one.

It was the best thing for me. Isabelle loved it, and even smiled for the first time on our first stay away, and I got to immerse myself in this new parenting role without any other worries. Trust me, just get out of the house and go away. It'll do wonders for your relationship with each other and the baby.

Advertisement

For the fifth and final way to help with PND, head over to the blog where this was originally posted. Sorry about that, it's a little cheeky. But I like to tease you that way, you can't read four ways to help and not find out the final one! Just click here to head on over to read the full thing.
White Terrace Apartment Fire Ruled Accidental

Firefighters battle a blaze in the middle building of White Terrace Apartments. PreviousNext

Update: Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 10:52 p.m.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Fire officials say the fire was caused by a battery charging on a bed and then catching the mattress on fire.

Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said the electronic device set the mattress on fire. Doors were left open, allowing the fire to quickly spread to other units. From there, tenants on the third floor evacuated, leaving doors open and the fire expanded from there.

Czerwinski asks residents to remember to close doors to help restrict fire expansion.

Czerwinski said the building is "heavily damaged" but is still be assessed.

In total four people were transported to Berkshire Medical Center for treatment from the fire. all of the injuries were minor and no one was admitted. Only one of those were treated for injuries related to the fire while the other three were transported for minor issues not related to the fire.



A pet rabbit is among pets rescued from the building. Original: Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 9:26 p.m. PITTSFIELD, Mass.  At least two dozen people were forced from their White Terrace homes when their building caught fire.

The middle building of the three structures that make up White Terrace Apartments off North Street, two blocks from Berkshire Medical Center, was fully involved with flames and smoke pouring from the third floor.

The reports of a fire came in around 6:42 p.m. and firefighters and equipment from Dalton Hinsdale, Lanesborough and Lenox responded at the scene or to cover the Pittsfield station.

Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said firefighters found heavy fire coming from the third floor on the front windows and west side of 6 White Terrace. "This was going pretty good," he said. "When I left my home in west Pittsfield, I had heavy smoke showing on West Housatonic Street." Firefighters attacking the blaze also found a tenant out on the east side fire escape who was rescued and taken to Berkshire Medical Center.

All 25 occupants of the dozen apartments in the building were evacuated. Czerwinski said it wasn't clear if the other two buildings had tenants at this time.

Mayor Linda Tyer, speaking to reporters at the scene shortly after 9 p.m., said she did not have details of the blaze she felt comfortable sharing at that point. She did, however, say the residents evacuated were being attended to.

"Our first concerns are the residents who have been displaced ... we've brought them down to the Senior Center so they'll be warm and have a place to feel safe and comfortable while we wait for the Red Cross," the mayor said. "We have 24-25 residents, some of them with young children, some of them with pets so there's a little bit of a process."

She was not aware of any serious injuries but there was, she said, "a lot of heartache."

The Salvation Army was also a the scene to help families displaced by the fire. People also brought pet carriers and food to help with the animals taken from the building.

North Street was closed to all vehicle traffic from Linden Street to Wahconah Street as firefighters battled the blaze.

Czerwinski said the cause is unknown at this point and it was hard to determine where the fire had started because it was burning on two ends and moved quickly through the building. "The construction of this building was very difficult to work with because there's a lot of void spaces and that's the same trouble we've run into with previous fires," he said. "There are a number of ways for that fire to communicate from floor to floor." The fire chief recalled several times when the department had responded to fires in the grouping of apartment buildings. One about 25 years had also been pretty significant, he said.

The fire attracted a crowd of at least a couple hundred people in the densely settled area. In the crowd on North Street, a number of people were seen being taken away on stretchers as smoke billowed over North Street. Police Chief Michael Wynn said the bystanders had to be pushed back twice and police tape put up to mark off the street and prevent people from getting too close to where the firefighters were working. Shift officer Lt. Michael Grady had committed the entire shift to the scene was was calling for more patrols officers, Wynn said. Two came in immediately and some came in early from the midnight shift. "Any critical incident like this is going to tax our resources and we have to call additional personnel in," he said. "Plus, while the critical incident is occurring, they're still trying to answer calls in the city." At one point, the force was down to three available officers and one of those was pulled to do security at the Froio Senior Center, where apartment evacuees were taken.

Built around the turn of the last century, the three buildings have gone through a number of renovations over the years. The latest proposal is a nearly $9 million revamping of all three buildings to create 41 market-rate apartments.

Czerwinski said the department was holding the scene for the state fire marshal and police investigators to determine the cause. The department was also looking into whether the fire alarms were activated; the report apparently came in as a phone call.
Christopher Banthin presented to the Board of Health about his efforts to get landlords to adopt smoke-free policies.

Pittsfield Health Officials Encourage Landlords to Go Smoke Free

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The Board of Health wants landlords to make their properties smoke free.

The Health Department doesn't have authority to demand landlords adopt smoke-free policies but are rolling out resources to guide landlords on how to do so. The board feels that secondhand smoke is a health concern and inside homes are where that mostly occurs.

"We have had a steady increase of complaint calls from tenants who have issues trying to live with secondhand smoke on their rental property," Health Director Gina Armstrong said, but "our hands are really tied to a degree if we are not seeing violations tied to state housing code."

The city is now looking to Area Health Education Centers and the Public Health Advocacy Institute to help landlords do it themselves. The two groups have held multiple presentations already and are looking to connect with landlords to make the change.

"We know secondhand smoke is bad. People are recognizing that fact but here is an issue where approximately a million folks in Massachusetts are exposed," said Chris Banthin, who heads PHAI's Smoke Free Homes Initiative.

Banthin said secondhand smoke carries a number of health concerns from asthma to lung cancer to sudden infant death syndrome. For those living in multiunit apartment buildings, many of them are exposed to a danger that they have little control over. The smoke from other units can carry through cracks in the walls and the ventilation system and into other units.

"There is no doubt that secondhand smoke, including smoking from another unit, has a detrimental effect," he said.

Particularly, Banthin says lower income residents are the most at risk. He said a quarter of Medicare recipients are exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes, 17 percent of those with mental health concerns, and 13 percent of MassHealth participants.

Banthin said the process to turn a rental property into smoke-free is fairly simple by just creating an addendum to lease agreements. He suggests setting a date to go smoke-free, telling residents well ahead of time, and then adding the addendum when the leases are renewed.

He doesn't advise landlords use any grandfathering clauses to allow only a few units to remain smoking while the rest of the building is smoke-free and he advises landlords to give about a six-month notice so they know it is coming too.

If health concerns don't sway a landlord to make such a change, Banthin said in 2010 his organization did a survey and found that most potential tenants want smoke-free living, and are willing to pay a little more for that.

"People want a safe and healthy apartment and they are willing to pay more," Banthin said.

Banthin claims that landlords who go smoke-free have less turnover among tenants, lower maintenance costs, and fewer disputes among tenants. He said 99 percent of landlords who went smoke-free recently believe it was a good decision and 90 percent of landlords who did said it was easy to do.

Banthin said landlords can order no smoking on the property altogether, or create a buffer around the building, or put in a designated smoking area for those tenants who smoke. He was clear in saying the policy isn't "no smokers" but that it is "no smoking." Tenants won't be denied housing because they are smokers -- just not allowed to do it indoors.

Public housing is already moving in that direction. By July 2018, all federally funded public housing authorities will be smoke free. In Pittsfield, all 700 units have already gone that direction and, historically, Stockbridge and Lee were the first two in the state to do that. Banthin thinks that will trickle down to other federally subsidized housing in the future.

But, the gap is in the private market. Banthin said recently a number of apartment buildings in Pittsfield have made the switch.

"There is quite a trend here of property owners going smoke free," Banthin said.

After the ballot initiative passed allowing recreational marijuana, Banthin said he received phone calls from landlords asking if that can be banned from properties. He said there is a provision written into the law allowing landlords to do so, but he recommends that they ban both tobacco and marijuana at the same time.

If tenants break the policy, then they could be subject to eviction. Banthin said he advocates for landlords to work with tenants who aren't obeying the smoke-free rules and provide as much education as possible.

Landlords can use failure to comply with a no-smoking policy as grounds for eviction. In those cases, Banthin suggested landlords build a record of instances and statements from other tenants to make the eviction case in court. Or, they can install technology to monitor for smoke in the building.

So far, he said it seldom has had to come to that. For the most part, "there is a very high level of compliance," he said.

Banthin and the Health Department has been looking for ways to reach out to landlords and encourage them to go smoke-free but it isn't always easy to reach them. They've been giving presentations and are now looking to hand out material connecting landlords with sample lease addendum and the legal process.

"From the public health network, we think this is a really important strategy," Armstrong said.

Joyce Brewer, who runs AHEC's tobacco program, is serving as a local point person to connect anyone interested with the guidance they need.

"I am basically the local resource for questions and materials," she said.

Locally there has been a major push toward anti-smoking programs. In recent years, the Board of Health implemented sweeping changes to the tobacco laws, including raising the age to purchase tobacco to 21 and limiting the number stores that can sell the products.

Board of Health Chairman Jay Green said there is a reason for that heightened focus. He said the city's smoking prevalence is 48 percent higher than the states, the rate of residents smoking while pregnant is 250 times higher than the state, and lung cancer is prevalent 29 percent more than the state average.

"I think those are sobering numbers," Green said.

Eventually, Banthin sees a legislative measure to add smoke free apartments into the housing code. But, that won't be for a while and would likely be driven by more and more communities pushing lawmakers to pass a bill like that, he said.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong receives outgoing Cuban Ambassador to Vietnam Herminio Lopez Diaz (Photo: VNA)



The diplomat thanked significant support he had received from the Party, Government and public agencies throughout his tenure in Vietnam over the past four years.

He expressed his pleasure with progress made in Cuba-Vietnam ties, particularly in cooperation between the two parties, and partnerships in the sectors of trade-investment, agriculture, defence, security, and people-to-people exchange.

He said he appreciates Vietnams sharing its theoretical and practical experience on economic reform with Cuba.

Party leader Trong lauded Ambassador Herminio Lopez Diazs excellent services during his tenure in Vietnam.

He asked the diplomat to convey his message of sympathies to President Raul Castro, the Party, State and people of Cuba over heavy losses caused by hurricane Irma.

The Vietnamese Party and people always stand side by side with the Cuban Party and people, the Party chief stated, adding his wish for bilateral engagements to thrive across sectors and mutual close coordination at multilateral forums./.
Vietnam's booth at the festival (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

This is a cultural activity organized annually by Romanias Association of Education, Society, Culture and Humanity (ESCU Association), in cooperation with Embassies in Bucharest.

The festival is the opportunity to promote and honour art and cultural products of Romania and other countries in the world through display of handicrafts, fashion, paintings, films, cuisine and traditional arts of the countries.

It also aims to enhance cultural and art exchange and mutual understanding among nations, thereby promoting solidarity and cooperation between the embassies and diplomatic missions located in Romania.

This is also an important mission of the embassies in cultural promotion and art exchange with Romania.

Vietnam has first ever registered to participate in this meaningful event, with two main activities of promotion of handicrafts, fashion and introduction of traditional cuisine.

Its booth attracted the attention of many visitors at the opening ceremony on September 7th./.




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!
Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Actor Ed Skreins much applauded withdrawal from the role of Asian character, Major Ben Daimio, in the Hellboy reboot has again highlighted the pervasive practice of whitewashing in contemporary Hollywood. Whitewashing is not new. It was a common practice in classical Hollywood, where some of its most egregious examples include John Wayne as Genghis Khan in The Conqueror and Mickey Rooney as Mr Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffanys.

Audiences know instinctively that whitewashing is bad  hence the criticisms of other whitewashing films and the resulting hashtag #StarringJohnCho that went viral in spring 2016. As a cultural practice, having white people play, replace and stereotype characters of colour obscures and erases their history, agency and power. Although it is fair to reject whitewashing as false and offensive on these ideological grounds, to do so without further scrutiny does not allow us to explore the reasons why it exists.

Whitewashing happens in a number of ways. It can be the whitening through casting of a character who was originally a person of colour in historical or source material, as with Daimio in the new Hellboy or Major (Scarlett Johansson) in Ghost in the Shell. But it can also be the casting of a white actor to play a character of colour and the use of makeup, acting and other features of mise-en-scene, editing and narrative to draw on racial attributes  a practice often referred to as Yellow, Brown or Blackface. One early use of the latter includes D W Griffiths Birth of Nation in 1915: a white supremacist text that celebrates the founding of the Ku Klux Klan. All the major black characters are played by white actors in Blackface.

Whitewashing exists historically and contemporaneously in Hollywood because from its early and silent periods Hollywood has, as Daniel Bernardi points out in Classic Hollywood, Classic Whiteness constructed whiteness as the norm. Whats more, Hollywood acting styles have shown whiteness to be the norm over otherness. Look no further than John Waynes impassive acting style in almost every film he appears in. We also see the assumption of whiteness as the norm in the idea that a white actor can play any character by simply being themselves or  if they are cast as a character of colour  by putting on an accent, makeup and other ethnically defining attributes and performance styles.

Charlton Heston (far right) played Mexican character Mike Vargas in Touch of Evil (Universal International)

The flip side of whitewashing is that an actor of colour can only ever be cast as a character of colour and must perform in a way that marks or over determines their difference to the norm. Thus, in John Fords Three Godfathers, Mexican actor Pedro Armendariz  who actually grew up in the US and spoke English without an accent  has to put on a stereotypical Mexican accent and act with exaggerated gestures to play a Mexican character.

In the post Second World War Hollywood of liberal race dramas, whitewashing allowed whiteness to be the clear moral voice of films, even when the narrative focus was on non-white characters. For instance, the sense of visible whiteness that whitewashing permitted is important to the 1958 movie Touch of Evil. In it, Charlton Heston plays Miguel Vargas, a Mexican police chief fighting against corruption and organised crime on both sides of the US-Mexico border.

Heston is visually Mexicanised: he has curly hair, a moustache and darker skin. But as the hero of the film, it is important that Hestons whiteness is maintained, at least in terms of his star profile. Interestingly, Heston went almost directly to the character of Vargas after playing Moses in The Ten Commandments  another whitewashing role.

Marvel defended its casting of Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in Doctor Strange after critics said the move had tarnished the film (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

In the contemporary era, the casting of white actors in non-white roles persists. For this, we need look no further than Tilda Swinton as a Tibetan mentor in Doctor Strange. This despite protests from minority advocacy groups demanding more accurate representation and more parts for actors of colour.

The problem of whitewashing is frequently linked to the lack of diversity and institutional racism of a Hollywood film industry that is disproportionately white and male and in which people of colour are underrepresented  not just in front of the camera but also at the executive level and in producer and director roles.

It has been suggested that the key to solving Hollywoods whitewashing issue is recognising the achievements of those actors and film personnel of colour who are making films. This has been encapsulated in the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. There needs to be structural change and more effort needs to be made at getting more minorities into the industry. Audiences also need to start signalling to film executives that the casting of white stars in non-white roles is not acceptable. Ed Skreins rejection of whitewashing is to be applauded. We will now see if other actors are brave enough to follow his lead.

Dolores Tierney is a senior lecturer in film studies at the University of Sussex. This article was originally published in The Conversation (www.theconversation.com)
Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

On 11 September 2001, Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi  known for his depictions of gangsters and weirdos and once described by The Guardian as a strangely attractive shoelace  returned to his old job as a New York City firefighter.

He worked 12-hour shifts for several days alongside other firefighters, searching for survivors in the rubble of the World Trade Center.

Buscemi had taken the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) civil service test when he was 18 and used to work as a FDNY firefighter in downtown Manhattan in the 1980s.

He later left the service to become an actor but has remained in touch with New York firefighter causes, speaking at union rallies and hosting the HBO documentary A Good Job: Stories of the FDNY.

At the time, he said of his efforts during the rescue: It was a privilege to be able to do it. It was great to connect with the firehouse I used to work with and with some of the guys I worked alongside. And it was enormously helpful for me because while I was working, I didnt really think about it as much, feel it as much.

In 2013, the Brotherhood of Fire Facebook page reminded people of his selfless act of courage, writing beneath a picture of Buscemi: Do you recognise this man? Do you know his name? Lots of people know hes an actor, and that his name is Steve Buscemi. What very few people realise is that he was once one of New Yorks Bravest.

In 1976 Steve Buscemi took the FDNY civil service test when he was just 18 years old. In 1980 Steve Buscemi became a New York City Firefighter. For four years, Buscemi served on one of FDNYs busiest, Engine Co. 55 in Manhattans Little Italy. He later left the fire service to become a successful actor, writer and director.

After 9/11/2001... Brother Buscemi returned to FDNY Engine 55.

On September 12, 2001 and for several days following Brother Steve worked 12-hour shifts alongside other firefighters digging and sifting through the rubble from the World Trade Center looking for survivors.

Very few photographs and no interviews exist because he declined them. He wasnt there for the publicity.

FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 Show all 19 1 /19 FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI FBI release unseen image of Pentagon on 9/11 FBI

Buscemi also been an advocate for firefighters welfare, telling CBS News: Firefighters are great at helping others, theyre great at helping each other. But theyre not alwaysthey dont always know that they, themselves, are in need.

Their first reaction would be: Oh, the next guy has it worse, you know?

During the 11 September attacks 343 firefighters gave their lives protecting and rescuing others.

Buscemi still serves on the Board of Advisors for Friends of Firefighters, an organisation dedicated to New York firefighters and their relatives.

Follow Independent Culture on Facebook
Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Over the last few years, Jim Carrey stopped making headlines for appearing on screen, the focus instead being on the actors personal life.

During New York Fashion Week, Carrey  best known for roles in The Mask, Ace Ventura, and Liar Liar  made a rare public appearance.

Walking down the red carpet, an interviewer for E! stopped the camera-shy actor to discuss the event, Carrey venting some existential issues.

Theres no meaning to any of this, he told the reporter. I just wanted to find the most meaningless thing that I could come to and join, and here I am. You've got to admit, this is completely meaningless.

While slightly baffled, the reporter responded by asking about the icons the event was celebrating, to which the comedian/painter responded: Celebrating icons? Oh boy, that is just the lowest aiming possibility that we could come up with. Icons. Do you believe in icons? I believe in personalities. I dont believe that you exist but there is a wonderful fragrance in the air.

Things then got slightly stranger, Carrey continuing: I dont believe in icons. I dont believe in personalities. I believe that peace lies beyond personality, beyond invention and disguise. I believe were a field of energy dancing for itself. And I dont care.

Films to get excited about in 2017 Show all 13 1 /13 Films to get excited about in 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Star Wars: The Last Jedi Director: Rian Johnson Rian Johnson Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Lupita Nyong'o Plot: No details yet, but it will continue directly on from Rey coming face-to-face with Luke at the end of The Force Awakens. Release Date: 15 December 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Thor: Ragnarok Director: Taika Waititi Taika Waititi Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban, and Mark Ruffalo Plot: Story details are minimal as of now, but Thor's third return to screen has already been teased to feature a loose adaptation of the famous 'Planet Hulk' storyline. Release Date: 27 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 You Were Never Really Here Director: Lynne Ramsay Lynne Ramsay Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Alessandro Nivola Plot: A war veteran's attempt to save a young girl from a sex trafficking ring goes horribly wrong. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Annihilation Director: Alex Garland Alex Garland Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A biologist's husband disappears. She thus puts her name forward for an expedition into an environmental disaster zone, but does not quite find what she's expecting. The expedition team is made up of the biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a surveyor. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Wonderstruck (image from Far From Heaven) Director: Todd Haynes Cast: Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, and Amy Hargreaves Plot: The story of a young boy in the Midwest is told simultaneously with a tale about a young girl in New York from fifty years ago as they both seek the same mysterious connection. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Mother (image of Darren Aronofsky) Director: Darren Aronofsky Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, and Ed Harris Plot: A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Killing of a Sacred Deer (image from The Lobster) Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, and Alicia Silverstone Plot: A surgeon forms a familial bond with a sinister teenage boy, with disastrous results. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 Blade Runner 2049 Director: Denis Villeneuve Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Robin Wright, and Jared Leto Plot: Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Release Date: 6 October 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Lady Bird (image of director Greta Gerwig) Director: Greta Gerwig Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Lucas Hedges Plot: The adventures of a young woman living in Northern California for a year. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara (image of director Steven Spielberg and star Mark Rylance) Director: Steven Spielberg Cast: Mark Rylance, Oscar Isaac Plot: The Kidnapping Of Edgardo Mortara recounts the story of a young Jewish boy in Bologna, Italy in 1858 who, having been secretly baptized, is forcibly taken from his family to be raised as a Christian. His parents' struggle to free their son becomes part of a larger political battle that pits the Papacy against forces of democracy and Italian unification. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 How to Talk to Girls at Parties Director: John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell Cast: Elle Fanning, Ruth Wilson, and Nicole Kidman Plot: An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets two young inhabitants of the most dangerous place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon. Release Date: Unknown Films to get excited about in 2017 The Dark Tower Director: Nikolaj Arcel Nikolaj Arcel Cast: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, and Tom Taylor Plot: Gunslinger Roland Deschain roams an Old West-like landscape in search of the dark tower, in the hopes that reaching it will preserve his dying world. Release Date: 28 July 2017 Films to get excited about in 2017 Suburbicon Director: George Clooney George Clooney Cast: Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Josh Brolin, and Oscar Isaac Plot: A crime mystery set in the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, where the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect family turns to blackmail, revenge and betrayal. Release Date: 24 November

Forming some sort of response, the interviewer questions why Carrey would get dressed up for the occasion, to which he replied: I didnt get dressed up, there is no me. There are just things happening Heres the thing, its not our world. We dont matter, theres the good news.

Carrey recently featured in the news after a mini-documentary titled I Needed Colour premiered online, revealing the actors love of painting.
Red Bull protege Pierre Gasly acknowledged that he could soon step into the limelight and become Formula 1's next rookie.

Reports emerged over the weekend that Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz will be moving to Renault in 2018, but could actually race for the French manufacturer as soon as the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix.

Sainz's transfer is the result of complex negotiations centered around McLaren's split from Honda and its switch to Renault engines. The Spanish driver would replace Jolyon Palmer, with Gasly filling the vacated seat at Toro Rosso for the remainder of the year.

"I've heard the story and I think all the details are being worked out now," said Gasly who just enjoyed timely back to back wins in the Super Formula series in Japan.

"Getting into Formula 1 is my dream and I am making every effort to fulfill it.

"I think there could be movement in the next couple of days, there may be some news, and I really hope that I can race (for Toro Rosso) in Malaysia," he added.

Gasly's longer-term future at Toro Rosso isn't guaranteed however as the Faenza-based squad could be compelled to take on Honda protege Nobuharu Matsushita next season as part of its 2018 engine supply deal with the Japanese manufacturer.

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The regular use of disinfectant cleaning products such as bleach has been linked to an increased risk of developing fatal lung conditions, researchers said.

A study by Harvard University and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) found that using the products just once a week could increase a person's chance of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by nearly a third.

The research involved data from more than 55,000 nurses in the US, and scientists looked at exposure to specific disinfectants, including bleach, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and chemicals known as quaternary ammonium compounds (quats), which are often used to disinfect surfaces such as floors and furniture.

Recommended Disabled teenage girl suffers burns after being washed in bleach

All of these were associated with an increased risk of COPD of between 24 per cent to 32 per cent in the study.

COPD is an umbrella term for a series of conditions affecting the lungs including emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma.

The condition affects an estimated 1.2 million people in the UK, with nearly 30,000 people dying from the disease each year.

Previous studies have linked exposure to disinfectants with breathing problems such as asthma, but it is believed this is the first piece of research to identify a link between disinfectants and COPD.

Dr Orianne Dumas, a researcher at Inserm, said: The potential adverse effects of exposure to disinfectants on COPD have received much less attention, although two recent studies in European populations showed that working as a cleaner was associated with a higher risk of COPD.

To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report a link between disinfectants and COPD among healthcare workers, and to investigate specific chemicals that may underlie this association.

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

Dr Dumas will present the findings at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan on Monday, where she will highlight that further research is needed to clarify the impact of disinfectant use in the home.

She added: In particular, we need to investigate the impact on COPD of lifetime occupational exposure to chemicals and clarify the role of each specific disinfectant.

Some of these disinfectants, such as bleach and quats, are frequently used in ordinary households, and the potential impact of domestic use of disinfectants on COPD development is unknown.

Earlier studies have found a link between asthma and exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants at home, such as bleach and sprays, so it is important to investigate this further.

As part of the research, scientists looked at 55,185 female registered nurses enrolled in the US Nurses' Health Study II, which began in 1989.

They looked at those nurses who were still in a nursing job and with no history of COPD in 2009, and then followed them for approximately eight years until May 2017.

During that time 663 nurses were diagnosed with COPD.

The nurses' exposure to disinfectants was evaluated via a questionnaire and other factors that could have distorted the results, such as the age, weight and ethnicity of the subjects, were taken into account.

Press Association
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

British holidaymakers left stranded on a hurricane-hit Caribbean island have accused French and Dutch evacuation planes of refusing to let them board despite having empty seats.

After a category 5 hurricane ripped through the Caribbean, thousands of people were left with no power or phone reception and limited supplies of food and water.

The UK Government has also faced criticism for stalled evacuations after commercial airlines like Thomas Cook cancelled several flights back to the UK before Hurricane Irma hit.

The Telegraph reported that holidaymakers Ross and Lesley McEwan, who were staying in Sint Maarten, the Dutch side of Caribbean island Saint Martin, were forced to wait around 14 hours at the airport, only to be told that nobody wants to take [them].

Ms McEwan sent a message to her daughter on Sunday claiming that a French plane flew back to Europe three-quarters empty because they couldnt get permission for refugees.

In Saint Martin, Dutch, French, American and Canadian citizens have been evacuated, but remaining British citizens have reportedly been told that the UK Foreign Office has not made contact with anyone on the island or drawn up an evacuation plan.

Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Show all 45 1 /45 Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Recently planted palm trees lie strewn across the road as Hurricane Irma passes by in Miami Beach, Fla. 10 September 2017. AP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Damage outside the Mercure hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures People pick up debris in Fajardo as Hurricane Irma howled past Puerto Rico after thrashing several smaller Caribbean islands Reuters/Alvin Baez Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Large waves produced by Hurricane Irma crash into the end of Anglins Fishing Pier in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The category 4 hurricane made landfall in the United States in the Florida Keys at 9:10 a.m. after raking across the north coast of Cuba. 10 September 2017 Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A Royal Air Force Puma has been delivered to the US Virgin Islands to assist with the humanitarian efforts post Hurricane Irma. The Puma will be delivering Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief in support of the Department for International Development. Royal Air Force logisticians from RAF Brize Norton have assisted with the delivery of military personnel and aid cargo to the Caribbean to support disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Irma. RAF aircraft including, C-17 A400M and Voyager are supporting a Joint Task Force of RAF, Royal Marines, Army and RN personnel who are supporting the Department for International Development as it delivers aid to stricken Caribbean Islands. MoD Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Flamingos at Zoo Miami, are shown in a temporary enclosure in a hurricane resistant structure within the zoo, Saturday, 9 September 2017 in Miami. Though most animals will reman in their secure structures, the cheetahs and some birds will ride out the storm in temporary housing. AP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Boats are seen at a marina in South Beach as Hurricane Irma arrives at south Florida, in Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. 10 September 2017 Reuters Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Storm clouds are seen over Fisher Island as Hurricane Irma approaches on 9 September 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. Florida is in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4 Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Waves crash over a seawall at the mouth of the Miami River from Biscayne Bay, Fla., as Hurricane Irma passes by. 10 September 2017 AP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Some of the damage on Saint Martin EPA/Gerben Van Es/Dutch Department of Defence Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The skyline is seen as the outerbands of Hurricane Irma start to reach Florida on 9 September 2017 in Miami, Florida. Florida is in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4. Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A tree toped by hurricane Irma is seen on a empty street in Remedios, Cuba, 9 September 2017. Hurricane Irma reached Cuba bringing winds between 160 and 190 kilometers per hour. The hurricane has hit the north coast of the island. EPA Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures James Constantineau loads sands bags in his truck as he prepares for the approach of Hurricane Irma Saturday, 9 September 2017, in East Palatka, Fla. Gov. Rick Scott is urging anyone living in an evacuation zone in southwest Florida to leave by noon as the threat of Hurricane Irma has shifted west. AP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The Fort Louis Marina in Marigot is seen on 8 September 2017 in Saint-Martin island, devastated by Hurricane Irma. AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Destruction in Orient Bay on the island of Saint-Martin AFP/Getty Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The wreckage in Orient Bay on the island of Saint-Martin AFP/Getty Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures View of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Saint Martin Reuters Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A mobile network tower snapped in two by the hurricane on the island of Barbuda ABS TV Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A house reduced to rubble on the island of Saint Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures General view of damage on Saint Martin Reuters Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A damaged Casino Royale on Saint Martin after the passage of Hurricane Irma Anna Mazur/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures An aerial photograph taken and released by the Dutch department of Defense shows the damage of Hurricane Irma in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, the Dutch section of the Caribbean Island Gerben Van Es/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Flooded houses in Gustavia on the island of Saint-Barthelemy Kevin Barrallon/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The damage on the island of Saint-Martin, a day after Hurricane Irma hit AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A man carrying an umbrella is battered by the wind in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters/Alvin Baez Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A lone police car on patrol during the passing of Hurricane Irma in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Jose Jimenez/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Haitian people walk through the wind and rain on a beach in Cap-Haitien on September 7 as Hurricane Irma approaches Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A flooded street on the island of Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A tree collapsed on a house in Saint Martin Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A hotel in Saint Martin is gutted by floodwater during the hurricane Guadeloupe 1ere Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Cars submerged in Saint Martin Rinsy Xieng Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Debris floats amongst the floodwater in Saint Martin @la1ere Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Household items float down the street in Gustavia, Saint-Barthelemy Carole Greaux Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The coast of Saint Martin is flooded as the hurricane hits the island Meteo Express Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A whole street underwater in Saint Martin @la1ere Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A car crashes into the tree amongst the chaos in Saint Martin @Bondtehond Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A building on the Saint Martin seafront, destroyed by the hurricane @Bondtehond Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A mobile home overturned at Princess Juliana International Airport in Saint Martin @Bondtehond Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Palm trees bend in the wind in San Juan, Puerto Rico as Hurricane Irma slammed across islands in the northern Caribbean Reuters/Alvin Baez Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A woman runs in the rain as Hurricane Irma slammed into San Juan, Puerto Rico Reuters/Alvin Baez Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A picture taken on September 5, 2017 shows a view of the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot, with the wind blowing ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A man rides past a boarded up house as part of preparations ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017, in the French overseas island of Guadeloupe Helene Valenzuela/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Employees of the Mercure Hotel fill sand bags on the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot, as part of the preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Irma Lionel Chamoiseau/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures People in line at Costco, as they find out the store has ran out of water on September 5, 2017 in North Miami Michele Eve Sandberg/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Night view of the city of Cap-Haitien, in the north of Haiti, 240 km from Port-au-Prince, on September 5, 2017 Hector Retamal/AFP

Geoffrey Scott-Baker, the father of a stranded holidaymaker, told Radio 4s Today programme that his daughter and others were starving on the island, eating one protein bar per day, sunburnt and lacking water, and are also at risk of being targeted by looters.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told the programme that the criticisms were completely unjustified.

In Saintt Martin, which is Dutch lets not forget, we have been evacuating people according to their medical need and some British nationals actually have been evacuated. We are in constant contact with the Dutch or the French. We really dont want more people going onto the island as it is a disaster zone so it is really up to them to get them off.

We are doing everything we can to help British nationals but there are half a million of them affected.

A Foreign Office spokesman told The Independent: We have been in regular contact with the Dutch and the Americans since the onset of this crisis to co-ordinate our response and help for all those affected. We understand that evacuation is based on individual need, rather than nationality, with the most vulnerable prioritised. It is not due to the lack of an arrangement. Indeed a number of British citizens have been evacuated from the island by the US.

We are in touch with British nationals on Saint Martin and have advised them to follow the local advice on the ground. While we are unable to get a consular team to Saint Maarten, we have deployed staff to Curacao to help British nationals evacuated there from Saint Maarten.
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A mother who was teaching her baby Welsh words in a shop in Wales was furious when she was told to cut out that foreign muck and speak English.

Elin Jones was pointing out food on different shelves and explaining to her one-year-old daughter Elena how to say each item in the native tongue.

But she was shocked when a customer interrupted her and told her the language, which she apparently believed was from abroad, wasnt welcome.

Ms Jones, 32, said she tried to educate the woman in the store in Lampeter, Ceredigion that she was speaking Welsh  but the woman turned on her heels and walked away.

Afterwards, she tweeted: Just got asked by a lady in a shop why I don't speak English and not foreign muck to my baby. I was speaking Welsh. In Wales.

She later told WalesOnline: I think I was pretty calm about the situation to be honest.

I said to her I think you are misunderstood  I am speaking Welsh to my children.

But she turned on her heels and walked away. She didnt even try and justify what she had said.

She added: Wales and the UK is a multicultural country and I love that about it in general and we should be far more accepting.

Ms Jones said her parents made a point of teaching her Welsh as a child and she wanted to pass the language on to her own family.

I have always been in Welsh education and they are always really proud that I speak Welsh, she said. I wanted to follow that through in my children too.

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

Ms Jones' tweet on Saturday was shared more than 2,000 times and given more than 3,500 likes.

She said: Its gone a bit ridiculous to be honest. I put it on Twitter last night and I checked my account this morning and was a bit shocked!

Its in a good way though, we should be promoting tolerance towards all.

Her shock came weeks after the BBC came under fire after current affairs programme Newsnight hosted a debate on the Welsh language, asking if it was a help or hindrance to the nation?.

Critics hit out that the broadcaster showed a lack of research, lack of suitable guests and there was a pattern of belittling and disparaging Wales and the Welsh language by the BBC.
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A woman who was abused by a grooming gang in Rotherham as a child was told by the Governments compensation authority that she consented, it has emerged.

Sammy Woodhouse, who waived her anonymity to speak out about the exploitation, was abused from the age of 14 by ringleader Arshid Hussain.

He was jailed for 35 years but the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) did not immediately recognise his crimes.

An initial response to Ms Woodhouses claim read: I am not satisfied that your consent was falsely given as a result of being groomed by the offender.

The evidence does not indicate that you were manipulated or progressively lured into a false relationship.

Ms Woodhouse appealed the CICAs initial refusal and was eventually offered the maximum amount of compensation she qualified for.

We keep hearing a lot of weve learned lessons, she told the BBCs Inside Out programme.

If an adult can privately think that its a childs fault for being abused, beaten, raped, abducted, I think youre in the wrong job.

She is now calling for a meeting with the Justice Secretary, David Lidington, over a review of the way CICA considers cases.

Brothers (left to right top) Arshid Hussain, Basharat Hussain and Bannaras Hussain, and (left to right bottom) Karen MacGregor, Shelley Davies and Qurban Ali were sentenced to a combined 103 years in prison (PA) (South Yorkshire Police/PA)

Hussain, 40, was convicted of 23 offences including indecent assault and rape last year after assaulting his victims, luring them into prostitution and fathering children with some, while forcing others into prostitution.

The court heard that victims of the grooming gang were scarred by the abuse, suffering eating disorders, self-harm, agoraphobia, self-loathing and mental illness.

Ms Woodhouse was among 1,400 children abused in Rotherham over 16 years, with police and local authorities ignoring repeated reports and warnings over the exploitation by predominantly Asian men.

A freedom of information request by a group of charities revealed that she is also one of almost 700 child victims of grooming and sexual abuse to be refused payments by the CICA.

While the law states its a crime to have sexual activity with someone under the age of 16, this is not reflected in compensation decisions, campaigners said earlier this year.

Payment rules are being interpreted to suggest children can consent to their abuse.

The CICA said not all the refusals were over the issue of the consent, adding that more than 4,200 applications from victims of sexual assault aged under 16 were received last year.

David Greenwood, a solicitor who advised Ms Woodhouse on her appeal, told The Independent that other victims had received similar responses.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty

They are essentially saying that people who were unable legally to consent actually consented and the case for compensation has been refused, he added.

It has not stopped, it is ongoing and its hard to understand. It seems that these types of cases are not understood well by the decision makers.

Mr Greenwood, a child abuse specialist at Switalskis Solicitors, said Ms Woodhouse was very upset by the decision, which came after years of legal battles to bring her abusers to justice.

He added: There are other Rotherham girls and there are going to be a lot of applications  we want this to stop.

The CICA administers the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, which awards taxpayer-funded payments to blameless victims injured as a result of violent crime.

It has recently put out appeals for victims of the terror attacks in Westminster, Manchester, London Bridge and Finsbury Park to come forward, and is expected to receive applications from victims of sexual exploitation in Newcastle.

A spokesperson for the CICA said it was reviewing its guidance to staff to ensure grooming cases are properly considered and was consulting with organisations including Barnardos and Victim Support.

Child sexual abuse is abhorrent. Our guidelines are designed to make sure that controlling and abusive behaviour is taken into account when handling compensation applications, a spokesperson added.

We want to be sure that we never get these decisions wrong. Thats why we are reviewing our staff guidance to make sure that we identify every instance where grooming could be a factor.

We are actively engaging victim support groups and relevant charities to make sure the revised guidance is as robust as it possibly can be.
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Tian Tian, the UKs only female giant panda, is not expected to give birth to cubs this year, Edinburgh Zoo has said

The panda was believed to be pregnant and was expected to give birth in August, although the zoo said a due date was hard to predict.

Tests have now found that the pandas hormone levels and behaviour have returned to normal as the breeding cycle ends for this year.

Recommended Tian Tian the panda is still loving that snow

Iain Valentine, director of giant pandas at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), said: It is with sadness that we can confirm Tian Tian, Edinburgh Zoos resident female giant panda, will not give birth to cubs this year.

Our tests show that her hormone levels and behaviour have returned to normal as the breeding cycle ends for this year.

I would like to thank the expert team of keepers, veterinary staff and others who have shown dedication and tenacity throughout the last nine months to ensure Tian Tian received the very best round-the-clock care.

Her welfare is our top priority and the hard work of our expert team continues to make a significant contribution to the conservation of giant pandas internationally.

Tian Tian was artificially inseminated earlier this year and had been closely monitored by experts.

Tian Tian in her enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo (PA)

News of the insemination had been kept under wraps by the zoo after five previous attempts failed to produce a cub since Tian Tian (Sweetie) arrived in Edinburgh with male Yang Guang (Sunshine) in 2011.

The pair, who are on loan from China for a decade, are the only giant pandas living in the UK.

Barbara Smith, chief executive of RZSS, said: There was great excitement when early tests indicated that Tian Tian was pregnant. Like everyone, we are sad that the pregnancy did not result in cubs this time around.

Giant panda breeding is an incredibly complex, unpredictable process. Over the next few weeks, we will be working closely with our Chinese partners to review not only this years breeding season but all the scientific data from the past five years, to help us better understand this complex process.

This year our expert team has gathered more information than ever, which will be shared with our partners both here in Scotland and across the globe for review and learnings to be applied.

Tian Tian has previously given birth to twins in China but panda reproduction is a notoriously tricky process, with females only ovulating once a year.

Ms Smith added: I am incredibly proud of the work that takes place at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and we remain hopeful that successful giant panda breeding will be possible in the future.

It is important too to emphasise the crucial role RZSS is playing in giant panda conservation success internationally. Last year the giant panda was reclassified from endangered to vulnerable in the wild, and RZSS can be justly proud of our efforts in safeguarding the future of the species, supporting over 30 conservation projects in China.

We will continue to work with the Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP), the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and the team at the University of Edinburgh to learn from our giant pandas. I thank them for their continued support.

Additional reporting by PA
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Nearly half of Britons would support giving all citizens a cash allowance, regardless of whether they were employed, according to a new survey.

Once considered a policy belonging firmly to the radical left, polling by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Bath found that 49 per cent of 18 to 75-year-olds supported the introduction of a Universal Basic Income (UBI).

If UBI were to be established in the UK, it would drastically overhaul the welfare state by providing a set payment to cover the basic needs for every citizen.

In total, 1,111 adults were polled about a form of UBI that covered basic needs such as food and clothing, but not housing costs.

Only about a quarter (26 per cent) of those surveyed by Ipsos-MORI opposed the introduction of UBI.

Yet although almost half of people approved of the policy in theory, support for the concept dropped radically when people were asked to consider UBI funding through increased taxation.

Support for the policy dropped to 30 per cent, with 40 per cent opposed to it.

Support also dropped to 37 per cent at the suggestion of funding UBI through cuts in welfare benefit spending, with 30 per cent opposing it.

The poll found 63 per cent of Labour-leaning adults support the principle of UBI, compared to 40 per cent of those who are Conservative-leaning.

When asked to consider the practicalities of a scheme funded by cutting existing benefits, support among Labour-leaning adults fell to 34 per cent, and grew to 49 per cent for Conservative-leaning adults.

Dr Luke Martinelli, from the University of Bath's Institute of Policy Research (IPR), said: These new data show quite surprising levels of support for basic income in the UK  although this falls when asked to consider UBIs fiscal implications.

Our findings are significant because there is currently very little polling data on attitudes to basic income per se, despite a number of long-standing social attitude surveys and the massive growth of interest in basic income over recent years.

The data should generate interesting analysis on the political feasibility of introducing basic income in the UK  in particular, about potential constituencies of support, and the forms of basic income that appeal to different demographics  important issues about which we currently know very little.

Last week, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced she would work with councils and fund research into UBI schemes.

In Scotland, significantly more adults (23 per cent) strongly support the concept, compared to 14 per cent of those in England.

However, overall support for UBI is no higher in Scotland than in England, and 31 per cent of Scots are opposed to it.

Recommended Universal basic income scheme set for trials in three European cities

The poll also found that, regardless of support for UBI, 34 per cent would prefer to fund it by increasing taxes on wealth.

28 percent would prefer to fund it by cutting existing welfare benefits. Only 12 per cent were in support of funding UBI by raising income tax.

Introducing UBI to reward and encourage people doing unpaid work such as caring or voluntary work was seen as very or fairly convincing by 79 per cent of respondents.

Along with the figures, economists from the IPR released a policy brief looking into the feasibility and practicalities of introducing UBI in the UK.

It argued that, if conceived as a replacement for most existing benefits, an affordable UBI would be inadequate in terms of coverage and support to individuals.

For example, a UBI paying 73.10 per week for adults of working age that replaced existing benefits would cost an additional 143bn over existing social security expenditure.

It would also require large increases in income tax revenue  but would increase working age poverty by approximately 7 per cent and leave 42 per cent of households with less disposable income.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA 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

Schemes that retained existing benefits and adjusted them to take a UBI payment into account would mitigate against increases in poverty, the economists said.

This would lead to adult poverty rates falling between 14 per cent and 20 per cent of their previous levels, and negligible numbers of poor households losing income.

Such schemes would still require substantial tax rises, adding between 3 per cent and 5 per cent on income tax rates plus requiring the elimination of the personal tax-free allowance, they found.

The analysis underlines a three-way trade-off between meeting individuals' needs, controlling cost and reducing the negative effects of means testing, a spokesperson said.

The economists suggest trialling more modest schemes of UBI, such as those limited to particular demographic groups.

Additional reporting by PA
Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Leaving the EU customs union after Brexit threatens to cost UK firms more than 4bn a year and trigger enormous disruption to trade, a study warns today.

Up to 180,000 traders would be hit by pulling out of the EUs free trade area, imposing red tape at borders, according to Implementing Brexit: Customs, an analysis from the Institute for Government think tank.

The study found that the daunting task of making Britain ready for day one requires changes at more than 30 government departments and public bodies, as well as around 100 local authorities.

Recommended Davis to clash with EU after insisting UK will sign new trade deals

Meanwhile, Calais, Dunkirk, Rotterdam and other European ports would also have to prepare to avoid disruption  but far less attention was being paid to their efforts.

Joe Owen, the Institutes senior researcher, said: The problem is that everyone from port operators to small traders can only undertake limited preparation while future arrangements are so uncertain.

When it comes to customs, business faces a canyon, not a cliff edge. Disruption can be caused from either side of the border, and we are reliant on the successful preparation of our European partners too.

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 warning is the starkest yet about the impact of leaving the customs union and  in the absence of any new system  having to introduce customs declarations.

In recent weeks, the Government has stepped back from its no deal is better than a bad deal rhetoric, under fierce pressure from business leaders to prevent the border chaos that would follow.

Instead, David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, proposed a temporary customs union for a few years, amid evidence that businesses are already pulling investment because of the threat to trade.

However, some EU figures warned the plan was unacceptable because Britain is insisting it must also be free to seek trade deals with non-EU countries, from day one after departure.

A deal could also be obstructed by Britains reluctance to continue abiding by decisions of the European Court of Justice and to pay large contributions for market access.

Mr Davis has boasted that Britains new high-tech system for customs declarations would be ready for Brexit Day in 2019, while admitting doubt over the set-ups in some EU countries.

But the IfG said the new technology promised in this country was already facing significant issues because of constricted timelines.

The Government has said that new technology will help, but has provided little clarity about how, said Marcus Shepheard, a researcher at the Institute.

In fact, it seems unable to manage existing technology. So with less than two years to go, ministers must be clear about what is and what is not feasible.

The customs union means no duties are levied on goods travelling within the EU, with a common external tariff imposed on all goods entering the bloc.

According to the IfG, todays report also showed the complex web of private sector organisations that must also be ready to ensure UK trade can continue to cross the border on day one after Brexit.

To avoid the worst of the cliff edge, it said, customs requirements should be moved away from the physical border and access retained to key EU computer systems.
Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Jeremy Corbyn has dismissed Tony Blairs latest intervention to try to halt Brexit, saying he did not know the point of his interview.

The Labour leader resumed his feud with his most successful predecessor, arguing he had failed to make his case for trying to change the minds of the British public.

At the weekend, Mr Blair proposed tough new rules to allow Britain to curb EU immigration, to persuade voters such restrictions were possible without leaving the bloc.

Asked if he supported that position, Mr Corbyn said: No, because he seemed not to understand the economic policies of the Labour party and I was surprised at that.

On whether it would tougher immigration restrictions might be possible, within EU rules, he replied: Im not quite sure what he means by that.

If he agrees with me on the question of undercutting of workers by the attacks on working conditions then okay, but he didnt specify what he meant by that.

Im not quite sure what the point of his interview was actually.

The cold reaction  even in a BBC interview in which Mr Corbyn left open possible support for permanent single market membership  is probably explained by Mr Blairs harsh words about the current Labour leader.

A day earlier, Mr Blair had turned his fire on Mr Corbyns anti-business old-fashioned leftist programmes, which would exacerbate the damage from Brexit.

He said the only conceivable way to make a success of Brexit was to turn Britain into a Singapore-style low-tax, low-regulation country competing with the EU.

But, Mr Blair told the BBC 's Andrew Marr programme: The risk is the British people won't vote for that, they are not going to vote for the huge economic and social restructuring - to the changes to the health service and other things that that would require.

And the risk is actually that we have a Brexit followed by, I'm afraid, an unreconstructed leftist programme from Labour, and if you combine those two things together in my view we will be in a very serious situation as a country.

Mr Blair commended the way Mr Corbyn fought the general election campaign, but said that doesn't make that programme right.

The Prime Minister has been blamed for allowing European migration to expand unchecked during his decade in power until 2007, fuelling support for Brexit.

On Marr, he admitted open borders were no longer appropriate, putting his name to a report calling for tighter domestic controls and negotiated restrictions to free movement rules with the EU.

This would fulfil the will of the people expressed in last year's Brexit vote while allowing Britain to stay in the EU, Mr Blair argued.

Mr Blair then urged pro-EU MPs of all parties to defy their leaders and start campaigning publicly to halt Brexit, saying: Put this case to people, maybe they will listen.
Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Ministers have been accused of failing to address soaring suicide levels in prison as new figures reveal an alarming reduction in funding for investigating self-inflicted deaths among inmates.

New analysis reveals the average amount spent on probes into suicides behind bars last year has more than halved since 2012/13 amid record rates of suicide and self harm.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) spent around 12,900 per investigation in 2015/16 compared to 27,000 in 2012/13, prompting concern the independent body lacked the resources to cope with its burgeoning caseload.

The independent body's overall spend on investigations also fell from 1.44 million to 1.27 million within the same period.

Labour MP Luciana Berger, who uncovered the figures through a parliamentary question, warned the Government against sweeping mental health concerns under the carpet, describing the spiralling number of deaths as a stain on our national consciousness.

She told The Independent: "This dramatic reduction in the amount being spent on investigations into self-inflicted prison deaths is alarming.

"The PPO is under considerable financial pressure. Its workload has grown exponentially and yet its budget hasn't increased to pay for it.

"It is a tragedy whenever someone takes their life. A rigorous investigation is the very least that loved ones deserve when it happens in one of our prisons.

"The suicide rate of prisoners - the highest on record - is a stain on our national consciousness. Rather than sweep it under the carpet, ministers must act now to get to grips with the worsening mental health crisis in our prisons."

It comes after a critical report by the public spending watchdog revealed that the Government did not know how many prisoners had a mental illness or how much it was spending on the issue.

The National Audit Office warned in its report that prisons were struggling to cope after cuts to funding and staff numbers, while prison authorities had offered a poor response to rising suicide and self-harming rates.

Deborah Coles, director of the charity Inquest, warned that the move would hamper efforts to identify failings within prisons although she said it was too early to understand the full impact of the cuts.

She told The Independent: Our concern would be that at a time when there is an unprecedented number of people dying in our prisons, there is a really crucial need to ensure that deaths are properly investigated and these are robust investigations.

The danger is that when the PPO are struggling with a high number of deaths, a reduction in funding is a real concern.

Many families hold considerable mistrust for prison authorities and lack conviction that their loved ones deaths will be investigated properly, she said.

Ms Coles added: Deaths in prisons dont win votes. There has been far too much complacency surrounding deaths in prisons and I think reducing the resources for those responsible for investigations is an example of that.

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

Earlier this year, former Justice Secretary Liz Truss vowed to prioritise the issue after official figures revealed that 119 inmates killed themselves in England and Wales in 2016 - the highest number since records began.

The PPO said that 70 per cent of self-inflicted deaths were prisoners with mental health needs between 2012 and 2014.

There was also a record high of 37,784 self-harm incidents and 25,049 assault incidents during the same period.

A Prison Service spokesman said: Every death in custody is a tragedy and we are redoubling our efforts to make prisons safe.

Funding for prison safety has also been increased, with a new suicide and self-harm reduction project to address self-inflicted deaths and self-harm.

We have also increased support for vulnerable offenders  especially during the first 24 hours in custody  and invested more in mental health awareness training for prison officers.
Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The leader of the trade unions congress has vowed to launch a wave of protests if President Donald Trump ever visits the UK.

TUC boss Frances OGrady pledged to galvanise the movements 5.6 million members to demonstrate against the US President if he accepted Theresa Mays invitation of an official state visit.

The Prime Minister made the offer to Mr Trump soon after he took up office but the bid has attracted widespread condemnation and threats of protest.

Ms OGrady, speaking to delegates at the TUCs annual congress, said: "If Trump sets a foot on our soil the TUC will be proud to lead a peaceful protest," she said.

"Let us send a message - Donald Trump, you are not welcome here."

She also condemned the actions of anti-semitic, women-hating, white supremacist thugs in the United States following the recent violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Activist Heather Heyer died when a car crashed into a group of anti-fascists demonstrating against a far-right rally.

President Trump attracted criticism in the aftermath of the clashes for his reluctance to condemn the white supremacists, who were protesting the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The US is marking the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that killed 2,997 people and injured more than 6,000.

The suicide missions saw hijacked passenger planes flown into the Pentagon and the Twin Towers of New Yorks World Trade Centre.

Another hijacked civilian airliner crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

The worst domestic attack the US had ever experienced, it directly led to then-President George Bush launching the War on Terror, which continues to have ramifications today.

The Independent is now publishing archive images showing the immediate aftermath of the attacks.

George Bush reads to children at Emma E Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, on the morning of Tuesday September 11, 2001. (George W Bush Llibrary)

President Bush was visiting a school in Florida when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Centres North Tower.

The days planned activities were quickly abandoned as the Presidents team scrambled to deal with the fallout.

President George Bush on the telephone as the second plane hit the Twin Towers in New York (George W Bush Llibrary)

As another plane hit the second tower, it became clear the collisions were not accidental.

President George Bush reacts to TV news footage of the second plane hitting the Twin Towers (George W Bush Llibrary)

In Washington, Vice President Dick Cheney coordinated the response in George Bushs absence.

Senior White House staff in the Emergency Operations Centre following the 9/11 attacks (US National Archives)

The vice-President, his wife Lynne Cheney and first lady Laura Bush during the emergency briefing (US National Archives)

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell (US National Archives)

Head of the CIA watches President Bushs national address (US National Archives)

On the ground in New York, there was panic as the towers collapsed, flooding the surrounding neighbourhoods with dust.

Man covered with ashes assisting a woman walking and holding a particle mask to her face, following the attack (Don Halasy)

The smoke from the wreckage of the Twin Towers as viewed from space (Nasa)

The rescue effort claimed the lives of 412 emergency responders, including 343 firefighters.

Firemen take a break from searching through the rubble of the World Trade Centre (George W Bush Llibrary)

To mark the 17th anniversary, President Donald Trump is scheduled to observe a moment of silence at around the time the first aeroplane hit the tower.

In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush was visiting Emma E Brooker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida as news of the attack on the World Trade Center broke In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 The president and his staff, including Press Secretary Ari Fleischer (L) were then brought to a holding room at the school, where he prepared to address the nation In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush was then rushed onto Air Force One and was flown to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. He watched television coverage of the attacks from his office on the plane In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush talks on the telephone at the General Dougherty Conference Center at Barksdale Air Force Base In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush is seen with his senior adviser Karl Rove at Barksdale Air Force Base In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 The president with White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card at Barksdale Air Force Base. Before leaving the base, the president held a press conference at which he said, Make no mistake: The United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 The president was consoled by Lt Col Cindy Wright of the White House Military Office aboard Air Force One. After leaving Louisiana, the president was flown to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska before he headed back to Washington In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush arrived at the White House Presidential Emergency Operations Center around 7 pm. Here he is shown with his wife, First Lady Laura Bush, Vice President Cheney and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 At 8:30 pm, the president addressed the nation from the White House. In his speech, he set the tone for the wars to come in Afghanistan and Iraq In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 Ive directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and bring them to justice, the president said. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbour them In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 The presidents speech on the teleprompter In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 Immediately following the speech, the president had a national security meeting with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card and others

Meanwhile, rebuilding continues at Ground Zero. Work towards a $250m (189m) performing arts centre continues after a design was unveiled last autumn.

Most recently, plans were announced last spring to transform a grassy clearing on the memorial plaza into a walkway and area dedicated to 9/11 rescue and recovery workers, including those who died of illnesses years after being exposed to smoke, dust and ash at Ground Zero.

This article was first published in September 2017
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Among the most poignant aspects of the 11 September attacks were the telephone recordings of some of the victims.

Emergency calls were made to 911 dispatchers and family members, as people caught up in the atrocity grappled with the severity of their situations.

Some came from the four hijacked aircraft, which smashed into the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.

Others came from inside the buildings by people trapped inside. Many never made it out.

The attacks killed 2,997 people and injured thousands more.

In addition to providing harrowing documentation of the human impact of the attack, the calls were also used as evidence in the trial of 9/11 plotter Zacarias Moussaoui.

These are some of the calls made on the day of the attack.

Melissa Doi

Businesswoman Melissa Doi, 32, worked on the 83rd floor of the South Tower in the World Trade Centre.

She and five other people became trapped in an office after United Airlines Flight 175 smashed into the tower. Her call recorded her talking with a New York Police Department dispatcher.

Asked if anyone had arrived to rescue her, Ms Doi replied: Well, theres no one here yet, and the floors completely engulfed. Were on the floor and we cant breathe, and its very, very, very hot.

Later, she asked the operator: Can you stay on the line with me, please? I feel like Im dying.

Kevin Cosgrove

Insurance executive Kevin Cosgrove, 46, was also trapped in the South Tower and speaking to an emergency dispatcher.

Were young men, he said, while pleading for oxygen. Were not ready to die.

He said later: My wife thinks Im all right. I called and said I was leaving the building and that I was fine and then  bang [the plane impacted].

The call ended with Mr Cosgrove screaming as the tower collapsed.

Betty Ong

Betty Ong was a flight attendant on board American Airlines Flight 11, which hit the North Tower of the World Trade Centre.

She relayed to American Airlines that her plane had been hijacked and that some members of the crew had been stabbed.

She also relayed other important information, including that access to the cabin was blocked, and a mace-like substance had been dispersed on board.

The cockpits not answering, she said. Somebodys stabbed in business class andI think theres macethat we cant breathe. I dont know, I think were getting hijacked.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Donald Trump has been criticised for airing his controversial views on everything from LGBT rights to climate change, and the terrorist attacks on America of September 2001 are no exception.

From his days as a real estate tycoon in New York to running a campaign for political office, the former reality TV star has whipped up controversy on several occasions surrounding an atrocity that killed close to 3,000 people.

And as the under-fire president readies himself for the latest 9/11 commemorations, the litany of controversial remarks will come under fresh scrutiny.

11 September 2001

40 Wall Street actually was the second-tallest building in downtown Manhattan And now its the tallest.

The day the Twin Towers fell, real estate businessman Mr Trump was speaking to radio station WWOR when he veered off to brag about his nearby 71-storey skyscraper, claiming the title of highest building in Lower Manhattan.

Shortly after the attack, Mr Trump claimed $150,000 from the government to cover rent loss and repairs. The money had originally been set aside for small businesses in the area.

 US Congress overrides Obama's veto on 9/11 bill

11 September 2013

I would like to extend my best wishes to all, even the haters and losers, on this special date, September 11th.

Mr Trump marked the anniversary on Twitter in 2013. He later deleted the tweet, but inexplicably kept his reposting of the original tweet.

November 2015

I watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down, and I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down.

The then-presidential candidate said at a rally in Birmingham, Alabama, that people had celebrated the disaster across the water from the Twin Towers. He later repeated his claim to ABC News host George Stephanopoulos, adding that the cheers came from areas of New Jersey with large Arab populations. The claims were denied by Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and police.

February 2016

The World Trade Center came down during the reign of George Bush. He kept us safe? That is not safe. That is not safe

At a primary season debate, candidate Mr Trump took his former rivals Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush to task for defending former President George W Bush.

He added: The World Trade Center came down because Bill Clinton didnt kill Osama bin Laden when he had the chance to kill him. And George Bush  by the way, George Bush had the chance, also, and he didnt listen to the advice of his CIA.

February 2016

I lost hundreds of friends in 9/11.

Mr Trump insisted he knew many of the people working in the Twin Towers, but never named a single person. The president would have had to have known about one in 10 of the victims if his claim of knowing hundreds of the 2,996 victim was true.

March 2016

Thanks sweetie. Thats nice

When Mr Trump was promoting the opening of his new hotel in Washington DC while on the campaign trail, a woman in the crowd asked him if he would hire veterans and 9/11 survivors. He invited her to the stage, promising he would give her a job. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek, and he replied, Thanks sweetie. Thats nice.

August 2016

Those people that knocked down the World Trade Centre most likely under the Trump policy wouldnt have been here to knock down the World Trade Centre, just so you understand.

At another campaign event, he insisted he would have been smarter on terrorism than his predecessor. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were citizens of Saudi Arabia  a country omitted from the list of countries included in his controversial travel ban.

April 2017

Its the highest [ratings] for Deface the Nation since the World Trade Center. Since the World Trade Center came down. Its a tremendous advantage.

In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush was visiting Emma E Brooker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida as news of the attack on the World Trade Center broke In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 The president and his staff, including Press Secretary Ari Fleischer (L) were then brought to a holding room at the school, where he prepared to address the nation In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush was then rushed onto Air Force One and was flown to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. He watched television coverage of the attacks from his office on the plane In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush talks on the telephone at the General Dougherty Conference Center at Barksdale Air Force Base In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush is seen with his senior adviser Karl Rove at Barksdale Air Force Base In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 The president with White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card at Barksdale Air Force Base. Before leaving the base, the president held a press conference at which he said, Make no mistake: The United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 The president was consoled by Lt Col Cindy Wright of the White House Military Office aboard Air Force One. After leaving Louisiana, the president was flown to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska before he headed back to Washington In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 President Bush arrived at the White House Presidential Emergency Operations Center around 7 pm. Here he is shown with his wife, First Lady Laura Bush, Vice President Cheney and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 At 8:30 pm, the president addressed the nation from the White House. In his speech, he set the tone for the wars to come in Afghanistan and Iraq In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 Ive directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible and bring them to justice, the president said. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbour them In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 The presidents speech on the teleprompter In pictures: President Bushs immediate response to 9/11 11 September 2001 Immediately following the speech, the president had a national security meeting with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card and others

In an interview about his first 100 days in the White House with the Associated Press, Donald Trump boasted that his ratings on cable network shows like on Fox and CBSs Face the Nation were higher than those for broadcasts of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The president has been consistently preoccupied with his ratings and the turnouts at his rallies. Within hours of his inauguration, he punished the National Park Service for posting pictures of his ceremony which seemed to compare his crowds with a much higher turnout for Barack Obama.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A television meteorologist was broadcasting live as a tornado appeared to tear down the street behind.

Mike Bettes, a meteorologist with the Weather Channel, was reporting on Hurricane Irma as it pounded Florida, making landfall in the Florida Keys and then making its way northwards.

Several hours later, the storm made land for a second time, hitting land close to the city of Napes on the states west coast.

Mr Bettes was broadcasting life in Naples, which has a population of around 20,000 when what appeared to be a small tornado passed down the street behind him.

 Hurricane Irma: Storm changes path towards St Petersburg

The city reported gusts as high as 141 mph.

Mr Bettes, host of Weather Underground, was seen to be pulled down the street for several yards by the force of the wind.

Remarkably he escaped unhurt and was then seen to grin towards the camera.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Milo Yiannopoulos says his house in Miami has been destroyed by Hurricane Irma.

Posting a picture of the roof having been torn off a building in the citys West Brickell area, he commented: MY HOUSE IS GONE.

Winds of up to 130mph have pummelled the state of Florida in recent days and inflicted widespread damage on cities such as Miami.

 Aerial footage of scene of shooting in Miami

Recommended Irma leaves millions without power as it wreaks havoc across Florida

Cranes were toppled and a number of buildings heavily damaged.

At least 28 people were killed as the 400-mile-wide storm swept through the Caribbean, and the death toll is expected to rise as clean-up operations begin.

Mr Yiannopoulos, a former Breitbart News writer and editor and a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, had earlier appeared to joke about the destruction the hurricane had caused.

Last week, as the storm hit the Caribbean, he wrote on Facebook: In more positive Irma news, Richard Branson's Necker Island has been devastated.

And, as the hurricane headed towards the impoverished Caribbean island of Haiti, he said: Irma is about to finish what Hillary started: leaving Haiti in ruins.

Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Show all 45 1 /45 Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Recently planted palm trees lie strewn across the road as Hurricane Irma passes by in Miami Beach, Fla. 10 September 2017. AP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Damage outside the Mercure hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures People pick up debris in Fajardo as Hurricane Irma howled past Puerto Rico after thrashing several smaller Caribbean islands Reuters/Alvin Baez Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Large waves produced by Hurricane Irma crash into the end of Anglins Fishing Pier in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The category 4 hurricane made landfall in the United States in the Florida Keys at 9:10 a.m. after raking across the north coast of Cuba. 10 September 2017 Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A Royal Air Force Puma has been delivered to the US Virgin Islands to assist with the humanitarian efforts post Hurricane Irma. The Puma will be delivering Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief in support of the Department for International Development. Royal Air Force logisticians from RAF Brize Norton have assisted with the delivery of military personnel and aid cargo to the Caribbean to support disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Irma. RAF aircraft including, C-17 A400M and Voyager are supporting a Joint Task Force of RAF, Royal Marines, Army and RN personnel who are supporting the Department for International Development as it delivers aid to stricken Caribbean Islands. MoD Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Flamingos at Zoo Miami, are shown in a temporary enclosure in a hurricane resistant structure within the zoo, Saturday, 9 September 2017 in Miami. Though most animals will reman in their secure structures, the cheetahs and some birds will ride out the storm in temporary housing. AP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Boats are seen at a marina in South Beach as Hurricane Irma arrives at south Florida, in Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. 10 September 2017 Reuters Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Storm clouds are seen over Fisher Island as Hurricane Irma approaches on 9 September 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. Florida is in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4 Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Waves crash over a seawall at the mouth of the Miami River from Biscayne Bay, Fla., as Hurricane Irma passes by. 10 September 2017 AP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Some of the damage on Saint Martin EPA/Gerben Van Es/Dutch Department of Defence Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The skyline is seen as the outerbands of Hurricane Irma start to reach Florida on 9 September 2017 in Miami, Florida. Florida is in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4. Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A tree toped by hurricane Irma is seen on a empty street in Remedios, Cuba, 9 September 2017. Hurricane Irma reached Cuba bringing winds between 160 and 190 kilometers per hour. The hurricane has hit the north coast of the island. EPA Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures James Constantineau loads sands bags in his truck as he prepares for the approach of Hurricane Irma Saturday, 9 September 2017, in East Palatka, Fla. Gov. Rick Scott is urging anyone living in an evacuation zone in southwest Florida to leave by noon as the threat of Hurricane Irma has shifted west. AP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The Fort Louis Marina in Marigot is seen on 8 September 2017 in Saint-Martin island, devastated by Hurricane Irma. AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Destruction in Orient Bay on the island of Saint-Martin AFP/Getty Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The wreckage in Orient Bay on the island of Saint-Martin AFP/Getty Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures View of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Saint Martin Reuters Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A mobile network tower snapped in two by the hurricane on the island of Barbuda ABS TV Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A house reduced to rubble on the island of Saint Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures General view of damage on Saint Martin Reuters Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A damaged Casino Royale on Saint Martin after the passage of Hurricane Irma Anna Mazur/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures An aerial photograph taken and released by the Dutch department of Defense shows the damage of Hurricane Irma in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, the Dutch section of the Caribbean Island Gerben Van Es/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Flooded houses in Gustavia on the island of Saint-Barthelemy Kevin Barrallon/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The damage on the island of Saint-Martin, a day after Hurricane Irma hit AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A man carrying an umbrella is battered by the wind in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters/Alvin Baez Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A lone police car on patrol during the passing of Hurricane Irma in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Jose Jimenez/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Haitian people walk through the wind and rain on a beach in Cap-Haitien on September 7 as Hurricane Irma approaches Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A flooded street on the island of Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A tree collapsed on a house in Saint Martin Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A hotel in Saint Martin is gutted by floodwater during the hurricane Guadeloupe 1ere Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Cars submerged in Saint Martin Rinsy Xieng Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Debris floats amongst the floodwater in Saint Martin @la1ere Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Household items float down the street in Gustavia, Saint-Barthelemy Carole Greaux Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures The coast of Saint Martin is flooded as the hurricane hits the island Meteo Express Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A whole street underwater in Saint Martin @la1ere Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A car crashes into the tree amongst the chaos in Saint Martin @Bondtehond Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A building on the Saint Martin seafront, destroyed by the hurricane @Bondtehond Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A mobile home overturned at Princess Juliana International Airport in Saint Martin @Bondtehond Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Palm trees bend in the wind in San Juan, Puerto Rico as Hurricane Irma slammed across islands in the northern Caribbean Reuters/Alvin Baez Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A woman runs in the rain as Hurricane Irma slammed into San Juan, Puerto Rico Reuters/Alvin Baez Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A picture taken on September 5, 2017 shows a view of the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot, with the wind blowing ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures A man rides past a boarded up house as part of preparations ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017, in the French overseas island of Guadeloupe Helene Valenzuela/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Employees of the Mercure Hotel fill sand bags on the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot, as part of the preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Irma Lionel Chamoiseau/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures People in line at Costco, as they find out the store has ran out of water on September 5, 2017 in North Miami Michele Eve Sandberg/AFP Hurricane Irma  devastation caused in pictures Night view of the city of Cap-Haitien, in the north of Haiti, 240 km from Port-au-Prince, on September 5, 2017 Hector Retamal/AFP

That was a reference to Hillary Clinton, who faced questions during her presidential campaign against Donald Trump over the work of the Clinton Foundation in Haiti following the devastating 2010 earthquake there.

Emails obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed senior officals in the US State Department, under Ms Clinton's leadership, asking whether those involved in contributing aid were "friends of Bill" - a reference to Ms Clinton's husband, the former US President Bill Clinton. Opponents allege that the State Department during Ms Clinton's tenure gave special treatment to people who contributed to the couple's foundation.

Both Clintons denied the claim. At the time, Bill said: Nothing was ever done for anybody because they were contributors to the foundation. Nothing.

Mr Yiannopoulos has taken a step back since footage emerged earlier this year in which he appeared to defend paedophilia.

The far-right commentator was recorded saying people get hung up on this child abuse stuff and that there were people younger than the age of consent who were capable of consenting to sexual activity.

The comments forced him to resign from Breitbart, where he had made a name for himself by publishing controversial and often inflammatory views, including claims that feminism is a cancer and transgender people are mentally ill.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

A man has allegedly set his pregnant girlfriend on fire because he wasnt ready to be a father.

Andrea Grinage, a mother-of-three, was rushed to a hospital in Maryland, after officers responded to a fire and found her with critical burns to over 90 per cent of her body.

The 31-year-old gave birth to a girl, Journey Aleah, who was seven weeks premature.

Ms Grinage told police that her boyfriend was responsible and claimed he poured flammable liquid on her before setting her on fire.

She also warned them he was on route to Washington to attack her relatives, according to NBC Washington.

She was very brave. We want her family to know how brave she was, suffering as badly as she was  critically burned, worried about her unborn child, dealing with those injuries and was able to share that information with us so that we could get moving with our investigation and locate this person, Prince George's County police spokeswoman Jennifer Donelan said.

Police said the suspect turned himself in to police in Washington, DC, and is in custody. Charges are pending.

It all stems from him not wanting to take responsibility of him being a newborn dad, Ms Grinage alleged to WJLA.

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 Grinage's father, Arthur Grinage Senior, has set up a GoFundMe page to help his daughter rebuild her life.

Everything was lost in the fire and she must begin a new with your help. She has a long road to recovery and unknown medical cost, he wrote.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Pope Francis is sporting a black eye after hitting his head on the Popemobile when it came to an abrupt stop.

The pontiff was travelling in his special car, with the famous raised platform which enables him to wave to the crowd, in Cartagena, Colombia on the last day of his visit to the south American country when it came to an abrupt halt causing him to hit his head on the bulletproof glass.

He sustained a bruise to his left eye and cut above his left eyebrow which dripped blood onto his white cassock.

The cut was swiftly treated with ice and bandaged up and he continued on his journey.

A spokesman for the Vatican, Greg Burke, told reporters: "The pope is all right. Ice was put on it and he was treated.

"He will continue the schedule for his visit with no changes."

The Pope was later heard joking that he had been punched but was fine.

The pontiff was in the country to appeal for it to untie the knots of violence following the governments controversial peace deal with rebel group Farc which ended 50 years of civil war.

Speaking during mass for about 500,000 people in Cartagenas port area, he said: "If Colombia wants a stable and lasting peace, it must urgently take a step in this direction, which is that of the common good, of equity, of justice, of respect for human nature and its demands.

Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Live and let live.' GETTY IMAGES Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Proceed calmly" in life' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Be giving of yourself to others' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Even though many parents work long hours, they must set aside time to play with their children' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Sunday is for family' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Respect and take care of nature' OSSERVATORE ROMANO/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Stop being negative' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: Respect others' beliefs' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive' FP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness AFP/Getty Images

"Only if we help to untie the knots of violence, will we unravel the complex threads of disagreements."

While in the city he also paid a visit to the home of St Peter Claver, a 17th-century Jesuit priest who performed Catholic rites for slaves in defiance of their colonial masters who treated them as chattel.

The Pope used the occasion to again decry modern slavery and human trafficking and defend the rights of immigrants.

"Here in Colombia and in the world, millions of people are still being sold as slaves; they either beg for some expressions of humanity, moments of tenderness, or they flee by sea or land because they have lost everything, primarily their dignity and their rights," he said just before praying over the saints relics.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Pope Francis has said that "history will judge" those who refuse to accept the science of climate change.

If someone is doubtful that [climate change] is true, they should ask scientists," he told reporters aboard the papal plane. "These are not opinions made on the fly. They are very clear. Then each person can decide and history will judge the decisions."

The Pope is a strong supporter of the Paris climate agreement, a pledge by almost 200 countries to reduce emissions linked to climate change. Donald Trump pulled the US out of the agreement in June.

A Vatican official called the move a "slap in the face" to the Pope and the Vatican at the time.

Asked whether politicians have a responsibility to work with other countries to prevent climate change, the Pope responded: All of us have a responsibility, all of us, small or large, a moral responsibility."

"We have to take it seriously. We cant joke about it, he added. Each person has their own. Even politicians have their own.

Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Live and let live.' GETTY IMAGES Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Proceed calmly" in life' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Be giving of yourself to others' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Even though many parents work long hours, they must set aside time to play with their children' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Sunday is for family' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Respect and take care of nature' OSSERVATORE ROMANO/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Stop being negative' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: Respect others' beliefs' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive' FP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness AFP/Getty Images

His Holiness spoke as Hurricane Irma pummelled Florida with punishing wind and rain. Days before, Hurricane Harvey had submerged parts of Texas in massive floods. Some experts predict the combined damage could cost the US economy up to $290bn.

Scientists have long warned that the warming of the Earth's oceans and atmosphere could strengthen future hurricanes. The latest storms marked the first time two Category 4 hurricanes had hit the continental US in a single hurricane season.

If we dont turn back, we will go down, Pope Francis told reporters ominously.

Pope Francis waves to the crowd while arriving for a holy mass at Simon Bolivar park in Bogota, Colombia (Reuters)

According to the Associated Press, the Pope also said that he hoped Mr Trump would reconsider his decision to end Daca, a policy granting certain rights to young, undocumented immigrants.

Mr Trump recently announced that he would rescind the policy in six months unless Congress passed it into law. The decision would put some 800,000 childhood immigrants at risk for deportation.

Pope Francis has previously criticised Mr Trump's immigration policy, calling his plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico "not Christian".

On Sunday, he said that he hopes the decision to repeal Daca will be "re-thought somewhat".

To take away young people from their families is not something that bears fruit, neither for the young people nor for their families," he said.
Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The teenage son of former Fox News host, Eric Bolling, has died hours after his father was fired amid sexual harassment claims.

Eric Chase, 19, an only child and a student at the University of Colorado Boulder, died on 8 September, with the exact details surrounding the death still unclear.

Mr Bolling confirmed the news on Twitter and said he and his wife, Adrienne, were both broken by what had happened.

Adrienne and I are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Eric Chase last night. Details still unclear. Thoughts, prayers appreciated, Mr Bolling said.

He did however confirm that authorities had told him there were no signs of self-harm.

Mr Bolling, a prominent Donald Trump supporter, has been accused of sending unsolicited texts with explicit images to colleagues. He has denied the allegations through his lawyer.

 Donald Trump looking directly at the sun during eclipse 'is most impressive thing any presidents ever done, says Fox News host Tucker Carlson

His show, The Specialists, has been cancelled by Fox News following the claims.

The allegations, which were published in the Huffington Post, apparently came from 14 sources who have requested anonymity.

There are claims that Mr Bolling sent the messages and images to at least two colleagues at Fox Business and another at 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

Mr Bollings lawyer, Michael Bowe, denied the claim and said his client would cooperate with the investigation.

The anonymous, uncorroborated claims are untrue and terribly unfair, Mr Bowe said.

"We intend to fully cooperate with the investigation so that it can be concluded and Eric can return to work as quickly as possible."
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The US Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration's request to temporarily lift restrictions on the President's travel ban, quashing an opportunity for tens of thousands of refugees to enter the country.

At the request of the Justice Department, the Supreme Court stayed a lower court ruling that would have exempted some people for the administration's ban on refugees. The ruling would have allowed refugees to enter the country if they obtained promises of assistance from refugee resettlement organisations. An estimated 24,000 refugees have obtained such promises.

In a one-page ruling, signed by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Supreme Court announced that the exemption would be stayed, pending a response from the states involved in the suit. Had the Court not acted, the exemption would have gone into effect on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court temporarily reinstated a partial version of Mr Trump's beleaguered ban in June, pending their final decision in October. The ban, stalled by numerous legal challenges, had failed to take effect until that point.

The Court provided several exemptions to the ban, however, allowing refugees with "bona fide connections" to the US to enter the country.

Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban Show all 20 1 /20 Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-1 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-2 Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-3 Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-4 SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 28: Demonstrators hold signs during a rally against a ban on Muslim immigration at San Francisco International Airport on January 28, 2017 in San Francisco, California. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday that suspends entry of all refugees for 120 days, indefinitely suspends the entries of all Syrian refugees, as well as barring entries from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering for 90 days. Stephen Lam/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-5 A crowd of protesters gathers outside of the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse as a judge hears a challenge against President Donald Trump's executive ban on immigration from several Muslim countries, on January 28, 2017 in Brooklyn. The judge issued an emergency stay on part of Trump's executive order, ruling that sending refugees stopped at U.S. airports back to their countries would be harmful. Yana Paskova/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-6 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the new immigration ban issued by President Donald Trump at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-7 NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Protestors rally during a demonstration against the new immigration ban issued by President Donald Trump at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-8 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the new immigration ban issued by President Donald Trump at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-9 Getty Images Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-10 Getty Images Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-11 NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-12 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-13 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-14 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-15 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-16 Protestors rally during a demonstration against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump signed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-17 NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-18 Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-19 Protestors rally during a protest against the Muslim immigration ban at John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 28, 2017 in New York City. President Trump singed the controversial executive order that halted refugees and residents from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States. Stephanie Keith/Getty Protestors rally at JFK Airport against Muslim immigration ban jfk-protest-muslim-ban-20 Passengers wait in line to check in at the American Airlines terminal at JFK International Airport August 10, 2006 in the Queens borough of New York City. British authorities arrested 21 people and halted a anallegedly terrorist plot to use liquid explosives concealed in carry-on luggage to blow up airliners traveling between Britain and the U.S. Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff said that the plot appeared to be directed at U.S. carriers flying out of Heathrow. such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines. Stephen Chernin/Getty

Monday's ruling concerned the definition of a "bona-fide connection": The state of Hawaii felt having an arrangement with a resettlement agency constituted such a connection; the Trump administration did not.

"The court of appeals decision ... will disrupt the status quo and frustrate orderly implementation of the Orders refugee provisions that this Court made clear months ago could take effect," Mr Trump's Acting Solicitor General, Jeffery Wall, wrote to the Court.

He asked the Court to "prevent further uncertainty and disruption" by staying the court of appeals ruling. The Court agreed  at least for Monday.

Neal Katyal, a lawyer representing the state of Hawaii in its suit against the ban, said on Twitter the he would fight the decision. Hawaii is one of more than a half-dozen states that have sued to block the ban since its implementation.

Lawyers have argued that the ban, which bars entry for refugees and residents of six Muslim-majority countries, constitutes a 'Muslim ban'. Such a ban would violate constitutional prohibitions on favouring one religion over another. Two separate appeals courts have already ruled the ban unconstitutional.

Mr Trump, meanwhile, maintains the ban is a necessary national security measure.

"That's right, we need a TRAVEL BAN for certain DANGEROUS countries, not some politically correct term that won't help us protect our people!" he tweeted in June.
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Republican infighting over the fate of immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children could be so vitriolic that the party loses control of the US House of Representatives next year, Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, has said.

Bannon, whose far-right views on immigration, climate and trade helped shape Trump's presidential campaign and his first months in office, was fired by the Republican president last month in a push to end factional fights within the White House.

In an interview with the CBS programme 60 Minutes, Mr Bannon predicted Republicans could lose control in the House in the 2018 congressional elections because of a looming battle over what to do about 800,000 immigrants known as Dreamers.

Mr Trump said last week he would scrap a program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, that allowed the young immigrants to live and work in America.

Mr Bannon supported ending the programme, which had been put in place by Democratic former President Barack Obama.

Trump gave the Republican-controlled Congress six months to come up with an alternative, saying he would revisit this issue if lawmakers could not agree.

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

I'm worried about losing the House now because of this, Mr Bannon told CBS.

If this goes all the way down to its logical conclusion, in February and March it will be a civil war inside the Republican Party, he said. And to me, doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise.

Republicans are divided over the Dreamers. Some believe they are illegal immigrants who are taking American jobs, while others say they contribute to the country and deserve compassion.

Mr Bannon, who said he left the White House on his own terms, lashed out against establishment Republicans who have at times grappled with Trump, a real estate celebrity who had never before held elected office.

 Steve Bannon says Catholic churches need illegal aliens

The Republican establishment is trying to nullify the 2016 election, BMr annon said, saying it was an open secret on Capitol Hill that many Republicans did not support Mr Trump's agenda, and singling out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan for criticism.

They do not want Donald Trump's populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented, Mr Bannon said.

He called Republican national security officials who had served in the George W. Bush administration idiots, including former secretaries of state Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell, and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

I hold these people in contempt, total and complete contempt, Mr Bannon said, blaming them for US trade problems with China and involvement in Iraq.

They're idiots, and they've gotten us in this situation, and they question a good man like Donald Trump, Mr Bannon said.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The United Nations has denounced Burmas operations against Rohingya Muslims as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

The UN High Commissioner of Human Rights said the brutal security operation in Rakhine state was clearly disproportionate and without regard for basic principles of international law.

Zeid Raad al-Hussein told the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva that more than 270,000 people had fled to Bangladesh, with more trapped on the border, amid reports of the burning of villages and extrajudicial killings.

I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred, and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population, he added. The situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

 Rohingya crisis: Muslim village burnt to the ground

The military campaign began on 25 August, when Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of Burmese police and paramilitary posts in what they said was an effort to protect their ethnic minority from persecution by security forces in the majority Buddhist country.

In response, the military unleashed what it called clearance operations to root out Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army militants.

Almost 300,000 refugees have since fled over the border into Bangladeshs border district of Coxs Bazar, where they have given horrific accounts of the violence.

Survivors said the military was targeting civilians with shootings and burning of Rohingya villages in an apparent attempt to purge Rakhine state of Muslims.

Satellite images have supported their accounts, while the bodies of killed Rohingya have been pulled from rivers and others have allegedly been burned.

Some Burmese officials have claimed civilians are setting fire to their own homes but Mr al-Hussein called the claims a complete denial of reality, which he said was doing great damage to the international standing of the government.

He said he was appalled by reports of Burmese troops planting landmines along the border and also warned India against the potential mass deportations of Rohingya families, who have received death threats and been declared illegal by local officials in Jammu.

Rohingya refugees  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya refugees  in pictures A young girl and a baby wade through mud after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma on 10 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya refugees walk through a camp in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after arriving from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures A young Rohingya refugee gathers firewood after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya refugees wait for sacks of rice to be distributed in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive on a boat in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after crossing from Burma on 8 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees react after being re-united with each other after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Getty Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees walk along the remains of a road after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Myanmar Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees stand in the rain after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Indian children hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma EPA/Raminder Pal Singh Rohingya refugees  in pictures Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an Islamic organisation, listen to their leaders' speeches against Burma's persecution of Rohingya Muslims, during a demonstration in Karachi Reuters/Akhtar Soomro Rohingya refugees  in pictures Hundreds of Iranians take part in a protest against violence in Myanmar after weekly Friday prayers, in Tehran EPA/Abedin Taherkenareh Rohingya refugees  in pictures Indonesian Muslim activists hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya minority in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia EPA/Ali Lutfi Rohingya refugees  in pictures Members of an Islamic organisation shout slogans against the Burma government during a protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA

Mr al-Hussein said he warned last year that the pattern of gross violations against Rohingya suggested a systematic attack that could amount to crimes against humanity, but that the lack of access for investigators meant the current situation could not be fully assessed.

Human rights organisations have been warning over the plight of the ethnic minority for decades amid worsening persecution.

The Burmese government has long considered Rohingyas to be foreign nationals from Bangladesh, despite their population numbering over one million and making up a large portion of the countrys Muslim population.

A 1982 law excluded Rohingya from gaining Burmese citizenship, making them one of the largest stateless populations in the world and leaving them at the mercy of systematic abuse including restrictions on freedom of movement, work, privacy, marriage and access to basic health services and education.

The Bangladeshi government has offered a plot of land for a new refugee camp as men, women and children continue to pour across the border, with the two existing settlements overcrowded.

The Dalai Lama, the Buddhist spiritual leader of Tibet, said those carrying out the campaign should remember Buddha, adding: I think in such circumstances Buddha would definitely give help to those poor Muslims.

He said he had delivered the message to Burmas leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, several years ago at a meeting of Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

While Burmese Buddhists also follow the teachings of the Buddha, they have a different religious tradition to Tibetans and do not recognise the Dalai Lama as their spiritual leader.

Additional reporting by Reuters
Public joint-stock company Agrarian Fund starts negotiations on construction of a mill with Turkey's Alapala Makina, the industrial division of Alapala Group.

"We have received a proposal on supply of milling equipment from the Turkish manufacturer  Alapala Group, one of the two largest global companies in milling industry. Turkey's Eximbank will finance the project at EURIBOR [now it is a nil] plus 2.5%. The bank finances Alapala. They supply equipment to us with payments in installments for the period of five years. This is a EUR 4.5 million loan," the press service said, citing Agrarian Fund Board Chairman Andriy Radchenko.

He said that at present, it is being decided where the mill will be located.

He said that the projected capacity of the future mill will be 150 tonnes of grain a day.

Currently, Ukraine has around 900 mills, including 20 industrial mills with capacities of over 100 tonnes of grain a day.

Agrarian Fund does not have own production facilities. The company's share of the flour market in Ukraine is 12%.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

More than 400,000 people are calling for Aung Sang Suu Kyi to be stripped of her Nobel Peace Prize over her response to the Rohingya Muslim crisis.

The leader of Burmas National League for Democracy party was given the prestigious award in 1991 for campaigning for her country to hold full and free elections.

But more than 405,000 people have now signed a petition on Change.org demanding the Nobel Committee withdraw the award from Ms Suu Kyi, who has been widely accused of failing to protect Burma's Rohingya population.

Recommended The only good thing Aung San Suu Kyi can do now is resign

"Until this second, the de facto ruler of Myanmar [Burma] Aung San Suu Kyi has done virtually nothing to stop this crime against humanity in her country," the petition reads.

The Norwegian Nobel committee has said they will not rescind the award, saying only work led to the prize was taken into account.

There is growing outrage at reports and allegations of the indiscriminate slaughter of Muslim civilians by Burmese soldiers and Buddhist vigilantes.

Thousands of houses and dozens of villages have been burned to the ground in Rakhine State, sending nearly 300,000 fleeing for their lives in a period of just two weeks.

Monitors say up to 1,000 people have been killed. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, said the violence verged on ethnic cleansing.

The Burmese military, which says it has been conducting clearance operations following attacks by Rohingya insurgents at the end of August, has denied any allegations of indiscriminate killing - blaming the insurgents for killing civilians. Ms Suu Kyi also blamed the violence on terrorists and claimed the controversy has been caused by a huge iceberg of misinformation.

Rohingya refugees  in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya refugees  in pictures A young girl and a baby wade through mud after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma on 10 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya refugees walk through a camp in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after arriving from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures A young Rohingya refugee gathers firewood after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya refugees wait for sacks of rice to be distributed in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive on a boat in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after crossing from Burma on 8 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees react after being re-united with each other after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Getty Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees walk along the remains of a road after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Myanmar Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees stand in the rain after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees  in pictures Indian children hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma EPA/Raminder Pal Singh Rohingya refugees  in pictures Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an Islamic organisation, listen to their leaders' speeches against Burma's persecution of Rohingya Muslims, during a demonstration in Karachi Reuters/Akhtar Soomro Rohingya refugees  in pictures Hundreds of Iranians take part in a protest against violence in Myanmar after weekly Friday prayers, in Tehran EPA/Abedin Taherkenareh Rohingya refugees  in pictures Indonesian Muslim activists hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya minority in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia EPA/Ali Lutfi Rohingya refugees  in pictures Members of an Islamic organisation shout slogans against the Burma government during a protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA

The United Nations has appealed for aid to help deal with a humanitarian crisis in Rohingya refugee camps and makeshift shelters in southern Bangladesh where hundred of thousands of Rohingya have fled.

It said the stream of traumatised refugees was "showing no signs of stopping".

It is vital that aid agencies working in Cox's Bazar have the resources they need to provide emergency assistance to incredibly vulnerable people who have been forced to flee their homes and have arrived in Bangladesh with nothing, the UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh Robert Watkins said.

Agencies urgently needed $77m (58m) to cope with the emergency.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Tran Dai Nhat still remembers the moment his childhood disappeared forever.

The shy, five-year-old boy survived the bloody curtain call of the Vietnam War and was optimistic about a future free from military might and chemical warfare.

So, it was with bewilderment he was suddenly jolted from his happy daydreams by a sharp kick from a victorious Communist soldier. Your father was a dog, boy, bellowed the stockily-built man, Now run!

For many Vietnamese, 30 April 1975 marked a joyous day after 20 years of death and destruction at the hands of both indigenous and foreign fighters.

But for a significant number of children fathered as a result of rape by South Korean soldiers, it was the start of a living hell.

Mr Nhat recalled: Before April 1975, I had been treated well by the South Korean troops who lived on the base near my home in Phu Yen Province, central Vietnam. I was still too young to have any real sense of my identity and hadnt yet questioned my mother about why I looked different to other Vietnamese children.

But when the Communists declared victory, everything changed for me. Suddenly, I knew I was dangerously dierent.

A period of painful bullying ensued in school. Mr Nhat said: I was bullied repeatedly. The other children kept asking who my father was and called him a 'dog'. I just kept suffering in silence.

I was 18 when my mother finally sat me down and told me she had been raped by Korean soldiers - not once but three times. My two sisters are also mixed blood or Lai Dai Han as we are known in Vietnam."

Vo Thi Tham (Will de Peyer)

The story of South Koreas involvement in the Vietnam War is largely untold.

Around 300,000 troops joined American forces in 1964. South Koreas contingent was bigger than that of Australia or New Zealand - second only to the US military. Troops were largely concentrated in Vietnams Central Province.

South Korean troops were not alone in their exploitation of civilian women but their country has never acknowledged the allegations or taken steps to investigate.

In 1987, the Amerasian Homecoming Act resettled the children of American soldiers in the United States. 21,000 Amerasians and more than 55,000 family members made homes on US soil as a result.

South Korea did not follow suit. According to Mr Nhat, a Ho Chi Minh City-based travel agent, an estimated 800 rape victims are still living and now determined to tell their stories. They want South Korea to recognise the children its soldiers fathered.

Despite his own struggles, Mr Nhat remains dedicated to caring for his elderly mother Tran Thi Ngai and leads me to her humble home in the Dong Hoa District of Phu Yen Province - a two-hour drive from popular beach resort Nha Trang.

Now 76, Mrs Ngais body is frail but her memory is sharp when it comes to recalling the sexual violence she suered during the war.

She occasionally pauses to wipe away tears. At one point, she breaks down and sobs as she oloads a lifetime of shame and secrecy.

She said: I was just a young girl during the war but I worked as a nurse to support people in my village. My parents worked on a farm and we were quite poor. Helicopters and bombs were a part of our everyday lives. There were operations happening every night. We suered a lot of hardship. We had no rice and constantly had to find ways of escaping the cross-fire.

Mrs Ngai was 24 and still a virgin when she was first raped. During my nursing shift, I went home to take a lunchtime nap. A South Korean commander from a nearby base appeared in my room and started hugging me. I froze. I felt petrified. No-one could argue with soldiers. He started touching my body and then raped me. I shouted out loud for help but no-one came. Afterwards I cried for days but my parents just shouted at me. They thought I had had sex with him of my own free will. No-one would believe me. My parents told me to abort the child so I tried to do it with medicine but it didnt work. Sometime after, I gave birth to a little girl. I thought about committing suicide but somehow I found a way to carry on.

Once defiled by Korean soldiers, women were labelled fair game for fellow comrades. This warped code of honour sealed Mrs Ngais fate for a second time. Catching her breath between sobs, she explained: The father of my first-born child returned to South Korea but sent another soldier to my house on the pretence of checking up on the baby. Once again, this man moved towards me holding me tightly before pulling me down to the ground and raping me on the floor. He later returned to Korea too and I gave birth again to another daughter. I cried every day.

Incredibly, Mrs Ngai was raped a third time the following year by yet another Korean solider who had been briefed on her whereabouts by departing colleagues. After it happened a third time I felt very vulnerable and miserable - like there was no hope anyone would believe me.

Doan Thi Chan (Will de Peyer)

Despite suffering crippling depression, Mrs Ngai made an admirable attempt to be a good mother. She was especially determined to send her children to school despite prejudice from teachers and parents.

She said: I received a lot of criticism from the villagers and my children were treated badly by the principal of the school who questioned their right to be there. Some teachers hit my children and asked them why they didnt return to Korea with their fathers. When they got older they moved to Ho Chi Minh City to escape the criticism in the village.

While the Ngai children were driven out of their homes to the big city, Mrs Ngai was terrorised by Communist soldiers who branded her a blood taker. She said: They took all my possessions and put me in prison but worst of all, they beat my grandfather to death.

Mrs Ngai felt confused in the fog of war but now she is very clear about what she wants now. I think the South Korean government should apologise for everything they did to women in Vietnam. Our country has suered during many chapters in history but it is the Lai Dai Han who still suffer now. The Americans took their children home but my children have been left behind by their fathers.

I still cry in silence in the dark - for my children and for myself. My wish is that I can seek some comfort in my lifetime simply in recognition that we exist.

Vo Thi Mai Dinh, from the Tuy Phuoc District, in Binh Dinh Province, has a similar story to tell.

Vo Thi Mai Dinh (Will de Peyer) (Peter Carroll)

She said: When I was 16 I didn't go to school. Instead, I was working as a cleaner to help my family survive during the war. One day I met a translator who said the local troops needed a dishwasher. I was so happy for chance of a better-paid job so I happily accepted the work at a nearby Division.

A year later I moved into another job as a lunch cook for one of the South Korean commanders. One day in 1972, I was taking food to his room when he closed the door. I was very frightened and scared but couldnt shout for help. He might have killed me.

Mrs Dinh pauses and a silent tear falls down her face. The pause denotes a lifetime of sadness. He raped me. Afterwards I was afraid of so many things including losing my job. I had to keep it a secret from everyone.

For months, the frightened young woman tried to camouflage her ever-swelling belly under billowing clothes. I couldnt share my pregnancy with family or friends. As my belly got bigger, I began receiving criticism from people but managed to carry on working a local farm.

Mrs Dinh finally gave birth to a baby boy. She remained fiercely protective of her right to mother him despite pressure from her family to put him up for adoption.

She explained: I was frightened and worried about the future but knew I would find a way of raising my baby alone. Sometimes we didnt have enough to eat but I tried my best. I really pitied him because of the stigma he grew up with - not having a father and being mixed-blood.

Mrs Dinh is a shy lady and is it taking great courage to speak out. She said: Im old now and I feel very shy about raising my voice. Mostly I try not to think about what happened all those years ago because its too painful.

Mrs Dinhs protective son Vo Xuan Vinh is anxiously waiting for his mother to finish. He said: During my childhood, people used to tease me saying I was mixed blood but I never knew my origin. One day I came home and asked my mother: Who is my father? It was a dicult time.

My mother was only a girl when she was raped. Since then she has had to work very hard to support me on her own.

The 44-year-old tree cutter is angry with his father, adding: This man was a senior commander in the army but he took no responsibility for me or my mother. I want someone to acknowledge what my mother went through because she is now old and has had a hard life.

Meanwhile, in Ninh Hoa District, Khanh Hoa Province, Cu Thi Hong Lien, now 68, is also trying to make sense of a life blighted by abuse.

Cu Thi Hong Lien (Will de Peyer) (Peter Carroll)

Living in daily fear of their lives, Mrs Liens parents were delighted when a South Korean solider from a neighbouring base took a keen interest in their daughter and offered his assistance in the form of food donations and employment.

They were dangerously unaware that his gestures of kindness were part of a calculated grooming process which would end with him claiming the vulnerable girls virginity.

Mrs Lien recalled: I was a teenager during the war and used to help my mother transport water to and from houses and sometimes the army base. We survived on one meal a day and at night we took refuge from the fighting under beds and tables. Helicopters were everywhere in the sky and one day I remember a bomb going off while I was out riding my bike. The Viet Cong were burning villages near where we lived. Every day was terrifying.

As the war stretched on, the Lien family became increasingly impoverished and sent Cu Thi Hong Lien to work for local Korean troops at the nearby Divisional base doing odd jobs including cooking and cleaning.

Mrs Lien said: One soldier was like a father to me and began buying rice and other food for my family. I thought he was really nice. My mother would ask me to take bananas and coconuts to him as a way of saying thank you. A relationship between him and my family was established.

One day, the soldier treated his new surrogate daughter to a glass of Coke while she was tidying his living quarters. Mrs Lien doesnt remember what happened in the immediate aftermath of consuming the liquid.

She said: The next thing I knew I was waking up from a very deep sleep. I realised straight away that I had had sexual intercourse. It was 4pm and I was sitting in his living room in a pool of blood.

Mrs Lien believes the high-ranking soldier slipped a heavy sedative into her drink before raping her. Later she discovered she was pregnant and gave him the news.

He was terrified of losing his job, she explained, So he accompanied me to Saigon where he paid for lodgings to keep me out of sight. It was a lonely, frightening time.

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

By the time Mrs Liens daughter Cu Thi Thuy Dung, now 48, was born, the soldier was long gone from Vietnam. She said: Im still angry at the way he just left us. We have been shunned by society in our own country for something that was not our fault.

We deserve answers now. All of us do.

The Untold Stories of Vietnamese Women, an event hosted by Justice for Lai Dai Han featuring former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw as guest speaker, is being held at the Hilton Double Tree, 30 John Islip Street, London, on Tuesday 12 September at 7.15pm
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

An Australian advert promoting the countrys lamb produce has sparked a diplomatic complaint over its "offensive" depiction of the Hindu god Ganesh.

The High Commission of India in Canberra has made a demarche to Australias department of foreign affairs and trade, the department of communication and arts and the department of agriculture over the advert. The Consulate General of India has also contacted the organisation behind the advert, requesting it be withdrawn.

The advert, by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), shows a number of religious figures sat around a table together enjoying a lamb dish. Members of the party include Jesus, Moses, Buddha, Aphrodite, and Ganesha, alongside an alien figure and Scientology leader L Ron Hubbard. The Prophet Mohamed is unable to make it, the party is informed.

The campaign is part of the MLAs Never lamb alone messaging and features the line, Lamb, the meat we can all eat.

The Hindu god Lord Ganesha is widely known as a vegetarian and is never shown eating meat. The High Commission said in a statement the Indian community considers the advert offensive and hurting their religious sentiments".

Many complained about the advert on social media, while the Hindu Council Australia has condemned the advert and called for it to be removed, labelling the work a crude and deplorable attempt by Meat & Livestock Australia to use images of Ganesha to promote lamb consumption.

Australias Advertising Standards Bureau has received 50 complaints since the campaign launched a week ago. The body is now investigating the advert, The Drum reported.

The MLA has not yet responded to complaints, but group managing director Andrew Howie told the publication the work was intended to show Australia as accommodating and accepting.

The intention was not to upset any religion or to result in the response that we have received, he said.

"We were trying to paint Australia as an accommodating and accepting country."

Mr Howie said the MLA is working on compiling a response to the advertising watchdog and will work hard to prove our case and show that our intentions were not to offend but to be inclusive and present a unified Australia.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Australians have been encouraged to eat more kangaroo meat as a way of controlling the population, which is nearing 50 million.

Government figures from 2016 show there were almost 45 million kangaroos, nearly double the human population of Australia.

In 2010, there were around 27 million, with the huge rise in numbers considered to be due to environmental factors, with high rainfall resulting in more food for the kangaroos.

Experts are now encouraging Australians to hunt the marsupials in order to reduce their numbers.

 Man punches kangaroo in the face to save pet dog

Associate Professor David Paton, from the University of Adelaide, said Australians needed to embrace kangaroo meat to avoid wasting their carcasses once they are culled.

He told ABC News: "If we're going to cull these animals we do it humanely, but we also perhaps should think about what we might use the animals that are killed for."

He added: We shouldnt just simply leave them out in paddocks to rot or leave them in the reserves to rot.

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

Professor Paton went on to warn a large kangaroo population could pose a threat to biodiversity.

Its not the kangaroos fault theyre overabundant, its probably weve just been too reluctant to take a stick to them, remove them out of the system sooner, to actually prevent the damage being caused," he said.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Four EU countries are proposing a new tax on multinational corporations aimed at hitting major US tech giants, such as Apple, Amazon and Google, that have been accused of avoiding corporation tax.

A letter to the European Commission by the finance ministers of France, Germany, Spain and Italy says an equalisation tax paid on turnover instead of profits could recoup some of what these companies should be paying in terms of corporate tax.

Corporation tax is paid on profits rather than revenue and firms operating over the internet have been accused of cutting their tax bills dramatically by declaring profits abroad instead of in the countries where their consumers are located.

A turnover tax would likely be more difficult to avoid because it would be harder for companies to claim that their revenue came from elsewhere.

Being able to appropriately tax the companies operating in the digital economy is a major challenge for the European Union, the countries ministers said in the letter to the Commission.

We should no longer accept that these companies do business in Europe while paying minimal amounts of tax to our treasuries. Economic efficiency is at stake, as well as tax fairness and sovereignty.

We ask the EU Commission to explore EU law compatible options and propose any effective solutions based on the concept of establishing a so-called equalisation tax on the turnover generated in Europe by the digital companies.

The amounts raised would aim to reflect some of what these companies should be paying in terms of corporate tax.

The ministers add that the practical proposal would demonstrate our commitment to appropriately tax the companies of the digital economy in a way that reflects their genuine activity in the EU.

EU-wide tax measures must be agreed unanimously following a proposal by the European Commission. Low-tax jurisdictions that benefit from the current arrangements such as Ireland and Luxembourg would also have to back the plan.

A European Commission spokesperson told reporters in Brussels that the EU institution would wait to see what specific proposal the countries came up with.

5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Show all 5 1 /5 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Facebook Facebook paid 4327 in corporation tax in 2014, after it made a pre-tax loss of 28.5 million, according to filings at Companies House. That's less tax that new average UK employee pays on their salary. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Amazon Amazons UK business paid just 11.9m in corporation tax last year, even though the online retail giant took 5.3bn in sales from British shoppers. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Google So well known for avoiding tax that it had the 'Google tax' on multinationals that move profits to low-tax countries named after it. Alarm bells started ringing in 2012, when Google revealed it payed only 11.6 million to the Treasury, despite taking 3.4 billion in the UK. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Uber Uber paid 22,134 in UK corporation tax last year despite making an 866,000 profit. 5 tax avoiding companies in the UK Starbucks In October, the European Commission ruled that Starbucks' tax deal in the EU was illegal, ordering it to pay pay between 20-30 million to the Netherlands.

I dont really want to comment at this stage because we really would need to see how a tax like this would be constructed. There are lots and lots of different ideas that also our experts have been looking at, that other member states have been looking at in the past, she said.

She added: Well see what the options are, study those, and take those forward.

VAT is similar to a turnover tax. Previous examples of turnover taxes include one in operation in the Soviet Union.
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Russia must allow Nato monitors to observe its military exercises near Baltic states next week to ensure they are not being used as a disguise or precursor for aggressive action against neighbours, the alliance's secretary general has said.

Jens Stoltenberg said Russia must accept Nato observers under guidelines agreed between the two powers for exercises of more than 30,000 troops.

He dismissed Moscow's claims that the Zapad 2017 exercise with Belarus would feature less than 30,000 troops, claiming Russia was "under-reporting" and "using loopholes" to avoid scrutiny, with around 100,000 estimated to be taking part.

Mr Stoltenberg also warned that exercises in the past have been used as a way to build up to invasions of other territories.

The exercise will run from September 14 to 20 not far from the borders of Nato allies Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

Britain has a battle group in Estonia, while Nato has stationed troops in the other Baltic states and Poland.

Mr Stoltenberg told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "Every nation, also Russia, has the right to exercise its forces.

"The problem is they are not doing that in a transparent way and we have seen before that Russia has used big military exercises as a disguise or a precursor for aggressive military actions against neighbours.

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

"That happened in Georgia in 2008 when they invaded Georgia and it happened in Crimea in 2014 when they illegally annexed Crimea.

"So we call (on) Russia to be fully transparent."

Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said: "This is the biggest exercise I think for four years, over 100,000 Russian and Belorussian troops now on Nato's border.

"This is designed to provoke us, it's designed to test our defences, and that's why we have to be strong."

He added: "Russia is testing us and testing us now at every opportunity, we are seeing a more aggressive Russia, we have to deal with that."

Press Association
National joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy and Russia's Gazprom would receive final decisions on the gas price formula in the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, Naftogaz Head Andriy Kobolev has said.

"Under the request of the tribunal we held talks with Gazprom on the gas purchase and sale contract. We recently finished them and we are going to the tribunal to receive the final decision on the new formula and some other aspects of future cooperation with this company," he said on Channel 5 TV last week.

"I would say it carefully: we have not reached the progress the tribunal counted on," he said.

As reported, Naftogaz Ukrainy and Gazprom on May 31, 2017 received the separate award of the tribunal in the gas supply case. The tribunal gave Naftogaz a right to demand a reduction in the gas price under a contract with the Russian monopolist based on market conditions, and also canceled the requirements of Gazprom to NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy based on the principle "take or pay" and completely canceled the ban on Ukraine's re-export of gas.

The Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce will issue its final verdict in the dispute between Naftogaz and Gazprom over their gas supply contract of 2009 no later than November 30, 2017.
Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for weekly expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

As the first rays of sunlight hit Uluru (Ayers Rock), making Australias most famous hunk of sandstone glow a deep scarlet red against the orange-blue sky, the crowd of tourists that has gathered at the sunrise viewpoint lets out a collective coo. Its a magical  almost spiritual  experience. For me, at least.

We didnt come all this bloody way not to climb Ayers Rock, huffs a young teenage girl behind me.

Its a bit windy, her younger brother protests meekly. What if we fall off?

His sister rolls her eyes. She reminds me a bit of myself at that age, having coerced my younger brother into performing all manner of risky stunts alongside me as children. But while scaling Uluru (and buying the T-shirt) was once the key goal for those who made the pilgrimage to Australias Red Centre, this is one hike Im happy to skip.

For one, its dangerous  more than 35 people have died climbing the 348-metre monolith since tourism kicked off here in the 1940s, and many more have been rescued at great risk and expense, including three Australian tourists who were retrieved last September after falling into a crevice. It also has an environmental impact, with the soles of climbers shoes leaving a path up the rock that is visible for miles. Plastic water bottles get dropped, and climbers with poor bladder control pollute waterholes used by wildlife.

Most importantly, climbing Uluru goes against the wishes of the Anangu people, the traditional owners of Uluru, for whom the rock and the tjukurpa (creation stories) associated with it hold deep spiritual significance. If you werent aware of the cultural implications of climbing Uluru before, they are difficult to ignore when you visit, given they are now plastered around Ayers Rock Resort and communicated by rangers and guides who lead tours in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Even if you miss those hints, its impossible to miss the huge signboard at the base of the climb.

We, the traditional Anangu owners, have this to say, the sign reads. Uluru is sacred in our culture, a place of great knowledge. Under our traditional law, climbing is not permitted. This is our home. Please dont climb.

Climbing Uluru, however, is perfectly legal, and around 60,000 tourists march right past this sign and up the rock each year. While the climb is often closed due to high winds or extreme heat, most days it remains open.

Uluru is sacred to the Indigenous Australian people (Sarah Reid)

By 8am on a Tuesday, dozens of people are milling about the car park at the base of the climb. When a ranger arrives to open the climb before leading the excellent free daily Mala Walk around the base, a young Australian family makes the first move towards the black chain (installed in 1964 and extended in 1976) that jags up the northwestern face of the rock like an unsightly black scar.

I know we shouldnt but were doing it anyway, the mother from Melbourne tells me when I query her about her motivation for attempting the ascent. I climbed it when I was younger and I want my kids to be able to have the same experience in case it gets closed, she says.

Why the climb remains open, and how long it will stay that way, is complicated. Ulurus land title was handed back to its traditional owners in 1985, but was immediately leased to the Australian federal government to be jointly managed as a national park for 99 years. The current Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park management plan states that the climb will be permanently closed when the proportion of visitors climbing falls below 20 per cent, and with Parks Australia confirming that climber rates have hovered around 20 per cent for the past few years, that day might not be far off. The government could close it earlier, of course, but despite calls to shut it down becoming louder these days, especially following climber incidents, it hasnt happened.

Bruce Munros Field of Light exhibition will run till the end of March 2018 (Sarah Reid)

By 9am I count at least 30 people in various states of ascent, including a group of Korean tourists wearing inappropriate footwear posing for selfies about 50 metres up the face. I can accept that the cultural impact of clambering on the icon might be a little hazy for visitors with limited English skills, but given climbers come from all walks of life, there seems to be only one explanation as to why so many still do it: Indigenous culture is still not taken seriously, in Australia, or abroad. If it was, tourists would show the same unquestioning respect for local culture and customs that they do in other destinations, whether it be removing your hat to enter a church, avoiding certain parts of a temple or mosque if you are a woman or removing your shoes before entering someones home. Locals would encourage it, and the government would enforce it.

Its a reality that Sammy Wilson, grandson of the late Paddy Uluru, who played an instrumental role in the Aboriginal Land Rights movement that kicked off in 1966, is all too familiar with.

Imagine if our mob went to Asia and started climbing on their temples? Sammy says as we tuck into a plate of barbecued maku (witchetty grubs) on a cultural tour of Anangu Country. For us it is the same; Uluru is our sacred place. By climbing it you are disrespecting our culture. Why would you still do it when you know that?

Some Australians claim that Uluru is for all Australians. But that argument seems a bit weak when you consider that the Anangu had been living here for 22,000 years before Captain Cook first set foot on Australian soil, and Uluru holds no religious significance for piranpa (white people).

And its not like theres nothing else to do out here. Amid the dozens of other activity options on offer, Bruce Munros epic Field of Light exhibition was recently extended until the end of March 2018, and several new tours have already been launched this year. The national parks excellent Cultural Centre, where you can watch Anangu artists at work, is free to visit with your 14.40 park entry ticket, as is taking a stroll around the base of Uluru, where the mysterious tjukurpa come to life.

For most visitors I meet on my visit, thats enough. Why others would rather snap a selfie on top of Uluru than respect the wishes of its guardians is beyond me. But, for now at least, its your choice.

More information

Seit Outback Australia (seitoutbackaustralia.com.au) runs seven-hour guided tours of Uluru for A$280 (172) per person, including afternoon tea and sunset drinks and appetisers.

ayersrockresort.com.au
Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

Now that the UK is blundering around trying to find its way out of the EU, it is perhaps too much to ask that Britain should devote more time to talking to old friends in the Gulf region. It certainly seems that Britain is so wrapped up in the Brexit morass that most other parts of the world are being neglected.

The Brexit game must be exhilarating for those immediately involved, in terms of keeping the Tory Party together and advancing politicians careers. Sadly, if you take a pace back, it looks insane to put personal ambition and party politics ahead of the future of the country, particularly when playing a weak hand without a clear strategy, as seems to be the case in the Brexit negotiations.

Boris Johnson, the British Foreign Secretary, who is given to making statements about Britain being a great player and a positive force on the global stage, seems in practice to be undermining Britains strengths as a global player. Long is the list of international problems where Britain seems to have lost its voice, among them the Middle East and the Gulf.

The Foreign Secretary did pay a visit to the Gulf at the start of July, in an attempt to assist Kuwaits mediation efforts in the dispute with Qatar. His visit was hardly reported in the region and, from what I hear in Abu Dhabi, he did not have anything helpful to say. Recent French, US and indeed Algerian attempts to make progress were taken much more seriously in the region.

There is, I believe, something more serious affecting Britain, going well beyond the present obsession with Brexit. It started 20 years ago in the early Blair years, when the Middle East was downgraded a few notches, and Ministers lost the easy relationship which Britain had enjoyed with the Gulf States.

 'Boris Johnson's conscience' parody sung at anti-Brexit march on Parliament

Ministers have, in my view, had progressively less to say to Gulf leaders in this century, except to ask them to buy more British goods and services. This is an important element in the relationship, and brings large numbers for example of Emirati and British people into contact. It is however a bit cheap to go on about commerce if there is no overarching political relationship to guide it, no willingness to take the Gulf States seriously.

Britains default foreign policy position in the Middle East, starting from the Blair era, has been to follow the American line. Emiratis and others have given up expecting the British to take an independent view, based on their long involvement in the Gulf Region.

I remember, when I was the British Ambassador in Abu Dhabi in the late 1990s, being asked by Emirati friends what the British view on a particular issue was. Please tell us, they would say, what the British position really is: we know what the Americans think. Repeating the American line with a British accent (which was Blairs particular skill) no longer impresses anybody, especially with President Trump in the White House.

The UAE is a vital player in the Gulf region. It has grown into the second-largest of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the second-largest Arab economy. It has equipped its armed forces with advanced weaponry, with the clear aim of protecting its national interests and packing a muscular punch where it believes that it can make a difference.

 Boris Johnson didn't know about the major report into impact of Brexit

The UAEs immediate sphere of interest is surrounded by strategic hotspots, like the passage through the Red Sea and the Bab El Mandeb, the Gulf itself and the Straits of Hormuz. The UAE has to balance Iran, the complexities of the collapsed states of Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya, and to maintain its support for Egypt. It is a small state but one determined not to be pushed around. It has naturally drawn closer to Riyadh in their joint efforts to tackle regional crises.

If the UAE can influence Saudi thinking, it greatly extends Emirati diplomatic and military power. At the same time, the UAE remains the most open and dynamic of all the GCC States and is a natural hub for foreign companies operating in the Gulf. The Emiratis see themselves rightly as leaders in their rapidly evolving region: they are, to many Arabs, a fine example of what Arab states could, with the right leadership, become.

Britain is still a member of the Security Council. It is a nuclear power and, like France, spends heavily on defence. It possesses first-class intelligence services and retains the trappings of a major power.

I see little evidence, however, that the UK is playing any useful role in the Gulf, by  for example  keeping close to the UAE and coordinating military and diplomatic activity with the Emiratis. If Britain is to be any kind of player on the global stage, then it should take its Gulf friends more seriously.
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}

The Metropolitan Police in London will in a few hours time find themselves involved in the Gulf crisis when UK lawyers for three prominent Qataris submit their evidence of alleged torture and illegal imprisonment for which they blame up to 10 senior officials of the United Arab Emirates  including a cabinet minister and a high-ranking security adviser.

Human Rights lawyer Rodney Dixon QC will hand the Met details of alleged beatings, torture and illegal imprisonment of the three Qataris, one of them close to the head of Qatars own State Security Service, under the terms of the 1988 Criminal Justice Act  which allows British police to investigate and arrest foreign nationals entering the UK if they are suspected of war crimes, torture or hostage-taking anywhere in the world.

Prime Minister Theresa May, who only a few weeks ago decided to keep secret a British police report on terrorist funding for fear it would upset Saudi Arabia, will no doubt be infuriated to discover that the Metropolitan Police are now being asked to investigate the alleged crimes of senior officials in the Emirates  one of Saudi Arabias closest allies in the dispute with Qatar.

One of the three Qataris was repeatedly accused of being a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, the very Islamist group that the Saudis have accused Qatar of supporting. According to the same man  the one associated with the Qatar secret police  he was beaten and electrocuted and held in solitary confinement for almost a year.

 May denies suppressing report into Saudi Arabia's funding of extremism to protect arms deals

Section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act  which cannot be Mays favourite piece of legislation  effectively allows the police or UK border agencies to question anyone, including wealthy Arab dignitaries visiting Britain on holiday, about torture and war crimes committed abroad. Cynics might suggest that the Qataris wish to embarrass their Emirati brothers during the expensive political crisis which principally involves Saudi Arabi and Qatar. And such cynics may be right. The Saudis have demanded that Qatar end its funding of terrorism, close down the international Al Jazeera television station and break off relations with Iran. As almost all Arabs will tell you, this crisis  which is somewhat contrived since Donald Trump, in his wisdom, is selling billions of dollars of weapons to both Saudi Arabia and Qatar  is about Iran and about the Sunni Arab worlds desire to crush Iranian Shiite power in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

The US President has  during moments of both clarity and insanity  supported the Saudi policy against Iran, one which is also enthusiastically endorsed by Israel. This weeks attempt to bring the Met into the politics of the Middle East may thus be seen in this highly toxic context. But stripped of its legal, and supposedly criminal aspects, however, the whole affair also says as much about the brazen relationships between Arab Gulf states as it does about the humane standards of secret police interrogation boasted by those who protect the emirs and potentates of the region.

I understand, for example, that after the original arrest of the three Qataris  one of them at Dubai airport, two others while crossing the Saudi land border into the Emirates  their imprisonment and alleged torture between 2013 and 2015 was well known to the Qatari authorities who preferred to try and resolve the matter without publicity. The senior Qatari security agent, I gather, was accused of bringing espionage equipment into the Emirates. Two of the three men made confessions on police videotape long before their release in May 2015 after being told they would be freed if they did so. These confessions were made after the men say they were subjected to prolonged torture, including the use of electricity and being hung upside down by their interrogators.

And there the matter might have ended  if the inter-Arab squabble between Saudi Arabia and Qatar had not broken out this summer and if the Emirati authorities had not then broadcast the police confessions of two of the three Qataris. If they now seek to clear their names and expose the ordeal of their alleged imprisonment and torture  as, I gather, they will in London this week  it would be interesting to know why they did not take this step when they were released more than two years ago. They claim that the confessions were tortured out of them.

As for the poor old Met, no one would dispute that when constabulary dutys to be done  even under Section 134  a policemans lot is not a happy one. And there are indeed times when inter-Arab politics  even without Trumps appearance  might be better illustrated in the form of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. And this would be true if torture and solitary confinement was not the bedrock of every Arab state in the entire Middle East.
Gardai said the man and woman were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on the main Cork to Limerick road

A man and a woman have been killed in a road accident involving two cars and a lorry.

Gardai said the man and woman, aged in their 60s, were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on the main Cork to Limerick road.

It happened on the N20 at the Waterloo junction, a turn-off for Blarney, at about 11am.

The driver of the car in which the man and woman died was also injured, along with another woman who was the third passenger in the vehicle.

They were being treated at Cork University Hospital and their injuries are described as non life-threatening.

Gardai said the car was in collision with a lorry.

The lorry driver was not injured.

A third vehicle was at the junction at the time of the crash but it is understood the driver was not injured.

The N20 around the Waterloo junction was closed for forensic examination.
Colum Eastwood said London and Dublin should set out fair and compromise solutions to the deadlock if the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein do not come to agreement

Powersharing negotiations will require more than "nice words" to restore the Stormont Executive, Michelle O'Neill has warned.

The warning came after a day of talks involving Northern Ireland's five main political parties and Secretary of State James Brokenshire.

Ms O'Neill, Sinn Fein's Northern Ireland leader, said: "We'll see what happens over the course of the week but obviously today there has been a whole series of engagements and we will be engaging in a whole series of meetings throughout this week.

"It's certainly been useful in terms of the engagement that we've had and in terms of understanding positions, but really what we need to see is more than nice words.

"We need to see delivery, we need to see outstanding agreements implemented, we need to see rights delivered for all citizens, and that's the basis that we can form a sustainable executive and one that can actually stand the test of time."

She added that her party remains committed to the return of powersharing: "We have to talk, we have to deal with these issues, and certainly from a Sinn Fein point of view, we want to restore the executive, but it has to be an executive that works for everybody."

The party has previously said there can be no return to government without assurances from the DUP that a standalone Irish language act will be introduced, as well as legislation to introduce marriage rights for same-sex couples.

The DUP has insisted it has no preconditions for returning to government and remains committed to powersharing.

DUP leader Arlene Foster has suggested that cross-community legislation could be introduced to protect the rights of Irish language and Ulster Scots speakers.

However, this was rejected by Sinn Fein, who said the proposal was "nothing new".

Last week, Mr Brokenshire called on the parties to reach an agreement to return to government: "The window of opportunity to restore devolution and to form an executive is closing rapidly as we move further into the autumn, and with pressures in public services already evident, the need for intervention is becoming increasingly clear."
Joanna Lumley before a Children in Crossfire press conference at the Millennium Forum in Derry. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Joanna Lumley has said the Irish border should not be allowed to return.

The British Absolutely Fabulous actress said frontiers are invented and called on people to oppose the reinstatement of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

After Brexit in March 2019 the UK's only land border with an EU state will be on the island.

Lumley said: "I don't think we, and that means all of us here, should allow that border to be returned, just simply don't allow it.

"Say no, we will do something else but that border will not return."

The actress was visiting Derry, one of the border cities that will be worst hit if hard frontier controls are reintroduced on porous and invisible crossing points.

Lumley was born during the dying days of the Raj and India was her family's home for several generations.

She recently produced a new travelogue on India, the latest in a series of televised global wanderings, and said she was getting slightly addicted to travel.

The Irish border is high on the EU's list of priorities for Brexit talks, with the British Government proposing that the vast majority of small businesses should be able to trade unimpeded.

The UK has pledged to seek frictionless arrangements as part of the EU divorce settlement.

Lumley said: "People say, 'oh, but it is Brexit and stuff' - the European Union was set up by men and people who have made the rules, it can be picked apart by people who make the rules.

"It does not exist, the border does not exist, borders actually don't exist in the world.

"We have invented them, we have named these people this name and those people that name, got a piece of paper to go between, 'oh, your government does not like this'."

She said a speaker from Ethiopia had been denied access to speak at the Londonderry conference.

She added: "What is happening to us? This is crazy, so the first thing we say is that there will be no further border, we go on, we deal with whatever it is, the border will not come back."

Lumley was in the city as part of 20th anniversary celebrations for charity Children in Crossfire, which helps impoverished young people in the developing world.

The actress praised the organisation's work, adding: "We can pick up arms and fight or we can put them down and dance."
Kyiv and Astana are seeking ways to overcome complications in bilateral military-technical cooperation in the context of breach of Ukrainian-Russian defense cooperation, Ukraine's Charge d'Affaires in Kazakhstan Volodymyr Dzhydzhora has told journalists in Astana.

Asked about the progress of implementing the contract for the delivery of Ukrainian multi-purpose An-74-200 transport aircraft to the national guard of Kazakhstan, the Ukrainian diplomat specified the contract signed in 2014 for the supply of two An-74-200 aircraft to the Kazakh customer at this stage has been partially implemented. Its implementation is complicated by the breach of Ukrainian-Russian defense industrial cooperation in the conditions of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

"One aircraft has been delivered, the other one has been 80% built. Its building is suspended due to the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war and the termination of supply of Russian components to Kharkiv Aviation Plant," he said.

According to the official, the contract for the supply of Ukrainian aircraft to the Kazakh customer "was signed directly between the military unit and Kharkiv aircraft plant without any state guarantees." At the same time, according to him, after the plant joined Ukroboronprom state concern, "all decisions, both organizational and financial, are the responsibility of the governing structures."
A farmer in Cork lost four weanlings to coccidiosis this summer as the condition was found to be rampant in cattle examined at regional veterinary labs (RVL) around the country.

During the summer, coccidiosis was diagnosed in 24pc of submissions from bovine weanlings across all RVLs.

In an example of an unusually severe presentation of the disease, a heavy parasitic load of coccidia and nematodes was observed in a group of eight seven-month-old weanlings by Cork RVL.

The clinical signs were weakness and diarrhoea, progressing to recumbency. Four calves died in total.

Expand Close Breakdown of pathogens identified in cases of bovine enteritis from all age calves in May and June 2017. Source: Department of Agriculture / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Breakdown of pathogens identified in cases of bovine enteritis from all age calves in May and June 2017. Source: Department of Agriculture

Botulism was considered as a tentative differential diagnosis by the veterinary practitioner at the early stages of the clinical examination and investigation, as weakness was the main clinical sign observed and so many animals were affected over such a short timeframe.

However, following consultation with laboratory staff, it was agreed that since there was no history of exposure to poultry litter and a typical flaccid paralysis was not observed, this differential diagnosis was less likely.

Examination of the intestinal sections taken at necropsy revealed marked infiltration of eosinophils and abundant coccidial oocysts at various stages of their life cycles, from merozoites to microgamonts and macrogamonts.

The severity of the intestinal lesions was considered adequate to confirm severe acute coccidiosis as the cause of death.

Teagasc Adviser, Anthony O'Connor recently highlighted that coccidiosis has been on the increase in recent years, due mainly to the late spring, with the resultant late turnout of stock leading to a build-up of infection in calf bedding and creep area.

He says its all about hygiene and cleanliness as the calving season progresses.

What is Coccidiosis?

As with Cryptosporidia, Coccidiosis is caused by protozoa.

Cattle will develop immunity to the condition over time but young calves with an underdeveloped immune system placed in a dirty environment can succumb to the disease.

A dirty environment leaves calves more likely to ingest high numbers of the immature protozoa. Coccidiosis tends to be seen in calves from about 3 weeks old up to about 6 months.

Infected calves pass out large numbers of Oocytes which can contaminate the environment for other calves. The Oocytes are resistant and can survive for long periods in the environment (sheds etc)

Clinical Signs

The Coccidia can cause a watery scour because they damage the mucosa of the intestine. Damage to the intestine reduces the calf's ability to absorb fluids and nutrients and so calves that are infected can become dehydrates, may start to pass blood, shed part of the intestine lining and can become weak and uncoordinated.

Calves that have the condition can often be seen straining.

Probably the biggest economic loss is the poor thrive in animals that are affected. In many herds there may be sub clinical infection where animals show very little symptoms and will recover with time but thrive will be affected.

Treatment

According to Teagasc if a herd has had trouble with Coccidia in the past then they need to be vigilant because it can easily reoccur particularly where hygiene is poor.

In this case herds will often dose calves with Vecoxan (diclurazil) or Baycox (toltrazuril) as a prophylactic.

Typically calves will be given an oral dose of between 20-30ml depending on the weight of the calf.

Calves that are scouring become dehydrated and should receive normal electrolyte therapy and be removed from the group.

Prevention

Prevention is better than cure.

Here, Teagasc says hygiene is hugely important.

Increase the amount of straw bedding used in the calve areas. Try and prevent the build-up of faecal contamination around feed and water troughs.

Avoid mixing of different ages of calves as younger calves will be more susceptible.

If you have had a problem make sure sheds are cleaned and disinfected with a strong disinfectant (as recommended by your Vet) between batches of calves. Disinfectant choice that kills oocytes is critical.

Consult your Vet on the most effective disinfectant to use.

The use of hydrated lime as an additional disinfectant is recommended.

Animals can be given licenced medication as already mentioned to prevent the disease.

In some areas medicated licks containing Coccidistats are used under prescription. Please note that there is no vaccine available against Coccidia

Veterinary Assistance

If you suspect that there is an outbreak of Coccidiosis infection in your calves, prompt action is vital.

Consult with your veterinary surgeon immediately on your suspicions. It is also important that in a scour outbreak that a scour sample is taken to your local Vet and sent to a veterinary laboratory to identify the causal organism and confirm that it is Coccidiosis.

Treatment of calves will be very much dependent on the outcome of the sample results.
Crooked reject logs do not make the grade when it comes to processing and care needs to be taken at the thinning stage so forest owners can yield the most from their crop, according to a leading timber expert.

John Ryan of Murray Timber Group told the Talking Timber audience that good-quality logs with no defects yield the best price for forest owners. "We pay 75/ton for a 4.9m log of 16cm diameter with no knots or side branches. Reject logs are not acceptable. If thinned right, you'll get more value from your crop," he said.
Irish based oil and gas exploration company Providence Resources has issued an operational update confirming that 53/6-1 (pre-drill designation 53/6-A) well  the Drombeg Prospect, contains a water-bearing reservoir interval at the well location.

Frontier Exploration License 2/14, which is located 220 kilometres off the south-west coast of Ireland, is operated by Providence on behalf of its partners Capricorn Ireland Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Cairn Energy PLC,) and Sosina Exploration Limited, collectively referred to as the "JV Partners".

The possible presence of bitumen (a semi solid form of petroleum) was reported in drill cuttings within the Drombeg reservoir interval, which may indicate that it received an oil charge which was not retained at this location.

However, in a statement today Providence said that further studies would be required in order to confirm this interpretation and its implications for the wider prospectivity within FEL 2/14.

As per the pre-agreed and consented programme, the well is currently being plugged and abandoned after which the drill ship the Stena IceMAX will be demobilised from Irish waters.

Commenting on the news, Tony O'Reilly, CEO of Providence said the results were "disappointing",

"We will now assess these well data in order to understand what implications they have for prospectivity within the licence including in the underlying pre-Cretaceous Diablo Prospect together with other anomalies within FEL 2/14," Mr OReilly said.

He went on to say that through the companys pre-drill commercial transactions with Cairn and TOTAL, the companys financial exposure to the well was "significantly reduced."

"We remain well funded for our forward drilling operations offshore Ireland, with Barryroe being planned as our next well in this programme," Mr O Reilly said.

In August shares in Providence fell after it announced that a well drilled at its Druid prospect had shown it was filled with water.
Deloitte is looking to recruit 300 graduates in Ireland.

The professional services firm is looking to make hires in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Belfast and Galway. Areas in which it is looking to add staff include corporate finance, tax, information management and analytics, and consulting.

Roles in cyber risk and systems integration will also be part of the programme.

The recruitment drive is looking to target millennial candidates via social media and has an option to allow the online application and assessment process to be completed via a smartphone or tablet.

The company said it is looking for applications from all academic disciplines for the roles.

"Young leaders measure career and life success in many different ways, they don't just prefer inclusive and engaging workplaces - they require them," said Deloitte's chief human resources officer Orla Graham.

"Millennials also view 'inclusion' more broadly than the 'diversity' focus of previous generations. This generation wants to bring their whole selves to work, and this value resonates with us here at Deloitte as we strive to provide the leaders of the future with an environment where they will succeed and thrive."

Deloitte already employs around 2,700 people here.
Associated British Foods raised its outlook for full year results on Monday, driven by a strong sales and margin performance from its Penneys fashion business.

The group, which also has major sugar, grocery, agriculture and ingredients businesses, said it expected to report good growth in adjusted operating profit and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) in its year to September 16.

The group made EPS of 106.2 pence in 2015-16.

AB Foods said Primarks (Penneys in Ireland) 2016-17 sales were expected to be 13pc ahead of last year at constant currency, with like-for-like sales up 1pc.

At actual exchange rates, sales were expected to be 20pc ahead.

Read more: Primark sees sales surge helped by better weather

Primark, which accounts for over half of AB Foods profit, performed particularly well in the UK where full-year sales were expected to be 10pc ahead of last year and market share gains were achieved.

Primarks full-year operating profit margin was forecast to be better than the first halfs 10pc, ahead of previous guidance.

The group said it expected to end the year with net cash of 650m (714m) compared with net debt of 315m (346m) in the previous year.

The fashion retailer added 1.5 million square feet of selling space in 2016-17 and plans 1.2 million in 2017-18.

Shares in the group, majority owned by the family of Chief Executive George Weston, have increased 19pc percent so far this year.

They closed Friday at 3,265 pence, valuing the business at 25.9bn.
A remarkable one in every 10 people in the world over the age of 50 is understood to suffer hearing loss. The problem is not improving, given that the elderly are now sticking around for a lot longer than they used to.

Assuming that the marketing people are right when they say that 13 million hearing aids and 60,000 hearing implants are sold every year, the smart investor is fast asleep if he/she is not attracted to the investment potential of the leading edge suppliers to this market.

The most interesting supplier I could find is the Copenhagen-based specialist, William Demant A/S. Hardly a household name, but known in Ireland as Hidden Hearing, Demant has, nevertheless, been serving the interests of the 'hard-of-hearing' for more than 113 years.

Today, it makes and sells hearing devices of all shapes and sizes, featuring brands like Oticon, Bernafon, and Sonic. The group operates its own companies in 30 countries, with distributors in another 130 locations around the world.

Its manufacturing arm Oticon is the world's second largest manufacturer of hearing aids. Listed in Copenhagen, it has a market value of 5.7bn and employs 12,600 people.

The company was the brainchild of Hans Demant, who started to import hearing devices to Denmark in the early years of the 20th century and quickly built up a business in the Nordic countries.

The company faced the familiar challenges during the two world wars and the Great Depression, but with the arrival of the 1960s it was happy to take on the rest of Europe, the US, and more recently China. It didn't get a market listing until 1995.

Just now the global market for hearing products is estimated to be worth $6bn (5bn), with Europe and the US providing by far the biggest demand. The experts believe that the market is growing at 4pc to 6pc each year due to the world's ageing population. That might understate the position with improved healthcare in Asia.

However, the industry is highly competitive, with six major companies competing for market share.

The European market is consolidating and, following Demant's acquisition of the French retail chain, Audika, its competitor Sonova acquired the European retail company, AudioNova.

Demant A/S has a presence in all product segments - hearing devices, hearing implants, diagnostic instruments and headphones (used in call centres). Its largest business is still in hearing aids, which account for 88pc of revenues. This business had strong growth last year and a one-third increase over the last three years. Interestingly, last year it launched the world's first hearing aid that connects and interacts with the internet.

The group's diagnostic instruments business is the market leader and had sales of 150m last year, driven by strong performances in Asia and the Pacific region. It reported challenging conditions in oil-dependent markets. Hearing implants is the group's smallest business with 3pc of group revenues.

Europe is Demant's largest market with 43pc of total revenue, up 24pc last year helped by its acquisitions. The North American market generated sales that were 39pc of group revenue. While the US market retail sales were flat, Canada showed strong growth.

I had a close look as the trends in the Demant business over the last five years.

Revenues of 1.6bn are up 40pc, operating profits reached a record high last year, showing a 29pc increase since 2012. Cash flow from operations gained 38pc in the same period.

Importantly for investors, dividend payouts increased 27pc. The shares meanwhile have had a decent showing. They hit a five-year high early this year, up from a yearly low of 14. Today, they trade above 22.60.

The Demant family is still keeping a tight grip on the business, with its 'family foundation' controlling 60pc of the stock. However, a Canadian pension fund investor recently bought a 7.8pc stake, suggesting that shares may be 'one to watch'.

Nothing in this section should be taken as a recommendation, either explicit or implicit to buy any of the shares mentioned.
At first glance, this interview about empanadas in the Chilean city of Andacollo is like any other you might stumble upon online.

Captured by Kuarta TV, this video has now gone viral however  keep an eye on the bottom right corner to see why.

Thats right, unbeknown to those in the video  and in full stealth mode  a dog managed to nick one of the pastries mid-video.

The ninja-like thief wasnt noticed by the crew making the film, but has since received a huge amount of attention online  where you can be sure youll be watching it over and over

In Chile, the response to the hungry little pooch has been massive  with one artist even creating a political poster encouraging people to vote for them as president.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

With the dog receiving so much love from Spanish speakers, you can be sure its only a matter of time before the rest of the world starts to follow suit.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

Chilean thief dog  youre a hero.
The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland has paid tribute to the country's exhausted grandparents who keep on caring, giving and honouring the sacrifices, responsibilities and generosity that hold family life together.

At a Mass for over 5,000 grandparents and great-grandparents from all over the country, who attended a special pilgrimage in their honour in Knock, Co Mayo, Archbishop Eamon Martin recalled one grandmother who recently asked him to pray for her daughter's marriage.

Though the family lives in a lovely, four-bedroom house with all the 'mod cons', the huge demands of work are putting pressure on their relationship.

The grandmother looks after her grandchildren four times a week, and often on Saturdays because the parents feel the need to relax with friends after the exhaustion of their week.

She brings the children to Mass on a Sunday and, last year, because the father and mother were caught up in other things, she helped the grandson prepare for First Holy Communion.

"It was so different when we were growing up," the grandmother told him, adding: "Everyone seems so isolated today, even lonely."

Speaking to the Irish Independent, Dr Martin said Irish society needs to provide assurances to the elderly that they won't be forgotten or "written out of our plans for society".

"The measure of any society is how it cares for its most vulnerable" and "no one wants to see their grandparents or the elderly struggling to get a hospital bed and forced to sit on a trolley," he said.

He said the Government had to help the elderly and ensure they are not forgotten when it comes to things like transport and care facilities for when they are sick.

However, he applauded the Health Minister's efforts to try to reduce waiting lists, particularly in A&E services.

The prelate's own mother is now 90 and has 32 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. He admitted when his nieces and nephews need prayers for exams they go to his mother and not their uncle, the archbishop.

"The people of Ireland love their grandparents and there is still a tremendous respect for the elderly in this country - long may that continue because we depend so much on them for child minding, advising and counselling families," he said.

He said the Catholic Grandparents Pilgrimage was a "day in which the Church acknowledges the pivotal role of grandparents in the lives of families". Grandparents, he said, are often "quite literally holding families together" and were therefore also holding society together.
Naftogaz Ukrainy has confirmed its readiness to fulfill the daily request of PJSC Gazprom for transit of Russian gas to Europe in the amount of 315 million cubic meters (mcm), replacing Nord Stream stopped for repairs.

"Over the past seven days the daily application for transit of Russian gas through Ukraine has increased by 47 million cubic meters. Naftogaz Ukrainy is ready to ensure the implementation of the enlarged applications in full, although such significant fluctuations in transit volumes are not stipulated by the terms of the contract between Naftogaz and Gazprom," Naftogaz said.

At the same time, according to data from Ukrtransgaz, at the Sudzha point of connection of gas transmission systems, the largest one in terms of gas supplies from the Russian Federation, today the pressure is 57 atm, which is 3 atm below the level stipulated by the transit agreement with Gazprom.

Naftogaz notes the maximum capacity of the Ukrainian GTS in the direction of Europe is more than 400 million cubic meters per day, while in contrast to Nord Stream halted for repairs such work at the Ukrainian GTS is conducted in the working mode and does not require termination of transit.
A bishop has told how the Church of Ireland community is fearful of the upcoming centenaries of the War of Independence and Civil War amid concerns they could reopen old sectarian divisions.

The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Dr Paul Colton, admitted that many in the church community in Cork "anticipate the coming centenary commemorations of the War of Independence and the Civil War fearfully and with a certain dread".

Many fear that the ceremonies will reopen old sectarian wounds - particularly given that the descendants of many of those involved in the events of 1919-22 are still living in the same general area.

To underline the seriousness with which the church community takes the centenaries, Dr Colton delivered his warning in a special sermon in Dunmanway in west Cork - an area which became notorious for a massacre of Protestants at the height of the Civil War.

Seventeen Protestants, ranging in age from 16 to 82, were killed by the IRA across west Cork in retaliation for the killing of IRA comm-ander Michael O'Neill outside Dunmanway in April 1922.

Dr Colton, in a sermon at St Mary's Church, urged everyone to handle the upcoming ceremonies "extremely sensitively".

"Among some in our Church of Ireland community the commemorations are anticipated fearfully and with a certain dread," Dr Colton said.
Our sense of home acts like a magnetic field.

A ballast, tethering us down and giving us a feeling of place, and belonging.

Every other aspect of our life radiates from it  the place we work, the schools we go to, the stores we shop in, the people we live with and next door to.

In both practical and psychological terms  our sense of home roots us; and forms the backbone of our identity.

Displacement from our homes reverberates deeply within us, and can knock us off course and out of kilter.

It was shelter and belonging that Danielle Carroll (27) craved.

Expand Close The remains of Danielle Carroll are taken from the church after her funeral Mass Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The remains of Danielle Carroll are taken from the church after her funeral Mass Photo: Gerry Mooney

A little house where her two sons DJ (7) and Carter (20 months) could have their own beds, and rest their heads.

Having spent months living in a hotel room in Leixlip, Co Kildare, it looked like she had found just that, a Dublin council offered her a small, boarded-up red brick house in Tallaght.

The previous owner had taken their life in the property, but for Danielle it offered some sense of hope and a place where she could watch her young family grow.

She was finally looking forward to moving in, her mother Margaret said. Only for her hopes to be dashed.

Expand Close A tribute to the young mother of two boys. Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A tribute to the young mother of two boys. Photo: Gerry Mooney

A week before she was due to move in, the council withdrew its offer and substituted Danielles house with an alternative property.

This house came with problems; there had been a suspected arson attack, people had been squatting and sleeping rough inside, and it was located in an area of Dublin Danielle felt threatened and unsafe in.

According to Margaret, Danielle begged the council to rescind on its decision  she told her family she thought she would end up dead if she moved there.

She felt it was a hopeless situation. She was struggling. She went off the rails with worry and she would say that nobody cared about her, Margaret said.

Danielle died by suicide on Friday last week. Ill miss her not coming through the door. Instead of coming here with her boys shes going into a hole in the ground, her mother said.

It would be reductive to suggest the housing crisis alone led to Danielles death, but as the housing crisis continues the direct line between homelessness and mental ill health becomes more pronounced.

In the last two weeks, four homeless people have died in Ireland in tents, or hostels, or on street corners.

According to the director of services at St Patricks Mental Health Services, Tom Maher, the correlation between homelessness and mental health difficulties is blindingly obvious.

Between the years 2006 and 2016, St Pats has recorded a 37pc increase in the number of people with no fixed abode being admitted annually to psychiatric units.

Dublin Simons Health Snapshot for 2013 showed that 71pc of its clients had a diagnosed mental health difficulty, of which 22pc had a diagnosis of psychosis or schizophrenia.

Thats significantly higher than the general population, where approximately 1pc of adults have schizophrenia.

Mr Maher stresses that within the bracket of homelessness, there is a difference between those who are roofless and those who are houseless.

Those living on the street for a number of years are roofless, while individuals living in limbo in Direct Provision, or sleeping in hostels and hotels are houseless.

The latter group is a recent phenomenon  one which our Government is struggling, and failing, to cope with.

We have no history of homelessness in Ireland, Mr Maher said. Certainly not on this scale. We are simply not prepared for the mental health epidemic that this housing crisis will lead to.

The impact long-term homelessness is having on children is not being addressed.

We are storing this problem; we are not dealing with it.

This week it emerged there are now 3,000 children homeless in Ireland. In Dublin, the number increased by 153, from 2,270 in June to 2,423.

On Morning Ireland an emotional young girl spoke about the stigma of walking through the school gates with the weight of homelessness hanging over your head.

Its hard to fit in and find someone who will accept you and your troubles. If you get to the stage where you can open up about this situation and the homelessness, theres still the sense of will they be your friend, or will they find you scum?

While a family can live in a hostel or hotel room, it doesnt lend itself to family life; a hotel room is not a communal living area; there are no washing machines, or cookers, no fireplace or TV room. No bedroom where you can escape your parents and listen to music at full volume.

Everybody should have a home, the schoolgirl said. Where they can walk in the door and smell their mother cooking their dinner. Thats what we miss.

Homelessness affects children on many levels; socially, physically, emotionally and cognitively.

Drifting through different houses, children and adolescents lose their community support systems, adversely affecting their participation in school.

On top of this, the emotional strain they are under while they consider confessing or concealing their home life is momentous and intensely isolating.

Being homeless is a form of solitary confinement that takes place in the open, UCD sociology Professor Tom Inglis said.

If you belong to a minority group there is a sense of bonding there. But the homeless in Ireland are not a community, they are a category. One which most are desperately trying to get out of.

Even if you hate where you live, or your family, it helps define who you are. If you dont have a home it can be difficult to know who you are.

The corrosive impact homelessness has on individuals is almost impossible to comprehend if youve always had a roof over your head.

Those with the security of a house simply cannot understand the grinding depression and anxiety this causes, Mr Maher said.

When someone is homeless and suffers with mental health issues they face double the amount of stigma.

This June, Mental Health Reform and the Dublin Simon Community launched a report which aimed to highlight the difficulties homeless people face while trying to access mental health as a result of bureaucracy.

In the report were case studies from homeless people talking about their experience of living on the street.

You wake up in the mornings and youre on your own, one said. God, I hate it, hate it Id wake up in the mornings crying. I mean, how could that be? Id wake up crying.

Another spoke about a feeling of no escape.

I reckon within a couple of months Ill probably be dead. Its better, in my mind I dont want to be going the way its going. Im ducking and diving from no one.
A Belfast man has been remanded into custody accused of an alleged online fraud over GAA All-Ireland final tickets.

Wesley Brennan (30) spoke only to confirm that he understood the charges against him at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

Brennan, with an address at College Green, appeared on a total of 11 offences across two bills of indictment.

In relation to the alleged GAA online ticket fraud, Brennan was charged with fraud by false representation on dates between August 21 and September 7, this year in that he allegedly created false advertising with intent to cause loss to a named victim and "at least two other people."

On that same indictment, Brennan was also accused of stealing a PS4, a controller and six games worth 500.

The nine counts on the second indictment accuse Brennan of two counts of fraud by false representation, six counts of theft and one of driving while disqualified, allegedly committed on various dates between March 24 and July 6 this year.

Giving evidence to the court, a police detective constable said he knew the circumstances behind each of the offences and he believed he could connect Brennan to them.

As no application for bail was lodged with the court, District Judge George Conner remanded Brennan into custody to appear again via videolink on September 29.
A judge has ordered the arrest of a Dublin youth who repeatedly punched and kicked a prison officer in the head.

Dublin Childrens Court heard the prison officer received a beating when he tried to break up a fight between two young offenders at Wheatfield Prison on June 5 last year.

Judge John OConnor issued a bench warrant for the teens arrest after he failed to turn up to court to face sentencing.

The youth had pleaded guilty earlier to the charge and had been on bail.

The court heard he had 39 prior criminal convictions mostly for driving offences as well as two assaults and some theft and public order offences.

Previously Judge OConnor was furnished with a victim impact statement and he had adjourned sentencing the youth to allow for a probation report on him to be prepared.

In evidence, Garda Kevin Mullally had told the court the 17-year-old boy and another youths cell was unlocked and when they came came out they started fighting.

The prison officer intervened to separate them and had his back to the boy who struck him three times to the head, Gda Mullally said.

The officer fell to the ground and received a kick to the head from the accused who is now aged 18.

A medical report on his injuries was furnished to the court earlier.
The garda raids in Dublin targeted known associates of Costa del Crime mob boss Daniel Kinahan

CARTEL boss Daniel Kinahan faces being murdered by his own men as a result of the crisis the gang finds itself in.

A senior source said it was likely that detectives would formally inform him of credible threats on his life if he returned to Ireland.

He would be served with a Garda Information Message (GIM), an official document in which officers give formal notice that they are aware of a possible threat on a targets life or safety.

The revelation comes after 18 months of significant Garda operations that have seen 4m in cash, 55m in drugs and almost 40 firearms seized from the States biggest crime gang.

Expand Close Christy Kinahan Sr and his son's Daniel and Christy Jr / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Christy Kinahan Sr and his son's Daniel and Christy Jr

Sources said that while Kinahan is in exile in Dubai, immune from gardai and his gangland rivals, more than 30 cartel associates have been charged with serious offences.

The cartel is in the midst of its most serious crisis, with gardai believing that the mob is turning in on itself, as many foot soldiers blame Daniel Kinahan for the organisations woes.

The view from the street is that its fine and dandy for Daniel as he sips pina coladas or whatever in Dubai while the people on the ground are getting blitzed by gardai, a senior source said.

The feeling is that hes arrogant and has broken the golden rule of organised crime, just like John Gilligan did before him, by thumbing his nose at the State.

Expand Close Boss: Daniel Kinahan is said to be heading the drugs gang / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Boss: Daniel Kinahan is said to be heading the drugs gang

Gilligans crew did this when they murdered Veronica Guerin and Daniels cartel did this a brutal feud on our streets.

The level of distrust within that organisation is astounding, and people are turning on each other and blaming Daniel, who is being increasingly viewed by his associates as a spoilt brat and a daddys boy.

We have seen this happen before with organised crime gang's here.

Look what happened to Martin Marlo Hyland and Eamon The Don Dunne  they were killed by their own when the heat from the gardai got too much.

But the operation against the cartel is on such a massive scale that those previous investigations seem very small in comparison.

The belief is that, like Hyland and Dunne, Daniel Kinahan will eventually be murdered by his own.

The drive against the cartel is being led by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB).

Sources have revealed that in a massive, multi-layered attack on a crime organisation, gardai would expect operations to have a success rate of around 10pc.

This would be the percentage of targets who end up being charged before the courts, or the amount of drugs and weapons seized.

However, in their detailed investigation, it is estimated that gardai have had a 50pc success rate over the past 15 months.

What is noticeable about the DOCBs investigation against the cartel is that its not just low-level guys who are being caught. The people being caught are often of a higher quality of personnel within the organised crime grouping, the source said.

To have a 50pc success rate means other criminal groupings dont want to do business with them. Theyre seeing the seizures, theyre seeing the people being brought before the courts and this is clearly very bad for business.

The situation for the cartelis further complicated by the fact that other criminal groupings now see a weakness in its operations and are attempting to move in on its turf.

During the summer, the DOCB foiled a hit on a notorious south inner city dealer who had tried to set up an independent drug-dealing network in the cartels stronghold of Crumlin.

It would be unthinkable for anyone to have tried that a couple of years ago, the source said, but whats happening is that the tension within the organisation means individuals are going into smaller and smaller cells and becoming less effective.

This means other crime groupings are seeing the opportunity and moving in, as theres a feeling that the cartel business is breaking apart.

Gardai are aware that many key figures in the organisation have moved to distance themselves from Daniel Kinahan. He might still be calling the shots from Dubai, but theres no doubt that if his dad, Christy, could turn back the clock on all that has happened since Daniel took over, he would, the source said.

Everyone knows that murder is bad for business, and the cartel embarked on murder on a mass scale.

Christy Kinahan is looking at his empire being destroyed here. He should be heading for happy retirement, but Daniels leadership has meant that he cant.

Gardai also believe that the relentless drive against the cartel has affected the vast international element of its business.

All these arrests, seizures and murders in Ireland have the effect that the Kinahan cartel are losing face on an international level, the source said.

Ireland is supposed to be their power base, but theyre in complete crisis here and turning on each other.
ALTHOUGH 30 members of the Kinahan cartel have been arrested and charged with a series of offences, there is no shortage of ruthless and ambitious young men ready to fill their shoes.

Today, the Herald reveals four such men who are making waves in the Kinahan crime gang, despite its ongoing troubles with the Garda, the Hutches and a brewing internal war.

1. Clayton McMahon

Clayton McMahon is the cartel foot soldier who gardai believe has become a trusted agent for the mob in the south inner city.

McMahon (24) is currently serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence for a spate of driving offences, as well as spitting on a garda. He is suspected of being a cog in a highly-developed criminal network. Known for his love of the good life, he once had a 15,000 watch seized.

McMahon, of Clogher Road, Crumlin, has dozens of convictions for offences, including assault and criminal damage.

2. Jamie Griffin

According to sources, one of the cartels most prominent operators in the south inner city is Jamie Griffin (22), who was released from jail last June.

He is suspected of a feudrelated knife attack on Gary Hutchs brother, Derek Del Boy Hutch, in Mountjoy Prison in 2015.

It is believed that Griffin, along with his older brother Leon (26), was offered a 10,000 bounty by the cartel to carry out the vicious attack on the convicted armed robber.

Griffin was jailed for two years in March 2014 for a violent attack in Ladbrokes in Killinarden, Tallaght.

3. Gareth Chubb

Gareth Chubb has been heavily involved in feuding in Crumlin and Drimnagh since he was a teenager and is regarded as a loose cannon by gardai. Chubb (29) is believed to act as muscle for the Kinahan mob and was a close pal of Regency Hotel attack victim David Byrne.

In July, he was jailed for six months for possession of a loaded gun that he pulled out in an Amsterdam cafe. Chubb was quizzed last year as part of the Garda crackdown on the Kinahan mobs operations in Ireland. He is a key Garda target who believes he is on a hitlist with the Hutch faction.

4. Driver for Greg Lynch

The driver for gangland figure Greg Lynch is also an upand-coming criminal targeted by gardai over the past year.

Businesses and other property linked to him were raided by officers investigating drug trafficking. Detectives, who seized 40,000 in cash at his property in one of the raids, consider him a key player.
As someone who has survived rape I don't accept George Hook's apology because it is simply too big a "mistake" to make.

It shouldn't have happened in the first place and he should know better. It is really as simple as that.

Not only that but I would throw the book at him and take him off the air.

What if he says that again and they have to issue another apology? He went too far and the stakes are too high.

His comments, which suggested there was an element of "personal responsibility" when it came to instances of rape, suggesting women should take precautions to avoid being raped, hurt too many people. The statistics are clear 1 in 4 women will experience sexual violence, that is a quarter of our female population that were affected by this. One in 33 men are also affected.

I have no sympathy for him whatsoever, he is a man in his 70s who has been on the radio for a number of years and he should have known better.

When I heard his comments and I saw a prominent voice in the media saying that I had a responsibility not to get raped, it was so painful.

It was hurtful to think that he thought I could have stopped Keith Hearne raping me. That's what every other rape survivor is going to be thinking - that they should have done something more or something different - but if you survived a rape you did everything you could. You survived.

That's what I had to keep thinking and the only reason I am still here today is that I convinced myself that it wasn't my fault in the slightest. If I had heard such an influential man saying that I could have stopped my rape or that I was partly to blame in the months after I was attacked, I would have fully believed him and I would not be where I am today. It would have set me back hugely.

Expand Close Newstalk show host George Hook Photo: David Conachy / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Newstalk show host George Hook Photo: David Conachy

There are loads of men and women already wrongly blaming themselves for their rape, without his comments adding to that myth.

In my case I think I should have sent a text to the security guards but I didn't want to make a show or be embarrassed if Hearne didn't do anything or that I should have left that room earlier, but I didn't.

Read More

So I end up thinking that it is somehow my fault that I was raped but that other voice has to come from somewhere to say 'you did nothing wrong'.

For George Hook to try and suggest that women have a responsibility to protect themselves from rape is like saying a murder victim had a hand in their own murder, it's not fair.

Not only that but by saying some of the responsibility lies with the victims, he is sort of saying that his own gender are sex-driven animals and if I were a man I'd be really insulted. Not all perpetrators of sexual violence are men but the majority are.

This idea that women need to protect themselves from such sex driven animals is completely unfair to men. Men are not driven by only the idea of sex and its completely unfair to think that they have no autonomy. That's why rape culture doesn't just affect rape survivors or women it affects men too. There are a very select few men who are rapists and men should be standing up from themselves to say ''This is unfair, I would never rape'.

The response from the public after George Hook's outburst has been fantastic and it is so affirming to see so much positive support from the people of Ireland but we need to build on this momentum to change the conversation around rape for good.

Society doesn't teach us to how to talk about sexual violence and there needs to be media guidelines sorted out quickly which would be a starting point.

It is important to find a new means of speaking about rape so we can challenge the notion some people have of 'oh she was dressed up she was asking for it'.
A Flybe aeroplane carrying 74 passengers from Belfast to East Midlands Airport had to turn back yesterday after it was hit by lightning during the cross-channel flight.

The De Havilland Dash turboprop aircraft was hit by the lightning bolt just 15 minutes into the flight, which took off from George Best Belfast City Airport.

The pilot immediately decided to return to the city as a safety precaution.

The aircraft landed without incident and all crew and passengers disembarked safely from the plane.

Technical staff at the airport immediately began an inspection of the aircraft to assess the extent of any damage that may have been caused by the lightning strike.

Last night Flybe said: "Flybe can confirm that flight BE365 travelling from George Best Belfast City Airport to East Midlands this afternoon returned from airborne as a precautionary measure due to a lightning strike.

"The aircraft landed as normal and the 74 passengers and crew disembarked without incident.

"Engineers are currently inspecting the aircraft.

"Arrangements are being made to enable passengers to complete their journey as soon as possible."

"The safety of passengers and crew is always Flybe's number one priority.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the delay."
Trade turnover between Ukraine and France in January-June 2017 increased by 15% compared to the same period in 2016, to more than $1.1 billion, the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine said after a meeting of Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman with head of the France-Ukraine friendship group of the Senate of France Herve Maurey in Kyiv.

"The parties noted Ukraine's economic growth became the key to the revival of bilateral relations with France. For the first half of the year trade between the states grew by 15% and exceeded $1.1 billion," the report said.

It says a number of important investment projects are at the final stage, in particular the construction, together with the French partners, of a transshipment grain complex in Odesa seaport, an incineration plant in Lviv.

Ukrainian authorities supported the proposal made by the French energy giant Engie, which is a supplier of natural gas to Ukraine, to build a solar power plant in Chornobyl (Kyiv region).

"Kyiv has already offered French colleagues a draft intergovernmental agreement on the mutual recognition of diplomas and hopes to hold the first working meeting of Ukrainian and French experts on this issue in the Ukrainian capital in the coming months," the report said.
Former Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan will retire with a lump sum of close to 300,000 and a pension of 90,000 a year - despite leaving the post halfway through her tenure.

Sources said her time as acting commissioner following the resignation of her predecessor Martin Callinan in 2014 would help her qualify for a full pension.

She is entitled to a full commissioner's pension after three years.

As Commissioner, Ms O'Sullivan was on a salary of 180,613 a year.

Now that she has decided to retire, she is entitled to 150pc of her final salary, capped at 300,000, as a lump sum, plus a basic pension of 50pc of her salary.

In her statement announcing her retirement, Ms O'Sullivan said she had been encouraged by international colleagues to apply for the top job with Europol during the summer.

She said that, because it would have been a prestigious appointment for an Irish citizen, she agreed to consider it. However, she said ultimately she decided not to apply for it.
Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan took ministers by surprise when she gave just six hours' notice of her intention to retire.

The announcement caught ministers off guard as the Government is now left searching for its third Garda commissioner since 2014, having also lost Ms O'Sullivan's predecessor Martin Callinan in controversial circumstances.

Ms O'Sullivan announced her decision to "retire from An Garda Siochana" just days after a damning report on inflated breath test numbers.

It was late yesterday afternoon when Ms O'Sullivan informed the Department of Justice secretary general Noel Waters of her decision to retire from midnight last night. The statement confirming her departure was released shortly before 6pm.

The Irish Independent reports she did not consult with Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan who was in England on business. It is understood Taoiseach Leo Varadkar only became aware of the news from his officials.

According to the Irish Independent, it is understood she will receive a 90,000-a-year pension and a lump sum of approximately 300,000.

Expand Close Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan. Photo: Mark Condren / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan. Photo: Mark Condren

The announcement came as a surprise despite mounting pressure on the Commissioner to resign amid the recent garda scandals, including falsified alcohol breath tests, wrongful motoring convictions, financial irregularities at the Garda Training College, and the ill treatment of garda whistleblowers.

In a statement released yesterday, Ms O'Sullivan said she was stepping down because the "unending cycle" of investigations and inquiries has made it difficult to "implement the deep cultural and structural reform necessary to modernise" An Garda Siochana.

Ms O'Sullivan said: "It has become clear, over the last year, that the core of my job is now about responding to an unending cycle of requests, questions, instructions and public hearings involving various agencies including the Public Accounts Committee, the Justice and Equality Committee, the Policing Authority, and various other inquiries, and dealing with inaccurate commentary surrounding all of these matters.

"They are all part of a new  and necessary  system of public accountability. But when a Commissioner is trying  as Ive been trying  to implement the deep cultural and structural reform that is necessary to modernise and reform an organisation of 16,000 people and rectify the failures and mistakes of the past but the difficulty is that the vast majority of her time goes, not to implementing the necessary reforms and meeting the obvious policing and security challenges, but to dealing with this unending cycle.

Expand Close Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan

The Commissioner confirmed that she is not retiring in order to take up another job, despite saying that international colleagues had encouraged her to apply for the top job in Europol this summer. Ms O'Sullivan said that her focus is now on her family.

Ms O'Sullivan said that being "being a Guard is the best job in the world".

"Youre encountering people at the lowest points in their lives. You can make a difference. As long as you avoid cynicism, you can make a profound difference  for the better  in other peoples lives," she said.

Ms O'Sullivan, the first female commissioner in the history of the garda, said after 36 years of "privileged, enjoyable and proud service", saying she notified Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan of her intention to resign on Sunday afternoon.

The Commissioner thanked them for their "continued support" but stressed that retiring is the "right thing to do" after deliberating for much of the summer break.

Speaking about Ms O'Sullivan's announcement, Mr Flanagan said: "Since the establishment of An Garda Siochana, the role of commissioner has been a hugely demanding one but I want to acknowledge that, during Commissioner O'Sullivan's tenure, she was faced with particularly significant difficulties, many of which had built up over several decades.

"Commissioner O'Sullivan showed enormous resilience, determination and integrity in addressing those challenges and, in particular, in instituting a radical reform programme to modernise our policing service with the aim of providing the people of Ireland with world-class policing."

Mr Flanagan said he will continue with the necessary reform programme.

"I have no doubt that the men and women of An Garda Siochana who serve Ireland in the front line of policing have the appetite to embrace and drive that change."

The sudden resignation will at one level ease some political pressure on Mr Flanagan, and Mr Varadkar.

But it also comes at a political price because Fine Gael, traditionally the party of law and order, has been mired in problems about policing for the past four years, and has been damaged by the loss a number of key personnel.

The OSullivan resignation means the loss of a second consecutive Garda Commissioner, following the enforced early retirement of Martin Callinan in March 2014.

The most senior official in the Justice Department, secretary general Brian Purcell, stood down weeks after Commissioner Callinan stood down. The Justice Minister and Fine Gael TD, Alan Shatter, was then forced to resign in May 2014.

All of the Government had invested a great deal of their political credibility in Noirin O'Sullivan continuing as Garda Commissioner. This was despite the large volume of controversy which engulfed her, and loud calls across all opposition parties for her to be removed from office.

Mr Flanagan, has said steps will be taken to appoint a successor as quickly as is possible. But her departure now means he must face the brunt of fallout from the garda controversies.

Ms OSullivans snap resignation does not banish any of those critical policing problems.
The risk of babies being born earlier or at a lower birth weight has not fallen in one of the country's main maternity hospitals because so many pregnant women are continuing to smoke heavily, a new study reveals.

The risk of babies being born earlier or at a lower birth weight has not fallen in one of the country's main maternity hospitals because so many pregnant women are continuing to smoke heavily, a new study reveals.

A study of births at the Coombe maternity hospital in Dublin between 2009 and 2013 showed rates of moderate to heavy smokers went up from 3.9pc to 6.9pc.

This trend emerged as the overall smoking rates among the expectant mothers fell from 16.6pc to 12.6pc, the research led by Dr Fionan Donohoe revealed.

The researchers found that while smoking rates in pregnancy decreased overall, the increase in the percentage of women reporting moderate to heavy smoking meant the "risk of preterm delivery and lower birth weight has not been reduced".

It is well established that expectant mothers who smoke are exposing their baby to harmful gases such a carbon monoxide and other damaging chemicals.

Smoking during pregnancy leads to greater risk of a range of complications including premature birth and the baby being born underweight.

The women who were classed as moderate to heavy smokers were smoking 10 or more cigarettes a day while they were pregnant.

The researchers, who included Prof Michael Turner, obstetrician in the Coombe, found that the pregnant women who were moderate to heavy smokers delivered smaller babies and they were also more likely to give birth early.

Read More

The Coombe delivers around 8,000 babies a year and has mothers from a cross section of backgrounds, including lower socio-economic groups.

The study found that smokers were less likely to undergo induction of labour than non-smokers and were also less likely to have a planned caesarean section.

The study follows a separate audit of services to help pregnant women stop smoking across the country's 19 maternity units.

It found there were wide variations in the supports available and overall they were inadequate compared to national and international recommendations.

Three of the 19 units did not quiz expectant mothers on their first hospital visit if they wanted to quit smoking during their pregnancy.

Just five said they routinely repeatedly asked a mother about smoking as the pregnancy progressed.

The authors, led by the UCD Centre for Human Reproduction and the Coombe maternity hospital in Dublin, said the collection of information on whether the woman was smoking, and cessation advice, was often explored only at the first antenatal visit.

They stressed that improved services should be prioritised because if a woman stops smoking in the first half of pregnancy there is a reduced risk of complications.

Prof Turner said yesterday that more supports are needed to help women who are heavy smokers to quit.

"They should be identified at their first ante-natal visit and offered an appointment for smoking cessation therapy," he added.

This was backed by anti-smoking campaigner Dr Luke Clancy, who said the evidence was that heavier smokers had more difficulty giving up.

Smoking rates among pregnant mothers attending the Coombe were found to be at 10.9pc in 2015.

Higher smoking rates are associated with younger women, those with children already, unemployment, an unplanned pregnancy as well as a history of psychiatric problems, and alcohol and drug use.

Doctors say these need to be factored in when trying to help these women quit.
Veteran Newstalk broadcaster George Hook faces a dressing-down by management today over offensive comments he made on his 'High Noon' show that has cost it its sponsorship.

But a source close to the station said it was "way too soon to tell" if he would face a formal internal investigation or disciplinary action after station's managing editor Patricia Monahan said the comments were "totally wrong and inappropriate and should never have been made".

"He said something he shouldn't have said and there will always be a review," the source told the Irish Independent last night.

Dalata Hotel Group, which owns Clayton Hotels, issued a tweet last night in which it said the company would "terminate our commercial relationship" with the station, tweeting earlier "@Dalatahotels cannot support any radio station that allows inappropriate & hurtful comments to be made".

Officials from the company could not be reached for comment last night.

But CEO Pat McCann had told 'The Sunday Business Post' that Mr Hook's remarks on Friday could lead it to reconsider its sponsorship its contract comes up for renewal next month.

Mr Hook's comments arose from an on-going rape trial in the UK. It is alleged that a young woman, who had sex with one member of the UK swim team after meeting him in a bar, was later raped by another man in the same hotel room.

"But when you then look deeper into the story you have to ask certain questions. Why does a girl who just meets a fella in a bar go back to a hotel room? She's only just barely met him. She has no idea of his health conditions, she has no idea who he is, no idea what dangers he might pose," said Mr Hook.

Read More

"But is there no blame now to the person who puts themselves in danger? You then of course read that she passed out on the toilet and when she woke up the guy was trying to rape her. There is personal responsibility because it's your daughter and my daughter."

His comments generated a flood of outrage. However, he took to the airwaves on Saturday to "apologise unreservedly".

"It was unacceptable to suggest in any way that blame could be attributed to victims of rape. I apologise for the comments which caused hurt and offence, and for this I am truly sorry," he said.

But Mr McCann said: "George Hook is fundamentally out of touch with reality. I am the father of two daughters and I find those types of comments totally unacceptable."

Speaking to Independent.ie following the broadcast of the show on Friday, rape victim and campaigner Fiona Doyle said Mr Hook's comments were "outrageous and offensive".

Her father Patrick O'Brien (79) was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2013 for raping and sexually abusing his daughter from 1973 to 1982.

Ms Doyle said: "Victim-blaming is all too familiar to women in Ireland. George is giving the message that men can do what they want and it is the drunken woman who is to blame. Women have the right to be drunk. They have the right to say no. They have the right to walk down the street naked if they wish. Men have no right to rape a woman and people like George Hook need to stop circulating the message that women are to blame."

Ellen O'Malley Dunlop, of the National Women's Council, said: "To in any way victim-blame is totally unacceptable."

Noeline Blackwell, CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, said the incident underscored the need for media guidelines on reporting rape.
Gardai investigate the shooting of a man at Wheatfield Avenue in Neilstown, Dublin. Picture: Arthur Carron

Scene of the fatal shooting of a male in his 30s on Wheatfield Ave Photo: Kyran O'Brien

Scene of the fatal shooting of a male in his 30s on Wheatfield Ave Photo: Kyran O'Brien

Scene of the fatal shooting of a male in his 30s on Wheatfield Ave Photo: Kyran O'Brien

The remains of shooting victim Darragh Nugent is removed from the scene at Wheatfield Ave Neilstown Photo: Kyran O'Brien

The scene of Monday night's shooting and (inset) victim Darragh Nugent

The scene of the Fatal shooting of Darragh Nugent on Wheatfield Ave, Neilstown Photo: Kyran O'Brien

A man has died after he was shot multiple times in West Dublin on Monday night.

Gardai are investigating this incident which took place on Wheatfield Avenue in Neilstown shortly after 9.30pm.

The victim was named locally as 36-year-old Darragh Nugent.

The Herald is reporting that Nugent was a close associate of gangster James 'Nellie' Walsh.

Expand Close Gardai investigate the shooting of a man at Wheatfield Avenue in Neilstown, Dublin. Picture: Arthur Carron / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Gardai investigate the shooting of a man at Wheatfield Avenue in Neilstown, Dublin. Picture: Arthur Carron

The victim, who is known to gardai and was on bail for gun offences, was shot up to five times in the gangland style attack.

Dublin Fire Brigade paramedics attended the scene and an eye-witness said emergency workers administered CPR to the victim.

Expand Close Supt Dermot Mann Lucan Garda Station at the scene at Wheatfield Ave Neilstown Photo: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Supt Dermot Mann Lucan Garda Station at the scene at Wheatfield Ave Neilstown Photo: Kyran O'Brien

It is understood that the victim, who lived in the area, was shot a number of times.

Gardai do not, at this stage, believe it is related to the ongoing Kinahan and Hutch feud that has already claimed the lives of 12 people. It is believed that the shooting may be linked to a local dispute.

Independent.ie has learned that the victim was known to gardai and was previously arrested after a gun and ammunition was discovered in a discarded bag last February.

He was on bail at the time of Monday night's attack.

Locals reported hearing a number of shots in quick succession.

"I heard the bangs. I knew straight away what it was, and then I came out and saw the man on the road," one neighbour told Independent.ie.

"It's absolutely awful, he had two kids," they added.

"All I head was five shots, one after the other. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. Five of them. I heard a car driving away really quickly," said a local woman.

"Then I shouted at my partner to ring the guards, and they were here in seconds. It's awful. I looked out and saw him there, just lying in the middle of the road," she added.

This morning Mr Nugent's body remained at the scene covered by a garda forensic tent.

A spent bullet casing could be seen on the road, and plastic sheeting covered other evidence.

In a statement gardai confirmed they were investigating the attack: "Gardai and emergency services are at the scene of a shooting incident at Wheatfield Avenue, Clondalkin in Dublin.

"The incident was reported to Gardai at 9.40pm on Monday 11th September 2017."

The Garda Air Support Unit and forensic investigators been called in.

Local TD Gino Kenny (PBP) said he passed by the incident and saw a lot of activity but didn't realise what had happened until he returned home.

"It is obviously shocking that there is another shooting in Dublin and in the Clondalkin area especially," he said.

"Any violence like that needs to be condemned."

Mr Kenny said the estate where it happened is private and would have a large number of rented houses.
Scorch marks on clothes worn by the victim. Picture: Dublin Fire Brigade

Emergency workers have issued a stark warning after a person was burnt by a firework this week.

Dublin Fire Brigade posted a tweet this evening showing damaged to clothing after a "banger" was thrown at a member of the public.

In a tweet the fire service said:

The Halloween silly season has started. A person has been treated for burns after a banger was thrown at them resulting in a burn injury.

The pictures show holes burnt through the clothing of the person in question.

Halloween is a particularly busy time for Dublin Fire Brigade, with many people celebrating the holiday with the use of fireworks and bonfires.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

Last year, Dublin Fire Brigade had nearly 900 calls on Halloween night alone.

In total, there were 872 calls made on the 31st of October, 2016.
Opposition politicians have welcomed Garda Commissioner, Noirin O'Sullivan's decision to quit, while Leo Varadkar praised her 36 years of service.

The Garda Commissioner announced today that she would be standing down.

After an extended summer break, Ms O'Sullivan said she believed that resigning was the "right thing to do" and will now look to focusing on her family.

She expressed her frustration at the "unending cycle" of inquiries that made it difficult to focus on reform within An Garda Siochana.

She said: "It has become clear, over the last year, that the core of my job is now about responding to an unending cycle of requests, questions, instructions and public hearings involving various agencies including the Public Accounts Committee, the Justice and Equality Committee, the Policing Authority, and various other inquiries, and dealing with inaccurate commentary surrounding all of these matters.

"They are all part of a new  and necessary  system of public accountability. But when a Commissioner is trying  as Ive been trying  to implement the deep cultural and structural reform that is necessary to modernise and reform an organisation of 16,000 people and rectify the failures and mistakes of the past, the difficulty is that the vast majority of [my] time goes, not to implementing the necessary reforms and meeting the obvious policing and security challenges, but to dealing with this unending cycle.

On Sunday afternoon, she notified Mr Varadkar and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan of her intention to retire.

Mr Varadkar praised Ms O'Sullivan for her "many years of dedicated service to the State".

"I want to thank her for that on behalf of the Government and the Irish people," the Taoiseach said in a statement.

"She has overseen many significant developments in often challenging circumstances, and in recent years took on the challenge of reforming the Gardai.

"As she said in her statement, her decision to retire is made in the best interests of An Garda Siochana and ensuring that it can focus on the extensive programme of reform that is now underway.

"I wish Noirin every success in whatever she does in the years ahead."

Mr Varadklar said the Government will now consider how best to accelerate the programme of reform.

There had been calls for Ms O'Sullivan to stand down following recent garda controversies including false breath tests, wrongful motoring convictions, financial irregularities at Templemore and questions about the treatment of whistleblowers.

Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald welcomed Ms O'Sullivan's decision to quit and said it's been "very clear for a very long time" that her position is no longer tenable.

"She has finally done the right thing," Ms McDonald told RTE News.

Independents 4 Change TD, Clare Daly, also welcomed the news and told RTE that the next commissioner "must be brought from outside the existing garda hierarchy".

Fianna Fail justice spokesperson Jim O'Callaghan said Ms O'Sullivan's departure paves the way for a new chapter for An Garda Siochana.

"I would like to thank Noirin O'Sullivan for her many years of public service and wish her well in her retirement. Her resignation means there has been some accountability within An Garda Siochana for the 1.5 million false breath tests recorded on the Garda Pulse system," said Mr O'Callaghan.

Today, Ms O'Sullivan became the second garda commissioner to retire in the last three years, following the enforced early retirement of Martin Callinan in March 2014.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin also reacted positively to the news and called for urgent reform.

Mr Howlin said: "While I recognise the decades of service that Commissioner O'Sullivan has given the State it is clearly in the interests of policing and the urgently required reform of An Garda Siochana that we have new leadership in the force.

"The new Garda Commissioner will be the first to be appointed by Government on the recommendation of the Policing Authority.

"There clearly must be an international competition with clear criteria set out by the Authority to fulfil the reform agenda.

"I have confidence that the Policing Authority will successfully achieve that task," Mr Howlin said.

Justice Minister, Charlie Flanagan said: "Since the establishment of An Garda Siochana, the role of commissioner has been a hugely demanding one but I want to acknowledge that, during Commissioner O'Sullivan's tenure, she was faced with particularly significant difficulties, many of which had built up over several decades.

"Commissioner O'Sullivan showed enormous resilience, determination and integrity in addressing those challenges and, in particular, in instituting a radical reform programme to modernise our policing service with the aim of providing the people of Ireland with world-class policing."

Mr Flanagan said he will continue with the necessary reform programme.

From midnight tonight, Deputy Commissioner, Donall O Cualain, will step in as Acting Commissioner.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that he doesn't agree that unborn babies should have no rights whatsoever.

The Fine Gael leader has shared his thoughts on abortion in a frank interview with the 'New York Times', where he also spoke about his sexuality and finding love with his partner, Dr Matthew Barrett.

Mr Varadkar (38) gave an insight into his views on abortion ahead of the referendum next year on whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment, which gives equal rights to the mother and the foetus.

He said: "As a doctor, I would perform pregnancy scans and while I don't accept the view that the unborn child, the foetus, if you prefer that term, should have equal rights to an adult woman, to the mother, I don't share this view that the baby in the womb, the foetus, whatever term you want to use, should have no rights at all.

"And there are people who take the view that human rights only begin after you're born and that a child in the womb with a beating heart, the ability to hear, the ability to feel pain, should have no rights whatsoever. I don't agree with that."

Mr Varadkar has been in a relationship with Dr Barrett for over two years and said that his partner is "unconditionally" by his side.

He said: "I suppose it's the first serious relationship I'd ever been in, and he's somebody who's unconditionally on my side, and I suppose your mother is that, too, but it's very different.

"Also, he's somebody who I can confide in and somebody who can say things to me that I need to hear, if I've made a mistake or if I'm way out of order, and he'll say that to me.

"And I'll know he's right, even if I didn't like to hear it.

"He's far brighter than me. When we were in Chicago, we went to a bar where they play 'Jeopardy', and he was pressing the buzzer before there was even time to read the questions."

He admitted that he spent years trying to hide his sexuality and said he was prompted to tell the public he is gay because of the marriage equality referendum.

He said: "I would have kept my private life very private. Maybe didn't have much of a private life as well.

"You know, a lot of people sort of turn themselves into their careers, and that's something I definitely did, both as a doctor and a politician.

"But I was very conscious that a referendum was coming up on marriage equality.

"That was really the catalyst for me.

"And as a government minister, you know, I couldn't go out there advocating a change in the Constitution and somehow pretend that it didn't really affect me or that it wasn't something that I wasn't taking personally."

He recalled discussing the issue of marriage equality with his political colleagues, including an unnamed fellow minister, before coming out.

"And I do remember discussions that I would have had with other politicians, and the one that really stuck with me was another minister who was very supportive of marriage equality who talked about being generous to 'them'. And so it was 'them'.

"And I thought I needed to tell my colleagues that I was one of 'them'.

"We're here among you, lots of us.

"And secondly, the line about it being generosity.

"It's actually something that we should have. So if I wasn't willing to show leadership on this, then I was in the wrong business."
During the incident that took place at the border crossing Shehyni checkpoint (Lviv region), an illegal breakthrough by a group of aggressively-minded persons through the state border of Ukraine and the accompanying fight, 12 policemen and five border guards received injuries, the Interior Ministry of Ukraine has said.

"During the incident, 12 National Police officers and five officers form the State Border Guard Service were injured," a message reads posted on the Facebook page of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine on Sunday evening.
Tweets from the official account owned by Dalata - the company who owns the Clayton Hotel - confirmed that the group will end its contract with Newstalk following comments made by George Hook on his radio programme.

Dalata tweeted that it will be "engaging with Newstalk as soon as possible to terminate our commercial relationship," as a result of comments made by Mr Hook on his High Noon show.

Mr Hook has apologised for the comments he made in which he questioned the "responsibility of women" when discussing the case of a 19-year-old woman in the UK who alleges she was raped by a member of the British swimteam when she had gone back to a hotel room with his friend.

The young woman alleges that she was raped by the swimmer when he entered her room after she had consensual sex with his friend.

1/2 @Dalatahotels cannot support any radio station that allows inappropriate & hurtful comments to be made.  Dalata Hotel Group (@Dalatahotels) September 10, 2017

2/2 We will be engaging with Newstalk as soon as possible to terminate our commercial relationship.  Dalata Hotel Group (@Dalatahotels) September 10, 2017

Dalata said it "cannot support any radio station that allows inappropriate [and] hurtful comments to be made," in a tweet sent from its official account.

Pat McCann, Chief Executive of Dalata, hit out at the High Noon host yesterday.

Speaking to the Sunday Business Post, he said: "George Hook is fundamentally out of touch with reality. I am the father of two daughters and I find those types of comments totally unacceptable.

This contract is up for renewal in October and this will bring into focus whether we will continue to sponsor the programme.

Director of the National Womens Council, Orla OConnor urged Newstalk to take action following the scandal.

Hook yesterday apologised for the comments made on Friday, saying he wanted to apologise unreservedly."

Mr Hook's comments on Friday attracted a major backlash.

When discussing the rape case, he said: "She was passed around went the story apparently. She went to bed with one guy and he went out and another guy comes in. She doesn't want to have relations with the second guy but he forced himself upon her. Awful," he said.

"But when you then look deeper into the story you have to ask certain questions. Why does a girl who just meets a fella in a bar go back to a hotel room? She's only just barely met him. She has no idea of his health conditions, she has no idea who he is, no idea what dangers he might pose.

But is there no blame now to the person who puts themselves in danger? You then of course read that she passed out on the toilet and when she woke up the guy was trying to rape her. There is personal responsibility because it's your daughter and my daughter.

Rape victim, Fiona Doyle, told Independent.ie on Friday that Mr Hook's comments were "outrageous" and "offensive".

Fiona's father Patrick O'Brien (79) was sentenced to 12 years in prison with three suspended in 2013 for the systematic rape and sexual abuse of his daughter at their home in Dun Laoghaire from 1973 to 1982.

"Victim blaming is all too familiar to women in Ireland. George is giving the message that men can do what they want and it is the drunken woman who is to blame.

"Women have the right to be drunk. They have the right to say no. They have the right to walk down the street naked if they wish. Men have no right to rape a women and people like George Hook need to stop circulating the message that women are to blame.

"What George said is that a man can't help himself if he comes across a drunk woman. It takes the responsibility off men. Men should know not to touch a woman."

Fiona said that the comments broadcast earlier today were "old fashioned" and that it brings women back centuries.

"George Hook needs to get off his dinosaur backside and see the impact of what he is saying on young women."

She added that campaigners, gardai and the rape crisis centres have been working with women to get them to come forward after a rape.

"We're working so hard to get women to stand up and come forward without thinking they are responsible.

"It's a big thing for women to blame themselves after a rape happens. It's very hard for women to get over something like that and to tell women that it's their fault is outrageous."

Fiona said that George Hook's comments will "pull out that stigma that women are responsible".

"No man has a right to touch a women. It's that simple."

A spokesperson for Dalata told Independent.ie that the company did not have any further comment to make post their twitter comment.

If you have been affected by this issue you can contact the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre on 1800 778 888
George Hook has hit the headlines this week for comments he made about rape victims, saying that they should take more responsibility.

Independent.ie took to the streets to see how Irish people feel about his remarks.

Businessman Stephen Leddy said that he agrees with companies who pull sponsorship from George Hook's show.

Read More

"I think George, with the position that he has on the national airwaves, should have thought more about what he said. I think he was ill-advised, I fully disagree with what he said. He's been on the margins for a long time, but this time he's been pulled up properly for what he said.

"If you have a trusted brand and it's now associated with a controversial broadcaster who has made totally inappropriate comments then yeah. I'm a businessman and I would probably do the same."

Joe Kelly told Independent.ie: "You want to be careful. You need to treat everyone with respect. Let them be drunk or sober. You shouldn't take advantage.

"I wonder would they withdraw sponsorship for every controversial thing."

One young woman Independent.ie spoke to said that everyone is "entitled to enjoy themselves".

"I think his comments are out of place. Everyone is entitled to go out and sometimes people can get drunk. It's not their fault that something happened and when people say that they provoked it, it's just completely wrong. They're a victim. His comments are not acceptable."
A dad blogger has been met with praise online after admitting to feeling "jealous" of the bond between his wife and their two-year-old son in an honest Facebook post.

Terence Mentor, whose Facebook page AfroDaddy has more than 2,000 followers, uploaded a photograph of himself with his youngest son Eli.

In the caption, the father of two explained that he felt disheartened that ever since his son was born, he was totally his mothers child, admitting that it was childish of him to feel envious.

It is quite a thing to be a dad who can't comfort his child, who is constantly told "No, I go to mommy", who never seems to have a real, relational moment with his own son, Mentor wrote.

However, the South African blogger explained that things have started to change and that Eli was now occasionally choosing to go to him over his mother.

Maybe this shouldn't have made me as happy as it did, he admitted.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

The blogger recounted an evening when his son had fallen asleep on his wifes chest, only to get up later and cuddle him.

This child, who would cry when I so much as looked his way, came to me for his comfort and calm. Not going to lie ... I got a little teary eyed, Mentor confessed.

Fans of the blogger were quick to jump to his support, explaining that they had experienced similar feelings of jealousy over the bond between their children and their partners.

I can so relate, my 14 year old teenager has also always been her Daddy's girl, wrote one.

Even as a single mom i get this!! My youngest mostly turns to her sister for comfort, added another.

Jealousy over your own child is a taboo subject but there are countless people who've shared similar opinions and feelings online.
Gerry Adams first negotiated with the British government, secretly, in 1972. The 23-year-old militant republican was released from Long Kesh prison to attend the talks in Derry. The British delegate, Philip Woodfield, described Adams in a secret memo to the Secretary of State, William Whitelaw, as a "prominent leader [of] indiscriminate campaigns of bombing and shooting".

"No assertion from a Prime Minister that [they] would never talk to terrorists need ever concern [Adams] again," writes Belfast author and journalist Malachi O'Doherty, in this unauthorised biography of the Sinn Fein President.

As O'Doherty reminds us here, Adams almost single-handedly dragged Sinn Fein from the political wilderness, into what they are today: a mainstream party of the centre left.

The author also subtly suggests, too, that the party held a Kalashnikov in one hand, and a ballot box in the other: blackmailing its way to political respectability, north and south of the Border.

Adams, of course, has always categorically denied he was ever a member of the IRA. And no court in Britain or Ireland has ever convicted him of this criminal offence.

If - as we're repeatedly told over the course of O'Doherty's engaging biography - the IRA army council controlled Sinn Fein almost entirely throughout the Troubles: what exactly has Adams's role over the last half a century in the republican movement consisted of?

Is the Gerry Adams who tweets about teddy bears at bedtime, also the man that, allegedly, was commander-in-chief of a merciless militant murder machine: who put innocent women and children to early graves in the name of Irish freedom?

This book doesn't claim to give clear-cut definitive answers to these questions. But it does an excellent job of investigating them: with brilliant political insight, measured reasoning, and sound analysis.

Traditionally, the republican movement has operated amid a maelstrom of clandestine activity. But, even by IRA standards, Adams is notoriously Machiavellian.

The general impression we get from this book is that Adams wasn't involved in military operations in the IRA; but that he was - certainly during the 1970s - top of the organisation, "Gerry was up to his balls in it [because] the IRA controlled Sinn Fein. Everything was subject to army authority," Richard O'Rawe - a former IRA prisoner and Sinn Fein press officer - explains in one passage. Several other authors confirm this here. As do reports from the British and Irish intelligence services.

O'Doherty's greatest asset here is adhering to one of journalism's most-sacred principles: maintaining balance and objectivity.

The biographer somehow manages to be critical of Adams, while avoiding the predictable and reductive murdering-IRA-b*****d tone that so many journalists tend to typically adopt when discussing the Sinn Fein leader.

There is a distinct lack of pious moralising in O'Doherty's narrative voice. That said, an attempt is made to hold Adams accountable for the path he has chosen to follow: where violence is deemed a justifiable ends for political expediency.

O'Doherty isn't in awe of Adams. But he does maintain a subtle amount of respect and even sympathy for him. Adams "broke all the political rules and most effectively the rule that says terrorists have nothing to offer and have no place in our political systems", O'Doherty writes in his concluding analysis.

Emotions, naturally enough, always run high on this subject. Accusations thrown against Adams over the last five decades have always gravitated towards severe drama, or life and death scenarios.

These include: that Adams gave the order in 1972, for a mother of 10, Jean McConville, to be abducted from her home in Belfast, shot in the head, and then secretly buried on a Co Louth beach; that he knew for many years about two sexual abuse cases, one in the republican movement, the other within his own family, and that he refused to go to the police about either of them; that he cynically orchestrated the deaths of 10 IRA H-Block hunger strikers, to give Sinn Fein a political platform, and court sympathy from around the globe.

O'Doherty isn't claiming to be unearthing any new fresh material here. Most of this content has been front page news, or prime time television, at one time or another.

The author disagrees with Adams on a number of issues. Fundamentally, though, the book returns to a single argument: that Adams continued to prolong the struggle when he long understood that British withdrawal from the North simply would not happen. Knowing the IRA only had to survive, and the British had to win, Adams used IRA operations - the author convincingly argues - as a propaganda tool to advance his political ambitions for Sinn Fein.

Like him or loathe him, as this book shows, Adams is certainly a political strategist of exceptional talent: dirty politics and white lies notwithstanding.

Compromise and the road to peace would come, eventually. But only, as O'Doherty rightly points out, when Adams could see that bombs and bullets, from the 1980s onwards, would cost Sinn Fein votes in the long term.

Adams became a God-like figure in the republican movement in the mid 1970s, O'Doherty believes. Primarily because he gave it a project and purpose, when most of the organisation was in jail, due to the internment laws the British government had implemented.

If Adams still commands much loyalty in his party today, it's because many Shinners have not forgotten his strong leadership skills when the chips were down, O'Doherty suggests. There are few figures in public life - Irish or globally - with the same stern resilience that Adams possesses.

He's been labelled everything from a murderer, to a hypocrite, to a protector of paedophiles and rapists. But for Adams, the republican cause is a sacrosanct ideal. Where everything gets put before it: even his own family. And yet, in spite of all the drama, name calling, death threats, and libellous slurs, he has survived, almost unscathed. Adams believes he has the will of the people of Ireland behind him. Time will certainly tell. And history, ultimately, will have the last say.
You might hate Monday, but you'll love our pick of the week's best travel offers...

99pp: Two nights in Barcelona

Did you know Ryanair does package holidays? Among its current offers are flights plus two nights in Barcelona from 99pp, departing Tuesday, December 12. The package includes accommodation at the Sunotel Aston in the Eixample district (transfers extra). holidays.ryanair.com

275pp: 5-star Christmas Markets in Prague

ITAA member Navan Travel has a three-night trip to Prague on December 12, including B&B at the five-star President Hotel from just 275pp. A one-hour River Vltava cruise is also included. 046 9068600; travalue.ie; itaa.ie/offers.

369pp: Laze in Lanzarote

Falcon Holidays has a seven-night package in the 2-star Lanzarote Paradise Club in Costa Teguise from 369pp, based on a January 28 departure. Prices in October start from 549pp (3-star). 1850 45 35 45; falconholidays.ie.

499pp: Three nights in New York

ClickAndGo.com has Aer Lingus flights to New York plus three nights at the 4-star Wyndham New Yorker Hotel from 499pp on a room-only basis. The price includes two checked-in bags and is based on travel in February 2018. 01 539-7705; clickandgo.com; itaa.ie/offers.

Escorted tours from 114 per day

Sunway has launched its first CostSaver USA, Canada and Latin America programme. Operated by guided holiday company Trafalgar, the brochure offers 29 budget itineraries in seven countries from 114 per day. An 12-day US trip visiting Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Yosemite starts from 2,339pp next May, including flights, hotels, meals and tours. 01 231-1800; sunway.ie/escorted-tours.

NB: All travel deals subject to availability/change.
You will never forget the first time you head north out of Rathmullan. Lough Swilly is on your right; Knockalla mountain on your left. As you wind along, gently twisting and climbing, there comes that moment, after you round one particular bend, when the beach appears below, and you can scarcely believe your eyes. The sight is so extraordinary, there's a place to pull in. You cannot believe this is Ireland. Then, every time you make this journey, you are filled with anticipation, waiting for that moment when you first see the golden sands.

I know, because I did that journey again recently. It was the first time in a while, and I was positively giddy. There was the added bonus of a brilliant blue sky, a temperature which hovered obligingly around 20 degrees, and a family day on the beach that I'm sure rivalled any we could have had anywhere in the world. Ballymastocker Bay is beyond beautiful. This is the place which, for me, seems so much to encapsulate the essence of Donegal: its ruggedness, its beauty, its simplicity, its remoteness.

Across the Lough, on the Inishowen Peninsula, there is more of it for another day. The road to Malin, our most northerly point, is paved with gold. A favourite is the Doagh Famine Village, near Ballyliffin. We went there again this year; our fourth visit. Each time is like the first, especially when tour guide Pat is on duty.

On, then, towards Malin and back down the eastern side of Inishowen. To the coastal towns of Greencastle, Moville or Redcastle . . . thinking of Van Morrison's line from Coney Island: "Wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time".
Norwegian's new US flights bring you straight to New York's Orange County. Thomas Breathnach takes a reconnaissance trip.

Set the mood

"Come back and visit us in a few years!", says Cooper Boone, owner of the latest it-spot to hit Orange County, Foundry42+.

The cafe and home store (think antlers and Americanos; f42home.com) is just one domino in the gentrification of Port Jervis, a former end-of-the-line out-post on the Pennsylvania border, now jostling with every upstate NY town to become "the next Brooklyn".

So what's with the love affair?

Orange County (named after the prince, not the citrus), offers everything from the outdoors to the outlets, wilderness and wineries, plus a kooky granola daily grind marked by the likes of pumpkin-picking and crafternoons.

And, being base to Stewart Airport, hub for Norwegian's new US flights, New York's own O.C. has never been more in season.

Guilty Pleasure

Expand Close Brotherhood Winery / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Brotherhood Winery

Orange County's fertile valleys are blanketed by America's original vineyards. If you've got a nose for something vintage, why not visit America's oldest winery of all? Established in 1839, Brother-hood winery (above, brotherhood-winery.com) has been producing zesty Rieslings for the Hudson Valley hoi polloi for over a century.

Ten bucks (8.30) gets you a generous tasting flight, souvenir glass plus a tour through the country's largest network of underground cellars. Art more your vice? Storm King Art Centre, a 500-acre sculpture park, is a unfiltered paradise for the thinking Instagrammer (stormking.org, $18/15).

Cheap Kick

Expand Close Kayaking on the Hudson / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Kayaking on the Hudson

Cornwall-on-Hudson is both a chocolate box village on the riverfront and the region's launchpad for some epic kayaking. I grabbed my paddle for a three-hour leisurely crossing with Storm King Adventures (main photo, above), crossing to the banks of eerie Bannerman's Island and the ruins of its extraordinary castle.

Above me, a pair of nesting ospreys fished for lunch, while on the horizon, a bald eagle soared over the ridges. I'm still just an hour from NYC, right? See stormkingadventuretours.com; from $60/50.

Insider Intel

Overnighting away from the big city, you're likely in search of peace, solitude and an upstate state of mind. I found mine at the historic Bear Mountain Inn, where the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt vacationed during its golden era. The hotel gets busy, so check into the rustic Overlook Lodge for downtime. It's sequestered atop a winding mountain road with dramatic lake views (visitbearmountain.com; 75pps).

Top Tip

Expand Close View from the Thayer rooftop bar / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp View from the Thayer rooftop bar

Who needs Manhattan for the perfect rooftop? The Thayer Hotel's Zulu Time bar and lounge (thethayerhotel.com), set in the grounds of the West Point army academy, is a spectacular spot for Hudson sundowners.

N.B. security is tight, so don't forget your passport!

Glitches

Orange County offers landscapes worthy of any fall calendar shoot. That draws crowds, and being so close to NYC, lots of them! To really escape the masses, take advantage of the region's dream Appalachian hiking trails.

Get me there

Expand Close Orange County / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Orange County

Norwegian recently launched direct flights from Dublin, Belfast and Shannon to Stewart International Airport from around 129 each way (norwegian.com). Carry-on luggage is free but a checked-in 20kg bag will add 70 to your return fare.

From Stewart, it's a 40-minute (60km) drive to Port Jervice in Orange County, or an 80-minute ride to New York's Port Authority (bus transfers are synced to Norwegian's international flights for $40/33 return). For more info on the county, see orangetourism.org.

Read more:
When Roger Harrington first spotted his future wife Carmel in Ron Black's pub in 2006, she was wearing a red beret, which he thought was very chic. They got talking and he made her laugh, and they ended up going for a drink to The Fitzwilliam Hotel.

"I thought Carmel was very attractive and friendly," says Roger, then 38. "The conversation flowed, and in the first six months of our relationship, it struck me that I hadn't been in a relationship like this before in terms of how easily I could talk to her. We were really on the same page and it just felt so right."

At the time, both were just out of long-term relationships, and Roger had a three-year-old daughter, Eva. Carmel, then 35, felt that he had a twinkle in his eye and looked like he was up for a bit of fun, but as they chatted, she realised that there was more to him than meets the eye.

"We knew that first night that we had something special," she says. "My parents had a place in Florida and we went there via New York after three months, which I felt would make or break us. It was the best thing we ever did as we really fell in love there and our relationship blossomed."

The son of Evelyn and the late Roger, Roger, now 49, has three sisters, including his twin, also called Evelyn. The family moved from Kildare to Clontarf when he and Evelyn were 12. He worked in the family shop, The Beanstalk, in Raheny until he joined the civil service in 1990, aged 22. He rose through the ranks in different departments and grades, including being private secretary to the Minister for Transport in 2002, Seamus Brennan. He and Carmel moved to Wexford in 2010 as Roger took up a post there. He is now principal officer in the marine planning and foreshore section of the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.

Carmel, now 46, comes second of Mick and Tina O'Grady's four children. The family lived in London, where her mum is from, until she was 10 and then moved to Wexford, where her dad is from. She took a job with Aer Lingus aged 18, ending up in sales and marketing, and after 10 years, moved to 3M, where she remained for a decade.

She and Roger got married in 2008, and went on honeymoon to Las Vegas. They renewed their vows there with 'Elvis,' for a bit of fun, who sang as he walked Carmel down the aisle. Roger's daughter Eva, now aged 14, was flower girl at the Irish wedding. "I love her like she is my own," says Carmel. "She is gorgeous and we are very close and both love books." Roger and I were delighted to have two children, Amelia (seven) and Nate (five), and they're best friends, so life has been really happy for us. They adore Eva and think she's the coolest thing ever."

When Carmel met Roger, he was the first person she told about her dream to write. When they moved to Wexford, Carmel decided to be a stay-at-home mum, and Roger suggested that this would be the ideal time to start writing.

"There was a few quid there, so I told Carmel that she would never get a better opportunity," he says. "I told her to take a year, take some cash and go do it."

Carmel self-published her first book, Beyond Grace's Rainbow, as an e-book, and it did really well, reaching number one in its genre. She was picked up by an agent and, in turn, got the first of several deals with HarperCollins. Her books have done very well and have been translated into eight languages, and the latest, The Woman at 72 Derry Lane, is out now in traditional paperback and e-book. She also signed a contract earlier this year with ITV to write a novel, based on the hit show Cold Feet. That show ended in 2003 and began filming again in 2016, so Carmel was commissioned to write a novel about what happened to the characters in the intervening years. Cold Feet: The Lost Years comes out this week, to coincide with the airing of the new series of the show.

"I'm extremely proud of Carmel," says Roger. "We both went to the Irish Book Awards and the set of Cold Feet, and I carried her handbag as she walked up the red carpets. It always struck me how creative she is, and when she started writing, there was no doubt in my mind that she would make it a success.

"It has really taken off in a much bigger way this year, and I think she will go on to achieve huge things. She is also very funny, and has a very strong sense of family, and we have this amazing feeling of comfort at home. I'm away a bit with the job, and when I come home and see her smiling at the front door, we instantly reconnect."

Carmel is chair of Wexford Literary Festival, which she co-founded, and a panellist on TV3's Elaine. She says Roger is very calming, grounding and wise, and when something goes wrong, he'll always find the right words to comfort her. While he says her impulsiveness can drive him mad, she says he's a bit of a 'grump' at times, but apart from that, they get on famously. "I still fancy Roger as much as I did the first day I met him," says Carmel. "My safe harbour is when he puts his arms around me and I fit in just under his chin. If I have a bad day, I know I just need a big hug from Roger to make it better."

The Woman at 72 Derry Lane, HarperCollins, 11.99 Cold Feet: The Lost Years, Hodder & Stoughton, 7.99
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin declares that Ukraine intends to guarantee the free development of minority languages in the country after the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law on education.

"Ukraine will continue to do everything for the development of the Ukrainian [language] and guarantee the free development of the languages of national minorities: it is our duty," Klimkin wrote on Twitter on Monday.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science will provide detailed information on the adopted law on education and its implementation, he said. "We are working on ways of implementation rather than emotional interpretation," the minister wrote.

At the same time, the foreign minister pointed out to challenges related to the quality of teaching the Ukrainian language in places of compact residence of the Hungarian national minority in Ukraine. "There are problems of integration: 75% of the graduates of the Berehove district [in Transcarpathia] did not pass the external independent assessment test in the Ukrainian language. We must improve the situation without losing the quality of education in Hungarian," he added.

As reported, the Verkhovna Rada on September 5 adopted the law on education, which is designed to reform education in Ukraine. The law, among other things, determines that the language of the educational process in educational institutions is the national language, i.e. Ukrainian.

On September 7, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter Szijjarto, stated that Ukraine had "stabbed a knife in the back" with its new education policy in the neighboring state. On September 10, the press secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tamaz Menzer, said that in all forums of the UN, OSCE and the European Union, Budapest will raise the issue of amending the language clause of the Ukrainian education law. At the same time, it was instructed Hungarian diplomats not to support important decisions for Ukraine in international organizations.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Hungary and Romania have criticized of the language-related provisions of the new Ukrainian law on education, passed by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on September 5.

"Ukraine has stabbed Hungary in the back by amending its education act, which strongly violates the rights of the Hungarian minority It is shameful that a country that is striving to develop an increasingly close relationship with the European Union has made a decision that is in complete opposition to European values. It is unacceptable that Ukraine has stripped Hungarians of their right to study in their native language in schools and universities, and have only left them an opportunity to do so in nursery schools and primary schools," the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in its statement.

Szijjarto summoned Ukraine's ambassador to Hungary in Budapest about the law on education. In addition, Hungarian diplomats were given instructions not support Ukraine in international organizations on issues important for Ukraine.
In our growing economy, the volume of companies petitioning for examinership or being placed in liquidation has reduced considerably. However, with the uncertainty that has come with the Trump presidency and Brexit, it would be negligent of companies not to prepare for challenges.

What happens if your company is hit by a financial hammer blow as result of trading difficulties? The first thing to remember is not to let the rot set in. Discuss the matter with your financial adviser and decide on the best way forward. Directors of companies in difficulty usually have one of two options.

Option 1: If they feel the financial state of the company is reasonable and it can trade out of its difficulties, then it can apply to the courts to appoint an examiner. This procedure will allow 100 days to put a scheme in place for approval by the court and will be beneficial to both employees and creditors alike.

Option 2: If they feel that the company cannot trade out of its difficulties, they should place the company in voluntary liquidation by a process known as a creditors' voluntary winding-up.

There are three methods through which a company can go into liquidation - by compulsory liquidation, where the company is wound up by the court; by creditors' voluntary liquidation, where the company is wound up at a meeting of members and creditors; and by members' voluntary liquidation.

In my experience, the causes for the demise of a company can range from sheer bad luck to directors making a pig's breakfast of things.

I have encountered directors who have allowed their company be under-capitalised from the outset, with no proper books and records being kept and no annual returns filed with the Companies Registration Office (CRO). As a result the directors end up in breach of all statutory rules and the company is dissolved by the CRO.

In some cases, the demise of a company can be deliberate on the part of the directors, when they tinker with company funds.

I have also seen directors seeking to get rid of their financial difficulties by deciding to form another company and move on, leaving the creditors to go whistle.

Under Irish company law there are no set qualifications required to become a director of a company.

I find there is a very light touch approach by some directors to their statutory obligations as officers of a company. When I discuss matters with the directors of a company that has been placed in liquidation they seem to lack basic knowledge of company law, and when I advise them that whether or not they are executive or non-executive directors, they have collective responsibility as directors of the company, they are surprised. They seem to be interested in their rights and entitlements, but not their responsibilities and obligations.

Over the years, I have encountered many problems in the management of companies after they have been placed in liquidation. These include directors being either too light-touch or too gung ho. I have also encountered failures to keep proper books and records, which can lead to charges of reckless trading, deliberate under-declaration and failure to pay taxes, and monies due to the Revenue for VAT and PAYE/PRSI being used to fund the company.

Company directors should realise there are big changes ahead, with the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) and the CRO set to become much more severe in how they police company matters. The Companies Act 2014 has sufficient powers to make directors personally responsible for a company's debts if it appears that the directors were knowingly carrying on the business in a reckless manner, with the overall intent to defraud creditors.

In 2016, 3,664 persons were disqualified and 961 persons were restricted for acting as directors of a company. By my estimate there are thousands of company directors facing disqualification and being literally put out of business by the ODCE if their affairs are not in order and their companies annual returns are not filed on time.

PJ Lynch is an experienced insolvency practitioner and owner of PJ Lynch & Co
If political promises could resolve our crisis in housing and homelessness, that crisis would long ago have been resolved. But it is too easy to condemn a whole raft of initiatives now under way. We must maintain pressure for action, but also exercise some forbearance.

Today, in this newspaper, Junior Housing Minister Damien English argues that measures to provide more homes will succeed. He uses the example of successful Government efforts to cut unemployment from a high of 15pc just five years ago to the current level just above 6pc.

Mr English, who is increasingly being used by the Government to defend its response to the crisis, has also outlined a number of measures that deserve support. First is the use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) to acquire vacant and derelict houses.

The second is a move on banks and lending institutions, which have had idle mortgaged homes returned to them by people who could not pay their debt. The minister says he understands that lending institutions want to deal with such houses in batches - but he plans to meet them in the coming weeks to inject some urgency into getting these vacant homes back into use.

Legal advice to the Government is that CPOs can be used to acquire vacant homes. There was already no doubt that local authorities could do this in case of derelict or dangerous houses. But the councils' hand is to be strengthened in these cases.

The Housing Minister stresses that the authorities want to avoid use of CPOs where possible. In an ideal world, this initiative would incentivise property owners to act. It is intolerable that large numbers of houses be allowed lie idle when some 90,000 people are waiting to be housed.

Deepening Garda crisis requires urgent action

An Garda Siochana, for long Ireland's proud civilian police force, has been mired in a series of damaging controversies for the past five years. It was created as an unarmed force in the teeth of a bitter Civil War, and it sustained Ireland's democratic institutions through many dark years.

Now the force's first woman Commissioner, Noirin O'Sullivan, has abruptly departed from her job, following in the footsteps of her predecessor, Martin Callinan.

The development may ultimately be for the best, but it also epitomises the deepening crisis afflicting the once proud force.

Ms O'Sullivan has faced controversies for more than a year. There were calls from all Opposition parties that she be removed from the post unless she voluntarily stepped down.

As she announced her retirement after 36 years service in the force, she said the core of her job had come to be about "responding to an unending cycle of requests, questions, instructions and public hearings". These demands, Ms O'Sullivan said, had blocked her efforts to push a fundamental reform agenda in the force.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar concurred her departure was best for An Garda Siochana. But this Government, and all the political parties, have an urgent duty to bring in necessary management reforms promptly and restore Garda morale and public confidence. We need action, not reports and studies.
A policeman's lot is not a happy one, went a line in a famed Gilbert and Sullivan opera. A catchy tune and a sentiment shared by many.

I salute the dedication and courage shown by most gardai in combating crime and keeping the peace.

Sadly, recent revelations about false breath tests, and the litany of scandals preceding these, would be too over the top for a 'Keystone Cops' movie or 'Police Academy' send up, let alone as material for a comic opera.

We hear of people "self radicalising" before performing some crazy, or deadly, act of aggression or violence. Human beings are capable of anything.

But self breathalysing? No offence to our police force but upon hearing of the man who performed this procedure I had a mental image of a uniformed Guardian of the Peace looking at himself in the mirror and saying: "I have reason to believe you have partaken of intoxicating liquor. Would you mind blowing into this?" Whereupon he would test himself for possibly being over the limit.

Mind you, I reckon one would need to be well over the limit before indulging in such an exercise.

But gratuitous jesting about the crisis within An Garda Siochana (as seen especially on social media) can quickly turn sour. These are the people who hold the line between the continuance of a half decent, stable society and a total breakdown of law and order.

In court cases a judge will often remind a jury that not only must justice be done. It must be seen to be done.

The problem with the Garda right now is that, despite the integrity displayed by many members, the widespread public perception of the force is one of suspicion, mistrust, fear and disbelief.

To change that negative perception there must be a root-and-branch change in the ethos and modus operandi of the force from the top down. Otherwise the proverbial thin blue line of protection and security will wither and the dark side will prevail.

That'll be no laughing matter.

John Fitzgerald

Callan, Co Kilkenny

Public deserves better from media

Two important developments in public life are having serious and long-term consequences for all of us. These are the British vote for Brexit in 2016 and the decisions of the Irish governments, financial institutions etc which resulted in the bankruptcy and bailout of this country.

The decisions that gave rise to both of those occurrences had one thing in common. They had the support of much of the free media. The question has to be asked if anything has changed.

Much of the London media's critical coverage of the EU is still at the ludicrous 'straight banana' level that was its characteristic for decades.

Much of the Dublin media's critical coverage of the austerity that resulted from the bankrupting of the country is still at the 'till hell freezes over' level of support for those whose decisions during the pre-2009 Celtic Tiger period caused the bankruptcy.

Are the ordinary people of these islands entitled to better from powerful, opinion forming organisations?

A Leavy

Sutton, Dublin 13

Stamp highlights hidden costs

An Post has issued a 1 stamp commemorating 50 years of free Secondary Education in Ireland. To Irish families this is an offensive reminder of the extortionate hidden costs in providing education for their children.

These are costs from bags and uniforms, books and stationery, to school transport and tours. The most ironic and injurious of the penalties is the mandatory 'Voluntary Contribution' that schools are forced to impose due to underfunding.

The initiative introduced by education minister Donogh O'Malley 50 years ago was visionary for the impoverished era that was. It is to the regret of the voiceless working families of Ireland that current governments have failed to live up to his noble ideals.

Hugh Cronin

Knockraha, Co Cork

At least some TDs have spoken up

Ahead of the general election here in my adopted home of New Zealand later this month, Jacinda Ardern, leader of the resurgent Labour Party, has put her principles before political gain and declared that, if elected, her party will decriminalise abortion in New Zealand - where the procedure is currently only available in the event of fatal foetal abnormalities, if the woman's life is in danger, or after incest - but not rape.

Compare Ms Ardern's decisiveness with the situation in Ireland, where politicians, unwilling to alienate either their traditional base or up-and-coming voters, outsourced the issue of a referendum on the Eighth Amendment to a talking shop, the Citizens' Assembly. When the assembly's conclusions surprised our politicians with their support for repeal, our politicians further abdicated the responsibility for governing, this time to an Oireachtas committee, and obfuscate and fudge when asked for a straight answer on the matter, instead waiting to see what way the wind is blowing before deciding what their principles are.

Thank goodness, then, for Kate O'Connell and Josepha Madigan of Fine Gael and left-wing TDs Ruth Coppinger, Brid Smith, Clare Daly, Joan Collins, Catherine Murphy, and Maureen O'Sullivan, who have consistently spoken out in favour of extending reproductive rights in Ireland. Though they may represent different schools of political thought, perhaps there is some common denominator that these TDs share, both with each other and with Ms Ardern, that has alerted them to the urgency of repealing the Eighth.

Aisling O'Brien,

Auckland, New Zealand

Boris showing us contempt

You report (Irish Independent, September 9) that Boris Johnson has said that the post-Brexit Border issue is "Not beyond the wit of man to solve". That Mr Johnson has said this is not a surprise. He has been totally sidelined as foreign secretary by Theresa May. As he has had all responsibility taken away from him, he has found himself in a vacuum where all he can do is make fatuous statements.

If he truly believes what he says, why did he not elucidate his opinion, or as a member of Ms May's Cabinet, enlighten her and David Davis.

He cannot stop his true persona and contempt for us, and anyone else but himself, coming through. Hence the upper class, Eton disdain translated into his quote "Not beyond the wit of man..." that adds nothing to the resolution of the Border problem, for a problem it is.

Mr Johnson has been appointed foreign secretary in an attempt to unite the Tory party, but he has been emasculated by Ms May, partly because his judgment is suspect, but also because if she was forced to resign, Mr Johnson would be the likely person to succeed her, which she, and, one suspects, the majority of people in the UK, would see as being a disaster.

Harry Charalambou

Muswell Hill, London
Despite lagging behind the European average, Irish shoppers are snapping up style brands such as V by Very, which has just launched its spring summer collection, on the internet Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Sarah Morrissey thinks it's a "shame" that many young Irish girls are going under the knife for cosmetic surgery.

The former Miss Ireland, who is one of the country's busiest models, reckons the recent increase in lip fillers and other cosmetic treatments, inspired by celebrities like Kylie Jenner, isn't good for young women in the long run.

"I think it's become so accessible that people are getting done because so and so has it done," she said. "I think that's ridiculous. I think it's a shame. We're all not supposed to look like each other."

The mum-of-one wonders whether people who go under the knife will be as happy with the results in a few years.

Expand Close Sarah Morrissey / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sarah Morrissey

"Also I just think, if you look like that when you're 20, what are you going to look like when you're 40? You don't need it when you're so young. I don't think they need it," she said.

"If you're only getting it done because someone you know down the road got it done, that's not a very smart reason."

After 12 years at the top of her game, she said she recognises the fresh difficulties facing newer models, who are under more pressure than ever because of social media.

"I think it's harder for girls now because they rely so heavily on it. It's not very nice," she said. "You constantly have to strive for perfection and it's not real. That's hard. A lot of jobs expect you to Instagram and all that so it's part of the job now, which is fine, but you can become consumed by it."

Expand Close Sarah Morrissey wears Maticevski Top 787, Skirt 2,018 as she showcased the exciting new spring summer International Designer Collections at Brown Thomas. Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sarah Morrissey wears Maticevski Top 787, Skirt 2,018 as she showcased the exciting new spring summer International Designer Collections at Brown Thomas. Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland

Sarah, who is mum to nine-month-old Sadie with her husband Pat Jennings Jnr, reckons the hardest part of her career on the catwalk is that she never knows where her next job is coming from.

"The worst part about it is the unpredictability. You don't know how busy you're going to be next season," she told the Diary.

Video of the Day

"It's that waiting to find out if you're going to be busy. 'Should I get another job?' That kind of thing. It's very uncertain."

Speaking about her daughter, the former Miss Ireland said Sadie already rules their household. "She has totally changed our lives. She rules the house, we pander to her every need. She's walking already and is flying around the house," she said.

Expand Close Sarah Morrissey being crowned Miss Ireland in 2006 / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sarah Morrissey being crowned Miss Ireland in 2006

And she hopes to add to her family down the line. "I feel so blessed to have her that if I'm lucky enough to have another one I would love to, but I have her so I don't mind," she said.

Sarah was speaking at the opening of the new Christmas shop at Arnotts. The shop is on the second floor of the department store and has more than 4,000 products and 1,000 styles to choose from for the festive season.
Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt cut a forlorn figure in his first major interview since his split from Angelina Jolie. The 53-year-old spoke to GQ Style of mooching around the now empty home he once shared with Jolie and their six children, while in the accompanying photo shoot he appeared gaunt and pale. It's hard to look pitiful wearing bright purple trousers - but Sad Brad pulled it off.

"For me this period has been about looking at my weaknesses and failures and owning my side of the street," Pitt told the GQ reporter at one point - a self-flagellating confession suggesting that, more than six months on, he is still coming to terms with, and slightly numbed by, the end of his 12-year relationship with Jolie.

While he's not the first A-lister to speak candidly about heartbreak, men typically don't fall over themselves to tell everyone about their own suffering in the aftermath of a break-up. One of the few to do so was Ryan Phillippe, who divorced from Reese Witherspoon after eight years in 2007.

A year later, he admitted that the split was "the darkest, saddest place I had ever been. It was a struggle - there were a good four or five months of not being able to get out of bed. It was the worst time in my life." His frankness didn't seem to do him any favours in Hollywood, however, as his career slumped in the subsequent years.

"When your marriage breaks-up or your long-term relationship comes to an end you see it as a failure," says Joe Wallace who separated with his partner after 10 years - including one year of marriage. "It takes a long time for your self-esteem to come back up.

"It affects men's health," adds Wallace, who is now involved in Families, a support group for family members who have suffered a painful separation based in Limerick. "Even before they get caught up in the legal side of things Men are very slow to offload (their problems) and that is one of the main issues."

The caricature of the socially and emotionally isolated male has become so embedded that it often works against men coming out of a relationship. They are assumed to be unable to cope. Thus, a court, when determining issues such as child custody, may conclude that they are in over their heads.

"When the relationship breaks down men need a certain amount of guidance as to what happens next," says relationship mediator Sharon Morrissey, who says the "stereotypical view that men can't multi-task" has come to be regarded as universally applicable rather than specific to certain individuals.

"Men are very practical when you give them that guidance. They will go and do what needs to be done. Nonetheless, in appearing to put a fence around his feelings, Pitt has revealed himself to be somewhat of an Everydude. Any man who feels they've been on the wrong ending of a romantic pummelling will recognise Pitt's coping mechanisms - the brooding, the solitude, the insistence that, 'yes, really, they're okay'.

"Women have wider social structure," says Wallace. "They would be out (in the world) more than men. Men tend to work and then come home - obviously women work a lot more nowadays but it's still true that men tend to go from work to home."

Video of the Day

That men often struggle to process a serious break-up is hardly a controversial claim. The idea has taken root that, emotionally, we often react badly to major life upheavals. Moreover, our methods for dealing with changed circumstances are not always helpful. Going to the pub was named the best way to "get over" a split according to a 2015 survey by Men's Health magazine while one third of those polled said the jilted party should feign indifference.

Women, by contrast, are typically more comfortable finding a shoulder to cry on and letting it all out. Yet at the same time, they will often have fewer illusions about the state of a relationship and are more willing to endure short-term pain in the knowledge that it's for the best over the longer course.

Expand Close Elaine Hanlon / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Elaine Hanlon

"Studies show that more women than men are the initiators of marriage break up today," says Elaine Hanlon (above), a counsellor and psychotherapist based in Dublin.

"In order for a woman, and particularly a mother, to make the choice to break up the family unit, there is usually a long decision period. Many women I work with have taken years to leave unhappy marriages so by the time they do so they have worked through a certain amount of the pain, anger and hurt. Men's expectations of a marriage are often not as high as women's and they are happy to keep plodding along."

Women are often less dependent on their significant other for emotional support - they typically have a wider circle of friends and will confide to family in a way most men wouldn't countenance. Men, however, frequently look to their relationships to fulfil their emotional needs.

"Women tend to have a variety of emotional outlets and their main focus of conversation often tends to be about relationships," says Hanlon. "In more casual conversations they may discuss work relationships or talk about relationships with their children or friends, and in more close girlfriend relationships, women tend to talk openly about their intimate relationships.

"Men, on the other hand are more emotionally dependent on their female partners... Studies have shown that men move into new relationships quicker than women and this may be one of the reasons why. It's not necessarily that the man has 'got over' the relationship but more that he needs support to do so."

What are men to do? Clearly there's no quick fix. You won't get very far telling Brad to pull back the curtains and embrace every morning as a new opportunity. But for many men there is a danger that a brief spell of mourning can metastasise into ongoing loneliness. A first step would be a recognition that both sexes suffer. The only real difference is the way in which they express their pain.

"Males grew up with the 'men don't cry' attitude and while men may deal with things differently, it doesn't mean they don't feel the same pain and the same hurt as women," says Hanlon. "So for generations, men have learnt to suppress this pain and hurt and 'be a man' which doesn't allow much space for vulnerability."

Dealing with the split

* Don't try to numb the pain with booze

In times of stress, many men seek relief at the bottom of a glass. But overindulgence can cause you to suppress feelings that are best dealt with.

* Talk about it

Your friends won't jump out the nearest window if you open up about your feelings. Even if they don't have much advice to offer beyond the standard dude-isms, just having them as a sounding board can help.

* Sleep

This brings us back to the earlier warning about alcohol, which can inhibit your sleep cycle. At times of stress, prioritise a good night's sleep.

* Don't be a virtual stalker

Your relationship is over and you need to accept that - which means not stalking them on social media. It may help to erase their phone number too.

* Stay busy

As well as focusing attention on your work, make time for exercise and pursue that hobby you never had room in your life for previously.
Zimbabwe's First Lady, Grace Mugabe, has denied assaulting a South African model with an electric cable in hotel suite last month, claiming the "intoxicated and unhinged" model attacked her with a knife.

In a previously unreported August 17 deposition seen exclusively by Reuters, Mugabe countered 20-year-old Gabriella Engels' version, portraying herself as the victim after intervening on behalf of her adult sons Chatunga and Robert Junior who were "in trouble with a drunken young woman".

Expand Close Gabriella Engels looks on during a media conference in Pretoria, South Africa (Themba Hadebe/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Gabriella Engels looks on during a media conference in Pretoria, South Africa (Themba Hadebe/AP)

The statement said Grace Mugabe (52) and a contender to replace her 93-year-old husband as Zimbabwe's president, was thinking about filing attempted murder charges.

A group representing Engels dismissed the allegations as lies. According to the model, an irate Mugabe burst into the room in Johannesburg where she was waiting with two friends to meet Chatunga on August 13 and started laying into her with an electric cable.

Photographs taken by Engels' mother soon after the incident showed gashes to the model's head. She also had bruising on her thighs.

In her deposition, Mugabe dismissed Engels' version as "malicious allegations" and said she had been attacked after going to help her sons.

Expand Close Grace Mugabe is accused of assaulting a young model at a hotel in Johannesburg (AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Grace Mugabe is accused of assaulting a young model at a hotel in Johannesburg (AP)

"She was worried about them and went to see them at their hotel suite," the statement said. "Upon her arrival, Ms Engels, who was intoxicated and unhinged, attacked Dr Grace Mugabe with a knife after she was asked to leave the hotel."

"Security was left with no other option but to remove Ms Engels from the hotel suite," it continued.

The statement also alleged that Engels had been in a fight with other women at Johannesburg's Taboo nightclub the previous evening and suggested that may have been the cause of her injuries.

Afriforum, an Afrikaans civil society group acting on behalf of Engels, denied both accusations.

"Gabriella never attacked Grace Mugabe in any way and she did not participate in the fight at Taboo," Afriforum said.

"It is clear that Grace Mugabe is desperately trying to escape responsibility for her own violent behaviour by using lies to falsely portray the victim in this case as the perpetrator."

Expand Close Gabriella Engels / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Gabriella Engels

South Africa granted Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity, allowing her to evade immediate prosecution for assault, although Engels and Afriforum have challenged that decision, saying Mugabe was not in South Africa on official business.

They also argued that assault was a "grave crime" that was not covered by diplomatic immunity laws.

The decision to let Grace Mugabe return home caused a row in South Africa, with the opposition Democratic Alliance also going to court to overturn the immunity.

"EMBARRASSMENT"

According to Zimbabwean intelligence files seen by Reuters, Robert Mugabe lobbied his South African counterpart, Jacob Zuma, to have the issue "solved amicably" and out of court but was stymied by Engels' refusal to accept a settlement.

"He is trying to avoid the embarrassment of his wife appearing before the court," one file, dated August 30, reads.

"The problem he is facing is that the woman who was assaulted is refusing to accept any money and she just wants justice to be delivered upon Grace."

Afriforum lawyer Gerrie Nel - best known for prosecuting South African track star Oscar Pistorius over the shooting of his girlfriend - said last month Engels had been approached with a cash offer but had turned it down.

The intelligence report is a part of a series of hundreds of files dating back to 2009 that have come from within Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO). Reuters has not been able to establish their original author or final audience.

The August 30 report said Mugabe was "changing his attitude" to the case and was now backing Grace while accusing Engels of impropriety.

"Mugabe wants people to stop castigating his wife and calling her all sorts of names," it said. "Mugabe is saying that his wife acted in an angry mood like all other women who find their children being involved with sleeping with whores."

Afriforum chief executive Kallie Kriel said this allegation was an "absolute lie" and part of a deliberate attempt by Harare to undermine Engels' credibility as a witness.

A spokesman for Zimbabwe's presidency, which has direct oversight of the CIO, was not immediately available for comment. Zimbabwe's ambassador to South Africa did not respond to a request for comment.

Zuma has denied any hand in the affair, telling parliament on August 31: "I am not a lawyer. I don't know the point of law and I was not involved in this process. How it was done, I would be lying if I speculate." His spokesman declined to elaborate.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump mark the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks at the Pentagon (Evan Vucci/AP)

President Donald Trump, leading his first commemoration of the 9/11 anniversary, has said "the living, breathing soul of America wept with grief" for each of the nearly 3,000 lives that were lost on that day 16 years ago.

Addressing an audience at the Pentagon, one of three sites attacked on September 11 2001, Mr Trump used the anniversary to sternly warn terrorists that "America cannot be intimidated".

He said those who try are destined to join a long list of vanquished enemies "who dared to test our mettle".

Mr Trump and first lady Melania Trump observed a moment of silence at the White House at the exact moment that a hijacked plane was slammed into the World Trade Centre.

The Trumps bowed their heads and placed their hands over their hearts as the Taps bugle call rang out across the South Lawn.

They were surrounded by White House aides and other administration officials in what has become an annual day of remembrance.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijackers flew commercial planes into New York's World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Mr Trump, a native New Yorker who was in the city on 9/11, said the attack was worse than the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbour during the Second World War because it targeted civilians.

He vowed that it would never be repeated.

"The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit," Mr Trump said later at the Pentagon, where he was joined by defence secretary Jim Mattis and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"But America cannot be intimidated and those who try will join a long list of vanquished enemies who dared test our mettle."

He said that when America is united, "no force on earth can break us apart".

Mr Trump also offered words of comfort for the many whose loved ones perished in the attacks.

"For the families with us on this anniversary, we know that not a single day goes by when you don't think about the loved one stolen from your life. Today, our entire nation grieves with you," Mr Trump said.

Later, he said "the living, breathing soul of America wept with grief for every life taken on that day".

Vice President Mike Pence was representing the administration at a ceremony at the 9/11 memorial in Shanksville.

Mr Trump has a chequered history with 9/11.

He frequently uses the attack to praise the city's response but has also made unsubstantiated claims about what he did and saw on that day.

Mr Trump often lauds the bravery of New York police officers, firefighters and other emergency responders who rushed to the Twin Towers to help as an example of the resilience of the city where he made a name for himself.

But he has also criticised former president George W Bush's handling of the attacks, accusing Mr Bush of failing in his duty to keep Americans safe.

Mr Trump has made dubious claims about September 11, particularly saying when talking about Muslims that "thousands of people were cheering" in Jersey City, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan, as the towers collapsed.

There is no evidence in news archives of mass celebrations there by Muslims.

Mr Trump also said he lost "hundreds of friends" in the attack and that he helped clear rubble afterwards.

He has not provided the names of those he knew who perished in the attack, but has mentioned knowing a Roman Catholic priest who died while serving as a chaplain to the city's fire department.
At first glance, this interview about empanadas in the Chilean city of Andacollo is like any other you might stumble upon online.

Captured by Kuarta TV, this video has now gone viral however  keep an eye on the bottom right corner to see why.

VIDEO: #Andacollo Vea la nota original donde un perro se "Roba" una empanada en el regional de cueca escolar.Realizado por nuestro notero Sebastian Gonzalez, Editor Francisco olivares y Red de diarios comunales Posted by Kuarta TV on Sunday, September 10, 2017

Thats right, unbeknown to those in the video  and in full stealth mode  a dog managed to nick one of the pastries mid-video.

The ninja-like thief wasnt noticed by the crew making the film, but has since received a huge amount of attention online  where you can be sure youll be watching it over and over

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

In Chile, the response to the hungry little pooch has been massive  with one artist even creating a political poster encouraging people to vote for them as president.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

With the dog receiving so much love from Spanish speakers, you can be sure its only a matter of time before the rest of the world starts to follow suit.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

Chilean thief dog  youre a hero.
Ukrainian film director convicted for terrorism has been transferred from Yakutia penal colony to remand prison in Irkutsk

The Irkutsk region's Public Supervising Commission (PSC) has found out that Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov, who was sentenced in Russia to 20 years in a high security penitentiary for terrorism in 2015, is currently held in the SIZO No 1 remand prison in Irkutsk, the regional Rights Activists Council said on its website.

"On Saturday, Irkutsk PSC members found Oleh Sentsov, who had been transferred from a penitentiary in Yakutsk [where he was serving his term] a week ago, staying at SIZO No 1 in Irkutsk," the rights organizations said in a statement.

The PSC representatives were able to visit Sentsov and inspect his solitary cell in the remand prison's so-called "red" block, the one lined with red brick.

"The conditions in the cell are good. The cell has recently been repaired. It is clean and dry. Oleh [Sentsov] is well. He is smiling and sending regards to everyone," the statement said.

Sentsov is not aware of the reason why he has been transferred from a penal colony in Yakutia to the remand prison in Irkutsk, it said.

It is most likely that the authorities have decided to change Sentsov's place of detention, Irkutsk rights activist Svyatoslav Khromenkov told Interfax.

"Normally, the transfer of a prisoner from a penal colony to a SIZO [remand prison] is attributable to some investigatory actions taking place: for example, he [the prisoner] is a witness or defendant in another criminal case. But as for Sentsov, I'd rather suppose that they have decided to change his place of detention - to transfer him to another penal colony, and the SIZO in Irkutsk is just one of the [transfer] stages here," Khromenkov said.

As reported earlier, Russia's North Caucasus District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don in 2015 sentenced Sentsov, who had been arrested in Crimea in 2014, to 20 years in a high security penal colony on charges of establishing a terrorist community in the Crimean Peninsula.
The New Jerusalem Apostolic Church in Rocky Lane, Birmingham where a man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing inside the church. Photo credit: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing inside a church in England.

Minister Kevin Hutchinson said about 150 people were taking part in the New Jerusalem Apostolic Church's Sunday service in Birmingham when "a man with a knife stormed into our sanctuary".

He said the attacker was challenged at the door by ushers and restrained. He said: "He drew out a large kitchen knife and was restrained by a number of members, about three.

"Three members were injured and were taken to hospital. The men in the church were able to restrain him until the police came."

West Midlands Police said a 33-year-old man was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Officers were called to the church off Rocky Lane, in the Aston area of the city, at 10.50am yesterday.

A 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Police said in a statement: "Early indications suggest that the offender and victim knew each other and that this was a targeted attack.

Two people who helped to restrain the attacker also received minor injuries, which did not require hospital treatment.
South African authorities are searching for five lions believed to be roaming in the country's most populous province.

Drew Abrahamson, founder of conservation group Captured in Africa, said she and colleagues were contacted on Friday by police in Fochville, about 60 kilometres (37 miles) south-west of Johannesburg, South Africa's biggest city.

Police spotted the lions while investigating an animal carcass, Ms Abrahamson said.

She speculated that the lions were owned illegally because any legal owner would probably have notified authorities of missing predators.

A small plane is searching for the lions, Ms Abrahamson said.

The incident in Gauteng province is unusual because much of the area is developed.

In July, South African officials shot and killed three lions that escaped from the country's Kruger National Park.
Boats piled on top of each other in the marina in Road Town, Tortola, on the British Virgin Islands. Photo: AP

From Cuba to Antigua, Caribbean islanders began counting the cost of Hurricane Irma after the brutal storm left a trail of death, destruction and chaos from which it could take the tourist-dependent region years to recover.

The ferocious Category 5 storm, which killed at least 28 people across the region, devastated housing, power supplies and communications, leaving some small islands almost cut off from the world. European nations sent military reinforcements to keep order amid looting, while the damage was expected to total billions of dollars.

Ex-pat billionaires and poor islanders alike were forced to take cover as Irma tore roofs off buildings, flipped cars and killed livestock, raging from the Leeward Islands across Puerto Rico and Hispaniola then into Cuba before turning toward Florida.

Waves of up to 11 metres smashed businesses along the Cuban capital Havana's sea-side drive yesterday morning. Further east, high winds whipped Varadero, the island's most important tourist resort.

Sea-front hotels were evacuated in Havana and relief workers spent the night rescuing people from homes in the city centre as the sea penetrated to historic levels in the flood-prone area.

US President Donald Trump issued a disaster declaration for Puerto Rico, where Irma killed at least three people and left hundreds of thousands without power. He also expanded federal funds available to the US Virgin Islands, which suffered extensive damage to homes and infrastructure.

Further east in the Caribbean, battered islands such as Saint Martin and Barbuda were taking stock of the damage as people began emerging from shelters.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the death toll on the Dutch part of Saint Martin had risen to four from two, and that 70pc of homes had been damaged or destroyed.

Following reports of looting, the Netherlands said it would increase its military presence to 550 soldiers on the island.

France, which oversees neighbouring Saint Barthelemy and other half of Saint Martin, said the police presence on the two islands had been boosted to close to 500. The French interior ministry said 11 people suspected of "malicious actions" had been arrested as TV footage showed chaos on the islands with streets under water, boats and cars in piles and torn rooftops.

Irma killed at least 10 people on the two islands. France's Caisse Centrale de Reassurance, a state-owned reinsurance group, estimated the cost of Irma at 1.2bn.

French President Emmanuel Macron is due to visit Saint Martin tomorrow.

Barbuda, home to about 1,800 people, faces a bill that could total hundreds of millions of dollars, after Irma forced the local government to order a total evacuation.

The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, said Irma had wreaked "absolute devastation" on Barbuda, which he said was "barely habitable".

The storm also plunged the British Virgin Islands, an offshore business and legal centre, into turmoil.

British billionaire Richard Branson, who sought refuge in the wine cellar of his home on Necker island, called Irma the "storm of the century" and urged people to make donations to help rebuild the region.
McCain: "All the results so far are excellent." Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

US Senator John McCain has described his brain cancer as "vicious" but believes the treatment is going well.

"This is a very vicious form of cancer that I'm facing," said Senator McCain, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2008. The 80-year-old Arizona senator was found to have an aggressive form of brain tumour, glioblastoma, after surgery in July for a blood clot above his left eye.

"All the results so far are excellent," he said, adding that the prognosis was "pretty good".

"I'm facing a challenge, but I've faced other challenges, and I'm very confident about getting through this one as well," the senator said. "I've had no side-effects, no nothing except frankly an increased level of energy."

Mr McCain recently completed his first round of chemotherapy and radiation, and he said that he would have an MRI today, an imaging technique used to evaluate medical conditions.

The senator, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee and was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam campaign, is also going to oversee work on a defence policy bill on the Senate floor next week.

"Every life has to end one way or another," he said, adding that he was very happy with his life, including the 2008 campaign that he lost to former president Barack Obama.

"I am able to celebrate a wonderful life and I will be grateful for additional time that I have," he said.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that he will comply with any court decision to deprive the leader of the New Forces Movement political party, ex-head of Odesa Regional State Administration Mikheil Saakashvili of Ukraine's citizenship, but the latter has not appealed to judicial authorities for over a month and a half.

"In any legal state, a person has the right to appeal any administrative act at the administrative court, in this case at the High Administrative Court. And I, as the president, will execute any court decision. If you do not like the decision of the Ukrainian court, there is the European Court of Human Rights [...] More than one month and a half has passed. Nobody has applied to the court," he said during a meeting on the development of rural medicine in Kyiv on Monday.
Rescue personnel help a woman through floods after the passing of Hurricane Irma in Havana, Cuba. Photo: Reuters

Hurricane Irma smashed into the US mainland yesterday, bringing with it 210kmh winds that killed several people, flooded parts of downtown Miami, and left an estimated two million people in Florida without power.

The mammoth storm barrelled its way into the Florida Keys at breakfast time, ripping roofs off trailers, flattening palm trees, and hurling road signs through the air, after leaving a trail of devastation in the Caribbean where at least 25 people died.

Expand Close A local worker walks through debris of what used to be a two-storey home in Brevard County, Florida. Photo: AP / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A local worker walks through debris of what used to be a two-storey home in Brevard County, Florida. Photo: AP

Rick Scott, Florida's Governor, said: "People ask what they can do for us. Pray for us. We need volunteers, nurses. I hope everybody will pray for us. We can pray, that's the biggest thing we can do."

As the storm ripped through Miami, waist-deep water surged through streets at least three blocks from the shore.

Roads in the downtown area were turned into rivers as water raced between office buildings and blocks of flats, while street signs swung crazily.

A giant crane collapsed and was left dangling perilously over a partially constructed high-rise building.

Expand Close Palm trees bend and break in the teeth of the hurricane as it passes in Miami Beach, Florida. Photo: AP / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Palm trees bend and break in the teeth of the hurricane as it passes in Miami Beach, Florida. Photo: AP

Miami's deputy fire chief, Joseph Zahralban, said people in nearby structures should move somewhere safe but there was nothing else emergency services could do to help.

He said: "The weather has deteriorated to the point where we're not comfortable even sending anybody out to even evaluate the situation. So our only concern right now is the protection of life, not property."

The crane was one of more than 20 in Miami that were unable to be dismantled in time and there were fears others could come crashing down.

One woman in Miami had to deliver her own baby girl during the storm as emergency services were unable to reach her.

A fire service spokesman said: "We weren't able to respond. Dispatch told her how to do it and she's stable at home."

Among at least three people reported dead as Irma hit was sheriff's deputy Julie Bridges, who died alongside another person in a car crash about 100km from Sarasota.

In a separate accident, a man lost control of a truck in strong winds in Key West.

Irma made landfall in Florida yesterday morning at Cudjoe Key with sustained winds of 210kmh, the National Hurricane Centre said. It was expected to bring up to 60cm of rain in some parts of the Keys.

Some 6.4 million Floridians had been ordered to evacuate - more than a quarter of Florida's population - amid warnings they would be "on their own" if they stayed.

Of those who stayed, 100,000 were in shelters, but some chose to remain in their own homes.

Explaining why he stayed in Key West, Jason Jonas said: "We're 30-plus feet above sea level and in a place that's built to withstand 360kmh winds. That's a better chance than being exposed out on the highway in traffic trying to make it to Georgia."

By midday yesterday, Irma was leaving the Keys behind and beginning its 20kmh crawl up the west coast of Florida, expected to reach the heavily populated cities of Naples and Tampa by the evening.

The greatest fear for those areas remained the potential for a terrifying three-metre storm surge that could travel 15km inland taking out everything in its path.

There were complaints from some that the last-minute change of direction of the centre of the storm away from Miami in the east meant few preparations had been made.

Jeff Beerbohm (52), an entrepreneur in Tampa, said: "As usual, the weathermen, I don't know why they're paid. For five days, we were told it was going to be on the east coast, and then 24 hours before it hits, we're now told it's coming up the west coast."

Tampa had not been hit by a major hurricane since 1921 when it had a population of just 10,000.

Now, it is home to three million and its retirement homes, canals lined with yachts, and shell-filled beaches were under threat.

Bob Buckhorn, the Mayor of Tampa, said: "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face. Well, we're about to get punched in the face. We are about to find out what hell looks like."

Meanwhile, Hurricane Jose was predicted to weaken as it pulled away from the Caribbean yesterday.

It had been on course to hit Barbuda and St Martin, already devastated by Irma. But it changed path and the islands avoided its full fury. ( Daily Telegraph, London)
A heartwarming photo from one of the police departments involved in the emergency response to Hurricane Irma has gone viral.

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department, which is among those battling the historic hurricane, tweeted a photo of one of its officers and his K-9 partner getting some rest together.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

The tweet has been soliciting a major response from citizens thanking the police for their hard working during the devastating storm, which has claimed more than 20 lives.

Meanwhile, the department also shared news of arrest of nine people caught looting during the storm thanks to footage captured b TV crews.

Local TV station WPLG recorded the group entering the Simons Sportwear shop on West Sunrise Boulevard.

The group entered through a broken window and made off with goods from the store and also targeted a nearby pawn shop.

Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice, Police Chief Rick Maglione said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Stay home and look after your loved ones and be thankful they are safe.

We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference

The department posted mug shots of two men charged in other hurricane-related crimes.

Cant say we didnt warn you28 YOs Ryan Cook & Max Saintvil each face 6 counts of burglary from overnight #HurricaneIrma, the department tweeted.
An Irish couple celebrating their ten-year anniversary in Florida are not sure if they will be able to renew their wedding vows now after Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc across the Sunshine State.

Mark and Sharon Garbutt, along with their two children Leon (14) and Kayla (11), are currently stranded at their hotel in Orlando.

The couple, from Lusk in Dublin, were due to travel to Clearwater in Tampa Bay where they plan to renew their wedding vows on Saturday. However, the damage caused by Irma means they havent been able to leave the Rosen Inn Hotel on International Drive.

I think with the storm surge, theyre expecting a lot of flooding at the Marriott Hotel where we were meant to be staying in Clearwater. We have family friends living in Charleston in South Carolina so we may have to finish off our holiday with them instead, Sharon told Independent.ie.

Expand Close The Gorbutt family at Universal Studios / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Gorbutt family at Universal Studios

The Garbutt family had been looking forward to their dream holiday for almost a year, as they had booked everything last October.

Mark told how his daughter Kayla slept in the bathtub of their hotel room last night as the winds were so strong they feared the windows would smash.

He praised the hotel for how accommodating theyve been, but he said Irma has put a huge dampener on their holiday.

They have disaster rates which basically means everyone has been given a reduced rate. We were supposed to check out yesterday but looks like well be here for another few days. We are a bit down about it...thats a 48-hour period were never going to get back, Mark told Independent.ie.

We have been trying to look up pictures of Clearwater to see how bad the damage is but were not sure of the extent of it yet. Im not sure were going to be able to renew our vows now but hopefully we will.

Mark said the hotel has also reduced the price of food and drink. Most of the guests are from Ireland, England and Scotland and he said people have been trying to keep a positive atmosphere.

Expand Close Trees uprooted in Orlando Photo: Celine Daly / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Trees uprooted in Orlando Photo: Celine Daly

The bar has been hopping the last two nights whereas it was dead when we first got here.They're taking a couple of dollars off each meal and they are trying their best to accommodate people. Its very good to see.

The Dublin family arrived last Tuesday and are due to fly home next Tuesday.

Another Irish family living in Oviedo, just east of Orlando, said they spent last night in their closet.

Celine Daly, originally from Dublin, said her husband and three kids haven't left their home since Friday.

"I have lived through hurricanes before by this was something different. When it started to hit, I made everyone get into the closet. Our back yard is like a swimming pool," she told Independent.ie.

Meanwhile, Irish holidaymakers in Miami will have to wait until at least Wednesday to escape Hurricane Irma and travel home, Aer Lingus said.

The airline said they are being "flexible" with their schedule following the deadly hurricane, but said they will need to wait for the airports in the state to reopen and be declared as safe.

Speaking to RTE Radio One's Morning Ireland, Aer Lingus Director of Communications Declan Kearney said they brought their Orlando flight forward by five hours on Saturday to ensure people's safe journey home.

"The current situation is both Miami and Orlando airports are closed for business," Mr Kearney said.

"We've subsequently cancelled yesterday's operation to Miami and today's to Orlando.

"There is a flight to Orlando tomorrow and a flight to Miami on Wednesday. The situation is evolving and really is subject to the availability of the airport's infrastructure.

"Tomorrow's flight is still in question," Mr Kearney added.
A vehicle sits in a flooded car park outside the Germain Arena, which was used as an evacuation shelter for Irma (Gerald Herbert/AP)

Cyclists are caught along the Fort Lauderdale waterfront (The Canadian Press/AP)

Tybee Island resident Joe Murphy standing in knee deep water from Tropical Storm Irma outside his house in Georgia (AP)

Irma has killed one person in Georgia as rain flooded coastal communities.

Winds sent trees crashing onto homes and the world's busiest airport in Atlanta cancelled hundreds of flights as the storm's punch was felt statewide despite its weakened status as a tropical storm.

The city of Savannah, on Georgia's coast, was evacuated for the second time in less than a year because of the storm, and the National Weather Service in Peachtree City confirmed that Atlanta - more than 250 miles inland from either the Atlantic or Gulf coasts - was under a tropical storm warning for the first time.

One storm-related death had been confirmed in rural Worth County, Georgia Emergency Management Agency spokeswoman Catherine Howden said.

The storm fatality occurred in south-west Georgia, where Irma's centre crossed over from Florida on Monday afternoon. Tropical storm winds reached more than 400 miles from its centre, giving its powerful gusts and drenching rains a far reach.

Storm surge and rainfall arriving at high tide on Monday afternoon swamped communities along Georgia's 100-mile coast. On Tybee Island east of Savannah, Holland Zellers was heading home to grab a kayak so he could reach a home where his mother had taken shelter near the beach.

Shawn Gillen, Tybee Island's city manager, said waters appeared to be receding quickly but the flooding was extensive on the island of more than 3,000 residents.

"There's a lot of homes that have water in the them right now," Mr Gillen said.

The tidal surge also sent water and damaged boats rushing ashore into St Marys just north of the Georgia-Florida state line, said St Marys police Lieutenant Shannon Brock. Ms Brock said no injuries had been reported.

Almost all of Georgia was under a tropical storm warning.

A similar warning covered parts of South Carolina and most of eastern Alabama, where schools and businesses were closed. Alabama Emergency Management Agency meteorologist Jim Stefcovich said strong winds could linger in the state until 2am local time on Tuesday.

About 800 flights had been cancelled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which remained operational on Monday as its staff monitored storm conditions with help from the Federal Aviation Administration, airport spokesman Andrew Gobeil said.

By Monday afternoon, more than 800,000 Georgia Power and EMC customers mostly in coastal and south Georgia were without power. Alabama Power said there were 12,000 outages mostly in the southeastern area of the state.

In Atlanta, falling trees and limbs may pose the most significant threat to life and property.

Amy Phuong, parks and recreation commissioner for the city, says six crews were already handling calls for felled trees around the city on Monday afternoon, as winds and rain began to intensify.

Ms Phuong says the crews expect to stay busy as Irma passes over the area and in the storm's aftermath.

About half the city's land area is covered by trees - a larger share than most urban centres.

Georgia's coast was largely empty after evacuations were ordered for the second time in less than a year. The coast's nearly 540,000 residents fled last October ahead of Hurricane Matthew, which caused an estimated 500 million US dollars in damage and killed three people.

The National Weather Service said flooding rains were a major concern on Monday, with 8 to 15 inches of rainfall predicted in south-east Georgia. Savannah saw winds strong enough to make palm trees bend and sway.

Further inland in Lowndes County near the Georgia-Florida line, firefighters rescued occupants of a few homes struck by falling trees, said county spokeswoman Paige Dukes. No serious injuries were reported. With wind gusts reaching 70 mph, officials ordered a daytime curfew for the 112,000 residents of Lowndes County, which includes Valdosta.

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority suspended all bus and rail services on Monday and would decide later whether to resume operations on Tuesday, spokesman Erik Burton said.

Georgia Power spokeswoman Holly Crawford said the areas with the most power outages were coastal Glynn and Chatham counties. She says the utility company had about 3,400 employees on standby to respond, but cautioned repairs could take several days.
Young supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami, a Pakistani religious group, take part in a rally to condemn ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar (AP)

Burma's military has been accused of planting land mines in the path of Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in its western Rakhine state.

Amnesty International reported two people were wounded on Sunday as 300,000 Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh the past fortnight following what they deem government-sponsored persecution.

Refugee accounts of the latest outbreak of violence in Rakhine have typically described shootings by soldiers and arson attacks on villages in Burma, also known as Myanmar.

But there several cases that point to anti-personnel land mines or other explosives as the cause of injuries on the border with Bangladesh.

Burma has one of the few armies, along with North Korea and Syria, which has openly used anti-personnel land mines in recent years, according to Amnesty.

An international treaty in 1997 outlawed the use of the weapons with Bangladesh among the signatories, but Burma opting not to .

Lieutenant Colonel SM Ariful Islam, commanding officer of the Bangladesh border guard in Teknaf, said on Friday he was aware of at least three Rohingya injured in explosions.

Bangladeshi officials and Amnesty researchers believe new explosives have been recently planted, including one that the rights group said blew off a Bangladeshi farmer's leg and another that wounded a Rohingya man.

Both incidents occurred on Sunday, while it is reported at least three people including two children were injured in the past week.

"It may not be land mines, but I know there have been isolated cases of Myanmar soldiers planting explosives three to four days ago," Mr Ariful said on Friday.

Burma presidential spokesman Zaw Htay did not answer phone calls seeking comment on Sunday.

Military spokesman Myat Min Oo said he couldn't comment without talking to his superiors, while a major at the Border Guard Police headquarters in northern Maungdaw near the Bangladesh border also refused to comment.

Amnesty said that based on interviews with eyewitnesses and analysis by its own weapons experts, it believes there is "targeted use of landlines" along a narrow stretch of the northwestern border of Rakhine state that is a crossing point for fleeing Rohingya.

"All indications point to the Myanmar security forces deliberately targeting locations that Rohingya refugees use as crossing points," Amnesty official Tirana Hassan said in a statement on Sunday.

She called it "a cruel and callous way of adding to the misery of people fleeing a systematic campaign of persecution".

The violence and exodus began on August 25 when Rohingya insurgents attacked Burmese police and paramilitary posts in what they said was an effort to protect their ethnic minority from persecution by security forces in the majority Buddhist country.

In response, the military unleashed what it called "clearance operations" to root out the insurgents.

A ccounts from refugees show the Burmese military is also targeting civilians with shootings and wholesale burning of Rohingya villages in an apparent attempt to purge Rakhine state of Muslims.

Bloody anti-Muslim rioting that erupted in 2012 in Rakhine state forced more than 100,000 Rohingya into displacement camps in Bangladesh, where many still live today.

Rohingya have faced decades of discrimination and persecution in Burma and are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the Rakhine region.

Burma denies Rohingya exist as an ethnic group and says those living in Rakhine are illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

AP
The Trump administration's original draft would have ordered all countries to impose an asset freeze and travel ban on North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (AP)

The UN Security Council has unanimously approved new sanctions on North Korea in a watered-down resolution without an oil import ban or international asset freeze on the government and leader Kim Jong Un that the Trump administration wanted.

The resolution does ban North Korea from importing all natural gas liquids and condensates. But it only caps Pyongyang's imports of crude oil at the level of the last 12 months, and it limits the import of refined petroleum products to two million barrels a year.

It also bans all textile exports and prohibits all countries from authorising new work permits for North Korean workers - two key sources of hard currency.
Gravita India suffers fire accident at Mundra plant, Gujarat; Stock down 2% Gravita India Limited has informed to the stock exchanges regarding fire incident at company's Mundra Plant, Gujarat. According to the filing, a fire incident occurred on Sunday's ev... November 14, 2022 | 1:06 pm

Sinclairs Hotels stock declines ~6% despite PAT jumps 628% yoy in Q2FY23 For the quarter ended September 30, 2022, Sinclairs Hotels Limited posted a Total Income of Rs962.51 lakh, a 60% increase over Rs602.81 lakh for the corresponding quarter in the previ... November 14, 2022 | 12:33 pm

Keystone Realtors IPO opens today, check live subscription on Day 1 Keystone Realtors, Parent company of Rustomjee Brand has opens today for public subscription and will be closing on November 16, 2022. The IPO price band is Rs 514-541 per share. Investors can ... November 14, 2022 | 12:07 pm

Inox Green Energy Services IPO Day 2 Subscription Status Inox Green Energy Services Limited launched its initial public offering (IPO) on Friday, November 11, 2022 and will be concluded on November 15, 2022. The price band will be fixed at Rs 61-65 p... November 14, 2022 | 11:43 am

Market forecast - What to expect this week? Indian equity markets may see a range-bound week. Data on inflation in October will have some impact on market movement. RBI Governor has said that he expects inflation in October to come down.... November 14, 2022 | 11:05 am
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that the verdict of the Supreme Court of Crimea to Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Akhtem Chyigoz is another verdict of the Russian Federation, which at the international level is recognized as an occupier.

"The case of Akhtem Chiygoz is another verdict of Russia, which at the highest international level - the UN - is recognized as an occupier," Poroshenko wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.

"You can illegally restrict freedom, but you can never break the will and the truth! You can occupy someone else's land, but it will burn under your feet before it is released," the president said.

Earlier on this day, the Crimean Supreme Court sentenced Akhtem Chiygoz, deputy chair of the Crimean Tatar Majilis (banned in Russia), to eight years in a penitentiary for instigating mass disturbances at a Simferopol rally on February 26, 2014, ahead of the referendum on Crimea's reunification with Russia.
Priyanka Chopra is doing more than what her job requires her to. She holds a position in the society which she wants to use to make a difference in the lives of others. Apart from being a top notch actress, she is also the goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, and so she keeps herself involved in the good work every now and then.

AP

Recently, she visited Jordan to meet the Syrian refugee kids and probably make them feel a little more comfortable; and hence, contribute to making a difference in their lives. Earlier as well, she had visited Zimbabwe kids who suffered from sexual abuse.

AP

But this one Twitter user had a problem with PC because, according to him, she never visited an Indian rural kid. He said that the problem of malnutrition in India is already a concern, but she never bothered to visit the kids in her own country.

I would request @priyankachopra that do visit rural areas of India where malnourished kids waiting for food. #MissionForChildren https://t.co/VTKdrRBUkr  Ravindra Gautam (@RavindraGautam_) September 10, 2017

To this, Priyanka Chopra couldnt help but shut him down.

Ive worked w/ @UNICEFIndia for 12 yrs&visited many such places. What have u done @RavindraGautam_ ?Y is 1 childs prob less imp than another? https://t.co/GaxeKyXDrK  PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) September 10, 2017

Out of the population of 6.6 million people in Jordan, about 1.3 million are Syrians, and PC is trying to bring a smile on the uprooted kids' faces in the times of crisis.
Social Media has been celebrating Swami Vivekanandas speech at the Parliament of Religion, Chicago in 1893 since morning. In fact, the Indian Prime Minister too addressed students across the nation from Vigyan Bhawan to mark the 125th anniversary of his monumental speech.

Paid tributes to Swami Vivekananda and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, two exemplary personalities whose thoughts continue to guide us.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2017

In an era where India was left shackled by the atrocities of the rule we did not support, Swami Vivekanand won the heart of everyone with his speech. Point by point, he explained the significance of Indian religion, the legacy of India, our culture and Indian Philosophy.

This speech by Swami Vivekananda, delivered on this day in 1893, continues to reverberate & inspire generations. https://t.co/5X1uX4LIgu  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2017

He said that science is nothing but the process of discovery of unity and when one surpasses dualism and reaches non-dualism absolute development, of religion and science, is achieved.

1.

On 125th Anniversary of #SwamiVivekananda ji's #Chicago address let's dedicate ourselves to harness power of #YoungIndia to build #NewIndia  Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) September 11, 2017

2.

On 125th Year of historic Chicago address of #SwamiVivekananda ,Honble PM shall address the Student Leaders Convention #YoungIndiaNewIndia pic.twitter.com/lmWbTEmYhf  Dr. Mahesh Sharma (@dr_maheshsharma) September 11, 2017

3.

In pictures: Shri @AmitShah visited Ramakrishna Mission #SwamiVivekananda's Ancestral House and Cultural Centre in Kolkata today. pic.twitter.com/A607yoePk4  BJP (@BJP4India) September 11, 2017

4.

#SwamiVivekananda drew the entire world's attention to our Nation's rich history & strong cultural roots through his speech in Chicago(1893) pic.twitter.com/b7FCGBkYWp  Anit Ghosh (@Indianit07) September 11, 2017

5.

On 125th anniversary of historic speech by #SwamiVivekananda in #Chicago heard a powerful speech of our popular @PMOIndia which inspired us.  Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) September 11, 2017

Read the full speech here:

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world. I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks also to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true.

I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.

I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, and which is every day repeated by millions of human beings:

As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which people take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita:

Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach them; all are struggling through paths which in the end lead to Me.

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

Addresses at the Parliament of Religions - 2

Why We Disagree

I will tell you a little story. You have heard the eloquent speaker who has just finished say, "Let us cease from abusing each other," and he was very sorry that there should be always so much variance.

But I think I should tell you a story that would illustrate the cause of this variance. A frog lived in a well. It had lived there for a long time. It was born there and brought up there, and yet was a little, small frog. Of course the evolutionists were not there then to tell us whether the frog lost its eyes or not but, for our story's sake, we must take it for granted that it had its eyes, and that it every day cleansed the water of all the worms and bacilli that lived in it with an energy that would do credit to our modern bacteriologists. In this way it went on and became a little sleek and fat. Well, one day another frog that lived in the sea came and fell into the well.

"Where are you from?"

"I am from the sea."

"The sea! How big is that? Is it as big as my well?" and he took a leap from one side of the well to the other.

"My friend," said the frog of the sea, "how do you compare the sea with your little well?"

Then the frog took another leap and asked, "Is your sea so big?"

"What nonsense you speak, to compare the sea with your well!"

"Well, then," said the frog of the well, "nothing can be bigger than my well. There can be nothing bigger than this. This fellow is a liar, so turn him out."

That has been the difficulty all the while.

I am a Hindu. I am sitting in my own little well and thinking that the whole world is my little well. The Christians sit in their little well and think the whole world is their well. The Muslims sit in their little well and think that is the whole world. I have to thank you of America for the great attempt you are making to break down the barriers of this little world of ours, and hope that, in the future, the Lord will help you to accomplish your purpose.

Addresses at the Parliament of Religions - 3

Paper on Hinduism

Three religions now stand in the world which have come down to us from time prehistoric - Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Judaism. They have all received tremendous shocks, and all of them prove by their survival their internal strength. But while Judaism failed to absorb Christianity and was driven out of its place of birth by its all-conquering daughter, and a handful of Parsees is all that remains to tell the tale of their grand religion, sect after sect arose in India and seemed to shake the religion of the Vedas to its very foundations, but like the waters of the sea-shore in a tremendous earthquake it receded only for a while, only to return in an all-absorbing flood, a thousand times more vigorous, and when the tumult of the rush was over, these sects were all sucked in, absorbed and assimilated into the immense body of the mother faith.

From the high spiritual flights of the Vedanta philosophy, of which the latest discoveries of science seem like echoes, to the low ideas of idolatry with its multifarious mythology, the agnosticism of the Buddhists and the atheism of the Jains, each and all have a place in the Hindu's religion.

Where then, the question arises, where is the common center to which all these widely diverging radii converge? Where is the common basis upon which all these seemingly hopeless contradictions rest? And this is the question I shall attempt to answer.

The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. They hold that the Vedas are without beginning and without end. It may sound ludicrous to this audience, how a book can be without beginning or end. But by the Vedas no books are meant. They mean the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times. Just as the law of gravitation existed before its discovery, and would exist if all humanity forgot it, so is it with the laws that govern the spiritual world. The moral, ethical, and spiritual relations between soul and soul and between individual spirits and the Father of all spirits were there before their discovery, and would remain even if we forgot them.

The discoverers of these laws are called Rishis, and we honor them as perfected beings. I am glad to tell this audience that some of the very greatest of them were women.

Here it may be said that these laws as laws may be without end, but they must have had a beginning. The Vedas teach us that creation is without beginning or end. Science is said to have proved that the sum total of cosmic energy is always the same. Then, if there was a time when nothing existed, where was all this manifested energy? Some say it was in a potential form in God. In that case God is sometimes potential and sometimes kinetic, which would make Him mutable. Everything mutable is a compound and everything compound must undergo that change which is called destruction. So God would die, which is absurd. Therefore, there never was a time when there was no creation.

If I may be allowed to use a simile, creation and creator are two lines, without beginning and without end, running parallel to each other. God is the ever-active providence, by whose power systems after systems are being evolved out of chaos, made to run for a time, and again destroyed. This is what the Brahmin boy repeats every day: " The sun and the moon, the Lord created like the suns and the moons of previous cycles. " And this agrees with modern science.

Here I Stand and if I shut my eyes, and try to conceive my existence, "I," "I," "I," what is the idea before me? The idea of a body. Am I, then, nothing but a combination of material substances? The Vedas declare, "No" I am a spirit living in a body: I am not the body. The body will die, but I shall not die. Here I am in this body; it will fall, but shall go on living. I had also a past. The soul was not created, for creation means a combination, which means a certain future dissolution. If then the soul was created, it must die. Some are born happy, enjoy perfect health with beautiful body, mental vigor, and all wants supplied. Others are born miserable; some are without hands or feet; others again are idiots, and only drag on a wretched existence. Why, if they are all created, why does a just and merciful God create one happy and another unhappy, why is He so partial? Nor would it mend matters in the least to hold that those who are miserable in this life will be happy in another one. Why should a man be miserable even here in the reign of a just and merciful God?

In the second place, the idea of a creator God does not explain the anomaly, but simply expresses the cruel fiat of an all-powerful being. There must have been causes, then, before his birth, to make a man miserable or happy and those were his past actions.

Are not all the tendencies of the mind and the body accounted for by inherited aptitude? Here are two parallel lines of existence - one of the mind, the other of matter. If matter and its transformations answer for all that we have, there is no necessity for supposing the existence of a soul. But it cannot be proved that thought has been evolved out of matter; and if a philosophical monism is inevitable, spiritual monism is certainly logical and no less desirable than a materialistic monism; but neither of these is necessary here.

We cannot deny that bodies acquire certain tendencies from heredity, but those tendencies only mean the physical configuration through which a peculiar mind alone can act in a peculiar way. There are other tendencies peculiar to a soul caused by his past actions. And a soul with a certain tendency would, by the laws of affinity, take birth in a body which is the fittest instrument for the display of that tendency. This is in accord with science, for science wants to explain everything by habit, and habit is got through repetitions. So repetitions are necessary to explain the natural habits of a new born soul. And since they were not obtained in this present life, they must have come down from past lives.

There is another suggestion. Taking all these for granted, how is it that I do not remember anything of my past life? This can be easily explained. I am now speaking English. It is not my mother tongue; in fact, no words of my mother tongue are now present in my consciousness; but let me try to bring them up, and they rush in. That shows that consciousness is only the surface of mental ocean, and within its depths are stored up all our experiences. Try and struggle, they would come up. and you would be conscious even of your past life.

This is direct and demonstrative evidence. Verification is the perfect proof of a theory, and here is the challenge thrown to the world by the Rishis. We have discovered the secret by which the very depths of the ocean of memory can be stirred up - try it and you would get a complete reminiscence of your past life.

So then the Hindu believes that he is a spirit. Him the sword cannot pierce - him the fire cannot burn - him the water cannot melt - him the air cannot dry. The Hindu believes that every soul is a circle whose circumference is nowhere but whose center is located in the body, and that death means the change of the center from holy to body. Nor is the soul bound by the conditions of matter. In its very essence, it is free, unbounded, holy, pure, and perfect. But somehow or other it finds itself tied down to matter and thinks of itself as matter.

Why should the free, perfect, and pure be thus under the thralldom of matter, is the next question. How can the perfect soul be deluded into the belief that it is imperfect? We have been told that the Hindus shirk the question and say that no such question can be there- Some thinkers want to answer it by positing one or more quasi-perfect beings, and use big scientific names to fill up the gap. But naming is not explaining. The question remains the same. How can the perfect become the quasi-perfect; how can the pure, the absolute change even a microscopic particle of its nature? But the Hindu is sincere. He does not want to take shelter under sophistry. He is brave enough to face the question in a manly fashion; and his answer is: "I do not know. I do not know how the perfect being, the soul, came to think of itself as imperfect, as Joined to and conditioned by matter." But the fact is a fact for all that. It is a fact in everybody's consciousness that one thinks of oneself as the body. The Hindu does not attempt to explain why one thinks one is the body. The answer that it is the will of God is no explanation. This is nothing more than what the Hindu says, "I do not know."

Well, then, the human soul is eternal and immortal, perfect and infinite, and death means only a change of center from one body to another. The present is determined by our past actions, and the future by the present. The soul will go on evolving up or reverting back from birth to birth and death to death. But here is another question: Is man a tiny boat in a tempest, raised one moment on the foamy crest of a billow and dashed down into a yawning chasm the next, rolling to and from at the mercy of good and bad actions - a powerless, helpless wreck in an ever-raging, ever-rushing, uncompromising current of cause and effect - a little moth placed under the wheel of causation, which rolls on crushing everything in its way and waits not for the widow's tears or the orphan's cry? The heart sinks at the idea, yet this is the law of nature. Is there no hope? Is there no escape? - was the cry that went up from the bottom of the heart of despair. It reached the throne of mercy, and words of hope and consolation came down and inspired a Vedic sage, and he stood up before the world and in trumpet voice proclaimed the glad tidings: "Hear, ye children of immortal bliss! even ye that reside in higher spheres! I have found the Ancient One who is beyond all darkness, all delusion: knowing Him alone you shall be saved from death over again. "Children of immortal bliss" -what a sweet, what a hopeful name! Allow me to call you, brethren, by that sweet name -heirs of immortal bliss - yea, the Hindu refuses to call you sinners. We are the Children of God, the sharers of immortal bliss, holy and perfect beings. Ye divinities on earth - sinners! It is a sin to call a man so; it is standing libel on human nature. Come up, O lions, and shake off the delusion that you are sheep; you are souls immortal, spirits free, blest and eternal; ye are not matter, ye are not bodies; matter is your servant, not you the servant of matter.

Thus it is that the Vedas proclaim not a dreadful combination of unforgiving laws, not an endless prison of cause and effect, but that at the head of all these laws, in and through every particle of matter and force, stands One, "by whose command the wind blows, the fire burns, the clouds rain and death stalks upon the earth."

And what is His nature?

He is everywhere, the pure and formless One, the Almighty and the All-merciful. "Thou art our father, Thou art our mother, Thou art our beloved friend, Thou art the source of all strength; give us strength. Thou art He that beareth the burdens of the universe; help me bear the little burden of this life." Thus sang the Rishis of the Veda. And how to worship Him? Through love. "He is to be worshiped as the one beloved, dearer than everything in this and the next life."

This is the doctrine of love declared in the Vedas, and let us see how it is fully developed and taught by Krishna whom the Hindus believe to have been God incarnate on earth.

He taught that a man ought to live in this world like a lotus leaf, which grows in water but is never moistened by water; so a man ought to live in the world - his heart to God and his hands to work.

It is good to love God for hope of reward in this or the next world, but it is better to love God for love's sake; and the prayer goes: "Lord, I do not want wealth nor children nor learning. If it be Thy will, I shall go from birth to birth; but grant me this, that I may love Thee without the hope of reward - love unselfishly for love's sake." One of the disciples of Krishna, the then Emperor of India, was driven from his kingdom by his enemies and had to take shelter with his queen, in a forest in the Himalayas and there one day the queen asked how it was that he, the most virtuous of men, should suffer so much misery. Yudhishthira answered, "Be hold, my queen, the Himalayas, how grand and beautiful they are; I love them. They do not give me any- thing but my nature is to love the grand, the beautiful, therefore I love them. Similarly, I love the Lord. He is the source of all beauty, of all sublimity. He is the only object to beloved; my nature is to love Him, and therefore I love. I do not pray for any- thing; I do not ask for anything. Let Him place me wherever He likes. I must love Him for love's sake. I cannot trade in love."

The Vedas teach that the soul is divine, only held in the bondage of matter; perfection will be reached when this bond will burst, and the word they use for it is, therefore, Mukti - freedom, freedom from the bonds of imperfection, freedom from death and misery.

And this bondage can only fall off through the mercy of God, and this mercy comes on the pure. So purity is the condition of His mercy. How does that mercy act? He reveals Himself to the pure heart; the pure and the stainless see God, yea, even in this life; then and then only all the crookedness of the heart is made straight. Then all doubt ceases. He is no more the freak of a terrible law of causation. This is the very center, the very vital conception of Hinduism. The Hindu does not want to live upon words and theories, If there are existences beyond the ordinary sensuous existence, he wants to come face to face with them. If there is a soul in him which is not matter, if there is an all-merciful universal Soul, he will go to Him direct. He must see Him, and that alone can destroy all doubts. So the best proof a Hindu sage gives about the soul, about God, is: "I have seen the soul; I have seen God." And that is the only condition of perfection. The Hindu religion does not consist in struggles and attempts to believe a certain doctrine or dogma, but in realizing - not in believing, but in being and becoming.

Thus the whole object of their system is by constant struggle to become perfect, to become divine, to reach God, and see God; and this reaching God, seeing God, becoming perfect even as the Father in Heaven is perfect, constitutes the religion of the Hindus.

And what becomes of a man when he attains perfection? He lives a life of bliss infinite. He enjoys infinite and perfect bliss, having obtained the only thing in which man ought to have pleasure, namely God, and enjoys the bliss with God.

Indiatimes

So far all the Hindus are agreed. This is the common religion of all the sects of India; but then perfection is absolute, and the absolute cannot be two or three. It cannot have any qualities. It cannot be an individual. And so when a soul becomes perfect and absolute, it must become one with Brahman, and it would only realize the Lord as the perfection, the reality, of its own nature and existence, the existence absolute, knowledge absolute, and bliss absolute. We have often and often read this called the losing of individuality and becoming a stock or a stone.

"He jests at scars that never felt a wound."

I tell you it is nothing of the kind. If it is happiness to enjoy the consciousness of this small body, it must be greater happiness to enjoy the consciousness of two bodies, the measure of happiness increasing with the consciousness of an increasing number of bodies, the aim, the ultimate of happiness, being reached when it would become a universal consciousness.

Therefore, to gain this infinite universal individuality, this miserable little prison - individuality must go. Then alone can death cease when I am one with life, then alone can misery cease when I am one with happiness itself, then alone can all errors cease when I am one with knowledge itself; and this is the necessary scientific conclusion- Science has proved to me that physical individuality is a delusion, that really my body is one little continuously changing body in an unbroken ocean of matter, and Advaita (unity) is the necessary conclusion with my other counterpart, Soul.

Science is nothing but the finding of unity. As soon as science would reach perfect unity, it would stop from further progress, because it would reach the goal. Thus chemistry could not progress farther when it would discover one element out of which all others could be made. Physics would stop when it would be able to fulfill its services in discovering one energy of which all the others are hut manifestations, and the science of religion become perfect when it would discover Him who is the one life in a universe of death, Him who is the constant basis of an ever-changing world, One who is the only Soul of which all souls are but delusive manifestations. Thus is it, through multiplicity and duality, that the ultimate unity is reached. Religion can go no farther. This is the goal of all science.

All science is bound to come to this conclusion in the long run. Manifestation, and not creation, is the word of science today; and the Hindu is only glad that what he has been cherishing in his bosom for ages is going to be taught in more forcible language and with further light from the latest conclusions of science.

Descend we now from the aspirations of philosophy to the religion of the ignorant. At the very outset, I may tell you that there is no polytheism in India. In every temple, if one stands by and listens, one will find the worshipers applying all the attributes of God, including omnipresence. to the images. It is not polytheism, nor would the name henotheism explain the situation.

"The rose, called by any other name, would smell as sweet." Names are not explanations.

I remember, as a boy, hearing a Christian missionary preach to crowd in India. Among other sweet things he was telling them was, that if he gave a blow to their idol with his stick. what could it do? One of his hearers sharply answered, "If I abuse your God, what can He do?" "You would be punished," said the preacher, "when you die." "So my idol will punish you when you die," retorted the Hindu.

The tree is known by its fruits. When I have seen amongst them that are called idolaters, men, the like of whom, in morality and spirituality and love, I have never seen anywhere, l stop and ask myself, "Can sin beget holiness?"

Superstition is a great enemy of man, but bigotry is worse. Why does a Christian go to church? Why is the cross holy? Why is the face turned toward the sky in prayer? Why are there so many images in the Catholic Church? Why are there so many images in the minds of Protestants when they pray? My brethren, we can Do more think about anything without a mental image than we can live without breathing- By the law of association the material image calls up the mental idea and vice versa. This is why the Hindu uses an external symbol when he worships. He will tell you. it helps to keep his mind fixed on the Being to whom he prays. He knows as well as you do that the image is not God, is not omnipresent. finer all, how much does omnipresence mean to almost the whole world? It stands merely as a word, a symbol. Has God superficial area? If not, when we repeat that word "omnipresent", we think of the extended sky. or of space - that is all.

As we find that somehow or other, by the laws of our mental constitution, we have to associate our ideas of infinity with the image of the blue sky, or of the sea, so we naturally connect our idea of holiness with the image of a church, a mosque, or a cross. The Hindus have associated the ideas of holiness, purity, truth, omnipresence, and such other ideas with different images and forms. But with this difference that while some people devote their whole lives to their idol of a church and never rise higher, because with them religion means an intellectual assent to certain doctrines and doing good to their fellows, the whole religion of the Hindu is centered in realization. Man is to become divine by realizing the divine. Idols or temples or churches or books are only the supports, the helps, of his spiritual childhood; but on and on he must progress.

He must not stop anywhere. "External worship, material worship," say the scriptures, "is the lowest stage; struggling to rise high, mental prayer is the next stage, but the highest stage is when the Lord has been realized." Mark, the same earnest man who is kneeling before the idol tells you, "Him the sun cannot express, nor the moon, nor the stars, the lightning cannot express Him, nor what we speak of as fire; through Him they shine." But he does not abuse anyone's idol or call its worship sin. He recognizes in it a necessary stage of life. "The child is father of the man." Would it be right for an old man to say that childhood is a sin or youth a sin?

If a man can realize his divine nature with the help of an image, would it be right to call that a sin? Nor, even when he has passed that stage, should he call it an error. To the Hindu, man is not traveling from error to truth, but from truth to truth, from lower to higher truth. To him all the religions from the lowest fetishism to the highest absolutism, mean so many attempts of the human soul to grasp and realize the Infinite, each determined by the conditions of its birth and association, and each of these marks a stage of progress; and every soul is a young eagle soaring higher and higher, gathering more and more strength till it reaches the Glorious Sun.

Unity in variety is the plan of nature, and the Hindu has recognized it. Every other religion lays down certain fixed dogmas and tries to force society to adopt them. It places before society only one coat which must fit Jack and John and Henry, all alike. If it does not fit John or Henry he must go without a coat to cover his body. The Hindus have discovered that the absolute can only be realized, or thought of, or stated through the relative, and the images, crosses, and crescents are simply so many symbols - so many pegs to hang spiritual ideas on. It is not that this help is necessary for everyone, but those that do not need it have no right to say that it is wrong. Nor is it compulsory in Hinduism.

One thing I must tell you. Idolatry in India does not mean anything horrible. It is not the mother of harlots. On the other hand, it is the attempt of undeveloped minds to grasp high spiritual truths. The Hindus have their faults, they sometimes have their exceptions; but mark this, they are always for punishing their own bodies, and never for cutting the throats of their neighbors. If the Hindu fanatic burns himself on the pyre, he never lights the fire of Inquisition. And even this cannot be laid at the door of his religion any more than the burning of witches can be laid at the door of Christianity.

To the Hindu, then, the whole world of religions is only a traveling, a coming up, of different men and women, through various conditions and circumstances, to the same goal. Every religion is only evolving a God out of the material man, and the same God is the inspirer of all of them. Why, then, are there so many contradictions? They are only apparent, says the Hindu. The contradictions come from the same truth adapting itself to the varying circumstances of different natures.

It is the same light coming through glasses of different colors- And these little variations are necessary for purposes of adaptation. But in the heart of everything the same truth reigns. The Lord has declared to the Hindu in His incarnation as Krishna: "I am in every religion as the thread through a string of pearls. Wherever thou sees extraordinary holiness and extraordinary power raising and purifying humanity, know thou that I am there." And what has been the result? I challenge the world to find, throughout the whole system of Sanskrit philosophy, any such expression as that the Hindu alone will be saved and not others. Says Vyasa, "We find perfect men even beyond the pale of our caste and creed." One thing more. How, then, can the Hindu, whose whole fabric of thought centers in God, believe in Buddhism which is agnostic, or in Jainism which is atheistic?

The Buddhists or the Jains do not depend upon God; but the whole force of their religion is directed to the great central truth in every religion, to evolve a God out of man. They have not seen the Father, but they have seen the Son. And he that hath seen the Son bath seen the Father also.

This, brethren, is a short sketch of the religious ideas of the Hindus. The Hindu may have failed to carry out all his plans, but if there is ever to be a universal religion, it must be one which will have no location in place or time; which will be infinite like the God it will preach, and whose sun will shine upon the followers of Krishna and of Christ, on saints and sinners alike; which will not be Brahminic or Buddhistic, Christian or Mohammedan, but the sum total of all these. and still have infinite space for development; which in its catholicity will embrace in infinite arms, and find a place for, every human being from the lowest grovelling savage, not far removed from the brute, to the highest man towering by the virtues of his head and heart almost above humanity, making society stand in awe of him and doubt his human nature. It will be a religion which will have no place for persecution or intolerance in its polity, which will recognize divinity in every man and woman, and whose whole scope, whose whole force, will be centered in aiding humanity to realize its own true, divine nature.

Offer such a religion and all the nations will follow you. Asoka's council was a council of the Buddhist faith. Akbar's. though more to the purpose. was only a parlor meeting. It was reserved for America to proclaim to all quarters of the globe that the Lord is in every religion.

May He who is the Brahman of the Hindus, the Ahura-Mazda of the Zoroastrians, the Buddha of the Buddhists, the Jehovah of the Jews, the Father in Heaven of the Christians, give strength to you to carry out your noble idea! The star arose in the East; it traveled steadily towards the West, sometimes dimmed and sometimes effulgent, till it made a circuit of the world, and now it is again rising on the very horizon of the East, the borders of the Sanpo, a thousand fold more effulgent than it ever was before.

Hail Columbia, motherland of liberty! It has been given to thee, who never dipped her hand in her neighbor's blood, who never found out that the shortest way of becoming rich was by robbing one's neighbors, it has been given to thee to march at the vanguard of civilization with the flag of harmony

Addresses at the Parliament of Religions - 4

Religion Not the Crying Need of India

Christianity must always be ready for good criticism, and I think that you will hardly mind if I make a little criticism. Christian brethren of America, you are so fond of sending out missionaries to save the souls of heathens. I ask you: what have you done and are doing to save their bodies from starvation? In India, there are 300 million men and women living on an average of a little more than 50 cents a month. I have seen them living for years upon wild flowers. During the terrible famines, thousands died from hunger but the missionaries did nothing. They come and offer life but only on condition that the Hindus become Christians, abandoning the faith of their fathers and forefathers. Is it right? There are hundreds of asylums, but if the Muslims or the Hindus go there, they are kicked out. There are thousands of asylums erected by Hindus where anybody is received. There are hundreds of churches that have been erected with the assistance of the Hindus, but no Hindu temples for which a Christian has given a penny.

Brethren of America, you erect churches all through India, but the crying evil in the East is not religion. They have religion enough, but it is bread that the suffering millions of burning India cry out for with parched throats. What they want is bread, but they are given a stone. It is an insult to a starving people to offer them religion; it is an insult to a starving man to teach him metaphysics. Therefore, if you wish to illustrate the meaning of "brotherhood," treat the Hindus more kindly, even though they are Hindus and are faithful to their religion. Send missionaries to them to teach them how better to earn a piece of bread and not to teach them metaphysical nonsense.

[At this point, Swami Vivekananda said that he was not feeling too well that day and so wished to be excused. But, we read in the newspaper report, "there were thunders of applause and cries of Go on," so Vivekananda continued:]

The earlier speaker said something about the miserable and ignorant priests in China. The same may be said of the priests in India. I am one of those monks who have been described as beggarly. That is the pride of my life. I am proud in that sense to be Christ-like. I eat what I have today and think not of tomorrow. "Behold the lilies of the field; they toil not, neither do they spin." The Hindu carries that out literally. Many gentlemen present in Chicago sitting on this platform can testify that for the last twelve years I never knew whence my next meal would come. I am proud to be a beggar for the sake of the Lord. The idea in the East is that to preach or teach anything for the sake of money is low and vulgar, but to teach the name of the Lord for pay is such degradation as would cause the priest to lose caste and be spat upon.

There is one suggestion in the earlier speakers paper that is true: If the priests of China and India were organized, there is an enormous amount of potential energy that could be used for regeneration of society and humanity. I endeavored to organize it in India but failed for lack of money. It may be I shall get the help I want in America.

I came here to seek help for my impoverished people and I fully realized how difficult it was to get help for heathens from Christians in a Christian land. I have heard so much of this land of freedom, of liberty and freedom of thought, that I am not discouraged. I thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

Addresses at the Parliament of Religions - 5

Buddhism, the Fulfillment of Hinduism

I am not a Buddhist, as you have heard, and yet I am. If China and Japan and Sri Lanka follow the teachings of the Buddha, India worships him as God incarnate on earth.

You have just now heard that I am going to criticize Buddhism, but by that I wish you to understand only this. Far be it from me to criticize him whom I worship as God incarnate on earth. Our view about the Buddha is that he was not understood properly by his disciples. The relation between Hinduism (by Hinduism, I mean the religion of the Vedas) and what is called Buddhism at the present day is nearly the same as between Judaism and Christianity. Jesus Christ was a Jew, and Shakya Muni [Buddha] was a Hindu. The Jews rejected Jesus Christ, nay, crucified him, whereas the Hindus accept Shakya Muni as God incarnate and worship him.

But the real difference that we Hindus want to show between modern Buddhism and what we should understand as the teachings of the Buddha lies principally in this: Shakya Muni came to preach nothing new. Like Jesus, the Buddha came to fulfill and not to destroy. In the case of Jesus, it was the old people, the Jews, who did not understand him, while in the case of the Buddha, it was his own followers who did not realize the import of his teachings. As the Jew did not understand the fulfillment of the Old Testament, so the Buddhist did not understand the fulfillment of the truths of the Hindu religion. Again, I repeat, Shakya Muni came not to destroy, but he was the fulfillment, the logical conclusion, the logical development of the religion of the Hindus.

The religion of the Hindus is divided into two parts: the ceremonial and the spiritual. The spiritual portion is specially studied by the monks. In it, there is no caste. In India a man from the highest caste and a man from the lowest can become monks, thus the two castes become equal. In religion there is no caste; caste is simply a social institution. Shakya Muni himself was a monk, and it was his glory that he had the large-heartedness to bring out the truths hidden in the Vedas and throw them broadcast all over the world. He was the first being in the world who brought missionaries into practice--nay, he was the first to conceive the idea of proselytizing.

The great glory of the Master lay in his wonderful sympathy for everybody, especially for the ignorant and the poor. Some of his disciples were Brahmins. When Buddha was teaching, Sanskrit was no more the spoken language in India. It was then only in the books of the learned. Some of Buddha's Brahmin disciples wanted to translate his teachings into Sanskrit, but he distinctly told them, "I am for the poor, for the people; let me speak in the tongue of the people." And so to this day the great bulk of his teachings are in the vernacular of that day in India.

Whatever may be the position of philosophy, whatever may be the position of metaphysics, so long as there is such a thing as death in the world, so long as there is such a thing as weakness in the human heart, so long as there is a cry going out of the human heart, there shall be faith in God.

On the philosophic side, the disciples of the Great Master dashed themselves against the eternal rocks of the Vedas and could not crush them; and on the other side, they took away from the nation that eternal God to which every one, man or woman, clings so fondly. And the result was that Buddhism had to die a natural death in India. At the present day there are very few who call themselves Buddhists in India, the land where Buddhism was born.

But at the same time, Hinduism lost something--that reforming zeal, that wonderful sympathy and charity for everybody, that wonderful leaven which Buddhism had brought to the masses and which had rendered Indian society so great that a Greek historian who wrote about India of that time was led to say that no Hindu was known to tell an untruth and no Hindu woman was known to be unchaste.

Hinduism cannot live without Buddhism, nor Buddhism without Hinduism. Then realize what the separation has shown to us, that the Buddhist cannot stand without the brain and philosophy of the Hindu, nor the Hindu without the heart of the Buddhist. This separation between the Buddhists and the Hindus is the cause of the downfall of India. That is why India is populated by three hundred millions of beggars, and that is why India has been the slave of conquerors for the last thousand years. Let us then join the wonderful intellect of the Hindus with the heart, the noble soul, the wonderful humanizing power of the Buddha.

Addresses at the Parliament of Religions - 6

Address at the Final Session

The World's Parliament of Religions has become an accomplished fact, and the merciful Father has helped those who labored to bring it into existence, and crowned with success their most unselfish labor. My thanks to those noble souls whose large hearts and love of truth first dreamed this wonderful dream and then realized it. My thanks to the shower of liberal sentiments that has overflowed this platform. My thanks to this enlightened audience for their uniform kindness to me and for their appreciation of every thought that tends to smooth the friction of religions. A few jarring notes were heard from time to time in this harmony. My special thanks to them, for they have, by their striking contrast, made general harmony the sweeter.

Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity. I am not going just now to venture my own theory. But if anyone here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of the other, to them I say, "Friends, yours is an impossible hope." Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid. Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid.

The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant, it develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant. Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve their individuality and grow according to their own law of growth.

If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if some people still dream of the exclusive survival of their own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity them from the bottom of my heart, and point out to them that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written, in spite of resistance: "Help and not Fight", "Assimilation and not Destruction",; "Harmony and Peace and not Dissension."
How many worthless Rs 1,000 and 500 notes were hoarders of black money who couldn't reveal they had them? No official answer has been provided for eight months, leaving everybody from the common man to the Supreme Court wondering.

AFP

Now, data put out by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on its website suggests that at least for the Rs 1,000 notes, almost 99% of currency in circulation came back into the banking system.

The data on notes in circulation shows that at the end of March 2017, there were Rs 8,925 crore worth of Rs 1,000 notes still in 'circulation'. According to the RBI, "notes in circulation" are all notes held outside Reserve Bank  that is by the public, banks treasuries and so on. Thus, this figure represents the total of all Rs 1,000 notes that were not deposited with the banks after note-bandi starting November 8 last year.

BCCL/Representational Image

That might seem like a lot of money. But a look at the total value of Rs 1,000 notes in circulation on November 8 puts it in perspective. On that date, 6,858 million Rs 1,000 notes were in circulation, according to a statement made by Santosh Kumar Gangwar, minister of state for finance, in the Lok Sabha on February 3 this year. These would, thus, have been worth Rs 6.86 lakh crore.

Seen against this huge figure, Rs 8,925 crore constitutes a mere 1.3%. In other words, if these figures are right, 98.7% of all 1,000 rupee notes came back to RBI after demonetisation, and a mere 1.3% were not returned. Attempts to get RBI's response to queries regarding this on Friday could not elicit any response.

Reuters/Representational Image

A similar calculation cannot be done for Rs 500 notes because, unlike the Rs 1,000 notes where there were no new ones, the figure for Rs 500 notes in circulation on March 31, 2017 would mostly be for new notes, and the data does not give us a break-up of old and new notes.

But what about black money?

However, Surajit Mazumdar, professor of economics at JNU who analysed this data, pointed out to TOI, "If 99% of the Rs 1,000 notes were returned, there is no reason to think that Rs 500 notes would be different in any significant way.

BCCL/Representational Image

"In other words, almost all the old 500 and 1,000-rupee notes appear to have been officially returned. Negligible 'black money' has been unearthed."

Mazumdar added that the total value of demonetised currency on November 8, 2016 was Rs 15.4 lakh crore. Of this, Rs 1,000 notes made up about 44% and Rs 500- notes 56%.

The government and RBI have not divulged the amount of returned notes till now. In June this year, the government said that RBI was still counting the returned money and that it may take a longer time.
The 38-year-old man who sexually assaulted a five-year-old girl inside the premises of a school now fears for the safety of his daughter. During interrogation, the accused pleaded before the cops to ensure that no one harmed his daughter, sources said. He was also hesitant in revealing the details of his family.

BCCL/Representational Image

Police are examining the school's role. Joint commissioner (eastern range) Ravindra Yadav told TOI that school authorities and teachers would be questioned on Monday. "We are examining if there was negligence on their part. Strict action will be taken if we find any lapses by the school. A charge-sheet would be filed within 10 days," he added.

Probe has revealed that the accused covered his trail well and hoped to get away with the crime assuming that the child didn't know his name. However, the girl's description led the cops to him. The orange cap often worn by the accused and his T-shirt's colour blew his cover. On Sunday, TOI had reported the details given by the girl about her assaulter.

The accused fled to his relative's house in Usmanpur after the incident. After his identity was confirmed by the school staffers, his cellphone movements were tracked and he was nabbed. He tried to mislead police saying nobody had complained against him, said DCP (Shahdara) Nupur Prasad.

BCCL/Representational Image

The accused, Vikas (38), is a native of Jharkhand and lived in Gandhi Nagar with his wife and 16-year-old daughter. He had come to Delhi in 2009. His son, who is 14-year-old, studies in Jharkhand and stays with his relatives.

Vikas had been working as a security guard in the school for the past three years and had recently begun to ferry children in a van. His wife works as a household help. He has worked in two other schools in the past as a driver.

His past crime record has been found clean. Cops are going to contact other schools to establish his antecedents. On Sunday, Vikas was sent to Tihar Jail in judicial custody for 14 days after being produced in a city court.
In order to raise awareness against the culling of the stray cats, a Japanese civic group teamed up with railway operator on Sunday to let 30 cats roam on a local train at an event. Passengers in the local in Ogaki in central Japan were greeted by meowing companions on a moving train where they enjoyed the company of the cats.

Reuters

"I think it's great more people are aware about stray kittens through events like this," said Mikiko Hayashi, a passenger from western Japan, who owns two cats that were strays. The event was hosted by Yoro Railway Co Ltd and a non-governmental organisation called Kitten Cafe Sanctuary.

The number of cats in Japan admitted to shelters has dropped by around 70 percent to 72,624 in 2016 from 237,246 in 2004. That has reduced the number of cats culled from 238,929 in 2004 to 45,574 in 2016. The cat population in Japan is around 9.8 million.
So, we are soon going to get our hands on Rs 200 notes as the RBI has begun printing of the currency. And to make sure that we have enough notes, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reportedly stopped the printing of the highest denomination Indian currency note in circulation, Rs 2,000.

The move comes amid reports that the apex bank is all set to release a new denomination, Rs 200 soon.

A purported image of Rs 200 note which has been making rounds on social media

The central bank had reportedly decided to bring in Rs 200 notes in March after consulting the finance ministry, they said. The notes are going through multiple checks for security and quality at government printing presses.

BCCL

Mint reported that currently, the focus is on Rs 200 and Rs 500 denominations.

Most of the printing thats being done, about 90% is only 500-rupee notes. Nearly 14 billion pieces of new 500-rupee notes have been printed so far, the report said quoting an officer.

With the introduction of a new, yet relatively lower denomination currency note, the RBI is hopping to ease the currency crunch which is still prevalent in most parts since November 2016, when the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes which constituted for more than 85 per cent of the total notes in circulation was withdrawn.

BCCL

Even after seven months have passed since the deadline to exchange the demonetized notes expired, the RBI hasn't revealed the value of old notes which have come back.
The three member committee constituted by the district administration to probe the murder of seven-year-old Pradyumna in Gurgaons Ryan International School has found 'blatant lapses' on schools part and therefore section 75 (care and punishment) of the Juvenile Justice Act has been added in the case registered in the matter. Read more

Here are more top news of the day:





1) Home Minister Rajnath Singh Insists He Will Come To Kashmir 50 Times A Year If That's What It Takes To Bring Peace

BCCL

The Prime Minister's development package for Kashmir "is set to cross Rs 1 lakh crore due to cost escalation ", said home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday. Read more

2) Kerala Government To Set Up Clinics Exclusively For Transgenders In All Medical Colleges

avert.org/Representational Image

Health minister K K Shailaja has said, in a statement issued here, that transgender clinics will be set up in all government medical college hospitals soon. A decision in this regard has been taken and a clinic has been set up at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital on a pilot basis. Read more

3) Gang Making Thousands Of Fake Aadhaar Cards By Inserting Duplicate Biometrics Busted In UP

BCCL/Representational Image

Special task force of UP Police busted a 10-member gang which was instrumental in making thousands of fake Aadhaar IDs in the state. Read more

4) Dera Head, Worker Booked For Sodomising & Sexually Assaulting A 10-Year-Old Boy In Ludhiana

PTI/Representational Image

A 10-year-old boy, living in a dera near Ludhiana, has accused its head and a sewadar (worker) of sexual assault and having unnatural sex with him. Read more

5) Top Hindu Body Of Sadhus Releases List Of 'Fake Babas', Demands Action On Radhe Maa, Asaram

PTI

Upset over the recent controversies surrounding self-styled godmen, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the top body of Hindu sadhus, has released a list of 14 "fake babas" and demanded a crackdown on "rootless cult leaders" by bringing in a legislation. Read more
Following the footsteps of France and Britain, China has announced plans to end sales of gasoline and diesel cars.

AFP

Chinas Industry Ministry is developing a timetable to end production and sale of traditional fuel cars and will promote development of electric technology, state media on Sunday cited a Cabinet official as saying.

The reports gave no possible target date, but Beijing is stepping up pressure on automakers to accelerate development of electrics.

AFP

China is the biggest auto market by number of vehicles sold, giving any policy changes outsize importance for the global industry. A Deputy Industry Minister, Xin Guobin, said at an auto industry forum on Saturday that his Ministry has begun research on formulating a timetable to stop production and sales of traditional energy vehicles, according to the Xinhua News Agency and the Communist Party newspaper Peoples Daily.

France and Britain announced in July that they will stop sales of gasoline and diesel automobiles by 2040 as part of efforts to reduce pollution and carbon emissions that contribute to global warming.
The indiatimes.com privacy policy has been updated to align with the new data regulations in European Union. Please review and accept these changes below to continue using the website. We use cookies to ensure the best experience for you on our website.
The lawyer of Akhtem Chiygoz, deputy chair of the Crimean Tatar Majilis (banned in Russia), will appeal the eight-year sentence handed down by the Crimean Supreme Court on the counts of instigating mass disturbances at a Simferopol rally on February 26, 2014, ahead of a referendum on Crimea's reunification with Russia.

"The sentence will be appealed anyway. Notably, a Russian court did not dare to acknowledge him [Chiygoz] as a Russian citizen; he remains a citizen of Ukraine, so, in addition to appealing this sentence, we will coordinate our efforts with the Ukrainian government in order to liberate Akhtem Chiygoz," lawyer Nikolai Polozov told the audience standing near the court building.

Supporters of the Crimean Tatar Majilis deputy head shouted "Shame" after the sentence was announced. They also chanted, "Akhtem, we are with you" and "Mashallah" (proud of you), an Interfax correspondent reported.
Apparently Reliances Jio Phone is a pretty good idea, or at least some other telcos are now thinking as much.

One of Indias largest telecom operators, Bharti Airtel, is reportedly in talks with smartphone manufacturers to develop a budget 4G smartphone.

According to The Economic Times, Airtel wants to eventually launch a cheap 4G smartphone, that will be priced between Rs 2,500 to Rs 2,700. The company reportedly believes that, though Jio chose to offer a 4G feature phone on a fully returnable deposit, people would rather pay a little more for a smartphone with slightly better capabilities.

A source close to the project told ET that the new smartphone will debut around Diwali this year, and will of course be packaged with an Airtel 4G connection and attractive data plans to garner more subscriptions.

According to the report, the device will feature a 4-inch display, dual camera, and 1GB RAM. Its also expected to support VoLTE calling, and promises longer battery life. Unfortunately, theres not yet any information on when the device would be up available for booking, or what it will be named.
In the 68 years of humanitys foray into space weve managed to fill it with tonnes of debris surrounding our little blue marble. NASA estimates about 500,000 pieces of space junk surround our planet, posing major threat to our spacecraft everyday.

Image courtesy: Aerospace Corporation

Now, scientists at the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, believe they have a way to clean up all this space junk safely and efficiently. Theyre just going to wrap it up like leftover food and toss it into our atmosphere.

Space junk can be anything from a flake of paint or a screw, to an entire defunct satellite floating around. No matter how small though, they can be very dangerous to astronauts on missions in near-Earth orbit, as well as the craft up there. Thats because space debris hurtles around the Earth at approximately 28,100 km/h.

To deal with this issue, the NIAC has devised a spacecraft thinner than a human hair, that will seek out and guide space junk into our atmosphere, where it will burn up on re-entry. You can essentially think of it as one giant piece of saran wrap covered with thrusters, and you can curl it however you want, Jason Derleth, program executive at NIAC, told Popular Science.

Developed by the Aerospace Corporation in California, funded by NIAC, the spacecraft will be about three square feet and 10 microns thick. Thats thinner even than a human hair, and made up of flexible plastics with solar cells overlaid on them. Brane Craft, as these devices are being called, will have thrusters mounted on each corner of the sheet, allowing it to be manipulated into any foldable shape.

The idea is that these Brane Craft will use their thrusters to position themselves next to debris, and then wrap around them like the paper your street samosas are packed in. Theyll then pull the debris out of orbit and down towards the Earth, where theyll burn up in the atmosphere.

The Brane Craft is still under development, but its not by far our only solution. NASA is also simultaneously researching other cleanup machines, including a robot with sticky hands inspired by geckos.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has protested against the sentence passed by the Crimean Supreme Court on Akhtem Chiygoz, deputy chair of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis (banned in Russia).

"We notify Russia of our strong protest and stay committed to the fight for Akhtem," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mariana Betsa wrote on Twitter on Monday.

Later in the day, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry released a statement regarding the sentence on Chiygoz. "The reprisal [...] on Akhtem Chiygoz, deputy chair of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, over his support for Ukrainian territorial integrity and fight for human rights is another demonstration of the repressive policy conducted by Russia on the Crimean Peninsula for the purpose of suppressing dissent [...] and discriminating against Crimean Tatars," the ministry said in the statement, and demanded that Chiygoz be set free.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on the international community to consistently react to human rights violations in Crimea and build up political and diplomatic pressure on Moscow.

The Crimean Supreme Court has sentenced Chiygoz to eight years in a penitentiary for instigating disturbances in Simferopol on February 26, 2014.
Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com.

A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets.

Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials.

If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details.
Israeli Media Begs US to Prepare For War With Syria, Russia, Iran By Andrew Illingworth

September 11, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - BEIRUT, LEBANON - Israeli media has reached the new moral low of openly begging the United States to prepare for war in Syria even if it means coming into direct confrontation with major Syrian allies like Russia and Iran.

In a recent article titled  Why Israel needs to prepare America for the upcoming conflict in Syria, Jerusalem Post writer Eric R. Mandel (an American Zionist) proposes that the US government and people must be made war-willing partners of Israel in the event of any future attack by the Israeli Defense Forces against Syrian, Russian and/ or Iranian military targets.

The article by Mandel is an outstanding example of how Israeli pro-war interest groups  speaking through right-wing Zionists in top American military and foreign policy circles  try to entice the US government and population into participating in wars that only benefit the hegemonic ambitions of Israels deep state.

At a time when violence in the Syrian conflict has reached an all time low due to the patient diplomatic efforts of Russia and Iran in establishing de-escalation zones, Mandel delivers a well-placed lie in his article that is designed to scare American audiences into supporting military actions that would effectively destroy such hard earned achievements towards peace.

No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter

The myth claimed by Mandel to be fact is that the Lebanese rebel movement Hezbollah completely controls the Lebanese government as well as a number of (unnamed) South American governments and that its own puppet master in this insidious conspiracy against Israel is Iran.

Indeed, Mandels lie is highly reminiscent of the now proven-to-be-nonsense axis of evil conspiracy theory (in which Baathist Iraq, North Korea, Iran and Al-Qaeda were all in cahoots with one another) that was pushed by US politicians, and reverberated by the Western media, in order to justify the invasion of Iraq.
No Humanitarian Crisis in Venezuela



The president of the new Constituent Assembly on allegations of abuse of power and Venezuela's economic crisis. Posted September 11, 2017



Consolidated dictatorship or transparent democracy?

Al Jazeera: Your government's decision to create a legislative superbody that you preside over is being described by many all over the world as a consolidation of a dictatorship. Yet you say that it's being done to bring about peace and dialogue in Venezuela. How is that possible?

Delcy Rodriguez : Well, you're referring to a dictatorship, correct? Since Commander Chavez came to power in 1998, Venezuela has been going through a process of consolidation of a participatory democracy. And this participatory democracy has been reinforced with the National Constituent Assembly elections.

There is nothing more democratic than consulting the people, nothing more democratic than listening to the people, nothing more democratic than the people deciding over their development, their destiny

Since the Constituent Assembly was established on July 30th, and we have to point it out, it wasn't created by pointing fingers, but through the universal, direct and secret vote of more than eight million Venezuelans.

Al Jazeera: But it's an election that has been highly questioned. In fact, even the people who made the voting machines say that there was manipulation. And your president said that there would be a complete audit. That audit hasn't happened.

Rodriguez: No, but you're referring to a statement made by a private company that is hired to carry out an external service, it doesn't even have access to the vote count in Venezuela. And even if we took this statement as a fact, there were still more than seven million Venezuelans who voted - an extraordinary election in the middle of an internal crisis.

The day of the elections, we said, "On the 31st of July there will be a beautiful sunrise" because it was an election held in the midst of outbreaks of violence. More than two million Venezuelans were unable to vote because their right to exercise their vote was obstructed .

Al Jazeera: But there were many people who not only did not participate in that election because they couldn't, but because they didn't want to. In fact, they considered this a fraudulent election that is bypassing all the other institutions, especially the opposition controlled National Assembly, the Congress, which has been basically stripped of all of its functions.

Rodriguez: But it's a bit paradoxical that those who said that there was fraud in Venezuela are now participating in the governor's elections with the same electoral authorities, the same voting machines, with the same Venezuelan electoral system that is one of the best in the world; one of the most armoured, most transparent, and safest.

On July 30th, the Constituent Assembly decreed the municipal elections in October, only two months will have passed.

Al Jazeera: A year and a half late.

Rodriguez: Yes, but in two months, they are going to be elected. More than 190 candidates are participating as part of the Venezuelan opposition, those who say that the Venezuelan electoral system is fraudulent. They are going to participate with that same electoral system.

Al Jazeera: And how many would-be candidates have been barred from taking place, including one of the main leaders of the opposition Enrique Capriles, who's been barred from taking part in politics now for fifteen years?

Rodriguez: Yes, but Enrique Capriles has an administrative disqualification. He has the right to defend himself in the process of this disqualification, because of his apparent participation in acts of corruption . The problem is that in Venezuela, where the democratic institutions function, where the different branches of power function, where the different political public powers make decisions are not agreeable to the Venezuelan opposition, they try to attack the Venezuelan system.

Al Jazeera: But what about all the opposition people who were unarmed who were killed many times by the National Guard at point-blank range? What about all those people, and all the hundreds of thousands of opponents who marched peacefully?

Rodriguez: There were exceptional peaceful protests, but you also know that the capital is a security zone. No country in the world allows protesters to attack government buildings or to march to the capital to overturn a government. That's not permitted in any country in the world; it's established by norms.

In the case of people who lost their lives, and this is very important, that question that you just asked; I preside over the Commission for Truth in Venezuela, and we are looking into the cases of all the victims.

And we have said that any government agent who has violated their regulations and has caused someone's death in Venezuela will be processed and submitted to justice. There cannot be any distinctions.

Al Jazeera: There is very little, if any, independence of the state institutions in Venezuela, and when the Congress was occupied by socialists, by the ruling Socialist Party, there wasn't a problem. As soon as it went over to the opposition, that's when we saw a problem.

Rodriguez: No, the problem is not that the opposition won, an election that the president acknowledged instantly.

On their first day, they said, "We are going to take down the government of President Maduro, he won't last six months". Is that the job of the parliament? In Venezuela, we don't have impeachment like in other countries, and still, they carried out an impeachment process saying, "The president has to go". They were the ones who acted against the Constitution. But that's not widely known because there's a media siege.

Al Jazeera: Yes, but they have argued time and again that the electoral council, which is loyal to the government, put a thousand and one stumbling blocks in their path to impede that recall referendum.

Rodriguez: But how can you say that? It's what's defined by law. They talk back and forth about the electoral council. They talk about a dictatorship in Venezuela, but in Venezuela, there are mayors and governors that belong to the opposition, in a federal system.

For example, the governor of the State of Lara, Henry Falcon, who wants to the president, is part of the opposition. And who elected him? That same electoral council. They have not recognized a single election won by the Bolivarian Revolution since 1999, not a single one. But that same electoral council has given them mayors, governors, the National Assembly.

Al Jazeera: Which now has no power.

Rodriguez: Yes, but that's because of their doing, not ours. Because if they respected the decisions made by the supreme court, they would function properly, instead of disregarding and bypassing the Constitution.

Humanitarian crises and foreign 'economic asphyxiation'

Al Jazeera: Let's talk more about the dire economic situation in this country. You said the other day that there is no hunger in Venezuela.

But yet, I've seen people, and I'm sure so have you, in your neighbourhood, picking through the rubbish. Some of the statistics, according to official data: more than 60 percent of Venezuelans are suffering from anaemia, infant mortality is at 30 percent, maternal mortality is 60 percent, cases of malaria are up 76 percent, a dire shortage of medicines, I could go on and on. Is that the fault of the United States?

Rodriguez: That's an important question. I have denied and continue denying that Venezuela has a humanitarian crisis . Because under international law by definition, it can facilitate and justify foreign interventions of international coalitions. In Venezuela, not only is there not a humanitarian crisis, but since 1999, Venezuela has had a model of social inclusion that has allowed us to combat poverty and hunger, recognised even in 2016, in 2015. In recent years, our social programmes have received wide recognition, for fighting hunger and poverty. Perhaps you say, the United States is not to blame. But we are at a stage where the masks are being removed after President Donald Trump signed an executive order applying financial sanctions against Venezuela.

Al Jazeera: You have said it over and over again, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world. The country received more than 1.5 trillion dollars in sales of oil and yet, you are selling your bonds to Goldman Sachs for 800 million dollars in a fire sale because the country is insolvent - so where is the money? The sanctions haven't even gone into effect yet.

Rodriguez : In social investment. We aren't talking about our budget, we're talking about the country's income; 74 percent of the country's income today, which is meagre because of the oil price war. You can't tell me there's been no price war since 2014. Why? To hurt Russia , Iran and Venezuela.

Why can't we obtain credit? Because there is a financial blockade against Venezuela, part of a non-conventional form of attacking the country.

Al Jazeera: This is an immensely rich country. Where is the money? According to a former Finance Minister, 300 billion dollars have disappeared.

Rodriguez: Where is the money? I told you. It's invested in a social model for which Venezuela was internationally recognised. That's where the oil money was redistributed, that's where the oil revenues that in the past were never distributed to the people went and that's why we're being attacked.

Well, we don't need to wait for declassified documents about Venezuela because we know, and besides, the American government says it, as Secretary Munchin pointed out, stating that they are going to "asphyxiate" us. That's precisely the word. I will show you the testimony of Julio Borges, saying that they had to asphyxiate the Venezuelan economy to overthrow the dictator.

Al Jazeera: This just happened. What about the last couple of years of eternal lines of people looking for food, medicine, diapers, etc.?

Rodriguez: You are speaking of the past. And I am talking about a very successful model, a model that was able to offer people more than 3,700 calories a day. I'm speaking of a model that gave access to health and education . Despite the economic aggression, Venezuela today has the fifth-largest university matriculation.

Al Jazeera: Does your government take any responsibility for this economic debacle?

Rodriguez: You've heard the leader of "the empire". And the ex-leader of the empire, who said Venezuela was a threat to US national security and to its foreign policy. He planted the seeds of US intervention in Venezuela. Earlier, the head of the US Southern Command, General John Kelly, had said that if there was a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela - the hunger that you refer to - the United States would intervene militarily.

Two years later, the new leader of the empire has signed an executive order to apply financial sanctions, to formalise the financial blockade, to force Venezuela into defaulting on its debts. The Treasury Secretary says "let's asphyxiate the economy", and I say, if there's someone eating out of the rubbish, it's the result of an aggression, not the inaction of the government. If there's one thing President Maduro has done, it's to care for the poorest, the most excluded and vulnerable.

You know this is not the first time the "imperial powers" do this. Or is it a lie that these "imperial centres" intervened and destroyed Iraq ? Why did they destroy Libya ? Is that a lie? Is it an invention? Didn't we see the hunger unleashed in Libya and Iraq, prosperous countries with large oil reserves? Do we want that for Venezuela? Because one person looks for food through the rubbish, you try to justify foreign intervention here?

Al Jazeera: Absolutely not, I am asking you about what responsibility your government may also have in the situation and I never hear you do that.

Rodriguez : I am telling you, as self-criticism, that we didn't know to diversify the economy during the time of the oil boom. We tried. But ours is a model so ingrained in Venezuelan culture, that we never dealt with it and it fell into crisis. That made us vulnerable and I say this as self-criticism. The time has come to overcome that model as our head of state has said. That model is in crisis. Venezuela will not continue depending on the price of oil. We have no choice but to develop our great potential in other areas of the economy; in agriculture, mining, gas, tourism.

Power alternation possible 'but only of the same national project'

Al Jazeera: Do you believe in the principle of alternation of power, that one party goes out and another one comes in, or that from now on, especially after the Constitution is reformed, only a Socialist government can be in power?

Rodriguez: I think there can be alternation, but only of the same national project. What's the difference? In the United States, the parties alternate, but within the same liberal regime. During our fourth republic, there was alternation of parties, between COPEI and Accion Democratica, the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats.

The parties alternated, but not the anti-national program, that basically handed over our wealth, first to the United States and then Europe , that excluded the masses and submerged them in poverty.

I believe there can be alternation but within the same national project, that does not compromise Venezuela's interests, its sovereignty, the principle of self-determination, the economic, financial, commercial and political sovereignty of Venezuela. So, of course, there can be alternation.

Al Jazeera: But only of the Socialist Revolutionary forces?

Rodriguez: I believe deeply in our Bolivarian model that reclaimed the historic flags of our liberators, that reaches into the roots of our idiosyncrasy and identity, a model that reclaims our national independence and that is based on social justice for all.

That's why many are scandalised when they hear a woman say, "even if we die of hunger, we will defend Venezuela."

Some are scandalised by these expressions, but they tell you that our dignity is very important to us, as is the visibility as a people that Chavez gave us. Before we were excluded and are now we are part of the social, political and cultural fabric of Venezuela.

Al Jazeera : So, as Fidel Castro used to say, "Everything within the revolution, nothing outside of the revolution." Would you agree?

Rodriguez: Completely. I am an admirer of the legacy and doctrine of Commander Fidel Castro because even under more adverse conditions than the ones we are suffering, he never renounced his principles. Principles are non-negotiable. He never sold out the dignity of the Cuban people. So yes, I concur deeply.

Who can say, based on the principle of sovereign equality and judicial sovereignty of nations, that there are states that are superior to Cuba and Venezuela? No. That violates an international principle. So, those who are going around the world violating those principles, in a world with serious threats to peace and stability, will always find themselves facing historic revolutionary processes, like the Cuban and Bolivarian revolutions.
16th Anniversary of 9/11 Brings New Development

By Paul Craig Roberts

September 11, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Dr. Leroy Hulsey, a distinguished engineering authority presented his teams preliminary report report on the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7. The report is preliminary in the sense that it awaits peer-review, that is, examination by other experts. The teams research is more extensive than the modeling provided by NIST and includes a thorough examination of NISTs approach. Dr. Hulseys team concludes that Building 7 did not come down due to fire.

Here is the URL to his presentation:

Being a Georgia Tech graduate I can follow the gist of Dr. Hulseys presentation. It is a difficult explanation to follow as engineering science is challenging to explain. Moreover, engineers are accustomed to talking to other engineers, not to the general public. At the Georgia Tech of my day, and perhaps still, the administration was determined to produce articulate engineers. Our English courses were writing courses. The English Department took the position that just as one engineering mistake could cause a bridge or building to fail, one spelling or grammatical mistake produced the grade of F on the assignment. (Yes, I know, with all of my typos how did I pass? The answer is that our papers were hand written.) We were also encouraged to join Toastmasters so that we would be capable of standing up before an audience and making a presentation. What I am saying is that Dr. Hulsey is in the difficult position of having to address an audience consisting of professionals and non-professionals, and he probably has limited experience in addressing non-professionals.

Nevertheless, it is possible to grasp that the NIST simulation of the collapse ignored three structural elements that actually existed in the building, and the presence of these structural elements make NISTs conclusion invalid.

The second part of the study will explain what actually caused the collapse of Building 7. As I understand it, the team is waiting for professional responses to their conclusion that fire was not the reason.

No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter

As the report is a scientific presentation, it cannot be branded a conspiracy theory. Therefore, the media will most likely ignore it, especially as they will find it intellectually challenging.
Saudi Crown Prince's "Secret" Visit To Israel Brings Embassy Scramble

By Tyler Durden

September 11, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - C learly the war in Syria and the international push for regime change against Assad has created strange alliances in the Middle East over the past few years. Among the strangest bedfellows are the Israelis and Saudis. It's no secret that common cause in Syria of late has led the historic bitter enemies down a pragmatic path of unspoken cooperation as both seem to have placed the break up of the so-called "Shia crescent" as their primary policy goal in the region. But that's perhaps why few pundits seemed overly shocked when Israeli media late last week began reporting that a Saudi prince made a secret visit to Israel, in spite of the fact that the kingdom does not recognize the Jewish state, and the two sides do not have diplomatic relations.

Last Wednesday (9/6) Israel's state funded Kol Yisrael radio service made cryptic reference to the "secret" yet historic visit while withholding names and specifics. "An emir of the Saudi royal court visited the country secretly in recent days and discussed with senior Israeli officials the idea of advancing regional peace," the station reported . It added further that, "Both the Prime Minister's Office and the Foreign Ministry refused to comment on the issue."

The visit is said to have occurred the same week Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed "unprecedented" relations with the Arab world. Netanyahu made the comments before members of the foreign ministry and said , "Things that are happening today between Israel and the Arab world are unprecedented. Cooperation on a wide range of issues are occurring behind the scenes, more than at any time in Israels history."

But on Sunday reports began to emerge that the unidentified Saudi royal in question is no less than Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, which would indeed be shocking news :

On Sunday, the IUVM Online Arabic news outlet identified the Saudi official who reportedly visited Israel as Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia and heir apparent to the throne. The IUVM Online report cited a United Arab Emirates intelligence officer, who claimed that bin Salman was the member of the Saudi royal family who met with Israeli officials in last weeks secret meeting.

Western journalists also began on Sunday to report the dignitary as being Crown Prince Salman - something which could have huge geopolitical consequences for the region given that such a high level meeting would possibly take place at all.

#Exclusive Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman was on secret visit to Israel. #breaking  Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) September 10, 2017

The reports were immediately disputed and subject to disbelief and controversy. As bin Salman's name continued to circulate Sunday, the Saudi Embassy in Washington D.C. attempted to shut down news of the visit. A senior Saudi diplomatic official took to Twitter with a simple "Nope" in reference to the allegations.

Of course, if true such a dramatic move between the countries would signify a monumental shift in relations and outlook. On Sunday Israeli media was also broadly advancing bin Salman's name as the Saudi emir in question.



Multiple Israeli outlets on Sunday identified Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as having met with senior Israeli officials early last week.

Though initial reports in Israeli media speculated that it could mean positive momentum on the Palestinian issue, it is unlikely that the future king of Saudi Arabia himself would suddenly pay a personal visit to Israel over an issue which has stalemated regional diplomacy for decades. It also doesn't appear that Israeli policy on settlements has undergone any significant on the ground change. If true, public knowledge of the visit will certainly result in embarrassment for both countries, especially on the Saudi domestic front.

No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter

The initial Israeli public radio report referenced the visit of "an emir of the Saudi royal court" on Wednesday while saying the trip took place "in recent days". As both Israel and Saudi Arabia have been so heavily invested in pursuing regime change in Syria, and at a time when other world powers seem to be backing off, it is inconceivable that Syria wasn't high on the agenda during the unprecedented visit.

The timing of the meeting also seems more than just coincidental in relation to last week's Israeli airstrike on a Syrian military facility , which took place in the middle of the night Wednesday (or more precisely Thursday morning at 3:00 am). As we reported at the time, Israel's brazen act of aggression was designed to provoke a response from Syria . As the Syrian government stands poised to be victorious in the more than 6-year long conflict while rapidly regaining more and more territory, Israel seems desperate to keep the war going and is still making last ditch efforts to draw external powers deeper into Syria, though framing its aggression as "humanitarian" .

Could the two powers have been engaged in face to face talks over renewed efforts at ramping up the stalled war for regime change in Syria? After all, Israel's declarations of its willingness to do anything to prevent an enduring Iranian presence in Syria have reached a new erratic pitch of late. During Netanyahu's recent contentious summit with Vladimir Putin in Sochi, the Israeli leader reportedly warned Putin that Israel would not tolerate an enlarged and stronger Shia sphere of influence along Israel's border. Yet the current trajectory of the war in Syria ensures just that, especially after the US-Russia brokered Astana agreement seemed to give tacit approval of Iranian troop presence in parts of Syria, while placing Russia in the driver's seat. It was further revealed that a senior Israeli official accompanying Netanyahu on the trip threatened to assassinate Syrian President Assad by bombing his palace in Damascus , while further adding that Israel will seek to derail the Astana de-escalation deal.

As for Saudi Arabia, while its deep embroilment in inter-GCC diplomatic war with Qatar seems to have tempered what used to be routine calls for Assad's departure, it must be remembered that the current unraveling of the GCC is ultimately benefiting Iran . It is entirely possible that the Iran issue alone might drive the kingdom into direct engagement with Israel no matter the risks and political embarrassment (for example, news of the visit hands Iran a propaganda victory and likely more influence on the so-called Arab street, even perhaps within Saudi's own domestic population).

Saudi Arabia could also be worried about future blowback from its well-documented actions in Syria. A WikiLeaks cable released in 2015 as part of the "Saudi Leaks" trove of internal leaked Saudi diplomatic memos speaks to just this scenario. Though the memo's exact date is unknown, it was drafted sometime in early 2012 based on internal references in the Arabic text. It spells out the kingdom's internal long term rationale on Syria: that should the Syrian regime "be able to pass through its current crisis in any shape or form" then increased "danger for the Kingdom" means Saudi Arabia must "seek by all means available and all possible ways to overthrow the current regime in Syria." A full translation of the key passage reads as follows:

"In what pertains to the Syrian crisis, the Kingdom is resolute in its position and there is no longer any room to back down. The fact must be stressed that in the case where the Syrian regime is able to pass through its current crisis in any shape or form, the primary goal that it will pursue is taking revenge on the countries that stood against it, with the Kingdom and some of the countries of the Gulf coming at the top of the list. If we take into account the extent of this regimes brutality and viciousness and its lack of hesitancy to resort to any means to realize its aims, then the situation will reach a high degree of danger for the Kingdom, which must seek by all means available and all possible ways to overthrow the current regime in Syria."

Newly Translated WikiLeaks Saudi Cable: Overthrow Syria, but Play Nice with Russia https://t.co/aeBKElnSHd pic.twitter.com/FWjejyAlPs  WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) February 25, 2016

Whether or not it was in fact Crown Prince Salman that himself went to Israel, the timing of the high level delegation's visit is simply impossible to ignore. Simply put, Syria was without a doubt discussed... and shortly thereafter Syria was bombed. Such direct and closer relations among perennial enemies could be a sign of more escalation and desperate measures to come in the region. This is certainly not - as Israeli media reported - a sign of regional peace.

This article was first published by

Zero Hedge

-
The Great Flood

By Chris Hedges

September 11, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - How many times will we rebuild Floridas cities, Houston, coastal New Jersey, New Orleans and other population centers ravaged by storms lethally intensified by global warming? At what point, surveying the devastation and knowing more is inevitable, will we walk away, leaving behind vast coastal dead zones? Will we retreat even further into magical thinking to cope with the fury we have unleashed from the natural world? Or will we respond rationally and radically alter our relationship to this earth that gives us life?

Civilizations over the past 6,000 years have unfailingly squandered their futures through acts of colossal stupidity and hubris. We are probably not an exception. The physical ruins of these empires, including the Mesopotamian, Roman, Mayan and Indus, litter the earth. They elevated, during acute distress, inept and corrupt leaders who channeled anger, fear and dwindling resources into self-defeating wars and vast building projects. The ruling oligarchs, driven by greed and hedonism, retreated into privileged compoundsthe Forbidden City, Versaillesand hoarded wealth as their populations endured mounting misery and poverty. The worse it got, the more the people lied to themselves and the more they wanted to be lied to. Reality was too painful to confront. They retreated into what anthropologists call crisis cults, which promised the return of the lost world through magical beliefs.

The most significant characteristic of modern civilization is the sacrifice of the future for the present, philosopher and psychologist William James wrote, and all the power of science has been prostituted to this purpose.

We are entering this final phase of civilization, one in which we are slashing the budgets of the very agencies that are vital to prepare for the devastation aheadthe National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, along with programs at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration dealing with climate change. Hurricane after hurricane, monster storm after monster storm, flood after flood, wildfire after wildfire, drought after drought will gradually cripple the empire, draining its wealth and resources and creating swathes of territory defined by lawlessness and squalor.

These dead zones will obliterate not only commercial and residential life but also military assets. As Jeff Goodell points out in The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities and the Remaking of the Civilized World, The Pentagon manages a global real estate portfolio that includes over 555,000 facilities and 28 million acres of landvirtually all of it will be impacted by climate change in some way.

As this column is being written, three key military facilities in Florida are evacuated: the Miami-area headquarters of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees military operations in the Caribbean and Latin America; the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, in charge of overseas operations in the Middle East and Southwest Asia; and the Naval Air Station in Key West. There will soon come a day when obliteration of infrastructure will prohibit military operations from returning. Add to the list of endangered military installations Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle, the U.S. missile base in the Marshall Islands, the U.S. naval base on Diego Garcia and numerous other military sites in coastal areas and it becomes painfully clear that the existential peril facing the empire is not in the Middle East but in the seas and the skies. There are 128 U.S. military installations at risk from rising sea levels, including Navy, Air Force, Marine and Army facilities in Virginia. Giant vertical rulers dot the highway outside the Norfolk naval base to allow motorists to determine if the water is too deep to drive through. In two decades, maybe less, the main road to the base will be impassable at high tide daily.

Cities across the globe, including London, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Mumbai, Lagos, Copenhagen, New Orleans, San Francisco, Savannah, Ga., and New York, will become modern-day versions of Atlantis, along with countries such as Bangladesh and the Marshall Islands and large parts of New Zealand and Australia. There are 90 coastal cities in the U.S. that endure chronic flooding, a number that is expected to double in the next two decades. National economies will go into tailspins as wider and wider parts of the globe suffer catastrophic systems breakdown. Central authority and basic services will increasingly be nonexistent. Hundreds of millions of people, desperate for food, water and security, will become climate refugees. Nuclear power plants, including Turkey Point, which is on the edge of Biscayne Bay south of Miami, will face meltdowns, such as the accident that occurred in the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan after it was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami. These plants will spew radioactive waste into the sea and air. Exacerbated by disintegration of the polar ice caps, the catastrophes will be too overwhelming to manage. We will enter what James Howard Kunstler calls the long emergency. When that happens, our experiment in civilization might approach an end.

The amount of real estate at risk in New York is mind-boggling: 72,000 buildings worth over $129 billion stand in flood zones today, with thousands more buildings at risk with each foot of sea-level rise, writes Jeff Goodell. In addition, New York has a lot of industrial waterfront, where toxic materials and poor communities live in close proximity, as well as a huge amount of underground infrastructuresubways, tunnels, electrical systems. Finally, New York is a sea-level-rise hot spot. Because of changes in ocean dynamics, as well as the fact that the ground beneath the city is sinking as the continent recovers from the last ice age, seas are now rising about 50 percent faster in the New York area than the global average.

A society in crisis flees to the reassuring embrace of con artists and charlatans. Critics who ring alarm bells are condemned as pessimists who offer no hope, the drug that keeps a doomed population passive. The current administrationwhich removed Barack Obamas Climate Action Plan from the White House website as soon as Donald Trump took officeand the Republican Party are filled with happy climate deniers. They have adopted a response to climate change similar to that of the Virginia Legislature: ban discussion of climate change and replace the term with the less ominous recurrent flooding. This denial of realityone also employed by those who assure us we can adaptis driven by fossil fuel and animal agriculture industries that along with the rich and corporations fund the political campaigns of elected officials. They fear that a rational, effective response to climate change will impede profits. Our corporate media, dependent on advertising dollars, contributes to the conspiracy of silence. It ignores the patterns and effects of climate change, focusing instead on feel-good stories about heroic rescues or dramatic coverage of flooded city centers and storm refugee caravans fleeing up the coast of Florida.

Droughts, floods, famines and disease will eventually see the collapse of social cohesion in large parts of the globe, including U.S. coastal areas. The insecurity, hunger and desperation among the dispossessed of the earth will give rise to ad hoc militias, crime and increased acts of terrorism. The Pentagon report An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States Security is blunt. Disruption and conflict will be endemic features of life, it grimly concludes.

No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter

But as Goodell points out, In todays political climate, open discussion of the security risks of climate change is viewed as practically treasonous. When in 2014 then-Secretary of State John Kerry called climate change perhaps the worlds most fearsome weapon of mass destruction and compared it to the effects of terrorism, epidemics and poverty, the right-wing trolls, from John McCain to Newt Gingrich, went into a frenzy. Gingrich called for Kerrys resignation because a delusional secretary of state is dangerous to our safety.

James Woolsey, the former head of the CIA, wrote in a climate change report for the Pentagon titled  The Age of Consequences : The Foreign-Policy National Security Implications of Global Climate Change:

If Americans have difficulty reaching a reasonable compromise on immigration legislation today, consider what such a debate would be like if we were struggling to resettle millions of our own citizensdriven by high water from the Gulf of Mexico, South Florida, and much of the East Coast reaching nearly to New Englandeven as we witnessed the northward migration of large populations from Latin America and the Caribbean. Such migration will likely be one of the Western Hemispheres early social consequences of climate change and sea level rise of these orders of magnitude. Issues deriving from inundation of a large amount of our own territory, together with migration towards our borders by millions of our hungry and thirsty southern neighbors, are likely to dominate U.S. security and humanitarian concerns. Globally as well, populations will migrate from increasingly hot and dry climates to more temperate ones.

We will react like most patients with a terminal disease as they struggle to confront their imminent mortality. The gradual diminishing of space, perception and strength will weaken our capacity to absorb reality. The end will be too horrible to contemplate. The tangible signs of our demise will be obvious, but this will only accelerate our retreat into delusional thinking. We will believe ever more fervently that the secular gods of science and technology will save us.

As Goodell writes, People will notice higher tides that roll in more and more frequently. Water will pool longer in streets and parking lots. Trees will turn brown and die as they suck up salt water. We will retreat to higher ground, cover our roofs with solar panels, finally stop using plastic and go vegan , but it will be too late. As Goodell writes, even in rich neighborhoods, abandoned houses will linger like ghosts, filling with feral cats and other refugees looking for their own higher ground.

The water will continue to rise. It will have a metallic sheen and will smell bad, Goodell writes. Kids will get strange rashes and fevers. More people will leave [low areas]. Seawalls will crumble. In a few decades, low-lying neighborhoods will be knee-deep. Wooden houses will collapse into a sea of soda bottles, laundry detergent jugs, and plastic toothbrushes. Human bones, floated out of caskets, will be a common sight. Treasure hunters will kayak in, using small robotic submersibles to search for coins and jewelry. Modern office buildings and condo towers will lean as salt water corrodes the concrete foundations and eats away at the structural beams. Fish will school in the classrooms. Oysters will grow on submerged light poles. Religious leaders will blame sinners for the drowning of the city.

The damage suffered by Houston, Tampa and Miami is not an anomaly. It is the beginning of the end. Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.

Chris Hedges, spent nearly two decades as a foreign correspondent in Central America, the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. He has reported from more than 50 countries and has worked for The Christian Science Monitor, National Public Radio, The Dallas Morning News and The New York Times, for which he was a foreign correspondent for 15 years.

This article was first published by Truth Dig -
The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), otherwise called Biafra Independent Movement, BIM, will on Wednesday mobilise over 3 million people in Onitsha, Anambra State, to celebrate the 18 years of the existence of MASSOB.

Emmanuel Omenka, who coordinates Anambra central for the group, said its founder Ralph Uwazurike will lead members in the celebration.

He said there would not be any sit-at-home order that day as people are free to go on with their legitimate businesses, but added that those who appreciate the importance of the celebration were free to join in the celebration.

Assuring that every arrangement has been concluded in preparation for the celebration, Omenka noted that some of the members would wait for their leader scheduled to arrive through Owerri, the Imo State capital, at Amoka in order to accompany him into the commercial city.

Our leader will also use the opportunity to tell the people in the state that the governorship election billed for 18 November this year will hold and that they should forget about threats from Indigenous People of Biafra that it will not hold.

According to Omenka, MASSOB came into existence on the 13 day of September 1999 which is 18 years by 13 September this year and we urge all lovers of freedom to join us in the celebration as we are non violence in the struggle to actualize a sovereign state of Biafra.

Source: ( PM News )
A couple were kidnapped in Akunnu, Akoko North East Local Government of Ondo State, by suspected kidnappers while on their way to Akure for their marriage ceremony.

The groom, identified as Moses Yakubu, and his bride were travelling from Okene, Kogi State on Sunday morning for the scheduled marriage when they were attacked and kidnapped by gunmen.

Sources said the couple were also kidnapped alongside some family members accompanying them, including the best man and chief bridesmaid.

It was gathered that the couple were stopped by the kidnappers in Akunnu. The kidnappers ordered them out of the car at gunpoint and dragged them and some of their friends away into the bush.

They were said to have offered no resistance as they were moved into the forest by their abductors.

The father of the bride, Ahmed Amodu, confirmed the development, saying that the armed men took away the couple, but said the bride and her sister had been set free by the kidnappers few hours after their abduction.

Mr. Amodu said the groom, as well as two males and two females, were still being held by the hoodlums, lamenting that no contact had been made with them.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Joseph, said the command had begun a search for the kidnapped persons, promising that they would be rescued.

Mr. Joseph noted that detectives from the command were combing the area and the forest in Akunnu to rescue the victims, assuring that they would be rescued unhurt.

He added that the kidnapers would be apprehended and punished according to the law.

Source: ( PM News )
The Nigerian Army on Sunday released a statement explaining why they fired warning shots to disperse hoodlums who lobbed stones and broken bottles against them during a procession in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

The Army was countering the account of Mr. Kanu, which had said soldiers stormed his residence in the Abia State capital, killing and injuring occupants in a bid to attack the separatist activist.

The attention of 14 Brigade Nigerian Army has been drawn to fictitious news going round especially on the social media that troops have invaded the home of Nnamdi Kanu and killed three persons.

This is far from the truth. Rather, it was a group of suspected IPOB militants that blocked the road against troops of 145 Battalion while on show of force along FMC-Word Bank Road in Umuahia town, Abia State at about 6.00-6.30pm, today. They insisted that the military vehicles would not pass and started pelting the soldiers with stones and broken bottles to the point of injuring an innocent female passerby and a soldier, Corporal Kolawole Mathew.

The troops fired warning shots in the air and the hoodlums dispersed. No life was lost, the Army said in a statement signed by Oyegoke Gbadamosi, a major and assistant deputy spokesperson of the 14 Brigade.

The Armys account corroborated polices statement on the incident.

There was no attack on the home of Nnamdi Kanu, Abia police commissioner, Leye Oyebade, told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Sunday evening.

What happened was that the military was parading a new armoured carrier and passed through Nnamdi Kanus residence.

It was while they were passing that some people threw stones and other things at them, Mr. Oyebade explained.

The police chief said normalcy has been restored and no life was lost during the minor skirmish. He said Mr. Kanu was neither targeted nor arrested.

But Mr. Kanus lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had painted a different account of what transpired at the home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, saying there was a siege.

In a statement, Mr. Ejiofor accused the Buhari administration of attempting to take his clients life.

Source: ( Premium Times )
President Muhammadu Buhari is set to travel to the United States on Tuesday to address the 72nd session of the United Nations General to address the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 19, 2017.

The President of Nigeria is listed as number seven on the provincial list of speakers.

Buhari is expected to speak after the leaders of Brazil, the United States, Guinea, Switzerland, Jordan and Slovakia.

Since his return to Nigeria on August 20, 2017, after 103 days of medical leave in London, Buhari has not attended any public event outside of Aso Villa and his country home in Daura, Katsina State.

Also, he has attended only one Federal Executive Council meeting since he returned three weeks ago.

Acting on the Presidents instruction, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo recently visited flood-ravaged Benue State where thousands have been displaced.

Osinbajo, while representing the President, has also received members of the United States Congress as well as the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and his team at the Villa.

The Vice-President has also presided over every economic meeting including the 15th Annual meeting of the Board of Governors of ECOWAS Bank Investment and the National Industrial Council Meeting which had in attendance Africas richest man, Aliko Dangote, and many other captains of industry.

However, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, confirmed to our correspondent on the telephone that Buhari would attend the UN General Assembly.

Shehu said, I cannot tell you the time he will be going because it can change but I know he is expected to be the eighth speaker at the UN. So, he will be there and he will speak.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals and the Joint Health Sector Unions have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike by September 30.

This was confirmed in a statement signed by the National President, Obinna Ogbonna and the national secretary, Mr. Ayinde Obisesan, accused the Federal Government of prioritising the demands of doctors in its employ above those of health workers.

According to them, many of their members have also been denied salary arrears and emoluments which, they said the Federal Government was now addressing with the striking doctors.

Doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors began a nationwide strike on September 3 to protest the non-payment and cuts in their salaries and arrears.

It is clear that the minister of state for health, minister of health and the minister of labour and employment, who are all doctors, are biased in how they are handling the demands of other health workers.

This is glaring in the way they negotiated and agreed to all issues presented by NARD. This act of discrimination, double standard and preferential treatment of doctors is highly discriminatory. The act of favoritism and injustice was displayed during the process of negotiation.

So, considering other mobilisation factors and to give the government further room to address our demands, on 30th of September, if they do not, the union will have no other option than to shut down health care services nationwide.

The aggrieved health workers are also demanding the implementation of the inter-ministerial sub-committee report on critical matters in the sector, professional autonomy and appointments of consultants and payment of specialist allowance to their members.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
A six-year-old identified as Ali Ahmadu who was a victim of Boko Harams violence in Chibok, Borno State,who met with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for assistance, has been flown to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for a corrective surgery.

Ahmadu, whose donations for surgery were collated by two organisations, the Global Initiative for Peace, Love and Care and the Dickens Sanomi Foundation, left on Sunday for the medical treatment.

The teenager was said to have beeen injured by a motorcycle rode by the Boko Haram terrorists, who raided the Chibok community at night about three years ago.

It was said that although his spinal cord was not badly affected, he has not been able to walk.

The boy was brought by the organisations to Saraki on July 27, and the Senate President assured them that he would mobilise friends and senators to assist the six-year-old.

Speaking to journalists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, before boarding an aircraft with the victim, the GIPLC Coordinator, Nuhu Kwajafa, said the foundation had raised $65,000 for the trip.

He noted that the amount would cover transportation, feeding and medical bills.

He said, Ali needs a corrective surgery to enable him to walk again after being run over by a motorcycle belonging to the Boko Haram terrorists during a night raid in Chibok.

After the incident, he was bleeding and abandoned under a mango tree for three days. Nobody went for him because the Boko Haram fighters were still in the town. After they left, he was taken inside a house without any medical care for three years.

Earlier in the year, we heard of his case and went to Chibok. We brought him to Abuja three months ago and started rallying people and organisations to sponsor his medication abroad.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has described Nigerians who slammed President Muhammadu Buhari, for failing to visit Benue State following the August 27 flood disaster in the state as ignorant, adding that they lacked basic knowledge of how government runs.

Those people who are criticising are completely ignorant of what governance is, Mr. Ortom told PREMIUM TIMES in an exclusive interview at his official residence in Makurdi Thursday.

Mr. Ortom said the president acted promptly after receiving news of the development, a gesture he believed was sufficient.

Immediately after the thing happened, I instructed the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency who then informed the president, he explained.

As soon as the president got the message, he directed the DG to move to Benue and the next day the DG arrived with relief materials.

The governor said the criticism was misplaced, given that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had also visited the state to identify with the victims and assured them of federal governments support.

Those who are criticising are not from Benue State, he added.

Mr. Buhari was at the receiving end of some social media outrage throughout last week, after failing to visit the state days after the August 27 flood which displaced an estimated 110,000 people in 46,000 households.

The attacks intensified after reports emerged that Mr. Buhari would be travelling to the United States to honour an invitation extended to him by President Donald Trump in February.

The report, which was never carried by PREMIUM TIMES, later turned out to be inaccurate as the president returned to Abuja from his hometown in Daura, Katsina State, Thursday after spending the Sallah holidays there.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, also absolved Mr. Buhari or any wrong, saying disaster management in the country is gradually being ceded to the federal government by other tiers of government.

Whenever there is an emergency from natural or man-made disasters, all you hear is where is Buhari, what is he doing? What happens with the other tiers of government? Mr. Shehu said in an interview with Radio Nigeria, Kaduna.

He admonished states to take responsibility for emergencies within their respective boundaries because they receive more share of the ecological fund than federal government.

Nigerians, at the state and local governments, should demand transparency and accountability in the management of ecological funds by their Governors and local government chairmen.

Without accountability by local political leaders, the federal government would continue to be the scapegoat for the failure of states and local governments to use ecological funds for the purposes they were released.

The largest chunk of the fund goes to the states and local governments. Every month, states and local governments receive 1.4 per cent from the federation account as ecological fund, compared to the federal governments share of one per cent, he said.

Source: ( Premium Times )
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria has so far transported 6,090 Nigerian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria in about 14 return flights.

The pilgrims took off from the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah.

Statistics released from the Command and Control Centre of the commission in Jeddah on Sunday showed that 550 Sokoto State pilgrims with nine officials departed Jeddah Airport to Sokoto on Sunday.

The ongoing transportation exercise is being carried out by two out of three approved airlines, Max Air Ltd. and Flynas, a Saudi designated carrier.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the exercise, which started on September 6, is going on smoothly.

The exercise is scheduled to end on October 5.

Addressing the pilgrims, the NAHCON Commissioner of Operation, Alhaji Abdullahi Modibbo, advised them to adhere strictly to the approved 32 kilogrammes for big luggage and eight kilogrammes for hand luggage.

Modibbo also urged officials of the state Pilgrims Welfare Boards and agencies to adhere to flight schedules.

He also appealed to both pilgrims and officials to abide by the principle of first-to-come, first-to-return.
A 65-year-old virgin has revealed her excitement after she was cleared to participate in the annual reed dance in South Africa.

Ngipheni Ngcobo may be one of the oldest virgins at the age of 65, but every year in September, she gets excited as she prepares her traditional attire to attend the uMkhosi woMhlanga (reed dance) ceremony.

Later today she will board a bus, along with other, younger maidens, and travel to King Goodwill Zwelithinis Enyokeni Royal Palace for Saturdays reed dance.

Speaking to the Daily News in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday, she said the event was the highlight of her life and an opportunity to show off her pride at being a virgin at her age.

Come rain or sunshine, I will be at the reed dance. Only illness or a death in my family would force me to miss this ceremony.

Ngcobo will take girls from her Nzondweni Village in Mafunzwe area, outside Pietermaritzburg, with her. The girls had qualified to attend the reed dance after months of virginity testing and workshops on the importance of staying a virgin until marriage.

I am not ashamed that I am not married. I also dont regret not having children of my own. In fact, I am fulfilled by the role I play in my community and by the example I am setting to young girls, that having a man and bearing children is not everything and definitely not something that defines us as women, she said.

After having her heart broken by a man she had loved and who had paid her bride price as per the lobola tradition, she decided to stay single. Fortunately, I was still a virgin and I felt that I left him with my dignity intact. I wanted to save myself from more heartbreak.

She has since lived a happy, fulfilling life. Ngcobo attended virginity testing all her life, but only started attending the reed dance 20 years ago.

I dreamt of attending the reed dance since I was a young girl. The problem was getting transport to travel to the royal palace, she said. Taking part in the ceremony only became a reality for her and others when the Msunduzi Municipality provided funding for transport and food. For maidens, attending the reed dance is the most precious and exciting cultural practice we do.

Ngcobo is the leader of a cultural group of maidens.

Nomagugu Ngobese, a cultural activist and director of the Nomkhubulwane Culture and Youth Development Organisation, said Ngcobo had been one of the most loyal maidens and had played a huge role in getting more and more maidens to attend the reed dance.

We should not take virginity testing lightly. We need to encourage and save our girls from killer diseases such as HIV and Aids and the best thing to do is for them to abstain from sexual activities, said Ngobese.
A guard identified as Joseph Akilo, who works with the Aviation Logistics and Management Limited (ALML) on Saturday morning returned the sum of $3,338 (about N1, 218,370) of a passenger on Virgin Atlantic Airways flight out of the country to London Heathrow at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The money, which was in two separate envelopes, was left behind by Mr. Frank Abenemi, a passenger with Virgin Atlantic after going through profiling at the counters of the airline.

Akilo, however, discovered the envelopes when he was clearing the check-in counters of the airline after the closure of boarding at around 8:35 am.

At first, Akilo thought the envelopes were empty, but when he opened them, he discovered that one of them contained $3,000 while the second envelope had $338 in it.

SaharaReporters gathered that the second envelope contained the details of the owner of the money like the photocopy of his air ticket, names and other relevant information of the traveler.

Akilo contacted the Station Manager of Virgin Atlantic Airways, one Gloria who checked the details on the flight system of the airline and discovered that the owner was one of the passengers onboard for departure while the aircraft was already taxiing for take-off.

A source close to the terminal told our correspondent that Gloria immediately contacted the pilot who had to abort the flight and returned the aircraft to the apron.

The pilot was said to have called out the name of the passenger through the cockpit address system.

Upon inquiry from the passenger, Abenemi insisted he didnt lose any money, but when he was asked about two envelopes with some dollars, he immediately checked his hand luggage, but could not find the money there. It was then it dawned on him that he had misplaced the two envelopes.

Saharareporters further gathered that when he confirmed the loss of the envelopes, he was probed on the exact amount of money in each of them, which he answered correctly. Then, the envelopes containing the money were handed to him.

The source said: The routine is that whenever boarding is closed, the security officials are expected to close the counters and return them to offices of airlines, but yesterday while Joseph was doing this, he came across two envelopes on the ground and when he opened it, he discovered they contained United States dollars with few details of the passenger. One of the envelopes contained $3,000 while the other was $338.

Without telling anyone as some of the workers there might want to convince him not to report it, he secretly took the envelopes to the Station Manager of Virgin Atlantic (Gloria) who also checked the details of the passenger and discovered he was on-board the flight with his seat number.

Our correspondent gathered that Akilo is one of the junior staff of ALML where he earns N25, 000 monthly as a salary.

Source: ( PM News )
The former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has been blasted by the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan for telling lies against her.

Fani-Kayode had in a series of tweets stated that Alhassan, who is in charge of the welfare of the rescued Chibok girls, had exposure to make about the role Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State played in the Chibok scam.

Fani-Kayodes tweets were quickly referenced by some Peoples Democratic Party supporters like Governor Ayodele Fayoses aide, Lere Olayinka; and Deji Adeyanju.

Alhassan in a tweet on her official Twitter handle advised Fani-Kayode to respect himself as a former minister.

She said, As a former minister of the Federal Republic, it is demeaning on your person to deliberately engage in peddling falsehood. I never said such.

You peddled falsehood. And thats exactly what it is: lies and propaganda. Thank God the APC is cleaning up your mess.

Fani-Kayode has since deleted the tweets.

Fani-Kayode had earlier on Sunday hailed Alhassan; and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for finally coming out against President Muhammadu Buhari.

Fani-Kayode said this in a terse statement on Sunday.

He said he was sure that Alhassan, who is in charge of the welfare of the rescued Chibok girls, would soon expose the scam behind the abduction of the girls.

The former minister described Alhassan as a courageous woman and Atiku as a blessing to Nigeria.

Fani-Kayode said the infighting in the All Progressives Congress was a sign that the end of the ruling party was near.

He said, Mama Taraba (Alhassan) is a courageous woman who has spoken the truth. Vice-President Abubakar Atiku is a blessing to this nation whilst President Muhammadu Buhari is a curse. The APC sun is about to set.

Mama Taraba has a duty to tell us all she knows about Governor Nasir el Rufais alleged role in the Chibok girls scam and Boko Haram. I urge her to do so.

I said it before, during and after the 2015 presidential campaign that the truth about the Chibok girls and those behind Boko Haram had yet to be heard. Now it is all coming out. Nothing is hidden under the sun.

Thank you Mama Taraba. Others will also come out to tell us what they know. Soon the world will know who the real terrorists are.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to fulfil its promise to Nigerians to make them feel safe again.

Atiku, who is also the founder of the American University of Nigeria group of schools in Yola, Adamawa State, faulted an online report on one of the Chibok girls.

Faulting the report, Atiku said, Not everything is about 2019.

The former Vice-President said this in a statement signed on his behalf by his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, in Abuja, on Sunday.

Atiku was reacting to an online publication suggesting that one of the freed kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, attempted suicide to protest being compelled to attend one of his schools.

He noted that he was not aware that anyone was being forced to attend one of his schools.

The Waziri Adamawa prays that those who have suffered so much get all the treatment and support they need, and urgently calls on the Federal Government to honour its promise to make Nigerians feel safe again, the statement said.

The statement partly read, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar (Waziri Adamawa), Vice-President of Nigeria, 1999-2007 and founder of the AUN Group of Schools is shocked that some would-be journalists think it is fair game to exploit a young girls trauma to score cheap political points.

Atiku Abubakar is not aware that anyone is forced to attend ABTI schools. The story is contrived hogwash. He urges the media, a critical partner in our march to progress and development, to remember that not everything is about 2019.

I wish to stress that the intention of the Waziri Adamawa was to give the freed Chibok girls (just like he did to an earlier batch in 2014) the best possible education, and that was why he helped set up the foundation programme to create such an opportunity in a familiar environment.

Unfortunately, the best intentions can backfire. These girls are still healing, and clearly, the recent deterioration of the security situation in the North-East has opened old wounds.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Some Boko Haram members who appear tired of fighting have dropped their weapons and surrendered to security operatives in Nigeria.

The Borno Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Monday said six Boko Haram insurgents had surrendered to the corps.

The Spokesperson for the command, Mr Bulus James, made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri. James further disclosed that the repented insurgents surrendered to the corps under the Operation Safe Corridor initiated by the Federal Government.

He said that a large number of demoralised insurgents had also indicated their willingness to renounce their crime and join the society. James reiterated the commands commitment to support the military to ensure successful implementation of the counter-insurgency campaign.

According to him, the command also conducts sensitisation activities with a view to exposing the personnel to the best practices in peace building and conflict resolution.

The campaign seeks to promote good understanding with sister security agencies as well as enhance mutual relations with society he said.

On Sept. 9, the command graduated sets of trainees who were exposed to modern security services.

The trainees were drawn from a security client of the University of Maiduguri.

Private security firms are also encouraged to provide useful information to the military and police to end insurgency and stimulate peace building process.

James warned that the command would de-list unregistered security firms and those that failed to renew their operational licenses in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Operation Safe Corridor is a critical component of the counter-insurgency operation.

It was designed to encourage Boko Haram insurgents to surrender, facilitate their deradicalisation and rehabilitation for reintegration into the society.

Hundreds of repented Boko Haram insurgents are undergoing three-month deradicalisation process at a military facility in Gombe.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday dismissed the suit by Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, challenging the validity of the process of recalling him by his constituents, Punch reports.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in his judgment, ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission shall proceed with the recall process.

The judgment effectively terminated the earlier ex parte order made by another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice John Tsoho, on July 6, 2017, directing parties to maintain status quo.

But the Justice Dimgba, to whom the case was reassigned, ordered that the process shall only proceed with the recall process, subject to the service of the petition, the full list and signatures of persons in support of the recall process.
Tinsel Star and Ghanaian actor, Chris Attoh, whose marriage to Nigerian actress, Damilola Adegbite was rumoured to have crashed, has revealed that he enjoyed kissing Yvonne Nelson who he has featured in a number of movies with, with the latest being Single and Married where he played the role of Yvonnes cheating husband, kissing the actress a number of times.

The actor reportedly told Doreen Andoh on Joy FMs Cosmopolitan Mix on Friday that;

It was very enjoyable kissing Yvonne Nelson in the film Single and Married, every time I would run for it.

The actor who also talked about his marriage to Damilola, admitted immersing himself totally in the roles he plays; expressing admiration for the lips of some ladies he happened to work with in his latest work, which is yet to be released. He described them as amazing.

On his marriage, MyJoyOnline reported that the actor said;

Marriage is serious business, marriage is a partnership. Were living with a generation that wants everything now, and its not built like that.

He believes that men should look for true values, what you want in a woman. Look for someone you can converse with also as you grow old.

source: Stargist
Some high school students were left completely speechless after former president of the United States, Barack Obama crashed their classroom on the first day back at school.

McKinley Tech students, in Washington DC, were still settling into their new classes on Friday when Obama casually walked in, leaving them pleasantly surprised.

You guys dont mind me crashing right? Obama asked, as his audience struggled to maintain composure.

Obama then joined their circle and started to tell them why it was important for him to meet people their age during his time in office.

He said: One of the things I did throughout my presidency was Id meet with groups of young people everywhere I went, whether it was here in the United States or when I was traveling overseas. Just to kind of hear from them, find out what theyre interested in, because I do believe that most of the problems we have are going to be solved by you.

Later, Obama took to Instagram to share videos of his day out and wrote: Make us proud. Youre the next generation of leaders, and we need you.

His spokesman Keith Schiller told The Hill that Fridays visit was a part Obamas ongoing conversation with young people.
The family of a deceased student of Yabatech, Lagos might fork out almost a million naira to obtain the corpse of their child.

Following the death of a Yaba College of Technology student, Kotun Kayode Kazeem, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has refused to release the corpse unless the sum of N800,000 is paid by his family.

The bill was said to be for all the treatment he received from the day of the accident which occurred on Sunday, August 20, till the day he died on Saturday, September 9.

A student of the school identified as Adio Emmanuel Olusegun Adeyemi, took to his Facebook profile on Sunday, September 10, to condemn the hospital for asking for that amount of money before releasing the corpse of late Kazeem.

Adeyemi said:

*LUTH TO RELEASE YABATECH STUDENT CORPSE FOR N800,000

(KOTUN KAYODE KAZEEM).

Kazeem is a Banking & Finance Student (HND1 Yaba College of Technology).

He was involved in an accident on the 20th of August 2017 while he was in a Keke Napep heading to his house. He was busy reading in the tricycle because of the fear of YABATECH exam. Ever since then he has been in a state of COMA It is very unfortunate, we lost Kazeem yesterday (9th of September 2017 in that popular hospital called LUTH. As it stands, LUTH says we must pay N800,000 before his body would be released. Where do we see that huge amount of money in Nigeria? This is uncalled for

Nigerian Students ARISE!!!

Nigerian Comrade Come to our rescue, LUTH is killing us.

Pls come to our rescue.

Lagos state govt, please help us, minister of health please come to our rescue, minister of youth we need you, NANS dont leave us. Thanks.

#YABATECH vs LUTH.

Aluta Continua! Victoria Ascerta!

Please rebroadcast .

Meanwhile, the leadership of LUTH was yet respond to the claims on Facebook as at press time.
Family and friends have been left in anguish after a man who disappeared from home decades ago, suddenly returned only to murder his wife.

Elisha Murimba, a Zimbabwean man from Mutare who deserted his family 25 years ago before returning recently, allegedly murdered his wife by slitting her throat on Friday night, before disappearing.

According to Newsday, a manhunt has since been launched for Elisha Murimba (54) of House Number 7280, New Bordervale, Mutare, who allegedly murdered his wife, Victoria Murimba (46) in cold blood.

Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda, confirmed the murder and appealed for information leading to the arrest of Murimba.

Murimba, who is reported to have left a note claiming that his wife was seeing other men during his absence, is alleged to have fled his matrimonial home with a mistress and resettled in the Diaspora 25 years ago.

A source close to the family said Murimba and his girlfriend, whose identity was not disclosed, left the country for the United States via Australia.

It alleged that things didnt work out for the couple and Murimba relocated to South Africa where he was staying until he came back to Zimbabwe.

The family was preparing to host their fathers welcome bash when the murder was committed, said a source close to the family.

Asst Insp Chananda said: Our preliminary investigations showed that Victoria and Elisha retired to bed at around 8pm on Friday night.

The couples daughter said her mother came to her bedroom around the same time and told her that she wanted to spend the night in the room with her. We are told that she later changed her mind and went back to the main bedroom where Elisha was sleeping.

Asst Insp Chananda said it was the last time the daughter saw her mother alive.

The following morning, the couple did not emerge from the bedroom until around 11am when the daughter decided to make a follow-up, he said.

When the daughter opened the door, she realised that her mother was still in bed. When she opened the blankets that is when she saw her body lying in a pool of blood. Her mothers throat was slit open with an unknown object.

She raised alarm and neighbours rushed to the scene. Their father had long vanished.

The shocking murder has since gone viral on the social media, with people calling for the arrest of Elisha.
In his words: theres no bank in the history of Nigeria that has given one Naira to any label. Theres one corporate entity that has given any label. Its young guys.

In his appearance on Pulses LooseTalk Podcast, Nigerian rapper, M.I Abaga spoke about issues affecting the Nigerian music industry the direction of his music.

The interview which runs for over two hours, touched on many aspects of the music business. At some point during the conversation, financing in the Nigerian music business and surprisingly, the rapper had good words to say about internet fraudsters, who he claims have been filling the gap by financing artistes, in the absence of corporate sponsors and brands.

In his words: theres no bank in the history of Nigeria that has given one Naira to any label. Theres one corporate entity that has given any label. Its young guys.

In fact, youre more likely to get money from a Yahoo boy. Shout-out to Yahoo boys. May God prosper your business. He further said.

M.I is echoing a general industry opinion that says that financing is hard. And yes it is difficult to secure corporate financing for creating music. But he doesnt get it right when he says no bank has ever invested in a record label.



According to sources who spoke with Pulse, in 2008, music industry entrepreneur, Tony Nwakalor secured a loan from Skye Bank, with which he created the defunct record label, Yes Records. According to sources who pled anonymity, the loan was up to N500 million.

The company was well-funded, and they ran for a while and had a couple of radio records. They helped launched Sexy Steels career too, a source said.

With that funding, Tony Nwakalor created Yes Records, and signed a list of artists including I.D Cabasa, Jahbless, Sexy Steel and G-Xploits.

Pulse has reached out to Tony Nwakalor and Skye Bank for details.

source: Pulse
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Zamfara Chapter, has decided to embark on an indefinite strike on Monday following the expiration of a three-week ultimatum given to the state government by the Association.

The Chairman NLC, Zamfara Chapter, Mr Bashir Mafara, disclosed this on Sunday in Gusau.

NLC had given the state government three weeks ultimatum to address the problems of workers in the state.

Parts of the workers grievances with the state government include the non-implementation of workers annual increments, promotion and the non-payment of 1,400 newly recruited staff recruited more than over three years ago.

Other issues according to the NLC, is that refusal of the government to implement the minimum wage for local government staff and primary school teachers as well as non-payment of pensioners gratuities.

The NLC said it was worrisome that primary school teachers and local government workers in Zamfara state were still receiving between N7,500 and N8,000 as monthly salary.

The NLC chairman said that the union has been having consultations with the government officials, led by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi on how to resolve the issues.

He said that the government had failed to meet up with any of the agreement reached between the workers and the state government.

Therefore, we are starting the strike tomorrow, Monday as announced three weeks ago.

We have already announced that all the representatives of the NLC affiliated unions should meet tomorrow at NLC Secretariat by 10.00 am to mark the commencement of the strike, he said.

Mafara, therefore, urged all workers to stay away from their places of works from tomorrow until the problems were addressed by the government.

The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara had earlier told journalists that the 21-day ultimatum was uncalled for.

Dosara maintained that Gov. Abdulaziz Yari had since directed the labour leaders in the state to come up with an authentic list of workers under the state government payroll without which the state government would not implement their demands.

Source: ( PM News )
The Nigerian Police have debunked the news making the rounds that the home of separatist leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in Abia State on Sunday.

According to, Mr. Kanu, the soldiers stormed his residence and injured occupants in an attempt to take his life; the police said military personnel were only carrying out a procession to test a new armoured carrier.

There was no attack on the home of Nnamdi Kanu, Abia police commissioner, Leye Oyebade, told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Sunday evening.

What happened was that the military was parading a new armoured carrier and passed through Nnamdi Kanus residence.

It was while they were passing that some people threw stones and other things at them, Mr. Oyebade explained.

The police chief said normalcy has been restored and no life was lost during the minor skirmish and Mr. Kanu was neither targeted nor arrested.

But Mr. Kanus lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had painted a different account of what transpired at the home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, saying there was a siege.

In a statement Mr. Ejiofor accused the Buhari administration of attempting to take his clients life.

Just to alert the world that the Nigeria military personnel under the command of Chief of Army Staff is presently laying a siege on my client (Nnamdi Kanu) country home in umuahia.

They had continued to shot sporadically into the air through which assault, about five of his family members were brutally wounded and some unfortunately killed. There is no doubt that the present deployment of troops to the South East is to haunt for my client and possibly eliminate him, the statement said.

Mr. Ejiofor added that if something goes wrong with his clients life, the international would hold the countrys president responsible.

Let the whole world know that if anything untoward happen to my client, that President Buhari and his Chief of Army Staff should be held responsible by the international Community.

 We are presently counting the number of casualties as the onslaught progress. The world should be immediately notified about the tension in Biafra land, created by the government in power. We must adopt all know legal mechanism to resist the unconstitutional but violent approach in dealing with unarmed people merely operating within the confines of law. Buhari must be held responsible.

We are ready to present our case once more before the International Court of Justice. The families that lost their beloved ones in the last year may 29th violent attack by the military are yet to recover from the shock of losing their love ones. This situation must be arrested in time. 

The Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, did not respond to calls to seek the Armys official reaction to the incident.

The Nigerian government is currently pursuing revocation of Mr. Kanus bail, after the IPOB leader allegedly breached the conditions of his bail which was granted to him by the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, where he faces treason charges.

The revocation motion, which was filed by the Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, is expected to be heard in October.

Source: ( Premium Times )
Ahead of the National Conference on Transformation of the Livestock, holding in Abuja, from Tuesday, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has raised the alarm that Nigeria might, in the near future, suffer scarcity of livestock because of the quantum of cows consumed daily without commensurate calving.

According to the minister, The way we are consuming cows, slaughtering them is quite alarming. Lagos alone consumes 6,000 cows a day, thats the figure at abattoirs, not figure from birthday parties and burial ceremonies and so on. Imagine what Port Harcourt consumes; or Umuahia, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Maiduguri. If you add it up, we may be eating up to 80,000 to 90,000 cows a day and we are not calving as many.

Which means a day will come, if the West Africans dont come into Nigeria with their cows, we may find out we have no cattle. So, thats an economic danger that faces us.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had not learnt from its past mistakes, contrary to recent public undertakings by its leadership, accroding to Senator Stella Oduah.

She said at the News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja that the party had resumed the denigration of internal democracy characterised by impunity and imposition of candidates on members and other misdeeds.

Ms. Oduah recalled that impunity, imposition, disregard for members and other acts of irregularities in the partys activities led to its losses in the 2015 general elections.

She said that some of those traits, especially imposition of candidate on members in utter disobedience to internal democracy tenets, were recorded in the partys recent governorship primary election in Anambra.

According to the lawmaker, who was an aspirant in the governorship race but withdrew hours before the primary election, the party did not employ due process in conducting the exercise.

She said that those in charge of the primary imposed a candidate on the members and disenfranchised other aspirants and delegates.

Ms. Oduah, who represents Anambra North Senatorial District at the Senate, said that she had petitioned the partys leadership on the issue but was yet to receive a response.

I am still waiting for the party to address the concerns and the issues that I raised.

The issues essentially boil down to the fact that the partys constitution clearly states how primary elections should be conducted.

It stated the stages the exercise should go through and for each stage, it spelt out a check, and that check is to address the grievances that may come as a result of the process.

Mine was very clear; I raised alert on the defects I noted. I wrote, complaining and insisted that failure to address those concerns, I wasnt going to be part of that process, Oduah said.

She said that it would have been illegal and unjust for her to be part of the process to the end.

According to Ms. Oduah, it is like knowing that a hole is somewhere then you are blindly walking into it.

Anything unjust is totally unacceptable for me, and that is where we are now, waiting for the party to address those concerns, she said.

She said that imposition and disenfranchisement were part of the problems of the party in the past, adding that there was always a penalty for wrongdoings against party members.

The legislator restated that if the party failed to address the concerns raised by her and other contestants in the Anambra primary poll, then the party has not learnt from past mistakes.

If you have done something that made it impossible for people to exercise their rights, you disenfranchise them in the process and had a resultant effect, and you repeat it, obviously you havent learnt your lessons.

I wish the party will revisit and address all the concerns.

This is necessary because when people are aggrieved and you are not concerned about those grievances, you are saying two things: `go to hell and there is nothing you can do about it, she said.

On PDPs chances in 2019, she said that as a party faithful, we will win, but the party has to quickly address the current trend.

Source: (NAN)
The Niger State Police Command have confirmed the arrest of 22 suspected criminals, recovered 415 cows and seven cars in the state between July and September.

Austin Agbonlahor, the state commissioner of police, made this known while giving account of his stewardship on Sunday in Minna.

It will interest you to know that from July 14 to September 2017 when I resumed duty in Niger state we have arrested 22 suspects which includes six cattle rustlers, five kidnappers and recovered 415 cows and seven cars, he said.

Mr. Agbonlahor said that the police also recovered exhibits such as two AK- 47 rifles and one locally-made pistol.

He said that the cases of some of the suspects was pending in courts, some have been convicted while others are still under investigation.

The commissioner appealed to the public to continue to collaborate with the police to rid the society of criminals as the police cannot do it alone.

This achievement was made possible with the cooperation of members of the public and our patrol teams spread across the state.

I want to reassure you that the personnel of this command are working hard in order to reduce crime to the barest minimum.

He added that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotum, would soon bring the bail is free campaign to the state as part of efforts to bring transparency and accountability to the force.

Source: (NAN)
Pope Francis sustained minor injuries on Sunday after hitting his head against the vehicle in which he was traveling in Cartagena, Colombia, ABC News reported.

Giving details about the injury, a spokesman for the pope confirmed the injuries, which were captured on video, saying he has a wound on his cheekbone and eyebrow but he is fine. He is receiving ice treatment, the spokesman added.

The incident occurred while the 80-year-old Catholic Pontiff was traveling in the popemobile, a customized vehicle outfitted with bulletproof glass designed to protect the pope while he greets crowds.

He appeared to be leaning outside a glass panel in front of him when the vehicle stopped and his face made contact with the barrier.

Pope Francis has been visiting Colombia since Wednesday, making stops in the cities of Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena.
80-year-old Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis has been left with a cut near his eyes after getting injured in Colombia.

Pope Francis sustained minor injuries on Sunday after hitting his head against the vehicle in which he was traveling in Cartagena, Colombia, ABC News reported.

Giving details about the injury, a spokesman for the pope confirmed the injuries, which were captured on video, saying he has a wound on his cheekbone and eyebrow but he is fine. He is receiving ice treatment, the spokesman added.

The incident occurred while the 80-year-old Catholic Pontiff was traveling in the popemobile, a customized vehicle outfitted with bulletproof glass designed to protect the pope while he greets crowds.

He appeared to be leaning outside a glass panel in front of him when the vehicle stopped and his face made contact with the barrier.

Pope Francis has been visiting Colombia since Wednesday, making stops in the cities of Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena.
A man has hacked off his wifes feet right in front of her two kids after accusing her of doing something terrible.

A married woman identified as Putu Careen, has had both her feet hacked off with a machete in front of her two children after allegedly being accused of cheating by her husband.

According to Metro UK, Putu Careen has had her left leg amputated after the attack on Tuesday night at her home in Canggu Village in Bali.

A suspect has since been arrested while Badung Police told the Bali Tribune that the attack was motivated by jealousy.

A Bali Police spokesman told the website the alleged perpetrator took the victim to the hospital after the attack.

Pictures said to be from the scene were posted by former MMA fighter Rohan Lee, who had retired to the village from Perth two years ago and employed the victim as his housekeeper.

He said the attack took place in front of her children, aged nine and 13.

He is now trying to raise AUD$100,000 to support Ms Carren with her medical bills and all other expenses going forward. He was more than half way towards his target at the time of writing.

He wrote: If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Putu, you would know that she is honestly one of the most genuinely kind and caring people you could ever meet.

She even came to make me her home remedies when I was sick with dengue fever. I struggle to see how anybody could do such a thing to such a loving and caring human being.
Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki has been given a a 14-day ultimatum by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to pay pensioners their 42 months arrears and gratuities.

This was revealed to the governor in an open letter to Governor Obaseki, SERAP requested him to use his good offices and leadership position to urgently pay Edo State pensioners over 42 months outstanding pension benefits and entitlements from the over N29 billion Paris Club refunds received by your government and meant for the payment of pension arrears and gratuities.

The organization asked Obaseki to spend the Paris Club refunds to pay all outstanding pension benefits within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP will institute appropriate international and regional legal proceedings to compel your state to discharge its constitutional and international human rights obligations to Edo pensioners.

In the letter dated 8 September 2017 and signed by SERAP deputy director Timothy Adewale, the organization expressed concern about the treatment of the situation of Edo pensioners from a humanitarian and charity perspective. This approach by your government to addressing the conditions of pensioners in your state ignores their human rights, and the fundamental equality of individuals, and deny Nigeria of the potential contribution of pensioners to reaching national developmental objectives and goals.

The organization also expressed serious concern that the failure to pay Edo pensioners their outstanding benefits and entitlements has continued to leave them with chronic poverty, untreated illness, inadequate access to medical treatment, abuse, and ultimately, unnecessary and untimely deaths. Yet, pensioners are entitled to human rights, as an important part of their dignity, protection and financial security.

The letter read in part: SERAP notes that pensioners need special protection especially given their economic, social and political vulnerability but the repeated failure by your government to spend the received Paris Club refunds to pay all outstanding pension benefits in your state has continued to prevent their access to equal treatment and enjoyment of their constitutionally and internationally recognized human rights. Edo pensioners are now at heightened risk of long term discrimination, abuse, exclusion, isolation and marginalization.

SERAP has been fully briefed by Edo pensioners both at local government and state levels about their plight and continuing denial of their human rights to dignity, equality and non-discrimination by your government.

According to our information, your government has so far received from the government of President Muhammadu Buhari three tranches of the Paris Club refunds totaling over N29 billion, between November 2016 and July 2017. Yet your government has failed, refused and/or neglected to pay over 42 months pension benefits as well as agreed increase in benefits, despite repeated requests by the pensioners and their families.

SERAP is concerned about the persistence of considerable levels of poverty to which Edo pensioners have been subjected. We note that your government has a legal obligation to promote and protect the rights and dignity of all pensioners in Edo State, consistent with your expressed commitment to social development, human rights, equality and non-discrimination.

SERAP notes that article 25 paragraph 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that, Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights therefore shows that the rights to adequate standard of living and well-being are for every human being, including pensioners. Indeed, the principles of equality and non-discrimination apply to those rights, and provide that individuals and families are entitled to their human rights, regardless of age.

SERAP also notes that your government has a legal obligation to protect vulnerable individuals including pensioners in Edo State by taking measures to ensure that they are not denied their human rights, and deprived of their access to basic necessities of life.

SERAP believes that ignorance of the value of empowerment of pensioners jeopardises progress towards achieving Edo State developmental goals.

SERAP therefore urged governor Obaseki to:

1.Urgently pay Edo State pensioners over 42 months outstanding pension benefits and entitlements from the over N29 billion Paris Club refunds received by your government and meant for the payment of pension arrears and gratuities;

2.Adopt a human rights policy of guaranteeing regular payment of pension benefits and entitlements so that pensioners and their families can live decently;

3.Recognize the human rights of Edo State pensioners and ensure their full and effective enjoyment of those rights, as well as provide them with information to enable them to claim their rights;

4. Treat all pensioners in Edo State as individuals with humanity and dignity and respect and promote their higher standard of living and improve economic and social conditions for all pensioners;

5.Provide Edo State pensioners with proper support and assistance to alleviate their plight, including by ensuring informal, community-based and recreation-oriented programs for pensioners to help develop their sense of self-reliance and independence;

6.Reduce opportunities for corruption in the spending of the Paris Club refunds so far received by your government.
A community has been left completely stunned by a turn of events after two sisters killed themselves with babies on their backs.

A really horrific tragedy stuck the Nyamiti family in Shinga Village, Mutoko, Zimbabwe recently as two biological sisters reportedly committed suicide by drowning themselves along with one child in a dam

According to H-Metro, Thandiwe Nyamiti, her young sister Chipo and a babys bodies were last week retrieved from Moko Dam after drowning for an unknown reason. Revelations are that the sisters fathers also died by drowning years ago.

The two got into the water with their children strapped on their backs but one child survived.

Thandiwes child died while Chipos boy survived after finding refuge on reeds near the dam shore.

Family spokesperson Dugmore Reza said he was saddened by the death of his two sisters since everything was well.

We never expected something like this to happen since everything was fine with my sisters, up to now we still dont know why they decided to end their lives this way, he said.

The night before Thandiwe and Chipo were at our mothers house and they even spent the whole night praying. The following day, they left the house heading to Mudzi Growth Point where they wanted to sell some items.

When they approached Moko dam, they were seen by villagers praying and surprisingly the next thing is they were seen inside the dam where they drowned. People tried to rescue them but they failed, police rescue team was called in and they were then taken out of the dam three hours later. Thandiwe. Chipo and Thandiwes baby survived, he was found on the reeds in the dam, he said.

Dugmore went to reveal that their late father died in a similar way and he suspects her sisters were under the influence of evil spirits which were responsible for the death of their father.

When I was told what had happened, I was reminded of our fathers death, he died mysteriously as well. I strongly suspect that there is a spirit that is haunting us as a family, we need spiritual guidance to protect us from this curse, he said.
Soybean (ZS) Weekly MACD Positively Crossing Tradable Patterns - Sun Nov 13, 10:10PM CST Soybean (ZSF23) is consolidating to start the week, hesitating for roughly 2 weeks now just below triangle resistance (on the weekly chart) and near the 50% Fib retrace of the slide from the June high... ZSF23 : 1443-0 (-0.48%) SOYB : 27.39 (+2.16%)

Sam Bankman-Fried's downfall sends shockwaves through crypto AP - Sun Nov 13, 7:18PM CST Sam Bankman-Fried received numerous plaudits as he rapidly achieved superstar status as the head of cryptocurrency exchange FTX: the savior of crypto, the newest force in Democratic politics and potentially... $SPX : 3,992.93 (+0.92%) $DOWI : 33,747.86 (+0.10%) $IUXX : 11,817.01 (+1.82%)
THASSALONIKI, Greece, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese investment in Europe is an opportunity instead of a threat, senior representatives of news agencies along the route said Sunday during the New Silk Road Forum.

Organized by Greece's Athens News Agency (AMNA), national agency of the Mediterranean country, the forum focuses on the cooperation of news agencies along the Belt and Road and aims at improving communication, facilitating trade and enhancing cultural ties.

Responding to the uninvited worry of some U.S. media on Chinese investment in Greece, Michail Psylos, president of AMP, told Xinhua that "nobody cares about the report."

China-proposed Belt and Road initiative "gives Greece the room and potential to upgrade its own role in the modern world as a member of the European Union," said the president in his opening remarks.

"We think the relationship between China and Greece is of strategic and geopolitical importance, and the news agencies in both countries wish to continue the promotion of the cooperation for it is mutual beneficial for the two countries and the two peoples," he told Xinhua.

Miguel Sanchez, Spain's EFE Agency's director economic and financial sector, said that "we are very happy to see in these days the growing number of Chinese companies in Spain... because Chinese companies are offering more and more high-quality products."

As to the competition between Chinese and local companies, he said that Spain should be creative on this issue, "because it is a way to improve local business."

Responding on the "threat" of Chinese investment hyped by some Western media outlets, he said he is not the right person to comment because he is not a politician.

But he still gave his explanation. China is "growing and becoming more and more competitive each day, the best way to fight against you is to say that you are doing nothing or doing things in the wrong way," he told Xinhua.

Chinese investment is not focused on one country, but is a boon to the economic development of countries in the South Europe, said Nenad Babic, executive officer of Serbia's TANJUG news agency.

"The Belt and Road initiative proposed by the Chinese government has given us a chance to strengthen our relationship in more than just political way. Concrete projects with Chinese investment obviously facilitate that process," said Babic.

"China invested in Serbia's biggest iron producer under the framework of Belt and Road initiative. The construction of the railway connecting Serbia and Hungary will be done also with the financial help of Chinese banks. The railway will connect the south Europe with the Piraeus port in Greece which will facilitate the big trade in the whole region," he told Xinhua.

During the forum, representatives from 25 news agencies agreed to further strengthen the cooperation in such fields as economy, science and technology as well as people-to-people exchanges.

In his speech, Zhang Sutang, vice president of China's Xinhua News Agency, said that Xinhua is willing to cooperate with other news agencies along the Belt and Road to build an information-sharing platform and expand room for media cooperation, so as to play a more active role in building a more beautiful world.

Agencies from China, Greece, Spain, Russia, Italy, Bulgaria, Serbia, Poland, among others, were represented at the forum. At the end of the forum, delegates from the 25 news agencies unanimously approved a joint declaration to enhance relations and strengthen their contacts at all levels.
For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser
Winston Wenyan Ma, a managing director of China Investment Corp. and author of a book on Chinas mobile economy, says the countrys fast-growing tech sector will make up for slowing growth in other areas.

Winston Wenyan Ma, a managing director of China Investment Corp. and author of a book on Chinas mobile economy, says the countrys fast-growing tech sector will make up for slowing growth in other areas.

Chinas economy hurtling towards digitization  and the lines between its real and virtual economies will increasingly blur in the years ahead, says a senior investment officer with the nations sovereign wealth fund and author of a new book examining the digital transformation of the worlds second-largest economy.

In the future, the entire Chinese economy will be a digital economy, predicts Winston Wenyan Ma, the author of Chinas Mobile Economy: Opportunities in the Largest and Fastest Information Consumption Boom and a managing director for China Investment Corp., the nations $814 billion sovereign wealth fund. The book, published by John Wiley & Sons in December 2016, details how Chinas mobile economy may well power the nations growth for decades to come, becoming an engine that will more than make up for the slowdown of the countrys traditional growth engines, such as manufacturing and exports.

Chinas mobile economy, in fact, already has surpassed the U.S. in many aspects, Ma tells Institutional Investor.

His statement is in line with a recent McKinsey Global Institute study released in August.

Over the past decade, China has become a leading global force in several areas of the digital economy, stated the report, Chinas Digital Economy: a Leading Global Force, published by McKinsey & Co.s think tank. In e-commerce, for instance, China accounted for less than 1 percent value of worldwide transactions only about a decade ago, but that share is now more than 40 percent.

The value of Chinas e-commerce transactions is today estimated to be larger than that of France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States combined, the McKinsey report found, while the use of mobile payments by Chinas internet users has grown rapidly from just 25 percent in 2013 to 68 percent in 2016.

China boasts 700 million smartphone users, and these consumers  though earning on average only a sixth of the annual income of their counterparts in the U.S.  spend enough online to create Chinese e-commerce giants that increasingly are offering new online services, forming alliances with high-technology manufacturers, and investing in some of their offline rivals.

[II Deep Dive: Alibaba vs. The World]

Alibaba Group, for instance, is launching its own self-help Hema supermarkets, which operate with far fewer staff than traditional supermarkets. The chain, which consists of only 13 outlets so far  10 in Shanghai, two in Beijing, and one in the coastal city of Ningbo  will likely become a national chain, where shoppers can pay for groceries online without using any cash. All they need is to download an app that allows them to check out by paying via their Alipay e-commerce accounts.

The move follows Alibabas foray into home appliance outlets two years ago, when it invested $4.6 billion for a 20 percent stake in Suning Commerce Group, the nations largest home appliance retailer. Alibaba rival Jingdong, known as JD.com, also entered into physical store retailing by investing $700 million for a 10 percent stake in Yonghui Superstores, which has 450 outlets and is Chinas fourth-largest supermarket chain.

Meanwhile, Ping An Insurance Company of China, which has 1.3 million sales agents and is the nations second-largest life insurer, is now also the nations leading online wealth products distributor. Its Shanghai Lujiazui International Financial Asset Exchange Co. sold 6 trillion yuan worth of investment and wealth management products last year to 7.4 million investors via the Lu.com website.

The key in the future is seamless integration, Ma says. In the past people separated sales channels, but in the future the channels will merge. You buy online but go to store for service or support, or first try out the products in outlets before arranging online for delivery. Ultimately, the goal is to offer consumers seamless shopping experiences across all channels online and offline.

Ma also wrote the book in part to help global investors to better understand the innovation, and the opportunities, currently coming out of China at a time when many people still compare Chinese internet companies to their Western counterparts.

Many global investors, for instance, think of NYSE-listed Alibaba as Chinas version of eBay and social media company SINA Weibo as Chinas version of Twitter, when in reality such comparisions no longer are appropriate, says Ma. He adds that these firms have transformed their business models. Now Alibaba is more like a mix of Amazon, eBay, PayPal, and Netflix, whereas Sino Weibo is like a media platform combining Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, he says. He further notes many of their smaller rivals are using mobile internet to challenge inefficient domestic incumbents in a plethora of other industries, including banking and finance. As a result, says Ma, the business models of many Chinese Internet companies can no longer be simply described as the Chinese versions of Silicon Valley firms.

Many in the West lack understanding how Chinas digital companies have developed their own models that are highly innovative and are far different than their original models, says Ma. Most notably, from the application side, Chinas market has evolved in a very different way from the Western world, moving more aggressively into mobile commerce. The Western world still remembers China and enterprises there as copycats and are now only beginning to realize they are now innovating on their own.
Its finally here  an integrated blockchain solution for the re/insurance industry has been unveiled, with the launch of a working beta-version at the 61st Monte Carlo RVS (Rendez-Vous de Septembre) conference.B3i (Blockchain Insurance Industry Initiative), the group of global insurers and reinsurers in charge of the project, also shared its vision and plans during the event. Members include Achmea, Aegon, Ageas, Allianz Generali , Hannover Re, Liberty Mutual Munich Re , RGA, SCOR Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance, Swiss Re Tokio Marine Holdings, XL Catlin, and Zurich Insurance Group.Launched in 2016, the consortium has been working on a blockchain-driven distributed ledger for reinsurance transactions. B3i said the platform uses state-of-the-art distributed ledger technology to enable secure, confidential, and efficient transactions in a blockchain network.The short-term focus is on handling reinsurance contracts, while the groups wider goal of exploring blockchain potential is to build an efficient world-wide industry platform for market participants to more easily cede, handle, and trade risks.Over the past four months, a dedicated, combined team drawn from B3i member firms has produced a working prototype covering the core functionalities required to enable a distributed smart contract management system for Property Cat XoL contracts, said Paul Meeusen of B3i, and also director of global business solutions at Swiss Re.He added that the deployment architecture is already close to a production-ready environment  with first deployment into production set for 2018. With the platform, B3i expects a productivity gain of up to 30%  resulting in lower administration costs for brokers, insurers, and reinsurers.Next month, a market beta-testing programme for the prototype will be launched. Non-B3i members are welcome to participate in the testing.The initiative shows that there is a lot of potential in joining forces across organisations to explore new solutions and technologies. As an industry, we need to collaborate and co-create, not only to continuously improve standards, but to strive for ever better solutions for our customers, commented Allianz SE chief operating officer Christof Mascher.For Antony Elliott, group head of business transformation at Zurich, B3i has brought insurers and reinsurers together with a real spirit of collaboration. He said they look forward to launching the market beta-testing programme.
A new report has proposed a 150% tax break on multi-peril crop insurance, which it argued would be a strategic investment for the federal government.The report from an accountancy and advisory firm comes as the grains industry and the Federal Department of Agriculture are rethinking how to increase MPCI uptake after the failure of the existing $2,500 rebate scheme, which saw a mere 60 applications and $107,000 worth of rebates allocated since its introduction in March last year until May this year, despite $20.2 million being available over four years.The Williams Hall Chadwick (WHC) report has found that a research and development-style tax deduction on insurance premiums would provide the government a seven-to-one return while protecting farmers, The Weekly Times reported.The 150% tax break was first suggested in 2015 by Grain Producers Australia (GPA), but was not supported by the government after consultations on the agriculture white paper, said a spokeswoman for agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce.The idea was raised again this July by Australian Farm Institute head Mick Geogh, which led WHC director Andrew Perkins to model the concept.The study suggested that a 150% tax deduction would bring more certainty to the grains industry, leading to increased productivity that, in turn, would yield more tax revenue for the government, balancing out the tax break, the report said.GPA and GrainGrowers both agreed that the tax break policy should be viewed as a longer-term prospect.GPA chairman Andrew said farmers should first be further educated in financial skills and in considering existing MPCI products. GrainGrowers GM David McKeon said the differing stamp duty of state governments was a real inhibitor distorting the fledgling MPCI market in the country.A spokeswoman for the agriculture minister said the department was working with the industry to potentially include additional options to improve MPCI uptake, and that the rebate scheme will continue until June 2019, the report said.
The National Insurance Brokers Association ( NIBA ) has announced the recipients of the 2017 NIBA broker and industry awards at the NIBA Convention Center in Sydney.Brett Piggot of Willis Temby Insurance Brokers in Western Australia scooped the Stephen Ball Memorial Award for Broker of the Year, while Adam Ware of BJS Insurance Brokers in Gippsland Victoria won the Warren Tickle Award for Young Professional Broker of the Year. CGU , meanwhile, was crowned General Insurer of the Year for 2017.Jason Clarke, executive general manager of intermediary distribution at QBE , said the company, which sponsored the Stephen Ball Memorial Award, is looking forward to helping Piggot achieve his professional goals through the $20,000 travel and education prize.On behalf of QBE, Id like to congratulate Brett Piggott of Willis Temby Insurance Brokers on winning the 2017 Broker of the Year award, Clarke said. He has clearly demonstrated exceedingly high levels of commitment to clients and provides solutions from both Australian and international markets. Sam Sanfilippo , head of international intermediaries at Vero , said the insurer, which sponsored the Warren Tickle Award, is proud to support the future leaders of the broking profession.All of this years impressive finalists demonstrated the best qualities of the industry: the commitment to professional development, and a dedication to high standards and excellence, Sanfilippo said. The judges faced an extremely difficult decision to choose the ultimate winner. We hope Adam has a productive and enjoyable trip to London.NIBA CEO Dallas Booth congratulated Piggot and Ware on their win, as well as all the exceptional finalists who set a benchmark for the rest of the profession.It's a great pleasure to be awarding the Stephen Ball Memorial Award for Insurance Broker of the Year to Brett, who has set very high standards for his broking business, for his commitment to his clients, his community, and his staff, Booth said. As always, it's a challenge for the judges to pick a winner as all the finalists are great examples of excellence in insurance broking. Adam has already established himself as a very fine young insurance broking professional, who strives for the best and seeks to achieve high levels of support for his clients. He is a deserving recipient of the Young Broker of the Year award.CGU won general insurer of the year for the third year running, after getting chosen by nearly 1,000 brokers in the annual NIBA survey.The award recognises the strong efforts CGU have put in to servicing and supporting brokers and their clients in the past year, Booth said.Id like to express my thanks and gratitude to brokers who participated in the 2017 survey and voted for CGU. Our business is built on strong partnerships and we place great value on your continued support, said Ben Bessell IAG EGM business distribution and group executive. Winning this award for the third year in a row is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment by our people to deliver outstanding industry products and service.Also recognised at the industry awards was Jeff Murdoch, director of Emjay Insurance Brokers, who won the Lex McKeown trophy for 2017.NIBA president Tim Wedlock said Murdoch deserved the recognition for he embodies what the trophy stands for  professionalism, integrity, and generosity.Jeff is known by many in the industry for his client focus and professionalism, Wedlock said. He is truly a trusted adviser to all his clients. He is passionate about the insurance broking profession and is extremely generous with this time. Jeff has been a strong supporter of the NIBA mentoring program ever since its inception. He has been a mentor to many young professionals, guiding them with their professional and personal goals and creating opportunities for them.
There could be big changes ahead for multi-national insurer AmTrust, in relation to its Lloyds syndicates.



The company this morning announced that it has applied for approval to combine its three fully aligned non-life Lloyds syndicates  1206, 5829 and 1861. The plan is to place them all under a single Syndicate 1861 for the 2018 year of account.



Celebrate excellence in insurance. Join us at the Insurance Business Awards in Chicago on October 26.



Should approval be granted, the consolidated syndicate would have an underwriting capacity of more than 500 million (approximately $660 million). Christopher Jarvis would be its active underwriter with Bruce Whitmee to become head of consumer products.



According to Mike Sibthorpe, CUO of AmTrust at Lloyds, the combined syndicate platform will boost operations and assist with service improvements to brokers and clients.



AmTrust at Lloyds is one of a small number of Lloyds agencies able to underwrite in all of the key Lloyds classes, through Syndicate 1861 for general insurance and Syndicate 44 for life assurance, he said.



Streamlining our operating model allows us to focus our efforts on identifying opportunities to optimise our portfolio; building on our underwriting strengths.



AmTrusts Lloyds business has grown significantly over the last five years, added Peter Dewey, CEO of AmTrust at Lloyds. Our proposed new syndicate structure is a major step towards our commitment to building a best in class Lloyds platform, simplifying the operation of the business and generating profitable growth and attractive returns for our business and AmTrust shareholders.



By consolidating our underwriting activities within one non-life and one life syndicate, we are making the most efficient use of capital and resources, strengthening our offering and ensuring that we provide our clients and brokers with the best possible service.






A former insurance agent from Medford, Massachusetts has pleaded guilty to several charges, including posing as one of her clients.The ex-agent, 27-year-old Mary Kumar, admitted to four charges of intimidation of a witness, three counts of forgery of a document and one charge of identity fraud.According to court records, all eight charges are based on Kumar posing as her victim when she came to Newburyport court in March 2016 to file motions and then stand before the judge. Kumar, a former car insurance agent, collected money from a customer and issued a fraudulent policy in return. Court records show that Kumar went to extreme lengths to conceal her fraudulent actions and even pretended to be her client in court.On January 08, 2016, Topsfield police pulled over Kumars customer-victim, informing her that she was charged with operating a motor vehicle with a revoked registration and having no insurance. The woman argued that she had insurance and a valid registration, but police told her that her policy was revoked months earlier.It was then that the woman contacted Kumar at Prestige Insurance; Kumar assured her customer that she would make a few phone calls to settle the matter immediately.Although Kumar managed to arrange a rental car for the woman, she did little else to rectify the issue. The victim contacted Kumar several more times, only to be assured by the agent every time that the matter is being resolved.The victim finally got a court notice to appear in Ipswich District Court for arraignment on the two motor vehicle charges on February 11. She contacted Kumar about the summons, who then told her that, if necessary, the court date could be extended as far as possible to allow time to resolve the matter.Kumar then assumed the identity of her client, appearing in court a month later in an attempt to get the matter over with and conceal her fraud. The information and photo she provided the authorities did not match her clients data with the Department of Motor Vehicles, revealing her scheme.She is expected to be sentenced to six months in jail when she returns to court Monday, an Essex County prosecutor told Daily News of Newburyport.According to the report of state Trooper Michael Provost, Middleton police were aware of Prestige Insurance customers who  despite making regular premium payments  were not actually insured.Court records did not state how much money the victim paid Kumar for the false insurance policy.
A $1.1 million lawsuit has been filed against an insurance agent for fatally shooting a homeless man.The lawsuit claims that insurance agent Charlie Win Chan, 47, of Portland-based Golden Key Insurance used unjustified lethal force when he shot the unarmed Jason Gerald Peterson, 32, in the torso. Peterson succumbed to his wounds two hours later on the afternoon of February 20.According to Chans account to the police, he had found Petersons sleeping bag and other belongings blocking the door to his business around 10:30am on February 20. Chan pushed them aside so that his wife could enter the building, then later threw the items in a garbage bin next to the agency.Later that day in the afternoon, Peterson walked into Golden Key Insurance and asked what had happened to his belongings. After Chan explained to Peterson that he had disposed of the items, Peterson threatened to kill him and torch his business, the insurance agent said in his statement.Chan recounted that Peterson ran out of the building when Chan threatened to call 911. Five minutes later, Chan stepped outside to get some fresh air and then walked to the area behind his business to unload a water dispenser out of his RV parked there.It was at this moment that Chan claimed Peterson confronted him again, with a clenched fist and threats to kill him. Chan then pulled a 22-caliber revolver from his blazer pocket and shot Petersen in his midsection. An autopsy report found that the bullet pierced Petersons liver, pancreas and aorta.Chan also told investigators that he thought Peterson was much larger than him, and that Peterson could easily overpower him. An autopsy, however, found that Peterson was 5 7, compared to Chans 5 6.In March, a Multnomah County grand jury reviewed the case and found no criminal wrongdoing by Chan.However, the lawsuit, filed Thursday in Multnomah County Circuit Court by Petersons estate, condemns Chan for walking out of his business for no apparent reason. The suit continued, saying that Chan could have stayed inside his business and called 911 as he supposedly planned, or sought help from others nearby, instead of shooting Peterson.The suit also states that the insurance agent invaded [Petersons] personal space without his consent.The Oregonian reported that the suit describes Peterson as having a legally protected interest as a licensee on Chans premises, but does not explain what that means.Authorities say Peterson had schizophrenia.Petersons family is seeking $500,000 for loss of society and companionship and emotional pain and suffering. The lawsuit is also looking to claim $500,000 for Petersons physical and emotional suffering before his death, as well as another $100,000 for medical bills, funeral expenses and other costs.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will likely be inundated in the coming days, weeks and months. Already hugely in debt and soon up for reauthorization, the federal insurance program could well change in the near future with private options poised to jump into the fray.Craig Poulton, chief executive of Poulton Associates in Salt Lake City, Utah  which boasts the countrys largest private flood insurance program, dubbed the Natural Catastrophe Insurance Program (NCIP)  spelled out his companys private flood offerings to Insurance Business. He believes theyre working much more efficiently than the NFIP.The NCIP has been offering primary flood insurance to replace NFIP policies for more than 16 years, Poulton said. We are the largest non-NFIP primary flood insurance facility in the United States and we were the first significant competitor to the NFIP.The company writes a new policy about every two minutes, Poulton said.Insurance professionals often express their frustration with the complexity of placing coverage through the NFIP. We understood early on that we needed to simplify the flood insurance purchasing process for insurance professionals. We saw that we needed a primary flood insurance policy form that did not require insurance professionals to learn an entirely new language to understand it. So, we created [a platform that can] be easily used by anyone who is even somewhat familiar with property and casualty insurance. And, we created a policy form that is broader than the NFIP form and that complies with insurance industry norms.Prior to hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the NFIP was $25 billion in the red. And that is expected to get worse. It is very possible that within a few months the NFIP will owe Americas taxpayers more than $60 billion, Poulton said.The main differences between the NFIP and NCIP, according to Poulton, are speed of claims action, superior rating, and better and simpler coverage.Within days after a flood loss, our insureds are receiving payments for their additional living expenses while many of those insured by the NFIP were still looking for public shelters. It is extraordinarily satisfying to be helping people with significantly better coverage and consistently better pricing than what is available through the NFIP monopoly, he said.The NFIP is using outdated technologies and flawed rating mechanisms that rarely result in a high correlation of risk with rate. It is this fact that originally opened the door for us to compete. We assess risk in a far more granular and holistic way than the NFIP does.Reauthorization of the NFIP has been pushed back by the government in light of the recent hurricanes (it was supposed to have happened this month). But Poulton still believes private is the way to go.The NFIP has been a government maintained monopoly for over 45 years offering an inferior product and inaccurate pricing, while costing taxpayers billions, he said.
Last week, Equifax admitted it had been hit with a massive data breach that exposed sensitive personal information  including Social Security and credit card numbers  of up to 143 million consumers. As a result, the company offered free credit monitoring to impacted consumers - but consumers who sign up for the service may be signing away their right to sue the credit reporting company.When Equifax announced the breach, it set up a website where people could check to see if their information had been affected by the data theft and sign up for a year of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection. However, the terms of service require customers to resolve any disputes against the company through binding arbitration and waive the ability to bring or participate in a class action, class arbitration, or other representative action.It is outrageous that Equifax is trying to take advantage of its own massive breach of consumers trust to insert rip-off clauses taking away consumers legal rights, said Amanda Werner, arbitration campaign manager for Americans for Financial Reform.According to a study by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, only about 16 people per year win in arbitration against companies. Most lose and have to pay an average of more than $7,000 in legal expenses. And according to data cited by Fair Arbitration Now, only three consumers have filed arbitrations against Equifax since 2009.From what we can tell, Equifax has faced just one consumer arbitration every three years or so, Werner said. Clearly, they are not interested in giving consumers an alternate forum to resolve disputes. They simply do not want to be held accountable for wrongdoing.
As Hurricane Irma makes its way toward Tampa Bay, some are concerned that the weather event could lead to flooding at some of the regions most toxic waste sites.The hurricane was classified as a Category 3 storm Sunday afternoon. Reports say that the storms center was on track to reach the Tampa Bay area later today (Monday).One of the biggest concerns for the area is a possible storm surge resulting from the hurricanes arrival. In June, a report by property information firm CoreLogic said that nearly 455,000 Tampa Bay homes could be damaged by hurricane storm surges  the most damage in any major metro area barring Miami and New York City. The report also said that the cost to rebuild all those homes would amount to $80.6 billion.Tampa Bays toxic waste sites could make matters even worse if they get hit by a storm surge, however.In an interview Thursday with Bloomberg, US environmental chief Scott Pruitt said that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hard at work securing 80 Superfund sites  areas designated as some of the most toxic places in the nation by the EPA  in Irmas path from Miami to North Carolina.Operationally, weve tried to make sure we apply the same type of approach we used in Texas, Pruitt said. Because of the area and the amount of population thats affected in Florida, were trying to be even more aggressive.The US Geological Survey outlines that Tampa Bay has 27 hill-sized piles of waste containing low levels of radiation and other toxins. Some of these piles, the byproduct of Floridas phosphorus mining industry, are 500 feet tall.One of the piles has already caused a major environmental problem.Last year, a huge sinkhole opened up underneath one of the piles, sending millions of gallons of contaminated mine wastewater into the Floridan Aquifer (a source of drinking water for millions). It was only earlier this year that the owner of the waste, Mosaic, finally managed to create a preliminary seal.Repairs to the seal, however, are not finished and could be vulnerable to the storm.Mosaic spokeswoman Callie Neslund told The Associated Press on Sunday that the company has been working to complete repairs.Our efforts to reinforce and strengthen the (sinkhole) seal are proving effective, Neslund said.
Its finally here  an integrated blockchain solution for the re/insurance industry has been unveiled, with the launch of a working beta-version at the 61st Monte Carlo RVS (Rendez-Vous de Septembre) conference.B3i (Blockchain Insurance Industry Initiative), the group of global insurers and reinsurers in charge of the project, also shared its vision and plans during the event. Members include Achmea, Aegon, Ageas, Allianz Generali , Hannover Re, Liberty Mutual Munich Re , RGA, SCOR Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance, Swiss Re Tokio Marine Holdings, XL Catlin , and Zurich Insurance Group.Launched in 2016, the consortium has been working on a blockchain-driven distributed ledger for reinsurance transactions. B3i said the platform uses state-of-the-art distributed ledger technology to enable secure, confidential, and efficient transactions in a blockchain network.The short-term focus is on handling reinsurance contracts, while the groups wider goal of exploring blockchain potential is to build an efficient world-wide industry platform for market participants to more easily cede, handle, and trade risks.Over the past four months, a dedicated, combined team drawn from B3i member firms has produced a working prototype covering the core functionalities required to enable a distributed smart contract management system for Property Cat XoL contracts, said Paul Meeusen of B3i, and also director of global business solutions at Swiss Re.He added that the deployment architecture is already close to a production-ready environment  with first deployment into production set for 2018. With the platform, B3i expects a productivity gain of up to 30%  resulting in lower administration costs for brokers, insurers, and reinsurers.Next month, a market beta-testing programme for the prototype will be launched. Non-B3i members are welcome to participate in the testing.The initiative shows that there is a lot of potential in joining forces across organisations to explore new solutions and technologies. As an industry, we need to collaborate and co-create, not only to continuously improve standards, but to strive for ever better solutions for our customers, commented Allianz SE chief operating officer Christof Mascher.For Antony Elliott, group head of business transformation at Zurich, B3i has brought insurers and reinsurers together with a real spirit of collaboration. He said they look forward to launching the market beta-testing programme.
A California man has pleaded guilty to attacking a co-worker and then filing a fake insurance claim.Randal Brown McKay was sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation for assault and making a false insurance claim; two other felony charges of making a false insurance claim were dismissed.According to the Orange County Register, the case stems from a 2014 dust-up McKay had with another employee at an Irvine, Calif., plant. Prosecutors said that when McKay arrived for work on June 06, 2014, he began to verbally abuse a forklift driver for not opening the large plastic strips at a door of the plant to allow more air in.At some point during the argument, McKay jumped in front of the forklift and dared (the driver) to hit him, Senior Deputy District Attorney Pamela Leitao said. The driver managed to stop just short of McKay, who nonetheless claimed he was struck by a pallet on the forklift, the Register reported. Then, as a manager attempted to sort out the argument, the forklift driver  who, Leitao told the Register, was a quiet and humble guy and was shaking over all this controversy  gave a nervous laugh.McKay, cursing again, literally runs toward him and runs and leaps and clocks him in the head and tries to knee him, Leitao told the Register. McKay then left work, called the Irvine police and reported that he had been assaulted. He later filed a workers compensation claim.The victim, who required eight stitches as a result of the attack and suffered from bouts of blurred vision for months afterward, was initially reluctant to press criminal charges against McKay, Leitao said. However, he was convinced to testify when he learned that McKay was also facing insurance fraud charges.
B.F. Saul Insurance, a Bethesda, Md.-based regional insurance brokerage and risk advisory firm, announced that Jason Jones has joined the firm as president.

Jones will oversee an expansion of the companys platform and mission in this role. Prior to joining B.F. Saul Insurance, Jones was a senior vice president with Lockton Companies, where he led the financial services practice and was involved in the formation of the Washington, D.C., office in 2005.

With his previous experience in growth and expansion, Jones plans to broaden the companys position in the marketplace.

We intend to focus on the development of our associates to achieve their professional potential and to expand our technical expertise and service capabilities to enable our clients to achieve their key business objectives, Jones said in a company press release. We want to attract clients and new associates that believe in our vision for the business.

B.F. Saul Insurance is a privately-owned independent insurance brokerage dating back more than a century in the Washington community. Formed in 1892 to provide fire insurance to property owners in the Capital region, the firm now serves corporate, financial, non-profit and high-net-worth private clients throughout the U.S. and abroad. It is an operating division of the B.F. Saul Company.

Source: B.F. Saul Insurance

Topics Maryland
A Pennsylvania man has sued a Chinese buffet where he contends his two young childrens mouths and throats were burned by caustic lye in their apple juice cups.

Star Buffet & Grill manager Steve Weng tells LNP hes turned the matter over to his insurance company and is sorry about everything.

Richard Zaragoza Sr. and his 10-year-old son are the plaintiffs against the East Lampeter Township eatery.

Zaragozas son and 4-year-old daughter were burned when they drank the juice from foam cups on March 3.

Police investigated and determined there was no intentional act involved. Inspectors found lye at the restaurant that Weng has said was used to clean drains.

The lawsuit filed Thursday seeks unspecified damages, but Zaragozas attorney says the parties are trying to reach a settlement.

Information from: LNP

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Pennsylvania Chemicals
(Xinhua) 10:26, September 11, 2017

Meng Jianzhu (R), member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Sept. 9, 2017. (Xinhua/Sadat)

TASHKENT, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China and Uzbekistan have agreed to strengthen alignment of their development strategies and comprehensively deepen cooperation in various fields.

The agreement was reached when Meng Jianzhu, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev here on Saturday.

At the meeting, Meng recalled that the Chinese and Uzbek presidents met in May and unanimously decided to deepen the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership featuring sincerity, mutual trust, mutual benefits and win-win cooperation, opening a new chapter for bilateral relations.

Mirziyoyev said that he highly appreciates China's efforts to implement the agreements reached by the two leaders, and that Uzbekistan attaches great significance to the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

Uzbekistan is ready to seize the opportunity of the joint construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to push for more concrete achievements in bilateral cooperation to benefit the two peoples, he said.

Also on Saturday, Meng met with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov. They co-chaired the fourth meeting of the committee for China-Uzbekistan intergovernmental cooperation.

Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of trade, energy, transportation, agriculture, science and technology, people-to-people exchange and security.
In Maryland, which historically has ducked many of the worst storms of the last 50 years, the question is increasingly not if, but when the next big one will strike. And while some believe the state has often been spared from big hits by dint of location and the buffer of the Chesapeake, what the bay giveth it can also wash away.

Maryland has done extensive planning, including infrastructure improvements that focus on bolstering natural storm defenses to better absorb tidal surges and rainfall runoff, but there is widespread consensus among state officials and meteorologists that a massive hurricane like Harvey or Irma could overwhelm emergency services.

None of us are exempt, said House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer during comments to reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday before he voted in support of the $7.85 billion Harvey relief bill in the House on Wednesday. Every part of the country floodswere all subject to the vagaries of natural disasters.

Among the storms that have not missed Maryland is Agnes in 1972, a tropical deluge widely considered among the worst to hit the state, causing 19 deaths and $110 million in damages, according to the National Weather Service. In 2003, Hurricane Isabel made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 2 storm, creating a tidal surge in the Chesapeake of more than 6 feet and flooding Maryland communities including Annapolis, Fells Point in Baltimore and Cambridge, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration records.

Terms like 'once in 100 years' don't have much meaning anymore.

Its certainly not impossible that something like (superstorm) Sandy would happen here, said Donald Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and one of the states leading climate experts.

Boesch noted that a scientific concept called stationarity, the idea that many patterns operate within a fixed range, is no longer true when applied to climate-related events like big storms.

Terms like once in 100 years dont have much meaning anymore, he explained, while cautioning that the cooler ocean waters off the nations mid-Atlantic coast make a Harvey-scale storm unlikely.

For coastal states like Maryland, there are two types of storms that have the most potential to create damage: those that bring tidal surges (sea water pushed inland by a tropical storm or hurricane) and those that feature much more rain than wind, which create problems with water run-off.

Both storm varieties cause flooding, but for most of Maryland its the latter that can wreak havoc, particularly in low-lying areas like Annapolis and parts of Baltimore around the Inner Harbor, which flood regularly under heavy rain.

Generally, we have increasing precipitation because the atmosphere is getting warmer and this will continue, said Konstantin Vinnikov, a research scientist at University of Maryland and the state climatologist for Maryland. Sea level rise in the next couple of decades will make everything much more catastrophic. In Maryland, our islands are suffering with sea level rise even now.

So its fair to wonder what will happen if Maryland gets pounded with a Harvey- or Katrina-level storm that dumped water on the state for days.

Clearly, the Eastern Shore could get hit as hard as the Gulf Coast could get hit, said Ed McDonough, spokesman for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, which is charged with coordinating the state-level response to natural or man-made disasters. The difference is most of the people who are in harms way are there in summer vacationing.

MEMAs basic action plan in the event of a direct storm hit or deluge of rain on the Eastern Shore is to order an evacuation of residents to areas north or west. Its something the agency did on a small scale in 2011, moving about 3,000 seasonal workers from Ocean City when Hurricane Irene swept through the mid-Atlantic region.

MEMA recently updated one of its key emergency operation plans, although its main strategic emergency blueprint, the Emergency Preparedness Program Strategic Plan, has not been updated since 2013. Plans are kind of living documents, said McDonough, referring to the latter. As things happen, you modify them.

Loss of life and property are not the only concerns in a major storm. Given the economic importance of the Chesapeake Bay, environmental damage is also a worry.

Big storms in general are bad for the bay because they bring a lot of pollution, said Beth McGee, senior scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

The best defense against pollution from water runoff is what are called living shorelines, or those that remain in their natural state, something that is on the decline in Maryland, according to McGee.

Flooding is made worse when you have a lot of paved surfaces and rooftops, said McGee, who also said that Maryland was making progress at mitigating development in sensitive shore areas, but not fast enough.

Theres a fair amount of land thats converting from agriculture and forest to developed land, she added.

Marylands Coast Smart Council, a group of state and local environmental and planning groups formed in 2014, is charged with making regulations for construction and land use with this in mind. In 2016, Coast Smarts efforts included grant assistance to help restore floodplains, reinforce beaches and protect marsh lands that can serve as a flood buffer during storms.

But will it be enough? Until you have a storm, its hard to gauge, said Matt Fleming, director of Marylands Chesapeake and Coastal Service, an agency that coordinates among regional, state and local governments and private organizations to protect the states shoreline. I hope were more prepared than we were five years ago. Weve taken steps to put us in that direction.

Timing also matters in Maryland. Spring or early summer storms are particularly lethal to the bays underwater sea grasses, which are still immature at the time but serve as spawning grounds and protection for young fish and crab populations.

Although Maryland has only a short ocean-facing shoreline, its needs differ from those areas directly on the Chesapeake.

Weve been lucky in a lot of ways, but you know we can be on the national news with the satellite trucks here at any given time, said Ocean City Councilman Dennis Dare, a former member of the Coast Smart Council. Thats why weve spent 30 years preparing.

For Ocean City, it is storm surge, not wind or rain, that holds the greatest potential for mayhem  or, ironically, a storm that misses that city and hits the Chesapeake directly.

If it (a storm) goes up the Chesapeake Bay, that means the metro areas  Annapolis, Prince Georges, Howard County, Baltimore  will have severe damage, added Dare. The resources of the state are gonna go in those areas and the Eastern Shorewe may be left to fend for ourselves.

If Maryland absorbs a massive drubbing like Harvey or Irma, more than the Eastern Shore will likely go begging.

No one is going to have everything they need for a catastrophic event like Harvey, said McDonough.

On this, there is widespread agreement.

If we get a ginormous (sic) storm like they had in Houston, McGee said, thats going to overwhelm the entire system.

Source: Capital News Service

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Flood Windstorm Hurricane Pollution Maryland
At least 61 people died when the most powerful earthquake to hit Mexico in over eight decades tore through buildings and forced mass evacuations in the poor southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, triggering alerts as far away as Southeast Asia.

The 8.1 magnitude quake off the southern coast late Thursday [Sept. 7] was stronger than a devastating 1985 temblor that flattened swathes of Mexico City and killed thousands.

The tremor rattled Mexico City and shook Guatemala and El Salvador, but the Oaxacan town of Juchitan bore the brunt of the disaster, with sections of the town hall, a hotel, a church, a bar and other buildings reduced to rubble.

Dalia Vasquez, a 55-year old cook, said she watched emergency workers haul the bodies of her elderly neighbor and her middle-aged son from their collapsed home.

Her own house was badly damaged. Frightened by the possibility of aftershocks, she planned to sleep with dozens more in the streets and parks. We have nothing now. We dont have any savings, she said.

President Enrique Pena Nieto flew to the battered town to oversee rescue efforts. The towns mayor, Gloria Sanchez, called it the most terrible moment in Juchitans history.

Facades of shattered buildings, fallen tiles and broken glass from shop fronts and banks littered the pavements of Juchitan while heavily armed soldiers patrolled and stood guard at areas cordoned off due to the extent of the damage.

Startled residents stepped through the rubble of about 100 wrecked buildings, including houses, a flattened Volkswagen dealership and Juchitans shattered town hall. Scores paced the terrain or sat outside warily, mindful of the frequent aftershocks and reliving the nights terror.

It was brutal, brutal. It was like a monster, like a train was passing over our roofs, said Jesus Mendoza, 53, as he milled about in a park across from the damaged town hall.

Alma Rosa, sitting in vigil with a relative by the body of a loved one draped in a red shroud, said: We went to buy a coffin, but there arent any because there are so many bodies.

All the deaths were in three neighboring states clustered near the epicenter that lay about 70 km (40 miles) off the coast.

At least 45 people died in Oaxaca, many of them in Juchitan, while in Chiapas the count reached 12 and in Tabasco four people lost their lives, according to federal and state officials.

In Chiapas, home to many of Mexicos indigenous ethnic groups, thousands of people in coastal areas were evacuated as a precaution when the quake sparked tsunami warnings, but only two-foot waves were produced by the quake.

State oil company Pemex said there was no structural damage to its 330,000 barrel-per-day Salina Cruz refinery, which it had shut down as a precaution, but it said it was checking problems in the electrical system before restarting the plant.

Woken in the Night

At least 250 people in Oaxaca were also injured, according to agriculture minister Jose Calzada.

Classes were suspended in much of central and southern Mexico on Friday [Sept. 8] to allow authorities to assess the impact. Dozens of schools were damaged, officials said.

People ran into the streets in Mexico City, one of the worlds largest metropolises and home to more than 20 million, and alarms sounded after the quake struck just before midnight.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the quakes epicenter was 54 miles (87 km) southwest of the town of Pijijiapan at a depth of 43 miles (69 km).

John Bellini, a geophysicist at the USGS National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado, said it was the strongest quake since an 8.1 temblor struck the western state of Jalisco in 1932.

Across the Pacific, both the Philippines and New Zealand were on alert for possible tsunamis.

Outages, Aftershocks

Windows were shattered at Mexico City airport and power went out in several neighborhoods of the capital, affecting more than 1 million people. The cornice of a hotel came down in the southern tourist city of Oaxaca, a witness said.

Mexico City is built on a spongy, drained lake bed that amplifies earthquakes along the volcanic countrys multiple seismic fault lines. The 1985 earthquake was just inland, about 230 miles from Mexico City, while Thursdays was 470 miles away.

Authorities reported dozens of aftershocks, and President Pena Nieto said the quake was felt by around 50 million of Mexicos roughly 120 million population.

Mexico is evaluating whether the quake will trigger a payout from a World Bank-backed catastrophe bond, Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade said on Friday. Meade said the bonds coverage could reach $150 million, depending on magnitude and location.

But he said Mexico has sufficient funds to pay for a cleanup whether the bond was triggered or not.

(Reporting by Mexico City Newsroom; Writing by Dave Graham; editing by James Dalgleish, Jonathan Oatis & Shri Navaratnam)

Topics Catastrophe Mexico Earthquake
As Hurricane Irma battered Florida on Sunday, the cream of the insurance world  gathered under the Mediterranean sun in Monte Carlo  was assessing the costs of the storm for the global industry.

The takeaway so far: Irma and its predecessor Hurricane Harvey, which caused massive flooding in Texas two weeks ago, are likely to take a toll on profits in a sector struggling with thin margins, stiff competition and falling prices.

But at this early stage, the damages are not expected to be so excessive that they hit insurers capital base in a way that would lift slumping insurance prices or hurt their credit ratings.

Irma is a major event for Florida and also a major event for the insurance industry, Torsten Jeworrek, member of the board of the German reinsurance giant Munich Re, told journalists.

Along with some 2,500 insurance executives, he is in Monaco for an annual conclave to haggle over reinsurance prices and strike underwriting deals.

The meeting typically occurs at the height of the Atlantic hurricane season, but not since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 have catastrophes weighed so heavily.

The industry is only slowly coming to grips with Harveys likely costs.

Munich Res Jeworrek said the loss assessment was complex and that it would take a long time for the necessary estimates, leaving high uncertainty in the market.

He estimated that insured losses for the global industry would total between $20 billion and $30 billion, which would put the storm on a similar scale to Hurricane Sandy, whose storm surge caused flooding in New York in 2012.

For Irma, which hit Florida early on Sunday after ravaging the Caribbean, the loss estimates are more severe.

AIR Worldwide forecasted total insured losses of between $20 billion and $65 billion. The firms president Bill Churney said he would publish an updated forecast on Monday.

All combined, the storms are likely to translate into an underwriting loss for the year, said Robert DeRose, senior director at the insurance ratings agency A.M. Best.

His firm estimated that $75 billion in insured losses would result in an average industry-wide combined ratio, a closely-watched measure of expenses to premium income, of 106 percent compared with 95 percent in 2016. Ratios greater than 100 point to losses.

The big question for the industry has been whether reinsurers will see such high losses that they can then demand higher prices for their coverage. That would be the first major reversal since Katrina, the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history with insured losses of around $80 billion.

The verdict so far among analysts is that profit will take a hit, but the dynamics of capital and pricing will not.

We dont see this as a market-turning event, said Brian Schneider of Fitch Ratings. Pricing is not likely to respond.

Irmas timing is giving attendees plenty to talk about and in some cases disrupting their own travel plans.

Reinsurance broker AON Benfield told some staff who had planned to travel to Monte Carlo to instead remain to deal with Florida claims, Chief Executive Officer Eric Andersen said.

With Monte Carlos yacht-filled harbor and billboards advertising private jets offering a contrast to the destruction wrought in Texas and the Caribbean, one journalist asked whether insurers might move their annual meeting to a more modest venue.

Monte Carlo is the place to be at the end of the day, said Munich Res Jeworrek. The industry wouldnt move to another location to get rid of the reputational damage to its image.

We will also come next year. You can write that. (Reporting by Tom Sims; Editing by Catherine Evans)

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Florida Profit Loss Reinsurance Hurricane
Chubb Limited intends to relocate its European Union headquarters to France if the United Kingdom leaves the EU as expected in March 2019.

The insurer said the decision to choose France as Chubbs preferred post-Brexit headquarters for its Continental European operations is contingent on receiving all necessary regulatory and other governmental approvals.

Post-Brexit, Chubb will continue to have a substantial presence in London in addition to its offices and operations across the UK and EU.

Locating our European Union headquarters in France post-Brexit is a clear choice for us, said Evan G. Greenberg, chairman and chief executive officer. Paris is the principal office for our Continental European operations and we have a significant investment there in both financial and human resources, as well as a large portfolio of commercial and consumer insurance business throughout France. Our many years of experience in the French market and working closely with the French regulators gives us great confidence in making this decision and reinforces our commitment to our staff, clients and distribution partners in both France and across the continent.

Joseph Wayland, Chubb executive vice president and general counsel, praised the assistance and cooperation of the French government has the insurer explored its post-Brexit options. We are confident that locating our EU base in Paris will ensure that Chubb is well positioned to serve its clients whatever the ultimate terms of the UKs exit from the European Union, Wayland said.

Chubb joins a parade of insurers announcing where they will headquarter their EU operations after the UK exits the EU. AIG, MS Amlin and Lloyds have selected Belgium. FM Global is opening in Luxembourg. Beazley is turning its Dublin, Ireland-based reinsurance operation into an insurance subsidiary.

According to a 2016 survey of 100 business leaders by the KPMG, the U.K.s vote to leave the European Union has left more than three-quarters of chief executive officers saying they would consider moving their headquarters or operations outside Britain.

Topics Europe Chubb France
Wells Fargo & Co. faces a new legal worry after a federal appeals court last Thursday revived a whistleblower lawsuit by two former employees who said they were fired for trying to report misconduct by lenders that the bank later absorbed.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ordered a federal district judge to revisit the case, which concerned behavior predating the 2008 financial crisis and recent scandals concerning Wells Fargos own practices, after the Supreme Court made it easier for some whistleblowers to sue.

We look forward to stating our legal position with the district court, Wells Fargo spokeswoman Elise Wilkinson said.

Robert Kraus, a former Wachovia Corp. controller, and Paul Bishop, a former World Savings Bank mortgage salesman, had accused their employers of hiding mortgage improprieties and billions of dollars of losses.

They said this enabled the lenders, along with San Francisco-based Wells Fargo, to falsely certify their compliance with banking laws, and borrow or receive aid from the Federal Reserve at favorable rates.

Wachovia bought World Savings parent Golden West Financial Corp., an adjustable-rate mortgage specialist, for $24.2 billion in 2006, and Wells Fargo took over both for $12.7 billion at the end of 2008.

The plaintiffs sued under the federal False Claims Act, which lets whistleblowers pursue claims that the government was defrauded and, if successful, share in recoveries.

U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan in Brooklyn dismissed the case in 2015, and the appeals court upheld his decision in May 2016.

But the next month, the Supreme Court ruled in another case that some courts made it too hard to pursue False Claims Act cases, and said whistleblowers could sue over misrepresentations that were material to the governments payment decision.

Ordered to reconsider Kraus and Bishops case, the appeals court directed Cogan to apply this new materiality standard to their claims.

Tejinder Singh, a partner at Goldstein & Russell representing the whistleblowers, in an interview said the decision serves as a warning for companies.

Going forward, companies will likely feel far less safe taking undue advantage of government programs, and when they do transgress it will be easier for whistleblowers and the government itself to obtain redress, he said.

Wells Fargo is also combating fallout from practices including its creation of up to 3.5 million unauthorized accounts, charging 800,000 borrowers for unneeded auto insurance, and enrolling a potential 528,000 customers for online bill-paying without permission.

The case is U.S. ex rel. Bishop et al v Wells Fargo & Co et al, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 15-2449.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)

Topics USA
Equifax Inc.s insurance against cyber breaches is likely inadequate to cover the credit-reporting companys costs tied to one of the biggest hacks in history, according to people familiar with the coverage.

The company holds a policy that would probably cover about $100 million to $150 million, with costs shared by carriers in the London market and elsewhere, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing a private contract. Though Equifaxs eventual expense may not be known for years, it could be multiples higher than the insurance payout, given what the company has disclosed and the costs at hacking victims like Yahoo and Target Corp., they said.

Equifax carries cybersecurity, crime, general-liability and other lines of insurance, and we have begun discussions with our carriers regarding the incident, a spokesperson said by email Saturday, without commenting further.

The company has offered free credit-monitoring to victims after reporting Thursday that a breach affected 143 million people, revealing Social Security numbers, drivers license data and birth dates. The Atlanta-based company now faces multiple state and federal investigations, and a proposed multibillion-dollar class action lawsuit was filed against Equifax. In its annual report, the company addressed the limits of its insurance protection tied to cyber risks.

Risk Retention

Our property and business interruption insurance may not be adequate to compensate us for all losses or failures that may occur, Equifax said in the filing. Also, our third-party insurance coverage will vary from time to time in both type and amount depending on availability, cost and our decisions with respect to risk retention.

Equifax dropped 14 percent in New York trading Friday. The company is one of the three major bureaus that maintain databases of consumers credit status, payment history and address information. The same banks that furnish much of the bureaus credit data also use it to make lending decisions.

Beazley Plc, which has been expanding offerings to protect clients against cyber risks, is the lead insurer for Equifax, according to two people familiar with the contract. A representative for the London-based insurer declined to comment.

Related:

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Cyber
President Donald Trump last Friday signed legislation reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program until Dec. 8, 2017, which buys more time for Congress to consider reforms of the program.

The NFIP was set to expire in a few weeks on Sept. 30.

The NFIP extension is part of a Congressional continuing resolution (H.R. 601) raising the debt limit and funding the U.S. government until Dec. 8. It also authorizes a total of $15.25 billion in emergency funding for disaster relief and rebuilding that includes $7.8 billion for victims of Hurricane Harvey.

[A]s the damage from Hurricane Irma unfolds, it is especially important that the men and women in the Southeast and our Caribbean territories stand strong and rest assured that this Administration will always put the needs of the American people above partisan politics as usual, Trump said upon signing the measure.

Insurers welcomed the extension but remain hopeful Congress will be able to do more than just renew the existing program between now and Dec. 8.

Jimi Grande, senior vice president of Government Affairs, for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, believes the short-term renewal is no reason for celebration.

Congress has had five years since the last reauthorization to reform the NFIP, and the problems facing the program have been starkly evident since at least the 2005 storm season, Grande said.

He said his group will continue to work with of Congress to bring much-needed transparency and fiscal stability to the NFIP.

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America ( Big I) issued a similar statement calling upon Congress to pass a longer-term extension of the NFIP to provide more certainty to consumers.

At a time when Houston is struggling to recover from Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma threatens to make a direct hit on Florida, it is more important than ever to come up with a longer lasting solution to the nations flood risk, said Charles Symington, Big I senior vice president.

The advocacy group Taxpayers for Common Sense has called for Congress to rethink not only the federal flood insurance program but also the countrys entire approach to disaster relief. The federal share of disaster response costs has grown from less than 30 percent after Hurricane Hugo in 1989 to more than 75 percent after Superstorm Sandy, the group said.

This may not be a popular point-of-view to express right now, but the point of federal disaster relief is not to make people, communities, and states whole. It is to help them rebuild. And they should rebuild in a way that pre-sponds to future disasters, and helps ensure that those disaster relief dollars dont need to be spent in the future, said the group.

The taxpayer group believes that federal funding should only be for rebuilding outside the floodplain or for structures elevated at least two feet above projected future flood levels. Rebuilding smarter and safer must be a part of recovering from a disaster, the group said.

Topics Flood Hurricane
Insurers are scrambling to find inspectors in Texas and Florida after fierce hurricanes battered the states one after the other, causing tens of billions of dollars worth of property damage in less than two weeks.

Although insurers maintain some number of inspectors, known as claims adjusters, across the U.S. year-round, they must redeploy staff from other areas or hire contract workers to fill gaps when catastrophes like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma strike. The speed with which they can do so is critical to residents and business owners awaiting insurance payments.

The one-two punch of Harvey and Irma is no question challenging to the industry, said Kenneth Tolson, who heads the U.S. property and casualty division of Crawford & Co., which provides claims adjusters and staff after disasters.

Adjusters investigate claims on behalf of property insurers like Travelers Cos. Inc., Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. Allstate Corp., State Farm and Farmers Insurance. Many other policies are backed by federal or state flood insurance programs.

It's tiring beyond belief but there's a lot of purpose in what we do.

Texas and Florida together have more than 340,000 licensed adjusters, according to state agencies, but it was unclear precisely how many were on the ground. Insurers and industry groups said thousands were headed to affected areas from other parts of the United States.

On Sunday afternoon, Hartford was prepared to send adjusters into Irma-battered areas as authorities allow access, spokeswoman Kelly Carter said. Hartford inspectors from Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky were poised to assist, she said.

Zurich Insurance Group AG had Florida-based claims adjusters riding out the storm locally on Sunday, with plans to begin visiting commercial properties as soon as possible, spokesman David Hilgen said.

Once Irma passes, a group of risk engineers at Zurichs Tampa hub plan to fan out across South Florida to assess damage alongside forensic accountants, building consultants and mitigation contractors, he said.

Some are using drones to help.

Brent Hazen, a Farmers adjuster and drone pilot, spoke to Reuters while inspecting a roof in Missouri City, Texas. The drone buzzed above the house for 11 minutes, a process that would have taken an hour otherwise, Hazen said.

It is  safer because it means I dont have to get up on the roof, he said.

FACT OF LIFE

Insurers have been put to the test before. After Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy in 2005 and 2012, it took months for many property owners to receive payouts, partly because there were too few adjusters with the needed expertise.

Novice errors like not pulling off drywall to inspect for hidden damage, or not being familiar with software used for loss estimates, can reduce or delay insurance payments, adding to hardships residents are already facing.

Its a fact of life after every disaster that theres a shortage of experienced adjusters, said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a consumer advocacy group.

The inspector shortage may be worse this time because insurers have not faced hurricanes of this magnitude  certainly not two in a row  in half a century, industry experts said.

Catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide expects $10 billion in insured losses related to Harvey, and perhaps another $50 billion for Irma. Early estimates are likely to change, and do not include claims covered by the government.

Many large insurers use their own adjusters, while smaller and midsize rivals are more likely to hire outside help. For-hire inspectors can charge $1,000-$2,000 per claim in the aftermath of major disasters, industry sources said.

Work on the ground can be punishing.

After Hurricane Harvey, Steve Sherin, executive general adjuster for Zurichs North American unit, spent five days in Houston. He left his hotel at 4:30 a.m. each day to begin long days surveying damage at commercial properties.

Last Thursday, he spent six hours walking through ankle-deep water and mud in one building, surrounded by the stench of dead fish decomposing on a parking garage floor and the loud noise of cleaning equipment. His workday lasted about 17 hours.

Its tiring beyond belief, Sherin said, but theres a lot of purpose in what we do.

LONG PROCESS

For property owners, an inspection is often the first step in a longer, paperwork-heavy process.

Few adjusters can immediately authorize payments, especially if policyholders are insured though state agencies or the National Flood InsuranceProgram.

Richard Campell, whose Houston home was flooded, said his inspector was armed with an iPad and estimating software. The adjuster measured rooms, asked about water levels and photographed mounds of ruined belongings in the yard, he said.

Campell, 67, must now submit an inventory with price replacement costs, including details like his refrigerators model and serial number. Still, he is grateful that the inspector reached his home in only five days.

It was the luck of the draw, he said.

Sean Maxwell, 27, also of Houston, had to leave her mothers flooded home in a boat. An adjuster visited last week, and the family is now waiting for documents explaining the payout.

The funny thing is, when it comes in the mail, I dont know how were going to get it because we dont live there, Maxwell said.

(Reporting by Suzanne Barlyn and Catherine Ngai in New York; Additional reporting by Nick Carey in Missouri City, Texas; Editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra and Jonathan Oatis)

Topics Carriers Catastrophe USA Florida Texas Claims Flood Hurricane Property
New Mexico has sued eight opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors, becoming the latest state or local government to file a lawsuit seeking to hold corporations accountable for a national drug addiction epidemic.

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas accused Purdue Pharma LP, Johnson & Johnson, Allergan Plc, Endo International Plc and Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd of pushing addictive painkillers through deceptive marketing.

The lawsuit also accused wholesale distributors McKesson Corp, Cardinal Health Inc and AmerisourceBergen Corp of breaching their legal duties to monitor, detect and report suspicious orders of prescription opioids.

New Mexico continues to endure the most catastrophic effects of the opioid crisis, all while major out of state corporations make billions in profits at the expense of our families and communities, Balderas said in a statement.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids were involved in over 33,000 deaths in 2015, the latest year for which data is available. The death rate has continued rising, according to estimates.

The lawsuit followed a wave of cases against drugmakers by Oklahoma, Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, New Hampshire and South Carolina, as well as several cities and counties in states including California, Illinois and New York.

The drug wholesalers have likewise faced litigation, particularly in West Virginia, where several county commissions and cities have the three main ones, following lawsuits filed by the states attorney general.

New Mexicos lawsuit, filed in the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe County, contended that the drugmakers downplayed the risks of addiction to prescription opioids and falsely touted the benefits of their long-term use.

It also accused the wholesale distributors of violating their duties by selling large amounts of painkillers that were then diverted for illicit uses, helping to contribute to the opioid epidemic.

The lawsuit seeks damages, including for the costs New Mexico has incurred responding to the epidemic.

The companies have in similar cases denied wrongdoing. The drugmakers have said they acted responsibly in connection with marketing the drugs, which carry U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved labels warning about their risks.

While we vigorously deny the allegations, we share public officials concerns about the opioid crisis and we are committed to working collaboratively to find solutions, Purdue, the maker of OxyContin, said in a statement.

Cardinal Health in a statement called the lawsuit misguided, saying it was launched in haste and without any factual investigation to support it.

(Reporting by Raymond in Boston; Editing by Dan Grebler)

Topics Lawsuits Mexico New Mexico Manufacturing Drugs
People visit the World Internet of Things Exposition (WIOT) in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 10, 2017. More than 500 companies from 20 countries and regions exhibited their fruits at the exposition. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)
Update 9pm: An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has paid tribute to the "many years of dedicated service to the State" by retiring Garda commisisoner, Noirin O'Sullivan.

Mr Varadkar said he wanted thank her on behalf of the Government and the Irish people.

"She has overseen many significant developments in often challenging circumstances, and in recent years took on the challenge of reforming the Gardai," he said.

"As she said in her statement, her decision to retire is made in the best interests of An Garda Siochana and ensuring that it can focus on the extensive programme of reform that is now underway.

I wish Noirin every success in whatever she does in the years ahead."

The Taoiseach said the government would now consider how best to accelerate the crucial and essential Garda reform programme in the months and years ahead.

"The Cabinet will discuss how best to proceed at its regular meeting on Wednesday," he concluded.

Meanwhile, the outgoing Garda Commissioner has told of how years of controversies have "personally" impacted on her.

In a message to garda members Ms O'Sullivan said tonight she was "doing a job I love" but acknowledged there had been "low points".

"Today, after 36 years proud service, I leave An Garda Siochana. I have been privileged to meet incredible people inside and outside the organisation," she said.

"During my service I have seen radical changes in Ireland, our economy and the society in which we live and work.

"The types of threats, concerns and issues have changed radically over that time but I am proud that our organisation has changed and adapted to respond to the community. I had many moments along the way where I realised, even at the time, that I was fortunate to be doing a job I love; and like any life lived there have been some low points as well.

"The last number of years have impacted on all of us personally and on the organisation, but we used those times to identity what we needed to do for the future," she added.

She thanked her colleagues for their "courage, hard work, dedication and commitment" and wished them success in their future careers.

"Over the last three years we have worked to rebuild and restructure the organisation to meet the unprecedented policing and security challenges we face," she said.

"It hasn't been easy, we can't fix everything overnight, but, we have made significant progress, some of which we are only beginning to see.

"I want to thank you for your courage, hard work, dedication and commitment in meeting these challenges. Despite the controversies and crisis our work has seen public trust and confidence remain high. We should never take this for granted.

"Each of you has a role to play in ensuring that public support continues and grows, through your attitude, behaviours, action and professionalism, regardless of the position you hold within the organisation. Always remember you can make a difference not just in perceptions but in other people's lives.

"As I leave today, I wish all of you success in your chosen career path and ambitions and continued success in your collective efforts to keeping our communities safe," she added.

Update 6.10pm: Reacting this evening to the retirement of Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan the Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan, has expressed his gratitude to Ms OSullivan for her public service to the State.

In a statement Mr Flanagan said that Ms O'Sullivan had distinguished herself over the course of an accomplished 36 year career in a variety of roles which ranged from under-cover detective work in Dublins inner city in the 1980s to being appointed to the most senior position in the service in March 2014.

Minister Flanagan said that in accordance with the provisions of section 32 of the Garda Siochana Act

2005 he would appoint Deputy Commissioner Donall O Cualain as Acting Commissioner with full powers with effect from midnight tonight.

Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan TD

He went on: "In the coming weeks I will consult with the chair of the Policing Authority about a process to identify and appoint a permanent Commissioner to An Garda Siochana. I will brief the Government at the next Cabinet meeting."

The Minister for Justice and Equality said that since the establishment of An Garda Siochana, the role of Commissioner has been a hugely demanding and acknowledged that, during Commissioner OSullivans tenure, she was faced with particularly significant difficulties, many of which had built up over several decades.

"Commissioner OSullivan showed enormous resilience, determination and integrity in addressing those challenges and, in particular, in instituting a radical reform programme to modernise our policing service with the aim of providing the people of Ireland with world-class policing.

"As Minister for Justice and Equality, I will continue to press ahead with that necessary reform programme, informed by the work of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and supported by the Policing Authority and the Garda Inspectorate.

Minister Flangan went on: "I have no doubt that the men and women of An Garda Siochana who serve Ireland in the front line of policing have the appetite to embrace and drive that change.

"I wish Commissioner OSullivan and her family well in her retirement," he concluded.

Earlier: Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan has announced that she is retiring from An Garda Siochana.

In a statement tonight Ms OSullivan said she was retiring after 36 years of privileged, enjoyable and proud service.

Ms. OSullivan notified Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan this afternoon, thanking them for their continued confidence in her. She also thanked former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and former Tanaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald.

"The support for me to continue in the role is evident, the Commissioner said today.

"However, I devoted much of my summer break to considering if continuing would be the right thing to do. It has become clear, over the last year, that the core of my job is now about responding to an unending cycle of requests, questions, instructions and public hearings involving various agencies including the Public Accounts Committee, the Justice and Equality Committee, the Policing Authority, and various other inquiries, and dealing with inaccurate commentary surrounding all of these matters.

"They are all part of a new  and necessary  system of public accountability. But when a Commissioner is trying  as Ive been trying  to implement the deep cultural and structural reform that is necessary to modernise and reform an organisation of 16,000 people and rectify the failures and mistakes of the past, the difficulty is that the vast majority of her time goes, not to implementing the necessary reforms and meeting the obvious policing and security challenges, but to dealing with this unending cycle.

The Commissioner expressed the hope that her successor would be given the space and necessary supports in which to do the job, build on the platform that has been developed over the last three years, and move forward the Garda Modernisation and Renewal Programme, which will see An Garda Siochana become a beacon of 21st century policing.

She also said that she was not leaving her role to take up another job. In early summer, international colleagues, she said, had encouraged her to apply for the top job in Europol. Because it would have been a prestigious appointment for an Irish citizen, she agreed to consider it, but did not proceed with the application.

"I may decide to take on some other interesting and exciting challenge down the line, she said, but for now her intention is to retire and take some time with her family and adapt to the new phase of her life.

Simultaneous with the press release announcing her retirement, the Commissioner placed on the Gardas internal portal a message to all staff which pointed out that despite the controversies of the past few years, the general public still registers a high degree of confidence in An Garda Siochana.

The Commissioner thanked staff for their hard work and commitment in protecting and serving our communities during what has been an unprecedented and difficult time for policing.

The Commissioner said that despite the unprecedented challenges, controversies and criticisms of the last few years, she looks back on her 36 years in the service with enormous pride.

"Being a Guard is the best job in the world. Youre committed to the public good. Youre encountering people at the lowest points in their lives. You can make a difference. As long as you avoid cynicism, you can make a profound difference  for the better  in other peoples lives
The Irish Cancer Society is warning about the dangers of injecting the fake tan product, Melanotan.

One in 10 people using the HSE's needle exchange programme are injecting the banned substance.
A teacher who walked from Austria to Northern Ireland in memory of his late mother's dementia battle has paid tribute to her own can-do spirit.

Eamonn Donnelly, 50, left home 86 days ago to cross the Alps from his ex-pat home to his Co Armagh birthplace.

He arrived in Keady, County Armagh on Monday after a 1,500-mile odyssey raising around 11,000 for dementia research and creating a special legacy for his mother Margaret.

"She was a solver rather than a problem-seeker. She was so modest and did not talk the talk. She just got on and walked the walk," he said.

Mr Donnelly called on governments to boost research coffers.

"What I am doing is a drop in the ocean," he said.

He travelled with a friend from his home village near Graz and slept under porches in sports grounds in Germany amid thunder storms, at village mayoral houses in France and as a guest in English homes after meeting people in the local pub.

"Human nature is all good. It is when it gets too big and impersonal that people start thinking in a way that they would not otherwise," Mr Donnelly added.

Ms Donnelly died in April 2014 aged 71 after developing a rare and aggressive form of the condition.

Her two-year decline and death helped kick-start a long-held ambition to walk home, to raise money for research.

"She began losing her words, possibly the saddest part of the whole illness, she loved to read and write and to no longer have the ability to do those things, that was a very sad aspect of the illness," Mr Donnelly said.

Nearly everyone he met on his walk knew someone affected.

"It is amazing how widespread this thing is, a cross-section of Europe literally, it is unbelievable how many people I have spoken to - almost 100% - with some connection with Alzheimer's," he added.

The deeply personal cause gave him the final push in a long-held ambition.

"The beauty of the idea is the suggestion of stepping out of the threshold of your home in Austria, walking under your own steam, other than the ferries using no mechanical means to get from A to B.

"If I had thought too much about the distance I would not have done it," he said.

French villages were deserted and shops and restaurants were few and far between.

He said few people in rural France spoke English.

"If you saw a person you would just latch onto them and grab hold of them and in your broken French explain your situation.

"Sometime people put us up in their homes, wined and dined us, breakfast in the morning, sent us on our way with a packed lunch," he added.

"I tend to forget the low points, there were times when I thought what am I doing here.

"Those good times were the highlights, which were always to do with the kindness or generosity of people," Mr Donnelly said.

His journey then took him to England, where he enjoyed conversations over beer in pubs.

"Once I hit England, linguistically, I was bursting."

The pub was the place to approach people over a pint of local ale.

"They are something we should treasure. Travelling, for someone on the road, it was an oasis. Not only for the beer but for the conversations you get into," he added.

He empathised with refugees trekking across Europe from Syria to Germany and beyond, adding:

"They had it a lot tougher than we had. Migrants are really desperate."
A British woman whose partner is stranded on a hurricane-hit Caribbean island said he carries a knife for protection as "everyone's turned feral".

Claudia Knight, 33, runs an arts school on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands but managed to return to the UK with her toddler daughter before Hurricane Irma unleashed devastation.

Her marine engineer partner Leo Whitting, 38, stayed behind - but after seeing images of the awesome power of the storm Ms Knight said she thought he had died.

She said: "I honestly thought he was dead. Before I was making jokes like 'make sure you park my car', it was quite light-hearted because we didn't know the storm was going to be that bad.

"The military is everywhere with machine guns. Everyone's turned feral and no-one's going out without being armed.

"You can't drive your car without a weapon, it's turning really nasty. Leo carries a knife with him."

The prison was blown open by the storm meaning the inmates were free to roam, she added.

British soldiers and police officers have been sent to the British Virgin Islands to prevent lawlessness and looting and restore order.

Ms Knight, originally from Dorset, has lived on the island for the past four years with Mr Whitting and the couple have a two-year-old daughter, Dottie.

She managed to speak with him thanks to "brief flickers of internet", adding "he phoned me shortly after and said I'm alive - Tortola isn't.

"He looked like he has been touching death's door, he's very pale and gaunt. My house and my business have been blown away and destroyed. Nothing is left standing on the island.

"But we love it, and we want to go out and rebuild eventually."

Ms Knight said people were beginning to evacuate but you had to "pay through the nose" to be shuttled off, adding Mr Whitting would hopefully manage to leave in the next few days.

She said: "I'm so guilty of seeing something terrible on the news then, you know, going back to your dinner after.

"But when it really happens to you and people you love have near-death experiences it's horrible. The Government needs to do more to help."
More than 500 prisoners were freed from their cells using stolen keys during a 15-hour riot at HMP Birmingham, a court has heard.

The trial of four inmates at the jail was told staff were sprayed with fire hoses after keys for "key" doors and gates, including some leading outside the prison, were taken from a senior prison officer.

Four inmates, John Burton, 39; Luke Mansell, 24; Carl Brookes, 33, and Ross Queen, 30, are standing trial accused of taking part in a prison mutiny at the jail in Winson Green on December 16 last year.

Opening the case against the men at Birmingham Crown Court, prosecutor Simon Davis said pictures of prisoners in riot gear were posted on social media during the disorder.

Mr Davis told jurors: "The events started early that morning and they started soon after the doors to a number of cells were opened by prison officers.

"A number of prisoners climbed on to the suicide netting on one of the prison wings.

"Keys to key doors and gates were stolen from a prison officer - the cells of maybe upwards of 500 prisoners were opened by other prisoners."

The theft of the keys, the court was told, forced staff to evacuate areas of the jail as they "lost control" of four wings of the prison.

Telling jurors they would be shown video footage of several incidents during the disorder, Mr Davis added: "Large parts of the prison were subjected to criminal damage which included graffiti, throwing of paint up walls, looting of offices, damage to windows, doors, computer equipment, furniture, and a number of areas were set on fire.

"It was necessary for the prison officers to hold key entrances and exits in order to prevent the advance of the prisoners, doing this initially by double-locking doors and putting chains around gates to prevent the prisoners with the keys getting through.

"While holding one particular gate, prison officers were pelted with pool balls, paint and sprayed with water from fire hoses."

The disorder occurred on the L, M, N and P wings of the jail, which are adjacent to an exercise yard.

After outlining the geography of the wings, Mr Davis told the jury: "On levels two and four of each wing there is a netting fixed in place over the landings and stairwells.

"As you will see, the netting is a little like a trampoline. It features in this case right at the start of the disorder.

"It was of some considerable concern that keys were stolen from a senior officer who had access to a number of different areas to the prison, including doors to the outside."

The trial was told it was necessary for the prison to summon help from specially-trained Tornado Teams to restore order.

Mr Davis told jurors that four other men had pleaded guilty to their part in the disorder.

"There was a prison mutiny, you can take that as read," Mr Davis told the panel.

"It will be up to you to decide whether these particular defendants were involved or not."

Brookes and Queen also deny a second count of failing to submit to lawful authority during the disorder.

AP
Jeremy Corbyn has kept the door open for long-term UK membership of the EU single market after Brexit.

And the Labour leader said he wanted Britain to retain membership of "many" EU agencies following its withdrawal from the 28-nation bloc.

Mr Corbyn also said he hoped the UK would "forever" remain a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights and subject to the European Court of Human Rights, which is not an EU body.

Labour announced last month it favoured continued membership of the single market and customs union during a transition period lasting as long as four years after the formal Brexit date of March 2019.

But the party is yet to announce a firm policy for the longer term, with shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer saying Labour was "flexible" on the issue.

Asked about Labour's plans following the implementation period, Mr Corbyn told BBC Radio 4's World at One that he wanted the UK to continue to "trade within the single market" and said it was "open for discussion" whether this should involve formal membership.

"We want a relationship which allows us to trade within the single market," said the Labour leader.

"Whether that's formal membership - which is only possible, I believe, if you are actually a member of the EU - or whether it's an agreed trading relationship, is open for discussion."

Mr Corbyn has ordered his MPs to vote against the Government's EU (Withdrawal) Bill at second reading in the House of Commons late on Monday.

But he insisted he respects the result of the 2016 referendum to take Britain out of the EU.

"There was a referendum and I think we have to respect the result of the referendum," he said.

Nonetheless, he argued that Britain should not break off its close contact with EU institutions which enable cross-border co-operation on a wide range of issues.

"I want to build a relationship with Europe and I want to work in Europe - a Europe that works for the many, not for the few - and remain a member of European institutions," he said.

"We are obviously going to be forever signed up, I hope, to the European Court of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.

"But there are many other EU-related agencies that we should be members of and ensure that this close relationship of manufacturing industry and universities remains and the close relationship of peoples across Europe remains."

Mr Corbyn said he did not believe it would be possible for the UK to reach a new trade deal with the EU by March 2019, but declined to put a timeframe on the transition period, saying only it should last "for as long as necessary and as short as possible".

"The Leave date is set as March 2019," the Labour leader told World at One. "I don't see how it is possible to reach agreement on all the trade issues which are so necessary between now and then."

He warned of a "very damaging effect to a huge amount of industries in this country, manufacturing as well as financial services" if the UK is allowed to crash out of the EU without a deal in 2019 and forced to fall back on World Trade Organisation rules and tariffs.

AP
A survivor of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, England, has described her shock at being turned down for full compensation for what she suffered because authorities deemed she had consented to the abuse.

Sammy Woodhouse, who waived her entitlement to lifelong anonymity so she can campaign against sexual exploitation, said the UK's Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA)'s letter concluded: "I am not satisfied that you were a victim of sexual activity to which you did not in fact consent."

This conclusion was reached despite Ms Woodhouse's abuser being convicted and sentenced to a substantial prison sentence.

Now the CICA says it is reviewing its guidance.

Ms Woodhouse told the BBC's Inside Out programme: "We keep hearing a lot of 'we've learnt lessons'.

"If any adult can privately think that it's a child's fault for being abused, beaten, raped, abducted, I think you're in the wrong job."

Another part of the letter said: "I'm not satisfied that your consent was falsely given as a result of being groomed by the offender."

Sammy Woodhouse, a survivor of the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal, outside Rotherham town hall in England.

Ms Woodhouse's solicitor, David Greenwood, told the programme how Sammy was raped from the age of 14 and made pregnant by her abuser.

He said he was "utterly shocked by the notion that decision-makers in a government organisation can consider that 14 and 15-year-old girls can consent to sex with an adult."

Mr Greenwood said Ms Woodhouse's case is not the only one of its type he has come across. He said he has seen "not high numbers, but significant numbers" of claims rejected on the grounds of consent.

A CICA spokeswoman said: "Child sexual abuse is abhorrent. Our guidelines are designed to make sure that controlling and abusive behaviour is taken into account when handling compensation applications.

"We want to be sure that we never get these decisions wrong. That's why we are reviewing our staff guidance to make sure that we identify every instance where grooming could be a factor.

"We are actively engaging victim support groups and relevant charities to make sure the revised guidance is as robust as it possibly can be."
Copa and Cogeca, the European umbrella bodies for farmers and co-operatives, made the call as European Union farm ministers held an informal meeting in Estonias capital, Tallinn.

Cogeca president Thomas Magnusson welcomed the Estonian EU presidency priorities to make progress on the future CAP over the next six months.

Farmers incomes are currently at 40% of average earnings and they are suffering from increasing challenges like adverse weather events and increased market fluctuations, said Mr Magnusson. They will also have to produce a lot more food in the future to feed a growing population using less resources.

We therefore need a strong and competitive Cap with simpler, common rules and adequate funding to help farmers and their co-operatives to meet these challenges.

Mr Magnusson said direct payments must be kept in the first pillar of the Cap as this helps farmers and co-operatives to better manage income risks.

Market safety nets must also be kept and further developed. Convergence and harmonisation of direct payments under the Cap must continue. Focus also needs to be put on developing future markets to cope with increasing volatility.

He said agri-co-operatives can and do play an important role in managing market risks for their members as well as helping them have a better position in the food chain.

EU studies show that agri co-operatives help farmers to get a better price for their produce. For that reason, we need to encourage the development of agri co-operatives, he said.

Mr Magnusson warned that a European Commission suggestion on the future of EU finances post-2020 to introduce national co-funding for direct payments under the first pillar of the Cap risks renationalising the policy.

The commission meanwhile notes in its latest markets brief that recent developments indicate that risks faced by European farmers will be increasing.

Greater exposure to global markets and emerging new risks such as those linked to climate change render the income of farmers more fragile.

The current Cap proposes a detailed system for managing risks but the uptake of a number of tools remains low, it said, adding that certain issues need to be further explored.
Limerick is a melting pot of cultures, education, business and community and the citys historic and cultural projects provide companies with the perfect backdrop to address corporate social responsibility, according to the chief executive of Limerick Civic Trust.

David OBrien says the upcoming Irish Examiner-partnered autumn lecture series, which takes place over the next six Thursday nights at St Marys Cathedral, can inspire everyone in the region.

Limerick is a hard city to get lost in. Its not big enough to be a municipality but it is far bigger than the parish pump. This place has been a great melting pot throughout history. Limerick employs perhaps 60% local people and the other 40% are being brought in, becoming part of what Limerick has always been a great settlement, he said.

The Limerick Civic Trust was founded in 1982 and is a self-funding charity which undertakes projects for the general improvements of Limericks environment in conjunction with local authorities, state agencies and other parties.

Mr OBrien said: The civic trust essentially has three pillars. It has restoration and heritage, it has the maintenance and care of the city, and weve got education and understanding which includes school engagement and things like that. So we have a hugely broad remit. It is a great way for companies to tick their corporate social responsibility (CSR) box. Rather than donate a lot of money to a single charity  which is a good thing to do  by engaging with us, we can take their employees on voluntary programmes, working within the community, we can deliver most of their CSR requirements through the different programmes we have.

The trust has forged partnerships. Particularly for the foreign companies coming into the area, it is a great way for them to engage. They get diverse networking through the civic trust, because ours is not necessarily a business community of people  it is a community of people interested in heritage and culture and various aspects of the community. There are seven corporate organisations involved with sponsorship and other events. There are four or five more in the background that have become involved in key projects over the years. But there are another 15 directly involved with different fundraiser activities that we do that maybe dont sit on our board or arent annual contributors. They are not sitting on the sidelines but are not looking for the sponsorship or their name to be branded out, Mr OBrien said.

The lecture series, sponsored by the Kemmy Business School, Limerick Institute of Technology, and the Irish Examiner, starts with a speech by former HSBC chief Stephen Green.

Just 1 wk to Autumn Lecture Series K.O. Hear Stephen Green, former chair of HSBC on 14 Sep Book your tickets now https://t.co/aCtMuEYjm8 pic.twitter.com/AmeQA0UGfo  Limerick Civic Trust (@LmkCivicTrust) September 6, 2017

Mr Green, formerly an Anglican priest, was previously minister of state for trade for the Conservatives in the UK coalition government between 2011 and 2013. He had stepped down as chair of HSBC in 2010. HSBC was immersed in a number of scandals, includng a US Senate report that the lender failed to regulate accounts linked to drug cartels in Mexico.

Quentin Peel of the Financial Times will moderate the event on September 14, under the theme of the European identity  historical and cultural realities we cannot deny.

On September 21, chair of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri will speak on immigration and integration with moderator Professor John OBrennan. Jodie Ginsberg will speak on censorship on September 28, while journalist Simon Carswell will speak on Trumpism, Brexit, and economic recovery on October 5.

Architect Ian Ritchie will speak on October 12, while international property developer Roger Madelin speaks on October 19 on property developers.

Mr OBrien said: Stephen Green is not someone who will come in and give a glib 20-minute speech. He was chairman of the biggest bank in the world. Roger Madelin is an international property developer who does what he does from a social conscience. If you look at the projects he has done and how he has done them, like Kings Cross  it was one of the sleaziest centres in Europe 20 years ago. Now, major brands find it difficult to get a franchise in there. Were not looking for mediocre guests, we are looking for people who can inform us and give us a bigger picture when it comes to a world view. Thats Limerick. Its big enough to have that but small enough to have the community involved.

Proceeds from this years autumn lecture series at St Marys Cathedral will go towards restoration works on St Munchins Church with the aim to open it as a museum.

Tickets are 12 for each event with concessions for members and students. A series ticket costs 55. They can be purchased through eventbrite.ie and will also be available on the door. Each event begins at 8pm. For further information, contact allison@limerickcivictrust.ie or call 061-313399.
Do other countries provide better services for their citizens? Is the so-called Scandinavian model of high tax, high benefits really the way to go?

US president Donald Trump doesnt think so. In a tax policy speech some weeks ago, he repeated the claim that American citizens know better how to spend their money than Washington does. The irony of the presidents comments was that in a speech calling for political consensus on lowering taxes in the US, he omitted to mention that the US is one of the most lightly taxed jurisdictions in the developed world.

Its complicated to compare like with like when looking at the tax systems in various countries because different tax systems have different measures and priorities. Most European countries, for example, have some form of national insurance or PRSI,

whereas a charge like USC is relatively unique to Ireland.

A more helpful way perhaps to draw comparisons between countries is to

look at the amount of tax a government collects relative to the GDP (acknowledging that GDP is itself a contentious thing to estimate).

In ballpark terms, Ireland collects 25% to 30% of GDP in tax. Most European

countries collect 30% to 40% of GDP and the Scandinavian countries collect about 40% or more. In America, the amount collected is typically less than 25% of GDP.

Which brings us back to the Scandinavian model. Scandinavian countries have more money to spend on citizens because they collect more tax from them in the first place. According to OECD figures for 2015, the Danes spent almost $27,000 (22,500) per capita whereas we spend just about $20,000 per capita. Again, this is a crude measure because it doesnt reflect national priorities such as defence, or particular national circumstances such as the consequences of having to pay interest on a large national debt. Nevertheless, these macroeconomic figures underline the reality that a country cannot have significant welfare benefits if it does not significantly tax its citizens and businesses.

It would come as a surprise to many people to hear Ireland described as a low-tax jurisdiction. However, even though relatively few people pay tax in this country, those who do, pay through the nose. Some 83% of all income tax and USC is paid by 26% of earners. This leaves Irish governments with little enough scope to levy extra personal taxes without asking the relatively unscathed 74% to contribute a bit more. The other main source of revenue for the exchequer, Vat is also close to a tipping point.

Our top Vat rate of 23% is within striking distance of the maximum rate permissible under EU rules, which is 25%.

Hikes to other important sources of income might ultimately be counter-productive because increased prices will eventually suppress demand.

In addition, recent experience has shown strong resistance from citizens to any suggestion that they might have to pay more for critical services such as water supply. Broadcast media is in crisis as evidenced by RTE currently seeking voluntary redundancies. Yet, the notion of a broadcasting charge to cover people who watch TV content on laptops, tablets and smartphones, has been quietly shelved.

The current minority government has not the political strength to make hard decisions about

increasing taxation despite obvious and urgent societal demands for improved

infrastructure and on perhaps most critically of all, for social housing.

Our self-imposed refusal to increase government funding through increased taxation keeps us far distant from the Scandinavian tax and welfare model. We will all have to wait to see doctors for some time to come.

Brian Keegan is director of public policy at Chartered

Accountants Ireland
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) will issue a judgment on Thursday which will determine if Irish employment law should apply in all labour issues involving Ryanair staff regardless of in which country they are based. It follows a legal action by a group of six airline workers who had employment contracts with Ryanair and Crewlink, a company which recruits cabin crew for the airline.

The contracts stipulate that the employees services were to be regarded as being provided in Ireland as their duties were primarily carried out on board Ryanair aircraft which are registered in the Republic and consequently subject to Irish law. However, the contracts also designated the airport in Belgiums Charleroi  a Ryanair hub  as the employees home base. In 2011 the workers lodged a number of claims with a labour tribunal in Charleroi which ruled that it did not have jurisdiction to hear the case. The airline staff argued that Belgian courts were entitled to hear their claim.
City council chief executive Ann Doherty has invited every TD and senator in Cork city and county to attend a briefing on the issue in City Hall this Friday.

She said officials will outline the councils interpretation of the Mackinnon reports recommendations, and the rationale for the proposed boundary line will be explained.

Her invite comes less than a week after an Irish Examiner poll of Corks Oireachtas members showed that most were opposed to the Mackinnon boundary extension proposals.

Of the regions 22 senators and TDs, 15 said they are against the proposals, with just four in favour.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, who established the Mackinnon review group, declined to comment publicly on his position, and Seanad chairman Denis ODonovan said he could not comment because it would interfere with the independence of his role as Cathaoirleach.

The Mackinnon expert review group was set up in a bid to break the impasse following the statutory 2015 Smiddy report which was split three to two in favour of a merger of the city and county councils.

The Smiddy report was subsequently shelved, and led to the establishment of the Mackinnon group, which earlier this year rejected the Smiddy findings.

Chaired by former chief planner for Scotland Jim Mackinnon, the review group instead recommended the retention of the two local authorities and the first city boundary extension since 1965.

The Mackinnon line would see the city extended to include areas such as Cork Airport, Douglas, Grange, Frankfield, Rochestown, Ballincollig, Blarney, Tower, Glanmire, Little Island, and Carrigtwohill, to boost the citys population by 100,000 to 225,000.

Local Government Minister Eoghan Murphy accepted the proposals and set up an expert group to implement the extension, and to deal with the range of complex staffing and financial issues which would arise.

Cork County Council, which is opposed to the scale of the extension, then offered to cede land to the city  an offer rejected by the city because it was not in line with the Mackinnon proposals.

Last week, using the Mackinnon line as a guide, the city presented the detail of its proposed boundary to the implementation the group.

Hours beforehand, county councillors had voted unanimously to formally submit to City Hall the smaller land offer, previously rejected by the city, using the Section 29 process of the Local Government Act, which provides for public consultation and could delay the implementation of the report.

The county has also threatened to use every legal avenue open to it to block it.

Following the release to the public of the citys proposed enlarged boundary, Lord Mayor Tony Fitzgerald said the city plans to host a series of public information sessions to explain to affected communities the rationale behind the boundary extension plans.

Both local authorities are due to resume public meetings today following the summer break.

The boundary extension issue is set to be the main topic of debate at both meetings today.
Germans choose a government on September 24, and that government is likely to be headed, for the 20th year in a row, by Angela Merkel.

The uncharismatic 63-year-old from East Germany may not have captured her fellow Germans hearts, but she has appealed so strongly to their rational selves that polls suggest they find no reason to replace her.

Under her chancellorship, Germany has changed in a fundamental sense. Her former advisor, Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut (now Berlins ambassador in Paris) told a small group two years ago that  according to Spiegel magazine  today, with matters concerning the euro, Germany finds itself in a different position. It must now enforce a policy [of austerity] regarded by its partners as extreme. This unavoidably changes perceptions of the country.

Enforce and extreme are not words with which Germany has liked to be associated, and Merkel herself would never use them publicly. But Meyer-Landrut was telling the truth. Germany is Europes leader.

The fact that the German word for leader is fuhrer, is a large reason for the sensitivities. The horrors which Der Fuhrer Adolf Hitler and his Nazis visited on Europe, especially the

Holocaust, remain driven deep into global consciousness.

The swastikas displayed during a neo-Nazi march supporting Confederate statues in Charlottesville, Virginia, in mid-August roused more disgust than other symbols because they have come to be shorthand for evil.

Yet the country that produced the fuhrer and the Nazi party has embraced democratic practices and human rights more convincingly than many others  certainly more than other states that were allied with Nazi Germany.

Since the Second World War, successive German governments have striven

to become models of civic behaviour most of all toward their European neighbours. The cleansing of the German psyche, the deliberate education of children about what Nazism meant, has had no parallels elsewhere.

Post-war generations of Germans had to learn slowly and painfully and not always fully to trust themselves, writes Ian Buruma in The Wages of Guilt (1994), his lucid treatment of how they dealt with the burden of Nazi infamy.

That self-trust has matured into a more openly proactive style, which a Merkel victory can be expected to continue unchallenged.

Britain is set to leave the EU, Italys febrile politics and its present economic weakness keep it from assuming a larger EU responsibility and mid-sized countries like Spain  still pulling itself out of recession  and Poland  politically hostile to much of what the EU stands for even as it enjoys the EUs largest allocation of funds  can only follow, however reluctantly, the German locomotive.

In France, where Emmanuel Macron is bidding to re-animate the German-French axis of EU power, the French president is on notice by Merkel, who wont countenance his ambitious EU integration plans until he manages to implement controversial reforms at home.

AngelaMerkelLaughGermanFlag_large.jpg[#embed2]

In Germany right now, the campaign style is deliberately low-key and consensual.

The debate last Sunday between frontrunners, Merkel and the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) candidate Martin Schulz, was polite and cordial, with none of the emotive storming common elsewhere in Europe.

In part this is because the two parties may again form the coalition government in which they have collaborated, without much evident strain, for the past four years.

In part it is because, as Wolfgang Streeck, director of the Max Planck Institute has noted, the SPD and Merkels Christian Democratic Union made up a centrist national unity party into which the two former Volksparteien [peoples parties] have peacefully dissolved.

Germanys European partners now accept Berlin is able to set and enforce the basic direction for the EU even if they dont like the policies.

Italian ministers, seeing some growth but weighed down still by heavy debt and fragile before any future world economic slowdown, complain long and loud about German-imposed austerity, with little effect.

The central figure in this has been, and may continue to be, Wolfgang Schauble, the German finance minister who has found a domestic popularity, seldom bestowed upon finance ministers, in insisting that EU states like France, Greece, Italy and Spain shape up by following the German example of reducing debt, improving productivity and reforming labor regulations.

He has mooted the possibility of suspending still-struggling Greece from the eurozone. Merkel disagrees, but his popularity may mean he remains at the finance ministry if Merkel wins this months federal elections.

Schauble, confined to a wheelchair since a 1990 assassination attempt, sees monetary and fiscal rectitude as a moral issue.

When, in 2016, he delivered an economy with the first balanced budget in more than four decades, he used this to show his own moral authority before EU finance minister colleagues who had not been able to approach his record.

His argument, that the eurozone states should be more like Germany, is gaining ground.

Eike Schmidt, appointed in 2015 as the first non-Italian director of Italys premier art gallery, Florences Uffizi, abruptly announced earlier this week that he would resign in two years time, citing constant battles (and a lack of autonomy) in a sweeping criticism of Italian cultural bureaucracy. This is hardly German imperialism, but it is imperiousness, a dropping of the inhibition to criticise others because of Germanys past, an insistence on efficiency supporting all exercises of public policy.

Germany does not, of course, carry the vast responsibilities of its leadership alone; it is careful to get majority northern support when battling with recalcitrant southern colleagues.

It is the lodestar that, as Buruma wrote, trusts itself. In doing so, it has found the confidence to lead, and has shown that it has the capacity. But while the country may have earned those laurels in the 70 years since Nazism was buried in the rubble of Berlin, that doesnt mean Merkels expected re-election will bring the integrated Europe she wants.

John Lloyd co-founded the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, where he is senior research fellow.
China's domestically developed jumbo jet C919 is expected to be equipped with homemade engines that feature light metal material, a Chinese expert said on Saturday.

Domestically made Changjiang-1000 engine (CJ-1000) that may be used to power the C919 is under development and will replace imported foreign engines in future on the jet, according to Cao Chunxiao, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a researcher with Aero Engine Corporation of China Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials, said on Saturday.

Nearly 23 percent of the CJ-1000 engine will probably be titanium alloy, which has higher density than iron and will help reduce the weight of the jet, Cao said during the 2017 China's Top 500 Enterprises Summit Forum on Saturday in Jiangxi, thepaper.cn reported.

The C919 made a successful maiden flight on May 5 this year. It was powered by LEAP-1C engine developed by CFM International, a 50-50 joint venture between France's Safran Aircraft Engines and GE of the US.

"It's quite competitive to have 23 percent titanium alloy on the CJ-1000. The mainstream civil engines in the world contain similar quantity of light materials," Wang Yanan, chief editor of the Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The homemade engine is expected to make breakthroughs in its main parts - turbine, fan and blades, Wang added.

"The first CJ-1000 engine is expected to be completed by the end of 2017 and a series of intensive tests are planned when it is mounted on an airplane," Feng Jinzhang, general manager at AECC Commercial Aircraft Engines Co, said at a forum on August 26.

"The CJ-1000 is not just a homemade product. If the CJ -1000 engine is tested successfully and is able to power aircraft, it will mark the evolution of China's aerospace industry from manufacturing mature military products to delivering civil products," Wang said.

"China owns very competitive aircraft engine manufacturing technology but it is mainly used in military," he explained.

Feng said that the C919 with homemade CJ-1000A engine will finish its assembly within this year, and the wide-body passenger jet C929 with the engine CJ-2000 is undergoing testing.

The market of engines for commercial aircraft is promising, which Feng estimated in the next two decades to hit 80,000 worldwide, with the market value reaching $1 trillion.

The CJ-1000 is designed for C919, but is expected to power either Boeing 737 or Airbus 320 or a similar newly built aircraft in the world market by 2025, Wang said.

The engines, as one of high-end products in aviation industry, will then become a pioneer of China's overall manufacturing industry, he added.
(Xinhua) 13:03, September 11, 2017

Editor's Note: China is rolling out a major documentary series on its diplomatic principles, practices and achievements over the past five years. The English-language version of the program will soon be available on TV and online. To help audience better understand Chinese diplomacy, Xinhua is releasing a variety of reports that include anecdotes, quotable quotes, facts and figures.

BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The following is a set of numbers related to Chinese President Xi Jinping's busy and fruitful foreign visits:

7 -- Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump had an in-depth tete-a-tete for over seven hours at the seaside Mar-a-Lago resort in the U.S. state of Florida during Xi's two-day visit in April, 2017, setting the course for China-U.S. relations.

4 -- China and the United States established a four-pronged dialogue mechanism during Xi's Mar-a-Lago visit, namely, the comprehensive economic dialogue, the diplomatic and security dialogue, the law enforcement and cybersecurity dialogue and the social and cultural issues dialogue.

10 -- China and the United States reached 10 consensuses on agriculture, finance, energy and other areas during Xi's Mar-a-Lago visit.

11 -- Xi paid an 11-day visit to Europe from March 22 to April 1, 2014, setting a "landmark" in EU-China ties.

4 -- Xi visited four countries -- the Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium -- during his fast-track visit to Europe in the spring of 2014.

84 -- Xi participated in 84 formal activities during his 2014 Europe trip. He attended the third Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, visited the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris and the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels.
Every large data breach brings about rounds of angst from the media, a rush of innocent consumers wondering how to protect themselves and find out if their PII was, indeed, compromised, and apologies from and backlash for the company. The Equifax breach is not any different in those ways.

Much has been and will be written about the breachs details  how it happened, when it happened, who is responsible. However, I think organizations of all sizes and verticals would be wise to take a close look at the Equifax breach and learn from the mistakes made in the aftermath. The post-breach behavior was a failure of epic proportions.

There is, of course, the situation of senior employees who sold stock after the data breach occurred but before it was revealed. I have two takes on this news. First, it left me speechless that it was done, and as senior executives, they should know about the breach and following the companys data breach plan. Its hard not to think of something nefarious going on there. Second, as senior executives, if they didnt know about the breach, there is a serious problem in the company with its cybersecurity communication and training, as well as its data breach plan.

So, there is lesson one: Do you have policies and plans in place for how to handle a data breach or cybersecurity incident within your organization? Who are you communicating with? Do you have an action team in place that is working internally with management and externally with officials and media?

And then there is the length of time it took for the breach to be made public. As Mark Sangster, VP and Industry Security Strategist at eSentire, pointed out in an email comment, the one thing being overlooked in many cases is that the breach notices would have required Equifax to report the incident to their clients in 24 hours, not weeks. And, because Equifax retains bigger clients in New York, they are governed by DFS NYCRR rules, which dictate 72 hours for breach reports  again, not weeks. Did their clients receive notification within this timeframe? He added:

Equifax waited over a month to respond and provide breach notice. Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax is bound by the state breach notification laws of Georgia, which require a firm to report a breach, stating, The notice shall be made in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay. In some circumstances, notification is to be made within 24 hours. Did Equifax meet this requirement and do everything in its power to protect those affected by the breach?

Lesson two: Do you know what your states laws are in regards to breach notification requirements? Are you prepared to meet notification laws when the incident does happen?

In a more personal note, as I browsed Twitter in the evening after the news of the Equifax breach came out, I noticed that a few lawmakers I follow lamented about the amount of time it took for Equifax to go public. I wrote to these lawmakers to ask why nothing has been done to create federal standards, especially for companies that do work across state lines. I didnt receive any replies, but heres my lesson three: Encourage Congress to enact laws that will require more timely notifications no matter where you live.

Sue Marquette Poremba has been writing about network security since 2008. In addition to her coverage of security issues for IT Business Edge, her security articles have been published at various sites such as Forbes, Midsize Insider and Toms Guide. You can reach Sue via Twitter: @sueporemba
China-Arab trade reached 171.14 billion US dollars in 2016

The 2017 China-Arab States Expo ended on September 9 in Yinchuan, capital of Chinas Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, with officials sounding off about prospects of enhanced economic cooperation between the two sides. Representatives from 47 Middle East and African nations, including executives from 1,080 companies and about 5,000 exhibitors covering 31 industries, took part in the trade fair from September 6-9.

The expo included 12 exhibitions, a business conference on the sidelines, and discussions on cooperation in areas such as high-speed railways, technology transfer and innovation, banking, agriculture, tourism, capacity building, logistics and tourism. In his message read at the opening on September 6, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China and Arab nations were important partners in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative, adding that the trade fair echoes the philosophy of international cooperation.

Guinean President and African Union Chair, Prof. Alpha Conde, represented the continent at the four-day event. He described the exposition as the outcome of close and intensive interaction and the opening of new avenues for more cooperation. The Guinean leader said though Chinas development miracles have already benefitted Africa, Chinese authorities should always include the continent in their development plans.

Alpha Conde described the Chinese-driven Belt and Road Initiative as a good link, saying Africa with its young energetic population made up mostly of people less than 30 years-old made it a good cooperation partner. While calling for the new world economic order to be environmentally-friendly, the African Union Chair attributed Africas recent technological progress to the assistance offered by China.

The China-Arab States Expo is the most important and largest event for promoting trade, economic and investment relations between Arab countries and China, Sudanese-born Kamal Hassan Ali, Arab League assistant secretary general for economic affairs, told Chinese media before the trade fair. The building of infrastructure projects will create more jobs for young people and increase investments in a number of pivotal projects in the Arab world, significantly reduce the turmoil in the region and achieve the desired economic and social development, he said.

Egypt, which was Guest of Honour at the expo, was represented by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Tarek Qabil. Qabil spoke of the many investment opportunities presented by Egypt as one of the leading economies in Africa. Mauritanias delegation was led by Mohamed Yahya Ould El Kherchi, Deputy Speaker of Parliament. He disclosed that the volume of trade between Mauritania and China in 2016 reached 6.1 billion US dollars, concerning areas such as fisheries and capital development; in addition to operations of the free trade zone.

Some 321 deals in science and technology, finance, energy, agriculture, health, tourism, culture and education were signed during previous events since 2013, with contracts worth tens of billions of US dollars. China-Arab trade reached 171.14 billion US dollars in 2016, with new contracts worth 40.37 billion US dollars signed between the two sides last year. This was an increase of 40.8 percent compared to 2015. Meanwhile, Chinas non-financial direct investments in Arab countries rose 74.9 percent in 2016.

*Kimeng Hilton Ndukong, a contributor to Peoples 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.
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles.

Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services.

These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience  the local community.

It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times.

Close
MUSIC producer Compton White has signed a deal with one of the most respected labels in the industry  thanks in part to a complaint about a T-shirt.

Compton  aka Lloyd Whittle, son of IW councillor Wayne Whittle  released his debut EP last year and has become a regular on the bill at Bestival after impressing curator and DJ Rob da Bank.

Now he has been signed by Tri Angle, a label frequently touted as one of the most influential labels on the scene, with its artistes collaborating with the likes of Kanye West, Bjork, Disclosure, A$AP Rocky, FKA Twigs and Diplo.

Lloyd, 21, told the County Press the amazing story behind the deal.

Im a huge fan of Tri Angle. I did my dissertation on the label and I managed to interview a few people at the label.

Last year, after I brought out the Compton White EP, I happened to buy a T-shirt from Tri Angle and when it didnt arrive I e-mailed them to complain it hadnt come.

I got an e-mail back saying it was on its way but they recognised my name. I told them I had interviewed them when I did the dissertation but then they said it was because they recognised me as Compton White and they really liked the record.

The label manager was in London over Christmas and we met up and he said they would like to sign me.

The plan is to re-release the Compton White EP in the coming weeks, with Lloyd hoping to work with Canadian musician Jean-Michel Blais on remixes.

Fresh material is expected in the new year.


(Researchers and global leaders in Sharing Economy discussing on the forum)

New digital businesses in emerging markets are embracing a unique historical opportunity to create a new technology frontier, as well as positively contribute to the restructuring of traditional economies, said Cheng Wei, the founder and CEO of Chinas car-hailing giant Didi Chuxing, at a BRICS+ Forum in Beijing.

The BRICS+ Forum on the Sharing Economy was held on Friday, where global ride sharing leaders gathered with policymakers and researchers to discuss cross-regional collaboration among BRICS countries.

We have a lot of experience from working on traffic problems in China for over five years, said Cheng. We want to export our experience through collaborations instead of competitions.

Since 2015, Didi has played an active role in forging a global framework of collaboration in the mobile-based transportation industry. Their network now extends to over 60% of the world population across more than 1,000 cities after investing in BRICS counties.

According to Pranay Jivrajka, founding partner of Ola, an Indian version of Uber, economic data shared by Chinas Didi kept them from buying too many vehicles and making full use of currently owned vehicles. In India, buses and tricycles can also be hailed online after they are equipped with mobile-based systems, Jivrajka said.

The partners reaffirmed their commitment to an open and sustainable global mobility ecosystem and vowed to deepen current collaboration in technology and product development.

Peter Fernandez, CEO of 99, a Brazilian car-hailing startup, spoke highly of the collaboration with Didi. Didi is a great company, which is capable of changing the future. Peter said Brazil has the same per-capita income as and the same total number of cars in use within China. The new payment and credit systems brought by Didi improved 99s car-hailing services significantly.

As China and Didi lead the global sharing-economy, other BRICS countries can learn from their success and experience, said Zhang Xiaofeng, a sharing-economy researcher at Tsinghua University. He said the credit system should be used overseas in BRICS countries and for the Belt and Road to build a more connected world.

We are sharing the technology and expertise we learn at every turn. By working with our partners, we will also be able to develop new capabilities to help regional policymakers achieve sustainability goals with smart transportation solutions, Cheng said.
Posters denouncing Chinese University Student Union in HK for its pro-independence remarks.

Following clashes triggered by posters advocating independence in several Hong Kong universities, Chinese media outlets have called for the criminalization of pro-independence actions in Hong Kong, adding that such behavior disturbs Hong Kongs stability and goes against Chinas unification.

Hong Kong adopts a case law legal system and there hasnt been any cases stipulating pro-independence remarks or behaviors as a crime to date. Even though, its still possible to criminalize such pro-independence incidences under current laws in Hong Kong, according to a commentary issued on Sept. 10 by Xiakedao, the WeChat account of the Peoples Dailys overseas edition.

The appeal comes after a Chinese mainland student confronted her Hong Kong peers over a pro-independence poster that appeared on the democracy wall at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on Sept. 5. The incident has infuriated the public and internet users in Chinese mainland, with over 6.4 million netizens following the case under the hashtag MainlanderTearsProIndependencePoster on Sina Weibo as of press time.

The uprising of pro-independence incidents in Hong Kong indicates a lack of proper legal punishment against such despicable behaviors. Pro-independence behaviors should be prohibited and punished severely by laws, wrote a netizen.

According to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the region shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, or subversion against the Central Peoples Government, but the legislation process was shelved indefinitely following several protests in Hong Kong.

It is common sense of all Chinese people that the countrys national unity and sovereignty integrity should be respected and protected. The Hong Kong government has the responsibility to consider the pro-independence behaviors as a legal taboo, added the commentary.

Criticism also mounted in Hong Kong after pro-independence students from the Education University of Hong Kong put up banners congratulating the Under Secretary of Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin after her 25-year-old son plunged to his death from a residential tower in Yau Ma Tei. Five-hundred-and-twenty-four principles and 1,195 teachers in Hong Kong have signed a petition calling for a thorough investigation into the incident, Mingpao reported on Sept. 10.
By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy.
Diana Gabaldon, author of the immensely popular Outlander series, spoke to nearly 2,000 people at Reynolds Auditorium Sunday, but it didnt feel that way.

In fact, Gabaldons speech, which closed the 13th annual Bookmarks Festival of Books and Authors, was exactly what happens when a series of books creates a shared experience that leads to a kind of intimacy  inside jokes and insights to characters and events that only people who have cracked open the books would even begin to understand.

Gabaldon is the author of the award-winning, New York Times No. 1 bestselling Outlander novels, which have been published in 26 countries and in 23 languages. More than 28 million copies are in print around the world.

The novels, set in Scotland and the fictional North Carolina town of Frasers Ridge, center on 20th-century British nurse Claire Randall, who travels in time to 18th-century Scotland.

There, she finds adventure and romance with the Highland warrior Jamie Fraser.

The novels have inspired the Outlander TV series on the Starz network. The shows third season premiered Sunday night.

Gabaldon wasnt always a writer. She has three degrees in science  a bachelors in zoology, a masters in marine biology and a doctorate in quantitative behavioral ecology. She said she knew she wanted to write when she was a child. But then her father told her something.

My father told me I was a poor judge of character and I was destined to marry a bum, she said.

Gabaldon decided to focus her energies into science. She also married but her husband is no bum, she said. Theyve been married more than 40 years.

Soon, she had three children under 6 and was working two full-time jobs while her husband tried to start a business. Then she turned 35. Galbadon thought of Mozart, who died just before he turned 36.

Thats when Gabaldon said she decided she wanted to pursue her long-simmering dream of becoming a writer. And even in the midst of being a mother and working two jobs, she figured she had at least 10 minutes to write something every day.

She had vague ideas of what she wanted to write about. She said she knew part of her story involved a man dressed in a kilt. Then she started doing research on Scotland and learned how many Scotland natives migrated to the American South, she said.

She also had a vision of this woman walking into a room of Scotlanders with a smart-alecky attitude in the 18th-century. Gabaldon said she kept trying to fit the woman into 18th-century customs but it never worked.

She wasnt having any of it, she said of the character who eventually became Randall in the Outlander series.

After her speech, Gabaldon heard a question that was written by a 17-year-old girl named Charlotte. She asked what advice she would give to a young writer.

Gabaldon gave her three pieces of advice. The first two were read and write. And the third piece of advice?

Dont stop, she said.
On March 14, 1891, in the city of New Orleans, 11 Italian Americans were lynched by an angry mob.The anger stemmed from a jury's failure to convict the men of killing a police officer, Daniel Hennessy. Refusing to accept the verdicts, a crowd marched to the prison where the acquitted defendants were held post-trial, broke down the doors screaming "We want the Dagoes!" and murdered the following men:Antonio Bagnetto, Joseph P. Macheca, Antonio Marchesi, Antonio Scaffidi, James Caruso, Rocco Geraci,Pietro Monasterio, Emmanuele Polizzi, Frank Romero, and Charles Traina.

It's unlikely you've ever heard the names of these men ---- fruit vendors, longshoremen, and shoemakers ---- because they've become a footnote to history. Newer, louder, victims of hatred have taken their place, and the obscurity of these 11 men is in some perverse way a reflection of the progress my people have made in modern society. With the exception of Sacco and Vanzetti, two other Italians who were crushed under the weight of anti-immigrant sentiment in the early part of the last century, we've come a long way, bambino.

And yet, we are victims of our own success. In the wake of Donald Trump's election, many different groups have cropped up complaining about bigotry, prejudice, white supremacy, offensive language, offensive touching, legal discrimination, insensitivity and all the other evils of a society that falls short of unrealistic utopian ideals.

Women march in pink hats and complain about grabbed private parts. Black youth march with their fists in the air, accusing white society of genocide by police. Hispanics claim that they are all labeled as "illegal immigrants" and disrespected. Muslims say they can't practice their religion safely in the public square.Trans people make bathrooms into their moral Alamos.

These groups get the ear of the media and the elites, the people who read Howard Zinn and believe that his vision of the world is better than the one created by Madison, Hamilton and Jefferson. But we Italians, in part because we have assimilated so completely into what we were promised was a melting pot, are hesitant to claim our place among the embattled.

A few weeks ago, the city of Philadelphia was embroiled in a fight that revolved around Frank Rizzo's statue.The former mayor has been hailed as a hero and a racist, beloved and reviled.His Italian identity was a part of his appeal to the many people who supported him, and most likely irrelevant to those who thought he was the devil (who, in this case, never wore Prada). But lurking at the edges of the controversy was tribal anger at having one of our own reviled and debased, bringing back as it did memories of the words "dago" and "wop" and "monkey grinder" thrown at our near ancestors. And there were those lynchings, forgotten by most but remembered by those who had vowels at the ends of their names.

The Rizzo controversy pales in comparison with what is happening across the country: the vilification of Columbus. In New York, they want to remove the explorer's statue from the circle that carries his name. In Los Angeles, they've replaced Columbus Day with "Indigenous Peoples Day." They are following in the footsteps of Vermont, Arizona, New Mexico, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington State and Oklahoma, which all have cities that have told Columbus to fanabla.

Say what you will about Leif Erikson,he whiffed by the New World without actually knowing what it was. Christopher Columbus, better late than never, understood what he'd discovered. It was Columbus' arrival that opened the doors of Europe to the west, and provided a gateway to the foundations of our culture.

For that reason, we still have statues bearing his likeness, cities and avenues bearing his name, and a holiday dedicated to his countrymen, Italians who labored, suffered, triumphed and, yes, were lynched by their persecutors.

When we destroy those things out of a distorted sense of"justice" and a desire to pacify those who make a good living out of their victim-hood, we replace one set of victims with another.The 11 men who were lynched over a century ago were killed because of their blood, their religion and their social class. Columbus Day, first celebrated one year after that horrific incident and on the 400th anniversary of the explorer's discovery, was in some ways a public apology for the suffering visited upon them.

No one has the right to rescind that apology, and erase our history, just to put a Band-Aid on someone else's seeping wounds.
WASHINGTON -- Be wary of anyone who purports to understand the deep meaning of President Trump's decision to side with the Democrats on short-term budget issues. Nobody knows what he's up to, and this probably includes Trump himself.

Nonetheless, his recent foray into bipartisanship provides the occasion to explore the path he chose not to take at the beginning of his administration. He had the opportunity to put Democrats in a tight spot. Instead, he has spent his energies since Jan. 20 strengthening the hand of his opponents and weakening his own party.

If Trump had opened his presidency by detailing a major infrastructure plan, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and his colleagues would have had no choice but to cooperate, as Schumer himself signaled at the time. If Trump had also lived up to the promises of his campaign by proposing to make Obamacare better and not simply pushing for repeal, he might have fostered a similar spirit of bipartisan engagement.

He could have linked these Democratic-friendly ideas with an early call for tax cuts as part of tax reform, which would have made Republicans happy, as has his ongoing work to eviscerate Obama-era business regulations.

All this might have added to the deficit in a big way, but Trump has always lived on debt. This course would have been seen by some critics as philosophically muddled, and by some conservatives as betrayal. But you can imagine that the prevailing wisdom in Washington would have praised him for breaking through "stale" political categories and "rising above" the old partisan fights. He could also have given himself more bargaining room by putting everyone, Democrats as well as Republicans, in play.

It could be that Trump's latest move is a reach for this lost chance, although it seemed to be more impulse than strategy. It was also sudden. No one on either side was prepared for Trump's embrace of Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's suggestion to pass hurricane relief now and to set up December as the time for serious haggling. Democrats are likely to have more leverage then.

Being who he is, Trump may have wanted to take a slap at his putative allies, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, both of whom he seems to dislike intensely. And perhaps he was looking for a few days of good headlines. Pelosi reported he reveled in the great media coverage he received, as good an indicator as any that this is a guy who operates day-to-day.

Trump's problem with moving from a relatively small policy gesture to an entirely new approach is that the immediate past cannot be erased.

He is a far weaker figure today than he was when he was inaugurated. His poll numbers are terrible, the Russia story has ballooned in importance, and Democrats are in no mood to throw him any lifelines. His words and actions on race and deportations have erected new moral barriers to any pragmatic turn toward working with him. "All he's done in eight months," said a senior Senate Democratic aide, "is make the price of cooperation a lot higher."

In the meantime, he has filled government posts largely with conservative loyalists, further complicating any triangulation strategy involving Democrats. With the possible exception of Gary Cohn, his senior economic adviser, Trump's crowd is on the extreme end of conventional conservative thinking. And Cohn is apparently so on the outs that there are reports he may soon be gone. Trump may have run against GOP orthodoxy in the primaries, but so much of what he has done so far would have been in any right-wing Republican's playbook.

He is still somewhat distinctive in his nativism, but this hardly bodes well for cooperation with progressives and moderates. And oddly enough, the departure of the nationalist-in-chief Steve Bannon removed one voice in his circle advocating for positions on infrastructure, trade and taxes that had at least something in common with Democratic views.

Democrats will certainly try to press the temporary advantage they seem to have on behalf of immigrants endangered by Trump's moves against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). They'll also push for Obamacare funding, an end to the debt ceiling, and a variety of budget concessions.

We should have learned long ago that looking for coherence from this president is a fool's errand. He may have happened on a wiser political strategy too late to do himself much good, but just in time to hurt his already ailing party even more.

The Washington Post
WASHINGTON -- There is no reason to trust the Trump administration and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos when it comes to policing sexual assault on college campuses. Actually, make that stronger: There is every reason not to trust.

Not only because of the president's own words and behavior, but because of the dismissive comments of the department's top civil rights official, Candice Jackson, about campus sexual-assault claims -- that "the accusations -- 90 percent of them -- fall into the category of 'we were both drunk,' 'we broke up, and six months later I found myself under a Title IX investigation because she just decided that our last sleeping together was not quite right." Jackson may have apologized; there is no erasing the underlying attitude.

And yet, it is also true that the current regime under which campus sexual-assault allegations are investigated and adjudicated is seriously flawed. Before the Obama administration instructed colleges and universities that they had to take sexual-assault allegations seriously -- or risk losing federal funds -- the system was way too disposed to discourage complaints. But the Obama administration's move also prompted an overcorrection at some institutions that failed to do enough to protect the rights of students accused of wrongdoing.

Which is how I find myself in the unexpected position of writing not to lambaste DeVos but to praise her, albeit tentatively and preliminarily, for announcing plans to rework the department's approach to Title IX, the federal law prohibiting gender discrimination at educational institutions.

An assault, especially an assault left unpunished, can ruin a student's life. A finding of liability can ruin a life as well, with a student potentially expelled and branded a sexual predator. So any accusation must be thoroughly investigated, but in a way that affords the alleged perpetrator the essential elements of due process -- among them the right to full notice of the allegations and to be represented by counsel; the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses and present a defense; and the chance to have the dispute overseen by an independent and impartial decision-maker, preferably based on a standard higher than a mere preponderance of evidence.

"The truth is that the system established by the prior administration has failed too many students," DeVos said. "There must be a better way forward. Every survivor of sexual misconduct must be taken seriously. Every student accused of sexual misconduct must know that guilt is not predetermined."

The condemnation was swift. "This administration wants to take us back to the days when colleges swept sexual assault under the rug," said Arne Duncan, education secretary under President Obama. "Don't be duped by today's announcement," said Fatima Goss Graves of the National Women's Law Center. "What seems merely procedural is a blunt attack on survivors of sexual assault."

The proof will be in the details of what the Trump administration produces. Still, you don't have to be a DeVos-like conservative to have serious qualms about the existing approach -- and to bristle at the dismissal of such concerns. Indeed, you could be a feminist legal scholar at Harvard Law School.

Four such experts -- Elizabeth Bartholet, Nancy Gertner, Janet Halley and Jeannie Suk Gersen, hardly DeVos clones -- wrote to the Education Department last month describing how many "terrified" college administrators "over-complied" with the Obama administration's directive.

Colleges have adopted definitions of sexual wrongdoing, they wrote, that include "conduct that is merely unwelcome ... even if the person accused had no way of knowing it was unwanted, and even if the accuser's sense that it was unwelcome arose after the encounter." Meanwhile, "the procedures for enforcing these definitions are frequently so unfair as to be truly shocking."

In a disturbing new online series for The Atlantic, Emily Yoffe describes University of Massachusetts student Kwadwo Bonsu's encounter with a fellow student who began to perform oral sex on him after they smoked marijuana together, then decided she wanted to stop. After exchanging phone numbers and leaving Bonsu's room, the female student "realized I'd been sexually assaulted" and reported the incident. Amherst police closed the case without charges, but Bonsu was barred from living on campus and then suspended. It took him years to win admission elsewhere.

"At its worst, Title IX is now a cudgel with which the government and school administrators enforce sex rules too bluntly, and in ways that invite abuse," Yoffe writes. If DeVos' legacy is to defuse Title IX's effectiveness in combatting sexual assault, that will be a tragedy. If its intervention means that weapon is wielded with more precision and fairness, that will be an impressive achievement from a surprising source.

The Washington Post
Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 48F. Winds light and variable.

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low near 30F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

Rain. High 41F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
CHANGSHA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan resident Lee Ming-che stood trial Monday in a court in Yueyang city of central China's Hunan Province, accused of inciting subversion of state power.

During the open trial, Peng Yuhua, a suspect from the Chinese mainland, faced the same charge.

Lee and Peng said their rights had been fully protected during the investigation, and they both pleaded guilty and expressed remorse.

Videos of the trial were published on the Yueyang City Intermediate People's Court official Weibo account. The verdict will be announced at a later date.
A panel of legal experts for the Polish Parliament concluded [press release, in Polish]y Monda that Poland is entitled to seek reparations from Germany over any acts committed by the country during the Second World War.

The report[text, PDF, in Polish] relies on various conventions, including the 1907 Hague Convention and the practice of reparations following WWII, to justify its claim.

Polish Prime Minster Beata Szydo [official website] has publicly stated [Radio Poland] that Poland has the right to seek reparations but has not committed to country to pursuing the action to this point. This was met in stark contrast to German legal experts who have recently denounced any legal basis for Poland to seek reparations. The issue boils down to the legality of the then 1950 Communists Government in Poland which relinquished all claims to reparations.

The ruling party in Poland has been attempting large shifts to the basic functions of its government over the past months. As recently as July the Polish President Andrzej Duda announced [JURIST report] that he was going to veto two proposed laws that threatened to limit the judiciarys independence.
(The press conference of the Future Science Prize, in Beijing on Saturday.)

Chinese Physicist Pan Jianwei, the chief scientist for the worlds first quantum satellite in China, Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS), received the Future Science Prize  Physical Science Prize for 2017, the country's first and most prestigious non-governmental science award, in Beijing on Saturday.

The prize aims to reward outstanding original research that was finished in China and has global impact. The prize is not limited to Chinese, and is privately funded by 12 eminent Chinese entrepreneurs who want more public involvement in the countrys development of science.

Shi Yigong, a Chinese biophysicist in the field of protein X-ray crystallography and dean of the School of Life Sciences at Tsinghua University, was awarded Life Science Prize for his research in processing pre-mRNA into mature mRNA.

Xu Chenyang, a mathematics professor at Peking University, received the Mathematics and Computer Science Prize. Each winner also received one million US dollars.

The prize was launched in 2016 by entrepreneurs aiming to utilize cutting-edge computer science technology, such as AI and big data, in the business sector, and investors who understand that scientific development is the foundation of a countrys long-term development and prosperity. Donors include Robin Li, CEO of Baidu, Chinas top search engine; Ma Huateng, the chairman of Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holdings; and Xu Xiaoping, founder of ZhenFund and one of Chinas most celebrated angel investors.

Touted as Chinas Noble, as both are privately funded, the Future Science Prize aims to be globally influential in ten years. The award is committed to increase public engagement in scientific development, as well as connect businesses and science.

Fifteen prominent scholars worldwide form the panel of judges, including Wang Xiaodong, director of the National Institute of Biological Sciences in Beijing and a member of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States; Li Kai, the Paul M. Wythes and Marcia R. Wythes Professor in Computer Science at Princeton University; and Luo Liqun, professor of Biology at Stanford University.

In July, Chinas Ministry of Science and Technology issued a guideline that calls for more scientific prizes in the country and encourages the use of private capital in the science sector.
(File photo)

China plans to catch up with the advanced aero engine producers in 20 years, said Cao Jianguo, chairman of the Aero Engine Cooperation of China (AECC).

Only five countries in the world  the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - are able to produce aero engines, Cao noted. Though being in this group, China is still hindered by out-of-date technologies.

With the development of aero engines and improved research cycle time, it is possible for China to accomplish this mission, Cao added.

It takes more than 20 years to develop a new-generation aero engine, which is the worlds most complicated machinery system, and which combines multiple disciplines.

In addition, the technical barriers also require astronomical amounts of capital. A medium-large sized aero engine costs around $2-3 billion for research and development, and the figure doubles when it comes to more advanced machines.

Design capability is Chinas biggest weakness, remarked Yin Zeyong, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and head of AECCs science and technology commission. Design, tests, and trial flights all contribute to the time it takes to develop aero engines, but enhancing design capability is the only way to smooth the development, Yin said.

Besides, China now lacks a standardized code system, which forms the basis of the most advanced aero engine producers, noted Wang Yingjie, director of the management innovation department of the AECC. We still have a long way to go in this regard, he stressed.

However, Chinas state-run system is a key factor that drives the development of the countrys aero engines. Related enterprises are sparing no efforts to support us, said Luo Ronghuai, vice chairman of the AECC. They are supporting us even at their own losses when we need specific steels in very limited amount, he added.

China will establish a development and research system for aero engines before 2020. According to Wang, the AECC is currently planning on a comprehensive operation and management system covering four major aspects: research, manufacture, supplier management, and service assurance. In addition, a self-developed standardized code system for research and development will be completed.
(The award ceremony of the Future Science Prize)

Chinese entrepreneurs who sponsored the Future Science Prize, Chinas first-ever non-governmental science award, told Thepaper.cn on Sept. 9 after the prize announced its winners for 2017 that they all stick to doing this voluntarily.

Each winner of the Future Life Science, Physical Science, and the Mathematics and Computer Science prizes, the Chinese-version Nobel Prize, are awarded $1 million for their individual scientific discoveries made in China, and the prizes are not exclusive to Chinese nationals.

The prizes are donated by 12 entrepreneurs from Chinas listed companies, including Pony Ma, founder and CEO of Tencent, William Ding, CEO of NetEase, and Robin Li, co-founder and CEO of Baidu, who all promised to sponsor the prize for 10 years.

The entrepreneurs noted that the prize is an encouragement to scientists hard work and scientific innovation, and will encourage more people to attach importance to science so that Chinas scientific strength can be increased.

In addition, the entrepreneurs stated they care more about sustainability and internationalization of the prize, in the hope to build it into Chinas Nobel Prize.

I want not only Chinese scientists to seek the Future Science Prize, but people all around the world, including children involved in science, who could regard it as a lifelong pursuit, said William Ding.
(Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran)

Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reportedly denied permission to Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran to attend a global tourism event in China. What the ministry did was criticized as double standards, since on the one hand it banned officials Chinese visit, while on the other asked for money from China.

The UN World Tourism Organization will hold its 22nd General Assembly in Chengdu, China, on September 11, an event which will be attended by tourism ministers and officials from 160 countries.

Surendran said the denial was more like a political decision, and the MEA has not cited any reason for it, the Hindustan Times reported on September 9. According to the report, the tourism minister received an invitation letter to attend the event in early June and started to prepare for the visit thereafter.

In a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister of Kerala said his state is disappointed at the denial of opportunity in promoting its tourism at an international forum. Participation at the conference would have given Kerala an opportunity to present its achievements before a global audience, he wrote, according to Times of India.

Though maintaining high alertness toward China, India seems to want more from the latter. During a meeting with Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan on the sidelines of the ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting in Manila, Indian Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu called for greater Chinese investments in India, according to The Hindu on September 9.

The investments, according to the Indian minister, will be aimed at reducing Indias bilateral trade deficit with China, which, in the last fiscal year, was $51 billion. The India side also wanted to seek greater investments from Chinese firms, including in Indias export-focused special economic zones, The Hindu said.
For the first time, Chinese private companies have a bigger stake than the government in a 44.89 billion yuan ($6.89 billion) high-speed railway project in east China.

On Sept. 11, Shanghai Fosun High Technology signed an agreement with the government of Zhejiang in eastern China to invest in the railway, China National Radio reported. Chinese private companies, led by Fosun, will own 51 percent of the equity for the project.

It is the first time private companies in China have a controlling share in the railway infrastructure sector. The railway, a 269-kilometer link between Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang and Taizhou, is designed for an hourly speed of 350 kilometers.

The railway will be completed in four years and will operate for 30 years. It will adopt the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme, under which the private companies bear the responsibility of income collection, railway construction, operation, and maintenance. After the operation period, the responsibility will be handed over to the Zhejiang Government or its designated organizations.

Li Hongchang, deputy director of the Chinese Transportation Economic Research Center, said the first private high-speed railway project will encourage Chinese private companies to participate in the countrys infrastructure construction and promote the marketization of Chinese railways.
Egypt handed 13 pieces of smuggled ancient antiques to back to China on Sunday, including ancient banknotes and bonds dating back to late 19th century.

The coins, banknotes and bonds were returned to the Chinese embassies in Cairo by the Ministry of State of Antiquities during a ceremony held in the Egyptian museum, according to Egyptian website Al Arabiya English.

These bonds are listed as Chinese heritage due to their significance to the studies of economic life in ancient China's Qing dynasty.

Ahmed Al-Rawi, the head of the Antiquities Units at Egyptian ports, said the antiques were handed over in accordance with the UNESCO agreement which Egypt joined in 1972.

China and Egypt signed a joint agreement in October 2010 to combat illegal trade of historical relics, which obligate both countries to seize foreign antiques if smuggled into the territories of respective nations.

Shi Yuewen, counselor of cultural affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, praised the Egyptian officials for their cooperation.

China lost many of its relics through centuries of wars, natural disasters and plunder by foreign invaders. At least 17 million Chinese cultural relics are believed scattered around the globe, with 1 million of them being art objects in 200 different museums in 47 countries, according to UNESCO.

Xie Chensheng, senior consultant at Chinas State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said China is facing the serious problem of antiques outflow. "While in the past many of them were looted by other countries, illegal trades of antiques have also been rampant in recent decades," said Xie.

Meanwhile, government groups and wealthy collectors also frequently took part in auctions to buy back prized pieces from abroad, he added.
ADS ADS

As the brand that succeeded in raising a million Swiss francs from an equity crowdfunding campaign to fund its launch in the highly competitive environment of luxury watchmaking, Czapek & Cie always seeks to be different. Its innovative financing model is an obvious example of this, as are the brands mechanical movements, and smaller details such as ornate Gold fleur de lys hands, secret signatures on enamel dials and a unique steel alloy all play their part in the brands distinctiveness.



So when it came to launching a new hand engine-turned dial in the collection, Czapek could not simply content itself with an off-the-shelf design, like the famous Clous de Paris or the Grain dOrge, it needed a genuinely new design, a Czapek guilloche. Once the decision had been taken (just after SalonQP 2015 in London), a lengthy design process started, which quickly led to over 20 different possible designs. Yet the decision-makers at the brand (Xavier de Roquemaurel, Harry Guhl and Sebastien Follonier) couldnt find a consensus on a preference, nor a wow effect. As CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel explained to WorldTempus, There is a fine line between good and excellent, and there is no measurement instrument for beauty, so if one of us isnt convinced by a design direction, then we simply halt the project and rework, in an iterative manner. Plus, we always have a hidden Francois Czapek watching over us in the room. Our vision is to reinterpret his style in a modern way, as if he was still alive.



After leaving the designs aside for a while, the team came to realise that the problem was not necessarily with the guilloche designs themselves but with the composition of the dial as a whole. Instead of subdividing the dial into zones, the team decided to cover the entire dial with the same guilloche pattern and to reproduce a domed shape as in their enamel dial. This set them on a course to evaluate 65 different patterns that could be created using the technique of hand engine turning, before agreeing on the distinctive ricochet guillochage pattern, inspired by the idea of a stone skipping challenge, the art of throwing a flat stone across water in such a way that it bounces off the surface.

The ricochet guilloche selected by the team had two different focal points - even though METALEM, their partner for the manufacturing, thought it would be impossible to achieve this effect in practice due to the interferences of the riddles. The final detail was a choice between pyramids or cubes for the tips of the engine-turned engraving that gives the dial its relief. The trio opted for the pyramids.

Quai des Bergues Guilloche Aqua Blue  Czapek & Cie

Buy now

After months of work, the team were flabbergasted to discover that the brands spiritus rector, Francois Czapek, had already worked in that direction: the design, which they have since trademarked for use with the Czapek & Cie.s distinctive double counters, was very similar to an engine-turning pattern that had been used by Francois Czapek in the past (see photo). Its not the first uncanny coincidence, since the contemporary logo designed for the relaunched Czapek brand also bore a strong similarity to the one used by Francois Czapek, which was only discovered by the historian Pierre-Yves Donze long after this new logo had been registered.

A fine and rare 18K gold half-hunter case keywound pocket chronometer  Czapek & Cie

The design is not the only unique thing about Czapeks new guilloche, however, since the dials that use it will bear the signature Metalem Suisse Guilloche Main (hand engine-turned by Metalem), referring to the specialist engine turners at Metalem and another example of Czapeks explicit tributes to its partners, who are carefully picked from among the best in the watch industry.



Czapeks first guilloche dials will be available in two colours: Aqua Blue and Sea Salt Grey. On the Aqua Blue version the colour hue changes with the reflection of light, allowing aesthetics to get the upper hand over the technical finish of the guilloche. The Sea Salt Grey version, on the other hand, shows off the detail of the guilloche and the distinctive angle of depth of the grooves that can only be achieved by hand turning on a rose engine.



The models with the new guilloche dials will cost the same as those with the grand feu enamel dial, even though the guilloche main version costs slightly more to manufacture. They will retail at 25,900 Swiss francs in gold and 14,800 in stainless steel. Collectors can be reassured by the fact that horological bellwether Laurent Picciotto of Chronopassion was the first to order one of these new Czapek & Cie. watches, opting for the Sea Salt Grey guilloche dial.
KEARNEY  A biography, Ron and Carol Cope: A Nebraska Love Story, will be a fitting 108th birthday gift for the late Carol Cope when it is released Wednesday.

It has also been a gift for Todd von Kampen, its researcher and author.

Its a writers dream to have this kind of material, von Kampen, a journalist, said. This is the greatest project of my life. No matter what else I ever do, Ill never have another experience like this.

Wednesday, Von Kampen, who lives in North Platte, will be in Kearney to sign the book at three locations. Wednesday also is the third and final day of the fifth-annual Walk in the Copes Shoes event, in which people are invited to do random acts of kindness in memory of the Copes and their legacy.

The Copes story is one of deep faith, internal struggles and undying devotion through eight years of courtship, 52 years of marriage and beyond, Judi Sickler, executive director of Kearney Area Community Foundation, said. Their love story cannot be contained to the city they chose and the people they made their family. Theirs is a love, and a story, for all Nebraska.

The book was sponsored by the Ron & Carol Cope Foundation and printed by Morris Publishing of Kearney. Proceeds will go to the KACF, one of the dozens of charities and causes the Copes supported here and throughout the state.

In researching the Cope story, von Kampen dug through 160 boxes of papers, diaries, letters, photographs, slides and home movies left behind after Carols death and preserved by the Ron & Carol Cope Foundation. All that material and other personal Cope possessions has been given to the Buffalo County Historical Society Trails & Rails Museum.

This had the potential for a great story, but we couldnt be sure, von Kampen said. This project all hinged on how much of those 160 boxes included biographical gold and how much contained pure junk. As I continued going through them, I kept finding details that added such rich details to story of their life. It reached far beyond Kearney to a big swath of Nebraska.

Ron Cope (1911-92) and Carol (Ida Schrepel) Cope (1909-2012) gave Kearney more than 75 years of community service and philanthropy. For 30 years, they were partners in shoe stores, primarily Claussens Shoes in Kearney, Holdrege and Lexington, and in OConnor Department Store in North Platte. They owned Buffalo County farmland near Pleasanton and Gibbon.

Their names appear on educational, medical and cultural institutions throughout their city and region. Their intense love for each other and their fellow Nebraskans continues in the work of the foundation they left behind.

Ron & Carol Cope: A Nebraska Love Story takes readers across a broad swath of Nebraska and its history, starting with Civil War battlefields and the Old West frontier towns of their ancestors and the rolling farm fields of Pawnee County, where they grew up, met, taught and fell in love. Ironically, both Rons and Carols parents were married on the same day: June 21, 1905. Thats the day Ron and Carol chose for their wedding in 1939.

The book continues in Depression-era North Platte, the incubator of their business and community interests; Claussens shoe stores; Nebraskas State Capitol; and the evolution of Kearney into the energetic western point of Nebraskas Tri-Cities triangle.

Von Kampen said that as research continued, he realized that Kearney could not contain their lives or their love, hence the title, which refers to the state of Nebraska.

The Cope Foundation and Sherry Morrow were so encouraging and so helpful. Sherry kept saying, Youre doing great. Keep going. I couldnt have asked for better patrons, von Kampen said.

Morrow called the book an awesome historical perspective on the Copes and the community. She said von Kampen probed far beyond the 160 boxes in the Cope basement.

He combed community newspapers, spent time interviewing people who knew the Copes. He went far more in-depth than I expected, and in the end, it made sense. The research and the end product warranted that, she said.

Von Kampen, 53, has had a rich journalistic career. He has worked for the Keith County News in his hometown of Ogallala, the Des Moines (Iowa) Register, the Scottsbluff Star-Herald, the North Platte Telegraph and the Omaha World-Herald. He is the author of All-Night Theater: The Music and Life of J.E. Thayer (2013), a book-CD presentation on the late Dr. James E. Thayer of Sidney.

Now a freelance writer and musician, he lives in North Platte with his wife, Joan, and the two youngest of their four children.

He said he felt blessed to tell the Copes story. Their lives tell whats possible when you live and love others before yourself, he said.
GERING -- A former Gering Police sergeant has been charged in Scotts Bluff County Court, accused of stealing from a program that provides kids with gifts for their family members.

According to Scotts Bluff County Court documents, Henry Moreno, 40, has been charged with three counts of theft by taking, a Class II misdemeanor.

An arrest affidavit was not filed in the case, but the complaint states that Moreno took different amounts from the Shop with a Cop program on three separate occasions: $500 in August 2016; $300 in March 2017; and $500 in June 2017.

Moreno was issued a citation on Sept. 6 by Doug Warner, a deputy attorney with the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office. Moreno is scheduled to appear in Scotts Bluff County Court on Sept. 22.

Moreno, who had been a longtime detective and most recently a sergeant with the Gering Police Department, had been one of the organizers with the Shop with a Cop program. In 2016, Moreno said the program had helped more than 100 kids. He had been lauded for his accomplishments in programs working with kids, such as being Gering's first school resource officer, serving for two years, working to fundraise for CAPstone and other work. In 2016, Moreno received the Outstanding Police Officer award from Kiwanis.

Moreno had resigned from the Gering Police Department in August, though personal reasons were cited.
OMAHA -- A former Omaha police officer will stand trial on a second-degree assault charge in connection with the in-custody death of a 29-year-old man, a judge decided Monday.

Scotty Payne, 38, appeared Monday in court.

Police said Payne shocked Zachary Bearheels with a Taser 12 times while trying to restrain him during an encounter in June. Bearheels later died.

Second-degree assault is a felony that carries the same penalty as manslaughter: 20 years in prison.

Mandee Kampbell, an Omaha police officer, testified Monday that she had trained Payne in the use of a Taser. She said none of the 12 deployments of the Taser by Payne was justified. She said she would not have used the Taser at all against Bearheels.

After the hearing, Payne's attorney, Steve Lefler, noted that Kampbell also testified that Payne is "a good man, a good officer. Mr. Payne's just a great guy. He got into this to serve the public. Now to have that system turned against him breaks his heart."

On June 3, Bearheels was not allowed back on a bus after a stop in downtown Omaha because of his conduct and a complaint from another bus passenger. He had been traveling from Murdo, South Dakota, to Oklahoma City.

Bearheels' mother called Omaha police the next day to report her son was missing and that he had schizophrenia and was bipolar. Bearheels' relatives later said he was off his medications.

Early on June 5, police were called to the Bucky's convenience store at 6003 Center St. because Bearheels was refusing to leave. Bearheels speech was garbled and he displayed signs of impairment, police said.

He was put in handcuffs and put in the back of a police cruiser. After police decided to take him to the bus station, an officer opened the back door of the cruiser to put a seat belt on Bearheels. Bearheels got out, still in handcuffs, and started to walk away. Officers tried to get control of him and get him back in the car. Officer Ryan McClarty pulled Bearheels to the ground, police said, and held him as Payne warned Bearheels that he would be hit by a Taser.

After more struggling, Payne warned Bearheels that he would be shocked. Bearheels broke free, Payne loudly said, Taser, Taser, Taser and used his Taser on Bearheels multiple times.

McClarty, police said, punched Bearheels 13 times after Bearheels got a hand out of his handcuffs.

McClarty has been charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor. Both Payne and McClarty have been fired from the police force.

A coroners physician who examined Bearheels said she was unable to connect Bearheels death to being shocked by the Taser or punched. She instead attributed his death to excited delirium.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Top 5 Inovation (Photo : Web)

Top 5 Inovation (Photo : Web)

Top 5 Inovation (Photo : Web)

Technology has been in a continuous state of progress and improvement in the past decades, and with each year that goes by, its results and achievements are more and more impressive. Ideas and projects that would have seemed inapplicable a while ago are now fully developed and running, as science is breaking newer barriers on a yearly basis. And while there are quite a great deal of innovations that surprise and shock, there are others that come as groundbreaking and might consist major game changers for the future.



Advertisement





With three months left, the year 2017 has already marked several outstanding breakthroughs and ingenious achievements, out of which an elite few have already opened the doors to even newer horizons







5.Wireless Based Roads That Could Power Electric Vehicles

Stanford University Researchers have managed to create a wireless charger which, unlike all others, can tune the frequency of radio waves automatically. During initial trials, this system managed to transfer power up to 27 inches from the ground, with 100% efficiency. And since electric cars are nearly 8 inches higher than the road level, in the near future, they might charge directly from the road, through charging pads placed under the road level and a simple received.







4."Moth Eye" Protection From Glare For Smartphones

Professor Shin-Tson Wu of the College of Optics and Photonics within the University of Central Florida (UCF) has analyzed the unusual structures present on moth eyes, which help their sight during night-time. Starting from this premise, Professor WU has imagined a new type of anti-reflection protection film for electronic devices. In study led by Guanjan Tan in collaboration with Jiun-Haw Lee from the National Taiwan University, Professor Wu detailed the developing process for the anti-reflective film, which just like the moth's eye, is based on nanostructures that allow the light to reach the eye, but prevent it from reflecting out. The results of the study have shown that for normal smartphones, the film can improve the screen's readability 10 times, while under a clear sky and five times when facing direct sunlight. From regular star spin slot up to watching movies or attending interviews on a smartphone, this discovery will substantially increase the quality and durability of any model of smartphone.







3.The First Windows That Generate Solar Power

This June in Eindhoven, Physee, a tech startup led by Ferdinand Grapperhaus, which aimed to transform modern estate properties in energy neutral units, has revealed the first completed project. The headquarters of the largest bank in Netherlands, Rabobank, is now fully equipped with 323 square meters of completely transparent windows which harvest solar power at the same time. This is due to solar cells strategically placed at the edges of each window, facilitating the effective conversion of incoming solar light into electricity. Subsequently, the bank's employees will now be able to charge their phones directly from the PowerWindows, via USB ports.



2.The Disney Magic Bench

The Disney Research Team has literarily managed to bring the Disney Universe to life, through the first ever "Magic Bench". Disney fans will now be able take a sit and interact with some of their most popular cartoon characters, with no additional displays or any handheld devices needed. The optical illusion is possible due to a camera a sensor that captures info and analyzes in depth the layout of the bench and the person standing there. The information gathered is integrated in the 3D animations through algorithms and haptic sensors from within the bench will generate accurate vibrations in sync with the animated actions from the screen. As a direct result, visitors have the impression that the characters are there in person, occupying actual physical space. This truly special augmented reality experiment was introduced to the public in July, at the annual computer graphics conference and expo, in Los Angeles.



1. Artificial Intelligence For Self Driving Cars

One of the most intriguing announcements in 2017 belongs to Tim Cook, the renowned Apple CEO. During an interview with Bloomberg, Cook addressed the current issues faced by the auto industry. Cook took this opportunity to express the companies' major interest in future driverless cards, and mostly in the development of the initial Artificial Intelligence that will govern them.



Any of these major innovations deserve high-end appreciation, support and recognition, especially since each of them is only setting new grounds and the concrete possibility for even greater creations, much faster than anybody would have anticipated.






FILE - In this Aug. 30, 2017, file photo, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, right, and Mexico's Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray Caso walk to the Treaty Room at the State Department in Washington. Luis Videgaray is expected to meet Monday, Sept. 11, with Gov. Jerry Brown and state legislative leaders in California's capital before heading to Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
This combo of natural-color images provided by NASA Earth Observatory shows the U.S. and British Virgin Islands islands on Aug. 25, 2017, top, before the the passage of Hurricane Irma, and after the storm passed, on Sept. 10, 2017. The islands, from left, are St. Thomas, St. John, Tortola and Virgin Gorda. Irma passed as a Category 5 storm. (Joshua Stevens/NASA Earth Observatory via AP)
FILE - In this July 28, 2015 file photo, Joyce Mitchell raises her hand during a court appearance in Plattsburgh, N.Y. The state parole board on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, denied parole to Mitchell, who played a key role in a prison break from the maximum-security state prison in Dannemora in June 2015. (Rob Fountain/The Press-Republican via AP, Pool, File)
The head of the Egyptian parliament's human rights committee Alaa Abed said on Saturday that the committee will hold a meeting on Monday to respond to a recent report the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) alleging widespread torture by Egyptian police and national security officers.

Abed said the meeting was scheduled after many MPs complained that HRW's report, issued on 5 September, contained "a lot of lies that aim to defame the image of Egypt."

"This new flawed HRW report represents another episode in this organisation's systematic policy of hostility towards the state of Egypt," said Abed.

"Not only is this flawed report politicised, but it serves the agenda of certain countries and political Islamist movements that are fond of lying about the human rights situation [in Egypt]."

"The HRW and several Western media outlets also lied when they claimed yesterday that the Egyptian government responded to the organisation's report by blocking [the HRW] website," Abed said.

"This is another lie that shows how biased they are."

On Saturday, several Egyptian newspapers quoted government sources who dismissed HRW's claim that its website was blocked in Egypt.

The pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat cited Egyptian authorities as insisting that "anyone can access HRW's website and it is by no means blocked."

Abed said that parliament's human rights committee will review HRW's report and respond to its accusations.

Abed revealed that the meeting will be attended by head of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) Mohamed Fayek; chairman of the State Information Service and director of Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies (ACPSS) Diaa Rashwan, and the deputy foreign minister for foreign organisations.

"We hope that during this meeting we can formulate a new strategy to stand up to extremist Western human rights organisations that insist on issuing politicised and flawed reports on Egypt," said Abed.

In its 63-page report, HRW said that "torture has become a systemic practice in Egypt."

Two days after the report was released, HRW said that "rather than address the routine abuses in Egypt, the authorities have blocked website access to its report."

Abed said that "HRW's claim that its website was blocked shows how its reports are based on media rumours and flawed information. It also reflects how this organisation is ready to repeat lies and how its reports are formulated in a non-professional and politicised way."

Abed said that HRW receives funding from Qatar, which is the world's greatest sponsor of radical Islamist movements.

"After the Muslim Brotherhood regime was removed from Egypt in a popular uprising in 2013, HRW was mobilised to attack the new regime in Egypt with periodical reports based on flawed information," said Abed.

On 8 September, NCHR head Fayek dismissed in a statement the notion that "torture has become a systemic practice in Egypt."

"The NCHR has repeatedly indicated that there are no torture cases in Egyptian prisons and detention centres," said Fayek, urging HRW to be more professional in its reports on human rights in Egypt.

"I urge HRW not to publish reports on Egypt without first verifying information and listening to all kinds of sources to ensure that its reports are more professional and precise," said Fayek.

Fayek said that he has sent a message to HRW to "shed light on points listed in its report."

"The NCHR pays periodical visits to Egyptian prisons in coordination with the interior ministry, and during these visits the NCHR receives complaints from prisoners so they can be addressed."

"The conclusion from these visits, as we have indicated in all our previous reports, is that torture is not a systematic practice in Egypt, and if we receive any complaints in this respect, we open investigation into them at once," said Fayek.

Fayek said that the NCHR's upcoming annual report will represent a comprehensive review of the human rights situation in Egypt in 2017.

"The report will document human rights conditions in Egypt in 2017 in an honest way, reporting all kinds of violations and how the government has responded to them," said Fayek.

Tarek Radwan, the deputy head of parliament's foreign relations committee, insisted that "HRW's reports are politicised and lack professionalism."

"If HRW decides to write a report on the human rights situation in Egypt, it should do this in a professional way; by receiving information from both independent and government sources," Radwan told Ahram Online.

"A professional report should publish accusations as well as the government's responses, but what we see is that HRW's reports are based on information from certain activists who are by no means independent or unbiased," said Radwan.

Radwan also complained that HRW's report mixes human rights with politics.

"When you read this report, you clearly notice that HRW takes a hostile attitude against the government in Egypt, and this makes it clear that its reports are politically motivated," said Radwan.

"HRW's use of terms like the military coup in Egypt and its clear defence of the Muslim Brotherhood strip its reports of neutrality and objectivity."

Margaret Azer, a Coptic MP and a member of parliaments human rights committee, told Ahram Online that "reading HRW's reports feels like watching Al-Jazeera channel."

"Both are politically motivated against Egypt, defend the Muslim Brotherhood and political Islam, and receive money from Qatar," said Azer.

"If HRW has access to informed sources about the human rights situation in Egypt, why they did not publish a single report on the hundreds of policemen who were tortured and killed by terrorist organisations affiliated with Muslim Brotherhood."

Abed said that the meeting on Monday will discuss HRW's report point-by-point.

"We will review its claims on forced disappearance and torture," said Abed, adding that "99 percent of the complaints the committee received last year on forced disappearance were unfounded."

"The committee's investigation into these complaints showed that 99 percent [of the alleged victims] had joined different terrorist organisations inside and outside Egypt and had not disappeared as these complaints claimed," said Abed.

"The Muslim Brotherhood and HRW invented the expression forced disappearance to give cover to [the Brotherhoods] militants who left Egypt to join jihadist organisations like Daesh and Jabhat Al-Nusra in Libya, Syria and Iraq, or are in Egyptian prisons pending trial on terrorism charges."

Abed said the foreign ministry should seize Monday's meeting as an opportunity to move more aggressively against HRW.

"We will ask foreign ministry officials to file a complaint against HRW with the UN human rights council, which is revising Egypt's human rights situation objectively on a regular basis," said Abed.

"We also expect that the State Information Service will be more active in responding to HRW and Western media's systematic hostile campaigns and reports against Egypt."

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Area residents looking to unload some some Hot Wheels, Barbies, GI Joes or other vintage and collectible playthings for a little clink, look no further than Tuesday.

Joel Magee, host of the new TV program Americas Toy Scout, will be bringing his vintage toy and memorabilia buying show to Kenosha from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Candlewood Suites, 10200 74th St.

The Midwest is such a fantastic place for old toys, because you have winters here, said Magee, who travels all over the country to purchase toys, which he then has restored and sells to collectors.

When it was cold outside, kids were stuck in the house with Mom and Dad, and they wanted to keep you out of their hair. And, so, they bought you toys.

Magee postulates that in warmer areas, kids saw more playtime outside than inside, and parents didnt have to buy them toys to keep their kids preoccupied.

Pre-1980

Magee, who evaluates items and pays cash on the spot for old toys, said hes usually looking for popular items from the 1980s and before.

He has conducted more than 300 buying shows in the past 15 years and is considered the leading vintage toy expert in the country.

He was a collector for 30 years, but when he found himself looking for vintage items for others, he turned it into a business. Magee puts on 30 buying shows a year and recently shot an episode of his new show in Las Vegas.

Magee, who was conducting a show at the Delta Hotels by Marriott in Mount Pleasant on Sunday, said he buys everything from Barbie dolls to comic books and Pez dispensers to Star Wars memorabilia. Sundays buying show in Mount Pleasant drew more than 100 people.

People dig out the old toys, their treasures they no longer want anymore, and we do the restoration work, he said. We deal with the stuff from the 80s and older ... anything with superhero comic books. You just never know whats going to pop up.

Old favorites

At Sundays show, he saw a lot of favorites, such Tonka Toys, old metal vehicles and trains, cowboy cap guns and western stuff.

So many styles of different things,  he said. Battery-operated cars are very popular, and the wind-up toys are very popular, animals, clowns, just about anything.

How much cash hell give depends upon the condition of the item.

For example, original Star Wars figurines still in the box can fetch anywhere from $50 to $200 apiece. Loose figurines will often garner $2 to $3 apiece, he said. Back in the day, the items were purchased at stores for about $2.99.

It all depends on condition and what particular item it is. We pay cash. I then take it and 90 percent of what we buy has to be restored, he said. Most of my job is restoring history.

He said many times people come to his shows because they want to clean out their basements, attics and garages.

And get some cash, which is always good, he said.

Hooked by GI Joe

Magee said some years ago he was at a flea market in Iowa, where hes from. He didnt particularly want to be there, but seeing a GI Joe lunchbox, like the one he owned as a kid, hooked him in.

All of the sudden, I saw my GI Joe lunchbox, and it brought back memories of the lunchroom and my school and childhood friends, he said. I remember drinking milk out of that Thermos, too. It was warm and well, yuck.

One of his favorite toy finds was a Herman Munster puppet, circa 1964.

It still talks if you can imagine that. You pull the string and he says, Hi, Im Herman Munster, and I want to scare you.

If you go

What: Kenosha Vintage Toy Buying Show presented by Joel Magee of Americas Toy Scout

When: 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Candlewood Suites, 10200 74th St. in Kenosha.
Ten militants were killed and nine policemen were injured on Sunday in a shootout in central Cairo's Agouza district as police were executing a raid, according to a statement by the Ministry of Interior.

Security forces had received information that a number of militants who escaped the restive North Sinai were hiding out in two apartments in Agouza and were planning a number of attacks in central governorates.

Police were met with gunfire when they attempted to execute an arrest warrant on the suspects at dawn, according to the ministry.

A number of weapons were found in the two apartments.

Six of the suspects have been identified, all of whom had registered addresses in the Greater Cairo area. Two of the suspects were wanted on terrorism-related charges in North Sinai.

Egypt's military and security forces have been battling various Islamist militant groups, mostly in North Sinai, though militants have carried out attacks elsewhere in the country.

Police frequently conduct raids on suspected terrorist hideouts, often resulting in deadly gun battles.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The death toll among Egyptians on the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia this year has climbed to 85, Egypt's health ministry announced on Monday.

An 85-year-old woman from Aswan died from cardiac arrest while in hospital in Medina, the deputy-head of Egypt's hajj medical commission Mohamed Shawky said, according to state-run news agency MENA.

Meanwhile, a 49-year-old woman from Menoufiya governorate passed away after suffering a heart attack. She also died while in hospital in Medina, said the health ministry.

Deaths from heat exhaustion, fatigue and other natural causes are a common occurrence among pilgrims on the hajj in Saudi Arabia.

More than 100,000 Egyptian pilgrims performed the hajj this year, according to housing minister Mostafa Madbouly, who heads the Egyptian hajj delegation.

Saudi authorities said more than 2.3 million Muslims participated in this year's hajj.

All Muslims who are able to do so are requird by Islam to perform the hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, at least once in their lifetime.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


447 Shares Share

Just a year after the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to race-conscious admissions in Fisher v. University of Texas, this issue is being pushed back to the front of the room by none other than the Trump administrations Justice Department hauling out hoary tropes about reverse discrimination. They are preparing cases against Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, charging to the rescue of the multitudes of innocent middle-class whites and Asians who have been wounded by the shame of having to attend their second or third-choice university.

Its not fair! they cry.

And the Supreme Court answers: This is not about you.

In the midst of all this blather about what is and is not fair and meritocratic, can we take a step back to ask what is the purpose of meritocracy?

As physicians, all of us have been through a rigorous, multi-stage and multi-year process of selection in which fewer than half of the students who aspire to apply to medical school end up doing so, and fewer than half of those again achieve admission.

Thus, we all probably have sympathy for undergraduates experiencing the nail-biting terror of seeing their life plans blocked in front of them.

And yet, the undergraduate plaintiffs in the Fisher case seemed to feel that it was a self-explanatory, God-given right that those with the highest test scores should be showered with praise, affirmation and laureled thrones in the ivied halls. It isnt clear that their thought process extended one step backward, to consider this question: To what purpose are their grades and test scores ever considered in the first place? Why meritocracy at all? Why use quantified markers of academic success to determine admissions to higher education?

The idea of meritocracy is presumably not to define test scores as a good in themselves that should be uncritically rewarded. Indeed, the U.S. system of higher education has expressly chosen not to base admissions decisions solely on the results of a single test score, as is commonly done in many other nations throughout the world. Instead, U.S. colleges, universities and medical schools have chosen to devote an enormous amount of labor and resources to the cause of identifying the students they feel will be most successful. They do this via a laborious process of poring over complex applications that include students grades, test scores, writing capabilities and extracurricular activities and by conducting face-to-face interviews with applicants. All this is to say that U.S. institutions of higher education have decided already that merit is not a scalar variable, and that the purpose of the admissions process is to identify those students who will be best served by the university who in turn will best use the education they obtain to serve the wider community, the country and the rest of humanity.

Insofar as grades, test scores and the like are used in this process, they are a proxy for this multifaceted idea of merit. The achievement of a high test score is not in itself meritorious and worthy of reward. It is just one of the many pieces of information our institutions of higher learning are using collectively to help identify students who, ultimately, are going to be productive citizens and use their education to give back to the world.

But there are other markers of the student who is likely to give back to the world, and they have been pushed to the side in the ongoing blather about fairness and meritocracy.

Minority physicians are more likely to practice in underserved communities.

These are the very communities that most need doctors, yet least have them. The patients served by minority physicians are more likely to be in ill health than those served by white physicians.

They are poorer, more likely to be on Medicaid and live in areas where the ratio of physicians to patients is low.

Thus, minority physicians play a major role in promoting access to care among underserved populations.

The question about affirmative action is not whether it is fair or unfair to the students who are admitted. The bottom line is that there are not enough slots in medical school for everyone who wants to attend, and on an individual level someone is always going to be disappointed. The question is rather what is fair to the people who will be the future patients of these future doctors. The responsibility of the medical schools is to promote these patients welfare, not to draw straight little lines between each applicants MCAT score and his destiny.

Let us as a nation stop being petty about race-based admissions. Let us instead bring a wider and more generous focus to the question of how our young people can be best educated, prepared and deployed to serve others in need.

Thalia K. Robakis is a psychiatrist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
More than a dozen killed and injured in the attack, according to Ahram Arabic; the ministry has not yet issued final count for fatalities and wounded

A terrorist attack by militants on a police convoy near Arish city in North Sinai on Monday has killed and wounded a number of policemen, the interior ministry has said.

Anonymous sources told Al-Ahram Arabic's local correspondent, Hanaa El-Tabarani, that the number of dead has reached 18, with five injured.

According to anonymous security sources quoted by Al-Ahram, militants remotely detonated an IED that destroyed three armoured security vehicles and a vehicle jamming system in a convoy 17km away from Arish.

Militants also attacked the convoy by driving into it with a car primed to explode, Al-Ahram reported.

The sources added that the ambulances could not reach the injured as militants were ambushing security and medical support.

In a subsequent update on Monday afternoon, Al-Ahram reported that the injured were being evacuated.

The interior ministry has released a short statement saying that "a number of police were killed" in a the convoy attack, but has not yet issued a final tally of the victims.

So far no group has claimed responsibility of the attack, although many similar deadly attacks on security forces in the last four years have been claimed by Sinai-based Islamist militant group Ansar Beit El-Maqdis.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Volunteers are asked to commit to two hours per week and are provided with training and support from professional youth workers.

Foroige Kilkenny delivers a number of services to young people in Kilkenny.

Organisers said: Our youth space, The DRUM, in MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre (funded by Tusla and Kilkenny County Council) is equipped with digital media equipment, music production equipment, cooking and art facilities, gaming area, pool and foosball tables and is a fantastic space for young people to hang out.

We operate a youth cafe and a number of youth development programmes from this facility. We also support a number of volunteer-led clubs and youth spaces across the county including the newly opened youth cafe in Castlecomer.

Working with young people can be a fantastic and rewarding experience for volunteers and is also a great way to meet new people and gain experience in youth work.

Also, volunteers who work with young people really make a difference to the lives of the young people they work with.

Foroige is the leading youth organisation in Ireland and has been working with young people since 1952.

Their purpose is to enable young people to involve themselves consciously and actively in their development and in the development of society.

They work with over 50,000 young people aged 10-18 each year through volunteer-led Clubs and staff-led Youth Projects.

Foroige currently operates in 26 counties in Ireland, with more than 600 Foroige Clubs, 150 Youth Projects, the Big Brother Big Sister mentoring programme, the Foroige Youth Entrepreneurship programme, our Youth Citizenship and Youth Leadership programmes.

All Foroige Clubs, Projects, Services and Programmes are designed to encourage young people to take responsibility for themselves and to be part of shaping the world around them while developing their talents, skills and abilities.
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.

Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.

If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .

Support our mission and join our community now.
Kilkennys Major General Kieran Brennan was among the members of the Defence Forces and other guests who attended a recent ceremony and plaque unveiling in Ballingarry in tribute to those from the area who were involved in WWI.

The community of Ballingarry was joined by descendants of the 80 or so individuals, as well as representation from serving Irish Defence Force personnel and veterans.

Proceedings got under way with a moving ceremony celebrated by Fr Derry Quirke in The Church of the Assumption. It began with the presentation of individual white crosses by a family member to the altar with the names of the 78 soldiers, one chaplain and one nun, with young people from the parish reading out each name.

Numerous people spoke or performed songs or readings at the event, pipers and buglers adding to the occasion. Chairman Martin Maher opened the ceremony, and introduced local historianDr Thomas McGrath, who gave a fascinating account of the involvement of the individuals commemorated, highlighting the numbers who lost their lives.

Later, Major General Brennan laid a laurel wreath and addressed the gathering thanking the committee for the invitation. He spoke about the continued peace keeping mission of the Irish Defence Forces in places like Lebanon, Goa and Mali, as well as assisting local communities in times of need. He commended the committee for the excellent plaque unveiled and suggested that a plaque such as this should be in every parish in Ireland.

Well done to the committee , their team of volunteers, and everyone who helped to make the day a huge success.
Sinn Fein MEP Liadh Ni Riada has called for root and branch reform of the Irish education system.

The Ireland South MEP was speaking at an event she organised in the European Parliament entitled Quality Education For All. The conference heard contributions from MEPs and education professionals across Europe on the challenges facing the education system and what can be done to tackle them.

Ms Ni Riada was joined by Cork TD Pat Buckley, who addressed the conference on assisting students with special needs, and Clare Councillor Mike McKee who outlined the challenges facing education in the Shannon area.

I am delighted with how the conference went. There was incredible engagement from people right across Europe and most importantly from the young people who were there, she said.

There was much to take away from it but we cannot simply acknowledge these problems and then move on so the conference must be seen as a first step to beginning root and branch reform of the education system in Ireland and right across Europe.

At home we need to begin looking more seriously at things like apprenticeships and social skills.

We need to address what is effectively a brain drain in rural Ireland where young people have no choice but to leave if they wish to continue studies and get gainful employment.

We want to see quality education but we also want to see equality of education, which means no child left behind. In that regard there are some very practical measures that must be take in order to assist students with special needs.

Sinn Fein would begin a process that over the next few years would reduce the pupil teacher ratio from its current number of 27:1 down to 20:1. We would reverse Fine Gael's removal of supports for children with special needs, provide an additional 1450 Special Needs Assistants, increase resource teaching hours and add 500 additional places to the Momentum Programme for jobseekers with disabilities.

These are simple, practical and affordable measures that can make a huge difference to the lives of those affected by these issues.

Last June the School Admissions Bill was discussed in the Education Committee of Leinster House and our Oireachtas team submitted a number of amendments to the Bill including one to prohibit publicly funded schools from discriminating against students on the basis of their religious beliefs.

We also sought to extend statutory powers to the National Council for Special Education to establish an autism or special class where there is local demand and have sought to ensure that those who are brought up through the medium of Irish at home will retain the right to access education through the medium of Irish.

Ultimately we are committed to free and fair access to education for all. This may seem like a daunting task, especially when you begin to unravel all the problems our education system faces, so it is imperative that we begin to implement change now or it our children and their children who will pay the price."
Hundreds of people defied the inclement weather in Kilkenny City this evening to show their support and welcome home the county's senior camogie team, which narrowly lost out to Cork yesterday in the All-Ireland final.

Loud cheers greeted the team as they arrived at Kilkenny Courthouse by open-top bus, proceeded by a bagpiper and the triumphant under-14 camogie girls. The black and amber flew proudly as the team, fresh from their endeavours against the resurgent Rebels, appeared at the courthouse balcony with manager Ann Downey and camogie chairman Martin Quilty.

Speaking from the balcony, Mayor of Kilkenny Michael Doyle said the team had done Kilkenny proud over numerous years.

"Last year was joy and huge emotion; this year is tinged with disappointment," he said.

"But they can improve and get stronger again from it. Theres plenty of All-Irelands in this team."

He paid tribute to Ann Downey and her management team.

Its not easy when you lose, but this bunch of girls will definitely bounce back stronger from the defeat, and theyll definitely bring home the O Duffy Cup in the near future, thats for sure," he said.

That sentiment was echoed by Mr Quilty, who said they would bounce back from the defeat, and Ms Downey, who thanked the county board, supporters, and everyone who had turned out to welcome the team home.

I neednt tell you how devastated we are after yesterdays result, she said.

But I suppose, as they say, what doesnt kill you will make you stronger. And let me tell you, this bunch of girls will be back with the O Duffy Cup soon.
A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo earlier this week to resume talks which started in February regarding the the situation in the Gaza Strip and bilateral relations with Egypt.

The delegation is led by the head of the political bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, in his first visit to Cairo since his election as the head of the groups political bureau in May.

According to observers, Haniyeh's participation in the current talks is an indicator of the development of the dialogue, which is moving to its concluding phase.

The delegation also include representatives from Hamas abroad, such as Mousa Abu Marzook, and Saleh Al-Arori, who both arrived in Cairo from Turkey.

The head of the group in Gaza, Yahia Senwar, and his deputy Khalil Al-Hayya, as well as leading member Rawhi Mushtaha, all came from Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, which was opened specifically for them.

The talks will focus on four main files: borders control, security, reconciliation, a Palestinian prisoners deal, and improving conditions in Gaza, Tarek Fahmy, an advisor at the National Center of Middle Eastern Studies in Cairo, told Ahram Online

The talks will also tackle the speeding up of the implementation of the understandings that have been recently agreed on by the two sides, regarding providing Gaza larger amounts of electricity, and the opening of Rafah crossing border, Fahmy added.

Fahmy concluded that the high profile of the delegation, i.e. Haniyehs inclusion, means that a new level of understanding between Egypt and Hamas will enter into force, and will have repercussions on the conditions in the Gaza Strip.

Taher Al-Nono, the spokesperson of the Palestinian delegation currently in Cairo, agreed that the four topics were being discussed, and described the meetings as "positive, comforting, and happening in a warm atmosphere.

The first file is continuing the consolidation of the bilateral relations, which the group says are developing in a good way with Cairo.

According to Al-Nono, "the group leadership is largely keen on developing relations."

The second file, which the spokesperson did not give many details about, is "resuming and building on the understandings that occurred in previous meetings that Hamas delegations held in Cairo."

Hamas leaders held at least three meetings earlier which highlighted re-drawing the route and the nature of managing the situation in Gaza, through settling the disagreement between Mohamed Dahlan, the former leader of Fatah in Gaza, and Hamas.

The disagreement dates back to armed clashes between the two sides in 2007, when Dahlan was the head of the Palestinian Authority's preventative security body, which left a number of people killed and injured.

The armed confrontations were followed by Hamas taking control over Gaza from the Palestinian Authority, which is based in Ramallah in the West Bank.

Sources in Hamas told Ahram Online that an agreement to settle this dispute was made by establishing a committee to settle the blood money owed to those who were killed and compensation for those injured.

A Palestinian source from Gaza who is informed of the details of the talks confirmed to Ahram Online that "a large amount of blood money has been settled recently."

Regarding the end of Hamas control over the strip, the Palestinian source said that it was not resolved yet.

The control is represented by a higher administrative committee that runs Gazan affairs, a committee that Cairo has asked Hamas to scrap.

According to the Palestinian source, it has been recommended that the committee be dissolved because because of internal pressures to do so, especially from the Islamic Jihad movement.

Another file is the management of the Rafah border, which the Palestinian Authority, according to the source, insists on participating in managing.

On the issue of border control, the Palestinian source noted that "Hamas has finished the second phase of the security wall with Egypt, completing 12 kilometres," adding that the second phase includes barbed wires, security cameras, and lights.

The source describes Hamas' efforts in that regard as a step forward, to implement the procedures agreed upon with Egypt before continuing joint dialogue.

The details of the security wall were agreed on in June in Cairo with a security delegation from Hamas.

According to this agreement the area will be a closed military area, in order to facilitate border-monitoring and stop the smuggling of drugs and wanted people.

The third file that is being addressed in the current talks is the fate of the Palestinian issue in general, according to Al-Nono.

The fourth issue under discussion is Palestinian national reconciliation in broad terms as well as Palestinian relations with Egyptian officials, Al-Nono added.

Hamas says, according to sources in Cairo and Gaza, that it is about to start a new political phase, in the light the internal popular pressures the group has been facing, due to the hard conditions that life in Gaza has reached. This implies that the group recognizes that it has to change its behaviour, especially towards Egypt, following a long period of tensions.

On the other hand, sources in Cairo say that Hamas has no chance to cooperate with Egypt during the current phase as the two sides are facing a challenge from the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah--especially with the involvement in the talks of Dahlan, who represents a challenge to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


SEOUL, Sept 11 (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said on Monday she sees the South Korean economy growing 3 percent this year, in line with the government's forecast and faster than 2.8 percent growth recorded in 2016.

Lagarde added that Asia's fourth-largest economy looks "highly resilient" to geopolitical risks stemming from nuclear and missile provocations from North Korea.

She spoke to reporters at a media conference in Seoul.

(Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Writing by Christine Kim; Editing by Richard Borsuk)
(Repeats Sept 8 item with no change to content)

By Chuck Mikolajczak

NEW YORK, Sept 8 (Reuters) - High dividend yield stocks such as telecoms and utilities are looking more tempting as investors become increasingly nervous about the outlook for equities and as U.S. Treasury yields hover near a 10-month low.

The wide spread between the 10-year Treasury note and high-dividend payers, coupled with these stocks' reputation as a safer play, could tempt investors to move away from high growth names.

A nuclear test from North Korea on Sunday rattled investors when markets opened on Tuesday after the extended holiday weekend, pushing the yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes to a 10-month low.

"If rates can stay down here you will see people begin to return to those days of owning high dividend stocks," said Rick Meckler, president of investment firm LibertyView Capital Management in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Investors typically prize high dividend players in a low rate, low growth environment, as they search for high yielding and stable instruments.

Fund managers already seem to be picking up some of these stocks. On a sector basis, weekly inflows for utilities were among the strongest, relative to assets under management, at 1.9 percent according to data from Credit Suisse through Sept. 1.

Stocks in the telecom and utilities sector have some of the highest dividend yields in the S&P 500. Telecom CenturyLink has a dividend yield of 11.4 percent, top in the index. Utilities FirstEnergy and Southern Co both have dividend yields above 4.5 percent.

Meckler said investors are now more confident these sectors can compete with the yield on the 10-year at such a low level.

Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein issued a note of caution about the disparity between bond yields and equities at a conference in Germany on Wednesday, saying "When yields on corporate bonds are lower than dividends on stocks, that unnerves me." Stubbornly low bond yields can be of concern to equity players because they are forced to take bigger risks as they search for higher returns. They also raise red flags about the health of the economy.

Yields fell even further on Friday, to 2.016 percent, after New York Fed President William Dudley struck a less hawkish tone about rate hikes, while still defending them, in a Thursday night speech. FORK IN THE ROAD

The dividend yield on the telecom sector is 5.2 percent while the utilities sector holds a 3.4 percent yield compared with a 2.4 percent yield for the broad S&P 500 index.

Those sectors have had divergent fortunes this year, however, with utilities up more than 12 percent while telecoms have dropped more than 14 percent, the worst among the major S&P sectors.

Telecoms also show a forward price to earnings ratio (PE) of 12.9, well below the 17.6 of the S&P 500. Utilities, however, are slightly more expensive with an 18.4 ratio, which could make them less attractive to investors even with the dividend premium.

In a recent note to clients, analyst Craig Moffett at MoffettNathansan said valuations for Verizon and AT&T were "enticingly low" with dividend yields "particularly attractive relative to the 10-year Treasury."

The utilities sector has a strong 50-day negative correlation to the 10-year yield of 0.87, indicating the opposite directions they have traveled in. Telecoms, while still a negative 0.24, have a looser bond.

STOCK HEADWINDS

As investors weigh increasing risks for equities, including stretched valuations in what is typically a difficult period for stocks, the high dividend payers may be a safer play in a market that could be primed for a pullback.

Tension with North Korea, economic disruption from major hurricanes and political wrangling in Washington are also among the issues investors have to contend with. "September and October are historically trying months for equities and add on to that geopolitical risk, it is somewhat prudent to be taking a little bit off the table here," said Anthony Conroy, president at Abel Noser in New York.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Bond Proxy Dividend Yields Bond Proxy Sectors PE vs S&P 500 20yr Telecoms & Util performance vs 10-yr ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Megan Davies and Chizu Nomiyama)
LONDON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Mark Carney is widening his influence by becoming chair of two global central bank groups which monitor risks from the economy and financial system.

Carney will chair the Global Economy Meeting (GEM), part of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), which is made up of 30 central banks and monitors the global economy and financial system.

The 52-year-old Canadian, who has been Bank of England Governor since 2013, will also chair the Economic Consultative Committee (ECC), which prepares proposals for GEM.

GEM flags risks to governments from the economy, and oversees work by other BIS panels on standards for market infrastructure, payments and markets.

He starts in December, when Augustin Carstens, who currently chairs both bodies, becomes general manager of the BIS.

Carney already chairs the Financial Stability Board at the BIS in Basel. The FSB coordinates new regulation for banks, insurers and asset managers introduced since the financial crisis that began a decade ago.

(Reporting by Huw Jones; editing by Alexander Smith)
BEIJING, Sept 11 (Reuters) - China's central bank issued a statement on Monday on the implementation of U.N. Security council resolutions without specifying which resolutions or the affected parties.

The People's Bank of China said that Chinese financial agencies and specific non-financial institutions are required to record the related individuals and entities in their system and conduct retrospective investigation once they receive the ruling from the country's foreign ministry.

The notice did not specify which U.N. resolution it would comply with or which individuals or entities would be targeted.

The U.N. Security Council is due to vote on fresh sanctions on the North Korean regime later in the day.

A U.S.-drafted resolution originally calling for an oil embargo on the North, a halt to its key exports of textiles and subjecting leader Kim Jong Un to a financial and travel ban, appears to have been watered down to appease Russia and China, which both have veto powers, diplomats said. (Reporting by Beijing Monitoring Desk; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
PRAGUE, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The Czech ruling coalition agreed to raise public sector wages from Nov. 1, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said on Monday on his Twitter account. "Teachers' wages will grow by 15 percent, the rest of public sector employees' (wages will rise) by 10 percent," Sobotka said. The Czech government wil open debate on 2018 state budget on Monday, with a deficit planned to reach 50 billion crowns ($2.30 billion). ($1 = 21.7500 Czech crowns)

(Reporting by Robert Muller)

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.
(Updates Thyssenkrupp, Pilgrim's Pride, Hitachi; Adds Alamos Gold, Luxottica )

Sept 11 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Monday:

** Banks are preparing to sell down a 647-million-pound ($853 million) leveraged loan financing backing the acquisition of UK-based software firm Civica by Swiss asset manager Partners Group, banking sources said. ** Thyssenkrupp may reach an agreement in principle this month to merge its European steel business with that of Tata Steel , the group said, adding talks were constructive and had entered the final stretch. ** Private equity firm Warburg Pincus has completed a deal to buy a 49 percent stake in Chinese asset management company Fortune SG from French bank Societe Generale , the companies said. ** Brazil's JBS SA agreed on Monday to sell a British poultry unit to subsidiary Pilgrim's Pride Corp for $1 billion, suggesting that the world's No. 1 meatpacker is trying to protect revenues in more profitable activities abroad as it faces a corruption scandal at home. ** Japan's government said it will sell $12 billion worth of Japan Post Holdings Co Ltd stock in an announcement that fund managers gave a tepid reception, saying limited growth prospects is likely to dull demand from institutional investors. ** U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management Corp said it has a stake of just over 5 percent in Hitachi Kokusai Electric , putting pressure on a stalled takeover bid by U.S. buyout firm KKR & Co LP . ** CBS Corp <CBS.N will> pay at least A$201.1 million ($162 million) in cash to buy Australian broadcaster Ten Network Holdings , according to documents released on Monday by Ten's administrator. ** Germany's Merck KGaA has hired JP Morgan to sell its consumer health business, which includes brands such as Seven Seas vitamins and could be worth around $4.5 billion. ** South Korea's Lotte Shopping is considering selling its supermarkets in China and other options should political tensions between Seoul and Beijing continue next year, an official at the retailer told Reuters. ** Global commodities trader Cargill Inc said it has agreed to sell its U.S. metals business to Japan's Metal One Corp, its latest move to boost its focus on higher-margin food and agricultural businesses. ** India's IndusInd Bank Ltd has entered into exclusive talks to acquire microlender Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd , in a deal that will help the private sector bank to expand its consumer business. ** Canada's Alamos Gold Inc , will buy smaller rival Richmont Mines Inc , in a deal valued at about C$905 million ($747 million) to create one of the top 10 gold producer in North America. ** EU antitrust regulators have concerns over the proposed 46 billion-euro ($55 billion) merger deal between the world's biggest eyewear company, Luxottica , and top lens maker Essilor , and will inform them later this week, a person familiar with the matter said. ** The sale of Australian infrastructure fund Macquarie's 36 percent stake in Brussels airport has stalled due to a dispute with fellow shareholder Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP), sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. (Compiled by Laharee Chatterjee and Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru)
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) - The Guatemalan Supreme Court has reinstated the mining license for Tahoe Resources Inc.s (TSX: THO, NYSE: TAHO) subsidiary in the country, Minera San Rafael, the company announced late Sunday.

The companys flagship Escobal mine is located in Guatemala. Escobal is one the largest silver mines in the world, producing 21.2 million ounces of silver concentrate during 2016, according to Tahoes website.

For now, a road blockade is still keeping the mine closed. However, Tahoe Resources said reopening the mine should occur within a week after the blockade is lifted.

The court decision reverses a mid-summer ruling to suspend the license after an action brought by the CALAS against Guatemalas Ministry of Energy and Mines alleging that MEM violated the Xinca indigenous peoples right of consultation before granting the Escobal mining license to MSR, Tahoe Resources said.

As part of its decision, the Supreme Court ordered MEM to conduct a consultation with Xinca indigenous communities within a certain geographic area and report results to the satisfaction of the court within 12 months, Tahoe said. The company added that it is seeking clarification from the Supreme Court on the specific geographical departments to be included. Officials also cautioned that CALAS and other parties may appeal the Supreme Courts ruling to the Constitutional Court. However, after the Supreme Court rules on the companys motion for clarification, the Tahoe subsidiary also will have a right to appeal the matter to the Constitutional Court if it deems necessary.

The Constitutional Court is expected to rule on all appeals by the end of the year, Tahoe Resources added.

While the Supreme Court ruling allows Escobal operations to commence immediately, a roadblock at Casillas is preventing an immediate restart, Tahoe Resources said. The company added that it will work with the government, community leaders and international mediation experts to resolve the roadblock quickly.

The company respects the rights of indigenous people in all jurisdictions in which we operate and are always willing to engage with any community members in those jurisdictions, said Ron Clayton, Tahoes president and chief executive officer. We remain focused on peacefully resolving the blockade at Casillas.Once the road is reopened at Casillas, we will resume full operations without disruption and put our valued employees and vendors back to work, support the economy of our local communities and return value to our shareholders.

Once operations resume, the company expects to provide an update on Escobal production that has been deferred to future periods. Tahoe said it also expects to update previously suspended production guidance.

Credit Suisse upgraded its rating of Tahoe to outperform after the news.

This is the first positive catalyst since the issue became known, Credit Suisse said. Many factors remain unknown, particularly the impact of a potential appeal. We believe the stock will begin to re-rate with this turning point, thus we are upgrading on valuation with 63% upside to our target price.

BMO Capital Markets called the court ruling a big step forward for Tahoe Resources.

We expect the shares of THO to rebound on the news, but recognize that uncertainty will persist given the potential for appeal and that operations are still being prevented from restarting do to a road blockade, BMO said.
Sept 11 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's total exports to China for outward processing rose an annual 3.7 percent to HK$140.4 billion ($17.97 billion), in terms of value in the second quarter of 2017, the Census and Statistics Department said on Monday.

Outward processing trade involves the shipment of raw materials to mainland China for manufacturing. Finished products are then shipped back to Hong Kong for re-export.

(Rounded figures in billions of Hong Kong dollars and year-on-year percentage change in brackets):

2nd qtr 2017 1st qtr 2017 Total exports to China 140.43 (3.7) 120.05 (8.2) Domestic exports to China 0.413 (-7.2) 0.447 (2.1) Re-exports to China 140.02 (3.7) 119.61 (8.2) Imports from China 204.42 (3.8) 160.51 (3.5) ($1 = 7.8148 Hong Kong dollars)

(Reporting by Twinnie Siu in HONG KONG; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
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) - The most recent data collected by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission shows that money managers have pushed their bullish gold positioning to the highest level of 2017, analysts said.

During the week-long period to Sept. 5 that was covered by the CFTC report, Comex December gold rose $25.60 to $1,344.50 an ounce, while December silver climbed 42.5 cents to $17.941.

Net long or short positioning in the CFTC data reflect the difference between the total number of bullish and bearish contracts. Traders monitor the data to gauge the general mood of speculators, although excessively high or low numbers are viewed by many as signs of overbought or oversold markets that may be ripe for price corrections.

Money managers upped their gold net-long (bullish) position in the disaggregated report to 237,188 futures contracts, compared to 221,126 in the prior week. This was due to fresh buying, as reflected by an increase of 16,424 longs. There was a modest 362 rise in gross shorts (bearish trades).

Gold specs continued to increase net length this week, with long positioning setting a record for 2017 as specs aggressively added longs, which more than offset the modest increase in shorts, said a research note from TD Securities.

The threat of North Korean missiles, along with the growing market consensus that the U.S. central bank will not hike rates, helped gold rally to highs not seen since September of last year. However, speculators will need the Fed to provide additional certainty that it will delay the next rate hike before they add to their long exposure and further lift prices from current levels.

Sam Laughlin, senior precious-metals trader with MKS (Switzerland) S.A., pointed out that the next round of data could show even greater net length since prices continued to rally from the Aug. 29 cutoff date of the prior report to a fresh longtime high on Friday. Of course, this could change if the metal falls too sharply heading into this weeks Tuesday cutoff for the next CFTC data, erasing any new net length that may have occurred in recent days.

Meanwhile, in silver futures, the funds net length climbed to 62,178 lots from 52,429 the prior week. As was the case the prior week, however, this was largely due to short covering in which traders buy to exit from bearish positions. Gross shorts declined by 6,879 lots, although there was also some fresh buying, as shown by a 2,870-lot increase in total longs.



Silver specs continued to increase net-long positioning, as specs aggressively covered their shorts and modestly added to new longs. But, in sharp contrast to the yellow metal, silver specs have plenty of room to grow their long exposure, TDS said. We continue to expect silver to outperform gold, as the silver metal remains cheap relative to gold, despite the recent strong precious-metal sentiment and robust fundamentals.
FRANKFURT, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Germany's Paragon plans to float about 40 percent of its Voltabox battery systems unit on the Frankfurt stock exchange as early as this autumn to raise deleveopment funds for the business.

Voltabox is to issue 5 million new shares plus a greenshoe option of 825,000 shares, with a further 500,000 shares to come from Paragon's holdings, Paragon and Voltabox said.

The companies did not say how much the initial public offering (IPO) is expected to raise.

Voltabox, the customers of which include carmaker BMW , brake systems business Knorr-Bremse and industrial robots maker Kuka , makes lithium-ion-based battery systems used in electric forklifts, mining vehicles and trolley buses.

It said it sees opportunities in agricultural markets, construction vehicles and municipal utility vehicles. It also plans to expand into performance electronics and electric engines.

The business generated 10.6 million euros ($12.7 million) in sales in the first half of 2017 but said it had an order backlog of more than 800 million euros.

Its first-half loss before interest and tax (EBIT) narrowed to 0.7 million euros from 1.5 million a year earlier.

Bankhaus Lampe KG will be the sole global coordinator for the IPO and joint bookrunner alongside Hauck & Aufhauser Privatbankiers, Paragon said. ($1 = 0.8322 euros)

(Reporting by Maria Sheahan; Editing by David Goodman)
The committee said human rights organizations working in Egypt should issue a 'professional' response to HRW's report on Egypt

Egypt parliament's human rights committee denied in a meeting attended by various Egyptian officials and public figures on Monday that "torture has become a systematic practice in Egypt."

The meeting of the parliament's human rights committee was held to respond to last week's report by the New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on alleged human rights abuses in Egypt.

The head of the State Information Service (SIS) and the head of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) were among officials who attended the meeting to address HRW's accusations.

Head of the parliament's human rights committee Alaa Abed said "all institutions allowed to inspect the human rights situation in Egyptian prisons did not report any torture practices."

"Prisoners, including those affiliated with the outlawed group of Muslim Brotherhood, have even never said they face torture or any other abuses," said Abed.

Abed said HRW "politicized report on Egypt comes at a very crucial moment when the country has made many economic successes and begun to recover its influential role in the Arab region as an attempt to sow divisions and bring chaos to the country again."

Abed called upon human rights organizations in Egypt to issue a "unified" report on the situation of human rights in Egypt.

"This report should come as an objective and professional response to HRW's accusations," said Abed.

An official statement by the committee also said "state institutions like the foreign ministry, the State Information Service, and Egyptian embassies abroad should play a great role in responding to foreign reports on Egypt in a professional and regular way."

Diaa Rashwan, head of the State Information Service (SIS), said HRW's report on torture in Egypt was by no means well-documented.

"I urge those who claimed they were tortured to lodge complaints with the prosecutor-general," said Rashwan, adding that "he agrees that professional reports should be issued on human rights in Egypt to act as a professional response to HRW's flawed reports."

"We should also uncover the sources of funding provided to HRW and other Western human rights organizations because this is very important to understand how they politicize their reports," said Rashwan.

Rashwan said Egypt's State Information Service will issue a response to HRW's report in five languages.

"The response will be issued in a press conference on Monday afternoon," said Rashwan.

The HRW report that was released on Wednesday details alleged abuses used by Egypts interior ministry to gather information from political detainees.

Egypt's interior ministry has long denied subjecting any individual to torture in custody, stressing that such practices were individual police violations.

Deputy foreign minister Laila Bahaaeddin said "the foreign ministry's review of HRW's report concluded that it is a highly politicized report."

"When this report was issued on 5 September, the ministry found out that it contained a "politicised" introduction and included "fake" names of citizens who claimed they were tortured," said Bahaaeddin.

Bahaaeddin, however, urged Egyptian institutions not to give much attention to HRW's reports on Egypt. "We should rather focus on highlighting achievements and this will be the best response to such reports," said Bahaaeddin.

Mohamed Fayek, head of the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), said "Western periodical reports about systematic torture in Egypt are unfounded."

"There was torture and abuses in the past, but now I assure that there is no torture in Egyptian prisons," said Fayek, also indicating that "NCHR is now in constant contact with the interior ministry to make sure that police officers observe human rights and that there is no torture at all in Egyptian prisons," said Fayek.

Fayek also urged MPs and state authorities not to give much weight to HRW's reports. "These reports aim to exert pressure for political reasons, and I urge all to instead focus on fighting discrimination and reinforcing the principles of citizenship," said Fayek.

Dahlia Ziada, a human rights activist, said it is highly suspected that HRW receives funding from Qatar and political Islam movements like Muslim Brotherhood.

"Remember that HRW has even warned US president Donald Trump not to designate Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization," said Ziada.

Monsif Soliman, a member of NCHR, also indicated that "NCHR paid several inspection visits to Egyptian prisons, including El-Aqrab prison, to review the situation of human rights there."

"Even when we met with prisoners affiliated with the outlawed groups of Muslim Brotherhood, they denied in a recorded interview that they face torture and said they are well treated," said Soliman.

Soliman said NCHR's coordination with the interior ministry led to changing the regulations governing Egyptian prisons to go in line with international conventions on human rights.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


WARSAW, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Poland's trade surplus in the January-July period amounted to 630.6 million euros ($756.72 million), the statistics office (GUS) said on Monday.

GUS said exports in the seven-month period rose by 8.4 percent to 114.65 billion euros, while imports rose 11.1 percent to 114.02 billion euros.

GUS counts trade by customs receipts while the central bank publishes figures based on bank flows. ($1 = 0.8333 euros)

(Reporting by Anna Koper; Writing by Marcin Goclowski; Editing by Agnieszka Barteczko)
HANOI, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0425 GMT.

September 11 USD/VND mid-point 22,428 USD/VND interbank 22,724/22,726 USD/VND unofficial 22,720/22,740 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.81/37.03

Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.5-1.1

1 week 0.8-1.2

1 month 1.4-1.9

3 months 3.0-3.6

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
ZURICH, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The Swiss blue-chip SMI was seen opening 0.12 percent up at 8,923 points on Monday, according to premarket indications by bank Julius Baer .

The following are some of the main factors expected to affect Swiss stocks.

SWISS RE The global reinsurer sees prices stabilising after catastrophes including Hurricane Harvey in the Caribbean as well as flooding in Asia, it said on Monday on the sidelines of an industry conference in Monte Carlo. For more click NOVARTIS ROCHE Swiss drugmaker Novartis notched a trial win for its drug cocktail against skin cancer on Monday, while a rival treatment from Roche with slipping sales failed in a separate study with a similar patient group. Roche's Genentech subsidiary said late on Friday that a study of the lampalizumab treament for age-related macular degeneration, a form of blindness, did not meet its primary endpoint. Analysts had forecast sales for the drug to reach around 1.5 billion Swiss francs ($1.59 billion) by 2023, though the trial raises questions about its potential. Roche shares were seen slipping 1.7 percent, according to premarket indicators from Julius Baer.

For more news, click on NESTLE Germany's Merck KGaA has hired JP Morgan to sell its consumer health business, with Switzerland's Nestle among those being sounded out as a potential buyer. For more click SWISS RE Walter Kielholz, chairman of the world's second-largest reinsurer, told newspaper Schweiz am Wochenende it was still too early to provide loss estimates for Hurricanes Harvery and Irma. "Certainly, the size of damages will be large. Swiss Re will also be affected by that," Kielholz said. Maximum claims payouts and the tendency for premiums to rise after large events meant natural catastrophes did not pose a large risk for Swiss Re as a reinsurer, the 66-year-old said. COMPANY STATEMENTS * Edisun Power Group said it has carried out a capital increase of 5.1 million francs. * Novartis said a five-year study of its Lucentis eye medicine reconfirmed its effectiveness when compared to Regeneron's Eylea.

* Evolva finalized a contract with the U.S. government worth $8.4 million to advance products that can protect against mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika virus. ECONOMY The Swiss National Bank is due to release data on sight deposits at 0800 GMT. ($1 = 0.9455 Swiss francs)

(Reporting by Zurich newsroom)

Daily Swiss stock market report in German................ All SMI constituent stocks............................ News on major Swiss stock price moves.................. FTSE Eurotop 300 index................................ DJ STOXX index........................................ Top 10 STOXX sectors............................. Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors........................ Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors....................... Top 25 European pct gainers... , losers... Swiss mid-cap index SMI futures Swiss all-share index Market statistics Swiss market digest Sector overview All Swiss news Swiss research news All equity news INTERNET ADDRESSES: Swiss Exchange / Eurex STOXX Ltd SPEED GUIDES: ))

Keywords: MARKETS SWISS STOCKS/
By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss

NEW YORK, Sept 11 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury yields rose on Monday after a generally quiet weekend unmarred by negative news out of North Korea, with investors looking ahead to this week's auction of government debt.

U.S. long-dated yields, including those on two-year and three-year notes, climbed to one-week peaks.

"We opened lower overnight because there's nothing new out of North Korea," said Justin Lederer, Treasury analyst, at Cantor Fitzgerald in New York.

"There has been good selling in futures and people are looking to this week's supply. Given where the yields are, I think people are comfortable owning the securities with higher yield."

Traders tend to sell Treasuries to bump up the yield so they can buy it at a lower price at the auction in a practice known as concession.

Treasury will auction $56 billion in debt this week: $24 billion in U.S. three-year notes later in the session, $20 billion in 10-year notes on Tuesday, and $12 billion in 30-year bonds on Wednesday.

In mid-morning trading, benchmark 10-year Treasury yields rose to 2.111 percent, from 2.061 percent late on Friday. Ten-year yields earlier rose to 2.118 percent, a one-week high.

U.S. 30-year bond yields rose to 2.724 percent, up from 2.680 percent the previous session. Thirty-year yields climbed to one-week peaks of 2.729 percent.

Ahead of the auction, U.S. three-year note yields were up at 1.417 percent, from 1.38 percent late on Friday.

Recent three-year auctions have yielded mixed results.

TD Securities in a research note said that while the auction may be "less attractive" on an outright yield basis, the note has cheapened on the curve. It added that the note could fetch a slightly higher yield than expected at this afternoon's auction, based on recent averages.

"We're 3-1/2 basis points higher in yields on the 3-year from Friday's close. That's a decent concession," said Cantor's Lederer.

(Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)
ISTANBUL, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Here are news, reports and events that may affect Turkish financial markets on Monday.

The lira stood at 3.4100 against the U.S. dollar at 0456 GMT, little changed from 3.4107 at Friday's close.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year bond was at 10.63 percent in spot trade on Friday and dipped to 10.62 percent in Monday-dated trade.

The main BIST 100 share index fell 1.18 percent to 108,451.70 points on Friday.

GLOBAL MARKETS

The U.S. dollar won a reprieve from risk aversion on Monday after North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un decided to hold a party over the weekend rather than launch another missile, tempering safe havens such as the yen and Treasuries. Investors remained cautious over the possible economic impact of Hurricane Irma as it chewed its way up the Florida coast, knocking out electricity to 3 million homes and businesses statewide. GDP The Turkish Statistics Institute will release gross domestic product data for the second quarter (0700 GMT). In a Reuters poll, the data was forecast to show growth of 5.3 percent year-on-year.

CABINET MEETING

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim will chair a meeting of the cabinet of ministers (1000 GMT).

GERMANY

Turks can safely come to Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday, dismissing a warning from Ankara that its citizens should take care when travelling there due to what it said was an increase in anti-Turkish sentiment. ERDOGAN

President Tayyip Erdogan will meet individually ambassadors from Pakistan, Ghana, Nigeria and Austria (1130-1345 GMT).

CENTRAL BANK SURVEY The central bank will announce its monthly survey of economists' and business leaders' expectations (1130 GMT).

CASH BALANCE The treasury will announce cash balance data for August (1430 GMT).

For other related news, double click on:

Turkish politics Turkish equities Turkish money Turkish debt Turkish hot stocks Forex news All emerging market news All Turkish news For real-time quotes, double click on:

Istanbul National-100 stock index , interbank lira trading , lira bond trading (Writing by Daren Butler)
ANKARA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - An improvement in tourism revenues, higher exports and a low base effect from last year will drive up Turkey's third-quarter GDP growth, Finance Minister Naci Agbal said on Monday. The Turkish economy expanded 5.1 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, data showed on Monday, just below a forecast of 5.3 percent growth in a Reuters poll. Agbal said the second quarter growth was thanks to higher domestic demand, loan growth and tax cuts.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Daren Butler)

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.
ISTANBUL, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The Turkish Treasury said on Monday that it had secured 350.9 million euro ($420.55 million) loan from the World Bank to support Turkey's efforts to increase domestic savings and to ensure sustainable growth. The total maturity of the loan was 10 years including a grace period of 3.5 years, the treasury said. ($1 = 0.8344 euros)

(Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Ece Toksabay)

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.
Sept 11 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening up 28 points at 7,405 on Monday, according to financial bookmakers.

* AstraZeneca: Two AstraZeneca drugs tackling lung cancer in different ways delivered encouraging results on Saturday, helping the British group offset July's big clinical trial setback in the disease. * SHELL: Shell's Nigerian business has signed a $300 mln deal with Shoreline Energy to develop gas pipeline infrastructure in the country, Financial Times reported on Sunday. * CARILLION: British construction services company Carillion Plc faces a fresh blow as its finance chief, Zafar Khan, steps down on Monday, just after nine months in the role, Sky News reported on Sunday. * PETRA DIAMONDS: Tanzania said on Saturday it planned to nationalise diamonds whose value it put at $29.5 million belonging to a mine majority owned by London-listed Petra Diamonds after it accused the miner of under-declaring its mineral exports. * BRITAIN ECONOMY: British consumers stepped up their domestic spending last month for the first time since April, as more of them holidayed at home due to the Brexit hit to the pound, payment card company Visa said on Monday. * BRITAIN BANKS: Britain and the European Union should accept each other's rules governing financial services in a "flexible" trade deal that offers unfettered market access to big banks but protects small investors, according to proposals made in a draft industry document seen by Reuters on Friday. * BRITAIN BROADBAND: Britain said 645 million pounds ($850 million) would be available to provide superfast broadband to more remote locations after a higher-than-expected take up of services delivered a windfall in funding. * OIL: Oil prices edged up on Monday after the Saudi oil minister discussed possibly extending a pact to cut global oil supplies beyond March 2018 with his Venezuelan and Kazakh counterparts. * The UK blue chip FTSE 100 index ended down 0.3 percent at 7,377.60 point on Friday, as a fall in mining stocks put pressure on the index, while British consumer-facing stocks came into sharp focus after pub operator Greene King's shares plunged following a bleak trading update. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets

* UK CORPORATE DIARY: Maintel Holdings PLC Half Year 2017 Earnings Release 1pm PLC Full Year Earnings Release Associated British Foods Full Year 2017 Trading Statement Release Abcam Full Year 2017 Earnings Release

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times > Other business headlines Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit * For Top News : (Reporting by Siju Varghese)
HANOI, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Vietnam's technology firm FPT Corp seeks to sell 47 percent of its trading unit to a strategic investor in 2017, the company said in a statement on Monday.

FPT said it plans to sell 47 percent of FPT Trading, whose valuation is no less than $80 million, to an undisclosed strategic investor that is a global distribution group in information technology, telecoms and components, it said in a filing to the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange.

FPT also plans to sell up to 5 percent of FPT Trading to the unit's employees, the statement said.

(Reporting by Mai Nguyen, editing by Louise Heavens)
The Washington Post reports:

US President Donald Trump prepared for a pivotal meeting with congressional leaders by huddling with his senior team  his chief of staff, his legislative director and the heads of Treasury and the Office of Management and Budget  to game out how to fund the government, raise the debt ceiling and provide Hurricane Harvey relief. But one option they never considered was the one the president ultimately chose: cutting a deal with Democratic lawmakers, to the shock and ire of his own Republican Party.

I think there is a decent chance Trump will stand at the next election as an Independent or on his own ticket  the MAGA Party. Hell try and do a Macron and get his supporters elected to the House and Senate.

The downside for him is that when he leaves the GOP, they wont feel the need to rein in the investigations of him.

Share this: Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Reddit

WhatsApp

More

Pinterest

Print



Tumblr


Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with the chief of US Central Command in Cairo on Monday for talks on combating terrorism and consolidating the bilateral partnership, the presidential spokesman said.

During the meeting with General Joseph Votel, El-Sisi stressed the importance of military relations between Egypt and the United States, which are considered a main axis in the current cooperation between the two countries, according to the statement by spokesman Alaa Youssef.

El-Sisi has also praised the launch of the Egyptian-American joint military exercise "Bright Star 2017", which is being conducted between 10-20 September at the Mohamed Naguib military base in western Egypt.

The president said that the exercise reflects the significance and the depth of the military cooperation between the two sides, especially under the current circumstances the region is facing.

These circumstances require unified efforts, to deal with the challenges arising from them that threaten the security and stability of the region and the whole world, the president added.

El-Sisi informed the US official of Egyptian efforts to combat terrorism through a comprehensive strategy that takes into consideration cultural, social, economic, as well as military and security aspects, the statement added.

El-Sisi also stressed the importance of the efforts to fight the countries and the groups which support and finance terrorism, adding that all terrorist organisations should be confronted without partiality.

From his side, Votel expressed his country's keenness on developing partnership relations with Egypt, welcoming the resumption of Bright Star, the statement reads, stressing the importance of such exercises in consolidating both countries' efforts against common challenges, especially terrorism.

The American official stressed the influential role of Egypt in the region, asserting the US commitment to consolidating its strategic relations with Egypt.

Votel also expressed his appreciation for Egypt's efforts in fighting terrorism, and the impact of those efforts on consolidating regional security and stability, Youssef added.

The meeting was also attended by the chief of staff of the Egyptian armed forces, Lieutenant General Mahmoud Hegazy, as well as the charge d'affaires at the US embassy in Cairo, Thomas H. Goldberger.

The meeting has also tackled the latest developments on the regional level, especially ongoing regional crises, in regards to which El-Sisi stressed the importance of political solutions.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


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.
Egyptian Defence Minister Sedki Sobhi met with top South Korean military officials during his visit to Seoul on Tuesday, according to a statement by the Egyptian armed forces.

The statement said that discussions involved boosting military cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

Sobhi met his South Korean counterpart Song Young-moo and the pair exchanged views on developments taking place regionally and internationally.

The Egyptian defence minister also met the country's foreign minister, Kang Kyung-wha; they discussed the international fight against terrorism, as well as ongoing developments in the Middle East.

The visit comes in light of Egypt's keenness to bolster military relations and open new aspects of joint cooperation with South Korea, the statement read.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


By Yun Suh-young

Korean musicians are winning prizes at major global music competitions.

After pianist Sohn Jeung-beum won first prize at the respected 66th German classical music competition, the ARD Music Competition, Friday, as the first Korean to win in the category, other Korean musicians have followed, clinching victory in other categories and competitions.





Oboist Ham Kyeong / Courtesy of Keumho Asiana Cultural Foundation

Oboist Ham Kyeong was awarded second prize at the same competition in the oboe category, Sunday. He was one of three finalists in the competition who all tied in second place. Ham is the first Korean to receive the highest prize for the oboe in the competition and the first Korean musician in seven years to receive a prize in the wind instrument category after flutist Kim Soo-yun who came in third in 2010.

The 24-year-old played R. Strauss' Oboe Concerto in D Major in the final round which won him the prize. He was awarded 7,500 euros.

Ham was among three finalists from the initial 39 of the first round. The competition was held from Sept. 2 to 10. Germany's Juliana Koch and New Zealand's Thomas Hutchinson also tied for second place. Ham will perform with the other two prizewinners from Sept. 13 to 15 with Munchner Symphoniker, Munich Chamber Orchestra and Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks.

Ham entered Seoul Arts High School but left for Germany during his first year and studied at the Trossingen Musikhochschule and the Hochschule fur Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. He completed his studies at the Berlin Philharmonic's Herbert von Karajan Academy (2013-2015) with Jonathan Kelly.

He received several prizes, such as the Heinz Holliger Special Prize in 2013 by Holliger himself, and first prize in the Muri Competition for oboe and bassoon in 2013. He was appointed principal oboist of the Hannover Staatsoper in January 2016 and second oboe with RCO Amsterdam since August 2016.





Violist Lee Eun-bin / Courtesy of Keumho Asiana Cultural Foundation

In the 24th International Johannes Brahms Competition held in Portschach, Austria, from Sept. 2 to 10, three Korean musicians clinched top prizes.

Lee Eun-bin was the youngest contestant to receive the first prize in viola as a 14-year-old player. She played Bartok's Viola Concerto in the final round and was awarded 2,500 euros. Ziyu Shen from China came in second and Sao Soulez Lariviere from France came in third among the 52 participants.

The Brahms Competition does not have an age limit and Lee competed as the youngest contestant. She received perfect scores in four out of 10 from categories the judges, with a compliment saying she has "amazing expression and technique which is unbelievable for a 14-year-old."

Lee started playing violin at age five and grabbed hold of the viola at age 11. She is in her second year at Yewon School, a middle school dedicated to arts education. She made her debut in the Keumho Talent Concert with a solo recital last year.

In the same competition, Kim Eun-che, 20, received third prize in violin and Kim Jae-won, 23, received the Vadim Repin prize for violinists as a special prize.

The International Johannes Brahms Competition was founded in 1993 and offers six categories _ piano, violin, viola, cello, lied and chamber music.
By Park Hyong-ki and Kim Jae-kyoung



President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump face a number of critical geopolitical and economic issues on which the two do not seem to see eye to eye.



Trump is apparently unhappy with the Moon administration's "soft" approach toward the unruly Kim Jong-un regime.



Dissatisfied with the terms of the free trade agreement (FTA) with Seoul, the Trump administration is calling for South Korea to revise the terms of the deal and open its doors wider to agriculture and fisheries goods.



Trump is also demanding South Korea buy more weapons from the U.S. and take up a greater share of the costs to operate U.S. forces here.



He even threatened a possible U.S. withdrawal from the bilateral free trade deal, unnecessarily undermining relations between the two allies in the face of North Korea's growing hostility.



These intertwined happenings in the chain of events are not only raising concerns over their strategic partnership, but also the possibility of stoking anti-U.S. sentiment here, observers say.



"These interlinked issues are raising concerns over a number of things, including possible anti-American sentiment, which can definitely affect Korea's relations with others, and the local market," said Chung Un-chan, former prime minister and honorary professor at Seoul National University.



"The latest geopolitical power play is teaching us a valuable lesson that we need to start building our strength to steer and seal our own fate. Otherwise, Korea will continue to be swayed by others."



James Rooney, vice chairman of the Seoul Financial Forum, said the Moon administration should not dance to Trump's reckless rhetoric, referring to Trump's recent remarks about canceling the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement.



Rooney, a professor of international finance at Sogang University in Seoul, is also a member of the board of directors of the Korean-American Association.



"If Trump chooses to destroy the KORUS FTA, then ignore it. If he is just making a big noise for the purposes of negotiation, then be gracious and polite and make the small concessions that do not matter much to you," he said.



He criticized Trump for being ignorant of the true cause of the U.S. trade deficit, noting that the trade deficit Trump complains about is actually caused by a failure of the competitiveness of U.S. companies and products in other countries.



"Successful businesses do not win or lose because of tariffs or FTAs _ instead the successful ones are winners because they have great products that people want and will go out of their way to buy, as long as the company makes the effort to bring themselves to the customer's market intelligently and with proper and thorough local understanding."



For its part, the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM Korea) also recently opposed termination of the trade deal, saying it would hurt both economies.



"We are also concerned about a deterioration of the relationship between the U.S. and Korea, leading to anti-American sentiment," it said in a statement.



"The growth of American businesses operating in Korea will be negatively influenced."



Farmers here are expected to be in a rage should Korean negotiators concede to the U.S. demand to eliminate tariffs on American agricultural goods. More Koreans will most likely take to the streets when the details of the FTA renegotiations unfold.



They also said escalating Chinese retaliatory steps against Korean companies following the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile battery here remains a seed of conflict.



The Trump administration should consider the economic losses South Korea should sustain from the THAAD placement before seeking to induce more concessions from Seoul involving the free trade deal and defense costs.




By Yoon Ja-young



The country's Fair Trade Commission (FTC) rejected Hyundai Mobis' self-corrective measures for fair trade with its dealers. The auto parts distributor will face regulatory sanctions if it fails to come up with better plans.



The FTC announced Monday it determined that the self-corrective measures submitted by Hyundai Mobis for its abuse of dealers are not effective enough.



The auto parts maker set up "excessive sales targets" between 2010 and 2013, and its employees unilaterally allocated or demanded dealers purchase more than they needed. The FTC determined it was a "forced sale."



To avoid the FTC penalty, Hyundai Mobis suggested it would submit self-corrective measures to compensate dealers and improve its trade practices. The FTC may close the case by accepting the proposal.



The auto parts maker had submitted its plan in June, in which it suggested compensation for the dealers. It included contributing an additional 10 billion won to the fund for mutual growth with dealers and expanding support for them such as helping in the operation of computer systems and providing management consulting.



It also suggested penalizing employees who forced dealers to increase their purchases.



The FTC, however, determined Hyundai Mobis' plan was not enough to effectively compensate dealers or fundamentally improve transactions between the headquarters and the dealers.



It pointed out Hyundai Mobis had been informed that its excessive sales target is the root of the problem at previous meetings between headquarters and the dealers. It had suggested penalties on employees as the solution back then, but its unfair practices continued.



The FTC said Hyundai Mobis should analyze the fundamental causes and prepare comprehensive measures to improve.



Following the FTC rejection, however, Hyundai Mobis immediately suggested it would come up with better self-corrective measures. The FTC announced it has allowed Hyundai Mobis to submit improved plans by Oct. 27.



Hyundai Mobis is the world's sixth largest OEM parts suppliers as of 2015. It has over 25,000 employees in Korea and abroad.



Rooting out headquarters' abuse of dealers and franchise shops is one of the top priorities by FTC Chairman Kim Sang-jo. He also stressed the FTC will concentrate on rooting out unfair practices in the country's top four conglomerates, including Hyundai Motor Group to which Hyundai Mobis belongs.



Hyundai Motor Group also has to get rid of its circular shareholding system, in which Hyundai Mobis holds shares of Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Motor has shares of Kia Motors and Kia Motors has a stake in Hyundai Mobis.




By Yoon Ja-young



The founder of Daum, the country's second-biggest online portal, expressed regret for criticizing the chief of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) as being "arrogant."



However, he continued attacking the FTC chief for his comments about Lee Hae-jin, founder of the country's top portal Naver and his longtime friend.



Daum founder Lee Jae-woong caused the controversy with a Facebook comment Saturday, in which he criticized FTC Chairman Kim Sang-jo.



"I am not sure how many great achievements Kim will make in the future. However, it is arrogant for him to evaluate the entrepreneur who nurtured the best internet company in Korea and Japan from scratch, without any help from the government," Lee said.



He added that he is angry as a fellow entrepreneur.



The Facebook post refers to Kim's comments about Lee Hae-jin, founder and global investment officer (GIO) of Naver.



In a recent interview with local media, the FTC chief said Naver will get complaints from the public if it continues with its business practices.



He also compared Lee to Steve Jobs. He said that while Jobs was a visionary who deserved widespread respect, Lee of Naver failed to inspire such a vision for Korean society.



The FTC also designated Naver as a quasi-conglomerate recently, which will apply stricter antitrust regulations to it. It designated Lee Hae-jin as "the head of the business group," despite his efforts to avoid this. He explained he is different from other chaebol chairmen, citing his small stake in Naver and the decision-making process focusing on the board of directors. The FTC, however, ruled that Lee has de facto control over Naver like other chaebol chairmen.



Daum founder Lee explained on Facebook that he didn't mean to criticize the FTC for regulating Naver.



"Even IT firms or those grown from startups may be subject to government regulations once they reach a certain size so they can fulfill their social responsibility," he wrote on Facebook.



Ahead of the FTC's designation of Naver as a quasi-conglomerate, however, he had commented on Facebook that the government should not over-regulate companies like Naver, which has a transparent governance structure.



"I criticized the government official's evaluation of Lee Hae-jin that he lacks vision for the future, which was made after a short meeting," Daum founder Lee said.



He said he was angry when he made the comment, as entrepreneurs who nurture startups from scratch don't get their due respect. "However, it is my fault for using the word arrogant and making such a comment without a detailed explanation," he said.



At the same time, the FTC chief also said Monday that he made "inappropriate remarks" as a public servant, referring to his critical comments on the Naver founder.



"Daum founder Lee Jae-woong made an accurate and courageous criticism (of me). I thank him for that, and I will take his advice seriously," Kim said.




North Korea warned Monday that the United States will suffer the "greatest pain" if it pushes ahead with new tougher U.N. sanctions over its sixth nuclear test.

Pyongyang's threat comes as the U.S. asked the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) last week to vote on new sanctions Monday in response to the North's most powerful nuclear test.

North Korea's foreign ministry said it will make the U.S. pay a "due price" if Washington goes ahead with the vote on a resolution on harsher sanctions.

"The forthcoming measures to be taken by the DPRK will cause the U.S. the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history," said the Korean Central News Agency, reporting a ministry statement in English.

The DPRK is the acronym for North Korea's full name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
38 North, a U.S. website specializing in North Korea-related issues, has released two satellite images obtained before and after the Kim Jong-un regime's sixth nuclear test in Punggye-ri, Sept. 3. The left image shows undamaged slopes of a mountain surrounding the test site, while the right image shows the multiple landslides that took place nearby the North Portal, a tunnel there, Sept. 4. / Yonhap



By Yi Whan-woo

Concerns are growing of a possible leak of radioactive materials on North Korea's nuclear test site in Punggye-ri after its sixth nuclear test there on Sept. 3.

Four of the six tests have taken place since Kim Jong-un came to power in December 2011.

Moreover, the last three tests took place between January 2016 and Sept. 3, which was unusual considering that before then Pyongyang carried out the tests only once in three or four years.

All tests under Kim's leadership took place in Punggye-ri, with the explosions growing to up to six times more powerful from January 2016 to Sept. 3, according to analysts.

"And this means the risk of collapse within the Punggye-ri nuclear test site is growing," said Paik Hak-soon, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute. "In other words, the possibility of a radiation leak there is growing."

Against this backdrop, China's Ministry of Environmental Protection conducted emergency monitoring and analysis of artificial radioactive nuclide samples collected in all four provinces bordering North Korea  Jilin, Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Shandong  on Sept. 3, according to the online version of Diplomat magazine.

It also said the ministry, based on its findings, released statements claiming that the North Korean nuclear test "hasn't affected our environment and public yet."

But it added that the Chinese were still concerned about possible hazards caused by the test.

The University of Science and Technology of China claimed on Sept. 4, "The power of the latest North Korea's nuclear test is three to 7.8 times stronger than that of the Nagasaki atomic bomb  Fat Man  dropped by the United States in 1945."

The argument fits with the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA)'s finding.

It said the artificial seismic event at the Punggye-ri test site on Sept. 3 was 11 times more powerful than that caused by the fourth nuclear test in January 2016, and five to six times that of the fifth test in September 2016.

In an interview with The Telegraph, retired Chinese scientist Wei Shijie said, "The problem is quite serious and a nuclear leak is inevitable."

"It is just a matter of time to detect it, because there are cracks on mountains where radioactive substances will leak.

"The big concern is the underground water will be contaminated, polluting the plants and animals, and finally the people who consume animal meat will be seriously affected."

Seoul's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said Friday that traces of xenon gas, a radionuclide, were detected here in ground, air and maritime samples collected in response to the sixth test.

The collected amount was 0.43 milibecquerel per cubic meter, and the commission is studying whether it was found as a result of the nuclear test.

"We're trying to figure out how the xenon entered our soil," it said. "We will conclude later whether the material is linked to Pyongyang's nuclear test."

The commission argued that xenon did not appear to "have an impact on South Korean territory or its population."





A Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) official brief an artificial earthquake detected at North Korea's nuclear test site in Punggye-ri, Sept. 3. The explosion was many times larger than that of the fourth and fifth tests, triggering concerns of a possible leak of radioactive materials. / Yonhap



Meanwhile, the North Korean nuclear tests are also raising concerns of a volcanic eruption from nearby Mount. Baekdu on the North Korea-China border, 114 kilometers northwest of the Punggyeri test site.

In a CNN interview in May, Bruce Bennett, a senior defense analyst at the Rand Corporation, said the explosion from a nuclear test could set off an eruption at the mountain.

That could be an absolutely huge eruption, kill thousands  if not tens of thousands  of Chinese and North Koreans," he said.

"We don't know if a bigger nuclear explosion will set it off, but it is certainly possible. The Chinese for years have been worried that he (Kim Jong-un) is going to cause a volcano to erupt."

38 North, a U.S. website specializing in North Korea-related issues, remains cautious.

"There is simply no valid basis to expect that any underground nuclear test that could be conducted by North Korea and contained within the geologic setting of the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site could trigger a subsequent eruption of the Mount Baekdu volcano," it said.

Analysts speculated that fears of a possible radiation leak as well a volcanic eruption would continue as Pyongyang steps up efforts to complete its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

Korea Defense Network President Shin In-kyun said, "It is like an equation for the repressive state to launch a ballistic missile followed by a nuclear test or vice versa."

"I think such an equation will remain valid until the Kim regime successfully mounts a hydrogen bomb on an intercontinental ballistic missile."
Several European, the US, and Arab countries have condemned a terrorist attack on a police convoy in Egypts North Sinai on Monday morning that reportedly killed and injured more than a dozen Egyptian police forces.

In an official statement, the US embassy in Cairo expressed its deep condolences for those killed and injured by this cowardly act of terrorism.

''The United States stands firmly with Egypt after this horrific attack. We send our sincere condolences to the families of those killed and wish a speedy recovery for those injured,'' the statement read.

The German embassy released a statement denouncing the attack, which it described as "brutal and treacherous."

"There is nothing that justifies such terrorist acts. Germany stands along with Egypt in its efforts in combating terrorism," the statement read.

The UK also denounced the attack.

"The UK condemns the terrorist attack in Al-Arish. I am sure that the world will defeat such terrorism and the poisonous thoughts that supply it," UK envoy to Egypt Ambassador John Casson posted on Twitter hours after the attack.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), a source in the Saudi foreign ministry denounced the attack, stressing Saudi Arabias stance in "supporting our friend Egypt against terrorism and extremism."

Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported that Kuwait's emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jabar Al-Sabah had expressed his sincere condolences to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

"He [Sheikh Al-Sabah] expressed Kuwait's strong condemnation and denouncement of such a heinous terrorist action that targeted innocent lives and Egypt's safety and stability," KUNA reported.

On Monday, the Egyptian interior ministry said an attack was launched by militants on a police convoy near Arish in North Sinai, killing a number of policemen.

According to anonymous security sources quoted by Al-Ahram, militants remotely detonated an IED that destroyed three armoured security vehicles and a vehicle jamming system in a convoy 17km away from Arish.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks at an election campaign event of the Christian Democratic Union party in Finsterwalde, Germany, Sep. 6. / EPA-Yonhap



By Ko Dong-hwan

European countries led by Germany are becoming increasingly alarmed at North Korea's weapons of mass destruction after Pyongyang's hydrogen bomb test early this month.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday that the 2015 Vienna talks in which Germany, Iran and five permanent members of the UN Security Council participated and which led to Iran freezing its nuclear development was a "good example" of how North Korean threats could be countered.

Referring to the talks as "a long but important time of diplomacy," Merkel told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, "I could imagine such a format being used to end the North Korea conflict. Europe and especially Germany should be prepared to play a very active part in that."

In the Vienna deal, Iran accepted limits on its nuclear program to reassure the international community that it would never build a nuclear bomb.












Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder stands with victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery  Lee Yong-soo, left, and Park Ok-sun  at the House of Sharing, a shelter for the surviving victims in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. / Yonhap



By Jung Min-ho

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder visited the victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery in Korea, Monday.

According to the House of Sharing, a shelter for the surviving victims in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, Schroeder talked with survivors and gave them a photo of Anne Frank, a symbolic Jewish victim of the Holocaust.

He also laid a bouquet of flowers on a memorial monument and visited the museum set up for the "comfort women," a Japanese euphemistic term for the sex slaves.

Following the July 23 death of Kim Kun-ja, who was forcibly taken to the frontline military brothels to serve Japanese soldiers during World War II, there are now 37 Korean survivors.

"Schroeder has consistently criticized Japan for not admitting to having committed the war crimes," the official from the shelter said. "It is an honor and great pleasure having him at the house for the surviving victims."
By You Soo-sun



Seoul city will hold a town hall meeting to discuss the needs of foreign residents from South Asian countries, Saturday.



The meeting, to be held at the Seoul Global Center, will likely attract around 100 Seoul residents. Foreigners from South Asia may apply to participate by calling 02-2075-4117 or emailing donghoon@seoul.go.kr by Thursday.



Since 2000 the city government has held town halls two to three times a year to enable their policies to reflect the needs of Seoul's growing foreign population. According to the city government, 400,000 foreigners reside in the city, up from 260,000 in 2008.



The town halls have laid the groundwork for many policies including issuing debit cards, opening job career fairs and establishing schools for foreigners.



Each meeting has focused on a particular subject or the needs of those from a certain region. Last year, meetings were held separately for Taiwanese, Mongolians and Indonesians.



The upcoming meeting will focus on people from South Asian countries including Nepal and Bangladesh. The city government estimates Seoul has 5,000 South Asian residents as of June 30. The largest group comes from Indonesia, with 1,843, followed by Nepal with 1,176 and Pakistan with 1,042. Most are blue-collar workers contracted under the employment insurance system here; many have also come to study in Seoul.



Nguyen Ngoc Cam, a 42-year-old Vietnamese who has been named as honorary mayor of foreigners in Seoul, expressed high hopes for the upcoming event. "I hope the debate will pave the way for expats and Korean nationals to empathize with and understand each other," she said.



Das Debabrata, 29, a doctoral student from Bangladesh, wishes to talk about the problems with filing insurance applications as a foreigner unaccustomed to the Korean language and systems.



Seoul's Women and Family Affairs Office representative Um Kyu-sook also made a statement in a press release. "Through the town hall meeting I hope to hear about how South Asian expat residents are faring in Seoul  their struggles and concerns, and ways to improve their living circumstances," she said.



"It may not be feasible to resolve all the conflicts arising from the different lifestyles as well as the cultural and religious differences we have. But the city government will continuously heed their problems and utilize the experience to lay the foundation to develop as a global city."












Setting up the school non-negotiable': top educator







By Lee Kyung-min







An increasing number of people were joining an online petition, Monday, to support the Seoul education office's plan to build a special needs school in Gangseo, western Seoul.



More than 80,000 people signed the petition, launched by a group called "Citizens who love Gangseo-gu," urging the related government authorities to promptly build the school on land formerly occupied by Kongjin Elementary School as outlined in an original plan in late 2013.



Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon also expressed strong support for the plan to build the school which 142 children will attend by 2019.



In his Facebook post, Cho said building the school is non-negotiable. "A special needs school is nothing like a nuclear plant or a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an anti-missile system. It concerns basic human rights and could be the determining factor in deciding whether a person maintains a life or forfeits one."



Society needs to halt discrimination on the basis of being disabled, the top educator added.



"The school needs to be considered not as something out of the ordinary but as part of an entire educational institution, just as people with disabilities should be considered as part of society."



The comment came amid growing conflict between parents and residents there as the second _ the latest _ public hearing ended at Topsan Elementary School last Tuesday with no signs of compromise. The first hearing in July did not produce any results either.



In a video clip that recently went viral, about 50 parents and 10 residents faced each other for hours kneeling at the second hearing with more than 400 people attending including civic groups representing the disabled, parents with disabled children, Cho and Rep. Kim Sung-tae of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP).



Mothers in the clip sobbed and implored the residents to help their children receive an education near their homes, but their emotional pleading was met only with cynicism and derision by residents who told them not to "put on a show."



The plan became a topic of public debate after Kim, a conservative politician won the district in the April general election last year after pledging to get a traditional Korean medicine hospital built there, which he claimed would help improve the district's image and help it financially.



Kim won the votes of many constituents there who disliked what they considered "repulsive" institutions in their district. They claim the prices of their houses and land will plummet due to the negative image associated with a minority group.



However, the school, designed to take care of children with chronic medical conditions, is a desperately needed "last" educational institution for parents with mentally or physically challenged children, because most schools refuse to accept them, saying they "disturb regular classes and other students find them bothersome."



Parents say building the school is the only way to educate their children, adding a lack of such schools leads many of them to spend up to three hours commuting every day.



In Gangseo-gu, there is only one such school which can only accept 100 children. Many of the 645 children in the district requiring special needs education are either left without any education or spend up to three hours commuting.



According to data from the Ministry of Education, as of April, out of 12,929 children with disabilities, only about a third, or 4,496, attend one of 30 special needs schools in 25 districts in Seoul. No special needs public school has been built since 2002 when Seoul Gyeongun School was built in Jongno-gu.



The number of students requiring special needs school education nearly doubled to 89,353 from 54,470 in 2002, while the number of such schools nationwide increased to 173 only up 37 from 136 during the same period.



The Ministry of Health and Welfare maintains that it has no plans to build a hospital in the district.



The ministry asked the Korea Health Industry Development Institute to conduct a feasibility study following a budget allocated to Kim in December last year.



However, the project was halted after the study concluded the SMOE-owned land, the use of which is limited only to educational purposes, does not have approval for building any medical institutions.



The ministry added it was notified by SMOE of its plan to build a special needs school on the land in March, and no other discussions followed to reverse that decision.








By Jun Ji-hye

U.S. officials and politicians are joining in the calls for the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea to counter North Korea's repeated nuclear and missile tests.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said Sunday that the United States should seriously consider redeploying the weapons to the South.

"The (South) Korean defense minister just a few days ago called for nuclear weapons to be redeployed," McCain said during a nationally televised interview with CNN, adding he thought "it ought to be seriously considered."

Defense Minister Song Young-moo told a National Assembly session Sept. 4 that Seoul can consider the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons as one of the options to better deter evolving North Korean threats.

The session was held a day after the regime in Pyongyang conducted its sixth nuclear test, claiming it successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb (thermonuclear warhead) that could be mounted on its intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking targets on the U.S. mainland.

Song also mentioned the redeployment of such weapons during a bilateral meeting with his U.S. counterpart, Jim Mattis, in Washington at the end of last month.

Such weapons were withdrawn from the Korean Peninsula in the early 1990s.

NBC News also quoted an unidentified White House official as saying Friday that the Donald Trump administration is not ruling out redeploying the tactical weapons to South Korea should Seoul request them.












By Lee Kyung-min

About 100 judges nationwide attended a meeting, Monday, to discuss measures of judicial reform. It was the last meeting before Supreme Court Chief Justice Yang Sung-tae resigns later this month.

At the meeting, which began at 10:20 a.m. at the Judicial Research and Training Institute in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, judges discussed how to reform the current seniority-based promotion of judges to vice-ministerial level posts within High Courts nationwide.

Many judges have criticized the system under which only a handful of judges chosen by the chief justice are pressured to follow the political inclinations of their superior.

During the six-year term, the Supreme Court chief justice has largely been affected by the ideological inclination of a sitting or former president that appointed him (or her) to the post.

The meeting came a day ahead of the National Assembly confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee Kim Meong-su, 58.

Kim, who late last month was tapped by President Moon Jae-in for the post, has openly criticized the Office of Court Administration (OCA) under the Supreme Court.

Kim slammed the OCA in March for having failed to clarify an allegation that it created a so-called "blacklist of judges" to punish those for voicing criticism against the judicial administration and Yang.

Expectations have grown that if Kim is confirmed by the National Assembly, he will appoint a new head of OCA, thereby allowing the top judicial administrative body to begin a new investigation into the blacklist allegation.

OCA oversees judicial affairs including personnel affairs, budget allocation, accounting, maintenance of judicial affairs-related buildings including courthouses and infrastructure.
Vehicles submerged in Jin-gu, Busan, after heavy rain hit the port city, Monday. / Yonhap



By Bahk Eun-ji, Park Si-soo

Heavy rain pounded Busan on Monday morning, submerging cars, buildings and roads in low-lying areas.

Hundreds of cars were trapped on flooded roads. Dozens of planes were temporarily grounded and four planes flying toward Gimhae International Airport in the city landed at a nearby airport for safety reasons.

Water was leaking through the ceiling of the domestic terminal at Gimhae.





Firefighters remove debris from damaged houses after a downpour in Jung-gu, Busan, Monday. / Yonhap



Many kindergartens and schools were shut to ensure students' safety.

The port city on the southeastern tip of the country had 358 millimeters of rain, far more than the predicted 150 millimeters.

The weather agency issued a heavy rain warning advisory at 5 a.m. and upgraded this to a warning at 6:50 a.m. as the deluge intensified.

The warning was lifted at 12.30 p.m., with many low-lying areas submerged.

Busan City has declared a state of emergency, mobilizing public resources to restore affected areas.

Three shanty houses were confirmed to have collapsed but there were no reports of casualties.




Ruling Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Woo Won-shik heads back to his seat in disappointment after the National Assembly disapproved of President Moon Jae-in's pick for Constitutional Court president, Kim Yi-su, Monday. / Yonhap



2 votes short for passage



By Yi Whan-woo





Kim Yi-su

The National Assembly voted down the confirmation of President Moon Jae-in's pick for Constitutional Court president, Kim Yi-su, Monday, dealing a blow to the President's efforts to fill in the leadership vacuum at the country's top judicial body with an ideologically-disputed figure.

Kim fell two votes short of winning endorsement, as 145 out of 293 lawmakers who cast ballots voted against him, 145 voted in favor but two others abstained while the remaining vote was void.

He is the first Constitutional Court chief nominee to fail to get preliminary approval in the country's history.

This is also the first time that the Assembly has voted down Moon's pick for a top government job.

The rejection of Kim came amid disputes over his rulings and political beliefs.

Conservatives questioned Kim's "progressive inclinations," pointing out that he was the only justice on the nine-member panel who opposed the Constitutional Court ruling that disbanded the ultra-left Unified Progressive Party in December 2014.

During a confirmation hearing in June, Kim also had to apologize over handing down rulings against citizen protesters who fought against then-military dictator Chun Doo-hwan during the 1980 democratic uprising in Gwangju.

Kim was targeted by the two conservative parties _ the Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and Bareun Party _ as well as the center-right People's Party for allegedly advocating same-sex relationships in the military.

The parliamentary disapproval of Kim will extend the leadership vacuum at the Constitutional Court since its president, Park Han-chul, retired in January.

Kim has been serving as the court's acting chief since March.

His failure to win parliamentary endorsement is expected to deepen the controversy over Cheong Wa Dae's screening process on candidates for top government posts.












By David Tawei Lee





As we embark on this great collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

New York is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. As with visitors from other countries, those from Taiwan love to experience first-hand the city's famous attractions  the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and, of course, the very nerve center of global affairs: the Headquarters of the United Nations. These landmarks  the latter in particular  are symbols of equality, diversity and freedom. Regrettably, the brilliant luster of these ideals has become tarnished of late as more and more visitors from Taiwan find themselves being turned away from the UN grounds, discriminated against simply because of their country of origin.

The UN is about people, yet the universality of human rights that the UN proclaims does not extend to Taiwan and its 23 million people. This mistreatment dates back to 1971, when our government lost its representation in the organization  and in the intervening decades, Taiwan has met with challenges and isolation with respect to its international situation. Nevertheless, this adversity has propelled us forward and we have never retreated, for we believe very strongly that those who follow the path of virtue can never truly be alone.

While traveling the world to carry out my duties as minister of foreign affairs, I have always marveled at how Taiwan's experience in such areas as environmental protection, public health and medicine, agriculture, education and ICT has helped our partners develop and grow. We are committed to continuing our interaction and cooperation with our friends and partners, and to maintaining global peace, security and prosperity through mutually beneficial collaboration.

Despite Taiwan's efforts and the recognition they have earned, despite the need for universality, and despite the repeated pledge to leave no one behind, the UN seems content to leave the 23 million people of Taiwan behind. In May of this year, Taiwan was refused attendance at the 70th WHA, despite having participated as an observer over the previous eight consecutive years. Rejecting Taiwan  which has invested over US$6 billion in international medical and humanitarian aid efforts since 1996, benefiting millions of people worldwide  runs counter to common sense, and creates a blind spot in the World Health Organization's operations, just like the one costing lives during the 2003 SARS epidemic.

This unjust treatment, however, has not and will never deter Taiwan from carrying out its duties both to its people and to the international community. As the world's 18th largest trading and 11th freest economy, Taiwan has brought its laws and regulations in line with the UN's human rights conventions, and in terms of living up to democratic values, Taiwan has worked as hard as any country  and perhaps harder than most  to advance equality. The Taiwanese people elected their country's first female president in 2016, and 38 percent of their lawmakers are women. Taiwan is also home to a vibrant civil society whose civic organizations constantly reach out to the world. And whenever disasters strike, rescue workers from Taiwan's nongovernmental organizations are right there on the ground, providing assistance, with their devotion and professionalism clear for all to see.

Taiwan is currently working on its first Voluntary National Review, which will document many of its concrete achievements regarding the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In terms of public health and medicine, for example, in recent years Taiwan has worked alongside a host of other countries to fight such infectious diseases as MERS, Ebola and Zika. Taiwan has also been promoting a green economy and green energy, aiming to raise the proportion of renewable energy generated for the country's power supply to 20 percent  five times the current level  by 2025, while also aiming to lower carbon emissions to at least 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.

Holders of ROC passports enjoy visa-free travel and other forms of travel convenience to 165 countries and territories, which speaks to the respect Taiwan's tourists, businesspeople and academics have earned worldwide. Yet, they are unable to take even a single step inside the Headquarters of the UN.

For years, representatives from Taiwan's many nongovernmental organizations involved in indigenous, labor, environmental and women's rights have been barred from attending meetings and conferences held at the UN's New York headquarters and at the Palais des Nations in Geneva simply because they hail from Taiwan. Similarly, to the outrage of the international press, Taiwanese journalists are not allowed to cover UN meetings in person.

These discriminatory measures put in place by UN bureaucrats  targeted specifically against the people of Taiwan  are inappropriately justified by the invocation and misuse of the 1971 General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI). It is important to remember that, while it seated the People's Republic of China in the UN, this resolution did not address the issue of representation of Taiwan and its people in the organization; much less did it give the PRC the right to represent the people of Taiwan.

It is important to stress the political reality here, which is that the PRC does not now, nor has it ever, held jurisdiction over Taiwan. Indeed, as evidenced by the aforementioned ban on Taiwanese inside the UN headquarters, the PRC exerts far more influence on the UN than it does on Taiwan.

The preamble of the UN Charter speaks powerfully of the organization's mission to "reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small." The government and people of Taiwan strongly believe that their involvement, especially when the UN is calling for the universal implementation of the SDGs, would be to the benefit of all. The absence of Taiwan, on the other hand, will only continue to cripple the effectiveness of this global effort.

Taiwan can do much to help the world build a more sustainable future. The people of Taiwan need the international community to support our aspirations and our right to fair treatment by the UN. At the very least, stop turning us away at the door.





David Tawei Lee is minister of foreign affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan).
LG Electronics employees introduce a mockup of an electric vehicle system at the company's exhibition booth during the International Automobile Ausstellung in Frankfurt, Germany, Monday. / Courtesy of LG Electronics



By Yoon Sung-won



LG Electronics is seeking to boost its presence in the car component market by releasing its products and technologies for electric vehicles (EVs) and self-driving cars at Europe's largest automotive expo, the company said Monday.



The nation's second-largest electronics maker said it will participate in the 2017 International Automobile Ausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany, from Sept. 14 to 24 for the first time. In particular, the company will run an exhibition of core car components exclusively for global carmakers visiting the automotive fair. Its group affiliates LG Chem and LG Hausys will also be at the exhibition, according to LG Electronics.



"We will be able to expand our connection to major global carmakers by running an exhibition at the IAA 2017," said Lee Woo-jong, president of LG Electronics' vehicle component company. "We will continue to release advanced car component products and technologies to help our partnered carmakers boost their competitiveness."



Though it is the first time for LG Electronics to join the IAA, the company has participated in global automotive fairs starting with the Beijing Motor Show in 2014.



"We have solidified our position as one of the first-tier global car component providers, joining all three largest global motor shows  Beijing and Shanghai Motor Show, North American International Motor Show in Detroit and the IAA in Frankfurt," a company official said.



LG Electronics plans to exhibit car infotainment devices including navigation systems and central display units, camera units for advanced driver assistance systems as well as drive motors, inverters, compressors and battery heaters for EVs. LG Chem and LG Hausys will showcase new battery packs and materials, it said.



During the IAA 2017, European carmakers are expected to display new cars that have LG Electronics' new organic light-emitting diode (OLED) rear lamps and connected car systems.



LG Electronics has been aggressively pushing its vehicle components business as one of its future growth engines.

The company has provided 11 components including drive motor, inverter and battery packs for General Motor's Chevrolet Bolt EV last year. It also received awards for innovative products from its business partners including GM, Renault and Volkwagen.
Egyptian and Russian paratroopers have started the second joint military exercise, which Russia hosts from 9-22 September, a statement by the Egyptian armed forces said on Sunday.

The military exercise, titled Protectors of Friendship 2, is being held in the Russian city of Novorossiysk.

According to the statement, the Egyptian armed forces have been executing a plan of preparations for the joint exercises.

"The training comes in the frame of the Egyptian armed forces plan which aims to exchange training experiences and solidify joint military relations with friend countries," the statement added.

In October 2016, Protectors of Friendship 1 took place in the Egyptian Mediterranean city Al-Alamein.

The paratroopers' drills included the deployment of troops, equipment and vehicles, and the exchange of experiences between special forces.

Egypt's joint military exercises for 2016-2017 included 30 trainings with 20 Arab and African countries.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The Hyundai Motor Kona SUV / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor



By Jhoo Dong-chan

Domestic carmakers are showcasing their high-performance and sport utility vehicle (SUV) models during this year's Frankfurt International Motor Show, aiming at expanding their target consumers in Europe.

About 1,100 exhibitors from 39 countries are expected to showcase their latest innovations with more than 200 world premiers during the show, which starts today and continues through Sept. 24. Under the event's slogan of "Future Now," participating carmakers will demonstrate their efficient and eco-friendly solutions for future mobility (the future of the automotive industry including energy-efficient vehicles, connected cars and autonomous driving) while boasting their latest technologies in high-performance vehicles.

Complying with the global small-size SUV market's explosive growth, Korea's largest carmaker will introduce the Kona SUV for the first time in Europe. Selling 4,230 cars in Korea last month, the Kona SUV has become the most popular SUV in Korea, and Hyundai Motor said it's now time to enter the European market.

In a bid to satisfy the European customers' preferences in engines, Hyundai Motor said it will introduce the Kona 1.0-liter and 1.6-liter GDi gasoline-turbo engine models first and add the 1.6-liter diesel model next year.

Along with the Kona SUV, Hyundai Motor will also introduce its high-performance division N models.

Facing strong opposition from the carmaker's union workers in Korea, the N brand has yet to be unveiled here. For the auto show, however, Hyundai Motor is set to introduce four N vehicle models _ the i30N, i30N 24h, i30N TCR Rally and i20 WRC Rally.

Powered by a 2.0-liter gasoline turbo engine, the Hyundai Motor i30N produces a maximum of 275 horsepower with 36.0 kg.m of torque.

Hyundai's sister company Kia Motors will also introduce the Stonic small-size SUV. Thanks to joint development efforts between Kia Motors Namyang Design Center and the carmaker's design center in Europe, the small-size SUV model has been well received in the Korean market since its introduction in June.

The nation's second-largest carmaker is also introducing its high-performance Stinger sedan during the auto show. The Kia Stinger GT sedan, with a 3.3-liter twin-turbo GDi engine that can produce a maximum of 370 horsepower with 52 kgf.m of torque, boasts of its explosive acceleration. It can reach 100 kilometers per hour in 4.9 seconds. The model is the fastest sedan among domestically produced models.

Along with their SUV and high-performance models, Korea's carmaker duo is also set to introduce their eco-friendly fleet, including the Ioniq hybrid, plug-in and electric.

Of them, the Ioniq electric was named one of the most energy-efficient electric vehicles by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Although its drive range of 191 kilometers is shorter than the model's competitors like the Chevrolet Bolt and the Tesla Model 3, the vehicle was highly praised for its energy efficiency traveling longer distances with a limited battery unit.

The nation's SUV leader Ssangyong Motor is also introducing the G4 Rexton SUV during the auto show. Producing a maximum of 187 horsepower with a 42.8 kg.m torque, the large-size SUV model began its trans-Eurasia journey from Beijing, China, last month, and is expected to arrive at the auto show today.




By Park Jae-hyuk





KNOC CEO Kim Jung-rae KOCOAL CEO Baek Chang-hyun KIDP CEO Jeong Yong-bin

The government is considering dismissing the heads of state-run enterprises embroiled in alleged recruiting irregularities unless they voluntarily step down, sources within the government said Monday.

Rumors are going around that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy urged some of the chief executives to resign. These include Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC) CEO Kim Jung-rae, Korea Coal Corp. (KOCOAL) CEO Baek Chang-hyun and Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP) CEO Jeong Yong-bin.

According to KIDP on Monday, Jeong already announced his resignation a few days before the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) announcement earlier this month on the alleged corruption of the chief executives of public firms.

Kim allegedly forced subordinates to employ his friends as senior managers. Baek had been suspected of hiring a former CEO's relative and an employee's daughter without due process. Jeong allegedly allowed a former CEO's daughter and a friend's daughter to pass the document screening without assessment.

The BAI demanded the ministries in charge of the public institutions take strict measures. It also asked for investigations of the former CEOs and executives involved in the scandal.

The law allows the ministers to dismiss directors of public institutions or suggest to the President to dismiss them if they are derelict of their duties. Trade Minister Paik Un-gyu can dismiss Jeong, who is the chief of a quasi-government institution. In the cases of Kim and Baek, Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon can ask President Moon Jae-in to dismiss the two chief executives of these public enterprises.

Baek is reportedly considering resigning from his post.

However, KNOC CEO Kim has strongly opposed resigning from his post, dismissing the government forcing him to step down as a rumor.

"The government can exert its own authority in changing the heads of public firms," he wrote on Facebook. "Why does the government make me a shameless person, but wields its own authority?"

Since the BAI's announcement, the former CEO of Hyundai Heavy Industries has claimed he and his company did nothing wrong. The trade ministry also denied the rumor it asked the CEOs to step down.

Considering that the ministry aims to punish those mired in scandal, however, the CEOs will likely have no choice but to accept the charges of their alleged misconduct.

Meanwhile, Kangwon Land, a state-run casino operator facing multiple personnel scandals, apologized Monday for its former CEO recruiting interns unfairly in 2013.

"CEO Ham Seung-hee, who took office in November 2014 after the scandal, has taken strict measures against corruption, adopting a zero tolerance policy," the company said in a press release.
Gunmen killed four male members of a family belonging to a minority Shiite community in Pakistan's Balochistan province, police said, in the latest bout of sectarian violence to rock the restive region.

The attack took place late Sunday in the Kuchlak area on the highway between the provincial capital Quetta and the border town of Chaman.

The victims, including a 13-year-old boy, were travelling in a taxi from Afghanistan to Quetta when four gunmen riding motorcycles opened fire on them, local police official Amin Jaffar said late Sunday.

"Two men died on the spot, one on the way to hospital and one passed away in hospital," he said, adding the gunmen appeared to spare the two women in the vehicle.

"The preliminary investigation shows that it was sectarian-based targeted killings as the family belongs to the Hazara community and was coming from Afghanistan," said Amjad Ali Khan, a police commissioner from Quetta.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Taliban militants have attacked Shiite Hazaras in the past.

Sectarian violence -- in particular by Sunni hardliners against Shiites who make up roughly 20 percent of Pakistan's 200 million people -- has claimed thousands of lives in the country over the past decade.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has oil and gas resources but is afflicted by Islamist militancy, sectarian violence between Sunni and Shiite Muslims and a separatist insurgency.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Russia on Monday urged UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura to ramp up humanitarian aid, as Moscow said it would dispatch demining experts to the city of Deir Ezzor after regime gains.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu sent a letter to de Mistura in which he stressed the need for more humanitarian assistance in Syria in areas freed from "terrorists".

"The document notes that government troops freed from terrorists a significant part of Syria with the help of Russia's air force," the defence ministry said.

"Conditions have been created for the revival of peaceful life."

Shoigu singled out a "complicated situation" in refugee camps located in the border town of Al-Tanf and Uqayribat in Hama province, the ministry said, adding that Syrians needed more than 1,000 tonnes of food and more than 80 tonnes of medical supplies.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appears to be winning a six-year-long war against rebels and Islamic State militants as his army -- backed by Russian forces -- now controls the country's main cities.

Over the past week, Syrian troops have made major advances in the east of the country, relieving two government-held enclaves in and around the city of Deir Ezzor that had been under siege by the Islamic State group since 2014.

The defence ministry said Monday a demining unit comprising more than 40 experts and special equipment had been sent to Syria, adding that they will be sent to Deir Ezzor "in the nearest future."

All in all, 175 demining experts will be sent to Syria, Moscow said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


An Emirati pilot and soldier have been killed in separate incidents in Yemen while taking part in a Saudi-led military campaign, the United Arab Emirates military said on Monday.

First Sergeant Nasser Gharib al-Mazrouei "died of wounds" he suffered whilst fighting in Yemen, the UAE military said in statement carried by the country's official WAM news agency.

Hours later, it said pilot Sultan al-Naqbi had been "killed by a technical malfunction" on his plane.

The spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition battling rebels in Yemen offered more details on the plane crash via Saudi Arabia's official SPA news agency.

Colonel Turki al-Maliki said the Emirati pilot had been on a reconnaissance mission Monday morning off Yemen's Red Sea coast when his plane went down.

The UAE is playing a key role in a Saudi-led military campaign launched in 2015 to support the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after Iran-backed Huthi rebels forced him into exile.

Last month, Emirati-trained Yemeni special forces launched a major US-backed operation against Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which has exploited years of conflict to expand its presence in southern Yemen.

Some 100 Emiratis have been killed in Yemen since the start of the Saudi-led intervention.



Search Keywords:

Short link:


Saudi Arabia said Sunday it would keep pressuring Qatar until demands by a bloc of Arab states are met, dampening hopes for a US-mediated resolution to a diplomatic crisis.

"We will continue to take action and we will maintain our position until Qatar responds," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said, speaking alongside his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

The bloc's 13 demands include Doha ending its alleged support for Islamist extremist groups, closing a Turkish military base in the emirate and downgrading diplomatic ties with Tehran.

Qatar "must respond to these requests in order to open a new page," Jubeir said.

The Saudi move came just two days after US President Donald Trump spoke with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Qatar in a bid to mediate.

Trump said he believed the dispute could be solved "fairly easily".

The Saudi and Qatari rulers spoke by phone on Saturday, raising hope for talks.

But Riyadh later suspended the dialogue, accusing Doha of distorting facts by wrongly implying that Saudi Arabia had initiated the outreach.

A United Arab Emirates minister late Saturday voiced support for the Saudi decision on Twitter, accusing Qatar of "wasting an opportunity" to resolve the crisis.

"I hope that Doha will stop manoeuvring... and act transparently. There is no other way," state minister for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash said on his official Twitter account.

Saudi Arabia led the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain in cutting ties with Qatar in June, accusing it of bankrolling extremist groups and of being too close to Riyadh's regional arch-rival Tehran.

Doha denies the accusations.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia are both key US allies.

Doha hosts a major US air base, home to the headquarters of Centcom -- the regional command which leads operations against the Islamic State jihadist group.

Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamid al-Thani is set to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel for talks on September 15, in what will be his first trip to a western capital since the crisis began.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


PRESS RELEASE

Kotegawa Report on Eastern Economic ForumJapan-Russia Relations Escalate

Sept. 9, 2017 (EIRNS)Daisuke Kotegawa, former Japanese Finance Ministry official and Japans Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund, attended the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok this past week. He told EIR that the relationship between Japan and Russia has reached a new high at the event. Of the 3,500 attendees at the forum, fully 1,300 were from Japan, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and three of his ministers, and a large number of business leaders. There was concrete discussion of jointly building a rail connection between Russia and Japanfirst from the Russian mainland to Sakhalin Island, and then from Sakhalin to Japans northern island, Hokkaido. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the project as "absolutely global in nature," and suggested it could be completed within three to five years.

Kotegawa said that the business leaders were extremely enthusiastic, perceiving that the political relations between the two countrieswhich have never signed a peace treaty to end World War II due to conflicting sovereignty claims over the four Kuril Islands (called the Northern Territories in Japan)had so improved that they could begin to think freely of joint investment and development projects without concern for political problems interfering.

He said that Chinas participation was significantly lower than last year, which was explained by the need to prepare for the Chinese Communit Party's Central Committee meeting which will begin Oct. 18. Nonetheless, representatives from the northern provinces were there and concluded some agreements to expand cooperation with Russia in the Far East.

To his surprise, California Gov. Jerry Brown was invited to speak, first at the Plenary Session, and then at a forum sponsored by the Valdai Club titled "The Russia-China-Japan-U.S. Quadrangle: Are There Opportunities for Cooperation?" At the Plenary, Brown gave his usual green speech, calling on Russia and others to follow Californias lead in green suicide. But at the Valdai event, he strongly advocated improved U.S.-Russia relations. As RT reports it, he said: "Relations between the U.S. and Russia arent at their best, but can become much better." RT reports that he said the mood towards Russia isnt great in Washington at the moment, but "the two nations have overcome poor relations before."

Mr. Kotegawa, who reads the EIR Daily Alert, asked a question from the floor (noting that he had studied at Stanford during Browns first round as Governor), referring to Dianne Feinstein and Nancy Pelosis recent change of tone toward President Trump, and asked Brown if he would mobilize Democrats to restore relations with Russia. Brown was enthusiastic, saying:

"I would recall the mood in 1984-1985, when Russia was described as an evil empire, but very soon thereafter, there were the very important agreements between President Reagan and President Gorbachev."

Brown thanked Kotegawa for the question afterwards.

When asked about the U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia in August, Brown said the American consul in Vladivostok showed him his speeches where he is urging more trade and investment with the United States.

"So I know the sanctions are a very serious matter, but there [is] still room for trade, for understanding, and for cooperation. And I am looking in various ways to pioneer that positive path, at least from the point of view of California,"

he said, as reported in RT.

Kotegawa also said that the speeches by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and from the new Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga, were excellent and well-received. He added that Abe, Putin, and Battulga (who, like Putin, is a black belt in judo) attended a judo match after the forum.
Hurricane Irma battered the Florida Keys over the weekend, but the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, its staffers and its 54 six-toed cats were unharmed by the storm, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

Jacque Sands, the general manager of the Hemingway Home told the newspaper that the building was not severely damaged by the hurricane, and that the museums 10 staffers and the dozens of polydactyl felines that populate the property are safe and accounted for.

The museums staff made headlines after announcing that they wouldnt heed orders to evacuate the Keys, thought to be particularly vulnerable to Irmas wind and rain.

Advertisement

Mariel Hemingway, the actress and Ernest Hemingways granddaughter, had urged Sands to leave the house and seek safer shelter, the Telegraph reported.

I think that youre a wonderful and admirable person for trying to stay there and save the cats, and save the house, and all that stuff, Hemingway told Sands. But ultimately, its just a house. Save the cats. Get all the cats in the car and take off.

The Ernest Hemingways home was named a national historic landmark in 1968. The author lived in the house for eight years in the 1930s.

Hemingway wrote some of his best-known work while living in the house, including the novel To Have and Have Not and the short story The Snows of Kilimanjaro. It remains a popular tourist attraction for visitors to the Keys.

Dave Gonzales, curator of the museum, told Forbes that he didnt think the house would be damaged, despite predictions of widespread damage in the Keys. The home is constructed of 18-inch blocks of solid limestone, Gonzales said. It hasnt suffered damage in any hurricane since the day it was built in 1851.

Gonzales said the storm had knocked out running water, Internet service and electricity to the house, but that they do have air conditioning, thanks to a generator.

He told MSNBC that the cats, who roam freely around the museums grounds, had sought shelter indoors as the hurricane approached.

The cats are also accustomed to our voices and our care, he said. Were comfortable with them; theyre comfortable with us. We love them. They love us. We all hung out last night together.

Gonzales said the cats seemed to sense the hurricanes arrival before it battered the island chain south of the Florida peninsula.

The cats seemed to be more aware sooner of the storm coming in, and in fact when we started to round up the cats to take them inside, some of them actually ran inside, knowing it was time to take shelter, he said. Sometimes I think theyre smarter than the human beings.

ALSO

Stranded by Irma, manatees get rescued by bystanders and deputies

A windy night among strangers  human, canine and otherwise  as Hurricane Irma blows through

The incredible stories of the die-hards who looked Irma in the face  and stayed

Why not go to a hurricane shelter? Two reasons: the boat and the dog
The data collection and monitoring firm Equifax has been properly flayed for the massive data breach it disclosed last week, as well as for its weak and dishonest response to the breach.

The firm has rectified some of the flaws in its response to the breach, which exposed the personal data of 143 million American consumers to hackers. But it hasnt backed off from another action that would undermine consumers ability to hold the entire consumer monitoring industry accountable for such breaches: A concerted campaign to repeal a federal regulation upholding consumers rights to sue.

The regulation, issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on July 10 and scheduled to go into effect in mid-January, came under attack by Republicans in Congress before the ink was even dry, says Amanda Werner of Americans for Financial Reform, which is fighting to retain the rule. Under its provisions, financial firms would be prohibited from saddling consumers with arbitration clauses that prevent the consumers from filing or joining class-action lawsuits against the firms.

Advertisement

The rule wouldnt cover the latest Equifax breach, which occurred before it was made final. But it would have prevented the confusion that arose last week in the wake of the breach: Equifax was caught steering consumers trying to find out if they were affected to a one-year free credit monitoring service that contained an arbitration clause forbidding class actions.

The consumer reporting industry is adequately regulated and goes to great lengths to ensure consumer data is protected.  Equifaxs lobbying group, CDIA

Following an uproar, Equifax amended its terms of service to remove the offending clause. On Monday, the company issued a statement affirming that enrollment in the free monitoring service its offering does not waive any rights to take legal action. The company also rectified another flaw by specifying that enrollees in the one-year free service wont be automatically enrolled in the paid service after their free year expires.

Those steps do nothing to rectify the fundamental problems with the business model and lobbying interests of Equifax and its fellow credit monitoring giants, Experian and TransUnion.

The firms portray themselves as guardians of consumer privacy, but their interests really lie in invading consumers privacy. They collect an enormous amount of personal data  your current and former addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, bank and credit card accounts and payment histories. They market this hoard of data to third parties who use it to reach out and touch you, often in places you dont want touched, like your wallet. Then they turn around and try to sell you expensive services supposedly protecting you from identity theft if the data gets loose.

The three big firms have money to burn to protect their interests. Together they collected profits of nearly $1.5 billon on more than $9 billion in revenue last year. Equifax, the second largest of the trio after Experian, recorded profit of $489 million on revenue of $3.1 billion. Equifax alone has spent nearly $6 million on Washington lobbying and made more than $650,000 in political campaign contributions since 2010. Almost 80% of those contributions have gone to Republicans.

This may explain why the laws governing data collection firms have been so weak. As we observed last week, there are almost no laws or regulations worth mentioning that impose stiff penalties for allowing personal data in their possession to get hacked. Only eight states require that consumers be notified within even 90 days of the discovery of a breach. Equifax waited some six weeks after discovering it was hacked before making its announcement.

The industrys campaign against the arbitration rule has been especially telling. Its lobbying arm, the Consumer Data Industry Assn., even opposed a proposal that would urge, but not require, the firms to tighten up their authentication practices so that the wrong people couldnt get access to a consumers data.

The consumer reporting industry is adequately regulated and goes to great lengths to ensure consumer data is protected, the CDIA whined in June to the proposals sponsor, Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.). Smuckers provision made it into the House GOPs CHOICE Act, which aims to roll back a whole raft of Dodd-Frank finance industry regulations, anyway.

But the industrys more serious objection is to the CFPBs arbitration rule. As early as August 2016, according to a comment letter ably unearthed by David Sirota and Alex Kotch of International Business Times, the CDIA groused that the rule could expose the firms to class-action verdicts forcing them to disgorge all their revenues from their credit-monitoring products.

This would be a real shame for consumers, the CDIA asserted. The inability of the firms to price their credit-monitoring services to accommodate the risk of adverse court judgments could have the unintended effect of reducing the availability of those products and the amount of information  made available to consumers regarding their consumer reports.

In other words, if theyre exposed to legal liability for data breaches or other misuse of peoples personal information, they might have to stop selling their products.

The financial industry enlisted Keith Noreika, President Trumps appointee as comptroller of the currency, to try to block the rule. In July, Noreika demanded that CFPB director Richard Cordray delay the rule so his staff could make sure it wouldnt erode the safety and soundness of the banking sector.

Cordray effectively laughed in Noreikas face, replying that he failed to see any plausible basis for your claim that the arbitration rule could somehow affect the safety and soundness of the banking system. Since the CFPB analysis showed that the rule wouldnt cost more than $1 billion a year to the entire financial services industry, while the banks alone earned more than $171 billion in profits last year, on what conceivable basis can there be any legitimate argument that the rule poses a safety and soundness issue? Noreika eventually dropped his objections to the rule.

The Congressional GOP continues to take up the cudgel. In July, the House voted to repeal the rule, with every Democrat and only one Republican, Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina, voting to preserve it. The House measure is now before the Senate, which hasnt said whether it will take it up. The Senate deadline for consideration expires in November.

Consumer privacy advocates hope that the Equifax debacle will remind senators of the importance of the rule. We need to look at how consumers are going to be able to hold these firms accountable, Werner says.

Much more is needed, including laws imposing strict penalties on firms that fail to safeguard consumer information, along with requirements that those suffering breaches inform the potential victims promptly  in days, not weeks. Public hearings would be a start, but as we observed last week, without legislation, the next major breach exposing you and your neighbors to identify theft wont be long in coming.

Who knows? Given how lax big business has been about protecting your privacy and how light the penalties are for failure, it may already have happened. You just dont know it yet.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

Return to Michael Hiltziks blog.

ALSO

Caught up in the Equifax hack? Heres one thing you can do to protect yourself

Credit giant Equifax says Social Security numbers, birth dates of 143 million consumers may have been exposed
Hurricane Irma has put a temporary halt to operations at Floridas usually bustling cruise ports, forcing cruise companies to cancel several trips and shorten others.

When the monster storm ripped through the Caribbean and Florida, it struck the worlds three busiest cruise ports  Port Miami, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades  as well as the top cruise destination, the Caribbean.

Although the storm is likely to put a dent in the operations of the $35.7-billion cruise industry, a final assessment of the financial impact may not be known for weeks or months, industry experts say. More than 12.3 million cruise passengers sail out of Florida ports each year.

Advertisement

Port Miami, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades remained closed Monday, pending inspections by government officials to determine the extent of storm damage.

Carnival Cruise Lines, the worlds largest cruise company, canceled six cruises scheduled to depart between Sept. 7 and Monday, and delayed the departure of six others.

Royal Caribbean, another major cruise company, canceled two sailings, one to Cuba and another to the Bahamas. The company said the ships will be used for humanitarian efforts in the Caribbean. Cruise passengers will be refunded their fares and fees and will be offered a 25% credit toward a future cruise.

Royal Caribbean will also delay the departure of four cruises and, in some cases, will refund a portion of the fares to passengers whose trips have been altered.

Cruises on the Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Escape were canceled last week, leaving some passengers stuck in Miami with a massive storm bearing down on them. The Norwegian Cruise Line said it accepted about 4,000 of those passengers onto the Norwegian Escape and set sail for Cozumel on the eastern tip of Mexico, away from the storm.

The Norwegian Escape was expected to leave Cozumel for Miami on Monday, with plans to dock in Port Miami once the port is cleared to open.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian Sky has been deployed to the Virgin Islands to carry humanitarian supplies to victims of the storm.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

Twitter: @hugomartin
Executives from a Los Angeles-based tech company said they are weighing whether to fight a judges order to provide prosecutors with email addresses and other information from people who visited an anti-Trump website in the months leading to Inauguration Day.

The company, DreamHost, filed a motion with District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Robert E. Morin last week requesting that he put his order on hold while they consider whether to appeal.

But prosecutors, concerned that such a delay could hinder their cases against dozens charged in Inauguration Day riots, have asked the judge to force DreamHost to turn over the data immediately.

Advertisement

In a year where DreamHost was looking forward to celebrating its 20th anniversary, the company instead has been propelled into a high-profile privacy rights case as a result of managing the server for a website that authorities say facilitated Inauguration Day rioting.

DreamHost co-founder and co-Chief Executive Dallas Kashuba said in an interview that the potential implications go beyond this case. He said there is concern among tech companies that Internet users could become fearful of visiting websites if they know government authorities can monitor such information.

This is a fundamental issue of online privacy and how the Internet works. If this goes the wrong way, it could detrimentally impact the Internet itself, Kashuba said.

If people become afraid to access websites because they may be found out, he said, it could chill the online communication.

Prosecutors from the U.S. attorneys office in the District of Columbia have filed felony rioting charges against some 200 people.

In court, they said they obtained the subpoenas seeking emails, email addresses and IP addresses of anyone who might have engaged with the alleged rioters through the website Disruptj20.org, which is hosted by DreamHost.

Orin Kerr, a computer crime law professor at George Washington University, said the case has caught national attention as observers watch how prosecutors handle concerns over constitutional rights prohibiting unreasonable searches and seizures.

This is testing the limits of the 4th Amendment, Kerr said. Its an important question of the government trying to get records that they havent obtained in the past.

DreamHost is not the first Internet company to challenge the government in its quest to prosecute people associated with the riots.

On Thursday, attorneys for Facebook are scheduled to argue in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit over a court order that blocks the social media giant from letting users know when law enforcement investigators ask to search their online information, particularly their political affiliations and comments.

The Inauguration Day riots left six police officers injured and caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Downtown businesses were vandalized blocks from where President Trump and his family paraded after the swearing-in ceremony.

Prosecutors initially reached out to DreamHost on Jan. 27, seven days after the inauguration. At that time, prosecutors made a preservation request, asking DreamHost to save a snapshot of data on its servers. DreamHost rebuffed the governments initial request. Then, on Feb. 8, prosecutors obtained their first court subpoena for the information they wanted, forcing DreamHost to comply.

On July 17, prosecutors filed a subpoena that the company said would have required it to turn over the IP addresses of about 1.3 million users of its site.

DreamHost objected to such a sweeping petition and requested a hearing in front of the judge. But days before the hearing, prosecutors scaled back their request to include email addresses only of people who engaged with the website by, for instance, providing their email addresses or signing up to receive information.

Prosecutors argued that their request had to be somewhat broad because until they review the data, they have no idea which users of the website may be associated with the rioting.

Judge Morin ordered DreamHost to turn over user information from the sites inception through Inauguration Day. DreamHost said the current request involves information regarding people associated with about 10,000 email addresses.

Kashuba said he believes prosecutors are trying to charge more people in the case and are trying to use data from his company as evidence to bolster those charges.

He said DreamHost  which employs about 200 people and had revenue of about $50 million last year  has already spent about $25,000 in legal fees fighting with prosecutors over the subpoenas. To file an appeal would cost an additional $150,000.

It does make me wonder how far theyre allowed to go, Kashuba said. How much of our time should be put into aiding their investigation?

Alexander writes for the Washington Post.
Hugh Hefner spoke with the L.A. Times often  and always had something memorable to say

(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

Understanding Playboy-in-Chief Hugh Hefners revered  and reviled  lifestyle was often just a question or two away.

The iconoclastic publishing mogul, who died Wednesday at 91, was an open book when it came to his views on swinging ways and sexuality, particularly how his puritanical upbringing shaped his career and gave rise to the revolutionary Playboy empire.

Over the years, the perennially pajama-clad Hef was interviewed often by the Los Angeles Times. Heres a sampling of some of his memorable quotes.

On sexualitys problematic origins in America:

Our society is fragmented, he asserted in 1994. Messages regarding human sexuality have always been mixed in America. We are a schizophrenic nation. We were founded initially by Puritans, who escaped repression only to establish their own. Then the founding fathers gave us the Constitution to separate church and state. But the one thing that got left out of all those laws was human sexuality.

On the life he made for himself:

Much of my life has been like an adolescent dream of an adult life, he told The Times in 1992. If you were still a boy, in almost a Peter Pan kind of way, and could have just the perfect life that you wanted to have, thats the life I invented for myself.

OBITUARY: Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who shook up American morality with an ideal of swinging singlehood, dies at 91

On why he was so happy:

You will find in my bedroom images from long ago, little photographs and things from when I was a kid. Im a very happy guy, and part of that has to do with my connection to my childhood, he said in 2009.

On how he became Hef:

Through a lifetime, you reinvent who you are, he explained in 2009. I actually reinvented myself the first time when I was 16, when a girl rejected me. I started referring to myself as Hef, started changing my wardrobe  the same thing I did in 1959-1960 with the magazine, when I came out from behind the desk and started living the life and got the first Playboy mansion, started to drive a Mercedes 300SL.

On how the 1942 film Casablanca led to the Playboy Club:

I think I opened the first Playboy Club because of Casablanca. I wanted to have a place where people came to hang out as they did at Ricks, he said in 2010. It has everything  not only Bogies charismatic character, but lost love, redemption, patriotism, humor  it had a great musical score.

On traditional attitudes toward marriage and sex:

If you dont commit, he told The Times in 1994, you dont get hurt. I was always unwilling to commit to marriage because I was afraid to lose the romance.

On the Playboy brands global status:

It has been said that the two most famous trademarks in the world are Coca-Cola and the Playboy bunny rabbit, he said in 1994. There is certainly no one else in our area that represents the American dream in this particular kind of way. That rabbit means economic freedom, personal freedom and political freedom. That potential is unlimited.

On the Playboy Jazz Festival:

Ive never found anything that Ive cared more about than the music from my youth. I loved the Beatles, sure, but I never became  except for dancing purposes  a hard rocker. To me, there is something incredibly celebratory, and so wonderful about really good big-band swing and Dixieland, he said in 2002.

When I started, I just wanted to put out a mens magazine. But by the end of the 50s, it was so successful that I seized it as a vehicle for changing the direction of my life, he added. And that crucial change in my life was also associated with jazz, because it all began within a space of about six months after the first Playboy Jazz Festival in August of 1959.

Hugh Hefner, founder of the Playboy empire, relaxes during a visit to England in 1966. (John Downing / Getty Images)

On his personal legacy:

One of the reasons that I have such tremendous satisfaction at this point in my life is because I know Ive made a difference, he said in 1994. Ive made a difference in a way that really matters to me.

On publishings shift to digital:

I dont sit around thinking about, Gee, what happened to the new generation and they dont read enough and why is the internet replacing books? he said in 2009.

On his fame and sex appeal:

I think that just as [Henry] Kissinger said, power is the ultimate aphrodisiac. Celebrity is the ultimate aphrodisiac in todays world. And Im lucky enough to have fallen into a unique kind of celebrity, he said in 2009. So against all logic, nothing else matters  age doesnt matter. When [my last long-term] relationship ended, last year, they were climbing over the gate. ... young women. Endless numbers of young women.

ALSO

Hugh Hefners life pushing boundaries started with comics

Hugh Hefners Playboy Mansion was hedonistic headquarters for his brand

Your legacy lives on: Hugh Hefner is remembered as an innovator, friend and supporter of civil rights
From James Franco to Alexander Payne: Directors who surprised, and disappointed, at the Toronto Film Festival

Perhaps the most useful and instructive function of film festivals, especially in light of the Star Wars affair, is that they offer an arena where filmmakers are allowed to fail  and, just as importantly, where filmmakers who have failed before are given a second, third or fourth chance.

One of the most thunderously applauded entries in Toronto this year was itself a fascinating film about failure: The Disaster Artist, which revisits the making of that 2003 bad-movie classic, The Room, is a triumph for its prolific director and star, James Franco, best known of late for clogging the festival circuit with wan adaptations of In Dubious Battle and The Sound and the Fury. Who knew that Faulkner would prove a less fruitful source of inspiration than Tommy Wiseau?

Not every director operating outside his or her usual parameters did grade-A work. I wasnt taken with Downsizing, an incredible-shrinking-man comedy that allows the writer-director Alexander Payne to look down on his characters in a more literal sense than usual. The Third Murder, a rare foray into police-procedural territory from the great Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, struck me as an equally rare disappointment, measured and meditative to a fault.

And Im decisively in the critical minority on The Death of Stalin, Armando Iannuccis audacious but airless attempt to transfer the madcap style of his great political comedies (Veep, In the Loop) to the moment of the Soviet dictators sudden demise. Its an ingenious premise that Iannucci and his fine cast (including Steve Buscemi, Jeffrey Tambor and the great Simon Russell Beale) seek to render in shades both hilarious and disturbing, to increasingly strained effect.

By contrast, Dan Gilroys Roman J. Israel, Esq., which many dismissed as a failure across the board, struck me as one of the festivals most compelling oddities  a moody, intoxicating vision of Los Angeles that I ultimately preferred to Gilroys previous one, Nightcrawler. Denzel Washington burrows deep into the title role of a brilliant activist lawyer with savant-like tendencies who winds up skittering down a legal and moral rabbit-hole of his own making. The result is a bit of a narrative muddle, but the kind that makes tidier movies look overly timid by comparison.

Read More
A family-owned bank. A community that relies on that bank. A financial meltdown that threatens to take them all down.

Parallels between George Bailey and Bailey Building and Loan of Its a Wonderful Life, and Thomas Sung and his Abacus Federal Savings Bank are drawn early in the Frontline documentary Abacus: Small Enough to Jail.

The film, which premieres Tuesday on PBS, tells the story of Sung and the financial institution he founded  the first Chinese-owned bank in New Yorks Chinatown. Loans from the small bank to first-generation immigrants (Sung is from Shanghai) helped build the community, a population that might otherwise have been overlooked by big lenders or too intimidated to navigate the American banking system.

Advertisement

Directed by Steve James (Hoop Dreams, Life Itself), the documentary contends that Sung and his American-born daughters, who now run the bank, were unfairly targeted by the New York County D.A.s office. Prosecutors needed to indict someone following the subprime mortgage meltdown, when $4.8 trillion worth of fraudulent loans were issued by U.S. banks. Those loans, among other factors, led to the financial meltdown of 2008 and the devastating recession.

But behemoths such as Citigroup, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs were too big to fail, explains the film, so authorities targeted Abacus, a bank that was small enough to jail.

If you wanted a bank to pick on, a family-owned one between a couple of noodle shops in Chinatown is the one to pick, says journalist Matt Taibbi, who wrote about the subprime mortgage scandal in his book The Divide: American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap. Hes interviewed here along with jurors, district attorney prosecutors, defense lawyers, other financial journalists and the Sung family.

The 90-minute film follows Sung, now in his 80s, his wife and his four daughters for a year as they go to trial, fighting to exonerate the bank and their reputation.

Abacus focuses as much on the case as the effect it had on the tightknit family and the Chinese immigrant community. Footage of small businesses and entrepreneurs around Chinatown show the Sungs past, current and potential clientele  the vegetable vendor, the shoe repairman, the duck noodle restaurant owner, the nail lady at the beauty salon.

New York County Dist. Atty. Cyrus Vance says Abacus was not singled out because it was easier prey than the big banks but because of fraudulent activity over a number of years.

The problem stemmed from loan officer Ken Yu. He took bribes from borrowers, falsified mortgage applications and laundered money and was eventually sentenced for his crimes. The film explains that his actions went undetected by upper management and the Sungs because he spoke a different dialect than most of the banks employees, and many of the transactions were in cash.

The Sungs say they knew nothing about his crimes until 2009, after a customer complained about missing money. They brought their findings to law enforcement and began providing the documents needed to go after Yu.

Instead, the D.A. leveled a 180-plus count indictment against the bank, including grand larceny. And in a media circus moment, law enforcement paraded 15 employees of Abacus through a New York courthouse, handcuffed to one another, like a chain gang.

It was a spectacle that veterans of the banking, legal and law enforcement system had never seen before.

An attorney for Sung says his client wasnt offered the same chance the big banks were  to pay a fine. The D.A. instead insisted they accept a felony plea because, the lawyer says, they wanted a conviction.

The irony is that Abacus has one of the nations lowest default rates on its loans. And, as one expert explains in the film, fraud is where loans are sold with little to no chance of them being paid.

He likens going after Abacus, especially when big banks had inflicted trillions of dollars in damage to the economy and their customers, as a waste of resources, small potatoes, the equivalent of arresting someone for jaywalking.

You dont need to understand the subprime mortgage meltdown of the last decade to become invested in this film. Its a David and Goliath story, and a window into the miscarriage of justice during the most damaging economic crisis of the century.

Early in the film, Sung stands amid rows of safe deposit boxes at his bank  8,000 boxes to be exact. He explains that immigrants who come here live in tight quarters with one another and have nowhere else to keep their money safe. The trust starts here, at the safe deposit box, he says

His family and the communitys trust in the American banking and legal system was shaken by the ordeal. But the Sung family fought and won its case in 2015 (no spoiler here). A happy ending, like Its a Wonderful Life.

Its more than Abacus bank being cleared, says Sung. Its about exonerating the whole community.

Frontline

Where: KOCE

When: 10 p.m. Tuesday

Rating: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children)

lorraine.ali@latimes.com

@lorraineali
How do you want to be perceived?, asked talk-show host-journalist Charlie Rose.

The media image I think is pretty accurate. Im a street fighter, said former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon during a 60 Minutes interview with Rose on Sunday. It was his first since leaving his post at the White House and his first ever on television, said Bannon.

Street fighter, however, is not among the most common public perceptions about the co-founder and executive chairman of the far-right news platform Breitbart.

Advertisement

Bannon, who was an elusive figure in the Trump administration, has been described as an evil genius by former employees, inspired the title of the bestseller Devils Bargain (a book about Bannons relationship with President Trump) and was portrayed as the Grim Reaper in one of Saturday Night Lives more memorable Trump-era gags.

Bannon himself fed that dark lord image when he said last year, Darkness is good. Dick Cheney. Darth Vader. Satan. Thats power.

So it seemed like divine intervention Sunday when the heavily advertised CBS sit-down with Bannon, a potential political media storm, was upstaged by an actual storm.

Call it the silver lining of an otherwise catastrophic weather front, but Hurricane Irma quite literally stole Bannons thunder.

Call it the silver lining of an otherwise catastrophic weather front, but Hurricane Irma quite literally stole Bannons thunder.

The hurricane, covered on every other news channel, was of course far more dramatic and relevant than the interview with a former adviser who lasted less than a year in the White House.

Bannon appeared more tired than usual, which is saying something. His 10 oclock shadow looked closer to midnight, his eyes more bloodshot than the last time we saw him lurking in the background of an Oval Office meeting. And there was the rumpled, button-down shirt and that sallow complexion that has been a gift to late-night monologues.

On Thursday, The Late Show host Stephen Colbert reacted to weeklong teases of the 60 Minutes interview: This Sunday, Bannons making his first post-White House TV appearance right here on CBS. Surprisingly, it is not as a corpse on NCIS: How long was this guy floating in the harbor?

The interview with Bannon, which lasted a little over 30 minutes, followed a controversial sit-down Megyn Kelly did on her NBC show with another far right figure who decried the mainstream media while appearing on it: Alex Jones.

Bannons appearance took place among several other high-profile interviews on major networks with hot-button political figures: Anthony Scaramucci, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Bernie Sanders all appeared over the last month. Hillary Clinton and Sean Spicer are scheduled to hit the late-night circuit over the next couple of weeks.

On Sunday, an intrepid Rose and a combative Bannon moved between tense conversation and verbal sparring on subjects from Russian collusion (Its a total and complete farce, he said) and Russias meddling in the election: I think its far from conclusive, said Bannon.

On immigration, Rose contended that welcoming immigrants is a core American value. Bannon said, This is the thing of the leftists. Charlie, thats beneath you. Economic nationalism is what this country was built on! And regarding the Catholic Churchs reaction to the rescinding of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Bannon, a Catholic, claimed religious leaders are in so much trouble that they have a vested interest in the policy: They need illegal aliens here to fill the churches.

Im going to be his wingman outside for the entire time. Our purpose is to support Donald Trump.  Steve Bannon

Throughout the interview, the former adviser wholly supported Trump  even on the presidents failure to repeal Obamacare or to drain the swamp. Im going to be his wingman outside for the entire time. Our purpose is to support Donald Trump.

Then why arent you still there in the White House, asked Rose. Why would the president allow you to leave if he didnt want you out? Rose said leaks and news from the White House painted the picture of Bannon as a man who was being increasingly isolated. Sweating visibly, Bannon gulped: Thats absolutely not true. I still had the same influence on the president I had on Day 1.

Bannon appeared to find questions about the 2016 election year easier to answer. Specifically, what happened behind the scenes when that Access Hollywood tape leaked of Trump bragging to then-host Billy Bush about forcing himself on and sexually assaulting women.

Billy Bush Saturday showed me who really had Donald Trumps back to play to his better angels, Bannon said in a teaser clip preceding his appearance. All you had to do, and what he did, was go out and continue to talk to the American people.  People didnt care. They knew Donald Trump was just doing locker room talk with a guy. And they dismissed it. It had no lasting impact on the campaign. Yet if you see the mainstream media that day, it was, literally, he was falling into Dantes Inferno.

Satan is apparently an evergreen in interviews with Bannon.

Bannon went on to say that the Republican establishment, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, is trying to nullify the 2016 election because they dont fully support Trump. They do not want want Donald Trumps populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented, said Bannon. Its obvious as night follows day.

And then, in what sounded more like the threat of a henchman than street fighter smack, Bannon said: Theyre going to be held accountable if they do not support the president of the United States. Right now, theres no accountability.

Now that youre out of the White House, youre going to war?, asked Rose.

Absolutely.

Bannons weapon is his digital news platform, which he described as a little website during the interview. But Breitbart held considerable influence when it hammered away at candidate Clinton and the liberal establishment during the presidential campaign, often peddling fabricated news. Candidate Trump more than once quoted Breitbart stories verbatim.

The site has been accused of supporting a white nationalist agenda. When Rose pushed Bannon on the question of why Trump didnt outright denounce the violence of KKK and other white supremacist groups last month in Charlottesville, Va., Bannon began grinding his teeth.

Trump has denounced leaders like David Duke of the KKK, defended Bannon. And as for his own beliefs: I dont need to be lectured by a bunch of limousine liberals about diversity and respect of civil rights. That was not to be confused with the pearl-clutching media he referred to at another point in the interview.

I dont need the affirmation of the mainstream media. I dont care what they say, said a defiant Bannon, minutes before wrapping up his interview on mainstream media. Then it was out with the old crisis and in with the news: Hurricane Irma.

lorraine.ali@latimes.com

@lorraineali

ALSO:

On 60 Minutes, Steve Bannon strikes at his long list of enemies and raises specter of GOP fratricide ahead

Steve Bannon out as Trumps chief strategist

\Anthony Scaramucci tells Stephen Colbert: I thought Id last longer than a carton of milk
Probably nobody grows up thinking theyll write books about invisible ingredients, but Linda Civitello, author of the new Baking Powder Wars: The Cutthroat Food Fight That Revolutionized Cooking, grew up intrigued by foods she could not see.

A longtime Southern California transplant, Civitello is an Italian American who was raised in New England in the 1950s. In that strictly Italian foodscape, she could only dream about what she saw in the single cookbook her family owned, The United States Regional Cook Book, edited by Ruth Berolzheimer.

Whats an avocado? Okra? Swedish yeast bread cut with scissors? It was endlessly fascinating, these things from other parts of the country, Civitello said recently. That began a curiosity that led to her passion for food, a course that zigzagged through a career in film and TV, and led to her teaching, studying and writing about food history.

Advertisement

My life has been one big detour, Civitello said.

Civitello graduated from Vassar with a bachelors degree in English, then moved to Boston. During the day, she worked for Paramount Pictures in distribution, and by night, she worked in theater  and met Al Pacino. When she told the actor that hed inspired her, he told her: If you come to New York, look me up. Maybe Ill have a job for you.

I said, Al, give me a job and Ill come to New York, and that was the one time in my life I said the exact right thing, she said. She worked with Pacino on Serpico, reading lines with him on set and cooking on Long Island, using the summers ample produce  peeling tomatoes, stuffing peppers and making blueberry pies. She stayed in New York from 1973 until 1976, when she moved to California.

This is when, as Civitello puts it, she began cooking in self-defense.

Los Angeles had no Little Italy, and she had to make her own bread, sausage and ricotta. Her jobs did not detour to the food lane for quite a while, though. Instead, she worked in film and TV, on car crash and monster movies, and helped in the writing of Kirk Douglas bestselling autobiography, The Ragmans Son. The Guinness Book of World Records took her around the globe multiple times to chase and create oddities, such as setting the record for the Most Snakes Ever Charmed at One Time.

I found a snake charmer village in India, and we invited 150 snake charmers, Civitello said, recalling the hundreds of uncaged snakes. I think we were all nuts, but this is what we did.

Her next line of work was slightly tamer: doing computer programming, research and other tasks at multinational law firms. Attending a history conference in the late 1990s with a friend, she was inspired to take another detour and study history.

I realized I had something to contribute. I wanted to know more. I wanted to read and discuss things with people, Civitello said, so she applied to UCLA to get her masters. Her thesis, Top Dogs and Work Horses: Animal Labor in the Film Industry, explored star animals and extras.

Always, her curiosity about food was also steering her pursuits. Civitello studied with the Culinary Institute of America, where she learned to make ice cream. These interests began to merge with her work when she was in graduate school and began teaching food history at Le Cordon Bleu. Her first book, Cuisine and Culture: A History of Food and People, began when the publisher sought her out to write a textbook; now its the standard for culinary schools in North America.

Civitellos latest book began as she was casting her net wide for a topic for her doctorate and found newspaper articles about corruption in the baking powder industry. After reading about how the Missouri state legislature was bribed for six years around 1900, she realized she had the story of a lifetime.

Baking Powder Wars is a biography of baking in America. On the blank slate of America, beyond European constraints like commercial baking guilds and traditions like communal ovens, innovation ruled and American women, tied to home production of bread, were ready for shortcuts.

Civitello is not discussing a dead moment in time, but something that continues to influence food. Baking powder has been globally disseminated through American products by companies such as McDonalds and IHOP, and also through iconic American foods such as cookies and biscuits.

A baking powder biscuit is a uniquely American bread, she said. Its also the little black dress of bread. You can dress it up, dress it down, make it sweeter, make it savory. It can look elegant and sophisticated or really rustic.

Civitello will give a talk and tasting at Grist & Toll, 990 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, at 1 p.m. Oct.14.

Amy Halloran is the author of The New Bread Basket.

food@latimes.com

ALSO:

Apples are in season. We have recipes

The definitive guide to Los Angeles doughnut shops

The story behind the spicy lobster at Newport Seafood
No longer welcome in his native Georgia, which has stripped him of citizenship, former President Mikheil Saakashvili vowed Monday to remain in his adopted homeland of Ukraine and fight its oligarchic political elite.

I have a clear plan: to end theft from the economy, to end the power of the oligarchy, to end misuse of power, Saakashvili told a crowd of supporters in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

His rousing speech came a day after Saakashvili, 49, forced his way across the border from Poland to Ukraine in a surreal scene in which dozens of the populist politicians supporters broke through a line of Ukrainian border guards who had linked arms to block his entry. In the chaos, the crowd managed to scuttle Saakashvili across the border.

Advertisement

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Saakashvili  who is stateless, having lost citizenship in both Georgia and Ukraine  had crossed illegally. He equated the move with fighters in the east crossing the border, a reference to the Russia-backed separatist rebels whom Ukraine has been battling for three years in the countrys eastern flank.

This is a question of the national security of the state, Poroshenko said Monday. It is all the same to me who breaches the state border, whether fighters in the east or politicians in the west. There should be precise, legal, judicial responsibility.

Saakashvilis dramatic reentry in Ukraine highlights the internal power struggles of the post-Soviet republic, which continue to hamstring reform in the country nearly four years after the start of the popular street uprising that came to be known as Maidan. The mass demonstrations ousted a Kremlin-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovich, whom protesters accused of mass corruption and nepotism. The street protests were followed by Russias annexation of Crimea and the conflict in the east with the Kremlin-backed separatists.

Poroshenko appointed Saakashvili, a university classmate and close friend, as the governor of Ukraines notoriously corrupt port city of Odessa in May 2015, less than two years after the end of Saakashvilis second term as Georgias president. He served for six months before resigning, accusing Poroshenkos administration of blocking him from doing what he had come to Odessa to do: root out corruption. In the ensuing months, Saakashvili became increasingly critical of Poroshenko, who will face reelection in 2019.

In July, Saakashvili was in the United States when he learned that his Ukrainian citizenship had been revoked, a move he said was orchestrated by Poroshenko as a way to eliminate the Ukrainian presidents political competition. Ukrainian authorities said Saakashvili had lost his citizenship because he had left out information on his residency forms regarding pending charges against him in Georgia, where he is wanted on charges of abuse of power.

Saakashvili, who led Georgia in the 2003 bloodless Rose Revolution, served as president for nearly a decade before being voted out of office.

Georgia, which does not allow dual citizenship, had already revoked his citizenship after Saakashvili took a Ukrainian passport. With claims to neither Ukraine nor Georgia, Saakashvili became stateless.

None of this looks good for Ukraine, said Balazs Jarabik, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. What Ukraine doesnt need is another internal conflict.

Poroshenkos ratings ahead of the next election were about 11% in the most recent poll. Saakashvilis ratings in Ukraine hovered around 2%, hardly a threat to Poroshenko at the time, Jarabik said.

By stripping Saakashvilis citizenship, it appeared that Poroshenko was trying to eliminate his potential opponents, which isnt quite on the level of Yanukovich, but not that far away, Jarabik said.

Now, Saakashvili will become a tool of the opposition as a victim of Poroshenkos arbitrary use of power.

The question now remains how the West, which has thrown its support  and money  behind Kievs promises of economic and political reforms, will react to yet another stumble in Ukraines reform progress.

After losing his citizenship, Saakashvili vowed to return to Ukraine. On Sunday, he made several chaotic attempts to do so.

Saakashvili first tried to cross the border on a train from Poland, but it was stopped at the border for hours until Saakashvili agreed to get off. He then got on a bus, which was packed with journalists and Ukrainian parliamentary deputies, including Yulia Tymoshenko, whose thick, blond braids have become a symbol of her firebrand populism.

Again, border guards refused to let Saakashvili cross. At that point, a crowd of supporters rushed behind the linked border guards and tried to break through. Saakashvili was pushed through the crowd to loud cheers. Hours later, he showed up in central Lviv, where he addressed reporters.

On Monday, he said he would rally his supporters across the country.

I intend to travel around all the regions of Ukraine, to unite as much as possible with people and with different political forces around a shared theme  that we should have democracy and not the diktat of oligarchs, he said.

Critics accused Saakashvili of using the moment to revitalize his political career, a claim he denied.

This wasnt about me, he said in a YouTube video posted Monday. It was about the hundreds who came out to support him at the border, he said.

They felt that if I could be treated like this, anyone else could be treated like this. Thats how I see it.

ALSO

Russia had its own version of the Confederate monument problem. The solution: a sculpture park in Moscow

Germanys Merkel admonishes other European nations for not accepting more refugees

Ukraines separatists propose a new country: Little Russia. Kremlin denies any involvement

Ayres is a special correspondent.
One day, next to the traffic map and weather forecast on your smartphone, seismologist Thomas H. Jordan envisions an app that you can check to see when the chances of a major earthquake in California rise.

Jordan, director of the Southern California Earthquake Center, is quick to make clear this is not an earthquake prediction. Predicting exactly when and where a catastrophic earthquake will strike next is impossible, scientists say.

But what scientists can do is pay close attention when moderate quakes strike in perilously sensitive spots  places right next to major faults such as the San Andreas.

Such small earthquakes raise the risk that the San Andreas fault could unleash a magnitude 7 or greater earthquake.

I think that the age of seismic weather forecasting is upon us, Jordan said.

Now, we cant make the kind of detailed predictions that meteorologists can make, Jordan said. But its not like we know nothing. We do know something. In my view, you want the public to know everything the seismologists know, and we can basically give you a forecast on a weekly basis or a daily basis.

That means experts someday would be able to publish a continually updated map showing what parts of California temporarily have a higher risk of a big earthquake caused by an increase in background seismic activity there.

Advances in quake forecasting

This effort got a major boost with the release of a one-of-a-kind statistical model for California about how one earthquake can trigger another  including one even worse than the original tremor. The results were in a report recently published in the scientific journal Seismological Research Letters, co-authored by 20 of the nations leading earthquake scientists, affiliated with agencies and academic institutions such as the U.S. Geological Survey, the Southern California Earthquake Center and the California Geological Survey.

The latest in operational earthquake forecasting will be discussed at the annual meeting of the Southern California Earthquake Center, which is being held in Palm Springs this week.

Jordan and others are quick to note that this earthquake forecasting system is far from foolproof  and cannot be used with certainty.

While half of all large quakes are preceded by smaller foreshocks, the other half are not. So California could easily experience a huge quake without any hint of earlier, smaller seismic activity.

Still, the new research has sparked excitement from the seismic community, which in recent years has been working to let the public know all it can about the latest advances in earthquake forecasting.

A striking example of how earthquake forecasting can be useful is if moderate earthquake activity was detected at the northern end of the southern San Andreas fault in Monterey County. The old model focuses the risks of subsequent seismic activity close to Monterey County. In fact, the risk of a major quake extends all the way to Los Angeles County, as the two counties are connected by the San Andreas fault.

No other model like this one exists around the world, Jordan said, as no other region has such a complete database of known faults and how they might react if a moderate quake struck very close to a large, sensitive fault that could produce a catastrophic temblor.

Moderate quakes may be precursors to the Big One

Scientists have increasingly made the connection between small earthquakes near major faults and much larger seismic events.

Perhaps the most famous such incident is the last time Southern California endured a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, as chronicled by scientists Aron Meltzner and David Wald in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America.

The date was Jan. 9, 1857, and in hindsight, there were clues the Big One could come.

In the dead of night, about nine hours before the 7.8 quake hit, small earthquakes began occurring in this particularly sensitive spot  the northernmost terminus of the southern San Andreas fault. They shook dangerously close to the first domino of the fault.

Then, at first light  two hours before the Big One hit  a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck. An hour later, at sunrise, a second moderate earthquake hit, a 5.6.

The quakes seemed to do the trick. It was around 8:24 a.m. that the Big One began its inexorable march south, starting in Monterey County and, like an extremely fast version of a hurricane, rushed all the way down to Los Angeles County in about two minutes. The Big One produced 355 times more energy than the earthquake that began at first light. The earthquake not only sunk trees in Stockton and Sacramento, but uprooted trees near what is today the Grapevine section of Interstate 5.

Big earthquakes can come in clusters. And one can trigger the other, said U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Ned Field, the lead author of the new forecasting model report.

Many small quakes may suggest increased seismic stress

Scientists used to think aftershocks were negligible. We used to think aftershocks were just little earthquakes that followed the big ones, and who cares about something smaller? Field said. In reality, though, aftershocks can be larger.

The new understanding rebuts the myth that moderate quakes relieve pent-up stress on an earthquake fault and postpone the prospect of a Big One. Thats wrong.

In fact, a cluster of small or moderate quakes could reflect increased stress in that area, Field said. And even the biggest earthquake has to start small. If you have more little things popping off, you have more opportunities for one of those to grow into something big, Field said.

There are more recent examples of how using such a system in prime time could be helpful to scientists and the public.

How seismic activity migrated from a village to the city

In September 2010, New Zealands South Island was jolted by the magnitude 7.1 Darfield earthquake, which ruptured under sparsely populated land and caused two deaths.

For months, aftershocks struck. The benefit of hindsight showed how seismic activity traveled east. It migrated towards Christchurch, New Zealands third-largest city, Jordan said. Nearly six months later, a 6.2 aftershock struck directly underneath the city, and the death toll soared to 185 as concrete and other buildings collapsed.

Earthquake forecasts could be helpful if something similar happened in California and scientists started detecting a pattern of seismic activity migrating in a certain direction. We want to be able to anticipate as best we can where problems could be, Jordan said.

The latest description of the seismic model was published online in June and is known formally as the epidemic-type aftershock sequence model of the Third Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, or UCERF3-ETAS.

Not all small and moderate earthquakes are made equal. Most of the time, small and moderate earthquakes are not a big deal, Jordan said, unless that small earthquake is occurring near a major fault like the San Andreas.

The new seismic forecast model hasnt yet been put into prime time. There is no website nor any formal way for Californians to see a map of updated earthquake probabilities around the state.

How California got a test run in the new quake forecasting model

But California had a trial run with the system shortly after it became available for testing last year, when troubling seismic activity appeared near the Mexican border.

A series of moderate earthquakes suddenly ruptured at the southern terminus of the San Andreas fault beginning on Sept. 26. A rapid succession of small quakes  with three topping out above magnitude 4.0  began striking near Bombay Beach and continued for more than 24 hours. More than 200 earthquakes had been recorded.

Setting off the first domino on the southern end of the San Andreas could unleash a bigger earthquake, unzipping from near the Mexican border through Palm Springs, the San Bernardino Valley and Los Angeles County, into Central California.

As a result, the U.S. Geological Survey issued a rare statement warning that the chances of a magnitude 7 earthquake or greater increased from a probability of 1 in 6,000 to as much as 1 in 100.

The statement caused some to react. San Bernardino officials decided to close down for two days their seismically unsafe City Hall, which had already been scheduled to be vacated in the coming months because of its risk of collapse in shaking.

How to understand seismic forecasts

Some critics question the usefulness of seismic forecasts.

For instance, in any given week, there is only a 1-in-10,000 chance that a magnitude 7.8 or greater earthquake would strike the southern San Andreas fault, Jordan said. That chance rises dramatically to 1 in 100 after moderate quake activity strikes the fault.

But that still means theres still a 99-in-100 chance that the large earthquake wont happen during that particular week.

Still, Jordan says its better to communicate to the public what the seismologists know. A 1-in-100 chance of a mega-quake is a much higher probability than on any given day, Jordan said, and therefore, if youre very sensitive to earthquakes  if you run the power grid or something  you might be very interested in that.

There are other limitations to the model. It needs to be tested to see how good it is at forecasting, Jordan said.

The importance of accurate information

One reason why scientists think its important to clearly communicate what they know about earthquake forecasting is what happened when an earthquake swarm happened in central Italy in 2009, an incident Jordan wrote about for the journal Seismological Research Letters. In an effort to calm jitters, government officials held a news conference at the end of March to reassure the public. One official told reporters: The scientific community tells us there is no danger, because there is an ongoing discharge of energy. The situation looks favorable.

The statement was wrong  and at odds with what scientists know about seismic swarms. Lulled into safety, there was little public concern after a 3.9 earthquake jolted LAquila before midnight on April 5, 2009. A few hours later, a 6.3 quake struck, and more than 300 died.

Jordan said its important that authoritative announcements are sent out swiftly and accurately, especially in the age of social media.

(Los Angeles Times)

Studying a trench that reveals lines in the sediment helps a team of geologists construct a history of earthquakes on the San Andreas fault in San Luis Obispo County. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

ron.lin@latimes.com

Twitter: @ronlin

raoul.ranoa@latimes.com

Twitter: @ranoa

ALSO

Hurricane Harvey ravaged cars and trucks  bad for drivers, good for automakers

Video of UC Berkeley police seizing bacon hot dog vendor's earnings goes viral

Nearly 40,000 lightning strikes lit up the sky in southwest California
As part of its tough stance against illegal immigration, Texas has been one of the few states requiring state agencies to use a federal system known as E-Verify to check job applicants.

The system checks Social Security numbers to make sure a prospective employee can legally work in the U.S.

But despite the states determined use of technology, it has no one in charge of making agencies comply with the law. It also does not require private employers to use the system if they are not working with the state.

Advertisement

And that, some immigration experts say, highlights a flaw in how states and the federal government combat illegal immigration.

E-Verify is supposed to weed out would-be workers in the country illegally, but its use is largely optional. In states that do require E-Verify, its use is inconsistent, even in a state such as Texas.

Some immigrant rights activists complain that governments, though eager to target workers in the country illegally, protect the employers who hire them. Texas Democrats have come up with a term to describe this situation  a twist on the phrase sanctuary cities  that JoAnn Flemming, executive director of the conservative group Grassroots America, says she can agree with.

Its called sanctuary businesses/industry, she said. That makes a lot of Republicans mad when you use that term, but the fact of the matter is that there is a strong cheap labor lobby in Texas, and they give a lot of money to candidates and they have a lot of influence.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has long criticized government officials about the tendency to crack down on people in the country illegally while largely giving a pass to those who illegally hire them.

In March, she questioned the president of the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council during a congressional hearing about immigration enforcement.

Why arent we going after the employers who are knowingly cheating? McCaskill asked. They are in fact a magnet that is in fact helping draw people over the border. I mean, most of these people arent coming for a vacation. They are coming to try to find work.

The dueling desires to balance targeting immigrants without legal status while not hurting businesses that rely on them is partly embodied by the use of E-Verify.

Currently, the system is only mandatory nationwide only for employers that contract with the federal government.

Earlier this year, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced a bill that would compel every U.S. employer to use E-Verify when hiring new employees. Grassley has introduced similar measures in the past, but they never advanced far in Congress.

Only Arizona, Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina require that all private and public employers use E-Verify within their borders. But enforcement is weak and punishment rare, according to immigration experts. The South Carolina law contains multiple loopholes that exempt housekeepers, landscapers, farm workers, nannies and fisherman working in small crews.

The loopholes are exactly in the areas where they should be concerned, said Frank Knapp, executive director of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce, which opposes mandating the system on the grounds that its a burden on businesses.

But even if E-Verify were widely used, the system has some fundamental flaws, according to the Department of Homeland Security. It cant, for example, detect borrowed or stolen Social Security numbers.

Mark Reed, an expert on immigration enforcement, said that each of the nearly 1,300 workers arrested in the 2006 Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at Swift & Co. meatpacking plants in the Midwest had passed an E-Verify check. Reed, who consults with companies on immigration issues, was once a top official with ICEs predecessor, the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

In 2009, an independent review of the E-Verify program for Homeland Security found that about 54% of unauthorized workers screened through the system were still approved for work.

And in the three states where E-Verify is required for all employers, only about half of new employees were checked against it by employers, according to data compiled by the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank that opposes a nationwide push.

Critics of mandatory E-Verify argue that the failure of the states to gain wide compliance is a signal of what would happen if the system were mandated across the U.S..

If these states cant enforce E-Verify within their own borders, how can the federal government do so nationally? said Alex Nowrasteh, immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institutes Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity.

If E-Verify were made mandatory nationwide, the most far-reaching effects would be felt in two states that take drastically different approaches to immigration. Texas and California have by far the some of the largest numbers of people in the country illegally: 1.65 million and 2.35 million respectively.

In Texas, 8.5% of the labor force is made up by people without legal status, according to a 2016 Pew Research Center report. In California, its 9%. (Nevada takes the top spot in the nation at 10.4%, according to Pew.)

Six years ago, California barred municipalities from mandating E-Verify ordinances  even voiding a number of local laws in cities such as Temecula, Murrieta and Lake Elsinore. With the exception of federal government contracts, the program is voluntary in California.

But even in Texas, the use of E-Verify is limited. It was not mandated until 2014, issued by an executive order from then-Gov. Rick Perry.

Perrys order applied only to state agencies under the governors purview  and businesses that they contracted with them. But because the order did not assign a specific agency to oversee its enforcement, compliance largely operates on the honor system.

In 2015, Perrys successor, Greg Abbott, signed into law a bill that requires all state agencies to screen job applicants with E-Verify.

The law, however, spared companies contracting with the state from the same requirement, though a court later ruled that those companies had to use E-Verify too.

This year, a bill was introduced in the Legislature to put teeth into that court ruling; it called for penalizing state contractors who failed to use E-Verify. Once again, though, lawmakers declined to single out businesses for enforcement, and the bill died in the Legislature.

Cathy DeWitt, vice president of governmental affairs for the influential Texas Assn. of Business, argues that mandating E-Verify would devastate the Texas economy and push workers into the underground economy.

I think the reality is that there are almost 2 million undocumented workers in Texas, so laws like that do get them to move, but then these are people who contribute to society, DeWitt said. Separate from the jobs, you have whole other things. They are buying homes. They are buying groceries. They have buying power in Texas. They have become valuable citizens of Texas. For us just to kick them out of the states would be a huge economic blow.

Fleming, of Grassroots America, called the states tough rhetoric against illegal immigration the great Texas fairy tale because lawmakers are unwilling to target big business that hire unauthorized workers.

In Arizona, another state with a recent history of pushing tough measures to combat illegal immigration, no agency is tasked with actively checking whether employers are complying and signing up for E-Verify, according to the attorney generals office.

Since E-Verifys inception, the attorney generals office has investigated two E-Verify non-compliance cases. The agency can investigate only if a formal complaint is brought to its attention, said Mia Garcia, spokeswoman for Arizona Atty. Gen. Mark Brnovich.

The Legal Arizona Workers Act requires every business to use E-Verify and threatens to strip licenses from businesses that knowingly hire people who are in the country illegally. Even so, only 57% of employers in Arizona used E-Verify for new hires, according to 2014 data analyzed by the Cato Institute.

It was the great hope that never was, said former state Sen. Rich Crandall, a Republican from Mesa, of the Arizona law. It was promised as the silver bullet to immigration problems. E-Verify was going to solve our challenges with immigration.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

cindy.carcamo@latimes.com

Follow Cindy Carcamo on Twitter @thecindycarcamo

ALSO

Joe Arpaio appreciates Trumps hint of a pardon, but the ex-sheriffs opponents are not impressed

In January, President Trump vowed to hire 5,000 new Border Patrol agents. It never happened

What does it take to secure a border? Lessons from the wall dividing San Diego and Tijuana
USC names retired aerospace executive Wanda Austin as acting president, announces Nikias departure By Harriet Ryan USC appointed a retired aerospace executive as interim president and laid out a detailed plan for selecting a permanent leader Tuesday, ending speculation about whether outgoing President C.L. Max Nikias might remain in the post. Nikias, embattled over his administrations handling of a campus gynecologist accused of sexually abusing patients, relinquished his duties after a meeting of USCs board. The trustees tapped one of their own, Wanda Austin, an alumna and former president of the Aerospace Corp., to temporarily run the university. The trustees also approved the formation of a search committee and the hiring of firm Isaacson, Miller to coordinate the selection of a successor. A second search company, Heidrick & Struggles, will also advise trustees. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Ex-student sues elite Brentwood School after teacher is charged with sexually abusing him By Richard Winton A former student sued the elite Brentwood School on Monday in the wake of a female teacher being charged with repeatedly having sex with the minor, alleging that other faculty members encouraged the unlawful behavior and failed to report it to authorities. The lawsuit accuses the private school, whose students include the children of many of Hollywoods elite and L.A.s powerful, of acting negligently and allowing Aimee Palmitessa to abuse and batter the teenager sexually. The suit alleges that the student was abused in summer 2017 after one of the schools counselors offered words of encouragement to the then-17-year-old, identified in the suit as only John Doe, to engage in an illegal relationship with the teacher. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Civil jury vindicates fired Montebello school executives in whistleblower case By Howard Blume The Montebello school district is in dire straits  at risk of insolvency and under apparent criminal investigation. An outside audit in July found some teachers earning more than $200,000 a year, as well as improper raises, excess paid vacation time and inappropriate overtime, sick leave and car allowances. Fixing the district and pinpointing blame could take time. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

L.A. schools fall short on safety measures, new report warns By Howard Blume After the mass shooting at Floridas Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February, Los Angeles school officials reassured parents that much had been done to keep local schools safe. California had tougher gun laws, after all, and the school district paid close attention to students mental health. But a new report issued Monday by a panel convened to take a close look offers some cause for concern, flagging inconsistent campus safety measures, thinly spread mental health staff and inadequate coordination between the school district and other public agencies. With the stakes this high, we must strive to do better, said L.A. City Atty. Mike Feuer, who assembled the panel. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

L.A. school district says more are graduating, but rate may not show it By Howard Blume The L.A. Unified School District has hopes of continuing its winning streak this year with another record graduation rate, but the official numbers may not show it. A senior district administrator warned the board Tuesday that graduation rates were likely to decline 2% to 3% across the state, even though L.A. Unified is likely doing better than ever in producing graduates, he said. The issue is that the state will now count high school students who transfer to adult school as dropouts, said Oscar Lafarga, who heads the districts office of data and accountability. Previously, schools treated these students as though they had simply enrolled in another high school, he said. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Betsy DeVos to California: Not so fast on that federal education plan By Joy Resmovits In April, Californias top education officials breathed a sigh of relief. After months of debate and back-and-forth with Betsy DeVos staff, they had finalized a plan to satisfy a major education law that aims to make sure all students get a decent education. The state focused on aligning its plan to fulfill the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act with Californias Local Control Funding Formula, which gives extra money to districts to help students who come from low-income families, are in the foster system or are English learners. But this week, DeVos team said not so fast. Jason Botel, the U.S. Department of Educations principal deputy assistant secretary, sent California education officials a letter asking for more information in such areas as measuring student progress, graduation rates and English learners. In an unsigned statement, the California Department of Education declared itself surprised and disappointed because officials thought  after a meeting with federal officials in Washington  that they were on the right track to get approval. Now the Every Student Succeeds Act plan will be up for discussion once again at the July meeting of the State Board of Education. The U.S. Department of Education has already approved most state plans. Every Student Succeeds is the Obama administrations 2015 replacement for the No Child Left Behind Act. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

L.A. school board sets a new goal: prepare every grad to be eligible to apply for Cal State or UC By Sonali Kohli Last month, Los Angeles school board president proposed a spate of highly ambitious mandates aimed at ensuring that every district graduate be eligible to apply to one of the states public four-year universities by 2023. By the time the L.A. Unified school board unanimously approved the resolution Tuesday, the original language had been watered down. The goal is no longer that in five years 100% of students meet the long list of benchmarks, which include not just college eligibility for graduates but first-grade reading proficiency and English fluency by sixth grade for all students who enter the district in kindergarten or first grade speaking another language. The original college-readiness goal, for example, called for 100% of all high school students to be eligible to apply to one of the states four-year universities. Now the goal seems to offer more wiggle room: Prepare all high school graduates to be eligible to apply to a California four-year university. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

We have been hurt. More women say they were mistreated by USC gynecologist By Richard Winton USC student Anika Narayanan says she vividly recalls her first appointment with Dr. George Tyndall at the campus health center, alleging that he made several explicit comments during an examination she felt was inappropriate and invasive. When she came back for a second visit in 2016 after a nonconsensual sexual encounter, he allegedly chastised her, she said in a civil lawsuit and at a press conference Tuesday. He asked me if I had forgotten to use a condom again,  said Narayanan, 21. At one point, she said, Tyndall asked if I did a lot of doggy style,  she said. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

L.A. Unified gives inspector general brief contract extension By Howard Blume The Los Angeles school board on Tuesday extended the contract of Ken Bramlett, its inspector general, by three months, though his job is far from secure and questions remain about the future direction of his watchdog office. Board members also unanimously promoted Vivian Ekchian, who had been the runner-up for the superintendents job, to deputy superintendent  the districts No. 2 position. Both moves had elements of peacemaking between different factions on the board. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

USCs handling of complaints about campus gynecologist is being investigated by federal government By Harriet Ryan The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday that it has launched an investigation into how the University of Southern California handled misconduct complaints against a campus gynecologist, the latest fallout in a scandal that has prompted the resignation of USCs president, two law enforcement investigations and dozens of lawsuits. In revealing the inquiry by the departments Office of Civil Rights, officials rebuked USC for what they alleged was improper withholding of information about Dr. George Tyndall during a previous federal investigation. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who has been criticized for taking a less vigorous approach to examining sexual misconduct than predecessors, called for a systemic examination of USC and urged administrators to fully cooperate. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Judge to sentence woman and her boyfriend for the murder of an 8-year-old that led to L.A. child welfare reforms By Marisa Gerber A woman and her boyfriend are expected to be sentenced Thursday for the torture and murder of an 8-year-old boy whose killing in 2013 provoked public outrage, prompted sweeping reform of Los Angeles Countys child welfare system, and led to unprecedented criminal charges against social workers who handled the childs case. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 34, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole for her role in the death of her son, Gabriel. A jury decided last year that her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, 37, should be executed. When paramedics arrived at the boys Palmdale home in May 2013, Gabriel had slipped out of consciousness. He had a fractured skull, broken ribs, burned skin, missing teeth and BB pellets embedded in his groin. A paramedic would later testify that every inch of the boys small body had been abused. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

L.A. Unifieds spending out of step with similar school systems, task force says By Howard Blume The Los Angeles school district is out of step with similar school systems, spending more on teachers pay and health benefits and less on activities that could enhance student learning, according to a new report by an outside task force. The L.A. Unified School District Advisory Task Force did not make specific recommendations, but instead posed a series of questions it said the district needs to answer to make sure its funding is aimed at providing a full opportunity for all students to succeed. What were trying to say is: Lets put the data on the table. Lets look at the truth. Lets be transparent and here are the numbers, said task force member Renata Simril. This is not to say that  we should cut teachers salaries. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Top USC medical school official feared dean was doing drugs and alerted administration, he testifies By Paul Pringle A former vice dean of USCs Keck School of Medicine testified Tuesday that he feared the schools then-dean, Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito, could be doing drugs and expressed concerns about his general well-being to the universitys No. 2 administrator before Puliafito abruptly left his job in 2016. Dr. Henri Fords testimony at a hearing of the state Medical Board marks the first suggestion that any USC administrator had suspicions about Puliafitos possible drug use before he stepped down. A Times investigation in 2017 found Puliafito led a secret second life of using illegal drugs with a circle of young criminals and addicts. Puliafito testified about his behavior at the hearing Tuesday, saying he took drugs with one young woman on a weekly basis. Ford said that he decided to alert USC Provost Michael Quick after receiving reports in early 2016 that Puliafito was partying in hotels with people of questionable reputation, and that he came to worry about his mental stability. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Why L.A. Unified may face financial crisis even with a giant surplus this year By Jessica Calefati With more than half a billion dollars socked away for next school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District hardly seems just two years from financial ruin. Its a scenario that is especially tough to swallow if youre a low-wage worker seeking a raise or a teacher who wants smaller classes. But budget documents show that todays $548-million surplus cannot be sustained  and that even basic services face steep, seemingly unavoidable cuts because of massive problems barreling the districts way. Theres a disconnect between the rosy short-term picture and what we know is coming, said board member Kelly Gonez. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

We have failed: Top USC officials try to reassure students amid gynecologist scandal By Joy Resmovits Top administrators at USC are reaching out to students in the wake of misconduct allegations against the universitys longtime gynecologist, acknowledging failings and vowing reforms as they try to address growing outrage over the revelations. Several USC deans have sent out messages trying to reassure students and faculty that the university is committed to changing. We have failed, wrote Jack H. Knott, dean of USCs Sol Price School of Public Policy, in a May 24 letter. What happened is antithetical to everything we know is right. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Rick Caruso is named chair of USCs trustees, vows swift investigation of gynecologist scandal By Thomas Curwen The University of Southern Californias board of trustees has elected mall magnate Rick Caruso to be the new chair of the board, giving fresh leadership as the university navigates a widening scandal involving a longtime campus gynecologist. The move marks the latest effort by USC to address the case, which has sparked a criminal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and dozens of civil lawsuits. More than 400 people have contacted a hotline that the university established for patients to make reports about their experience with Dr. George Tyndall. In his first act as chairman, Caruso announced that the white-shoe L.A. law firm OMelveny & Myers would conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the gynecologists conduct and reporting failures at the clinic. He set an ambitious timeline for the review, pledging it would conclude before students return for the fall semester. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

UC Berkeley students persistence helps win more liberal rules for in-state tuition By Teresa Watanabe Ifechukwu Okeke thought shed be a shoo-in for in-state tuition when she was admitted to UC Berkeley for fall 2016. She had moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2012 to go to Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. By the time she got her acceptance to transfer to UC to study molecular and cell biology, she had lived in California four years. She had a California drivers license, bank account and rental records as proof. UC Berkeley, however, ruled she was a nonresident  which meant she would have to pay nearly $27,000 more. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

State medical board calls former County-USC doctor a sexual predator, suspends his license By Matt Hamilton A UCLA cardiologist has been temporarily stripped of his medical license after state regulators described him as a sexual predator who assaulted three female colleagues when he was working and training at L.A. County-USC Medical Center. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Global California 2030 aims to get more students learning more languages By Joy Resmovits Tom Torlakson (Andrew Seng / Associated Press) Outgoing state Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on Wednesday announced a new statewide effort to encourage students to learn more languages. Called Global California 2030, its goal is to help more students become fluent in multiple tongues. Torlakson said that by 2030, he wants half of the states 6.2 million K-12 students to participate in classes or programs that lead to proficiency in two or more languages. By 2040, he wants three out of four students to be proficient enough to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy. Torlakson announced the initiative at Cahuenga Elementary School, which offers a dual-language immersion program in English and Korean. Californias public school students speak more than 60 languages at home, and 40% come to school with knowledge of a language other than English. Torlakson called his plan a call to action that invites parents, legislators, educators and community members to pool resources to expand language offerings in schools and get more bilingual teachers trained. He said the state already is working with Mexico and Spain to expand a teacher-exchange program. Fluency, the plan argues, can help students succeed economically  and language acquisition can help their overall critical thinking. The initiative builds on Proposition 58, a ballot initiative passed in 2016 that undid an earlier requirement that English learners be taught in English-immersion classes unless their parents signed waivers. Torlakson recently visited Mexico and met with that countrys education secretary. They later signed a pact to increase collaboration, particularly in language education. This [Global California 2030] is great follow-through on Toms part and very important, Patricia Gandara, a UCLA education professor who hosted the Mexico meeting, said in an email. It hands over a plan to move forward in an area in which California has a unique advantage, but must seize the opportunity. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Jury convicts man of murder in 2015 slaying of UCLA student found inside her burning apartment By Marisa Gerber A jury on Tuesday convicted a man in the 2015 slaying of a UCLA student found dead inside her burning apartment  a gruesome stabbing case that led to a fierce rebuke of the police response amid concerns that the killing could have been prevented. The panel deliberated for about six hours before finding Alberto Medina, 24, guilty of murder, arson, burglary and animal cruelty. On Sept. 21, 2015, firefighters found the charred body of Andrea DelVesco inside her apartment after responding to the complex a block from campus. The 21-year-old student  an Austin, Texas, native known to her sorority sisters as a fearless giver who befriended others with ease  was stabbed at least 19 times, authorities said. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

LAPD begins sweeping criminal probe of former USC gynecologist while urging patients to come forward By Adam Elmahrek The Los Angeles Police Department said Tuesday it is investigating 52 complaints of misconduct filed by former patients of USCs longtime campus gynecologist as detectives launch a sweeping criminal probe into the scandal that has rocked the university. LAPD detectives also made an appeal for other patients who feel mistreated to come forward, noting that thousands of students were examined by Dr. George Tyndall during his nearly 30-year career at USC. More than 410 people have contacted a university hotline about the physician since The Times revealed the allegations this month. Tyndalls behavior and practices appear to go beyond the norms of the medical profession and gynecological examinations, said Asst. Chief Beatrice Girmala. We sincerely realize that victims may have difficulty recounting such details to investigators. We are empathetic and ready to listen. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

At L.A.'s only school for the deaf, parents want leaders who speak the same language By Anna M. Phillips Ever since her son was 6 months old, Juliet Hidalgo has been bringing him to the Marlton School, a low-slung building in Baldwin Hills that for generations has been a second home for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Los Angeles. Marlton staff taught Hidalgos brother and sister, both of whom are deaf. The school was where her deaf son learned to make the signs for milk and food. Hidalgo had planned to enroll her daughter, taking advantage of a popular program that allows hearing children to learn American Sign Language alongside their deaf siblings. But after more than a decade of involvement, she and other family members are considering withdrawing their children. They are not alone. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Fueled by unlimited donations, independent groups play their biggest role yet in a California primary for governor By Ryan Menezes An unprecedented amount of money from wealthy donors, unions and corporations is flowing into the California governors race, giving independent groups  unrestricted by contribution limits  a greater say in picking the states chief executive than ever before. The groups have already spent more than $26 million through Thursday, the most ever spent by noncandidate committees in a gubernatorial primary, according to a Times analysis of campaign finance reports. California elections have always been expensive, and the future is even more expensive, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College and a former state Republican leader. The stakes are very real. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

2 hurt in Indiana middle school shooting; suspect in custody, authorities say By Associated Press Authorities say two victims in a shooting at a suburban Indianapolis school are being taken to a hospital and the lone suspect is in custody. Bryant Orem, a spokesman for the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, said in a news release that the victims in Friday mornings attack at Noblesville West Middle School are being taken to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and their families have been notified. He says no other information is available about the victims. Orem said the suspect is believed to have acted alone and was taken into custody. No additional information about the suspect was made public. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

For new L.A. schools chief Austin Beutner, some key unions are giving no honeymoon period By Howard Blume In the less than two weeks since Austin Beutner took charge of Los Angeles schools, unions representing teachers and administrators have staged a job action and a protest. Theyve made it clear that they will not give the new superintendent the traditional honeymoon period, and they are bashing him for his wealth and lack of experience running either a school or a school district. Beutner is a billionaire investment banker with zero qualifications, local teachers union President Alex Caputo-Pearl told members in a phone alert urging them to participate in a Thursday afternoon rally in Grand Park. The board is saying that billionaires who made their money blowing institutions up and making money off it know best  not the education professionals who have dedicated our careers to working with students. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Pressure grows on Board of Trustees amid USC gynecologist scandal By Paul Pringle USCs large and powerful Board of Trustees is coming under growing pressure to provide a stronger hand as the university faces a crisis over misconduct allegations against the campus longtime gynecologist that has prompted calls for President C.L. Max Nikias to step down. Allegations that Dr. George Tyndall mistreated students during his nearly 30 years at USC have roiled the campus, with about 300 people coming forward to make reports to the university and the Los Angeles Police Department launching a criminal investigation. USC is already beginning to face what is expected to be costly litigation by women who say they were victimized by the physician. So far, the trustees to whom Nikias reports have expressed sympathy for the women who have come forward and launched an independent investigation while also publicly backing the president. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

UC regents approve leaner budget for Janet Napolitano By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents on Thursday unanimously approved a leaner, more transparent budget for President Janet Napolitano, moving to address political criticism over the systems central office operations. The $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 reflects spending cuts of 2%, including reductions in staffing, travel and such systemwide programs as public service law fellowships, carbon neutrality and food security. Napolitano shifted $30 million to campuses for housing needs and $10 million to UC Riverside to support its five-year-old medical school. She also permanently redirected $8.5 million annually to help enroll more California students, as required by the state. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

USCs Academic Senate calls on university president to resign after a series of scandals By Matt Hamilton The body that represents USCs faculty called on President C.L. Max Nikias to resign Wednesday in the wake of relevations that the universitys longtime gynecologist faced years of accusations of misconduct by students and colleagues at the campus health clinic. The Academic Senate took the vote late Wednesday afternoon after a fiery town hall meeting attended by more than 100 faculty members, many of whom voiced outrage over Nikias and the Board of Trustees leadership. The vote came a day after the trustees executive committee stood firmly behind Nikias, saying it has full confidence in his leadership, ethics and values. At the town hall meeting, Senate President Paul Rosenbloom said he did not think Nikias or Provost Michael Quick committed wrongdoing but that the university president deserved criticism for a lack of transparency. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias public universities on the way to getting a big longed-for boost in funding By Teresa Watanabe The University of California and California State University systems are poised to get major funding boosts that will help them enroll thousands of additional state students and eliminate the need for tuition increases in the coming school year. A key Assembly budget panel on Wednesday approved $117.5 million in new funds for the UC. A Senate panel approved a similar sum last week. The same committees recently approved even more funding for the Cal State system. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

UC regents to scrutinize Janet Napolitanos office budget in a step toward stronger oversight By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents this week plan to scrutinize the budget of President Janet Napolitano, whose office came under political fire last year for questionable spending and murky accounting. Regents will vote on the proposed $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 during their two-day meeting, which starts Wednesday, at UC San Francisco. They also will discuss state funding, financial aid, online education and transfer student policies. Board Chairman George Kieffer said regents are stepping up to exert stronger oversight of the presidents office after a blistering state audit last year found financial problems including an unreported $175 million budget reserve. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

State legislative panels approve major funding boost for Cal State By Teresa Watanabe After months of intensive lobbying, Cal State University has convinced two key legislative panels to approve funding to enroll nearly 11,000 more students, hire more faculty and expand housing aid to those without shelter this fall. An Assembly budget panel on Tuesday approved $215.7 million more for Cal State, adding to Gov. Jerry Browns proposed $92.1 million general fund increase. A Senate budget panel approved a similar increase last week. The extra funding  which went beyond Cal States own request to the Legislature of $171 million  is still subject to final budget negotiations with Brown. But the actions by the Senate and Assembly panels amount to a demand from Democrats that the governor hike higher education spending. Cal State University is the workhorse undergraduate university serving hundreds of thousands of Californians, said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who heads the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. We need more graduates for the California workforce and higher education is the ticket to the middle class. Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White hailed the actions, but said it was too soon to celebrate. The CSU has a singular focus on helping students earn high-quality degrees sooner, and the entire university community has rallied to reinforce that message to our states lawmakers, he said in a statement. The actions taken thus far by the Assembly and Senate are promising and show that our message is being received, but there is still work to be done. Funding for the University of California was not taken up Tuesday as originally scheduled. McCarty would not comment on sticking points but said he was confident that a resolution would be reached this week. Were looking to provide resources above whats in the governors budget, but negotiations are ongoing, he said in an interview. State per-student funding is not what it once was, leaving both Cal State and the UC in a tough financial squeeze. Both systems raised tuition last year after a six-year freeze on higher costs. For this year, Cal State had asked for funding to enroll an additional 3,621 students, but both the Senate and Assembly panels approved three times that amount. Cal State, the largest public university system in the nation, turned away 32,000 eligible students last year because its campuses werent able to accommodate them. The panels asked that at least $50 million of the extra funding be used to hire more tenure-track faculty to help boost graduation rates. The Assembly panel also approved one-time funding of $5 million to ease hunger on campuses and $14 million for rapid rehousing pilot projects at three campuses, offering needy students rental support and short-term case management. Other items approved include $5 million to support the CSU Long Beach Shark Labs research on sharks and beach safety and $2 million for equal employment opportunity practices. This post has been updated to include comments from Assemblyman Kevin McCarty and Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Faculty members call for USC president to step down: He has lost the moral authority to lead By Matt Hamilton Two hundred USC professors on Tuesday demanded the resignation of university President C. L. Max Nikias, saying he had lost the moral authority to lead in the wake of revelations that a campus gynecologist was kept on staff for decades despite repeated complaints of misconduct. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Gun battle, negotiations lasted 15 minutes before Texas school shooter was apprehended, sheriff says By Molly Hennessy-Fiske Minutes after a school shooter opened fire in an art class last week, killing 10 people and wounding 13, including a local police officer, fellow officers returned fire in a protracted gun battle before isolating the suspect, the local sheriff said Monday. Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset praised first responders as well as Santa Fe Police Officer John Barnes, who was working as a resource officer at the school the day of the shooting. Their actions, he said, prevented the attack from spreading to other classrooms and potentially claiming additional victims. As officials continue to probe last Fridays shooting at Santa Fe High School, students are worried about returning to the scene of the attack when classes resume next week. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

6 women sue USC, alleging they were victimized by campus gynecologist By Richard Winton Six women filed civil lawsuits Monday alleging that a longtime gynecologist at the University of Southern California sexually victimized them under the pretext of medical care and that USC failed to address complaints from clinic staff about the doctors behavior. One woman alleged Dr. George Tyndall forced his entire ungloved hand into her vagina during an appointment in 2003 while making vulgar remarks about her genitalia, according to one of the lawsuits. Another woman alleged that Tyndall groped her breasts in a 2008 visit and that later he falsely told her she likely had AIDS. A third woman accused the doctor of grazing his ungloved fingers over her nude body and leering at her during a purported skin exam, the lawsuit states. The wave of litigation comes as USC continues to grapple with the scandal, which legal experts said could prove costly to the university as scores of former patients come forward about their experiences with the gynecologist. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Fatalities reported in Texas high school shooting; suspect arrested, officials say By Associated Press Houston-area media citing unnamed law enforcement officials are reporting that there are fatalities following a shooting at a local high school Friday morning. Television station KHOU and the Houston Chronicle are citing unnamed federal, county and police officials following the shooting at Santa Fe High School, which went on lockdown around 8 a.m. The Associated Press has not been able to confirm the reports. The school district has confirmed an unspecified number of injuries but said it wouldnt immediately release further details. Assistant Principal Cris Richardson said a suspect has been arrested and secured. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

This student followed the new L.A. schools chief on his first-day tour Melissa Barales-Lopez, a senior at Garfield High School followed Supt. Austin Beutner on his first day on the job, as he toured a variety of programs around the Los Angeles Unified School District. Heres what she took from the experience. LAUSD students and staff alike are looking for a personal champion, someone who will address and improve the difficulties afflicting their education.  What LAUSD students need is someone whos willing to listen and learn, someone who can understand the current issues affecting their schools and act to efficiently amend them, someone who can unlock the full potential of LAUSD students and enable them to reach their goals. During the entirety of his first day, superintendent Austin Beutner did indeed demonstrate a willingness to learn. Posing questions to teachers and students, Beutner engaged with the student communities he encountered to gain a better comprehension of the minutiae and nuances that distinguish each school inside an overwhelmingly large district. From inquiries about Grand View Boulevard Elementary Schools dual language program to questions regarding the services of LAUSDs after-school program, Beyond the Bell, Beutner revealed he has a lot to learn about the system. But, Beutner also showcased a willingness to tackle challenges head-on on his first day. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

USC let a gynecologist continue treating students despite years of misconduct allegations By Matt Hamilton For nearly 30 years, the University of Southern Californias student health clinic had one full-time gynecologist: Dr. George Tyndall. Tall and garrulous with distinctive jet black hair, he treated tens of thousands of female students, many of them teenagers seeing a gynecologist for the first time. Few who lay down on Tyndalls exam table at the Engemann Student Health Center knew that he had been accused repeatedly of misconduct toward young patients. The complaints began in the 1990s, when co-workers alleged he was improperly photographing students genitals. In the years that followed, patients and nursing staff accused him again and again of creepy behavior, including touching women inappropriately during pelvic exams and making sexually suggestive remarks about their bodies. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

On his first day as L.A. schools chief, Beutner plans a day of visits across the district By Howard Blume L.A. Unifieds new superintendent, Austin Beutner, will kick off his first day of work on Tuesday with a choreographed tour of the nations second-largest school district, from the San Fernando Valley to Carson. His day is scheduled to begin at 5:15 a.m. at a school bus depot and end more than 12 hours later at a parent meeting at Garfield High School. Along the way, Beutner is expected to be joined by school district administrators, L.A. Unified board members and the vice president of the union that represents school bus drivers. Though he will be covering a lot of ground, Beutners tour has him skipping Tuesdays school board meeting, when board members are expected to discuss labor negotiations in closed session. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Why a handful of rich charter school supporters are spending millions to elect Antonio Villaraigosa as governor By Ryan Menezes California voters have seen a barrage of sunny television ads in recent weeks touting former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosas record on finances, crime and education, aired by Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018. But the group is, in fact, largely funded by a handful of wealthy charter-school supporters. Together they have spent more than $13 million in less than a month to boost Villaraigosas chances in the June 5 primary  at a time when his fundraising and poll numbers are lagging. Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix, jump-started the group with a $7-million check, by far the largest donation to support any candidate in the election. Their efforts are part of a broader proxy war among Democrats between teachers unions  longtime stalwarts of the party  and those who argue that the groups have failed low-income and minority schoolchildren. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Talking schools with L.A. Unifieds new superintendent By Anna M. Phillips Austin Beutner, who officially starts Tuesday as the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is taking on a famously difficult job at a particularly difficult time. The school board is divided and did not back him unanimously. The nations second-largest school district has deep-seated problems, including declining enrollment, lagging academic achievement and rising pension and healthcare costs that eat away at its budget. The 58-year-old former investment banker and former L.A. Times publisher has years of experience in the financial world but none as an educator. Earlier this week, he sat down with the Times education team to discuss the challenges facing the district, which has about 60,000 employees and 500,000 students in traditional public schools. He did not talk about his plans  saying repeatedly, stay tuned  but he spoke in broad terms about his mindset in approaching the tough decisions ahead. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Suspect detained, authorities search campus after reports of armed man at Palmdale high school By James Queally One person has been detained after a report of an armed man at a Palmdale high school sparked a massive law enforcement response Friday morning. The suspect was spotted at 7:05 a.m. on the campus of Highland High School in Palmdale, according to Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida. The person was detained in a nearby parking lot, according to Nishida, who did not know whether that person was an adult or juvenile. Deputies at the scene are clearing the school methodically, and students will be transported home via school buses once the campus is deemed safe, Nishida said. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

The education of Bertha Perez: How a UC Merced custodians disenchantment led to a political awakening By Robin Abcarian Its the third day of a three-day strike, and UC Merced custodian Bertha Perez is taking a break from a picket line at the universitys unremarkable entrance, an intersection with stop lights. Photos from other UC campuses this week have shown big crowds of striking service workers  members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees  marching and chanting pro-labor slogans as they try to force the University of California back to the negotiating table. But here, at UC Merced, whose handful of big buildings rise from a flat expanse of farmland, the picket line is tiny, maybe two dozen workers and a few students. Its not a big-city-style show of force. Then again, a union sympathizer is banging relentlessly on a snare drum, so its noisier than youd expect. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Ref Rodriguez resigns from teacher credentialing commission By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez appears during a court appearance. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez has resigned from the states Commission on Teacher Credentialing, which oversees the integrity and quality of Californias teachers. Rodriguez faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. Separately, his former employer, a charter school organization, has accused him of improperly authorizing checks to a nonprofit under his control. Rodriguez has denied wrongdoing. Rodriguezs resignation from the state body was effective May 4, days after he cast a crucial vote as part of a narrow majority that voted to authorize contract negotiations with Austin Beutner to become superintendent of the L.A. Unified School District. Beutners first official day on the job is Tuesday. Rodriguez remains in his $125,000-a-year position on the Los Angeles Board of Education. The mission of the state body is to ensure integrity, relevance, and high quality in the preparation, certification, and discipline of Californias teachers. Critics had questioned Rodriguezs continued service on the commission, given that teachers can be suspended from work if they face criminal charges. They also can lose their jobs for lapses in personal behavior, such as excessive drinking, with the potential to affect their performance. Police in Pasadena arrested Rodriguez on a Friday afternoon in March for public drunkenness. He was not charged in the incident and has apologized. The state commission reviews teacher discipline cases and can take action to remove a teachers credential to work in a California classroom. The commission has 15 members. Rodriguezs departure was disclosed in a one-sentence announcement on the agencys website. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

School board members request for restraining order against blogger is rejected By Priscella Vega An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a school board members petition for a permanent restraining order against a Huntington Beach blogger. Attorney Jeffrey W. Shields filed the petition on behalf of Ocean View School District trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin, 46, who alleged in court documents that Charles Keeler Johnson, 56, has threatened her on social media and at school board meetings, causing her to fear for my own safety and for that of my immediate family members. Johnson, who goes by Chuck and publishes HBSledgehammer.com, said the trustee tried to stifle his freedom of speech. He also contended that Clayton-Tarvin took his blog posts and Facebook comments too seriously and out of context, saying anyone who is afraid of metaphors has serious issues. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Deal with workers averts one-day strike that could have shut down L.A. schools By Howard Blume Los Angeles school district and union officials announced a contract agreement Tuesday night that averted a one-day strike planned for next week. The pact, which runs through June 2020, removes one labor problem from the desk of incoming Supt. Austin Beutner  whose first day on the job would have coincided with the strike. Plenty of other challenges remain. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

UC labor strike expands with show of support from more unions By Teresa Watanabe Fong Chuu is a registered nurse who has assisted with countless liver transplants, kidney surgeries and gastric bypasses during 34 years at UCLA. Working with her are scrub technicians who sterilize equipment, hand medical instruments to the surgeon and dress patient wounds. They are a team, Chuu says, which is why she walked off her job Tuesday in support of those technicians and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299. The 25,000 member AFSCME local, the University of Californias largest employee union, launched a three-day strike Monday. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

We are humans too: Voices of UCLAs striking custodians, hospital aides and imaging technicians By Joy Resmovits Demonstrators parade in front of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) This week, thousands of UC employees are staging a three-day strike for better pay and working conditions. On Monday, more than 20,000 custodians, cooks, lab technicians, nurse aides and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 walked off their jobs. By Tuesday, two more unions joined in sympathy strikes. The union and UC reached a bargaining impasse last year. The university has said it wont meet the workers demands. The strikers said they wanted better pay, more equity in the allocation of work, stable healthcare premiums and an end to the universitys use of contract workers. These are their stories. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Massive UC workers strike disrupts dining, classes and medical services By Joy Resmovits A massive labor strike across the University of California on Monday forced medical centers to reschedule more than 12,000 surgeries, cancer treatments and appointments, and campuses to cancel some classes and limit dining services. More than 20,000 members of UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, walked off their jobs on the first day of a three-day strike. They include custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Two altercations involving protesters and people driving near the rallies were reported at UCLA and UC Santa Cruz. At UCLA, police took a man into custody Monday after he drove his vehicle into a crowd, hitting three staff members. They were treated for minor injuries at the scene and released, said Lt. Kevin Kilgore of the UCLA Police Department. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Sen. Kamala Harris to skip UC Berkeley commencement in support of striking workers By Teresa Watanabe California Sen. Kamala Harris has canceled plans to deliver UC Berkeleys commencement address this weekend in support of UC workers who are on strike over wages and health benefits. Due to the ongoing labor dispute, Sen. Harris regretfully cannot attend and speak at this years commencement ceremony at UC Berkeley, said a statement from Harris office issued Monday. She wishes the graduates and their families a joyous commencement weekend and success for the future. They are bright young leaders and our country is counting on them. UCs largest employee union, the 25,000-member American Federation of County, State and Municipal Employees Local 3299, launched a three-day strike Monday and had earlier called for a speakers boycott. The union and university reached a bargaining impasse last year and subsequent mediation efforts have failed to produce an agreement. The union is asking for a multiyear contract with a 6% annual pay increase while the university is offering 3% annual increases over four years. UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ will deliver the keynote address instead, the university announced. About 5,800 students are expected to participate in the ceremony Saturday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

School mural depicting Trumps bloody, severed head sparks controversy By Gary Warth A Chula Vista school mural that depicts the bloody, severed head of President Trump on a spear sparked a controversy that prompted officials to cover it and issue a response distancing themselves from the work. The statement also said the artist will alter the painting. We understand that there was a mural painted at the event this past weekend that does not align with our schools philosophy of non-violence, read the statement from MAAC Community Charter School director Tommy Ramirez. We have been in communication with the artist  who has agreed to modify the artwork  to better align with the schools philosophy. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

New blackface incident at Cal Poly prompts calls for state investigation By Kim Christensen Cal Poly San Luis Obispo officials have asked the state attorney generals office to investigate after a new photo of a white student in blackface surfaced on a fraternity groups private Snapchat. I am outraged, Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said in a video address Friday to the campus. These vile and absolutely unacceptable acts cannot continue. We must not allow these acts to define us as an institution. Armstrong said the latest photo was intended to imitate an incident last month in which a white member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was photographed at a party wearing blackface. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

More than 50,000 UC workers set to strike this week but campuses will remain open By Teresa Watanabe More than 50,000 workers across the University of California are set to strike this week, causing potential disruptions to surgery schedules, food preparation and campus maintenance. The systems 10 campuses and five medical centers are to remain open, with classes scheduled as planned. UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, plans to begin a three-day strike Monday involving 25,000 workers, including custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

New L.A. schools chief Beutner pledges to listen, learn and take action By Howard Blume New Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner proved Wednesday that hes a quick learner even without an education background. Like countless public officials before him, he appeared at an important event  his first speech and news conference  with a photogenic background of students. His message  that he would put those students first  seemed heartfelt if hardly original. Nor was it a huge surprise that he pledged to push cooperatively but unflinchingly to improve the districts academic performance and stabilize its finances. As an introduction, Beutner, a former investment banker who made a fortune on Wall Street, offered little flash, but that was partly the point. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

In a school lockdown, one student takes stock of the stressful scene At the beginning of lunch one day late last month, Duarte High School, Northview Middle School, and California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley were advised by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department to go into lockdown mode due to police activity in the immediate area. Phalaen Chang, a junior at the California School of the Arts, wrote a series of notes on her iPhone while she sat in a room with her classmates. By the time the lockdown ended an hour later, she wrote, she knew which of her friends would hold open the door for others, be the ones calming others down, be the ones barricading the doors. She knew that all of them have the potential to be such strong people. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Tale as old as time: L.A. Unified superintendent pick follows a historical pattern of outside-the-box choices By Joy Resmovits L.A. Unified has long gone back and forth between picking insiders and outsiders to run the nations second largest school district. The choice of Austin Beutner, announced Tuesday, places the district squarely back in the outsider camp  months after a consummate insider, Supt. Michelle King, announced that she had cancer and would not return to the job. Check out this timeline of former L.A. superintendents to see how the school board members have changed their minds, sometimes favoring leaders who come from the world of education and sometimes executives from elsewhere, recruited to shock the system into change. At one point, the district hired someone from the military  retired Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III, who served as superintendent from 2006-2008. In hiring Brewer, board members had opted for a non-educator  largely because they sought a fresh thinker, unwedded to the bureaucracy, unafraid to make bold, even unorthodox moves, reads a 2008 Times story. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Austin Beutner named superintendent of Los Angeles schools By Howard Blume Austin Beutner, a philanthropist and former investment banker, on Tuesday was named superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nations second-largest school system. His selection was the biggest move yet by a Los Angeles school board majority elected with major support from charter school advocates. The decision came after lengthy public testimony, most of it in support of the other remaining finalist, interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian, who is well known within the school system. Beutner, 58, has no background leading a school or school district. Less than 2 years ago, a school board with a very different balance of power named Michelle King, a former teacher who rose through the district throughout her career, to L.A. Unifieds top job. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Hearing delay gives both sides more time in Ref Rodriguezs potential trial By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez and his attorneys will have more time to prepare their defense against charges of political money laundering, a judge ruled Monday. The preliminary hearing in the case had been scheduled to begin May 9, but that date will now be pushed back to July 23 per the ruling from L.A. Superior Court Judge Deborah S. Brazil. Rodriguez, 46, faces three felony charges of conspiracy, perjury and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

L.A. school board poised to name Beutner as superintendent By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education is poised to select philanthropist and former investment banker Austin Beutner to be the next superintendent of the nations second-largest school system. Barring a last-minute development, the only mystery is whether Beutner emerges with four or five votes from the boards seven members. Terms of his contract already have been under discussion, according to sources close to the process who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak. The selection of Beutner, 58, who has no experience managing a school or a school district, would be a signal that the board majority that took control nearly a year ago wants to rely on business management skills instead of insider educational expertise. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Teacher walkouts in Arizona and Colorado continue national debate on money for schools By Michael Livingston Following the lead of teachers who walked off the job in other states in recent weeks, thousands of teachers and their supporters took to the streets in Arizona and Colorado for the second day in a row to demand better pay and more funding for education. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Three decades before the #MeToo movement, UC San Diego led the way against sexual assault By Teresa Watanabe When Nancy Wahlig first started her fight against sexual assault, one company was marketing a capsule for women to stash in their bras and then smash to release a vile odor. Because of the very nature of society, the only person who can prevent rape is the woman herself, read a 1981 advertisement for the Repulse rape deterrent. Ideas about how to prevent sexual violence have come a long way since then, and Wahlig has helped lead that evolution on college campuses. In 1988, she started UC San Diegos Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC), the first stand-alone program at the University of California. Today, she remains the systems most senior specialist. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Andres Alonso withdraws from consideration for L.A. schools job By Howard Blume Andres Alonso, believed to be one of three remaining finalists to lead the Los Angeles school system, has withdrawn from consideration. The remaining known candidates in the confidential search are former investment banker Austin Beutner and interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian. Alonso, 60, announced his decision on Twitter on Thursday night, saying he had notified the L.A. Unified School District on Monday. The exit of Alonso, the former Baltimore schools chief, seems to solidify the front-runner status of Beutner, who also was a former L.A. Times publisher and a Los Angeles deputy mayor. He held each of those positions for about a year. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Heres why the apparent increase in autism spectrum disorders may be good for U.S. children By Karen Kaplan The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among American children continues to rise, new government data suggest. And that may be a good thing. Among 11 sites across the U.S. where records of 8-year-olds are scrutinized in detail, 1 in 59 kids was deemed to have ASD in 2014. Thats up from 1 in 68 in 2012. Normally, health officials would prefer to see less of a disease, not more of it. But in this case, the higher number is probably a sign that more children of color who are on the autism spectrum are being recognized as such and getting services to help them, according to a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

UC shelves tuition increase for now, in hopes of getting more state funding By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents will not vote on a tuition increase next month, shelving the plan for now in hopes that state lawmakers will come through with more funding. Raising tuition is always a last resort and one we take very seriously, UC President Janet Napolitano said Thursday in a statement. We will continue to advocate with our students who are doing a tremendous job of educating legislators about the necessity of adequately funding the university to ensure UC remains a world-class institution and engine of economic growth for our state. Last week, Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White said the 23-campus system no longer would consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year. But unlike Cal State, UC officials have not taken a tuition increase off the table entirely. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

A chemical spill, unchecked eyewash stations, poor training: Audit details Cal States lax lab safety By Joy Resmovits In May 2016, two bottles tumbled off a poorly supported shelf and broke, leading to a chemical spill in a Sacramento State University lab. The liquid got onto one students legs and soaked anothers feet. Five employees cleaned up the mess, even though no one knew for sure what it was and whether it was dangerous. They called fellow employee Kim Harrington, their union representative, to let her know what happened. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

After blackface incident, minority students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo say they dont feel welcome By Hailey Branson-Potts Aaliyah Ramos was walking through the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus last year when a prospective student approached her. Ramos was the only black person, the young woman said, that she and her mother had seen that day. They asked about the quality of education and the diversity of the student body. Ramos, a mechanical engineering student, didnt want to sugarcoat the truth: Cal Poly long has been predominantly white. But she told the young woman  who also was black  that she didnt want to discourage her from applying, because that wouldnt help with diversity at a school where only 0.7% of students are African American  the lowest percentage of any university in the California State system. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills wins the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon By Carlos Lozano El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills has won the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon, officials said. The winner was announced early Saturday at a ceremony in Frisco, Texas. More than 600 students from the U.S., Canada, China and the United Kingdom gathered there over the last three days to compete in the 37th annual U.S. Academic Decathlon. Congratulations to El Camino Real Charter High School for another impressive victory, said Vivian Ekchian, interim superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Your academic stamina and competitive spirit to win is remarkable. The entire L.A. Unified family is so proud of you. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Anticipation mounts as L.A. school board meets over superintendent selection By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education is reconvening in closed session Friday at noon as anticipation mounts about the choice of the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. The presumed front-runner is former investment banker and philanthropist Austin Beutner, but interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian and former Baltimore Supt. Andres Alonso also are in the running. Most district insiders appear to be rooting for Ekchian, who has spent her entire career in education within the school system. After her 10 years as a teacher, her roles have included head of human resources, chief labor negotiator and regional administrator for campuses in the west San Fernando Valley. Shes managed the district since September, when then-Supt. Michelle King went on medical leave and chose Ekchian to fill in for her. King, who is battling cancer, never returned and announced her retirement in January. Numerous influential civic leaders have urged  and pressured  the board to select Beutner. Also lending their weight have been advocates for charter schools, which are independently operated, growing in number and competing for students with district-operated campuses. Four of the seven board members  enough to control the outcome  were elected with major financial support from charter supporters. Beutner has two ongoing connections with the L.A. Unified School District. The first is his leadership of an outside task force that is making recommendations on how to improve the school system. The second is his charity, Vision to Learn, which supplies glasses to low-income students. The charity and the school system are in a dispute at the moment over who is responsible for delays in providing services to students as part of a $6 million contract, half of which is paid for by L.A. Unified. Unlike Ekchian and Buetner, Alonso, who currently teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has no deep-seated local constituency, but the prospect of his selection has generated some excitement. While in Baltimore, Alonso was recognized for pushing for progress at low-performing schools, and for being willing to take strong action. While in Baltimore, he also weathered a test-score cheating scandal and occasionally rocky relations with the teachers union. But by the time he resigned, after six years, he and union leaders seemed to be working together without rancor. Leaders of some community groups have split from the pro-Beutner camp. They worry that Beutners approach to confronting the districts financial problems could shut out their voices or involve severe economic cutbacks that would undermine programs that are helping students. Some prefer Ekchian; some Alonso. Theyve been reluctant to speak out publicly because theyll have to work with whoever is selected, but they have tried to get the ear of board members. On Friday morning, one leader of a community group decided to come out in favor of Alonso. L.A. Unified has the opportunity to bring in an instructional leader of color with a history of success, said Alberto Retana, president and chief executive of Community Coalition, which works on behalf of low-income students and families in South Los Angeles. If we have a shot at that, we should go for it  because its in the best interests of our kids and of our community. Retana said his statement was not meant to criticize Beutner or Ekchian but to alert board members that there also is community support for Alonso. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Cal State leader shelves proposed tuition hike: Its the right thing to do, but its not without risk By Joy Resmovits Cal State, the nations largest public university system, will no longer consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year, Chancellor Timothy P. White announced Friday. The decision is a bet that Sacramento will come through in the end. If Cal State loses that bet, it could mean cuts to campus programs. White said in an interview that Californias economy is strong enough that families should not be shouldering the burden of higher college costs. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

L.A. students to participate in national walkout activities on Friday By Joy Resmovits Students are taking to the streets again Friday to protest gun violence on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting. Starting at 10 a.m., students at many schools will spend 13 seconds honoring the 13 people  12 students and one teacher  killed on that day in Littleton, Colo. After that, theyll participate in a host of different activities. Within L.A. Unified, one school is having an open-mic event for students to talk about school violence, and lawmakers are visiting campuses to hear students thoughts. According to a central hub for organizing the protests  written by the students of Ridgefield High School in Connecticut  the walkouts are intended to drive the political change necessary to curb school violence. The day is also a time for students to interact on an elevated platform they have never had before, the site states. It is a day of discourse and thoughtful sharing. Bringing together communities and students to get a national discussion rolling. Organizers have suggested using the event to convey the importance of curbing gun violence to legislators. They are encouraging students to push legislation that would ban assault weapons and tighten up rules around who can buy guns and how. Over 2,500 schools nationwide are expected to participate. In L.A., some students  at campuses including Eagle Rock High School, the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts and Bravo Medical Magnet  plan to walk out. Students from various schools expect to join area marches, including those in Santa Monica and Huntington Park. Other schools are hosting career days and voter registration drives. At 1 p.m., students plan to start a rally in front of L.A. Unified headquarters. For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that 12 teachers and one student were killed in the Columbine shooting. The opposite is true: twelve students and one teacher died. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Stabbing of popular student devastates South El Monte High School; teen friend suspected in slaying By Sonali Kohli When administrators at South El Monte High School called Jeremy Sanchezs parents to say he never showed up for class Wednesday, his father began to worry. It was unusual for the 17-year-old junior to miss school, so his father filed a missing persons report and assembled two of Jeremys close friends to look for the popular student-athlete. Their search took them to a scenic stretch of the San Gabriel River Trail, where one of the friends  a 16-year-old boy  made a tragic discovery. Among the bushes in the riverbed near Thienes Avenue and Parkway Drive was Jeremys body, punctured with stab wounds, according to Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Racist fliers spark outrage at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo By Alene Tchekmedyian Soon after Neal MacDougall arrived on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus Tuesday, the professor noticed university police standing outside a restroom near his office. A racial slur against African Americans had been scrawled in red marker on a stall wall. Later, he discovered a series of racist fliers pinned up next to his door. Someone had also slashed posters hed hung outside his office supporting students in the country illegally. The discovery was the latest controversy on the prestigious campus  which the president said is less than 55% white  that MacDougall said demonstrates a culture of racism at the university. Last week, photographs emerged of white fraternity members, including one in blackface, flashing gang signs. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

The superintendent waiting game, paying for L.A.'s College Promise, Princetons slave history: Whats new in education By Joy Resmovits Acting LAUSD superintendent Vivian Ekchian is a finalist for the permanent job. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) In and around Los Angeles: The L.A. Unified school board spent 10 hours interviewing and discussing candidates for superintendent. When they adjourned after 10 p.m., they said they would reconvene on Friday. Who is paying for Mayor Eric Garcettis much-touted College Promise, a program that promises two years of community college for LAUSD grads? In California: The Legislature is considering a proposal that would boost K-12 education funding for black students. When the cost of living is taken into account, California has the highest rate of child poverty. Nationwide: The families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School are suing Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never occurred. Princeton will name two spaces  an arch and a garden  after slaves who lived or worked on the campus. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

L.A. school board meets privately with finalists and debates choice for school district leader By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education adjourned late Tuesday after spending more than 10 hours interviewing candidates and trying to reach a decision on who would be the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. When the meeting finally recessed at 10:11 p.m., a spokesman announced only that the school board would reconvene Friday at noon. Going into the days meetings, there were apparently four finalists, according to sources who could not be named because they were unauthorized to speak. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Two Sandy Hook families sue Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never happened By David Altimari Families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School have filed lawsuits in Texas against controversial radio host Alex Jones for continually claiming the massacre never happened. Neil Heslin, the father of Jesse Lewis, and Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, whose son Noah Pozner died in the massacre, filed separate lawsuits late Monday in Travis County, Texas. The lawsuits allege that Jones defamed the parents by constantly calling them crisis actors and insisting the shooting was a false flag operation; they also claim Jones accusations have led to death threats against the Sandy Hook families by Jones followers. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Beutner emerges as a top pick for L.A. schools superintendent amid last-minute jockeying By Howard Blume Austin Beutner has emerged as a leading contender to run the Los Angeles school district, with backers saying he is smart enough and tough enough to confront its financial and academic struggles. Though he does not have a background in education, the former investment banker has in the last year examined some of the districts intractable problems, serving as co-chair of an outside task force with the support of then-Supt. Michelle King. Sources inside and outside the school district said Beutner appears to have more support on the seven-member board than other finalists, and his name could come up for a vote as early as Tuesday. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Challenge at Chicago school construction site: Watch for 38,000 unmarked graves By Nereida Moreno A 15-year effort to build a school in Chicagos Dunning neighborhood is underway with an unusual complication: Construction workers are taking careful steps to avoid disturbing human remains that may lie beneath the soil. The $70-million school is to be built on the grounds of a former Cook County Poor House, where an estimated 38,000 people were buried in unmarked graves. Among the dead are residents who were too poor to afford funeral costs, unclaimed bodies and patients from the countys insane asylum. There can be and there have been bodies found all over the place, said Barry Fleig, a genealogist and cemetery researcher who began investigating the site in 1989. Its a spooky, scary place. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Oklahoma teacher walkout winds down despite lawmakers failure to meet demands By Washington Post Oklahomas largest teachers union has announced an end to a walkout that has drawn thousands of educators out of classrooms and to the state Capitol demanding greater investment in the states schools, which have endured the nations steepest funding cuts. The announcement Thursday from the Oklahoma Education Assn. does not necessarily end the protests at the Capitol, as teachers not affiliated with the union vowed to stay longer. Instead of a walkout, the union and school districts across the state have said they plan to send delegations of teachers to Oklahoma City to keep the pressure on lawmakers. Teachers and their supporters have also promised to push education issues to the forefront of November elections, when the state chooses a new governor. As school districts begin to reopen, the protests may lose steam. The Legislature is not in session Friday, and observers are waiting to see what happens Monday, when lawmakers return. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Most Californians are worried about school shooting threats and oppose arming teachers, survey finds By Joy Resmovits Hamilton High School student Aiyana Dabriel holds a sign during a March 14 walkout in support of the Parkland shooting victims. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Most Californians are worried that a school shooting like the one that occurred in Parkland, Fla., in February could shed blood closer to home, a new survey found. Some 73% percent of adults and 82% of public school parents said they were very concerned or somewhat concerned about school shootings. The Public Policy Institute of California surveyed 1,704 adults in the state by phone just after the March for Our Lives protest against gun violence. Latino and black respondents were significantly more likely to be concerned about school violence than white or Asian respondents, the institute found. Two-thirds of adults and public school parents said they opposed letting more educators carry weapons in school. The response differed across party lines, with 86% of Democrats and 69% of independents voicing their opposition, while 60% percent of Republicans said they would support a measure to arm educators. The poll, which had a margin of error of 3.2% in either direction, also asked Californians about school funding, educational issues in the governors race and the impact of immigration enforcement on students. You can find the full results here. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias largest virtual charter school network agrees to contract with its teachers By Anna M. Phillips Nearly four years after teachers at Californias largest online charter school voted to unionize, they have reached a deal to increase pay and create job protections, according to a spokesman for the California Teachers Assn. The contract, which is still tentative and subject to ratification, is a victory for the teachers union. Although charter schools are publicly funded, most are privately managed and their employees arent protected by labor contracts. Under the terms of the contract  the result of years of negotiation and legal wrangling  approximately 500 teachers working for California Virtual Academies will no longer be at-will employees who can be dismissed for almost any reason. Their average salary will rise to just over $45,000, according to union estimates, a figure that remains far below the norm for traditional public school teachers. Still, it is an improvement over the previous average of $38,000. The accord also places a limit on the number of students each teacher is responsible for monitoring in online homeroom classes. Were very satisfied with the gains we made, said teacher Brianna Carroll, president of California Virtual Educators United. I think were going to see some extraordinary changes in our schools. According to Carroll, teachers at California Virtual Academies  better known as CAVA  had grown frustrated with the organizations foot-dragging and were making preparations to go on strike when CAVAs leadership agreed to the deal. CAVA and K12, the Virginia-based for-profit company linked to its schools, did not immediately respond to an email Tuesday asking for comment. The network currently operates nine virtual charter schools across California. In 2016, the charter network agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle claims of false advertising, misleading parents and inadequate instruction. The state attorney generals office had also accused K12 of controlling the charters for its own financial benefit. Neither CAVA nor K12 admitted to wrongdoing in the settlement. A year later, the state imposed a $2-million fine on CAVA after an audit found that it had misspent public funds. The network disputed the findings. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

School board approves a new formula for funding high-need schools By Sonali Kohli L.A. schools will soon get more money if they are located in neighborhoods with such problems as high levels of gun violence and asthma. The Los Angeles Unified school board voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a new formula to determine how to dole out some funding to schools, based not only on the characteristics of the student populations but on the traumas that affect the communities around campuses. The new formula will be applied to $25 million in funding next fiscal year and about $263 million annually in future years  a small part of the districts $7.5 billion annual budget. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Protesters demand Ref Rodriguez resignation outside school board meeting By Sonali Kohli Students, parents, teachers and UTLA marching outside the board meeting chanting "Ref resign" pic.twitter.com/W0LRWZSIXY  Sonali Kohli  (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 A few dozen parents, students and teachers marched outside the Los Angeles Unified School Board meeting Tuesday, some calling for board member Ref Rodriguez to resign the week after news broke that he was taken into custody on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena bar and restaurant. Rodriguez was not cited or charged in that incident, but was held for more than five and a half hours before being released. The school board member faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. He is accused of getting more than two dozen people people to donate to his campaign for his school board seat with the understanding that he would reimburse them. He stepped down from his post as school board president after he was charged last fall, but he did not give up his seat on the board. He has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of conspiracy, perjury, and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May. He cant give his full focus to our students, said Rebecca LaFond, a Highland Park parent whose three children marched with her as she chanted, Ref resign. One daughter marched in front of her, using a drum stick to hit the bottom of a gallon-size empty water jug. Our kids deserve someone who has the utmost ethical standards representing them, LaFond said. The protests continued into the board meeting, where some addressed Rodriguez directly, calling on him to step down during public comment portions of the meeting. Rodriguez, through his chief of staff, declined to comment. Some parents outside the board meeting did not know about the charges against Rodriguez but came out to protest the possibility of sharing their school campuses with charter schools. Protesters also oppose colocation  not all of the parents are here to ask Ref Rodriguez to step down pic.twitter.com/1Co8zQ9zSi  Sonali Kohli  (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 Cynthia Martinez said her son, who goes to Christopher Dena Elementary School in Boyle Heights, has been bullied in the past by students from a charter school sharing the campus. She said she didnt know who Rodriguez was. Some parents and teachers are worried about losing computer labs, robotics rooms and fitness centers if they are required to share their campus with charter schools, said Ilse Escobar, a parent community organizer for United Teachers Los Angeles. The issues of Rodriguez and colocation are related, Escobar said. Rodriguez is part of a majority on the school board elected with financial backing from charter school supporters, and many parents, she said, feel that the school board is compromised if he is a part of it. Staff reporter Howard Blume contributed to this post. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Delaine Eastin tries to gain momentum in the California governors race, one voter at a time By Seema Mehta Delaine Eastin was a sophomore in high school when a drama teacher urged her to try out for a part in The Man Who Came to Dinner. She hesitated until he told her: This is a metaphor for your whole life. If you never try out, you will never get the part. Eastin auditioned and won the role. Decades later, the advice sticks with the former state schools chief, this time in her unlikely run for governor. Despite calls for more women in leadership roles in state politics following sexual misconduct allegations in Sacramento, Eastin has been largely overlooked in the race, lagging far behind her Democratic rivals in fundraising and the polls. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Arizona high court rejects in-state tuition for DACA recipients By Associated Press Young immigrants granted deferred deportation status under a program started by President Obama are not eligible for lower in-state college tuition, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Monday. The unanimous ruling will affect at least 2,000 students attending the states largest community college district and hundreds more at other colleges and the states three public universities. The Maricopa County Community Colleges District and state universities said they would begin raising tuition immediately for the coming school year. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

New York high school students injured when bus strikes overpass By Associated Press A charter bus carrying teenagers returning from a spring break trip Sunday night struck a bridge overpass on Long Island, seriously injuring six passengers and mangling the entire length of the top of the bus. The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday on the Southern State Parkway in Lakeview, according to New York State Police. One of the six injured passengers had very serious injuries, said State Police Maj. David Candelaria. Thirty-seven other passengers suffered minor injuries. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Some good news for California in national student test scores By Joy Resmovits Every two years, the nations fourth- and eighth-graders are tested in math and reading  and newly released results from last years tests give California at least a little reason to be pleased. The 2017 results  out Monday night  were mostly flat nationwide compared with 2015, though the average score in eighth-grade reading went up. But while that improvement largely came from the increased scores of the highest-performing students, California eighth-graders showed some reading progress from the lowest levels to the highest. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Under state control, Inglewood school districts financial picture worsened By Anna M. Phillips When Eugenio Villa agreed to return to the Inglewood schools for a second tour last summer, he knew the district remained one of Californias most troubled. Inglewood Unified had been nearly insolvent when it was taken over by the state Department of Education in 2012. Six years later, its enrollment was still declining. Its school buildings were tired  some edging into decrepitude. Its test scores and graduation rates were still below the state average. And the public was out of patience. Still, Villa, who had signed back on as the districts chief business official, was shocked at what he found when he arrived in June 2017. Two years earlier, he had left the school system on what he thought was firm ground. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Charter school group drops two lawsuits against L.A. Unified By Howard Blume A charter schools advocacy group last week announced that it would end two long-running lawsuits in which it was seeking more classroom space and construction money from the Los Angeles school district. The decision, the California Charter Schools Assn. said, reflects better relations between charter schools and the L.A. Unified School District. But the move also suggests that the litigation, which already contributed to significant gains for area charters, was unlikely to produce much more. It takes time, money and effort to litigate, said Ricardo Soto, general counsel for the charter group. Maybe its better to see if we can find the time and opportunity for collaboration. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

L.A. school board member Ref Rodriguez is arrested on suspicion of public intoxication By Richard Winton Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez was arrested recently on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena restaurant, the latest trouble for an elected official who faces political money-laundering charges. Pasadena police took Rodriguez into custody on March 16, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian. Officers arrested Rodriguez at about 4:30 p.m. at the Yard House restaurant and bar at the Paseo Mall and held him in jail for more than five-and-a-half hours. Rodriguez was ultimately released without being cited or charged, Derderian told The Times. Other details about the arrest were not available, she said. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Kentucky teachers rally at Capitol over state budget By Associated Press Thousands of Kentucky teachers filled the streets near the state Capitol in Frankfort on a cold, overcast Monday to rally for education funding. Teachers and other school employees gathered outside the Kentucky Education Assn. a couple of blocks from the Capitol chanting, Stop the war on public education and holding or posting signs that say, Weve Had Enough. Were madder than hornets, and the hornets are swarming today, said Claudette Green, a retired teacher and principal. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy L
Sanitary street washing will commence in downtown San Diego and will continue every other week to combat the citys deadly hepatitis A outbreak, Mayor Kevin Faulconers office said Friday.

The city responded to a letter sent by San Diego County Thursday, asking the city to move forward with a list of specific sanitation actions designed to help control the spread of the disease, which has killed 15 people and hospitalized nearly 300, many of them homeless and living on streets without adequate access to restrooms or showers.

The county gave the city five business days to respond with a plan for remedying what it called a fecally contaminated environment downtown. The county will soon expand its efforts to other cities in the region, where the outbreak has now produced nearly 400 confirmed cases.

Advertisement

The county moved forward last weekend with its own contractor, who installed 40 hand-washing stations in areas where the homeless often gather. There are plans, according to the citys letter, to add more stations next week.

In addition to regularly pressure-washing dirty city right-of-ways with chlorinated water, the county also asked the city to immediately expand access to public restrooms and wash stations within the city limits that are adjacent to at-risk populations.

The mayors office provided no additional information on public restroom access except a three-page list of existing facilities, some of which are open 24 hours a day.

Meanwhile, additional San Diego police escorts will be provided for the countys mobile vaccination teams and expanded vaccination clinics will be opened at public libraries.

It was not clear Friday evening whether the county considered the citys response adequate. County communications director Michael Workman said in a brief email that the document was being reviewed and evaluated.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

ALSO

Seismologists hope to create earthquake forecasts for California, using small temblors to warn of big ones

Video of UC Berkeley police seizing bacon hot dog vendors earnings goes viral

Amber Alert lifted after mother and 3 young sons turn up at sheriffs station in Lancaster
Authorities lifted an Amber Alert late Sunday for three brothers from Albuquerque after the boys were found safe in California, along with their mother.

Laria Walker-Anderson and her sons  all younger than 10  walked into the Lancaster station of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department on Sunday night, according to the La Verne Police Department.

The Amber Alert was issued in five Southern California counties Sunday after Walker-Anderson, 28, allegedly threatened to harm the boys as she drove them from Albuquerque to California, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office, which serves Albuquerque.

Advertisement

She allegedly made the threats during a phone conversation with the boys father, the sheriffs office said.

She was seen about 4 a.m. driving west from Albuquerque in a silver Kia Spectra, authorities said. The car was found in La Verne on Sunday evening, parked on Ramona Avenue south of Foothill Boulevard, according to La Verne police. No one was inside.

Sheriffs investigators had said they believed there was a loaded handgun inside the car. Its unclear if the weapon was recovered when the car was found.

**Cancel Amber Alert**

The children and their mother have been located in California and are safe! Thank you for sharing! https://t.co/URWCucJCKa  BCSO (Sheriff) NM (@BCSDSheriff) September 11, 2017

Detectives were concerned for her safety and the safety of her children, said Deputy Felicia Maggard of the sheriffs office. She made threats to harm herself and the children.

Before Walker-Anderson was located, Maggard said that the woman was not facing criminal charges.

Were just urging Laria to contact us so we can get her and her kids to safety, she said.

Walker-Andersons sons are 9-year-old Lloyd Wyatt, 8-year-old Lakai Wyatt and 6-year-old Lexxington Wyatt.

alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @AleneTchek

UPDATES:

10:55 p.m.: This article was updated to reflect that the woman and her three sons were found safe.

This article was originally published at 9:35 p.m.
More than 300 Cambodian Americans rallied at a Long Beach park Sunday to demand the release of recently jailed Cambodian political leader Kem Sokha.

They chanted slogans, brandished signs, shouted condemnations through megaphones and sang old Cambodian folk songs from the 1950s.

The target of their vitriol: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled the country for 31 years.

Advertisement

Hun Sen kills people! Hun Sen must go! they chanted.

Sokha was arrested by Sen last week and charged with treason. The charges came amid a countrywide crackdown on speech freedoms that closed several major radio stations and shuttered the English-language Cambodia Daily. The moves have been denounced by human rights experts, and officials in the U.S., United Nations and the European Union.

Kem Sokha has a long, distinguished, and internationally recognized commitment to human rights and peaceful democracy, said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert in a statement, adding that his arrest raised serious questions about the legitimacy of Cambodias elections next year.

Sundays protest, organized in part by the Cambodian American Alliance, was part of multiple protests in Cambodian diasporas around the world, said one of the organizers, Boone Ran, 45.

Though the protesters were decrying human rights violations an ocean away in Cambodia, their cause resonated loudly in Long Beach, where the nations largest Cambodian diaspora resides. Dozens of motorists on Anaheim Street honked their horns in support and thrust clenched fists out their windows.

1 / 7 Hundreds of Cambodian-Americans protest the imprisonment of jailed Cambodian political leader Kem Sokha. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 7 Framed by the Cambodian and American flags, Cambodian-Americans pray as they listen to Venerable Loun Sovath. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 7 Cambodian-Americans pray as they listen to Venerable Loun Sovath, a Cambodian Buddhist monk and human rights activist. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 7 Venerable Loun Sovath, left, a Cambodian Buddhist monk and human rights activist, speaks to a crowd as hundreds of Cambodian-Americans protest the imprisonment of jailed Cambodian political leader Kem Sokha. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 7 Venerable Loun Sovath, a Cambodian Buddhist monk and human rights activist, speaks to a crowd as hundreds of Cambodian-Americans. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 7 Cambodian-Americans pray at the feet of Venerable Loun Sovath. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 7 V.J. Bengal, 17, whose mother is from Cambodia, holds a sign as he joins hundreds of Cambodian-Americans protesting the imprisonment of jailed Cambodian political leader Kem Sokha. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Ran said its important that Cambodians outside the country speak out. One of his friends in Cambodia has been in jail for the last 25 years because he once gave a speech about human rights, Ran said.

We are calling on the UN, the U.S., President Trump, the International Criminal Court to investigate, Ran said.

For many Cambodians in Long Beach, Sens moves stirred deeply painful memories. They say he is connected to the regime responsible for the state-sponsored genocide that killed nearly 2 million people during the chaotic years after the Vietnam War. His continued control of Cambodia, some protesters said, shows that the so-called Killing Fields havent ended.

All the people in power today are still connected to the past. Its more of the same. Its the same thing over and over and over again. Thats why its so painful for us, said Chad Ung, 37.

The memories are so raw that a few years ago, when Sens eldest son, Hun Manet, was invited to the annual Cambodia Town parade, angry protests forced Manet to bow out. Some local Cambodian residents even swore to boycott the groups and businesses that greeted or hosted Manet during his visit.

Cambodias politics are deeply personal to many who were forced to flee, Ung said. The vast majority of those protesting lost family members during the Killing Fields, and still more have relatives struggling to survive under Sens regime. They contend that Sen is stealing peoples land, attacking press freedoms and punishing people for their political beliefs.

Ung isnt part of any political group, but he saw a Facebook post about the protest and decided to join it.

Cambodians, in general, we do not speak out much compared to other Americans, Ung said. We have all of this here, but at home we are still suffering.

Another protest has been planned for Saturday in downtown Long Beach. Protesting in Long Beach shows relatives in Cambodia and political leaders around the world that they still care, said William Thach, a refugee who came to the U.S. in the 1980s.

We came here running from the Killing Fields. Today we still have a problem. We need the world to help Cambodia, Thach said. Its like the Killing Fields never went away.

frank.shyong@latimes.com

Twitter: @frankshyong
The United Nations Security Council unanimously approved a resolution to impose new economic sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear weapons buildup but the proposed penalties were weaker than the Trump administration had sought.

The 15-0 vote marks the second unanimous decision against North Korea in the weeks since it unexpectedly tested intercontinental ballistic missiles and an apparent hydrogen bomb.

After late-night negotiations Sunday with China, the U.S. delegation broadly weakened a sanctions proposal that Beijing was unwilling to support. Chinas cooperation is key to enforcing any sanctions.

Advertisement

The move shows the continued division among major world powers as they grapple with a government that has repeatedly defied U.N. resolutions.

The initial U.S. resolution had included a ban on oil exports to North Korea, which would have severely crippled the isolated nations economy, and a freeze on the personal assets of its leader, Kim Jong Un.

But as China and Russia made their opposition known, U.S. diplomats backed down, agreeing to gradually reduce, instead of ban, oil exports to Pyongyang.

Exports of refined oil to North Korea will be cut in about half, to 2 million barrels annually, according to a U.S. diplomat involved in the talks.

The proposed freeze of Kims assets abroad was dropped altogether.

Its a negotiation, the U.S. official said. Thats where we landed.

The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, in keeping with State Department practices, said it was unlikely the North Korean leader had bank accounts, properties or other assets hidden overseas that could be seized.

The United States also stepped away from insisting that the U.N. authorize use of military force to interdict North Korean vessels at sea that are suspected of smuggling banned components for its nuclear or ballistic missile programs.

The U.S. side also backed off its proposal to require all countries to expel North Korean guest workers. Tens of thousands of North Koreans work in Asia and the Middle East and send most of their earnings to the government in Pyongyang, a major source of the countrys foreign exchange.

The new resolution calls for firing 93,000 North Korean workers employed overseas when their contracts expire.

A U.N. ban on the export of North Korean textiles, one of the countrys fastest growing industries, stayed in the resolution. Textile exports netted $726 million last year for Pyongyang.

Combined with previous sanctions, the official said, 90% of North Koreas declared exports, including seafood, coal and textiles, will be embargoed.

He said he was confident that China and Russia were on board with the resolution, which he characterized as a major step in increased pressure.

Others saw the move as more incremental than substantial.

In August, the Security Council unanimously approved a resolution to impose sanctions intended to cut annual North Korean export income by a third, or $1 billion.

It is not clear how much of that has been realized, and how much of the current measure replicates some of those cuts.

So far, sanctions have done little to slow North Koreas relentless progress in developing nuclear arms.

The Trump administration has repeatedly called on China, North Koreas main trading partner and political ally, to put more pressure on Kim to refrain from further testing of nuclear and ballistic missiles.

Beijings willingness to do so has been spotty, and even when it has called on North Korea to stand down, Kim has gone ahead with missile tests.

The United States and China have two fundamentally different purposes, said Joseph Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund, a San Francisco-based organization that promotes nuclear nonproliferation.

The United States is looking for some sort of sanctions that will bring North Korea to its knees, he said. China does not want North Korea to collapse, but wants a stick to get it to the negotiating table. But the U.S. doesnt want to go to the negotiating table.

In July, after Pyongyang warned it might fire missiles toward Guam, President Trump threatened to rain fire and fury on North Korea. He later said the U.S. military was locked and loaded, as if ready to attack the nuclear armed nation.

Others in the administration have pushed for diplomatic openings. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has suggested the possibility of dialogue  but only if Pyongyang first agrees to freeze its nuclear program.

South Korean officials were offended when Trump criticized its official approach of engagement with its northern neighbor as appeasement.

There are many elements to consider beyond the military and strategic value of this issue, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said during a news conference in Seoul on Monday.

She said they included nonproliferation and the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Last week, after North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called for the toughest possible sanctions. She said North Korea was begging for war.

For its part, Pyongyang issued its own threat Monday before the U.N. vote.

The United States is attempting to strangle and completely suffocate North Korea, the countrys Foreign Ministry said, and Pyongyang shall make absolutely sure that the U.S. pays due price.

Speaking after the vote, Haley said the resolution builds on what are already the deepest sanctions imposed on North Korea.

But given its growing threat to the United States, We are no longer trying to get North Korea to change its behavior, we are stopping it from [exercising] its behavior, she said.

The British ambassador to the U.N., Matthew Rycroft, said the resolution showed the Security Councils determination to act.

Make no mistake: We are tightening the screw, and we stand ready to tighten it further, he said.

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter
Moscow is threatening to order an additional 155 American diplomatic personnel removed from missions in Russia in a further escalation of the cycle of retaliation between the two world powers.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Russia was seriously considering the additional cuts, although it had not yet made a formal petition. A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the Trump administration was aware of the possibility.

Earlier this year, Moscow ordered the U.S. to slash its staff in Russia by nearly two-thirds, to 455 people, by Sept. 1. In response, the U.S. ordered Russia to shutter its consulate in San Francisco and two trade offices, in Washington, D.C., and New York.

Washington and Moscow are basing their tit-for-tat on differing interpretations of parity, that principle that each government have an identical numerical presence in the others country. That was the justification Moscow used to cut the U.S. staff to 455, the same number Russia had here. The U.S. then said closing the San Francisco consulate meant each country would have three consulates.

Now, Russia said it was being too generous because the number 455 included staff at its mission at the United Nations: 155 people. That number of American employees in Russia may now need to go, Lavrov suggested.

If they have taken parity as a criterionwe will bring these conditions into full compliance with what is called parity, Lavrov said at a news conference Monday in Amman, Jordan.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the administration continued to hold out hope that relations will improve.

We dont want to continue this kind of diplomatic tit-for-tat, she said. There are far too many areas where we can, we hope we can, cooperate with Russia. But asked about further cuts in staff, she said: Im not going to get into forecasting any potential Russian reaction.

The cuts in staffing have crippled U.S. diplomatic functions in Russia, officials say. Visa processing, after a brief suspension, has been renewed but at a much slower pace and only in Moscow, not in the consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg or Vladivostok.

The consulates canceled thousands of interview appointments for non-immigrant visa applicants on Sept. 1, and many Russians seeking visas to the U.S. are applying in neighboring countries, such as Ukraine.

In addition, the United States will be forced to turn to contractors for basic security services, the senior State Department official said. The official described the moves as taking a meat cleaver to the diplomatic mission in Russia.

Both governments acknowledge their relations, despite President Trumps professed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, are severely deteriorated  although the two continue to work on some issues, such as the fight against terrorism, cooperation in Syria and possibly curbing the nuclear threat posed by North Korea.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to meet with Lavrov this month on the margins of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, and the State Departments number-three official, under-secretary for political affairs Thomas Shannon, was in Helsinki, Finland, on Monday to talk with his Russian counterpart, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, about the embassies and other issues.

The current downward spiral began in the waning weeks of the Obama presidency, when the last administration ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian intelligence officials and seized two Russian compounds as punishment for the Kremlins alleged meddling in the American election process.

Putin did not respond at the time, apparently waiting to see if relations would improve under Trump.

But in July, Congress overwhelmingly passed a new sanctions bill against Russian businesses and individuals, which Trump was forced to sign, albeit reluctantly.

Putin then ordered the first shearing of the American diplomatic corps, from about 1,200 to 455, though more than half of those removed, around 600, were locally hired Russian nationals. Two diplomatic compounds used by the U.S. Embassy staff were also taken back by the Russians, including a storage warehouse in Moscow and a summer cottage dacha in the northern part of the capital.

After Washington ordered closure of the additional offices in the U.S., Russians were further angered at inspections of the offices by U.S. security personnel, refusing an invitation to accompany them on the New York walk-through, although they did attend similar inspections in San Francisco and Washington.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the inspections were a provocation, while some Russian officials questioned the legality.

Is it an attempt by the American security services to organize an anti-Russian provocation and, probably, to plant compromising materials into the building and then somehow find them inside? Zakharova said at a briefing in Moscow.

At Mondays news conference in Amman, Lavrov said Russia was also considering placing some travel restrictions on U.S. diplomatic staff working in Russia. Currently, American diplomats may officially enter Russia at more entry points than Russians are allowed to use to enter the U.S. Russia might limit those entry points and the number of American diplomatic staff allowed to travel outside of the diplomatic mission zones.

Such restrictions would also be a move toward parity, Lavrov argued: Low- and mid-level Russian diplomats working in the U.S. have only a radius of 25 miles of free movement outside their diplomatic compounds. High-level Russian diplomats are allowed to travel freely.

All U.S. diplomatic staff are allowed to travel freely within Russia, a privilege Lavrov said was now under review.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters last week that Trump had personally approved the decision to take reprisals against Russia. But she added: We want to halt the downward spiral and we want to move forward towards better relations.

Special correspondent Ayres reported from Moscow, staff writer Wilkinson from Washington.
As a mighty hurricane, Irma inspired fear. As a tropical storm, it is spreading soggy distress  and continuing peril  across a growing swath of the American Southeast.

In what could be a long and messy afterlife, it will tax the patience of millions.

On Monday, a day after visiting lashing rains, surging tides and terrifying winds on nearly every corner of Florida, Irma unleashed flash flooding in three states and left a sweaty, disruptive legacy: no power for about 7 million people.

Advertisement

Confronting a panorama of destruction stretching from coast to coast, with rescue efforts still in progress and a massive cleanup only beginning to gather pace, Florida and federal officials opted for frankness: It might take weeks for electricity to be fully restored.

The storms direct death toll, mercifully, was not commensurate with Irmas wrath. Authorities in Georgia on Monday reported three storm-related deaths, without providing details, and one person died in South Carolina. An electrocution was reported in central Florida  a grim hazard in floodings aftermath. Irma is being blamed for 34 deaths in the Caribbean before it hit Florida, according to the Associated Press.

With power cut for about 6.5 million Floridians and hundreds of thousands of others in Georgia and South Carolina, restoring electricity was an urgent priority, but authorities warned that the fixes wouldnt happen overnight.

I would caution people to be very patient here, Tom Bossert, the White House homeland security advisor, said at a briefing in Washington, D.C. We could have power down in homes for the coming weeks.

In recorded history, the U.S. mainland had never before suffered two Category 4 hurricanes in the span of a year, never mind a little over two weeks. Coming on the heels of Hurricane Harveys devastation in Texas, Irma was expected to be one of the countrys most expensive weather disasters.

But on Monday, major insurers were revising estimates downward, though they were still expected to run in the tens of billions of dollars.

Still, as the storm left Florida behind, the danger lingered: Storm surges jeopardized cities along the states Gulf and Atlantic coasts, and the National Hurricane Center said Irma was still spinning off 60-mph winds as it moved into Georgia on Monday afternoon.

In Jacksonville, Fla., water poured rapidly into downtown streets, with the St. Johns River hitting flood levels not seen in decades.

Get out NOW, the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office tweeted in a warning to people in evacuation zones. It advised those who needed help escaping flooded homes to visibly display something white  a shirt or a pillowcase.

Live updates on the continuing threat of Irma and its aftermath 

Downtown Charleston, S.C., too was hit by heavy storm flooding, and communities in coastal Georgia were swamped as well.

With Irmas reach spreading over hundreds of miles, Alabama battened down; schools and businesses closed across the state. In Georgia, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was still open Monday, but thousands of flights have been canceled.

Although the storms raging winds and punishing rains lent it an apocalyptic feel as it unfolded in Florida over the weekend, damage initially appeared significant and widespread, but short of catastrophic.

That was true even in the Florida Keys, where Irma made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. Gov. Rick Scott, who flew in with the Coast Guard plane, said he saw devastation  roofs ripped away, boats tossed ashore, mobile homes overturned  but its not as bad as we thought.

Still he cautioned, Its going to be a long road; theres a lot of damage.

Eleventh-hour shifts in Irmas trajectory undoubtedly saved both lives and property. Last week, while the storm was roaring through the Caribbean, where it devastated a chain of small islands, one projected track had it aiming straight for Miami, Floridas biggest city. But it veered westward instead.

On Sunday, still at hurricane strength, Irma appeared set for a direct strike on the highly built-up Gulf Coast region of Tampa-St. Petersburg, but it tacked east-northeast instead, losing strength as it moved over land.

Hurricane Irma hit Marco Island, Fla., hard, but damage wasnt as bad as anticipated. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Experts say the number of deaths and amount of damage that can be expected from a storm of that strength have been reduced in recent years by advances in forecasting, which enable authorities to order people out of harms way, and stricter building standards that help fortify the sorts of large public venues where people seek shelter  even if smaller wooden structures remain vulnerable.

While the seas to Floridas west bent to Irmas will, receding and then rising, the National Hurricane Center also warned of significant river flooding for the next five days along the storm track. Gov. Scott called that flood threat the storms most dangerous aftermath.

On Monday, just outside Orlando, hundreds of homes were ordered emptied as floodwaters rose, and firefighters staged boat rescues for some. Another classic Florida hazard struck nearby: A 60-foot sinkhole abruptly gaped at the base of an apartment building, which was hastily evacuated. No injuries were reported.

Not all damage has yet been chronicled. Except for rescuers and suppliers, the Florida Keys were mainly unreachable by the single 42-bridge highway linking them, although a flotilla of boats was making its way.

The Navy said it was sending in four vessels, including the aircraft carrier Lincoln, to provide emergency services in the Keys.

Coast Guard and naval helicopters buzzed over the low-lying island chain, making aerial assessments. Units of the Florida National Guard and other personnel were deployed for the cleanup, bringing bulldozers and other heavy equipment with them.

In Florida City, the gateway to the Keys, frustration mounted among those who wanted to go back home after obeying orders to get out.

1 / 79 Trailer homes at the Sea Breeze trailer park in the Florida Keys town of Islamorada were destroyed by Irma. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 79 Tom Ross inspects the damage to his three-story condominium building in Islamorada. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 79 The remains of a boat in Islamorada. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 79 Brooke Gilbert, 15, and her father, Mike Gilbert, look at the ruins of her grandparents condominium building in Islamorada. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 79 Laura Gilbert retrieves the mailbox from her fathers condominium in Islamorada after it was swept away during the storm. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 79 Sand and debris block access to trailer homes in Islamorada. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 79 Greg Garner embraces neighbor Linda Nettles in front of his longtime family home that lost part of its roof after Tropical Storm Irma hit Sullivans Island, S.C. (Mic Smith / Associated Press) 8 / 79 Israel Alvarado, 25, tries to open a gate blocked by fallen tree branches to retrieve a generator in Bonita Springs. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 79 Rescue workers help a couple evacuate their flooded home in Jacksonville. (John Raoux / Associated Press) 10 / 79 Charlotte Glaze, left gives Donna Lamb a hug as she floats out some of her belongings in floodwaters in Jacksonville,. (Dede Smith / Associated Press) 11 / 79 Ron Colby, 70, leaves his flooded Bonita Springs home after staying during Hurricane Irma. He said he was OK with the wind but that at 3:30 in the morning the water started to rise. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 79 A dresser floats by Gilberto Diaz in his Bonita Springs neighborhood. Originally from Guatemala, Diaz has lived in Florida since 1994. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 79 In Bonita Springs, floodwaters reached waist deep in some areas on Monday, flooding homes and cars. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 79 A block from the ocean in Naples, the water was still a foot deep from storm surge. Homeowner Terry Clontz put up a no wake sign because people were driving by too fast, pushing water farther onto his property. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 79 Floodwaters surround a marina in Key Largo on Monday following Hurricane Irma. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) 16 / 79 Mobile homes in Key Largo, Fla., lie in ruins on Monday after Hurricane Irma. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) 17 / 79 Floodwaters surround Gilberts Resort in Key Largo on Monday. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) 18 / 79 Kelly McClenthen returns to see the flood damage to her home with her boyfriend, Daniel Harrison, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Bonita Springs, Fla. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press) 19 / 79 Terry Thompson is relieved. He rode out the storm in his home in Riverwood Estates in Naples. Although the Naples area of Florida was hit hard by Hurricane Irma, damage wasnt nearly as bad as anticipated. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 79 A woman leaves her flooded home the morning after Hurricane Irma swept through the area in Fort Myers, Florida. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) 21 / 79 People tend to a car that flipped over on Cape Coral Parkway during Hurricane Irma, in Cape Coral. (Gerald Herbert / AP) 22 / 79 A man clears the drain next to his house in Estero, Fla., during the lull in winds as the eye of the hurricane passes over. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 79 Evacuees use flashlights so others can maneuver around the stairway at Hampton Inn and Suites in Estero, Fla. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 79 Guests gather in the lobby of Hampton Inn and Suites in Estero, Fla., to watch the hurricane gusts. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 79 Darla Talia Ferro, 40, and her two parakeets ride out Hurricane Irma in the lobby of Hampton Inn and Suites in Estero, Fla. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 79 John Krowzow, 74, wades in floodwater to check out his homes in Corkscrew Woodlands, a park with 640 senior mobile home units in Estero, Fla. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 79 Peter Moodley wades through floodwater in downtown Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 79 Two men walk through a downed tree as Hurricane Irmas full force strikes Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 79 A woman films the damage from a house whose roof was blown off near downtown Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 79 A vehicle drives through debris caused by Hurricane Irma, in Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 79 Weather reporters in downtown Miami jump and cling on to illustrate the force of the winds caused by Hurricane Irma. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 79 Weather reporters do a stand-up as the force of the winds caused by Hurricane Irma hit Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 79 A cargo truck is tipped over by the wind caused by Hurricane Irma in Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 79 Storm surge floods the Brickell neighborhood of Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 79 Streets are empty in downtown Miami as the wind picks up speed during Hurricane Irmas approach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 79 Maria Koenig, 63, of Estero, Fla., and her dog, Baeley, sit by the window at their Estero hotel so Maria can keep an eye on the storm on Sunday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 79 Glen Sinatra, 69, from Naples, says he feels lucky to be at a hotel in Estero instead of a shelter. Hes nervous about the storm and says hes trying not to worry his children about the conditions. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 79 Jimmy Alfano, of Ft. Myers, holds onto Alec Hoskins who is autistic, while watching the storm gusts through the window of their Estero hotel with Frank Pairs. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 79 A car sits abandoned in storm surge along North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard as Hurricane Irma hits the southern part of the state. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) 40 / 79 The metal canopy at a gasoline station is overturned by high winds brought on by Hurricane Irma. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) 41 / 79 Youssef Ezzou, left, and Fadel Beznbachir roam outside to check out the conditions in Miami as Hurricane Irma nears the mainland. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 79 A construction crane whose arm broke off towers over a building as high wind blows through downtown Miami on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 79 A man and woman run to safety in Miami as winds from Hurricane Irma bear down on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 79 Storefronts in Miami are damaged as Hurricane Irmas winds hit Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 79 Dustin Terkoski, Palm Bay Police officer surveys the scene after a possible tornado touched down at Palm Pam Bay Estates. (Red Huber / Orlando Sentinel) 46 / 79 A man braces against the wind by the Miami River on Sunday as water levels surge. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 79 A man stands by the Miami River as the water level surges on Sunday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 79 The waves on the Miami River begin to surge Sunday as winds pick up speed upon Hurricane Irmas approach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 79 Brian Williams, of Maryland, fights the winds in downtown Fort Myers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 79 Trees fall as winds pick up speed early Sunday as Hurricane Irma approaches Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 79 A TV reporter braces against the wind as Hurricane Irma approaches Miami. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 79 The outer bands of Hurricane Irma start to reach Florida on Saturday, with clouds over the Miami skyline. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images ) 53 / 79 People wade through a flooded street in Havana after Hurricane Irma battered central Cuba. (YAMIL LAGE / AFP/Getty Images) 54 / 79 Thousands wait Saturday to enter a storm shelter set up at Germain Arena in Estero, Fla., south of Fort Myers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 79 Jean Turner, 79, waits to get into a shelter with a few of her belongings as rain begins to fall Saturday in Estero, Fla. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 79 Sherri Bourdo, 32, and Anthony Guidry, 40, look out over the water in Naples, Fla, in advance of the arrival of Hurricane Irma. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 79 Lisette Toroella and Tatiana Morera play on the beach as storm clouds approach in Miami Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 79 Adam Todd, does a handstand while skateboarding down a virtually empty Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 79 Abby Jenkins walks against the wind with her luggage and umbrella to get to safety, in Miami Beach. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 60 / 79 James Sampero surfs in the churning ocean as Hurricane Irma approaches. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) 61 / 79 Cubans wade through the rubble from a collapsed building in Havana on Saturday. (Yamil Lage / AFP/Getty Images) 62 / 79 A woman and child use a blanket as protection from wind and rain as they walk in Caibarien, Cuba. Hurricane Irma battered Cuba on Saturday with deafening winds and unremitting rain, pushing seawater inland and flooding homes before turning toward Florida. (Desmond Boylan / Associated Press) 63 / 79 Annette Davis plays with her son Darius, 3, while staying at a shelter in Miami on Saturday after evacuating from their home in Florida City ahead of Hurricane Irma. (David Goldman / Associated Press) 64 / 79 Residents walk through rain brought on by Hurricane Irma in Caibarien, Cuba. The powerful storm battered Cuba on Saturday and continued its march toward Florida. (Desmond Boylan / Associated Press) 65 / 79 Palmetto Ridge High School is a shelter for people with special needs near Naples, Fla. Many seniors plan to ride out the storm there. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 79 Francesca DeLuca, age 20, will be waiting for 10 hours for her flight back to Milan, Italy. She had been visiting a friend in Miami by herself, but the area where she was staying is under mandatory evacuation. At Miami International Airport, the last flights will be this afternoon with the airport closing tonight at 6pm. Most travelers are taking flights to anywhere they can find. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 79 Boats that cant be evacuated are tied off in canals to protect them from Hurricane Irma on in Key Largo, Florida. The entire Florida Keys are under a mandatory evacuation notice as Hurricane Irma approaches the low-lying chain of islands south of Miami. (Marc Serota / Getty Images) 68 / 79 Hundreds wait in line on Friday at Home Depot in Miami to get supplies line sheets of plywood, and anything else they can find, to board up their homes. Police were on the scene to keep things orderly. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 79 In the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami, Fritz Drinks, whose family is from Haiti, helps load sandbags at Little Haiti Hardware and Lumber. Many people in the area are refusing to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Irma. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 79 In downtowm Miaimi, people wait to get on a bus headed to Orlando under a mandatory evacution plan. Preparations are underway for Hurricane Irma as the storm makes its way toward Florida. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 79 Stores are boarded up in Miami Beach in advance of Hurricane Irma. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 79 Preparations for Hurricane Irma are underway in Miami Beach as the storm makes its way toward Florida. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 79 Genaro Dacosta, 65, of Miami Beach loads sandbags in advance of Hurricane Irma. He says he cant evacuate the area because he has a monkey. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 79 An aerial photograph taken and released by the Dutch Department of Defense on Wednesday shows damage from Hurricane Irma in Philipsburg, St. Maarten. (Gerben van Es / AFP/Getty Images) 75 / 79 Juan Negron, third from left, prepares to start up a power generator in front of whats left of his damaged property in Culebra, Puerto Rico, after the passage of Hurricane Irma. (Carlos Giusti / Associated Press) 76 / 79 Residents come out to survey the damage caused by Hurricane Irma in Nagua, Dominican Republic. (Tatiana Fernandez / Associated Press) 77 / 79 People on Thursday look over damage from Hurricane Irma on a sand-covered street of Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the island of St. Maarten. (Lionel Chamoiseau / AFP/Getty Images) 78 / 79 Inmate trustees from the Brevard County Jail fill sandbags for Meritt Island, Fla., residents in advance of Hurricane Irma. (Brian Blanco / Getty Images) 79 / 79 Motorists leave Key Largo, Fla., ahead of Hurricane Irma. (Alan Diaz / Associated Press)

Im sorry I ever agreed to evacuate, said Warren Stincer, a boat captain and carpenter from Key Largo. My home is just 20 minutes down the road, and I know the road is clear.

Joe Sanchez, spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, said the road would remain closed to all but emergency crews until authorities determined it was safe.

President Trump expressed resolve in the face of the twin hurricanes, even if his administration is skeptical of climate changes that scientists say are contributing to increasingly violent weather.

At a Pentagon ceremony commemorating the Sept. 11 attacks of 16 years ago, Trump pledged support for those afflicted by the storms in Florida and Texas.

These are storms of catastrophic severity, and we are marshaling the full resources of the federal government to help our fellow Americans, the president said.

As Monday dawned, many people headed out to check on damage despite officials warnings of continued hazards, including high waters, downed power lines and sewage-tainted floodwaters.

At the Riverwood Estates mobile home park in Naples, on the Gulf Coast, Terry Thompson, 65, was among those surveying what the storm had wrought. He rode out the storm with his dog in his mobile home, which hed moved into only two weeks earlier.

His neighbors carport roof had flown off and smacked into his wifes car, and tree branches and debris littered the streets of the complex.

Theres a lot of cleanup, he said. But his car and boat were intact.

After making landfall early Sunday in the Keys, the storm spent Sunday chewing and churning its way up much of the Gulf Coast, but also paralyzing Miami, the normally buzzing metropolis on the other side of the peninsula. Most people were trapped indoors all day by wind and rain while floodwaters rose in downtown streets.

On Monday, the city looked bedraggled, but the sun was shining. Still, authorities were asking people to stay indoors, and many businesses remained shuttered.

Miami International Airport, the scene of a frantic exodus in the days before the storm struck, said it would be closed Monday, with limited flights beginning Tuesday. Hundreds of flights were canceled over the weekend. The airports director, Emilio Gonzalez, tweeted that the airport, hit by gusts of nearly 100 mph, sustained significant water damage throughout.

Video: Times coverage of Hurricane Irma

Staff writer Halper reported from Marco Island and staff writer King from Washington. Staff writer Patrick McConnell contributed from Florida City and staff writer John Cherwa from Orlando.

evan.halper@latimes.com

laura.king@latimes.com

@laurakingLAT

ALSO

The incredible stories of the die-hards who looked Irma in the face  and stayed

Hurricane Irma tops Havanas seawall, floods capital as Cuba sustains direct blow

A windy night among strangers  human, canine and otherwise  as Hurricane Irma blows through

UPDATES:

7 p.m.: This story has been updated throughout with additional deaths and other details.

5:30 p.m.: This story was updated with two more deaths, one in Georgia and one in South Carolina.

1:15 p.m.: This story was updated with two deaths, details about flooding in Jacksonville and Charleston, comment from White House and Gov. Rick Scott, frustrated homeowners turned back from the Florida Keys, other details.

10:45 a.m.: This story was updated with flooding in Charleston, S.C., flights canceled at Atlanta airport, damage assessments in Florida Keys, 6 million in Florida without power, other details.

9:05 a.m.: This article was updated with storms new position and strength, comment from President Trump, other details.

This article was originally published at 7:15 a.m.
When the knock came Sunday afternoon on the door of the hotel room where Glen Sinatra was riding out the storm, he had just minutes to put his most valued papers in the bathroom, where they would be least likely to get sucked into Irmas wrath.

Social Security card. Insurance papers. Birth certificate. And the photo of his wife. She died of cancer not too long after the couple moved to Naples, Fla., from Long Island in 2009 for their long-planned retirement. Now, Sinatra wondered if he would lose the cherished picture. His entire side of the Hampton Inn and Suites in Estero had just been told to leave their rooms because there was a risk of uprooted trees flying into them.

He had no idea what was next. But the 64-year-old was sure of one thing: He wasnt going to tell his panicked children, who are now grown and living in New York, how unnerved he was.

Advertisement

Glen Sinatra, originally from Long Island but who now lives in Naples, Fla., says he feels lucky to be at a hotel instead of a shelter (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

I just keep responding to their texts saying, Things are fine, even though theyre not, said Sinatra, as winds approaching 100 mph slammed the palm trees outside. He dreaded there would be little left of his house in Naples by the time Hurricane Irma passed. Why would I share that I was just evacuated to the lobby? Itll just get everyone upset.

Everyone hunkered down in this fortress off Interstate 75 had his or her own way of coping through one of the scariest days in Florida history. Some paced. Some partied. Many looked to their pets. They all seemed to look to each other. Most had one thing in common: They had no idea if or when they would ever be able to return home.

Soon after the temporary evacuation from rooms on the hotels south side, the downstairs lobby came alive with a chorus of barking and yapping, as the many nervous pets also taking refuge in the lobby checked one another out. With rain coming down in buckets and roughly a dozen dogs, three cats and two parakeets in the lobby, Noahs Ark cliches were unavoidable.

Guests at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Estero, Fla., ride out Hurricane Irma together as the storm passes through Sunday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

One nervous pooch urinated on the floor. Another two tiny breeds growled at each other. And the fierce looking Doberman turned out to be among the gentlest of the whole bunch. Hotel guests leaned for reassurance on the empathetic and exceedingly positive hotel managers, at least one of whom was spotted giving an anxious guest a hug. As one manager announced the risk of flying trees, another kept everyone calm with a tray of cookies.

Its hurricane party time! shouted Chaz Lorenzo, a 65-year-old equipment operator for the city of Cape Coral with a Rodney Dangerfield way about him. But he wasnt kidding when he said, This hotel may be my home for the next year. The prognosis was dismal for his house, right on the water.

Lorenzo didnt dwell on it. When guests poured out of the hotel as the eye of the storm brought the wind and rain to a very brief halt  and the danger of trees slamming through windows had passed  he cracked wise again. Its like they let the horses out of the gate, he said. But he wasnt joking  though he may have sounded like it  when he assured one distressed group of guests that he could build a raft to help bring them to safety should water inundate the property.

Im Cuban, Lorenzo said. All Cubans are good at building rafts.

With the lights out at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Estero, Fla., the evacuees help one another make their way to the stairway with flashlights. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

That was reassuring to Trisha Coen. But she wasnt taking any chances. She already had 10 inflatable rafts in her Range Rover. And an enormous flashlight the size of the Bat signal in her room. Coen worked the halls of the hotel, figuring out who might be able to do what in the event of an evacuation.

What else are we going to do? she said. Sit here and eat chips? Along with the rafts in the car, she had life jackets for her 23-year-old autistic nephew, Alec Hoskins, who was part of her group hunkered down in two rooms at the hotel. Everyone in it worked to keep Hoskins at ease. But he was stressed out, even if he was unable to verbally communicate as much.

By Sunday afternoon, Hoskins hadnt slept in three days. He was barely looking at the puzzles and iPad apps he would normally focus on for hours. The medication he takes wasnt helping calm him the way it usually does. He drifted asleep while sitting against a wall in the hallway, only to pop back up and start arranging the pretzel bags and flashlights by the window where his family was keeping him company.

There is all this chaos going on and we have a child who really needs things put in order, said Sandra Hoskins, Alecs mother. It is the only calming thing for him right now.

Jimmy Alfano, right, of Fort Myers, Fla., holds onto Alec Hoskins, who is autistic, while watching the gusty storm with Frank Pair, left, and drinking beers. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Hoskins wasnt alone in needing diversions.

Darla Talia Ferros nerves were clearly frayed by the shift of the storm and concerns that rooms on her side of the hotel had become vulnerable. She came downstairs with a large cage holding her two parakeets and an anxious expression on her face. They were chirping up a storm earlier, Ferro said. But it is calming to me. I love my birds.

This was Ferros first hurricane. Her family moved here from Missouri only two years ago. I am terrified, she said. If her two young children were equally concerned, they werent showing it.

I think they are trying to keep me calm, Ferro said. It turned out to be a fun job for them, including play dates with the little girls across the hall and the transformation of the hotels University Room meeting space into a makeshift childrens gymnasium.

Also making the best of the grim situation Sunday was a fluffy white Bichon Frise named Baeley. The breakfast buffet suited him. I let him have eggs for the first time. And ham. And potatoes, said Maria Koenig, who wanted to reward Baeley for his loyalty in helping her through the weekend. She sat with him by a big third-floor hallway window and wondered what would become of her home nearby. The weather report buzzed from her iPhone, and group texts with her worried family, both far and near, bounced back and forth.

John Hughes of Fort Myers had to evacuate the first hotel he was booked into before moving to the Hampton Inn and Suites. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Im worried about my car, she said, as water pooled up on the already saturated ground below. I need it to get back home.I dont know what we will face when we get there.

Everyone in the hotel had plenty to worry about. But perhaps nobody more so than the three nurses staying there from the Avow Hospice in Naples, a nonprofit that cares for end-of-life patients.

Most of the patients had to be evacuated or moved for the storm, a heart-wrenching process when it involves people so frail. The hospice headquarters had been evacuated, so the trio was sent to the hotel to field phone calls from concerned family members needing advice on what to do, help getting prescriptions, or just be a calm person to talk with.

The nurses took dozens of calls in the few days they were there. We are trying to provide hope, said Sandy Eschler, 69. She was holding the leash of their trained hospice dog, Munchie, a Eurasian wolf chow. Munchie, who could pass for a large toy lion, was a big hit at the hotel.

The work of hospice nurses is emotionally draining in the best of times. During a hurricane, it gets significantly tougher. The family of a patient who was confined to a hospital bed inside a house called at the last minute seeking help to evacuate. It was too late by then. But the nurses found a solution, enlisting volunteers at a local church to take the patient to a safer location in its nearby building.

I had one person call and say, I want to take my father out of the hospital there and bring him to Maryland, said Eschler. We said, Dont do it. We said, Do you want him stuck in a car and in pain? Or do you want him where he can get pain medication? The family took their advice. The patient died, more peacefully and in the hospital, soon after the conversation.

The nurses were eager to get through the storm, so they could get back to work. There is only so much they could do by phone. And even the phone lines were eventually turned off, as the storm bore down. Besides, anyone the nurses could dispatch to help patients was in no position to go anywhere.

Were basically trapped, said Sandy Glass, another nurse. There is nothing we can do. It is frustrating.

But it turned out the nurses were able to help someone. When Sinatra bumped into them after the eye of the storm had passed, he realized they looked familiar. He pulled out a photo of his late wife and showed it to one of them.

It turned out that she was the hospice nurse who had held his wifes hand as she died. Reuniting with her Sunday, in another moment of stress, put Sinatra at ease.

 In the days leading up to the storm, more than 6.5 million Floridians were told to evacuate. (Sept. 11, 2017)

evan.halper@latimes.com

Follow me: @evanhalper

ALSO

Irma weakens to a tropical storm, but winds remain near hurricane force

The incredible stories of the die-hards who looked Irma in the face  and stayed

Cruise lines cancel sailings, send ships to help Caribbean islands hit hard by Hurricane Irma


Sept. 11, 2017, 9:01 p.m. Irma is now a tropical depression Once a powerful hurricane, Irma is now officially a tropical depression. In what it said was its last advisory on the storm, the National Hurricane Center announced the downgrade at 11 p.m. East Coast time. The storm was centered five miles south of Columbus, Ga., with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, and moving northwest at 15 mph. All storm surge warnings and tropical storm warnings have been discontinued, the advisory said. Even so, the storm was continuing to assert its presence, with 2 to 5 inches of rain -- and as much as 8 inches in isolated pockets -- expected through Wednesday across South Carolina and northern portions of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi into Tennessee and North Carolina.



Full CoverageGeorgia

Sept. 11, 2017, 6:52 p.m. Irma claims a third life in Georgia Flooding on Tybee Island, Ga., from Tropical Storm Irma. (Stephen B. Morton / Associated Press) Tropical Storm Irma has claimed a third life in Georgia. The Forsyth County Sheriffs Office says on its website that a woman died from injuries she suffered when a tree fell on a vehicle in a private driveway. The Sheriffs Office says deputies and firefighters tried to rescue the woman, but she died from her injuries. The office said it was withholding the womans name until her family and friends had been notified. The storm is also being blamed for the death of a man in his 50s who was killed when a tree fell on his house just north of Atlanta and for the death of a 62-year-old man in rural southwest Georgia who had a heart attack after he climbed onto a shed during heavy winds on Monday.

Full Coverage

Sept. 11, 2017, 6:40 p.m. When students tried to park at Florida State University during the storm, they found the spots taken by a car dealership When students and faculty at Florida State University learned that they could leave their cars parked in the campus garage over the weekend, many breathed a sigh of relief. After all, their cars could have been severely damaged by Hurricane Irmas powerful winds and dangerous storm surge. But that relief was short-lived for some. When they tried to park Friday, they found many of the spots in the covered campus garage were filled with sparkling new cars from Napleton Infiniti, a dealership in Tallahassee. Angry students took to social media to complain. Some also went to the dealerships Yelp page, flooding it with negative comments. Shame on you Napleton Infinity of Tallahassee for taking up many FSU parking garage spots and preventing FSU students and its surrounding community from parking in one of the few options they have, one Yelp reviewer wrote. There were calls to boycott the dealership, including from people out of state who took up the students cause. Out of respect for the families who have lost everything during hurricane Irma, do NOT do business with this establishment, a Yelp reviewer from Chicago wrote. On Sunday evening, the university posted on Twitter that it had addressed the matter and that the vehicles have been removed. Napleton Infinity of Tallahassee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Full CoverageThe Keys

Sept. 11, 2017, 5:09 p.m. Images emerge of Hurricane Irmas devastation in the Florida Keys



Full CoverageThe Keys

Sept. 11, 2017, 4:49 p.m. Hurricane Irma spares Hemingways home and its cats A six-toed cat at the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, Fla. (Florida Keys News Bureau) Hurricane Irma battered the Florida Keys over the weekend, but the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, its staffers and its 54 six-toed cats were unharmed by the storm, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Jacque Sands, general manager of the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, told the newspaper that the house was not severely damaged, and that the museums 10 employees and the dozens of polydactyl felines that populate the property were safe. The museums staff made headlines after announcing that it wouldnt heed orders to evacuate the Keys, thought to be particularly vulnerable to Irmas wind and rain. Mariel Hemingway, the actress and Ernest Hemingways granddaughter, had urged Sands to leave the house and seek safer shelter, the Telegraph reported. I think that youre a wonderful and admirable person for trying to stay there and save the cats, and save the house, and all that stuff, Hemingway told Sands. But ultimately, its just a house. Save the cats. Get all the cats in the car and take off. Read more



Full CoverageSouth Carolina

Sept. 11, 2017, 4:24 p.m. Authorities confirm first Irma-related death in South Carolina Pedestrians walk into huge waves crashing over the Battery park as Tropical Storm Irma hits Charleston, S.C., on Sept. 11, 2017. (Mic Smith / Associated Press) Authorities are reporting the first death in South Carolina related to Tropical Storm Irma. Abbeville County Coroner Ronnie Ashley said Charles Saxon, 57, was cleaning debris outside his home in Calhoun Falls about 3 p.m. Monday when a tree limb fell on him. Ashely said in a news release that Saxon died at the scene. An autopsy has been ordered. The National Weather Service says winds in the area were gusting to about 40 mph at the time Saxon was killed. Calhoun Falls is 60 miles south of Greenville, S.C.



Full CoverageThe Keys

Sept. 11, 2017, 3:29 p.m. Its devastation in the Florida Keys, governor says (Alan Diaz / Associated Press) Florida Gov. Rick Scott says there is devastation in the Florida Keys, but the damage from Hurricane Irma was not as extensive on the states west coast as he had feared. Scott told reporters that he flew over both areas on Monday and saw many overturned mobile homes and boats washed ashore in the Keys. My heart goes out to the people in the Keys, he said at U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami. Its devastation, and I just hope everybody survived. As for the west coast of Florida, Scott said, We clearly saw homes that were messed up, clearly saw roofs that were off. But I thought we would see more damage. Going forward, he said the biggest threat would be from river flooding. Parts of the state are receiving torrential rains, which combined with the storm surge has caused historic flooding along the St. Johns River.



Full CoverageJacksonville

Sept. 11, 2017, 3:11 p.m. Reporting from Orlando, Fla.

Jacksonville hit with some of its worst flooding in 100 years Rescue workers help a couple evacuate their home after it was flooded by Tropical Storm Irma in Jacksonville, Fla. (John Raoux / Associated Press) Jacksonville may have been spared the most ferocious winds of Tropical Storm Irma, but the torrential rains and storm surge have swelled the St. Johns River to historically high levels and inundated low-lying areas of the city. Tom Bossert, the White House homeland security advisor, called it some of the worst flooding to hit the city in 100 years. Get out NOW, the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office warned people in evacuation zones. It advised those who needed help escaping flooded homes to visibly display something white  a shirt or a pillowcase. Florida Gov. Rick Scott mentioned the gravity of the situation at his daily news briefing Monday. In Jacksonville, he said, the storm surge is 3 to 5 feet on top of more than a foot of rainfall, which is causing record and historical flooding along the St. Johns River. Scott said he spoke with Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and assured him that resources were being deployed. The state has sent teams from the State Emergency Operation Center and the Fish and Wildlife Commission to aid with search and rescue operations. Curry said at least 100 people in the San Marco area had been rescued by midday. Adding to the problems is that Hurricane Jose, which is churning in the Atlantic, is pushing water toward the northern part of the state and preventing water from receding from Jacksonville. Theyre not going to recede today, Curry said. This is not a one-day event. This is probably a weeklong event. The National Weather Service called the flooding a particularly dangerous situation. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) tweeted words of encouragement to the citys emergency responders. Keep going, help is on the way, he wrote. The St. Johns River meanders through Florida for 310 miles, starting near Indian River County in the middle of the state and flowing north to Jacksonville, where it connects with the Atlantic.



CaribbeanFull Coverage

Sept. 11, 2017, 1:27 p.m. Paris

French president headed to hurricane-devastated St. Martin and St. Barts (Pascal Pavani / AFP/Getty Images) French President Emmanuel Macron will visit the Caribbean on Tuesday in an effort to persuade locals on the Hurricane Irma-devastated islands of St. Martin and St. Barts that Paris has not abandoned them. Macron, whose popularity has plummeted at home, is taking flak from political opponents and islanders on the French territories for what they consider to have been inadequate hurricane preparations and a slow response to the mass destruction of homes and infrastructure. He was traveling to St. Martin, a Franco-Dutch island, on an overnight flight aboard an Airbus carrying aid and emergency supplies. During his whistle-stop visit, he is also expected to travel to St. Barts, a French territory 20 miles to the southeast. Fourteen people were killed on St. Martin -- 10 on the French side of the island, four on the Dutch side -- after Irma struck on Wednesday. Damage to the island is estimated at more than $1.65 billion by the French state-run reinsurance body, the CCR, which specializes in natural disasters. Read more



Full CoverageGeorgiaOrlandoThe Keys

Sept. 11, 2017, 2:16 p.m. Reporting from Orlando, Fla.

Irma death toll rises by three after an electrocution in Florida, two fatalities in Georgia Downed power lines can be deadly and cause electrocution if encountered in water or on land. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda / Orlando Sentinel) The death toll in Florida from Hurricane Irma grew by one Monday afternoon when a 51-year-old man in Winter Park, a suburb of Orlando, was found dead in the street after being electrocuted. Officials in Georgia also confirmed two storm-related deaths, bringing the U.S. toll to at least eight, to go along with the 37 reported fatalities in the Caribbean. Such tolls are difficult to determine because it is sometimes impossible to tell whether a death was the direct result of a storm. At least four people died as a result of traffic accidents on Florida roads soaked by Irma. A sheriffs deputy and a corrections officer were killed in a two-car crash in Hardee County, southeast of Tampa, on Sunday morning. A woman was killed in Orange County when the car she was driving struck a guard rail on Sunday. And a man in Monroe County, near the Florida Keys, lost control of his truck, possibly because of high winds, and died. In Miami-Dade County, a man died of carbon monoxide poisoning from his generator. This can happen if generators are used inside without proper ventilation. Another storm-related fatality may have occurred in Shark Key, where a man was found dead in his home. But its not clear whether the death was related to first responders not being able to assist the man. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency confirmed the storm-related deaths in Sandy Springs, a city north of Atlanta, and in Worth County, about 170 miles to the south. It provided no further details. This post was updated with authorities confirming a second storm-related death in Georgia.



Full CoverageGeorgia

Sept. 11, 2017, 12:41 p.m. Tropical Storm Irma brings extensive flooding to Georgia coast Joey Spalding walks back to his truck on Tybee Island, Ga. (Stephen B. Morton / Associated Press) Communities along the Georgia coast are seeing extensive flooding from Tropical Storm Irma. Irmas storm surge pushed water ashore at the high tide Monday afternoon, and heavy rainfall made the flooding even worse. On Tybee Island, east of Savannah, Hollard Zellers saw waist-deep water in the street as he went to fetch a kayak. About 3,000 people live on Tybee Island, which is Georgias largest public beach. The city manager, Shawn Gillen, said the waters seemed to be receding quickly, but most of the island appeared to have some level of flooding, and there was water in many homes. Storm surge also sent floodwaters into downtown St. Marys, just north of the Georgia-Florida line. St. Marys Police Lt. Shannon Brock said piers and boat docks were heavily damaged, and many boats sank.



Full CoverageThe Keys

Sept. 11, 2017, 12:23 p.m. FLORIDA CITY, Fla.

Frustrated Florida Keys residents wait for permission to return to evacuated homes Warren Stincer waits at a checkpoint along Route 1, the only road going in and out of the Florida Keys on Monday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) There is no gas at the RaceTrac gas station along Route 1 here, and the mini-market is shut down. The site is like a lot of other anonymous roadway establishments, featuring some palm trees, shrubbery and patches of grass across the road from a flooded thicket. But the unremarkable petrol stop has become a terminus for stranded residents seeking to go back to their homes in the Florida Keys, as well as for dozens of journalists keen to survey the damage there in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Florida authorities on Monday were stopping all southbound traffic here, a 20-minute drive or so from Key Largo. There is no other roadway south. Frustration was mounting among those who want to go back home after obeying a mandatory evacuation order declared as Irma headed for Florida. A dozen or so inhabitants of the Keys waited at the gas station, below a sweltering Florida sun, a day after the powerful stormed moved on. Joining them were a half dozen or so TV satellite trucks and other media vehicles. Ive got a house full of food and water waiting for me back home, but they wont let me through, said Warren Stincer, a boat captain and carpenter from Key Largo who evacuated his home last week. Im sorry I ever agreed to evacuate. Now Im stuck here with no food and no water. My home is just 20 minutes down the road and I know the road is clear. Im very disappointed with our officials. He had heard that his home wasnt damaged in the storm. My house is fine, my boat is fine, the road is fine  everythings OK, said Stincer. They just wont let me back in. Joe Sanchez, spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, told reporters gathered here that the road would remain closed to all but emergency crews until authorities determined that it was safe. Units of the Florida National Guard and other agencies have been dispatched to the Keys for the cleanup. Pickups ferrying bulldozers and other heavy equipment were being allowed through the police checkpoint. Its a question of safety, said Sanchez, addressing a gaggle of disappointed journalists. There is debris in the roads. There is flooding. Its just not safe yet. That was no consolation for Stincer and other residents of the Keys, including Odalis Padron, who was waiting on a grassy knoll at the edge of the gas station with her pet poodle, Taini. A tree and a rain umbrella provided some shade from the sweltering sun. People tell me the road is good, I dont know why they wont let us in, said Padron, of Key West, expressing the general sense of frustration. All we want to do is go home.



Full CoverageThe Keys

Sept. 11, 2017, 11:17 a.m. Reporting from Washington

More than 10,000 U.S. service members are supporting relief efforts in Florida region The U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in 2012, (U.S. Navy) About 10,400 U.S. service members are supporting relief operations in the Florida region. The U.S. military says it has coordinated the evacuation of 1,904 people since Friday. The Air Force is pre-positioning search and rescue units in Florida in Key West, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Patrick Air Force Base and Orlando to support state, local and national authorities. The Air Force flew in about 300 doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals over the weekend to help issue relief aid. The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln arrived off Floridas east coast on Sunday night with 24 helicopters, and was prepared for operations in southern Florida and the Florida Keys on Monday morning. The amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima and amphibious transport dock ship New York also arrived.



Full CoverageOrlando

Sept. 11, 2017, 10:55 a.m. Reporting from Orlando, FL

Central Florida starts its cleanup after Hurricane Irma Downed trees were a common sight through much of central Florida. (John Armstrong/Orlando Sentinel) The morning after Hurricane Irma rumbled through central Florida with howling winds and torrential rain, the region was working to clean up damage that mostly amounted to downed trees and power lines and some flooding. There was hardly a neighborhood in this vast tourist corridor that did not have upended trees and no power. More than half a million people were without power. Winds blowing at 30 to 40 mph were hampering the cleanup effort, although in many neighborhoods people were out with rakes and power saws. Im so proud of the people of Orlando for taking Irma seriously, the citys mayor, Buddy Dyer, said at a news briefing. This morning I was out in many of the neighborhoods in our city and was pleased to see neighbors out helping other neighbors clean up yard debris and clear trees from yards. Overall the damage was much less than it could have been. There were one reported storm-related death, a traffic fatality on a toll road on Sunday. Seminole County, a collar county around Orlando, lifted its curfew at 11 a.m. Orange County still has a curfew in effect until 6 p.m. The major theme parks of Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld are all going to try to open on Tuesday. SeaWorld reported that all its animals and personnel were safe. Stormwaters flooded a neighborhood of 24 homes south of Pine Hills. But the National Guard, in some cases using boats because the water was too deep for their vehicles, rescued all the residents without any reported injuries. The waters were as deep as three feet, but have already started to recede, and residents are expected to return to their homes Monday to assess damage. Other areas of low-lying Orange County also reported flooding, although no injuries were reported. Some parts of central Florida had as much as 10 inches of rain. A large sinkhole was reported in east Orlando and a few small ones have also occurred, making some roads difficult to drive. Many lift stations in Seminole County were damaged, and residents were asked to limit their use of showers, laundry and flushing toilets until the stations were fixed.



Full Coverage

Sept. 11, 2017, 10:22 a.m. Reporting from BONITA SPRINGS, FL

In Bonita Springs, waist-deep polluted water flows through houses hit by Hurricane Irma (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Some of the Floridians hardest hit by Irma live in a modest residential neighborhood near the river in Bonita Springs, where waist-deep polluted water flows through their houses. But that isnt keeping some of them from staying put. As a members of a rescue team cruise the flooded streets in a motorized raft, they say they are finding residents trapped in their homes who have no interest in leaving. The residents were determined to see the hurricane through in their homes, and now they are determined to stay in them until they are fully habitable again. Some found their way onto plastic boats. Others pushed away debris such as nearly fully submerged garbage cans bobbing along the streets. It could be a week before the massive pond of sewage-tainted storm water engulfing their properties recedes. They are happy stuck in their houses. They are saying, We have enough food and water, we are going to be fine, said Lt. Manny Hernandez of the Bonita Springs Fire Control & Rescue District. The rescuers have been knocking on every door in the neighborhood as they float by. Some residents take up the offer and leave their homes, but others say, no, thank you. Hernandez said he figured there were about a dozen people in homes inundated with waste-deep water. How many of them called for a rescue once the storm passed? Zero, he said. The neighborhood is a wreck right now, and there are others like it nearby. Yet locals are surprised to see how few communities look that way. Forecasters predicted many, many more homes would be destroyed. Even right across the beach in downtown Naples, where devastation was forecast, tony beach homes endured the storm with just a few scrapes and no serious water damage. The damage hasnt been as bad as I expected, said Hernandez as he waited for the rescue raft to get back from its rounds.

Fort Myers

Sept. 11, 2017, 9:21 a.m. reporting from Naples

Theres still flooding in Naples. But the birds are drying their feathers

Orlando

Sept. 11, 2017, 9:09 a.m. Reporting from Orlando, Fla.

Disney World may not reopen until Tuesday as Hurricane Irma damage assessment continues

Even though Hurricane Irma has passed through central Florida, Orlandos theme parks  including all four at Walt Disney World  may not reopen until Tuesday. All major attractions were closed Sunday and Monday as the storm worked its way up the length of the state. Tropical-storm-force winds are expected to linger well into the afternoon, and Orlando is under a curfew until 6 p.m. Monday. We are beginning an initial assessment of our property, a Disney World spokeswoman said Monday morning. While we experienced high winds and rain, we maintained power throughout the storm. Disney decided on Friday it would close Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disneys Hollywood Studios and Disneys Animal Kingdom parks for two days. Its Disney Springs shopping and entertainment complex is also closed. The companys hotels stayed open to guests. Disney closures are rare. This one is the fifth since the Florida resort opened in 1971. Read more



Resources

Sept. 11, 2017, 10:36 a.m. Reporting from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Hurricane Irma cuts power to more than 7 million homes and businesses Flooding on San Marco Island, Fla. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Nearly 7.2 million homes and businesses are without power in multiple states as Tropical Storm Irma moves through the Southeast. The vast majority are in Florida. The states emergency management officials said the storm had cut power to more than 6.5 million account holders across the state as of Monday afternoon. Eric Silagy, chief executive of Florida Power & Light, said Irma caused the most widespread damage in the companys history. It affected all 35 counties in the utilitys territory, which is most of the states Atlantic coast and the Gulf coast south of Tampa. The most extensive damage was likely in the Naples area, but a full assessment was ongoing. He said 19,500 electric workers have been deployed in the restoration effort. Still, he said, it will take days for many people to be restored and, in some cases where the damage was extensive, weeks. Meanwhile, Duke Energy reported Monday morning that more than 860,000 of the homes and businesses it serves in Florida were without power. Georgia reported more than 570,000 homes and businesses without electricity, and there were 80,000 in South Carolina. This post has been updated with more than 7 million homes and businesses without power in multiple states



Sept. 11, 2017, 8:07 a.m. Reporting from Naples, Fla.

In a Naples mobile home park, neighbors count their blessings Terry Thompson, 65, near his home in Riverwood Estates in Naples, Fla. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Terry Thompson moved into his home in the Riverwood Estates Mobile Home Park in Naples two weeks ago. Remarkably, it was still there on Monday. Theres a lot of cleanup, the 65-year-old Air Force veteran said as he assessed the situation around his home. Though it was intact, his neighbors carport had flown off and smacked into his wifes car. Siding had blown off the house. Water still covered many of the streets. Debris was everywhere. Thompson said he rode out the storm with his dog in the mobile home. It was wild. ... The house was lifting and moving and shifting. All sorts of things were going on, he said. John Jenkins, 52, also lives in a brand new mobile home in Riverwood Estates. The street in front of the house was still underwater Monday morning, but his house was standing and mostly intact  which couldnt be said for all his neighbors homes. During the storm, he said, he went our twice and had to take aluminum sheets that were prying loose from his neighbors carport and get them out of the path of his house. It was quite interesting, he said. Their carport was peeling apart and coming at our house. ... I was worried about all the debris. A friend drove by and Jenkins reached in the drivers side window and gave him a hug. I love you, he said. He asked if the friend was OK. The friend reported that his house was fine. The stakes were particularly high for Jenkins, who couldnt get the bank to fund a loan for his home. I put everything I got in the world into [buying] it, he said.
Osama bin Ladens body decomposed long ago somewhere in the Indian Ocean. His death in 2011 provided some finality to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Yet on this, the 16th anniversary of the attacks, Bin Laden is still very much alive within us, and still victorious.

The events of 9/11 are seared into the memory of Americans like none other. Although the attack on Pearl Harbor was of course a nasty shock, the warships anchored there were legitimate military targets and newsreel footage of the Arizona exploding was not witnessed in real -time. On 9/11, fear gripped Americans in a visceral way that we had never quite experienced. We felt vulnerable, confused, victimized.

These emotions and their aftershocks remain an essential part of the American identity. Whats more, they are a prime mover of U.S. foreign policy, animating our interminable wars in Central Asia and the Middle East. We can never feel safe enough, but if we lash out we can pretend were warding off disaster.

Advertisement

As President Trump acknowledged in his recent speech about the war in Afghanistan, many of those who fought and died in Afghanistan enlisted in the months after Sept. 11, 2001. He said that they loved America, and they were determined to protect her.

Thats undoubtedly the case, but they were also led into a trap.

The damage we have wrought upon ourselves far exceeds what Al Qaeda could ever have achieved on its own accord.

Bin Ladens objective on 9/11 was not simply to destroy the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Rather, these were the means to an end. Terrorists kill to induce people to alter their behavior, to force them into bad decisions or tempt a government to crack down on their populations.

In our case, weve bled ourselves dry on military adventures around the world.

Afghanistan is now the longest war in the history of the United States. A few countries over, U.S. forces are once more on the ground in Iraq. Our troops are deployed on every corner of the globe while their combat readiness declines. Aircraft crashes are up. Weve seen unprecedented ship collisions and a significant rise in suicides among members of the military. Our veteran care system is ungainly and dysfunctional. Our international influence is waning.

These problems are a direct consequence of our military misadventures brought about by fear. The damage we have wrought upon ourselves far exceeds what Al Qaeda could ever have achieved on its own accord.

Some believe that U.S. intervention in Afghanistan to fight Al Qaeda was necessary and that these actions have made us safer. Trump explicitly used this argument when he said that thanks to the vigilance and skill of the American military and of our many allies throughout the world, horrors on the scale of Sept. 11th have not been repeated on our shores.

Better U.S. security, however, is not a product of the U.S military actions. It is a consequence of better policing, screening and surveillance, as well as heightened vigilance.

Conversely, American military actions in the Middle East and Central Asia have reduced our security by extending the narrative of an East-West divide. We lend ammunition to the propaganda and recruiting efforts of Islamic extremists.

This is not to say that the U.S. should immediately abandon Afghanistan or Iraq, or that we should abrogate our responsibilities to our allies in the region. Rather, as we look to the future, we must carefully meter our emotions, be prepared to acknowledge our folly and back away from unending war.

Even as 9/11 slips deeper into distant memory, it continues to drive our policies. We will likely face more terror acts in the future which will re-inflame our fears. But we must keep in mind that no terrorist is, or will ever be, an existential threat to the United States. Only our response to terrorism can destroy our way of life.

David Max Korzen is a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a graduate of Harvard Universitys Center for Middle Eastern Studies.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook

ALSO

Nature isnt on a rampage. That would be us.

Janet Napolitano: Why Im suing the Trump administration over DACA

A DACA student speaks: I feel like I have to go back into hiding
California farmworkers will have to undergo sexual assault prevention training By Jazmine Ulloa Gov. Jerry Brown/ (Monica Davey/ EPA) Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed legislation to ensure farm labor contractors train employees on how to prevent and report sexual assault, a response to a 2013 PBS Frontline investigation that found sexual violence against women was a pervasive problem in California fields. Senate Bill 295 by Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) makes sexual harassment training mandatory at all businesses that supervise farm employees or provide them with lodging, transportation or other services. The training has to be conducted or interpreted in a language that employees can understand, the law stipulates, and farm labor contractors will have to provide proof of all of their materials and resources to the Farm Labor Commission as part of the license renewal process. Under the new law, the state labor commission also will be able to charge a $100 civil fine for any violation of the new requirements. The PBS Frontline investigative documenatory, Rape in the Fields, The Hidden Story of Rape on the Job in America found more than half a million women work in U.S. fields. Most do not have legal residency in the country, and sexual harassment and violence often go unreported. A 2012 Human Rights Watch survey found 80% of 150 women in Californias Central Valley had experienced some form of the abuse. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Los Angeles voters can cast ballots in Assembly race on Tuesday By Chris Megerian Wendy Carrillo is one of 13 people running for a state Assembly seat. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) The political dominoes from U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxers retirement are almost done falling. Her decision two years ago to forgo reelection led to a reshuffling that eventually left vacant a state Assembly seat in Los Angeles. There are 13 candidates running in the special election, and the primary is Tuesday. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Gov. Brown signs major housing legislation By Liam Dillon At a signing ceremony in San Francisco on Friday morning, Gov. Jerry Brown signed 15 bills aimed at addressing the states mounting housing problems. It is a big challenge, Brown said. We have risen to it this year. The bills could add nearly $1 billion in new funding for low-income housing developments in the near term as well as lessen regulations that slow growth. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Watch live: Gov. Jerry Brown signs bills to tackle Californias housing crisis Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers are gathered in San Francisco for the signing into law of a package of proposals designed to tackle some of the most pressing parts of Californias housing crisis. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Businesses in California will be required to tell customers exactly how much their automatic renewal will cost By Mina Corpuz California will require online businesses that offer free trials to tell customers exactly how much an automatic renewal will cost under a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday. The laws author, Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), thinks the bill, known as SB 313, will make it easier for customers to cancel service. Consumers need to know what they are signing up for and that they can just as easily cancel any service or subscription online as when they started it online, Hertzberg said in a statement. Streaming services like Hulu and Spotify and the file-sharing site Dropbox have elicited lawsuits and consumer complaints about their automatic service renewals, according to Hertzbergs statement. The law goes into effect in July. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Heres why Californias early primary in 2020 is destined to pick the next president. (Nah, not really) By Mark Z. Barabak (Harry Chase / Los Angeles Times) Today we answer questions. Woo-hoo! Now that Gov. Jerry Brown has signed the bill, it looks like California is moving up its 2020 presidential primary. Finally! Uh. No more watching from the sidelines as small-fry states like Iowa and New Hampshire throw their weight around. Um. Im already fluffing pillows and prepping the guestroom for all the 2020 hopefuls wholl be camped out. Er. What? You dont seem too excited. Look, it would be great if California voted in a truly meaningful presidential primary. Its been about 50 years since that happened. But its about as likely in 2020 as President Trump dumping Vice President Pence and running for reelection on a unity ticket with Hillary Clinton. How can that be? Lots of reasons, both political and practical. Do tell. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Poll: Californians like Obamacare more than ever but are divided on single-payer healthcare By Melanie Mason Members of the California Nurses Assn. and other supporters rally at the state Capitol for a single-payer health plan June 28. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) As the latest attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act fizzles, the law has reached its highest popularity in California in four years, according to a new poll released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California. Nearly 60% of the Californians hold a generally favorable view of the healthcare law, and just over a third of Californians see it unfavorably  the highest approval rating since PPIC began tracking the laws popularity in 2013. But while Democrats and independents back the law, known as Obamacare, with strong majorities, three-quarters of Republicans have negative views of it. Only 18% of Californians believe congressional Republicans should try again to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and 58% of adults want to see bipartisan efforts to improve the law. Underscoring the GOPs challenge in dramatically reducing governments role in healthcare, two-thirds of the states adults believe it is the federal governments responsibility to ensure that all Americans have health coverage. But Californians are divided on whether to substantially increase government involvement through a single-payer system, such as the Medicare for All proposal recently introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). A national single-payer insurance program such as Medicare for All gets support from 35% of Californians, according to the poll. Support is higher among Democrats  44%  and independents  34%  than among Republicans. Only 6% of Republicans back such a system. But the current system, a patchwork of government and private insurance options, isnt particularly adored by Californians. Just under 30% of adults support continuing with a mix of private and public insurance options, while 36% of Democrats, 21% of Republicans and 31% of independents see that mixed system as the best way to provide health coverage. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Half of Californias likely voters think Sen. Dianne Feinstein should retire, poll finds By Phil Willon (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) As Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein contemplates a 2018 bid for reelection, a new poll has found that 50% of Californias likely voters think she shouldnt run again. Just 43% of likely voters support Feinstein running for a sixth term, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll released Wednesday. The results are similar among all California adults, not just likely voters, with 46% saying she should not run for another term and 41% saying she should run. Feinstein, 84, has come under increased pressure from members of Californias left, many of whom were infuriated when earlier this month she called for patience with President Trump and refused to back demands for his impeachment. Still, the poll found that Feinstein remains popular. More than half of likely voters  54%  approve of the job shes doing, compared with 38% who disapprove. Thats on par with Gov. Jerry Browns approval rating, and it bests the marks for Californias other Democratic senator, Kamala Harris. When likely voters were asked about Harris, the former state attorney general elected to the Senate in November, 47% approved of the job she was doing in Washington and 30% disapproved. Almost a quarter of voters didnt offer an opinion about Harris. The contrasting results on Feinstein are difficult to decipher but at the very least indicate voters remain restless. Partly, this is a holdover from last years election in which you saw many Democrats wanting a more liberal alternative at the presidential level and you saw many independents wanting an outsider, said Mark Baldassare, president of Public Policy Institute of California. As people are looking to next year, theres a desire for something new. Speculation continues that Feinstein may face a Democratic challenger. Among those who have been mentioned is state Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), who is weighing his next political move after he terms out of office in 2018. De Leon lashed out at Feinstein after her comments about Trump in early September. In her last election, Feinstein trounced her Republican opponent, Elizabeth Emken, by a 25-percentage-point margin in 2012. She won by almost an identical margin in 2006 when challenged by former Republican state Sen. Richard Mountjoy. However, California has since switched to a top-two primary system. The two candidates who receive the most voters in the June primary election will advance to the 2018 general election, regardless of their party. Two Democrats faced off in the finale of Californias 2016 U.S. Senate election, with Harris besting then-Rep. Loretta Sanchez. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Barbara Boxer says if Sen. Dianne Feinstein runs for another term, she should expect a tough race By Mina Corpuz Former Sen. Barbara Boxer (Mina Corpuz / Los Angeles Times ) Its one of the hottest political parlor games in California right now: Will she run again? Everyone is waiting for Sen. Dianne Feinstein to announce if shell seek a sixth term. And even though they served as colleagues in Washington for more than two decades, former Sen. Barbara Boxer said she has no inside intel on what Feinstein will do in 2018. I believe she is running until I see any other indication, Boxer said Wednesday at a Sacramento Press Club lunch. Every single race is hard.... Anyone who runs against her will give her a tough race. Feinstein, 84, has made clear she is taking her time, even as ambitious politicians eye the seat she has held since 1992. One long-shot Democrat already is raising money for the race, and Feinstein recently drew criticism from California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, who has not ruled out a primary challenge against her. Boxer said Wednesday her own priority for next years midterm election is flipping several Republican-held House seats in Southern California. Theres no such thing as an off election year, she said. Its an on year. Much of this work will be done through the political action committee Boxer founded, PAC for a Change. The organization also supports electing more Democrats to the Senate and standing up to President Trumps policies, she said. Since leaving the Senate in January, Boxer has also given speeches and promoted her book, The Art of Tough. She doesnt like to consider herself a retiree. Boxer also skirted a question about her pick for governor in a race that already is crowded with several Democrats. All of the candidates, she joked, are like my sons and daughters. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias top elections officer now says his agencys website wasnt the one scanned by Russian hackers By John Myers Secretary of State Alex Padilla (John Myers / Los Angeles Times) Five days after saying he had been told Russian hackers scanned the states main elections website for weaknesses in 2016, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said Wednesday that it turns out it didnt actually happen that way. Padilla said that his office was given incorrect information by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and that the Russian operation was instead focused on scanning the network of the state Department of Technology. Our notification from DHS last Friday was not only a year late, it also turned out to be bad information, Padilla said in a statement. Bryce Brown, a spokesman for the states information technology agency, said officials had long known about suspect activity that occurred on our network last summer but didnt know anything else until the notification from federal officials. Although we did not have knowledge of the source until now, we have confirmed our security systems worked as planned and the activity was blocked as it happened in 2016, he said. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment. On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that federal officials also reversed course in a notification they had made to Wisconsin elections officials about Russian activity. In June, federal officials told Congress that 21 states elections systems were targeted by Russian activity. Padilla insisted last week that the scanning incident found no vulnerabilities or access to any California voter information, and he criticized DHS officials for the delay in sharing information about 2016 activities. On Wednesday, he said hopes that federal officials will continue to work with the states in preventing cyberattacks. I remain committed to a partnership with DHS and other intelligence agencies; however, elections officials and the American public expect and deserve timely and accurate information, Padilla said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Hollywood tour buses could get more rules slapped on them under the law Gov. Jerry Brown just signed By Patrick McGreevy A tour bus passes the late Carrie Fishers gated home in Beverly Hills. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed legislation aimed at reining in the proliferation of tour buses offering to take fans to the homes and gathering spots of celebrities in Hollywood and other trendy neighborhoods. The measure allows cities and counties to adopt rules that restrict the routes or streets used by the tour buses, and prohibit the use of loudspeakers on open-topped buses and vans. Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian (D-Sherman Oaks) introduced the proposal in response to a report by NBC Los Angeles that found some tour buses were operating unsafely without proper permits. He also cited complaints about topless buses on narrow streets of the Hollywood Hills, Malibu and Bel-Air. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Latino state lawmakers back Antonio Villaraigosa for California governor By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa gives a pep talk in Los Angeles at Cathedral High School, where he once was also a student. ((Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) The Legislatures California Latino Caucus on Wednesday endorsed former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for governor. While expected, the nod from the politically influential caucus is a boon for Villaraigosa, a former Democratic Assembly speaker and the only major Latino candidate running for governor. Villaraigosa has lagged behind Lt. Gov. Gavin Newson in early polls and fundraising. As Assembly speaker and Los Angeles mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa worked to strengthen our economy, expand our healthcare, improve our schools and invest in strategic infrastructure projects that create middle-class jobs, Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), chair of the caucus, said in a statement Wednesday morning. An intriguing aspect of the endorsement is that one of the most prominent members of the California Latino Caucus is Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). In Sacramento, speculation abounds over whether De Leon may run for governor, and the Villaraigosa endorsement could indicate De Leon has other plans for his political future. Villaraigosa joins a slate of other Latino statewide candidates endorsed by the caucus: Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-Azusa) for lieutenant governor; current appointee Xavier Becerra for attorney general; incumbent Alex Padilla for secretary of state; Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) for insurance commissioner; and Assemblyman Tony Thurmond (D-Richmond) for superintendent of public instruction. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California is trying to educate people about marijuana before recreational sales start By Patrick McGreevy Months before California allows the sale of marijuana for recreational use, the state has launched an education campaign about the drug, including highlighting the potential harms of cannabis for minors and pregnant women. The state is scheduled to issue licenses starting Jan. 2 for growing and selling marijuana for recreational use, expanding a program that currently allows cannabis use for medical purposes. In response, the California Department of Public Health has created a website to educate Californians about the drug and its impacts, including how to purchase and safely store cannabis. We are committed to providing Californians with science-based information to ensure safe and informed choices, said State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. The website, Lets Talk Cannabis, notes it is illegal for people under 21 to buy marijuana for non-medical use and warns that using cannabis regularly in your teens and early 20s may lead to physical changes in your brain. The site also warns that marijuana edibles may have higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. If you eat too much, too fast you are at higher risk for poisoning, the website warns. The state urges parents and guardians to talk to their teenagers about legal and health issues surrounding marijuana use. The state officials also say consuming cannabis is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or who plan to become pregnant soon, noting that it can affect the health of your baby. The website got good marks from legalization activist Ellen Komp, deputy director of Californias chapter of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The website is fairly accurate, she said, but added, The risks with pregnancy are somewhat overstated, telling women they should not use cannabis for nausea or even if they are thinking of getting pregnant. Some 43% of Californians have used marijuana for recreational purposes and 54% said they have not, according to a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll last November. Among those who have not used it, just 2% said they are much more likely to use it if Proposition 64 passed, which it did, while 5% said they are somewhat more likely to use it, and 89% said they are no more likely to smoke pot if it was legalized. Other advice from the states site: driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal and increases the chance of a car accident, and cannabis should be stored in a locked area to avoid poisoning children and pets. Updated at 11:30 am to include data from poll on marijuana use. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Todays newsletter: Republicans fail again to repeal Obamacare By John Myers Todays Essential Politics newsletter details the last gasp of the Republican efforts in Washington to repeal the Affordable Care Act, efforts that President Trump insisted on Tuesday arent over. We also take a look at the win by Roy Moore, a former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, in a Senate runoff that saw the president back the losing candidate. And weve got the details of what happens if Gov. Jerry Brown, as expected, signs the sanctuary state bill into law. The newsletter comes out Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Are you a subscriber? Sign up below. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

After meeting with Trump, California Democrats say they want a seat at the tax reform table By Sarah D. Wire Ahead of Republicans plans to unveil a more detailed overview of their tax reform plan Wednesday, President Trump sat down with a bipartisan group of members that included California Democratic Reps. Linda Sanchez and Mike Thompson. Sanchez, of Whittier, who serves on the House committee that has authority over tax legislation, said members didnt learn much about the details of the plan Tuesday. There were kind of generalities but no specificity, which is why were interested to see what they put out tomorrow, because clearly its not something thats had Democratic input, Sanchez said. According to a White House transcript of part of the meeting, Trump said the plan is focused on making the tax code simple and fair, increasing the deduction most families can take, lowering the business tax rate and bringing wealth stored overseas back to the United States. Thompson, of St. Helena, said the president listened to what Democrats had to say, but he didnt get the impression that the policy plan would change before it becomes public Wednesday. I dont think it was that kind of meeting. We all agreed we wanted a fair, easy-to-work-with tax code that generates more jobs, said Thompson, who is also on the committee. He said repeatedly he wants to be successful. Republicans are set to unveil a consensus document Wednesday they say will be a much more detailed overview than previous tax policy papers theyve released. But it is not expected to be an actual plan or bill. Republicans will huddle with Vice President Mike Pence for half of Wednesday to discuss tax reform. Democrats are holding their own tax reform forum too. Its been 30 years since Congress has passed a major tax overhaul, and Republican leaders have set an ambitious timeline for passing a tax-reform measure, indicating they want to get it to Trumps desk by the end of the year. Sanchez said she tried to stress in the meeting that Democrats should play a role in writing the final bill. There wasnt discussion about the group sitting down with Trump again, she said. The president was very pleased that it was a bipartisan effort, which sort of confused me because that was the first meeting where there were members of the Democratic side of the Ways and Means Committee there, Sanchez said. I dont know if theyve been telling him that the process is bipartisan or if he knew it wasnt bipartisan but didnt care, but I thought that was kind of odd. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Judge rewrites summary of proposed gas tax repeal initiative, saying it was fundamentally flawed By Patrick McGreevy A Chevron gas station in Sacramento shows prices in February. ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) A judge on Monday rewrote the title and summary for a proposed initiative that would repeal recent gas tax increases in California. He rejected a title and summary written by the state attorney generals office as fundamentally flawed. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy M. Frawley criticized the attorney generals office for not mentioning in the title that the ballot measure would repeal newly approved taxes or fees. This is not a situation where reasonable minds may differ, Frawley wrote in his ruling. The Attorney Generals title and summary ... must be changed to avoid misleading the voters and creating prejudice against the measure. The initiative proposed by Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) would repeal a bill approved in April by the Legislature and governor that would raise the gas tax by 12 cents per gallon and increase vehicle fees in order to generate $5.2 billion for road repairs and to improve mass transit. The title and summary will be placed on petitions to be circulated by those trying to qualify the measure for the November 2018 ballot. The title and summary are also placed on the ballot if enough signatures are collected. The original title written by Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerras office was: Eliminates recently enacted road repair and transportation funding by repealing revenues dedicated for those purposes. Allens attorneys argued the voter could read that to mean that the Legislature identified existing funds for transportation and the initiative would take those funds away. The judges title says: Repeals recently enacted gas and diesel taxes and vehicle registration fees. Eliminates road repair and transportation programs funded by these taxes and fees. The judge also made it clear in the summary that an Independent Office of Audits and Investigations that would be eliminated by the initiative is newly established. Representatives of the attorney generals office were not immediately available to comment on whether the ruling would be appealed. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Democrats to try to force vote on Dream Act with rarely successful procedural move By Sarah D. Wire House Democrats are trying to force a vote on Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allards version of the Dream Act, they announced in a news conference Monday. The House and Senate have less than six months to address the legal status of people brought into the country illegally as children before the program protecting them from deportation ends in March. In the weeks since President Trump announced he was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Democrats have pushed for a quick vote on Roybal-Allards bill, which is backed by every House Democrat and four Republicans. There are also a handful of other Republican-sponsored bills that could be considered. To force a vote, Democrats would need a majority of the House  218 members  to sign whats called a discharge petition to pull the bill from the House Judiciary Committee and bring it to the House floor. Roybal-Allard, a Democrat from Downey, said she believes there is enough support to pass the bill if Democrats can get it to the House floor. Democratic leaders said they expect all House Democrats will sign the petition. The American people overwhelmingly oppose deporting our Dreamers, Roybal-Allard said. But the Republican leadership is ignoring the wishes of a majority of the American people. Democrats hold only 194 seats, and would have to convince 24 Republicans to buck their party leaders and sign the petition. House leaders control which bills come to the floor for a vote and when. Although discharge petitions have been used in the past to shame congressional leadership into letting a bill move forward, the procedural move is rarely successful. This month, Republican Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado filed a discharge petition for the Bridge Act, a Republican- sponsored bill to address the legal status of people brought to the country illegally as children. Five members of Congress had signed on as of Monday. FOR THE RECORD Sept 26, 12:38 p.m.: An earlier version of this post identified the member of Congress who filed a discharge petition for the Bridge Act as Rep. Mike Thompson. It was Rep. Mike Coffman. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California lawmakers grant some megaprojects relief from environmental law, but not others By Liam Dillon Developers plan to build two skyscrapers near the Capitol Records building in Hollywood. (Reed Saxon / Associated Press) When professional sports team owners, Facebook and big developers have asked California lawmakers for some relief from the states main environmental law over growth, the answer usually has been yes. The law, the California Environmental Quality Act, requires developers to disclose and reduce a projects effects on the environment  a process that often can get tied up in lengthy litigation. This year, legislators passed a measure aiming to shorten any potential environmental lawsuit against Facebooks expansion of its headquarters, two skyscrapers planned in Hollywood and other megaprojects to less than nine months. Doing so has led many to question why only big projects get such relief. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

The fate of Californias biggest campaign donor disclosure bill may hinge on some small details By John Myers Members of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. (Rich Pedroncelli/AP) You wouldnt expect to see the leader of Californias campaign watchdog agency rooting for Gov. Jerry Brown to veto sweeping new disclosure rules for political donors. And yet, thats where things stand in a seven-year debate over helping voters follow the money. I think we can do better than this bill, said Jodi Remke, chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Remke and her staff have raised a red flag about the fine print tucked inside Assembly Bill 249, the California Disclose Act, that rewrites rules for campaign contributions that are earmarked. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Oceanside lifeguard receives Californias highest public safety honor By Mina Corpuz Medal of Valor recipient David Wilson stands with his parents, a family friend, Gov. Jerry Brown and Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra. (Mina Corpuz / Los Angeles Times ) An Oceanside Fire Department officer who risked his life to save a boater received the states highest award for public safety officers on Monday. Gov. Jerry Brown and Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra presented David Wilson with the Public Safety Medal of Valor at a ceremony at the state Capitol. In July 2016, Wilson rescued a man whose boat crashed into a jetty in Oceanside Harbor. The victim was barely conscious and jammed between two rocks. With only a short window between each set of waves, Wilson dove underneath the water and swam into the boulders to free the victims legs. You earned it, Brown said at the ceremony. You were assaulted by the waves and the rocks, and you went ahead anyways. Thats why you are the only one getting a medal of honor. A review board made up of law enforcement officers reviewed 21 nominations for the Medal of Valor. The award is given out once a year. There can be more than one recipient, but this year Brown chose one. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

7.5 million Californians could lose coverage under latest Obamacare repeal effort, state health insurance exchange says By Melanie Mason Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California, the states health insurance exchange, in 2013. (Rich Pedroncelli / AP) Californians who get their health coverage on the individual market could face dire consequences under the current Republican effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, warned a new analysis released Monday by Covered California, the states health insurance exchange. Under the latest plan, which is being led by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), 7.5 million Californians could lose their health insurance by 2027, the analysis said. It also said the repeal could trigger a collapse of the states individual insurance market. The Graham-Cassidy plan takes resources away from California and from the majority of states, which means that far fewer Americans would have insurance or the existing protections from insurers, said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California, in a statement. The effect on California would be devastating, and lead not only to there being more uninsured people than there were before the Affordable Care Act, but would also cause huge negative impacts on the health care delivery system, the economy and on those with employer-based coverage, Lee said. The report comes on the heels of another grim analysis by Gov. Jerry Browns administration, which estimated that the Senate proposal would strip California of nearly $139 billion in federal funds from 2020 to 2027. The Covered California report looked at two different scenarios for how state officials could respond to such a slash in federal dollars. If the state chose to prioritize protecting Medi-Cal, which provides coverage for low-income Californians, the analysis projects the collapse of the individual insurance market by 2021. If officials chose to direct attention to the individual market by stepping in to cover subsidies now paid for by the federal government, that could lead to large reductions in the Medi-Cal program. In both scenarios, the result would be up to 7.5 million fewer Californians with health insurance, according to the report. Proponents claim Graham-Cassidy gives states flexibility and choice, but in reality it puts states into a lose-lose situation, Lee said. Under this plan, California and states across the nation would be forced to either turn their backs on their most needy residents, or let the individual market be destroyed. Either way, millions lose coverage. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Todays newsletter: Sports spat starts with California teams By Christina Bellantoni Todays Essential Politics newsletter details President Trumps sports spat, which originated with California teams before becoming national political drama on football fields across America. It also notes last falls USC/Los Angeles Times poll, which found huge partisan divisions in how California voters viewed Colin Kaepernick at the time. Democrats liked him more, while he had just 6% favorability among tea party Republicans here. The state was evenly divided on whether to support his protest during the national anthem. The newsletter comes out Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Are you a subscriber? Sign up below. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Attorney running against Sen. Dianne Feinstein is hosting Hollywood fundraiser By Christine Mai-Duc Pat Harris may be a long-shot candidate for U.S. Senate, but hes not fundraising like one. On Monday Harris, a Democrat challenging Sen. Dianne Feinstein, is set to tread territory familiar to many prominent statewide candidates looking for cash: the Hollywood fundraiser. The event is to be held at the Catalina Jazz Club on Sunset Boulevard and is being billed as a CD release party for Carol Welman, a jazz musician and Harris wife. Tickets range from $150 for a single ticket to $2,700 for a VIP dinner for two. (An email to Welmans subscriber list earlier this week advertised tickets for as little as $30). Harris announced that he was running last month on a platform that includes support for single-payer healthcare and a pledge that he will only take campaign donations from individuals. Facing pressure from progressive activists, Feinstein has been coy so far about whether shell retire or run again in 2018. Either way, shes stockpiled $3.5 million in her campaign war chest. As of June 30, Harris had raised no money except for $104,685 he loaned his own campaign. Three other candidates have also filed to run against Feinstein: Democrats Steve Stokes and David Hildebrand, and independent Jerry Carroll. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Rep. Keith Ellison headlines dinner for Orange County Democrats, who declare orange is the new blue By Christine Mai-Duc The focus was on 2018 as Orange County Democrats gathered Saturday night in Costa Mesa to bask in their high hopes here. Headliner and deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, urged unity as dozens of Democrats navigate crowded primaries throughout the state. Ellison getting star treatment tonight, speaking to VIP attendees & meeting congressional candidates & gubernatorial hopeful @DelaineEastin pic.twitter.com/2Bh8K5H1Qu  Christine Mai-Duc (@cmaiduc) September 24, 2017 Much of focus tonight on flipping 4 GOP congressional seats in OC. Ellison: "We need 24 more seats...I figure 4 of em we can get right here" pic.twitter.com/CDDbGWpNnT  Christine Mai-Duc (@cmaiduc) September 24, 2017 The theme of the annual awards dinner was Orange is the New Blue, a twist on the title of a popular Netflix show and the latest indication of Democrats rosy outlook as they try to flip the countys four GOP-held House seats next year. Ellison told the crowd it was not the proper role of the DNC to choose among the many primary contenders. But you will sort it out running spirited campaigns, you will sort it out over ideas, and when it is over we need you to hold hands and support the Democrat. Ellison pushed for a return to grass-roots organizing and outreach to voters of all stripes  and not just during election years. We cannot come a month before the election, tell them ... Come vote for us, Ellison said. Weve got to be in their lives in a physical, palpable way. Then we do have to have the right words, we do have to stand up for them. Ellison on more permanent solution for DACA: no wall, no increase in detention beds "but there might be some other things" Dems can agree to pic.twitter.com/yrmOGfXYan  Christine Mai-Duc (@cmaiduc) September 24, 2017 In an interview, Ellison also stressed the need to pass legislation for young people brought to the country illegally who were allowed to stay and work under the Obama Administrations Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Ellison said Democrats are open to negotiating certain immigration enforcement provisions in order pass a replacement for DACA, which President Trump announced he will end in March. But he said Democrats wont acquiesce to Trumps demand for a border wall or allow additional capacity for immigration detentions. There are certain things that are simply not on the table  the wall or more detention beds, were just not doing that, he said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Russians tried to find weaknesses in Californias election website last year, say state officials By John Myers Secretary of State Alex Padilla (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Californias chief elections officer said U.S. government officials believe Russian hackers tried to find weaknesses in the states election website during the 2016 campaign, but that theres no evidence their effort was successful. Secretary of State Alex Padilla said the Department of Homeland Security only told him on Friday of last years attempt. He described the attack as a scanning of the states website in hopes of finding weaknesses in its computer network. Our office actively monitors scanning activity as part of our routine cybersecurity protocols, Padilla said in a statement. We have no information or evidence that our systems have been breached in any way or that any voter information was compromised. Those involved were Russian cyber actors according to Padillas description of information he received from federal officials. In June, a top federal official told the Senate Intelligence Committee that systems in 21 states were believed to have been scoured by cyberattackers. The election website, www.sos.ca.gov, contains public information about voting procedures as well as data on past election results and current issues. More sensitive data, including the electronic files of some 17 million registered voters, are not included on the website. A leaked National Security Agency document earlier this year outlined a Russian effort to hack into devices made by a Florida-based voting software company. One California county, Humboldt, used the companys software, but did not find any evidence of tampering. Padilla, a frequent critic of President Trumps special panel investigating the potential of voter fraud, said federal officials should have notified him much earlier of the attempted breach. The practice of withholding critical information from elections officials is a detriment to the security of our elections and our democracy, he said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Antonio Villaraigosa jabs at Gavin Newsom over his apparent embrace of single-payer healthcare bill By Melanie Mason Supporters of a measure to establish single-payer healthcare in California were thrilled by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsoms embrace of their bill on Friday, but a rival gubernatorial campaign was less impressed with his position. A spokesman for former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa accused the lieutenant governor of flip-flopping because after Newsom was asked if he explicitly endorsed the legislation  Senate Bill 562  he responded that he endorsed getting this debate going again. This is an outrageous parsing of words when millions of people are at risk of losing their healthcare, Villaraigosa spokesman Luis Vizcaino said in a statement. It is a yes or no question, lieutenant governor. Are you for SB 562 or not? The nurses and California voters deserve the truth, Vizcaino added. The question of backing SB 562 is thorny since it was shelved earlier this year after Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) called it woefully incomplete. Backers have said theyd be willing to make changes to the measure, but the contours of those proposed changes have not been made public. Vizcaino said Villaraigosa has always supported universal healthcare and the concept of single payer, but agreed with Speaker Rendon that the bill couldnt be sent to the governor without a funding plan. Speaking to reporters, Newsom said he saw a single-payer system in which the government covers healthcare costs as the best way to achieve universal coverage and said he would be actively engaged in designing and developing it if SB 562 does not pass next year. RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of the California Nurses Assn./National Nurses United, said she saw Newsoms remarks as a clear endorsement of their measure and a stance she said was not surprising. We always knew Gavin would support our bill, DeMoro said. She lambasted Villaraigosa  who does not support SB 562  for criticizing Newsom, whom her group endorsed nearly two years ago. I want Villaraigosa to explain to the Latino community why he doesnt think they should have ... comprehensive healthcare, she said. Villaraigosas being disingenuous. He knows better. Hes just politically posturing trying to find a wedge issue and he knows better. UPDATE 4:32 p.m.: This post was updated with an additional statement from Villaraigosas spokesperson on the former L.A. mayors support for universal healthcare. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

In San Francisco, Bernie Sanders plays two roles: Obamacare defender and single-payer advocate By Melanie Mason View Twitter post Sen. Bernie Sanders headed west to drum up support for his recently unveiled Medicare for All proposal Friday, but first trained his sights on the Obamacare repeal bill currently gripping Congress. Sanders (I-Vt.), whose speech was the cornerstone of a California Nurses Assn. gathering in San Francisco, blasted the Republican plan led by Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina as horrific legislation. How cruel, how immoral it is, to say to those millions of Americans, we are going to take away that health insurance that keeps you alive, Sanders said. Sen. John McCain announced on Friday he could not support the measure, dealing the GOP plan a blow. Sanders thanked McCain for his stance, prompting the liberal crowd to cheer the Arizona Republican. Some Democrats had worried that Sanders push for his single-payer plan could distract from efforts to oppose the repeal bill. But the senator was explicit in his appeal to the approximately 2,000 supporters in attendance to focus their energy on defeating the repeal measure. Our job is to continue to make sure the Republicans do not get the 50 votes they need ... I beg of you, please, do everything you can to stop the bill, he said. Still, the crux of Sanders speech focused on his single-payer bill, which he sold as an improvement over the status quo. The Affordable Care Act, as we all know, made significant improvements to our healthcare system, Sanders said, citing the expansion of the number of Americans with health insurance and the ban on insurance companies ability to deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions. But we must be honest and acknowledge that with all the gains of the Affordable Care Act, it does not go far enough, he added. The bill expands the Medicare program to cover the healthcare costs of all Americans with no out-of-pocket payments for patients. The measure does not include a plan to finance such a system, but Sanders has released a report laying out various ways to cover the costs, including a progressive income tax. During his pitch, Sanders said the implications extended beyond health policy. It is a struggle about what this great nation stands for, Sanders said. It is a struggle about whether or not every working person in this country has healthcare as a right or whether we allow insurance companies and drug companies to continue to rip us off. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Gas tax foes win victory as they try to get a repeal on November 2018 ballot By Patrick McGreevy A Chevron gas station in Sacramento shows prices in February. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) In a rare court rebuke of the state Attorney Generals Office, a judge said Friday that the title and summary written for a proposed initiative is misleading  and that hed do a rewrite himself to make it clear the measure would repeal recently approved increases to gas taxes and vehicle fees. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy M. Frawley said he would draft a new title and summary to be placed on petitions for the initiative after attorneys for the state and proponents of the ballot measure could not agree on compromise language. In this circumstance, I honestly believe that the circulated title and summary that has been prepared is misleading, Frawley told attorneys during a court hearing Friday. He hopes to release the new title and summary by Monday. The initiative proposed by Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) would repeal a bill approved in April by the Legislature and governor that would raise the gas tax by 12 cents per gallon and increase vehicle fees to generate $5.2 billion annually to fix the states roads and bridges and improve mass transit. Allen and his attorneys said the state attorney general sought to confuse voters with a title that does not use the words taxes or fees. The title was proposed to say: Eliminates recently enacted road repair and transportation funding by repealing revenues dedicated for those purposes. Allen, who is running for governor in 2018, said the court decision showed the attorney general was trying to sway voters against the initiative. Justice is being served for the voters of California, Allen said after the court hearing. I think that he [the judge] has properly seen that the attorney general has tried to intentionally mislead the voters of California because he has tried to prejudice their vote and tried to keep increased taxes for Californians. A coalition of business, labor and government officials called Fix Our Roads, which supports the gas tax legislation, had representatives in the courtroom who later criticized Allen for seeking political gain at the expense of California motorists. This is more about Travis Allens gubernatorial race than anything else, said coalition spokeswoman Kathy Fairbanks. Hes condemning voters to driving on potholed roads and being stuck in traffic. Allen said the initiative and his campaign for governor are both aimed at giving voters power to fight higher taxes. Finally ordinary Californians are understanding that they actually can hold Sacramento accountable, Allen said. This is why Im running to be the next governor of California, because for too long Sacramento has been run by out-of-touch elitists that are coming from Sacramento and the Bay Area of San Francisco. A second initiative to repeal the gas tax has been proposed by a different group of Republican activists. Allen said he supports the second initiative but noted it has to collect many more signatures because it seeks to change the state constitution. It has a long way to go, Allen said. If the judge issues a new title and summary Monday, Allen said the petitions will hit the streets immediately and he is confident they will get the 365,880 signatures to qualify the measure for the November 2018 ballot. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

We will have universal healthcare in the state of California, Gavin Newsom promises single-payer advocates By Melanie Mason View Twitter post Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has made his most explicit endorsement yet of a controversial single-payer healthcare proposal that has roiled Democratic politics in California. Newsom appeared Friday before the California Nurses Assn., the most ardent backers of SB 562, a stalled bill to establish a system in which the state would cover all residents healthcare costs. Theres no reason to wait around on universal healthcare and single-payer in California, Newsom said. Its time to move 562. Its time to get it out of committee. The line prompted cheers and a standing ovation from the audience of about 1,500 members of the nurses union. He capped off his remarks with a promise: If we cant get it done next year, you have my firm and absolute commitment as your next governor that I will lead the effort to get it done. We will have universal healthcare in the state of California. Enthusiastic nurses in the room heard an unequivocal backing of their effort to push forward with the bill. When he says hes going to get this done, he means, seriously, that he will pass SB 562 and make sure that there is healthcare for all Californians, said Catherine Kennedy, a neonatal nurse from Roseville. But speaking to reporters after his address, Newsom was less clear in embracing the specifics of the proposal. I 100% support moving this process along, getting this debate going again and addressing the concerns, the open-ended issues that the nurses themselves have acknowledged as it relates to the need of going through the legislative process and to fill in the blanks on the financing plan, among other issues, he said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

President Obama appears in an Assembly race mailer in California  but read it closely By Christina Bellantoni The race to replace Jimmy Gomez, who was elected to Congress earlier this year, has so far been waged by mail and door-knocking in northeast Los Angeles. Most of the mailers feature local leaders and endorsements from groups including Planned Parenthood and the Sierra Club. But one mailer that arrived in my mailbox Thursday has a much more familiar face  former President Barack Obama. While it might seem like one to the casual voter sorting through junk mail, this isnt an endorsement. Want to know what kind of job Gabriel Sandoval will do in the Assembly? Listen to the people hes worked with in the past, the mailer reads, above Obamas official White House portrait. In small type, it notes that Sandoval served as a Senior Civil Rights Attorney and Senior Advisor for a White House initiative within the Department of Education. It features a glowing quote over an image of a July 12, 2013, letter from the president to Sandoval written on White House letterhead. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Healthcare a hot issue in race for California governor By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa, left, and Gavin Newsom (Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images; Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) With the hyperpartisan politics surrounding healthcare stirred up by efforts to repeal Obamacare and calls for a single-payer system, both Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa are claiming the mantle of healthcare visionary. On the campaign trail the two Democratic candidates for governor are touting their signature healthcare accomplishments from earlier in their political careers as their bona fides. For Newsom, its about Healthy San Francisco, the nations first municipal universal healthcare program, approved while he was mayor; and for Villaraigosa, its Healthy Families, which provided healthcare coverage to the children of Californias working poor, legislation he authored as a California assemblyman. But do they deserve all the credit? It sure doesnt look that way. Healthy San Francisco is one of the many topics Newsom is expected to highlight when he speaks to the California Nurses Assn. convention in the Bay Area on Friday morning. On Thursday night, Newsom took a shot at the latest Republican effort in Washington to roll back the Affordable Care Act  a bill written by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) The numbers on this make my skin crawl. Under Graham-Cassidy, an individual with metastatic cancer could see their premiums increase by $142,650. Diabetes? $5,600. Want to tackle the opioid crisis? Gets a lot tougher if an individual suffering from drug dependence sees their premiums go up by $20,450, Newsom said in an email sent out by his campaign. This is not a game. Lives are at stake. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Rep. Duncan Hunter calls for preemptive strike against North Korea By Joshua Stewart, San Diego Union-Tribune Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) introduces U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions at a news conference. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) Rep. Duncan Hunter said that the United States needs to launch a preemptive strike against North Korea in order to prevent the rogue nation from harming the U.S. first. You could assume, right now, that we have a nuclear missile aimed at the United States, and here in San Diego. Why would they not aim here, at Hawaii, Guam, our major naval bases? Hunter, an Alpine Republican, said Thursday during an appearance on San Diego television station KUSI. The question is, do you wait for one of those? Or two? Do you preemptively strike them? And thats what the president has to wrestle with. I would preemptively strike them. You could call it declaring war, call it whatever you want, Hunter continued. Hunter, a member of a House Armed Services Committee and the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the United States nuclear arsenal, did not say whether the military should strike North Korea with conventional or nuclear weapons. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Will Bernie Sanders push for Medicare for All help or hinder the California effort for single-payer? By Melanie Mason When Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders visited Beverly Hills last May, he made a full-throated appeal for California to lead the country and pass a pending state proposal to establish single-payer healthcare. On Friday, hell return to California for a San Francisco speech trumpeting his own higher-stakes plan  a bill to drastically overhaul the nations healthcare system by covering everyone through Medicare. The push for single-payer, in which the government pays for residents medical care, has already rattled Californias political landscape. Now, the Sanders measure brings an additional jolt, elevating the issue to a national debate that has implications for the future direction of the Democratic Party and early jockeying in the 2020 presidential race. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

What will Kevin de Leon do when his term in the California Senate expires next year? By Patrick McGreevy State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, speaks during the last regular Senate floor session of the year. ( (Rich Pedroncelli / AP)) As he gaveled down what may be his last full year as leader of the California Senate on Saturday, Kevin de Leon had still not said what he planned to do next. Will he run for governor or U.S. Senate? Does he want to be mayor of Los Angeles some day? De Leon told reporters they will have to wait to find out. His advisors, supporters and political observers have their own ideas what De Leon could do next. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Skelton: The presidential election bills on Gov. Browns desk may be satisfying politics, but theyre risky ideas By George Skelton Two presidential election bills are on Gov. Jerry Browns desk, sent to him by the Democratic Legislature. Both should be tossed in the trash. No doubt Im in the minority on this. These bills do offer some fun, even if theyre flawed. One has strong pluses that are outweighed by unacceptable minuses. The second is a mean-spirited gotcha bill aimed at the Democrats No. 1 enemy: President Trump. It may be satisfying politics, but it sets a risky precedent. The first bill moves up Californias presidential primary from June to March. Great idea. But it also moves up the state primary along with it. A horrible idea. The second measure would require all presidential candidates to release their tax returns for the last five years. Anyone who refused wouldnt be allowed on the California ballot. Thats a sharp poke at Trump, who in 2016 was the first presidential candidate in 40 years not to release his taxes. Yes, watching Trump squirm would be entertaining. And maybe the tax information would be useful for some voters. But even if the disclosure requirement were constitutional  and theres substantial doubt about that  its a crummy precedent. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California Senate leader preparing for legal fight over sanctuary state legislation By Sarah D. Wire California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown hasnt yet signed legislation making California a so-called sanctuary state, but state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon is preparing to defend it in court. In between several immigration events in Washington on Wednesday, De Leon (D-Los Angeles) said he met with former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr.  who has served as outside counsel to the Legislature for much of the year  to continue to further discuss inoculating California from [U.S. Atty. Gen.] Jeff Sessions Department of Justice. Passed early Saturday by the Legislature, the sanctuary state bill would limit state and local law enforcement communication with federal immigration authorities and prevent officers from questioning and holding people on immigration violations. Sessions has threatened to withhold some federal grant funds from cities and counties that refuse to assist federal immigration agents. Holder and other former Justice Department lawyers believe the bill is defendable, and if the Trump administration tries to compel California cities to act by withholding funds, it will find itself in court, De Leon said. Defenders of so-called sanctuary cities often rely on a 1996 Supreme Court ruling that cited the 10th Amendment and found the federal government cant compel local governments to cooperate with enforcing federal laws. It is immoral, and quite frankly un-American, that Americas top law enforcement official would withhold dollars that our local police officers need  precious dollars we need desperately to counter terrorism, to deal with the issue of human trafficking as well as international drug cartels, De Leon said. On Tuesday, Sessions urged Brown not to sign the bill, calling it unconscionable and a threat to public safety. Brown responded to Sessions comment on CNN by calling the legislation well-balanced. It protects public safety, but it also protects hardworking people who contribute a lot to California, Brown said. He has until Oct. 15 to sign the bill. De Leon also shot back against Sessions statement that the federal money isnt an entitlement, saying Californians pay more in federal taxes than they receive in federal funding. Thats not a gift or a grant from the Department of Justice to California. Those are our dollars; they belong to the people of California, he said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California, with alliance of states, pledges to keep pushing climate policies despite lack of federal progress By Chris Megerian (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California and a growing alliance of states committed to fighting global warming said Wednesday that theyre slashing greenhouse gas emissions at the rate required by the Paris climate agreement. However, the rest of the country would need to join their effort for the United States to actually hit the target of cutting emissions by at least 26% below 2005 levels by 2025. President Trump has pledged to pull the country out of the Paris deal, but the states reiterated their pledge to keep pressing forward during a news conference in New York. Were all in, California Gov. Jerry Brown said. Eventually, Washington will join with us. You cant deny science forever. Californias climate goal is even more ambitious than the Paris target. A law signed by Brown last year requires the state to cut emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. California became a founding member of the U.S. Climate Alliance, along with New York and Washington state, months ago. Either we end this problem, or this problem will end us, said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. On Wednesday, North Carolina became the 15th member of the U.S. Climate Alliance. Other members include Massachusetts, Oregon and Puerto Rico. Clean air and a healthy environment are vital for a strong economy and a healthier future, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a newly elected Democrat, said in a statement. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Bay Area cities sue major oil companies over climate change By Chris Megerian (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) San Francisco and Oakland are suing to get five oil companies, including San Ramon-based Chevron, to pay for the cost of protecting the Bay Area from rising sea levels and other effects of global warming. These fossil fuel companies profited handsomely for decades while knowing they were putting the fate of our cities at risk, San Francisco City Atty. Dennis Herrera said in a statement. The lawsuits, which were filed Tuesday in state court in San Francisco and Alameda counties and announced Wednesday, dont ask for a specific dollar amount. But the cities could try to put oil companies on the hook for billions. Long-term improvements in San Franciscos seawall are projected to cost $5 billion, according to one of the lawsuits. The law is clear that the defendants are responsible for the consequences of their reckless and disastrous actions, Oakland City Atty. Barbara J. Parker said in a statement. A spokesman for Chevron, Melissa Ritchie, said the lawsuits would not help address climate change. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global issue that requires global engagement and action, she said in a statement. Should this litigation proceed, it will only serve special interests at the expense of broader policy, regulatory, and economic priorities. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California sues to stop Trumps border wall: No one gets to ignore the laws. Not even the president By Patrick McGreevy  California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announces lawsuit against Trump Administration. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging that President Trumps proposal to expedite construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border violates laws aimed at protecting the environment. Becerra announced the legal challenge standing in front of the existing border fencing at Border Field State Park near San Diego, saying the federal government failed to comply with federal environmental laws and relied on federal statutes that dont authorize border wall projects in San Diego and Imperial counties. No one gets to ignore the laws. Not even the president of the United States, Becerra said. The border between the U.S. and Mexico spans some 2,000 miles. The list of laws violated by the presidents administration in order to build his campaign wall is almost as long. He said the project involves the improper waiver of 37 federal statutes, many aimed at protecting the environment. Filed in federal court in San Diego and including the California Coastal Commission as a plaintiff, the lawsuit states its purpose is to protect the State of Californias residents, natural resources, economic interests, procedural rights, and sovereignty from violations of the United States Constitution and federal law. Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra at the U.S.- Mexico border where he announced lawsuit to stop a proposal for a border wall. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) The lawsuit also alleges that federal officials have not shown any data suggesting new border barriers in the San Diego area will reduce illegal entry into the U.S., nor that there is a significant problem in that area. It adds that the wall would have a chilling effect on tourism to the United States from Mexico. In August, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a notice that it was waiving federal and state laws on the environment to expedite the construction of prototypes of the wall along the San Diego border with Mexico. The California lawsuit claims the federal government violated the U.S. Constitutions separation-of-powers doctrine by vesting in the Executive Branch the power to waive state and local laws. The lawsuit also says the Department of Homeland Security decided to build the walls without complying with the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act. As a result, the lawsuit alleges, the federal government lacks proper environmental analysis of the impact of the 400-foot prototypes of the wall currently planned, as well as the 2,000-mile-long final wall. A federal official declined comment. As a matter of policy, we do not comment on pending litigation, said Tyler Q. Houlton, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) stood with Becerra at the event, saying the wall is unnecessary and will put a barrier between relations involving the two countries. Maybe to people in Iowa, it sounds like a really good idea, she said. We dont need more structure. We need a good relationship [with Mexico]. Times staff writers McGreevy reported from Sacramento and Ulloa from San Diego. AG @XavierBecerra takes some shots at Trump: He hasn't made the transition from candidate to president. #borderwall pic.twitter.com/liSJdrAK2v  Jazmine Ulloa (@jazmineulloa) September 20, 2017 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California to sue Trump administration over plan for U.S.-Mexico border wall By Patrick McGreevy California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra plans to announce a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of the state that will challenge President Trumps proposal to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, a project Becerra has called medieval. Becerra is scheduled to travel to Border Field State Park near San Diego to announce that a lawsuit is being filed in federal court over construction of border wall projects in San Diego and Imperial counties. The lawsuit, which includes the California Coastal Commission as a plaintiff, states its purpose is to protect the State of Californias residents, natural resources, economic interests, procedural rights, and sovereignty from violations of the United States Constitution and federal law. It adds that the wall would have a chilling effect on tourism to the United States from Mexico. The states lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration has failed to comply with federal and state environmental laws and relied on federal statutes that dont authorize the proposed projects. The brief alleges the federal government violated the U.S. Constitutions separation-of-powers doctrine by vesting in the Executive Branch the power to waive state and local laws, including state criminal law.. The lawsuit also says the Department of Homeland Security decided to build the walls without complying with the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. As a result, the lawsuit alleges, the federal government lacks proper environmental analysis of the impact of 400-foot prototypes of the wall currently planned, as well as the 2,000-mile-long final wall. The Democratic attorney general has been critical of the wall for months, including in April during an appearance on ABCs This Week. Im still trying to figure out who believes that a medieval situation to fix our broken immigration system is what we need, Becerra said. He also accused Trump at the time of reneging on his promise to have Mexico pay for the wall. I think American taxpayers probably are very much aligned with Mexico. None of them, whether its Mexico or our taxpayers, wants to pay for a medieval wall, he said. This is the latest of more than two dozen lawsuits and legal briefs filed against the Trump administration by Becerra, who was appointed attorney general in January and is running for election to the post next year. He previously sued to challenge Trumps plans to end a program that protects young immigrants from deportation, ban immigration from some countries and roll back environmental laws. Last week, three advocacy groups sued the federal government to block construction of a border wall, alleging that the Trump administration overstepped its authority by waiving environmental reviews and other laws. The action by the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and Animal Legal Defense Fund seeks to prevent construction of wall prototypes in San Diego. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said last month that prototypes for a border wall may be completed by the end of October. Becerras lawsuit is the latest attempt by California Democrats to fight the wall proposal. A bill that would have banned state government contracts for any company that helps build the wall passed the state Senate, but stalled recently in an Assembly committee. Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) authored the bill, testifying at a committee hearing that the wall is another attempt to separate and divide us. It sends a message that we are better off in a homogenous society. Todd Bloomstine, a lobbyist representing the Southern California Contractors Assn., opposed the bill, asking the panel, What next unpopular project would be [on the] blacklist? Read the lawsuit >> UPDATE 8:30 a.m. This article was updated to provide additional details of the lawsuit. This article was originally published at 6 a.m. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Judge rules state used misleading language in summary of ballot measure to repeal California gas tax By Patrick McGreevy GOP Assemblyman Travis Allen, in red tie, with Democratic state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, left, and Charles Munger Jr., far right, in 2014. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A judge tentatively ruled Tuesday that the state-written title and summary of an initiative to repeal the recent gas-tax increases were misleading and should be rewritten by the state attorney generals office. The ruling by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy M. Frawley, scheduled to be finalized at a court hearing on Friday, was welcomed by the initiatives lead proponent, Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach). This preliminary ruling is a major victory for Californians, Allen, a candidate for governor, said in a statement. This brings us one step closer to repealing Jerry Browns hugely unpopular gas tax. I look forward to the final ruling on Friday, and ensuring that the Repeal the Gas Tax Initiative receives the straightforward ballot title and summary that it deserves. Judge Frawley agreed with Allens legal claims that the title and summary drafted by Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerras office is confusing, misleading, and likely to create prejudice against the proposed measure. The judge said the initiative would repeal taxes and fees approved by the Legislature this year, but the title and summary issued by the state makes it sound like it would eliminate transportation funding without using the words taxes and fees in the title. He ordered state officials to come to Fridays hearing prepared to discuss alternate language for the ballot measure. To avoid misleading the voters and creating prejudice against the measure, the Attorney General must prepare a true and impartial statement that reasonably informs voters of the character and real purpose of the proposed initiative in clear and understandable language, the ruling says. The existing circulating title and summary fails this test. If the judge finalizes the order after hearing arguments Friday, Allen can use the new title and summary to circulate a petition. Allen needs to collect 365,000 signatures from registered voters in 150 days to put the measure on the November 2018 ballot. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Jerry Brown: Trumps rhetoric about North Korea adds to non-rational bluster By Mina Corpuz (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California Gov. Jerry Brown said President Trumps name calling and threats at the United Nations can get in the way of diplomacy and statesmanship. Earlier Tuesday, Trump called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Rocket Man on a suicide mission and said the United States may have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. It just raises the temperature and the exchange of non-rational bluster back and forth, Brown said in a interview with CNNs Jake Tapper. I dont think thats positive. Brown is in New York for some climate meetings related to the United Nations General Assembly. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Yes, dahlink: Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, widower of Zsa Zsa Gabor, is running for California governor By Phil Willon Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, widower of actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, outside of the couples Bel-Air mansion in 2011. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, widower of the whimsical celebrity and actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, is back. Von Anhalt has filed to run for governor of California  his second attempt after a short-lived campaign in 2010  saying hes fed up with seeing roads falling apart, people struggling to afford rent and an explosion of homelessness in the state. Ive lived in this city for 36 years. Ive never seen so many people eating out of a trash can in the Western world, Von Anhalt said Tuesday. We talk about Hollywood, and this being the entertainment center of the world. How is this possible? Von Anhalt, Garbors ninth and last husband, is running as an independent. He filed an official Candidate Intention Statement with the California Secretary of States office Monday, the first step in launching an official campaign. The 74-year-old Bel-Air resident, a German immigrant, said he has enough money to help support his own campaign. He said he dropped out of the 2010 governors race only because his wife became seriously ill. She died in December. She was the one  who wanted me run, Von Anhalt said. Von Anhalt also flirted briefly with a run for Los Angeles mayor in 2013, a race eventually won by Eric Garcetti. FOR THE RECORD 5:33 p.m.: An earlier of this post said Von Anhalt was age 71. He is 74. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Assemblyman urges other legislatures to join California in censuring President Trump By Mina Corpuz Assemblyman Tony Thurmond (D-Richmond) speaks with Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A California lawmaker who authored a resolution to support a censure of President Trump sent letters to 49 other state legislatures Tuesday to urge them to join the effort. Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, a Richmond Democrat, sent the letters days after the Assembly became the first state legislative body to support a congressional censure of the president. California has spoken and we look to the rest of the nation to join us, Thurmond said in a statement. Its important that all our states unite and show that the United States of America stands against hate. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

After cap-and-trade vote, Assemblyman Chad Mayes faces a second Republican challenger for reelection By Patrick McGreevy Chad Mayes of Yucca Valley leaves the Assembly floor before resigning as Assembly Republican leader on Aug. 24. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) Former Palm Springs Police Chief Gary Jeandron on Tuesday became the second Republican to announce plans to challenge Assemblyman Chad Mayes (R-Yucca Valley) in the 2018 election. Jeandron, a La Quinta resident, said he was angered over Mayes vote as Assembly Republican leader to support an extension of the states controversial cap-and-trade program, which requires businesses to buy permits to release greenhouse gas emissions. Jeandron saw the action as continuing a wrongful tax increase and said he is signing a no-tax pledge. I just dont believe [Mayes] has held Republican values, Jeandron told The Times. He has been blinded by ambition. He has been seduced by the governor. Mayes vote led to an outcry by Republican leaders, and he eventually succumbed to pressure to step down as leader of the Assembly Republicans. Mayes defended his position, telling colleagues during the floor debate, many of us believe that climate change is real and  we have to work to address it. Jeandron, who lost to Mayes in the 2014 election, joins San Jacinto City Councilman Andrew Kotyuk in planning to challenge Mayes for the 42nd Assembly District seat. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Republican John Cox tasted political defeat many times before launching his bid for California governor By Phil Willon Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox speaks to the Lincoln Club of Riverside County in June. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) Candidate for California governor John Cox is relatively new to the states politics, but Cox has run for office multiple times, and even tangled with Barack Obama on the debate stage when the pair ran in the 2004 Illinois U.S. Senate race. Neither candidate was considered their partys favorite. But things began looking up for Obama, of course, who won the Senate race and then the presidency. Cox dropped out before the GOP primary election. It was his third try for elected office in Illinois and his third defeat. Now hes back, this time in his new home of California, running for governor against a trio of Democratic heavyweights. Once again, Cox is a practical unknown. Once again, the Republican is in a left-leaning state reaching for a coveted political office. Once again, Coxs campaign is being fed by cash from his own bank account. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

After she was confronted by protesters, Pelosi says Democrats want a clean Dream Act  with no border wall By Jazmine Ulloa House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Monday said she understood the fear in young protesters who shouted her down at a San Francisco news conference, asking for a legal path to citizenship for themselves and their parents. Speaking at Sacramento State hours after the disruption, Pelosi said she agreed with the protesters, pointing to the Dream Act as only the first step to broader immigration reform. We are all disrupters ourselves, she said, standing next to fellow congressional Democrats. So we recognize it and respect it in others. At Sac State, @NancyPelosi on SF protests today: We are all disruptors ourselves. So we recognize it and respect it in others. #dacadeal pic.twitter.com/W1WKQikmsc  Jazmine Ulloa (@jazmineulloa) September 19, 2017 Both press events were scheduled by Pelosi to discuss a legislative fix to help thousands of young people affected by President Trumps decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The Obama-era policy provided temporary status for 800,000 people brought to the country illegally as children. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York met with Trump last week after the termination of DACA was announced. In Sacramento, Pelosi said they had come to an agreement to a clean Dream Act, which would provide a path to permanent status for citizens who work, study or serve in the military, without tougher border enforcement or increased deportations. Meanwhile, Democrats are fighting with the president over the construction of a wall along the U.S-Mexico border. And House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin has made it clear he wants some kind of border security, Pelosi said. That is not under discussion, she said. We can discuss other issues, but we are not going to discuss how we protect the Dreamers. At Sac State, @NancyPelosi arrives to talk #DACAdeal and help for Dreamers. Elected officials from every level of government also present. pic.twitter.com/yoESsRC1Ok  Jazmine Ulloa (@jazmineulloa) September 18, 2017 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Feinstein, who called for patience with Trump, lashes out over his attacks on Clinton By Sarah D. Wire Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said it was appalling and disgusting to see President Trump retweet a video edited to look like he hit former rival Hillary Clinton in the head with a golf ball. He continues to obsessively lash out at her  at his rallies, with his words and now through social media  in a manner that is utterly unbecoming of the president of the United States, Feinstein said in a statement Monday. Every one of us should be offended by the vindictive and candidly dangerous messages the president sends that demean not only Secretary Clinton, but all women. Grow up and do your job. Clinton is out with a new book about the campaign, and Trump has repeatedly used Twitter to deride her as a sore loser. He retweeted the animated GIF Sunday which shows him hitting a golf ball that then knocks down Clinton. Feinstein, who has yet to say whether shell run again in 2018, has walked a fine line with Trump in recent months. Shes criticized him at times, but drew ire from some progressive Californians last month when she called for patience in dealing with the president, saying that Trump could be a good president if he learned and changed. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California lawmakers are building a wall against President Trumps policies By George Skelton California state legislators ended their annual session the way they began it  building a wall to protect undocumented immigrants from President Trump. Not an iron wall, as Trump promised to erect along the U.S.-Mexico border, but a legal barrier to prevent local police and sheriffs from teaming with the presidents agents to enforce federal immigration law. The legislators did a lot of other things, too, before adjourning early Saturday until January. They sent Gov. Jerry Brown bills to address Californias dearth of affordable housing, to borrow $4 billion for parks and waterworks, to spend $1.5 billion in greenhouse-gas pollution fees, to provide tuition-free community college for first-year students and to lift some secrecy from prescription drug pricing. Earlier in the session, the heavily Democratic Legislature passed its boldest, most controversial bill of the year: A $5.2-billion annual increase in fuel taxes and vehicle fees to finance transportation infrastructure, especially to repair crumbling highways. Republicans will attempt to repeal the bill at the ballot box in 2018. Brown says that borders on insanity. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Trump is riding a very dead horse on climate change, Gov. Brown says at New York conference By Ann Simmons (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday touted steps California has taken toward a healthier climate, but warned that powerful forces he called climate deniers are resisting technologies and policies designed to improve conditions. I like all the optimism around here, but I dont want to minimize the steep hill that we have to climb, Brown said at the start of a gathering of international leaders called Climate Week NYC. Decarbonizing the economy when the economy depends so totally on carbon is not childs play. Its quite daunting. Hosted by the Climate Group, an international nonprofit organization that works with business and government to promote clean technologies and policies, the event was scheduled to bring together high-profile governors, executives of Fortune 500 companies and leaders of multinational businesses for a week to share their strategies in tackling climate change. The discussions come amid concerns about global warming and after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused devastation in Houston, Florida and across parts of the Caribbean. Some scientists believe that warmer ocean waters caused by climate change are creating stronger storms. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Nancy Pelosi shouted down at DACA news conference for working with Trump By Sarah D. Wire Dreamer protesters have disrupted a Pelosi presser in CA, asking for protections for Dreamer & their parents: https://t.co/o3zGNJvblL  Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) September 18, 2017 More than four dozen immigration activists upset with Democrats for negotiating with President Trump shouted down House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi at a San Francisco news conference Monday. We are not your bargaining chip, the crowd chanted at one point, according to KCBS News political reporter Doug Sovern. VIDEO: Chaos at @NancyPelosi #DACA event as 40+ undocumented hijack her news conf in SF: "We are not your bargaining chip! Let us speak!" pic.twitter.com/KC2WyrjqSy  Doug Sovern (@SovernNation) September 18, 2017 'All of us or none of us' Crowd takes over DREAM Act event. Pelosi getting blasted by about 100 young 'undocumented youth' pic.twitter.com/RgwnZ4dB3O  Evan Sernoffsky (@EvanSernoffsky) September 18, 2017 San Francisco Chronicle reporter Evan Sernoffsky said on Twitter that some in the group were yelling, All of us or none of us. Other reporters said the group chanted, Shut down ICE. Pelosi held the news conference to advocate for speedy passage of a legislative fix to the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally as children. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York met with Trump last week after he announced an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The Obama-era program deferred deportation for some people brought to the country illegally as children. Pelosi and Schumer said their discussion with the president included the possibility of adding more immigration enforcement  which some immigration advocates are against  to legislation to address DACA. At the news conference, Pelosi first made remarks and introduced an immigrant in the country illegally, at which point the shouting began, according to a Pelosi aide. The group surrounded Pelosi, with some gesturing close to her face. She attempted to calm the crowd for about half an hour before leaving the news conference. The aide said the group was made up of local DACA beneficiaries. We need to have a conversation, but that was completely one-sided; they dont want any answers, Pelosi told reporters afterward, according to a transcript. Pelosi said the activists should be focused on Republican members of Congress, not Democrats. I understand their frustration, Im excited by it as a matter of fact, but the fact is theyre completely wrong. The Democrats are the ones who stopped their assault on sanctuary cities, stopped the wall, the increased deportations in our last bill that was at the end of April, and we are determined to get Republicans votes to pass the clean Dream Act. Is it possible to pass a bill without some border security? Well well have to see. We didnt agree to anything in that regard, except to listen, Pelosi said. UPDATES

1:06 p.m. This post was updated with more details throughout and quotes from Pelosi. This post was originally published at 12:12 p.m. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Democrats hopes of flipping seats in California are soaring, but it wont be as easy at it seems By Christine Mai-Duc (Associated Press / AFP/Getty Images) Democrats know they have to win at least a few seats in California if they want to regain control of the House in 2018. But though the energy and hopes of many Democratic activists here are soaring, flipping Republican-held seats here could be harder than it appears. There are a few bits of conventional wisdom that suggest Democrats have a long road ahead. For one, Republicans often turn out in greater numbers than their Democratic counterparts in midterm-election years. And even though Hillary Clinton won seven of the Republican-held districts Democrats are now targeting, past election data show voters there still lean much more conservative than other parts of the state. If past is prologue, says Rob Pyers, research director for the nonpartisan election guide California Target Book, Democrats will have a hard time picking up more than a couple of seats in California. With most voters unlikely to tune in until at least next spring, there are many factors that could affect the political calculus, including whether the California Republican Party will be able to field a competitive candidate for governor, or whether ballot initiatives such as a potential repeal of the newest gas tax hike will propel GOP voters to the polls. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California will be the keeper of the nations future in the era of Trump, state Democratic lawmakers promise By Melanie Mason State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, from left, Gov. Jerry Brown and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Within a day of President Trumps election last November, Californias top Democratic lawmakers responded with a joint statement that contained an audacious promise. It was their state, not Washington, D.C., that would be the keeper of the nations future. An artistic rendering of that vow, with looping calligraphy and a roaring grizzly, is now on display in the offices of Senate leader Kevin de Leon and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. In the wake of Trumps win, the words seemed to be a sort of foundational document  Californias declaration of resistance. That pugilistic posture is often conveyed in shorthand: California versus Trump. But the ensuing legislative year, which ended Friday, revealed the messy reality of squaring up against the federal government. Its been challenging, De Leon (D-Los Angeles) said, bleary-eyed as he took a break during the final days of the session. You have to debate, you have to negotiate, you have to make your case, and I think at the end of the day, well still have the most far-reaching policy in the nation. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Politics Podcast: Lawmakers leave Sacramento after a busy year By John Myers From immigration issues to housing, some of the biggest debates of the Legislatures nine-month session happened at the very end. In governing, as in life, deadlines often make things happen. On this weeks California Politics Podcast, we take an early look at some of the most important decisions lawmakers made in the final few days of the 2017 session in Sacramento. That includes a landmark decision to intervene in the issue of illegal immigration, and to pass a long discussed package of bills to begin addressing Californias housing crisis. We also look at some of the broader political themes of the entire legislative year -- most notably, the effort by Democrats in the Legislature to provide a resistance to actions taken by President Trump. Im joined by Times staff writers Melanie Mason and Liam Dillon. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Passage of sanctuary state bill draws rebukes from Trump administration officials, praise in California By Jazmine Ulloa Supporters of state sanctuary bill SB 54 rally outside the Hall of Justice. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) California lawmakers on Saturday passed a sanctuary state bill to protect immigrants without legal residency in the U.S., part of a broader push by Democrats to counter expanded deportation orders under the Trump administration. The landmark legislation by Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) would limit state and local law enforcement communication with federal immigration authorities, and prevent officers from questioning and holding people on immigration violations. But the bill sent to Gov. Jerry Brown drastically scaled back the version first introduced, the result of tough negotiations between Brown and De Leon in the final weeks of the legislative session. Its passage already is reverberating across the country. Trump administration officials have sounded off in opposition. And immigrant rights groups and some California law enforcement officials have come out in support of what they call a hard compromise. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Supporters unable to resurrect California clean-energy proposal on final day of legislative session By Chris Megerian Environmentalists rally in front of Assemblyman Chris Holdens office in Pasadena on Thursday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Despite a last-minute push from environmentalists and actors from The Avengers, legislation that eventually would require all of Californias electricity to come from clean sources failed to advance this year. Facing opposition from unions and utilities, Assembly leadership refused to put the measure, SB 100, up for a vote on Friday, the final day of the legislative session. The decision to not move the bill this year is disappointing, said Kathryn Phillips, director of the Sierra Clubs California chapter. But we are committed to moving this policy next year. Theres no time to waste. The measure, written by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (
President Trump kept a low profile this weekend as Hurricane Irma pounded the Caribbean, then the Florida Keys and made its way up the west coast of Florida. He huddled with members of the Cabinet at Camp David and issued an emergency declaration to allow the state to get swift relief once the hurricane passes.

Congress scrapped scheduled Monday votes due to the monster storm.

Advertisement

Our national staff is running a robust live blog with on-the-ground reporting, photos and video from Florida. And they also put together everything you need to know about Irma.

The Times lifted the paywall on this coverage to help anyone in need of information.

IMMIGRATION FLASHPOINT

In California, the focus remains on what will happen with Trumps immigration policies in the weeks and months to come.

John Myers reports that the state will wade into the legal battle Tuesday over the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra will announce a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the rescinding of DACA. The action is scheduled to be announced at a late morning event in Sacramento. Well have more coverage on our Essential Politics news feed.

Its the Legislatures final week in Sacramento, and sanctuary state legislation will dominate the headlines. More on that below, but Los Angeles officials are preparing to declare L.A. a city of sanctuary. Our team explores if thats purely an act of symbolism or the beginning of real change in city policy. On Sunday, downtown Los Angeles was the site of (yet another) immigration protest.

Meanwhile, Democrats see momentum on a potential Dream Act vote after Congress approved Trumps deal with Democrats.

While many are dreaming of an outcome that sees Republicans and Democrats working alongside each other and putting aside differences for a compromise, if they dont, this political episode could be the GOPs nightmare, George Skelton wrote in his Thursday column.

REBUILDING TRUST BETWEEN POLICE AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES

Negotiations are coming down to the wire on Senate leader Kevin de Leons so-called sanctuary state legislation, which seeks to limit state and local law enforcement agencies from enforcing federal immigration laws. Gov. Jerry Brown has said the goal of Senate Bill 54 should be to curb federal power but that some immigrants in the country illegally who have committed crimes have no business being in the country.

For those who remember the passage of the bills predecessor, the California Trust Act, the debate is familiar, Jazmine Ulloa reports. Like De Leons legislation, the Trust Act was introduced by Democrats to blunt the effect of federal policy on immigrant communities. It also ignited a bitter fight over whom the state should protect when the federal government casts a wide deportation net that can entangle hardworking families and criminals alike.

CROSSED WIRES ON ENERGY ISSUES

Lawmakers have one week left to make a series of sweeping decisions on the future of California energy, a topic thats sparking bitter disagreements and last-minute maneuvering.

For starters, unions representing electrical and utility workers recently announced their opposition to Senate Bill 100, a measure from De Leon that would phase out fossil fuels for generating electricity by 2045.

Why the late opposition? The unions claim De Leon had promised changes to the legislation that would protect their jobs. But De Leons office claims no such promises were made, and accused the unions lobbyist of trying to hold the measure hostage.

The picture grows even more complicated as the governor races to lay the groundwork for a regional electricity grid that would make it easier to share clean energy around the West. Its been a goal of his for years, but the proposal is becoming public only now after extensive closed-door negotiations with labor unions.

Chris Megerian got an early look at the proposal, which is now part of Assembly Bills 813 and 726. If approved by lawmakers, it could transform the organization responsible for managing Californias electricity grid into a regional entity capable of working with regulators and utilities in other states.

BIG DEVELOPERS WANT HELP FROM STATE LEGISLATORS

An effort to fast-track a proposed arena for the Los Angeles Clippers fell apart last Friday when state lawmakers shelved a plan that would have eased some rules under the states primary environmental law governing development for the project, Liam Dillon reports. Earlier in the week, organizers behind Los Angeles 2028 Olympic bid asked for their projects to be taken out of the bill. The Clippers have vowed to try again before lawmakers break for the year on Friday.

Meanwhile, Facebook and the developer of two proposed skyscrapers in Hollywood are pushing separate legislation that would provide some relief under the environmental law to get their projects done more quickly, too.

MAKING COLLEGE AFFORDABLE

California is thought of as a so-called progressive state, but theres one area where its lagging behind deep-red Tennessee, Skelton writes in his Monday column: affordable college tuition. AB-19 from Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) would waive fees for all first-year, full-time community college students taking at least 12 units. Lawmakers have just days left until the legislative session ends to approve the bill.

WHO MIGHT STEP ASIDE

No one in the countrys largest state delegation to Congress has announced plans to retire instead of seek reelection in 2018. Yet.

Were keeping an eye on a handful of California lawmakers ahead of the winter holidays when congressional retirement announcements tend to speed up. Sarah Wire has the story.

LOOKING FOR THE UNION LABEL

Just how much political muscle do the public employee unions have in California? Well, three of Californias top Democratic candidates for governor -- Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Treasurer John Chiang -- ventured to the Inland Empire to show their support for a Service Employees International Union strike against Riverside County. Billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, who has been considering a run for higher office, also happened to drop by.

RIGHT TURN FOR STATE GOP CONVENTION

The California Republican Partys October convention in Anaheim is looking like a lovefest for anti-tax conservatives. Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, an up-and-comer in the GOP and  at 40  the youngest member of the Senate, will highlight the conservative lineup of speakers. Others scheduled to appear include House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield); anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist; Fox News star Judge Jeanine Pirro and economist Stephen Moore of the Heritage Foundation.

NATIONAL POLITICS LIGHTNING ROUND

Talking with Charlie Rose in his first television interview, former White House strategist Steve Bannon wasnt shy about wanting to seek revenge on the long list of people he thinks are in Trumps way.

Unbowed by cancer, John McCain takes on Trump and Republicans on budget, immigrants and climate change.

Sen. Bernie Sanders doesnt sound very excited about Hillary Clintons new book, and Doyle McManus writes on the op-ed page that a backward-looking slog through the disappointments of last years campaign is not what most Democratic politicians want to dominate the news this fall.

Get the latest about whats happening in the nations capital on Essential Washington.

POLITICAL ROAD MAP: TARGETING THE TOP TWO

Californias Democrats, Republicans and third parties hardly see eye to eye on anything. But one topic elicits an almost unanimous response: They hate the states top-two primary.

In his Political Road Map column, John Myers looks at the desire of the party faithful to abolish the 6-year-old open primary system. Though one GOP activist has launched an effort to get a repeal proposal on the 2018 ballot, its unclear whether the states biggest political donors will open their wallets.

TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- Californias reaction to Trumps decision to roll back the DACA program is the top talker on this weeks California Politics Podcast.

-- Dont forget that subscribers to this newsletter will be the first to see our new project on Californias congressional races.

-- California lawmakers voted to slim down the states bulky voter guide.

-- Sen. Kamala Harris is spending time in the battleground state of Ohio to headline five fundraisers for her Senate colleague Sherrod Brown.

-- A conservative blogger filed a complaint about Republican Travis Allens spending in his campaign for California governor.

-- Some members of Californias congressional delegation met with Dreamers fasting outside the U.S. Capitol last week.

-- Rep. Duncan Hunters chief of staff stepped down amid the FBI investigation into the congressmans campaign funds.

-- Rep. Barbara Lee proposed legislation to remove Confederate statues from the U.S. Capitol.

-- The head of the Democratic National Committee blasted the Fresno GOP for inviting controversial former Sheriff Joe Arpaio to headline an upcoming fundraiser.

-- Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger joined other prominent Republicans in filing friend-of-court briefs arguing partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional in a landmark redistricting case the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear next month.

-- Joe Sanberg, a wealthy investor who is rumored to be considering a run for office, launched a statewide digital ad buy and plans to form a federal political action committee centered on his efforts to create and expand income tax credits for the working poor.

-- Former congressman Mike Honda, who lost his seat in a bitter battle with fellow Democrat Ro Khanna last year, has joined a group thats working to unseat California congressional Republicans in 2018.

-- Berkeley braces for Ben Shapiros visit.

-- Former congresswoman and failed Senate candidate Loretta Sanchez is getting into the TV business.

-- A bill to shed more light on pharmacy benefit managers -- a little-scrutinized part of the prescription drug supply chain, was shelved for the year.

-- State lawmakers sent a bill to the governor blocking the public release of police body camera footage depicting rape victims.

-- A financial analysis of a proposed 2018 ballot measure to extend Proposition 13 tax breaks from older to younger homeowners could cost the state and local governments billions of dollars a year.

-- New legislation would provide up to $270 million in state tax dollars, should the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics go over budget.

-- De Leon brought a stuffed unicorn with him to the Senate floor last week. Heres why.

-- Rep. Linda Sanchez came back to Washington with a pop of pink hair.

-- Former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer will join The Times Melanie Mason in conversation later this month at the Sacramento Press Club. You can buy tickets here.

LOGISTICS

Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go.

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox.
Californias Democratic politicians and activists talk big about being so-called progressives. But on one thing, theyre downright reactionary when compared with hard-right Tennessee.

Tennesseans voted in landslide numbers  roughly 61% of them  for President Trump. Theyre also about to provide a tuition-free community college education for any Tennessean who wants one. Thats truly progressive.

Californians voted in a landslide  nearly 62%  for Hillary Clinton. And for decades the state has been marching backward on affordable college education. Were not really as progressive as many shouting leftists would like to think.

Advertisement

Before 1984, California charged no community college fees. Then the Legislature authorized $5 per unit. Tha has risen gradually and is now at $46. Take 15 units a semester and the tabs $1,380 per school year. Yes, thats a bargain, but its also a hard reach for many poor people.

The fees are waived for roughly half the students because their family incomes are so low. But there still are costly books, supplies and perhaps housing.

No one really should have to pay a community college course fee. California managed that for decades. And Tennessee is now.

So, starting this month, is San Francisco. Community college is tuition-free for city residents, paid for by tax money.

Pending on the state Senate floor is a bill that would take a significant step toward free community college throughout California and return it to more affordable public higher educations. AB 19 would waive fees for all first-year, full-time community college students taking at least 12 units.

Community colleges have to be free, says the bills author, Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles). Theres no reason why theyre not. If California is going to compete in the 21st century economy, were going to have to break down education barriers.

We ought to do something to incentivize students to go to community college.

Santiago, 44, attended community college at Moorpark before transferring to UCLA. Hes a past board member of the Los Angeles Community College District.

But his bill faces a tough slog to be sent to Gov. Jerry Brown before the years legislative session ends Friday. Its considered a second-tier bill  the kind that becomes a leverage tool for legislative players seeking what they consider a bigger prize. You want that, give me this!

Moreover, Browns Finance Department is opposed to the measure. Although the community college system pegs the cost at around $32 million annually, Browns budgeters say it could hit $50 million. Thats too risky in an iffy economy, they contend.

Tennessee, however, somehow manages. And its program is a lot more liberal than Santiagos proposal because it scrubs community college tuition for all state residents who havent yet earned a degree.

The Tennessee Legislature is even more Republican than Californias is Democratic. Talk about supermajorities: Tennessees Senate is 85% Republican and its House of Representatives is 74%.

That states outspoken tuition-free advocate is Republican Gov. Bill Haslam, who told legislators in his January State of the State address: Wherever you might fall on lifes path, education beyond high school is critical to the Tennessee we can be.

That used to be Californias philosophy too.

For generations, the Golden State charged no tuition at the University of California or state universities. Everyone benefited.

Updates from Sacramento 

Democratic Gov. Pat Brown, Jerrys father, often gets credit in revisionist history. Truth is, tuition-free college was created under Republican governors and legislatures.

It wasnt just some feel-good social program. It was an investment in an economic engine that produced innovators and skilled professionals to grow Californias economy. It was in the states self-interest to get everyone as highly educated as they could be. It helped broaden the middle class.

What happened? Tuition crept onto campuses in the 1970s and steadily climbed. The state cut back on its higher education spending because it took on other obligations: making up for lost local property taxes because of Proposition 13, expanding costly healthcare for the poor, building more prisons.

And lets be honest: Too many university administrators enjoy blue-plate pay and perks that didnt exist back in the tuition-free days.

So here we are: Total tuition and fees at UC are $13,950 a year. At the state universities theyre $7,151. Then tack on room, board and books.

A full-time freshman year of community college with no fees seems a good place to start reinvesting.

In total, California has 2.1 million community college students  900,000 enrolled full time  on 114 campuses. Many transfer to four-year universities. Many learn work skills and qualify for good-paying jobs. Many just drop out.

Several community colleges already provide some free tuition, financed with private money.

But if current trends continue, the Public Policy Institute of California reported last week, California will face a large skills gap by 2030. It will be 1.1 million workers with bachelors degrees short of economic demand. Failing to keep up with the demand  could result in a less productive economy, lower incomes and tax revenue, and greater dependence on the social safety net.

Theres a nonsensical argument that free tuition would benefit rich kids. But rich kids rarely choose community colleges. And creating a means test bureaucracy to check every students wallet would be fiscal foolery.

Were trying to go back to the future  to the programs that made sense and still make sense, Santiago says.

They currently make sense in one Southern red state and we should follow its lead.

george.skelton@latimes.com

Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter

ALSO

Trump and Congress agreeing on a deal to replace DACA? Lets hope that dream becomes a reality

Providing free college tuition in California is a good idea  but taxing millionaires to do it is a bad one

School bonds used to be as controversial as mom and apple pie. Not anymore under Gov. Jerry Brown
Trump Jr. to speak privately to Senate staff on Thursday

(Richard Drew / Associated Press)

President Trumps oldest son is expected to meet privately with a Senate committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, several senators said Wednesday.

Donald Trump Jr.'s appearance Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee would probably focus on a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer and others during the final stretches of last years campaign. Emails released in July show that Trump Jr. was told the session at Trump Tower in New York was part of a Russian government effort to aid his father, the Republican nominee.

Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating that meeting, also attended by Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort. A grand jury has heard testimony about it.

Trump Jr. has also agreed to appear in the coming weeks before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is conducting its own investigation.

Separately, President Obamas national security advisor, Susan Rice, was meeting on Wednesday with the House Intelligence Committee, according to a person familiar with the interview. This person wasnt authorized to discuss the committees confidential work and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

That committee has subpoenaed the Justice Department and the FBI for documents related to a dossier of salacious allegations involving Trump and possible ties to Russia.

As for Donald Trump Jr., some Democratic senators said they planned to attend his session though tradition dictates that senators cannot ask questions at such interviews conducted by committee staff.

Sens. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said they would be there. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) was considering it.

I go in with an open mind, Durbin said. I want to hear his answers to questions  there are plenty of questions  about the involvement of the Trump corporation as well as the Trump campaign with the Russians and other foreigners, and I just want to hear what Mr. Trump has to say.

Durbin said he would be shocked if questions werent asked about whether Trump Sr. knew about the Trump Tower meeting.

The critical part of his testimony will be following the financial dealing, Blumenthal said. He said he also wants to find out what Trump Jr. may know about potential obstruction of justice, adding there may have been conversations between the two about the firing of FBI Director James Comey and other matters.

Blumenthal and Coons said the private interview is no substitute for a public hearing, which the committee chairman, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), has promised will happen.

This meeting is far less important than his public testimony, under oath, before the American people, Blumenthal said.

Grassley would not say on Wednesday whether he would issue a subpoena for Trump Jr. if he refuses to testify publicly.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department is reviewing subpoenas from the House intelligence committee.

In a letter Friday that was obtained by the AP, the committee wrote that it had served subpoenas on Aug. 24 to the department and the FBI for documents related to the committees investigation of Russian meddling. The Justice Department and FBI had missed the original Sept. 1 deadline, so the committee extended the deadline to Sept. 14.

The letter was signed by the committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), who stepped back from the Russia investigation this year after he was criticized for being too close to the White House. Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) took over the leading role, but his name does not appear on the letter.

As chairman, Nunes retains subpoena power in the committee.

According to the letter, the original subpoenas requested any documents related to the dossier and sought information about whether the department was involved in its production.

If the documents are not produced, the committee is seeking to compel Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, who has withdrawn from investigations examining connections between Trump and Russia, and newly installed FBI Director Christopher Wray to testify in an open hearing. The committee issued two additional subpoenas to Sessions and Wray on late Tuesday.

Resort to compulsory process was necessary because of DOJs and FBIs insufficient responsiveness to the committees numerous Russia-investigation related requests over the past several months, the letter said.

If the committee is unable to obtain documents or testimony, Nunes wrote, the committee expressly reserves its right to proceed with any and all available legal options, including a House vote to hold Sessions and Wray in contempt.

The Justice Department confirmed it was reviewing the subpoenas but declined further comment.

The dossier attracted public attention in January when it was revealed that then-FBI Director Comey had briefed Trump, soon before he was inaugurated as president, about claims from the documents that Russia had amassed compromising personal and financial allegations about him.

Its unclear to what extent the allegations in the dossier have been corroborated or verified by the FBI because the bureau has not publicly discussed it.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said Tuesday evening on MSNBC that the subpoenas were issued over the objections of Democrats. Schiff said Republicans are working harder to discredit those who compiled the dossier than to find out if the allegations in it are true. He said Republicans should be more focused on getting documents from the White House.

The subpoenas were first reported by the Washington Examiner.
Blake Heron, an actor best known for his starring role in the 1996 film Shiloh, was found dead in his La Crescenta home Friday morning from what may have been a drug overdose, according to authorities.

Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department were called to the 35-year-olds home in the 3000 block of Alabama Street around 7 a.m. after a friend had found him not breathing. The sheriffs department said in statement Heron appeared to have suffered an apparent overdose of an illicit narcotic substance.

Deputies attempted to revive Heron by administering CPR and Narcan, a nasal spray used to treat opioid overdoses, but were unsuccessful.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

As of Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles County medical examiners office said a cause of death has not been determined because an autopsy was still pending.

The incident remains under investigation.

andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
Question: When one needs to make a connecting flight, say from Frankfurt, Germany, to Milans Malpensa in Italy, what is a reasonable layover time to ensure both passenger and bags get to the same place at the same time?

Melanie Gnad

Simi Valley

Answer: There is what is allowable, or legal in airline parlance, connect times, and there is what is reasonable, and these often are not the same.

Airlines frequently sell you on what they call legal connecting times, which means if youre under 25 and wearing track shoes, you just might make it, Mark Anderson of Adventure Vacations said in an email.

Advertisement

Most times you can, but if there is any sort of delay it can knock down your itinerary like a set of dominoes.

Welcome to the complex and confusing world of minimum connecting times, or MCT, which are established largely by the airlines. These are built into the ticket configurations you can create when using an online booking engine or are evident to a travel agent or other entity issuing tickets.

Consumers generally wont have access to the complete listing of all MCTs, but you can Google your flight and your airports and connect time and get a better idea.

But that is a static formula. The airline takes into account the variables of its own operations and the airport youre connecting in, but it cant always account for the variables that come with conditions at the airport, the ticketing for your trip, the weather, and your level of fitness and ability to decipher airport signage.

Thats why Anderson provides extra time: I always allow three hours for international and two hours for domestic, he said in an email.

Here is what you need to know to gauge whether youll have enough time:

Is there construction at the airport?

The answer is probably yes, at least domestically. About $32.5 billion in improvements is needed from 2017-2021, according to the Airport Consultants Councils 2017 report, most of which involves reconstruction and compliance with Federal Aviation Administration standards, the report says (and not as much involving capacity and terminals).

How can this foul you up? Let us count the ways, which include late flights because of, say, runway closures.

Self-defense: Look at the airport website. If, for instance, you look at LAXs website, youll find construction alerts, and they speak volumes. If the airport does, add time.

Does the airport have other issues?

Other issues may involve the configuration of the airport. Does it have more than one terminal, as does LAX? That will take more time if youre coming into one terminal and going out from another.

Does it rely on intra-airport transit, as does Dallas and Washingtons Dulles? Youll need to find your way to the conveyance and make sure you dont get on the wrong one as I did recently at Dulles. (I had plenty of time so it was a slight detour, not a disaster.)

If there is not a method of transportation, look at the sheer size. The biggest footprint of any airport in the world is said to belong to King Fahd airport in Saudi Arabia (more than 300 square miles), but much of the facility is still being built.

Monster No. 2: Denver, about 53 square miles, according to the World Atlas. That makes Chicagos OHare look positively shrimpy at about 10 square miles, but neither of these places is a walk in the park.

Self-defense: Look at gate configurations and where they are in relation to one another. You may be a track star, but if youre toting a bag and youre racing through the airport when its congested, youll be slowed down. If gates are scattered or in other terminals, add time.

Are you taking the same airline on your connecting flight?

If yes, breathe a little bit easier. Airline gates tend to be clustered within one area, the key here being tend to.

Self-defense: Look at the airports map with proximity in mind.

If youre not on the same airline, breathe a lot harder because this could mean three things:

 Your new gate may not be close.

 If your bag is not checked all the way through, youll have to claim it and recheck it.

 If you have to change terminals, youll have to go through security all over again.

Self-defense: Any of those three? Add time. All three? Triple the time.

Is yours the last flight of the day?

Red lights should be going off. Oh, you may be in plenty of time to make your connection, but your connection may never get to you, said Tom Spagnola, a senior vice president of supplier relations for CheapOair.com.

If the last flight of the day is canceled, youll be spending the night where you are and trying to muscle your way onto the first available flight.

With load factors  how many seats are taken  frequently 85% or more, you could be in a pickle.

An even bigger pickle: If you are booked on one airline, that airline will try to accommodate you, but if you have two separate tickets, one on airline A and one on B, youre on your own.

And even if the whole-ticket airline does help you, if the cancellation or delay was caused by weather or other factors out of the airlines control, the airline is not obligated to put you up in a hotel.

Self-defense: Know if it is the last flight of the day and try not to do this, unless you have no other choice.

Do you have to go through customs?

Will automatically add time.

If youre coming into the U.S. from abroad, you will have to clear U.S. Customs before you can go on to your next flight.

And dont count on what U.S. Customs and Border Protection calls pre-clearance locations to make that process any faster.

Those locations  there are more than a dozen of them  allow you to clear U.S. Customs in a foreign airport.

This worked in my favor in July coming back from Dublin, Ireland. (Both it and Shannon Airport have pre-clearance.) It was fairly chaotic and time-consuming, but I had plenty of time because I had arrived obsessively early at the airport.

When I deplaned at Dulles, I had only to scoop up my bag and go recheck it because I was, in fact, traveling on two tickets  the return half of a round-trip to Dublin and the return half of a round-trip from LAX. I had plenty of time to enjoy the fabulous airport ambiance between flights, but I wasnt quaking either.

But I was shaken the previous month coming back through Torontos nightmare of an international airport, where I was connecting from another Canadian airport that didnt have pre-clearance. Toronto did.

A travel agent, who has access to minimum connecting times, booked that ticket, but she has no crystal ball. No way could she know that my flight from Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Maritimes  the first flight of the day, no lesswould be late leaving and thus landing.

I watched helplessly as the rest of my itinerary, which involved four more flights in the next two days, collapsed like a house of cards.

Next time Im headed back to the U.S. through Toronto  if there is a next time  I will ask to allow more time because even if my flight hadnt been late, Customs was jammed.

Self-defense: Figure Customs into your equation. Check out where there is pre-clearance and how that could factor into your itinerary.

Heres the best advice about connections: Dont. Nonstop is almost always better. If you must, try to stay with the same airline, which will help you. If you cannot stay with the same airline (or choose not to, because the hacker fares that involve two airlines are often cheaper), allow yourself plenty of time. And maybe find a travel agent who can book your ticket, which theyll find easier to manipulate than you will using an online travel agency.

Usually, Spagnola said, you can stay up to four hours at your connecting airport without paying more. An agent can help you do that.

Better to be relaxing in the airport lounge with a good book or a celebratory lunch, agent Anderson said, than be in a hell-bent-for-Alaska panic trying to make that too-tight connection.

Amen.

Have a travel dilemma? Write to travel@latimes.com. We regret we cannot answer every inquiry.

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
French President Emmanuel Macron will visit the Caribbean on Tuesday in an effort to persuade locals on the Irma-devastated islands of St. Martin and St. Barts that Paris has not abandoned them.

Macron, whose popularity has plummeted at home, is taking flak from political opponents and islanders on the French territories for what they consider to have been inadequate hurricane preparations and a slow response to the mass destruction of homes and infrastructure.

He was traveling to St. Martin, a Franco-Dutch island, on an overnight flight aboard an Airbus carrying aid and emergency supplies. During his whistle-stop visit, he is also expected to travel to St. Barts, a French territory 20 miles to the southeast.

Advertisement

Fourteen people were killed on St. Martin -- 10 on the French side of the island, four on the Dutch side -- after Hurricane Irma struck on Wednesday. Damage to the island is estimated at more than $1.65 billion by the French state-run reinsurance body, the CCR, which specializes in natural disasters.

Two men look for belongings in the rubble of their restaurant on Sunday in Orient Bay on the French Carribean island of St. Martin. (Martin Bureau / AFP/Getty Images)

Homes, shops, boats and cars were destroyed, electricity and water supplies cut, and looters were filmed rampaging through the wreckage. More than 1,500 police, gendarmes, soldiers and emergency workers have been sent to the islands to quash outbreaks of violence and pillaging. An additional 500 are on their way.

A second hurricane, Jose, that passed 100 miles north of the islands on Sunday held up recovery efforts across the region.

Around 60% of homes on St. Martin were destroyed and the local authorities have established about 1,500 emergency shelters. St. Barts was also severely hit, but no deaths have been reported.

Paris had sent two navy frigates with helicopters ready to fly in supplies to the area in anticipation of the hurricanes, but the strength of Irma took them by surprise.

Far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, defeated by Macron in Mays presidential election, lambasted the French government for having totally insufficient emergency precautions.

Nothing was prepared, nothing was anticipated, she said.

Eric Ciotti, a member of Parliament for the opposition Republicans, demanded an inquiry into whether all had been done to help the islanders.

Macron announced his Caribbean visit following an emergency meeting at the Elysee Palace on Sunday. Afterward, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb defended the governments response to the hurricanes.

From the start, the state has addressed the situation and foreseen the worst, Collomb told journalists. Collomb said Macron would stay one night on St. Martin and that the state had done all it could to help those affected.

Hell spend the day on the island to talk to inhabitantsand local councilors, Collomb said. This isnt the time for arguments, its time for action.

Demonstrators gather in Toulouse, France, on Monday to protest labor law reforms supported by President Emmanuel Macron. A placard reads: Macron creator of social insecurities (Eric Cabanis / AFP/Getty Images)

On Monday, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said he was appointing an official to coordinate the reconstruction of the two islands in a logical and lasting manner.

Macron can ill afford to leave France this week. On Tuesday, the countrys most militant union has called workers to the streets for a day of action to protest labor law changes being pushed through Parliament by special decree later this month. Public sector, transport and energy workers are expected to join the demonstration.

On a visit to Greece on Thursday, Macron vowed he would not be swayed by the lazy, the cynical and the extreme, causing critics like the hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon to accuse him of despising the French. The Elysee quickly reacted, saying Macron was calling his presidential predecessors lazy, not the French unemployed.

Willsher is a special correspondent.
All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced.  19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc.
The Minister for Justice an Equality, Charlie Flanagan said he will continue to press ahead with the Garda reform programme, in the wake of the resignation of the Garda Commissioner, Noirin O'Sullivan.

Minister Flanagan told RTE's Morning Ireland that the Commissioner's possible resignation was "flagged" to him some weeks ago.

He said he was informed of her resignation an hour before it was publicly announced, but he wasn't surprised at the news.

Minister Flanagan said he would consult with the chair of the Policing Authority about a process to identify and appoint a permanent Commissioner to An Garda Siochana.

"I will brief the Government at the next Cabinet meeting.

"I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Commissioner OSullivan and to acknowledge her public service to the State over the course of an accomplished 36 year career in a variety of roles in An Garda Siochana, which ranged from under-cover detective work in Dublins inner city in the 1980s to being appointed to the most senior position in the service in March 2014," stated the Minister.

"Since the establishment of An Garda Siochana, the role of Commissioner has been a hugely demanding one but I want to acknowledge that, during Commissioner OSullivans tenure, she was faced with particularly significant difficulties, many of which had built up over several decades.

"Commissioner OSullivan showed enormous resilience, determination and integrity in addressing those challenges and, in particular, in instituting a radical reform programme to modernise our policing service with the aim of providing the people of Ireland with world-class policing.

"As Minister for Justice and Equality, I will continue to press ahead with that necessary reform programme, informed by the work of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and supported by the Policing Authority and the Garda Inspectorate. I have no doubt that the men and women of An Garda Siochana who serve Ireland in the front line of policing have the appetite to embrace and drive that change."
A Laois person awaiting treatment in the emergency department of the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise was told that private patients get priority over those without private health insurance, according to Laois TD Sean Fleming, who is calling on the Minister for Health to end this shocking and completely unacceptable practice.

The Laois Fianna Fail TD said that he is very disturbed at reports of patients in emergency departments in public hospitals being skipped over for admittance to that public hospital by patients with private health insurance, and has called on Minister for Health, Simon Harris to clarify the current policy.

In the last few days, a very upset family has been in touch with me to outline how a family member in an emergency department who was waiting for admission to a ward was told private patients get priority.

This is a shocking and completely unacceptable proposition. Admittance to hospital should be based on clinical and medical need and not on who can or cannot afford private health insurance, he said.

Deputy Fleming said he was well aware that public hospitals may have a financial incentive in admitting patients with private health insurance so that they can claim nearly 900 per night from their insurers.

However, this is the first time I have heard of patients with insurance being given priority in admission to public hospitals over patients without insurance.

This is not on, and simply not acceptable. Minister Harris must immediately outline his policy on this matter, and explain why he is allowing patients without insurance to be bypassed for admittance, concluded Deputy Fleming.
Plans are underway to build Athys new Primary Care Centre on the site of the former shirt factory on the Dublin Road in the town.

The news has been welcomed by local TD Martin Heydon. I am delighted, having assisted the HSE and KCC since the initial site at Shaws ran into difficulties that we can now confirm that the site of the former Shirt Factory is being progressed as the location for Athys new Primary Care Centre, he said.

The proposal to use the Shaws Department Store site was abandoned after a detailed review of the town centre proposal. Other sites were also considered, including the Dominican site, which, according to Deputy Heydon it was not possible to progress.

The shirt factory proposal is now being progressed with a planning application expected to be submitted before the end of the year, he said.

The new primary care centre will include a full range of services with provision for GP services, community nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech & language therapy, mental health, social inclusion and will also provide opportunities for community uses as part of the HSE Health & Wellbeing programme. The centre will be a focal point locally for the roll out of government policy in relation to chronic disease management and other clinical programmes as they come on stream and will be a boost to services for residents in the town.
Global war followed the descent into dictatorship in parts of Europe in the 1930s. The horrors of WW2, and the dark shadow of communism that fell over east and central Europe and USSR subsequently, led to the consolidation of liberal ideals in the freer world.

A reassertion of liberal and democratic ideals and the principle of human rights was expressed in the Oxford Manifesto in 1947 at Wadham College, Oxford and in the creation of Liberal International. It was the first modern declaration of liberal and democratic principles following the defeat of Nazism, principles which contrasted starkly with the totalitarian tenets of Soviet communism.

The successor of the Oxford Manifesto was the Universal Declaration of Human rights by the UN (UN UDoHR) in 1948; a beacon for democrats and liberals the world over, since. The Oxford Manifesto and the UN UdoHR provided a common reference point for political parties across the globe who bravely opposed dictatorship and corruption, enabling Liberal International to shed light on oppression and authoritarianism and support those parties.

There were high hopes after the fall of communism in 1989 and 1991, that essential principles of liberalism, democracy and human rights would take hold in much of the world. However, the rise of authoritarian populism a decade ago has threatened that progress.

Advocates of liberalism and democracy have fought back against this new wave of pro-dictatorship populism. In April 2017 Liberals from around the world came together on the same spot at Wadham College, University of Oxford, where Liberal International was established 70 years earlier. A new Oxford Manifesto was born, addressing this new wave of authoritarianism and reaffirming liberalism in this more modern context.

However, after the defeat of authoritarian populist parties in France, S Korea, Netherlands, Canada and elsewhere, the UK is going in the opposite direction. Who would have imagined even 5 years ago that the Oxford Manifesto would become a tool against dictatorship in the United Kingdom.

Proposals published by the UK government related to Brexit, copy and paste 40 years of applicable EU law into domestic law in the UK. At the same time the system of protecting the public from misapplication or oppressive use of these laws  EU human rights principles and the European Court of Justice  is being severed.

They provide that, in perpetuity, the government will be able to change these and all other related laws at will, without reference to parliament and without any protections for the public such as human rights principles or courts. This is not the path to dictatorship, it is actually dictatorship, at least for the vast body of law which used to be EU laws. Senior counsel in the UK, EU and elsewhere are aghast.

There will be a presentation of the 2017 Oxford Manifesto at Autumn Conference in Bournemouth, at the Highcliffe Marriot in the Bryanston Room at 8.15am Sat 16th Sept. There will be a discussion of how far the UK is moving away from those original post-war principles, reaffirmed in April 2017, and what international and domestic pressure can be brought to avert an alarming slide towards dictatorship in the UK. Deputy Leader Jo Swinson will be outlining discussing the Partys approach towards the international challenges now facing the UK. It will be an important and historic meeting.

* Paul Reynolds works with multilateral organisations as an independent adviser on international relations, economics, and senior governance. He is a member of the Lib Dem Federal International Relations Committee and an Executive member of Liberal International (British Group).
I am getting old. Like most old men I have a tendency to be grumpy and claim that things arent as good as they were in the old days. Please bear this in mind when you read this.

I was trained as a Commando officer so I dont know any other means of tackling a challenge than fix bayonets and charge. I dont really do subtlety. Please remember that, too when you read on.

I am an enthusiast, and have a tendency to paint in large shapes and bright colours. What follows is Gaugin, not Canaletto. Please make allowance.

When you read this please finally note that I have been a committed and passionate Liberal since a canvasser knocked on my door forty-five year ago and explained what we stood for. That day, I put on Liberalism like an old coat waiting for me in the cupboard and I have worn it ever since with pride  come what may.

In all those long years I have never glanced to right, left or centre for a better political home for my beliefs than our Party  and that remains the case still. So please understand, if the words which follow offend, they are written with love.

So, now you have been warned, here goes.

There are good things  really good things  to celebrate as we gear up for Bournemouth. We have a multi talented Leader who deserves our whole-hearted support. We have 12 MPs in place of 9 before the last election. We still retain thousands of new members and we are winning local Council by-elections at a good rate.

But  didnt you just know a but was coming?  nevertheless, the biggest danger for our Party at the seaside next week lies in glossing over the existential challenges which now face us. Unless we are prepared to be realistic about where we are, return to being radical about what we propose, recreate ourselves as an insurgent force and re-kindle our lost habit of intellectual ferment, things could get even worse for us.

Consider this. We are the Party who, more than any other, represents the progressive centre in our country (I prefer centre left, but I am not in the business of dividing here). That space has never been more empty, voiceless, vacant and uncontested than it was in the last election. And yet far from filling that gap and mobilising those in it, our vote went down to an even lower base. Not in my life time have their been conditions more favourable for a Lib Dem advance in a General Election. But we went backwards.

Now, with Labour and the Tories spinning way to the extremes, Britain is polarised as never before and the vast sea of people who share our beliefs, find themselves voiceless and silent.

Not all of them, sadly, are Liberal Democrats or want to be. Many belong to other Parties and many, many more do not belong to any party  or wish to, with party politics as they are.

Politics in Britain is unsustainable in its present state. The moderate, majority voice of our country, which usually determines elections, cannot be left so unrepresented. If we cannot, or will not be the gathering point for these, the new left out millions, then who will and what are we for?

Twice before in our recent history, others have moved onto our ground once with the SDP and once in the early days of New Labour. Both times we reached out to these new forces and prospered as result. These days we look hostile to this possibility. We will be at very grave danger indeed if this should happen again in the near future and we stand aloof.

Our reluctance on this front does not just threaten our future. It also contributes to the disfigurement of our national politics. If we are to fulfil our historic role at a moment when liberalism is more at threat than ever in my life, then we have to be less tribal, more inclusive and more willing to engage others than we have sometimes seemed in recent years.

What does this mean?

I do not oppose local electoral deals where they make sense. But I do not think they are the answer. These so-called progressive Alliances are almost always anti-Tory and always end up denying voter choice. Political partnerships work best when they are for something better, rather than against something worse.

Any attempt to create a new framework for our politics should begin with widening the space in which we can make common cause with people who share our values, rather than harping on about the things that separate us. We should not find it impossible to work with individuals in other parties and none (including, yes even Tories) who share some cardinal principles we jointly believe in  say, creating a green economy, tackling the gap between rich and poor, working to reform our political system, rejecting isolationism and sustaining a market system which serves the individual not the economically powerful.

If this strategy is to work for us, it must be confidently led from the top, not just mildly tolerated at the top.

Heres a proposition.

Why could Lib Dems not lead in launching a series of studies which brings in those of other Parties and none to make proposals on some of the big issues of our time, as Norman Lamb has done so brilliantly on Health. Issues such as creating a green but successful market based economy; sorting out the fabulous mess of our broken constitution; spreading wealth in the age of robotics and artificial intelligence; adopting a foreign and defence policy more appropriate to our fractured, unravelling world I am sure you can think of others. This worked well for us in the past; the Cook/Maclennan Commission paved the way to the great surge of devolution of the late 1990s; the Lib Dem sponsored Dahrendorf Commission on Wealth Creation and Social Cohesion in 1995 gave us great credibility and a host of new ideas.

The Chinese philosopher Sun Tze said Strategy without tactics is the longest way to victory. But tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. Winning by-elections and distributing Focuses are a tactic, not a strategy. Our strategy should be to do whatever we can, whenever we can and wherever we can to work with all those individuals in other parties and none, who share our values and want to join us on the great enterprise of re-shaping and renewing our broken politics.

Consider next, this.

When I joined our Party we had been, for the best part of a hundred years, a radical and insurgent party and remained so right up to the moment when being insurgent became popular  when we became the Government. Now people see us, not as a force for change but as a part of the establishment. Whether we could have been insurgents in Government is a question for history. The question for now is; there is a hunger for change out there, why dont we any longer look or sound like the people to bring it?

There may be many reasons for that. But the biggest one is that we are doing very little new thinking and producing very few new ideas.

The party I joined all those years ago our Party was a ferment of debate and new thinking  that was one of the reasons, inspired by Jo Grimond, that I joined. Some of our ideas were mad, others were silly and a few were mildly embarrassing. But many, many of the things we pioneered, like green politics (with the Greens), devolution, fair voting, internationalism, gender equality (with Labour), gay rights (without them), sensible drug laws (without me at the time, I am ashamed to say) are now common place and unquestioned in todays political life. So here is a question. Can you name one big, dangerous idea we Lib Dems have produced since 2015? Vinces speech of last week began the process of thinking big again. We should pick up his lead and start coming up with our own new, dangerous ideas  and debating them at Conference.

Tomorrow I will suggest four dangerous ideas for starters.

* Paddy Ashdown was the first Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988-1999. He is now a Liberal Democrat of the House of Lords
A MAN in his 20s has been remanded in custody for a further two weeks, in connection with an alleged break-in in which a student was allegedly taken to an ATM and forced to withdraw money.

Jason Power, aged 20, of Collins Avenue, was charged in connection with the alleged incident, which took place at a house in College Court, Castletroy, at around 1.40am on June 7.

Judge Marian OLeary refused bail at a Limerick District Court sitting on June 8, following the gardais opposition to bail. Mr Power was one of two men charged in connection with the alleged incident.

Last Tuesday, the court heard that a substantial file had been sent to Director of Public Prosecutions in the first week of August, and that directions are awaited.

At the June 8 sitting, Gda Cathal O'Sullivan said it is the States case that the culprits entered the bedroom of the student where they located his wallet which contained a bank card.

After being woken, the young man was instructed to get dressed and make his way to a nearby ATM.

Judge Marian O'Leary was told it will be further alleged a housemate of his was also woken by the culprits with one of them allegedly placing a hand over his throat. Cash and a HTC smartphone were taken from his bedroom.

Gda O'Sullivan said it will be alleged that, while on route to the ATM the man warned he would "regret it" if he alerted gardai.

His iPhone was taken from him along with 250 in cash which he withdrew from the ATM. The court was told the armed Regional Support Unit were alerted to the alleged incident.

Solicitor Sabina Hegerty told the court her client denies the allegations and that he is entitled to the presumption of innocence.

Judge OLeary remanded Mr Power until Tuesday next, September 19.
THE launch of a new World-class research centre at the University of Limerick is a game-changer for Irish manufacturing competitiveness according to its director.

The 47 million Confirm centre will be led by UL and Professor Conor McCarthy, with Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology, NUI Galway, Athlone Institute of Technology, Maynooth University and Limerick Institute of Technology as academic partner institutions.

The new centre will address ways to optimise production systems, adding intelligence and enhanced information technology.

Confirm will act as a beacon for international talent in the areas of advanced manufacturing from robotics to artificial intelligence, said Prof McCarthy following the launch.

The new centre, which is funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the industry, is one of four which was launched by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last week.

Investing in leading-edge scientific and technological research is good for our economy and helps us to discover new innovations which can improve our quality of life. Our SFI Research Centres represent a virtuous triangle between government, industry and higher education, and show just what can be achieved when there is a shared vision about reaching your ambitions.

Barry OSullivan, general Manager of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care which has operations in Plassey, has welcomed the launch of the new research centre at the University of Limerick.

Confirm will allow us to enable customer-driven customisation. So its not just about automation, its about tailoring more customer-focused solutions so that we can add more value and bring more business back into Ireland, he said.
COUNCILLOR Seighin O Ceallaigh has indicated he may quit being a Bank of Ireland customer after the lender axed the Irish option on its new cashpoints.

The City East councillor said not including Gaeilge on its new ATMs is a "regressive move, adding it sends out the wrong message on the importance of the language.

Cllr O Ceallaigh  fluent in Irish  said if another bank began to offer services 'as Gaeilge  he would switch to them.

I am a Bank of Ireland customer who always uses their ATM services as Gaeilge, and is one of the reasons why I use this bank  something I may have to reconsider now, he said.

As an Irish language speaker I find it almost impossible to use day to day services in my native language, apart from when I spend time in various Gaeltachtai around the west of the country. It's an attitude that is very much prevalent across most sectors, not just the banking sector, and service based companies should try their best to use the cupla focail in the workplace, Cllr O Ceallaigh said.

Cllr O Ceallaigh said his native tongue has suffered for many years, through the fact language legislation is not implemented, through famine, war.

Yet it still survives today, he said, It is most certainly not a dead language for my generation, and it is a language I have passed onto my children, so it won't be dead in their generation either. Bank of Ireland need to realise that our language is here to stay, and need to re-examine exactly what they are doing, and look at the bigger picture.

A spokesperson for the Bank of Ireland defended the decision to remove Irish from its new cash machines.

When we analyse our ATMs which provide an Irish option, we find that fewer than 1% of ATM transactions on those devices are completed in Irish. Given this continuing pattern of low and falling demand, since 2010 where ATMs are replaced with newer devices across the country it is not viable to continue to provide an Irish language option on the newer LATM machines.

It added it continues to provide Irish language on ATMs in shops and garages.
We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

WASHINGTON  It was supposed to be a moment of mutual aid in the face of natural disaster.

But Hurricane Harvey, the storm that flooded Houston and wreaked havoc along the Gulf Coast, also took a whack at Republican unity in Congress.

Even as the flood waters subsided in Texas, Republicans signing off on a $15.25 billion aid package Friday were forced to swallow a vote to increase the government's debt ceiling with no spending cuts in return.

In a vote that hardened divisions between GOP leaders and the party's hard right, 90 of them balked, including four from Texas: Rep. Joe Barton of Arlington, Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Dallas, Rep. Sam Johnson of Plano and Rep. Mac Thornberry of Clarendon.

All four had voted for a smaller, no-strings-attached emergency aid package earlier in the week. But the last vote was the most difficult.

"Rebuilding, as important as it is, should not go through an emergency funding process that exacerbates our dangerous and unstable national debt," Hensarling said, explaining his vote.

Even some of those who voted for the final storm aid griped about the deal, which had been cut two days before with President Donald Trump, pushing off until December difficult decisions about government funding and the debt limit.

U.S. Rep. Brian Babin of Woodville, who described his East Texas district as a "vast lake," voted for the hurricane relief  with reservations.

He termed himself "disappointed" the much-needed money was tied to a stop-gap government funding measure and a debt ceiling increase, which he and many other conservatives see as an opportunity to wrest meaningful fiscal reforms.

The 316-90 vote came after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney huddled with House Republicans behind closed doors to urge them to back the bill. By some accounts, they were not universally well-received.

The hard feelings can be expected to last as GOP leaders navigate toward yet another fiscal crisis at the end of the year  when Congress likely will have to consider the growing financial toll from Harvey and Hurricane Irma, which just strafed Florida over the weekend.

The no votes from Texas could foreshadow the growing strains as many Republicans struggle to retain their majorities' leverage in coming battles with Democrats over spending, a border wall and tax cuts.

Barton called the final storm relief package a missed opportunity.

"I am not against voting for relief programs to help hurricane victims," he said, "but I am against raising the public debt ceiling without a plan to reduce deficits in the short term, and eliminate them in the long term."

Hensarling, who chairs the House Financial Services Committee, said he also wanted to see reforms to the ailing National Flood Insurance Program. "The government should not be complicit in encouraging and subsidizing people to live in dangerous areas, and as people rebuild, we should be working toward mitigating the risks of living in flood prone areas," he said.

Thornberry, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, cited another objection to the emergency aid deal: By putting off decisions about 2018 spending levels for another three months, he argued that Congress was leaving the military in a lurch.

"I support providing immediate emergency assistance for those affected by recent natural disasters," he said in a statement. "But most concerning to me, and the reason I am voting against this bill, is that it forces our military to operate under a stopgap continuing resolution once again."

Johnson, who has announced he is not running for reelection in 2018, did not respond to requests for comment on the Harvey funding.

All four came under attack from the Texas Democratic Party, which put out a statement calling their no votes "shameful."

"Moving forward, we must continue to place partisan issues aside and work together," said U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat. "The victims of Hurricane Harvey are counting on us and we must not let them down."

Some Republican activists, however, were more upset by their party leadership's inability so far to repeal the Affordable Care Act, cut government spending or make significant progress on much else in the GOP agenda.

"The only hope Republicans have to enact their agenda items is to use the legislative leverage they have on budget reconciliation bills, the debt ceiling, continuing resolution and disaster relief bills," said Americans for Limited Government Vice President Robert Romano, writing in the conservative web site NetRightDaily.

Watching Trump make a deal with Democrats to extend the government's debt ceiling for three months has added to GOP frustrations  and divisions. Linking it to Harvey was a particularly bitter pill for some of the 21 Texas Republicans who supported it nonetheless.

"Opportunistic lawmakers, from both sides of the aisle, must check their self-serving agendas at the door, and place the well-being of Americans up front," said U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, of Austin. "Career politicians have once again misused their power in Washington, further threatening to bankrupt America, while failing to decrease the federal debt, and create a balanced budget."

Among Trump's conservative allies in Congress, at least two others from Texas who voted for the storm relief said there will be time enough to battle over debt and budgets.

"While I am not happy with the addition of the debt ceiling increase and continuing resolution language to the Harvey relief package, they are temporary, and this assistance matters more," said U.S. Rep. Randy Weber, whose district extends to storm-ravaged Galveston. "The memories of people's lives and their families last forever. That's what matters most. We will have time to address those other issues in December."

U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, an outspoken conservative from Tyler, also voted for the funding deal, breaking from others in the hard-right House Freedom Caucus.

"Maybe it's my worst vote of my time here," Gohmert said on Fox Business. "I'm supporting the President for 90 days," he added. "But, we have got to get things in place to get our spending under control."
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. Wednesday at the Richmond District Police Station community room, 461 Sixth Ave., San Francisco. Information: www.sftomorrow.org

Nuclear weapons: Brad Roberts, director of the Center for Global Security Research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, on the need for continuing and updating U.S. nuclear deterrence. The event, sponsored by the World Affairs Council, is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Lafayette Library, 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd. Admission is $15 for noncouncil members, free for students. Information: http://bit.ly/2gJvLzq

DACA rally: Pro-DACA demonstration from 4 to 6:30 p.m Wednesday at Ygnacio Valley Boulevard and Civic Drive in Walnut Creek, sponsored by United We Dream. Information: http://bit.ly/2weA6Nj.

Single-payer care: California Nurses Association hosts a town hall meeting in Santa Rosa on California legislation to create a single-payer health care system. Event is from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Steele Lane Community Center, 425 Steele Lane.

Town hall: Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, holds a town hall at 7 p.m. Friday at West Marin School Community Gym, 11550 Shoreline Highway, 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. Event runs from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday at 155 Grand Ave. in Oakland. Information: www.sunflower-alliance.org/the-cap-and-trade-scam-sept-17

Maxine Hong Kingston: The author in conversation with KPFA-FMs Kate Raphael on her career, immigration and activism. The free event is from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Ed Roberts Campus, 3075 Adeline St. in Berkeley. Information: http://wilpfeastbay.org/blog

Improving cities: Dan Doctoroff, former New York deputy mayor for economic development, discusses his Sidewalk Labs company and ways to improve urban life. The event, hosted by SPUR, is at 6 p.m. Monday at 654 Mission St. Admission is $10 for nonmembers. Information: http://bit.ly/2xROsoA

Iraq after Islamic State: Peter Bartu, expert on Middle East political transitions, discusses the future of post-Islamic State Iraq in a forum sponsored by the World Affairs Council. Event is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at 312 Sutter St., Suite 200 in San Francisco. $20 for nonmembers, $7 for students. Information: http://bit.ly/2vSZFYO

Peace in the Park: Peace in the Park features speakers, live music, poetry, visual artists, tai chi, hatha yoga and meditation experiences where individuals can explore a variety of ways to unplug, unwind, tune in and connect in peace. Free, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park. Information: https://peaceintheparksf.org.

No-hate march: No Hate in the Bay march, protesting fascists, the alt-right and all white supremacists. Sponsors include the National Lawyers Guild and the Anti Police Terror Project. March starts at noon Sept. 23 at 63rd and Adeline streets in Berkeley. Information: http://bit.ly/2ffI5E8

Indivisible Marin: Mill Valley Mayor and human rights attorney Jessica Jackson Sloan discusses criminal justice reform in California and nationally. Indivisible Marins meeting is from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin, 240 Channing Way in San Rafael. Information: http://bit.ly/2gZc9Ue.

Town hall: Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-San Ramon, holds a town hall meeting at the Orinda Library auditorium, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25.

Politics and media: Longtime San Francisco journalist Tim Redmond discusses media coverage and the Trump administration. Event begins at 2 p.m. Oct. 7 in the Richmond Meeting Room of the Sen. Milton Marks Branch Library, 351 Ninth Ave. in San Francisco. Information: http://bit.ly/2wJub72

Black Panther history: Joshua Bloom and Waldo E. Martin Jr., authors of Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party, discuss their book at the San Francisco Main Librarys Koret Auditorium at 1 p.m. Oct. 29. Information about this event and others noting the books selection in the One City One Book program: http://bit.ly/2eTr1mz.

To list an event, email Trapper Byrne at tbyrne@sfchronicle.com.
San Francisco activist, artist and DJ Anthony Torres, who was best known by his gender-nonconforming alter ego, Bubbles, was fatally shot early Saturday morning, according to his attorney and friends.

Torres, 44, was a fixture in the San Francisco club scene, regularly DJing house parties, marches and events. He was shot and killed Saturday at around 3 a.m. on the corner of Larkin and Myrtle streets in the Tenderloin, his attorney said.

The city loses a loving, special character, the type of person that makes San Francisco the great, unique place that it is, said Jim Reilly, 44, Torres attorney and friend.

The San Francisco medical examiner confirmed Sunday that Torres had died but could not provide details on the cause of death or location.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Mike Kepka/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Mike Kepka/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of 3





A preliminary report from San Francisco police said a 30-year-old female was shot around 2:50 a.m. near Larkin and Myrtle streets and pronounced dead at a hospital. A police spokesman could not confirm the identify of the victim or say why the age and sex did not fit with Torres, but said it was the citys only homicide over the weekend.

Torres came up with the idea for Bubbles more than two decades ago, not long after relocating to San Francisco from Phoenix. According to a Facebook post by one of Torres friends, Bubbles signature style included blond wigs, slinky dresses and oversize sunglasses.

In San Francisco you can get away with doing this. Its an escape from every mundane day, and San Francisco allows me to do that, Torres told The Chronicle in 2012, in a profile for The City Exposed feature. Bubbles is like a toy, in a way.

In the same interview, Torres described himself as a fairly quiet, reserved person and said Bubbles brought out the entertainer in him.

Longtime friend Traci Huston said Torres found his family in San Francisco but was planning a new chapter in life  possibly even a move out of the country.

He was a gay man who loved being the personality Bubbles, Huston said in an email. He started out looking for love, settled for fame.

No suspect information was available, and preliminary information did not indicate the homicide was a hate crime, police said. No further details about the shooting were immediately available Sunday.

Joaquin Palomino is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoaquinPalomino
A Disappearance in Damascus: Friendship and Survival in the Shadow of War

By Deborah Campbell

Picador. 352 pp. $27

---

On assignment for Harper's magazine in 2007, Deborah Campbell was looking for someone to assist her with research for an article about Iraqi refugees in Syria. What she needed was an insider, someone who could make "journalism possible where the outsider cannot go alone." This person, known as a fixer, would help set up interviews, interpret, and offer "context and background."

Campbell quickly settled on a woman named Ahlam. Not only did she speak English fluently and have a sterling reputation among the foreign journalists, nongovernmental organizations and U.N. bodies she had worked with in the past, but this mother of two was a refugee from Iraq and lived in a Damascus neighborhood teeming with other Iraqi refugees. Her knowledge of the subject was deep, and firsthand. Yet in Syria, a police state that demands docility on the part of its citizens and foreign residents, Ahlam's work as a fixer (illegal, owing to her status as a foreigner) made her a target. Given that Ahlam serves as the focus of a book titled "A Disappearance in Damascus: Friendship and Survival in the Shadow of War," the reader has more than an inkling of what will befall her.

Although occasionally marred by Campbell's awe-struck view of her biographical subject, "A Disappearance" relates an unsettling true story with journalistic adroitness and novelistic flair. And there is plenty to admire about Ahlam (intelligence, pluck, resilience, nonsectarian dedication to helping Iraqis). "Like army commanders, sea captains and wilderness explorers, Ahlam's stubborn fearlessness made those around her feel fearless too," Campbell writes. Because of Campbell's style of immersive journalism, the reader comes to know the author's fixer-turned-friend intimately.

Ahlam is frank about her predicament. "I've figured out I'm being watched here in Damascus," she tells Campbell early on. She wonders if this marks the return of her tormentors in Iraq, from which she fled after being kidnapped - and released - by al-Qaeda. (She had worked for the Americans, dispensing financial compensation to Iraqi families who had lost a member to the war.) But it turns out that Syrian intelligence is the culprit, in particular an agent who goes by the handle "Abu Yusuf."

Ahlam's role as a fixer and her efforts to aid Iraqi refugees have aroused suspicion; a regime inclined toward totalitarianism will try to control everything, even relations between individuals. At one point, Abu Yusuf demonstrates flexibility, granting Ahlam permission to operate an unofficial school for Iraqi refugee children out of her apartment, but he may soon want something in return. And then (in mid-2008) Ahlam is suddenly arrested and held incommunicado.

When, through her contacts, an increasingly distraught Campbell discovers the charges leveled against her friend, some are so outlandish that she does not know what to make of them. Is the regime so paranoid as to believe that, alongside working with foreign journalists, Ahlam is engaged in gunrunning and people-smuggling? Or does it want to obscure the real reason for her arrest? "Had she simply been accused of working for media, or being too bold in advocating for refugees," remarks a discerning Campbell, "it would look like political repression."

The author powerfully conveys Ahlam's plight behind bars, injecting stark brutality into a story hitherto characterized by uncertainty and angst, and ushering the reader into a terrifying hidden dimension: Abu Yusuf "walked over to the chair where the guards had set [Ahlam] down and began kicking her feet, hitting her arms. ... He slapped her so hard that she was knocked from her chair." Through such disturbing episodes, the book sheds light on Syria's ruling Baath regime, helmed by the dictator Bashar al-Assad.

The wretchedness and trauma of Iraqi refugees languishing in Syria enrobe "A Disappearance" with an aura of melancholy. Moreover, the knowledge that, because of a looming civil war, millions of Syrians are fated to suffer similar displacement and attendant misery will surely trigger dread on the part of an empathic reader.

Yet at least one very troubling aspect of this (still unfolding) saga might elude detection in "A Disappearance," as it comes twinned with a heartening development: About five months after her arrest, Ahlam regains her freedom. (This is how the author learns of, among other outrages, the aforementioned beatings her friend endured while incarcerated.) In the book's final chapters, Campbell details the circumstances of Ahlam's release from prison in late 2008, her immediate relocation with her children to Chicago (where her husband moves a couple of years later), and their starting anew. A happy ending, right?

Only in part. Not because Ahlam struggles to acclimate to life in the United States; that's something you'd expect, given the culture clash at play. The wormwood we must chew on is that, for Ahlam, it takes America to put the "happy" in happy ending, and that, for even the most imperiled Iraqis and Syrians, Uncle Sam does so only grudgingly - more so now, during President Trump's administration.

There are no happy endings in Syria and Iraq. Nor will there be any for some time. Meanwhile, chances that at-risk Syrian and Iraqi families will experience such a desperately sought denouement in the Statue of Liberty's once-capacious protective shadow, the way Ahlam's has, diminish by the day.

---

Al-Shawaf is a writer and book critic based in Beirut and Brummana, Lebanon.
Ghost of the Innocent Man: A True Story of Trial and Redemption

By Benjamin Rachlin

Little, Brown. 387 pp. $27

--

A Murder in Music City: Corruption, Scandal, and the Framing of an Innocent Man

By Michael Bishop

Prometheus. 330 pp. $18 paperback

---

Here in North Carolina, we're still shaking off the effects of the "bathroom bill." For the year or so in which that spiteful and ludicrous law was on the books, the state was - to quote Roy Cooper, who rode the backlash to victory in the 2016 gubernatorial race - a "national laughingstock." How bracing, then, to be reminded by Benjamin Rachlin in his first book, "Ghost of the Innocent Man," that when it comes to doing right by the wrongly convicted, North Carolina leads the way.

The innocent of Rachlin's title is Willie Grimes, from south-central North Carolina. One day in 1987, Grimes heard that the police were looking for him. With nothing on his conscience, he turned himself in. To his dismay, he faced two counts of first-degree rape. To his stupefaction, less than a year later he was convicted.

The evidence that swayed the jury was weak. The victim confidently based her identification on a facial mole but had not spotted the prominent scar on Grimes' collarbone. Nor, during two incidents of unwanted sex, had she noticed that he was missing two fingertips on his right hand. The only physical evidence linking Grimes to the crime - a hair found at the scene that allegedly matched one taken from him later - relied on science that has since been discredited. On top of that, he had a strong alibi, although the prosecuting attorney undermined it by pointing out that it came from friends and relatives, as though they weren't exactly the people Grimes - or, indeed, any of us - would be most likely to hang out with.

Grimes may not have been a plasterboard saint - he was once arrested for drunken driving - but those who knew him characterized him as a shy, gentle man who respected women. His conviction and imprisonment left him shattered. Rachlin vividly describes the anguish that would well up in Grimes again and again during his 24 years behind bars: "When he shuddered awake at two in the morning he was aglow, he was seething. His every filament vibrated hideously. Against the walls of his lungs roiled gales of pressure, as though his entire chest had been cauterized. He sensed he might be corroding internally, like a battery. He felt equally likely to explode."

Not the least of Grimes' frustrations was the prison system's policy of linking various privileges and even parole to an inmate's remorse - of which, being innocent, Grimes had none. He refused to make a false confession. Better to serve out his sentence, he decided, than to tell such a soul-searing lie, especially after his in-prison conversion to the Jehovah's Witness faith.

Rachlin alternates chapters on Grimes' plight with ones on outsiders' pursuit of a novel idea: There ought to be a way to reopen old cases and exonerate the wrongfully convicted. It's worth noting that some of the activists pressing this reform had been crime victims whose mistaken identifications sent innocent people to prison. (For a dramatic illustration of how this can happen, see Alfred Hitchcock's film "The Wrong Man.")

Crafting a solution was a drawn-out and vexing process. When a task force circulated a proposal reflecting years of hard work, one of its own members attacked the plan as likely to undermine public confidence in the criminal justice system. Eventually, however, even die-hards saw that nothing undermines public confidence like wrongful convictions, which also leave the real perpetrators free to commit more crimes.

The result was the creation of North Carolina's Innocence Inquiry Commission, which as of 2015 had helped exonerate nine wrongly convicted inmates. (The actual call is made by a panel of state court judges to which the commission submits an investigated case.) One of the nine was Grimes.

In Rachlin's skilled hands, Grimes' story triggers indignation but also confers solace, Grimes being one of the solacing features. He bears no grudges. In fact, he declined to sue the state for damages until a friend convinced him it was the best way to deter police and prosecutors from behaving so sloppily again. Grimes settled out of court for a bundle.

Meanwhile, according to Rachlin, since DNA became valid evidence in 1989, more than 1,700 people have been cleared of their convictions, "at least one in each state in the country." Only North Carolina, however, has formalized the process by entrusting it to a dedicated body. "There's a lot to be said for agencies like the NCIIC," the National Registry of Exonerations reported in 2015, "but there are no other agencies (BEGIN ITAL)like(END ITAL) the NCIIC in the United States."

The wrongful conviction exposed by Michael Bishop in "A Murder in Music City" grew out of events starting in February of 1964, when a promising college student named Paula Herring flew home to Nashville for the weekend. While baby-sitting her 6-year-old brother that Saturday night, she was shot to death. Based on evidence that was either circumstantial or shaky or both, the son of a local judge was convicted of her murder.

Bishop's interest was kindled in 1997, when a friend working on an ambitious scheme to catalog the past century of Nashville crime happened to mention the Herring murder over lunch. Among several odd aspects of the case, two would not let Bishop alone. First, Herring's mother had been the one to find her daughter's body, and a few years earlier the woman had discovered her husband dead in a hotel room, after an apparent suicide. ("I couldn't calculate the odds of such unfortunate luck," Bishop dryly notes.) Second, Herring's younger brother seemed to have slept through the noise of two gunshots inside what was not a large house. After 20 years of amateur investigating, Bishop, a salesman for a health education company, has shown pretty conclusively not only that the convicted man (now dead), was framed, but also by whom.

As we accompany the author on his long, obsessive search, the case expands to encompass alcoholism, prostitution, drug-pushing nurses, cops and prosecutors willing to commit fraud to get a conviction, and eventually the 1960s Nashville political establishment. The author spends little time examining his motives, but his achievement speaks for itself. Determined to right a wrong that everyone else had looked away from, Michael Bishop became a one-man innocence commission.
The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye: A Lisbeth Salander Novel

By David Lagercrantz

Knopf. 347 pp. $27.95

---

Sometimes, death isn't the end. Sometimes, after the heart of a great mystery writer stops beating, his or her characters raise a glass in tribute, and then continue on down those mean streets of their crime series.

Of course, that's just an illusion created by some talented pros standing in the shadows. For instance, the literary novelist John Banville (under the pen name Benjamin Black) has carried on the adventures of Philip Marlowe. Suspense queen Sophie Hannah has recharged those "little grey cells" of Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. And hard-boiled masters Ace Atkins and Reed Farrel Coleman, respectively, have rebooted Robert B. Parker's Spenser and Jesse Stone series.

When Stieg Larsson died in 2004 - before his three completed Lisbeth Salander novels were published and became international phenomena - it seemed as though the goth girl with the dragon tattoo was predestined to make a limited appearance in print. But the novels were too successful and Salander's fans were too fervent. So it was that Swedish journalist and author David Lagercrantz was chosen by Larsson's estate to extend the Millennium series with a fourth adventure, "The Girl in the Spider's Web." Though purists were skeptical, that novel received terrific reviews, many praising Lagercrantz for evoking Larsson's numbed noir atmosphere while eradicating the worst of his stylistic tics (among them: robotic dialogue and neurotic attention to his characters' coffee consumption.)

"The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye," Lagercrantz's latest Salander novel, is even bolder - if somewhat more fantastical. It takes Salander on an extended quest into her origins, with plotlines about religious fundamentalism and the long tentacles of the Russian mafia.

The story opens with a quintessential image of Salander: She's entering a small room and closing the door. Radically self-contained, Salander is never more herself than when she's alone, working on mathematical problems such as "loop quantum gravity theory." Yet over the course of the series, Salander's autonomy has been complicated by relationships with, among others, journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his sister, lawyer Annika Giannini, as well as by her one vulnerability: She cannot bear to see bullies torment their victims.

The room Salander is entering is, in fact, a prison cell. She's serving a two-month sentence for questionable actions she undertook (in the preceding novel) to safeguard a gifted autistic child who had witnessed a murder. On the way into her cell, Salander notes that a fellow inmate - a beautiful Bangladeshi woman named Faria - is being roughed up by the prison's resident sadist, a woman who's dubbed herself "Benito" (after Mussolini). Salander eventually intervenes - of course - and puts Benito temporarily out of business. At the same time, she grows more curious about the religiously sanctified abuse that drove gentle Faria over the edge and landed her in prison for murder.

As fans know, when Salander gets curious, nothing, not even prison bars, can keep her away from a laptop.

Meanwhile, on the outside, Holger Palmgren, Salander's elderly former guardian - one of the few people from her past who treated her with kindness - receives a surprise visit from a stranger who once was a secretary at the children's psychiatric clinic where Salander spent some of her grimmest years. The woman has read newspaper accounts of Salander's recent exploits and has decided to turn over some of the clinic's documents to Palmgren. In them, there's a reference to something known as "The Registry."

Salander, along with Palmgren and Blomkvist, becomes convinced that this "Registry" holds clues not only to her identity but to a larger crime perpetrated decades ago in Sweden against children of ethnic minorities. As usual, a little knowledge proves to be a dangerous thing, and this investigation concludes, not only with justice belatedly restored, but also with a funeral.

Larsson had grand ambitions for his Millennium series, projecting a total of 10 novels. In Lagercrantz's hands, the series is realizing grand ambitions of another sort. "The Girl Who Takes an Eye for An Eye" intensifies the mythic elements of Larsson's vision. All the talk of stolen babies and a "search for origins" in this novel - along with the malevolent influence of Salander's evil twin, Camilla - moves the series further into the realms of "Star Wars" and Harry Potter. A little of this legendary stuff goes a long way in Salander's hard world. As Blomkvist thinks to himself during a key point in his investigations: "The sensational always sticks in the mind and stands out at the expense of the ordinary, which - maybe precisely because it is so ordinary - tells us something more significant about the real world."

The enduring draw at the center of the Millennium series is that image of a strange and solitary young woman trying to even the score with all manner of bullies by dint of her brains and, when called for, some martial arts moves. A bit far-fetched, certainly, but it's rooted in the just barely possible. "The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye" is entertaining, but "the girl" at the center of this wild tale is beginning to look like somebody we readers only used to know.

---

Corrigan, who teaches literature at Georgetown University, is the book critic for the NPR program "Fresh Air."
Some of the country's most acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs are helping Houston by donating to a new Harvey relief platform created for hospitality professionals.

Hospitality for Houston is a new initiative created by La Table restaurant and Invest Hospitality, the New York investment firm that is managing the Galleria restaurant.

Already big hitters -- such as Joel Robuchon (who is reopening L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in New York), Daniel Boulud (whose Dinex Group includes the flagship Daniel restaurant in New York), Will Guidara and Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park, "Top Chef" host and restaurateur Tom Colicchio, Sean O'Toole of TORC in Napa, Calif., Carlos Suarez of the Casa Nela restaurant group in New York), Steve Hanson of Life Hotel in New York), Phil Suarez of ABC Kitchen in New York; and Jonathan Benno, the former Per Se chef soon to open Leonelli restaurant in the Evelyn Hotel in New York -- have contributed to the effort.

Hospitality for Houston, spearheaded by Invest founder Alex Gaudelet, is set to help local recovery efforts by raising monetary donations through its website; working with restaurants to coordinate special events, guest contributions and matching programs (La Table shareholders are prepared to donate $100,000 in matching funds); collect food supplies from the New York area and deliver to Houston; and produce and serve meals to local shelters and food banks.

"Because of our presence in Houston with La Table, many of our colleagues around the country asked how they could help support those impacted by Hurricane Harvey. We saw an opportunity to coordinate these incredible efforts under a common umbrella, pool our resources, and inspire others in the industry to join us," said Invest CEO Gaudelet. "Houston's recovery will be long and tedious, and our goal is to be able to help rebuild the community in the weeks, months, and years to come."

Proceeds will go to the Houston food bank, Kids' Meals, and Recipe for Success.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Pitcher Ryan Vogelsong, one on the most popular players to don the black and orange, is coming to the mound one final time.

The Giants announced Monday that Vogelsong will return to AT&T Park on Sunday so he can retire officially as a San Francisco Giant and formally end a major-league career that began with the club in 2000.

The Giants are still discussing whether they will repeat what they did with J.T. Snow in 2008, when they signed the first baseman to a one-day contract and placed him in the lineup so he could be in the boxscore for his final big-league game.

Snow took the mound, warmed up the infielders then walked off the field to one final ovation.

Vogelsong, who turned 40 in July, informally ended his career with the Pirates last year after five seasons in his return to the Giants after a long-ago trade to Pittsburgh and three years pitching in Japan.

He signed a minor-league deal in 2011, picking the Giants' offer over a similar one from the Dodgers saying he could never play for them, and became a major contributor to two World Series title runs. "Vogy" was known for his intensity and spirit as much for is work on the mound and willingness to shift between the rotation and bullpen.

He pitched three notable postseason games. The most significant was Game 3 of the 2012 Division Series at Cincinnati. The Giants were down two games to none and facing elimination at Great American Ballpark when Vogelsong allowed a first-inning run then held off the Reds through five. The Giants eventually won in 10.

He also pitched five shutout innings in Game 3 of the 2012 World Series in Detroit, which the Giants won the next night.

Return to this story later this afternoon for much more in the Giants ahead of their series opener against the Dodgers, who take a 10-game losing streak and 15-game pratfall into Monday night's game at AT&T Park.

Dodgers-Giants: I've never seen anything like the Dodgers' slide for a team that was going so well. Ten losses in a row, 14 of their past 15. What was a 21-game division lead on Aug. 25 is now nine, which is formidable with 17 to play, but not insurmountable.

On one hand, the pressure would seem to be on the Dodgers when they open a three-game series at AT&T Park on Monday night. On the other, the Giants do not want to be the team that gets the Dodgers healthy again.

The Dodgers were soaring so high so swiftly, at one point it seemed as though they could clinch the West on the Giants' home turf this week. It can't happen now.

The Dodgers will try to break their streak getting their first real look at Chris Stratton. They scored a run off him in extra innings 15 months ago, but the Giants came back to win and hand Stratton his first big-league victory.

When Stratton faced the Nationals and Diamondbacks for the first time as a starter this year, he struck out 10 in each game.

Kenta Maeda goes for the Dodgers. The Giants somehow have missed him the first 14 games of the rivalry this season. Last year the Giants faced the then-rookie twice with mixed results.

Cain returns: Pitcher Matt Cain rejoins the bullpen after a week off to tend to a personal matter. We are down to three weeks left in his Giants career, presumably. Manager Bruce Bochy has said he will get Cain one more start at home.

Who knows? Maybe Bochy can piggyback him with Vogelsong.

Odds and ends:

Bring an umbrella Monday night. There could be thunderstorms. It's hot. Actually, it's "earthquake weather" if you believe in that sort of thing.

Buster Posey has set Nov. 11 at San Francisco State as the time and place for his annual ball camp for kids. www.BusterPoseyCamp.com has details.

The Giants are still awaiting word from the Elias Sports Bureau, the final arbiter of scoring rulings, on Posey's steal of home/fielder's choice in Chicago on Friday night.

If you're still counting, the Giants need to win seven of their final 17 games to avoid 100 losses.

Siri autocorrects "Yasiel Puig" to "yes yelp week."

Return here later for lineups and more news.

Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: hschulman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hankschulman
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

The LISD Police Department will be sporting a new addition to their uniforms soon.

Body cameras will join the school officers on their daily shifts starting Sept. 18, and are anticipated to have a positive impact. The cameras, purchased through a grant from the Department of Justice, are slightly bigger than a pager and will be implemented at all campuses.

LISD is the only school district in the nation to qualify for the federal grant.

Training Coordinator Officer Erik Villarreal said about 36 officers will be equipped with body cameras. Each officer was given their camera along with an 18-page policy manual at an introductory course Friday. The purpose of the body cameras, Villarreal said, aims to establish positive community relations and improve transparency.

"Anytime that the officer is being called on and they're requesting for assistance, we automatically turn on the cameras for those situations," Villarreal said. "It doesn't matter if it's at an elementary all the way to high school or even certain offices  everything is going to be recorded with the officer because they're requesting a service call for a police officer.

READ MORE: Ex-United ISD band director stole over $100K worth of instruments, records say

"We're trying to build the transparency with law enforcement, with our police department and with the public."

LISD Police Chief Roberto Villarreal also noted that students are more likely to behave when they know they're being filmed. As far as concerns about students' privacy, Villarreal said he believes the public is more accustomed to the use of body cameras now.

"We're using our technology to the best benefit of everybody," he said.

More benefits from the usage of body cameras are found in its functions. During Friday's training session, officers learned to keep their cameras on a pre-event buffer mode. The ready-to-record function adds extra context and information to an incident by capturing the 30 seconds before an officer has initiated filming.

Another feature allows officers to play back videos in order to ensure accuracy of reports and interviews. All videos are stored on a server within the district and the activity of every video is tracked.

MORE FROM LMTonline: 33 bucket list items worth driving from Laredo to San Antonio for this fall

Officers only have access to footage recorded by their designated camera. However, they have the capability to share footage with another officer relevant to an incident. Videos are kept for a minimum of 90 days, but certain footage marked as evidence can be saved for longer. Depending on its classification, videos can be saved anywhere from six months to 10 years.

More training is in the future for officers to ensure proper use of the recording devices and that they are in accordance with policy.

"Any kind of time our officers are available to set up meetings we will be doing that. The reason for that is the more training we have, the more we don't have to worry that much with liabilities and legal issues because the officers are up to date dealing with legal statutes and liabilities," Villarreal said.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Terror struck America 16 years ago.

Assistant Laredo Police Chief Jesus R. Torres never forgets.

That day, an emergency communication center manager stormed into his office and told him to turn on the television. Torres, a then police lieutenant, said the manager told him something about a plane crashing into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in New York.

"It's like it just happened yesterday, we all witnessed the second plane crash ... Everybody was stunned. You could hear a pin drop in that room," Torres recalled.

He added, "The collapse of the towers is embedded in our minds forever."

Local, state and federal law enforcement gathered early Monday in a ceremony to honor the victims of Sept. 11, 2001.

READ MORE: Remembering the New York terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001

U.S. Customs and Border Protection halted vehicular traffic momentarily to allow authorities to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the terror attack.

"Today we came together to reflect on the lives that were lost Sept. 11. We came together with the different law enforcement agencies to pause and start off our day reflecting in the many lives that we lost and the personal sacrifices made by the different public safety entities in our nation," said Laredo Fire Chief Steve E. Landin.

Albert Flores, U.S. CBP deputy port director for the Laredo Port, echoes the sentiment.

"We certainly can't forget the lives that were lost in (Sept.) 11, 2001. The reason we do (the ceremony) is to honor the brave men and women, not only uniformed, but all innocent people who lost their lives in that day," Flores said.

Sept. 11, 2001, changed law enforcement.

"It was early in the morning when we got first word that there was an attack in New York," recalled Flores, a then U.S. customs inspector working at the World Trade Bridge. "We saw the actual attacks as they were going on. We did get to witness the second plane hit the second tower. From that day on, it has not been the same for us."

RELATED: Rarely seen 9/11 photos from Pentagon show aftermath of terrorist attack

Flores added, "The threat shifted from a narcotics-drive mission to a terroristic mission. Now, with the assistance of technology and additional manpower, we prioritize our mission to stop terrorists from coming into the country."

Municipal police departments also changed because they are more involved with national security, border security, cyberterrorism and international crime, Torres said.

"It's never been so important to exchange information, not only at the local level but at the regional level and with our international partners. The challenges are incredible now a days, but we have been able to continue having public safety," he said.

For Landin, authorities now need to be aware of their surroundings.

"There are a lot of individuals out there that their mission is to inflict harm ... We always have to be very vigilant of the things that are going on around us," he said.
Hurricane Irma slammed ashore at Key West, Florida, early Sunday with whirling winds and pounding rain and headed north along the state's populous western coast.

Irma, leaving behind a trail of destruction across fragile Caribbean islands, diminished slightly to a Category 3 storm, but the storm still packed sustained 195-km-an-hour winds with higher gusts, the National Hurricane Center said.

The vast storm could cause billions of dollars of damage and devastation to parts of the peninsula state that have not seen a major hurricane in a century. Hurricane force winds extended outward 130 kilometers from the eye of the storm and tropical storm gales up to 350 kilometers.

Forecasters are predicting dangerous storm surges of three and four meters along Florida's Gulf of Mexico shoreline as the storm reaches Naples and Fort Myers and heads north toward the major city of Tampa. More than one million homes and businesses have already been left without power.

"The people need to take this storm with great seriousness," Vice President Mike Pence said, assuring people in Irma's path that the national government is ready to help in the post-storm recovery and rebuilding.

The storm's track has shifted more to the west, now bringing the west coast city of St. Petersburg into its sights, despite earlier predictions that the state's second biggest city, popular tourist destination Miami, on Florida's east coast along the Atlantic Ocean, would bear the brunt of the storm.

Florida Governor Rick Scott said, "I am very concerned about the west coast. This storm surge is just deadly." Scott said that with the storm's unpredictability, people who did not evacuate need to continue to be cautious. "I want everybody to survive this storm," he said, "I want everybody to be safe. During the storm, as you know, we cant send out first responders to save you."

The hurricane center forecasters predicted, "The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline."

Scott asked President Donald Trump to declare the state a major disaster area, which would ease federal funding for recovery efforts once the storm passes. Scott also repeated his call for nurses and emergency workers to volunteer their help in the aftermath of the storm.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A man who allegedly attacked a husband and wife with a machete in 2015 after arriving at their home in an attempt to find their son was recently indicted in the 49th District Court, records state.

Jesus Rivera, 25, faces two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Both charges carry a term of up to 20 years in prison and a possible $10,000 fine.

Rivera's attorney, Jose L. Arce, could not immediately be reached for comment.

His case dates back to March 22, 2015, when Webb County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to the 200 block of Amanecer Road.

READ MORE: Ex-United ISD band director stole over $100K worth of instruments, records say

As authorities approached the residence, they came across a suspect matching the description of the person the complainants described.

Upon arrival, the couple told deputies that the suspect, identified as Rivera, had knocked on their door demanding to speak to their son.

When the mother told Rivera he was not home, the suspect allegedly became aggressive, using vulgar language and taking out a machete, which he then swung at her, the Sheriff's Office said.

MORE FROM LMTonline: Prominent local philanthropist, rancher Arturo N. Benavides Sr. dies at 79

The husband intervened and reported being struck with the machete on his left hand twice.

He also said Rivera stabbed him with the point of the machete on the left side of his stomach, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Rivera made an initial appearance Sept. 1 before 49th District Court Judge Jose A. Lopez, records state. His next court setting is scheduled for an evidence exchange Oct. 13.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A former middle school band director who allegedly stole over $100,000 worth of band instruments was recently indicted in the 49th District Court, records state.

A grand jury indicted Sergio Delfino Garcia on a second-degree felony charge of theft of property between $100,000 and $200,000.

Garcia's attorney, Armando X. Lopez, declined to comment on the case.

An investigation into the stolen instruments began in 2015, when UISD police were informed of missing band instruments at Salvador Garcia Middle School.

The day before, on Jan. 6, 2015, Garcia resigned as the school's band director.

UISD Police said they later discovered the instruments had been pawned.

READ MORE: Laredo-area schools with the most drug-related incidents, according to TEA records

The criminal complaint states the Texas Rangers, along with UISD police, obtained online pawn shop data queries, revealing Garcia had pawned band instruments.

According to the complaint, a combined 70 instruments were recovered from three local pawn shops.

The missing instruments had an estimated value of $117,250, according to the complaint.

According to a UISD official, five instruments could not be retrieved.

The managers at the pawn shops recognized Garcia and stated he was a "good customer and would always pawn band instruments," the complaint states.

Garcia was first employed at UISD as an assistant band director at United South High School in July 2007.

RELATED: LISD teacher arrested in Austin for allegedly having 66 pounds of cocaine in truck

In 2008-2009, he was transferred to Salvador Garcia Middle as an assistant band director. Garcia was promoted in 2012 to head band director.

The complaint states that Garcia instructed assistant band director Christopher Moore that he would be taking care of the band instrument inventory and for Moore not to worry about the inventory.

According to the complaint, Texas Rangers interviewed Salvador Garcia Middle Principal Clotilde Gamez regarding Garcia.

Gamez told Rangers that Garcia had full access to the school and band hall 24 hours a day.

He was also the only individual who would perform the band instrument inventory at least once a year, the complaint states.

The complaint adds that Garcia had financial problems due in part to his children's school tuition.

Garcia made an initial appearance Sept. 1 before 49th District Court Judge Jose A. Lopez, according to court records.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Political rallies in Portland, Oregon, and a neighboring town gave way to violence Sunday afternoon when black-clad antifa activists attacked police officers and far-right demonstrators, while other protesters from rival groups scuffled in the streets.

Two officers were treated for minor injuries after protesters fired slingshots and threw rocks, bottles and other projectiles at them, according to the Portland Police Bureau. At least nine people were arrested throughout the day on charges that included interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct.

An especially alarming moment came toward the end of the day when a man driving a black Chevrolet truck adorned with American flags and a Confederate flag decal accelerated at a group of protesters, causing people to scream and jump out of the way. No one was hurt, and the driver, who was not identified, was detained and released without charges shortly after, Willamette Week reported.

RELATED VIDEO: Alt-Right Demonstrators Rally In Portland

More for you The troubling rise of 'antifa'

The incident drew comparisons to last month's deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virgiinia, where a car plowed into a group of counterprotesters, killing one woman. James Alex Fields Jr., a Nazi sympathizer, was charged with second-degree murder, hit and run, and three counts of malicious wounding.

The conservative group Patriot Prayer had scheduled a "Peaceful Portland Freedom March" in downtown Portland starting Sunday afternoon, but at the last minute moved the demonstration to Vancouver, Washington, over concerns about a large counterprotest.

Hundreds of counterprotesters still showed up around 1 p.m. in Portland's plaza and waterfront park, carrying signs that read "fascists not welcome" and "fight the right." The Oregonian reported that they were mostly from Portland Stands United Against Hate, a coalition of some 80 activist groups, and Rose City Antifa, a local anti-fascist organization. They were met by a handful of Patriot Prayer supporters, according to local media.

"Fascists, far right racists and bigots are organizing across this country," organizer Wael Elasaday told KATU. "We knew that we needed to come together and stand up against that racism and against fascists."

Most people were protesting peacefully, but within minutes some antifa activists began lighting smoke bombs and hurling objects at police. One counterprotester sprayed officers with a fire extinguisher, according to Willamette Week, while others fought with some of the Patriot Prayer supporters who turned out.

By 1:30 p.m., officers in riot gear were firing pepper spray at demonstrators, making arrests and telling the crowd to clear the area. "Due to violence, peaceful protesters, including PSUAH marchers, should disperse immediately for their own safety," the department tweeted. Officers arrested at least seven people and confiscated sticks, batons and other weapons. They later allowed peaceful demonstrators to reconvene.

In Vancouver, Patriot Prayer supporters gathered in a public amphitheater to listen to speakers. The Oregon-based group has organized several provocative rallies this year, including a "Trump Free Speech Rally" held in Portland in June shortly after a man shouting anti-Muslim slurs fatally stabbed two men on a city commuter train.

Patriot Prayer's critics call it a hate group that courts white supremacists. Counterprotesters have showed up in droves to oppose the group at previous rallies, some of which have turned violent. The group's founder, conservative activist Joey Gibson, has repeatedly disavowed racism and violence, saying his focus is on protecting free speech.

As counterprotesters arrived in Vancouver Sunday afternoon, Gibson told his followers not to be afraid, according to the Oregonian.

"That's what antifa wants," he said. "That's what the elites want."

The rally drew members of the anti-gay Hell Shaking Street Preachers and the Proud Boys, an overtly racist right-wing group that has sparred with left-wing activists in the street, according to local media. Gibson and other speakers condemned white supremacy and called for expanded free speech and protection from violence.

Police formed a barrier between counterprotesters and Patriot Prayer supporters to maintain order. As the demonstration started to wind down late in the afternoon, officers were letting people out of the area eight at a time to avoid confrontations between the groups, according to KGW.

There were several scuffles in the area, local media reported, and some Patriot Prayer supporters and at least one photographer were sprayed with silly string. A car full of Proud Boys was stopped by police for firing pepper spray at counterprotesters but released, according to Willamette Week. Two people were arrested for reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct.

Around 4 p.m., a group of several dozen counterprotesters were marching down the street when a black Chevrolet pickup truck rolled toward them, its horn blaring.

Video captured by multiple observers showed counterprotesters shouting at the driver, who abruptly put the vehicle in reverse and sped backward. "Get out of the road," a woman could be heard shouting. The driver then rounded the block and sped toward counterprotesters again. In the video, someone could be seen diving out of the way as the truck races through an intersection.

Police stopped the driver moments later and handcuffed him. They told KGW he was later released without charges.

In the days leading up to the rallies, police were preparing for violence among the demonstrators. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler vowed to take a zero-tolerance approach after street fights during previous demonstrations left people injured and property destroyed.

"We will not tolerate acts of violence," he said Friday. "We will not tolerate vandalism. We will not tolerate criminal behavior."

The rallies came just two weeks after antifa activists attacked peaceful far-right protesters during protests in Berkeley, California.
President Trumps decision to rescind protections shielding hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation betrayed their trust in the governments assurances that their private information would not be used against them, Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Monday in a lawsuit filed by California and three other states.

Now, that information  which includes home addresses, photos, fingerprints and any criminal records  will be available to help immigration officers track down and remove hard-working, productive members of society, Becerra said.

We will not permit Donald Trump to destroy the lives of young immigrants who make California and our country stronger, Becerra said in a statement after filing the suit in federal court in San Francisco.

Gov. Jerry Brown, who has signed legislation making participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program eligible for drivers licenses and scholarships, said in a supporting statement that California stands with the millions of immigrants who make this state a vibrant and prosperous place.

Justice Department spokesman Devin OMalley said it was the Obama administrations circumvention of Congress that got us to this point.

The suit is the third in the past week to challenge Trumps plan to end the DACA program unless Congress enacts it by law in six months. An additional 15 states and the District of Columbia filed the first suit in New York federal court, followed by a suit from the University of California, whose president, Janet Napolitano, drafted the DACA rules in President Barack Obamas administration in 2012.

DACA provides renewable two-year reprieves from deportation to those who entered the U.S. without authorization before age 16, have attended school and have no serious criminal records. About one-fourth of the nearly 700,000 participants are in California, and many were brought by their parents to the U.S. as children.

Mondays lawsuit, joined by Democratic attorneys general from Maine, Maryland and Minnesota, argued that ending the program discriminates against its participants, and violates fundamental conceptions of justice, by depriving them of a right to work legally and further their education.

The Trump administration, the suit said, is also acting illegally by breaking the governments promise under Obama to keep DACA applicants personal information confidential. While the administration has said it will not single out participants in the program for deportation, the states lawyers noted that Trump signed an executive order in January removing privacy protections from noncitizens, and has taken other steps to make DACA recipients sensitive information available to immigration agents.

These individuals are now in danger of being placed in removal proceedings based on information they provided in reliance on (the governments) promises, the suit said.

Like the two previous suits, Mondays filing also contends that repealing DACA is a substantive step that requires the government to state legal reasons for its decision and solicit comments from the public before taking final action.

The only explanation the Trump administration has offered, the states said, was Attorney General Jeff Sessions much-disputed, legally untested assertion that Obama acted unconstitutionally in establishing the program by executive order.

The suit did not mention the fact that Napolitano, as Obamas secretary of Homeland Security, did not solicit public comments before implementing the rules for DACA.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - The storm-stricken Caribbean took on the feel of a sprawling disaster zone Sunday, with Cuban first responders using inflatable rafts to navigate flooded streets as panicked families sent up social-media pleas in search of loved ones on hard-hit islands farther east.

On St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, "people there are roaming like zombies," said Stacey Alvarado, a bar owner who managed to leave for the mainland. Her husband, who is still there, told her Sunday that residents and tourists are in shock. "They don't know what to do. The island was wiped out. It's like the walking dead down there." Other islanders sent social media messages pleading for help, decrying looting and a series of armed burglaries.

"We need help," wrote St. John blogger Jenn Manes. "We need the United States government to step up. We need military. We need security."

In Cuba, where the government said it had evacuated 1 million residents, Hurricane Irma's driving winds and pelting rains sent roofs flying, knocked over trees, wrecked building and caused large-scale flooding along the northern coast. Officials in Havana warned of flooding that would last through Monday. In the city of Santa Clara, the Associated Press reported that 39 buildings had collapsed.

As streets turned into rivers, authorities took to inflatable rafts to access coastal neighborhoods. Some Cubans had even sought shelter in caves. The brutal storm struck Cuba along a coast studded with resorts that are among the pillars of the island's economy. Authorities warned of heavy damage from the storm, which has killed at least 25 people across the Caribbean.

"The hardest-hit provinces are Camaguey, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus and to some extent Matanzas, the resort area of Varadero, which was directly in the path of the hurricane and where all the tourists were evacuated," Richard Paterson, the CARE organization's representative in Cuba, said by phone from Havana.

"Power has been turned off throughout the city, in fact, throughout the country," he said. "The electricity infrastructure received extensive serious damage."

European governments came under fire as critics accused them of being slow to respond to crises in their Caribbean territories, where massive damage left thousands homeless as looting broke out in the streets.

On Sunday, the French government announced that President Emmanuel Macron would travel to St. Martin, an island split between France and the Netherlands, on Tuesday. The French have already deployed more than 1,000 personnel to the Caribbean region in an aid-and-relief effort.

The evacuation of U.S. citizens from the Dutch side resumed Sunday, according to State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, after being suspended in anticipation of Hurricane Jose, which later veered off to the north. Priority is being given to those needing urgent medical care, she said.

Residents in the devastated British Virgin Islands used Facebook in frantic calls for help.

One user, Lanein Blanchette, echoed many others still looking for word from relatives and friends whom they had not heard from since Irma began belting the region last week.

"There is absolutely no news about East End on any of these pages," she wrote. "I've posted over ten times asking for assistance as to whether anyone has seen my uncle Kingston 'Iman' Eddy and not one person has replied. I am lost for words at this point. I honestly don't know what else to do."

At the same time, dramatic tales of escape began to emerge.

Lauren Boquette, a 48-year-old restaurant manager on St. John, said his family had barricaded themselves in the bathroom of their home. When they emerged, he said, they saw a scene of total destruction.

"It was beyond rough times, it was end-of-the-world times. Everything normal to us has been destroyed," he said.

Authorities in the devastated island nation of Antigua and Barbuda faced a historic effort ahead to rebuild. The island of Barbuda suffered damage to almost 100 percent of its structures.

"In Barbuda, where they evacuated everybody, now they have to figure out where to start, how to construct basic need services, how to figure out what to do with families that lost their homes," said Jan Gelfland of the International Federation of the Red Cross.

---

Rachelle Krygier in Caracas contributed to this report.
Flight cancellations are now in the thousands following Irma's destructive path over the weekend, and more air traffic disruptions await as now tropical storm Irma treks toward Atlanta, home of the world's busiest airport.

Delta Air Lines said Monday that it has canceled about 900 flights, more than a third from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International. The airline, which has a major hub at Hartsfield-Jackson and operates about 80 percent of the flights in Atlanta, said the extremely windy conditions expected to be unleashed by Irma exceed operating limits on some aircraft.

Irma's impact in Atlanta could disrupt the travel of thousands who pass through Hartsfield-Jackson. The airport has as many as 2,800 daily departures, and roughly 275,000 passengers each day. The airport also is a major transfer point for travel throughout the southeastern region of the United States, an area already reeling from the impact of travel disrupted by Irma's impact.

Delta said wind shear, lightning and other weather conditions could lead to additional flight cancellations.

"As is the case at all airports, Atlanta's five runways are aligned with the prevailing wind, which generally blows from the east or west. Aircraft are best suited to take off and land into the wind for better performance. When the wind direction is perpendicular to the runway, it's called a crosswind and can make landing challenging and potentially unsafe," Delta said in a morning advisory. "A slight crosswind is allowable and can be safely managed, but a 40 mph or greater crosswind, as the storm is expected to bring in Atlanta, may exceed allowable limits."

Air traffic remains halted at airports across Florida as crews begin to assess the damage Irma left behind over the weekend. As of Monday morning, however, airports that sustained winds of up to 100 miles per hour had not reported major destruction, and some were expected to resume flights Tuesday. The two largest airports in South Florida - Miami International and Fort Lauderdale International - said no passenger flights will arrive or depart Monday.

Both airports reported hundreds of cancellations over the weekend as Irma began its approach. In Central Florida, no passenger flights were planned at Orlando International, with more than 300 flights canceled. Along Florida's Gulf Coast, neither Tampa International nor Southwest Florida International were expected to resume service.

Nearly 700 flights were canceled Monday at Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Miami International officials said that the airport would remain closed Monday, but was likely to resume operations Tuesday. Some airlines will fly crews in Monday to prepare to resume operations the next day, officials said. But, they said, the airport will determine when to begin flights after assessing the damage.

According to a tweet by Emilio Gonzalez, Miami International's chief executive, there were wind gusts of at least 100 miles per hour at the airport. He said there was significant water damage throughout its facilities.

Fort Lauderdale said Monday afternoon that operations will resume at 4 a.m. Tuesday. Travelers are urged to check with their airline for the latest flight information, airport officials say.

Palm Beach International reopened its terminal at noon Monday and announced that Delta would resume limited service. Other airlines are likely to restart service Tuesday. Officials there expected one in-bound Delta flight.

Key West International, which was among the first to shut down, remained closed Monday.

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware.com, there are more than 4,100 flight cancellations within, to and from the United States on Monday. Southwest was the hardest hit with 745 cancellations, followed by American with 713.

Both American and Southwest airlines have a significant presence in Florida and the Caribbean. American has a hub at Miami International, and Southwest has a large operation at Fort Lauderdale. American said Sunday night that it would not resume flights at most Florida airports until at least Tuesday.

At the airport near Fort Myers, officials said the storm did not damage the runways or terminal, and roadways to Southwest International Airport are clear of debris. Spokeswoman Victoria Moreland said the airport is ready to take any flights for the recovery effort Monday, but commercial operations remain halted until power is restored to the facility.

"Until we get commercial power we can't operate," she said. All scheduled flights for Monday are canceled and some Tuesday flights are also canceled, she said. The day will give the airport time to get personnel as many of the facility's 4,000 workers were affected by the storm.

"The minute we get power back we are ready to deploy," Moreland said. "Hopefully tomorrow, tomorrow afternoon."

Further north, at Tampa International officials said early inspections showed minimal damage after the airport sustained winds of up to 52 miles per hour and gusts of 66 miles per hour. No flights were scheduled to depart or arrive Monday.

- - -

The Washington Post's Lori Aratani contributed to this report.
Extremely dangerous Hurricane Irma first crashed into the Florida Keys on Sunday morning and then made a second landfall on Marco Island on Florida's west coast Sunday afternoon, unleashing violent wind gusts up to 142 mph and storm-surge flooding. The storm was plowing up Florida's west coast Sunday night and, once it's over, forecasters feared that this storm will go down as one of the worst in the state's history.

At 11 p.m., the storm was centered 50 miles southeast of Tampa. Its eyewall - containing the storm's most violent winds - had passed northeast of Sarasota. The storm center was plowing north at 14 mph into the area between Tampa and Orlando. Through around 2 a.m. Monday, wind gusts of 75 to 100 mph were possible in both cities, where winds had already gusted that high.

Hurricane-force wind gusts were also quite possible on the east coast of central Florida into early Monday, the Hurricane Center said, thanks to Irma's large wind field.

Around Tampa, once the storm center passes early Monday morning, a storm surge is possible of several feet above normally dry land, potentially inundating low-lying coastal areas.

Irma's peak winds of 100 mph, with higher gusts, had dropped 30 mph from the morning, making it a Category 2 hurricane (down from a Category 4). Even with slow weakening likely to continue as the storm passes over land, Irma remains very serious and life-threatening. The National Hurricane Center said it is expected to remain a hurricane through Monday morning.

Coastal waters could rise well above normally dry land along Florida's central Gulf Coast, inundating homes, businesses and roads.

Because of the storm's magnitude, the entire state of Florida is being severely affected by damaging winds, torrential rains and, in many areas, the risk of tornadoes. Tropical storm and hurricane conditions were also predicted to spread into the Florida Panhandle, eastern Alabama, much of Georgia and southern South Carolina by Monday.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Paul Chiasson/AP Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Bob Self/AP Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Central Florida

Irma's eyewall passed on the east side of Sarasota around 10 p.m. and should pass between Tampa and Orlando through around 1 or 2 a.m., from south to north, producing wind gusts between 75 and 100 mph throughout the region. Both cities had already clocked gusts to near 80 mph.

Once Irma's center passes north of Tampa early Monday morning, the seas will rise likely resulting in areas of coastal inundation.

Even on Central Florida's east coast, tropical-storm force winds and hurricane-force gusts were fairly widespread Sunday evening. At St. Lucie, a gust reached 99 mph and Cape Canaveral gusted to 79 mph.

---

Southwest Florida

The worst winds had passed this region just prior to 9:30 p.m. but gusty showers continued on the storm's backside.

Irma's eyewall passed through Fort Myers and Cape Coral just before 7 p.m., producing wind gusts of 88 and 101 mph and then passed on the west side of Port Charlotte between 8 and 9 p.m.

As the eyewall moved over Naples late Sunday afternoon, it reported sustained winds of 93 mph and a gust to 142 mph - the strongest recorded from this storm in the U.S.

Josh Morgerman, a hurricane chaser positioned in Naples, described the scene: "Went thru violent, destructive winds. Screaming, whiteout, wreckage blowing by in fog." Then the calm eye moved overhead.

Before the arrival of the storm center, water was actually retreating from Naples to Tampa due to offshore winds from the east pulling the sea back. But forecasters warned residents that shortly after the storm's center passed to the north and winds blew back onshore, waters would rush back in rapidly causing severe inundation.

In Naples, as of 7 p.m., water levels were about four feet above normally dry land but the level was starting to stabilize around 8 p.m. Amazingly, it set its second lowest water level and highest water level all in the course of 8 hours.

In Ft. Myers, waters levels were rising through 10 p.m., but not as dramatically as they had in Naples.

---

Southeast Florida

In Southeast Florida, spiral bands continued to unleash tropical-storm-force winds. Even into the evening, winds were gusting up to 60 to 75 mph around Miami and West Palm Beach (7 p.m. gust of 75 mph), but they weren't as strong as earlier.

In the afternoon, sustained winds in Miami and Fort Lauderdale reached 50-60 mph through the early afternoon, gusting as high as 80 to 100 mph. Miami International Airport clocked a gust to 94 mph and an isolated gust hit 100 mph at the University of Miami.

Also during the afternoon the seas had risen several feet above normally dry land. Social media photos and videos showed water pouring through Miami's streets, in between high-rises, amid sideways sheets of rains.

Late Sunday afternoon, waters were finally starting to slowly recede around Miami.

---

The Keys

While the core of the storm and worst winds passed the Keys early Sunday morning, the Weather Service warned storm surge flooding was ongoing as winds on the storm's backside shoved water over the islands. Gusts still reached 50 to 60 mph as of 7:45 p.m.

Early Sunday afternoon, the maximum surge at Cudjoe Key was estimated at 10 feet.

---

Statewide

About 3 million customers were without power.

Particularly in South and Central Florida, torrential rain was falling, with widespread totals of 6 to 10 inches and pockets up to 10 to 14 inches. Numerous flash flood warnings had been issued.

As the storm's spiral bands walloped Central and Northern Florida, the potential for tornadoes arose in the swirling air, and the Weather Service issued watches and scores of warnings.

Storm warnings in effect and predicted surge height and winds

Hurricane warnings cover all of Florida except the western Panhandle, where a tropical storm warning was in effect.

A storm-surge warning was also issued for much of the Florida Peninsula (except for a small section from North Miami Beach to Jupiter Inlet), and even extended up the Georgia coast into southern South Carolina. The Hurricane Center said that this would bring the risk of "dangerous" and "life-threatening" inundation.

Because of the shift in the most likely storm track to the west, Miami and Southeast Florida were most likely to miss the storm's intensely destructive core, known as the eyewall, where winds are strongest. Even so, because of Irma's enormous size, the entire Florida Peninsula and even the Panhandle were likely to witness damaging winds. The National Hurricane Center warned that the storm would bring "life-threatening wind impacts to much of the state."

---

Conditions will continue to deteriorate Sunday night over Florida in the central and north part of the state as Irma chugs up the coast. Conditions will slowly improve to the south.

Through around very early Monday morning, the corridor between Tampa and Orlando would face the storm's brunt.

Here's a guide to what is most likely and where . . .

--Key West/Key Largo

Time frame for worst conditions: Through Sunday afternoon.

Hazard threats: Wind, storm surge and rain.

Wind gusts of up to 50 to 70 mph should continue into the evening.

A catastrophic storm surge of 5 to 10 feet or more is expected to inundate much of the island chain. Heavy rain will add to the water issues, as anywhere from 5 to 10 inches of additional rain will fall before the worst of the storm is over. Unfortunately, the damage potential on the Keys could be landscape-altering after taking a direct hit from this storm.

--Miami/Fort Lauderdale/West Palm Beach

Time frame for worst conditions: Through Sunday night.

Hazard threats: Strong winds, tornadoes, heavy rain.

Sustained winds of 45 to 70 mph with gusts of 80-plus mph will last well into Sunday evening.

Swirling winds at all levels of the atmosphere have also increased the chances of tornadoes developing at any point on Sunday, especially in locations right along the water. Rainfall totals of four to eight inches or more are expected on Sunday alone, which may exacerbate localized flooding. With Irma's last-minute track shift to the west, the storm surge won't be as big of a concern here as it is elsewhere, with a two- to four-foot surge expected along much of Florida's east coast.

--Naples/Fort Myers/Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg

Time frame for worst conditions: Through Monday morning.

Hazard threats: Storm surge and wind.

Irma's ultimate destination will be along the west coast of Florida. This means the conditions will deteriorate rapidly from Naples to Tampa Bay throughout Sunday afternoon. However, Irma's path will take it parallel to the west coast of Florida, keeping the entire region engulfed in the dangerous northeast quadrant of the storm, where winds are strongest. Sustained hurricane force winds and gusts over 100 mph should arrive in Naples Sunday afternoon and up to 75-100 mph in St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay between 10 p.m. and midnight or so.

The most dangerous hazard for this region will be the extreme storm surge. Nowhere in the entire state will the storm-surge levels be higher than along the gulf-facing coast, with storm surge totals of eight to 12 feet and locally up to 15 feet forecast. Any coastal city from Tampa Bay south to Naples is at risk, with historic flooding (the likes of which haven't been seen in this area since Hurricane Donna in 1960) threatening thousands of people and structures.

--Orlando/Central Florida

Time frame for worst conditions: Sunday night through Monday morning.

Hazard threats: Wind, rain, and tornadoes.

Inland areas won't escape the effects of Irma. The storm is extremely large in size, with tropical-storm-force winds extending outward over 200 miles from the center. The wind speeds in central Florida and the Orlando area will start to pick up by late Sunday afternoon, with sustained winds of 40 to 60 mph and gusts of 70-plus mph lasting from late Sunday night through Monday morning.

Heavy rain will also cause problems, with a general six to 12-plus inches of rain expected by the time the storm is over. The threat of tornadoes will increase by Sunday night, as well, as the storm's center tracks north along the west coast of Florida.

--Jacksonville/Daytona Beach

Time frame for worst conditions: Sunday evening through Monday afternoon.

Hazard threats: Rain, tornadoes, wind.

The northeast portion of Florida will be spared the worst of Irma but won't escape unscathed. Sustained tropical-force winds of 40 to 55 mph will overspread the area from Daytona Beach to Jacksonville by Sunday evening, with the worst winds (gusts up to 70 mph) occurring overnight. Heavy rain will be a story line here as six to 10-plus inches of rain is expected to fall in a relatively short period.

As with other parts of the state, the tornado threat will peak overnight on Sunday as Irma's storm center tracks northward.

Storm-surge values will be elevated (two to four feet) but should result in only minor to moderate coastal flooding.

---

Potential effects on Georgia and the southeastern United States

--Georgia/Atlanta/South Carolina

Time frame for worst conditions: Monday morning through Tuesday morning.

Hazard threats: Wind, rain and, at the coast, storm surge

Hurricane warnings extend well into Georgia, covering over half of the state. Parts of southern South Carolina also are under a hurricane warning, with Irma poised to maintain its hurricane-force strength for several hours after landfall.

Sustained tropical force winds of 25 to 45 mph will spread over Georgia from south to north starting late Sunday night. The strongest sustained winds (40 to 50 mph) with gusts of 60-plus mph will move in on early Monday morning, lasting through Monday evening. This includes Atlanta, which is under a tropical-storm warning, where sustained winds of 25 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph will occur from about 10 p.m. Sunday night to about 5 p.m. Monday afternoon. This could lead to downed trees and outages.

Heavy rain is also expected, with storm totals of six to 10 inches forecast, the bulk of which should fall Monday.

Storm surge along the Georgia/South Carolina coast will be a hazard, as well, with the Hurricane Center predicting a surge of four to six feet. Of particular concern is the duration of the storm surge. Persistent onshore winds will extend the surge component here, with elevated water levels potentially lasting up to 36 hours.

---

Irma's path so far

At 3:35 p.m. Sunday, Irma had made its second U.S. landfall of the day over Marco Island, where a wind gust of 130 mph was reported.

Earlier, the storm officially made its initial U.S. landfall at Cudjoe Key at 9:10 a.m. as a Category 4 hurricane. Winds over the Keys raged, gusting to at least 94 mph in Key West (before the wind instrument failed) and up to 120 mph in Big Pine Key. Witness video showed the rising storm surge flooding Key West streets.

Before its encounter with the Keys, Irma made landfall on the north coast of Cuba as a Category 5 hurricane just after 9 p.m. Friday, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph. It became that country's first Category 5 hurricane since 1924. Fueled by the extremely warm ocean temperatures, Irma reintensified to the maximum hurricane classification level after weakening slightly on Friday afternoon.

As it scraped Cuba's north coast early Saturday, it produced a sustained wind gust of 118 mph, and a gust to 159 mph was reported at Falla, Cuba, in the eyewall of the hurricane.

On Friday, before making landfall along Cuba's north-central coast, Irma passed north of Haiti and then between Cuba's northeast coast and the Central Bahamas.

Thursday evening, the center of the storm passed very close to the Turks and Caicos, producing potentially catastrophic Category 5 winds. The storm surge was of particular concern, as the water had the potential to rise 16 to 20 feet above normally dry land in coastal sections north of the storm center, causing extreme inundation.

A devastating storm surge and destructive winds had also probably battered the southeastern Bahamas, near Great Inagua Island.

Through early Thursday, the storm had battered islands from Puerto Rico to the northern Lesser Antilles.

While the center of Irma passed just north of Puerto Rico late Wednesday, a wind gust of 63 mph was clocked in San Juan early Wednesday evening, and more than 900,000 people were reported to be without power. In Culebra, Puerto Rico, a small island 17 miles east of the main island, a wind gust registered 111 mph in the afternoon.

On Wednesday afternoon, the storm's eye had moved over Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, and its southern eyewall raked St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Early Wednesday afternoon, a wind gust to 131 mph was clocked on Buck Island and 87 mph on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the hurricane passed directly over Barbuda and St. Martin in the northern Leeward Islands, the strongest hurricane recorded in that region and tied with the 1935 Florida Keys hurricane as the strongest Atlantic storm to strike land.

As Barbuda took a direct hit, the weather station there clocked a wind gust to 155 mph before it went offline.

The storm also passed directly over Anguilla and St. Martin early Wednesday, causing severe damage.

---

Irma's place in history

Irma's peak intensity (185 mph) ranks among the strongest in recorded history, exceeding the likes of Katrina, Andrew and Camille - whose winds peaked at 175 mph.

Among the most intense storms on record, it trails only Hurricane Allen in 1980, which had winds of 190 mph. It is tied for second-most intense with Hurricane Wilma in 2005, Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 and the 1935 Florida Keys hurricane.

The storm maintained maximum wind speeds of at least 180 mph for 37 hours, longer than any storm on Earth on record, passing Super Typhoon Haiyan, the previous record-holder (24 hours).

Late Tuesday, its pressure dropped to 914 millibars (the lower the pressure, the stronger the storm), ranking as the lowest of any storm on record outside the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in the Atlantic basin.

The storm has generated the most "accumulated cyclone energy," a measure of a storm's duration and intensity, of any hurricane on record.

Irma's landfall pressure of 929 millibars in the Florida Keys was the lowest for any U.S. landfalling hurricane since Katrina (920 millibars) and for a Florida landfall since Andrew (922 millibars). It ranks as the seventh-lowest pressure of any U.S. landfalling storm.

When Irma crashed into the Keys early Sunday as a Category 4, following Hurricane Harvey's assault in Texas, it marked the first time on record that two Category 4 storms had made landfall in the United States in the same year.

---

Capital Weather Gang hurricane expert Brian McNoldy contributed to this report. Credit to tropical-weather expert and occasional Post contributor Phil Klotzbach for some statistics.

---

VIDEO:

https://youtu.be/5gFntKt8ABI
YouTube, citing violation of "community guidelines," removed the state-run North Korea propaganda channel, Uriminzokkiri, from its website. "This account has been terminated for violating YouTube's community guidelines," YouTube said.

The video-sharing website did not immediately respond to requests about why the channel had been removed Friday, according to media reports. Revenue generated from advertising on the account, however, may have violated U.S. trade sanctions, resulting in the suspension, media reports stated.

Uriminzokkiri, part of the country's propaganda arm, frequently posts video of state TV news clips. Its video content seems targeted for North Koreans living abroad, The Guardian reported. The channel also shows footage of missile launches as well as official tours taken by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korea researchers and academics said the removal of channels is a cause for concern, as is their content.


"Just to add on, tremendous drugs pouring into the United States at levels that nobody has ever seen before. This has 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. We need the wall. It is imperative."

- President Trump, remarks at a news conference with President Sauli Niinisto of Finland, Aug. 28, 2017

"That wall is also going to help us, very importantly, with the drug problem, and the massive amounts of drugs that are pouring across the southern border."- Trump, remarks at a rally in Phoenix, Aug. 22

"Now, we're going to build a real wall. We're going to build a wall that works, and it's going to have a huge impact on the inflow of drugs coming across. The wall is almost - that could be one of the main reasons you have to have it. It's an additional tool to stop the inflow of drugs into our country."- Trump, remarks at a speech to law enforcement, July 28

---

One of President Donald Trump's signature campaign promises was building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to stem illegal immigration. He also insisted that somehow Mexico would reimburse the United States for the cost, but in the meantime he has pushed for start-up funding despite skepticism in Congress.

Increasingly, the president has argued that the wall will not only block illegal immigrants but also will stem the flow of drugs coming into the United States from Mexico. Trump repeats this idea often. During rallies. At news conferences. On Twitter.

"We need a wall. We also need it, though, for the drugs, because the drugs aren't going through walls very easily - especially the walls that I build," the former real estate investor told law enforcement agents on July 28. "I'm a very good builder."

Would it "stop much of the drugs from pouring into this country," as the president claims?

---

The Facts

Trump has not offered detailed specifications for the wall. On Feb. 9, 2016, he said the wall should be 30 to 45 feet high. But as the Fact Checker previously pointed out, a wall of that size would cost significantly more than the $8 billion to $12 billion Trump previously suggested. Bernstein Research estimates the wall could cost as much as $25 billion. An internal Department of Homeland Security estimate said it would cost as much as $21.6 billion, according to Reuters.

DHS's request for proposals called for two versions of the wall: A reinforced concrete barrier wall as Trump described and a see-through wall between 18 and 30 feet high, capable of withstanding digging six feet below the surface.

Can either of these two versions curb drug trafficking? In short, no.

Every year, tons (literally) of drugs are smuggled across the southern border and into the United States. In November 2016, the Drug Enforcement Agency released a comprehensive report assessing the threat illicit drugs pose to the United States, listing Mexican drug cartels as the biggest drug threat. Six main cartels smuggle "multi-ton quantities" of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana out of Mexico and into the United States, according to the 192-page report. The cartels operate complex supply chains that enable them to sell drugs from coast to coast.

The majority of the illicit drugs enter the United States through legal ports of entry, according to the DEA report. Traffickers conceal the drugs in hidden compartments within passenger cars or hide them alongside other legal cargo in tractor trailers and drive the illicit substances right into the United States. (This was even a plot line for the 2013 Hollywood farce "We're the Millers.") Increasingly, traffickers are using more sophisticated methods such as dissolving methamphetamine and cocaine into innocuous liquids.

Between Oct. 1, 2015, and Sept. 30, 2016, officers at the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol seized 1.29 million pounds of marijuana and 4,184 pounds of cocaine at country's nine southwest border crossings, representing 99.8 percent of the agency's marijuana seizures and 76.4 percent of its cocaine seizures for that year. Yet millions of pounds still make it through.

Many drugs are also smuggled through elaborately built subterranean tunnels that start in Mexico and end inside of stash houses in the United States, according to the report. As of March 2016, authorities have discovered 224 tunnels along the southwest border since 1990. The tunnels primarily snake under the ground in California and Arizona. In some cases, the tunnels can be up to 70 feet beneath the surface; a 40-foot concrete wall would only have a foundation seven feet deep, according to the Bernstein estimate. Traffickers are also turning to advanced technology and flying drugs over the border using unmanned drones, according to the DEA report.

A wall, no matter how well built, does not address drugs entering the United States via these routes. Vanda Felbab-Brown, senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution and author of a report on the real cost of Trump's wall, calls the idea of a physical barrier stopping drugs a "permanent illusion."

"It's selling snake oil," she said. "No physical structures have ever stopped drugs in US or elsewhere."

Felbab-Brown found that as barriers go up, drug smugglers simply move their operations to new regions. The fence erected during the Obama administration pushed smuggling into cities such as Tijuana, she said. Then, once law enforcement cracked down in Tijuana, smugglers moved back into rural areas.

Trump's wall proposal neither addresses the reality of drug trafficking into the United States nor key facts of the nation's drug crisis. In 2014, prescription drugs killed more than twice as many people as heroin and almost five times as many people as cocaine, according the Centers for Disease Control and the National Center for Health Statistics. Unlike cocaine and heroin, prescription drugs are not as widely trafficked from Mexico.

In 2015, opioid overdoses killed more than 33,000 people, according to the CDC. Nearly half of all the overdose deaths involved a prescription opioid, the CDC found. Fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, can be easily ordered online, even directly from China.

On March 29, Trump signed an executive order establishing a commission to combat the opioid crisis. On July 31, the commission released an interim report detailing its strategy for addressing the epidemic. While the task force asks the president to prioritize funding for DHS and Customs and Border Patrol to develop sensors that can detect fentanyl, shipped in packages via the mail, the commission does not call for funding for Trump's wall. Instead, the commission places the genesis of the drug crisis squarely within the United States.

"Four out of every five new heroin users begin with nonmedical use of prescription opioids," the commission wrote. "In other words, Mr. President, this crisis began in our nation's health care system."

The White House did not respond to repeated requests for information on why the president believes the wall would halt drug smuggling.

---

The Pinocchio Test

Most drugs come into the United States across the southern border with Mexico. But a wall would not limit this illegal trade, as much of it travels through legal borders or under tunnels unaffected by any possible physical barrier. Yet Trump ignores these undisputed facts as he seeks to drum up support for the concrete construction by saying it will help solve the nation's deadly drug crisis.

Even if the wall could curb illicit drug trafficking, it would have a minimal impact on the death toll from drug abuse. Prescription drug overdoses claim more lives than cocaine and heroin overdoses combined. Moreover, the opioid epidemic started with the overprescribing of legal painkillers - a fact his own opioid commission urged the president to acknowledge.

The president claims his wall would stop much of the drugs from entering the country, but that's simply a fantasy based on no facts. He earns Four Pinocchios.

Four Pinocchios
Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded one of the country's highest civilian honors, the Alexander Nevsky medal, to former Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak, the Kremlin said Monday.

Kislyak's contacts with Donald Trump's campaign team came under the spotlight of U.S. intelligence amid the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. Kislyak blamed the accusations, which he called groundless, on the "electrified climate in the American political environment, where everyone is fighting everyone," he said in an interview with the Izvestia newspaper published Sept. 7.
BEIJING - In the first year of Rodrigo Duterte's presidency, there were moments, brief moments, when it felt like the killing might stop.

A Korean businessman murdered inside police headquarters. Anti-drug cops caught holding people in a secret cell. Then, last month, Kian delos Santos, a 17-year-old boy, was shot dead by police.

All three cases were so explosive that the Philippine president was forced to interrupt his calls for slaughter - and his promises to pardon police - to order investigations. All three were seen as turning points. And yet, the killing does not stop.

Delos Santos, a high school student, was killed the night of Aug. 16. Police said the teen fled an anti-drug operation, fired at them and they fired back. But widely circulated surveillance footage seems to show him being dragged away. And witnesses said he was handed a gun, told to run, then shot.

As investigators studied if and how he was murdered, the brutalized bodies of two other teenagers turned up. First, it was Carl Angelo Arnaiz, 19. Police said he died in a shootout in August. But investigators from the Public Attorney's Office said he was cuffed, dragged and beaten before being shot multiple times at close range.

Last week, the body of another boy was pulled from a river. He had been stabbed dozens of times, examiners said, and his face was covered in packing tape - a macabre act of mutilation that's a drug war signature. The boy was identified by family members as Reynaldo de Guzman, 14, who was last seen with Arnaiz. On Monday, police claimed DNA testing suggests it was someone else.

These were not the first or only young people lost to the state-backed violence sweeping the Philippines. Human rights groups put the total number of deaths at over 10,000 with dozens of children and youth shot dead.

The alleged murder of so many minors has prompted Human Rights Watch to renew their call for a United Nations investigation."The apparent willingness of Philippine police to deliberately target children for execution marks an appalling new level of depravity in this so-called drug war," said Phelim Kine, the group's deputy Asia director.

"These killings demonstrate that Duterte's rejection of the rule of law has made all Filipinos potential 'drug-war' victims, no matter how young."

Though Duterte is unlikely to welcome U.N. investigators, he must answer, to some extent, to domestic critics. Delos Santos' death brought Filipinos to the street and saw some of Duterte's closest political allies call for a Senate investigation. Under pressure, the president promised justice.

Duterte and his top aides have been forced to say they condemn shooting minors. "You do not kill defenseless persons," Duterte said. A presidential spokesperson, Ernesto Abella, told the press that it may be time for a "reexamination" of "the manner in which these things are being carried out."

But talk of a turning point seems premature. With thousands dead and ample evidence of systemic abuse by police, only six murder cases linked to these extrajudicial killings have been brought to court, according to the Department of Justice. Not a single officer has been convicted.

Now, after weeks of promising justice, the government seems to be doubling down on denial, suggesting, contrary to evidence, that the teenagers were killed by unnamed anti-Duterte forces, not the police or their agents.

"It should not come as a surprise that these malignant elements would conspire to sabotage the president's campaign to rid the Philippines of illegal drugs and criminality," said Abella, the presidential spokesman. This, he said, "may include creating scenarios stoking public anger against the government."

He did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim.
China is the biggest auto market by number of vehicles sold, giving any policy changes outsize importance for the global industry. A deputy industry minister, Xin Guobin, said at an auto industry forum on Saturday his ministry has begun "research on formulating a timetable to stop production and sales of traditional energy vehicles," according to the Xinhua News Agency and the Communist Party newspaper People's Daily.

China's industry ministry is developing a timetable to end production and sale of traditional fuel cars and will promote development of electric technology, state media on Sunday cited a Cabinet official as saying. The reports gave no possible target date, but Beijing is stepping up pressure on automakers to accelerate development of electrics.

China is joining France and Britain in announcing plans to end sales of gasoline and diesel cars.

France and Britain announced in July they will stop sales of gasoline and diesel automobiles by 2040 as part of efforts to reduce pollution and carbon emissions that contribute to global warming.

Communist leaders also want to curb China's growing appetite for imported oil and see electric cars as a promising industry in which their country can take an early lead. China passed the United States last year as the biggest electric car market. Sales of electrics and gasoline-electric hybrids rose 50 percent over 2015 to 336,000 vehicles, or 40 percent of global demand. U.S. sales totaled 159,620.

The reports of Xin's comments in the eastern city of Tianjin gave no other details about electric car policy but cited him as saying Beijing plans to "elevate new energy vehicles to a new strategic level."

Beijing has supported electric development with billions of dollars in research subsidies and incentives to buyers, but is switching to a quota system that will shift the financial burden to automakers. Under the proposed quotas, electric and hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles would have to make up 8 percent of each automaker's output next year, 10 percent in 2019 and 12 percent in 2020. Automakers that fail to meet their target could buy credits from competitors that have a surplus.

Beijing has ordered state-owned Chinese power companies to speed up installation of charging stations to increase the appeal of electrics.

Chinese automaker BYD Auto, a unit of battery maker BYD Ltd., is the world's biggest electric vehicle maker by number of units sold. It sells gasoline-electric hybrid sedans and SUVs in China and markets all-electric taxis and buses in the United States, Europe and Latin America as well as in China. Volvo Cars, owned by China's Geely Holding Group, announced plans this year to make electric cars in China for global sale starting in 2019.

General Motors, Volkswagen and Nissan and others have announced they are launching or looking at joint ventures with Chinese partners to develop and manufacture electric vehicles in China.
Isabel Flores was a single mother from Durango, Mexico, who had to leave her home in Houston after a bitter divorce. Her husband, a U.S. citizen, would not offer any assistance. Isabel and her then-4-year-old son Javier were homeless. Fortunately, Isabel had a relative living in Midland, and she managed to gather enough funds to travel from Houston to Midland.

That was three years ago. Today, Flores has completed Midland Colleges certified nurse aide program and is working at Manor Park. She passed the high school equivalency exam (formerly known as the GED) in August. Javier, 7 , is a second- grader at Greenwood Elementary School.

Our home isnt much. We are living in an RV, but we are happy, and one day soon, we can afford something better, Flores said. For the past 18 months, Ive been taking ESL courses at Midland College, and this semester Im enrolled in prerequisite courses for Midland Colleges associate degree nursing program. When I get my nursing license, Id like to stay in Midland and work as a registered nurse.

Flores said she has nursing credentials from a school in Mexico, but she needs to be licensed in the United States in order to practice nursing here.

I love nursing, Flores said. Working at Manor Park has been a real treat for me. The residents are very special, and it is a pleasure making them comfortable and being able to assist them.

Flores has been at Manor Park for three years -- first as a certified nurse aid student performing clinical rotations. During this time, she caught the attention of Manor Park administrators, who were very impressed with her skills and her rapport with the residents. After she obtained her certification, Manor Park offered her a full-time position. Flores works 16-hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday, which allows her time during the week to attend classes and help her son with his school work.

Javier stays with a friend on the weekends while Im working, Flores said. We both wish that we had more time to be together on the weekends, but for now, my working schedule is the best way for me to attend school. Ive told Javier that sacrifices must be made in order to have a better life soon.

When Flores and Javier are together and arent studying, they enjoy watching movies and cooking. Javier enjoys tae kwon do, and Isabel is constantly practicing her English skills.

Javier helps me with my English, Flores said. My ex-husband speaks Spanish, so when I was married, we only spoke Spanish. When I came to Midland, I didnt know much English. Midland Colleges ESL classes have been great, and Ive learned so much. Working at Manor Park has also been helpful. My coworkers and the residents are sweet about allowing me to practice my English with them. Good communication skills are extremely important if I want to be successful in my nursing career.

Three years ago, I didnt know where Javier and I would sleep. I was determined to find a way to survive for the sake of my son. I am so thankful to have ended up in Midland. I love the people and have found great friends. The certified nurse aide program at Midland College offered me an opportunity to start a career, and now Midland College is giving me opportunities to learn English and get a degree in nursing. Life is good and getting better all the time.
"Previously, the banks were happy to open accounts for North Koreans living in China for personal reasons (mostly visiting relatives), provided they present their personal identity documents," the website Daily NK reported. "This practice has ended as well."

This blocks cash flow to the regime to a significant extent, while the volume of oil shipments from China to North Korea has also dwindled, Kyodo News reported Saturday. Affected are not only North Korean diplomats and officials in China but also laborers and traders with North Korean passports.

China's large state banks have stopped opening new accounts for North Koreans and frozen remittances to North Korea.

The Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China have gradually stopped services for North Koreans in the border regions since last year, but the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China appears to be continuing them.

Chinese bank officials told Kyodo that this is a result of international sanctions against the North.

The Chinese government has also reportedly ordered commercial banks to stop services for North Koreans. It appears that the banks stopped dealing with the North voluntarily to avoid U.S. sanctions amid warnings of a secondary boycott from Washington.

With oil imports dwindling as a result, gasoline prices have reportedly soared in the North.

There is speculation that Beijing is taking tougher measure because of the regime's nuclear test on Sept. 3.


This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

New wording recently added to the San Antonio Independent School Districts nondiscrimination statement and policy drew dueling press conferences Monday attacking and defending the changes, with the opponents arguing that it amounts to a new bathroom policy.

It doesnt affect bathrooms and the changes only made more explicit a set of protections to employees and students that were already in place, district officials said.

About 20 San Antonio residents, including some church leaders, gathered in front of the SAISDs Burnet Learning Center at noon to criticize trustees for adding prohibitions against harassment based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Trustees adopted the revisions unanimously last month, after Young Womens Leadership Academy senior Ruby Polanco gathered hundreds of signatures on a petition requesting them.

Leaders of Texas Values, a socially conservative advocacy group, said parents werent notified in advance that the nondiscrimination statement would as being changed and said it could lead to boys being allowed in girls bathrooms, showers or locker rooms.

SAISD requires students to use facilities that correspond with the sex on their birth certificates, district spokeswoman Leslie Price said. When requested, the district will work with students to provide single-occupancy restrooms and, as much as possible, private areas for changing and showering, she said.

The updates to our nondiscrimination policies did not change how our facilities are used, Price said. We now have a more inclusive policy that ensures all students know they are respected and have the right to an educational environment that is free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation.

Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values, said SAISDs amended nondiscrimination statement could lead the district to eventually allow students in bathrooms and facilities that do not match the gender on their birth certificates, especially if faced with litigation.

It sounds like the district wants to have it both ways, Saenz said.

Allan E. Parker, president of The Justice Foundation, based in San Antonio, said the policy change amounted to a district endorsement of transgender identity.

They should be taught that there are only two sexes, Parker said.

An agenda for the Aug. 21 SAISD board meeting, containing proposed revisions to the non-discrimination policy, was posted 72 hours in advance according to state law.

Saenz said parents were blindsided by the way the agenda item was listed: Approval of Revisions to Board Policies DIA(LOCAL), FFI(LOCAL) and FFH(LOCAL). The policies are listed by those names in an online handbook. The wording of the proposed changes was available in an online agenda packet.

Texas Values was spreading misinformation and lies about the policy change, said DeAnne Cuellar, a spokeswoman for Equality Texas, an advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights that held a news conference featuring Polanco, other students and teachers just before Mondays regular board meeting.

We believe that discrimination is bad for all students and faculty, Cuellar said.

amalik@express-news.net

Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN
Earlier this week, a new law went into effect outlining what schools must do if they discover a child with head lice.

According to the school-focused Senate Bill 1566, schools are required to notify a parent within five days if their child is in the same classroom with a student diagnosed with head lice.
AUSTIN  Mexico has yanked its offer to send aid to Texas, saying it has its own natural disasters to take care of.

The Mexican government announced Monday it would rescind its offer to help Texas clean up after Hurricane Harvey due to an earthquake last week that rocked the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco and killed 95 people. Then came Hurricane Katia, which recently whipped into Mexico.

"This decision is due to the fact that conditions in both countries have changed and that Texas's need for assistance has fortunately diminished," read a press release from the Mexican government.

COMPARISON: How Harvey stacks up with Irma

The Mexican government had sent boats and vehicles in the after had Mexican government offered to help Texas recover from Hurricane Harvey, officials said. A spokesman for the governor's office said Texas also sent mobile kitchen units.

Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray had called Gov. Greg Abbott to offer aid in the days after the hurricane to offer assistance within the first few days of Hurricane Harvey's landfall in Texas. The storm later dropped about 50 inches of rain on Houston and demolished communities throughout southeast Texas and a full recovery is expected to take years.

"We are grateful for Mexico's offer of assistance in the aftermath of Harvey, and fully understand and support the decision to redirect their resources back home in the wake of this deadly earthquake," said John Wittman, the governor's spokesman.

TAX HIKE: Houston's mayor seeks a temporary boost to help with recovery

The letter also noted that it was on Aug. 27 that Mexican officials offered specific assistance to Texas in a phone call with Abbott, followed up by an offer of assistance to the U.S. State Department on Aug. 28. But it wasn't until Sept. 6 that Texas and U.S. officials gave a response to Mexico, including a letter from Texas officials saying that only logistical support was needed.

"Judging by the closure of most of the shelters located in the Houston area and from communication with Texas officials, it seems that, fortunately, the current need for aid has declined considerable," the statement from the Mexican government said.

"The Mexican government takes this opportunity to thank ... Abbott for his message of solidarity with Mexico after the September 7 earthquake," the statement continued. "In addition, the Mexican government expresses its full solidarity with Florida given the severe damage done by Hurricane Irma."
North Korea appears to be preparing for another ballistic missile launch after marking its founding anniversary on Saturday, Radio Free Asia reported Friday.

Workers started repairing an underground missile launch pad in Samjiyon, Ryanggang Province. Signs show that the regime is replacing an old Paektusan-1 or Taepodong-1 missile with a new Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, sources told RFA.

Rebar and cement bags camouflaged are being brought into the missile base secretly at dead of night every day. The underground missile bases in Samjiyon sit 2,000 m above sea level, and missiles launched from here can fly much farther away than from other known bases.

A Cheong Wa Dae official said, "We're keeping a close watch on North Korean activities and discussing how to react if they provoke again."

Meanwhile, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission here said it has finally found some traces of radioactive xenon from the North's recent nuclear test.

But a commission official said, "We can't say for sure whether that the material is proof of a nuclear test because the amount is too small." He added radioactivity is normal across the country.


The need for federal aid is urgent. Preliminary estimates for Hurricane Harveys damages are in the ballpark of $190 billion, USA Today reports; thats the cost of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy combined. And Hurricane Irma is sure to increase that need elsewhere.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved $7.9 billion in disaster relief funds. The Senate voted Thursday 80-17 on a package of about $15 billion in disaster aid, dispersed evenly between Hurricane Harvey victims and Community Block Grants for all 2017 disasters, including Irma. The House concurred and the president signed the bill on Friday.

The House and Senate have acted swiftly and are to be commended.

In a rare nod to Senate Democrats, Trump tied the disaster relief bill to another, more controversial bill raising the debt ceiling, keeping the government running until early December and setting up an end-of-the-year fiscal showdown.

Heres where possible political party tricks might have come into play. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said, Anytime you use a tragedy to advance something that should have had a plan without a hurricane happening is not an appropriate approach.

Almost correct. In an ideal world, the debt ceiling would be automatically approved and would not be held hostage, as has been done or attempted in other circumstances, by the Freedom Caucus to gain concessions on other fronts. Disaster aid, raising the debt ceiling and avoiding a government shutdown at a time of national crisis all aid that effort.

Yes, there is seeming irony in Texas being the beneficiary of federal aid  and correctly anxious to get it. Texas  whose former Gov. Rick Perry wrote a book titled Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America From Washington  has a long history of opposition to much federal spending.

But, federal disaster aid is not the same as disagreements on EPA policies or on immigration or on gay marriage or  the policy list is long.

Texas got hit. Hard. And Hurricane Irma did the same for other parts of the country. In such times, the aid must be commensurate to the task and as immediate as possible.

John Wittman, press secretary for Gov. Abbott (R-Texas), got it right: Its asinine to think that after this catastrophic hurricane, the federal government would not step up to help communities recover and rebuild like it has in the past.

At times such as these  and, again, in that ideal world  there are no red states or blue states. Just United States. Lets remember that when disaster strikes Americans elsewhere.

But we havent always. Every Texas Republican in the U.S. House with the exception of Rep. John Culberson of Houston made headlines by voting against the Disaster Relief Act of 2013, which allocated federal funds for Hurricane Sandy relief. And both Texas Republicans in the Senate, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, also voted against the measure.

That Disaster Relief Act ultimately passed nonetheless. The Texas delegation was mostly unified in backing the disaster aid this time, but four Texans voted no. They are: GOP Reps Joe Barton, Sam Johnson, Jeb Hensarling and Mac Thornberry. Voters should remember.

The rebuilding will be long and arduous. The federal aid must be delivered expeditiously according to need. Texas  whose own stepped up to help their own  will be stronger than ever after Americans elsewhere step up to aid Americans in need anywhere.

After the damage is repaired and people are able to resume their lives, let us remember that the federal government came to the rescue.

Because that was its job.
Expand pilot reform on business licenses and cutting red tape

The State Council decided to expand pilot reform of separating business licenses and reducing more administrative approvals, at its executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on Sept 6.

The government will expand a pilot reform already being tested in the Shanghai Pudong New Area that allows for separate applications of business licenses and administrative approvals involving 116 approval items, to 10 free trade zones across the country, including those in Tianjin, Chongqing, and Liaoning and Zhejiang provinces.

It will create a fairer environment, and benefit registration and operations of businesses.

Details:>> China goes further to cut red tape to aid business

Promote construction of quality certification system

The State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li on Sept 6 decided to promote construction of a quality certification system, to enhance whole-process supervision, create a level-playing field, and raise the quality of Chinese products.

The quality management system will suit different industries and be expanded to all kinds of companies.

Details:>> China to improve quality certification

Regulations on volunteer services

Chinas regulation on volunteer services will take effect on Dec 1, according to a decree signed by Premier Li and released by the State Council on Sept 6.

The regulation was passed to encourage and regulate volunteer services in China. It made clear rules on running volunteer services in terms of the basic principles, management system, legitimate rights protection and promotion measures.

Details:>> Chinas regulation on volunteer services to take effect in December

Revise regulation on religious affairs

China has revised the regulation on religious affairs, which will take effect on Feb 1, 2018, according to a decree signed by Premier Li and released by the State Council on Sept 7.

The revised regulation will further take its role in protecting citizens freedom of religious belief, maintaining religious and social harmony and regulating the management of religious affairs.

It also clarified the legal liability of related parties.

Details:>> China revises regulation on religious affairs

Relocate hazardous chemical producers in dense areas

The State Council has issued a guidance on relocation and transformation of hazardous chemical production enterprises in densely populated areas in cities and towns.

The move is part of government efforts to reduce dangerous chemical incidents in dense areas and lower environmental risks.

Key tasks include inspecting the layout of hazardous chemical production enterprises and recording substandard ones, carrying out relocation projects, strengthening safety management and promoting the upgrade of the petrochemical industry.

The government will offer financial support, fundraising channels and land policies on the relocation project.

Details:>> Hazardous chemical producers urged to move out of dense areas

Lower school dropout rates

The State Council issued a circular to prevent students, especially those in remote and poverty-stricken areas, from dropping out of school, and to enhance the enrollment rate of compulsory education.

The circular set a target that by 2020, the graduation to enrollment ratio at compulsory education schools should reach 95 percent.

All levels of government are asked to protect school-age childrens right to receive education.

Details:>> Govt releases guidelines to lower school dropout rates

Punish discredited market entities in logistics

The government will give joint punishment to discredited market entities, with serious violation against laws and regulations, in the transportation and logistics industry.

The National Development and Reform Commission and other departments recently signed a memorandum of cooperation, which put forward detailed measures of joint punishment to discredited market entities listed on a blacklist.

Exempt new energy vehicles purchase tax

China will exempt 486 new energy vehicle models from the purchase tax, according to a catalog issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration and Taxation.

The catalog consists of 417 electric vehicle models, 68 plug-in hybrid ones, and a fuel-cell one.

Crack down on illegal practices to improve construction safety

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has released a circular to strictly crack down on illegal practices going against construction safety.

The circular urged authorities at all levels to investigate construction safety accidents, strengthen punishment on illegal practices with higher risks, eliminate unauthorized and illegal buildings, and conduct joint punishment to discredited entities.

Halt financing through issuing digital coins

China has ordered a complete halt on Initial Coin Offerings, a digital coin fundraising scheme, part of a broader campaign to curb the countrys financial risks.

No organization or individual may raise money by issuing digital coins, or tokens, according to an announcement by seven departments, including Peoples Bank of China and the Office of the Central Leading Group for Cyberspace Affairs.

Money already raised through ICOs should be refunded to investors, the announcement said.
Check out our latest E-Edition

Accessible anytime and anywhere on your desktop, tablet and smart phone devices. The Lodi News e-Edition is enhanced with the latest digital tools, including RSS feeds, social networking and much more.

Check out our latest E-edition!
Andrew Taylor scored 24 points and Taevion Kinsey added 15 points and eight rebounds to lead Marshall past UPike, 83-69, in the exhibition finale for the Thundering Herd. Marshall opens its season on Monday at Queens University.
Unfortunately, every year more than 800,000 people throughout the world die by suicide and up to 25 times as many make a suicide attempt. The theme this year for World Suicide Prevention Day 2017 is Take a minute, change a life.

As members of communities, it is our responsibility to look out for those who may be struggling, check in with them, and encourage them to tell their story in their own way and at their own pace. Offering a gentle word of support and listening in a non-judgemental way can make all the difference. Taking a minute can change a life.

You may also be interested in reading:

Suicide or Survive inviting Longford people to start a conversation about mental health

As World Suicide Prevention Day approaches, the HSE would like to give reassurance that there is help and support available for anyone who is feeling vulnerable, distressed or having thoughts of ending their life or if you are concerned about the welfare of a loved one. The range of support services are outlined below:

* GPs who can make a referral to all relevant services within the HSE system, i.e. Child and Adolescent, Young Persons and Adult Mental Health Services, Psychology, Social Work, Addiction and Substance Mis-Use Services, Primary Care services, etc.

* MiDoc Out of Hours service: LoCall: 1850-302-702.

* Walk-in facilities in the Assessment Unit in the Departments of Psychiatry Portlaoise and Mullingar.

* Psychiatric Liaison and Self Harm Nurses who are available in the Emergency Departments to assess, support and refer individuals who present,

* Suicide Crisis Assessment Nurses who are available to GPs in the community to undertake a prompt response to adult patients affected by self-harm, suicide distress or risk, including a risk assessment and crisis intervention treatments and supports.

* HSE Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC)  a short term counselling service with a Therapist. The service is available for persons over 18 years of age who are medical card holders and who may be experiencing difficulties such as: depression, anxiety, panic reactions, relationship problems, loss issues, stress etc. Access to the service is by referral from GPs and any member of a Primary Care team.

* Suicide Bereavement Liaison Service: A Suicide Bereavement Liaison Person is available to meet with a bereaved family (at their request) as a group or individually to provide practical help and support, answer questions and give information. Support can also be given by telephone and can be provided hours, days, weeks or years after the loss. The service is coordinated by Bernie Carroll, an Accredited Counsellor (MIACP), based in Tullamore, Co Offaly who can be contacted on (086) 418 0088, e-mail: midlandssbls@gmail.com or through your local GP.

* TRAINING PROGRAMMES: The aim of Connecting for Life  The National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention is to endeavour to increase individual and community capacity and responsibility to prevent suicide. The prevention of suicide is everyones concern. No one individual, organisation or indeed initiative will successfully reduce the number of deaths by suicide.

* Programmes in suicide awareness and prevention skills training are delivered on an ongoing basis in various locations and in 2016 over 1,200 people attended both the SafeTALK (Suicide Alertness) Programme and A.S.I.S.T. (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) workshops.



* SafeTALK is a 3 hr programme which teaches the skills to become suicide alert and to be able to recognise, engage and support people who may be contemplating suicide.



* A.S.I.S.T. is a 2-day skills based workshop with the aim of training participants to respond to a suicide risk and intervene appropriately to provide immediate help and safety. Enquiries to participate in these programmes should be directed to Josephine Rigney, Resource Officer Laois/Offaly, email: josephine.rigney@hse.ie, mobile 086-8157 850 or Eddie Ward, Resource Officer Longford/Westmeath, email: eddie.ward@hse.ie, mobile: 086 380 1152.



The HSE works in partnership on an ongoing basis with voluntary and other statutory organisations such as Grow, Shine, Mental Health Ireland, Midlands Living Links and Aware to deliver a community wide targeted approach for the promotion of positive mental health and the prevention of suicide.



Specifically targeted programmes are funded and delivered to key groups within the community, i.e. secondary school students, community groups, sport clubs, the unemployed, workplaces and those bereaved by suicide



Within the Midlands, there are many other organisations who work in the area of mental health awareness and promotion, i.e.



SAMARITANS: Helpline: 116 123 / Text: 087-260 9090

Email: jo@samaritans.org





24/7 Suicide Helpline: (Pieta House) 1800 247 247 / Text help to 51444.

PIETA HOUSE (preventing suicide and self-harm) 01-601 0000 (Dublin Centres); 0505 22568 (Roscrea Centre)

AWARE: Helpline 1800 80 48 48; Email: supportmail@aware.ie

GROW: Info Line: 1890 474 474 / 057 93 51124 for information on GROW Support Groups in your area.

MENTAL HEALTH IRELAND: Regional Development Officer: 086-8353387

SHINE (supporting people affected by mental ill-health) Helpline: 1890 621 631 / 086 8525 281.

SENIOR HELPLINE: 1850 404 444

FARM AND RURAL STRESS HELPLINE: 1800 742 645.

CHILDLINE: 1800 666 666.

PCI Counselling Service (reduced cost) 0818 555 450 (11am  6pm)

Midland Living Links: Co-Ordinator: 086-1600641. (Bereavement listening/support service)

Youth Support Services: www.jigsaw.ie / www.spunout.ie / www.reachout.com



www.yourmentalhealth.ie is an online resource that contains a comprehensive database of mental health support services throughout Ireland. The site is the place to learn information on mental health and how to support yourself and the people you love. You can find support services near you and learn about the #littlethings that can make a big difference to your level of mental health.



The HSE Suicide Prevention Resource Service also provide a support telephone number (Mobile: 086-8157320) for those who would like to talk in confidence, or for anyone who might be worried about family members or friends and would like advice or information.
Detectives are this morning running the rule over CCTV footage taken close to where a man was critically injured in a suspected hit and run in Edgeworthstown over the weekend.

As first revealed by the Leader on Sunday morning, a man aged 25, was injured after being knocked down by a vehicle at the town's Pound Street junction at around 2:30am.

He was initially taken to Mullingar's Midland Regional Hospital before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

Sources have this morning informed the Leader that the man, who is from Mullingar, is currently being tended to in the hospital's intensive care unit.

In the meantime, gardai are continuing with their efforts to track down the driver of a van which is believed to have been involved in the incident.

Gardai have established the van was a silver coloured Ford Transit and have appealed for any eye witnesses to contact them.

It's understood the man was crossing the road close to the Park House Hotel when the incident unfolded.

Gardai are also considering whether to launch a media appeal over the incident in a bid to further their enquiries.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Granard Garda Station on (043) 6686512.

You may also be interested in reading:

Gardai launch investigation into suspected hit and run incident in Edgeworthstown

UPDATED: Search for van involved in suspected hit and run in Edgeworthstown

UPDATED: Man injured in Edgeworthstown hit and run transferred to Dublin hospital
The Minister for Health Simon Harris has announced a multi million Euro investment in St Josephs Care Centre in Longford town.

Speaking to the Leader at the Longford Arms Hotel today, Minister Harris confirmed that the capital funding allocated for major refurbishment works at the centre will be forthcoming.

We know that this investment is badly required at St Josephs; I know that Cllr Peggy Nolan has been advocating for this for a long while and I send her my best wishes as I know that she is unwell today, he added.

We spoke to the staff and management at St Josephs today and have confirmed to them that phase one will commence in 2018 while phase 2 will begin in 2019 with the aim of having all the works completed by 2021.

The Government is currently carrying out a national mapping exercise to identify centres for acquired brain injury outside of Dublin.

Longford is the only county to have submitted a business plan for an acquired brain injury unit and the Minister acknowledge that plan this morning.

While a decision on where those centres is not finalised yet, Longford/Westmeath is being looked at as a possible location for such a centre.

For more on this story see Wednesdays Longford Leader!
Carzone reports that 91% of Irish motorists are confident that they would pass their driving test if they had to take it again. Could you? Take our poll above and watch our video below to see how other motorists around Ireland got on.

Outside of school exams its regarded as one of the most daunting tests you can take, but it seems that Irish motorists are confident they could pass their driving test with flying colours second time around.

According to new research from Carzone, Irelands number one website to buy and sell new and used cars, 91% of Irish motorists say they would pass their driving test if they had to take it again.

The research which was carried out among motorists as part of the Carzone Motoring Report examines our experiences of learning to drive. The research reveals that 41% of those questioned learned to drive between the age of 17-20 with parent pressure being the reason why 1 in 5 got behind the wheel in the first place. A further 46% say they were inspired to learn to drive because they wanted independence.

According to the research the first lesson is usually a family affair. 40% of those polled were given their first taste of the open road by their dad, while over a quarter (26%) went to a driving instructor. Only 8% had their first driving lesson from their mother and 7% say a sibling taught them. Given the family influence on first time drivers, its no surprise that 48% of those questioned say they first learned to drive in their parents car.

According to the Carzone Motoring report 59% of men passed their test first time compared to 51% of men. For men and women who had to take it a second time, the pass results were relatively even. 30% of men say they passed on a second attempt compared to 29% of women.

Would you pass your test again? Prove it! Take our quiz: How much do you remember from your driving test?

To test the theory of whether 91% of Irish people would pass their driving test again, snapchat star and learner driver, James Kavanagh took to the streets of Dublin to test the publics knowledge of the road. When quizzed by James, the theory test proved tougher than anticipated for a number of motorists. Check out the video here

Commenting on the findings Ailish Tully said: Learning to drive is a huge milestone in anyones life. whether you take the test as a teenager or later in life. Most of us can vividly remember the first time we got behind the wheel and those first few lessons.

"It was interesting to see how many people felt they could confidently pass their driving test again. However, when we took to the streets to quiz people on the latest theory test, we found that there may be a need for Irish motorists to brush up on some of the basic rules. Our advice to drivers is to keep yourself up to date with the rules of the road and regularly test your driving knowledge.
Fundraising campaign provides Ugandan health workers with bicycles to reach more and harder to reach communities

11 September 2017



Village health team members from 43 communities in Iyolwa, a sub-county in eastern Uganda, received brand new bicycles this month thanks to our recent fundraising campaign. Malaria Consortium launched the campaign earlier this year to provide these trained community health workers with a bicycle so that they can reach more people who may need their help.

Our fundraisers raised enough money to buy and deliver 43 bicycles, providing the volunteer community health workers with an invaluable means of transport in places where communities are harder to reach and children, who are particularly vulnerable to life-threatening diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia, may require urgent treatment.

The bicycles have increased the number of visits the VHTs can make on an average day. Previously, they would only manage to visit one or two households a day, but now they can easily carry out visits to at least five households and provide lifesaving treatment for malaria and other common childhood illnesses.

Ms Amali Mary, a VHT from Nambogo village, commented on receiving one of the bicycles, I am so happy! You have given me a brand new bicycle that is strong. It can even carry a pregnant mother! My community is going to be so blessed by it. I will be able to reach people much faster and even go to the far places in my village, she added.

The VHTs are trained to teach the community about sanitation, to show them how to protect themselves from disease-carrying mosquitoes and to diagnose and treat common childhood illnesses. With these bicycles, the VHTs can now ensure faster and easier access to primary healthcare for their communities.

Malaria Consortium would like to thank all the generous donors to this campaign who made the purchase and delivery of these bicycles possible. They really will help save lives.
New malaria communications campaign targets 13 million Ugandans

11 September 2017



A new campaign to motivate caregivers to prevent malaria in Ugandan communities was launched today. USAIDs Malaria Action Program for Districts has designed the campaign strategy, which will disseminate malaria prevention messages through mass media and interpersonal communication channels.

The programme aims to reach at least 13 million people across 43 districts. In its initial phase, the campaign is expected to reach at least four million people, said Daudi Ochieng, Malaria Consortium Uganda Communications Manager. Each year we will aim to increase its reach so that by 2021, when the programme ends, we have reached 13 million people with our social behavior change communications to adopt positive malaria control behaviours like sleeping under a net every night, reaching out to a health care provider within 24 hours of the onset of a fever, correct treatment of pregnant women and testing before treatment.

The campaign employs creative approaches to reach remote communities, including radio jingles, collaboration with influential community members such as religious leaders, TV screen messages in health centers, public vehicle branding, billboards, and even experiments with board games to reach urban areas.

The new communications strategy was created after USAIDs Malaria Action Program for Districts, led by Malaria Consortium, assessed current community-level knowledge, attitudes and practices on malaria prevention and treatment. The survey results highlighted knowledge gaps in malaria prevention and the high proportion of key health decisions being made by caregivers. It demonstrated a need for further mobilisation for protection against malaria and improved understanding of the diseases impact. To address this need, the newly designed campaign takes a motivational and multi-pronged approach to engaging community members.

The campaign will be rolled out in three separate phases, focusing on The costs of malaria in phase one, Preventing malaria: nets and treatment for pregnant women in phase two, and Test and treat in phase three. The campaign regularly places children at the heart of its messaging. A key motivator for caregivers to take preventive measures is to prevent their children from dropping out of school. Therefore, many messages will focus particularly on the impact of malaria on childrens education.

The communications campaign is part of the wider USAID and UK Aid-funded Malaria Action Program for Districts, which aims to prevent and control malaria morbidity and mortality and to minimise the social impact and economic losses on those affected by malaria. The programme will achieve this by supporting the Ugandan government on a range of other activities, such as net distribution, health facility staff training on malaria in pregnancy, diagnostics and case management practices. It will also provide capacity building of the National Malaria Control Programme and the districts health management teams on coordination and planning and Monitoring and Evaluaton.

The communications campaign will ensure 43 districts regularly receive and accurately retain information on malaria prevention. Filling the community knowledge gaps will have a multitude of positive flow-through effects, such as improvement in school attendance for children and in household financial security. Through campaigns like this, Malaria Consortium hopes to empower communities to free themselves from the heavy burden of malaria, said Dr Godfrey Magumba, East and Southern Africa Programmes Director.

USAIDs Malaria Action Program for Districts aims to improve the health status of the Ugandan population by reducing childhood and maternal morbidity and mortality due to malaria. The project will support the Government of Uganda for a period of five years, focusing in particular on children under five years of age and pregnant women. This project, made possible by the generous support from the American and British people, is implemented by Malaria Consortium in partnership with Jhpiego, Banyan Global, Communication for Development Foundation Uganda (CDFU), Deloitte Uganda and Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI).

Related content

27 March 2017 Supporting government to control malaria in Uganda

6 September 2016 Malaria Consortium to lead USAID/PMI malaria project in Uganda
click to go to homepage
Swami Vivekananda Biography

One of the chief disciples of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda was born as Narendra Nath Datta on January 12, 1863, in Kolkata, West Bengal, to Vishwanath Datta and Bhuvaneswari Devi. He took the name Swami Vivekananda after becoming a monk. He was a good student, besides being proficient in music and sports. He stood up against many of the superstitions prevalent during that time and had great affection and respect for ascetics.

He entered the hallowed portals of the Presidency College in 1879. After a year, he joined the Scottish Church College in Kolkata and studied philosophy, western logic, western philosophy and the history of European nations. His studies made him question the existence of God. Though he associated himself with the Brahmo Samaj for some time, he did not get the answers to his questions. It was then that he went to visit Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Soon, he became Ramakrishnas disciple.

Ramakrishna passed away in 1886. Swami Vivekananda and a few other disciples of Ramakrishna decided to become monks and renounced everything. In 1890, he set out on an on a long journey across the length and breadth of the country. This brought him in close contact with various kinds of people: rich as well as poor, good as well as bad. He reached Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of mainland India, in December 1892 and started meditating on a lone rock. He meditated for three days; this rock has presently become popular as the Vivekananda memorial.

His greatest moment came when in 1893; he went to the United States and addressed the Conference of World Religions in Chicago. He mesmerized everyone with his speech. People of Chicago were extremely influenced by his speech, they named a street after his name in Chicago. He also traveled to England. He returned to India in 1897 after four years and started the Sri Ramakrishna Mission in 1897. This great saint and philosopher passed away for his heavenly abode on July 4, 1902.

Swami Vivekanandas Teachings

Swami Vivekanandas teachings were focused on various aspects of religion, education, social issue, character building, etc. As a Hindu monk, his role was noteworthy as he introduced Vedanta to the Western world while revitalizing and redefining some aspect of the religion within India. He realized and taught that a countrys future depends on its people. He stressed how important man-making was. His real ideals were to preach divinity and how to manifest it in our life.

In his famous speech of Chicago, he said The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant. It develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant. Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth which shows his greatness. This example delivered by him reflects his teachings which mesmerized the Britishers.

<bSwami Vivekananda on education

Swami Vivekananda believed that education is the manifestation of perfection. He contemplated that the existing education system is not enabled to make a person stand on his own feet, as it did not teach a person self-confidence and self-respect. To him, education wasnt just a compilation of information, but it was rather something meaningful. He considered education to be a character-building and life-shaping phase. He believed,  Education is the manifestation of perfection already in a man.

Swami Vivekananda on youth

Swami Vivekananda believed that highest value of the period of youth is immeasurable and inexpressible. It is the most precious time of life and is considered as the best time of life. The way one utilizes this period will decide his or her future years. Happiness, success, honor, good name depend on the way a person lives in this period as it the first state of their entire life. He wanted the youth to know that this youth period is a privilege and an adventure. He considered youth as the pillars of development. It is because of his influential teachings that the government of India has considered 12th January (birthday of Swami Vivekananda) as National Youth Day. Some of his most motivating quotations for youth are 

Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life  think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.

You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you,

none can make you spiritual.

There is no other teacher but your own soul

Swami Vivekananda on meditation

The teachings of Swami Vivekananda on meditation, its values, and practice reveals the profundity and span of the mystic traditions of India and his own internal realizations. He is the one who introduced Yoga and Vedanta to the World. He believed, To practice meditation, one should be able to resist all things negative and get hold of your mind. As the mind is like a lake and each stone drop creates a ripple and disturbance, we should keep our mind calm as a still lake as the ripples block our path of visualization. Be calm and keep quiet, then only we will be able to meditate..

Swami Vivekananda on Nationalism

For Swami Vivekananda, Nationalism and Patriotism were not just emotions for public use but it replicated a deeper, practical belief which resulted in the real act. Real act of Nationalism and Patriotism, were simple examples like wiping away a widows tear, giving food to the orphans, it meant declaring fight against poverty, eliminate social evils and make every effort to bring equity and fair justice in the country.

His famous quote, When the real history of India will be unearthed, it will be proved that, as in matters of religion, so in fine arts, India is the primal Guru of the whole world, shows he had immense love for his country. This saint was just a preacher of peace.

Once Swami Vivekananda said, I do not come to convert you to a new belief. I want you to keep your own belief; I want to make the Methodist a better Methodist; the Presbyterian a better Presbyterian; the Unitarian a better Unitarian. I want to teach you to live the truth, to reveal the light within your own soul on one occasion in America. This reflects his ideas and makes us realize his greatness.
The court's verdict comes at a crucial juncture in the row between Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and the state government over a slew of issues.
MARTINSVILLE-At Martinsville Middle School, teachers wanted to do more than just have their students read about stray dogs. They wanted the lessons to apply to real life, to give students a way to be directly connected. That's when they reached out to the SPCA.

Sixth grade English classes had been reading short stories about stray dogs, as part of their classwork this semester. They also read reporter Amie Knowles' story in the Martinsville Bulletin, SPCA Helps 'Dumpster Dogs' Heal, and discussed it. As part of the school's college and career readiness program, known as A.V.I.D. (Advancement Via Individual Determination), teacher Ama Waller reached out to the SPCA and brought in the group's assistant director, DeAnna McArthur, to talk with her students. She also organized a donation drive, with students bringing in boxes of cleaning supplies to give McArthur for the shelter.

The idea was to make it personal, Waller said, so that the issues facing the SPCA weren't just words on a page. Instead, students heard from McArthur, who is the mother of Martinsville sixth grader James McArthur, someone with direct experience. Also, by collecting the supplies, they weren't just learning about a problem, but understanding that they can do something to help. After McArthur spoke to the class, they gave her the boxes of supplies and then were asked by teachers to reflect on what they learned.

I enjoyed the presentation because I loved how she explained how the two dogs are now doing good, said sixth grader Shimora Brown.

She was talking about the two dogs from the Dumpster Dogs story. In August, two puppies were found near the Henry County landfill, dumped on the side of the road. They were in bad shape, starving and badly underweight. Both pups were five months old and should have weighed at least 30 pounds but the boy was only 14.6 and the girl weighed only 13.6. They were turned over to the SPCA, who worked with a local veterinary service to provide round-the-clock care for the pups, giving them IV fluids and nutritional supplements to build up their strength. Now they're strong enough where the SPCA is trying aqua therapy with both of them, helping them walk and swim in water. The water therapy helps them build up their ability to move around without putting too much strain on their bodies.

I enjoyed [the presentation] because I got to hear facts from someone who works at the SPCA, said sixth grader Tynetta Wyche.

Her classmates, sixth graders Keaton Clark and Niamya Moore, agreed. Clark said he learned more about declawing, while Moore said she found it interesting that anyone can go to the SPCA and walk a dog.

Waller thanked the SPCA for helping her students make a connection with their learning and community.
LONGMEADOW -- State nursing home inspectors have blocked the Jewish Nursing Home of Western Massachusetts from admitting new residents after following up on a complaint and finding deficiencies in care that put patients at risk.

The admissions freeze was implemented Aug. 23, according to enforcement history records available through the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services website.

The freeze, which is still in force at the 200-bed nursing home at 770 Converse St., came after the state health department investigated a complaint at the home in January and completed a regular periodic, unannounced inspection on June 21.

State officials conducted a follow-up inspection Aug. 31. And, while the Jewish Home took some corrective action since being formally notified of the problems Aug. 23, some issues persisted.

The home must now correct its problems by Friday, Sept. 15 -- or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will terminate its provider agreement with the facility, said Ann Scales, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Health.

The Jewish Nursing Home of Western Massachusetts, also known as the Leavitt Family Jewish Home, is part of what is now called JGS Lifecare.

In response to questions from The Reublican Monday, Andrew Steiner, executive director of the home, read a prepared statement saying the facility is working with the state to resolve concerns. He said the home has a "steadfast" commitment to resident's safety.

"We cherish everyone who comes through these doors," he said.

He declined to answer specific questions, except to say he might have more to say in a few weeks.

While the state's website does not provide details about the initial complaint, it does specify findings of "jeopardy" and of substandard care.

"Immediate jeopardy is a situation in which the nursing home's non-compliance with one or more requirements has caused, or is likely to cause, serious injury, harm, impairment, or death to a resident," the state's website explains. "In these situations, the Department initiates an enforcement action and requires that the home take immediate steps to remove the jeopardy."

The state Department of Public Health does not release details of an initial complaint -- or information about any required corrective actions -- while the investigation and enforcement is ongoing, Scales said. Even a formal request filed now under the state's public records law would not be fulfilled until after the investigation is complete, she said.

According to its website, JGS lifecare offers skilled nursing care 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Its services include occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech language therapy. Services are covered by most major insurers, as well as Medicare, Medicaid and the Veterans Administration.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the U.S. Social Security Administration requires denial of Medicare and Medicaid payments for any individual admitted to a nursing home that fails to return to substantial compliance with standards within three months after an enforcement action begins.

Scores below state average

The unannounced inspection June 21 was part of a standard review used to assess a nursing home's compliance with federal standards and arrive at a compliance score. Such inspections happen roughly every six to nine months for facilities around the state, according to the state Department of Health.

The Jewish Nursing Home of Western Massachusetts has a below-average compliance score: 111 points out of a possible maximum score of 132.

The statewide average is 122 points.

Those scores, which are based on inspections over the last three years, put the Jewish Nursing Home of Western Massachusetts near the bottom of all homes in the state.

Only 7 percent of facilities in Massachusetts have a score of 111 or lower, Scales said.

According to state records, the Longmeadow facility came up short in the categories of administration, nursing, food service and environment, with the latter category referring to "resident comfort and safety, as well as, facility housekeeping, maintenance and sanitation."

Its scores exceeded the state average -- and hit the maximum score -- only when in the category of protecting resident's rights. The facility scored 27 out of the maximum 27 points, versus a statewide average of 26.

Are you a patient at the Jewish Nursing Home of Western Massachusetts? Do you have a loved one who is a patient there? Are you a current or former employee? We'd like to interview you for a follow-up story.

Please contact Jim Kinney at jkinney@repub.com or 413-788-1307.
SPRINGFIELD -- A beam of structural steel from the World Trade Center in New York City given to Springfield in 2011 was not brought out Monday for the city's ceremony commemorating the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

But the 12-foot-long, 2,950-pound relic brought down on Sept. 11 likely will be on display before the 17th anniversary of the attacks in 2018, said Judith A. Matt, president of Spirit of Springfield.

Matt, speaking Monday prior to ceremonies at the Sept. 11 Remembrance Ceremony at the Raymond Sullivan Safety Complex on Carew Street, said she's about to start a fundraising campaign with the goal of collecting the $175,000 it'll take to build a memorial housing the steel in Springfield's Riverfront Park.

Matt said Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, Greater Springfield's natural gas utility with a regional service center, offices and a meter workshop in the city, has signed on to be the lead donor.

The steel beam and memorial will be incorporated into a rebuilt Riverfront Park under plans approved by the city in June 2017.

Springfield already has $1.9 million to renovate the park: $1 million from MGM Springfield, $500,000 from the city and $400,000 from the state.

Matt expects work on the Sept. 11 memorial to begin in the spring.

Spirit of Springfield petitioned the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for the steel.

The Port Authority, which owned the twin towers, distributed more than 2,600 artifacts to communities in all 50 states and 10 nations, according to a press release. The donations were meant to, in the agency's words, "preserve the memory, heroism and sacrifice of the 9/11 terrorist attacks."

The city's artifact arrived in 2011 for the 10th anniversary of he attacks with a solemn procession up Main Street.

Since then, it has mostly been in storage as the city and Spirit of Springfield discussed where to put it. Rejected ideas included Union Station and Forest Park.

In December 2016, Designers Sam Ostroff of Salmon Studios and Bruce Rosenbaum of ModVic unveiled their plans for the memorial.

Matt said Monday that she's continuing to work them on the design.

Also speaking Monday, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the new memorial in Riverfront Park would provide a place of quiet reflection.

On Saturday, the 104th Air Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard unveiled its own memorial outside the base fire station. The unit's commander, Col. James Suhr, said the unit was able to obtain not a piece of the World Trade Center but a right rear fender from a New York City Fire Department truck crushed at Ground Zero that day.

On the 16th Anniversary of the #September11 attacks, we recall the acts of heroism and mourn the lives that were lost #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/rykJLISmNk  Rep. Richard Neal (@RepRichardNeal) September 11, 2017

Suhr spoke Monday at the Springfield ceremony. Members of the unit also raised and lowered the American flag as part of the ceremony.

Suhr, whose unit is responsible for patrolling the skies over New York City as well as the rest of the northeastern United States, said archivists don't know exactly what FDNY ladder company truck the part once belonged to. But they have narrowed it down to one of two ladder companies that responded that day.

No one from either of those companies survived.
SPRINGFIELD - Catholic Communications' weekly broadcast of the Mass Sunday mornings on WWLP-TV 22, preempted Sunday by NBC's coverage of Hurricane Irma, is available for viewing on the website of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield.

"'Chalice of Salvation' will be available this week starting at 10 a.m. and continuing throughout the day as an on-demand streaming video," said Mark E. Dupont, diocesan spokesman.

Producer of "Chalice" and of "Real to Reel," the diocese's news and features program that airs Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. on WWLP, Dupont also said in his statement that the diocese continues "exploring other options" in airing these shows in Berkshire County where WWLP is no longer available.

This spring, Charter Spectrum dropped WWLP from three cable channels that serve the Berkshires, and since then "Chalice," which is particularly popular with house-bound viewers, and "Real to Reel" have broadcast on two different community access stations there.

Berkshire County lies within the designated market area of Albany, N.Y., according to the Federal Communications Commission, and this designation requires Charter Communications, which bought Time Warner in the Berkshires in May, to carry the New York NBC affiliate, WNYT, on its Charter Spectrum lineup.

The county in general has limited access to TV news and programming from the rest of the state.

Bishop Mitchell Rozanski, whose Springfield diocese covers all three counties of Western Massachusetts, called Charter's elimination of WWLP from its lineup a "great, great loss for the Berkshires."

WWLP was acquired by Nexstar in 2016 as part of that broadcasting group's purchase of Media General.

Charter serves the Berkshire County communities of Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Dalton, Great Barrington, Lanesborough, Lee, Lenox, North Adams, Pittsfield, Richmond, Sheffield, Stockbridge, Hinsdale, Williamstown and West Stockbridge.

"Chalice of Salvation" has been broadcast on WWLP, the NBC local affiliate, since 1957 when the station was family owned. The ministry was originally part of the ministry of the Passionist Monastery and Retreat House in West Springfield, and was assumed by the diocese in 1990. Passionist Brother Terrence Scanlon, host and executive producer, recently marked 36 years with the program.

"Real to Reel" has also broadcast for three decades.

The current Berkshire viewing of the shows is below:

On Access Pittsfield, (Channel 16 and Channel 19-3 for those without a cable box), which serves Pittsfield, Dalton and Richmond - "Chalice of Salvation," 11:30 a.m. on Sunday; "Real to Reel," 5:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Sunday and 1:30 a.m. on Monday.

Northern Berkshire Community Television (Channel 15, which serves Adams, North Adams, Cheshire and Clarksburg) - "Chalice of Salvation, Sundays at 11 a.m.; "Real to Reel," Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and repeats in NBCTC Daytime on Fridays at 1:30 pm.
Fifty years ago, this week, city of Springfield Traffic Engineer Thomas Barlow and his staff placed over 400 "Do Not J Walk" signs around the city to coincide with a "Walk In Safety" campaign by the city. The city passed an anti-jaywalking ordinance in 1963, but it remained unenforced waiting for the educational campaign. City police would hand out warning slips to jaywalking pedestrians for a couple of months. After the campaign, police would hand out violations which carried a fines of up to $20 for each offense.

From the September, 11, 1967 edition of The Springfield Union

Ten years later, the "World's Biggest Kielbasa" went missing after the fourth annual kielbasa festival in Chicopee. The 107-pound, 10-foot horseshoe shaped sausage was stolen after the festival ended Sunday night. The kielbasa, which was manufactured by the Chicopee Provision Co., was to be displayed at the Big E and other fairs.

From the September 15, 1977 edition of The Morning Union

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 September 10 - September 16. 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 September 10 - September 16 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 September 13, 1967 edition of The Springfield Union

Other newspaper comics from the archive can be found in the Featured Collection photo galleries on MassLive.

Back in 1977, Main Street in downtown Springfield was full of people from Court Square to the arch. The Women's Division of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce hosted a "gigantic tag sale" to raise scholarship money for Springfield youths. Crowds also enjoyed the fifth annual Mattoon Street Arts Festival on the same day.

From the September 12, 1977 edition of The Morning Union

Five years ago, Vinny Allocco, a Western New England University student, won the Republican's annual Hole-In-One contest. He was the first winner in nearly 75 years to win with an actual hole-in-one.

And below a photo of Joe Maiolo, of Springfield, who won the 1967 hole-in-one contest. He beat 473 contestants at the Ludlow Country Club by placing his ball 27 inches away from the pin.

From the September 12, 1967 edition of The Springfield Union

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.
It's almost that time of year again when the crisp air of fall draws locals and out-of-towners to wooded areas of Massachusetts to see the changing leaves.

When is the best time to go leaf peeping?

The map is courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and SmokyMountains.com. The map's interactive offerings allow viewers to check peak foliage predictions nationwide on the website.

The predictions break down foliage county-by-county, based on historical data.

"This year's leaf model is predicting an earlier-than-typical peak fall," Wes Melton, a data scientist who created the map told Travel + Leisure. This is due to heavier than average rainfall during the summer and warm temperatures expected in the first weeks of fall.

Peak foliage is predicted in Massachusetts this year between the last days of September and first days of October.

"Our aggregated historical and current database now includes hundreds of thousands of unique data points giving us the ability to predict more accurately than ever before," data scientist Wes Melton told Travel + Leisure.
Officials unveiled a new plaque at Harvard University last week to honor the enslaved people who helped found the country's first law school, which turns 200 years old this year.

The new plaque sits on a stone memorial in the center of the Harvard Law School plaza in Cambridge. Its text recognizes "the enslaved whose labor created wealth that made possible the founding of the Harvard Law School," urging its law professionals to "pursue the highest ideals of law and justice in their memory."

Plaque unveiled yesterday at Harvard Law School. "'May we pursue the highest ideals of law and justice": pic.twitter.com/J9kLnqTMtG  Philippa Greer (@philippa_bear) September 6, 2017

The university's law school was found in 1817 by the riches of Medford man Isaac Royall Junior, whose family wealth stemmed directly from the slave trade and plantation slave labor. The Harvard Law School's former symbol, a shield with wheat on it borrowed from Royall's coat of arms, was retired in 2016 after advocates called for its removal.

A small dedication ceremony was held at the new memorial last Tuesday, on September 5. Educators, scholars and Harvard President Drew Faust spoke on the school's link with slavery, and an existing lack of acknowledgement at Harvard.

"Harvard, along with many other institutions in New England, was directly complicit in America's system of racial bondage from the College's earliest days in the 17th century until the ending of slavery in Massachusetts in 1783," Faust said to the crowd of around 300 Tuesday night, according to a statement by Harvard.

"Let us dedicate ourselves to the clear-eyed view of history that will enable us to build a more just future in honor of the stolen lives we memorialize here."
BOSTON - Multiple police departments are searching for a red or orange Jeep Renegade believed to be involved in a shooting on I-93 in Dorchester.

Two people riding a motorcycle were shot by a person inside the Jeep on Sunday evening near Exit 12. The Jeep then got on to Route 28, state police said.

The victims were taken to Tufts Medical Center and Boston Medical Center with serious injuries.

The Jeep was occupied by two adult males, state police said, and has "X" markings on the tail lights. Anyone who sees the vehicle is asked to call 911.

Police shut down all southbound lanes of I-93 at around 6 p.m. to investigate the shooting. One lane had reopened by 7:15 p.m., and state police told drivers to expect "significant" delays.

The veh is occupied by two males. Anyone who sees this vehicle, dial 911. Anyone who witnessed shooting, please call MSP at 508-820-2121. https://t.co/6L5dnjGybP  Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) September 10, 2017

This is a developing story. Stay with The Republican/MassLive for more information as it becomes available.
WESTFIELD -- The Westfield Fire Department on Monday remembered the lives and sacrifices of first responders killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks 16 years ago.

A brief 9:45 a.m. ceremony led by Deputy Fire Chief Eric Bishop was attended by Mayor Brian Sullivan, state Rep. John Velis and a representative of state Sen. Donald Humason's office, as well as family members of victims who grew up in Westfield.

Outside the department headquarters on Broad Street, a firefighter struck the 5-5-5-5 code on a bell, four sets of five chimes that signify a death and instruct fire stations to lower their flags to half staff. A bagpiper then played "Amazing Grace."

Fire Chief Mary Regan said it was "an emotional day because so many lives were lost."

The Westfield Fire Department held its annual 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Broad Street headquarters on Monday morning. Sept. 11, 2017.

Three Westfield natives were among the nearly 3,000 people killed that day. Tara (Shea) Creamer was aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first of two planes to crash into the World Trade Center, while Brian Murphy and Daniel Trant were at work in the towers.

Members of Trant and Creamer's families attended Monday's ceremony. In the afternoon, they participated in a wreath laying ceremony with Mayor Brian Sullivan at the city's 9/11 monument, a 20-foot obelisk near North Elm Street and Route 10/202.

Monday at 6 p.m., the families planned to attend the annual Sons of Erin memorial service, the third of three ceremonies in Westfield marking the anniversary of 9/11.

"People need to support each other. It's still very fresh," said Regan. "Especially for (first responders) because of what could happen at any moment."

She said it's important to "tell everybody you love them" and support each other on anniversaries such as this.

The fire department also held a brief ceremony at Highland Elementary School on Monday. The students were born after the attacks, so Regan said the 16th anniversary is "history" for them.

"This isn't just pictures in a book," she said. "This happened."
SPRINGFIELD -- Francesco "Frank" Depergola has signaled his intent to plead guilty in an ongoing loansharking and extortion case, according to filings in U.S. District Court in Springfield.

Depergola, also known as "Sammy Shark," is one of five reputed mobsters from Greater Springfield who were arrested in August 2016 by federal agents and state police.

The men are accused of playing various roles in two separate incidents: allegedly extorting a local tow company operator, and allegedly making an illegal street loan to a man who later turned out to be an undercover FBI agent.

Depergola, 61, of Springfield, has been a longtime fixture on the local mob scene. He was the only eyewitness to the murder of slain mob boss Adolfo "Big Al" Bruno in 2003, and was later convicted in connection with a loansharking scheme that involved Bruno before his execution-style slaying.

Depergola was sentence to two years in federal prison in that case and was released in 2008.

"Everyone makes a mistake; I made mine," he told the sentencing judge in 2006.

He was arrested in the current case along with Ralph Santaniello, Gerald Daniele and Giovanni "Johnny Cal" Calabrese, all of Longmeadow, and Richard Valentini, of East Longmeadow.

The court records show Depergola has pleaded guilty to an "information" out of federal court in Manhattan, where he and Santaniello were charged in a sweeping dragnet of East Coast mobsters. That document outlines a "profit-sharing" extortionate loan scheme that culminated in the $30,000 loan to the undercover agent in August of 2014.

That took place at a Chicopee pizza shop at the behest of New York mob boss Eugene "Rooster" O'Nofrio, who has long had ties to Springfield underbosses, according to court records.

Charges brought in a parallel indictment in Springfield accuse the defendants of shaking down a local tow company operator for thousands of dollars in "street taxes" in 2013.

The alleged victim, identified only by investigators as Victim One, sought help from Massachusetts State Police and agreed to record subsequent meetings over their demands.

Santaniello and Calabrese were portrayed by the alleged victim as the primary aggressors who threatened to behead him if he didn't pay $20,000 up front and $2,000 per month thereafter.

Depergola seemed to play more of an elder statesman role, doing a softer, cautionary sell to convince Victim One to pay up for his own good, according to the recordings played in federal court during bail hearings.

Depergola advised: "They are going to come after you. ... These guys are vindictive mother-------, be careful what you say, what you do," according to the complaint.

All but Santaniello -- who recently struck a plea deal with prosecutors in New York -- have been released on bail pending the resolution of their cases.

The terms of Depergola's plea have not yet been filed with the court but a "Rule 20" motion logged in late August in New York will effectively transfer all the charges to Springfield, where his plea and sentencing hearings also will occur.

Valentini has a pending motion to suppress the recordings in the case. A trial date has been set for Dec. 11 before U.S. District Judge Timothy Hillman.
There was plenty of buzz last fall when Tesla CEO Elon Musk first unveiled plans for the companys solar roof systems  photovoltaic, tempered glass roofing tiles that can be installed on top of a house in place of traditional shingles.

But Musk and Tesla werent the only ones getting into the solar roofing business. Earlier this summer a new Bozeman company, in partnership with SunTegra, a New York-based manufacturer, began installing similar tiles on properties in the Gallatin Valley.

The company, Solar Roof Systems of Montana http://srsmontana.com/ , is the brainchild of longtime electrical systems designer and contractor Anthony Sciolino and business partner and roofer Jeremy Warwood.

By Lewis Kendall Chronicle Staff Writer

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/business/bozeman-company-capitalizes-on-solar-trend-with-photovoltaic-roofs/article_d600776d-03f6-55d1-94f7-b306b038d072.html
A new study has looked at whether or not sleeping with your canine pet is a good idea, and under what circumstances it should be allowed.

Share on Pinterest New research suggests that dogs can be good night-time companions, just as long as they sleep in their own beds.

Approximately 44 percent of North American households own a dog, according to data available to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Roughly, this equates to 78 million pet dogs in the United States.

The benefits  especially the psychological ones  of owning a dog are well documented. For this reason, dogs are often used for therapy, since interacting with these lovable canines can alleviate stress and anxiety. Therapy dogs can also bring a renewed sense of independence and self-sufficiency to their owners.

For many, canine friends are more than just pets: they become valued family members in their own right. But just how physically close should we be to our dogs?

Dr. Lois Krahn, alongside other colleagues from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, have looked at a practice appreciated by many but whose benefits are also often questioned: sleeping with ones dog.

Most people assume having pets in the bedroom is a disruption, Dr. Krahn explains, adding that despite this, she and her team found that many people actually find comfort and a sense of security from sleeping with their pets.

The researchers findings were published in this months issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of conditions that block the lungs airflow and cause breathing problems. And new research suggests that common cleaning products may significantly raise the risk of these illnesses.

Share on Pinterest Most of the products that we use to clean our homes may contain chemicals that are harmful to our lungs.

According to the latest estimates, nearly 15.7 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the condition is reported to be the third leading cause of death among U.S. individuals.

Although smoking is probably the greatest risk factor for developing COPD, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledge that exposure to air pollutants in the home and workplace is a key risk factor for COPD.

New research zooms in on common household disinfectants and their link to COPD risk.

Its findings were presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2017  held in Milan, Italy  by lead study author Orianne Dumas, Ph.D., from the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Villejuif, France.

Previous studies looked at the link between respiratory problems and disinfectant use. For instance, one study found that young adults who used household disinfectants were more than twice as likely to develop asthma than those who did not, while another study found that cleaners were at a higher risk of developing COPD.

But the potential negative effects of disinfectants on COPD risk have received insufficient attention, says Dr. Dumas, explaining the contribution of her and her teams study.

To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report a link between disinfectants and COPD among healthcare workers, and to investigate specific chemicals that may underlie this association, she says.
Advertisement

The other study, a survey of more than 30,000 people in Sweden, found that e-cigarette use was most common among people who already smoke, and that people who use both experience more symptoms, such as a persistent cough, wheezing and coughing up mucus.The research on the combined effects of smoking and e-cigarettes will be presented by Dr Linnea Hedman, a behavioural scientist at Umea University in Sweden.Dr Hedman and her colleagues questioned more than 30,000 people, who were randomly selected from the general population in Sweden, about their smoking habits, use of e-cigarettes and respiratory symptoms.Around 11% of people surveyed said they only smoke conventional cigarettes, while 0.6% said they only use e-cigarettes and 1.2% said they use both. The results revealed that e-cigarette use was more common among people who currently smoke conventional cigarettes (9.8%), compared to former smokers (1.1%) or non-smokers (0.6%).The results also showed that people who use both conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes were the most likely to suffer with respiratory symptoms. Among non-smokers 26% experienced any respiratory symptoms, compared with 34% among those using only e-cigarettes, 46% among those only smoking conventional cigarettes, and 56% among dual users.Dr Hedman will tell the congress: "Our results show that a proportion of smokers are also using e-cigarettes. It could be that they're turning to e-cigarettes when they're in places like cafes and restaurants where they cannot smoke conventional cigarettes, or it could be that they're using e-cigarettes in the hopes of quitting smoking. One argument for e-cigarettes is that they could help smokers to quit, but our study does not support this argument. If that was the case, e-cigarette use would have been most common among former smokers."We have also found that people who use both conventional and e-cigarettes are more likely to suffer wheezing, or a long-standing or productive cough. It could be that some smokers, who are already suffering these symptoms, want to quit smoking by changing to e-cigarettes but they are not managing to stop.Alternatively, it could be that using both products causes worse respiratory effects than either alone. More research is needed to determine whether e-cigarette use contributes to smoking cessation or if it increases the burden of respiratory disease."The possible health effects of e-cigarettes are far from established and it will take some years before the long-term effects will be revealed. However, this research adds to the evidence that e-cigarettes cannot yet be marketed as a safe alternative to conventional cigarettes.The research on the content of e-cigarette refills was presented by Dr Constantine Vardavas (MD, PhD), from the University of Crete.Dr Vardavas and his colleagues selected a random sample of e-cigarette liquids from the most popular brands on sale in Greece, Spain, Germany, The Netherlands, the UK, Hungary, Romania, Poland and France, which included a variety of different flavours and nicotine strengths.They analysed each sample to find out exactly which chemicals were present and in what quantities. Every liquid they tested contained at least one substance that has some level of risk to health according to the United Nations (UN) classification system [1].These included methyl cyclopentanolone (found in 26.3% of samples) and a-ionone (found in 8.7% of samples), both which "may cause allergy or asthma symptoms or breathing difficulties if inhaled", according to their classification. Other substances, such as menthol (42.9% of samples), ethyl vanillin (16.5% of samples) and acetyl pyrazine (8.2% of samples), are classified as "able to cause respiratory irritation".Dr Vardavas told the congress: "The most recent evidence from across the European Union shows a substantial increase in e-cigarette use over the past few years. The EU Tobacco Products Directive notes that e-liquids should not contain ingredients that pose a risk to human health. However, despite growing research on the effect of different ingredients within e-liquids there is little knowledge on the impact they may have on respiratory health."Our research reveals that e-cigarette liquids on sale in Europe have ingredients that are potential respiratory irritants. This means that they are substances which irritate the airways according to previous research and international classification standards."An EU Directive on e-cigarettes rules that: 'except for nicotine, only ingredients are used in the nicotine-containing liquid that do not pose a risk to human health in heated or unheated form'. We think the respiratory irritants we found may be a breach of this legislation."Based on this work, we also think users should be aware that e-cigarettes are not risk-free, and that doctors should inform their patients that e-cigarettes may contain respiratory irritants."In a separate study also presented at the Congress, Dr Vardavas and his team examined trends in smokers' attempts to quit, with surveys of almost 10,000 Europeans in 2012 and in 2014. They found that use of nicotine replacement therapy declined (from 14.6% in 2012 to 12.2% in 2014) and quitting with the help of healthcare professionals and smoking cessation clinics also fell (6.7% to 5.0%). However, experimentation with e-cigarettes for the purpose of quitting increased (from 3.7% in 2012 to 11.0% in 2014)Source: Eurekalert
Advertisement

The team found that telomeres specifically in muscle stem cells are abnormally short in teenage boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), as well as in young mice with the same genetic disorder. The finding of shortened telomeres could help explain why prior research has found defects in the functions of muscle stem cells from muscular dystrophy patients."We found that in boys with DMD, the telomeres are so short that the muscle stem cells are probably exhausted," said the study's senior author, Foteini Mourkioti, PhD, an assistant professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Cell and Developmental Biology, and co-director of the Musculoskeletal Regeneration Program in the Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine."Due to the DMD, their muscle stem cells are constantly repairing themselves, which means the telomeres are getting shorter at an accelerated rate, much earlier in life. Future therapies that prevent telomere loss and keep muscle stem cells viable might be able to slow the progress of disease and boost muscle regeneration in the patients."Muscles tend to degenerate in muscular dystrophy disorders because the gene mutations that cause these disorders leave muscle fibers abnormally fragile, so that they are damaged even by ordinary physical activity.In principle, muscle stem cells could regenerate this lost muscle, thereby slowing or even stopping the disease process. But some scientists, including Mourkioti, have suspected that in muscular dystrophy the continuous cycles of muscle damage and repair--requiring near-constant cell division for the muscle stem cells--soon erode the regenerative capacities of muscle stem cells, by shortening their telomeres and inducing early death or senescence."The problem with trying to identify what is happening in DMD muscle stem cells is that we've lacked sufficient tools for measuring telomere length in these stem cells," Mourkioti said.To enable their discovery in DMD patients, Mourkioti and colleagues developed a new stem cell telomere-measuring method, based on an existing technique called fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).Telomeres are made of one short sequence of DNA building blocks (TTAGGG) repeated over and over, and the new FISH-based method (MuQ-FISH) uses a fluorescent probe designed to stick specifically to that sequence. Longer telomeres accumulate more probes and fluoresce more brightly.The technique can be used with a microscope and electronic imaging equipment to measure the lengths of telomeres within individual stem cells.Mourkioti and her team initially used their new technique to show that the telomeres of muscle stem cells are about the same length in healthy lab mice, whether the mice are young or old.In contrast, the scientists found that in young mice with a severe DMD-like disorder as well as in several teenage patients with DMD, muscle stem cells on average had abnormally shortened telomeres. Other non-stem muscle cells in the DMD patients had normal telomere lengths.The findings suggest that telomere-shortening specifically in muscle stem cells is a factor in the progressive muscle weakening and wasting seen in muscular dystrophy patients. That, in turn, suggests that gene therapy and other treatments now being developed for muscular dystrophies might be more beneficial if administered before muscle stem cells have lost their muscle-regenerating abilities.The findings also point to the possibility that future treatments to block the shortening of telomeres in muscle stem cells might be able to slow or even stop the disease. Mourkioti and colleagues now plan to employ their new method to help them find such a treatment, with an eye toward early intervention, when these stem cells are still capable of making new muscle."We are now looking for signaling pathways that affect telomere length in muscle stem cells, so that in principle we can develop drugs to block those pathways and maintain telomere length," Mourkioti said. "Currently very little is known about the factors that shorten or maintain telomeres."There are about 30 distinct muscular dystrophy disorders, all caused by gene mutations that impair the integrity of muscle cells. The most common, DMD, is caused by mutations to a gene on the X-chromosome, and affects one of every fifteen hundred boys born in the United States. Milder muscular dystrophy disorders typically result in lifelong disability.More severe ones, such as DMD, eventually destroy the muscles needed for breathing, and reduce life expectancy to the mid-20s. At present, there is no specific treatment that can stop the progression of these diseases.Source: Eurekalert
Celebrities are just like us. No matter how glamorous their lives seem to be and how flawless they look, they too have some or the other habit that they'd like to get rid of. Of course, they like to keep this side of their personality hidden from the paparazzi and their fans, but some way or the other, information gets out.

You might be aware about some of these or not, but these unusual habits of superstars might just make you feel better about yours:

1. Johnny Depp

This Pirates of the Caribbean' star is extremely passionate about collecting star figurines. That isn't even the weird part. Apparently, he owns dozens of limited edition Barbie dolls. He's got dolls based on Beyonce, Lindsay Lohan and even the High School Musical cast.

We are kinda creeped out by this.

 The Sun

2. Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage was once worth $150 million and could afford pretty much anything he wanted. But his habit of purchasing eccentric things ultimately led him into debt.

The actor once purchased 15 residences, 2 castles, a deserted island in the Bahamas, shrunken pygmy heads, luxury cars and a pet octopus and still wasn't satisfied with his outrageous purchases. He then outbid Leonardo DiCaprio for a 7-million-year-old dinosaur skull. The $276,000 artifact turned out to be stolen, however, and Cage had to return it to the government.

 Finance Buzz

3. Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is currently 55 years old but he definitely doesn't look like a man in his 50s. He spends a lot of time and energy on maintaining his physique but for his skin, the star relies on nightingale poo facials. The absurd facial involves mixing poo from a nightingale with rice bran and water which is then applied as a face mask.

 Reuters

4. Megan Fox

Chances are that you must have already read about the extremely weird habit of this bombshell. In case you haven't, be prepared to be disgusted. Megan herself admitted to the fact that she doesn't flush the toilet after she poops which is gross, to say the very least.

 Reuters

5. Shah Rukh Khan

How can we talk about superstars and not mention the King of Bollywood?

SRK has an obsession with jeans and footwear; so much so that he happens to own somewhere around 1500 pairs of jeans. And for footwear, the star revealed in an interview that he only removes his shoes once a day and sometimes, even sleeps with his shoes on.

 Viral Bhayani

6. Amitabh Bachchan

This megastar's unusual habit is rather adorable. Big B is often spotted wearing two wristwatches, which somehow also became a style statement. This habit, however, started long back, when Abhishek Bachchan was studying abroad and Big B wanted to keep track of the other time-zone. He also wears two wrist watches when daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is traveling abroad.

 India TV

7. Sunny Leone

While shooting for Jism 2', Sunny caused delay in shoots quite a number of times. The reason? The actress is a cleanliness freak of sorts, especially when it comes to her feet. In fact, she used to clean her feet with water, almost every 15 minutes, annoying everybody on set.

 India TV

8. Sushmita Sen

The former Miss Universe left everyone in shock when she revealed that she likes to take a bath on her terrace and that's where she has her bath tub placed. Too hard to wrap your head around this one, isn't it?

 Reuters

9. Manisha Koirala

Manisha Koirala has removed the door to the bathroom in her room as it provides her a bohemian feel. This decision obviously led to a major problem. She revealed that whenever a guest has to use the bathroom, the room has to be locked.

"Whats worse is that my Afghan Hounds - Deliah and Mustafa- just stroll into the bedroom and park themselves in the bathtub when it gets too hot, she said.

 Reuters
Dear Consuls,



First of all, I would like to thank you for responding to this invitation to a meeting on Thessaloniki, which is being held for the first time at this level.

The purpose of this invitation is for us to have an open and constructive discussion on the potential and prospects that exist for our implementing specific ideas and proposals in cooperation with the countries you represent in this city.

I will listen with interest to your positions and proposals, so that we can then consider the extent to which, and in what framework, we can move ahead to their implementation.

The Greek government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attach special importance to the city of Thessaloniki as a metropolitan centre of Southeast Europe. We have decided  and are already putting this into practice  that this city should host major regional conferences and meetings, and I refer you to the recent trilateral meetings that took place in June and July.

Thessaloniki can play a key role in the sectors of letters and culture, as its rich history makes it ideal suited for this. As you already know, in the immediate future the Holocaust Museum will be built in the city, pointing up the contribution of Greek Jews to its history. The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki also hosts the recently founded chair of Pontian Studies, which covers the history of a major part of the Greek Diaspora. It is also our intention for the city to host the headquarters of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, while recently, in June, we presented the digital map of the Hellenic diaspora, here in Thessaloniki.

Thus, we want to stress the international, multicultural identity of a city whose long tradition and history show that it can welcome and host events of all kinds. I would like to take this opportunity to say that, in the coming year, Aristotle University is planning to hold a conference on the Macedonian Struggle and the role the city of Thessaloniki in the First World War.
SEBEWAING  A special meeting is planned around invigorating next year's Michigan Sugar Festival.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept 13, at the Sebewaing Township Library.

Festival organizers are at a crossroads of what events to keep and are looking for new ideas on what to incorporate.

We are looking for input from the community on what they would like to see at next years festival, said Sebewaing Chamber of Commerce President Doug Deming. "We have a pretty good crew in place to run the festival, but new ideas and more volunteers are always needed."

We want to know from the community what events they like, how to make the ones we have better, and ideas for new ones," he added.

Michigan Sugar Festival organizers stress the festival is not in danger of being discontinued.

The festival has always had a great draw with its mix of family-friendly events. We are looking for some new ideas we can incorporate. There are a lot of suggestions here and there, but some are difficult to implement, said Deming, noting events at other festivals have been studied as well such as frog jumping contests. Melvin Kuhl has been festival chairman for years. He has done a great job, but it is the same people year after year stepping up. More volunteers are needed and more co-chairs of events too.

The festival came about during a chamber meeting in 1965 when then chamber president Herb Gettel suggested it because Sebewaing was one of four towns in the Thumb area to have sugar factories. Michigan Sugar Company officials were approached about the idea and embraced it. The festival is held each year in June.
Here are five news stories and events to start your week, from the editors at Military.com:

1. Trump Hails Military Personnel Responding to Irma

President Donald Trump hailed first responders for their efforts in responding to Hurricane Irma in Florida, singling out the Coast Guard for high praise, Richard Sisk reports at Military.com. The entire Florida Army and Air National Guard -- about 7,000 available members -- were activated to help with planning, logistics and support. Also, the National Guard Bureau has identified approximately 30,000 troops, 4,000 trucks, 100 helicopters and air evacuation crews that are standing by. The Air Force flew hundreds of doctors to Florida and the Air National Guard dispatched drones to help with relief efforts, Oriana Pawlyk reports at Military.com.

2. Marine Colonel Sentenced to 5 1/2 Years For Molesting Child

Via Hope Hodge Seck at Military.com: "A decorated Marine colonel was sentenced to 5-1/2 years behind bars after being found guilty of sexually abusing a six-year-old girl, a military jury of colonels and generals determined Sunday. Col. Daniel Wilson, 56, was convicted of sexual abuse of a child for touching her genitalia, but found not guilty on counts of raping the child by penetrating her with his fingers and of sexually assaulting another adult woman on multiple occasions. Wilson was also found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman for a series of instances of crude behavior amid heavy alcohol consumption."

3. Pilot Killed in Classified Test Flight Was Combat Vet, Family Man

Via Oriana Pawlyk at Military.com: Lt. Col. Eric Schultz, 44, died from injuries sustained in an accident in which a classified type of aircraft crashed around 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Nevada Test and Training Range, located about 100 miles northwest of Nellis Air Force Base, according to a base spokesperson. Schultz was a U.S. Air Force combat veteran and test pilot with over 2,000 hours flying numerous aircraft, including the F-35 and CF-18, Canada's variant of the F/A-18 Hornet, and the F-15E, in which he flew more than 50 close air support missions in Afghanistan. A studious professional with six degrees, he and his wife had five children.

4. These Vets Climb a Mountain in Alaska to Honor Fallen Colleagues

Via Amy Bushatz at Military.com: "It's not that there aren't other mountain peaks to climb near Anchorage, Alaska. But for Army veteran Kirk Alkire, only one really matters: Mount POW/MIA. Part of the vast Chugach mountain range in southern Alaska, the ascent to the peak from nearby Eklutna Lake Road has no marked trail or trailhead, no trail maintenance and no parking area. Still, Alkire has made it his personal responsibility to ascend the mountain multiple times per year to keep fresh the POW/MIA and U.S. flags that stand at the mountain's gusty summit. He makes the climb in part to honor members of his former Army unit."

5. ICYMI: Last of World War II's Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Turns 102

Via Dan Sewell of Associated Press: "The last of the 80 Doolittle Tokyo Raiders of World War II celebrated his 102nd birthday on Thursday. Retired Lt. Col. Richard E. 'Dick' Cole has remained active, attending commemorative events in recent years including April ceremonies for the raid's 75th anniversary at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. 'I'm holding together,' Cole said Thursday by telephone, adding with a chuckle: 'The only thing is I need a lot of WD-40.' President Donald Trump called the Ohio native in July as Cole was recovering from a fall, to check on him and thank him for his service."

-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.
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...
A decorated Marine colonel was sentenced to 5-1/2 years behind bars after being found guilty of sexually abusing a six-year-old girl, a military jury of colonels and generals determined Sunday.

Col. Daniel Wilson, 56, was convicted of sexual abuse of a child for touching her genitalia, but found not guilty on counts of raping the child by penetrating her with his fingers and of sexually assaulting another adult woman on multiple occasions.

Wilson was also found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman for a series of instances of crude behavior amid heavy alcohol consumption, including sexual remarks to a colleague's wife, which got him fired from a liaison posting in Darwin, Australia, 10 days into the job.

The trial stretched 10 days and included testimony from the child Wilson abused as well as her sisters and parents.

Related content:

Military attorneys for the prosecution described how Wilson and his wife had befriended the family last summer, and how the child had accused him after a two-week period in which the families saw each other frequently. Wilson was alone with the child unsupervised on multiple occasions, and her parents testified that he appeared to pay special attention to her on evenings they spent together.

He was fired from his job as operations officer for II Marine Expeditionary Force aboard Lejeune amid an investigation into those allegations.

Wilson was also sentenced to be dismissed from the Marine Corps. If the dismissal -- equivalent to a dishonorable discharge -- is approved, Wilson would lose all entitlements and retirement benefits. He will receive credit for previous time served: nearly eight months in the Camp Lejeune brig, where he was sent in January after the second set of sexual assault allegations surfaced.

Another Camp Lejeune officer's wife claimed Wilson twice assaulted her in late December 2016, while she and the Wilsons were on a trip to Beaufort, South Carolina, and sharing a hotel room suite. Wilson was ultimately acquitted on those charges, but was found guilty of unauthorized absence for making the trip without permission from his command.

Wilson entered the Marine Corps in 1981, serving first as an enlisted Marine, and was promoted to colonel in 2010. He had served 11 deployments, earning, among other awards, a Bronze Star.

A spokesman for II MEF, Lt. Col. Michael Armistead, said it wasn't immediately clear where Wilson will serve his sentence.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
The U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division is positioning its helicopters to be used in search-and-rescue operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, will relocate more than 35 aircraft, 40 vehicles and 370 personnel to various locations in the affected area, according to Fort Campbell officials.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by Hurricane Irma," said Col. Craig J. Alia, 101st CAB commander, in a Sept. 11 press release.

"We are leaning forward now, proactively positioning our personnel and equipment to help the American people if called forward to support," he said. "Should local officials and emergency services need additional assets, we will be staged and prepared to go at a moment's notice."

Related content:

The move is part of the Defense Department's massive emergency relief effort that includes the arrival of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln off Florida's east coast Sunday night.

Irma, downgraded to a tropical storm, continued to weaken as it moved northwesterly into the southeastern U.S. on Monday.

Storm Aftermath

The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated that nearly 5 million, or 34 percent, of Florida residents were without power.

The main water line into the Florida Keys was reported as being offline. Damage to the Keys may necessitate evacuation of the 10,000 people who did not evacuate prior to the storm, according to Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis, a DoD spokeswoman.

The category 5 hurricane ripped through the Caribbean, killing 37 people on its way to Florida, where at least seven people have died.

"The Department of Defense is well postured with naval, air, and ground assets to initiate response operations in Florida today and will continue response operations throughout the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico region," Davis said in a DoD press release.

The USS Kearsarge and USS Oak Hill continue to work in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, moving people and supplies to the islands. Approximately 4,600 service members are supporting relief operations in the region.

An MV-22 Osprey aircraft assisted in the movement of British Marines from St. Croix to the British Virgin Islands.

Approximately 10,400 service members are supporting relief operations in the Florida region.

Search-and-Rescue Assets

U.S. Northern Command's main focus Monday was the pre-positioning of search-and-rescue assets in Florida should those capabilities be requested, according to a press release.

Military elements at Naval Air Station Key West and Homestead Air Reserve Base are assessing and re-establishing airfield operations for the possible employment of search-and-rescue assets.

U.S. Transportation Command is postured to airlift search-and-rescue assets staged in the United States around the storm as airfields become operational, and help move SAR assets returning from Puerto Rico, it said.

The U.S. Air Force's Air Mobility Command response personnel continue working to reopen airfields in Florida for use by military aircraft in assisting civil authorities' efforts to provide rapid humanitarian aid to those affected by Hurricane Irma, if requested. Air Force helicopters are also preparing for possible SAR operations.

The U.S. Navy continued to move the USS Iwo Jima and USS New York toward Key West. The Abraham Lincoln arrived Sunday night with 24 helicopters on board.

The 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, is overseeing the Army's wheeled-vehicle effort, called Task Force Truck. The convoy has begun movement from Bragg with more than 100 high-water vehicles and nearly 400 soldiers. The high-water vehicles will be used in efforts to locate and rescue people who may be trapped by the flooding.

The Defense Logistics Agency is providing 76 fuel trucks at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, with another 14 on the way. Additional supplies include 834 commodity trailers to support victims displaced by Irma. The agency is expected to distribute 12 million meals over the next 10 days, according Pentagon officials.

101st Airborne Ready to Assist

The 101st Airborne began preparing to assist with Irma on Sept. 7 by organizing potential response forces.

While the division received orders to reposition some of its forces, it has not yet been ordered to assist in the "Total Army's support to local, state and federal hurricane response efforts and the Defense Department's Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission," according to Fort Campbell officials.

However, the 101st is prepared to respond if necessary, officials maintain.

"The Army's readiness -- its ability to rapidly deploy trained and ready forces wherever they are needed -- is critical to protecting America, America's interests and American lives," said 101st Airborne spokesman Lt. Col. Martin L. O'Donnell. "Make no mistake, the 101st is ready."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
A Marine Corps pilot was to blame for a coastal crash of an MV-22 Osprey off the northern coast of Okinawa, Japan, last December, the service announced Monday in a brief statement.

The crash, which was initially described by the service as a shallow-water landing until images emerged of the splintered and fragmented Osprey, resulted in a brief emergency grounding of all V-22s in the Pacific for safety checks.

The five Marines aboard the aircraft were injured in the crash, but all survived.

The grounding was lifted Dec. 19, six days after the Dec. 13 crash.

In an Okinawa press conference following the incident, III Marine Expeditionary Force commander Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson said the Osprey was conducting aerial refueling operations over water when the rotor blades hit the refueling line.

"After the aircraft was unhooking, it was shaking violently," Nicholson said, according to remarks reported in a III MEF news release from the time. "The pilot made a decision to not fly over Okinawan homes and families. He made a conscious decision to try to reach Camp Schwab ... and land in the shallow water to protect his crew and the people of Okinawa."

Military.com has made multiple efforts to obtain the results of the command investigation into the crash, but the request has been denied as the investigation was ongoing.

In a February memo to Military.com in response to the first request, officials with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing said some information was not publicly releasable because it was covered by attorney-client privilege.

At the time, however, III MEF officials said no charges had been filed against any Marines involved in the crash.

In a III MEF release Monday, officials confirmed Nicholson's description of the event, saying the Osprey's right propeller made contact with another plane's refueling basket and hose during refueling operations roughly 30 kilometers, or about 19 miles, off the coast of Okinawa.

With a damaged propeller, the pilots decided not to fly over a populated area and made an "emergency controlled water landing, under powered flight," coming down about two miles southeast of Higashi.

The release does not specify what errors were made to cause the damage and subsequent crash.

"I want to again thank the Japan Coast Guard, Okinawan Police and the U.S. Air Force 33rd and 31st Rescue Squadrons for their support and assistance during this incident," Nicholson said in a statement.

"This was a regrettable incident but one that could have been much worse without the quick reaction of the crew and the support of our Okinawan and Air Force partners," he said. "We will continue safe flight operations of the MV-22 and all of our aircraft in support of our alliance with Japan."

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @HopeSeck.
President Donald Trump hailed first responders Sunday for their efforts thus far in preparing for Hurricane Irma in Florida, singling out the Coast Guard for high praise.

"I'll be going to Florida very soon" to survey the damage and hear firsthand from Gov. Rick Scott, R-Florida, and others on the response, Trump said at the White House. He later Tweeted that he would make the trip on Thursday. Trump went twice to Texas and Louisiana following Hurricane Harvey.

Trump spoke late Sunday afternoon after arriving at the White House from the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, where he convened his Cabinet on the Irma response.

Related content:

"I think it's been going really well," Trump said. "It's a rough hurricane," he said, and "the Coast Guard has been amazing already. You've been hearing what they're doing right in the middle of the storm."

In addition, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration) "has been incredible. We're working very well with the governor (Scott) and the other governors in the surrounding states."

"And I'll tell you what, we have great people, and a group that really deserves tremendous credit is the United States Coast Guard," Trump said. "If you talk about branding, no brand has improved more than the United States Coast Guard."

The Coast Guard carried out more than a thousand rescues in Hurricane Harvey and Rear Adm. Peter Brown, commander of the Coast Guard's 7th District covering Florida, said earlier "We are ready" for Hurricane Irma.

The 400-mile wide storm hit the Florida Keys early Sunday, unleashing violent wind gusts and storm-surge flooding, on a path that traced Florida's Gulf Coast.

At 5 p.m. Sunday, Irma's eyewall was about five miles north of Naples, Florida, which recorded a wind gust of 142 mph, the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Irma was downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph as it approached Naples, the NHC said

U.S. Northern Command said that the military was working through FEMA to support authorities in Florida, as well as in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, which were hit by Irma last week.

The amphibious assault ships Wasp and Kearsarge, and the dock landing ship Oak Hill, with Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard, were conducting a large offload of relief supplies in the Virgin Islands while continuing air search and rescue, NorthCom said.

"Over the past 24 hours in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Navy and Marine Corps aircraft have conducted medical evacuations of 73 medical patients and the Defense Logistics Agency has delivered 2,000 tarps, 40 pallets of food, water and medical supplies," NorthCom said in a statement.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
In a solemn ceremony Monday, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis honored those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon and pledged to continue the 16-year-old battle against the "maniacs" and "horrible enemies" who still threaten the nation.

"It was the worst attack on our country since Pearl Harbor and even worse because this was an attack on civilians -- innocent men, women and children whose lives were taken so needlessly" on Sept. 11, 2001, in lower Manhattan; on a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania; and at the Pentagon, Trump said.

"The living, breathing soul of America wept with grief for every life taken on that day," Trump said on the Pentagon grounds near the memorial for the 184 who were killed when American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the building, sending burning jet fuel down its corridors.

Related content:

"We shed our tears in their memory, pledged our devotion in their honor, and turned our sorrow into an unstoppable resolve to achieve justice in their name," he said in echoing the theme of American commitment to the fight that Mattis had expressed in his previous remarks.

"The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit. But America cannot be intimidated, and those who try will soon join the long list of vanquished enemies who dared to test our mettle," Trump said.

"American forces are relentlessly pursuing and destroying the enemies of all civilized people, ensuring -- and these are horrible, horrible enemies -- enemies like we've never seen before," he said, "but we're ensuring they never again have a safe haven to launch attacks against our country."

Trump never used the term "radical Islamic terrorists" that became a catchphrase in the presidential campaign, and neither did Mattis, who stressed the resiliency of the U.S. military.

"We Americans are not made of cotton candy. We are not seaweed drifting in the current. We are not intimidated by our enemies," Mattis said. "And Mr. President, your military does not scare" when confronted by "maniacs disguised in false religious garb."

"In the aftermath of the attack," the SecDef said, "our service members -- our nation -- rallied together as one. For while we had never asked for this fight, we are steadfastly committed to seeing it through, as President Trump has made abundantly clear."

The tone for the ceremony was set by Air Force Chaplain Maj. Gen. Dondi Costin in his opening prayer.

"Whereas Moses was commanded from a burning bush on holy ground to rescue his countrymen from their oppressors, our generation was commissioned from a burning building on this site to do the same," Costin said.

He prayed for Americans to be steadfast in their "righteous actions" against terrorists, and said all would be judged "in the quality of our vigilance in keeping bad guys on the run."

Earlier, family members gathered at the outdoor memorial, which consists of 184 illuminated benches for each of the victims, arranged according to the victim's age -- from three-year-old Dana Falkenberg to 71-year-old John Yamnicky Sr.

The inscription on the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial says those who perished at the Pentagon "were mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons."

"They came from all walks of life: administrative assistants, doctors, educators, flight crew members, military leaders, scientists, and students," it states. "They came from towns and cities, large and small, across the United States and around the world. The youngest was only three years old; the oldest, 71."

Later at the White House, Trump signed a one-year renewal of the National Emergencies Act, to continue the national emergency declared on Sept. 14, 2001, "in response to certain terrorist acts" that occurred on 9/11.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Related Video:
Legion Holds Columbus, Ohio Town Hall

The American Legion invites all Columbus, Ohio, area veterans and their family members to discuss their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care at a town hall meeting to be held Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m., inside the Don Gentile American Legion Post 532, located at 1571 Demorest Road, Columbus, Ohio. Staff from The American Legion National Headquarters office in Washington, D.C., The American Legion Department of Ohio, as well as representatives from VA and members of the Ohio congressional delegation will be in attendance.

Get the latest Veteran News and Updates on Military.com.
You've served your country. Now what? Civilian life can be a challenging transition, especially financially. For veterans easing their way back into civilian life, many resources are available to help them with the financial aspects of life outside the military.

From finding your next job to dealing with credit card debt (or other types of debt) to going back to school to finding assistance during a financial emergency, we have tips and resources to help you successfully make your way into civilian life.

Finding Your Next Job

For many veterans, one of the most challenging aspects about the transition into civilian life is finding employment. With the veteran unemployment rate higher than the civilian one, it can be intimidating.

First, there is the need to translate your hard-earned skills to civilian employers. In your resumes and cover letters, focus on how your military experience makes you a great employee for any company. After all, you've already demonstrated loyalty, an ability to think on your feet in fast-changing situations, and you very likely have specialized skills that are much in demand in many industries. Focus on making your skills understandable to the civilian audience: take out military language and acronyms. On LinkedIn, you can see how other veterans are presenting their skills and reach out to them

Beyond USAJobs, many resources exist to help connect veterans to jobs such as Military.com's veteran jobs section.

Finally, consider starting your own company. SCORE is a nationwide organization that links entrepreneurs to mentors, and they have special resources dedicated to veterans. You're eligible to receive free financial advice from a CPA, scholarships for business workshops, and sessions with mentors to guide you to small business success.

How the GI Bill Helps You Get Back to School

For those interested in pursuing higher education, the GI bill provides two options. The Montgomery Bill allows service members to enroll with a $100 fee for 12 months, and you are eligible for up to 36 months of benefits, up to 10 years after active service. Benefits are paid directly to you.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is similar, but tuition and fees are paid directly to the university, while housing allowance and stipend funds are paid to the student. The Bill covers up to 36 months of benefits.

To find out more about the GI bill, see our detailed article here.

Hardship Resources

Veterans also face the challenge of receiving the benefits they are rightfully due from Veteran Affairs. Long, bureaucratic delays hamper veterans' abilities to successfully transition into civilian life. If you are a veteran who finds yourself struggling to pay the bills after your service, resources also exist to help out in any situation. Here are a few:

The American Legion provides cash grants for children of service members as financial assistance for emergency aid.

Operation First Response and The Coalition to Salute American Heroes are both organizations that provide financial assistance for veterans. They take into account individual needs and situations, so if you're facing utility shutoffs, foreclosure, or eviction, they can provide help.

USA Cares is an organization that helps keep veterans in their homes. According to their website, they have allocated $10 million in grants to support veterans who face a range of problems from unemployment to foreclosure to PTSD.

Disabled American Veterans is an organization geared towards those who have become disabled in their duty. They have 100 offices around the U.S., and they help provide a wide range of services for disabled vets, ranging from applications for services to education to home loan guarantees.

No matter what your financial needs are, resources exist to help connect veterans to organizations and services.
BATTLE CREEK, MI -- The bar top and several tap handles from Arcadia Brewing Co.'s now closed Battle Creek location are up for grabs.

The website biddergy.com has an auction that starts at 8 a.m. Tuesday and includes more than 100 items from Arcadia's Battle Creek location that closed Sept. 2. The auction website states that the items in the auction aren't planned for Arcadia's new Battle Creek location that is set to open in early 2018.

Auction items include a complete bar top, a back bar, walk-in coolers, furniture and kitchen equipment.

Tim Suprise, founder and CEO of Arcadia announced the Battle Creek's location Aug. 18, saying there were structural issues with the brewery's longtime location at 103 W. Michigan Ave in Battle Creek.

Suprise said he would announce plans for a new downtown Battle Creek location soon, and said he was working with the city's economic development team. He said he hoped to be able to reopen in early to mid-2018 if he could find a suitable location quickly.

Suprise said last month the new brewery will need 6,000 to 6,500 square feet of space, with 1,500 to 1,700 square feet for its brewery operation and the balance for patrons.

In May of 2014, the brewery opened its 30,000-square-foot Arcadia Ales location at 701 E. Michigan Ave. in downtown Kalamazoo. That has become headquarters for the brewery business.

Arcadia also is set to open Arcadia Ales & Smokehouse in Lansing still this year. Another party will own and operate Arcadia Ales & Smokehouse, based on a licensing agreement.
ANN ARBOR, MI - 2,977 American flags were placed in the grass near the University of Michigan Diag in honor 9/11 victims on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017.

The 9/11: Never Forget Project, organized by the Young Americans for Freedom at the University of Michigan, began at 7 a.m. and runs to 7 p.m. Monday.

More than 200 campuses participate in the annual Young Americans for Freedom memorial and, since 2003, 10.4 million flags have been displayed.

Check out our gallery from this year's event.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Three Ann Arbor firefighters have been deployed to Florida to assist in Irma rescue and recovery operations.

Lt. Allen Bruck, Captain James Budd and firefighter Bryce McAllister are members of the Michigan Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1 and have specialized training in technical rescue and handling highly trained search dogs, according to the city.

"The city of Ann Arbor is especially proud of our firefighters, who are joining a 36-member team from 22 fire departments across Michigan, for their dedicated service to helping those in need," the city stated in an email on Monday, Sept. 11.

Thank you to the A2 Firefighters who are assisting with Hurricane Irma rescue efforts: Cap Budd, FF McAllister & Lt Bruck. #IrmaHurricane pic.twitter.com/tOJcVE01ex  City of Ann Arbor (@A2GOV) September 11, 2017

Irma came ashore on the mainland as a Category 2 hurricane, but the National Hurricane Center said it has weakened to a tropical storm.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor officials are meeting Monday night, Sept, 11, to take a big-picture look at city revenues, and to discuss whether it's time for a city income tax.

The city's staff will be giving a presentation to the City Council during a special work session starting at 7 p.m. at city hall, 301 E. Huron St.

The meeting is open to the public.

For a sneak peek at what exactly they'll be discussing, see the 28-page presentation in the image gallery above.

The presentation covers topics ranging from street funding to utility rates to pension obligations, while laying out the city's argument that funding for local governments in Michigan is broken and state law has eliminated the city's flexibility to levy voter-approved taxes. As a result, city officials say, expenses are rising faster than revenues.

In addition, the city argues, the state has been keeping sales tax receipts that should be going to local governments. Since 2003, that has amounted to $52 million less than "full funding" to the city, and now the gap is greater than $5 million per year, according to the city.

The presentation also states the city has been unable to set aside funding to maintain existing assets such as street lights, park facilities and other city facilities such as fire stations and roofs.

"Consequently, there is insufficient funding to invest in new capital improvements," the presentation states, citing lack of funding for the city's share of a proposed $80 million train station and parking deck, improvements along street corridors such as State, Main and Huron, new fire stations, affordable and workforce housing initiatives, climate and energy initiatives, and a proposed $55 million urban trail.

"Although the city is always looking to reduce costs, significant reductions have already been made. Major cost reductions in the future will reduce or eliminate services which this community has said it values," the presentation states, going on to analyze options for increasing annual revenue by as much as $8 million or $11 million through either a Headlee override or city income tax.

Both options would require voter approval.

A Headlee override would reset the city's general operating millage from 6.034 mills to 7.5 mills, the originally approved rate.

Ann Arbor's city charter requires that, if an income tax is adopted, the city's general operating millage must be eliminated.

The city millage that would go away is a roughly 6-mill property tax. It costs about $600 per year for the owner of a home with a $200,000 market value and a $100,000 taxable value.

For Ann Arbor, the maximum city income tax rate allowed under Michigan law is 1 percent for residents and 0.5 percent for non-residents, and that's what the city has been considering -- along with some exemptions, including a minimum income level before a city income tax is applied.

According to the city, eliminating the city's general operating millage would amount to a 10 percent overall reduction in local property taxes.

Property taxes last year accounted for 56 percent of the city's general fund revenue. With an income tax, that drops to 17 percent, while income taxes become the largest source of revenue. The details of that are broken out in charts included in the presentation.

The presentation also shows how a city income tax could generate several million dollars in new revenue from non-residents who commute to work in Ann Arbor, while increasing the overall amount of taxes city residents pay and significantly lowering taxes paid by corporations.

If the city decides to continue down the path of exploring a city income tax, an idea that's been kicked around for decades, potential next steps include commissioning a new independent income tax study in fiscal year 2018-19 and phasing in an income tax by 2022.

See the presentation for more details.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Despite an approaching storm that threatened his safety, all Joe Taylor wanted to do on Saturday, Sept. 9, was watch Michigan make its home debut in the Big House.

Taylor was born and raised in Ann Arbor, but now lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., which is expected to be hit by Hurricane Irma early Monday morning. After hearing the storm had shifted further to the west on Sunday morning, he opted to evacuate his home with his wife and head for higher ground an hour northeast in Spring Hill, where they are now staying with friends.

The past week has been extremely stressful, Taylor said, with TV coverage devoted almost exclusively to the hurricane. That made getting away from the coverage - even for a few hours - a necessity on Saturday.

"I wanted to just relax and watch the Michigan game but it wasn't being shown because almost every channel is broadcasting news about the hurricane," he said Sunday. "It's stressful, because all you see are those yellow, green and red colors on the screen. I finally was able to watch it after I downloaded the WatchESPN app for my phone."

"It's hard to deal with and it takes a toll on everyone," he added. "Everyone is in a panic at the grocery stores. It's like every man for themselves."

The hurricane is expected to make a slow, ruinous march up the state's west coast, hitting the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area by Monday morning.

By midafternoon, Irma's winds had dropped to a still-fearsome 120 mph, according to the Associated Press.

Many streets were underwater in downtown Miami and in other cities. Roof damage and floating appliances and furniture were reported in the low-lying Keys, but the full extent of Irma's wrath was not clear.

While the projected track showed Irma raking the state's Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state - including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people - was in extreme peril because of the sheer size of the storm.

Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to evacuate, including 6.4 million in Florida alone, according to the AP.

Taylor said he did about 3 to 4 days worth of prep work on his house this week, including boarding up doors and windows. He and his wife waited in long lines at the grocery store before finally finding a place they were able to get the last three cases of water at.

With winds at 25 to 30 mph and rain coming down steadily on the drive up to Spring Hill, it brings back memories associated with other hurricanes Taylor has experienced as a Florida resident.

"There's no predictability with a hurricane," he said. "Yesterday afternoon the clouds were swirling overhead and I had a sense it was coming. The wind and rain is steadily picking up. It's moving pretty fast - hopefully it comes and goes fast. I've been through a couple of them before - the wind and the rain is just relentless."
ANN ARBOR, MI - Community leaders are gathering to discuss the future of affordability and quality of life in Ann Arbor and where those two things intersect with economic development.

The Ann Arbor Economic Development Summit is taking place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, on the University of Michigan campus, and the city is inviting community members to attend.

"At its root, economic development is about the long-term sustainability of the quality of life we enjoy here in Ann Arbor," City Administrator Howard Lazarus said in a statement.

"We expect this summit will elevate our community dialogue to the strategic level in order to identify pragmatic and actionable methods to improve affordability and quality of life in Ann Arbor."

The event is taking place inside the Great Lakes Room on the fourth floor of Palmer Commons, 100 Washtenaw Ave.

Former City Council Member Sally Hart Petersen, the city administrator's executive policy advisor for economic development, helped organize the summit.

The event is open to the public, and seating for up to 60 community members will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be a chance for public comments toward the end of the meeting.

According to the city's website, objectives of the summit include reviewing data that identifies factors that impact affordability in Ann Arbor, identifying economic development opportunities and priorities for the city, and gaining consensus on a formal body that will be accountable for economic development strategy and advise the City Council and administration on pragmatic tactics going forward.

Topic examples include:

How does UM enhance Ann Arbor's business community?

What do the private and nonprofit sectors need from Ann Arbor's city government?

What are the barriers to private-sector job growth?

What elements of economic development can Ann Arbor's city government positively impact?

What does the community at large need from Ann Arbor's city government and UM?

Community leaders representing the private, nonprofit and public sectors, as well as the university, are expected to attend. The event will be moderated by Julia Novak of the Novak Consulting Group, who also facilitates the City Council's annual budget retreats.

At the city's last budget retreat, the idea of a city income tax reemerged. City leaders are
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

The Board of Directors of the Company at their meeting held on 9th September, 2017, have:1. Approved the Unaudited Financial Results (Standalone & Consolidated) of the Company for the quarter ended 30th June, 2017.2. Recommended to the shareholders of the Company for approval through Postal Ballot, the issue and allotment of Non-convertible Debentures upto Rs. 200 Crore (Rupees Two Hundred Crore Only).3. Appointed Shri Sharad Mahendra as a Whole Time Director of the company w.e.f. September 9, 2017, subject to approval of shareholders through Postal Ballot.4. Decided to enter into a Joint Venture Agreement with One to One Holdings PTE. LTD. (a Holding Company of Daiwa Steel Tube Industries Co. Ltd, incorporated in Japan), for manufacturing of in-line galvanized tubes, by incorporating a new Indian Private Company with investment upto Rs. 75 Crores and authorized in this regard certain directors/Executives/Finance Committee of the Company to sign the Joint Venture Agreement.Source : BSE

Read More
Micro lender Bharat Financial Inculsion on Monday said it had entered into an 'exclusivity agreement with the private sector lender IndusInd Bank Ltd in a bid to explore a merger or expansion plans.

The transaction between the two companies would be subject to due diligence, agreement on the appropriate on the appropriate transaction structure, definitive documentation and Board, shareholders, regulatory, NCLT and other third-party approvals, as applicable, the release said.

Throwing more light on the above development, MR Rao, MD & CEO, Bharat Financial Inclusion told CNBC-TV18 that the due diligence is yet to be done on both sides and the final terms are yet to be negotiated with IndusInd Bank. Only post due diligence and terms are agreed by both, we can say that the deal is done deal, he added.

Stating the advantage post the deal and being converted into a bank, Rao said it would enable them to become more efficient in making cashless transactions, have more products and also the cost of funds will be lower.

They would also be able to handle competition from small finance banks and help mitigate lot of risks, he said.

When asked if they would become a subsidiary or merged into the bank, Rao said the structure of transactions have yet to be decided.

Talking about the current cost to income being around 52 percent, he said that was due to demonetisation and election but once more digitization comes into play and they become cashless, tech savvy, the cost to income ratio would likely go below 40 percent.

So we will get lot of synergies by being part of a bank and that will play out in terms of operational efficiencies on the ground, he said.

On the business outlook, he said growth is on tract, the one-time impact of demonetisation is fully provided, all the new loans given from January 2017 are clocking at 99.9 percent repayment. He said, they standby the guidance given for the year in terms of growth at 50 percent.
Sudarshan Sukhani of s2analytics.com told CNBC-TV18, "Among the stocks, the first one would be Bharat Financial. It has a chart that suggests momentum is still favouring it on the upside. It is also in my buy list and I would be a willing buyer if you start with a day trade. If it closes strong you can actually carry it for tomorrow also."

"The other stocks are also on the buy side because the Nifty is strong. It has broken out. There is no day trade in the Nifty itself but there are trades in individual stocks. So Ashok Leyland is a buy on dips opportunity. It is already in a dip. We assume that support should come somewhere or the other, otherwise there is a tight stop loss. So Ashok Leyland is a buy."

"The second buy is Ambuja Cements. Ambuja together with ACC is rallying. The cement sector itself is promising much better returns. It is a positional trade, you buy for a few weeks, and it is a short term trade," he said.

"The long term prospect for any bluechip company and Vedanta qualifies as a bluechip company, are excellent in India. So, you hold on to Vedanta. The problem is elsewhere, metals go through this cyclical moves, I think the uptrend in metals is probably coming to an end and a sharp correction maybe in the offing. As a long term investor, you will have to accept that there will be a correction, there will be a dip and you just have to ride them. So, I am just giving a caveat there that a small correction in this price should be ignored. The long term prospects are excellent, hold on," he said.

"You sell Glenmark Pharma ; it is very easy. The market does not care for our cost prices. The market simply identifies a price at which it is currently trading. Pharmaceutical has a long way generally before it bottoms out and Glenmark is very weak. Stay away," he added.
Ashwani Gujral of ashwanigujral.com told CNBC-TV18, "Gas stocks have definitely started a fresh move. So that is a place where even for the day people could look. As far as individual stocks right now are concerned, CESC is continuing its upside. That is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 1,040 and target of Rs 1,075."

"Axis Bank is a sell with a stop loss of Rs 500 and target of Rs 475. This is a trade you can probably avoid for a bit because Bank Nifty has broken out."

"The third one is Chennai Petroleum . That is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 455 and target of Rs 480," he said.
1. Apollo Micro Systems | Return: -54.18% | Issue size: Rs 113 crore | Listing date: January 22, 2018 | Subscription ratio: 248.51 | Apollo Micro Systems caters primarily to the defence and aerospace sectors. (Image: Reuters)

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

The signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation with Russias Rosoboronexport last week has opened the door wider for commercial vehicle specialist Ashok Leyland to make an aggressive bid for the Armys Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) project.

The Rs 60,000-crore project, which has been stuck since the past several years, is one of the first mega defence projects where private parties were invited to make a bid. A total of 2,600 of such combat vehicles are to be supplied to the Indian army over a period of a several years.

Speaking to Moneycontrol, Vinod Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland said, We are quiet but we are there. We are doing the mobility part of it because thats what we specialise in while our partner from Rosoboronexport will handle the combat vehicle platform part of it.

Results of the bid were expected to be out by December last year which subsequently got pushed to March end. With three changes in the Defence Ministry in the span of five months (in less than half a year, India has had three Defence Ministers  Manohar Parrikar, Arun Jaitley and Nirmala Sitaraman) the project was put on the back burner.

The list of private companies who have thrown their hat in the ring include Larsen & Toubro, Tata Motors-Bharat Forge, Tata Power, Mahindra & Mahindra, Pipavav Defence and Punj Llyod. State-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) could likely be automatically selected.

Top two companies are to be shortlisted to build one prototype of the FICV each. About 80 percent of the manufacturing cost of these prototypes are to be funded by the government. Subsequently, these prototypes which will be built at a cost of Rs 3,000-4,000 crore are to be tested and evaluated by the Army in different conditions.

However, the contract is to be split, with the winner getting a majority 60 percent of the supply contract while the runner-up takes the rest. The FICV will replace the existing BMP-2 Sarath, which was built by OFB under licence from Russia. There are approximately 900 BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles in operation with the Army.

Recent media reports stated that there has not been much of a headway in the FICV project as some of the contenders are non-compliant on commercial and technical capability.

Though there has been a substantial delay in finalising the top two bidders for the project manufacturers are optimistic about the appointment of Nirmala Sitaraman as the new Defence Minister.

She has done a fantastic job as the Commerce Minister. She is very approachable. We went to her with a specific problem with regards to exports and she resolved it very quickly. I hope the defence procurement goes up substantially considering the pace at which she works. She is very sharp and she will pick up very fast. Our experience with her was very positive, added Dasari.
lifeinsuranceresized[1]_52358076

Standalone health insurance company Apollo Munich Health Insurance is looking to raise funds through the Tier II capital route. Antony Jacob, Chief Executive Officer, Apollo Munich Health Insurance said that they will raise capital that may include non-convertible debentures (NCDs) based on the growth plans.

We will be looking for funds from time-to-time based on capital requirements. The Insurance Act now allows insurers to use Tier II capital. But, no fresh equity infusion is expected, said Jacob.

Apollo Munich Health Insurance is a joint venture between the Apollo Hospitals Group and reinsurer Munich Re. The health insurer had collected premiums of Rs 1,300 crore in FY17 and Jacob said that they are targeting to touch Rs 1,700 crore in this fiscal.

We believe that we will grow by 25-30 percent in the next five years, said Jacob. Apollo Munich completed 10 years of operations in August 2017.

Compared to when they started the business, Jacob said that the products under health insurance are no longer one size fits all.

The way health insurance is designed and administered has changed. Things like disease-specific products are slowly catching on and we will continue to reinvent, he said.

The insurer is seeing more than 50 percent of the policies through the tablet mode. Wellness is another area, where Jacob said that they are offering solutions.

Whilst we are promising to take care of healthcare finances if you fall sick, but we also help you manage your health. Individuals will get 8 percent discount during renewals if they have averaged 10,000 steps a day through our app-based offering, he explained.

In terms of business mix, retail constitutes 75-80 percent of the business while the rest is corporate/group accounts. Jacob said that unsustainable pricing is still a cause of concern for them.

On the government sponsored health insurance scheme (Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana), Apollo Munich is not present currently, though it had been a part of it earlier. Jacob said that this is because not only is the government trying to bring in a new scheme and the existing one is limited to a few states but also because pricing also went to a level below cost and did not make financial sense for them.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Almost 20 years after its birth, Bharat Financial Inclusion, Indias first listed micro finance institution (MFI), will soon merge with mid-sized private lender IndusInd Bank in a likely all-stock deal.

IndusInd Bank took the final cake while other potential buyers including Kotak Mahindra Bank, IDFC, Aditya Birla group and RBL Bank in the fray seem to have lost out.

In August 2010, the erstwhile SKS Microfinance (now rechristened as Bharat Financial Inclusion) debuted on the Bombay Stock Exchange at a price of Rs 1,040. On Monday, it ended at Rs 967.25 apiece.

MR Rao, MD & CEO, Bharat Financial Inclusion, told Moneycontrol, In the long run, most microfinance institutions destination point would be a bank and hope this translates into good business into the financial inclusion space."

According to reports, the swap ratio being considered is one share of IndusInd Bank for 1.75 shares of Bharat Financial while RBL had proposed a 2:1 ratio.

If the merger fructifies, it will be the third deal for IndusInd Bank, after Deutsche Bank's credit card portfolio in 2011 and RBS' diamond financing book in 2015.

As for Bharat Financial, given that its financials have been in trouble post demonetisation and farm loan waiver announcements, this merger comes as a relief to reduce their costs and improve efficiencies.

According to Rao, "One obvious synergy is that this will reduce our cost of funds. Also, our borrowers get an avenue to put their small savings into the banks savings accounts. We have this kirana store concept where the borrowers can park their savings with us. So, from purely being a micro-credit company, this transaction will catapult us into a full-fledged financial inclusion entity."

In Q1 FY18, it made a loss of Rs 36.6 crore while in FY17, the loss stood at Rs 235.6 crore due to higher provisions with rising defaults and lower collections.

Rao added that Bharat Financial customers can also be offered the banks loan products such as housing loan, or two-wheeler loans, etc. and at an operating efficiency level, the bank will help us get more cashless or digital.

The microlender already has a business correspondent relationship with IndusInd in Karnataka for many years now.

At present, Bharat Financial Inclusion has 1,408 branches and employs 15,284 people. With 6.8 million customers, it has a loan book of Rs 10,971 crore.

Bharat Financial Inclusions journey

In 1997, Vikram Akula-founded SKS Microfinance and pushed into a for-profit microfinance model in India, in a bid to make it sustainable by attracting talent and investors while lending to the bottom of the pyramid.

Soon after its listing in 2010, a crisis broke out in the MFI sector in Andhra Pradesh where SKS Microfinance had focused its operations. Soon after, followed an ordinance by the state government which restricted microlending in the southern state and clamped down on loan recovery practices.

This crippled the microfinance firms in Andhra Pradesh, including SKS Microfinance, and the Reserve Bank of India took over the regulation of the microfinance industry.

The crisis for the industry ended but not for SKS Microfinance. In November 2011, founder Akula was forced out of the company following a high-stakes battle between the management and the board regarding the companys future strategy.

After Akulas exit, the company and its new management tried to de-risk the companys balance sheet. It also applied for a licence to convert itself into a small finance bank which was denied by the Reserve Bank of India in 2015.

Fast forward two years later, on Monday, Bharat Financial informed the stock exchanges that the company has entered into an Exclusivity Agreement with IndusInd Bank Limited (IndusInd Bank) for agreeing to have an exclusive discussion with IndusInd Bank about the proposed potential strategic combination by way of amalgamation through a scheme of arrangement, or any other suitable structure.

The deal also comes at a time when it is faced with tough competition from both universal and small finance banks.

Rao says both parties intend to conclude the deal within 30 days with more intense engagement and come out with the final arrangement as soon as possible. "We will need approvals from the RBI, CCI, etc. once the definitive agreement is signedOnce we see the complete transition, we will see more details on the impact on cost of funds. The deal amount, changes in the senior management and whether it will be a separate entity or now will be a part of the definitive agreement."

This suffices to say that amid the slowdown faced by the microfinance industry today, it may look at further consolidation. And Bharat Financial could soon see a rating upgrade along with a turnaround in its profits very soon.
Janalakshmi Financial Services (JFS), the microfinance company which recently received the final licence to set up a small finance bank (SFB), has raised Rs 1,030 crore.

The current round of capital-raising is a crucial step in enabling JFS to complete its transition into a small finance bank, the micro lender said.

TPG is leading the current round and investing a significant amount that includes a structured portion at the holding company level. Other current investors participating in this round are Morgan Stanley Asia managed PE fund (NHPEA), Treeline, QRG Enterprises Limited and Vallabh Bhansali. Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited, the company said in a statement.

With fresh capital, JFS expects to launch the small finance bank with a target of nearly 300 store fronts by 2018 across the country.

It currently has a network of 462 branches across the country in 17 states and 2 union territories.

Currently, JFS offers micro loans to women, small and marginal farmers and the urban poor for home improvement and education, among other things.

JFS will continue serving its core client base of 5 million plus customers and offer services through the small finance bank beyond the scope of microfinance. Importantly, JFS aims to expand its reach and empower unbanked segments of the society with financial tools such as savings accounts, the ability to engage in cashless transactions and innovative financial products.

Ramesh Ramanathan, Chairman, Janalakshmi Financial Services said, Janalakshmi has been championing financial inclusion and with this latest round of capital infusion, it strengthens our ability to continue our inclusion agenda.

Ajay Kanwal, CEO, Janalakshmi Financial Services, added JFS is the largest microfinance player and remains committed to serve the underserved as it transitions to being a small finance bank. The investment in JFS by existing and new investors is a strong sign of their faith in JFSs business model and future.

Janalakshmi is one of the 10 entities that got a licence to set up a small finance bank.
A plug is seen coming from the Chevrolet Volt electric car during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan January 13, 2009. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (UNITED STATES) - RTR23CT6

Government think-tank Niti Aayog is outlining an ambitious policy framework that would challenge firms across the country and worldwide to set up factories for electric vehicles, batteries and charging infrastructure.

According to an Economic Times report, a person close to the development said that the Centre is looking to facilitate investment and the possible maturation of technologies in just 100 to 200 days. It will provide land, a relaxation in regulations and the required infrastructure for companies to rope in further investment from Indian and international companies.

ALSO READ: Switch to clean vehicles or be bulldozed: Nitin Gadkari to automakers

The policy was inspired by Tesla chief Elon Musk's characteristically ambitious target of providing the Australian government with a grid-scale battery in three months or giving it away free of charge if he overshoots the deadline. His challenge was rewarded with a full-fledged contract against stiff competition.

The Economic Times report also mentioned the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid & Electric (FAME) vehicles, which is currently under the Department of Heavy Industries. It is expected to bring about fiscal incentives for electric vehicle manufacturers and attached infrastructure.

India, meanwhile, aims to go fully electric by 2030. The dependence on oil takes a significant chunk of the countrys foreign exchange reserves. The government is also considering tax breaks to make electric vehicles affordable.

Last week, road transport minister Nitin Gadkari warned automakers that he would "bulldoze" them into using alternative fuels whether they liked it or not.

The report states that the scale and schedule for projects have not been worked out yet.
Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com told CNBC-TV18, "Stay invested in Canara Bank, you will make money. If you want to add, add more, maybe exit around Rs 360-370 zones."

At 15:08 hrs Canara Bank was quoting at Rs 333.60, up Rs 1.85, or 0.56 percent.

The share touched its 52-week high Rs 414.90 and 52-week low Rs 250.17 on 05 May, 2017 and 02 January, 2017, respectively.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

IndiGo is likely to consider wet-lease option to raise its passenger capacity for the upcoming season, a report in the Business Standard said. This will be the first wet-lease for the company which has been dry-leasing planes since 2015.

Wet-leasing could increase operational costs, but the airline also fears losing market share due to slowdown in delivery of its new aircraft.

The airline is already in discussion with Lithuanian airline SmallPlanet, Air Berlin and Alitalia to wet-lease at least seven A320 planes, the report said. The agreement will only for the winter season and end in March 2018.

Wet-leasing is an arrangement where airlines hire an aircraft including flight crew, maintenance and sometimes fuel and proves to be a costlier option.

The airline will have to pay a fixed amount to wet-lease planes every month and the lessor will take care of maintenance and operations.

The airline has also reduced its capacity guidance to 20 percent from 25 percent for the year due to delay in airplanes.

On average, IndiGo inducts two to three A320 planes every month. The carrier recently had to ground eight planes due to technical issues.

A technical glitch in the Pratt and Whitney engines has disrupted he production of A320 neo planes, affecting IndiGo's fleet expansion.

The airline could look at GE engines for its 280 A320 neo planes if issues with Pratt and Whitney engines continue, IndiGo's president Aditya Ghosh said.

In the airline's annual general meeting, Ghosh said that IndiGo could add 20 turbo prop aircraft by January 2019. In May, IndiGo announced plans to buy 50 ATR turbo-prop planes worth USD 1.3 billion as part of efforts to tap the regional aviation market.
IndusInd Bank has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Bharat Financial to evaluate possibility of a strategic deal between them.

"The Exclusivity Agreement provides for a mutually agreed exclusivity period for due diligence and discussions to evaluate a potential strategic combination between the company and BFIL by way of ambulation through a Scheme of Arrangement, or any other suitable structure," IndusInd said in a release to the exchanges.

The transaction between the two companies would be subject to due diligence, agreement on the appropriate transaction structure, definitive documentation and Board, shareholders, regulatory, NCLT and other third-party approvals, as applicable, the release said.

The release indicates the deal is likely in its final stages, said SP Tulsian of sptulsian.com adding the swap ration will be most important thing to look at.

IndusInd has signed a confidentiality and standstill agreement with Bharat Financial under which pricing and other modalities will be discussed, Romesh Sobti, MD & CEO of IndusInd told CNBC-TV18.

The agreement is valid for more than a week's time. The deal, if goes through, will be complete share swap deal, Sobti said.

Once the deal goes through, BFIL will become a bank, which will give huge benefit to IndusInd's cost of funds. BFIL's cost of funds is likely to fall by 100 basis points post the deal.

Transactions with BFIL will take at least 30 days to complete, Sobti said adding that risk weightage in the microfinance business is 100 percent.

According to a source-based report, the swap ratio being considered is one share of IndusInd Bank for 1.75 shares of Bharat Financial. The deal is likely to be announced by the end of September.

While IndusInd and RBL were both interested in Bharat Financial, IndusInd emerged as the frontrunner, as per CNBC-TV18 sources.

The deal which was under works for a long time had been reportedly called off once in March due to valuation concerns. However, the companies revisited the potential deal since.

Morgan Stanley Mauritius Co. holds a 6.74 percent stake in Bharat Financial Inclusion, while East Bridge Capital Master Fund, Mathews India Fund, Amansa Holding and BNP Paribas Arbitrage own close to 3 percent each.
The other IPO which also received huge responses were Happiest Minds Technologies and Chemcon Speciality Chemicals, which was subscribed 150.98 times and 149.3 times respectively. Interestingly, both these stocks have seen bumper listing gained over 100 percent. Let's see how the IPO subscription and listing happened in 2020 so far, considered only IPOs issue size over Rs 100 crore.

Moneycontrol Research

Indians do not mind spending on lavish weddings. So why not for finding the right life partner? The country has a young population and more people are getting into the marriageable age. The new generation is more tech-savvy and hence, not averse to online matchmaking. Bharat Matrimony being the market leader in online match making has a high brand recall.

Prima facie, the IPO (initial public offer) of Bharat Matrimony satisfies Warren Buffets cardinal principal of investing - a business that is easy to understand, has favourable long-term prospects, and operated by honest and competent people. However, where it fails the Buffet test is it is not available at a very attractive price. Our analysis suggests that while the growth trajectory is secular, it isnt exponential. The premium valuation factors in heady growth. Hence, investors subscribing to this issue have to temper expectations as the pricing leaves little room for near-term upside.

The Issue

Bharat Matrimony is coming up with an issue of approximately Rs 500 crore with Rs 130 crore as fresh issue and the remaining offer for sale from private equity investors. The issue remains open for subscription from September 11 to 13 in the price band of Rs 983  Rs 985 per share. The fresh issue will go into stepping up business promotion, construction of office premises and repayment of loans.

The company

Bharat Matrimony, promoted by Murugavel Janakiraman, has two business segments - online matchmaking services and marriage services. The former contributes to bulk of the revenue.

The companys fully owned subsidiary Consim USA, operates the NRI Business in all territories outside India.

The demographic advantage -India is one of worlds most populous countries. It is estimated in 2016 there were approximately 373 million individuals in India within the marriageable age bracket of whom 107 million were unmarried. Of this, close to 59 percent were actively looking for a partner and close to 6 percent were active users of online matrimony sites. Bharat Matrimony captures nearly 50 percent of the online market. In addition, cultural factors also play a role with 88.4 percent of marriages in India reported to be arranged marriages.

The leadership advantage  The industry is largely disorganised with the preponderance of traditional brick and mortar companies. Increasing mobility is leading to a shift from local media to matrimonial portals. In the online matchmaking industry, Bharat Matrimony is the leader with a clear edge over competitors namely Shaadi.com and Jeevansathi.com.

Diversified offering -The company has a bouquet of offerings and follows a micro-market strategy whereby it offers 15 regional language portals and over 300 community matrimonial sites tailored to meet the requirements of customers based on their linguistic, religious, caste and community preferences, as well as personalized matchmaking services through EliteMatrimony and Assisted Service package.

Brand recall  Bharat Matrimony has a strong brand recall, huge data base (comprising 3.03 million active profiles), and capability in analytics alongside a good reach.

The issue price factors in heady growth, going forward.

Past financials suggest the company had reported losses in the past and had negative networth on account of settlement of litigation. While it had reported profits in FY17, the operating performance is still inferior to companies who enjoy similar premium in the market. Bharat Matrimony is primarily a one-product company as the other business like marriage service is still small and yet to break-even.

The industry being highly competitive the company could face pricing pressure.

Penetration of internet has definitely increased awareness about matchmaking websites, but converting free members to paid, and retain existing paid members on matrimonial websites is not easy. Members who have registered can send Express Interest messages to other members with whom they wish to initiate contact and may also search the names of other registered members on other online or social media platforms to contact these members without paying subscription fees for services.

While the penetration of internet and mobile are primary drivers of growth for any online business including matrimony portal, the growth in business of Bharat matrimony has not kept pace with growth in internet or mobile penetration.

So far, arranged marriage has been a dominant cultural trend in India. However, like many other old practice, this too might change over time on account of globalisation of the Indian society.

Finally, privacy and data protection legislation and regulations and public perception concerning security and privacy on the Internet may affect a business like Bharat Matrimony that deals with personal information.

While we expect the company to maintain a steady growth trajectory it is unlikely to be as exciting as the growth in mobile penetration, an oft repeated argument for any new-age business. While most unlisted companies in this space enjoy substantial premium, sustaining such a premium is contingent on growth with profitability. Investors, therefore, should not have high expectations from this marriage.
Representative Image (REUTERS)

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Matrimony.com, the online matchmaking services provider, has opened its Rs 500-crore initial public offering for subscription on Monday, with a price band of Rs 983-985 per share.

The public issue, which will close on September 13, comprises of fresh issue up to Rs 130 crore, and an offer for sale of up to 37,67,254 equity shares by promoter group (Murugavel Janakiraman and his mother Indrani Janakiraman) and investors - Bessemer India Capital Holdings II, Mayfield XII (Mauritius) and CMDB II.

It will be the first company from the online matchmaking services space to be listed. Hence, analysts expect high demand for the issue and also expect lot of new investors to come forth.

Majority of analysts recommended subscribing to the issue, citing financial stability, leadership position in online matchmaking business, large potential in matchmaking services space and unique business model.

GEPL Capital assigned a subscribe rating to the IPO as it believes Matrimony.com has a unique business model and strong growth metrics which will make it lucrative. The company stands to gain from operating leverage, it feels.

Immense potential in the matchmaking services space, scalability of marriage services segment, pricing power due to strong brand image and non-linear business model will be four key triggers for the company going ahead, KR Choksey said while having a subscribe rating on the issue.

Matrimony.com currently operates its business in two segments -- matchmaking services and marriage services and related sale of products. It offers matchmaking services through internet and mobile platforms in India and internationally. It is one of the first companies to provide online matchmaking services in India, having database comprising 3.08 million active profiles (being profiles that have been published or logged in at least once during the prior 180-day period).

At the end of June 2017, Matrimony had 140 retail centers across India. Its flagship brand, BharatMatrimony, has 15 language-based domains under its umbrella. It also has other portals like EliteMatrimony, CommunityMatrimony, MatrimonyDirectory, MatrimonyPhotography, MatrimonyBazaar, MatrimonyDirectory and MatrimonyMandaps.

IIFL Private Wealth feels unlike developed countries, there's a huge demand for matchmaking within communities/castes in India. Adopting a micro-market strategy for addressing this need, the company has built over 300 community portals.

There is no comparable peer to the company but as a internet company, analysts compare it with listed entities like Just Dial, Info Edge.

At a upper price band Rs 985, the company is trading at FY17 P/E multiple of 46.2x which is considerably high given comparable peers such as Just Dial are trading at 30.2x FY17 multiple, KR Choksey said.

However, given its nature of an internet company, leading position in the online Match-making services industry, presence in a promising industry and higher profitability compared to Just Dial and Info Edge (net loss as of FY17), the reseach house believes the company commands a higher multiple.

Matrimony.com has clocked a revenue CAGR of 11.6 percent, EBITDA of 38 percent and profit of 43 percent between FY13 and FY17. The company earns more than 95 percent of revenue from its matchmaking services.

Brokerage houses feel the litigation faced by the company in the US court, which had hit its financials in the past, is already priced in and that is why the company turned profitable again in FY17 after losses in previous two years.

KR Choksey believes negatives such as settlement of lawsuit with US counterpart have been factored-in.

In connection with the New Jersey proceedings (the cast between US Plaintiffs and its subsidiary Consim USA) and the Chennai proceedings, the company incurred legal expenses amounting to Rs 57.36 crore between FY13 and FY16 towards legal or other fees and expenses as well as the settlement cost of Rs 53.01 crore in FY16 in connection with the settlement of such proceedings.

Now that the litigation is settled, the companys profitability has gradually looked up with a PAT of Rs 43.8 crore and Rs 14.6 crore in FY17 and Q1FY18, respectively.

Matrimony.com's negative net worth of Rs 16.2 crore as of June 2017 is a vast improvement from the March figure of negative Rs 76.1 crore, largely the outcome of the post FY17 profitability, IIFL Private Wealth said.

According to IIFL, IPO proceeds are expected to be gainfully utilised leading to higher revenues from increased brand awareness and lower rentals and interest expenses.

Focused expansion of its marriage services business through cross-selling and assisted services could also help the company move up the value chain, the research house said while recommending subscribe for listing gains.

Matrimony.com will use fresh issue proceeds for advertising & business promotion activities (around Rs 20 crore), purchase of land for construction of office premises in Chennai (Rs 42.58 crore), repayment of overdraft facilities (Rs 43.34 crore), and general corporate purposes.

Analysts find some risks and concerns that have to be considered while subscribing for the issue.

One of the key risks that BharatMatrimony faces is competition from dating websites/Apps and other matrimonial websites/Apps, they said.

Diversification of business, other strategic initiatives may be unsuccessful. Tambulya.com and Matchify.com were ideas which did not materialise as planned.

According to them, the company may fail to convert free members to paid members or fail to retain existing base of paid members.

Reputation of the company could get hampered, if its service platforms are misused by any of its users, they feel.
With investors betting on financial assets, a trend which was visible in the record inflows of Rs 20,000 crore in equity mutual funds in August, Ambit Capital is positive on this theme in the financial space.

Asset managers, insurance companies, and broking houses, among others, are positive stories, Pramod Gubbi, Head of Equities, Ambit Capital told CNBC-TV18 in an interview. Several NBFCs are beneficiaries and are in a position to gain structurally as well, he told the channel.

Having said that, a dichotomy of these increasing flows and disappointing fundamentals is making investors worried on the valuations too, he added. The issue, he highlighted, is also the lack of recovery in the economy, which could be lacking for 6-12 months. A recovery in this or a sharp correction could get investors excited again, he told the channel.

Speaking on sectors, Gubbi said valuations are again the biggest hurdle for consumption theme. He reiterated the economys health to suggest that demand for consumption could be lower, impacting the stock too. As a result, combination of weakness and valuation, it is worth taking some profits in staples and discretionary, he told the channel.

Meanwhile, gas stocks were in focus on Monday after India renegotiated the pricing of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from Australia's Gorgon project to make the imported fuel affordable to price-sensitive domestic customers.

Gubbi said the research firms stance on the sector was positive for a long time and will be a continued theme for a few months. In fact, in the long run, he expects the industry to move to this source as well.

He believes information technology (IT) space is not a great place to be if a company is undergoing changes in the current business environment. The industry is still grappling with changes in the way IT services get consumed, he added.
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) building is illuminated during a special "muhurat" trading session for Diwali, the festival of lights, in Mumbai, India, November 11, 2015. Stock markets opened on Wednesday for a special one-hour Diwali holiday session. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade

The Nifty50 started the week on a positive note as it reclaimed its crucial resistance level of 10,000 in intraday trade on Monday after closing 0.4 percent lower for the week ended 8 September.

The Nifty surged past its crucial resistance level of 9980 in morning trade and now a close above 10,020 would open room for further upside towards 1o,137 which was its previous record highs.

Even though the previous week ended on a muted note, but small and midcap stocks rose up to 60 percent in just 5 trading sessions which include names like NDTV, ESS DEE Aluminium, Sharon Bio, Career Point, Jyoti Structures, Punj Lloyd, Bombay Dyeing, Nitin Fire etc. in the BSE among others.

Small and midcap stocks emerged as outperfomers so far in the year 2017 as well as on 5-year basis. But, given the fact that valuation in most of the stocks are already stretched, fresh buying should only be initiated after studying the fundamentals.

"One needs to be very stock specific in case of small and mid-cap stocks. In this space, the management and companys business model holds the key," A.K.Prabhakar, Head -Research at IDBI Capital told Moneycontrol.

"If both are stock and the company is impacted by temporary issues in the sector, like that of GST, then the decline in the stock price in short term is an opportunity to buy. We are positive on the small and mid-cap space and recommend being stock specific," he said.

A breakout was on the cards as the index was trading in a narrow range in the past 4 weeks. The Nifty moved in a sideways direction from last one month. After 2008, this is the first time, when Nifty traded within its previous weekly range for four consecutive weeks.

The momentum oscillator RSI  Smoothened is placed positively on the daily chart and thus indicating strength in the Nifty.

We witnessed a positive crossover of 5 EMA and 20 EMA on daily chart in penultimate week and the index is sustaining above the same, Jay Purohit, Technical & Derivatives Analyst at Centrum Broking Limited told Moneycontrol.

The Nifty has a support of its medium term moving average (50 EMA), which is placed around 9830 levels. However, the trend following indicator SuperTrend on daily chart depicts a strong hurdle around 10025 levels. Considering the above key indicators, a sustainable move beyond 9830  10025 will decide the further trend in near term, he said.

The index got stuck in the range due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, as well as lack of any positive triggers. The GDP data released for the quarter ended June 30 also failed to lift sentiments.

The more it consolidates in the range of 9850  10000, the stronger will be follow-up move post the breakout, suggest experts. The momentum oscillator RSI along with short term moving averages (5 EMA & 20 EMA) on the daily chart are placed positively and thus indicating strength in the index, they say.

The Nifty has multiple strong supports at lower levels. Various supports are 9800 and 9850 spot levels. We may see short covering in every dip, Anita Gandhi, Whole Time Director at Arihant Capital Markets told Moneycontrol.

In the September option contracts, we are seeing options open interest building up in 10000 calls and 9800, 9700 puts, so the probable range for next week could be 9800-10000 with a positive bias. From the option data, we have been seeing a shifting of range to the upper band, said Gandhi.
By Akshay Sarma

Indias growth as an economic power in the APAC region has been consistent over the past decade.

The backbone of this economic performance has been the incredibly resilient small and medium enterprises (SME) sector.

There is no doubt that future growth would also be sustained by the performance of the 50-million plus strong SME sector, which employs close to 40 percent of Indias total workforce and contributes 45 percent of the total industrial output.

A major challenge that could stymie SME sector growth is the lack of adequate and timely funding.

Most small businesses in India run as unorganised entities or family businesses that may not necessarily maintain strict compliance standards.

These businesses lack sufficient documentation and avail their working capital finance from local moneylenders, leading to insufficient credit history, thereby hindering their attempts to avail finance from formal financiers.

However, these predicaments are becoming less relevant with the rise of Fintech lenders in the country.

Fintech lenders use non-conventional data sources for underwriting

The implementation of GST helps introduce SMEs into the formal business ecosystem, as it helps create digital trails of these SMEs. The Government has mandated the digital transformation of businesses, facilitating the movement of offline businesses to online platforms, by encouraging the digital filing of taxes and relevant documentation.

This movement makes available data pertaining to these businesses which new-age Fintech lenders can use to accurately assess the SMEs. For instance, an SME registered under GST files documentation that reveals their sales trajectory, income sources, inventory sold, credit cycles, etc.

Fintech lenders use proprietary algorithms to evaluate the creditworthiness of SMEs basis these factors.

New-age FinTech lenders adopt a fresh approach to scientifically evaluate the creditworthiness of small and medium sized businesses. All calculations are made using evolved decision sciences and predictive modelling, which contribute towards the assessment of the borrower.

Banks want to diversity loan books without scaling OPEX

Banks have large balance sheets from which they churn loans, catering to millions of customers. However, traditional underwriting practices have prevented them from effectively underwriting certain SME segments.

Additionally, the cost of underwriting certain SME segments can be significantly high.

The Government has established SMEs as a priority sector and further providing banks with SME lending targets. Banks are becoming increasingly keen to attain these targets without incurring high operating costs.

Banks along with NBFCs also realise the massive credit gap in the market and want to diversify their loan book by adding different types of SMEs to their client base. Fintech lenders possess customized finance products, the expertise and the technology to help banks achieve these goals. Collaboration between the two entities becomes an obvious outcome.

Marrying Fintech expertise with financial muscle of banks

Their partnership with FinTech players ensures banks can also effectively offer customised, innovative finance products to SMEs and hence diversify their loan book. There are different models of partnership that could be explored between banks and FinTech companies.

For instance, FinTech companies could be a source of lead generation and banks could, in turn, use their financial clout to work on those leads. The two could also co-lend loans to small businesses using a hybrid marketplace model.

New-age FinTech lenders can leverage their digital technologies and offer various services to banks across the loan processing cycle, starting from sourcing prospective customers to helping them in collections. Such a strategy can enable banks to increase their loan footprint with a near zero OPEX model.

Deeper partnerships with FinTech players will allow banks to gain access to best-in-class technology, innovative Loan Management Systems and the opportunity to cross-sell different products to their existing client base.

With so much information available online and with advancements in technology, collaborating with FinTech players also allows banks to experiment with new-age underwriting techniques. To test waters, banks could begin a partnership by running pilots with FinTech lenders and evaluate for themselves the efficiency of how new data points can act as surrogates for their traditional data sources, besides opening new vistas for small business lending.

Among the prime candidates for change is the product offering. A credit solution designed to meet the working capital needs of urban SMEs is unlikely to effectively cater for rural MSMEs. It is therefore imperative to identify alternative parameters for evaluation in order to serve enterprises of a smaller scale. Such entities lack collateral to avail credit but unintentionally create patterns through their cash flows.

By adopting end-use monitoring or transactional history evaluation techniques, FinTech lenders are able to create customized credit offerings.

With the government encouraging the use of Aadhaar, traditional financial institutions such as banks should leverage related technology and offer borrowers more secure and innovative loan products.

From e-KYC to Digital Loan Agreements, the time has arrived to ensure that borrowing for SMEs becomes a hassle-free experience. FinTech lenders are technologically advanced and nimble-footed to offer the right financial product to small businesses. Collaborating with them allows banks and non-banking finance companies (NBFC) to explore new customer segments.

Conclusion

While large banks and NBFCs have catered to SME loan requirements in the past, there is still a huge gap to be bridged between demand and supply.

This needs to be addressed at the earliest so that India can continue on its remarkable growth journey.

Collaborating with FinTech lenders is a sure way through which banks and NBFCs can offer differentiated loan products to SMEs while simultaneously narrowing the credit gap in the market.

(The author is AVP Capital Markets at Bangalore-based Capital Float. Views are personal. Edited for Moneycontrol)
Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com told CNBC-TV18, "A long-term holder just continue hold to Infosys. Only thing is add if it comes down. But looks to me it is still heading down."

"The next technical targets on the downside is Rs 850 and beyond that to around Rs 800 zones. Might want to add around Rs 800, but ideally as a trader you would be out," he added.

At 15:03 hrs Infosys was quoting at Rs 878.55, down Rs 5.85, or 0.66 percent on the BSE.
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Shares of Ashoka Buildcon rose 7.6 percent intraday Monday as it has received extension in concession period for 2 roads in the state of Maharashtra.

The Public Works Department (PWD) of the state of Maharashtra has given an extension in concession period by 1 year i.e. up to September 9, 2018 for its project viz. four laning of long road sections from Ahmednagar to Ghodegaon and three laning from Ghodegaon to Wadala under build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis on state highway 60.

The toll notification is issued under the approved variation order by the state government of Maharashtra.

The toll revenue for Q1FY18 of the project is Rs 6.44 crore.

The annual general meeting (AGM) of the company to be held on September 30, 2017 at Nashik.

At 14:54 hrs Ashoka Buildcon was quoting at Rs 197, up Rs 10, or 5.35 percent on the BSE.

Posted by Rakesh Patil
live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Shares of automobile majors, Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra & Mahindra gained 1-2 percent intraday on Monday as investors reacted to GST Councils cess announcement.

The Council raised the cess on large luxury cars to 20 percent, SUVs to 22 percent and mid-size sedans to 17 percent from 15 percent for each of these categories, raising prospects of some types of premium vehicles getting dearer ahead of the festive season.

The cess on two categories 1200 cc petrol and 1500 cc dieselwill remain unchanged at 1 percent and 3 percent, respectively. Likewise, the cess will remain unchanged for hybrid cars and 13-seater vehicles, finance minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after the councils 21st meeting.

The government has promulgated an ordinance for raising the cap of cess on SUVs, mid-sized and luxury cars from 15 percent to 25 percent.

Though this meant increased prices of such vehicles, the cess and tax still are lower than pre-GST levels, thereby boosting these stocks.

At 12:16 hrs Mahindra and Mahindra was quoting at Rs 1,304.00, up Rs 9.30, or 0.72 percent, on the BSE, while Tata Motors was quoting at Rs 378.10, up Rs 3.05, or 0.81 percent. Additionally, Maruti Suzuki India was quoting at Rs 8,109.00, up Rs 136.20, or 1.71 percent.
CNBC-TV18 brings you a brand new week of Bull's Eye. It's the 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, Sumeet Jain, Vijay Chopra and Ruchit Jain battle it out for top honours.

Below their top stock picks and analysis:

Sumeet Jain of Destimoney Securities

Buy JSW Energy with a stoploss at Rs 69 and target of Rs 79

Buy Vascon Engineers with a stoploss at Rs 34.5 and target of Rs 43

Buy Radico Khaitan with a stoploss at Rs 170 and target of Rs 191

Buy Great Eastern Shipping with a stoploss at Rs 408 and target of Rs 454

Vijay Chopra of enochventures.com

Buy Tata Sponge Iron with a stoploss at Rs 875 and target of Rs 920

Buy Central Bank of India with a stoploss at Rs 95 and target of Rs 106

Buy Liberty Shoes with a stoploss at Rs 192 and target of Rs 215

Buy Mawana Sugars with a stoploss at Rs 133 and target of Rs 149

Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking

Buy Exide Industries with a stoploss at Rs 211 and target of Rs 234

Buy Bajaj Electricals with a stoploss at Rs 337 and target of Rs 360

Buy Jindal Saw with a stoploss at Rs 104 and target of Rs 120

Sell Granules India with a stoploss at Rs 126.50 and target of Rs 118
Shares of gas companies, Petronet LNG and GAIL, rose between 5 and 7 percent intraday on Monday as investors cheered Petronet's successful renegotiation with Australia's Gorgon project for lower LNG prices.

Over the weekend, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said they renegotiated the pricing of liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from Australia's Gorgon project to make the imported fuel affordable to price-sensitive domestic customers.

India has been trying to leverage its position as one of the biggest energy consumers to strike better bargains for its companies. In 2015 it renegotiated the LNG pricing formula with Qatar's Rasgas to buy the gas at half the original price.

"Indian customers will receive (Gorgon) LNG volumes at an amicable price soon. This is done in a similar way to what we did with LNG from Qatar," Pradhan said in a tweet.

India's top gas importer Petronet LNG signed a deal in 2009 with Exxon Mobil Corp to buy 1.5 million tonnes of LNG annually from Gorgon for 20 years. At that time Petronet agreed to buy LNG at a cost equivalent to 14.5 percent of the oil price and to pay for the shipping freight as well.

Supplies under the deal began from January 2017, with the landed price of gas costing about USD 11-13 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), almost double that of Asian spot LNG prices.

The Gorgon gas prices are now linked to about 13-13.5 percent of the global oil price on a delivered basis, two sources with knowledge of the negotiation said.

Renegotiation of the deal also shows how softening oil prices and a global supply glut are forcing LNG exporters to offer better deals to retain their share in global energy markets.

At 10:18 hrs, Petronet LNG was quoting at Rs 233.80, up Rs 9.70, or 4.33 percent, on the BSE, while GAIL India was quoting at Rs 398.45, up Rs 19.10, or 5.03 percent.

(With inputs from PTI)
In an interview to CNBC-TV18's Anuj Singhal and Surabhi Upadhyay, SP Tulsian of sptulsian.com shared his views and outlook on the fundamentals of the market and specific stocks.

Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview.

Anuj: What have you made of this stunning move on IndusInd Bank? In the morning, did you think we would have this kind of move on IndusInd Bank and of course, Bharat Financial Inclusion? Your thoughts on how the market has responded to the deal?

A: Market is taking this as a very positive for IndusInd Bank and very rightly so. If you really see, both the stocks have risen by about maybe 4-5 percent. If you would have seen IndusInd rising by 5-6 percent or Bharat Financial Inclusion rising by 10-12 percent then we would have taken a different kind of analysis that probably the swap ratio is coming in a more favourable way for Bharat Financials. But it is not happening in that way because eventually, if Bharat Financial has to get merged with the IndusInd Bank which has been confirmed by both the management, by Mr Sobti as well as by Bharat Financial's CEO and MD also. So both the shares have to move up in the same direction, number one.

Number two, this is definitely seen positive for the IndusInd Bank per se because of the increase in the branches and increase in the banking customers apart from the benefits which they will be enjoying in the form of the higher net interest margin (NIM) which is enjoyed by Bharat Financial and the huge rural base and rural penetration and all that. If you are paying Rs 13,000-14,000 crore for a company to have that kind of reach of about 65 lakh customers and all that, that will be seen quite positive.

Now come on the swap ratio. If you really take the situation now of the present price, if I take Rs 1,800 and Rs 975, the swap ratio comes to 5.4. but in the morning also, I have said that always the merged company which is getting merged, here in this case, it is Bharat Financial is going to get merged with IndusInd Bank. So always the company which is getting merged rules at 5 percent discount at least because this whole process will take about 4-5 months minimum and in that situation, that discounting always prevails for the company which is for the stock or for the company which is getting merged.

So here if you take 54 percent as the swap ratio, derived on the current market price, knock off 4 percent as the discount which eventually has to prevail in case of the share price of Bharat Financial, you work out on a swap ratio of one share for every two shares, one share of IndusInd Bank for every two shares of Bharat Financial because now the speculations are going on whether 0.6 share of IndusInd Bank will be issued for every one share or maybe even 0.7 on the optimistic.

But I have been maintaining in the morning also I have said that I am seeing half share getting issued and that will eventually see the dilution of the equity by about 11-12 percent which will be seen very positive for the IndusInd Bank to straight away ramp up their business going forward by acquiring Bharat Financial Inclusion.

So if both the shares are moving in the same direction with the same rise of 4-5 percent, I do not think that there is anything coming differently on the swap ratio whether taking 0.6 or 0.7 can be seen as raising the bar. But that is not seen getting reflected or factoring in by the market. So yes, overall positive for IndusInd Bank and that is why we have seen both the stocks up by about 4-4.5 percent as of now.

Anuj: Your thoughts on the way power stocks have moved and anything in particular that you would want to play in this power sector?

A: I am not keeping positive view on the pure power generation play like maybe Tata Power, Adani Power. But Torrent Power, we have discussed in the past that there are two companies Torrent Power and CESC who are into the integrated operations. They are into generation, they are into distribution as well.

So similar is the case for Torrent Power. They are the power distributor in Surat, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Agra, Bhiwandi and those things are giving them, but if you really see the financial performance of the company maybe for the last 4-6 quarters, that has not been to the mark, maybe in the year FY16, the company has posted excellent numbers, but for the whole of FY17 and maybe Q1 of FY18 has really disappointed on the Torrent Power front.

But maybe if you have these type of integrated operations, the way we have seen the corporate moves or maybe the restructuring by the management in case of CESC, if those kind of things, moves happen though I do not support those kind of moves because ultimately, the integrated operations only will be really seen beneficial for the company in the long run, but if you see that kind of restructuring move, sometimes, market gets enthused with those kind of moves and probably that could be the reason for Torrent Power to move so much up today.

Anuj: PTC as well has been one of your favourite stocks. More room to go here?

A: Yes, more room to go because if you see, after the, which I have been infact we have been giving the buy call on PTC since it was ruling in two digits and if you see, this is only power exchange and the kind of investments which we have seen in transmission and distribution (T&D), the consumption is going to go up. The power costs having come down so much, that will be seen quite positive for PTC because they are the power trading exchange and in fact, they have their subsidiary PTC India Financial Services, which is 65 percent subsidiary, even that is doing quite well.

So if you take their overall financing portfolio through their subsidiary and their own power trading business, that is seen to be quite beneficial because more power offtake at the lower price will be having an improvement in their trading business or maybe in their core business of power trading.

Anuj: What is your view on Reliance? The stock has run up a lot, at multi-year highs now, after we started to see the underperformance getting corrected, but would it be a good time?

A: I am keeping positive view because Q2 numbers are going to be seen quite good because of the refining margins Singapore benchmark having moved up to an average of about 7.5 and now ruling closer to or maybe in double digit. Even if you see, their Reliance Jio business, 13,000 crore subscribers have already been reached and even if you see Reliance retail, even there the sum of parts valuations will definitely be seen incremental valuations coming in because of the increase seen in Future Retail and Avenue Supermarts.

So, taking all this into account, share now ruling ex-bonus Rs 820-822 can be a good point. If he wants to wait then maybe Rs 10-15 fall can be seen, but I do not think that that wait will be worthwhile. So he can buy Reliance Industries now at Rs 820-822.

Surabhi: What is your view on Advanced Enzyme Technologies?

A: They are into the neutraceutical space and when the company went public, we have extremely positive view. But if you really see the financial performance or maybe the valuation or the kind of volatility for the last six months or so, I do not think that that has given the stability and maybe cool behaviour to a prudent investor. So taking all this into account, since this investor has bought at about Rs 290, now the stock is ruling at around Rs 295-296, I advise him better to shift from here and look for other stocks. And now point in remaining invested in Advanced Enzyme.

Anuj: What is your view on Future Consumer?

A: The opportunity has come and gone. There is no point in chasing the momentum and that too after seeing having risen by about 100 percent in this last 4-6 months. So, definitely no point though one may get about 10-15 percent. But if you get trapped at the higher level then that is equally painful it will be. So my advice is that yes, remain away from the Future Group stocks for the time being as of now.

Anuj: Thoughts on Larsen and Toubro? What is the market factoring in with the kind of move that we have seen?

A: I think it has to do with the management commentary where they have given a very ambitious targret of order inflow to be seen in the defence play because if you really see market has never factored in that kind of order inflow, but the new CEO and MD has been very categorical and very ambitious. People have been taking positive view on the defence but more on Bharat Electronics (BEL) or these kind of stocks or maybe more on the Bharat Forge. But I think that L&T seem to be having huge potential and probably that is driving the stock to move up.

I do not find any reason for the core sector or the core business of the company really to grow whether in the infrastructure or maybe in other verticals. But this defence seems to be very promising and the kind of talks which are going on, the kind of order inflow which we will be seeing and the kind of tie-ups, India will not be surprised that maybe five years down the line India becomes a net exporter also for the defence equipment's and all that. So probably that is driving the story as positive for L&T.
Gaurang Shah of Geojit Financial Services told CNBC-TV18, "We have a reduce recommendation on Canara Bank and I do not think the plight of certain mid-sized or small-sized PSU Banks is going to improve any time sooner, I am talking about earnings visibility and of course the big concern from the gross and net NPA provisioning front."

"We would prefer something like an Axis Bank amongst the private sector players or if one wants to be in public sector then State Bank of India would be a preferred stock," he added.

At 15:10 hrs State Bank of India was quoting at Rs 271.10, down Rs 0.85, or 0.31 percent on the BSE.
The Centre has started detailed scrutiny of the recommendations given by the collegium for persons to be appointed as High Court judges, the Department of Justice said in a note sent to Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha, The Indian Express reported.

The note, sent on August 9, states that an in-house team having legal background is evaluating the recommended persons. The candidates are being assessed based on their judgments, the time they took to dispose of cases and how many adjournments took place during the hearings.

The final appointment of a high court judge will now have a tripartite process  result of the evaluation, governments input, and concluding decision by the Supreme Court collegium.

The collegium system of appointing judges in the High Court and Supreme Court has come under scrutiny after several allegations of corruption and inconsistencies.

In 2015, the Supreme Court had struck down the governments National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) and an associated constitutional amendment which proposed that instead of the collegium, a six-member panel including the law minister and two independent persons would appoint High Court and Supreme Court judges.

Afterwards, the government was given the chance to draft a Memorandum of Procedure, in consultation with the Chief Justice of India. The MoU would decide the procedure and requirements of a judges appointment.

The government and the collegium have not been able to agree on the final MoU and the process has been stalled for a long time.

But recently, after the Supreme Court convicted Justice CS Karnan in a contempt case following a legal battle between the rogue SC judge and the rest of the judiciary, the debate around the appointment procedure has emerged again.

The note, sent by the Justice department, also mentions the Karnan case.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold wide-ranging talks tomorrow with Belarus President A G Lukashenko to bring new momentum in bilateral engagement, particularly in areas of defence, trade and investment, the external affairs ministry said today.

Lukashenko will also meet President Ram Nath Kovind during his two-day visit beginning today.

His visit takes place in a year when Belarus and India are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

"The two sides are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology and people to people exchanges," MEA said.

It said the two sides are also likely to exchange views and assessments on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

A business forum and parallel meetings organised for members of the large delegation accompanying Lukashenko would explore business opportunities and avenues of cooperation in other areas.
In Andhra Pradeshs Vijaywada, Zomato found that people were more likely to order breakfast than any other city. (Image: Reuters)

The controversy over the IMD scientist accusing his cook to conceal his caste and marital status is far from over.

A day after the scientist Medha Khole withdrew her complaint, the cook has now filed an application with the Sinhagad Road police station demanding legal action against Khole. The cook accused Khole of defaming her.

Police have accepted the application filed by cook Nirmala Yadav, reported The Times of India. However, the complaint in the matter is not filed yet. "We will study the application and take a decision," the Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar told TOI.

65-year-old Yadav has claimed that the complaint filed by Khole and subsequent developments have defamed her.

Earlier this week, Khole had lodged a complaint accusing Yadav of concealing her caste and marital status to land a job. According to the complaint, Yadav had claimed that she was a brahmin, married woman named Nirmala Kulkarni. Khole had hired her to cook for religious rituals and Gauri Ganpati celebrations. According to Khole, this hurt her religious sentiments.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today batted for innovation and promoting skills among the youth and asked them to work for a modern India.

The world evaluates the country where it is today not what it was 5,000 years ago or during the times of Lord Rama or Buddha, the prime minister said at an event to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago.

Vivekananda supported experimentation and innovation and his government was working according to the ideals shown by him, Modi said.

The prime minister referred to Vivekanandas address as 09/11 and also referred to the terror attack on the US on September 11, 2001. The devastating terror strike might not have happened if the significance of the other 09/11 had not been forgotten.

Vivekananda, the prime minister added, had given the message of love and brotherhood.

Modi used the occasion to speak against people who litter and said those who do so have no right to say Vande Mataram. The crowd intermittently shouted 'Vande Mataram' as the prime minister spoke.

Lauding sanitation and cleaning workers, he said they have the first right to say Vande Mataram.

The prime minister also asked colleges to hold cultural events to celebrate other states and added in a light-hearted vein that he was not against celebrating days like rose day. Students should do more, Modi said, asking them hold a Tamil day in a Haryana college or a Kerala day in a Punjab college.

There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation & fulfil the aspirations of our people, he said.

Indias standing in the world had risen, he said, crediting janshakti (peoples power) for this.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today began his two-week visit to the US during which he will interact with global thinkers and political leaders, and address overseas Indians as part of an outreach initiative by his party.

In his first engagement, Gandhi would address students of the prestigious University of California, Barkley on 'India at 70: Reflections on the Path Forward', in which he will offer his reflections on contemporary India and the path forward for the worlds largest democracy.

A day before the event, the University announced that the event venue has reached its maximum capacity and registration has been closed.

Gandhi, 47, was received at the San Francisco airport by senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda and Shudh Singh, the president of Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC) US.

"He is here at the University of California Berkley, where Pandit (Jawaharlal Nehru) addressed in 1949 as the Prime Minister. Today we are at the cross roads where core value of Indian democracy secularism and pluralistic society is in danger," Congress spokesman Madhu Goud Yaskhi said.

"He strongly believes in these values for India to be a strong nation, and what is the way forward for India and his views and his thoughts about Indias future," he told PTI giving a preview of Gandhi's speech.

During his trip to the US, he said, Gandhi will also engage with the Indian diaspora with the purpose of making them a part in Indias development.

From San Francisco, Gandhi is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles.

Gandhi is likely to visit Aspen Institute to interact with the think-tank community.

In Washington DC, the Congress vice president is scheduled to interact with members of the think-tank community, political leaders and government officials.

Gandhi is also scheduled to travel to Princeton University before his final address to overseas Indians in New York.
The Supreme Court today fixed on September 18 the appeal of the CBI challenging the Madras High Court order staying government's look out circular against Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram, in a graft case.

The FIR lodged by the CBI on May 15 had alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Finance Minister.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, meanwhile, said that its direction staying the Madras High Court order on look out circular will remain in force in the meantime and as a result, Karti will not be able to leave India.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Karti, alleged that all baseless allegations have been levelled against Karti and challenged the probe agency to being out the details of any property which the Chidambarams cannot account for.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, vehemently countered the submission and said that the probe was at a very crucial stage and substantial information have been given to the court in a sealed cover.

The bench then fixed the matter for final disposal next Monday.

On September 1, the CBI had told the apex court that there were "good, cogent" reasons for issuing look out circular against Karti.

On August 18, the court had asked Karti to appear before the investigating officer at the CBI headquarters here for questioning in the case.

The bench had given the probe agency the liberty to question Karti as many times it wanted.

Prior to this, the apex court had said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the case. The court had then stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the LOC issued by the Centre against Karti.

The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious".

The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge here and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.
Nitish Kumar

Targeting erstwhile alliance partner and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav today said the state government must spell out details of every penny "embezzled" by a Bhagalpur-based NGO in Srijan scam case.

"Nitish government will have to give details of every penny that was embezzled by Srijan in the state's 'maha ghotala' (mega scam)," he said.

The RJD chief exhorted the people who had gathered at a rally at Sandis compound here to register their protest over the Srijan scam by participating in "dharnas" to be held at every district headquarter town on September 12.

Lalu also wondered why FIRs were not registered against Nitish Kumar, Sushil Kumar Modi, Ashwini Choubey (Union minister) and others in the scam, which is nothing short of a 'maha ghotala'.

Mounting a scathing attack on the chief minister, the RJD supremo said Nitish Kumar was not only a "Paltu Ram" (one who switches sides), but a greedy person who wants to remain in power till his death.

"...I knew about his (Nitish's) character... He (Nitish) would not have become CM had I nursed 'putra-moh' despite having larger number of MLAs than that of JD(U)," he said.

Alleging that Nitish used to stay at the residence of one "Mishra" in Bhagalpur, Lalu questioned the credentials of the person.

He said the Srijan scam would have been buried by now, had the media not highlighted it.

The former railway minister said that they (BJP-JD(U)) failed to defeat him (lalu), so they were now targeting his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

Lalu said there was a deliberate attempt to hamper the Bhagalpur rally and that is why the CBI summoned him to Delhi.

"I am not afraid of Narendra Modi's empty threats, rather I will make BJP bite the dust even if I have to be hung by the neck," Lalu said.

The RJD chief was accompanied by senior vice president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, his two sons -- Tejashwi and Tej Pratap -- and other senior leaders of the party.

Former deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav also trained his guns at the Bihar CM for his "failure to take action against such scams from the beginning".

The CBI should conduct a fair probe and lodge FIRs against the CM, deputy CM, Union minister Giriraj Singh and Shahnawaz Hussain for hatching a conspiracy and destroying evidence, Tejashwi said.

The former deputy CM also accused Nitish of moral corruption besides indulging in political and social corruption by ditching minorities, scheduled castes and backward classes, who had given a mandate to the grand alliance.
Specs of Samsung Galaxy Note 8 revealed

Planning to buy an expensive phone this Diwali or Dussehra? You will be spoilt for choices this year as three of the biggest smartphone makers Samsung, Apple, Nokia and Google are coming up with their flagship phones this festive season.

Samsung is launching Note 8 in India on Tuesday and Apple is launching the latest iPhone X worldwide. Needless to say, both the phones have been the most talked about phones since the beginning of the year.

To add to the choices, Finnish device maker Nokia will be launching the all new Nokia 8 anytime this month. Google is launching its own flagship device the Google Pixel 2, supposedly in the early part of October.

Interestingly, while Samsung, Nokia and Google are launching a phone each, Apple is expected to launch three phones together iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, the model which Apple is releasing to commemorate ten years since Apple launched the first iPhone.

While it is good for consumers who have a lot of options on their plate, there is a lot riding on these launches for the companies.

For example, Note 8 is super-critical for Samsung as it is the successor of Note 7, the phone which was riddled with the battery explosion fiasco. Not only did it damage Samsungs brand value globally, it also resulted in a number of recalls resulting in billions of dollars of losses for the company. The launch of Note 8 also becomes significant given the fact that Samsungs last release -- the Galaxy S8 -- received a lukewarm reception in the market.

Samsung will be launching Note 8 in a 64GB variant and will feature best-in-class features such as the latest processor, 6GB RAM and of course the dual-rear camera in addition to the S-Pen which is making a comeback in the series after a brief suspension.

On the other hand, Apple is launching the latest iPhone models a year since it launched Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus back in September 2016.

iPhone 8 assumes significance for Apple in light of the fact that it is expected to introduce several new features to the model -- the previous iPhone was said to be only an incremental improvement over its predecessor.

Apart from additions such as a rumoured OLED screen for the first time ever along with an all-display screen, the phone will also see a few features missing such as the physical home-screen-button for the first time since it was launched 10 years ago.

Notably, the latest iPhone is rumoured to be priced above the USD 1000 mark, which could be a deterrent to a lot of potential buyers. However, a survey conducted recently by Creative Strategies and SurveyMonkey found out that 21 percent of consumers planning to buy the new iPhone would do it no matter what the cost.

Interestingly, the smartphone majors are not just fighting a battle among themselves. These have to fend off a fight competition with mid-range Chinese smartphone makers such as Xiaomi, Gionee, OnePlus, etc who have multiple flagship killers in their kitty.

So smartphone users can expect exciting times ahead.
Hurricane Irma (L) and Hurricane Jose are pictured in the Atlantic Ocean in this NOAA satellite handout photo

After the destruction seen in Texas, the people of Florida seem to be pulling up their pants in a rather peculiar way.

60,000 people are in a serious effort trying to fight with Hurricane Irma that barreled through the Carribean. The only problem? The method isn't scientifically proven.

Theyre trying to blow away the hurricane using fans.

As many as 60,000 people have agreed to attend the event that was created on Facebook and another 45,000 people are interested in it, thus expressing a desire to participate in it till September 13.

The group is in a bid to unite people of Florida before the hurricane Irma strikes (Courtesy: Facebook)

The description of the event, posted by admin Joshua Stanaland, reads:

Everyone takes their fans outside and points them at Hurricane Irma to blow it away from us. Air compressors with a blow gun attachment also a plus, or anything else. Get creative. Date/time subject to change due to the unpredictable path it may take.

Also Read: Mass exodus in Florida as Hurricane Irma closes in Miami

Also adding a pinch of humour to the serious event is a disclaimer: Not responsible for any collapsed lungs should you choose to blow manually.

A picture uploaded by group admin Joshua shows a fan being held against the outside environment, the entire group's wall is filled with similar posts by other users (Courtesy: Facebook)

Serious or not, social media seems have responded to his call very well, as the group is now all over on Facebook with images and videos of people pointing industrial fans, home fans and even hair dryers out of their windows to blow the storm away.



The world is at war pic.twitter.com/lFcKtYUJSc

 ZACH (@ZachBarnes97) September 9, 2017

The movement also prompted funny reactions from other social media:

The group was perhaps a harmless exercise to unite the state in times of devastation with the hashtag being: #Unitedwefan.

Irma engulfed Cubas northern coast on Saturday.

Also Read: Hurricane Irma regains Category 4 force; Indian missions set up helpline

As per the International Red Crosss numbers, 1.2 million people have already been affected by Irma - and the number may be rising to almost 26 million.

At the moment, Irma is headed for a strike on Florida, with Miami expected to be one of the most affected cities.

Widespread evacuations have already been in the works.

The Indian embassy in the US has opened a round-the-clock helpline number and rushed senior diplomats to Atlanta to lead relief efforts for Indian-Americans stuck in the region.

"Unfortunately, there is no way the US is going to avoid another catastrophic weather event," AccuWeather president Joel N Myers said.

"[It will be] the worst single hurricane to hit Florida since Hurricane Andrew in 1992," Myers further added.

(With inputs from PTI)
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is investigating seven Lok Sabha MPs and 98 MLAs for "substantial increases" in their assets, after a preliminary investigation by the Income Tax Department brought the matter to light.

According to a Times of India report, the I-T department will forward the names of the politicians in a sealed envelope to the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

This was after the Supreme Court (SC) asked for a detailed report from the Centre detailing its plan of action for investigating the sudden bloating of assets of MLAs and MPs during their tenures.

In June 2015, a representation by Lucknow-based Non Government Organization (NGO) Lok Prahari sought a probe from the CBDT Chairman into the significant increase in the assets of 26 Lok Sabha Members of Parliament (MPs), 11 Rajya Sabha MPs and 257 Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs).

This information was collated in a report prepared by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADA) about the details of assets filed by politicians in the 2009 and 2014 general and state elections. The report revealed that there was a 500 percent rise in their wealth in five years.

Earlier, a bench of Supreme Court Justices J Chelameswar and S Abdul Nazeer said that a probe is needed to know whether the property and all other subsequent assets were legally acquired. The bench also reprimanded the government for its reluctance in sharing the information.

In response, senior advocate K Radhakrishnan, who was arguing for the Centre, told the bench that specific cases where there was a reason to undertake verification were probed and the results of the inquiries were with the Election Commission.

The bench did not give in to this argument and asked why the government was shying away from an investigation, since the information was in public domain. All that was needed to be checked was whether the rise in assets were bought using known sources of income.
A ring road is congested with traffic in Beijing, China, in this November 18, 2015 file photo. Some global automakers are worried that China is pushing its weight around as the world's biggest car market - by enforcing its own, often outdated, vehicle certification standards on foreign cars. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/Files - RTX24ZJR

China - the worlds second largest oil consumer is planning to ban petrol and diesel run cars. According to China's vice minister for industry, the country has begun relevant research but it is yet to decide when the ban will come into force.

Minister Xin Guobin told Xinhua, Chinas official news agency, that the policy is aimed to bring profound changes for our car industry's development.

The decision by China could lead to serious ripples in the automobile manufacturing sector as the country is the largest car market on the planet. The country accounted for almost a third of the cars that were manufactured last year.

China is aiming to end its over-dependence on traditional fuels which is a chief reason for pollution and carbon emission. The global manufacturing hub also wants to become a pioneer in the electric car sector by starting early.

China has already proposed a plan by which manufacturers have to increase the share of electric and hybrid petrol-electric vehicles to 12 percent by 2020. State-owned power companies have been asked to set up a large number of electric charging points for electric vehicles.

Geely, Volvo's Chinese owner, aims to sell one million electric cars by 2025, Renault-Nissan, Ford and General Motors are all working to develop electric cars in China.

Several other countries and industry giants have already taken action to stop the sale of automobiles run on traditional fuels. Earlier Britain and France had also announced the plan to stop the sale of petrol and diesel run automobiles by 2040.
The second tower of the World Trade Center explodes into flames after being hit by a airplane, New York September 11, 2001 with the Brooklyn bridge in the foreground. Both towers of the complex collapsed after being hit by hijacked planes. REUTERS/Sara K. Schwittek PP03080044 GMH/ME BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE - RP2DRIQRJNAC

The world hasn't been the same in the 16 years since terrorists crashed passenger planes into the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the US launched a global war on terror that has survived multiple Presidents.

What worries the US now?

The post-9/11 era has been worrisome for the country despite the fact that there has been no major terror attack as catastrophic as 9/11.

The US administration has grown increasingly suspicious of inflow of terrorist elements through illegal immigration.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump introduced a travel ban on citizens entering the US from seven countries, namely, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The Trump presidency said that the order will protect American people from the threat posed by jihadist terrorism.

But was the move justified? The data points to the opposite, suggesting instead that the threat lies within.

According to research by the New America Foundation, even though the 9/11 attack on the US was conducted by foreign infiltrators, every single jihadist who conducted a major attack after 9/11 was either a citizen or a legal resident of the US.

Further, no fatal attacks after 9/11 were committed by terrorists from the countries restricted by Trump's travel ban.

Data collated by Statista based on the New America Foundations research shows that as many as 190 people (82 percent) of all people charged with or was killed while engaging in jihadist terrorism in the US were American citizens and permanent residents since 2001.

Around 3,000 people were killed and double the number were injured during the 9/11 attacks. The years following 9/11 have seen more bloodshed and loss of lives across the world in what can be termed as a collective global failure and inability to act responsibly against terror.

Multiple wars, interventions in defunct states, stricter security advisories and many expansive citizen surveillance operations later, the world has become an even more difficult place to live.

The crusade against terrorism was a welcome move but the results indicate the world should perhaps introspect and devise better ways and means to achieve objectives.
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

Japan's prime minister today called for a boost to the country's defences in the face of North Korean threats, warning that Tokyo needs to be able to protect itself.

The call is a common refrain from nationalist leader Shinzo Abe, who has long advocated a stiffening of Japan's military posture, despite its officially pacifist constitution.

In a speech to senior officers of the Self-Defense Forces -- Japan's name for the military -- Abe said: "No one else will protect you if you don't have the mindset of protecting yourself."

"We have to take all appropriate measures against (incidents such as) North Korea's missile launch over Japan," added the premier, who said he had asked his defence minister to draw up a blueprint for Japan's medium-term defence strategy.

Abe, who moved quickly after the election of Donald Trump to keep the mercurial US president close, said that "strengthening the Japan-US alliance is vital" to ensure regional stability.

"We have to deter North Korea's repeated provocative acts," he said, noting recent joint drills with the United States in the Sea of Japan and defence cooperation with like- minded countries including Australia.

Abe's comments come as the US pushes for the United Nations Security Council to vote on harsher sanctions on North Korea.

Diplomats said that a new draft resolution circulated recently is slightly less tough than the original but includes a "progressive" oil embargo on Pyongyang.

Speaking at the same meeting, Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said he hoped to quickly introduce Aegis Ashore, a land-based version of the maritime Aegis missile-defence system.
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 hold talks tomorrow with Belarus President A G Lukashenko to bring new momentum in a bilateral engagement, particularly in areas of defence, trade and investment, the external affairs ministry said on Monday.

Lukashenko will also meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during his two-day visit beginning today.

This is Lukashenko's third state visit to India as the President of Belarus, the last one being a decade ago.

His visit comes in a year Belarus and India are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

"The two sides are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology and people to people exchanges," the MEA said.

It said the two sides are also likely to exchange views and assessments on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

G V Srinivas, joint-secretary (Eurasia) with the Ministry of External Affairs, said Lukashenko last met Prime Minister Modi at the sidelines of the 2016 Shangahi Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tashkent.

The Belarusian president's visit to India is "timely and over-due", Srinivas said during a media briefing on the visit.

Asked whether the talks would include discussions on the Eurasian nation's support for India's bid to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Srinivas said, "All areas of bilateral interest will be discussed."

"Belarus is supportive of the Indian position, both on India's (NSG) application as also in the nature of its United Nations Security Council permanent membership," Srinivas said.

Elaborating on the areas of cooperation between the two sides, the joint-secretary said Belarus has expertise in powder metallurgy.

"India has an advanced research centre in powder metallurgy in Hyderabad, established with the help of Belarus. The country (Belarus) had sent equipment and technology," he said.

A business forum and parallel meetings organised for members of the large delegation accompanying Lukashenko would explore business opportunities and avenues of cooperation in other areas.

According to the MEA, the two-way bilateral trade in 2016 amounted to USD 402 million approximately. The trade balance remains in favour of Belarus primarily on account of imports of potash.
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

The United States has submitted a new North Korean sanctions resolution to the UN Security Council, toning down its demands less than 24 hours before a vote, diplomats say, as it sought to bring China and Russia on board.

Washington has led the international drive to punish the rogue state after it detonated a nuclear device this month.

The US had originally pushed for a strict oil embargo, as well as a freeze on the assets of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

But late Sunday, diplomats said the asset freeze had been dropped from the draft, and it now foresaw a progressive tightening of the oil taps, instead of something sudden and complete.

Among other concessions the new text also softens proposed restrictions on North Koreans working overseas, and on the inspection by force of ships suspected of carrying cargo prohibited by the UN.

Of five key original measures, a ban on textile exports from North Korea remained.

Britain and France -- permanent Security Council members along with the US, China and Russia -- have given Washington their unequivocal backing.

Francois Delattre, the French ambassador to the UN, told AFP: "Maximum pressure today in the form of sanctions is our best hope for promoting a political settlement tomorrow and the best antidote to risks of confrontation."

His British counterpart Matthew Rycroft added: "To give a chance for diplomacy to end this crisis, we need DPRK (North Korea) to change course now. That means the maximum possible pressure."

The sticking point will be opposition from Russia and China, the North's two main backers, who are wary of anything that might force the collapse of the regime and the resulting exodus of refugees.

In addition to bending somewhat to Moscow and Beijing, Washington has dangled the prospect of military action or cutting economic ties with countries that continue to have trade links with the North. Some 90 percent of North Korea's exports are destined for China.

Kim Hyun-Wook, professor at the state-run Korea National Diplomatic Academy, told AFP the Americans had softened their stance because it was vital to keep Moscow and Beijing on board.

"It is only possible to criticise and rebuke China and Russia for not enforcing the sanctions if they vote for it at the UN Security Council," he said.

"That's why I think the US tried to draw a UN sanctions resolution that China and Russia will participate in even if it is not fully satisfactory, which has led to the easing of the initially very strong draft proposal.
Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity
Award-winning author and storyteller Randell Jones will return to Morganton to share new historical research on the Revolutionary War battle many local residents ancestors fought.

The Historic Burke Foundation will host Jones on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. at the old Burke County courthouse, where he will speak on the topic, A Broader, Bolder, Burke Kings Mountain Story. The event is part of HBF s 2017 Revolutionary War Days celebration and is free to attend. Refreshments will be served.

Joness appearance is sponsored by the North Carolina Humanities Council. He is an invited member of the councils Road Scholars Speakers Bureau.

The Battle of Kings Mountain is considered one of the great events of the American Revolution and especially so in the Southern Campaign. Thomas Jefferson called it the turning of the tide in Americas fight for independence. For 237 years, Americans have been celebrating this patriot victory of backcountry militiamen over British-trained loyalists that took place on Oct . 7, 1780.

It is a great point of pride for all North Carolinians , and our own Quaker Meadows in Morganton has been at the center of the story about the gathering of citizen militiamen who relentlessly pursued the arrogant and threatening British Major Patrick Ferguson , HBF leaders said in a press release on the event.

Jones recently announced that n ew historical research greatly expands the landscape on which the story falls reaching to the Catawba River, Mecklenburg County, and even farther east. The larger story includes people and events not shared at all in the much-celebrated Kings Mountain story and others only briefly mentioned or suggested as being involved.

But now, we have a new story to tell, a broader story, a bolder story, and one that still has Quaker Meadows and Burke County in the center, HBF said.

Jones said he is intrigued by the discoveries.

This new story is so exciting because we now know something very special about over a quarter of the men who fought at Kings Mountain, he said.  We now know the route and events followed by the South Carolina militiamen and the Lincoln County militiamen. It turns out that they marched as far as anyone else to get to a battle that was in their own backyard.

Jones is one of three independent scholars who collaborated during 2015 to reveal this new account. He joined with Bill Anderson of Charlotte and John Robertson of Shelby in studying and documenting the account. Jones shared this story at the national Congress of the Sons of the American Revolution in Knoxville at the invitation of the President General and the Historian General in July.

The Burke County part of the story is bigger than is usually shared as well, he said . More happened in the Catawba River Valley than just the mustering at Quaker Meadows. One local gentleman tricked the British, embarrassing them so that it was mentioned in London. And, the unexpected epilogue to that story has a 190 th anniversary this year. That means more bragging rights for Burke County, especially in 2017.

And the new Kings Mountain story serves another purpose, too. With the new findings, we can now correct a grave misunderstanding about the role of Col. James Williams leading up to the battle. His patriotic character was greatly maligned in an account of the battle written by another South Carolina colonel years later. That account has been suspect in it accuracy, and now we can account for Williams actions while in North Carolina in a more heroic light. Indeed, when I share this new history with South Carolina audiences, I title the presentation Saving Colonel Williams.

Jones said telling this new part of the Kings Mountain story works best with an audience who already knows the basics. He calls it Kings Mountain 102, the spring semester. Many in Burke County have enjoyed hearing Randell Jones speak previously about Kings Mountain, or they have read his book, Before They Were Heroes at Kings Mountain or A Guide to the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail. Others may already understand the basic story through other sources.

Jones invites those who want to prepare for the Sept. 13 talk to watch the video, The American Spirit, 1780. It is free and available on YouTube at www.youtube.com by searching for it by Randell Jones name. A link to the video is available at www.RandellJones.com or www.DanielBooneFootsteps.com as well. The video received a 2016 Multimedia Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians.
50 Years ago in Burke County

Jimmy Rhyne

MAN FLEES SCENE OF BREAK IN

Millers pharmacy on East Union Street was burglarized early this morning, but the thief apparently dropped most of his loot when a Morganton policeman saw him leaving the scene of the crime.

Policeman Bob Stamey was making a routine check of Millers pharmacy at about 3; 15 am and saw a man running from the store and jumping across the fence into a next door yard, Stamey immediately gave pursuit on foot. The fleeing burglar soon vanished into the night and Stamey radioed other patrol cars for help..

A number of vitamin pills and syringes were found on the ground and Officers speculated the thieves thought the pills were prescription pain medication. Apparently nothing else was missing according to Police Chief E.P. Whisnant.

AROUND BURKE

Since Monday was Labor Day, the Burke County Board of Commissioners has chosen to meet in regular session September 11 at the County office building at 9:30 am.

Danny Puckett, a sergeant with the Morganton Police Department before he left several months to take a position with Roses Stores Inc. at Marion, has returned to the police department as a patrolman.

Puckett was a policeman here for about three years before going to Marion. He resumed work today City Manager, Cyrus L. Brooke, said.

CAR COLLIDES WITH BEAR ON I 40

A bear cub collided with a car on Interstate 40 west on Jamestown Road Monday at 8 pm, damaging the car extensively, the bear than ran from the scene to hide in a patch of honeysuckle bushes.

The bear was still alive today and was awaiting veterinary treatment this morning.

The 1965 Rambler was driven by PFC Fred Rice of Springfield Illinois; the bear apparently was trying to cross the super highway.

The bear has a tag on its ear confirming it was one 14 bears which the Daniel Boone Hunting Club bought and turned loose to roam in the Daniel Boone management area last April.

TWO 3-YEAR OLDS FOUND SAFE AFTER SEARCH

The lost were found, but for nearly an hour Monday from 12 to 14 men and a number of women did a lot of looking for Lisa Ellers and Robbie Danner. Both are three years old.

The Burke and Valdese Rescue Squads promptly got to work after the children were reported missing. They were spotted 3 quarters of a mile from home by Johnny Higgins, an employee of Burke Oil.

Robbie is the son of Tommy Danner; Rescue squad did not learn the name of Lisas parents.

The children were at the Eller home under the care of Robbies grandmother when the children wandered off.

IN THE SERVICE OF THE USA

Enroute to Viet Nam-Airman Second Class Rod Orders, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Herman Orders, left Wednesday to return to Mount Home Air Base in Idaho, in preparation for leaving for Viet Nam, where he will serve at Cam Rahn Bay. He leaves Mt. Home AFB in October.

AMONG US MORGANTONIANS; J. GORDON QUEEN(1963 54 years ago)

Our recently enlarged and modernized post office is a beauty. We went in the building this morning and took time to look around. More building, more boxes, more beautiful wall colorings, more everything.

We were down in the depot area the other day, what did we see? Plenty, the three Nite Furniture Company buildings have been painted white and to say they are face and sidelifted beautifully is putting it mildly. Jim Connelly and his gang sure do keep up with the times.

City BriefsOur store display windows are looking unusually well done these days and are beckoning you to Shop Morganton firstRupert D. Stevens recently secured a permit to build an addition to his residence on Hilltop StreetCome to think of it, we still think a bottling plant, for soft drinks that is, should be located in Morganton. Too many outside trucks coming in. We are a city now and can support almost anything.

This article is sponsored by The Burke County History Museum where the archives of the News Herald are stored. Jimmy Rhyne is a volunteer.
Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive.

To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research.

Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process.
Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

Partly cloudy. High 61F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Thunder possible. Low 54F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Miami looks like a ghost town after hundreds of thousands of people evacuated the city to escape Hurricane Irma.

Eerie photographs taken Thursday and Friday show empty beaches and streets around the city of a half-million people.

On Friday morning, Twitter users shared images of freeways without any cars and areas of Miami International Airport without a single person.

Irma weakened from a Category 5 storm to Category 4 on Friday morning with maximum sustained winds near 150 mph (240 kph), but it remained a powerful hurricane.

Now Playing: Hurricanes Irma and Harvey have reignited discussions about the link between global warming and extreme weather, with climate scientists now saying they can show the connections between the two phenomena better than ever before. Video: Time

Florida braced for the onslaught, with forecasters warning that Irma could slam headlong into the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people, punish the entire length of the state's Atlantic coast and move into Georgia and South Carolina.

More than a half-million people in Miami-Dade County were ordered to leave as Irma closed in. People rushed to board up their homes, take their boats out of the water and gas up their cars. With gasoline running out and tensions rising, the Florida Highway Patrol escorted tanker trucks sent to replenish gas stations.

"(The hurricane) is wider than our entire state and could cause major and life-threatening impacts from coast to coast. Regardless of which coast you live on, be prepared to evacuate," Gov. Rick Scott said.



Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami, said Irma could easily prove to be the costliest storm in U.S. history.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Currently Reading

Remembering the New York terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001
The Midland ISD board of trustees is meeting today, and while there is not an action item regarding Dixie, the topic is expected to come up during the public comment session.

We want to thank our government entities for including comment periods in their meetings. The school district and city are among the entities that provide this time for residents to address their elected leaders.

The public comment period allows residents to have their say -- usually no more than three minutes a person -- and we believe this is a welcome addition to a government meeting. Residents should be able to bring awareness to an issue and to feel like they have had their say.

We have no idea what will be said during todays public comment period. We expect there will be at least one person who will speak out against the decision to remove notes from Dixie from the Lee High School fight song. There might even be some who back the principals decision and publicly comment about that support. It works both ways, after all.

More for you MISD superintendent is ready to listen, learn

We believe that this discussion about confederate imagery takes away from the focus we should put toward academic performance. It is a sad commentary on where this school district has been, but we cant afford distractions at this point. Maybe that will change three or five years from now if that is where the residents in our community want to go.

It is also our opinion that the district brought this distraction upon itself. District officials should have expected the reaction they received. However, it appears the district was more reactive in its communication with the public on this issue.
GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here.
Four local Xcel Energy employees are among the 36 employees from Texas and New Mexico assisting with power restoration efforts in Florida after Hurricane Irma passes through the state.

In all, Xcel Energy is spending about 200 employees from around its eight-state service area.

The local crew members now on their way to Florida are Line Working Foreman Brandon Zahn, Lineman Apprentice 4th Year Dustin Bach, Lineman Apprentice 4th Year Logan Garner and Lineman Apprentice 1st Year Dustin Medina.

They were part of a convey that pulled out of Xcel Energys Amarillo Technical Center, 7801 E. Interstate 40 in Amarillo, early Sunday morning.

According to Wes Reeves of Amarillo, Xcel spokesman, Xcel Energy is part of the Edison Electric Institutes Mutual Assistance program, which compiles a database of resources utility companies have available during large outage events such as natural disasters.

The company already has been on standby to offer line crews for outside assistance since Hurricane Harvey affected large areas in Texas and Louisiana two weeks ago, but the company did not receive a call for assistance following that weather event.

On Saturday, however, Xcel Energy received a formal request to assist in the Tampa, Florida, area, which was expected to be severely impacted by Hurricane Irma.

Reeves reports that crews from Xcel Energys operations in Colorado and the Upper Midwest also are being deployed.

The area crews have been asked to pack for a two-week deployment.

We know if we were affected by a natural disaster, other utilities would help us, and they have many times in the past, said David Hudson, president, Xcel Energy  New Mexico, Texas. We have some of the best line workers in the nation, and were honored to play a role in helping our neighbors, even if they live more than one thousand miles away.

In addition to the four crewmembers from Plainview, Xcels Texas-New Mexico team will include employees from Amarillo, Borger, Hereford, Levelland, Littlefield, Lubbock, Clovis and Roswell.

The group includes line workers, mechanics, supervisors and a safety consultant. They will work under the direction of the local utility serving Tampa.

The safety of our workers and of the public in need of their services is our top priority, Hudson said. Our employees will do an outstanding job and they will come home safely to their families, who also are sacrificing during this time.
Two years after first applying for emergency grant funding after one of its two municipal water wells went dry, the community of Halfway appears a step closer to getting help from the state.

On Monday, Hale County commissioners approved a contract for engineering services with Carthel Engineering Solutions and a resolution naming Ches Carthel as engineer for the project. In August, commissioners approved a contract and resolution designating A&J Howco Services, Inc., to administer and oversee the anticipating grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Its still not a done deal, but its moving along, commented Precinct 4 Commissioner Benny Cantwell. The grant is being sought to put in one new well and to rehab another.

County Judge Bill Coleman added that Halfway was close to being awarded the grant two years ago, until the state pulled funding for the program.

The grant is expected to total $286,250, Cantwell reported previously. Halfway Water Supply Corp., according to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, serves 52 water connections and a population of 100. Two years ago, Halfway applied for a Community Block Grant through TCEQ after one of its two water wells quit producing. Even through drought conditions have ended for most of Texas, Halfways water crisis remains extremely critical. The community has been on voluntary water rationing for more than two years.

In May 2016, Halfway again applied for a Community Block Grant, for the 2017-2018 funding cycle. That application is now under consideration.

In other action Monday, commissioners:

--Approved current accounts payable of $144,616.46 for Aug. 30 to Sept. 11.

--Asked County Clerk Latrice Kemp and County Attorney Jim Tirey to search county records to find property deed records on a county-owned tract in Petersburg that an individual wants to purchase for business development purposes.

--Appointed Judge Bill Coleman, County Treasurer Ida Tyler, Precinct 1 Commissioner Harold King, Precinct 2 Commissioner Mario Martinez, County Attorney Jim Tirey, Chief Sheriffs Deputy David Cochran and Texas Association of Counties representative Michele Arseneau to a committee to review the countys personnel policies manual. Coleman will service as chairman.

--Approved an interlocal agreement with Lubbock County to provide forensic autopsy services through the Lubbock County Medical Examiners Office. The one-year contract begins Oct. 1. The Lubbock County Medical Examiners Office is not the countys primary autopsy provider.

--Approved the Hale Center EMS run report for July, showing 24 emergency calls  18 in the city and six in the county. Five were non-transports, resulting in 19 billable runs.

--Approved bids on three tax foreclosed trust properties  $550 for 607 E. 13th and $500 for 325 Stevenson Ave., both in Hale Center, and $1,200 for 2801 Gladney in Seth Ward.

--Authorized Sheriff David Mull to seek pricing information on three new patrol vehicles from Caldwell Country Chevrolet in Caldwell through the State Buy Board, to replace three hail-damaged vehicles.

--Approved a contract with Tom Greene County to house jail inmates as needed for $52 per day. That county is in the process of building a new facility.
Derek Dammann / Getty Image

The bodies of a 67-year-old man and his 43-year-old son were recovered from the wreckage of a small plane that crashed Saturday shortly after taking off from Buchanan Field Airport in Concord.

The single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza was located about 4 a.m. Sunday by a Civil Air Patrol crew on private land off Lake Herman Road near Interstate 680 in Benicia, said Deputy Daniel Pratt, a spokesman for the Solano County Sheriffs Office.
Since the early 1990s, Texas has had an issue with Durable Powers of Attorney (DPOA) which was initiated by the banking lobby. They had convinced the legislature to structure Texas law to give them the power to indiscriminately refuse to accept a DPOA. This resulted in an unacceptable level of uncertainty, because your bank could refuse a request from your Agent for no good reason.

As of September 1, 2017 the law has changed. A new set of procedures has been enacted to help assure that your DPOA can be used when the need arises. Banks, brokers and other financial institutions must follow the new laws, and can no longer reject a DPOA on their whim.

Unless one or more grounds for refusal exist under the new law, a person who is presented with and asked to accept a DPOA has two choices: 1) Accept the Agents authority, or 2) Ask for more information. Specifically, the person can ask for a) a Certificate from the Agent which attests to the validity of the DPOA, or b) an opinion from the Agents lawyer attesting to the validity of the DPOA, or c) a translation of the DPOA to English if it is not already in English.

If a translation is desired, the person must request it within 5 business days after receiving the Agents request for action. When the translation is received, the person can then accept the DPOA or ask for more information as with any other DPOA.

If the person desires a Certificate or Counsels opinion, the person must request it from the Agent within 10 business days after receiving the Agents request for action (or of receiving the translation). Once the Certificate or Counsels opinion is presented by the Agent, the person has 7 business days to accept the DPOA unless other specific grounds for refusal exist.

The new law forbids two fairly common ploys. First, the person may not require that an additional or different form of the power of attorney be presented (too frequently, a bank or broker would insist that only their internal form would be accepted; the new law will not allow that restriction to be imposed). Second, the person may not require that the DPOA be recorded with the county clerk unless recording is mandatory under the statute (which is true only when the DPOA is used for a real estate transaction).

The allowed grounds for refusal are, however, still broad. Any refusal to accept a DPOA must be in writing A few of the key grounds still include:

(1)That the person would not otherwise be required to engage in a transaction with the principal under the same circumstances;

(2)That engaging in the transaction under the same circumstances would be inconsistent with another law, rule or regulation, or would violate a request from the police, or would violate a policy designed to comply with another law, rule or regulation;

(3)That the Certificate, Counsels opinion or translation are incorrect, incomplete, unclear, limited, qualified, or otherwise deficient;

(4)That the person knows the DPOA has been revoked, or that the Agent does not have authority as the Agent is claiming, or that there is litigation underway to invalidate the DPOA, or that Coagents are giving conflicting instructions to the person.

It will take some time for everyone to become familiar with this new law, and for banks, brokers, etc. to readily comply. In the meantime, everyone who has signed a DPOA is in a better position to have their instructions followed and thus to receive better care if and when a disability strikes.

Paul Premack is a Certified Elder Law Attorney with offices in San Antonio and Seattle, handling Wills and Trusts, Probate, and Business Entity issues. View past legal columns or submit free questions on legal issues via www.TexasEstateandProbate.com or www.Premack.com.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Fall semester 2017 is bringing a few new luxury housing options for college students around San Antonio.

The growing Texas A&M San Antonio campus unveiled its first dormitory, Esperanza Hall, which recently welcomed its first tenants.

St. Mary's University debuted the first of its multi-phase effort to revamp current residency halls with the grand opening of the $25 million Perigueux Hall.

RLEATED: This Texas State dorm room flip 'should win an award'

The new digs continue at Trinity University, which acquired the once-public apartment complex, City Vista, to be used as luxurious student living with panoramic views of downtown San Antonio.

Get a tour of each in the gallery above.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

NEW MILFORD  More than 50 residents watched quietly Monday morning as veterans and first responders raised the American flag at the 9/11 memorial on Patriots Way Plaza.

At 8:46 a.m., the ringing of a bell broke the silence, marking the time the first airliner crashed into the World Trade Center 16 years ago.

As the bell tolled, resident Rachelle Goldberg sighed, placing a hand over her heart and blinking through tears.

You almost feel the pain of the people left behind, she said after the event, which included a flag-folding ceremony, a performance of the National Anthem and speeches.

Afterward, residents lined up to place flowers at the foot of the memorial, which was already decorated with photographs, miniature fire trucks and a worn teddy bear in a yellow firemans uniform.

Local officials reflected on how pivotal the attack was for the country and for people.

9/11 is one of those days that defines a moment, in not only the timeline of our nation, but in our personal lives, Mayor David Gronbach said in a speech.

State Rep. Bill Buckbee, R-New Milford, noted that growing up he never understood how people of his fathers generation could remember so clearly the day President John F. Kennedy was killed. But he said 9/11 is etched onto his brain.

Its that important to keep that memory alive so that we dont forget, not only what was done in the attacks on our country, but the brave men and women who fought to protect our country and who still do, he told the crowd.

Buckbee said he lost friends that day.

The greatest honor for those people is by honoring those who continue to serve and give thanks to our brave men and women, our first responders who give every single day what could be that same gift, he said.

Gronbach said the community can also recognize those lost on 9/11 by doing good to others. He said he sees this in New Milford every day through the volunteers who help senior citizens, teach immigrants English or run organizations that celebrate the arts.

But he said he also sees divisiveness and prejudice in the community.

We do not honor the lives of people who were taken from us on 9/11 by pretending a camaraderie this day and tearing each other down the next, Gronbach said. In the spirit of this day and those we lost, I thank the people of our community who make it a better place with positive, constructive action. This day of remembrance, this gathering, reminds us of our burden and our duty. I challenge us all to work together to achieve it.

Goldberg said the attacks caused the country to unite.

That moment in time, it changed us forever, Goldberg said. We saw people coming together that had never come together before. First responders risked their lives to save people, there were no color barriers, no religious barriers.

She choked up as she thought of the children who grew up without parents and the people who called their loved ones on the phone for the last time that day.

It helps us to remember our time on earth, she said. We cant measure it, so we have to do as God says [and] love each other.
As Clear Creek ISD students returned to school for the first time since Hurricane Harvey last week, workers were still busy at many campuses making storm-related repairs.

A district resource center manned by over 500 volunteers is offering assistance to people needing clothing and other basic supplies.

Through "CCISD Cares" program, "so far, we've helped 3,204 people and 920 families at our distribution center," district spokesowoman Elaina Polson said. "Since many people weren't able to reach the distribution center, we also sent our school buses out to neighborhoods to deliver cleaning supplies and food and other donated items."

Superintendent Greg Smith said schools were also made available to serve as shelters.

The CCISD Cares center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at McWhirter Elementary, 300 Pennsylvania Ave. in Webster. District officials say the center will remain open until Friday and the decision whether to extend its operations another week will be made at the end of the week.

"Of our 45 campuses, 44 suffered damage ranging from minor leaks and broken glass to substantial flooding from rising water during the storm. Brookside Intermediate in Friendswood by far suffered the most significant damage and crews will continue to work there for several more weeks," Polsen said.

Four to five inches of flood waters created significant damage to entire Brookside building. Carpet is being replaced throughout the school, and the gym floor will need to be replaced. Other campuses suffered significant flooding damage, while a few schools had relatively minor damage due to roof leaks.

District officials began assessing needed repairs the first day after the storm.

"The recovery efforts started immediately with more than 80 employees, contractors and architects leading a comprehensive assessment of each school and soon expanded to teams of hundreds," CCISD facilities director Paul Miller said in a district press release.

Donations to "CCISD Cares" are being accepted to help families in need. Checks or gift cards can be sent by mail to: CCISD Education Support Center

Attn: Cindy Stamps, Federal Programs

2425 E. Main Street

League City, TX 77573

Please notate "CCISD Cares" in the notes field.

For more information, visit ww.ccisd.net/ccisdcares
"Do you worry 100 years from now someone is going to take that memorial down like they are trying to remake our memorials today?"

On the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, we bring to your attention a question by a Fox News host that is all at once hyper-political, hyperbolic and hyper-offensive to both 9/11 victims and those who are offended by Confederate memorials, by suggesting the two are somehow connected.

Interior secretary Ryan Zinke joined "Fox & Friends" from Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where one of the planes in the terrorist attacks crashed, killing all on board. He and Vice President Mike Pence were there to commemorate a new memorial for the 40 passengers who died trying to save more people. They will dedicate a wind chime tower with 40 chimes on it as part of ongoing construction of a memorial there, Zinke said.

"We're really reflecting on how great this country is and the sacrifices we made, and also talking about the change that 9/11 brought to all Americans," he said.

To which Fox News host Brian Kilmeade asked: "Do you worry 100 years from now someone is going to take that memorial down like they are trying to remake our memorials today?"

Kilmeade appears to be comparing a memorial for 9/11 victims - heroes, really, some of whom wrested control of the plane from the hijackers and forced it to crash in a rural Pennsylvania field rather than into the U.S. Capitol - to Confederate War memorials around the country. In doing so, Kilmeade implies that some people will stop at nothing to erase the nation's history, because. . .? Well, I'm at a loss to explain the conclusion to his logic.

Because the two couldn't be more different.

Sept. 11 memorials like the one Zinke and Pence were dedicating in Shanksville are for Americans whose lives were lost or irrevocably disrupted in the attacks, and, really, for an entire nation that was forever changed by the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil.

Confederate memorials honor men who fought against the country as it existed then, largely to keep their right to use black people as slaves. Defenders of the memorials argue that taking them down will take America down into a sanitized, political correctness where nothing in history is sacred.

"Should we start taking their statues down and saying, 'We're embarrassed by you?'" Kilmeade rhetorically asked Condoleezza Rice in May, noting that some of the nation's first presidents were slave owners.

Public opinion is divided over the meaning of the Confederate statues, with 26 percent seeing them as a symbol of racism, according to an August YouGov-Economist survey.

The divide in America - as we agonizingly replayed this summer - is between those who see a Confederate memorial as a reflection of Southern history and culture, and those who, when they look at a Confederate memorial, see a monument to America's racist past, which is being appropriated some 150 years later by white supremacists who feel empowered by President Donald Trump's election.

Kilmeade appears to be delegitimizing anyone who is genuinely offended by the Confederate memorials by suggesting that those people are unpatriotic. If you don't want to honor Confederate soldiers who are part of our nation's fabric, he's suggesting, then it's not a far leap to assume you will find distaste in honoring the victims and families and first responders whose lives were irrevocably changed by the Sept. 11 attacks.

Zinke, diplomatically, tried to convey that to Kilmeade:

"'I'm one who believes we should learn from history. I think our monuments are part of our country's history. We can learn from it. Since we don't put up statues of Jesus, everyone is going to fall morally short. And I think reflecting on history, both good and bad, is a powerful statement and part of our DNA. So I'm an advocate again of learning from our monuments and understanding the period that they were made. But also, we live in a great country, and monuments are not Republican and Democrat and independent. The monuments are a tribute to all of us.'"

In other words: The debate about Confederate memorials can rage on, entirely independent of honoring 9/11 victims, about which there really is no mainstream debate.

---

https://youtu.be/YZo3A0kiqCc
BERLIN - In 2015, suspected Russian hackers broke into the computer networks of the German Parliament and made off with a mother lode of data - 16 gigabytes, enough to account for a million or more emails.

Ever since, German politicians have been watching nervously for the fruits of that hack to be revealed, and for possible embarrassment and scandal to follow. Many warily eyed September 2017 - the date of the next German election - as the likely window for Russian meddling to once again rattle the foundations of a Western democracy.

But with the vote only two weeks away - and with Russian President Vladimir Putin's European nemesis, Chancellor Angela Merkel, seemingly on track for a comfortable win - the hacked emails haven't materialized.

Nor have Russian-linked propaganda networks churned into overdrive with disinformation campaigns. Even Kremlin-orchestrated bots - blamed for the viral spread of fake news in last year's U.S. presidential campaign - have been conspicuously silent.

The apparent absence of a robust Russian campaign to sabotage the German vote has become a mystery among officials and experts who had warned of a likely onslaught.

Have Germany's defensive measures - significantly boosted after the hacks and propaganda campaigns that preceded last November's U.S. vote - actually succeeded? Or has Russia decided to pull back, reckoning that the costs of antagonizing Merkel outweigh the benefits?

Or perhaps Moscow is simply biding its time.

"That's what makes me worried," said Maksymilian Czuperski, director of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab. "Why is it so quiet? It doesn't feel right."

Much is at stake for Russia in the German vote. Merkel, a Russian speaker who has jousted with Putin throughout her 12-year tenure as chancellor, is critical to the Western alliance's chances of hanging together amid a concerted Russian campaign to pick it apart.

To her left and her right are German parties that have advocated a far softer line on Moscow. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, in particular, has taken stands that would please Putin, including calls to abolish the European Union.

Putin has denied that his government is behind efforts to influence elections in the United States and beyond, while coyly acknowledging that "patriotically minded" Russians may be acting on their own.

But if Russia was hoping to undermine Merkel before the Sept. 24 vote, it doesn't appear to be working: Her center-right party has remained well ahead of all competitors in all polls, while the AfD's support seems to have topped out at about 10 percent.

Whether Russia makes a concerted push to meddle may not be known until election night - or beyond. German authorities are certainly not yet declaring victory, and they have urged politicians and the public to remain on alert as the campaign hits the homestretch.

In recent days, German cybersecurity officials have warned that Russian-linked networks may try to manipulate the vote count, perhaps throwing the outcome into disarray. And the country's top domestic intelligence officer said his staff is conducting hourly checks of sites such as BTleaks to make sure there's no fresh sign of the hacked documents from the Bundestag, the German Parliament.

Meanwhile, a leading Merkel ally reported that on the eve of the campaign's only nationally televised debate this month, her website was hit with thousands of cyberattacks - many of which appeared to emanate from Russian IP addresses.

But overall, officials and experts say the scale of apparent Russian interference is far lower than they had expected.

Volker Wagner, chairman of the German Association for Security in Industry and Commerce, said his group recently conducted a comprehensive survey of its members on the issue and came up empty.

The organization, which works closely with German intelligence agencies to counteract shared threats, did not find "any evidence . . . that there are more sophisticated attacks coming from Russia in the pre-election period."

Czuperski, meanwhile, said the stream of fake news and bot-spread disinformation had visibly slowed.

If evidence of Russian meddling continues to be minimal, experts say, there may be valuable lessons in understanding why Germany has proved unusually resilient.

One is that German authorities have been especially aggressive in trying to publicize and combat Russian sabotage efforts as they emerge - a contrast to the United States, where the Obama administration last year was reluctant to sound the alarm on what intelligence agencies later concluded was a concerted Russian campaign to help then-candidate Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.

When pro-Russian news outlets began circulating a story last year about a Russian-German girl named Lisa who was allegedly abducted and raped by Arab migrants, German officials shot down the story and accused Moscow of "political propaganda."

German intelligence officials have also named Russian-linked groups as the likely culprit behind the Bundestag hack, and they have been outspoken in their belief that Moscow will try to sway the German electorate against Merkel.

German lawmakers, meanwhile, in June passed stringent legislation that imposes multimillion-euro fines on companies that fail to remove fake news and defamatory content from their websites.

The legislation, which was vigorously opposed by Facebook and other social media firms, does not go into effect until October. But already, companies have begun to comply.

Patrick Sensburg, a Merkel ally in Parliament and an intelligence expert, said he has reported some 30 accounts to Facebook in the past several months that he suspects of being pro-Russian bots. The accounts all have the same friends, offer no personal details and use the same language to attack him.

"They'll say, 'Are you a Muslim?' or 'Merkel let everybody in' or 'You're selling out our country,' " he said.

In most cases, he said, Facebook has acted on his complaints by taking the accounts down.

"We're in the beginning on social media of the fight against fake news and fake accounts," he said.

German defense may not account entirely for the apparent lack of a game-changing Russian offense.

Sijbren de Jong, a Russia expert at the Hague Center for Strategic Studies, said the Russians may have decided to play a less aggressive role in the German vote after they "overplayed their hand in the U.S."

For a variety of reasons, de Jong said, direct interference in German elections would be a risky bet. Not least are the economic considerations for two countries that remain close trading partners, despite sanctions that Merkel has championed.

"The German economy is a large market for key Russian companies," he said. "You don't bite the hand that feeds you."

Nor do you meddle in a vote where the outcome appears preordained. Several German parties - including the far-right AfD, the center-left Social Democrats and the far-left Die Linke, or the Left - have far more Moscow-friendly policies than the ones espoused by Merkel's Christian Democrats.

But even after 12 years of Merkel, German voters appear in little mood to shake up the system and veer away from her studied centrism.

"The intention [of Russia] is to destabilize European society," said Annegret Bendiek, an analyst with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. "In Germany, that's not so easy."

Bendiek said it is still possible that in the waning days of the campaign, Russian operatives will try to unsettle things. But she's doubtful. Even the hacked Bundestag documents may never see the light of day, if only because the people who stole them may have concluded that they wouldn't change anything if they did.

Hacking into the inner sanctum of German politics was one thing. But finding anything salacious or tawdry among what are likely to be hundreds of thousands of tedious policy documents, Bendiek said, is quite another.

"It's been my job for 10 years to read these kinds of documents," she said. "You can't imagine. They are so boring."
YONATAN, Golan Heights - It is 4:30 a.m. and pitch dark when the sick Syrian children and their mothers begin to cross into Israel.

There's a 1-year-old girl with a squint, and a 2-year-old with a birth defect that prevents him from walking. A slight 12-year-old's family is concerned that she is not growing. One child has a rash, another a rattling cough.

They emerge from the darkness into the yellow glare of the security lights on the Israeli side of the fence in the occupied Golan Heights, where they are searched before being allowed through. There are 19 children in total, a smaller group than most that come roughly every week.

The children are allowed in as part of Israel's "Good Neighbors" program, which began treating injured Syrian fighters and civilians in the early days of their country's civil war but has expanded into a more complex operation that also sends fuel, food and supplies into Syria.

Israeli officials stress the humanitarian aspect of the program, but it has another aim: to create a friendly zone just inside Syria to serve as a bulwark against Israel's archenemy, the Shiite movement Hezbollah.

Israel has watched anxiously as President Bashar al-Assad has taken the upper hand in Syria's war with the aid of Hezbollah and Iran, its main backer, which are building their presence across the border.

But for the moment at least, Sunni rebel groups control most of the Syrian side of the 45-mile boundary between the two countries. Israel hopes to keep it that way.

Israeli military officers denied giving direct assistance to any of the Sunni groups along the border fence that oppose Hezbollah and the Syrian regime, or even coordinating humanitarian aid with them. But a former senior intelligence officer with the Israel Defense Forces said Israel has provided support to about a dozen groups, and may have given financial assistance "here and there."

"First of all, it had to do with morals. People were injured on the other side of the border, coming to our fence - they were going to die," said Brig. Gen. Eli Ben-Meir, who served as the head of the research and analysis division in the IDF's intelligence corps until last year. "Then it led to a lot of other things."

It was in 2013, Israeli military officials say, when the first group of injured Syrians approached the Israeli fence on the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau that Israel partially captured from Syria in 1967 and later annexed, a move not recognized internationally.

Israel has now treated more than 3,000 wounded Syrians, military officials say, though a Syrian medic on the other side of the border said the number traveling for care appeared to be higher.

As fighting has died down along the border, Israel has started offering medical care for more-routine ailments. More than 600 Syrian children have been bused to Israeli hospitals for treatment in the past year.

Israel has transferred 360 tons of food, nearly 120,000 gallons of gasoline, 90 pallets of drugs, and 50 tons of clothing as well as generators, water piping and building materials, the IDF says.

"There was an understanding that if we weren't there, somebody else would influence them," Ben-Meir said. The humanitarian motivation was "huge," he added. "But the more it got bigger and expanded, the more it had to do with winning these hearts and minds."

Closer ties also mean richer intelligence. Officially, Israel has maintained a neutral position in Syria's war, but it has intervened to protect its interests. Throughout the conflict, assassinations and airstrikes in Syria have been attributed to Israel, though the government rarely publicly acknowledges them.

In the latest strike, on Thursday, Syria accused Israel of bombing a military facility linked to rocket production for Hezbollah.

The program is reminiscent of the early days of Israel's "Good Fence" program in Lebanon as civil war broke out there in 1975. The defense minister at the time, Shimon Peres, stressed the purely humanitarian nature of the project to establish a "good neighborhood" as Israel treated Lebanese refugees and sent assistance to the country's south with "no strings attached."

But then Israel was also trying to prevent encroachment by Palestinian guerrillas, and threw its support behind the South Lebanon Army.

"It's easy to assume that we are doing it because someone you give a favor to, you get one back," said Maj. Sergey Kutikov, head of the Good Neighbors medical department, as he walked toward the border to meet the patients. The IDF members leave their military vehicles behind, so as not to attract attention. "But the reason in my mind is really to give humanitarian aid."

Unlike Syria's other neighbors, Israel does not take in refugees, though it recently agreed to accept 100 Syrian orphans. Israel has been in a state of war with its northern neighbor for nearly 70 years.

"They always look stressed when they cross," Kutikov said. "They don't know what to expect."

As the sky began to lighten, the families boarded a bus to make the nearly hour-long journey to a hospital on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. The Syrians are given priority over other patients, staff members said. The top specialists were summoned. A clown entertained the children.

"The regime left us nothing," said a Syrian doctor who crossed with the group. He said two rockets landed in his operating room a year ago. He began coming two months ago, despite being afraid of the consequences of people finding out. "I did it for the sake of the children," he said. "We've seen a lot, we've seen death."

While most of the area along the fence is controlled by Sunni rebel groups, a small section is held by the Assad regime, and another is controlled by Islamic State militants.

Kutikov said there is no contact with rebel groups across the border, but Ben-Meir said that it is necessary.

"Usually, the guys involved in agriculture, in feeding the population, in taking care of the health situation, are the same guys that are responsible for defending them and fighting against the regime," Ben-Meir said.

One rebel group, Fursan al-Golan, receives about $5,000 a month from Israel, according to a Wall Street Journalreport.

For now, a cease-fire in the area is largely holding. But both Israel and the communities on the border are concerned that it is probably only a matter of time before Assad tries to take back the territory.

A medic across the border, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for security reasons, said that Israel was creating "tyrants" by supporting certain groups but that most people would rather turn to Israel than to the regime.

After their checkups, the children stay for the day and travel back the following night. Some are kept longer if they need urgent care.

"I was reluctant at the beginning to come to Israel," said the mother who was hoping Israeli doctors could fix her daughter's squint. "We can only get treatment in regime-controlled areas, but it's too dangerous. I have family who are martyrs and prisoners, and my brother and father are wanted."

One 7-year-old girl was on her third trip to Israel for problems stemming from an airstrike three years ago that killed her twin brother. Her mother said a local commander told them to go to Israel.

"At first I was afraid, but then I saw that the treatment was superb," the 36-year-old woman said. "We were told they are the enemy, but in reality, they are friends."

---

Heba Habib in Stockholm and Sufian Taha in the Golan Heights contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON - U.S. officials can at least temporarily continue to block refugees with formal assurances from resettlement agencies from entering the United States after the Supreme Court intervened again Monday to save a piece of President Donald Trump's travel ban.

Responding to an emergency request from the Justice Department, Justice Anthony Kennedy stopped an earlier federal appeals court ruling that had allowed refugees with a formal assurance to enter the country.

Kennedy, who handles cases on an emergency basis from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, ordered those suing over the ban to respond by noon Tuesday, and he indicated that the appeals court ruling in their favor would be stayed "pending receipt" of their response.

The Supreme Court's decision came not long after the Justice Department asked the justices to act. That filing, by Acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall, demonstrated the lengths to which the government is willing to go to impose its desired version of the ban, even before the high court takes up in earnest next month whether the measure is lawful at its core. At issue is whether the president can block a group of about 24,000 refugees with assurances from entering the United States after the Supreme Court decided in June to permit a limited version of his travel ban to take effect.

Since Trump signed his first travel ban shortly after taking office, the directive has been mired in a complicated legal battle.

The president ultimately revoked the first ban - which blocked refugees and citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States - and replaced it with a less onerous version that blocked refugees and citizens of six of the initial seven countries. The Supreme Court ultimately decided Trump could impose that measure, but not on those with a "bona fide" connection to the United States, such as having family members here, a job or a place in a U.S. university.

It is the interpretation of a "bona fide" connection to the United States that is being debated. The government initially sought to block grandparents and other extended family members of people in the United States from entering - as well as refugees with formal assurances - though a federal district judge stopped from doing so. The Supreme Court in July largely upheld that ruling, though it put on hold the portion dealing with refugees.

Last week, a federal appeals court panel weighed in, deciding that the administration could block neither grandparents nor refugees with assurances.

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to step in again - though only to block refugees, not grandparents and other extended family members. Even those refugees with formal assurances from a resettlement agency lack the sort of connection that should exempt them from the ban, the Justice Department argued in its filing to the Supreme Court.

"The absence of a formal connection between a resettlement agency and a refugee subject to an assurance stands in stark contrast to the sort of relationships this Court identified as sufficient in its June 26 stay ruling," Wall wrote in his filing. "Unlike students who have been admitted to study at an American university, workers who have accepted jobs at an American company, and lecturers who come to speak to an American audience, refugees do not have any free-standing connection to resettlement agencies, separate and apart from the refugee-admissions process itself, by virtue of the agencies' assurance agreement with the government."

Neal Katyal, a lawyer representing the state of Hawaii, which is challenging the travel ban, wrote on Twitter that he would "fight" the government's latest request.

The government said the battle is urgent. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit had said its ruling allowing refugees with resettlement agreements would take effect Tuesday, which Wall asserted could be disruptive.

"The government began implementing the Order subject to the limitations articulated by this Court more than two months ago, on June 29, which entailed extensive, worldwide coordination among multiple agencies and the issuance of guidance to provide clarity and minimize confusion," Wall wrote.

Time is beginning to become a factor in the broader fight over Trump's travel ban, with the Supreme Court scheduled to hear arguments Oct. 10.

The measure was supposed to have been temporary - lasting 90 days for citizens of the six affected countries, and 120 days for refugees. If the measure is considered to have taken effect from when the Supreme Court allowed a partial version of it, the 90 days will have passed by the time the justices hear arguments, and the 120 days are very likely to have passed by the time they issue a decision.

Some deadlines for reports have also seemingly passed. The Department of Homeland Security Secretary was - within 20 days of the order taking effect - supposed to have given Trump the results of a worldwide review determining what information was necessary from other countries' to vet travelers.

The countries that weren't supplying adequate information were then to be given 50 days to begin doing so, and after that, top U.S. officials were to give Trump a list of countries recommended for inclusion on a more permanent travel ban.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesman said a report was delivered to the White House in early July on the results of the worldwide review, and officials then went about assessing each country based on the information it provided. "Some provided more, some things were cleared up, and others weren't," David Lapan, the spokesman, said. "Now we have a comprehensive understanding of the information we receive from all foreign partners." He said Homeland Security officials were "evaluating the information received and will provide a report to the president in the coming weeks."

A State Department spokeswoman said Monday that the department was "engaging with foreign governments to meet these new standards for information sharing" but could not "prejudge the outcome of this engagement."

"We recognize that many governments will need time to meet any new standards, and we will work to assess and, where necessary, work with foreign governments to design a plan to provide the information requested," the spokeswoman said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Robert Barnes contributed to this report.
LUBBOCK -- Dewitt Donnell Bailey, 33, was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, by Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to a 151 months in federal prison following his guilty plea in May 2017 to one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Charlene Denise Davis, 47, Baileys half-sister, pleaded guilty in May 2017 to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Judge Cummings previously sentenced Davis to 41 months in federal prison. She is ordered to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on Oct. 6, 2017. Bailey has been in custody since the time of his arrest in March 2017.
NEW YORK (AP)  Police say a New York City man fatally stabbed his wife before jumping out a window and falling eight stories to his death.

New York Police Department officials say 53-year-old Bernarda Ferreiras was apparently stabbed to death inside the Manhattan apartment she shared with her husband, 69-year-old Francisco Ferreiras.
Federal health officials said Monday that they are investigating a multistate outbreak of Campylobacter infections traced to puppies sold at Petland, a nationwide chain of about 80 pet stores.

The bacteria, a common cause of diarrheal illness that can spread through contact with dog feces, has sickened at least 39 people in Ohio, Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Florida. Nine people have been hospitalized since last September, but no deaths have been reported, according to officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lab tests and epidemiological findings have linked the illnesses to the Ohio-based Petland, according to the CDC. Twelve of those diagnosed with Campylobacter infections are Petland employees, and 27 either bought a Petland puppy, visited one of the chain's stores or visited a home with a Petland-purchased puppy.

Most cases of campylobacteriosis are associated with eating raw or undercooked poultry or meat, or from cross-contamination of these and other foods. But animals also can be infected, and they can spread the bacteria to people even though they might not show any symptoms. In people as well as puppies, the infection can cause bloody diarrhea, vomiting and fever. Most people who get sick recover within a week without any specific treatment.

The CDC announcement is likely to energize critics of pet stores that source puppies from commercial breeding operations, which increasingly have become the targets of animal protection groups. More than 200 cities and counties have enacted laws that ban pet shops from selling so-called puppy mill puppies, and Petland is now the only major national chain selling dogs from commercial breeders.

In July, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a class-action lawsuit against Petland, saying it defrauded customers by "guaranteeing" puppies it knew were prone to illnesses and other defects. The company, which says it only sells puppies from breeders licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and with clean federal inspection reports, provides a "Health Warranty" to purchasers of puppies and kittens saying the animal has been examined by two or three veterinarians before being offered for sale.

But the animal group's director of litigation, Matthew Liebman, said Monday that those inspections are cursory at best and sometimes "rubber-stamped" by veterinarians who are beholden to the company. While Campylobacter is not among the conditions that customers have reported to the group, Liebman said he was not surprised to hear about the outbreak.

"It's not hard to see how animals raised in these cramped and unsanitary conditions, trucked hundreds of miles from puppy mills to the pet stores, intermingled with other fragile young animals and handled by numerous employees and customers could become disease vectors," he said.

In an email, Petland chief executive Joe Watson called the lawsuit's allegations "baseless and tired."

"Regardless of where you obtain your family dog, all dogs are carbon-based life-forms, and just like our own kids, they are subject to a wide variety [of] illness," Watson said. "We take every precaution possible to ensure the health of our pets."

Watson said Petland's veterinarians probably would not have tested puppies for Campylobacter unless they were exhibiting symptoms.

CDC spokeswoman Brittany Behm said public health officials are not certain how common Campylobacter is in animals. Some studies have found that less than 20 percent of dogs carry the bacteria, while others have concluded that as many as 75 percent do, she said. The agency said that only some of the Petland puppies had any symptoms.

Watson said the company's health warranty typically provides for veterinary treatment for various bacterial, viral and congenital issues, and so would cover vet-related costs for customers whose puppies were infected with the bacteria. Petland has provided kennel documentation and veterinarian contact information to the CDC, he said, adding that the agency "had no recommendations or changes to our processes."

The CDC estimates that about 1.3 million cases of Campylobacter occur in people each year, about two-thirds of which are food-borne, Behm said. The remainder of cases come from animals and other sources. Most infections do not spread from one person to another.

Most of the individuals infected during the current outbreak are in Florida or Ohio.

To avoid contracting the illness, the CDC advises puppy and dog owners to wash their hands well after handling their pets and to promptly clean up feces, urine or vomit. It's also a bad idea to let a dog lick your mouth or face, the agency says.
At a time of uncertainty and upheaval, I find myself reflecting on some of the positive, proactive steps taken by our party since my arrival in the senate in 2009.

At that time, Connecticut, like other states, was facing the worst economic crisis since the great Depression. We had a new leader at the top of our state, a super majority party in the house and senate, and a massive budget deficit.

Being in the minority party, the task ahead appeared daunting. However, instead of deferring to those who controlled the process, the budgets, and the votes before our legislative body, Republicans were proactive. We rolled up our sleeves and proposed one alternative budget after another. We did that every year in an attempt to sway our colleagues toward more fiscally responsible solutions.

Despite the other partys assertions, we presented real budgets offering real change. We believed then, and now, that our budgets would move Connecticut toward a robust economy with growing job opportunities. We believe responsible taxing and spending policies would create a more business-friendly environment, and would give taxpayers needed financial relief.

We were called obstructionists and the party of no. In fact, non-Republicans spend a tremendous amount of time telling the public what it means to be a Republican. They could not be more wrong!

For me, being a Republican means having a vision of a better Connecticut. It means being self-reliant, industrious, fiscally responsible and compassionate to those that need our help. It means being forward thinking, not just to the next year or next election cycle. It means thinking about the impact that decisions we make today could have on future generations. Are we leaving them a legacy, or a burden?

Part of the legacy is the unanimous passage of the nations toughest hate crimes law and legislation that protected our environment and open space, womens rights, marriage equality, civil rights, as well our children.

A partys budget reveals its priorities. What services do you prioritize when spending taxpayers money?

I can tell you that as a Republican, I support a budget that creates a new Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Formula that provides state funding for all of Connecticuts students, urban and suburban. I support providing the necessary funding to care for our elderly, our intellectually and developmentally disabled residents, and those most in need that are doing their best to make a living and support their families.

I support a state budget that provides funding for our municipalities without asking them to pay for bad financial decisions made by the state. I support a transportation plan that contains bonding for crucial infrastructure needs and mass transit: one that does not include tolls, more taxes, or fees.

Which brings me to taxes. The budget proposal my Republican colleagues and I put forth - correction: the six budget proposals we presented this year - included no new taxes or tolls on our overtaxed residents and businesses. Instead, we relied on changes to reduce the high cost of running government by making it more efficient. We consolidated functions like human resources, communications, and information technology. We reduced the number of deputy commissioners and executive secretaries to one per agency. We also reduced legislative franking privileges, the number of legislative committees, and the number of staff hired for each legislative session.

Democrat leaders in the legislature did not allow our budget to be put to a vote.

However, we remain undeterred. As Republicans, my colleagues and I are determined to have our constituents voices heard. We continue to present ideas to save our state from financial ruin. We continue to advocate for reduced regulations and a more business-friendly climate that will create and grow jobs.

No matter the setbacks, we will press forward with a vision of what our state can be: a Connecticut with an expanding middle class, where all children receive a good education, where everyone has the opportunity to find a good job or to create and grow their own business.

Thats what being a Connecticut Republican means to me.

State Senator Toni Boucher represents the 26th State Senatorial District, which includes the communities of Bethel, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

As Tommy Thompson climbed higher up the Tower of the Americas, ascending to the observation deck for the second time in the last hour, his thighs and calves began to ache. His breathing quickened as his pace slowed.

Thompsons legs felt like rubber, but he climbed higher and higher.

A retired battalion chief with the San Antonio Fire Department, Thompson, 63, passed photos at each stairwell of first responders killed 16 years ago on Sept. 11. A thought passed through his head: I could have been one of those guys.

The only thing that kept me going was knowing the people that I'm doing this for, he said.

Joining Thompson on his grueling Monday morning climb were 342 other firefighters wearing tags each inscribed with the name of a firefighter killed responding to 9/11. The event, the fifth iteration of the San Antonio 110 9/11 Memorial Climb, brought firefighters, police officers and EMS officials from around Texas who paid tribute to their fallen colleagues.

The participants, numbering more than 500, climbed the tower twice, matching the 110 floors in the World Trade Center towers.

Dawn Solinski, the events founder and director, said the climb for her is personal. She climbed the tower alone for years before starting an event that morphed into one of the largest 9/11 memorial climbs in the country.

When youre going up there, you feel a full connection with these strangers, she said, referring to the fallen responders.

This years climb carried extra weight, as it occurred less than four months after 31-year-old firefighter Scott Deem died in a four-alarm fire at a Northwest Side strip mall in May. The participants held a moment of silence in his honor, after which firefighters from Deems home Station 35 led the way into the tower.

Deems wife, Jennifer, wore a shirt that read, Last Alarm, May 18, 2017. She wiped tears from her eyes as she stood with her children Dakota, 13, Tyler, 7, and 2-week-old Aubrey. Firefighters and their spouses came up to hug Jennifer throughout the morning, as she stood next to the large American flag signed by participants as they exited the tower.

Solinski, like Thompson, said she sometimes thinks about what would have happened if the Sept. 11 attacks occurred in San Antonio. She said the crews would have gathered their gear and hopped on the trucks to report for duty.

Those guys in New York, they don't do a different job than us, Solinski said. Had that happened here, let's say at the Tower of the Americas, that would have been us.

jscherer@express-news.net
Firefighters on Monday rescued a woman from her vehicle after she slammed into the back of an 18-wheeler at a high rate of speed, according to police.

The woman, who is in her 30s, drove into the back of the 18-wheeler around 2:50 a.m. at Thousand Oaks and Chappla Way.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

UPDATE: Anastasia Cecilia McCauley was reported found about 9:30 p.m. Monday by the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities have released information about a person of interest in the disappearance of a 16-year-old Bexar County girl.

Anastasia "Annie" Cecilia McCauley was last seen around 12:45 a.m. on July 26. Her family believes she may have left with an older man whom she met through social media, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office.

RELATED: Driver struck man in front of North Side Whataburger, moved his body before fleeing, witness says

Authorities are now searching for 25-year-old Jorge Luis Delarosa-Charqueno as a person of interest in McCauley's disappearance.

Delarosa-Charqueno is described as a 5-foot-3-inch tall man weighing about 120 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. A tattoo on the side of his neck reads "Bertha," and he also has small tattoos at the corner of each of his eyes.

RELATED: ME identifies man who jumped off bridge onto Loop 1604

McCauley is believed to be in believed to be in the San Antonio area. She has brown hair and brown eyes and is 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighs about 100 pounds.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of McCauley or Delarosa-Charqueno is asked to call the Bexar County Sheriff's Office tip line at 210-335-TIPS.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

cdowns@mysa.com

Twitter: @calebjdowns
A San Antonio man who used to live with his aunt allegedly returned to the home recently to steal some DVDs and cough syrup, according to police.

Rudy Funari, 22, was arrested by San Antonio police early Friday morning for the alleged Aug. 15 burglary.

On that evening, Funari's aunt called police and told them she believed her nephew forced his way into the home while she wasn't there, according to an arrest affidavit.

RELATED: SAPD: Man attacked twin brother with knife during fight over liquor

Funari had lived at the home for years, his aunt reportedly told police, but she kicked him out after suspecting him of drug use.

A neighbor told police she saw Funari slip into the home and leave with large bag, according to the affidavit. The aunt told police that several DVDs were taken.

Later that night, officers found Funari acting erratically in the parking lot of a convenience store in the 1600 block of North Zarzamora Street, police said. Officers noted he was talking but not coherent, according to an affidavit.

Officers found the cough syrup bottle prescribed to his aunt a few feet from Funari in the parking lot, police said. Funari was initially taken to the hospital after he told police he was feeling sick.

His aunt plans to file charges, according to the affidavit.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

fsabawi@mysa.com

Twitter: @FaresInSA
As 1.3 million science advocates participated in March For Science rallies across the globe  including 1,700 in San Antonio  the real movement should be to encourage more youth to enter science careers as well as technology, engineering and math fields in the U.S. Its critical to the innovative spirit, growth and, yes, security of our country.

Among those at the Science March in San Antonio was Jackson Antonio Alexander Garcia, who attended Brandeis High School and is now an engineering major at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Growing up in a Hispanic household taught me perseverance through tough obstacles. Thats a trademark of our community. The path to a career in engineering wasnt always easy, but focusing on my goals and never having quitting as an option got me to where I am, but theres more work to do, said Garcia.

Yes, there is a lot of work to do. The U.S. ranks 17th in science and 25th in mathematics among industrialized countries. In technology, about 500,000 jobs are vacant. Projected increases in STEM jobs through 2020 are 16 percent for math, 22 percent for computer systems analysts, 32 percent for software developers, 36 percent for medical scientists and 62 percent for biomedical engineers.

Over the past five years, thousands of Latino high school students have crowded into venues not to see the latest reggaeton star, but to attend an effort by the U.S. Army and Hispanic Heritage Foundation to promote STEM careers and encourage youth to interactively hack at what a path in STEM fields would be with established professionals in San Antonio and across the country. Since nearly one out of four students is Latino in U.S. schools, the challenge is fairly straightforward in meeting our countrys priorities: spark interests in STEM fields, leading to higher education, leading to filling STEM jobs and moving America forward.

The current workforce simply cant keep up with job growth demands. Unfortunately, only 16 percent of high school seniors are proficient in math or even interested in STEM careers. Among those who pursue STEM careers in college, only about half actually choose to work in a related career, according to the U.S. Department of Education. And for Latinos, those statistics are even more daunting.

Beyond workforce gaps, this data also means Americans will be in a worse position to cure diseases, create new technology, predict the next natural disaster, confront global issues and combat cyber-attacks. Experts predict that cybercrime could more than triple the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs , which is projected to reach 3.5 million by 2021.

Plus, we need to compete in the global economy. As Americans, were not comfortable being 17th or 25th in anything. We need to get back to the top where we belong, but we also need to be more strategic about where to invest.

As 10,000 baby boomers reach retirement age every single day, who can America turn to for investment? How about the fastest growing and youngest segment of the population  Latino youth?

Our current approach isnt working with the STEM workforce since its no more diverse now than it was 14 years ago, according to data from Change the Equation. Furthermore, less than 2 percent of the STEM workforce is Latino youth, who make up about 20 percent of the population.

With more Latinos entering two-and-four-year colleges than ever before  35 percent more, ages 18 to 24, enrolled in 2014 compared to 22 percent in 1993, according to Pew Research  we have an opportunity to work with partners and get creative about encouraging and supporting Latino students to go full STEM ahead. And there is no one better to lead us than the U.S. Army and role models such as Jackson Antonio.

Antonio Tijerino is the president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, which focuses on education, workforce development, connectivity, innovative leadership and public awareness in addition to promoting cultural pride and accomplishment.
Re: City OKs Alameda Theater funding, A1, Sept. 1:

Proposed funding for the renovation of the Alameda Theater and surrounding downtown area is $23 million, with $9 million being appropriated by Bexar County. This is taxpayer money. These renovations affect Bexar County and city taxpayers.

With this occurring, it seems to me that the enterprises will be making money for the private sector.

These enterprises will be making revenue, once completed. The owner of these enterprises should be required to provide a payback plan to the city and county for the money with a specified timeframe acceptable to the people of San Antonio and Bexar County.

The use of public funds should not be used and should not be approved until a payback plan is approved.

Henry C. Holder

Castro High?

The NEISD school trustees voted to remove the name of Robert E. Lee from the high school, and I am wondering what the new name of the high school will be. Apparently other military heroes names will be considered.

Im sure that the residents of a sanctuary city would welcome a Fidel Castro High School or even a Che Guevara High School.

Emmett J. Stork

Leveling the field

Re: Unequal treatment, Your Turn, Sept. 5:

In response to Mr. Moores comments regarding racism: Most non-white Americans know that not all white people are prejudiced.

However, the vast majority of Americans who hold political and economical power in our country are white, and too many of them continue to support racial biases in their policies and decision making.

The organizations and institutions to which you refer (NAACP, Miss Black America, the National Association of Black Journalist Awards, etc.) were created to try and level the playing field. If blacks were the dominant power brokers in America, one can wonder if those organizations would read white instead of black!

One can only hope that such organizations will not be needed in the near future.

Rick Garcia

A bad dream?

The Dream Act should stay.

The Trump nightmare should go.

Audrey Dlugosz

Blackmailed?

When this president bans transgender people in the military and denies pathways for Dreamers, he divides rather than unites our country.

I wonder if he is being blackmailed already.

Mark Porter

Senior options

It is important to me that all seniors are aware of their option, Medicare Advantage, especially those with chronic conditions like myself. Under Medicare Advantage, beneficiaries who have certain chronic conditions, are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. If they require long-term care, they can enroll in a Special Needs Plan (SNP). SNPs are designed to address complex conditions by providing better access to coordinated care for seniors like me who need it most.

I joined Better Medicare Alliances Chronic Disease Task Force to encourage members of Congress to permanently reauthorize Special Needs Plans for the 2.3 million people who rely on this personalized care. The current legislation on SNPs has received bipartisan support in Congress, but we all need to encourage our representatives to support the permanent reauthorization of SNPs.

SNPs tailor benefits, providers, and prescription drug coverage to best meet the needs of the beneficiaries they serve. I hope we can all agree that high-need, high-cost patients deserve the level of care that SNPs provide.

As senior advocate for Medicare Advantage, I urge Congress to establish long-term stability for SNPs through permanent authorization. I encourage all seniors and the disabled to contact your representatives to show your support for SNPs.

Richard Caldwell

Unnatural disaster

For millennia, hurricanes have pummeled Texas. But 350.org called Harvey an unnatural disaster.

Global warming didnt cause Harvey  but made it worse. For decades, Ive heard meteorologists say how hurricanes intensify over warm waters and how hotter, moister air creates heavier rainfall.

Harvey built from a tropical depression to a major hurricane in record speed as it moved over a hot spot two degrees warmer than the Gulf water around it, which was itself hotter than natural.

And these unnatural disasters also occur elsewhere. During Harveys unnatural flooding of Houston, a third of Bangladesh was under water. Over 1,000 died from unnatural flooding there and elsewhere in South Asia. For the thousands of people suffering from floods in Texas and Asia, it is too late to stop global warming. But for millions, possibly billions of others, it isnt too late to stop an increasing destruction from unnatural disasters.

Bob Hendricks

Conform or else

It should come as no surprise that expressing conservative ideas, coupled with peer-reviewed, indisputable science regarding the varying capabilities of the two sexes, would serve adequately to get one fired at Google.

Only politically correct, social-justice-oriented groupthink is allowed. Those otherwise predisposed best stay silent or jump over the wall to freedom.

In a similar vein, there is considerable angst regarding the impact of robots on society and jobs. As Google has so pointedly proven, robots, in the form of humans either incapable or unwilling to express themselves freely, already dominate certain segments of the job market. Sad.

David Saenz
A Bridgeport woman has been sentenced to two and one-half years in jail for cheating the unemployment compensation system and then fabricating documents in a bid to win more favorable treatment when the case went to court.

Christie M. Gray, 41, of Rainbow Road in Bridgeport, pleaded guilty Thursday in New Britain Superior Court to one count of third-degree larceny and count of second-degree forgery.
#DP Opposition lawmaker accuses first lady of choreographing visit to sick child in Cambodia An opposition lawmaker accused first lady Kim Keon-hee on Monday of choreographing a visit to a sick child in Phnom Penh in an attempt to make herself look charitable, claiming pho...

#EXO After eventful three years, EXO's Chen wants to begin anew with 3rd EP Chen, a member of popular K-pop boy group EXO, said Monday he has experienced much change in his life in the past three years and wants to show himself as he is now through his upc...
Former Warriors and Dynamos Football Club coach Calisto Pasuwa was last week arrested for occupying a council residential stand without approval.

He subsequently skipped court, and a warrant of arrest is out for him.

It is alleged that on November 8, 2017, a Manyame Rural District Council inspector on patrol in Seke asked Pasuwa (47) to produce documentation for the land he occupies in the area.

He, however, allegedly failed, and was later arrested.

The papers at Chitungwiza Magistrates Court reads: The accused person had no legal right to occupy or use communal land without lawful authority.

In his statement to the police, Pasuwa insisted he was legally settled.

I was lawfully allocated this piece of land by the village head and I observed all formalities, including having my name registered in the village heads book for forward transmission to Manyame Rural District Council, he said. Sunday Mail

Breaking News via Email
By John Eichberger

ALEXANDRIA, Va.  At a dog park, its easy to spot the dominant, confident dogs strutting their stuff and the yippy, high energy pups nipping at their heels. Well, not to be disrespectful, but we can apply this scene (to an extent) to better understand the global transportation market.

First, we need to understand who the alpha dogs are in the market, and to do that, we need to understand market share. Second, we need to recognize the noisy dogs that seek to make up for their smaller stature with vigor and energy. And finally, we need to understand what might transpire down the road and how the dog market might evolve in the future.

Lets set the stage. We live in a global market. As such, the auto industry would like to implement a global vehicle architecture through which it can improve the efficiency of its operations to supply various markets throughout the world. Petroleum products, both crude oil and refined products, are shipped among continents to ensure supply matches demand. Regulations are increasingly being developed in a cross-border, collaborative fashion. And governments are always looking at each other to coopt ideas about how to guide their economies.

The independent actions of individual government entities (sometimes nations, sometimes cities) can disrupt the flow of the market, just like a skirmish among terriers can rattle the dog park. But these types of governmental actions often serve as distractions from what is really driving the market.

For example, recent announcements by France and Britain to eliminate petroleum-only vehicles in 2040 have made people take notice, but are they likely to have a huge impact?

First, keep in mind that both countries have left themselves a safety net by exempting traditional hybrid vehicles from these bans (these vehicles are powered by petroleum and supported by an on-board rechargeable battery). Second, France and Britain do not oversee markets that most would consider significant in size. They bark a lot, but they are not the dominant forces at the dog park.

To put this in perspective, lets compare them to the big (sometimes angry) dog at the park: the United States. When it comes to comparing their markets with the U.S., there simply is no comparison and it would be foolish to think the U.S. could follow in their footsteps.

But if France and Britain are joined in their foray by the rest of Europe, things may look different.

When trying to understand where the most influence resides, lets look at global market share. The Asia-Pacific is far and away the largest market for light duty vehicles, more than North America and Europe combined. Yet, unified government actions would be required to dramatically influence the direction of the market. Imagine a Siberian Husky teaming up with a Chinese Chow Chow, a Japanese Akita and a Tibetan Mastiff. Watch out, they could do some serious rearranging at the park. But what are the chances of them coming together like that?

In the second largest market, North America, the U.S. represents 83% of total vehicles sales. For all intents and purposes, as goes the U.S. so goes North America (in fact Canada adopts the fuel efficiency regulations of the U.S. by reference).

The third largest market, Europe, would similarly require combined efforts like Asia to have any chance of wielding the market influence of the United States.

But before U.S.-centric Americans start to beat their chest, the future may not be quite so red white and blue. When considering population growth projections and long-term market potential, it is not within North America or Europe that the auto industry will find its greatest growth opportunities, nor will it likely be in Asia. It will largely occur on in Africa. The global population is projected to grow by more than 2 billion people by 2050, and Africa is expected to house more than 1.2 billion people. Numbers are not as easily found for the vehicle market there, but according to WardsAuto, in 2016, South Africa (the largest market) sold 547,000 light duty vehicles. Clearly, there is room to grow.

In the short term, however, I think there are great opportunities for the market in Latin America. It does not represent a significant share of the worlds projected population growth, but it is currently underserved. This is a market that boasts 20% of the worlds oil reserves but produces only 11% of its supply. The vehicle market currently counts one vehicle per five people; the U.S. is close to a one-to-one ratio. And the potential for economic growth in general, assuming political turmoil will stabilize, is significant.

Overall, it is important to understand what regions compromise the most influence and how that balance might change in the future. If we are not paying attention to the balance of influence, we can be whipsawed around by various announcements and initiatives. That said, if the governments of key regions come together and harmonize their approaches, the tables can turn quite quickly.

The Fuels Institute this fall will publish an assessment of global efforts to influence the market, ranging from the multi-national level all the way down to the individual cities. And this fall, we are teaming up with NACS and Conexxus to explore further the potential direction of the markets in Latin American with the first ever NACS Fuels Summit Latin America, November 7-8, in Buenos Aires.

This is a global world and it is time we all look at it as such, and we plan to provide some dependable, objective analysis to help with the transition. The dog park will evolve and the dominant pups are likely to change in the long term. It is important to stay vigilant as we monitor progress. Stay tuned!

John Eichberger is the executive director of the Fuels Institute. He can be reached at jeichberger@fuelsinstitute.org.
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.
Monday marks the 16th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the deadliest such attacks on American soil.

Residents and emergency personnel across the Bay Area on Monday are taking time out of their days to remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost.

In the East Bay, a somber mood was felt as people paid their respects to those who died after United Airlines Flight 93, which was bound for San Francisco, crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The passengers on that flight  several with Bay Area ties  are known for fighting back against the hijackers, who were believed to have plans to fly the plane into the U.S. Capitol.

Firefighters across San Francisco on Monday rang bells and held moments of silence to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001.

Across the bay, firefighters in San Francisco gathered at Station 7 and the other 43 stations across the city by the bay just after sunrise to pay their respects to fellow first responders and civilians during a bell-ringing ceremony. Fire crews also lowered the American flag to half-staff and read the names of the 343 New York City firefighters killed trying to save others from the World Trade Center.

Even as the years pass by, Lt. Jonathan Baxter with the San Francisco Fire Department noted that the annual ceremonies must not be forgotten.

"It's a very important reminder that you can't just teach, you have to show, and if we take this lightly and we don't remember it, I think that would send a negative message to not only our community but most importantly our youth," he said.

San Jose Firefighters hold bell ringing ceremony to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001.

In San Jose, firefighters at Station 1 held a moment of silence followed by the ringing of a bell to mark the moment when the North Tower of the World Trade Center was struck by the first hijacked airplane.

Other 9/11 memorial events were scheduled in Alameda at the USS Hornet at 10 a.m. and in Danville at 5:30 p.m. at Oak Hill Park.
Police are seeking the public's help in identifying two people involved in an altercation at a restaurant earlier this month in Daly City.

At 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 1, a man allegedly brandished a box cutter and threatened a victim at the In-N-Out Burger restaurant at 372 Gellert Blvd.

The suspect was described as a black man, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with dreadlocks and a scar on his forehead, police said.

He was accompanied by a female subject who was described as

Filipino, 5 feet, 2 inches tall, wearing reading glasses, an Adidas-like track jacket and a black and white striped shirt, police said.

Anyone with information about the suspect or his female associate is asked to contact Daly City police Detective Dolan at (650) 238-7962 or pdolan@dalycity.org.
A beloved transgender disc jockey was shot and killed outside a club in San Francisco's Tenderloin district early Saturday morning, and the suspect is still at-large, according to the victim's attorney and friends.

The 30-year-old victim, identified as Anthony Torres, aka Bubbles, was the victim of a hate crime, according to his attorney, Jim Reilly, who described Torres as an activist and artist.

San Francisco detectives were investigating the homicide that occurred about 2:50 a.m. in the area of Larkin and Myrtle streets, police said. Officers arrived at the scene and found Torres suffering from one gunshot wound. He was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead, police said.

"This is a disgrace, it's a hate crime, and it will not stand," Reilly said.

A makeshift memorial for Torres emerged Sunday at the intersection where the shooting occurred, and a vigil was held later in the evening. At sunset, friends started playing one of Bubbles' favorite Donna Summer songs. And they danced.

"Bubbles loved house music, Bubbles loved dancing, Bubbles loved making art, Bubbles loved all sorts of people," friend Charlotte Kaufman said. "He lived in the Tenderloin; the Tenderloin knew him extremely well."

People in the neighborhood said Torres would often play music in the street and give away snow cones and cotton candy.



Police did not provide any suspect information or possible motives. They also were not calling it a hate crime.

Reilly said a gunman came out of the New Century Club, got into some sort of altercation with Torres and then shot him. The suspect then ran from the scene, he said. Reilly said there were several witnesses who saw the shooting.

Friends said they were planning a going-away party in a few days for Torres. He was about to leave San Francisco for Berlin.


Reports of an armed person inside a San Jose elementary school bathroom prompted temporary lockdowns at two schools Monday, according to police, but no stranger or weapon was ever found.

Fammatre Elementary School, which is located at 2800 New Jersey Ave. and nearby Ida Price Charter Middle School were on lockdown while police combed the area, according to officials.

Three students originally reported that an armed adult was in a bathroom on the Fammatre campus, prompting school officials to call police, according to the school district.

Officers thoroughly searched both campuses, but they did not find anything, police said.

Further information was not available.
One St. Thomas resident wants people on the U.S. mainland to see the damage he and others are living with in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Its pure carnage, Jeff Saplis said. The wind has stripped everything.

Hurricane Irma was a Category 5 when the storm slammed the tiny island on Wednesday on its way west to Puerto Rico, Cuba and eventually Florida.

Saplis has lived on the island for 20 years and on Monday, he grew emotional talking about what its like to drive around and view the damage.

Just when you think things are bad, he explained, the next block is worse."

Saplis built a custom home in the Neltjeberg section, on the north west corner of the island.

[NATL] Hurricane Irma Lashes Through the Caribbean

The former Chicagoan decided to move to St. Thomas to open a restaurant after a rough winter two decades ago. His wife is a flight attendant for a U.S. airline company.

The couple decided to ride out the storm on the island even though they have a home in Florida.

He shared an image from his home taken within a month of each other. In one, the trees on the island are lush and green. In the one taken Monday, the landscape is brown.

Standing on his patio, Saplis said all you can hear are the sounds of U.S. Coast Guard and military helicopters and chain saws in the distance.

As for food and water, Saplis said those who can are getting shipments of supplies in from the mainland but are concerned they will need armed guards to get their items safely.



You can pray for us, Saplis said.

The Virgin Islands Port Authority anticipates the Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas will reopen for daily commercial flights on September 16, according to the government's website.

The governor of St. Thomas has said two cruise ships will be removing people from the island on Tuesday, Sept. 12.

The Norwegian Sky will leave St. Thomas at 4 p.m. local time and take passengers directly to Miami, Florida.

Royal Caribbeans Majesty of the Seas is estimated to depart St. Thomas late Tuesday night for San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Illinois State Sen. Iris Martinez revealed Monday how she managed to survive after being left stranded in the wake of Hurricane Irma on a Caribbean island last week.

Martinez was vacationing in the French-Dutch island of St. Martin, one of the hardest hit islands where at least 10 people were left dead by the storm.

Nobody can expect what a hurricane category 5, I mean you hear about it and you know, but to live it, the whole ordeal and just thinking, Is it ever going to pass? she told NBC 5 just hours after her return home Monday. I was hunkered down in my room, I was in the bathroom - it was the only safest place that they told all the tourists there vacationing.

A spokesperson for Martinez's office said she had texted the senator a couple of days before the hurricane hit to see if she would be returning from her trip early, but Martinez replied that she couldn't leave.



Martinez described heart-stopping winds, floods, a lack of water and deteriorating conditions as the deadly storm tore through the string of Caribbean islands beginning Wednesday.

The ordeal itself, that hour and a half when the pounding really started and I was locked in the bathroom, just holding onto the door because the winds in the apartment, no matter - you have the windows shut, you know, you have the patio doors closedThe wind was just so fierce that at one point I thought that the front kitchen door would go through the bathroom door where I was up against with my friend, she said.

It was the worst experience of my life, she added.

At least 24 people died in Anguilla, Barbuda, St. Martin, St. Barts, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.

After the storm, Martinez began surveying the damage along with residents in the area. She managed to get to a place where she could find cell phone service and used a locals phone to contact the U.S.

We were in contact, I was up and down that road trying to get people to at least them know what was going on with the situation but then it started getting pretty bad with the lack of water as every day passed, she said. People were just depending on me to keep it moving, to keep the pressure on.

Martinezs daughter, Jacklyn Nicole, pleaded on Facebook for help for her mother.

We have been in contact with the Governor in Puerto Rico, US Senator Durbin, Congressman Gutierrez, the US Coast guard, Dutch and French Embassy and President Trumps [sic] office, she wrote on Friday. Working on getting her airlifted on a boat and taken to Puerto Rico for medical and then hopefully back home to Chicago by next week. I will continue to keep you guys posted as I am being briefed. Thanks for all of your support and asking everyone to keep not only my mother in your thoughts and prayers but everyone on that island.

By Saturday, Martinez was airlifted to Puerto Rico and was waiting to return to Chicago.

And she wasnt alone.

The U.S. government said it was sending a flight Monday to evacuate its citizens from St. Martin. Evacuees were warned to expect long lines and no running water at the airport.

A Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship was expected to dock near St. Martin to help in the aftermath, and a boat was bringing a 5-ton crane capable of unloading large shipping containers filled with aid. A French military ship was scheduled to arrive Tuesday with materials to build temporary housing.

Everybody that really worked, I want to say thank you because without those efforts I dont know that I would have made it home, out of there when I did, she said.
The Town of Clinton opened a brand new high school just over a year ago. But neighbors and parents said its dangerous without any sidewalks leading there, especially since the school sits on a very busy road.

Im waiting for something to happen and then maybe theyll do something, said Shirley Mikulski, who lives on Killingworth Turnpike, across the street from The Morgan School, Clintons high school.

She holds her breath every day when she look across the street and sees students walking without a sidewalk.

I would think that would be one of the first things they wouldve done because you do see kids walking along here and traffic goes by quite fast, Mikulski said.

Many neighbors said most drivers ignore the speed limit.

One high school parent who did not want to go on camera said at the old high school, down the road, her kids were able to walk to the library. She wont let them anymore.

First Selectman Bruce Farmer said hes heard several safety concerns, even before the school opened. But because of logistics with the state, the sidewalk could not be part of the original school project.

So the town voted for an infrastructure bond package in May. It includes putting up sidewalks from the old high school to the new one.

That will give students the ability to safely walk to the library, the Clinton Crossing outlets  where students work  and the center of town, said Public Works Director Peter Neff.

The town is now working on permitting through the Department of Transportation since Killingworth Turnpike, also known as Route 81, is a state road. The engineering and design work has already been done, Neff said.

Valentina DaCosta, who also lives on Killingworth Turnpike and runs her business, Captain Kitts Cat Boarding, from there said over the years there been three accidents outside her home.

The fence, the whole panel had to be replaced once because a car hit it, DaCosta said.

She voted for the sidewalk. She doesnt feel safe walking her dog on the street and guarantees students feel the same way.

There needs to be a safe space where kids can walk and feel comfortable without worrying about being hit by a car, DaCosta said.

Neff said the town is hoping to have the project out to bid in late fall and start construction in early spring. Since the sidewalk will be in front of peoples homes, they are discussing the possibility of helping with privacy fencing or shrubbery.

For residents impacted by the sidewalk project, there will be a meeting with Public Works and the engineering company that designed the project on Wednesday in the Town Hall auditorium at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

The Town of Clinton opened a brand new high school just over a year ago. But neighbors and parents said its dangerous without any sidewalks leading there, especially since the school sits on a very busy road.

Im waiting for something to happen and then maybe theyll do something, said Shirley Mikulski, who lives on Killingworth Turnpike, across the street from The Morgan School, Clintons high school.

She holds her breath every day when she look across the street and sees students walking without a sidewalk.

I would think that would be one of the first things they wouldve done because you do see kids walking along here and traffic goes by quite fast, Mikulski said.

Many neighbors said most drivers ignore the speed limit.

One high school parent who did not want to go on camera said at the old high school, down the road, her kids were able to walk to the library. She wont let them anymore.

First Selectman Bruce Farmer said hes heard several safety concerns, even before the school opened. But because of logistics with the state, the sidewalk could not be part of the original school project.

So the town voted for an infrastructure bond package in May. It includes putting up sidewalks from the old high school to the new one.

That will give students the ability to safely walk to the library, the Clinton Crossing outlets  where students work  and the center of town, said Public Works Director Peter Neff.

The town is now working on permitting through the Department of Transportation since Killingworth Turnpike, also known as Route 81, is a state road. The engineering and design work has already been done, Neff said.

Valentina DaCosta, who also lives on Killingworth Turnpike and runs her business, Captain Kitts Cat Boarding, from there said over the years there been three accidents outside her home.

The fence, the whole panel had to be replaced once because a car hit it, DaCosta said.

She voted for the sidewalk. She doesnt feel safe walking her dog on the street and guarantees students feel the same way.

There needs to be a safe space where kids can walk and feel comfortable without worrying about being hit by a car, DaCosta said.

Neff said the town is hoping to have the project out to bid in late fall and start construction in early spring. Since the sidewalk will be in front of peoples homes, they are discussing the possibility of helping with privacy fencing or shrubbery.



For residents impacted by the sidewalk project, there will be a meeting with Public Works and the engineering company that designed the project on Wednesday in the Town Hall auditorium at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend.


A father and son were shot while riding motorcycles on the I-93 Expressway Southbound near Exit 12 in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood.

One victim, a 54-year-old Raynham man, was transported to Tufts Medical Center with serious injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

The other victim, a 32-year-old East Taunton man, was taken to Boston Medical Center and is in critical condition.

A suspect fled in what has been described as a red Jeep Renegade, according to Massachusetts State Police.

The vehicle was found in Dorchester on Sunday night, but no arrests were made. Police say the vehicle is in a facility for processing and the public's help locating it is no longer required.

The investigation remains underway.
Gov. Dannel Malloy rolled out what he called his sixth proposed balanced budget Friday and it includes some assistance for homeowners suffering from the states crumbling concrete crisis.

Hundreds of people whose basement walls are crumbling said they cant wait much longer for help.

Ron Marks, of Tolland, discovered his basement walls are cracking, he says due to the naturally occurring mineral pyrrhotite in the concrete when it was poured in 1985. Now hes trying to figure out how to fix it. He said he filed an insurance claim with his insurance company and it was denied.

Marks got some hope when Malloy announced his latest proposed budget plans to raise $10 million annually over the next six years through bonding, to remediate and research our states concrete crisis.

Malloy calls it (T)he first steps toward addressing the crumbling foundation problem.

Republican legislator Tom Delnicki, of South Windsor, told the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters he is glad the governor is talking about foundations, however, the bottom line has to be a grant to victims, not a loan.

The Governor's proposal also calls for hiring an additional staff person to coordinate efforts to combat this concrete crisis. Yet this still has a long way to go before being approved, since the legislature has to sign off on this budget and there will likely be a lot of changes if, and before that happens.
Bryan Harvey is frequently reminded that he shares a name with the storm that dumped 50 inches of rain on metropolitan Houston and unleashed the floods that have him working 14-hour days towing water-logged cars.

Even in their despair, some victims have salvaged a smile by posing for pictures in front of the "Harvey's Towing" sign on the side of his red Dodge Ram 5500 flat-bed truck.

More than a week after Harvey slammed Houston, wreckers like Bryan Harvey are still hauling cars and trucks from flooded neighborhoods to dealerships or to vast fields where insurance adjusters can assess the damage. Harvey killed at least 70 people, destroyed or damaged 200,000 homes -- and inflicted an automotive catastrophe on one of America's most car-dependent cities.

The Houston area has lost hundreds of thousands of cars, says Michael Hartmann, general manager of Don McGill Toyota of Katy, a city of 17,000 about 30 miles west of Houston. "We have a shortage of rental cars and people not sure how to go about handling claims and just what to do with their lives."

The wreckage has forced Houstonians to scramble to try to rent or borrow cars or to work from home -- if they can. Some have it worse: They can't return to work until they resolve the transportation problems, depriving many of them of income and slowing the city's return to business as usual.

WHERE CARS ARE EVERYTHING

Few American cities depend on cars as much as Houston. More than 94 percent of the city's households have cars, second only to Dallas, the Cox Automotive consultancy says. Houston is even less amenable to walking, bicycle-riding and mass transit than freeway-mad Los Angeles, according to Walk Score, which promotes walkable communities.

Fourteen-lane highways link downtown Houston to its sprawling suburbs. Off-ramps are stacked five-high at some interchanges, inducing vertigo for motorists unschooled in driving Houston-style. Outside the city center, isolated islands of office towers are connected only by concrete and asphalt.

Cars are "everything here," Hartmann says. "Cars are part of a person's lifestyle. Most people in our area work 25, 30 miles from home."

Houston is used to flooding. But it had never seen anything like Harvey, which dropped a year's worth of rain onto the metro area. Flooded roads and neighborhoods left cars submerged and, in most cases, impossible to salvage.

"Almost every square inch of your vehicle has wires in it," says Rebecca Lindland, executive analyst at Cox Automotive. "The materials are often flame-retardant, but they are not waterproof."

Cox estimates that up to 500,000 cars and trucks were damaged or destroyed, amounting to nearly $5 billion in damage. Auto insurance claims have reached 160,000, according to the Insurance Council of Texas. Cars are being taken by the hundreds to a make-shift lot at the 500-acre Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, about 35 miles east of town. Most of the time, the insurance adjusters shake their heads at the damage Harvey has wrought and declare the cars a total loss.

"Put yourself in the shoes of the adjuster," says Mark Hanna, a spokesman for the Texas insurance council. "He's just seen, say, a 2015 Toyota Camry. He knows this vehicle has been underwater for six days. They can look at it, but they know water is all throughout that vehicle. They know it is totaled ... He's going to see the same vehicle many times."

Many insurers are reluctant even to try to repair cars that risk further problems and repairs later.

In the meantime, there's a desperate shortage of rental cars. Enterprise Holdings, which includes the Enterprise, National and Alamo brands, has moved thousands of vehicles to southeast Texas and plans to have brought in at least 17,000 by the end of September. The Avis Budget Group, which operates Avis and Budget, is moving 10,000 vehicles into the affected areas, waiving late fees, one-way rental fees and rental extension fees in and around Houston.

RETHINKING SUBURBAN SPRAWL?

Tanya Dubose, executive director of the redevelopment council in Houston's Independence Heights neighborhood, loved her car, a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox with 140,000 miles on it. She kept her files in the backseat, along with paperwork on her family genealogy, a hobby of hers.

"I use my car for everything -- to go to meetings, to lug people around," she says. "It was my office. It had Bluetooth speakers, so I could do business."

The Equinox has been missing since Harvey hit. The vehicle had been in the shop undergoing work, and the surrounding neighborhood was flooded.

"I have no idea where my car is," Dubose says.

She can't reach the mechanic who'd been working on it. Flooded out of her home, she's been getting rides from friends and has set up shop in a hotel near the George R. Brown Convention Center to help Harvey victims.

In Katy, Ysabel Saez, her partner and three daughters fled their apartment by wading through chest-deep water, leaving behind a Ford Escape sport utility and an F-150 pickup. Both had been swamped. Her Escape was insured; her partner's pickup wasn't. Without a ride, he's been unable to get to his job at an audio-visual company near the George Bush International Airport, over 40 miles away.

"We were doing fine," says Saez, who works as a nanny. "Now we're so behind. We want to get back to where we were."

Urban planners, like Kyle Shelton of Rice University in Houston, say the city and its suburbs were ill-prepared for a storm like Harvey.

"We've lost 500,000 to 1 million cars," he says. "How are those people getting around now?"

Bus and train service is limited, especially in suburban areas such as Sugar Land, which never joined the region's transit authority. The region would benefit if people were living closer together rather than spread out over 2,000 square miles as they are now.

"Denser places would be more easily served and better connected to emergency services," says Shelton, director of strategic partnerships at Rice's Kinder Institute for Urban Research, who wonders whether Harvey will change attitudes toward suburban sprawl and the area's dependence on cars.

Hartmann at the Toyota dealership is skeptical: "I don't think it will change anything." Car culture runs too deep.

CARS LIKE BOATS

These days, Bryan Harvey, who runs a one-man towing operation, starts work at 7 a.m. and gets home after 9 p.m. Cellphones and police scanners let him know when someone needs a tow. The phone rings.

"I'm coming that-away," he says en route to a drenched Kia Rio.

As Harvey tows the Kia, Jessica Kong mentions that it's the third car her family has lost to the storm. An employee for a billing company, she's been working from home. Others in her household have borrowed cars from family and friends to get around.

"Good thing we have a lot of family," she says.

Harvey pulls away in search of another stranded, water-logged car.

Sporting a tattoo, a knee brace and crucifix necklace, Harvey maneuvers his truck through Katy's muddy residential streets, past homes where mattresses, drywall and other debris are piled up on what used to be neat suburban lawns. In some places, the streets remain filled with a foot or more of water. Harvey drives cautiously to protect his truck and avoid swamping other vehicles in his wake.

Other motorists aren't so careful and stall in the flooded streets.

"Houstonians think their cars are boats," he says. "It's a recurring thing. They are attracted to it like bugs to light."

Harvey has car problems of his own. His youngest daughter was flooded out of her home and is living at his place. She also lost her car. She's borrowing a car from Harvey's girlfriend, who, in turn, is borrowing Harvey's. He doesn't need it much. He spends most of his time working in the Dodge Ram.

On Tuesday, he did five double loads -- 10 cars -- and ended up giving someone a ride after hours. He staggered home around 11.

"I drank a beer," he says, "and went to sleep."

Durbin reported from Detroit. Scott Mayerowitz contributed from Houston.
Officials say the driver of a semitractor-trailer died after it collided with a crane hired to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Dallas.



Assistant City Manager Jon Fortune said the crane was headed to Lee Park when the collision happened near downtown Dallas Sunday night.



A city news release said that a witness said the crane was turning left on a green arrow. The release stated the semitractor-trailer's driver "was travelling...at a very high rate of speed and failed to yield the right of way, colliding into the crane."



Officials hoped to remove the statue immediately following the City Council's Wednesday vote to remove it. But several events led to delays, including trouble finding a crane.



Fortune said the accident badly damaged the crane.



The Dallas City Council voted 13-1 to remove the statue which has set atop Lee Park since being unveiled by then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1936.


One teen was shot by a South Florida deputy and another is in custody after they burglarized a home during Hurricane Irma Sunday morning, while suspected looters were arrested in Miami-Dade and Broward, authorities said.

The deputy-involved shooting happened around 3 a.m. at a home in the 2500 block of Monterey Court, Broward Sheriff's Office officials said.

Officials said deputies responded to the house after the homeowners, who were out of town, reported that their surveillance system captured the burglars inside their home.

At least one deputy opened fire on the 17-year-old suspect outside the home. He was taken to Broward Health Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, while his accomplice was taken into custody without incident, officials said.

The special weapons and tactics team also responded and cleared the property, officials said. The deputy wasn't injured and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were investigating the shooting.

In Miami, an NBC 6 reporter saw an organized group of at least a dozen suspected looters at a store in Midtown loading up boxes of shoes and clothing into cars. Police showed up about an hour after the looting started and took at least two people into custody. Hours later, Miami Police Department tweeted a photo showing at least 10 people in custody for the alleged looting.

In Hialeah Gardens, police responded to a reports of looting at a Walmart, a source confirmed to NBC 6. It's unclear if any arrests were made.

Miami-Dade County Police Department said it arrested as many as 28 people for looting during the storm.

Meanwhile, Fort Lauderdale police officials said nine people were arrested while looting a CashAmerica Pawn and a Simon's shop on W. Sunrise Boulevard. The suspects were charged with Burglary during a Natural Disaster.

"Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice," Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione said in a statement. "Stay home and look after your loved ones and be thankful they are all safe."

Pembroke Pines police also said they were on alert for looters trying to take advantage of the storm.

Hurricane Irma, made landfall in the Florida Keys at 9:10 a.m. Sunday as a Category 5 storm and remained an "extremely dangerous" Category 2 storm into the afternoon while marching up the coast.
Hundreds of people rallied Sunday in MacArthur Park in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, better known as DACA, and to protest the efforts by the Trump administration to deport some 800,000 immigrants who were brought into the country illegally by their parents.

The loud but peaceful demonstrators came to the park in the Westlake area about 3 p.m. chanting, "No Trump, No KKK, No Racist USA, No hate, No Fear and Immigrants Are Welcomed Here," the Los Angeles Times reported.

Meanwhile, a dozen pro-Trump protesters gathered near the at Alvarado and 6th streets, defiantly yelling slogans in favor of Donald Trump and his action to end DACA. One man with a bullhorn exhorted DACA demonstrators to turn themselves in to authorities for deportation, the paper reported.

Others carried signs that read: "We support President Donald Trump or No, no, no, no More DACA.

Police officers patrolled the area on foot and kept the two sides apart.

One pro-DACA supporter, Esau Andrade, 22, told the newspaper he had benefited from President Obama's program. Known as "Dreamers" young people like him who were brought here as children by their parents were given a reprieve from deportation, and access to work permits if they got to the U.S. before age 16, stayed in school and out of trouble.

Andrade told the Times he received his DACA status about a year after graduating from high school in 2013. He said his personal information would not be used against him, but now he was worried.

"You put all of your might in a country that you feel at home in and truly have respect for and from one day to another be thrown out and be told you're not worth it,'' he said.

Andrade said his family brought him to America when he was 3-years-old with a temporary visa that he overstayed. The Rancho Cucamonga resident said he works as a receptionist at a hair salon which he could not do without DACA.

There are an estimated 800,000 dreamers in the U.S. and an estimated 200,000 live here in California.

Speakers at today's rally and march included Alma de Jesus and Ludi Valdez, both dreamers; Jim Lafferty of the National Lawyers Guild and Mike Manalo-Pedro, lead coordinator of the Dreamers Resource Center at Cal Poly Pomona.
Firefighters, law enforcement officers and others took time Monday to remember the victims of the Sep. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States that took place 16 years ago.

The Los Angeles Fire Department held its annual 9/11 ceremony at the Frank Hotchkin Training Center on Stadium Way near Dodger Stadium, with LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas, Police Chief Charlie Beck and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla among those in attendance.

Terrazas paid tribute to the New York firefighters who rushed into the burning towers of the World Trade Center to successfully evacuate thousands of people in the immediate aftermath of the attack. Many did not make it out themselves: Of the nearly 3,000 Americans killed that day, more than 400 were first-responders, including 343 New York firefighters.

"Today we pause. Reflect. Remember. Lives Stolen. .NeverForget," Terrazas tweeted after the ceremony.

In Malibu, Pepperdine University displayed 2,977 U.S. flags on its campus in its Waves of Flags display.

In Orange County, meanwhile, firefighter Scott Townley added solid granite plaques and bright lighting to his tribute to the victims of 9/11, which has stood outside his Fullerton home for the last 16 years.

"This year, I got to do what I've wanted to do for many years, which was do a self-guided tour," Townley said.

The plaques are "exactly like you would see at a museum," he said.

The firefighter also has bright lights in each yard to illuminate the display and the plaques so visitors can come by any time and get an explanation without Townley having to supply one personally.

"I don't have to be out there explaining what's going on" with each part of the display, he said.

The granite and plaques were donated by KP Fab of Costa Mesa, which provides laser engraving and other similar services, Townley said.

"I just gave them the 200 words or less for each plaque," Townley said.

The memorial to the victims of 9/11 and the ensuing war on terror has grown since the first year. Now, for instance, he has 3,077 pictures of victims mounted on 12 four-by-eight walls.

The victims include first-responders who succumbed to injuries sustained from digging out Ground Zero in New York City, he said.

As for the list of names of troops who have died in combat triggered by 9/11, Townley said it exceeds 5,700 now.

The 16th anniversary of the attacks was also marked by a memorial ceremony at the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda. And Cook's Corner motorcycle bar held its annual 9/11 memorial ride. The event began with a pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and then it was "wheels up" at 10 a.m. at Cook's Corner at 19152 Santiago Canyon Road, Trabuco Canyon.
Major airports throughout the Sunshine State are beginning to reopen and are still assessing the damage done by Hurricane Irma.

More than 4,200 U.S. flights scheduled for Monday were canceled by mid-afternoon  and more than 9,000 since Saturday  according to tracking service FlightAware.



Miami International Airport re-opened Tuesday morning with flights resuming on a limited basis. The airport endured nearly 100 mph wind gusts and sustained significant water damage from Irma Sunday, according to Aviation Director and CEO Emilio Gonzalez.

"The damage is in the gate areas, where water leaked in from jet bridges and the roof. The terminals with most damage are J, H, G, F and E," MIA Airport spokesman Greg Chin said.

The airport said on Tuesday that operations resumed there on a limited basis, and will continue to increase its operations daily until they are at full operations, which is expected to happen this weekend.

[[443642093 ,C]]

[[443642133 ,C]]

[[443642163 ,C]]

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport also re-opened early Tuesday. The airport is also running on limited operations.

Officials said only the south runway at FLL was open because of standing water on the north runway.

The damage at the airport from Hurricane Irma was minimal, according to officials at the Broward County Aviation Department. Spots where the roof leaked in all four terminals were being patched up and crews were repairing sliding doors that were knocked off the hinges but not broken. The airport didn't lose power at any point.

"Everything's working fine. All of our equipment was undamaged really so considering what we were facing earlier in the week, we are really fortunate to be facing what we are today," Aviation Department spokesman Greg Meyer said.

With thousands of flights canceled since Thursday, officials anticipate that the airport will be very busy Tuesday and for the rest of the week.

"We have to make sure we're ready to go when we have 60,000 or 80,000 people who are trying to get out of Fort Lauderdale," Meyer said.

Key West International Airport and Florida Keys Marathon Airport remained closed to travelers Tuesday but was operational only for emergency response flights. The airports already have begun to receive emergency supplies and other emergency resources, officials said.

Orlando International Airport closed Saturday and won't reopen to passenger traffic until after Hurricane Irma has passed, a damage assessment has been completed, necessary recovery efforts have been made and airlines are consulted to determine when best to resume operations.

Tampa International Airport was also closed as Hurricane Irma moved up the Florida peninsula.

Airlines are preparing their recovery schedules, which may take several days to execute.

All airports want to remind everyone to check with your airline prior to heading to the airport to make sure your flight is still scheduled.

American Airlines announced that they are going to begin resuming limited operations in South Florida once the airports reopen. AA says they have capped their fares at $99 on direct, single leg flights from all cities affected under American Airlines travel alert, which can be found here.

Disruptions spread beyond Florida. Delta canceled 900 flights Monday, including many at its Atlanta hub because of high winds. Southwest canceled the rest of the day's Atlanta schedule in early afternoon. American scrapped 300 flights in Charlotte, North Carolina, due to the wind.

Delta said they were starting to operate flights Tuesday, including flights between Atlanta and Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando.

United Parcel Service Co. and FedEx Corp. couldn't make flights into Miami, where each has a major sorting facility, and it was unclear when deliveries would resume, partly because so many customers evacuated to avoid the storm.

"Even if we're able to make deliveries, can customers receive them?" said UPS spokesman Matthew O'Connor.

With Florida's biggest airports expected to reopen Tuesday, airlines won't lose as much money on lost flights  nothing like the $150 million hit that United suffered last month from Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. soared $2.26, or 5.2 percent, to close at $45.86. Spirit Airlines Inc. jumped $1.53, or 4.6 percent, to $34.63; and JetBlue Airways Corp. rose 68 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $19.38.

Those three have a greater percentage of flights in Florida and the Caribbean than do their rivals, according to a Raymond James analyst. Shares of Delta Air Lines Inc., United Continental Holdings Inc., Southwest Airlines Co. and other airlines also rose although by smaller percentages.

Anyone traveling out of any airport should make sure to check with their airline to make sure their flight is on schedule.

This story will be updated as more airlines and transportation operators provide NBC 6 with information on their updated travel protocols.
What to Know President Donald Trump is preparing to preside over his first 9/11 commemoration in office, a solemn and nonpartisan occasion

A weakened Hurricane Irma zeroed in on the Tampa Bay region after hammering much of Florida with winds, floodwaters and power outages

Miss North Dakota, a 23-year-old who said Trump was wrong to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord, was named Miss America 2018

Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Trump, First Lady Commemorating Sept. 11 in White House

President Trump is preparing to preside over his first 9/11 commemoration in office, a solemn and nonpartisan occasion in which he will be joined by first lady Melania Trump. The Trumps plan to observe a moment of silence at the White House in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 people who were killed when hijackers flew commercial airplanes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The morning remembrance is scheduled for about the time the first plane struck one of the Twin Towers on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Trump and his wife also are to pay their respects at a Pentagon ceremony led by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The observances come as Trump grapples with the death and destruction caused by two hurricanes in three weeks. Vice President Mike Pence is to represent the administration at an observance at the 9/11 memorial in Shanksville.

Hurricane Irma, Massive But Weakened, Lashes Florida

A massive but weakened Hurricane Irma zeroed in on the Tampa Bay region after hammering much of Florida with roof-ripping winds, gushing floodwaters and widespread power outages. Irma continued its slog north along Florida's western coast having blazed a path of unknown destruction. With communication cut to some of the Florida Keys, where Irma made landfall, and rough conditions persisting across the peninsula, many held their breath for what daylight might reveal. The monster storm measured more than 400 miles wide, and its winds of up to 130 mph sucked the ocean water out of bays, swamped much of downtown Miami and toppled at least three constructions cranes  two over downtown Miami and one in Fort Lauderdale. More than 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone. Continued weakening was forecast and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Irma was expected to become a tropical storm over northern Florida or southern Georgia later in the day. Before crashing into Florida, Hurricane Irma set all sorts of records for brute strength as it flattened Caribbean islands and swamped the Florida Keys.

8 Dead, Including Suspected Gunman, in Shooting in Home

At least eight people are dead, including the suspect, after a shooting at a home in Plano, Texas, authorities said. Officer David Tilley said police were called to a home on the 1700 block of West Spring Creek Parkway, less then 20 miles northeast of Dallas, on a report of shots fired. Tilley said when police arrived, the first officer to enter the home was involved in a confrontation with the suspected shooter. The officer opened fire and killed the suspect. Officers then found other people inside the home suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Seven of those people were deceased; two survivors were taken to a nearby hospital. None of the victims have been identified, and any relation to the suspected shooter is unknown, Tilley said. Police said an investigation is ongoing. Authorities are trying to determine the suspect's motive, as well as why the officer initially opened fire on the suspect.

Aftershocks Slow Relief Work in Quake-Damaged Mexican Town; Nationwide Death Toll Rises to 90

Life for many has moved outdoors in the quake-shocked city of Juchitan, where a third of the homes are reported uninhabitable and repeated aftershocks have scared people away from many structures still standing. The city was littered with rubble from the magnitude 8.1 earthquake, which killed at least 90 people across southern Mexico  at least three dozen of them in Juchitan itself. Officials in Oaxaca and Chiapas states said thousands of houses and hundreds of schools had been damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people were reported to be without water service. Many people continued to sleep outside, fearful of more collapses, as strong aftershocks continued to rattle the town, including a magnitude 5.2 jolt.

Miss North Dakota Cara Mund is New Miss America

Miss North Dakota, a 23-year-old who said President Trump was wrong to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, was named Miss America 2018 in Atlantic City. Cara Mund topped a field of 51 contestants to win the crowd in the New Jersey seaside resort, where most of the 97 Miss Americas have been selected. In one of her onstage interviews, Mund said Trump, a Republican, was wrong to withdraw the U.S. from the climate accord aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. In an interview with The Associated Press before preliminary competition began, Mund, who lives in Bismarck, North Dakota, said her goal is to be the first woman elected governor of her state. She said she wants to see more women elected to all levels of government. She is the first contestant from her state to win the Miss America crown.

Kristen Bell Saves Frozen Co-Star's Family From Hurricane Irma

Now that's friendship. Josh Gad revealed his "Frozen" co-star Kristen Bell "literally saved" his entire family on Florida's east coast from Hurricane Irma by getting them a hotel room further inland. The actor, who voices Olaf the snowman, was raised in Hollywood, Florida, near Miami. The actress is in Florida to film her new comedy "Like Father" and has been hunkering down at a Walt Disney World resort. "They don't make them like this girl. Thank you Kristin. You are truly an angel sent from above. And thank you @ewablueeyes for bother her when I asked you not to!!!!" Gad added.
Dozens of dogs and cats that were waiting to be adopted in shelters down south arrived in New Jersey a day before Hurricane Irma is expected to make landfall.

The animals were flown out of Tampa, Florida and Greenville, South Carolina. They arrived at Saint Huberts Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey.

Crowds of people were at the shelter on Saturday. So many people have shown up that there's a wait to see an adoption counselor, shelter workers say.

We have been apologizing gratefully to our lobby full of adopters every week, because its so wonderful for the animals, said Nora Parker. I think a lot of people, if they were thinking about adopting or they were on the fence about it, theyre deciding nows the time.

Ana Henry says she adopted a dog.

In cases like that I feel more sorry to the animals sometimes than even the people, Henry said. Because people know what theyre doing. They know they have to evacuate. Animals are dependent on what the owners do for them.

The shelters in Florida and South Carolina evacuated the animals so theyd have space to take in animals rescued during Hurricane Irma, which is expected to make landfall south of Tampa on Sunday morning.

Some of the animals arrived at the shelter from Texas and Louisiana when Hurricane Harvey hit late last month. Shelter workers said about 100 of those animals have already been adopted or are in foster care.
Hurricane Irma gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummeling with winds up to 130 mph Sunday, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline.

The 400-mile-wide (640-kilometer-wide) storm blew ashore in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then marched up its western coast, its punishing winds extending clear across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side.

While Irma arrived in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, by nightfall it was down to a Category 2 with winds of 100 mph (160 kph). As of 2 a.m. EDT Monday, the storm further weakened to a Category 1 storm and was centered about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Tampa, moving north-northwest near 15 mph (24 kph). Its maximum sustained winds weakened to 85 mph (135 kph) with additional weakening expected.

Meanwhile, more than 160,000 people waited in shelters statewide as Irma headed up the coast.

There were no immediate reports of deaths in Florida. In the Caribbean, at least 24 were people were killed during Irma's destructive trek.

Bryan Koon, Florida's emergency management director, said late Sunday that authorities had only scattered information about the storm's toll, but he remained hopeful.

"I've not heard of catastrophic damage. It doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It means it hasn't gotten to us yet," Koon said.

In the low-lying Keys, where a storm surge of over 10 feet (3 meters) was recorded, appliances and furniture were seen floating away, and Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said the ocean waters were filled with navigation hazards, including sunken boats. But the full extent of Irma's wrath there was not clear.

The county administrator, Roman Gastesi, said crews would begin house-to-house searches Monday to check on survivors. And an airborne relief mission, led by C-130 military cargo planes, was gearing up to bring emergency supplies to the Keys.

Storm surge was a big concern. The National Hurricane Center said a federal tide gauge in Naples reported a 7-foot (more than 2-meter) rise in water levels in just 90 minutes late Sunday.

Many streets were flooded in downtown Miami and other cities.

In downtown Miami, two of the two dozen construction cranes looming over the skyline collapsed in the wind. A third crane was reported down in Fort Lauderdale. No injuries were reported.

A Miami woman who went into labor was guided through delivery by phone when authorities couldn't reach her because of high winds and street flooding. Firefighters later took her to the hospital.

An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast. Flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Florida's midsection.

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.

Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other items from a sporting goods store and a pawn shop during the hurricane.

More than 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

While Irma raked Florida's Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

In one of the largest U.S. evacuations, nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to seek shelter elsewhere, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused, in part because, to many storm-hardened residents, staying behind in the face of danger is a point of pride.

John Huston, who stayed in his Key Largo home, watched his yard flood even before the arrival of high tide.

"Small boats floating down the street next to furniture and refrigerators. Very noisy," he said by text message. "Shingles are coming off."

Irma made landfall just after 9 a.m. at Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) outside Key West. During the afternoon, it rounded Florida's southwestern corner and hugged the coast closely as it pushed toward Naples, Sanibel, Fort Myers and, beyond that, Sarasota, at 14 mph (23 kph).

Forecasters warned some places could see a storm surge of up to 15 feet (5 meters) of water.

Gretchen Blee, who moved with her husband to Naples from Long Island, New York, after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 heavily damaged their beach home, took cover in a hotel room as Irma raged.

"I said, 'Let's go and live the good life in paradise'," she said. "And here we are."

Some 400 miles (640 kilometers) north of the Keys, people in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area started bracing for the onslaught. The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about 3 million, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921.

"I've been here with other storms, other hurricanes. But this one scares me," Sally Carlson said as she snapped photos of the waves crashing against boats in St. Petersburg. "Let's just say a prayer we hope we make it through."

Along the Gulf Coast, two manatees became stranded after Hurricane Irma sucked the water out of Sarasota Bay, in Florida's Manatee County. Several people posted photos of the mammals on Facebook amid reports rescuers were able to later drag them to deeper water.

After leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, some 200 miles (320 kilometers) from the sea.

President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Florida, opening the way for federal aid.

"Once this system passes through, it's going to be a race to save lives and sustain lives," Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long said on "Fox News Sunday."

Florida's governor activated all 7,000 members of the Florida National Guard, and 10,000 guardsmen from elsewhere were being deployed.

Irma at one time was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 185 mph (300 kph), and its approach set off alarm in Florida.

For days, forecasters had warned Irma was taking dead aim at the Miami area and the rest of the state's Atlantic coast. But then Irma made a more pronounced westward shift  the result of what meteorologists said was an atmospheric tug-of-war between weather systems that nudged Irma's crucial right turn into Florida's Gulf Coast.
UPDATE: Gerard Grandzol will be laid to rest after a funeral Mass Wednesday.

Surveillance footage led Philadelphia police to the suspects accused of killing 38-year-old Gerard Grandzol, a father of two who was shot in the face last week while shielding his daughter from a carjacking, police said Monday.

"It's one the most horrific things I've seen," Capt. John Ryan, commanding officer of Philadelphia police homicide unit, said. "It's hard to watch."

Marvin Roberts, 16, allegedly opened fire on Grandzol after he and his older brother, 21-year-old Maurice Roberts, confronted Grandzol on the 1500 block of Melon Street Thursday evening in an attempted carjacking, police said.

Grandzol handed the two brothers his wallet but refused to turn over his car keys because his 2-year-old daughter was still inside, police said.

That's when he was shot twice in the face, police said. Investigators have not recovered the 9 mm semiautomic gun used to kill Grandzol. They suspect Roberts acquired the weapon by either stealing it or buying it illegally. Sources told NBC10 the two brothers could be heard laughing as they fled the scene.



When first responders arrived, they found Grandzol's daughter crying in the back seat, sources said.

"It's a touch of evil. There's no way to explain [the shooting]," Ryan said.

On Saturday, Marvin Roberts was charged with murder, robbery, carjacking, criminal conspiracy, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment and several other violations, police said.

Philadelphia Police/ NBC10

Police released his mugshot Monday afternoon.

His older brother fled Philadelphia following the shooting but U.S. Marshalls arrested him in New Jersey Saturday evening, police said. The 21-year-old is currently in police custody and will be sent back to Philadelphia after a formal hearing.

Brendan Fernald, Grandzol's friend and neighbor, rushed over to help and try to keep him alive.

"[I] jumped down and started putting pressure on his wounds. Then, scooping the blood out of his mouth so he could breathe," Fernald said.

A vigil for Grandzol will be held Monday at 6:15 p.m. at the corner of 15th and Melon streets.

Roberts' older brother was also arrested in connection to the carjacking and shooting. Both brothers have prior arrests, investigators told NBC10.


San Diego city leaders meet Monday to consider new regulations for marijuana businesses now that California voters have approved recreational use of the drug.

Rules regarding licensing dispensaries have already been set, allowing up to four dispensaries in each district to sell weed, keeping a strict distance from schools, churches and other dispensaries.

Many of those coveted licenses will go to existing medical marijuana dispensaries.

Councilmembers will meet at 1 p.m. to hear presentations from city staffers regarding testing of marijuana and marijuana products in industrial zones and commercial zones.

A second option would allow testing, cultivation, distribution and production in light and heavy industrial zones as long as the business operator obtains a permit. Under this option, only two marijuana production facilities would be permitted in each council district for a total of 18 within the city.

Non-retail marijuana business permits are not on the agenda. San Diego Cannabis Delivery Alliance wants the city to legalize stand-alone pot delivery. Currently, only brick-and-mortar medical marijuana dispensaries can get a permit to deliver pot to patients.

Hundreds of delivery services are operating without the proper permits to meet public demand.

Candidate for District Attorney Genevieve Jones-Wright said the council has a chance to regulate and not criminalize the businesses.

"They actually want to be under the purview of the law, and do what's right under the law. They don't want to operate in the black market," Jones-Wright said.

Jones-Wright is employed as a deputy public defender.

"We have a county of 4,500 square miles, 3.3 million. About 35 million visitors a year," said Elizabeth Wilhelm, President of the SD Cannabis Delivery Alliance. "We are gonna try to meet that need come January 1 with 16 licensed dispensaries, and the only delivery that would happen is through those licensed dispensaries, and logistically it's simply not going to happen."

California voters passed Proposition 64 in November 2016, allowing those over age 21 to legally use marijuana and the sale of the drug to be taxed.

Previously, marijuana was legal only for medicinal purposes and with a doctor's authorization.

Licensed or Unlicensed Dispensaries? --Both-- Licensed Unlicensed Schools

Dispensaries



// >1", from: "1pFx7whrwCKza_MKMVxi0e0ykBnPC2y2wSs5FRAxk" }, map: map, styleId: 2, templateId: 2 }); layer_1 = new google.maps.FusionTablesLayer({ query: { select: "col0>>1", from: "1vCOWd6gqKmqSNfKZG13Nbd2uSyTg4b4p72BvUWNG" }, map: map, styleId: 2, templateId: 2 }); layer_2 = new google.maps.FusionTablesLayer({ query: { select: "col37", from: "1ZiU23-Ged0OxwuVlYms-pl_VHePUikdPqMfyYKmV" }, map: map, styleId: 2, templateId: 2 }); layer_3 = new google.maps.FusionTablesLayer({ query: { select: "col1", from: "1-8Pdz5OvJpg4Cutnz9pTBQJN27FMof1gbp5mwXSM" }, map: map, styleId: 2, templateId: 2 }); map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map_canvas"), myOptions); layer_0.setMap(map); layer_1.setMap(map); layer_3.setMap(map); } function changeMap_3() { var whereClause; var searchString = document.getElementById('search-string_3').value.replace(/'/g, "\\'"); if (searchString != '--Select--') { whereClause = "'TYPE' = '" + searchString + "'"; } layer_3.setOptions({ query: { select: "col1", from: "1-8Pdz5OvJpg4Cutnz9pTBQJN27FMof1gbp5mwXSM", where: whereClause } }); } function changeLayer(tableidselections) { if (tableidselections == "1ZiU23-Ged0OxwuVlYms-pl_VHePUikdPqMfyYKmV"){ if (document.getElementById("Schools").checked == true) { if(layer_2.getMap() == null) { layer_2.setMap(map); } } if (document.getElementById("Schools").checked == false) { layer_2.setMap(null); } } if (tableidselections == "1-8Pdz5OvJpg4Cutnz9pTBQJN27FMof1gbp5mwXSM"){ if (document.getElementById("Dispensaries").checked == true) { if(layer_3.getMap() == null) { layer_3.setMap(map); } } if (document.getElementById("Dispensaries").checked == false) { layer_3.setMap(null); } } } google.maps.event.addDomListener(window, 'load', initialize); // ]]>

The map above was created by NBC 7 Investigates to show where both licensed and unlicensed medical marijuana dispensaries are operating in San Diego County as of February 9, 2017.

NOTE: The map is best viewed on mobile devices.

Highlights of the map:

Areas in the cities of San Diego and La Mesa allowing medical marijuana operations are shaded on the map in zones colored green.





Areas in the cities of San Diego and La Mesa where medical marijuana operations are prohibited are shaded on the map in zones colored red.





Legal, licensed marijuana operations are marked on the map with a green pushpin.





Unlicensed marijuana operations are marked on the map with a red pushpin.





A filter allows you to toggle between viewing licensed dispensaries, unlicensed dispensaries or both at the same time.





Another toggle option allows you to see where schools are located in comparison to dispensaries.





Clicking on any individual map point (dispensary, school or zone) allows you to learn more about the location.

NOTE: If map turns gray in an area, it is still loading. To fix the issue refresh your web browser.

To create the map above, NBC 7 Investigates used data obtained through the California Public Records Act and the website WeedMaps.com. The data was last collected on February 9, 2017.

Using permits issued by the City of San Diego and San Diego County, NBC 7 Investigates was able to map the locations of legal and licensed marijuana operations.

Using Weedmaps, described online as a resource to find cannabis storefronts, doctors, and deals, NBC 7 Investigates gathered location details for marijuana operations in San Diego County. By mapping the locations from Weedmaps and comparing the list of locations to city and county permits, NBC 7 Investigates was able to determine which marijuana businesses were legally operating and which were operating without a license.

NBC 7 Investigates contacted each business listed to verify if it was operating. Dispensaries that require patients to call for an address, as indicated on WeedMaps, were not included on the map as their location was not published on a public website.

NBC 7 Investigates has learned some of the unlicensed dispensaries labeled on WeedMaps as operating or open for business have recently been forced to shut down by law enforcement. On the map, those locations are indicated as being closed in the notes section of the individual pushpin.

If you have an update on a location featured on this map, contact NBC 7 Investigates, NBC7Investigates@nbcuni.com or (619) 578-0393.
Urban Search and Rescue California Task Force 8, currently deployed to Eglin Airforce Base just west of Panama City, Florida, is awaiting the second half of their crew.

In total, there will be 81 members of the team. The task force deployed 45 members to help with Hurricane Harvey two weeks ago, and now theyre preparing for Irmas worst.

We did briefings with our task force members, Battalion Chief Dan Froelich told NBC 7. We're starting to work on plans. We're going over our equipment, making sure that we're ready to go when we are deployed.

This response will be a little different from Harvey. For one, they're in position before the storm hits. For Harvey they were mobilized after the storm made landfall. That means they'll be the ones sharing information and giving tips to task force units that follow.

Also for Harvey, they were asked to focus specifically on swift water rescues. We will be configured to do that, but there also may be structure collapses and structure damage, so we'll be ready to respond to that too, Froelich explained.

Local jurisdictions will also rely on the group for data. Between the group that has to drive cross-country and the back to back deployments, its worth asking how the group is holding up.

It's something we practice and train for, Froelich said. So back to back deployments, that doesn't happen that often. So it is a little rare, but the morale is high. The folks want to get to work and they want to help the people of Florida when that call comes in.
Mike Levine, 68, looks like a finely tuned athlete riding through his Carlsbad neighborhood, but a few months ago, he barely had enough strength to cross the street.

The retired salesman was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer in 2015.

I have less than a one percent chance of making it five years, and since the diagnosis, Im already two and a half years into it, he said.

Pancreatic cancer has the lowest five-year survival rate of any major cancer, and Levine had lost hope.

We were petrified, he told NBC 7. We figured this was close to the end.

But his wife Jan wouldnt give up.

I knew that if I could somehow get some of those old friends of his, if I could get them around him, maybe the spark would happen, she explained. After meeting up with triathletes, including Ironman champion Kathleen McCartney, Levine regained his will to survive and set a new challenge for himself.

I'm gonna go out and do what I want and not let cancer control me, and I'm gonna do Ironman, he said.

With his training partner by his side, Levine will be the first Stage IV pancreatic cancer patient to cross the Ironman finish line in Kona, Hawaii next month.

I have watched him come back to life, Jan said. He had given up hope.

Because of his condition, Levine was given an Ironman ambassador slot, and he still gets emotional, watching the video of the announcement.

We've been given this opportunity to do something amazing, and once we achieve it we want to share this with the world, he said.

Now Levine's mission is to educate and inspire. He will have to go through chemo for the rest of his life  however long that is, and he'll keep reminding those going through hard times, to never give up.

Anything is possible, and we're out to prove that," he said.
What to Know Lone officer arrives, hears gunshots, sees victims "down" and engages and fatally shoots the suspected gunman.

Seven died at the home Sunday, one victim later died at an area hospital. One survivor remains hospitalized in an unknown condition.

Police say the shooting is an isolated incident and that they are not looking for any other suspects in the case.

Nine people are now dead and one critically injured after someone went on an "unprecedented" shooting rampage at a Plano home Sunday night during a cookout and Dallas Cowboys watch party, police say.

Nine people are now dead and one remains critically injured after someone went on a shooting rampage inside a Plano home Sunday night during a cookout and Dallas Cowboys watching party, police say.

Plano Police Officer David Tilley said officers were called to a home on the 1700 block of West Spring Creek Parkway just after 8 p.m. after several people called 911 reporting active gunshots.

Nine people were shot and killed Sunday, including a suspect, and one other person was critically wounded when someone opened fire inside a Plano home during a Dallas Cowboys watching party, police say.

Plano Chief of Police Gregory Rushin said during a news conference Monday afternoon that the first officer arrived at the home within two minutes of being dispatched. Rushin said the officer approached the home from the rear and heard gunshots inside as well as several shooting victims "down" in the back yard. Rushin said the officer then made the brave decision to enter the home without waiting for backup.

Plano police and the Texas Rangers work the scene of a shooting at a home in the 1700 block of West Spring Creek Parkway in Plano, Texas Monday, September 11, 2017. Seven people were fatally shot to death, and their attacker was killed by a police officer Sunday night. (David Woo/The Dallas Morning News)

"The first thing he heard was shots being fired. He saw people in the back yard, down, that were shot. So he instantly knew what was going on. He went into the house on his own, made that decision that he couldn't wait for a backup from another partner, as we were trained, and go in and to stop the shooter. And that's exactly what he did, he actually found the shooter inside and ended his shooting spree," Rushin said. "This officer went directly into fire, where fire was taking place, and stopped the shooter's ability to continue to kill people. I think the officer showed great bravery."

Inside the home, officers found two survivors, both critically injured with apparent gunshot wounds, and the bodies of seven adults. At a news conference Monday afternoon, police said one of the two survivors died at the hospital, while the condition of the other was not known.

Eight people were shot and killed Sunday, including a suspect, and two others were critically wounded when someone opened fire inside a Plano home during a Dallas Cowboys watching party, police say.

None of the victims have been identified, and any relation to the suspected shooter has not been confirmed, police said, though the suspected shooter was known by people at the residence and had ties to the home. Rushin added the shooting was an isolated incident and that police are not looking for any other suspects in the case.

A motive for the shooting has not been confirmed. Officials said Monday that the shooter used a number of different firearms in the assault and shot people both inside the home and in the back yard. Rushin refused to say whether there were any other survivors of the shooting, citing the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

The parents of Meredith Hight told NBC 5 that she owned the house on Silver Creek Parkway with her husband and that the two were going through a divorce. Monday would have been their wedding anniversary.

Hight's parents say she was hosting a football watch party. A friend of Hight's husband who asked to remain anonymous, said he saw Hight's husband at a nearby bar before the shooting and that he seemed upset.

"Just out of nowhere I heard gunfire but it was rapid fire," said neighbor Crystal Farley. "After the gunfire when you hear the sirens, when the helicopters were coming in I knew something big was up and heart just my stomach just sank," she said.

"That man is a hero and may peace be with him to have to walk into such a scenario and neutralize the suspect," Farley said.

Neighbor Stacey Glover told The Dallas Morning News that a party at the home had started early in the afternoon and she had seen people laughing and grilling outside. She said she then heard the shots around 8 p.m. She opened her door and smelled gunpowder. She heard police who arrived yell "hands up" before more shots rang out.

Neighbor Lauryn Nichols said she had a friend who had been in the house and she didn't know what had happened to the person.

"I'm worried," she told the newspaper. "It's like one big family here."

Eight people are dead, including the suspect, and two are critically wounded after a shooting at a home in Plano.

The investigation into the deaths of the eight victims is being handled by the Plano Police Department. The officer who fatally shot the suspected gunman is on administrative leave with pay and the shooting is being investigated by the Texas Rangers, as is normal in these situations.

Plano officials described the shooting as "unprecedented" and as something beyond anything they thought they ever would have to respond to. Rushin asked for patience in the investigation as the size of the crime scene and nature of the investigation is unlike anything the department has seen. He added that his department is thin, having recently sent officers to the Texas Gulf Coast to support recovery efforts following the landfall of Hurricane Harvey.

Police said Monday afternoon that W. Spring Creek between Green Oaks and Blue Ridge will be closed until possibly Tuesday morning while the homicide investigation continues.

Plano police say seven people have been killed inside a Plano home along West Spring Creek Parkway. Officers say they shot and killed the suspected gunman when they arrived on scene, making a total of 8 people dead.

This story is developing. Check back and refresh this page for the latest updates. NBC 5's Tim Ciesco, Ben Russell, Vanessa Brown, Matt Jackson and Frank Heinz contributed to this report.
Amid the sounds of snare drums, saxophones and sobbing, Mexicans on Saturday began mourning some of the 66 dead after a one-two punch from a monster earthquake and a Gulf coast hurricane.

Hardest hit was Juchitan, a Oaxaca state city where 36 people died when the magnitude 8.1 quake toppled buildings.

Slow-moving slow-moving funeral processions converged on one of Juchitan's cemeteries from all directions on Saturday sometimes causing temporary gridlock when they encountered each other at intersections.

The cemetery swelled with mourners and noisy serenades for the dead. Pallbearers carried the caskets around rubble the quake had knocked from the simple concrete crypts. Jittery amid continued aftershocks, friends and relatives of the deceased had hushed conversations in the Zapotec language as they stood under umbrellas for shade from the beating sun.

Paulo Cesar Escamilla Matus and his family held a memorial service for his mother, Reynalda Matus Martinez, in the living room of her home, where relatives quietly wept beside her body.

The 64-year-old woman was working the night shift at a neighborhood pharmacy when the quake struck Thursday night, collapsing the building.

"All the weight of the second floor fell on top of her," said her son, who rushed to the building and found her under rubble. He and neighbors tried to dig her out, but weren't able to recover her body until the next morning when civil defense workers brought a backhoe that could lift what had trapped her.

Fearful of crime, the pharmacy kept its doors locked, and Escamilla Matus wondered if that had cost his mother the time she needed to escape.

Scenes of mourning were repeated over and over again in Juchitan, where a third of the city's homes collapsed or were uninhabitable, President Enrique Pena Nieto said late Friday in an interview with the Televisa news network. Part of the city hall collapsed.

The remains of brick walls and clay tile roofs cluttered streets as families dragged mattresses onto sidewalks to spend a second anxious night sleeping outdoors. Some were newly homeless, while others feared further aftershocks could topple their cracked adobe dwellings.

Rescuers searched for survivors with sniffer dogs and used heavy machinery at the main square to pull rubble away from city hall, where a missing police officer was believed to be inside.

The city's civil defense coordinator, Jose Antonio Marin Lopez, said similar searches had been going on all over the area.

Teams found bodies in the rubble, but the highlight was pulling four people, including two children, alive from the completely collapsed Hotel Del Rio, where one woman died.

"The priority continues to be the people," Marin said.

Larissa Garcia Ruiz was grateful to escape with only a broken arm when her house collapsed as she and her family slept.

"I only woke up when I heard screaming," said the 24-year-old cradling her wrapped arm.

Her mother managed to just push the daughters and her blind husband through the back doorway before a massive section of thick wall fell, trapping her. As Larissa tried to help rescue her mother, another piece of rubble fell, breaking her arm. Other relatives and friends finally managed to release the trapped woman.

All around them people yelled for help that night. "Nobody helped us," her sister Vicenta said. "Everybody got out as best they could."

In addition to the deaths in Juchitan, nine other people died in Oaxaca, while twenty-five people were killed by the quake in neighboring states. Two others died in a mudslide in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz after Hurricane Katia hit late Friday.

Pena Nieto said authorities were working to re-establish supplies of water and food and provide medical attention to those who need it. He vowed the government would help rebuild.

Power was cut at least briefly to more than 1.8 million people due to the quake, and authorities closed schools in at least 11 states to check them for safety.

The Interior Department reported that 428 homes were destroyed and 1,700 were damaged just in Chiapas, the state closest to the epicenter.

Just one day later, Hurricane Katia hit land north of Tecolutla in Veracruz state, pelting the region with intense rains and maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120) kph.

Veracruz Gov. Miguel Angel Yunes said two people died in a mudslide related to the storm, and he said some rivers had risen to near flood stage, but there were no reports of major damage.

Veracruz and neighboring Puebla states evacuated more than 4,000 people ahead of the storm's arrival.

The Hurricane Center said Katia could still bring 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters) of additional rain 25 to 37 centimeters) to a region with a history of deadly mudslides and flooding.

Associated Press writers Peter Orsi and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.
Members of a multi-racial coalition of faith, student and community activists from Charlottesville, Virginia, arrived in D.C. Wednesday after a march in response to what they call President Donald Trump's failure to confront the white supremacy on display at a violent rally in the Virginia city earlier this month.

The March to Confront White Supremacy arrived at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial about 4 p.m.after a 10-day, more than 110 mile walk.

"I was there last month when the Nazis and the White Supremacists were marching through my hometown," Ben Doernberg, who marched with the group, told News4's Erika Gonzalez. "You reach a point where you say, okay, this has to stop."

Demonstrators continued on to McPherson Square, where they set up tents.

Tania Maduro, a protester, said the marchers plan to stay in the park until the March for Racial Justice. According to the Facebook event, that march will take place on Sept. 30.

A group of over 100 people -- many wearing rain gear -- left Jefferson, Virginia Wednesday morning, organizers said on Twitter.

More people joined at a rally at Gateway Park in Arlington before the group crossed Key Bridge and continued to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall.

Since the march began on Monday, Aug. 28, participants walked up to 17 miles per day and slept in churches along the route. The march passed through Ruckersville, Culpeper, Manassas, Fairfax and Falls Church, an online timeline said.

"We are marching from Charlottesville to Washington, D.C. to demonstrate our commitment to confronting white supremacy wherever it is found," the website for the march says. "It's clear that we can no longer wait for Donald Trump or any elected official to face reality and lead. We are coming together to reckon with America's long history of white supremacy, so that we can begin to heal the wounds of our nation."

Organizers say white supremacist violence, rhetoric and policies have intensified since Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and must be confronted. They say they want a political agenda "that repairs the damage done" by the legacy of white supremacy in America.
The U.S. Secret Service has restored access to the White House and surrounding areas after objects were thrown over the fence.

A man threw a sign and a notebook over the Pennsylvania Avenue fence Monday morning, the Secret Service said on Twitter.

The incident coincided with the anniversary of Sept. 11, one of the nation's most scarring days.

Pennsylvania Avenue and Lafayette Park were blocked off by White House security immediately following the event for about an hour, but the areas have since been reopened to the public.

President Donald Trump was attending a 9/11 ceremony at the Pentagon. He returned to the White House during the lockdown.


A man died Sunday in a house fire in Bethesda, Maryland, fire officials say.

Montgomery County firefighters responded to the house fire in the 5200 block of Danbury Road after receiving a call about 4 p.m.

A man who lives inside the home was able to escape the fire and was taken to a hospital, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue said.

The man's friend was found dead in the basement of the home.

"The reports that I'm getting from firefighters that went inside the house is that, specifically in the basement, there were what they described as hoarding conditions where there was lots of boxes and materials and stuff like that piled up, which made it very difficult for them to get in and search. It also added to the fire load," Battalion Chief Daniel Ogren said.

Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.
The National Hurricane Center says Irma has weakened into a tropical depression.

The storm, located about 5 miles (10 kilometers) west of Columbus, Georgia, is still bringing heavy rain to the U.S. Southeast on Monday night.

Irma is expected to drop 2 to 5 inches of rain across South Carolina and northern portions of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.

The hurricane center has discontinued all storm surge and tropical storm warnings.

Earlier Monday, authorities sent an aircraft carrier and other Navy ships to help with search-and-rescue operations in Florida on Monday as a flyover of the hurricane-battered Keys yielded what the governor said were scenes of devastation.

"I just hope everyone survived," Gov. Rick Scott said.

He said boats were cast ashore, water, sewers and electricity were knocked out, and "I don't think I saw one trailer park where almost everything wasn't overturned." Authorities also struggled to clear the single highway connecting the string of islands to the mainland.

The Keys felt Irma's full fury when the storm blew ashore as a Category 4 hurricane Sunday morning with 130 mph (209 kph) winds. How many people in the dangerously exposed, low-lying islands defied evacuation orders and stayed behind was unclear.

As Irma weakened into a tropical storm and finally left Florida on Monday after a run up the entire 400-mile length of the state, the full scale of its destruction was still unknown, in part because of cut-off communications and blocked roads.

Six deaths in Florida have been blamed on Irma, along with three in Georgia and one in South Carolina. At least 35 people were killed in the Caribbean.

Statewide, an estimated 13 million people, or two-thirds of Florida's population, remained without power. That's more than the population of New York and Los Angeles combined. Officials warned it could take weeks for electricity to be restored to everyone.

More than 180,000 people huddled in shelters in the Sunshine State.

"How are we going to survive from here?" asked Gwen Bush, who waded through thigh-deep floodwaters outside her central Florida home to reach National Guard rescuers and get a ride to a shelter. "What's going to happen now? I just don't know."

The governor said it was way too early to put a dollar estimate on the damage.

During its march up Florida's west coast, Irma swamped homes, uprooted trees, flooded streets, snapped miles of power lines and toppled construction cranes.

In a parting shot, it triggered severe flooding around Jacksonville in the state's northeastern corner. It also spread misery into Georgia and South Carolina as it moved inland with winds at 50 mph, causing flooding and power outages.

Around the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, where Irma rolled through early Monday, damage appeared modest. And the governor said damage on the southwest coast, including in Naples and Fort Myers, was not as bad as feared. In the Keys, though, he said "there is devastation."

"It's horrible, what we saw," Scott said. "I know for our entire state, especially the Keys, it's going to be a long road."

He said the Navy dispatched the USS Iwo Jima, USS New York and the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln to help with search and rescue and other relief efforts.

Emergency managers in the islands declared on Monday "the Keys are not open for business" and warned that there was no fuel, electricity, running water or cell service and that supplies were low and anxiety high.

"HELP IS ON THE WAY," they promised on Facebook.

The Keys are linked by 42 bridges that have to be checked for safety before motorists can be allowed in, officials said. The governor said the route also needs to be cleared of debris and sand, but should be usable fairly quickly.

In the Jacksonville area, close to the Georgia line, storm surge brought some of the worst flooding ever seen there, with at least 46 people pulled from swamped homes.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office warned residents along the St. Johns River to "Get out NOW."

"If you need to get out, put a white flag in front of your house. A t-shirt, anything white," the office said on its Facebook page. "Search and rescue teams are ready to deploy."

A tornado spun off by Irma was reported on the Georgia coast, and firefighters inland had to rescue several people after trees fell on their homes.

A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, and school was canceled in communities around the state. More than 100,000 customers were without power in Georgia and over 80,000 in South Carolina.

Over the next two days, Irma is expected to push to the northwest, into Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

People in the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area had braced for the first direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921. But by the time Irma arrived in the middle of the night Monday, its winds were down to 100 mph (161 kph) or less.

"When that sun came out this morning and the damage was minimal, it became a good day," said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

Ferguson reported from Jacksonville. Associated Press writers Seth Borenstein in Washington; Terry Spencer in Palm Beach County; Gary Fineout in Tallahassee; Jay Reeves in Immokalee; Terrance Harris and Claire Galofaro in Orlando; and Jason Dearen, Curt Anderson and David Fischer in Miami contributed to this report.
A deal has been reached allowing a man who dismembered his father to avoid a criminal trial.

Leroy Smith III, the first detainee to be forcibly medicated in Maine, entered a plea that he was not criminally responsible for his actions under an agreement between prosecutors and the defense.

Smith will go to Riverview Psychiatric hospital immediately.

The jury was dismissed Monday after the announcement in an Augusta courtroom.

Smith was charged with killing his father in Gardiner, Maine. He told investigators he acted in self-defense because he believed his father was poisoning his food.

Following the trial Monday, prosecutors said, "It's very clear Leroy Smith was legally insane at the time he killed his father."

Smith was required to take medication under a 2015 law that aims to restore the mental capacity of defendants so they can participate in their own defense.

Smith's defense attorney said, "[Smith] knows what he did. He honestly felt in his mind that if he did not kill his father, his father would kill him."

The judge found Smith to be of sound mind to enter the plea.
All we know is that Elsie lived somewhere on Bluebell Road, Norwich, says Prof Philippe Sands, QC, a London barrister and leading human rights lawyer, who describes Elsies extraordinary story in his international best-seller, East West Street, on the origins of genocide and crimes against humanity.



Prof Sands outstanding book is now in 15 languages and he was recently awarded an honorary degree by the University of Anglia. Famous author John Le Carre, describes Prof Sands book as a monumental achievement.



Prof Sands mother, Ruth, as a year-old baby, was rescued by Elsie Tilney, a Christian missionary, 78 years ago, when many Jewish families were being sent to concentration camps.

In 1939, as many Jews were being cruelly rounded up by the Nazis, Norwich-born Elsie risked life and limb in German-occupiedto collect baby Ruth from her Jewish mother,, at an Austrian railway station and take the child to relative safety in Paris, where the babys father, Leon, was then located.There, Elsie handed the baby over to Leon, quickly writing her name and Norwich address in pencil on a scrap of paper, two inches square. It said simply: Miss E.M.Tilney, Menuka, Blue Bell Road, Norwich, Angleterre.For more than 60 years, the babys father,treasured that slip of paper. After Leon died, the yellowing paper fell out of an old suitcase as Prof Sands was researching his family history. For two years, the scrap of paper hung above his desk as he sometimes wondered about the person who wrote it.No-one has so far been able to find the house, Menuka, on Bluebell Road, where Elsie lived before the war.Two years ago, Elsie was formally honoured as Righteous Among the Nations by the official Holocaust remembrance authority at Yad Vashem in Israel  as one of those who risked their lives to save Jews during the darkest days of the war. Elsie was only the 21st British recipient of the honour.Born in Norwich in 1893, Elsie Maude Tilney became a member ofin 1903 as a ten-year-old. In 1919, as a pretty young lady with a sweet mellow voice Elsie was a Sunday School teacher at the Chapel where she spoke of her great interest in Africa.Eventually Elsie became a missionary in North Africa, where she spoke of the love shown to her by Jewish families. Elsie worked in Algeria and Tunisia for more than a decade, but stayed in close contact with the Chapels pastor, David Panton, who wrote wartime articles denouncing Hitlers irrational and insane anti-semitic fury after The Times in 1933 reported a speech by the Fuhrer with the headline: By Fighting Against The Jews I Am Doing The Lords Work.Towards the end of the war, as Elsie continued to help Jewish families leave mainland Europe, the Germans sent her to an internment camp at Vittel, in northern France, along with hundreds of other foreign nationals.Elsies selfless bravery grew out of her love for Jewish people  for example, for 16 months she hid a young Jewish soldier, Sasha Krawec, in a camp bathroom, thus saving him from being deported to Auschwitz with 400 other prisoners.Elsies courage was immense, as she was selected to work in the German Commandants main office, sorting records. People who knew Elsie describes her as a quiet, gracious lady, a remarkable, compassionate woman, deeply motivated by her love for Jewish people and her Biblical understanding of Gods purposes in human history, based upon such verses as Romans 1:16 and Romans 10:1.One internee said Elsie was one of the bravest people Ive ever met.Prof Sands was greatly helped in his research on Elsie by the archivist at Surrey Chapel, Dr Rosamunde Codling. After the war, Elsie returned to missionary work in South Africa in the 1950s.As far as we know, Elsie never spoke about her wartime bravery. Upon retirement, she went to Miami, Florida, to live near brother her Fred. She died in 1974 and her ashes were scattered over Biscayne Bay on the Atlantic Coast.Philippe Sands is professor of law at University College, London. His book, East West Street, won the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction in 2016. The book is part detective story, part family history, part legal thriller. Any reader who can shed any light on the location of Elsies former home on Bluebell Road, Norwich, is invited to
By PTI

MUMBAI: Naresh Goyal today scotched rumours about Gulf carrier Etihad Airways exiting its over three year-old equity partnership with Jey Airways and also said he is not looking for another partner.

"We have no plans to sell stake to another investor. Also, our partner Etihad has no intention to exit their investment in Jet Airways," Goyal, the chairman of the country's largest international airline told reporters on the sidelines of the AGM here.

The Abu Dhabi-based Etihad had in April 2013 invested Rs 2,069 crore in Jet for a 24 per cent equity but of late there have been plenty of rumours about both the partners not seeing eye-to-eye and looking for other options.

In recent months there have also been reports about Jet courting American carrier Delta after the two entered into a extensive code share agreement. Rumour mills were also active about other Gulf carriers looking at a stake in Jet.

The speculation became active after government liberalised foreign ownership norms for the aviation sector wherein 100 per cent FDI is allowed in the sector provided the foreign investor is not an airline operator and 49 per cent if the investor is an overseas airline.

MUMBAI: Naresh Goyal today scotched rumours about Gulf carrier Etihad Airways exiting its over three year-old equity partnership with Jey Airways and also said he is not looking for another partner. "We have no plans to sell stake to another investor. Also, our partner Etihad has no intention to exit their investment in Jet Airways," Goyal, the chairman of the country's largest international airline told reporters on the sidelines of the AGM here. The Abu Dhabi-based Etihad had in April 2013 invested Rs 2,069 crore in Jet for a 24 per cent equity but of late there have been plenty of rumours about both the partners not seeing eye-to-eye and looking for other options. In recent months there have also been reports about Jet courting American carrier Delta after the two entered into a extensive code share agreement. Rumour mills were also active about other Gulf carriers looking at a stake in Jet. The speculation became active after government liberalised foreign ownership norms for the aviation sector wherein 100 per cent FDI is allowed in the sector provided the foreign investor is not an airline operator and 49 per cent if the investor is an overseas airline.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Embassy of Sweden organised one of Indias most prestigious quiz contests  The Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Quiz at Ethiraj College for Women recently. Now in its 11th annual edition, the quiz series is part of the Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week, organized by the Embassy of Sweden, New Delhi along with leading Swedish companies in India.

Since 2016, it has been organised in 11 cities: Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi. The national final, with 11 city champions, will be held at New Delhi. The broad theme of the quiz was Alfred Nobel and his life and achievements, the Nobel Prize, Nobel Laureates and their achievements, Sweden, its people and their culture, Swedish innovations and inventions. Members of the winning team win a week-long visit to Sweden where they will visit Swedish companies, universities and the Nobel Museum.

Students from various educational institutions in the city competed in teams of three. Some of the competing institutions were Loyola College, SRM University, IIT Madras and Ethiraj College, and others. The quiz comprised of a preliminary written round, which was followed by an on-stage finale. The quiz masters were Kunal Saravarkar and Seema Chari.

Said Seema, The students prepared well and showed a lot of enthusiasm. Even when they didnt know an answer to a particular question, they attempted humorous answers (laughs). We understood that certain names in Swedish were hard to spell and pronounce. So we were accommodating and gave points despite spelling errors for correct answers.

CHENNAI: The Embassy of Sweden organised one of Indias most prestigious quiz contests  The Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Quiz at Ethiraj College for Women recently. Now in its 11th annual edition, the quiz series is part of the Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week, organized by the Embassy of Sweden, New Delhi along with leading Swedish companies in India. Since 2016, it has been organised in 11 cities: Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi. The national final, with 11 city champions, will be held at New Delhi. The broad theme of the quiz was Alfred Nobel and his life and achievements, the Nobel Prize, Nobel Laureates and their achievements, Sweden, its people and their culture, Swedish innovations and inventions. Members of the winning team win a week-long visit to Sweden where they will visit Swedish companies, universities and the Nobel Museum. Students from various educational institutions in the city competed in teams of three. Some of the competing institutions were Loyola College, SRM University, IIT Madras and Ethiraj College, and others. The quiz comprised of a preliminary written round, which was followed by an on-stage finale. The quiz masters were Kunal Saravarkar and Seema Chari. Said Seema, The students prepared well and showed a lot of enthusiasm. Even when they didnt know an answer to a particular question, they attempted humorous answers (laughs). We understood that certain names in Swedish were hard to spell and pronounce. So we were accommodating and gave points despite spelling errors for correct answers.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: Dr Ashwani Maichand, a Fortis doctor who was implicated by the media and the Delhi Medical Council in a case related to a wrong foot surgery, has been proven innocent and given the clean chit by the Medical Council of India. The case was reported in June 2016, when allegedly a wrong foot was operated.



The news was hyped by the media and incriminated Dr Maichand without waiting for a trial and any conclusive proof. The public upheaval resulted in a punishment by the Delhi Medical Council where the institution removed Dr Maichands name from the IMR (Indian Medical Register) for 180 days in February, 2017.



However, investigation has proved that the doctor wasnt actually present in the operation theatre (OT) and therefore could not be held responsible for the botched operation. The case was considered by the Ethics Committee of the MCI, where the matter and the statements associated were recorded, and produced for deliberation.



The committee, after some due deliberation, stated: Dr Ashwani Maichand was absent on the day of the operation due to some personal reasons and was not present in the OT during the whole surgery. The Ethics Committee also noted that the original plan was to operate only on the right leg and not the left leg. Even so, Dr Maichand was only involved in the operational planning. Therefore, he was in no position to know the change in the decision.



Considering the above fact, the Ethics Committee came to the unanimous conclusion that no case of medical negligence could actually be made against Dr Ashwani Maichand. Finally, the punishment levied against the doctor was quashed, and he was exonerated of all charges.



The case also highlights an increasing number of cases against doctors, where even on managing highly precarious operations and situations, good and honest doctors are falsely implicated. However, this case and its forthcoming result could be used as an example, and followed to uphold the esteem and efforts of the medical community.



NEW DELHI: Dr Ashwani Maichand, a Fortis doctor who was implicated by the media and the Delhi Medical Council in a case related to a wrong foot surgery, has been proven innocent and given the clean chit by the Medical Council of India. The case was reported in June 2016, when allegedly a wrong foot was operated. The news was hyped by the media and incriminated Dr Maichand without waiting for a trial and any conclusive proof. The public upheaval resulted in a punishment by the Delhi Medical Council where the institution removed Dr Maichands name from the IMR (Indian Medical Register) for 180 days in February, 2017. However, investigation has proved that the doctor wasnt actually present in the operation theatre (OT) and therefore could not be held responsible for the botched operation. The case was considered by the Ethics Committee of the MCI, where the matter and the statements associated were recorded, and produced for deliberation. The committee, after some due deliberation, stated: Dr Ashwani Maichand was absent on the day of the operation due to some personal reasons and was not present in the OT during the whole surgery. The Ethics Committee also noted that the original plan was to operate only on the right leg and not the left leg. Even so, Dr Maichand was only involved in the operational planning. Therefore, he was in no position to know the change in the decision. Considering the above fact, the Ethics Committee came to the unanimous conclusion that no case of medical negligence could actually be made against Dr Ashwani Maichand. Finally, the punishment levied against the doctor was quashed, and he was exonerated of all charges. The case also highlights an increasing number of cases against doctors, where even on managing highly precarious operations and situations, good and honest doctors are falsely implicated. However, this case and its forthcoming result could be used as an example, and followed to uphold the esteem and efforts of the medical community.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu farmers, who have resorted to increasingly desperate modes of protest here for loan waiver and other demands, now say they plan to march nude and even attempt suicide.

Today, they marched near Jantar Mantar clad in just loin cloths, demanding a Rs 40,000 crore drought relief package, insurance for their crops and the setting up of a Cauvery Management Board by the Centre.

The Parliament Street Police detained around 25 farmers.

Farmers leader P Ayyakkannu said, "They detained us without citing any reasons. No one has the right to stop people from protesting."

"Tomorrow we will take out a nude procession. If our demands are not met, we will even commit suicide by slitting our throats," he threatened.

A senior official from the Parliament Street Police Station said the farmers were detained after they started stripping on the protest street in Jantar Mantar where women were also demonstrating.

Yesterday, the farmers, who have been protesting for nearly two months in their second round of agitations in the national capital, consumed human excreta to draw attention towards their issues.

In their first round of protests earlier this year, they had shaved their heads and half their moustaches, held mice and snakes in their mouths, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and even carried skulls of other farmers who had committed suicide due to debt pressure.

NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu farmers, who have resorted to increasingly desperate modes of protest here for loan waiver and other demands, now say they plan to march nude and even attempt suicide. Today, they marched near Jantar Mantar clad in just loin cloths, demanding a Rs 40,000 crore drought relief package, insurance for their crops and the setting up of a Cauvery Management Board by the Centre. The Parliament Street Police detained around 25 farmers. Farmers leader P Ayyakkannu said, "They detained us without citing any reasons. No one has the right to stop people from protesting." "Tomorrow we will take out a nude procession. If our demands are not met, we will even commit suicide by slitting our throats," he threatened. A senior official from the Parliament Street Police Station said the farmers were detained after they started stripping on the protest street in Jantar Mantar where women were also demonstrating. Yesterday, the farmers, who have been protesting for nearly two months in their second round of agitations in the national capital, consumed human excreta to draw attention towards their issues. In their first round of protests earlier this year, they had shaved their heads and half their moustaches, held mice and snakes in their mouths, conducted mock funerals, flogged themselves and even carried skulls of other farmers who had committed suicide due to debt pressure.
By IANS

LOS ANGELES: Filmmaker George Clooney says actor Idris Elba, who was earlier being eyed as the new James Bond, would have been a perfect choice to play the popular British spy.

Actor Daniel Craig will return as James Bond in the upcoming 25th film in the popular franchise.

"I think Idris Elba should be the next James Bond," Clooney told variety.com.

"I think it's insane that you wouldn't. He's elegant and handsome and masculine. He would be a perfect James Bond and it would be a great step forward," he added.

On the personal front, Clooney welcomed twins -- Alexander and Ella -- three months ago with wife and human rights lawyer Amal.

Asked whether parenthood has changed him, Clooney said: "Well, it's a funny thing. In general when you talk to somebody who is in the film industry, we can impart some unique experiences. Me talking about being a parent, everyone I know goes through it. And they are all the exact same experiences."

He added: "It's (being) up all night at weird hours. It's changing diapers. It's being shocked at what you see inside a diaper for the amount they take in and the amount they put out; you go, How is that possible?'"

LOS ANGELES: Filmmaker George Clooney says actor Idris Elba, who was earlier being eyed as the new James Bond, would have been a perfect choice to play the popular British spy. Actor Daniel Craig will return as James Bond in the upcoming 25th film in the popular franchise. "I think Idris Elba should be the next James Bond," Clooney told variety.com. "I think it's insane that you wouldn't. He's elegant and handsome and masculine. He would be a perfect James Bond and it would be a great step forward," he added. On the personal front, Clooney welcomed twins -- Alexander and Ella -- three months ago with wife and human rights lawyer Amal. Asked whether parenthood has changed him, Clooney said: "Well, it's a funny thing. In general when you talk to somebody who is in the film industry, we can impart some unique experiences. Me talking about being a parent, everyone I know goes through it. And they are all the exact same experiences." He added: "It's (being) up all night at weird hours. It's changing diapers. It's being shocked at what you see inside a diaper for the amount they take in and the amount they put out; you go, How is that possible?'"
By Express News Service

Here is some good news for Shaji Pappan fans. The makers have confirmed that Midhun Manuel Thomas' Aadu-2, starring Jayasurya in the lead, will hit the screens during Christmas.

The director, along with Jayasurya, has also taken to Facebook to share a video where the actor is shown getting into the garb of Shaji Pappan with his unique beard.

The movie that has Jayasurya reprising the cult character is said to feature an entirely another episode in Shaji Pappan's life. In an earlier interview, Jayasurya had told Express that second part will have all the quirky elements that made Aadu so popular.

He had said that the team went through three stories before zeroing in on this one. The actor, whose next release will be Captain, has also wrapped up Ranjith Sankar's next Punyalan Private Limited.

Here is some good news for Shaji Pappan fans. The makers have confirmed that Midhun Manuel Thomas' Aadu-2, starring Jayasurya in the lead, will hit the screens during Christmas. The director, along with Jayasurya, has also taken to Facebook to share a video where the actor is shown getting into the garb of Shaji Pappan with his unique beard. The movie that has Jayasurya reprising the cult character is said to feature an entirely another episode in Shaji Pappan's life. In an earlier interview, Jayasurya had told Express that second part will have all the quirky elements that made Aadu so popular. He had said that the team went through three stories before zeroing in on this one. The actor, whose next release will be Captain, has also wrapped up Ranjith Sankar's next Punyalan Private Limited.
Issac James Manayath By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: I shall get power, by hook or crook, but once I have got the power I will do good work, the 66-year-old JD(U) leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar once said. His decision to step out of his alliance with RJD-Congress and join hands with the BJP has surprised everyone.

It also proved that he is a man who indeed stands by his words. Born into a family of peasant Kurmis, Nitish Kumars rise in Bihar politics was marked by the sidelining of the Yadavs whose caste-based agenda had dominated Bihari politics until then.

The dawn of Nitishs political career goes back to the 1970s. He was a protege of Jayaprakash Narayan and in 1977 he took part in anti-Emergency protests, for which he was jailed. In 1985, he was elected to Bihar Assembly.

But unlike his contemporary Lalu Prasad, he had to wait another 12 years for his national political career to take off. It was in 1989 that he won a Lok Sabha election. It was a time when the Yadav chieftain was being groomed by Karpoori Thakur as a leading light of the opposition.

Although Nitish teamed up with Lalu Prasad in 1989, their friendship foundered once the Yadav ushered in an era of caste-based politics in Bihar.

After an initial association with Lalu Prasad Yadav; Nitish Kumar rejected identity politics, recognizing that Bihar had to transcend caste if it was to grow, wrote Arun Sinha in his book Nitish Kumar and the Rise of Bihar.

The duo soon parted ways in the 1990s until they joined hands again in 2015. In making this oscillation, Nitish broke off from the Janata Dal, formed the Samata Party with George Fernandes. and merged Samata with Sharad Yadavs Janata Dal (United) in 2005.

But then, against the grain of non-Congress regional parties, the JD(U) forged an alliance with the BJP, which lasted until 2013 until Nitish, now chief minister, fell out with the BJP over its decision to promote Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate ahead of the 2014 election.

In the 1996 general election, Nitish sided with the BJP for which Atal Bihari Vajpayee rewarded him by making him minister of state for agriculture.

In 2013, as now, the need was Nitish Kumars primary motive. He needed the support of the 17 million Muslims in Bihar to hold onto power, and supporting Narendra Modi was not convenient.

Ahead of the Bihar elections in 2015, Nitish Kumar patched up with Lalu and the two formed an alliance with Congress. Dubbed as the grand alliance, it stopped Modi at the portals of Patna and was therefore touted as the wall that would stop the BJP in 2019.

It took just less than two years for Nitish to feel the itch again. Nitish pulled out of the Mahagathbandhan because he needed to appear clean and relevant.

The Kurmi leaders frequent break-ups and patch-ups highlight his opportunistic attitude towards politics. Although political opponents deride this tendency of his, it must not be forgotten that Bihar did take impressive strides in governance during his stint. In 2005, when Nitish Kumar first took over as Bihar chief minister, the third most populous state in India had been reeling under poverty and became the classical Bimaru state. Infrastructure was crumbling and industrial growth was marginal. Bihari migrated in droves to other states in search of livelihood.

Bihar continues to be among the poorest states in India but a lot has changed. Poverty rates have dropped. So has the number of migrants. A measurable growth in infrastructure was complemented by a corresponding rise in industrial production. The conventional wisdom in Bihars political circles was that development does not win votes. Nitish Kumar challenged that assumption and changed the face of the state, wrote Arun Sinha.

Will his latest gamble pay off? It is unclear for now. By aligning with the BJP, Nitish has sacrificed his prospects as a future leader of the Opposition in the Parliament. Moreover, he is left to seek glory under the shadows of the man whom he derided in 2014 -- Narendra Modi. In other words, with his latest move, he sealed his fate with that of the Prime Minister.

CHENNAI: I shall get power, by hook or crook, but once I have got the power I will do good work, the 66-year-old JD(U) leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar once said. His decision to step out of his alliance with RJD-Congress and join hands with the BJP has surprised everyone. It also proved that he is a man who indeed stands by his words. Born into a family of peasant Kurmis, Nitish Kumars rise in Bihar politics was marked by the sidelining of the Yadavs whose caste-based agenda had dominated Bihari politics until then. The dawn of Nitishs political career goes back to the 1970s. He was a protege of Jayaprakash Narayan and in 1977 he took part in anti-Emergency protests, for which he was jailed. In 1985, he was elected to Bihar Assembly. But unlike his contemporary Lalu Prasad, he had to wait another 12 years for his national political career to take off. It was in 1989 that he won a Lok Sabha election. It was a time when the Yadav chieftain was being groomed by Karpoori Thakur as a leading light of the opposition. Although Nitish teamed up with Lalu Prasad in 1989, their friendship foundered once the Yadav ushered in an era of caste-based politics in Bihar. After an initial association with Lalu Prasad Yadav; Nitish Kumar rejected identity politics, recognizing that Bihar had to transcend caste if it was to grow, wrote Arun Sinha in his book Nitish Kumar and the Rise of Bihar. The duo soon parted ways in the 1990s until they joined hands again in 2015. In making this oscillation, Nitish broke off from the Janata Dal, formed the Samata Party with George Fernandes. and merged Samata with Sharad Yadavs Janata Dal (United) in 2005. But then, against the grain of non-Congress regional parties, the JD(U) forged an alliance with the BJP, which lasted until 2013 until Nitish, now chief minister, fell out with the BJP over its decision to promote Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate ahead of the 2014 election. In the 1996 general election, Nitish sided with the BJP for which Atal Bihari Vajpayee rewarded him by making him minister of state for agriculture. In 2013, as now, the need was Nitish Kumars primary motive. He needed the support of the 17 million Muslims in Bihar to hold onto power, and supporting Narendra Modi was not convenient. Ahead of the Bihar elections in 2015, Nitish Kumar patched up with Lalu and the two formed an alliance with Congress. Dubbed as the grand alliance, it stopped Modi at the portals of Patna and was therefore touted as the wall that would stop the BJP in 2019. It took just less than two years for Nitish to feel the itch again. Nitish pulled out of the Mahagathbandhan because he needed to appear clean and relevant. The Kurmi leaders frequent break-ups and patch-ups highlight his opportunistic attitude towards politics. Although political opponents deride this tendency of his, it must not be forgotten that Bihar did take impressive strides in governance during his stint. In 2005, when Nitish Kumar first took over as Bihar chief minister, the third most populous state in India had been reeling under poverty and became the classical Bimaru state. Infrastructure was crumbling and industrial growth was marginal. Bihari migrated in droves to other states in search of livelihood. Bihar continues to be among the poorest states in India but a lot has changed. Poverty rates have dropped. So has the number of migrants. A measurable growth in infrastructure was complemented by a corresponding rise in industrial production. The conventional wisdom in Bihars political circles was that development does not win votes. Nitish Kumar challenged that assumption and changed the face of the state, wrote Arun Sinha. Will his latest gamble pay off? It is unclear for now. By aligning with the BJP, Nitish has sacrificed his prospects as a future leader of the Opposition in the Parliament. Moreover, he is left to seek glory under the shadows of the man whom he derided in 2014 -- Narendra Modi. In other words, with his latest move, he sealed his fate with that of the Prime Minister.
By PTI

GANDHINAGAR: In a first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe would take part in a road show in Ahmedabad in Gujarat on September 13 when the latter begins his visit.

The eight-km-long road show would start from the Ahmedabad airport and culminate at the Sabarmati Ashram, according to the BJP.

Abe will arrive here on Wednesday on a two-day India visit during which he and Modi will hold the 12th India-Japan annual summit here.

"This is for the first time in the country when our prime minister along with the prime minister of another country is doing a joint road show. The Japanese PM is landing here directly on September 13. This makes the occasion more important, as he is visiting a state on the very first day of his India visit," Gujarat BJP unit president Jitubhai Vaghani told reporters today.

He said both the leaders will be accorded a "grand welcome" along the route of the road show.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's standing committee chairman Pravin Patel said a large number of people, including singing troupes who will be performing at 28 different locations along the route, will greet Modi and Abe.

"On the entire route of the road show, which will also pass from Sabarmati Riverfront, we have erected 28 small stages where dancers from 28 different states, all dressed in their traditional attire, would showcase their performance when these leaders pass," said Patel.

After visiting the Sabarmati Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi lived between 1917 and 1930, both the leaders would take a break till evening, said Patel.

"In the evening, both the PMs would visit the iconic Sidi Saiyyed Mosque in the eastern part of the city. The mosque is known across the world for the stone lattice work," he said, adding that both the leaders would be shown a presentation about the city's heritage on the occasion.

Modi and Abe would then have dinner at 'Agashiye' restaurant located near the mosque, Patel added.

On September 14, Abe and Modi will attend the ground breaking ceremony for the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project, commonly referred to as the Bullet Train project.

Later that day, both the premiers will hold the 12th India-Japan annual summit at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

GANDHINAGAR: In a first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe would take part in a road show in Ahmedabad in Gujarat on September 13 when the latter begins his visit. The eight-km-long road show would start from the Ahmedabad airport and culminate at the Sabarmati Ashram, according to the BJP. Abe will arrive here on Wednesday on a two-day India visit during which he and Modi will hold the 12th India-Japan annual summit here. "This is for the first time in the country when our prime minister along with the prime minister of another country is doing a joint road show. The Japanese PM is landing here directly on September 13. This makes the occasion more important, as he is visiting a state on the very first day of his India visit," Gujarat BJP unit president Jitubhai Vaghani told reporters today. He said both the leaders will be accorded a "grand welcome" along the route of the road show. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's standing committee chairman Pravin Patel said a large number of people, including singing troupes who will be performing at 28 different locations along the route, will greet Modi and Abe. "On the entire route of the road show, which will also pass from Sabarmati Riverfront, we have erected 28 small stages where dancers from 28 different states, all dressed in their traditional attire, would showcase their performance when these leaders pass," said Patel. After visiting the Sabarmati Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi lived between 1917 and 1930, both the leaders would take a break till evening, said Patel. "In the evening, both the PMs would visit the iconic Sidi Saiyyed Mosque in the eastern part of the city. The mosque is known across the world for the stone lattice work," he said, adding that both the leaders would be shown a presentation about the city's heritage on the occasion. Modi and Abe would then have dinner at 'Agashiye' restaurant located near the mosque, Patel added. On September 14, Abe and Modi will attend the ground breaking ceremony for the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project, commonly referred to as the Bullet Train project. Later that day, both the premiers will hold the 12th India-Japan annual summit at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, Monday announced that the central governments permanent solution to Jammu and Kashmir was based on 5Cs and said centre wont go against the sentiments of J&K people as far as special status of the State including Article 35-A was concerned.

I can say that trees of peace in Kashmir are not dry. Green buds of peace are visible in these trees, Singh, who is on a 4-day visit to the State, told reporters while addressing a press conference, here.

He said he had seen it before also and that is why talked about permanent solution of J&K problem.

Singh announced that their permanent solution to J&K problem is based on 5 Cs - Compassion, Communication, Coexistence, Confidence building and consistency.

It is our efforts that people of J&K achieve honour and dignity alongwith peace. We will work in this regard and our efforts will be that both dignity and honour are safe, he said.

The home minister said he has visited the State five times in last one and a half year.

I want to assure J&K people that I will come 50 times a year if necessary. I will make whatever efforts are needed for peace and prosperity of the State. My intention of frequently visiting Kashmir is clear that we want to resolve the J&K problem, he said.

Singh said his 4-day visit to the State was the follow-up of August 15 speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he had said Kashmir problem cant be solved by bullets or abuses but by embracing them.

Whatever he said, I have come here to carry forward that process and make it reality, he said.

On a petition challenging validity of Article 35-A in Supreme court, Singh said, Central government has not initiated anything in this regard and nor went to the court.

I assure you that not only on Article 35-A, whatever we will do we will not go against the sentiments of J&K people. We would respect the sentiments of J&K people, he said.

Supreme Court is hearing a petition filed by RSS-linked group, which challenged Article 35-A of the constitution.

NIA raids

On NIA raids in the State, Singh said the investigation agency is an autonomous body and probing terror funding.

The agency is doing its work, he said.

NIA has arrested seven separatist leaders, a leading businessman, two youth including a photo-journalist and a Jammu-based Sikh lawyer during its ongoing investigation into the alleged militancy and separatist funding in the State.

In response to a question whether NIA raids were arm-twisting tactics, Singh said, It is not arm-twisting tactic. We have not learnt arm-twisting tactics.

If anybody has any issue with these raids, they should go to court, he said.

Situation improving

Singh said he has understood that situation in Kashmir has greatly improved.

I wont claim that situation has fully improved but situation is improving. And I can say it with surety, he said.

Smiles on face of young boys, girls

Singh said while praying tributes to slain policemen in south Kashmirs Anantnag yesterday, the face of ASI Abdul Rashid's daughter, Zohra was passing through his mind.

We want to see smile, happiness and prosperity in face of every young girl and boy of Kashmir. It is our wish and we will continue efforts in this regard, he said.

Ready to talk to every stakeholder

When asked whether centre was ready to start talks with separatists, HM said, Whenever I have come to J&K, I have come with open mind and heart. I have said that I want to talk to all. People should also come forward for talks. We are ready to talk to every stake holder.

All Party Delegation during its visit to Valley last year made an initiative for talks and so was done by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. We did not say no to talks, he said.

Asked whether a formal invitation for talks was extended to separatists, he said, What is formal and informal invitation. Let people, who want to talk, say they are ready for talks.

"If need be, I will visit Kashmir 50 times in a year. We will continue our efforts to bring peace and prosperity in J&K and it is our firm conviction," he said.

Pak should stop infiltration of militants

The Home Minister said central government made sincere efforts to improve relations with Pakistan.

The premiers of neighbouring countries including Pakistan were invited in oath-taking ceremony of Modi government. The PM also broke protocol and visited the function of then Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif. He made every effort to improve situation, he said.

He said Pakistan did not respond accordingly and is infiltrating militants into J&K.

I would tell Pakistan to stop infiltration of militants into the State, he said adding, Pakistan is also resorting to terror funding.

He said the former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said friends can be changed but not neighbours.

Militancy has ruined many generations

Singh said militancy has ruined many generations of Kashmir.

We wont allow another generation to be ruined, he said.

According to him, the worst affected by militancy were youth, businessmen, workers and the poor.

Asked whether killing militants would bring permanent peace in the state, he said, Militants are not welcome and they would be given befitting reply by the forces.

No threat to tourists in Kashmir

The HM said tourism industry has also been hit by militancy.

He said not only in country but outside also news spread that situation in Kashmir was not conducive and people should not visit there for tourism purpose.

Singh said after seeing situation in Kashmir, I want to appeal tourists and tour operators that people in Kashmir are ready to welcome tourists.

People again want to change Kashmir into paradise and take it back from the hands of militants. You should come for tourism purpose and business purpose. People of Kashmir will welcome you and there is no threat in the Valley, he said.

Pellet guns sparingly used

On use of pellet guns in Kashmir, Singh said he had said they would find alternative to pellet guns.

We introduced PAVA as an alternative for crowd control. However, people say PAVA is not that effective and successful, he said.

Singh said pellet guns have been used very less compared to earlier.

SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, Monday announced that the central governments permanent solution to Jammu and Kashmir was based on 5Cs and said centre wont go against the sentiments of J&K people as far as special status of the State including Article 35-A was concerned. I can say that trees of peace in Kashmir are not dry. Green buds of peace are visible in these trees, Singh, who is on a 4-day visit to the State, told reporters while addressing a press conference, here. He said he had seen it before also and that is why talked about permanent solution of J&K problem. Singh announced that their permanent solution to J&K problem is based on 5 Cs - Compassion, Communication, Coexistence, Confidence building and consistency. It is our efforts that people of J&K achieve honour and dignity alongwith peace. We will work in this regard and our efforts will be that both dignity and honour are safe, he said. The home minister said he has visited the State five times in last one and a half year. I want to assure J&K people that I will come 50 times a year if necessary. I will make whatever efforts are needed for peace and prosperity of the State. My intention of frequently visiting Kashmir is clear that we want to resolve the J&K problem, he said. Singh said his 4-day visit to the State was the follow-up of August 15 speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he had said Kashmir problem cant be solved by bullets or abuses but by embracing them. Whatever he said, I have come here to carry forward that process and make it reality, he said. On a petition challenging validity of Article 35-A in Supreme court, Singh said, Central government has not initiated anything in this regard and nor went to the court. I assure you that not only on Article 35-A, whatever we will do we will not go against the sentiments of J&K people. We would respect the sentiments of J&K people, he said. Supreme Court is hearing a petition filed by RSS-linked group, which challenged Article 35-A of the constitution. NIA raids On NIA raids in the State, Singh said the investigation agency is an autonomous body and probing terror funding. The agency is doing its work, he said. NIA has arrested seven separatist leaders, a leading businessman, two youth including a photo-journalist and a Jammu-based Sikh lawyer during its ongoing investigation into the alleged militancy and separatist funding in the State. In response to a question whether NIA raids were arm-twisting tactics, Singh said, It is not arm-twisting tactic. We have not learnt arm-twisting tactics. If anybody has any issue with these raids, they should go to court, he said. Situation improving Singh said he has understood that situation in Kashmir has greatly improved. I wont claim that situation has fully improved but situation is improving. And I can say it with surety, he said. Smiles on face of young boys, girls Singh said while praying tributes to slain policemen in south Kashmirs Anantnag yesterday, the face of ASI Abdul Rashid's daughter, Zohra was passing through his mind. We want to see smile, happiness and prosperity in face of every young girl and boy of Kashmir. It is our wish and we will continue efforts in this regard, he said. Ready to talk to every stakeholder When asked whether centre was ready to start talks with separatists, HM said, Whenever I have come to J&K, I have come with open mind and heart. I have said that I want to talk to all. People should also come forward for talks. We are ready to talk to every stake holder. All Party Delegation during its visit to Valley last year made an initiative for talks and so was done by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. We did not say no to talks, he said. Asked whether a formal invitation for talks was extended to separatists, he said, What is formal and informal invitation. Let people, who want to talk, say they are ready for talks. "If need be, I will visit Kashmir 50 times in a year. We will continue our efforts to bring peace and prosperity in J&K and it is our firm conviction," he said. Pak should stop infiltration of militants The Home Minister said central government made sincere efforts to improve relations with Pakistan. The premiers of neighbouring countries including Pakistan were invited in oath-taking ceremony of Modi government. The PM also broke protocol and visited the function of then Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif. He made every effort to improve situation, he said. He said Pakistan did not respond accordingly and is infiltrating militants into J&K. I would tell Pakistan to stop infiltration of militants into the State, he said adding, Pakistan is also resorting to terror funding. He said the former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said friends can be changed but not neighbours. Militancy has ruined many generations Singh said militancy has ruined many generations of Kashmir. We wont allow another generation to be ruined, he said. According to him, the worst affected by militancy were youth, businessmen, workers and the poor. Asked whether killing militants would bring permanent peace in the state, he said, Militants are not welcome and they would be given befitting reply by the forces. No threat to tourists in Kashmir The HM said tourism industry has also been hit by militancy. He said not only in country but outside also news spread that situation in Kashmir was not conducive and people should not visit there for tourism purpose. Singh said after seeing situation in Kashmir, I want to appeal tourists and tour operators that people in Kashmir are ready to welcome tourists. People again want to change Kashmir into paradise and take it back from the hands of militants. You should come for tourism purpose and business purpose. People of Kashmir will welcome you and there is no threat in the Valley, he said. Pellet guns sparingly used On use of pellet guns in Kashmir, Singh said he had said they would find alternative to pellet guns. We introduced PAVA as an alternative for crowd control. However, people say PAVA is not that effective and successful, he said. Singh said pellet guns have been used very less compared to earlier.
By PTI

NAUSHERA BORDER: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today assured people living in border areas of the Jammu region that India was taking steps to ensure Pakistan was forced to stop firing.

"Just wait for some more time. Pakistan will forced to stop firing. If a single bullet is fired from Pakistan, then India should not count the bullets fired in retaliation," he told a rally of migrants here from the Line of Control (LoC).

Over 5,000 people living along the LoC were forced to move out their homes in the Naushera sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir four months ago in the wake of heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan forces.

Singh said, "Whether they (Pakistan) stop firing today or tomorrow, they will have to stop firing and ceasefire violation."

Flanked by Union minister Jitendra Singh and J-K Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, the home minister said after the 2014 ceasefire violations, he had told the BSF director general that no firing should be carried out from the Indian side as Pakistan was a neighbour.

"Don't fire first because Pakistan is our neighbour," he recalled as having said.

He said, "Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to always says that friends can be changed but not neighbours."

Singh said he had conveyed to the BSF DG that if a single bullet was fired from across the border, then bullets fired in retaliation by the Indian side should not be counted.

He said, "The situation was better to an extent. The situation is better now also. I hope that the situation in the future will better too."

The minister, who visited border camps and interacted with migrants including woman and children, assured them that steps would be taken to mitigate their problems.

"Whatever is possible I will do. People across the country have great respect and regard for the residents of the border areas. People in the border areas are facing unnecessary problems," he said.

The minister said he had told the director general of border-guarding force Pakistan Ranger in 2015 that Pakistan was resorting to firing violating certain protocols which should be respected and followed.

"India is not a weak nation now. It has emerged as a powerful country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No one in the world now considers India as a weak nation.

"The image and prestige of India has increased globally as compared to the past," he said.

Singh said after he took over as the home minister, the compensation paid to the next of the kin of people killed in cross-border firing was raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

He also said that five India Reserve Battalions have been sanctioned for J-K and 60 per cent of recruitment for these should take place from the border areas.

The minister said that recruitment in paramilitary forces also would be undertaken from border areas.

The migrants, during their interaction with Singh, made a strong demand for setting up of "bunkers" at their homes along the LoC.

"Our first and foremost demand is that the government should set up bunkers in each of the border houses if we have to live again along the LoC. We need bunkers more than food,"

Jangarh resident Parshottam Kumar, the president of the Border Migrants Coordination Committee, told Singh.

The home minister visited one of the six camps set up in Noushera by the government for the migrants.

The sarpanch of Kalsian border hamlet Bahadur Choudhary said, "If we have bunkers in our homes, we will not leave our homes at all."

Naushera MLA Ravinder Raina demanded safer places for the LoC dewellers, besides waiver of loans.

Singh also visited BSF troops at a camp near the LoC here and said latest equipment was being inducted into the force for better and more effective domination of the border.

The latest tehnology would act as a force multiplier and also reduce the workload on the troops, he told BSF personnel.

He lauded the troops for guarding the border areas under adverse conditions.

NAUSHERA BORDER: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today assured people living in border areas of the Jammu region that India was taking steps to ensure Pakistan was forced to stop firing. "Just wait for some more time. Pakistan will forced to stop firing. If a single bullet is fired from Pakistan, then India should not count the bullets fired in retaliation," he told a rally of migrants here from the Line of Control (LoC). Over 5,000 people living along the LoC were forced to move out their homes in the Naushera sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir four months ago in the wake of heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan forces. Singh said, "Whether they (Pakistan) stop firing today or tomorrow, they will have to stop firing and ceasefire violation." Flanked by Union minister Jitendra Singh and J-K Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, the home minister said after the 2014 ceasefire violations, he had told the BSF director general that no firing should be carried out from the Indian side as Pakistan was a neighbour. "Don't fire first because Pakistan is our neighbour," he recalled as having said. He said, "Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to always says that friends can be changed but not neighbours." Singh said he had conveyed to the BSF DG that if a single bullet was fired from across the border, then bullets fired in retaliation by the Indian side should not be counted. He said, "The situation was better to an extent. The situation is better now also. I hope that the situation in the future will better too." The minister, who visited border camps and interacted with migrants including woman and children, assured them that steps would be taken to mitigate their problems. "Whatever is possible I will do. People across the country have great respect and regard for the residents of the border areas. People in the border areas are facing unnecessary problems," he said. The minister said he had told the director general of border-guarding force Pakistan Ranger in 2015 that Pakistan was resorting to firing violating certain protocols which should be respected and followed. "India is not a weak nation now. It has emerged as a powerful country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No one in the world now considers India as a weak nation. "The image and prestige of India has increased globally as compared to the past," he said. Singh said after he took over as the home minister, the compensation paid to the next of the kin of people killed in cross-border firing was raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. He also said that five India Reserve Battalions have been sanctioned for J-K and 60 per cent of recruitment for these should take place from the border areas. The minister said that recruitment in paramilitary forces also would be undertaken from border areas. The migrants, during their interaction with Singh, made a strong demand for setting up of "bunkers" at their homes along the LoC. "Our first and foremost demand is that the government should set up bunkers in each of the border houses if we have to live again along the LoC. We need bunkers more than food," Jangarh resident Parshottam Kumar, the president of the Border Migrants Coordination Committee, told Singh. The home minister visited one of the six camps set up in Noushera by the government for the migrants. The sarpanch of Kalsian border hamlet Bahadur Choudhary said, "If we have bunkers in our homes, we will not leave our homes at all." Naushera MLA Ravinder Raina demanded safer places for the LoC dewellers, besides waiver of loans. Singh also visited BSF troops at a camp near the LoC here and said latest equipment was being inducted into the force for better and more effective domination of the border. The latest tehnology would act as a force multiplier and also reduce the workload on the troops, he told BSF personnel. He lauded the troops for guarding the border areas under adverse conditions.
Despite the numerous sanctions imposed on North Korea, it seems unlikely that the hermit nation will give up its nuclear weapons. Just a few days ago, Pyongyang claimed it had successfully tested a Hydrogen Bomb. Has any country ever relinquished its nuclear arsenal?

The ones that gave it up

Only four countries have surrendered their nuclear weapons. Of them, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine inherited nukes after the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991. Later, they were not in a position to maintain the weapons and gave them up to Russia

South Africa builds and bans

Only one country, apartheid South Africa, built nuclear weapons and then surrendered them. In the 1970s, the white rulers feared the USSR was plotting with local black and communist groups to gain control of South Africa, writes Greg Myre in NPR. But soon the Soviet threat became weaker and the Cold War was over. In 1990, the then President F W de Klerk released Mandela from prison and around the same time decided to scrap the nuclear programme

Apartheid regimes attempt at acceptance

When De Klerk became the energy minister in 1980s, he learnt about South Africas covert nuclear program. But he never felt comfortable with it but couldnt stop it, de Klerk told The Atlantics Uri Friedman. The countrys last white president also wanted to end the nations pariah status due to apartheid. One way to achieve re-acceptance in the international community would have been to take (the) initiative, without any pressure from outside, to bring the program to an end, he told Friedman

Despite the numerous sanctions imposed on North Korea, it seems unlikely that the hermit nation will give up its nuclear weapons. Just a few days ago, Pyongyang claimed it had successfully tested a Hydrogen Bomb. Has any country ever relinquished its nuclear arsenal? The ones that gave it up Only four countries have surrendered their nuclear weapons. Of them, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine inherited nukes after the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991. Later, they were not in a position to maintain the weapons and gave them up to Russia South Africa builds and bans Only one country, apartheid South Africa, built nuclear weapons and then surrendered them. In the 1970s, the white rulers feared the USSR was plotting with local black and communist groups to gain control of South Africa, writes Greg Myre in NPR. But soon the Soviet threat became weaker and the Cold War was over. In 1990, the then President F W de Klerk released Mandela from prison and around the same time decided to scrap the nuclear programme Apartheid regimes attempt at acceptance When De Klerk became the energy minister in 1980s, he learnt about South Africas covert nuclear program. But he never felt comfortable with it but couldnt stop it, de Klerk told The Atlantics Uri Friedman. The countrys last white president also wanted to end the nations pariah status due to apartheid. One way to achieve re-acceptance in the international community would have been to take (the) initiative, without any pressure from outside, to bring the program to an end, he told Friedman
C P Rajendran By

The reports in the press indicate that the government is all set to begin the project on interlinking of the Indian rivers, starting with the Ken river, considered as water surplus, linking it with the Betwa river in drought-stricken Bundelkhand. The interlinking, when completed, would end up changing the natural drainage and river morphology of India forever, on a scale the world has never seen.

Admittedly, the project has emanated from good intentions, as river linking is considered a sure-shot panacea for the perennial water shortages in drought-stricken regions, and hugely beneficial to the farmers, a vulnerable section exposed to the weathers vagaries. The projects Himalayan component envisages channelising Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers through dams and canals facilitating connectivity to the water-starved regions in the west. The peninsular component plans to connect the Godavari, Krishna and Mahanadi rivers to transfer their water to drier areas in the south, besides the intra-state links. It will be the largest man-made scheme for river diversions, obfuscating a geologically-evolved drainage system. Man has indeed become a geological agent.

The idea may have originated from the pre-Independence thoughts of M Visvesvaraya, an icon among Indian engineers, and subsequently expanded by another visionary engineer, later to become the Union Irrigation Minister, K L Rao, who euphemistically called it the National Water Grid. By the start of the 1980s, it re-emerged from the Ministry of Water Resources as River Interlinking Project. An order issued by the Supreme Court on 31 October 2002 to expedite the project work so as to complete it within a mind-boggling deadline of 12 years, in response to a Public Interest Litigation, came as manna from the sky for its votaries.

In response, the government with rarely-seen alacrity appointed a task force to conduct detailed technical studies. It is claimed the land under irrigation will expand from 140 million hectares to 175 million hectares and the project will generate 34,000 megawatt of power, apart from the incidental benefits like flood control, navigation, water supply, salinity and pollution control. It seems an honourable proposition, but is fundamentally flawed primarily because it will generate huge uncontrolled human-induced disequilibrium in the natural hydrographic systems and destroy associated ecological niches forever with incalculable repercussions for the long-term well-being of the society as a wholean unpardonable disservice to future generations.

The world is becoming water-stressed and India, with its huge population, will witness great suffering. We may also have to factor in the consequences of climate change that will complicate the issue further. Would river linking bring a permanent solution to drought conditions and per capita water availability? The answer is negative, contrary to the assumptions of a section of engineers or the ambitious politicians (or the wily contractors out to make a killing). From the perspective of economics, the available numbers suggest the construction cost alone is `5.5 lakh crore, probably not including the social, environmental and operational costs.

We may have to agree with the critics when they question the efficacy of implementing such a mammoth project without a strict peer-reviewed open assessment of its techno-economic feasibility. There is no substantial technical data put out to verify the official claims on water surplus in any river. The fact is there is no free surplus water in any river; simple arithmetic rationalisations like tapping the water lost to the sea do not take the eco-hydrological perspectives into consideration. The proponents fail to see the eco-service dimensions attached to such questions.

Flood water is not to be rationalised as surplus, but needs to be seen as carriers of minerals for land fertility, recharge for the groundwater and a promoter of biological diversity, thus supporting the livelihood of millions of marginalised people. Other eco-services of surplus water include flushing of the silt from the riverbeds to the coastal waters to form deltas (e.g. Sunderbans in Bengal) and hindering the saline incursions. It is not clear how the nations declared commitment to the mitigation of human-induced climate change and river manipulation go hand in hand.

Rather than rely on questionable methodologies, alternate cost effective and ecologically sensible ways of water conservation need to be explored. For example, in the Ken-Betwa region we still find vestiges of traditional ponds for water harvest; why not reinvigorate them? Such methods have met with reasonable success in many parts of Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Previous projects on river channelisation elsewhere, particularly in the US, are proven failures.

The canalisation of Kissimmee river, authorised by the US Congress to mitigate flooding in Florida in 1954, turned out to be an environmental disaster. It has now been realised that this damaged the river and also resulted in the loss of wetlands. Massive resources are being spent to bring the river back to its original configuration. What happened to the Aral Sea located in Central Asia is a telling example of how the region became a howling desert because of the diversion of the rivers that fed it.

Why repeat projects of river engineering that have proved to be monumental failures even in developed countries? Before initiating such massive water-transfer projects it is imperative to prepare a comprehensive report based on an interdisciplinary study of the river basins, as expressed in a memorandum submitted by a group of eminent citizens to the PM on 22 April 2003. Despite our spiritual reverence for rivers, we do nothing to protect them. The Indian rivers have become open sewers. The river interlinking project will be the final nail in the coffin for the dying rivers.

C P Rajendran

Professor of geodynamics at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru

Email: cprajendran@gmail.com

The reports in the press indicate that the government is all set to begin the project on interlinking of the Indian rivers, starting with the Ken river, considered as water surplus, linking it with the Betwa river in drought-stricken Bundelkhand. The interlinking, when completed, would end up changing the natural drainage and river morphology of India forever, on a scale the world has never seen. Admittedly, the project has emanated from good intentions, as river linking is considered a sure-shot panacea for the perennial water shortages in drought-stricken regions, and hugely beneficial to the farmers, a vulnerable section exposed to the weathers vagaries. The projects Himalayan component envisages channelising Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers through dams and canals facilitating connectivity to the water-starved regions in the west. The peninsular component plans to connect the Godavari, Krishna and Mahanadi rivers to transfer their water to drier areas in the south, besides the intra-state links. It will be the largest man-made scheme for river diversions, obfuscating a geologically-evolved drainage system. Man has indeed become a geological agent. The idea may have originated from the pre-Independence thoughts of M Visvesvaraya, an icon among Indian engineers, and subsequently expanded by another visionary engineer, later to become the Union Irrigation Minister, K L Rao, who euphemistically called it the National Water Grid. By the start of the 1980s, it re-emerged from the Ministry of Water Resources as River Interlinking Project. An order issued by the Supreme Court on 31 October 2002 to expedite the project work so as to complete it within a mind-boggling deadline of 12 years, in response to a Public Interest Litigation, came as manna from the sky for its votaries. In response, the government with rarely-seen alacrity appointed a task force to conduct detailed technical studies. It is claimed the land under irrigation will expand from 140 million hectares to 175 million hectares and the project will generate 34,000 megawatt of power, apart from the incidental benefits like flood control, navigation, water supply, salinity and pollution control. It seems an honourable proposition, but is fundamentally flawed primarily because it will generate huge uncontrolled human-induced disequilibrium in the natural hydrographic systems and destroy associated ecological niches forever with incalculable repercussions for the long-term well-being of the society as a wholean unpardonable disservice to future generations. The world is becoming water-stressed and India, with its huge population, will witness great suffering. We may also have to factor in the consequences of climate change that will complicate the issue further. Would river linking bring a permanent solution to drought conditions and per capita water availability? The answer is negative, contrary to the assumptions of a section of engineers or the ambitious politicians (or the wily contractors out to make a killing). From the perspective of economics, the available numbers suggest the construction cost alone is `5.5 lakh crore, probably not including the social, environmental and operational costs. We may have to agree with the critics when they question the efficacy of implementing such a mammoth project without a strict peer-reviewed open assessment of its techno-economic feasibility. There is no substantial technical data put out to verify the official claims on water surplus in any river. The fact is there is no free surplus water in any river; simple arithmetic rationalisations like tapping the water lost to the sea do not take the eco-hydrological perspectives into consideration. The proponents fail to see the eco-service dimensions attached to such questions. Flood water is not to be rationalised as surplus, but needs to be seen as carriers of minerals for land fertility, recharge for the groundwater and a promoter of biological diversity, thus supporting the livelihood of millions of marginalised people. Other eco-services of surplus water include flushing of the silt from the riverbeds to the coastal waters to form deltas (e.g. Sunderbans in Bengal) and hindering the saline incursions. It is not clear how the nations declared commitment to the mitigation of human-induced climate change and river manipulation go hand in hand. Rather than rely on questionable methodologies, alternate cost effective and ecologically sensible ways of water conservation need to be explored. For example, in the Ken-Betwa region we still find vestiges of traditional ponds for water harvest; why not reinvigorate them? Such methods have met with reasonable success in many parts of Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Previous projects on river channelisation elsewhere, particularly in the US, are proven failures. The canalisation of Kissimmee river, authorised by the US Congress to mitigate flooding in Florida in 1954, turned out to be an environmental disaster. It has now been realised that this damaged the river and also resulted in the loss of wetlands. Massive resources are being spent to bring the river back to its original configuration. What happened to the Aral Sea located in Central Asia is a telling example of how the region became a howling desert because of the diversion of the rivers that fed it. Why repeat projects of river engineering that have proved to be monumental failures even in developed countries? Before initiating such massive water-transfer projects it is imperative to prepare a comprehensive report based on an interdisciplinary study of the river basins, as expressed in a memorandum submitted by a group of eminent citizens to the PM on 22 April 2003. Despite our spiritual reverence for rivers, we do nothing to protect them. The Indian rivers have become open sewers. The river interlinking project will be the final nail in the coffin for the dying rivers. C P Rajendran Professor of geodynamics at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru Email: cprajendran@gmail.com
Soli J Sorabjee By

Soli J Sorabjee Former Attorney-General of India

Dissent Under Threat: The premeditated murder of Gauri Lankesh, an activist, and the abject failure of the authorities to nab the assailants disclose a disturbing trend that dissent and dissenters are under mortal threat. Gauri Lankesh is not a solitary instance. The recent cases of murder of M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare coupled with the fact that we still do not know who killed them, is perturbing. The offer of `10 lakh by the Karnataka government for information about those who killed Gauri is a joke and magnifies the failure of the concerned authorities. It gives rise to suspicion that the authorities are not keen on protecting dissenting critics of the establishment. What is needed is a fundamental change in the mindset of the authorities and also that of society.

The notion that a dissenting critic is a mischievous lawbreaker or an anti-national or an unpatriotic person must be eradicated. Remember the memorable words of eminent American jurist Benjamin Cardozo: The dissenter speaks to the future, and his voice is pitched to a key that will carry through the years and for the moment, he is the gladiator making a last stand against the lions. Remember also that but for the bold dissenters the scourge of Sati and other social evils would be still haunting us. One need not accept the dissenters views. They can be rebutted in a dialogue.

It is alleged that Gauri was a vehement anti-Hindutva person. She was called a Naxal sympathiser, a Hind-hater. But however strong her views, they posed no threat to those she opposed. The crux of the matter is that dissenting views cannot be silenced by the bullet of a gun. We should respect dissenters for their courage because by doing so we shall in effect be preserving and strengthening our democracy whose salient feature is tolerance.According to Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, It is our Constitutional duty to protect and strengthen the culture of tolerance. Let there be no delay in performance of this duty.

Novel Judicial Notions of Cruelty: Cruelty has no definite connotation and signifies different situations to different people. Cruelty can be physical or mental or emotional. Physical cruelty in the shape of beatings and bodily assaults can be easily determined. Mental or emotional cruelty has a strong subjective element, but nonetheless can be determined on account of a combination of factors. For example, abusing or insulting or ridiculing your spouse.

A new twist has been given to the notion of cruelty by a family court in Rajasthans Bhilwara district, which ruled that having no toilet at home is cruelty to women, and on that ground granted the wife a divorce. Sympathetic Justice Rajendra Sharma observed in the judgment: It is an irony that people who spend a lot of money on alcohol, tobacco and mobile phones dont have toilets at home. The court also asked the petitioners in-laws to provide evidence of a toilet in their house, which they failed to furnish, and which constrained the wife to live at her parents house. It is hoped that the judgment leads to construction of toilets at homes, which would prevent the ignominy of women defecating in the open, and also protect her privacy while discharging a natural physical function.

Rodent Power in Bihar: The flood situation in Bihar is grim. It seems that the main culprits for this calamity are rats. Bihar Water Resources Department minister blamed the rodents for damaging embankments, which ultimately led to flooding in the nearby areas. According to the minister, rats create holes to reach the grains and that causes seepage in the embankments. The ministers statement led Lalu Prasad Yadav on Twitter to take a dig at the government. Incredible! Do you know Bihar floods have come due to rats? No? Then find out. Nitish will tell how rats have brought flood in Bihar. Frankly, I for one did not know the power of the rats in the state of Bihar. But Bihar is sui generis. Nothing which happens in the state should be surprising. It is hoped that rodent power, or rather menace, is eliminated before the flood situation worsens.

solisorabjee@gmail.com

Soli J Sorabjee Former Attorney-General of India Dissent Under Threat: The premeditated murder of Gauri Lankesh, an activist, and the abject failure of the authorities to nab the assailants disclose a disturbing trend that dissent and dissenters are under mortal threat. Gauri Lankesh is not a solitary instance. The recent cases of murder of M M Kalburgi, Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare coupled with the fact that we still do not know who killed them, is perturbing. The offer of `10 lakh by the Karnataka government for information about those who killed Gauri is a joke and magnifies the failure of the concerned authorities. It gives rise to suspicion that the authorities are not keen on protecting dissenting critics of the establishment. What is needed is a fundamental change in the mindset of the authorities and also that of society. The notion that a dissenting critic is a mischievous lawbreaker or an anti-national or an unpatriotic person must be eradicated. Remember the memorable words of eminent American jurist Benjamin Cardozo: The dissenter speaks to the future, and his voice is pitched to a key that will carry through the years and for the moment, he is the gladiator making a last stand against the lions. Remember also that but for the bold dissenters the scourge of Sati and other social evils would be still haunting us. One need not accept the dissenters views. They can be rebutted in a dialogue. It is alleged that Gauri was a vehement anti-Hindutva person. She was called a Naxal sympathiser, a Hind-hater. But however strong her views, they posed no threat to those she opposed. The crux of the matter is that dissenting views cannot be silenced by the bullet of a gun. We should respect dissenters for their courage because by doing so we shall in effect be preserving and strengthening our democracy whose salient feature is tolerance.According to Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, It is our Constitutional duty to protect and strengthen the culture of tolerance. Let there be no delay in performance of this duty. Novel Judicial Notions of Cruelty: Cruelty has no definite connotation and signifies different situations to different people. Cruelty can be physical or mental or emotional. Physical cruelty in the shape of beatings and bodily assaults can be easily determined. Mental or emotional cruelty has a strong subjective element, but nonetheless can be determined on account of a combination of factors. For example, abusing or insulting or ridiculing your spouse. A new twist has been given to the notion of cruelty by a family court in Rajasthans Bhilwara district, which ruled that having no toilet at home is cruelty to women, and on that ground granted the wife a divorce. Sympathetic Justice Rajendra Sharma observed in the judgment: It is an irony that people who spend a lot of money on alcohol, tobacco and mobile phones dont have toilets at home. The court also asked the petitioners in-laws to provide evidence of a toilet in their house, which they failed to furnish, and which constrained the wife to live at her parents house. It is hoped that the judgment leads to construction of toilets at homes, which would prevent the ignominy of women defecating in the open, and also protect her privacy while discharging a natural physical function. Rodent Power in Bihar: The flood situation in Bihar is grim. It seems that the main culprits for this calamity are rats. Bihar Water Resources Department minister blamed the rodents for damaging embankments, which ultimately led to flooding in the nearby areas. According to the minister, rats create holes to reach the grains and that causes seepage in the embankments. The ministers statement led Lalu Prasad Yadav on Twitter to take a dig at the government. Incredible! Do you know Bihar floods have come due to rats? No? Then find out. Nitish will tell how rats have brought flood in Bihar. Frankly, I for one did not know the power of the rats in the state of Bihar. But Bihar is sui generis. Nothing which happens in the state should be surprising. It is hoped that rodent power, or rather menace, is eliminated before the flood situation worsens. solisorabjee@gmail.com
By PTI

BENGALURU: A bomb threat to the Vidhana Soudha (state secretariat) and Nehru Planetarium turned out to be a hoax and three people were arrested in this connection, today, police said.

Suresh, Nagaraj and Sridhar were arrested for making the call, which led to an extensive search of both the buildings, which turned out to be a hoax, they said.

"At about 12.30 PM, Suresh called the control room saying that by September 25, Nagaraj would plant a bomb in the Chief Minister's Office in Vidhana Soudha and Nehru Planetarium.

"We launched a hunt for the caller and arrested him along with his accomplices," said a police officer.

Following the call, security was stepped up in around Vidhana Soudha and the Planetarium and a search was carried out.

Police rushed a bomb disposal team and a dog squad to both places and concluded that it was a mischievous call when nothing was found.

(Photo | EPS/Nagesh Polali)

BENGALURU: A bomb threat to the Vidhana Soudha (state secretariat) and Nehru Planetarium turned out to be a hoax and three people were arrested in this connection, today, police said. Suresh, Nagaraj and Sridhar were arrested for making the call, which led to an extensive search of both the buildings, which turned out to be a hoax, they said. "At about 12.30 PM, Suresh called the control room saying that by September 25, Nagaraj would plant a bomb in the Chief Minister's Office in Vidhana Soudha and Nehru Planetarium. "We launched a hunt for the caller and arrested him along with his accomplices," said a police officer. Following the call, security was stepped up in around Vidhana Soudha and the Planetarium and a search was carried out. Police rushed a bomb disposal team and a dog squad to both places and concluded that it was a mischievous call when nothing was found. (Photo | EPS/Nagesh Polali)
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP workers accorded a warm reception to Alphons Kannanthanam at the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery on Sunday on his first visit to Kerala after being inducted into the Union Cabinet.

BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, NDA leaders P C Thomas, A N Rajan Babu, BJP former state president V Muraleedharan and other leaders received Kannanthanam, who is the Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent charge), on his arrival at 9.30 am.

Inaugurating Kannanthanams reception meeting organised at Muvattupuzha, Kummanam said Kannanthanam could recover the lost glory of Kerala, especially in the tourism sector. Right now, tourists are keeping off from Kerala. The states economy is solely dependent on income from liquor and lottery sales. The states debt has risen to a whopping `1.42 lakh crore. The state has a huge tourism potential. In this circumstance, Kannanthanam can definitely bring about a change, he said.

On queries why the BJP state unit delayed giving a reception to Kannanthanam, the states lone representative in the Union Cabinet, Kummanam said it was only now the Union Minister was arriving to Kerala for the first time after the cabinet rejig. There were no celebrations in the state committee office of the party in Thiruvananthapuram during his swearing-in due to Onam holidays, he told reporters.

Kannanthanam said he was doing what an ideal Christian should do.

Many asked me why I joined BJP despite being a Christian. Prime Minister Modi is doing whatever a good Christian is supposed to do and this is my answer to them, he said. He said the BJP rule at the Centre aimed at better cooperation of Union and state governments.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP workers accorded a warm reception to Alphons Kannanthanam at the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery on Sunday on his first visit to Kerala after being inducted into the Union Cabinet. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, NDA leaders P C Thomas, A N Rajan Babu, BJP former state president V Muraleedharan and other leaders received Kannanthanam, who is the Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent charge), on his arrival at 9.30 am. Inaugurating Kannanthanams reception meeting organised at Muvattupuzha, Kummanam said Kannanthanam could recover the lost glory of Kerala, especially in the tourism sector. Right now, tourists are keeping off from Kerala. The states economy is solely dependent on income from liquor and lottery sales. The states debt has risen to a whopping `1.42 lakh crore. The state has a huge tourism potential. In this circumstance, Kannanthanam can definitely bring about a change, he said. On queries why the BJP state unit delayed giving a reception to Kannanthanam, the states lone representative in the Union Cabinet, Kummanam said it was only now the Union Minister was arriving to Kerala for the first time after the cabinet rejig. There were no celebrations in the state committee office of the party in Thiruvananthapuram during his swearing-in due to Onam holidays, he told reporters. Kannanthanam said he was doing what an ideal Christian should do. Many asked me why I joined BJP despite being a Christian. Prime Minister Modi is doing whatever a good Christian is supposed to do and this is my answer to them, he said. He said the BJP rule at the Centre aimed at better cooperation of Union and state governments.
By Online Desk

Tamil superstar Vijay visited the parents of Anitha, who had ended her life, presumably as she was denied a medical seat despite securing high marks in her 12th board exam.

Pictures of Vijay's visit to pay condolences to her parents has gone viral on social media. Fans of the actor, who are active on social media, have been vocal on Twitter and Facebook about the death of Anitha.

Earlier, actors like Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth had expressed grief over Anitha's death. Kamal had said, "We need to ensure that no student should take such drastic step in the future. This is not the end. We will fight and win. We have to make our argument louder in court.'

Earlier, Vijay had extended his support to Jallikkattu protests and had even gone to Marina beach personally to show solidarity with the movement. He had also supported Anna Hazare and participated in the fast during 2011 at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi.

Two days ago, 'Kabali' director Pa Ranjith had addressed the criticism on social media on how Anitha is being protrayed as a 'Dalit girl' instead of 'Tamil girl' since whole Tamil Nadu has risen up against NEET. Ranjith said that casteism is still prevalent in Tamil Nadu and asked the critics to show one village without segregation.

S Anitha (17), a Dalit medical aspirant from the backward Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu, was found dead at her home on Friday. She had argued in the Supreme Court recently against National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) score being sought to be the sole basis for medical admissions.

Her death fuelled statewide protests against NEET exam.

Anitha, who is the daugher of a casual labourer, T Shanmugham (60), scored 1,176 out of 1,200 marks in Class XII examinations on the State board syllabus in Tamil medium. But in NEET, a national test based on CBSE syllabus she is not familiar with, Anitha managed only a percentile of 86.

Anitha ended her life on September 1.

Tamil superstar Vijay visited the parents of Anitha, who had ended her life, presumably as she was denied a medical seat despite securing high marks in her 12th board exam. Pictures of Vijay's visit to pay condolences to her parents has gone viral on social media. Fans of the actor, who are active on social media, have been vocal on Twitter and Facebook about the death of Anitha. Earlier, actors like Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth had expressed grief over Anitha's death. Kamal had said, "We need to ensure that no student should take such drastic step in the future. This is not the end. We will fight and win. We have to make our argument louder in court.' #Thalapathy #Vijay at #Anitha's house and consoled her parents ! pic.twitter.com/9sq4kzx6qQ  Thusi (@thusi_c) September 11, 2017 Earlier, Vijay had extended his support to Jallikkattu protests and had even gone to Marina beach personally to show solidarity with the movement. He had also supported Anna Hazare and participated in the fast during 2011 at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi. Two days ago, 'Kabali' director Pa Ranjith had addressed the criticism on social media on how Anitha is being protrayed as a 'Dalit girl' instead of 'Tamil girl' since whole Tamil Nadu has risen up against NEET. Ranjith said that casteism is still prevalent in Tamil Nadu and asked the critics to show one village without segregation. S Anitha (17), a Dalit medical aspirant from the backward Ariyalur district of Tamil Nadu, was found dead at her home on Friday. She had argued in the Supreme Court recently against National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) score being sought to be the sole basis for medical admissions. Her death fuelled statewide protests against NEET exam. Anitha, who is the daugher of a casual labourer, T Shanmugham (60), scored 1,176 out of 1,200 marks in Class XII examinations on the State board syllabus in Tamil medium. But in NEET, a national test based on CBSE syllabus she is not familiar with, Anitha managed only a percentile of 86. Anitha ended her life on September 1.
By PTI

MADURAI: The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to issue No Objection Certificate to open Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), saying the state government should "give up its fear" that Hindi would be thrust upon students though these central schools.

After hearing the state government and the petitioner, Justices K K Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan of the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC ordered the issuance of NOC within eight weeks for starting JNVs.

The state government counsel submitted that it had enough schools to provide education to poor students and there was no need for JNVs funded by the Centre.

Petitioner Jeyakumar Thomas submitted that JNVs are fully residential and imparted education from classes 6 to 12.

He said the objective behind opening JNVs was to identify talented children from rural areas regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds and provide them quality education.

The schools collect nominal fees and 75 per cent of the seats are reserved for rural children, the petitioner said.

They follow three language formula-- English, Hindi and the local language, the PIL said.

The government counsel contended that JNVs were against the state's two-language policy.

Except in Tamil Nadu, Navodaya Vidyalayas have been started in all states, he submitted. Hence, the court should ask the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to establish one school in each district of the state, he said.

The Judges said the government should provide sufficient infrastructure, including land, for Navodaya schools and cooperate with the Centre in starting them.

Referring to the TN government contention that Hindi would be 'thrust' upon students, which was against its twolanguage formula, the Central government counsel said state's language was being taught in JNVs from class 6 to 8.

Students could choose Tamil as an optional subject in class 11 and 12 and there would be no thrusting of Hindi upon them, he added.

The judges said the state government should give up its fear of Hindi language being thrust upon students and cooperate with the Centre in building these schools.

MADURAI: The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to issue No Objection Certificate to open Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), saying the state government should "give up its fear" that Hindi would be thrust upon students though these central schools. After hearing the state government and the petitioner, Justices K K Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan of the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC ordered the issuance of NOC within eight weeks for starting JNVs. The state government counsel submitted that it had enough schools to provide education to poor students and there was no need for JNVs funded by the Centre. Petitioner Jeyakumar Thomas submitted that JNVs are fully residential and imparted education from classes 6 to 12. He said the objective behind opening JNVs was to identify talented children from rural areas regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds and provide them quality education. The schools collect nominal fees and 75 per cent of the seats are reserved for rural children, the petitioner said. They follow three language formula-- English, Hindi and the local language, the PIL said. The government counsel contended that JNVs were against the state's two-language policy. Except in Tamil Nadu, Navodaya Vidyalayas have been started in all states, he submitted. Hence, the court should ask the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to establish one school in each district of the state, he said. The Judges said the government should provide sufficient infrastructure, including land, for Navodaya schools and cooperate with the Centre in starting them. Referring to the TN government contention that Hindi would be 'thrust' upon students, which was against its twolanguage formula, the Central government counsel said state's language was being taught in JNVs from class 6 to 8. Students could choose Tamil as an optional subject in class 11 and 12 and there would be no thrusting of Hindi upon them, he added. The judges said the state government should give up its fear of Hindi language being thrust upon students and cooperate with the Centre in building these schools.
By Pradip R Sagar By

NEW DELHI: Simmering discontent in the Army is now turning into a legal battle. Over 100 serving officers have moved the Supreme Court against the Army Headquarters deploying them in operations but denying them benefits. These officers have been named non-combatants in the Armys order.Army Headquarters in its submission before the apex court last year had called the services cadrewhich comprises over 20 per cent of the Armynon-operational.

Miffed over the stand, several service cadre officers had expressed their reluctance to go on operational postings, including forward and counter-insurgency areas. The cadre has nearly 10,000 officers in its strength of 2.6 lakh personnel. Army Service Corps (ASC) is an arm of the Indian Army that handles its logistic support function.

Now over 100 servicing officers between the rank of Captain and Brigadiers, including some gallantry awardees have filed a petition by stating that they have been falsely declared non-operational.

Petitioners stated that legally they are not supposed to wield arms as non-combatants, yet they are being used in operations. The Army or the government has no power to declare any part of regular army non-operational, since the officers of the regular army are operational by statute, read the petition.

The petition further stated, The officers belonging to the service cadre do not hold any immunity under the Geneva Convention, as applicable to combatants and if caught on foreign soil, shall be tried not as soldiers but under the criminal law of the country.

Different streams

Indian Army comprises 11 streams Infantry, Armoured Corps, Mechanised Infantry, Artillery, Air Defense, Engineers, Signals, Army Service Corps, Army Ordinance, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and Other Corps including Intelligence, Aviation and other Minor Corps.

Case History

Major Satish Dahiya, an officer from Army Service Corps was killed in an operation, in a non-combatant status. He died during operations against terrorists in Kashmir while posted with 30 Rashtriya Rifles unit. Major Dahiya received the Shaurya Chakra, the third highest gallantry award.

Bitter Truth

The officer mortality rate of Army Service Corps in the most recent war fought at Kargil has been 1.77 per thousand which is more than any other component of the regular army.

These very combat services officers were denied vacancies that were churned out of the Kargil experience.

It all started when the Armys 2009 promotion policy, which was based on the recommendation of former defence secretary Ajai Vikram Singh Committee, was challenged in the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT).

The combat services officers are a part of the Regular Indian Army which in itself is operational by the enactment.

NEW DELHI: Simmering discontent in the Army is now turning into a legal battle. Over 100 serving officers have moved the Supreme Court against the Army Headquarters deploying them in operations but denying them benefits. These officers have been named non-combatants in the Armys order.Army Headquarters in its submission before the apex court last year had called the services cadrewhich comprises over 20 per cent of the Armynon-operational. Miffed over the stand, several service cadre officers had expressed their reluctance to go on operational postings, including forward and counter-insurgency areas. The cadre has nearly 10,000 officers in its strength of 2.6 lakh personnel. Army Service Corps (ASC) is an arm of the Indian Army that handles its logistic support function. Now over 100 servicing officers between the rank of Captain and Brigadiers, including some gallantry awardees have filed a petition by stating that they have been falsely declared non-operational. Petitioners stated that legally they are not supposed to wield arms as non-combatants, yet they are being used in operations. The Army or the government has no power to declare any part of regular army non-operational, since the officers of the regular army are operational by statute, read the petition. The petition further stated, The officers belonging to the service cadre do not hold any immunity under the Geneva Convention, as applicable to combatants and if caught on foreign soil, shall be tried not as soldiers but under the criminal law of the country. Different streams Indian Army comprises 11 streams Infantry, Armoured Corps, Mechanised Infantry, Artillery, Air Defense, Engineers, Signals, Army Service Corps, Army Ordinance, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and Other Corps including Intelligence, Aviation and other Minor Corps. Case History Major Satish Dahiya, an officer from Army Service Corps was killed in an operation, in a non-combatant status. He died during operations against terrorists in Kashmir while posted with 30 Rashtriya Rifles unit. Major Dahiya received the Shaurya Chakra, the third highest gallantry award. Bitter Truth The officer mortality rate of Army Service Corps in the most recent war fought at Kargil has been 1.77 per thousand which is more than any other component of the regular army. These very combat services officers were denied vacancies that were churned out of the Kargil experience. It all started when the Armys 2009 promotion policy, which was based on the recommendation of former defence secretary Ajai Vikram Singh Committee, was challenged in the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT). The combat services officers are a part of the Regular Indian Army which in itself is operational by the enactment.
By IANS

NEW DELHI: Afghanistan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani has extended his countrys support for Indias permanent membership in United Nations Security Council.



Afghanistan strongly and openly supports India's bid for permanent membership of UN Security Council, Rabbani said on Monday in a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj.



He said Afghanistans friendship with India does not mean hostility towards other countries in its neighborhood.



Rabbani said terrorism and violent extremism is threatening Afghanistan and India as well as the stability of the region.

Current regional trends bring India and Afghanistan closer than ever to protect and achieve our socio-economic, security and trade interests, he said.



India and Afghanistan agreed to remain united in dealing with the challenges posed by cross border terrorism.



Without mentioning Pakistan, Sushma said, "India remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries. We support national peace and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from violence and within the framework of Afghanistans Constitution."

Intensifying relationship with Afghanistan, Swaraj said New Delhis friendship with Kabul is an article of faith which has a spiritual and civilisation connection with India.

She said India will continue to work and help Afghanistan in their efforts to build secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive nation.



"We commenced Air Freight Corridor in June 2017 to provide direct access to farmers of Afghanistan to the Indian markets. India-Afghanistan trade & investment show in New Delhi on September 27-30, 2017 will provide opportunity to bring businesses together, she said.



In the areas of connectivity and transit for Afghanistan, she announced that both the countries are expediting the development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran.



Swaraj also said that both ministers jointly agreed to embark on a New Development Partnership in keeping with the priorities of Afghanistan and the main focus will continue on building governance and democratic institutions; human resource capacity and skill development."

"India will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in realising their dreams, she said.

Earlier, Rabbani held delegation level talks with Swaraj aimed at advancing 'India Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council in New Delhi on Monday.



The two countries also signed four agreements in areas like health and transport.

NEW DELHI: Afghanistan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani has extended his countrys support for Indias permanent membership in United Nations Security Council. Afghanistan strongly and openly supports India's bid for permanent membership of UN Security Council, Rabbani said on Monday in a joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. He said Afghanistans friendship with India does not mean hostility towards other countries in its neighborhood. Rabbani said terrorism and violent extremism is threatening Afghanistan and India as well as the stability of the region. Current regional trends bring India and Afghanistan closer than ever to protect and achieve our socio-economic, security and trade interests, he said. India and Afghanistan agreed to remain united in dealing with the challenges posed by cross border terrorism. Without mentioning Pakistan, Sushma said, "India remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries. We support national peace and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from violence and within the framework of Afghanistans Constitution." Intensifying relationship with Afghanistan, Swaraj said New Delhis friendship with Kabul is an article of faith which has a spiritual and civilisation connection with India. She said India will continue to work and help Afghanistan in their efforts to build secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive nation. "We commenced Air Freight Corridor in June 2017 to provide direct access to farmers of Afghanistan to the Indian markets. India-Afghanistan trade & investment show in New Delhi on September 27-30, 2017 will provide opportunity to bring businesses together, she said. In the areas of connectivity and transit for Afghanistan, she announced that both the countries are expediting the development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran. Swaraj also said that both ministers jointly agreed to embark on a New Development Partnership in keeping with the priorities of Afghanistan and the main focus will continue on building governance and democratic institutions; human resource capacity and skill development." "India will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in realising their dreams, she said. Earlier, Rabbani held delegation level talks with Swaraj aimed at advancing 'India Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council in New Delhi on Monday. The two countries also signed four agreements in areas like health and transport.
By AFP

BAKU (AZERBAIJAN): Azerbaijan on Monday pardoned an Israeli travel blogger who wrote in support of Armenian separatists and was sentenced to three years for visiting the disputed territory of Nagorny Karabakh, officials said.

"I order the release from prison of Israeli citizen Lapshin Alexander Valeryevich," Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said in a decree published on his website.

He was released from prison after attempting to commit suicide, an Aliev aide told

Lapshin - who also has Russian and Ukrainian citizenships - was sentenced to three years behind bars in July after he was arrested in the Belarusian capital Minsk in late 2016 and extradited to Azerbaijan in February to face a trial.

The blogger was found guilty of illegally crossing tightly controlled Azerbaijan's state border by visiting the breakaway territory of Nagorny Karabakh in 2011 and 2012.

Aliyev's top aide Ali Gasanov told AFP that talks were under way with the Israeli authorities on Lapshin's extradition to Israel.

"The Israeli side has dragged out the extradition procedures and on Sunday Lapshin attempted to commit suicide," Gasanov said.

"Happily, prison guards reacted promptly and he is currently receiving medical treatment."

Nagorny Karabakh has been under Armenian control since it was seized during a bloody conflict in the early 1990s after the break-up of the Soviet Union.

The territory is still internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan and visiting it without Baku's permission is a criminal offence in the country.

Amnesty International welcomed the man's release, with Ivan Kondratenko, the human rights watchdog's acting Russia director, saying Lapshin did not commit any "violent crimes."

In court Lapshin has said he felt a "moral, not a criminal guilt" and apologised for writing blogs advocating for Nagorny Karabakh to be split officially from Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan and Armenia remain locked in a bitter dispute over Nagorny Karabakh, with frequent exchanges of fire along the volatile frontline nearly spiralling back into all-out war last year.

The two sides have never signed a definitive peace deal and attempts to negotiate a final settlement have long been stalled.

Azerbaijan has been under the authoritarian rule of Aliyev since he rose to power after the death of his father Heydar.

The oil-rich country has repeatedly been accused by rights groups of using spurious charges to crack down on dissent against Aliyev's regime.

BAKU (AZERBAIJAN): Azerbaijan on Monday pardoned an Israeli travel blogger who wrote in support of Armenian separatists and was sentenced to three years for visiting the disputed territory of Nagorny Karabakh, officials said. "I order the release from prison of Israeli citizen Lapshin Alexander Valeryevich," Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev said in a decree published on his website. He was released from prison after attempting to commit suicide, an Aliev aide told Lapshin - who also has Russian and Ukrainian citizenships - was sentenced to three years behind bars in July after he was arrested in the Belarusian capital Minsk in late 2016 and extradited to Azerbaijan in February to face a trial. The blogger was found guilty of illegally crossing tightly controlled Azerbaijan's state border by visiting the breakaway territory of Nagorny Karabakh in 2011 and 2012. Aliyev's top aide Ali Gasanov told AFP that talks were under way with the Israeli authorities on Lapshin's extradition to Israel. "The Israeli side has dragged out the extradition procedures and on Sunday Lapshin attempted to commit suicide," Gasanov said. "Happily, prison guards reacted promptly and he is currently receiving medical treatment." Nagorny Karabakh has been under Armenian control since it was seized during a bloody conflict in the early 1990s after the break-up of the Soviet Union. The territory is still internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan and visiting it without Baku's permission is a criminal offence in the country. Amnesty International welcomed the man's release, with Ivan Kondratenko, the human rights watchdog's acting Russia director, saying Lapshin did not commit any "violent crimes." In court Lapshin has said he felt a "moral, not a criminal guilt" and apologised for writing blogs advocating for Nagorny Karabakh to be split officially from Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and Armenia remain locked in a bitter dispute over Nagorny Karabakh, with frequent exchanges of fire along the volatile frontline nearly spiralling back into all-out war last year. The two sides have never signed a definitive peace deal and attempts to negotiate a final settlement have long been stalled. Azerbaijan has been under the authoritarian rule of Aliyev since he rose to power after the death of his father Heydar. The oil-rich country has repeatedly been accused by rights groups of using spurious charges to crack down on dissent against Aliyev's regime.
By IANS

ATHENS: French President Emmanuel Macron has called for the creation of a new European Monetary Fund to handle European financial affairs in future.



Asking that International Monetary Fund should take a back seat following the ill fated participation in the Greek bailout,"The presence of the IMF was a symptom of the lack of trust between European states, between European institutions and the member states, IMF, which participated in the Greek bailout due to pressure from Germany, "had no place in EU affairs and therefore reform of Eurozone institutions is needed that would entail the creation of a new European Monetary Fund",Sputnik quoted Macron as saying after a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

The Greek debt crisis started in late 2009, triggered by the turmoil of the Great Recession, structural weaknesses in the Greek economy.The IMF's lending rules stipulated that it would only issue loans to countries which were able to repay their debts, and its resources were mainly used by smaller, developing economies. The IMF, therefore, became part of Greece's "Troika" of creditors, along with the European Commission and the European Central Bank, provided about 260 billion euros ($312.86 billion)to Greece since 2010, but the IMF has so refused for the third bailout unless European leaders commit to a formal restructuring of Greece's debt.

Any default on Greek debt will therefore scuttle changes of further loan for a Greek bailout from IMF.

French economist Philippe Bechade told Sputnik that "in theory, Europe is not a region in a difficult situation," and should be able to resolve its own financial difficulties without assistance from the IMF.

"Initially, the sum being talked about was 50 billion Euros, which could have been quickly resolved. Germany in principle did not want to do this because it thought that German taxpayers should not have to pay for the stupidity of Greece," Bechade said.

ATHENS: French President Emmanuel Macron has called for the creation of a new European Monetary Fund to handle European financial affairs in future. Asking that International Monetary Fund should take a back seat following the ill fated participation in the Greek bailout,"The presence of the IMF was a symptom of the lack of trust between European states, between European institutions and the member states, IMF, which participated in the Greek bailout due to pressure from Germany, "had no place in EU affairs and therefore reform of Eurozone institutions is needed that would entail the creation of a new European Monetary Fund",Sputnik quoted Macron as saying after a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. The Greek debt crisis started in late 2009, triggered by the turmoil of the Great Recession, structural weaknesses in the Greek economy.The IMF's lending rules stipulated that it would only issue loans to countries which were able to repay their debts, and its resources were mainly used by smaller, developing economies. The IMF, therefore, became part of Greece's "Troika" of creditors, along with the European Commission and the European Central Bank, provided about 260 billion euros ($312.86 billion)to Greece since 2010, but the IMF has so refused for the third bailout unless European leaders commit to a formal restructuring of Greece's debt. Any default on Greek debt will therefore scuttle changes of further loan for a Greek bailout from IMF. French economist Philippe Bechade told Sputnik that "in theory, Europe is not a region in a difficult situation," and should be able to resolve its own financial difficulties without assistance from the IMF. "Initially, the sum being talked about was 50 billion Euros, which could have been quickly resolved. Germany in principle did not want to do this because it thought that German taxpayers should not have to pay for the stupidity of Greece," Bechade said.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today met Iran's top leadership as part of Islamabad's efforts to drum up support for the country after US President Donald Trump criticised it for providing safe havens to terrorists.

Asif called on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran and exchanged views on latest regional situation and different aspects of the bilateral relations, Radio Pakistan reported.

The foreign minister also held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif.

Ahead of Asif's maiden visit to America, Paksitan's foreign ministry had announced that he will travel to China, Russia, Turkey and Iran to drum up support for Islamabad after Trump warned it of consequences if it continues to support terror groups.

Trump while announcing his policy for South Asia and Afghanistan 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. Pakistan is upset over the allegations.

Asif is accompanied by National Security Advisor Naseer Khan Janjua and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.

The foreign minister earlier visited China and discussed the new US policy with counterpart Wang Yi.

He is also expected to visit Turkey and meet his Russian counterpart later this month as part of efforts to garner support for the country which is facing mounting international pressure to act against the terror groups.

Meanwhile, the foreign minister told Iran's state news agency IRNA that the US military approach in Afghanistan has already failed to address the problems in the country.

"No need to say that the approach taken by the Americans which is a military one, has not been able to bring peace to Afghanistan 16 years and military solution will not work, he said.

"I am also planning to meet my Russian counterpart in near future on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session and discuss the peaceful approaches for Afghanistan issue with him," he added.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today met Iran's top leadership as part of Islamabad's efforts to drum up support for the country after US President Donald Trump criticised it for providing safe havens to terrorists. Asif called on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran and exchanged views on latest regional situation and different aspects of the bilateral relations, Radio Pakistan reported. The foreign minister also held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif. Ahead of Asif's maiden visit to America, Paksitan's foreign ministry had announced that he will travel to China, Russia, Turkey and Iran to drum up support for Islamabad after Trump warned it of consequences if it continues to support terror groups. Trump while announcing his policy for South Asia and Afghanistan 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. Pakistan is upset over the allegations. Asif is accompanied by National Security Advisor Naseer Khan Janjua and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua. The foreign minister earlier visited China and discussed the new US policy with counterpart Wang Yi. He is also expected to visit Turkey and meet his Russian counterpart later this month as part of efforts to garner support for the country which is facing mounting international pressure to act against the terror groups. Meanwhile, the foreign minister told Iran's state news agency IRNA that the US military approach in Afghanistan has already failed to address the problems in the country. "No need to say that the approach taken by the Americans which is a military one, has not been able to bring peace to Afghanistan 16 years and military solution will not work, he said. "I am also planning to meet my Russian counterpart in near future on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session and discuss the peaceful approaches for Afghanistan issue with him," he added.
By IANS

WASHINGTON: Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has said the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election is "a waste of time", the media reported.

"There's nothing to the Russia investigation. It's a waste of time. It's a total and complete farce," Bannon said in an interview on Sunday night.

"Russian collusion is a farce," CNN quoted Bannon as saying.

When asked on whether he believed Russia tried to damage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and sway the election in President Donald Trump's favour, Bannon said that he has seen the intelligence reports about Russia.

"I would never devolve classified information... But let me tell you, I think it's far from conclusive that the Russians had any impact on this election."

Asked why the President seems to find it hard to criticise the Russians, Bannon disagreed with the characterisation, CNN reported.

"He criticises the Russians all the time," Bannon said, adding "He knows the Russians are not good guys. We should be focused on how we bring the Cold War to an end."

The former White House official also slammed national security officials in the previous George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations who denounced Trump as President.

"This is once again where the narrative is dead wrong," Bannon said, adding that it was the "geniuses" of the Bush administration that helped cause the trade imbalance with China and the US involvement in Iraq.

"They're idiots, and they've gotten us in this situation, and they question a good man like Donald Trump."

Bannon was ousted in mid-August amid a reshuffling of power within the White House.

He has since returned to his role as executive chairman at Breitbart News, a position he held before joining Trump's campaign.

WASHINGTON: Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has said the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election is "a waste of time", the media reported. "There's nothing to the Russia investigation. It's a waste of time. It's a total and complete farce," Bannon said in an interview on Sunday night. "Russian collusion is a farce," CNN quoted Bannon as saying. When asked on whether he believed Russia tried to damage Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and sway the election in President Donald Trump's favour, Bannon said that he has seen the intelligence reports about Russia. "I would never devolve classified information... But let me tell you, I think it's far from conclusive that the Russians had any impact on this election." Asked why the President seems to find it hard to criticise the Russians, Bannon disagreed with the characterisation, CNN reported. "He criticises the Russians all the time," Bannon said, adding "He knows the Russians are not good guys. We should be focused on how we bring the Cold War to an end." The former White House official also slammed national security officials in the previous George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations who denounced Trump as President. "This is once again where the narrative is dead wrong," Bannon said, adding that it was the "geniuses" of the Bush administration that helped cause the trade imbalance with China and the US involvement in Iraq. "They're idiots, and they've gotten us in this situation, and they question a good man like Donald Trump." Bannon was ousted in mid-August amid a reshuffling of power within the White House. He has since returned to his role as executive chairman at Breitbart News, a position he held before joining Trump's campaign.
By AFP

BEIRUT: Suspected Russian air strikes killed 19 civilians outside the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor on Monday, a monitor said, in a second day of deadly strikes in the region.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said two sets of strikes half-an-hour apart targeted the village of Al-Khrayta, killing eight civilians in tents along the Euphrates River and another 11 in boats on the water.

The deaths came a day after the monitor said Russian air strikes killed 34 civilians in ferries carrying them across the Euphrates southwest of the city.

BEIRUT: Suspected Russian air strikes killed 19 civilians outside the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor on Monday, a monitor said, in a second day of deadly strikes in the region. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said two sets of strikes half-an-hour apart targeted the village of Al-Khrayta, killing eight civilians in tents along the Euphrates River and another 11 in boats on the water. The deaths came a day after the monitor said Russian air strikes killed 34 civilians in ferries carrying them across the Euphrates southwest of the city.
By IANS

LAHORE: Defence of Pakistan Council or Difa-e-Pakistan Council has issued a letter that Mohammad Yakub Shaikh, a global terrorist designated by the United States, to contest the by-election from NA-120 constituency/region from which former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as an independent candidate.

The chairman of Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an umbrella group of jihadi and Islamist outfits, issued a letter to all parties who have joined Defence of Pakistan Council or Difa-e-Pakistan that Shaikhs speeches, assurance and work for the unity of Pakistan makes him a good citizen and patriot.

The election symbol of Ayub Shaikh is the energy saver bulb and we request all the voters of the region to cast their vote in favour of Ayub Shaikh on 17th September. for the development and progress of Pakistan, it stated.

Global terrorists hiding in Pakistan are making an easy foray into country's mainstream politics and this is quite evident as Yakub was listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by U.S. Treasury Department in 2012.

Yakub was born in Bhawalpur in 1972 and will contest against Kulsoom Nawaz as an independent candidate.

Earlier he was to contest the elections under the banner of JuD's political outfit Milli Muslim League (MML), a political party formed recently by noted terrorist Hafiz Saeed.

He is holding a Master degree in Islamic Studies from University of Punjab, Lahore.

Yakub is the representative of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) in the Difa-e-Pakistan Council. He is also holding the post of JuD's Bain-ul-Jamaat Rabtaa (Communication with Foreign Religious Organisation).

A close aide of Hafiz Saeed, Yakub reportedly visits Saudi Arabia more than two three times in a year for fundraising activities.

Central advisory committee member of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Qari Muhammad Yakub Sheikh has held several different leadership positions in the group since approximately 2006, including acting as the department's Deputy Director of political and foreign affairs between 2008 and 2009.

As of mid-2008, Sheikh was also in-charge of LeT's Islamabad office, including managing LeT's general operations in and around Pakistan's capital.

Between 2008 and 2011, Sheikh managed LeT front organizations that were used to raise funds and recruit on behalf of the group. Sheikh also worked for Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), from early 2009 until mid-2010, and was replaced as the FIF head by Hafiz Abdur Rauf.

As of early 2010, Sheikh was the head of LeT's ulema (clerics) wing. He has also worked LeT's international donors. In the late 2006 and late 2007, Sheikh was part of a LeT delegation that travelled to the Gulf on behalf of LeT seeking support.

Yakub Sheikh, a terrorist who is known to threaten world leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now readying to play an active role in Pakistani politics.

LAHORE: Defence of Pakistan Council or Difa-e-Pakistan Council has issued a letter that Mohammad Yakub Shaikh, a global terrorist designated by the United States, to contest the by-election from NA-120 constituency/region from which former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as an independent candidate. The chairman of Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an umbrella group of jihadi and Islamist outfits, issued a letter to all parties who have joined Defence of Pakistan Council or Difa-e-Pakistan that Shaikhs speeches, assurance and work for the unity of Pakistan makes him a good citizen and patriot. The election symbol of Ayub Shaikh is the energy saver bulb and we request all the voters of the region to cast their vote in favour of Ayub Shaikh on 17th September. for the development and progress of Pakistan, it stated. Global terrorists hiding in Pakistan are making an easy foray into country's mainstream politics and this is quite evident as Yakub was listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by U.S. Treasury Department in 2012. Yakub was born in Bhawalpur in 1972 and will contest against Kulsoom Nawaz as an independent candidate. Earlier he was to contest the elections under the banner of JuD's political outfit Milli Muslim League (MML), a political party formed recently by noted terrorist Hafiz Saeed. He is holding a Master degree in Islamic Studies from University of Punjab, Lahore. Yakub is the representative of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) in the Difa-e-Pakistan Council. He is also holding the post of JuD's Bain-ul-Jamaat Rabtaa (Communication with Foreign Religious Organisation). A close aide of Hafiz Saeed, Yakub reportedly visits Saudi Arabia more than two three times in a year for fundraising activities. Central advisory committee member of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Qari Muhammad Yakub Sheikh has held several different leadership positions in the group since approximately 2006, including acting as the department's Deputy Director of political and foreign affairs between 2008 and 2009. As of mid-2008, Sheikh was also in-charge of LeT's Islamabad office, including managing LeT's general operations in and around Pakistan's capital. Between 2008 and 2011, Sheikh managed LeT front organizations that were used to raise funds and recruit on behalf of the group. Sheikh also worked for Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), from early 2009 until mid-2010, and was replaced as the FIF head by Hafiz Abdur Rauf. As of early 2010, Sheikh was the head of LeT's ulema (clerics) wing. He has also worked LeT's international donors. In the late 2006 and late 2007, Sheikh was part of a LeT delegation that travelled to the Gulf on behalf of LeT seeking support. Yakub Sheikh, a terrorist who is known to threaten world leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now readying to play an active role in Pakistani politics.
By IANS

ASTANA: Venezuela's President on Sunday issued a call in Kazakhstan's capital for a world without wars, terrorism and hegemonic empires.

"It's time to fight for another world. It's time to fight for a world without wars, without terrorism, without hegemonic empires," Nicolas Maduro said in his remarks at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Astana, reports Efe.

Maduro, who arrived on Saturday night in Kazakhstan, is participating in the OIC summit as Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Venezuela deeply believes "it's time for dialogue, for a profound dialogue of cultures, civilizations and religions", the leftist President said.

He added that the two organisations can only "make progress toward those objectives of justice and peace if they are united".

The Venezuelan leader said both organisations shared principles such as "inclusive multi-lateralism," which he said was the "most effective tool" for addressing global challenges.

"And the rejection of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or the political independence of states, and the rejection of the imposition of unilateral sanctions in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations charter and the norms of international law," he added.

He also stressed their common stance in support of the "peaceful resolution of disputes, democracy, the development and respect for all human rights and basic freedoms".

With respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said the Non-Aligned Movement, which he will head until 2019, urgently calls for a "just, lasting, comprehensive and peaceful resolution" and "condemns the illegal practices of the occupying power".

Upon his arrival in Astana, Maduro was received by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. He later also met the Presidents of Turkey and Iran, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hassan Rouhani, respectively.

Before travelling to Kazakhstan, Maduro said that with the aim of reducing Venezuela's dependence on the United States dollar and weathering US sanctions and pressure on the Caribbean nation, Caracas will sell oil and natural gas in other currencies, including the yuan, yen, ruble and the rupee.

ASTANA: Venezuela's President on Sunday issued a call in Kazakhstan's capital for a world without wars, terrorism and hegemonic empires. "It's time to fight for another world. It's time to fight for a world without wars, without terrorism, without hegemonic empires," Nicolas Maduro said in his remarks at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Astana, reports Efe. Maduro, who arrived on Saturday night in Kazakhstan, is participating in the OIC summit as Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement. Venezuela deeply believes "it's time for dialogue, for a profound dialogue of cultures, civilizations and religions", the leftist President said. He added that the two organisations can only "make progress toward those objectives of justice and peace if they are united". The Venezuelan leader said both organisations shared principles such as "inclusive multi-lateralism," which he said was the "most effective tool" for addressing global challenges. "And the rejection of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or the political independence of states, and the rejection of the imposition of unilateral sanctions in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations charter and the norms of international law," he added. He also stressed their common stance in support of the "peaceful resolution of disputes, democracy, the development and respect for all human rights and basic freedoms". With respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said the Non-Aligned Movement, which he will head until 2019, urgently calls for a "just, lasting, comprehensive and peaceful resolution" and "condemns the illegal practices of the occupying power". Upon his arrival in Astana, Maduro was received by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. He later also met the Presidents of Turkey and Iran, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hassan Rouhani, respectively. Before travelling to Kazakhstan, Maduro said that with the aim of reducing Venezuela's dependence on the United States dollar and weathering US sanctions and pressure on the Caribbean nation, Caracas will sell oil and natural gas in other currencies, including the yuan, yen, ruble and the rupee.
By AFP

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration headed back to the Supreme Court on Monday to block an appeals court ruling that placed limits on its ban on refugees.

The Justice Department asked the highest court to halt implementation of the ruling last week that refugees who have formal assurances of resettlement in the United States from US aid agencies are not covered by the ban.

The San Francisco Appeals Court's decision could pave the way for the entry of some 24,000 already-approved refugees beginning September 12.

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to place that decision on hold until the high court can review broader issues of Trump's travel ban next month.

"The Ninth Circuit's refugee-assurance ruling would upend the status quo and do far greater harm to the national interest," the Justice Department said in a filing.

It was the department's latest effort to defend President Donald Trump's repeatedly stymied order to halt the influx of refugees and limit travellers from six mainly Muslim countries.

The arguments hinged on a stipulation in the travel ban that refugees in the pipeline can only be accepted if they have a "bona fide relationship" with a US individual or entity.

The government said formal assurances from a refugee agency that may not have had direct, personal contacts with the refugee were not covered in that exception.

But opponents to the ban sued, arguing that people with formal assurances should be admitted.

In its filing on Monday, however, the Justice Department opted not to fight the appeals court's ruling that bona fide relationships -- the standard for refugees and travellers from the six countries exempted from the Trump travel ban -- include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins of American citizens.

Previously the ban would only have left open the door for refugee parents, spouses, children, sons- and daughters-in-law, siblings and step- and half-siblings of people in the United States.

The six countries covered in the travel ban are Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration headed back to the Supreme Court on Monday to block an appeals court ruling that placed limits on its ban on refugees. The Justice Department asked the highest court to halt implementation of the ruling last week that refugees who have formal assurances of resettlement in the United States from US aid agencies are not covered by the ban. The San Francisco Appeals Court's decision could pave the way for the entry of some 24,000 already-approved refugees beginning September 12. The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to place that decision on hold until the high court can review broader issues of Trump's travel ban next month. "The Ninth Circuit's refugee-assurance ruling would upend the status quo and do far greater harm to the national interest," the Justice Department said in a filing. It was the department's latest effort to defend President Donald Trump's repeatedly stymied order to halt the influx of refugees and limit travellers from six mainly Muslim countries. The arguments hinged on a stipulation in the travel ban that refugees in the pipeline can only be accepted if they have a "bona fide relationship" with a US individual or entity. The government said formal assurances from a refugee agency that may not have had direct, personal contacts with the refugee were not covered in that exception. But opponents to the ban sued, arguing that people with formal assurances should be admitted. In its filing on Monday, however, the Justice Department opted not to fight the appeals court's ruling that bona fide relationships -- the standard for refugees and travellers from the six countries exempted from the Trump travel ban -- include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins of American citizens. Previously the ban would only have left open the door for refugee parents, spouses, children, sons- and daughters-in-law, siblings and step- and half-siblings of people in the United States. The six countries covered in the travel ban are Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
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.
Indian automobile giant Mahindra USA has pledged to contribute $1.5 million for relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts in Texas and Louisiana states where Hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc, the company said. The Houston-based entity, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mumbai-headquartered Mahindra group, has provided tractors and utility vehicles to dealers for immediate use in rebuilding efforts.The company is supporting the Greater Houston Community Foundation and the American Red Cross which are directing funds to benefit the areas impacted by Harvey. The combined donation of cash, services, and equipment will be $1.5 million in relief for the cities and counties.According to the company's CMO/VP Strategic Planning, Cleo Franklin, "Equipment is immediately available to government entities, companies, and customers to ease the burden of access to a larger fleet for clean-up efforts". "As a Houston-based company, our employees and dealers have been directly impacted by Harvey. We are saddened to see the devastation left behind, not only in our community but throughout the region and our sympathies are with the storm victims. "Mahindra is focused on the recovery and rebuilding process to help our neighbours and friends rise from this storm stronger than ever," said Franklin.Stephanie Thurman, Director of Human Resources, Mahindra NorthAmerica said: "Mahindra employees are personally involved in the recovery efforts through this company initiative as well as working in their affected communities to offer assistance in whatever way they are able". Mahindra NorthAmerica (MNA) is part of Mahindra Group's Automotive and Farm Sector. The company, which began selling tractors in the US in 1994, has seven distribution points in North America.
New Delhi: Country's largest steel maker SAIL on Monday said it will raise $ 350 million from overseas market.



The company has entered into a pact with State Bank of India (SBI) for arranging the amount via external commercial borrowings (ECB).



In a statement, SAIL said it would raise $ 350 million and the borrowing would have a tenure of seven years.



The money raised will be used by the steel maker to meet expenditure on capital schemes, including modernisation and expansion.



"The ECB has been arranged by SBI from its Hong Kong Branch and would be utilised by SAIL towards meeting

expenditure on capital schemes including modernisation and expansion (MEP)," the statement said.



The PSU said it has reached the last leg of its modernisation plans.



"SAIL has tied the ECB at the lowest possible spread and the overall cost (on a fully hedged basis) would work out cheaper than that applicable coupon on term loans and bonds for similar period. This re-emphasises the lenders confidence in the credit worthiness of the company," it said. The ECB pact was signed today.
New Delhi: Before September 11 was made famous by the terror attacks on the United States, this date was known for a completely different cause. This was the date when Swami Vivekananda delivered his 1893 speech in Chicago. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi observed the 125th anniversary of the famous speech that took India to a global platform.

Heres the full text of Swami Vivekanandas Chicago speech in which he introduced Hinduism to the world:

Sisters and Brothers of America

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. l thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions; and I thank you in the name of the millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects. My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to the southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings:

As the different streams having there sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to thee.

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world, of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita:

Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

Concluding Address  Chicago, September 27, 1893

The Worlds Parliament of Religions has become an accomplished fact, and the merciful Father has helped those who labored to bring it into existence, and crowned with success their most unselfish labor.My thanks to those noble souls whose large hearts and love of truth first dreamed this wonderful dream and then realized it. My thanks to the shower of liberal sentiments that has overflowed this platform. My thanks to this enlightened audience for their uniform kindness to me and for their appreciation of every thought that tends to smooth the friction of religions. A few jarring notes were heard from time to time in this harmony. My special thanks to them, for they have, by their striking contrast, made general harmony the sweeter.

Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity. I am not going just now to venture my own theory. But if anyone here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of the others, to him I say, Brother, yours is an impossible hope. Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid. Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid.

The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant. It develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant.

Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.

If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world, it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character.

In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written in spite of resistance: Help and not fight, Assimilation and not Destruction, Harmony and Peace and not Dissension.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here
New Delhi: Sahara group's prestigious Aamby Valley township in Maharashtra will go under the hammer on October 10 and 11.



A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has given a go ahead to the auction proceedings following the failure of Sahara chief Subrata Roy to deposit substantial amount of money towards refunding investors.



The auction will be held in Mumbai on October 10 and 11, following which the successful bidder will deposit the money by January 16, 2018. The auction will finalise following an approval by the Court.



The bench, also comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and AK Sikri, shot down request by Sahara and Roy to give them time till November to deposit more money.



"Grant of further time to the respondent-contemnor (Roy) and entertaining post-dated cheques, which are dated 11th November, 2017, would tantamount to travesty of justice and extending unwarranted sympathy to a person who is indubitably an abuser of the process of law," said the bench.



The Court further held: "He, who thinks or for that matter harbours the notion that he can play with law, is under wrong impression."



It added that the "ambitious effort" by Roy had to be dismissed because of his conduct as he "made a maladroit effort to play" with the orders of the Court.



"Therefore, we direct without any hesitation that the auction shall be held as per the direction given by this Court and the Official Liquidator is permitted to carry out the auction as per procedure," ordered the bench.



Earlier, on requests by Sahara and Roy, the Court had directed for only publication of auction notices. It has said that the auction proceedings could halt if Sahara paid substantial money.



But Kapil Sibal, representing Sahara, sought time till November 11 to make more deposits. He claimed around Rs 16,000 crore has already been paid and that only Rs 8651 crore is due. Sibal also made vehement requests not to auction Aamby Valley.



The bench, however, blamed it on "recalcitrant proclivity" of Roy, who, the bench said, "has harboured an adroit idea that he can test the patience of this Court."



Except hyperbolic arguments and rhetoric statements, the amount in entirety has not been paid, said the Court, as it directed the Official Liquidator to go ahead with auction.



The interim order regarding bail to Roy will continue while the Court said that the case can now be heard after the auction.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Monday launched a nationwide signature campaign to send a message to the Supreme Court and the central government that it would not tolerate any interference in the communitys personal law.The AIMPLB said, as part of the campaign, it would gather the signatures of all Muslim women in the country to make it clear that women are extremely safe in Shariat." It would then submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice of India, Justice Dipak Mishra, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The campaign was flagged of with the signature of the general secretary of the law board, Maulana Wali Rahmani, in front of 3,000 burqa-clad women at the Iqbal Maidan in Bhopal.The announcement came just a day after the board held an all-day executive meeting where it decided to set up a committee comprising legal and religious experts to study the Supreme Court verdict on triple talaq and submit a report on the recourse available.Since the issue of instant talaq is less about religion and more about gender justice and equality, the board's campaign for women is being seen as more of a referendum to show that real Muslim women can never accept any interference with their Shariat.Maulana KR Sajjad Naumani, a member of AIMPLB from Lucknow, told News18 that a referendum is being conducted so that women can themselves retort to all the mischevious propaganda that is being spread in the country.The campaign was flagged of in front of 3,000 burqa-clad women at the Iqbal Maidan in Bhopal on Monday. (Photo: News18)A mischievous propaganda is going on to deviate our women but it won't be the case anymore. All women from all strata of society will have to sign. You all have to be prepared to make sacrifices in the name of religion. The signature campaign started from here and this national movement is just the beginning, said Naumani.Naumani urged the women to make sacrifices in the name of Shariat and to protect the essence of it. Woman have always scarified In Islam. The first bloodshed that happened in the land of mecca was of a woman in the name of religion. You must echo the voice of AIMPLB and stand with us. If non-Muslims cannot understand Shariat then we cannot say anything but we all have to be aware, he said.There was a period about which we were warned that Islam would be misunderstood and this is the period," he said in his speech, to which all women clapped and cheered.A point that was repeatedly hammered in the meet was that a woman must marry a Muslim and the relationship must be based on Islamic principles. This was the "only way out to save the Shariat" according to Shehr Qazi and Maulana Mushtaq Ali Naqvi.Do not marry a non-Muslim. Remember your marriage must be based on Islam and its principles. That is the way to avoid any kind of conflict with Shariat. The woman who have raised their voice against us are not a part of Islam," said the Shehr Qazi.After completing duties at home, they must look after the world too, Naqvi said.Dr Asma Zehra, a gynaecologist and a member of AIMPLB from Hyderabad, said that there was no disparity in instant talaq, and claimed rights have been protected and safeguarded under it. Allah has given husband the right to divorce, but we have been given the right to marry. The marriage is not possible without my consent. We are being provoked but we should stick to Shariat. There is no injustice for us, she said.
Dhamupur: Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat today unveiled a bust of 1965 Indo-Pak war hero Abdul Hamid here in Ghazipur district and felicitated the widow of the soldier who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the highest wartime gallantry medal.



On the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of his supreme sacrifice, Gen. Rawat and his wife Madhulika met Rasoolan Bibi, wife of Company Quartermaster Havildar Hamid and several other war widows and felicitated them.



The Army Chief also unveiled a memorial in Hamid's honour in his ancestral village of Dhamupur in Ghazipur district in Uttar Pradesh while exhorting the youth to join the armed forces.



Lauding the contribution made by people of the district to the armed forces, Gen. Rawat said a recruitment drive will be held soon in Ghazipur to encourage youthsto join the Army and contribute to the country's security.



He said Hamid destroyed several tanks of the Pakistan army during the 1965 war in the Lahore sector.



"Jahan Hindustan ki sena khadi hai, wahan khatra kisi aur se nahi (where the Indian Army is present, there is no threat from anyone)," the Army Chief said.



"Hamid was an inspiration for the youth and his extraordinary bravery made the country proud," he said.



On the Dokalam issue, Gen. Rawat said India and China have held talks and the situation there is under control.
New Delhi: Letting people deposit demonetised currency after expiry of the law-mandated deadline may create a "chaos", the Supreme Court said on Monday.



A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra observed that it was not proper to deal with individual cases for a fresh window to permit petitioners deposit old Rs 500, 1000 notes after last year's December 30 deadline.



"If we start taking and allowing individual cases, it may create a chaos. We can't do that," observed the bench, as it shot down a plea by woman, holding an Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) Card.



The petitioner's lawyer submitted that Indians abroad were given time till March 31 to deposit old notes whereas this deadline was till June 30 for the NRIs, subject to certain conditions.



Seeking a permission to deposit demonetised notes with the RBI, the petition cited difficulties as to why the woman could not make the deposit within stipulated time limit.



But the bench replied: "When the law gave you a specified time, you should have done it within the time limit. We can't reopen everything like this."



It added that the validity of the Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities Ordinance) Ordinance, 2016 was already pending before a Constitution Bench.



"Let the Constitution Bench decide the validity of the law and you can see after our judgment whether you can get the benefit of it or not," it said.



The Court had on December 17 referred to a five-judge Constitution Bench a clutch of petitions, which had challenged the legality of the governments demonetisation move and the notifications and ordinance passed under it. The Constitution Bench, however, is still to start hearing the case.



On the issue of inconvenience to people, the Court had asked the government to reconsider a new window for allowing people to deposit old Rs 500, 1000 notes. But the government said that people cannot be given another chance to deposit old currency notes since a new exchange window suggested by the top court would defeat the purpose of the exercise.
Lucknow: In a major operation, UP polices Special Task Force (STF) has busted a gang allegedly involved in making fake Aadhaar cards. Ten people have been arrested so far. Investigation, however, is still on as officers in the case feel that the masterminds, who designed the software bypassing the security protocol, are still at large.



On Sunday, UP STFs IG Amitabh Yash held a press conference announcing arrest of 10 people from Kanpur. The accused were allegedly making Aadhaar cards by bypassing the security protocol of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).



Bypassing the security protocol couldnt have been possible without involvement of engineers and technicians. Yash said UIDAI has a security protocol authorizing third party vendors to access the main server for making Aadhaar cards. But the arrested men were doing so by bypassing the 3-layer security protocol involving biometric finger impression, retina scan and GPS system.



The big question is how it was being done as this is first such case. Investigators say a special software was being used to bypass the security protocol.



Recently, UIDAI deactivated about 81 lakh Aadhaar numbers due to such suspicion. In June this year, UIDAI officials suspected a large scale attempt to breach into its security protocol. Doubts were raised about pace of Aadhaar cards being made through authorized third party agents. After which FIRs were filled in some districts of Uttar Pradesh. As initial investigations suggested of a large scale scam, the probe was handed over to STF.



Through electronic surveillance UP STF started linking the dots and found that there was a breach of security protocol. These inputs were then shared with central agencies in August this year.



A point worth noting is that the citizens data stored with UIDAI has not been breached at any level.



IG Yash said, No data has been lost from UIDAI server. Investigations are going on. More arrests can take place. We are focusing on nabbing people who created the software.



Meanwhile, in its first move UP STF picked up the 10 accused from their den in Kanpur. Multiple devices, including finger scanner, iris scanner, Aadhaar finger scanner, chemically prepared artificial finger prints, rubber stamps and laptops have been seized.



Those arrested can well be part of just one such module involved in making fake Aadhaar cards. Officers dont deny existence of such modules in other parts of the country.
Hyderabad: In a shocking incident, a Class 5 student in a Telangana school was made to stand in the boys' washroom as 'punishment' for coming to the school in casual dress and not in uniform.



The incident sparked outrage among the parents of school children following which they along with locals gathered at the school in R C Puram area near Hyderabad and launched protest against the school.



Reacting to the incident, K T Rama Rao, in a tweet, said, "Ridiculous & absolutely inhuman. Will take it up with Hon'ble Deputy CM for appropriate action on the school." The girl's father yesterday approached city-based NGO 'Balala Hakkula Sangham' over the incident.



The state government on Monday ordered an inquiry into the matter and asked the district education officer to submit a report.



According to the girl's father, a woman PTE (physical training education) teacher of the school asked his daughter the reason for not wearing the uniform on Saturday. "She was not even bothered to listen to my child's explanation that a note was already written by us in her diary requesting to allow for one day without uniform," he said in a statement to PTI.



"She (the teacher) dragged my child forcefully and asked her to stay for five minutes inside the boys' washroom as a punishment for not wearing the uniform," he alleged. "This act of abuse has had a bad impact on my child and hurt her dignity," he said.



"Now my child is not at all ready to face the co-students as she is feeling ashamed," he said.



Denying the allegations, the woman teacher told mediapersons on Monday that as the girl was not wearing uniform, she only asked her the reason. She said the girl was standing near the boys' washroom and was never asked to stand inside it.




Gurugram: On a day when two top officials of Ryan International School were arrested in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old boy in the campus, the bus driver, who was with the accused conductor minutes before the crime was committed, has punctured holes in the police and school managements story.



Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, the driver, Saurabh, said he was pressured by the police and the Ryan school management to stick to their version of events. They have claimed that the conductor managed to bring the murder weapon, the knife, into the school premises undetected because it was part of the tool kit.



The driver, however, said that the knife was not part of the tool kit and police threatened to make him admit it was. I keep opening the tool box and had inspected it on that day as well. The knife was not there, he said.



When asked if the accused could have kept the knife hidden from him, Saurabh said that while possible, it was hard to believe. He is of a very quiet nature. Ive never seen him bring a knife. Once he got a screwdriver and informed me that I have got this as it'll be useful in the bus. Maybe he did not tell me about the knife and perhaps he kept it somewhere else... I dont really know, he said.



With the pressure to act against the school management growing and an SIT revealing serious lapses, Gurugram police on Monday arrested the schools legal head, Francis Thomas and HR head, Jeyus Thomas. They have been sent to two-day police custody.



Police commissioner Sandeep Khirwar said acting Principal Neerja Batra has also been detained for questioning and her arrest is likely soon. Anticipating they would be the next in line to face the music, Ryan International Group CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, who are the founders, approached the Bombay High Court to seek anticipatory bail.



SHO of Sadar Police Station in Gurugram was suspended over a baton-charge on protesting parents, as well as journalists, outside the school premises. Protests have continued at other places, with parents of children studying in the schools Noida and Greater Noida branches seeking assurances regarding safety of their wards.



Police said the two officials of the school management were arrested under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice act. School bus conductor, Ashok Kumar, who allegedly tried to sexually assault the class II student in a toilet and slit his throat with a knife when he resisted on Friday last is already behind bars.



The Haryana police have formed fourteen teams to probe the case, which has triggered massive outrage, according to officials. A special investigation team will reach Mumbai to question school CEO Pinto and director Albert Pinto, they said.



The father of the seven-year-old, however, approached the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe, which prompted the apex court to seek responses from the Centre and Haryana.



A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also sought a response from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on the plea, which has sought framing of guidelines to fix responsibility of school managements in case of such incidents and also regarding the safety and security of children.



"This petition is not restricted only to the school concerned as it has a country-wide ramification," the court said during the brief hearing.



The bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, asked the governments and the CBSE to respond within three weeks.



Barun Chandra Thakur, the father of the student said in his plea filed through advocate Sushil Tekriwal, that free and fair investigation should be conducted by the CBI under the monitoring of the apex court in the matter.



Earlier, a fact-finding panel in its report had highlighted several deficiencies, including in the installation of CCTV cameras at the school, lack of separate toilets for drivers and conductors, unsafe toilets, a broken boundary wall, lack of ramps, expired fire extinguishers and lack of police verification of employees, officials said.



The district administration has asked the school to ensure safety at its premises and gave it 15 days to reply to a show cause notice, they added.
Hyderabad: A Dalit man was penalised for offering prayers at a temple in Telangana's Nirmal district.



The Pakpatlla Village Development Committee imposed a penalty of Rs 500 on Muthyam, a Dalit, for offering prayers the Grama Devatha Pochamma Thalli Temple.



Struggling with health issues, Muthyam had been visiting temple to offer prayers.



Last week, when he went to temple, the priest was not present at the temple. After waited for the priest for a while, he decided to conduct the ceremony himself. He then lit a diya, broke a coconut and prayed.



While he was leaving, he was spotted by a villager who complained.



"I was fined Rs 500 because I am a Dalit. Is it a crime to enter a temple? God is one. But still caste system is so much prevalent. What has changed in so many years?" Muthyam asked, angry and upset with the decision.



The village development committee has upper caste members and villagers say that such fines have been imposed earlier as well.
New Delhi: If the world had remembered the message of love and brotherhood of Indias 9/11, the United States would not have had to endure the disastrous one of 2001, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday in a tribute to Swami Vivekananda.



Modis address to students came on the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekanandas historic speech in Chicago and on the 16th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in the US.



Juxtaposing the two 9/11s, Modi said, Before 2001, the world did not know the significance of 9/11. Its our fault that we forgot the significance of our 9/11. Had we remembered it, there would have been no 9/11 in 2001.



Before the 2001 attacks, there was another 9/11 made famous by a young man from this country, who, wearing saffron robes, entered Chicago. Swami Vivekananda never tired of showcasing India's culture, talents and qualities. He would also never refrain from criticising the shortcomings of this nation, PM Modi said. More than being in search of a guru, Swami Vivekananda was in search of the truth.



Modi said Swami Vivekananda was never afraid to speak his mind and never showed any signs of ghulaami. The PM added that Swami Vivekanandas way of reaching god was not through rituals, but through service to mankind. Pooja path se bhagwan nahi milte, seva karo toh prabhu prapt honge (Youll find god in service, not in rituals).



Hailing the idealism of Swami Vivekananda, Modi said it paved the way for the strong foundation of the Ramakrishna Mission against untouchability. Asking Indias youth to take inspiration from Swami Vivekananda, Modi said the philosophers vision for the young was not to seek employment, but give employment.



The PM used the opportunity to again drive home his vision for a clean India, questioning if Indians who dirty the country have any right to chant Vande Mataram. Do we even have the right to chant Vande Mataram today? I know my question will hurt some people, but how can we chant Vande Mataram while soiling the nation? Those who clean the nation are the real sons and daughters of Bharat Mata.



We have to build shauchalaya (toilet) before devalaya (temples), the Prime Minister said.



PMs speech also lauded the contribution of Bengal in shaping Indias global image. After Rabindranath Tagore was given the Nobel Prize for Literature and Swami Vivekananda was known across the world for his Chicago speech, India gained a significant place in the world map. It is a matter of pride that both these individuals hail from Bengal.



However, it is Bengal that PM Modis speech created a controversy with the Mamata Banerjee government flaying an order by the University Grants Commission to stream the address live in schools and colleges.
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Centre and the CBI on a plea filed by the father of the murdered Ryan International School student. The top court says it will look into the safety of students in schools across India. Meanwhile, owners of Ryan International School in Gurugram have moved the Bombay High Court for anticipatory bail ahead of CEO Ryan Pintos questioning in connection with the case.

Stay tuned for live updates:

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here.
Addressing students at an event to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekanandas Chicago speech, PM Narendra Modi asks whether Indians today have the right to chant Vande Mataram. How can we soil our country and then chant Vande Mataram, he asks.

Stay tuned for live updates:

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here.
New Delhi: Nudged by the Supreme Court, the government has agreed to look into the sudden jump in the assets of some netas after their election to legislative assemblies and parliament.



The government gave the assurance during a hearing before an SC bench hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by NGO Lol Prahari.



Responding to the issues raised before the court, the Income Tax department has found merit in the argument that the assets of some lawmakers after elections had indeed shown a sudden spike.



The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) told the Supreme Court that seven MPs and 98 MLAs were being looked into for increases in their assets. The board also said that the Income Tax department has found prima facie evidence of the same against the MPs, MLAs.



While stating that a preliminary assessment of another 42 MLAs is underway, the CBDT said it will provide the names of these ministers to the SC in a sealed cover.



Earlier, an SC bench led by Justice J Chelameswar questioned the intention of the Centre and asked whether any investigation has ever been conducted into discrepancies of assets disclosed by the leaders in their polls affidavits and what they show in their income tax returns.



It wondered why the government, on one hand, talked about electoral reforms but on the other, it couldnt furnish any date.



Is this the attitude of the government of India? What have you done till now? the bench questioned Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha.



The SC was hearing the PIL, which has raised issues of a sudden rise in assets of politicians after they win elections. It has demanded that sources of income of not just the candidate but also of their spouse and children should be made public.



Responding to the PIL, the Election Commission has lamented the increasing role of money power in polls, as it sought an SC order to make it imperative for candidates to also disclose sources of their income and the income of their spouses and dependant children in their affidavits.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed a students' convention to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address. At the convention, the theme of which was Young India, New India', the PM paid tributes to Swami Vivekananda, saying 9/11 was earlier known for his historic speech in Chicago in 1893, before it came to be associated with the World Trade Center attacks in 2001.



Pitching for a clean India, the Prime Minister also questioned how Indians who litter the country could have the right to chant Vande Mataram.



Heres a look at the Prime Ministers top quotes at the convention:



ON SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

Before the 2001 terror attacks, there was another 9/11, made famous by a young man from this nation, wearing saffron robes entered Chicago. Wherever Swami Vivekananda got an opportunity to speak across the world, he would never be tired of showcasing India's culture, talents and qualities. He would also never refrain from criticising the shortcomings of the nation. Vivekananda would also stop people from indulging in superstitions and narrow-minded ideas and ask people to explore new things and ask people to serve the nation and those in need. More than being in search of a Guru, Swami Vivekananda was in search of the truth.



ON VANDE MATARAM

Do we have the right to chant Vande Mataram? I know this question would hurt many people. But how can we chant Vande Mataram when we dirty the country? Those who dirty their houses, their nation, should they also chant Vande Mataram? Those who clean the nation are the real sons and daughters of Bharat Mata.



ON SWACHH BHARAT

Our first job is to build shauchalaya (toilets), devalaya (temples) come later. In University elections, candidates should also promise a clean campus



ON ONE ASIA

Swami Vivekananda had given the concept of 'One Asia.' He said that the solutions to the world's problems will come from Asia.



ON UNITY IN DIVERSITY

Universities these days celebrate many days, like Rose Day etc. I have no problems with that. But how about a college in Harayana celebrating Tamil Day, when students eat Tamil Nadus food, dress like Tamils and sing their songs? That is true unity in diversity.
The general perception is that the India-Russia strategic partnership, which once was truly and effectively higher than the mountains, deeper than oceans and sweeter than honey, has of late withered away. But think again, folks.



For example, it may be lesser known but a fact that India invested US$ 5.5 billion in the oil sector in Russia and the largest Russian investment in India is US$ 12.9 billion which can be termed as India's largest FDI till date which was concluded last month between oil giants Rosneft and Essar. This conveys how the age-old Indo-Russian partnership has not only rebounded but is also poised for giant leaps.



This relationship not only has been rebooted but is now going from strength to strength. It's an open secret how Russia played a stellar role in mediating between India and China over the Doklam standoff, amicably resolved between the two Asian giants on August 28  well, at least for the time being.



But Russia's good offices to India can neither be confined to India-China power play nor be confined to the India-China matrix. Because, Russia has shown willingness and taken several concrete steps since then to demonstrate that all is well once again between India and Russia and the two nations are now cooperating to put China in place in various ways! Confused? Then read on.



One of the biggest strategic calls that Russia has taken is to throw open its resource-rich Far East to India for trade and investment with an eye to counterbalance China's mega influence in this region.



Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj last week paid an official visit to the Port City of Vladivostok in the Russian Far East and participated in a meeting of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), which has recently emerged as the biggest international platform for cooperation among business leaders and senior government representatives from Russia, the Pacific Region and the ten-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The visit was significant and loaded with strategic agenda as it was a rare foreign visit by the minister who doesnt travel abroad frequently despite her portfolio after her kidney surgery earlier this year. Obviously, her rendezvous with her Russian interlocutors was important because of some unpublicized agenda. What was that? Here are the answers.



First of all, let it be known upfront for the uninitiated that Russia is unnerved by the rapid strides made by China in the Russian Far East much before President Vladimir Putin threw open the far-flung region for foreign investments in 2014. The Chinese entered the Russian Far East in hordes for many years so much so that they have already altered the region's demography and the region looks more like a Chinese land, rather than the Russian territory. Now Putin wants to correct this and is relying on friends like India to counter the Chinese influence in the region. His idea of course correction: not to keep all your eggs in one basket (read China). Putin is convinced that the Indians will be more acceptable to the local population than the Chinese and will be looked upon as more "benign" than the Chinese.



Russia is a great friend of China and in many ways a strategic ally  but only on paper. Actually Russia looks at China with suspicion and more as a rival. And in regions like the Russian Far East and the CIS countries (where the Chinese have already made deep inroads at the expense of Russia) Moscow looks at Beijing more as a Frenemy. Thats why the Russian open-door policy to India in its Far East.



Swaraj's Vladivostok visit is a demonstrator of the Indo-Russian strategic partnership which is getting back on track and is going from strength to strength. It also conveys the growing Indian interest in the Russian Far East for the emerging opportunities there. She laid down the key role the Russian Far East is likely to play in the coming years in realizing the Indo-Russian joint vision of achieving a bilateral trade of $30 billion by 2025. This is what she said: "I would like to reiterate our invitation to regions and businesspersons of the Far East to visit India...Greater trade, commerce, and investment with the Far East will help us in achieving the target of 30 billion US dollars that we have set for our bilateral trade by the year 2025.



During her Vladivostok visit, Swaraj participated in the opening ceremony of the EEF on September 6 and held bilateral meetings with Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Governors of some of the Far Eastern Regions. Swaraj is the third high-profile Indian leader to visit Russia this year. Earlier in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited St. Petersburg, followed by Defence and Finance Minister Arun Jaitleys visit. The high-level Indian participation in the Vladivostok Forum follows the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Guest of Honour at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June 2017.



Russian Far East is the new area of cooperation in Indo-Russian strategic partnership at Russia's own initiative to counter China's influence in the region which has already become phenomenal. Here, in this particular context, Russia trusts India more than China. Russia is apprehensive of China resorting to "salami slicing" tactics to nibble into its territory, a remark made by Indian army chief Gen Bipin Rawat in a different context which riled China no end. If India makes a success of its mission in the Russian Far East then Russia can replicate this model in Central Asia and facilitate greater presence of India in all spheres in this region where again Russia is leery of Chinese forays.



(Rajeev Sharma is a strategic analyst and columnist who tweets @Kishkindha)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a students' convention on Monday to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address and BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary celebrations. The theme of the convention is 'Young India, New India'.



"Tomorrow I look forward to addressing a gathering of students on the theme of Young India, New India'," Modi tweeted.



The convention of students is being held on a day Vivekananda delivered his historic address at Chicago in 1893, he noted.



"This year, we are marking 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekanandas Chicago address and Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya centenary celebrations," the prime minister said in another tweet.



He said Vivekananda strongly believed in the power of "Yuva Shakti' (youth power) and saw a vital place for youngsters in the realm of nation-building.



"Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, we are working tirelessly towards realising the dreams and aspirations of our youth," the prime minister said.
Srinagar: Addressing the media in Srinagar, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that anxiety in Kashmir over the revocation of Article 35-A is misplaced but the Centre has no such plans.



At the end of his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the home minister said, "I think no real issues are left and therefore a non-issue, like the revocation of Article 35-A, is being made into an issue."



Both the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had raised the issue of Article 35-A in their meeting with the home minister on Sunday. Former chief minister Omar Abdullah had told Singh that Center's ambiguity in defending Kashmir's special status with respect to Article 35-A is further alienating Kashmiris. But Rajnath Singh assured that private individuals filed a petition in the Supreme Court and the Center was not involved in it.



"Government of India will not do anything which is against the sentiments of Kashmiris," he said when asked if his government and his party are misleading people on the issue. However, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's absence in the press conference, where Rajnath Singh gave this assurance, raised questions.



On the ground, doubts over the home minister's assurance remained. Basheer Ahmed, a taxi driver by profession, told CNN-News 18, "Last time the home minister came here and he said pellet guns will not be used but the security forces are still using them. Now, he says Article 35-A will not be touched, who knows?"



Ahmed Dar, a trader, echoed his sentiments. He said, "You don't use pellets in Haryana when they burn buses. You say Kashmir is a part of India but use different yardsticks for Kashmiris."



The home minister said that he will not allow this 'crisis of credibility' to linger. "We won't allow crisis of credibility because the biggest problem is difference in words and deeds of political leaders," he said. On the specific issue of pellet guns, the home minister tried to justify the continued use of the controversial crowd control measures by pointing out that alternatives like PAVA shells are being used more now. "PAVA was introduced as an alternative to pellet guns but it was not that effective. Still, I have asked security personnel to use pellet guns as less as possible," Singh said.



As a confidence building measures, the home minister announced that henceforth minors who are arrested for stone pelting will be charged under juvenile justice act and not sent to jail. "Minors, even if stone pelters should not be treated as criminals, they should be treated as juvenile. I have requested the CM to look into the issue and ensure that they are not sent to jails but counselled," he added.



The union minister also announced that Centre will undertake a special drive to bring back tourists to Kashmir. "I will personally appeal to Indians and foreigners to come to Kashmir for tourism, for business. A wrong message has gone but Kashmiris are waiting to welcome you," he assured.



Rajnath Singh met 55 delegations during his 3 day visit to Jammu and Kashmir and according to him situation in the border state was improving. The shoots of peace are still springing in Kashmir, Singh said before leaving for Jammu to address the concerns of the people there.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court, in response to a petition, has sent a notice to the Election Commission seeking its view on the disqualification of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.



The Supreme Court on Monday was hearing a petition that sought the disqualification of CM Nitish Kumar, alleging that the JD(U) chief did not disclose in his election affidavits, an FIR against him in a murder case.



The bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra took up the criminal writ petition filed by Delhi lawyer ML Sharma, who had demanded that the Bihar CM be disqualified as a legislator for allegedly hiding his criminal records during the elections between 2004 and 2012.



The petitioner had also claimed that the JD(U) chief had never opted for bail in the non-bailable offence since 1991, thanks to his constitutional power and succeeded in getting the police to file a closure report after 17 years.



Demanding that the investigation against the CM be conducted afresh, the petition has also asked for a generic declaration by the Supreme Court that no person having FIR and criminal cases against him can be appointed to any constitutional office.



In July, after Nitish Kumar broke away from his grand alliance partner and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, the latter had contended that Nitish did so fearing exposure in the murder case.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a petition which seeks the disqualification of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, alleging that the JD(U) chief did not disclose in election affidavits an FIR against him in a murder case.



A bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra will take up the criminal writ petition filed by Delhi lawyer ML Sharma, who has demanded that the Bihar CM be disqualified as a legislator for allegedly hiding his criminal records while filing election affidavits between 2004 and 2012.



It further claimed that Nitish never opted for bail in the non-bailable offence since 1991 due to his constitutional office power and succeeded in getting the police to file a closure report after 17 years.



Demanding that the investigation against the CM be conducted afresh, the petition has also asked for a generic declaration by the apex court that no person having FIR and criminal cases against him can be appointed to any constitutional office.



In July, after Nitish Kumar broke away from his grand alliance partner and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, the latter had contended that Nitish did so fearing exposure in the murder case.



Lalu has also targeted his erstwhile alliance partner on the Srijan scam case. On Sunday, the RJD chief said the Nitish Kumar government must spell out details of every penny "embezzled" by a Bhagalpur-based NGO. "Nitish government will have to give details of every penny that was embezzled by Srijan in the state's maha ghotala (mega scam)," he said.



Lalu also wondered why FIRs were not registered against Nitish Kumar, Sushil Kumar Modi, Ashwini Choubey (Union minister) and others in the scam.



Mounting a scathing attack on the Chief Minister, the RJD supremo said Nitish Kumar was not only a "Paltu Ram" (one who switches sides), but a greedy person who wants to remain in power till his death.



"...I knew about his (Nitish's) character... He (Nitish) would not have become CM had I nursed 'putra-moh' despite having larger number of MLAs than that of JD(U)," he said.



(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday fixed on September 18 the appeal of the CBI challenging the Madras High Court order staying government's look out circular against Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram, in a graft case.



The FIR lodged by the CBI on May 15 had alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father was the Finance Minister.



A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, meanwhile, said that its direction staying the Madras High Court order on look out circular will remain in force in the meantime and as a result, Karti will not be able to leave India.



Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Karti, alleged that all baseless allegations have been levelled against Karti and challenged the probe agency to being out the details of any property which the Chidambarams cannot account for.



Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, vehemently countered the submission and said that the probe was at a very crucial stage and substantial information have been given to the court in a sealed cover.



The bench then fixed the matter for final disposal next Monday.



On September 1, the CBI had told the apex court that there were "good, cogent" reasons for issuing look out circular against Karti.



On August 18, the court had asked Karti to appear before the investigating officer at the CBI headquarters here for questioning in the case.



The bench had given the probe agency the liberty to question Karti as many times it wanted.



Prior to this, the apex court had said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the case. The court had then stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the LOC issued by the Centre against Karti.



The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious".



The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge here and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16.
Looking forward to addressing students @UCBerkeley & interacting w/Indian Overseas Congress members w/@sampitroda during my visit to the US  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) September 10, 2017

Buddhu who is bereft human intelligence was to get artificial intelligence. No so says out-on -Bail Sam. Jindal funded outfit will host him.  Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 10, 2017

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's foreign tours never fail to attract controversies. So, when word came out that he was going to the United States, social media trolls once again targeted him.Surprisingly, many within his party wondered, some even at the timing. "Why again? Why now?" asked a party leader from Gujarat.The Grand Old Party hopes to better its performance in the forthcoming Assembly election in Gujarat. The nail-biting finish in the Rajya Sabha election, giving a crucial seat to Ahmed Patel, has lifted the party spirits in the state.Rahul, initially, was slated to spend at least a week in the state, but left for Norway, and then the United States. BJP president Amit Shah has already kicked off the campaign in Gujarat, while the Congress awaits Rahul's dates.But the underlying factor is that there is more to Rahul Gandhi's visit to the US than what is being talked about in the media. It's been organised by Sam Pitroda, one of the closest advisors to Rahul Gandhi. The Congress vice-president is expected to interact with students and intellectuals from the University of California, Berkeley.He tweeted: "Looking forward to addressing students @UCBerkeley & interacting w/Indian Overseas Congress members w/@sampitroda during my visit to the US."There was a speculation that Rahul was going to deliver a lecture on Artificial Intelligence. Trolls took on Rahul once again.BJP leader Subramanian Swamy made light of this, tweeting, "Buddhu who is bereft human intelligence was to get artificial intelligence. No so says out-on -Bail Sam. Jindal funded outfit will host him."Later, Sam Pitroda clarified that he had seen the "news that Rahul was in the US to give a talk on Artificial Intelligence. This is false information."The real story of this tour lies in its second leg in which Rahul will meet "friends of Congress", perhaps taking a leaf out of the BJP's book and reaching out to people overseas.Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign tours are organised and managed by the BJP's overseas wing. Its activities have contributed significantly to Modi's global image and attracted funding too.The Congress currently faces an acute cash crunch. Sources within the party indicate that corporates don't find the party attractive anymore. "The perception is that the Congress is not coming back to power in 2019. Why waste money on them?" a party leader said.The Congress is fast disappearing from the country's map, too. It holds power in just a handful of states, and contributors such as Karnataka and others face elections themselves.Hence, the party now wants to attract international contributors. Rahul's otherwise innocuous-looking tour is actually a part Congress' outreach which could financially stabilise the party.Besides this, the party now wants to construct Rahul's persona on the same scale as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's global image.His visit to Norway was key in this chain of events he plans to attend. However, he is facing flak from all quarters, including his own party, for the timing of his visit.But Rahul's advisors say that the mantra to success is not to conquer just India but the world. Will Rahul be able to convince the world that he is at par with PM Modi? Very few believe he is.
It was the first global seminar on religion. The 'Parliament of World's Religions' in 1893 was a remarkable event not just for the number and variety of faiths represented for the first time, at one place. While it was known to be the event in which Swami Vivekananda shined, it also saw theologians from Islam, Bahai, Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Brahmo Samaj and several other faiths come together and lay the foundation for an inter-faith exchange of ideas.The conference that was happening in Chicago was also the place where Swami Vivekananda, representing the Hindu religion, made his famous speech of 1893.Clippings from newspaper reports covering the event are a somber reminder of what the world's religious leaders discussed gathered at one place.One of paper cutouts refers to a lawyer from Muzaffargarh in India, called Jinda Ram.One of these clippings write about a message of hope from one 'Miss Sorajbee from Bombay'. A message from a woman praying for a better future for all women in India and America.'Miss Sorajbee' had said, The Christian women from my land... give the women of America our love... tell the women of America that we're fast being educated. We shall one day be able to stand by them and converse with them and be able to delight in all they delight in."One of the clippings about Ms Sorabjee's message from India.Another 'Mr Nagarkar from Bombay', wrote hoping for a possibility of harmony between the East and the West, "a wedding between the Orient and the Occident."A clipping about Mr Nagarkar's message on harmony.H Dharmapala from India, a representative of Buddhism, wished for peace among the various faiths. "Go to Japan and what do you see? The noblest lesson of tolerance and gentleness. Go to Brahma and what do you see? The lesson of tolerance and mildness... the twentieth century will see the pages open up upon a new era of gentleness and kindness."H Dharmapala's peace message in one of the cutouts.And there was also, of course, the famous speech made by our very own Swami Vivekananda. This is how one of the newspapers reported it:'The bell that tolled this morning in honour of the representatives of the different religions of the earth, in this parliament assembled, is the death-knell to all fanaticism [applause], that it is the death-knell to all persecution with the sword or the pen, and to all uncharitable feelings between brethren wending their way to the same goal, but through different ways. [Applause].'A newspaper mention of Swami Vivekananda's speech at the Chicago conference.
One of the significant announcements expected during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes upcoming visit to India is said to be around the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, an ambitious project of connectivity and growth engines between Asia and Africa in which both Japan and India will be important stakeholders.



The Japanese Prime Minister is expected to commit up to USD 200 million on the AAGC. Already analysts are comparing the growth corridor to Chinas ambitious One Belt One Road.



To be sure, the numbers are not exactly comparable. While Abe is expected to lighten Japans purse strings by 200 million, the OBOR as a project envisages 5 trillion dollar worth of projects.



The formal announcement of the Asia Africa Growth Corridor was made by Prime Minister Modi back in May in Gandhinagar at a meeting of the African Development Bank. It would be in that same city that both Modi and Abe will signal their intent to etch their cooperation in Africa.



India and Japan began a conversation on Africa in 2010, a continent where both countries have had huge stakes in recent years.



India has for long been an investor in Africa. India-Africa bilateral trade stands at about 60 billion dollars annually. Compare that to China-Africa trade which stands at a staggering 190 billion USD. China is Africas largest trading partner, and by a mile.



Agriculture, health, technology, and disaster management are the main areas of identified in the vision document of the AAGC.



The AAGC is an attempt to create a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The stated objective is to rediscover ancient sea-routes and creating new sea corridors that will link the African continent with India and countries in South & South-East Asia.



The OBOR also hopes to precisely do this by reviving the ancient Silk Route. At some point these cleavages between both projects are expected to become fault lines.



The significant difference between OBOR and AAGC is on consultation of all stake holders involved. One of the reasons cited by India when it pulled out of the BRI forum in Beijing in May was the fact that it was not consulted by China for OBOR.



India is keen not to repeat that same mistake. Which is why India is stressing on strong local ownership by many African countries of projects under the corridor.
Mother of three and grandmother of 10, the silver-haired siren with luminous skin, who frequently breaks into laughter, is walking tall alongside a bevy of younger models at New York Fashion Week.If it helps being the mother of the most lauded inventor-entrepreneur of his generation, valued by Forbes at $20 billion, then so does social media and the industry's gradual embrace of more diverse models. She is determined to make the most of her moment in the sun. "Forever -- until they stop calling!" she smiles when asked how long she plans to keep working, her 70th birthday looming next year. Her's has been an extraordinary life. Musk has modeled since the age of 15 in South Africa where she migrated with her Canadian parents as a child. For decades she has worked as a nutritionist.Credit: @ Maye Musk She married engineer Errol Musk and the couple had three children. Elon, 46, is the eldest, but all are remarkable. Kimball, 44, has founded a chain of farm-to-table restaurants and daughter Tosca, 43, is a filmmaker. She and her husband separated after nine years of marriage, and the period that followed was not always easy. After some years, she left South Africa and returned to Canada when Elon went there to study. She likes to recall the time she had "three teenagers in a rent-controlled apartment in Toronto," but today she lives in California close to her children and grandchildren."I would color my own hair... and you don't even think of getting out for drinks or dinner with people because you can't afford it," she tells AFP. But she always worked, she says proudly.Credit: @ Maye Musk She's appeared on billboards in Times Square in commercials for Virgin America and Target. "Nobody knew it was me because I did not have a name out," she says. Her name. The one she shares with Elon. So did being the mother of the CEO of Tesla help her career take off?She signed recently with IMG -- one of the most prestigious modeling agencies in the world -- has chalked up magazine appearances and been cultivated by brands known to favor celebrities, like rag and bone.Credit: @ Maye Musk Kyeong Ji, who organized a runway show of young Korean designers in which Musk starred Friday, says "of course it is helpful," but neither is it the only reason she was booked. "Her beauty is different, very strong and noble. She has such an ostentatious smile, gracious, strong and a transcending beauty and intelligence... she has every single thing!" Ji said.Musk has developed something of a following in South Korea since she graced the cover of Vogue Korea. When it comes to her eldest son, she doesn't want to talk but she does confirm with a smile, that she drives a Tesla. And she does recognize that social media, to which she contributes daily on Instagram, "helps a lot" and that clients like booking a model "who has a reputation and is well known."Credit: @ Maye Musk For more than 50 years, she says work has been steady. As she neared 60, she decided to leave her hair natural. "I just was tired of coloring," she explains. When it comes to her recent success, other factors, she says are an ageing population and the fact that there is "not much competition" when it comes to models hovering around the septuagenarian stage."I appreciate every last bit," she says. "All the people really love us," she says, of how older models are received on the runway. "I think designers are figuring that out... They just want to show there is diversity and that they appreciate older women and why not? Everybody has a mother and a grandmother."
New York Fashion Week, which kicks off the spring/summer 2018 season before the global bandwagon decamps to London, Paris and Milan, comes with designers desperately looking to create the biggest buzz. Wang, the US wunderkid and ex-creative director of Balenciaga known as a party animal, opted for Bushwick, the traditionally working-class, Latino neighborhood now known among urban millennials for boho affordability in a financially exorbitant New York.



Cindy Crawford's 16-year-old daughter Kaia Gerber, making her fashion week debut this season, opened the show, treading effortlessly off a luxury #WangFest bus in stilettos and a little white dress. She was joined by the most headline grabbing models of the moment: Kendall Jenner, half sister of Kim Kardashian and this week honored as fashion icon of the decade at the tender age of 21, and Bella Hadid.



Die-hard fans stood behind metal barriers shrieking when they saw their idols or Wang running along, hair flying. Some looked bemused.



His website broadcast footage from inside the buses of the models riding around New York, before finally reaching Bushwick. Wang, the superstar who defines downtown cool, stuck to his playbook of black, beige and white. It was his second consecutive show off the beaten track, last season dragging fashionistas to gentrifying Harlem.



A hundred wristbands for the show were distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis at his boutique in SoHo on Saturday morning. It came as he launched a Swarovski crystal clutch, fashioned to look like a roll of $100 bills with an elastic band down the middle, designed in collaboration with bag designer Judith Leiber.



Bondage bling



Across town, within sight of the Empire State Building and down the road from homeless people, Philipp Plein threw the most extravagant of parties, laying on an orgasmic display of flesh and titillation.



Burlesque artist Dita Von Teese opened the night with a striptease, shedding her stilettos, sequined evening dress and corset down to just a thong, nipple clamps and sequined garters. She then writhed and splashed inside a giant martini glass, sponging herself down, sloshing water everywhere, kicking her long, lean legs into the air before winking with a little toss of the head. The clothes, overshadowed by a live performance from rapper Future, cloaked in a giant gold puffa coat, seemed an afterthought. The first model appeared only at 10:30 pm -- 90 minutes behind schedule.



Entitled "Good Gone Bad" they wore oversized Heidi-style plaits, which they switched and flicked like whips, striding out in bondage-style harness dresses, leather dog collars and flashing bare buttocks.



Actress Teyana Taylor, modeling the skimpiest of black lace body suits, writhing on the floor. Other women wore daisy-style pacifiers. Male models went topless. In the middle of the stage back-up dancers writhed and prostrated themselves on giant scaffolding. Before the show hundreds of guests endured scenes of chaos outside, pushing and shoving their way to the front of slow-moving queues in a haze of expensive perfume, cigarette smoke and simmering frustration.



"I have to apologize," Plein told those who made it through. "It became a monster, hard to control," he said of his ultra-expensive, international luxe take on hip-hop wear and street clothes, much of it monogrammed with his name.



The German-born, Swiss-based designer then invited everyone at the Hammerstein ballroom, a former opera house to the after party, where Minaj -- seated in the front row -- was expected to perform. "We like just the right amount of wrong," he told the New York Post. "Just because fashion is a big business doesn't mean that it has to be stiff and serious."
New York, Vancouver and Sydney have been named the most walkable cities in their respective countries, according to a new ranking that highlights the most pedestrian-friendly cities in the US, Canada and Australia.



For the listing, Walk Score looks at population density and road metrics such as block length and intersection density.



They then analzyed hundreds of walking routes to nearby amenities. Points are awarded based on the distance to amenities, with anything within a five-minute walk awarded maximum points.



Anything out of a 30-minute range nets zero points.



"We believe that walkable neighborhoods with access to public transit, better commutes, and proximity to the people and places you love are the key to a happier, healthier and more sustainable lifestyle," says Walk Score.



With a score of 89 -- which denotes a "very walkable" city, where most errands can be accomplished on foot -- New York takes the title of America's most pedestrian-friendly city, thanks to neighborhoods like Union Square, the Bowery and NoLita.



The Big Apple falls one point shy of the top tier in the ranking: Cities that score 90-100 are deemed a "walker's paradise," where residents can accomplish daily errands without the use of a car.



The city is also the top performer of all three countries.



After New York, San Francisco and Boston round out the podium.



In Canada, Vancouver outranks Toronto to take the top spot as the country's most walkable city, with a score of 78 thanks to top neighborhoods like the downtown core, West End and Strathcona.



Toronto edged out Montreal with just one point (71 versus 70 respectively).



The most pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods in Canada's biggest city include the Bay Street corridor, Church-Yonge Street corridor and Kensington-Chinatown.



While Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide were named the country's most walkable cities, their scores are significantly lower than their American and Canadian counterparts, falling in the "somewhat walkable" category, with marks ranging between 54 to 63.



Here are the most walkable cities in the US:



USA



1. New York

2. San Francisco

3. Boston

4. Miami

5. Philadelphia



Canada



1. Vancouver

2. Toronto

3. Montreal

4. Mississauga

5. Ottawa



Australia



1. Sydney

2. Melbourne

3. Adelaide

4. Brisbane

5. Perth


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will break ground on India's first bullet train project on Thursday in western Gujarat state, as the country seeks faster travel for millions.



Modi has pledged to invest billions of dollars to modernise India's creaking railway system, with the bullet train one of his key election promises ahead of his landslide victory in 2014.



The leaders will lay the foundation stone of the high-speed rail network between Ahmedabad -- the capital city of Modi's home state -- and India's financial hub of Mumbai on September 14, a statement by the Gujarat government said Saturday.



Japan is a pioneer in high-speed rail networks, and its Shinkansen bullet train is among the fastest in the world.

Japan will provide 85 percent of the total project cost of $19 billion in soft loans.



The train will reduce the travel time between the two cities from eight to three-3.5 hours, and is expected to complete by December 2023. It will have a capacity of 750 passengers.



India's traditional railway network is the world's fourth largest by distance and remains the vast country's main form of travel, with 22 million passengers commuting daily.



But passengers have to often endure chronic delays in journeys on the British-era network, where only a few trains hit 100 miles per hour, and which has been hit by series of deadly crashes in past years.



Modi recently replaced his railway minister after a series of derailments, including one last month which killed at least 23 passengers in the northern Uttar Pradesh state.



In November, 146 people died in a similar disaster in Uttar Pradesh.



Abe's two-day visit to Ahmedabad comes ahead of Modi's 67th birthday on Sunday. Modi has a history of 'birthday diplomacy' in his home state, hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Gujarat on his birthday in 2014.



The two leaders are expected to sign several agreements during the visit and inaugurate a Japanese industrial park in the state that already hosts Honda and Suzuki auto plants.
If you are looking for an escape from the cacophony of maddening city life, head to this tiny village located in the lap of Banjar Valley in Kullu district. Pristine and undisturbed, serenity and calmness linger in the air of Jibhi, a lesser known destination in Himachal Pradesh.



Ever wondered how serene and soothing mornings can be? Imagine waking up to a misty morning and watching a bunch of clouds trapped between high and erect mountain ranges with sudden drizzles! There can certainly be no better way to start a day in this tiny Himalayan hamlet.



This village is not exactly a tourist destination, which is perhaps the best aspect about this place that may appeal to travellers. What this village offers is peace -- no sign of commercialisation -- it has ability to propel the raw appeal of nature's beauty and will never fail to offer the solace you are probably seeking. The virgin village, which stands an hour away from the Great Himalayan National Park, is an abode of mother nature's blessings, a sheer token of beauty, that will hypnotize the very moment you touch down the valley.



Just walk down a few extra miles along the curvy roads where maple leaves pave a carpet and sudden showers frequently lash down. Surrounded by hills on all sides, the tall deodar and pine trees towering on the hills dwarf the tiny surrounding huts. As I proceeded along the path -- full of promise and excitement -- there was a symphonic harmony in the silence that the valley offered. The constant crackling sound as the Beas river rushes along, as also the rapturous call of the cuckoos and sweet melodies of other little birds, left me enchanted.



As the sun settles down behind the hills and the tops blush in a reddish hue, warm yourself over a cup of tea or set up bonfire. With the night's arrival, the entire valley adorns a different look, especially if it's full moon time. There is nothing more blissful than watching it shine bright, casting a shimmery silver shadow over the hillsides.



Praising Jibhi only for its scenic charm will be injustice as the place has more in store for travellers. Take a day and trek to the Jalori Pass. And a slightly tedious trek of around five-six kilometres will take you to the Serolsar Lake. What will also enchant you is the walk amidst the path wrapped in a thick blanket of mist and fog while the pine and deodar trees rustle with the passage of chilly winds through them.



Himachal Pradesh is also home to rich architectural structures, most of which usually go unnoticed. The peculiar identity of Himachali monuments lies in their unique craft and woodworks. Go for a stroll across the Chaini village, some four kilometres from Jibhi, and you will encounter a slightly tilted Chaini tower. Opposite to it stands a Krishna temple which has been converted from an almost ruined Chaini Fort.



Trout fishing is another attraction for the travellers over here. Although you need permission, the guest-house authorities will easily be able to help you in procuring it. One can also get the permit from the Fisheries Office near Banjar.



Accommodation in the village is pretty affordable; from luxurious cottages to cheap homestays, there are a lot options for travellers. You can even set up your tent (you'll have to take your own) near the river bank.



However, don't hope for a good restaurant. If one is looking for fancy meals then Jibhi is perhaps not the place to be. JD's Cafe in upper Jibhi and Dolli's Guest House in lower Jibhi are some exceptions that serve delicacies to the visitors.



Extremely stiff and too many sharp turns make the road from Aut quite an adventurous ride. Although the road is smooth, it is advised to have an experienced local driver at the wheel.



FAQs:



Reaching there: Take the Mandi-Manali route and divert from Aut. If travelling by bus, take any which is till Kullu or Manali and get down at Aut, and take another bus till Jibhi.



Time taken: From Delhi, it takes around 14 hours.



Best time to visit: Avoid winter as road remains mostly closed owing to snowfall. Summer is pleasant otherwise and the monsoon keeps the place cool.
Chennai: South superstar Kamal Haasan today condemned the killing of senior journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, saying violence is the "worst way to win a debate".



The 62-year-old actor, who has been vocal about his views on the current political and social scenario, took to Twitter to express his condolences.



"Silencing a voice with a gun is the worst way to win a debate. Condolence to all those who are grieving Gauri Lankesh's demise," Haasan tweeted.



The Kannada journalist-activist, known for her left-leaning outlook and forthright views on Hindutva politics, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at her residence on Tuesday night.



Lankesh, 55, had returned home in her car and was opening the gate when motorcycle-borne assailants fired at her indiscriminately, with two bullets hitting her in the chest and one on her forehead, police officials said. She died instantaneously.


New Delhi: The murder of a Class 2 student at Ryan International School in Gurugram has sent shockwaves across the country. The case must have forced every parent to evaluate whether their childs school is capable of keeping their little ones safe till the time they reach home.



In a power-packed Facebook post, actor Renuka Shahane asks this question of each of us. In the emotional post, the actor also questioned the capability of the international schools that charge exorbitant fees to protect the children who walk through its gates.



How do we make things safe for our kids? Parents drop their kids to school with the trust that our kids will be safe, protected within these walls of learning. But incident after incident points to laxity about the security of our kids despite the high fees in many "International" schools, Shanane writes in the post.



Shahane also does not shy away from holding accountable the school in question. Heres what she says:



In the case of the Gurugram murder there were so many breaches of security.

1) That the bus conductor or driver were allowed to use the same washroom as the kids.

2) The accused was allowed to carry a knife inside the school.

3) There was no female attendant from the school outside the washroom.

4) When the child screamed there was no one to help immediately.

5) The school management tried to cover up the crime

6) There was a huge breach in the school wall; no doubt a huge risk to the security of the school







On Monday, two senior officials of the Ryan International School management were arrested, taking the total number of arrests in the case to three. A bus conductor had been arrested earlier and the police had claimed that he confessed to slitting the boys throat after a failed sexual assault bid. The victims family and parents of other students, however, have alleged a bigger conspiracy and demanded a CBI investigation.



The Ryan International School has said its management is "cooperating to our fullest" with the police investigations and hoped that the guilty would be given the severest punishment as per the law.



In a statement, Ryan Pinto, CEO of Ryan International Schools Group, said the school should not be held "culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances."



A police of the Gurugram Police was also headed to Mumbai to question Pinto in connection with the case.


Mumbai: Actress Sonakshi Sinha has praised fellow actress Priyanka Chopra, terming her a woman of substance.



Priyanka, the goodwill ambassador for Unicef, is currently in Jordan to help children uprooted by the civil war in Syria.



A large number of Syrians died or were forced to leave their homes due to the conflict. Since then, a number of Syrians have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Jordan.



Sonakshi, 30, on Monday took to Twitter to laud Priyanka's work with Unicef.



"What Priyanka Chopra is doing right now with Unicef is what we must all aspire to do in life - make a difference. Woman of substance," Sonakshi tweeted.



Priyanka also shared a series of photographs of herself, where she is seen spending time with the families of the affected.



On the acting front, Sonakshi will next be seen in "Ittefaq", directed by Abhay Chopra. The film is an adaptation of the similarly titled 1969 film.




Bhubaneswar: The flyover collapse issue on Monday rocked the Odisha Assembly, with Opposition Congress and the BJP demanding Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's resignation and the House adjourned twice till the post-lunch session.



As soon as the House assembled for the day, Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat asked the chief minister to give a statement on on Sunday's flyover collapse incident, in which one person died and 11 other were injured in the state capital.



When Patnaik was reading out the statement, Congress and BJP legislators rushed to the Well of the House, demanding his resignation, as he also holds the Works Department.



Unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings, first till 11.36 am and later till 3 pm.



Patnaik, however, completed the statement, while the Opposition members were demanding his resignation.



He said, a case has been registered under Sections 304, 337, 338 and 34 of IPC against Panda Infra Project (India) Pvt Ltd, Bansidhar Praharaj, deputy executive engineer and Kishore Kumar Rout, assistant engineer.



Both Praharaj and Rout have been placed under suspension, Patnaik said.



Executive engineer Dukhabandhu Behera has also been suspended for prima facie lapses. The case is under investigation, Patnaik informed the House.



He said that a high-level enquiry by a committee comprising the Chief Engineer, Designs and Chief Engineer, Roads has been ordered.



The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week.



"My government will ensure that stringent and exemplary action is taken against all persons responsible for the tragic incident," the chief minister said, adding, that prompt actions were taken immediately after the flyover collapse.



The Opposition members were, however, unhappy with his statement and demanded Patnaik's resignation.



Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress and party legislators had moved separate notices to the Speaker for immediate discussion on the matter and suspending the Question Hour.



However, the Speaker allowed the Question Hour, leading to vociferous protests from the Opposition.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the answer to a book or article can only be another book or article. But we no longer live in Vajpayee's India  Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) September 11, 2017

In India today, independent writers and journalists are harassed, persecuted, and even killed. But we shall not be silenced.  Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) September 11, 2017

: The Karnataka unit of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday sent a legal notice to eminent historian Ramachandra Guha for linking RSS with the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh.BJP has demanded Guha issue an unconditional apology in the next three days, and also refrain from making such comments.If Ramachandra Guha does not apologise, our party will initiate a legal process and take this to the court. Not just Guha, we are observing everyone who makes such comments, and notices will be issued to them, too, said Karnataka BJP spokesperson Ashwath Narayana.Reacting to the BJP-issued notice, Guha wrote on Twitter: "Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the answer to a book or article can only be another book or article. But we no longer live in Vajpayee's India."In another tweet, Guha said that in India today, independent writers and journalists are "harassed, persecuted, and even killed. But we shall not be silenced".Guha had, in the aftermath of Lankesh's murder, said: "It was likely that Gauri's murderers came from the same Sangh Parivar from which the murderers of [Govind] Pansare, [Narendra] Dabholkar and [MM] Kalburgi came.""The ruling dispensation in Delhi has created a climate of hate and intolerance," he said.Guha has been an ardent critic of the BJP and Modi government. He had also claimed in the past that he was receiving identical threat emails warning him not to castigate the Modi government.The Karnataka BJP chief, B S Yeddyurappa had, earlier in the day, asked Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to furnish evidence backing his allegations that RSS was behind the killing of Gauri Lankesh.B S Yeddyurappa said, If Rahul Gandhi has any proof to prove his allegations, he should furnish it.Gauri Lankesh's murder sparked off a big political controversy with both - BJP and Congress - trading barbs. The 55-year-old journalist was murdered by unknown assailants who pumped four bullets into her body outside her home in Bengaluru.
Chennai: The TTV Dinakaran camp in the AIAMDK was hoping that the General Council meet scheduled on September 12 would not happen, but the faction suffered a setback when the Madras High Court dismissed its plea and gave a go ahead to the meeting.



The High Court told the Dinakaran camp to approach the Election Commission and asked it not to waste the judiciarys time. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on MLA Vetrivel and asked him stay home if he didnt wish to attend the meet.



Sasikala loyalist and MLA Vetrivel had on Friday moved the Madras High Court seeking a stay on the General Council meet. In his petition, Vetrivel stated that the meeting cannot be convened in the absence of Sasikala who remains the 'interim' General Secretary of the party. TTV Dinakaran had already said legal action will be taken against those who convene the meeting and stringent against those who participate in the General Council meet.



All eyes are now on the General Council meeting which is expected to oust Sasikala and her family from the party. A source who will attend the meeting on Tuesday told News18 that Sasikala may not directly be ousted from the party as a petition against her post is before the Election Commission and the matter is sub-judice. The source also confirmed that if Sasikala is removed from the party, the government is all probability may dissolve as the merged faction still lacks majority.



The opposition DMK has demanded a floor test for the merged faction to prove its majority.



In the meantime, Sasikala's husband Natarajan is critical and admitted to a hospital in Chennai after suffering multiple organ failure. The hospital statement said: "He is admitted at the Liver Intensive Care Unit with decompensated liver disease leading to liver and kidney failure and lung congestion. He is receiving dialysis and other intensive care therapies," the hospital statement said. It remains to be seen if VK Sasikala will apply for parole.



As of now, uncertainty continues in the state and the Governor is in no hurry to call for a floor test. Tuesdays General Council meeting will give an indication on whether the government will continue or dissolve.
Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have declared a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption, but BJP leader and Uttar Pradeshs deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya has an outlook more in line with that of his predecessor and Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav.



At a function in Lucknow to felicitate meritorious students, Mauryas advice for officials sounded a lot like he was saying do take a bribe, but ensure it is not too much.



Kamao lekin dal main namak barabar hona chahiye. Khao jaise dal main namak khaya jata hai (Eat but not more than the salt you would put in your food), he told the officials in attendance.



Whether Maurya quoted a wrong proverb or his message was just lost in translation is up for debate. But to many, it sounded like he was okay with corruption in moderation, leaving the BJP red-faced.



Maurya had started off by giving a stern warning to contractors and officials. He said, Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government will not allow contractors and government officers to get away with the money allocated for development projects. It will not be accepted that money comes in for a road but the road is never built.



But then came the dal mein namak jibe. The remarks also came as a shock to the officers and students attending the function.



Incidentally, Shivpal Yadav also had a similar advice for officials when he was the PWD minister of Uttar Pradesh. You (officials) can steal a little provided you get the work done... but never try to commit robbery, Shivpal had said.



The statement has given the Opposition ammunition to question BJP government's policy of zero-tolerance towards corruption.



Congress UP spokesperson Amarnath Agarwal said the deputy CMs remarks are a reflection of truth. Dil ki baat juban pur aa gayi (He uttered what he actually feels), said Agarwal. There had already been a large scale corruption by the PWD ministry headed by Maurya in the name of patching up potholes, he added.



BJP, however, claimed that Mauryas comment was being read out of context. Mr Maurya made it clear in very strong words that corruption and corrupt both will not be tolerated under BJP rule. The Opposition is trying to create an unneeded controversy, said party spokesperson Dr Chandramohan, adding that people of the state had seen the good work government of the BJP government and would not be swayed by such baseless allegations.
: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is determined to wrest intellectual and cultural space from Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The fight over Vivekananda and Rabindra Nath Tagores legacy has taken centrestage in the political contest between the two parties."We knew TMC will oppose UGC's circular asking the higher-education institutes to broadcast PM Modi's live address on Vivekananda's Chicago address. Therefore, we were prepared to organise the event at multiple locations to make our youth understand Swami Ji's thoughts," Sayantan Basu, BJP Secretary, said.Most of the streets and localities in North and South Kolkata were plastered with posters of the BJP and Swami Vivekananda. The flags fluttered everywhere. On the other hand, the TMC camp remembered Vivekananda through a few tweets, and with floral tributes at party offices, thereby, making it easier for the BJP to seize the celebrations.Add to this the party president, Amit Shah's presence in Kolkata and PM Modi's word of appreciation for Bengalis in his speech, left the TMC wondering they could have also arranged for a similar function. The rather subdued celebrations on TMC's part gave enough space to the BJP to have a field day.Despite Mamata Banerjee's warning to party leaders against talking to media, a leader told News18, "I support governments stand on ignoring UGCs circular. But that does not mean that the government will completely ignore one of the great icons like Swami Vivekananda.The leader opined that the state government could have observed the occasion even without telecasting PM's speech, and kept the sentiments of Bengalis in mind. "Now, you can see that Amit Shah and PM Modi stole the show. The party should think of every move very minutely before taking a stand on any issue."Despite a ban on the telecast of PM Modi's speech, he managed to impress Bengalis when he said: "We salute Bengalis contribution to the world. People knew no other salutation other than 'ladies and gentlemen'. For the first time, Vivekananda introduced 'brothers and sisters.Eminent author and poet Sitanath Goswami said, Today, his speech was liked by many of us. I dont see any harm in telecasting PM Modi's speech in colleges and universities. Todays generation knows little about Swami Ji, and this was a platform for them to know him through PMs speech. Our Prime Minister is not from a different world. He is an elected leader.I think this will send a significant message to the people of Bengal, especially those in the cultural and intellectual realm. The state government should take some decisions carefully, considering the interest of a large section of the society, he added.However, well-known Indologist Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri said, It is wrong to believe that intellectual or the cultural community in Bengal will be very impressed with BJPs event on Swami Ji. People like Vivekananda and Rabindra Nath Tagore are there in our blood and thought. We dont need a special day to hijack them to claim that belong to us.He said, We never thought that after Ramayana and Mahabharata, now we have to see the politicization of Vivekananda and Rabindra Nath Tagore. There is no doubt that BJP is politicising the issue and I condemn this.Left Front legislative party leader Sujan Chakraborty slammed both the BJP and TMC for politicising the issue. Why only BJP, TMC also indulges in such politics in the name of Vivekananda and Tagore. People in Bengal will not like such politics over such eminent personalities. They should be sensible to keep these people away from politics.TMC General Secretary Partha Chatterjee had accused the Centre of trying to saffronise the education system by asking the higher-education institutes to make arrangements for students to watch the speech of PM Modi on the occasion of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyayas centenary celebration.This is nothing but an attempt to saffronise the education system in the country. I have never seen such a Tughlaqi decision ever. It is unfortunate that the Centre is putting Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Swami Vivekananda on the same platform," he said.
A group including Bain Capital and South Korea's SK Hynix has raised its offer for Toshiba Corp's chip business to 2.4 trillion yen ($22.3 billion) including a 200 billion yen investment in infrastructure, sources familiar with the matter said. The offer by the consortium, which is led by the U.S. private equity group and the South Korean chipmaker as well as Japanese state-backed investors, was higher than an initial offer of around 1.94 trillion yen, according to the sources who requested anonymity because the talks were confidential.Bain and SK Hynix representatives were not immediately available for comment, while Toshiba declined to comment on details of the deal negotiations. The move comes after sources said Western Digital Corp, which was part of a competing group in final-stage talks with Toshiba, had revised its offer. The sources said the U.S. company would take a step back from the initial financing consortium to address Toshiba's concerns that a Western Digital stake could lead to prolonged anti-trust reviews.It was unclear what its latest offer was, but sources previously said it was offering around 1.9 trillion yen. Toshiba is desperate to sell the unit and cover billions of liabilities at its U.S. nuclear unit Westinghouse. Last week it said it was considering three competing offers including one led by Taiwan's Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn. All three bidder groups have roped in Apple Inc to bolster their offers, sources have said.Under their latest offer, Bain and SK Hynix offered to provide a combined total of around 567.5 billion yen, while Apple Inc would provide 335 billion yen, according to sources. Toshiba would keep 250 billion yen in the business, they said. U.S. technology firms and other Japanese companies were also expected to provide funding, while major banks were expected to provide a total of around 600 billion yen in funds, the sources said.Bain would have 49.9 percent of initial voting rights in the memory chip business, while Toshiba would have 40 percent and Japanese firms would have 10.1 percent, the sources said. Toshiba's board is due to meet on Wednesday to consider the offers, sources said.Don't forget to subscribe to our latest YouTube Channel.
After the success of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (costs up to Rs 12,999), it would have been very difficult for Xiaomi to introduce another handset under Rs 15,000 that could carve a niche for itself as well. The company has already decided to play it safe in India and not launch any smartphone that could be seen as an expensive deal by Mi fans. Thus, the Mi Notes series, Mi Mix along with the Mi 6 did not make it to India.So, Xiaomi had to do something drastically different this time. And who would have ever thought that Xiaomi would ditch its prized MIUI interface to launch a pure Android phone that fits in with the right hardware and pricing.The Mi A1 has everything to rerun the Redmi Note 4 success. As far as the Android One brand partnership is concerned, if Google pushes Android Oreo by December to the Xiaomi Mi A1, then its great, else, just forget about it. Anyways, you will get free unlimited cloud storage on Google Photos for all your photos and videos in high quality. Focus on the term high quality. This is something exclusive to Android One and Pixel phones for now.After using the Xiaomi Mi A1 for a week, here is what we think about the smartphone.We have always complained about MI UI interface being RAM intensive and have mostly recommended readers to buy Xiaomi Phones with at least 3GB of RAM. With Mi A1 running stock Android 7.1 Nougat operating system, there is more RAM availability which translates to better multitasking and gaming experience. The Xiaomi Mi A1 is powered by the tried-and-test Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC and there is no performance hiccups apart from the long initial boot time.The Mi A1 offers 64GB of onboard storage with support for microSD card. Talking about the battery life, the device can last a little over a day on one full charge. Xiaomi has included a dedicated headphone amplifier to better the music listening experience. Even if you use cheap earphones or headphones to listen to music on the Mi A1, you will be pleased by the audio quality, especially the mids.Talking of the camera, the Xiaomi Mi A1 offers a 12-megapixels wide-angle lens along with a 12-megapixels telephoto lens which offers 2X optical zoom. The Xiaomi Mi A1 offers Portrait mode to deliver that D-SLR like bokeh effect. Xiaomi has opted to integrate the camera interface of MIUI instead of the stock Google Camera interface in the Mi A1. According to Xiaomi, this is because the stock Google Camera interface doesnt go well with a dual-lens setup on the software front. There is 5MP selfie camera which offers decent results, if you keep the device steady.The bokeh effect works well while clicking portraits of persons but when it comes to clicking objects, the results are disappointing sometimes. The selfie camera is capable of delivering some good shots.The device feels pretty compact in the hands and weighs 165 grams. While the Mi A1 is an Android One smartphone, Xiaomi has still managed to retain some of its goodies like the IR blaster and the Mi Store. The Mi A1 comes with a dual hybrid SIM and microSD card slot with support for 4G VoLTE support. It will be available in Black and Gold colour options initially and after a month, Xiaomi promises to bring a Rose Gold colour variant of the Mi A1 as well. The good thing is that the Mi A1 will be available in stores from the first day (September 12) itself. You can check out the device in stores before buying.Theres nothing much to lookout for in terms of design. The Black colour variant looks better than the Gold option. The front of the device will remind you of the Google Pixel. The design is minimalistic and ends up looking like any other Android phone in the budget range. As far as the portrait mode is concerned, the results are good considering the price point but it is not a cheaper Apple iPhone 7 Plus replacement. Theres no NFC.If you want to buy an Android smartphone within the price range of between Rs 12,000 and Rs 15,000 that offers smooth performance, runs pure Android and has good cameras then the Xiaomi Mi A1 is good choice. There is competition from the likes of Moto G5s Plus, Lenovo K8 plus, Honor 6X on the dual-lens front, but the Mi A1 manages to outperform. Also, for the Xiaomi Mi A1 has more than enough to take on the likes of Nokia 6, Samsung On Max and others.
Geneva: The UN rights chief raised concern on Monday about Washington's decision to end an amnesty for hundreds of thousands of people brought illegally to the country as children, saying they should be granted "durable legal status".



US President Donald Trump last week abrogated an order issued by his predecessor Barack Obama that protected around 800,000 young people by granting them temporary legal status as part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA).



The move gives the so-called "Dreamers", many of them Hispanic who are now in their twenties, somewhere between six and 24 months before they become illegal and subject to potential deportation.



"I am concerned by the government's decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme," UN rights chef Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said at the opening of the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.



He pointed to evidence of the programme's "positive impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of young migrants, and on the US economy and society," and said he hoped Congress would now act to provide former DACA beneficiaries with "durable legal status".



Trump's move fulfilled a campaign promise of zero tolerance toward illegal immigrants.



But the president insisted he was showing compassion for the Dreamers, many of whom know only the United States and speak only English, by giving Congress six months to craft a lasting legal solution.



Zeid also voiced alarm at an "increase in detentions and deportations of well-established and law-abiding immigrants" in the United States.



He said the number of detentions of migrants with no criminal convictions was 155 percent higher during the first five months of this year than during the same period of 2016. "Some migrants, including longstanding residents, are now so frightened of expedited deportation they refrain from accessing police protection and courtrooms," Zeid said. He said reports of rape filed by Latina women in the city of Houston fell by 43 percent in the first three months of 2017.



Zeid also reiterated his concerns over the anti-semitism and racism on display last month in Charlottesville, Virginia, and also "increasingly manifested online and in public debates".



"Free speech is an invaluable and essential right, under both international standards and US law, and it should not be weaponised by calls for violence and hatred," he said.



Last month, the UN rights chief said Trump was largely to blame for the deteriorating discourse in the country, warning among other things that his relentless attacks on the media could trigger violence against journalists.
Washington: Indian-Americans in Atlanta and Georgia pooled in their resources to help several million people from Florida who were affected by hurricane Irma that plummeted parts of the US coastal State with wind speed of more than 193 km per hours.



Hurricane Irma made landfall on Florida's southern islands on Sunday and claimed four lives as millions of people, including thousands of Indian-Americans, evacuated the state.



About 120,000 Indian-Americans live in Florida, thousands of them residing in the now-dangerous zones of Miami, Fort Laura deal and even Tampa, according to 2010 census. While a large number of Indian-Americans stayed inside Florida, several thousands drove out of the state and reached out to their community members in nearby Atlanta.



Given that Florida has a significant Indian-American population and a favourite destination of Indian tourists because of Disneyland, the Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, rushed his New York Consul General to Atlanta to oversee the relief operation and coordinate with the local community leaders.



Led by New York Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty, Atlanta consulate officials visited several evacuee shelters housing people mainly from Tampa, Florida to ascertain their welfare and wellbeing.



With the help of local residents, Sewa International has created a pool of houses where evacuee can stay till the time of improvement in situation in Florida.



In the forefront in assisting the people affected by hurricane Irma, American Telugu Association have made accommodation and food arrangements for more than 600 people in the entire Metro Atlanta area.



The Hindu Temple of Atlanta in association with other major Indian organisations, including Indian Friends of Atlanta (IFA) and Seva USA, have provided boarding and lodging facilities for over 100 people.



By late in the evening, officials said overall the situation is normal and there is sufficient additional capacity to handle more evacuees if the need arise. Officials from the Indian Embassy in Washington and those from Consulate in Atlanta were also maintaining contact with Florida residents.



Several Indian families in Orlando, 241 km from Tampa, were also ready to receive evacuees.



"More than 400 homes in Orlando are ready to provide shelter to those evacuating," Indian Consulate in Atlanta said in a tweet.



Indian-Americans in and around Atlanta opened up their homes for the Florida evacuees and prepared extra meals for them.



As reports came in, individuals, businesses and organisations were working round the clock to ensure that necessary help was provided to every Indian American in need in the aftermath of Irma.



A State of emergency has been declared in Florida and curfews were imposed in several cities. As Irma left a path of destruction on its way, the US President Donald Trump held another review meeting with his Cabinet of the preparedness and relief operations at Camp David.



"I hope there aren't too many people in the path. You don't want to be in that path. That's a path you don't want to be in. We tried to warn everybody. For the most part, they've left, but that's a bad path to be in," Trump told reporters on his return from Camp David.



Trump said he will visit Florida soon.



"I think it's been going really well. It's a rough hurricane, as you better than anybody. The Coast Guard has been amazing already. You've been hearing what they're doing right in the middle of the storm," he said in response to a question.



In his meeting with officials, Trump stressed that his top priorities are life-saving and life-sustaining efforts in affected areas, the White House said.



"He emphasized the need to remain steadfast in supporting the recovery efforts in Texas, Louisiana, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico while responding to those affected by Hurricane Irma on the United States mainland," the White House said.



According to Pentagon, the US Army has deployed more than 9,900 Soldiers and US Army Corps of Engineers civilians in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the continental United States.



The Army has six aircraft, almost 500 trucks, and more than 80 generators committed to relief efforts. They have more than 150 aircraft, almost 600 generators, 150 boats, and nearly 3,000 trucks on standby to support response efforts if called upon.
Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would meet U.S. President Donald Trump later this month during a visit to New York, where he will address the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 19.



Netanyahu spoke to reporters accompanying him on a trip to Latin America before his plane left Tel Aviv for Argentina on Sunday night. He will also visit Colombia and Mexico before heading to New York.



In Washington, the White House did not initially respond to a request for a comment on a meeting between the two leaders.



"From Mexico I will go to New York to speak at the United Nations General Assembly and there I will meet my friend, President Donald Trump," Netanyahu said.



He added best wishes "to all our friends in the U.S. to overcome these difficult hours (during Hurricane Irma)."



Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is also set to address at the U.N. General Assembly but there has been no word of a possible meeting between him and Netanyahu.



Netanyahu said he was the first incumbent Israeli prime minister to visit South America and termed his visit as "historic". The trip comes as Netanyahu is under investigation in two corruption cases.



One of those, known as Case 1000, involves gifts that the prime minister and his family may have received from businessmen, while Case 2000 deals with alleged efforts by him to secure better coverage from an Israeli newspaper publisher.



Netanyahu, who has been prime minister for 11 years over four terms, has denied any wrongdoing.



Netanyahu leads a relatively stable coalition government and presides over a buoyant economy. His conservative Likud party has rallied behind him in the absence of clear rivals for the leadership, rebuffing calls for his departure from the centre-left opposition.



On Friday, Netanyahu's wife, Sara, who is accompanying him on the trip was notified that Israel's attorney general is considering indicting her on suspicion of using state funds for personal dining and catering services totalling some $100,000.



A post on the prime minister's Facebook page published last week said the claims against her were "absurd and will be proven to be unfounded".



Sara Netanyahu also spoke before departure and thanked the "many, many, many thousands of Israeli citizens and people around the world who support and help me."
Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un praised the "perfect success" of the country's sixth and largest nuclear test and urged further weapons development, according to state media on Sunday, in the face of a US drive for tough new sanctions.



Pyongyang held a banquet, concert and performances in a weekend display of pageantry to celebrate the September 3 nuclear test, which the North said was a hydrogen bomb that could be fitted onto a rocket.



The blast, which came weeks after the country fired off two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that appeared to bring much of the mainland US into range, prompted global condemnation and calls to ramp up sanctions against the isolated nation.



But the North's leader appeared deaf to the international outrage and hailed the "perfect success in the test of H-bomb" at a dinner to congratulate the scientists and technicians behind the nuclear programme, the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Sunday.



Dubbing the latest test the "great auspicious event of the national history", he called for "redoubled efforts" to complete the country's mission to fully become a recognised nuclear power.



A two-page spread carried by the North's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Sunday showed photos of Kim and his wife Ri Sol-Ju attending a special concert held for the nuclear scientists and technicians.



A slew of brazen tests in recent months, which contravene existing United Nations sanctions, has sparked surging tensions over the North Korean weapons programme.



Pyongyang says it needs nuclear arms to protect itself, but the US has accused the isolated nation of "begging for war".



In an interview published Sunday United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the showdown over North Korea's nuclear and missile programme was the world's worst crisis "in years" and had left him deeply worried.



"We have to hope that the seriousness of this threat puts us on the path of reason before it is too late," said Guterres in the French Sunday newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche.



He also called for unity in the UN Security Council, which is set to consider a new draft resolution presented by Washington in recent days that would be the toughest-ever imposed on North Korea.



The US is calling for an oil embargo on the North, an assets freeze on Kim Jong-Un, a ban on textiles and an end to payments of North Korean guest workers.



It is hoping for vote tomorrow though both China and Russia are thought to have raised opposition to the measures.
Hong Kong: Thirteen Hong Kong universities and academic institutions accused the Chinese-ruled city's leader of undermining freedom of expression amid a row over pro-independence banners appearing on campuses.



Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to China in 1997, is guaranteed freedoms and a high degree of autonomy under a "one country, two systems" arrangement, including freedom of expression.



At the start of the academic year, banners advocating independence from China appeared on noticeboards in at least seven universities. Some large black banners were hung across buildings.



Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam criticised the posters as a violation of China's sovereignty, while urging university administrators to take "appropriate action".



Some colleges, including the prestigious Chinese University, described the posters as unconstitutional, but allowed some to remain.



But late on Sunday, the 13 institutions issued a statement titled "Arming ourselves in our darkest hour", criticising Lam and university authorities for "an explicit effort to limit our freedom of expression".



"Student unions stress that everyone enjoys the freedom of speech, and this is the line that we shall never compromise ... we are ready to defend our rights and liberty," it read.



Some observers said the controversy could be used to justify another squeeze on the city's freedoms, soon after several young pro-democracy leaders were jailed for helping lead the city's massive "Occupy" pro-democracy civil disobedience movement in late 2014.



The row has also stoked tension between local and mainland students, who now comprise a sizeable part of university admissions, especially in post-graduate studies.



Calls for independence, once rare in the financial hub, began to gain traction after the 2014 protests and as disillusionment grew towards China's perceived tightening grip. Late last year, two pro-independence lawmakers were disqualified from office after Beijing's parliament ruled their oath-taking carried digs at China.



Beijing resolutely opposes talk of Hong Kong splitting from China, with the mini-constitution stating the city is an "inalienable" part of the country. The so-called Basic Law also enshrines freedom of expression.



Groups of students from both sides have faced off on several occasions, with mainland students putting up anti-independence posters, condemning calls for independence.



One female student from China was filmed and challenged for tearing down some of the pro-independence banners.



"If you're talking about democracy, you can put them up (the banners) and I can pull (them) down," she said in the video.



An official blog run by China's state mouthpiece, the People's Daily, on Sunday published a long editorial saying there were limits to freedom of expression and that Hong Kong laws on public order could be used to jail trouble makers.



"It is quite apparent that Beijing and the Hong Kong government would like to use this excuse to impose a political crackdown," said political commentator Joseph Cheng.



"Certainly the pro-Beijing establishment has been asking for rapid legislation of the controversial Article 23 legislation," Cheng added, referring to proposed national security laws that would criminalise perceived acts of sedition.
In what could invite fresh trouble for the Saudi Arabia government, evidence in a major lawsuit in the 9/11 attacks has revealed that officials of the Saudi embassy in Washington may have sponsored a dry run for the hijackings.has come up with the startling revelation on the 16th anniversary of the deadly terror attacks in the United States, which could further reinforce the claims that the Saudi government had a major role to play in the 2001 attacks.The New York Post article has stated that two years before the attacks, officials of the Saudi Embassy paid for two Saudi nationals, who were living undercover in the United States as students, to fly from Phoenix to Washington in a dry run for the 9/11 attacks. The report have attributed these allegations to an amended complaint filed on behalf of the families of some 1,400 victims who died in the terrorist attacks.Saudi Arabia has always denied any involvement in the terror attacks that left 3,000 people dead and over 6,000 injured.The report further writes: Weve long asserted that there were longstanding and close relationships between al Qaeda and the religious components of the Saudi government, said Sean Carter, the lead attorney for the 9/11 plaintiffs. This is further evidence of that.In the September 11 attacks, that changed the way the world looked at Islam and also terrorism, al-Qaeda, a terror organization headed by Osama Bin Laden, orchestrated four attacks by hijacking four separate passenger airplanes and flying them into the Twin Towers in New York and the US defence headquarters of Pentagon.
Amherst County authorities are asking for the public's help in getting information related to a recent string of vehicle break-ins.

The county sheriff's office has taken reports on more than 12 break-ins in the past week.

They happened in the Sugar Mill subdivision, Bobwhite/Ebenezer Road and Green Hill Road areas, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

Authorities are offering a reward for information that leads to the prosecution of a suspect or suspects. The sheriff's office asks tipsters to contact them via Facebook Messenger, by calling Capt. Eric Elliott at (434) 946-9373 or anonymously contacting Central Virginia Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900 or texting to 274637.

The sheriff's office also reminds people to lock their cars. The break-in suspects are targeting unlocked cars.
AMHERST  Beating down a blaze without so much as a hydrant, running water, phones or even an engine to taxi trained firefighters to the emergency site would be unheard of in most Virginia locales today.

But in Amherst in the early 20th century, thats precisely the predicament faced by the foothills hamlet, where residents drew most of their water from wells and springs, while the thought of a conflagration engulfing the town had simply not been a priority.

That all changed one day in March 1917 when a fire broke out in a livery stable where Hill Hardware sits, tearing so out of control from the oxygen of the whipping winds that it threatened to very nearly wipe out the town of Amherst.

Fighting the fire on that day meant scrambling a makeshift bucket brigade of citizens to douse the menacing flames and get the blaze under control, as Fred Loving, archivist for the modern-day Amherst Fire Department, told the story Sunday.

This event revealed Amherst had a problem that demanded a mobilization of citizens to put together a firefighting force, buy needed equipment and build a firehouse, Loving explained.

While the livery was reduced to ashes, the ad-hoc water brigade managed to keep the 1917 fire from spreading through town. This was the germinating event that led to the contemporary Amherst Fire Department, which today has 25 members and uses modern vehicles  two pumpers, a tanker and trucks.

Loving likened the early days to the ragtag Hooterville Fire Department of Green Acres, drawing laughs Sunday from an audience of about 30 at the Amherst County Museums Hamble Center on South Main Street.

Fortunately during the early period there were no major fires, Loving said, as he explained the first 100 years of the agency.

Amhersts earliest fire crew came together from a mix of concerned citizens, banding together with help from Town Council, with particular emphasis on the water issue.

It was pretty difficult to effectively fight fires by just lugging buckets of well water, he noted.

Town Council after the 1917 fire hired an engineer to study what it would take to build a modern public works system with water and electricity.

This was all novel to town leaders then.

More than likely their entire life they have gotten their water from a well or from a spring, Loving said. Theyre trying to embark on a major public works project that they have no experience in  they are really out of their league.

After eventually determining a project could move forward, the town held a vote in 1924 and residents unanimously favored a $79,000 bond issue to pay for water and electricity in town.

The 1917 fire also illuminated communication problems. With no phone services at the time, the town relayed the emergency to Lynchburg by telegraph from the train station; Lynchburg sent help, apparently an early-model motorized fire vehicle.

Lynchburgs fire chief was stunned to learn all Amherst had was buckets of well water to fight the fire, Loving said.

All of this was to lead to Amhersts first fire station in 1919, housed in a building on the Masonic Lodge lot. In 1920, Town Council hired a part-time fire chief for $10 per month.

In the mid-1920s the bond issue proceeds were depleted and citizens started raising money to bolster the growing firefighting force. By the 1930s, these guys are becoming world-class firemen, Loving said.

As decades went by, the force expanded and equipment improved as the agency grew with the modern times. Technologies, such as the self-contained breathing apparatus, also revolutionized the force and how fires are battled, he said.

For many years Amherst had the only fire station between Lynchburg and Charlottesville. Today, the agency is housed in the countys public safety complex on Second Street.

Making his remarks on the eve of Sept. 11, Loving said he was inspired by an interview he once saw of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who led that city during the terrorist attacks of 2001. Loving said Giuliani lauded the heroism of firefighters and their fellow first responders.

Thats pretty much how I feel today, Loving said. I feel like Im standing on the shoulders of giants.

An organizer of Sundays event said afterward Loving had explained in detail how tough the early days were in Amherst when it came to emergencies.

I dont think people realize it was difficult to put out a fire if you didnt have a water supply, didnt have an electric supply, said Octavia Starbuck, museum director. She said it reminded her of what life must have been like in colonial days.

As part of the program commemorating the fire departments first 100 years, the museum also put up an exhibit that Loving curated on the topic.

The museum hosted the event with help from a grant by the Greater Lynchburg Community Trust. The Town of Amherst also sponsored the program, according to a museum news release.
After standing for more than a million years against the forces of nature, a 215-foot-tall stone arch in Rockbridge County seems to be holding up just as well to the strain of vehicular traffic that runs across its top.

Thats what the Virginia Department of Transportation has long said about Natural Bridge, which also serves as a highway bridge for U.S. 11.

But as questions are raised about whether the weight and vibrations of traffic could be causing long-term damage to the unique geological formation, theres increased talk within the agency about finding a way to preserve it.

I fully support finding an alternative that would close natural bridge to vehicular traffic soon, VDOTs chief engineer, Garrett Moore, wrote in a July 5 email to the commissioner of the transportation department and three colleagues.

Moore was responding to an internal email that summarized a meeting the previous week of a committee that is developing a master plan for Natural Bridge and its surrounding 1,500 acres, which last year became part of a state park.

Now that the property is under the management of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the committee has suggested that the bridge be closed to U.S. 11 traffic, which would be bypassed to the north.

Lets use this opportunity now that the park is in place to work with them towards a solution, Moore wrote in his email, which did not explain in detail why he favors closing the bridge to traffic.

The email, and others among nearly 200 obtained by The Roanoke Times through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, reflects a growing interest in the structural stability of Natural Bridge  which as a natural formation is not inspected regularly by VDOT the way a constructed bridge would be.

Since the message was sent, VDOT has announced that it will conduct a series of tests to determine whether the 2,000-some cars and trucks that pass across the bridge daily pose a threat to its structural integrity.

So far, weve seen nothing in the data that tells us the structure is unsafe, VDOT spokeswoman Sandy Myers said last week.

The opinion that Moore expressed in his email was not a data-based decision, Myers said. Instead, it reflected his view that now is a good time to study the effect of traffic on the bridge, with its inclusion in a state park leading to a higher emphasis on conservation.

VDOT still has no official position on whether traffic from U.S. 11 should be routed off the bridge  a question that wont be addressed until the results of ongoing studies are available.

Its very early in the process, and were just trying to look at the structure and get a picture of its health, Myers said.

The last known study of the bridges stability was conducted in late 1999 and early 2000, after a rock fell and killed a tourist who was standing on the walkway that follows Cedar Creek as it passes under the arch.

Two seismic studies were conducted, one for the bridges private owner at the time and the other for VDOT.

Both studies detected vibrations adjacent to the roadway; however, the magnitudes and actual effects possible from those vibrations could be the subject of much debate, a final report stated.

VDOTs report concluded that traffic had no effect on the bridges structural integrity.

But Radford University geology professor Skip Watts, who co-authored the report commissioned by the property owners, said at the time that he believed the long-term effects of traffic vibrations were not well understood and needed more study.

Nearly two decades later, another round of testing is underway. VDOT officials say they plan to convene a panel of prominent geologists from the United States and Canada to review the results and issue a report.

Although Moore wrote in his email that he would like to see the bridge closed to traffic soon, that seems unlikely.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation is just beginning to discuss the option as part of its master plan for the park.

DCRs planning horizon for alternative routes is 30 years plus, Randy Kiser, the administrator for VDOTs Staunton District, wrote in a July 5 email to Moore and Charlie Kilpatrick, the commissioner of the transportation agency.

The email provided a summary of a June 29 meeting of an advisory committee that is developing the master plan. At the meeting, a consensus was reached to support a plan to close the bridge to all traffic and build a U.S. 11 bypass that would veer north of the bridge and traverse the parks boundary before reconnecting with the highway.

Two other options were also discussed: Making U.S. 11 and nearby Virginia 130 accessible only to state park traffic, and closing U.S. 11 to trucks while allowing all other types of vehicles.

No feasibility studies have been conducted for the alternative routes. Possible complications include historic properties that lie in the bypass potential path and very challenging roadway geometrics to overcome, Kiser wrote.

Funding could be another potential roadblock.

Officials from DCR, Rockbridge County and the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission are discussing a feasibility study that would be a prelude to an application for funding under VDOTs SMART Scale method of scoring transportation projects, Kiser wrote in his July 5 email.

After Moore responded, saying he supported closing the bridge to all traffic, Kiser sent out a follow-up message to nearly a dozen VDOT staffers.

Please note the chief engineers comments below, he wrote in calling for a meeting to discuss the risks of the current location of Route 11 on Natural Bridge and costs of moving it to another location.

At a meeting the next day, three short-term options were discussed: Conducting tests to measure the vibrations from traffic on the highway, repaving U.S. 11 where it crosses the bridge and adding an impervious geotextile between the road and the rock formation to curb the flow of stormwater, and continuing to maintain a concrete ditch along the side of the road to divert water from the arch.

As for longer-term options, one idea was to construct a 150-foot long truss bridge that would span the Natural Bridge  taking traffic off the formation but likely making it visible from the bottom of the gorge, where cars and trucks passing overheard are currently not visible.

While the bridge over a bridge option is not being seriously considered, other plans to keep traffic off the formation pose their own difficulties in terms of where and how the bridge can be bypassed.

You cant just close a road and not put it somewhere, and that involves a great deal of study, Myers said.
newsandtech.com expired on 10/18/2022 and is pending renewal or deletion.

Backorder Domain
A planned demonstration by opposition political parties against South Africas decision to grant First Lady Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity after she reportedly assaulted a 20-year-old model is in limbo after the police told the group to first seek clearance from the South African Embassy.



The parties coalescing under the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) Youth Forum banner have since written a petition to the South African Embassy in Zimbabwe, pushing for Graces prosecution for assaulting Gabriella Engels.



According to Nera Youth Forum information secretary Davis Junior Mukushwa, their bid to march to the South African Embassy initially hit a brick wall after the police said the group failed to follow the legal requirements that are supposed to be met in terms of the Public Order and Security Act (Posa). This Act demands that a notification for an intended demonstration should be made seven clear days before the event, which Nera subsequently did, but was later told to get clearance first from the embassy.



Reference is made to your letter of notification to hold a demonstration at South African Embassy situated at number 7 Elcombe Street, Belgravia Harare, where you also intend to hand over a petition.



Your intention is drawn to the Privileges and Immunities Act, Chapter 3:03 and in particular article 22 (1) and (2). In view of the above, you are first to get a clearance letter from the embassy concerned and favour my office with a copy of that letter for further processing of your notification, Jasper Chizemo, officer commanding Harare Central district said in response.



Mukushwa told the Daily News that no substantive response has come from the South African Embassy since they sent their petition on August 21, adding that the embassy refused to be drawn into Zimbabwes political affairs.



They (the embassy) noted that they have no power or authority to clear our demonstration. They also said they have no response to our petition since there are talks between the South Africa government and Zimbabwe, Mukushwa said.



According to the petition, the group wants the diplomatic immunity veil to be lifted against Grace.

In our collective resolve as the citizens of Zimbabwe, (we) implore upon and demand from the government of the Republic of South Africa, the Department of International Relations (Dirco), The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the ministry of Police, the South African Police Services (Saps) and all such other relevant institutions in the justice delivery system of the Republic of South Africa that,



In the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 5, Gabriella Engels receives the sufficient remedy for the cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment she received from Grace Mugabe.



Observe that the First Lady Grace Mugabe in terms of Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations did not qualify for diplomatic immunity thus should face the due legal processes of her alleged assault case.



The South African justice delivery system rescind the diplomatic immunity that was granted to Grace Mugabe in terms of section 7(2) of the Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act, 2001 (Act No. 37 of 2001), part of the petition reads.



There was uproar after Grace was granted diplomatic immunity, with civil society groups and opposition political parties pressuring the South African government to prosecute her on the allegations.



The Democratic Alliance (DA) in South Africa has since launched a Constitutional Court battle seeking the decision by the minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to grant Grace diplomatic immunity to be declared unconstitutional and invalid. Daily News
Inquiry Opens After

Scientists Say Convicted

Serial Killer Is Innocent UPDATED

Kyrie Irving Fails to

Return From Suspension UPDATED

advertisement

2020 Deniers Wanting to

Run Elections Hit a Snag election 2022

Possible 'Game

Changer' in Male

Contraception

Is in the Works in case you missed it

advertisement

He Lost 30 Years of Memories.

His Wife Came Up With a Plan in case you missed it

Black Panther Sequel

Posts Big Opening box office

advertisement

Diver Captures 'Mind-Blowing'

Giant Octopus Encounter in case you missed it

advertisement

Democrats Will Keep

Control of Senate election 2022

Nevada Count Nears Deadline election 2022

advertisement

Routine Traffic Stop Over

Taillight Takes an Unusual Turn IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

advertisement

Putin Pal:

We Interfered

'Surgically' in

US Elections IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

advertisement

Unusual Experiment Suggests

Money Can Buy Happiness new study
Prosecutors in Brazil are investigating a "massacre" of several members of an uncontacted Amazon tribe. It appears about 10 members of the tribe were out gathering eggs last month when they encountered gold miners by a river in the remote Javari Valley, the New York Times reports. The victims were found after the miners boasted in a bar about killing them and displayed trophies such as a hand-carved paddle they bragged they took from the victims. "They even bragged about cutting up the bodies and throwing them in the river," says a rep from the indigenous affairs agency FUNAI, which reported the incident to authorities. Federal prosecutor Pablo Luz de Beltrand says the investigation is "difficult work" because the "territories are big and access is limited."

Two gold miners were arrested, per Survival International, which warned one-fifth of the small tribe may have been killed in what it says was a "genocidal massacre," if confirmed. Beltrand says if confirmation is received, the attack would be the second reported slaughter this year of tribespeople, proving that indigenous people are increasingly at risk. Survival International's site notes that Brazilian President Michel Temer's government is "fiercely anti-Indian," beholden to business interests seeking to develop remote areas, and has slashed funding to protect tribespeople. Budget cuts have shuttered five of 19 FUNAI bases, per the Times, three of them in the isolated west where the killings took place. Called the Uncontacted Frontier, the site is home to the most isolated tribes in the world, per Survival International. (Brazilian farmers attacked and mutilated tribespeople in a land dispute.)
Two Philadelphia brothers have been arrested for what police say was the utterly senseless murder of a father in front of his 2-year-old daughter. Police say the brothers approached 38-year-old Gerard Grandzol outside his residence Thursday and demanded his wallet and car keys after he returned from an outing with his daughter. He handed over his wallet, but was shot dead after apparently insisting on getting his daughter out of the car before giving the robbers his keys, Fox News reports. Police say he was shot twice in the face at point-blank range in front of his daughter, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Maurice Roberts, 21, and his 16-year-old brother, Marvin, were arrested Saturday.

Police sources tell the Inquirer that the teenager was the one who shot Grandzol for not moving fast enough. Both brothers have criminal records and police say they lived "unsettled lives." Police say family members assisted the investigation. Grandzol was a popular community activist whose second daughter was born just six weeks ago. "Those two gunshots just destroyed my life and my two daughters dont have a father now," widow Kristin Grandzol told KYW. The murder "really pulls at the heartstrings," Police Chief Inspector James Kelly said Saturday. "It's the senseless slaying of a father in front of his 2-year-old daughter. That shouldn't happen. That shouldn't happen to any family anywhere." (Read more Philadelphia stories.)
A Dallas Cowboys watch party at a Texas home turned into a bloodbath Sunday night after a gunman opened fire, killing seven people and wounding two, police say. The gunman was fatally shot by a police officer responding to a call about shots fired at the home in Plano, north of Dallas, the Dallas Morning News reports. "He made entry, and that's when he observed several victims inside and then engaged the suspect," says police spokesman David Tilley. Tilley tells USA Today that all the victims were adults and the motive is still unclear, as is the relationship between the shooter and the victims.

"I've been here all my life," Tilley says. "I've never heard of anything like this." Neighbors say the shooting was apparently sparked by a domestic dispute, and records seen by the Morning News state that the couple listed as the homeowners divorced in July. One neighbor tells WFAA that she saw a man and woman arguing outside the home around 8pm. She says after the woman went inside, the man went inside with a gun drawn and she heard 30 or 40 shots from what sounded like an automatic weapon. (Read more Texas stories.)
Ancient tales of fierce female Vikings fighting alongside men appear to be rooted in truth, according to archaeologists in Sweden. One of the most impressive graves in a burial ground near Birka, a major Viking settlement, has turned out to be that of a woman believed to have been a powerful military leader, the Local reports. The grave, one of thousands found in the area, had long been assumed to be that of a man but osteology and DNA tests revealed the truth. The womantall for the time, at around 5'6"lived in the 10th century and the grave was first excavated in 1880. She is the "first confirmed female high-ranking Viking warrior," researchers write in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.

The gender of the warrior, who was aged somewhere over 30, wasn't discovered until an osteologist noticed her feminine hip bones while examining the remains for another project. Other female Viking soldiers have been found over the years, but none as important as the Birka warrior. "Aside from the complete warrior equipment buried along with hera sword, an axe, a spear, armour-piercing arrows, a battle knife, shields, and two horsesshe had a board game in her lap, or more of a war-planning game used to try out battle tactics and strategies, which indicates she was a powerful military leader," says archaeologist Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson, who calls it the "ultimate warrior Viking grave." "Shes most likely planned, led, and taken part in battles." (A hiker once found a Viking sword.)
As the UN prepares to impose yet more sanctions on North Korea, Pyongyang is leveling new threats against the US. If the UN goes through with the penalties, Pyongyong warned that America will pay a "due price," reports CNN. "The forthcoming measures to be taken by the DPRK will cause the US the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history," says North Korea's foreign ministry, using the North's acronym. The threat comes as the UN Security Council considers sanctions after the North's latestand biggestnuclear test, but how tough those penalties will be remained very much up in the air.

The US originally sought an extremely tough series of penalties, including an oil embargo and a financial and travel ban on Kim Jong Un, but the latest draft in circulation removes those items, reports Reuters. Even so, it remained unclear whether Russia and China would back even the watered-down version. The vote was tentatively scheduled for Monday. Bloomberg, meanwhile, cites a report in Japanese media suggesting that back-door diplomacy was in the works. Officials from the North's foreign ministry were expected to meet informally with former US officials in Switzerland on Monday. Another positive sign: Pyongyang did not conduct another test as feared during celebrations on Sunday. (Read more North Korea stories.)
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is reportedly considering a controversial idea to catch White House leakers. Axios reports that Sessions has floated a proposal to make all 100 or so staffers at the National Security Council take a lie detector test. The purpose of the polygraph would be to figure out who has been leaking transcripts of President Trump's phone calls to foreign leaders. Last month, Sessions announced a big push to crack down on what he termed a "staggering amount of leaks," but the Axios post notes that such inquiries rarely amount to much.

If nothing else, Sessions has reportedly told colleagues, the polygraphs might scare people into changing their behavior. It's not clear whether this is a genuine proposal or whether Sessions put out the information himself as a way to show how serious he is about the leaks, notes a post at New York magazine. The tests "don't really work, so scaring people is about all they're good for," writes Margaret Hartmann. (Read more Jeff Sessions stories.)
What Joe Biden wants, Joe Biden getsmaybe. In June, the former VP had recommended to former presidential candidate Mitt Romney that the latter should run for Senate if Utah's Orrin Hatch retires next year, as has been rumored. Now, sources tell Utah Policy that Romney is gearing up for the 2018 Senate race if Hatch opts out, though Hatch apparently is still mulling what to do and prolonging his decision. Last month, a longtime adviser told the site that Hatch may not offer an answer until October has closed out, but now sources say that answer may not come until December. Although that kind of waffling might frustrate most potential candidates, Utah Policy notes that Romney has the resources to jump right into the fray no matter when Hatch makes up his mind.

Hatch had said earlier this year he'd step down if he knew an "outstanding person" were in the mix to take his place, and a new poll hints that Utahans might consider Romney to be just that person: The survey commissioned by Utah Policy and Dan Jones & Associates shows that if Romney were to run today against Democrat Jenny Wilson, believed to be the major contender for her party, he would harness 64% of the vote to Wilson's 26%, with 10% undecided. His next-closest competition, GOP Rep. Chris Stewart, who's also expressed interest in running, would nab 34% to Wilson's 30%, with 36% undecided. Romney's approval ratings are up there, too: Per Business Insider, a February poll had Utah voters giving Romney a 71% approval rating, with 25% disapproving (mainly Democrats, per Utah Policy).
There are plenty of investigations happening on Russia, but a new one may have just been added to the pile. Yahoo News says it learned the FBI is poking around to get info on Sputnik, the news agency funded by the Russian government, with one of the FBI's lines of inquiry directed toward an ex-White House correspondent for Sputnik. As part of the probe, Andrew Feinberg handed over to FBI agents a thumb drive containing thousands of internal Sputnik correspondence, which he says he downloaded before he was canned in May. The overall investigation is meant to suss out whether Sputnik has been spreading propaganda on behalf of the Kremlin in violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARAand whether the files on Feinberg's thumb drive could help prove Sputnik had something to do with Russia's "influence campaign" in the election.

Yahoo, which first learned about the probe from a US intelligence source, then got in touch with Feinberg, who said he'd been interviewed by an FBI agent and DOJ lawyer for more than two hours on Sept. 1 at the FBI's DC field office. He says he took his orders as a correspondent from DC supervisors at Sputnik, though they'd regularly say, "Moscow wants this or Moscow wants that." He says the interview focused on the news agency's "internal structure, editorial processes, and funding." It's not clear if the questioning was under the purview of special counsel Robert Mueller. Meanwhile, Mindia Gavasheli, Sputnik's US editor, said he hadn't heard of an FBI probe and "any assertion that we are not a news organization is simply false." More here. (Reuters dug into a possible Sputnik role earlier this year.)
A state board has denied parole to a tailor who played a key role in a prison break that's the subject of a Showtime miniseries being filmed in the northern New York region where it happened. Joyce Mitchell will remain behind bars for at least two more years for passing tools to killers Richard Matt and David Sweat, enabling their escape from the maximum-security Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora in June 2015, per the AP.

The subsequent three-week manhunt ended with Matt shot dead and Sweat captured near the Canadian border. Mitchell's lawyer tells the Plattsburgh Press-Republican the parole board denied her release Friday. Patricia Arquette plays Mitchell in Showtime's Escape at Dannemora, being produced by Ben Stiller. Penelope Ann Miller starred as Mitchell in a Lifetime movie that aired in April. (In 2015, Mitchell was sentenced to serve up to seven years on a contraband charge.)
Since President Trump made the decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, he has received criticism from across the political and social spectrum, from immigrants-rights groups and Fortune 500 CEOs to evangelical Christian preachers and Republican members of Congress. Now the president can add the pope to that list. On Monday, Pope Francis addressed the DACA issue during a press conference while returning from a trip to Colombia, the Hill reports, saying the president should reconsider his decision to rescind the program if he actually wants to be "pro-life." "The president of the United States presents himself as pro-life and if he is a good pro-lifer, he understands that family is the cradle of life and its unity must be protected," Francis said.

This isn't the first time the pope and the president have squared off. Last year, Francis criticized then-candidate Trump's proposed border wall between the US and Mexico, saying building walls is "not Christian," CNN reports. Trump responded by calling the pope's comments a "disgrace." And Francis isn't the only Catholic official upset over Trump's DACA plans. Last week the US Conference of Catholic Bishops spoke out against the president's decision, to which former Trump adviser Steve Bannon responded by saying Catholic churches in the US have an "economic interest" in seeing DACA survive. "They need illegal aliens to fill the churches," Bannon told CBS News. (That shiner under the pope's eye? Blame the popemobile.)
In response to North Korea testing a thermonuclear weapon last week, the UN Security Council voted Monday to impose its toughest-ever sanctions on the country, the Washington Post reports. Under the terms of the resolution, the country's oil imports will be capped at 8.5 million barrels a year, a drop of 30%, and Pyongyang's textile exports will be banned entirely. Previous sanctions reduced North Korean exports of coal, iron ore, and seafood, meaning 90% of the country's exports are now restricted by sanctions. Textiles account for more than a quarter of North Korea's export income.The resolution also allows countries to inspect ships suspected of carrying North Korean goods.

Though the sanctions are the toughest ever imposed on North Korea, they fell far short of what the Trump administration was hoping for, the New York Times reports. Washington had called for a total cutoff of oil supplies to the country, authorization to use force against any ships leaving or entering North Korean ports, and a ban on the import of North Korean laborers. The US also wanted a travel ban on North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. All of those requests were toned down to win the votes of China and Russia. Knowing the vote was coming, earlier Monday, Pyongyang warned that any new sanctions "will cause the greatest pain and suffering [the US] had ever gone through in its entire history." (Read more North Korea stories.)
NASA's asteroid-bound spacecraft imaged from Earth

Washington : As NASA's asteroid-bound spacecraft OSIRIS-REx approaches Earth for its September 22 gravity assist, a ground-based telescope has captured images of the spacecraft.

This is the first Earth-based view of OSIRIS-REx since its launch on September 8, 2016, NASA said on Friday.

The images were taken on September 2, by the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory located on Mount Graham in Arizona.

OSIRIS-REx was approximately 12 million kilometres away when the images were taken, NASA said.

The Large Binocular Telescope is a pair of 8.4-metre mirrors mounted side by side on the same mount, that can work together to provide resolution equivalent to a 22.7-metre telescope.

The telescope typically conducts imaging of more distant objects but took this opportunity to look for OSIRIS-REx with a pair of wide-field cameras (one per mirror) as the spacecraft approaches Earth for its gravity assist.

This encounter will change the spacecraft's trajectory and set it on course to rendezvous with asteroid Bennu, where it will collect a sample of surface material and return it to Earth for study in 2023.

The OSIRIS-REx mission team is collecting other images of the spacecraft taken by observatories and other ground-based telescopes around the world during this period -- approximately September 10-23, depending on location and local conditions.
SpaceX launches secret US Air Force space plane

Washington : Ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma in Florida, SpaceX successfully launched a secret US Air Force space plane from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) on its fifth mission blasted off from Launch Complex 39A on Thursday at 10 a.m. EDT.

What OTV-5 mission would accomplish is not known.

Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed from the ground up by SpaceX for the reliable and cost-efficient transport of satellites and SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft.

Following stage separation, Falcon 9's first stage landed at SpaceX's Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, SpaceX tweeted.

In 2014, SpaceX signed a 20-year lease with NASA for the use of Launch Complex 39A. Since then, the company has made significant upgrades to modernise the pad's structures and ground systems.
Sorry!

This content is not available in your region
New Delhi:

Are you planning to get yourself a new luxury car this Puja season? We would like to inform you that the GST Council on September 9 decided to hike cess on mid-sized cars by 2 per cent, taking the effective GST rate to 45 per cent.

Also, cess on large cars has been hiked by 5 per cent, taking the total GST incidence to 48 per cent while that of SUVs by 7 per cent to 50 per cent.

"Notification regarding the increase in the effective rates of the Compensation Cess on specified motor vehicles will be issued on September 11, 2017, effective from 00 hours the same day," the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) tweeted.

After the GST Council met, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said that in large vehicles where affordability of consumers is high, the cess has been increased. "The pre-GST rate has not been restored... Even though we had a headspace of hiking cess by 10 per cent, it has been hiked by up to 7 per cent," Jaitley had said.

Cess on small petrol and diesel cars, hybrid cars and those carrying up to 13 passengers has not been hiked. Car prices had dropped by up to Rs 3 lakh as the tax rates fixed under the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which came into effect on July 1, were lower than the combined central and state taxes in pre-GST days.



Expected Rate:

-Honda City and Hyundai Verna to cost about Rs 20,000. Mid-market SUVs such as the Creta and Duster's price will see hike as much as Rs 90,000. The increases are expected to be higher in the C and D segments. However, the total tax incidence on vehicles in the mid-sized, large and SUV categories will be lower by 1.6%, 3.8% and 5.3%, respectively, compared to pre-GST levies.

-The Jeep Compass, Mahindra XUV, Tata Hexa and Toyota Innova will likely be costlier by as much as Rs 1.2 lakh.

-Bigger SUVs such as the Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Audi Q3 and BMW X1 will be pricier by up to Rs 2 lakh while Luxury SUVs such as the Audi Q7 may cost up to Rs 4 lakh more.

As far as Maruti Suzuki is concerned, there is no change. And a two percentage point increase in cess on midsized cars is neither here nor there, and would not make a difference The market was absorbing the same prices two months ago, Maruti Suzuki chairman RC Bhargava said.

The cess was proposed to be raised by a maximum of 10 percentage points. Hyundai ruled out any adverse impact on demand.

We foresee no major change in demand, said Rakesh Srivastava, director (marketing and sales), Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL).

We expect a positive demand pull in the coming months as the industry will witness a heightened level of customer interest in a seamless, unified single market.

Pawan Goenka, MD of Mahindra & Mahindra, said his company is grateful that the council thoughtfully did not raise the cess to the maximum level that had been enabled by the ordinance.

The council has basically restored the pre-GST rates. The hybrid vehicle cess has not been increased, effectively giving these vehicles a relief of 2-7%, added Goenka.

Several leading mass-market carmakers had concerns of demand contraction after a 10% increase in the cess was initially proposed.

The auto industry would be largely happy as the GST Council only marginally increased the cess. The increase was also less than 10 percentage points, which was the upper cap.

To fix this anomaly, the Council raised the cess. Under the GST regime, cars attract the highest tax slab of 28 per cent and on top of that, a cess is levied.

An ordinance was promulgated last week to hike the cess from 15 per cent to up to 25 per cent.

The Council on Sunday decided on the quantum of hike in cess in various segments. The highest pre-GST tax incidence on motor vehicles worked out to about 52-54.72 per cent, to which 2.5 per cent was added on account of central sales Tax, octroi and the like. Against this, post-GST, the total tax incidence came to 43 per cent. With the revision in cess quantum, now the anomalies have been removed to a greater extent.








The Friday Drama Club hosts activities for Peking Opera fans of all ages in Guiyang, Guizhou province. [Photo by YANG JUN/CHINA DAILY]

A club in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province, provides the public with a stage to perform Chinese opera and display the essence of the country's culture.

The Friday Drama Club has hosted a variety of activities for opera fans since it was founded in 2014.

In July, it held a Peking Opera concert, attracting more than 170 amateur performers from across China.

"I didn't sing well. I drank little water before my performance," says Hu Heying, an amateur Peking Opera performer from Wuhan, Hubei province.

Hu has followed Peking Opera singing for the past 20 years. So, she immediately went to Guiyang when she heard about the concert.

Initially, she couldn't sign up because there were too many participants. But Hu stayed in Guiyang for a few days to see if she still could perform in public.

"Fortunately, I finally got the chance," says the 63-year-old.

"The stage in Guiyang is larger than the one I saw in Wuhan. I was nervous in front of such a big crowd.

"This activity is particularly close to the people. It lets people who love Peking Opera go on the stage and improve their skills."

Wang Ying, another amateur performer, is a Guizhou native. The 49-year-old, who has studied Peking Opera since age 16, has participated in dozens of activities hosted by the Friday Drama Club.

"Although I am not a professional performer, I have been privately practicing singing for Peking Opera for a long time," says Wang.
New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected Sahara chief Subrata Roys plea seeking two more months to deposit Rs 966.80 crore of the remaining Rs 1500 crore, saying he was trying to treat the apex court as a laboratory to play with the law.



The apex court directed the official liquidator to go ahead with the scheduled auction of the groups Aamby Valley property in Maharashtra valued at Rs 37,392 crore, as it rejected Roys plea to extend the time till November 11.



The directions came after Roy said he had deposited Rs 533.20 crore in the Sebi-Sahara account and wanted to pay the remaining Rs 966.80 crore through cheques dated November 11.



The top court said that barring hyperbolic arguments and rhetoric statements by the Sahara chief, the amount in its entirety has not yet been paid.



The court had on July 25 asked the embattled Sahara chief to deposit Rs 1,500 crore in the SEBI-Sahara account by September 7 and said it may only then deliberate upon his plea seeking 18 months more for making the full repayment of the outstanding amount to be refunded to the investors.



The apex court today said that entertaining post-dated cheques dated November 11 would tantamount to travesty of justice and extending unwarranted sympathy to a person who is indubitably an abuser of the process of law.



A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra said he, who thinks or for that matter harbours the notion that he can play with law, is under wrong impression.

The bench, also comprising Justices Ranjan Gogoi and A K Sikri, said the Sahara chief has treated the apex court as a laboratory.

Read | Sahara case: Subrata Roy moves SC for stay on Aamby Valley property auction



We are constrained to state that respondent-contemnor in his own way has treated this Court as a laboratory and has made a maladroit effort to play, possibly thinking that he can survive on the ventilator as long as he can.



He would have been well advised that a person who goes on a ventilator may not survive for long and, in any case, a time would come when he has to be comatosed. Here comatose takes place as regards the ambitious effort made by the respondent-contemnor, the bench said.



It directed that the auction process of the Aamby Valley should be held on October 10-11 at Mumbai as per the direction and schedule approved by the court.



The top court also asked the official liquidator to carry out the auction as per procedure and during the auction, the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court, designated as a Supreme Court appointee, shall remain personally present to oversee the auction at the venue.



It said that all interim orders passed by the apex court shall remain in force.The bench said the contempt proceedings in the case has had a chequered history and it was due to the ingenious brainchild of the Sahara chief.



Many an order came to be passed in the contempt proceedings due to the recalcitrant proclivity of the respondent-contemnor who possibly has harboured an adroit idea that he can test the patience of this Court.



It has been said long back that the patience itself has its own patience and is not without limitations. The purpose of saying so relates to liberty granted on number of occasions to the respondent-contemnor, Subrata Roy, to pay the amount by depositing the same in SEBI-Sahara account, the bench said.



It also rejected senior advocate Kapil Sibals submission that the contemnor has paid the substantial amount of Rs Rs 16,000 crore till now and only about Rs 8651 crore remained to be paid and it should not be held against him.



During the hearing, Sibal that Roy has made tremendous efforts to comply with the order of Court and if the prayer made by him is not accepted, the principle of reasonableness would be defeated.



Senior advocate Arvind P Datar and advocate Pratap Venugopal, appearing for SEBI, said the auction has to proceed and the drama of procrastination must stop.



Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appointed as amicus curiae in the case, supported the argument of Datar and said the concept of enough is enough should be adopted by the Court.



On August 10, the apex court had rejected Sahara chiefs plea to put on hold the auction process of the groups Aamby Valley.



It had said that the auction process will proceed as per schedule and if Rs 1,500 crore is paid by Roy in the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)-Sahara refund account by September 7, then it may pass an appropriate order.



The Sahara Group had earlier sought 18 months time to repay around Rs 9,000 crore balance amount of the principal amount of Rs 24,000 crore.



Roy, who has spent almost two years in jail, has been on parole since May 6 last year. The parole was granted the first time to enable him attend the funeral of his mother. It has been extended since then.



Besides Roy, two other directorsRavi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudharywere arrested for failure of the groups two companiesSahara India Real Estate Corporation (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing Investment Corp Ltd (SHICL) -- to comply with the courts August 31, 2012 order to return Rs 24,000 crore to their investors.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

In the Jaypee Infratech case, the Supreme Court asked holding companies to deposit a sum of Rs 2,000 crores by September 27.

Safeguarding the interest of home buyers, the SC said that home buyers' interest shall be protected.

The Supreme Court will hear the matter on November 13th.

Supreme Court modified order, allowing Insolvency Resolution Professional (IRP) to take over management.

Earlier on September 4, the Supreme Court stayed the insolvency proceedings against real estate firm Jaypee Infratech at National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Allahabad at the instance of its financier IDBI.

It also issued a notice to embattled firm and others on a plea filed by homebuyers who have not yet received possession of their dream flats booked with the company.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

In yet another case of sexual assault, a class 5 student of a private school in Delhis Ashok Vihar was allegedly molested by her dance teacher.

The Presidium School taking action against the accused dance teacher has fired him after a disciplinary committee, constituted to probe the matter, found him guilty.

The school, going a step ahead has also filed an FIR against the accused dance teacher.

The entire incident took place on September 7 when a newly appointed dance teacher, Neeraj Rawat allegedly misbehaved with a class 5 student during the class.

Also Read | Gandhinagar student rape: Delhi Police Commissioner calls for security audits in schools

According to the FIR filed by School, Neeraj told the victim, I will remove your ID card, then your shirt and then skirt.

After the incident came to light, the school constituted a disciplinary committee to investigate the matter. On the recommendation of the committee, services of the dance teacher Neeraj were terminated by the school on September 9.

The incident came to light days after a 5-year-old girl of a private school in Delhis Gandhinagar was allegedly raped by a peon inside an empty classroom.
New Delhi:

In one of the most horrible terror strike which shook the entire world, Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked planes and crashed into many locations in United States on September 11, 2001. It was a terror attack which took lives of 2,996 people and injured more than 6,000 people. Terrorists did not stop there. They continued their attacks around the world and killed many people.

On the anniversary of that deadly attack, let us have a look at terror attacks since the 9/11 attack:

# Indonesia, October 12, 2002: World was yet to recover from the shock of 9/11 and this strike claiming the lives of 202 people struck in Indonesia. Apart from the deaths, 20 people also got injured. The attack happened on the tourist district of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali.

# Russia, October 23, 2002: In a brutal terror attack, 40-50 armed terrorists took 850 hostages inside crowded Dubrovka Theater in Moscow. It resulted in deaths of at least 170 people and injuries to more than 700 people.

# Spain, March 11, 2004: The 2004 Madrid train bombings were coordinated. Simultaneous bombings ahead of general elections killed 192 people and injured at least 2,000 people. It was later found that the attack was carried out by Al-Qaeda terrorist cell.

# Russia, September 13, 2004: The Beslan school hostage crisis started on September 1 and lasted for three days. The hostage involved illegal occupation of over 1,100 people including 777 children. The attack caused death of at least 385 people.

# India, July 11, 2006: The Mumbai train bombings shook the entire world. In the very populated Mumbai local train, terrorists had planted bombs. Seven bomb blasts happened over a period of 11 minutes on the Suburban Railway in Mumbai. The blasts took lives of 209 people and injured more than 700 people.

# India, November 26, 2008: In one of the deadliest attack on Indian soil, terrorists killed at least 166 people and wounded numerous others in a series of coordinated attacks on India's financial capital, Mumbai. Ajmal Kasab, one of the terrorists, was caught alive. India claimed that the attack was carried out by Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

# Turkey, October 10, 2015: In the Ankara bombings, 102 people were killed and over 400 others got injured. According to two high ranked sources in the Turkish security forces ISIL is most likely responsible.

# Afghanistan, December 8, 2015: Terrorists breached the security of Kandhar Airport in Afghanistan and attacked it. Terrorists also did damage to the surrounding areas. The attack took lives of 70 people and injured 35 people.

# Pakistan, August 8, 2016: Terrorists have also struck Pakistan and the country has been victim of many terrorist attacks in recent times. On a sad day, 77 people were killed and over 100 injured by a suicide bombing at a government hospital in Quetta, Pakistan.

# Pakistan, February 16, 2017: During the 2017 Sehwan suicide bombing, a suicide bomber entered the main hall of the Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan and detonated his payload amid dozens of worshippers. The attack claimed the lives of 88 people and more than 100 got injured.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

It has been 16 years since the September 11 terror attack in 2001 rocked the Word Trade Centre's Twin Towers, the symbol of Americas economic might and left the world in a state of shock and awe. The aftershocks of the brutal attack still sends down a chill in the spine of many recalling the catastrophic incident which led to such mass scale devastation to humanity.

While the Navy SEALs post a massive manhunt eventually managed to kill Osama Bin laden, the mastermind behind the deadliest terror attack that unfolded on US Soil, the Americans havent really been able to eliminate the Bin Laden founded terror organisation Al Qaeda from its roots. A decade of unending drone strikes and precision carpet bombing at key installations has weakened the outfit and reduced its once significant presence in West Asia but not completely eradicated the evil intentions and ideology of the outfit.

The million dollar question remains is how strong or weak is the Al Qaeda at present? Ever since ISIS captured a significant territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014 before declaring itself a 'caliphate', the Islamic State has replaced al-Qaeda as the new face of international terrorism. ISIS which started off as a former affiliate of Al-Qaeda rapidly surpassed its parent organization in terms of the ground it controls and its reputation for wreaking havoc through barbaric brutality.

But by no means has Al-Qaeda gone into a shell. It silently remained active all these years and as a matter of fact expanded its wings through its lesser known but operationally effective regional affiliates in Jabhat al-Nusra and the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Al Qaeda has brought about a tactical change in its operational strategy to execute attacks. Unlike ISIS which takes great deal of credence to pronounce its gruesome attacks, members of the local affiliates Jabhat al-Nusra and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) have been avoiding the sort of brutality that has brought the Islamic State much criticism from all quarters. This tactic has reaped dividends for Al Qaeda, making them win local support and avoid the kind of international military action that the Islamic State is facing.

In Yemen, where the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) had been steadily acquiring territory amounting to what Reuters recently described as a mini-state with a war chest swollen by an estimated $100 million in looted bank deposits and revenue from running the countrys third largest port. AQAP has been hailed as al-Qaedas most dangerous affiliate. It is known for its facility with explosives and has planned out plots to bring down U.S. airliners. AQAP also took credit for the January 2015 attack on the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, in which 11 people died.

As per estimates, in Somalia, its affiliate al Shabaab has more than 7,000 fighters. In Syria, al Nusra boasts more than 20,000. Meanwhile, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has made millions of dollars from ransom payments.

Jennifer Cafarella of the Institute for the Study of War wrote recently, al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate has been quietly playing the long game. The group, she wrote, intentionally does not control terrain; this makes it difficult to target, as it cannot be attacked directly without destroying the more moderate Syrian opposition groups with whom it is embedded. And it has safe-guarded itself against tribal uprisings by prioritizing local support.

ISISs carries out it acts with a greater degree of openness as compared to its parent which was more discrete in plotting attacks. ISIS hence becomes an easy target owing to its clear presence as a terror organisation on global map. Another area of contention which clearly demarcates the two entities is that ISIS strives for governing a territory as part of expanding their self-proclaimed Caliphate which is a far more expensive proposition than plotting attacks abroad, which has historically been al-Qaedas focus.

Al-Qaedas decentralized franchise model has gaping holes which have been exploited. In a late-2014 brief on targeting al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, The Soufan Group, an intelligence consultancy, pointed out that al-Qaedas reliance on the need to project terror from tenuous positions has long forced into a hub-spoke structure, in which energetic operatives seek to turn guidance from AQs leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, into plots that tend to involve many moving parts over a stretched logistical tail.

A major triumph for military and intelligence services of the nations has been the fact that neither Al-Qaeda nor ISIS has managed to pull off an attack of the same magnitude on U.S. soil since 9/11. The two deadliest attacks in America since the 9/11 have been the 2009 Fort Hood shooting and the 2015 San Bernardino shooting respectively. Both these attacks appear to have been executed by independent shooters or better termed as Lone Wolf attacks which were inspired from the groups in whose names they acted.

In 2016, CIA Director John Brennan acknowledged that while the United States had destroyed a large part of al-Qaeda, the group was not completely eliminated. As for ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, he said: If we got Baghdadi, I think it would have a great impact on the organization. As the death of bin Laden, and other terrorist kingpins before him, demonstrates, the exact nature of that impact wont be known for years.

So in a nutshell one can clearly conclude that while Islamic State remains at the forefront of major terror operations, Al Qaeda which is a pale shadow of its past still remains a force to reckon with via its regional affiliates spread across more than 20 countries.It would be unwise for intelligence agencies of the world to deride al Qaeda's as a spent force. At all times and at all cost, a strong vigilance would auger well for preventing the terror outfit from perpetrating another major attack, detrimental to human life.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

Born as Usama ibn Mohammed ibn Awad ibn Ladin anglicized as Osama bin Laden was the founder of Al- Qaeda, an organisation primarily responsible for carrying out terrorist activities all over the world and executing the September 11 attacks in the United States (US). An event that changed the outllook towards terrorism and took it to a whole new level. A brief look at his life and times.

Early Life and education:

Osama bin Laden was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arbia on March 10, 1957 to the wealthy bin Laden family. Osama was the 17th of the 52 child of his parents. Impressed by his father Mohammed Awad bin Laden's dedication in work, members of the Royal family awarded him several contracts to carry out expansion work in the city of Medina.

Little did the world know that the Saudi builder's son would someday destroy the worl's highest commercial building.

Where his brothers received education in the West and came to join his Father's company which evolved to be a huge conglomerate by then but Osama chose to stay close to home.

He went to school in Jiddah, married young and, like many Saudi men, joined the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood. Islam was more than just a religeon to him which influenced him in making every decicion of his life.

Cold war era:

In 1979 Bin Laden joined the resistence against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan along with his mentor Abdullah Azzam who believed that all Muslims should rise up in 'Jihad' or holy war to create a single Islamic state.

Both Abdullah and Osama used their connection to convince young men all over the Middle East to join the Afghan war. Through their organisation Makhtab al-Khidmat which served as a global recruitment network had offices right in the heart of Brooklyn.

Creation of Al-Qaeda:

Osama believed in symbollic acts of terrorism rather than carrying out military campaign. This led him to the formation of Al- Qaeda in 1988.

Feared with his pan Islamic rehtoric the Saudi Royal fanily tried to keep him quiet as much as they could.

They even took aways his passports. Bin laden felt that he has been snubbed and thereafter he carried the first ever terror attack which was in the form of a bomb blast at a hotel in Aden, Yemen, that had housed American peacekeeping troops on their way to Somalia. No soldiers were reported dead from that attack.

9/11 World Trade Centre attack:

In what looked like a cinematic view, on September 11, 2001 two passenger aircraft hit the neck of the then tallest commercial building standing on the face of the planet called the World Trade Centre.

The impact made the twin towers tumble down in few hours. The then President of the United States (US) George W Bush in his address immediately after the attack said that it was an act of terror and that his government will do everything to bring down the perpetrators of the act.

End of days:

Finally on May 02, 2011 in a highly classified operation a team of US Navy Seals raided a compound in Pakistan's Abbottabad where he was shot and killed by members of the Seals.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

The tag of, 'Iron lady' may be the best fit for the newly appointed defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Within days after induction in the defence ministry she made her first public statement snubbing the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) on the shortage of ammunition.

Sitharaman who was visiting the Uttarlai Air Force base at Barmer, Rajasthan dismissed the CAG report which stated that the defence sector suffered shortage of ammunition as, factually wrong.

The minister asserted there was no dearth of weapons with the defence forces. She held that the facts were wrong and that it was not necessary to debate on the issue."After taking the charge of defence ministry, I have discussed the issue with senior officers and experts. purchasing weapons is a continuous process," she said.



What the CAG report said:

In it's report of 2015 the CAG had mentioned that the defence sector is in great need of budgetary support in order to reach at least 50 per cent of the target of War Wastage Reserve (WWR).

WWR refers to those materials which are in reserve by the army and are put to use in times of war. In an ideal situation the WWR should last for at least 40 days in times of intense war which gives the ordinance factories enough time to ramp up production and supply to the military.

The CAG report also said that with proper budgetary support the shortfall in ammunition could be overcome by 2019.It criticised the state-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) for inadequate quantity of ammunition supplied to the Army since March 2013.

At a time when Indian armed forces was engaged with China at the Dokalam plateau, the CAG came up with it's report saying that the Indian armed forces did not have enough ammunition to sustain a war for even 20 days.

The Sitharaman effect:

From now on a new practice will be regularised in the Ministry of Defence headed by Nirmala Sitharaman. Daily morning meetings with all the three service chiefs and a separate meeting with the defence secretary will now be put to practice.



Other areas of focus would be settling all outstanding land related issues for infrastructure projects and matters relating to welfare of defence personnel and their families.





For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday co-chaired the Indo-Afghan strategic partnership council meeting with her Afghanistan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani in Delhi.

During the meeting, both countries signed a number of bilateral agreements ranging from security to supply of food grains.

India has also agreed to provide further assistance to Afghan forces after the United States in its new Afghanistan Policy demanded India to play a more active role.

Swaraj said, India will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with people of Afghanistan and that both countries will continue to remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by terrorism.

We remain united in overcoming challenges posed by cross border terrorism & safe havens&sanctuaries to both our countries, EAM Swaraj said.

India will also expedite the development of Chabahar post in a trilateral cooperation with Iran and will also begin supply of wheat to the war-hit country in coming weeks.

Afghanistan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani said the current regional trends have brought both countries even closer to protect and achieve the socio-economic, security and trade interests.

Current regional trends bring India-Afghanistan closer than ever to protect & achieve our socio-economic, security and trade interests, he said.

He also said that closer India-Afghan ties must not create hostility with other neighboring countries.

I must be clear that our friendship with India or any other country does not mean hostility to others in our neighborhood, Afghan FM said.

Rabbani also extended Afghanistans open support to Indias bid for permanent membership of UN Security Council.

Afghanistan strongly & openly supports India's bid for permanent membership of UN Security Council, Rabbani said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday said that Pakistan violated ceasefire by resorting to firing at P-1 and P-2 posts in Shahpur sector of Poonch district.

Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan violated ceasefire along Line of Control in Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Firing of small arms, automatics and mortars were seen across LoC. Indian Army retaliated strongly to the unprovoked firing.

Poonch district has been on Pakistans target for long time now. Pakistan violated ceasefire in Poonch district on September 1 as well. An assistant Sub-Inspector of BSF lost his life in ceasefire violation by Pakistan.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Two Hizbul terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Monday. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khudwani area of Kulgam district on Sunday following specific information about the presence of some militants there, a police official said.

During searches, the militants opened fire at the security forces who retaliated, leading to a gunfight. Two militants were killed in the encounter, he said adding their identity and group affiliation was being ascertained.A

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
LONDON -- Eight centuries of students submitting hand-written exam papers could soon come to an end at the world famous Cambridge University.

The university is considering axing compulsory written exams and allowing students to use laptop computers instead, reports in Britain's broadsheet newspapers reported Saturday.

The proposed move comes after Cambridge tutors complained that students' handwriting is becoming illegible.

Academics say today's students rely too heavily on laptops in lectures, and are losing the ability to write by hand.

Cambridge University, according to the reports, has launched a consultation on the topic as part of a digital education strategy.

Earlier this year Cambridge piloted an exam typing scheme in its history and classics faculties.

In an online survey, students are asked whether they would like the option to type exams, and whether this would have a "significant positive impact" on their "well-being".

Dr Sarah Pearsall, a senior lecturer at Cambridge's History Faculty who was involved with the pilot earlier this year, told the Daily Telegraph that handwriting is becoming a lost art among the current generation of students.

She said: "Fifteen or twenty years ago students routinely have written by hand several hours a day - but now they write virtually nothing by hand except exams," she told The Daily Telegraph.

"As a faculty we have been concerned for years about the declining handwriting problem. There has definitely been a downward trend. It is difficult for both the students and the examiners as it is harder and harder to read these scripts."

Pearsall added an increasing number of scripts are having to be transcribed centrally, meaning that students with illegible writing are forced to come back to their college during the summer holidays to read their answers aloud in the presence of two university administrators.

One leading academic who sees the decline in handwriting continuing, Sir Anthony Seldon, vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham, told the Telegraph it is inevitable that universities will move to computers as handwriting deteriorates in coming years.

"Handwriting is very significantly in decline. We have to accept the reality."

A spokesperson for Cambridge University said their review of exam procedures was prompted by students raising concerns that they rarely handwrite during their studies.

"The consultation is on-going and will be used to inform future decision-making on the issue," the spokesperson added.
New Delhi:

Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Shahpur Kerni sector of Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.



The firing started 1.40 PM and still on, however, no damage has been reported so far, the sources said.



Indian Army is giving a befitting reply.

#WATCH: Heavy shelling in J&K's Poonch district's Shahpur sector by Pakistan Army, earlier today pic.twitter.com/7mOY7T0B5Z  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017



Pakistan violated ceasefire by resorting to firing at P-1and P-2 posts in Shahpur Sector of district Poonch, said a police official.



The violation comes only two days a 22-year-old civilian was injured in another ceasefire violation by the Pakistani Army in Poonch.



On Saturday the Pakistani troops opened fire from heavy weapons and mortars from across the border in Debraj, Krishna Ghati and Ishapur in Mendhar sector starting at around 10.30 am, prompting retaliation by Indian troops guarding the border, a police official said.



Last week's ceasefire violation coincided with Home Minister Rajnath Singhs four-day visit to the state.



The civilian, Mohammad Younis, was injured when a shell exploded in his village in Balnoi sector. A buffalo was also killed and a house damaged in the shelling, the official said.

Read full story | Jammu and Kashmir: Pakistan violates ceasefire in Shahpur sector of Poonch district

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed more than 1,000 students in New Delhi on the ocassion of the 125th year of Swami Vivekanandas Chicago address at the Worlds Parliament of Religion.

Here are the highlights from PM Modi's speech-

12:21 PM

India is changing, India's standing at the global stage is rising and this is due to Jan Shakti: PM



12:21 PM

There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation & fulfil the aspirations of our people: PM



#12:18 PM

There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses: PM



#12:12 PM

We have to fulfil the dreams of Gandhi, Bhagat Singh-PM

#12: 10 PM

We have to encourage creativity instead robot: PM

#12: 08 PM:

Student organisations should give more importance to cleanliness during poll campaigns: PM



#12:06 PM

There is no dearth of talent in country-PM

#12: 05 PM

Swami Vivekananda had given the concept of 'One Asia.' He said that the solutions to the world's problems will come from Asia: PM



# 12:01 PM

We will have to give more priority on skill development: PM

#11:59 AM

Skill is more imprtanbt than certficate: PM

#11:57 AM

Both knowledge and skills are equally important: PM



#11:52 AM

The correspondence between Swami Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tata will show the concern Swami JI had towards India's self-reliance: PM



#11:49 AM

I want to specially mention all those people who are working tirelessly to keep India clean-PM

#11:47 AM

We cannot litter our locality and say 'Vande Mataram': PM Modi

#11:45 AM

We have no right to soil places whether we take part in sanitation or not: PM

#11:43 AM

Do we have right to chant 'Vande Mataram' -PM

#11:42 AM

Vande Mataram gave me goose bumps: PM

#11: 37AM

Swami Vivekananda did not believe in sermonising. His ideas & idealism paved way for an institutional framework via Ramakrishna Mission: PM



#11:36 AM

More than being in search of a Guru, Swami Vivekananda was in search of the truth: PM



#11:35 AM

Swami Vivekananda said that only rituals will not connect an individual to divinity...he said 'Jan Seva is Prabhu Seva' : PM



#11:34 AM

Swami Vivekananda raised his voice against the social evils that has entered our society: PM



#11:32 AM

The 9/11 of 1893 was about love, harmony and brotherhood: PM



#11:30 AM

Just with a few words, a youngster from India won over the world and showed the world the power of oneness: PM Narendra Modi



# 11:30 AM

Today is 9/11...this day became widely spoken about after 2001 but there was another 9/11 of 1893 which we remember: PM



#11:26 AM

Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, we are working tirelessly towards realising the dreams & aspirations of our youth.



#11:25 AM

Swami Vivekananda strongly believed in the power of Yuva Shakti. He saw a vital place for youngsters in the realm of nation building.

As a part of the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay centenary celebrations which will continue to September 25, an event titled Young India, New India: A Resurgent Nation, from Sankalp to Siddhi is being organised by the Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) and supported by the Culture Ministry.

Tomorrow I look forward to addressing a gathering of students on the theme of Young India, New India, Modi had tweeted.

The convention of students is being held on a day Vivekananda delivered his historic address at Chicago in 1893, he noted.

This year, we are marking 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekanandas Chicago address and Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya centenary celebrations, the prime minister said in another tweet.

He said Vivekananda strongly believed in the power of Yuva Shakti (youth power) and saw a vital place for youngsters in the realm of nation-building.

Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, we are working tirelessly towards realising the dreams and aspirations of our youth, the prime minister said.

With PTI inputs

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

In the Pradyuman death case, the Ryan International Groupas northern zone head Francis Thomas and branch (Bhondsi) coordinator was arrested by police on Sunday night.

The government has also ordered to close all campuses of Ryan International School in Gurugram for two days beginning Monday.

Amidst all this, Pradyuman's father has decided to knock the doors of Supreme Court against school apathy. While leaving, he said that there were security lapses and it is one of the reasons for Pradyuman's death.

Gurugram Police Commissioner said that SHO Sadar Police Station, Sohna Road suspended with immediate effect Sunday night.

Here are all the live updates:

# Pradyuman death case: Ryan International Group's northern zone head Francis Thomas & branch (Bhondsi) coordinator sent on 2-day police remand

# Will definitely give reply to SC. We will arrive at a better solution by talking to everybody: P Javadekar, Union HRD Minister

# Two incidents,one murder of a 7-yr-old in Gurugram and another rape of a 5-yr-old in Delhi; both heinous crimes: P Javadekar, HRD Minister

# Pradyuman death case: Police to question Ryan International School's driver, gardener & few other people to probe possibility of accomplices

# Pradyuman death case: Ryan International Group's northern zone head Francis Thomas & branch (Bhondsi) coordinator produced in Sohna Court

# Full faith in SC and have also received a positive response from Haryana Govt: Varun Thakur, father of Pradyuman



# Victim's lawyer sought CBI investigation into the case and added that a tribunal or authority to hear such types of cases



# It is matter of each and every child in country, says Supreme Court

# Supreme Court also issues notice to Haryana board and CBSEA A

# Supreme Court issues notice to Centre, Haryana governmentA

#A Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar spoke to Varun Thakur, father of Pradyuman, today, assuring him of a CBI investigation.

# Parents mentioned in complaint that several CCTVs were dysfunctional, a water tank was left unlocked among other lapses.

# Delhi: Parents filed a complaint against Vasant Kunj branch of Ryan International School citing several security lapses.

#A Heinous crime. Talked to CM Khattar. He is concerned and assured no culprit would be spared: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Pradyuman murder case

# Nitish also talked to Harayna CM ML Khattar requesting him to meet grieving family. CM Khattar assured him of that, ensuring impartial and fast probe.

# Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had a telephonic conversation with the mother and uncle of Pradyuman today.

# We had been interrogating Acting Principal since day before yesterday and she is in hospital now. Investigation underway: DCP South

# Ryan International School CEO Ryan Pinto files an anticipatory bail application in Bombay High Court; hearing likely to take place tomorrow.

# Pradyuman's father Varun Thakur approaching Supreme Court, seeks assurance for his family's safety and security.

# Pradyuman death case: Team of Haryana Police reaches Mumbai; will visit Ryan International Group's headquarter, to question its owner

# Acting principal of Gurugram's Ryan International School complaints of health issues during questioning by Police, taken to hospital: Sources

# Have met injured media personnel, assured if someone had done a targeted attack then no body will be spared: Police Commissioner

# Have dispatched teams for document verification so that we are able to investigate case in totality: Police Commissioner

# SC to hear plea filed by victim's father asking for a CBI probe in murder of his 7-year-old son

# 2 people from school management arrested yesterday; investigation will be done methodically: Police commissioner Gurugram on Pradyuman death case

# Parents protest at Ryan International School in Noida questioning safety of students after death of Pradyuman in Gurugram branch.

# Pradyuman death case: Haryana Police sends a team to Mumbai to question Ryan International Group's owner.

# Parents protest at Ryan International School in Greater Noida questioning safety of students after death of Pradyuman in Gurugram branch.

# 11 arrested for setting a liquor shop close to Ryan International School in Gurugram on fire yesterday.

# Arun, SHO Sadar Police Station, Sohna Road suspended after negligence in maintaining law and order yesterday: Gurugram Police

# SHO Sadar Police Station, Sohna Road suspended with immediate effect last night. Speedy investigation underway: Gurugram Police Commissioner.

# Ryan International Group's northern zone head Francis Thomas and branch (Bhondsi) coordinator arrested last night.

# Police deployment at Gurugram's Ryan International School amid raging protests, all campuses of the school in the city closed till tomorrow.

Police deployment at Gurugram's #RyanInternationalSchool amid raging protests, all campuses of the school in the city closed till tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/mTwAjSdymu a ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

# There were security lapses, one of the reasons for Pradyuman's death says his father as he leaves for Supreme Court Ryan International School.

There were security lapses, one of the reasons for Pradyuman's death says his father as he leaves for Supreme Court #RyanInternationalSchool pic.twitter.com/wBjtseoSXY a ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

# Haryana: All campuses of Ryan International School in Gurugram to remain closed today and tomorrow amid protests, as per state Government order.

Earlier on Sunday, the tragic death of 7-year-old kid at Ryan International School in Gurugram sparked huge unrest among people. People constantly protested in front of the school and demanded strict action against the management.

People had gathered in large numbers outside Ryan International School in Gurugram. They expressed discontentment over progress in the case.

Parents vowed for justice and demanded CBI investigation into the case.

The angry protestors even broke window panes of the school.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Madras High Court on Monday quashed a plea seeking to stay the general council and executive committee meeting called by Chief Minister Palaniswami-led faction of the AIADMK on Tuesday.

Justice C V Karthikeyan dismissed the petition filed by P Vetrivel, MLA, a supporter of sidelined AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran, and slapped a fine of Rs one lakh on him for wasting the time of the court.

The judge said that being an MLA, the petitioner should have taken note of a circular issued by the High Court in past, which stated that MPs and MLAs should first get the nod of the Chief Justice for filing petitions.

Without getting the nod, Vetrivel has filed the petition, the judge said.

The judge observed that if the petitioner was aggrieved by the call for the meeting, he may go to the meeting venue and have lunch or ignored it by not attending and sit at home. He may not have filed the vexatious petition.

When Vetrivels counsel made a request to grant liberty to the petitioner to approach the Election Commission against the general council meet, the judge observed that no one could prevent any person from approaching an appropriate forum to vent grievances. (With PTI Inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

Yes, you read it right. Ramlila in Ayodhya this year will be performed by a host of theatre artists right from the religion of Islam. The final rehearsals are underway as it will be performed from September 13 to 15 in Lucknow and Ayodhya respectively. For the first time in the history of Ramlila artistes from an Islam major country will be performing Ram Lila.

"All the artistes who will be performing Ramayana are Muslims, and they do not consume any non-vegetarian food," said UP religious affairs and culture minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary.

"It is for the first time such a Ramlila is being organised in the state, and that too by foreign artistes, all of whom happen to be Muslims," he said. The artistes will perform in Lucknow on September 13 and in Ayodhya on September 15 respectively.

"The message, which we are trying to disseminate through the staging of Ramlila by Muslim artistes from Indonesia is that despite being a Muslim-dominated country, they do not have any problem with staging of Ram Lila," Chaudhary said.

In Ayodhya, the programme will be held at Swami Vivekanand auditorium of Avadh University. "We want that Ramlila of all the 65 countries, where it is performed, is staged in the Ramnagiri of Ayodhya," said the Vice Chacellor of Avadh University , adding there are 100 versions of the folk drama in India.

Not very long ago, in 2016 the Shiv Sena's Muzaffarnagar unit staged a protest to prevent Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui's performance in the folk play at Budhana tehsil. As a result the highly acclaimed actor had to withdraw from playing in Ramlila.

(With agency inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Peoples Democratic Party and opposition party National Conference on Sunday stressed for the special status granted under Article 35 A before Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who was visiting the valley to review security situation.

PDP general secretary Nizamuddin Bhat asserted that his party is of the view that Kashmirs is a political problem and it cannot be related with development issue.

The PDP delegation also shared their thoughts over governments credibility, saying that the agenda of alliance has yet not been implemented on the ground.

Bhat said that he has put the partys interest before the union home minister and told him that Kashmir is a special state and it must be given same treatment.

PDP joined hands with the BJP to fulfill the Vajpayee mission, otherwise, our ideologies are completely different, he said.

Bhat said the minister heard their concern and they told him to be honest.

Former CM Omar Abdullah also met Rajnath and discussed Article 35A issue.

J&K: Home Minister Rajnath Singh met National Conference delegation headed by former CM Omar Abdullah in Srinagar pic.twitter.com/A9vPuR9Pdi  ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2017

We put our point of view in front of the Home Minister and informed him of the importance the people of the state attach to this provision, Abdullah said.

Article 35A is a provision that empowers the J&K legislature to define permanent residents of the state, and it has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

Also Read: Rajnath says no forces in world will be able to stop Kashmir from becoming heaven again

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Expressing solidarity with the Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar, several organisations on Sunday took out protest rallies in different parts of Hyderabad against what they termed as the "genocide" of Rohingya Muslims in the neighbouring country.

An all party protest meeting was also organised at Nam pally condemning the killings of Rohingya Muslims which was addressed by CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy and senior Congress leader Mohd Ali Shabbir.

Holding placards that read "Stop killings of innocent Rohingya Muslims in Burma," "Stop genocide of Rohingyas," members of city-based organisations Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) and Darsgah Jihad-O-Shahadat (DJS) and other organisations protested in different parts of the city.

They raised slogans beside burning effigies of Myanmar's state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had recently said the Rohingyas, whether they are registered under the UNHCR or not, are "illegal immigrants in India and hence they stand to be deported."

Rohingyas are a Muslim minority in the Rakhine state of Myanmar who have been fleeing to Bangladesh and India amid reports of alleged ethnic purging and persecution in Myanmar.

According to estimates, Hyderabad is home to about 3,600 Rohingyas, taking shelter under a UNHCR programme. "They are not willing to go back to Myanmar," a volunteer with an NGO working for them said requesting anonymity.

Sources in the Rohingya camp here say they are apprehensive about their future if they are deported and fear that they would be killed or subjected to torture back home.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The horrendous murder of a second class student Pradyuman Thakur in Ryan International School in Gurugram has triggered protests. The gut-wrenching incident has shaken the entire country.

Reactions have started pouring from all the corners over the death of the seven-year-old boy, who was murdered mercilessly. The boy was allegedly killed by a bus conductor, who had attempted to sexually abuse him.

If this was not all, another news of a girl being raped by a peon in Delhi has sent shockwaves across the country. Both these incidents have put a big question mark on the safety of children in schools.

Bollywood actress Renuka Shahane, who is known for expressing her opinion on various social and political issues, took to Facebook to write a heart-warming post.

Also Read: Tips parents should follow to protect their child from sexual abuse

The 'Hum Aapke Hai Koun' actress raised a very important question on how can we make things safe for our children. She slammed the school management for the security lapses that led to the cold-blooded murder.

Shahane, who is a doting mother to two sons, also raised her voice over the rape of a five-year-old girl in Tagore Public School in Delhi.

Check out her Facebook post

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Gurgaon/New Delhi:

Two top officials of the Ryan International School were arrested on Monday and the acting principal detained for questioning following the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old student on campus, even as the victims father moved the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe.



Ryan International Group CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, who are its founders, approached the Bombay High Court on Monday to seek anticipatory bail in connection with the childs murder in the chains Gurgaon school.



SHO of Sadar Police Station on Sohna Road in Gurgaon was meanwhile suspended over a baton-charge on protesting parents, as well as journalists, outside the school premises.



Protests continued at other places with the parents of children studying in Ryan International Schools Noida and Greater Noida branches seeking an assurance regarding safety of their wards.



Gurgaon police chief Sandeep Khirwar told PTI that the schools Legal Head, Francis Thomas and HR Head, Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Sunday night following interrogation.

Read | Ryan murder case: Renuka Shahane expresses concern, shares heart warming post on Facebook



Acting principal Neerja Batra has been detained and is being questioned. She is likely to be arrested soon, Khirwar said.



Acting on the report of a three-member panel that had indicated lapses, the two top officials of the school management were arrested under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice act, police officials said.



Schoolbus conductor Ashok Kumar, who allegedly tried to sexually assault the class II student in a toilet and slit his throat with a knife when he resisted on Friday last is already behind bars.



The Haryana police has formed fourteen teams to probe the case, which has triggered massive outrage, according to officials. A special investigation team will reach Mumbai to question school CEO Pinto and director Albert Pinto, they said.



The father of the 7-year-old, however, approached the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe, which prompted the apex court to seek responses from the Centre and Haryana.



A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also sought a response from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on the plea, which has sought framing of guidelines to fix responsibility of school managements in case of such incidents and also regarding the safety and security of children.

Read | Ryan group CEO and family members move Mumbai High Court for pre-arrest bail



This petition is not restricted only to the school concerned as it has a country-wide ramification, the court said during the brief hearing.



The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, asked the governments and the CBSE to respond within three weeks.



Barun Chandra Thakur, the father of the student said in his plea filed through advocate Sushil Tekriwal, that free and fair investigation should be conducted by the CBI under the monitoring of the apex court in the matter.



At the Bombay High Court, Ryan International Groups founding chairman, Augustine Pinto (73), and his wife Grace Pinto (62), who is the managing director of the institution, along with their son Ryan Pinto sought anticipatory bail.



Their counsel Niteen Pradhan mentioned the applications this morning before Justice Ajey Gadkari, who posted them for hearing on Tuesday.



The Pintos, in their pleas, said while the death of the boy was unfortunate, the management cannot be held culpable and that they themselves were victims of the unfortunate circumstances.



The death has caused deep pain not only to the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, management, staff and students of the school, their applications said.



This is not only the darkest hour for the family but also for the institution. Such an incident has taken place for the first time in the past four decades since the institution was set up, the three said in their bail pleas.



Despite taking all necessary steps for security and well being of the students as required by law and prudence, if such an unfortunate incident occurs, the institution cannot be held culpable as it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances, they said.



According to the pleas, the Pintos read newspaper reports which mentioned that there were demands for booking the management.

Read | SC notice to Centre, Haryana government, CBSE for student safety measures



Hence, we apprehend action against us in the matter. We seek the court to grant us transit protection from arrest so that we can approach the appropriate judicial authority in Haryana, the pleas said.



The petitioners said they were residents of Mumbai from where the overall management of the institution was carried out. The day-to-day management of each school is taken care of by the local staff appointed by the management, they said.



While no outsider is allowed to enter school premises, bus drivers and conductors, who have been given identity cards, were allowed to use basic amenities like toilets on humanitarian grounds, they said in the petitions.



Because of the CCTV placed in the corridor covering the entrance of the Gurgaon school washroom where the incident occurred, the culprit could be identified immediately and arrested, the pleas added.



Earlier, a fact-finding panel in its report had highlighted several deficiencies, including in the installation of CCTV cameras at the school, lack of separate toilets for drivers and conductors, unsafe toilets, a broken boundary wall, lack of ramps, expired fire extinguishers and lack of police verification of employees, officials said.



The district administration has asked the school to ensure safety at its premises and gave it 15 days to reply to a show cause notice, they added.



All Ryan group schools in Gurgaon have been ordered to remain shut on Monday and Tuesday.



As the outrage over the murder kept mounting, the SHO of Sadar Police Station was suspended in connection with a baton-charge on protesting parents and journalists outside the school.



Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had yesterday termed as unfortunate the baton charging in which some mediapersons covering the protest were also injured and ordered action against erring policemen.



Hundreds of angry parents had staged a protest outside the school demanding a CBI probe into the murder of the 7-year-old.



For applying baton charge on angry mob and journalists outside the school on Sunday morning, Gurgaon Police Commissioner has suspended SHO-Sadar Sohna for negligence, ACP and Chief PRO of Gurgaon Police Manish Sehgal said.Khattar said the government will bear the medical expenses of journalists who were injured in the police action.



There were protests in Noida and Greater Noida as well where parents gathered outside Ryan International School branches and sought assurance on the safety of their children from the management.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Chief executive officer of Ryan International Group Ryan Pinto and his parents  who are its founders  have approached the Bombay High Court on Monday seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old boy in the school campus in Gurgaon.

Ryan International Group's founding chairman, Augustine Pinto (73), and his wife Grace Pinto (62)  managing director of the institution  and Ryan sought anticipatory bail from the Bombay High Court, said their counsel Niteen Pradhan.

The bail petition by Pinto and his family members were filed following the arrest of two top officials of the Ryan International School in Gurgaon.

Pradhan added that the application was filed before Justice Ajey Gadkari and have been posted for hearing on Tuesday.

In the plea, the Pintos have said that the death of the boy was unfortunate and the management cannot be held culpable.

Also Read: Ryan murder case: Driver says top school, police officials forced him to admit knife was part of tool-kit



They also mentioned in the plea that they themselves as victims of the unfortunate circumstances.

The application filed by Pinto family said, The death has caused deep pain and grief not only to

the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, management, staff and students of the school."

The application added, "This is not only the darkest hour for the family but also for the institution. Such an incident has taken place for the first time in the past four decades since the institution was set up."

Their application further said, Despite taking all necessary steps for security and well being of the students as required by law and prudence, if such an unfortunate incident occurs, the institution cannot be held culpable as it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstance.

Also Read: Ryan murder case: SC notice to Centre, Haryana government, CBSE for student safety measures



Their pleas further said that they are residents of Mumbai and the overall management of the institution is being carried out from the Mumbai office.

The pleas further add that the day-to-day management of each school is taken care by the local staff appointed by the management.

The applications filed by the Pinto also mentioned that the trustees of Ryan International Group and the management were cooperating with the police to the best of their ability.

Pradhuman Thakur, a class 2 student, was found dead in a school washroom on Friday. Police have arrested a bus conductor in connection to the incident.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Bharatiya Janata Dal (BJP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) rubbished the Shiv Sena leaders statement stating that the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered cabinet berth to NCP chief Sharad Pawars lawmaker daughter Supriya Sule on Monday.

Senas mouthpiece Saamana editor Sanjay Raut had claimed that Pawar once told him that his daughter was offered a Cabinet berth by Modi.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP wrote, Modi once told me that he wanted Supriya in his Cabinet. Supriya who was present in the meeting told Modi that she would be the last person to join the BJP.

The Sena MP had also said that Pawar had told him that NCPs stand on not joining the BJP government, yet rumours were being spread to create confusion.

Raut further added that Pawar said that there are senior NCP leaders who are in touch with CM Devendra Fadnavis. The chief minister is holding secret meetings with NCP leaders.

A BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said, Pawar and Raut have no political credibility left.

NCP leaders said that their party would never join the BJP, considering the ideological difference.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said, There is no question of his party joining the BJP in future as well, considering the ideological differences between the two parties.

He added Supriya Sule and Praful Patel have also clarified on the report.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

In a shocking incident, a 11-year-old girl was made to stand inside boys' toilet for not coming to school in proper uniform at a private school in Hyderabad. The victim is a class V student and following the incident, the girl's parents have recorded a video statement of her. The girl says that she went to school wearing the regular school uniform. When her PT teacher spotted her in the school, she asked why she was not wearing the uniform.



"The PT teacher caught me on my way to my class on the first floor. I kept saying please see my diary but no one paid any heed," the child said.



"They started screaming at me. I got scared and didn't say anything. There were 2-3 teachers including English teachers and tenth class Telugu teacher. They were saying how come she has turned up in civil colour dress and she doesn't even answer our questions. Let us put her in the boys' loo. Children were all watching," the girl is heard saying.



In a video shot by the girl's father, she looks shaken and scared. Also, in the video the father is heard telling the child that no one would now trouble her at school since he has spoken to the school and her teachers but the girls is emphatic that she won't go back to that school.



"Now that you have raised the issue, they will beat me and harass me. I will never go back to that school," the child says, reflecting the trauma and humiliation she must have experienced.



Child rights activist Achyuta Rao, to whom the father complained, says this is also a violation under Prevention of Sexual Offences Against Children (POCSO) law.



"We want to press criminal charges against the school and teachers. How can they act in such an insensitive manner," Mr Rao says. After the incident came into limelight, child rights activists demanded a case against the teacher and also intends to write to the Human Rights Commission.

A large number of parents and locals gathered at the school, located in R C Puram area, to protest against the incident. Telangana's IT minister K T Rama Rao condemned the incident and said he would take up the matter with deputy chief minister and education minister Kadiyam Srihari.

The state government on Monday ordered an inquiry into the matter and asked the district education officer to submit a report. According to the girl's father, a woman PTE (physical training education) teacher of the school asked his daughter the reason for not wearing the uniform on Saturday.

"She was not even bothered to listen to my child's explanation that a note was already written by us in her diary requesting to allow for one day without uniform," he said. "She (the teacher) dragged my child forcefully and asked her to stay for five minutes inside the boys' washroom as a punishment for not wearing the uniform," he alleged.

"This act of abuse has had a bad impact on my child andhurt her dignity," he said. "Now my child is not at all ready to face the co-students as she is feeling ashamed," he said.

The woman teacher, however, denied the allegations and told media persons that as the girl was not wearing uniform, she only asked her the reason. She said the girl was standing near the boys' washroom and was never asked to stand inside it.

Reacting to the incident, K T Rama Rao, in a tweet, said,"Ridiculous & absolutely inhuman. Will take it up with Hon'ble Deputy CM for appropriate action on the school." The girl's father yesterday approached city-based NGO'Balala Hakkula Sangham' over the incident.

With PTI Inputs

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Tamil Nadu farmers marched near Jantar Mantar with just loincloths threatened the Central government to commit suicide and take out a nude march if their demands are not met in New Delhi on Monday.

The farmers from Tamil Nadu have been protesting from last two months to press the government to waive their loans.

The leader of the Tamil Nadu farmers P Ayyakkannu said, We will take out nude procession, if our demands are not met.

He also announced that if the demands are not met they would commit suicide by slitting throats.

The protesting farmers are demanding a relief package of Rs 40,000 crore, insurance for their crops and setting up of a Cauvery Management Board by the Centre.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu farmers end protests in Chennai after state government agrees to fulfill demands



The police deployed at Parliament Street have detained at least 25 farmers participating in the march.

Ayyakkannu said, The police detained us without citing any reasons. No one has the right to stop people from protesting.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu farmers consume their own 'excreta' during protest at Jantar Mantar



A senior police officer stationed at the Parliament Street said the farmers were detained after they started stripping. Women groups were also demonstrating at the Jantar Mantar.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

India has been criticised on the international platform for the way the government handled Rohingya crisis and journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder.



The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Monday condemned India's intention to deport Rohingya refugee while they face a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.



Delivering the opening statement at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the high commissioner for human rights, came down heavily on Yagoon and New Delhi for their approach towards Rohingya matter.



Referring to Indias approach to Rohingya refugees, Al Hussein said he deplored New Delhis measures to deport them, noting that nearly 40,000 had settled in India and 16,000 of them had received refugee documentation.



He said: The minister of state for home affairs has reportedly said that because India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention, the country can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion.

Read | Rohingya crisis: India asks Myanmar to handle situation with restraint



However, by virtue of customary law, its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the obligations of due process and the universal principle of non-refoulment, India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations.



High Commissioner Al Hussein also criticised India for journalist's murder.



Gauri Lankesh, a journalist who tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred, was assassinated last week. I have been heartened by the subsequent marches calling for protection of the right to freedom of expression, and by demonstrations in 12 cities to protest the lynchings, he said.



Rohingyas face ethnic cleansing



Hussein described the situation of Myanmars Rohingya minority as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.



The high commissioner for human rights asked the Myanmar government to stop claiming the Rohingyas were setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their villages.

Read | Gauri Lankesh murder: Writing against RSS might have been the reason for her death, says BJP MLA



Al Hussein criticised the Myanmar government, stating that its denial on the Rohingya issue was doing great damage to the international standing of a government which had until recently, he said, benefited from immense goodwill.



Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, he said.



I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population. I strongly urge the authorities to allow my office unfettered access to the country, he added.



Al Hussein also expressed dismay at what he called the broader rise of intolerance towards religious and other minorities in India, and alleged that those who spoke out for fundamental human rights faced threats.

Read | Rohingya crisis: Myanmar rejects temporary ceasefire declared by Muslim Rohingya insurgents

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

A group of men allegedly thrashed a 22-year-old man for speaking in English with his friend at a five-star hotel in Delhi's Connaught Place on Monday, police said.

Police said the incident was reported in the early hours of Saturday,

We have arrested three people in connection to the incident, a senior police official said.

According to police, one Varun Gulati, a Noida resident, had been to the five-star hotel in Connaught Place to drop his friend.

While, Gulati was returning after dropping his friend at the hotel, a group of men in inebriated condition thrashed him.

While thrashing Gulati, his attackers regularly questioned him what was he speaking in English, added the police officer.

He added that after thrashing Gulati the five had fled from the area.

Police said the three were nabbed on the basis of the vehicle registration number provided by Gulati.

Gulati had managed to note down the registration number the accused had used to escape added the police officer.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Gadget freaks will go crazy this week as Apple is all set to launch its much-anticipated device iPhone 8 today, i.e. September 12, 2017, all over the world. This time the American multinational technology company is gearing up to host the programme at the Steve Jobs secret Theatre in the new Apple campus making it hundred times more grand and special as never before.

A day ahead of the launch the much-hyped phone has already been subjected to several leaks and rumours. Going by the rumours the upcoming gadget is expected to come with a wireless charging system, facial recognition, an edge-to-edge display and for the first time no home button.

The device will probably be called as iPhone X. According to reports, the multinational company may also unveil two other phones, called the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. It seems like Apple is leaving no stone unturned to woo its shoppers on the occasion of Apples iPhone 10th-anniversary event.

Here is all you need to know about the much-awaited release of the year:

Tim Cook will release the iPhone 8 at an event in California on September 12. In August the company has confirmed the event and invited a bunch of journalists at its new Apple Park headquarters at 10 am Eastern Time (6 pm UK time).

Going by the tradition the devices are expected to go on sale a week after their announcement, making it likely the iPhone 8 will be available for pre-order on September 15 and hit stores on Friday, September 22.

Also Read: Apple's latest iPhone name and feature leaked

This is not the end. Apple has something more in its store to make tech savvy folks excited further. Besides this lot of attractive smartphones, the company will also unveil a third generation of the Apple Watch and a 4K Apple TV.

The iPhone X will be Apple's most expensive handset till the date with a whopping price of $1,000 in the UK. The weak pound and VAT mean that this could well translate into a cost of 1,000 or more in the US.

The 8 and 8 Plus models, which may be available in greater numbers and earlier, are likely to be cheaper, close to the current iPhone 7 and 7 Plus prices of 599 and 719.

Reports from iPhone leaker Benjamin Geskin have given a hint that the iPhone X will come in 'Blush Gold' and will drop the much loved 'rose gold' one that had come on previous models.

Also Read | Apple iPhone 8 launch: Here is all you need to know about big event

Flagship features and specifications:

1. 5.8-inch edge-to-edge OLED display with a glass back and aluminium bumper

2. No home button

3. Facial recognition software which will work with a 3D camera

4. SmartCam which is expected to identify different scenes and objects, such as fireworks, foliage, babies, pets, snow or sport

5. Augmented reality directions that will guide users around towns and cities throughout the world

6. iOS 11: The forthcoming gadget will be blessed with Apple's newly launched safety feature iOS 11. The feature includes an Emergency SOS option that will lock thieves out when its owner is in danger.
Miami (US):

Hurricane Irma gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummelling with winds up to 130 mph, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline.



The 400-mile-wide (640-kilometer-wide) storm blew ashore in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then began a slow trek up the states west coast, its punishing winds extending clear across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side.



While it arrived in Florida a Category 4 hurricane, by nightfall it was down to a Category 2 with winds of 105 mph (177 kph).



Pray, pray for everybody in Florida, Gov. Rick Scott said on Fox News Sunday as more than 160,000 people waited out Irma in shelters statewide.

Read | Hurricane Irma: Indian-Americans open homes for friends as Category 4 storm makes landfall in Florida



There were no immediate confirmed reports of any deaths in Florida in addition to the 24 people killed during Irmas destructive trek across the Caribbean.



In the low-lying Keys, where a storm surge of over 10 feet (3 meters) was recorded, appliances and furniture were seen floating away, and Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said the ocean waters were filled with navigation hazards, including sunken boats. But the full extent of Irmas wrath there was not clear.



The county administrator, Roman Gastesi, said crews would begin house-to-house searches Monday morning to check on survivors. An airborne relief mission, led by C-130 military cargo planes, was set to bring emergency supplies to the Keys.



A Miami woman who went into labour was guided through delivery by phone when authorities couldnt reach her because of high winds and street flooding. Firefighters later took her to the hospital.



Many streets were flooded in downtown Miami and other cities. In downtown Miami, two of the two dozen construction cranes looming over the skyline collapsed in the wind. No injuries were reported.

Read | Hurricane Irma rips through Florida at 130 mph, 3 dead



An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast. Flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Floridas midsection.



Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.



Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other items from a sporting goods store and a pawn shop during the hurricane.



More than 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.



While Irma raked Floridas Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to evacuate, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.



About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused, in part because to many storm-hardened residents, staying behind in the face of danger is a point of pride.



John Huston, who stayed in his Key Largo home, watched his yard flood even before the arrival of high tide. Small boats floating down the street next to furniture and refrigerators. Very noisy, he said by text message. Shingles are coming off.



Irma made landfall just after 9 am at Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) outside Key West. During the afternoon, it rounded Floridas southwestern corner and hugged the coast closely as it pushed toward Naples, Sanibel, Fort Myers and, beyond that, Sarasota, at 14 mph (23 kph).



Forecasters warned some places could see a storm surge of up to 15 feet (5 meters) of water.



Gretchen Blee, who moved with her husband to Naples from Long Island, New York, after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 heavily damaged their beach home, took cover in a hotel room as Irma raged.



I said lets go and live the good life in paradise, she said. And here we are.



Some 400 miles (640 kilometers) north of the Keys, people in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area started bracing for the onslaught. The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about 3 million, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921.



Ive been here with other storms, other hurricanes. But this one scares me, Sally Carlson said as she snapped photos of the waves crashing against boats in St. Petersburg. Lets just say a prayer we hope we make it through.



Along the Gulf Coast, two manatees became stranded after Hurricane Irma sucked the water out of Sarasota Bay, in Floridas Manatee County. Several people posted photos of the mammals on Facebook amid reports rescuers were able to later drag them to deeper water.



After leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, some 200 miles (320 kilometers) from the sea.



President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Florida, opening the way for federal aid. Once this system passes through, its going to be a race to save lives and sustain lives, Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long said on Fox News Sunday.



Irma at one time was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 185 mph (300 kph), and its approach set off alarm in Florida.



For days, forecasters had warned that Irma was taking dead aim at the Miami area and the rest of the states Atlantic coast. But then Irma made a more pronounced westward shift  the result of what meteorologists said was an atmospheric tug-of-war between weather systems that nudged Irma and determined when it made its crucial right turn into Florida.



Floridas governor activated all 7,000 members of the Florida National Guard, and 10,000 guardsmen from elsewhere were being deployed.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

September 11, 2017 marks the 16th anniversary of the Islamic terrorist attacks on the United States that claimed more than 2,977 lives.

The terror attack on the United States which still shocks the country was carried out by 19 Fidayeen attackers.

On September 11, 2001, Americans encountered the fury of radical Islamist violence. The U.S. government had long been familiar with Islamic terrorist groups like al-Qaida and the Taliban but never had thought that the country will be a target of radical Islamic terrorism.

American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 were crashed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex in New York City. While, American Airlines Flight 77 was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia.

United Airlines Flight 93 headed towards Washington, D.C., but was crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers tried to take control of the flight from the hijackers.

Minute by minute timeline of 9/11, 2001

#7:59 am

American Airlines Flight 11  a Boeing 767  with 92 people aboard takes off from Logan International Airport, Boston, en route to Los Angeles.

#8:14 am

United Airlines Flight 175  a Boeing 767  with 65 people aboard takes off from Boston also en route to Los Angeles.

#8:19 am

Flight attendants aboard American Airlines Flight 11 alert that the plane has been hijacked. FBI alerted.

#8:20 am

American Airlines Flight 77  a Boeing 757  takes off from Dulles International Airport, on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. The Flight 77 is headed to Los Angeles with 64 people aboard.

#8:24 am

Hijacker Mohammed Atta makes the first of two accidental transmissions from Flight 11 to ground control.

#8:40 am

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)s Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) alerted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about the suspected hijacking of Flight 11.

NEADS assigns two fighter planes located at Cape Cods Otis Air National Guard Base to locate and tail Flight 11.

#8:41 am

United Airlines Flight 93  a Boeing 757  takes of Newark International Airport en route to San Francisco. The Boeing was boarded with 44 people.

#8:46 am

Mohammed Atta and the other hijackers aboard American Airlines Flight 11 crash the Boeing into floors 93-99 of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Everyone on board and hundreds inside the building were killed.

#8:47 am

Port Authority Police Department officials begin evacuation of the North Tower. NYPD and FDNY forces dispatch units dispatched to the World Trade Center for rescue operations.

#8:50 am

Andrew Card, White House Chief of Staff, alerts President George W. Bush that a Boeing has hit the World Trade Center. The president was on his visit to an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida.

#9:02 am

Port Authority officials broadcast orders to evacuate both towers via the public address system.

#9:03 am

United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into floors 75-85 of the WTCs South Tower by hijackers All on board killed and along with hundreds inside the building.

#9:08 am

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bans all takeoffs of flights going to New York City or passing through the airspace around the city.

#9:21 am

All bridges and tunnels in and around New York City closed by the Port Authority. The Port Authority closes all bridges and tunnels in the New York City area.

#9:24 am

NEADs notified by FAA about suspected hijacking of Flight 77 after a few passengers on board alert family members.

#9:31 am

President Bush speaking from Florida calls the events in New York City an apparent terrorist attack on our country.

#9:37 am

Flight 77 crashed into the western facade of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. All 59 aboard the Boeing along with 125 military and civilian personnel inside the building killed.

#9:42 am

FAA grounds all flights to continental United States. Around 3,300 commercial flights and 1,200 private planes are guided to airports in Canada and the United States over the next two-and-a-half hours.

#9:45 am

White House and U.S. Capitol building are evacuated.

#9:59 am

South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses.

#10:07 am

Passengers and crewmembers of Flight 93 on learning the terrorist attacks in NEw York and Washington make an attempt to retake the flight control. The hijackers after the attack by board passengers crash the Boeing into a field Somerset County in Pennsylvania. All 40 passengers on board were killed.

#10:28 am

102 minutes after the crash, World Trade Centers North Tower collapses.

#1:00 pm

President Bush announces U.S. military forces on high alert worldwide.

#2:51 pm

U.S. Navy dispatches missile destroyers to New York and Washington, D.C.

#5:20 pm

World Trade Center collapses after burning for hours. No casualties as the building was evacuated in the morning. Rescue workers to flee for their lives.

#8:30 pm

President Bush addresses the nation, calling the attacks evil, despicable acts of terror.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Marigot:

The French government defended its hurricane preparations for the hard-hit Caribbean islands of St Martin and St Barts, rejecting criticism by political opponents and by islanders who felt abandoned as their homes and towns were devastated.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced he would be travelling to St Martin on Tuesday on an Airbus carrying aid supplies to show that Paris is committed to both helping and rebuilding its far-away territories pummelled by Hurricane Irma.

Some Caribbean officials said Britain was also too slow in responding to destruction on the British Virgin Islands and the Dutch government faced criticism for not acting more quickly to evacuate tourists stranded on St Maarten, the Dutch side of St Martin. The Dutch king is also heading to the region.

The hurricane killed at least nine people on St Martin as it hit Wednesday, destroying a huge number of houses, cars and boats and cutting off all water and electricity for days.

Extra troops had to be sent to stop the looting of stores.

Another four people were killed on St Maarten.

The arrival of Hurricane Jose, a Category 4 that passed by Sunday, only delayed recovery efforts across the Leeward Islands.

Read more: Hurricane Irma rips through Florida at 130 mph, 3 dead

In St Martin on Sunday, authorities were trying to set up the first large distribution points for food and water as the smell of churned-up rotting debris wafted over the island.

In the western coastal town of Grand-Case, a 76-year-old man who only gave his first name, Michel, emerged from a grocery store laden with food, explaining that he had nothing else to eat.

"Everything has been destroyed where I work. There's nothing there", said Manon Brunet-Vita, 27, as she walked through Grand-Case. "When I got to this neighbourhood, I cried."

French government spokesman Christophe Castaner, speaking on Sunday with Europe1-CNews-Les Echos, said he "perfectly (understood) the anger" of island residents. But he insisted that officials had known of the "extremely high risk" posed by the hurricane days in advance and had mobilised military and health care personnel in nearby Guadeloupe.

Castaner said many islanders were suffering from"emotional shock, an impact that's extremely hard psychologically."

More than 1,000 tons of water and 85 tons of food along with fuel have been shipped to St. Martin and St. Barts, and additional deliveries are expected in upcoming days, government officials in Guadeloupe said. Crews with heavy equipment and chain saws were clearing the roads of debris.

St Martin's port of Marigot, which has been too dangerous to enter due to the scores of wrecked boats either sunk or scattered across its shores, was to reopen today morning. A ship is expected to dock with a 5-ton crane capable of unloading large containers.

An increase in police and soldiers patrolling the streets has reduced the amount of looting.

Authorities in St. Martin have set up some 1,500emergency shelters, doctors have treated around 100 people at a makeshift triage area and nearly 250 people have been evacuated, including seven facing medical emergencies, officials in Guadeloupe said.

The French military had positioned two frigates in the area ahead of the storm with helicopters ready to ferry supplies but the sheer violence of Irma seemed to take authorities by surprise.

Far-right National Front party leader Marine Le Pen, who lost the presidency to Macron in May, accused the French government of having "totally insufficient" emergency and security measures in place. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchonand conservative politician Eric Ciotti called today for a parliamentary inquiry into the government's handling of Irma, Macron's first major challenge.

The families of some island residents have taken to social media to voice similar criticisms.

Macron held emergency meetings Saturday and Sunday about Irma and its successor, Jose, and Prime Minister EdouardPhilippe insisted that the government's support for Irma'svictims isn't "empty words."

"I am aware of the fear, the exhaustion, and the anguish that the current situation is causing families in the Antilles and on the mainland," Philippe said. "We are completely mobilised to rescue, to accompany and to rebuild."

France's main electricity provider EDF says it transported 140 tons of electrical equipment to help restore the power supply on St Martin and St Barts. Camp beds, sleeping bags, and lifesaving equipment were also sent.

With Jose past, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said on Sunday that authorities were concentrating on getting tons of water to island residents. He praised the hundreds of police and soldiers sent in, saying they ended the looting.

On St Maarten, where the airport was badly damaged by Irma, dozens of Dutch tourists were forced to watch as Canadian and American flights picked up their vacationing citizens. They had to hunker down in whatever shelter they could find Saturday night as a second hurricane, Jose, passed to the north of the island.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte defended his government's actions, saying that authorities prioritised evacuations to ensure the safety of patients in St. Maarten's hospital, including 65 people who needed kidney dialysis, pregnant women and other emergency cases.

"The Netherlands had one major priority ... that is evacuating the patients," Rutte told reporters. "Other countries with tourists  the Canadians, the Americans don't have that."

Military cargo planes or aid flights were expected to pick up stranded Dutch tourists later on Sunday and take themto Curacao, from where they would be able to catch flightshome.

Some 500 British soldiers, meanwhile, were sent to the Caribbean to help local police re-establish security, including 120 to the British Virgin Islands. The British aidship Mounts Bay landed on Tortola carrying personnel and heavyequipment to fix communications systems and to try to clearairport runways so aid flights can come in.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Indian-Americans in Atlanta and neighboring areas have opened up their homes for friends, families and community members from Florida as Hurricane Irma made landfalls on the southern Islands of the United States.

Till now Hurricane Irma claimed three lives. Indian American organization, Sewa carrying out relief and rescue work, provided shelter to more than 300 families.

At least four temples in Atlanta region have opened up their doors for people fleeing from Florida.

While the Indian Consulate in Atlanta was coordinating with various community groups and was in constant touch with community leaders and Indian passport holders, the Indian-American community organizations in Atlanta launched an unprecedented relief.

Irma struck the Florida Keys as it headed towards the US state's west coast where millions of people have evacuated turning many places into ghost towns.

In collaboration with other Indo-American community organizations and religious groups, they helped around 2,000 families. Like several other Hindu temples, infamous amma kitchen has announced to serve free food to those coming from Florida.

Indian-Americans have opened their unserved rooms in hotels and many changed their banquet halls into dormitories to provide shelter to victims of the hurricane Irma.

It is believed that population of the Indo-American has increased to 160,000 from 120,000 in Florida. The largest of their concentration in Miami-Fort LauraDeale area followed by Tampa and Orlando area.

This is going to impact our whole State. You know, youre going to get the wind and the rain on the east coast, but right now, its impacting the Keys. Its going to impact my home town of Naples, Florida, all of the west coast, Florida Governor Rick Scott told Fox News.

Whats scary is the unbelievable storm surge potentially in my own town, 15 feet of storm surge above ground level. And we are talking about that and something with the keys.

People have asked what can we do, the first thing I tell them is to pray, pray for everybody in Florida. They can donate to disaster, text disaster at 2022, Scott said.

US President Donald Trump, who is personally reviewing the preparations and rescue and relief operations, spoke today morning. My concern right now is people  hopefully, everyone has evacuated. I looked at our traffic cameras around the state this morning. People are off the roads.

I just hope everybody has evacuated and gotten to safety. So, I hope everybody will pray for us, he said. Local news reports said at least one crane collapsed in Miami, as a result of the high wind speed of Irma, which was estimated to be at least 100mph.

Its a worst-case scenario for Florida on the west coast, said FEMA Administrator Brock Long. Thousands of homes in Florida were reported to have a power outage.

(With PTI Inputs)

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
London's maritime sector is eyeing a bigger role in the region covered by the Belt and Road Initiative as it tries to strengthen the United Kingdom's global connectivity after Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

On Tuesday in the UK capital, Maritime London is scheduled to sign a collaboration agreement with the Hong Kong Maritime & Port Board. The deal comes as global shipping leaders gather for London International Shipping Week.

Harry Theochari, vice-chairman of Maritime London, a trade association including lawyers, accountants, insurers, and others, said: "The amount of trade estimated along the Belt and Road is incredible. We want to put our members in the best position to contribute toward realizing those trade volumes."

The UK's maritime service industry contributed 4.4 billion pounds ($5.35 billion) to the British economy last year and directly supports 10,000 to 11,000 jobs, according to Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Maritime London and the Hong Kong Maritime & Port Board will help each other's member companies set up subsidiaries and find local partners.

The Hong Kong Maritime & Port Board will also share information about Belt and Road projects, so companies can collaborate on providing services, such as financing, insurance, accountancy, legal advice, and risk management.

Joey Lam, deputy secretary for transport at the Hong Kong Maritime & Port Board, said: "London is a maritime hub for Europe, just as Hong Kong is a maritime hub for Asia, together we can tackle business opportunities from Asia to Europe."

According to the board, Hong Kong was the world's seventh-biggest commodity and trading economy in 2016. As of April, it had the fourth-largest shipping register, with vessels totaling 109 million gross tons.

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which was launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013 to boost trade and infrastructure, has received support from more than 100 countries and organizations.

The maritime groups started discussing collaboration last year, when Jeffrey Evans, chairman of Maritime London, led a delegation to Hong Kong while he was Lord Mayor of the City of London.

David Peel, who manages the European, Middle Eastern and African interests of RightShip, a company that helps ports manage risks, said: "We've always wanted to work with Chinese ports but so far it was hard to make an entry because we didn't know how to find the right Chinese partners, so we are excited that the Hong Kong Maritime & Port Board can now help us."
New Delhi:

September 11, 2001, attacks on World Trade Towers and the Pentagon in the United States changed the world forever. One of the biggest terrorist attacks in the worlds history resulted in one of the longest wars, on terror.

This ongoing global war for 15 years now is not only against the Taliban or Al-Qaeda but their eventual by-product Islamic State as well.

The Islamic State  also known as ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh  was non-existent before the USA and NATO launched the proverbial Global War on Terror.

But today, its impact can be felt across the globe. With an aim to establish Sunni Islamic state caliphate, the IS has been killing people mercilessly, including Muslims across the world.

The radical Islamist group, which saw its meteoric rise in 2014 after it seized Iraqs second largest city, Mosul and declared an Islamic caliphate covering large swathes of Iraq and Syria, had been building its presence for years.

It has emerged from the remains of Jamaat al-Tawaid wa-al-Jihad, founded by Abu Musab al Zarqawi in 1999. Al Zarqawi, after swearing allegiance to Osama bin Laden, renamed the group as al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in 2004 which later became the Islamic State.

Suggested Read | 9/11 attack anniversary: Timeline of biggest terrorist attacks on the US

Link between Islamic State and 9/11

On September 11, 2001, in one of the biggest terrorist attacks on American soil, 19 members of al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial air crafts.

Two planes were crashed into the North and South towers, respectively, of the World Trade Center complex in New York City while the third one crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia.

The fourth plane, which was heading towards Washington D.C., crashed into a field in Stonycreek Township near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The attacks resulted in the death of almost 3,000 people while over 6,000 were injured. Property and infrastructure worth $10 billion was destroyed. Investigations pointed fingers towards al-Qaeda.

Soon after the deadly attacks, the US invaded al-Qaedas safe haven Afghanistan.

The US, with the sole aim to dismantle Al-Qaeda, demanded that the Taliban government hand over Osama-bin-Laden. But Taliban denied and on October 7, 2001, America and Britain launched Operation Enduring Freedom.

In 2003, the US, United Kingdom, Australia, and Poland invaded Iraq. The invasion was a continuation of the war in Afghanistan.

According to a CBS poll conducted in 2003, 62 per cent Americans believed that the war will further increase terror threats to the USA.

The then US President George W Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said the coalitions mission was to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Husseins support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people.

However, due to the invasion, the regional order in Iraq was destroyed and Sunni discontent fuelled up.

The little known Iraqs Sunni extremist group JamAEat al-TawaAd wa-al-JihAd founded by Salafi jihadist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi renamed itself as Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

A US airstrike killed al-Zarqawi and Abu Ayyub al Masri took over al-Qaeda in Iraq.

In 2006, Al-Masri established the Islamic State in Iraq (ISI) and made Abu Omar al Baghdadi its leader.

However, the group remained in silence and US air strikes killed or captured most of its members in 2008.

Sectarian tensions increased in 2009 after the then Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki targeted Sunni leaders. Following the attacks on its community leaders, Sunni tribals started supporting the Islamic State.

The group started killing majority Shias out of discontent.

The United State-run prisons in Iraq were also one of the reasons behind the rise of Islamic State. The Sunni jihadists believed the prison system was their most effective organizing tool.

It made it all, it built our ideology, said a senior Islamic State leader in an interview with the Guardian.

According to a UN report, the Islamic State has killed over 24,000 Iraqi civilians in the first eight months of 2014 alone.

A UK based watch dog AirWars says that 3,800 people have been killed in coalition airstrikes on Islamic State. The number could be even more.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in an interview given to CNN in 2015, partially accepted that without the Iraq war there would be no Islamic State (ISIS) and Iraq invasion which was earlier called Operation Enduring Freedom was a carryover of the war in Afghanistan.

John Steinbeck had once said, All war is a symptom of mans failure as a thinking animal.

The United States global war on terror post 9/11 has not achieved the purpose in a real sense, rather created more difficult times for the whole world, especially America and its allies.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Myanmar has rejected a ceasefire declared by Muslim Rohingya militants to provide the humanitarian aid to thousands of displaced people in the violence-racked Rakhine.

In an order to provide aid assistance, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) insurgent group has announced a temporary cessation of offensive military operations to allow humanitarian aid to reach the battered region.

ARSA's declaration drew no formal response from the military or the government of Buddhist-majority Myanmar. However, through the twitter, spokesman for Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, said that " We have no policy to negotiate with terrorists."

The violence in Myanmar started on August 25, when insurgents attacked Myanmar police and paramilitary posts in what they said was an effort to protect minority Rohingya. In response, the military started what it called "clearance operations" to wipe out the insurgents.

Around 294,000 Rohingyas Muslims have arrived in just only 15 days in Bangladesh, according to the United Nations.

Thousands of Rohingya remaining in the northwestern state of Rakhine have been left without shelter or food, and many are still trying to reach Bangladesh.

According to Myanmar, security forces are carrying out clearance operations to defend against ARSA, which the government has declared a terrorist organization.

Landmine Allegations

On Sunday, in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar, mostly women and child Rohingyas were in the queue for handouts of food and clothes.

Around 300 people arrived on boats and fishing trawlers on Shah Prior Dwip Island. Many collapsed on the bench from motion sickness and dehydration.

As per the Bangladeshi border guard, three Rohingya were killed by landmines as they tried to cross from Myanmar. This is not the first landmine incidents, before that, there were two incidents, according to the Amnesty International.

In order to prevent trespassing, the landmines had been laid along the border in the 1990s and since then military had tried to remove them, according to the Myanmar security.

Dipayan Bhattacharyya, the World Food Programmes spokesman in Bangladesh said the latest estimate of new arrivals was 294,000 and there were discussions underway to revise up the prediction made last week that it would reach 300,000.

The United Nations has urged for aid funding of $77 million to cope with the emergency in southern Bangladesh. The wave of hungry and traumatized refugees is showing no signs of stopping, the U.N. Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Robert Watkins said in a statement late on Saturday.

It is vital that aid agencies working in Coxs Bazar have the resources they need to provide emergency assistance to incredibly vulnerable people who have been forced to flee their homes and have arrived in Bangladesh with nothing, he said.

Aung San Suu Kyi has faced criticisms for not handling the situation properly. Critics complain that Suu Kyi, who won a Nobel peace prize for championing democracy has failed to speak out for a persecuted minority.

(With Reuters Input)

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

DANBURY  It started with a single scout car, an armored reconnaissance vehicle used by the American military, and then grew tank by tank for more than two decades.

The U.S. Military Museum, on the citys west side, was the brainchild of John Valluzzo, who inherited a large estate and made his own fortune in real estate.

A Korean War veteran, Valluzzo was fascinated by military artifacts and traveled the world to acquire them: in Germany, Switzerland, China and the former Yugoslavia. Tanks, tank destroyers, armored cars and artillery, uniforms, weapons and other memorabilia, all of it eventually brought to what had once been a machine shop on Park Avenue.

Also known as the Military Museum of Southern New England, it attracted 10,000 people a year, but it was always Valluzzos place, a millionaires toy box, as more than one colleague put it. He visited almost every day, donated as much as $1 million in vehicles and made good the museums annual budget deficits, sometimes as much as $35,000 a year.

He invested a fortune in this place, said Samuel Johnson, the museums executive director.

But after Valluzzo died in 2013  shot by police investigating a domestic dispute in his Ridgefield home  the museum went into a long, slow decline.

Without his constant support, the nonprofit couldnt continue, museum officials said.

They sold some vehicles to raise money, but it was never enough. They sought financial help from the state and city governments, but it never came.

In 2015, Valluzzos ex-wife, Cynthia Kasper, tried to evict the museum from the Park Avenue property. Valluzzos children by an earlier marriage fought the eviction and won, but the expense involved was more than the museum could absorb, officials said.

Kasper declined to comment for this story.

That was a huge relief to get her off our back, but the damage was done, said Johnson.

Late last month, the museums board of directors decided to close and donate its 10,000 artifacts to a military museum on Long Island.

Building the museum

Friends and museum officials describe Valluzzo as a hard-driving, street-wise Army veteran with broad interests and expensive tastes. Over his 75 years, he collected everything: wines, books, art, small European cars.

He had me over and had me hold a first edition of Moby Dick,  Johnson said. He was a Renaissance man.

Valluzzo never boasted of his wealth, they said, but he enjoyed spending money on luxuries and traveling in search of old armament to add to his collection.

John Purtill, who met Valluzzo in the late 1950s, when the two were roommates at UConn, said he remembers a meal in Danbury in the 80s when Valluzzo told him about his growing collection of tank destroyers. Valluzzo pitched a plan to create a museum in Danbury.

Ten years later, when the machine shop was moved from Park Avenue to another location, he decided to open the museum on the empty property.

But Valluzzo had higher aspirations. He dreamed of moving the museum, which became cramped as his acquisitions continued, to Tarrywile Park and expanding it to include classrooms and a proving ground.

The plan never went past schematics. Nor did an idea to move visitors by train to Park Avenue from the Danbury Railway Museum.

Meanwhile, the collection of armament kept growing, until it numbered some 45 vehicles.

Valluzzo got excess army machinery on loan from the Army, straight from the Aberdeen Proving Ground. He struck a deal with the government of Yugoslavia to ship him a tank destroyer.

They were willing to ship to New York, Purtill said. All we had to do was get it to Danbury.

Months before Valluzzo died, Purtill recalled, the two of them decided to craft a leadership succession plan.

We were going to figure it out, Purtill said. All the sudden it was the end of May and John was dead.

About 5 p.m. on May 24, 2013, a call came into the Ridgefield Police Department.

The caller told police that Valluzzo was flipping out ... waving a gun around in the house ... and pointing it at his girlfriend, Anna Messina, according to a report by States Attorney Stephen Sedensky.

About 17 minutes later, a Ridgefield officer drove through the open gate outside Valluzzos mansion on Ridgebury Road, the report said.

The officer, Jorge Romero, later told investigators he entered through an open door and saw Valluzzo about 15 feet away, holding a silver pistol. He said he ordered Valluzzo to drop the gun, but the older man charged him.

Romero fired twice and Valluzzo fell. He was pronounced dead at Danbury Hospital within an hour.

Valluzzos gun was later found to be unloaded, but Romero was cleared of wrongdoing in his death.

That the gun Mr. Valluzzo held was unloaded does not affect this determination of justifiable behavior by the officer, Sedensky wrote in the report. It was entirely reasonable for Officer. Romero to treat Mr. Valluzzos gun as being loaded with ammunition that could take his life and the lives of those around him.

A museum without its founder

With no succession plan in place, the museums managing board decided to keep it going as long as possible, said board member Al Barto. But everyone knew it would be hard to keep the doors open.

From the moment he died, we had somebody coming through the door nearly daily saying, Well, when are you closing?  Johnson said. You could always tell that the museum could not exist without John.

Board members sought wealthy donors and pleaded for help from the state and the city.

Mayor Mark Boughton said there was little the city could do to help.

The bottom line is without the driver there, it wasnt something the city could pick up, he said. Taxpayers and our budget are not in a position to support projects that are not in our core mission.

Valluzzos painstakingly acquired artifacts are being transferred to the Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage, New York.

Board members said giving them away was the right decision, that Valluzzo would have wanted the collection to remain intact and on view rather than sold off to other collectors.

So over the next few months, Valluzzos dream museum will be put on tractor-trailers and hauled across the Throgs Neck Bridge in the dead of night.

Tank by tank.

blytton@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3411; @bglytton
CHATHAM, ON, Sept. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada's agriculture and agri-food industry is an important driver of economic growth in Canada. The Government of Canada continues to support the sector as it reduces emissions and adopts sustainable practices that lead to more efficient use of water and energy.

Member of Parliament Peter Fragiskatos (London North Centre), on behalf of Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay, announced today an investment of up to $3.7 million for two Chatham companies to collaboratively reduce their environmental footprint, while making their operations more productive and competitive.

The investment is enabling Greenfield Global to install new Dutch technology that pipes waste heat and carbon-dioxide across the road to Truly Green Farms, reducing the greenhouse energy costs and boosting tomato yields.

Quotes

"The environment and the economy go hand in hand, and our government knows that supporting sustainable solutions in agriculture will spur clean innovation, create jobs, and lead to a stronger agricultural sector. This project is a great example of two Chatham companies working together to improve greenhouse yields, while lowering their environmental footprint."

- MP Peter Fragiskatos (London North Centre)

"The environmental benefits of ethanol production can extend well beyond the gas tank. This investment is helping Greenfield convert what was previously waste heat vented from a heat stack at our ethanol facility in Chatham, into the heat needed to grow greenhouse tomatoes with lower energy use and heating costs. Working with greenhouses, we are expanding opportunities for sustainability both in our products and how we produce them."

- Howard Field, President and CEO of Greenfield Global

" Sustainable agriculture improves the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the jobs in our communities. Truly Green has developed an innovative partnership with Greenfield to use waste heat from its ethanol process to boost the production of our greenhouse tomatoes. This investment is helping us become the first greenhouse of its kind to be warmed by waste heat. It will also make us one of the most energy-efficient greenhouses in North America."

- Greg Devries, President Truly Green Farms & Cedarline Greenhouses

Quick facts

Greenfield Global is a world leader in specialty alcohols and the largest ethanol producer in Canada .

. Truly Green Farms has 45 acres of tomato production, with another 45 acres to be built.

The project has generated 200 new jobs since it was conceived in 2012.

This repayable investment is being made through the Growing Forward 2 AgriInnovation Program, a five-year, up to $698 million initiative.

Additional links

Growing Forward 2  Agriculture and Agri-food Canada

AgriInnovation  Agriculture and Agri-food Canada

Greenfield Global

Truly Green Farms

SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

For further information: Guy Gallant, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, 613-773-1059; Media Relations, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, 613-773-7972, 1-866-345-7972, Follow us on Twitter: @AAFC_Canada (http://twitter.com/aafc_canada), Like us on Facebook: CanadianAgriculture (https://www.facebook.com/CanadianAgriculture); Andrea Kent, Vice President, Government and Public Relations, Greenfield Global, (613) 698-0116; Greg Devries, President, Truly Green Farms & Cedarline Greenhouses, (519) 360-0776

Related Links

www.agr.gc.ca


TORONTO, Sept. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - The Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) will hold a public meeting in Thunder Bay on September 25, 2017, as part of the consultations for its systemic review of the policies, practices and attitudes of the Thunder Bay Police Service as they relate to Indigenous death and missing person investigations.

"I am inviting perspectives, suggestions and guidance from the public to help me better understand community relations and policing in Thunder Bay, as I examine allegations of systemic discrimination and deficient investigations by the Thunder Bay Police Service."

 Gerry McNeilly, Independent Police Review Director

Topics for discussion will include:

Police  Indigenous  community relations: perceptions, realities and recommendations

Racism and bias in policing: reflections of the community

Effective policing: successes, barriers and recommendations

Since the systemic review began in November 2016, Director McNeilly and the review team have collectively visited Thunder Bay almost two dozen times and have met with over 100 individuals, First Nations leaders and communities, Indigenous organizations, community and service organizations, as well as members of the police service and the police services board.

"Our meetings have provided valuable information and insight from a range of perspectives. I invite the residents of Thunder Bay to provide input that will add to our understanding and our ability to provide meaningful recommendations for improvement."

 Gerry McNeilly, Independent Police Review Director

Monday, September 25, 2017

7:00  9:00 p.m.

Da Vinci Centre, Marco Polo Room

340 Waterloo Street South, Thunder Bay

SYSTEMIC REVIEW TERMS OF REFERENCE

The OIPRD's review of the Thunder Bay Police Service is examining the following:

Existing policies, practices and attitudes of the Thunder Bay Police Service as they relate specifically to Indigenous missing persons and death investigations, and more generally, to issues around racism-free policing, such as "over-policing" and "under-policing"

Police Service as they relate specifically to Indigenous missing persons and death investigations, and more generally, to issues around racism-free policing, such as "over-policing" and "under-policing" Whether missing persons and death investigations involving Indigenous Peoples are conducted in discriminatory ways

The adequacy and effectiveness of existing policies and identified best practices relating to the above issues

The adequacy of training and education provided to supervisors and front-line officers relating to the above issues

The extent to which compliance with existing policies or identified best practices is monitored and supported

The extent to which officers are held accountable for non-compliance

The extent to which the service communicates with Indigenous family members, communities and their leaders, engages in community outreach or has specialized liaison units

The extent to which complaints about the service's interactions with Indigenous Peoples are inhibited by reprisals or fear of reprisals

Whether policies, practices, training, education, oversight and accountability mechanisms, and community outreach should be created, modified or enhanced to prevent discriminatory and ineffective policing, particularly in the context of investigations into the disappearances and deaths of Indigenous Peoples

The systemic review will also be informed by the findings and recommendations of the coroner's jury arising out of the deaths of seven Indigenous youths, Thunder Bay Police Service investigations of Indigenous deaths, investigations of officer misconduct and OIPRD complaints.

OIPRD FACTS

The OIPRD receives, manages and oversees all public complaints about Ontario's municipal, regional and provincial police.





municipal, regional and provincial police. The OIPRD is an independent arm's length agency of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.





The Police Services Act gives the Independent Police Review Director the power to conduct systemic reviews. A systemic review examines systems, including policies, procedures and practices, and root causes that promote or perpetuate systemic issues within a police service. The purpose of a systemic review is to determine whether systemic failings have occurred rather than to assign individual fault, and to identify issues to be addressed in order to make recommendations to enhance public confidence in policing.

http://www.oiprd.on.ca/EN

Disponible en francais

SOURCE Office of the Independent Police Review Director

For further information: Rosemary Parker, 416-314-4517

Related Links

www.oiprd.on.ca


Rogers and Fido customers will experience faster speeds with increased LTE coverage at Highstreet Shopping Centre

ABBOTSFORD, BC, Sept. 11, 2017 /CNW/ - Rogers today announced it continues to invest in communities across British Columbia with expanded wireless service and network improvements in Abbotsford at the Highstreet Shopping Centre on Mount Lehman Road near the Trans-Canada Highway.

Rogers and Fido customers at the open-air mall will experience improved LTE coverage to make calls, access the internet, stream music and video at the open-air mall, which features retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters and a community plaza. Businesses, too, will now have the ability to connect more quickly with customers and colleagues. Improved coverage also extends to adjacent commercial businesses and residents in this growing Fraser Valley community.

"Our customers want to stay connected wherever they are," said Perm Jawanda, Regional Vice-President, Rogers Communications. "Whether it's back-to-school shopping, taking in a movie or enjoying family events in the plaza, our customers now have the convenience of being able to use their phones seamlessly. That's why we're committed to investing in communities across B.C."

"The City of Abbotsford is extremely pleased with this service expansion by Rogers that will ensure coverage in one of our community's busiest retail areas, further supporting our vibrant local economy," said Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun. "We are very pleased with this investment by Rogers in our community."

LTE, the fastest generation of wireless service in Canada, provides stronger, more consistent data speeds, similar to high speed broadband home Internet. With LTE, customers can stream and do more on the go with less buffering on a mobile device. The improved service also provides HD quality voice services when using a device enabled with VoLTE, the latest voice technology.

In addition, Rogers has turned on 700 MHz spectrum, the beachfront real estate of spectrum, in these areas. This spectrum provides better coverage in hard to reach places like basements, elevators and buildings with thick concrete walls, meaning Rogers and Fido customers, including business customers, will have a stronger LTE signal on their device and will be less likely to lose LTE coverage and drop to lower data speeds.

This investment is one of several new Rogers wireless sites recently announced in British Columbia, including improvements for commuters on the SkyTrain in Metro Vancouver, and for our customers on Vancouver Island and in Kelowna.

For more information about Rogers' network coverage, visit rogers.com/coverage.

About Rogers

Rogers is a leading diversified Canadian communications and media company that's working to deliver a great experience to our customers every day. We are Canada's largest provider of wireless communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet, information technology, and telephony services to consumers and businesses. Through Rogers Media, we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, sports, televised and online shopping, magazines, and digital media. Our shares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).

SOURCE Rogers Media

For further information: [email protected], 647-747-5118

Related Links

http://www.rogers.com


NEW HAVEN >> U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro has built her career on fighting for those who, without government help, are in danger of losing the chance at a decent life.

In her new book, The Least Among Us: Waging the Battle for the Vulnerable, she tells the stories of those fights, which she has undertaken over 26 years as U.S. representative from Connecticuts 3rd District and in previous positions as chief of staff for fellow Democrats Mayor Frank Logue and U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd and the first executive director of EMILYs List, which supports pro-choice Democratic women in their election campaigns.

DeLauro, 74, continually refers to the social safety net that she sees as the undergirding of the American dream: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and nutrition programs, unemployment insurance, child tax credits and the Earned Income Tax Credit  these are all areas that I talk about in the book, she said recently in her Church Street campaign office.

Her story begins in Wooster Square, the Italian-American neighborhood where her late father, Ted, an immigrant, and mother, Luisa, a first-generation American, heard the hard-luck stories of their neighbors and did whatever they could to help them.

ED STANNARD  NEW HAVEN REGISTER

Its really what I learned from my parents, DeLauro said. Our kitchen, our kitchen table was a place where people could come and get help. Both her parents served as New Haven aldermen. Thats the lesson that I learned: Government is supposed to help people, particularly in a time of need, she said.

The other event that helped form DeLauros drive to lift up the vulnerable was a 1957 fire in a Franklin Street dress shop. A locked fire escape and blocked exits trapped people inside, killing 15 women, including a friends mother, who was later identified by her shoes. She ran back to get her pocketbook and couldnt get out of the building, DeLauro said.

It was a disaster, and it happened down the street from my house, DeLauro writes. It is impossible to be an eyewitness to events like that and not be touched by the gravity of our responsibility to one another.

Another formative experience for DeLauro was meeting her mother, now 103, every day after school at a garment factory on State Street.

She did it because she wanted me to see what these working conditions were and she wanted me to get an education, to take advantage of an education, so I wouldnt have to do this work, she said.

Its piece work.  You get the needle in your finger, you didnt get a tetanus shot.  If you got blood on a garment, you didnt get paid. Its not the 26 years Ive spent in the House of Representatives but its about the values that I was taught growing up in an Italian Catholic family that have formed her governing philosophy, she said.

DeLauros father, who worked as a court interpreter for Italian immigrants  and advocated for teaching Italian in the public schools  and her mother were consumed with my getting an education, said DeLauro, who attended Lauralton Hall, Marymount College, including a junior year at the London School of Economics, and Columbia University.

Her schooling didnt come without some tension with her father, however, DeLauro said. I was not coming home every weekend. I was not coming home for Sunday dinner all the time.  My father had a difficult time dealing with the whole issue of expanding horizons, new vistas, new experiences.

But Ted DeLauro also instilled in his daughter that you have responsibility for others, you have a social responsibility, you have a moral responsibility for others, particularly in a time of need, and that is the social safety net.

It is government, she contends, that has kept bottom line-driven businesses from overworking employees, selling spoiled meat, hiring children and other abuses. They were forced into greater accountability and social concern by the legitimate actions of a democratic government, she writes. In other words, if we depend on goodwill, we are all screwed.

Programs to help the powerless were always bipartisan, she contends, until 1994, when the Republicans won a majority in Congress after 40 years. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrichs Contract with America was aimed at reducing government in every possible way, she writes.

Democrats were demoralized. They had controlled the House for 40 years. Now they had lost it and it was hard for many senior members to adjust. I knew from my organizing background that if you can get people on their feet, enthusiasm tends to follow, according to the book.

DeLauro recounted how, as deputy minority whip, she and her Democratic colleagues fought the Republicans on a number of fronts, attacking a proposed balanced-budget amendment and transferring the cost of school lunches to the states through block grants, which would cut their subsidy.

In protest, children held hands in a ring around the Capitol, holding paper plates reading Dont End Our School Lunch! Democrats attacked other cuts by speaking out and organizing their constituents to do the same.

We ended up defeating the Contract with America in its first hundred days  The Gingrich Republicans had the momentum and we stopped them, she writes.

But it couldnt have been done without arousing Americans to organize and make their voices heard.

What I want to do with the book is to remind people about the importance of the safety net, what it means for millions of Americans, DeLauro said. I also want to activate people. I want to mobilize them. I want them to protect the safety net from Donald Trump and Paul Ryan.

While she is once again in the minority in the House, DeLauro holds out hope. She noted that Ryan, now speaker of the House, had to pull the bill that would repeal Obamacare and take health care away from millions of Americans because he probably had 30 to 35 Republicans who were opposed  and thats because people made their voices heard, DeLauro said.

While the second version of the American Health Care Act passed the House, the Senate version is being formed in secret [with] no hearings, DeLauro said. What are they going to do? It has to come back to the House. I feel people smell the taste of potential success. I think theyre going to make their voices heard.

A number of the chapters in The Least Among Us are titled In Defense of , including working families, the hungry, women, people who get sick, children, the unemployed and fair trade. One is on Politics and Faith.

My faith has always been important to me, DeLauro writes. When she arrived in 1991, People in Congress were understood to have a number of motivations and influences informing their votes, she writes. This is very different from the atmosphere today.  The politics of abortion completely took over the conversation on faith in politics, she writes.

As a pro-choice Democrat guided by the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, I was concerned that Democrats were being viewed as godless creatures, and pilloried for not having values or morals, she says in the book.

DeLauro recounts how she was forced to resign as a trustee of her Catholic high school because the archbishop had said that my continued membership on the board would endanger the schools certification as a Catholic institution.

Nationally, the atmosphere only got worse during the 2004 re-election campaign of President George W. Bush, with Democratic nominee John Kerry threatened with being denied Communion because of his pro-choice stance. It was a painful time, but, DeLauro writes, after Bushs re-election she and fellow Catholic Democrats worked to define their views more broadly, challenging budget cuts that hurt working families and the poor.

I wanted my church to be a moral force in the broadest sense, at a time when we were looking at growing numbers of Americans living in poverty and going without health insurance, she writes.

Among her assignments in the House is as the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee dealing with labor, health and human services and education. But she said much of her success has been in taking on causes that arent in her committees orbit, such as food safety, trade and the Affordable Care Act.

I went to the House of Representatives not coming from a legislative background, she said. I had helped to elect many people  mayors, governors, senators, state representatives, state senators, so I went to the Congress as someone without legislative experience and I made a determination that what I wanted to do was to be a policy person.

I had a lot of political experience, a lot of campaign experience, but I wasnt a policy person  and subsequently I did go down that road.

Call Ed Stannard at 203-680-9382.
State health officials cited and fined eight nursing homes for various violations that resulted in lapses in care.

The Reservoir in West Hartford was fined $2,360 after staff failed to give a residents spouse proper written notice that the resident was being transferred to another facility. The resident was moved on July 12 and the residents spouse opposed the move because it was far from the spouses home.

The move came a week after the resident had left the facility despite being identified as an elopement risk and wearing a WanderGuard sensor, the Department of Public Health (DPH) citation said. Police found the resident in a wooded area about 50 feet behind the facility. Staff told the spouse that a state agency requested the transfer.

Officials at the facility did not return a call seeking comment.

Orchard Grove Specialty Care Center in Uncasville was fined $1,945 for two incidents.

A resident identified as a fall risk fell 14 times between Nov. 8, 2016, and April 27, 2017, according to DPH, and suffered a broken rib and other injuries. Interventions were added to the residents care plan following each fall, but staff failed to address the residents habit of removing alarms and clothing, according to the citation.

Also, a resident with dementia was found twice with empty or partially empty bottles of medication nearby. On March 6, the resident was found with an empty bottle of cough syrup, admitted to drinking half of it and was taken to a local emergency department. On May 9, the resident went to the hospital after a nurses aide found an empty bottle of cough syrup and half a bottle of liquid iron supplements in the residents nightstand drawer, according to the citation.

In light of the citation, staff identified areas for improvement and strive to provide individualized care to residents, said John Anantharaj, vice president of clinical services at parent company Apple Rehab.

Orchard Grove continues to work with DPH and regulatory bodies to meet all standards of care, he said.

Evergreen Health Care Center in Stafford Springs was fined $1,710 after a patient hit a doorframe while riding in a custom wheelchair, breaking a leg on Nov. 16, 2016. The resident was treated at a hospital and modifications were made to the wheelchair to make it safer, according to DPH.

Evergreen Health Care Center takes very seriously our obligation to provide quality services to our residents, said administrator Chris McKinney. As a result of this incident, we have performed an internal review of our processes and will continue to look for ways to improve the care we provide to all our residents.

Litchfield Woods Health Care Center in Torrington was fined $1,530 after a licensed practical nurse mistakenly administered nine medications to a resident.

On June 5, the resident received medications intended for a roommate, including several cardiac drugs, the citation said. An investigation found the LPN who administered the medications didnt check the residents wrist ID band and the resident was treated at a local emergency department.

Officials did not return a call seeking comment.

Notre Dame Health and Rehabilitation Center in Norwalk was fined $1,530 after a resident with a seizure disorder didnt receive a prescribed anti-seizure medication for 27 straight days.

The resident was taken to a hospital March 27, after suffering a seizure while being fed by a staff member, DPH said. An investigation found the resident hadnt received the anti-seizure medication Depakote from March 1 to March 27, despite a physicians order that it be administered twice daily, according to the citation.

The incident seems to be related to a computer error, according to administrator Dana Paul. The employee involved no longer works at the facility and new protocols were implemented to prevent similar errors from occurring, Paul said.

It was an isolated situation, Paul said. We have rectified the situation. Were definitely committed to making sure we maintain our high standard within the facility.

Douglas Manor in Windham was fined $1,530 after a resident suffered several fractures and a 20-centimeter laceration after falling in a bathroom. The residents care plan required staff to use a gait belt when assisting with transfers, but two nurses aides failed to use the belt on June 4, DPH said. The resident was treated at a local hospital and both aides were suspended.

Cook-Willow Convalescent Home in Plymouth was fined $1,530 after a resident suffered second-degree burns and blisters on several fingers from pureed food.

A nurses aide was helping the resident eat dinner on May 21, when the aide turned to get the residents coffee and the resident burned several fingers on pureed green beans. The holding temperature of the food was found to be 160 degrees, according to the citation, when protocol dictated hot foods shouldnt exceed 135 degrees.

Apple Rehab Saybrook in Old Saybrook was fined $720 after a resident was found unresponsive after a meal on April 28. A physicians order said the resident, who had dementia and dysphagia, must be supervised when eating, but documentation didnt show staff assisted the resident during breakfast that day, the citation said. The resident was treated at a local emergency department and returned to the facility.

Officials at Douglas Manor, Cook-Willow and Apple Rehab Saybrook did not return calls seeking comment.

This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (c-hit.org).
New York Fashion Week never fails to try pass off terrible clothes as high fashion.

Gigi Hadid hit the runway for the Jeremy Scott show wearing a naked dress with jewels that looked as amateur as the crown Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) wore in "Coming to America".
Connecticut cities and towns are under siege with lack of jobs, high taxes, uncertainty on the state level, crime and a burgeoning opioid crisis.

Strong and effective leadership is critical as the state proposes to put more responsibility on municipalities and a steady hand is needed to navigate uncharted waters.

This is a time when experience counts.

Therefore, the New Haven Register endorses incumbent Mayor Toni Harp over challenger Marcus Paca to continue in the citys top job.

While we dont give Harp a standing ovation and seriously question some of her decisions, the city has improved in major areas under her guidance.

Under her leadership, the city has had four years of fiscal stability and added another 150 police officers on the street. Initiatives such as YouthStat and the continuing Project Longevity have been effective in reducing crime, housing and other development is moving forward and the relationship with Yale remains solid.

Still, Harp has been quick to waste taxpayers dollars through lawsuits  some that appeared tinged with personal pettiness  that were costly and settled against the city. Taxpayers deserve a better steward of their money.

Harp gets our vote but she must rise above trivial matters and maintain as level a head in dealing with personnel issues as she appears to do when conducting business for the city.

We didnt give Paca the nod but note he is impressive, ambitious and a bright star on the horizon.

It is hard not to imagine him in a leadership role down the road if he keeps sharpening his vision and networks with partners who can make it happen.

But while Paca believes New Haven needs fresh, new, energetic leadership, his inexperience is not a plus for him. He does have good ideas for a city he loves  such as starting guidance counseling in the third-grade  but must find a clear way to pay for them. Indignation against an unjust system doesnt put dollars into programs to reverse situations.

And despite his vision for the city, Pacas campaign seemed to carry too much of a retaliatory factor against the incumbent who fired him from his job as labor director.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

NEW HAVEN >> Mazel Tov was the word of the day Sunday at Tower One as residents and officials past and present celebrated the 50th anniversary of the active adult community, kicking off a yearlong celebration.

The kickoff attended by hundreds of residents and their families  as well as officials  began with short testimonies from residents, including a woman, 88, who said after a year there shes happy to say the tower is her home. A retired high school teacher said moving there was her best decision, and a World War II veteran, 100 years old, said it is a friendly, happy place.

A resident of 35 years said shes 97 and happier than ever.

Designed by renowned architect Charles Moore, Tower One/Tower East is an apartment and assisted-living community located near downtown. Tower One was first and Tower East opened for occupancy in 1982.

Dr. Alan Siegal, outgoing chairman of the board, whose mother is a resident, said, For us to be celebrating today decisions that were made 50 years ago is a testimony to planning.

Two of the Towers founders, Jim Vlock and Linda Kantor, were part of the celebratory program.

It was Vlock, a businessman, and the late Mayor Richard C. Lee who more than 50 years ago found money for senior housing under college housing funds through the federal department of Housing and Urban Development, and made Tower One happen. They needed a nonprofit to sponsor the project and found one in the Jewish Community Council.

Vlock said it was a unique complex for the time because it included community dining and as he put it, something other than cubby holes to sit in and otherwise feel sad.

Incoming board chairwoman Jacqueline Koral said she has enthusiasm and love for everyone at the towers. She said her mother-in-law had many happy years there  and was grateful that despite having developed dementia, she was able to continue living there with assistance. Koral said her mother-in-law was so grateful that she asked Koral to Give back to the towers. Hence, her leadership.

Mayor Tony N. Harp read a proclamation in honor of the towers and thanked residents for attending activities in the community.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman was a last-minute speaker, filling in for her friend U.S. Rosa DeLauro, who lost her mother, Luisa DeLauro, over the weekend. Wyman brought DeLauros message to Tower One, including that the complex is an institution in the city and a place of care and solace.

Wyman took the opportunity to praise the elder Luisa DeLauro as a fighter for her constituents, in the same way as her daughter.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

CARTAGENA, Colombia >> Pope Francis wrapped up his Colombia trip Sunday by honoring a fellow Jesuit who ministered to African slaves and urging Colombians today to follow his lead in working for a more peaceful future.

Francis visit to Cartagena got off to a rocky start when he bonked his head on his popemobile when it stopped short amid swarms of well-wishers. Francis, who had only a hip-high bar to hold onto, lost his balance and suffered a bruised, black left eye and a cut on his eyebrow that dripped blood onto his white cassock.

The cut was quickly bandaged with a butterfly patch and Francis carried on without incident with his program, sporting a shiner that got increasingly dark as the day wore on.

The highlight of the day was a very personal stop for the Jesuit pope: He prayed at the tomb of St. Peter Claver, the 17th century missionary who ministered to hundreds of thousands of African slaves who were brought through Cartagenas port during Spanish colonial times to be sold.

Francis, known for his own simple and austere style, said Claver was austere and charitable to the point of heroism.

Claver, the self-described slave of the slaves forever, has been revered by Jesuits, popes and human rights campaigners for centuries for having insisted on recognizing the inherent dignity of slaves, treating them as children of God when others considered them mere merchandise to be bought and sold.

Francis said the legacy of the Spanish priest should serve as a model for the Catholic Church today to promote the dignity of all our brothers and sisters, particularly the poor and the excluded of society, those who are abandoned, immigrants and those who suffer violence and human trafficking.

And he cited Clavers courageous and controversial example in urging Colombians to take a courageous first step to reconcile with one another after a half-century of armed conflict.

Colombia, your brothers and sisters need you. Go out to meet them. Bring them the embrace of peace, free of all violence.

Be slaves of peace forever, he said in a final appeal at the end of Mass in Cartagenas port.

It was a final appeal to Colombians to overcome divisions that linger after the government last year reached a peace deal with leftist rebels hoping to end Latin Americas longest-running armed rebellion. Francis traveled to Colombia to help solidify the deal and encourage Colombians to reconcile.

For the second day in a row, Francis also made an off-the-cuff denunciation of drug dealers and traffickers, condemning them as unscrupulous merchants of death who cut short so many hopes and destroy so many families.

You cant play with the lives of our brothers or manipulate their dignity, he said.

Francis had refrained until Sunday from speaking out about the political and humanitarian crisis next door in Venezuela. But in remarks added into his Sunday prayer, Francis called for an end to political violence in Venezuela and protection for the poor who have been most hurt by the crisis.

While the appeal was welcomed, many in the crowd were more taken by Francis mishap on the popemobile and his bruised and bloody eye.

This holy blood is staying in Colombia, said Ricardo Morales, a lawyer who lined up outside St. Peter Clavers church for a glimpse of the pope. He made a great effort to be here and from now on its our obligation to make a similar effort to thank him for everything he has done.

Nicole Winfield on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nwinfield
File Photo

Health workers in Nigeria have threatened to join the association of resident doctors in its ongoing strike in 21 days time.

Health workers under the aegis of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals and the Joint Health Sector Unions have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike by September 30.

The union in a statement signed by the National President, Obinna Ogbonna and the national secretary, Mr. Ayinde Obisesan, accused the Federal Government of prioritising the demands of doctors in its employ above those of health workers.

According to them, many of their members have also been denied salary arrears and emoluments which, they said the Federal Government was now addressing with the striking doctors.

Doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors began a nationwide strike on September 3 to protest the non-payment and cuts in their salaries and arrears.

It is clear that the minister of state for health, minister of health and the minister of labour and employment, who are all doctors, are biased in how they are handling the demands of other health workers.





This is glaring in the way they negotiated and agreed to all issues presented by NARD. This act of discrimination, double standard and preferential treatment of doctors is highly discriminatory. The act of favoritism and injustice was displayed during the process of negotiation.





So, considering other mobilisation factors and to give the government further room to address our demands, on 30th of September, if they do not, the union will have no other option than to shut down health care services nationwide.

The aggrieved health workers are also demanding the implementation of the inter-ministerial sub-committee report on critical matters in the sector, professional autonomy and appointments of consultants and payment of specialist allowance to their members.
FORMER National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh and the gubernatorial candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Osita Chidoka, have condemned the fracas between the Nigerian Army and members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB). The clash occurred at the vicinity of the family home of leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu in Umuahia on Sunday.In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, the former party spokesman, said the clash was indeed traumatic and completely unacceptable.He said even if the various accounts of the events given by both sides were true, wrong had still been committed against the people as he observed that there was no such thing as show of force as claimed by the military in a peaceful environment.He said: I have read, severally, the press statement from the Nigeria Army and that of the Nigeria police in their attempts to rationalize the violence.Assuming, but not conceding that all they have said is true, there are still evidential wrongs against the people by the security team.First, there is no such thing as show of force in a peaceful part of our country. It is a provocative taunt and insult thrown at the face of the elected, appointed and anointed leaders as well as the people themselves.When you taunt and mock a people because you control instruments of brute force, yes, you can arrest, humiliate, handcuff, maim, imprison or even shoot and kill them at will, but then, you cannot kill the spirit of their struggle and resistance. Provocative and brute show of force does not hold the answers.Metuh admonished that provocation and brute force was not the answer to the problem.He further stated: Moreover, we are in a democracy and actions as these are at complete variance with the tenets and credentials of a democratic state.The security forces should not under any guise whatsoever be used or allow themselves to be seen as being used as political weapon on a people.The military high command should therefore not stretch the nation to the limits. It should forthwith withdraw soldiers from the streets, except if truly the intention is to intimidate the people.On our own part, we will continue to advice our people to remain peaceful and continue to be law-abiding at all times.In a similar vein, Osita Chidoka Campaign Organization has noted the heavy deployment of troops and weapons to the southeast states by the military for its operation, code-named Exercise Egwu Eke II (Python Dance II) in the region.Chidoka is the UPP candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election of Anambra state.In a statement issued by Viola Okolie, Director of media of the campaign, the former Minister of Aviation, noted whereas his campaign was not against any genuine effort to ensure security of life and property and rid the region of criminal elements, it was equally concerned about the safety and wellbeing of our regular citizens who are now falling victim of reported abuses and infractions by unscrupulous uniformed men as usually associated with such operations, some of such resulting in avoidable loss of lives, as now being witnessed in the region.It therefore stated its intention to monitor the military operations with a view to noting human rights violations.The statement added: While we call on all our citizens to be peaceful and law-abiding, we will definitely not accept any deliberate act of provocation, harassment or infringement on the constitutionally guaranteed rights of our people by uniformed men, and for this we demand from the military high command, assurances of utmost professionalism and strict observance to international best practices and approved rules of engagement.Consequently, our campaign has set up strong machinery that will closely monitor issues and ensure that cases of infraction against the constitutionally guaranteed rights of our people are immediately taken up whenever and wherever they occur during this trying time.Already, we have lawyers and human rights activists who have volunteered to work with us on pro bono basis to ensure that any act of infraction against the constitutionally guaranteed rights of any of our people is immediately taken up through legal and constitutional means.
IN efforts to tackle the challenges and obstacles to the development of the Niger Delta region, stakeholders held a consultative forum to identify and evolve strategies of overcoming them.This took place on Friday in Akure at the on-going National Council on Niger Delta (NCND) organised by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, in collaboration with the Ondo State Government.In his presentation titled: Security and Amnesty in the Niger Delta Gen Paul Boroh ( Rtd), Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty, said that the Amnesty Programme was being sustained by the Federal Government to cater to the yearnings of the region, disclosing that Federal Government was committed to exploring new strategies of ensuring peace and security in the region.He revealed that a lot of quick impact projects were being executed by the Amnesty Programme to ensure that the region is safer and conducive for economic growth and development. Though he disclosed that there were more social responsibilities for oil companies.The Presidential Aide disclosed that the Federal Government was focused on developing the agricultural sector of the region as it was the nations best alternative to oil.In his presentation; Environmental Challenges: The Niger Delta Debacle- Ogoni Clean Up and Restoration of Ecosystem, Dr Dekil Marvin, Project Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (Hyprep) said that oil spillage will be recurring factor in the region as adequate preventive measures have not been put in place by relevant authorities.Marvin stated that though sabotage and vandalism have been identified and are being tackled as causes of oil spillage in the country, little acknowledgment or attention has been given to equipment or operational failures, as practiced in more developed societies. He stressed that unless drastic measures are taken to curb the trend, the future of the region would be bleak.He, thereby, urged operators of the oil and gas industry, as well as government agencies to adopt realistic risk assessment as well as the culture of change in safety performance models in their operations in order to ensure safety in the region.Mr Bolaji Ogunseye, a Sustainable Development Practitioner, in his presentation titled: Following the Process, Ensuring the Destination; Moving Niger Delta from Pre-industrial to Wealthy Industrial Society said that one of the ways of fast-tracking development in the country is revolutionising important sectors of the economy.He said that there was need to change the ways things were done in the country if it was serious about being industrialised. According to him, apart from improved infrastructure, the agricultural and educational sectors need to be improved upon as they are vital to national development.To maximally utilise the agricultural sector, Ogunseye said there was need for widened product specific research and agronomic innovation as well as the development of afro-allied processing or value-chain investment and capability, locally and with international partnership in the region.He also advocated for the provision of a financial base for investment in the manufacturing industry as well as the expansion of the multifaceted service industry in the region.For improved capacity building, the expert disclosed that there was need for collaboration of universities in the Niger Delta region with educational institutions in more developed societies.Buttressing the points raised, a participant, Mr Charles Achodo, added that value-added agriculture can be used to encourage development in other sectors of the economy.Mr William Park, a Security expert, in his presentation; Security: An Inclusive and Collaborative Security strategy of the Niger Delta Region, identified oil spills, poor means of livelihood and lack of coherent an integrated development plan as the biggest threats to security in the region.Subsequently, he advocated the practice of an inclusive security approach which includes the involvement of stakeholders in the prevention and transformation of violent conflicts in the region.Park added that efforts should be put by government, oil companies and host communities to develop sustainable industries in the region as this will reduce rural-urban drift and check unemployment with attendant boost on the nations economy.To curb violence in the region, he advised oil companies to always implement provisions of Memorandum of Understanding signed with oil communities in addition to creating employment opportunities. He stressed that all approaches must be based on truth, equity, fairness and inclusiveness.
The NSCDC has reacted to reports that it is currently recruiting for personnel on a subterranean note as purveyed by suspected scammers.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has dispelled rumours that the Corps was recruiting underground and carrying out replacement exercise.

The Corps Public Relations Officer, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, said this in a statement in Abuja.Okeh said the Commandant-General (CG) of the Corps, Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, had urged job seekers and the general public to disregard the rumour.Muhammadu said the false information was a gimmick being peddled by fraudsters to defraud unsuspecting applicants of their hard earned money.He noted that a number of unemployed Nigerian youths had shown interest in enlisting in the Corps.And this has attracted some dubious individuals who have resorted to spreading false news and sending text messages to them on non-existing recruitment and replacement exercises, he said.The NSCDC CG stated categorically that the Corps would advertise its existing vacancies before the end of the year for interested candidates to apply.This, he said, would be done as soon as fund was made available to the corps. He said that the documentation and data capturing exercise for personnel presently going on at the State Commands of the Corps nationwide was being misconstrued by criminally minded individuals to mean recruitment or replacement exercise.He said further that the fraudsters were all out to take the advantage of the ongoing exercise to drive home their aim of defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians.That due to the forthcoming promotion exercise, the Corps is only issuing old letters of appointment and promotion to personnel who merited it.But for administrative reasons they were unable to receive their letters in the last exercise conducted and it is expedient for them to document at this point in time due to the forthcoming promotion exercise, he said.The CG, therefore, advised applicants to exercise patience and wait for the appropriate time the Corps would advertise its existing vacancies in major National Newspapers.
Elder statesman and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Frank Kokori, has thrown his weight behind the call for restructuring of the country, but back to 12 states.He said equity and justice could only be achieved if the country returned to 12 states  six for each of southern and northern Nigeria  as it was during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon.He called for the convocation of a round table discussion with genuine people from all sectors and sections of the country on restructuring, adding that the National Assembly cannot do anything for proper restructuring of Nigeria.Speaking exclusively to Tribune Online at the weekend in Warri, the former secretary general of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), posited that each of the six states should be autonomous, saying the current 36-state structure is not viable.Top on my agenda on any restructuring in Nigeria is Gowons 12 states in 1967, not the present one they are talking about six zones.That Gowons 12 states will move Nigeria forward. Let them decentralized Nigeria like Gowon did.Restructuring is all about making a country where there is no cheating,  the septuagenarian mooted.He took a swipe on members of the National Assembly for recently throwing away the outcome of the National Conference held by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, admitting that the recommendations were suitable for the country.The issue of how Nigeria should be governed should not be the business of the National Assembly because it is an interested party; it will not like anybody to whittle down their power, so to me, it should be the people themselves.To me, the constitutional Conferences by Jonathan was okay, its just that the people were not properly chosen by their people. Most of them were nominated by the PDP government if not, they made a lot of sense in that conference,  Kokori admitted.The Ovu Chief, however, identified lack of good governance in the polity as the major reason more voices are being raised in support of restructuring.The fiery labour leader and activist warned President Buhari not to ignore the calls for restructuring, but call for a dialogue with genuine Nigerians on way forward.We should not just sweep it under the carpet; its a serious matter, the president himself should be seeing signals now, so we should come together for dialogue and talk seriously about Nigeria,  he admonished.
File photo: Bakassi militants

A coalition of ten militant groups from the Niger Delta, last night, said it was too early for Nigerians to celebrate the FG's claim that the nation had come out of recession, promising to resume attacks.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, in coalition with nine other militant groups, promised to resume attacks on oil facilities that will further deepen the nations economic woes if urgent steps were not taken to address issues troubling the Niger Delta.

According to Vanguard, the militants, who restated their 2-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to open talks with Pan Niger Delta Peoples Congress, PNDPC, led by the former National Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON, His Majesty Charles Ayemi-Botu, gave conditions to sustain the ceasefire while talks are ongoing.

They also announced the lifting of the suspension placed on Chief Edwin Clark, who leads Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, Following pleas and persuasion from well-respected traditional rulers and stakeholders of the region.





Nigerians should not celebrate the Federal Governments claim that the nation had come out recession because it is too early as RNDA in coalition with other militant groups is ready to resume fresh attacks on oil installations across the region in a well-coordinated attack that will further deepen the nations economic woes judging from the fact that one of the indices used in measuring Nigerias outage from recession was crude oil, leader of RNDA and Convener of the coalition of militants, selfstyled Major General Johnmark Ezonbi, said in a statement.

The militants said: The Federal Government should not take the two weeks ultimatum that is still counting, which we earlier issued to convey a fresh talk with PNDPC, headed by HM Ayemi Botu for granted and should blame itself for any harm done to oil facilities in the Niger Delta at the expiration of the ultimatum.

Ezonbi said, RNDA in coalition with nine other militants groups, led by Major General Johnmark Ezonbi at a crucial meeting held at the creeks of Benin River expressed its readiness to carry out its threat to bring down crude oil productions to zero level, which accompanied its ultimatum to the Federal Government."
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has described as shameful the clamour for Nigerias break-up by several pro-Biafra grou...

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has described as shameful the clamour for Nigerias break-up by several pro-Biafra groups.

According to the President of CBCN, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, lack of social justice for all in the country was responsible for all the agitations for break-up of the country.





He stated this while declaring open the second plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, 2017 holding at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Cathedral in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.





The bishop advocated the promotion of social justice for ethnic minorities for peace, unity and development to reign in the country





Kaigama, who is also the Archbishop of Jos, said there are shameful calls for break-up of the country and so much hate speeches going on.





This is not the way out, the way out is to correct the level of injustice that has been done to minority ethnic nationalities in the country.





There are better options on how to address the nations challenges.





It could be recalled that three months ago, the Anglican Bishop of Ibadan Diocese Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa, warned that if Nigeria disintegrates, every region will experience a setback of 100 years.




A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday dismissed the suit by Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, challenging the validity of the process of recalling him by his constituents.Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in his judgment, ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission shall proceed with the recall process.The judgment effectively terminated the earlier ex parte order made by another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice John Tsoho, on July 6, 2017, directing parties to maintain status quo.But the Justice Dimgba, to whom the case was reassigned, ordered that the process shall only proceed with the recall process, subject to the service of the petition, the full list and signatures of persons in support of the recall process.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Oyo State, Ayo Oyalowo, has said President Muhammadu Buhari never told anybody he w...

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Oyo State, Ayo Oyalowo, has said President Muhammadu Buhari never told anybody he would not run for a second term in office.

Oyalowo, who further challenged anybody with a contrary opinion to bring out the facts, said this when he appeared on Channels Televisions Sunday Politics hosted by Seun.





According to the APC chieftain, who is also Deputy Director of Media at the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Nigerians should count themselves lucky to have President Muhammadu Buhari as their leader.





Let me make it categorically clear, at least to the extent to which I know, President Buhari never told anybody hes going to do only one term.





He never discussed that with anybody and if anybody has any contrary opinion, let them bring it out and bring the fact.





People are just being mischievous; there was no reason for the president to tell us what will happen in 2019.





He contested in 2015, he won an election, and hes still running his mandate. If he wants to run again, by the time INEC lifts the bar on election, he will make his mind known. Why are people trying to be mischievous so that they can put the man in a tight corner? he questioned.





Oyalowo, however, maintained that President Buhari should be voted into office for a second term if he desires to run in 2019, adding He (Buhari) is a man who Nigerians should be grateful to God that he is a Nigerian.





Yes, I am a Buharist, very proud one for that matter. I think he (Buhari) is a good person, I think hes honest, I think Nigeria is blessed and lucky to have him as president, he said.





From 2011 I have been with the man, I supported him in 2011. Im very happy that he finally got it in 2015 and if God wills and he wants to do it again, I will gladly support him.





APC should be given a chance to continue with the nations governance, saying the party cannot afford to abort the efforts it has made in fixing the country.





We have cleared a lot of the mess that we met on ground, a lot of work still needs to be done. We cannot allow the darkness of the past to come and overshadow the light that weve started to bring into the country, he said.
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has condemned the raid on Nnamdi Kanus home by the officers of the Nigerian Army on Sunday....

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has condemned the raid on Nnamdi Kanus home by the officers of the Nigerian Army on Sunday.

Fani-Kayode called for restraint and an end to the unprecedented violence.





He tweeted: I condemn the raid on Nnamdi Kanus home by the army. I call for restraint and I deplore the unprecedented violence that is being employed.

3 people have been killed by the military and 20 wounded in their raid on Nnamdi Kanus home. This is wicked, barbaric and unacceptable. STOP!





The Army allegedly invaded the home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), barely 24 hours after it announced the start of its second phase of Operation Python Dance II in the South-Eastern states.





It was however, gathered that the military personnel, who stormed Kanus home with an armoured vehicle were resisted by some members of the pro-Biafra group.





Some IPOB were reportedly shot in the process.





According to the spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful, about five youths were killed and about 30 were injured.
The perceived supremacy battle between two charismatic Roman Catholic priests, Rev. Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, ...

The perceived supremacy battle between two charismatic Roman Catholic priests, Rev. Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, and Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Obinma of Adoration Ministry, Uke, Anambra State is far from over.

The battle which now borders about the pro-Biafra agitation got messier on Sunday with a stern warning coming from Mbakas parishioners.





Obinma, popularly known as Ebube Muo Nso had reportedly fired the first salvo, accusing Mbaka of being fake and being less popular than Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.





He was quoted as saying Nnamdi Kanu is more important to Igbos and more prophetic than Mbaka.

At least, he Nnamdi Kanu foresaw what is happening now while Mbaka was busy then campaigning for APC, now that APC has failed, Mbaka has not condemned the same APC party that he campaigned for, let the will of God be done and let Mbaka go to rest.





The fiery Enugu priest, Mbaka has kept mute and refused to reply to any of his fellow clerics verbal attack against him.





However, his parishioners at a solidarity march for him in Enugu, urged the Catholic Bishop of Onitsha Diocese to tame what they termed the chronic excesses and manhunt of Fr. Mbaka by Fr Emmanuel Obinma of the Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry Ukeh, Anambra State.





The group stated that they had waited for Obinma to deny the above media report credited to him but that his silence amounted to his acceptance that those were his very assertions.





Speaking on behalf of the protesting parishioners, Mr. Sam Ukam said, Obinmas above statement is not only mischievous and malicious but was borne out of his chronic jealousy for Fr Mbaka and his deliberate calculation to incite Ndi Igbo against Fr Mbaka.





He is merely playing to the gallery to give the false impression that he loves Nnamdi Nkanu and that Fr. Mbaka hates him or that he (Obinma) loves Igbo people more than Fr Mbaka.





Obinmas unguarded utterances cannot blindfold the Igbo nation from the reality of Fr Mbakas love for them evident in Fr Mbakas direct employment of over seven thousand Igbo indigenes, not to talk of the multitude of Igbo indigenes who indirectly depend on him and his product for their daily living.





The number of indigent Igbo indigenes under Fr Mbakas scholarship both within and outside the country and the uncountable number of indigent Igbo patients whose medical bills are being offset by Fr Mbaka, all speak volumes of Fr Mbakas love for Ndi Igbo. It is for this reason that we think that that Obinma doesnt deserve the honour of Fr Mbakas reply to his careless statements.





He added that Mbaka has demonstrated unequalled love and care for the Igbo nation in his twenty years standing as a priest and we wonder how Obinma, a priest of just about four years counting could have the effrontery to think he can manipulate any right thinking Igbo indigene into believing that he loves Ndi Igbo more than Fr Mbaka. We consider Fr Obimmas statement as insulting to Fr Mbaka and demand unreserved apology from him to Fr Mbaka.





Another parishioner, Mr. Chimezie Agbo who claimed he started following Fr. Mbaka right from the beginning of his ministry said, Obinmas mission as clearly evident in his mode of operations has always been targeted towards eliminating Fr Mbaka.





First, Obimma named his prayer ministry at Ukeh Adoration Ministry in a bid to deceive people into thinking that it is one and the same with Fr Mbakas Adoration Ministry which started decades of years ago. This was the very first crafty strategy Obimma used and is still using in converting and diverting things meant for Fr Mbakas Adoration Ministry to Obinmas Adoration Ministry.





In our knowledge of history of Catholic ministries in Nigeria, no two ministries in Catholic church answer the same name. When Fr Emmanuel Edeh started his ministry, he christened it Catholic Prayer Ministry of the Holy Spirit Elele and no other ministry here goes by that name. When Late Fr Njoku Started his ministry he named it Upper Room Ministry and no other ministry in the Catholic Church goes by that name. Rev Fr Basil Gbuzue named his ministry Mountain of Solution catholic ministry. Rev Fr Anthony Ozeles ministry is named Catholic World Evangelical Outreach and no other catholic ministry goes by that name. As if stealing the name of Fr Mbakas Adoration Ministry was not enough, Obinma also proceeded to steal the name Ebube Mounso from Fr Mbaka. Ebube Muo Nso ( Shekinah Glory) is the title of one of Fr Mbakas popular musical album released in the year 2000 (Seventeen Years ago)and which won a national musical award in Nigeria. Fr Obinma adopted that name Ebube Muo Nso as his alia to ride on its popularity and in a bid to deceive people into believing that he has so much to do with Fr Mbaka and his Adoration Ministry.





The parishioners stated that Obinma is not only fake but also a copycat devoid of any atom of originality. Obinma is the one who masterminded and sponsored the popular musical video Mbaka Why which was released in 2015 to run down Fr Mbaka and his prophesy of President Buharis victory in 2015.





We have hard evidence of Obinmas involvement in the said musical video and we are ready to confront him with it if he denies it. Also, if anything should happen to Fr Mbaka today, Obinma should be held responsible going by his antecedents, utterances and overt acts.





It is a common knowledge that Obinma prophesied victory for Goodluck Jonathan and PDP in 2015 presidential election at his Adoration Ministry at Ukeh Anambra State.





Instead of burying his face in shame as a false prophet (which Buharis Victory proved him to be), Obinma now want to save his face by asserting that Mbaka was busy campaigning for APC, and now that APC has failed , Mbaka has not condemned the same APC party that he campaigned for.





It is a pity that while Obinma still wallows in the myopia of his affiliation and cleavage to political parties, Fr Mbaka and Adoration ministry Enugu thrives in a realm of Holy Spirit devoid of any political party affiliations. Fr Mbaka focuses on good personalities and not the party they come from.





That is why today in Adoration ministry Enugu, good leaders and office holders from APC, PDP, APGA and any other political party in Nigeria do come to worship in the Adoration ministry Enugu and are well received by Fr Mbaka and the ministry.





At the time Fr Mbaka prophesied the victory of President Buhari, he had neither met nor had any contact with Buhari nor did he so prophesy merely because Buhari was an APC presidential candidate. This should be a clear message to the ilk of Obinma that Fr Mbakas has no affiliation to any political party.





It is self evident that Obinma in his statement is the one who set for himself the comparison of who is more important to Igbos between Nnamdi Kanu and Fr Mbaka and who is more prophetic between them. By that censorious and unnecessary comparison, Obinma has in his own words out counted himself from the list of important Igbos and list of prophets.





We dont know of any Igbo leader in recent time, that has imparted even half as much as Fr Mbaka has done on the lives of Ndigbo both materially and spiritually. Where was Obinma when Fr Mbaka was the only lone voice demanding justice for the Igbo youths whose dead bodies were found at Ezu River in Anambra and Igbo youths held in detention during the past regime?





Besides condemning the killings in Uzo Uwani, Enugu, by alleged Fulani herdsmen, Fr Mbaka did send relief material to the victims of that attack at Uzouwani in practical demonstration of his genuine love and concern for the people; no one heard a word from Obinma then. If Obinma was silent because the Uzo uwani massacre was an Enugu affair, does that not betray his acclaimed love for the Igbos in general? What has Obinma said about the recent Ozubulu Massacre that took place in Church at his own state, Anambra? Or was that one also another Enugu affair or another massacre by Hausa Fulani herdsmen?





For Obinma to say that Fr Mbaka is only gossiping and down casting the work of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra is mischievous of Obinma who knows that Fr Mbaka speaks as the Holy Spirit gives him utterance and he is too committed to works of miracles God is using him to perform in the lives of people both within and outside Nigeria that he has no time for idle gossip or castigation of any one.





We wonder even how Fr Obinma managed to wangle his way into the sacred Order of priesthood and we stand to question his calling into the priestly ministry, the group said.





They claimed that they knew Obinmas questionable life styles in his seminary days,m threatening to expose him the next time he would raise his voice against Fr Mbaka.





They cautioned that he who lives in a glass house should not throw stones.





We have never heard Fr Mbaka speak ill or attack any man of God or even mention their names in a castigating manner in his ministry and we wonder why some acclaimed men of God who are bereft of what to preach to their congregation should make Fr Mbaka the title of their sermon and foment avoidable troubles in the House of God.





We are sending a strong warning to the Bishops and the hierarchy of Catholic Church to caution Fr Obimma to leave Fr Mbaka alone else the Holy Spirit and anointing that Fr Mbaka carries will mess him up.
A 20-year-old mechanic, Adeka Michael, has been arraigned at a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court in Aso Pada, Nasarawa State, for allegedly tre...

A 20-year-old mechanic, Adeka Michael, has been arraigned at a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court in Aso Pada, Nasarawa State, for allegedly trespassing and stealing one carton of Indomie noodles.Michael, a resident of Yelwa in Mararaba, is facing a two-count charge of criminal trespass and theft.The prosecutor, Agabi Auta, told the court that the defendant, who pleaded not guilty, committed the offences on August 28 at Mararaba.He said the matter was reported by Saidu Kabiru of Kano Street, behind NEPA office, Mararaba, at A Divisional Police Station, Mararaba.Auta alleged: About 3:30 pm., the defendant trespassed into the complainants shop at Mararaba.When the complainant stepped out, the accused stole a carton of Indomie noodles, valued at N3,500 and his phone of N12, 000.The prosecutor said the complainant caught the accused with the items.The offences contravene sections 287 and 348 of the Penal Code.The judge, Mr. Albert Maga, granted the defendant bail at N50,000 with one surety.He adjourned the matter till September 25 for hearing.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, Osun state has expressed confidence that it would conveniently win next years governorship election in the state going by the level of its performance and acceptability by the people.The party also asserted that; No matter who is chosen as PDP flag-bearer for the 2018 governorship in Osun, or whoever jumps ship from the APC to gang up with the PDP, the ruling party will still win convincingly.This assertion was contained in a statement by the Partys Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi and made available to the media in Osogbo yesterday against the backdrop of news circulating as to who will be the PDP candidate and whether or not the opposition plans to entice some elements in APC to make the PDP win.According to the APC; What the PDP failed to understand is that it (PDP) has such a terrible image in the state that no matter who, from the APC defects to PDP, the good people of Osun cant choose PDP as an alternative to APC, notwithstanding what happened in Osun West Senatorial District bye election in June this year.So, those who may be tempted to jump ship and aligned with the PDP are aware of the monstrosity they will be moving into; an action that will amount to cutting their noses to spite their faces. Thats not a winning strategy the APC added.The ruling party revealed that; PDP in Osun suffers multiple political defects, which worsen by the day, as a result of the lack of respectable, focused and dignified leadership that Osun people can trust.The APC further argued that; Although a personality appears to encapsulate everything thats wrong with the PDP leadership, the problem, however, runs deep in the rank and file.In addition, the Osun PDP appears to be structured on a heartless, capitalist business model which end-goal is profit at all cost, no matter whose ox is gored, the APC alleged.It is this PDPs mantra of chop and quench, (apologies to late Fela Anikulapo Kuti) that has attracted predominantly gold diggers into the party, especially politicians who have little or no scruples about enriching themselves with public funds at the expense of the people they were elected to serve.Besides, the use of violence by the PDP has become such a nasty part of their DNA, that rather than gain the peoples confidence, they earn rejection  thats why the PDP cant win the governorship election in Osun.But above all, the PDPs reckless and baseless antagonism to virtually everything Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has done since 2010, including the partys proclamation to reverse all of it, make the PDP not only detestable, but also unelectable in the state of Osun.Therefore, it is not a realisable dream for the PDP to be emerging itself in power at Abere, come Nov. 2018.The party is terribly unhealthy politically to govern the state,  the APC concluded.
Pope Francis said he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump would re-think his decision to end a programme protecting undocumented immigrant children, saying it was important for young people to have roots.One hopes that it is re-thought somewhat, Francis said on Monday in answer to a question on the plane returning from Colombia about the programme started by his predecessor and known as Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA).He spoke about DACA and the problems of immigrant families in general, adding that he wanted to learn more about Trumps decision.Trumps move this month to end the five-year-old programme instituted by former President Barack Obama plunged almost 800,000 young people, known as Dreamers, into uncertainty.It drew criticism from business and religious leaders, mayors, governors, Democratic lawmakers, unions and civil liberties advocates.Trump said during his election campaign he would end DACA if he became president.Recently, 15 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit challenging Trumps decision.It claims Trumps decision was motivated, at least in part, by a discriminatory motive against Mexicans, who are the largest beneficiary of the programme.It points to his statements from the 2016 presidential campaign..In the end, young people feel like they have no hope. And who robs them of hope? Drugs, other addictions, and suicides  youth suicides are very high  and this happens when they are torn from their roots, Francis said.The relationship between a young person and his roots is very important. Young people, who have been uprooted today, are asking for help, he said.He appeared to take a swipe at Trump when he said: The president of the U.S.  presents himself as a man who is pro-life.If he is a good pro-lifer, he understands that the family is the cradle of life and you have to defend its unity.The pope has already clashed with Trump over immigration issues, such as the presidents intention to build a wall on the border with Mexico and deport undocumented aliens.Francis, the first Latin American pope, has made defence of immigrants a major plank of his papacy.The pontiff said during the presidential campaign that a man, who thought about building walls and not bridges, was not Christian.Trump, who grew up in a Presbyterian family, shot back saying it was disgraceful for the pope to question his faith.Trump met the pope at the Vatican during a tour of the Middle East and Europe in May.
The Senate will consider a Bill to push for direct funding for the police when it resumes, it was learnt ye...

The Senate will consider a Bill to push for direct funding for the police when it resumes, it was learnt yesterday.The police special forces deployed to tame armed robbery and kidnapping on Kaduna-Abuja highway have been advised to take the fight to the criminals camps in the forests.Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs Senator Abu Ibrahim spoke yesterday during an assessment tour of Police deployment on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway.The senator, who was guided on the tour by Commissioner of Police Agyole Abeh, lamented what he described as low funding of police operations.He, therefore, vowed that his committee will push for the adoption of a bill that will ensure that at least one per cent of the federal allocation is set aside for security operations of the police.Ibrahim said a situation where police use funds meant for purchasing of equipment and welfare of its personnel for special operations is unacceptable.Addressing officers and men of the force at the Katari Divisional Police Headquarters, which is being used as the operational base of Operation Absolute Sanity, the senator said welfare of officers and men of the force will become a paramount issue to be discussed in the upper chamber when it resumes.He added that his committee will soon take a tour of six states of Nassarawa, Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Kogi, Zamfara and Katsina to solicit the states commitment to the security operations around their state, by providing funds to assist the operations.Abeh said the officers and men of the special forces are the best brains in the Police Force because of the series of trainings they have undergone.He, therefore, assured that with proper equipment and welfare, they will comb the forests and rid Kaduna-Abuja highway of kidnappers.
At least two persons were shot while many were injured on Sunday evening when the supporters of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of ...

At least two persons were shot while many were injured on Sunday evening when the supporters of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and soldiers clashed in Umuahia, Abia State.Though Kanu said the soldiers, loaded in an armoured tank and three Hilux vans shot his supporters when they stormed his home in Afraukwu Umuahia, the Nigerian Army had dismissed the IPOB leaders claim.The Nigerian Army said a clash occurred when IPOB members attacked a military convoy and injured a civilian and a soldier.But narrating the incident to journalists, Kanu said the soldiers shot sporadically as they approached his fathers compound, causing pandemonium among residents.He said, I was sleeping this evening (Sunday) when suddenly I was woken up by the blaring of sirens. Initially, I thought it was the Commissioner of Police who lives in the neighbourhood that was returning home. But the blaring persisted and was followed up by sporadic gun shots.The soldiers wanted to bulldoze their way into the palace but IPOB members formed a human shield and resisted them. They wanted to break the shield and fired at three persons and wounded others before leaving. Everybody including children was running away in confusion.They want to use force and beat us into submission because they have lost the argument but they will fail. They want to trigger war but we wont oblige them because we are committed to our non- violent philosophy.Kanus father, the traditional ruler of Afaraukwu Community, HRH Eze Israel Kanu, also described the invasion as unwarranted and shocking, adding that his son committed no crime to warrant invasion of his palace.But the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade, Maj. Oyegoke Gbadamosi, who dismissed these claims, said the army did not shoot any IPOB member dead, as being circulated.Gbadamosi said members of the public should go about their lawful business and report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station.He said, It is far from the truth that troops invaded the home of Nnamdi Kanu and killed three persons. Rather, it was a group of suspected IPOB militants that blocked the road against the troops of 145 Battalion while on a show of force along the FMC-World Bank Road in Umuahia town, Abia State, between 6pm and 6.30pm, today (Sunday). They insisted that the military vehicles would not pass and started pelting the soldiers with stones and broken bottles to the point of injuring an innocent female passerby and a soldier, Corporal Kolawole Mathew.The troops fired warning shots in the air and the hoodlums dispersed. No life was lost. Therefore the public are kindly enjoined to disregard the rumours making the rounds and the fictitious photographs of purported victims of attack. Both the soldier and the innocent female passerby have been evacuated to the units Medical Inspection Room and are receiving treatment.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said it will not disclose when it will hold its meetings to consider the Federal Government...

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said it will not disclose when it will hold its meetings to consider the Federal Governments offers, aimed at resolving the ongoing strike.The ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, said this on Sunday while responding to our correspondents inquiry as to when the union would meet to examine the Federal Governments offers and resolve the strike.The union and the Federal Governments delegation held a 14-hour meeting on Thursday, after which they issued a communique, in which ASUU was asked to revert to the government within one week.The ASUU President had on Friday said in an interview that he could not determine when the union would call off its strike until its members met to decide the next course of action.This is also as the National Association of Nigerian Students on Saturday promised to meet the ASUU executives and consider the governments offers with a view to ending the strike.The NANS spokesperson, Bestman Okereafor, had said this in a statement released in Enugu State.When contacted to comment on when the union would meet to consider the governments positions, the ASUU President said in a text message, Good morning. Sorry. We dont tell outsiders the arrangements of our meetings. Have a great Sunday.
A Turkish Diplomat, Abdulkadir Erkahraman, has faulted the alleged invasion of the residence of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnam...

A Turkish Diplomat, Abdulkadir Erkahraman, has faulted the alleged invasion of the residence of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, by men of the Nigerian Army.

Recall that some IPOB members had on Sunday alleged that soldiers opened fire on the resident of Kanu, injuring several persons in the process.





However, the Assistant Director of Public Relations of 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, Major Oyegoke Gbadamosi, Ohafia, denied the alleged invasion of Kanus residence or killing anybody.





Reacting to the incident, Erkahraman, who once visited Kanu at his Umuahia residence, few months back, stressed that the Nigerian Army is crossing the redline,





In a statement on his Facebook wall, Erkahraman, who is the President of the International Nations Commercial Association in Turkey, said the Nigerian government cant stop the actualization of Biafra with what he described as dirty games.





Noting that Nigerian government is pushing, Biafrans into arm struggle, the Turkish Diplomat said video of the incident has been sent to the United Nations, UN, and the International media.

Erkahraman wrote: WORLD ALERT!





Nigerian army officers just attacked people in the home of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra and shot some people.





The world is hereby put on notice that Nigeria Army has declared war against the people of Biafra by this unlawful attempt around the leader of IPOB.





Should anything happen to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, let the world know that Nigeria government has assassinated him as they have being planning. Nigerian army is crossing the red line.





Self-defense is allowed in international law.





We already sent life video to Turkish Government TV TRT, CNN and local Tv Channels and international media with UN.





They cant stop Biafra Nation with this kind of dirty games. Time to be together Biafra Nation.





The Nigerian government wants to PUSH Biafrans to arm struggle!




United States President Donald Trump observed a moment of silence Monday at a White House ceremony marking the 16th anniversary of the Se...

United States President Donald Trump observed a moment of silence Monday at a White House ceremony marking the 16th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.The observance, along with another at Ground Zero in New York, was held at 8:46 am (1246 GMT), the moment the World Trade Center in Manhattan was struck by the first of two hijacked airliners.In all, four planes were hijacked by Al-Qaeda militants who used them to topple the trade centers twin towers and hit the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.The attacks, the deadliest ever on US soil, killed 2,997 people, and plunged the United States into a rolling chain of wars against Islamist militants.AFP
DEMAREST -- Eric Bolling and his son, Eric Chase Bolling, weren't shy about posting photographs of one another, sharing their memories and showing their closeness.

Pictures of Easter dinners or spending time together on Father's Day, or of the younger Bolling's graduation from Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest.

Bolling's tweets are mostly news commentary, in which the now-former Fox News host calls sexual assault allegations against him "smear attacks" and gives candid thoughts on President Trump.

But interspersed are photographs of him as a dad, smiling with his son, miles away from the fishbowl of cable news.

On Saturday, however, Bolling logged on to give another, grim update in which he heartbreakingly told the world that his son had died.

Kind words poured in from all over the nation, including attention from Trump, who retweeted one of the tributes.

Over the weekend at Eric Chase Bolling's alma mater, Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest, district officials were preparing how best to comfort students and staff.

Grief counselors were made available Monday.

"The district is deeply saddened by the passing of Eric. He had a lot of good relationships here at the school," Northern Valley Regional High School District Superintendent James Santana said.

"As a district, we wish to communicate to the Bollings that they are in our thoughts and prayers," he said. "Any time we lose a graduate it hurts the community."

Eric Bolling made headlines recently when Fox News suspended him after the Huffington Post reported that "several years ago" he sent "an unsolicited photo of male genitalia via text message to at least two colleagues at Fox Business and one colleague at Fox News."

Bolling is suing the Huffington Post reporter for defamation and is seeking $50 million in damages.

On Friday, a spokesperson with Fox News Channel released a statement that Fox and Bolling "have agreed to part ways amicably" and that it was cancelling "The Specialists," the show Bolling co-hosted.

"We thank Eric for his 10 years of service to our loyal viewers and wish him the best of luck," according to the statement.

TMZ reported that Eric Chase Bolling was in "emotional distress" over the publicity surrounding his father's departure from Fox.

The Bolling family split their time between homes in Demarest and Long Beach Island.

Eric Chase Bolling's posts online show an ordinary teenage upbringing: there are photos of him at formal dances, several others with him smiling with friends.

An older Bolling can be seen posing with new friends, after he left New Jersey and moved to Colorado to study economics at the University of Colorado Boulder.

He was in his second year.

Bolling confirmed his son's death on Twitter, writing that he and his wife, Adrienne, were "devastated" by the loss of their son and that an autopsy would determine the cause of death, though there was "no sign of self harm."

We are overwhelmed by the love and support we have received. Adrienne and I thank you all and ask that you please keep us in your prayers.  Eric Bolling (@ericbolling) September 10, 2017

The Boulder coroner's office said in a news release that it was investigating the death of a 19-year-old man who was found in an apartment building on Friday, but did not release the name of the man and said an autopsy would determine the cause of death.

Boulder police did not immediately return requests for comment.

Eric Chase Bolling, who was active in his fraternity, Sigma Pi Zeta-Delta, at school, helped fundraise for charities and made a point to get out and vote in the November 2016 election. His dad put their efforts on TV:

Get out and vote! A couple of the brothers on Fox News today, huge thank you to Eric Bolling for the shout out. Posted by Sigma Pi Zeta-Delta on Tuesday, November 8, 2016

His dad also frequently shared photogaphs of the two of them:

Happy Fathers Day to me. Happy Fathers Day to me ...Happy Fathers Day dear Eric.. pic.twitter.com/0nsqWirLLP  Eric Bolling (@ericbolling) June 18, 2017

Dad/Son Colorado Easter weekend. A true blessing pic.twitter.com/0tIrZdts1s  Eric Bolling (@ericbolling) April 16, 2017

On Saturday, FOX News released a statement regarding his son's death.

"We are very saddened to hear of the passing of Eric Bolling's son. Eric Chase was a wonderful young man and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Bolling family," it read.

Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.

Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us: nj.com/tips
About a month before Hurricane Irma swarmed over Key West, Fla., Brad and Michelle Nolan spent a couple of days there.

They said they had a great trip -- until it was time to fly home.

The Nolans said after one leg of their return flight was cancelled, United Airlines promised to reimburse them for a car rental and other fees. But nearly a month later, the couple was still waiting for refunds.

The five-day trip was booked using 75,000 miles from their United Mileage Plus credit card, they said.

The couple said they took United from Newark Liberty International Airport on Aug. 1, flying to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. From there, they'd grab a connecting flight to Key West with United's partner Silver Airlines because United doesn't fly direct to Key West.

United arranged the connection.

It all worked fine on the way to Florida, but the way home was anything but smooth.

First, Brad Nolan said, when they checked their bag with Silver, they had to pay a $25 baggage fee, which the Silver rep said would be refunded by United because the couple had the United Mileage Plus credit card.

"We just needed to give them a call when we got home or go over to their gate agent, however, since it was a weekend, the desk was not staffed," Brad Nolan said.

While waiting to board a flight that was eventually cancelled, Brad Nolan took a photo of the Silver Airlines plane sitting on the tarmac.

After they checked in, they learned the flight was delayed by 45 minutes because "the flight attendant needed to get settled," Nolan said they were told.

"At the end of the 45 minutes, weather rolled in and we spent the next two hours in our lovely Saab 340B on the tarmac while we waited for air traffic control to lift the ground stop."

That never happened.

The flight was cancelled, and passengers were told that agents at the gate would get everyone rescheduled, especially those, like the Nolans, who risked missing their connecting flights.

When it was the Nolan's turn to rebook with the Silver agent, there was a problem.

"She said since we bought our tickets using miles, we would need to contact United directly as she cannot rebook us," Nolan said. "Again, since there was no [United] gate agent, there was literally no one in the Keys that could assist us."

The Nolans called United, and they were placed on another flight from Key West to Orlando, and from there they'd catch a flight to Newark.

With the United rep still on the phone, Nolan returned to the Silver gate agent to confirm the flight.

"The gate agent said despite having 'tickets' for the flight that United just got for us no more than three minutes earlier, we would not be allowed on the plane," Nolan said. "She started aggressively telling us that United needs to fix this and not her."

And all the other flights were booked solid, Nolan said the rep told them.

Nolan said he got back on the phone with United.

"After another 15 minutes of trying to find another way home including flights to/from West Palm, Orlando and Miami, we found that every flight from the Keys regardless of destination in mainland Florida was booked through the following evening," Nolan said.

They did have one option: They could rent a car, drive to Fort Lauderdale to catch a flight, and they'd be reimbursed for the car rental. The rep also said they would be reimbursed for the $25 baggage fee paid to Silver, and for the extra day of parking in Newark for $27. They'd also get their miles back for the cancelled flight, plus a refund of the booking fee, they said they were told.

The Nolans jumped, thinking they had the best case scenario. They rented a car for $306, and took the more than four hour, beautiful 113-mile drive on the Overseas Highway.

"We stopped at Arby's for some curly fries and arrived in Fort Lauderdale," Nolan said. "We got on the flight six hours or so later than we were going to, but at least we were home."

That's when the refund drama began, Nolan said.

NO STRAIGHT ANSWER

Michelle Nolan called Silver on Aug. 8, but the airline said she needed to call United.

She said the United rep agreed they'd be refunded all the fees -- $306 for the rental car, $22.40 for the fees, $27 for extra parking and $25 for the baggage fee for a total of $380.40 -- onto their MileagePlus Credit Card. Plus, 75,000 miles would be returned to the account. This would all happen in 48 hours, they said they were told.

By Aug, 12, nothing had happened, so Michelle Nolan called United again. The airline said it should take another 24 to 48 hours.

Brad Nolan called on Aug. 16 to say nothing had been processed.

"After 90 minutes on the phone, we found that there was no record of anything previous besides that we had our flight changed," Brad Nolan said. "I was also told that there was no written record anywhere of what the agent told me over the phone about getting everything reimbursed."

They were told to resubmit everything, and they'd get all the refunds in five to 10 business days, they said they were told. The miles refund would take about a week.

The couple said they waited as instructed, but two weeks later, there were no refunds.

The next time they contacted United, they said they were told they would not receive the refunds, but instead would get $200 worth of United gift cards for future travel. The cards had to be used in the next year.

The Nolans were not happy with that, so they tried another rep.

This one said they would receive all the original refunds.

Then Michelle Nolan received a different call.

"Another rep called my wife to say there are to be no further refunds which we think is in reference to the miles, but she was not told anything specific," Brad Nolan said. "My wife tried to stop this guy from speaking so she could ask a question but he screamed at her saying 'I'm not here to get abused. You listen to me!'"

After that, and the fact that still, there were no refunds, the Nolans called Bamboozled.

"I am only trying to get what I was promised multiple times by multiple people," Brad Nolan said. "We have had up until this point extreme brand loyalty but now between this huge runaround and getting screamed at on the phone?"

We shared the Nolans story with the folks at Silver Airlines, but no one responded to our requests. We also contacted United, and it contacted the couple. United said it apologized and "provided compensation."

The Nolans shared the specifics.

United said it would refund the rental car fees, give a $125 certificate for a future flight and the couple could keep the $200 in certificates they were already offered, the Nolans said. They would also get a refund of 40,000 miles on their credit card.

The Nolans said they appreciate United's offer, but they're still frustrated it had to go this far.

"It really just seemed like they didn't know what they were doing," Brad Nolan said. "One person would say everything is approved and is going to be a few days and a few days goes by and another person says there is no record of anything."

"Their reps shouldn't be promising things that the company can't fulfill," he said.

We're glad United came through for these customers.

Have you been Bamboozled? Reach Karin Price Mueller at Bamboozled@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KPMueller. Find Bamboozled on Facebook. Mueller is also the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com.

Stay informed and sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter.
Miss America 2018, Cara Mund, stepped out into the sun's glare on the Atlantic City Boardwalk Monday morning for the traditional post-crowning toe-dip in the Atlantic Ocean, wearing a royal purple dress with fringe, her crown and platform sandals ill-suited to the walking in the sand.

But with the help of a handler, who assisted her with lipstick smudge and balance, she made the traditional trek to the ocean next to Boardwalk Hall, where she was crowned Sunday night as the first Miss North Dakota to win the pageant.

Approaching the water, she waded in with bare feet, then jumped and smiled for the cameras, checking each time to see if her crown was still on her head.

Mund, 23, is a graduate of Brown University who deferred after being accepted to Notre Dame Law School last fall. Her mother, photographers, fans and locals craned for pictures of the freshly minted pageant queen. A pint-sized young pageant girl stole the spotlight, posting for several photos with Mund.

The Chain Gang, a group of women cyclists who turn up each year to see the toe-dip, wore T-shirts printed with bikini bodies, platinum wigs and crowns to see Mund off on her "year of service."

"I've gotta get a picture with Miss America," said one woman. "Congratulations, you deserve it!"

"She's a beautiful girl, so happy for you," another told Mund's mother.

The new Miss America walked over to one of the beached boats that says "Atlantic City" for more photos, demonstrating her pageant wave as a young, hoodie-wearing lifeguard slumped in his chair, looking unimpressed.

Exclamations of "booootiful!" and "gorrree-gus!" followed Mund as she posed with her real crown underneath the crown-bestowing arms of the Boardwalk's Miss America statue. A few people using motorized chairs were ushered away so Mund could smile for the cameras in front of a nearby pageant sign.

Miss Alaska, Angelina Klapperich, 23, who hails from Wasilla, the same town where Sarah Palin was mayor (she was also Miss Wasilla), ventured onto the Boardwalk, sans makeup, to wish Mund well.

"Congratulations, you deserve it!" Klapperich told Mund, echoing another woman who said the exact same words just minutes before.

Mund, who is given to saying "awesome!" and "amazing!" informed the small crowd that Klapperich had just won Miss Congeniality, the title bestowed by pageant contestants on one of their peers.

Mund also fielded a follow-up question about her answer to a final pageant question about the Paris Agreement. On Sunday, Mund told judges that there was evidence for the existence of climate change and that it was a "bad decision" for President Donald Trump to withdraw the United States from the agreement.

"It's important to have a spot at the negotiation table," Mund said out in the bright sun on Monday. But she said the importance of being a part of the climate talks was not about whether "climate change exists or not."

When asked if she was registered with a political party, Mund diplomatically declined to reveal any affiliation.

"I'm an American," she said.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.
WEEHAWKEN -- Seemingly everyone knew this tiny cliffside town -- all 1.4-square miles of it -- would one day become a dynamic real estate market.

Barbara Tulko, a Weehawken resident since 1974 and a realtor since 1984, remembers diverting bubbly first-time buyers in the 1980s looking to live in Hoboken up to neighboring Weehawken. It had the same key features the more well-known community had -- views and easy access to Manhattan -- but was less crowded and considerably less expensive.

Mary Ciuffitelli, a 37-year Weehawken resident, would advertise various properties she owned as the "extreme West side" -- because it was nearly an extension of Manhattan.

"Suburban living on the footsteps of the city," echoed Ciuffitelli's realtor Andrew Sanderson.

With the New York City skyline in the distance, people wait for the Macy's fireworks show to begin in Weehawken. (Photo by Yana Paskova/Getty Images)

But in 2017, Weehawken requires no diversionary tactics or aggressive sales pitches.

Because of demand from buyers who have been priced out of New York City, Hoboken and Jersey City -- and who are now scooping up luxury waterfront condos -- median home values in the town of under 15,000 residents increased nearly 25 percent over the last year. It's the highest surge in the state.

Median home values are now at $757,500, compared to $488,000 in 2012, and Zillow predicts that figure will hit $809,000 by July 2018. The price continues to rise as a surge of waterfront development has taken place in the town through which the Lincoln Tunnel and it's daily 50,000 number of drivers pass, including construction of The Estuary (589 rental units), The Avenue Collection (177 condos), and RiversEdge (236 units) and RiverParc (280 units).

Yet the spoils of gentrification are rarely evenly distributed -- and a closer look at the boom in Weehawken reveals tensions and fault lines. In a town where 55 percent of students in their school system are on free or reduced lunch, the largest property value increases have largely been concentrated near the waterfront.

And with the cliffs of the Palisades sharply dividing longtime residents, who live at higher, inland elevations and share a western border with Union City, from new city transports down along the Hudson River, some say that the town has split into two.

"You could say you know everyone in Weehawken," says Enrique Romero, who grew up there. "Before you go down there."

"We created now a new city," says Gabe Pasquale, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Landsea Homes, one of the developers of the waterfront.

How Weehawken got so hot

As far back as 1804, when Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr rowed across the Hudson River from Manhattan to conduct their famous duel atop the Palisades, Weehawken's immediate access to New York City was its greatest selling point.

Atop the Palisades were the homes, the post office, the schools -- everything that makes a community. The waterfront -- 180 feet below -- housed the thriving Weehawken Terminal, an intermodal that featured ferry slips, passenger train tracks and rail yards. The Lincoln Tunnel opened in 1937, creating a connecting point between Midtown and New Jersey by automobile.

Abandoned Weehawken pier in March 1981. (Hudson Dispatch archives)

But in the 1950s, the railways closed shop, and for decades the area withered. In 1981, Arthur Imperatore swooped in and bought 2.2 miles along the Hudson River waterfront hoping to transform it into his vision of "a bustling European-style mini-city," according to a 1999 Star-Ledger story.

The problem: Imperatore, then a titan in the trucking industry, had very little experience in real estate development. He did go on to found the NY Waterway ferry service from Weehawken to Manhattan in 1986, which would ultimately become an anchor for Weehawken's development. But for years the land he owned remained empty. Meanwhile, Weehawken's mayor, Wally Lindsley, was convicted of trying to extort developers who planned to build chicken-processing and coal-handling plants along the waterfront -- leading to the state seizing control of the town's finances in 1982.

Arthur Imperatore, founder of New York Waterway, pictured in 2006. (Steve Hockstein/for the Star-Ledger)

"It was desolate," said Marsha Mancini, who grew up in Weehawken and eventually worked at an aviation center along the waterfront in the 1980s. "You could have killed somebody down there and no one would have ever found the body."

Enter Roseland Properties, founded by Marshall Tycher and Carl Goldberg. They bought the northern mile of Port Imperial (West New York, Guttenberg) in 1995, and then acquired the southern mile of Port Imperial -- 96 acres in Weehawken -- with plans for a mix of commercial and residential properties. (Roseland sold parcels in Weehawken to developers Lennar and Landsea Homes to help diversify the development.)

Corporations also saw opportunity in this "irreplaceable real estate" as Tycher described it then. In 1985, the Lincoln Harbor development, which is owned by Hartz Mountain Industries, became the headquarters for UBS, the Swiss global financial services company.

A tale of two cities

Yet the seeds of division were unintentionally being sown. Ben Goldman, who moved to Weehawken in the late 1990s, said it felt like people in town didn't comprehend the asset they had -- because the waterfront was never truly part of the community.

Along with other Weehawken residents, Goldman wanted to see the town's waterfront developed into a world-class destination. The Friends of the Weehawken Waterfront formed in hopes of working with the developers to maximize the waterfront by incorporating public parks and vertical access to upper Weehawken.

They hired renowned architect Craig Whitaker, who designed Hoboken's southern waterfront, to craft an alternate plan to the one Roseland and the town of Weehwaken were then proposing.

In short, it didn't work. The group filed a lawsuit in February 1999 against Mayor Richard Turner, the township, the Planning Board and the developers of a proposed waterfront development project, according to the Hudson Reporter. Their lawsuits and multiple appeals all failed.

"Our Community Plan envisioned a waterfront that would become a world-class destination," said Ciuffitelli. "(The current development) is designed to be the opposite of that, a private enclave."

Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner (middle) stands with developers from Landsea, who are building the luxury housing complex, Avora. (Cahn Communications)

Mayor Turner and the developers felt -- and continue to feel -- otherwise.

"We were able to craft a development that was satisfying to the vast majority of residents," Turner recently told NJ.com. (In 2015, Turner celebrated his 25th year as the town's Mayor. He's next up for reelection in 2018.) He noted that waterfront development has preserved the views from atop the Palisades, built public park space and provided parking.

"We have made Weehawken desirable in the last 30 years," he added.

A missed opportunity?

Yet compared to successfully redeveloped areas like Hoboken or downtown Jersey City -- with their mix of residential properties, restaurants and grocery stores -- modern-day Weehawken does indeed seem disjointed. Sure, there are a few restaurants sprinkled throughout the development, like Chart House, a high-end seafood chain that offers stunning views of Manhattan. A Whole Foods is coming, slated to open for the end of 2018. There is a concert series and other activities on the waterfront open to the public.

But walk around the mostly empty streets at night and the overwhelming feeling is one of a sleepy bedroom community -- a place people are resting their heads before heading into the big city for work in the morning. The current plan makes no real effort to connect the two parts.

If you live in upper Weehawken, you either have to drive to the waterfront, or walk down a 12-flight staircase, or wait for a public bus. Access from the Palisades to the waterfront is especially problematic for the elderly, disabled or parents with strollers.

During the planning process, residents bartering for better access -- like a funicular or elevator-- pointed to the fact that even in the early 1900s, the town had a wagon elevator to transport people from the waterfront to atop the Palisades and vice versa.

The master plan endorsed by Turner and the Planning Board was approved in 2001. Some of the projects had to be stalled because of the economic turmoil of the late '00s, but in the last five years building along the waterfront has hit a blazing stride.

It appears development is beginning to top out -- Mayor Turner claims the waterfront is about two-thirds complete. He also recently said the notion that the waterfront development is a separate community from the Weehawken above is an "asinine remark" and anyone who describes it that way "should be ashamed of themselves."

A view from RiverParc, located at 1300 at Port Imperial, in Weehawken. (Kathryn Brenzel | NJ Advance Media)

But while the mayor says the public parks along the waterfront -- and developments like RiverParc, a 10-story, 280-unit luxury apartment building that will open its gym and pool to township residents for a fee -- are reasons to celebrate the waterfront's connectivity to the upper part of town, it's difficult to ignore how developers and residents, old and new, discuss the waterfront.

"It's easier to get in and out of Manhattan than it is to get to the waterfront - even if there were a reason to go there," Mary Ciuffitelli said.

Nick and Eric Clearly, a musician and a Wall Street banker, moved into RiverParc from Harlem in 2015, said they rarely venture to the community above, calling it "two different worlds."

The couple said their social life is still spent in New York, and then they trek back on the 18-minute ferry ride to Weehawken to relax, walk the dog and sleep in a quiet community.

Why property value isn't always everything

One other, lesser noted effect of the Weehawken boom: Some longtime renters in the community are being forced to flee. Gabriel Agostini's family moved to Weehawken when he was 7. Now in his mid-20s, the Agostinis moved to Morristown in two years ago. The increase in rent was the "driving force," he said.

"For me, it was a huge hit," Agostini said. "This is my home. Having to leave Weehawken was a huge deal."

"Weehawken is not getting richer," he added. "People are just moving away."

For longtime home owners, the boom in development will also likely lead to increased taxes. The town had the highest average tax bill for the third straight year in Hudson County in 2016. But that average tax bill could soar even higher as the town awaits a tax revaluation, after a group of waterfront property owners sued the town to force a revaluation.

The group successfully argued that the failure to update assessments on older properties -- while assessing new ones, specifically the waterfront, at market value -- has created an unfair burden for owners on the waterfront.

Whether one welcomes the boom or detests it, though, there's no holding it back. And for all the frustrations of longtime city residents, there are probably worse fates than living in the hottest real estate market in New Jersey.

"It is shaking up the ground, but on the flip side, the value of their homes has doubled," said local realtor Sanderson. "It is all perspective."

Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jatmonavageNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook
NEWARK -- A Newark man was sentenced Monday to 14 years in federal prison for robbing four banks -- including the same branch twice -- within a month last year.

James Lockwood, 39, previously pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to four counts of bank robbery for heists in Lyndhurst, Clifton and two robberies of the same Kearny bank, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He admitted that he threatened to use force while demanding money from bank workers.

Lockwood was under federal supervised release for an unspecified prior crime when he committed the robberies, officials said.

Kearny police arrested Lockwood Sept. 23 for Aug. 25 and Sept. 8 robberies of Schuyler Savings Bank on Davis Avenue, according to authorities.

He also admitted to robbing an M&T Bank branch Aug. 16 and a Capital One Bank in Clifton Sept. 16.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
JERSEY CITY -- Former Mayor Gerry McCann wants Ward B Councilman Chris Gadsden disqualified from running in November's municipal election, saying Gadsden submitted more than 100 nominating petitions that are invalid.

McCann filed his objection to Gadsden's candidacy today, the deadline for ballot challenges. The former mayor told The Jersey Journal he reviewed the nominating petitions of every incumbent seeking re-election this year and found only Gadsden came up short.

Gadsden, 43, a Lincoln High School vice principal who joined the council after a special election last year, is seeking his first full term in November. He faces two challengers, Jessica Hellinger and Mira Prinz-Arey.

Gadsden told The Jersey Journal he was "blindsided" by McCann's objection. He said he expects to remain on the ballot.

"I don't know what the deal is," Gadsden said.

City Clerk Robert Byrne's office will now review each petition Gadsden submitted. It's not clear how long that process will take. The ballot position drawing is scheduled for next Monday.

McCann, a code inspector for the city Department of Public Works, denied that his effort to deny Gadsden a spot on the ballot is political or personal.

"I like Chris Gadsden," McCann said, adding, "If anybody should be able to do petitions correctly, it should be the person sitting in the seat. They know what the law is."

Gadsden is seeking re-election on the slate of mayoral hopeful and longtime Fulop rival Bill Matsikoudis. If he is driven from the ballot, Fulop's Ward B candidate, Prinz-Arey, would have a significant advantage in the race. McCann's sister, Barbara McCann Stamato, is a Fulop political operative.

Fulop campaign spokeswoman Hannah Peterson said the first she heard of McCann's challenge was when this reporter asked her about it.

"Everyone knows that Gerry challenges petitions around New Jersey each election, so it is no surprise that he is looking at petitions here as well," Peterson said.

Asked whether he thinks McCann's challenge has any connection to Stamato's work with Fulop, Gadsden said: "I don't know what people's motives are. I just keep moving."

To get on the ballot, candidates must submit nominating petitions signed by registered voters. The required minimum number of signatures equals 1 percent of the number of registered voters either citywide (for mayoral or at-large council races) or in the ward the candidate seeks to represent. In Ward B, the minimum number of required petitions is 206.

Voters signing petitions for ward council hopefuls must live in the ward the candidate seeks to represent.

In all, McCann is challenging 153 of Gadsden's 335 petitions.

In McCann's letter to Byrne, the former mayor alleges that 21 of Gadsden's petitions were signed by voters who live outside of Ward B; 99 were signed by people who are not registered to vote at the address they put on the councilman's petitions; 11 were signed by voters who had signed another candidate's petition first; and 16 have signatures that do not match the voter's handwriting.

Ballot challenges are not uncommon in Jersey City. In 2013, then-Mayor Jerramiah Healy's campaign tried unsuccessfully to keep Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal from using his nickname on the ballot.

In 2005, mayoral hopeful Melissa Holloway was disqualified after a successful challenge of her nominating petitions by Healy. Byrne ruled that Holloway was five short of the 1,197 petitions she needed. The state Supreme Court later ruled unanimously that Holloway's name should be placed on the ballot. Healy won in a landslide.

In 2009, Heights council candidate James Carroll attempted to boot competitor Christian Araujo from the ballot, saying Araujo did not have enough valid petitions. Byrne ruled in Araujo's favor. Both men lost in the first round of balloting to the incumbent, Bill Gaughan.

Also in 2009, Healy opponents attempted to keep his name off the ballot, citing his 2006 arrest on a disorderly persons charge in Bradley Beach. Healy remained in the race and won handily.

McCann was elected twice as mayor, first in 1981 and again in 1989. He himself was deemed ineligible to run for mayor twice, first in 1997 because he was on parole from a 1992 conviction in federal court that also led to him being driven from office during his second term. And in 2001 the state Supreme Court ruled he could not run for office because the state's Faulkner Act bans "any person convicted of an offense involving or touching on his public office, position or employment" from running for office or holding a public position.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- A federal judge sentenced a Jersey City man to 40 years in prison Friday for coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct while he photographed the abuse.

Felix Restitullo, 42, was convicted in May of the production of child pornography and possession of child pornography following a two-week trial and less than three hours of jury deliberation, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced Friday.

Restitullo lived with his mother, who was a caregiver to children, including the victim. During an investigation into the child abuse, investigators interviewed the girl in March 2014 and she said Restitullo had sexually abused her and photographed the abuse.

Restitullo was charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Detectives found a camera and other equipment in his bedroom. A thumb drive contained images of the girl being abused. In all, there were more than 3,000 images and 350 videos of child sexual abuse.

In October, a judge barred the three-hour "inculpatory" statement that Restitullo gave to investigators from being used at trial.

Restitullo will also be subject lifetime supervision upon release from prison.

Agencies involved in the investigation were the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations and the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. U.S. Attorneys Melissa M. Wangenheim and Justin Herring represented the United States in the prosecution.

Restitulio was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William H. Walls in Newark.
After Terrytown man shot stranger who he said was taking photos of his house, JPSO says no photos taken
From swamp to table, this meal could help save Louisiana's coast
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.
A look at who's filming what in Louisiana: From Morgan Freeman to Susan Sarandon
The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts.
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.
Nineteen Iowa Army National Guard soldiers from the central and eastern parts of the state were to leave Iowa on Monday morning to offer support in Hurricane Irma-battered Florida.

The group includes two CH-47F Chinook helicopters and two LUH-72 Lakota helicopters.

The team:

 Company A, 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation, Security and Support (Waterloo).

 Company B, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion (Davenport).

 Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 67th Troop Command (Iowa City).

 Company C, 2-147th Aviation (Boone).

 Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division (Boone).

 Company D, 2-211th General Aviation Support Battalion (Davenport).

Officials said the aircraft and crew members will move supplies, equipment and people; support search-and-rescue operations; and assist with planning and operations.

Florida requested the help from Iowa. Support is provided under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, an agreement between all states, two territories, and the District of Columbia in times of crisis.

Meanwhile, the Nebraska Army National Guard sent 100 soldiers and four helicopters to Florida on Sunday. And Nebraska Task Force 1  an urban search-and-rescue team based with the Lincoln and Rescue  was in Destin, Florida, on Sunday awaiting orders on where to help. The team had spent more than a week in south Texas helping with Hurricane Harvey recovery.
Brisbane prop Adam Blair has pleaded guilty to trippingand received a $1,100 fine.

Blair was the only player charged by the NRL match review committee from the first weekend of the finals, over his trip on Roosters hooker Jake Friend in the eighth minute of Friday night's loss in Sydney.

The Broncos and Kiwis captain will be free to play in Brisbane's semi-final against the Penrith Panthers at Suncorp Stadium this Friday night.
A developer plans to build a massive, 50-acre industrial park in Chicago's Pullman neighborhood, about six miles from Hammond, that's expected to create 1,000 construction jobs and result in more than $100 million in investment.

Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies plans to build Pullman Crossings just off Interstate 94, and it will include the Whole Foods Market distribution center that's relocating from Munster. It's hoped the expanded warehouse that's moving from Indiana to Illinois will be a catalyst for the development of more food warehouses in the South Side neighborhood.

Ryan Companies began construction in March on the 140,000-square-foot warehouse for Whole Foods, which will be at the south end of a bigger industrial park at I-94 and 103rd Street that will be able to accommodate up to 1.2 million square feet in industrial and warehouse space.

Pullman Crossings will be a transformational project for the immediate area and the entire 9th Ward, said Tim Hennelly, president, Great Lakes Region, Ryan Companies US Inc. Were creating a state-of-the-art industrial park within 20 minutes of Chicagos Loop to attract and accommodate large users, create jobs and be a part of the ongoing effort to revitalize Pullman.

The new development is across from the Pullman Community Center and located in Pullman Park, the 180-acre mixed use development that brought in a Walmart, Ross Dress for Less, and Planet Fitness that are visible from the highway while driving from Northwest Indiana into the city.

The investment in Pullman Crossings will create additional new opportunities for continuing to build a strong growing community while improving the quality of life for all its residents and the region, 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale said.

Pullman, the historic worker community that industrialist George Pullman built while establishing his railcar empire and that was named a National Monument in 2015, has recently attracted new industry, including the Method Cleaning Products soap factory and the Gotham Greens indoor farm.

The decision by Whole Foods to establish operations in this increasingly vibrant food processing and distribution corridor has set the stage for others to follow, said Todd Heine, a principal with the brokerage firm Avison Young that is marketing Pullman Crossings to food processing and distribution firms. Pullman Crossings is an ideal location for food services companies as well as general distribution centers due to its proximity to Chicagos urban population, experienced labor force and the different means of transportation.
Hobart Middle School science teacher Crystal Kistler is teaching her seventh-grade students how to think like a computer scientist.

Kistler began teaching "Computer Science for Innovators and Makers" this fall with the implementation of computer science state standards that make sure students at the middle school level learn how to code or program computers.

Computer Science for Innovators and Makers is the computer science course for the Project Lead The Way's (PLTW) middle school program.

Schools across Northwest Indiana have begun offering computer coding to children as young as the elementary school level.

Hobart schools Superintendent Peggy Buffington said the changes in 2016 reflect the ever-changing science content and underlying premise that science education should be an inquiry-based and hands-on experience.

"Career exploration at the middle level empowers students to be engaged at school," Buffington said.

"We offer a variety of career pathways and cluster electives for students to participate in at HMS. These pathways allow students to experiment with the possibility of pursuing this type of career choice in high school and additionally, they can take early college classes at Hobart High.

"From robotics to apps to innovators and makers to medical detectives, these are a few samples of career pathway exploration electives at the middle school to help spark students' interests while engaging them in their course standards to achieve higher," Buffington said. "Students really like the classes and see a link to real world applications."

Future impact

Kister said many of the students often work on computers, iPads and other devices at home, and some had some knowledge of computer coding. Students in the School City of Hobart have one-to-one computers and each of Kistler's students have a Chromebook they can also take home.

Seventh-grader Quintin Kaiser said his dad, who is an information technology specialist, has been teaching him at home. "I want to go into IT like my dad," he said as he programmed the micro:bit to spell out "love" and "Hobart." The micro:bit is a handheld programmable computer developed by the BBC in Great Britain, according to its website.

Seventh-graders Madalyn Simpson and Madison Jones said it's interesting.

"Technology will have a big impact on our future," Simpson said. "We're learning new things in technology every day. If you can get an early start on it, that means you'll get an even earlier start on your future."

Jones said it's also fun, and she's done a little coding in a previous class where she learned how to build characters.

Ella Martinez, also in seventh grade, said she's learned how to go on a website and create a design that she can download to the micro:bit, which will scroll out letters to spell out words.

Expanding access

Kistler has many plans for the 162 students during the nine-week course before they switch to another science class, including working with the Valparaiso-based Center for Workforce Innovations that will arrange for the students to visit a local manufacturer.

"I want the kids to see the manufacturing world and how some jobs that humans used to do will be or have already been replaced by robots," she said. "The students also will work on a project and part of the grade will be based on how well they understand coding.

"We really want to build an interest and love for computer coding at the middle school level, and they'll be able to build on that in high school," Kistler said.

Kistler said there are a variety of websites students can look at to learn more about coding, including code.org where more than 20 million U.S. students maintain accounts.

Alice Steinglass, president of code.org, said in today's world where computing plays such a large role in every aspect of life, computer science is foundational to a child's education just as much as writing, algebra or biology.

"Additionally, computing jobs are the best-paying, fastest-growing and largest source of all new wages in the U.S.," she said by email Friday.

"Code.org's mission is to expand access to computer science to all students," she said, "and increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities with the goal of giving every child the same opportunity to become future innovators and leaders."
CEDAR LAKE  School counseling programs at school districts across Indiana, including 29 in Northwest Indiana, are competing for grants that will help develop comprehensive counseling programs for students addressing the academic, college and career and social and emotional needs of students in kindergarten through grade 12.

In January, the Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded school districts planning grants in the first phase of its Comprehensive Counseling Initiative for Indiana K-12 students. The goal: strengthen the way public school corporations and charter schools help elementary through high school students prepare for academic, career and personal success.

The endowment awarded a total of $9.14 million in planning grants to 284 school corporations and charter schools in the state. The grants ranged from $8,300 to $50,000 per district.

This gave school districts an opportunity to collect and analyze data, assess their current counseling program, identify best practices, visit promising programs and engage community partners.

School districts learn if they will receive the implementation grant to put their strategies to work Sept. 15.

Applicants can receive up to $100 per student, with the total amount ranging from $100,000 to $3 million per school district, which can be used over a four-year period.

Local districts seek grants

Hanover Central was one of the 29 schools in Northwest Indiana that received planning grants as part of the first phase of the Comprehensive Counseling Initiative.

We are committed to making changes and providing better services for our kids," Hanover Central Middle School counselor Robin Dillon said.

She said they put together an advisory committee that will hold school counseling programs accountable for improving student outcomes, and assist through active participation with the Hanover Guidance Department in providing services and support through meetings, sub-committee work and activities.

"The grant also afforded us an opportunity to do professional development that we wouldn't have had an opportunity to do otherwise," she said.

Micki Webb, Michigan City Area Schools data and grants specialist, said they submitted an extensive "cradle to career" proposal that would provide counseling, mental health and social service supports to meet the unique needs of their students and community.

"This counseling grant has the potential to truly help us level the playing field for all students when it comes to college/career prep  no matter their family situation, income level or the educational background of their parents," Webb said.

Many of the school districts are engaging consultants to help them with this work, including the Indianapolis-based Indiana Youth Institute.

IYIs President and CEO Tami Silverman said the institute is honored to have worked with more than 90 school districts around the state that are vying for part of the Lilly Endowments transformative Comprehensive Counseling Initiative grants.

"We saw a clear need for a greater focus on the social and emotional well-being of students," she said. "The innovative ideas proposed by the school districts showcase the important impact school counseling can have on our children. We are excited to see which schools will receive the awards and look forward to the impact their plans will have on Hoosier students for years to come.
HOBART  Police from several agencies responded Monday to a shooting outside the Firestone Complete Auto Care business near Southlake Mall, officials said.

A black Nissan Maxima with a driver's side window that appeared to be damaged by gunfire was towed away just before 1 p.m. from outside the Firestone building, 1700 Southlake Mall.

The Nissan had come to rest against the building.

Lake County sheriff's patrol officers, K-9 unit and helicopter were dispatched to assist Hobart police, sheriff's spokesman Mark Back said.

Hobart police could not be immediately reached for further details.

Check back at nwi.com for updates to this story.
EAST CHICAGO  The City Council has tabled consideration of an ordinance that would have appropriated $1.4 million for emergency repairs needed to protect the city's 54-inch water intake pipe adjacent to the marina breakwater.

The motion to table was made by Councilman Richard Medina, D-at large, after it was determined no one from Mayor Anthony Copeland's office was present to discuss the ordinance at a recent meeting.

Councilman Robert Garcia, D-5th, said the council has asked the mayor's office to have someone present whenever an ordinance comes before the council.

"Here we've got an ordinance for a million and a half (dollars) and there's nobody here to talk about it, and I've got plenty of questions," Garcia said.

The council on April 10 failed to approve an ordinance that would have required the sponsor of an ordinance or resolution to have a representative on hand for the council to consider the particular item.

The council did approve on second reading an ordinance that appropriates $1.5 million in sanitary district funds for the purchase of a number of items, including three new garbage trucks.

"Our fleet is pretty beat up," Public Works Director Keith Selvie said.

He said the cost for the three garbage trucks is about $600,000.

Other items to be purchased include five pickup trucks, one bobcat, a device to lift and empty garbage toters, office equipment and additional toters.

Selvie requested the council approve the ordinance on third and final reading due to an immediate need for more toters.

"Because of our special events, we're usually putting 10, 20, sometimes, 50 toters out at different locations, and for some reason they're being damaged," Selvie said.

Council Attorney Stephen Bower told the council it cannot approve the ordinance on final reading until after a public hearing regarding the additional appropriation is held tonight.

The council had a lengthy discussion regarding an ordinance approved on July 24 that fixed police salaries for the 2017 fiscal year.

Councilman Emiliano Perez, D-at large, motioned to have the council reinstate longevity payments that he said were wiped out of the new ordinance for officers hired after 2010.

Officers hired earlier are eligible for up to $1,260 annually in longevity pay.

Councilwoman Gilda Orange, D-6th, said she did not agree with reinstating the longevity pay because negotiations between the police and mayor's office were already completed.

She asked why Perez did not address the matter when he was Copeland's chief of staff prior to his election to the council at a caucus last month.

"I was at the negotiation and longevity was not struck out when I left," Perez said. "I got elected to this post July 18 and this came after I left."

Perez's motion failed when only he, Garcia and Councilman Lenny Franciski, D-2nd, voted in favor of it.

The matter will be considered further in a committee to be chaired by Councilwoman Myrna Maldonado, D-1st.
WESTVILLE  With the animated repartee and timing of a standup comedian, Joe Scarborough, the face of MSNBCs Morning Joe and former Florida congressman, opened the 64th season of the Purdue University Northwest Sinai Forum on Sunday afternoon.

Upholding his reputation for candor and outspokenness, Scarboroughs primary message was that the countrys challenges can be solved only if members of Congress work together in a bipartisan fashion.

We can also disagree with each other politically and still work together, Scarborough said. Why cant they do that anymore?

Scarborough cited the 6 oclock rule used by former President Ronald Reagan and Tip ONeill, former speaker of the House of Representatives.

They fought like hell all day, and at 6 oclock, they became friends, Scarborough said. Theyd get on the phone at 6 oclock and then theyd apologize. Sometimes Tip ONeill would go to the White House and those two old Irish politicians would do what Irish politicians have done for centuries  theyd drink and tell tall tales and joke around. Most importantly, they would form this friendship.

Scarborough said President Donald Trump won the election for several reasons, one of which was that Hillary Clinton wasnt a good general election candidate, because shes not a very good politician.

She makes the same fatal mistake every time she runs for office, Scarborough said. She surrounds herself with people who are afraid to tell her the truth. Its the political kiss of death.

Although he cautioned that we have to be careful not to read too much into the election, Scarborough said he believes the outcome was a result of Americans being sick and tired of business as usual in Washington, D.C.

We are sick of people promising to change things, and they go to Washington and then they are changed by Washington, D.C., Scarborough said.

Scarborough advocated for a bipartisan effort to rebuild our country, including a $20 trillion debt, health care reform and education.

We have so many challenges and so many problems, Scarborough said. If we get people in Washington, D.C., as good as the country they represent, well be fine.

Referencing his announcement in July, when he said he was leaving the Republican Party to become an Independent, Scarborough said he was tired of defending stupid. He predicted that the country will elect an Independent president sooner rather than later.

During an entertaining, post-presentation question-and-answer session, Scarborough used his cellphone to call his Morning Joe co-host and fiancee, Mika Brzezinski, at the request of Indiana state Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, who was in the audience.

I got a guy here that wants to date you, Scarborough said to Brzezinski, who was getting a facial. "Charlies putting his hands towards heaven right now.

Can I have your number? Brown shouted from the floor.

Scarborough said the century will be won by the country that has the best technology, the best science and the best innovation, and the United States is primed to be that winner because were a little crazy  we think differently.

We can do anything, and our country can grow  but we have to fix Washington, D.C., Scarborough said. We start by electing people that arent afraid of mean tweets. Like Mika, shes not afraid of mean tweets. She laughs at mean tweets, shes tough.

"And people who are not afraid to work with the people at the other side of the aisle.
MICHIGAN CITY  Two people have been charged in connection to a shooting incident late last month.

Richard D. Scales, 29, of Michigan City, was charged with felony counts of possession of a firearm, criminal recklessness and resisting law enforcement and a misdemeanor count of resisting law enforcement. He is being held at the LaPorte County Jail. India Perry, 24, of Michigan City, is being charged with felony counts of obstruction of justice and assisting a criminal and misdemeanor count of false informing, according to a news release from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force

Michigan City police responded Aug. 30 to an alley in the 200 North block of Woodland Avenue in reference to a shots fired complaint. Police located several vehicles which had been struck with bullets, a release said.

A short time later, police stopped a vehicle in the 3400 block of Salem Court matching the description given by witnesses. Scales was identified as the driver. Scales allegedly fled on foot and was located behind an apartment complex where he was taken into custody. A handgun was recovered.

Police executed a search warrant at an apartment in the 3400 block of Salem Court resulting in Perry's arrest.

The bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is reviewing the case for possible federal charges as well, according to the news release.
Ron Donahue got the call at around 11 p.m. Saturday night: His employees were being deployed to Florida for Hurricane Irma.

A fully staffed ambulance was ready to leave in two hours. Emergency medical technicians Keara Kring, of North Liberty, and Molly Brasseur, of New Carlisle, arrived in the Sunshine State on Sunday evening, ready to do whatever was needed of them in response to the natural disaster.

Donahue is the owner of inHealth Integrated Care, an ambulance service based in Valparaiso. The company is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster plan, meaning its employees are trained to assist with emergencies.

"It's good for the country to be able to help in this respect," Donahue said. "If something happened here, I know we'd get help from other agencies."

As the Northwest Indiana women arrived in Florida, other Region residents and natives were on the way out. Millions of people evacuated from south Florida ahead of the powerful storm making landfall Sunday morning on the Florida Keys.

Other Northwest Indiana natives stayed. Jessica Schubert, of Hobart, is a junior at Florida College in Temple Terrace, Florida, about five minutes from Tampa. The college is part of a "nonevacuation zone" because it is located on high ground.

On Sunday evening, Schubert was in her dorm room, a mattress against the window, enough food in tow to last a couple of days. A nearby road had started to flood.

"I'm a little nervous," she said. "I'm more worried that if the wind picks up, my window breaks. If the window does break, I'll run out the door and into the hall. I'm in the very top floor of my dorm. Hopefully the roof stays together."

The worst of the storm was supposed to last until about 2 a.m. Eastern time Monday.

Scott Lawson, the editor of the North Port (Florida) Sun and former night editor for The Times, sat in his powerless home Sunday afternoon waiting for the storm to intensify. His wife and 9-year-old daughter had already evacuated to Alabama. Lawson, a Chesterton native, moved to North Port in March 2016.

"We had talked about the possibility of this thing happening," he said. "We didn't want this to happen."

He added: "I've been prepared for the last four or five days. You tend to always think there's one more thing." For instance, he covered a window that might blow out with an air mattress, then decided to add an actual mattress just to be safe.

Even with the hurricane bearing down, he and his staff intended to publish a paper Monday, even if it comes out that afternoon or evening. The newspaper has never missed an edition.

"Our plan is to get to work soon and put out a paper," he said.

Gail Anoe, a retiree who splits time between St. John and Siesta Key, Florida, got out of South Florida on Thursday. Not everyone was so fortunate.

"We knew people ... their flights were cancelled when they were supposed to leave," she said. "They don't know what they were going to do."

Anoe's condo is on the island city, the bridges to which were closed. That means residents who didn't evacuate won't be accessible to emergency responders. The community was expected to get 6 to 10 feet of water.

"We're on the top floor. If the roof goes or the water tower goes, we'll be flooded out," she said. "All we can do is pray for the best. But it's not about the property. It's about the people. The property can be replaced. The people there, if they're stuck on Siesta Key, they're in a lot of trouble."

EDITOR'S NOTE: Well update this story as we continue to hear from more people from the Region impacted by Hurricane Irma. Have a story and photos to share? Email us at newstips@nwi.com.
In the last 10 or 15 years, treatment for prostate cancer has changed dramatically, going from traditional surgery to robotic surgery to no treatment at all.

Prostate cancer is uncommon in men younger than 50, but it becomes more prevalent as men age, said Dr. Robert Woodburn, radiation oncologist at Methodist Hospitals Oncology Institute.

Though there are no symptoms specifically associated with early-stage prostate cancer, some indicators can include difficulty urinating and bleeding and pain when urinating, he said.

Some of these symptoms can also be associated with benign enlargement of the prostate and benign prostatic hypertrophy, he said. Thats why its important to be screened with a PSA blood test and a medical exam.

He recommends men have a conversation with their primary care doctor about when to first be screened for prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancers, with almost 181,000 men diagnosed with it in 2016 alone, said Dr. Tareq Braik, a medical oncologist in Valparaiso with Porter Health Care System. For reasons unknown to doctors, African-American men are at a higher risk than Caucasian men.

There is no way to prevent prostate cancer; the best way to treat it is to catch it early, before symptoms start.

The screening process may help you catch it when its very small, before it causes problems or spreads and goes to the bone, Braik said. Typically, you should start at age 50 if you have no family history and dont have any risk factors for the disease.

If you have a positive diagnosis, there are several options for treatment. Older patients diagnosed with early-stage cancer may opt for a wait-and-see approach.

Theres no one treatment option that fits all, Braik said. Some prostate cancer patients have a cancer that is growing so slowly that they might practice active surveillance. This might be someone who is diagnosed at an advanced age.

Other treatment options might include hormone therapy, immunotherapy, radiation and chemotherapy.

For those patients whose doctors recommend surgery, that procedure also has changed.

Open surgery was a customary treatment option for prostate cancer until 2005, said Dr. Hassan Alsheik, a urologist on staff at Community Hospital in Munster and St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago.

For 100 years, the treatment for prostate cancer didnt change at all, he said. Now, we use robotic-assisted (surgery) to go into the body through a small port with a small camera and use robotic arms to conduct the procedure.

There are many advantages to this type of surgery, including a shorter hospitalization, quicker recovery process and less trauma to the body, including less blood loss and the preservation of body functions.

Braik acknowledged that a diagnosis of prostate cancer was more serious decades ago than it is today.

Cancer patients are living longer, and prostate cancer is becoming a chronic disease thanks to new treatment options, he said. It does not have to be something that is going to kill you.
Government has been urged to pass enabling laws that would facilitate the smooth functioning of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the country.

Speaking at a major conference on PPPs organised by Standard Chartered bank last week, Philip Karugaba, the head of law firm ENSafrica Uganda, said uncertainties originating from regulations was affecting the success of PPPs.

Stancharts interest is that it would be one of the financiers of private players that enter into PPPs.

We cant unpack projects until regulations are in place. There must be supporting laws, Karugaba said. There is no regulation for toll roads, for instance.

New Jinja bridge under construction. The private sector wants regulations on public-private partnerships

A PPP is a long-term contract between a private party and a government entity for providing a public asset or service in which the private investor bears significant risk and management responsibility. The remuneration is linked to performance.

Karugaba gave an example of SGS, a firm that signed a deal to inspect vehicles in Uganda, as a typical case of uncertainty facing private players doing business with government.

Parliamentarians are investigating SGS contract.

The company signed a contract to inspect vehicles and ensure public safety but it has been stopped. I drove past its installations recently and they were deserted, he said.

Uganda is in the process of developing several roads that users will have to pay some money to access. Karugaba said if these roads are opened without an enabling regulation, it would cause friction. Kampala-Entebbe expressway will be opened for public use mid-next year with government saying it is currently procuring a private operator. Karugaba said there is need for a road toll regulation before the road is opened.

Government recently adopted a policy that all contracts would be negotiated in Uganda shillings but then the permanent secretary in the ministry of finance and secretary to the treasury, Keith Muhakanizi, has exempted some companies from it.

Karugaba said the private sector does not want such uncertainties. PPPs are majorly liked for the efficiency that the private sector brings into government programmes. A recent World Bank economic update on Uganda said the country loses at least $300m (Shs 1tn) annually in deficiencies related to infrastructure projects.

One of the solutions for financing this gap, the World Bank said, would be for Uganda to embrace PPPs.

If structured appropriately, PPPs can help mobilise resources to help fill these infrastructure gaps with the possibility of such arrangements bringing private financing, development and management as well as achieving higher levels of efficiency, the report noted.

Government is currently trying to find solutions on how to restructure its debt in the Bujagali hydropower project in order to bring down the cost of power. One PPP that government entered into, which appears to have completely failed, is the Rift Valley Railways concession.

The WB said after ten years, the concession does not appear to have fulfilled its obligations.

Participants at the Stanchart conference noted there were opportunities coming up in the oil and gas sector, and the massive infrastructure projects that government is undertaking.

They said the country must sort its procurement disputes and streamline land acquisition concerns, which are some of the common challenges that PPPs face.

amwesigwa@observer.ug
Public Service minister Wilson Muruli Mukasa has called for improvements in governance across the country if local leaders are to see a genuine transformation from poverty to middle-income status by 2020.

Speaking as a guest speaker at the Uganda Management Institutes quarterly forum recently, Mukasa said there was some transformation but more needed to be done.

People should not be discouraged [with what is happening now] ... things are slow but bureaucracy is gradually being phased out to make for effective service provision across the country, he said.

He called for more incentives to encourage good leadership such as improved salaries and other better terms of service. Mukasas comments came as the UMI forum welcomed back its former deputy director general, now a UN expert on public administration and development management, Dr John Mary Kauzya.

Minister Muruli Mukasa

In his presentation to the forum, Kauzya discussed transformational leadership, calling for measures that would lead Uganda to achieve sustainable development by 2030.

He asked leaders to improve their organisations, individuals, institutions and, finally, society. He discussed how the state had struggled to balance development ideals with popular attitudes of the time, in terms of ethics, integrity, professionalism and transparency.

Kauzya urged public servants to embrace inclusive growth and sustainable development to meet their 2030 agenda.

It is important to embrace the kind of growth that leaves no one behind he said.

Kauzya also had some advice for the National Planning Authority, which is working on the national development plan.

We have attained the capacity to plan ... so, planning should be done in an integrated way to ensure shared development [in all sectors], he said.

Large-scale transformation may sound difficult or even impossible, but transformational leadership is exactly about taking on difficult and seemingly impossible strategic and future-oriented tasks.

He also challenged the notion of first finding the resources to plan before actual planning happens.

There has been the ad- age that we should plan according to the envelope [available resources]. However, we need to let the dreamers [planners] do the planning regardless of the funds and when these finally become avail- able, we will adjust accordingly.

Kauzya also called for the reinstating of some public enterprises (parastatals), arguing that they were the best channel to development.

What killed public enterprises had nothing to do with their structural arrangement but with the personal behaviours of those in management. So, they were not bad by themselves.

SILENT CRISIS

Addressing local government leaders, he raised what he called a silent crisis. He cited middle-aged citizens who had never been formally employed.

These people have never had the opportunity for any social welfare [such as pension] but they are now the parents of youths, who will soon get into their 40s, still unemployed. How are we addressing the social burden that the youth will impose on their already stressed parents?

In our development planning, we need to find a way of connecting the past generation with the present and future before they develop into a social crisis.

REACTION

Dr Johnson Byabashaija, the commissioner general of Uganda Prison Service, called for a solution to the disconnect between the middle-aged and those getting out of school.

I agree that there is a serious problem in reference to the disconnect between the past, present and future. We all see the problem approaching but we are all hanging onto our jobs and no one is offering a solution.

Muruuli Mukasa, however, said there had been some improvement.

What is remaining is to set governance standards and raise the level of remuneration of our public servants.

mtalemwa@observer.ug
The number of food-stressed Ugandans has shot to 26.5 per cent of the countrys population of 37 million, up from the 16 per cent reported in July 2016, a report from the Office of the Prime Minister has found.

The new report, presented to cabinet by the minister of state for Karamoja, Moses Kizige, comes on the coat-tails of the January 2017 National Food Security Assessment Report, which reported that the number of food-insecure Ugandans had risen to 11.4 million, up from 1.3 million people reported in November 2016.

Thirty districts were assessed for food and nutrition security. They include Arua, Maracha, Nebbi, Yumbe, Iganga, Kiryandongo, Namutumba, Isingiro, Ntungamo, Bushenyi, Kasese, Kabale and Kyenjojo, among others.

In many of these districts, a big percentage of the population can only have one to two meals a day while 4.5 per cent of the countrys population does not have any food stocks and are classified as being in a food crisis.

The Office of the Prime Minister attributes this current food insecurity to prolonged dry spells resulting in crop/pasture failure and livestock deaths, crop and animal pests like fall armyworm and foot and mouth disease as well as inadequate knowledge about water harvesting, storage and use of water for irrigation.

The minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Vincent Ssempijja, said the fall armyworm battered the countrys food stocks. He said however, that government had embarked on a nationwide awareness campaign on recognition, management and effective insecticides to kill the worm.

In the medium term, the ministry through the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) is screening natural agents that can kill the armyworm, said Ssempijja.

He added that his ministry had engaged foreign manufacturers of pesticides to set up shop in the country as government in the long run develops bio control agents and breeding for resistance.






Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko and Buikwe Woman MP Judith Babirye are some of the 23 that officially travelled for this years Ugandan North America Association (UNAA) convention.

Like last year, photos of the flambouyant Kampala MP and others like Lubaga South Kato Lubwama made rounds on social media; this time, a photo of Nsereko and Babirye grabbed all the attention.

The two legislators appeared to be discussing important issues affecting their constituents although to many social media commentators, who could be better at photographic interpretation, the photo suggested that the legislators were discussing more sensitive issues.

Well, until the two come out on what they were discussing, that only remains social media commentary and speculation, which Wolokoso prays does not discourage the two MPs from attending future UNAA conventions like it did to Kato Lubwama.

The politician-cum-comedian was overheard at parliament telling colleagues that he had chosen not to go back to UNAA such that he could deprive the social media commentators of what to say.

They said all sorts of things about photos of me in shorts, now I didnt go, and they have nothing to shout about, the B24 TV owner said.

No worries, honourable comedian; Nsereko and Babirye had Wolokoso and his social media cousins covered this time round.



MP Waluswaka is no peasant



Last Monday, MPs John Baptist Nambeshe (Manjiya), Silas Aogon (Kumi Municipality) and Pamela Kamugo Nasiyo (Budaka Woman) tasted a bit of tear gas before getting briefly detained for staging a demonstration over the bad state of the Tirinyi-Mbale road.

The road is not only potholed but also so risky to travellers to the far east that many have opted to use the longer route through Tororo to connect to Mbale.

To show their anger, the eastern MPs held a press conference at parliament on August 29 to give government notice that they would be leading their electorates into a demonstration on September 4. Come D-day, out of all the MPs from Bugisu, Teso, Karamoja and Bukedi sub-regions that frequently use the road, only three showed up.

Others followed updates on the demonstration from parliament, and when news of the arrest of the three legislators came in, Bunyole West MP James Waluswaka opened up on why he had not joined the demo.

I am an engineer, I am not a peasant like them, it is peasants who strike about anything without considering the technical issues involved, Waluswaka was overheard telling colleagues at Parliament canteen.

Now MPs Nambeshe, Aogon and Kabugo, you have an idea why your colleagues opted to forsake you.



Gen Moses Alis substantial experience



If the state minister for Planning David Bahati thought he could disparage past governments and get away with it, he got it wrong last Thursday at the closure of the National Budget conference at the Serena International conference hall.

As an unyielding disciple of President Museveni, who has previously gone unchallenged when he referred to past leaders as swine, Bahati tried the same last week, only to be challenged by the first deputy prime minister, Gen Moses Ali.

Given his history with some of Ugandas past leaders, Gen Ali, who was Finance minister during the Idi Amin regime, couldnt take it lying down when he heard his youthful comrade in Musevenis cabinet speaking ill of the governments of the 1970s and early 1980s.

The government of the 1970s did the best for this country, Gen Ali shot back. We wouldnt be where we are today if we didnt have governments during those years. They laid the foundation for what is happening now. We should respect the past governments.

Bahati probably didnt know he had touched a nerve in Gen Alis own personally. It took the prime minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, to remind the 44-year-old Bahati that his senior cabinet colleague has some substantial amount of experience in government that goes beyond the NRMs 30 years in power.



Is Ssekikubo a man of steel?



Lwemiyagga MP Theodore Ssekikubo was last week involved in an accident at Myanzi in Mubende when a truck loaded with charcoal reluctantly rammed into his car, to borrow some choice words from one senior NRM official.

The MP, who enjoys an on-and-off relationship with President Museveni, was last week busy preparing for the president to appear on his Mubende-based Point FM for the presidents ongoing radio land campaign.

Given the high- profile guest that his newly launched radio was going to host, Ssekikubo had to commute between Kampala and Mubende on an almost daily basis and it was on one of those journeys that he suffered the accident.

His car rolled and dragged on the tarmac for about 30 metres and the fiery MP was helped out by the police. Strangely, he was unhurt but only checked into a hospital for a medical examination.

After the doctors had confirmed that the accident didnt cause any life-threatening injuries to him, he declared himself a man of steel the moment he left the hospital on Thursday and returned to work. Now, that is a man adhering to the Kisanja Hakuna Mchezo slogan.
On September 8, the 16th day since the appointment of Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo as deputy chief Justice-designate, he arrived at parliament just before 10am for his final approval hearing.

On arrival, Owiny-Dollo was ushered into the VIP room where he waited together with Supreme court nominees, Justices Richard Buteera and Paul Mugamba, to appear before parliaments Appointments committee.

Justice Owiny-Dollo talking to media at parliament last week

At 10:38am, Owiny-Dollo walked into the vetting committee room, where MPs led by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah waited for him. According to insider sources, Owiny-Dollo was interviewed for at least an hour. The most pertinent questions focused on the rampant corruption within the judiciary.

Owiny-Dollo admitted that corruption was one of the judiciarys weak spots, which had blighted its work and image. He, however, promised that, that is one of the areas he would tackle together with the leadership, especially in the lower courts, a source said.



PETITIONS

Shortly after the meeting kicked off, the legislators were informed that a number of petitions had been received by the committee after the announcement of Owiny-Dollo, Buteera and Mugambas appointment by President Yoweri Museveni on August 24.

On September 6, 2017, the Uganda Women Parliamentary Press Association (UWOPA) wrote to the speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, challenging the men-only appointments.

UWOPA chairperson Monicah Amoding (Kumi Woman) listed female justices at the Supreme court and Court of Appeal that she said are equally qualified for the positions.

We request you as chairperson of the Appointments committee, together with your members, not to approve the proposals but revert to the president to reconsider these appointments on the basis of gender equity at all levels, reads the letter, which The Observer has seen.

Another petition originated from the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA), which expressed disappointment at the marginalization of women yet the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) forwarded female nominees to the president.

The Uganda Law Society (ULS), in its September 7 petition to the speaker, demanded for an open vetting system, noting that unlike the executive and legislature, the judiciary is at the moment shielded from public scrutiny as far as their appointments are concerned.

Opening the process of vetting by the Appointments committee will be very instrumental in shaping an independent and pro-people judiciary, stated Francis Gimara, the president of ULS.

Gimara also said the system of appointments has in the recent past surprisingly locked out some of the finest judges such as Justice Egonda Ntende and Justice Remmy Kasule, who he said remain without a doubt and the very least Supreme court material.

The committee, however, did not consider the petitions, on grounds that some had arrived after the meeting had already kicked off. Regarding the petition from ULS on open vetting, the committee rejected this, saying parliaments Rules of Procedure provide for closed sittings during vetting of presidential appointees.



JUSTICE KAVUMA LEGACY

One MP also nudged Owiny-Dollo to say something about his predecessor, Justice Steven Kavuma, who retires at the end of September. According to insider sources, Owiny-Dollo seemed uncomfortable answering that question.

Justice Owiny-Dollo

Another source told The Observer that Owiny-Dollo admitted that the public has been unhappy with the Court of Appeal superintended by Kavuma. He reportedly assured the committee that his number one priority will be to bring sanity and clean up the courts image.

Pressed earlier by The Observer to comment about Justice Kavuma, Owiny-Dollo said, Mine is not to pass judgment on any person. I believe when the instrument is given  assuming I am approved by parliament  it will never mention my predecessor but appoint me as DCJ to serve this country. I will be guided by the Constitution and would want the court to succeed, he said.

Owiny Dollo added that if there are certain things in the court of appeal that were not properly handled, he would need to first study them.

I dont go by rumours; otherwise, I will never move. I will sit down and study these things; how much of it is true, perception or probably wrong. The good things and bad things help us in life. The bad things are potholes in our journey. So, you say my predecessor or whoever walked here, stumbled, so I will be careful, the judge stated.

Asked whether he was an NRM cadre judge, he said, What is a cadre? In my 23 years of private practice, the word cadre never appeared in my pleadings or litigations. I have been in court since 2008 and nobody has ever called me and said write a judgment this way or that way.



CASE BACKLOG

The issue of case backlog was also a focus of inquiry. The national court census of 2016 found that the Court of Appeal and the Constitutional court combined have a total of 5,836 pending cases, accounting for five per cent of the pending cases (114,809) in the entire judiciary.

Among the cases pending in the Court of Appeal are those lodged against the election of some of the current MPs in the 10th Parliament. Owiny-Dollo told the committee that the judgments of 45 cases have been written and will be read out by the end of September and four are pending.

The new DCJ made a passionate plea to parliament to help the judiciary get more judges in order to help tackle case backlog. The committee also met Buteera and Mugamba for 15 minutes each. When the MPs closed the meeting at 12:15 pm, they had approved the trio.



eyotaru@gmail.com
President Musevenis countrywide campaign to sensitize the public on the proposed constitutional amendment on land is gathering steam upcountry but all is not well among the upcountry broadcasters.

As some radio stations cash in for hosting him for talk shows, others are carrying his address at no cost. The president launched his radio campaign on September 4 with an appearance on the Kabale-based Voice of Kigezi before moving to Radio West in Mbarara the following day.

He has also had appearances on Voice of Tooro in Fort Portal and Spice FM in Hoima and appeared on Masakas Radio Buddu yesterday.

According to some radio managers that spoke to The Observer, State House pays radio stations that host the president on his two-hour talk show.

President Museveni appearing at one of the radio stations

Wherever he has been, all radios operating in that particular region have had to suspend their normal programming and rebroadcast the presidents address from their competitors studio.

This came to light on Monday when FDC president Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu was blocked from appearing on a talk show hosted by Hope FM in Kabale.

Muntu had booked airtime on the radio but was turned away by the police and officials from Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), who directed Hope FMs management to instead switch on Voice of Kigezi and relay Musevenis address.

On Saturday, Godfrey Mutabazi, the UCC executive director, said the radios are under obligation to rebroadcast any issue of national importance.

It is a licensing condition that once there is an issue of national importance, [the broadcasters] are obliged to rebroadcast it, he said. This is not a political campaign but a matter of policy. The president is explaining issues pertaining to land and the radio stations should be aware that matters of national importance supersede any commercial interests, he added.

Mutabazi spoke in response to complaints of inconvenience from some radios that have had to reschedule their advertisers messages to accommodate the presidential address.

When contacted, Don Innocent Wanyama, the senior presidential press secretary, denied radios are being compelled to relay Musevenis land campaign. Instead, Wanyama said, the stations are eager to broadcast Musevenis address.

We have not forced any radio to rebroadcast the presidents address; it is instead the radios that are [fighting] to host him because they have found hosting the president news worthy, he said.

Asked how competing radio stations benefit from relaying a signal that promotes business rivals, Wanyama said: We have asked the moderators at [the host] radios to recognize those other radios that rebroadcast the presidents message.



CONFUSION

After Musevenis Thursday night appearance on Spice FM, Wanyama posted on his Facebook page announcing a temporary suspension of the land education campaign through radio.

To our people in Mubende (Point FM), Masaka (Radio Buddu), Kampala and Jinja (Baba FM) who were anticipating to hear from the president on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday respectively, be notified that the shows have been postponed because the presidents schedule has changed. New dates will be communicated, he stated.

Within hours, Wanyamas communication was rendered a false alarm when Point FM, owned by Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo, hosted President Museveni on Saturday evening.
Accused of conflict of interest by Sudhir Ruparelia, two prominent law firms representing Bank of Uganda (BOU) in its Shs 400 billion lawsuit against the businessman deny all charges in their response filed at the Commercial court on Friday, September 8.

According to the two law firms, MMAKS Advocates and AF Mpanga Advocates, Sudhirs application is a ploy to deprive BOU of capable, ethical and incorruptible counsel of its choice.

Sudhir, in his application filed on September 6, asked the Commercial court to kick the two law firms off the case because they are in breach of advocateclient relationship and that it will be incongruous for them to prosecute their former client.

Sudhir particularly singles out Timothy Masembe Kanyerezi, the managing partner of MMAKS Advocates, and David FK Mpanga, a senior partner in AF Mpanga Advocates. He says the two cannot prosecute him because he has listed them as his witnesses.

Lawyer David Mpanga in his office

MMAKS ADVOCATES

Sudhir argues that the two lawyers represented Crane bank until October 20, 2016, when BOU took over its management and thus the law firms shared confidential information with the central bank.

But MMAKs, in an affidavit sworn by Ernest Sembatya, a lawyer at the same legal firm, says there is no case here but rather disturbances.

According to MMAKS, Sudhirs assertion, on the advice of his lawyers, Kampala Associated Advocates [KAA), that he was a client of MMAKS by virtue of the law firm representing Crane bank where he was a shareholder and director, is patently wrong legal advice.

Further, the question as to whether someone is your lawyer is a matter which a client should be able to immediately ascertain and should not necessitate seeking legal advice from another lawyer. SR [Sudhir] is not and has never been a client of MMAKS Advocates, MMAKS says.

MMAKS admits that they were part of the panel of lawyers of Crane bank and provided advice to the bank on various issues including conducting a Crane Bank board training. But MMAKS insists that like in the past and present matter, they have been instructed by Crane bank albeit now in receivership.

The law firm explains that the present suit is an action by Crane bank to recover from Sudhir its majority or sole shareholder, a distinct monetary sum amounting to $110,587,103 (plus interest) said to have been unlawfully extracted by the property mogul from Crane bank as well as to recover from Meera Investments Limited, Sudhirs company, 48 freehold certificates of title said to have been unlawfully transferred by Sudhir from Crane bank into the names of Meera.

MMAKS contends that the fraud case against Sudhir only came to light subsequent to and by reason of a forensic audit commissioned by Crane Bank and BOU, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and issued on January 13, 2017.

In his application, Sudhir said Crane bank sought and received specific advice from MMAKS Advocates regarding the structure and shareholding of the bank.

That indeed MMAKS Advocates conducted a due diligence on the bank and confirmed the shareholding. But MMAKS insists the instructions for compilation of a report on the shareholding were given by Crane bank and not Sudhir and that the report merely stated what the companys registry filings showed.

In its main case, BOU alleged that Sudhir caused Crane bank to give loan facilities worth $3.5m and more than Shs 8.2bn to Infinity Investments, a company he allegedly owned and that later the facility was written off as bad debts under Sudhirs instructions.

But Sudhir insists MMAKs is conflicted because following the approval of the said loan facilities in 2010, 2011, 2014, by Crane bank, MMAKS were instructed to conduct a due diligence and prepare the security documents for the loan facility.

And indeed according to Sudhir, the law firm prepared the security documents, which included a debenture and mortgage for Infinity. Following the failure of infinity to pay the outstanding amounts, Sudhir says MMAKS on instructions from Crane bank, instructed their auctioneers to advertise and sell some of the property infinity had offered as security.

In response to Sudhirs claim that MMAKS shall be required testify in relation to the cash extraction allegation pertaining to Infinity, the law firm contends that it acted for Crane bank not Sudhir.

MMAKS insists that no sale or recovery was done and subsequent to the takeover of Crane Bank, PWC through its forensic audit, established that Infinity Investments Limiteds loan disbursement was onto accounts operated by Sudhir through his close associates.

That valuable securities were released without the loan having been paid off and that the remaining securities were worthless.



AF MPANGA ADVOCATES

And Sudhir wants AF Mpanga Advocates off the case because the findings of the PWC report were mainly based on Mpangas legal analysis and advice. Having been heavily involved in the PWC report, Sudhir contends that AF Mpanga Advocates will be necessary, competent and compellable witnesses to testify to the veracity of the contested report.

AF Mpanga Advocates however, in an affidavit sworn by William Kasozi, the law firms managing partner, says that after perusing Sudhirs application and supporting affidavits, he found many false assertions about the company, in general, and his partner Mpanga, in particular.

Lawyer David Mpanga at AF Mpanga Advocates offices

Kasozi says the conclusions in Sudhirs application are based on what he terms as a clear misapprehension of the applicable laws which is a result of negligent legal advice.

Kasozi says that at no time since its inception in 2003 has AF Mpanga Advocates acted for Sudhir and that none of his partners or associates have ever been engaged or in any way executed any instructions from Sudhir.

According to Kasozi, all the facts they know about this case are as a result of being advocates for Crane bank upon the instructions of BOU, who is the banks receiver. Kasozi says that AF Mpanga Advocates involvement in the BOU main case begun on or about October 29, 2016 after the central bank took over management of Crane bank.

According to Kasozi, their brief was to provide legal support to PWC, which was carrying out a forensic audit of Crane bank to establish what led to its undercapitalization and eventual takeover.

That I was part of a team that comprised about 5 lawyers, including Mr David F.K. Mpanga, which provided legal support to PWC,  Kasozi says, adding that, In our work we were giving our legal opinion on PWCs factual findings. We also assisted PWC in carrying out registry searches, perusing and explaining the legal implications of documents, which PWC found in its audit, and in attending interviews of persons that PWC deemed important to its inquiries to enable us advise PWC on the legal implications of their evidence.

PWC according to Kasozi, owns all the factual findings and conclusions in its Forensic Audit Report of January 13, 2017 subject to the limitation that it obtained legal advice from us.

When hearing of the BOU case starts, Kasozi says that PWC and other witnesses will be called to testify to prove the factual assertions PWC made its report and upon which Crane bank in receivership based its claims against Sudhir.



NATIONAL BANK OF COMMERCE

Sudhirs contends that in 2012, AF Mpanga Advocates represented Crane bank in the Constitutional court case filed by the former shareholders of National Bank of Commerce (NBC) and thus the firms lawyers will be required to testify in this case.

Sudhir asserts that the testimony of AF Mpanga Advocates will prove if at all in their interaction with Crane bank, they witnessed that he wasnt in charge of Crane banks day to day operations as they allege in their main case.

In response, Kasozi says that he is aware that on or around the October 18, 2012, AF Mpanga, Advocates received instructions to represent Crane bank as well as A.R. Kalan and Ajay Kumar, then managing director and deputy managing director, respectively, of the bank in Constitutional court.

In the application according to Kasozi, Nzeyi was seeking a declaration that Crane bank and its then officers, A.R. Kalan and Ajay Kumar acted in contempt of an interim order issued by the Constitutional Court on the September 28 2012 when the assets and liabilities of NBC were taken over by Crane bank pursuant to a purchase of assets and assumption of liabilities agreement executed by and between Crane bank on September, 27, 2012.

Kasozi says the said instructions from Crane bank were conducted by AF Mpanga Advocates lawyers: David F.K. Mpanga and Brian Kalule. And according to Kasozi, the only issue was whether Crane bank and its then officers were aware of the existence of the Interim Order of the Constitutional court at the time they took over the NBCs assets and liabilities.

So at no time during the conduct of that case did Mr David F.K. Mpanga, Mr. Brian Kalule or any other Partner or Associate of AF Mpanga, Advocates take instructions from the Applicant [Sudhir] about his shareholding, management or control of the third respondent [Crane bank] nor indeed was there any hint of the facts behind the matters now in issue in High court case number. 493 of 2017,Kasozi says.

Kasozi says that he is aware that Crane banks claims against Sudhir essentially stem from the tycoons apparent inability to extricate himself from the defunct bank and the BOU case.

It is therefore not surprising, Kasozi claims, that Sudhir still believes that when AF Mpanga, Advocates acted for Crane bank in the contempt of court case they acted for him.



dkiyonga@observer.ug
President Yoweri Museveni

Members of Parliament representing the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) have spoken out on how they will vote if the duel over the lifting of presidential age limits were to be put to a vote on the floor of parliament.

Asked in separate interviews last week whether they would vote yes, some army MPs were cagey, others responded in the affirmative, while a few hinted that they could oppose the controversial proposed legislation.

The campaign to drop the upper and lower (35 and 75 years) presidential age limits from the Constitution gained more traction last week when Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda came out publicly in support of a group of ruling NRM youth campaigners.

The group, calling themselves Kick Age Limitations out of the Constitution (KALOC), is busy meeting top government and NRM party officials. Rugunda met the group on August 31 at his office at the Twin Towers building, behind Parliament House.

The Observers interviews with the army MPs were prompted by one legislator, who told this newspaper last week that some army MPs had quietly signed up to support the campaign to remove the age limits from the Constitution.

The military MPs have reportedly become frequent attendees of the weekly meetings at parliament, mobilising political support for the popularisation of the proposed deletion of Article 102(b) of the Constitution, which sets the lower age for aspiring presidents at 35 years, and caps the upper age at 75 years.

Kassanda South MP Simeo Muwanga Nsubuga, the groups most vocal member, confirmed to The Observer last week that some army MPs, including three generals, had joined their mobilisation effort.

Dr Rugunda, in an interview with this newspaper, confirmed that he is part of the push to scrap the constitutional age limit, which remains the only legal hurdle to President Musevenis extension of his rule beyond 2021 when his current term expires (See: PM Rugunda joins youth campaign to remove age limit, The Observer, September 8).

Though Article 208(2) of the Constitution stipulates that serving army officers must remain non-partisan, Kabula MP James Kakooza, who is a huge promoter of the removal of age limits, told this writer that the army MPs have no option but to support what is in the interest of the commander-in-chief of the UPDF, President Museveni.

They are answerable to the high command [so] there is no way you can expect them to support what is not in the interest of their boss, Kakooza said.

When the 1995 constitution was first amended in 2005, two army MPs got themselves in trouble for opposing the proposed removal of presidential term limits. At the time, Museveni was left with a year to the expiry of his constitutional two terms. Col Fred Bogere abstained during a vote on the floor of parliament supported by all army MPs, including Army Commander Aronda Nyakayirima.

Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, then a brigadier, ended up in jail, accused of spreading harmful propaganda and behaving in a conduct prejudicial to good conduct and discipline of the army, when he criticised the removal of presidential term limit during a radio talk show.

Tumukunde was also forced to vacate his seat in parliament. While Bogere served out his parliamentary term, he was never deployed again until September 2015 when he was retired from the army alongside Tumukunde.

Bogere is currently a private legal practitioner while Tumukunde is back in government as minister for Security, and ironically, one of the key coordinators of the campaign to remove the age limits clause.



CONTINUITY

The UPDF is represented by 10 MPs, including Gen Katumba Wamala, Gen Elly Tumwine, Lt Gen Ivan Koreta, Maj Gen Pecos Kutesa, Col Francis Takirwa Muheekyera and Col George Innocent Oula.

Others are Col Felix Kulayigye, Capt Susan Lakot Oruni, Lt Col Flavia Byekwaso and Capt Evelyn Asiimwe Buregyeya.

Interviewed for their position on the removal of the presidential age limit, Gen Elly Tumwine said, I have not been part of any meetings and I dont want to be involved in unnecessary propaganda. I have not made any statement about it.

Col George Innocent Oula said, I am apolitical because I am a serving military officer. Our work in Parliament is not to take sides.

Capt Lakot Susan Oruni said, I have been out of the country Yes, if the bill came to parliament, I will support it for the continuity and betterment of our country. We have had no wars for the last 30 years. We have seen developments, and a case in point is northern Uganda. We had never seen a tarmac road but now we have tarmac roads everywhere.

Look at Karamoja, because of the disarmament programme, peace returned to Karamoja and the people there are involved in development activities. The issue of change of leadership for the sake of it will not benefit the whole of Uganda but just a few individuals [like Col Kizza Besigye] who have benefitted from the 30 years of President Musevenis leadership. They see the developments going on but I dont know why they are obsessed with the agitation for change of leadership, she added.

Maj Gen Pecos Kutesa said, I represent the UPDF; so, I dont go to Kyankwanzi [NRM retreats] or Kasangati [Besigyes home] for briefings. I am above party politics.

Col Felix Kulayigye, a former UPDF and Defence spokesman, said, I am a military officer. I dont take sides. I will go by what Ugandans will decide. Once [the bill] comes to the floor of the house, I will make my position known.

Lt Gen Ivan Koreta said, I dont have authority to agitate for anything.

Capt Flavia Byekwaso said, I am a soldier. For me, I am more concerned about the [UPDF] Act, which doesnt set any age limitations. That is why we have generals who are above 80. Those others, I dont know.

Capt Flavia Byekwaso

Capt Evelyn Asiimwe Buregyeya said, I have no problem with [the call] to remove the age limit. You know change is good but it should be a change for the better. But when I look at the people in the queue, this one [Museveni] is better. And when you look at the 75-year age limit, it should not be used as a determinant [because] to me, Museveni is more sober than the young people.

The other reason is we dont need to discriminate. Why should we have age limitations for the president? If we are to maintain the age limit, then it should cut across all other public offices but having it only for the president, it appears that we want to discriminate against Museveni.

Col Francis Takirwa Muheekyera declined to be interviewed on telephone. Gen Wamala could not be reached for comment.



sadabkk@observer.ug
It is not often that a single judge could have immense influence in the shape of Uganda's politics the way outgoing deputy chief justice STEVEN KAVUMA has. In the last of the four-part series analysing his legacy, Derrick Kiyonga looks at the eventful final months of his tenure.



At the height of FDCs Defiance campaign in July 2016, police brutality towards supporters of Dr Kizza Besigye came to the fore.

However, the saga took a different turn when some of the alleged victims of police brutality lodged criminal charges against Police chief Gen Kale Kayihura and six of his officers at Makindye chief magistrates court.

Justice Steven Kavuma

The first hearing of the trial was set for August 26, 2016. It was unprecedented for the inspector general of police to face criminal prosecution but on D-day, Kayihura didnt turn up amid chaotic scenes at the court.

This prompted the presiding magistrate to issue criminal summons to Kayihura and his colleagues, a move that was later challenged in the Constitutional court by Robert Rutaro, a former Makerere University guild president.

Justice Kavuma, sitting as a lone judge and listening from one side only, issued an order stopping the trial.



STUPID ORDERS!

On January 9, Kavuma issued an interim order stopping parliament or any individual from investigating a Shs 6bn Presidential handshake given to 42 government officials for their role in resolving the oil tax disputes between Uganda, Heritage Oil and Tullow Oil.

This followed a petition by Eric Sabiiti, a lawyer employed by the Electoral Commission. Yet again, this was unprecedented for a single judge to stop parliament from debating.

Then on January 10, an infuriated Speaker Rebecca Kadaga described Kavumas injunction as a stupid order. She also threatened to freeze parliamentary activities if the order was not vacated.

Sabiiti later withdrew his petition the following day to avert a constitutional crisis. What aided Kavuma to be in charge of all these applications is Rule 20 of the Court of Appeal rules which also applies to the Constitution court.

It gives the deputy chief justice overwhelming powers by stipulating: The sitting of the court and the matters to be disposed of shall be determined by the deputy chief justice and shall be advertised and notified in such a manner as the deputy chief justice may direct

Oftentimes, Kavumas interim orders had the sentence: The registrar of the court is ordered to quickly fix the main petition so that it is heard and disposed of expeditiously.

On the contrary, nothing like that happened, something that has led to an increase of case backlog. As Kavuma retires, the Constitutional court has 12 judges, more than it has ever had in the past, but the case backlog is high.

According to national court census of 2016, the Court of Appeal and the Constitutional court combined have 5,836 pending cases, accounting for five per cent of the pending cases (114,809) in the whole judiciary.

For instance, there is a peculiar case of businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba, the former chairperson of NRMs entrepreneurs league. Whereas he faces fraud charges, his trial has stalled at the Anti-Corruption court since 2013 due to a Constitutional court petition challenging his trial.

In January 2013, Basajjabalaba was arrested and spent some days in Luzira prison. He was arraigned in the Anti-Corruption court on charges of evading taxes worth Shs 20bn.

Basajjabalabas trial was meant to kick off at the Anti-Corruption court on May 10, 2013, before Justice Catherine Bamugemereire but hours to the start, Constitution court justices Kavuma, Remmy Kasule, and Augustine Nshimye stopped Bamugemereire in her tracks by halting the trial.

On July 1, 2014, Justices Kavuma, Kasule, Eldad Mwangusya, Ruby Opio Aweri and Solomy Balungi Bossa finally heard Basajjabalabas petition challenging his prosecution but four years down the road, the judges have never delivered the judgment and no reason has been advanced.



CONVICT OUT ON BAIL

Then there is the curious case of John Muhanguzi Kashaka, the former permanent secretary in the ministry of Local Government, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Justice Bamugemereire in July 2014.

Kashaka was found guilty for bungling up a procurement deal of 70,000 bicycles that were meant to be used by LC-I chairpersons ahead of the 2011 presidential elections, leading to governments loss of more than Shs 4.6 billion.

After his conviction, Kashaka appealed and also asked for bail from the Court of Appeal. Early September 2014, Justice Solome Bossa declined to grant Kashaka bail on grounds that the case he is involved in is of colossal sum of money which has not been recovered.

Kashaka filed another bail application which was handled by Justices Kavuma, Nshimye and Ruby Opio-Aweri, who granted him bail while criticizing Bossa for having adopted what they termed as a long departed, harsher and outdated approach in bail applications. While Kashaka is out of jail, his appeal has never been heard to this day.

Ironically, as Kavuma bows out on September 20, it should be remembered that the petition that challenged his appointment as deputy chief justice is gathering dust at the Supreme court.

This leaves a lot of questions unanswered and it may never be known whether his appointment followed the right procedure or was null and void.



dkiyonga@observer.ug
The ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives has agreed to intervene to help former staff of Nakumatt supermarket to access records of their savings and credit cooperatives (Sacco) locked up by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) in one of the Nakumatt supermarket stores.

This follows a meeting convened by the commissioner for cooperatives development, Gordon Byakatonda on Saturday at the ministry of Trade involving the former Nakumatt staff and their Sacco leaders. The former staff petitioned the ministry on Tuesday last week to intervene and help them recover their savings.

They asked the ministry to summon the Sacco board and supervisory committee members to explain what happened to their savings worth over Shs 500 million that was deducted from their salaries.

Former Nakumatt have petitioned the ministry of Trade to intervene into the recovery of their Sacco savings

The Sacco board is chaired by Vincent Kimuya, the Nakumatt Oasis Mall branch manager while the four member supervisory committee is chaired by Fred Muzungu, the procurement officer at Nakumatt Oasis Mall. The petitioners claim that Nakumatt Uganda Limited registered a savings and credit society in 2009.

The company would deduct a certain amount from each of the employees every month for savings. However, for the last three months, the employees haven't received any information regarding the status of their savings.

During the meeting, the supervisory committee chairman, Fred Muzungu revealed that the Sacco files were locked up by URA in the supermarket store located in Kitetika, along Gayaza road.

URA closed three Nakumatt stores after the troubled supermarket failed to clear tax arrears amounting to Shs 300 million. The other two closed shopping centers are Oasis Mall and Bukoto Nakumatt branches.

The meeting resolved that the Sacco supervisory committee writes to URA through the ministry of Trade seeking assistance to access the Sacco records so that they give former staff update on the status of their savings.

Muzungu declined to comment on the matter when reached by URN, saying he was busy. Gordon Byakatonda, the commissioner for cooperatives was also tight-lipped on the matter.

"We are handling the matter," he said. Adding that, "I am not the ministry spokesperson. You know who to contact for more information."

Vincent Kimuya, the Nakumatt SACCO board chairman, earlier told URN Nakumatt had met financial difficulties but the company owner has committed that he "will not run away with anyone's money."

The ailing East Africa retail outlet is on the brink of collapse. Nakumatt is owned by the Kenyan Atul Shah family.

Nakumatt has so far closed five branches in Uganda including; Acacia Mall in Kololo, Village Mall in Bugolobi, Victoria Mall in Entebbe, Katwe Branch and Mbarara branch while the remaining branches have been closed by URA over tax arrears.
The greatness of any nation lies in its fidelity to the Constitution and adherence to the law and, above all, respect for God. David Maraga, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Kenya, 2017.

Articulated as the preamble to the Kenyan Supreme court ruling delivered on September 1, 2017, the above pronouncement has incontestably become part of the hallowed treasury of axioms proposed as mandatory formative reading for fledgling law students in Africa and beyond.

This statement sets two lofty qualitative criteria as the credentials for any nations claims to greatness: intellectual submission to the law in fact and in practice, and assent to the supremacy of the divine dispensation.

The Kenyan presidential election exercises in the 21st century form formidable case studies for students of political science and governance in general to investigate, dissect, analyse and draw weighty conclusions from.

The four presidential election exercises held in 2002, 2007, 2013 and 2017, have each been productive of consequences of national, regional and even global import.

The 2002 election that brought Mwai Kibaki to power was significant because it effectively dismantled the hegemony of the post-independence Kanu party rule of Kenyatta Senior and his successor Daniel arap-Moi that had lasted for 39 years since 1963.

Unprecedented scenes of violence, last seen in Kenya during the 1950s with the Mau Mau movement, characterised the immediate aftermath of the 2007 election exercise that gave Kibaki his second term as president.

In 2012, the world beheld the unsettling spectacle of Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto, both facing charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, being legitimised by Kenyas electorate as the newly-elected presidential duo, the first ever under the new Constitutional dispensation promulgated in 2010.

The charges were subsequently withdrawn for want of evidence. It is interesting to briefly consider the posturing of the two lead political actors in the current unfolding constitutional drama.

The plaintiff in the case, Raila Odinga, who now publicly appropriates the delivered ruling as a personal victory, was, ironically far from the convinced constitutionalist when, even before the legitimate proclamation of the final election results by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IBEC), he called for rejection of the election results and the staging of public protests.

Very evidently, resort to the court was, at that stage, not an option for him to consider. For Uhuru Kenyatta, his first televised reaction to the Supreme court ruling was passably statesmanlike in its concession to the authority of the Supreme court.

However, the political capital earned by Kenyattas initial statement has effectively been dissipated in subsequent remarks in which he gives unadorned expression to partisan spleen, personality attacks and even threats to fix the judiciary, suggesting an underlying unpresidential contempt for the much-vaunted constitutional principle of the independence of the judiciary.

Simply expressed, Odingas attitudinal U-turn is political scheming at its most dishonest, while Kenyattas own reaction may be likened to the snarls of a wounded lion.

However, identifying the implications of the Supreme court ruling with the fortunes of the two lead political actors risks politicising the verdict. This would subtract from the integrity of the ruling as an exercise of judicial independence.

Effectively on trial was the IBEC whose competence in handling its constitutional mandate has been challenged.

The call by the National Super Alliance (Nasa) coalition for a new commission membership appears to be a cheap shot at political points-scoring, given that Nasa had previously given its considered assent to the terms of reference as well as to the membership of the same commission.

Rather, the ruling draws attention away from the event of presidential election day, on which the glare of global media coverage is focused, to the process of elections, covering even the unpublicised goings-on in remote outposts of the nation.

The substantiality argument, invoked on a number of occasions by the Ugandan judiciary, about whether the reported tallying errors were sufficient to overturn the declared election results, was the favoured quantitative criterion used to pronounce on the validity of the contested election exercise.

Kenyas Supreme court ruling thus throws its weight behind the intellectual assent to the law in fact and in practice, anything short of this being an indicator of invalidity. It can be argued that what was effectively tantamount to constitutional pragmatism in the substantiality argument has now been countered with what may be described as constitutional idealism.

Documented failures in adherence to the law may no longer be relativized by appeals to expediency.

This ruling sets a new legal precedent to be invoked in similar cases, both in Africa and worldwide. The Supreme court judges of Kenya have raised the bar for strict observance of rule of law in fact and in practice.



The authors are concerned Ugandans.
Dear Gaad,

Its me again, your humble servant. You told us to knock and the door will be opened. I hope you dont mind that I bang it this often.

I also trust that, just like National Environment Management Authority, you dont mind that we often shout in prayer  a little above weaverbirds.

We dont mean to suggest that you could be having a hearing impairment. It is only that we try to take into account your distance and that we have to hypnotize our flock.

Silent reflection might make them think twice, which is undesirable, except if they are thinking about tithing twice. But if our shouting ever gets to your nerves, please signal to us with some moderate thunder.

That said, dear Lord, what did I do to you lately? There is so much outrage and noise about our work of late. People no longer fear men of Gaad; they say we should start providing accountability for each coin they offer to you through us.

They are mad that we are too comfortable on your behalf. It is you, Oh Lord, that generously provided the verses in the Bible about sowing the seed and tithing.

Dont we read in Psalms 126:6 that those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy?

Matthew 12:1-50 also tells us that for Gaad so loved the world that he gave his only MONEY, that whoever believes in it should not perish but have eternal life. You also instruct that seek first the kingdom of OFFERTORY, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

I am forever awed about the immense wisdom you put in those verses. You should thus understand when we repeat them more than anything else in the Bible.

Dear Father, please forgive my little iniquities, as I forgive those who continue to offer coins as if they think church baskets are scrap bins for disposal of useless balance. Grant them the wisdom to understand that we dont shop our designer suits from downtown.

Open their brains and help them know that we shop in dollars and pounds, and that no forex bureau takes their jjege jjege (ga-coins). Is it really true that you praised a poor widow who only gave a button as offertory?

I doubt that storys authenticity. Dear Lord, I know you cannot grant us churches and then send us broke and stingy followers. We not only need to build and maintain our churches, we also have to live lifestyles deserving of anointed ones.

Loving father, dont get me wrong; Im not trying to say that you take the poor away from us. Any desperate child of yours is good for us. Those without jobs at least have some loose money for printing application forms; they can first bring it here to multiply. They can as well borrow to invest in divine mercy.

I cant thank you enough for creating a profitable number of gullible idiots. That is invaluable capital you gave us. I am not sure though if it is you to thank for that. But in any case, I thank you for our kind political leaders who have created a favorable environment for us to prosper.

Lead us not into criticizing their wrongs, but deliver us from any kind of government regulation. For we are guaranteed, with your help, that as long as we are either on their side or quiet, they can even give our hands protection as we dive them into the pockets of these naive masses.

Strengthen us in keeping our mouths shut about corruption, poor service delivery, tribalism, nepotism, life presidency, and all political evils. We know that those who die in government-abandoned hospitals are called by you.

You arranged that this is how they would die, dear Lord. So, who are we to question? Besides, you taught us to give unto Caesar what belongs unto Caesar and to God what belongs unto God. So, we give Caesar his space.

Mighty father, we also know that everything happens for a reason and that your ways are not mans ways. Guide all those who fail to get proper treatment in hospitals to flock to our churches for miracles.

Shandalamakalakakakayeshendalababba.

May your name be glorified through filling our churches and offertory baskets. May all coins melt into brown notes in your mercy, oh Lord!

Dear Father, as I prayed to you last Sunday, some of my fellow preachers are already driving the Range Rover Velar (2017). Bring me more people with sickness, relationship, employment, visa, and juju problems so that I buy one, too, before it is out of class.

Lord, a personalized number plate is only Shs 20 million. I need that too, mighty Jehovah, so that your name may be glorified by the desperate people who tithe for it. Oh, and a mansion too.

With such testimonies to show that you lifted me from grass to gross (sorry, grace), they will all believe that you can do the same for them.

Grant us peace, oh Lord, from those who keep telling us that we should use the collections to help others through building schools, charity homes, hospitals, and feeding the hungry.

We know too well that there is nowhere in the Bible that you told your apostles to build such things. Ours is to preach and pray; and we do that too well, until we go hoarse and wet in sweat.

Allow me, Father, to ask a humble question: that hell where you told us that there will be gnashing of teeth in fire, were you really serious about it?

As in, real fire? So, will you burn us your servants too or you will only burn those you gave brains and they decided to keep them unused like souvenirs? Just asking. And may your financial will be done.

Amen.



jsssentongo@gmail.com



The author heads the Center for African Studies at Uganda Martyrs University, Nkozi.
For the last two weeks, judicial officers have been exercising their right to engage in industrial action to protest what they describe as poor pay.

The strike paralysed not just the ability of the courts to dispense justice, but also the law enforcement organs.

At some point, as this newspaper reported, the police was forced to release people with minor offences due to congestion. By the time an entire arm of government goes on strike, it means there is something fundamentally wrong.

It is a cry for help that deserves serious attention to avert a repeat of the same, or similar, action in future. Therefore, although the judicial officers have called off their strike at least until December 11, the government should not put its feet up, thinking it has addressed the problem.

The judicial officers called off their strike because the government promised them a few perks including double-cabin pickup trucks and security.

However, the government has not addressed the very issue that caused the strike in the first place: a salary increment.

As the Uganda Law Society (ULS) noted in its August 29, 2017 statement on this industrial action, this is not the first time that the government had neglected to address critical issues in the judiciary.

It is also a fact that the government has never acted on the previous recommendations of the Judicial Service Commission on this important matter, the ULS statement said in part.

Unlike the executive that has an all-powerful president at the top, and a parliament whose legislators are able to set their emoluments, the judiciary is hamstrung in its ability to get a decent share of the national budget to carry out its activities.

The judiciary, therefore, seems to depend on the goodwill of the other two arms even though it plays an equally important role in the functioning of the state.

We, therefore, call on the other two arms to support the judiciary to ensure that it plays its role efficiently, including offering decent salaries to judicial officers. The alternative could lead to a further breakdown in the performance of the judiciary, which will not be good news at all for our fledgling democracy.
A Japanese company has created an adorable robot dog that can tell you how bad your feet smell, by using a powerful sensor embedded in its nose. If your feet dont have bad odor, Hana-chan will happily wag its tale, if it detects moderately smelly feet, it will start to bark, and if they really stink, it will just fall over like the smell caused it to faint.

Foot odor is a big deal in Japan, where it is customary for people to take off their shoes whenever they enter someones home. In fact, subjecting others to foul bodily odors can even be considered harassment in Japan, so its no wonder that some of the most brilliant minds in the countrys tech industry have been dedicating their talent to tackling this issue. Panasonic recently unveiled a high-tech deodorizing coat hanger, Konika Minolta developed a pocket-size device that monitors body odors and alerts the user when they start to smell, and, last year, gadget maker Thanko started selling clip-on armpit fans designed to keep peoples armpits nice and dry. Now, we have Hana-chan, a robot dog capable of telling people if their feet stink.

Hana-chan has been in development at the National Institute of Technology Kitakyushu College, in Kyushu, for at least 2 years, with a YouTube video of the prototype dating back to 2015, and now, their affiliated company, NextTechnology, is ready to launch a commercial version of the feet-smelling robot.

Named after a play on the Japanese word for nose, the 15-cm robot dog has a special sensor for a nose, and can tell you if your feet smell just by sniffing them for a few seconds. According to some media reports, Hana-chan can help solve the problem of stinky feet by spraying them with air freshener, but its unclear whether this feature comes built-in, or if youll have to pay extra for it.

The canine robot reacts in three different ways, depending on the smell of the users feet. If its sensor detects no foul odors, it wags its tail, if it detect moderately bad odor, it barks in alarm, and if the odor is extremely bad, it just falls over, like it just fainted.

According to researchers at NextTechnology, the idea for Hana-chan was inspired by a person who desperately wanted some way to know if his feet smelled.

He told us his daughter had said his feet were smelly, NextTechnologys Kimika Tsuji said. But he didnt want to know how bad the odor was because he would feel hurt. Thats why we developed this cute robot.

You may be able to make Hana-chan faint with your smelly feet, but it can have the same effect on budget-conscious people. NextTechnology plans to start selling the feet-smelling robot for a whopping 100,000 ($9,280).

Sources: SoraNews24, Japan Times


Drew Fagan and

Bob Richardson





NATIONAL Public Relations appointed Drew Fagan and Bob Richardson as senior counsels to the firm. Fagan spent 12 years in executive roles with the governments of Ontario and Canada, and before that he worked at The Globe and Mail, in positions including parliamentary bureau chief, editorial page editor and foreign editor. Richardson, in addition to serving in the Ontario government as Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition, and Chief of Staff to the Minister of Colleges and Universities, has been an executive VP at Edelman. "Both Drew and Bob are a natural fit for this firm, our clients and their needs. We will all benefit from their unique perspective and leadership experiences," says Rick Murray, managing partner of NATIONAL's Toronto office and the Firm's chief digital strategist.



Emily Hamill





Sara Ahuja





Gatesman brought on Emily Hamill as senior VP, director of connections strategy and Sara Ahuja as VP, group account director. Hamill joins Gatesman from Ketchum Atlanta, where she was director of digital strategy. In her new role, she will work with clients to develop marketing communications programs via connected experiences for brands based on consumer behavior and context. Ahuja comes to Gatesman from Fusion92, where she was as account director. She will lead the agencys Higher Ed division as well as help lead and provide oversight on Gatesmans work with Northwell Health and the University of Pittsburgh Media Center.



Julie Hershey Carr





Randi Reid





Kountoupes Denham Carr & Reid (KDCR Partners) named Julie Hershey Carr and Randi Reid partners. Before coming to KDCR, Carr served as legislative director for U.S. Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA), a member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and a leader among the House conservatives. Reid previously was legislative director for U.S. Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, from 2005-2013. She also served a stint in the House, with her home state Representative, current Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael Burgess (R-TX), and in state government, working for then Texas Governor George W. Bush.



Erin Dunlay

Randle Communications promoted Erin Dunlay to the firms senior leadership team as a director. Dunlay joined the Sacramento-based firm in 2015 and has supported local, statewide and national public relations accounts, as well as managing local ballot initiative campaigns with the firm. She will play a leadership role working with Randle clients and staff to develop and execute communications strategies for statewide and local public affairs and public relations initiatives.
The PR community today remembers the nearly 3,000 people murdered 16 years ago during the World Trade Center/Pentagon terror attacks and plane crash in Pennsylvania.

Many PR people can instantly recall where they were when the first tower of the WTC was hit on 8:46 in the morning of September 11, 2001.

I was in a car with a friend emerging from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnela building blocked our view of the WTC. We saw silver streams of what appeared to be confetti falling from the sky. Though curious about the confetti, which turned out to be slivers of "skin" from the outside of the WTC building, we werent overly concerned because the traffic cop ahead continued to direct cars either toward the FDR highway or up the west side past the WTC. We tuned to an all-news radio station, all sounded normal. The helicopter traffic reporter was giving the usual rundown of delays and updating a congestion problem on the George Washington Bridge. Then it happened. America was forever changed. The traffic reporter must have turned the helicopter around toward downtown because he suddenly let out a shout, The World Trade Center is on fire. As we headed up the FDR, the flaming WTC came into view. We made it to work. After checking in with co-workers, I joined the crowd on Fifth Ave. to watch smoke billowing from the WTC. I left the office about noon for the 15-mile trek back to Brooklyn. By the time I reached the financial district, both towers were gone.

In the days, weeks and months following the 9/11 attacks, the PR community stood tall. PR people can take a measure of pride for the role that communications played in restoring a sense of normalcy to everyday life. Communicators calmed jittery investors, employees and consumers. They assured the public that America would bounce back and emerge stronger than ever. The Bush Administration relied on PR to spread its message that those responsible for the attacks would be held responsible for their action.

President Bush used PR as a tool in his war on terror. The power of PR though cut both ways. Bush used PR to justify the invasion of Afghanistan, which was the haven of WTC mastermind Osama bin Laden. The President then used that same PR to launch an unjustified war in Iraq, a conflict that was based on a bogus claim that Saddam Hussein possessed a trove of weapons of mass destruction. We are still paying for that war in the form of ISIS, which developed from the rubble of Iraq.

The 9/11 terrorists selected their targets as blows against world trade, US financial/military power and New York City's position as media capital of the world. The 9/11 attacks served and continue to serve as recruiting tools for radical Islam. They taught us that we are all vulnerable to terrorism. Fortress America is a myth in the interconnected and wired world where disaffected young people can become heroes by piloting a plane into a building, driving a truck into people on a crowded street or detonating a suicide vest in a packed concert hall. We must remain vigilant.
Katie OCallaghan was checking out a customer at her parents grocery store in Hastings, Nebraska, when the woman, a retired nurse, noticed a lump in OCallaghans neck.

OCallaghan, then 24 years old and four months pregnant, told her obstetrician. A biopsy indicated that she probably had thyroid cancer.

After Zeke was safely born, OCallaghan in late May underwent the Nebraska Medical Centers first robotic thyroidectomy, a remote-access procedure performed with a surgical robot.

Instead of making the usual incision at the base of the neck, Dr. Estelle Chang went in behind OCallaghans right ear and used the robots arms to reach down and remove the tumor  all without a visible scar. What remains after the incision is fully healed should be nearly hidden in OCallaghans hairline, even when she wears her long hair up in a ponytail.

The behind-the-ear, or face-lift, approach is one of three remote thyroid surgery procedures the medical center now offers. Another involves entering through the underarm. With the third, the transoral, a surgeon enters through the mouth, going down between the lower lip and teeth. That one is more commonly done laparoscopically, without the robot.

To prepare, Chang, a head and neck surgeon with Nebraska Medicine, completed a six-month fellowship at Severance Hospital of the Yonsei University Health System in 2016 in Seoul, South Korea, working with the doctors who devised both the underarm and face-lift approaches. An assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, she also traveled to Thailand to train in the transoral technique.

Dr. Abbey Fingeret, an assistant professor in the UNMC surgery departments surgical oncology division, also has completed a robotic surgery fellowship in South Korea. She focused her three months of training on the underarm procedure. She performed the procedure for the first time at the medical center late last month, and it went well.

Chang said knowing a variety of techniques allows her to tailor the procedure to the patient. Caucasians who tan easily, African-Americans and Asians all have a greater tendency to scar. So do young people, such as OCallaghan, who have more of the structural protein collagen in their skin.

You would think its just a simple scar, Chang said, but for a lot of people  more than expected  if they have the choice of avoiding the visible scar, they will take that option.

Luke OCallaghan, Katies husband, said concern about scarring was one reason his wifes obstetrician referred her to the medical center.

Katie OCallaghan, who is about 5-foot-10, has a long neck and a scar would have been noticeable. Her height, and the distance that would have been involved, also counted among the reasons Chang opted for the face-lift approach rather than the underarm technique.

There are different patient characteristics that make me decide one way or the other, Chang said.

As suspected, OCallaghans tumor was cancerous, although surrounding tissue and lymph nodes were clear. Chang removed half of her thyroid rather than the entire gland, according to OCallaghans wishes and revised guidelines the American Thyroid Association issued in 2015. The new guidelines allow that option for cancers measuring less than 4 centimeters and showing no other signs calling for more aggressive treatment.

Previous guidelines called for removing the entire gland. More recent studies, however, have indicated that the risk of recurrence and survival rates were the same whether surgeons removed half or all the gland. One recent study indicated that some patients who have the entire gland removed may develop chronic fatigue, even when taking a synthetic replacement hormone, Chang said.

Thyroid nodules are quite common, occurring in about 30 percent of people in the United States. The vast majority, however, are benign, with only 5 to 10 percent being cancerous. The majority of patients dont have symptoms, unless the nodule is very large.

Chang said she believes robotic surgery will be part of the future of thyroid cancer treatment. The procedure, developed in South Korea in 2007 and brought to the United States in 2009, has been slower to take off in the U.S. because of the time needed for proper training and the cultural and language barriers involved. Its more common in Europe and South America.

Chang, who was born in South Korea and moved to the United States at age 10, had a leg up because she speaks the language. Today she is among a handful of surgeons in the United States who perform the robotic procedures.

Fingeret, the states only fellowship-trained endocrine surgeon, said she learned the underarm approach because she wanted another option for patients.

At the same time, the size of the neck incision now used in most open surgeries has shrunk, leaving less of a scar to begin with.

Fingeret and Chang both said the robotic procedures are as safe  both in terms of the surgery itself and their ability to remove the tumor  as the open surgery.

Fingeret said the robotic procedures take a little longer and may not be a good option for people who arent in good health.

But for everyone else, its of equal safety, said Fingeret, who also uses the robot for surgery on the adrenal gland and pancreas.

In addition to those procedures, the medical centers DaVinci surgical robot is used for cardiothoracic, urology, transplant, gynecologic and general surgery. With the procedures so new, the hospital hasnt yet worked out cost or insurance coverage.

Chang said she explains to patients that the robot isnt doing the procedures on its own. It works more like an extension of her arms, and it is controlled by her while she sits at what looks like a computer station.

But the robotic system provides greater magnification than the standard eyepieces that surgeons wear, allowing her to navigate the tiny structures of the neck more easily. The robotic arms allow a greater degree of rotation than laparoscopic tools, and the robotic system filters out tremor.

Dr. Kepal Patel, co-chairman of the American Thyroid Associations surgical affairs committee, said the organizations statement on remote-access thyroid surgeries says its a viable option with the right patient and the right tumor.

It also should be performed by a surgeon who does it routinely and has the necessary expertise.

Its an appropriate use of the technology in the appropriate patients, said Patel, chief of the endocrine surgery division at New York Universitys Langone Medical Center.

OCallaghan is just glad to have the tumor gone, with no obvious scar to mark it. It was nice to know that it wasnt invading, she said.
Omaha police are investigating two cuttings  one Sunday night and one early Monday  that sent two men to the hospital.

Scott Conant, 46, was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center about 9:20 p.m. Sunday after being stabbed during an altercation near 16th and Harney Streets. Conant was uncooperative with officers, a police spokesman said, telling them only that he was stabbed by someone he didnt know.

Michael McDonald, 52, told police that he was walking near 29th Street and Park Avenue about 1:30 a.m. Monday when he was attacked by two men. McDonald was admitted to the hospital. Police said he will be booked on an outstanding warrant upon release.

The mens injuries were not considered life-threatening, police said.
Col. Tony Deane was in Naples, Italy, on a NATO assignment when the planes hit the towers on Sept. 11, 2001.

Everybody was over there (in Italy) picking up the phone and calling their assignment officer, trying to get out of that assignment and into the fight, Deane said Monday in an interview after speaking at the fourth annual Patriot Day at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum near Ashland.

He encouraged the 180 or so people gathered there to remember.

Last night I was watching the History Channel, and I realized how easy it is to forget, Deane said. Today, we think about it. But last week, no one was thinking about the 343 firemen, 60 policemen and the eight EMTs (who lost their lives after) running into the towers, not running away from trouble.

The Ashland event was one of many across the country and locally Monday to commemorate the terrorists attacks.

Deane, a Papillion-La Vista High School and University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate, did eventually get in the fight.

His time in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2006 was the subject of the talk and his book, Ramadi Declassified.

Terrorists had control of the city when he arrived in May 2006, he said. At the end of his talk, Deane showed photos of a 5K race in Ramadi and then-President George W. Bush visiting the city in late 2007.

Within a year, peace had broken out, Deane said.

On display at the museum were the desk, chair and phones that were used by the president at Offutt Air Force Base on the day of the attacks. There was a large American flag made up of drawings by elementary school students after 9/11 on the hangar wall. There were 1,452 neckties displayed in the form of the twin towers, created by local artist Greg Laakso in 2002. Each of the ties represents a life lost in the collapse of the north tower. Laakso completed two tours in Iraq.

Patriot Day at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum began in 2014.

We just wanted to pay tribute to all the first responders and those who serve our nation in the military for what they do every day to keep our nation safe and strong, both overseas and here at home, said Mike McGinnis, executive director of the museum.

First responders and all military were admitted into the event for free.

Its a way for us to also educate and inform the public about what Sept. 11, 2001, was all about, McGinnis said, pointing out a family with young children who were born well after the attacks.

Two officers at Offutt Air Force Base were among those attending the event.

Everyone that serves has a story, said Lt. Johnny Inlavong, 31. Its great to hear it, especially on this day.

Lt. Tom Walker, 25, said he was 9 at the time of the attacks.

They didnt show us anything at school, Walker said. I got home, and my dad ... tried to explain it to me. You kind of understand it at that age, but not completely.

One of the many motivators to join the military was Sept. 11 and wanting to do my part.

In Omaha, about 400 people, including city officials, firefighters and police officers, turned out at Memorial Park to mark the 16th anniversary of the attacks.

The First Responders Foundation hosted the memorial event. It included a minute of silence at 9:11 a.m. honoring the almost 3,000 people who died in the terrorist attack on the U.S. that September day.

Marty Bilek, chief of staff for Mayor Jean Stothert, read a proclamation from the mayor officially marking Sept. 11, 2017, as a day of remembrance in Omaha.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said the terrorists attempt to deter first responders failed.

Here we are 16 years later, and I dont see any deterrence, he said. I see America stronger than ever.

Omaha Fire Chief Dan Olsen said first responders who lived through 9/11 are still haunted by the attacks. And were blessed to live today in a city that remembers those events, he said.

Also attending Mondays remembrance were Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., the Creighton Prep choir and members of the Irvington Volunteer Fire Department, which displayed a 10-foot concrete-and-steel piece of the World Trade Centers north tower that came crashing down in Manhattan 16 years ago.

Omahans John Banks, 79, and his wife, Connie, 73, attended the event to watch their grandson sing in the Prep choir and honor those who rushed to the Trade Center.

Connie Banks said she and her husband were watching TV news on that day in 2001 when the terrorists used passenger planes as weapons.

Like everyone else, she said, we remember where we were when the attacks happened.

Another Omahan at Memorial Park, Barbara Gard, 74, said she has attended previous 9/11 ceremonies at the park.

I wanted to honor those who have fallen and to pray for America, she said.

The park was decked in rows and rows of flags that helped to show the human loss from the terror attacks.
The City of Bellevues 2017-18 budget keeps staffing and service levels the same without a tax increase, but city officials see big costs looming on the horizon.

For the 2018-19 budget, city officials will have to find an additional $700,000 for firefighters. And the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce has questioned if the city has tucked away enough for economic development on land south of Offutt Air Force Base considered to be key to the citys growth.

At its meeting tonight, the Bellevue City Council will vote on a budget that keeps the citys property tax rate at 61 cents per $100 of valuation. Property owners whose valuations increased this year will still receive a higher tax bill.

The total budget dropped from $84 million last year to about $75.6 million this year. City officials attribute the decrease to fewer capital projects between the two years.

But city officials are bracing for some big costs next year.

The Bellevue Fire Departments costs will increase by $700,000 because a grant for 12 firefighters expires, said Finance Director Rick Severson.

Thats the big whammy coming to face us in the next budget, said City Administrator Joe Mangiamelli.

The transition from Bellevue volunteer firefighters to paid full-timers began in 2008 after the Nebraska Legislature required the city to hire a paid fire chief who would evaluate the departments needs. Whether or not to make the switch from a volunteer to a paid department had been debated for years, including in the wake of the death of a 10-year-old girl from a fire in Bellevue in 2002.

Fire Chief Perry Guido was hired in 2009 and recommended the city create a paid department. The process is not complete. The department has a mix of full-time and part-time firefighters, which was intended to be a temporary fix.

One way the city covered the higher costs of paying for firefighters was through two federal grants, each of which covered the cost of hiring 12 firefighters. Those grants paid for firefighters for just two years, and after they expire, the city has to find the money to continue paying the firefighters salaries. One grant has already expired. The other will end in 2018.

I cant criticize decisions made in the past, but I dont know that the total cost of providing a fire department was explained to the council in as much detail as maybe it should have been, Mangiamelli said.

It is a very expensive proposition, he said, and we are trying to maintain a level of growth in the department as best the finances will allow.

Mangiamelli took over as city administrator in 2016. He said the Fire Department would like to have all full-time firefighters, but the revenue cant support it.

The $700,000 is a significant hit to a future budget, and Mangiamelli said the city will have to start working immediately after the passage of the 2017-18 budget to find solutions.

Meanwhile, the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce is pushing the city to dedicate more funds to develop 5,000 acres in the Highway 34 corridor.

Currently $225,000 is budgeted for infrastructure and $25,000 for administrative costs related to development in the area.

In 2014 Bellevue voters approved spending up to $750,000 every year toward incentives to help recruit businesses to get the area developed.

Jim Ristow, president and CEO of the chamber, said the flat area is prime real estate for light industrial development, with access to a river, railroad and roads.

Bellevue, unlike other cities in Sarpy County, does not have an abundance of land for development. Its hemmed in by Omaha, the Missouri River and the cities of Papillion and La Vista.

Ristow, Planning Commission member Tom Ackley and other members of the public urged the City Council to devote more money to make the land attractive to developers.

We are short-changing ourselves if we dont fully fund it, Ackley said.

Ristow said he knows there are budget challenges, but he argued that the city needs to invest in itself.

At some point you have to look past that and say If we dont do it now, then when? 
As polls closed in Nebraska and the first returns came in Tuesday night, heavy returns out of Douglas and Lancaster County gave Democrat Carol Blood an early lead in the Nebraska governor's race over Republican Jim Pillen.
Dreamers at a Sunday rally opposing the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program said they were heartened by the cross section of community members that joined them.

Im really, really glad that theres so much support for DACA, said Karina Ruiz-Vargas of Lincoln. I think the country needs to see this. They need to see that DACA has done a good job of helping people with no criminal background.

Ruiz-Vargas was among about 350 people backing DACA who took part in the rally at Plaza De La Raza, 24th and N Streets. Organizers said word of the rally went out on social media a few days beforehand. There were no counterprotesters, and an Omaha police spokeswoman said the event went smoothly.

A 2013 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Ruiz-Vargas came to the U.S. as a 2-year-old and has no recollection of her parents home in Mexico. She signed up for DACA in 2013.

Ruiz-Vargas said she was a little apprehensive about giving all of her personal information to the Department of Homeland Security to become eligible for DACA, but decided it was her best means of staying in the only country she has known.

An estimated 3,300 DACA participants in Nebraska could be affected if the program ends. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he would end the program in six months if Congress doesnt act.

Since DACA was enacted under President Barack Obama, about 800,000 immigrants who were children when they arrived in the U.S. illegally have received protections that include stay of deportation and the ability to legally work.

Lupe Marquez, 25, who helped organize the rally, is a DACA participant and unsure what to expect from Congress.

What is said changes so much and so drastically, its hard to tell what would be carried out, she said.

Omaha attorney Mark Curley attended the rally in a show of support.

I want the Dreamers to know that even in Nebraska we dont want DACA to end, Curley said. We want to pass the dream on to new generations.

Signs urging political leaders to find a way to continue DACA were everywhere. Five speakers spoke of their dreams for America as the listeners roared their approval.

Daniela Rojas, an admissions counselor at the College of St. Mary, noted that South Omaha had been home first to Native Americans. They were followed, she said, by many peoples, including the Irish, Czechs, Poles, Swedes, Danes, Greeks, Mexicans and Sudanese.

People from all over the world have come to this city," Rojas said. I was an undocumented child and through DACA I believed I had found a way to be part of the community.

America needs leaders like Rojas, said Kristin Mattson, a political science professor at the College of St. Mary.

A number of our students at school are Dreamers who are involved in the community in multiple ways, Mattson said. They are very active in leadership roles. I am here to support them.
The Nebraska Army National Guard sent the first of about 100 soldiers and four helicopters to Florida on Sunday to help with hurricane relief efforts.

Twelve soldiers from a Lincoln-based security and support unit, Company A, 1-376th Aviation, were deployed Sunday morning with four UH-72 Lakota helicopters and were expected to arrive in Florida today, the National Guard said in a press release.

They are prepared for search and rescue operations, air transportation and aerial damage assessments.

More troops were to be deployed today, from Unit and Headquarters Company, 1-376th Aviation, based in Lincoln and Grand Island, according to the press release. Those soldiers were expected to serve as an aviation task force based in central and northern Florida.

With Hurricane Irma expected to bring significant damage to our fellow Americans in Florida, we are once again mobilizing members of our Nebraska National Guard to provide support to the relief operations, Lt. Gov. Mike Foley said.

The Nebraska Army National Guard soldiers we are deploying are trained and ready to join all those assisting in this major relief operation, he said.

Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, the Nebraska adjutant general, said: As our neighbors in Florida prepare to deal (with) what may be an unprecedented emergency brought on by Hurricane Irma, the Nebraska National Guard is proud to support our neighbors to the south with these important capabilities.

Just as we did in Texas, members of the Nebraska National Guard stand ready and able to do what we have always done, support our fellow Americans during times of natural disaster. We also thank the families and civilian employers of our deploying National Guardsmen as they deploy in response to this natural disaster.

Meanwhile on Sunday, Nebraska Task Force 1  the urban search and rescue team based with Lincoln Fire and Rescue  was at Eglin Air Force Base near Destin, Florida, waiting for orders on how its crews could best help.

The caravan of 20 vehicles, including heavy trucks, arrived at Eglin after a 22-hour drive.

During a conference call Sunday morning, leaders said the team was staying in a base recreation center, in standby mode until the storm hit. They said they were prepared to take on whatever type of rescue or relief mission was asked of them.

The task force comprises firefighters from Lincoln, Omaha and Papillion area fire departments as well as civilian members who are doctors, structural engineers and heavy-rigging specialists. The 80-member team also includes four canine search specialists with four dogs.

Members of NE-TF1 returned home to Lincoln late Tuesday afternoon after spending more than a week in Texas performing rescues and evacuating people from flooded buildings following Hurricane Harvey. Crews were mandated 48 hours of rest before they could be reactivated.
MIAMI (AP)  An aircraft carrier and other Navy ships were sent to help with search-and-rescue operations in Florida on Monday as a flyover of the hurricane-battered Keys yielded what the governor said were scenes of devastation.

I just hope everyone survived, Gov. Rick Scott said.

Late Monday, Florida emergency management officials estimated that nearly 13 million residents  two-thirds of the states population  remained without power. Officials warned it could take weeks for electricity to be restored to everyone.

More than 180,000 people continued to huddle in shelters.

The Keys felt Irmas full fury when the storm blew ashore as a Category 4 hurricane Sunday with 130 mph winds.

As the storm weakened into a tropical storm and finally left Florida on Monday after a run up the entire 400-mile length of the state, the full scale of its destruction was still unknown, in part because of cut-off communications and blocked roads.

Six deaths in Florida have been blamed on Irma, along with three in Georgia and one in South Carolina.

At least 35 people were killed in the Caribbean as Irma moved through.

Scott said Monday that the Navy dispatched the USS Iwo Jima, USS New York and the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, among other ships, to help with search and rescue and other relief efforts.

The New York, an amphibious assault transport dock, was forged in part from steel salvaged from the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Separately, the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was moving about 370 troops, 40 vehicles and 35 aircraft to Alabama to be available to provide search and rescue, medical evacuation and other services to Florida.

Scott, after flying over the Keys, said boats were cast ashore; water, sewer and electrical service was knocked out; and I dont think I saw one trailer park where almost everything wasnt overturned.

Authorities struggled to clear the single highway connecting the string of islands to the mainland.

Many in Florida wondered what comes next.

How are we going to survive from here? asked Gwen Bush, who waded through thigh-deep floodwaters outside her central Florida home to reach National Guard rescuers and get a ride to a shelter.

Whats going to happen now? I just dont know.

The governor said it was way too early to put a dollar estimate on the damage.

In a parting shot, Irma triggered severe flooding around Jacksonville, Florida, and also spread misery into Georgia and South Carolina as it moved inland with winds at 50 mph, causing flooding and power outages.

Florida officials urged residents who might still be stuck on the second floors of flooded homes to call for help.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Monday that people shouldnt try to ride out the flooding that has followed Irma.

This is not a one-day event, Curry said.

The storm surge in the Jacksonville area brought some of the worst flooding ever seen there. At least 46 people were pulled from swamped homes.

In the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, where Irma rolled through early Monday, damage appeared modest.

And the governor said damage on the southwest coast, including in Naples and Fort Myers, was not as bad as feared.

In the Keys, though, he said there is devastation.

Its horrible, what we saw, Scott said. I know for our entire state, especially the Keys, its going to be a long road.

The Keys are linked to the mainland by 42 bridges that have to be checked for safety before vehicles can be allowed, officials said.

The governor said the route needs to be cleared of debris and sand but should be usable fairly quickly.

A tornado spun off by Irma was reported on the Georgia coast, and firefighters inland had to rescue several people after trees fell on their homes.

A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, and school was canceled in communities around the state Monday. More than 100,000 customers were without power in Georgia and more than 80,000 in South Carolina.

A meteorologist said tropical storm-force winds were recorded at Atlantas airport Monday.

Keith Stellman with the National Weather Service said the airport experienced sustained winds of 45 mph with gusts up to 64 mph.

Over the next two days, Irma is expected to push into Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Irma remained an immense, 415-mile-wide storm as its center moved on from Florida on Monday afternoon, giving its still-formidable wind gusts and drenching rains a far reach.

Irma sent 4 feet of ocean water into downtown Charleston, South Carolina, as the storms center passed 250 miles away.

As Irma moved out, several of the Orlando, Florida, theme parks announced plans to reopen.

The Walt Disney Co. said Monday that its Disney World theme parks and Disney Springs would reopen today.

Universal Orlando said Monday that all three of its parks planned to reopen today. Universal said its facility suffered relatively minor damage to fences, trees and building facades.

This report includes material from the Miami Herald.
As Sandra Reddish wanders through the Nebraska State Historical Societys Fort Robinson History Centers museum, she points out things she would like to change to make the museum more appealing to visitors.

Many of the exhibits havent been updated in decades, some lack information, and others need a little sprucing up.

The museum needs a face-lift, said Reddish, the historic sites coordinator for the Historical Society.

The museum doesnt have much to offer about World War I. Reddish would like to change that. Shed also like to have more interactive items so visitors will linger and ponder the information and history inside the museum.

Youd be amazed how fast some people go through here, she said.

The plans Reddish has will create a modern museum to entertain visitors while engaging them in history.

Reddish points to areas on the second floor of the museum that are bare. Shes encountered the same issue at Chimney Rock, where she is also in charge of updating the museum.

All this empty space could be used, she said.

As baby boomers are retiring, more are traveling to historical sites around the country. Attendance and revenue generated by boomers will help Reddish in her push to improve the site.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump last week thrust immigration issues right into the heart of next years midterm elections.

The decision to rescind his predecessors shield for those brought to the country illegally as children brought condemnation from various Democrats running for Congress. That included Jane Raybould, who is seeking to challenge Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb.

Raybould described herself as incredibly dismayed by Trumps move on the participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which provides work authorization and temporary protection from deportation to unauthorized immigrants, sometimes called Dreamers, who came to the U.S. as children.

Our state and our communities have invested in these men and women as theyve attended our great public schools, played alongside our sons and daughters and become our neighbors, Raybould wrote on Facebook. Our states businesses depend on the future workforce to continue to thrive  and Trumps actions put that future in jeopardy. As the senator for all Nebraskans, I will #DefendDACA.

In contrast with Democratic outrage, many Republicans spoke approvingly of Trumps decision and reiterated criticisms of DACA.

For example, Trump took steps to address what Fischer said was then-President Barack Obamas executive overreach.

Congress now has the opportunity to address the legal status of the DACA recipients as part of a broader discussion on border security and legal immigration reform, she said in a Tuesday statement. Her campaign said Friday that she had nothing to add.

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., voted against the Dream Act, which would have protected DACA participants from deportation.

First, it is important to note that this issue is the responsibility of Congress, Fortenberry said after Trumps announcement. Second, necessary humanitarian exceptions must be nested in policies that further robust border security, interior enforcement against illegal activity, and foreign policy initiatives to mitigate the pressure for economic migration.

But Democrat Dennis Crawford, who is running against Fortenberry, said he would support stand-alone legislation to maintain and extend the DACA program, and he challenged Fortenberry to do the same.

Congress must act immediately to overturn Trumps executive order and protect the Dreamers, Crawford said. Will Mr. Fortenberry support this kind of action? The time for obfuscation is over. We need answers.

In an interview, Fortenberry praised DACA participants for making a compelling case about their dilemma. But he also said the issue is not a simple one, and he reiterated the need to address border security, enforcement and foreign policy considerations surrounding immigration.

You create the conditions for the broader consideration of exceptions when youre dealing with all of that at once, Fortenberry said.

The issue could play a particularly important role in Nebraskas politically balanced 2nd District, where Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., has sought to stake out a relatively moderate stance on immigration.

Bacon has pledged to work to keep DACA participants from being deported. But he also spoke positively of Trumps announcement of a six-month phaseout of the program as a way of prompting Congress to act, and suggested that a broader approach that includes border security is required.

Most Republicans want to support DACA, but they want to see some security improvements, too, Bacon said in an interview.

Two Democrats are vying to face Bacon in November 2018: Kara Eastman and former Rep. Brad Ashford.

Eastman said in a fundraising appeal that we are all upset about Trumps announcement on DACA.

Im the only candidate for Congress in Nebraskas District 2 that has consistently advocated on behalf of the Dreamers, she said.

She criticized the administrations haphazard policies regarding immigration and called on Bacon to support legislation protecting DACA participants without tying it to funding for a border wall.

Ashford accused the administration of playing politics with the issue and said Congress must pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Otherwise, Dreamers will always be subject to the whims of the executive branch, Ashford said.

I support the existing DACA and oppose the efforts by the administration to repeal it. Its threatened repeal underlines the need for congressional action, through immigration reform and providing pathways to citizenship to include Dreamers and other undocumented individuals.

Ashford has questioned the constitutionality of DACA, however, and the Eastman campaign highlighted one of his key votes as a House member.

Ashford first voted against GOP amendments attacking DACA, but once that battle was lost he voted in favor of a broader Homeland Security spending measure that included those provisions.

In fact, he was one of only two Democrats to support the spending bill, while 10 Republicans opposed it.

In other words, Ashford did not vote with his new political party on the issue of protecting the Dreamers, siding instead with his old party, the Republicans, according to the Eastman campaign statement.

In an interview, Ashford said voting against the spending measure would have been supporting a government shutdown, and however heart-wrenching the issue, he couldnt do that  particularly when it came to homeland security.

You cannot shut the government down, Ashford said.
At President Donald Trumps rallies, hes usually flanked by a pair of big blue placards displaying his administrations proudest boast. Promises Made, reads one. Promises Kept, reads the other.

On the surface, keeping his promise to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, which suspended deportation of young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally, should have been simple. Deporting Dreamers was part of Trumps tough immigration platform. They have to go, he said in 2015.

But somewhere along the line, the president seems to have had second thoughts. Maybe it was the well-scrubbed group of Dreamers who visited him at Trump Tower last year or a plea from his daughter Ivanka. We love the Dreamers, he said only last week. They should rest easy, he said in April.

So when the moment of decision arrived last week, a president who likes to portray himself as decisive tried to have it both ways. To use one of Trumps favorite words, he choked.

His words, aimed at immigration hawks in his base, were still tough. Lax immigration policies have produced lower wages and higher unemployment for American workers, he charged, yet few in Washington expressed any compassion for the millions of Americans victimized by this unfair system.

But his real decision was to pass the buck. Trump dumped the problem in Congress lap and told lawmakers to fix it. Lest there be any confusion about whose responsibility the program now was, Trump tweeted, Congress, get ready to do your job  DACA!

To give Congress time to act, he deferred implementation of his order for six months. That, apparently, was the humane dimension his aides had promised: The roughly 800,000 young people currently covered by DACA have a shot  if the bureaucracy works properly  at keeping their protected status for up to two additional years.

But after that, an administration official told reporters, theyll be just as deportable as their parents. And no new applications will be considered. Thats more humane than scrapping the program, but not by much.

Trump wasnt very humane toward Republicans in Congress, either. DACA is their problem now. And its part of the larger immigration issue that has divided their party bitterly for most of a decade. Immigration may be the hottest of the hot-button issues that pit GOP populists like former Trump aide Stephen Bannon against establishment figures like House Speaker Paul Ryan.

One official compared Trumps decision to rolling a grenade into the Capitol. If Ryan tries to bring a DACA bill to the floor, hell face an instant revolt from the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Trumps six-month deadline comes up next March  when Republican primaries will be heating up. That will make it even harder for GOP moderates to risk looking soft on immigration.

The irony is that theres probably a bipartisan majority in both houses for turning some form of DACA into law  in principle, anyway. Democrats want to do it. So does a minority on the Republican side, not only mavericks such as John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, but also a few rock-ribbed conservatives such as James Lankford of Oklahoma and Jerry Moran of Kansas, judging by recent statements.

But its a polarizing issue thats guaranteed to divide the Republican majority. To pass a bill, theyd need support and political cover from their president.

Its not clear that theyd get it.

On Monday, Trumps attorney general, Jeff Sessions, came down hard on the other side, against a renewal of DACA. The program, he charged, has denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by giving Dreamers work permits. That wasnt an endorsement.

Here is what happens if Congress falls short. Trump will blame the legislators, just as he did when they failed to repeal Obamacare.

If Congress cant fix DACA by March 5, theres no legal reason Trump couldnt extend the program again.



So the president has escaped his DACA dilemma, but its only a temporary respite. As often happens when an executive ducks a tough decision, Trump hasnt really solved his problem  or his partys. Hell simply have to face it again, all too soon.
Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000

Bihar's Gopalganj by-poll to see a tough fight between BJP and RJD

Bihar: Over 200 students sick, claim they saw 'dead lizard' in mid-day meal

4 policemen crushed to death in Bihar

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

At least five people were killed, including four policemen on duty, after a truck ran over them in Bihar's Muzaffarpur in the wee hours of Monday. Five other cops were injured in the incident, reported ANI.

A large container truck arrived there at a high speed and hit the police vehicles. The incident that took place on the national highway 28 near Akuraha village in Panapur outpost area, 30 km west of Muzaffarpur and 81 km north of Patna.

The injured policemen included deputy superintendent of police (west) Krishna Murari Prasad and Panapur outpost officer in-charge DN Jha. They have been admitted to a private nursing home at Muzaffarpur.

All the victims were sent to SKMCH hopspital in Muzaffarpur, where the doctors declared five dead.

Senior officials have reached the hospital.

OneIndia News
Latest on HRA

The HRA that has been approved will be 24 per cent, 16 per cent and 8 per cent of the new basic pay. Also, the rate of HRA would be revised to 27 per cent, 18 per cent and 9 per cent when the dearness allowance (DA) crosses 25 per cent, and further to 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent when it crosses 50 per cent.

Latest on DA

Besides the percentage increase in DA, the government has decided the minimum floor rate of HRA for the lowest categories of employees. "The HRA will not be less than Rs 5,400, Rs 3,600 and Rs 1,800 depending on the type of city and calculated at 30 per cent, 20 per cent and 10 per cent of minimum pay of Rs 18,000 (sic)," an official statement said. The HRA revision will benefit more than 7.5 lakh employees. HRA constitutes 60 per cent of the total allowance of a government employee's pay.

Latest on allowances

The government has said that 108 allowances have been retained against the Pay Commission's recommendation for 95 allowances. Similarly, as against the recommendation to do away with 53 of the allowances, Centre has decided to abolish 43. Another 34 allowances have been subsumed and decisions with regard to 12 allowances relating to railways will be taken up later. For pensioners, the medical allowance has been doubled to Rs 1,000 from the present to Rs 500 per month. Constant attendance allowance on 100 per cent disablement has been increased from Rs 4,500 to Rs 6,750. The nursing allowance to nurses and ministerial staff of hospitals has also been increased to Rs 7,200 per month from Rs 4,800 earlier. Similarly, operation theatre allowance has been hiked from Rs 360 per month to Rs 540 per month and hospital patient care allowance/patient care allowance from Rs 2,070 to Rs 2,100 and Rs 4,100 to Rs 5,300 per month, respectively.

7th Pay Commission latest on minimum pay

The biggest good news would however be on the hike in minimum pay. While employee unions have been saying that the minimum hike as per the 7th Pay Commission is not good enough, the government is planning on revising the same. The National Anomaly Committee or NAC is planning on giving a majority vote to increase the minimum pay from Rs 18,000 to Rs 21,000.
AIADMK council meet on schedule as Madras HC rejects plea on stay

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A civil suit filed by Perambur MLA P. Vetrivel which sought orders to prohibit both factions of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam( AIADMK) from conducting a joint general council meeting on Tuesday was rejected by the Madras High Court. However the Chief Justice allowed Vetrivel to file an appeal.

Dubbing the suit as a vexatious litigation, Justice C.V. Karthikeyan also slapped cost of Rupees 1 lakh on the MLA. The court said that the litigation wasted its's time.

The Court said, "Approach Election Commission instead of coming to us, if you do not wish to attend the meeting better stay at home."

The general council is slated to be conducted tomorrow. And it assumes importance as EPS is expected to hand down resolutions against TTV and his band of supporters.

OneIndia News
Siddaramaiah is chief guest at Indo-China Friendship event? I have declined says former CM

Rahul Gandhi invites Siddaramaiah for sprint during Bharat Jodo Yatra and this happens next [watch]

Amend language proficiency clause in banking exams: Siddaramaiah to Jaitley

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Karnataka Chief Minister in a letter addressed to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked him to direct Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) to amend language proficiency clause for the benefit of local candidates.

In the letter, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has raised three issues, reported ANI.

1. He demanded amendments in such a way that candidates with proficiency in the local language get preference. This should be done in the present recruitment itself. And those who did not study regional languages at least up to SSLC should not be considered.

2. Since all the languages carry equal importance under the Constitution, the medium of examination should be in all 22 languages.

3. Rules should be made to give preference to people who have command over local language during recruitments to central services in regional offices.

This letter to the Finance Minister comes after Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) activists on Saturday disrupted several Institute of Banking and Personnel Selection examinations for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) in many districts of Karnataka, demanding banking reservation in jobs for Kannadigas.

In Bengaluru, KRV activists did not allow candidates from Andhra Pradesh to write the examination at a centre in Peenya.

Some candidates pleaded with the activists to allow them to write the exam, but they did not budge.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 18:09 [IST]
Only those from political families can eye a CMs post in Congress: Amit Shah

Uniform Civil Code in Himachal if BJP comes to power: Amit Shah

Amit Shah visits Swami Vivekananda's house, pays floral tributes

India

oi-PTI

Kolkata, September 11: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Monday visited the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda in Kolkata and paid floral tributes. Shah was accompanied by BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, union ministers Babul Supriyo and S S Ahluwalia besides state BJP president Dilip Ghosh among others.

During the day, the BJP president will hold meetings with party leaders here.

Tomorrow he is scheduled to meet party workers who are victims of Trinamool Congress' violence and will also meet intellectuals of the city," BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu said.

Shah would attend a chamber of commerce meeting on Wednesday.

Shah is on a three-day visit to the city from September 11 to 13 to expand the party's base in Bengal.

According to state BJP sources, detailed report of party's rise in vote share in the just ended civic polls in seven municipalities will be placed before him.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 15:35 [IST]
Hindu player from Pak cricket team wishes everyone on Diwali, wants to visit Ayodhya

Construction of Ayodhya mosque likely to be completed by December 2023

Ayodhya dispute: SC directs Allahabad HC to name 2 observers within 10 days

India

oi-PTI

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court to appoint new observers within 10 days in Ayodhya land dispute matter.

The order came after the Allahabad high court told the apex court that one observer has retired and the second has been elevated to the high court.

The Supreme Court has already constituted a three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case. The bench, whose other members are justices Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer, would adjudicate the dispute over ownership of Ram temple-Babri masjid land.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had in 2010 ruled a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acres area at the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri masjid site in Ayodhya. The three-judge bench of the high court, by a 2:1 majority, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 17:57 [IST]
Bhubaneswar flyover collapse: Engineer, director of construction firm arrested

India

pti-PTI

Bhubaneswar, Sep 11: An engineer of the state works department and director of a private construction firm were arrested today in connection with the collapse of a flyover here that left a man dead and 11 others injured, police said.

The police have also registered a case against three others in connection with the collapse of the under-construction road over-bridge near Bomikhal here yesterday. Deputy Executive Engineer in the Works Department, Bansidhar Praharaj, was the first to be arrested in connection with the incident, Commissioner of Police Y B Khurania said.

Later, one of the directors of Panda Infra Projects, Pratap Panda, was arrested after he surrendered at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), he said. A case has been registered against Praharaj, Panda, Assistant Engineer Kishore Rout and two other directors of Panda Infra Projects, which was executing the construction work of the bridge, police said. Efforts are on to trace three others, and if necessary, we may issue a look-out circular, Khurania said.

Those named in the case have been booked under different sections of the IPC, including section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), at Laxmisagar police station, he said. The police also booked them under section 337 of IPC (causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt) and 34 (when a criminal act is done by several persons), police said. A forensic team visited the accident site as part of the investigation, while a police team also visited the office of the construction company, they said. While Prahjaraj and Rout were suspended soon after the mishap yesterday, Executive Engineer Dukhabandhu Behera was placed under suspension later for prima facie lapses, a senior official said.

"A high-level probe has been launched into the incident by a committee comprising Chief Engineer (Designs) and Chief Engineer (Roads)," Works Department Secretary N K Pradhan told reporters. The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week. A team of engineers also visited the mishap site for inspection, he said.

Stern action would be taken against those found guilty, the police commissioner said, adding, the project was under the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Division-4. A 39-year-old businessman was killed and 11 others were injured after a portion of the under-construction flyover caved in. Opposition parties have blamed the BJD-led Odisha government for the mishap and targeted Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is also in charge of the Works Department.

Both the Congress and BJP, which demanded resignation of the chief minister over the incident, also stalled the assembly for several hours. BJP leader and MLA Pradip Purohit alleged that former state minister Arun Sahoo had favoured the construction firm which was once blacklisted for security issues and that its case was pending in court. Congress also levelled similar allegations against the ruling BJD on the issue.

A former minister and BJD MLA has stakes in Panda Infra Projects and the same leader is trying to shield the once blacklisted firm, claimed Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Narasingh Mishra. Sahoo, however, refuted the allegation and said he was neither directly nor indirectly associated with the firm (Panda Infra Projects).

PTI
BJP calls Cong policy, planning group visit to J&K a "political gimmick"

India

oi-PTI

Terming the maiden visit of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led policy and planning group to the state, a "political gimmick", the Jammu and Kashmir BJP asked the Congress party to play a "positive role" for the interest of the state and the country.

The Congress panel arrived on a two-day visit on Monday, nearly five months after its formation.

The panel met the party leadership and over 30 delegations representing a cross section of the society, besides representatives of National Conference, CPI(M) and other mainstream opposition parties.

"Even though it (Congress) thinks its fundamental right is to criticise the Centre for its policies regarding Jammu and Kashmir, the team and any of its central leader did not bother to take stock of the situation," state BJP spokesperson Virender Gupta said.

He said the group did not think to provide its "valuable suggestion" to the government in "retrieving the situation".

"Instead of playing political gimmick, it should play a positive role for the interest of the state and the country," Gupta said.

He questioned the seriousness of the planning group, saying, "it did not feel its concern about the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the last five months".

Blaming the Congress for the present situation in the state, Gupta said the party had kept the Jammu and Kashmir issue "alive and burning" because of its "wrong policies since the accession of the state with India".

"It remained in power both at the Centre and in Jammu and Kashmir for the most of the times, it was in power in the state in 1990 when situation in the valley had taken an ugly turn when Kashmiri Pandits and other minorities suffered a mass exodus," Gupta said.

"It was in power from 2002 to 2014 in state and also at the Centre before 2014 for 10 year but it failed to resolve the issue," the BJP leader said.

Gupta asked the Congress party to clear its stand on Article 35A and said the party is a "divided house" on the issue.

"Kashmir leadership of the party supports 35A whereas its leaders in Jammu province oppose continuation of 35A and Article 370 in Indian Constitution, however, the leadership at the Centre is confusing the people by speaking in different tones on the issue," he said in a statement.

Gupta said the Congress should clear its stand on West Pakistan Refugees and on deporting of Rohingyas in Jammu province instead of beating about the bush.

"Congress party needs also to clear its stand on the statements issued by some of its leaders on the Kashmir issue, who are supporting Azadi (freedom) and autonomy for the valley, which include Mani Shankar Ayyar and even P Chidambaram who was part of the visiting team," Gupta said.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 22:03 [IST]
Abducted CoBRA jawan Rakeshwar Singh Manhas released by Naxals after six days of captivity

Dehradun: Two Army jawans arrested with heroin worth Rs 5 crore

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Dehradun Police have arrested two Army jawans and one other with heroin worth Rs five crore. A revolver along with 13 live cartridges were also seized from their possession.

The jawans were identified as Raju Sheikh and Phool Singh Yadav while the third accused Manju Rehman, was a cousin of Raju Sheikh.

Acting on a tip-off, the police, team stopped a SUV in which the accused were travelling. Upon checking the vehicle, the team found 1 kg of contraband inside.

A joint interrogation team has been formed consisting of police, Army intelligence, Narcotics Control Bureau, Intelligence Bureau and Local Intelligence Unit to grill the three accused, Nivedita Kukreti, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dehradun.

A case has been registered against the accused under section 8/21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and the investigation is underway.

OneIndia News
Develop legal system on India's moral values: Bhagwat

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

There is a need to develop a legal system on the basis of ethos of society, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said.

Addressing the concluding ceremony of the silver jubilee celebrations of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta (Advocates) Parishad in Hyderabad, Bhagwat said though the new Constitution was drafted after Independence, some old laws were taken from foreign sources.

"Our constitution was written based on the understanding of the 'Bharatiya' ethos of our founding fathers, but many of the laws that we are still using are based on the foreign sources and that laws were made as per their thinking...seven decades have passed since our independence...this is something we must address," he said.

Bhagwat demanded that entire system be based on the ethos of the society.

Recommended Video

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat lauds Mahatma Gandhi | Oneindia News

"Our legal system should also be based on such ethos. A discussion and debate should be held on this. After a comprehensive national debate we will have to arrive at a consensus and such system should be made available to people. It should be such that it not only benefits our country but also sets an example for other countries," he said.

"...Other nations have their own jurisprudence. But does our jurisprudence reflect the moral and value systems of our society?" he asked.

The Sangh chief referred to the trial of revolutionary Birsa Munda and 400 tribals by the British for leading an armed struggle for independence.

"Unfortunately, what the tribals were saying was being misrepresented by the interpreters and there was a huge gap between what the (trial) judge was saying and what the accused were saying. This gap seems to exist even today.

"Our justice system is under the ambit of the legal framework but what is legal may not be morally right. For example, during the Emergency, police had the right to shoot anyone and one could not ask a question. Legally, the police were right but morally....?" he questioned.

Recalling his interaction with Pranab Mukherjee, Bhagwat said he asked the former president the definition of legality. "I recently asked Pranab Mukherjee about what is the definition of legality. He said morality is legality. Then I asked him is vice versa true?" he asked.

Appealing to utilise the wisdom of "our seers", Bhagwat said the "Neeti Shastra" has a lot to offer which modern day law-makers should take a leaf out of.

"The Westerners, including scientists and intellectuals, are studying/examining our 'Upnishads' which is our tradition," he said.

Underlining the importance of law and legislation in running the society, Bhagwat said a society should be built where its morality is at a level where the society in general and law are not at loggerheads with each other.

"No doubt, enforcement of law is necessary. However, it will be 100 per cent effective only when the masses are educated. This education cannot be just by information, but should include moral-based education. Unless we develop examples of honesty by living Bharatiya values by ourselves, we will not be able to transform the society," he said.

He appealed to the members of the legal fraternity to reach out to those people who are facing injustice because of weakness and "embrace them".

"Work towards solutions that the poor and deprived are facing. Based on 'Satyamev Jayate' we have to helpful to them in sorting out their difficulties and problems that are arising out of injustice," the Sangh chief said.

Even in Mahabharata, Gandhari had blessed her sons with 'Satyamev Jayate' and not 'Vijayi Bhava', he recalled.

The Adhivakta Parishad was formed in 1992 under the guidance of Dattopant Thengadi during a time when the Shahbano case judgement, and the discussion on Hindutva was raging.

"The nation was in the midst of a huge debate. Couple of the key functions of the ABAP was to fight many legal issues that were cropping up during that time and also to give voices to the millions of the people who could not afford legal assistance. The gap between those to whom justice is not accessible should be reduced," Bhagwat added.

In our society, 'dharma' was placed highest as it stands on the pillars of truth, "unlike in the Western society which believed that the king is supreme and could do no wrong, the RSS chief also said.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 7:28 [IST]
Gauri Lankesh murder: BJP slaps legal notice to Ramachandra Guha

India

pti-PTI

Bengaluru, Sep 11: The BJP Yuva Morcha today slapped a legal notice on noted historian Ramachandra Guha seeking an "unconditional apology" for linking the Sangh Parivar with the killing of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, or face civil and criminal prosecution.

The notice said Guha made the "utterances" intentionally to bring disrepute to the RSS and BJP with an "ulterior motive" and the "direct allegations, insinuations and innuendos" impute criminal conduct. It quoted Guha as having said in an interview, "It is very likely that her murderers came from the same Sangh Parivar from which the murderers of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi came." It also said Guha had made similar statements in an article.

Guha's remarks had come in the context of the unfortunate killing of Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru on September 5, it said, adding, "You have alleged that the perpetrators of the said crimes belong to our Client's Organization." The notice has been issued by Haranahalli Law Partners on behalf of State BJP Yuva morcha Secretary Karunakar Khasale. Guha's comments were not immediately available.

Noting that investigations were still ongoing in the deaths of rationalists Narendra Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare, MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh, the notice also said no trial had taken place against any person, much less any conviction. "Under such circumstances, without any basis or proof, you have given false and mischievous statements clearly calculated to defame our Client's organisation and its members," the notice says.

The "baseless utterances" were also calculated to influence and mislead the ongoing investigations into the incidents, which amounts to illegal interference in the course of justice and was a grave offence, it said. The notice demands Guha to categorically issue an unconditional apology within three days from the date of its receipt and to refrain from making any similar or identical statements or allegations. It said if Guha failed to comply with the "instructions", civil and criminal prosecution would be initiated against him.

Gauri Lankesh, a harsh critic of Hindutva politics, was gunned down by unidentified assailants at her residence here on Septmber 5, with no clues on the incident so far. The Karnataka government has formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the coldblooded killing that has caused national outrage and protests.

PTI
Gauri Lankesh murder: SIT gets 40 additional support staff

India

oi-PTI

Bengaluru, September 11: Six days after senior journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead, the SIT probing the murder has been strengthened with 40 additional support staff.

The additional staff include four inspectors and seven sub-inspectors, police sources said. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) B K Singh, comprises 21 officers. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Bengaluru West) M N Anucheth said, "Additional staff has been provided to the SIT.

At this juncture, we do not want to reveal their names and identity". Police sources said the team was scrambling through the footage of CCTV installed by individuals in Rajarajeshwarinagar, where on the night of September 5 unknown assailants shot dead 55-year-old Lankesh at her home.

They said police have also taken the digital video recorders at the toll gates on five entry points to the city. One of the aspects of the investigation was to check the involvement of sharp shooters from outside the city.

The killing of Lankesh, Left-leaning journalist-activist, has come in for widespread condemnation. Meanwhile, at a press conference, former naxalites Noor Sridhar alias Noor Zulfiqar and Sirimane Nagaraj ruled out the possibility of naxalites' involvement in the killing of Lankesh.

"I can tell you certainty that naxalites are not involved in the murder as has been reported in a section of the media. This is only an attention diversion technique," Sridhar said.

Investigators have said they were also probing the Naxal angle. Media reports had raised the possibility of involvement of Left ultras.

Lankesh's brother Indrajeet had said that there was a threat to Lankesh from some Left extremists.

In the past, Lankesh had negotiated with the ultras in the forests of Karnataka and made nine of them surrendered before the police so that they can join the mainstream of society. At the insistence of Gauri Lankesh, Sridhar and Nagaraj gave up the violent path and began leading a normal life.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 19:03 [IST]
Ghatkopar building collapse: Another person arrested; sent to 7 days police custody

India

oi-Madhuri

Another person was arrested on Monday for his alleged involvement in the alteration work that is being blamed for the collapse of Siddhi Sai building in Ghatkopar on Tuesday, killing 17 people and injuring more than 20. He has been sent to 7 days police custody.

Earlier, a civil contractor, Anil Mandal, 28, who was carrying out the supervisor of the renovation project and is said to have suggested main accused Sunil Shitap to carry out a number of modifications in the three flats that he owned on the ground floor of the four-storey structure.

Police have also identified five more people, including the contractor, interior designer and labourers, who were hired by Shiv Sena strongman Shitap to carry out the renovation work, which started on July 3.

The residents also allege that they had complained to the BMC about the construction of the proposed hospital, but nothing was done about it.

This is the third arrest in the case, which has once again cast the spotlight on arbitrary constructions in the city.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 21:00 [IST]
Good news for Telangana govt employees: Salaries to be credited on September 25

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

There is good news for Telangana state government employees. They would get their salary in advance this month. The government has agreed to pay the September salary of its employees one week in advance so that they can meet their Dasara expenses. The employees would get their salaries on September 25.

Employees normally get their salaries on the first of every month. However with Dasara falling on the last working day, September 30, it was decided that the salaries would be paid in advance.

The state government took the decision following a request by the employee associations. They requested the government to pay the salary in advance so that they could meet their Dasara expenses.

The associations met Chief Secretary S P Singh and submitted a representation. They said Dasara and Bathukamma are major festivals in the state, which are celebrated simultaneously and employees along with families head for their native villages.

The chief secretary referred the issue to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who approved the payment of salaries by September 25.

OneIndia News
This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how

With the number of anonymous rogues from Pak rising, here's how BSF is beating down the drones

J&K: Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch sector

India

oi-Madhuri

Pakistan Army on Monday violated ceasefire along the line of control (LoC) at 1345 hours in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, by resorting to firing on forward posts. Indian Army is retaliating.

Earlier on September 9, Pakistan on Saturday violated ceasefire along the line of control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, by resorting to firing on forward posts.

The firing from across the border in Debraj, Krishna Ghati and Ishapur in Mendhar sector started around 10.30am, prompting retaliation by Indian troops guarding the border, a police official said.

The year 2017 has seen a sharp increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces. Till 1 August, there were 285 such violations by the Pakistan Army, while in 2016 the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to the Army figures.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 18:13 [IST]
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe set to visit India: Here's what to expect?

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will be in Gujarat for three days from September 13.

The visit, which will be Abe's first since December 2015, is part of an agreement between the leaders to make alternating bilateral visits. Modi visited Japan in November last year.

Besides laying the foundation stone for the Rs 1.1 lakh-crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, a lot will be at stake for both Tokyo and New Delhi as recent developments in the region, especially on the security front, have tested their diplomatic acumen and strategic maturity.

Abe wants to reach an agreement with Modi to strengthen bilateral cooperation on maritime security, apparently to address China's growing activities in the East and South China seas and the Indian Ocean, the sources said.

After arriving in Ahmedabad on September 13 afternoon, Modi and Abe will first visit Sabarmati Ashram, before heading for a heritage hotel in the old city area. "The Japanese PM will be accorded a very warm welcome.

During Abe's three-day visit, India and Japan are likely to take their bilateral relationship forward and ink a number of deals.

Here's what all we can expect from the Japanese PM's India visit:

The two prime ministers will also launch a couple of projects, including the Rs 3,000-crore Suzuki car manufacturing plant at Hansalpur, about 170 km from Ahmedabad, using a remote.

The Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) that India is planning to develop along with Japan is also expected to feature in the talks.

The next day, both the leaders will visit Sabarmati railway station in Ahmedabad where they will lay the foundation stone of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor or the bullet train project.

An MoU has already been signed between Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and India's Railway Ministry for the 508-km corridor, of which two-thirds is expected to fall within Gujarat.

Thereafter, Modi and Abe will head to Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar where they will participate in delegation-level talks.

"A parallel CEO conference will also be held at the same venue, where representatives from both India and Japan will participate.

A maritime security deal is also on the cards given their growing cooperation in the maritime realm.

Earlier in July this year, India, Japan, and the United States had brought in their biggest naval assets to the Malabar naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal. Given that Japan maintains a base in Djibouti and the Indian Ocean is a key conduit for the net energy importer, a maritime cooperation deal could mark a new high in the maritime ties between India and Japan. The two nations have also been holding a bilateral naval exercise, the JIMEX, since 2012.

Another big area of cooperation could be in the field of civilian nuclear energy, given that the Japan-India civilian nuclear deal recently came into force. This is a big leap of faith for Japan as the only country to have suffered from the impact of atomic weapons, especially since India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

OneIndia News (with agency inputs)

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 14:25 [IST]
FM Nirmala Sitharaman hints at possibility of Centre considering restoration of state status to J&K

J&K: 2 terrorists killed in Kulgam encounter

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Two terrorists of the Hizbul Mujahideen have been killed in an encounter at Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir. One terrorist has been arrested following the encounter.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khudwani area of Kulgam district yesterday following specific information about the presence of some terrorists there, a police official said.

During searches, the militants opened fire at the security forces who retaliated, leading to a gunfight. Two terrorists were killed in the encounter, he said adding their identity and group affiliation was being ascertained.

OneIndia News
Deprivation point to be brought back for PhD students in JNU

JNU Admissions 2022: PG First merit list to be released today; how to check

Scuffle between two groups of students in JNU; 2 injured

JNU elections 2017: Left trounces ABVP, retains all four seats

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The Left alliance retained all four seats in the Jawharlal Nehru University students union election, defeating the RSS-backed ABVP.

United Left candidate Geeta Kumari won the president's post by defeating Nidhi Tripathi of ABVP by 464 votes.

Shabana Ali of BAPSA (Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association) polled 935 votes, election panel officials said. Out of the total 4639 votes polled, 4620 were valid as 19 votes were discarded after voters put their slips in wrong ballots, they said.

For the vice president's post, AISA's Simone Zoya Khan got 1,876 votes out of total 4,620 votes. Ms Khan defeated Durgesh Kumar of ABVP who got 1028 votes.

Duggirala Srikrisha (Left) won the General Secretary's post by polling 2082 votes. He was followed by ABVP's Nikunj Makwana with 975 votes.

The post of Joint Secretary has gone to Shubhanshu Singh (Left) who got 1755 votes. Pankaj Keshari of ABVP got 920 votes.

Geeta Kumari said, "The credit for mandate goes to students because people still believe that democratic spaces should be saved and right now, the only resistance is from students."

She also promised to take up the Najeeb Ahmad issue, JNU seat cuts, new hostels, saving the autonomy of JS-cash and deprivation points.

Duggirala said that JNU has become more democratic. "We promise to reach out to students everyday and counter the aggressive policies of ABVP".

He also vowed to defend the debate and dissent culture in JNU. In the central panel, a total of 1512 NOTA votes were polled for all the four posts.

OneIndia News
ED is 'completely independent' in what it does: Nirmala Sitharaman

FM Nirmala Sitharaman hints at possibility of Centre considering restoration of state status to J&K

India will continue to rely on close cooperation of US to address global economic challenges: Sitharaman

Never called CAG report on ammunition shortage false: Nirmala Sitharaman

India

oi-PTI

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday denied reports that she had dubbed as false a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on shortage of ammunition for the troops.

She said that she had "not spoken anything about (a) CAG report" which had stated that the armed forces have ammunition that could last only for 20 days in the event of a war.

"A question was asked to me in Barmer as to whether the Indian Army faces shortage of ammunition.

I told reporters that in the Army, purchasing ammunition is a continuous process, sometimes some type of ammunition is purchased, sometimes other, as per the requirement," Sitharaman told the mediapersons at the BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar.

"The next question was asked that CAG is saying there is shortage of ammunition, but others were also asking. Today, I was astonished to see some reports which said that Nirmala Sitharaman says that CAG report is wrong. I have not spoken anything about CAG report," the minister said.

She also took to the twitter to clarify on the issue.

"The question asked to me had no reference to the CAG. My reply was procurement is a continuing process, gaps will be filled.

"In none of my answers did I mention CAG. Putting 2 and 2 together, a quote has been created, which (is) strictly not mine," Sitharaman tweeted.

During the media interaction in Barmer on Sunday, she had said that any debate on shortage of ammunition with the armed forces was "unnecessary".

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 19:14 [IST]
PM Modi reiterates support to Afghans fight against terror

India

oi-PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday promised strong support to the Afghanistan's fight against terrorism.

While receiving Afghan foreign minister Salahuddin Rabbani, Modi said India attaches the highest priority to its ties with Afghanistan and also reiterated India's full support to the government and people of Afghanistan, including through humanitarian and development assistance, in their efforts to build a peaceful, united, democratic and prosperous nation, a PMO statement said.

During the meeting, Rabbani briefed the prime minister on the situation in Afghanistan.

"Both agreed that the Afghan peace process has to be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled," the statement said.

It said Modi affirmed that India attaches the highest priority to its ties with Afghanistan. "The prime minister reiterated India's strong support to Afghanistan in fighting terrorism imposed on that country and its people," the statement added.

The statement did not elaborate on the issue of "terrorism imposed" on Afghanistan but it was an apparent reference to trouble fomented by Pakistan in that country.

Afghanistan has been saying that terrorism in that country emanates from Pakistan where the "safe havens" exist with the patronage of the Pakistani Army.

Rabbani is in India for the 2nd meeting of the India- Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council that he co-chairs along with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Earlier, after the Strategic Partnership Council meeting, Rabbani said India and Afghanistan have agreed to strengthen security cooperation.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 22:28 [IST]
Presidium School files police complaint against a teacher for inappropriate behaviour

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Sep 11: A dance teacher of the Presidium School in North West Delhi's Ashok Vihar area was sacked and a police complaint filed against him for allegedly behaving inappropriately with a girl student.

The teacher, who joined the school this month, is alleged to have behaved improperly and inappropriately with a class 5 student during a dance class.

"The teacher is alleged to have behaved improperly and using inappropriate language with the student. He is alleged to have told the child 'I will remove your ID card, then your shirt and then your skirt'. "The school's disciplinary committee has investigated the matter and on its recommendation the services of the teacher have been terminated," school Principal SB Tripathi said.

The school authorities also approached police with a complaint and demanded that an FIR be lodged against the teacher. "We request that strict action must be taken against the teacher and an FIR be lodged," Tripathi added. Police have confirmed that they received a complaint today from the school authorities. "A police team has gone to meet the victim and will be speaking to her along with the counsellors," a senior police official said.

PTI
Govt cracks down on illegal loan apps, only whitelisted apps to be hosted on App Store

RBI's net dollar purchases in July is at $2.9 billion

India

pti-PTI

Mumbai, Sep 11: The Reserve Bank purchased USD 2.953 billion of the US currency on net basis in July from the spot market. During the reporting month, it bought USD 4.893 billion and sold USD 1.940 billion in the spot market, according to the latest data from the central bank.

In June, the central bank was also net purchaser at USD 3.291 billion after it bought USD 4.971 billion while it sold USD 1.680 billion. The RBI intervenes in the foreign exchange market to contain volatility in the rupee market.

Last year in July, RBI had net bought USD 1.4 billion of dollar. In FY17, it net purchased USD 12.351 billion of the US currency as it bought USD 71.764 billion and sold USD 59.413 billion in the spot market. In the financial year 2016, RBI was net buyer to the tune of USD 10.209 billion.

In the forward dollar market, the outstanding net purchase at the end of July was USD 26.450 billion, RBI data showed, while the net forward purchase at June-end was USD 17.081 billion.

PTI
Srijan scam: Nitish Kumar mocks Lalu Prasad Yadav for organising rally on the issue

India

pti-PTI

Patna, Sep 11: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar mocked Lalu Prasad for holding a rally at Bhagalpur on the Srijan "scam" issue by calling it a "suicidal street play" and said the RJD supremo should approach the judiciary for a court-monitored CBI probe into the matter.

"It was a suicidal street play (atmaghati nukkad-natak) which will cost him (Prasad) heavily," he told reporters while commenting on the public meeting of the RJD chief and his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav at Bhagalpur yesterday. "Go to the Supreme Court or high court to say that you do not have faith in the CBI and ask them to monitor the central probe agency's inquiry into the Srijan scam," Kumar said on the demand of Prasad and his partymen.

Talking to reporters after his weekly 'Lok Samvad' (interaction with the public) programme, the chief minister said there was no point in getting into a debate with the RJD over the Srijan "scam" when a CBI probe was underway. "If anyone has any document against anybody related to the scandal, it should be handed over to the CBI," he added.

Prasad and Tejashwi, the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, had yesterday come down heavily on Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi (BJP) and demanded that they spelt out the details of "every penny embezzled" by the Srijan Mahila Vikas Sahyog Samiti Ltd, a Bhagalpur-based NGO.

Prasad wanted to know why FIRs were not lodged against Kumar, Modi, Union minister Ashwini Choubey and others in connection with the matter, which, he claimed, was nothing short of a "maha ghotala" (big scam). The Rashtriya Janata Dal chief has also been making snide remarks against Kumar and Sushil Modi. "Some persons forget 'maryada' (decency) in politics. I believe in work, instead of wasting time arguing with them," Kumar said in an oblique dig at Prasad. He also claimed that everyone got to know about the Srijan "scam" after he brought it to the public domain on August 9. During the hour-long interaction with reporters, the Janata Dal (United) national president answered a barrage of questions on rebel party leader Sharad Yadav calling a national executive meeting in Delhi on September 17. "Will a political person sit idle? Everyone has the right to get engaged in political activities. Everyone has seen how many legislators, parliamentarians and office-bearers of the party attended their programme and how many of them are with us.

"The publicity he (Sharad Yadav) has drawn from the media in the last one-and-a-half months, he had never drawn in the last 40 years of his political career," he said. On the outcome of demonetisation, Kumar, who had supported the Centre's move even when he was with the Grand Alliance by describing it as a "fight against black money", said money had returned to the banks and the owners of the money had to explain about it.

He added that he had suggested earlier also that scrapping high-value currency notes alone would not yield the desired result, unless there was a simultaneous attack on benami properties.

"I am happy that an attack has been launched against benami properties," Kumar said, in an apparent reference to the CBI probing cases against Prasad and his family members.

On a question on the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru, Kumar said the investigation should unearth the truth behind the incident. "Had this happened in Bihar, there would have been a hue and cry all over the country. The Karnataka government should crack the case soon," he added.

PTI
Surgical strikes: How India's heroes returned from PoK with bullets whistling past their ears

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

India carried out a successful strike across the Line of Control to avenge the Uri attack in which 19 soldiers of the Indian Army were martyred. While the surgical strikes hit Pakistan right at the heart, the return to the base by the heroes of the Indian Army was a tough one.

The major who led the daredevil mission detailed how tough it was to return from Pakistan occupied Kashmir after the strikes. it was the most difficult part he says.

The Army Major speaks about the stunning mission in a new book being brought out on the first anniversary of surgical strikes in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

The officer is referred to as Major Mike Tango in the book, titled "India's Most Fearless: True Stories of Modern Military Heroes".

The Army had decided to use soldiers from the units that had suffered losses in the Uri attack for the elaborate revenge mission.

A Ghatak platoon was formed and soldiers from the two units that had lost men were roped in to man border posts and provide crucial terrain intelligence and support to the mission that lay ahead.

"Tactically, this was a smart move - few knew the lay of the frontier land better than they did. But there was another astute reason."

"Involving them in the mission would at least begin to lay the ghosts of Uri to rest," says the book.

About the details of the planning, it says, "The target list was scrutinised along a top-secret chain of command that numbered barely a handful of people, with 'need to know' rules applicable throughout."

"The options were vetted by designated officers from the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing, before a final recommended brief was presented to the government."

Major Tango was entrusted with the job of leading the operation to carry out the strikes.

"As team Leader, Major Tango had chosen every man himself, including the officers and men who would play a supporting role. He was also acutely aware of the fact that the lives of 19 men were, quite literally, in his hands," the book says.

Though Major Tango chose the best men for the job, one thing was bothering him - the de-induction or the return.

"That's where I knew I could lose guys," the book quotes him as recalling.

"Even the actual attack was not something that flustered the commandos. It was the return, an uphill trek to the LoC that was the truly daunting part."

"Their backs would be facing a blaze of fire from Pakistan Army posts, belatedly roused from their slumber. And the dominant position held by the posts would make the escaping warriors easy targets to spot and kill," the book says.

A total of four terror launch pads operated by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and protected by the Pakistan Army were selected.

"Through a series of masked communications over mobile, Major Tango's men contacted four 'assets'- two local villagers in PoK and two Pakistani nationals operating in the area - both moles in the dreaded Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group, men who had been turned by Indian agencies a few years before.

"All the four assets separately confirmed the target information that was placed before them. In terms of intelligence, there was nothing further for the team to do on this side of the LoC," the book says.

The book, written by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh and published by Penguin India, tells 14 true stories of extraordinary courage and fearlessness, providing a glimpse into the kind of heroism India's soldiers display in unthinkably hostile conditions and under grave provocation.

The mission was brief - the soldiers were expected to reach their targets, study the latest intelligence they could possibly access with their satellite devices and then proceed to wipe out every man they saw there, the book says.

The weapons and equipment were then finalised.

"Major Tango would be armed with his M4A1 5.56-mm carbine, the rest of the assault team with a mix of M4A1s and standard-issue Israeli Tavor TAR-21 assault rifles, Instalaza C90 disposable grenade launchers and Galil sniper rifles. Batteries on night-vision equipment were checked and other devices were charged too," the book says.

Two of the terror launch pads identified as targets for Major Tango's team were well inside PoK and roughly 500 metres away from each other, it says.

"Each launch pad is really a transit staging area for terrorist infiltrators before they are sent across the LoC. Both launch pads were close to Pakistan Army posts for logistical and administrative purposes. ISI handlers would often visit these launch pads before infiltration attempts," according the book.

"From the moment the firefight began until the last bullet was fired, it had been just over an hour. The frenetic pace of the assault meant the teams, now united after the split attack on two launch pads, would prepare to leave with only a very rough estimate of the number of terrorists they had managed to kill: 20. The figure would be corroborated days later by India's external intelligence.

"A total of 38-40 terrorists and two Pakistan Army personnel were killed at the four targets. The three separate teams had simultaneously struck 4 launch pads across the LoC. Their entry into PoK had been coordinated and precisely timed," it says.

As for the return, the major decided to take not the route used to enter PoK but a different path that was longer and more circuitous, but comparatively safe.

But while the Indian soldiers were returning, the Pakistan Army posts opened fire with everything they had - enraged by the cross-border strike.

"At one point, the bullets were so close, they were whistling past our ears. There's a familiar put-put sound when rounds fly very close to your head," Maj. Tango recalls.

"If I were a foot taller, I would have been hit many times over."

During the circuitous escape, the men were frequently flat on the ground as trees in their path were shredded to bits by hails of ammunition, the book says.

"A particularly vulnerable 60-metre patch in the de- induction route gave the commandos their closest call. Still flat on their bellies, but with no natural feature hiding them, they needed to slither the full distance without being hit. Crossing in pairs as ammunition hit the ground inches from them, Maj. Tango's team made it to the LoC before the sun was up, finally crossing it at 0430 hours."

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 6:16 [IST]
Woman, her two children mowed down by train; Suicide not ruled out

PM to flag off South India's first 'Vande Bharat Express' on Nov 11

Vande Bharat Express rams into cattle near Atul station in Gujarat, third incident this month

Vande Bharat Express first trial run between Chennai-Mysuru begins: 5 facts to know

30 injured after two trains collide in Switzerland

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Atleast 30 people were injured after two trains collided in Andermatt, Switzerland, Reuters reported, citing Swiss police.

The crash occured at a train station in Andermatt, a mountain village and municipality in the canton of Uri.

It is thought around 100 passengers were on the trains involved.

Police did not comment on the severity of the injuries, but emergency services have rushed to the scene.

The accident was caused by a train malfunction, according to the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn railway, as cited by the Urner Zeitung.

The Uri canton police are investigating the exact cause of the incident, according to Blick newspaper.

Roads have been closed near the station as paramedics attend the scene in the mountain town.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 18:55 [IST]
Should Kashmir be given to Pakistan: Row erupts after this question appears in MP civil service exam

From hijab to Kashmir, Zawahiri was Al-Qaeda's voice for everything anti-India

IGP Kashmir appeals youth to shun violence, join mainstream

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday assured that misguided youths who shun violence would be received with open hearts.

Central Reserve Police Force and Kashmir Police jointly held a press conference after the arrest of one militant following the encounter in Kulgam.

Muneer Khan, IGP Kshmir said: "It's a clear message to others who have been lured into all this that if they come, we receive them with open hearts."

"He (Adil) could've been killed by forces, preferred to give him chance to live and come to mainstream. That's why caught him alive," said Khan.

Z Hassan, IG CRPF, assured that if youths decide to get away from whoever is misguiding them, their future would be safe in the valley.

Want to assure every person in valley your future would be safe if you decide to get away from whoever is misguiding you: Z Hassan, CRPF IG pic.twitter.com/SnkqkjnXx3  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

Earlier, two terrorists of the Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in an encounter at Kulgam and one terrorist was arrested following the encounter.

OneIndia News
Kansas killing: Widow of Srinivas Kuchibhotla faced deportation from US

International

oi-Madhuri

The widow of Austins Bar & Grill shooting victim Srinivas Kuchibhotla lost her US resident status when her husband status when her Indian husband was killed in February in a suspected hate crime.

Sunayana Dumala has been living in US since she enrolled in a Minnesota college in 2007. She married Kuchibhotla, a technical engineer, in 2012 and they applied for a green card on his H-1B visa.

However, Dumala lost her US resident status after the death of her husband, Srinivas in a Feb 22 shooting at Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe. Witnesses said the gunman shouted racial slurs before opening fire.

Kevin Yoder, a Republican member of the house of representatives, said that he became "apoplectic" when he heard the news and began working to help Dumala maintain her residency after she travelled to Hyderabad for her husband's funeral and feared she would be unable to return to the US.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 19:15 [IST]
Obama marks 13th anniversary of 9/11 with new war on the horizon

Remembering 9/11: Thousands to gather at ground zero

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Thousands of 9/11 victims' relatives, survivors, rescuers and others are expected to gather Monday at the World Trade Center to remember the deadliest terror attack on American soil.

Sixteen years later, the quiet rhythms of commemoration have become customs: a recitation of all the names of the dead, moments of silence and tolling bells, and two powerful light beams that shine through the night.

Yet each ceremony also takes on personal touches. Over the years, some name-readers have added messages ranging from the universal ("the things we think separate us really don't we're all part of this one Earth") to the personal ("I love you and miss you. Go Packers!").

"Thank you, New York, for continuing to honor the victims of 9/11 and the privilege of reading their names," Judy Bram Murphy added last year. She lost her husband, Brian Joseph Murphy.

Nearly 3,000 people died when hijacked planes slammed into the trade center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001, hurling America into a new consciousness of the threat of global terrorism.

President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker observing the anniversary for the first time as the nation's leader, is scheduled to observe a moment of silence at about the time the first airplane hit. The White House said he is to be joined by first lady Melania Trump.

He also planned to participate in a 9/11 observance at the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are hosting a private observance for victims' relatives there at 9:11 a.m.

After the names are read at that ceremony, there's a public observance, with a wreath-laying and remarks.

Vice President Mike Pence and US Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke are scheduled to deliver remarks at the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville.

It's on the rural field where one of the airliners crashed after passengers and crew fought to wrest control away from the terrorists who'd hijacked it and were heading for Washington.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 15:02 [IST]
Sushma asks for report on alleged racial profiling of Indian at Frankfurt airport

Indian woman asked to strip in front of 4-yr-old daughter at Frankfurt airport

Was the Punjab CM deplaned in Frankfurt for being drunk? AAP rejects claims

Six injured in Frankfurt airport tear gas attack

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

At least six people were injured after a reported "tear gas attack" at one of the check-in counters in Germany's Frankfurt airport.

Casualties reported suffering breathing problems and the gas was described by officials as an "irritant". People are also being treated for eye injuries.

Firefighters and police were deployed to the scene as people were treated for their injuries.

Frankfurt Airport confirmed the incident had been stood down as of 11.40am after someone sprayed the gas at passengers.

The motive and direct cause of the incident is yet to be assertained.

At least 20 check-in counters were closed while police and fire crews dealt with the incident.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 17:41 [IST]
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

Texas: Indian-Americans play key role in post-Harvey relief

International

oi-PTI

Indian-Americans in Texas, especially the youth, are helping hundreds of people affected by Hurricane Harvey by giving food, shelter and medical assistance.

The efforts of government agencies, including the federal, state, county and city, police, coast guard, armed forces, Red Cross and others, have been phenomenal in saving lives and providing for the needs of those who got trapped in the hurricane.

However, the amount of destruction and devastation caused by Harvey needs a herculean effort to speed up the reconstruction work in the flooded neighbourhoods.

"Over the past two weeks, volunteers have already put in 23,100 hours of work towards various relief and rehabilitation projects and we have raised over $300,000 and the target is 1 million," Gitesh Desai, president of Sewa in Houston, said.

"We plan to support rebuilding efforts of homes that need to be fixed through a public-private partnership with the US government agencies and many of the Indian American entrepreneurs in Houston," he said.

As families start to move back into the houses, more than 800 volunteers of different Indian non-profit groups coordinated by Sewa International are helping people clean up the mess that catastrophic floods have left behind.

Worst affected are the poor and less privileged communities.

One such community that Sewa International worked with was the Cambodian Buddhist community in Houston.

Volunteers helped clean up more than 200 mobile homes and trailer homes belonging to the community members.

"Indo-American organisations have been leading fundraising efforts and are planning to contribute to Mayor's Hurricane Relief and Governor's Rebuild Texas funds in addition to contribution in kind exceeding $2 million already," Jiten Agarwal, an IIT alumnus and founder of data analytics firm Expedien in Houston, said.

Indian restaurants have also opened up their kitchens to provide hot meals at various shelters.

"Houston restaurants served over 30,000 meals since the landfall," said Dinesh Purohit, owner of Cafe India, that has been serving free food and supplies.

Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) is also reaching out to Small Business Administration (SBA) and plans to work closely with its District Director Tim Jeffcoat to organise seminars for business loans across the various areas in the region affected.

Achalesh Amar, leading the volunteer efforts in Rosharon, says: "We have committed to be here and help as long as it takes to get the community back on its feet".

Swadesh Katoch, the director of disaster relief for Sewa International, also came from Atlanta to support the ground operations in Houston.

"Today I saw the true leadership of India as a global power. Working with the Cambodian community, I saw picture of Hanuman coming out of water on the wall of one of the Cambodian families. These symbols of shared heritage tell the story of the global power that India was and we hope that we are all working towards the same positive global power that India will be," he said.

SEWA International has set up medical camps for sick people. It is also providing construction supplies to support the massive cleanup operation in Houston.

IACCGH President Allen Richards through an animal rescue charity has helped rescue over 150 animals and distributed 30,000 pounds of pet food.

Volunteers also rescued 200 Indian students at University of Houston who were trapped on the top floor of their apartment building near campus when floods hit the building two weeks back, provided them food, essentials and moved them to safer shelters.

ISKCON temple has been serving meals since the day Hurricane Harvey hit Houston.

The Sikh National Center received trucks of supplies for distribution from across the country from other Sikh communities, as far away as Yuba City, California.

In addition to providing cleaning supplies, toiletries, drinking water, shelf food and pet food, the Sikh community put in long hours to prepare meals to be distributed to the displaced families.

Guudwara Saheb of South West Houston's (GSSWH) Prithvipal Singh Likhari offered up to $25,000 in matching funds for all donations made to the hurricane relief fund.

"I think the real winner - the true silver lining in these storm clouds - is the human spirit. It's unfortunate that it takes a disaster to bring us all together, but it is refreshing to know that the spirit of love and compassion is alive in us all," said Mary, a Sugarland resident whose house was damaged completely.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Monday, September 11, 2017, 18:29 [IST]
UN rights commissioner dismayed over Rohingya refugees, Gauri Lankesh murder

International

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

The UN high commissioner for human rights on Monday criticised India for the assassination of journalist Gauri Lankesh and seeking to deport Rohingyas back to Mynamar.

Delivering the opening statement at the 36th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the high commissioner, said "Gauri Lankesh, a journalist who tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred, was assassinated last week. I have been heartened by the subsequent marches calling for protection of the right to freedom of expression, and by demonstrations in 12 cities to protest the lynchings."

Commenting upon cow vigilantism in India, Zeid said: "The current wave of violent, and often lethal, mob attacks against people under the pretext of protecting the lives of cows is alarming."

As per Hindustan Times reports, he expressed dismay at what he called the "broader rise of intolerance towards religious and other minorities in India", and alleged that those who spoke out for fundamental human rights faced threats.

He described the situation of Myanmar's Rohingya minority as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing" and criticised both Yangon and New Delhi.

Al Hussein condemned New Delhi's measures to deport Rohingyas, noting that nearly 40,000 had settled in India and 16,000 of them had received refugee documentation.

He further asked the Myanmar government to stop claiming the Rohingyas were setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their villages.

(With agency inputs)
 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd.

All rights reserved.

One News is a registered trademark

of One News Page Ltd.
GlobeNewswire 07 Sep 2022

*Highlights:* Results of the infill and expansion drill campaign continue to *show growth and improvement of the Monique Deposit..
Eurasia Review 17 Oct 2022

It has been reported that Myanmar is working on nuclear weapons with assistance from Russia. We all know that Myanmar is known to..
Emeging Evolution : Global Conformal Coatings Market for Automotive Electronics Will Grow At A CAGR Of 6.21% By 2021

http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1320814

http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1320814

http://www.researchmoz.us/global-conformal-coatings-market-for-automotive-electronics-2017-2021-report.html

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

https://marketinfo247.wordpress.com/

Albany, NY, 11th September : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Global Conformal Coatings Market for Automotive Electronics 2017-2021" globally.Conformal coatings are materials that are applied in thin layers (0.002 to 0.005 inch) on electronic substrates. These coatings protect and cover printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other electrical components from harsh environmental conditions such as moisture, dirt, abrasion, chemical, mechanical stress, and vibration and thereby improving the durability of the electronic components used.Technavios analysts forecast the global conformal coatings market for automotive electronics to grow at a CAGR of 6.21% during the period 2017-2021.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global conformal coatings market for automotive electronics for 2017-2021. The report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:APACEuropeNorth AmericaROWTechnavio's report, Global Conformal Coatings Market for Automotive Electronics 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 vendorsChase CorporationH.B. FullerHenkelIllinois Tool WorksShin-Etsu ChemicalThe Dow Chemical CompanyMake an Enquiry about TOC @Other prominent vendorsAalpha Conformal CoatingsACC SiliconesACLALTANAConins PuneCreative MaterialsCSL SiliconesDymaxElectrolubeEuroplasmaJOHN C. DOLPH COMPANYMaster BondMG ChemicalsSpecialty Coating SystemsThe Peters GroupMarket driverGrowing demand for fuel-efficient automobilesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeRegulations on high emissions of VOCFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendGrowing emphasis on active safety systems in automobilesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportBrowse Report @Key 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?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 :
Genome Engineering Market is Expanding at a Remarkable CAGR of 14.2% from 2015 to 2023

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/genome-editing-engineering-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/4671

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4671

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=4671<ype=S

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

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.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.View Full Report: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.Request to download and view full ToC -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$3.68 bn. The widening applications of genome engineering resulting from the increasing research and development activities are contributing to the growth of the region. Asia Pacific will be the most promising regional market, thanks to the increasing government incentives.Rising Opposition on Ethical Grounds to Hamper Growth ProspectsOver the past few years, genetic engineering has received a lot of opposition on ethical grounds from several health, social, and religious organizations. According to the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH), genetic engineering of human embryos leads to complications in human genes and has, therefore, prohibited its funding. In addition, various social organizations are persistent about the ban of genetic engineering as the alteration in animal genes can adversely affect the genetic makeup of the coming generations of the animal along with hampering the lifespan of the genetically engineered animal.Request to view Sample Report:Along with the rising ethical concerns, the stringent regulatory framework for the approval of genetic modifications in plants, animals, and human genome are acting as a major bottleneck in the growth of the global genome engineering market. Nevertheless, the growing adoption of genome engineering technologies in agriculture for crop improvement is opening new avenues for players in the market.Buy Genome Engineering Market Report for @ US$ 5795 @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:
Ileostomy Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024

Ileostomy Market

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ileostomy-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=23285

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/23285

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=23285<ype=S

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

According to the research report, the global market for ileostomy stood at US$765.2 mn in 2015. Proliferating at a CAGR of 8.90% over the period from 2016 to 2024, the market is anticipated to attain a value of US$1.65 bn by the end of the forecast period. The demand for stoma bags is much higher than other equipment and the trend is anticipated to remain so over the period of the forecast, states the report.View Full Report:Based on procedure, the report bifurcate the global ileostomy market into end ileostomy and loop ileostomy. Among the two, the end ileostomy led the overall market in 2015 and is anticipated to remain at the leading position during the forecast period, thanks to its increasing application for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, which is highly prevalent among global population.Regionally, the report has classified the worldwide ileostomy market into Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. With a share of 43.2%, Europe led the global market in 2015. With the presence of a well-developed healthcare infrastructure, supporting the expansion of this market in this regions, the Europe ileostomy market is likely to remain on the top over the next few years. Apart from this, the presence of leading companies here is also expected to aid this regional market in the near future, notes the study.Request to view Sample Report:As per a TMR analyst, the growth in the geriatric population will fuel the demand for ileostomy substantially in the near future, as people above 80 years are extremely vulnerable to a number of chronic diseases. The increase in longevity, globally, is likely to boost the demand for these procedures in the coming years, thus creating lucrative growth opportunities for the market, he added further.On the other hand, the augmenting demand for alternative procedures, although expensive but highly efficient, may inhibit the markets growth trajectory over the forthcoming years. In addition to this, the lack of favorable reimbursement policies will remain the bottleneck for this market in the near future, states the report.Request to Download TOC of the Report:The global ileostomy market demonstrates a high degree of consolidation, finds a new research study by Transparency Market Research (TMR). Coloplast, Hollister, and Convatec are the leading players in this market, among which Coloplast held the dominant position in 2016 with a share of 36%. With a diverse product portfolio and a number of mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships that took place recently, Coloplast is likely to continue leading the market over the next few years.Other prominent players in this market are focusing aggressively on diversifying their product offerings, for which they are expected to increase research and development activities in the years to come, notes the research study.Global Ileostomy Market Report is available @ US$ 5795 :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.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Vascular Stents Market To Grow At A CAGR Of 7.22% During The Period 2017-2021 Key Vendors  Abbott, Boston Scientific, Cardinal Health, Cook Medical, Medtronic

http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1320830

http://www.researchmoz.us/global-vascular-stents-market-2017-2021-report.html

http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1320830

http://www.researchmoz.us/

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Vascular Stents Market 2017-2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Vascular stents are used to treat diseases such as coronary artery diseases (CADs) peripheral artery diseases (PADs), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and stroke. The global vascular stents market is driven by technologically advanced and minimally invasive products. The incidence of diseases associated with vascular stents has been increasing globally, where the blood supply gets obstructed due to the deposition of calcified plaque in coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscles or peripheral arteries, which supply blood to the head, arms, stomach, and legs.Technavios analysts forecast the global vascular stents market to grow at a CAGR of 7.22% during the period 2017-2021.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global vascular stents market for 2017-2021. The report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEAGlobal Vascular Stents 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 vendorsAbbottBoston ScientificCardinal HealthCook MedicalMedtronicBrowse Detail Report With Full TOC @Other prominent vendorsB. BraunBiosensors InternationalBIOTRONIKFortimedix SurgicalInspireMDlepumedicalMeril Life SciencesMicroPort ScientificNeovascSORIN GROUPTerumo MedicalW. L. Gore & AssociatesMarket driverIncreasing burden of vascular diseasesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeStringent regulations for product approvalFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendTechnological advances in stentsFor 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?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Increasing availability of Artificial Intelligence Certification Courses Market 2017-2021

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1320862/global-artificial-intelligence-certification-courses-market-research-reports

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1320862

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

"The Report Global Artificial Intelligence Certification Courses Market 2017-2021 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"About Artificial Intelligence Certification CoursesAI, defined as a computer technology performs task that previously required human intelligence to complete. At present, working professionals are availing AI certifications for career advances to effectively contribute to business trends. By learning and developing AI skills, they can take a strategic and thoughtful approach in their career development. Once users understand AI concepts, identifying and eliminating errors with the use of algorithms and processes becomes easy.Technavios analysts forecast the global artificial intelligence certification courses market to grow at a CAGR of 34.15% during the period 2017-2021.View Report @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global artificial intelligence certification courses market for 2017-2021. The report presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:North AmericaEuropeAPACROWTechnavio's report, Global Artificial Intelligence Certification Courses 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.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @Key vendorsCourseraedXEITUdacityOther prominent vendorsIBMIRPAAIIntelInsight dataNobleProgMarket driverIncreasing investments by established firmsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeIncreasing availability of low-priced and free coursesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendUse of Big Data for performance evaluationFor 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?About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Mr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Biodegradable Packaging Market Set for Rapid Growth And Trend, by 2014 - 2020

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-323

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-323

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Biodegradable packaging provides natural and easily degradable protection when used mainly for the presentation and packaging of the products from the moment the production process begins until the product is administered or consumed. Biodegradable packaging significantly differs from the conventional non-biodegradable packaging. Biodegradable packaging degrades easily and quickly and thus, usually does not require the help of an external catalyst for degradation. Biodegradable products are usually land filled than that compared to that of the non-biodegradable conventional products. Depending on the choice of the materials used in the manufacturing of biodegradable packaging the properties, consumer attributes and appearance of the product packaging varies. Biodegradable packaging sector is a small segment which represents a merger percentage of the packaging industry. The global biodegradable packaging has now moved on towards more advanced and efficient packaging. A decade ago, biodegradable packaging was not known to have any real significance. However, recently biodegradable packaging has become an integral part of the global packaging market. The rising consumer awareness towards biodegradable packaging has led to the tremendous growth of the overall market.Increased consumer preference towards biodegradable materials coupled with the growing environmental concern is expected to boost the overall growth of the biodegradable packaging market. Most of the major packaging companies are now shifting their focus towards biodegradable packaging in order to achieve greater consumer satisfaction. In addition, to differentiate their products from that of the competitors many manufacturers are now shifting towards biodegradable packaging. The biodegradable packaging market is expected to witness the fastest growth than that compared to the plastics packaging market. The biodegradable packaging market is a relatively new market however; it is expected to capture the existing market share of the non-biodegradable plastic packaging market. The food packaging and beverage packaging market is expected to play a crucial role in driving the overall global biodegradable packaging market. However, lack of government support especially in the developed countries is expected to curb the growth of the market. The presence of hugeprice difference between the biodegradable packaging and other conventional packaging is further expected to hamper the growth of the market.Request Report Sample@Europe and North America are expected to dominate the overall market of biodegradable packaging. North America is expected to be the largest consumer of the biodegradable packaging market.The developed regions are expected to dominate the overall biodegradable packaging market owing to the presence of mature markets that consist of highly environmental conscious consumers. In addition, the presence of high-spending population is also expected to increase the overall demand for biodegradable packaging in the developed regions. The presence of large populations in Asia Pacific is expected to boost the biodegradable packaging market. Owing to the increase in the contract manufacturing process coupled with increased governmental interest to promote biodegradable products by providing incentives in some countries such as China and India is further expected to contribute to the growth of the market.Visit For TOC@The biodegradable packaging market is highly fragmented in nature. Some of the key participants of the biodegradable packagin market include International Paper, Natureworks LLC, Biopac, BASF SE, Stora Enso, Smurfit Kappa Group, Rocktenn, Clearwater Paper Corporation, Georgia-Pacific LLC and Novamont S.P.A among others. The companies mainly strive towards developing newtechnologies to manufacture biodegradable packaging material from various easily available natural resources. There are also huge investments in the research and development in order to develop innovative product which in turn would help the companies to gain competitive advantage in the market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
South East Asia Residential Water Treatment Equipment Market Value is Expected to Increase US$ 787.1 million end of 2026

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/south-east-asia-residential-water-treatment-equipment-market/toc

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/13675

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/south-east-asia-residential-water-treatment-equipment-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/13675

www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Governments, municipal authorities and civic bodies across Southeast Asian countries will remain determined towards supply of potable & highly-filtered drinking water to millions of households residing in this region. In the years to come, Southeast Asia will witness higher spending on purifying the water used for residential purposes, which will necessitate the need for adopting best-in-class water treatment equipment. Surging population in Southeast Asian countries will hike their per capita water consumption and further boost the sales of residential water treatment equipment.Persistence Market Research has recently published its analytical study on Southeast Asias residential water treatment equipment market which projects a robust growth in terms of revenue and volumes. The US$ 350 million market for residential water treatment equipment in Southeast Asia is being anticipated to soar at 8.3% CAGR and reach US$ 787.1 million market value by the end of 2026.Request to view table of content @In the report, titled Residential Water Treatment Equipment Market: Southeast Asia Industry Analysis & Forecast, 2016-2026, Persistence Market Research approximates that nearly six million units of residential water treatment equipment were sold across Southeast Asia in 2016. Soaring at an expected 9.3% CAGR, more than 15 million units of residential water treatment equipment will be consumed in the region by end of 2026.Indonesia is one of the leading countries in Southeast Asia in terms of infrastructure development and economic growth. The countrys vast residential sector accounted for about 40% of Southeast Asias residential water treatment equipment revenues in 2016. Over the forecast period, Indonesias residential water treatment equipment market will be valued above US$ 360 million, rendering it a dominant country for residential water treatment equipment in Southeast Asian region.A sample of this report is available upon request @Malaysia and Philippines are also projected to dominate by collectively accounting for nearly 30% of Southeast Asias residential water treatment equipment market value through 2026.Rapid industrialization in Southeast Asia has contaminated the groundwater as well as flowing water bodies of the region. Reverse osmosis treatment of water is being considered as one of the most viable option for supplying clean water to Southeast Asian homes.Browse Complete Report @One out of every two residential water treatment equipment sold across Southeast Asia is a reverse osmosis (RO) purifier. Apart from the RO purifiers, more water treatment bodies in Southeast Asia countries are adopting UV-based purification systems. By the end of 2026, UV water purifiers will bring revenues worth US$ 180 million in Southeast Asias water treatment equipment market.Global Market Study on South East Asia Residential Water Treatment Equipment is available at $3900 @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Geriatric Medicines Market to Reach US$ 948.0 Billion by the End of 2023

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/geriatric-medicine-market.html

www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/2445

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=2445

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=2445<ype=S

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

The global market for geriatric medicines stood at US$ 504.7 bn in 2014 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 7.3 % during 20152023. Rising at this pace, the opportunities in the market is anticipated to reach US$ 948.0 bn by the end of 2023.Governments Push for Quality Geriatric Care Bodes Well for MarketThe global geriatric medicines market is primarily driven the general rise in the elderly populations in various regions, particularly in developing and developed nations. The growing prevalence of adults aged over 65 years that are affected by a variety of chronic conditions and the rising incidence of diseases such as neurological disorders, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular disorder are the key factors boosting the geriatric medicines market. A large number of aged people reliant on polypharmacy are prone to the side-effects due to the interactions of the different medications. This has propelled the demand for geriatric care, thereby catalyzing the geriatric medicines market.View Full Report:The increasing prevalence medication-related problems among older adults and the pressing need for palliative care are the seminal factors boosting the geriatric market. Furthermore, in recent years, the concerted efforts by governments in providing quality geriatric care in a number of emerging countries and the significant investments made by them in opening geriatric care units have accentuated the market. The rising prevalence of aged people suffering from different chronic conditions has fueled the demand for analgesics among the elderly population, thereby stimulating the uptake of geriatric medicines. The increasing prevalence of various cardiovascular conditions has triggered the incidence of heart attacks, thereby fueling the demand for geriatric medicines.However, the lack of awareness about the availability of geriatric care among elderly patients in emerging nations is a crucial factor likely to impede the market to an extent. On the other hand, constant advances in healthcare infrastructure in several nations in developing and developed regions is expected to open up exciting opportunities for market players.Request to download and view full ToC -Asia Pacific to Provide Lucrative Growth Avenues in Coming YearsRegionally, the global geriatric medicines market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Of these, the Asia Pacific market is expected to rise at the substantial CAGR over the forecast period. The growth of the regional market is expected to be fueled by the increasing prevalence of medical conditions and diseases affecting the aged people and substantial government initiatives in providing quality geriatric care through care units.Based on the disease condition, the geriatric medicines market is segmented into arthritis, cardiovascular, neurological, osteoporosis, respiratory, and cancer. Among these, the cardiovascular segment held the major revenue share in 2014 and is projected to rise at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. The dominance of the segment is attributed to the rising prominence of cardiovascular conditions affecting the elderly people needing geriatric care and the mounting concerns related to cardiac attacks.Request to view Sample Report:Some of the prominent players operating in the global geriatric medicines market are Sanofi S.A., Pfizer, Inc., Novartis International AG, Merck & Company Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Eli Lilly and Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Ko. KG, Abbott Laboratories, Inc., and AstraZeneca plc. Several players are capitalizing on emerging opportunities in a number of developing nations as the governments are making substantial investments in providing geriatric medicine and palliative care, observes Transparency Market Research (TMR).Buy Geriatric Medicines Market Report for @ US$ 5795 @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:
Growth Drivers For The Global Dual Lens Smartphone Market Are: Expansion In Fusion Technology, Production Capacity Expansion Along With The Rise In Disposable Income

http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=706636

http://www.researchmoz.us/global-dual-lens-smartphone-market-trends-and-opportunities-2016-2020-report.html

http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=706636

http://www.researchmoz.us/

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Dual Lens Smartphone Market: Trends & Opportunities (2016-2020)" to its huge collection of research reports.The report titled Global Dual Lens Smartphone Market: Trends & Opportunities (2016-2020) provides an in-depth analysis of the global dual lens smartphone market with detailed analysis of market sizing and growth, market share and economic impact of the industry. The report also provides the shipment analysis of major players in the market such as Apple and Samsung. The report also provides an overview of global smartphone market which includes market size in terms of volume and smartphone users worldwide along with the market segments.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report provides country analysis of China for the dual lens smartphone market which includes market sizing in terms of volume along with the penetration rate of dual lens smartphones.Furthermore, the report 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 global dual lens smartphone market has also been forecasted for the period 2016-2020, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends. The competition in the global dual lens smartphone market is stiff and dominated by the big players like Huawei. Further, key players of the dual lens smartphone market HTC Corporation and LG Electronics Inc. are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.Country Coverage- Global- ChinaBrowse Detail Report With Full TOC @Company Coverage- Huawei Investment &Holding Co., Ltd.- HTC Corporation- LG Electronics Inc.Executive SummaryGlobal dual lens smartphone market is at its nascent stage as the market evolved in 2014 after the launch of HTC and Huawei dual lens smartphones. Major players of the market launched new smartphones with dual lens cameras by the end of 2015 thus; the market is projected to have grown significantly in 2015. For the span of next five years i.e. 2016-2020, projections are made that the market would rise tremendously at a significant CAGR. China is expected to lead the market accounting the significant share in the market.The growth drivers for the global dual lens smartphone market are: expansion in fusion technology, production capacity expansion along with the rise in disposable income. Despite the market is governed by various growth drivers, there are certain challenges faced by the market such as: technological hurdles, stable sourcing of image sensor and migration to finer processes for image sensors, high-cost burdens, and algorithms.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Automotive HVAC System Market - Dynamics, Segments and Supply Demand 2017-2025

Automotive HVAC System Market

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-hvac-system-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=25682

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

http://marketresearchreports2017.blogspot.in

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are meant for ensuring proper ventilation and air conditioning within a vehicle. Such a system provides good air quality within the vehicle and makes the environment comfortable for the driver and co-passengers. There are two different types of air conditioning system used in the automotive industry such as the expansion valve system and the fixed orifice tube system.In an expansion valve system, the compressor compresses the low pressure refrigerant received from an evaporator into a high pressure refrigerant vapour, which is sent to a condenser. During this stage, the low pressure refrigerant vapour, which enters the compressor is cold but at the compression process the vapour temperature is increased considerably. During the compression process, heat absorbed by the refrigerant vapour is released out in the atmosphere.Browse Market Research Report @The components of an automotive air conditioning unit includes compressor, condenser, evaporator, pressure regulating devices, orifice tube, thermal expansion valve, receiver-drier and accumulator. The compressor is considered the heart of automobile HVAC system. It is a pump which is belt driven and attached to the engine. The compressor helps in the compressing and transferring of refrigerant gas. A condenser is used to help radiate heat and is normally located in front of the vehicle.When the hot compressed gases are introduced on the top of a condenser, they are cooled instantly and after the cooling is complete, they condense and exit from the bottom of the condenser as a high pressure fluid. An evaporator is a heat absorber component of the HVAC system. The main purpose of an evaporator is to remove the heat from inside the vehicle and dehumidify the environment within it. Pressure regulating devices are meant for controlling the evaporator temperature by regulating the refrigerant pressure and flow into the evaporator.The automotive HVAC System market can be classified by air conditioning system type, by application and by geography. The air conditioning system type segment can be classified into the expansion valve system and the fixed orifice tube system. By application, the market can be segregated as passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles. By geography, the market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.Enter your information below to receive a sample copy of this report @Increasing demand for passenger vehicles and the requirement for air conditioning systems under extreme weather conditions are the major driving forces for the global automotive HVAC system market. In addition, economic reforms in developing countries, growth in the global automotive sector and rising private equity investments in automotive HVAC system manufacturing companies across the world is set to influence the growth of this market positively. Moreover, increasing production of vehicles is also set to bolster the growth of this market globally. In terms of market revenue share, Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest share by the end of forecast period followed by Europe, North America, Latin America and, Middle East and Africa.The report also provides company market share analysis of the various industry participants. Acquisition is the main strategy being widely followed by leading market players. In case of an acquisition, the acquirer takes advantage of existing synergies. As a result, both companies are expected to emerge more profitable and stronger than before. Key players in the global automotive HVAC system market have been profiled and their company overview, financial overview, business strategies and recent developments have been covered in the report. Major market participants profiled in this report include: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kg, Air International Thermal Systems, Calsonic Kansei, Denso Corporation, DelStar Technologies, Engineered Plastic Components, Hanon Systems, Japan Climate Systems Corporation, Mahle Behr GmbH, Johnson Electric, Sanden Holdings Corporation, Valeo Group and Sensata Technologies among others.About Us:-Transparency Market Research 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 are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who 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 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:
Learn details of the Advances in Open Pouch laminates Market Forecast and Segments, 2016-2026

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/open-pouch-laminates-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=20000

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Open pouch laminates Market: IntroductionAs competition intensifies in consumer products market, product manufacturers are identifying and leveraging the latent potential in the market. Consequently, several new products were launched in the consumer market in recent years to attract customers. Open pouch laminates are one of the important packaging solution for brand owners. Open pouch laminates prevents the pharmaceutical products from moisture. Open pouch laminates are available in the market in a very light weight. Moreover, open pouch laminates offer very decent seal integrity for the pharmaceutical product safety and convenience.Obtain Report Details @Open pouch laminates: Market DynamicsGlobal open pouch laminates market is mainly driven by the mounting growth of pharmaceutical industry. Open pouch laminates are used widely in the different pharmaceutical products such as tablet, capsules and different medical devices. The product is gaining popularity among the manufacturers of pharmaceutical owing to the property of preventing the product from moisture. Moreover, the rising competition among pharmaceutical companies is expected to increase the acceptance of open pouch laminates during the forecast period. Moreover, the increasing preference towards light weight packaging solution among brand owners is expected to fuel the sales of open pouch laminates in the upcoming decade. Open pouch laminates are also used massively in the medical devices packaging. Moreover, the open pouch laminates offer easy opening of the product which can create a massive impact in the sales of the product during the forecast period. Furthermore, open pouch laminates ensure the seal integrity of the medicine that in turn escalates the sales of open pouch, as it is capable of preventing the product from the moisture.Open pouch laminates: Market SegmentationThe global open pouch laminates market is segmented on the basis of type of the material type, application typeBased on the material type the global open pouch laminates market is segmented into:PaperPolyethylene (PE)AluminumAluminum foil laminateBased on the application type the global open pouch laminates market is segmented into:PharmaceuticalsOral dissolve stripsTransdermal & TransmucosalOpen pouch laminates Market: Regional outlookIn terms of geography, the global open pouch laminates market has been divided in to five key regions including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Asia pacific is expected to remain its dominance throughout the forecast period due to the rising growth in pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, China, India are the most preferred destination among the manufacturers of open pouch laminates during the forecast period. North America is also anticipated to register healthy CAGR in the upcoming decade. Europe is also anticipated to grow in fast pace owing to the healthy pharmaceutical growth in Germany, England and France. Moreover, lain America is expected to witness very slow growth as compare to the other region during the forecast period.Fill the Form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @Open pouch laminates Market: Key playersSome of the key players in the global open pouch laminates market are Amcor limited, Rotek laminates, USI, Inc., Oracle packaging, Mondi group etc. Key players also emphasizing for mergers and acquisitions with the local players to increase the product portfolio and also to penetrate their business into emerging countries. Also the companies are increasing their product portfolio to obtain new customers as well as to retain existing customers.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 UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Fluoropolymer Films Market will Register a CAGR of 5.3% through 2026

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/fluoropolymer-film-market

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/fluoropolymer-film-market/toc

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2379

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Fluoropolymer films exhibit physical & chemical properties that are superior to other film materials. Industrial applications of fluoropolymer films are propelling on the grounds of several high-performance qualities, which include non-stick performance, optical transparency, chemical resistance and moisture resistance. Nonetheless, the most crucial factor driving the demand for fluoropolymer films across multiple industrial verticals is the robust precipitation attained by these films. High precipitation capabilities of fluoropolymer films make them a diversified raw material for production of electronic components, machines, automobile parts and semiconductors.A latest report published by Future Market Insights that the global market for fluoropolymer films, which is worth closed to US$ 1,400 Mn at present, will soar at an impressive 6.1% CAGR to bring in US$ 2,537.6 Mn by the end of 2026. According to the report, the global demand for fluoropolymer films is also anticipated to grow on the account of rapid deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules across the globe. Surging adoption of solar PV modules will continue to boost the sales of fluoropolymer films which are used as protective sheets to layer from surfaces of these modules.Fluoropolymer Films Market Report Overview @Regional Overview of Fluoropolymer Films MarketIn the due course of this decade-long forecast period, the global fluoropolymer films market is also predicted to record sales of close to 60,000 tonnes. A major share of these sales are likely to emanate from the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan region. Through 2026, the regions fluoropolymer films revenues will showcase steadfast growth 5.8% CAGR. Chinas Dongyue Group Ltd. is projected to play a key role towards the growth of fluoropolymer films market in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan region.The Japanese fluoropolymer films market will also register steady growth as companies such as Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. and DAIKIN Industries, Ltd. will continue gaining global prominence as manufacturers of fluoropolymer films. Another lucrative region for global expansion of fluoropolymer films businesses is observed to be North America. US-based fluoropolymer film manufacturers, namely The Chemours Company, 3M Company and Honeywell International, Inc. will play a key role in consolidating North Americas position in the global fluoropolymer films market. Other leading manufacturers of fluoropolymer films, profiled in the report, include Solvay, Arkema Group, Saint-Gobain, and Polyflon Technology Limited.Request to View Table of Content@Key Highlights of the Report on Global Fluoropolymer Films MarketHigh price of procuring fluoropolymers and complexity of manufacturing processes involved in production of these films might restrain the markets growth to some extentA comprehensive pricing analysis compiled in the report indicates that in 2015, the average price weighed per ton of fluoropolymer films was around US$ 36,380 to US$ 43,440Demand for PTFE, FEP and PVF fluoropolymer films will remain considerably high as these three products will account for close to 60% of global revenues through 2026Novel product offerings and reduction in production costs due to advent of high-grade films will also favour the sales of fluoropolymer filmsThe report identifies packaging as the largest end-user industry for fluoropolymer films, but also expects significant growth across multiple industrial verticals such as automotive & aerospace, electrical & electronics, and industrial equipment manufacturingA Sample Report is Available Upon Request @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.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:
Agricultural Adjuvant Market size and forecast, 2015-2025

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-331

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-331

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Agricultural adjuvant are used to enhance the effectiveness of pesticides such as herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and other agents that are used to control or eliminate the unwanted pests. Adjuvant plays a crucial role in improving the efficiency of agrochemical and also for increasing the yield or productivity of the crop. Agricultural adjuvant includes ammonium fertilizers, surfactants and oils.Agricultural adjuvant plays a key role in the global agrochemical market. The market has grown exponentially over the recent few years and this growth is expected to continue over the forecast period. Various factors such as ease of application, innovative product contributions, advanced production practices, increased accessibility and increasing attack of pests and diseases play a vital role in driving the overall agricultural adjuvant market. Adjuvants are slowly making their mark as the best tool for farmers used to improve application, achieve more cost-effective solution, facilitate the dosage, better-targeted and more environmentally acceptable pest control. A significant amount of the demand for agricultural adjuvants market is anticipated from countries such as France, India, Australia, Italy, U.S., Brazil and Germany among others. The global agricultural adjuvant market consists of activator adjuvants and utility adjuvant. Activator adjuvants include ammonium fertilizers, oils and surfactants while utility adjuvants consists of water conditioners, buffering agents, compatibility agents, buffers, anti-foam agents and drift control agents among others. Agricultural surfactant chemicals are the most dominating product which captures the maximum market share of the overall agricultural adjuvant market. North America is expected to be the largest market for agricultural adjuvant.Request Report Sample@The leading players of agricultural adjuvant market includes Akzonoble N.V. (Netherlands),Adjuvant plus Inc. (Canada), Brandt Consolidated (U.S.),Momentive Performance Materials (U.S),Clariant International Ltd. (Switzerland), LambertiSpA (Italy),Solvay SA (Belgium), Croda Chemicals (India), Dow Croning (U.S.),Helena Chemical Company (U.S.) andTanatex Chemicals (Europe) among others. This research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data and statistically-supported and industry-validated market data and projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. It provides analysis and information by categories such as market segments, regions, product types and distribution channels.Visit For TOC@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:
Off-Street Parking Management System : Middle East to Register Highest CAGR During the Forecast Period

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/off-street-parking-management-system-market.asp

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4728

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Persistence Market Research (PMR) provides key insights on the global Off-Street parking management system market over the forecast period (2015-2021). The primary objective of the report is to provide in-depth analysis and future market estimations, including growth drivers, restraints, opportunities, trends, key segments, status of the regional markets and key market players operating in the global Off-Street parking management system market. Along with the provision of quality insights, quantification of data has been considered through discussions with system developers, market experts, and marketing managers.Browse The Report:To understand and assess opportunities in the global market, the report is categorically split into four sections in terms of market value (US$ Mn), namely market analysis by software, components & services, by solutions, by end-use and by regions. The report further provides comprehensive data on global market estimations, competitive landscape and forecast values. The aforementioned segments have been analyzed in terms of Basis Point (BPS) to understand each segments relative contribution to the overall market growth.The geographical analysis studies the market on the basis of the regional opportunities and estimates the market value for each region during the forecast period. The report also considers a year-on-year growth based on regional market analysis, in order to identify right opportunities in each of the regions and to understand predictability of the market.The last part of the report provides an exhaustive analysis on the global competitive landscape including leading market participants and a dashboard view. Market strategies of prominent players and their key developments are also mentioned in the report.Research MethodologyTo deduce the global Off-Street parking management system market, the report considers various aspects based on secondary research. Furthermore, key data points such as region-wise split and market split by software, components & services, by solutions, and by end-use and qualitative inputs from primary respondents have been incorporated to arrive at appropriate market estimates. The forecast presented in the report assesses the total revenue generated and expected revenue contribution in the global Off-Street parking management system market.The report begins with sizing the market in terms of value and volume for the base year, which forms the basis for forecasting how the market is anticipated to take shape in the near future. Given the characteristics of the market, gathered data is triangulated via different analysis based on the supply side and demand side drivers and other key dynamics of the global Off-Street parking management system market. To develop the market forecast, Persistence Market Research has also conducted a factor analysis to understand the impact of various forces/factors on the target market. The report provides forecasts not only in terms of CAGR but also presents a detailed analysis based on key parameters such as Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) growth to understand market predictability and to identify the right opportunities.Make an Enquiry @Another key feature of this report is an analysis of the global Off-Street parking management system market and the corresponding revenue forecast in terms of absolute dollar opportunity, usually 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 in the global Off-Street parking management system market. Further, to understand key segments in terms of their growth and overall global Off-Street parking management system market performance, Persistence Market Research has developed a market attractiveness index to help providers identify existing market opportunities in the global Off-Street parking management system market.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.305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesTel:+1-646-568-7751Email:sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWebsite:
Digital Oilfield Solutions Market to reach $40.61 billion by 2022

Digital Oilfield Solutions Market

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/626903-digital-oilfield-solutions-global-market-outlook

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=626903

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/request-discount/626903-digital-oilfield-solutions-global-market-outlook

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/626903-digital-oilfield-solutions-global-market-outlook

A new research document with title 'Digital Oilfield Solutions - Global Market Outlook (2016-2022) covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Rest of the World and important players/vendors such as Ovation Data Services, Inc., Paradigm Limited, Pointcross Inc. etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2016-2022.Request a sample report @According to Research, the Global Digital Oilfield Solutions market is expected to grow from $28.31 billion in 2016 to reach $40.61 billion by 2022 with a CAGR of 6.1%. Growing exploration & production activities, increasing demand to minimize production costs, and raising safety concerns are some of the factors fueling the market growth. In addition, recent technological developments in oilfield solutions are bolstering the market growth. However, fluctuating oil prices, low adoption of new technologies are limiting the market growth.Automation & Instrumentation segment is expected to witness a highest growth rate during the forecast period due to limited human capital in industry and optimize the costs of automated oilfield process. Middle East is one of the key markets for digital oilfield solutions. North America region has a significant share in the overall global market and is anticipated to provide lucrative growth opportunities for the market in the next few years. Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing region, with the industrialization & expansion of oil & gas industry.Some of the key players in global digital oilfield solutions market include Baker Hughes Inc., CGG S.A., DIGI International Inc., Halliburton Company, Honeywell International Inc., IHS Inc., Katalyst Data Management, Kongsberg Gruppen Asa, National Oilwell Varco, Inc., Ovation Data Services, Inc., Paradigm Limited, Pointcross Inc., Rockwell Automation, Inc., Schlumberger Ltd., Siemens AG, and Weatherford International PLC.Technologies Covered: Information technology Automation & Instrumentation technologyo Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA)o Programmable Logical Controller (PLC)o Distributed Control System (DCS)o Other TechnologiesProcess Covered: Drilling optimization Production optimization Reservoir optimization Other Processo Predictive Maintenanceo Asset ManagementBuy this report @Regions 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 6 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 advancementsGet customization & check discount for report @1 Executive Summary2 Preface2.1 Abstract2.2 Stake Holders2.3 Research Scope2.4 Research Methodology2.4.1 Data Mining2.4.2 Data Analysis2.4.3 Data Validation2.4.4 Research Approach2.5 Research Sources2.5.1 Primary Research Sources2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources2.5.3 Assumptions3 Market Trend Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Drivers3.3 Restraints3.4 Opportunities3.5 Threats3.6 Technology Analysis3.7 Emerging Markets3.8 Futuristic Market Scenario4 Porters Five Force Analysis4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers4.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.3 Threat of substitutes4.4 Threat of new entrants4.5 Competitive rivalry....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact Us:HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road, Edison, NJ USA - 08837sales@htfmarketreport.comPh: +1 (206) 317 1218
Denture Market Report Predicts Healthy Growth with Demand from Emerging Sectors

https://marketsizeforecasters.com/get-sample/62502/?utm_source=OPR-AN

https://marketsizeforecasters.com/enquire-for-discount/62502

http://www.openpr.com/news/archive/147945/marketsizeforecasters-com.html

https://marketsizeforecasters.com/global-positron-emission-tomography-pet-scanners-market-globalinforesearch

http://marketsizeforecasters.com/

https://marketsizeforecasters.com/news

Denture 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 Denture 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.Request Sample Copy for Global Denture Market Research Report @Global Denture Market Research Report 2017 estimates the drivers, restraints, and opportunities pertaining to the global Denture 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 Denture 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 Repair Broken Teeth, Implanted Teeth, Other. 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 Denture Market Full Denture, Partial Denture. 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 Denture 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 Denture 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 Denture market profiles the top players participating in the global business space. These are Modern Dental, Huge Dental, JH Dental, SDMF, Rabbit, Pigeon, DIMEI. 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 Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanners Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022Positron-emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine functional imaging technique that is used to observe metabolic processes in the body. The system detects pairs of gamma rays emitted indirectly by a positron-emitting radionuclide (tracer), which is introduced into the body on a biologically active molecule.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:
Global Breast Cancer Market Research Report: Industry detailed Analysis, Trends, Growth Drivers & Future Outlook 2017-2021

http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=964493

http://www.researchmoz.us/global-breast-cancer-market-industry-analysis-outlook-20172021-report.html

http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG

http://healthcare-research-report.blogspot.in/

ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Global Breast Cancer Market: Industry Analysis & Outlook (2017-2021) " to it's Large Report database.Breast cancer defines a malignant tumor that has developed from cells in the breast. Some breast cancers are called in situ as they are confined within the ducts (ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS) or lobules (lobular carcinoma in situ or LCIS) where they originated. Although, less commonly, breast cancer can also instigate in the stromal tissues, which include the fatty and fibrous connective tissues of the breast. In the early stages, breast cancer may not cause any symptoms. A lump may be too small to feel or to cause any unusual changes that could be noticed on own. Typically, an abnormal area shows up on a screening mammogram which leads to further testing. Several risk factors including smoking and alcohol consumption, exposure to estrogen, gender, age, radiation therapy, family history and personal history are linked to the growth of breast cancer.The global market for breast cancer has grown swiftly over the past few years driven by introduction of several new drugs and biosimilars. The overall breast cancer market remained mainly dominated by the generic drugs. The future market for breast cancer will grow in the coming years as there exist unmet need for new drugs that would overcome resistance and prevent recurrence of the disease.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:The global breast cancer market is likely to grow strongly in the coming years driven by rising healthcare expenditure, rising diabetic and obese population, increased spending on medicines, increasing consumption of alcohol and tobacco and rising female population above 65 years of age. Key trends of the market includes rising development of PARP inhibitors, clinical trials of CDK4/6 inhibitors and introduction of new imaging tests. However, growth of the market can be hindered by several factors including drug development challenges in developing countries, long term side effects of drugs and heavy costs associated with drug development.The report Global Breast Cancer Market: Industry Analysis & Outlook (2017-2021) by Koncept Analytics provides an extensive research and detailed analysis of the present market along with future outlook. The report discusses the major growth drivers and challenges of the market, covering the U.S., Europe and APAC regions along with the global market. The report profiles the key players of the market including Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie, AstraZeneca and Roche.Browse more details @Table of Content1. Introduction1.1 Market Overview2. Global Breast Cancer Market2.1 Global Breast Cancer Market by Value2.2 Global Breast Cancer Market Forecast by Value2.3 Global Breast Cancer Market by Region2.4 Global Breast Cancer Drug Development by Stages3. Regional Breast Cancer Market3.1 The U.S.3.1.1 The U.S. Breast Cancer Market by Value3.1.2 The U.S. Breast Cancer Market Forecast by Value3.1.3 The U.S. Breast Cancer Market by Addressable Population3.1.4 The U.S. Breast Cancer Market Forecast by Addressable Population3.1.5 The U.S. Breast Cancer Population by Age3.2 Europe3.2.1 EU5 Breast Cancer Market by Value3.2.2 EU5 Breast Cancer Market Forecast by Value3.3 APAC3.3.1 APAC Breast Cancer Market by Value3.3.2 APAC Breast Cancer Market Forecast by Value3.3.3 APAC Breast Cancer Market by Countries3.3.4 Japans Breast Cancer Market by Value3.3.5 Japans Breast Cancer Market Forecast by Value3.3.6 Chinas Breast Cancer Market by Value3.3.7 Chinas Breast Cancer Market Forecast by Value3.3.8 Australias Breast Cancer Market by Value3.3.9 Australias Breast Cancer Market Forecast by ValueAbout 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:
Automotive Trailer Market - Global Industry Analysis and Trends | 2025

Automotive Trailer Market

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-trailer-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=25688

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

http://marketresearchreports2017.blogspot.in

Automotive trailers are unpowered vehicles pulled by a powered vehicle. It is usually used for the transportation of materials and goods and is pulled by means of a hitch. Trailers are used for many purposes such as recreation, to carry fishing boats, and to carry luggage, mobile homes, and bicycles as a part of the load, in addition to transportation of goods and materials from one place to the other. These trailers are predominantly used by cargo companies for transference of goods nationally and internationally. Furthermore, these companies use trailers frequently to move construction material from the factory to the construction site and vice versa. North America is likely to observe considerable requirement for automotive trailers due to extensive usages in construction, manufacturing industry, and transport.Rising demand for trailers, enhancement in standards of living of people, and reduction of railway network in Europe and North America are expected to be some of the major drivers for the growth of the automotive trailers market during the forecast period. The number of in-service railway boxcars fell by 41% in North America in the past decade as 101,600 cars were done away with and merely 13,800 substitutes were added in the consecutive year.Obtain Report Details @Moreover, the disposable income of the population is increasing at a significant rate in Europe and North America. In the U.S., the average household disposable income per capita was around US$ 41,071 per year, greater than the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of around US$ 29,016 a year. Limited construction capacity for car trailers, especially specialized car trailers, and prolonged procurement process are some of the challenges faced by the global automotive trailers market. Nevertheless, improvement of design of trailers and growth in the untapped markets of developing economies including Indonesia, China, and India are likely to offer significant opportunities to the automotive trailers market.The global automotive trailers market is segregated by vehicle type, axle type, trailer type, and geography. By trailer type, the market is divided into box trailers, trippers, dry van, open car, flatbed, and others. The dry van segment is likely to dominate the market during the forecast period owing to their enhanced functionalities and ease of use. On the basis of axle type, the market is classified into tandem axle and single axle. By vehicle type, the automotive trailers market is categorized into passenger cars, two wheelers, and commercial vehicles. The commercial vehicles segment is likely to expand at a significant pace owing to the rise in demand for trailers in construction and other industries.For more information on this report, fill the form @The global automotive trailers market is segmented into five regions. They are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. In terms of revenue, North America held a significant share of the market. However, the Asia Pacific region is likely to gain significant traction during the forecast period. Some of the other factors responsible for the growth of the global automotive trailers market are rise in regional transportation of goods, low damage of goods carried, development in roadways, and regional treaties that encourage trade amongst regions. The rising demand for HCVs or heavy commercial vehicles in North America and Asia Pacific (chiefly in China, Japan, and India), is likely to fuel the market for more developed trailer systems in commercial vehicle segments in these regions, thereby augmenting the overall growth of the automotive trailers market.Some of the major companies functioning in the global automotive trailers market include Miller Industries Inc., Humbaur GmbH, Wabash National Corporation, Ifor Williams Trailers Ltd, Dennison Trailers Ltd, Great Dane, and HYUNDAI Translead. Some of the other companies operating in the market are Pace American, Big Tex Trailers, MAXXD Trailers, Aluma, and ANG Industries Limited.About Us:-Transparency Market Research 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 are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who 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 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:
Carrier Infrastructure in Telecom Applications Market Intelligence Research Reports for Actionable Insights 2014 - 2020

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-213

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-213

www.futuremarketinsights.com

The telecommunications infrastructure consists of various companies that provide content, database, transmission, switching, applications, signaling OSS/BSS systems, required software and others services. In recent years telecom market is being affected by tightening carrier budgets, business model evolution by various companies and technology evolution. The telecom industry infrastructure consists of many active and passive components such as some active components are spectrum, base station, Radio Network Controller (RNC), MSC and routers among others. And some passive components in the telecom carriers infrastructure are Site, Base transceiver station (BTS), power source, cables and antenna systems.The carrier infrastructure market is undergoing continuous transformation as various emerging trends are transforming the market such as cloud based services, network virtualization and integration of existing networks often termed as heterogeneous networks. The spending on services such as 2G and 3G is expected to reduce and the spending on the LTE will gradually account maximum market share in the carrier infrastructure.Request For Report Sample@The demand for mobile broadband and its availability is increasing day by day; this is increasingly driving the adoption of carrier infrastructure in telecom applications market. As the telecom carriers are achieving economies of scale the total cost of operations and service provided is gradually coming down; this is turn is essentially increasing the number of subscriptions. The quality and efficiency of the services provided by the carriers across the world is improving slowly and resulting into the satisfaction of the subscriptions. With this the limited spectrum availability is one of the key challenges that telecom providers are facing . Device availability and voice delivery protocols for the new technology are not easily available, thus the adoption rate of the new technologies is reduced.Carrier Infrastructure in Telecom Applications Market is segmented on the basis of wireless technologies, wire line access, video technology, transport mechanism, control switches used, data type and geography. On the basis of wireless technology used by the carriers the carrier infrastructure in telecom applications market is segmented into WiMAX, cellular core and cellular RAN. On the basis of wire lien access provided the market is segmented into EAD, NB DLC, FTTx, CMTS and DSLAM. Further on the basis of video technology the Carrier infrastructure in telecom applications market is segmented into VOD server video and digital headend video.On the basis of transport mechanism used the carrier infrastructure in telecom applications market is segmented into LH DWDM, MSPP, packet optical, metro WDM, OCC and SDH SONET. Carrier infrastructure in telecom applications market is segmented on the basis of control mechanism into softswitch, media gateway and TDM-fixed circuit switch. On the basis of data this market can be segmented into router edge, router core, ATM switch and Ethernet switch. And on the basis of geography the carrier infrastructure in telecom applications market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and rest of the world (RoW).Visit For TOC@Some of the major carriers in telecom industry are AT&T Mobility, Reliance Communications, Softbank Japan, U.S Cellular, Verizon Wireless, Telefonica O2 UK, Optus Australia, SFR France, Korea Telecom, Zain Saudi Arabia, Vodafone, Sprint, SK Telecom, T-Mobile, Zain Bahrain and Eircom among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Plasma Fractionation Market 2017 : Grifols, Octapharma, BPL, Kedrion, Mitsubishi Tanabe, CBOP, RAAS

Plasma Fractionation

http://bit.ly/2jh3bGp

http://bit.ly/2eQhpZW

Market Research Explore : The report 2017 Global Plasma Fractionation Market mainly highlights thoughtful facts and intelligence of Plasma Fractionation market in conjunction with prevailing and future market trends throughout the forecast period from 2017 to 2022. It additionally executes the great study of price, current geographical zones, technology, demand-supply and therefore the consequences it might wear the market growth of Plasma Fractionation trade.Do Enquiry concerning this analysis Report :Human blood plasma is nature's raw material for dozens of life-saving treatments and medications. By extracting the active ingredients and disinfection, people get related preparations from blood plasma, which is called Plasma Fractionation.The graph of Plasma Fractionation trade can show increase rate among next 5 years which can, in turn, cause the conclusive outlook of future for varied promoting players considering the profit chain of Plasma Fractionation market. The report additionally performs in-depth analysis and appraisal of Plasma Fractionation industry that may embellish shoppers to possess a substantial share within the Plasma Fractionation market.Plasma Fractionation market analysis based on leading market players:BaxterCSLGrifolsOctapharmaBPLKedrionMitsubishi TanabeCBOPRAASHualan BioThe report wraps major countries concerned in Plasma Fractionation market. It additionally imparts effective study on varied sections of Plasma Fractionation market like opportunities and market arrangement of high leading players.The global Plasma Fractionation market is well- organized consistent with leading players/manufacturers, geographical zones, applications and merchandise varieties. Thorough analysis for every class is provided within the report in conjunction with its forecast amount and market volume. Analyzing every category helps investors to realize data regarding the actual marketplace for a specific space.The report highlights the efforts taken by survey team to investigate separate varied system accommodations, vendors, dealers and business associates can get benefitted with this report.Access Full Report with TOC at :The report additionally covers profiles of the key Plasma Fractionation vendors within the international market together with their monetary survey, market winning ways, new developments and merchandise offerings within the global Plasma Fractionation market.Hence, this report can useful for Plasma Fractionation vendors, system integrators, and connected business partners to acknowledge key investment regions and outline their ways.About Us :MR Explore provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of MR Explore 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.Contact Us :Enid SteelEmail : sales@marketresearchexplore.comUnited States
Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market show exponential growth by 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=227

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=227

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=227

Global Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market: SnapshotPumped-storage hydroelectricity is growing at a significant pace across the globe, thanks to the worlds rising appetite for electricity and the vast surge in renewables. To help accommodate the rising supply of wind energy, for instance, utilities in Spain, where the production of wind energy has increased from about 6% of the countrys total energy production in 2004 to more than 20% presently, utilities have turned to pumped-storage facilities. Pumped-storage hydroelectricity is playing a key role in the field of energy storage today and a massive portion of worlds installed storage capacity is pumped hydro.As the world embraces wind and solar power, pumped-storage hydroelectricity will witness a huge surge in the next few years. Power generators and utilities are building new pumped-storage hydroelectricity facilities across Europe and Asia Pacific countries as a way of striking a balance between power supply and demand across grid networks. Presently, over 290 pumped-storage hydroelectricity plants are operational globally, with a capacity totaling nearly 150 GW. According to the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Global Energy Storage Database, more than 45 projects with total capacities of more than 30 GW are under development across the globe.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Countries across the globe have ambitious plans to increase the share of renewables in their energy mixes and several government regulations and incentives are encouraging developments in the fields of renewables such as solar and wind power. To accommodate the potential hyper growth of renewables in the near future, the storage capacity of pumped-storage hydroelectricity will also significantly rise.Global Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market: Inclusive InsightPumped-storage hydroelectric (PSH) refers to a system of hydroelectric energy storage, which is utilized by the power industry for peak saving and load balancing. In this system, water is transferred from a lower elevation to a reservoir at higher elevation, and stored. Low cost off-peak electric power is used for this transfer, whereas during the peak demand, the stored water is utilized to run turbines and generate energy. As the cost of electric energy fluctuates, these pumped-storage hydroelectricity systems generated electricity is sold at premium prices and thereby balancing the load on conventional energy sources.Request TOC of the Report @Pumped storage hydropower plants can be exploited better when used alongside wind energy turbines. The wind turbines pump water back into the reservoir during lean demand times thus resulting in better utilization of excess generation. Pumped storage hydro is capable of supplying a large number of ancillary services ranging from load balancing to voltage control. These plants can also serve as ideal spinning reserves and are useful for black start services to utility grids. Overall, these plants are an integral part of any robust energy generation mix and satisfy the requirement of ample backup power in times of grid failures or other supply related emergencies.With the ever escalating demand for electric energy, the global market for pumped-storage hydroelectricity is projected for a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025. This report is a comprehensive analysis of the market for the same in current scenario, and based on several prominent factors that are expected to influence the growth rate, it presents figurative opportunities available. The report also profiles some of the key companies currently operational in the global pumped-storage hydroelectricity market, including their market share and strategic developments. By technology, the market can be segmented into single reversible pump turbine and separate pump and turbine generators. The end use application of pumped storage hydroelectricity can be segmented on the basis of the service they provide. Some of the services provided by pumped storage hydro are energy balancing, stability, storage capacity and ancillary grid services.Request Discount of the Report @Global Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market: Prospects and InhibitorsThe increasing demand for energy storage systems and the emergence of ancillary services are two of the primary driving factors of the market. In the recent times, increased importance has been given to stable form of energy, and technological advancements has made pumped-storage hydroelectricity serve the demand efficiently. Other factors favoring the global pumped-storage hydroelectricity market include the need for alternative energy sources with black start capabilities, reactive power generation, and the assurance to operate as a spinning reserve. Conversely, the availability of large bodies of water along with a height variation between the two reservoirs are noted by the report as two primary restraining factors over the market. However, this barrier can be overcome via man-made alterations to the topography, which also helps in desired size and height measurements.Global Pumped-Storage Hydroelectricity Market: Prospects and InhibitorsEurope currently serves the maximum demand, especially from the country-wide markets of the U.K., Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. Asia Pacific market is driven by Japan while the U.S. contributes nearly 95% of the demand from the North American region.Alstom, First Hydro, Exelon, Voith and J-Power are some of the key players in this 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 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
Forecast and Analysis on Memory Integrated Circuits (IC) Market by Future Market Insights 2014 - 2020

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-224

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-224

www.futuremarketinsights.com

An integrated circuit (IC), also known as chip or a microchip is a layout of electronic circuits built over a small plate made of semiconductor material. ICs are very compact and can have up to several hundreds of transistors and other components embedded on a semiconductor plate of very small size. ICs were made possible by various experiments showing that semiconductor devices can perform the functions of vacuum tubes. The mass production and reliability of ICs ensured the rapid adoption of standard integrated circuits in place of circuits using discrete transistors. ICs can store data of over 64 GB on a single chip of size comparable to a fingernail. There are primarily two types of ICs for memory storage viz. volatile and non-volatile memory. Volatile memories are memories such as random access memories (RAM) which can retain data stored on them as long as power supply is provided. Non-volatile memories are read-only memories (ROM) which have data stored on them irrespective of power supply.Request For Report Sample@The memory ICs find applications in memory based electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers, tablets, medical devices, smart cards, digital cameras, communication equipments and other digital electronic devices. Memory ICs are predominantly used in smart-phones, media players, and USB drives. With growing adoption and enhancements in smart-phones, there is a rising demand for sophisticated memory ICs in recent years. This demand is expected to grow at a high rate owing to the ongoing development in the smartphone devices. Another application contributing to the demand of memory ICs is tablet computers. The demand for memory ICs is expected to rise with growing adoption of tablet PCs. In addition, increasing use of digital cameras and camcorders worldwide too contributes to the demand for memory ICs. Memory ICs are also used in smart cards such as driving license, e-passport and other identification cards. Installation of memory ICs makes it convenient to maintain records of the card holder leading to growing adoption of these cards. Automotive and medical sectors are the emerging application areas of the memory ICs. Memory ICs are used to maintain the records of patients in medical equipment such as electrocardiographs, diagnostic imaging apparatus, medical PCs, blood analysis devices and other electronic medical recording systems.Geographically, Asia-Pacific has shown the fastest growth in memory ICs market due to the growing population and consumption of consumer electronics in this region. Asia-Pacific accounts for over a quarter of the global memory ICs market. In addition, rising number of suppliers of semiconductor material required for manufacturing of ICs is boosting the production of memory ICs. North America follows Asia-Pacific with growing development in medical and automobile sector along with the consumer electronics.Visit For TOC@In North America, Agilent Technologies, CyOptics, Enablence Technologies, Ciena, Emcore Corporation, Hewlett Packard, Finisar Corporation, Infinera Corporation, JDS Uniphase, Kaiam Corporation, Intel Corporation, Kotura Inc, Luxtera, Oclaro Inc., Neophotonics Corporation, Onechip Photonics among others are the providers of memory ICs. In Europe, Aifotec AG and Alcatel Lucent are leading manufacturers of memory chip ICs. In Asia-Pacific, Avago Technologies is among the leading manufacturers of memory ICs.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 Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) Market 2017: IBM, Microsoft, Next IT, Speaktoit, CodeBaby, Anboto Group

Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) Market

http://bit.ly/2gXzK7X

http://bit.ly/2jhzZzd

Global Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) Market 2017-2022QY Market Research include new Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market research report "2016-2022 Report on Global Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) Market Competition, Status and Forecast, Market Size by Players, Regions, Type, Application" to its huge collection of research reports.This report on the global Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market is highly useful as it covers all the aspects which are important in determining the future of this industry. The Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) report is collated by experienced analysts who have made use of their market intelligence to cover all basic and important data about the global Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) industry.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:The Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market report makes use of tables, charts, graphs, maps, and statistics to present the data in the easiest to understand way. The Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market report is a comprehensive analysis of the key factors impacting the global Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) industry. This Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market report includes both the driving factors as well as the restraining factors that are influencing the market's performance positively and negatively, respectively.Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This Research Report,Nuance CommunicationsIBMMicrosoftCreative VirtualNext ITArtificial SolutionsSpeaktoitIntelliResponse SystemsCodeBabyAnboto GroupPEGAOracleeGainCX CompanyClara LabsInteliWISEViCloneThe current trends shaping the global Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market and how it will influence the Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market in the future are also studied. In addition to this, the future opportunities within the Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market that have the potential to help the market to expand are also given in the Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) report.Enquire Here:The segments within the global Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) industry and their sub-segments are also studied in detail. This ensures that the entire Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market is covered. The leading segment along with the declining segment and the most promising segment has been given in this Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) report. This helps the readers, investors, new entrants, and established players to decide which segment or sub-segment to invest on so as to reap maximum profits.The Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market report discusses the degree of competition, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, and a threat of substitutes, both internal and external substitute of Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market. The threat of new entrants or the barriers faced by new players in entering the global Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market has been discussed. This gives new players an idea as to whether they can survive in the competitive Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) market.About Us:Business Worldwide is a trusted brand in the research industry with a capability of commissioning complex projects within a short span of time with high level of accuracy. At Business Worldwide, we believe in building long-term relations with our clients. Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries including Energy, Chemicals and Materials, Automotive and Aerospace.Contact Us:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803
Remote Terminal Units Market : Size demand will increase by 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=230

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=230

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=230

Global Remote Terminal Units Market: SnapshotAs increasing number of power grids are being installed and upgraded across several developing nations of the world, the demand for remote terminal units is slated to fire up rapidly on a global basis. Furthermore, the growing cross-border connections alongside rising grid monitoring activities and data analysis are other factors accelerating the growth of the global market for remote terminals.New products are being launched by several major companies. For example, in May 2017, ABB introduced its CMS-700 energy monitor and control unit in order to provide easy access while collecting data and analyzing it. Featuring an advanced open-core sensor, the new system helps in the management and optimization of energy efficiency. Similarly, an upgraded version of its dynamic lift optimization (DLO) software by Emerson incorporates an advanced remote terminal unit. The solution has been designed to reduce footprint as well as weight, when compared with a conventional system.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The emerging markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia, China, India, Nigeria, Brazil, Singapore, and Argentina are hubs of opportunities for the progress of the global market for remote terminal units. The growing popularity of automation across a number of industries has enabled greater deployment of this multipurpose device. Because the most important components of remote terminal units are storage, processor and memory, it is quite similar to a computer. As a result, remote terminal units are being increasing used as an intelligent or master controller of other devices, enhancing the process of automation. Over the oncoming years, the international demand for remote terminal units is therefore expected to multiply.Remote Terminal Units Market: General OutlineA remote terminal unit is a microprocessor-based device, connected to process equipments, transmitters or sensors, for the purpose of remote telemetry and control. RTUs with the aid of appropriate sensors, monitor the status of the process via digital and analogue inputs. They provide control outputs to switch plant such as circuit breakers and tap changers. In the oil and gas industry, during the drilling process, RTUs are used to transmit drilling mechanics, and rock formation information up-hole, in real time. These services are known as logging while drilling and measurement while drilling, Schlumberger's Pulse Technology is a perfect example of this. During the process of drilling, tools use this methodology to send information acquired thousands of feet below the ground. The pressure wave is then translated into a useful information after DSP (Digital Signal Processing) and noise filters, and is later used for drilling optimization, formation evaluation, and geosteering.Request TOC of the Report @Remote Terminal Units Market: Comprehensive OverviewThe advent of improved technology for process monitoring and data transmission has dominated the market drivers for remote terminal units. With improved SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) regulations by various governments across the globe, and increased threat of data security, organizations are now looking at the latest technologies for remote terminal units.Developing markets and new drilling areas also contribute to the growth of the RTU market for oil and gas sectors. Despite the growth factors, the industry does face a few challenges. In the European and North American region, RTU system has been established since the 1970s, and there remains no scope for new installations, in other words, markets of these regions have reached a saturation point. Also, significant financial investment is required to lay down a network across regions and to establish RTUs at inaccessible locations. However, with new fields being discovered in the Asia Pacific region, there is a scope for growth.Request Discount of the Report @Remote Terminal Units Market: Segment OverviewBased on the mode of application, the RTU industry is classified into: RTUs for Oil and Gas Wells and RTUs for Compressor, Pump or Valve Stations. A further classification can be made on the basis of the industry such as power, oil exploration or pipeline management. Also, based on the connectivity, RTUs may use telephone hard lines or wireless transmission systems.Geographically, the remote terminal units market is currently concentrated in the Asia Pacific region due to initiation of major oil exploration projects as well as power grid expansion in India, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia. In the Rest of the World, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America is also witnessing a similar trend. Whereas, the European and North American regions are expected to see a significant decline in the demand of RTUs, as the market already has a well-established SCADA network.Remote Terminal Units Market: Key Market PlayersSome of the major companies involved in the manufacture and integration of remote terminal units are: TopRank Corporation Sdn. Bhd., ABB Ltd., Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, General Electric Company, and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, 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 research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Market Analysis and Forecast Study for 2014 - 2020

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-235

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-235

www.futuremarketinsights.com

With the evolution of digital electronics the radio market and communication technologies have evolved a lot. Though the concept of software defined radio (SDR) is not new, in the recent years, this market has undergone many changes in terms of technology and uses. SDR is a type of radio communication system where communication is carried out by the use of software on embedded system or personal computer instead of implementing hardware such as filters, amplifiers, mixers, detectors, demodulators and modulators, among others. SDR are capable of transmitting and receiving a wide spectrum of frequency. When the data from a source is converted into digital format, the remaining activities involved in radio communications are carried out with the help of software driven automated functions.SDR optimizes the tactical information system as embedded software used in SDR helps in the dynamic selection of the communication channel. The number of digital service users is increasing resulting into the improved adoption rate of software defined radio. Public safety, military and commercial use are the three major end-use applications of SDR systems. The demand for SDRs in expected to increase in coming years owing to efficiency and cost effectiveness offered by them. The industry has undergone transformation from analog to digital. Thus, the advance capabilities of digital radio are expected to drive the growth of SDR market. Multiple regulations govern the SDR market and this affects the market growth and trends. For instance, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) legally created a newer class for equipment of SDRs that had streamlined equipment authorization procedure.Request For Report Sample@Military modernization programs being carried out by several countries such as South Korea, India, Germany, Japan and the U.S and the interoperability provided by SDR are major driving forces for SDR market. The issues faced in the integration of the various sub systems pose a challenge to the SDR market. Further, the development of software platforms, technologies and tools, which allow flexible specification, design and implementation of radio systems, is another significant challenge. Players in software defined radio market have potential opportunity in technical advancements of SDR technology such as resolving the problem of frequency congestion, wide frequency range (spectrum) and improved broadcasting services in future.Software defined radio market is segmented on the basis of type, end-user application and geography. On the basis of type of SDR, the market is segmented into ideal software defined radio, baseband software defined radio (BBSDR) and high frequency software defined radio (HFSDR). On the basis of end-user industry, SDR market is segmented into defense industry, telecom industry, manufacturing plants, public safety vendors and personal use. U.S. Canada, Japan, France, Brazil, South Korea, India, Germany and Italy have emerged as the leading countries for software defined radio market.Visit For TOC@Some of the key vendors in software defined radio market are BAE Systems PLC, Elbit Systems Ltd., IndraSistemas, L3 Communications Corporation, Raytheon Co., Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co KG, Thales Group, Viasat Incorporated, SAAB AB, Rockwell Collins, Northrop Grumman Corp., ITT Corporation, Harris Corporation and Datasoft Corporation, among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) Market Intelligence and Analysis for Period 2014 - 2020

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-238

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-238

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Static random access memory (SRAM) is a type of semiconductor memory. It uses bistable latching circuitry for storing bits. It is static in nature i.e. the data bits are stored till the power is supplied. The SRAMs are comparatively more expensive than DRAMs, thus are mostly used in the applications where high efficiency and performance is needed. Some characteristics such as bandwidth, power efficiency make SRAMs ideal for the electronic appliances such as cell phones, digital cameras and electronics user interfaces. Some of the general uses of SRAMs are workstations, computers, routers and other peripheral equipments such as CPU (central processing unit) caches, CPU register files, router buffers and hard disk buffers, among others. Printers and LCD (liquid crystal display) screens also use SRAM to save the preview of the image printed or displayed.Emerging high performance network applications, increasing demand and applications of the embedded SRAMs, and increasing demand for faster cache memories are some of the factors responsible for the growth of SRAM market. Faster switching time, power efficiency and high endurance as compared to traditional RAM, effective replacement for the traditional memory technology and increasing application base are some of the driving factors for the SRAM market. However, its larger cell size (up to six transistors for a single bit) makes it impractical for applications requiring large memory. Further, high cost incurred in designing and low stability in harsh condition is some other challenges to the growth of SRAM market. Neural networks and flexible electronics are emerging opportunities in SRAM market. The market for cellular RAM is increasing at growing rapidly and use and application of SRAM in cellular devices is expected to boost the market in coming time. Flash memory market can be replaced by SRAMs in upcoming years and players have opportunity in this filed.Request For Report Sample@Static random access memory is segmented on the basis of type of flip-flop used, transistor type, features, functions, product types, applications and geography. Binary SRAM and ternary SRAM are the two broad segments of the SRAM market on the basis of flip-flop type. On the basis of transistor type the SRAM market is segmented into bipolar junction transistor and MOSFET (metaloxide semiconductor field-effect transistor).on the basis of features the SRAM market is segmented into ZBT (zero bus turnaround) SRAM, syncBurst SRAM, DDR (double data rate) SRAM and quad data rate SRAM. SRAM market is segmented on the basis of products into, asynchronous SRAM, PSRAM (pseudo SRAM), nVSRAM (non volatile SRAM) and others. On the basis of end-use application SRAM market is segmented into communication industry, computer /IT sector, consumer electronics industry and automotive sector, among others. China, Taiwan, Singapore, India and Malaysia are some of the countries holding huge potential for SRAM market.Visit For TOC@Some of the key vendors in static random access memory (SRAM) are Micron Technology, Inc., Integrated Silicon Solution, Inc., Powerchip Technology Corporation, Integrated Device Technology, Inc. Cypress Semiconductor, Everspin Technologies, Inc., Intel Corporation, Sony Corporation, Samsung Semiconductor, STMicroelectronics N.V., GSI Technology and Integrated Device Technology, Inc among others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage Market to observe high growth by 2025

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=233

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=233

https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=233

Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage Market: SnapshotLed by only a few established companies, the global market for superconducting magnetic energy storage demonstrates a highly competitive structure. The significant increase in investments and the continual introduction of novel technologies by the leading players are influencing the growth of this market greatly. At present, the market displays volatility and is highly impacted by the frequent changes in the government rules and policies related to environment. Vendors of superconducting magnetic energy storage devices are constantly making efforts to improve their product portfolio by adding technologically advanced products in order to sustain and gain a competitive advantage over rival companies.With the increasing need for energy storage, this market is likely to flourish remarkably in the years to come. Since distributed energy systems are highly beneficial to end users, they are increasingly utilized to meet the consumer demand for power. These storage systems, primarily manufacture using low temperature superconductors or high temperature superconductors, find a widespread application in low-energy storage and high-energy storage. These energy storage solutions, with the capability to store massive amounts of energy, normally have slow reaction time. Small energy storage devices, on the flip side, have rather fast reaction times and an ability to recharge in a shorter period.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) Market: OverviewEnergy storage is crucial for providing flexibility and stability that is critical for the effective functioning of electricity grid. With the booming demand for electricity from end users, the need for energy storage in the power sector is also increasing. As the need for energy storage is increasing, the global superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) market is expected to grow along with it. An SMES system has the ability to recharge and discharge in a shorter period without degrading the magnet and ensuring minimum energy losses. Therefore, it is being increasingly acknowledged for short duration energy storage applications.The research report on the global SMES market is an outcome of an in-depth analysis of various critical parameters pertaining to the market. The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of drivers, restraints, and opportunities and the extent of their impact on the growth of the market. It provides insights into the competitive landscape of the market. For a coherent understanding, it segments the market on the basis of various criteria including geography and end users.Request TOC of the Report @Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe rising concerns regarding climate change are creating a burgeoning demand for green and eco-friendly storage solutions, which in turn is fuelling the demand for SMES systems. In addition, the increasing consumption of renewable sources for energy generation coupled with the depleting fossil fuels is working in favor of the growth of the market. The growing adoption of distributed energy solutions is also providing a fillip to the market.Moreover, the burgeoning demand for advanced and cost-effective energy storage technologies for on-grid and off-grid applications and in the utility industry is augmenting the global SMES market. Furthermore, the advancements in superconducting materials are influencing the market positively. On the other hand, the participants in the market are threatened by the presence of substitutes such as compressed air energy storage. This is hampering the growth of the market. The high cost of these systems is also limiting their widespread adoption.Request Discount of the Report @Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) Market: Geographical SegmentationThe regional segments analyzed in the report are Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific will be a major destination for participants in the global SMES market. The rising emphasis on renewable energy integration, smart grids, and distributed energy storage is one of the primary factors contributing to the development of the market in the region. Moreover, the increasing government initiatives and conducive regulatory scenario are promoting the growth of the market. Other factors such as growing penetration of advanced technologies, flourishing electronics industry, and high manufacturing capacity in countries such as India, Korea, and China are supplementing the growth of the region.Global Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) Market: Competitive LandscapeKey players in the global SMES market are paying a high attention to research and development activities to launch more innovative and cost effective products. Some of the key players in the market are Columbus Superconductors SpA, GE Corporation, American Superconductor Corporation, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Nexans SA, and SuperPower 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 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
Interesting Research Report on the Future of Egg and Egg Products Market 2014 - 2020

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-217

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-217

www.futuremarketinsights.com

Products which are obtained from different blends and components of eggs and are ready for human consumption are known as egg products. Egg products can partly be complemented by additives or some other food products. They can be found in different forms such as concentrated, crystallized, deep-frozen, liquid, solid, and frozen with a shelf life of three weeks.About 70% of the eggs are mainly produce in the economies of China, India, U.S., Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, and France. In which 36% of the eggs are produce in China and about 11% in Latin America. There are different types of eggs products available in the market which includes pasteurized liquid egg, pasteurized liquid yolk, pasteurized liquid white, dehydrated white, dehydrated egg, hardboiled egg, dehydrated yolk, and ready-cooked meals with egg as their main ingredient.Request For Report Sample@As egg and egg products offers a source of protein to the consumers with the slightest environment impact is the major factor driving the growth of the market. Technology changes, government regulations are some of the factors contributing to the growth of the market. As the industry is continuously changing due to rising demand, increasing consumption and production of egg and egg products and technology advancement the market has huge growth opportunities in future. But, the insignificant growth in the international trade with some exceptions can act as a restraint for the market.Visit For TOC@Some of the key players of the market are Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., Land O'Lakes, Inc., Noble Foods Ltd, Tyson Foods, Inc., and Ningbo Jiangbei Dexi Foods Co. Ltd.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Wearable Sensor Market : Emergence of advanced technologies and global industry analysis

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/wearable-sensor-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4197

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/4197

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

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.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @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.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.Browse Our Table Of Content @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:
Precision Electric Motors (Brushless) Market : Pin Point Analysis For Changing Competitive Dynamics

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/precision-electric-motors-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4161

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/4161

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Global precision electric motors (brushless) market was valued at USD 25.45 billion in 2014, growing at a CAGR of 12.7% from 2014 to 2020. Precision electric motors (brushless) are basically the electric motors without any brushes to wear out. Precision electric motors are mainly used in speed control applications and are customized form of electric motors to offer precise output. Increasing demand for high performance motors, growing vehicle production globally and positive outlook of manufacturing industries are the major factors responsible for growth of global precision electric motors (brushless) market globally.The global precision electric motors (brushless) market is segmented by region into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (RoW). Asia-Pacific led the global precision electric motors (brushless) market in 2014 and also it is the fastest growing regional market.Browse Our Report @The region is also expected to maintain its dominance till 2020. Asia-Pacific has seen significant growth in precision electric motors (brushless) market due to the rise in disposable incomes and escalating industrialization in countries such as China, Indonesia, India and Malaysia among others. These are the prime factors driving the growth of precision electric motors (brushless) market in Asia Pacific. In addition, strict electricity consumption regulations and government incentive programs for the substitution of out-dated electric motors are expected to drive the growth for precision electric motors (brushless) market in North America and Europe in the coming years.The electric motors market is segmented on the basis of types into AC brushless motors and DC brushless motors. DC brushless motors are holding the maximum market revenue share in 2014 and are expected to remain so during the forecast period, i.e., 2014 to 2020. DC brushless motors are optimally controlled with the help of simple switching commutation logic, whereas AC brushless motors are optimally controlled with complex algorithms that require mathematical capabilities. The increasing usage of DC brushless motors in chassis and powertrain applications in cars is spurring the demand for this segment.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @The electric motors market is further segmented by application into automotive, industrial machinery, household appliances, defense and aerospace, healthcare and others. The global precision electric motors (brushless) market is majorly dominated by industrial machinery segment due to increasing number of manufacturing plants especially in emerging nations such as India, China, Brazil and Russia among others. Automotive is the fastest growing application segment in precision electric motors (brushless) market followed by defense and aerospace.The growth of precision electric motors (brushless) market is primarily attributed to positive economic outlook and growing manufacturing industries in China, India, South Korea, Indonesia and several other countries in Asia-Pacific. The demand for electric motors is rapidly shifting from standard efficient electric motors to high and premium efficiency motors. This shift in trend is directly contributing to revenue growth of precision electric motors (brushless) manufacturers.Browse Our Table Of Content @For better understanding of precision electric motors (brushless) market, we have given a detailed analysis of the supply chain. In addition, a detailed Porters five forces analysis has been given for the better understanding of the intensity of the competition present in the market. Furthermore, the study comprises the market attractiveness analysis, where the applications are benchmarked based on their market scope, growth rate and general attractiveness.Major market participants in the precision electric motors (brushless) market include Baldor Electric Company, Yaskawa Electric Corporation, Nidec Corporation, Regal Beloit Corp., and Omron Corporation 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:
Interior Wall Putty Powder Market Report for Period 2011 till 2023 - Birla White, Nippon Paint, Walplast, Platinum Plaster Ltd, Weber-Saint Gobain, Dulux and Others

Interior Wall Putty Powder Market

https://goo.gl/EchMED

https://goo.gl/EchMED

https://goo.gl/EchMED

http://marketreportscompany.com

Global Interior Wall Putty Powder market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Birla White, Nippon Paint, Walplast, Platinum Plaster Ltd, Weber-Saint Gobain, Dulux and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2011 to 2023, etc.Interior Wall Putty Powder is a kind of surface filling material used for pretreatment of construction surface before lacquer construction. The main purpose is to fill in the porosity of the construction surface and to correct the curve deviation of the construction surface to lay a solid foundation for obtaining uniform and smooth paint.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Interior Wall Putty Powder Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:J.K. Cement LtdMeichaoBirla WhiteNippon PaintWalplastPlatinum Plaster LtdWeber-Saint GobainDuluxLIONSLangoodMapeiAsian PaintsSKShuBauhiniaDuobangMeihuiOthersGlobal Interior Wall Putty Powder Market: Key Product TypeCement-based PuttyGypsum-based PuttyOthersGlobal Interior Wall Putty Powder Market: Key ApplicationResidentialCommercial buildingOthersGlobal Interior Wall Putty Powder Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Interior Wall Putty Powder Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Interior Wall Putty Powder Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Interior Wall Putty Powder Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Interior Wall Putty Powder Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Cement-based Putty1.2.2 Gypsum-based Putty1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Residential1.3.2 Commercial building1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico).......................Continue (Global Interior Wall Putty Powder Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Tower Crane Products Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 Manitowoc, Liebherr, WOLFFKRAN, Terex, FAVCO, HKTC, Zoomlion, and Others

Tower Crane Products Market

https://goo.gl/X8qbQv

https://goo.gl/X8qbQv

http://marketreportscompany.com

Global Tower Crane Products Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Manitowoc, Liebherr, WOLFFKRAN, Terex, FAVCO, HKTC, Zoomlion, and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2022 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.A tower crane is a piece of equipment used to move or transport oversized objects. It is a stationary device, which means the base of the crane does move. A large, fixed tower supports a horizontal beam, or jib, which sits atop the tower to form an uneven letter T. A tower crane is often used in the construction industry to set steel beams and other large building components. It may also be used in the shipping or transportation industry to load and unload large freighters.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Tower Crane Products Market 2017 atTop Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:ManitowocLiebherrWOLFFKRANTerexFAVCOHKTCZoomlionSCMFushun YongmaoZHEJIANG CONSTRUCTION MACHINERYXCMGHENG SHENGDAHANFANGYUAN GROUPJianglu MachineryElectronicsHuaxiaSYSGuangxi ConstructionOthersGlobal Tower Crane Products Market: Key Product TypeSelf-erecting Tower CranesFlat Top Tower CranesHammerhead Tower CranesLuffing Jib Tower CranesGlobal Tower Crane Products Market: Key ApplicationDam BuildingBridge BuildingShipyardsPower PlantsHigh Rise BuildingsGlobal Tower Crane Products Market: Key RegionNorth 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)The Global Tower Crane Products Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Tower Crane Products Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Tower Crane Products Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Global Tower Crane Products Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Semi-Trailer Market size in terms of volume and value -2025

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28718

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=28718

www.transparencymarketresearch.com/

A semi-trailer is a trailer that cannot move by itself and is pulled by a tractor unit. A retractable semi-trailer is a semi-trailer whose chassis can be contracted as per requirement. Extendable chassis semi-trailer is a semi-trailer whose chassis can be extended as per requirement. Flatbed semi-trailers are fully plan and flat semi-trailers made of either aluminum or steel. Reefer semi-trailers are also known as refrigerated semi-trailers. In these vehicles foam is installed inside the semi-trailer which provides insulation from outside temperature. Dry freight semi-trailers are semi-trailers used for dry goods transportation.By type the market is segmented into retractable semi-trailer, extendable chassis semi-trailer, flatbed semi-trailer, reefer semi-trailer, dry freight semi-trailers and others. By tonnage the market is segmented into above 100t, 51t-100t, 25t-50t and below 25t. By number of axles the market is segmented into less than 3 axles, 3-4 axles and above 4 axles.Request Sample Copy of the Report@By region the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. North America is a prominent semi-trailer market in the world. The U.S. is the largest market in North America followed by Canada. Wabash National Corporation is the largest semi-trailer manufacturer in North America. Europe is one of the major semi-trailer market in the world. Germany is the largest semi-trailer market in Europe. France, Italy, Spain, the U.K, Belgium, Sweden and Netherlands are other major markets in Europe. Asia Pacific is a dominant semi-trailer market in the world. China is the largest semi-trailer market in Asia Pacific region. Japan, India, South Korea and Australia are other major markets in Asia Pacific. Middle East and Africa is a significant semi-trailer market led by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and South Africa. Latin America is a major semi-trailer market in the world led by Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. Mexico is anticipated to be the fastest growing semi-trailer market in Latin America.Rising demand for road transportation in manufacturing, automotive, construction and energy sector is increasing the demand of semi-trailers due to the versatility and flexibility of these vehicles. An opportunity in semi-trailer market is to manufacture semi-trailers molded from structural composites, CPRF (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) and glass fiber this reducing the weight of semi-trailer thus increasing fuel efficiency and reducing vehicle emission. Wabash National Corporation of the U.S. have manufactured semi-trailers from structural composite PRISMA in collaboration with Structural Composites. Wabash National used CoCure coating technology for semi-trailers interior floor, roof surfaces, exterior and interior walls. By using structural composites instead of conventional aluminum and steel Wabash National improved the semi-trailers thermal performance, reduced weight of semi-trailer, more damage and puncture resistant and last but not the least the semi-trailer can carry more load than conventional trailers. The U.S. government has mandated the weight of tractors, trailers and payloads cannot exceed 80,000 pounds which is anticipated to increase the adoption of using structural composites to make semi-trailers.A restraint for semi-trailer market is the sea and air transportation used by customers for goods transportation.The report mentions the diverse competitive strategies implemented by key players operating in the market to gain market share. Company profiles mention company details, market presence by geography and segments, strategic overview, SWOT analysis and historical revenue. The report also contains details of market share analysis of key players in the market. The major firms operating in the market are China International Marine Containers (Group) Co. Ltd. (China), Wabash National Corporation (the U.S.), Utility Trailer Manufacturing Company (the U.S.), Schmitz Cargobull AG (Germany), Great Dane Limited Partnership (the U.S), Fahrzeugwerk Bernard Krone GmbH (Germany), Kogel Trailer GmbH & Co.Kg (Germany), Hyundai Translead (the U.S.), Lamberet SAS (France) and Sinotruk (Hong Kong) Limited (Hong Kong).Request TOC of the Report@The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.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. 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.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Facial Wipes Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 Johnson and Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, Nice-Pak Products, Rockline Industries, Albaad Massuot, 3M, Diamond Wipes International, and Others

Facial Wipes Market

https://goo.gl/q76HRG

https://goo.gl/q76HRG

http://marketreportscompany.com

Global Facial Wipes Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Johnson and Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, Nice-Pak Products, Rockline Industries, Albaad Massuot, 3M, Diamond Wipes International, and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2022 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.Facial Wipes were designed to gently and effectively remove dirt and germs from face anywhere, anytime. If you are looking for an easy way to cleanse your face or add a little moisture, face wipes can help you get the job done. One of the biggest reasons to use face wipes is the fact that they are quick and easy to use. For example, if you are extremely tired and dont want to take the time to cleanse and moisturize your face, this product will remove your makeup without the need for all the cleansing steps.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Facial Wipes Market 2017 atTop Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:PandGJohnson and JohnsonKimberly-ClarkNice-Pak ProductsRockline IndustriesGS CovertingAlbaad MassuotBeiersdorf3MDiamond Wipes InternationalSCAHengan GroupOthersGlobal Facial Wipes Market: Key Product TypeAbsorbent CottonNon-Woven FabricGlobal Facial Wipes Market: Key ApplicationDailyPerformanceOtherGlobal Facial Wipes Market: Key RegionNorth 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)The Global Facial Wipes Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Facial Wipes Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Facial Wipes Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Global Facial Wipes Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Wire and Cable Market : Development Insight and Manufacturers Challenge Competitors

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/south-africa-wire-cable-market.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3645

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/3645

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Driven by continuous growth in the infrastructure sector in South Africa, the market for wire and cable in the country was valued at USD 355.0 million in 2013 and is expected to reach USD 834.5 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 12% during the forecast period from 2014 to 2020. Wires and cables find application in other industries as well such as automobiles, power transmission & distribution, electronics and communication industries among others.Increasing developments in the power transmission and distribution sector has further supported the market growth. The adoption of wire and cable in communications segment has additionally supported the growth of the market. The demand for wire and cable can also be attributed to the growing demand of automobiles where the wires and cables are used in different applications. The growing automobile industry in the country has not only contributed to the growth of the wire and cable market but has also additionally supported the growth of the local cable manufacturers. The growing demand of electronic devices has also contributed to the growth of the wire and cable market.Browse Our Report @Based on types, copper wire and cable held the largest share in the market in 2013. The demand for copper wire and cable is primarily driven by the growing developments in power generation, distribution and transmission, electronic circuitry, telecommunications and several other types of electrical equipment in the country. The demand for copper wire and cable is expected to expand with the increase in demand of automobiles vehicles in the country. Some of the automobile component manufacturers based in South Africa are Corning, Arvin Exhaust, Senior Flexonics and Bloxwitch.Based on voltage, low voltage wires and cables held the largest market share followed by high voltage. The growth in the low voltage wire and cables is attributed to the increasing applications across electronic goods, industrial and housing applications, railways, airports and power transmission & distribution in the country. The market for low voltage wires and cables in the country is also supported by the increasing need for the enhanced safety of public/residential buildings.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Wire and cable industry in South Africa is a consolidated market. Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, Renesas Aberdare Cables (Pty) Limited, CBI - electric: African Cables (Pty) Limited, B & W Instrumentation and Electrical Limited, CCG Cable Terminations Pty Limited, South Ocean Holdings Limited, Power Technologies (Pty) Limited, Industrial Cable Suppliers (Pty) Limited and General Cable Sub  Sahara Africa are among others are some of the key players in the wire and cable market.The study includes wire and cable market in terms of revenue (USD Million) by voltage, type and application. To have a full competitive advantage, the study also provides drivers, restraints and opportunities and their impact followed by three parameters such as low, medium and high for the short, medium and long term.The study also provides market attractiveness analysis by end users. In order to ascertain market dynamics, Porters five force analysis framework which identifies as well as analyzes five competitive forces that shape every industry, such as bargaining power of suppliers and buyers followed by the threat of substitutes and new entrants and degree of competition is also provided.Browse Our Table Of Content @This report has been segmented by type, voltage and application. The study also includes the drivers, restraints, and opportunities (DROs), and value chain of the wire and cable market. In addition, the forecast from 2014 to 2020 has been covered with current and future trends that are expected to impact demand.The report also analyzes macro economic factors influencing and inhibiting the growth of the market. Porters five forces analysis offers insights on market competition throughout its value chain. In addition, the market attractiveness analysis provided in the report highlights key investing areas in this industry. The report will help manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors to understand the present and future trends in this market and formulate their strategies accordingly.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:
Present Scenario and Growth Prospects of Global Body Sensors Market Over The Period 2027

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1065

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/request-toc/1065

Global Body Sensors Market Information by types (health patch, skin sensor, Flexible energy-harvesting sensor, implantable sensors, others) by application (Health Monitoring, clinical trial, remote patient monitoring, others) by end users (athletes, soldiers, patients and others) - Forecast to 2027Market Scenario:A body sensor is a wireless system of wearable computing devices. These devices or gadgets might be installed inside the body implants, may be surface-mounted on the body in a settled position. Wearable invention or may be supplemented devices which humans can carry in different positions, in clothes pockets, by hand or in various bagsSegments:Global Body Sensors market has been segmented on the basis of applications which consist of health monitoring, body temperature/pressure monitoring. Pharmaceutical companies can use this for clinical trials and remote patient monitoring. On the basis of types the market is divided into; health patch, skin sensor, Hexoskin, smart tooth, Flexible energy-harvesting sensor and others. The end users segment includes athletes, soldiers, medical patients and others.Get a Sample report atStudy Objectives of Body Sensors Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Body Sensors Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To Analyze the Global Body Sensors Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- Americas, Europe, Asia, and RoW To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by type, by end users and sub-segments. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Body Sensors MarketKey Players for Body Sensors Market:Some of the key players in this market are: 4B BRAIME Components LTD (UK), Acuity (US), Allegro MicroSystems (US), AMSYS GmbH (Germany), Althen GmbH Mess (Germany), ASC GmbH (Germany), Balluff GmbH (Germany), Barksdale GmbH (Germany), Baumer Group (Switzerland), Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Netherlands), and others.Americas North America US Canada Latin AmericaEurope Western Europe Germany France Italy Spain U.K Rest of Western Europe Eastern EuropeAsia Pacific Asia China India Japan South Korea Rest of Asia PacificThe Middle East & AfricaRequest Table of Content atThe report for Global Body Sensors market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different markets segments and regionsAt 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 AnandPune -Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: Akash.Anand@Marketresearchfuture.Com
Instant Adhesive Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 Wind Energy Solutions, Kingspan Group PLC, Ghrepower Green Energy, Endurance Wind Power, Fortis Wind Energy, and Others

Instant Adhesive Market

https://goo.gl/ukA46M

https://goo.gl/ukA46M

http://marketreportscompany.com

Global Instant Adhesive Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely MWind Energy Solutions, Kingspan Group PLC, Ghrepower Green Energy, Endurance Wind Power, Fortis Wind Energy, and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2022 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.The Global Micronized PTFE (PTFE Micro Powder ) market is estimated to reach 563.1 Million USD in 2017. The objective of report is to define, segment, and project the market on the basis of type, application, and region, and to describe the content about the factors influencing market dynamics, policy, economic, technology and market entry etc.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Instant Adhesive Market 2017 atTop Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:3MShamrock TechnologiesMicro Powder (MPI)SolvayDaikinAGCGujarat FluorochemicalsChemours (DuPont)ECO U.S.ADreyplasReprolon TexasFluorez TechnologyMAFLONTianyuxiangNorshineNanjin TianshiSichuan Chenguang3FYanggiZhejiang JuhuaShanghai JouleOthersGlobal Instant Adhesive Market: Key Product TypeMonomer PolymerizationResin DegradationGlobal Instant Adhesive Market: Key ApplicationIndustrial PlasticsInksPaintingLubricants & GreaseGlobal Instant Adhesive Market: Key RegionNorth 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)The Global Instant Adhesive Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Instant Adhesive Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Instant Adhesive Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Global Instant Adhesive Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Failure Analysis Equipment Market : Emerging Market Trends, Size, Share and Growth Analysis

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/failure-analysis-equipment-in-semiconductor-industry.html

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3419

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Global failure analysis equipment market in the semiconductor industry was valued at USD 1.28 billion in 2013, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2014 to 2020. Failure analysis is an engineering approach to determine how and why equipment or a component is not functioning in a desired manner. Generally, failures are caused due to manufacturing defects, misuse or abuse, improper maintenance, assembly errors, design errors, improper material, fastener failure, unforeseen operating conditions, inadequate quality assurance, improper heat treatments, inadequate environmental protectioncontrol, and casting discontinuities.Rising investments in research and education infrastructure across the globe coupled with robust growth in the semiconductor industry are propelling the global failure analysis equipment market in the semiconductor industry. However, high cost of failure analysis equipment leads to their low adoption rate, especially in cost sensitive countries of the Asia Pacific region. This hinders the growth of the failure analysis equipment market to an extent.Browse Our Report @In 2013, Asia Pacific was the largest revenue generator that accounted for over half of the global market share. The dominance by Asia Pacific is due to immense growth in semiconductor technologies in Asia Pacific countries coupled with increased investments in education and research infrastructure. Furthermore, rising demands for consumer electronics such as smart phones, tablets etc. are further expected to boost the growth of failure analysis equipment. The key industry participants of this market include FEI, Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, and JEOL, Ltd.Transmission electron microscope (TEM), and focused ion beam system (FIB) equipment accounted for over half of the global market revenue share in the year 2013, owing to extensive usage of these equipment. However, dual beam systems (FIB/SEM) are expected to grow at the fastest pace in the coming years owing to their several advantages over a single-beam FIB system. The segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% over the forecast period.Brochure With Latest Advancements With Application @Scanning Electron Microscopy is one of the most widely used technologies as it can provide extremely detailed images. The technique is majorly used in failure analysis, process characterization, dimensional analysis, particle identification and reverse engineering. The technology led the market in 2013 by accounting for over 20% of the global market revenue share and is expected to continue its dominance over the forecast period.Reduction in particle sizes due to rapid advancements in semiconductor technology has driven the need for defect localization in failure analysis. Thus, for the purpose of defect localization, technologies such as emission microscopy and laser-based techniques such as OBIRCH, TIVA and LIVA are being used increasingly. Thus, the market for defect localization is expected to grow at a significant growth rate over the forecast period.Fab failure analysis (FA) labs offer world-class analysis with the help of experienced and multi-disciplinary analysis teams, which use advanced toolsets/equipment. These labs generally provide a large number of failure analysis solutions and manufacture a number of products/components using multiple failure analysis equipment. Thus, the segment is also expected to continue with its dominance over the forecast period.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:
Flow Meters Market Report for Period 2017 till 2023 ABB Ltd., Yokogawa Electric, Krohne Messtechnik GmbH, Honeywell International, Siemens AG, and Others

Flow Meters Market

https://goo.gl/QcKYTY

https://goo.gl/QcKYTY

http://marketreportscompany.com

GLobal Flow Meters Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely ABB Ltd., Yokogawa Electric, Krohne Messtechnik GmbH, Honeywell International, Siemens AG, and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2023, etc.A flow meter is an instrument used to measure linear, nonlinear, mass or volumetric flow rate of a liquid or a gas. When choosing flow meters, one should consider such intangible factors as familiarity of plant personnel, their experience with calibration and maintenance, spare parts availability, and mean time between failure history, etc., at the particular plant site.The global Flow Meters market will reach Volume Million USD in 2017 with CAGR xx% 2018-2023.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Flow Meters Market 2017 atTop Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Endress+Hauser Management AGEmerson ElectricABB Ltd.Yokogawa ElectricKrohne Messtechnik GmbHHoneywell InternationalSiemens AGSchneider ElectricAzbil CorporationBadger MeterChongqing Chunayi AutomationKent InstrumentWELL TECHYihuanRipeness SanyuanGlobal Flow Meters Market: Key Product TypeElectromagnetic FlowmetersVortex FlowmetersCoriolis mass flowmetersUltrasonic flowmeterOthersGlobal Flow Meters Market: Key ApplicationOil IndustryMunicipal WaterChemical IndustryElectricity IndustryOthersGlobal Flow Meters Market: Key RegionAsia-PacificNorth AmericaEuropeSouth AmericaMiddle East AfricaThe Global Flow Meters Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Flow Meters Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Automotive Lighting Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Global Flow Meters Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market Report for Period 2011 till 2023 - Emerald Hilton Davis, Precheza, Sachtleben, Kemira Pigments Oy, PARSHWANATH DYESTUFF INDUSTRIES, Jianghu Titanium White and Others

Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market

https://goo.gl/fLDYcb

https://goo.gl/fLDYcb

https://goo.gl/fLDYcb

http://marketreportscompany.com

Global Titanium Dioxide Food Grade market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Emerald Hilton Davis, Precheza, Sachtleben, Kemira Pigments Oy, PARSHWANATH DYESTUFF INDUSTRIES, Jianghu Titanium White and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2023, etc.Titanium dioxide grade for food and pharmacy is exceptionally pure pigment with optimal optical properties.Titanium dioxide TiO2 food grade allows offering pigments with optimal optical properties which meet the highest hygiene standards for this special application.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:ProquimacEmerald Hilton DavisPrechezaSachtlebenKemira Pigments OyPARSHWANATH DYESTUFF INDUSTRIESJianghu Titanium WhiteHongyuanOthersGlobal Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market: Key Product TypeUpto 98%98% TO 99%Greater than 99%Global Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market: Key ApplicationCandyYogurtJellyPillCapsuleToothpasteMedical TapeOthersGlobal Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 99%1.2.2 by Application.......................Continue (Global Titanium Dioxide Food Grade Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Safety Light Curtain Market Report for Period 2011 till 2023 - ReeR, Datalogic, Pepperl+Fuchs, WENGLOR, CEDES, RIKEN, Automationdirect, SUN KWANG and Others

Safety Light Curtain Market

https://goo.gl/nNpxrw

https://goo.gl/nNpxrw

https://goo.gl/nNpxrw

http://marketreportscompany.com

Global Safety Light Curtain market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely ReeR, Datalogic, Pepperl+Fuchs, WENGLOR, CEDES, RIKEN, Automationdirect, SUN KWANG and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2023, etc.Safety Light curtains are opto-electronic devices that are used to safeguard personnel in the vicinity of moving machinery with the potential to cause harm such as presses, winders and palletisers. Safety Light curtains can be used as an alternative to mechanical barriers and other forms of traditional machine guarding. By reducing the need for physical guards and barriers, safety light curtains can increase the maintainability of the equipment t are guarding. The operability and efficiency of machinery can also be improved by the use of safety light curtains by, for example, allowing easier access for semi-automatic procedures.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Safety Light Curtain Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Carlo GavazziContrinexPanasonicHoneywellReeRDatalogicPepperl+FuchsWENGLORCEDESRIKENAutomationdirectSUN KWANGFOTEKCoronDaidisikeOUTAIDIBESTSUENWLNTECHMONCEEKINGSENSORSAGATCESPEEwmipKJTOthersGlobal Safety Light Curtain Market: Key Product TypeReflection-typeOpposite-typeOthersGlobal Safety Light Curtain Market: Key ApplicationIndustrial EquipmentAerospaceOthersGlobal Safety Light Curtain Market: Key RegionNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Others)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Others)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Others)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Others)The Global Safety Light Curtain Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Safety Light Curtain Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Safety Light Curtain Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Table of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Type1.2.1.1 Reflection-type1.2.1.2 Opposite-type1.2.2 by Application1.2.2.1 Industrial Equipment1.2.2.2 Aerospace.......................Continue (Global Safety Light Curtain Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Water Treatment Equipment Market Report for Period 2011 till 2023 Pall Corporation, BWT, Degremont, Evoqua Water, Lenntech, Ecolutia, Ovivo, GE Water and Others

Water Treatment Equipment Market

https://goo.gl/TLn56W

https://goo.gl/TLn56W

http://marketreportscompany.com

Global Water Treatment Equipment Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Pall Corporation, Veolia, BWT, Degremont, Evoqua Water, Lenntech, Ecolab, Ecolutia, Ovivo, GE Water and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2011 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2011 to 2023, etc.Water Treatment Equipment refers to the equipment used in the industrial water treatment. It includes Pre-treatment non-membrane, Pre-treatment membrane, ultrapure water, AD/EDI systems polishing, Inorganic WW treatment, Organic WW treatment, etc.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Water Treatment Equipment Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:VeoliaBWTDegremontGE WaterPall CorporationEvoqua WaterLenntechEcolabEcolutiaOvivoOthersGlobal Water Treatment Equipment Market: Key Product TypePre-treatment non-membranePre-treatment membraneUltrapure waterAD/EDI systems polishingInorganic WW treatmentOrganic WW treatmentsOthersGlobal Water Treatment Equipment Market: Key ApplicationFood beveragesPower generationPharmaMicroelectronicsChemicalsOthersGlobal Water Treatment Equipment Market: Key RegionAsia-PacificNorth AmericaEuropeSouth AmericaMiddle East & AfricaThe Global Water Treatment Equipment Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Water Treatment Equipment Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Water Treatment Equipment Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Global Water Treatment Equipment Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Yoga Mat Market Report for Period 2017 till 2022 HATHAYOGA, Kharma Khare, Hosa Group, Yogabum, Aerolite, Aurorae, and Others

Yoga Mat Market

https://goo.gl/5ArxJU

https://goo.gl/5ArxJU

http://marketreportscompany.com

Global Yoga Mat Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely HATHAYOGA, Kharma Khare, Hosa Group, Yogabum, Aerolite, Aurorae, and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2017 to 2022 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2017 to 2022, etc.This report studies the Yoga Mat market. Yoga mats are specially fabricated mats used as an aid during the practice of yoga to prevent hands and feet slipping during practice. They are mainly used both for home use and for yoga studios.Request for Free Sample Copy of Global Yoga Mat Market 2017 atTop Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:LululemonManduka PROliteJade YogaHugger Mugger Para RubberPrAna RevolutionaryGaiam, EasyogaHATHAYOGAKharma KhareHosa GroupYogabumAeroliteAuroraeBarefoot YogaKeep wellKhatalandMicrocell CompositeYogarugsCopeactiveYogasana, A. KolckmannJiangXi Lveten PlasticLiformeStarlight YogaBean ProductsGlobal Yoga Mat Market: Key Product TypePVC yoga matsRubber yoga matsTPE yoga matsOther yoga matsGlobal Yoga Mat Market: Key ApplicationHouseholdYoga clubOthersGlobal Yoga Mat Market: Key RegionUnited StatesCanadaMexicoThe Global Yoga Mat Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Yoga Mat Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Automotive Lighting Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Global Yoga Mat Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Pet Insurance Market Report for Period 2011 till 2023 Nationwide, Trupanion, Hartville Group, Petfirst, Embrace, Direct Line Group, Agria, Petsecure, PetSure, Anicom Holding, Pethealth and Others

Pet Insurance Market

https://goo.gl/xgFnrZ

https://goo.gl/xgFnrZ

http://marketreportscompany.com

Global Pet Insurance Market report provides detailed analysis of companies namely Petplan NorthAmerica(Allianz), Nationwide, Trupanion, Hartville Group, Petfirst, Embrace, Agria, Petsecure, PetSure, Japan Animal Club, Pethealth and Others. This report study includes global market statistics and analysis for example, company performance, historical analysis 2012 to 2016, market forecast 2011 to 2023 in terms of volume, revenue, YOY growth rate, and CAGR for the year 2011 to 2023, etc.Pet insurance is a type of specialty property and casualty insurance policy that pet owners purchase to cover the unintended costs that arise in providing care for a pet, including veterinary services such as surgical procedures, injuries from accidents, and prescribed pet medicines. Pet insurance is purely a reimbursement program. A form of property and casualty insurance, pet insurance provides reimbursement to the owner after the pet has received required care and the owner submits a claim to the insurance companyRequest for Free Sample Copy of Global Pet Insurance Market 2017Top Company Profiles and Analysis included in this report:Petplan UK (Allianz)NationwideTrupanionPetplan NorthAmerica(Allianz)Hartville GroupPethealthPetfirstEmbraceRoyal Sun Alliance (RSA)Direct Line GroupAgriaPetsecurePetSureAnicom Holdingipet InsuranceJapan Animal ClubOthersGlobal Pet Insurance Market: Key Product TypeLifetime CoverNon-lifetime CoverAccident-onlyOtherGlobal Pet Insurance Market: Key ApplicationDogCatOtherGlobal Pet Insurance Market: Key RegionAsia-PacificNorth AmericaEuropeSouth AmericaMiddle East & AfricaThe Global Pet Insurance Market analysis report provides detailed value chain for analysis of Global Pet Insurance Market. The value chain helps to analyze major upstream in raw materials, major equipments, manufacturing process, downstream customer analysis and major distributor analysis.The report also covers in-depth description, competitive scenario, wide product portfolio of prime players active in this market and business strategies adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. Side by side, it also explicitly provides information about mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and all the other important activities happened in current and past few years. The Global Pet Insurance Market report explores manufacturers competitive scenario and provides market share for all major players of this market based on production capacity, sales, revenue, geographical presence and other major factors.Enquire before Buying @Global Pet Insurance Market Research Industry Report is prepared with the help of extensive primary and secondary sources, directories, journals, newsletters and with the help of third-party application like Hoovers, Factiva, Bloomberg, Businessweek, etc.About Us:Market Reports Company is a global research and consulting company. We provide customized reports. We can study and analyze any market based on wide range of parameters. We can provide market insights for any particular region, country across the globe within shortest possible turn around time.What we offer: Customized Reports: we provide customized report study on any market or industry. Region Specific Study: If you need region specific or if you are searching for particular region market study then, we have expert research team for that. How we work: We work in all domains and industries, you name it and we provide the market research industry report analysis of it. Expertise: Superior Research Team, 24*7 Customer Care ServiceContact UsJason Smith,Sales Manager, Global Business Development,Website:Email: jasonsmith@marketreportscompany.comContact us: +1-888-220-3424Address: 20 N State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60602 United States
Motorcycle Lithium Battery the Motorcycle Lithium Battery Market Key Players Analysis and Forecast to 2017

Reportsweb

http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011040095/sample

http://www.reportsweb.com/global-motorcycle-lithium-battery-market-research-report-2017

http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011040095/discount

http://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW00011040095/buy/2900

ReportsWeb.com has announced the addition of the Global Motorcycle Lithium Battery Market Research Report 2017 The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification.Global Motorcycle Lithium Battery market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingPanasonicMaxAmpsSonyEnergizerShoraiRenataVameryDuracellBattery KingRequest a Sample copy atGeographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD) , market share and growth rate of Motorcycle Lithium Battery in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast) , coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaTaiwanComplete 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 intoFlat TypeU-Channel TypeTubular TypeTable of Contents:1 Motorcycle Lithium Battery Market Overview2 Global Motorcycle Lithium Battery Market Competition by Manufacturers3 Global Motorcycle Lithium Battery Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)4 Global Motorcycle Lithium Battery Supply (Production) , Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)5 Global Motorcycle Lithium Battery Production, Revenue (Value) , Price Trend by Type6 Global Motorcycle Lithium Battery Market Analysis by ApplicationGet Discount at7 Global Motorcycle Lithium Battery Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis8 Motorcycle Lithium Battery Manufacturing Cost Analysis9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders11 Market Effect Factors Analysis12 Global Motorcycle Lithium Battery Market Forecast (2017-2022)13 Research Findings and ConclusionPurchase 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. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Bone Marrow Transplant Market Report Value Analysis and Forecast 2017

ReportsWeb

http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001988086/sample

http://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW0001988086/buy/3500

Market Research Report on Bone Marrow Transplant Industry providing Global Market Landscape and its Growth Prospects over the coming years till 2022 is now available at ReportsWeb.com.This report studies Bone Marrow Transplant in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringAllCells (USA)Lonza (Switzerland)Merck (USA)Sanofi (France)Translational Biosciences (USA)Athersys (USA)Beike Biotechnology (China)BioTime (USA)Bluebird Bio (USA)Caladrius (USA)Cellular Biomedicine Group (USA)Cesca Therapeutics (USA)TiGenix (Belgium)CHA Biotech (Korea)Chugai Pharmaceutical (UK)View complete report at http://www.reportsweb.com/global-bone-marrow-transplant-market-professional-survey-report-2017By types, the market can be split intoAutologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell TransplantationSyngeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell TransplantationAllo-HSCTBy Application, the market can be split intoAcute LeukemiaChronic LeukemiaBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want) North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, IndiaRequest sample copy atTable of Contents1 Industry Overview of Bone Marrow Transplant1.1 Definition and Specifications of Bone Marrow Transplant1.2 Classification of Bone Marrow Transplant1.3 Applications of Bone Marrow Transplant2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Bone Marrow Transplant2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Bone Marrow Transplant2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Bone Marrow Transplant2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Bone Marrow Transplant3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Bone Marrow Transplant3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Bone Marrow Transplant Major Manufacturers in 20173.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Bone Marrow Transplant Major Manufacturers in 20173.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Bone Marrow Transplant Major Manufacturers in 20173.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Bone Marrow Transplant Major Manufacturers in 20174 Global Bone Marrow Transplant Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Sales Analysis4.3 Sales Price Analysis5 Bone Marrow Transplant Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Bone Marrow Transplant Market Analysis5.2 China Bone Marrow Transplant Market Analysis5.3 Europe Bone Marrow Transplant Market Analysis5.4 Southeast Asia Bone Marrow Transplant Market Analysis5.5 Japan Bone Marrow Transplant Market AnalysisList of Tables and FiguresTable Product Specifications of Bone Marrow TransplantTable Classification of Bone Marrow TransplantTable Applications of Bone Marrow TransplantFigure Civil Aircrafts ExamplesTable Major Consumers in Civil AircraftsFigure Market Share of Bone Marrow Transplant by RegionsTable Bone Marrow Transplant Raw Material and SuppliersTable Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Bone Marrow Transplant in 2016Figure Manufacturing Process Analysis of Bone Marrow TransplantFigure Industry Chain Structure of Bone Marrow TransplantTable 2012-2017E Global Bone Marrow Transplant Capacity and Growth RateTable 2012-2017E Global Bone Marrow Transplant Sales Price (USD/Unit)Table 2016 Global Bone Marrow Transplant Sales Price (USD/Unit) List (Company Segment)Table 2016 Mikrotechna Praha Bone Marrow Transplant Revenue (Million USD) , Sales (Units) , Ex-factory Price (USD/Unit)Figure 2016 Mikrotechna Praha Bone Marrow Transplant Business Region DistributionTable 2016 Aerolab Bone Marrow Transplant Revenue (Million USD) , Sales (Units) , Ex-factory Price (USD/Unit)Figure 2016 Aerolab Bone Marrow Transplant Business Region DistributionFigure Global 2017-2022 Bone Marrow Transplant Market Size (Units) and Growth Rate ForecastTable Global Sales Volume (Units) of Bone Marrow Transplant by Type 2017-2022Table Global Consumption Volume (Units) of Bone Marrow Transplant by Application 2017-2022Table Traders or Distributors with Contact Information of Bone Marrow Transplant by RegionPurchase this report atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
http://www.cleanzone.messefrankfurt.com/frankfurt/en/besucher/willkommen.html?nc

Regulations are indispensable in cleanliness technology. They specify which cleanliness standards, test methods or threshold values must be observed for particular industries. Fraunhofer IPA is on committees all over the world and helps to shape groundbreaking guidelines. At the Cleanzone and Lounges on Tour trade fairs in Frankfurt am Main on October 17-18, Fraunhofer scientists will give information on new developments such as the expansion of the VDI 2083 set of guidelines to include nanoscale contamination and a calculation method to determine the degradation kinetics of hydrogen peroxide and the desorption kinetics of materials after hydrogen peroxide fogging.---Dr. Udo Gommel, Head of the Department of Ultraclean Technology and Micromanufacturing, is responsible for the establishment of cleanroom and cleanliness technology regulations on several committees and in industry networks. He is Chairman of the VDI Expert Committee on Cleanroom Technology, which is made up mostly of industry representatives, and meets with the committee at least twice a year in order to examine over 20 guidelines on cleanroom technology (VDI 2083), modify them where appropriate and align them with the international ISO equivalents.Basic standard for nanoscale particle contamination expandedAt previous meetings, the VDI Expert Committee on Cleanroom Technology determined the need for cleanrooms and cleanliness-technology-controlled areas to expand into ranges below 0.1 micrometers into the single-digit nanoscale range. The reason for this is that line widths are becoming ever smaller in the semiconductor and nanotechnology sectors. Smaller and smaller components are required to produce microchips. Consequently, the size at which particle contamination must be controlled is also decreasing, Dr. Gommel explains. VDI 2083/1, which the experts refer to as the mothership of VDI standards on cleanroom technology, covers particle sizes of 0.1 to 5.0 micrometers. The new forthcoming standard VDI 2081/1.1 relates to much smaller contaminants in the range of 5-100 nanometers. The VDI Expert Committee created a new classification system for this that specifies threshold values for compliance with product and process-specific specifications. Measuring techniques and procedures for characterizing clean areas and equipment were also determined. The new guidelines are to be adopted at the end of this year. Dr. Gommel will present the new developments in his lectures at Cleanzone and Lounges on Tour on October 18.New calculation method determines the desorption time of H2O2Another subject that the VDI Expert Committee on Cleanroom Technology took on is desorption kinetics, more specifically the degradation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) after applying it to surfaces in cleanliness-technology-controlled areas. To ensure that there is no contamination of pharmaceutical or medical technology products and surfaces where cleanliness is critical, for example in manufacturing tablets or implants, cleanrooms must be sterilized overnight. This is often done by hydrogen peroxide fogging, which kills off microorganisms. However, increased concentrations of H2O2 are harmful to humans and should not be inhaled, so cleanrooms are ventilated after sterilization until the H2O2 level has decreased to a non-critical value. In spite of this, the gas adheres to surfaces, meaning that degradation slows down and this delays the resumption of production activities in the cleanroom. For this reason, Fraunhofer IPA developed a procedure that can be used to determine the half-life of H2O2 degradation. Dr. Gommel: This means that users know when they can resume production. The new calculation algorithm was integrated into VDI guideline 2083/20. On October 18, Fraunhofer IPA expert Dr. Markus Keller will present the procedure to the public at Cleanzone.From pure ambient air assessment to specific contaminantsFraunhofer IPA also works with committees and industry networks to harmonize the various guidelines on cleanroom and cleanliness technology. In addition to the VDI 2083 set of guidelines, the international set of standards ISO 14644 and the European Cooperation for Space Standardization (ECSS) for the aviation and aerospace sectors also apply to cleanroom workers. For airborne contaminants, a trend can be seen: cleanroom environments are no longer just being assessed as a means to an end, with the products and their specific cleanliness requirements becoming ever more important. Dr. Gommel: Previously, standards only focused on air purity, whereas now users can receive concrete guidelines on the requirements for surface cleanliness, component specifications or production environment qualities. This applies to particulate, chemical, film-type and microbiological aspects that are required for production processes, such as for manufacturing satellites, car components or even implants. Dr. Gommel will explain this topic in more detail at Lounges on Tour on 18 October.Details of lectures1. CleanzoneWhen: October 17-18, 2017Where: Frankfurt am Main, Messe FrankfurtLectures:9:15am to 9:40am: VDI 2083/1.1 Nanoscale contamination  classification and measurement (Speaker: Dr. Udo Gommel, Fraunhofer IPA)10:15am to 10:40am: VDI 2083/20 Determining the desorption kinetics of substances after fogging (Speaker: Dr. Markus Keller, Fraunhofer IPA)2. Lounges on Tour:When: October 17-18, 2017Where: Frankfurt am Main, The Squaire, Frankfurt AirportLecture:11:30am to 12:00pm: Development of standards (ISO, VDI, ECSS)  ACC influence on product environment and process suitability of consumables (Speaker: Dr. Udo Gommel, Fraunhofer IPA)Press communicationRamona Honl | Telefon +49 711 970-1638 |Expert contactDr. Udo Gommel | Telefon +49 711 970-1633 |Weitere Informationen:Quelle: idw
http://www.ipa.fraunhofer.de/de/veranstaltungen/messen/parts2clean.html

Parts2Clean 2017: Fraunhofer IPA presents details of the process chain from cleaning through analytics all the way to packaging in ultra-clean environments.---It is more complicated than many might think to clean components for industry. Expert knowledge is required in selecting the correct cleaning process, cleanliness analysis and packaging. Moreover, industry-specific regulations and the requisite infrastructure are additional factors involved. Fraunhofer IPA is the only institution in Germany to offer the entire process chain in an ultra-clean environment. Experts will present details of this at Parts2Clean, an international trade fair for industrial parts and surface cleaning, which is being held October 2426, 2017 in Stuttgart, Germany.When component parts require cleaning, there is no uniform procedure to be followed. The most suitable cleaning process must be determined, which all depends on the material, industry and application at hand. For workshop components, it is often sufficient to remove organic residues such as fats and oils with a solvent. Aeronautic applications, in contrast, require extremely delicate cleaning procedures, for example with CO2 snow. Occasionally, a component has different, sometimes unknown materials or a complex geometrical design. This requires a combination of different procedures which must be conducted in a specific order.Trial and error often helpsIPA scientist Max Metzmacher explains: Here is where the majority of service providers fail, because they tend to either specialise in rough cleaning or precision cleaning. However, Fraunhofer IPA possesses both the knowledge and the tools to also find a solution to this issue. Some examples of these tools are an ISO category 1 cleanroom CO2 snow nozzle and highly efficient ultrasonic immersion bath with several compartments. A particular challenge is presented by cleaning prototypes or individual component parts. Here, the process is not integrated in manufacturing, as is the case for serial production. Threshold values and suitable processes must instead be ascertained first of all. Fraunhofer IPA is able to conduct complex tests and lab experiments as well as guaranteeing the required level of safety. When the original idea doesnt quite work, we simply try something new, Metzmacher explains.Validating cleanlinessThe actual cleaning is only part of the process. The level of cleanliness must also be verified and validated. In some industries standards have already been defined which stipulate specific test methods and threshold values. For example, VDA Volume 19.1 regulates the automotive industry whereas the ECSS (European Cooperation for Space Standardization) regulates the aerospace industry. Fraunhofer IPA has the instruments to conduct the analyses required here. Measurements using an electron microscope, gas chromatography or infrared spectroscopy are all possible, for example. If no regulatory framework has been established, the scientists support their partners in defining suitable standards. Furthermore, the scientists form committees in order to establish norms for various industries. These include the industry association Cleanroom Suitable Consumables (CSC) for consumable supplies in cleanrooms or Adhasa, an association for adhesive cleanliness.Clean packaging for clean transportationCleaned and validated components are not easily packed and dispatched in boxes. As Metzmacher explains, The majority of components require a cleanroom in order to remain unsoiled. If they are taken outside of this environment and carried down the corridor, the threshold values will already have been exceeded. Instead, the components must be sealed in certified foil and transported in a clean environment. In cases where the components are exceptionally large with complex geometrical designs, IPA scientists design suitable packaging to safeguard the clean status of the components.Metzmacher summarizes things by concluding: Our USP is that we are able to carry out the whole process chain, from cleaning through analytics all the way to packaging in ultra-clean environments. It is because of this that the team has years of experience working for companies using components which are subject to the strictest cleanliness requirements. Our customers include, for example, the aerospace company OHB System AG and the European Space Agency, the expert explains.Trade fair details:Name: parts2cleanWhen: October 2426, 2017Where: Messe Stuttgart, Hall 5, Stand C31Press communicationRamona Honl | Tel.: +49 711 970-1638 |Expert contactMax Metzmacher | Tel.: +49 711 970-1512 |Weitere Informationen:Quelle: idw
https://www.bam.de/parabelflug

https://twitter.com/VenioQuinque

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkjYaE8y9NdOgl2Fy_Qiuw

https://www.bam.de/parabelflug

https://twitter.com/VenioQuinque

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkkjYaE8y9NdOgl2Fy_Qiuw

Bordeaux, 11.09.2017. The Bundesanstalt fur Materialforschung und-prufung (BAM) believes that astronauts who will themselves manufacture tools or spare parts in space using 3D printing will become a reality. BAM, together with the Clausthal University of Technology, is conducting tests on powder-assisted additive production under microgravity conditions between 11 and 15 September. During the 30th Parabolic Flight Campaign of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the scientists will be testing how a 3D printer using powder as a starting material can be stabilised in weightlessness.---In the "Powder-based additive manufacture under weightlessness" project BAM and the TU Clausthal aim to manufacture components by applying layers of a flowable powder (printing). For this purpose a 3D component, depicted by computer-controlled software by dividing it into thousands of virtual layers, is built up by the repeated application of powder layer by layer. The focus of the planned parabolic flight tests is on the application of powder layers as this is very difficult in weightless conditions. In order to stabilise the powder bed with the printed component without gravitation, scientists want to use an air-gas flow which is sucked through the powder layers."3D printing has never been explored in weightlessness  BAM, DLR and TU Clausthal are pioneers," explains Prof. Jens Gunster, Project Manager and Head of BAMs Ceramic Processing and Biomaterials Division. The aim of the research project is to expand and further develop individual manufacturing methods for components needed during a space mission. In addition, the process used is also of great interest for industrial applications on earth: "A higher packing density of the powder particles and an improved layer application of finer, non-flowable powders are two major advantages compared to conventional layer application methods," adds Gunster.Some of the methods used here have already been patented internationally: they are based on two patent families that have been jointly patented by BAM and TU Clausthal within Germany and by BAM alone outside Germany.Prof. Gunster, who is also a professor in high-performance ceramics at the TU Clausthal, leads a team including Dr Andrea Zocca and BAM Ph.D. students Jorg Luchtenborg and Pedro Lima, TU Clausthal Ph.D. student Thomas Muhler, and DLR Ph.D. student Marc Sparenberg. This is another milestone in the successful collaboration between BAM, DLR and TU Clausthal following the "Self-assembled Multifunctional Structures for Adaptive High-Performance Lightweight Construction" Ph.D. programme, which was approved last year.For more information about the project "Powder-based additive manufacture under weightlessness" and the parabolic flight tests of BAM and TU Clausthal visitBAM and DLR will report live on the parabolic flights from the Bordeaux site and on the tests under hashtag #BAMzeroG and #DLRparabelflug during the flight week from 11th to 15th of September.Please also visit Twitter () andYouTube ().Weitere Informationen:Quelle: idw
http://www.helmholtz.de

http://www.helmholtz.de/socialmedia

Berlin, 11/09/2017  A new funding instrument is launched in German-Russian research cooperation. The Helmholtz Association and the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) have selected the first six joint research groups for their "Helmholtz-RSF Joint Research Groups" funding program. For a period of three years, each will receive funding of up to EUR 130,000 per year respectively from the Helmholtz Associations Initiative and Networking Fund, and an equal amount of funding from the RSF. The first of a total of three calls for proposals focused on the fields of "Biomedicine" and "Information and Data Science".---Scientists from a Helmholtz Center and a Russian partner respectively are involved in the selected research projects. "I am delighted that we have been able to select six very promising groups from the numerous high-profile applications", says Helmholtz President Otmar D. Wiestler. "The mission of the Helmholtz Association is to find solutions for the major and pressing issues facing society, science, and the economy. International cooperation is an essential element in achieving this. I am very confident that the researchers selected will work together excellently, be highly productive, and achieve results soon."The "Helmholtz-RSF Joint Research Groups" builds on a partnership between the Helmholtz Association and the Russian Science Foundation. "Russia is an important partner for us in scientific cooperation", says Otmar D. Wiestler. "Our new funding tool is a valuable component of this." A focal point of the Joint Research Groups is the advancement of young scientists in both countries.A total of three calls for proposals are planned within the framework of the Helmholtz-RSF Joint Research Groups" program. Six bilateral projects will be selected during each round respectively. The second call for proposals is already open. The application deadline is November 30, 2017, and comprises the two topics of "Climate Research" and "Energy Storage and Grid Integration". Finally, the last call for proposals in 2019 is to comprise the topics of "Materials and Emerging Technologies" and the "Structure and Dynamics of Matter".The six research groups funded in the current round are:1. Compton X-ray microscopy of biological specimensThe aim of this cooperation between Tomsk State University (TSU) and the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) is to develop a new high-energy X-ray camera for Compton imaging, a very promising new technique for studying biological specimens. In contrast to today's destructive techniques, Compton X-ray microscopy is a very gentle form of investigation: The structure of entire cells can be mapped without severely damaging the highly sensitive bioprobes. The main component required for this is a high-speed pixel detector with GaAs sensors. Tomsk State University produces the best GaAs material in the world, and DESY has the know-how to develop and apply appropriate detectors.Point of contact: DESY, Dr. Heinz Graafsma (subject area, 'Biomedicine'), contact:2. New avenues in information and data science: advanced imaging applications at the XFEL and cryo-EM frontierThe project is a cooperation between the Kurchatov Institute Moscow and the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY). Within the context of this collaboration, a powerful data processing platform is to be developed, which, among other things, is to be used on the recently opened European XFEL X-ray laser. Here, the latest machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence methods will be applied. The platform will provide a tool for scientists to analyze the complex measurement data from X-ray lasers or cryo-electron microscopes quickly  processes that currently take months or even longer. The main advantage of this innovative platform is that it forms a complete processing pipeline from the experiment to the reconstructed 3D structure. This allows large amounts of data from X-ray laser scattering experiments that are currently possible to be efficiently evaluated.Point of contact: DESY, Prof. Dr. lvan Vartaniants (subject area Information and Data Science), contact:3. Molecular-genetic stratification of paediatric medulloblastoma for personalisation of treatment strategiesMedulloblastoma are the most common form of malignant brain tumor in children. The joint project by the Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute in Moscow and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) has been researching these for a long time. Although the five-year overall survival rates have now reached 70 percent, there is an urgent need to further improve the individual treatment options. The project aims to achieve short-term improvements in medulloblastoma treatment. The two laboratories have great expertise in this area and all the necessary facilities to achieve this goal together.Point of contact: DKFZ, Prof. Dr. Andrey Korshunov (subject area 'Biomedicine'), contact:4. Karlsruhe-Russian Astroparticle Data Life Cycle InitiativeIn astroparticle physics, scientists must be able to exchange their highly detailed observations with each other in order to investigate and better understand complex processes in the Universe. The aim of this project of the Lomonosov University Moscow and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is to make publicly available a broad spectrum of data on high-energy cosmic rays. To this end, the participating researchers will set up a common data portal of two independent observatories.Contact person: KIT, Dr. Andreas Haungs (Theme area 'Information and Data Science'), Contact:5. Materials based on magnesium alloys for bioresorbable implants with anti-tumour activityTogether with the partners of the National University of Science and Technology, MISIS, NUST MISIS, and the N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center, the Institute of Materials Research at the Helmholtz Center Geesthacht (HZG) wants to expand its developments in the area of biodegradable magnesium alloys to new applications. The project addresses a core problem in modern oncology: the application of local chemotherapy that aims to achieve an efficient concentration of anti-tumor agents in the intra- or peritumoral regions. The underlying approach to the project is expected to result in a cytoreduction of unresectable and chemo-resistant tumors, while at the same time reducing the side effects for the patients.Point of contact: HZG, Prof. Dr. Regine Willumeit-Romer (subject area 'Biomedicine'), contact:6. High-density ultrawideband transducer arrays for optoacoustic recording of fast brain activity from large neural populationsBrain diseases are one of the greatest health challenges for our society. The aim of this project between the Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen is to develop a new generation of ultrasonic detection technology, which should make high-resolution recording of the activity of large neural cell populations possible. The new technology will provide neuroscientists with unprecedented insights into the living brain that would not be possible with comparable neuroimaging technologies.Point of contact: HMGU, Prof. Dr. Daniel Razansky, contact:For further information on the Helmholtz-RSF Joint Research Groups:The Helmholtz Association contributes to solving major challenges facing society, science, and the economy through top-level scientific achievements in six research areas: Energy, Earth and Environment, Health, Key Technologies, Matter, and Aeronautics, Space, and Transport. With approximately 38,000 employees at 18 research centers and an annual budget of more than four billion euros, the Helmholtz Association is the largest scientific organization in Germany. Its work is rooted in the tradition of the great natural scientist Hermann von Helmholtz (1821-1894).Media Contact:Roland KochPress SpokespersonTel.: 030 206 329-56Alexandra RosenbachInternational AffairsTel.: 030 206 329-135Research Policy and External AffairsBerlin OfficeAnna-Louisa-Karsch-Str. 210178 BerlinWeitere Informationen:Quelle: idw
This graphic shows an approximate representation of coastal areas under a hurricane warning (red), hurricane watch (pink), tropical storm warning (blue) and tropical storm watch (yellow). The orange circle indicates the current position of the center of the tropical cyclone. The black line, when selected, and dots show the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast track of the center at the times indicated. The dot indicating the forecast center location will be black if the cyclone is forecast to be tropical and will be white with a black outline if the cyclone is forecast to be extratropical. If only an L is displayed, then the system is forecast to be a remnant low. The letter inside the dot indicates the NHC's forecast intensity for that time:

D: Tropical Depression  wind speed less than 39 MPH

S: Tropical Storm  wind speed between 39 MPH and 73 MPH

H: Hurricane  wind speed between 74 MPH and 110 MPH

M: Major Hurricane  wind speed greater than 110 MPH

NHC tropical cyclone forecast tracks can be in error. This forecast uncertainty is conveyed by the track forecast "cone", the solid white and stippled white areas in the graphic. The solid white area depicts the track forecast uncertainty for days 1-3 of the forecast, while the stippled area depicts the uncertainty on days 4-5. Historical data indicate that the entire 5-day path of the center of the tropical cyclone will remain within the cone about 60-70% of the time. To form the cone, a set of imaginary circles are placed along the forecast track at the 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h positions, where the size of each circle is set so that it encloses 67% of the previous five years official forecast errors. The cone is then formed by smoothly connecting the area swept out by the set of circles.

It is also important to realize that a tropical cyclone is not a point. Their effects can span many hundreds of miles from the center. The area experiencing hurricane force (one-minute average wind speeds of at least 74 mph) and tropical storm force (one-minute average wind speeds of 39-73 mph) winds can extend well beyond the white areas shown enclosing the most likely track area of the center. The distribution of hurricane and tropical storm force winds in this tropical cyclone can be seen in the Wind History graphic linked above.
A celebration honoring two World War II veterans and three others celebrating their birthdays took place recently at Poseyville United Methodist Church.

Don Bloomfield, one of the honorees, is believed to be one of two remaining Michigan veterans who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Bloomfield remembers he had just finished breakfast in the mess hall of Camp Malakole on Oahu when the Japanese attack began. Bloomfield and Earl Lasko were ordered to drive a jeep to Schofield Barracks and get a load of empty sandbags and take them to Pearl Harbor and Hickam Field. There men were waiting to fill the empty sandbags and make a barrier on the beach in the event there would be an invasion. Bloomfield and Lasko drove back and forth all that day and late evening taking empty bags to the beach to be filled.

Bloomfield remembers they had nothing to eat all day and when they got back to Camp Malakole they had Spam and cheese sandwiches.

George Schmidt, of Saginaw Township, the other Pearl Harbor survivor, was on board the USS San Francisco.

Another celebrated was Robert Moe, a World War II veteran from 1943 to 1946, when he was discharged from the service. Moe was in Texas, California and Mississippi before being put on the USAT Cristobal which docked on Nov. 25 at Marseille, France. Eventually Moe was at the atoll Eniwetok, Ulithi and Manila, Phillipines. In 1946 he was in Yokohama, Japan, for several months and left there on the USS Perpetuia for Seattle, Washington, and then home.

Both Bloomfield and Moe returned to Midland to take up their civilian life again. Bloomfield returned home to his wife, Jeanette Bilow, and Moe returned home to his wife, Mildred Horning. Bloomfield is 96 and Moe is 92.

Laurel Colegrove, Bloomfield's niece, conceived the idea of honoring the veterans and the celebration grew to include others who were in their 90s -- Betty June Jacobs, Margaret Bloomfield (widow of Duane Bloomfield) and Dale Fenske.

More than 80 people gathered in the fellowship hall to greet the guests of honor, enjoy a buffet and renew acquaintances.
We value your privacy.

Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy.
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
BLOOMINGTON  "Dream Big" would be the slogan featured on red, white and blue gateway and wayfinding signs coming soon to downtown Bloomington if the City Council adopts a proposed design and branding concept.

"The message encourages community members and the community to continue to achieve their greatest aspirations, to be creative and resourceful, and, most importantly, to persist with innovative solutions during times of adversity," said city planner Katie Simpson in a staff memo recommending the council approve the concept.

Tricia Stiller and Russel Francois, co-chairs of the Downtown Signage Committee, will present the concept to the council when it meets at 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

Over the past two years the committee met 47 times to create the proposed concept with the help of a consultant.

If the measure is approved, Bloomington would join Normal and other Illinois municipalities that have put up wayfinding signs leading people to and around their downtown districts. In 2009, higher-than-expected bids for signs helping people find uptown locations prompted the Normal City Council to scale down its wayfinding program.

In August 2016, the Bloomington City Council approved a $62,190 contract with Pittsburgh-based signage designer KMA Designs to provide wayfinding and branding design services focused on improving navigation to and around downtown Bloomington.

The Council also will consider on Monday amending the contract with KMA to develop detailed plans and specifications necessary to obtain bids for the manufacture of the signs. The additional services would be limited to $28,095.

The city's current budget allocates $250,000 for the project, and if the council approves the contract amendment, $221,905 would be available to construct and install the signs downtown.

Like downtown Bloomington's buildings, the wayfinding concept incorporates a blend of decorative styles and features, Simpson's memo noted.

The tagline, "Dream Big," is underlined by the stroke of a paintbrush, "a symbolic representation of artistic expression and the inclusive diversity prevalent in the downtown creative community," she said.

The signs' "bold, patriotic color pallete" represents Bloomington's historical political ties with Abraham Lincoln, the Adlai Stevenson family and David Davis, as well as the city's symbolic red chevron, she added.

The council also will consider approving the reappointment of committee members Carl Teichman, Vicki Tilton, Beth Whisman, Dave Park, Thom Jones, Crystal Howard and Tom Krieger.

In other action, the council will consider approving a $620,000 contract with S. Shafer Excavating of Pontoon Beach, which submitted the lowest of three bids to demolish the long-vacant Bloomington City Hall Annex and construct a retaining wall at the site.

The 15,000-square-foot office building and attached garage at 332 S. Main St., southwest of City Hall, has been vacant since 2008, and its roof has been leaking for several years.

The Bloomington Public Works Department wants to use the space created by the building's demolition to store vehicles being worked on at the city's fleet maintenance garage, but that will require the installation of a permanent metal retaining wall, said Assistant City Manager Steve Rasmussen.

Funds totaling $590,000 are available in the city's current budget for the project, and public works was going to contribute $91,000, using savings from lower motor fuel expenses, said Rasmussen.
BLOOMINGTON  When a teenager spends seven hours a day in school, counselors can find themselves helping with mental health issues that, for some students, may include thoughts of suicide.

Mary Ann Whalen, psychologist at Bloomington High School, said teachers are trained to follow a crisis response plan if an at-risk student is identified.

The plan addresses how to respond to students in crisis, not only during the school day but after hours as well. We are here to help, listen, offer hope and help them put one foot in front of the other, said Whalen.

After the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why gained popularity with teens earlier this year, Whalen was concerned by the show's portrayal of mental health professionals.

The show, based on a popular novel by Jay Asher, follows a high school student through a spiral of depression spurred by bullying. The series shows the graphic suicide of the teen, after she lists the 13 reasons why she made the decision to kill herself.

The story generally portrayed (school) staff as being ineffective in helping, and bystanders did little or nothing to help, leaving the impression of hopelessness. Our concern involved the graphic nature of the story and how it might impact our most vulnerable youth, particularly students who may already be experiencing the same anguish as the main character, said Whalen.

If an at-risk student is identified at school by a teacher or peer, Whalen said counselors jump into action to offer guidance.

We want our students to know that suicide is not the solution and they can feel better with intervention and support, she said.

Confiding in a close teacher is what pulled Jordyn Washer out of the darkness of depression and self-harming when she was 15. Washer, of Chicago, is now a senior at Illinois State University.

I was diagnosed with depression at the end of my sophomore year (in high school). It was pretty bad. I had a history of cutting, said Washer.

Finding help

One day, she struggled to find the willpower to attend classes, so Washer went straight to the school counselor.

We spoke and she called in another counselor and we decided I could leave school early, she said.

The next day, Washer was admitted to an outpatient center to strengthen her mental health. From there, her outlook brightened. She is studying psychology and talks about her experience with depression in hopes of motivating others to seek help.

Even if theres one teacher or adult you really feel comfortable confiding in, tell that one person. Even my closest friends didnt understand it to the fullest extent, but holding it in and not saying anything is whats going to get you, she said.

Shortly after being diagnosed with depression, Washer read 13 Reasons Why.

The book resonated with me. It gave me validation that this is an actual thing and I wasnt going crazy. It made me want to talk about the subject, she said.

Washer watched the Netflix series, when she said her mind was in a healthier place.

I struggled for half an hour after watching the last episode. Part of me wanted to give in to being sad again. I had to tell myself, Youre fine. Youre not going back down that path,' she said.

If her 15-year-old self had watched the show while depressed, Washer said "theres a chance it couldve made things worse.

As long as youre in a healthy head space, I still think its one of those shows everyone should watch if they can. It opens up a whole other room of conversation starters and raises awareness."

13 Reasons Why is expected to return to Netflix in 2018.

Mixed bag

A teens reaction to the show could be a real mixed bag said Liz Hamilton, community project coordinator for BN Parents, a community-led group that encourages open conversation between parents and teenagers about substance abuse and mental health.

When you look at the content and the emotional impact it can have on a teen, you see how stressful it can be for them to grapple with those issues, especially without a sounding board, said Hamilton. It can also be an opportunity to open the door to conversation.

If teens show interest in the show, Hamilton encouraged parents to join their child on the couch to watch the episodes together.

Its best to not assume you have control over your child. The priority is to maintain a strong relationship with your adolescent. Be more inquisitive than judgmental and lecturing, she said.

If a teen already has watched the show or read the book, Hamilton said parents should use the themes to discuss depression and alcohol abuse, something heavily portrayed in the series.

Parents who suspect their teen may be suicidal or depressed should address it head on, said Hamilton, and keep the teen in the decision-making process about how to get help.
BLOOMINGTON  A former resident of Lincoln, Debbie Wright knows all too well the power of a tornado.

You see, with a tornado, it hits fast and hard, she said from her home in Minneola, Fla., on Monday. But with a hurricane it lasts for hours.

Wright and her family live in Lake County, about 22 miles west of Orlando and 22 miles south of Leesburg.

This was worse than any tornado I experienced in Illinois, she said. It is hours of your whole house shaking. It is hours of your windows bowing from the tremendous pressure outside. It is hours of holding my children and pets tight because we were so scared. Its not knowing when it was going to end.

The Wrights are among a number of families and others with Central Illinois ties The Pantagraph was able to reach Monday, after Irma tore its path of devastation through most of Florida and was heading northwest as a much less powerful storm.

Irma hit southern Florida shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday and by early Monday, the storm reached the Tampa area, just southwest of Wright's home. While downgraded to a category 1 hurricane by then, it still recorded sustained winds of about 85 mph and gusts up to 100 mph.

My husband and I fell asleep about 4 a.m. from complete exhaustion, said Wright. When we woke, it was all over. We are fortunate that we never lost power and only had damage to our roof, accompanied by water damage on our ceiling on the inside.

Former Normal residents Brian and April Vogel moved to Tampa about three years ago, and got word of the mandatory evacuation Saturday morning.

There were decisions to make, said Brians mother, Ruth, of Clinton.

They were expecting flood waters of 12 to 15 feet deep in the area they live, she said. They have two cars. At first, they were just going to leave one, but then decided to take them both.

The first available hotel outside the path of the storm was in Jackson, Miss., about 706 miles from their home.

They got there about 2:30 in the morning, said Ruth. He said they stopped at a rest area which was just packed with people and everybody had dogs and cats with them. They are waiting on when they can return. There isnt much gas.

Shannon Crawley of Clinton has been watching television for information on Naples, where her mother, Virginia Flemming, lives with her husband, Ken.

They left Thursday and headed to Mobile, Ala., she said. They are still there and are planning to head back Wednesday.

Bloomington resident Stan Wilkes has a daughter, Amy, living in Jacksonville, Fla., which is partly underwater.

The news isnt good, he said.

They had to evacuate someplace into Alabama, he said. She caught a picture from a news organization of her neighborhood. Its all underwater. She couldnt identify her specific house, but she is expecting the worst.

Steve Perring of Clinton owns property in Manasota Key, about 90 miles south of Tampa.

We own a home and it was in the eye of the storm, he said. We just got word that there is no flooding or damage. We are very fortunate. It could have been catastrophic. We are very, very blessed.

Former Fairbury resident Pam Bale lives in Cape Coral, near Fort Myers. She stayed with some nearby friends to ride out the storm.

All is well and we are checking out the damages around the house, she said. The storm surge isn't nearly as bad as we anticipated, which is a huge relief because there is a flood zone here. We had a window bust out in the bathroom, but we got it boarded back up and everyone is safe. We lost power and cell service goes in and out.

Authorities said as many as 6 million people were without power Monday. Cleanup operations are expected to take months.
Q: I am a veteran and I filed a claim for service-connected disability several months ago. The VA denied my claim and I filed an appeal. The only answer I get from the VA is that there is a backlog. What is the VA doing about reducing it?

A: President Trump signed legislation at the American Legions national convention in late August that should go a long way toward fixing the beleaguered Department of Veterans Appeals appeals process. The Veterans Appeal Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 creates three appeals 'lanes.' Veterans choose the lane that best suits their needs. The lanes are: Local Higher Level Review, in which an adjudicator reviews the same evidence considered by the original claims processor; the New Evidence lane, for which the veteran could submit new evidence for review and have a hearing; and the Board Lane, in which jurisdiction for the appeal would transfer immediately to the Board of Veterans Appeals.

The first lane requires little time because no new evidence and subsequent verification would be necessary. Allowing the claim to go directly to the appeals board, rather than local review or review of new evidence, also should reduce the waiting time. Contact your veterans service officer for more information.

Did you know?

The numbers are in for FY2016 VA expenditures in McLean County. The total number of veterans in McLean County was 10,425. The total expenditures in McLean County by the VA was $43,243,000. Payments to veterans for education, vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits were $4,669,000. VA payments for service-connected compensation and low-income pensions were $24,558,000. Insurance and indemnities totaled $1,101,000. VA medical care totaled $12,916,000.

Did you know?

The Illinois Department of Employment Security Job Service provides a trained veterans representative to help veterans get the training and jobs they need. An electronic statewide job search information system is available; call 1-888-FOR-IETC to find the nearest representative.

Event!

A Tree of Honor dedication is planned at the Central Illinois Regional Airport on Nov. 28, around 10:30 a.m. The Bloomington/Normal Airport Authority, Americas Gold Star Families and The Sgt. Anthony Maddox Memorial support this event. A nine-foot Christmas tree will be placed at CIRA to honor fallen soldiers.

The tree will be placed in the airport annually and will include ornaments representing fallen heroes from all states, military branches and conflicts.

The Gold Star recognizes that a family member serving in the military was killed while serving.

Q: I am a veteran who has smoked cigarettes since I was a teenager. My family has finally convinced me to quit. The Army used to put five cigarettes in my evening K-ration. I have a VA medical card and my VA doctor encouraged me to quit. I have never pursued quitting before and I want to be successful! What type of programs does the VA have to quit smoking?

A: Besides the help that is available at your VA health care provider, the VA also has online information to help you quit smoking. Statistics report that over one-half of all adults who ever smoked have quit, so you can do it. Research shows that a person has the best chance of quitting tobacco for good when they use smoking cessation medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration and take part in tobacco cessation counseling.

Most VA Community Based Outpatient Clinics have smoking cessation therapy groups that meet at the clinic. The VA also has smoking quit-line counselors available at 1-855-784-8838. Finally, you can get text message support from SmokefreeVET. Engage the support and encouragement of family members and friends. Good luck on your journey!
BLOOMINGTON  The remnants of Hurricane Irma will move slowly toward Illinois, but forecasters with the National Weather Service say the storm is not likely to produce any significant rainfall in Central Illinois.

The hurricane made its first U.S. landfall in Florida just northeast of Key West at Cudjoe Key at 8:10 a.m. Sunday. The system will gradually weaken as it moves northeast, said Chris Geelhart, a meteorologist with the Lincoln-based NWS.

We have a chance of showers Tuesday night into Wednesday, but as of right now, it doesnt look like its going to quite reach the Bloomington-Normal area, he said. We will have some clouds this week, but not much rain.

The high temperature will hit 77 degrees both Monday and Tuesday, and temperatures will be around 80 degrees until the weekend when it warms up slightly. Fridays high is expected to be around 82 degrees. It could hit 84 degrees on Saturday.

Still, the hurricane will have an impact in Central Illinois.

Crews from Ameren Illinois are traveling to help with widespread damage and power outages in Florida. Ameren has dispatched about 500 workers, including linemen, tree trimmers and substation electricians to aid in restoring power.

"We have extensive experience in restoration efforts in Illinois," Richard Mark, Ameren Illinois chairman and president, said in a statement Sunday. "Safety during this restoration effort will be paramount as we will be working in unfamiliar surroundings. As we do before any job here in Illinois, our on-site job and safety briefings will be critical before we perform any restoration task."

Country Financial and State Farm also are sending people to the region. Country moved its Loss Reporting Unit and First Contact Team into place to handle initial contacts with customers, said John Butkus, director of property claims.

Meanwhile, flights in and out of Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington to Florida could be affected this week. Flights to and from Orlando were cancelled Sunday.

So far, three departures and three arrivals have been affected at the Central Illinois Regional Airport for Monday. Delta Flight 5459 from Bloomington to Atlanta, scheduled to leave at 11:42 a.m. has been cancelled, as has Flight 3751 to Atlanta, scheduled to leave at 5:10 p.m. Allegiant Air Flight 879 from Bloomington to St. Petersburg, scheduled for 3:05 p.m., has also been cancelled.

Delta Flight 5459, scheduled to land at 11:07 a.m., and Delta Flight 3751, scheduled to land at 4:35 p.m., has been cancelled. Also Allegiant Air 878 from St. Petersburg, scheduled to land at 2:20 p.m., has been cancelled.

As of Monday morning, Delta Flight 5460, arriving from Atlanta at 10:34 p.m., is still scheduled.

Motorists, said officials at GasBuddy, are still seeing the effects from Hurricane Harvey and have not yet seen the effects from Hurricane Irma show up at the gas pump.

Because Harvey shut "down an extensive amount of refining capacity, the national average gasoline price saw its largest weekly jump since Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005 when the national average jumped 49 cents in a week, said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.

Its been one of the most challenging weeks faced in years. Until Texas can recover from Harvey, gasoline prices will likely continue to remain elevated. The situation is beginning to look up, with many refineries either back online or in the process, and gasoline production is ramping back up.

In Bloomington-Normal, prices ranged from $2.37 to $2.70 per gallon of unleaded gasoline on Sunday.

Additionally, Secretary of State Jesse White is warning consumers about flood-damaged cars on the market. With all the flooding from the hurricanes, White cautioned Illinois residents to be wary when buying vehicles from those areas and said his staff will be keeping an eye out for cars from states where flooding was extensive. Applicants will have to submit a hurricane disclosure statement in order to obtain a clean title in Illinois.
ATLANTA  As many as 80 historic military vehicles will stop in Logan County as part of a Route 66 "91st Anniversary Convoy" hosted by the Military Vehicle Preservation Association.

The convoy will retrace the original 1926 highway, starting Sept. 16 in Chicago and arriving 29 days later in Santa Monica, Calif.

The convoy will stop in Atlanta and Lincoln on Sept. 17. In Atlanta from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Arch Street will be blocked off between Race and Vine streets.

The convoy will use the 1926-1930 alignment through Lincoln, stopping at The Mill about 3 p.m. before passing through Broadwell and Elkhart.

Route 66 was commissioned in 1926 when the Bureau of Public Roads launched the nations first federal highway system.

The convoy will travel the entire length of Route 66 at a speed of 35 mph. The five-section journey is from Chicago to Branson, Mo. (561 miles); Branson to El Reno, Okla. (389 miles); El Reno to Santa Fe, N.M. (515 miles); Santa Fe to Williams, Ariz. (416 miles); and Williams to Santa Monica, Calif. (526 miles).
Murder charges have been filed against a 9-year-old in connection with a fatal mobile-home fire near Goodfield. Woodford County States Attorney Greg Minger said the juvenile is not in custody. Specifics on where the juvenile is and living arrangements were not available.
DECATUR  Central Illinois said goodbye to fallen sailor Logan Palmer on a bright and sunny fall Monday, a day already filled with patriotic emotion on the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Palmer, 23, had died Aug. 21, one of 10 sailors lost on the warship USS John McCain after a collision with a tanker near Singapore. Pastor the Rev. Mark Cooper told hundreds of mourners at Decatur's Life Foursquare Church, including U.S. Rep Rodney Davis, a Taylorville Republican, that he had heard Palmer died a true hero, surviving the initial collision but staying in harm's way to try and help his fellow shipmates.

The pastor said his wife, Lynn, had talked of Palmer's heroism with the sailor's sister, Madison. When Lynn asked what she thought about Logan placing himself in harm's way, Madison responded 'I wish he hadn't,' he said. Then she went on to say 'But that's what Palmers do'.

Looking out at the Palmer family in the front pews  Decatur parents Sid and Theresa, sister Madison, brothers Austin and Kaleb, grandparents and other relatives  Cooper said it was hard not to wonder what the last moments of the sailor's life were like.

Perhaps you wish you could have been there with him as he breathed his last: with him to comfort and console him, with him to express your love and affection, with him to say goodbye, said Cooper.

But this was not possible and, in this way, Logan's sacrifice is also your sacrifice. You have given a son, a brother, a grandson, a friend, to a grateful nation. That nation and its citizens owe you and Logan a debt of gratitude.

Palmer's flag-draped casket was carried into the church by a Naval honor guard in dress uniform. Navy officers and sailors saluted the casket that lay at the front of the cavernous church sanctuary, surrounded by sprays of flowers in red, white and blue. The sailors were followed by troops of Boy Scouts who also saluted in turn, marking the loss of one of their own: Palmer had achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Two Scouts, Tanner Owens and Mark Reed, stood before the congregation to perform the Ceremony of the Broken Arrow, symbolizing farewell to a fellow Scout who had distinguished himself. Snapping an arrow in half, they said the act was symbolic of the end of strife and the beginning of peace.

After the service, his funeral procession, escorted by police and fire vehicles, passed under a vast American flag held suspended between two tower trucks from the Decatur Fire Department. Police halted traffic and even passers-by stood with their hands over their hearts as the gleaming white hearse made its slow progression toward Harristown Cemetery, where Palmer was buried with full military honors.

The funeral route was lined with well-wishers, many of whom did not know who Logan Palmer was until they were told, and then they were happy to wait and pay their respects. People like Billie Kay Dugger from Springfield, who watched the procession near Sharon United Methodist Church at Center street and Wyckles road.

I just saw the flags and I didnt know what it was, but I just felt in my heart it was something I needed to sit here for, Dugger said. My family is a military family, my father was in the Navy.

Its a shame that our country is as bad as it is, and its wonderful that there are people, who are young, who are out there fighting for us, Dugger added. I wish I could help them all, but I cant. All I can do is sit here and pray.

Marshall Sperry from Decatur also watched the procession near Sharon United Methodist Church. He does know one of Palmer's older brothers and has been following events closely. He set up a tripod to take pictures of the procession going by.

He's attended other processions before to honor fellow citizens.

I want to honor Logan and the rest of his family, Sperry said.
To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below.

Taipei, Sept. 11 (CNA) Taiwanese human rights activist Lee Ming-che (), who is being held in China on charges of subversion of state power, asked his wife in a letter to follow the instructions of the two Chinese lawyers representing him when she went to the mainland for his court hearing.
100 years ago

Sept. 11, 1917: A troop train stopped here en route to St. Louis and ultimately Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The soldiers were greeted with 175 gallons of hot coffee, courtesy of the Red Cross. The cups of java were already creamed and sugared for the grateful Sammies (soldiers).

75 years ago

Sept. 11, 1942: Theres a bumper crop of tomatoes out there and a real shortage of people to peel them. Both the Washburn and Lutz canning factories have a labor shortage due to the war. Of that bumper crop, 35 percent will go to the government to feed the troops.

50 years ago

Sept. 11, 1967: After three months of construction delays, the Ramada Inn and restaurant have opened just off the Market Street exit from I-55-74. This is Ramadas first property in the Twin Cities. (The east side Holiday Inn later became a Ramada Inn. Pizza Ranch is on the site now.)

25 years ago

Sept. 11, 1992: The Airport Authority accepted contractors bids for realigning Oakland Avenue to bend south and come to a T at Ireland Grove Road. This is to allow space for construction of the proposed north-south runway once certain other properties are acquired.
BillerudKorsnas Karlsborg Mill to be Back to Full Production Next Week After analysing the impact of the fire, BillerudKorsnas now expects Karlsborg to be back to full production during the week starting with Monday September 18th. Sept. 11, 2017 - BillerudKorsnas has provided the following update on its Karlsborg pulp and paper mill in Sweden: During the night between September 5th and 6th, there was a fire in one of the buildings at BillerudKorsnas' production unit in Karlsborg and the production has been stopped since then. After analysing the impact of the fire, BillerudKorsnas now expects Karlsborg to be back to full production during the week starting with Monday September 18th. The most important thing is that no person has been injured in the fire. We have now assessed the impact of the fire and the work with making the unit ready for start of production is ongoing at high intensity. We expect full production to be reached during next week, i.e. the week starting with Monday September 18th. As it is a complex start-up after this type of event, there is some uncertainty about the exact timing, says Per Lindberg, President and CEO of BillerudKorsnas. The fire started as a result of a malfunctioning security valve leaking oxygen leading to ignition. The production unit in Karlsborg manufactures sack and kraft paper as well as market pulp for the Packaging Paper business area and has a production capacity of approximately 300,000 tonnes per year. BillerudKorsnas is a leading manufacturer of packaging papers, including: kraft and sack paper, liquid packaging board and cartonboard, containerboard (fluting and liner), and market pulp. The company has 8 production sites in Sweden, Finland and the UK. To learn more, please visit: www.billerudkorsnas.com . SOURCE: BillerudKorsnas
It's curious to think what Andy Warhol would make of Jordan Kale Barrett, the model, burgeoning photographer and social media maven whose supersonic rise to the top of the fashion heap has been one of the most white-hot in recent memory. The Aussie-born Barrett unquestionably falls in the "superstar" category, the self-styled moniker of Andy's clique, and is possessed of an almost extraterrestrial beauty that would have surely captivated the artist and counter-cultural arbiter. It's a question worth considering, given that Barrett is going through a bit of a Warhol phase himself. To wit, he is knee-deep in The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, the artist's esoteric volume on life in his pop-art milieu. He's also been taking Polaroids of his friends extemporaneously -- "It would be cool to make them into a little book one day" -- a style of throwaway portraiture the artist defined with his iconic celebrity series. A quick scan of Barrett's (633K followers and counting) Instagram, @iblamejordan, reveals him to have a similar observational remove from the absurdities of fame and celebrity, minus Warhol's gimlet eye and notorious insecurity (Jordan is 20 years old and gorgeous, after all).

"There's a lot in there that I love," Barrett says about getting into Philosophy. "Just all of these random thoughts he had that hold up so well today. It's wild." While the uncanniness of Warhol's relevance is not so much a surprise in our moment of Instafame, to watch someone so clearly manifested from that legacy discover and channel it as if he had just stepped out of The Factory's tin foil walls is compelling -- and almost eerie. It doesn't hurt that he can more than hold his own in casual discourse on Warhol's impact, influence and pertinence as if he were teaching a seminar at the New School.

That is the thing about Jordan Barrett that is perhaps the most disarming: not his Ginsu-sharp cheekbones or leonine visage (the ad nauseum comparisons to River Phoenix and a young Leonardo DiCaprio may as well be listed on his passport) but rather his deep and considered knowledge of the world he inhabits -- namely, the photographers and artists he works with. Born and raised in the beach hamlet of Byron Bay, New South Wales on the east coast of Australia, he spent his formative years surfing and running around barefoot outside at every chance, which is to say, no video games and very little TV, a practice that still holds up today (and is quite an achievement for a Gen Zer).



Click through to see more photos of Jordan Barrett from our Beautiful People issue!

After he was discovered in a convenience store at 14 by an IMG agent in 2010, he began modeling in Sydney and then moved to Tokyo for a couple of years. In 2015 he came to the States for a VMan shoot in Miami with photographer and inveterate career-launcher Bruce Weber, and he never looked back. "After I did my first thing with Bruce, that was when I saw it all differently and when it started getting serious," he says. "It switched in my head that this was full-on." From there came sittings with A-list photographers like Steven Klein, Mario Sorrenti, Ellen von Unwerth and Collier Schorr, the latter for whom he was the subject and star of a zine-style paperback called "I Blame Jordan." The project was part of the MoMA PS1 Greater New York series, a recurring exhibition begun in 2000 that brings together artists who work specifically in the New York metropolitan area and showcases the tension of a changing city and art world. The work with Schorr speaks to the fact that Jordan is that rare model and muse whose image is equally at home inside an avant-art project as it is in the pages of a fashion magazine.

And it's also clear that he's not letting the opportunity to work with these notable collaborators go to waste. "Whenever I'm working, I'm tapping into what all of the people on set are doing and all of the different things that go into it," he explains of his sponge-like attitude when he is working with one of these masters. Does he ever get intimidated? "If I'm working with someone new, like an amazing photographer I haven't worked with, maybe a bit, but the second you say hello and the second you sit down with them it just goes away."

Though sitting down is not what you would call one of Jordan's strengths. He is constantly on the move, and his day job as one of the most in-demand models (male or female) of the moment is conducive to his wanderlust and frenetic need to be doing things or be with other people. A once-over of his itinerary this summer -- Milan, Paris, Barcelona, Bali, Australia, LA, Mykonos and Mylos in Greece, all in the span of 6 weeks -- would leave mere mortals breathless, but for Jordan it is light calisthenics. One of the aspects he likes most about modeling is the show season and the nomadic life it offers him and his model friends like Levi Dylan (grandson of Bob), Marlon Teixeira and Bella Hadid, the latter of whom the tabloids tried to link him to romantically. "It's like a big camp or traveling circus," he says of the shows. (Though, in a great irony of the industry, he is almost too famous at this point to get cast in a lot of them, seeing as he's apparently crossed the red line of being so beautiful and recognizable that he now draws focus away from the clothes). But when given the chance, he loves the rush of the music and the runway -- a perennial favorite is Versace -- and the natural high that comes from the catwalk. When the shows wrap, he's been known to partake in some good-natured, Lost Boy-esque hijinks. He recently miffed security in a Montmartre park during the Paris men's shows when he and his friend, photographer Alana O'Herlihy, spontaneously took over a carousel, and the frolic was splashed all over the next day's tabloids. (And that's another thing -- the fact that he's become tabloid fodder is remarkable even in and of itself, considering how few male models become bona fide celebrities.)

The downtime during collection season -- or just the hurry-up-and-wait life of a model -- leaves ample opportunity for Barrett to practice his own hand at the lens, an interest he has been developing since he first started modeling. "I always liked taking photos," he says. "I started just having fun in my apartment. I've learned about different kinds of cameras from the different photographers I work with, and they would always give me tips and things like that." His favorite cameras of the moment are a classic Contax 35mm and, of course, a Polaroid (very Andy). "I have these big, big, big drawers full of different rolls of film and photos and all of these different things not yet published. Photos that I've just tucked away," he ponders with an I-should-do-something-about-that look. While he jokes about quitting modeling and training as Mario Sorrenti's 3rd assistant, his respect and voracious appetite for the art of photography is dead serious.

If Jordan's current photographic pursuits are pure art without commerce, there is very much a business to being @iblamejordan. He just debuted his first fragrance campaign for Paco Rabanne's iconic 1 Million, and will be promoting it across the globe for the better part of this year. It's funny considering he used to wear 1 Million growing up in New South Wales before he could imagine himself plastered across billboards, a phenomenon, by the way, that never stops being just a bit surreal. "The strangest thing was going to Paris and the ad was everywhere because they launched there first. It was all over the buses and shops and billboards, which was very strange to see...it's always a bit bizarre." He's sent a lot of bottles home to Australia, where he describes growing up as "always being barefoot...extremely relaxing."

Downtown New York, where he has a home base -- or glorified storage unit for the self- professed hoarder, as he jokes -- could not be more different than the laid-back surf town of his boyhood. His favorite part of the city is SoHo because he's obsessed with the neighborhood's fire escapes -- or at least he is this week. "They don't really have them in Australia!" he explains, before getting into other reasons he's fond of the neighborhood. "You can do something every 10 minutes in SoHo. There is always something to do right there. Anywhere in downtown New York, I don't really care where it is, I'm always running there...when I'm in the city I'm just running around there all of the time."

In Jordan-time, it is always about what's next -- what new city, what high-flying adventure, what surprise visit. The sleepless energy of NYC is perfect for him, but even Manhattan is no match for his escapist hyperactivity (just refer back to his flight log). But restlessness is perhaps just a hunger for the future in disguise. In The Philosophy of Andy Warhol, the artist muses: "I really do live for the future, because when I'm eating a box of candy, I can't wait to taste the last piece." Who knows what sweet surprises are in store for this new superstar, but you can be sure he's wasting no time finding out.

Location: The Standard, High Line

Text by Christopher Barnard



Photography by Ellen von Unwerth

Styling by Bill Mullen

Hair by Ashley Javier at Art + Commerce

Makeup by Devra Kinery at Art Department

Set Designer: Chelsea Maruskin

Model: Jordan Barrett at IMG

Fashion Assistants: Raquel Medina-Cleghorn and Julia Virkler

Photography Assistants: Sean O'Neill and Eduardo Valderrama

Digital Operator: Travis Drennen


PAPER cover star Gucci Mane and his fiance Keyshia Ka'oir have managed to warm America's heart - arguably as icy as 1017 himself - through their Cinderella-story courtship. Guwop credits Keyshia with turning his life around while in prison for a gun charge the past three years, and she speaks glowingly of the rapper and how well he treats her.

The lovebirds have shared plenty of heartwarming couple moments via their respective social media, from traveling the world together, to eating well and living clean at home in Atlanta, to Gucci's surprise proposal at a Hawks' game, and now they plan to share their wedding - which reportedly has a $1 million price tag - with the world via a good old fashioned TV special.

The first look at that wedding - which will happen a little over a month away on October 17th - is now here. Check out the trailer below to get your first peak at the wedding of the year:

[h/t XXL]

Image via Instagram
After presenting its Resort/Cruise show in Florence, Italy back at the end of May, Gucci came under fire for sending some looks down the runway that looked scarily like some other recognizable classic designs from 90s bootleg icon Daniel Day  better known as Dapper Dan. Specifically, creative director Alessandro Michele sent out a zip-up mink jacket with monogrammed puffy sleeves that recalled a creation Dan originally made for Olympic winner Diane Dixon all the way back in 1989.

Side-by-side pictures like the one above quickly began to circulate across the internet as conversation switched towards issues of appropriation and whether or not something so clearly repurposed from another garment could veritably be considered a simple "homage." Though it could have been under better circumstances, this fiasco (and all the thinkpieces it sparked) brought Dapper Dan's legacy to life, helping to establish his name for a new generation of fashion obsessives.

Well, it would seem that Dan's recognition is only continuing to rise, as it has been announced that he is planning to reopen his iconic and revered 24-hour atelier. The best part? It's all being sponsored by Gucci itself. Now, rather than riskily counterfeiting his own knockoff logos of popular brands like Louis Vuitton, Fendi, or the aforementioned Gucci, Dan will have raw materials supplied directly to him by Gucci's own ateliers.



Whether or not Michele and Gucci's decision to support this independent couturier was a direct result of the vitriol they received after the show is still up for debate. But either way, Dan seems elated about the future. Speaking to Matthew Schneier of New York Times, Dan said, "I was just excited about it being there. The part about appropriation, Alessandro and I are part of two parallel universes. The magic that took place as a result of what he did was bringing these two parallel universes together. That opened a dialogue between us when we finally got in touch with each other. I found out how similar our experiences were, the way he grew up and the way I grew up, and how he was influenced by me. I was never apprehensive about what took place. The public was more up in arms than me."

In addition to the exciting announcement, Gucci also tacked on two more exciting partnerships with Dan. One is image-based, as the company unveiled its new tailoring campaign, which stars none other than Dapper Dan himself. Standing outside of a red building, as a group of men sit on a bench chatting, Dan looks positively statuesque in an impeccably fitted navy blue suit and brown boots. Lastly (but definitely not the least), Dan will work directly with Gucci to produce a special edition capsule collection that will be sold in Gucci stores worldwide. Talk about exposure!

[h/t New York Times]
Last night during the question portion of the Miss America, a few contestants (including the pageant's winner, Miss North Dakota), took the opportunity to put Donald Trump to shame for his actions as president.

First there was 4th runner up Margana Wood (Miss Texas), who when asked by judge Jess Cagle whether there are, as Donald Trump said, "many sides" to the violence in Charlottesville, responded without hesitation that what happened was an act of terrorism:

Then there was the pageant's winner, Cara Mund (Miss North Dakota), who slammed Trump for pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement, all with a cheery smile as bright as the morning sun:

Donald Trump is a self-avowed lover of beauty pageants, and owned the Miss USA competition from 1996 to 2015. Hopefully he was watching last night.

If he was, he would have seen that at least in this one, small pocket of culture, America has already come a long way.

[h/t LGBTQ Nation]

Image via Getty
Katagiri Roshi, who spent most of his life sitting zazen and studying, said that the point of studying was to discover how stupid we are.

Id add that through familiarization with the subtlety and vastness of the dharma, study deepens our appreciation for this tradition. Study of primary sources, especially, helps to go beyond what might be trendy and superficial in our contemporary dharma scene. Another reason to immerse ourselves in study is to get a glimpse of the buddhadharma through another lens, to the extent possible, of an earlier generation in very different cultural circumstances as they too wrestled with the issue of authenticity, or what is the true buddhadharma?

This helps us to see our own perspective and to accept our profound stupidity. So its a great antidote to dogmatism. And I also just find it really fun.

Tanya Storch takes this up (what is the true buddhadharma and how did the ancient Chinese wrestle with the issue?) in The History of Chinese Buddhist Bibliography: Censorship and Transformation of the Tripitaka. The title might lead you to think that this is quite a niche-market book. And I suppose it is. However, it is one of the clearest, easy-reading, and engaging books by a Buddhist scholar that Ive ever read. I give Storch two thumbs up and a strong recommendation, especially if you find yourself in the the dharma wonk demographic of about 5,000 people on the planet. Or less.

Why did the ancient Chinese get into sutra bibliographies?

The story begins (to loosely paraphrase Storch) couple thousand years ago. The Chinese were getting interested in the buddhadharma and began to get acquainted through monks that traveled to China from the south and west, as well as Chinese pilgrims that took the reverse journey. These monks, both the foreign monks and indigenous Chinese upon return, brought with them texts that they had memorized  seldom, apparently, were they working from anything written down. And in any case, there was no Sanskrit Canon, just a large collection (thousands) of texts and commentaries. So the travelling transmitters of the buddhadharma would sit with a committee and recite sutras and others would translate the Sanskrit into oral and written Chinese.

Then others would copy the sutra by hand, because this was hundreds of years before woodblock printing got going. So as time ticked along, a whole bunch of sutras and the simultaneously created commentaries, varying a great deal in style and content, started to spread around. For seekers of the way who pursued a foreign religion in a land where Confucianism and Daoism were well-established, a list of authentic texts became really important. This was also important and for those trying to establish the credibility of the buddhadharma for political reasons. Often, of course, these two groups had considerable overlap.

Within the collection of translated texts, there were many different, sometimes contradictory, teachings. Small vehicle, great vehicle, diamond vehicle. Precepts, teachings, and analysis. Which were authentic? Complicating matters, many of the texts came to be in questionable circumstances. Storch writes,

As a result of the emphasis on the written dimension of the canon, production of Buddhist manuscripts began to extend and flourish across Central Asia, especially in the Gansu corridor, one of the main areas through which Buddhism traveled to China. Production of Buddhist manuscripts in the areas located near the Silk Road was stimulated by Chinese religious pilgrims who zealously searched for them and were willing to travel a thousand miles from home just to obtain one new text. Buying and selling these manuscripts became a booming business, and many territories west of China became centers for the production of forgeries.

Standard for authenticity

When you have a large group of teachings with different messages, how are you going to judge whats the real deal? What the early compilers of bibliographies determined was the standard for authenticity, following Confucian textual analysis, was not the truth or verifiability of the teaching of a particular sutra, but who the translator was and when/where it was translated. In part, this choice was due to the high regard for translators in ancient Chinese culture (see below) and because it mirrored the process in Confucianism and thus gave the buddhadharma equal status.

There are problems with that standard, though. First, most of the early translations were done anonymously so the compiler had to figure out who might have done it. There was little historical data and little sophistication, from a modern perspective, so the style of the text became the main standard. Storch notes that

The situation is remarkably similar to the way the New Testament canon was created; that is, for Christians, the criteria were found in associating texts with a known and trusted apostle. But when this criterion was applied to the writings extant at the time, false attributions arose en masse. The number of these invented attributions is stunningly high for a canon as small as the New Testament. Out of nearly thirty books, fewer than a dozen can be reliably demonstrated today to be the work of the author named in the titles. One should think, therefore, that the Chinese Buddhist canon would not be immune from similarand numerouscases of invented attributions.

In addition to questions about the translator, there were a couple ways that a sutra could easily find itself in the suspect or false category. First, if the sutra advanced messianic/apocalyptic teachings, these were thought to have an unsettling effect on the status quo, apparently from perspectives of both the sangha and the emperor, so these texts were generally labeled as fake. This is quite different from how such teachings were regarded in Europe, where they were used for political and religious gain by the clergy and politicians. Regardless of the Chinese bibliographers opinions, though, messianic/apocalyptic teachings continued to be popular.

In addition, if a text came from the many territories west of China [that] became centers for the production of forgeries, it was determined to be suspect or false, without consideration of the content. It seems that a lot of creative buddhadharma might have gotten the boot in this way.

Finally, the bibliographers, funded by the emperor, often using the imperial library, sorted the bibliographies to appeal to the ruling elite, of which they were usually members. So, according to Storch, what we have today as the Chinese Buddhist Canon has gone through a long process of transformation and censorship.

Translator status

Its important to note that translators were also transmitters, bringing the dharma to China. As such, they were very highly regarded, but perhaps more for their supernatural abilities than scholarly skills or dharmic clarity. Their stories are filled with magical feats. Storch writes,

In Huijiaos collection [of translators biographies], out of thirty-four translators biographies, miracle performing is encountered in twenty-one. In certain biographies, the supernatural narrative is so dominant that only a small portion of the biography somehow pertains to the translation of Buddhist texts, while the rest of it reads just like a typical hagiographical account would; that is, one supernatural episode follows another. A good example of this is the biography of Kumarajiva (350413?), in which less than 10 percent of the entire text pertains to his translations, and the rest relates a life filled with all sorts of miraculous events.

Moreover, translators were regarded as top-shelf monks.

Huijiaos classification ranked monks in the following order: (1) translators (yijing), (2) exegetes (yijie), (3) divine wonders (shenyi), (4) practitioners of meditation (xichan), (5) elucidators of the regulations (minglu), (6) those who sacrificed themselves (wangshen),7 (7) chanters of scriptures (songjing), (8) benefactors (xingfu), (9) hymnodists (jingshi), and (10) proselytizers (changdao).

This classification was adopted, with some additions and subtractions, but it seems that the ranking of meditators didnt change much, at least in ancient China.

The role of supernatural powers was huge in the old world. Buddhism may have been successful in China largely due such things. Storch writes,

Buddhist historians have repeatedly underscored the advantage that the monks had over Confucian scholarsnamely, their ability to provide help by using magic, not only by speaking and doing what was morally right. But ultimately, of course, both aspects were crucial for introducing the monks images into Chinese culture, and possibly it was because supernatural healing and magical protection constituted strengths that Confucian scholars did not have that the early biographies focused on them somewhat more than on their subjects scholastic qualities.

Where does that leave us?

In short, not depending on words and letters. What the buddhadharma offers is a direct experience of the insights of the Buddha, not a belief system ensconced in dead words. Wrangling about what the Buddha said and didnt often gets down to sectarian bickering. As Linda Heuman put it in Whose Buddhism is Truest,

When it comes right down to it, sectarian posturing contradicts the Buddhas message as all traditions understand it. Those false pictures of history and language within which sectarianism finds a foothold are in turn rooted in another false picturea picture even more pervasive and pernicious. That picture is an essentialist view of the nature of reality, which according to the Buddhas doctrine of selflessness is the source of not just this but all our sufferingthe wrong view that is the very point of Buddhism to refute.
Trump Urges Persian Gulf's Arab States To Settle Disputes And Unite Against Iran

09/10/17

Source: RFE/RL

U.S. President Donald Trump on September 8 urged Saudi Arabia and other Arab states to resolve their differences with Qatar and present a united front against Iran, the White House said.

Trump spoke separately with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) Crown Prince Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed al-Nahyan, and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

Trump told them that unity among Washington's Arab partners was essential to promoting regional stability and countering the threat of Iran, the White House said.



The leaders "discussed the continued threat Iran poses to regional stability," it said.



"The president also emphasized that all countries must follow through on commitments from the Riyadh Summit to defeat terrorism, cut off funding for terrorist groups, and combat extremist ideology."



Trump said on September 7 that he was willing to step in and mediate the dispute between Qatar and other Gulf Arab states, and he thought a deal could come quickly.



Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., Egypt, and Bahrain in June cut diplomatic, trade, air, and shipping ties with Qatar, which is home to the Persian Gulf's biggest U.S. military base.



The Saudi-led group of Arab states said Qatar was too close to Saudi archrival Iran and too lenient on Islamic extremists -- accusations that Doha denies.



The leaders of Qatar and Saudi Arabia for the first time since the dispute broke out spoke by phone on September 8 and Qatar's Thani subsequently expressed willingness to negotiate a settlement of their dispute, media reported.



However, Saudi Arabia early on September 9 said it was suspending any dialogue because Qatar's state news agency, which had portrayed the call as a breakthrough coordinated by Trump, had "distorted facts."



As Kuwaiti officials visited Washington during the week, Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also endorsed an effort to mediate the Gulf Arab dispute by Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah.



"We support his efforts to help bring about a settlement," Tillerson said on September 8. "The United States and Kuwait both recognize the important of [Gulf Cooperation Council] unity to meet the challenges of the region that we all face together, not the least of which is the threats from Iran."



With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters

Copyright (c) 2017 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Following Apple's footsteps, Google Play drops Iranian apps

09/10/17

Source: Press TV

Digital service distributor Google Play has followed Apple's lead in removing Iranian apps from its store, citing US sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Companies such as Google and Apple were hosting Iranian apps reportedly under a license issued by former President Barack Obama's administration in 2014 but it is not clear why they have stopped those services now.

#Apple has created a big"?"in the minds of the world about y Iranian Apps should be sanctioned?#America_is_nimrod#StopRemovingIranianApps pic.twitter.com/21yThRkaYk     (@shahrokherfani1) August 29, 2017

#stopremovingiranianapps





Tehran is under unilateral American sanctions despite a 2015 nuclear accord which the US and its allies reached with Iran. President Donald Trump has imposed new sanctions on the Islamic Republic and threatened to tear up the agreement.



According to Tyler Cullis, an associate attorney specializing in US economic sanctions and export controls, the unilateral sanctions cover virtually all transactions between the US and Iran, "including the provision of goods, technology, and services."



Cullis, however, has no explanation for why Google and Apple had been providing services to Iranians until recently.



Iran's Telecommunication Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said last month that the country would legally pursue Apple for suddenly cutting Iranian applications without notice.



"Eleven percent of Iran's mobile phone market share is owned by Apple. Giving respect to consumer rights is a principle today which Apple has not followed," Jahromi tweeted.



Iran has about 48 million smartphone users in the country of more than 80 million. Apple's market in Iran is related to iPhone holders who number in the upwards of 7 million. Google is the top visited website in Iran according to Alexa ranking.

There are currently thousands of applications in Iran developed by startups which were hosted by the likes of Apple and Google.



Famous online store Digikala, ride-hailing Snapp, online meals delivery startup Delion Foods and e-commerce marketplace Bamilo are some of the companies which have seen their apps removed.



Meanwhile, a huge army of digital geeks and consumers in Iran are outraged, launching petitions and a #stopremovingiranianapps hashtag on Twitter. Some of them who make a living through typing, translation, software installation and such sorts of jobs fear to lose them.



The decision, however, is set to boost those Iranian startups which provide third-party app stores and are expected to attract local consumers.
Is a Saudi-Iran Thaw Possible?

09/11/17

By Jamie Dettmer, VOA



source: Iranian daily Ghanoon

Saudi Arabia and Iran are rethinking their rivalry and a highly tentative, as well as a deniable, courtship is underway, say analysts. But it is fraught pitfalls and last week in London Saudi Arabia's foreign minister dismissed talk of a possible thaw as "laughable," saying Iran would have to change its policies dramatically for that to happen.

Even so, Riyadh has softened its opposition to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, Iran's ally, and has dialed down its own sectarian rhetoric against the mullahs in Tehran.

And Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said last week his country, a majority-Shi'ite country, is ready for dialogue with Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia to see how they can overcome their enmity and end a decades-long battle for influence across the Middle East.

"We are prepared to cooperate with Islamic countries on all issues that are important to the Islamic world," Zarif told a local news outlet. "If the Saudi government is ready to turn the page, Iran is ready for that as well," he added.

At first glance, any rapprochement, however mild, between the rivals would appear unlikely. Each accuses the other of subverting regional security and they are supporting opposite sides in conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

But efforts to ease tensions between the Gulf rivals has been on display the past few months. In Mecca, the annual haj (pilgrimage) was attended by an estimated 90,000 Shi'ite Iranians after Tehran lifted a boycott imposed last year amid sharp tensions between Iran and the Saudis. Mecca authorities went out of their way to welcome Iranian worshippers and were praised for doing so by Tehran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani suggested a trouble-free hajj would help build confidence in other areas of dispute between the arch-rivals. "If our pilgrims come back satisfied, and if Saudi Arabia's behavior is within religious and international frameworks, I think the situation would be more convenient to resolve the issues," he was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA earlier this year.

A difficult path

Hajj has ended, but engineering a rapprochement won't be easy, as was stressed by Saudi Arabia's foreign minister at an event last week in London.

"We have an Iran which is on the rampage, that has to decide whether it is a revolution or a nation state, that part of it seeks to restore the Persian empire from thousands of years ago, and another part of it seeks a better future for its people and that supports terrorism and interferes in the affairs of others," warned Adel Al-Jubeir speaking Thursday at Chatham House, a London-based policy research group.

He added, "Iran believes in exporting its revolution... supports terrorism, smuggles weapons into neighboring countries and tries to destabilize." He sadi Iran needs to live by international rules, be neighborly and stop interfering in the affairs of others, otherwise "it will be difficult to accept them."

He stressed, though, the Saudi kingdom would approach regional issues with a "pragmatic, practical and non-ideological" mind.

Complicated regional politics

A changing and volatile Middle East at least makes the timing right for attempts to ease hostilities, say analysts. "The two states, who have clashed in multiple countries, now find themselves in a new political situation which may force them to work together," according to analyst Baraa Sabri.

He argues that "at the very least they may have to modify their respective policies by reinforcing those that could help lead to a rapprochement and by turning a blind eye to the most contentious matters between them, Syria and Yemen, even if only temporarily."

Factors pushing Riyadh and Tehran to re-think include a developing Turkish-Russian alliance and doubts about Moscow, allied to Iran, and Washington, an ally of the Saudis, are to be trusted.

In August, for all his public dismissal now of the possibility of improved relations, the Saudi foreign minister shook hands with his Iranian counterpart at a meeting in Istanbul of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, of which Iran and Saudi Arabia are members. At the meeting, Iran's Zarif called for re-establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries and said the two may soon exchange diplomatic visits.

But it will take more than a handshake or two and a few diplomatic exchanges to bridge the huge sectarian gap between the two countries. Analyst Bruce Riedel of the Washington-based Brookings Institution scorns the idea of an Iranian-Saudi thaw, arguing Saudi monarch Salman bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud is "the most hostile king toward Iran since the Iranian Revolution."
Pakistan's Foreign Minister in Tehran amid standoff with US

09/11/17

Source: Press TV

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has met with his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Muhammad Asif in Tehran to discuss bilateral ties and the latest regional and international developments.

Asif arrived in Tehran on Monday for a one-day visit at the head of a political and economic delegation for talks with Zarif as well as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Vice President for Economic Affairs Mohammad Nahavandian.



Iran's Tasnim news agency said bilateral relations and the new US strategy in Afghanistan were at the heart of the negotiations.

Asif will head to Iran's holy city of Mashhad later in the day to visit the shrine of Imam Reza (Peace Be Upon Him), the eighth Imam of Shia Muslims, and meet local officials, the news agency reported.

The Pakistani foreign minister is on a four-nation tour of China, Russia, Iran and Turkey as tensions have been rising between Islamabad and Washington over the latter's new strategy in Afghanistan. He has already traveled to China and plans to visit Turkey next before winding down his trip in Russia.



Pakistani diplomats said the trip sends a strong message to the US that Pakistan enjoys broad regional support, after President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of "continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists" in Afghanistan.



General John Nicholson, the top US military commander in Afghanistan, said later that Washington was "aware of the presence" of Taliban leaders in the Pakistani cities of Quetta and Peshawar.



On August 30, the Pakistani National Assembly passed a resolution denouncing Trump's and Nicholson's statements on Pakistan as "hostile and threatening."



Speaking before the assembly, Asif urged the government to close off "ground and air lines of communication through Pakistan."



"Afghanistan, the US and its allies should close their borders to leaders of terrorist, militant groups carrying out acts of terrorism against Pakistan," he added.



Afghanistan has been torn by decades of Taliban-led militancy and the 2001 invasion by the US and its allies, while the Daesh terrorist group has emerged there more recently despite the presence of foreign troops.
The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has officially revised the minimum capital of banks to GH400 million, in a public notice that also seeks to educate the banks on how to meet the new requirement.



The notice, published Monday afternoon, notes that banks would be required to meet the required minimum capital through three main ways; fresh capital injection, capitalisation of income surplus and a combination of fresh capital injection and capitalisation of income surplus.



The central bank warned that banks will not be allowed to capitalise revaluation reserves, reserves on financial instruments through other comprehensive income, statutory reserves, credit risk reserves and unaudited profit.



Existing banks have up to December 31, 2018, to meet the new minimum paid up capital requirement in line with Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930).



Although the December 2018 deadline applies to operating banks and those with licences (Approval in Principle), the BoG said all pending applications for banking licence i.e. without Approval in Principle are required to meet the new minimum capital requirement of GH400,000,000.00 and the feasibility reports accompanying such applications are to be amended accordingly.



As part of the criteria, the central bank said are required to maintain a minimum unimpaired paid up capital as per Section 28 (1) and (3) of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions Act, 2016 (Act 930) of GH400 million by end of December 2018.



The explained that the recapitalisation was necessitated by understanding that banks would require a more sophisticated and robust capital framework, adequate to transform the banking sector and consistent with the growing risks, levels of sophistication and exposure banks are currently facing.



This is the fourth time since 2003 that the BoG is increasing the minimum capital for banks.



In 2003 it was increased to GH7 million as part of measures to strengthen the cash base of banks and strengthen their ability to contain risks.



In 2008, the capital was again increased to GH60 million. This was expected to safeguard the banks against risks.



It was doubled to GH120 million in 2012, forcing a few mergers and consolidations in the sector.



Indications are that the current increase will result in similar mergers to help shrink the numbers, increase banks response to risks and prepare them for big ticket transactions.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
GLICO GROUP, a leading insurance and financial services provider in Ghana has out-doored new staff uniforms for all non-management staff.



The out-dooring of the new staff uniforms was a reminder to staff of one of the values the company embodies-professionalism-as it renews it commitment to all policyholders and stakeholders in their thirtieth year of successful business operations.



Unveiling the new staff uniforms, the Group Human Resource Director, Mrs. Stella Agyenim-Boateng, advised staff to eschew lackadaisical attitudes towards service delivery. She challenged staff to let the outward appearance of the new uniforms reflect in the professional nature of service delivery.



She remarked unequivocally that thirty years of successful business operations has been attained as a result of dedication and professionalism. As we begin a new decade of excellence, lets up the scale on customer service delivery by demonstrating that we walk-the-talk and indeed cushion all for life.



The inauguration of the new staff uniforms was held at the GLICO head Office in Adabraka. Management and staff of GLICO were treated to an afternoon of music and cat-walk session of staff modelling the new uniforms with delightful glee.



GLICO GROUP begun operations in 1987 as a Life insurance company (GLICO LIFE) and has over the past thirty (30) years grown and developed to a group status of six (6) reputable companies, operating in the insurance, financial, pension, healthcare and properties market: GLICO Life, GLICO General Insurance Co. Ltd GLICO Capital, GLICO Pensions Trustee Ltd, GLICO Healthcare Ltd, and GLICO Properties Ltd.



Today, GLICOs growth is indeed a testament of the hard work of the Board, management and staff who continue to churn out suitable and innovative products and services in a highly competitive market. Instrumentally, GLICO continues to maintain its leadership position in the financial and insurance industry.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Fifteen banks in the country may struggle to meet the new capital levels introduced by the Bank of Ghana. This could force them to lose their license by January 1 2019, unless they are able to raise the capital or merge.



JoyBusiness analysis showed that only 10 can meet the new capital requirement. The scenarios indicate that, local banks could be the hardest hit, looking at the current economic environment, and if they want to depend on their existing shareholders to raise the capital.



Some may want to go the Initial Public Offering route, which could take about six months and even for that, they are not assured of it being successful. The challenge here is that, unless they are prepared to give away part of the bank, then obviously they would be going down.



Joy Business can also confirm that one of the local banks is in talks with another foreign bank to be acquired.



President of the Association of Bankers, Alhassan Andani, is also worried about banks that recently started operations and lower tier banks.



He said, There are new banks that have come in and shareholders have come up with what they think they can afford and that might be an immediate stress.



There would be some bit of difficulty on newer banks and lower tier banks but shareholders if they still recognize and see benefit in the niche market that theyve set up these banks to play in, [they] will step in, he said.



The new increase in the minimum capital requirements in the country has been described as the biggest in recent times.



Why the need to increase the capital requirements

According to persons close to the Bank of Ghana, the regulator was forced to increase the capital due to some challenges in the industry like low working capital and less money available for lending.



A development that has resulted in most of the banks turning to the Bank of Ghana every day for waivers to grant credits beyond the regulatory limits.



Also, it is believed that, the economy is expanding and it must be crucial to improve the financial position of these banks so that they can finance some big projects in the oil sector, government industrialization like the One District One Factory and the Railway Projects.



If all the banks increase their capital levels from the current GH120million to GH400million that could bring almost GH9billion into the economy in one year.



Obviously, these funds have to go for some prudent returns to be made. It is also believed that this could help deal with rising loan defaults.



There is an argument that the development could attract more investments because those big time investors want to deal with a well-capitalized banking sector.



Economist Professor Godfred Bokpin has been sharing his views with JoyBusiness on the real impact of this development on the economy.

He said, when you look at the demand for loanable funds in this country and the fact that the bank are unable to meet the loan requests and all of that, yes there is economic reasons, there is every reason for this move.



Professor Bopkin said, What it also means is that banks would now be encouraged especially with the treasury single account also they will now have to compliment this capital base by mobilizing more deposits from the public in order to do proper banking intermediation and make sure that they channel these funds into productive asserts that enables them to generate the much needed returns and also cover their operational cost.



Meanwhile some local banks insist they can meet the new capital requirement of GHc400million.

Source: Joy Business









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has met regional executives of the Lotto Marketing Companies (LMC) in Accra as part of its stakeholder consultations to boost the lottery industry in Ghana.



They seem to be favouring the illegal lotto operators, popularly known as banker-to-banker to the neglect of legitimate lotto operators, J.M. Allotey, the treasurer for Greater Accra Zone 6 told DAILY GUIDE.



Kofi Osei Ameyaw, the Director General of the NLA, stated that the meeting was held to calm the nerves of the LMCs and to educate them properly on the new modalities of the Authority.



We are trying to sensitize them and to assure them that we are in no way trying to diminish the operations of the LMCs, and in any case remind them that they are our top priority, he stated.



New Services



Mr. Ameyaw assured the executives of the LMCs that he was in the process of introducing Value Added Services (VAS) to lottery or lotto operators to increase their yield.



He stated that his outfit was in talks with companies and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to enable the lotto operators send and transfer money and also enhance the revenue of the government.



According to him, as part of the project, the Authority was going to introduce about 30,000 e-kiosks with solar panels, and in collaboration with the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies place these kiosks at acceptable locations to improve the lives of the lotto operators.



Concerns



The LMCs raised concerns about their commissions and taxes.



Mr. Ameyaw explained that their commissions were reduced from 25 percent to 20 percent because of a subsidy that the Authority had to pay to the technical and service providers that help the lotto industry.



He told them that measures were being put in place to increase the commission to 25 percent through some structural adjustments.



Mr Ameyaw stated that his outfit was in talks with the Ministry of Finance to waive the taxes on commissions and also taxes on winnings, so that more people would stake lotto which would in turn increase the yield of the authority and LMCs.



He stated that the policy would be run on a pilot basis for two years to see its cost benefit analysis if its accepted.



The LMCs also congratulated the Director General and the new management for the speedy way in which they receive their commissions.



Over the weeks, the National Lottery Authority has been engaging stakeholders on how to improve lotto operations in Ghana.



One of such consultations led to a decision to register and license illegal lotto operators, popularly known as banker-to-banker operators, to regularize their operations in conformity with the lotto laws of the country.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Independent evaluations commissioned by Newmont examining the methodology and conclusions of WACAM-sponsored reports on the Ahafo mine were publicly released today.



The WACAM-sponsored reports, released in February, alleged that the Ahafo mine adversely impacted water sources and marginalized women in nearby communities, The independent evaluations found that the methodology used in the WACAM-sponsored reports were inconsistent with accepted methodology and cannot be relied upon as the basis for the reports conclusions.



The review of the environmental and health impact report was conducted by a team of experts from Newfields Company, an international consulting firm and Dr. K.P Asante of the Kintampo Health Research Center. The Marginalization of women report review was led by Frederick Giovanetti, a social impact Consultant and Dr. Michael Poku-Boansi of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.



In their environmental technical review, the independent assessors found a number of deficiencies, errors, and misrepresentations that invalidate the scientific validity of these claims. Further, as described in the technical review, actual biomonitoring data for the communities within the Ahafo Mine area do not support the claims of health impacts to local residents.



The technical review went on to state, A primary deficiency in the Armah-Obiri Report is the lack of supporting data and information that typically are used to assess and support conclusions about the representativeness and validity of sample results. Specifically, the deficiencies relate to laboratory analytical reports; individual analytical results in a database; quality assurance and quality control plan; field data collection forms; chain-of-custody forms for environmental samples; field quality control samples; laboratory quality control results; and final verification and validation of sample results.



In addition, the independent assessor highlighted technical errors and other problems associated with all four steps of the risk assessment process for human health assessment, namely data collection, exposure assessment, toxicity assessment, and risk characterization.



Regarding the assertions of marginalization of women due to the Ahafo mines activities, the independent assessors made the following observations:



 Newmont Ghanas Agricultural Improvement and Land Access Programme intervention which was aimed at helping Project Affected Persons have access to land for farming did not marginalize women at the expense of their male counterparts and that a significant proportion of women benefited from the intervention.



 The incidence of Malaria, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Typhoid and Diarrhoea in the Asutifi North District cannot be directly linked to mining.



 There were no gender dimensions to water access, and that the improved water quality due to Newmonts intervention has positively impacted both men and women equally.



 Due to the Newmont Ahafo Development Foundations micro-credit facility and Newmont initiated Womens Consultative Committee Revolving Fund, women had better access to credit.



Our commitment to transparently report the results of our ongoing environmental monitoring is central to our environmental stewardship and social responsibility philosophy, said Alwyn Pretorius, Newmonts Regional Senior Vice President, Newmont Africa.



We adhere to our commitments and legal obligations, while working transparently with regulators and other stakeholders to responsibly manage our operations. Protecting and promoting the health and welfare of our employees and local communities is central to Newmonts purpose, which is to create value and improve lives through sustainable and responsible mining.



As recommended by the assessors, the company is working on an independent and participatory approach to water sampling made up of regulators, community stakeholders and Newmont in order to enhance transparency and confidence in the environmental monitoring process.





Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Danquah Institute has urged all Ghanaians to embrace the government's free SHS policy in order to enhance Ghana's education system.



In a statement issued by the Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko; the Institute strongly believes the free SHS programme will bridge the gap between the privileged and underprivileged individuals in the society.



They are therefore calling all the citizenry not to support the Akufo-Addo government as the free SHS policy has been rolled out.



"As a result of the importance of this policy in benefitting students, parents, and the nation, we would like to encourage the citizenry to come on board to contribute ideas to make it work. At this stage of our development, we need ideas to make progress, solutions to our problems, and not deliberate attempts that maintain the status quo or draw us back".



Read full statement below:



Every society or nation espouses education and its relevance in shaping the thinking of the people, improving upon their wellbeing and most importantly, making them functional in their environment.



The objective of education is therefore to promote both personal and societal growth. Thus, any attempt by any government to ensure the development of education, more especially providing access for othersparticularly the disadvantaged to benefit from education must be commended.



That is why we entreat all well-meaning Ghanaians to put politics aside and commend the Akufo-Addo led administration for making the promised free senior high school a reality.



The free senior high school policy (FSHSP) is a national policy that will benefit all regardless of ethnicity, religious affinity, and political affiliation.



This academic year, the government, under the able leadership of the President--Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the education ministerDr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has implemented the free senior high school policy meant to improve access at the senior high schools, provide opportunity for the disadvantaged to obtain senior secondary school education, and to unearth or discover talents.



There are so many students whose talents or gifts have, over the years, been buried as a result of their inability to continue their education after completing the junior high school.



It is hoped that, with the implementation of this policy, the country will benefit from the knowledge, ability and unique skills of these students to make our nation better and stronger.

As a result of the importance of this policy in benefitting students, parents, and the nation, we would like to encourage the citizenry to come on board to contribute ideas to make it work.



At this stage of our development, we need ideas to make progress, solutions to our problems, and not deliberate attempts that maintain the status quo or draw us back.



Questions that seek answers to make the policy work should be our singular and major preoccupation, and not reasons that will make us renege on this laudable policy intervention.



For example, how do we ensure that the policy is sustained, which of our resources could be leveraged to support it, should there be a special levy, for example that targets pre-tertiary education, portion of which should be used to support the policy, how do we deal with the expected increase in enrolment in the coming years?



This should be our attitude towards the policy: it is positive attitude that defines success and progress.



Finally, we would plead with the government to continue to think in novel ways and engage stakeholders in order to ensure the sustenance of this worthy policy by identifying and addressing any potential threat that can undermine or compromise its effectiveness, and opportunities that will ensure its success.





Signed

Dr. Kingsley Nyarko

(Executive Director)

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Four years after fire destroyed portions of the Old Parliament House, opposite the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Accra, the building is being pulled down.



The demolition of the building will pave the way for a new one to be constructed at a cost GH15 million.



The amount is part of the budgetary allocation of GH37,816,401 approved by Parliament for the implementation of the activities and programmes of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).



Cymain Ghana Limited, the firm undertaking the demolition, began the exercise yesterday and it is expected to be completed tomorrow.



When the Daily Graphic visited the site, the Old Parliament House had been barricaded while a notice had been posted on the premises to advise people to stay away from possible dangers.



Only officials of Cymain Ghana Limited were allowed to have access to the site. About 10 workers were seen removing old and broken equipment for the bulldozers to destroy the over 50-year-old building.



As the bulldozers descended on the building which was constructed in the early 1950s, it was certain that Ghana was losing one of its historical landmarks.



The building, which housed the Citizens Vetting Committee (CVC), the Judgement Debt Commission, the CHRAJ and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) caught fire in December 2013 and had parts of it destroyed, making it unsafe for people to occupy.



Officials tight-lipped



An attempt to find out more about the demolition exercise proved futile as no official was willing to disclose information concerning the pulling down of the building.



However, one of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it would take three days for the building to be pulled down. He was unwilling to share any further information.



There were no officials at CHRAJ to speak to because they had earlier been told not to report to work to allow the construction firm to carry on with the demolition.



History



Situated exactly opposite the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Accra, the Old Parliament House accommodated Ghanas legislators from the era of Dr Kwame Nkrumah till 1981 when the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) ousted the government of the Peoples National Party (PNP) under the leadership of Dr Hilla Limann.



Before then, it had housed the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly from 1951 when Dr Nkrumah became the leader of Government Business under British rule.



The Old Parliament House, during the revolutionary days, also housed the offices of the erstwhile Committee for the Defence of the Revolution under the PNDC.



On the day of the countrys political independence, March 6, 1957, the government invited functionaries, including the Duchess of Kent and the Prime Minister of Britain, Mr Harold Macmillan, to grace the occasion at the Old Parliament House.



On the eve of independence on March 6, 1957, Dr Nkrumah declared independence at the Old Polo Grounds, opposite the Old Parliament House.



Today, the edifice houses the offices of CHRAJ, while Parliament has been relocated to the State House.

Source: graphic.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
An activist of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Dela Coffie has said the John Mahama Unity Walk that was organized on Saturday September 9, in the Northern Regional Capital, Tamale has proven counterproductive as it has left the party divided.



Scores of NDC loyalists and sympathizers joined the ex President and his team for the event which is said to be part of the NDC agenda 2020 campaign strategy.



Some of the party bigwigs who participated in the event included the NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah; Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu; Former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah; MP for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini; MP for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini, and a former Northern Regional Minister, Moses Bukari Mabengba among others.



But Dela Coffie, in a statement, sees the conduct party officials such as General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia as tacitly giving support to ex President Mahama and in so doing trying to impose him on the NDC as its leader for the 2020 election.



A supposed NDC unity walk has end up dividing the rank and file more than it seeks to unite. A unity walk without Mahamas own vice president? A unity walk without the founder? A unity walk without the national chairman and leader of the Party? A unity walk without the other NDC Presidential hopefuls? Does this so-called unity walk bring unity or division?



Then again, who is going to organize and lead the Kumasi walk? Dr Kwabena Duffuor? What walks will Sylvester Mensah, Spio Garbrah, Horace Ankrah, Alban Gbagbin, Oppong Ofosu and Joshua Alabi lead?



Why the hell is the party leadership giving John Mahama free pass to ignore party structures? And why has the Council of elders said nothing about the so-called unity walk? Was it their idea? I thought the Kwesi Botchway corpse dressing committee report made certain findings? Which part of the recommendations says that John Mahama should lead a unity walk?

Below is the full statement



Dela Coffie Writes:



Why is John Mahama imposing himself as 2020 Presidential candidate on the NDC?



Some twenty-four hours after the so-called NDC unity walk in Tamale, party folks are still divided over the true intent of the walk, and the actors behind it.



Whereas the national organiser of the NDC, Kofi Adams claims the walk was organised by the Northern Regional Executives, a statement issued by Mahama front man, Kojo Bonsu says otherwise.



So, there you have it. A supposed NDC unity walk has end up dividing the rank and file more than it seeks to unite.

A unity walk without Mahamas own vice president? A unity walk without the founder? A unity walk without the national chairman and leader of the Party? A unity walk without the other NDC Presidential hopefuls? Does this so-called unity walk bring unity or division?



Then again, who is going to organize and lead the Kumasi walk? Dr Kwabena Duffuor? What walks will Sylvester Mensah, Spio Garbrah, Horace Ankrah, Alban Gbagbin, Oppong Ofosu and Joshua Alabi lead?



Why the hell is the party leadership giving John Mahama free pass to ignore party structures? And why has the Council of elders said nothing about the so-called unity walk? Was it their idea? I thought the Kwesi Botchway corpse dressing committee report made certain findings? Which part of the recommendations says that John Mahama should lead a unity walk?



Clearly, this is nothing but a complete facade of an attempt at a Mahama imposition in the beguile form of a unity walk. It is also a clear manifestation of indiscipline that rather creates an Us vs Them situation within the party. Whiles disciplined and committed party loyalists are waiting patiently for the Council of Elders to initiate the healing process as recommended in the Prof Kwesi Botchway report, Mahama loyalists appear to be seeking to impose a Presidential candidate on the NDC and this is a sign of utter indiscipline.



John Mahama and his loyalists thinks a funfair/walk on the street coupled with a self-denying speech that attributes the NDCs humiliating defeat to God will win back power in 2020. So, this man still dont know why the NDC lost the elections? How does his continuous blasphemy changes anything? What has God got to do with your actions and inactions which culminated in your electoral humiliation?



When is this man going to face the reality and come to terms with the fact that he was rejected at the polls as a result of his leadership failures? This abhorrent and irresponsible way of speaking and thinking is what John Mahama and his minions have brought forth in our party. It is ripping apart, at the core, everything we stand for as a political party. We must RESIST the John Mahama agenda 2020 and move forward. Our greatest strength as a party will be denying Mahama and his team of power mongers the opportunity to lead us once again.



Some of us are sick to death of seeing the Mahama bloc doing everything possible to disintegrate the NDC. The party wouldnt be in this stew that were in now if hed shown leadership at all levels both as President and leader of the NDC. John Mahama is betraying the NDC to stoke his own delusions of grandeur. His attempt to impose himself on the party is completely at variance with our internal democratic experiment. He must give up the posturing and pretence and sit down and end this.



We need the best deal for the NDC going into 2020. It needs to be about the NDC and not about Mahama. We need to have the courage and speak out for good of the NDC.



John Mahama 2020 ticket is a sure way to another electoral disaster. There are far too many folks (NDC) who will never vote for him. And we know only too well that hes been a misfortune to the party.

NDC needs discipline to win an election in a country in which the contest is about keeping your base intact and winning the concurrence of a majority of the uncommitted 10% of the voter population.



The party needs sober healing and direction at this time not campaign rallies disguised as unity/health walks where the dressing of participants connotes nothing close to the health walks that we all know.



Unity walk indeed!

Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
People take part in a march marking one year since the death of Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel in Sighetu Marmatiei, northern Romania, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Hundreds marched in Wiesel's Romanian hometown, scene of mass deportation Jews to Nazi death camps in 1944. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
In this geocolor GOES-16 satellite image taken Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, at 22:00 UTC, the eye of Hurricane Irma moves up Florida's west coast. Hurricane Irma gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummeling with winds up to 130 mph Sunday, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline. (NOAA via AP)
This image taken from video shows MSNBC's Kerry Sanders reporting on Hurricane Irma in Naples. Fla., on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. Journalists were the shock troops allowing the nation to experience the storm from the comfort of their living rooms. Networks all brought their top teams in on the weekend for special coverage, non-stop on the news channels. (MSNBC via AP)
Plano police and the Texas Rangers work the scene of a shooting at a home in the 1700 block of West Spring Creek Parkway in Plano, Texas, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. Multiple people were fatally shot to death, and their attacker was killed by a police officer Sunday night, authorities said. (David Woo/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below.

Taipei, Sept. 11 (CNA) Premier Lai Ching-te () said Monday during a visit to the Legislative Yuan that he will adopt the same strict standards of conduct for supervision of the Executive Yuan as when he served as a legislator, to demand more commitment from his Cabinet.
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.
Saudis discuss oil supply cuts extension with Venezuela, Kazakhstan

Reuters/Anton Vaganov



Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih attends a meeting of the 4th OPEC-Non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee in St. Petersburg, Russia July 24, 2017.

By Rania El Gamal

DUBAI

Petroleumworld 09 11 2017

Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih discussed with his Venezuelan and Kazakh counterparts the possible extension of the global oil supply cut pact beyond March 2018, the Saudi energy ministry said on Sunday.

OPEC and other producers, including Russia, have agreed to reduce output by about 1.8 million barrels per day until next March in a bid to reduce global oil inventories and support oil prices.

A further extension for at least three more months beyond March is now being discussed before OPEC meets again in November.

The deal to curb output propelled crude prices above $58 a barrel in January but they have since slipped back to a $50 to $54 range as the effort to drain global inventories has taken longer than expected.

Both countries agreed that the option to extend the voluntary market rebalancing effort, beyond the first quarter of 2018, would be considered in due course as market fundamentals may dictate, the ministry said in a statement on Falih's meeting with Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev.

Non-OPEC Kazakhstan is aiming for a stand-alone deal with OPEC on restraining its crude production due to a need to crank up output at its Kashagan field, a Kazakh official said last week.

The Central Asian nation increased oil and gas condensate output by 9.9 percent in January-July to 1.724 million bpd, exceeding its quota of 1.7 million bpd under the cut pact.

Kazakhstan has said it needs to adjust the terms of the deal as it expects to boost output later this year thanks to the giant Kashagan field.

The Saudi Energy Ministry said that Bozumbayev, who met with Falih on Sunday, said that despite the gradual ramp up of the Kashagan field this year, Kazakhstan was able, through reducing production in other fields in August, to achieve more than full conformity with its output cut target.

A similar production level is also anticipated for September, the Saudi ministry said.

Both ministers agreed to continue, and expand, their energy cooperation, including in two major projects in Kazakhstan in petrochemicals and renewable energy, the ministry said in the statement without providing details.

Falih, who has held his meetings in Astana, also met Venezuelan Oil Minister Eulogio Del Pino and both ministers agreed on the importance of leaving all options open including the possible extension of the oil output cuts beyond the first quarter of 2018, if needed, according to a separate statement.

Del Pino on Friday said global oil inventories remain too high and urged producers to look at exemptions granted to countries such as Libya and Nigeria and the effect of those exemptions on the market.

Both ministers discussed oil market developments and how the OPEC-led pact is improving market stability, contributing to the rebalancing of supply and demand, and drawing down excessive inventories, the Saudi ministry said.

They both shared an optimistic outlook on market fundamentals in 2018.







Story reporting by Rania El Gamal; Editing by Angus MacSwan from Reuters.



reuters. com / 09 10 2017
This piece, titled, The New Plague, depicts life in Philadelphia in the age of COVID. Artist and educator Raphael Tiberino began painting at the age of four and has been in the spotlight as a professional creative for over 25 years.
We've been updating readers, most recently Sunday, about French-owned, King of Prussia-based Arkema Americas' Crosby, Texas, facility, where Hurricane Harvey's floods and power outages fed a string of fires that temporarily idled the plant's 55 workers and produced smoke-filled videos that were for several days one of the sad public faces of flooded Houston. Already filed is at least one lawsuit by an EMS chief, sheriff's deputies and a firefighter that accuses the company of "negligence" after they became sick from smoke inhalation and possible exposure to other toxics stored at the site, which Arkema says it worked to isolate from the fires.

The company replied late Friday to written questions I sent the previous Tuesday. Some highlights:

Question: How many people does Arkema employ in the Philadelphia area?

Answer: We have approximately 950 employees at all our sites in Greater Philadelphia. [This includes] King of Prussia, 660 [Arkema Americas headquarters and R&D Center]; Bristol, 137; West Chester, 74; Exton,70. [A plastics plant Arkema operates along with Solvay in West Deptford was fined $115,000 last year for OSHA violations, according to a report.]

Q: When do you expect to resume full operation at Crosby?

A: We don't have a timeline for when the site will reopen. Our current focus is on cooperating with the government investigations and supporting employees and neighbors impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

Q: What is the estimated cost of the damage (to Arkema, neighbors, government agencies)?

A: This question will also take time. We are working within the community to help our neighbors meet immediate needs, and we have instituted a claims processing center to address [and] adjust claims for reimbursement for damages.

Q: Did county officials burn off the organic peroxides at Crosby, or was it Arkema personnel?

A: This process was one that we worked on in concert with Unified Incident Command, which included a wide range of emergency response agencies. We appreciate their support and involvement. For further information, we suggest you contact the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office.

Q: Were other chemicals stored at the Crosby plant affected by the fire? Were they affected by the flood?

A: To our knowledge, the materials burned on site were finished organic-peroxide products, their packaging, the pallets, and the refrigerated trailers. We are in the process of cleaning the site and cooperating with government investigators, and we will know more when that process is complete.

Q: Arkema has apologized for the inconvenience to neighbors and county personnel, (but also) pointed out that the extent and duration of the flooding was unexpected. Are you altering your disaster planning to include such disasters in future?

A: The National Weather Service reported that Harvey dropped about 51 inches of rain, the greatest amount of rain ever recorded in the continental United States. [Arkema cited National Weather Service, Huffington Post and Atlantic magazine articles to underline] the unprecedented nature of this hurricane.

So there is a vast difference between the flooding from Harvey, and anything seen at that plant in the past. Hurricane Harvey has literally set a new high water level for our plant, and this will certainly figure into our thinking going forward.

Q: The Crosby facility was cited by OSHA in February for 10 "serious" violations of OSHA rules, including eight regarding the handling of hazardous materials. What is the status of those OSHA actions there, has Arkema paid or is Arkema continuing to dispute OSHA claims? Are there other regulatory-action decisions pending for the facility?

A: Our Crosby site had an OSHA PSM [Process Safety Management] NEP [National Emphasis Program] inspection during the second half of 2016. We cooperated fully with OSHA inspectors throughout their review of our facility, and we made a multi-million dollar investment to address concerns raised by OSHA during the inspection. This OSHA audit is closed and all issues have been resolved.

Q: Arkema and other chemical companies and their industry associations have lobbied for past changes to disclosure and to regulation for chemical facilities in Texas and in the U.S. Does Arkema favor or oppose disclosure of the names, quantities and locations of toxic chemicals at its facilities? How does Arkema characterize U.S. and Texas state chemical-facility regulation: Are there appropriate government rules and practices that help Arkema and other companies do their jobs better, is there generally too much, or unhelpful, or too little regulation? Should companies be left more to manage their businesses and determine what safety steps and disclosure is appropriate?

A: We comply with all existing regulations, including those that relate to public disclosure, and we have supported regulations that make chemical facilities safer. Like others in industries that work with dangerous materials, Arkema supports additional requirements for public disclosures as long as proper information safeguards are in place. Ultimately, while there may be public debate, the choice between the public's right-to-know vs. the public's demand for security is made by government officials. We are committed to providing federal, state and local responders with the information they need to make decisions based on facts as they exist in real time, as exemplified by the information sharing, coordination and cooperation with the Unified Incident Command at Crosby, which resulted in the 1.5-mile evacuation zone being established.
If Pennsylvania's medical marijuana program is delayed, "people will be forced to needlessly endure excruciating pain, agony, and, in some cases, death," according to State Sen. Daylin Leach, prime sponsor of the 2016 law legalizing medical cannabis in the state.

Leach (D., Montgomery) pleaded Monday morning with an aspiring medical marijuana grower to back down from a lawsuit that could potentially shut down the program before it even launches, although one attorney specializing in the field said that was unlikely.

Attorney Seth Tipton filed court papers late Friday in Commonwealth Court on behalf of Bethlehem's Keystone ReLeaf LLC seeking an injunction against the state Department of Health. The company has asked the court to rescind all awarded permits and start again from scratch.

Tipton is a partner in the firm Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt & Fader. Christian M. Perrucci, also a partner, is listed as a managing member of Keystone ReLeaf.

Keystone ReLeaf unsuccessfully applied to win one of 12 permits, of the 25 allowed by law, awarded in June to grow and process marijuana in the state. In addition, it did not win one of 27 permits, of the 50 allowed by law, to open cannabis-product dispensaries. According to an attachment document buried in the suit, the company missed the state deadline by two days.

The state has said it will award a second round of permits sometime in 2018. The company is one of at least 140 failed applicants who have filed appeals challenging the state's awards.

Keystone ReLeaf maintains that the Department of Health botched the awards process, rendering it "arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable." In doing so, the department's Office of Medical Marijuana broke the regulations it was ordered to uphold, the suit states.

In a letter, Leach begged attorney Tipton "not to seek such relief."

Citing statistics that suggest states with marijuana programs have a 25 percent lower rate of opioid-related deaths, Leach said a delay of only a few months would result in the deaths of "hundreds of your fellow citizens."

"I can't imagine a company such as Keystone ReLeaf  would want to be responsible for harming patients in such a cruel way," Leach wrote.

Leach was joined by State Rep. Chris Rabb (D., Phila.), who noted, "There are legal remedies available to the company without seeking such a sweeping option that would harm so many vulnerable people."

Philadelphia attorneys who specialize in marijuana law voiced their concerns Monday about the suit. Similar complaints have held up deployment of medical marijuana programs in Maryland and Florida.

"We expected this to happen and hoped it would not," said Andrew Sacks of Sacks, Weston, Diamond LLC. "We have worked for 3 years to see medicine in dispensaries, and lawyers trying to delay children with epilepsy from getting the CBD they need as soon as possible should think twice." CBD is cannabidiol, the compound in cannabis that is believed to reduce seizures in children suffering from some forms of treatment-resistant epilepsy.

The suit claims the state selection process may have been "infected by bias and favoritism" because the Department of Health has kept the panelists who picked the permit winners secret, in violation of the state's Right-to-Know law. A recent decision by the state Office of Open Records ruled that the panelists must be identified.

It also claims that regulations were arbitrarily waived for some applicants; that the department failed to conduct adequate criminal background checks; and that a yes-no question eligible for 50 points was graded on a sliding scale  scores varied from five to 41 points.

Keystone ReLeaf also criticized the state for awarding a permit to a Minnesota company currently under criminal investigation because two now-former executives illegally transported $500,000 worth of hashish oil across state lines.

"No applicant understands how or why they scored a certain score in any category," the suit states, "and when challenged by way of administrative appeal, [the Department of Health] has, to date, utterly refused to explain or defend its scoring decisions."

The company offered as an example two applications it submitted for separate dispensary facilities. In 11 categories for which it submitted identical information, its answers received different scores.

Medical marijuana attorney Steve Schain of the Hoban Law Group said it was unlikely the Keystone ReLeaf suit would derail the Pennsylvania program.

"At best it's premature, at worst flat wrong," Schain said. "While raising many valid factual points, satisfying the `arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable standard' is a spectacularly difficult task. Based on their petition and pleading, I believe Keystone ReLeaf LLC has fallen short of establishing they've been irreparably harmed."
Palm trees bend against the wind near the Haulover Park Ocean Rescue Lifeguard Station at Haulover Park as Hurricane Irma passes by Sunday in North Miami Beach, Fla. Read more

Making a quick recovery from Hurricane Irma, Comcast-owned Universal Orlando theme park says it plans to reopen Tuesday morning. It had closed its attractions Saturday night.

But Comcast Corp.  the nation's largest cable-TV company, with significant widespread operations in Florida  says it's still assessing its Irma-damaged cable and internet operations.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that more than 6 million Floridians have lost their electric power. Comcast can't restore internet and cable-TV to those customers until electric power is restored, the company said Monday.

A Comcast spokeswoman said the company has not given a customer impact from Irma. Comcast has said it has a substantial number of customers throughout Florida, including the hard-hit Miami metro area.

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have battered Comcast. Matt Strauss, executive vice president, XFINITY Services, said at a California investor conference last week that Comcast could shed 100,000 to 150,000 TV customers in the third quarter because of the storms and industry competition.
Annie McKee, author of How to be Happy at Work, with her labradoodle, Keik. Read more

Given her job titles, it would be easy to dismiss Penn professor Annie McKee's book "How to Be Happy at Work" as a pie-in-the-sky prescription for the whining privileged who enjoy the luxury of worrying about being fulfilled at work.

After all, McKee, 62, a Ph.D., runs an executive doctoral program for chief learning officers through the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education. She's the author of four books and a counselor to chief executives, having been one herself.

But she was also once on welfare, cleaning houses and counting on food stamps to feed her children.

On her knees scrubbing floors, McKee came to understand the true basis for happiness at work.

"Cleaning houses  it's hard to find something to be really proud of," she said, sitting in the kitchen of her well-appointed  and very clean  house in Elkins Park. "So I recognized that I had to do something to make my job better. What helped me was [thinking] what about that job made me feel better.

"I discovered," she said, "I liked to make things better," which happened with each swipe of her dust rag.

McKee began to converse with her employer, and soon that woman became a mentor, encouraging McKee to return to school and pointing her to a brighter future.

As the years passed, McKee and academic colleagues  including Daniel Goleman at Princeton  conducted hundreds of interviews, globally, with all levels of employees to learn about organizations and leadership, interviews that formed the basis for her book, published by Harvard Business Review Press.

So what does it take to find happiness at work? (And keep in mind that, according to Gallup, which tracks this, only a third of U.S. workers are "engaged," meaning "involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their work and workplace." Another survey, by the Philadelphia staffing company Yoh Services LLC, says worker confidence fell to a yearlong low in the first quarter.)

For happiness, three things matter: a sense of purpose and an opportunity to contribute to a larger cause; a personal vision of a good life, embracing work and home and a reason for hope; and resonant and friendly relationships, including at work.

"I learned you need to take care of your emotional life, just as you do your physical health," she said.

"It's tempting to blame other people  that toxic boss, that horrible manager  when you aren't happy," she said.

Sometimes, the best solution is a burn-no-bridges exit. But "running away isn't always possible."

Then what?

Go out to lunch  or at least don't eat at your desk. Have coffee with a colleague. Learn a new skill  because you want to, not because the company says so. Those are baby steps toward happiness, because each asserts the employee's power.

"I think we have a lot more control than we think we do," McKee said. "We box ourselves in."

Sometimes, she said, people may not even see themselves as unhappy, just settled into an unsettling discontent.

"If you are normally a glass-full kind of person, and you find yourself pessimistic and cynical; if relationships that were enjoyable are now strained; if you worry all the time; if you see physical signs, like not sleeping, or eating or drinking too much; if you don't feel like you're on the top of your game and somehow it doesn't seem worth it anyway," those are all signs to begin a happiness makeover, she said.

Sometimes, overheated ambition is the culprit, where getting ahead obscures the happiness of doing it right. Sometimes, it's a bigger paycheck. But mostly, it is endless "shoulds," enslavement to happiness-sapping tasks or workplace customs, McKee said.

The first step to happiness is to "fully embrace the idea that happiness is a human right, and that it is important in the workplace," she said. "The second is to lean into your own emotional intelligence." Figure out what made you happy in the past. Look for ways to connect your values to work values. (For example, McKee realized she valued making things better and was doing so as she cleaned.)

"Then comes the really hard part: using emotional self-control to hold steady as you make changes, because you are going to get scared," she said. Going out for lunch while others are desk-dining, for example, may require chutzpah.

That's why it's important to have work friends who support your efforts and tell the truth about your impact on the job. McKee rejects the old caveat about keeping work and personal friendships separate.

"Like all myths, there is a kernel of truth to it," she said. "But I think we are more likely to have clouded judgments because we don't know people than if we do know them."
A new study combining Incyte's immune-oncology drug Epacadostat and Merck's Keytruda cancer treatment in patients with advanced melanoma showed increased effectiveness.

Incyte Corp., a Delaware biopharmaceutical firm, and drug maker Merck presented the data over the weekend at the European Society of Medical Oncology Congress in Madrid.

A combination of Incyte's oral pill and Merck's injectable medicine shrank metastatic melanoma tumors, or caused the tumors to disappear, in 56 percent of the 65 patients in the Phase 1-2 study. With Keytruda alone, tumors shrank or disappeared in 33 percent of patients, based on Merck's past studies.

Keytruda is now approved as a solo treatment for advanced melanoma, non-small-cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, bladder cancer, classic Hodgkin's lymphoma, and other cancers with a distinct genetic mutation, a Merck spokeswoman said.

Keytruda had worldwide sales of $1.5 billion in the first six months this year.

Among other findings presented at the oncology meeting in Spain were that the advanced melanoma did not progress, or get worse, in half the patients given Epacadostat plus Keytruda for 12.4 months. The disease progressed within four months to six months with Keytruda alone.

Among patients who had no previous treatment for advanced melanoma, the disease did not progress for up to 22.8 months when the patients were given the Merck-Incyte drug combination.

As far as adverse side effects, the most serious were rashes, elevated liver enzymes, fatigue, and body aches and pains in about 20 percent of the patients. With Keytruda alone, adverse side effects were reported by 17 percent of patients.

"We are adding significantly to the efficacy profile of Keytruda, but we are not significantly adding to the toxicity burden. That seems to be the takeaway," an Incyte spokesman said.

Merck and Incyte have enrolled 700 patents in a larger Phase 3 study, in which half are taking only Keytruda and the other half the combination Keytruda-Epacadostat. The study will conclude next May.

Separate studies are planned with Bristol-Myers Squibb's Opdivo drug and Epacadostat for lung and head and neck cancers.

Incyte was founded in 2002 by former employees of DuPont Pharmaceuticals in Wilmington. The team invented Epacadostat a few years later. Incyte employs more than 1,000, the majority in Wilmington. Merck employs about 9,200 in West Point and Upper Gwynedd, Montgomery County.
Rethinking Europa

Originally, the gap between large-scale outer planets missions, known as flagships, was about a decade. Twelve years passed between the launch of the Voyagers and Galileo, and eight years went by between Galileo and Cassini. Had NASA been able to keep up that cadence, a new mission should have flown around 2007, which roughly aligns with the 2003 Decadal Survey's recommendation of a comprehensive mission for Europa. Instead, Juno, a mid-price mission from NASA's New Frontiers program meant to answer specific questions about Jupiter's interior, launched in 2011.

The next decadal survey, which took effect in 2013, once again prioritized a Europa missionthis time just behind a Mars sample return. Prockter said the sample return was given a higher rating for pragmatic reasons: it could be split into multiple, less-expensive chunks.

The Europa mission finally became a reality in 2015, but only after scientists and engineers extensively modeled Jupiter's radiation fields based on data from Galileo, as well as flybys from probes like Voyager and Cassini.

"We went back to the drawing board, and we said okay, what if we don't actually go into orbit around Europa, but instead we do what Galileo did, which is we stay in orbit around Jupiter, but we just encounter Europa every now and then?" said Prockter. "We found that we could get almost as good science doing that, but we didn't need as much (radiation) shielding, we could live a lot longer, we didn't need as much mass, and we could do that for considerably lower cost. And so that's what we did."

The outer planets workforce

The end of a space mission can cause an exodus of talent, as the associated workforce scrambles to find other sources of employment.

Prockter was a graduate student during the Galileo mission. Her Ph.D. thesis was on Europa and Ganymede. After Galileo ended, one of her colleagues went to work for aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, while another moved to the oil and gas industry.

Prockter joined the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab in Baltimore, Maryland. First, she worked on the NEAR mission, which sent a spacecraft to the asteroid Eros, and then, she transitioned to the MESSENGER Mercury mission. Though she enjoyed the work, neither mission had anything to do with her interest in icy satellites, she said.

Over the years, she maintained a small foothold in Europa geology through occasional grants, and estimates that at one point, less than 10 people were active in the field. By the time Europa Clipper arrives at Jupiter2025 at the very earliestshe will have been waiting for new Europa data for more than two decades.

"That's assuming I don't have a heart attack and drop dead or something," she said. "And if that mission is delayed by any reason, who knows, I'll be thinking about retirement by the time we get there."

Like Galileo, the end of the long-lived Cassini mission will also have an acute impact on early career scientists.

Morgan Rehnberg was a Ph.D. student at the University of Colorado studying Saturn's rings using Cassini data. He completed his Ph.D. in May, and promptly left academia for public outreach. He's now the director of scientific presentation at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

Rehnberg has always been a passionate science communicator, and told me that drove his decision to leave academia more than anything else. Nevertheless, his choice wasn't just between public outreach and more ring science, it was between public outreach and an entirely different field.

"Cassini is basically the only game in town when it comes to studying planetary rings up close," he said.
Spaniards claim two new climbs and one first free ascent in Peru

10.09.2017 by by Planetmountain

The brothers Iker Pou and Eneko Pou, together with Manu Ponce and Pedro Galan, have made the first ascent of two new rock climbs in Peru: Yaku Mama (7a+ / 185 m) next to the Gocta Falls in Amazonia, and Zerain 8a / 860 m in the valley of Quebrada Rurec in Cordillera Blanca. In the same valley the four also made the first free of Qui Io Vado Ancora, the route put up in 2006 by the Italian Ragni di Lecco climbers.





Iker Pou and Eneko Pou recently returned from a successful trip to Peru where with climbing partners Manu Ponce and Pedro Galan and the cameraman Lina Schutze and Luis Rizo they forged two new routes in two completely contrasting environments. The first route ascends to the left of the Gocta Falls in Amazonia and in its 185 meters Yaku Mama breaches difficulties up to 7a+.



Given that the rock quality above the upper fall was deemed dangerously poor, the Basques suddenly had more time than expected and so they decided to head to the Quebrada Rurec valley at 4200 meters of the Andes. Here they made the first free ascent of Qui Io Vado Ancora, the 585 meter line up Chaupi Huanca (5179 m) opened in 2006 by the Italians Simone Pedeferri, Fabio Palma and Andrea Pavan. Climbing on-sight, the Pou estimate difficulties at around 7c+/8a.



After a brief rest, during the next six days the climbers made the first ascent nearby of Zerain, a huge big wall dedicated to Alberto Zerain, their climbing partner who perished last summer while attempting to climb Nanga Parbat's Mazeno Ridge. The new route was established with three nights on the face and is described as "one of the first significant climbs in our career, because of the height of the mountain (5200 m), the size of the wall (860 m), the quality of the route, and its difficulty around 8a." Three pitches were not climbed free.

Share Tweet
Portland police officers confiscated these hard knuckle gloves from Antifa protesters during Sunday's march. (Photo: Portland Police Bureau/Twitter)

Two Portland police officers suffered minor injuries Sunday when attacked by members of an Antifa group that was counter-protesting a march by Patriot Prayer.

Police said seven people were arrested during the rallies in downtown Portland on charges ranging from interfering with officers to assaulting officers.

Police said the behavior of groups that had gathered at Waterfront Park escalated and that protesters threw rocks, smoke bombs and other projectiles at officers, Fox 12 Oregon reports.
Two Florida first responders were rescued early Monday morning after a live power pole and electric lines crashed onto their patrol car, trapping the pair in the midst of Hurricane Irmas damage.

Polk County Sheriffs Officer Sgt. Chris Lynn and Polk County Fire Rescue Paramedic James Tanner Schaill were heading back to north Lakeland when the power pole toppled onto their moving car, trapping them for two hours, the sheriffs office wrote in a Facebook post. The duo had just dropped off an elderly patient at a medical center.

Neither Lynn nor Schaill were able to exit the car due to the risk of electrocution, Fox News reports.

Lakeland Electric crews were eventually able to disconnect the lines and free Lynn and Schaill about 1:15 a.m.
North Miami Beach officers rescued a mother and her baby Sunday from a home flooded by the storm surge of Hurricane Irma. (Photo: North Miami PD)

North Miami Beach police rescued a woman and her 4-month-old baby from their flooding home Sunday as Hurricane Irma swept over South Florida.

A man who lives next door to the family called 911 about 4 p.m.

Police used an armored vehicle to drive through the neighborhood and rescue the mother and baby.

The family was taken to a shelter to wait out the rest of the storm, Local 10 News reports.

Authorities said they believe that the family would have drowned if they had stayed trapped inside their house during the remainder of the storm.
Authorities in Florida warned residents that "going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice" following a series of burglary arrests as Hurricane Irma was slamming the state with heavy rains and winds.

Police in Fort Lauderdale said nine were arrested in connection to a sportswear store burglary. The group, which was filmed by a local news staton, allegedly stole sneakers.

Police Chief Rick Maglione warned people in the statement that Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice and residents should instead Stay home and look after your loved ones and be thankful they are all safe.

#FLPD Can't say we didn't warn you...28 YOs Ryan Cook & Max Saintvil each face 6 counts of burglary from overnight #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/GyPhAeMAVZ  Fort Lauderdale PD (@FLPD411) September 10, 2017

The Miami-Dade Police Department also said on Twitter that there were 28 arrests for looting, Fox News reports.
A law enforcement group is blaming the shooting death of Sacramento County sheriff's deputy Robert French on a prison reform measure signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown.

French was killed Aug. 30 in a gun battle that took place between law enforcement officers and Thomas Littlecloud, 32.

The blood is on the governors hands, said Mike Rushford, president of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, a group that advocates for crime victims.

Rushford was referencing a prison realignment measure known as AB 109, passed by the California Legislature in 2011.

Littlecloud was a felon released from state prison. Under AB 109, responsibility for supervising him was transferred from state parole agents to county probation officers. But Littlecloud committed new crimes upon his release.

This individual was a violent man, said Jim Nielsen, a Republican senator from Tehama County. He had many, many violent acts, weapon possessions, knives, guns, hes done it all. This guy was a bomb waiting to go off, and now we have another dead officer.

Late Wednesday, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) sent this statement to KCRA 3:

AB 109 didn't reduce the amount of time this suspect -- or any other -- was incarcerated, press secretary Vicky Waters wrote.

Waters added, "To be clear, no laws signed since 2011, including AB 109, reduced the amount of time this person was incarcerated or supervised by law enforcement after release. In 2007 he was sentenced to six years in state prison for vehicle theft and assault with a firearm and went to state prison in January 2007 where he served a full sentence until July 2011. (Under laws that have been on the books for decades, inmates get credit for time they were incarcerated during trial.) In July 2011, he was released from state prison to three years of state parole supervision. In 2013 he was sent back to prison for three years for driving recklessly while evading a peace officer and possessing a firearm. (Again, he received credit for time served and other credits that have been on the books for many years.) He was released in November 2014 to the custody of Alameda County Probation where he remained until this incident. Questions about the requirements or restrictions imposed on probationers should be directed to Alameda County Probation Department.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  Republican infighting over the fate of immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children could be so vitriolic that the party loses control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year, Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, said in an interview airing on Sunday.

Bannon, whose far-right views on immigration, climate and trade helped shape Trumps presidential campaign and his first months in office, was fired by the Republican president last month in a push to end factional fights within the White House.

In an interview with the CBS program 60 Minutes, Bannon predicted Republicans could lose control in the House in the 2018 congressional elections because of a looming battle over what to do about 800,000 immigrants known as Dreamers.

Trump said last week he would scrap a program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, that allowed the young immigrants to live and work in America.

Bannon supported ending the program, which had been put in place by Democratic former President Barack Obama.

Trump gave the Republican-controlled Congress six months to come up with an alternative, saying he would revisit this issue if lawmakers could not agree.

Im worried about losing the House now because of this, Bannon told CBS.

If this goes all the way down to its logical conclusion, in February and March it will be a civil war inside the Republican Party, he said. And to me, doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise.

Republicans are divided over the Dreamers. Some believe they are illegal immigrants who are taking American jobs, while others say they contribute to the country and deserve compassion.

Bannon, who said he left the White House on his own terms, lashed out against establishment Republicans who have at times grappled with Trump, a real estate celebrity who had never before held elected office.

The Republican establishment is trying to nullify the 2016 election, Bannon said, saying it was an open secret on Capitol Hill that many Republicans did not support Trumps agenda, and singling out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan for criticism.

They do not want Donald Trumps populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented, Bannon said.

He called Republican national security officials who had served in the George W. Bush administration idiots, including former secretaries of state Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell, and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

I hold these people in contempt, total and complete contempt, Bannon said, blaming them for U.S. trade problems with China and involvement in Iraq.

Theyre idiots, and theyve gotten us in this situation, and they question a good man like Donald Trump, Bannon said.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Peter Cooney and Mary Milliken)
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

When he was asked by reporters if the hurricanes are related to climate change, Donald Trump didnt answer and walked away.

Video:

https://youtu.be/NhNxeEAt41A

Here is the transcript as provided to PoltiicusUSA by the White House press pool:

Q: How much will this cost?

POTUS: Right now, were worried about lives, not cost.

Q: Question on DACA, how will you make sure Congress legalizes DACA?

POTUS: [No answer. At this point, POTUS was heading to South Portico.]

Q: Are the storms the result of climate change?

POTUS: [No answer]

Q: What do you mean by revisiting it [DACA] if they dont?

POTUS: [No answer]

The man that the media is selling as a new Trump acted just like all the other previous versions of Trump by denying the role of climate change in the size and frequency of the storms. Trump and Republicans want Americans to believe that it is a coincidence that Hurricane Harvey was a once in 500 years flood, and Hurricane Irma could end up being a once in a century event.

The reality is that this is the same president whose EPA scrubbed climate change data from their websites. Republicans are selling a fairy tale of science denial to themselves by refusing to see the link between the increased frequency of extreme weather events and climate change.

Trump isnt some rogue independent president. He remains a man who is driven by taking America back to the past. Trump resists change. He resists science, change, most importantly the reality that extreme weather isnt a fluke. It is the new dangerous reality for every American.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

Donald Trumps White House legal counsel has hired a lawyer as Special Counsel Robert Mueller wants to know what he knew about why Trump fired James Comey.

According to Law360:

Former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and White House Counsel Donald McGahn have hired Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP partner William Burck to advise them in special counsel Robert Muellers investigation, Law360 has learned.

.

McGahn is expected to be asked what he knew about why President Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey in May, as part of Muellers widely reported investigation into whether Trump obstructed justice in firing the official leading an investigation into his campaign, according to the person familiar with the hiring. McGahn is more likely to be interviewed as a witness rather than a party to Trumps potential obstruction, the person said.

Mueller is reviewing the draft of the Comey firing letter that he obtained, and he has some questions for the people who were working in the White House at the time about the reason why the President fired the then FBI Director.

The Special Counsel investigation into Trump and Russia is large and covers a lot of ground, but what is becoming clear is that Mueller and his team are doing a comprehensive investigation into potential Trump obstruction of justice. The reason why Trump is constantly freaking out about the Russia investigation is that the obstruction of justice charge, unlike any potential collision that may have occurred with Putin, is squarely on Trump.

Trump was the one who had the conversations with Comey and wanted the FBI Director fired. Trump approved the letter firing Comey, and the President even admitted on national television that he fired the FBI Director due to the Russia investigation.

If Trump does face impeachment, it is looking possible that it could be for obstruction of justice, not collusion with Russia. Collusion is difficult to prove, but Trump may have given the Special Counsel all he needs to find that the President obstructed justice.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

The ACLU wrecked Trumps bogus voter fraud commission by pointing out that there are more people on the commission than Kris Kobach has convicted of voter fraud in Kansas.

The ACLU wrote in a blog post:

Incidentally, there are more people on Kobachs commission than people the Kansas secretary of state has convicted of voter fraud.

As the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law has also pointed out, all of the people testifying at the meeting are white men, despite the fact that election irregularities and abuses (and the voter suppression measures backed by Kobach) disproportionately affect people of color.

The Trump voter fraud commission has one purpose, and that is to make it more difficult for people who are likely to support Democrats to vote. The commission is also out to prove that Trump would have won the popular vote if it wasnt for millions of imaginary illegal voters.

Trump cant win a free and fair election, so he is trying to rig the vote in 2020 so that he gets a second term in office. There will be lots of unproven conspiracies about voter fraud at the hearing on Tuesday, but the ACLU has it right.

If there is so much voter fraud going on the United States, why havent been Republicans been able to catch anyone? It stands to reason that if millions of people are voting illegally, they should be pretty easy to spot.

The fact that there are more people on the commission than have been convicted of voter fraud by the Kansas Secretary of State makes it clear that the real purpose of this conspiracy theater is to provide a justification for voter suppression in 2018, 2020, and beyond.
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

By Philip Pullella

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters)  Pope Francis said he hoped U.S. President Donald Trump would re-think his decision to end a program protecting undocumented immigrant children, saying it was important for young people to have roots.

One hopes that it is re-thought somewhat, Francis said on Sunday in answer to a question on the plane returning from Colombia about the program started by his predecessor and known as Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

He spoke about DACA and the problems of immigrant families in general, adding that he wanted to learn more about Trumps decision.

Trumps move this month to end the five-year-old program instituted by former President Barack Obama plunged almost 800,000 young people, known as Dreamers, into uncertainty.

It drew criticism from business and religious leaders, mayors, governors, Democratic lawmakers, unions and civil liberties advocates. Trump said during his election campaign he would end DACA if he became president.

Last week, 15 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit challenging Trumps decision.

It claims his decision was motivated, at least in part, by a discriminatory motive against Mexicans, who are the largest beneficiary of the program. It points to his statements from the 2016 presidential campaign..

In the end, young people feel like they have no hope. And who robs them of hope? Drugs, other addictions, suicides  youth suicides are very high  and this happens when they are torn from their roots, Francis said.

The relationship between a young person and his roots is very important. Young people who have been uprooted today are asking for help, he said.

He appeared to take a swipe at Trump when he said: The president of the United States  presents himself as a man who is pro-life. If he is a good pro-lifer, he understands that the family is the cradle of life and you have to defend its unity.

The pope has already clashed with Trump over immigration issues, such as the presidents intention to build a wall on the border with Mexico and deport undocumented aliens.

Francis, the first Latin American pope, has made defense of immigrants a major plank of his papacy. The pontiff said during the presidential campaign that a man who thought about building walls and not bridges was not Christian.

Trump, who grew up in a Presbyterian family, shot back saying it was disgraceful for the pope to question his faith.

Trump met the pope at the Vatican during a tour of the Middle East and Europe last May.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

By Philip Pullella

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters)  Pope Francis said the recent spate of hurricanes should prompt people to understand that humanity will go down if it does not address climate change and history will judge those who deny the science on its causes.

If we dont turn back, we will go down, Francis told reporters on Sunday on the plane returning from Colombia. Francis strongly backed the 2015 Paris agreement on reducing global warming, from which the United States withdrew this year.

Francis spoke as hurricane Irma pounded central Florida as it carved through the state with high winds, storm surges and torrential rains that left millions without power, ripped roofs off homes and flooded city streets.

Francis was asked about recent hurricanes, including Irma and Harvey, and if political leaders who do not want to work with other countries to stem global warming should be held morally responsible for future effects on the planet.

You can see the effects of climate change and scientists have clearly said what path we have to follow, he said, referring to a consensus by scientists that global warming is caused by human activity such as fossil fuels.

All of us have a responsibility, all of us, small or large, a moral responsibility. We have to take it seriously. We cant joke about it, he said. Each person has their own. Even politicians have their own.

Ahead of the Paris summit in 2015, Francis wrote a major encyclical, or papal letter, on the care of the environment which backed the gradual elimination of fossil fuels to stem global warming.

The accord, agreed on by nearly 200 countries, aims to cut emissions blamed for global warming. The United States committed to reducing its own by 26 to 28 percent, compared with 2005 levels, by 2025. Many world leaders criticized Trump for pulling out.

If someone is doubtful that this is true, they should ask scientists. They are very clear. These are not opinions made on the fly. They are very clear. Then each person can decide and history will judge the decisions, he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris agreement shortly after visiting the Vatican in May. The Vatican had urged him to stay in the accord.

A Vatican official said at the time that the U.S. move was a slap in the face for the pope and the Vatican.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)
Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Email

Print

By Mark Hosenball

(Reuters)  Republican lawmaker Devin Nunes investigation into whether Obama administration officials used classified intelligence reports to discredit Donald Trumps 2016 campaign team could backfire on the congressman  and the president, sources familiar with the reports said.

The reports contain no evidence that any aides to former Democratic President Barack Obama acted improperly, the sources said, but they do indicate some Trump associates may have violated an obscure 1799 law, the Logan Act, which prohibits unauthorized U.S. citizens from negotiating with a foreign government that has a dispute with the United States.

The spying reports also are relevant to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into conclusions by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia worked to tilt last Novembers election in Republican Trumps favor, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Muellers office declined to comment.

Russia, under U.S. sanctions for rights abuses and its 2014 annexation of Crimea, has repeatedly denied allegations of election meddling. Trump has denied any possible collusion between his campaign and Moscow, an issue that has loomed over the new presidency. [nL2N1LO1S1]

Nunes, chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee and a Trump ally, met secretly earlier this year with a White House intelligence aide and then accused Obama officials of having requested the names of U.S. citizens seen in intercepts of communications with Russians and other foreigners.

The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

The names would have been routinely censored from intelligence agency intercepts, but Nunes charged that Obamas aides had leaked the information to try to undermine Trump while he was running for president.

A spokesman for then-United Nations ambassador Samantha Power, whom Nunes and other Republicans accused of digging for political dirt, said she read intelligence reports only as part of her normal duties. A spokesman for former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice, whom Republicans also accused of misusing intelligence, did not respond to requests for comment.

Mueller is investigating meetings and conversations between Trump associates and Russian and other foreign officials and businessmen. They include Trumps adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner; the presidents eldest son Donald Trump, Jr.; former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

An obvious question is how all these meetings and conversations were set up, said one of the sources. Who set them up? What was their purpose? What were the agendas? Who approved them? Who was briefed on them afterward? Signals intelligence might shed some light on that.

Representatives for the Trump associates did not respond to requests for comment.

Democratic lawmakers have said that Nunes and others have made the assertions about the leaks to distract attention from two congressional investigations and Muellers probe into the Russian matter.

The National Security Agency masks the names of U.S. citizens in intercepts, but officials with the necessary security clearances can request them for intelligence purposes.

Unmasking Americans is extremely sensitive, and unmasking political opponents is really problematic, said a congressional official, also speaking on the condition of anonymity. If Obama officials asked for the names or failed to justify any requests, that warranted investigation, the official said.

Asked for hard evidence that Power or other aides misused intelligence for political purposes or leaked such information to the media, the official declined to comment.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball in London; additional reporting by John Walcott in Washington; editing by Grant McCool)
Israeli PMs son under fire for anti-Semitic memeTHE ASSOCIATED PRESSFirst posted: Sunday, September 10, 2017 02:02 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, September 10, 2017 02:11 PM EDTJERUSALEM  Israeli political leaders lashed out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus eldest son Sunday for posting an anti-Semitic caricature aimed at his fathers critics.Yair Netanyahus meme shows American Jewish billionaire George Soros and a figure that resembles Nazi depictions of world Jewry manipulating former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and two leaders of weekly protests calling on Netanyahu to step down over corruption allegations. The post was shared by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and other anti-Semites.The opposition Labor Partys chairman Avi Gabbay told Army Radio the post crossed every line imaginable, saying it was a very sad day for Israel and the Jewish people when the prime ministers son posts a cartoon that the leader of the Ku Klux Klan agrees with. Barak wondered on Twitter whether Yair Netanyahu, who enjoys a state-funded driver and bodyguard while living at the prime ministers official residence, absorbed such ideology at home.What is it, genetics or a spontaneous mental illness? It doesnt matter. In any case, we ought to pay for him to have a psychiatrist, not a bodyguard and a chauffeur, Barak wrote. Yair Netanyahu responded by calling Barak a drunk who needed geriatric care.The 26-year-old Yair Netanyahu has drawn criticism for living a life of privilege at taxpayers expense and for his crude social media posts.The Netanyahu family is facing a slew of corruption allegations. The prime minister has been questioned about his ties to executives in media, international business and Hollywood. His associates have been engulfed in a probe relating to a possible conflict of interest involving a US$2-billion purchase of German submarines. Israels attorney general has said he intends to indict the prime ministers wife, Sara, for fraud over her bloated household expenses.Yair Netanyahu, who has reportedly taken a leading role in his fathers aggressive social media platform, has also been drawn into the scandals. Australian billionaire James Packer has reportedly lavished Yair with gifts that included extended stays at luxury hotels in Tel Aviv, New York and Aspen, Colo., as well as the use of his private jet and dozens of tickets for concerts by Packers former fiancee, Mariah Carey.Police are trying to determine whether these constitute bribes, since Packer is reportedly seeking Israeli residency status for tax purposes.The prime minister has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, portraying the accusations as a witch hunt against him and his family by a hostile media. He has resisted increasing calls to step down.
Stevedores supervise members of the International Longshoremen's Association Local 1422, shown here competing for job assignments at the Charleston headquarters. A group of stevedores have agreed to settle a lawsuit against a company serving the Port of Charleston. File/Wade Spees/Staff
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 61F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Thunder possible. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Watchdog and Public Service reporter

Thad Moore is a reporter on The Post and Couriers Watchdog and Public Service team and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. To share tips securely, reach Moore via ProtonMail at thadmoore@protonmail.com or on Signal at 843-214-6576.
These days, Spiegeltents are the darling of international arts festivals from Edinburgh to New Zealand, offering glass-tinkling cabarets and gathering patrons and artists alike to swap notes and enjoy shows. Read moreSpiegeltent, the 'darling of international arts festivals,' comes to Charleston
Brianna Haffey and Helen Boniface, roommates who live in the apartment above AC's Bar & Grill, walked down to the dive bar around noon Monday to shoot pool while Tropical Storm Irma shut down most other businesses in downtown Charleston for the afternoon. Abigail Darlington/Staff
Audience & Digital Operations Editor

Brooks Brunson oversees The Post and Courier's digital strategy, which includes everything from the website to newsletters to social media and more to shape our coverage to best serve readers. She was born and raised in S.C. and joined P&C in 2014.
We treasure him and we honour him but this is a way for the rest of the public, the rest of Calgary, to see who he was and what he did and make the connection that this exact machine was in Afghanistan and it saw fire. While crewing one of these, one of their own made the ultimate sacrifice, said warrant officer Pablo Fernandez from the Kings Own Calgary Regiment.Hornburg was 24-years-old when he became the 71st Canadian solider to die in Afghanistan.The Canadian Forces reported he was killed after being hit by mortar while he tried to put a track back on a leopard tank under fire.------------------------------------------But those who he helped free from Afghanistan and who are now living here in a free country and prospering,,,,,,,,,,did not show up today to show their respect and to give thanks for his ultimate sacrifice.What scum bags we always go out to help and get nothing in return.
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
GREENVILLE  Few South Carolinians know that red-light cameras were made illegal in the state in 2010. While the red-light camera ban may be in keeping with this states tendency to lean toward a less is more approach to the public road system, I dont believe its for the better. Read moreCommentary: Repeal SC ban on red-light cameras to help save lives
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
PLATTSMOUTH  Five area residents either pled guilty to or were sentenced for drug charges in Cass County District Court on Monday morning.

Omaha resident William M. Brummond, 20, took part in the days first case. Brummond pled guilty to one Class I misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of controlled substance-methamphetamine. The plea agreement did not include any sentencing recommendations.

Deputy County Attorney Steven Sunde told the court Brummond had been traveling with two passengers in a vehicle in Plattsmouth on April 1. A Cass County Sheriffs Office deputy stopped the vehicle at the intersection of River Road and Main Street at 9 a.m. for a traffic signal violation. The deputy smelled the odor of drugs near the car and obtained permission to search the vehicle.

Sunde said the deputy located a red velvet bag under the drivers seat. The bag contained two glass pipes that had white residue on them. Tests at the state crime lab confirmed the presence of methamphetamine on one of the pipes.

Brummond remains free on bond. Sentencing will take place Oct. 20.

Plattsmouth resident Joseph D. Guynn, 23, appeared in the days second case. He pled guilty in July to one Class I misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of controlled substance-methamphetamine. He also pled guilty to one charge of driving under the influence during an earlier appearance in Cass County Court.

Guynn was arrested April 17 after he went to the front office of the Cass County Law Enforcement Center. He told employees he wanted to know if the methamphetamine he was carrying with him was good quality or not. He asked employees if they could test the drugs he had brought with him to determine if they were pure or impure.

CCSO deputies arrested Guynn after a short interview. State crime lab workers confirmed the substance he had brought into the law enforcement center was methamphetamine.

Cass County Attorney Nathan Cox said the state would recommend probation. He said he felt Guynn would benefit from inpatient treatment services that would be available to him as part of probation.

Judge Michael Smith placed Guynn on 24 months of probation. Guynn must follow all recommendations of a substance abuse treatment evaluation and enter a residential treatment program. He must also pay all court costs and abstain from alcohol and drugs.

Plattsmouth resident Tonya K. OShea, 40, appeared in the days third case. She pled guilty in July to Class I misdemeanor charges of attempted possession of controlled substance-methamphetamine and false reporting.

Plattsmouth police officers and CCSO deputies approached OSheas property in Plattsmouth on Jan. 26 with a search warrant. Authorities searched the home and found several items in a plastic bag. State crime lab employees confirmed the presence of methamphetamine on the items.

Sunde told the court OShea initially denied ownership of the drugs. She told officers the drugs were the property of a family member. She later admitted that she had been the one who was using the methamphetamine.

Smith ordered OShea to serve 24 months on probation. OShea must pay all court costs, abstain from alcohol and drugs and submit to random tests and searches.

Plattsmouth resident Kimber L. Warga, 26, took part in the next sentencing hearing. She pled guilty in July to one Class I misdemeanor charge of attempted possession of controlled substance-methamphetamine.

Two Plattsmouth police officers visited Wargas residence on April 18 after receiving information from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Warga admitted using drugs and produced two methamphetamine pipes that she had been storing under lock and key. One of the pipes had drug residue on it.

Deputy County Attorney Colin Palm told the court the state recommended probation because of Wargas positive actions following her arrest. He said officials with Cass Countys pre-trial services program were pleased with Wargas performance. She had passed every drug test and had taken steps to address issues with the NDHHS.

Smith ordered Warga to serve 12 months on probation. She must pay all court costs, abstain from alcohol and drugs and submit to random tests and searches.

Omaha resident David A. Adsit, 53, took part in the days fifth case. Adsit pled guilty in May to one Class IV felony of possession of controlled substance-methamphetamine.

Plattsmouth police officers conducted a search warrant at Adsits former Plattsmouth residence in November 2016. They found two glass pipes on a coffee table in the living room. State crime lab workers later confirmed the presence of drug residue on the pipes.

Palm told the court Monday that the state was concerned that Adsit had not obtained a substance abuse treatment evaluation until August. He said he was unable to recommend probation because he felt Adsit had not met his part of Mays plea agreement.

Defense attorney Michael Ziskey said he felt his client was a suitable candidate for probation. He said Adsit had remained clean since his arrest and had taken part in several treatment sessions.

Smith ordered Adsit to serve 48 months on probation. Adsit must obtain a chemical dependency evaluation within 30 days and follow all treatment recommendations. He must also enroll in a cognitive behavior therapy program, abstain from alcohol and drugs and submit to random tests and searches.
Jeffrey D. Reimer, CPA, PLLC

2025 17th St NE, Rochester

507-252-9222

info@jreimercpa.com

www.jreimercpa.com

 Describe your business?

I am a certified public accountant with a staff of accountants and bookkeepers, providing accounting, payroll, tax and consulting services to small businesses and nonprofit organizations. In addition, we provide individual tax preparation and planning services. We operate from a virtual office concept, leveraging technology to serve clients in 20 states and 15 countries around the world.

 How many hours do you typically work in a week?

I average 50 hours per week. However, certain times of the year, such as the tax season from January to April 15, require substantially more time. Working from a virtual office, I have the flexibility to adjust when those hours are performed so that I can be involved in family and community activities. I enjoy attending my daughter's volleyball games, choir concerts and other school activities. I can still attend out-of-town games, pushing work to night or early morning hours.

ADVERTISEMENT

I provide the same flexibility to my staff members. As long as work is getting done, I do not require work to be done at set times each day. Some work and meetings are time sensitive, and the expectation is to be present at those times. However, individually directed work can happen at any time of the day, allowing staff to attend to family needs or take advantage of other opportunities when desired.

 How many employees?

My firm has four part-time employees in addition to myself. Since we operate from a virtual office, we all work from our homes. That being the case, I still have a formal meeting location in my home office where I meet with clients. Otherwise, we often meet with business owners at their place of business or via online video conference. Since we leverage technology to serve our clients, we can set up office anywhere as long as we have a computer with internet access.

 When did you start your business?

I started my firm full time in February 2008.

 If you left another job to start this business, what was it?

After finishing my MBA at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis in 1998, I went to work for a national CPA firm as an auditor. I started in their downtown Minneapolis office and later transferred to their Rochester office. In 2002, I left the public accounting world to work for a nonprofit organization as an internal auditor. It was during this time that I became interested in starting my own CPA firm.

 What sacrifices did you make to launch this business and to keep it running?

ADVERTISEMENT

Leaving secure employment to start a business was difficult as it required me to sink or swim to meet financial obligations. I started with a small base of clients but had a significant income gap to fill in as quickly as I could. With the help of a small business loan from Premier Bank, I was able to bridge that gap. Working with a local bank that believed in my dream to start my own CPA firm was a vital partnership.

 What is the best thing about owning a business?

The best thing about owning a business is seeing the direct result of investing hard work, implementing strategies and applying financial resources. It is rewarding to see an established business grow into a thriving entity and valuable asset from what once was only a dream.

 What is the hardest thing about owning a business?

As my CPA firm has grown, I have had to develop effective systems to manage the business activities. I am no longer simply providing accounting, payroll and tax services. There are marketing issues, employee requirements, computer systems to manage, and more. All these administrative tasks fall on me to either complete or outsource to others. Sometimes, newly developed systems do not work out as planned. Then, they are either scrapped or adjusted to meet the needs. Being a small firm, we can flex and adapt easily. At the same time, the buck stops with me. If something is not working, I have the final responsibility to address it regardless of what others do.

While these additional duties are a challenge, I also enjoy the variety of work that they bring. This business management also gives me the real-life experience that my small-business clients are also going through. My business consulting comes out of that experience when I work with business owners instead of simply relating theory without experience.

 What inspires you to keep doing it?

What gets me out of bed in the morning is being charged with the joy that comes from assisting business owners meet their goals. I enjoy helping business owners understand the financial aspect of their businesses and consulting with them to achieve and exceed their strategic business goals.
ST. PAUL  The massive theft of Social Security numbers and other personal data at Equifax could affect some 2 million Minnesotans.

The credit monitoring company's law firm provided that headcount to the Minnesota Attorney General's Office. Overall, 143 million Americans' data may have been compromised.

Equifax is offering free credit monitoring to affected consumers. But the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen says people accepting that offer might be barred from suing Equifax and required to settle disputes through arbitration.

The concern arises over the terms and conditions Equifax sets for its website and products.

"Equifax moved to add insult to injury by forcing consumers who were impacted by its massive data breach to sign away the right to a day in court in order to get credit monitoring," said Amanda Werner, Public Citizen's arbitration campaign manager.

ADVERTISEMENT

Werner advises consumers not to sign up for the credit monitoring service as long as there are concerns about how that could affect the opportunity to sue Equifax for damages.

Equifax has not made clear how the heavily criticized arbitration clause might apply to the data breach claims.
Some Rochester high school students are working to make their peers more aware of the ins and outs of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Mayo High School student Yohan Alexander, 17, hopes to teach people his age how to compassionately deal with older folks who might have the disease. He formed a new organization called Purple Orchard.

Alexander and a group of his friends, including Max Walters-Smith, Marcus Yao, and his sister, Lisa, have set out to create a "dementia-friendly" generation of high school students in Rochester  a term coined by Act on Alzheimer's , a Minnesota organization dedicated to "preparing our state for the impacts of Alzheimer's."

The organization has turned its attention to the disease because of the 92,000 Minnesotans, 65 and older, who are dealing with the disease, according to Act on Alzheimer's.

High school students are particularly well-situated because they often work jobs in the service industry  in places such as grocery stores, restaurants and convenience stores  where it's likely to run into someone struggling with Alzheimer's, Alexander said.

ADVERTISEMENT

"It's someone who knows how to identify and work with someone who has Alzheimer's without making them feel inhuman," Alexander said. "To still treat them like a person and not make them aware that they are different because they're acting a certain way."

The approach involves taking everything in stride, he said, making sure the person feels calm and is treated like any other person.

The push has taken him to school board and county board meetings, where he's requested adding one 40-minute class to the high school health class curriculum all students are required to take, so that students can better understand how to handle those who might be lost or confused.

The idea came after his own grandmother was diagnosed with the disease; everyone involved with the group has some sort of personal connection to the disease.

But for Alexander, the initiative was a way to honor his grandmother's memory, including through the organization's name, "Purple Orchard." He chose the name because purple is the color used for Alzheimer's awareness and "orchard" because some of the fondest memories he has from spending time with his grandmother were spent in her mango orchard.

"Her life, her last seven years, was just completely taken away by this disease," Alexander said. "I remember it just kind of happening. I'd notice things like she'd say she had to go home to feed her husband, who died like five years ago. She was talking about my dad and his brother as little children when they were both close to 50. She was just kind of slipping."

The group's efforts extended to the Walk to End Alzheimers , where they recruited 20 of their peers and raised about $2,000. They'll continue that work with an Oct. 25 event to be held in Rochester, where researchers and activists will speak on the topic.

"Hopefully, we can keep it sustained, and if we can get it in the curriculum it will be sustained."
A 138-year-old downtown Rochester building is in under new ownership, after being purchased for $900,000 last month.

The historic brick building at 211 Broadway, now occupied by Ginny's Fabric store,is best known for housing Kersten's Fursfor about 40 years.

Anne and James Galazen, who closed Kersten's Furs in 2011, sold the building to Nine Unlimited LLC,of Lino Lakes. Nine Unlimited is based at the home address for Murali Krishna Burra. Burra also has a business based at that same address, Global IT Solutions Inc.

Rochester's Realty Growth Inc.represented both the buyer and the seller. RGI agents Bucky Beemanand Bob Beemanhandled the deal, which became official on Aug. 25. The building was on the market for about four months.

Olmsted County estimated the value of the 4,400-square-foot building and property at $602,200 this year. That was up from $556,500 in 2016.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ginny's Fabrics will stay in the building as a tenant.

Biz buzz

Meanwhile, along U.S. 14 West, there's activity in the long-empty, former ProBuildlumber yard.

Looking at the trash bins out front, it looks as if the main building at 2953 Wilder Road NW on the site is being prepared for something.

ProBuild, formerly United Building Center, abruptly closed on the site in 2015.

The property was purchased by CD14 LLC and TKCD14 LLCfor $1.65 million on Aug. 3. It was sold by LN Real Estate, a company owned by Real estate investor Les Nelson, of Clear Lake, Iowa.

TKCD14 and CD14 both are based at the nearby Tom Kadlec Hondacar dealership at 3333 Wilder Road NW, so its probably a safe bet that the plans for the former ProBuild facility might involve cars.
PINE ISLAND  Larry Kautz knows firsthand how Hurricane Harvey created a swath of devastation through Texas.

The longtime Pine Island truck driver was delivering a load of generators to the Northern Tool store in Beaumont, Texas, amid the flooding left in the wake of Harvey on Aug. 31. He was told the roads were clear, but it didn't turn out that way.

"It was horrible. I drove through three feet of water to get to my destination. I couldn't turn around, once I started in," he remembers. "I wouldn't do it again."

The final 60 miles of that trip took three hours. Now, Kautz making the trip again, but with two truckloads of water and other donated supplies for the struggling city of Beaumont. The city, with the same population as Rochester, is still boiling all drinking water almost two weeks after the hurricane.

He loaded up two of his 53-foot Kautz Trucking trailers at the Bevcomm facility during the weekend, and then hit the road this morning. The plan is to deliver the goods to one of Beaumont's Baptist churches to distribute to people in need.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I've seen it firsthand. I know how bad it is. They need all the help they can get," Kautz said.

And it's not just Kautz who wants to help. Individuals and businesses throughout the region have contributed water, cleaning supplies and clothing for the people of Beaumont. That includes many of Kautz's contacts in the trucking industry, like Yaggy Trucking in Rochester and Funk Trucking in Chatfield.

"Everybody has been fantastic. Everybody has been so generous," he said.

This is not the first time he's hauled help southward. In 2005, Kautz made a similar trip to Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina.

"I just want to help people out," said Kautz.
WANAMINGO  An attorney making his first bid for public office is hoping to win a seat in the Minnesota Legislature.

Jonathan Isenor has announced he is seeking to challenge Republican Rep. Steve Drazkowski for the House District 21B seat in 2018. The Wanamingo Democrat said his decision to run for office stems from concern about growing political divisiveness in the country. Instead of engaging in political debates about what is going on in Washington, D.C., Isenor said Minnesotans should be focused on working together to solve local challenges.

"When we debate with our neighbors, I feel we should be debating how we are going to get our roads fixed  and our roads really need fixing," he said.

Isenor, 36, grew up in Blooming Prairie. He went on to graduate from St. Cloud State University and earned a law degree with a certificate in dispute resolution from Hamline University's School of Law. He moved with his wife, Laura, to Rainier in northern Minnesota after graduation. He set up a law practice focused on worker's compensation. But his life changed dramatically when in 2014 he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that affects fatty tissues.

Isenor and his family relocated to Wanamingo so that he could be close to the Mayo Clinic for treatment. He underwent two years of cancer treatment  including two surgeries. He is now in remission.

ADVERTISEMENT

Isenor previously worked as executive director of Southern Minnesota Mediation Services. He is currently working in the legal department of an accounting firm in the Twin Cities.

Isenor wants to take on Drazkowski. The Mazeppa Republican was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2007. He defeated Elgin DFLer Elise Diesslin with 65 percent of the vote last year.

Isenor will officially kick-off his campaign with two meet-and-greet events in the district, which stretches from West Concord in Dodge County to portions of Goodhue, Wabasha and Winona counties. The first event will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Kenyon Depot Park. The second will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24 at Goodview Michael LaCanne Memorial Park.

In a press release announcing his candidacy, Isenor emphasized two things  he supports the 2nd Amendment and opposes Zip Rail, a proposed high-speed rail line from Rochester to the Twin Cities. That project has been shelved by the Minnesota Department of Transportation due to a lack of funding.

Isenor said his main beef with the Zip Rail project is that it wouldn't benefit the communities it would run through. But if elected, Isenor said he would support efforts to improve mass transportation options in rural areas so that workers can get to jobs in urban areas.

"My experience as a workers comp attorney shows me that labor mobility  besides health  is the second most critical part of helping people get back into employment," he said.

Isenor also said he would focus on working with farmers and environmental groups to try to come up with practical solutions to improve water quality.

He added, "I recognize that we have a problem here but that pointing fingers and pushing blame is definitely not the answer."
After exploring a potential bid for the Minnesota House, Rochester DFLer Jamie Mahlberg is officially jumping in.

Mahlberg said she is "all in" when it comes to running for the House District 25A seat. She will be seeking to take on Byron Republican Rep. Duane Quam in November 2018. Last spring, Mahlberg confirmed she was exploring a possible run. She said she spent the past few months meeting with people and was encouraged by many to run.

"It was too important not to (run). The more I learned about what was going on, the more I felt compelled and obligated to almost do it. I'm very happy I decided to do it," she said.

Mahlberg talked about her decision to run during a recent fundraising picnic for the Dodge County DFL. She said her campaign will be focused on one central theme  "cultivating opportunity." That means advocating for affordable, quality education and health care. In addition, she said another priority will be "making sure people have access to a place to live that they can afford." In addition, she will support boosting transportation options so that people who live further from work can get to their jobs.

Quam is serving his 4th term in the Minnesota House. A third candidate  Duane Albers  initially registered to run as a Democrat for the seat with the state's campaign finance board. He has since updated his registration to state he plans to run as an Independence Party of Minnesota candidate.

ADVERTISEMENT

Davids to senators seeking higher office: Don't expect my support

Rep. Greg Davids wants it to be known that any Republican senators running for higher office shouldn't expect any support for him. The reason? The GOP's razor-thin majority. Republicans have a one-seat majority in the Minnesota Senate. If a GOP senator were to win election to another office in November 2018, that would require a special election to fill the seat  putting control of the Minnesota Senate up for grabs.

"When the Senate is 34 Republicans, 33 Democrats, I cannot support a senator for anything," Davids said.

The Preston Republicans' comments come as Rochester GOP Sen. Carla Nelson is seriously considering a bid for the 1st Congressional District. Mound GOP Sen. David Osmek has already announced he is running for governor in 2018.

Davids said that given the high stakes for Republicans, senators need to follow three important rules.

"There are three things a senator cannot do. They cannot resign, they cannot run for another office and they cannot die," he said.

Al-Jazeera follows Mustafa on campaign trail

A producer and cameraman recently traveled to Minnesota to document 1st District DFL candidate Regina Mustafa on the campaign trail. Mustafa said the news network reached out to her and asked if they could follow her as part of an hourlong piece they are putting together on Muslims in Minnesota. The cameras were rolling as Mustafa visited the small town of Freeborn and met with residents.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I was really thankful for the opportunity to show them how much I can relate to southern Minnesota and where I've been living for over a decade and what it means to me," she said.

Mustafa said it was also a chance to highlight the positive connections being formed between Muslims and non-Muslims in Minnesota. So how is she being received on the campaign trail?

"Once (voters) meet me and see me face-to-face, my personality comes out and they see that hey, she is relating to our issues, our concerns just like any other candidate would. I think a lot of those religious barriers start to come down," she said.

Mustafa is one of seven Democrats running for the open 1st District seat. DFL Congressman Tim Walz is not seeking re-election, instead running for governor in 2018. Also running is Blue Earth Republican Jim Hagedorn, who narrowly lost to Walz last year.
ST. CLOUD, Minn.  Every male offender enters the Minnesota prison system through the same corridor in St. Cloud, and it's a tight squeeze.

Prisoners enter and leave the St. Cloud facility through a cream, cinder-block hallway decorated with Minnesota mascots and team logos. It's not ideal to have inmates, who may be at odds, crossing each other, said Dean Weis, the prison's security captain. And some staff members have been injured there.

But safety concerns for that intake area won't last too much longer, because it's up for renovation in the next three years.

The prison will soon undergo the second phase of upgrades with $37 million in bonding from the state. Phase one, which included a new health center, is nearly complete. Phase two updates laundry, warehouse and intake spaces.

It's the first major renovation in the prison, Weis said. Its construction started after 1885 when the Legislature decided to open a prison on a quarry, and work continued into the 1920s, according to Stearns History Museum archives.

ADVERTISEMENT

The prison's history is so important to the state that the Minnesota Historical Society gave feedback on reconstruction plans. The new health center's exterior is a shade of grey concrete that precisely matches the prison's characteristic granite walls, cut from quarries on site by inmates starting in 1891.

Now the Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud holds more than 1,000 offenders Each month about 400 men come in and 400 leave. Offenders of all risk levels come in for assessment and orientation at the start of their sentence.

Corrections staff like their spaces to be open and visible, said Warden Shannon Reimann. The current health center is anything but.

A diagonal hallway runs through the health services area, creating odd corners and nooks and crannies. One eye-exam room is L-shaped with a full corner out of view from the door and a huge, exposed pillar taking up several feet.

The health center is 6,300 square feet, according to officials in the Department of Corrections. It was crowded with staff and patients on a recent tour.

The new health services building will more than double the size to about 15,000 square feet. And it will have straight lines of sight, Weis said.

Phase one of the renovation has already exceeded its expected 18-month timeline. It may wrap up this fall after about two years. It won't cost more than the $18 million in state bonding.

State lawmakers approved $19 million in bonding for phase two of the project. Phase two is in the bidding process and could take three years to complete. Staff will have to set up temporary spaces while the intake area is under construction.

ADVERTISEMENT

"That will be the big challenge," said Reimann. "It's a big project."

There are three holding cells in the intake area. After the renovation, that transfer area will have separate channels for incoming and outgoing offenders. Each side will have four group holding cells and three cells for individuals.

There will be new spaces for confidential interviews with inmates on matters like their health histories.

Phase two also includes moving the warehouse storage area outside of the main building. It's a security issue, Weis said, because the unloading area is too small for today's trucks and the door stays open during deliveries.

Outside construction crews are renovating the prison. But inmates built the prison more than 100 years ago.

"At the time of the construction of these buildings they were considered as among the finest on the United States, on account of their being absolutely fireproof and unrivaled in their sanitary conditions," states a St. Cloud Daily Times article from October 1926 in the Stearns History Museum archives.

Prison officials sought $207,500 for new buildings and repairs in 1926, according to that article. That request included $12,000 for a horse barn, $1,500 for a chicken house and $40,000 for a new hospital.

The correctional facility used to be called a "reformatory." It housed education and vocation programs, including a barber school, farm program and training to become a blacksmith, tailor and other trades.

ADVERTISEMENT

St. Cloud's prison is still home to a barber program and a masonry program.Offenders who qualify come to St. Cloud for that training or for the work programs there. Much of the work is still done by the offenders, from plumbing and cooking to campus upkeep. The secure facility takes up 55 acres.

"The facility is like a little town," Reimann said.

Parts were renovated in 1998, but the prison population has grown since then, Weis said. He's worked there for 30 years.

Most offenders leave St. Cloud after a couple months, after staff assess mental and physical health and many other factors to assign the men to different prisons. And more come in to replace them.

Managing phase two of the renovation around the 1,000 inmates won't be easy, but that hasn't stemmed the enthusiasm among prison leadership.

"We're elated," Reimann said. "It is much needed."

And as the main facility is updated, the staff have their eyes on its perimeter. Officials would like state bonding to add sensors and cameras to the inner fence.

The original granite wall also needs repairs. There are cracks to fill and mortar to replace.

And it might have to be done in a historic manner, Weis said. "It's an expensive endeavor."
I first wrote about Rick Rescorla in 2003 after finishing James Stewarts Heart of a Soldier, the book based on Stewarts New Yorker article The real heroes are dead. (The real heroes are dead is what Rescorla would say in response to recognition of his heroism on the battlefield in Vietnam.) Its a good book that touches on profound themes in a thought-provoking way: life and death, love and friendship, heroism and sacrifice, destiny and fate, mans search for meaning, all fall within the books compass.

Rescorla was a British native who moved to the United States to join the Army and fight the Communists in Vietnam. Rescorla was inspired to move to the United States in part by his friendship with Dan Hill. Their friendship is the one constant theme of the book. Hill and Rescorla had become friends in Rhodesia; they consciously modeled themselves on the characters of Peachy and Dravot in Kiplings story The Man Who Would Be King. Later they both served as officers in Vietnam, where in 1965 Rescorla saw harrowing combat in the Ia Drang Valley.

In April 2001, thanks to Hills efforts, Rescorla was inducted into the Armys Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame for his service in Vietnam. The famous photo at the left (taken by UPI reporter Joe Galloway) depicts Rescorla in action in the Ia Drang Valley It is moving to read of the officers who sought Rescorla out to shake his hand and have him autograph their copies of We Were Soldiers Onceand Young, in which Rescorla plays a key role.

Rescorla died a heros death saving his charges at Morgan Stanley in the south tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Rescorla was head of security for the company; he directed the evacuation in which he had long drilled the companys WTC employees. He knew that a terrorist attack on the WTC was coming and he knew what had happened as soon as the building was hit. His message was one of resolve. Using a bullhorn, he shepherded his charges into the towers one usable fire escape and exhorted them that it was a day to be proud to be an American.

The book closes with the words of Hill, the man who remained Rescorlas best friend until his death. His haunting words pay tribute to Rescorla:

One of my lifes biggest regrets is that I couldnt have been with Rick at the moment of his great challenge and crisis of his life. Then again, maybe it was so destined, because if I didnt survive, there would be nobody left to tell the story. Kipling wrote that all men should count with you, but none too much. I failed there. Rick counted as the world to me. Somebody cautioned that if a person or thing means the world to you, and you lose that person or thing, then you have lost the world. I lost the world when Rick died.

First posted 9/11/2005.

UPDATE 9/11/2011: The San Francisco Opera debuted Heart of a Soldier, an opera composed by Christopher Theofanidis to a libretto by Donna DiNovelli, based on Stewarts book. Cori Ellison provided a preview in the New York Times article Opera recalls a heros life, love and song.

The Daily Mail recounted Rescorlas story in an article full of good photos.

One final note. You may want to take the time to check out the video of the History Channel documentary on Rescorla (below).
In a message addressed to us along with Drudge Report, American Thinker, InstaPundit, PJ Media and Gateway Pundit, Leo Goldstein writes:

Dear Editors,

You might be interested to learn, that your websites have been almost blacklisted by Google. Almost blacklisted means that Google search artificially downranks results from your websites to such extent that you lose 55%  75% of possible visitors traffic from Google. This sitution is probably aggravated by secondary effects, because many users and webmasters see Google ranking as a signal of trust.

This result is reported in my paper published in WUWT. The findings are consistent with multiple prior results, showing Google left/liberal bias, and pro-Hillary skew of Google search in the elections.

I write to all of them to give you opportunity to discuss this matter among yourselves. Even if Google owes nothing to your publications, it certainly owes good faith to the users of its search.

Intentionally hiding conservative and/or libertarian websites from the customers is an obvious breach of good faith.

Those of you who do not know me are welcome to visit at Climate Realism Against Alarmism.

The almost blacklisted domains:

americanthinker.com

drudgereport.com

powerlineblog.com

pjmedia.com

thegatewaypundit.com

Best regards,

Leo Goldstein

DefyCCC.com
Last week, in denouncing President Trumps decision on DACA, former President Obama proclaimed the decision inconsistent with who we are as a people. Obama was repeating a familiar refrain from his presidency, during which he often trotted out the who we are as a people theme to attack those who disagreed with his left-wing views on immigration, refugees, health care, Islamic terrorism, etc.

I criticized Obamas latest incantation on several grounds. For one thing, his statement that, as a people, we hold to the ideals that all of us are created equal; that all of us deserve the chance to make of our lives what we will; that all of us share an obligation to stand up, speak out, and secure our most cherished values for the next generation excludes one of the most fundamental components of the American creed  adherence to the Constitution and the rule of law.

Moreover, if DACA-style amnesty is an essential element of Americanism, surely Congress will enact it, as Trump is giving it the opportunity to do as DACA winds down. After all, Congress is a better guide to who were are as a people than an ex-president whose goal it was fundamentally to transform America.

David Azerrad, writing for American Greatness, offers a different critique of Obamas argument from who we are as a people. David is director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for Principles and Politics and AWC Family Foundation Fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Titles aside, hes a rising conservative intellectual star.

David takes on the premise that I implicitly accepted, at least for purposes of argument  namely, that (to quote Obama), what makes us American is our fidelity to a set of ideals. He considers this only partially true. David writes:

It is true insofar as we are indeed a nation dedicated to certain idealsthe truths we hold to be self-evident. America, alone among the nations of the world, defines itself by a commitment to a set of universal ideas. We are not, however, a mere propositional nation, defined only by abstract ideals and shorn of any ties to its past, its culture, its ancestors, its language, and its land. We are also a particular people bound by the mystic chords of memory and shaped by our way of life. Our Declaration of Independence, after all, does not begin with the self-evident truth of human equality, but with one peoplethat is, we Americansassuming our separate and equal station in the world. What makes us American is not just our fidelity to a set of idealsbut also that we speak English; that we honor our war dead; that we inhabit a land that stretches from California to the New York island; from the redwood forest to the Gulf Stream waters; that we naturally love our country and our countrymen more than we do the foreign nations and foreign peoples of the world. Our dedication to the idea that all men are created equal does not detract from our rootedness in our own history and land. Nor ought it to weaken our attachment to our fellow citizens or erode our national sovereignty.

This has to be right. Its not possible that, nearly 250 years after our forefathers set forth our founding principles and four centuries after the founding of our first colonies, Americanness is not connected to our history, our land, and our traditions. America is exceptional, but not that exceptional.

Indeed, Samuel Huntington, who argued forcefully that America is a creedal nation in American Politics: The Promise of Disharmony (1983), took a very different view in his final work, Who Are We: The Challenges to Americas National Identity (2005). There, he maintained that our creed is a byproduct of the Anglo-Protestant culture  with its English language, Christian faith, work ethic, and values of individualism and dissent. These, in his view, form the essence of who we are (or were) as a people.

We need not go that far to agree with David that Obamas creedal definition, as well as the more complete creedal definition I propounded (per Huntington), is only a partial answer to the question of who we are. David finds the middle ground:

America, in other words, is both particular and universal. We are particular in our own way, just as Lesotho, Lithuania, and Laos are particular in their own ways. But we are exceptional in making certain universal ideals a constitutive component of our national identity (many countries today affirm these ideals too, but only we make them an inextricable part of who we are). For some reason, intellectuals on the Right and the Left are uncomfortable with recognizing these two dimensions of Americanness. The neocons and the progressives would reduce us to a propositional nation; the paleocons and the traditionalists to a particular nation. The Founders, by contrast, did not see the need to choose between the two.

Davids analysis of our national identity may not provide a definitive answer to the narrow question of DACA. However, it has plenty of relevance to the overall immigration debate. As he explains:

By excluding America as a distinct and sovereign country from his definition of America, Obama can suggest we should admit as citizens all those who subscribe to our creed. By his definition, they already are Americans in all but legal status. The distinction between Americans and non-Americans who share our ideals is but accidental. America the idea has no borders. But America the country doesand must. And it has the sovereign right to control its borders. Regardless of what one thinks about immigration, DACA, and the so-called dreamers, there is nothing un-American about upholding the rule of law or affirming the fundamental political distinction between ones fellow citizens and foreignersno matter how long they have lived in our country.

One of Obamas signature achievements was his ability to convince otherwise sensible people that such basic acts of Americanness might somehow be un-American. If Trump breaks that spell, it will one of his signature achievements.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday denied reports that he snubbed Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, saying he maintains a good relationship with the Kano State governor.

The report is perhaps the antics of mischief makers, who wish to score cheap political points against the Kano State governor, the president said through his media aide, Femi Adesina.

Mr. Adesina said some media outlets had incorrectly reported that his principal ignored Mr. Ganduje in Daura during Sallah holidays.

He said Mr. Gandujes visit to Daura, which is the presidents home town in Katsina State, was primarily billed as a condolence visit to the towns emir, Umar Faruk, who had recently lost his younger brother, Barde nDaura.

The governor then used the opportunity to be part of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, Mr. Adesina said.

The spokesperson recalled that Mr. Buhari had received Mr. Ganduje, alongside others, a few weeks ago in London, and he had also welcomed the president on his return to the country on August 19.

Why would such a person then be snubbed, as being reported, particularly on social media? Mr. Adesina queried. It is not in the character of our President.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook


The Dickens Sanomi Foundation kept its promise last month to a six years old boy, Ali Ahmadu, from Chibok village, Borno State, who was run over by Boko Haram terrorists when they invaded his village three years ago.

The incident had left the young Ali devastated and almost hopeless, as he found it difficult to walk again with a spinal cord injury he sustained after Boko Haram motorcycle rode over him as he slept.

However, on August 18, 2017, a ray of hope came young Alis way, that could enable him walk.

This came after The Dickens Sanomi Foundation, DSF, offered to pay the entire $48,000 (about N17.5million) medical bill required to help him travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for an appointment at a medical facility specialising in corrective spinal cord surgery operations .

That promise was made when Ali, accompanied by Nuhu Kwajafa, the coordinator of Global Initiative for Peace, Love and Care, GIPLC, an NGO spearheading the campaign for his medical aid, visited the Chairman of the Foundation, Igho Sanomi, along with other Trustee members t solicit their assitance.

On Sunday, September 10, 2017, the DSF made good its promise, as Ali, left Nigeria for Dubai, UAE to receive the treatment, after the Foundation paid the full medical bill of $48,000 (about N17.5 million) for the surgery.

He was accompanied on the trip by the GIPLC Coordinator, Nuhu Kwajafa.

The Foundation, which bankrolled the medical trip, said Ali is expected back in the country in three months.

The arrival of the boy at the departure lounge of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Sunday shortly before boarding his flight to Dubai evoked sympathy from fellow passengers who prayed ceaselessly for his quick recovery.

The people were particularly touched by the rare humanitarian gesture towards Ali by the founder of the Dickens Sanomi Foundation, Igho Sanomi, Chief Executive of Taleveras Group of Companies, commending him for the sacrifice and investment in the life young Ali.

Speaking before their departure, the GIPLC Coordinator, Mr. Kawajafa, said: Today, the 10th day of September 2017, marks a very important day in the life of Ali, as we arrive the Nnamdi Azikwe International Abuja Airport, for our flight to Dubai.

This trip triggers the beginning of young Ali Ahmadus medical journey to The United Arab Emirates for a corrective surgery so he can walk again and live a normal life as expected for a six year old.

Its been about four months since GIPLC madecontact with him, and by the grace of God via the altruistic nature of Igho Charles Sanomi, Chairman of Dickens Sanomi Foundation and its Board of Trustees, the expedition to recovery is now clear and present.

The travails of young Ali, a six year old boy from Borno State and survivor of the brutality of Boko Haram, in Chibok community, is a compelling revelation of the Nigerian benevolent spirit.

As a result of the exposure and support by the leadership of the National Assembly, Dickens Sanomi Foundation, and our brothers and sisters of goodwill, GIPLC will continue to ensure that children like Ali stand a better chance of survival, growth and development. On this day, Ali steps beyond the horizon of hope, to a life of endless possibilities.

GIPLC, a non-governmental, non-faith-based, not-for-profit, charity organisation, was founded in 2006 to cater for orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria.

The group provides food, medical assistance and learning materials for victims development.

The Dickens Sanomi Foundation was established in 2011 by the children of Dickens Sanomi, to commemorate his remarkable life through the provision of charitable support to needy Nigerias youth, on whom he placed great value in his lifetime.

The DSF resources are used to deliver and support charitable projects whose aims and activities were in accord with its objective.

The Foundation has been sponsoring essay competitions, musical outreach programmes and literacy awareness campaigns as a way of promoting education of youth in the country.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook


The University of Ilorin (Unilorin) on Monday commenced the University Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) screening for no fewer than 64,000 candidates seeking admissions there for the 2017/2018 academic session.

Mr Kunle Akogun, the Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs Department of the University, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin that 104,000 candidates applied for the screening.

He said that only 11,000 successful candidates would be admitted into the various programmes of the institution after the exercise based on its capacity.

Mr. Akogun told NAN that the universitys cut-off mark had been pegged at 180 as the minimum.

He said that every department was expected to come up with its own cut-off mark.

According to him, the university is known for its stable academic calendar, making it the most sought after in the country.

He said that the administration of the Vice-Chancellor designate would continue to uphold the virtues and standards of the university.

(NAN)

Share this: Twitter

Facebook


The Nigerian Air Force has administered free treatment to no fewer than 600 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by the flood in Benue.

Jeremiah Amase, Head of the medical team at the camp, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Makurdi that the patients treated so far were suffering from hypertension, malaria, diarrhea, upper and lower respiratory infections among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Chief of Air staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, had earlier inaugurated the Medical Outreach Programme to assist IDPs as part of the Nigerian Airforces (NAF) social responsibility to the people of the state.

Mr. Amase, a squadron leader, explained that the patients attended to responded to treatment.

NAN reports that the NAF is collaborating with the state government, UNICEF and other international and local organisations to assist the flood victims.

More than 100,000 were displaced by recent flooding in Benue with 5,000 staying at IDP camp.

(NAN)

Share this: Twitter

Facebook


The Kaduna State Police Command on Sunday confirmed that a director with the Kaduna State Ministry of Education that was abducted by suspected kidnappers had regained his freedom.

The Commands Public Relations Officer, Muktar Aliyu, made the confirmation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Kaduna.

He explained that the the director, who was released in the early hours of Sunday, had since reunited with his family.

He also disclosed that a nursing mother that was abducted along with the director in the neighborhood, leaving her three-week-old baby, had also regained her freedom.

He, however, did not confirm whether ransom was paid or not.

The command remained committed to fight crime and criminality to standstill where every citizen can move freely, he said.

Mr. Aliyu appealed to residents to always give security agents useful information to enable them take proactive measures to prevent similar incident.

NAN recalled that the victim, John Gorah, was abducted at midnight on September 3, at his residence located in Mararaban Rido, Kaduna.

The kidnappers had called the family and demanded for N40 million ransom.

(NAN)

Share this: Twitter

Facebook


The Kano State Hisbah Board arrested 1,429 beggars for violating the law banning street begging, between January and August, according to Dahiru Muhammed, an official of the board.

Mr. Muhammed, who is specifically attached to the boards Anti-Begging Unit, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Kano that 420 of those arrested were children, while 1,009 were adults.

He said that the arrests were carried out around Lodge Road, Magwan Junction, Kwari, Katsina Road and Wapa, all in Kano metropolis.

A further breakdown showed that 860 of them were from Kano city, with 551 coming from Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina and Niger States, while 18 were from Chad Republic.

He said that the board released beggars that were first offenders and those suffering from mental disorder, while others from neighbouring states were taken to their respective local government areas.

Mr. Muhammed said that the board had concluded plans to train the beggars on various skills acquisition so as to engage them in productive ventures and keep them off the streets.

(NAN)

Share this: Twitter

Facebook


A local community in Akwa Ibom State has given an ultimatum to members of a suspected local cult group to lay down their arms and denounce cultism or be ready to face the peoples wrath, as well as the law.

The people of Midim Atan, in Essien Udim Local Government Area of the state, assembled at their Afe Idung (community hall) on Saturday to deliberate on the activities of the suspected cult group, Akwa Marine, and its impact on the general well-being of the community.

The unanimous verdict was that it was unacceptable for the rest of the community to continue to live as helpless victims in the hands of a few bad persons among them.

There was tight security at the meeting venue. More than a dozen armed security men were seen guarding the area.

The leader of the Akwa Marine, Emmanuel Ben, is in prison custody for cultism and murder. He was arrested in April by community youth and handed over to the police.

But that hasnt stopped his followers from allegedly unleashing terror on the community.

The essence of todays meeting is (for the community) to ask the cultists to come out for peace and that they will be granted amnesty, Abel Wilson, the Village Head of Midim Ikot Ubo, said on behalf of other village heads, family heads, community leaders, women and youth leaders in the community.

They (the cultists) have only one week to denounce cultism, he said, adding that We are also requesting for the governments intervention so that cultists wont drive us out from the village.

We dont have anywhere to run to. We dont want more people to be killed.

The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in the local government area, Alhassan Guga, and the officer in-charge of the State Security Service, SSS, George Isaac, were present at the meeting.

The meeting was also attended by indigenes of the community who fled to Uyo, the state capital, and outside the state because of the maiming and killings alleged to have been perpetrated in the community by the suspected cultists.

Victor Udom, one of the victims of the cult attack in the community who now lives in exile in Abuja, was also at the meeting.

He said he wont keep quiet while criminals continue to destroy lives in the community.

We must stop the killing now in our community, said Mr. Udom, a former employee of Mobil Nigeria.

I will do everything I can to defend the right of the people to life, he said.

The residents , one after the other, recounted how their loved ones were attacked and killed, sometimes in broad daylight, in the past seven years by members of the Akwa Marine.

PREMIUM TIMES, in May, reported on the activities of the suspected cult group and how the community people who appeared to be helpless because of the alleged police inaction travelled to Abuja in April to seek intervention from the Inspector General of Police.

One aged woman, whose son, Udo Udom, was brutally killed, cut into pieces, and burnt by the suspected cultists in 2016, was among the community people on the Abuja trip.

In Abuja then, the woman, Nse John, narrated in tears to PREMIUM TIMES what happened.

They came and took my child from the house at 7 p.m. When they left with my child, I was not feeling well, I put on my clothes and walked gently. Before I could get there, they had killed him and cut him into pieces.

At the Saturday meeting in Midim Atan, Mrs. John, still grieving, begged the community and the police to fish out those who murdered her son and ensure that justice was done.

I cant sleep in my village anymore because they want to kill me. I dont know why they killed my son, I dont know why they want to kill me and my family, she said.

Eseme Jeremiah, the Acting Village Head of Midim Atan, is another victim of the cult attack.

Notwithstanding his status in the community, Mr. Jeremiah was shot multiple times by his attackers on August 30.

He miraculously survived the attack.

Mr. Jeremiah pulled off his cloth at the community hall to show people the bullet wounds on his back.

Monday Ekanem, a retired employee of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, wasnt that lucky. He was shot dead in his country home by suspected cultists on August 11, few months after he relocated to the community.

Ironically, both Mr. Jeremiah and the murdered retired NDIC staff were members of a peace committee set up by the community to reconcile the suspected cultists with other members of the community.

The Akwa Marine members, said to be enjoying the backing of some powerful politicians and security officials in the state, are also alleged to be involved in armed robbery in Midim Atan and neighbouring communities.

The group is said to have once shut down the local market and prevented people from selling or buying for the day just to demonstrate how powerful they were.

The SSS chief in the local government area, Mr. Isaac, persuaded the community to allow a two-week ultimatum to the suspected cultists, instead of one week.

The SSS and the police assured the community that they would do their best to help restore peace and order in the area.

After two weeks, if you dont come out and renounce cultism, we will come after you, the SSS chief said, obviously referring to the cultists.

The Midim community issued a communique at the end of the meeting, warning politicians to desist from arming and encouraging Akwa Marine to continue terrorising them.

We have decided to take our destiny in our hands and protect ourselves, the community said in the communique.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook


There is a heavy traffic gridlock on the Ladipo axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway as the road was flooded after a heavy downpour Monday morning.

PREMIUM TIMES correspondent who moved around the metropolis reports that the rain, which fell on some of the major parts of the state, began around 7 a.m.

When our correspondent visited the Ladipo axis of the expressway, water flooded both sides of the road as road users lamented the situation.

A road user, Daniel Oluyemi, told PREMIUM TIMES that many Lagosians spent most part of the day in the traffic.

I got into this traffic at about past 7 a.m. and I got to Oshodi end of the road at 12 noon, he said.

Many people already have their businesses and other plans damaged with what I experienced today. I spent five hours in the traffic. It was pathetic.

Chigozie Ogbu, another road user who identified himself as a trader, lamented the state of the road and its effect on peoples schedule.

As it is now, I cant do business again today. I have wasted the better part of today in traffic. You should see how people living around that part of the state are in a hurry to go home quickly because the traffic situation will be uncontrollable in the night, he said.

When PREMIUM TIMES correspondent visited the Ladipo spot again around 5 p.m. on Monday, the traffic situation had only improved slightly as vehicles still struggled to move around the flooded parts of the road.

A commercial bus driver, who identified himself simply as Omoga, told PREMIUM TIMES that the situation disrupted his routine movement too.

Ordinarily, I take passengers from Oshodi to Sango like four to five times daily. Today, I am struggling with the second trip. The traffic is terrible; I will simply go and park the vehicle and rest until tomorrow, he said.

Many of our people (fellow drivers) are struck in traffic on different parts of the road. It takes courage to ply this road as it is now, another commercial driver who declined to have his name in print explained.

Some commuters who spoke with our correspondent however lamented the sharp increase in transport fare.

Today from Sango to Oshodi, I paid N500. On a very good day, that trip would cost me N150 or, at worst, N200, Ken Ayadi, a commuter told our correspondent.

Already, I spent the money I would ordinarily expend on transport fare for about two days this morning alone. The government should do something about the road. The flood is scary, another trader, Titilayo Tomori, explained.

Meanwhile, at different junctions along the road, PREMIUM TIMES observed that many commuters were stranded as there were fewer vehicles plying the streets.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook


Operatives of the State Security Service, SSS on Monday reportedly attacked two journalists after an argument over their identities.

Timothy Agbor of the Point Newspaper and another journalist, Toba Ajisafe, were covering the march of local government employees at the Osun State House of Assembly Complex, Osogbo, when they were accosted by the operatives and beaten.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that a female SSS operative who was not uniformed, approached Mr. Agbor and demanded to know his identity.

But the reporter, who also demanded to know who was asking for his identity, got a shocker when he received a slap for questioning the operative.

A scuffle ensued and other operatives joined in the fray, inflicting several injuries on the reporter and his colleague.

Mr. Agbor, who confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES, said the matter was later resolved after a meeting between the SSS top officials in the state, the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and the Correspondent Chapel.

He said he did not know that the lady was a security operative because besides the fact that she was not wearing any uniform and did not appear as one, she also was not armed.

Mr. Agbor also confirmed that he received treatment at the SSS clinic for the bruises he received on one of his eyes, jaw and neck.

He said he had forgiven them because they apologised, adding that he had put the issue behind him.

Efforts to reach to the SSS to respond was not immediately succcessful.

In his reaction, the Chairman of NUJ in Osun State, Abiodun Olalere, condemned the act, adding that attacks on journalists remained unacceptable and barbaric.

Mr. Olalere added that the union will resist any attempt to restrict journalists from doing their duty in the state.

Share this: Twitter

Facebook


President Andrzej Duda on Monday said the country had to honour the contribution of local communities to Poland's independence, the 100th anniversary of which is to be celebrated in 2017-2021, overseen by a special committee.

President Duda was speaking at the first meeting of the committee, which also includes the speakers of the Sejm (lower house) and Senate (upper house), as well as cabinet ministers, political and religious leaders and social activists.

Sejm Speaker Marek Kuchcinski, Senate Speaker Stanislaw Karczewski, Deputy Prime Ministers Piotr Glinski and Jaroslaw Gowin, as well as cabinet ministers including Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz, were among those taking part in the meeting.

"I would like us to be aware of local contributions to regaining independence", President Duda said.

He added that he wanted local communities to remember the "heroes of independence", who had in some case been forgotten and had to be "recalled".

The president emphasised such remembrance was key "in building a community, in making inter-generational connections, in making the current generation grateful to those who are no longer with us, but whom we have to thank for today's free, independent and sovereign Poland". (PAP)
The Ocean City Free Public Library and Belhaven Middle School in Linwood are collecting supplies for students affected by Hurricane Harvey.

The library and the middle school will collect books, pencils, pens, markers, folders, glue sticks, dry erase markers, highlighters and notebooks to help the 250 schools in the Houston Independent School District in Texas, many of which were closed by the floodwaters.

Our goal is to fill a large truck and then drive it down there, said Jennifer Bernardini a fifth-grade literacy arts teacher at Belhaven.

Bernardini is leading the operation and has received an enormous amount of support from the school students and faculty, she said.

The public can bring donations to the Ocean City Public Library, 1735 Haven Ave. in Ocean City, through Sept. 20.
The 2018 Miss America Competition brought crowds from around the country to Boardwalk Hall to see which of this years 51 contestants would be crowned.

Before the doors to Boardwalk Hall even opened, attendees got the perfect social media photo at the Miss America tribute statue at Kennedy Plaza, with lifeguard stands on the beach.

Katie Fitzgerald, 13, of Mount Top, Pennsylvania, posed under the statues crown, wearing her Miss Keystone Teen sash.

I watch Miss America every year  this is my first year seeing it live, Katie said. Watching the pageant has been a family tradition for years, said her mother, Teri, who remembered watching the pageant on TV with her grandmother and seeing the Atlantic City sights.

Everyone always equates Atlantic City with Miss America, Teri Fitzgerald said.

As the audience filed in, several former Miss Americas took to the red carpet to talk about changes in the competition.

A lot of it is the same, said Susan Powell, who wore the crown 37 ago as Miss America 1981. The young women who compete still have the same dream, that original dream in Atlantic City of wearing the crown and have the title.

I think the biggest thing is that weve become more relevant to a young demographic, while weve also stayed true to our older generation, said Miss America 1993 Leanza Cornett. Cornett is celebrating her 25th Miss America anniversary and was glad to be in Atlantic City: Atlantic City is Miss America. ... Its our history and our legacy.

The competition moved from Atlantic City to Las Vegas for eight years, returning in in 2013 to the delight of Cornett and many supporters. Executive Chairman and CEO Sam Haskell is already looking to the centennial of Miss America: Miss America is iconic, he said. We want to be here for our 100th anniversary  we believe this is where we belong.

A few former Miss Americas took on new roles this year. Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev interviewed for the Childrens Miracle Network and the Miss America who crowned her, Nina Davaluri, was one of the final nights judges, along with country star Thomas Rhett, actress Molly Sims, pop star Jordan Sparks, TV host Maria Menounos, Olympian Tara Lipinski and People magazine Editor in Chief Jess Cagle.

The preshow focused on the ninth annual Project Gratitude, honoring 12 mothers of fallen military personnel. The women were given the titles of honorary Miss Americas.

Host Chris Harrison and Sage Steele introduced the broadcast, first announcing the ABC networks would keep viewers up to date on Hurricane Irma.

Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel made it to the Top 12 by press time.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel had 657 pending notifications on her Facebook page Monday morning after competing in the 2018 Miss America Competition.

They were all messages congratulating her on an outstanding performance Sunday night on national television.

Schoeffel, 24, of Egg Harbor Township, was the second runner-up of 51 contestants, behind only Miss Missouri Jennifer Davis and Miss North Dakota Cara Mund, who was crowned Miss America 2018.

With the third-place finish, Schoeffel was elevated into an elite class of state pageant contestants, becoming just the seventh Miss New Jersey to finish in the top three and the first in the top 10 since Jill Horner in 2001.

The whole thing was like an out-of-body experience, Schoeffel said Monday. There are no words to describe the emotions I was having, because it was so unique and so special. I felt like I was dreaming.

Round by round, competition host Chris Harrison kept calling Schoeffel back to the center of the stage by announcing, The hometown girl Kaitlyn Schoeffel is moving on!

The more times Schoeffel advanced, the better she felt she performed. She danced to the song Shut Up and Dance for the last time on the Miss America stage and she said she couldnt have done it any better.

I have never danced so hard in my entire life, said Schoeffel, whose mother owns Miss Margots Ensemble Arts dance studio in the Cardiff Plaza. I think I smacked my head with my own foot when I did one of my jumps.

After that, however, came the toughest part of the competition.

The Miss America Organization changed its format this year so that each contestant had to answer two on-stage questions instead of one.

The first question, which was meant to be nonpolitical and light-hearted, immediately knocked out Miss Louisiana Laryssa Bonacquisti after she failed to think of something that everyone loves but that she considers overrated.

Bonacquisti, who dominated the preliminary rounds by winning the swimsuit and talent competitions, yelled out the word rompers, referring to the popular one-piece outerwear that many young women wear, as time expired. But the stumble cost her a chance to move on.

Schoeffel did not appear to have any problem answering questions. She smiled and answered the first question by saying she would like to date a doctor over an athlete or an actor because she thinks intelligence is attractive in men.

For her second question, she said that confederate statues displayed in the United States should be put in museums instead of being destroyed because they are part of American history.

My strategy for that was simple: Just listen to the question and then answer it, Schoeffel said, adding she understands some people will disagree with her opinion on the statues.

Her answer to put the statues in museums to teach American history, however, garnered a loud round of applause from the thousands of people in the audience in Boardwalk Hall.

Still, her overall score came up just short, and Miss North Dakota Cara Mund won the crown.

Schoeffel, who will now go down as one of the most successful Miss New Jerseys competing in Miss America, said she would not change a thing about any of her performances.

Im still just processing everything. While I was there, I really tried to take mental screenshots and capture the moments, she said. It was an incredible experience and something I will never forget.
MAYS LANDING  Dr. James Kauffman, who was indicted by an Atlantic County grand jury last week on three weapons charges and one obstruction charge, will be arraigned Sept. 21, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced Monday.

The hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in front of Judge Bernard E. DeLury.

The grand jury indicted Kauffman on two second-degree charges of unlawful possession of a weapon, one of unlawful possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and one fourth-degree charge of obstructing the administration of law or government function.

The charges stem from June 13 search warrants executed by the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office, with FBI agents and local police agencies. Officers went to Kauffmans medical office in Egg Harbor Township and his home addresses in Linwood, Philadelphia and Arizona.

As they attempted to execute the warrant at the medical office, the 68-year-old endocrinologist drew a Ruger 9mm handgun and pointed it toward his chest while police negotiated with him, authorities said.

Kauffman surrendered after 45 minutes and was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of hollow-point bullets and obstruction of the administration of law.

Kauffman was married to radio host and veterans advocate April Kauffman when she was discovered shot to death in the couples Woodstock Drive home in Linwood in May 2012.

The doctor has not been named as a suspect in the case, and authorities have said the June 13 warrants were unrelated to their ongoing investigation into the homicide.
PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account.
Staff Writer

In my first job after college got paid to read the New York Times and summarize articles for an early online data base. First reporting job was with The Daily Record in Parsippany. I have also worked in nonprofits, and have been with The Press since 1990.
Jake Prazak and Nathan Higgins met in the gym about seven years ago.

Both shared a passion for lifting and fitness. From there, the friendship started.

"We had lots of conversations inside the gym," said Prazak, owner of NIP Fitness in Mason City. "He was just a good person who loved to talk to people."

Higgins, 26, was found dead Wednesday after a motorcycle accident in rural Clear Lake near 270th Street and Eagle Avenue. The sheriff's department and Medical Examiner's Office are investigating the cause of the accident.

Prazak, 40, said he was devasated by the news.

"It's a numbing feeling and it just puts things in perspective," he said. "He basically died doing what he loved."

Along with lifting, Higgins' passions included the outdoors, his motorcycle and just socializing and making people feel comfortable, Prazak said. He added Higgins was a sociable guy and was always willing to lend a helping hand, including with a electrical home project Prazak needed help with.

Phil Bierman, owner of Iowa Cell Phones and Repair in Mason City, said he knew Higgins for a little over a year, and was "beyond shocked" when he heard about the accident.

Bierman, 31, said Higgins was willing to talk to anyone, and made sure to befriend anyone who appeared to be shy.

"He was just so outgoing," he said. "If anyone looked if they were shy, he would go to that person and just make them as welcome as possible ... he wanted to make sure everyone was having fun and felt welcome."

Prazak said Higgins' personality was much the same in his gym.

"He was just one of those guys who was easy to talk to," he said. "He never seemed to be in a bad mood ... you see a lot of people who are walking around who aren't happy, he wasn't one of them."

Following the accident, several of Higgins' friends and relatives showed an outpouring of support on Facebook. Bierman said this isn't surprising, given the respect Higgins showed for everyone around him.

"He was one of the most friendly guys you could ever meet," he said. "Whenever something was going on, he was there."

A visitation will be held Sunday 4-7 p.m. in Ward-Slkye Colonial Chapel in Clear Lake. A Christian Mass Burial will be held Monday at 1 p.m. on St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Clear Lake.
MARGATE  Muslims, Jews and Christians gathered Sunday afternoon at Beth El Synagogue to encourage each other to stand up to the forces of violence and hatred that resulted in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

In the Koran ... God says he created us from a male and a female ... to make one human family, said Turiya Raheem, of Atlantic City, as she fought back tears. Raheem is Muslim. God did not create us to hate or despise one another, but to love one another.

The crowd of about 120 people at the One Voice, One People, One Community event burst into applause as Raheem finished.

Rev. Dawn Fortune, of the Unitarian Universalist congregation in Galloway Township, said she struggled to see the humanity in the hijackers who killed 2,996 people that day, but she believes it is important to see God even in terrorists.

Nobody commits an act of terrorism for kicks, she said, calling it an act of marginalized, exploited people who have turned their religious beliefs in a hateful direction. It is incubated in isolation and under a view of the world as a hostile place, by people who believe they are victims of the imperialism of more powerful countries.

If we want to see peace in the world, we have to have it in our hearts, she said.

Rabbi David Weiss, of Beth Israel in Northfield, said he was horrified to see Nazi supporters marching in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month to protest removing a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

But how long have African Americans lived in fear of police in their own communities? he said. How long have our Hispanic brothers and sisters lived in the shadows without protection (for fear of deportation), and our Muslim Americans felt fear of anti-Muslim prejudice?

He urged Americans to take their cue from how people responded in Hurricane Harvey in Texas, where people of all faiths were strangers helping strangers.

And Rev. Willie D. Francois of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Pleasantville said there are all kinds of terrorism, and while Sundays service was to memorialize those lost in the Sept. 11 attacks, we cant overlook the acceptable, normalized terrorism of poverty, mass incarceration and underfunding of schools and communities of people of color.

You cant say you are against terrorism if the white incarceration rate is 10 times lower than the black incarceration rate in this state, he said, and you arent working to change that.

Organizer and Atlantic City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz, of the Masjid Muhammad mosque in Atlantic City, stressed unity of all people.

There was a tremendous feeling of unity and togetherness, of brotherhood and sisterhood and companionship immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks, Shabazz said. Unfortunately as we moved forward, we lost that focus.

Now Shabazz said he is asking people to get back to the spirit of cooperation and love.

We must reject the actors and speech we see thats ugly and tears us apart, said Shabazz.

The interfaith program was sponsored by many groups, including the American Legion and Auxilliary, Post 61; the Anti-Defamation League of Philadelphia/SNJ Region; Atlantic City NAACP; Atlantic County Coalition for Safe Community; Bridges of Faith; Fellowship of Churches of South Jersey; and the Jewish Community Relations Council.
NORTHWOOD | A Mason City man was hurt in an apparent accidental firearm discharge Saturday in rural Northwood, according to law enforcement.

The Worth County Sheriff's Office said in a news release it received a 911 report of a person with a bullet wound to the arm.

Deputies said they were told by a witness that the injured person went into a cornfield.

Jon Sorensen of Mason City was found in a prairie field south of 430th Street and west of Lark Lane, the sheriff's office said. He was transported by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center--North Iowa.

Sorensen's condition wasn't available Monday.

The incident remains under investigation, the sheriff's office said.

The Worth County K-9 unit, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa DNR, Manly Police Department, Northwood Rescue and Mason City Fire Department provided assistance at the scene.

 Courtney Fiorini
MILAN, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CSA Medical held a mini-symposium at the European Respiratory Conference (ERS) Conference on Sunday, September 10, 2017 in Milan, Italy. The symposium highlighted 3 month follow-up data from its feasibility study utilizing the RejuvenAir Metered Cryospray System, which is under development for the treatment of chronic bronchitis.

To date, thirty chronic bronchitis patients have been enrolled in the safety and feasibility trial (NCT02483637). Twenty of these patients have completed their treatments, with twelve patients having completed their three month follow-up. The treatment was conducted without any intra-operative adverse events.

The three month follow-up results from twelve patients have shown a positive impact on these patients, with an average Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score improvement of 6.1 points and an average COPD Assessment Test (CAT) score improvement of 3.2 points. An SGRQ improvement of 4 points, and a CAT improvement of 2 points is considered clinically meaningful according to peer reviewed literature. After presentation of the clinical data, Professor Pallav Shah, MD, FRCP from the Royal Brompton noted, "controlled freezing of the airways with the RejuvenAir System appears safe and improves symptoms in patients with chronic bronchitis."

Chronic bronchitis is a subset of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). A chronic bronchitis diagnosis is defined by cough with productive sputum of three months duration for two consecutive years. In addition to a chronic inflammation, cough and increased production of mucus, chronic bronchitis may or may not present with obstruction/partially blocked airways due to swelling and excess mucus in the bronchi, or shortness of breath (dyspnea).

About CSA Medical

CSA Medical, Inc. develops and manufactures a proprietary interventional spray cryotherapy technology platform with specialty catheters that enable delivery of liquid nitrogen inside the body to flash freeze and destroy unwanted tissue allowing for a rejuvenative pattern of healing. CSA manufactures and distributes this technology in the USA as the truFreeze system to ablate unwanted benign and malignant tissue. The RejuvenAir System is currently under clinical investigation and is not commercially available.

To learn more about our technology, please visit www.csamedical.com.

For further information contact:

Amy Sarli, CSA Medical

+1-781-538-4779 / asarli@csamedical.comLo

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/536396/CSA_Medical_Logo.jpg

Related Links

http://www.csamedical.com



SOURCE CSA Medical, Inc.
GHS not only owns a standard TV shopping channel covering the whole country (China), but also runs an online mall, mobile shopping app and other new media, and it selects high-quality commodities throughout the world for consumers.

"GHS and CAEXPO have maintained a good relationship. This time, as CAEXPO's TV business partner, we also hope to use our full-media retail platform to introduce more ASEAN brands to domestic consumers," said Deng Jiangtao, Director of GHS Marketing Department.

In China's huge consumer market, the TV shopping channel is becoming the choice of many overseas brands to enter the Chinese market due to its strong market potential. "We are a foreign brand and not very famous in China, so we yearn for a platform like GHS which can both promote and sell products to help us enter the Chinese market," said Zhang Xin, an exhibitor from Malaysia.

GHS brand promotion attracts nearly 100 ASEAN exhibitors

To ensure that overseas enterprises successfully export commodities to the Chinese market, GHS specifically developed a one-stop investment-inviting solution for ASEAN exhibitors. "We have a professional media company which can help these overseas manufacturers to complete the localization strategy of brand packaging, and our trade company can also help them to expand sales channels," said Deng Jiangtao, Director of GHS Marketing Department

Prior to this, Xu Ningning, Executive President of China-ASEAN Business Council affirmed in an interview the role of full-media shopping enterprises like GHS at CAEXPO.

GHS also held an overseas investment-inviting conference in Seoul, Korea, and set up a cross-border trade platform in Korea - GHS Office in Korea, which is responsible for the development and introduction of Korean local commodities.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/553058/Introduction_Of_Company.jpg

SOURCE GHS
BANGALORE, India, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology and next-generation services, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Brilliant Basics, a London-based product design and customer experience (CX) innovator known for its world-class design thinking-led approach and experience in executing global programs. The acquisition is in accordance with the terms set out in the agreement announced by the company on August 3, 2017. Through this acquisition, Infosys further expands its worldwide connected network of Digital Studios that are focused on fulfilling the needs of global clients for end-to-end Digital Transformation solutions required to meet customer demand for next-generation enhanced customer experiences. The addition of Brilliant Basics extends Infosys' digital design services network to include Europe and the Middle East, and enhances the company's expertise across financial services, retail and telco sectors.

About Infosys

Infosys is a global leader in technology services and consulting. We enable clients in 45 countries to create and execute strategies for their digital transformation. From engineering to application development, knowledge management and business process management, we help our clients find the right problems to solve, and to solve these effectively. Our team of 198,000+ innovators, across the globe, is differentiated by the imagination, knowledge and experience, across industries and technologies that we bring to every project we undertake. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise thrive in the digital age.

Safe Harbor

Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. These filings are available at www.sec.gov . Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law.

Media contacts:

Asia Pacific

Sarah Gideon

Infosys, India

+91-80-4156-3998

Sarah_Gideon@infosys.com

EMEA

Margherita Di Cerbo

Infosys, Europe

+44-2075162748

Margherita.DiCerbo@infosys.com

Americas

Chiku Somaiya

Infosys, USA

+1-408-375-2722

Chiku.Somaiya@infosys.com



This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire.

SOURCE Infosys Limited
Furthermore, the domestic industry having the potential and strategic value to become a mainstream format compared with foreign counterparts, because TV shopping industry has potential and value. TV shopping not only competes with B2C giants, but also becomes a national strategy to play a critical role in stimulating consumer market. Currently, China is upgrading its consumption to retain consumers who have excessive consumption capacity at home rather than force them to purchase abroad. Therefore, in supply-side reform, TV shopping should play as a better retail channel and help form a better manufacturing eco-system.

Lastly, he said, driven by market and guided by innovation, TV shopping is transforming from non-mainstream to mainstream industry. To realize this goal, TV shopping industry and its enterprises need to continuously explore and practice. Therefore, GHS breaks TV shopping's stereotype and creates new and fashionable programs which represents the program innovation. Also, GHS is the only company that provides 30-day free return and replacement service in TV shopping industry in China, which upgrades customer service. To generate channel expansion, GHS has rolled out its arrangement in smart TVs and established a mobile video e-commerce platform in mobile phones. GHS also strives to be an international TV shopping company to expand our business to a global level and bring Chinese products to the world.

GHS has a "Shark Spirit" - it has three characteristics. First, a strong ability to adapt to the environment. Second, it changes 30,000 teeth in its lifetime, which inspires us to stay competitive. Third, it will carry on performing, which means it has a strong work ethic. GHS is willing to be the pilot unit to play a valuable role in society and shoulder more social responsibilities.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/553068/GHS_Chairman.jpg

SOURCE GHS
MASON CITY | For the past year, the old Armory building sat vacant at the northeast corner of West State Street and North Adams Avenue.

The building, more 100 years old, has seen better days. Earlier this year, the roof was removed by crews hired by Jeff and Jessica Tierney. Today, plastic orange fencing surrounds the base of the building, and some brick has been crumbling onto the ground. Broken windows can be seen on the western side of the structure.

The Globe Gazette contacted city officials last week to find out why there was a gap between the roof removal and overall demolition this past week, given the building's possible structural issues.

City Engineer Mark Rahm said any possible structural issues are handled by the city's building inspection office.

"We're not structural engineers," he said of his office's duties. "The engineers do not get involved with private property."

Rahm referred the Globe Gazette to Curt Suave, Mason City's chief building officer.

Suave said the building should be taken by Nov. 6, when Tierney's building permit expires. He added Tierney is meeting all city requirements, and that there was no set timeline for when the building would be demolished.

"It's a big building, it's a process, he [Tierney] told me," Suave said.

Jeff Tierney told the Globe Gazette last week that he has been continually working on demolishing the Armory building.

"We're slowly taking it down," Tierney said. "I have more than one project that I'm working on."

Late last week, a crew hired by Tierney was seen starting to tear down the 8,500-square-foot building. By late Friday afternoon, most of the north side of it had been torn down.

It's unclear what ultimately caused the gap between the roof being removed in March and the demolition last week. Attorney Rolf Aronsen and insurance agent Dick Mathes, however, said they weren't concerned about the delay. Both have offices nearby.

Mathes owned the building for 20 years before selling it to Tierney less than a decade ago, he said.

"It doesn't bother me at all," he said about the delay. "It hasn't affected me or my office."

Even though the building is old, the Armory has not been evaluated for historic status, nor is it in the city's Downtown Historic District.
Co-chaired by conductor David Stern and Professor Vera Tsu Weiling, the Jury Committee is expanded by two additional members and feature a star-studded lineup of pedagogues, violinists and industry leaders.

The jury will comprise Vera Tsu Weiling, Lina Yu and Siqing Lu, the violin pioneers from China; renowned violinists Maxim Vengerov and Augustin Dumay; distinguished educators Zakhar Bron, Dora Schwarzberg and Daniel Heifetz; Weigang Li and Philip Setzer, respectively the founding member of two string quartets; Glenn Dicterow and Sreten Krstic, concertmasters of two of the world's leading symphony orchestras; renowned conductor David Stern; and industry veterans Martin Campbell-White and Emmanuel Hondre.

More than Virtuosity

The level of difficulty of the repertoire was among the most discussed topics in the last competition for which the contestants prepared as much as four-hours of repertoire, a challenging requirement that is rare in any international competitions of its kind.

The repertoire of this edition implies a greater focus on the grasp and understanding of the musical spirit than merely performers' technique, encouraging them to evolve from 'soloists' to 'musicians'. The Semi-Finals will still feature a chamber music round consisting of three sections -- the string quartet in which contestant will perform as the first violinist with Yi-Wen Jiang, Honggang Li and Nicholas Tzavaras from the Shanghai Quartet; sonatas and Kreisler's works; and Mozart concerto with originally improvised cadenza. In addition to a concerto as is conventional in competitions, the Final Round will also include the Chinese work to increase the difficulty.

Co-Commission for New Chinese Work

The Butterfly Lovers Concerto -- the mandatory repertoire of the inaugural competition -- enabled young violinists from various countries to get to know the Chinese music and the Chinese culture.

A special plan for the Chinese work of the 2018 Competition, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will, in cooperation with Beijing Music Festival, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse and New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, co-commission the new violin concerto La Joie de la Souffrance by the renowned Chinese composer Qigang Chen.

This embodies the concept of creating the Chinese work section is a more effective approach to communicate the Chinese culture with the rest of the world.

From Competition to Profession

Besides the largest monetary prize of USD 100,000 presented to the champion, the competition goes to great effort to help 'soloists' become 'musicians' on their road. The first competition saw its partnerships with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, paving the way to professionalism and encouraging winners to embrace their artistic dreams.

Following the last competition, some of the winners returned to Shanghai to perform with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. Furthermore, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Beijing Music Festival etc. have offered the performance opportunities to the winners.

Lowering the Minimum Application Age to Provide More Opportunities

The competition has expanded the age limit from 18-32 to 16-32 to attract more young talents. Apart from it, applicants who have won the 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize in the three major musical competitions, namely International Tchaikovsky Competition, International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition, and Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, will be exempted from pre-selection DVD submission; and those admitted to the public rounds of the competition will be provided with travel reimbursement and free accommodation.

Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/554062/Isaac_Stern_International_Violin_Competition.jpg

SOURCE Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 1st Century Bank, a division of MidFirst Bank, today announced the addition of an experienced team of commercial and industrial bankers. The new hires include George A. Perez, who will serve as managing director, Carlos Payan as regional manager, and Robert Rodriguez as director of sales. The team will be responsible for 1st Century Bank's new downtown Los Angeles commercial real estate and industrial market expansion by helping businesses leverage resources for expansion while providing leading edge technology to manage cash flow and deposits.

"Our culture is built on the importance of extraordinary personal attention, experienced guidance and commitment to the communities we serve," said Jason P. DiNapoli, president and CEO, 1st Century Bank. "The dedication of our talented team to the success of our clients has made this vision a reality. Bringing more than 50 years of combined experience helping prominent, family-held businesses in the greater Los Angeles market, George, Carlos and Robert will continue that focus as part of our ever growing and dynamic team."

In his position prior to joining 1st Century Bank, Perez worked as a portfolio management director. He brings more than 30 years of extensive experience in credit administration and risk management to 1st Century Bank with in-depth expertise in underwriting and portfolio management.

With 1st Century Bank, Payan will be responsible for working with potential clients of 1st Century Bank's commercial and industrial banking strategy. He joins the C&I team with a wealth of experience in the management of a large portfolio with a diverse customer base.

Rodriguez joins 1st Century Bank with a record of personal success managing a large diversified commercial portfolio. In in his previous experience, Rodriguez was responsible for middle market and mid-corporate clients with a focus on those with revenues of $10 million to $100 million.

1st Century Bank is a division of MidFirst Bank, one of the nation's largest privately held financial institutions. This combination of private ownership, a strong capital base and local market focus and expertise, allows 1st Century Bank to provide greater scale and opportunity for its clientele. 1st Century Bank's exceptional service model provides the flexible, local decision making that has distinguished it in the Los Angeles market.

About 1st Century Bank, a Division of MidFirst Bank

1st Century Bank, a division of MidFirst Bank, is headquartered in the Century City area of Los Angeles, California, with a full service business banking center in Century City, and relationship offices in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and coming soon to downtown Los Angeles. 1st Century Bank's primary focus is serving the specific banking needs of entrepreneurs, professionals and small businesses with the personal service of a traditional community bank. 1st Century Bank maintains a website at 1cbank.com.

SOURCE 1st Century Bank

Related Links

http://www.1cbank.com


ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The nonprofit American Kidney Fund (AKF) has now distributed nearly $120,000 in emergency disaster relief assistance to 500 dialysis patients devastated by Hurricane Harvey and is preparing to assist those affected by Hurricane Irma.

AKF is receiving and processing dozens of emergency aid requests from Texas dialysis patients each day. As patients in Florida, Georgia and neighboring states begin to cope with the aftermath of Irma, AKF expects the number of requests for disaster assistance to increase.

More than 6 million people in Florida are without power, and officials have warned it could take weeks before all power is restored. The situation is urgent: dialysis patients must replace renal-friendly food that has been lost, must replace medications like insulin that need to be refrigerated, and must continue to go to dialysis clinics for treatment three times per week to survive.

The American Kidney Fund's Disaster Relief Program is the rapid-response charitable assistance program that is dedicated to quickly and effectively meeting the needs of dialysis patients who experience natural disasters. Charity Navigator has included AKF on its list of highly rated charities that are providing aid to survivors of Harvey and Irma, and AKF has been cited by National Public Radio, the New York Times and USA Today as a trusted source of disaster relief for dialysis patients.

Any dialysis patient affected by either hurricane who needs emergency assistance may speak to the social worker at their dialysis clinic for information on how to apply for help from AKF, or may call AKF at 1.800.795.3226 for information.

AKF has raised a total of $158,000 so far from generous individuals and corporations toward disaster relief, and has set a preliminary goal of raising $250,000 to help the dialysis patient community through the aftermath of both hurricanes.

Individuals wishing to contribute to AKF's Disaster Relief Program may visit kidneyfund.org/hurricane, where they may designate whether their contribution should go to relief for Harvey, Irma, or either. One hundred percent of contributions will go to dialysis patients affected by the hurricanes. So far, about 54 percent of patients affected by Harvey have used AKF assistance to replace clothing and household items lost to flooding. Twenty-six percent are using the funding for transportation to dialysis and emergency housing. Another 20 percent are using AKF funding to pay for renal-friendly food and medicine.

AKF has received generous disaster relief donations from Amgen Foundation, Alliant Healthcare, American Renal Associates, American Society of Nephrology, DaVita, Keryx, National Renal Administrators Association, OPKO, Relypsa and U.S. Renal Care.

AKF's website is providing information resources for dialysis patients in the aftermath of the storm, including a list of dialysis clinic hotlines; links to FEMA and Red Cross resources; and information about finding open pharmacies and other resources. Patients may find this information at http://www.kidneyfund.org/disaster-relief-resources.

About the American Kidney Fund

As the nation's leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 30 million Americans with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund is dedicated to ensuring that every kidney patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. AKF provides a complete spectrum of programs and services: prevention outreach, top-rated health educational resources, and direct financial assistance enabling 1 in 5 U.S. dialysis patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation. AKF's Disaster Relief Program has been a lifeline of critically needed assistance for dialysis patients for many years, helping people in the aftermath of the nation's most devastating disasters, including Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, Sandy, Matthew and many more.

AKF holds the highest ratings from the nation's charity watchdog groups, including Charity Navigator, which includes AKF on its "top 10" list of nonprofits with the longest track records of outstanding stewardship of the donated dollar.

For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

SOURCE American Kidney Fund

Related Links

http://www.kidneyfund.org


NIMES, France, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

ADV7103 could potentially be the first approved treatment for dRTA

Advicenne, a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of paediatric-friendly therapeutics for the treatment of orphan renal and neurological diseases, announces positive top-line data from a pivotal phase III study assessing ADV7103 in adults and children suffering from distal Renal Tubular Acidosis (dRTA). dTRA is a disease characterised by an unbalanced pH in the body associated with additional disorders such as biochemical impairments that may result in failure to thrive, rickets/osteomalacia, lithiasis and nephrocalcinosis that can lead to renal failure.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety and acceptability of ADV7103, an innovative oral product, formulated in paediatric-friendly coated granules, that combines two active pharmaceutical ingredients. ADV7103 is given twice a day in contrast to the current standard of care (SoC), which are usually various unapproved products administered every four to six hours to attempt to re-balance the body's pH and to normalise blood potassium level (kalaemia).

The Phase III study of ADV7103 was shown to restore the main biological defects observed with the disease meeting positively primary and secondary endpoints.

Normal blood bicarbonate levels were attained in most patients treated with doses of ADV7103 ranging from 0.75 to 8.45 mEq/kg/day. Mean doses of 1.7, 2.3, 3.8 and 6.1 mEq/kg/day ADV7103 were given, respectively, in adults, adolescents, children, and infants. Non-inferiority of ADV7103 vs. SoC or baseline literature data was consistently demonstrated (per protocol, intention-to-treat, as well as sensitivity analyses). Kalaemia was normalised with ADV7103 with only two doses per day.

These analyses were able to show that ADV7103 is superior to the SoC (p<0.0047).

Further important advantages of ADV7103 which were demonstrated in the study were its good palatability, ease of administration and gastrointestinal tolerability.

The data from this pivotal phase III study was presented at the 50th European Society of Paediatric Nephrology (ESPN) 2017 Annual Meeting which was held from the 7th to 9th of September in Glasgow, UK, during an oral communication on Saturday, 9th September.

Dr Luc-Andre Granier, CEO and cofounder of Advicenne, commented, "We are delighted to announce the positive results from this pivotal phase III study which clearly show that ADV7103 has the potential to provide a meaningful and durable benefit to patients with dRTA. The success we have achieved with ADV7103 reflects our ability to leverage our scientific knowledge, network of key opinion leaders, formulation expertise and unwavering commitment to patients to deliver paediatric friendly therapeutics for the treatment of orphan renal diseases for which there are currently no approved treatment options."

Advicenne also sponsored a scientific Symposium event dedicated to dRTA on 8th September at ESPN.

The European Commission granted orphan drug designation (ODD) to ADV7103 for the treatment of dRTA in June 2017.

About distal Renal Tubular Acidosis (dRTA)

dRTA is a disease that occurs when the kidneys do not properly remove acids from the blood into the urine. As a result, too much acid remains in the blood which generates an unbalanced pH in the blood that can generate failure to thrive and rickets (a condition that affects bone development in children) as well as a range of additional clinical disorders such as a potassium deficiency (hypokalaemia) in the blood serum which alters the function of several organs and most prominently affects the cardiovascular system; and a high concentration of calcium in the blood and urine (hypercalcemia and hypercalciuria respectively) which can lead to kidney stones and calcinosis that can potentially cause renal impairment, ultimately leading to renal failure. The disease, either genetic (usually occurring during childhood) or acquired as a result of autoimmune disease, is estimated to affect 30 000 to 50 000 patients in Europe.

About Advicenne

Advicenne is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on the development of paediatric friendly therapeutics for the treatment of orphan renal and neurological diseases. The Company's most advanced product is ADV7103 which has shown positive results in a pivotal phase III study in children and adults with distal Renal Acidosis (dTRA). In addition to ADV7103, the Company has a portfolio of products targeting critical unmet needs in nephrology and neurology. Advicenne also develops a clinical and pre-clinical pipeline of potential treatments for additional orphan diseases in collaboration with Key Opinion Leaders.

The Company was established in 2007 in Nimes (France). Since its inception, the Company has raised close to 30 million in equity from leading venture capital investors Innobio (Bpifrance), IXO Private Equity, IRDI SORIDEC Gestion, Cemag Invest and MI Care.

Additional information about Advicenne is available through its website: http://advicenne.com/en/

Disclaimer

This press release contains information regarding clinical development of ADV7103.

For further information, please contact:



Advicenne

LA Granier, S Delbaere, J Rachline

[email protected]

+33 (0)4 66 05 54 20



Citigate Dewe Rogerson

David Dible, Sylvie Berrebi, Marine Perrier

[email protected]

+44 (0) 20 7638 9571



SOURCE Advicenne
SEATTLE, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE: ALK) today reported August and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis for its mainline operations operated by subsidiaries Alaska Airlines, Inc. (Alaska) and Virgin America Inc. (Virgin America), and for its regional flying operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries Inc. (Horizon) and third-party regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and Peninsula Airlines.

Air Group's acquisition of Virgin America took place on Dec. 14, 2016. Operational results below include Virgin America results from pre-acquisition periods for comparison.

AIR GROUP

On a combined basis for all operations, Air Group reported a 5.8 percent increase in traffic on a 5.5 percent increase in capacity compared to August 2016. Load factor increased 0.4 points to 86.2 percent.

The following table shows the operational results for August and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods(1):



August

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change Revenue passengers (000) 4,027

3,936

2.3%

29,519

28,179

4.8% Revenue passenger miles RPM (000,000) "traffic" 4,784

4,520

5.8%

34,909

32,830

6.3% Available seat miles ASM (000,000) "capacity" 5,552

5,265

5.5%

41,148

38,987

5.5% Passenger load factor 86.2%

85.8%

0.4 pts

84.8%

84.2%

0.6 pts





(1) 2016 information has been adjusted to include Virgin America operating results for comparison.

ALASKA

Alaska reported a 6.8 percent increase in traffic on a 6.2 percent increase in capacity compared to August 2016. Load factor increased 0.5 points to 86.7 percent. Alaska also reported 82.8 percent of its flights arrived on time in August 2017, compared to 87.8 percent reported in August 2016.

The following table shows Alaska's operational results for August and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:



August

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change Revenue passengers (000) 2,414

2,303

4.8%

17,625

16,521

6.7% RPMs (000,000) 3,233

3,027

6.8%

23,840

22,255

7.1% ASMs (000,000) 3,732

3,513

6.2%

27,824

26,243

6.0% Passenger load factor 86.7%

86.2%

0.5 pts

85.7%

84.8%

0.9 pts On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT 82.8%

87.8%

(5.0) pts

81.5%

88.3%

(6.8) pts

VIRGIN AMERICA

Virgin America traffic increased 2.7 percent on a 3.0 percent increase in capacity compared to August 2016. Load factor decreased 0.3 points to 85.8 percent. Virgin America also reported 66.7 percent of its flights arrived on time in August 2017, compared to 73.9 percent in August 2016.

The following table shows Virgin America operational results for August and year-to-date, compared to the prior-year periods:



August

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change Revenue passengers (000) 763

744

2.6%

5,492

5,354

2.6% RPMs (000,000) 1,175

1,144

2.7%

8,405

8,089

3.9% ASMs (000,000) 1,369

1,329

3.0%

10,007

9,620

4.0% Passenger load factor 85.8%

86.1%

(0.3) pts

84.0%

84.1%

(0.1) pts On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT 66.7%

73.9%

(7.2) pts

65.9%

75.8%

(9.9) pts

REGIONAL

Regional traffic increased 7.7 percent on a 6.6 percent increase in capacity compared to August 2016. Load factor increased 0.9 points to 83.4 percent. Regional carriers also reported 76.3 percent of its flights arrived on time in August 2017, compared to 83.1 percent in August 2016.

The following table shows regional operational results for August and year-to-date compared to the prior-year periods:



August

Year-to-Date

2017

2016

Change

2017

2016

Change Revenue passengers (000) 850

889

(4.4)%

6,402

6,304

1.6% RPMs (000,000) 376

349

7.7%

2,665

2,486

7.2% ASMs (000,000) 451

423

6.6%

3,317

3,124

6.2% Passenger load factor 83.4%

82.5%

0.9 pts

80.3%

79.6%

0.7 pts On-time arrivals as reported to U.S. DOT 76.3%

83.1%

(6.8) pts

78.9%

87.2%

(8.3) pts

Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 40 million guests a year to 118 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners , guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America Satisfaction Study for 10 consecutive years from 2008 to 2017. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service and unmatched reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

SOURCE Alaska Air Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.alaskaair.com


Birkett Rakow recently served as vice president of public affairs, communications and brand management at Kaiser Permanente of Washington through its acquisition of Group Health Cooperative. With Group Health since 2006, Birkett Rakow led a 75-person team with a $26 million budget responsible for public affairs and marketing. She served on the company's executive leadership team and as a core member of the acquisition team. As president of Group Health Foundation, she also led the company's community philanthropy strategy, championing initiatives such as the "Catch Every Kid" program to promote childhood vaccines.

Prior to that, she spent three years on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee in Washington, D.C. as a health policy advisor.

"Diana's exemplary business and civic leadership record makes her a perfect fit for her new role overseeing Alaska Airlines community stewardship and government affairs efforts," said Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden. "We look forward to welcoming her onboard as we continue our commitment to our people and communities, and as we continue to grow our airline."

Birkett Rakow holds a bachelor's degree from Harvard University and master's degree in public administration and public health from the University of Washington. She serves on the boards of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and the Pacific Science Center, and last year was recognized as a 40 under 40 Honoree by the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Connect with Birkett Rakow on LinkedIn.

Alaska Airlines, together with Virgin America and its regional partners, flies 40 million guests a year to 118 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica and Cuba. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners , guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked "Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America" in the J.D. Power North America Satisfaction Study for 10 consecutive years from 2008 to 2017. Learn more about Alaska's award-winning service and unmatched reliability at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines, Virgin America and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

SOURCE Alaska Airlines

Related Links

http://www.alaskaair.com


Principal investigator Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine and deputy director of Perlmutter Cancer Center, presented the findings September 11 in Madrid, Spain at the annual meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology. The results of this study were also published simultaneously in the September 10, online version of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study compared the two drugs in 906 patients with stage IIIb, IIIc, and IV melanoma. All participants had the disease surgically removed prior to receiving immunotherapy, making this study one of the first to investigate these very high risk patients in a head-to-head trial. The study involved two groups of 453 participantsone treated with nivolumab and the other treated with ipilimumab.

After 12 months of continuous therapy, 71% of patients treated with nivolumab lived without recurrence of the disease, compared with 61% of those treated with ipilimumab. At 18 months, the relapse-free survival rate for nivolumab was 66 percent, while it was only 53 percent for ipilimumab. This international trial was conducted at 130 medical centers across 25 different countries.

"Our results demonstrate that nivolumab is more effective in treating patients with stage III and IV melanoma, cutting the risk of relapse by a third," Weber says. "Results like this will change how we practice medicine. Hopefully, physicians will embrace the use of nivolumab in these high risk patients as adjuvant therapy."

Nivolumab, publicly marketed as Opdivo, also was more tolerable for patients than ipilimumab. Only 14 percent of patients treated with nivolumab experienced severe side effects while 45 percent of patients experienced them with ipilimumab. Some patients had to discontinue treatment due to the severitybut only five percent of those on nivolumab, as opposed to 31 percent of those on ipilimumab. The most common side effects for both therapies were fatigue and diarrhea.

"The safety of nivolumab is very promising," Weber adds. "Compared with the high toxicity of ipilimumab, it is much more tolerable for the patients. Given its tolerability, combined with its efficacy, nivolumab could realistically become the new standard of care for adjuvant melanoma treatment."

Metastatic melanoma accounts for approximately one percent of skin cancer cases, but, at the same time, causes the majority of skin cancer deaths. Nivolumab and ipilimumab are already FDA-approved in the treatment of metastatic melanoma; for some patients, the two drugs have been used in combination.

Weber says that he hopes to lead further research that looks at categorizing tumors that occur in relapsed patients and studying whether or not they would benefit from another resection and more nivolumab. He also says that more studies are needed to examine why some patients relapse following treatment and others do not.

"Knowing that nivolumab is more effective and safer than ipilimumab as adjuvant therapy will change how we treat this fatal disease," Weber concludes. "I predict that fewer people will die from metastatic melanoma in the next decade compared to the last because of therapies like nivolumab."

Bristol Meyers Squibb, the manufacturer of both nivolumab and ipilimumab, funded this clinical trial and provided Weber and his colleagues with research support.

About NYU Langone Health:

NYU Langone Health is a world-class, patient-centered, integrated academic medical center, known for its excellence in clinical care, research, and education. Included in the 200+ locations throughout the New York area are five inpatient locations: Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute-care facility; Rusk Rehabilitation, ranked as one of the top 10 rehabilitation programs in the country; NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, a dedicated inpatient orthopedic hospital with all musculoskeletal specialties ranked top 10 in the country; Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of children's health services; and NYU Langone HospitalBrooklyn, a full-service teaching hospital and level 1 trauma center located in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Also part of NYU Langone Health is the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institutedesignated cancer center, and NYU School of Medicine, which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history. For more information, go to nyulangone.org, and interact with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Media Inquiries:

Jim Mandler

212-404-3525

[email protected]

Jeffrey Molter

212-263-9423

[email protected]

SOURCE NYU Langone Health

Related Links

http://nyulangone.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store is thrilled to announce that we will be celebrating our 10th Anniversary on October 4, 2017 with a party and charitable fundraising event. We are so grateful for our amazing customers, vendors and supporters for the past ten years of business.

Owner, Ann Cantrell. Photo by Rayon Richards Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store. Photo by Rayon Richards

The evening's fun will begin at the shop, 232 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, at 6pm with drinks & hors d'oeuvres for invited guests. Our LIVE auction will begin at 7:30pm. We will be auctioning off our iconic United States License Plate map by artist Aaron Foster along with generous gift baskets donated by some of our favorite vendors. It is our hope to raise $10,000 for national and local charities, such as the National Park Services, Planned Parenthood, ACLU, CHIPS and more.

Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store is a fun yet sophisticated shop that combines the modernity of a well-lived urban lifestyle with the comfort and charm of a country general store. Our General Store specializes in all things fun and functional. We have something for everyone! Over the last ten years, Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store has grown from a small shop on a Boerum Hill side street to over 1,100 square feet of shopping fun in thriving 5th Avenue in Park Slope Brooklyn. The ecommerce website www.blueribbongeneralstore.com launched in 2008 and continues to get local and national press attention for its unique offerings.

Ann Cantrell ("Annie") opened ABRGS in October 2007 in Brooklyn, New York and the website soon followed. Her passion for items and ideas she believes to be the "Best in Show" has helped bring the shop to life and live up to its namesake. Ann is also an Assistant Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology where she teaches classes in Product Development, Trend Forecasting and Sustainability.

Sponsors include: 5th Avenue BID, Austin Eastciders, W&P Designs, Sweet Paul Magazine, FCTRY and more.

For more information please contact: Jennifer at [email protected], Phone: 718-522-9848

SOURCE Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store

Related Links

https://blueribbongeneralstore.com


Ansira, which is majority owned by global private equity firm Advent International, is one of the largest independently owned CRM and direct marketing agencies in the United States. With over 850 team members across 14 office locations, Ansira was built to align brands, consumers and channel partners in today's complex, rapidly changing business environment  ensuring that all three win in the marketplace. Through its unique approach to one-to-one customer engagement, national-to-local expertise and retail partner empowerment, Ansira establishes and strengthens profitable customer relationships for its clients. Ansira offers integrated and stand-alone marketing solutions that are focused on optimizing CRM programs and customer acquisition platforms and strategies. Its work includes data analytics, campaign management, strategic planning, digital, web development, integrated media/search, creative, trade promotion and experiential marketing.

"The acquisition of LBN aligns with Ansira's growth strategy of pursuing companies that share its vision of being a leading marketing solutions provider," said Andy Arnold, Executive Vice President at Ansira. "We see the LBN platform adding substantial value to our long list of multi-location clients who wish to connect to the consumer at a local level."

The integration of LBN will further enhance Ansira's position as a leader in the integration of local and national marketing programs between brands, channel partners and local, interested consumers. LBN's platform and services remove the complexity of local digital activation for multi-location companies and provide clients with a scalable, efficient marketing solution. LBN's innovative group-search offering enables clients to achieve the highest converting traffic at the lowest cost with location-based targeting across search engines and devices. The LBN platform optimizes budgets at the national, regional or store level for multi-location brands.

"We are pleased to be partnering with such an impressive and growing company," said Todd Webber, Chief Executive Officer of LBN. "Ansira's extensive experience with brands and channel partners provides a strong industry-leading platform from which to best serve clients. Together, both LBN and Ansira clients will benefit from enhanced capabilities and offerings. This is an exciting time to be joining Ansira and we look forward to contributing to the company's bright future."

"LBN is an excellent addition to Ansira and nicely complements our strategy of helping brands optimize marketing from a national to a local level," said James Warner, Chairman of Ansira. "LBN is one of many acquisitions we anticipate over the next few years as we plan to strategically grow the business. We currently provide an industry-leading suite of services to our clients and the addition of LBN not only enhances those offerings, but also supports our vision of being the premier provider of national-to-local marketing services for clients. We look forward to working with Todd Webber and the LBN team as we build upon our strong momentum."

About Ansira

Ansira, a leading data-driven, technology-enabled marketing solutions provider, specializes in the integration of local and national marketing programs through marketing automation, data analytics, CRM and integrated media. Marketing intelligence is infused across all disciplines and executed through digital, direct, social, mobile, integrated media and creative execution, marketing automation, co-op and trade promotion. The agency enjoys long-term client relationships with Fortune 500 companies spanning a broad range of industries, including automotive, dining, retail, consumer packaged goods, fitness, technology and specialty services. With the acquisition of LBN, Ansira has offices in St. Louis, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Atlanta, Cedar Rapids, Houston, Portland, OR, and Newport Beach, CA. Ansira is majority owned by Advent International, one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors, who is highly supportive of Ansira's business and future growth initiatives.

For more information, please visit www.ansira.com

About LBN

LBN removes the complexity of local digital activation for multi-location companies, and provides clients with a scalable, efficient marketing solution. LBN's innovative group-search offering enables clients to get the highest converting traffic at the lowest cost with location-based targeting across search engines and devices. The LBN platform optimizes budgets at the national, regional or store level for multi-location brands. LBN offers a comprehensive, effective and efficient set of digital tools that cover SEM, SEO, Social Media, Listings, Reviews, Attribution, Native Advertising, Display and more. LBN has offices in Auburn Hills and Los Angeles.

For more information, please visit www.localbiznow.com

About Advent International

Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors. The firm has invested in over 325 private equity transactions in 41 countries and as of June 30, 2017, it had $43 billion in assets under management. With offices on four continents, Advent has established a globally integrated team of 190 investment professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. The firm focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; healthcare; industrial; retail, consumer and leisure; and technology, media and telecom. After more than 30 years dedicated to international investing, Advent remains committed to partnering with management teams to deliver sustained revenue and earnings growth for its portfolio companies.

Progress Partners, with a team led by Senior Managing Director Nick MacShane, served as exclusive financial advisor to Local Biz Now.

For more information, please visit www.adventinternational.com

MEDIA CONTACTS:

For Ansira:

Shauna Garriques

North 6th Agency

212.334.9753, ext. 145

[email protected]

For Advent International:

Emily Ward

Abernathy MacGregor

212-371-5999

[email protected]

SOURCE Ansira Partners, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ansira.com


FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Basic Energy Services, Inc. (NYSE: BAS) announced today that its management will be presenting at the Johnson Rice & Company 2017 Energy Conference to be held in New Orleans from September 25-27, 2017.

Roe Patterson, President and Chief Executive Officer, is scheduled to present on Tuesday, September 26, 2017, at approximately 1:00 p.m. Central Time (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time). A link to the live webcast and replay for this presentation will be available in the Investor Relations section of Basic Energy Services' website at www.basicenergyservices.com. The accompanying slide presentation will be available that morning in the Investor Relations section of Basic Energy Services' website.

Basic Energy Services provides well site services essential to maintaining production from the oil and gas wells within its operating area. The Company employs over 3,900 employees in more than 100 service points throughout the major oil and gas producing regions in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Kansas, California and the Rocky Mountain and Appalachian regions. Additional information on Basic Energy Services is available on the Company's website at www.basicenergyservices.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements made in this press release and in the presentation, may include forward-looking statements and projections made in reliance on the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Basic has made every reasonable effort to ensure that the information and assumptions on which these statements and projections are based are current, reasonable, and complete. However, a variety of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this release and the presentation, including our ability to successfully execute, manage and integrate acquisitions, reductions in our customers' capital budgets, our own capital budget, limitations on the availability of capital or higher costs of capital, and lower commodity prices. While Basic makes these statements and projections in good faith, neither Basic nor its management can guarantee that the transactions will be consummated or that anticipated future results will be achieved. Basic assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein or any other forward-looking statements made by Basic, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contacts: Trey Stolz, VP Investor Relations

Basic Energy Services, Inc.

817-334-4100









Jack Lascar / Kaitlin Ross

Dennard-Lascar Associates

713-529-6600

SOURCE Basic Energy Services, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.basicenergyservices.com


BERLIN, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., have agreed on a five-year strategic research alliance to join forces in the fight against kidney diseases. The partners will jointly evaluate new drug candidates for the treatment of kidney diseases with the goal of accelerating the translation of innovative approaches from the laboratory to pre-clinical development.

Patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESDR) face dialysis, transplantation or palliative care as their only therapeutical options. There is no effective treatment available that can prevent the cardiovascular consequences of chronic kidney disease and at the same time reduce the progression to ESRD. The goal is to develop two investigational new drugs addressing the medical need of ESDR within the time frame of this strategic research alliance.

"Bayer is committed to further expanding its research efforts in the area of renal diseases", said Dr. Andreas Busch, member of the Executive Committee of Bayer AG's Pharmaceuticals Division and Head of Drug Discovery. "We are seeking to join forces with industrial and academic partners to develop innovative drug candidates and to eventually offer patients new treatment options. Therefore, we are pleased to partner with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which is among the academic leaders in kidney disease and clinical translation."

"Our mission is to perform innovative research and translate discoveries to prevent, diagnose, and cure kidney diseases", said Professor Ray Harris, director of the Vanderbilt Center for Kidney Disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "Bayer and Vanderbilt University Medical Center will jointly work on multiple projects, combining their expertise. This additional research will allow us to make advances in the area of kidney diseases."

Under the agreement, Bayer and Vanderbilt University Medical Center will jointly conduct research activities including target validation, assay development and lead optimization. Both parties will contribute personnel and infrastructure to address important scientific questions. Bayer will have an option for the exclusive use of the collaboration results. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

About Kidney Diseases

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive loss of renal function over several months to years, characterized by gradual replacement of normal kidney architecture (nephrons) with interstitial inflammation and fibrosis. The progressive destruction of nephrons causes a decreased glomerular filtration rate, which very often leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring dialysis treatment or kidney transplantation. The main causes underlying chronic kidney disease are: diabetes, high blood pressure, and glomerulonephritis.

About Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Managing more than 2 million patient visits each year, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is one of the largest academic medical centers in the Southeast, and is the primary resource for specialty and primary care in hundreds of adult and pediatric specialties for patients throughout Tennessee and the Mid-South. The School of Medicine's biomedical research program is among the nation's top 10 in terms of National Institutes of Health peer review funding, receiving more than $500 million in public and private awards during 2016. The Medical Center is the region's locus of postgraduate medical education, with over 1,000 residents and fellows training in more than 100 specialty areas. The Vanderbilt Center for Kidney Disease has a long and notable history of the study, treatment, causes, and potential therapies of kidney disease. For more information, go to https://ww2.mc.vanderbilt.edu/

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.us.

 2017 Bayer

Bayer and the Bayer Cross are registered trademarks of Bayer.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer 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.bayerus.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ALM's Consulting magazine announced that The Boston Consulting Group (BGC) is listed as the No. 1 consulting firm on its annual ranking of Best Firms to Work For. This marks the fourth straight year atop the survey rankings for BGC, which is the only firm to appear on the list every year since the survey's 2001 debut. In that time, BCG has never been ranked outside of the Top 5.

In 2017, the firm outpaced the competition among the six facets of employee satisfaction the survey measures: Firm Culture, Career Development, Compensation & Benefits, Client Engagement, Firm Leadership and Work/Life Balance.

The complete survey findings are published in the September issue of Consulting magazine and can be found on http://www.consultingmag.com/sites/cmag/2017/09/07/september-2017-issue/.

"There's simply no denying BCG is the very best consulting firm to work for right now. The numbers don't lieBCG finished as the best overall firm in five of the six categories the survey measures, with Work/Life Balance being the only outlier. Simply astounding," said Joseph Kornik, Consulting magazine's Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. "That level of consistency is very difficult to achieve, and the firm's leadership deserves plenty of credit for their success."

Rounding out the Top 5 Best Firms to Work For are Slalom (2nd), West Monroe Partners (3rd), Collaborative Solutions (4th) and Pariveda Solutions (5th).

The rest of the Best Firms to Work For list in alphabetical order include: Attain, CapTech, Crowe Horwath, EY, Huron, KPMG, North Highland, Protiviti, RSM and ZS. Attain is making its debut on the Best Firms to Work For list this year.

Among the Best Small Firms to Work For, Navigate was the No. 1 firm for the third year in a row. Rounding out the Top 5 of the Best Small Firms to Work For are Myrtle Consulting Group (2nd), Systems Evolution Inc. (3rd), Impact Advisors (4th) and Schellman & Company (5th).

The following are the rest of Best Small Firms to Work For in alphabetical order: Acquis Consulting, Cask, Collective Insights, GearsCRM, IBB Consulting Group, Insight Sourcing Group, Kenway Consulting, Marakon, Meridian Compensation Partners and Propeller Consulting.

Newcomers to the Best Small Firms to Work For list in alphabetical order include: Collective Insights,GearsCRM, Insight Sourcing Group, Kenway Consulting and Schellman & Company.

Consulting magazine's 2017 Best Firms to Work For survey drew detailed employee engagement insights from more than 10,000 consultants representing more than 300 consulting firms. For full editorial coverageincluding the final rankings and associated charts and data found in the September issue of Consultingvisit http://www.consultingmag.com/sites/cmag/2017/09/07/september-2017-issue/.

About Consulting magazine

Consulting magazine is the flagship publication of the consulting profession featuring the latest information on consulting careers, thought leadership and corporate strategies. In addition to providing industry insights, Consulting hosts award dinners as part of our Achievement Awards serieshonoring Women Leaders in Consulting, The Top 25 Consultants, The Rising Stars of the Profession, The Best Firms to Work For, and Social & Community Investment.

About ALM Intelligence

ALM Intelligence, a division of ALM Media LLC, supports legal, consulting, and benefits decision-makers seeking guidance on critical business challenges. Our proprietary market reports and analysis, rating guides, prospecting tools, surveys, and rankings, inform and empower business leaders to succeed. Please visit www.alm.com/intelligence for more information.

Carrie Winans, Prosek Partners

212 279 3115 x218

[email protected]

SOURCE Consulting Magazine

Related Links

http://www.consultingmag.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the opening of BASIS Independent Manhattan, the newest private school from the acclaimed BASIS Curriculum Schools network, is set for Saturday, September 16, 2017 on the Upper West Side campus.

BASIS Independent Manhattan opened to 150 students in grades K-6 on September 5th. The campus will expand by one grade level in 2018-19, and one more in 2019-20, to ultimately serve K-8 students.

"There's nothing like the start of a new academic year for a community of educators  and it's no different for the passionate people at BASIS Independent Manhattan," said Head of School Jesse Rizzo. "In front of new families and teachers, it'll be nice to take a moment to reflect on the success of actualizing this new school, sowing the seeds of our new community, and looking forward to the places we will take our current and future students."

The ribbon cutting is at 9:45 a.m. on campus at 795 Columbus Avenue, prior to a gathering of students, teachers, and families for an annual pre-autumn carnival. Michael and Olga Block, the founders of the BASIS Curriculum and the network of BASIS Curriculum Schools, will take part in the celebration.

"We are quite proud to open another school in New York," said BASIS Independent CEO Dr. Ian Block. "Our Brooklyn school has been a remarkable success and we're excited to bring that proven academic program to students in Manhattan. We look forward to a vibrant year with our inaugural families."

BASIS Independent Manhattan will use the identical elementary and middle school academic program as BASIS Independent Brooklyn, which has been lauded for offering Mandarin and engineering classes from kindergarten; for its hands-on, project-based "Connections" class linking the arts, science, math, and humanities; and for its vibrant array of fine, visual, and performing arts and music coursework.

The 31 charter, independent, and international schools in the BASIS Curriculum Schools network are highly-regarded for excellence by any measure  national rankings, Advanced Placement results, OECD/PISA testing, and college admissions, among others. The network currently boasts five of the top ten schools in the nation per U.S. News & World Report's 2017 high school rankings, and seven schools atop the nation in 2017 on The Washington Post's two high school rankings lists.

About BASIS Curriculum Schools

The BASIS Curriculum Schools network is among the best in the world, serving students from Preschool through Grade 12. The BASIS Curriculum  founded in 1998, and cultivating excellence every year since -- educates students at the highest international levels, preparing them to be participants, not spectators, in the 21st-century global workforce of commerce and innovation. The network currently includes thirty-one schools: twenty-four public charter schools in Arizona, Texas, and Washington, D.C., five independent schools in California, New York, and Virginia, and two international schools in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, China. For more information, please visit BASISIndependent.com or BASISed.com.

SOURCE BASIS Curriculum Schools

Related Links

http://www.basised.com


As a former criminal prosecutor and seasoned business litigator, Mastrocola regularly helps clients resolve their business litigation disputes through mediation and alternative dispute resolution. With this certification, Mastrocola will be able to use his long-time experience and finely honed mediation skills as the neutral mediator in cases where he does not represent either party.

"While I love to litigate in court, I get more satisfaction when I can resolve a dispute quickly and successfully without the client spending a ton of money," said Mastrocola. "I'm a problem solver who wants to get my clients back to business as soon as possible. I'm excited to put my more than 20 years of experience as a litigator to work to help parties in a dispute arrive at mutually agreeable settlement terms."

Mediation has become more and more popular in recent years due to the rising costs of litigation, the length of time it takes for conflicts to be resolved in the courts, and stress and uncertainty associated with protracted litigation. The courts also frequently encourage parties to mediate disputes to help clear backlogged dockets.

"The vast majority of mediations take place in a single day, so it is very cost-effective. But that doesn't mean it isn't a complex negotiation," said Mastrocola. "Good mediators have to be able to understand both clients' and legal counsels' perspectives, which requires a tremendous amount of sophistication and finesse. It's a different skill set than being a litigator, but having that litigation and client service background is invaluable."

Mastrocola received his J.D. from Boston College Law School in 1995 and his B.S. from Bentley College in 1990.

About Burns & Levinson LLP

At Burns & Levinson, we provide high-level, client-centric and results-oriented legal services to our regional, national and international clients. We are a full-service law firm with over 125 lawyers in Boston, Providence and other regional offices. Our areas of expertise include: business/finance, business litigation, divorce/family law, venture capital/emerging companies, employment, estate planning, government investigations, intellectual property, M&A/private equity, probate/trust litigation, and real estate. We partner with our clients to solve their business and personal legal issues in a collaborative, creative, and cost-effective way. For more information, visit Burns & Levinson at www.burnslev.com.

Contact:

Amy Blumenthal Kristen Weller Blumenthal & Associates Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer 617.879.1511 617.345.3555 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Burns & Levinson

Related Links

http://www.burnslev.com


LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the largest personal injury law firms in the country, Cellino & Barnes, today announced that the firm will operate all of its California offices including Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco Bay Area under a new name, The Barnes Firm.

The Barnes Firm name change will have no bearing on the firm's day-to-day operations. The Barnes Firm will continue to have the same office locations, the same attorneys and the same staff available to assist their clients. Clients can be assured that the team at The Barnes Firm will help each client achieve the best possible result for their case.

"Steve Barnes has a very clear vision for The Barnes Firm's continued growth in California," said Daryl Ciambella, Chief Operating Officer for the firm.

The Barnes Firm first opened in Los Angeles in 2013, followed by the San Francisco Bay Area and then San Diego. The Barnes Firm currently has more than 50 employees focused on getting each client the best outcome.

The Barnes Firm will also introduce a new phone number: 1-(800) 800-0000, which will begin to appear in television advertisements and on billboards.

For further information, visit http://www.thebarnesfirm.com/.

Background on The Barnes Firm:

The Barnes Firm's experienced personal injury attorneys focus exclusively on accident cases. They're helping thousands of injured victims get the best results possible with their settlements and verdicts.

The firm helps families across California, and has offices located in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

For more information about The Barnes Firm visit our website at www.TheBarnesFirm.com.

Contact: Shawn Kline

[email protected]

1-(800) 800-0000 ext. 212

SOURCE The Barnes Firm

Related Links

http://www.thebarnesfirm.com


THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CB&I (NYSE:CBI) today announced it has been awarded a contract by Xuzhou HaiDing Chemical Technology Co. Ltd. for the license and engineering design of a grassroots propane dehydrogenation unit to be built in Pizhou, Jiangsu Province, China. The unit will use CB&I's CATOFIN catalytic dehydrogenation technology and Clariant's tailor-made, non-noble, CATOFIN catalyst to produce 600,000 metric tons per year of propylene. CB&I's CATOFIN technology continues to be the propane dehydrogenation technology of choice, which consistently exceeds customer expectations for overall performance.

"We look forward to furthering our technology footprint in China by licensing CATOFIN to Xuzhou HaiDing Chemical Technology's fast-track project," said Daniel M. McCarthy, CB&I's Executive Vice President of Technology. "CATOFIN has unmatched operational reliability and continually surpasses nameplate capacities. Its optimized operational conditions delivers the highest conversion and selectivity to the customer, resulting in both the lowest capital and operational expenditure for the project."

About CB&I

CB&I (NYSE:CBI) is a leading provider of technology and infrastructure for the energy industry. With more than 125 years of experience, CB&I provides reliable solutions to our customers around the world while maintaining a relentless focus on safety and an uncompromising standard of quality. For more information, visit www.CBI.com.

Important Information For Investors And Shareholders

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding CB&I and represents our expectations and beliefs concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. When considering any statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or use or contain words, terms, phrases or expressions such as "achieve," "forecast," "plan," "propose," "strategy," "envision," "hope," "will," "continue," "potential," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," "predict," "intend," "should," "could," "may," "might" or similar forward-looking statements, we refer you to the cautionary statements concerning risk factors and "Forward-Looking Statements" described under "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of our Annual Report filed on Form 10-K filed with the SEC for the year ended December 31, 2016, and any updates to those risk factors or "Forward-Looking Statements" included in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC, which cautionary statements are incorporated herein by reference.

Investors: Scott Lamb, +1 832 513 1068, [email protected]

Media: Gentry Brann, +1 832 513 1031, [email protected]

SOURCE CB&I

Related Links

http://www.cbi.com


Director of National IC Design Shenzhen Industrial Centre Zhou Shengming gave an opening speech at CFMS2017, he indicated that according to the international science & technology and industrial innovation center's positioning from the national plan for 13th Five-Year, Shenzhen is implementing a new round of innovation and development strategy layout. Shenzhen will focus on the core chip, AI, robotics, IOT, big data and other areas to overcome a number of core key technologies issues to transform the core technology from the "catch up" to "surpass". This will not only give the IC industry a good opportunity for development, but also open up a huge market space to the storage industry.

Tai Wei, the general manager of CFMS2017 organizers Shenzhen Flash Market Information Co., Ltd. noted that the company is a research institution focuses on the storage industry, committed to providing valuable information, and guide the healthy development of the market. ChinaFlashMarket is expecting that in 2017 the global NAND Flash market size is about 40 billion US dollars, China consumes 30% of global production capacity, in 2020 NAND Flash will exceed the DRAM and the market size is about 65 billion US dollars, global SSD shipments will be more than 150 million units in 2017 as expected, the big data industry will provide SSD more innovative applications and market opportunities in the future.

Samsung, Micron and Intel's next-generation 3D technology is aimed to accelerate the development of the market

Kenny Han, vice president of Samsung NAND Marketing, said that in 2017 Samsung is producing the fourth generation 64-story V-NAND, the fifth generation V-NAND is under development, capacity of single die is 1Tb, IO speed reaches 1200Mbps. Samsung will introduce 128TB QL-SSD based on 1Tb V-NAND, Z-NAND technology, low latency / high density / high speed transmission.

Micron vice president Jonathan Shaw introduced the audience its 3D NAND technology is from the 32 layers 32GB all the way to 64 layers of capacity to 64GB, shipments in the end of 2017 will be very considerable, samples based on QLC are ready, and will be put to the market in the future. Micron is also very optimistic about the growth of SSD market, along with the rapid development of 3D NAND technology, SSD will continue to replace the HDD market.

Bill Liu, general manager of Intel's non-volatile storage business department, demonstrated that 3D-Xpoint technology products - Optane has shown excellent performance, is made to meet the requirements of big data, PC, games, artificial intelligence, real-time data processing and other applications. And how 3D-Xpoint innovation technology would be accepted by the market, and to achieve more applications innovation, are the challenges Intel would face, the market will also show more business opportunities.

longsys' acquisition of Lexar is to strengthen the global strategic layout and improve the international market influence

Cai Huabo, chairman of longsys said that longsys is aimed to root deeply in China, but also adopt international operations. On August 31, longsys acquired Lexar, Cai Huabo said that Lexar positioning for high-end storage brand, through the Lexar brand we can enhance brand value of longsys, improve the development of international enterprises. longsys combines their own innovation R & D technology and service capabilities with the Lexar brand, further enhance the influence in the international market, and longsys is transforming from technology-product to technology-brand company.

In addition, longsys released the world's smallest size of the BGA SSD, Cai Huabo said that BGA SSD reflects longsys' comprehensive technical capabilities, and insight of seeing the needs of high-end market. Because the size of BGA SSD and UFS are the same, it is very possible to bring BGA SSD into the mobile phone application market. So how to achieve it quickly? Cai Huabo confessed that the concise answer is that if the technical specifications, size and price can be as well as expected. longsys can do PCIe BGA SSD and SATA SSD with the same price, even in less than half a year, longsys can do BGA SSD and UFS with the same price. longsys will continue to strengthen product technology and business model innovation, expand the storage products to overseas, accelerate the pace of international development.

Yang Zhiping, head of Google hardware department, said that, achieve the BGA SSD in the mobile terminal application requires solving the problems related to cost, size, compatibility, high performance, intelligent heat management, low power consumption and others. Yang Zhiping also expressed expectations of the NVMe BGA used in the smart mobile phone application, indicated that the BGA SSD will be one of the most important storage choices in the future. For intelligent terminal product development, the user experience will be a big step forward.

Marvell, SMI and SiliconGo tightly grasp the SSD market opportunities to enhance business value

Michael Wu, vice president of sales, General Manager of Marvell China, said that Marvell mainly focuses on three areas: storage, networking and connectivity. The storage business accounted for 60% of overall revenue, in the last few quarters growth of Marvell SSD storage is nearly 60%. Marvell will also focus on cloud, data centers, businesses, consumer, smart cars and other fields in the future.

From SATA to PCIe, SMI SSD controller so far has been selling 100 million units, said Nelson Duann, senior vice president of product planning at SMI Mobile Storage department. Over the past 10 years, the number of controller launched was more than 5 billion units. SMI will continue to meet the customer needs and provide better storage controller products and services for market applications.

David Wu, General Manager of SiliconGo, said that SiliconGo has been a decade-old chip design company, it is not a product company, SiliconGO will continue to focus on embedded storage and SSD storage controller technology. SiliconGo has been rooted in the Chinese market and applications, with a pragmatic attitude, it provides local technical support and application development to Chinese storage enterprises and customers in the long term.

Automotive electronics will be an important application for future storage, and monitoring storage requirements is improving

NVIDIA autopilot China business department Arthur He indicated that autopilot has a very large market possibility, NIVIDIA invests nearly 1.8 billion dollars a year into autopilot R & D. NVIDIA also introduced artificial intelligence technology into autopilot, with the ADAS system to provide autopilot services to humans. Needs of the vehicle-mounted storage is rising, and now storage requirement is 64GB eMMC, autopilot will give storage industry more growth space in the future.

In addition to the automotive market, monitoring storage demand is also increasing, take a 1080P device for example, it creates about 40GB of storage needs each day, HIKVISION storage general manager Sun Chenghua said the consumer SSD market competition is fierce. The HIKVISION storage will take video surveillance as the core application; continually develop data center business, focusing on flash applications.

In addition, Sino IC Capital vice president of investment Gao Songtao said that Sino IC Capital as China's largest semiconductor special fund, has accumulated and invested in more than 40 projects, through the market-oriented mechanism, specialized investment system, Sino IC Capital makes invested enterprises bigger and stronger, thus generating economic benefits to further expand China's IC market.

AGIC Capital president Henry Cai indicated that with the rapid development of intelligent, new materials and things such as the Internet, we are in a rapid changing "big times", AGIC Capital is hoping to use the power of capital to grow together with more enterprises, there would be more outstanding enterprises in China in the next 10 years.

The chairman of the original FMS summit, chairman of Coughlin Associates, Inc., Thomas Coughlin believes that the continued growth of data storage is a trend. Ways to store these data, the rapid analysis of these data, and low-cost storage are three key factors. We need to achieve better integration, better computing power, deal with more data and mining more value data.

"China Flash Market Summit Enterprise Awards": to establish the storage industry role model

ChinaFlashMarket roots deeply in China, concerns about the development of China's storage industry. According to domestic and international storage industry experts and market performance from many storage companies, CFM awarded the "China Flash Market Summit Enterprise Award." Awards are as follows:

Best Market Performance Award: SAMSUNG

Samsung storage has grown rapidly, continues to maintain the leading market share in the world.

Best Market Brand Award: Intel

Intel as one of the world's largest semiconductor companies, high-performance solutions of high quality, is unanimously approved by the public.

Best Industry Promotion Award: Sino IC Capital

Sino IC Capital investment is actively promoting the solid development of China's storage industry.

Best Business Innovation Award: longsys

Through a series of product innovation and business innovation, longsys is 2017 China's storage market' highlights.

Best Application Platform Award: Marvell

As the world's largest hard drive and SSD controller manufacturers, Marvell is committed to providing customers with solutions.

Best Supply Service Award: Micron

Micron has grown steadily in the market in recent years.

Best Embedded Application Award: SMI

SMI as an independent flash memory controller manufacturers, is to provide integrated chip integrated solutions.

Best Technology Innovation Award: NVIDIA

In the field of smart car & artificial intelligence chips, NVIDIA is a global leader.

Best Market Innovation Award: HIKVISION storage

HIKVISION storage committees to innovation, boldly advance the industry storage market.

Best Application Service Award: SiliconGO

Ten years honed, SiliconGO is a local excellent storage controller supplier.

CFMS2017 awards to some of the outstanding storage companies to encourage their advanced characteristics, also, CFMS2017 is eager to set an example for the storage industry, CFMS 2017 expects excellent storage companies can provide more storage products, technical solutions and upstream resources for the rapid development China's storage industry.

SOURCE ChinaFlashMarket
ST. LUCIA, West Indies, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Chairman's Reserve Rum has adopted the Mai Tai as its signature cocktail. As part of the brand's re-launch campaign, Chairman's Reserve conducted regional Mai Tai cocktail competitions in sophisticated spirit markets around the globe. These competitions are part of a worldwide educational effort and multi-market challenge to the world's top bartenders to discover the authentic roots of the Mai Tai, one of rum's most popular cocktails.

BOTTLE SHOT

"It is without question, that an authentic Mai Tai should feature a benchmark pure English-style rum," explains Michael Speakman, Sales and Marketing Director for St. Lucia Distillers. "The Mai Tai is unfortunately misunderstood as a classic tiki cocktail despite the revolution of the trends in today's cocktail culture." The opportunity to adopt the Mai Tai as part of Chairman's Reserve's re-launch into some of the world's top cocktail markets is smart because it allows the brand to communicate on a natural platform with the rum buffs and collaborate with talented world class bartenders. Mr. Speakman continues, "Chairman's Reserve can be a staple in the Mai Tai, tiki's timeless archetypal cocktail."

The upcoming and final phase of Chairman's Reserve Mai Tai immersion program commences in St. Lucia on Oct. 19th to the 23rd. It will be hosted by Chairman's Reserve hospitality partner, Marigot Bay Resort and Marina. Bartenders from the USA, United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, and France will create their finest Mai Tai with Chairman's Reserve. These champions will exchange ideas and methods with local Saint Lucian bartenders; further encouraging the international community to explore and experience the local heritage and culture of Saint Lucia and the island's famed hospitality.

Everyone will mingle in with the local bartenders for an intensive Chairman's Reserve rum training, collaborate with international rum experts, and share global cocktail trends. Each night the visiting bartenders will treat guests of the Marigot Bay Resort and Marina to Chairman's Reserve cocktails created with inspiration from the city or country they come from. For more information please visit: www.chairmansreserverum.com/mai-tai

To book an exclusive 3-night package with the resort and attend the Mai Tai challenge please visit: www.marigotbayresort.com/offer/mai-tai-package

ABOUT CHAIRMAN'S RESERVE

Chairman's Reserve is Saint Lucia's premiere rum and the global icon brand within the St. Lucia Distillers portfolio. Our historic distillery is nestled in the scenically beautiful and agriculturally rich Roseau valley on the Caribbean island of St Lucia. A variety of distillations and oak casks are used to blend Chairman's Reserve. The marriage of older rums with younger rums of different body and character is the philosophical backbone of Chairman's Reserve and has made the brand an absolute "must-have" for anyone who appreciates fine rum. For more information please visit www.chairmansreserverum.com

ABOUT MARIGOT BAY RESORT AND MARINA

Marigot Bay Resort and Marina is an authentic, welcoming and luxurious five-star resort offering infinity pools, spa facilities, fine dining restaurants and its own magnificent international mega-yacht marina - all topped off with an impeccable service that consistently goes above and beyond expectations. We live and breathe the traditional Caribbean culture that encourages welcoming guests into our home with open arms and the signature service standard is at the heart of our resort. For more information please visit www.marigotbayresort.com

Contact:

Benjamin Jones

SPIRIBAM; Director

[email protected]

Related Links

Mai Tai Challenge

Mai Tai Package

SOURCE Chairman's Reserve

Related Links

http://www.chairmansreserve.com


SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Clarus, a leading life sciences investment firm, today announced the appointment of Ian Clark to Operating Partner. Mr. Clark will be based in the firm's South San Francisco office.

Mr. Clark most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Genentech and as Head of Roche's North American Commercial Operations.

"We are thrilled to have Ian join Clarus as we expand our R&D risk-sharing investment platform to include commercial opportunities," Clarus Managing Director Nick Simon said. "His extensive and successful background in the launch of over 14 FDA approved new molecular entities, including Avastin and Tecentriq, strengthens our R&D, operational and deal-structuring expertise."

"Ian's extensive networks throughout the healthcare industry also will play an important role in helping us identify and expand our risk-sharing partnerships with leading healthcare companies."

Mr. Clark joined Genentech in 2003 as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Bio-oncology. By 2006, he was named Executive Vice President, Commercial Operations, and became a member of the Executive Committee. Mr. Clark was named head of Global Product Strategy and Chief Marketing Officer of Roche in April 2009.

Prior to joining Genentech, Mr. Clark served as general manager of Novartis Canada, where he oversaw all of the company's operations, and as Chief Operating Officer for Novartis United Kingdom. Mr. Clark has held executive positions in sales and marketing for Sanofi and Ivax in the United Kingdom, France and Eastern Europe, and began his career at Searle.

Currently, Mr. Clark serves on the boards of Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Kite Pharmaceuticals, and Shire PLC. Since 2009, he has served on the boards of directors of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, or BIO, and the Gladstone Foundation, and he also is a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's Economic Advisory Council. Mr. Clark received a bachelor of science degree and an honorary doctorate in Biological Sciences from Southampton University in the United Kingdom.

About Clarus

Clarus is a leading global investment firm dedicated to life sciences. Founded in 2005 by a team of accomplished investment and operating professionals, Clarus manages over $2.6 billion, and has invested in more than 50 private and public companies in the biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic spaces. In every investment, Clarus employs a hands-on approach while leveraging its scientific and clinical development expertise, and ability to adapt to an ever-changing investment landscape. Clarus strives to generate outstanding returns for its investors by identifying and financing innovative medicines that improve people's lives.

Clarus has offices in Cambridge, MA, and South San Francisco, CA. For more information please visit www.clarusfunds.com.

Media Contact

Sarah Parker

[email protected]

617 949 2176

SOURCE Clarus
MANILA, Philippines, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cloudera, Inc. (NYSE: CLDR), the modern platform for machine learning and analytics optimized for the cloud, announced that Globe Telecom has used the Cloudera platform to successfully enhance customer experience and deliver real-time targeted marketing campaigns and offers to its 60 million customers. Globe Telecom, a leading provider of telecommunication services in the Philippines, is using machine learning with Cloudera to enrich customer experiences across channels and deliver targeted and optimized products and services, while maintaining compliance with the latest industry data regulations.

As expanding numbers of consumers adopt a digital lifestyle, telecommunications companies like Globe Telecom are looking to manage the increased volume of data with technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) to glean real-time insights of consumer behavior.

Globe Telecom's mobile data traffic grew 85 percent from 151 petabytes (PB) in 2016 to 280 PB this year and mobile data is a growing and significant contributor to total mobile revenues for the first half of 2017 versus the similar period a year ago, according to Globe's quarterly results announcement.

"To sustain our growth, we are always looking for ways to improve customer experiences across our channels and touchpoints. Our ability to strategically manage and monetize information about our customers will enable us to deliver value-added products and further differentiate ourselves in today's competitive business landscape," said Gil Genio, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Globe Telecom.

With Cloudera Enterprise now at the core of Globe Telecom's data management architecture, the increasing volumes of data are ingested from different sources and channels into a centralized data hub and made available to all employees across the organization with full fidelity and security.

"Telecommunications companies are known for the large amount of consumer data they collect daily, but are challenged to manage and use the data effectively," said Mark Micallef, regional vice president, Asia Pacific and Japan at Cloudera. "Cloudera's platform scales to today's and future data volumes and delivers machine learning and advanced analytics techniques to become data and insight driven. Globe Telecom can now use data to gain valuable insights, make accurate business decisions faster and deliver targeted marketing campaigns and offers to enhance their customer's experience."

Additional Resources

Watch Cloudera E-Sessions online to gain first hand insights into data science principles, practices, applications and solutions

Read more about how Cloudera Enterprise is powering the telecommunications industry

About Globe Telecommunications

Globe Telecom is the leading full service telecommunications company in the Philippines, serving the needs of consumers and businesses across an entire suite of products and services including mobile, fixed, broadband, data connections, internet and managed services. Its principals are Ayala Corporation and Singtel who are acknowledged industry leaders in the country and in the region. For more information, visit globe.com.ph. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/talk2Globe and Facebook: facebook.com/GlobePH.

About Cloudera

At Cloudera, we believe that data can make what is impossible today, possible tomorrow. We empower people to transform complex data into clear and actionable insights. We are the modern platform for machine learning and analytics optimized for the cloud. The world's largest enterprises trust Cloudera to help solve their most challenging business problems. Learn more at cloudera.com.

Connect with Cloudera

About Cloudera: cloudera.com/more/about.html

Read our VISION blog: vision.cloudera.com/ and Engineering blog: blog.cloudera.com/

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/cloudera

Visit us on Facebook: facebook.com/cloudera

Join the Cloudera Community: community.cloudera.com

Read about our customers' successes: cloudera.com/more/customers.html

https://www.cloudera.com/customers.html

Cloudera, Hue and associated marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cloudera Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

This press release contains forward-looking statements including, among other things, statements regarding the expected performance and benefits of Cloudera's offerings. The words "believe," "may," "will," "plan," "expect," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. If the risks materialize or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. Risks include, but are not limited to, risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our Form S-1 Registration Statement, and our future reports that we may file with the SEC from time to time, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. Cloudera assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

SOURCE Cloudera, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cloudera.com


Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy
According to the market research report "Combat Management System Market by Sub-System (Self-Defense, Situational Awareness, Track Management, Identification, Unmanned Vehicle), Component (Hardware, Software), Platform (Destroyers, Submarines, Frigates, Corvettes) and Region - Global Forecast to 2022" , published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is projected to grow from USD 298.3 Million in 2016 to USD 365.5 Million by 2022, at a CAGR of 3.57% during the forecast period.The growth of the market is supported by factors such as growing demand for advanced situational awareness systems for naval ships and submarines and increase in upgradation of combat management systems by different navies across the world.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 71 Market Data Tables and 38 Figures spread through 131 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Combat Management System Market - Global Forecast to 2022"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/combat-management-system-market-211379111.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report



Based on component, the software segment is expected to lead the combat management system market during the forecast period

On the basis of component, the software segment is projected to lead the combat management system market from 2017 to 2022 due to the high development cost of software, which is based on the complex architecture of the combat management system.

Based on sub-system, the unmanned vehicle control system segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Based on sub-system, the unmanned vehicle control system segment of the combat management system market is projected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period, owing to the increase in adoption of unmanned vehicles, such as UAVs, UUVs, and UGVs in naval combat operations.

Download PDF Brochure : http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=211379111

Based on platform, the corvettes segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Based on platform, the corvettes segment of the combat management system market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2017 to 2022, owing to the increase in deliveries of corvettes.

Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing market for combat management systems during the forecast period

The combat management system market in the Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period due to the increase in combat ship building activities and deliveries of combat vessels in this region. Most of the countries in the region, such as China, India, Japan, Philippines, and Taiwan, are increasing their naval capabilities by upgrading existing naval systems to combat management systems. These upgradations are expected to drive the demand for combat management systems in the region.

Inquiry Before Buy @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=211379111

Major players operating in the combat management system market include BAE Systems plc (UK), Elbit Systems Ltd. (Israel), Kongsberg Gruppen ASA (Norway), Leonardo S.p.A.(Italy), Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), Raytheon Company (US), Saab AB (Sweden), and Thales Group (France), among others.

Browse Related Reports

Battlefield Management System (BMS) Market by Platform (Headquarter, Vehicle, Soldier), System (Computing System, Navigation and Imaging System, Communication and Networking System), Component and Region - Global Forecast to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/battlefield-management-systems-market-165590884.html

Active Protection System Market by End User (Defense, Homeland Security), Platform (Land-Based, Naval, Airborne), Kill System Type (Soft Kill System, Hard Kill System, Reactive Armor), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/active-protection-system-market-5804076.html

Subscribe Reports from Aerospace & Defence Domain @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.

Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.

MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.

Contact:

Mr. Rohan

MarketsandMarkets

701 Pike Street

Suite 2175, Seattle,

WA 98101, United States

Tel: +1-888-600-6441

Email: [email protected]



Visit Our [email protected] http://mnmblog.org/market-research/aerospace-defence

Connect us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets



SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
RESTON, Va., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore, Inc. (OTC: SCOR) announced today a number of significant actions intended to move the Company forward.

Special Committee Formed and Board Realignment

comScore's Board of Directors has formed a Special Committee composed of two of the recently appointed independent directors: Jacques Kerrest and Sue Riley. In connection with its mandate, the Special Committee unanimously recommended a refreshment of the Board and its membership. Following this recommendation, directors William Engel, Russell Fradin, Lisa Gersh, Mark Harris, William J. Henderson, Ronald J. Korn and Joshua Peirez have each made a determination to depart from the Company's Board of Directors. As a result of these departures, the size of the Board has been reduced to five and is now composed of the following directors: Gian Fulgoni (Chief Executive Officer), Jacques Kerrest, Bill Livek (President and Executive Vice Chairman), Sue Riley and Brent Rosenthal.

The Special Committee is authorized to oversee the engagement process with Starboard Value LP, a 4.9% stockholder. While the Special Committee is focused on near-term issues facing the Company, it is authorized and intends to undertake a full financial, operating and strategic review of long term opportunities to maximize value for all stockholders.

Sue Riley, the Company's newly appointed Board Chair, said, "Since joining the Board, the members of the Special Committee have immersed themselves in the challenges and opportunities the Company faces and are working closely with the Company's management and the other Board members to move the Company forward. The announcements we are making today are strong and positive steps in the right direction. To that end, we are grateful to Messrs. Fradin, Harris, Henderson, Korn and Peirez, to Ms. Gersh and to Mr. Engel, who joined the Board through the Rentrak merger, for their considerable effort."

King & Spalding is serving as the Special Committee's legal advisor and Jones Day is serving as the Company's legal advisor. Goldman Sachs is serving as the Company's financial advisor.

Appointment of Interim Chief Financial Officer

The Company also announced today that the Board has appointed David Kay, co-founder and managing partner of CrossCountry Consulting LLC ("CrossCountry"), as Interim Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Kay succeeds David Chemerow, who resigned as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer on September 8, 2017 to pursue other opportunities. Mr. Kay will report directly to the CEO, Mr. Fulgoni, and will have responsibility for the Company's finance and accounting functions until a permanent CFO is appointed. CrossCountry has been providing accounting consulting services to comScore in connection with the Company's previously announced audit committee investigation, its pending restatements and the audit process since July 2016, and Mr. Kay has been working closely with the Company in that role.

Mr. Kay has over 30 years of public accounting and finance function experience and has served as an executive level CFO for large public and private companies, including J.E. Robert Companies and MuniMae, a board and audit committee member at various public companies, and has consulted on accounting, auditing and SEC- related matters as co-founder and managing partner of CrossCountry. Through his prior leadership roles, Mr. Kay brings to comScore deep expertise in the areas of financial and SEC reporting and internal controls.

"I would like to thank David Chemerow for his contributions since joining comScore last year. After serving as Chief Operating Officer and CFO of Rentrak, he joined us as Chief Revenue Officer following the merger. He was a critical member of our team and we appreciate his willingness to step into the role of CFO at the time that he did. He worked tirelessly and in the best interests of all of our stakeholders. We wish him well in his future endeavors," stated Fulgoni.

Sue Riley, Chair of comScore's Board and Audit Committee, commented, "David Kay brings a strong track record of financial accounting and significant public company experience, and will play a key role on our leadership team during the restatement process."

Riley continued, "In addition, as I spearhead the restatement process in my capacity as Audit Committee chair, I am looking forward to continuing a constructive dialogue with our key stockholders."

Update on Pending Restatements and Audits

The Company also provided an update with respect to its pending financial statement restatement process. The Company continues to work diligently to complete the restatement process and to regain compliance with its periodic reporting requirements as soon as practicable. While the Company has made substantial progress and has achieved a number of key milestones, the restatement process and related audits have been more complex and time-consuming than previously anticipated. There are several areas that have required significantly more work than originally expected, including determining the adjustments for monetary transactions. The accounting for the Company's thousands of customer contracts can be complex and the process is compounded by there being a large number of small dollar contracts. Completing this review has required significantly more time than was originally projected.

As the targeted timing for completing the audits and filing the financial reports with the SEC has moved closer to the end of the current year, the Company must also prepare its 2017 financial statements and complete the related audit. Consequently, the Company now intends to complete and file restated financial information for 2013 and 2014 together with audited financial statements for fiscal years 2015, 2016 and 2017 in a consolidated filing with the SEC, the earliest date for which is expected to be in March 2018.

"Our entire team has been working extremely hard to complete the restatement and audit process. We regret the need to extend further the date for filing our restated financials and we share the frustration of our stockholders. However, to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the past four years of financial information we will be reporting and to ensure that we are also able to include audited financial statements for 2017, the Board has determined that additional time is needed. In the meantime, I firmly believe in comScore's future based on the compelling opportunities we see for organic growth within our existing and new products," said Fulgoni.

Proposed Settlement of Litigation

comScore also announced that it has successfully reached agreement on proposed settlement terms in several pending class action and derivative legal proceedings.

comScore has reached a proposed settlement, subject to court approval, to settle the consolidated securities class action pending against the Company and certain current and former directors and officers of the Company in Fresno County Employees' Retirement Association, et. al. v comScore, Inc., et. al, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Under the terms of the proposed settlement, the stockholders in the class action will receive a total of $27.2 million in cash and $82.8 million in comScore common stock to be issued and contributed by comScore to a settlement fund to resolve all claims asserted against the Company. All of the $27.2 million in cash would be funded by comScore's insurers. comScore may also fund all or a portion of the $82.8 million with cash in lieu of comScore common stock. The proposed settlement further provides that comScore denies all claims of wrongdoing or liability.

If this proposed settlement is approved by the court, a notice to the class members will be sent with information regarding the allocation and distribution of the settlement fund and instructions on procedures to follow to make a claim on the settlement fund.

"We believe this proposed settlement eliminates the burden of further time, expense and risk related to the class action, allowing the comScore team to focus on the restatement and executing on our operational initiatives for growth," stated Fulgoni.

comScore also reached another proposed settlement, subject to court approval, to resolve shareholder derivative actions on behalf of the Company pending against certain current and former directors and officers of the Company. Such shareholder derivative actions consist (i) of In re comScore, Inc. Shareholder Derivative Litigation, first filed December 23, 2016 and pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York; (ii) In re comScore, Inc. Virginia Shareholder Derivative Litigation, first filed May 12, 2016 and pending in the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia; and (iii) George Assad v. Gian Fulgoni et al., filed April 14, 2017 and pending in the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Virginia. Under the terms of the proposed settlement, comScore would receive a $10 million cash payment, funded by comScore's insurer. Pursuant to this proposed settlement, comScore has agreed, subject to court approval, to contribute $8 million in comScore common stock toward the payment of attorneys' fees. comScore has also agreed as part of the proposed settlement to adopt certain corporate governance and compliance terms that were negotiated by derivative plaintiffs' counsel and comScore.

In addition, comScore previously reached an agreement in principle in April 2017 to settle all claims in the consolidated shareholders litigation designated In re Rentrak Corporation Shareholders Litigation, pending in the Multnomah County Circuit Court in Oregon against the Company, Rentrak Corporation and certain current and former directors and officers of Rentrak. Under the terms of the proposed settlement, the defendants or their insurers agreed to pay the plaintiff class $19 million, of which amount comScore would contribute $1.66 million, or approximately 9 percent. The court granted preliminary approval of the proposed settlement on May 25, 2017. A fairness hearing for final approval of the settlement is scheduled for September 12, 2017.

About comScore

comScore is a leading cross-platform measurement company that measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. comScore completed its merger with Rentrak Corporation in January 2016, to create the new model for a dynamic, cross-platform world. Built on precision and innovation, comScore's data footprint combines proprietary digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast demographic details to quantify consumers' multiscreen behavior at massive scale. This approach helps media companies monetize their complete audiences and allows marketers to reach these audiences more effectively. With more than 3,200 clients and a global footprint in more than 75 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. Shares of comScore stock are currently traded on the OTC Market (OTC: SCOR). For more information on comScore, please visit comscore.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, comScore's expectations as to the timeline for completing the Company's financial re-restatement process and the impact on historical financial information, expectations concerning discussions with Starboard and expectations with respect to the proposed litigation settlements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from expectations, including, but not limited to, the difficulty of predicting the timing of the completion of the Company's financial restatements and related audits, its impact on the Company's historical financial information, and the timing of the related filings; costs, risks and uncertainties associated with the restatements and audits; costs, risks and uncertainties associated with pending litigation described herein; risks relating to the substantial costs and diversion of personnel's attention and resources deployed to address the financial reporting and internal control matters and related litigation; and costs, risks and uncertainties associated with discussions with Starboard. For additional discussion of risk factors, please refer to filings that comScore makes from time to time with the SEC and which are available on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).

Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. comScore does not intend or undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Press Contact:

Andrew Lipsman

comScore, Inc.

312-775-6510

[email protected]

SOURCE comScore, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.comscore.com


SAN FRANCISCO, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The global conductive textiles market is expected to be valued at USD 4.29 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising awareness about the high-tech wearables that can protect the wearer, enable health monitoring, track the surrounding environment and provide protection from hazardous pollutants in the environment are the factors propelling market growth.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160524/371361LOGO )



The augmenting demand from healthcare as well as military industries is proposed to accelerate the growth of the market. Expanding uses of conductive wearables to track the battlefield, protect the soldier from attacks and constantly monitor health are attracting conductive textiles in military and medical industries.

The increasing public funded research and development coupled with various other government incentives are projected to accelerate the production and thereby demand for the market. Various EU funded projects have drawn a number of manufacturers towards the market on account of developing innovative products to stay competitive in the market.

Military and healthcare segments are expected to collectively account for 56.6% of the global market in 2025. The demand for these segments is attributed to smart and easy to carry wearables that are flame, chemical, heat, moisture and perspiration resistant and enable the wearer to track his heart rate, breathing and blood pressure. The technological advancements in the products so as to enhance the conductivity and performance of the garments is likely to fuel the demand for conductive textiles over the forecast period.

North America is the leading region owing to the early adoption and acceptance of conductive textiles from the consumers. Extensive research and development carried out by leading manufacturers in countries such as the U.S and Canada is anticipated to propel the market growth. Technological advancements along with innovative product developments in the region are proposed to augment the demand for the market. Countries like Germany, U.K, China, India and Japan in the European and Asia Pacific regions are also rapidly developing markets for conductive textiles.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Conductive Textiles Market Analysis, By Fabric (Cotton, Nylon, Polyester and Wool), By Type, By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South & Central America, MEA) And Segment Forecasts 2014 - 2025"at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/conductive-textiles-market

Further key findings from the report suggest

The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.4% from 2017 to 2025 on account of increasing awareness and adoption of conductive electronic based fabrics. Sports and fitness segment is expected to witness fastest growth rate of 17.9%, in terms of revenue, from 2017 to 2025 owing to high product demand in developed as well as emerging countries.

North America was valued at USD 472.9 million in 2016 and is expected to witness significant development on account of rising demand from military as well as medical sectors.

was valued at in 2016 and is expected to witness significant development on account of rising demand from military as well as medical sectors. Key participants include Toray Industries, 3M, Bekaert, Laird PLC, Statex Productions, Seiren Co Ltd., Holland Shielding Systems, Herculite, AIQ Smart Clothing and Wujiang City Yuzhen Textile Co. Ltd. These companies are focused on extensive innovation and increasing their production capacities to fulfill the worldwide massive product demand.

In 2017, Toray signed a long term agreement on high performance carbon fiber with Avio, a leading Italian aerospace company as an expansion strategy.

Browse related reports by Grand View Research:

Automotive Interior Materials Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/automotive-interior-materials-market

Chemical Protective Clothing Market- http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/chemical-protective-clothing-market

Industrial Diamond Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/industrial-diamond-market

Cement Additive Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cement-additive-market

Grand View Research has segmented the conductive textiles market on the basis of fabric, type and region:

Fabric Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Cotton Nylon Polyester Wool

Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Woven Non-woven Knitted

Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) North America The U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany U.K France Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China India Japan South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific South & Central America Brazil Rest of South & Central America The Middle East and Africa



Read Our Blog By Grand View Research: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/advanced-materials

About Grand View Research

Grand 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.



Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc

Phone: +1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: [email protected]



Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com

SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
BATON ROUGE, La., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As Hurricane Irma sweeps across the U.S. causing extensive damage, CrowdRelief, a Louisiana based initiative, mobilizes an onslaught of volunteers to help rescue her victims. This current effort is a duplication of the plans executed for Louisiana's 1000 Year Flood last year and the recent Hurricane Harvey, under the project names the Cajun Navy, the Texas Navy and now the CrowdRelief Florida Rescue Team.

Texas Navy Rescue photo by Clark Miller

The founders of the Cajun Relief Foundation and now CrowdRelief, Rob Gaudet and Melissa Adair, co-engineered the first Cajun Navy from behind the scenes in response to Louisiana's severe flooding last August (2016).

"In the first days of our involvement with the Cajun Navy it became clear to us that this new model was a form of organic rescue where concerned citizens would gather online to work with others who had equipment on the ground to 'rescue' other citizens in need." - Rob Gaudet

Cajun Relief's leadership team spent the past year in Baton Rouge assisting the community following the torrential rain storm which damaged or destroyed 150,000 homes.

"We proved with the Cajun Navy that positioning technology for engaging local citizens during a disaster is faster, more effective and costs much less than waiting for relief from an outside organization." - Melissa Adair

To carry the idea beyond the Cajun Navy, the team at the Cajun Relief Foundation created CrowdRelief. CrowdRelief technology allows anyone to play a role in disaster rescue and relief even if they are not in the geographic area of the disaster. The platform is designed to enable tech savvy citizens, and rescuers to work together. The "dispatchers" use social media to accept internet based help requests, and they dispatch those needs to citizens who are on the scene to meet the need.

CrowdRelief also leverages citizen compassion for collaborative and efficient long term recovery work. The web and mobile platform developed for nonprofits and citizens, allows them to work together on long term recovery strategies, and CrowdRelief also has additional apps in development to increase future productivity.

"The goal of Cajun Relief and its partner groups is to increase a knowledge base for future catastrophic events with relevant data; to better anticipate survivor needs in each phase of recovery; to increase the efficiency of non-profit, private and governmental agencies; and to utilize technology for an improved and more targeted response."

- Shanna Forrestall

CrowdRelief is currently seeking additional volunteers to assist with rescue and recovery projects from the current storms, as well as partners for continued app development. Learn more at www.crowdrelief.net.

Follow the current Texas Navy initiative at www.facebook.com/texasnavy. Donate to the work of the Cajun Relief Foundation at www.cajunrelief.org/donate.

CAJUN RELIEF - www.cajunrelief.org - a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in September 2016 by Rob Gaudet and Melissa Adair.

TEXAS NAVY - www.facebook.com/texasnavy - was organized on August 26th by the original members of the Cajun Navy boater group which provided humanitarian assistance to those affected by last year's flooding in Louisiana and have now organized a similar organic citizen-led relief operation in Houston, Texas.

CROWDRELIEF - www.facebook.com/crowdrelief - is a platform with cutting edge apps created for citizens and nonprofits to collaborate for successful rescue, disaster relief and reconstruction work.

FORRESTALL CONSULTING - www.forrestallconsulting.com - is a social media and marketing agency based in Los Angeles, run by Louisiana native Shanna Forrestall. Currently supporting Cajun Relief and CrowdRelief with data collection, volunteer recruitment and digital content in disaster affected areas.

Requests for Information/Interviews:

Melissa Adair

[email protected]

Telephone: (404)918-5299

SOURCE CrowdRelief

Related Links

http://www.crowdrelief.net


NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten years ago last week, on September 6, 2007, Israel reportedly bombed an eastern Syrian complex which was reportedly a nuclear reactor being built with the assistance of North Korea. The planned attack had begun months before in a quiet Vienna neighborhood. In an article for The New Yorker, David Makovsky painted a graphic picture of the preparations surrounding the secret operation: "In the first days of March 2007, Mossad agents made a daring raid on the Vienna home of Ibrahim Othman, the head of the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission. Othman was in town attending a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors, and had stepped out. In less than an hour, the Mossad operatives swept in, extracted top-secret information from Othman's computer, and left without a trace."

An attack on a Syrian reactor (photo credit:Reuters) Dr. Mike Evans is the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem

Innovative measures aren't always heralded on the front page of The New York Times or International Herald Tribune. Such was the case when the Israel Air Force struck, according to foreign sources, a suspected nuclear site northwest of Damascus on that September day. In the aftermath of the attack, global attention focused on Syria's nuclear ambitions, but little was released about the actual incursion.

Few knew that prior to the incursion then-prime minister Ehud Olmert had contacted US president George W. Bush and asked the US to bomb the compound that housed the nuclear facility. According to Bush, an intelligence report had crossed his desk noting a "well-hidden facility in the eastern desert of Syria."

The former president felt he had no clear justification for such a move and declined Olmert's request.

On September 6, I met with Olmert.

Behind his desk sat a picture of him and George W. Bush standing back-to-back.

The dedication written on the picture said, "I have your back." Ehud told me that the president had offered to send secretary of state Condoleezza Rice to Israel on a diplomatic mission, and the prime minister refused. Olmert said, "No, we don't need diplomacy; I need you to take it out  or I will." President Bush declined; Olmert gave the green light for an attack.

As information on the mission began to emerge, it was revealed that this was likely the first incidence of "electronic" combat  also called "non-kinetic" warfare.

Such warfare involves the use of electromagnetic transmissions to alter, destroy, or seize the opposition's military systems without initiating perceptible loss. It is, in essence, military computer hacking and electronic intelligence methods designed to reduce enemy capabilities. Israel discovered it was not only conceivable, but doable.

As the incursion was being made ready, an Israeli strike force slipped into Tall al-Abyad, Syria, a border town near Turkey. The group disabled two radar systems, enabling Israeli jets to overfly airspace without detection by the Syrian air force. That was a major coup, as Syrian radar defenses were considered the most complex and exhaustive in the Middle East.

The actual bombing run was reportedly carried out by 10 Israeli F-15I Ra'am fighter jets attached to the IAF 69th Squadron. According to a 2013 article at Pravda Report the aircraft were armed with laser-guided bombs and were escorted by F-16I Sufa fighter jets. Three of the F-15s were reportedly ordered back to base, while the remaining seven continued towards Syria.

In the early morning hours, Israeli pilots whispered, "Arizona," the code to alert those in Jerusalem who were monitoring the mission that the reactor had been destroyed and not a pilot had been lost.

Following the attack, Olmert reportedly contacted Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to inform him of the circumstances. Erdogan was then asked to forward a communique to Syria's President Bashar Assad.

The message in blunt form: "Don't try to build another nuclear plant."



The Syrian dictator was urged not to make media fodder of the attack, and was assured the Israelis would show restraint as well. Caught in a trap of his own making, Assad could not retaliate for the destruction of a nuclear reactor he averred did not exist.



Questions to Israeli sources regarding how the feat was accomplished were met with restrained silence by Israel and a false report by the Syrian Arab News Agency. It was erroneously stated that the Israelis "dropped some ammunition" and departed Syrian airspace leaving behind no damage.



After the successful attack, Olmert visited president Bush in the White House. The president invited Ehud upstairs to the private residence where he opened a closet and offered the prime minister a cigar. The two men walked out on the Truman Balcony overlooking the south lawn; each lit a cigar in celebration of the successful attack on Syria's nuclear site.



The area of Syria that housed the reactor is now home to Islamic State terrorists. Who knows what evil would have been perpetrated had the Syrians been left to develop nuclear capabilities? As with the destruction of Saddam Hussein's Osirak facility prior to the ISIS takeover in Iraq, the world owes a great debt of gratitude to Israel.



The author is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem and a member of President Donald Trump's Founding Faith Board.

SOURCE Friends of Zion
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy is prepared for potentially widespread power outages in western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina Monday night and into Tuesday. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph from what is now Tropical Storm Irma are expected to blow trees and large branches onto power lines in both states.

Restoration could take several days in certain areas, depending on the severity of damage to Duke Energy's electric distribution system.

"More than 4,500 storm responders, including power line workers, tree professionals, damage assessors and support personnel, are positioned across North Carolina and South Carolina, ready to quickly respond to power outages wherever they occur," said Tim Tripp, Duke Energy's director of storm response for the Carolinas.

"We'll work to safely restore power as quickly as possible  and won't stop until every customer's lights are back on," Tripp said.

How to report power outages, check on restoration progress

Customers can report power outages by:

Texting OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply)

Calling the automated outage-reporting system at 800-769-3766 for Duke Energy Carolinas customers and 800-419-6356 for Duke Energy Progress customers.

For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy).

For more information, visit www.duke-energy.com/irma.

Important safety reminders

Have an emergency kit ready for use.

Charge cellphones, computers and other electronic devices in advance of the storm to stay connected to important safety and response information. Consider purchasing portable chargers and make sure they are fully charged as well.

Finalize plans to move family members  especially those with medical or other special needs  to a safe, alternative location in case an extended power outage occurs or evacuation is required.

Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines.

Report all power line hazards using the following phone numbers:

Duke Energy customers  800.769.3766



Duke Energy Progress customers  800.419.6356

If a power line falls across a car that you're in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.

For more tips on general emergency preparedness, visit www.ready.gov.

Click here for a video demonstration and to read more about safety around power lines.

Strengthening power delivery in the Carolinas

Duke Energy has invested more than $2.7 billion in the Carolinas to harden and upgrade its power delivery system since 2004. In addition to trimming trees and inspecting / replacing wood poles, the company has invested in grid automation and smart grid technologies, which improve service reliability and reduces the length and number of outages year-round.

The company is also moving forward with billions of dollars of investments in the Carolinas that include such grid hardening efforts as moving underground some overhead services that are routinely affected by dense vegetation and retrofitting hundreds of thousands of transformers with new technology to prevent animal interference and lightning strikes.

Duke Energy

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company's Gas Utilities and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the United States.

Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com.

The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online destination for stories about people, innovations, and community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and insights into the future of energy.

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy

Related Links

http://www.duke-energy.com


DURHAM, N.C., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Eco-Site, LLC (www.eco-site.com), a North Carolina-based wireless tower and infrastructure company, announces the commitment of an additional $20 million in private equity funding.

Accelerated by carrier demand for coverage and capacity, Eco-Site's nationwide wireless infrastructure build has attracted more than $90 million of new capital for the company this year. This latest funding was led by Atlanta-based MSouth Equity Partners, a private equity investment firm that has partnered with Eco-Site since 2012.

"The wireless infrastructure industry, and especially Eco-Site, is experiencing exceptional growth," says Dale Carey, CEO, Eco-Site. "The pace of our expansion is indicative of our continued momentum, due in large part to the strength of our model and the abilities of our team."

Barry Boniface, partner, MSouth Equity Partners says, "We knew years ago that Eco-Site was primed to be a key player in the wireless industry. We are pleased to support the company's continued growth."

For more information about Eco-Site solutions, please visit www.eco-site.com/services. To learn more about the company, please visit www.eco-site.com/about.

About Eco-Site

Eco-Site builds, owns and operates wireless towers and infrastructure sites in the most desirable areas. Founded by wireless industry executives with extensive carrier and infrastructure experience, we provide superior real estate solutions for network densification and expansion. Eco-Site offers single-point access to a nationwide pool of sites, including build-to-suit towers, colocation solutions and retail properties. Our unique approach provides carriers customized, scalable results to meet their ever-changing network needs.

Eco-Site is headquartered in Durham, N.C., with offices nationwide. To learn more about how we are changing wireless network expansion, visit www.eco-site.com.

Company Contact:

Allison Warner

Eco-Site

919-636-6811

[email protected]

Media Contact:

Dan Gauss

Koroberi

202-588-0393

[email protected]

SOURCE Eco-Site, LLC
The Falvey Summit's focus is "Innovation Starts Here", gathering Falvey supporters to showcase the company's abilities, technology and people, demonstrating the continued success as a growing company. This commitment to innovation and people is one reason why these attendees are traveling from around the globe to attend this event. Furthermore, attendees will see how a small Rhode Island company of just under 100 people on staff competes with, and beats, the giants of AIG, Chubb, and Travelers in this specialty market by attending a series of informational sessions showcasing Falvey's expertise.

In addition to the sessions, Summit attendees will enjoy local Rhode Island hot spots in South County including a final gathering at The Dunes Club in Narragansett. The Falvey Summit is not only a major event for Falvey Insurance Group, but a great chance to showcase how Rhode Island grown companies can compete, and shine, on a global stage.

For more information, please visit the new Falvey Insurance Group website at www.falveyinsurancegroup.com.

About Falvey Insurance Group

Falvey Insurance Group began as a single division, Falvey Cargo Underwriting, opening its first office in 1995 in Wakefield, RI. After 20+ years, the company has evolved into Falvey Insurance Group, comprised of four divisions: Falvey Cargo Underwriting, Falvey Shippers Insurance, Falvey Yacht Insurance and Safe Harbor Pollution Insurance becoming, "The Specialized Insurance Experts" in maritime coverage. Falvey underwrites on behalf of Lloyd's of London, Navigators Insurance Group, C.V. Starr, Berkshire Hathaway and Argonaut Insurance Company. The flexibility, proactive customer service, claims processing excellence, and comprehensive knowledge that Falvey companies are known for is unparalleled in the insurance industry. Falvey was founded with a focus on relationships, reputation and integrity and continues to thrive with these ideals at the forefront.

Media Contact:

Megan Bell

[email protected]

(401) 214-5600

SOURCE Falvey Insurance Group

Related Links

http://www.falveyinsurancegroup.com


TROY, Mich., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagstar Bank and the Southeastern Michigan Economic Data Center (SEMEDC), a unit of Oakland University's business school, have teamed up to expand SEMEDC's analysis of key economic trends and bring its insights to a broader audience.

As the presenting sponsor of the SEMEDC, Flagstar will share the center's data through its own customer relationships, social, and other media. Flagstar's sponsorship includes support for research by the university's undergraduate business students.

"Flagstar serves a large and growing base of commercial customers," said Drew Ottaway, Michigan Market president and managing director of lending for Flagstar. "We're excited to bring these customers easy access to powerful economic data that theyand the entire business communitycan use to drive growth in our local economy."

The economic data center was started by OU Economics Professor Jonathan Silberman, Ph.D., who has developed indices to measure key trends specific to Southeastern Michigan. The SEMEDC looks at trends in the labor market, building permits, vacancies, consumer prices, population, and other categories. Silberman and his students just rolled out a new index focusing on the economic vitality of the region.

"The economic vitality index taps into the heartbeat of the economy by combining job growth, unemployment rate, real wage growth, and housing price changes into a single measure of economic vitality that directly impacts households," Silberman said. "The most recent EVI for metro Detroit shows positive momentum led by housing price gains and a reduction in the unemployment rate. The EVI is available for 19 other cities and a 20-city average."

Through the SEMEDC, Silberman also provides insights on the automotive industry, including timely topics such as Detroit's lead ranking in autonomous technology patents.

About Flagstar

Flagstar Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: FBC) is a $16.0 billion savings and loan holding company headquartered in Troy, Mich. Flagstar Bank, FSB, provides commercial, small business, and consumer banking services through 99 branches in the state. It also provides home loans through a wholesale network of brokers and correspondents in all 50 states, as well as 85 retail locations in 26 states, representing the combined retail branches of Flagstar and Opes Advisors mortgage division. Flagstar is a leading national originator and servicer of mortgage loans, handling payments and record keeping for $87 billion of home loans representing 402,000 borrowers. For more information, please visit flagstar.com.

About SEMEDC

The Southeastern Michigan Economic Data Center (SEMEDC) provides state-of-the-art information and analysis on economic, demographic and business trends in Southeastern Michigan. Data compiled from a wealth of sources is available all in one convenient site. As the real-world data changes, the data and displays are updated automatically, so the information provided is always current. The SEMEDC is part of the School of Business Administration at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich.

For more information contact:

Susan Bergesen

Flagstar Bank

(248) 312-6237

Brian Bierley

Oakland University

(248) 370-4346

SOURCE Flagstar Bancorp, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.flagstar.com


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The unique memoir titled I Remember Heaven Before Earth recounts the author Lori Vander Ark's memory of heaven before being born on earth. The author Lori Vander Ark was raised in West Michigan and graduated from Unity Christian High School in Hudsonville, Michigan in 1988, now she is known as Lori Vander Ark-DeBartolo since 2002. The remarkable story entails many chapters about the author's life in West Michigan as she remarkably writes about what the angels told her about her life to come before being born on earth in modern times. The story is not a conventional memoir. However, a very interesting and enlightening read as the author writes of Biblical mysteries seemingly lost in history and now finally told by the author. A highly recommended read that reveals a ray of light to a subject matter close to all of our hearts.

Lori Vander Ark-DeBartolo

Please feel free to preview interior pages on Amazon.com and click onto the book to read the back cover. For the author's blog simply click onto the author's highlighted name next to her book on Amazon.com USA. The book is sold worldwide on Amazon.

According to Amazon's Author Central statistics the book I Remember Heaven Before Earth by Lori "Cleopatra" Vander Ark was ranked number one in book sales on Amazon in October of 2016 in comparison to over twelve thousand books for sale on Amazon.

Related Images

image1.jpg

I Remember Heaven Before Earth

image2.jpg

Back Cover: I Remember Heaven Before Earth

image3.jpg

Amazon Author Sales Graph, #1 book in October 2016!

SOURCE Lori Vander Ark-DeBartolo
Some issues need a lot of discussion and effort to get a consensus on what city residents will tolerate.

Allowing residents to raise chickens and other farm animals in residential neighborhoods is proving to be one of those issues.

The decisions to allow yard animals in municipal neighborhoods aren't of the earth-shaking variety.

They're not fraught with moral questions or objections. However, the discussions are coming up more often in communities across Iowa.

Waterloo city leadership has, in our opinion, come up with a solid compromise that seems like a good cautionary move at this juncture. 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, but it does make it easier for some city residents to raise chickens and other animals.

"It's a move that's long overdue," said Councilman Pat Morrissey, who had pushed for the ordinance. "It's a step forward; it's allowing something to happen with some very strict regulations."

Councilman Steve Schmitt cast the lone vote against the new ordinance.

"The people I've heard from are concerned about having farms in their backyard," Schmitt said. "It seems to me that allowing more farm animals in town is not going to enhance the appeal of Waterloo. . We're really opening up a Pandora's box here potentially."

Late last year, the Cedar Falls City Council voted 4-3 to maintain a ban on city residents from keeping chickens in their yards.

A Waterloo city ordinance adopted in 2011 allowed residents to keep chickens, goats or other traditional farm animals only after getting the approval of the Board of Adjustment following a public hearing.

This new ordinance allows residents to avoid the Board of Adjustment process, provided they meet some pretty significant criteria.

In the past, we have been in favor of close neighbors having an equal voice on this issue. This ordinance has provisions for that. Residents would have to have enough fenced backyard space to support the animals, plus a petition of support signed by all abutting property owners and 60 percent of those within 250 feet of their property.

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 feet of fenced yard up to a maximum of eight.

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.

"It's 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, they'll have to get support of surrounding property owners."

Neighborhood support is the key factor, and we support its inclusion in this ordinance.

This is an issue where the city should progress slowly and deliberately, making incremental changes ? in either direction ? only after observing how previous ordinances work out.

The city of Waterloo seems to have come to a palatable compromise, and we thank the council for moving cautiously on this issue.
DUBLIN, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global Marine Firefighting Equipment Market 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global marine firefighting equipment market to grow at a CAGR of 2.31% during the period 2017-2021.

The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global marine firefighting equipment market for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers the demand for firefighting equipment from the marine industry. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.

One trend in the market is restructuring of China's economy. China is the world's second-largest economy. The country is trying to restructure its economy, which is showing slow growth in recent years. The country's economic growth depends on the import of raw materials and export of finished goods. The trend in China's reform process has been initiated, which is changing the significant source for dry bulk demand and impacting the container and wet bulk sectors.

According to the report, one driver in the market is growing international market for OPVs. Maritime security operations include the action undertaken by modern naval forces to battle illegal activities like piracy, slavery, and hijacking. These ships and vessels are engaged in offshore patrolling to combat sea-based terrorism. Currently, many countries are re-directing their defense strategies due to uncertainties in some regions like the Middle East and APAC. This will impact the market positively, as an increase in the demand for naval vessels will integrate safety aspects like marine firefighting equipment.

Further, the report states that one challenge in the market is slowdown in South Korea's shipbuilding industry. The South Korean shipbuilding industry is witnessing a slowdown due to the plunge in global energy prices, overproduction of ships, and sluggishness in international trade. The country's three biggest shipbuilding companies, namely, Daewoo, Samsung Heavy Industries, and Hyundai Heavy Industries recorded losses in 2015 and 2016.

In South Korea, the shipbuilding industry is a major contributor to the economic development and is important to the country's international position. The slowdown in South Korea's shipbuilding market has affected international trade and will have a negative impact on the demand for marine firefighting equipment.

Key vendors

Akron Brass

Amerex Fire International

Asiatic Fire System

Fireboy-Xintex

Sea-Fire

Other prominent vendors

BRK Brands

Danfoss Semco

Delta Fire

Elkhart Brass Manufacturing

Fluid Global Solutions

Garbarino Pumps Asia

Hochiki Europe

Jason Engineering

Kidde-Fenwal

NAFFCO

Survitec Group



Key Topics Covered:



Part 01: Executive Summary



Part 02: Scope Of The Report



Part 03: Research Methodology



Part 04: Introduction



Part 05: Market Landscape



Part 06: Market Segmentation By Product Type



Part 07: Geographical Segmentation



Part 08: Key Leading Countries



Part 09: Decision Framework



Part 10: Drivers And Challenges



Part 11: Market Trends



Part 12: Vendor Landscape



Part 13: Key Vendor Analysis



Part 14: Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/lvftmj/global_marine

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Golub Capital recently announced that as Administrative Agent, Sole Bookrunner and Sole Lead Arranger, it provided a $146 million GOLD facility to support the acquisition of Cafe Rio, Inc. ("Cafe Rio" or the "Company") by Freeman Spogli & Co. GOLD financings are Golub Capital One-Loan Debt facilities.

Founded in 1997, Cafe Rio is an award-winning restaurant chain specializing in Mexican food. Its authentic dishes are made-from-scratch and inspired by recipes and traditional cooking found in Northern Mexico's Rio Grande region, Southern Texas and New Mexico. Cafe Rio has over 100 locations in eleven states, and has won more than 100 awards, including the Alfred P. Sloan Award for workplace flexibility, and inclusion in the Inc. 500. The Cafe Rio financing follows a series of recent transactions that Golub Capital's Middle-Market Lending group has supported in the consumer, restaurant and retail sector in the last few months.

"Cafe Rio's history of strong performance, consistent growth and experienced, responsible leadership aligns with our investment strategy of supporting high-potential middle market businesses with solid fundamentals," said Troy Oder, Managing Director at Golub Capital. "We have a long track record of success alongside Freeman Spogli, and look forward to strengthening our relationship through our partnership on Cafe Rio."

"We have a longstanding relationship with Golub Capital based on their deep sector expertise, professionalism and a track record of mutually-successful investments," said Christian Johnson, Partner at Freeman Spogli. "Their ability to reliably and consistently provide flexible, growth-oriented financing solutions will benefit the Cafe Rio platform in the years ahead."

About Golub Capital Middle-Market Lending

Golub Capital's Middle Market Lending group provides financing for middle market, private equity-backed transactions with hold positions of up to $400 million and is an arranger of credit facilities up to $750 million. Golub Capital's award-winning team strives to establish long-term, win-win partnerships by providing dependable, fast and creative solutions that meet private equity sponsors' and portfolio companies' needs.

Golub Capital is a nationally recognized credit asset manager with over $20 billion of capital under management. For over 20 years, the firm has provided credit to help medium-sized U.S. businesses grow. The firm's award-winning middle market lending business helps provide financing for middle market companies and their private equity sponsors. Golub Capital's credit expertise also forms the foundation of its Late Stage Lending and Broadly Syndicated Loan businesses. Golub Capital has worked hard to build a reputation as a fast, reliable provider of compelling financing solutions, and we believe this has inspired repeat clients and investors. Today, the firm has over 300 employees with lending offices in Chicago, New York and San Francisco. For more information, please visit www.golubcapital.com.

About Cafe Rio, Inc.

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Cafe Rio is a high-growth, fast-casual Mexican restaurant company focused on serving exceptional, made-from-scratch food. The company operates over 100 company-owned restaurants across Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

About Freeman Spogli & Co.

Freeman Spogli & Co. is a private equity firm dedicated exclusively to investing in and partnering with management in consumer-related and distribution companies in the United States. Since its founding in 1983, Freeman Spogli has invested over $4 billion in 57 portfolio companies with an aggregate transaction value of approximately $22 billion, and is currently making investments from FS Equity Partners VII, L.P. Freeman Spogli has offices in Los Angeles and New York. For additional information, visit www.freemanspogli.com.

SOURCE Golub Capital

Related Links

http://www.golubcapital.com


SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Internet giant Google appears to be manipulating its search engine results to favor opposition to bipartisan efforts seeking to amend a key Internet law so websites like Backpage that facilitate online sex trafficking can be held accountable, Consumer Watchdog said today.

Three of the top four links returned under the news tab for the search term "Section 230" were to articles from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a staunch opponent of amending the Internet law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, Consumer Watchdog found.

Searches for news results for "Section 230" on competing search engines Bing and DuckDuckGo gave links to articles presenting all sides of the issue. View screenshots of the results from the three search engines here: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/search_section_230.pdf

"Google is supposed to be an unbiased gatekeeper to information," said John M. Simpson Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project Director. "Instead they appear to be stacking the deck to favor their own purposes. You can forget their motto; this is evil."

Google is leading Tech industry efforts to block any amendment to Section 230, which protects websites from liability for material posted by third parties on their sites. The companies and other defenders of Section 230 claim it promotes and protects free expression on the Internet, but a U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations staff report shows that sites like Backpage aid and abet under-age sex traffickers using the blanket protection of the Act. By one count 73% of child trafficking reports in the United States involve Backpage.com.

The bipartisan Senate bill, the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017 (SESTA) was introduced by Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH). Its 27 cosponsors include Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO). The House bill, Rep. Ann Wagner's H.R. 1865, the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017, has 111 co-sponsors. Both would amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

"We already know that Google manipulates its search results to favor its own services," said Simpson, noting the Internet giant faces a $2.7 billion fine from European antitrust authorities for that monopolistic practice. "I guess we shouldn't be too surprised that they use their clout to surreptitiously influence a public policy debate."

Unified Tech opposition to narrowly amending Section 230 is changing, Consumer Watchdog noted. Last week Tech giant Oracle and CoStar Group, which operates Apartments.com, both endorsed S. 1639 and H.R. 1865.

In letters supporting the measures Kenneth Glueck, Oracle Senior Vice President wrote:

"As your and other investigations have demonstrated, sex trafficking has exploded in large part due to nefarious Internet actors that knowingly facilitate and profit from it. We agree that congressional action is necessary to put an end to this tragic exploitation of human beings and hold its online accomplices to account."

In his letter Andy Florence, CoStar CEO, wrote:

"As a Technology company, we believe in, and have benefited from, the growth of the Internet. We understand that an unregulated Internet provides fertile ground for the development of important new and innovative business models, and we will continue to strongly defend that openness. But when we see those driven by greed take advantage of that freedom by facilitating sex trafficking, we cannot be silent.

"The absolute immunity under section 230 of the CDA can no longer be justified at the expense of the exploitation of children."

Backpage's abuses and the fight by its victims to hold it accountable are the subject of the documentary film, I am Jane Doe, (http://www.iamjanedoefilm.com) which is now available on Netflix or can be downloaded from Google Play, iTunes or Amazon.

Visit our website at www.consumerwatchdog.org

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog

Related Links

http://www.consumerwatchdog.org


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- GoTopless is thrilled to reveal that the 'Topless Equality' proposal submitted by Berkeley councilman, Kriss Worthington to be voted on Sept. 12, is actually the initiative of a High School student in the Bay area.

"High School student, Simone, was a Berkeley City Hall intern working for Worthington over the summer," GoTopless President, Nadine Gary, explains. "That is how she suggested the proposal to the councilman. Worthington encourages his interns to write proposals on causes they are particularly drawn to."

The following statement, in Worthington's Topless Equality recommendation, was crafted by Simone: "If a woman's nipples are fit to be seen by the most innocent and impressionable portion of the population, babies and toddlers, then it stands to reason that nipples are not inherently sexual and are fit to be seen by the rest of the population, if that woman so chooses."

"GoTopless commands this young woman on her determination for human equality," says Gary. "Her sense of civic duty far surpasses the one found in millions of Americans who already have voting privileges and are apathetic to social justice except, perhaps, for the occasional comment on social media."

"Actions speak louder than words," presses Gary. "Maitreya Rael, who inspired the founding of GoTopless, calls this a true cultural revolution."

GoTopless invites the public to come to Berkeley Council Chambers on Tuesday Sept 12 at 6pm to support the bill legally titled as "Adopt an Ordinance Equalizing Nudity Laws in Berkeley Between All Genders by Decriminalizing the Display of Female Nipples."

SOURCE GoTopless
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The GT Nexus Shipper Council, a technology user group of supply chain executives representing multiple large global companies, has recognized Hapag-Lloyd for excellence in supporting the community's supply chain automation initiatives. The ocean carrier achieved a 99 percent data quality standard during the measurement period by delivering all but 300 of an expected 80,000 shipment event notifications. The award was announced during the annual GT Nexus Bridges conference, held July 10-12, 2017, in New York City.

The GT Nexus Shipper Council is a group of executives from large importers and exporters who work together to improve partner relations, technology performance and business processes. Companies on the Shipper Council, which have combined annual revenues of over $1.7 trillion and work with every major supply chain provider, all share Infor's GT Nexus Commerce Network as their global supply chain technology platform.

Hapag-Lloyd is a leading global liner shipping company, operating 230 modern ships, carrying 11 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) per year. The company has over 13,000 employees at more than 360 locations in 125 countries.

"The Shipper Council members all share a desire to work with partners on information exchange, standards and quality," said Siva Narayanan, Director, International Ops & Warehousing at Solvay, and current Shipper Council Chairperson. "It is difficult and costly to run a global supply chain without data from partners, so when you see a carrier deliver nearly 100 percent of the expected events at the volume levels the Shipper Council represents, we feel it is important to recognize excellence. The GT Nexus Shipper Council applauds Hapag-Lloyd for its on-going commitment and dedication to providing excellent data quality and service. "

"We understand the importance that our customers place on a carrier's ability to support their automation initiatives," said Joey Timm, Director Global e-Business at Hapag-Lloyd. "Receiving this award for the second consecutive year, and fourth time overall, validates our efforts and reinforces the importance of collaborating with customers in an automated, real-time environment. We are truly honored to be recognized by the Shipper Council."

To learn more about the Shipper Council and view the awards ceremony, watch the video here.

About The GT Nexus Shipper Council

The GT Nexus Shipper council is a group of executives from large importers and exporters who came together because they all share GT Nexus as their global supply chain technology platform. The group is focused on driving improved partner relations, data quality and business processes. The Shipper Council participants come from a collection of companies that have over $1.7 trillion in revenues. For information on the Shipper Council, visit http://www.gtnexus.com/global-supply-chain/our-customers/shipper-council/.

For more information:

Greg Kefer

(510) 808-2229

[email protected]

SOURCE Infor, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.infor.com


KELOWNA, British Columbia, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Hill Top Security, Inc. ("HTSI" or the "Company") and Big Wind Capital Inc. (CSE: BWC) ("Big Wind") announced that HTSI has signed service agreements with two companies, that have large government and commercial customers, to provide its military-grade, patented, cyber security platform. The Vauban platform, which became commercially-available in August, 2017, provides companies with a unique level of risk assessment to help prevent and respond to cyber security attacks, including ransomware, DDoS and malware. The Company recently signed a letter of intent with Big Wind, pursuant to which Big Wind intends to acquire various interests in HTSI and its assets (the "Transaction").

Hill Top's Vauban Cyber Security Platform

- Military-grade cybersecurity platform, called Vauban, aimed at small to medium-sized businesses (SMB).

- Unique, world-leading ability to analyze and validate potential system threats - both internal and external.

- Patent filed 'Computerized System and Method for Providing Cybersecurity Detection and Response Functionality', covers Vauban's multi-layered threat assessment system and processes.

- Vauban has been developed by a team of security experts with substantial military and commercial experience and the Company holds a Top-Secret clearance based on the work it currently carries out for the U.S. government.

Corby Marshall, CEO of Hill Top Security, said, "We are very pleased with the strong level of interest we have received, in the short time since launching our new cyber security platform. Most small and medium-sized businesses simply don't have the resources or personnel to cope with the volume of cyber threats faced by companies today. Our unique threat assessment technology allows even small teams to identify, prioritize and react far more quickly when under cyber attack, and when it comes to protecting your business, speed and accuracy are vital."

Further Information

Further details about the previously announced Transaction between the Company and Big Wind will be provided in a comprehensive news release if the parties enter into a definitive agreement. The Transaction, if completed, will constitute a "fundamental change" pursuant to policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE").

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of other conditions, including but not limited to acceptance by the CSE and completion of mutual due diligence. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking information or statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including those identified by the expressions "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "should" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to Big Wind or its management or the negative thereof or similar variations. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect current expectations regarding future results or events. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Big Wind.

All information in this news release concerning HTSI has been provided for inclusion herein by HTSI. Although Big Wind has no knowledge that would indicate that any information contained herein concerning HTSI is untrue or incomplete, Big Wind assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any such information

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the listing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.

Statements about the closing of the Transaction, expected terms of the Transaction, and the parties' ability to satisfy any and all other closing conditions, and receive necessary regulatory and CSE approvals in connection therewith, are all forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, failure to obtain regulatory approval, the continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the Transaction will occur or that, if the Transaction does occur, it will be completed on the terms described above. Big Wind assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the "United States", as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.



For further information, please contact:

Big Wind Capital Inc.

Richard Matthews

[email protected]

+1-778-484-8028



SOURCE Big Wind Capital Inc.
DURHAM, N.C., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Hope On Wheels will today present Duke University Medical Center with a $250,000 Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant. The grant funds will support the research of principal investigator Dr. Will Eward.

This award is part of the organization's efforts during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In September alone, Hope On Wheels will award 40 research grants totaling $8.5 million to institutions nationwide. This brings the organization's donation total to $130 million since Hyundai joined the fight against pediatric cancer in 1998. With this latest grant, Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $2,756,032.00 to Duke University Medical Center.

"September is a special time for all of us at Hyundai because it's National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. It's a time when we honor the courageous children battling cancer while also funding the doctors and researchers that are working tirelessly to provide care and develop new treatments," said Scott Fink, chairman, Hyundai Hope On Wheels Board of Directors. "Throughout the month we will share stories of the brave children battling cancer through our campaign theme called 'Every Handprint Tells A Story' and invite the public to join our fight."

The $250,000 Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant will be officially presented to Dr. Eward today, September 11, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Doctors and researchers that receive a grant from Hope On Wheels are named Hyundai Scholars and are presented with a special lab coat.

During the event, Durham-area children battling cancer will participate in the program's signature Handprint Ceremony, in which they'll dip their hands in paint and place their handprints on a white 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. Their colorful handprints on the official Hope Vehicle represent their individual and collective journeys, hopes and dreams.

The Hope On Wheels September campaign theme is 'Every Handprint Tells A Story.' This theme recognizes that there are many stakeholders in the fight to end childhood cancer  the child, family, doctors, nurses, caregivers and researchers. The public is encouraged to visit our website at HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org to view videos of child cancer fighters, learn about the work of Hope On Wheels-funded researchers or add a virtual handprint of support on the website. Supporters are also asked to join our movement to End Childhood Cancer and to share our stories on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For more information about Hyundai Hope On Wheels and to view a complete list of this year's grant winners, please visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org/research. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at facebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels, twitter.com/HopeOnWheels or instagram.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels.

HYUNDAI HOPE ON WHEELS

Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Launched in 1998, Hyundai Hope On Wheels provides grants to eligible institutions nationwide that are pursuing life-saving research and innovative treatments for the disease. Hyundai Hope on Wheels is one of the largest non-profit funders of pediatric cancer research in the country, and primary funding for Hyundai Hope On Wheels comes from Hyundai Motor America and its more than 835 U.S. dealers. Since its inception, Hyundai Hope On Wheels has awarded more than $130 million towards childhood cancer research in pursuit of a cure.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through 835 dealerships nationwide. All new Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully-transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com

Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

Contact:

Eugenia Johnson

[email protected]

Samiha Khanna

[email protected]

919-695-5334

SOURCE Hyundai Hope On Wheels

Related Links

http://hyundaihopeonwheels.org


"Here in Kentucky, our bourbon is the world's finest," said Fred Noe, seventh generation Jim Beam Master Distiller. "But our barbecue is also a force to be reckoned with. That's why we decided to make history with an industry throwdown. It was big and bold  just like the whiskies my family has been making for more than 220 years."

Nine four-person cook teams, representing The Bardstown Bourbon Company, Barton Brands, Independent Stave Company, Jim Beam Distillery and Wild Turkey Distillery, competed in ribeye, St. Louis-style ribs and chicken legs. Teams smoked, sauced and seared their way through the day as a prestigious panel of certified barbecue judges and select master distillers determined winners based on overall presentation, taste and tenderness.

Fred Minnick, bourbon expert and author, helped declare "The Smoking Barrel Boys" of The Independent Stave Company with the grand champion prize  bragging rights and a Deep South GC28 Smoker for future team use. Winners in individual categories included:

Ribeye  "The Boston Butts"  Jim Beam Booker Noe Plant

St. Louis-style ribs  "The Clermont Grillers"  Jim Beam Clermont Plant

Chicken legs  "The Smoking Barrel Boys"  The Independent Stave Company

"These teams stepped away from their day jobs and poured their hearts and souls into this barbecue competition," added Noe. "It may have been an amateur competition, but these teams were on fire. And the camaraderie we distillers have forged over the years remained."

The competition not only celebrated America's native spirit, but also supported Operation BBQ Relief, a nonprofit consisting of volunteers from competition barbecue teams who provide hot meals to displaced families and emergency personnel in areas impacted by natural disasters. The organization is currently deployed in Texas and soon Florida providing relief to those affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Celebrate America's Native Spirit with Jim Beam

The spirit of National Bourbon Heritage Month continues at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse and Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse in downtown Louisville throughout the month of September. Bourbon fans from around the world can visit either visitor center to learn more about the bold, rich flavors of Beam's award-winning whiskey portfolio, plus enjoy a variety of specialty programs and events including the celebrated Jim Beam Day at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse on Friday, September 15. The day includes bourbon-inspired fare from the on-site cafe, Fred's Smokehouse, complimentary bourbon schwag, music and more.

More information about the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse and the Jim Beam American Stillhouse, visit www.JimBeam.com or Facebook and Twitter.

Photos and video from "The Great Distillery BBQ Cook-off" are available upon request.

About Operation BBQ Relief

The mission of Operation BBQ Relief is to provide compassion, offer hope and friendship to those whose lives have been affected by disasters across the United States through our expertise in cooking and catering barbecue meals and our ability to quickly mobilize our teams into any area where nature disrupts and tears apart the lives of Americans. Visit operation bbqrelief.org for more information.

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As the world's third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker's Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher's, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Hornitos and Sauza tequila, EFFEN and Pinnacle vodka, Sipsmith gin, and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 40% Alc./Vol.

2017 James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, KY.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owner.

SOURCE Jim Beam

Related Links

http://www.JimBeam.com


SUPERIOR, Colo., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Key Equipment Finance, one of the nation's largest bank-held equipment finance companies and an affiliate of KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY), today announced it has provided $2.4 million in financing to Silicon Valley-based Boviet Renewable Power, a renewable energy developing and holding company, for a 1.75 (DC) megawatt solar power generating facility in Gibson, Georgia, built and installed by New Orleans-based Joule Energy, a leading solar provider.

Boviet Renewable Power used sale-leaseback financing for the project, which includes a Power Purchase Agreement and allows monetization of the tax benefits, inclusive of the investment tax credit and depreciation. In this solar tax lease structure, Boviet Renewable Power owns and operates the system and sells the power to Georgia Power Company, an electric utility headquartered in Atlanta that serves 2.4 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties.

"By using a tax lease solution through Key Equipment Finance, Boviet Renewable Power is contributing to Georgia's clean energy future," said Doug Beebe, vice president of energy finance for Key Equipment Finance's Energy Solutions team, which provides leases tailored to the energy market. "Solar developers benefit from financing solar capital expenditures by preserving cash and credit lines for other uses."

The solar power facility sits on 11 acres and features a 1.75 (DC) megawatt ground single-axis-tracker solar power generating facility that is comprised of high-efficient polycrystalline modules supplied by Boviet Solar Technology Co. Ltd, the sister company of Boviet Renewable Power.

"By partnering with Key Equipment Finance, Boviet Renewable Power is helping Georgia Power use renewable energy to meet the state's power needs for the next 30 years," said Eric Ma, president of Boviet Solar USA and managing director of Boviet Renewable Power. "We are proud to contribute to Georgia's growing clean energy movement by enabling green, lower-cost power for residents."

The system's 30-year lifespan will produce 89,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of solar energy equivalent to reducing 62.56 metric tons of carbon dioxide, planting 14,600 trees or eliminating 96 million miles of driving.

"Joule Energy is proud of our collaboration with Boviet Renewable Power and Key Equipment Finance to make a positive environmental impact," said Robert Schmidt, president of Joule Energy. "These valued partnerships enable us to optimize projects through every stage and progress every day toward a sustainable future."

To learn more about solar financing solutions, visit www.keyequipmentfinance.com/partner/solar_financing.

About Key Equipment Finance

Key Equipment Finance has been in the equipment finance business for 44 years and is one of the largest bank-based equipment finance providers in the U.S. The company provides tailored equipment lease and finance solutions for commercial clients and government entities. Through its manufacturer and vendor alliances unit, equipment finance programs are developed for manufacturers, distributors and resellers.

Key Equipment Finance's specialty finance group includes a specialty finance lending team, which provides structured facilities to various sectors of the specialty finance market, and a lease capital markets team to support corporations looking to optimize risk and revenue. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, Key Equipment Finance manages approximately $12 billion in assets and originates more than $4.5 billion of equipment financing annually. For more information, visit http://www.keyequipmentfinance.com.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $135.8 billion at June 30, 2017. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, insurance, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of more than 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

About Boviet Solar USA and Boviet Renewable Power

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Boviet Solar USA and its project developing subsidiary Boviet Renewable Power are the North American arm of Boviet Solar Technology Co. Ltd., the largest manufacturer of solar cells and panels in Vietnam. A wholly owned subsidiary of Powerway Alloy Materials Co., Boviet Solar USA delivers commercial-grade solar modules, cells, and related products to contractors, integrators, and distributed generation (DG) providers in North America. Boviet Solar USA offers innovative, state-of-the-art technology products developed and manufactured at the company's 530,000 square foot facility in Vietnam, which is designed to produce 700+MW of solar cell and module capacity each year. Boviet Solar USA also delivers solar products where and when they are needed, shipping from six fully stocked warehouses spread strategically across the U.S. with locations at both East and West coast shipping ports. Boviet Renewable Power is providing turnkey solutions to renewable energy market through acquisition, construction and equity financing of utility, C&I solar facilities.

About Joule Energy

Since 2009, Joule Energy has been a leading energy solutions provider, installing over 1,500 solar and LED lighting projects for utility, commercial and residential clients alike. Joule Energy holds a strong position in the Southern solar market, funded by internal cashflow. With a commitment to in-house project staffing, lucrative financing partnerships and continuous data collection, Joule Energy maximizes operating efficiency throughout every stage of a project to deliver the highest energy savings to its customers. To learn more about Joule Energy, visit www.joule-energy.com.

SOURCE Key Equipment Finance

Related Links

http://www.keyequipmentfinance.com


SAN JOSE, Calif.,, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kika Tech, a leader in mobile communications, today announced its participation at Mobile World Congress Americas Booth N.482, which takes place September 12-14 at the Moscone Center, San Francisco. At MWC Americas, Kika will be showcasing the company's Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, and looking to engage in new partnerships. An example of partnerships, include recent collaborations with FC Barcelona and Real Madrid C.F. Kika's partners also include Google, Facebook, Twitter, Samsung, Huawei, ZTE, 20th Century Fox, and Warner Bros.

"Kika's mission is to decrease the time that individuals take to connect with each other through technology by five times and preserve the genuine nature of human conversation," said Bill Hu, Co-Founder and CEO, Kika Tech. "The company stands out with an ever-growing engagement rate of 120 times a day/person, which is equivalent to 50 minutes a day. With Kika, companies can grow their established fan base by tapping into our massive 60M MAU base."

Kika enriches the communications and emotional connection between individuals by leveraging the company's cutting-edge AI engine, which understands and predicts intentions to make conversations more expressive. The Kika ecosystem includes its award-winning, Kika Emoji Keyboard app, which has received Google's Top Developer in 2015. Kika has also been ranked a top productivity app in more than 77 countries. With 400M downloads and 60M MAU, it's not surprising that leading mobile manufacturers and movie studios partner with the company.

About Kika Tech

Say it with Kika! Make everyday interactions more engaging and fun with Kika. Integrating into smart devices, Kika enhances self-expression that goes beyond mobile platforms. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), Kika enriches the emotional connection between individuals in this technology driven world. Keep up to date with Kika on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.

SOURCE Kika Tech Inc
French English

MONTREAL, Sept. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As families transition into the new school year this September, the Breakfast Club of Canada is reminding Canadians that nearly one million children across the country live in poverty and are at risk of starting the school day on an empty stomach due to a lack of access to nutritious food. This alarming statistic and other related issues will be among the subjects discussed at 19th edition of the Global Child Nutrition Forum which will be held in Montreal from September 17 to 21, 2017.



With support from the City of Montreal, the Breakfast Club of Canada will host, for its first appearance on Canadian soil, the annual Forum organized by the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF) and the United Nations World Food Programme Centre of Excellence against Hunger (WFP CoE). More than 300 leaders from 67 countries will meet in Montreal over a five-day period in an effort to help governments around the world build national nutritious school meal programs that are locally-sourced and country-operated.

Thanks to the City of Montreal, the Breakfast Club of Canada received financial support to offer a balanced morning meal to students at 50 new elementary and high schools from nine Montreal districts, said Daniel Germain, President and Founder of the Breakfast Club of Canada. We are equally delighted to acknowledge a recent contribution by the Government of Canada. However, we must be clear that in 2017 it is distressing that Canada remains the only G7 country that does not have a national nutrition policy for children. I believe in the genuine goodwill of the government in place and take this opportunity to call on our federal policymakers to ask that they commit to Canadian children by developing a comprehensive national strategy to end child hunger in this country.

The theme for this years Forum, Bridge to Sustainable Development through School Meal Programs: Engaging Local, National, Regional, and Global Communities, will see participants take part in various workshops and conferences designed to:

Build the capacity of governments to implement national school meal programs;

Engage businesses to strengthen supply chains and increase political will for school meal programs; and

Strengthen the field  among non-profits, schools and researchers - to raise awareness and ensure strong support and resourcing for school meal programs.

The Forum aims to highlight issues related to child nutrition around the world, foster cooperation between nations and encourage countries to develop and improve programs and revenue streams, remarked Arlene Mitchell, Executive Director, Global Child Nutrition Foundation. It is also a wonderful opportunity for increased visibility on the world stage, to raise public awareness about nutrition challenges facing children in all countries and to share experience and tools to address those challenges.

The City of Montreal is proud to be working in collaboration with the Breakfast Club of Canada, GCNF and the WFP CoE on this important Forum, said Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal. Over the years, the Forum has become a space for countries to discuss their challenges and share their solutions for school nutrition programs. We could not be happier that they have chosen to bring this important discussion to Montreal.



Studies have proven the importance of school feeding and food aid programs targeting children. Such programs allow children to better focus on school, resulting in more positive behaviour, facilitate conflict resolution, as well as record a drop in anxiety, depression and trips to the school nurse.

It is estimated that approximately 4,000 schools in Canada currently have a school nutrition program, which represents just over 25% of primary and secondary schools in Canada. These programs include: breakfast clubs before classes, class lunches and healthy snacks. As resources are limited, these programs are unfortunately not systematically offered to all pupils and on all school days.

Every year, during the Forum, over 40 countries engage in discussions about how school feeding programs combine interventions in education, agriculture, health, gender, social protection, and nutrition to build an integrated, multi-dimensional response to hunger and poverty, said Daniel Balaban, director of WFP CoE. Thanks to the commitment of these countries and to their continued efforts, the Global Child Nutrition Forum is now the most relevant school feeding conference in the world.

About the Breakfast Club of Canada

For 22 years, Breakfast Club of Canada has been nourishing childrens potential by making sure as many of them as possible have access to a healthy morning meal before school, in an environment that allows their self-esteem to grow and flourish. But the Club is much more than a breakfast program: we take a broader approach that promotes the core values of engagement, enrichment and empowerment, and we team up with communities and local partners to develop solutions adapted to their specific needs. Operating from coast to coast, the Breakfast Club of Canada helps feed more than 203,000 students every day in 1,598 schools.

About the Global Child Nutrition Foundation:

The Global Child Nutrition Foundation is a global network of governments, businesses and civil society organizations working together to support school meal programs that help children and communities thrive. GCNF provides training, technical assistance, and sharing opportunities to help governments build national school meal programs that are nutritious, locally-sourced and ultimately independent from international aid. GCNFs flagship program, the Global Child Nutrition Forum, is a learning exchange and technical assistance conference held annually to support countries in the development and implementation of sustainable school feeding programs. Since 1997, the annual Global Child Nutrition Forum has united leaders from developing countries for five days of intensive training, technical assistance and planning, all directed toward establishing country-operated sustainable school feeding programs. By sharing their insights, experiences, and challenges, an informal worldwide alliance of leaders dedicated to advancing school feeding has evolved. Past Forums have taken place in the U.S., Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Brazil, Cabo Verde, and Armenia.

About the World Food Programme Centre of Excellence against Hunger: The Centre of Excellence against Hunger was launched jointly by the World Food Programme and Brazil in 2011 as a powerhouse of solutions for the defeat of hunger and malnutrition. A South-South bridge to food security, the Centre draws on Brazilian experience to share knowledge and policy innovations among developing countries. Primarily focused on linking school meal systems to local agriculture, it provides technical assistance to national governments to design, improve, expand, and eventually run their own school feeding programmes.

For more information or for interview requests, please contact:



Joanne Lepine / Barbara Testa Gabaud

Torchia Communications

jlepine@torchiacom.com / barbara@torchiacom.com

514 288-8290 Ext. 216 / 224


LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LATV Network, the original national, bi-cultural television network which recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary, is excited to announce the launch of its new, weekly talk show "Armida y la Flaka," premiering on the network on Friday, Sept. 15th at 10:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. PST.



Premieres this Friday September 15th on LATV.

LATV's brand new series will be hosted by renowned Spanish radio personalities, "Armida y la Flaka," the dynamic duo that has captivated American Latino audiences for the past decade on their nationally syndicated FM radio show carried in 22 major media markets on Entravision stations.



On LATV, Armida y la Flaka will feature a different approach than on its radio incarnation. While it will maintain the essence and chemistry of Armida y la Flaka's close relationship, it will also cater towards a younger, more bi-cultural, bilingual millennial audience.

Produced at the LATV's state-of-the-art HD studios in Los Angeles, this unique talk show will feature these bold, empowered Mexican women exploring a variety of topics that range anywhere from personal experiences, expert advice on a wide range of topics, community driven issues, as well as fashion, music, health, positive relationships, and culinary tips you won't find anywhere else.



"We are thrilled to have Armida y la Flaka join the LATV family. Their light-hearted humor and lasting connection to the community makes them a great asset for the network and an outstanding vehicle for national brands that are looking to successfully engage the highly coveted bi-cultural Latina demographic," commented Luca Bentivoglio, LATV's COO and Head of Programming.



Armida y la Flaka premiers Friday, Sept. 15th on LATV, and airs every following Friday at 10:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. PST.

About LATV:

LATV is the only remaining Latino-owned TV network in the Hispanic television space. Its programming primarily targets U.S.-born Latinos and the coveted bi-cultural 18-49 Latino demographic, with content that features originally-produced shows in Los Angeles, as well as licensed content that has never before been seen in the U.S. For more go to www.LATV.com.

Media Contact:

Maria Brasero /[email protected] /Tel. 310-943-5288

SOURCE LATV Networks

Related Links

http://www.LATV.com


INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that data across its immunology portfolio will be presented at the annual European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress (EADV), including Phase 2 safety and efficacy data evaluating Olumiant (baricitinib) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (Lilly and Incyte Corporation are partners on the development of Olumiant). EADV will take place Sept. 13-17, 2017, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Lilly will also present data for Taltz (ixekizumab) from 11 abstracts, including six oral presentations in psoriasis. Highlighted abstracts include one late-breaker presentation showcasing Phase 3 data evaluating Taltz for the treatment of moderate-to-severe genital psoriasis, as well as long-term results from a five-year, open-label study in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Analyses from the IXORA-S study comparing Taltz to Stelara* (ustekinumab) and integrated safety and efficacy results from the SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2 studies evaluating Taltz for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis will also be presented.

Two e-posters from the Closer Together Survey, a survey where 1,457 people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis from 10 countries across Europe and Canada shared how psoriasis impacts their quality of life and their overall satisfaction with treatment, will also be presented. An additional four abstracts will detail results from a selection of studies evaluating the impact of immune-mediated diseases.

"As a leading forum for dermatologists from around the world, we are pleased to share a variety of data from across our immunology portfolio at EADV," said Dr. Lotus Mallbris, vice president, immunology platform team leader, Lilly Bio-Medicines. "We look forward to presenting the new clinical and health outcomes results for Olumiant and Taltz, which reinforce our commitment to advancing research to address the unmet needs of people living with dermatologic diseases."

Highlighted presentations and posters include:

Olumiant Data

Oral Presentation

Thursday, Sept. 14

Abstract FC04.01: 15:0015:10 CEST, Room F Baricitinib in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis: A Phase 2 Parallel, Double-Blinded, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Multiple Dose Study Presenter: Emma Guttman-Yassky , M.D., Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York , United States



Taltz Data

Oral Presentations

Thursday, Sept. 14

Abstract FC02.06: 10:3510:45 CEST, Room F Efficacy of Ixekizumab in Patients Previously Treated with IL-17 Inhibitors Presenter: Kim Papp , M.D., Ph.D., Probity Medical Research, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Abstract OP01.01: 10:5011:00 CEST, Room Q Efficacy, Health-Related Outcomes, and Safety of Ixekizumab for up to Five Years of Open-Label Treatment in a Phase 2 Study in Chronic Plaque Psoriasis Presenter: Andrew Blauvelt , M.D., M.B.A., Oregon Medical Research Center, Portland, Oregon , United States

Abstract FC04.04: 15:3015:40 CEST, Room F Further Analysis of Initial Non-Responders to Ixekizumab Regarding Patient Characteristics and Long-Term Outcomes Presenter: Lajos Kemeny, M.D., D.Sc., University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary



Friday, Sept. 15

Abstract P03.01: 10:5011:00 CEST, Room Q Comparison of Ixekizumab and Ustekinumab Efficacy in the Treatment of Nail Lesions of Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis: 24-Week Data from the IXORA-S Trial Presenter: Yves Dutronc, M.D., Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana , United States

Abstract OP04.03: 13:3513:45 CEST, Room Q Efficacy and Safety of Continuous Every Two-Week Dosing of Ixekizumab over 52 Weeks in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis Presenter: Melinda Gooderham , M.D., SKiN Centre for Dermatology, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada



Saturday, Sept. 16

Abstract D3T01.1F: 9:15-9:30 CEST , Room 1 Efficacy and Safety of Ixekizumab in a Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Phase 3b Clinical Trial in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Genital Psoriasis Presenter: Caitriona Ryan , M.D., Consultant Dermatologist, St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

, Room 1

e-Posters

Abstract P0389: Integrated Efficacy and Safety Results from SPIRIT-P1 and SPIRIT-P2, Two Phase 3 Trials of Ixekizumab for the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis

Abstract P1311: Safety and Tolerability of Ixekizumab: Integrated Analysis of Safety in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis from 11 Clinical Trials with more than 12,000 Patient-Years of Exposure to Ixekizumab

Abstract P1765: Essential Information for Estimating Total Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI): A Model Developed from a Post-hoc Analysis of Phase 3 Trials with Ixekizumab and its Potential Application in Teledermatology

Abstract P1928: Comparison of Ixekizumab and Ustekinumab in the Treatment of Scalp Psoriasis in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis: 24-Week Data from the IXORA-S Trial

Abstract P1938: A 24-Week, Randomized, Open-Label Comparison of Ixekizumab Versus Fumaric Acid Esters and Methotrexate in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis Naive to Systemic Therapy

Additional Data

Oral Presentations

Thursday, Sept. 14

Abstract FC02.03: 10:0510:15 CEST, Room F Patient Perspectives on Symptoms of Genital vs. Non-Genital Psoriasis: A Qualitative Study Presenter: Kim Meeuwis , M.D., Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands

Abstract FC02.09: 11:0511:15 CEST, Room F How Do Current Treatments for Psoriasis Differ in Terms of Reaching Low Levels of Absolute Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI)? Results of a Network Meta-Analysis Presenter: Ulrich Mrowietz , M.D., University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany



e-Posters

Abstract P1024: Association between Duration of Psoriatic Skin Disease and Subsequent Onset of Psoriatic Arthritis

Abstract P1799: Content Validity Assessment of the Psoriasis Symptom Scale for Use in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis

Abstract P1998: The Impact of Life Factors on Patients Living with Psoriasis: An International, Quantitative Survey

Abstract P1999: Impact of Treatment Goals on Patient Satisfaction with Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis: Results from an International Quantitative Survey

INDICATIONS AND USAGE FOR OLUMIANT

Therapeutic Indications

Baricitinib was approved in February 2017 for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe-active rheumatoid arthritis in the European Union and is marketed as Olumiant

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR OLUMIANT BASED ON THE EU APPROVED SUMMARY OF PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients.

Pregnancy.

SPECIAL WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS FOR USE

Infections

Baricitinib is associated with an increased rate of infections such as upper respiratory tract infections compared to placebo. In treatment naive patients, combination with methotrexate resulted in increased frequency of infections compared to baricitinib monotherapy. The risks and benefits of treatment with Olumiant should be carefully considered prior to initiating therapy in patients with active, chronic or recurrent infections. If an infection develops, the patient should be monitored carefully and Olumiant therapy should be temporarily interrupted if the patient is not responding to standard therapy. Olumiant treatment should not be resumed until the infection resolves.

Tuberculosis

Patients should be screened for tuberculosis (TB) before starting Olumiant therapy. Olumiant should not be given to patients with active TB. Anti-TB therapy should be considered prior to initiation of Olumiant in patients with previously untreated latent TB.

Haematological Abnormalities

Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) < 1 x 109 cells/L, Absolute Lymphocyte Count (ALC) < 0.5 x 109 cells/L and haemoglobin < 8 g/dL were reported in less than 1% of patients in clinical trials. Treatment should not be initiated, or should be temporarily interrupted, in patients with an ANC < 1 x 109 cells/L, ALC < 0.5 x 109 cells/L or haemoglobin < 8 g/dL observed during routine patient management.

The risk of lymphocytosis is increased in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Rare cases of lymphoproliferative disorders have been reported.

Viral Reactivation

Viral reactivation, including cases of herpes virus reactivation (e.g., herpes zoster, herpes simplex), were reported in clinical studies. Herpes zoster was reported more commonly in patients  65 years of age who had previously been treated with both biologic and conventional DMARDs. If a patient develops herpes zoster, Olumiant treatment should be temporarily interrupted until the episode resolves.

Screening for viral hepatitis should be performed in accordance with clinical guidelines before starting therapy with Olumiant. Patients with evidence of active hepatitis B or C infection were excluded from clinical trials. Patients, who were positive for hepatitis C antibody but negative for hepatitis C virus RNA, were allowed to participate. Patients with hepatitis B surface antibody and hepatitis B core antibody, without hepatitis B surface antigen, were also allowed to participate; such patients should be monitored for expression of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA. If HBV DNA is detected, a liver specialist should be consulted to determine if treatment interruption is warranted.

Vaccination

No data are available on the response to vaccination with live or inactivated vaccines in patients receiving baricitinib. Use with live, attenuated vaccines during, or immediately prior to, Olumiant therapy is not recommended. International treatment guidelines on vaccination in rheumatoid arthritis patients should be followed when varicella zoster vaccination is considered prior to treatment with Olumiant.

Lipids

Dose dependent increases in blood lipid parameters were reported in patients treated with baricitinib compared to placebo. Elevations in LDL cholesterol decreased to pre-treatment levels in response to statin therapy. Lipid parameters should be assessed approximately 12 weeks following initiation of Olumiant therapy and thereafter patients should be managed according to international clinical guidelines for hyperlipidaemia. The effect of these lipid parameter elevations on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.

Hepatic transaminase elevations

Increases in alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) to  5 and  10 x upper limit of normal (ULN) were reported in less than 1% of patients in clinical trials. In treatment-naive patients, combination with methotrexate resulted in increased frequency of hepatic transaminase elevations compared with baricitinib monotherapy. If increases in ALT or AST are observed during routine patient management and drug-induced liver injury is suspected, Olumiant should be temporarily interrupted until this diagnosis is excluded.

Malignancy

The risk of malignancies including lymphoma is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Immunomodulatory medicinal products may increase the risk of malignancies including lymphoma. The clinical data are insufficient to assess the potential incidence of malignancies following exposure to baricitinib. Long-term safety evaluations are ongoing.

Venous Thromboembolism

Events of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) have been reported in patients receiving baricitinib. Olumiant should be used with caution in patients with risk factors for DVT/PE, such as older age, obesity, a medical history of DVT/PE, or patients undergoing surgery and immobilisation. If clinical features of DVT/PE occur, Olumiant treatment should be temporarily interrupted and patients should be evaluated promptly, followed by appropriate treatment.

Laboratory Monitoring

Please refer to the SmPC for laboratory measures and monitoring guidance.

Immunosuppressive Medicinal Products

Combination with biologic DMARDs or other Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors is not recommended, as a risk of additive immunosuppression cannot be excluded. Data concerning use of baricitinib with potent immunosuppressive medicinal products (e.g., azathioprine, tacrolimus, ciclosporin) are limited and caution should be exercised when using such combinations.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

Undesirable Effects: Summary of Safety Profile

The most commonly reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) occurring in  2% of patients treated with Olumiant monotherapy or in combination with conventional synthetic DMARDs were increased LDL cholesterol (33.6%), upper respiratory tract infections (14.7%) and nausea (2.8%). Infections reported with Olumiant treatment included Herpes zoster.

Please see Summary of Product Characteristics for additional information.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE FOR TALTZ

Taltz is indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR TALTZ

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Taltz is contraindicated in patients with a previous serious hypersensitivity reaction, such as anaphylaxis, to ixekizumab or to any of the excipients.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Infections

Taltz may increase the risk of infection. The Taltz group had a higher rate of infections than the placebo group (27% vs 23%). Serious infections have occurred. Instruct patients to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms of clinically important chronic or acute infection occur. If a serious infection develops, discontinue Taltz until the infection resolves.

Pre-Treatment Evaluation for Tuberculosis

Evaluate patients for tuberculosis (TB) infection prior to initiating treatment with Taltz. Do not administer to patients with active TB infection. Initiate treatment of latent TB prior to administering Taltz. Patients receiving Taltz should be monitored closely for signs and symptoms of active TB during and after treatment.

Hypersensitivity

Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including angioedema and urticaria (each 0.1%), occurred in the TALTZ group in clinical trials. Anaphylaxis, including cases leading to hospitalization, has been reported in post-marketing use with TALTZ. If a serious hypersensitivity reaction occurs, discontinue Taltz immediately and initiate appropriate therapy.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, including exacerbations, occurred at a greater frequency in the Taltz group (Crohn's disease 0.1%, ulcerative colitis 0.2%) than in the placebo group (0%) during clinical trials. During Taltz treatment, monitor patients for onset or exacerbations of inflammatory bowel disease.

Immunizations

Prior to initiating therapy with Taltz, consider completion of all age-appropriate immunizations according to current immunization guidelines. Live vaccines should not be given with Taltz.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

Most common adverse reactions (>1%) associated with Taltz treatment are injection site reactions, upper respiratory tract infections, nausea, and tinea infections.

Please see accompanying Prescribing Information and Medication Guide. Please see Instructions for Use included with the device.

IX HCP ISI 18JUL2017

*The brand listed is a registered trademark owned or licensed by Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, its subsidiaries or affiliates, and is not a trademark of Eli Lilly and Company. The maker of this brand is not affiliated with and does not endorse Lilly or their products.

About Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD), a serious form of eczema, is a chronic, relapsing skin disease characterized by intense itching, dry skin and inflammation that can be present on any part of the body.1 AD is a heterogeneous disease both clinically and biologically, but may be characterized by chronic baseline symptoms of itch, redness and skin damage that are often punctuated with episodic, sometimes unpredictable, flares or exacerbations.2,3 AD affects approximately 1-3 percent of adults worldwide.4

Moderate-to-severe AD is characterized by intense itching, resulting in visibly damaged skin, sleep loss and a significant impact on patients' quality of life. AD patients often experience anxiety, depression and reduced self-esteem.5 Like other chronic inflammatory diseases, AD is immune-mediated and involves a complex interplay of immune cells and inflammatory cytokines.6

About Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and progressive destruction of joints. More than 23 million people worldwide suffer from RA.7 Approximately three times as many women as men have the disease.8 Current treatment of RA includes the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), oral conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARDs)  such as methotrexate, the current standard of care, and injectable and intravenous biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) that target selected mediators implicated in the pathogenesis of RA.9 Despite current treatment options, many patients do not reach their therapeutic goals or are not able to achieve sustained remission.10 There remains an important need to provide additional treatment options to improve overall patient care.

About Olumiant

Olumiant (baricitinib) is a once-daily oral JAK inhibitor currently in clinical studies for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. There are four known JAK enzymes: JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TYK2. JAK-dependent cytokines have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, suggesting that JAK inhibitors may be useful for the treatment of a broad range of inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis.

In December 2009, Lilly and Incyte announced an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement for the development and commercialization of baricitinib and certain follow-on compounds for patients with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Baricitinib was submitted for regulatory review seeking marketing approval for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the U.S., the European Union and Japan in 2016. Baricitinib was approved in the EU in February 2017 and in Japan in July 2017. In April 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Complete Response Letter on the New Drug Application for baricitinib. Baricitinib remains under review in other markets. It is also being studied for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and systemic lupus erythematosus. The Phase 3 program for psoriatic arthritis is expected to begin in 2018.

About Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune disease that affects the skin.11 It occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis affects approximately 125 million people worldwide, approximately 20 percent of whom have moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.11,12 Psoriasis can occur on any part of the body and is associated with other serious health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.11 The most common form of psoriasis, plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells.11

About Active Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, progressive form of inflammatory arthritis that can cause swelling, stiffness and pain in and around the joints, nail changes and impaired physical function.13 It occurs when an overactive immune system sends out faulty signals that cause inflammation, leading to swollen and painful joints and tendons.14 Typically, psoriatic arthritis affects peripheral joints in the arms and legs (elbows, wrists, hands and feet), but can also affect joints in the axial skeleton (spine, hips and shoulders).15 If left untreated, PsA can cause permanent joint damage.14 Additionally, up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop PsA.14

About Taltz

Taltz (ixekizumab) is a monoclonal antibody that selectively binds with interleukin 17A (IL-17A) cytokine and inhibits its interaction with the IL-17 receptor. IL-17A is a naturally occurring cytokine that is involved in normal inflammatory and immune responses. Taltz inhibits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines.

Lilly has filed a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Taltz for the treatment of active PsA. Lilly also submitted Taltz to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of adult patients with active PsA. Taltz is approved for adult patients with active PsA in Japan. Submissions to other regulatory agencies around the world are expected later this year. Taltz is also in Phase 3 trials for the treatment of radiographic and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com and www.lilly.com/newsroom/social-channels.

About Incyte

Incyte Corporation is a Wilmington, Delaware-based biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary therapeutics. For additional information on Incyte, please visit the Company's web site at www.incyte.com.

Follow @Incyte on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Incyte.

P-LLY

This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about Taltz (ixekizumab) as a treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, and reflects Lilly's current belief. This press release also contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about baricitinib as a potential treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and reflects Lilly's and Incyte's current belief. As with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of development and commercialization. Among other things, there can be no guarantee that future study results will be consistent with the results to date, that Taltz or baricitinib will receive additional regulatory approvals, or be commercially successful. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's and Incyte's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly and Incyte undertake no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release.

1 Zuberbier T, Orlow SJ, Paller AS, et al. Patient perspectives on the management of atopic dermatitis. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2006;118: 226-32.

2 Thijs JL, Strickland I, Bruijnzeel-Koomen C, et. al. Moving toward endotypes in atopic dermatitis: identification of patient clusters based on serum biomarker analysis. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2017.

3 Langan SM, Thomas KS, Williams HC. What is meant by "flare" in atopic dermatitis? A systematic review and proposal. Arch Dermatol. 2006;142:1190-1196.

4 Nutten S. Atopic dermatitis: global epidemiology and risk factors. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 2015;66(suppl 1): 8-16.

5 Yosipovitch G, Papoiu AD. What causes itch in atopic dermatitis? Current Allergy and Asthma Reports. 2008;8:306-311.

6 Weidinger, S, Novak, N. Atopic dermatitis. The Lancet Volume 387. 2016;10023:1109-1122.

7 WHO Global Burden of Disease Report, (table 7, page 32) 2004, http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2004update_full.pdf. Accessed August 30, 2017.

8 Arthritis Foundation, What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?, http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/rheumatoid-arthritis/what-is-rheumatoid-arthritis.php. Accessed September 8, 2017.

9 Arthritis Foundation, Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment, http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/rheumatoid-arthritis/treatment.php. Accessed September 8, 2017.

10 McWilliams DF, Kiely PDW, Young A, Walsh DA. Baseline factors predicting change from the initial DMARD treatment during the first 2 years of rheumatoid arthritis: experience in the ERAN inception cohort. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2013;14:1-7.

11 Psoriasis media kit. National Psoriasis Foundation website. https://www.psoriasis.org/sites/default/files/for-media/MediaKit.pdf. Accessed September 8, 2017.

12 Psoriasis. American Academy of Dermatology website. https://www.aad.org/media-resources/stats-and-facts/conditions/psoriasis. Accessed September 8, 2017.

13 About psoriatic arthritis. National Psoriasis Foundation website. https://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriatic-arthritis. Accessed September 8, 2017.

14 What is psoriatic arthritis? Arthritis Foundation website. http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/psoriatic-arthritis/what-is-psoriatic-arthritis.php. Accessed September 8, 2017.

15 Classification of psoriatic arthritis. National Psoriasis Foundation website. https://www.psoriasis.org/psoriatic-arthritis/classification-of-psoriatic-arthritis. Accessed September 8, 2017.

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company

Related Links

http://www.lilly.com


ADRIAN, Mich., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lily Ann Cabinets, a family-owned business specializing in RTA cabinets, sent a truck of supplies to Houston, Texas to assist in relief efforts after the city was devastated last week by the landfall of Hurricane Harvey. The supplies were mostly contributed by citizens of surrounding Lenawee County as part of the area's Lenawee Helps Texas donation drive. By opening up their warehouse at 2075 W. Beecher St. for donations, paying for the delivery truck, and contributing some materials of their own, Lily Ann played an instrumental part in getting much-needed food, water, clothing, and other supplies to the flooded city.

Lily Ann RTA kitchen cabinets

The supplies, which were gathered from August 30th to Sept. 4th, were sent to the Houston area on Sept. 5. Madison P.A.T.T. (Parents and Teachers Together), a student support group based out of Madison Elementary School, assisted in the effort, as did a number of other Adrian-area businesses and organizations. Lily Ann's logistical and material contributions were sparked in part by the desire of company employee Sergio Cabrera to assist those struggling in his hometown of Houston.

"Sergio's wife and family are from the Houston area," explained Decker. "They wanted to do something to try and help the people that are in distress from the hurricane."

The final tally of donated supplies included three pallets of water, two pallets of canned and boxed food, two pallets of dog food, approximately 70 packs of diapers and other miscellaneous items.

"We sent a 52-foot full semi full of goods, everything came from our Adrian warehouse and donations were made from multiple families in our community," said Bill Decker, President of Lily Ann Cabinets. "It was really awesome to help in the small way we did."

About Lily Ann Cabinets

Founded in 2004, Lily Ann Cabinets has been an online leader in kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinetry. With a 300,000+ sq. ft. warehouse in Michigan, they stock all popular cabinets styles and colors, from shaker cabinets to white cabinets. For more information, visit www.lilyanncabinets.com.

Media Contact:

Bill Decker

Phone: 800-551-1438

Email: [email protected]

Related Links

White Shaker Cabinets

About Lily Ann Cabinets

SOURCE Lily Ann Cabinets

Related Links

http://www.lilyanncabinets.com


The Lumion iPhone X case collection boasts 4 military grade compliant options that offer shock-absorbing protection for the glass iPhone screen and body. These cases are subjected to a total of 26 drops on each face, edge, and corner at a height of 48 inches and results in no functional damage sustained on the iPhone X, earning MIL-STD 810G-516.7 compliancy.

Protect the iPhone X with these featured cases from Lumion:

iPhone X case - Osprey - designed with ergonomics in mind, the Osprey features a curved silhouette for comfortable handling and modern looks. Secures up to 2 cards in its compact space for ultimate convenience during travel and shopping. Compliant with MIL-STD 810G-516.7 standards. Comes in Black Metallic, Metallic Silver, White Cloud, Apple Red ($15.99) .

. iPhone X case - Chinook - refreshed with rugged looks, the Chinook card case is ready for travel on the road. Stores up to 5 cards in its spacious flip-open compartment while guarding the iPhone X with shock-absorbing corners, raised edges around exposed areas, and dual-layer construction. Compliant with MIL-STD 810G-516.7 standards. Comes in Lime Green, Gold Orange, Apple Red, Black Metallic, White ($15.99) .

. iPhone X case - Gardien - slim, sleek, and secure, the Gardien hybrid case has a pocket-friendly build and provides a durable dual-layer defense system against daily drops. Compliant with MIL STD 810G-516.7 standards. Comes in Black Metallic, Metallic Silver, Rose Pink , White Silver ($14.99) .

, White Silver . iPhone X case - Diamont - designed with a clear body, the Diamont case is made to show off the iPhone X and accent its bold colors with matching bumpers. The layered polycarbonate bumper and clear thermoplastic polyurethane body are treated with protective UV coating to prevent discoloration over time and to preserve quality. Compliant with MIL STD 810G-516.7 standards. Comes in Black Metallic, Metallic Silver, Rose Pink ($14.99).

($14.99). iPhone X case - Savant - created to add style and convenience, the Savant wallet case combines wallet functionality with the protection of a case. Use the carefully crafted slots and pockets to carry cards and cash with the iPhone. Keep the cover closed with the magnetic strap to protect the screen. Comes in Black and Chocolate Brown ($15.99) .

. iPhone X case - Huey - minimalistic and lightweight, the Huey case is a single-layer cover molded from matte fingerprint-resistant TPU to provide a daily cushion on all sides and corners. Fit the iPhone in this snug case and keep it safe from daily scratches and blemishes. Comes in Black ($9.99) .

The full Lumion iPhone X case collection is available now on amazon.com. Selective Lumion cases for the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models are also available now on amazon.com.

About Lumion

With humble beginnings overseas, Lumion is dedicated to creating practical and useful products for any lifestyle. Lumion is guided by a simple philosophy: to offer the best quality products at a great value. Founded in 2007 and incorporated in Hong Kong, Lumion is the private label OEM brand of Lumion Co., Limited. Lumion's customer-centric approach shapes their 3-point risk-free shopping experience. Every Lumion purchase is protected with the Lumion Lifetime Warranty and comes with free shipping and a 30-day money back guarantee. To learn more about Lumion, visit lumionus.com.

Related Links

Lumion Facebook

Lumion Twitter

Lumion Instagram

SOURCE Lumion

Related Links

https://lumionus.com


Lytx will commence validation manufacturing of its event recorders in October to fine-tune processes, and full production will be ramped by March 2018. The manufacturing is being contracted to Cal-Comp USA whose Logansport plant manufactures for a diverse set of industries, from aerospace and defense to medical devices.

"Bringing these jobs to the U.S. makes business sense for Lytx in a number of ways," said Jim McDaniel, Lytx's senior director, operations and supply chain. "With this move, we're actually able to reduce our costs by limiting import tariffs and avoiding overseas transport costs, while still paying above market wages to Logansport factory workers. Indiana is also home to many of our clients and lies within the heart of commercial transportation."

"Our entire Cal-Comp team has worked extremely hard to win this opportunity for our Indiana facility and we look forward to a long partnership with Lytx," said Ron Rehberger, Cal-Comp USA's corporate vice president and chief operating officer in North America. "Lytx's event recorders are the essence of sophisticated technology and our staff in Logansport has a solid track record of producing high reliability products making this a perfect fit between our organizations."

About Lytx

At Lytx we harness the power of data to enable human behavior change and help good companies become even better. Our flagship product, Lytx DriveCam sets the standard for driver safety in the industries we serve, and our RAIR Compliance Services helps DOT-regulated fleets comply with safety regulations, complementing the DriveCam Program. Lytx ActiveVision service helps fleets detect and address distracted and drowsy driving, both in real time and over time. We help protect more than 2,200 clients worldwide who drive billions of miles. We enable our clients to realize significant ROI by lowering operating and insurance costs, while achieving greater efficiency and compliance. Most of all, we strive to help save lives  on our roads and in our communities, every day. Lytx is privately held and headquartered in San Diego. For more information, visit www.lytx.com, @lytx on Twitter, or on our YouTube channel.

Contact:

Lytx

Gretchen Griswold

858.926.2445

[email protected]

SOURCE Lytx

Related Links

http://www.lytx.com


WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new report by the Center for Immigration Studies finds that 55 institutions, the very dregs of higher education in this country, offer extremely poor quality education, yet still have the power to admit foreign students.

Approximately 40,000 alien students are enrolled in these "compromised colleges", all of which have lost their accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), whose standards were so low that it lost its Department of Education recognition and power to accredit.

The compromised colleges, 42 of which are for-profit schools, are found in 17 states and in one territory, but are mostly concentrated in three states: California (17 institutions), Florida (11 institutions), and Virginia (8 institutions). Unlike governmental or genuine non-profit entities, the presidents of these institutions are often the owners or part-owners and the student body contains a very high percentage of foreign students, some more than 95 percent.

David North, a Center fellow and co-author of the report, wrote that many of the foreign students attending compromised colleges "sought out low-quality schools in the United States quite deliberately, as they were seeking paychecks, not valuable diplomas. They are not to be confused with anyone's idea of the 'best and the brightest.' "

View the full report at: https://cis.org/Report/Dregs-Higher-Education-Damage-Our-Immigration-System

Foreign students searching for a true education have often been misled by the institutions, which rake in money while supplying nominal educational services, and often charging substantial, even outrageous, fees.

Reform is possible. The report informs policymakers that, unlike many immigration issues, "No huge sums of money are needed, no massive political forces need to be challenged, and no mixed families of legal and illegal residents need to be separated, yet tens of thousands of new illegal aliens can be prevented from entering the country." The report points out that foreign students are twice as likely to remain after their visas expire as nonimmigrant visa holders generally.

The report provides multiple recommendations for Congress and the White House, as well as for the two entities that manage the foreign student admissions process: DHS (the Student and Exchange Visitor Program is a part of ICE) and the U.S. State Department. One solution is to stop granting these compromised colleges the privilege of issuing visas to their prospective students and of granting H-1B status to their potential employees.

Contact: Marguerite Telford

202-466-8185, [email protected]

SOURCE Center for Immigration Studies

Related Links

https://cis.org


NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05095364





The military robots market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 16.79 billion in 2017 to USD 30.83 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 12.92% from 2017 to 2022. The market for military robots is driven by several factors such as rising number of terrorist activities, increasing need of systems that can conduct remote operations for a longer time, and technological developments in unmanned systems globally.



"Mine clearance application segment is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period"

Key applications considered for market study are Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), search and rescue, combat support, transportation, EOD, mine clearance, firefighting, and others. The mine clearance application segment military is expected to lead the military robots market during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increasing casualties of troops during wars and modernization programs of various countries.



"North America is expected to lead the military robots market; the Europe military robots market is projected to grow at the highest rate"

The North America region is expected to lead the military robots market in 2017. The Europe military robots market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. In North America, the US is considered to be the largest market for military robots, owing to technological advancements and rising incidences of armed conflicts or war against terrorism. The US is one of the main manufacturers and end users of military robots across the globe, due to the threats received by the country and its participation in the war against terrorism in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The acceptance of military robots provides enhanced assistance to the troops and helps them in various military applications.



"Breakup of profile of primary participants for the military robots market"

 By Company Type - Tier 1  55 %, Tier 2  20% and Tier 3  25%

 By Designation  C level  45%, Director level  25%, Others  30%

 By Region  North America - 10%, Europe  20%, APAC  40%, RoW  30%



The major companies profiled in the report include Kongsberg Gruppen (Norway), Lockheed Marin Corporation (US), Saab AB (Sweden), Elbit System Ltd. (Israel), Northrup Grumman Corporation (US), Boeing (US), QinetiQ (UK), Thales Group (France), etc.



Reasons to buy the report:

From an insight perspective, this research report has focused on various levels of analysis  industry analysis (industry trends and focus), market-share analysis of top players, vendor dive analysis of top 25 players, and company profiles, which together comprise and discuss the basic views on competitive landscape, emerging and high-growth segments of the military robots market, high-growth regions and countries, and their respective regulatory policies, government initiatives, and market drivers, restraints, and opportunities.



The report provides insights into the following pointers:

 Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on military robots offered by top 25 players in the military robots market

 Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research and development activities, and new product launches in the military robots market



 Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative emerging markets - the report analyses markets for military robots across regions



 Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the military robots market



 Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players in the military robots market



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05095364



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.



https://www.reportlinker.com





__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com


LUXEMBOURG, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Millicom International Cellular S.A. ("Millicom") today announces it intends to offer new senior notes (the "New Notes" and the "New Notes Offering"), subject to market and other customary conditions.

Subject to market conditions, an up to $200 million-equivalent Colombian Peso benchmark offering of up to 7 years will also be considered.

Separately, Millicom today commenced a tender offer to acquire for cash any and all of its 6.625% Senior Notes due 2021 (the "Existing Notes"), and Millicom issued a Conditional Notice of Redemption in respect of all Existing Notes that remain outstanding on 15 October 2017. Millicom intends to use the net proceeds of the New Notes Offering to finance the repurchase or redemption of all Existing Notes in the tender offer and the redemption. The completion of the New Notes Offering is a condition to the purchase or redemption of the Existing Notes in the tender offer and the redemption.

Purchases of New Notes and any purchase of Colombian Peso notes are subject to all applicable securities laws and regulations in force in any relevant jurisdiction. In particular, any purchaser of New Notes or any purchaser of Colombian Peso notes must be a qualified institutional buyer, as defined in Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or a non-U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act).

This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase nor the solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities described herein nor shall there be any offer or sale of such securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Certain statements in this press release, including those describing the New Notes Offering, any potential Colombian Peso offering, the redemption and the completion of the Tender Offer, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only Millicom's belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside Millicom's control. It is possible that actual results will differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results indicated in these statements.

Important Note

The New Notes have not been and will not be, and any Colombian Peso notes will not be, registered under the Securities Act. The New Notes and any Colombian Peso notes may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. There will be no public offer of the New Notes or any Colombian Peso notes in the United States (for these purposes, "United States" means the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any State of the United States, and the District of Columbia).

In member states of the European Economic Area, this press release is for distribution only to and directed only at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC (and amendments thereto, including Directive 2010/73/EU) (the "Prospectus Directive"). In relation to each member state of the European Economic Area that has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a "Relevant Member State"), the investment contemplated by this press release is not being made, and will not be made, to the public in that Relevant Member State, other than to any legal entity that is a "qualified investor" as defined in Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive. Each potential investor located within a Relevant Member State of the European Economic Area will be deemed to have represented, acknowledged and agreed that it is a "qualified investor" within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive.

Within the United Kingdom, this press release is for distribution only to and directed only at persons who (a) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the "Financial Promotion Order"), (b) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.") of the Financial Promotion Order, (c) are outside the United Kingdom, or (d) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the investment may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). The investment is not being offered to the public in the United King-dom. This press release is directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. The investment or investment activity to which this press re-lease relates is only available to, and will only be engaged in with, relevant persons and any person who receive this press release who is not a relevant person should not rely or act upon it.

For more information please contact:

Press:

Vivian Kobeh

Corporate Communications Director

Tel: +1-305-476-7352 / +1-305-302-2858

[email protected]

Investors:

Michel Morin

+352-277-59094



Mauricio Pinzon

Tel: +44-20-3249-2460

[email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/millicom-international-cellular/r/millicom-announces-launch-of-senior-notes,c2343818

The following files are available for download:

http://mb.cision.com/Main/950/2343818/720637.pdf Millicom announces launch of senior notes

SOURCE Millicom International Cellular
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AmeriCorps and Senior Corps are calling on Americans to unite with a common purpose to remember the events of September 11 and commemorate the tragedy through volunteer service. The nationwide effort, led by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), pays tribute to and commemorates the victims and heroes of that day.

In the days leading up to 9/11, the nation has witnessed the continued spirit of American patriotism in the generosity of neighbors helping neighbors in response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. This 9/11 Day, President Trump, elected officials, and leaders, including former Navy SEAL Carl Higbie, who shared his personal call to service, encourage citizens across the nation to demonstrate that same patriotic spirit through volunteer service following 9/11.

Volunteers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia are expected to join in service projects to deliver meals, repair homes of veterans and military families, refurbish schools and community centers, prepare care boxes for the military and first responders, collect food and clothing, sign up as mentors, read to children, and more. Many of these projects will be led by AmeriCorps and Seniors Corps members. A sample of these projects can be found here.

September 11th was designated a national day of service by Congress in 2009. CNCS partners with 911Day.org, the nonprofit that began the 9/11 Day observance, and hundreds of businesses, nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, and schools nationwide to observe the day as a national day of unity. Other key 2017 partners include American Legion Auxiliary, My Good Deed, Points of Light, and Youth Service America.

To find volunteer opportunities year-round, go to NationalService.gov.

CNCS engages millions of Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads volunteer initiatives for the nation. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.

SOURCE Corporation for National & Community Service

Related Links

http://NationalService.gov


HOUSTON, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NCI Building Systems, Inc. (NYSE: NCS) today announced that Donald R. Riley, President and Chief Executive Officer, will attend and present at the RBC Capital Markets 2017 Global Industrials Conference, in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 13, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time/3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A link to the webcast and a copy of the most recent investor presentation will be available under the "Investors" section of the Company's website.

Mr. Riley will also be attending the 2017 Zelman Housing Summit being held in Boston, MA on September 14, 2017.

NCI Building Systems, Inc. is one of North America's largest integrated manufacturers of metal products for the nonresidential building industry. NCI is comprised of a family of companies operating manufacturing facilities across the United States, Canada, Mexico and China with additional sales and distribution offices throughout the United States and Canada. For more information visit www.ncibuildingsystems.com.

Contact

K. Darcey Matthews

Vice President, Investor Relations 281-897-7785

SOURCE NCI Building Systems, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ncibuildingsystems.com


SOUTH ROYALTON, Vt., Sept. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJournalists, legal practitioners and scholars will examine the constitutional and other legal safeguards of our free press during the 17th annual Vermont Law Review Symposium, Media Law and Journalism: Protecting Democracys Safeguards, Friday, Sept. 15, in Chase Community Center at Vermont Law School. The daylong symposium, free and open to the public and press, will be streamed live at vermontlaw.edu/live.

We encourage community members to join us as we discuss the role of the free press in safeguarding American democracy, said Vermont Law Review Vol. 42 Symposium Editor Elliot Rosenbaum JD18. Our distinguished speakers will tackle the various legal barriers modern journalists face in informing the public as well as the roadblocks preventing public access to the free flow of information.

The 2017 Vermont Law Review Symposium includes:

8:30 to 9:15 a.m. Registration and Breakfast

9:15 to 9:30 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks

- Sylvia Duluc-Silva JD18, Symposium Editor, Vermont Law Review

- Elliot Rosenbaum JD18, Symposium Editor, Vermont Law Review

- Tom McHenry, President and Dean, Vermont Law School

- Peter Teachout, Professor of Law, Vermont Law School

9:30 to 9:45 a.m. Foundational Legal Principles: The Constitutional, Statutory, and Common Laws and Rules Concerning Press Access to Information

- Stephen Dycus, Professor of Law, Vermont Law School

9:45 to 11 a.m. Panel I: Obstacles to Gaining Access to Information: FOIA Litigation and Defending Against Private Litigation

Moderator: Anne Galloway, Founder and Editor, VTDigger

Panelists:

- Victoria Baranetsky, Attorney, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

- Megan Hunter JD14, Attorney, Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services

- Lynn Oberlander, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Gizmodo Media Group

11 to 11:15 a.m. Morning Break

11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Panel II: Whistleblowers, Leakers, and National Security

Moderator: Kathleen Clark, Professor of Law, Washington University School of Law

Panelists:

- Stephen Dycus, Professor of Law, Vermont Law School

- Heidi Kitrosser, Professor of Law, University of Minnesota Law School

- Sudha Setty, Professor of Law, Western New England University School of Law

- Mary-Rose Papandrea, Professor of Law, University of North Carolina School of Law

12:30 to 1 p.m. Lunch

1 to 2 p.m. Keynote Address

Introduction: Jennifer Taub, Professor of Law, Vermont Law School

Keynote Speaker: Lynn Oberlander, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Gizmodo Media Group

2:15 to 3:30 p.m. Panel III: The Role of Fake News, Propaganda, and Disinformation

Moderator:

Jennifer Taub, Professor of Law, Vermont Law School

Panelists:

- Matthew Baum, Professor of Global Communications and Professor of Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government and Department of Government, Harvard University

- Tamara Piety, Professor of Law, University of Tulsa School of Law

- Brent Kendall, Legal Affairs Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

- Lili Levi, Professor of Law, University of Miami School of Law

3:30 to 3:45 p.m. Closing Remarks

The 2017 Vermont Law Review Symposium is cosponsored by VTDigger, a statewide online news website that publishes watchdog reports on government, politics, consumer affairs, business, healthcare, and public policy. For more information about the symposium, including registration and continuing legal education (CLE) credit, visit eventbrite.com, or email Elliot Rosenbaum at ElliotRosenbaum@vermontlaw.edu or Sylvia Duluc-Silva JD18 at SylviaDulucSilva@vermontlaw.edu. Preregistration is encouraged to reserve lunch.

Vermont Law Review is a journal of legal scholarship published by Vermont Law School students in consultation with VLS faculty and administration. Vermont Law Reviews main objectives are to present readers with timely, topical information concerning the legal profession and legal scholarship, and to afford Vermont Law Review members an educational experience that will hone their skills in research, writing, legal analysis, and leadership. For more information about Vermont Law Review, including archived editions, visit lawreview.vermontlaw.edu.

###

Vermont Law School, a private, independent institution, is home to the nations largest and deepest environmental law program. VLS offers a Juris Doctor curriculum that emphasizes public service; three Masters DegreesMaster of Environmental Law and Policy, Master of Energy Regulation and Law, and Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy; and four post-JD degrees LLM in American Legal Studies (for foreign-trained lawyers), LLM in Energy Law, LLM in Environmental Law, and LLM in Food and Agriculture Law. The school features innovative experiential programs and is home to the Environmental Law Center, South Royalton Legal Clinic, Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, Energy Clinic, Food and Agriculture Clinic, and Center for Applied Human Rights. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu, find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2679a889-4fa5-4ff4-bc92-9a9e0089bdd0
The Company and the Vendors had previously entered into a mineral claim option agreement dated August 4, 2011, pursuant to which the Company acquired a 60% interest in the Property with Rainmaker Resources Ltd. holding a 10% interest and Eagle Trail Properties Inc. holding a 30% interest.

As consideration for the Vendors' 40% interest in the Property and subject to regulatory approval, the Company will issue 83,333 common shares of the Company to Eagle Trail Properties Inc. and 27,777 common shares to Rainmaker Resources Ltd., representing an aggregate of $320,000 of common shares at a deemed price of $2.88 per common share (calculated as the volume weighted average trading price of the common shares of the Company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") over the ten trading days immediately prior to the date of the Purchase Agreement).

In accordance with applicable securities legislation, the common shares of Company issuable under the Purchase Agreement will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of closing.

The acquisition is subject to the acceptance of the TSX and approval of NYSE American and is expected to close on or about September 18, 2017.

Dufferin Lake Property

The Dufferin Lake property comprises five contiguous mineral dispositions covering an area of 10,910 hectares. The Property straddles the central south edge of the Athabasca Basin, Northern Saskatchewan, and is located approximately 360 kilometres northwest from the town of La Ronge, Saskatchewan.

About NexGen

NexGen is a British Columbia corporation with a focus on the acquisition, exploration and development of Canadian uranium projects. NexGen has a highly experienced team of uranium industry professionals with a successful track record in the discovery of uranium deposits and in developing projects through discovery to production.

NexGen owns a portfolio of prospective uranium exploration assets in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, including a 100% interest in Rook I, location of the Arrow discovery in February 2014, Bow Discovery in March 2015, the Harpoon discovery in August 2016 and the Arrow South Discovery in July 2017.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities referenced herein have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder.

Forward-Looking Information

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation and the receipt of all required regulatory approvals to proposed transaction, including that of the TSX and NYSE American. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof 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" or the negative connotation thereof.

Forward-looking information and statements are based on the then current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about NexGen's business and the industry and markets in which it operates. Forward-looking information and statements are made based upon numerous assumptions, including among others, the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the cost of planned exploration activities, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment, supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct NexGen's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward looking information or making forward looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate

Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performances and achievements of NexGen to differ materially from any projections of results, performances and achievements of NexGen expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others, negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of the availability of additional financing, the risk that pending assay results will not confirm previously announced preliminary results, imprecision of mineral resource estimates, the appeal of alternate sources of energy and sustained low uranium prices, aboriginal title and consultation issues, exploration risks, reliance upon key management and other personnel, deficiencies in the Company's title to its properties, uninsurable risks, failure to manage conflicts of interest, failure to obtain or maintain required permits and licenses, changes in laws, regulations and policy, competition for resources and financing, failure to receive any required regulatory approvals (including stock exchange) or other approvals to the proposed transaction, and other factors discussed or referred to in the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2017 under "Risk Factors".

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by 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 forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE NexGen Energy Ltd.

Related Links

www.nexgenenergy.ca


The agencies that will report to Taylor include Javelin, Organic, Proximity, RAPP and Targetbase. Taylor will work with the agencies to enhance their service offerings and talent recruitment; leverage existing Omnicom technology and data platforms, such as Annalect; and to develop strategies for internal investments and acquisitions. All agencies will continue to work as independent brands and businesses within Omnicom Precision Marketing Group.

"Luke comes to DAS with significant, hands-on leadership experience in the agency world, especially in digital marketing and technology," Adams said. "He has a keen understanding of how marketing communications is evolving and a strong commitment to excellence in client service. We welcome him to DAS and look forward to his many contributions to our clients and our businesses."

Taylor joins DAS from DigitasLBi, where he was chief executive officer. Prior to this, Taylor was chief executive officer of LBi International N.V., a global marketing and technology agency that was publicly listed in Amsterdam on the Euronext Exchange.

"I am very excited about this opportunity and look forward to working closely with the people at DAS and the agencies," said Taylor. "Aligning data, analytical, CRM and technical competencies that specialize in the delivery of precisely targeted and meaningful customer experiences is a natural evolution and will allow our agencies to deliver powerful solutions to clients."

ABOUT THE DAS GROUP OF COMPANIES

The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

ABOUT OMNICOM GROUP INC.

Omnicom Group (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries. Follow us on Twitter for the latest news.

SOURCE DAS Group of Companies
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- OPEN SOURCE SUMMIT NORTH AMERICA -- The OpenChain Project is proud to welcome Hitachi as a Platinum Member. Hitachi joins eleven other companies to take a leadership role in our industry standard for open source compliance in the supply chain.

"The inclusion of Hitachi in our community is pivotal," says Shane Coughlan, OpenChain Program Manager. "As a leader in numerous technology areas, and as a long-term contributor to the open source community, Hitachi is perfectly positioned to help us take the OpenChain Project to the next level. We look forward to working closely together to build out adoption of the OpenChain Specification in the supply chain."

"We are delighted to join the OpenChain Project as a Platinum Member," says Teruhisa Ishikawa, Director of OSS Solution Center, Systems & Services Business Division, Hitachi, Ltd. "Open source delivers value to multiple market segments and underpins many mission critical technologies. Good governance and clear standards are vital for effective, sustainable use. OpenChain helps empower companies of all sizes to benefit from the knowledge and experience of the community as a whole. We look forward to encouraging greater adoption."

About The OpenChain Project

The OpenChain Project identifies key recommended processes for effective open source management. The project builds trust in open source by making open source license compliance simpler and more consistent.

The OpenChain Specification defines a core set of requirements every quality compliance program must satisfy. The OpenChain Curriculum provides the educational foundation for open source processes and solutions, whilst meeting a key requirement of the OpenChain Specification. OpenChain Conformance allows organizations to display their adherence to these requirements. The result is that open source license compliance becomes more predictable, understandable and efficient for participants of the software supply chain. Organizations of all sizes are invited to review the OpenChain Project, to complete our free Online Self-Certification Questionnaire, and to join our community of trust.

The OpenChain Project has twelve Platinum Members that support its work: Adobe, Arm, Cisco, Harmen, Hitachi, HPE, GitHub, Qualcomm, Siemens, Toyota, Wind River and Western Digital.

Additional Resources

The OpenChain Conformance page

The list of OpenChain Conformant organizations

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2016 (ended March 31, 2017) totaled 9,162.2 billion yen ($81.8 billion). The Hitachi Group is a global leader in the Social Innovation Business, and it has approximately 304,000 employees worldwide. Through collaborative creation, Hitachi is providing solutions to customers in a broad range of sectors, including Power / Energy, Industry / Distribution / Water, Urban Development, and Finance / Government & Public / Healthcare. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.

About The Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is the organization of choice for the world's top developers and companies to build ecosystems that accelerate open technology development and commercial adoption. Together with the worldwide open source community, it is solving the hardest technology problems by creating the largest shared technology investment in history. Founded in 2000, The Linux Foundation today provides tools, training and events to scale any open source project, which together deliver an economic impact not achievable by any one company. More information can be found atwww.linuxfoundation.org.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see our trademark usage page: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact:

Laura Kempke

The Linux Foundation

[email protected]

SOURCE OpenChain Project
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ChIPs, a nonprofit organization focused on advancing women in technology, law and policy, announced today that Dorian Daley, Oracle's executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, has joined its board of directors. The board Friday unanimously voted on Daley's appointment to a three-year term.

Daley's appointment marks the first time a board seat will be held by a non-founding member of ChIPs, which has grown from an informal group to an organization with over 2,000 members and seven chapters in the U.S. and abroad. Its seven-member volunteer board is composed of senior executives who hold leadership positions in major technology companies as well as earlier stage ventures. Founded in 2005, ChIPs is dedicated to accelerating innovation at the confluence of technology, law and regulatory policy by increasing diversity of thought, participation and engagement.

"Dorian has been an integral contributor to ChIPs since the very early days when she spoke at our first event over a decade ago," said Mallun Yen, ChIPs co-founder, board director and CEO. "A widely respected and inclusive technology leader, she is a fearless champion of diversity who leads by example. Dorian's addition as our first non-founder director is a significant milestone in ensuring ChIPs' continued growth and broadening impact on shaping the future of innovation in a way that benefits society."

Daley joined Oracle in 1992 after starting her career in private practice in San Francisco. She is a 1986 graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law and a 1981 graduate of Stanford University. As the top lawyer of one of the world's largest enterprise computing companies, she oversees a 457-member department and has been on the front lines of Oracle's most significant business deals and legal cases.

"Women have certainly made gains in the three decades since I walked into a law firm for my first job, but the disproportionately small number of women in leadership positions remains  whether it's law, tech or the government," Daley said. "ChIPs is one of the few organizations that is moving the needle forward through its impactful initiatives: exposing girls to careers in law, lawmaking and technology, and helping women develop critical business development skills."

"With a leader like Dorian joining our board, it signals to businesses everywhere that diversity in board rooms, courtrooms, government offices, lecture halls and at tech campuses is no longer optional for those who want to compete in today's global economy," said Noreen Krall, ChIPs co-founder and board chair. "Beyond her demonstrated commitment to diversity, Dorian also deeply understands that the thoughtful interplay between technology, law and regulatory policy is more critical than ever for innovative companies."

ChIPs also announced the addition of Karen Royer as its first executive director. "Hiring our first executive director is another significant milestone for ChIPs," Yen said. "Karen is a talented executive with a proven track record of building and scaling mission-driven organizations."

Royer has over 20 years of experience in professional services, nonprofit and technology-focused organizations, including at The Anita Borg Institute, a global nonprofit dedicated to advancing women technologists, where she co-produced the 2015 Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC), the world's largest technical conference for women in computing.

About ChIPs

ChIPs, also known as the ChipsNetwork.org, is a 501(c)(3) corporation headquartered in San Francisco dedicated to advancing women at the confluence of technology, law and policy. It has the dual purpose of increasing diversity and inclusion in these fields as well as accelerating the progress of innovation. ChIPs stands for chiefs of intellectual property, a role all seven women founders held at major technology companies in Silicon Valley at the time they formed the group. ChIPs has expanded to support women and issues beyond its legal roots, advancing into new, groundbreaking territory where technology, law and regulatory policy converge. The ChIPs network now also includes chief legal officers, chief litigation officers, private practitioners, policymakers, lawmakers, judges, government officials, regulators, academics, students, technologists, innovators, founders and entrepreneurs.

Click here for more on the ChIPs mission.

Click here for more on the ChIPs board.

Trademarks

Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.

SOURCE ChIPs

Related Links

http://ChipsNetwork.org


The NuPearl.32x Advanced Teeth Whitening system reduces stains and deep-seated discoloration caused by years of coffee, wine, smoking, and more, with a formula that is 99% natural and 100% food-grade.

With results that are comparable to professional in-office whitening treatments, the NuPearl.32X formula is peroxide-free, using NuBright LED Brightening Technology and an advanced whitening gel that is safe for enamel, gentle on teeth, and free from harsh ingredients, including: Peroxide, Latex, Parabens, Sulfates, Sodium Fluoride and PEG/PPG.

The New Hope Network will award 21 products with the prestigious New Hope NEXTY award at the Natural Products Expo East this month. A panel of industry experts will meet to judge and choose the winners, focusing on innovation, inspiration, and integrity.

Natural Expo East will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center September 14-16. Planning on attending? Stop by booth #3953 to meet the team behind ORALGEN, and hear more about what makes this formula so special.

In addition to being a NEXTY finalist, ORALGEN just announced that renowned supermodel and actress Angie Everhart will now represent the brand.

Renee Barch-Niles, EVP, Retail of WR Group, states, "We couldn't be more thrilled to kick off the launch of this revolutionary brand with so much exciting news. Being a finalist for a NEXTY Award is an extremely important recognition for the brand  we have worked so hard to offer a totally healthy and effective product in a category that is not known for natural formulations. Because of our new partnership with Angie, whose commitment to wellness we so admire, we are feeling honored, humbled and fired up."

ORALGEN NuPearl.32x Advanced Teeth Whitening System; $59.95; refill kit, $34.95; Perfecting Whitening Pen; $19.95. For more information visit Oralgen.com

SOURCE ORALGEN
NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Nighthawk Gold Corp. (TSX: NHK; OTCQX: MIMZF), a Canadian-based gold exploration company, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Nighthawk Gold upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market.

Nighthawk Gold begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "MIMZF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

"We welcome Nighthawk Gold to an impressive roster of Canadian companies, including more than 20 added this year, that cross-trade their shares on the OTCQX market to maximize their reach to U.S. investors," said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. "We look forward to supporting Nighthawk Gold and its shareholders in the U.S. public market."

Dr. Michael Byron, President & CEO commented, "Nighthawk is pleased to be able to upgrade to trade on OTCQX in order to provide improved accessibility and liquidity for our U.S. shareholders. Over the last few years, Nighthawk has advanced its Colomac Gold Project within its district scale Indin Lake Gold Property in the Northwest Territories, Canada, and expect several exciting catalysts over the next 6-12 months. As the story continues to grow and gain broader interest, we have increased our marketing efforts and believe trading on the OTCQX market will increase our exposure and profile with U.S. private and institutional investors."

Nighthawk Gold was sponsored for OTCQX by J.P. Galda & Co, a qualified third-party firm responsible for providing guidance on OTCQX requirements and recommending membership.

About Nighthawk Gold Corp.

Nighthawk Gold Corp. is a Canadian-based gold exploration company with a district scale land position (222,203 acres or 900 km2), within the Indin Lake Greenstone Belt, located approximately 200 km north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Nighthawk is focused on advancing the Colomac Gold Project with a current inferred resource of 2.1 million ounces of gold (39.8 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.64 gpt Au, see Resource Estimate), as well as advancing its other regional gold deposits and showings on its Indin Lake Gold Property, within a highly prospective and underexplored Archean gold camp.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market, and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com

OTC Link ATS is operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC regulated ATS.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected]

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com


BEIJING, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PINTEC Group, China's leading fintech solution provider, announced it has rebranded its digital wealth-management and robo-advisory subsidiary as "Polaris" for the international market.

The new brand name "Polaris" is derived from the unit's Chinese brand Xuanji, which refers to the North Star in ancient Chinese. PINTEC's digital wealth-management and robo-advisory subsidiary will use "Polaris" as its brand in the international market, while continuing to use Xuanji as its Chinese-language brand name.

"Polaris better conveys the brand's meaning to non-Chinese speakers, and will help build the subsidiary's brand recognition in the international market," said William Wei, CEO of PINTEC Group. "Just as the North Star guided mariners in ancient times, we believe that, with machine learning, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence capabilities, Polaris will lead the way for burgeoning middle-class investors with intelligent investment advice."

As a pioneer in robo-advisory and automated asset allocation in China, Polaris has developed sophisticated, end-to-end, and plug-and-play fintech solutions for financial institutions and businesses. Combining quantitative modeling and machine learning with programmed trading, Polaris makes it possible for investors to customize and automatically rebalance a global portfolio with greater efficiency and convenience. Launched in 2016, Polaris has established partnerships with key financial and non-financial institutions in China, including Minsheng Securities, Anbang Finance, and Harbin Bank.

About PINTEC Group

PINTEC Group is China's leading end-to-end fintech solution provider to businesses and financial institutions. It aims to leverage technology to advance financial services and level the playing field. With its "Powered by PINTEC" strategy, the company provides innovative digital financial services solutions to institutions and their customers. PINTEC is a trusted technology enabler with advanced fintech solutions for businesses and financial institutions. With its "Powered by PINTEC" strategy, PINTEC enables its partners to offer a range of financial products to improve customer experience, increase customer retention and provide new monetization opportunities.

PINTEC's wholly owned subsidiaries include Dumiao, online consumer lending technology; Polaris, digital wealth-management and robo-advisory; Hongdian Fund, online mutual fund distribution; and MYFIN Insure, an online insurance brokerage.

For more information, please visit www.pintec.com

SOURCE PINTEC Group
MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Protiviti, a global consulting firm, has been named one of the "Best Firms to Work For" by Consulting magazine for the fourth consecutive year. The award recognizes consulting firms that rank highly across several categories, including client engagement, firm culture, career development, work/life balance, firm leadership, and compensation and benefits. Of the more than 400 consulting firms whose employees participated in the publication's global survey, only 15 were included on the list.

"We are enormously proud to be recognized as a Best Firm once again, particularly as it reflects the way our employees view us," said Joseph Tarantino, president and CEO of Protiviti. "Our people are able to grow their careers in a collaborative and diverse environment where they are empowered to solve problems and build deep expertise. Protiviti's continued recognition as a best place to work tells us that our people appreciate our culture and clearly thrive with us."

Protiviti invests in its people by offering extensive training and career development programs, as well as mentoring, a sabbatical program, and incentive compensation. The firm also embraces diversity through several initiatives such as its employee-driven network groups, including groups for women, parents, veterans and multicultural and LGBT communities. Protiviti supports employees who help out in their communities through its longstanding iCare community outreach program.

"From the first day of an employee's career with us, we focus on helping him or her succeed in the world of consulting," said Scott Redfearn, executive vice president of global human resources at Protiviti. "Whether they are a managing director or a summer intern, we offer them unique learning and development programs that prepare them to solve real business problems for our clients."

In addition to this year's Consulting magazine workplace award, Protiviti has been named one of the Fortune 2017 100 Best Companies to Work ForTM and Fortune 2017 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials, and listed on the 2018 Vault Consulting 50. Protiviti is also being recognized with a 2017 "Excellence in Social & Community Investment Award" from Consulting magazine for the success of the firm's global 'i on Hunger' program.

Consulting magazine's 2017 Best Firms to Work For honorees will be feted at an awards dinner on October 5th, 2017 at the University Club, Chicago.

About Protiviti

Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) is a global consulting firm that delivers deep expertise, objective insights, a tailored approach and unparalleled collaboration to help leaders confidently face the future. Through its network of more than 70 offices in over 20 countries, Protiviti and its independently owned Member Firms provide clients with consulting solutions in finance, technology, operations, data analytics, governance, risk and internal audit.

Protiviti has served more than 60 percent of Fortune 1000 and 35 percent of Fortune Global 500 companies. The firm also works with smaller, growing companies, including those looking to go public, as well as with government agencies. Protiviti is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Half (NYSE: RHI). Founded in 1948, Robert Half is a member of the S&P 500 index.

Protiviti is not licensed or registered as a public accounting firm and does not issue opinions on financial statements or offer attestation services.

Editor's note: Photos available upon request.

SOURCE Protiviti

Related Links

http://www.protiviti.com


TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has selected Ducommun (NYSE: DCO) to build fire control systems for the Naval Strike Missile, or NSM, an advanced weapon that Raytheon is offering for the U.S. Navy's over-the-horizon requirement for its littoral combat ships and future frigates.

The partnership will support manufacturing jobs at Ducommun's Berryville and Huntsville, Arkansas, operations.

"As one of America's best technology manufacturers, Ducommun brings the right expertise to the NSM program," said Mike Jarrett, Raytheon Air Warfare Systems vice president. "Producing NSM in the United States is a win all the way around for American jobs, our men and women in uniform, and it's a great value for the Navy."

The Naval Strike Missile is a long-range, precision anti-ship and land-attack missile that provides superior strike capability against heavily defended land and sea targets. The weapon originated in Norway, and Raytheon and Kongsberg Gruppen are teaming to produce it in the United States and make the technology available to the Navy. Raytheon is assembling a manufacturing and supplier team for U.S. production of the weapon.

"Ducommun's longstanding partnership with Raytheon is built on trust and a demand for excellence so that our sailors have the most sophisticated, mission critical tools at their command," said Stephen G. Oswald, Ducommun president and chief executive officer.

Work on the fire control systems is expected to begin in late 2017 at both the Berryville and Huntsville locations.

About Ducommun

Ducommun Incorporated delivers value-added innovative manufacturing solutions to customers in the aerospace, defense and industrial markets. Founded in 1849, the company specializes in two core areas electronic systems and structural systemsto produce complex products and components for commercial aircraft platforms, mission-critical military and space programs, and sophisticated industrial applications. For more information, visit www.ducommun.com.

About Raytheon

Raytheon Company, with 2016 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 95 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter.

Media Contact

Tara Wood

+1.520.746.2097

[email protected]

SOURCE Raytheon Company

Related Links

http://www.raytheon.com


English French

Press Release

Paris (France) - 11 September 2017 at 5.45 pm



Ymagis Group Appoints New Chief Financial Officer and Strengthens Its Management Team

Jean Firome, Chief Financial Officer

Philippe Lefebvre, Vice President Procurement

Benoit Schils, Quality Director

Paris (France) - Ymagis Group (FR0011471291, MAGIS, PEA-PME, TECH 40), the European specialist in digital technologies for the cinema industry, is delighted to announce the recruitment of three key people to the Group's management team:

Jean FIROME has been appointed Ymagis Group's Chief Financial Officer, replacing Remi Gerard, who left the Group this summer for personal reasons. A graduate of the Rouen Business School in Finance and the holder of an Executive MBA from HEC, Jean Firome combines world-class skills both in financial management and organisation and in Fusion & Acquisition. He started his career in 1990 as an auditor in the Arthur Andersen network before taking over financial and administrative management for Africa and the Middle East for Saga, a transport and logistics company. He subsequently returned to Arthur Andersen Management, now Bearing Point, as associate director where he remained from 1997 to 2004. From 2005 he continued his career as a partner in the firm Ernst & Young, working in the Transaction Advisory Services branch. In 2009 he co-founded Eight Advisory, a firm specialising in improving companies' financial and operational performance, then took over the administrative and financial management of Worldwide Flight Services, the global air freight leader, for two years. From 2014 to when he joined Ymagis Group, he worked as a Managing Partner at Belharra Partners, a firm specialising in transaction services and financial and operational consultancy.

Philippe LEFEBVRE joins the Group as Vice President Procurement. Initially trained as a Naval Officer, he also holds an MBA from Babson Graduate School of Business in Boston and a Master's in research from the University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne/HEC Paris. With over 15 years of experience as Procurement Manager in various private companies,including PMU, Intersport, Sara Lee Branded Apparel, Quebecor World and Philips, he has sound experience in purchasing strategy and negotiations both in France and worldwide.

Benoit SCHILS joins the Ymagis Group team as the Group's Quality Director after spending most of his career in the FN Herstal weapons group (Belgium), initially as systems engineer and then as a quality engineer. In 2015 he was appointed manager of the Products and Programs Quality department at FN Herstal before joining Ymagis Group in Liege over the summer, tasked with constantly improving customer satisfaction and deploying ISO9001 certification across the entire Group.

Enhancing our skillset is part of the Group's strategic plan, which aims to pursue profitable, organic external growth.

"I am pleased to welcome these three great professionals. Each of them has something to contribute to Ymagis Group. Their wealth of experience and expertise will be invaluable to our teams and partners to pursue our leadership position and support the new phase in our Group's development," stated Jean Mizrahi, founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Ymagis Group.

Next press release: 29 September 2017 - First half-year revenue and earnings for 2017
CAMPBELL, CA and TEL AVIV, ISRAEL, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Renovo, a groundbreaking mobility software technology company, and Argus Cyber Security, the global leader in automotive cyber security, today announced a partnership to incorporate Argus' patented Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS) technology into Renovo's AWare automated mobility operating system. The partnership will also see the companies cooperate on further integration of advanced, multi-layered cybersecurity solutions with AWare for the fast-growing automated mobility on-demand (AMoD) market.

Argus Cyber Security logo

"Argus understands the vital nature of AMoD services to the future of mobility, and we're excited to play an integral role in ensuring these transportation networks are protected from cyber attacks. By integrating our cyber security expertise with Renovo's outstanding software capabilities, we are ensuring that cities and societies around the world will enjoy the benefits of this cutting edge technology," said Ofer Ben-Noon, Argus Cyber Security CEO and Co-Founder. "Imminent government legislation in the US mandates the inclusion of IDPS in any vehicle sold, imported, or even exhibited, underscoring the importance of automotive cyber security, and IDPS in particular. With the House of Representatives unanimously passing the bill last week, our partnership will render Renovo the very first to comply with the new cyber security measures for connected and autonomous vehicles."

Cyber security and privacy challenges in the automotive sector are growing significantly as vehicles become increasingly connected and automated and as the number of heterogeneous applications and services that run on the vehicle or interact with it rises. This partnership between Renovo and Argus  the first-ever initiative to introduce cyber security into AMoD  will draw on each company's core competencies to proactively deliver solutions to address these challenges.

"Argus' expertise in automotive cyber security and its deserved reputation as the global leader made it a natural fit and great partner for Renovo," explained Chris Heiser, Renovo CEO and Co-Founder. "Argus' patented IDPS technology will immediately help secure our development vehicles running AWare and do so for customer fleet deployments in 2018. We also look forward to a close collaboration with Argus on innovation for future cyber security solutions for the AMoD market."

Learn more at renovo.auto and argus-sec.com.

About Renovo

Renovo is a mobility software company accelerating innovation in Automated Mobility on Demand (AMoD). AWare is Renovo's scalable Automated Mobility Operating System (AMOS) which merges software, data analytics, and automotive-grade safety systems into a unified solution for AMoD deployments. The company combines Silicon Valley agility with proven automotive capabilities, united through a singular commitment to transform the way people and things move.

@Renovo_Auto | LinkedIn

Contact:

Mike West

[email protected]

About Argus

Argus, the global leader in automotive cyber security, provides comprehensive and proven solution suites to protect connected cars and commercial vehicles against cyber-attacks. With decades of experience in both cyber security and the automotive industry, Argus offers innovative security methods and proven computer networking know-how with a deep understanding of automotive best practices. Customers include car manufacturers, their Tier 1 suppliers, fleet operators and aftermarket connectivity providers. Founded in 2013, Argus is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, with offices in Michigan, Silicon Valley, Stuttgart and Tokyo.

@ArgusSec | LinkedIn

Contact:

Brandon Weinstock

[email protected]

+1 914-336-4878

SOURCE Argus Cyber Security Ltd.; Renovo
WARRENDALE, Pa., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- rue21, Inc. ("rue21" or the "Company"), a leading teen specialty apparel retailer, today announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (the "Court") has confirmed the Company's Plan of Reorganization, which clears the way for rue21 to emerge from the bankruptcy process after less than four months.

"Today's confirmation represents an important step forward in rue21's ongoing business transformation to a sustainable business model for a highly performing retailer," said Melanie Cox, Chief Executive Officer of rue21. "We are very pleased to have moved through the restructuring process in a relatively short period. With the support of our lenders, our landlords, all of our business partners and the hard work of our team, the Company has performed consistently well ahead of its liquidity plan, and exceeded its second quarter target for Adjusted EBITDA by over 200%."

Ms. Cox added, "rue21 can now move forward from a position of renewed strength, with a highly relevant brand, an enthusiastic and loyal customer base, hundreds of highly performing stores, and a rapidly growing eCommerce business supported by strong vendor relationships and terms that are trending well above plan."

The Company expects the Plan of Reorganization to become effective by September 15, 2017, once all closing conditions have been met.

Information about the Company's chapter 11 filing can be found on its website at www.rue21.com/restructuring or on the website of its claims agent at www.kccllc.net/rue21. A toll free restructuring information line is also available by calling (888) 647-1738 or, if calling from outside the U.S. or Canada, (310) 751-2625.

About rue21

rue21, a leading teen specialty retailer, believes that fashion plays an important role in the journey to self-discovery. Choose a style, make it your own. You're an individual, and you need fresh, feel-good pieces that let you totally own it. That's why the retailer works to make the latest trends affordable and available to anyone. Its mission is to make fashion everyone's playground. Headquartered just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, rue21 currently operates 758 stores in 45 states in shopping malls, outlets and strip centers, and on its website. For more information, visit www.rue21.com. The freedom to be you is rue!

Contacts:

Ben Gross

rue21

(724) 776-9780

[email protected]

Peter Hill

Kekst

(212) 521-4859

[email protected]

SOURCE rue21, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.rue21.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- EdgeX Foundry, an open source project building a common framework for Internet of Things (IoT) edge computing, today announced Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has joined as a Platinum member. Participating in EdgeX Foundry will support Samsung's emerging efforts in the industrial sector while expanding the market of EdgeX compatible components and devices.

"The true potential of IoT will be realized with solutions that cross both the consumer and industrial sectors. As one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world, having seamless IoT across our business domains and factories would streamline operations and drive efficiencies, but interoperability is a major challenge," said Kyeongwoon Lee, Senior Vice President at Samsung Electronics. "EdgeX Foundry delivers the interoperability, flexibility and scalability that businesses need to deploy Industrial IoT solutions without hesitation, and it will enable us to create lightweight edge solutions that can support real-time operations for our manufacturing infrastructures."

EdgeX Foundry is a collaborative project of The Linux Foundation that is building an open interoperability framework hosted within a full hardware- and OS-agnostic reference software platform to enable an ecosystem of plug-and-play components that unifies the marketplace and accelerates the deployment of IoT solutions. Designed to run on any hardware or operating system and with any combination of application environments, EdgeX can quickly and easily deliver interoperability between connected devices, applications, and services, across a wide range of use cases.

"Samsung is an active contributor in the open source community and has been a key driver behind IoT standardization supporting consumer devices and smart home technology," said Philip DesAutels, PhD Senior Director of IoT at The Linux Foundation. "Their manufacturing experience combined with their expertise in consumer electronics, mobile devices and enterprise solutions will be essential to the development of the EdgeX Framework, and we are excited to welcome them into the community."

EdgeX Foundry has rapidly grown to almost 60 members since its launch in April 2017 and is supported by an active community. More than 150 people from around the world joined EdgeX Foundry face-to-face meetings over the summer to align on project goals, develop working groups and discuss next steps for the project. EdgeX Foundry has also launched a series of technical training sessions called Tech Talks that are designed to help onboard new developers on to the project. Additional information about these Tech Talks, upcoming EdgeX Foundry meetings and how to participate is available at https://wiki.edgexfoundry.org.

About EdgeX Foundry

EdgeX Foundry is an open source project hosted by The Linux Foundation building a common open framework for IoT edge computing and an ecosystem of interoperable components that unifies the marketplace and accelerates the deployment of IoT solutions. Designed to run on any hardware or operating system and with any combination of application environments, EdgeX enables developers to quickly create flexible IoT edge solutions that can easily adapt to changing business needs. To learn more, visit: www.edgexfoundry.org.

About The Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is the organization of choice for the world's top developers and companies to build ecosystems that accelerate open technology development and commercial adoption. Together with the worldwide open source community, it is solving the hardest technology problems by creating the largest shared technology investment in history. Founded in 2000, The Linux Foundation today provides tools, training and events to scale any open source project, which together deliver an economic impact not achievable by any one company. More information can be found at www.linuxfoundation.org.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see our trademark usage page: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Inquiries:

Maemalynn Meanor

PR Manager, EdgeX Foundry

[email protected]

SOURCE EdgeX Foundry

Related Links

http://www.edgexfoundry.org


SAN DIEGO, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax, Inc. got more bad news late Friday night when attorneys at Sanford Heisler Sharp LLP filed a class action complaint against the consumer credit reporting agency in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

With an outstanding record in more than 50 class actions against giant corporations nationwide, the public interest firm filed suit on behalf of San Diego residents Ehud Gersten and Hannah Obradovich and the approximately 143 million other U.S. consumers whose Equifax consumer credit files were hacked in mid-May through July this year.

The Sanford Heisler Sharp team is led by Ed Chapin, managing partner of the San Diego office, Kevin Sharp, managing partner of the Nashville office, and Danielle Fuschetti of the San Francisco office.

"Equifax has irreparably harmed hundreds of millions of American consumers by failing to adequately protect their credit and highly sensitive personal information," said Chapin.

"Ehud, Hannah and all other consumers in this class trusted Equifax with this information, and the company should have taken adequate measures to keep this information private and confidential," added Fuschetti. "Equifax also unnecessarily delayed notifying consumers of the data breach."

The Complaint asserts Equifax learned on July 29 that unauthorized individuals had accessed its database -- including the names, social security numbers, addresses and other personally identifiable information of its customers  but did not notify customers about the breach until September 7.

"Equifax has a long history of data breaches going back to 2013," said Sharp. "The company knew the risks of such breaches, including the damage to consumers inherent in delayed reporting, yet it failed to act to protect millions of Americans."

A former chief judge for the federal district court in the Middle District of Tennessee, Sharp noted that consumers whose identifying information was released must now personally bear the cost of credit monitoring and other similar services for years to come or place credit freezes or fraud alerts on their files in order to protect themselves from the destructive effects of identity theft.

The complaint also notes that although Equifax took no action to inform consumers of the data breach for over a month, three of the company's senior executives sold shares worth $1.8 million within days of discovering the massive hack.

The class action seeks actual and statutory damages, equitable relief, restitution, reimbursement of out-of-pocket losses, other compensatory damages, credit monitoring services with identify theft insurance, and injunctive relief  including an order that requires Equifax to improve its data security and eliminate future privacy breaches.

In addition to plaintiffs Gersten and Obradovich, two classes are included in the action. The "nationwide class" comprises all persons residing in the U.S. whose personal data Equifax collected and stored and whose personal information was placed at risk and/or disclosed in the recent breach. The "California class" comprises all persons residing in California in a similar situation.

In its 13-year history, Sanford Heisler Sharp has successfully represented hundreds of individuals and thousands of class members in suits against American corporations and institutions, including Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Omnicare, Amgen, Office Depot, AT&T, Energy Plus, Cracker Barrel, Google, Sanofi, Qualcomm, General Electric, Sedgwick, Daiichi, Publicis, Alcon, Smith & Nephew, Medtronic, ICON, San Diego State University and many others.

About Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP

Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP is a public interest class-action litigation law firm with offices in New York, Washington, D.C, Nashville, San Francisco and San Diego. Our attorneys have graduated from the nation's top law schools, clerked for judges throughout the United States, and amassed extensive experience litigating cases that have earned over one billion dollars for our clients.

The Firm specializes in civil rights and general public interest cases, representing plaintiffs with employment discrimination, labor and wage violations, predatory lending, whistleblower, consumer fraud, and other claims. Along with a focus on class actions, the firm also represents individuals and has achieved particular success in the representation of executives and attorneys in employment disputes. For more information go to http://www.sanfordheisler.com/ or call 202 499-5200 or email [email protected]. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @sanfordheisler

For more information, contact Jamie Moss, newsPRos, 201-788-0142, [email protected]

SOURCE Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP

Related Links

http://www.sanfordheisler.com


MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scholarship America, the nation's largest nonprofit, private sector scholarship organization, will donate $200,000 to help college students affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Grants will be awarded to post-secondary institutions in impacted areas in Texas and Louisiana. Schools will then disburse funds to students experiencing financial hardship to help with tuition, fees, books and supplies, room and board or other education-related expenses. Allocation of funds to selected institutions will be based on student enrollment with a maximum of $20,000. Individual students may receive up to $1,000.

"We've seen the catastrophic impact of natural disasters on students who were already struggling to pay for their college education. The risk of dropping out altogether escalates exponentially when a natural disaster like a hurricane strikes their school or family," said Robert C. Ballard, president and CEO of Scholarship America. "Our goal, to the greatest extent possible, is to help ensure students are not forced to drop out or interrupt their education because of financial hardships created by this disaster."

Starting Sept. 18, schools can apply for Scholarship America National Disaster Relief Fund grants by going to www.scholarsapply.org/disasterrelief. Applications will be accepted as long as funds are available or through October 31. Grant requests will be processed as they are submitted.

"Hurricane Harvey highlights the need for an ongoing financial aid fund to assist students in the wake of disasters like this," Ballard said. "Scholarship America's National Disaster Relief Fund was established in 2005 to help students affected by Hurricane Katrina and three other hurricanes that year. Foundations and individuals who want to help now as well as ensure there is a National Disaster Relief Fund in place for future disasters can contribute at donations.scholarshipamerica.org."

Scholarship America will waive its management fees as part of its national disaster response.

About Scholarship America

For nearly 60 years, Scholarship America has worked directly with students, parents, colleges, businesses and communities to empower people to fulfill their college dreams. As the nation's largest private education support organization, having distributed over $3.7 billion to more than 2.3 million students, Scholarship America is now working to further engage the private sector to support programs and policies that advance equity in postsecondary education and help students overcome barriers to access, persistence and attainment. More information is available at scholarshipamerica.org or by following @scholamerica.

SOURCE Scholarship America

Related Links

http://www.scholarshipamerica.org


SHANGHAI, Sept. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The success of the 2016 Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition created a buzz around the world, and, for the first time, demonstrated that a Chinese music competition is no less sophisticated than any other at a global level. The Organisation Committee held the press conference recently to announce that the second edition of the competition will take place on August 8th - September 1st, 2018 in Shanghai, and effective immediately, open for application.

Expanded Judging Panel for All-Round Appraisal

Co-chaired by conductor David Stern, son of Isaac Stern, and Professor Vera Tsu Weiling who has sat on the judging panels of many leading international violin competitions, the Jury Committee is assembled and expanded by two additional members and feature a star-studded lineup of pedagogues, violinists and industry leaders. The illustrious panel of judges will evaluate the contestants in a variety of ways including virtuosity, musical personality, performing experiences and more.

The jury will comprise Vera Tsu Weiling, Lina Yu and Siqing Lu, the violin pioneers from China; renowned violinists Maxim Vengerov and Augustin Dumay; distinguished educators Zakhar Bron, Dora Schwarzberg and Daniel Heifetz; Weigang Li and Philip Setzer, respectively the founding member of two string quartets; Glenn Dicterow and Sreten Krstic, concertmasters of two of the world's leading symphony orchestras; renowned conductor David Stern; and industry veterans Martin Campbell-White and Emmanuel Hondre.

More than Virtuosity

The level of difficulty of the repertoire was among the most discussed topics in the last competition for which the contestants prepared as much as four-hours of repertoire, a challenging requirement that is rare in any international competitions of its kind.

The repertoire of this edition implies a greater focus on the grasp and understanding of the musical spirit than merely performers' technique, encouraging them to evolve from 'soloists' to 'musicians'. Hence, a repertoire of less technical pieces and more diversified music styles and forms to inspire performers' versatility. The Semi-Finals will still feature a chamber music round consisting of three sections -- the string quartet in which contestant will perform as the first violinist with Yi-Wen Jiang, Honggang Li and Nicholas Tzavaras from the Shanghai Quartet; sonatas and Kreisler's works; and Mozart concerto with originally improvised cadenza. In addition to a concerto as is conventional in competitions, the Final Round will also include the Chinese work to increase the difficulty.

Co-Commission for New Chinese Work

The Butterfly Lovers Concerto -- the mandatory repertoire of the inaugural competition -- enabled young violinists from various countries to get to know the Chinese music and the Chinese culture that was subtly articulated in their performances.

A special plan for the Chinese work of the 2018 Competition, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will, in cooperation with Beijing Music Festival, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse and New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, co-commission the new violin concerto La Joie de la Souffrance by the renowned Chinese composer Qigang Chen. According to Chen, this work, embracing both eastern and western cultures and diving in-depth into the meaning of life, poses a great challenge to performers' ability to analyze and understand music. By tapping into the global influence of the Competition, Chinese works will have a chance to reach a wider audience faster.

This also embodies the concept of creating the Chinese work section is a more effective approach to communicate the Chinese culture with the rest of the world, the idea proposed by Long Yu, President of the Organisation Committee, during the initial stage of the establishment of the competition.

From Competition to Profession

Besides the largest monetary prize of USD 100,000 presented to the champion, the competition goes to great effort to help 'soloists' become 'musicians' on their road to professional musicianship. Whereas the comprehensive competition process is one aspect of true tests of performers' artistry, the Stern Competition will also use the unique platform and well-established influence of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra to introduce the winners to world-class agencies and to facilitate collaborations with top-level national and international orchestras. The first competition saw its partnerships with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, paving the way to professionalism and encouraging winners to embrace their artistic dreams by arranging performance contracts, album recording and introductions to music agencies.

Following the last competition, some of the winners returned to Shanghai, the city where they have triumphed, to perform with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra at the New Year's concert and Season's concert respectively. During the periods, the Administration Office of the competition has created on and offline campaigns for them that have resulted in interactions with more than ten thousand audience members.

Furthermore, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Beijing Music Festival etc. have offered the performance opportunities to the winners. For instance, Mayu Kishima performed with the conductor Jing Huan and Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra at its Season's concert; Stefan Tarara with the conductor Long Yu and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in Tirol, Austria, one of the stops of SSO's 2017 Europe Tour, not to mention their active schedules with competition's partnering orchestras' performances up to 2018-19 season. There is a reason to believe that the Stern Competition is not only a competition to them but also an unforgettable experience along their path of music.

Lowering the Minimum Application Age to Provide More Opportunities

The competition has expanded the age limit from 18-32 to 16-32 to attract more young talents. Apart from it, applicants who have won the 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize in the three major musical competitions, namely International Tchaikovsky Competition, International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition, and Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, will be exempted from pre-selection DVD submission; and those admitted to the public rounds of the competition will be provided with travel reimbursement and free accommodation.

Full fairness and transparency will carry on -- the contestants should clarify if there is any immediate family or pupil relationship with any jury member upon arrival. "Pupil" is defined as a contestant who has had three or more lessons with the jury member in question in the 6 months prior to the on-site registration date. The Organisation Committee will also release all scores during the competition.

The 2018 competition will once again seek nominations for the Isaac Stern Award -- Human Spirit Award, a recognition to any individuals from all around the world who have made an outstanding contribution to humanity through the medium of music.

SOURCE Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Socure, a leading provider of digital identity verification predictive analytics technology, today announced the next generation version of its beyond-human predictive analytics platform. Version 3.0 of the platform (codenamed Sapphire), features a modular design and includes a single API to handle digital to physical identity verification. Socure has partnered with AU10TIX, a subsidiary of ICTS International, and a pioneer in global ID authentication solutions, to aid in document processing.

Socure's ID+ solution on its Sapphire platform, includes a series of modular offerings via a single API to validate consumer's PII (email, phone, address, date of birth, SSN, Passport, Driver License), correlate the identity across 300+ certified offline, online and social data sources as well as provide predictions on the authenticity (whether the identity is real or not) and fraud risk of the individual. Socure's customers have realized over 10X ROI through improved acceptance of good customers, reduction in fraud losses, lowered costs of manual review and compliance, lowered total ownership costs from a single vendor offering and an improved frictionless experience for the end consumer. The news comes on the heels of Socure's $14M Series B funding announcement and other exciting developments at the company, including several industry partnerships.

"Our technologies and capabilities are significantly ahead of other industry offerings and will continue to be as we focus on improving our current solutions while developing new capabilities in this space. We are creating the world's first dedicated identity verification robot to go beyond human powered rule-based and generalized machine learning identity verification techniques," said Sunil Madhu, Socure CEO.

Socure ID+ offers the most comprehensive digital identity verification with the highest accuracy available on the market. When a transaction is identified as high-risk, customers will now have the option of invoking physical document verification as a secondary authentication factor. The combination of Socure's digital identity verification with physical document verification provides the greatest level of assurance achievable that an identity is valid, belongs to the user being verified and is risk free.

"Both Socure and AU10TIX are on the cutting edge of technology in the identity authentication and verification space. We're looking forward to continuing to work together and address market opportunities," said Ron Atzmon, Managing Director of AU10TIX.

Financial services and ecommerce companies, including digital banking firms, online lending platforms, digital wealth management companies, payments and remittance companies as well as marketplaces are using Socure to streamline their digital identity verification processes. Socure's ID+ Sapphire (version 3.0) will be generally available on October 1st 2017.

Socure will be at FinovateFall Monday, September 11 through Wednesday, September 13. Socure will be hosting a demo showcasing its new platform and ID+ solution suite on Tuesday, September 12.

About Socure

Socure is the leader in creating high-assurance digital identity verification technology. Its predictive analytics platform applies artificial intelligence and machine-learning techniques with trusted online/offline data intelligence from email, phone, address, IP, social media and the broader Internet to authenticate identities in real-time. Socure powers financial inclusion, increasing acceptance as much as 40 percent for millennials and other thin-file consumers. It also bolsters CIP/KYC programs and AML compliance for enterprises in the US, helping them to reduce fraud up to 80 percent and lower manual review costs as much as 90 percent. Socure was founded in 2012 and is based in New York City.

About AU10TIX

AU10TIX Limited, a fully owned subsidiary of ICTS International N.V, deals with the authentication and digitization of identifying documents including Passports, identity cards, driving licenses and other complementary identifying documents. The company specializes in implementing hardware & software based applications used for scanning, identifying, content retrieval, authentication and validation of identifying documents. AU10TIX is a pioneer of all-channel (front-end and online) ID authentication and processing solutions. The company's products drastically reduce identifying document-based fraud, reducing the costs associated with client processing and enabling effective regulatory compliance, while making the sales and support operations speedier and considerably more efficient.

For more information, visit www.au10tix.com.

Media Contact: North 6th Agency, Inc.

212-334-9753, [email protected]

SOURCE Socure

Related Links

http://www.socure.com


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals and an innovative leader in solar tracker, mounting and project support services, announced today its fixed tilt FlexRack Series B3P-X has been selected and installed in the Elizabeth Mine Solar Project on the Superfund site in Strafford and Thetford, Vermont. The 7-megawatt dc solar power generation plant, developed by Greenwood Energy, Brightfields Development and Wolfe Energy and installed by Conti Solar (the turnkey EPC contractor), is the finishing touch on a major remediation project that transformed unused landfill to a renewable energy generation site delivering enough electricity to power 1,200 homes.

Photo courtesy of Greenwood Energy.

Steve Daniel, EVP, Solar FlexRack said, "we are honored to have been selected for a Superfund Project that has restored a healthy balance to an environmentally challenged site and transformed it to a productive renewable energy power plant. Congratulations to Greenwood Energy and to all who worked on the successful Elizabeth Mine Superfund Project."

William Bushnell, Director of Engineering, Greenwood Energy said, "Greenwood Energy selected the highest quality equipment providers to participate in the Elizabeth Mine Superfund Solar Project. We want to thank all of the agencies who supported the development of this solar project including the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources."

Work on the Elizabeth Mine Solar Project included the upgrade of the regional substation and power lines to the town of Strafford resulting in an improved electrical system that upgraded the reliability of the entire system benefitting the residents of the community. The Superfund project transformed the region to a healthier environment and turned unused landfill into a sustainable solar power generation plant. To learn more about the Elizabeth Mine Superfund visit http://solarflexrack.com/resources/case-studies/elizabeth-mines/.

About Solar FlexRack

Solar FlexRack, a division of Northern States Metals, is an integrated solar company that offers custom-designed, fixed tilt ground mount and single-axis solar tracking systems in the commercial and utility scale, solar mounting industry. Solar FlexRack also offers full turnkey packages, including engineering, geotechnical, pullout testing, field, layout, and installation services to address the actual site conditions of an installation, providing a full scope of services from design to delivery and installation. Solar FlexRack has completed more than 1.5 GW of solar racking installations in 32 states across America and five countries globally. For more information, go to www.solarflexrack.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Solar FlexRack media inquiries:

Staci Lombardo

[email protected]

330-799-1855

SOURCE Solar FlexRack

Related Links

http://solarflexrack.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wines of Southwest France are proud to announce their nomination for the Wine Enthusiast's 2017 Wine Region of the Year award. The Southwest is France's only wine region among a prestigious group of five shortlisted nominees, three of which are European. The winner will be unveiled by the Wine Enthusiast on November 9, 2017.

To be a Wine Region nominee, Southwest France had to prove it had more than wines of good quality; it had to demonstrate its vision, authenticity and commitment to sustainable excellence. This designation confirms the pivotal role the lush, hilly wine region is now playing in exporting the savoir-faire, passion and innovation that characterize today's French winemaking in all corners of the world.

"We are delighted that Southwest France has been recognized as one of the top wine regions in the world," says Paul Fabre, Managing Director of the Interprofession des Vins du Sud-Ouest. "Our commitment to preserving our natural wine heritage and environment while using the best available technology makes the region an obvious choice for the nomination."

"Southwest France continues to grow on the global radar, with wines lauded for their excellent value and finesse. Its distinct subregions, with their stunning, scenic backdrops, produce unique, terroir-driven and ageable wines, giving neighbors like Bordeaux a run for their money. Sommeliers started the buzz, and consumers in the U.S. and beyond have caught on", comments the Wine Enthusiast panel.

Southwest France, a Wine Gem to Discover



Stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the vibrant city of Toulouse, and from the sunny Pyrenees to the monumental Massif Central mountains, the Southwest is home to a climatic and geological variety that defines the region's wine diversity. With 43 geographical designations and over 300 grape varieties referenced, 120 of which are native to the region, the Southwest's wine offer is unprecedented.

Not sure which wines from the Southwest France to choose for your wine needs? Here's a selection of appellations to explore by wine type:

Crisp whites  Cotes de Gascogne, Irouleguy

 Cotes de Gascogne, Irouleguy Aromatic roses  Fronton, Marcillac

 Fronton, Marcillac Fruity reds  Gaillac, Cotes du Marmandais, Saint Mont

 Gaillac, Cotes du Marmandais, Saint Mont Full-body reds  Madiran and Cahors, the latter which is the birthplace of Malbec

 Madiran and Cahors, the latter which is the birthplace of Malbec Sweet wines  Bergerac, Monbazillac and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh



The 4th vineyard in France in production volume, the Southwest offers high-quality and friendly wines that delight every palate, offer good value for money, and pair easily with all kinds of food.

Southwest France, Where Heritage and Innovation Meet

The Southwest's rise to the top is the result of a long-standing commitment to innovation in the full respect of tradition and the environment.

Visionary winemakers such as the cooperative PLAIMONT Producteurs contributes to the uniqueness of the Southwest by growing exclusively native grape varieties and working on the genetic make-up of old, forgotten grape varietals to create new varieties that are disease- and climate change resistant. The French Institute of Vine and Wine (IFV) took on the same challenge. Its research aims to fight the disappearance of grape varietals by putting them in conservatory. "The Southwest represents only 5% of the French vineyard, but 30% of the country's genetic diversity. It is fundamental that we protect this heritage", explains Eric Serrano, Southwest Regional Director of the IFV.

Other winemakers such as Bergerac's Luc de Conti made the transition to full organic farming before it became the trend: "We switched to organic farming in 1996 for qualitative reasons; we sought to find the notion of terroir in our wines and the world of organic brought us the solution", he explains.

The annual Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards recognize individuals and companies that made outstanding achievements among the wine and beverage industry in 15 different categories. This year's winners will be honored at a black-tie gala in January 2018 in Miami.

For more information on the 2017 Nominees, see: http://www.winemag.com/2017/09/07/wsa2017nominees/

About Interprofession des Vins du Sud-Ouest France

Interprofession des Vins du Sud-Ouest (IVSO) is a professional organization of wine producers, cooperatives, and trading companies in the Southwestern corner of France. The organization represents 29 Protected Designation of Origin, 14 Protected Geographical Indication in the area of France bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, and Spain and the Pyrenees Mountains on the south. Headquartered in Toulouse, the IVSO is actively building its membership and increasing its promotion of the wines of Southwest France around the world.

For more information on white wines of Southwest France, please visit www.winesofsouthwestfrance.com

Follow @WinesofSWFrance on Twitter and Facebook

For press inquiries, please contact:

Joanna Sykes-Darmon, Public Relations Manager

Sopexa c/o Wines of Southwest France

[email protected]

SOURCE Wines of Southwest France

Related Links

http://www.winesofsouthwestfrance.com/


OLD GREENWICH, Conn., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Spencer Trask & Co., a leading business and technology development firm, today announced its chairman Kevin Kimberlin was invited to participate in a panel discussion at Mobile World Congress Americas. Taking place at San Francisco's Moscone Center (Moscone North, M2M Zone) on Sept. 12, 2017, the panel begins at 4:30 p.m. PT and will focus on mobile connectivity and the future of IoT.

Moderated by Mobile Workforce GM Americas and noted IoT expert Stewart Skomra, the panel discussion will cover the evolution of mobile technology, future trends in the mobile space and how IoT represents the next great wave of what mobile makes possible in our lives. Skomra is joined by Kimberlin, a serial entrepreneur and mobile technology pioneer who helped launch Millicom, and Keith McMillen, CEO of BeBop Sensors, the leader in smart fabric sensor technology. McMillen's proprietary technology turns any fabric, clothing or vehicle interior into a mobile-connectable sensor device.

Kimberlin and McMillen will share their unique insights on the acceleration of connectivity from the early days of mobile communications to the industrial IoT of today, including the adoption of connected wearables.

Mobile World Congress Americas, produced by the GSMA in partnership with CTIA, is being held September 12-14 in San Francisco and consists of a conference program featuring C-level speakers and leading industry experts. An estimated 30,000 people are expected to attend the event.

About Spencer Trask & Co.

Spencer Trask & Co. is a leading business and technology development firm that helps entrepreneurs, CEOs and corporate partners start and grow high impact ventures that change the world. The company has been instrumental in the formative stage of companies that pioneered many technological and scientific advancements in the fields of genomics, healthcare technology, mobile technology, the Internet and Open Innovation. Please visit www.spencertraskco.com for more information.

About GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organizations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series. Please visit www.gsma.com for additional information.

SOURCE Spencer Trask & Co.

Related Links

http://www.spencertrask.com


CALGARY, Sept. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bayshore Petroleum Corp. (Bayshore or the Company) (TSX Venture Exchange:BSH) announced previously, on May 2, 2017, and updated on May 31, 2017, that the Company would pursue a non-brokered private placement financing consisting of up to 24 million common shares priced at $0.05 per share for gross proceeds of $1.2 million, less any commissions or finders fees paid. Discussions with interested parties since that time have led to changes in the private placement as follows: The Company now announces a non-brokered Private Placement of securities, in total consisting of the sale of up to 50 million units (Units) at $0.03 per unit, for gross proceeds of $1.5 million. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of Bayshore and one whole common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to acquire an additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.05 per share, available for a term of 48 months from closing. Finders fees may also be paid to a party at arms-length to the Company. The use of proceeds from the financing is for general corporate purposes and working capital, and to further pursue the Companys partial upgrading projects using the CCC technology. This private placement is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange, which may also be required to approve the creation of a controlling shareholder. This transaction would also likely require disinterested shareholder approval. There is a hold period of four months during which the Unit shares cannot be traded. The Company expects further updates in the near future.



On behalf of the Board of Directors

BAYSHORE PETROLEUM CORP.

"Peter Ho"

Chairman and CEO

Bayshore Head Office:

PHONE +1403 265 8820

FAX +1403 290 6565

ccc@bayshorepetroleum.com

14  3515 27th Street N.E.

Calgary, Alberta, T1Y 5E4, Canada

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities of the Company in the United States. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

Cautionary Statements

Statements in this press release may contain forward-looking information including expectations of future production, operating costs, commodity prices, administrative costs, commodity price risk management activity, acquisitions and dispositions, capital spending, access to credit facilities, income taxes, regulatory changes, and other components of cash flow and earnings. This press release may also contain forward-looking or subjective information regarding technology, processes, and the oil and gas industry. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of such information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the company. These risks include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the mining and oil and gas industry, commodity prices and exchange rate changes. Industry related risks could include, but are not limited to, operational risks in exploration, development and production, delays or changes in plans, risks associated to the uncertainty of reserve estimates, technology and technology implementation, health and safety risks and the uncertainty of estimates and projections of production, costs and expenses. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information.

Completion of a transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including Exchange acceptance and disinterested Shareholder approval. The transaction cannot close until the required Shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Management Information Circular to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Bayshore should be considered highly speculative.
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SpyCloud, the pioneer in breach discovery and credential recovery, has appointed John N. Stewart, SVP, Chief Security and Trust Officer of Cisco, and Alan Kessler, President and CEO of Thales e-Security to its Board of Directors. SpyCloud announced the new members on stage at FinovateFall 2017, an annual event showcasing cutting-edge banking, financial and payments technology.

SpyCloud brings these highly-coveted members to its Board as it rolls out new account takeover (ATO) prevention capabilities. "As we continue the momentum to becoming leaders in ATO prevention, we're excited to leverage Kessler and Stewart's business acumen and leadership," said Ted Ross, CEO and Co-Founder of SpyCloud. "They both bring vast industry knowledge and expertise which will help us capitalize on new opportunities in the market."

The bios of SpyCloud's new Board appointments:

John N. Stewart  In John's role as SVP, Chief Security & Trust Officer at Cisco, he aides the industry leading, multibillion-dollar security business, oversees the functions protecting Cisco and its public and private customers, and contributes to effective practices across the security industry. Throughout his career, John has invested in, and served as a Board Director for, multiple startup companies.

Alan Kessler - As CEO of Thales e-Security, Alan is responsible for leading a world-class team of data security professionals in its mission to be the undisputed leader in advanced data security solutions, delivering trust wherever information is created, shared or stored. Alan became CEO of Thales e-Security following the acquisition of Vormetric Data Security by Thales Group. He joined Vormetric in 2012 with the firm belief that the company had the potential to be a data security front runner.

About SpyCloud

Powered by a world-class team of researchers and industry veterans, SpyCloud helps businesses of all sizes prevent account takeovers by proactively alerting security staff when their employee, company and consumer assets are being traded in the underground. SpyCloud's automated ATO prevention capabilities have already helped companies protect millions of customers worldwide. For more information, please visit spycloud.com.

SOURCE SpyCloud

Related Links

https://www.spycloud.com


The GRC Seattle double-header represented rounds 10 and 11 of the 2017 GRC series and was held on a challenging mixed surface course at Evergreen Speedway, just north of the Seattle metro area. Chris Atkinson excelled on Saturday after winning pole. He went on to win a heat race, Semi-Final B and then earned a third-overall finish in the chaotic final. A more challenging day on Sunday saw Atkinson fight from further back in the field to cross the finish line in fourth, but a post-race driving penalty would classify him in fifth.

"We're happy with the podium Saturday and it's a great result for the team. Where we've been all weekend, with taking pole, then winning the earlier races, just shows we're there at the top now," explained Chris Atkinson. "The team has worked so hard all season and we know we have more speed to find yet with this chassis."

It was Sandell's turn to shine on Sunday as the double-header concluded. Sandell won pole, followed it up with a pair of 2nd place finishes in the early heats, then won Semi-Final B to place on him on the front row of the Final. Sandell shined in the opening laps of the Final and slotted into a comfortable third position for a majority of the race to earn his 14th career GRC podium and second of the year with Subaru.

"It was a great weekend for the team," said Sandell. "We are really starting to show our speed now, these Subaru WRX STI rallycross cars are really amazing and getting faster all the time. Thank you to Subaru and the team in Vermont for all the effort. For both Chris (Atkinson) and I to earn a pole and a podium here is fantastic and we have a lot of confidence now."

"The Subaru rallycross program is now seeing the fruits of two years worth of race development with our technical partner Vermont SportsCar, combined with great driving by Atko and Sandell," stated Subaru motorsports marketing manager Rob Weir. "It was great to put on a strong showing for our Subaru fans this weekend."

The Subaru GRC team will conclude the 2017 season at GRC Los Angeles on October 14th, 2017.

Full coverage of Subaru Rally Team USA is available on the Subaru Motorsports App. To download from the iTunes App store, click here, for Android App on Google Play store, click here. Follow the team on Instagram @srtusa, on Twitter @srtusa, and on facebook @Subaru Rally Team USA.

About Subaru Rally Team USA

Subaru Rally Team USA is managed by Vermont SportsCar and proudly supported by Subaru of America, Inc., Valvoline, KUHL, Method Race Wheels, DirtFish Rally School, DMACK Tires, PIAA, RECARO and DBA USA. Follow the team online at www.subaru.com/rally

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 620 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company's vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA has donated more than $120 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged more than 40,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do.

For additional information visit media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Additional information and news from Subaru is available at http://www.media.subaru.com.

Rob Weir

Motorsports Marketing Manager

Subaru of America, Inc.

(856) 488-3453

[email protected]

Dominick Infante

National Manager, Product Communications

Subaru of America, Inc.

(856) 488-8615

[email protected]

SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.subaru.com


SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunpreme, a US based solar Company providing innovative high-performance, high-yield Bifacial double glass PV modules at competitive prices, announced, at the SPI trade show, that it was awarded a Master Supply Agreement (MSA) by True Green Capital Management LLC ("TGC"), a distributed energy infrastructure asset management firm. TGC recently raised its $350 million True Green Capital Fund III, L.P. for which the investment thesis includes US based commercial and industrial solar projects. TGC recently commissioned a 16.5 MW roof top project for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) of which 10 MW was delivered by Sunpreme.

Panos Ninios, TGC's Managing Partner said, "Following over three years of very positive product and customer service experience, we are now glad to raise our relationship with Sunpreme to a significantly higher level. We expect that Sunpreme will expand its production capacity, ideally with a US based manufacturing facility that creates new US high paying jobs in the solar business, while providing our Fund III limited partners with a secure source of high quality solar panels at attractive prices."

"We are gratified by the opportunity to partner with TGC, a visionary leader within the C&I space; it is currently a $20 billion segment, with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of over 15%," said Ashok Sinha, the Chairman and CEO of Sunpreme. "We estimate that Sunpreme's advanced technology increases solar project profitability by ~10% through increased energy production and systems level cost reductions, and expect for this to be sustainable, thanks to our innovation-driven cost roadmap," he added.

Ilias Garidis, TGC Partner said, "We look forward to using Sunpreme's high power modules rated 380W, 400W and 420W DC over the three-year term of this MSA. We are pleased with Sunpreme's track record of continuous innovation coupled with a comprehensive warranty backed by Munich Re."

"We are proud to deliver to TGC and our other global customers a winning combination of cost, power and yield through our proven HCT (Hybrid Cell Technology) platform and advanced module designs. This has enabled market-leading STC Power, Bifacial boost, thermal coefficient and zero LID, combined with a manufacturing yield of higher than 98% in our 24x7 factory operations." stated Moris Kori, Sunpreme's Chief Strategy Officer.

About Sunpreme:

Sunpreme is a global PV Company, based in Sunnyvale, CA, with a WFOE (Wholly Foreign Owned Entity) in Jiaxing, near Shanghai, China. It is ranked among top three providers of high performance modules, with products deployed in 28 countries.

With its high-power, Bifacial double glass module and services, Sunpreme provides better products at China -competitive prices . Our PV efficiency averages at 22%, with a roadmap going from 23%  24.5%  30% through advances in materials and device. Our products provide a competitive benefit within the high-growth $20B C&I market, positioned now to catch the next 10-year wave .

. Our PV efficiency averages at 22%, with a roadmap going from 23% 24.5% 30% through advances in materials and device. Our products provide a competitive benefit within the high-growth C&I market, positioned now to . Thanks to its proprietary HCT platform, Sunpreme has solved a major problem with the HIT technology, and demonstrated manufacturing yield at >98% in 24x7 operations, on larger 6" Si wafers. Our factory is profitable, even at small scale.

Sunpreme now faces a demand-driven opportunity to expand capacity, especially within the US. We are well positioned to deliver a benchmark in greater profit with growth, leading thereby to an extreme value-creating liquidity event in 3 to 5 years.

Sunpreme is led by a team with a proven track record of commercializing innovations and delivering profitable growth at B$ scale. The Company provides an outstanding de-risked investment opportunity for: Creating a better alternative to current leading suppliers.

For more information, please visit: www.sunpreme.com

Contact: Samantha Lam, [email protected]

About TGC:

True Green Capital Management LLC is a specialized energy infrastructure asset management firm based in Westport, Connecticut with over $500 million in private equity capital under management. TGC has an operating portfolio of distributed solar power generation assets across nine states including New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Idaho, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Tennessee, and Vermont. The firm was founded in 2011 and is led by a team of investment professionals with a proven investment track record and a demonstrated capacity to originate, finance, construct and operate infrastructure investments.

True Green Capital is currently focused on the approximately $2 trillion distributed power generation market with an emphasis on the sub utility scale solar power segment. Thanks to rapid advancements in technology, the cost of distributed power generation, including solar, is now on par with traditional electricity generation sources and in many U.S. states it represents one of the few sources of new power generation infrastructure that can be added to the power network quickly, reliably and cost efficiently. TGC believes the continued increase of power prices and decreasing entry costs of distributed power generation technology will continue to lead to compelling investment opportunities which provide a stable cash flow stream with little to no correlation to the broader markets.

For more information, please visit: www.truegreencapital.com

SOURCE Sunpreme, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.sunpreme.com


Teleflora established the Tom Butler "Floral Retailer of the Year" Award in honor of Teleflora's past Chairman Tom Butler, who led Teleflora in its mission to serve as a trusted business partner, friend and innovator to independent retail florists across the U.S. and Canada since 1995.

"On behalf of everyone at Teleflora, we are delighted to honor Paul Raimondi of Raimondi's Florist as the recipient of Teleflora's third annual Tom Butler 'Floral Retailer of the Year'," said Jack Howard, Executive Vice President of National Accounts at Teleflora. "Paul is a proven powerhouse in the floral industry, whose foresight, leadership and innovative approach to growing a thriving floral business in today's competitive environment serves as a great role model for others. He is a mentor to fellow florists, a good neighbor to his community, and an all-around 'good guy,' which makes us so proud to recognize and award his hard work and dedication today."

Raimondi's Florist is a third-generation, family-owned and operated floral business that's been serving the Baltimore, Maryland community for more than 83 years. Paul Raimondi grew up in his family's legacy and worked his way to the top, assuming full control of the business in 1985, and expanded the brand into multiple store locations throughout Maryland. 10 years later, he extended their primary product line of designing and delivering professionally-arranged flowers to also include pre-packaged gifts such as fine chocolates, candies, and nuts. Today, their shops also sell fresh baked goods online and in-store, along with serving coffee to complement their customer's in-store experience. The bridal and sympathy segment of the business also continues to thrive, with its shops now servicing the floral needs at more than 130 funeral homes throughout Maryland. Paul Raimondi epitomizes what it is to be a good neighbor. Awarded the "Good Neighbor Day" proclamation from the state of Maryland in the early 1970s, Raimondi's Florist continues to earn the respect and admiration from the community at large. Just as passionate about serving his community, as he is with his business, Paul Raimondi is an advocate for numerous charities, particularly in the effort to fight against breast cancer. For more information, visit www.raimondisflorist.com or LIKE their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/raimondis.florist

About The Leadership Legacy of Tom Butler

Tom Butler's passion for the floral industry inspired an almost 50-year career. He served as Chairman of Teleflora, Chairman of the American Floral Endowment (AFE) and was a longtime devoted advocate for the Endowment, beginning his service as a trustee in 2006.

Known for possessing an unparalleled knack for fundraising and for his significant interest in expanding and improving the Endowment, Tom's commitment to giving and innovation continues within the floral industry through the Tom Butler Family Fund that helps provide funds to support The American Floral Endowment's research and grant efforts. Among his many roles and accomplishments, Tom served as the Chair of the AFE Development Committee and as a Trustee on the AFE Board; TI World President; Member of the American Academy of Florists; Professional Floral Communicators International; Society of American Florists (Past Board of Directors).

He was also a member of numerous national floral and state floral associations. Recipient of SAF's Hall of Fame Award and Paul Ecke, Jr. Award, Florida State Florists' Association Hall of Fame Award and Lifetime Achievement Award and Place in the Sun Award; Michigan State Florists' Association Award of National Industry Service; Michigan Floral Foundation Hall of Fame Award; Arkansas State Florists' Association Distinguished Service Award and Oklahoma State Florists' Hall of Fame. Tom passed away in August, 2014, after a battle with cancer. For many who knew Tom, he was considered to be the 'Chief Champion of Florists'  always there when they needed him, always understanding their issues and concerns, and always representing their cause.

About Teleflora

Teleflora brings together the time-honored tradition of sending flowers with the modern benefits of an advanced florist network. By tapping over 10,000 member florists in North America alone, Teleflora offers the kind of personal touches, artistry and expertise you expect from a trusted neighborhood floristeven if that neighborhood is across the country. No prepackaged flowers in nondescript boxes dropped on your doorstepTeleflora's network of professional florists create artistic arrangements personally delivered in a vase, often on the same day. And, with the organization's pioneering "Flowers in a Gift" Collection, the recipient gets a keepsake that turns the treasured gesture of a bouquet into a lasting memento. Luxe yet affordable, aspirational yet accessible, Teleflora makes every day an occasion. Follow Teleflora on Facebook.

SOURCE Teleflora

Related Links

WWW.TELEFLORA.COM


DUBLIN, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN) today announced that The Allergan Foundation will donate $150,000 to help victims of Hurricane Irma. The donation includes $100,000 to the American Red Cross which is actively responding to the devastation in Florida. The Allergan Foundation is also donating $50,000 to relief efforts across the Caribbean, which was also devastated by the hurricane.

"Allergan and our 18,000 colleagues offer our thoughts and prayers to the millions of people whose lives are being devastated by Hurricane Irma. This historic storm and its powerful winds and storm surge will have a long-lasting impact on Florida and the Caribbean. The Allergan Foundation is eager to help people in the region begin to recover from the destruction of the storm," said Brent Saunders, Chairman and CEO of Allergan and Chairman of The Allergan Foundation.

About Allergan plc

Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is a bold, global pharmaceutical company and a leader in a new industry model  Growth Pharma. Allergan is focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical and regenerative medicine products for patients around the world.

Allergan markets a portfolio of leading brands and best-in-class products for the central nervous system, eye care, medical aesthetics and dermatology, gastroenterology, women's health, urology and anti-infective therapeutic categories.

Allergan is an industry leader in Open Science, a model of research and development, which defines our approach to identifying and developing game-changing ideas and innovation for better patient care. With this approach, Allergan has built one of the broadest development pipelines in the pharmaceutical industry with 65+ mid-to-late stage pipeline programs currently in development.

Allergan's success is powered by our more than 18,000 global colleagues' commitment to being Bold for Life. Together, we build bridges, power ideas, act fast and drive results for our customers and patients around the world by always doing what is right.

With commercial operations in approximately 100 countries, Allergan is committed to working with physicians, healthcare providers and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help people around the world live longer, healthier lives every day.

For more information, visit Allergan's website at www.Allergan.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

Statements contained in this press release that refer to future events or other non-historical facts are forward-looking statements that reflect Allergan's current perspective on existing trends and information as of the date of this release. Actual results may differ materially from Allergan's current expectations depending upon a number of factors affecting Allergan's business. These factors include, among others, the difficulty of predicting the timing or outcome of FDA approvals or actions, if any; the impact of competitive products and pricing; market acceptance of and continued demand for Allergan's products; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Allergan's periodic public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to Allergan's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Allergan's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2017. Except as expressly required by law, Allergan disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

CONTACTS:

Allergan:

Investors:

Daphne Karydas

(862) 261-8006

Media:

Mark Marmur

(862) 261-7558

SOURCE Allergan plc

Related Links

http://www.allergan.com


CHICAGO, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois (CLII) is proud to announce on August 18, 2017, Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law the Illinois Collaborative Process Act, Senate Bill 0067 (Sponsors: Hastings, Connelly and Harris III). http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocTypeID=SB&DocNum=67&GAID=14&SessionID=91&LegID=99519. The Act will go into effect on January 1, 2018. Illinois has now joined approximately 12 other states in officially sanctioning this important new approach to conflict resolution. The Collaborative Process Act offers divorcing couples a team-based approach for amicably resolving marital conflict outside of the court system with privacy and respect. "As the stigma of divorce falls away, a couple who wants to conclude their relationship with dignity and respect can find the support they need in the Collaborative Process," remarks Theresa Beran Kulat, Esq., President of CLII. "The statute establishes the benchmarks for a true Collaborative Process. Our practitioners, the Fellows of CLII, have been following these protocols and developing the standards of practice for more than 15 years." Sometimes called "Collaborative Law" or "Collaborative Practice," this method of divorce is a growing world-wide discipline. The passage of the new Collaborative Process Act will increase the visibility, credibility, and accessibility of this unique process to divorcing couples and professionals alike. The passage of this Act creates standards that more divorce attorneys, mental health professionals, and financial specialists are likely to adopt and make available as an option to their divorcing clients. CLII has worked to promote the passage of this Act and the use of Collaborative Divorce as a viable option for divorcing couples who want a more peaceful way to resolve their marital conflict. Since its inception in 2002, CLII has offered high-quality professional education opportunities to train divorce practitioners in the Collaborative Process and is proud to continue this practice.

About The Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois

The mission of The Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois is to advance Collaborative Practice as a conflict resolution option in Illinois. An interdisciplinary non-profit organization, CLII is comprised of members from the legal, financial and mental health fields. CLII maintains free resources and a free listing of Collaborative divorce practitioners for the public on its re-designed website. Visit Collablawil.org Phone: 312-882-8000

Contact:

Rebecca Hoffman

[email protected]

Telephone: 312-282-4254

SOURCE The Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois

Related Links

https://collablawil.org/


The Moth's Community Program brings storytelling workshops and performances to diverse organizations in the U.S. and around the globe. Focusing on issues around health, criminal justice, and gender equality, the team works to uncover and elevate voices that are otherwise underrepresented in the mainstream media. The result: a collection of very personal stories with the power to build community and awareness, challenge social norms, and promote understanding and change. Several such accounts will be shared from the stage that evening including Sarah Nakintu (Uganda), sharing a story about escaping child marriage; Emma Naluyima (Uganda), talking about starting a farm on her land to make ends meet after giving birth; Karen Njoki (Kenya), who finds the courage to step out after living in fear of her abusive husband; Kendi Ntwiga Nderitu (Kenya) telling the tale of her triumph over local bullies and scoring high marks on an exam to broaden her horizons; Sitawa Wafula (Kenya), sharing about following her professional dreams in the wake of an epilepsy diagnosis; and Fatou Wurie (Sierra Leone) with a story about discovering the important force her grandmother played in her life.

"We believe deeply in the power of storytelling and effective communications to change hearts and minds, building the case for greater investment in women and girls," says Sarah Haberman, Executive Director of The Moth. "We are thrilled to continue our work with community organizations in the U.S. and the global souththanks to the collaboration and support from key partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationto present the fruits of those workshops at what will surely be another extraordinary and powerful evening of storytelling at Lincoln Center."

"My own story is shaped by what I heard from women in the dusty townships of Gugulethu and villages of Zululand, and in later life, even in meeting halls in New York. Listening to women tell their own stories is essential to understand their individual experiences and the shared, universal issues," commented Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director. "These are stories that illuminate some of the biggest challenges to women's rights such as their reproductive rights, or the deeply rooted cultural practices that shape invisible barriers and enable violence. They also illustrate the inspirational leadership of women and girls who step through those barriers and shape new successes."

For more information about the September 18th showcase or to learn more about The Moth's Community Programs, visit www.themoth.org.

About The Moth

The Moth is an acclaimed non-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Since launching in 1997, The Moth has presented over 20,000 stories, told live and without notes to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. The Moth conducts seven ongoing programs: The Moth Mainstage, which tours internationally, has featured stories by Malcolm Gladwell, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, John Turturro, Molly Ringwald, and Tig Notaro, as well as an astronaut, a pickpocket, a hotdog eating champion and hundreds more; The Moth StorySLAM program, which conducts open mic storytelling competitions in 27 cities; 24 in the US plus Sydney and Melbourne, AU, and London, UK; The Moth Community Program, which offers storytelling workshops and performance opportunities to adults who are too often overlooked by the mainstream media; The Moth High School StorySLAMs, which bring the thrill of personal storytelling to high schools in New York and educators around the world; The Moth Podcast, which is downloaded more than 44 million times a year; The Moth Corporate Program, which provides industry-specific storytelling solutions; and Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour which airs weekly on 450+ public radio stations nationwide. Learn more at www.themoth.org.

SOURCE The Moth

Related Links

http://www.themoth.org


QUINCY, Ill., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Titan International, Inc. President and CEO, Paul Reitz, commented, "We respectfully disagree with the court's ruling and will appeal. Titan Tire and Dico did not intend to arrange for the disposal of hazardous substances when they engaged in arms-length transactions with a third-party on identical terms to other transactions the government admits were not improper. We further object to any suggestion that Titan Tire or Dico exposed the public to any environmental risk, as the government's own documents state that the actions in question 'did not likely result in a significant health threat.' We believe the court applied a more stringent standard to Titan Tire and Dico than has been applied to other companies in similar cases, and look forward to having the matter reviewed in the appellate court."

In October 2010, the United States of America, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), filed a complaint against Dico, Inc. (Dico) and Titan Tire Corporation (Titan Tire) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, wherein the EPA sought civil penalties, punitive damages, and response costs against Dico and Titan Tire pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA).

In June 2015, Titan Tire and Dico, Inc. appealed the U.S. District Court's order granting the EPA's motion for summary judgment that found Dico and Titan Tire liable for civil penalties and response costs for violating CERCLA and Dico liable for civil penalties and punitive damages for violating an EPA Administrative Order.

In December 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed the District Court's summary judgment order with respect to "arranger" liability for Titan Tire and Dico under CERCLA and the imposition of punitive damages against Dico for violating the EPA Administrative Order, but affirmed the summary judgment order imposing civil penalties in the amount of $1.62 million against Dico for violating the EPA Administrative Order. The case was remanded to the District Court for a new trial on the remaining issues.

The trial occurred in April 2017. On September 5, 2017, the District Court issued an order: (a) concluding Titan Tire and Dico arranged for the disposal of a hazardous substance in violation of 42 U.S.C.  9607(a); (b) holding Titan Tire and Dico jointly and severally liable for $5.45 million in response costs previously incurred and reported by the United States relating to the alleged violation, including enforcement costs and attorney's fees; and (c) awarding a declaratory judgment holding Titan Tire and Dico jointly and severally liable for all additional response costs previously incurred but not yet reported or to be incurred in the future, including enforcement costs and attorney's fees. The District Court also held Dico liable for $5.45 million in punitive damages under 42 U.S.C.  9607(c)(3) for violating a unilateral administrative order. The punitive damages award does not apply to Titan Tire.

Titan Tire and Dico intend to appeal the case to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Titan Tire and Dico intend to argue, among other things, that the District Court's ruling misapplies governing law regarding arranger liability and holds them to a more stringent standard than has been applied in other cases. Titan Tire and Dico continue to assert they did not intend to arrange for the disposal of a hazardous substance in connection with the transactions at issue, but rather entered arms-length agreements with an unrelated third party for the sale of valuable, moveable steel buildings, exactly as they had done on an earlier occasion in which no arranger liability was alleged. The government's own expert witness admitted that moveable steel buildings are valuable commercial products, and Titan Tire's and Dico's internal communications consistently referred to the transactions as "sales" and not disposals of waste. Moreover, the government's position at trial on the costs Titan Tire and Dico allegedly avoided from the transactions in question was inconsistent with cost-related guidance the government provided to them shortly before the transactions occurred. Titan Tire and Dico look forward to having the matter reviewed in the Court of Appeals.

Safe harbor statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements, which statements are covered by the "Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements" provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "would," "could," "outlook," "potential," "may," "will" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect on us. Although we believe the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, these assumptions are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, and are subject to change based on various factors, some of which are beyond Titan International, Inc.'s control. As a result, any of these assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and the forward-looking statements based on these assumptions could be incorrect. The matters discussed in these forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and trends to differ materially from those made, projected or implied in or by the forward-looking statements depending on a variety of uncertainties or other factors including, but not limited to risks detailed in Titan International, Inc.'s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof. The Company cautions that any forward-looking statements included in this press release are subject to several risks and uncertainties and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, changed circumstances or future events or for any other reason.

About Titan

Titan International, Inc. (NYSE: TWI) is a leading global manufacturer of off-highway wheels, tires, assemblies, and undercarriage products. Headquartered in Quincy, Illinois, the company globally produces a broad range of products to meet the specifications of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and aftermarket customers in the agricultural, earthmoving/construction, and consumer markets. For more information, visit www.titan-intl.com.

SOURCE Titan International, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.titan-intl.com


THALWIL, Switzerland, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

u-blox (SIX:UBXN), a global leader in wireless and positioning modules and chips, will feature a live Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT or LTE Cat NB1) demo at MWC Americas in San Francisco, featuring SARA-R410M-02B, a configurable LTE Cat M1/NB1 multi-mode module with worldwide coverage. NB-IoT is a highly efficient type of spectrum and the globally preferred standard due to benefits like cost savings, extended battery life and the ability to support a large number of connected devices.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/552468/u_blox_Logo.jpg )



u-blox has partnered with Bluvision, a provider of highly scalable end-to-end IoT platforms, to display Cold Chain Temperature Monitoring and Condition Monitoring using Bluvision's BluCell. BluCell, a narrowband gateway that uses Bluetooth to wirelessly monitor hundreds of beacons, each measuring temperature, vibration analysis, door openings, location and movement. BluCell is connected via the u-blox SARA-R410M-02B to T-Mobile's network, expected to be the first NB-IoT network in North America.

"u-blox has partnered with Bluvision to showcase one of the first live NB-IoT demos of a cellular module on T-Mobile's NB-IoT network. We are able to illustrate how effective NB-IoT is in transmitting sensor information over the network in a use case that is typical for many IoT applications," said Patty Felts, Product Manager, Cellular at u-blox.

The module is expected to be certified and available in early 2018 for T-Mobile's NB-IoT network, which is expected to launch nationwide in mid-2018.

For the demo, Bluvision's BEEKs beacons with sensors for temperature, vibration, magnetic fields and ambient light are attached to a cooler. The beacons will transmit telemetry data, which includes real-time and historical temperature log for the cooler and the vibration data from the compressor motor in the cooler, to the Bluzone cloud solution.

"NB-IoT is a game changer when it comes to the Industrial applications of IoT. Through this capability, we are able to provide our customers with the ability to do remote installations of our sensor network, without the need for Wi-Fi and any other connectivity, at an extremely low cost," says Jimmy Buchheim, CEO, Bluvision. "As a product, u-blox has the right module that works with all cellular narrow band technologies."

SARA-R410M is a configurable LTE Cat M1/NB1 multi-mode module with worldwide coverage. Measuring just 16 x 26 mm, it offers both LTE Cat M1 and Cat NB1 in a single hardware package, as well as software-based configurability for all deployed global bands. It provides enormous efficiencies in logistics and SKU management. Customers can easily respond to changes in business or market conditions, since supported frequencies and operator configuration decisions can now be made at "zero hour" or even later in the field.

The demo can be viewed during MWC Americas at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from September 12-14, 2017 in Hall North, Stand N.352.

More information can be found on http://www.u-blox.com.

Patty Felts

Product Manager Cellular at u-blox

Phone: +1-858-847-9611

SOURCE u-blox
EGERSUND, Norway, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Navico  the world's largest manufacturer of marine electronics and parent company to the Lowrance, Simrad and B&G brands  announced today that a Texas federal jury has found that Garmin Ltd. willfully infringed two of Navico's DownScan Imaging sonar patents and awarded Navico $38,755,000 in damages. The district court judge has discretion to increase the damages to account for the jury's finding that Garmin's infringement was willful.

The unanimous jury verdict validates Navico's long-standing claims against Garmin. The infringement finding concerned two of Navico's patents relating to marine sonar technology -- U.S. Patent Nos. 9,223,022 and 9,244,168 -- and the finding is consistent with separate rulings by an International Trade Commission (ITC) Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) concerning Garmin's infringement of additional Navico patents.

"Earlier this year, the ALJ recommended a fine of $37 million against Garmin for violating cease-and-desist orders issued by the ITC to stop Garmin's infringement of two more Navico patents," said Leif Ottosson, CEO, Navico. "In a separate decision, the CBP likewise found infringement by Garmin, and stated that Garmin would be barred from importing all infringing sonar products. Now, a federal jury in U.S. District Court has confirmed that Garmin is infringing two other Navico patents -- with all eight jurors voting unanimously that Garmin's infringement was willful."

The willfulness finding means the jury found that Garmin knew about Navico's patents and engaged in conduct that "was egregious, reckless, wanton, malicious, done in bad faith, deliberately or consciously wrongful, or flagrant."

As part of the civil lawsuit, Navico also accused Garmin of false advertising relating to false and misleading assertions regarding its transition from the infringing DownVu sonar-scanning to the replacement design called ClearVu, which lacks a true downscan element. Although the U.S. District Court judge opted not to submit this issue to the jury, during the trial Garmin's sonar design engineer confirmed that ClearVu can miss objects directly beneath a user's boat.

Garmin sells ClearVu sonar technology in the U.S. without a down-facing transducer element, relying on data from side-scanning elements to compile and synthesize a scanning image beneath the boat. A down-facing transducer element is included in all ClearVu products outside of the United States, beyond the scope of Navico's U.S. patents. Navico continues to believe that Garmin's abrupt transition from DownVu to ClearVu in late 2016 included false and misleading statements about the features and capabilities of ClearVu. Garmin's actions confused the marine electronics market until Garmin finally acknowledged the limitations of ClearVu in March 2017, six months after the technology was announced.

At present time, a decision to reverse a June 2017 ruling by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of Garmin is under review.

For more information on the Navico brands, please visit www.lowrance.com, www.simrad-yachting.com, pro.simrad-yachting.com and www.bandg.com. To find out more about the Navico Group of companies, visit www.navico.com.

About Navico: A privately held, international corporation, Navico is currently the world's largest marine electronics company, and is the parent company to leading marine electronics brands: Lowrance, Simrad and B&G. Navico has approximately 1,500 employees globally and distribution in more than 100 countries worldwide. www.navico.com.

SOURCE Navico

Related Links

https://navico.com


CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Razor Energy Corp. (Razor or the Company) (TSXV:RZE) (www.razor-energy.com) announces that it intends to give the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV) notice of Razors intention to commence a normal course issuer bid (the NCIB) on September 14, 2017.



The NCIB will commence only upon receipt of approval of the TSXV. The NCIB will allow Razor to purchase up to 796,861 common shares (Common Shares) of the Company (representing approximately 5% of the 15,937,234 outstanding Common Shares as of September 11, 2017) over a period of twelve months. If the NCIB commences on September 14, 2017, the NCIB will expire no later than September 13, 2018. Under the NCIB, Common Shares may be repurchased in open market transactions on the TSXV, or by such other means as may be permitted by the TSXV and applicable securities laws and in accordance with the rules of the TSXV governing NCIBs. The number of Common Shares the Company is permitted to purchase during any 30 day period is limited to 318,744 Common Shares, representing 2% of the total issued and outstanding Common Shares. Any Common Shares that are purchased under the NCIB will be cancelled upon their purchase by Razor. Razor has retained Scotia Capital Inc. as its broker to conduct the NCIB on Razors behalf.

Razor has assembled a high quality asset base and has continually delivered superior operational results. The Company believes that in the current environment its share price at times does not reflect the underlying value of its assets. The NCIB will provide an additional option for the reinvestment of excess cash flow to increase long-term total shareholder returns. As with all expenditures, Razor will remain vigilant in ensuring it retains flexibility and liquidity on its balance sheet.

ABOUT RAZOR

Razor Energy Corp. is a light oil focused company operating predominantly in Alberta. Razors full-cycle business plan provides an opportunity to reposition the Company as a disciplined and high-growth junior E&P company. With an experienced management team and a strong, committed Board, growth is anticipated to occur through timely strategic acquisitions and operations. Razor currently trades on TSXV under the ticker RZE.

For additional information please contact:

Doug Bailey

President and Chief Executive Officer OR Kevin Braun

Chief Financial Officer Razor Energy Corp.

Suite 800, 500-5th Ave. S.W.

Calgary, Alberta T2P 3L5

Telephone: (403) 262-0242

www.razor-energy.com

READER ADVISORIES

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements. More particularly, this news release contains statements concerning, but not limited to, receipt of TSXV approval of the NCIB and the timing thereof, potential NCIB purchases and the anticipated advantages of the NCIB for the Companys shareholders. In addition, the use of any of the words anticipate, believe, intend, may, is, will and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Please refer to the risk factors identified in the annual information form and management discussion and analysis of the Company for the period ended December 31, 2016, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so 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.




LAS VEGAS, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Unirac, Inc. unveiled significant advancements to its SOLARMOUNT residential PV mounting system during this week's Solar Power International at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Updates to the system were wide-ranging, but all focused on superior system aesthetics and making work easier for solar installers.

"SOLARMOUNT has long been the standard in the industry, and with the introduction of these innovations, SOLARMOUNT will continue to be the professionals' choice. "We're really excited to improve results for installers and homeowners alike," said Unirac Senior Product Manager, Brandon Carrasco.

The innovations start with the introduction of a new flashing kit, FLASHKIT Pro.

"We looked at the common challenges installers face on and around the roof, starting with flashings," Carrasco explained. "We partnered with EcoFasten Solar to provide a trusted water seal. Customers receive ten flashings and continuous-slot L-Feet, plus the necessary hardware to install SOLARMOUNT, all in one easy-to-use package. Installers told us ten packs are the ideal quantity for counting and kitting for projects. This kit will make ordering, transporting and installing the racking a lot easier."

In addition to FLASHKIT Pro, Unirac developed new Pro Series Mid and EndClamps.

Unirac's Vice President of Sales, Bill Trautmann, explained the thought process behind bringing the new clamps to market. "Our product development team's goal was to improve the SOLARMOUNT system, keeping in mind the installer and the clean aesthetics sought by homeowners," Trautmann said.

"SOLARMOUNT's new MidClamps are universal in terms of module compatibility. Universal clamps mean that module changes and stocking just got a lot easier. Plus, the new clamps stand on their own, allowing for one person installation. And they have recessed hardware which looks really sleek on the roof.

With the EndClamps, it's a similar story. The new universal design makes installation easy and the hardware stays out of sight. No more searching for the right size clamp to mount the module you are installing, and no more rail protruding from your array. We also included free End Caps with each clamp to deliver the best-looking system on the market.

Overall, we reduced the installer's potential total SKU count from 18 down to 3, while eliminating some of the risks associated with disruption of module supply. Installers tell us that's huge. And the added bonus is that installers and homeowners are really going to love how this system looks on the roof," Trautmann finished.

Unirac is exhibiting in booth #3109 this week in Las Vegas where it will provide live installation demonstrations of the new SOLARMOUNT system. For more information, visit www.unirac.com/solarmount

About Unirac:

Unirac provides innovative mounting solutions for solar photovoltaics. Recognized for excellence in product development, Unirac has a portfolio of industry leading residential, commercial and utility scale solutions. Our high quality, competitively priced products are enhanced by responsive customer support, integrated software solutions, robust engineering services, certified quality, and supply chain excellence. With nearly 20 years of customer service, Unirac surpassed 5GW of experience and more than 500,000 installations worth of knowledge. Partnering with Unirac leverages experience that makes a difference. For more information, visit www.unirac.com.

Media Contact: Greg Barnes, 505-462-2160, [email protected]

SOURCE Unirac, Inc.

Related Links

http://unirac.com


FRANKFURT, Germany, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Statement delivered by Matthias Wissmann, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), at the IAA's opening press conference in the CMF on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, at 1.00 p.m.

A glittering display of premieres setting a new record: 363 innovations including 228 world premieres - number of European premieres has more than doubled -focus on digitization, urban mobility and electric mobility - around 1,000 exhibitors from 39 countries - New Mobility World with many IT and technology firms

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to welcome you very warmly to the IAA's opening press conference. We are about to begin the 67th IAA Cars. Today is the last construction day, tomorrow the Press Days will start, and on Thursday we have the IAA's opening ceremony with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

This IAA is taking place in unusual times. The public and political mood is extremely challenging. The trade journal "Automobilwoche" hit the nail on the head in its leader article: "No previous IAA has ever been more politically charged." That was a reference not only to the Bundestag election campaign but also to the heated debate over diesels in recent weeks.

The discussion urgently needs to become more objective, especially regarding the uncertainty among drivers in Germany. The diesel summit at the beginning of August showed solutions for the way forward.

Modern diesels are indispensable for achieving Europe's ambitious CO 2 targets. The new real driving emissions (RDE) will complete the work on reducing nitrogen oxide emissions. Gasoline vehicles will also remain on the agenda and will continue to be optimized.

No-one should conclude that we are trying to cling to the "good old days" because we are not looking to the future. Quite the opposite is the case! For us, learning from one's mistakes means pushing forward the topics for the future!

This IAA stands for a fundamental paradigm shift that is currently taking place in the companies - both in products and in production. The huge importance of digitization is visible to everyone here at the IAA. No other trade fair provides so much orientation for this megatrend, because it shows for the first time all the great advantages of digitization:

marked improvement in road safety and considerable reduction in the accident figures

minimized time-consuming search for a parking space in towns and cities

considerable improvement in the traffic flow, less stop-and-go traffic

and associated with that: lower pollutant emissions, lower CO 2 emissions, lower fuel consumption.

It will also be important to integrate the various modes of transport within cities - cars, bicycles, buses, taxis and railways, and of course car-sharing. Overall, digitization offers excellent opportunities for mastering the mobility challenges in cities. By 2020, the German automotive industry will be investing 16 to 18 billion euros in connected and automated driving.

Parallel to that, we have the second major innovation trend - the ramp-up of alternative powertrains. To this end, by 2020 we will invest 40 billion euros, and the number of models will more than treble from today's 30 to over 100.

The cars of the future will be automated, connected and emission-free.

The IAA's overall concept - which can be experienced at the exhibitors' stands just as it can at the New Mobility Word, which I will come back to in a moment - is triggering a completely new identity for motor shows. It directs attention a long way forward - and simultaneously it is the international discussion forum on the mobility of tomorrow.

This year's IAA comes at precisely the right time. It offers the automotive industry the best opportunity for approaching the general public right now, to show exactly what it can do. It showcases the entire range of innovations in the fields of mobility, from digitization and electric mobility all the way to new mobility concepts, especially in urban settings. That is precisely what the slogan of this IAA - "Future now" - stands for.

This IAA brings together all the players who shape the mobility of the future. No other motor show has such a strong focus on digitization as the IAA. The largest IT and technology firms are clearly visible here in Frankfurt:

Facebook is the New Mobility World Partner - COO Sheryl Sandberg will speak at the IAA's opening ceremony.

will speak at the IAA's opening ceremony. Google is Platinum Partner of the Media Night that will be held on the evening of the first Press Day.

Carlo D'Asaro Biondo, President of Southern & Eastern Europe , Middle East and Africa Operations at Google Inc., will be the keynote speaker at the Media Night.

, and Africa Operations at Google Inc., will be the keynote speaker at the Media Night. SAP and Google are prominently represented at the New Mobility World.

The chip giant Qualcomm is also exhibiting at the IAA/New Mobility World, and its CEO Steve Mollenkopf will deliver a keynote speech.

The other IT and technology companies at the IAA include, for example, BlaBlaCar, Harman, IBM, International Industries, Kaspersky, Merck, NXP, Siemens, Sony, TomTom, Telekom, Allianz and McKinsey, and of course the Daimler subsidiaries Moovel, MyTaxi and Car2Go, along with the VW subsidiary MOIA.

To summarize: large technology and IT firms are using the IAA specifically as a platform. This underscores the IAA's standing as a leading international trade show.

Like the automobile itself, trade shows have to re-invent themselves over and over. The IAA highlights just how the world of mobility is changing. As the organizer of the IAA Cars, the VDA has been consistently developing the world's most important trade show for mobility for many years. The vehicle makers long ago started seeing themselves as mobility service providers, and they invest heavily in digitization and electric mobility.

The New Mobility World at the IAA offers an additional format for all new players in the world of mobility. It brings together innovators from all sectors, who develop new solutions, technologies or products for the mobility of tomorrow and beyond. In all, over 250 companies and organizations are represented at the New Mobility World. The most innovative international startups are competing against one another in the NMW Lab17 startup contest. The New Mobility World has several different presentation formats in Hall 3.1 and will run until September 17. This makes it the large, international discussion forum on the exciting forward-looking topics of mobility.

Visitors can experience the New Mobility World not only in the hall, but also on the central open-air site, called the "Agora." It has a large outdoor area for the action program, where manufacturers and suppliers will demonstrate automated and digitized driving programs. The participating firms are Audi, Daimler, Volkswagen and the major suppliers Bosch, Continental and ZF. Those who define the mobility of the future are at the IAA Cars!

We are accordingly breaking new ground with the IAA's visitor advertising that centers on people and their questions about the future, and what they want and require from the mobility of tomorrow. This can be experienced at the opening event on Thursday.

The VDA has been implementing its strategy for the IAA for many years: consistently international and digital. We are the ones who set the trend, and we have done the pioneering work here. Other motor shows have followed our lead. We continue to organize the IAA so that in Frankfurt what belongs together grows together. Around 1,000 exhibitors - 994 to be precise - from 39 countries are at the IAA, which is a very good figure.

The exhibition space comes to nearly 200,000 square meters. This year, we have slightly less space on the open-air site than we had in 2015 because the previous outdoor area is now a construction site where the new Hall 12 will be built in time for the next IAA in 2019.

One criterion in particular points up the attractiveness of this IAA: the number of premieres, of innovations and new developments. At our web press conference at the end of August I spoke of "more than 300 innovations." Today I can give you the final figures:

This IAA presents a total of 363 innovations. That is 52 more than two years ago - and sets a new record.

They are made up of the following:

228 world premieres - a new record (in 2015 we had 219),

64 European premieres - which is more than double the 2015 figure (27),

32 German premieres - equaling the high level in 2015 (33),

39 research studies (2015: 32).

That means: this IAA offers a glittering display of innovations like no other trade fair.

I am sure that all visitors who are enthusiastic about mobility and automobiles, people who have a general interest in mobility, and those who have so far been skeptical, can look forward to a wonderful, very exciting IAA!

Once again, over 50 brands of passenger cars have registered for the IAA, including the largest car makers from Europe, the US and Asia. McLaren is returning to the IAA (Agora) after a break of many years.

Furthermore, new Chinese manufacturers (WEY and Chery) are at the IAA for the first time. They have specifically chosen this leading trade fair for their presentations, which underscores the international reputation and attractiveness of the IAA. And that is still increasing: for the first time exhibitors are joining us from Egypt, Finland and Peru.

Several hundred suppliers are exhibiting at the IAA, including returning firms such as the ThyssenKrupp group (that last exhibited in 2007) and BorgWarner (that last participated in 2011). Only the IAA shows on such a comprehensive scale the innovations and the performance of suppliers from all over the world, which account for 75 percent of a vehicle's value creation.

And there's more: no other trade show has a larger international media presence - well over 10,000 journalists from around 100 countries will report on the IAA. As of last Friday, over 9,600 media representatives had been accredited. Half of them come from abroad, and among those China takes first place with more than 400 journalists, followed by France, Italy, the UK and Japan.

I would just like to summarize: the IAA lives up to its slogan of "Future now"!

The IAA 2017 is facing up to the new challenges: as much disruption, innovation and dialog as possible! The most important mobility trade fair in the world has long since developed into more than simply a motor show. It reflects the large number of facets, players and opportunities in the mobility of tomorrow. This puts a firm focus on digitization, urban mobility and the alternative powertrains.

So this will be an IAA like no previous one. It will be more exciting, more surprising, more inspiring and more innovative than ever before!

Contact:

Eckehart Rotter

VDA - Press Department

Tel.: +49 30 897842-120

E-mail: [email protected]





SOURCE German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)
NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. International Sales Manager Sheena Nathwani was recently appointed to the Council of the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL) - the leading professional body in the UK and Ireland for professionals in legal information.

BIALL supports several legal information sectors, and demonstrates the importance of information professionals within these sectors. As an active supporter, Wolters Kluwer has continued to deepen its relationship with BIALL and legal information professionals in order to best serve their needs and address challenges.

"I am honored to have been appointed to the Council, and I am proud to represent Wolters Kluwer in my continued involvement in BIALL," said Ms. Nathwani, who has been a member of BIALL since joining Wolters Kluwer ten years ago. As an integral body of BIALL, the Council comprises five officers and five ordinary members of BIALL, and is responsible for overseeing Association activities, managing committees and implementing the Association's strategic plans.

"BIALL provides legal information professionals with opportunities to learn about and discuss the key issues affecting our profession," said Anneli Sarkanen, President of BIALL. "The running of the Association relies on individuals working on a voluntary basis, and we are grateful to all employers who allow their employees to give up their time to make BIALL a success. The support of organizations such as Wolters Kluwer is a crucial piece in supporting our mission. We look forward to Sheena's involvement in the Council."

About Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. is a part of Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL), a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2016 annual revenues of 4.3 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide.

For more information about Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., visit www.WoltersKluwerLR.com, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Media

Linda Gharib

Director, Communications

Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Tel: +1 (646) 887-7962

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S.

Related Links

https://www.lrus.wolterskluwer.com


NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In a historic ceremony on its Wilf Campus on Sunday, September 10, Yeshiva University celebrated the investiture of its fifth president, Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman. Before a crowd of more than 2,000including guests such as New York Senator Charles E. Schumer, Consul General of Israel in New York Dani Dayan, former Senator Joseph Lieberman, former Israeli Ambassador Danny Ayalon, and Israel's United Nations Ambassador Danny DanonDr. Berman unveiled his vision for the future of the University.

"Most new presidents of universities need to learn the story of their institutions to understand their narrative and its purpose, but I do not need to read a history book to understand Yeshiva Universityit is in my heart and it is in my soul," said Dr. Berman. "In an era in which there is a breakdown of civic and civil conversation, Yeshiva University is uniquely positioned to address the most pressing moral issues of the day. Moving forward, we will continue to be steadfast in bringing to bear our vast, interdisciplinary resources on these fundamental issues both for the general public and also internally for our students. We stand proud as educators, thought leaders and moral voices for our generation."

The day began at 10 a.m. with public lectures from Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Roshei Yeshiva Rabbi Hershel Schachter and Rabbi Michael Rosensweig in the Fischel Beit Midrash. Across the globe at a special Investiture viewing event in Jerusalem, Michael Oren, deputy minister of public policy in Israel, delivered a lecture on the centrality of Israel to the Jewish people.

YU's Wilf Campus was adorned with festive balloons and decorations to mark the occasion as hundreds of students, alumni and community members flooded the campus to inaugurate their new president. Following a performance of the national anthem by a capella group the Y-Studs, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis delivered the ceremony's invocation. Mark Wilf, honorary chair of the Investiture Committee and member of the YU Board of Trustees, welcomed the audience to the momentous event, while Senator Schumer expressed his excitement to partner with Dr. Berman in his new role as president.

On behalf of the United States Congress, Senator Schumer offered his congratulations to Dr. Berman in his new role as president. "I can think of no better person for the job of Yeshiva University president than Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman. As a graduate of four schools at YU, distinguished lecturer, widely recognized rabbi and staple of the Jewish community in New York City, I am confident that Dr. Berman will make tremendous contributions to this fine institution and lead in its future successes," said Schumer.

Yeshiva University Board of Trustees Chairman Moshael Straus asked the audience to join him for a moment of solidarity with the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, before he and RIETS Board of Trustees Chairman Rabbi Joel Schreiber presented Dr. Berman with the charters of the University and RIETS, respectively. Board of Trustees Chairman Emeriti Dr. Henry Kressel and Morry Weiss, as well as past YU presidents Dr. Norman Lamm and Richard M. Joel, joined Dr. Berman on stage, where they conferred the Presidential Medallion upon him.

In his emotional introduction of the new president, Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter, University Professor of Jewish History and Jewish Thought, said, "Today we celebrate a new chapter in the history of our extraordinary University and we welcome to its roster of great, transformative leaders a man of great learning, great depth, great thoughtfulness, great passion and great sensitivity, a president whose greatness has been forged in the libraries and in the batei midrash of this very institution."

Dr. Berman's Investiture address focused on five Torot, core values, that shape the mission of the University and, according to Dr. Berman, "position YU to be the educational and intellectual epicenter of a large global movement."

He described these values as Torat emet, the pursuit of truth; Torat chayim, the responsibility to be guided by those truths as we actively engage with the world; Torat adam, the drive to actualize our potential as individuals; Torat chessed, the moral and ethical imperative of compassion and kindness; and Torat Tziyon, the charge to move history forward toward redemption and a better world.

To propel YU toward this vision, Dr. Berman outlined three areas in which YU will expand its focus during his tenure. First, he noted that while the University already has a celebrated reputation in fields such as law, medicine, accounting, finance, psychology and education, the University will create new opportunities to match growing global demand for graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as the health industries. The University will also take advantage of technological innovations to reach out to new markets of students with ever more diverse offerings, particularly by creating new programming that allows high school students to earn college credit for online courses during their senior year or over the summer, which will defray costs while giving students a headstart on their college education.

Finally, YU will focus on creating new educational pathways between existing programs to create a richer experience for its students. Students can also expect to see even more partnerships between YU and institutions in Israel and around the globe, in addition to more international students enrolled in the University's brick and mortar programs as well as its online offerings.

Following the Investiture, the Wilf Campus was transformed into a colorful street fair for InvestFest, a communal celebration that featured live music, carnival games and kosher gourmet food trucks. Investiture guests mingled with local community members as together they marked a new era in YU history.

"For over a century, Yeshiva University has been a pillar of higher learning for the Jewish community, fostering the next generation of leaders and academics," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in a congratulatory statement to Dr. Berman. "Rabbi Dr. Berman is a distinguished scholar and proven leader with the experience and knowledge to lead Yeshiva into an even brighter future. I congratulate Dr. Berman and Yeshiva on this momentous accomplishment and look forward to working together to strengthen our communities."

Throughout Dr. Berman's inaugural year, YU will hold a series of thought-provoking events exploring critical issues facing the Jewish community, higher education and beyond. For more information, visit yu.edu/tomorrow.

Founded in 1886, Yeshiva University brings together the ancient traditions of Jewish law and life and the heritage of Western civilization. More than 6,400 undergraduate and graduate students study at YU's four New York City campuses: the Wilf Campus, Israel Henry Beren Campus, Brookdale Center, and Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus. YU's three undergraduate schools  Yeshiva College, Stern College for Women, and Sy Syms School of Business  offer a unique dual program comprised of Jewish studies and liberal arts courses. Its graduate and affiliate schools include Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, The Mordecai D. and Monique C. Katz School of Graduate and Professional Studies, and Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. YU is ranked among the nation's leading academic institutions.

Visit the YU Web site at www.yu.edu.

SOURCE Yeshiva University
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For Bernardo Muniz, buyer at Zabar's in New York City, Swiss Diamond's 2017 Red Dot Product Design Award comes as no surprise. Zabar's, a family-owned and operated retailer for over 80 years, is a unique shopping adventure that must be experienced, to be truly understood. Zabar's continues to be guided by the principles and practices it was founded on: "Respect the customer. Never, ever stint on quality. Offer fair value. And last, but not least, keep searching for the new and wonderful."

Swiss Diamond Carving Set - Perfect for Holiday Season

Zabar's quest for the new and the wonderful led them to be one of the first retailers to offer Swiss Diamond Knives. Bernardo said, "We immediately recognized the quality of Swiss Diamond Knives and were delighted to be one of the first retailers to offer these products to our customers. Swiss Diamond Knives have been very successful for us." Zabar's carries the entire Swiss Diamond line of products  Swiss Diamond Classic, Swiss Diamond Classic Induction, Swiss Diamond Nonstick Clad, Swiss Diamond Premium Clad, Swiss Diamond Premium Steel, Swiss Diamond Cast Iron and Swiss Diamond Knives.

Kevin Seeley, director of national sales and business development for Swiss Made Brands USA, Inc. said, "We deeply appreciate Zabar's support. We look forward to our continued partnership with the launch of Swiss Diamond XD, our latest, most advanced diamond-reinforced nonstick cookware line."

For information about Zabar's please visit:

http://www.zabars.com/home

For additional product information on Swiss Diamond Knives please visit:

www.swissdiamond.com

About Swiss Made Brands USA Inc.

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Swiss Made Brands USA, Inc. was founded in 2012 to distribute Swiss Diamond brand cookware and kitchenware in North America. In addition to distributing Swiss Diamond, Swiss Made Brands USA, Inc. also distributes the "Cooks in Love" brand of mid-range cookware and kitchenware lines and is an OEM Developer/Manufacturer of housewares products for licensed brands, distributors, and retailers.

About Swiss Diamond International

A privately-held Swiss company, Swiss Diamond International was founded in 1999. The company was motivated by the demand for better nonstick cookware. The result of that drive is a revolutionary nonstick coating that uses real diamond crystals for maximum durability. This patented technology was honored with the GOLD MEDAL at the International Inventor's Fair in Geneva in 1999. Swiss Diamond's ultimate vision is to empower individuals and families around the world to cook at home using cutting-edge cookware technology that is focused on contributing to better health, without having to sacrifice the convenience that nonstick surfaces offer. For additional information, please visit www.SwissDiamond.com.

Contact:

Carolyn Kuczynski

Marketing Communications Manager

Swiss Made Brands USA, Inc.

Direct: 704-900-6109

[email protected]

SOURCE Swiss Made Brands USA, Inc.
LONE TREE, Colo., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zynex, Inc. (ZYXI), an innovative medical technology company specializing in the manufacture and sale of non-invasive medical devices for pain management, stroke rehabilitation, cardiac monitoring and neurological diagnostics, announces today that it will be presenting at the Rocky Mountain MicroCap Conference this month sponsored by GVC Capital and Trickle Research in Denver at Coors Field.

GVC and Trickle expect to host approximately 65 investors at its 2017 conference -- mainly buyside portfolio managers and fund managers, analysts, family offices, brokers, and high net worth individual investors looking for growth opportunities in the microcap space.

Current sponsors of the conference are: Corporate Stock Transfer, Hein & Associates LLP, Ibex Investors, Island Stock Transfer, Polsinelli PC, and SMM.Global.

About Zynex

Zynex, founded in 1996, markets and sells its own design of electrotherapy medical devices used for pain management and rehabilitation; and the company's proprietary NeuroMove device designed to help recovery of stroke and spinal cord injury patients. Zynex is also developing a new blood volume monitor for use in hospitals and surgery centers. For additional information, please visit: Zynex.com.

About GVC Capital LLC

GVC Capital LLC is an innovative investment banking firm headquartered in the Denver suburb of Greenwood Village, Colorado. GVC focuses primarily on providing comprehensive investment banking services to underexposed and undervalued microcap companies. Over the past fifteen years, GVC has assisted emerging growth companies in raising in excess of $600 million in over 100 transactions. For more information, visit www.gvccap.com.

About Trickle Research

Trickle Research provides proprietary microcap and smallcap research to our investors and subscribers. Subscriptions to our service are by invitation. If you would like to discuss access to our research please contact Dave Lavigne at [email protected].

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements in this release are "forward-looking" and as such are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary significantly from the results expressed or implied in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the need to obtain additional capital or augment our liquidity in order to continue our business, the success of our international expansion efforts, our ability to engage additional sales representatives and their success, the need to obtain FDA clearance and CE marking of new products, the acceptance of new products as well as existing products by doctors and hospitals, larger competitors with greater financial resources, the need to keep pace with technological changes, our dependence on the reimbursement from insurance companies for products sold or rented to our customers, acceptance of our products by health insurance providers, our dependence on third party manufacturers to produce our goods on time and to our specifications, implementation of our sales strategy including a strong direct sales force, the uncertain outcome of pending material litigation, our ability to up-list to a larger exchange and other risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 as well as Forms 10-Q, 8-K and 8-K/A, press releases and the Company's website.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Zynex, Inc. (303) 703-4906

Investor Relations Contact:

Amato And Partners, LLC

Investor Relations Counsel

[email protected]

Michael Donnelly

Vice President of Investment Banking

GVC Capital LLC

[email protected]

(720) 488-4729



Dave Lavigne

Founder/ Senior Analyst

Trickle Research LLC

[email protected]

(720) 394-1019

SOURCE Zynex

Related Links

http://Zynex.com


CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imaging Dynamics Company Ltd. (TSXV:IDL) ("IDC" or the "Company") today announces that its formerly wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanghai IDC Healthcare Co. (the "Subsidiary") has closed a financing (the "Transaction") with each of Beijing Sheng Zexin Technology Development Co. Ltd. ("BSZ"), a corporation with its head office in Beijing, China, and Beijing Xiangyuda Technology Co. Ltd ("BXT", and together with BSZ the "Investors"), a corporation with its head office in Beijing, China, pursuant to which BSZ and BXT will subscribe for 36.5 million common shares ("Shares") and 30.5 million Shares, respectively, in the capital of the Subsidiary, at a price of 1 Renminbi ("RMB") per Share, for gross proceeds of RMB 67 million (approximately CAD$12,465,350.00).



The Transaction

The Company expects that the Transaction will: (a) allow the Subsidiary to improve market penetration in China, where relatively recent changes to government policies and regulations require state-owned hospitals, which comprise more than 80% of the medical devices market share in China, to purchase medical devices from locally owned or controlled companies; (b) provide IDC with the capital needed to explore strategic growth opportunities both in and outside of China, as well as provide the Subsidiary with the capital needed to support its Chinese operations in the near term; (c) generally improve the financial situation of both the Subsidiary and the Company and increase the Company's credit rating through the repayment of debt.

Proceeds from the Transaction will be used for the repayment of debt of the Subsidiary, research and development of new technology and products, and general corporate purposes of the Subsidiary. As a result of the Transaction, BSZ and BXT now hold 36.5% and 30.5%, respectively, of the issued and outstanding Shares of the Subsidiary. Both BSZ and BXT are arm's length parties. Pursuant to the terms of the Financing Agreements, it is expected that the composition of the Subsidiary's board of directors will change.

Impact on the Company

Prior to the closing of the Transaction, revenue generated by the Subsidiary constituted approximately 80% of the revenues of the Company on a consolidated basis. It is anticipated that the Transaction will result in a significant and material decrease in IDC's sales revenue as well as its recognized losses.

The Company also expects that the Transaction will improve the long-term financial health of the Subsidiary and the Company. IDC believes that the Transaction may also result in an increase in the Company's revenues in the second half of the year 2018 due to the Subsidiary's improved access to the Chinese medical device market.

The Company anticipates that there may be additional investors who will subscribe for shares of the Subsidiary.

About IDC

IDC is a global medical imaging technology provider and innovative force in the high growth field of digital radiography (DR) technology.

The Company has thousands of installations in 50 countries of its proprietary, award winning direct capture DR technology, which replaces conventional film-based diagnostic imaging and provides a cost-effective solution for medical facilities of all sizes to provide high quality diagnostic X-ray images and improve the level of healthcare for their patients.

Throughout its history, IDC has been recognized by multiple industry organizations and research analysts such as: Frost & Sullivan and Deloitte Technology; for its dedication to innovation, global market growth, and customer focused value proposition.

The Company has its corporate office in Calgary, Canada, a sales and marketing office in Beijing, China, and also operations, research and development centres in Calgary, Canada and Shanghai, China. Visit the IDC web site: www.imagingdynamics.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information that are based on the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "intent", "estimate", "anticipate", "plan", "should", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology and include statements with respect to the use of proceeds of the Transactions and the performance of IDC and the Subsidiary.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous factors, assumptions and estimates. A variety of factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, may cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in the forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to, changes in commodity prices and foreign exchange as well as the risk that the Company and the Subsidiary will not be successful in penetrating the Chinese medical device market. For a description of the principal risks of the Company, see the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017, a copy of which is available at www.sedar.com.

These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Although management reviews the reasonableness of its assumptions and estimates, unusual and unanticipated events may occur which render them inaccurate. Under such circumstances, future performance may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Except where required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information statement.

Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
TORONTO, Sept. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. (CSE:SNA) (CSE:SNA.CN) ("Star" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that Big Data Avionics Corp (BDA) has placed an order for 10 Star-Airborne Data Service (STAR-A.D.S. ) systems. This is the 2nd STAR-A.D.S.  System order for Star and will be the largest ever so far.



BDA, a Sales Agency of Star, has put down an initial non-refundable deposit of USD $50,000.00 for this order, with the remaining balance due upon delivery of each of the units. Delivery is anticipated in approximately 3 months time. The STAR-A.D.S.  System and associated services will be for the North American market, which was BDAs immediate target segment. The order, at list price, is valued at USD $600,000, not including annual airtime and services costs.

Star is advised that BDA is currently in discussions with several airlines who are aware of the immediate benefits of the STAR-A.D.S.  System and who had previously shown interest in the features of this real-time tracking and monitoring system.

Prabhjeet Singh, CEO of BDA said:

"This is simply the start of our sales efforts. We want to accelerate the introduction of this technology globally to all aviation markets. STAR-A.D.S.  enhances safety and peace of mind for operators, crew and passengers, as well as offering benefits in terms of maintenance and operations for all aircraft, which translates into rapid return on Investment."

Jean Louis Larmor, COO of Star said:

These are exciting times for Star. We appreciate Big Data Avionics pro-active approach and look forward to further business with them.

We are just starting to field the latest generation of the STAR-A.D.S.  System, the SSU-G 3, and are benefitting from feedback from our Mid-Eastern VVIP customer. We are glad to see that interest in our solution now accelerating.

The STAR-A.D.S.  System is a comprehensive end-to-end real time aircraft monitoring service, which provides aircraft operational performance data with pro-active analysis and diagnostics via a secure web based dashboard. (Read More Here: http://www.star-navigation.com/service/StarADS).

About Star Navigation:

Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. owns the exclusive worldwide license to its proprietary, patented In-flight Safety Monitoring System, STAR-ISMS, the heart of the STAR-A.D.S.  System. Its real-time capability of tracking performance trends and predicting incident-occurrence enhances aviation safety and improves fleet management while reducing costs for the operator. Stars MMI Division designs and manufactures high performance, mission critical, flight deck flat panel displays for defence and commercial aviation industries worldwide.

Certain statements contained in this News Release constitute forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words may, would, could, will, expected and similar expressions, as they relate to Star or its management are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect Stars current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Stars actual performance or achievements to vary from those described herein. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Star does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.

Please visit www.star-navigation.com or

Jean-Louis Larmor, (416) 252-2889 Ext. 221

Jean-louis.larmor@star-navigation.com

Gold Feather Marketing Group

Attn.: Anahadjeet Garewal (647) 409-3434

info@goldfeathermarketing.com
Darjeeling, Sep 6 : Five days after it expelled him for "anti party activities", GJM's former Assistant General Secretary Binay Tamang led a candlelight rally here on Wednesday to demand restoration of peace in the north West Bengal hills.

Terming his rally "apolitical", Tamang said he got positive response from the locals.

"This is an apolitical rally, aimed solely at bringing back peace in the hills. There are no political slogans, banners or flags. Many people have congratulated me for the initiative and said they participated in the march. It is peace rally," Tamang told IANS.

"However, the GJM has asked the people of Darjeeling to stay indoors after four. This is not right and it is a Talibani dictate. No gain will be reaped from such dictation," he said.

Tamang also indicated, before the commencing the rally that Gorkha Janmukti Morcha might try to impede their initiative.

"We have received some report that there might be attempts to impede the rally and informed police accordingly," he said.

Meanwhile, GJM chief Bimal Gurung, in a video message, said the ousted party leader has to "correct" himself before he would be included in the party.

Asked about the video message, Tamang said, "What mistakes did I commit? He should say what mistakes I committed. He should come back to Darjeeling and lead the people's movement. We welcome this."

The rally was taken out on the 84th day of the GJM-sponsored indefinite shutdown called in the northern West Bengal hills demanding a separate Gorkhaland state.

Tamang, who was also the chief coordinator of the party, was expelled along with party colleague on September 1 on charges of conspiring with the state's Mamata Banerjee government to derail the Gorkhaland movement.

Earlier in the day, West Bengal Tourism Minister Goutam Deb on Wednesday took out a peace rally in Kurseong's Garidhura.

"We are getting a good response from the people of Darjeeling as they are fed up with ongoing shutdown. People in the hills are with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and they want development. Many of the shops, schools and offices opened up and transporters started their services. Life is crawling back to normal in Kurseong, Mirik and many other areas in Darjeeling hills," Deb said during the rally here.

The leader of the ruling Trinamool Congress said the situation in the hills would be almost back to normal before the all party meeting to be held on September 12.
Washington, Sep 7 : The US has proposed a range of new UN sanctions against North Korea, including an oil ban and a freeze on the country's leader Kim Jong-un's assets.

The draft resolution circulated to the Security Council members came after North Korea's sixth nuclear test and repeated missile launches, BBC reported.

Pyongyang also claimed to have developed a hydrogen bomb and continues to threaten to strike the US. China and Russia were both expected to oppose further sanctions, the report said.

North Korea is already under highly restrictive sanctions imposed by the UN that were intended to force the leadership to curtail its weapons programmes.

In August, a new round of sanctions banned exports including coal, costing North Korea an estimated $1 billion -- about a third of its entire export economy. The draft US proposal called for a total ban on supplying a range of oil products to North Korea and a ban on its textile export industry.

It also suggested freezing the assets of Kim and the North Korean government, as well as banning him and other senior officials from travelling. North Korean labourers would also be banned from working abroad.

But the US is expected to face opposition from China and Russia, which both supply oil to North Korea and wield vetoes at the Security Council. Both the countries have been pushing for an alternative solution.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued that the amount of oil his country exports to North Korea -- some 40,000 tonnes -- is negligible.

Russia and China said that the US and ally South Korea stop their military drills -- which anger the North -- and end the deployment of the controversial anti-missile Thaad system in South Korea, in return for Pyongyang ceasing its nuclear and missile programme.

The proposal was rejected by the US and South Korea. On Thursday, the South's military announced it had completed the deployment of Thaad, reported Yonhap news agency.

US President Donald Trump had previously warned that Washington could cut off trade with countries that do business with North Korea.

The US had indicated that if the resolution is not passed when the Security Council meets next Monday it may impose its own sanctions unilaterally.
Protesters marched through the streets of Brooklyn on Saturday, fed up with a wave of gentrification that they say is enabled by their elected officials.

"I think they're engines of gentrification," 32-year-old Bed-Stuy resident Mike Bento said, referring to the city's politicians. "[Mayor de Blasio] talks in his speeches about being your friend, but in reality, behind closed doors, he's taking that money from the developers, and then doing what they want."

The demonstration targeted "gentrification, racism, and police violence," according to a press release from the Brooklyn Anti-Gentrification Network (BAN), which helped organize the march. Protesters stopped at Barclays Center, Ebbets Field Apartments, and the Bedford-Union Armory, all of which have been at the center of debate over gentrification in the borough.

Melissa Maldonado, 36, observed the protest outside of the Barclays Center, and described her own Williamsburg neighborhood as "the epicenter of gentrification." She called the protest "long-overdue," mentioning how she'd seen many of her former classmates and friends displaced due to rising rents.

A service coordinator for Community Access, which helps New Yorkers with mental illnesses find housing, Maldonado described how her clients face an almost-constant threat of displacement.

"Lower-income people have absolutely nowhere to go," she said. "They have no one really championing for them, other than grassroots movements like this."



The march stopped for a brief rally outside of BAM, the Brooklyn Academy of Music. (Libby Torres / Gothamist)

Alicia Boyd, one of the main organizers of BAN and the founder of Movement to Protect the People, said the protest had applied for a sound permit directly in front of the Barclays Center, but was rejected.

"We know that this in Laurie Cumbo's district, she knows that we are anti-Laurie because of the Bedford-Union Armory, and she knows that this is a way for her to get back at us, to deny us our sound permit," Boyd said. (An NYPD spokesperson says the sound permit was not denied outright, but was instead granted for an area adjacent to the Barclays Center.)

Cumbo has come under fire from grassroots organizations like BAN for her initial support for the Bedford-Union Armory development in Crown Heights. Although the developer's proposal for the property would set aside 50 percent affordable units, only 18 out of a total 330 are currently set aside for renters who make 37 percent of the Area Median Income, or $31,068 a year for a family of three. Cumbo has since backed off of her support for the Armory project, but chants of "Fuck Laurie Cumbo!" were popular amongst protesters.

Two of Cumbo's opponents in the 35th District race spoke to the protesters outside the Ebbets Field Apartments.

"We can do something about [gentrification]. We do have a voice. We can stop the giveaways, we don't have to give it up," Democrat Ede Fox, who faces Cumbo in Tuesday's primary, told the crowd. "We don't have to let the real estate industry run this show!"

Christine Parker, who is running as a Republican, said that the issue of gentrification "has nothing to do with party affiliation, it has to do with human rights."

A construction worker named David, 23, who declined to give his last name, watched the protest pass on his break from his job. "Money talks," he told us. "They can protest all they want."

David said he has worked on a number of remodel sites meant for wealthy renters. "They're gonna kick the poor [out], and they're gonna bring in the rich. That's how it is. That's America, you know?"

With Sarah Amar
Panaji, Sep 8 : A day after two students of an Ahmedabad-based institute drowned in the sea, Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Friday said the teachers accompanying the students should be questioned.

He added that a law was needed to ban beachgoers from venturing into the sea after sunset.

Speaking to IANS on Friday, Ajgaonkar called the twin drownings "unfortunate", but also asked how students were allowed to go to the beach at night and venture into the sea.

"There are teachers and guardians accompanying students on such tours. It is to be probed as to how they were out late on the beach and permitted to venture into the sea. The teachers should be questioned in this regard," Ajgaonkar said.

Two students from the Ahmedabad-based Mudra Institute of Communication drowned after they ventured into the sea at the popular Candolim beach at 3 a.m. on Thursday.

The deceased, identified as Anuja Susan from Chennai and Gurram Chenchu Sai from Andhra Pradesh, were part of a group of 47 students on a study tour to Goa along with faculty.

"The issue of people venturing into the sea after sunset also needs to be looked into," Ajgaonkar said.
New Delhi, Sep 9 : The CBI on Saturday said it has registered an FIR against former Union Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan for allegedly granting speedy clearances during her tenure for diverting forest land for mining in violation of laws.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also conducted multiple raids on Natarajan's properties in Delhi and other cities and her premises in Chennai.

The FIR against Natarajan, who held office during the UPA-II government, was registered on Thursday.

Besides Natarajan, those named in the FIR are Umang Kejriwal, the then Managing Director of Electrosteel Casting Ltd, apart from other unidentified persons.

The case was registered on charges of criminal conspiracy and abuse of official position under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The charges pertain to clearance given for diversion of land in Saranda forest in Jharkhand's Singhbhum district to mining company Electrosteel in alleged violation of the Forest (Conservation Act) in 2012.

The permission was rejected by Minister of State for Environment Jairam Ramesh, but when Natarajan assumed the post, she allegedly cleared it.

"Jayanthi Natarajan, the then Minister of State for Environment and Forests, accorded the approval for diversion of 55.79 hectares of forest land for non-forestry use to ECL (Electrosteel Casting Ltd), though the same had been rejected by the earlier Minister of State...without any change in the circumstances after rejection," the CBI FIR said.

It said this approval had been granted without adhering to the advice of Director General (Forests) and directions of the Supreme Court in this regard.

During the Lok Sabha election campaign last year, Narendra Modi had coined the term "Jayanthi tax", referring to public perception about the manner in which environment clearances were given during her tenure. After she left the Congress, even her erstwhile party colleagues referred to "Jayanthi tax".

Natarajan had stoutly denied the allegations and said: "Let them prove that. I welcome any inquiry to prove if I have committed any wrong. I have done my duty without any blemish. When my own party has treated me shabbily, why not Modi?"

The CBI had registered a preliminary inquiry in the case in 2014 on the allegation that unidentified Jharkhand government officials in 2005 recommended a proposal of Electrosteel Casting Ltd to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest for leasing 192.50 hectares of land for the mining of iron and manganese ores in Saranda forest.

The ministry cleared the proposal for 55.79 hectares of forest land submitted by the company on February 4, 2012 for non-forestry use out of 192.50 hectares of land, in violation of mining laws, environmental laws and the directions of the Supreme Court.
Srinagar, Sep 10 : Shots were being fired in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district at the same site where a gunfight took place between the security forces and militants the previous day, police said.

"As searches were being conducted in the area today (Sunday), shots were heard in Barbugh village," a police officer said without confirming whether a fresh gunfight had broken out.

On Saturday, one militant was killed and another arrested, and his weapon seized, in Barbugh following an attack on an army vehicle.
Gurugram, Sep 10 : The parents of seven-year-old Pradhuman, who was murdered in Ryan International School here, on Sunday urged the Haryana government to have the CBI investigate the brutal killing even as state Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said strict action would be taken against the school management and that police probe would be satisfactory.

The child's parents said there could be a deeper "conspiracy" behind the murder.

However, Sharma added that the government was not averse to seeking help from other agencies if the parents of the slain child were not satisfied with the police probe and chargesheet.

The Minister's remarks came as hundreds of people protested outside the school in Bhondsi on Sunday and also set a liquor vend close to the school on fire.

At least 50 people, including nine scribes and photo journalists, were injured when police baton-charged the protestors who were demanding the arrest of the school management.

"We were protesting peacefully outside the school but police suddenly baton-charged us without any provocation," said a protestor.

The journalists were targeted after a senior police officer allegedly said that "all this (protest) was happening due to the media coverage".

Cameras were also damaged during the police action.

The child's father Varun Thakur, a senior executive in a private firm in Gurugram, on Sunday said that though police was doing its duty, the government should order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case.

"What is wrong if the probe is handed over to the CBI? I believe there was a conspiracy behind the killing of my innocent son," he said.

He also urged government authorities to investigate the case as if his child was one of their's.

Pradhuman's mother Jyoti Thakur said the school management "misguided" them after the murder.

"First, we were told 'your child is injured'. When I reached the school, the Principal was speaking to someone on phone and she did not even pay attention to me and tell me about the incident."

She said there could be a "conspiracy" behind the murder and that's why they were demanding a CBI inquiry to bring out the truth.

Pradhuman, a Class 2 student, was found dead on Friday by a school staffer in the washroom on the school campus in Bhondsi area near Gurugram city with a slit throat. The boy's family resides in Maruti Kunj Society in the same area.

Police late on Friday arrested Ashok Kumar, conductor of a school bus, for the killing but many believe he was made a scapegoat. The man's family too claimed he was falsely implicated since he was poor.

Sharma said investigations were being conducted by the three-member sub-committee formed by the district administration.

"It has found many flaws in the security of students for which the school management is answerable and a detailed report would be submitted by the sub-committee tomorrow," he said.

"Apart from this, there is no boundary wall of the school; there is no separate arrangement of toilets for bus drivers and conductors of 40 buses deployed by the school for bringing the students, and windows in the toilet meant for students were found broken," he noted.

Sharma said that on the basis of the report of the sub-committee, police action would be taken against the school management and owner of the school mentioned in the FIR.

"If the parents of the child are still not satisfied, the government would be willing to seek help from any agency. But I feel they will be satisfied when the chargesheet is presented in the court along with evidences," he added.
Toronto, Sep 11 : Pakistani-Norwegian actor-director Iram Haq's much talked-about film "What People Will Say" wowed audience at its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

This emotionally gripping family drama reminds one of the 1983 Bollywood movie "Log Kya Kahenge" (What People Will Think), in which Shabana Azmi plays the role of a young woman who is forced into marriage with a widower and how she takes revenge.

"What People Will Say" is the story of a Pakistani-origin teenage girl caught between the East and West.

Here is a Pakistani immigrant couple - played by Adil Hussain and Ekavali Khanna - in Oslo, strictly following their conservative Muslim culture in which their kids must preserve the family honour.

Their obsession with family honour forces their teenage daughter Nisha (Maria Mozhdah) to live a double life. At home, she bends to her parents' dictate. But outside, she does all that a typical western teenager does - trying a puff, drinking beer, friendship and kissing.

She hangs out late with her peers, but then also runs home to ensure that she is not caught by parents. Nisha crosses the threshold when she invites her white boyfriend into her bedroom and gets caught.

All hell breaks loose. "You have slept with him? You had sex with him?" asks the furious father. She becomes a stigma for her family.

An eerie sense of dread and doom lingers when the poor girl is dragged by her father and brother and put in a car and driven away. What will happen to Nisha now?

She is whisked to Pakistan to live with her uncle's family and learn the domestic life that her parents will choose for her. As the events unfold, she ends up becoming a stigma for her Pakistani relatives too, and gets thrown out to be back in Norway.

The contrast in Nisha's life - from a free-spirited teenager in wintry Norway to when she lands in hot, dusty and crowded Pakistan where she is virtually a prisoner - is captured superbly by the camera.

From director Iram Haq's perspective, this film is a bit of a personal story as she too, was taken to Pakistan by her parents as a teenager.

"It's (what happened to Nisha) happened to me when I was a teenager... It is still happening (to young girls) in Norway and elsewhere."

She, however, denies trying to portray Pakistan in a negative light. "I am not making a negative portrayal of Pakistan, I am talking about the subject."

Adil Hussain and Ekavali Khanna have essayed the role of Nisha's parents with aplomb.

This is a film for the global audience.

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh.s@ians.in, gurmukh100@gmail.com)
Astana, Sep 11 : Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani met his Turkish counterpart Recap Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of an OIC summit in Kazakhstan as he reaffirmed his stance that Kabul was ready for comprehensive talks with Islamabad.

Ghani's office said on Monday that the two sides discussed various topics, including bilateral ties between Kabul and Ankara and the upheavals in Kabul-Islamabad ties.

President Erdogan said the Turkish government was prepared to play its role in improving relations between Kabul and Islamabad as he reaffirmed Ankara's support towards an Afghan-led peace process.

Ghani thanked his Turkish counterpart for reaffirming support to Afghanistan and insisted on further strengthening of bilateral ties between the two nations.

He added that the announcement of the new US strategy has opened new doors of opportunities and necessary steps should be taken regionally for the proper use of the provided opportunity.

He said Afghanistan wants good relations with its neighbours and the country is prepared for comprehensive talks with Islamabad, insisting that the current situation should change in the region and opportunities should be properly utilised.

The Afghan President also called terrorism as a menace threatening both the region and the world and emphasised on joint efforts for its eradication.
Islamabad, Sep 11 : Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif is embarking on a visit to neighbouring Iran on Monday on the second leg of his regional tour as part of Islamabad's diplomatic initiative to offset the possible negative fallout of US President Donald Trump's new strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakria said during the daylong trip, the Foreign Minister would call on Iranian President Hassan Rohani and hold formal talks with his counterpart Javad Zarif.

The visit is part of Pakistan's efforts to reach out to key regional countries against the backdrop of Trump's new plan for Afghanistan and South Asia.

Iran was among the countries that denounced Trump's threatening statement against Pakistan. Islamabad and Tehran appear to be on the same page on Afghanistan.

Pakistan is hopeful of a positive outcome of the ministers visit since the months-old strained ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia are on the mend.

The deteriorating ties had complicated Pakistan's efforts to bring regional countries on board.

The foreign minister visited China last Friday and managed to win crucial support from Beijing, which urged the world to recognise Pakistan's sacrifices in the fight against terrorism.

China also threw its weight behind Pakistan's stance that solution to the 16-year-long conflict in Afghanistan is not possible through the use of force. Both countries have called for pursuing the political option for achieving peace in the war-ravaged country.

In his policy speech on August 21, Trump announced troop surge to break the stalemate in Afghanistan. He at the same time hit out at Pakistan for what he called supporting "agents of chaos, violence and terrorism".

In a damage control exercise, US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale insisted that Trump did not blame Islamabad for the failure in Afghanistan. The US envoy claimed that Pakistan still had a central role to play in achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : The areas of convergence between India and China are diminishing while those of confrontation have become "more salient", former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran says, adding that New Delhi had "judiciously" handled the two-month standoff on the Doklam plateau.

He also says that India and Pakistan had almost come to an agreement on demilitarising the Siachen glacier and mentions a "missed opportunity" to solve the Sir Creek dispute in Kutch.

"There are areas where India and China have convergent interests, but at the same time there are very divergent interests that are continuing as disputes between the two countries because of the unresolved border disputes. Essentially, over the last several years we have followed a strategy of building upon the areas of convergence with China but at the same time confronting China whenever our interests are threatened.

"If we compare the Indo-China relationship from the time I was the Foreign Secretary (2004-06) and what we see today, the big difference that appears, at least from the Chinese perspective, is that the areas of convergence have diminished in their importance while, inevitably, the areas of confrontation have become more salient," the 71-year old career diplomat told IANS in an interview around his new book "How India Sees The World" (Juggernaut/Rs 599/320 Pages).

Elaborating further on this shift in Beijing's foreign policy, Saran said that China now believes its GDP is five times the size of India and thus it has the dominant position and power in Asia. "It also has a sense that other countries in the region should accept its dominance and when there is a resistance to that, it leads to a rather negative reaction from China," he said, adding that, according to him, the Doklam standoff is "a symptom of that changed attitude" between the two countries.

"In handling the Doklam crisis, India has shown both a certain level of prudence, (and) at the same time a level of firmness. I think it has been a good and judicious combination of being very calm and mature in our reactions to very harsh rhetoric from China, but at the same time maintaining a very firm position that the two sides need to go back to the status quo and China, having disturbed the status quo, has the responsibility to not escalate it further," noted Saran, who has served as India's ambassador to Myanmar, Indonesia and Nepal and as High Commissioner to Mauritius and also being a Prime Minister's Special Envoy after retirement.

Saran maintained that despite border disputes between the two countries, it is possible to manage the situation at the frontier without letting it spill over into a clash of arms. And, he added, as long as New Delhi and Beijing maintain a very high level of engagement, their relations will remain on an even keel.

Responding to a question on the future of Sino-Indian ties, he said: "The management of this responsibility is not only the unilateral responsibility of India, we also need to look at the Chinese perspective and try to bring the perspective of the two countries closer to one another, or more aligned to one another. This can only be possible through dialogue."

Asked whether New Delhi needs to take the growing relationship of China with Russia more seriously, Saran said that the entire international situation is undergoing a transition and so we cannot expect that any alignment or relationship will continue unaltered for a prolonged period.

"This is a reality we have to accept; but at the same time, in the long term, there continues to be a strong convergence of interest between India and Russia. So even if we take into account the China factor, because most of the anxiety in India is about how close Russia and China have become, my own sense is that going further, especially in the long term, China's interests and Russia's interests are not quite aligned. Any expansion of Chinese presence in Central Asia or Eastern Europe, as we see happening, will not be accepted by Russia.

"These are two areas which are of great importance to Russia and, therefore, whatever China may try to do to reduce the anxiety with Russia, I think it is inevitable that China and Russia will not find a commonality of interest, particularly in areas which are of importance to China. We should not react too negatively to the growing Russia-China ties, knowing full well that in the longer term, India's and Russia's interests are likely to be much closer together than would be the case with China," he contended.

The most startling revelation that Saran makes in "How India Sees The World" is that India and Pakistan had almost come to an agreement on demilitarising the Siachen Glacier. According to the book, the draft agreement had been approved by all stakeholders. But the then Army Chief General J.J. Singh and then NSA M.K. Narayanan put forward last-minute reservations, which led to the cancellation of the proposal. The event had unfolded ahead of the India-Pakistan Defence Secretary-level talks in May 2006.

His book also talks about a "missed opportunity" to resolve the Sir Creek issue. "The Indian Navy had come up with a very innovative approach which would have determined the maritime boundary from a point out in the sea on the edge of the countries' respective continental shelves, with equal lines drawn to points on each coast. This would have left a triangular zone of about a hundred square kilometres just at the mouth of the Sir Creek without a demarcation," he writes in the book.

There was keen interest in Pakistan to follow this approach, Saran maintains, but India was unable to explore this further when the Siachen deal fell through.

After completing his tenure as Foreign Secretary, Saran was appointed the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for the India-US civil nuclear deal and later as Special Envoy and Chief Negotiator on Climate Change.

(Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)
Islamabad, Sep 11 : The prices of vegetables and fruits have skyrocketed by up to 200 per cent across Pakistan due to the extended monsoon season, affecting common people in the country, according to local reports on Monday.

Shakeel Abbasi, a salesperson in a superstore Madina Cash & Carry here, told Xinhua that the price of onion was Rs 50 per kg one week ago but it is now being sold at Rs 150 a kilo, while onion prices in other cities including Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan lie in the range of Rs 120 to Rs 140 per kg.

Meanwhile, prices of popular vegetables such as tomatoes, peas, green chilies, capsicum, beans and cauliflower have surged by over 100 per cent.

Local reports said that the price hike was due to the extended monsoon season which has affected vegetable fields and fruit production across the country.

"Another cause of the surge in prices of some of the commodities is the slowdown of supply due to the recent week-long holidays by the truck drivers on the eve of Eid festival," said Abbasi.

Local media reports quoted vegetable merchants and traders' associations as saying that the ongoing marriage season among Muslims is also another major reason for the rising prices.

Munir Ahmad, a consumer in Bhara Kahu area of Islamabad, looked disappointed over the increase of prices, saying that ordinary citizens can no longer buy these staple commodities.

"Onions and tomatoes are used in all the vegetable, curry and meat dishes made at our homes, but now we cannot buy enough. If the situation remains the same, it will hurt our monthly budget," he added.

Some analysts believe the surge in prices is artificial and it is created by producers and suppliers due to the rise in demands after the Eid festival when Muslims sacrifice animals and eat meat dishes.

They are confident that in a month's time, the crisis would be resolved and rates would return to normal.
Mumbai, Sep 11 : Actress Sonakshi Sinha has praised fellow actress Priyanka Chopra, terming her a woman of substance.

Priyanka, the goodwill ambassador for Unicef, is currently in Jordan to help children uprooted by the civil war in Syria.

A large number of Syrians died or were forced to leave their homes due to the conflict. Since then, a number of Syrians have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Jordan.

Sonakshi, 30, on Monday took to Twitter to laud Priyanka's work with Unicef.

"What Priyanka Chopra is doing right now with Unicef is what we must all aspire to do in life - make a difference. Woman of substance," Sonakshi tweeted.

Priyanka also shared a series of photographs of herself, where she is seen spending time with the families of the affected.

On the acting front, Sonakshi will next be seen in "Ittefaq", directed by Abhay Chopra. The film is an adaptation of the similarly titled 1969 film.
Srinagar, Sep 11 : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that during his trip to Kashmir he was convinced that things were improving in the Valley.

Rajnath Singh while addressing media in Srinagar said: "What I have seen during last two, three days has convinced me that the trees of peace have not dried up. I can see green buds of peace on these trees."

"I have not counted how many times I have come here. If I have to come 50 times to bring peace to J&K, I will do that," the senior minister in the Narendra Modi government said.

Singh said he met 55 delegations during this visit and was always ready to meet anyone without reservations.

"I have met non-political people including students, teachers, things are improving with every passing day. The situation may not have improved completely, but it is improving. I don't want to leave out anyone with whom dialogue is possible," he added.

He said he was moved to tears while paying tributes to slain policemen in south Kashmir.

"While giving tributes to Kashmir policemen, the face of ASI Abdul Rashid's daughter, Zohra was passing through my mind. We want every face in Kashmir to smile," he said.

He said the issue of disturbed area allowance to state policemen on the pattern of central armed forces was being considered.

On the developmental front the minister said: "I have reviewed the progress on the implementation of Prime Minister's developmental package for the state. From the initially slotted Rs 85,000 crore, it will now cross one hundred thousand crore".

The minister also said that children must have been pushed by motivators to commit crimes and they should not be treated as criminals.

"They must be dealt under juvenile justice system and not be put into jails. They must be properly counselled. I told security forces that no excesses should be committed during operations."

He blamed terrorists for destroyed generations of Kashmir and reaffirmed that the government will not allow another generation to be destroyed.

"Poor people and businessman, youth with positive attitude and tourism industry have immensely suffered. After a wrong message went out, tourists stopped coming here. I want to send them a message that the people of Kashmir are ready to receive you, there is no danger here," he said.

On the use of pellet guns during crowd control, he said: "During crowd control, we have to act. We introduced the PAVA gun to replace the pellet gun, but I was told it is not very effective. In comparison to past, less people have been injured during crowd control in the Valley during the past months."

Asked whether political party delegations had sought revocation of AFSPA during their meetings with him, the Union Minister said: "No delegation talked about AFSPA during meetings with me here."
New Delhi, Sep 11 : Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be on a two-day visit to India beginning Wednesday during which the two countries are expected to scale up their strategic cooperation.

Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also hold the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit in Gujarat during the visit. This will be the fourth annual summit between Modi and Abe.

"The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation... under the framework of their 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership' and will set its future direction," an External Affairs Ministry statement said.
Phnom Penh, Sep 11 : The Cambodian parliament on Monday approved treason charges against opposition leader Kem Sokha, who faces 15 to 30 years in jail, following a vote by the ruling party.

Sokha is accused of conspiring with a foreign power against Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, reports Efe news.

The parliamentary session went ahead with the support of the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP), with a majority in the House, despite a boycott by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), led by Sokha since February.

With 67 votes in favour and none against (among 123 seats), the Cambodian legislature lifted the politician's parliamentary immunity.

Meanwhile, Hun Sen on Monday threatened to dissolve the CNRP if it continued its support for the accused.

Sokha's arrest on September 3 has stripped the CNRP, Cambodia's chief opposition party, of its leader ahead of general elections scheduled to be held on July 29, 2018.

In 2013, Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia since 1985, renewed his term by winning with just a narrow margin in elections that were marred by accusations of fraud.
Bhopal, Sep 11 : Four women labourers were killed and over 20 injured in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district after a tractor-trolley turned turtle, police said on Monday.

The accident took place near Semra village late on Sunday evening. The police blamed the accident on reckless driving. All the occupants were labourers.

The deceased have been identified as Prabha, Chandrawati, Diksha and Devwati. Three died on the spot while the fourth succumbed to her injuries in a hospital.

Madhya Pradesh Transport Minister Bhupendra Singh visited the hospital and met the injured. Eight of the injured were in serious condition.

The Minister has announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.
Sydney, Sep 11 : Australia's Green Party on Monday said it has asked Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to take in 20,000 Rohingya refugees and earmark some $120 million for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

"Senator Nick McKim and I have written to the Prime Minister over the crisis in Myanmar and the unprecedented levels of forcible displacement we are seeing," Greens leader Richard di Natale posted on Facebook.

"We need 20,000 permanent humanitarian visas for Rohingya refugees this year and $150 million in emergency funding for the UNHCR."

This petition comes after the exodus of almost 300,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim minority to Bangladesh since August 25, fleeing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

The amount of humanitarian aid proposed by the Green Party exceeds what was announced by the Australian government.

On Saturday, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the government will contribute up to $4 million to humanitarian aid organisations working in Bangladesh.

More than a million Rohingyas live in Rakhine, where they face growing discrimination following a sectarian conflict in 2012 that killed at least 160 people, and displaced nearly 120,000.

Myanmar authorities deny citizenship to Rohingyas, classifying them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and imposing many restrictions on them, including limits to their freedom of movement.
Dhaka, Sep 11 : Some 313,000 Rohingya migrants have crossed the border into Bangladesh after fleeing deadly violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state, the UN office in Bangladesh announced on Monday.

In a report, the Inter-Sectoral Coordination Group said most of the new refugees, around 246,000, have been put up in temporary shelters and existing camps since an outbreak of violence on August 25, reports Efe news.

The remaining 67,000 are being housed in informal settlements, according to the report, which adds that while the flow of Rohingyas continues, it has slowed considerably.

The influx of Rohingyas to southeastern Bangladesh had steadily increased since the attacks on police and military posts by an insurgent group and Myanmar's subsequent military crackdown.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army had declared a month-long cease-fire on Saturday to allow the entry of humanitarian aid, which the Myanmar government rejected.

The latest wave of refugees comes after the Myanmar army carried out another military campaign at the end of last year following a similar insurgent attack, which triggered an exodus of more than 80,000 Rohingyas.

Before the crisis erupted, between 300,000 and 500,000 Rohingyas had been living in Bangladesh, only 32,000 of whom enjoy refugee status.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : Indias strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an "article of faith" for it and "not just another relationship, but a spiritual and civilisational connect", External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said here on Monday.

Issuing a joint statement with her Afghanistan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani here, she said that their bilateral relations are not important for just the two nations but for the entire region.

Without naming Pakistan, Sushma Swaraj said that India and Afghanistan "will remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries".

She announced that "116 new high impact development projects would be jointly implemented that would bring socio-economic and infrastructure development", especially in the suburban and rural communities in 31 provinces of Afghanistan.

"India has been and will continue to work with people of Afghanistan in their effort to build a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive Afghanistan," Sushma Swaraj said.

She also expressed her gratitude to Afghan security for "ensuring safety of Indians working in Afghanistan".
Washington, Sep 11 : US President Donald Trumps decision to fire Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James Comey was perhaps the greatest mistake in "modern political history", former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon has suggested in an interview.

Bannon made the statement during an online segment of his interview with "60 Minutes" broadcast on Sunday.

Trump fired Comey last May, a decision that the White House initially said was made based on a recommendation from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as a result of Comey's handling of the 2016 investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State.

But the President contradicted that explanation days later in an interview with NBC News, in which he said he had made up his mind to fire Comey before receiving Rosenstein's recommendation and that his decision had been made with the FBI's Russia investigation weighing on his mind.

Bannon went on to elaborate that he believes Washington is a "city of institutions, not individuals" and that "I don't believe that the institutional logic of the FBI, and particularly in regards to an investigation, could possibly be changed by changing out the head of it".

Had Comey never been fired, Bannon told CBS, the bureau's Russia investigation would not have metastasized into the special investigation currently being led by Robert Mueller.

Bannon said he did not believe Mueller should be fired and that he was never privy to conversations on that potentiality during his White House tenure, the report said.

But while he told CBS he believes Mueller should be allowed to continue conducting his investigation into Russian efforts to interfere in last year's presidential election, as well as allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin in those efforts, Bannon was clear that the special prosecutor's probe will turn up nothing incriminating.

"There's nothing to the Russia investigation. It's a waste of time," Bannon said. "It's a total and complete farce. Russian collusion is a farce."

Asked why the President seems to find it hard to criticise the Russians, Bannon disagreed with the characterisation, the report said.

"He criticises the Russians all the time," Bannon said, adding "He knows the Russians are not good guys".

The former White House official also slammed national security officials in the previous George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations who denounced Trump as President.

"This is once again where the narrative is dead wrong," Bannon said, adding that it was the "geniuses" of the Bush administration that helped cause the trade imbalance with China and the US involvement in Iraq.

Bannon was ousted in mid-August amid a reshuffling of power within the White House.

He has since returned to his role as executive chairman at Breitbart News.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : The Congress on Monday demanded a CBI probe into the murder of a seven-year-old student at a school in Gurugram district of Haryana. It also sought the registration of a case against the school management for violating safety guidelines.

The party said a woman on the school management team was a leader of the BJP Mahila Morcha and accused the Haryana government of trying to protect the management after the crime.

The party demanded a probe against district officials in Gurugram for the cane charge on protesting parents and mediapersons, in which around 50 persons were injured.

"We condemn the child's murder in the strongest words. We also demand strong action against Ryan International School's management and a criminal case against them," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said here.

"The case should be referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation and the culprits punished. Strong action be also taken against the school for flouting guidelines on safety of children in schools, which were issued by the Gurugram Police," he added.

The party said standard guidelines for schoolchildren's safety must be implemented in all private and government schools across the country.

"The school's Vigilance Officer, officials responsible for safety of schoolkids and the management are responsible for failure to ensure the child's safety. It reeks of conspiracy and complicity. The school premise was misused as empty liquor bottles were found on the campus," the Congress leader added.

Surjewala said: "Haryana Minister Rao Narbir Singh made fun of parents and said seeking a CBI inquiry had become a fashion nowadays. The Education Minister gave a clean chit to the school and said there will be no probe."

"The manner in which the Khattar government is trying to hush up the matter reflects the arrogance of the BJP," the Congress leader said.

Gurugram (then Gurgaon) Police issued the guidelines on schoolchildren's safety in 2014, prepared by the parents concerned, NGOs, civil and police officials, judiciary and media.

The guidelines aim to ensure children's safety from abuse -- verbal, physical or sexual -- by any staff, be it teaching/non-teaching/contractual, older students or any other person while on the campus or on the transport route.

"It also mentioned that CCTVs must cover all critical areas of school premises, including entry and exit points, and even entrance to toilets, which was not there," said Surjewala.

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre, the CBI, the state government and others on the child's father Varun Chandra Thakur's plea for a CBI probe into Pradhuman's murder on September 8.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : A court here on Monday adjourned hearing in the defamation complaint filed by Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain against sacked colleague Kapil Mishra for October 16.

The matter was adjourned as Metropolitan Magistrate Shefali Barnala Tandon was on leave.

Jain has alleged that on May 7, Mishra made a blatantly false, misleading, baseless, and defamatory statement before the media that Jain handed over Rs 2 crore to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on May 5 at his residence.

He said these statements were repeatedly telecast and printed by the national media across all platforms -- electronic, print and social -- which caused immense damage to him and his family.

The court will also hear on October 16 arguments on a separate defamation case Jain filed against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

On May 19, Jain had filed two criminal defamation complaints against Mishra and Sirsa for allegedly defaming him by levelling graft charges against him.

In the complaint against Sirsa, Jain said on May 9, the MLA made "libellous" statements by levelling corruption allegation against him. Making a statement on the basis of "hearsay" without any proof or evidence supporting it, was not only unbecoming of an MLA, but also a crime of defaming a person, he contended.

"Such statements, without any basis, have been put in the public domain to damage the reputation of the complainant. It has become a habit with the accused to make and circulate such falsehoods," Jain added.
As a non-fiction filmmaker for five decades, Frederick Wiseman considers his films novelistic, not journalistic. Epic in sizesome clocking around four hoursand rich in subtext, Wisemans films patiently observe the institutions that compose daily life. There's a real purity to the image, without any text on the screen to distract from the moment. His breakthrough, the controversial Titicut Follies (1967), observed the inner workings of a Massachusetts mental hospital. His would-be stick it to the pigs expose Law and Order found some redemption in the police. Welfare offices, high school classrooms, and college campuses have all found their way in front of Wisemans seemingly invisible lenshe does not interfere or provoke, he just lets the camera roll, finding the story after shooting wraps. At 86 years old, he's still directing, producing, and editing himself.

His latest film, Ex Libris, is the centerpiece of The Complete Wiseman: Part II, an ongoing Film Forum retrospective that finishes on September 14th (the film itself will run from the 13th until the 26th). If you go, here's a tutorial on how to watch a Wiseman film.

Ex Libris is on trend with his previous institution series offerings, National Gallery and At Berkeley, which offer valuable inside looks at the goings on in renowned cultural hubs, from the folks cleaning the floors all the way to the top of the administrative offices. It also connects with his last film, In Jackson Heights, in demonstrating how key bureaucratic decisions can also affect social life.

Mr. Wiseman spoke to us via phone earlier this month from Venice, and though he remains soft-spoken about what his films mean, instead relying upon the audience to gather their interpretations, he offered a valuable discussion on the democracy of information, especially in the age of Trump.

Congratulations on the film and getting it made. Did you go down the Kickstarter route like you did for In Jackson Heights? No, no. I don't think I could ever do that Kickstarter thing again. I didnt like doing it at all. I did try it and it didn't work. I understand it works with others but its not my cup of tea.

How did this film get off the ground this time? I got money from PBS and the Ford Foundation, and the LEF Foundation.

PBS certainly has been helpful to you throughout the last few films. PBS, over the years, has always given me some money. PBS has always given me between 15% to 20% of the budget. Theyve been very consistent with that sort of thing. Im very grateful to them. I just wish they had more resources!

Youve said that you chose to make a film about Jackson Heights just by walking around the neighborhood. How did you choose the NYPL? I had wanted to make a library be the subject of my next film. I knew the New York Public Library was one of the great libraries in the world, so I got in touch with (president and CEO) Anthony Marx, and he said, Okay! Many years ago, I had done some work and research in the Library for Performing Arts, and I had been through the main building (the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building) many years ago simply as a tourist, but that was a long time ago. Maybe forty years ago.

You certainly use the image of tourism a lot in this film, and the Schwarzman Building really becomes the films anchor. Well, because the senior staff is in the Schwarzman building, and also the archives are there. For those reasons, there are a lot of sequences that take place in the Schwarzman building.

Its interesting how it starts there, with the Richards Dawkins talk, because when people think of the NYPL, that location is their primary image of it. But as you reveal throughout the film, these other branches are what give the library its blood, even as the main administrative and bureaucratic decisions are made in the Schwarzman building. Right. Its a vast organization, about ninety or so branches throughout the city. They have multiple levels of organization.

You focus on only a handful of locations throughout the film. Were there other locations that you filmed at in addition to, or just those? No, theres some sequences I filmed at other locations. I shot some sequences on Staten Island, and at a library on the Upper West Side, but I think there are thirteen different locations.

A lot of the best material comes from lower income areas, such as in The Bronx or at Macombs Bridge (at Harlem River Houses). Yeah, in that small library.

They call themselves the jewel of the public library. Right. That last scene shows what looks like the size of a medium hotel room. The whole library is basically that one room.

Its a stunning reveal, especially since theres this enormous discussion of education and how information is being let out, and it's a huge social issue, and yet it's only being discussed in a room of just five people, starkly contrasting with where you have Elvis Costello or Patti Smith talking about stuff in front of hundreds, maybe thousands of people. Well, its also a different kind of event.

Its interesting how you give lesser known figures just as much screen time, if not more screen time, than the bigger names. Well, in each case, I cut it for the content that interests me. I think what Patti Smith had to say was interesting, but I like what Elvis Costello said. But I dont ever weigh it in my mind as big name versus smaller name. It comes out the way it comes out.

In a way, your films cut through difference in class and try to give everyone a fair shot. Right. Exactly.

You said before that you like to place your films in complicated places. What is complicated about the New York Public Library? Theres so much going on. Its an archive, it houses six million books, there are ninety branches, theres all kinds of different programs. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different programs going on every month in the branches. Its a public-private partnershipthe administration has to be concerned with their politics in relation to the city, and they have to raise money from rich people who are interested in the library, so that makes it pretty complicated.

Theres a lot of footage just of the administrative groups struggling between being a business and a public service. It goes along with some of your previous films, which maintain the belief that information should be available for everyone. Thats right. The current administration is really devoted to turning the branches into learning centers or community centers, so that there are courses for children and adults in different languages and all kinds of different subjects.

And you, like in previous films, make an emphasis on resources available for blind and deaf visitors. You try to encompass as many groups as possible, which is important because the library is so ubiquitous and resourceful, yet a lot of people just dont know it even exists. Right. Yeah, I agree.

Ill tell people Im going to the library and they look at me like I have two heads, like, "Why would you do that?" Its sad where in this age we expect many things to be free that people don't use it more often. Well, the whole spirit of the library is very democratic. Its open to everybody, used by everybody, anyone can sit there as long as theyre not creating a disturbance. I included a lot of footage of homeless people sleeping in the reading room. But you dont necessary know that people are homeless. Theyre not wearing a placard that says it. Theres an enormous variety of cultural events, between whats performed in the branches, in the library for performing arts. Its an enormous part of the cultural life of New York.

Was there much difficulty in filming certain scenes, any conflicts with the staff or patrons? No. There was never any difficulty. Everyone was extremely cooperative. Even as things got intense, and there were hundreds of people filmed.

The film comes at a time where the distribution of correct information was in peril. Going back to the Dawkins talk about things being factual but disagreeable, was that on your mind when making it? Like how were at a point where false information is directly impacting our political beliefs? When you were editing and you put that talk first, did the peril of information cross your mind? What you see in the film is the complete opposite of what Trump represents. The staff and the administration deeply care about education, care about culture, care about helping immigrants and helping poor people. Im doing everything I can to provide assistance and achieve their goals. Its complete contrast to the Darwinian aspects - Im not even sure Trump knows who Darwin is - of the Trump administration. I finished editing two days after the election, so the form of the film was already established. But I recognized what was going on was contrary to what Trump was saying. But I had no idea he was going to be elected president. Nobody could believe it was gonna happen. I certainly didnt.

Your films invite audiences to question their institutions, and we definitely need that now. Oh yeah. I would hope that this film would provoke those kinds of discussions. Absolutely.

What has been the reaction of the library since the film has finished? They like it a lot. And theyre putting up posters in all the branches, notifying people in their email list. Im very pleased that they liked it, that their hearts set behind it.

And do you know if the staff members in the smaller branch have seen it? The staff, all of them, were invited to the two screenings I had at the 42nd Street branch of the Public Library. People at all the branches where I filmed were notified. Many of them came out.

You make these, in a sense, home movies about these communities. Its nice how, even after the film is over, you can make that happen again. Yeah, it's always a strange experience for people who were in the film to see it, but they liked it a lot.

Something I was struck by in the talks and performancesyou dont really include scenes of applause! No, I show them listening quietly. I never thought applause was necessary, even in the films about performance. I dont want to prejudge the viewers response. It's a waste of time.

The applause sorta disrupts the rhythm. It can. Its not necessary. It always depends what the next sequence. If theres a lot of noise, then the applause will blend into the next sequence.

It keeps in line, also, with the sense of library etiquette. Right. I agree with that.

How long was the filming? The filming was twelve weeks, and the editing took about a year. I shot through pretty much all of September, October and November [of 2015].

Was there any particular footage that you did shoot that you were disappointed you couldnt use? I only had 150 hours of rushes, and the the film is only three and half hours of material. 98% of the footage is cut out. The scenes that are left out I usually have a good reason for leaving them out. I'm trying to make a movie. I try to find material thats really interesting.

On September 14, Frederick Wiseman will be in discussion with Errol Morris at the NYPL's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. And 'The Complete Wiseman' runs at the Film Forum through the 14th, and they'll be screening Ex Libris through the 26th. More details can be found here.
Beijing, Sep 11 : Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the annual general debate of the United Nations General Assembly on September 19, a government official said on Monday.

The 72nd Regular Session of the UN General Assembly will convene at UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday. The General Debate will open on September 19, with the theme of "Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet", Xinhua news agency reported.

During the general debate, Wang will elaborate on China's position and propositions on the international situation as well as major international and regional issues, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at the daily press briefing.

Wang will express China's resolute determination to work with UN member states to safeguard world peace and stability and promote development and prosperity, said Geng.

As a founding member of the UN and permanent member of the UN Security Council, China upholds multilateralism and stands firmly for the international order with the UN at the core, he said.

China supports the UN to play a leading role in safeguarding international and regional peace, boosting global development and improving global governance, said Geng.

China will continue to actively participate in the UN's work on politics, security, development, human rights and disarmament, promote democracy and rule of law in international relations, and work with UN member states to build a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation and build a community of shared future for mankind, he said.

Before attending the general debate, Wang will pay official visits to Costa Rica and Panama from September 14 to 17, said Geng.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will take part in the ground-breaking ceremony of the much-anticipated Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project on Thursday, a senior official said here on Monday.

"On September 14, the two Prime Ministers in the morning will attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail which is a flagship project of India-Japan collaboration," Pranay Verma, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said in a media briefing ahead of the 12th annual India-Japan bilateral summit to be held in Gandhinagar.

He said that a high-speed railway training centre will also be set up in Vadodara.

The high-speed rail project was announced during Abe's visit to India in 2015 for the 10th annual bilateral summit.

Verma said that the fact that Gujarat's capital would be hosting the bilateral meet highlighted the importance India's states were playing in the country's foreign policy.

Abe, his wife and the accompanying delegation will reach Gujarat on Wednesday evening.

India and Japan will hold bilateral discussions on Thursday following which a number of agreements are expected to be signed.

An India-Japan business plenary will also be held on Thursday that will mark the culmination of a series of business events that will be held earlier in the day.

Verma said that Abe's visit reflected India's "redeeming partnership" with Japan and that country's increasing engagement with India's infrastructure and flagship development projects.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : The world would not have seen the horrors of 21st centurys 9/11 if it had not got oblivious of another 9/11 -- when Swami Vivekananda addressed the World Parliament of Religions in the US in 1893, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.

"Today is September 11. Before 2001, the world was oblivious of the importance of 9/11. It was not their fault, it was ours because we had forgotten it. And if we had not forgotten it, perhaps the horrible 9/11 of the 21st century would not have occurred," Modi observed at a function here to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Vivekananda's 1893 address in Chicago.

He said that it is in "India's soil, its thinking and its lifestyle" to give to the world.

Referring to Vivekananda's opening line of his famous speech where he addressed the audience as "Brothers and sisters of America", flooring the audience with his opening words itself, Modi said it was natural for us to be proud of it but those who are not respectful towards women have no right to take pride in it.

"Will we not fight against evils in our society? I want to ask young people -- do we respect women? Do we look at them with a feeling of regard? Those who do, I salute them 100 times.

"But those who fail to see them as human beings, they should think 50 times before clapping at Swami Vivekananda's 'brothers and sisters of America' (speech)," Modi said.

Asserting that he was not opposed to modern concept of celebrating days like Rose Day, Modi suggested that Tamil Nadu or Kerala Days could also be celebrated in northern India as a way of exhibiting unity in diversity.

"Some people oppose 'days' celebrated in college like 'Rose Day' but I am not against these. Can't we think of celebrating Tamil Nadu Day in Haryana colleges. Punjab colleges should decide that today they will celebrate Kerala Day, sing their songs, wear their costumes, watch their movies. Then they will ask them about their games, how they are played?.

"Can we not arouse a feeling of pride for every language and state in the country?" he said.

Invoking the ideals of Vivekananda, Modi made an appeal to reject the outdated ideas -- ones which may have been sanctioned in the past but have now come to be detrimental to the progress of the society.

He asked youth to inculcate creativity and innovation and not be just "robots".

"There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation and fulfil the aspirations of our people," he said.

Eulogising the Hindu monk further, Modi said he had championed agriculture revolution and entrepreneurship years before it dawned upon others and his correspondence with industrialist Jamsetji Tata tells us of his ambition for "self-reliance".

The Prime Minister also admonished those who chant Vande Mataram but litter the street and spit around.

Those in the job of cleaning our streets, Modi said, have the right of saying Vande Mataram before anyone else.

"If there is anyone who should have the right to say 'Vande Mataram' before anyone else, it is those children of Mother India who perform the job of cleaning our streets," he said.

The Prime Minister also advised against preaching about our glorious past to justify the present saying that this should be used only in guiding the future of the country.
Hyderabad, Sep 11 : In a shocking incident, an 11-year-old girl was made to stand in the boys' toilet in a private school as punishment for not wearing school uniform.

The incident occurred on Saturday in Rao's High School in Ramchandrapuram on the outskirts of Hyderabad but came to light on Monday after a video of the girl describing the sequence of the events went viral.

The girl, who refused to go back to school, alleged that a woman teacher pulled her up for not turning up in school uniform and made her stand in boys' washroom for five minutes.

The incident evoked outrage as parents and students' unions staged a protest in front of the school, demanding stern action against the teacher. Slogan shouting protestors barged into the school premises and vandalised some furniture.

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari, who holds the education portfolio, said strong action would be taken against those who meted out inhuman treatment to the girl.

On a complaint by the girl's father Ramakrishna, police registered a case and began the investigation.

Sangareddy District Education Officer Vijaykumari also ordered probe into the incident and directed the school management to shut down the institution till further orders.

Balala Hakkula Sangham, which is fighting for children's rights, lodged a complaint with the State Human Rights Commission seeking action against the school management.

Minister for Information Technology K. T. Rama Rao termed the incident inhuman. "Ridiculous & absolutely inhuman," he tweeted. He said the issue would be taken up with the Education Minister for appropriate action against the school.
Rabat, Sep 11 : The second Climate Chance World Summit kicked off on Monday in Morocco's southern city of Agadir with an aim to assess climate efforts by non-state actors.

The summit, gathering non-state actors from around the world, called for mobilization in order to continue the pressing fight against climate change in view of the destructive impact of the damage related to the phenomenon.

During the three-day event, the focus will be on reviewing the global climate action agenda set at the UN climate conferences and to assess the progress made by non-state actors across the world.

It will encourage the pooling of experience and innovations, pinpointing more effective solutions and seeking new initiatives from climate action.

During the summit, attendees will put sharper focus on issues facing the African continent and discuss various challenges of African cities.
Nagpur, Sep 11 : A convict undergoing a triple life-term in the sensational kidnap and murder of an eight-year-old son of an industrialist, was killed in a jail brawl with a co-inmate inside Nagpur Central Jail on Monday, a police official said.

According to police official Virendrasingh Thakur of Nagpur Control, the incident occurred around 7.15 a.m. when the victim Aayush Nirmal Pugaliya was attacked on the head and throat with a broken floor tile -- he later succumbed to the injuries.

A 25-year-old inmate, Sooraj V. Kotnake, undergoing a life-term for murder, has been arrested in connection with the killing by the Dhantoli police, Thakur said.

The motive behind the killing is tentatively believed to be previous enmity between Pugaliya and Kotnake, and further investigations are underway.

Pugaliya, along with at least two accomplices, was arrested for the kidnap and murder of Kush Kataria, the eight-year-old son of a local industrialist and 'Masala King' Prashant Kataria of the well-known brand Suruchi Spices Pvt. Ltd.

The little boy, Kush, was playing outside their home in the posh Vardhaman Nagar, on October 11, 2011, from where he was abducted and killed after a single ransom money call was made that evening.

In the ransom call, the kidnappers demanded Rs 20 million (Rs 2 crore) for his release, but they later apparently panicked and killed the boy.

They dumped his body in a water tank near an under-construction building in Kalamna area of the city. The police found the body on October 15, four days after the kidnapping.

Following a massive public outcry, the police moved swiftly and arrested Aayush, and his brothers Nitin and Navin in connection with the kidnap-cum-murder and filed the charge-sheet in a local court.

In April 2013, the trial ended with the Nagpur Sessions Court finding Pugaliya guilty and awarding him a rare double life sentence which would run consecutively.

This was later upheld and enhanced to a rare triple life-sentence by the Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench, in June 2015, with the judges ruling that two life-sentences would run consecutively and the third concurrently.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : In a veiled reference to Pakistan, India and Afghanistan on Monday called for an end to all forms of support and state sponsorship of terrorism following the Second Strategic Partnership Council Meeting led by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani here.

"Both sides expressed grave concern at the incidents of terror and violence in Afghanistan resulting loss of innocent lives," said a joint statement issued following the talks.

"Noting that terrorism presented the greatest threat to peace, stability and progress of the region and beyond, they called for an end to all forms of support, state sponsorship, safe havens and sanctuaries to terrorists against Afghanistan," it said.

The statement assumes significance given US President Donald Trump's assertion of the importance of India's role in war-torn Afghanistan's reconstruction and leaders of the BRICS nations naming Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad as terror threats in their summit-level meeting in China earlier this month.

Both India and Afghanistan are victims of terrorism emanating out of Pakistani soil.

India and Afghanistan agreed to strengthen security cooperation with New Delhi extending further assistance for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in fighting the scourge of terrorism, organised crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering, according to the joint statement.

"The Indian side reiterated its support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process," it stated.

"It was agreed that concrete, meaningful and verifiable steps for immediate cessation of violence were essential for the success of regional and international efforts to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan."
Chandigarh, Sep 11 : A war of words has broken out between the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana who are both claiming credit and blaming the other side over the recent handling of the violence by Dera Sacha Sauda sect followers.

Terming it a "desperate and futile bid to wriggle out of his own responsibility in the matter", Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday flayed his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar for blaming Punjab for the violence that followed the conviction of Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

Khattar, in a recent TV interview, said the Punjab government failed to stop thousands of Dera followers who came to Panchkula for the August 25 verdict in the rape case against sect chief.

He also said the armed Punjab policemen, who accompanied the sect chief illegally for the court hearing, were arrested as a conspiracy to help Ram Rahim escape after the verdict unfolded.

Dubbing Khattar's charges against the Punjab government as ludicrous, Amarinder Singh said his Haryana counterpart was trying desperately to cover up his own government's failure in preventing the carnage in the wake of the verdict against Ram Rahim.

"Khattar's despair was evident from the fact that even after suspending five of their own police personnel over the alleged conspiracy to whisk Ram Rahim away post the judgement, he was now trying to fix responsibility for the entire affair on Punjab Police," the Punjab Chief Minister said in a hard-hitting statement here.

"Nothing could be more ridiculous than this. Why did his government suspend the five Haryana cops in the matter if they were not guilty," Amarinder Singh, who heads the Congress government in Punjab, asked the Chief Minister of the Bhartiya Janata Party-ruled neighbouring state.

Amarinder Singh also lashed out at Khattar for blaming Punjab over the accumulation of over one lakh Dera followers in Panchkula.

"The death count, and the number of people injured in the violence that erupted in Panchkula after the verdict, clearly shows that the bulk of the followers gathered there were from Haryana. How could the Punjab government have been expected to control entry into Haryana?" he said.

"Haryana alone was responsible for maintaining law and order in Panchkula and failed to prevent aggregation of people in the area despite intelligence reports warning of an adverse fallout of the court judgement," he said, assailing Khattar's attempt to divert public attention from his government's "catastrophic failure in the matter".

"Khattar seems to have either forgotten or has conveniently chosen to ignore the fact that not only did Punjab witness only a few sporadic and minor incidents but reported no loss of life in the fallout of the Panchkula bloodshed.

"If the majority of the followers gathered in the town had been from Punjab the situation in this state would have been much worse," he added.

Amarinder Singh also noted that even the judiciary has blamed the Haryana government for allowing the situation to escalate out of control.

He urged Khattar to refrain from playing dirty politics over the issue which had led to huge loss of life and property.
Mumbai, Sep 11 : The Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) on Monday raised strong objections to a new Australian advertising campaign featuring revered Hindu and Christians gods and other mythical figures to 'sell' its red meat and meat products.

CSF Founder-General Secretary Joseph Dias said the latest advertising campaign by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) is "bad in taste and offensive to all" and sought boycott of MLA and a ban of their products.

The advertisements feature the elephant-headed God, Lord Ganesha, revered in India, Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ, Thor, Zeus and others seated at a table enjoying what is a sumptuous non-vegetarian feast.

The ads have reportedly made an oblique reference to Prophet Mohammed, who is not pictured but is heard excusing himself from the party through a mobile phone call since he has to pick-up a child from daycare.

What has hurt Christians is that the caricature of Jesus Christ who performs what is termed as a 'reverse miracle' by turning wine into water so a Grecian goddess, who is a 'designated driver' can drive home safely, Dias said.

"We have written to Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to take note of these 'insensitive advertisements' and raise the issue with the top authorities in Australia immediately. We also demand that MLA Chairman Michele Allan and MD Richard Norton withdraw the ads and tender an apology," Dias told IANS.

Besides writing to Sushma Swaraj, the CSF has shot off emails to Australian Deputy High Commissioner in Mumbai Martin Huber, Indian High Commissioner to Australia Harinder Sidhu and other top officials raising serious objections to the MLA campaign.

"The CSF has always protested against commercial exploitation of religious figures for profit, irrespective of which religion the figures belong to. The MLA ads have hurt not only followers of different faiths, but atheists and agnostics all over," Dias pointed out.

He termed the campaign as 'culturally insensitive' to vegans and communities like Hindus, Jains or Buddhists and said Lord Ganesha is a vegetarian and meat is never offered to him, as depicted in the MLA ads.

Dias warned that unless MLA yanks off the offensive ad campaign and apologises, the global Catholic community would be compelled to boycott its products as "there are many alternatives available worldwide".
Bengaluru, Sep 11 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday slapped a legal notice on author Ramchandra Guha for allegedly linking the Sangh Parivar with the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, and asked him to apologise publicly for the same.

The legal notice, sent by Karunakar Khasale, state Secretary of Karnataka BJP's Yuva Morcha, said that Guha, in an interview to a news portal on September 6, mentioned Sangh Parivar in connection with Lankesh's murder.

"It is very likely that her murderers came from the same Sangh Parivar from which the murderers of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi came," the notice quoted Guha as saying in the interview to Scroll.in.

"You have alleged that the perpetrators of the said crimes belong to our client's organisation...As on today, the investigations into the said incidents are still in progress and have not yet concluded. No trial has taken place against any person, much less any conviction.

"Under such circumstances, without any basis or proof, you have given false and mischievous statements clearly calculated to defame our client's organisation and its members," the notice read.

It asked Guha to "categorically and clearly apologise publicly" for making such allegations "within three days from the date of receipt of this notice", adding that the organisation (RSS) to which "you impute criminal motives, is a group of highly reputed and well regarded nationalist organisations".

"While the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) is the world's largest voluntary socio-cultural organisation involved in humanitarian and service activities around the world, the BJP is the world's largest democratic political party, currently in power in the Union government," it said.

The notice said that if Guha fails to apologise, the BJP would be would be "constrained to initiate" civil and criminal prosecution against him.

Senior journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead by yet unidentified assailants at her residence in Bengaluru on September 5. She was known for her strong views against right wing Hindutva politics.
We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today
Hyderabad, Sep 11 : Eminent Dalit thinker Kancha Ilaiah on Monday sought police protection saying that he is facing threat to his life even as Arya Vysya organisations staged protests in parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh seeking ban on his book.

The writer lodged a complaint with Osmania University Police Station, stating that he had been receiving threatening phone calls since Sunday.

He claimed that he started receiving calls after some leaders of Arya Vysya organisations, while talking to TV channels, condemned him. He sought immediate police protection.

Meanwhile, various organisations of Arya Vysya community staged protests in different parts of the two Telugu states demanding action against Ilaiah for insulting the community in his book "Samajika Smugglurlu Komatollu (Vysyas are social smugglers)".

The protestors burnt effigies of the writer and lodged police complaints against him. They demanded immediate ban on the book saying its contents are derogatory and demeaning to their community.

Ilaiah, however, said it was not a book but a chapter from his English book "Post Hindu India" published in 2009. He said a publisher got the chapter translated into Telugu and published it as a booklet.

Stating that it was a research book on various communities, Ilaiah denied that he used any derogatory word.

"Social Smuggling is a phrase. It is the economic process of exploitation, which means earning in business but not investing back into society," he told reporters.

The professor said if anybody had any objection with regard to any contents of the book, he could approach the court.

Meanwhile, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, who belongs to Vysya community, said it was not proper on part of anybody to hurt the sentiments of any community.

The former Tamil Nadu Governor said the writers should avoid using any derogatory terms against any community.

In another development, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi demanded protection for Ilaiah and action against those threatening him.

Owaisi also voiced concern over increasing attacks on journalists. The Hyderabad MP alleged that those writing against BJP and RSS were facing threats.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : Sending a strong message to Pakistan, India and Afghanistan on Monday pledged their commitment to jointly fight to end terrorism as the visiting Afghan Foreign Minister minced no words in equating Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad terror groups with Taliban, Al Qaeda and Islamic State in Afghanistan.

The two countries called for an end to all forms of support and state sponsorship of terrorism after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani held the second Strategic Partnership Council meeting here.

"Both sides expressed grave concern at the incidents of terror and violence in Afghanistan resulting in loss of innocent lives," a joint statement said.

Noting that terrorism presented the greatest threat to peace, stability and progress of the region and beyond, the two sides called for dismantling safe havens and sanctuaries to terrorists against Afghanistan.

After the talks with Rabbani, Sushma Swaraj addressed a joint media conference and said India and Afghanistan remained "united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries".

Rabbani emphasised that India and Afghanistan had suffered from terrorism and violent extremism that has threatened the region's stability.

"Together they are killing our people on Afghanistan and destroying infrastructure," Rabbani said.

The visiting Minister said "Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad have been launching attacks against India and indiscriminately killing civilians of this country".

The Pakistan-based groups active in Jammu and Kashmir were "engaged in similar activities along with Taliban, Al Qaeda and Daesh in Afghanistan", he said.

The two countries also agreed to strengthen security cooperation with New Delhi extending further assistance for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in fighting "the scourge of terrorism, organised crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering", according to the joint statement.

"The Indian side reiterated its support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. It was agreed that concrete, meaningful and verifiable steps for immediate cessation of violence were essential for the success of regional and international efforts to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan."

The joint statement and Rabbani's assertion assume significance as US President Donald Trump's insistence of upholding the importance of India's role in war-torn Afghanistan's reconstruction and leaders of the BRICS nations naming the Lashkar and Jaish as terror threats in their summit-level meeting in China earlier this month.

The two countries also signed a host of agreements in development sectors, including in health, agriculture and education.

Sushma Swaraj said India honoured the supreme sacrifices by Afghan Defence and Security Forces for the cause of entire humanity.

"We are indebted to them for ensuring safety of Indians working in Afghanistan," she said.

She said India would begin implementation of the new 500 scholarships programme for next of kin of the martyrs of Afghan National Defence and Security Forces from the academic year 2018.

"Today, building upon our economic and development cooperation, we jointly agreed to embark on a New Development Partnership in keeping with the priorities of Afghanistan..

"One hundred sixteen new High Impact Development Projects would be jointly implemented that would bring socio-economic and infrastructure development, especially in the suburban and rural communities in 31 provinces of Afghanistan."

Sushma Swaraj said India would assist in building the Shahtoot dam in the Kabul river basin and drinking water supply project for Kabul, low cost housing for returning refugees, water supply network for Charikar city, and a polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif among others.

"Focus will continue on building governance and democratic institutions; human resource capacity and skill development, including in the areas of education, health, agriculture, energy, administration, application of remote sensing in resource management and space technology in governance," she stated.

Stating that both sides discussed measures for enhancing trade and investment cooperation, Sushma Swaraj said that India has liberalised its visa regime, especially for Afghan businessmen.

She also referred to the Afghanistan-India air freight corridor launched in June this year and said that this would provide direct access for Afghan farmers to the Indian markets.

"We are expediting the development of Chabahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran.

"We will begin supply of wheat to Afghanistan in coming weeks through Chabahar port," she said.

India and Afghanistan also signed a Motors Vehicle Agreement with Sushma Swaraj hoping "that it would pave the way for overland transit".
Lucknow, Sep 11 : An accused in the Gorakhpur hospital deaths on Monday surrendered in a sessions court after getting its permission, which was given after a report from Gulriha police station.

Anaesthesia Department head Dr Satish is accused of doing nothing when over 60 children died at the Baba Ram Das Medical College and Hospital in Gorakhpur within weeks in August due to alleged shortage of oxygen supply.

He was accused of leaving the hospital and district headquarters during the incident.

Former college Principal Rajiv Mishra, his wife Dr Purnima, Dr Kafeel Khan, and clerk Sudhir Pandey have already been arrested in the case and are in judicial custody.

All the four doctors are charged with dereliction of duty and corruption for seeking commission for clearance to pending payments for oxygen supply company Pushpa Sales Private Ltd.

They were also accused of not informing their superiors of impending oxygen shortage.

The ex-Principal has been charged with allowing funds of Rs 2.5 crore to lapse in 2016-17 as he was seeking commission.
Kolkata, Sep 11 : BJP president Amit Shah on Monday asked party activists to give befitting reply to "atrocities" of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress' atrocities and said the party would achieve its "ultimate goal" when it forms the government in the eastern state.

Urging state Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and activists to keep working towards the growth and betterment of the party, Shah said despite the massive expansion of the organisational base in recent years, it was yet to reach its saturation point.

"He said the BJP has seen a lot of growth in recent years, but has not reached its saturation point yet. The ultimate goal of BJP would be to form government in states like West Bengal," BJP state General Secretary Sayantan Basu told IANS after a closed-door party leaders' meeting addressed by Shah at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations auditorium here.

Shah, beginning his three day tour to Bengal, said sky is the limit for BJP and claimed that the party can think it has touched the sky once it succeeds in forming the government here.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said Shah asked party activists to give a "befitting reply" to the Trinamool Congress' atrocities and urged them not to get disheartened.

"He has asked us to hit back whenever the Trinamool commits atrocities and not get disheartened. He asked the party workers to narrate instances where they were able to give befitting reply to the state's ruling party. We have paid Trinamool back in their own coins and would keep doing so in the future," said Ghosh, after coming out of the meeting.

According to sources close to BJP, Shah directed the party activists to stop complaining about problems and start working towards its growth at the booth level in Bengal.

Ahead of the party leaders' meeting on Monday, Shah paid floral tribute to Swami Vivekananda at his ancestral house in north Kolkata on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of his famous Chicago speech.

Ghosh, BJP national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, Union Ministers S.S. Alhuwalia and Babul Supriyo were present at both the programmes.

The Trinamool, however, ridiculed Shah's visit to Swami Vievekananda's house, and accused the party of placing the iconic ascetic on the same pedestal with late Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Deen Dayal Upadhyya.

"On the one had they are going to his residence to honour Swami Vivekananda... and garlanding him and at the same time... Upadhyaya and Vivekananda are being placed on the same pedestal... This is unacceptable," said Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee.

Chatterjee also accused the BJP of trying to create another Godhra like situation in Bengal to win the coming elections.

"They are trying to create another Godhra here. Otherwise they would not be able to win any election. However there is no chance of such unrest in Bengal. No matter what the small, medium and big BJP leaders say, the people of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress would not be provoked," he said.

Rebuffing the allegations, Ghosh claimed there would not be a Godhra like unrest anywhere in the country if the BJP is in power.

In a bid to give a push to his party's big political ambitions in Bengal, Shah is visiting it for the second time in five months. He earlier spent three days in the state in April and kickstarted his booth level public interaction programme from north Bengal's Naxalbari - the birthplace of the Maoist movement in the country half a century ago.

On Tuesday, Shah would interact with party workers from different districts, who have allegedly been victims of political violence unleashed by the state's ruling Trinamool Congress followed by an intellectuals meeting at the same venue.

He is also slated to hold a meeting with members of the Merchants Chamber of Commerce at a five star hotel in central Kolkata on the last day of his three day tour on Wednesday.
Kolkata, Sep 11 : Condemning police "brutalities" on their workers, West Bengal's opposition Left Front on Monday threatened to stage protest rallies in various parts of the state.

"Our workers were attacked by police when they were agitating for people's rights," West Bengal Left Front chairman and CPI-M politburo member Biman Bose said in a statement.

"This has to be protested and we will do that by staging rallies on Tuesday," he said.

Protesting against the central and state policies, the Left had organised a programme during the day to submit memorandum to the district magistrates in all the districts.

Communist Party of India-Marxist state Secretary Surya Kanta Mishra said: "The Chief Minister (Mamata Banerjee) should know that when the people of the state have taken to the streets, they cannot be stopped."

Earlier in the day, police baton-charged a group of Left party supporters when they used force to try and enter the office of the District Magistrate of North 24 Parganas district.

According to police, a few policemen suffered injuries in Bankura when they tried to stop a large number of members of Leftist organisations from entering the District Magistrate's office.
New Delhi, Sep 11 : The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to appoint two senior judicial officers who would be observers for upkeep and maintenance of the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site at Ayodhya.

Asking the Chief Justice to appoint two observers from the Additional District and Sessions Judges from amongst the six districts around Ayodhya, the bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer gave 10 days time to complete the exercise.

Referring to the list, furnished to the court, of the Additional District and Sessions Judge at Faizabad, Basti, Gonda, Barabanki, Sultanpur and Ambedkar Nagar districts, the court in its order said: "As the list is long, we think it appropriate that the learned Chief Justice of the High Court of Allahabad shall nominate two officers in the cadre of Additional District and Sessions Judge or Special Judge keeping in view the tenor and nature of the earlier orders."

The court directed its registry to forward a copy of the order along with the list to the Registrar General of the Allahabad High Court, who shall place the same before the Chief Justice of the High Court.

"The ... Chief Justice is requested to nominate two names from the above-mentioned list within 10 days hence", the court said in its order.

The need for the fresh appointment of the two observers arose as one of the two earlier observers T.M. Khan and S.K. Singh has retired and other has been elevated as the judge of the High Court.

Senior counsel Kapil Sibal who appeared for one of the parties urged the court to continue with the earlier duo as both were functioning as observers for last 14 years.

However, the court did not accept it saying that person who is observer should be a part of the system.
United Nations, Sep 11 : The Security Council was poised on Monday to vote on weakened sanctions to punish North Korea for its nuclear and missile programmes after a week of negotiations that pitted the US against China and Russia.

When the Council meet later on Monday evening, all eyes will be on Moscow and Beijing, two veto-wielding members of the Council who have resisted US demands for an oil blockade, personal sanctions against North Korean ruler Kin Jong Un and empowering countries to inspect ships going to and coming from that country.

Britain's Permanent Representative Matthew Rycroft defended weakening the resolution saying that it was still "robust," and that it was done to keep "the whole of the Security Council united".

In a compromise, the original resolution drafted by Washington in its revised form only seeks a cap on oil imports by North Korea, lets Jong Un off the hook from travel restrictions and freeze on resources, drops sanctions on the army and the state airline, and not allow force in searching North Korean shipping.

While China is the patron of North Korea, Russia is the other important trading partner that also hosts a large number of expatriate workers from that country.

US Permanent Representative Nikki Haley called an emergency meeting of the Council last Monday but faced with Chinese and Russian resistance agreed to put off a vote on sanctions till this Monday.

Blunting the original Washington demand for sanctions highlight the powerful influence that Beijing and Moscow wield against the US internationally when US cannot act unilaterally.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
Rome, Sep 11 : Police on Monday arrested a 23-year-old Bangladeshi man for the suspected rape in Rome of 20-year-old Finnish woman, who he allegedly also hit over the head with a large rock and robbed.

The Bangleshi, who has a humanitarian permit of stay in Italy and has several jobs in Rome, was arrested at a restaurant in northern Rome where he was working as a dishwasher.

He is alleged to have attacked the Finnish woman and stolen 40 euros from her early on Sunday near Rome's central Termini rail station after offering to give her a lift home in his car when she couldn't find a taxi.

A resident who witnessed the attack from the window of her apartment called police and the Bangadeshi was identified by his victim and from security camera footage, investigators said.

The Finnish woman, who recently arrived in Rome to work as a babysitter, described her ordeal as "terrible".

"I thought I was going to die," she said, stating that the Bangladeshi threatened to kill her if she put up any resistance.

Rome's grassroots female grassroots Mayor Virginia Raggi deplored the attack.

"Solidarity with the Finnish girl attacked near Termini rail station. Rome will not accept any kind of violence," Raggi tweeted.
It's Time for the IRS to investigate Scientology's Tax Exemption The Church of Scientology is a predatory and inhumane organization. The IRS needs to open an investigation into Scientology's ill-gotten tax exemption.

Scientology critic Jeffrey Augustine, author of the acclaimed "Scientology Money Project" blog, has launched a petition demanding that the IRS Commissioner open an investigation into the Church of Scientology's tax exemption.

More than 6,500 people have already signed the petition in a very short time. Click here to read the petition: We Demand the IRS Commissioner Begin an Investigation into Scientology's Tax Exempt Status

This petition supports actress Leah Remini's call for a Federal investigation into the Church of Scientology. Leah Remini is presently the host of the Emmy-nominated A&E show "Scientology and the Aftermath." This show tells the stories of former members of the Church of Scientology.

As Augustine explains, "This is a shocking but true fact: Due to a loophole in the IRS Restructuring Act of 1998, there are only three people in the entire US Government who can call for an investigation into Scientologys tax exemption or that of any other church.

The IRS Commissioner has the legal authority to open an investigation into the Church of Scientology's 501(c)3 tax exemption. The Commissioner is the most logical person to petition given the current IRS Code as it relates to churches.

You do not need to be a US citizen to sign the petition. This is a petition and not an election.

About the Petitioner Jeffrey Augustine:

Author: The Scientology Money Project blog.

Host: Surviving Scientology Radio podcasts. Augustine interviews former high-ranking members of the Church of Scientology. Guests have included Ron Miscavige Sr., the father of Scientology leader David Miscavige. Augustine's podcasts are available on YouTube, iTunes, and Soundcloud.

Jeffrey Augustine's wife is Karen de la Carriere. Karen was a Class XII Case Supervisor in the Church of Scientology. This is the highest possible technical position that can be attained in Scientology. Karen de la Carriere personally trained under L. Ron Hubbard and served for several years aboard his Flagship Apollo. Karen was at one time married to Church of Scientology President Heber Jentzsch.

Contact Jeffrey Augustine: scienowriter(at)gmail(dot)com

Twitter: @JeffreAugustine

Thank you for signing and sharing the petition.
R.S. Lipman Brewing Company announced today a special collaboration between two Nashville originals. Grammy award-winning artists Kings of Leon and Hap & Harrys Tennessee Beer partnered together to produce a limited-edition release called Revelry, an Amber Ale. Available in cans and on draft in select Nashville venues beginning September 1, net proceeds of Hap & Harrys Kings of Leon Revelry Ale will be donated to The Arthritis Foundation to fund research and treatment of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The story behind the collaboration between Hap & Harrys and Kings of Leon began in 2016, while the band was recording their seventh studio album, WALLS, in Los Angeles and couldnt find their favorite beer, Hap & Harrys Tennessee Lager, which is only distributed in Tennessee, so they contacted the brewery and requested a few cases.

It was cool that the band thought to reach out to us, recalls Nic Donahue, son-in-law of Robert Lipman who created Hap & Harrys Tennessee Beers in honor of the friendship between his grandfather, Harry Lipman and Hap Motlow, of the legendary Jack Daniel family. I got to meet the Kings at the Music City Food + Wine Festival. We discovered we have a lot in common: kids the same age, a passion for food and music, our families live here in Nashville. Add to that we all appreciate the opportunity to enjoy great beer with great friends.

We call Nashville home and Hap & Harrys has become our go-to local, craft beer. As we began planning Music City Food & Wine Festival and the first concert at Nashvilles minor league ballpark, we thought wed develop a special edition beer to celebrate those two events and raise some money for a cause near and dear to our heart in the process, said Kings of Leon drummer, Nathan Followill.

Named for a song from the 2008 Kings of Leon album Only by the Night, Hap & Harrys Kings of Leon Revelry Amber Ale is a light and clean sessionable ale with restrained chocolately malts. Its easy to drink and food friendly.

Hap & Harrys will produce 330 cases of Kings of Leon Revelry Amber Ale and will debut the beer at Music City Food & Wine Festival (September 15-17) and make it available for purchase at the Kings of Leon concert at First Tennessee Park on September 29th. Revelry Amber Ale will also be available for a limited time on draft and in cans at select bars in Nashville.

About Kings of Leon

Since their debut in 2003, Kings of Leon (Caleb (guitar/vocals), Nathan (drums), Jared (bass) and Matthew Followill (guitar)) have released six albums (Youth & Young Manhood (2003), Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004), Because of the Times (2007), Only by the Night (2008), Come Around Sundown (2010) and Mechanical Bull (2013)), sold over 18 million albums and over 24 million singles worldwide. The multi-platinum selling band has had five singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, all six of their studio albums on Billboards Top 200 list and two singles that reached #1 on Modern Rock radio. In addition, they have had seven Grammy Nominations, four Grammy Award wins, three NME Awards, two Brit Awards and one Juno Award. They have toured all over the world, playing at top venues and headlining major festivals such as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and Glastonbury. Kings of Leon released their seventh studio album, WALLS, in Fall of 2017.

About Hap & Harrys

Hap Motlow, of the legendary Jack Daniel family from Lynchburg, TN, used to tell his friend Harry Lipman, To make great whiskey, you gotta make great beer. As the first distributor of Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey after the repeal of prohibition, Harry passed this lesson down through the generations of Lipmans, who still remain in the beverage alcohol business to this day. Hap & Harrys Tennessee Beers honor the friendship these two men shared over a half-century ago. Brewed in Nashville, Tennessee, Hap & Harrys Beers revisit the time in America when the freshest beer came from local breweries. H&H beers are crafted in a style that can be enjoyed on any occasion. They are free of preservatives and adjuncts, and use only the finest grains. Crisp, full-bodied, and with a clean finish, Hap & Harrys Tennessee Lager and Tennessee Ale are a true representation of American beers. HapAndHarrys.com

About R.S. Lipman Company

R.S. Lipman Company is a Nashville-based international supplier of wines, spirits, beers, and mixers. In 2011, R.S. Lipman began creating and acquiring brands to build a diverse beverage alcohol portfolio. The companys portfolio now includes: Country Club Vodka (established in 1957), Lonely Cow Wines from New Zealand, Hap & Harrys Tennessee Beers, U.S. Veteran owned Heroes Vodka, Red Eye Bloody Mary Mixes, El Diamante del Cielo Tequilas, Old Hickory Great American Whiskeys, Hidden Jewel California Wines, Saturday Night Red Wine, Napa & Sonoma Smith Wines, Napa Smith Brewery collection of craft beers, and the Eros Spinozzi Selections of premium Italian wines. RSLipman.com

About The Arthritis Foundation

The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes. Leading the fight for the arthritis community, the Arthritis Foundation helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to optimal care, advancements in science and community connections. The needs of families living with juvenile arthritis (JA) are unique and urgent. In the United States, an estimated 300,000 children have JA or other rheumatic conditions. Multiply that by their parents, siblings, extended family and others, and the number of people affected is astronomical. For almost seven decades, the Arthritis Foundation has upheld our unwavering promise to assist them and their caregivers. Were boldly leading the JA fight, ensuring easy access to life-changing resources, community and care.
James Cook University & Keypath Education Partner We needed an online enablement partner with deep expertise in our region to successfully launch new programs and capitalize on emerging markets. Keypath has demonstrated both... - Sr. Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Chris Cocklin, James Cook University

James Cook University (JCU), a globally-ranked university with approximately 22,000 students and two campuses in northern Queensland, Australia and a campus in Singapore, has chosen Keypath Education as its online program management (OPM) partner. JCU is ranked in the top 2% of universities worldwide.

The ten-year partnership between JCU and Keypath will entail relaunching an existing Master of Nursing online program, as well as launching a Master of Data Science program in the online accelerated format. Courses commence for these two programs on October 30, 2017. The partnership will support a growing portfolio of online programs over the next several years.

Keypath will provide their complete suite of online program management services, including market research, funding, course design, student recruitment, marketing, and student retention and success services. The goals of the partnership are to grow JCU market share in new and existing markets through the expansion of online degree programs.

We needed an online enablement partner with deep expertise in our region to successfully launch new programs and capitalize on emerging markets. Keypath has demonstrated both, and embedded with our staff for a unique and consultative relationship, said James Cook University Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Chris Cocklin.

Keypath Education CEO Steve Fireng said, James Cook University has incredible potential to attract not only domestic students but over time expand to recruit international students increasingly looking beyond their own borders to further their education online. Our partnership ensures JCU has in-demand programs, recruitment strategies and student support services necessary to grow their enrollment at home and abroad, backed by a diverse team dedicated to academic excellence and world-class distance learning experiences.

For more information about the James Cook University-Keypath partnership and online program management services, please contact Chris Williams, director of marketing, at chris.williams@keypathedu(dot)com or 847.616.8167.

About James Cook University

One of the world's leading institutions focusing on the tropics, Australia's James Cook University is surrounded by the spectacular ecosystems of the rainforests of the Wet tropics, the dry savannahs, and the iconic Great Barrier Reef. Its unique location enables students from Australia and overseas to study in a diverse physical environment unparalleled by any university in the world. Ranked in the top 2% of the world's tertiary institutions, James Cook University is dedicated to creating a brighter future for life in the tropics world-wide, through graduates and discoveries that make a difference. Learn more at jcu.edu.au.

About Keypath Education

Keypath Education is dedicated to creating global access to high-quality online education by partnering with the worlds best universities to launch and grow high-quality degree programs via its online program management (OPM) division. Through OPM partnerships, Keypath acts as an extension of the universitys team, keeping its brand and academic rigor intact while accelerating the growth and quality of the university program portfolio. Services provided include market research, capital investment, program development, marketing, student recruitment, retention and course development. The company has offices and partners in the United States, Canada, the U.K. and Australia. Learn more at keypathedu.com.
This acquisition expands the risk management resources of Alera Group in Pennsylvania, providing a wider and deeper breadth of resources for our clients.

Alera Group - an independent national insurance brokerage and wealth management firm with more than 40 locations across 15 states - has acquired Zinn Insurance Agency, headquartered in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. This transaction became effective September 1, 2017.

We are excited to welcome the Zinn Insurance team to Alera Group. This acquisition expands the risk management resources of Alera Group in Pennsylvania, providing a wider and deeper breadth of resources for our clients, said Alan Levitz, CEO of Alera Group. The Zinn Insurance team is a tremendous complement and fit for the collaborative culture, values and vision of Alera Group.

Zinn Insurance specializes in risk management, utilizing strategic planning, excellent service and cutting-edge technology to provide clients with tailored plans that meet their specific needs. Built on values of professionalism, citizenship and advocacy, Zinn Insurance focuses on giving each client peace of mind with insurance they can trust.

As an Alera Group company, we are looking forward to the unique resources and capabilities we will be able to offer our clients, said Greg Zinn, President-Principal of Zinn Insurance. We look forward to a partnership with like-minded firms across the United States that leverages resources and knowledge to the benefit of our clients.

This acquisition is the latest announcement from Alera Group, as the firm continues to grow organically and through acquisitions since its formation in December 2016. For more information on partnering with Alera Group, visit Partnership Opportunities at http://www.aleragroup.com.

About Alera Group

Based in Deerfield, IL, Alera Groups over 750 employees serve more than 20,000 clients nationally in employee benefits, property and casualty, risk management and wealth management. Alera Group was created by merging 24 high-performing, entrepreneurial firms across the U.S. It is the 14th largest independent insurance agency and the 7th largest independent employee benefits firm in the country. For more information, visit http://www.aleragroup.com or follow Alera Group on Twitter: @AleraGroupUS

About Zinn Insurance

Zinn Insurance has a rich community history with the experience and resources to give clients coverage they can depend on. Since 1938, Zinn Insurance has maintained a strong commitment to serving others and instilling a level of trust that has yielded long-term relationships and friendships. With cutting-edge technology and access to over 60 carriers, Zinn Insurance is uniquely positioned to provide exceptional products and services that continually meet the unique and evolving needs of each client.
Yair Frenkel

Whether stranded in a parking lot in the middle of the night or unable to turn the ignition key when leaving work for the day, automotive lock emergencies can be annoying or even frightening. Texas Premier Locksmith stands ready to help, with emergency automotive locksmith services available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

For September 2017, the company is offering a 10% discount to all motorists in the Austin area. Customers must reference the coupon code: CARL10 to claim this discount.

Automotive Locksmith Services

Texas Premier Locksmith handles even those jobs that many locksmiths avoid, such as high-security vehicles and motorcycles. In most cases, their well-equipped and highly trained technicians can fix issues on the spot. The companys complete line of automotive services includes, but is not limited to:

Broken key removal

Computer chip" key replacement

Ignition key repair or replacement

New key cutting

Repairing keyless remotes, proximity keys, and fobs

Vehicle access, even to vehicles with extra security features

Vehicle lock repair or replacement

Austin-area motorists who need automotive locksmith services are invited to call (512) 893-5811 for immediate assistance.

About Texas Premier Locksmith

Texas Premier Locksmith has established a strong reputation as one of the top-rated Austin locksmiths. For immediate assistance, call the Texas Premier Locksmith Austin location at (512) 893-5811. For more information, visit the storefront at 600 W 28th St #105, Austin, TX 78705 or visit the website at http://www.txpremierlocksmith.com/.
LimeBike, the nations leading dockless bike-sharing service, rolls into Imperial Beach today with a pilot program aimed at providing the community with convenient and affordable access to urban mobility. Last night, the city council of Imperial Beach voted to grant LimeBike permission to deploy, making LimeBike the first major dockless bike sharing service to enter the Southern California market.

The city of Imperial Beach is well-positioned to lead the smart transportation revolution in Southern California, and we are excited to partner with a such forward-thinking community, said Toby Sun, CEO and co-founder of LimeBike. Whether youre cruising the Silver Strand or heading to the pier, therell be a LimeBike available. We look forward to expanding into other communities in the San Diego area.

Imperial Beach is LimeBikes eighth city launch, and the companys first entry into Southern California. The team at LimeBike spent months collaborating with the citys key stakeholders, businesses and major bike coalitions to design a dockless bikeshare plan for the diverse Imperial Beach community.

Bikes have always been a part of Imperial Beach culture, said Mayor Serge Dedina. As the first Southern California town to partner with LimeBike on a launch, Imperial Beach will offer locals and tourists more options for mobility along the beach and around town through dockless bike sharing. The bikeshare service is part of Imperial Beachs mission to provide more accessible, affordable, and greener transportation alternatives to our community.

Unlike the traditional station-based bike share systems that are expensive for cities to implement and expensive to the riders, LimeBike operates independently and does not require deposit fees or membership fees of riders. The companys pay-as-you-go rides cost just $1.00, or 50 cents for students, for a 30-minute ride. As with all other cities, LimeBike will hire a local on-the-ground operations team to manage the system and respond to customer inquiries.

LimeBike just completed its first month in Seattle, its first major metropolitan city, and has seen over 50,000 rides to-date. Since launching in June on the University of North Carolina at Greensboro campus, LimeBike is collectively across 16 markets, including eight college campus, has generated over a quarter million trips, and has more than 150,000 registered users. LimeBike became the nation's leading dockless bike-sharing service provider by working collaboratively with city officials and the local community.

All bright green LimeBikes are GPS and 3G-enabled, making it simple for riders to find, unlock and pick up a nearby bike using the iOS or Android smartphone app. When their ride is finished, riders simply lock the bike's back wheel and responsibly park between the pedestrian-designated sidewalk and the street curb, or at a bike rack.

LimeBike is the first dockless smart bike share to launch in North America, currently operating in Dallas, Texas, Seattle, Washington; Greensboro, North Carolina; South Bend, Indiana; Key Biscayne, Florida; South Lake Tahoe, California; South San Francisco, California, and with other cities to follow. LimeBike is also having its ongoing communication and community outreach efforts with the neighboring city of Coronado.

For more information, please visit http://www.limebike.com.

The LimeBike press kit and photos of LimeBike in San Diego can be found here.

For a video of LimeBike in action, click here.

About LimeBike

LimeBike aims to revolutionize mobility in cities and campuses by empowering residents with a greener, more efficient, and affordable transportation option that also improves urban sustainability. By partnering with local key stakeholders and systematically deploying a fleet of smart-bikes that are enabled with GPS, wireless technology, and self-activating locks, LimeBike will dramatically improve urban mobility by making the first and last mile faster, cheaper, and healthier for riders. Funded by Silicon Valley's leading VC firm Andreessen Horowitz, LimeBike is based in San Mateo, CA. Learn more at limebike.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jack Song

Jack.Song(at)limebike.com

(415)889-7132
Dr. Peter Meintjes, CEO Automation has been a key driver for the implementation of NGS as the early adopters start to make way for the early majority and as NGS-based HLA typing continues to mature.

Global molecular diagnostics company Omixon, headquartered in Budapest with US offices in Cambridge, MA, announce today that Holotype HLA and other Omixon products will be featured among eight posters produced by customers or collaborators at the annual meeting of the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI) in San Francisco, CA. Additionally, Omixons Lunchtime Symposium on Thursday will focus on NGS for solid organ transplantation and the efficiencies of automating NGS on liquid handling instruments (see a summary of Omixons activities below).

Among the customer poster presentations are three that focus on the benefits of using NGS and Omixons unique de novo assembly Consensus Genotyping algorithm to identify shortcomings in legacy methods (P143, P205 & P254). The study by Plunkett et al. from the Cleveland Clinic focused on two examples, one in which Holotype HLA correctly identified and confirmed novel alleles that were incorrectly characterized with SBT/RSSOP and a second in which a previously unresolved ambiguity was resolved. Binder et al. showed the importance of using Long Range PCR with NGS to fully characterize a rare DRB1*13 allele unique to their German population, while Gomes et al. collaborated with several customers to demonstrate the superiority of Holotype HLA at detecting novel and null alleles, including those introduced by large insertions.

Another major theme among the customer poster presentations are those that focused on liquid handling automation. In conjunction with researchers at the NIH and Yale University, Holotype HLA has been successfully automated by Beckman Coulter on the Biomek 4000 (P179) and at the University of Kentucky by Agilent on the BRAVO (P253). Both automated protocols demonstrate how such instruments can dramatically reduce hands on time for Holotype HLA.

The case for automation will be further enhanced during the Omixon Lunchtime Symposium with a customer experience presentation from Rachel Breeding at the University of Kentuckys Immunomolecular Pathology Laboratory who will discuss the numerous variables they overcame with the successful automation of NGS on the Agilent BRAVO liquid handler and Omixons Support Team. Omixons CEO, Dr. Peter Meintjes notes that Automation has been a key driver for the implementation of NGS as the early adopters start to make way for the early majority and as NGS-based HLA typing continues to mature. Dr. Meintjes will also discuss ongoing automation goals in the Lunchtime Symposium.

The Lunchtime Symposium, scheduled for Thursday 9/14, will feature an additional two customer experience presentations. Denice Kong, Laboratory Manager from the Immunogenetics and Transplantation Laboratory at UCSF will present how they implemented NGS testing for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants and achieved accurate allelic resolution typing up to the 3rd field in routine HLA genotyping. Additionally, Karen Sherwood at Vancouver General Hospital will present on their experience using Holotype HLA with a focus on the utility of NGS for solid organ transplantation, and provide an update about forward-looking nanopore-based collaborations.

Maggi Woronkowicz, Director of Sales for the Americas at Omixon, says The high level adoption of the Omixon Holotype HLA protocol in the US continues to increase steadily and we are very excited to be on the forefront of providing the technology the HLA community demands. Primarily, our focus towards improvements in workflow and the implementation of liquid handlers to streamline and automate this process continues to advance the accuracy of genotyping numerous samples, simplifies testing algorithms and most importantly, provides the final benefit of better transplantation outcomes for patients.

A final highlight from this years ASHI Meeting is that Prof. Dimitri Monos, Chairman of Omixons Scientific Advisory Board will receive the Distinguished Scientist Award for his significant contribution to the field of immunogenetics and transplant immunology while Prof. Dominique Charron, Member of Omixons Scientific Advisory Board will be awarded the Rose Payne Distinguished Scientist Award for his long-standing contributions to the field of immunogenetics and support in the development of the Society. Dr. Meintjes says We are thrilled to have strong enduring relationships with the leading scientists within the US and internationally, and whole-heartedly congratulate Profs. Monos and Charron for their contributions and achievements.

Omixon at ASHI 2017

Sept 11-15 | Omixon will be exhibiting at Booth #107 throughout the conference

Sept 11, 9:30-11am | Workshop - Resolving Laboratory NGS Assay Challenges with HLA Twin

Sept 11, 11:30-1pm | Workshop - Resolving Complex Cases of NGS-based HLA Typing

Sept 14, 12-2pm | Holotype HLA - Automated NGS-based HLA Typing for Bone Marrow and Solid Organ Programs

Sept 14, 4-5:30 pm | Awards in the Continental Ballroom

Omixon featured in posters at ASHI 2017

P011 | Yin et al. (2017) - Advances in HLA clinical relevant exon novelty detection from over 21,000 donor recruitment samples

P021 | Chang et al. (2017) - Managing NGS HLA genotyping data in the 17th workshop database

P143 | Plunkett et al. (2017) - Incorrect allele assignment by Sanger is novel allele by NGS

P179 | Melista et al. (2017) - Multi-center study on automating Holotype HLA on a Biomek 4000

P226 | Dinou et al (2017) - Investigation of loss of alleles in next generation sequencing HLA typing

P205 | Binder et al. (2017) - Completing a rare HLA-DRB1*13 genomic allele sequence based on long range amplicons and next generation sequencing

P253 | Breeding et al. (2017) - Automating Holotype HLA on the Agilent Bravo NGS workstation liquid handler and validating for routine HLA genotyping

P254 | Gomes et al. (2017) - NGS Superpowers II

Contacts at Omixon

Peter Meintjes, PhD

Chief Executive Officer

peter.meintjes(at)omixon(dot)com

+1 203 947 2772

Nora Nagy, MBA

Market Development Manager

nora.nagy(at)omixon(dot)com

+36 30 633 3050

About Omixon

Omixon is a global molecular diagnostics company, headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, with US offices in Cambridge, MA that commercializes disruptive technologies for clinical and research laboratories. Omixons flagship product, Holotype HLA, is the worlds leading NGS-based HLA genotyping product that delivers the most accurate high-resolution HLA genotyping available, and is used in more than 35 hospitals worldwide. Omixons research software, HLA Explore analyzes data from any sequencing technology and determines HLA genotypes from Whole Exome/Genome Sequencing experiments. HLA Twin is the second Omixon maintains an active grant-funded research program with a product pipeline focused on pre- and post-transplantation, and HLA genotyping applications beyond transplantation. For more information, visit http://www.omixon.com.
IDEA is the award by designers, for designers. Fuseproject worked with IDSA specifically to rebrand IDEA and redesign the trophy to reflect the evolving industry it celebrates."

One of the worlds most prestigious and rigorous design competitions is getting a new look. For 37 years, the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) has been conducted by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). Now, with the help of fuseprojectthe design studio founded by longtime IDSA member Yves Beharthe awards program is undergoing changes including the redesign of its trophy.

For anyone who is a maker, who is building something, its the ultimate achievement to get an IDEA, says Behar. IDEA is the award by designers, for designers. Fuseproject worked with IDSA specifically to rebrand IDEA and redesign the trophy to reflect the evolving industry it celebrates. Our goal was to create a new identity and trophy that feels as diverse and as expressive as the design industry itself.

IDEA recognizes excellent creative designsnot just industrial design, but also architecture, interior design, user experience, graphic design and design strategy, says fuseproject VP of Design and IDSA Board Member Qin Li. We want the new branding and trophy design to reflect its inclusivity across disciplines and around the globe, so we may continue to grow and inspire future generations of designers.

Weight and structure were added to the individual letters. The magic is in how these come together, just like a design solution is a beautiful puzzlewhere each piece can stand on its own but works better together. The color scheme is influenced by the built world around usbright and playful, says Behar.

The whole idea behind a lot of the sketches that we did was bringing things together, bringing disciplines together. How can we make this feel a bit more inclusive? asks fuseproject Director of Brand Kristine Arth, who served as an IDEA 2017 juror in the new branding category.

When the new award was first presented to our IDSA Board of Directors, everyone in the room seemed fascinated with its multi-faceted design and functionality. They were excited to see how it worked, says IDSA Executive Director Daniel Martinage, CAE.

The new Best in Show trophy will be multi-colored. With this new identity and trophy, we hope to show the beautiful, cohesive, evolving, flexible, playful, iterative, eccentric and wonderful world of designand indicate the bright future of our ever-changing industry, says Behar.

IDEA 2018 will open for entry on Jan. 2, 2018. Jury Chair Michael Kahwaji, IDSA, senior design manager at Whirlpool, will lead a world-class panel of experts. See http://www.idsa.org/IDEA for the latest information.

About fuseproject:

Founded in 1999 by Yves Behar, IDSA, fuseproject is an award-winning design studio based in San Francisco. Utilizing an integrated approach to design, the studio offers a full scope of design services including industrial design, brand, packaging, UI/UX and spatial design. Fuseproject believes that design should be a force for positive social and environmental change. Taking a long-term approach to developing and enhancing brands, fuseproject works internationally across a wide array of industries including tech and biotechnology, furniture, fashion, spatial design, and consumer goods. The studio has also pioneered venture design, working with entrepreneurs in providing holistic design services to support in scaling their businesses. The studio's work is internationally recognized and lives in the permanent collections of MoMA, SFMoMA, Centre Pompidou and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

About IDSA:

Founded in 1965, the nonprofit IDSA is one of the oldest and largest membership associations for industrial design professionalswith thousands of members in the United States and internationally. The Society conducts the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA); leads National Industrial Design Day efforts annually on March 5; and hosts events including an annual International Design Conference, five District Design Conferences and niche conferences such as Medical Design and Women+Design. Global outreach includes designUpdate and designBytes e-newsletters; and INNOVATION magazine and its Yearbook of Design Excellencefeaturing IDEA, IDSA Award and Student Merit Award winners.
Carolyn Marriott

Sterling Administration, a leading administrator of HSA, HRA, FSA, POP, ERISA and COBRA, is proud to announce that it has opened an office in Chicago, Illinois. Carolyn Marriott is Sterlings new Chicago Sales Director, leading our business development effort in the greater Chicago and Midwest areas.

Carolyn, a Chicago native, joins Sterling with a successful background in healthcare consultative sales on both the broker and carrier side, with extensive background in product marketing. She will be charged with new business development of Sterlings HSA, HRA, FSA, POP, COBRA and Compliance products, primarily through benefits brokers in the Chicago area. She is a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU).

Cora Tellez, Sterlings President and CEO says, On behalf of the Sterling Family, I am thrilled to launch our presence in Chicago, and I welcome Carolyn to the team. With her leadership, I look forward to making new relationships in the brokerage and employer community there.

Carolyn lives in the Chicago suburbs with her family.

About Sterling Administration

Sterling Administration is an independent administrator for HSAs, HRAs, FSAs, POPs and COBRA. Additionally, Sterling offers expert compliance services for ERISA Wrap, Form 5500 Filing, non-discrimination testing, and requirements under the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (PPACA); it also offers an online benefits enrollment platform in English and Spanish.

Sterling was named a national Best Place to Work by Business Insurance Magazine in 2014. Sterlings office culture promotes health and wellness, reinforced by daily walks and stretching, led by CEO Cora Tellez. Sterling is based in Oakland, California with remote staff nationwide. Visit Sterling online at http://www.sterlingadministration.com.
Attorney Kevin Lonergan I am pleased to continue serving the members of my profession and the public in these positions of leadership - Lonergan.

APPLETON, Wisconsin - It was announced recently that attorney Kevin Lonergan, President of Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd., was named Chairman of the State Bar Public Education Committee for a 5th consecutive year, and he was also announced as the First Vice-President of the Wisconsin Law Foundations Board of Directors.

The Wisconsin Law Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports creative and innovative programs designed to enhance the vision of the American Justice System. Following his term as First Vice-President, Mr. Lonergan will assume the Presidency in 2018 for a two-year term.

As Chairman of the State Bar Public Education Committee, Lonergan will continue to oversee the groups efforts of promoting the value and relevancy of the law and legal system to residents throughout the state of Wisconsin.

I am pleased to continue serving the members of my profession and the public in these positions of leadership, Lonergan stated recently. I am very honored that my colleagues have confidence in my ability to maintain the pursuit of programs that build and strengthen the legal profession in Wisconsin.

As a Partner and Shareholder at Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd., Mr. Lonergan has earned a number of professional honors and distinctions throughout his career. He also maintains involvement in several community-related activities, including past board memberships for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Casa Clare Halfway House, the Aces/Xavier Foundation and other volunteer positions. Lonergan graduated with honors from the United States Air Force Academy in 1976 and earned his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1979. He gained State Bar admission that same year, and subsequently to the U.S. District Court of both the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin.

About Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd.:

Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd., provides legal representation for individuals and businesses throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Founded in 1959, the firm handles cases involving family law, personal injury, business law, and wills and trusts. Clients can visit one of the firms four offices in Appleton, Green Bay, New London, and Oshkosh. To schedule an initial consultation, call 920-739-7366 or visit http://www.herrlingclark.com.
ILYM Group Inc., a neutral third party that has been court appointed as Claims Administrator for this case, announces that Class Counsel, David C. Parisi and J. Andrew Meyer, have reached an agreement to resolve this class action pending against Collecto, Inc. in the United States District Court, District of Massachusetts. The lawsuit alleges that Collecto, Inc. violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) by placing calls to cellular telephone numbers without consent. Under the terms of the settlement, Collecto, Inc. denies any liability but agreed to fund a $3,200,000.00 settlement to fully resolve this matter without the time and expense of a court proceeding.

The settlement has been preliminarily approved by the Massachusetts District Court, In Re: Collecto, Inc. Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) Litigation, Case Number 14-md-2513-RGS and is subject to the courts final approval. The Settlement Class consists of: (a) all natural persons residing in the United States; (b) who received one or more telephone calls from an automatic telephone dialing system operated by Defendant to their cellular telephone number; (c) between July 23, 2009 and June 30, 2014; where (d) the person never had an agreement with the creditor for whom Collecto sought to collect.

The settlement fund will be used to pay attorneys fees, litigation expenses, costs of notice and claims administration, any incentive payment as approved by the Court, and to Class Members who submit a claim under the procedures implemented by the Court overseeing the settlement.

For more information call ILYM Group, Inc. toll free at 1-855-309-1484 or visit the settlement website at http://www.collectoclassaction.com.

The deadline to file a claim, request exclusion from the settlement, or object to the settlement is November 27, 2017.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Class Counsel:

David C. Parisi, Esq.

Parisi & Havens LLP

212 Marine Street, Unit 100

Santa Monica, CA 90405

dcparisi@parisihavens.com
We are very pleased to be joining CDI Global as an affiliate partner, and offering true global reach to our middle market clients.

Merit Harbor Capital, a Seattle-based investment banking firm, is pleased to announce it has joined CDI Globals world-wide M&A advisory firm as their exclusive partner for capital raises in the US as well as their M&A affiliate in the western US.

Established in 1973 with offices in 33 countries, CDI global is a premier cross-border advisory firm having completed over 1,500 transactions globally. CDI provides advice on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), divestitures and joint ventures, buy-side and sell-side representation, and due diligence advisory services. CDI partners are former senior executives and M&A professionals with deep industry knowledge and broad acquisition/divestiture experience.

We are very pleased to be joining CDI Global as an affiliate partner, and offering true global reach to our middle market clients, said Merit Harbors CEO, Craig Dickens. CDI partners experience and focus, bringing real-world strategic advisory to clients, aligns very well with Merit Harbor, whose senior deal makers all have operating or entrepreneurial experience in addition to investment banking know how.

CDI Global Executive Managing Director, Jeffrey Schmidt, said, Merit Harbors partnership expands our service offering to include growing companies in search of capital. In addition, Merit Harbor provides a network of offices to support our clients in the Western US, including offices in Seattle/Tacoma, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix/Scottsdale, and San Francisco.

Merit Harbors offices round out a truly global CDI team, which includes locations in:

Amsterdam Antwerp Bern Boca Raton Chicago Cleveland

Dusseldorf Espoo Geneva Gothenburg Houston Kristiansand

London Lugano Malmo Melbourne Mexico City Milan

Montevideo Mumbai Oslo Paris Poznan Princeton

Santiago Sao Paulo Shanghai Stockholm Sydney Tokyo

Wilmington Zurich

The two organizations are already actively working on several mandates to leverage their worldwide relationships for the benefit of their clients. The partnership completes Merit Harbors diversified industry and sector coverage including:

Aerospace & Defense Food & Agribusiness

Banking & Financial Services Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

Built Environment Industrials Oil & Gas / Mining

Business Services Manufacturing / Distribution

Chemicals Real Estate, Gaming & Lodging

Construction / Trades, Building Supply Technology Media & Communications

Consumer & Retail Transportation & Logistics

Energy & Applied Technology

About Merit Harbor Capital

Merit Harbor Capital is a leading boutique investment bank focused on middle market companies between 10MM  200MM in revenues. Licensed in 50 states, and a member firm of the CDI Global network, Merit Harbor is a full service FINRA / SEC registered broker/dealer executing sell-side and buy-side M&A transactions, traditional investment banking such as debt and equity capital raises, corporate finance, real estate development & project finance and highly customized advisory services. With offices around the country and partners around the globe, Merit Harbors worldwide reach provides distinctive advantages for middle-market clients.

For more information about this transaction, please contact:

Craig Dickens, CEO

(253) 327-1493
Every one of these nurses has made great strides in establishing mental health as the foundation of whole health and wellness. Past News Releases RSS American Psychiatric Nurses...

American Psychiatric Nurses...

American Psychiatric Nurses...

Each year, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) highlights the achievements of psychiatric-mental health nurses with the APNA Annual Awards. This year, nine psychiatric-mental health nurses were nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a committee of their peers to receive these awards. They will be honored in person at the APNA 31st Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona October 18-21.

Every one of these nurses has made great strides in establishing mental health as the foundation of whole health and wellness, said APNA President Kris McLoughlin, DNP, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN. Their commitment to the psychiatric-mental health nursing profession and those we serve is truly extraordinary.

Jaclene A. Zauszniewski, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN is the 2017 APNA Psychiatric Nurse of the Year. This award recognizes a nurse who demonstrates vision, perseverance, and dedication in the delivery of mental health nursing care to the community. Zauszniewski currently works as Professor of Nursing and Director of the PhD in Nursing Program at Case Western Reserve University. She is also a nurse researcher, whose current research examines the ways in which family caretakers of individuals with bipolar disorder can maintain and improve their health. This study received a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health and is one of the first of its kind. Dr. Zauszniewskis meaningful program of research has added knowledge that has improved clinical practice and reduced depressive symptoms in older adults, those with chronic illness, and caregivers, especially those caring for individuals with severe mental illness, broadening traditional perspectives and methods of intervention, says Joyce Fitzpatrick, PhD, MBA, RN, FAAN of Zauszniewskis work.

Cheryl Puntil, MN, APRN, PMHCNS-BC is the recipient of the 2017 APNA Award for Distinguished Service in recognition of her exceptional and meritorious service to APNA. A member since 1983, Puntil played an integral role in the creation of the first suicide assessment competencies specifically for inpatient psychiatric nurses, the APNA Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Essential Competencies for Assessment and Management of Individuals at Risk for Suicide. Through her work with the APNA Education Council Suicide Competencies Workgroup she also helped to develop an 8 hour suicide prevention course for nurses based on these competencies. Through her vision, determination, and perseverance, the APNA competencies initiative became a reality and an exemplar, continues to expand, and addresses both a major national public health problem and gap in nursing education, says Janet York. Since their inception, this training has reached more than 500 providers across 9 states. Puntil currently teaches several courses on psychiatric-mental health nursing at Hawaii Community College.

In addition to Zauszniewski and Puntil, seven psychiatric-mental health nurses are being honored with APNA Annual Awards for their commitment to excellence in specific aspects of psychiatric-mental health nursing. Each name links to the full profile of the recipient.

Sattaria Tari Dilks, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FAANP, Lake Charles, LA: Award for Excellence in Education

Richard Ray, MS, RN, PMH-BC, Skokie, IL: Award for Excellence in Innovation  Individual

Lora Peppard, PhD, DNP, PMHNP-BC, Springfield, VA: Award for Excellence in Leadership  APRN

Marybeth McManus, MPA, BSN, RN-BC, Port Washington, NY: Award for Excellence in Leadership  RN

Julie Worley, PhD, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, Chicago, IL: Award for Excellence in Practice  APRN

Aimee-Lynn Sheltry, BSN, RN-BC, Belmont, NH: Award for Excellence in Practice  RN

Jill Bormann, PhD, RN, APRN-BC, CNS, San Diego, CA: Award for Excellence in Research

The APNA 31st Annual Conference will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona, October 18-21. In addition to honoring this year's awards recipients, the APNA Annual Conference will feature more than 80 continuing education sessions in 34 tracks and daily face-to-face time with 1600+ psychiatric-mental health nurses, including RNs and advanced practice nurses.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is a national professional membership organization of more than 11,000 members committed to the specialty practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing and wellness promotion, prevention of mental health problems, and the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders. APNAs membership is inclusive of all psychiatric-mental health registered nurses, including associate degree, baccalaureate, advanced practice (comprised of clinical nurse specialists and psychiatric nurse practitioners), and nurse scientists and academicians (PhD). APNA serves as a resource for psychiatric-mental health nurses to engage in networking, education, and the dissemination of research.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
North American Title Company Logo We are pleased to open this office to concentrate on the vibrant Kosciusko County market.

North American Title Co. (NATC) has opened a new office in Warsaw, Indiana, staffed with experienced escrow personnel and a sales marketing representative.

We are pleased to open this office to concentrate on the vibrant Kosciusko County market, said Laura Ormsby, NATC operations manager. With 26 years and 15 years respectively in the title industry, Theresa Winebrenner and Lee Ann Dunn look forward to working with the areas real estate professionals, lenders and attorneys."

Kyle Fillman, our sales representative, will be a great asset to our customers as well, she added. "His dedication to our customers and connection to Warsaw are inspiring. He is an alumnus of Grace College and has remained active in the community.

Ormsby says real estate activity is strong for residential properties in the area, fueled by robust industrial activity by various orthopedic manufacturers and suppliers. In addition, sales of vacation homes are driven by recreational opportunities at several lakes nearby.

The new Warsaw office is located at 3534 Commerce Drive, Warsaw, IN 46580, telephone number (574) 376-4099.

About North American Title

With well over 1,200 associates and a network of branches from coast to coast, North American Title Group, LLC (NATG) is among the largest real estate settlement service providers in the United States. Consisting of both agent and underwriter operations, NATG reported annual gross revenues in fiscal 2016 of $360.2 million. The company also has the resources and stability of being a wholly owned subsidiary of an S&P 500 company with over $15.3 billion in assets as of its fiscal year ended November 30, 2016. North American Titles agency network operates nationally under the name North American Title Co. and similar names (NATC) in 18 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia, in addition to the District of Columbia. Through our relationship with our expanding affiliate network, NATC provides or is able to coordinate real estate settlement services in all 50 states. NATG is headquartered in Miami, Florida. To learn more, visit http://www.nat.com
Founded with the mission to Give the Gift of a Lifetime to K-12 students nationwide, Best in Class Education Center, an unmatched education enrichment franchise with programs focusing on math and English, has a lot to celebrate this school year. With the opening of six new centers so far in 2017, Best in Class is now celebrating the brands 50th location nationwide, set to open in September 2017 at 16030 Bothell Everett Highway in Mill Creek, Washington.

After Best in Class Founder and CEO Hao Lam fled Vietnams communist government in the late 1980s, he worked tirelessly to put himself through school at the University of British Columbia where he graduated at the top of his class with a BA in Mathematics. During that time, he tutored classmates through complex coursework and difficult exams  and thats when a spark ignited. Lam knew that educating others was his ultimate passion in life.

My wife Lisa and I opened our first Best in Class center in 1995 in the heart of Seattle, and since then, the business has grown rapidly through franchise partners who have the same passion for education that we do, Lam said. We have worked extremely hard and feel like this is a true accomplishment to hit this special milestone. Weve helped hundreds of students around the country so far and look forward to supporting even more students in Seattles neighboring town of Mill Creek.

With plans to finalize more than 10 additional franchise agreements this year, the brand expects to close out 2017 with record-breaking momentum. Best in Class currently has a large presence in Texas, California, Washington and Oregon, and new locations have already opened this year in Michigan, Florida, Ohio, California and Texas.

Additionally, Best in Class has been creating easier ways for passionate educators and licensed childcare professionals to join the Best in Class team through the brands teacher incentive program. For current and former educators, the program reduces the brands initial franchise fee by $3000 for each of the first three centers opened and waives royalty fees for the first three months a center is open. The program was created to reward those that share Best in Class values of changing the world by helping one student at a time.

Weve already experienced tremendous growth in 2017, and our 50th opening marks a huge milestone for us, said Lam. Its a very exciting time to join our brand, and we plan to continue bringing new centers to our established territories, like Texas and Washington, while also growing in new markets throughout the country. The interest around our brand has been picking up speed, and we believe our growth is nearly limitless.

The dedication Best in Class shows to its franchisees has ultimately helped fuel the brands notable development efforts over the past year. More than 70 percent of all Best in Class Education Centers are owned by multi-unit operators. This means franchisees are already seeing immense success with the brand so are therefore choosing to reinvest in multiple opportunities.

As we continue growing beyond 50 units, we look forward to also continuing to impact the lives of more families throughout the country, Lam said. With the backing of our committed multi-unit owners, a strong infrastructure and the brightest corporate team in place, 2017 is sure to be the best year yet for Best in Class.

ABOUT BEST IN CLASS EDUCATION CENTER

Based in Seattle, Best in Class ensures that it can Give the Gift of a Lifetime, and is dedicated to providing superior supplemental education to guarantee students individual success. The brands thoughtful methods, quality instructors and customizable approach have garnered great attention and traction in the educational market. Best in Class unique approach begins with CEO Hao Lams passion for teaching and his steadfast commitment to programs of the highest quality that produce results. With emphasis on closely monitored progress of well-designed curriculum and materials, students engage in critical thinking and gain skills that are vital for future professional and developmental achievement. The brand is looking for franchisees in 46 states, allowing the gift of education to spread into new markets. To learn more about the leading education franchise, please visit http://bestinclasseducation.com/.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) will honor Sugar Ray Leonard, Luc Robitaille, and Morley Builders at its 2017 Los Angeles Builders Ball to be held on Thursday, September 28 at the historic Beverly Hilton. This annual event celebrates outstanding individuals and companies that share Habitat LAs commitment to revitalizing and transforming the landscape of Los Angeles. In addition to recognizing Habitat LAs counterparts in the building, real estate and other related industries, this event also raises funds and awareness for the nonprofits Building a Greater Los Angeles campaign to help empower low-income families by building strength and stability through homeownership.

The 2017 Los Angeles Builders Ball is made possible by the generous support of sponsors including: City National Bank, Edison International, EY, Hollywood Sierra Kitchens, La Cienega Design Quarter, Los Angeles Magazine, the Lelia Fund, Proskauer, Southern California Gas Company, Zurich and many more.

The evenings honorees will be recognized for their continued dedication to improving Los Angeles. The 2017 honorees are:



Sugar Ray Leonard, who will receive the Dream Builder Award in recognition of his commitment to helping those in need both as an individual and through the vast efforts of the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation.

Morley Builders, one of the preeminent leaders in the construction industry, will receive the Builder of the Year Award for their commitment to building holistic communities that incorporate innovative, high-quality residential and affordable housing developments and commercial projects.

Luc Robitaille, Los Angeles Kings President, who will receive the Foundation Builder Award in recognition of his significant contribution and leadership in creating intentional change in the Los Angeles community with the Kings Care and Echoes of Hope foundations.

Featured at the Los Angeles Builders Ball will be a VIP reception, followed by dinner, a live fund-a-need and special musical performance by Grammy nominated and platinum-selling R&B group, En Vogue.

Past honorees include: Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Bernards, Quincy Jones, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver, Mauricio Umansky, Delta Air Lines, Bank of America and Trammell Crow Company.

Habitat LA has built, renovated or repaired nearly 800 homes locally, helping to transform the lives of more than 4,000 Angelenos. By 2020, Habitat LA has a goal to invest $100 million into revitalizing neighborhoods and increasing access to affordable homeownership and home repair opportunities. This investment will benefit the local economy by building strong and stable homes in partnership with families, individuals, volunteers, municipalities and donors, which will bring strength and stability to local communities throughout greater Los Angeles.

2017 Los Angeles Builders Ball Committee:

Co-Chair, Raul Salinas, AlvaradoSmith

Co-Chair, Maria Salinas, ProAmerica Bank

Michele Blay, Sedgwick LLP

Connie Calderon, AlvaradoSmith

Linda Evans, Xerox Corporation

Terri Haack, Terranea Resort

Lisa Collins-Nash, Waste Management

Brad Cox, Trammell Crow Company

Lalo Diaz Travers, Cresa

Michael Flad, City of South Gate

Carl Jordan, U.S. Bank

John Manganiello, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Michelle Meghrouni, Southern California Gas Company

Jesse Nunez, Los Angeles Dodgers

Araceli Villegas, Ringstar Sports

Sponsorship opportunities and tickets are available for this annual sell-out event online http://bit.ly/2eW41qQ. For questions regarding sponsorship, please contact Helen Dosta, Director of Development at hdosta(at)habitatla(dot)org or (424) 246-3653.

About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. As the top nonprofit homebuilder in the greater Los Angeles area with five consecutive Charity Navigator 4-Star ratings, Habitat LA has partnered with volunteers, donors and Habitat homeowners to build, renovate and repair more than 1,300 homes locally and worldwide since 1990. The lives of thousands of individuals have been transformed as a result of having a decent and affordable place to call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes and pay an affordable mortgage. By supporting Habitat LA through volunteerism, donations and supporting affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the stability and self-reliance they need to build a better future. To learn more, visit http://www.habitatla.org.

# # #

Contacts:

Yvonne Lara

Habitat LA

310-508-5783

ylara(at)habitatla(dot)org

Angela Moore

Starfish P.R.

310-429-8868

angela(at)starfish-pr(dot)com
"Be Her Resource: A Toolkit about School Resource Officers and Girls of Color" was produced by Georgetown Law's Center on Poverty and Inequality and the National Black Women's Justice Institute Black girls are four times as likely to be arrested at school as white girls.

School-based police officers lack training and support that could reduce troubling disciplinary disparities facing girls of color, new research from Georgetown Laws Center on Poverty and Inequality and the National Black Womens Justice Institute finds.

The new report, Be Her Resource: A Toolkit about School Resource Officers and Girls of Color, is centered on first-of-their-kind focus groups and interviews with school resource officers (SROs) and girls to learn first-hand perspectives about their interactions. It offers strategies and guidance based on the findings to improve relations between SROs and girls of color at schools. The research was focused on the South, an area often overlooked in related research.

Even as awareness of school-to-confinement pathways for girls has increased, and shocking images of SROs confronting black and Latina girls have continued to surface, little research has focused on ways to improve school-based safety for girls of color, said Monique W. Morris, the reports lead author, president of the National Black Womens Justice Institute, and author of PUSHOUT: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools. This report shows how critical it is to understand and address the interactions between SROs and girls of color so that we can improve conditions that will ultimately keep every student safe.

Schools across the country increasingly rely on school-based police officers. Although no exact figures exist, SROs are estimated to number more than 19,000, up from approximately 100 in the 1970s. Although the purpose of these officers is to maintain safety and address criminal acts, an important unintended consequence is greater arrest rates and referrals in schools who retain them, with especially harsh results for girls of color.

Statistics reveal that girls of color are arrested and referred to police at school in disproportionate numbers. Black girls are 2.6 times as likely to be referred to law enforcement on campus as white girls, and black girls are almost 4 times as likely to get arrested at school. Disparities affecting Latinas are especially severe in elementary school where they are 2.7 more likely to be arrested than young white girls.

The report finds that only 21 states require SROs to receive youth-specific training for SROs, and, in particular, that SROs receive few, if any, training or resources that are focused on girls of color. Meanwhile, SROs have wide discretion in carrying out their duties, and the line between criminal law and disciplinary codes have become blurred. The new report finds that only 19 states require formal agreements between school departments and police departments that could provide key clarity regarding roles.

Report key findings include:



SROs described their most important function as ensuring safety and responding to criminal behavior, yet they report that educators routinely ask them to respond to disciplinary matters.

SROs do not receive regular training or other supports specific to interactions with girls of color.

SROs attempt to modify the behavior and appearance of girls of color to conform with mainstream cultural norms, urging them to act more ladylike.

Girls of color primarily define the role of SROs as maintaining school safety. They define their sense of safety as being built on communication and positive, respectful relationships with SROs.

African-American girls, in particular, identify racial bias as a factor in SROs decision-making process. African-American girls perceive that their racial identity negatively affects how SROs respond to them on campus.

Based on these findings, and with an eye to advancing action, the report presents guiding principles and policy recommendations that are designed to improve interactions between girls of color and SROs, with the ultimate goal of reducing these girls disproportionate rates of contact with the juvenile justice system.

Key recommendations for school districts and police departments include:

Clearly delineate law enforcement roles and responsibilities in formal agreements.

Collect and review data that can be disaggregated by race and gender.

Implement non-punitive, trauma-informed responses to girls of color.

Offer specialized training to officers and educators on race and gender issues and childrens mental health.

The report is part of a policy series conducted by Georgetown Laws Center on Poverty aimed at reducing unfairly punitive treatment of girls of color. Girlhood Interrupted, released by the Center in June, found that adults view black girls as young as 5 as less innocent and less in need of protection than white peers, which may lead to harsher treatment by authorities.

The new reports detailed recommendations, which include providing officers with training to address adultification bias, are accompanied by hopeful examples of jurisdictions around the country that have taken steps to improve interactions between SROs and girls of color.

Girls of color deserve to feel safe in our schools, and SROs need support and training to help that happen, said Rebecca Epstein co-author of the new report and executive director of Georgetown Laws Center on Poverty and Inequality. This report offers key steps toward that goal.

The full report is available HERE.

###

Georgetown University Law Center is a global leader in legal education and the preeminent U.S. law school based in the nations capital. A world-class faculty of celebrated theorists and leading legal practitioners offers students an unmatched breadth and depth of academic opportunities. Second to none in experiential education, the Law Centers numerous clinics are deeply woven into the Washington, D.C., landscape. More than 20 centers and institutes forge cutting-edge research and policy resources across fields including health, the environment, human rights, technology, national security and international economics. Georgetown Law equips students to succeed in a rapidly evolving legal environment and to make a profound difference in the world, guided by the school's motto, Law is but the means, justice is the end.

Georgetown Laws Center on Poverty and Inequality works with policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and advocates to develop effective policies and practices that alleviate poverty and inequality in the United States.
Investis

Investis, a digital communications company, today announced the rebranding of Alert IR of Gothenburg as Investis Sweden AB, reflecting the companys full integration with London-based Investis, Ltd., which acquired the company in 2014. The rebranding is a recognition of the companys global reach and breadth of services they provide corporate communicators.

Since its acquisition by Investis, Ltd., Alert IR has achieved a significant and growing market position in Sweden. Offering a range of market-leading investor relations tools and feeds through to the conception, design and execution of significant digital web estates, Investis Sweden AB currently serves over 220 Swedish and other Nordic clients, including brands such as Husqvarna, Thule and SKF. Through a scalable concept, Investis can achieve higher quality for the client in a more efficient way compared to individually-built solutions. Globally, Investis has over 2,000 clients.

"The rebranding is timely as we move into the next expansion phase. says Jonas Winzell, managing director of Investis Sweden AB. There is an opportunity to leverage the talent & expertise Investis has across the globe to strengthen the offer in the Nordic region in consulting, web design and other related services. Operations in Sweden are expanded and coordinated with Investis Finland to better respond to more demanding assignments from large publicly listed Nordic companies."

The rebranding reflects the greater level of digital service we provide clients on a global scale, said Don Scales, CEO, Investis. The Nordic region is a key part of our growth strategy. Jonas and the team in Sweden are essential to our success and have been doing excellent work providing clients with the technology, service and expertise they demand.

Read more about Investis in the Nordic region on its newly launched country website http://www.investisnordic.com.

About Investis

Investis is an award-winning digital communications company that helps world-class businesses manage their corporate brands to build trusted connections with customers, employees, and investors. The company works with more than 2,000 clients around the world. Global businesses such as GE, ArcelorMittal and Rolls-Royce trust the Investis team of more than 500 employees to deliver stronger relationships with audiences and improved ROI through a unique blend of technology, expertise and service. For more information about the Investis approach, please visit http://www.investis.com.
We are very focused on helping customers save time and produce better products through the use of our offerings. Giving customers more options for how their parts look and which tools they work with covers both of these objectives.

EMA Design Automation (http://www.ema-eda.com), a full-service provider and innovator of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) solutions, today announced two new options for generating CAD output for PCB Design. We are very focused on helping customers save time and produce better products through the use of our offerings, said Manny Marcano, president and CEO of EMA. Giving customers more options for how their parts look and which tools they work with covers both of these objectives.

The latest update to Ultra Librarian now includes symbol and footprint output for Quadcept PCB design software (http://www.quadcept.com). This gives Quadcept users access to one million parts through Digi-Key and over 12 million parts through ultralibrarian.com, as well as part creation capabilities using Ultra Librarian desktop software. As Quadcept grows in popularity, our user base needs access to a wide variety of library parts, said Tomoki Matsuda, marketing director and COO of Quadcept. Quadcept inclusion in Ultra Librarian products will save our users time by allowing them to download parts rather than creating them.

Ultra Librarian also now supports two methods of organizing pins on a schematic symbol. The standard pin ordering is by pin number, which solves the basic problems of having the right number of pins, assigning correct pin numbers and pin names, and matching those with their corresponding PCB footprints. Many engineers, however, have requested that pins be ordered by function and type. To help with this objective, Ultra Librarian now offers a second pin ordering mode that puts more intelligence into pin ordering. The function mode will structure the symbol by pin function. This creates symbols with a number of differences, like grouping related pins together, separating unrelated groups with spacing, placing input pins on the left and output pins on the right, and splitting large parts. This new functional mode will make larger parts much easier to use and result in a more readable design, added Marcano.

For more information about Ultra Librarian, go to http://www.ultralibrarian.com or call 585.334.6001.

About Ultra Librarian

Ultra Librarian is a comprehensive electronic component solution for PCB design. http://www.UltraLibrarian.com allows visitors to search a database of over 40 million components to make part selection and sourcing decisions. Registered users can download pre-authored and verified components from the worlds largest database of over 12 million CAD neutral library parts. Symbols, footprints, and 3D models from over 400 manufacturers can be exported to over 20 different CAD tools. Library creation software includes templates for over 600 part types and allows easy customization and export to the same 20+ CAD tools. Ultra Librarian is owned by EMA Design Automation. Visit http://www.UltraLibrarian.com for more information.

About EMA Design Automation, Inc.

EMA Design Automation is a trailblazer in product development solutions offering a complete range of EDA tools, PLM integrations, services, training, and technical support. EMA is a Cadence Channel Partner serving all of North America. EMA develops Ultra Librarian, TimingDesigner, CircuitSpace, CIP, EDABuilder, and a host of custom solutions to enhance the OrCAD products, and all are distributed through a worldwide network of value added resellers. EMA is a privately held corporation headquartered in Rochester, New York. Visit EMA at http://www.ema-eda.com for more information.

# # #

EMA Design Automation, TimingDesigner, CircuitSpace, EDABuilder, Ultra Librarian and the EMA logo

are registered trademarks, and Component Information Portal is a trademark of EMA Design Automation, Inc.

Cadence and OrCAD are registered trademarks of Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

All other trademarks in this release are the property of their respective owners.
AIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce the addition of Assembly Solutions LLC as a new representative for its complete line of solder products, including solder paste, liquid flux, bar, wire, as well as other solder assembly materials.

Assembly Solutions LLC serves clients in the circuit board handling, manufacturing and soldering industries. Jim Danku will be responsible for providing assistance to AIM customers in the Carolinas and Southern Virginia. Jim started out in the electronics industry working for Tooltronic Inc., a distributor in Toronto, ON, Canada. Since then, he has founded and managed two manufacturers representative companies, one of which he sold prior to starting his new one, Assembly Solutions LLC.

Were pleased to welcome Assembly Solutions as our new representative in the Carolinas and Southern Virginia, said Andy Dolan, AIMs Vice President of Sales. Were confident that Jim will provide unsurpassed support to AIM customers in the area.

For sales support or for more information about Assembly Solutions LLC, please contact Jim Danku via email at jim(at)assemblysolutions-llc.com.

About AIM

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, AIM Solder is a leading global manufacturer of assembly materials for the electronics industry with manufacturing, distribution and support facilities located throughout the world. AIM produces advanced solder products such as solder paste, liquid flux, cored wire, bar solder, epoxies, lead-free and halogen-free solder products, preforms, and specialty alloys such as indium and gold for a broad range of industries. A recipient of many prestigious SMT industry awards, AIM is strongly committed to innovative research and development of product and process improvement as well as providing customers with superior technical support, service and training.

Upcoming Events:

September 17-21, 2017  SMTA International  Rosemont, Illinois

October 18-19, 2017  SMTA Guadalajara  Guadalajara, Mexico
Westchester Power Program Director Dan Welsh Theres a lot of exciting things in the pipeline for customers, including new electric supply contract options, community solar and other energy products.

Westchester Power, the first community choice aggregation (CCA) in New York, has engaged Ampion, Inc. for Customer Relationship, Billing and Payment and EDI services.

Westchester will use the Ampion Software platform to provide enhanced back office services, including reporting, customer care, online billing and payment, and utility EDI communication. Ampion will also service Westchester residents directly through its CCA customer portal, allowing participants to access their energy consumption, billing information, savings, environmental impact, and other account information.

Theres a lot of exciting things in the pipeline for customers, including new electric supply contract options, community solar and other energy products says Dan Welsh, Program Director at Westchester Power. Information is the key to maximizing customer value, and Ampions systems will provide a common, robust platform to facilitate engagement with both customers and municipal stakeholders while also helping us grow and account for our business.

Ampion CEO Nate Owen looks forward to the impact this partnership will bring, not only to Westchester but to the communities that will follow its lead. Community Choice Aggregations are a powerful movement across the country and we are excited to enable Westchester Power through our software platform, he said. At Ampion, we believe that software is the great enabler of energy markets, and in particular, the movement to distributed generation and community renewables.

About Westchester Power

Established in May 2016, Westchester Power is a community-based bulk energy purchasing program providing residential and small commercial electric customers a locally-chosen alternative to the state-mandated utility for energy supply. As New Yorks first CCA and a model for the State, Westchester Power contracts with power suppliers to offer consumers fixed and competitive energy rates. Westchester Power is a program of Sustainable Westchester. For more information, visit westchesterpower.org.

About Ampion

Headquartered in Boston, Ampion performs comprehensive asset management for distributed energy providers, supplying billing & payment, performance monitoring, contract management, and customer engagement services. Ampion operates under a software-as-a-service paradigm, utilizing a cloud-based platform to enable portfolio and revenue optimization for clients while engaging their customers through specialized portals. To learn more, contact Michael Rudden at (617) 433-7913 or mrudden(at)ampion(dot)net.
The Vanguard Cleaning Systems brand was named #35 on Entrepreneur Magazines Top Franchise Brands ranking for 2017. This marks the first year that Entrepreneur has produced a Top Franchise Brands list.

According to Entrepreneur Magazine, the goal of considering the Top Franchise Brands ranking was to discover which franchises have done the best job of building themselves up as beloved, recognizable, robust brands? The ranking was determined by analyzing factors such as number of years in business, system size, number of years franchising, social media followers, and overall reputation. The combination of these elements was reviewed to measure the strength of the brand.

About The Vanguard Cleaning Systems Brand

Founded in 1984, the Vanguard Cleaning Systems organization is built upon over 3,000 independently owned and operated franchised commercial cleaning businesses, which are licensed and supported by a Master Franchise network of 53 independent regional offices throughout North America. Vanguard franchised commercial cleaning businesses service more than 15,000 businesses, healthcare companies, educational facilities, and non-profit organizations.

The Vanguard brand has been included among Entrepreneur magazines annual Franchise 500 list for 18 consecutive years. You can learn more about the Vanguard Cleaning Systems franchise organization by visiting http://www.vanguardcleaning.com.
The rise of online retailers and other industry changes have led to financial issues and other struggles for many top companies across the U.S.
Anjali Kumar, a former Warby Parker exec and top Google lawyer, will be Cheddar's first general counsel and chief people officer. She'll be in charge of expanding Cheddar's rapidly growing list of distribution deals and overseeing its more than 85 employees.

"The company is a deal machine, and I worked with Jon before at Google, so look for us to move even faster in contracting distribution," Kumar said in a press release.

Launched in February 2016 with live business news coverage from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Cheddar has since opened multiple satellite studios in locations like Los Angeles, The Hamptons, and the Flatiron building in Manhattan.

Led by Jon Steinberg, the former president of BuzzFeed and CEO of Daily Mail US, Cheddar has raised $32 million in venture capital funding to date. The self-described "post cable network" expects to make $10 million in revenue this year from sponsorships with advertisers like Fidelity and its nearly two dozen deals with distributors like Twitter, Sling, and Amazon.

So far, the many deals are paying off: Cheddar saw 148 million views in August across all of its platforms, according to Steinberg. While initially focused on getting on digital platforms, Cheddar has recently expanded to more traditional cable deals by partnering with local TV stations in New York and California to distribute taped business news stories from Cheddar anchors.
But say, you have been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you most probably know how Sebastian, a Ghanaian student in Amsterdam, made headlines after he was given 5 awards at a recent graduation of the University of Amsterdam.

READ ALSO: Ghanaian student in Amsterdam grabs 5 PhD awards

The story of the "historical feat" went viral and was published by several media houses both in Ghana and beyond.

It sounds like a beautiful success story.

Reportedly having grown up in a village in central Ghana, Osumanu tried to find his way up in the academic world. Something that he could not do as in 2007 he was rejected by the University of Ghana.

The University of Cape Coast, however, sees his potential, where he is successful in his economics study. He is even named the best student of the university.

He is also a winner of the Erasmus Mundus Nobel Economics Prize in 2014. The organization of the price would even call him an example of what the African economy needs.

However, investigations by Pulse.com.gh have revealed that Sebastian Roy Osumanu DID NOT win any such laurels at the University of Amsterdam.

We contacted the University of Amsterdam Press Office on suspicions that the story as reported by many media houses was not accurate.

The officials of the university outrightly told Pulse.com.gh that they had no records of the student by the name, Sebastian Osumanu.

They subsequently revealed to Pulse that there was no such incident where a student swept that many awards in a single graduation ceremony.

In response to our query on how such pictures used to corroborate Sebastian Osumanu's "feat", the official replied, "There are photoshopped".

That single answer confirmed our suspicions and opened our eye to the truth that was always lying in front of us.

The photos which have been used by almost all media houses to accompany the story of Sebastian Osumanu were indeed photoshopped.

A quick search on Google revealed that the image is indeed from the Doctoral Degree Ceremony from the 2015 Commencement of the University of Rochester.

The picture which was clearly edited to superimpose head of Sebastian Roy Osumanu on Ralph Locke, Professor of Musicology at the university.

The original picture showed President Joel Seligman presenting Professor Ralph Locke (right) with the University Award for Lifetime Achievement in Graduate Education.

In another report, UVA states that the academic year had not yet begun on September 1. They also revealed that PhD students also do not wear a gown during their graduation ceremonies.

Also, the prize he said he won in 2014 is unthinkable.

Even though the Erasmus Mundus exists, the Nobel Prize is not awarded by the organization.

Again, Osumanu did not get a mention on the success stories pages of any of these institutions save the home page of the University of Cape Coast.

He is mentioned in the spotlight section on the university's website alongside supposed success stories of the institution.

Pulse.com.gh reached out to Sebastian via the official World Bank Group email address listed on his social media.

However, we got a response saying that the email address listed does not exist.

It would look like the story of Sebastian Osumanu is actually no better than that of legendary Ghanaian trickster, Fauster Atta Mensah who tried to lie to Ghanaians that he had won a Nobel Peace Prize among other laurels.

Now pick your phone, call that aunt, mother, father or uncle, and tell them to stop pressuring you that much because Sebastian Osumanu is nothing but a fraud.

UPDATE : 9:43PM - 11 September, 2017
According to reports, the accused had a misunderstanding with the complainant over the use of a socket in the house which resulted in the unfortunate incident.

Jacklyn Obuluke pleaded not guilty to the charged of causing harm.

The court presided over Mrs. Harriet Jane Akweley Quaye scheduled September, 14 for the next hearing of the case when Jacklyn Obuluke is expected to reappear.

Prosecuting, Inspector E. Ahaligah narrated to the Court that, the complainant, Roselyn Britten is unemployed and shares a room with Jacklyn and one other person at Apapa-La.

According to Inspector Ahaligah the accused persons clothing were placed close to the socket in the room where all the occupants use for ironing.

However, according to the prosecution, Jacklyn had told her roommates not to use the socket since they have been scattering her clothing any time they ironed their dresses.

Mr. Ahaligah said that, on August 28, this year at about 12:30 pm, while the accused was charging her phones, the complainant went and removed the phones from the socket and plugged an iron ostensibly to press her clothe.

This resulted in a misunderstanding and a subsequent struggle over the iron which accidently burnt part of Jacklyns right hand.

Jacklyn got angry and plugged the iron and when it became hot; she unplugged it and attacked the complainant with it.

Prosecution further stated that, Jacklyn succeeded in pressing the iron on the complainants two breast, right hand and the left side of her face.

A complaint was lodged with the Police at La, and the complainant was issued medical form to seek medical care, while Jacklyn was arrested by the Police.
She however debunked the accusations, describing them as borderline laughable. and 100 per cent untrue.

It was when Celia attempted to order food at the bar with her five-month-old son Jayson that the disclosure was made to her that, she had been banned indefinitely for leaving the toilets in an untidy state during her previous visit.

Staff of the pub emphasised their accusation with further claims that they had photo evidence and CCTV footage of the mess at The City and County JD Wetherspoon pub in Goole, East Yorkshire.

Still dumbfounded, Celia rubbished the pubs allegations that, It's just a personal vendetta against me.

When I was speaking on the phone to them I just felt like they were telling me I'm not good enough to go in there.

The accusations are laughable - I just don't know where they've got it from. They are just lies, they are 100 per cent not true.

At the end of the day it's their loss because I sometimes go in there four or five times a week - so they're losing custom.

According to the Dailymail, the deputy manager of the pub escorted Celia outside into the street and said she wasn't welcome because her child was too messy.

The disgruntled young mother expressed shock that, I was told that Jayson was too messy and they had CCTV footage and photographic evidence of me leaving dirty nappies and a bra in customer toilets.

I was sat with my friend Ellie before I ordered, but she was told that she wasn't banned from the premises.

How can my five-month-old make all that mess? I'm furious with it - he's not big enough to even sit in a high chair.

Celias friend, Ellie who witnessed the embarrassing scene said when she later placed a call to the pub to ascertain if they had any proof to back the claims made against her friend, a staff member said they had CCTV images of the mess in the toilet.

The shameful treatment meted out to Celia surprised her to the bone, as she said It's all unbelievable.

I'm not exactly flat chested, if you know what I mean, so people would know if I had taken my bra off.

I mean why would I throw dirty nappies around? Why? I just couldn't believe it - I still can't.

The staff members who work there as well have been given me dirty looks and when I've been out in the town centre they've looked at me in disgust.'

Celia's partner Korben Bailey, 20, added: 'It just infuriates me how staff at the pub could treat customers like that - I think it's wrong.

I wanted to go in to speak to them - but Celia stopped me and said it would just make it worse.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for JD Wetherspoon said We can confirm that Celia has been barred from the City and County pub in Goole.

It is a decision taken by the management and one that is totally supported by the company. The reason for the exclusion is due to a previous visit.

The reason for the exclusion is due to the amount and type of mess, which was left in the customer area, on and around the tables, on the seats and floor, including dirty nappies, which were also left in the toilets.

The pub staff and management are extremely proud of their high standards of cleanliness.

We accept that a certain amount of mess is to be expected, however, this was an unacceptable level and a clear disregard for fellow customers and pub staff.

Ellie is not barred and is welcome back. Additionally, the CCTV cameras do not cover the public bathrooms.
However, the five-day visit of pope Francis to Colombia and a rare opportunity to meet with him one-on-one made her have a mind change.

Consuela Cordoba was severely injured in an acid attack 17 years ago, and after 87 surgical operations, all in an attempt to save her face failed, she planned to end her life with a doctor's help, as euthanasia is legal in her home country, Colombia in certain circumstances.

But when she recently met Pope Francis in Colombia and sought his approval to end her life, the man of God denied the request. Rather, he encouraged her, saying she was very brave and very pretty.

The influence of the Pope reportedly made Consuela rescind her earlier decision to kill herself.

In 2000, her ex-partner Dagoberto Esuncho threw acid all over her inflicting terrible injuries on her.

The perpetrator was made to serve a one-month prison term, a sentence some analysts held the view was too scanty for a crime of that magnitude.

The Colombian from Istmina in the north-western Colombian department of Choco, has since undergone 87 surgical operations just to regain her natural look, but to no avail.

Reports indicate that she needs tubes in her nostrils to breathe, can only consume liquid food through a straw and has to wear a mesh body suit at all times.

However, a recent diagnosis of a brain infection compelled her to harbour thoughts of ending her life through euthanasia.

The date for the mercy killing was scheduled for September 29, so when Pope Francis visited Colombia as part of a five-day visit, Consuela asked him to endorse the euthanasia.

She had been selected to talk to the pontiff and was brought out of the crowd.

After a hug, Consuela asked the Pope to sanction her euthanasia.

Consuela revealed after her meeting with the Pope that, He said no, he was not going to do it. He told me that I was very brave and very pretty.

That changed my life. Now I want to live.

Dr Gustavo Quinonez was going to give me the injection, but I'm not going to do it because God is going to bring greatness to my life.

So that I do not die, they will donate for the surgery that I need, which will cost several million pesos.
Police officers visited Mrs. Lynda Middletons residence after her neighbour claimed that dirt from her flowers fell onto the car which was parked below her property in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.

The old lady said she was devastated by the sight of the officers, saying she was made to feel like a criminal. She claimed she was restless when she saw police on her doorstep.

Two community support officers, according to Mrs Middleton, were sent to her home to resolve the issue.

According to The Sun, the woman said I was very frightened and my heart was pounding.

But then they said they had called about me watering my flowers. I was devastated.

I don't think I'm a criminal but they made me feel like one. Nobody can believe they'd waste their time speaking to me with other issues going on in the area.

Her daughter, Emma is reported to have described the scenario as absurd to learn that police had visited her mother's property for such a trivial reason.

Many people, including Tory MP Andrew Bridgen were of the view that, police have much more important things to investigate.

READ ALSO: Nudist explains why she wants to have sex with Floyd Mayweather

However, a Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesperson said two PCSOs visited an address in Borehamwood, on Monday to help to resolve a neighbour dispute regarding water and soil from hanging baskets leaking onto a parked car.

Officers stressed that no-one was at fault. They were simply there to help resolve the issue and provided possible solutions.
According to a report by Punch, it was gathered that the victims were abducted on Sunday, September 10, 2017.

The Ondo state police have also confirmed the kidnap saying the commissioner of police, Gbenga Adeyanju has led a team of policemen to rescue the victims.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Femi Joseph, said, The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gbenga Adeyanju, has led a team to the area to rescue the victims. They will be rescued unhurt and the perpetrators will be arrested.

The report further revealed that the victims took off from Okene, Kogi State, for Akure in company of friends and family members, including the best man and the chief bridesmaid.
On the campaign trail Le Pen has positioned herself as a protector of France who would pull the country out of the EU, slash immigration, make it harder to get French nationality and crack down on suspected Islamists.

"French people have the feeling of being dispossessed of their identity, of their social security system and their sovereignty," the National Front (FN) leader told BFM television on Wednesday.

Even though she is widely expected to lose in the May 7 run-off if she makes it that far, her strength in the polls has left many worried about the future of France and the European Union.

AFP has spoken to Le Pen supporters across France about why they have chosen to back her:

'Not racist'

"I'm not racist, but when I see our parents working like dogs only to end up with nothing at the end of the month, while unemployed Arabs are walking around with iPhones...," said Yoan Jenais, 19, who runs a clothing stall in Saint Raphael in southern France.

"We don't want to be better than other people, we just want equality," he added.

Daniele Pubert, a retired 65-year-old cleaner from La Roche-sur-Yon in Brittany, western France, said she is voting FN because she wants "a big change".

"We, the French, are no longer the priority," she said.

"Marine will be able to get the country back on its feet. Migrants are in unfortunate (situations), but there are people from France struggling and they must be helped urgently. To not do so would be an injustice," said Dorothee, 38, a prison guard in the northern town of Bapaume.

Behind the xenophobic and anti-Islam words of Le Pen voters, there is often another driving sentiment, Christele Marchand-Lagier, an FN specialist at the University of Avignon in southern France, told AFP.

There is "a feeling of being pushed aside, abandoned".

Attack 'made up my mind'

French voters have so far been more concerned about unemployment and their spending power than terrorism or security, opinion polls show, though analysts warn this would change quickly in the event of an attack.

Still, security is a worry for the French in the wake of the string of Islamist-inspired attacks that have killed more than 230 people since the beginning of 2015.

That worry has been a boon for the far-right party, which has made public safety one of its priorities.

"With me (in charge) there would never have been migrant terrorists at the Bataclan and Stade de France," Le Pen said, referring to sites targeted in the 2015 terror attacks in Paris.

"The attack made up my mind," said Andre, 48, a resident of the Riviera city of Nice who plans to vote for Le Pen after the Islamist carnage in his city last July that killed 86 people.

Nice's local branch of the FN says it saw a "10 percent boom in membership after the attack, then a progressive increase in the following weeks."

'One we haven't tried'

The depressed former coal mining town of Henin-Beaumont has had an FN mayor since 2014 and some residents are happy with their leadership.

"Like a lot of people here I used to be a leftist but I switched camp and I'm not ashamed to say it. We were betrayed, we were robbed. This mayor, he does what he says he will do," said Elisabeth Develter, a 70-year-old retired supermarket worker.

"I support Marine. She is the only one we haven't tried," 58-year-old truck driver Michel Cadour said in the central France village of Varzy.

"Mainstream politicians don't care about rural voters. They're too busy looking after their interests in town," he said.

'Where is the progress?'

France's unemployment rate has hovered near 10 percent in recent years, despite promises from its last two presidents to spur growth.

"I voted for (Nicolas) Sarkozy, we got nothing. I voted for (Francois) Hollande, we got nothing. So, I'm going to vote for Le Pen and we'll see," said Pasa Ertugrul, 29, from the eastern town of Brousseval.

"Around here the factories are closing, so where is the progress in France?" he asked.
According to the company, Mobius Motors designs, manufactures and sells durable, affordable vehicles for Africa's mass market. We are reimagining the car; designing our vehicles around common road terrain, transport usage and consumer income profiles across the region.

Our vehicles have the key functionality and durability of an off-road car, fit for travelling and carrying goods for long distances on bumpy dirt roads. The price is similar to a seven-year-old sedan vehicle, which is not designed to operate on degraded terrain reliably, nor carry the heavier loads common among consumers in these areas.

But how does the Kenyan brand compare to Kantanka?

Compared to Ghanas Kantanka, Mobius appears to lack aesthetical appeal. While the Kantanka SUVs might have an appealing design, colours and slight modifications between the models, the Mobius is rigid and perhaps has ergonomic advantage over the Kantanka when canvassing the famously bad roads in most African countries.
And when there are people in that world like this personal trainer, who tried to fat-shame one woman into receiving his exercise expertise, the road to a healthy state of mind can feel mighty long.

The man, who accosted Cassie Young, a digital director for The Bert Show, on Twitter, had no motive for reaching out to Young other than money.

His exchange with Young is maddening, as he tries to badger her into feeling unhappy about her appearance and her body simply so that she'll pay him for his services. Unfortunately for him, Young deftly parried his attacks, and shared the experience in a Facebook post that has since gone viral.

Perhaps the worst part of the entire conversation is that the man used Young's engagement announcement as cause to bother her with his bogus fitness philosophy.

"I know you want to look your best on wedding day," he told her. "If you don't hire me, hire someone. Those pictures last centuries."

"Health is one thing, and it's something I'm working hardcore on," she replied back. "But the idea of being embarrassed by my wedding pictures because I might be 'fat' in them and people centuries from now will be ridiculing me? That's the insinuation and I say Fk that noise!"

Nevertheless, his uninvited criticism persisted.

"You can accept how you look but you can't be happy with the way you look," he told her. "You can't lie to yourself."

Their conversation continued on in this manner until Young effectively shut him down altogether.

"I reject your notion of operating on superficiality and looks, and I embrace my inner health goals," she said. "It's FKING MEAN TO MAKE SOMEONE FEEL BAD ABOUT THEMSELVES BASED ON THEIR APPEARANCE. It's a stty thing to do, and even sttier to try to convince someone otherwise so you can profit off it. Get some morals."

Amen to that.

"You are worthy," she reminded her followers in the Facebook post detailing the incident. "Love is out there for you. Life is waiting with open arms. It doesnt matter if youre skinny or fat or between the two or willowy or broad shouldered or peer shaped or like a board or anything in between. You get good stuff in life by being YOU. That's what matters."
State officials cleaning up mining waste in the upper Blackfoot Valley are taking a pause to evaluate funding and next steps going forward.

Major cleanup of the Mike Horse Mine tailings impoundment has been ongoing for the last few years, led by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality working with the U.S. Forest Service and Montana Department of Justice. The project calls for removal of nearly a million cubic yards of contaminated material, trucked down U.S. Highway 200 to a repository off of U.S. Highway 279.

Cleanup in the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex is funded through a roughly $39 million settlement with former site owner Asarco. There is $11.4 million remaining.

Due to some unanticipated expenditures, officials are looking at potential design modifications to finish the project and still comply with laws and regulations.

I think with any remediation process theres always something like this at the tail end of the project when we really know what needs to be completed, said Jenny Chambers, DEQ Remediation Division administrator.

Four main expenses were unanticipated as needing funding in the Asarco settlement.

In the planning stages engineers determined that the original repository site was unsuitable, which meant additional analysis and purchase of the current Highway 279 site.

Secondly, the road to the impoundment was too dangerous to run the caravan of heavy dump trucks and other machinery, necessitating construction of a second road.

A third major expense came in 2011 when heavy spring runoff brought serious concerns that the dam holding back nearly 800,000 cubic yards of tailings could fail.

In 1975, part of the berm on the impoundment collapsed due to heavy rain. Between 100,000 and 200,000 cubic yards of mining waste washed down the Blackfoot River, causing an environmental catastrophe that killed much of the aquatic life for miles.

Concerned that it could fail again, officials brought in pumps and pumped water to the tune of about $500,000, said DEQ construction manager Shellie Haaland.

More recently officials discovered a two-inch pipe running under a water treatment pond. The pipe was undocumented and found to be releasing contamination, leading to the decision to move the pond down drainage.

An on-site water treatment plant operates from separate funding, and has seen cleaner water coming into the facility as the project progresses, Haaland said, including using fewer chemicals to treat water and potential plans to go without treatment during the winter.

All of that was really good news up until the earthquake, she said.

Exactly what happened deep underground is unknown, but what officials do know is that a pulse of contaminated water has come into the treatment plant. Haaland and others theorize that the network of underground mine workings saw its share of collapses over the years, and one collapse likely segregated a pool of contaminated water. When the 5.8 magnitude earthquake hit earlier this summer, they believe it allowed that water to discharge.

Were hoping (water quality) will equilibrate, but the remediation itself has been successful and were very happy about that, Haaland said.

Working in a mountain valley in the shadow of the Continental Divide brings its challenges. Volatile weather, wildfire potential and the relatively remote location can be difficult and hazardous.

A month of heavy rain last year left tailings saturated and unable to be safely stored in the repository, so contractors stockpiled material until it dried this year.

Remaining work includes removal of additional waste including in downstream wetlands, closing the repository and final restoration of both the formerly contaminated valley and repository site. New contracts going out estimate completion at another two to three years.

What we do with that $11.4 million  were making sure we have enough funding left and thats where were taking this pause to determine what our priorities are and what contingencies might arise because we can no longer absorb those (costs) in the project, Chambers said.

But even with Montanas long winters to contend with, DEQ and contractors have brought the valley once filled with contaminated tailings to a natural layout where eventually Bear Trap Creek will flow freely and cleanly.

Chambers noted any decisions or project modifications must also align with ecological requirements, engineering standards and federal obligations. As officials analyze those next steps, she is optimistic that the support is there at both the state and federal level to see the project completed and successful.
But until we do, that man is still Jedidiah Ballard, winner of the 2016 Ultimate Mens Health Guy contest and one of the few men on the planet who know what its like to have your friends show up for Halloween dressed as you.

Among several other admirable qualities, Ballard proved to us that he is, as you would expect from a man bearing the title of Ultimate Mens Health Guy, a force in the gymand a creative one at that.

In the video above, watch Ballard demonstrate one of his favorite ways to empty his tank at the end of a workout.

Its a great finisher for the forearms and obliques, says the emergency medicine physician and U.S. Army Ranger. Every time you catch [the dumbbell], youre getting a strong contraction in your forearm, youre building up the [hand-eye] coordination a little bit; and, also, on that twisting motion, the oblique has to catch hard and switch around.

Ballard suggests picking up a dumbbell in the 3050-pound range for this one, and then going for anywhere between 5060 reps.

Once you get in the flow, speed it up, he says.

Just dont slack on form. Maintain a flat back throughout while keeping a slight bend in your knees. And focus on squeezing the dumbbell as tightly as you can each time you grab it to get the most out of your forearms.
Images: Mercedes Sayagues, Jose Forjaz

I LOVE BOATS, SAILING AND THE SEA, SAYS Mozambiques iconic architect Jose Forjaz. This project was meant for me.

He is talking about the Museum of Fisheries, the newest and lovely addition to Maputos unique urban fabric, at the entrance of the fishing harbour in the Baixa or Old City.

The street side is almost austere: whitewashed ground floor and a surprising cantilevered first storey, all glass and beams in rich, reddish wood. The ocean side cascades in organic forms, lapping the vertical rhythms of wood screens, ramps and spatial surprises.

Its charms unfold as you roam: clean lines, airy space cooled by sea breezes, gently rounded ceiling curving like a white sail, polished wood, glass walls linking sea, sky, harbour and city with 360 fishbowl transparency. The feel is maritime, channelling a dhow.

And yes, says Forjaz, there is a clear intention of evoking technologies and forms used in nautical construction, like the roof structure supported in what could be a dhows ribs  not as a caricature but as a poetic metaphor

The challenges were many: small space confined by the harbour, its docks and a busy street; large, open ground- floor required to display boats and aquariums; a tight budget; the need for an eco-friendly building with low operating costs and easy maintenance in one of the poorest countries; and sturdiness against sun, salt, humidity and wind.

Instead of corrosion-prone steel or expensive reinforced concrete, Forjaz chose resistant timber for the structure. Unusually for a museum, wood-frame windows open outwards manually, to allow natural light and ventilation with minimum energy consumption. The curved roof slopes downwards to let breeze and landscape in, but blocks direct sun on windows  an African imperative.

Along the ramps, a curving wooden palisade evokes the traditional fishing traps known as gamboa, exhibited inside. The museum houses some 3 000 traditional fishing artefacts, the passion of Manuel Goncalves, a fisheries official who began collecting 30 years ago.

Fish, food and income

Fishing is embedded in Mozambiques identity and economy. The country has a 2 700km-long coastline - Africas fourth longest - and 1 500 fish species, of which 400 have commercial value. Best known are its tasty prawns grilled with piri-piri (chilli) sauce.

About 350 000 Mozambicans work directly in fisheries; 850 000 households, or 20% of the 25-million population, depend on fishing for their livelihoods and food security. Fish provides half of the protein consumed, 5% of GDP and 2% of exports.

And most of it  a whopping 90% of the total annual catch  is artisanal fishing by men, women and children on the sea, from the shore and river banks, from boats or on foot, with nets, traps, spears and fishing lines.

Semi-industrial fishing accounted for 2% and industrial for 7% of the 213 000 tons caught in 2012, according to the Ministry of Fisheries. Mozambique exports shrimp, prawns and kapenta (Tanganyika sardine), and imports cheap mackerel from Namibia and South Africa.

One has only to step outside the museum to see how vital and how poorly organised the fishing sector is.

At about 4pm, dhows and small trawlers return with the days catch.

Rows of rickety wooden stalls on the sidewalk o er grouper, snapper, swordfish, prawns, crabs and clams. There is no shade, ice or refrigeration, no toilets and no public lighting, although the market is bustling until midnight with the help of small LED lights, kerosene lamps and cellphones. In the rainy season, huge puddles of stagnant water stink.

The sellers, women known as mamanas, are assertive, good-humoured, and so ready to cheat on weight that most customers bring their own hand scales. People from all walks of life shop here; the last are the resellers for greater Maputo, arguing late-night cheaper prices.

Drive 15km eastwards to the Aldeia dos Pescadores (Fishers Village). At low tide, dozens of dhows, motorised boats and canoes painted in bright colours are moored on the sand. Redeiros (net makers) repair nets on the beach. Women sell magumba, a sardine, Maputos cheap and popular source of protein.

Rodrigues Pacula, 29, a fourth-generation fisherman, has been working for 14 years, is married with three children and doesnt see a future in fishing. There is less and less fish, he says. Ten years ago, one boat would bring 30, 40, maybe 50 boxes of fish in one day. Now its 10, 15, maximum 20 boxes. And some days we bring nothing.

The reasons, he says, are climate change and too many fishing boats. In Maputo city alone, the number of fishing gear sets in use grew by one-third between 2008 and 2011, from 42 750 to 56 600. And the mesh holes got smaller, from 25mm to 20 or 15mm, catching ever-smaller fish and depleting stocks, says Pacula.

The boat owner takes half the catch; the rest is shared among the crew. A 10m boat involves eight crewmen, three redeiros and a manager - a dozen people to share the catch. Most crewmen dont work for money, just for fish.

My father bought a car with his earnings; I cant, says Pacula. As improvements, he mentions the three-mile exclusion zone from the shoreline for semi-industrial fishing vessels, and credit facilities for buying new engines and fishing gear.
It begins with answering the question: Should I file for an annulment or a divorce? The first option results in a court ruling that you were never married in the first place, while the second is more about dividing up the assets of a marriage. Confused? Don't worry, we got a divorce lawyer to clear things up.

For starters, while specific laws vary from state-to-state, in most places the process of filing for either type of split is actually the same. "The only difference is which box is checked on the petition," says Ariel Sosna, partner at Van Voorhis and Sosna, LLP and certified family law specialist. "Legally, however, they are very different." Here, she breaks down those differences:

IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING AN ANNULMENT:

For an annulment to be considered, you have to have a good reason for why the marriage was never validand that can be complicated. "It is not just an easy way to end a very short marriage," says Sosna. To qualify, you have to meet one (or more) of four conditions: bigamy (one spouse was underage at the time of marriage), insanity, fraud (that led to the marriage taking place), or force (or being legally incapable of entering into the marriage). Since you have to prove one of those caveats, that means "there has to be a trial in court," says Sosna.

So why bother going through all that? Some people do it to honor religious beliefs that frown on remarrying once you've been divorced. But for others, it's ideal because, since you're arguing that the marriage never happened, "there is no spousal support or community property to divide," says Sosna. In other words, no fighting in front of a judge about who gets to keep the apartmentyour assets are separate.

IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING A DIVORCE:

"For the vast majority of people, divorce makes more sense," Sosna says. The process of getting one is actually much simplerespecially if both parties are in agreement about the split.

Many states have what are called no-fault divorce laws, which means you don't have to provide any grounds for the splityou can file just as easily as you might have spontaneously decided to get married in Vegas. In those no-fault states, "either spouse is entitled to a divorce just because he or she wants it," says Sosna.

However, in states with fault divorce laws, you still have to meet certain conditions and prove you have grounds for the split, just like with an annulment. These grounds can vary from state to state, but typically include abandonment, adultery, bigamy, and domestic violence. To file a fault divorce, you'll have to take your case before a judge.

Conversely, in a no-fault divorce, which usually simply cite "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split, no court time is necessary if you and your partner can reach an agreement about the terms of your split on your own.

That said, a small minority of no-fault divorces do end up going to trial. If you and your spouse can't agree on any of the termslike how to split up your assets, determine spousal support, or sharing custody of your kidson your own or with a lawyer or mediator outside of court, that's called a contested divorce. In that case, you and your lawyers will have to head to the courthouse.
The minimum capital requirement is the amount a bank must hold in order to operate.

The Bank of Ghanas (BoG) primary concern is that there is sufficient capital to buffer a bank against large losses so that deposits are not at risk, with the possibility of further disruption in the financial system being minimized.

READ ALSO:Here is why this Ghanaian bank won best compliant bank in Africa

This is an increase of 233.3 percent from the previous 27 million dollars.

The last time the central bank increased the capital requirement of banks was in 2012 when it was increased from 14 million dollars to 27 million dollars..

The Governor of BoG, Dr Ernest Addison announced the new figure to the Chief Executives of banks on Friday, September 8, 2017.

The banks will be given until December 2018 to meet the new requirement.

READ ALSO:GCB takes over UT Bank and Capital as BoG withdraws licenses

This is coming after two indigenous banks (UT and Capital Banks) collapsed and was subsequently taken over by GCB Bank.

Ghana currently has about 31 banks operating. Banking analysts have said that this is too high for Ghanas economy and population.
The demolition is being done four years after a fire destroyed portions of the building which housed the Citizens Vetting Committee (CVC), the Judgement Debt Commission, the CHRAJ and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

The move is also to enable a new one to be constructed at a cost of GH15 million, the Daily Graphic reports.

The amount is part of the budgetary allocation of GH37,816,401 approved by Parliament for the implementation of the activities and programmes of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

Cymain Ghana Limited, the firm undertaking the demolition, has already begun and is expected to be completed on Monday.

For now, the Old Parliament House had been barricaded. A notice had also been posted on the premises to advise people to stay away from possible dangers.

The 50-year-old building currently houses the offices of CHRAJ, while Parliament has been relocated to the State House.

READ ALSO: K B Asante slams August 4 celebration

The Old Parliament House accommodated Ghanas legislators during the tenure of Dr Kwame Nkrumah till 1981 when the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) ousted the government of the Peoples National Party (PNP).

As the demolition begins, many Ghanaians are fuming because they feel that Ghana is losing one of its historical landmarks which have been the foundations of the countrys democracy.
Wide spread marginalisation and deprivation which resulted from government actions served as the main push for youths in joining these extremist groups.

These findings were contained in the study report titled released on Thursday, September 7, 2017.

In a majority of cases, paradoxically, state action appears to be the primary factor finally pushing individuals into violent extremism in Africa, the report said.

Mr Abdoulaye Mar Dieye - Africa Director of United Nations Development Programme (NUDP), said during the launch of the report that this is a wake-up call for African governments.

This study sounds the alarm that as a region, Africas vulnerability to violent extremism is deepening, Abdoulay remarked.

Governments ineffectiveness in catering for social needs of the people was noted as a factor encouraging joining an extremist group in Africa.

It emerges strongly that the journey to extremism is significantly marked by a fractured relationship between the state and citizens."

The findings suggest that beyond simply holding elections, wider commitment to building an inclusive social contract between government and citizens is a critical means of establishing resilience to violent extremism in Africa.

Other major findings of the report in examining the role of religion, childhood experience, unemployment, need for social safety among others is listed below.

 Most of the recruits lived in Borderlands or peripheral areas grossly ignored by the government.

 Unemployment is the single major economic factor driving troop of these youths to join the group. On this, the report stated that: ... The fact that employment was highlighted as an important issue by reference group respondents indicates the threat of future violent extremist expansion in Africa.

 About eighty percent (80%) of recruits joined the extremist group less than a year ago, while half of these are just one month.

 Low knowledge of other peoples religion and culture is high among those joining the extremist group.

 Poor childhood experience is a common indicator among those interviewed.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
After meeting in film school at Temple University in the '90s, Tim and Eric found a home at Adult Swim in the mid 2000s, where they released a string of innovative, 11-minute shows, including the animated "Tom Goes to the Mayor" and the absurdist sketch comedy "Tim and Eric's Awesome Show, Great Job!"

In the first season of their latest show, " target="_blank"Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories," the pair crafted ten diverse and darkly hilarious short films. One episode featured Bob Odenkirk ("Better Call Saul") as a doctor specializing in toe removal, and another found Jason Schwartzman ("The Grand Budapest Hotel") confronting a demented billboard ad that comically distorted the actor's face.

Eric Wareheim talked to Business Insider about the "creepier" second season of "Bedtime Stories" and the process of making a 10-year anniversary episode of "Awesome Show," which premiered in August. We also touched on his burgeoning wine business, his experience acting on Netflix's "Master of None," and the two feature films he's writing.

Season two of "Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories" premieres Sunday at midnight EST on Adult Swim.

John Lynch: The Awesome Show anniversary episode was fantastic. As you're switching between sketch comedy and the cinematic structure of Bedtime Stories, do you find its easier to be in one of those modes than the other at this point?

Eric Wareheim:

Lynch: Do you feel its more rewarding, in a way, to find humor within the structure of Bedtime Stories?"

Wareheim:

Tim & Erics Bedtime Stories | Season 2 Trailer | Adult Swim

Lynch: Would you say that this season is darker than season one? Ive only seen the trailer, but that was the impression I got, that its more ... Cronenberg.

Wareheim:

Lynch: How did you approach this season of "Bedtime Stories" differently than the first one? Were there things you brought over from it?

Wareheim:

Lynch: I think your fans really like the versatility of your sensibilities. Do you have any sense of whether diehard fans of "Awesome Show" appreciate "Bedtime Stories" to the same degree?

Wareheim:

Lynch: The post-production editing thats so prominent on Awesome Show and Tom Goes to the Mayor, its used to a lesser degree on Bedtime Stories. Do you feel like youve exhausted that tool in a way?

Wareheim: No, I dont. I feel like with the Awesome Show special we tried to do some new things, which I was totally surprised at from our editors, to go to new places. Weve seen a lot of people try to recreate what we do, and no ones really done it quite yet. I wish people would take our editing style and take it to the next level, but I dont think were done with it yet. There are more places to go.

Lynch: Your style is definitely trending toward being more cinematic, and you've done a feature film in the past. Do you see another feature on your horizon?

Wareheim: Yes. I'm writing two feature films right now. It's the most exciting thing that's happened to me. I went to film school because I wanted to be a filmmaker. Tim and I made a film, and it was really hard, but this is my personal passion. They're going to be a combination of drama and comedy, in a very dark, dark way. We've been making so much sh-t, so we're going to take a couple months the rest of this year to do some writing.

Lynch: When you're in that film mindset, do ideas germinate in the same way that a "Bedtime Stories" episode does, and then you build on it?

Wareheim: Yeah. It all comes from experiential things. For example, when I was in New York shooting "Master of None," I encountered a lot of wild, amazing things, and I'm turning those things into a feature. And it's just like "Bedtime Stories" is based off of our real fears or real things that have happened to us, and then we exaggerate them for dramatic effect. That's where everything comes from.

Lynch: Definitely. My phone was a breaking up a bit at the end there. Sometimes these phone interviews feel like I'm Ed Begley in the "Cinco-Fone" sketch from "Awesome Show."

"Cinco-Fone" | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Adult Swim

Wareheim:[a weary laugh] Yeah. Definitely, a Cinco communication system.

Lynch: On another note, youve also been a successful musicvideo director throughout your career. Are there any recent music videos that youve admired?

Wareheim: Sh-t. I cant think off the top of my head really. I dont watch that much comedy, and I dont watch that many music videos. Not to be all high falutin about it, but I like to keep my voice pretty pure and try not to follow the trends and stuff like that. I'm sure there are some great music videos out there.

Lynch: I understand you also have a wine company that you're looking to build. What's been the operation behind that, and how do you approach it?

Wareheim: Well, if you've been following my Instagram for the last five years, you know I'm a real fan of food and travel and culture, and wine is like the base of a lot of culture I feel. I've learned so much about different places through wine, and I wanted to do something amazing in America and do it naturally. There's a new kind of wine making, it's not new, but it's a style that's just becoming popular called natural winemaking. And I wanted to be a part of it, and I want to give back to the world. One of the wines is actually a Dr. Steve Brule Sweetberry wine, if you know that sketch. That was sort of the start of this business, but I have a winemaker Joel Burt, who's a genius, and we said to ourselves, "Let's make good wine. Let's not make it a joke." And that's what happened. Now we have a whole line of wines coming out in the fall that are incredible.
Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected!
Photography: David Brazier & Between10&5

Back in

This has come at an opportune time for the countrys urban councils, overwhelmed by the volumes of informal traders flooding the city streets to eke out a living selling low-cost goods.

Imhanyas newest BoxPark is at Harares bustling Fourth Street Bus Terminus, which has the highest concentration of people in the country between 7am and 10am.

Through their BoxParks compulsory insurance system they know more or less what tenants have in stock, so they have an accurate measure of the buying power within the markets. This provides useful data on the informal sector for government and other organisations. Imhanya knows what is being sold where, so they know what local communities needs are.

Imhanya Director Tafara Gwata emphasises that this hasnt been done in Africa before. With 400 people working in one BoxPark, with an average buying power of, say, US$5 000, thats $2-million. So now they are competing with the big boys and department stores by creating this collective buying power and market capitalisation, says Gwata.

The BoxParks were designed in consultation with vendor associations, who stressed their preference for an open-air market design allowing for a free flow of people and ventilation, without the constraints of having to compel clients to enter a building. The BoxPark is covered with large awnings for shade, and traders are able to open up their cubicles outward to the pavement to trade. The company opted to use shipping containers for the project because of the economic and environmental benefits they offer.

Containers are very secure, says Imhanya director Brendon Malloch-Brown. Theyre waterproof and generally weatherproof. Theyre also environmentally friendly because youre reusing a container at the end of its shelf life. Its already structurally designed with steel support, so costs are significantly reduced in manufacturing each unit.

The three business partners were all born in Zimbabwe and attended the elite St Georges College as teenagers. Malloch-Brown is a quantity surveyor and construction specialist, Gwata is a telecoms and IT expert and the third director, Ketan Patel, is an international franchise expert and a former director of African fast-food giant Innscor International and Churchs Chicken in the UK.

With the informal sector accounting for more than 80% of Zimbabwes economy, according to government statistics, the partners saw potential.

They looked at their combined skill set and came up with Imhanya, a socially-franchised last mile distribution company that converts shipping containers into retail and manufacturing spaces for the informal sector.

Imhanya plans to roll out its franchise of smaller retail units to 1 000 locations across Zimbabwe over the next 10 years. By being a modular and mobile concept and using solar energy, they can quickly place containers able to provide services close to where they are needed. If communities or needs change, they can place the container on the back of a truck and move it.

After conducting thorough research to find out what needs are underserved in a community, be it infrastructure, grocery stores or even tomatoes, Imhanya staff sit down with the franchisees and develop their businesses.

Patel, who conceptualised Imhanyas extensive iCycle research method, says local business people ultimately stand to gain.

In our franchise trading model, if youre an informal trader and have no capacity to pay capital costs, we will fund the entire project."

"We will take you from where you are to [being} a businessperson by sharing our intellectual property and our systems with you. In return, we will take a percentage of the profits. Over time, the businessperson can buy back into the business up to 75%.

Imhanyas directors are confident that using refurbished shipping containers is an excellent solution to empower smaller businesses and informal traders not only in Zimbabwe but across Africa.
The attack, eyewitnesses say, occurred on Sunday, September 10, 2017.

Kanu himself has also said he was the target of an assassination attempt last weekend.

According to some separatists under the IPOB umbrella, the assailants who stormed the Afaraukwu, Umuahia country home of the Kanus, spotted uniforms of the army and police and arrived in five Hilux vans.

They started shooting sporadically and killed five people. 30 other persons were left with bullet wounds. After attacking our people, they drove off in five Hilux vans, said IPOB media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful.

Pulse has been shown images and footage of some 'wounded IPOB members' being taken to the federal medical center in Umuahia.

Tissue of lies

But the police and army have denied news reports that they shot at IPOB members and killed some of them.

The army said there is no iota of truth in claims made by IPOB.

According to Major Oyegoke Gbadamosi who is the Director, Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade of the Nigerian army, the allegations from IPOB are far from the truth".

Gbadamosi added that: Rather, it was a group of suspected IPOB militants that blocked the road against troops of 145 Battalion while on a show of force along road in Umuahia town, Abia State at about 6:00-6:30pm on Sunday.

They insisted that the military vehicles would not pass and started pelting the soldiers with stones and broken bottles to the point of injuring an innocent female passerby and a soldier,

The troops fired warning shots in the air and the hoodlums dispersed. No life was lost.

Therefore the public are kindly enjoined to disregard the rumours going round and the fictitious photographs of purported victims of attack.

The police has also denied that it attacked IPOB separatists last weekend.

I have just spoken to the Commanding Officer, said Leye Oyebade who is Abia police commissioner. He said a repaired military armoured vehicle was used to patrol the Umuahia metropolis. I gathered that they were shooting sporadically, which led to the IPOB group wielding daggers, throwing broken bottles at them.

Unfortunately, a policeman on guard duties going to work was machete by the IPOB group, while a soldier and a civilian were equally injured. All are being treated at the Police clinic for minor injuries sustained. Normalcy has since been restored".

Human shield

However, the man at the center of it all, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu said hes only alive because IPOB members formed a human shield round his fathers compound when the soldiers and police officers came calling.

I was sleeping on Sunday when suddenly I was woken up by the blaring of sirens, Kanu said. Initially, I thought it was the Commissioner of police who lives in the neighborhood that was returning home. But the blaring persisted and was followed by sporadic gunshots.

They wanted to bulldoze their way into the palace but IPOB members formed a human shield and resisted them. They wanted to break the shield and fired at three persons and wounded others before leaving.

Everybody, including children were running away in confusion.

Kanu also added that the army has decided to bring the war to IPOB in the Igbo heartland.

They want to use force and beat us into submission because they have lost the argument but they will fail. They want to trigger war but we wont oblige them because we are committed to our non-violent philosophy, said the IPOB leader.

Kanu says the army and police "have perfected the art of lying".

Shocking invasion

Kanus Dad, Eze Israel Kanu, said the invasion was unwarranted and shocking.

Israel Kanu is King of Afaraukwu in Umuahia.

Kanus IPOB and law enforcement have had bloody clashes in the past.

The IPOB leader is undergoing trial for treasonable felony and illicit possession of firearms.

Though on bail, Kanu has flouted all his release conditions.

Kanu wants a sovereign Biafra nation carved out of the present Nigeria State.
A statement issued on Sunday, September 10, by her Special Assistant on Media, Dantsoho Suleiman, said the minister never made such statement.

The minister maintained that she did not speak to any news medium lately apart from the BBC neither did she release any media statement.

According to her, some people are distorting her BBC interview to "achieve their selfish agenda."

Reacting to El-Rufai's criticism of her, Alhassan said she did not see anything wrong with it.

The statement read, "The comments going round social media on Governor El-Rufai did not emanate from Sen Aisha Alhassan; She is not a security officer and has no knowledge of the events that resulted in the kidnap of the Chibok girls.

"By nature and character, she is not the type to divulge sensitive information on the public domain."

In the BBC interview, the minister had expressed support for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakars presidential ambition ahead of the 2019 election.
The minister expressed satisfaction on the performance of the management team of Eko Disco led by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Oladele Amoda.

l was not surprised when the owners of Eko Disco decided to keep him (Amoda).

He is not only a prolific scholar, who reads and writes well, he is also technically savvy as you can see in his unscripted remarks.

I want to thank Engineer Amoda for his warm remarks. I knew him way back when I was the governor here in Lagos. He was very responsive to our needs as a state then.

And I also warmly welcome the spirit with which he has reminded us that we have work to do on transmission side, he said.

Earlier, Amoda had highlighted the achievements of his company since the last quarterly meeting was held.

In addition to what the Honourable Minister will be commissioning today which include one 15MVA transformer that can transmit 12 MW of power, we have added 60MVA in Ajah, 15MVA in Oke-Ira, Lekki and Alagbon.

Others to be added are 15MVA at Fowler, Bourdillon, Anifowoshe and Akungba, he said.

He said the purpose of the huge investment was to key into the Federal Governments programme of incremental power output.

By the time we complete all our ongoing projects at Adelabu, Stadium, Tejuosho, Surulere, Coker, Ijora and its environs, the network will be able to receive increased power from the transmission company and distribute accordingly to our numerous customers, he said.

On embedded power initiatives, he said that First Power Company had built 13 MW embedded power, adding that we are getting an incremental power as directed by the minister.
Fashola, who made the appeal in Lagos at the 19th power sector operators meeting, said that the NERC needed stakeholders support to complete regulations for metering service providers and eligible customers.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the meeting was hosted by Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) at the Akangba 330/132/33KV transmission station on Monday.

At another meeting, Fashola had through the NERC, declared customer eligibility regime for some categories of electricity consumers.

The declaration permits electricity customers to buy power directly from the generation companies, which is in line with the provisions of section 27 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005.

The NERC had also provided details of the mini grid regulations for such grid developers in the sector.

The minister said if stakeholders were to cooperate with the NERC, it would fast-track completion of the customer eligibility declaration and the mini-grid regulation permit.

He said the completion would ultimately help distribute the over 6,000 Megawatts (MW) of available power.

Fashola said from the available 6,000 MW, we are only able to distribute about 4,000 MW because of problems at the distribution end.

According to him, the ministry and the regulator are open to useful and practical suggestions from each distribution company (DisCo) on what can be done to help them overcome deficit in their distribution networks.

Fashola said that the provision of mini-grid regulations by the NERC had begun to yield positive results, adding that registration and licensing of mini-grid developers had started.

The vice-chairman of NERC informed me that a solar-based mini-grid facility will be commissioned in Kigbe Community, Kwali Local Government in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

It is a 20 KW facility that will power 145 households and 5 businesses. The developer is Havenhill Synergy Ltd.
Melaye said this while reacting to reports that a Federal High court in Abuja has ordered the electoral body to go ahead with the process of his recall.

He said My great people of Kogi west senatorial district of Kogi state, in the face of obvious persecution and appealable judgement of the federal high court Abuja today, let not your heart be troubled. Lies will never overtake or conquer truth.

The presence of the Kogi state attorney-general and Commissioner for Justice in court today over a matter that Kogi State is not joined as a party shows the clear collaborative efforts of INEC and Kogi state government.

However, these combined efforts of governor Yahaya Bello, INEC, top federal government officials and top security agents to harangue and stampede me out of the Senate against the will of Kogi West constituents will fail woefully. He who is with me from above is greater than all of them put together.

I will not stop speaking truth to authority. Kogi State Government must pay workers salaries and pay pensioners. We cannot all sleep facing one side of the bed.

We shall overcome this temporary Shenanigan in the long run. We will neither sleep nor slumber on this. I use this opportunity to thank my dear constituents for their abiding love for and confidence shown towards me, The Cable reports.
Jinjiri said that the suspects, aged 22 and 23 and who were residents of of Gangara Fulani settlement were arrested on Saturday.

He said that the suspects allegedly conspired and beaten up one Manu Isa of Maidamisa Fulani settlement with sticks, which led to his death.

The suspects conspired and beaten up one Manu Isa with sticks until he was down.

When the police got to know about it, they rushed to the scene where they rushed the deceased to hospital, but unfortunately died after two days.

And it was speculated that the suspects beat up the deceased over a girlfriend.

But detailed investigation is ongoing to ascertain the genuine reasons for their action, after which they will be charged to court, he said.

NAN recalls that on Sept. 9, the Security Committee of the Gagarawa Local Government where the incident occurred, banned Fulani traditional ceremonies and other festivities in the night in the area.

The Chairman of the Local Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Yau, announced the decision at the end of the councils security meeting on Thursday.

Yau explained that the action was taken following frequent cases of unnecessary quarrels and fighting during such ceremonies.

He, therefore, warned the herdsmen to strictly comply with the directive or face the full wrath of the law.

NAN also recalls that the District Head of Jeke in Suletankarkar Local Government Area of the state, Alhaji Muhammadu Alassan, had also banned Fulani local traditional ceremonies in the night in his domain.

ALSO READ: The Nigerian Police Force has spoilt its case on Evans

Alassan, who gave the directive during a meeting with village and ward heads in April, noted that such events ended up in quarrels and loss of lives and property.
"What happened was that the military was parading a new armoured carrier and passed through Nnamdi Kanu's residence," Premium Times quoted the police commissioner as saying.

"It was while they were passing that some people threw stones and other things at them."

Oyebade said Kanu's lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, gave a false account of the incident.

Ejiofor had in a statement accused the Federal Government of attempting to kill the IPOB leader.

He had said, "Just to alert the world that the Nigeria military personnel under the command of Chief of Army Staff is presently laying a siege on my client (Nnamdi Kanu) country home in Umuahia.

"They had continued to shot sporadically into the air through which assault, about five of his family members were brutally wounded and some unfortunately killed. There is no doubt that the present deployment of troops to the South East is to haunt for my client and possibly eliminate him."

ALSO READ: IPOB says FG plotting to kill Nnamdi Kanu
"In the APC, she was never in the Buhari camp, she did not support our candidates during the National Convention, she didn't vote for Buhari during the Primaries, El-Rufai said without mincing words.

El-Rufai also said the president also rejected suggestions from Buharists like him not to name Mama Taraba in his cabinet, back in 2015 : "Even though she was never a supporter of his politics or what he believes in, his ideology, he still believed that to encourage women in politics, what she has tried to do in Taraba earned her being nominated as a Minister.

"Many in Buhari camp did not support his picking her, but he overrode everybody because he tries to consider every Nigerian his own son or daughter."

It was typical El-Rufaiblunt and shooting from the hip.

The Kaduna Governor prides himself as a Buharist. And he is right. Mama Tarabas statements last week were an affront to Buharists like El-Rufai and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State for instance.

It is little wonder that they were left fuming by her audacity to go public with her support for Atiku while still serving in Buharis cabinet.

Here is Governor Amosuns diatribe at Mama Taraba: "Though she is entitled to her own opinion at any point in time, she should have just resigned her appointment because her loyalty cannot be in two places.

"Her falling short of resigning, takes everything away from what she said and it is clear that she will no longer be contributing to the development of the present administration."

El-Rufai and Amosun knew exactly what they were doing. They know Buhari wont say a word. They had to rise up in his defense in public and they did.

El-Rufai is no fan of Atiku. He makes no pretenses about his disdain for the former Nigeria Vice President. What we saw from El-Rufai last week was a show of force. The message must have been addressed to Mama Taraba but the Kaduna Governor certainly had Atiku in his crosshairs.

This, for El-Rufai, is wara political war which for him, goes beyond his support for Buhari. This was El-Rufai taking on Atiku by using Mama Taraba as a foil.

El-Rufai and Atiku don't see eye to eye. Calling them 'sworn enemies' could be a stretch but it's as close to an apt description of the relationship between both men as you are ever going to get.

Let it be known that more muscles will be flexed as we march toward 2019. El-Rufai may not run for president. But he wouldnt want Atiku any closer to Aso Rock either--if he has his way.
ROSAMOND  A Macon County Sheriff's Office deputy was taken into custody early Sunday after gunfire erupted at his home, his wife fled and a nine-hour standoff with police ensued at the house in Rosamond.

Markes N. Rodgers, 51, who barricaded himself inside his home, finally surrendered himself at 1:11 a.m and was taken into custody without further incident, according to a statement from the Illinois State Police.

Christian County Sheriff's Office deputies had been called to Rodgers' house at 4:15 p.m. Saturday for a domestic disturbance. Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp said Rodgers' wife had fled, and Rodgers had fired a couple of rounds as she was running away from the house.

Deputies located her at a neighbor's home and took her to safety and then evacuated homes on either side of the Rodgers' property as they set up a perimeter. Kettelkamp said he called in the Illinois State Police SWAT team and state police negotiators to oversee contact with Rodgers.

They are experts who handle these kind of situations, and they have a lot more manpower than we would have, said Kettelkamp. The sheriff was on scene with his chief deputy and other officers and he also called in six off-duty deputies to lend a hand.

Kettelkamp singled out Macon County Sheriff Tom Schneider and his department for praise in helping to resolve the situation. They were involved in a lot of the negotiations, which led to a peaceful ending, said Kettelkamp.

No one at the Macon County Sheriff's Office was immediately available for comment Sunday night.

Rodgers was taken to Taylorville Memorial Hospital to be examined and was then transferred to the Christian County Jail. He is due to appear in Christian County Court today where he will be face preliminary charges resulting from the incident.

Kettelkamp said it was a difficult situation to deal with and he was relieved it was resolved without injury.
This information was contained in the address by NCCs Executive Vice-Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta while receiving the visiting Chairperson of Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), Madam Angelique Weeks.

Dambatta said the figure was extracted from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report which shows that the telecommunications sector is responsible for 9.5 per cent of the GDP in the second quarter of the year.

It would be recalled that the National Bureau of Statistics recently released its second quarter GDP report which confirmed Nigeria's exit from recession after it plunged early 2016.

Dambatta stated further that the figure represents a 6.68 per cent increase from the first quarters contribution of N1.45 trillion.

We are very proud of the remarkable contributions the sector is making.

Even in the recent times when the whole economy was facing challenges, the sector has remained resilient and stable, the NCC boss said in a statement.

ALSO READ:NCC will still hike your internet cost

On data consumption, Dambatta revealed that there has been a remarkable increase as Nigerians now consume 40 million terabytes of data on a monthly basis.

He also expressed optimism that the country will soon witness massive ICT transformation when the excess data capacity at landing point in Lagos is deployed to the hinterland through licensing of Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos).
With Russian backing, Syrian regime forces have seized western parts of the province and breached IS's years-long siege on parts of the city.

SDF fighters are waging a separate offensive that has captured swathes of territory from IS east of the Euphrates River, which cuts across the province.

The SDF has not reached Deir Ezzor city itself, but on Monday its media office said a "preparatory committee" would begin laying the groundwork for a civil council to run the city after IS's defeat.

Local figures would announce "the preparatory committee of the Deir Ezzor Civil Council and the support of the tribes for the SDF," the media office said in a statement.

It remained unclear whether the Deir Ezzor Civil Council would coordinate with, or rival, government authorities already present in other parts of the city.

Since 2014, IS has held swathes of the province and about 60 percent of its capital, encircling two regime-held enclaves in the western half of Deir Ezzor city.

Government troops have broken both jihadist sieges and were preparing on Monday to launch an offensive on the eastern districts still held by IS.

"Military reinforcements have been arriving since Sunday night to begin the operation to seize control of the city," said Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

He said the SDF had advanced to six kilometres (four miles) from the eastern banks of the Euphrates River across from Deir Ezzor city.

The SDF's advance is backed by the US-led coalition battling IS in Iraq and Syria since 2014.
The woman was shot inside the aid group's orthopaedic centre in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, the International Committee of the Red Cross spokesman Thomas Glass told AFP.

The victim, whose nationality has not been released, was taken to the NATO military base hospital at Camp Marmal where she died from her wounds.

Two people have been arrested over the deadly attack, including the 21-year-old shooter who police said was a "regular patient".

"He had hidden the pistol in his wheelchair which he used to shoot the victim," police spokesman Shir Jan Durrani told AFP.

It was the latest deadly assault on the Red Cross in northern Afghanistan, where Taliban and Islamic State militants have been terrorising the local population.

Most of the charity's programmes in the volatile north have been on hold since February after six Afghan employees of the ICRC were shot dead when their convoy was ambushed in Jowzjan province.

Two of their colleagues were abducted and only released by their captors last week.

No militant group claimed responsibility for the abduction or killings, but Jowzjan police had blamed local IS jihadists.

Last December a Spanish Red Cross employee was abducted when workers from the charity were travelling between Mazar-i-Sharif and the neighbouring Taliban hotbed of Kunduz.
The Crimean Tatars are a Muslim people native to Crimea who were deported under Stalin and only returned to the peninsula in the 1990s.

Chiygoz is a staunch opponent of the takeover of his home region and sought to defend his community amid a vicious crackdown by the Kremlin-backed authorities.

His lawyer Nikolai Polozov blasted the ruling by the Crimean court "unlawful and unfounded" and said they intended to appeal to Russia's supreme court.

Rights group Amnesty International branded the trial a "sham" and called for Chiygoz's immediate and unconditional release.

"The unfair trial of Akhtem Chiygoz tops a wave of spurious and demonstrably false criminal and administrative cases instigated by the occupying Russian authorities against members of the Crimean Tatar community," said Oksana Pokalchuk, Director for Amnesty International in Ukraine.

"It epitomises the ongoing persecution of these activists whose only 'crime' is to vocally oppose Crimeas annexation by Russia," she said in a statement.
According to preliminary results, the vote went well for parties close to the ruling United Russia, which scored a resounding majority in legislative elections a year ago.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the results were "very favourable" for United Russia, of which he is president, according to comments given to Russian press agencies.

Voter turnout rates were low, in particular in Moscow where the electoral commission said that only 14 to 15 percent of eligible voters had cast ballots, according to figures available two hours before polling stations closed.

The vote was being followed closely in the capital, where an unprecedented number of candidates under 35 -- 2,800 out of 7,600 -- were running to fill 1,500 municipal councillor posts.

Some commentators have said this is the result of protests organised earlier this year by opposition leader Alexei Navalny, which mobilised students and young people.

The opposition had been hoping to snatch a few positions in the local polls and had denounced the silences of municipal authorities, arguing the vote was organised amid widespread indifference.

A representative of the liberal party Yabloko, Sergei Mitrokhin, accused authorities of using "every means of giving people a sense of electoral powerlessness... to make sure that the people they need stay in power."

Both he and Alexei Navalny pointed to numerous instances of fraud, with the NGO Golos saying it had received some 500 complaints, including claims of abuses of voting from home and pressure from officials.
Duterte last year allowed the remains to be buried at the cemetery, reserved for soldiers slain in battle and former presidents. Last week he declared the birth anniversary on September 11 a holiday in the ex-leader's home province.

"This is an insult to the memory of my father," said Amira Lidasan, one of a group of anti-Marcos protesters estimated by police to number 500 who marched on the cemetery gates.

Lidasan said her father was imprisoned for a month for a nighttime curfew violation in the early 1970s, when Marcos put the country under martial law for more than eight years.

The father died from illness shortly afterwards, she added.

But about 300 riot police blocked a road leading to the Marcos tomb, allowing the family to hold a private reception inside the cemetery grounds.

About 50 elderly women supporters of Marcos meanwhile flashed V-for-victory signs and sang "Happy Birthday" for Marcos at a separate gathering outside the cemetery gates.

"He achieved many things during his presidency. He built roads and many other structures and he kept the prices of grocery items low," Erlinda Taning, 65, told AFP.

Marcos oversaw widespread human rights abuses during his 20-year rule. Thousands of people were killed, tortured or imprisoned, according to rights advocates and previous Philippine governments.

He has also been accused of embezzling billions of dollars from state coffers during his rule, with anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International in 2004 naming him the second most corrupt leader of all time, behind Indonesian dictator Suharto.

However no member of the Marcos clan has ever gone to prison and the family has made a dramatic political comeback in recent years, with his widow and two children being elected to office.

The election last year of Duterte, a family friend, has accelerated the rehabilitation.

Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, the dictator's son, lost the vice-presidential election last year but has filed an election protest in hopes of overturning the result. Duterte, who was elected separately, has endorsed his protest.

Protesters Monday burned a banner that read "Marcos Duterte Fascist" and which depicted a two-faced man -- half Marcos and half Duterte.
On the last day of his fifth visit as pope to his native continent, he reiterated calls for peace in Colombia and prayed for a peaceful end to Venezuela's "grave crisis."

"I assure all of you of my prayers for each of the countries of Latin America, and in a special way for neighboring Venezuela," Francis said.

"I appeal for the rejection of all violence in political life and for a solution to the current grave crisis, which affects everyone, particularly the poorest and most disadvantaged of society."

'Pope should intervene'

Venezuela's crisis has caused food and medicine shortages and clashes at anti-government protests that left 125 people dead from April to July.

The Vatican tried unsuccessfully to mediate in negotiations last year between Venezuela's government and opposition.

Thousands of Venezuelans have fled to Colombia to escape the crisis.

"We could ask the pope to intervene directly for dialogue," said Venezuelan housewife Nancy Pugliese, 35, who attended Francis's visit in Cartagena.

"We need all the spiritual support we can get to free Venezuela... The pope should tell President Maduro directly to listen to the people."

On Sunday, Venezuela's center right-led opposition was holding a vote to choose candidates for regional governorship elections scheduled for October.

The opposition MUD coalition and international powers have accused Maduro of stifling democracy by taking over power from state institutions.

Peace in Colombia

Francis reiterated his call for reconciliation in Colombia as it works to seal an end to a half-century civil conflict.

He has supported a contested peace accord that has seen the disarmament of the country's biggest guerrilla force, the FARC. Critics say the guerrillas are getting off too lightly, with amnesties and alternative sentences.

"Deep historic wounds necessarily require moments where justice is done... But that is only the beginning of the Christian response," Francis said during his mass in Cartagena.

"We are required to generate 'from below' a change in culture: so that we respond to the culture of death and violence with the culture of life and encounter."

Praying for the poor

In Cartagena, Francis visited the impoverished district of San Francisco, where he blessed the foundations of a new homeless shelter.

"We have a lot of faith in Francis's visit to this forgotten district," said Willy Martinez, a 43-year-old bricklayer.

"Here, there are lots of people who only eat once a day. The worst thing is the corruption -- that is worse than the bullets of the guerrillas or the paramilitaries."

Francis prayed in the name of local holy figures, including Saint Peter Claver, patron saint of slaves, who worked in this colonial port city helping victims of the slave trade.

The pope defended the dignity of "those who are abandoned, immigrants and those who suffer violence and human trafficking."

Pope gets 'bashed'

Earlier, Francis got a cut on his brow and blood on his white cape when he bumped his head on the window of his Popemobile.

He was standing up in the specially designed vehicle, waving to admirers, when it braked sharply.

jpegMpeg4-1280x720He was seen later with a bruise on his cheek and a small dressing on his brow, but still smiling.

"I got bashed," he joked to reporters.
At 2:23 p.m. Saturday, the Henry County Sheriff's Office responded to an accident with injuries at the intersection of U.S. 150 and Illinois 81, south of Orion, according to a release from the sheriff's office. Two motorcycles in a group traveling south on U.S. 150 were involved, and three riders were injured  the driver and passenger of one motorcycle, and the driver of another were brought to the hospital for treatment, the release said.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  Illinois officials are launching a new ad campaign about the Zika virus featuring actor Brian Tee of the TV series "Chicago Med ."

Tee plays Dr. Ethan Choi on the NBC program. He and his wife recently had a baby. Tee says his love for her and knowing that Zika virus causes birth defects prompted him to speak out.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is airing the spots on more than 200 radio and TV stations in cooperation with the Illinois Broadcasters Association 's Public Education Partnership .

In the public-service spots, Tee explains that Zika virus can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus. It can result in birth defects.

Public Health Director Dr. Nirav Shah says most infected with Zika virus don't have symptoms.
Hundreds of people turned out to Life Foursquare Church on Monday to pay tribute to Logan S. Palmer, the 23-year-old Harristown sailor killed onboard the USS John McCain on Aug. 21. Residents lined the road from the church to Harristown Cemetery to show their respect for Palmer, a 2012 Sangamon Valley High School graduate.

Also Monday, the new Mount Zion Solsa opened for business; the American Red Cross offered faster training for hurricane volunteers, while Irma heads for Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina; and Gov. Bruce Rauner's education secretary is stepping down.

Palmer laid to rest in Harristown

Pastor the Rev. Mark Cooper told mourners that he had heard Palmer died a true hero, surviving the initial collision but staying in harm's way to try and help his fellow shipmates.

Noting that Monday was also Patriot's Day, Cooper said it was a supremely appropriate moment to remember all of America's heroes and one of the latest to join their illustrious ranks: So today we remember Logan Palmer, who also gave his life in service to his country, Cooper said.

Palmer's flag-draped casket was carried into the church by a Naval honor guard in dress uniform. Navy officers and sailors saluted the casket that lay at the front of the cavernous church sanctuary, surrounded by sprays of flowers in red, white and blue. The sailors were followed by troops of Boy Scouts who also saluted in turn, marking the loss of one of their own: Palmer had achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Crowd welcomes Solsa to Mount Zion

If you want lunch, we're open, Paco Greenwell said to those gathered in the parking lot.

And with that, Solsa American Burrito Company began serving customers at its new location in Mount Zion.

Many of those on hand were holdovers from a ribbon-cutting ceremony co-hosted by the Mount Zion Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce.

Any time a business opens in our community, it's a great day for celebration, said Mirinda Rothrock, president of the Decatur chamber.

Greenwell, co-owner of the business, was joined at the ceremony by his business partner, his wife and members of his local management team.

The welcome has been overwhelming, Greenwell said.

Irma heads for Georgia

Irma's eye has finally left Florida and exited the state as a weak tropical storm with 50-mph winds.

The National Hurricane Center says the storm's center is over southwestern Georgia, about 10 miles east of Albany. It is forecast to take a northwest turn Tuesday morning, moving into Alabama.

It is zipping north-northwest at 17 mph. It is still a 415-mile wide storm.

Some, but not all, storm warnings in Florida have been discontinued, but storm surge is still expected along western Florida and from around Daytona Beach to South Carolina.

South Carolina, Alabama and north central Georgia are expected to get 3 to 6 inches of rain with spots hitting 10 inches. Northern Mississippi and southern Tennessee and parts of North Carolina are forecast to get 2 to 4 inches of rain.

Red Cross offers fast-track training

The American Red Cross will fast-track training for volunteers who are interested in helping with relief efforts in areas affected by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.

The expedited training sessions, called "Just In Time," are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at various locations throughout Central Illinois. Classes are free, but registration is required.

Illinois governor's education secretary to step down

Gov. Bruce Rauner's top education adviser is leaving her post this week.

Rauner's office announced Monday that Secretary of Education Beth Purvis' last day is Friday. She began working in Rauner's administration in 2015 and will join a national nonprofit group.

The move comes after Rauner recently signed a law overhauling the formula Illinois uses to dole out money to public schools. The bipartisan compromise emerged from legislative leaders' meetings.

Purvis led a school funding commission, among other posts.
WHEATON, Ill. (AP)  A judge is set to consider the case of a suburban Chicago woman accused of fatally stabbing her 7-year-old son and a 5-year-old girl she was babysitting five years ago.

The (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald reports that attorneys for 45-year-old Elzbieta Plackowska plan to claim she was insane on Oct. 30, 2012 when the children were killed. The former Naperville woman's bench trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday afternoon and is expected to last about two weeks.

Prosecutors say Plackowska killed her son to get back at her at husband, a trucker who spent time traveling away from home. Police have said they found the children in a blood-spattered bedroom where prosecutors say the woman forced them to kneel and pray before stabbing them as they begged for their lives.
The newly-formed DACA QC Coalition is hosting "We Are All Dreamers" at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Esperanza Legal Assistance Center, 335 5th Ave., Moline.

The DACA QC Coalition is a "peaceful community coming together to support DACA recipients and the Dream Act," according to its Facebook page. Saturday's rally is intended to show support for "Dreamers" affected by DACA and push to maintain the program.

Established in 2012, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) currently protects 800,000 undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. by their parents and grants them the right to remain in the U.S. to work or study. President Donald Trump has announced he will rescind the program in March if Congress cannot come up with a solution for them.

"For many of these individuals, the United States is the only country they have ever known. It is now up to Congress to unite and pass bipartisan legislation that will protect these 800,000 individuals who live, work and study side by side with the rest of us," the Greater Quad-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce said last week.

"Rescinding the work permits of almost 800,000 people and forcing them into the shadows is reckless economic policy," the chamber said in a release.

Those already enrolled in DACA remain covered until their permits expire. If their permits expire before March, 5, 2018, they are eligible to renew them for another two years as long as they apply by Oct. 5, but the program isn't accepting new applications.

Illinois is among 15 states suing to block President Trump's plan to end the program. The lawsuit was filed last Wednesday in a New York federal court on behalf of several attorneys general. It asks a judge to conclude that Trump's action on DACA is unconstitutional.

Illinois has roughly 42,000 DACA recipients. The state has the third-highest number of approved applications, after California and Texas.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has said rescinding the program is "contrary to what makes" the country prosper.

According to the Q-C Hispanic Chamber, since 2012 "we have seen the numerous benefits from the DACA program to the U.S. economy, including $2 billion added to state and local taxes."

DACA individuals are not eligible for welfare or government benefits, and approximately 24 percent of those aged 25 and older have purchased homes and 6 percent have started their own businesses, the chamber said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
COLONA  The tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, inspired Barb Ritter's son, Leevon, to serve his country. And five years after his death, he continues to inspire others to do good works.

Ms. Ritter, of LeClaire, a Gold Star mother and member of the Green Rock-Colona American Legion Auxiliary, spoke at a Sunday American Legion memorial in honor of 9/11, at the Colona Canal Pavilion. Sgt. Leevon Ritter was a member of the Colona American Legion since he had family who lived there.

"We each have the opportunity to be the rock that creates a ripple because someday we will be a memory," Ms. Ritter said at the ceremony. "It is the life that we lead, the rock in the pond, that determines our ripple effect.

"He chose to be the person to make a positive impact on those around him, and since he died, his big-rock attitude has created a forever ripple in the lives of many generations," she said of Leevon, who had "an extreme sense of patriotism."

They visited the World Trade Center in July 2001, when he was 13, during a family vacation.

"He was very affected, profoundly affected" by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Ms. Ritter said earlier Sunday, noting she has nine other family members who served in the military. "I didn't realize it until he called me a few days after he turned 18 saying he joined the Army."

In 2006, he was stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas. His first deployment was to Iraq in 2007, for 18 months, and he had a second deployment in late 2009. He was a tank mechanic.

"He did see some things he refused to talk about," Ms. Ritter said. "From his second deployment, he was diagnosed with PTSD. He had a service dog."

He came home early from his second deployment in Iraq (in early 2010), after being found sleepwalking, part of his post-traumatic stress disorder. He was back at Fort Hood when he died in May 2012, at age 24, after a motorcycle accident off-base in Killeen. He didn't get proper treatment, his mother said.

"He chose to live a positive, impactful life," Ms. Ritter said. "I wanted to carry that legacy on and teach people how to be positive."

"We're all gonna die someday, and what we leave behind is our legacy," she said. "I just think it's important we take care of our fellow Americans  that we're kind to them and always reach out. I've always chosen to choose kindness."

She thinks the government still doesn't do enough to care for veterans, which is a main goal of the American Legion Auxiliary.

There is a Sgt. Leevon Ritter Support Your Troops Resale Center in Killeen  which sells donated clothes and other goods  and has a food pantry. Last year alone it gave away 2.5 million pounds of food to soldiers, veterans and families, Ms. Ritter said.

For $10/month, you can get food twice a week, and the center is run by Operation Phantom Support, a nonprofit that serves soldiers, veterans and first responders.

"Because of his positive attitude and helping others, he has the honor of having this store named after him," Ms. Ritter said. She plans to open a second store in Davenport in November, starting without the food pantry. She also has another son and two daughters.

Since 9/11, "what has changed the most is our own sense of freedom and safety," Ms. Ritter said. "We now look at each other differently. We are less likely to trust our neighbors and our co-workers."

"It's pretty amazing what good has come out of his life. We're just blessed she's joined our unit," Legion Auxiliary member Angie Golightly said of Ms. Ritter and Leevon.

Colona Mayor Rick Lack said the 9/11 attacks  from four hijacked planes  resulted in 2,996 deaths (including 343 firefighters and 60 police officers, who were killed trying to save others).

"Since then, thousands of our military men and women have died serving our country, protecting this way of life," he said. "We owe them our sympathy, our love and our appreciation, so that we here can wake up on another beautiful fall morning."

"That September day is remembered each day by the men and women who serve in the military," Colona Fire Chief John Swan said. "They are still making the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom we have today."

"We will continue to protect and serve our communities and nation as we did that fateful day," he said.

"The heroes of 9/11 mined their inner strength and displayed an intense boldness, to reach far beyond their personal limits," Ms. Golightly said.

"They have the opportunity of putting their body, physically in danger, and it's something we can't forget," she said. "Look at those firefighters who went up that tower. It's unbelievable they would even do that."

Ms. Golightly recommends everyone do an act of kindness for someone else.

"We need to do something tomorrow in commemoration of all those that died," she said of today's Sept. 11 anniversary.

Her father  who served in World War II and Korea  just died last January, and his brother was killed in Korea in 1950.

"It's been kinda my life," she said.

Seeing Americans help each other in recent natural disasters made this year's commemoration fitting, Ms. Golightly said.

"We support one another through these very hard times in life," she said.

"We learned a lot that day," she said of 9/11. "Our hope is we can bring back those feelings of appreciation for our city, firefighters, police and our military."

Sunday's event featured a candlelight vigil and Honor Guard salute. It was similar to a memorial six years ago, honoring 9/11's 10th anniversary.
Former Illinois governor Jim Edgar (1991-98) has developed a bipartisan program for up-and-coming leaders in our state. It has the potential to take our politics from the gutter up toward constructive, problem-solving give and take.

The recent concord on state school funding, for example, a topic riven for years by regional and partisan rancor, may have resulted, in good part anyway, from bonds forged earlier in the Edgar Fellows Program.

Every summer since 2012, Edgar has gathered a new crop of 40 young mayors, fresh-faced state lawmakers and others for an intensive week-long crash course on how to get along and think about how to make Illinois better. (Leadership programs, all valuable, are today so-everywhere. Yet, the Edgar Fellows Program is different, really different.)

I wanted something that was diverse, bipartisan and drew people who were already committed and successfully involved in government and politics, the moderate, one-time GOP governor told me recently. People who are likely to make it big in Illinois.

In a state where regional, partisan and economic differences are often razor sharp, Edgars focus is on getting people to work together.

A lot of Chicagoans have never been south of I-80 (where three-quarters of Illinois lies), Edgar, a downstate native, observes.

He recalls one Democratic city official exclaiming, only half in jest: This is where I met my first Republican, and theyre not all bad.

Edgar runs the program and is there for every minute of it. The Fellows are hosted at a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign retreat setting, but the program relies on private fundraising to cover most of the $350,000 a year cost.

Forty Fellows are selected each year by an advisory committee for this by-nomination-only program. Readers of this column can nominate a local official, civic or business leader you think has the right stuff; send your nominations to sgrace@uillinois.edu. Geographic and partisan balance are critical. Not every deserving nominee gets in. Some make it the second year.

The program has only been operating since 2012, yet already 52 Fellows are in or have made it to the state legislature (out of a total of 177 members in the House and Senate).

My goal is that someday a Chicago mayor and Illinois governor will have met earlier, and bonded, as Fellows, Edgar said.

That day may not be far off. Three Fellows are running for governor next year, another is Cook County States Attorney and one is now in Congress.

Edgar says a key to success of the program has been a rich mix of sessions during a week jam-packed with substantive issues like infrastructure and health care; process, as in labor negotiating, and of course leadership skill development.

Although based at a major university, over the years the speaker roster has shifted largely from academicsoften too pedantic, Edgar said  to practical experience and lessons learned from top political, civic and business leaders.

Fellows are always riveted, for example, when regular guest and former Obama chief of staff Bill Daley tells of his night in the White House situation room when the U.S. took out Osama bin Laden.

A tee-totaler, Edgar is nevertheless struck by the value to the bonding process when Fellows might slip away from their isolated retreat setting after a 14-hour day to hoist a few brews at a campus bar.

Back to school funding.

Small-town Democratic state senator Andy Manar, conservative downstate GOP senator Jason Barickman and Chicago Democratic, African-American state rep Christian Mitchell are all Edgar alums.

These three have also become leading students of our complex school funding. The trio were the keys to making the ground-breaking new school funding package reality.

During the recent, intense tussle over school funding, Barickman notes, Christian, Andy and I debated and argued with one another publicly about school funding, but we did so on the substantive issues, not on the regional and partisan dimensions that often get in the way.

Edgar wants the 240 Fellows thus far to keep building on connections forged at the U. of I., yet he hasnt come up with a sure-shot way to do so.

Alumni are invited a couple of times a year to activities in Chicago and Springfield, but attendance has been spottier than he had hoped. These are busy, ambitious people, Edgar notes.

Its way too early to tell, and the centripetal forces that draw Illinois politicos into their own, narrow partisan and regional worlds are strong.

Even so, observers like Edgar as well as many Fellows I have talked with are rather amazed at how compelling the bonds forged via the Edgar Fellows Program have become. (Lets hope the better angels of our nature play out from this program and contribute to transforming the way politics is done in Illinois. We could sure use it.)
Recently, I received my Section 8 voucher after seven years of waiting. My voucher is portable, to wherever I want to take it. So, I called up all the housing authorities in the Quad-Cities and asked them to send a list of landlords who take Section 8. I have been going through this list. Some landlords answer their phones, and some never do.

Going out to look at these properties has been trying and stressful. Some of them are hard to find, and some landlords did not show up for their appointment after we drove all over looking for their place! Some landlords canceled for various reasons.

One rented to me but then took off to Florida to take care of a sick relative and could not stick around to get ready for the inspections. Another one pulled out and got hostile when I questioned their high deposits of $600 plus $200 for a service animal, making the deposit $800! By the way, its illegal to charge for a service animal. They are aware of this but want to charge for a Service Animal anyway! I doubt if a community agency will pay for an illegal deposit.

Then, there is a problem with community agencies, such as Project Now. To get aid, they want one to bring in a copy of the lease. The hostile landlord mentioned above will not give the lease until all deposits are paid in full. Then, she said, First come first serve; hurry, hurry, hurry!

Another landlord said he never charges more than $300 for a deposit, as Section 8 people never have more than this and said it was unethical to ask for more. This is true. When I was living in a low-income apartment building, I never had more than $300 in my bank account. I never could save more than this, no matter how hard I tried. So, he is honest. He gets a grade of A."

Another landlady said she would work with me on deposits, and she has been a Section 8 landlord for a long time. She seemed flighty and was the one who took off to Florida. She seemed more honest than the landlord who wanted the $800. I personally have a hard time with the idea of going to Project Now or churches and getting community funds to feed a greedy landlord. This would be with money others earned and not what I earned. I work three part-time jobs, am 63, and not retired yet.

Other landlords have waiting lists, and some claim to take Section 8, but when it comes right down to it, their rents are too high to be Section 8 approved, as their price tag is above the government's limit. I wonder about those places.

I have been all over town looking at rentals. Perhaps you see yourself here and your grade. It will be interesting to see the communitys response on this.
Celebrating Our Service Members

Friday, November 11 is Veterans Day, when we honor and show gratitude to all members of our Armed Forces  those currently serving, those who...

Transit Equity Starts With QueensLink

For decades Queens has seen a disinvestment in the necessary transit infrastructure the borough needs to promote equity and sustainability. Most of the time, transformative...
G'day! It's Murray here. I've put together a little quiz to test your musical knowledge. Think you can score top marks in Murray's Magic Music Quiz? Give it a go now!
The Forrestfield - Airport Link, on which work started earlier this year, has been allocated $A 406.5m in 2017-18, with the 8.5km line scheduled for completion in 2020.

The 17.5km Thornlie - Cockburn line will eventually connect the Armadale and Mandurah suburban lines when completed in 2023, and has been allocated $A 423m over four years in the budget.

A 14km extension of the Joondalup line to Yanchep, costed at $A 520.2m, has been allocated $A 440.8m over the next four years.

Several additional rail projects given budget funding include:

 $A 22.1m for detailed planning work for the Morley-Ellenbrook Line and Byford Rail Extension

 $A 70m to eliminate Denny Avenue level crossing and begin planning other future crossing removals

 $A 28.2m towards relocation of the existing Midland Station to Cale Street and an extension of the line to Bellevue, and

 $A 7.4m to plan the rollout of an automatic train control system to allow increased service frequencies on the future Metronet network.

Metronet is our long-term plan to not just reduce traffic congestion, but to connect our suburbs and drive sustainable new developments, says transport minister Ms Rita Saffioti. Work is underway on the Yanchep Rail Extension and the Thornlie-Cockburn Link projects, with business cases already submitted to Infrastructure Australia.

The government says most of funding comes from the cancelled Perth Freight Link road project.

The government has also allocated $A 33.8m in the budget to modernise SmartRider, Transperths cashless ticketing system, to cater for future patronage growth and accommodate advances in technology. The upgraded system is due to be ready by 2021.

Regional rail will benefit from $A 32m in funding to revamp the Perth - Bunbury Australind service.

The 30-year old DMUs used on these services will be replaced with modern rolling stock, while several stations on the route will be upgraded to make them compliant with modern accessibility standards.
DECATUR  Central Illinois said goodbye to fallen sailor Logan Palmer on a bright and sunny fall Monday, a day already filled with patriotic emotion on the 16th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks of 2001.

Palmer, 23, had died Aug. 21, one of 10 sailors lost on the warship USS John McCain after a collision with a tanker near Singapore. Pastor the Rev. Mark Cooper told hundreds of mourners at Decatur's Life Foursquare Church, including U.S. Rep Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, that he had heard Palmer died a true hero, surviving the initial collision but staying in harm's way to try and help his fellow shipmates.

The pastor said his wife, Lynn, had talked of Palmer's heroism with the sailor's sister, Madison. When Lynn asked what she thought about Logan placing himself in harm's way, Madison responded 'I wish he hadn't,'  he said. Then she went on to say 'But that's what Palmers do.'

Looking out at the Palmer family in the front pews  Decatur parents Sid and Theresa, sister Madison, brothers Austin and Kaleb, grandparents and other relatives  Cooper said it was hard not to wonder what the last moments of the sailor's life were like.

Perhaps you wish you could have been there with him as he breathed his last: with him to comfort and console him, with him to express your love and affection, with him to say goodbye, Cooper told the hushed sanctuary.

But this was not possible and, in this way, Logan's sacrifice is also your sacrifice. You have given a son, a brother, a grandson, a friend, to a grateful nation. That nation and its citizens owe you and Logan a debt of gratitude.

Palmer's flag-draped casket was carried into the church by a Naval honor guard in dress uniform. Navy officers and sailors saluted the casket that lay at the front of the cavernous church sanctuary, surrounded by sprays of flowers in red, white and blue. The sailors were followed by troops of Boy Scouts who also saluted in turn, marking the loss of one of their own: Palmer had achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Two scouts, Tanner Owens and Mark Reed, stood before the congregation to perform the Ceremony of the Broken Arrow, symbolizing farewell to a fellow Scout who had distinguished himself. Snapping an arrow in half, they said the act was symbolic of the end of strife and the beginning of peace.

Music for the funeral service included a medley of Over the Rainbow and What a Wonderful World, requested by the Palmer family, and sung by Foursquare Church worship director Christian Sandel who accompanied himself on ukulele.

Palmer's casket was carried out to the haunting John Williams music Hymn to the Fallen which was part of the Saving Private Ryan movie score.

Mourners entering and leaving the sanctuary passed tables laden with treasured fragments of Palmer's short life: His Eagle Scout Badge and pinewood derby racing cars; his fishing rod and a treasured LEGO toy; and a blizzard of captured memories in pictures, showing him at every stage of life from smiling baby to proud and newly-minted sailor.

After the service, his funeral procession, escorted by police and fire vehicles, passed under a vast American flag held suspended between two tower trucks from the Decatur Fire Department. Police halted traffic and even passers-by stood with their hands over their hearts as the gleaming white hearse made its slow progression towards Harristown Cemetery, where Palmer was buried with full military honors.

The funeral route was lined with well-wishers, many of whom did not know who Logan Palmer was until they were told, and then they were happy to wait and pay their respects. They included people like Billie Kay Dugger from Springfield, who watched the procession near Sharon United Methodist Church at Center street and Wyckles road.

I just saw the flags and I didnt know what it was, but I just felt in my heart it was something I needed to sit here for, Dugger said. My family is a military family, my father was in the Navy.

Its a shame that our country is as bad as it is, and its wonderful that there are people, who are young, who are out there fighting for us, Dugger added. I wish I could help them all, but I cant. All I can do is sit here and pray.

Marshall Sperry from Decatur also watched the procession near Sharon United Methodist Church. He does know one of Palmer's older brothers and has been following events closely. He set up a tripod to take pictures of the procession going by.

He's attended other processions before to honor fellow citizens.

I want to honor Logan and the rest of his family, Sperry said.

Donna Kerfoot from Harristown watched near the cemetery and said she came to the procession out of respect for Palmer and for the flag.

I went through this for Vietnam people so its very emotional, she said. Its about paying respect to the young man for his service and to the flag, since so many people arent respecting the flag anymore.
The contract began at the end of August and runs until December 2023, covering the first five years of operations with an option for a five-year extension.

The contract encompasses all day-to-day operation of the system, together with maintenance of facilities, rolling stock and infrastructure.

Transdev will subcontract maintenance of the tram fleet to Brookville Equipment, which is supplying five Liberty LRVs for the project. Delivery of the first vehicle is scheduled for December.

System testing on the first phase will take place between March and June 2018, with revenue services due to commence in November 2018. Revenue services will begin on the Lakefront Line in November 2019.
The Indiana Rail Road Co. (INRD) and CN on Sept. 8 announced two key developments affecting their international intermodal service partnership.

According to Eric Powell, INRD Manager, Business Development, the long-awaited increase in capacity at Prince Rupert (B.C.)one of our strategic gateways to/from Asia on Canadas West Coastis now available. The Port of Prince Rupert can now handle almost 1.4M TEUs per year, double the capacity of just a year ago, thanks to the addition of a second ship berth, four Super Post-Panamax cranes and on-dock rail. For [our customers], this means the same fast, reliable Asian service with room to grow and, soon, more ocean service options.

INRD was represented at ceremonies marking completion of construction at Prince Rupert on Aug. 28-29. At the same time, we learned plans have already been drawn up for a third phase of expansion: a third berth with another 700K in container capacity, and several more CN tracks added to the dock, Powell noted. Prince Rupert is the closest North American port to Asia, with an ice-free, deep-water harbor that can handle ships of any size.

There have been construction-related dwells at Prince Rupert this spring and summer, but CN and the Port expect to get back to average dwells of less than 48 hours as soon as possible, Powell said.
California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) appointed Thomas Post as director of engineering and Alice Rodriguez as deputy director of external affairs.

The addition of Thomas as the director of engineering to the high-speed rail program will provide essential knowledge and expertise as we continue our transition from planning to delivery of the nations first high-speed rail system, said Interim CEO Thomas Fellenz. His experience with major infrastructure projects in both the private and public sector will be invaluable.

As the director of engineering, Post will ensure that all of the engineering elements of the high-speed rail program are delivered within scope, quality standards, budget and schedule throughout the duration of the project. He joins the program from Jacobs Engineering Group, where he was an operations manager for the companys Northern California infrastructure portfolio. Post has more than 34 years of experience in the transportation and construction fields, including 18 years with the California Department of Transportation and 16 years working for private engineering and consulting firms.

As the deputy director of external affairs, Rodriguez will be responsible for stakeholder outreach and strengthening relationships with the communities surrounding the projects alignment. For the past two years, she has served as the small business advocate for CHSRA where she managed the development and implementation of an aggressive program to ensure that 30 percent of high-speed rail work goes to small businesses. Rodriguez has more than 12 years of state experience in public outreach and stakeholder engagement, including seven years with CaliforniaVolunteers.

High-speed rail is committed to building strong relationships with stakeholders and providing them with timely information about the progress of the program, said Fellenz, Alice has been an integral part of this effort for the past few years, building strong relationships with the small business community and public at large. Im very excited to have her continue with us in this new role.
MOSCOW, September 11 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court has set review of a lower courts ruling to collect 2.1 million rubles ($35,500) from Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny and two other persons found guilty of embezzlement in Kirovles case, for September 14, the courts press-service told RAPSI on Monday.

On July 18, Moscows Nikulinsky District Court ordered Navalny, ex-director of Vyatka Timber Company Pyotr Ofitserov and Kirovles ex-CEO Vyacheslav Opalyov to pay 2.1 million rubles (about $35,500) to the Kirovles timber company.

The Kirovles company has filed a claim demanding to collect more than 16 million rubles in damages (about $270,400 at the current exchange rate) from the defendants. The court therefore granted the lawsuit in part.

On February 8, Navalny was convicted of organizing embezzlement of 16 million rubles at the Kirovles timber company for the second time and received a 5-year suspended sentence, while another defendant in the case, Pyotr Ofitserov, received a 4-year suspended sentence. Additionally, they were fined 500,000 rubles ($8,500) each.

According to investigators, while serving on a voluntary basis as an adviser to the Kirov Region governor Navalny organized the theft of over 10,000 cubic meters of timber from Kirovles company between May and September 2009.

Investigators claimed that Ofitserov, then Director of Vyatka Timber Company, and Kirovles CEO Opalyov were involved in the scheme. Proceedings against Opalyov were treated as a separated criminal case after he admitted his guilt.

Navalny was given a five-year suspended sentence for embezzlement at the Kirovles timber company in July 2013. Later, Moscow's Lyublinsky District Court increased a probation period for him to 5.5 years. Ofitserov received a four-year suspended sentence.

In February 2016, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) held that the applicants right to a fair trial had been violated and ordered Russian authorities to compensate Navalny with 48,000 of legal costs and Ofitserov with 22,000. Additionally, Russia was obliged by court to pay 8,000 euro each in damages.

In November 2016, the Supreme Court overturned sentences against Navalny and Ofitserov in Kirovles embezzlement case and sent it for retrial. The court delivered the ruling taking into consideration the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Ukrainian police launch case against Saakashvili over illegal border crossing

MOSCOW, September 11 (RAPSI)  A criminal case over illegal border crossing was opened in Ukraine after ex-Odessa governor Mikheil Saakashvili broke through the countrys border, the Ukrainian police reported Monday.

Eleven police officers were injured during the security operation near a border crossing checkpoint, the statement reads.

Under the law, Saakashvili could face up to 5 years in prison if convicted.

In July 2017, Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko stripped Saakashvili, who was appointed the Odessa region governor in May 2015, of his Ukrainian citizenship. However, Saakashvili said in August that he is going to come back to Ukraine from Poland on September 10, 2017.

In early September, Georgia asked Ukraine to arrest and extradite Saakashvili for the third time. Ukraines Deputy Justice Minister Sergey Petukhov confirmed that the request was received. Georgia has provided guarantees that the request is not politically motivated and Saakashvilis rights and freedoms would not be violated, the Ukrainian official added.

Earlier, Georgia sent the Ukrainian Prosecutor General two requests for the arrest and extradition of Saakashvili. Ukraine refused to extradite former President of Georgia because charges against him are politically motivated, the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's office said.
MOSCOW, September 11 (RAPSI)  The Supreme Courts Presidium will review sentence of Yaroslav Belousov, who was convicted of participation in Moscow's 2012 Bolotnaya riots, on October 4, his attorney Dmitry Agranovsky told RAPSI on Monday.

According to the lawyer, a petition to review the case was lodged based on the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

In March, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights dismissed an application filed by Russia seeking to review the case of Belousov. Therefore, the ECHR ruling on two Belousovs complaints has taken effect.

Belousov has a right to seek for vacation of his judgment in Russias Supreme Court, Agranovsky told RAPSI earlier.

In October 2016, ECHR awarded 12,500 in compensation to Belousov. The court held that four articles of the European Convention on Human Rights including Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment), Article 5 (right to liberty and security), Article 6 (right to a fair trial), Article 11 (freedom of assembly and association), had been violated by Russian authorities in his case.

Public protests erupted on Bolotnaya Square in May 2012. The rally culminated in clashes between protesters and the police. Over 400 people were arrested and scores were injured when protesters briefly broke through police lines.

Belousov, a student of the Moscow State University, was arrested in June 2012, charged with participation in mass disorder and using violence against officials and put in detention. He claimed that mass disorder had not taken place, insisting that there had only been isolated clashes between protestors and police. He also maintained that the object he had thrown struck nobody.

Belousov spent over 20 months in pretrial detention. His motions to vary the preventive measure have been repeatedly dismissed by court.

In February 2014, Moscows Zamoskvoretsky District Court found Belousov guilty along with seven other opposition activists and sentenced him to 30 months in prison. Later, his prison term was reduced to 27 months. He was released on September 8, 2014.

In December 2012, Belousov lodged the first application with ECHR. The second complaint was brought into the court in September 2014.
Member of hacking group appeals prison sentence

MOSCOW, September 11 (RAPSI)  Member of hacking group Shaltai-Boltai, or Humpty Dumpty, Alexander Filinov, has appealed his three-year-long prison sentence, his lawyer Natalya Zemskova told RAPSI on Monday.

Earlier, the Moscow City Court sentenced Filinov and Konstantin Teplyakov to three years in a penal colony each. Both defendants were charged with getting illegal access to computer information in collusion or within an organized group. Although Teplyakov has pleaded guilty, Filinov denied his involvement in the crime.

On July 6, the Moscow City Court sentenced Vladimir Anikeyev, the leader of Shaltai-Boltai, to 2 years in prison, although prosecution sought 2.5 years behind bars for him. Anikeyev has pleaded guilty to the charges.

Anikeyev was found guilty of getting illegal access to computer information in collusion.

According to investigators, from 2013 to 2016, Anikeyev and his accomplices hacked computers, cellphones and tablet computers of Russian citizens and stole their data. In some cases, they offered the stolen information for sale on the Internet.
Property details:

BaldwinLake HOMESITE San Bernardino CountyNO MINIMUM / NO RESERVE --- HIGH BID OWNS THE LOT Nestled in the magnificent San Bernardino National Forest, surrounded by pine, cedar, and dogwood, at an area described as the "Alps of Southern California" and known as the best kept secret on the West Coast, is a stunningly beautiful, cozy and quaint mountain on a place called Baldwin Lake Vicinity. This lake is a natural, intermittent, alkali lake in the Big Bear Valley of the San Bernardino Mountains,...

Price: $ 1,888 State/Province: California Seller State of Residence: California Location: 928**, Orange, California

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby California
Property details:

Welcome to Southern California's Playground of the Rich and Famous Big Bear Lake NO MINIMUM / NO RESERVE HIGH BID OWNS LOT For almost one hundred years, the Big Bear Lake area has been the primary mountain resort in Southern California. The 782 acre Alpine Lake, nestled at an altitude of 5108', is often described as the jewel of Southern California. The fresh mountain air and four-season climate is unmatched in Southern California. Part of the San Bernadino National Forest, the lot for auction i...

Price: $ 1,200 Seller State of Residence: Florida Property Address: Avenue " H " State/Province: California Type: Homesite, Lot Zoning: Residential Location: , Big Bear Lake, California

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby Residential
Property details:

LAND FOR SALE IN LUCERNE, CALIFORNIA! Would you like to own property in Lake County California? Does residential land in Lucerne, CA interest you? Here is your opportunity to purchase 1 or 2 lots for a fraction of market value. The lots measure approximately 4,268 square feet and 5,190 square feet. The two properties sit near the plotted intersection of Baynham Rd. and Hampton Trl.. Known as the "Bass Capital of the West." Clear Lake supports large populations of bass, crappie, bluegill, carp an...

Price: $ 1,225 Seller State of Residence: Wisconsin State/Province: California Zip/Postal Code: 95458 City: Lucerne Zoning: Residential Property Address: 5755 Hampton Trl. Type: Homesite, Lot Location: 532**, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

You will be redirected to eBay



Nearby Homesite, Lot
Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale

Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada.

Search Real Estate
,



We're sorry, this article is not currently available
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/11/2017



ADVERTISEMENT

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.
Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
As Hurricane Irma begins to touch land in Florida, the University of Georgia and Athens-Clarke County are preparing for the effects of the storm to reach as far as Athens.
The corner of Washington Street in Downtown Athens was filled with people of all ages, some with pets, friends, family or significant other celebrating and showing their support for the LGBTQ community on Sunday, Sept. 10. The final event for Athens Pride Week culminated with a street festival with live music, food trucks and booths hosting advocacy organizations.

A three-day long event, from Sept. 7 to Sept. 10, featured activities such as yoga classes, health clinics and dance parties around Athens. Pride week is an annual event hosted by Athens PRIDE, an organization that seeks to promote community, fellowship and support for the LGBTQ community.

"Our PRIDE Week promotes self-affirmation, increases visibility, and builds community among LGBTQ individuals and allies in the greater Athens, GA area," explained the Athens PRIDE website.

Athens Pride was so beautiful. #onassignment for @ugaredandblack A post shared by Jane Snyder (@janemsnyder) on Sep 10, 2017 at 8:45pm PDT

At the event was a live DJ spinning tunes with people showing their Pride through rainbow flags, T-shirts supporting the LGBTQ community, kids running around with colorful streamers and more. The festival had multiple vendors catering to the event goers and showing their support, many of them were local businesses. One local business was M3Yoga, a new yoga studio that was opened about three months ago by Matt Chambers and partner, Nick Combs.

We had rainbow yoga at our studio as a part of the Athens Pride Week, said Chambers. Both of those raised over four hundred dollars for Athens PRIDE.

At the event, they were there to show their support and we're also giving out a free month of yoga towards one lucky person who signed their email up at the table. Another local business out supporting Athens Pride Week was Avid Bookstore. At their booth, they were selling books for five dollars or less with all profits going to benefit Athens PRIDE.

Even our four legged friends are showing their #pride! Just 45 minutes until the big drag show - Divas Under the Lights!! A post shared by AthensPRIDE (@athensgapride) on Sep 10, 2017 at 3:14pm PDT

Recently I started a program called #AvidGivesBack, so all of these books you see are slightly damaged so we legally cannot sell them in the shop for a profit, said Rachel Kaplan, the events director for Avid Bookshop. So we take these books into the community and do really cheap book sales and we give away all the proceeds to an organization. So today were are benefiting Athens PRIDE.

Along with local businesses, there were organizations that were there to promote LGBTQ and minority rights was the Atlanta chapter of the Human Rights Campaign came out to show support. At their booth, they were giving out bumper stickers with their symbol on it to allow others to show their support.

We have memberships that we are signing people up to be a Human Rights Campaign member and we have our bumper sticker campaign so a lot of people are walking away with free bumper stickers with the equality sign on them, said Laura Heinemann of HRC Atlanta. But its a great way to reach out to people that arent familiar with our organization.

There's still time to get down to #athensgapride for DIVAS UNDER THE LIGHTS! #athensga A post shared by AthensPRIDE (@athensgapride) on Sep 10, 2017 at 4:31pm PDT

Another booth was an organization run by young supporters of the pride community. Tenacity Murdie was there to represent her organization titled Athens Youth Pride, an organization Committed to supporting youth, in middle-school and high-school, in the greater Athens area who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, according to the Athens PRIDE website.

Even politicians came out to show their support for the event. Deborah Gonzalez, an Athens area attorney who is running for the Georgia House from District 117 came out to show that her campaign supports the LGBTQ community. Gonzalez, a Democrat, is running to fill Republican Regina Quicks seat in the November special election after Quicks appointment to the state Superior Court as the judge of the Western Judicial Circuit by Gov. Deal.

We believe that LGBTQ should have the same access as everybody else and should not be discriminated against, said Gonzalez. And so we are firm believers of... same sex couples adopting children, we were against the religious freedom act so I look forward as a representative to doing my best to stop this type of legislation.

Pride 2017 Deborah Gonzalez, running for Georgia House from District 117, shows her support for the LGBTQ community on Sunday, Sept. 10.

There were many University of Georgia students such as Gaby Bierre and AJ Askew showing their support of the LGBTQ community as well as partaking in the event.

"We came out to show that we are allies and are just having a great time hanging out, said Bierre.

The crowd had young local high schoolers, toddlers and even pets such as Jennifer Shoe whose beautiful Siberian Husky mix was getting a ton of attention from the crowd.

I am dating a transgender man so that's the main reason I am here showing support, said Shoe. And all the puppies and more puppies is just a huge plus.

Correction: In a previous version of this article Tenacity Murdie's name was misspelled. This has since been corrected. The Red & Black regrets this error.
This is the first big move in the investigation of the British Virgin Islands list where the I-T department has found a significant amount of tax evasion.

Shrimi Choudhary reports.

The income-tax department has established charges against five persons with unaccounted foreign assets of Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion) in the British Virgin Islands, a Caribbean tax haven. Investigations are on in more cases.

According to sources in the tax department, these persons are from the gold and diamond export business, and have strong business operations in India as well.

The total undisclosed foreign asset held by them was worth Rs 5,000 crore.

These are among the 612 Indian residents named in the list exposed by The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in 2013.

The consortium released information about thousands of secret companies, trusts and funds in offshore hideaways.

According to tax officials, these are 'established' cases where they had made offshore investments and secret financial transactions, but it did not reflect in their tax statements.

These people are accused of holding shares/assets in undisclosed British Virgin Islands companies.

This is the first big move in the investigation in the British Virgin Islands list where the I-T department has found a significant amount of tax evasion by not disclosing their foreign assets.

"We have got material from various sources and tallied it with the profile of the persons and their disclosed assets in India and abroad. The documents we are in possession with proved the existence of significant unaccounted foreign money," said a senior I-T official.

So far, the tax department has conducted its preliminary enquiry into 292 entities, which are incorporated in Mumbai.

Of these, 151 cases were actionable and are still under investigation.

According to sources, prosecution has been initiated in 15 cases and five of these will be heard in the Mumbai special court.

Other than this, the investigation wing of the tax department has sent 19 cases to the assessment wing.

The 19 account for Rs 3,117 crore (Rs 31.17 billion) of undisclosed foreign money.

Apart from this, searches have been conducted on at least seven renowned Mumbai-based individuals.

The search operations had seen several foreign bank accounts which were apparently undisclosed.

In the case of a diamond jewellery exporter, a foreign currency credit transaction of Rs 2,150 crore (Rs 21.50 billion) was detected.

In another case, the assessee was found to be the beneficial owner and held account in UBS AG Singapore.

"Some of the payments from this account were traced to bank accounts of his concerns in India," said the official cited above.

The databases released by the ICIJ were parts of two larger databases that had been fed for nearly 30 years by two companies: Singapore-based Portcullis TrustNet, and Commonwealth Trust, based in the British Virgin Islands.

Both firms specialise in setting up offshore financial structures. They have helped tens of thousands of people create offshore companies and trusts, as well as hard-to-trace bank accounts.

Most of them in the British Virgin Islands list have signed documents and interacted with the Singapore service provider in the course of incorporating companies in the tax haven, explained official.

Soon after media reports on the British Virgin Islands companies, the Singapore firm which handled the deals had filed a complaint in August 2013 with the British Virgin Islands police about data theft.

In the British Virgin Islands, business companies need to have at least one director, either a private individual or a corporate entity, which may be resident of the British Virgin Islands or any other jurisdiction.

If the director is not a resident in the British Virgin Islands, the authorities may not be in a position to provide information of the director, the official said.

In such a situation field authorities of the I-T department need to make separate exchange of information request to the country where the director is a resident.

The counterparty tax authority cannot intimate the taxpayer as the latter may file an appeal against the supply of information.

Panama investigation hits a wall

Meanwhile, income tax officials are unable to make a breakthrough in the 'Panama Papers leaks' case due to lack of information exchange from Panama's competent authority.

Tax officials raised the concern in a meeting held by the Central Board of Direct Taxes on Friday, September 8.

The meeting was called to take stock of the offshore matter and related investigations and also on Operation Clean Money.

On the Panama investigation, officials said that the information provided by the foreign authority were basic in nature and were insufficient to trace and prove the case.

The foreign authority has responded to Indian tax authorities that the offshore entities have been struck off and the legal periods of retention of documents has expired.

The Panama authority said they were not in a position to retrieve and hence they could bot provide further details of the persons.

A senior I-T official had visited Panama last week seeking support and coordination, but it was not a successful trip, said a source with direct knowledge.

The Panama papers contain an unprecedented amount of information, including more than 11 million documents covering 2,10,000 companies in 21 offshore jurisdictions.

Each transaction spans different jurisdictions and involved multiple entities and individuals.
Sabarmati railway station is the venue for the ground-breaking ceremony, be chaired by Modi and Abe, of the Rs 98,000-crore Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed rail project.

Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state, is decking up to host Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.

Ahmedabads potholed roads are getting a quick makeover while the states bureaucrats are having new visiting cards printed in Japanese.

The grand plans are being seen reciprocation of the hospitality the Japanese PM extended to his Indian counterpart in November 2016.

Abe, who lands in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, will be treated to authentic Japanese and Gujarati food, though a tete-a-tete a la the Indian PM and Chinese President Xi Jinping, might not take place, according to government sources.

The Sabarmati railway station has also undergone a facelift.

It is the venue for the ground-breaking ceremony of the Rs 98,000-crore (Rs 980 billion) Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed rail project - popularly known as the bullet train - which will be chaired by Modi and Abe.

As Japan's share in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow to Gujarat is on the upswing, the state is pulling out all stops to make the two-day visit of the Japanese PM (and Modis friend) a memorable affair.

This would be one of the rare occasions when a head of government is skipping New Delhi during a bilateral visit.

Senior government officials said Japans importance as a strategic economic partner of Gujarat was increasing day by day.

In fact, Japan has led FDI growth in Gujarat in recent years. FDI inflows to the state rose from $2.24 billion in FY16 to $3.36 billion in FY17, up 50 per cent.

The growth is almost four times when compared to the 2013-14 levels.



Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in front of a Shinkansen bullet train. Photograph: Kyodo/via Reuters

Suzukis Rs 3,000-crore (Rs 30 billion) investment along with Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India's Rs 1,100 crore (Rs 10 billion) are some of the big-ticket Japanese investments in the state recently.

Japan's investment in the state is pegged at around $1 billion so far, and slated to double in the next three years or so.

It is in this backdrop that Abe and Modi would be breaking ground for the bullet train project as well as signing memoranda of understanding (MoUs) for a second Japanese industrial park at Sanand; there is one at Mandal (near Suzuki Motor Gujarat's plant).

The parks are expected to draw investment worth Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion).

Besides, Japan was one of the few countries which came out in India's support during the Doklam stand-off with China.

The plan is to make this visit special and memorable for the Japanese PM.

We want to showcase a slice of India during his visit.

This would start right from his journey from the airport, when people would stand on either sides of the road welcoming him. Live cultural performances would be dotted across this road trip, said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

Abe would be treated to Indian cuisine as Modi plans to host him for a dinner at a heritage hotel in old Ahmedabad.

Senior state bureaucrats who had recently visited Japan were particularly moved by their hospitality. Besides Indian food, they were treated to mangoes brought in from Gujarat.

Ahmedabads rising Japanese connection has spawned around eight restaurants which serve Japanese food in and around the city.

JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) is opening a major office in the city which would be on a par with their office in New Delhi to facilitate the projects here, an official said.
Mumbai last week. Toronto Friday and Saturday. Amman Sunday.

Doesn't she ever feel tired?

Last week, she called on Dilip Kumar in Mumbai, then posted a picture hanging out with friends on the city's Marine Drive.

Next we heard she was wowing audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival where she was a special guest at a TIFF soiree, and then at the premiere of her Sikkimese film Pahuna.

Soon after TIFF, Priyanka flew to Amman, Jordan.

As a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, she is part of UNICEF's initiative to educate Syrian children in Jordan who have sought refuge from the horrific civil war in their country.

Some folks India side though complained about Priyanka's Amman journey.

She must be used to this now given that she is trolled for all sorts of things (remember how they had a peeve about PeeCee wearing a skirt when she met NaMo in Berlin?)

When Ravindra Gautam posted 'I would request @priyankachopra that do visit rural areas of India where malnourished kids waiting for food. #MissionForChildren', Priyanka struck back sternly, saying, 'Ive worked w/ @UNICEFIndia for 12 yrs&visited many such places. What have u done @RavindraGautam_ ?Y is 1 childs prob less imp than another?'

Check out pictures from Priyanka's visit to Jordan:

Priyanka Chopra's journey to Jordan began thus: 'Let's take this trip together... let's open our eyes and our hearts to the #ChildrenUprooted in the Syrian Refugee crisis. This will be our #MissionForChildren.'

'Let's show them that the world cares and help them find a way forward.. come along with me.. I'll update as much as I can and in as much detail as I can...'

Priyanka promises to help the children of Syria 'With everything that's happening in the world around us, it's important to look forward with hope and love.... that's what I've brought with me to #Jordan along with the resolve to help us understand these amazing survivors and how we can all do our part to help them. Keep u posted'.

Priyanka's message to the Syrian children: 'Beautiful #Jordan a host country to millions of refugees.. let's open our hearts and figure out how we can help .. will keep you posted as i meet these incredible survivors'.

Priyanka met kids at their school: 'A class full of future doctors, engineers, police officers, teachers. What breaks my heart is they can't even access proper schools as refugee kids... how will they access higher education?? These hopes and dreams.. where do they stand in the reality of their world?'

'The government schools in Jordan have added evening classes and 200 schools to accommodate the growing number of Syrian children which is approximately 120000 children..But it's never enough. The world needs to help. We need to help. PLS GO TO www.unicef.org and DONATE whatever you can... let's make this a collective'.

Priyanka shared a story: 'This is Ammar(5), Ayat(8), Sulaiman (5 months) Wardshan (9) and they have an elder brother Saleh (10) who works at a grocery store to help supplement the family income, for only 2 Jordanian Dinar (that's less than $3 USD).'

'Their father is a day laborer. Sulaiman needs a 2nd surgery because he has a clot in his nose. The family moved from Syria to Jordan 5 years ago.'

'When I asked their mother what would be her wish...considering the war hasn't ended, she said "if we can't go home all I want is for my kids to get an education so they can fend for themselves when they are older and help rebuild Syria. We are blessed, we have enough to survive...others have much less."'

'They didn't even have furniture in their home. The largesse of heart and compassion she had through her tears moved me to pieces. PLS GO TO www.unicef.org and DONATE whatever you can... let's make this a collective'.

Photographs: Kind courtesy Priyanka Chopra/Twitter
Nirmala Sitharaman has a God given opportunity to orchestrate a transformation in India's defence capabilities.

One hopes she has her own counsel and does not overly let the PMO run her ship, says Group Captain Murli Menon (retd).

Having an otherwise uninitiated, but statedly beyond reproach integrity-wise, female Raksha Mantri could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the armed forces provided, of course, Nirmala Sitharaman has her own counsel and does not overly let the PMO run her ship.

The lack of a full time RM had been badly felt, especially during the recent travails of the Chinese standoff and border tensions with Pakistan.

Any country, more so one the size of India, with its many faceted threat perceptions does not have the luxury of not having a regular incumbent at the helm of its defence affairs.

So it is as good a time as any to look askance at what ought to be the immediate priorities for the new RM.

The first that comes to mind is to temper and objectivise the long pervading bad blood between the bureaucracy and the military.

A no nonsense RM should be able to send the appropriate signals to her minions as to how her ministry needs to be run to achieve national interests and not parochial ones of either the bureaucracy or any particular service.

Inter-service rivalry needs to be moderated by the RM (at times this has been fanned by vested interests in the defence ministry) and a long term track for perspective plans drawn up in all fields of military endeavour -- from acquisitions to training to HR to welfare.

It is indeed unthinkable that an experienced and versatile armed forces such as ours has still not put in place a periodic operational review (such as the well known QDR in the USA) to bring out possible flaws in cadre management, organisation and other matters military.

The ongoing restructuring in the army as mentioned in the media, of trimming the flab such as postal services, military farms and the like, would be part of such a periodic exercise.

Never having done the exercise before, even a decade-wise review may be sufficient in our context, rather than the four yearly one undertaken by the Americans.

Such a periodic review at the highest level of government would help maintain the teeth-to-tail ratio and improve overall fighting efficiency.

Any new incumbent to the defence portfolio is bound to be given a series of presentations by the service chiefs, defence secretary, DRDO chief and others. Ms Sitharaman would do well to update herself on the threat perceptions on land, sea, air and space (and cyber domain I dare say!) to know what is it that the constituents of her ministry train to hone their skills at.

She must thereafter ensure that her RM's operational directive is effectively crafted to counter these threats.

The RM's job is to task the army, navy and the air force appropriately and it is, of course, the job of the service chiefs to get it done, come war.

There can be no doubt in any one's mind that a military is essentially meant for war... to protect the nation's sovereignty in all spheres.

Especially in the newfangled domains such as space and cyber/info warfare out of the box thinking needs to be encouraged to stay up to date globally.

A strong handicap for our defence forces has been the lack of a Chief of Defence Staff. Political ambivalence and service rivalries precluded the CDS becoming a reality hitherto.

Finally, we seem close to political acceptance of a four star CDS. Ms Sitharaman needs to push this for quick implementation so that her government can indeed get a single point professional advice on military matters.

An integrated defence ministry with civilians and uniformed personnel working side by side should be the ultimate objective.

Once she has her ideas clear on what makes her ministry tick, the new RM needs to address issues plaguing defence acquisitions.

The ill effects of Bofors, Augusta and other PR fiascos such as Sukhna/Adarsh scams need to be addressed squarely but not with paranoia.

The new RM would do well to learn from the mistakes of some of her predecessors, especially the one in the last government who had a spotless reputation, but things did not get done.

One recalls an episode not too long ago when George Fernandes was the RM. A capable and honest bureaucrat wished to opt out of his assignment to the ministry because he was apprehensive about his decisions in the ministry leading to some character assassination issues.

George Fernandes apparently advised the IAS officer to focus on the job at hand and the fact that he had been chosen exactly on that account as his track record showed that he could deliver defence management as he was expected to.

So the culture should be to run a clean ship without fear or favour. Matters, especially those to do with defence, do not lend themselves to delays or unthoughtful decisions.

Another priority for the RM is to enforce accountability at all levels of her ministry.

Whenever there is a proven professional weakness exhibited by any level of military leadership, punitive and corrective measures should be taken promptly.

There has been a tendency in the past to hide operational weaknesses, be it in Kargil or elsewhere. The RM has to ensure that the highest standards of military leadership exists in all arms of the armed forces.

Besides, rank weaknesses in leadership, security breaches in the sensitive ministry also need to be countered.

Performance audit and use of technology should be adopted to ensure that there is no breach in security across the board and especially in defence acquisitions.

Over the years it was a given that big ticket defence deals came with kickbacks to individuals and the coffers of the ruling party. This culture has to be changed through increased transparency and stringent punitive measures against defaulters.

Another important matter on the new RM's agenda would be induction of women into combat roles in the military. With a woman as the defence minister now one should expect to see some real progress here.

Recently the Royal Air Force opened up its combat arms to women. India has little choice in this matter and it would be difficult to keep women out of combat, both on account of equality considerations accepted worldwide and the dire shortages in officer manning in the three services.

Perhaps short service options for women could be retained for those who wish to opt for it. But no able woman aspirant should be kept away from combat duties in the army, navy, air force or the coast guard.

Our ordnance factories need a serious review on their efficiency indices and contribution in real terms to the nation's war effort.

In this context the RM needs to put in place a national military strategy.

This is the starting point for our national security doctrine, single service and joint doctrines as also finding expression through the RM's Op Directive to the service chiefs.

There is also a crying need to rationalise and review the Manual of Aid to Civil Authority which is currently archaic.

The home ministry has numerous forces under its writ to quell routine public disorder and manage disasters, the armed forces should only be called in dire situations and their services need to be paid for by the government -- state or central.

In this regard, a related issue is the dress/accoutrements used by the fighting arms. It is understood that in the recent Jat agitation, the army had to identify themselves using placards, as several central paramilitary forces were wearing similar combat fatigues!

No central paramilitary force should be allowed to use army pattern fatigues. Perhaps a lesson from good neighbour Sam is in order... the Pakistan army does not allow any other outfit to wear khakhi, including the Pakistan Rangers!

A last aspect that comes to mind as to feature on the new RM's immediate agenda is the performance and accountability of the DRDO.

For far too long the defence forces have been kept as captive customers for substandard products of our public sector defence industry.

Now with private players like Mahindra and Reliance increasingly entering the arena of defence production (see the Lockheed tie-up with Tatas for the F16 offer to India) the DRDO needs to be charged with competitiveness and innovative zeal to come up to world standards in cutting edge technologies rather than spending tax monies on mundane hardware such as INSAS rifles being churned out by the ordnance factories, or operationally unviable efforts such as the Arjun MBT or the LCA.

Defence is no more a luxury for our country, but an absolute necessity not only to secure the nation's frontiers but also to contribute to its overall development.

Nirmala Sitharaman has a God given opportunity to orchestrate a transformation in India's defence capabilities including indigenous industry and the overall efficacy of the Indian military as a viable fighting entity.

IMAGE: India's first full-time woman Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman takes charge as a priest holds prayers on September 7, 2017. Her predecessor at the MoD Arun Jaitley was also present. Photograph: ANI
The Right to Privacy judgment reinstates the individual as VIP, says Mitali Saran.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

On Thursday, August 24, a nine-judge Supreme Court bench delivered a unanimous verdict upholding privacy as a Fundamental Right intrinsic to Article 21, the right to life and personal liberty.

You cannot possibly overstate the importance of this judgment. If you don't like detail, just eyeball its magnitude by counting the number of pages it took up in your Friday morning newspaper. I counted eight pages in mine.

Sounds nuts, right? It's 2017. Do you have the slightest doubt that privacy is fundamental to living your life in peace?

And yet, until now it has never been legally spelled out, even as privacy is being battered by governments and corporations who see leverage and money in ever more access to your personal life.

Hearing Justice K S Puttaswamy's petition for a Fundamental Right to Privacy was made urgent by another Supreme Court petition challenging the government's attempt to forcibly link PAN and Aadhaar numbers.

The petitioners argued that collecting, sharing, selling, or using biodata, mandatorily and without consent, violates bodily integrity, informational self-determination, and personal autonomy.

They were barred from arguing on grounds of privacy, because the government insisted that there is no such thing, and that the 9-judge bench hearing that matter should first come to a decision.

In fact the government took an obnoxious anti-people, anti-rights legal stand, arguing that the idea of privacy is bogus, that the Constitution deliberately left it out, that Indians don't need privacy because they tell their life stories within five minutes to strangers on a train, that the poor don't care about privacy and are too backward to deserve it, that it's an elitist concern, that it impedes transparency and social justice.

It argued that making privacy a Fundamental Right would open a flood of litigation.

Damn straight it will.

This judgment is, of course, a much-needed boost for those challenging Aadhaar while the government and its cheerleaders sing loud hosannas to an intrusive data raj in the name of prosperity and national security.

Keep your eye on those hearings, good people, if you oppose legal sanction for State surveillance and non-consensual data access.

But Justice K S Puttaswamy (Retd) vs Union of India is not a judgment so much as a legal earthquake.

It explicitly overturns the infamous 1976 ADM Jabalpur ruling which allowed Articles 20 and 21 to be suspended in a situation of Emergency. (Historical frisson: Justice Chandrachud fils overturned Justice Chandrachud <en<pere).

It places sexual orientation in the realm of privacy, eloquently shredding the illiberal reasoning in the Koushal vs Naz Foundation ruling which junked LGBTQ rights.

It is now probable that LGBTQ Indians will win an absolutely foundational victory.

The judgment touches on many things that liberal-minded Indians have been growling aboutwhat we eat and wear, who we love, what we say to whom, what we are forced to do in schools.

I'm not a lawyer, but it seems to support challenges to such momentous things as the beef ban, and those who would impose social vetoes on food or thought and expression, and would force religious compliance, social homogeneity, and brute nationalism.

It is, in sum, a clear, elegant, and rousing reaffirmation of India's best liberal, rights-based, pluralist, Constitutional values.

It comprehensively rejects majoritarianism, restrains the State from overreach and impunity, and reinstates the individual as the autonomous building block of national life, with a 'right to be let alone'.

The judgment dropped on India like one of those faraway mega-tonne bombs that isn't heard so much as felt as a blast wave.

It isn't yet law; it merely sets the ground for law that the government must now pass. Its contours will continue to evolve on a case-by-case basis.

Like all Fundamental Rights, it is subject to reasonable restrictions, which will be much debated.

But for hundreds of millions of Indians, Thursday August 24 was a great day.

Days like this are rare at a time when justice can be so perverted that a State prepares for shutdown and puts the army on standby in the face of bullying threats because an alleged rapist might be pronounced guilty.

It was a day when Twitter felt like a warm bath of endorphins, and right wing trolls were too flattened to fling faeces.

The government did made a contemptible spectacle of itself, trying to claim credit for what it brazenly opposed, but that's all right, we all needed a good laugh.

The euphoria that this judgment produced, the goosebumps and lightness, is how citizens want to feel -- validated, free, joyous, and hopeful about India.

And it proved the power of a single person with initiative.

I'd like to envelop 91-year-old Justice K S Puttaswamy (retd) in my arms, and give him the hug of his life.
'Nobody is killing you in Kerala because you are Hindu unlike in North India where Muslims have been killed only because they are Muslims and were carrying some meat.'

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

Novelist K P Ramanunni has been threatened with the amputation of his hand and leg if he did not convert to Islam in six months for his writings in the Malayalam newspaper Madhyamam.

On an evening last week, I am on my way to meet him in Kozhikode. It is getting dark and he has spent the last 45 minutes speaking in Malayalam to an assortment of strangers on my phone who then keep directing me to his home.

A shopkeeper helpfully writes the address down in Malayalam so that it can be shown to others ahead to guide me.

With the help of strangers and a khichdi of languages, I arrive at his home nearly 45 minutes late.

The recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award, K P Ramanunni was threatened with amputation for a series of articles in Madhyamam.

In the articles, he articulated Kerala's tradition of Hindu-Muslim amity and the need for its preservation.

The postman delivered the letter towards the end of July. It was received by his wife.

"Do you have any security for your protection?" I ask tentatively, sitting in his front room, with several awards and photographs of felicitations.

He smiles, almost apologetically, and says the police has provided him with a security personnel, present on the porch outside.

"I have requested them to withdraw it, but they are hesitant," he smiles, this conversation taking place four nights before Gauri Lankesh was murdered in Bengaluru.

He sat over the threatening letter for six days and only approached the authorities after seeing his wife's anxiety.

He has received letters of abuse in the past, but none threatening brutal bodily harm as the latest one.

His stand for Hindu-Muslim communal harmony has been a constant irritant for extremists on both sides of the ideological divide.

A couple of days before Kerala's biggest festival, Onam, the writer spoke to Rediff.com's Archana Masih about Kerala's unique culture of religious harmony and remained hopeful that the memory of that fine tradition would not let communalism spread in God's Own Country.

You got a letter threatening you that your hand and leg would be cut off if you did not convert to Islam for advocating Hindu-Muslim amity. What was the content of your article?

My article in Malayalam -- 'A heartfelt appeal to Hindus and Muslims' -- appeared in the Madhyamam newspaper.

It was serialised for six days on the edit page.

In that long article, I was trying to establish that there is no point in considering Hindu and Muslims hostile.

It does not have any historical background or philosophical support.

Our history is that Hindus and Muslims lived here together.

When the Mughals came they became Indians. They accepted many things from the culture here.

The Mughals had ministers who were Hindu. Hindu kings had Muslim gurus.

In the Bhakti movement, sufis and sadhus were together.

Kabir was loved by both Hindus and Muslims. Hindus wanted to cremate his body and Muslims wanted to bury him.

A cloth was put on his body and when it was lifted, his body had turned into flowers.

This is the symbolic representation of the relationship between Hindus and Muslims in India.

Our Upanishads were translated by Dara Shikoh, a Mughal prince.

Thousand years of Hindu-Muslim amity was destroyed by colonial forces.

The British for their existence made Hindus and Muslims enemies of each other.

Shashi Tharoor, in his book Era of Darkness, writes how 200 years of colonialism bankrupted and communally divided our country.

In the first Independence struggle the British were threatened because Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs were together.

They thought this was very dangerous. They made this devious plan to divide Hindus and Muslims and they were successful.

Now these people who talk about Bharatiyata are imitating colonial ideology.

Hindutva people are propagating the same ideology as the British.

What claim do they have to represent India?

IMAGE: Bystanders admire an Onam Pookalam or traditional flower motif under a flyover in Kozhikode, Kerala. Photograph: Archana Masih/Rediff.com

What are Hindu-Muslim relations in Kerala like today?

Kerala is called God's Own Country for a reason. This is not just tourism department propaganda, there is meaning in that description.

It has been seen from early human history that migration leads to a clash between migrants and local inhabitants.

It is natural because limited resources like soil and water have to be shared with the new settlers.

But in the history of Kerala -- and we can call this God's blessing -- this clash did not happen. The geography of the state also helped in this.

Even before Buddha's time, more than 3,000 years ago, North Indian Brahmins came through the Arabian Sea to Kerala.

The Dravidians were astonished to see these strange people, but they did not object.

They made room for them because of the geography of the region -- its fertile land.

Even now you can see that despite all this construction, Kerala still has its greenery.

The locals and migrants became friends.

Ours is a unique history and nowhere in world history do we get to see this phenomenon.

Even the British were astonished to hear about this history.

Buddhists, Jains, Muslims, Christians -- they all came to Kerala, but there was no conflict.

The locals accepted them and learnt from them. The migrants adapted the local cultural ethos.

The Christians made their first church in Kerala. With the faith of Christianity they adopted some local customs.

When the Portuguese came they encountered a different kind of Christians here with different kinds of customs.

Even in the time of Prophet Mohammed, Malik Deenar (one of the first Muslim preachers to come to India) came to Kerala and Cheraman Perumal (the king of the Chera dysnasty) went to visit him and converted.

Malik Deenar came with 11 Muslims and our Hindu maharajas were very happy to receive them.

We gave them land, property, women to marry. That was a peculiar type of relationship and you can't imagine that relationship.

It was not a relationship of resistance and conflict.

With the coming of Islam, Muslims accepted out matriarchal system.

Local traditions of jaram, dargah were mixed with Hindu customs.

According to the Holy Quran, local customs can be accepted as given by God, so Islam's basic principle is not against plurality.

Dominique Sila Khan, a Jew married to a Sufi Muslim in Jaipur, lived in Kerala till her death last year. In her book Sacred Kerala, she writes about the shared spaces by religion in Kerala.

In my home district of Malappuram, whenever a festival is going on in a Hindu temple, permission should be granted from a Muslim family. That tradition exists in some temples.

The thangal (Muslim cleric) also participates in the ceremonies.

That is the history of religious harmony in Kerala for thousands of years which is now changing.

How is it changing?

It is an all-India spectrum and people are trying to create that divide in Kerala with political motives.

But even then, communalism has not spread in Kerala because we have the memory of this fine tradition.

The Sangh Parivar and communal elements are trying to spread poison.

The Salafi movement of Muslims is trying to do the same. They are trying to do a mechanical interpretation of the Holy Quran.

They are trying to discard the local culture. That is also encouraging some division between the two communities.

IMAGE: K P Ramanunni has written four novels and several short stories.

The Kerala government is facing heat from the BJP over the killings of RSS workers.

In Kerala's history, there are political problems.

There has been a fight between the CPI-M and RSS for decades.

If you look at the facts, the majority killed are from the CPI-M.

But the RSS is doing propaganda that only RSS people are being killed.

This is not a communal fight, it is a political fight.

Nobody is killing you because you are Hindu unlike in North India where Muslims have been killed only because they are Muslims and were carrying some meat.

This cannot happen in Kerala.

In Kerala we are proud to say that this is the only suitable place to live in India.

There have been serious concerns that 'Love Jihad' has resulted in young Hindu women converting to Islam.

The NIA is investigating the Hadiya case in this context.

What do you think of 'Love Jihad'?

There were so many inquiries into this. The (Kerala police's) crime branch found that there was no such phenomenon.

Yes, there have been love affairs. When the man is Muslim, the girl sometimes converts to Islam.

Muslims girls are also getting converted to Hinduism when they are in love with Hindu men.

There are some fringe elements like the ISIS type of people -- 100 to 150 -- who want to radicalise youth and invite them to Syria.

They are trying to recruit people and maybe trying to approach the girls. But there is no proof of that yet.

IMAGE: Advertisments with the latest burqa designs can be seen in several places in Kozhikode. Photograph: Archana Masih/Rediff.com

Kerala Muslims are much better off economically, socially and educationally than Muslims in North India. Why should they be drawn to ISIS?

In Kerala, we are always keeping our eyes and ears open to the outside world.

Here there is communal harmony, but people are very bothered that north Indian Muslims are being penalised.

Everybody is bothered -- Hindus also. Muslims feel that Muslims are being penalised.

Educated Muslims think we are a little better in Kerala, but Muslims are suffering in other parts.

There is also the Gulf influence, the Salafi-Wahhabi thinking.

In Kerala, we take out so many protests for the Palestine issue. We identify with all these people.

Protests are held for the Palestine cause in Kerala?

I have also participated. A Palestinian woman writer came here recently. Two novels have come out in Kerala on the Palestine issue.

People are very aware and identify with people outside. That empathy is there.

There have been cases where Muslim youth from Kerala have gone to fight for ISIS.

A man from Kerala who joined ISIS is said to have died in a drone attack.

Is its ideology attracting Muslim youth?

The Muslim League party is not communal in Kerala.

When the Babri Masjid was demolished, anything could have happened in Kerala, but the thangal decided that there should not be any problem.

Some radicals in Muslim groups think the Muslim League is not giving justice to Muslims, is too soft, does not even protest.

So these people with radical Salafi thinking try to oppose the Muslim League.

Attempts are made to radicalise, but even then, in spite of these efforts the major Muslim groups of Kerala are not radicalised.

The Jamaat-e-Islami is against ISIS, the Muslim League is against ISIS.

The Sunnis are very against this ISIS kind of radical thinking.

The Jamaat has put up big boards that ISIS is not Islam.

Radicalisation is very less in Kerala, but going to Syria makes news, more so if one boy has also died. You can find 100, 120 people in that group.

IMAGE: A CPI-M flag flutters on top of a tree on Kappad beach where Vasco da Gama landed in India. Photograph: Archana Masih/Rediff.com

Kerala is one of the last bastions of Communists in India.

Can the Communists withstand the BJP onslaught which is winning state after state?

In my article I have written how these forces developed. We have forgotten Gandhi. He had taken the correct political step. He was revolutionising the Hindu.

He was not allowing Hindus to be trapped by the forces of Hindutva.

Nehru also did many mistakes.

He did not take our culture as being important and allowed it to be hijacked by the Hindutva brigade.

That is why the Hindu Mahasabha hijacked cultural nationalism.

If Gandhi's path was followed, the Hindu religion would be revolutionised and democratised.

My contention is that if the Babri Masjid problem had happened in Gandhi's time, he would have solved it amicably.

But what Nehru did... and we can't accuse him because he thought within 50 years there would no religion because that was the modern way of thinking.

He did the symbolic thing. He locked up the Babri Masjid. He turned his back on that concept of religion, culture.

Gandhi would not have neglected it. Hence, it has brewed and become like a cancer.

What we have left now is a dirty representation of Hindutva.

This hatred for Muslims is ruining Hindus more. Hindutva people are ruining the Hindus more.

The real self is getting distorted.

I am a practising Hindu. I go to the temple. I am also a bit Muslim because I am a real Hindu.

Islam is misrepresented by Western people. (Historian Arnold) Toynbee, the great thinker, said Islam is one of the best religions, but with the worst followers.

The basic tenets of Islam are very good.

The Communists have made many mistakes. What are some of their biggest mistakes?

In Russia, during the revolution, Lenin said Russia is a great country when it wasn't!

But for the (Russian) revolution, they wanted to uphold the tradition.

But in India, no Communist ever had the slogan that India is a great country (laughs).

The Communist ideology has to have a new Left way of thinking.

They are actually against mainstream Western modernity -- that mechanical way of interpreting materialism. Giving more importance to material things than the world of imagination.

The world of imagination is also a material force.

I am living in my world of imagination. 90% of human beings are living in their imaginative world.

Western materialism did not take care of those aspects -- that influence has ruined Communist thinking also.

What happened in Russia and China is because of the material way of thinking.

Aren't the Communists disconnected with the India of today?

They have been disconnected for many years.

They didn't go for the culture of India. They did not address the root of the caste system.

If they have to come back, they have to address India's culture and be relevant again.

Only then can they have some influence.

Do you see a time when the BJP will gain power in Kerala?

It is very difficult for the BJP to come to power in Kerala.

They are causing worrying divisions. They are making the 'other' hell.

The other community is hell.

The other language is hell.

The neighbour is hell.

This mentality is very good for fascist type of people. They are trying their best.

It is very difficult for the BJP to win over the people of Kerala.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman dismissed as factually wrong a Comptroller and Auditor Generals report which had stated that the defence forces had ammunition that could last for 20 days in the event of a war, and asserted there was no dearth of weapons with the defence forces.

Facts were wrong and it was unnecessary to debate on the issue, she told reporters.

After taking the charge of defence ministry, I have discussed the issue with senior officers and experts. Purchasing weapons is a continuous process, she said.

The CAG, in its report tabled in Parliament recently, had stated that the defence forces had ammunition that could last for 20 days in the event of a war, instead of the minimum requirement of 40 days.

It criticised the state-run Ordnance Factory Board for inadequate quantity of ammunition supplied to the army since March 2013.

Sitharamans predecessor in the defence ministry, Arun Jaitely told Parliament that the findings of the CAG report, which had talked about the shortage of ammunition, related to a particular point of time.

Thereafter significant process has been made. It is a continuous process. Therefore, nobody should have any doubt about the availability of equipment or the preparedness of our forces, he asserted.

Sitharaman, who was appointed the defence minister in the last Cabinet reshuffle, visited the Uttarlai Air Force base in Rajasthans Barmer area.

Image: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharam seated in a MiG-21 Bison aircraft during her visit to the Uttarlai Air Force base in Rajasthans Barmer area. Photograph: @IAF_MCC/Twitter
United Nations human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein on Monday flayed any attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar when the ethnic minority community is facing violence in their country.

Speaking at the opening of a Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Zeid also referred to the killing of activist-journalist Gauri Lankesh, observing that she "tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred."

India's Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on September 5 said Rohingyas were illegal immigrants and stand to be deported. He said nobody should preach New Delhi on the matter as India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world.

Some 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India, and 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation, the UN estimates.

"I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country," Zeid said.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights noted Rijiju had reportedly said that because India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention it "can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion."

"However, by virtue of customary law, its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the obligations of due process and the universal principle of non-refoulement, India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations," the UN human rights chief said.

The violence in Myanmar began in August when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Rakhine, killing 12 security personnel. The military said it responded to the attacks and denies it is targeting civilians.

More than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since then.

Touching upon cow vigilantism in India, Zeid said: "The current wave of violent, and often lethal, mob attacks against people under the pretext of protecting the lives of cows is alarming."

"People who speak out for fundamental human rights are also threatened," he said.

Lankesh was gunned down last week in Bengaluru. Unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen pumped bullets into 55-year-old Gauri as she left her car after reaching her home.

Zeid said he was "heartened by the subsequent marches calling for protection of the right to freedom of expression, and by demonstrations in 12 cities to protest the lynchings."

IMAGE: Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party activists show posters during a protest against the settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis in Jammu. Photograph: PTI Photo
In a first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe would take part in a roadshow in Ahmedabad in Gujarat on September 13 when the latter begins his visit.

The 8-km-long road show would start from the Ahmedabad airport and culminate at the Sabarmati Ashram, according to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Abe will arrive in Gandhinagar on Wednesday on a two-day India visit during which he and Modi will hold the 12th India-Japan annual summit.

"This is for the first time in the country when our prime minister along with the prime minister of another country is doing a joint road show. The Japanese PM is landing here directly on September 13. This makes the occasion more important, as he is visiting a state on the very first day of his India visit," Gujarat BJP unit president Jitubhai Vaghani told reporters on Monday.

He said both the leaders will be accorded a 'grand welcome' along the route of the road show.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's standing committee chairman Pravin Patel said a large number of people, including singing troupes who will be performing at 28 different locations along the route, will greet Modi and Abe.

"On the entire route of the the road show, which will also pass from Sabarmati Riverfront, we have erected 28 small stages where dancers from 28 different states, all dressed in their traditional attire, would showcase their performance when these leaders pass," said Patel.

After visiting the Sabarmati Ashram, where Mahatma Gandhi lived between 1917 and 1930, both the leaders would take a break till evening, said Patel.

"In the evening, both the PMs would visit the iconic Sidi Saiyyed Mosque in the eastern part of the city. The mosque is known across the world for the stone lattice work," he said, adding that both the leaders would be shown a presentation about the city's heritage on the occasion.

Modi and Abe would then have dinner at 'Agashiye' restaurant located near the mosque, Patel added.

On September 14, Abe and Modi will attend the ground breaking ceremony for the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project, commonly referred to as the Bullet Train project.

Later that day, both the premiers will hold the 12th India-Japan annual summit at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

Modi and Abe will look at ways to enhance 'multifaceted' relations between the two countries and carry forward their special strategic and global partnership when they meet for the annual Summit on Wednesday.

The summit takes place amid rising tension in the Far East after North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb, launched a ballistic missile over Japan, and the growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.

This will be the fourth annual summit between Modi and Abe.
Indian-Americans in Atlanta and Georgia pooled in their resources to help several million people from Florida who were affected by hurricane Irma that plummeted parts of the US coastal State with wind speed of more than 193 km per hour.

IMAGE: A local resident walks across a flooded street in downtown Miami as Hurricane Irma pummels the state. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

Hurricane Irma made landfall on Floridas southern islands on Sunday and claimed four lives as millions of people, including thousands of Indian-Americans, evacuated the state.

PHOTOS: Hurricane Irma leaves trail of destruction in Florida

About 120,000 Indian-Americans live in Florida, thousands of them residing in the now-dangerous zones of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and even Tampa, according to 2010 census.

While a large number of Indian-Americans stayed inside Florida, several thousands drove out of the state and reached out to their community members in nearby Atlanta.

Given that Florida has a significant Indian-American population and a favourite destination of Indian tourists because of Disneyland, the Indian ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, rushed his New York Consul General to Atlanta to oversee the relief operation and coordinate with the local community leaders.

Led by New York Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty, Atlanta consulate officials visited several evacuee shelters housing people mainly from Tampa, Florida to ascertain their welfare and wellbeing.

With the help of local residents, Sewa International has created a pool of houses where evacuees can stay till the time of improvement in situation in Florida.

In the forefront in assisting the people affected by hurricane Irma, American Telugu Association have made accommodation and food arrangements for more than 600 people in the entire Metro Atlanta area.

The Hindu Temple of Atlanta in association with other major Indian organisations, including Indian Friends of Atlanta and Sewa USA, have provided boarding and lodging facilities for over 100 people.

Officials from the Indian embassy in Washington and those from the consulate in Atlanta were also maintaining contact with Florida residents.

IMAGE: People walk past a building where the roof was blown off by Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Several Indian families in Orlando, 241 km from Tampa, were also ready to receive evacuees.

More than 400 homes in Orlando are ready to provide shelter to those evacuating, the Indian consulate in Atlanta said in a tweet.

Indian-Americans in and around Atlanta opened up their homes for the Florida evacuees and prepared extra meals for them.

As reports came in, individuals, businesses and organisations were working round the clock to ensure that necessary help was provided to every Indian American in need in the aftermath of Irma.

A state of emergency has been declared in Florida and curfews were imposed in several cities.

As Irma left a path of destruction on its way, US President Donald Trump held another review meeting with his Cabinet of the preparedness and relief operations at Camp David.

I hope there arent too many people in the path. You dont want to be in that path. Thats a path you dont want to be in. We tried to warn everybody. For the most part, theyve left, but thats a bad path to be in, Trump told reporters on his return from Camp David.

Trump said he will visit Florida soon.

I think its been going really well. Its a rough hurricane, as you better than anybody. The Coast Guard has been amazing already. Youve been hearing what theyre doing right in the middle of the storm, he said in response to a question.
'Child rape and sexual abuse have become a moral epidemic that haunts our nation and we can no longer remain silent spectators.'

On September 11, 1893, Swami Vivekananda began his famous speech in Chicago at the World Parliament of Religions with the words 'My brothers and sisters of America'.

On Monday, September 11, 124 years later, Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, standing on the rock that Swami Vivekananda meditated on in Kanyakumari, started his speech with the words 'My brothers and sisters of India', before setting off on a march across the country to mobilise action against sexual abuse and trafficking of children..

Satyarthi took a ferry along with hundreds of students and members of his foundation sporting bright yellow T-shirts that said 'Safe Children, Safe Country'.

Speaking to the media ahead of starting out, he said, "I am standing in a land of saints and scholars like Thiruvalluvar who told us to live with compassion. I am standing on the rock where Vivekananda was inspired."

"I am starting my yatra from this energy-charged land."

"This land which has waves from the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Today the waves are marching with us to support our fight against child sexual abuse and child trafficking."

He was accompanied by Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, who is also the MP from the Kanyakumari, and District Collector Sajjan Singh Chavan.

Kicking off from the southernmost tip of India, Satyarthi's Bharat Yatra will wind up in New Delhi on October 16.

The yatra, Satyarthi said, will cover 11,000 kilometres across 22 states, and would take off from five different places, including Guwahati, Srinagar and Chennai, and will culminate in the national capital.

The Nobel Laureate's yatra comes days after the killing of a seven-year old Gurgaon schoolboy and the rape of a 5-year-old girl in a Delhi school, which demonstrate the lack of safety that increasingly surrounds childhood.

"Child rape and sexual abuse have become a moral epidemic that haunts our nation and we can no longer remain silent spectators. Our silence is breeding more violence. That is why the Bharat Yatra is the beginning of an all-out war on rape, abuse and trafficking," Satyarthi said.

"The Bharat Yatra is to make India safe again for our children... Make no mistake, this will be a decisive war; a war to reclaim the morality of the Indian soul. My war to end all forms of abuse against children starts today. Are you with me?" he asked the crowds gathered at the venue.

Satyarthi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for his struggle for the rights of children, said each time a single child was in danger, the country was in danger.

On his return from the Swami Vivekananda rock memorial Satyarthi was received with a ponnadai (silk shawl) by the Rajnikanth fans association who had joined the marchers.

The meeting was addressed by many persons belonging to different organisations that support his yatra, including contingents from the Arya Samaj, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad.

Messages from Prime Minister Narendra D Modi and RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat were read out.

As he races across the country Satyarthi expects more and more people to join him to awaken awareness about child abuse and child trafficking.

"This is a war that we have to fight against rapists and traffickers. They should not be allowed to function in India. Every youth is our warrior."

"Let us march from darkness to light, let us march from fear to freedom, let us march from danger to safety."

IMAGES: Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi launches his Bharat Yatra in Kanyakumari, September 11, 2017. Photographs: Kind courtesy Kailash Satyarthi's Twitter feed
Hurricane Irma gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummelling with winds up to 130 mph, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline.

Irma arrived as a category 4 storm but had fallen to a category 2 by late Sunday afternoon and was continuing to weaken as it marched up Floridas Gulf Coast.

Pray, pray for everybody in Florida, Governor Rick Scott said on as more than 160,000 people waited out Irma in shelters statewide.

There have been no immediate confirmed reports of any deaths in Florida in addition to the 24 people killed during Irmas destructive trek across the Caribbean.

A vehicle passes downed palm trees and two cyclists attempt to ride as Hurricane Irma passed through the area. Six million people were ordered to flee the path of the hurricane before it first made landfall in Florida Keys. Southwest Florida bore the deadly brunt of Irma's wrath on Sunday, whereas the coastlines of Miami and the neighbouring island of Miami Beach were heavily inundated by storm surges.

Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Flood water from Hurricane Irma surrounds a damaged mobile home in Bonita Springs, Florida. About 5 million have been left without power and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

Photograph: Bryan Woolston/Reuters

A boat is washed on shore at the Watson Island marina as Hurricane Irma passed through the area. Forecasters warned some places could see a storm surge of up to 15 feet of water. United States President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Florida, opening the way for federal aid.

Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A truck is seen turned over as Hurricane Irma passes south Florida. Miami International Airport has announced it will be closed Monday and begin only limited flights on Tuesday. Orlando International Airport closed Saturday and won't reopen to passenger traffic until after Irma has passed. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport says on its website it has no timetable yet to reopen. Tampa International Airport also is closed as Hurricane Irma moves up the Florida peninsula.

Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

A boat rack storage facility lays destroyed after Hurricane Irma blew though Hollywood, Florida. Experts have warned of destructive storm surges on both coasts of Florida and the Keys as it follows a path north toward Georgia.

Photograph: Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Water rises up to a sidewalk by the Miami river as Hurricane Irma arrives in downtown Miami. The hurricane also poses longer-term threats, from sewage and other toxins being caught in the surge back onto land.

Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

A car drives throught the flooded streets of Florida.Irma at one time was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 185 mph (300 kph), and its approach set off an alarm in Florida.

Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

Destroyed roofs at a residential areas are seen as Hurricane Irma passes south Florida. AIR Worldwide, a catastrophe modelling firm, says Irma might cause anywhere between $15 billion and $50 billion worth of insured losses in the United States.

Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

A collapsed construction crane is seen in Downtown Miami. Cranes are designed to withstand strong winds and twist like weather vanes to reduce resistance, but Irma was too much.

Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

A window in a store is broken in Florida. Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other items from a sporting goods store and a pawn shop during the hurricane.

Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Two top officials of the Ryan International School were arrested on Monday and the acting principal detained for questioning following the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old student on campus, even as the victim's father moved the Supreme Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe.

IMAGE: Varun Thakur, father of Pradyumna Thakur, the seven-year-old boy who was found murdered inside a Gurugram school, addresses the media outside the Supreme Court in New Delhi on Monday. All Photographs: PTI Photo



The police claimed that evidence from the scene of crime had been tampered with and said they would bring the guilty to book.

Ryan International Group Chief Executive Officer Ryan Pinto and his parents, who are its founders, approached the Bombay high court on Monday to seek anticipatory bail in connection with the child's

murder in the chain's Gurugram school.

Moreover, Station House Officer of Sadar Police Station on Sohna Road in Gurugram was suspended over a baton-charge on protesting parents, as well as journalists, outside the school premises.

Protests continued at other places with the parents of children studying in Ryan International School's Noida and Greater Noida branches seeking an assurance regarding safety of their wards.

Gurugram police chief Sandeep Khirwar said that the school's Legal Head Francis Thomas and Human Resource Head Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Sunday night following interrogation.

"Acting principal Neerja Batra has been detained and is being questioned. She is likely to be arrested soon," Khirwar said.

Acting on the report of a three-member panel that had indicated lapses, the two top officials of the school management were arrested under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice act, police officials said.

The two were produced before a Sohna court which remanded them to two days in police custody.

Khirwar said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case believed that evidence in the case was tampered with.

"The SIT said in the court that destruction of evidence was found to have been done. Attempt was made to wash away the blood stains from the spot where the child was found murdered. The blood on his water bottle and bag was also found rubbed. Some other pieces of evidence were also tampered with," Khirwar said.

IMAGE: Police team investigating the spot inside the school after the murder of the 7-year-old.



We will add appropriate sections against the school management or other staff, whoever is found to be involved, at the time of submission of the charge sheet, Khirwar said.

School bus conductor Ashok Kumar, who allegedly tried to sexually assault the Class 2 student in a toilet and slit his throat with a knife when he resisted on Friday last, is already behind bars.

The Haryana police has formed fourteen teams to probe the case, which has triggered massive outrage, according to officials. A special investigation team will reach Mumbai to question school CEO Pinto and director Albert Pinto, they said.

The father of the seven-year-old, however, approached the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe, which prompted the apex court to seek responses from the Centre and Haryana.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also sought a response from the Central Board of Secondary Education on the plea, which has sought framing of guidelines to fix responsibility of school managements in case of such incidents and also regarding the safety and security of children.

"This petition is not restricted only to the school concerned as it has a country-wide ramification," the court said during the brief hearing.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, asked the governments and the CBSE to respond within three weeks.

Barun Chandra Thakur, the father of the student said in his plea filed through advocate Sushil Tekriwal, that free and fair investigation should be conducted by the CBI under the monitoring of the apex court in the matter.

IMAGE: Regional Head of Ryan Group of Institutions Francis Thomas (in white shirt) and HR head Jeyus Thomas (grey shirt) being taken to court in Sohna near Gurugram on Monday.



At the Bombay high court, Ryan International Group's founding chairman, Augustine Pinto, 73, and his wife Grace Pinto, 62, who is the managing director of the institution, along with their son Ryan Pinto sought anticipatory bail.

Their counsel Niteen Pradhan mentioned the applications this morning before Justice Ajey Gadkari, who posted them for hearing on Tuesday.

The Pintos, in their pleas, said while the death of the boy was unfortunate, the management cannot be held culpable and that they themselves were victims of the unfortunate circumstances.

The death has caused deep pain not only to the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, management, staff and students of the school, their applications said.

'This is not only the darkest hour for the family but also for the institution. Such an incident has taken place for the first time in the past four decades since the institution was set up,' the three said in their bail pleas.

Despite taking all necessary steps for security and well being of the students as required by law and prudence, if such an unfortunate incident occurs, the institution cannot be held culpable as it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances, they said.

According to the pleas, the Pintos read newspaper reports which mentioned that there were demands for booking the management.

'Hence, we apprehend action against us in the matter. We seek the court to grant us transit protection from arrest so that we can approach the appropriate judicial authority in Haryana,' the pleas said.

The petitioners said they were residents of Mumbai from where the overall management of the institution was carried out. The day-to-day management of each school is taken care of by the local staff appointed by the management, they said.

While no outsider is allowed to enter school premises, bus drivers and conductors, who have been given identity cards, were allowed to use basic amenities like toilets on 'humanitarian grounds', they said in the petitions.

Because of the CCTV placed in the corridor covering the entrance of the Gurgaon school washroom where the incident occurred, the culprit could be identified immediately and arrested, the pleas added.

Earlier, a fact-finding panel in its report had highlighted several deficiencies, including in the installation of CCTV cameras at the school, lack of separate toilets for drivers and conductors, unsafe toilets, a broken boundary wall, lack of ramps, expired fire extinguishers and lack of police verification of employees, officials said.

The district administration has asked the school to ensure safety at its premises and gave it 15 days to reply to a show cause notice, they added.

All Ryan group schools in Gurugram have been ordered to remain shut on Tuesday.

As the outrage over the murder kept mounting, the SHO of Sadar Police Station was suspended in connection with a baton-charge on protesting parents and journalists outside the school.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had on Sunday termed as 'unfortunate' the baton charging in which some mediapersons covering the protest were also injured and ordered action against erring policemen.

Hundreds of angry parents had staged a protest outside the school demanding a CBI probe into the murder of the seven-year-old.

IMAGE: Parents hold a protest over irregularities at Ryan International School in Faridabad.

"For applying baton charge on angry mob and journalists outside the school on Sunday morning, Gurgaon Police Commissioner has suspended SHO-Sadar Sohna for negligence," ACP and Chief PRO of Gurugram Police Manish Sehgal said.

Khattar said the government will bear the medical expenses of journalists who were injured in the police action.

There were protests in Noida and Greater Noida as well where parents gathered outside Ryan International School branches and sought assurance on the safety of their children from the management.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government have ordered schools in the capital to install CCTV cameras covering their entire premises and complete police verification of their non-teaching staff within three weeks.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today held a meeting of school principals, police officers and other stakeholders on the issue of safety of students and formed a high level-committee to frame guidelines.

"All schools, whether government-run or private, will have to mandatorily install CCTV cameras in classrooms, washroom area and playgrounds as well. Schools have been asked to conduct police verification of all their non-teaching staff be it sanitation workers, security staff or drivers, within three weeks," Sisodia told reporters after the meeting.

He said the schools will be required to submit the details about police verification on the portal of the Directorate of Education (DoE). They will also have to give the details on the number of CCTV cameras installed and the number of functional ones.

A high-level committee chaired by the DoE Director, and including school principals, police officials and other stakeholders as members, has been set up to frame guidelines for the safety of students in schools.

"The committee will look into all aspects be it transport safety or the conduct of the non-teaching staff and submit its recommendations within a month," Sisodia said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that those who keep the country clean have the first right to chant Vande Mataram and wondered whether people who littered and dirtied the country had any right to the nationalist slogan.

Modi was addressing a students' convention at Vigyan Bhawan to mark the 125 years of Swami Vivekananda's address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago and the centenary celebrations of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

"As I entered, I heard people loudly chanting Vande Mataram...The value of patriotism fills my heart. I am asking all countrymen whether we have the right to chant Vande Mataram. I know this will hurt many people.

"We chew paan and spit it out on Mother India (Bharat maa par pichakaari mare) and then chant Vande Mataram. Throw garbage and then chant Vande Mataram... The sanitation and cleaning workers have the first right to say Vande Mataram," he said.

Modi was welcomed at Vigyan Bhawan with shouts of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. The slogans could also be frequently heard during his speech, which lasted for almost an hour.

Urging people to keep their surroundings clean, the prime minister told the gathering that people may or may not keep their surroundings clean but nobody had the right to dirty places.

The comments come in the backdrop of the government's efforts to 'clean India' by October 2, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Modi also batted for innovation and promoting skills among the youth and asked them to work for a modern India.

The world evaluates the country where it is today not what it was 5,000 years ago or during the times of Lord Rama or Buddha, the prime minister said.

Vivekananda supported experimentation and innovation and his government was working according to the ideals shown by him, Modi said.

Emphasising that Vivekananda's historic September 11 address in the US was a message of love and brotherhood, the prime minister said the devastating 9/11 terror strike might not have happened if the significance of his speech had not been forgotten.

The prime minister also asked colleges to hold cultural events to celebrate other states and added in a light-hearted vein that he was not against celebrating days like 'rose day'.

Students should do more, Modi said, asking them to hold a Tamil day in a Haryana college or a Kerala day in a Punjab college to strengthen the spirit of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat (One India, Great India)'.

"There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses...There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation and fulfil the aspirations of our people," he said.

He said many promises were made during university election campaigns but nobody pledged to keep campuses clean.

Modi also said that only those who respect women can take legitimate pride in the opening words of Swami Vivekanand's address, 'Brothers and sisters of America'.

Referring to the correspondence between Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tata -- asking the industrialist to set up industry in India -- he said it shows the spiritual leader's concerns on India's self-reliance.

Stressing the importance of the Skill India mission, the prime minister said his government had created a separate ministry for the purpose and added that youth should be groomed in a way that they don't depend on anyone for employment.

"They should be not be job seekers but job creators," he said, referring to various programmes of government like Start Up India, Stand Up India and the Mudra scheme.

Vivekananda, the prime minister said, gave the concept of 'One Asia'. He quoted him as saying that 'One Asia' would have the 'strength to show the way' when the world was surrounded by problems.

Modi said India's standing in the world had risen, and credited janshakti (people's power) for this.

"When I go to different countries, I feel that there is change in the way it perceives India (dekhnay kaa najariya badal chukka hai). This is not the political strength but people's power (janshakti)," he said.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses during a function on the occasion of 125th anniversary of Vivekananda's Chicago Address and birth centenary of Deendayal Upadhyay in New Delhi on Monday. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo
'Just wait for some more time. Pakistan will forced to stop firing. If a single bullet is fired from Pakistan, then India should not count the bullets fired in retaliation,' he said.

IMAGE: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, along with MoS PMO Jitendra Singh (left) and J&K Deputy CM Nirmal Singh (right), arrives for a press conference in Srinagar on Monday.

Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday assured people living in border areas of the Jammu region that India was taking steps to ensure Pakistan was forced to stop firing.

"Just wait for some more time. Pakistan will forced to stop firing. If a single bullet is fired from Pakistan, then India should not count the bullets fired in retaliation," he told a rally of migrants at Nowshera border from the Line of Control.

Over 5,000 people living along the LoC were forced to move out their homes in the Naushera sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir four months ago in the wake of heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan forces.

Singh said, "Whether they (Pakistan) stop firing today or tomorrow, they will have to stop firing and ceasefire violation."

Flanked by Union minister Jitendra Singh and J-K Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, the home minister said after the 2014 ceasefire violations, he had told the BSF director general that no firing should be carried out from the Indian side as Pakistan was a neighbour.

"Don't fire first because Pakistan is our neighbour," he recalled as having said.

He said, "Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to always says that friends can be changed but not neighbours."

Singh said he had conveyed to the BSF DG that if a single bullet was fired from across the border, then bullets fired in retaliation by the Indian side should not be counted.

He said, "The situation was better to an extent. The situation is better now also. I hope that the situation in the future will better too."

The minister, who visited border camps and interacted with migrants including woman and children, assured them that steps would be taken to mitigate their problems.

"Whatever is possible I will do. People across the country have great respect and regard for the residents of the border areas. People in the border areas are facing unnecessary problems," he said.

The minister said he had told the director general of border-guarding force Pakistan Ranger in 2015 that Pakistan was resorting to firing violating certain protocols which should be respected and followed.

"India is not a weak nation now. It has emerged as a powerful country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No one in the world now considers India as a weak nation.

"The image and prestige of India has increased globally as compared to the past," he said.

Singh said after he took over as the home minister, the compensation paid to the next of the kin of people killed in cross-border firing was raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

He also said that five India Reserve Battalions have been sanctioned for J-K and 60 per cent of recruitment for these should take place from the border areas.

The minister said that recruitment in paramilitary forces also would be undertaken from border areas.

The migrants, during their interaction with Singh, made a strong demand for setting up of 'bunkers' at their homes along the LoC.

"Our first and foremost demand is that the government should set up bunkers in each of the border houses if we have to live again along the LoC. We need bunkers more than food," Jangarh resident Parshottam Kumar, the president of the Border Migrants Coordination Committee, told Singh.

The home minister visited one of the six camps set up in Nowshera by the government for the migrants.

The sarpanch of Kalsian border hamlet Bahadur Choudhary said, "If we have bunkers in our homes, we will not leave our homes at all."

Nowshera MLA Ravinder Raina demanded safer places for the LoC dewellers, besides waiver of loans.

Singh also visited Border Security Force troops at a camp near the LoC and said latest equipment was being inducted into the force for better and more effective domination of the border.

The latest technology would act as a force multiplier and also reduce the workload on the troops, he told BSF personnel.

He lauded the troops for guarding the border areas under adverse conditions.

Pakistan Army violates ceasefire in Poonch

Pakistani troops on Monday violated the ceasefire by firing and shelling along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

"Pakistan Army troops initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 1345 hours in Poonch sector along the LoC," a defence spokesman said.

The Indian troops were retaliating strongly and the firing is on, he said.

On September 9 also, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Debraj, Krishna Ghati and Ishapur in the Mendhar sector prompting retaliation by the Indian troops guarding the border, a police official said.

On September 4, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice by firing at forward posts along the LoC in Degwar and Maldalyan areas in Poonch and along the International Border in Arnia sector of Jammu after which the Indian security forces retaliated.

On September 3, the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch along the LoC.

On September 1, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Kamaljit Singh of the Border Security Force sustained bullet injuries due to firing from across the LoC while he was deployed at a forward post in the Krishna Ghati sector. Singh later succumbed to injuries.

Incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan have increased sharply this year.

Till August 1, there were 285 such violations by the Pakistan Army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to the Army figures.
September 11, 2001 changed everything. Doubly so for South Asians in America.

They faced ignorance. They faced bullying. They faced hate deep enough to kill.

But they also fought back and gained back lost ground.

The 9/11 anniversary in 2017 -- the first in President Donald J Trump's America -- however feels different.

Five Indian Americans who saw 9/11 and have had a front-row view to the community's battles since then share their thoughts with Rediff.com's Monali Sarkar.

IMAGE: After the collapse, firefighters continued to search for survivors and bodies amidst the rubble.

This is a photograph that no American will ever forget.

Photograph: Peter Morgan/Reuters

It is important to understand that this administration's clear Islamophobia and white supremacy is not an interruption to our national harmony or character.

The United States did not lose its innocence with the election of Donald Trump.

We are a country that enacted Japanese internment, that passed the Chinese Exclusion Act and Jim Crow, that created an economy around slavery that still echoes today and built monuments to a Confederacy still endorsed in many corners of our nation.

Under the Bush and Obama administrations, the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System opened cases on 83,000 Muslims entering or living in the United States. The result of this vast ethnic profiling was approximately zero terrorism-related convictions.

It is painful to see today that the level of hate violence aimed at South Asian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, and Arab American communities is nearing levels seen only the year after September 11, 2001.

But even this dismal reality does not mean we have only taken steps backward.

While the onslaught from our government continues and emboldens white supremacists to attack, our resistance has become stronger.

From showing up to airports to ensure that Muslim and refugee families could return home after the Muslim Ban was first announced to rallying in counter-protests after Charlottesville to supporting DREAMers in front of the White House, South Asian American communities have been at the forefront of resistance.

Moving forward, the lesson should be not waiting until our communities are the direct targets of devastating policies and violence, but continuing a steady drumbeat of resistance and movement building even when it seems like we are not directly impacted.

By brilliant example, last August the Movement for Black Lives released a historically comprehensive and inclusive policy platform that rooted the liberation of Black people in the freedom of Palestine, the end to all deportations, and unequivocal solidarity with all marginalised people.

This kind of movement, with the scope of its solution matching the scale of the problem, is the type we should all be working to build, together.

-- Lakshmi Sridaran is the director of National Policy and Advocacy, South Asian Americans Leading Together, a nonpartisan, non-profit civil rights organisation that elevates the voices of South Asians in the US.

Also by Lakshmi Sridaran: When the came for the Muslims, where were you?

IMAGE: Guru Fateh Singh, 6, during a candlelight vigil in California -- five days after the September 11 attacks and the day after Balbir Singh Sodhi, another Sikh American became the first victim of a 9/11 hate crime killing.

Photograph: Adrees Latif/Reuters Photograph: Adrees Latif/Reuters

One of the issues that I devoted much of my time (3 years) while on on President Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) was helping AAPI youth deal with the bullying and hate crimes that they were experiencing in school.

We created an anti-bullying campaign focused on AAPI youth called #ActToChange, which continues to exist outside of the White House today.

What was very clear to me was that educating young people about other cultures, finding ways to celebrate diversity and inclusion, and seeking solidarity with other groups were real ways in which we could combat the bullying that AAPI kids faced based on their culture, religion, appearance, immigration status, language proficiency and so forth.

Immediately following 9/11, we saw a breakdown of this very kind of cultural understanding.

We saw an uptick in severe hate crimes against people who were perceived to be anything like the terrorists who had attacked our country.

We saw insular thinking -- it's either you or me, and if you don't look like me, I don't want you here.

A lot of groups on the ground had to work very hard and devote many resources to promote cultural understanding and to find ways for communities to come back together.

Sadly, working on anti-bullying issues during the Obama administration, we would still hear resonances of 9/11.

For example, many young kids who wear turbans to school were telling us that they were called 'terrorists' or told to 'go back to your own country'.

But now, in 'Trump's America', it has gotten even worse.

Statistics show that the election campaign alone gave rise to an increase in hate crimes, particularly against Muslim-Americans.

The rhetoric and policy that has been coming out of the White House since Trump was elected has only emboldened that.

Trump's Muslim-ban and his response to Charlottesville are just two obvious examples of this.

When David Duke, the former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, said that Charlottesville was to 'fulfill the promises of Donald Trump', there can be no doubt that Trump's presidency has given voice to the basest kind of hatred we know.

And when the highest office in the land is setting this tone of divisiveness, what message is that sending to young people?

It cuts across all cultures. I'm hearing about incidences of Mexican-American kids being rounded up by their classmates and threatened with deportation and stories of Jewish kids being bullied by their classmates who are dressed like Nazis.

So, I think we all have a responsibility now to get involved and stand up for what we know is right.

It's why, today, I continue to work on the #ActToChange campaign, to empower young people and help them celebrate their diversity.

We deserve better than this as Americans, and indeed can use the lessons we learned post 9/11 to fight against what is happening now.

-- Maulik Pancholy is a New York City-based actor. He also served for nearly three years on President Barack Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

In February this year, he and nine other members of the commission resigned because of Trump's divisive policies.

Also by Maulik Pancholy: When a seat at the White House table becomes meaningless

IMAGE: A DACA supporter at the Defend DACA March in Los Angeles September 10, 2017 to oppose President Trump's order to end DACA.

Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images

We have to be vigilant.

The 9/11 experience -- at that time I had been in America for about 7 years -- and the aftermath especially was pretty scary.

I have cousins who are older than me who are still undocumented. They have been in situations where there have been raids either in a business next door or on a friend that they used to know. That was pretty dangerous.

And a lot of those deportations that occurred were not necessarily based on any threat level; most of the people that were deported only had immigration issues that they weren't able to resolve or were out of status at that time.

With this 9/11 anniversary, it is going to be challenging -- at least for Indian Americans, at least for people who are brown.

Many people fear (a repeat of) the aftermath of 9/11, which was used to give more powers to the executive.

They are afraid that with President Trump -- he has already broken some norms -- he might break even bigger norms in the name of security.

-- Chirayu Patel, a recipient of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) programme, which Trump repealed this month.

IMAGE: Visitors pause at the National September 11 Memorial, in New York City this past weekend.

Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

In the 16 years since 9/11, our government has utiliSed a horrific atrocity as an excuse to erode the civil rights of Muslim and South Asian communities.

From profiling to spying on places of worship to banning Muslims and refugees, the current unconstitutional policies put forward by the Trump Administration build upon a multi-decade assault on American Muslims.

The xenophobia of Trump's language and policies has opened the door for a new and hostile wave of hate and violence.

Our communities want the freedom to express our identities, including our faith, without fear of discrimination, and we're asserting those rights in public policy arenas as well as through the courts.

At the National Immigration Law CentrE, we are proud to work alongside Muslim, Arab, South Asian, and immigrant communities to stand up to bigotry and demand a better and more just country for all of us.

-- Reshma Shamasunder is the deputy director, Programmes, National Immigration Law Centre in the US.

Many of us who work with Muslim, Arab, South Asian and Sikh communities have had front-row seats to events that drew national attention after 9/11, such as the Ground Zero mosque backlash, Representative Peter King's hearings on Muslim radicalization in Congress, and the 2012 massacre in Oak Creek, just to name a few.

We hold inside the stories of students facing bullying, of people being fired from their jobs because of their names or faiths, of fathers and brothers separated from family members during national security sweeps like special registration, of immigrant neighbourhoods changing overnight as surveillance and deportations became daily occurrences, and of comforting loved ones who have lost family members and friends to hate violence.

We have also had deeply personal experiences with people whom we organise with, represent, and assist, and many have become our lifelong friends.

At the same time, the organisations that we created or worked in after 9/11 were mired in perpetual rapid response.

We were always on guard because not a week passed, it seemed, without a person attacked on the street, profiled by law enforcement or thrown off a flight.

Our communities' lives and futures were at stake. As a result, we were never able to fully slow down enough to focus.

We didn't have the time and resources to proactively shape organisational culture, put the basics in place like updating databases and donor lists, build long-term relationships with partner groups, or simply move beyond being post-9/11 communities.

These seemed like luxuries that we had to push off for another day, when the crises would dissipate and there weren't storm clouds always looming ahead.

But, 16 years later, Muslim, Arab, South Asian and Sikh organisations and advocates continue to face similar challenges, especially given the current political climate.

Today, our communities are caught in the crossfire of deportations, the Muslim and refugee bans, and a barrage of hate violence.

As we mark the 16th anniversary of 9/11 and as we fortify ourselves for what is ahead, we must acknowledge the toll that the culture of crisis interventions, the cycles of rapid response, and the work of witnessing and sharing trauma are all having on our organisations, activists, and advocates...

For those of us who have been working in the shadow of 9/11 for years, this moment marks an especially daunting time.

But we draw from our own well of resiliency. That well is full of the stories of our ancestors who survived Partition, caste discrimination, riots, and forced migrations in their homelands, and restrictions on becoming citizens and owning land in America.

It is full of the stories that we ourselves can share about our communities over the past 16 years.

We may be reluctant and weary warriors, but we can course correct, if we have the vision, resources, institutional support, and time and space to heal.

We are, after all, whom we have been waiting for all this time.

-- Excerpted with permission from an essay titled 'Reckoning with trauma 16 years after' by author and activist Deepa Iyer.

Also by Deepa Iyer: Why Trump's immigration ban should worry Indians
Amalya Margaryan, Davit Banuchyan

Gohar Mnatsakanyan saw a need for a place in Sevan where the towns young people could gather in a relaxed atmosphere to talk, and yes, even hone their creative juices.

The artist wanted to create a space, modelled after her art studio, so she went ahead and opened Boheme. It seems to have filled a void in the town adjacent to Armenias beloved Lake Sevan.

We had no space in Sevan where people could come and express themselves culturally. Were now trying to create such a space, Mnatsakanyan told Hetq.

We would gather and talk, sing and play games. Later, we realized that we needed to create such an environment in the town. I decided to open a cafe, but it had to be different from the existing ones, says Mnatsakanyan, adding that a portion of the cafe has been devoted to displaying the works of local artists. Mnatsakanyan says its important for area residents to see just how creative their neighbors are.

The works of local artists, painters and writers adorn one of the cafes walls. You can information about them and purchase their works. Im confident that the towns creative and artistically inclined individuals will gather here, Mnatsakanyan says.
Philippines: Killings of children continue unabated

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 6 September 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Philippines: Killings of children continue unabated, 6 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b640e94.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Responding to the discovery of the body in Gapan City of Reynaldo de Guzman, a 14-year-old boy who had been missing for nearly three weeks, Amnesty International's Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, James Gomez, said:

"How many more children must die in the Philippines to end this horrific and heartless violence? Reynaldo de Guzman's family has had to endure the anxiety of his disappearance followed by the unimaginable grief of discovering his body with stab wounds and his head wrapped in packing tape. This is not an isolated case or a mistake, but the latest atrocity in a wave of unlawful killings that has claimed the lives of more than 50 children and thousands of other Filipinos.

"Extrajudicial executions of people are never justified, and when it comes to killing children this is especially horrific, brutally cutting short budding lives and condemning their families to a lifetime of inconsolable sadness. This case and those of other young people makes it even more urgent that an international level investigation takes place. The world can no longer afford to look away, stay silent, or offer muted expressions of condemnation. The brutality must stop. The victims and their families deserve justice."

Background

Reynaldo de Guzman, a school boy who was said by his mother to have carried out informal labour to earn extra money, was last seen on 18 August 2017 with 19-year-old Carl Arnaiz. The news of Reynaldo de Guzman's disappearance emerged when Carl Arnaiz was killed, allegedly in a 'shootout' with the police who claimed he attempted to rob a taxi driver.

The mystery of their tragic circumstances is heightened by the fact that their bodies were discovered in two different towns, several hours apart from each other. On Wednesday, local police said that Reynaldo de Guzman's body was discovered the day before in Gapan city, some two and a half hours outside Manila.

Carl Arnaiz's body was discovered on 28 August 2017, ten days after he was killed, in Caloocan, a city on the outskirts of Metro Manila. Forensics reports said that Carl Arnaiz had been subjected to torture and shot at close range when he was kneeling or lying down.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Myanmar: New landmine blasts point to deliberate targeting of Rohingya

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 September 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Myanmar: New landmine blasts point to deliberate targeting of Rohingya, 10 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6413f4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Two new landmine incidents today, including a blast blowing off a young man's leg, bring to three the number of known sites where Myanmar authorities have mined border crossings used by Rohingya fleeing violence, Amnesty International said.



A Bangladeshi farmer in his early 20s stepped on a landmine near the Bangladeshi village of Baish Bari this morning when he was herding cattle in a buffer zone along the border with Myanmar. Witnesses told the organization of a Rohingya man being rushed to medical treatment in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh today, after a separate landmine blast near the Bangladeshi village Amtali, another known border crossing point.



"All indications point to the Myanmar security forces deliberately targeting locations that Rohingya refugees use as crossing points. This a cruel and callous way of adding to the misery of people fleeing a systematic campaign of persecution," said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty international's Crisis Response Director, who is currently on the Bangladeshi side of the border.



"This offers further evidence that this is not a problem that is going away on its own. Myanmar's authorities must immediately end this abhorrent practice and allow demining teams to access its border areas."



The new blasts took place along a border where the United Nations estimates 290,000 Rohingya fleeing violence have crossed in the past two weeks. Locals say they frequently see the Myanmar security forces patrol the area.



The Myanmar Army is one of only a handful of state forces worldwide, along with North Korea and Syria, to openly use antipersonnel landmines in recent years. The weapons were banned by an international treaty in 1997.



On 8 September, Amnesty International confirmed that the Myanmar security forces had planted mines along the northern part of its border with Bangladesh on two busy paths near Taung Pyo Let Wea [known locally as Tumbro] where many Rohingya fleeing violence pass through. At least three people, including two children, were seriously injured, with all blasts taking place along heavily travelled roads.



"Instead of denying responsibility, Myanmar should put the safety of people in the border area at the forefront. There is a reason why the use of antipersonnel landmines is illegal: they kill and maim indiscriminately and can't distinguish between fighters and ordinary people," said Tirana Hassan.



"UN experts must be allowed to investigate the widespread and systematic violations that have taken place in Rakhine State, including Myanmar's use of banned landmines. Those responsible should be held to account."

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Myanmar: Official response to Rakhine crisis 'unconscionable'

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 6 September 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Myanmar: Official response to Rakhine crisis 'unconscionable', 6 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b65b664.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The statement by Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi's office, which claims that the government is defending all the people in Rakhine state "in the best possible way", is unconscionable, Amnesty International said today.

"This is a human rights and humanitarian catastrophe. In her first comments on the crisis, instead of promising concrete action to protect the people in Rakhine state, Aung San Suu Kyi appears to be downplaying the horrific reports coming out of the area," said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International's Crisis Response Director.

"With tens of thousands of Rohingya pouring across the border, and thousands of others displaced in the state, the evidence that the Myanmar military has launched a vicious campaign of retaliatory violence against the predominantly Muslim Rohingya people is overwhelming. The government must allow immediate and unfettered access to aid organizations, which have been blocked from helping those who are stranded in the northern part of the state."

Following attacks by a Rohingya armed group on 25 August, and the subsequent campaign of violence perpetrated by the military against the Rohngya community in Rakhine state, about 146,000 Rohingya people, mostly women and children, have crossed into neighbouring Bangladesh, leading to a major humanitarian crisis.

Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International's Crisis Response Director, is currently on the ground in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh next to the border with Myanmar. She is available for interviews on topics including:

- Violations and crimes under international law committed by the Myanmar army

- The looming humanitarian crisis in Rakhine state

- The situation for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

- Root causes and long-term discrimination against Rohingya

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Who are the Rohingya and why are they fleeing Myanmar?

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 7 September 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Who are the Rohingya and why are they fleeing Myanmar?, 7 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b65ccb4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Follow Tirana Hassan, director, research and crisis response unit for live updates from Bangladesh

In recent weeks, around 150,000 Rohingya refugees have fled into Bangladesh, as a result of an unlawful and totally disproportionate military response to attacks by a Rohingya armed group.

Here, Amnesty International explains this people's plight, their state-sponsored persecution, and the crisis' wide-ranging humanitarian effects.



A persecuted people

The Rohingya is a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority of about 1.1 million living mostly in Rakhine state, west Myanmar, on the border with Bangladesh.

Though they have lived in Myanmar for generations, the Myanmar government insists that all Rohingyas are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. It refuses to recognize them as citizens, effectively rendering the majority of them stateless.

As a result of systematic discrimination, they live in deplorable conditions. Essentially segregated from the rest of the population, they cannot freely move, and have limited access to health care, schools or jobs.

In 2012 tensions between the Rohingya and the majority Rakhine population - who are predominantly Buddhist - erupted into rioting, driving tens of thousands of mainly Rohingya from their homes and into squalid displacement camps. Those living in the camps are confined there and segregated from other communities.

In October 2016, following lethal attacks on police outposts by armed Rohingya in northern Rakhine State, the Myanmar army launched a military crackdown targeting the community as a whole. Amnesty International has documented wide-ranging human rights violations against the Rohingya including unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, the rape and sexual assault of women and girls and the burning of more than 1,200 buildings, including schools and mosques. At the time, Amnesty International concluded that these actions may amount to crimes against humanity.



The recent violence

The latest wave of refugees into Bangladesh follows Myanmar's military response to an attack by a Rohingya armed group on security forces posts on 25 August.

The military's response has been unlawful and completely disproportionate, treating an entire population as an enemy. Reports from the ground have described deaths of civilians, along with entire villages burned to the ground.

Myanmar government has said at least 400 people have been killed so far, describing most of those killed as "terrorists."

There have also been reports of violence by Rohingya armed groups against civilians including of other ethnic and religious minorities.



Who is responsible?

Myanmar's military has carried out the bulk of these latest atrocities. It has considerable independence from the civilian government and is not accountable to civilian courts. Commanders of all ranks and soldiers therefore bear responsibility for any crimes they have committed during the current crisis.

The military have a history of human rights violations against the Rohingya and other ethnic and religious minorities in Myanmar.

However, Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's state counsellor, the country's de facto leader, is failing to acknowledge the horrific reports of military abuses and to deescalate tensions.

Earlier this month her office accused aid workers in Myanmar of providing support to the Rohingya armed group prompting fears for their safety.

She has also failed to heed calls from the United Nations (UN) and world leaders to intervene to address the situation in Rakhine State.



Humanitarian catastrophe

According to the UN, almost 150,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh in the first two weeks of the crisis alone, and more are coming in.

People arriving are injured, hungry and traumatized and in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter and medical care. The Bangladesh authorities require urgent international assistance to help them support people in need.

Inside Myanmar around 27,000 people from other ethnic minorities have also been displaced in Rakhine State, and are being assisted by the Myanmar authorities.

The authorities have stopped vital supplies from the UN and other aid agencies of food, water and medicine to thousands of people - mostly Rohingya - stranded in the mountains of northern Rakhine State.

A large number of Rohingya relied on aid for their survival even before this latest violence. These restrictions have put tens of thousands of people at further risk and shown a callous disregard for human life.

The crisis in numbers

150,000 - around how many Rohingya fled to Bangladesh in the first two weeks of the crisis

1.1 million - the number of Rohingya living mostly in Rakhine state

27,000 - the number of other ethnic minorities displaced in Rakhine state

400 - the minimum number of people killed so far according to the Myanmar government





Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Palestinian human rights activist charged under repressive new cybercrimes law

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 7 September 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Palestinian human rights activist charged under repressive new cybercrimes law, 7 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b65d3c4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The decision to charge Palestinian human rights defender Issa Amro using a controversial Electronic Crimes Law marks a dramatic escalation in the Palestinian authorities' onslaught against freedom of expression, said Amnesty International today.

Issa Amro, coordinator of Youth Against Settlements, a peaceful group that documents violations and organizes protests against Israeli policies in Hebron, was arrested on 4 September for posting comments on Facebook critical of the Palestinian authorities. In a closed hearing today the Hebron district court extended his detention for four days and charged him with disturbing "public order" under the recently adopted Electronic Crimes Law, as well as "causing strife" and "insulting the higher authorities" under the 1960 Jordanian Penal code which is still enforced in the West Bank.

"Today's decision to charge Issa Amro and extend his detention is an alarming development which demonstrates the lengths to which the Palestinian authorities are prepared to go to silence peaceful critics," said Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International.

"The fact that the Palestinian authorities are so quickly making use of the newly adopted cybercrimes law to crush dissent is deeply disturbing. The Electronic Crimes Law blatantly flouts international law and violates the people's rights to privacy; it should be immediately repealed - not used to put peaceful critics behind bars."

In a letter responding to Amnesty International's concerns about the Electronic Crimes Law, Palestinian Attorney General Ahmad Barak stressed that the law would not be used to curb freedom

of expression and that any criticism of the "Palestinian government, president, officials or political parties" would not be penalized under this law.

The Palestinian authorities have intensified their clampdown on freedom of expression in recent months by arresting journalists and shutting down opposition websites, and adopting the Electronic Crimes Law. Amnesty International has analysed the law which imposes heavy restrictions on media freedom and bans online dissent, and has called for the law to be repealed.

The head of the southern districts office of the Independent Commission for Human Rights Farid al- Atrash who was present at today's hearing, told Amnesty International: "This is dark day for the history of Palestinian justice, the court should have protected Issa's right to freedom of expression".

Issa Amro is also currently facing trial before an Israeli military court for his role in organizing protests against Israeli discriminatory policies and settlements in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank - which violate international law. Amnesty International believes that the charges against Issa Amro are baseless and stem solely from his peaceful activism.

"The fact that both the Israeli and Palestinian authorities are harassing Issa Amro in connection with his peaceful activism illustrates just how much the space for freedom of expression for human rights activists is shrinking - they are under attack from both sides," said Magdalena Mughrabi.

According to Farid al- Atrash, Issa Amro is being held in a tiny cell in very poor conditions. He went on hunger strike shortly after his arrest and is refusing to be examined by a doctor. At his hearing today at the Hebron District Court, he told the judge that he had been beaten on his shoulder, insulted and subjected to death threats during his interrogation.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Tanzania: Outspoken opposition politician shot and wounded by unidentified gunmen

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 7 September 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Tanzania: Outspoken opposition politician shot and wounded by unidentified gunmen, 7 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b65d9a4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Responding to news that outspoken government critic Tanzanian parliamentarian Tundu Lissu has been shot and wounded by unidentified attackers in the capital Dodoma, Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes, said:

"This cowardly attack on one of Tanzania's most fearless and prominent politicians raises concerns about the safety of all dissident voices in the country, at a time when space for dissent is quickly shrinking.

"This heinous crime must not be swept under the carpet. The Tanzanian authorities must immediately launch an effective and impartial investigation into the shooting and ensure that those responsible are held to account.

"The authorities must take steps to reassure Tanzanians and the world that this shooting was not politically motivated."

Background

Tundu Lissu, who also heads up the lawyer's association, the Tanganyika Law Society, is a fierce and outspoken critic of President John Pombe Magufuli.

He was arrested in July for calling the president a dictator, and again in August for saying the Canadian government had detained a jet bought by the Tanzanian government over an unpaid $38m debt to a Canadian company. In total, he has been arrested six times this year.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
CAR: Civilians facing atrocities in Basse-Kotto as UN protection proves ineffective

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 8 September 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, CAR: Civilians facing atrocities in Basse-Kotto as UN protection proves ineffective, 8 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b65df54.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A wave of brutal attacks in the Central African Republic, including the systematic rape and murder of civilians, highlights the urgent need for stronger UN action to protect civilians, Amnesty International said today.

On-the-ground research by the organization in August 2017 also uncovered a horrifying surge in torture, pillage, and forced displacement by a Seleka off-shoot, the Union for Peace in Central Africa (UPC).

"Communities living in Basse-Kotto have been left at the mercy of the UPC. Women have been raped, men murdered, villages destroyed, and the region's UN peacekeeping force has proved ineffective in stemming these abuses," said Joanne Mariner, Senior Crisis Response Adviser at Amnesty International.

"Civilians are not accidental victims in this conflict; they are direct targets. If the UN's mandate in the Central African Republic is to mean anything, civilians must be better protected."

In its two-week visit to the country, Amnesty International interviewed 30 people who had fled violent attacks on civilians in Basse-Kotto prefecture over the past several months, including a massacre in the town of Alindao on 8 May in which at least 130 people are believed to have been killed.

They gave the names and identifying information of 47 people killed by the UPC in these attacks. The exact number of people who have been killed is not known, but credible sources estimate that the number of victims has reached several hundred.

Sectarian attacks on civilians

As in late 2013 and early 2014, when hundreds of thousands of Muslims were violently expelled from the west of the country, the sectarian nature of the non-international armed conflict is increasingly evident.

The largely Muslim UPC has targeted Christian townspeople and villagers, perceived as supporting armed groups that oppose their rule, while the primarily Christian anti-balaka and armed "self-defence" groups have relentlessly targeted Muslim civilians.

A religious figure from Alindao, one of the worst-affected towns in the region, told Amnesty International: "The problem is now the Muslim population versus the Christian population .... We don't want a religious conflict; we absolutely refuse it, but there's very clearly an inter-communal conflict."

The ongoing abuses are horrific. Annie, age 36, described how UPC fighters captured her and her husband in Alindao on 10 May. When her husband tried to run away, they shot him in the legs.

As in late 2013 and early 2014, when hundreds of thousands of Muslims were violently expelled from the west of the country, the sectarian nature of the non-international armed conflict is increasingly evident.

The largely Muslim UPC has targeted Christian townspeople and villagers, perceived as supporting armed groups that oppose their rule, while the primarily Christian anti-balaka and armed "self-defence" groups have relentlessly targeted Muslim civilians.

A religious figure from Alindao, one of the worst-affected towns in the region, told Amnesty International: "The problem is now the Muslim population versus the Christian population .... We don't want a religious conflict; we absolutely refuse it, but there's very clearly an inter-communal conflict."

The ongoing abuses are horrific. Annie, age 36, described how UPC fighters captured her and her husband in Alindao on 10 May. When her husband tried to run away, they shot him in the legs.

"However, it is the increasingly sectarian nature of these attacks that is perhaps the most worrying aspect of the current crisis."

The Central African Human Rights Observatory (Observatoire Centrafricain des Droits de l'Homme, OCDH) has registered more than 100 victims of sexual violence who have fled the region for the capital Bangui in the last few months, a number that is no doubt a fraction of the total. Many, if not most, of the victims were gang-raped.

UN peacekeepers unable to protect civilians

The UN peacekeeping force, the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), has failed to prevent these abuses. Consisting of 12,870 uniformed personnel in the country, including 10,750 military personnel, the force is stretched thin in many areas.

Witnesses said that MINUSCA troops did not reach the town of Alindao until at least a day after the violence erupted, and even then, their numbers were insufficient to put a stop to the abuses. Rather than pro-actively carry out regular patrols, the troops focused on protecting the hospital and the displaced persons site run by the Catholic Church.

"We're afraid that if there's an attack [on a site for displaced people in Alindao] the MINUSCA will retreat into their base, and there will be a massacre," said one local leader.

Amnesty International is calling for a review of MINUSCA's capacity to carry out its mandate, covering factors such as training, equipment, coordination and the number of uniformed and civilian personnel.

"Although MINUSCA troops have saved many lives in the Central African Republic, their failures risk destroying public confidence in the peacekeeping mission and are putting thousands of people in danger," said Joanne Mariner.

"Many Central Africans are now expressing increasing cynicism about MINUSCA's willingness and ability to restore order, and about the mission's capacity to conform to even a limited civilian protection mandate."

Crimes under international law committed against civilians in the Central African Republic fall within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the recently established hybrid Special Criminal Court (SCC), and the national justice system. However, all three institutions have weaknesses.

The ICC's ongoing investigation, which began in September 2014, will most likely only target only a handful of suspects. The SCC is not yet functioning, though it now has a prosecutor and some funding. Meanwhile, the already fragile national justice system has been weakened by the conflict and needs to be rebuilt almost entirely.

"There is little hope of ending the cycle of violence in the Central African Republic without an effective system of accountability to bring those responsible for these horrendous crimes to justice," said Balkissa Ide Siddo.

"The Special Criminal Court must be funded so that it becomes operational as soon as possible."

More than a million displaced by conflict

More than 100,000 people have been displaced by the conflict since April. At least 600,000 people are now displaced within the country and another 438,700 are refugees in neighbouring countries (primarily Cameroon, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)).

Tens of thousands have fled the towns most affected by the fighting, including Alindao, Mingala, Nzangba, and Mobaye (at the border with DRC), as well as countless smaller villages in the region, heading for Bambari, Bangui, and DRC. Other displaced people are surviving in horrendous conditions in the bush, including on small islands in the Ubangi River, on the border of the DRC.

Some towns and villages in the Basse-Kotto region are said to be nearly empty, with what little is left of the civilian population taking refuge in church compounds that have become ad hoc displaced persons sites.

The OCDH reports that violence in the region is continuing, with the most recently documented clashes taking place in the town of Kongbo on 23 August, and that displaced people continue to flood into Bangui.

Basse-Kotto prefecture is one of several regions that exploded into conflict in 2017, as the country's security situation worsened. At present, the country's democratically elected government wields little or no power outside the capital, and much of the countryside is under the de facto control of a diverse array of armed groups.

Background to the conflict in Basse-Kotto

When Michel Djotodia stepped down as president of the Central African Republic in January 2014, armed fighters belonging to the Seleka coalition withdrew from the western third of the country, but consolidated their control over the country's central and eastern regions. The coalition split into various factions, each asserting de facto authority over different parts of the country.

The UPC, led by Gen. Ali Darassa Mahamat, controlled the city of Bambari and a large portion of Ouaka prefecture for more than two years. Made up largely of ethnic Peulhs (Darassa is a Peulh), the UPC carried out a series of vicious attacks against civilians whom it believed supported the largely Christian anti-balaka fighters arrayed against it.

In February 2017, as part of an effort to demilitarize Bambari, MINUSCA convinced Darassa to leave the town. He moved his headquarters to Alindao, in Basse-Kotto, and immediately began cracking down on the civilian population.

The first changes that civilians perceived were an increase in coerced payments -for example, fees charged for crossing UPC checkpoints - and outright extortion. Relatively well-off local people, such as cattle owners, were particularly targeted.

Amnesty International interviewed a man from a small village near Nzangba who was held prisoner and tortured by the UPC in March, as a means to force him to hand over his herd. He told the organization that UPC fighters came to his house and demanded he hand over his 26 cattle and all his goods on the orders of Ali Darassa.

He was held for six days during which time he saw four of his fellow prisoners killed.

The human cost

The UPC carried out a string of violent attacks in May: in Alindao on 8 May, Nzangba on 17 May, and Mobaye on 25 May.

The bloodbath in Alindao was precipitated by an early morning attack by anti-balaka forces in a neighbourhood called Paris-Congo, in the town's southeast. After routing the anti-balaka, the UPC unleashed its full force on the town's Christian population.

Judith, 29, from the Paris-Congo neighbourhood, became separated from her husband when she fled with her children after shooting broke out near their home. After she ran into UPC fighters in the bush, the men in her group were shot and the women were raped.

"They told us to lie on the ground .... We were a group of women .... I didn't lie down quickly so a fighter threw me on the ground and tore my underpants, to have sex with me in front of everyone ... After the rape, he kicked me twice .... Other fighters were raping other women. My four children were there and they were crying."

Marie, 33, was captured along with her husband in the fields outside Alindao on 10 May. She described how UPC fighters shot dead her husband for refusing to hand over his cattle, then gang-raped her in front of her children.

Florida, age 27, fled to the bush with her family on 8 May, but returned two weeks later because of the poor conditions in the bush. The night of the family's return, UPC fighters came to their house and broke down the door.

"They tied [my husband] to a tree in front of the house. They put a black blindfold on me and undressed me .... They said that my husband would get to see how his wife would be treated. Two of them raped me in front of him. The children cried. After that, they shot my husband in the throat."

Guilaine, 30, lived with her 60-year-old father and two children in the centre of Alindao. Three UPC fighters entered their neighbourhood and tied her father to a tree. When she began crying, upon seeing her father helpless, the fighters told her they would show her what they were capable of doing, and they cut her father's throat.

"The three soldiers raped me in front of the children, then they hit me in the back with a rifle butt. I fled with my children, but I could hardly walk."

It is not known precisely how many people were killed during the attack at Alindao, but the Central African Red Cross reported that it had picked up more than 130 bodies as of 14 May, after six days of violence. Besides killings and rapes, the UPC also carried out large-scale pillage of civilian homes.

Now Alindao is like a ghost town, its streets empty of life. While some Muslims remain in their homes, and run a small market, the Christian community has largely fled. Some 20,000 Christians have taken refuge at ad hoc displaced persons sites at the Catholic Church and other churches.

Therese, 43, watched her husband and son being killed when the UPC attacked the town of Nzangba on 17 May.

"Three Seleka entered our compound ... They were wearing military uniforms. They made gestures to tell my husband to lie on the ground. He refused. Immediately, a Peulh shot him. He fell. My eldest son then fell crying on my husband's body. Another [fighter] shot him. He also died  The three of them (then) raped me  in front of my children."

Princia, 20, who lived with her parents, fled for the bush when UPC fighters arrived, then returned home when the family believe the armed men had left.

"They came and broke down the door. They killed my father and raped my sisters and me. They tied us up with cords. I fainted during the rape. When they left, we fled into the bush."

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
UAE: Stop Policing Gender Expression

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 7 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, UAE: Stop Policing Gender Expression, 7 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b660764.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Arab Emirates should stop arbitrarily arresting transgender, gay, and gender non-conforming people on the grounds of a law that criminalizes men "disguising" as women, Human Rights Watch said today.

On August 9, 2017, Emirati police in Abu Dhabi detained two Singaporean nationals in a shopping mall. A court convicted them of crimes and sentenced them to one year in prison "for attempting to resemble women." The UAE deported them on August 28 after they spent nearly three weeks in custody, much of that time in a cell they said was designated for "effeminate" people.

The two Singaporeans, Muhammed Fadli Abdul Rahman and Nur Qistina Fitriah Ibrahim, told Human Rights Watch they were wearing jeans, sneakers, and long-sleeved button-down shirts at the time of their arrest. Fadli, a cisgender male fashion photographer, said he wore a chain around his neck and has an ear piercing and a nose piercing, while Ibrahim, a transgender woman who works as a model, had long hair. Police told them their arrest was on the grounds of "looking feminine."

"It's bad enough that the UAE is arresting people solely on the basis of hairstyles and accessories, which the police rely on to make wild guesses about people's gender identities," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "Worse, the authorities are going far beyond the letter of the law, which only applies to spaces designated for women - not shopping malls."

The two arrived in the UAE on August 8 to meet with clothing designers and organize a fashion shoot. Police charged them under article 359 of the country's federal penal code, as well as article 58 of the emirate of Abu Dhabi's local penal code. On August 20, a court sentenced them each to one year in prison. They were not represented by a lawyer in court. On August 27, an appeals court converted their sentence to deportation and a fine, and they were deported the next day.

Article 359 of the UAE's federal penal code punishes "any male disguised in a female apparel and enters in this disguise a place reserved for women or where entry is forbidden, at that time, for other than women" with up to one year in prison and a fine of up to 10,000 dirhams (approximately US$2,723). Police arrested Fadli and Ibrahim in Yas Mall, Abu Dhabi's largest shopping mall, which is not a place "reserved for women."

Article 58 of Abu Dhabi's local penal code punishes "violation of public morals" with up to two years in prison and a fine of as much as 15,000 dirhams (approximately US$4,084).

Other people are in detention in the UAE on the grounds of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Fadli told Human Rights Watch that he and Ibrahim were held in a cell that they called the "Detainees' Apartment," in which a nurse and other inmates told them that "effeminate" detainees are held, both in pretrial detention and after conviction.

A number of the other detainees told Fadli and Ibrahim the reasons for their arrest and detention, they said. They said the detainees included Emiratis, Moroccans, and Filipinas, most of whom said that they had been arrested solely for "looking feminine," including two men who said they were arrested while in line at a movie theater; another man who said he was arrested at Yas Mall; a transgender woman who said she was arrested while wearing a work uniform because of her feminine-looking face; and a transgender woman who, like Ibrahim, had long hair but was wearing men's clothing when arrested, in accordance with the "male" gender marker on her documents.

Fadli said another detainee told him he had been charged with sodomy and had been subjected to a forced anal examination, which constitutes a form of torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.

Fadli and Ibrahim said that police and prison guards did not physically abuse or insult them, but that prison guards ransacked their luggage, threw out Ibrahim's hormone pills, and shaved both of their heads. "Shaving my head - that was the most devastating part for me," Ibrahim told Human Rights Watch.

Laws that criminalize people on the basis of their gender identity or gender expression violate the right to freedom of expression, protected by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They can also violate freedom of movement and freedom from discrimination on the basis of gender. Such laws punish transgender people's very existence, as Ibrahim told Human Rights Watch: "I'm very feminine, and I can do nothing about it."

As a state party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the UAE is obligated to prohibit all forms of discrimination against women, including on the basis of gender identity.

While article 359 of the Penal Code only criminalizes men who dress in women's clothing and enter women-only spaces, the language used in judgment against Fadli and Ibrahim suggests that the law is being abused to target people perceived as gender non-conforming even when they are in mixed-gender public places, and that vague laws on public morals are also being misused to limit gender expression. The judgment, on file with Human Rights Watch, states that they were sentenced to a year in prison for "being disguised in women's dress" and "violation of public morals by being in a public place appearing as women." The judgment further states that they were "attempting to resemble women."

The UAE government website says, "The UAE Government emphasizes on tolerance in the society. Moderation and acceptance of others are innate in the UAE culture."

In accordance with these principles and with its obligations under international law, the UAE should cease all arrests on the grounds of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, Human Rights Watch said. It should amend vague laws that punish "violation of public morals" so that such laws are not used to persecute people on any of these grounds. The UAE should release the other detainees held who have been arrested, sentenced, or are awaiting trial on these grounds, including those currently held at the "Detainees' Apartment."

"The UAE describes itself as an 'ideal tourist destination' and a 'safe place to work', but when visitors can be arrested on such arbitrary grounds, it's clear that the UAE is neither safe nor friendly for visitors or its residents," Whitson said. "The government should live up to its own rhetoric about tolerance and openness, rather than cracking down on sexual and gender minorities."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II today received a delegation of members of the Council of the Spiritual Leaders of Christian Communities of Iraq at the Holy See of Etchmiadzin.

Leading the delegation was Raad Kachachi, head of the Office of Religious Endowments for Christians and Other Religions in Iraq. Archbishop Avak Asadourian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Iraq, also travelled with the delegation to Armenia.

Catholicos Garegin II called for the establishment of peace in the Middle East and told the visiting church leaders that the Middle East and its peoples were always in his prayers.

Catholicos Garegin II told the delegation members that he decried the human suffering and destruction in the region and all manifestations of religious intolerance.

The head of the Armenian Apostolic Church noted that while the Armenian people has suffered numerous tragedies and massacres throughout history, they have been reborn with a belief in Christ.

Garegin II said he was confident that the people of Iraq would overcome all obstacles with Gods blessing and assistance.

The church leader noted the centuries-old fraternal relations between the Armenian and Arab people, and thanked the Iraqi authorities for the continued support they have shown towards the Armenian community and church in Iraq.

An Ecumenical Prayer for Peace was then held.

Also in attendance at the reception were Archbishop Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Mosul; Archbishop Jean Benjamin Sleiman, of the Archdiocese of Baghdad of the Catholic Church and General Secretary of the Council; Archbishop Ephrem Yousif Abba Mansoor, of the Diocese of Baghdad of the Syriac Catholic Church and Yusuf Jamil Al-Sagga, a lay member of the Council.
UN: Compensate Kosovo Lead Poisoning Victims

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 7 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, UN: Compensate Kosovo Lead Poisoning Victims, 7 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b660f14.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations' failure to compensate victims of widespread lead poisoning at UN-run camps in Kosovo has left affected families struggling to care for sick relatives who were exposed to the contamination, Human Rights Watch said today.

About 8,000 people from the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian minorities were forced from their homes in Mitrovica town after the 1998-1999 Kosovo war. For more than a decade, the UN - Kosovo's then-de facto government - resettled about 600 of them in camps contaminated by lead from a nearby industrial mine. In 2016, a UN human rights advisory panel found that the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) had violated the affected people's rights to life and health. It said that UNMIK "was made aware of the health risks [camp residents] had been exposed to since November 2000," yet failed to relocate them to a safe environment until more than 10 years later and recommended it apologize and pay individual compensation.

Despite the human rights panel's recommendations, the UN announced in May 2017 that it would create only a voluntary trust fund for community assistance projects to help "more broadly the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities" - staying short of a public apology or acceptance of responsibility.

"The UN should stop ignoring its own experts' sound advice and compensate the people who are experiencing lifelong damage and hardship due to the UN's shortcomings," said Katharina Rall, environment researcher at Human Rights Watch. "How can the UN expect to effectively press governments to take responsibility for their abuses if it won't do the right thing for the harm it caused?"

In June, Human Rights Watch interviewed 19 victims of lead poisoning and family members who had lived in UN-run camps, as well as medical practitioners, lawyers, and organizations supporting the affected communities.

Human Rights Watch found that many of those affected, including children, are experiencing myriad health problems, including seizures, kidney disease, and memory loss - all common long-term effects of lead poisoning. Lead is highly toxic and can impair the body's neurological, biological, and cognitive functions. Children and pregnant women are particularly at risk. A 33-year-old woman who lived in a contaminated camp and then relocated to the Roma district of Mitrovica town said she worries about her 16-year-old son, who was 9 months old when he tested positive for lead poisoning: "Until he was 7 he experienced regular seizures. Today he  is struggling at school. He is often nervous and has a hard time remembering things. As a mother, it is very difficult for me to see my children in this condition and not be able to help."

The UN's Human Rights Advisory Panel investigated complaints of human rights violations by UNMIK, which governed Kosovo after 1999. The panel found violations of several human rights, including the rights to life, health, and nondiscrimination. The announcement by the press office of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in May that the UN would create a voluntary trust fund rather than compensate individual victims means that no action will be taken unless UN member states choose to donate to the fund, making any timely redress for victims highly uncertain.

In July 2017, Guterres called upon the member states to support the trust fund in order to address "the most pressing needs of the affected communities." While the UN said it "is making every effort to mobilize resources," it offered no details on whether any governments have committed money to the fund.

The UN decided in 2016 to set up a similar trust fund for Haiti to raise US$400 million to provide "material assistance" and treat and eliminate cholera - which killed more than 9,000 Haitians and made a further 800,000 sick. The epidemic was traced to UN peacekeepers who arrived in the country after its devastating 2010 earthquake. But as of now, the fund has secured just US$2.7 million, less than 1 percent of its target.

"Creating an unfunded trust fund to compensate victims is like giving someone an empty bank account to rebuild their life," Rall said. "Here, as in Haiti, it is the victims of UN negligence who are stuck with the bill and who have no access to justice or remedy."

Under international human rights law, the right to a remedy requires individual compensation to victims for material and moral damage. The UN has repeatedly committed to providing such compensation in treaties, General Assembly resolutions, and secretary-general reports. In Kosovo, however, UNMIK passed laws to try to grant itself immunity from legal and human rights complaints, even though it was Kosovo's de facto government.

The secretary-general's May statement promising only community assistance projects means that at best, any money paid into the fund will provide general services that do not specifically benefit the people affected by lead poisoning and will not directly offset the harm caused. The UN's decision to set up a trust fund instead of paying affected individuals compensation and accepting its responsibility for the long-term impact of lead poisoning leaves many families struggling to care for sick relatives who were exposed to the contamination. "Nobody cares about the 12, 13 years we have suffered in the camps," said a former leader of one camp in Cesmin Lug. "Nobody asks, 'How is your child doing? Has he healed? Does he have any problems, any impairment?'"

Many Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian families interviewed in northern Kosovo need financial and social support. Some parents said that they cannot afford medicine or healthy food for their affected children. Other families expressed despair about the lack of support services for children struggling at school with learning difficulties related to the lead contamination.

Samir H., a 40-year-old father of nine children who lived in contaminated camps in Zitcovac and Osterode, said: "My second-born was sent to Serbia for treatment at a hospital because his lead levels were so high. Afterward we were told that he should take medicines to treat seizures. We had to pay for it from our money and it was hard. Today he is still very nervous. He is not a good student because he cannot remember things. We need to take care of him because there is no support from the school."

Medical experts interviewed voiced concern about the lack of continuous lead testing and support for affected communities. As far as Human Rights Watch has been able to determine, recent lead testing and treatment funded by the Danish Refugee Council were limited in scope and stopped in May 2017 due to lack of available test kits.

The UN should pay individual compensation to those affected by lead contamination, allowing them to address the long-term impact of lead exposure. Parents also asked the UN to provide good health care and education to all affected children, essential services that are not available to many of the child victims. The UN should also work with the government of Kosovo and victims' advocates to ensure that all the affected people receive adequate health care and children receive the support they need to realize their right to education.

"Kosovo, once run by the UN, is one of the places where it can make a big difference," Rall said. "The UN should follow the recommendations of its own experts and give victims and their families the individual compensation they rightfully deserve."

Lack of UN Accountability for Lead Poisoning in Kosovo

Timeline 1999: Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities are resettled into contaminated camps by the UN 2000: Internal UNMIK report shows lead contamination in area and blood tests of population 2004: WHO conducts blood tests in camps and urges UNMIK to immediately evacuate children and pregnant women from the camps 2010: UNMIK starts moving people away from contaminated area 2013: Last camp closes 2016: Human Rights Advisory Panel releases opinion recommending that UN issues public apology and pay victims compensation May 2017: UN secretary-general announces the creation of a voluntary trust fund for community assistance projects to help "more broadly the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities" - staying short of individual compensation

In June 1999 - after the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia ceased and the Kosovo war ended - some members of the ethnic Albanian armed group, the Kosovo Liberation Army, and civilians carried out widespread burning and looting of homes belonging to Serbs, Roma, and other minorities, including in the Roma Mahalla, the Roma district in the northern city of Mitrovica. Kosovo had just come under the control of UNMIK, the de facto civil government, and NATO forces were on the ground. The district was looted and burned to the ground. Its 8,000 inhabitants fled. Starting in September 1999, the UN resettled several hundreds of these people in two camps, Zitkovac and Cesmin Lug, in what was known to be a heavily contaminated area near a defunct lead mine.

Three additional camps were established - Leposavic in 1999, Kablare in 2001, and Osterode in 2006. The high levels of toxicity in areas surrounding the Trepca mine complex had been documented by scientific studies since the 1970s and were confirmed by an UNMIK report in 2000. In 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted blood tests in affected communities and urged UNMIK to immediately evacuate children and pregnant women from the camps. Despite these warnings, all but one of the camps were built in close proximity to the slagheaps. The camps were originally intended to be temporary, yet it took the UN more than 14 years to close the last one, in December 2013.

Starting in the early 2000s, local and international activists began to raise concerns in the media about lead poisoning and sought to force action through legal challenges. A Human Rights Watch investigation in 2009 highlighted the long-term lead exposure to which camp residents were subjected. Irrevocable damage had been done by the time the UN closed the camps.

After many attempts by the victims to seek justice and compensation, including a legal complaint filed by Dianne Post, the Human Rights Advisory Panel found in 2016 that "UNMIK was responsible for compromising irreversibly the life, health and development potential of the complainants that were born and grew as children in the camps," including by UNMIK's failure to relocate them to a safe environment. The panel recommended that the UN apologize and pay lead poisoning victims individual compensation. However, in May 2017, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's press office announced that the UN would only create a voluntary trust fund for community assistance projects. No mention was made of any acknowledgement of responsibility or public apology.

Victims' lawyers, Roma rights organizations, and UN accountability advocates criticized the UN's decision not to pay individual compensation or to apologize publicly. Human Rights Watch urged Guterres to follow the advisory panel's recommendations, both on the merits of this case and because refusing to take responsibility for the UN's role in these abuses could undermine other UN efforts to hold member states to account for their abuses. In a June 8 letter to Guterres, former advisory panel members warned him that "at a time of backlash against human rights it is vital that the UN be seen to live up to the promise of the [UN] Charter and the obligations it has promoted."

Long-Term Health Effects of Lead Poisoning

In June, Human Rights Watch interviewed 9 men and 10 women whose families, including more than 30 children, were affected by lead poisoning in the UN-run camps. The interviews were conducted in English or via an interpreter in Albanian or Serbian. Human Rights Watch also interviewed 10 medical providers, lawyers, and representatives of organizations providing support and services to Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities. The interviews with victims took place in the Roma Mahalla, the Roma district in the city of Mitrovica, and at the homes of people who had relocated to other areas in northern Kosovo.

While the absence of consistent monitoring and testing can make it difficult to pinpoint the origin of individual illnesses, long-term effects of lead poisoning are well known. Children and pregnant women are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning. High levels of exposure in children can attack the brain and central nervous system to cause coma, convulsions, and even death. Pregnant women are at higher risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth, and often pass on the absorbed lead to the fetus.

Symptoms can also include other physical and neurological conditions, such as anxiety, insomnia, anemia, memory loss, sudden behavioral changes, concentration difficulties, headaches, abdominal pains, fatigue, depression, hearing loss, seizures, kidney disease, and high blood pressure. The neurological and behavioral effects of lead are irreversible.

In interviews with Human Rights Watch, community members whose families formerly lived at the UN-run camps spoke about their deteriorating health. The poor and hazardous living conditions in the camps had a particularly negative impact on women and children, many of whom still experience health problems.

Sheribane M., a 45-year-old woman who lived in Zitkovac camp, said:

I have heart and kidney problems. I will get tired very quickly and need to lay down to rest a lot. This started about three or four years ago. I tested positive for lead poisoning when we lived at the camps.

In its 2016 opinion, the UN expert panel found that women living in the camps "were subject to multiple discriminations in the enjoyments of their fundamental rights" - as women, as internally displaced people, and as members of the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities.

Several parents told Human Rights Watch that their children continued to have seizures or found it difficult to remember things at school. Samir H., a 40-year-old father of nine children, said: "Our three children who were affected by lead poisoning all have difficulties at school."

According to WHO, no level of lead blood concentration is considered safe, and even lead levels as low as five micrograms per deciliter may result in serious health problems. The US Centers for Disease Control recommends that chelation therapy, treatment designed to remove lead from blood, should be considered when a child has a blood lead test result greater than or equal to 45 micrograms per deciliter.

"In some cases, the level of lead was so high that the measurement tool could not measure it, so above 45 micrograms per deciliter," said Mikereme Nishliu, one of the doctors who performed lead testing in Mitrovica until 2013 for the humanitarian organization Mercy Corps. Some children tested in the camps and whose parents Human Rights Watch interviewed had lead levels higher than 65 micrograms per deciliter.

Lead poisoning victims and their parents reported that they have not been consistently examined, tested, or treated for lead-related diseases by the UN or the Kosovo government. Some of the families interviewed said that their children were only tested once at the camps and have not received any follow up testing or treatment.

Several international organizations and local service providers funded and provided small-scale testing for lead contamination and treatment by doctors and nurses several times between 2004 and 2017, focusing on children. However, children and pregnant women exposed to lead were not consistently tested over the years and the programs were discontinued due to a lack of funding or test kits. Nishliu, the doctor who performed the testing, said: "The children urgently need to be re-tested to ensure that the treatment works and that there is no new exposure."

Victims in Need

Families of lead poisoning victims in northern Kosovo are often unable to get health care, adequate food, or other support for their children.

A 33-year-old mother who lived in the area, Elhame H., said: "If you don't have money, the doctor will only give you the diagnosis, but you can't buy the medication. Sometimes my husband collects paper and scrap metal to make some money. But he is also sick, so I tell him not to go. I can't lose him."

Some families try to get treatment in Serbia, where they believe health services are better and the medications are free. Merdjane H., a mother of six children, four of whom had lead poisoning, described the family's problems in getting proper medical treatment: "We often do not go for exams because we cannot pay for the medicine anyway. We can get some medicine for free in Serbia but the round-trip costs 6."

Families depending on social welfare said that they are often unable to pay for medicine for their children. Ilfete M., 69, was concerned about the health of four of her grandchildren born in the camps: "The children are not well. We try to provide good food, but we only have 170 (about US$200) for the entire month for the whole family. We need money to pay for the health care of our children."

The long-term health effects place a particular burden on single parents. Hazbije H., a 50-year-old mother of nine, said her husband died two years ago, leaving her to care for the children alone: "Nobody is giving me any medicine for our kids. We've had no help with pills or injections, and nobody is helping with paying for tests. We can't pay everything with social assistance."

While the Kosovo government provides certain health services free, nearby health facilities in the Roma Mahalla cannot provide all the services people who have suffered from lead poisoning need, and often require patients to pay for medication. Many community members said they lived off limited social welfare or worked in low-income jobs, making it harder to pay for the services.

Muhamet I., a father of four children with lead poisoning, was disappointed that the efforts to move the communities back to the Roma Mahalla did not result in better access to health care: "There were many promises when we moved back to the Roma Mahalla. They said they would build a hospital but this never happened. We only have a small health center here, and they do not give us medicine there."

Agnesa Jashari, a doctor employed at the Roma Mahalla health center, confirmed that the facility is not equipped to do blood exams and often lacks medication.

Several parents stated that their children had concentration problems and memory loss, causing learning difficulties. The absence of school support programs for children with lead poisoning made parents worry about their children's chances of succeeding at school.

The lack of services and financial support often place parents in a state of emotional distress and constant worry about their children. Ali Q., 37, said his son's lead levels in 2012 were as high as 58 micrograms per deciliter, requiring chelation therapy: "Who would leave his son like this if he could afford health care? But how can I get treatment for him without money?"

Victims Plead for Compensation and Support

Victims interviewed voiced hope that the UN will make an effort to compensate them.

Latif M., the former camp leader of Cesmin Lug, whose wife died and who cares for their five children, recalled that members of his community lived as displaced people under very difficult conditions in the camps. He believes that the UN should compensate people because it was responsible for the residents' exposure to toxic lead: "They knew that the place was contaminated and they still built our barracks there. When they learned that the land was contaminated, they should have moved us from there much earlier ... instead of violating our rights."

Elhame H., the 33-year-old mother with three children, said:

I want to be in a normal situation, just like everyone. My first request would be to improve the health of my children. I want them to be healthy and happy. I am not asking for much, I just want them to be healthy and happy.

The UN should work with the Kosovo government to ensure that anyone affected is tested and treated and that affected children receive the support they need to realize their right to education. The Kosovo government should make health care and medications accessible for affected families and ensure that testing and treatment of lead exposure continues. Schools in Kosovo should ensure that children affected by memory loss and concentration problems receive the support needed to realize their full right to education.

Naim M., a father of seven children, said: "I lost one of my daughters to lead poisoning and my other daughter and wife are sick now. We would need money to pay for the costs of their medical treatment." Muhamet I., 37, hopes that his children can have a better future: "My request would be for the negotiations to continue for children to be re-tested, so that they can have better health."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Russia: Independent Think Tank Faces Charges

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 8 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Russia: Independent Think Tank Faces Charges, 8 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6617d4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A prominent Russian think tank, the SOVA Center, and its director are facing charges for violating the country's draconian law on "undesirable organizations," Human Rights Watch said today. SOVA Center is known for its research on nationalism, religious freedoms, and political radicalism, and has been monitoring the Russian authorities' abuse of vague and overly broad anti-extremism legislation. The Russian authorities should drop the charges.

"The outrageous charges against SOVA Center offer a stark example of how the Russian government is using the law on 'undesirable organizations' to squeeze the life out of civil society and stifle free expression," said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

SOVA's director, Alexander Verkhovsky, told Human Rights Watch that on September 7, 2017, the Moscow city prosecutor's office informed him that the organization and he, as director, were in violation of Article 20.33 of Russia's Code of Administrative Offences, which prohibits participation in activities of foreign organizations designated as "undesirable." The officials told Verkhovsky that the charges stemmed from hyperlinks on the SOVA website to sites of two donor organizations that had supported the center's work in the past: The National Endowment for Democracy and Open Society Foundations. Russian authorities had banned both organizations from Russia as "undesirable" in 2015.

Verkhovsky told Human Rights Watch that the SOVA center views these charges as the authorities' attempt to put pressure on the organization.

The law on "undesirable organizations," adopted by parliament in May 2015, authorizes the prosecutor general's office to ban from the country any foreign or international organization that allegedly undermines Russia's security, defense, or constitutional order. Eleven groups have been placed on Russia's blacklist, mainly American donor institutions and capacity building organizations.

Once designated "undesirable," an organization can no longer arrange or participate in any projects or other activities in Russia. The law provides for administrative and criminal sanctions for Russian organizations and nationals that engage in "continued involvement" with "undesirable organizations."

This offense is punishable by a fine of up to 15,000 rubles (approximately US$250) for individuals, up to 50,000 rubles (US$845) for officials and up to 100,000 rubles (US$1,690) for organizations. Russian nationals who continue to "be involved" with undesirable organizations, if sanctioned twice in a year, risk criminal prosecution, with fines of up to 500,000 rubles (US$8,500), restrictions on activities and movement, or a jail sentence of up to six years.

The European Commission for Democracy Through Law (the Venice Commission) found that the law on "undesirable" organizations interferes with freedom of expression, and should be significantly amended.

"Once again it is painfully clear that the real target of the 'undesirables law' is not foreign organizations, but Russian independent groups" Williamson said. "The law runs contrary to Russia's international human rights obligations and should be repealed without delay."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Yemen: Hiding Behind Coalition's Unlawful Attacks

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 8 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Yemen: Hiding Behind Coalition's Unlawful Attacks, 8 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b661c24.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Members of the Saudi-led coalition have sought to avoid international legal liability by refusing to provide information on their role in alleged unlawful airstrikes in Yemen, Human Rights Watch said today. In 2017, Human Rights Watch wrote to the coalition and its current and former members urging them to release information on their investigations and findings of laws-of-war violations as required by international law. None have replied.

The coalition's unwillingness to conduct serious investigations into alleged violations of the laws of war was evident in its response to airstrikes on apartment buildings in Sanaa, the capital, on August 25 that killed or wounded more than two dozen civilians.

"No coalition member can claim clean hands in Yemen until all its members explain their role in scores of documented unlawful attacks," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "It borders on the absurd for the coalition to claim its own investigations are credible when it refuses to release even basic information like which countries participated in an attack and whether anyone has been held accountable."

Two family members of victims of the August 25 attack reported that coalition aircraft struck three apartment buildings in Faj Attan, a densely populated neighborhood of the capital, killing at least 16 civilians and wounding 17. After an international outcry, the coalition admitted carrying out the attack, but, as in previous apparently unlawful airstrikes, did not provide details on the coalition members joining the attack or the countries undertaking any investigation.

At about 2 a.m. on August 25, Muhammad Mea'sar, in his thirties, went up to the roof of his home in Sanaa after hearing an airstrike. He said there were four airstrikes, each about two to three minutes apart. The first three hit the Faj Attan mountains on the outskirts of Sanaa, where there are stockpiles of Yemeni army weapons under the control of the opposing Houthi-Saleh forces, who control the area. The coalition has hit the mountains repeatedly during the two-and-a-half-year conflict.

The fourth strike hit the neighborhood below, Mea'sar said: "People live there, people from Sanaa, and a lot of displaced people from different governorates. I saw the smoke coming from the middle of the houses." Mea'sar later learned that the coalition had hit a three-story building he owned, and two four-story buildings his aunts owned. He said his aunt's buildings "were gone." The buildings "became only rubble, dust, and casualties."

Ali al-Raymi, a 32-year-old Ministry of Oil and Minerals employee, was messaging his younger brother as the August 25 attacks began. Six months earlier, his brother, with his wife and six children, had moved to a cheaper apartment in the neighborhood below the mountains. His brother texted him that the sounds of the first attacks terrified his children.

Ali al-Raymi said that when his brother stopped messaging him: "I took my mom's phone and started calling my brother. He was not answering. I called him many times, but the phone was ringing and there was no answer I felt very nervous. I felt something bad may have happened."

Al-Raymi called a friend in the area and "heard the noise of ambulances and people saying take him out!  Take him out!  Help this one  Help that one." Al-Raymi immediately walked to the area and "found destruction." He said the area was so chaotic and the devastation so complete that he could not tell which home was his brother's. Another brother guided him over the phone to the spot where the house should be. "It was rubble," al-Raymi said. "I told him not to call our mother."

The airstrike killed al-Raymi's brother, his sister-in-law, five of their six children, ages 2 through 10, and his sister-in-law's brother. Only the family's 6-year-old daughter survived. Al-Raymi stayed to help with the rescue effort. The rescuers found his brother last, at about 5 p.m., after more than 14 or 15 hours of continuous searching.

Mea'sar compiled for Human Rights Watch a list of the names, ages, genders, and hospitals where people were taken: 16 people were killed in the attack, including 7 children ranging in age from 2 to 13, and 17 wounded, including 8 children. Two of Mea'sar's cousins, ages 3 and 12, were among those killed.

The coalition said that it carried out the attack, but asserted that the civilian casualties were the result of a technical error and that it had targeted a "legitimate military objective" - a command-and-control center that Houthi-Saleh forces built "with the sole purpose of using the surrounding areas as well as its civilians as shields to protect it." The coalition spokesperson said it had referred the case to the Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT), the coalition's investigative mechanism, which has, to date, largely absolved the coalition of wrongdoing. The coalition spokesperson did not provide any details regarding which countries' forces may have participated in the attack. The International Committee of the Red Cross called the attack "outrageous," and said there was no apparent military target in the area.

The coalition currently consists of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Sudan; Qatar withdrew in June. The coalition has conducted thousands of airstrikes in Yemen since March 2015, including scores that appear to violate the laws of war, some of which may be war crimes, yet JIAT and coalition members have provided no or insufficient information about the role that particular countries' forces are playing in alleged unlawful attacks.

While Saudi Arabia leads the coalition, available information shows that other countries have participated in the military campaign to varying degrees. In March 2015, the Emirati State news agency reported that Saudi Arabia had deployed 100 aircraft to take part in coalition operations, the UAE had deployed 30, Kuwait 15, Bahrain 15, and Qatar 10. Media and policy reports have provided some detail on specific incidents in which coalition members have played a role in the air campaign: In May 2015, a Moroccan F-16 aircraft crashed while on a mission in Yemen. In December 2015, both a Bahraini F-1 jet and a Jordanian pilot flying an F-16 carrying out coalition operations crashed. In 2015, Egypt conducted airstrikes on Yemen's western coast. In March 2017, after a helicopter attacked a boat carrying Somali migrants and refugees off the coast of Hodeida, killing and wounding dozens, a member of the UAE armed forces said the UAE was operating in the area but denied the UAE carried out the attack.

In July, the United Nations Panel of Experts on Yemen, established by the Security Council, expressed concern that coalition members "seek to hide behind 'the entity' of the Coalition to shield themselves from state responsibility for violations committed by their forces.  Attempts to 'divert' responsibility in this manner from individual States to the Saudi-Arabia led coalition may contribute to further violations occurring with impunity." A month later, Foreign Policy reported that US officials had said that instead of looking at the whole coalition as a single entity, the UN should identify the individual countries directly responsible for atrocities in its annual "list of shame" of violations against children. A US official denied the account.

The failure of the coalition or any coalition member to credibly investigate violations by their own forces for more than two years of armed conflict underscores the need for an independent international investigation into alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by all parties to the conflict, Human Rights Watch said.

"Yemeni civilians who are paying the price of this war deserve far more than blanket denials or generic expressions of sympathy," Whitson said. "UN member countries should make crystal clear to coalition members that they are failing to meet even basic standards for transparency, and that - as none of the warring parties seem willing to do so - the Human Rights Council will step in and make sure these violations are investigated."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Joint statement: Venezuela's Crisis Should be a Human Rights Council Priority

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 8 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Joint statement: Venezuela's Crisis Should be a Human Rights Council Priority, 8 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6646e4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

UN member states should address Venezuela's deepening human rights and humanitarian crisis during the 36th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in September 2017, 116 Venezuelan, Latin American, and international organizations said.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report in late August, concluding that extensive human rights violations and abuses have been committed in the context of anti-government protests in Venezuela, which point to "the existence of a policy to repress political dissent and instill fear in the population to curb demonstrations." According to the report, the "generalized and systematic use of excessive force during demonstrations and the arbitrary detention of protestors and perceived political opponents indicate that these were not the illegal or rogue acts of isolated officials." The office condemned the use of military courts to prosecute hundreds of civilians, arguing this violates basic due process guarantees. It also stated that some detentions may have constituted enforced disappearances, in those cases in which authorities refused to acknowledge, for an initial period, the fate or whereabouts of the detainees. In addition, the report concluded that more than half of the 124 officially recorded deaths by the end of July that had occurred in the context of demonstrations, had been caused by security agents or armed pro-government groups called "colectivos." Four people allegedly died after attacks by anti-government groups, and the government claims nine security agents have been killed, according to the office.

High-level officials who have failed to take steps to prevent or punish human rights violations committed by their subordinates bear responsibility for the pervasive and serious abuses committed under their watch. The justice system has failed to bring those responsible for abuses to justice, guaranteeing that they are able to act with absolute impunity.

These human rights violations take place in a context of absolute concentration of power, where there are no independent institutions left to act as a check on the executive. Since the political take-over of the Supreme Court by former President Hugo Chavez and his allies in the National Assembly in 2004, the judiciary has stopped acting as an independent branch of government. Since the opposition majority took over the National Assembly in January 2016, the Supreme Court has stripped the legislature of its most basic powers. The government also controls the National Electoral Council, which has failed to conduct elections for governors that the Constitution mandated for 2016.

More recently, the Maduro government moved forward with the implementation of a Constituent Assembly that has frighteningly broad powers that go beyond drafting a constitution. It was convened in May 2017 through a presidential decree, despite the existing constitutional requirements that prior popular consultation is needed. It is made up exclusively by government supporters, which were chosen through an election on July 30 that the company hired by the government to verify the results said was fraudulent. Since taking office, its members fired the attorney general, who had become a government critic, appointed a loyalist to the position, and took over legislative powers.

Due to severe shortages of medicines, medical supplies, and food, millions of Venezuelans cannot adequately feed their families or access the most basic healthcare. According to official statistics, in 2016, maternal mortality increased by 65 percent, infant mortality increased by 30 percent, and malaria cases increased by 76 percent. Unofficial studies by Venezuelan universities and civil society groups indicate that most Venezuelans have changed their eating habits, including many who eat once a day. Cases of severe malnutrition of children under 5 years old increased from 8.9 percent in the last trimester of 2016 to 10.2 percent in the first two months of 2017-putting Venezuela above the World Health Organization limit of what constitutes a crisis, according to Caritas Venezuela.

On August 8, 2017, 17 foreign affairs ministers from the Americas met in Peru to address Venezuela's crisis. Twelve of them-11 Latin American governments and Canada-signed the Lima Declaration, a comprehensive statement that condemns the rupture of democratic order and the systematic violation of human rights in Venezuela, states they will not recognize the Constituent Assembly nor its resolutions, calls to stop the transfer of weapons to Venezuela, and expresses concern about the humanitarian crisis and the government's refusal to accept international humanitarian aid, among others. They also indicated their willingness to support efforts towards a credible and good faith negotiation, with the support of all parties, that aims at restoring democracy in the country peacefully.

As the human rights and humanitarian crisis worsens, the UN Human Rights Council should draw inspiration from the Lima Declaration and address the situation in Venezuela as a matter of priority. Specifically, member states should send a clear message to the Venezuelan government that these abuses are not tolerated and those responsible of abuses will eventually be brought to justice when judicial independence is restored in the country, and call on the Maduro government to:

End the repression and release political prisoners;

Set a date for free and fair elections with proper independent oversight;

Restore judicial independence and the powers of the National Assembly; and

Immediately allow sufficient international humanitarian aid into the country.

The Human Rights Council should also take the recommendations of the High Commissioner for Human Rights into account and request his office to continue to monitor the human rights situation in the country closely and report regularly to the Council.

ENDORSEMENTS

Venezuelan organizations

Acceso a la Justicia Accion Ciudadana Contra el SIDA (ACCSI) Accion Solidaria Amigos Trasplantados de Venezuela AC Artgnosis asociacion civil Asamblea de Educacion Asociacion Civil Accion Campesina Asociacion Civil Conquistando la Vida (ACONVIDA) Asociacion Civil Fomento del Desarrollo Popular (FUDEP) Asociacion Civil Fuerza, Union, Justicia, Solidaridad y Paz (FUNPAZ AC) Asociacion Civil Orgullo Guayana Asociacion Civil Radar de los Barrios Asociacion Civil UNIANDES Asociacion Civil YoReumatico Asociacion Venezolana de Amigos con Linfoma (AVAL) Asociacion Venezolana de pacientes con Enfermedad Inflamatoria Intestinal (AVEPEII) Asociacion Venezolana para la Hemofilia Aula Abierta Venezuela Catedra de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (UCLA) Centro Comunitario de Aprendizaje (CECODAP) Centro de Accion y Defensa por los Derechos Humanos (CADEF) Centro de Atencion al Esquizofrenico y Familiares (CATESFAM) Caracas Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Metropolitana (CDH-UNIMET) Centro de Derechos Humanos, Universidad Catolica Andres Bello Centro De Divulgacion del Conocimiento Economico para la Libertad - CEDICE Libertad Centro de Estudios y Promocion del Desarrollo (DESCO) Centro de Justicia y Paz (CEPAZ) Centro para la Paz y los Derechos Humanos de la Universidad Central de Venezuela CIVILIS Derechos Humanos Coalicion Clima21 Coalicion de Organizaciones por el Derecho a la Salud y la Vida (CODEVIDA) Comision de Derechos Humanos de la Facultad de Ciencias Juridicas y Politicas de la Universidad del Zulia Comision de Derechos Humanos de la Federacion de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela del Estado Tachira Comision de Derechos Humanos de la Federacion de Colegios de Abogados de Venezuela del Estado Apure Comision para los Derechos Humanos del Estado Zulia (CODHEZ) Comision para los Derechos Humanos y la Ciudadania (CODEHCIU) Control Ciudadano para la Seguridad, la Defensa y la Fuerza Armada Nacional Convite AC Correo del Caroni Dialogo por Venezuela Espacio Publico EXCUBITUS derechos humanos en educacion Federacion Nacional de Sociedades de Padres y Representantes (FENASOPADRES) Anzoategui Federacion Nacional de Sociedades de Padres y Representantes (FENASOPADRES) Aragua Federacion Nacional de Sociedades de Padres y Representantes (FENASOPADRES) Foro Penal Venezolano Fundacion AguaClara Fundacion Centro Gumilla Fundacion Humano y Libre Fundacion Taller de Aprendizaje para las Artes y el Pensamiento (TAAP) Venezuela Grupo de Trabajo sobre Asuntos Indigenas de la Universidad de Los Andes (GTAI-ULA) Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS) Venezuela Maria Estrella de la Manana A.C Monitor Social A.C Movimiento SOMOS Movimiento Vinotinto Observatorio de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad de Los Andes Observatorio Venezolano de Conflictividad Social (OVCS) Observatorio Venezolano de la Salud Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones (OVP) Operacion Libertad Internacional Organizacion StopVIH Padres Organizados de Venezuela Prepara Familia Programa Venezolano de Educacion-Accion en Derechos Humanos (PROVEA) Proiuris Promocion Educacion y Defensa en DDHH (PROMEDEHUM) Proyecta Ciudadania A.C Proyecto de Extension: Educacion y Visibilizacion de los Derechos Humanos de la Facultad de Educacion de la Universidad de Carabobo Red Ara de Venezuela Red por los Derechos Humanos de Ninos, Ninas y Adolescentes (REDHNNA) Revista SIC del Centro Gumilla SenosAyuda Sinergia, Red Venezolana de Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil Sociedad Hominis Iura (SOHI) Todas Somos Venezuela Transparencia Venezuela Un Mundo Sin Mordaza Una Ventana a la Libertad Union Afirmativa de Venezuela Union Vecinal para la Participacion Ciudadana A.C

International Organizations

Action for Solidarity on HIV/aids Asociacion Arariwa Asociacion de Venezolanos en Mexico Asociacion Fuente de Paz Asociacion Latinoamericana de Organizaciones de Promocion al Desarrollo (ALOP) Asociacion Paz y Esperanza - Peru Asociacion por los Derechos Civiles - Argentina Asociacion Pro Derechos Humanos (APRODEH) - Peru Canadian Venezuelan Engagement Foundation - Canada Centro de Derechos Humanos Miguel Agustin Pro Juarez - Mexico Centro de Documentacion en Derechos Humanos "Segundo Montes Mozo S.J." (CSMM) - Ecuador Centro de Estudios de Derecho, Justicia y Sociedad (DeJusticia) - Colombia Centro de Investigacion y Educacion Popular (CINEP) - Colombia Centro Diocesano para los Derechos Humanos Fray Juan de Larios AC CIVICUS; World Alliance for Citizen Participation Conectas Direitos Humanos - Brasil Cooperacion Internacional e Integracion para el Desarrollo y el Esfuerzo Regional Due Process of Law Foundation (DPLF) Fundacion para la Reconciliacion - Colombia Human Rights Watch Humanitas360 Institute Iniciativa Por Venezuela - Ginebra International Commission of Jurists International Council of Aids Service Organizations (ICASO) International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights International Service for Human Rights Madres Falsos Positivos Soacha y Bogota (MAFAPO) - Colombia Movimiento Manuela Ramos Peace and Hope International Red Para la Infancia y la Adolescencia de El Salvador (RIA) Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Taller de Aprendizaje para las Artes y el Pensamiento (TAAP) Colombia Ven Europa, ASBL World Organization Against Torture - Organizacion Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT)

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Russia: Government vs. Rights Groups

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 8 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Russia: Government vs. Rights Groups, 8 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b664cb4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

For the past four years, the Kremlin has sought to stigmatize criticism or alternative views of government policy as disloyal, foreign-sponsored, or even traitorous. It is part of a sweeping crackdown to silence critical voices that has included new legal restrictions on the internet, on freedom of expression, on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, and on other fundamental freedoms.

An enduring, central feature has been the 2012 law requiring independent groups to register as "foreign agents" if they receive any foreign funding and engage in broadly defined "political activity." In Russia, the term "foreign agent" can be interpreted by the public only as "spy" or "traitor." To date, Russia's Justice Ministry has designated 158 groups as "foreign agents," courts have levied staggering fines on many groups for failing to comply with the law, and about 30 groups have shut down rather than wear the "foreign agent" label. Organizations targeted include groups that work on human rights, the environment, LGBT issues, and health issues, groups that do polling about social issues. A court forced the closure of AGORA Association, one of Russia's leading human rights organizations , in response to a Justice Ministry suit alleging that the group violated the "foreign agents" law and carried out work beyond its mandate. The ministry has removed its "foreign agent" tag from over 20 groups, acknowledging that they had stopped accepting foreign funding. Accordingly, as of July 21, 2017, the official list of active "foreign agents" consisted of 88 groups. The 'Foreign Agent' Law Under the 2012 law, groups must register with the Justice Ministry as "foreign agents" if they receive even a minimal amount of funding from any foreign sources, governmental or private, and engage in "political activity." The definition of political activity under the law is so broad and vague that it effectively extends to all aspects of advocacy and human rights work. Initially, the law required all nongovernmental organizations that met these criteria to register with the ministry and to identify themselves as "foreign agents" in all their public materials, with legal consequences for failure to comply. Russia's human rights groups resolutely boycotted the law, calling it "unjust" and "slanderous." In 2013, Russia's then-federal ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, challenged the law in Russia's Constitutional Court. In 2014, the court upheld the law, finding that there were no legal or constitutional grounds for contending that the term "foreign agent" had negative connotations from the Soviet era and that, therefore, its use was "not intended to persecute or discredit" organizations. The court also found that the "foreign agent" designation was in line with the public interest and the interest of state sovereignty. Two years of mounting pressure by the authorities, court proceedings, and massive fines did not succeed in forcing groups to voluntarily register as foreign agents. In May 2014 Russia's parliament amended the "foreign agents" law to authorize the Justice Ministry to register groups as "foreign agents" without their consent. In May 2016, parliament adopted another set of amendments to the law, expanding the controversial definition of "political activity" to include, among other things, any attempt by an independent group to influence public policy, regardless of the group's mandate. To date, the registry of "foreign agents" includes the following organizations:

Association of non-profit organizations in defense of voters' rights "Golos" (Moscow) - June 5, 2014 Interregional public organization "Human Rights Center 'Memorial' " (Moscow) - July 21, 2014 Regional public organization "Ecozashchita! - Womens' Council" (Kaliningrad) - July 21, 2014 Foundation for assistance to protection of itizens' ights and reedoms "Public Verdict" (Moscow) - July 21, 2014 Foundation "Institute for Information Freedom Development" (Saint-Petersburg) - August 28, 2014 Private institution "Information Agency MEMO. RU" (Moscow) - November 20, 2014 Non-profit partnership "Institute of Regional Press" (Saint-Petersburg) - November 20, 2014 Autonomous non-profit organization "Moscow School of Civic Education" - December 9, 2014 Arkhangelsk regional public organization of socio-psychological and legal assistance to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people (LGBT) "Rakurs" (Arkhangelsk) - December 15, 2014 Regional public organization "Public Commission for the Preservation of the Heritage of Academician Sakharov" (Moscow) - December 25, 2014 Kaliningrad regional public organization "Human Rights Center" (Kaliningrad) - December 25, 2014 Free Press Support Foundation - December 30, 2014 Saint-Petersburg public human rights organization "Civil Control" (Saint-Peterburg) - December 30, 2014 Interregional public human rights organization "Man and the Law" (Yoshkar-Ola) - December 30, 2014 Interregional public organization "Information-Educational Center 'Memorial' " (Yekaterinburg) - January 16, 2015 "Information Bureau of the Nordic Council of Ministers in Saint-Petersburg" (Saint-Petersburg) - January 20, 2015 Non-profit partnership "Press Development Institute - Siberia" (Novosibirsk) - January 30, 2015 Interregional public foundation for civil society development "GOLOS Povolzhie" (Samara) - February 6, 2015 Interregional charitable organization "Siberian Environmental Center" (Novosibirsk) - February 12, 2015 City public organization "Samara Center for Gender Studies" "Samara Center for Gender Studies" (Samara) - February 16, 2015 Regional foundation "Center for the Protection of Mass Media Rights" (Voronezh) - February 26, 2015 Autonomous non-profit organization "Center for Anti-Corruption Research and Initiatives 'Transparency International-R' " - April 7, 2015 Ozersk city social and environmental public organization "Planet of hopes" (Ozersk) - April 15, 2015 Regional public charitable organization for assistance to refugees and migrants "Civil Assistance [Civic Assistance Committee]" (Moscow) - April 20, 2015 Interregional charitable public organization "Center for Development of Non-Profit Organizations" (Saint-Petersburg) - May 13, 2015 Establishment "Informational Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Northern Countries" (Kaliningrad) - May 13, 2015 Non-governmental specialists' educational institution of additional professional education (advanced training) "Academy of Human Rights" (Yekaterinburg) - May 15, 2015 Sverdlovsk regional public organization "Sutyajnik" (Yekaterinburg) - May 15, 2015 Non-profit programmes foundation of Dmitry Zimin "Dynasty" - May 25, 2015 Interregional public "Foundation for Peace in the South and North Caucasus" (Stavropol) - June 19, 2015 Autonomous non-profit organization "Center for Independent Social Research" (Saint-Petersburg) - June 22, 2015 Regional public organization for promoting protection of reproductive health of citizens "Population and Development" - June 23, 2015 Association "Assistance in Legal Protection of People 'Legal Basis' " (Yekaterinburg) - July 3, 2015 Komi regional public organization "Commission for Protection of Human Rights 'Memorial' " (Syktyvkar) - July 21, 2015 Interregional public foundation for civil society development "GOLOS-Ural" (Chelyabinsk region) - July 27, 2015 Media Support Foundation "Sreda" - July 28, 2015 Foundation "Civic Action" (Perm) - August 5, 2015 Chechen regional public organization "Human Rights Center of the Chechen Republic" (Grozny) - August 21, 2015 Interregional public environmental foundation "ISAR-Siberia" (Novosibirsk) - August 26, 2015 Public organization "Perm Regional Human Rights Center" (Perm) - September 3, 2015 Autonomous non-profit organization "Far Eastern Center for Civil Initiatives and Social Partnership" (Vladivostok) - October 13, 2015 Union of public associations "Russian Human Rights Research Center" (Moscow) - October 20, 2015 Foundation for Promotion of Civil Society and Human Rights "Women of the Don" (Novocherkassk) - October 27, 2015 Regional public institution "Research and Information Center 'MEMORIAL' " (Saint-Petersburg) - November 6, 2015 Non-profit organization "Glasnost Defense Foundation" - November 19, 2015 Autonomous non-profit organization "Institute of Human Rights" (Moscow) - November 20, 2015 Interregional public organization "Center for Assistance to Indigenous Peoples of the North" (Moscow) - November 27, 2015 Regional public organization "Information and Research Center 'Panorama' " (Moscow) - December 18, 2015 City public organization "Ekaterinburg society 'Memorial' " (Yekaterinburg) - December 30, 2015 Interregional public organization "Committee for Prevention of Torture" (Orenburg) - January 14, 2016 Interregional public organization "Bureau of Public Investigations" (Nizhny Novgorod) - January 14, 2016 Nizhny Novgorod Regional Public Organization "Institute for Forecasting and Settlement of Political Conflicts" (Nizhny Novgorod) - January 22, 2016 City public organization "Ryazan historical, educational and human rights society 'Memorial' " (Ryazan) - February 1, 2016 Chelyabinsk regional public initiative - women's public association "Women of Eurasia" (Chelyabinsk) - February 15, 2016 Chelyabinsk regional public initiative "Ural Human Rights Group" (Chelyabinsk) - February 15, 2016 Omsk regional public organization "Center for Health and Social Protection 'SIBALT' " (Omsk) - February 15, 2016 Charitable foundation for social and legal support "Sphere" (Saint Petersburg) - March 1, 2016 Interregional public organization "Center for Civic Education and Human Rights" (Perm) - March 3, 2016 Non-profit organization "International Foundation for Development of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East 'BATANI' " (Moscow) - March 11, 2016 Autonomous non-profit organization "Publishing House 'Valentin Manuylov' " - April 15, 2016 Regional public organization "Integration Center 'Migration and Law' " (Moscow) - June 16, 2016 Non-commercial partnership for support of social and preventive programs in public health "ESVERO" (Moscow) - June 22, 2016 Andrey Rylkov Foundation for Health and Social Justice Promotion (Moscow) - June 29, 2016 Autonomous non-profit organization "Publishing house 'Park Gagarina' " (Samara) - August 31, 2016 Autonomous non-profit organization "Analytical Center of Yuri Levada" (Moscow) - September 5, 2016 Interregional environmental protection and human rights public organization "Environmental Watch on the North Caucasus" (Maikop) - September 13, 2016 Foundation for support of civil freedoms "Legal Mission" (Chelyabinsk) - September 21, 2016 Autonomous non-profit human rights organization "Draftee's School" (Chelyabinsk) - September 21, 2016 International public organization "International Historical-Educational, Charitable and Human Rights Society 'Memorial' " (Moscow) - October 4, 2016 Sverdlovsk regional public foundation "Health Era" (Yekaterinburg) - October 11, 2016 Chapaevsk city public organization "Association of Medical Workers of Chapaevsk" (Chapaevsk) - October 21, 2016 Regional charitable foundation "Samarskaya Gubernia" (Samara) - November 2, 2016 Association "Internet Community" (Samara) - December 13, 2016 Autonomous non-profit organization for social support "Project April" (Tolyatti) - December 19, 2016 Regional public organization for assistance to women and children in crisis "Information and Methodological Center 'Anna' " (Moscow) - December 26, 2016 Krasnodar regional charitable public organization "Southern Human Rights Center" (Sochi) - December 27, 2016 Regional public organization for promotion of citizens' education "Center for Information and Analysis 'SOVA' " (Moscow) - December 30, 2016 Sverdlovsk public organization for assistance to legal migration "Nelegalov.Net [No Illegals]" (Yekaterinburg) - January 10, 2017 Soloneshensky district youth public organization "Pro-Movement" (Altay region) - January 25, 2017 Kaliningrad regional public organization "Society for German culture and Russian Germans Eintracht - Soglasie" (Kaliningrad) - January 31, 2017 Foundation for development assistance to mass communication and legal education "Tak-Tak-Tak" (Novosibirsk) - February 20, 2017 Foundation for sustainable development "Silver Taiga" (Syktyvkar) - June 23, 2017 Krasnodar regional department of the Russian public organization "Russian historical, educational and human rights society 'Memorial' " (Krasnodar) - August 21, 2017 Arkhangelsk regional youth environmental public organization "Etas" (Arkhangelsk) - September 1, 2017

And the four NGOs which registered voluntarily:

Association "Supporting Competition in the CIS Countries" (Moscow) - June 27, 2013 Karachay-Cherkess republican youth public organization "Union of Young Political Scientists" (Cherkessk) - December 15, 2014 Regional public organization "Center of Independent Researchers of the Altai Republic" (Gorno-Altaisk) - June 10, 2015 Sverdlovsk regional public social projects foundation "New Time" (Yekaterinburg) - June 23, 2017

On June 27, 2016, Russian authorities notified the head of "Women of the Don" human rights and peace building group, Valentina Cherevatenko, that they were bringing criminal proceedings against her for "malicious evasion" of legal requirements set out in the "foreign agents" law. Cherevatenko was formally charged on June 2, 2017, becoming the first Russian activist to face prosecution under the law, but the law enforcement authorities dropped the case against her several weeks later. On June 27, 2016, Russian authorities notified the head of "Women of the Don" human rights and peace building group, Valentina Cherevatenko, that they were bringing criminal proceedings against her for "malicious evasion" of legal requirements set out in the "foreign agents" law. Cherevatenko was formally charged on June 2, 2017, becoming the first Russian activist to face prosecution under the law, but the law enforcement authorities dropped the case against her several weeks later. On June 27, 2016, Russian authorities notified the head of "Women of the Don" human rights and peace building group, Valentina Cherevatenko, that they were bringing criminal proceedings against her for "malicious evasion" of legal requirements set out in the "foreign agents" law. Cherevatenko was formally charged on June 2, 2017, becoming the first Russian activist to face prosecution under the law, but the law enforcement authorities dropped the case against her several weeks later.

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Burma: Rohingya Describe Military Atrocities

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 8 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Burma: Rohingya Describe Military Atrocities, 8 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6655b4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Ethnic Rohingya Muslims fleeing Burmese security forces in Burma's Rakhine State have described killings, shelling, and arson in their villages that have all the hallmarks of a campaign of "ethnic cleansing," Human Rights Watch said today.

Burmese army, police, and ethnic Rakhine armed groups have carried out operations against predominantly Rohingya villages since the August 25, 2017 attacks by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militants against about 30 police posts and an army base. Burmese army commander Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing told the media that the government-approved military clearance operations in Rakhine State was "unfinished business" dating back to the Second World War.

The United Nations Security Council should hold a public emergency meeting and warn the Burmese authorities that they will face severe sanctions unless they put an end to the brutal campaign against the Rohingya population.

"Rohingya refugees have harrowing accounts of fleeing Burmese army attacks and watching their villages be destroyed," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director. "Lawful operations against armed groups do not involve burning the local population out of their homes."

In early September, Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 50 Rohingya refugees who had fled across the border to Bangladesh and obtained detailed accounts from about a dozen people. The Rohingya told Human Rights Watch that Burmese government security forces had carried out armed attacks on villagers, inflicting bullet and shrapnel injuries, and burned down their homes. They described the military's use of small arms, mortars, and armed helicopters in the attacks.

Human Rights Watch obtained satellite data and images that are consistent with widespread burnings in northern Rakhine State, encompassing the townships of Rathedaung, Buthidaung, and Maungdaw. To date, Human Rights Watch has found 21 unique locations where heat sensing technology on satellites identified significant, large fires. Knowledgeable sources in Bangladesh told Human Rights Watch that they heard the distinctive sounds of heavy and light machine gun fire and mortar shelling in villages just across the border in Burma, and spotted smoke arising from these villages shortly afterward.

The Burmese government has denied security force abuses, claiming that it is engaged in a counterterrorism operation in which nearly 400 people have been killed, most of them suspected militants. The Burmese authorities assert, without substantiating their claims, that militants and Rohingya villagers have burned 6,845 houses across 60 villages in northern Rakhine State. Refugee accounts contradict the claims of Burmese officials.

For example, Momena, a 32-year-old Rohingya woman from Maungdaw Township, said that she fled to Bangladesh on August 26, a day after security forces attacked her village. She first hid with her children when the soldiers arrived, but returning to the village she said she saw 40 to 50 villagers dead, including some children and elderly people: "All had knife wounds or bullet wounds, some had both. My father was among the dead; his neck had been cut open. I was unable to do last rites for my father - I just fled."

At the Cox's Bazar hospital, Human Right Watch interviewed several Rohingya with bullet wounds. Some said they were hit while at home, others said they were shot when running for safety from their villages, or while hiding in the fields or hills from Burmese soldiers.

Usman Goni, 20, said that he and five friends were in the hills outside their village, tending cattle, when they were attacked. He saw a helicopter flying overhead and then something fall out of it. He later realized he had been hit by whatever the helicopter dropped. Four of his friends died from fragment injuries while villagers transported Goni to Bangladesh for treatment. The fragments in his torso had not yet been removed when Human Rights Watch met him in the hospital.

Human Rights Watch's initial investigations of the current situation in Rakhine State are indicative of an ethnic cleansing campaign. Although "ethnic cleansing" is not formally defined under international law, a UN commission of experts has defined the term as a "purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas. This purpose appears to be the occupation of territory to the exclusion of the purged group or groups."

"There is no indication that the horrors we and others are uncovering in Rakhine State are letting up," Ganguly said. "The United Nations and concerned governments need to press Burma right now to end these horrific abuses against the Rohingya as a first step toward restoring Rohingya to their homes."

Attacks on villages in Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State, based on interviews with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, August 30, 2017 to September 5, 2017

Yasin Ali

Yasin Ali, 25, said that Burmese security forces attacked his village of Reka Para on August 27. Prior to the attack, tensions had been building in Reka Para and neighboring Rohingya villages as local Rakhine harassed and abused them for months. Ali said: "They would come around to us and say, 'This is not your land. Don't cultivate this land, and don't dare take the food growing on it.' If we went near their lands, they would beat us with sticks."

During the August 27 attack, all the villagers went into hiding. Ali said the women and children were sent further away to seek shelter, while the men stayed close by to wait out the attack in the hopes that they could quickly return to the village after the soldiers left. He said he hid by the roadside, about half a kilometer from where the soldiers made their approach. He heard what sounded like mortar shells hitting the village: "I heard boom boom boom, and then I saw the houses just collapse." After a while, he saw the soldiers advance toward the village, and from his vantage point, he saw that they were carrying small arms and what looked like light machine guns. He also said he saw a mortar system on the shoulder of a soldier, and some apparent mortar rounds the size of a grapefruit.

Ali said that when the soldiers entered the village, they started shooting indiscriminately. He and the other men from the village then decided to run away into the hills for shelter. From the hills, he saw a helicopter painted olive green circle his village four times, and saw something being dropped from the helicopter after which the houses in the village caught fire.

Ali and his family walked to Bangladesh and were allowed to enter by the border guards. They arrived on August 31, and at the time Ali spoke with Human Rights Watch, they were waiting outside trying to sort out where they could get shelter.

Momena

Momena, 32, fled her village of Kirgari Para on August 26 with two of her three children. She said that soldiers had previously attacked the village during the military operations in late 2016, but the situation in her village had settled down since then. She described the events that prompted her to flee:

I heard the sounds of fighting around 4 p.m. on Friday [August 25]. There was a lot of noise, worse than before. I saw them [the soldiers] myself as they entered my village. I don't know how many there were but it looked like a lot to me. I fled with the other villagers and we sheltered in the jungle overnight. When I returned to the village the next morning, after the soldiers had left, I saw about 40 to 50 villagers dead, including some children and some elderly. All had knife wounds or bullet wounds - some had both. My father was among the dead; his neck had been cut open. I was unable to do last rites for my father, I just fled.

Momena said she had to leave her husband and 10-year-old son behind. She has had no news of them since then. Her husband has no mobile phone and other villagers she is in contact with have heard no news of either of them. She heard that her mother is alive but has no idea where she is or how she is.

From her vantage point while hiding in the jungle, Momena said she could see some of the houses in her village burning at night. She believes soldiers set fire to the houses as a warning to the villagers.

Momena said she did not know of any armed Rohingya militants in the village. She had heard some youth in the village talking about resisting, but she never saw anyone take any action on this, there was just talk. She said many young Rohingya men fled into the jungle after the attack.

In addition to bodies found in her village, Momena said she saw several bodies of children in the Naf River at one of the crossing points into Bangladesh.

Momena said that when she and others fleeing with her crossed into Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Border Guards stopped them and said: "We have to stop you but if you shout and insist on entering, we'll let you in." She understood this as the guards pretending to obey their orders to refuse refugees entry to Bangladesh, but in practice helping the refugees enter the country.

Khatija Khaton

Khatija Khaton, a widow, lived in the village of Ashikha Mushi with her four children. She said that on August 25, an armed group of ethnic Rakhine youth came to her house and issued vague threats. She recognized them from previous encounters because most of them had been involved in the violence against her community in October 2016.

Khaton said she had never reported previous threats because "We don't trust the police, we just escape, that's our only solution."

The youth were armed with rifles and slingshots. She heard periodic gunshots, and other villagers said that the army was helping the Rakhine youth, but she did not see any evidence of that herself.

After seeing the armed Rakhine group kill a young Rohingya man, a 22-year-old called Rahim, she decided to leave her village that day after Friday noon prayers. She said that initially the Rohingya youth in the village responded to the Rakhine group's show of armed strength and threats by protesting with bamboo poles, but the Rakhine group opened fire on them:

Jumma prayers were just over that Friday, and the men and boys were outside the mosque when the Rakhine armed men came up to them. Rahim and others took up bamboo poles, that's all they had, but Rahim panicked when they began to shoot. He started running away. I saw them shoot him - the bullet went through his cheek, right by his cheekbone under his eye. He died from that wound.

After witnessing that shooting, Khaton panicked and fled into the hills with her three teenage daughters, ages 13, 15, and 18, whose safety she most feared for. She left her 5-year-old son behind - many Rohingya thought younger children might be safe from attack - but since then, she has no news of him.

She learned that the armed Rakhine group had returned to attack her village in the early hours of August 26. While hiding in the hills, Khaton said she saw several helicopters. She also said she heard bombs being dropped near and around her village: "It was a constant boom boom boom." She saw her village mosque and one house in her village burning.

Khaton and her daughters had no trouble entering Bangladesh, but she remains concerned about the security of her daughters, and is troubled by uncertainty and guilt for her young son left behind.

Nurus Safa

Nurus Safa, about 40, fled from Fahira Bazar in the village tract of Kha Maung Seik on August 29. She appeared to be in a state of shock when Human Rights Watch met her less than 24 hours after she arrived Bangladesh. "Many people were killed by knives, houses burned," she said. "We were threatened, people were wounded, so I just fled."

Safa said her village was attacked on August 25 by men in uniform whom she assumes were Burmese army soldiers. She and other villagers ran from the village and hid in the nearby hills for a few days and nights. She had heard rumors that some Rohingya youth in her village had been arming themselves and organizing protests, but she did not know this directly and had seen no signs of it.

In her panic to leave, Safa left behind the three eldest of her six children, ages 7, 8, and 15. She has received no news about them or her husband, Shafique Ahmed. She said that when she crossed the Naf River, the water level was up to her neck because of heavy monsoon rains. She said she saw many wounded people crossing the river into Bangladesh, but does not know who they were or how they were injured.

Safa says she and her younger children did not have any trouble from the Bangladeshi border guards when entering Bangladesh.

Mohammad Yunus

Mohammad Yunus, 26, said his village of Sikadir Para in Tat U Chaung village tract, close to the border with Bangladesh, was attacked on August 26. Although the villagers had had no prior warning of the attack, they were nervous because other people had come to his village fleeing attacks on their own villages further inland. He described the attack on the neighboring village of Falinga Ziri:

I remember army helicopters, olive green in color, flying around. I was standing on the other side of a canal, watching all this happen directly across from me. I was very close and saw it all myself. The soldiers were using guns that shoot fire, or something that explodes and sets fire.

Yunus was not sure how many soldiers were involved in the operation, but he thinks there might have been over 250. He said he saw about 25 to 30 houses set on fire in Falinga Kiri from his vantage point. He said that at the time of the attack, it looked to him like there were no villagers left; they had all fled earlier.

Yunus and his fellow villagers quickly decided to flee their village as well. The next day, August 27, as they were heading toward shelter in neighboring hills, he saw soldiers and police shooting at villagers fleeing. He learned later that one woman had been killed.

Yunus said that he did not know of any Rohingya men who had been training or arming themselves, or had engaged in any militant activity.

Begum Bahar

Begum Bahar said that soldiers attacked her village of Kun Thee Pyin on August 25. They wore olive green uniforms and she believes they were Burmese army. She along with seven of her children and other villagers fled in panic when they saw the soldiers and heard gunfire. They ran into the jungle to cross the border into Bangladesh for safety, a two-hour walk away.

Bahar said she saw at least three bodies as she fled to the border crossing. One had a cut on the back of the neck and two suffered from bullet wounds. She heard the "boom boom boom" of large weapons firing all day August 26 and 27, as she was attempting to cross the Naf River into Bangladesh. During the river crossing, she lost contact with her 12-year-old son and does not know if he survived.

Begum Behar said she was unaware of Rohingya militant training or anti-government activities. She said that the authorities had ordered all Rohingya villages to deposit sharp weapons to local leaders to turn over to the police, so any kind of resistance would be difficult. She did admit that her 22-year-old son had opposed her decision to leave and stayed behind when she left with her other children.

Tabarak Hussein

Hussein, 19, said that on August 27 at about 9 a.m., about 200 to 300 Burmese security forces in uniform along with local Rakhine men arrived at his village of Kun Thee Pyun (Kwashong in Rohingya). He said they were all armed, but was too frightened to have a proper look at their weapons. They began a spree of indiscriminate shooting in the village.

Hussein said that before the attack, tensions had been running high:

The local police had been harassing us, mistreating us for at least six months before this. They would take away our cows, for example. We were angry about this but we didn't protest; we knew protesting would come to nothing. Then on the Friday [August 25] before the attack, four people were killed in my village [by the police]. I don't know exactly how it happened. They were all Rohingya men. We left the village that day and hid in the hills, but came back because the police seemed to back down and leave. We thought it was all over, but it was not.

Hussein said that when the August 27 attack began, he and the other villagers fled into the hills. From atop one hill, he saw a helicopter flying over Kun Thee Pyun village, and then almost immediately after he saw houses in the village catch on fire. He doesn't know what caused the houses to catch fire.

He said that none of the villagers in his village were killed or injured during the August 27 attack. He walked for two days and on August 29 arrived at the Bangladeshi border. He said the Bangladesh border guards stopped his group at the border for a while, and then instructed them to take another route to enter Bangladesh. The group did that and they were allowed in.

Anwar Shah

Anwar Shah, 17, said that on the morning of August 27, Burmese security forces in uniform opened fire on a crowd in his village of Let Ya Chaung, killing three Rohingya men and a boy, and wounding 18 others. He said he didn't know the circumstances of the shooting, but there had been tensions between the authorities and local Rakhine and Rohingya villagers for some time. He didn't think the four were armed or posed any security threat. The dead included Shah's brother, Abdu Satter, 22. Abdu Shukur, about 50, Nur Alam, about 15, and Haroun, about 25. Their families buried them in the neighboring village of Kum Para because they were too frightened to bury them in their own village.

Shah said that after the attack he saw the local village mosque was on fire. He heard that the local police were responsible setting the blaze but did not witness that.

Shah said that following his brother's death, he fled to Bangladesh. He learned that there was a big attack on his village the next day, August 28, and that all houses were set on fire.

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Philippines: Abusive 'Drug War' Targets Children

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 9 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Philippines: Abusive 'Drug War' Targets Children , 9 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b665e24.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The apparent extrajudicial executions by Philippine police of two children over a three-day period underscores the need for a United Nations inquiry into President Rodrigo Duterte's abusive "war on drugs," Human Rights Watch said today. While several dozen children under 18 have died in drug war-related killings since June 2016, circumstances suggest that the Philippine National Police (PNP) deliberately targeted the two children.

"The apparent willingness of Philippine police to deliberately target children for execution marks an appalling new level of depravity in this so-called drug war," said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director. "These killings demonstrate that Duterte's rejection of the rule of law has made all Filipinos potential 'drug-war' victims, no matter how young."

On September 6, 2017, a passerby spotted the body of Reynaldo de Guzman, a 14-year-old Grade 5 student from Pasig City, floating in a creek, 20 days after he was reported missing. A pathologist report indicates that de Guzman died from at least 30 stab wounds after his assailants wrapped his head in packing tape. Packing tape has been a gruesome hallmark of many drug-war killings under Duterte. De Guzman had last been seen alive on August 18 in the company of his friend Carl Angelo Arnaiz, 19, who the police shot to death later that day after they accused him of robbing a taxi driver in Manila's Caloocan City.

Two days earlier, on August 16, police anti-drug officers in Caloocan City killed 17-year-old Kian delos Santos. Police said they shot delos Santos after he fired on them during an anti-drug operation. However, both witness accounts and close circuit television camera footage indicate that police executed an unarmed delos Santos while he was in police custody and dumped his body in an alley.

The killings of delos Santo and de Guzman bring to at least 54 the number of children killed by police and "unidentified gunmen" in the "war on drugs" since July 2016, according to data from the Children's Legal Rights and Development Center. Most of those children had been shot while in the company of adults who were the apparent target of the shooting. Both Duterte and Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II have dismissed those killings as "collateral damage."

Duterte's government has also imperiled children by approving a plan for mandatory drug testing for all college students and applicants. The order permits local governments, the police, and other law enforcement agencies to "carry out any drug-related operation within the school premises" with the approval of school administrators. This will effectively allow the police to extend their abusive anti-drug operations to college and university campuses, placing students at grave risk.

A public uproar over the killings of delos Santos and de Guzman has prompted Duterte, the Justice Department, and the Philippine National Police to promise thorough investigations into their deaths. In August, the Public Attorney's Office filed murder and torture charges against the police officers implicated in the delos Santos killing. But on September 8, Duterte described de Guzman's killing as a deliberate act of "sabotage" to "discredit" the police.

There are major concerns about the willingness and capacity of the Philippine authorities to conduct thorough, impartial, and transparent investigations into drug war-related killings. In July, police officials allowed the police officers facing homicide charges in the 2016 killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. to return to work.

The officers were reinstated even though twin inquiries by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Senate reached the conclusion that the officers had committed "premeditated murder" when they shot Espinosa to death in a Manila jail cell on November 5, 2016. Espinosa had surrendered to the police following public accusations by President Duterte that he was a drug trafficker. Both investigations rejected the officers' assertion that Espinosa died in a firefight in his cell after brandishing a concealed pistol.

Duterte has also systematically sought to vilify, harass, and intimidate those carrying out domestic and international accountability efforts that have challenged his drug war. The targets of the harassment campaign include human rights organizations and activists, lawyers, United Nations officials, journalists, and Philippine lawmakers.

Concerted action by the UN Human Rights Council to address Duterte's abusive drug war is crucial. The council should press the Philippines government to accept an independent international investigation into all allegations of extrajudicial killings and to hold those responsible to account. The council should also press the government to cooperate with the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, grant unfettered and unconditional access to the rapporteur, and immediately stop all official incitement and instigation of drug war killings.

"A fundamental obligation of every government is to protect the lives of its children, not to empower police and their agents to murder them," Kine said. "Until Duterte ends his abusive drug war and allows a UN-led international probe, child-killers among the police will continue to get away with murder."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
China: Free Xinjiang 'Political Education' Detainees

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 10 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, China: Free Xinjiang 'Political Education' Detainees, 10 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6667e4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Chinese government should immediately free people held in unlawful "political education" centers in Xinjiang and shut them down, Human Rights Watch said today. Since about April 2017, the authorities have forcibly detained thousands of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities at these centers, where they are subjected to propaganda promoting Chinese identity.

"The Chinese authorities are holding people at these 'political education' centers not because they have committed any crimes, but because they deem them politically unreliable," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. "The government has provided no credible reasons for holding these people and should free them immediately."

Human Rights Watch interviewed three relatives of detainees held in political education facilities around Kashgar City and Bortala Prefecture in 2017. They said the detentions began in the spring and lasted for several months. They said that people sent to the centers were not presented with a warrant, evidence of a crime, or any other documentation. They did not know which local authorities were responsible for detaining their family members or in some cases, even where they were held.

The family members said that men, women, and children were all being held. In one case, a family of four, including two children, were taken to a political education facility in western Xinjiang in April for traveling abroad for business and for the Hajj, an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. While one parent and one child were released after three months, the other two are believed to be still in custody.

State media in Xinjiang, including the Xinjiang Daily, have reported on these facilities. People interviewed and state media generally refer them as "counter extremism training centers" () and "education and transformation training centers" (). The facilities are converted from schools or other official buildings, though some are specifically built for the purpose. Media reports have noted that party cadres "eat, live and labor" alongside those "who need to be transformed," and that life and hours there are "just like a boarding high school except the content of learning is different."

The family members interviewed said they believed their relatives were being detained for a number of reasons, including traveling abroad or having families who live abroad. Others may have been targeted for participating in unauthorized religious activities, such as wearing headscarves or other Muslim attire, or merely for having relatives who had been previously arrested by the government. State media reports also said that people who "are easily influenced by religious extremism" as well as "key personnel" - a term that refers to people perceived as threats by authorities - have also been detained in these facilities.

The family members also said that detainees are required to learn the Chinese language, and recite Chinese and Xinjiang laws and policies. They are compelled to watch pro-government propaganda videos, and to renounce their ethnic and religious identities, reciting slogans such as "religion is harmful," and "learning Chinese is part of patriotism."

It is not clear how many people are held in these facilities at any one time. An April 5 Xinjiang Daily article reported that over 2,000 people had been "trained" in a Hotan facility, though it does not give a time frame. This report features a Uyghur traditional medicine seller named Ali Husen, who was "sent" to this center by the township authorities. Though Husen was "initially very reluctant" to learn, he increasingly became "shocked by his ignorance." After two months of education, Husen was asked to "clearly articulate his stance ()" to a crowd of 5,000 and told them "how extremism had harmed him."

Media reports say that ethnic Kazakhs and Kyrgyz have also been detained for having traveled abroad or having "spoken about Kazakhstan a lot." Other reasons for their detentions are not known.

China's closest equivalent to this form of detention for political indoctrination is the compulsory "re-education" of hundreds of Tibetans following their return from a religious gathering called the Kalachakra Initiation in India in December 2012, during the leadership of Communist Party secretary Chen Quanguo.

The Xinjiang political education detention centers are contrary to China's constitution and violate international human rights law, Human Rights Watch said. Article 37 of China's Constitution states that all arrests must be approved by either the procuratorate, the state prosecution, or the courts, yet neither agency appears to be involved with these detentions.

International human rights law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which China has signed but not ratified, prohibits arbitrary detention. Detention is arbitrary when it is not possible to invoke a legal basis justifying the deprivation of liberty, or when the detaining authority fails to observe basic due process rights, such as to be informed of the reasons for arrest, to contest the detention before a judge, and to have access to lawyers and family members. While some Chinese laws - including the Counterterrorism Law, the Xinjiang Implementing Measures of that law, or the Xinjiang Counterextremism Regulations - envision authorities "educating" people about extremism, none of those laws allow authorities to deprive people of their liberty.

"Unjustly detaining and forcibly indoctrinating people will only increase resentment toward the government, not engender loyalty," Richardson said. "China should instead allow greater freedoms so people in Xinjiang can express their criticisms and ethnic and religious identities peacefully and without fear."

Government Repression of Uyghurs

Xinjiang, in northwestern China, is home to 10 million Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities. The Chinese government has imposed pervasive discrimination, repression, and restrictions on fundamental human rights, including freedom of religion. Opposition to central and local government policies has been expressed in peaceful protests, but also through bombings and other acts of violence.

The Chinese government has long conflated violent and nonviolent forms of political advocacy in Xinjiang. Authorities treat expressions of Uyghur identity, including language, culture, and religion, as well as aspirations for independence, as one of the "three [evil] forces" (), that is, "separatism, terrorism, and extremism."

The Xinjiang authorities say many Uyghurs have "problematic ideas," including Uyghur nationalism, extreme religious dogmas, and pan-Islamic and pan-Turkic identities. These are to be addressed by targeting their thoughts. Authorities say that these ideas, which they believe spread from Central Asia and the Middle East to Xinjiang, are incompatible with the Chinese government's views about a united Chinese national identity.

Since Party Secretary Chen Quanguo moved from Tibet to lead Xinjiang in August 2016, the Xinjiang regional government has enacted policies that restrict foreign ties. It has recalled passports from Xinjiang residents since October 2016, which restricts foreign travel for these residents and gives police wide power to scrutinize residents' proposed visits abroad. It has ordered Uyghur students studying abroad, including in Egypt, to return to Xinjiang, and made Egyptian authorities round up students who failed to return in July 2017.

There have also been reports of people being sentenced to prison for more than 10 years for studying or traveling abroad. Chen has also stepped up surveillance of residents, already under heightened security measures and an ongoing "strike hard" campaign, by employing the latest technologies, as well as hiring thousands more security personnel.

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Burma: Ensure Aid Reaches Rohingya

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 11 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Burma: Ensure Aid Reaches Rohingya, 11 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b666eb4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations, other multilateral organizations, and countries with influence should press the Burmese government to urgently allow humanitarian aid to reach ethnic Rohingya Muslims at risk in Burma's Rakhine State. They should also ensure that adequate assistance reaches the more than 270,000 Rohingya and other refugees who have recently fled to Bangladesh.

The Burmese military's abusive campaign against the Rohingya population was sparked by an August 25, 2017 attack by militants belonging to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which targeted about 30 police posts and an army base. In addition to the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, tens of thousands remain displaced within Burma. Another nearly 12,000 people, mainly ethnic Rakhine and other non-Muslims, are also displaced in Rakhine State.

"The humanitarian catastrophe that Burma's security forces have created in Rakhine State has been multiplied by the authorities' unwillingness to provide access to humanitarian agencies," said Philippe Bolopion, deputy director for global advocacy at Human Rights Watch. "The United Nations, ASEAN, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation need to ramp up the pressure on Burma and provide more assistance to Bangladesh to promptly help Rohingya and other displaced people."

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh told Human Rights Watch that Burmese government security forces had carried out armed attacks on villagers, inflicting bullet and shrapnel injuries, and burned down their homes. The killings, shelling, and arson in Rohingya villages have all the hallmarks of a campaign of "ethnic cleansing."

International aid activities in much of Rakhine State have been suspended, leaving approximately 250,000 people without food, medical care, and other vital humanitarian assistance. Refugees told Human Rights Watch that while many people from Maungdaw Township could escape to Bangladesh, tens of thousands of displaced Rohingya are still hiding in the areas surrounding Rathedaung and Buthidaung Townships.

For decades, the Burmese government has considered the Rohingya, most of whom live in northern Rakhine State, to be foreign nationals from Bangladesh. Just over 1 million Rohingya live in Burma, and they make up a large portion of the country's relatively small Muslim population. The Rohingya have long faced systematic discrimination in Burma based on their exclusion from citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law. As a result, the Rohingya are one of the largest stateless populations in the world.

Since the Rohingya lack citizenship, Burmese police and border guards, and local officials, systematically subject them to a barrage of rights-abusing restrictions. Government laws, policies, and practices prevent Rohingya from freedom of movement to leave their villages; restrict their right to livelihoods; interfere with their privacy rights to marry and have children; and obstruct them from access to basic health services and education.

Even before the recent violence, "[f]ood security indicators and child malnutrition rates in Maungdaw [Township] were already above emergency thresholds," said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Burma. As a result of official restrictions and recurrent military operations against Rohingya communities causing massive displacement, those now affected have been highly dependent on food and other aid distributed by UN agencies and international nongovernmental organizations.

Hostility against aid agencies has grown following government accusations that international aid workers supported the Rohingya militants because some high-energy biscuits distributed by the World Food Program were found in an alleged militant camp in July 2017. Some supply warehouses of international aid groups were reported looted in September, while national and international staff of the UN and international nongovernmental organizations have faced intimidation, according to the European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations.

The Rohingya in Bangladesh

About 34,000 officially registered Rohingya refugees are in Bangladesh, plus an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 who are unregistered. Another approximately 87,000 people arrived after fleeing military attacks in Rakhine State from October 2016 to March 2017, following ARSA attacks in October. After the state crackdown following the August 2017 ARSA attack, aid workers in Bangladesh think the number of new arrivals will swell to over 300,000.

During the current crisis, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials have informally allowed Rohingya into the country. The officials told Human Rights Watch that their primary focus was helping those entering Bangladesh from the no-man's land area, assisting people with emergency rations, providing medical care, and assisting with sanitation and water needs. They said they were unable to provide assistance to those entering Bangladesh from the many unmonitored points of entry.

Crossing the Naf River during the monsoon is dangerous, and according to border guard officials and other sources, more than two dozen people have drowned trying to cross the border. Those who make it across can only huddle in makeshift tents to seek shelter from the constant downpour of monsoon rains. Hospitals are operating well beyond capacity, and health officials say they fear disease outbreaks as a result of overcrowding and poor sanitation.

A 17-year-old Rohingya refugee in a hospital in Bangladesh with a bullet wound to his arm told Human Rights Watch that he had no idea what will happen to him after he is discharged. He said he had "no family, no friends, no contacts, and no money in Bangladesh." Border guard officers said that they had already encountered many such cases of unaccompanied children lost in the confusion of flight.

Some Bangladeshi officials have said that the Rohingya refugees are not welcome, noting the severe monsoon flooding in many parts of the country. Since 2016, authorities have proposed to relocate undocumented Rohingya residing in Bangladesh to an uninhabitable atoll in the Bay of Bengal.

Bangladesh has rebuffed international assistance in the past, out of fear that it might serve as a pull factor for Rohingya refugees. However, as is evident from thousands pouring in every day despite the lack of adequate food and shelter, people escape to save their lives. As far as Human Rights Watch is able to determine, the government has largely abstained from pushing back those fleeing Burma. However, the lack of sufficient international support for Bangladesh has contributed to appalling conditions in the border areas.

"The humanitarian situations in Burma and Bangladesh will continue to deteriorate so long as Burmese security forces are carrying out mass atrocities in Rakhine State," Bolopion said. "The UN Security Council should publicly hold an emergency meeting and demand that the Burmese authorities stop the violence against the Rohingya population and allow aid to flow in, or face sanctions."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Rohingya take to the sea in search of safety in Bangladesh

Publisher Human Rights Watch Author Vivian Tan Publication Date 7 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Rohingya take to the sea in search of safety in Bangladesh, 7 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b667624.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

He is too young to have a name but has already suffered more than most people do in a lifetime. Baby X was born nine days ago just after his family lost everything they owned. "They burnt our house and drove us out by shooting. We walked for three days through the jungle. That's where he was born," said his father Mohamed, gesturing to the puckered bundle of life. The family of seven is among an estimated 164,000 people who have fled Myanmar's northern Rakhine state since violence broke out there on August 25. They waited for a night on the Myanmar border before taking a fishing boat to Bangladesh, braving a five-hour voyage through rough seas in the Bay of Bengal. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of others have landed on the beaches of Teknaf in south-eastern Bangladesh in the last few days. Curve-tailed boats that usually carry fish have been taking these refugees to safety for a fee. Passengers pay between 5,000 and 10,000 Bangladeshi taka (US$60-122) per person. Refugees say that those who cannot pay are held by the boat owner until their relatives pay up or the police intervene.

They waited for a night on the Myanmar border before taking a fishing boat to Bangladesh, braving a five-hour voyage through rough seas in the Bay of Bengal. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of others have landed on the beaches of Teknaf in south-eastern Bangladesh in the last few days. Curve-tailed boats that usually carry fish have been taking these refugees to safety for a fee. Passengers pay between 5,000 and 10,000 Bangladeshi taka (US$60-122) per person. Refugees say that those who cannot pay are held by the boat owner until their relatives pay up or the police intervene.

Most spend the night in the nearby village of Shamlapur, which has hosted many Rohingya refugees since the late 1970s. A local leader named Shahid estimates that more than 10,000 have arrived in his village alone within days From here, they call whatever relatives they may have in Bangladesh. Those with no ties move on in search of assistance - to existing refugee camps like Kutupalong or makeshift sites like Balukhali some 15 km away. They are not done with walking yet. But at least tonight, they know they can sleep in peace. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working on the ground with its partners to provide them with protection, lifesaving aid like shelter, food, water and healthcare. It is calling for the registration of all refugees upon arrival, to allow all those in need to access necessary services.

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
From 1829 to 1907, the empires of Russia and Great Britain shared a mutual hostility. Each wanted to expand its influence in Central Asia, as well as across the Pacific Ocean. Thus, a rivalry was born. The animosity sparked or intensified several military conflicts, most notably the Crimean War (1853-1856), which pitted Russia against the allied forces of Britain, France, Sardinia and the Ottoman Empire. Ultimately, Russia was defeated. By some estimates, the czarist empire suffered 800,000 casualties or more.

Although this war was restricted to Eurasia, it had major ramifications across the Pacific. Among other things, it called into question the future of that magical land, Alaska.

Advertisement

Following decades of exploration, Russia claimed Alaska in 1741. It then founded its first North American settlement there on Aug. 3, 1784. This was established by the Shelikhov-Golikov Co., one of several fur-trading organizations that operated in the area  ostensibly on the empire's behalf. In 1799, Czar Paul I merged several of these into the Russian-American Co. (RAC). A powerful conglomerate, the RAC was given a trade monopoly on Alaskan resources. It was also tasked with creating new settlements and expanding Russia's New World presence.

To this end, company manager Alexander Baranov had his men venture all the way down to northern California, where they set up an outpost called Fort Ross on Feb. 2, 1812. The RAC's grand vision was for this establishment to serve as an agricultural hub, one whose crops would sustain its own settlers and those up in Alaska. With their food supply guaranteed, the colonists in both locations would have an easier time harvesting the Pacific's most profitable commodity: sea otter pelts. Several times more valuable than the coveted beaver and fur seal pelts, these were the lifeblood of the Russian-American economy.

Unfortunately, Fort Ross' farming output was grossly inadequate. And to make matters worse, the Russian fur trappers overhunted those sea otters so badly that the animals nearly vanished from the North Pacific. The Russians therefore gave up on Fort Ross, which was sold to an American frontiersman in 1844.

" " The Alaska gold rush brought the United States billions in wealth. Here prospectors are seen starting their journey for the Yukon from Juneau, Alaska, in 1896. Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images
Displaced children tell of suffering in DRC's Kasai

Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Author Andreas Kirchhof Publication Date 8 September 2017 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Displaced children tell of suffering in DRC's Kasai, 8 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b668944.html [accessed 14 November 2022]

KAMONIA, Democratic Republic of the Congo - 12-year-old Felix* sits in silence, staring around the compound where he is staying. He and four other children were taken in by foster parents after they escaped the conflict in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

"I lost my parents when our village was attacked by armed men," he says. "We ran off in different directions."

Felix crossed the DRC border with Angola, on a frantic search for his parents. "I looked for them in the places where all the refugees are but I did not find them," he says. "Now, I have come back here. I don't know if they are still alive."

Marie*, 13, has also lost her parents. She fled to a nearby town with her four sisters and brothers after she saw her parents being killed.

"I am now the head of the family," she says as she watches over her two-year-old brother, the youngest in the family.

Marie lives with her siblings in a house that was abandoned by the owner who fled to Angola. They have no one to watch over them, except for a few sympathetic neighbours who have collected food for them.

Felix and Marie are among hundreds of children who have been separated from their parents or have witnessed terrible killings. Children like them are placed in foster care by local humanitarian organizations but there is no system for psychosocial support.

The conflict in Kasai began more than a year ago when local tension escalated into a widespread conflict that has affected nine of the DRC's 26 provinces. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, estimates that 1.4 million people have been displaced as a result of the violence in the previously peaceful region.

A mission by UNHCR staff last week to Kamoina, on the DRC's border with Angola, showed the extent of the violence and destruction in the area at the centre of the conflict.

Entire villages have been burnt down and the provision of basic humanitarian services has ceased because access to areas where people are in need of assistance and protection has been cut off. Health facilities, schools and other public buildings have been destroyed.

Children like Felix and Marie are particularly at risk, as are the elderly, the disabled and the sick. UNHCR has appealed to authorities to allow aid agencies more access to people in need of assistance.

UNHCR is deploying staff and opening more offices in Kasai to boost humanitarian operations and has asked for greater security in the area. This will allow refugees and internally displaced people to return home eventually.

*Names have been changed for protection purposes.

Additional reporting by Markku Aikomus in Angola.
The Rakhine State Danger to Myanmar's Transition

Publisher International Crisis Group (ICG) Publication Date 8 September 2017 Cite as International Crisis Group (ICG), The Rakhine State Danger to Myanmar's Transition, 8 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b66fe04.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Since 2012, the International Crisis Group repeatedly has warned that, if left unresolved, Rakhine State's volatile dynamics pose a major risk to Myanmar's transition. If dealt with primarily through a heavy-handed, indiscriminate security response, rather than in the framework of a political strategy, the dangers were clearly set to become far worse. The events of recent weeks are not just causing enormous suffering to civilians, but bring Myanmar precipitously close to just such an unraveling of much that has been achieved since the end of military rule.

The 25 August attacks on Myanmar security forces by the militant group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), also known as Harakah al-Yaqin, which the government has designated a terrorist group, undoubtedly were intended as a provocation. Neither these attacks nor the reported killing of non-Rohingya civilians, at least some of which are undoubtedly the work of the group, are excusable, no matter what political agenda they claim to represent. Any government has the responsibility to defend itself and the people living in the country. At the same time, such government security responses need to be proportionate and not target civilians.

It is extremely difficult to verify the numerous reports of atrocities amid the confusion and chaos, and very limited access for media and humanitarian agencies. Yet even if specific allegations cannot be proven, the scale of the crisis is clear. The 270,000 Rohingya who have fled in the last two weeks to the Bangladesh-Myanmar border and across are telling, both in terms of their numbers and the accounts they bring. The vast majority of these people, mostly women and children, are unlikely to be militants. Along with some 87,500 who fled a previous upsurge in violence in October 2016, nearly half of Myanmar's estimated one million Rohingya may now have been forced from their homes.

It may indeed be difficult for the government to distinguish between ARSA members and other Rohingya. The events of last year and recent weeks, particularly the heavy handed military response in the wake of the October 2016 and August 2017 attacks, appear to have promoted a sense among Rohingya that a general uprising is underway. But operationally challenging as this is, it cannot be an excuse for military action against the general population. By doing so, the military will not quell the crisis, but rather play straight into the hands of ARSA by increasing the sense of grievance and hopelessness.

It is similarly vital to treat with utmost caution claims that the current crisis is being fuelled by militants with transnational jihadist aims. Rohingya communities have not typically been radicalised in this fashion and there are no indications that ARSA has been pursuing goals congruent with those of global jihadist outfits. While there may be domestic political imperatives or gains to be had for politicians in the region to make these claims, doing so is deeply dangerous.

If the Myanmar government chooses to continue a massive military response against the general population, even if parts of this population may be sympathetic to ARSA, or publicly to treat the violence as the work of jihadists, it risks creating conditions for the entrenchment or rise of those very same dynamics. An alienated, desperate and dispossessed population that is shunned by the country it claims as its home and by neighbours is ripe for exploitation by such groups and may believe it has little to lose if it were to turn to violence. The risks to those who live in Myanmar, the country's transition and regional stability are considerable.

There is no military solution to the crisis in Rakhine state. The Myanmar government will find no success, only long term violence and crisis, if it uses the presence of militants and the growth of some sympathy for them, as an excuse to address in an extreme manner the long-standing challenges of Rakhine state. The path to stability lies in dealing head on with the fears, claims and desires of all groups in the state, Rakhine, Rohingya and other minorities. This political path is difficult and will require compromises many may find distasteful. But taking this road is the only way to reduce the risks of serious violence, more displacement and greater human misery.
Security Council told African-led force on terrorism in the Sahel operational but challenged

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 15 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council told African-led force on terrorism in the Sahel operational but challenged, 15 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b672004.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The joint task force by the so-called Group of Five (G5)  Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger  to tackle the threat of terrorism in Africa's Sahel region is now operational, but a number of challenges remain, including funding, the United Nations Security Council was today told.

The creation of the G5 Sahel Joint Force has the potential to make a significant contribution to efforts already under way to stabilize the region, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, El-Ghassim Wane, told the 15-member Council in New York.

But we must also be realistic about the challenges that remain and the issues that remain to be resolved. The success of the Joint Force depends as much on deepening this regional partnership and on the applicable policy framework, as on the determination of its members to achieve its operationalization, and the unfailing support of their international partners.

Mr. Wane said the Joint Force offers a unique opportunity to respond to regional challenges, but only if other aspects and cases of instability in the region are addressed.

Addressing the root causes of instability in the Sahel requires going beyond military action and tackling the governance gap, chronic poverty and unemployment, climate change and financing for development, he said.

Abject poverty, fast population growth, climate change, recurrent food and nutrition crises, armed conflicts and violence converge dangerously and undermine the lives and assets and future prospects of millions of families across the Sahel region, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said. More than 30 million people face food insecurity, one in five children under the age of five suffers from acute malnutrition and at least 4.9 million are displaced by the effects of conflicts.

Speaking to the Security Council, the senior UN official also noted the need to tackle cross-border crime and to impose targeted sanctions, as well as to create a political strategy to guide the activities of the Joint Force and align them with the Malian peace process and other regional initiatives.

He noted also that the Joint Force should work closely with the recently established working group of the Executive Committee on the Sahel chaired by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and the African Union's peace and security architecture.

Among the greatest needs are funding, Mr. Wane said praying the five Member States for contributing funds to the project.

Those joint contribution, combined with the European Union's pledged contribution, as announced by Commissioner Federica Mogherini in June, amount to 108 million, or 25 percent of total requirements.

While generating pledges and contributions to meet the requirements of the Joint Force will be critical, the setting up of transparent, coordinated and effective funding will be equally as important, Mr. Wane said, noting the planned meeting in September hosted by German and French Defence Ministries to discuss further opportunities to support the Joint Force.

The Joint Force is ready to conduct its first coordinated operations along Mali's borders with Nigeria and Burkina Faso in October, with greater capacity in spring 2018.

A written report on the workings of the Joint Force is expected in October.

Visiting injured 'blue helmets' in Mali

Meanwhile, in Mali today, the Head of the UN Mission, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, along with the Malian Prime Minister and governmental officials, visited the UN camp in Timbuktu and met with the wounded following yesterday's attacks on UN camps in Douenza and Timbuktu.

A UN peacekeeper, a Malian soldier and a member of the Malian gendarmerie were killed, along with six Malian contractors in the attacks. A number of other people were also wounded.

The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) said the situation in Timbuktu today is calm but tense, with the presence of a large number of Malian security and defence forces.
More survivors, remains of deceased African migrants found on Yemen beach, says UN agency

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 15 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, More survivors, remains of deceased African migrants found on Yemen beach, says UN agency, 15 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b672554.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Over the past three days, the UN migration agency has found more survivors and victims' remains from last week's tragedy  when hundreds of migrants were forced from two boats into the sea off the coast of Yemen.

Last week, 280 migrants heading toward Gulf countries were removed from two boats off the coast of Yemen's Shabwa Governorate. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) found, from the first incident on 9 August, the remains of 29 people  12 Ethiopian men, 12 Ethiopian women and five Somali men.

The number of people still missing has reduced from 22 to six, all of whom are Ethiopian males, IOM said in a press statement.

Through contact or from other survivors' reports, IOM was able to account for a majority of the missing.

This makes 35 people presumed dead from the first incident, the statement added.

IOM provided urgent medical care, as well as food and water, to 27 survivors  22 Ethiopian and five Somali men. While 85 people survived this incident, many others left the beach before IOM arrived to assist.

On Thursday, 10 August, another 160 people were forced from a second boat, again off the coast of Yemen, but in a different location from the first tragedy and closer to the shore.

That same day IOM found six bodies on the beach.

IOM assisted 57 survivors on 10 August. Thirteen of the survivors, whom IOM had helped, returned to the beach the following day realizing that they were too weak to make the trek through the desert to Yemen's land borders, the statement continued.

On 11 August, IOM and local people found another four and on 12 August, another two. The current total number of confirmed dead from the second incident is 12  eight Ethiopian males and four Ethiopian females.

In the immediate aftermath of the smugglers' actions during the second incident, 13 people were missing. Only six people remain missing and so, 18 are now presumed dead, continued the statement.

On 13 August, IOM located five more survivors and assisted them with medical support, food and water. In total, IOM aided 65 people who survived the second incident  62 Ethiopian males and three Ethiopian females. Some 142 people survived the second incident and, as on the previous day, people left the beach before IOM arrived.

Of the 280 people forced into Yemen's rough seas on both mornings, 226 survived, 41 were confirmed dead and 12 remain missing, according to IOM.

The total number of presumed dead is currently 53.

Due to the security situation in the country, the migration routes through Yemen are constantly changing.

The surviving Ethiopian and Somali migrants left IOM's care and are most likely making their way to Yemen's borders with the Gulf countries  a journey which takes a week or more depending on the route.

IOM will continue to patrol Yemen's beaches to provide assistance to migrants in distress and to search for the migrants still missing, concluded the statement of the UN migration agency.
'Dramatic' rise in Central African Republic violence happening out of media eyes, warns UNICEF

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 15 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, 'Dramatic' rise in Central African Republic violence happening out of media eyes, warns UNICEF, 15 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b672de4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Central African Republic (CAR) has spiralled into violence and remains one of the worst countries in the world to be a child and right now there are few eyes looking at them and few hands trying to help, the United Nations children's agency said today.

The past year, and especially the last quarter, has seen a dramatic increase in violence, Donaig Le Du, spokesperson for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), told reporters at the regular press briefing in Geneva.

There are now an estimated 600,000 internally displaced people, up from 440,000 at the end of April  a big increase in the past 2-3 months, she continued, pointing out that 600,000 was the April 2014 count, right after the peak of the crisis.

And there are still 480,000 CAR refugees in neighbouring countries. So out of an estimated population of a little over five million, one in five is either a refugee or displaced, half of them children, Ms. Le Du added.

UNICEF noted that as the country spirals into violence, Bangui, the capital, is quiet.

The roads are bad, and with the rainy season and insecurity, it becomes nearly impossible to travel. There is limited cell phone coverage, the spokesperson explained.

She gave the example of six Red Cross volunteers whose deaths were not reported until after took two weeks after they were killed in Gambo earlier this month.

Two-thirds of the country is controlled by armed groups

Beyond Bangui, two-thirds of the country is controlled by armed groups.

In the cities and villages that were recently affected by violence, that means that schools are closed. That teachers don't dare to go to schools. Several NGOs [non-governmental organizations] have retreated, which means no health care. Supplies are looted  at one health centre, solar panels were stolen from solar fridges for example, which means no immunizations, Ms. Le Du elaborated.

Horrendous reports on children's rights violations have surfaced over the past months and weeks.

Precise numbers are impossible to know but we know for a fact that children have been killed; there have been incidents of sexual violence, and that recruitment into armed groups is happening. But there are less direct violations with lasting consequences  having to flee or take refuge in the bush; having no education or health care, she said.

One specificity of the CAR conflict shows little fighting between armed groups, which instead attack civilians on the other side and increasingly target the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA) and humanitarian actors.

An open letter to the UN Secretary-General from major international NGOs identifies the CAR as the most dangerous country in the world to deliver humanitarian assistance  with the world's highest level of violence against humanitarian workers, accounting for one-third of all incidents targeting aid workers.

The CAR is also the world's least developed country, placing 188th out of the 188 countries on the Human Development Index.

But the world cannot abandon CAR's children  and right now there are few eyes looking at them and few hands trying to help, Ms. Le Du concluded.

As of end-July, UNICEF's $46.3 million humanitarian appeal for CAR children was 42 per cent funded. Having been revised up to $52.8 million, it now has a 63 per cent funding gap.
First of 33,000 Congolese refugees relocated to new settlement in Angola  UN agency

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 15 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, First of 33,000 Congolese refugees relocated to new settlement in Angola  UN agency, 15 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b673424.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

More than 1,500 Congolese refugees who have fled violence and ethnic tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been relocated from reception centres in northern Angola to a newly established settlement, the United Nations refugee agency today said.

Addressing journalists in Geneva, Adrian Edwards, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said the Lovua settlement was created to improve the living conditions of refugees.

Built on about 33 km2 of land allocated by the Government of Angola, the site allows refugees to receive a plot of land to build shelters and to grow food to supplement their food rations.

UNHCR and partners plan to relocate tens of thousands of Congolese refugees to the new site, which is some 100 km inland from the border with the DRC.

While the security situation in the Kasai region remains volatile, the Angolan authorities and UNHCR with partners are ready to provide protection and assistance for up to 50,000 Congolese refugees by the end of 2017 at Lovua, Mr. Edwards said.

Some 33,000 refugees are currently in reception centres that Mr. Edwards termed over-crowded.

The UN agency has called for financial support to assist the refugees. A humanitarian appeal for $65.5 million launched in June is only about 32 per cent funded.

Additional funding is urgently needed to continue developing infrastructure and services for refugees in Lovua settlement, Mr. Edwards said.
UN rights chief urges Kenyan leaders to act responsibly, avoid further violence

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 15 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN rights chief urges Kenyan leaders to act responsibly, avoid further violence, 15 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b673874.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Calling on the Kenyan authorities to avoid violence, the United Nations human rights chief today urged the Government to make an immediate announcement that it will cooperate and ensure accountability for reported abuse by security forces which has led to deaths and injures, including among children.

Kenya is at a critical juncture, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein. The country's political leaders must do their utmost to calm a volatile political climate. If there are claims to make about the conduct of the elections, they should be made through constitutional and legal means.

He noted that people have the right to assemble and protest peacefully, and the authorities have a responsibility to ensure they can do so.

The Government also has a responsibility to ensure that security forces prioritize dialogue, non-violent means and exercise restraint, using proportionate force only when unavoidable, the Un High Commissioner said.

He decried the use of violence by protesters, but also stressed that political leaders should send clear messages to their supporters urging peaceful conduct.

All acts of violence, including the serious allegations of excessive use of force by security forces, must be promptly and independently investigated, he added.

As part of that effort, the High Commissioner called on the Government to make an immediate announcement that it will cooperate fully and unequivocally with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority and with subsequent efforts to ensure accountability.

There are media reports that Kenyan security forces used live ammunition against protesters, and stories of alleged police brutality, leading to several deaths and injuries, including children.

Protests erupted after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) announced on 11 August that Uhuru Kenyatta was the President-elect.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres this weekend stressed the importance of dialogue to diffuse the conflict.

He said the UN, in close collaboration with the African Union and other multilateral and bilateral partners, is fully engaged with Kenya's political leadership and relevant stakeholders to facilitate the successful conclusion of the electoral process.
South Sudan refugees in Uganda exceed one million; UN renews appeal for help

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 17 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, South Sudan refugees in Uganda exceed one million; UN renews appeal for help, 17 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b679944.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan appear to be ushering in a new era of closer bilateral ties following Uzbek leader Shavkat Mirziyoyev's inaugural visit to Bishkek.

The two countries have had an often-fraught relationship since the collapse of the Soviet Union, particularly over disputed borders and competition over natural resources.

Mirziyoyev declared the improvement of relations with neighbouring countries to be a priority when he took office last autumn. His September 5-7 visit, accompanied by a large delegation of officials and businessmen, appeared to mark a break with the combative policy of his predecessor Islam Karimov, who ruled from 1989 until his death in late August last year.

Kyrgyz president Almazbek Atambaev offered his Uzbek counterpart a particularly warm welcome, announcing that "the visit of Shavkat Miromonovich [Mirziyoyev] is a historic event for both of our peoples.

"This is an event our people have been waiting for for more than 20 years".

Uzbekistan, a country with a population of 29 million residents, is much larger than Kyrgyzstan, with only six million citizens. It is also the region's largest economy after Kazakhstan, with an annual GDP of 67 billion dollars. Kyrgyzstan's GDP is ten times smaller at 6.51 billion dollars.

However Uzbekistan is located downriver of the region's water supplies and lacks irrigation capacity for its agriculture, while Kyrgyzstan controls a third of Central Asia's water sources.

A large-scale hydroelectric dam Kyrgyzstan plans on the Naryn river particularly concerns Tashkent, which has argued that the Kambarata scheme will limit or disrupt irrigation essential to its farming sector.

But Mirziyoyev made the surprise announcement during his Bishkek visit that Uzbekistan would actually now help Kyrgyzstan construct Kambarata.

"[Atambaev] said no station would be built without the participation of Uzbekistan. I completely agree, and we will actively participate in terms of finance, we will build the Kambarata hydroelectric plant together because we do need it. This is beneficial for both countries," Mirziyoyev said.

"The issues that have not been solved for 20 years will be solved by us," he continued. "We must do it for the sake of our peoples. We attach great importance to our relations and are optimistic about their future."

One significant outcome was the signing of a formal border agreement. Border areas in the Ferghana valley, which includes eastern Uzbekistan, southern Kyrgyzstan and northern Tajikistan, have been a frequent cause of dispute.

During Mirziyoyev's visit, the two leaders signed an agreement demarcating 1,170 km out of the 1,370 km Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, a settlement agreed several years ago but never ratified. They also expressed their intent to resolve the remaining 200km.

The non-demarcated areas in the south of the country create numerous problems for local residents and sometimes lead to armed clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan or Tajikistan. There is also a large ethnic Uzbek minority in southern regions of Kyrgyzstan.

"This 15 per cent [200 km] is very controversial," said Orozbek Moldaliev, an expert on Central Asian security issues. "With the political will [of the two states], this issue will be gradually resolved. Basically, these complex issues can be solved."

At the meeting, the Uzbek president said that the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border should turn into a "border of friendship".

His Kyrygz counterpart spoke in favour of free movement between the two countries, as across the Kyrgyz-Kazakh or Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

"It is necessary for our borders to be as open as possible so that people can cross freely," Atambaev said. "Our borders should not become the borders of the conflict, but should become a gateway to good, neighbourly relations, friendship."

Despite a long-standing visa-free agreement, Tashkent has in the past still restricted Kyrgyz entry through the Osh border, demanding proof that travellers were attending either a wedding or a funeral.

But following the visit, Uzbek officials said that Kyrgyz citizens would no longer need to receive permission to cross the checkpoint and could enter Uzbekistan simply by presenting a passport.

BUILDING BUSINESS TIES

Kyrgyz minister of economy Artyom Novikov told visiting Uzbek business leaders and officials about the attractive prospects for investment and trade in Kyrgyzstan.

Novikov said that Uzbek investors could choose from opportunities in fields such as the garment industry, the processing of agricultural products, tourism, medicine and mechanical engineering.

According to official data, in 2016 the trade turnover between the two countries increased to 192 million US dollars. In previous years, this figure was around 120-140 million dollars.

At the meeting, the two presidents expressed their wish to increase the official turnover to 500 million.

Uzbekistan remains a closed economy focused on domestic production and controlled import. After taking office, Mirziyoyev said that he would act to create more favourable conditions for trade with neighbouring countries.

Tashkent-based economics analyst Juli Yusupov said that the new Uzbek leadership was indeed gradually removing barriers to commerce and entrepreneurship.

One example came on September 5 when the Central Bank of Uzbekistan set the market rate of the national currency to foreign currencies. It also allowed free currency exchange to all citizens.

"This fact shows that we renounce the policy of protectionism, we are ready to trade first of all with our neighbours because trade with neighbours is the most beneficial," Yusupov continued.

He emphasised the importance of open borders and the removal of both formal and informal obstacles to entrepreneurship.

"As soon as barriers are removed, Uzbek businessmen will actively invest in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. There are entrepreneurs who have accumulated a certain amount of capital and are ready to invest in the economy of neighbouring countries if they see that it is profitable," Yusupov said, adding that Uzbek businessmen were already actively investing in the southern regions of Kazakhstan.

Mirziyoyev and his ministers also emphasised the possibility of establishing joint ventures and exporting products to third countries.

Although Kyrgyzstan's trade turnover is much lower than that of its neighbour, experts note that Uzbekistan is particularly interested in the import of garments and processed agricultural and food products.

Ruslan Akmatbek, a chairman of Kyrgyzstan's Young Entrepreneurs Association, said that the two countries had great potential for economic cooperation. But he added that Kyrgyz businesspeople needed to carefully study the Uzbek market first.

"Basically, we [currently] import from Uzbekistan, but if we start working together, we will have something to offer," he said. "Cooperation cannot be one way only; there will be a niche. We just really do not know what Uzbekistan is about. We need to study, actively attend [meetings] and invite people."

Experts emphasise the importance of strengthening cooperation in border areas as well as ensuring security and rule of law in Kyrgyzstan's southern regions where there have been numerous cases of extortion and threats from local criminals.

"If we have excellent trade and economic relations, we will not act rashly towards each other. When will we stop seeing each other as potential enemies? We have been pursuing this policy for so many years, who has benefited?" Akmatbek asked, adding,"It would be foolish to wait for things to change after a single visit. We have to work at it."
Syria: UN relief officials condemn targeting of civilians, infrastructure as airstrikes hit Raqqa

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 22 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: UN relief officials condemn targeting of civilians, infrastructure as airstrikes hit Raqqa, 22 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b679dd4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Senior United Nations humanitarian officials for Syria today expressed deep concern over many civilians reportedly killed in airstrikes and other attacks in the last few days in Raqqa city, where coalition forces are fighting Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists.

The UN condemns attacks directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure. The humanitarian community reminds all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians and to spare no effort to prevent civilian casualties, said a joint statement issued by Ali Al-Za'tari, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria, and Ramesh Rajasingham, the acting Regional Humanitarian Coordinator.

These unconfirmed accounts come on the heels of an increasing number of reported civilian casualties due to intensified military operations, including airstrikes. In recent months, regular airstrikes and shelling in the city have reportedly resulted in scores of civilian casualties, including women and children, the statement said.

An estimated 75,000 people have been displaced from Raqqa city, but 18,000 to 25,000 civilians who remain trapped risk being killed by ISIL snipers or mines if they try to flee, or being used as human shields or killed in indiscriminate airstrikes if they remain.
UN human rights chief welcomes rape law reform in Lebanon, Tunisia, Jordan

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 22 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN human rights chief welcomes rape law reform in Lebanon, Tunisia, Jordan, 22 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b67a584.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Today, the top United Nations human rights official welcomed the repeal of laws in Lebanon, Tunisia and Jordan that allow rapists to avoid criminal prosecution by marrying their victims.

To punish a rape victim by making her marry the perpetrator of a horrible crime against her  there is no place in today's world for such hideous laws, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in press statement.

He warmly welcomed the stand that lawmakers in Lebanon, Tunisia and Jordan have taken towards eliminating violence against women and ensuring that perpetrators of such violence are held to account.

According to the High Commissioner's Office (OHCHR), on 16 August, Lebanon voted to repeal article 522 of its penal code, a law that exempted from criminal prosecution a person accused of rape who agreed to marry the victim. Two weeks earlier, on 1 August, Jordanian lawmakers also voted to abolish a similar provision  article 308 of its penal code.

In Tunisia, on 26 July, the Parliament adopted a law on eliminating violence against women and eliminating impunity for perpetrators, recognizing that violence against women includes economic, sexual, political and psychological violence. The law will come into effect next year. Tunisia has also established two human rights institutions this year dealing with human trafficking and improving the enjoyment of individual liberties and equality.

These are hard-won victories, thanks to the tireless campaigns over the years by human rights defenders  in particular women human rights defenders  in Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan, underscored High Commissioner Zeid.

He noted however that in Lebanon, article 505 of the Penal Code continues to allow those accused of having sex with a minor to go free if they marry their victims, while article 508 allows for marital rape, and called for the article to be repealed and for marital rape to be criminalized.

I call on the Governments and people of these countries  and other countries in the region  to build on this positive momentum, and to work towards the swift repeal of other legislation that condones sexual violence against women and girls and perpetuates discrimination against them in clear violation of international human rights law, concluded Mr. Zeid.
UN aid workers urge safe passage for civilians fleeing northern Iraq ahead of battle

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 22 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN aid workers urge safe passage for civilians fleeing northern Iraq ahead of battle, 22 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b67afe4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Warning of harassment, revenge attacks and abuse of civilians displaced from the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar, United Nations refugee and migration agencies today called for people trying to flee the city ahead of military operations to have safe passage.

We fear that Iraqi civilians are likely to be held as human shields again and that attempts to flee could result in executions/shootings, Andrej Mahecic, spokesperson at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told journalists in Geneva about the ongoing operations to retake the city.

He also noted reports of people being denied access to safety and stopped along the way.

We call on all parties to the conflict to allow civilians to leave the conflict area and to access to safety, Mr. Mahecic said.

Thousands of civilians are believed to be in Tal Afar, which has been without aid since the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) terrorist group took control of the surrounding communities in 2014.

Since April this year, more than 30,000 people fled Tal Afar district, many living in camps sheltering other displaced families mainly from Mosul, some 65 kilometres south-west.

Conditions in the district are believed to be very difficult, Mr. Mahecic said, noting a lack of food, water and electricity.

People are said to have been surviving on unclean water and bread for the past three to four months, he told journalists.

Those who fled have often had to walk in temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius for up to 20 hours at a time, amid shooting, and often leaving behind children, elderly and disabled who are too vulnerable for the trip.

Many talk of seeing dead bodies along the way, and there are reports that some were killed by extremist groups. Others appear to have died due to dehydration or illnesses, said Mr. Mahecic.

In the past four day, some 1,500 people arrived at nearby emergency sites managed by the UN International Migration Agency (IOM)

In conjunction with partners, IOM and UNHCR have been treating arrivals with food and water, transporting them to hospitals, if needed, and helping them settle in camps.

IOM is preparing additional aid for hundreds more arrivals expected in the coming days.
Following El Salvador visit, UN right expert urges authorities to protect people from gangs

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Following El Salvador visit, UN right expert urges authorities to protect people from gangs, 21 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b67cdd4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

El Salvador is suffering a 'hidden tragedy' due to gang-related violence, an independent United Nations human rights expert today said, urging national authorities to intensify efforts to help and protect people affected by gangs.

"El Salvador is suffering a hidden tragedy of people who have had to leave their homes because of the high levels of gang-related violence," said Special Rapporteur Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, who examines the human rights of internally displaced persons, after visiting violence-hit areas including Mejicanos in San Salvador.

"The problem is more significant and widespread than the Government is currently accepting," she added. "The Government needs to acknowledge the full extent of internal displacement and act to tackle it and the gang violence which is driving it."

The UN expert noted that gangs dominate people through threats, intimidation and "a culture of violence" that infects entire communities and every day interactions.

"Killings are commonplace and extortion is widespread. If people are under threat from gangs, they and their families leave their homes to seek safety elsewhere," she said.

Young people, women and girls are particularly vulnerable to such violence, including also rape, as are members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities.

"Young people are particularly affected by violence," said Ms. Jimenez-Damary who visited El Salvador at the invitation of the Government.

"One young woman told me: 'It is a crime and dangerous to be a young person in El Salvador today'. This situation is due not only to the gang violence, but in some cases is the result of oppressive police and military operations."

During her five-day visit, from 14 to 18 August, the expert met senior State and Government officials, United Nations and other humanitarian partners, representatives of civil society organizations, and people who had fled their homes.

Her full findings and recommendations will be included in a report to the Human Rights Council in June 2018.

UN Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
Thousands flee as Iraqi forces advance on ISIL-held Tal Afar  UN

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Thousands flee as Iraqi forces advance on ISIL-held Tal Afar  UN, 21 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b67d3e4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The top United Nations humanitarian official in Iraq has warned against the consequences of displacement as thousands of civilians are expected to flee from Tal Afar and surrounding communities during the Iraqi military operation to retake these areas from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) terrorist group.

Thousands of people are fleeing Tal Afar for safety, said Lise Grande, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, in a press release issued yesterday. Families are trekking for 10 to 20 hours in extreme heat to reach mustering points. They are arriving exhausted and dehydrated.

More than 30,000 people have already fled the district, said Ms. Grande, noting that it is not known how many civilians are still in the areas where fighting is occurring, but preparation is under way for thousands more to flee in coming days and weeks.

Food and water are running out, and people lack the basic necessities to survive, she said, stressing that nothing is more important than protecting civilians during the conflict while urging the parties to the conflict to avoid civilian casualties.

The Government is leading the humanitarian operation, providing transport and aid. Humanitarian partners are helping to cover gaps by providing life-saving assistance at mustering points and supporting families when they reach emergency sites and camps, said Ms. Grande.

As of 20 August, less than 50 percent of the funding requested in the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan for Iraq has been received, she said, underscoring the need for additional resources.
Yemen's 'man-made catastrophe' is ravaging country, senior UN officials tell Security Council

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 18 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Yemen's 'man-made catastrophe' is ravaging country, senior UN officials tell Security Council, 18 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b67d864.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Warning about escalating suffering in Yemen's man-made catastrophe, senior United Nations officials today addressed the Security Council, calling on the international community to push for a political solution to the more than two-year-old conflict.

Death looms for Yemenis by air, land and sea, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told the 15-member Council in New York.

Reiterating one of the key points from Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, who addressed the Council just moment earlier, Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed said that that diseases and epidemics are at unprecedented levels in Yemen.

Those who survived cholera will continue to suffer the consequences of 'political cholera' that infects Yemen and continues to obstruct the road towards peace, added Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed.

He noted that while the international community is united in its support of a peaceful solution, certain parties to the conflict take advantage of internal divisions and focus on personal interests.

What is missing at this point is for the parties to the conflict, without any delays, excuses or procrastination, to demonstrate their intention to end the war and put the national interest above ay personal gains, the UN envoy said.

Every day without serious action means more destruction and death, as well as the spread of terrorist groups UN envoy for Yemen

Every day spent without serious action means more destruction and death, he said, as well as the spread of terrorist groups  such as the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula  and uncontrolled migration through the Gulf of Aden to Yemen, where more than 41 migrants died in early August after being forced to abandon their boats and jump.

Before the conflict, Yemen had been making progress, with fewer people hungry and rising school enrolment, Mr. O'Brien said in his statement.

All of his has not been sharply reversed, he said, noting that 17 million Yemenis are hungry, nearly 7 million facing famine, and about 16 million lack access to water or sanitation.

Mr. O'Brien highlighted several key challenges, including a funding shortage  the $2.3 billion Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan is only 39 per cent funded.

He also underscored the interference to movement of critical commercial and humanitarian supplies and staff.

De facto authorities in Sana'a or local officials in areas under their control block, delay or otherwise interfere with humanitarian action, said Mr. O'Brien.

The humanitarian official urged the international community to ensure that all ports are open to civilian, including to commercial traffic.

He called for those Governments and individuals with influence to influence the fighting parties to respect the international humanitarian and human rights law and to strengthen accountability.

With 1.2 million public employees not paid regularly for months, he also urged that civil servant salaries be paid so that the basic services in the country do not collapse.

This human tragedy is deliberate and wanton  it is political and, with will and with courage which are both in short supply, it is stoppable, he said, reiterating the UN's ongoing calls for a political solution to the conflict.
Guterres 'shocked' by Guatemala's decision to expel UN anti-corruption official

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Guterres 'shocked' by Guatemala's decision to expel UN anti-corruption official, 27 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b680c04.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is shocked to learn that the President of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, has issued a statement declaring 'persona non grata' the head of a United Nations-backed independent anti-corruption commission, according to the UN Spokesman.

He fully expects that [Ivan] Velasquez will be treated by the Guatemalan authorities with the respect due to his functions as an international civil servant, said a statement issued today by the Secretary-General's Spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.

The statement went on to say that under Commissioner Velasquez's leadership, the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) has made a decisive contribution to strengthening justice sector institutions in Guatemala, helping to ensure justice was done in numerous cases.

Mr. Velasquez has worked tirelessly to promote a culture that upholds the rule of law and rejects corruption, it said, adding that the Secretary-General has repeatedly reiterated his full confidence in Commissioner Velasquez.

Just two days ago meeting with President Morales at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Guterres reiterated the United Nations' commitment to the fight against impunity and corruption, and the Organization's continuing support to the mandate of the CICIG.

At that time, the Secretary-General also reiterated his confidence in Commissioner Velasquez.

The Commission was created in 2006 when the UN and Guatemala signed an agreement setting up an independent international body to support the Public Prosecutor's Office (MP), the National Civil Police (PNC) and other State institutions in the investigation of crimes committed by members of illegal security forces and clandestine security structures and, more generally, help to disband such groups.

Alongside its investigations and technical advice, the main goal of the CICIG's work is to make recommendations to Guatemala regarding public policies to be adopted strengthening national judicial institutions  including judicial reforms  to allow them to continue to confront illegal groups and organized crime in the future.
In Backing Chad, the West Faces Moral Hazards

Publisher International Crisis Group (ICG) Publication Date 8 September 2017 Cite as International Crisis Group (ICG), In Backing Chad, the West Faces Moral Hazards, 8 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b68c574.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The West sees Chad as a reliable ally in the fight against extremists in the African Sahel. But it needs to take more care. Chad is breaking prior agreements by spending much of its oil revenue on the military, while social services and good governance have suffered.

Chad is facing a severe fiscal and social crisis. On 7-8 September, President Idriss Deby is in Paris for an International Donor Conference to seek much-needed funding for the country's National Development Program. The government likes to portray the country's problems as due to external shocks like the drop in oil prices and the cost of military intervention against Boko Haram and other extremists. Donors, under pressure from France, largely accept this narrative and support has recently been forthcoming from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). But a closer look at the country's recent history tells another story.

According to the Chadian economy minister, the conference aims to mobilise support "for the transformation of Chadian economy". This is not the first time Chadians have been promised such a transformation. When Chad joined the club of oil-producing countries in 2003, the World Bank supported the building of the critical pipeline to get the oil to the coast on condition that the money generated would be put to good use. The Oil Governance Law was passed in 1999, stipulating that 80 per cent of revenues were to be allocated to pre-defined priority sectors - public health, social affairs, education, infrastructure, agriculture, livestock and water. Ten per cent of oil revenue was to be channelled into a fund for future generations, while another 5 per cent was earmarked for the oil-producing region. Only the remaining 5 per cent would flow directly into the state budget.

Soon thereafter, however, Deby started to dismantle these control mechanisms. In 2006, he amended the Oil Governance Law, dismantling the future generations fund and, crucially, adding defence to the list of priority sectors. He faced down donors and gradually rolled back all the control mechanisms so painstakingly negotiated by the World Bank, eventually gaining full discretion over spending of oil revenues.

This came about against the backdrop of mounting political and military opposition. The lack of political space, and in particular the constitutional changes in June 2005 that allowed Deby to run for a third term in 2006, led to the defection of senior political and military figures including his nephews Timane and Tom Erdimi. After a failed coup attempt on 14 March 2006, they established a rebel group, one of several rebellions to challenge Deby's power with the support of neighbouring Sudan. Major rebel offensives on N'Djamena in 2006 and 2008 nearly overthrew the regime.

Oil money gave Deby a critical lifeline. Free from any obligations of transparency, he awarded his supporters import licenses or public contracts for numerous infrastructure projects. To ease social tensions, the regime also recruited workers into the public sector. Oil revenues likewise enabled Deby to confront the armed opposition, through heavy investments in the army. Military spending skyrocketed from $67 million in 2005 to $247 million in 2006. Military expenditures reached an all-time high in 2009, accounting for $670 million - a full 8 per cent of GDP. Between 2006 and 2014, the regime purchased 139 aircrafts and 153 armed vehicles, turning its armed forces into one of the best equipped on the continent. After this splurge, military spending declined, but still remains way above pre-oil money levels at 2.6 per cent of GDP.

As in other African countries that have received significant Western support for their militaries, Chad's government is itself a product of a civil war and remains military at heart. So diverting funds to the army fits seamlessly with the government's own desire to reward its military and keep it loyal. Military spending has helped Chad intervene in the Central African Republic, Mali, in neighbouring countries threatened by Boko Haram and as far afield as the Saudi Arabia-led coalition to fight Huthi combatants in Yemen.

This engagement has strengthened relations with Western powers and brought substantial financial and political support. The EU, France and the U.S. in particular today consider Deby as their principal partner in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel. For Deby it is a win-win: tackle domestic armed opposition, pay his troops and gain significant leverage over donors.

But the rise in military spending along with mismanagement of oil revenues has come at a cost. Having failed to diversify the economy while the going was good, dependency on oil money has made the country highly vulnerable. Declining prices and production levels have led the country back to international donors. Partly as a requirement under the IMF financial and economic support program, the government has introduced drastic budget cuts, affecting allowances for civil servants, parliamentarians and police, student scholarships and the staffing size of state agencies. The government has accumulated arrears in payments of salaries, allowances and pensions.

This situation has caused waves of strikes by teachers and other public sector workers. Many feel that while they didn't profit from the oil revenues in the first place, they are now, on top of this, paying the price for its mismanagement. Widespread corruption, high living costs, and the lack of political space and civil liberties have further fed the anger and the country's growing number of protest movements.

The government has reacted with repression and a clampdown on civil liberties. Reports of harassment, arbitrary arrests, ill-treatment and torture of journalists, civil society activists and political opponents have increased. Unsurprisingly, international partners have been reluctant to denounce such practices, let alone impose conditions for their support. So even as Chad's economy nosedives in the context of corruption and authoritarianism, Deby's international position appears untouchable. Europe's increasing desire to get Sahelian countries to stop migrant flows from reaching the Mediterranean will likely give him a further opportunity to show how useful his country can be.

Chadian civil society activists and political opponents are increasingly frustrated with this unconditional international support for Deby, which they interpret as silent complicity. And understandably so: in backing Deby as he pours money into his military while the rest of the population suffers, Western powers are paying scant regard to the sustainability of their engagement, nor to what kind of state they are encouraging. The longer-term fight against extremism requires stronger and more legitimate public institutions, not "more strongmen".

While financial support for the fight against extremists in the Sahel is certainly an immediate priority, Chad's international partners should also extract real commitment to use part of international aid to support the country's crumbling social sectors, as well as to build new monitoring mechanisms to guarantee greater transparency.

Eliane Giezendanner, Central Africa Project intern, assisted in the preparation of this commentary.
Afghanistan: UN mission condemns deadly attack on Shi'a mosque in Kabul

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 26 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Afghanistan: UN mission condemns deadly attack on Shi'a mosque in Kabul, 26 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b68eea4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned the attack during Friday prayer at Imam Zaman mosque in Kabul that killed at least 20 civilians  including seven women and one child  and injured more than 30 others.

These preliminary figures may rise, the Mission said today, explaining that at least two attackers wearing police uniforms stormed the Shi'a mosque while several hundred worshippers, including many women and children, were at Friday prayer.

According to UNAMA, one assailant detonated his suicide vest outside the mosque, while another continued inside, indiscriminately killing and wounding people. The Mission expressed its condolences to the loved ones of those killed in the attack and wishes a full and speedy recovery to those injured.

Islamic State-Khorasan Province claimed responsibility, stating that two of its suicide attackers targeted a Shi'a mosque in Kabul, noted the Mission.

This latest in a series of attacks targeting members of the Shi'a community at worship has no possible justification, said Toby Lanzer, the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and acting head of UNAMA.

Such attacks directed against congregations and places of worship are serious violations of international law that may amount to war crimes, he emphasized.

International humanitarian law prohibits deliberate attacks against civilians and civilian property, including places of worship, and also places a specific obligation on parties to enable religious personnel to carry out their work.

Yesterday's attack was the sixth attack this year targeting Shi'a mosques in Afghanistan, killing a total of at least 64 civilians and injuring at least 118, according to UNAMA. Four of the attacks occurred in Herat and the other two in Kabul. Islamic State-Khorasan Province claimed responsibility for three of the six, including yesterday's attack.
Cambodia: UN human rights wing concerned by media, civil society curbs

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Cambodia: UN human rights wing concerned by media, civil society curbs, 25 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b68f584.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Measures in Cambodia, which left radio programmes and licences suspended, have sparked the United Nations human rights wing to call on the Government for political and civil rights guarantees.

"We are concerned by a rapid series of ministerial and administrative measures which have resulted in the suspension of radio programmes and licences, threatened a main English-language newspaper with closure, and shut down a foreign non-governmental organisation," Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters at today's regular press briefing.

"Ahead of next year's general election, we call on the Government to guarantee full political and civil rights, and media freedoms," she added.

The National Democratic Institute (NDI), a foreign non-governmental organization (NGO), was shut down by ministerial order on 23 August, in the first such closure brought under the 2015 Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Noting that the organisation has been working on elections and with parties across the political spectrum, OHCHR pointed out that its international staff were given seven days to leave the country.

Earlier this month, three Cambodian organisations working on human rights and elections were also subjected to targeted tax investigations.

"We have concerns that NDI was closed without due process, and are worried about the overall deterioration of the environment for human rights defenders and civil society in Cambodia," continued Ms. Throssell.

Moreover, the Government this week has revoked licences for some radio frequencies, thus blocking programmes aired by national independent human rights and media organisations, US-funded stations Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, and the main opposition party.

The OHCHR spokesperson said that the Cambodia Daily, one of the main independent English-language newspapers, was given until 4 September to pay an alleged $6.3 million in tax arrears, or be closed. While the paper has called for a transparent tax audit and the right to appeal, its requests have gone unheeded.

"We call on the Royal Government of Cambodia to ensure due process in all measures taken, including the right to appeal, and to respect the rights to freedom of association and expression," concluded Ms. Throssell.
Top UN officials strongly condemn attacks on Myanmar security forces in Rakhine state

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Top UN officials strongly condemn attacks on Myanmar security forces in Rakhine state, 25 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b68fc04.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today strongly condemned the attacks carried out against the Myanmar security forces in northern areas of Rakhine state, expressing concern about escalating tensions in the region.

In a statement from his spokesperson, the Secretary-General called the attacks unacceptable and said he hoped those responsible would be brought to justice.

Mr. Guterres reiterates the importance of addressing the root causes of violence, in particular issues related to identity and citizenship, and reducing inter-communal tensions, his spokesperson said. He strongly urges all the communities in Rakhine state to choose the path of peace.

The statement also noted, however, that while taking the necessary measures to curb attacks by criminal elements in the region, forces much protect civilians at all times, in line with international humanitarian and human rights law.

Also today, Resident Coordinator Renata Lok-Dessallien  the top UN humanitarian official in Myanmar  condemned in the strongest terms the series of coordinated attacks.

The Resident Coordinator urged all parties to refrain from violence, protect civilians, restore law and order and resolve issues through dialogue and peaceful means, according to a spokesperson from the UN Office in Geneva.

The grave events confirmed the significance of the government's commitment to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine state for the betterment of all communities, spokesperson Alessandra Vellucci said.

Yesterday, the Advisory Commission, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, released a report outlining recommendations for how to overcome political, socio-economic and humanitarian challenges.
Syria: UNICEF cites conflict's 'staggering' impact on children; calls for urgent protection

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: UNICEF cites conflict's 'staggering' impact on children; calls for urgent protection, 25 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6904c4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Six and a half years of war in Syria has inflicted untold suffering on the country's children, a senior United Nations official said today, urging parties to the conflict to stop the violence and live up to their legal obligations to children.

The impact of war on children across Syria is staggering, said Fran Equiza, the UN Children's Fund's (UNICEF) Representative in Syria.

Ongoing and heavy fighting has displaced thousands of families from Raqqa city and Deir-ez-Zor.

I have just completed a visit to the camps in Areesha, Ein Issa and Mabrouka where I met with displaced children and oversaw UNICEF's lifesaving efforts on the ground, continued Ms. Equiza.

I am overwhelmed by the profoundly traumatising experiences these children have been through. They have endured brutal violence, lost friends and family members, she elaborated, adding They are terrified, yet hopeful.

The UNICEF representative relayed that an 11-year old displaced girl who fled Raqqa told her, Before we used to play, but then the darkness came.

According to reports UNICEF is receiving from inside Raqqa city, several thousand children continue to be trapped  caught in the direct line of fire.

With no access for humanitarian agencies, the city is completely cut off from lifesaving assistance.

As the conflict further intensifies, children and families have little or no safe water, while food supplies are running out fast. Moreover, trapped children increasingly risk death and injury.

Children and families who wish to leave Raqqa city must be allowed to do so in safety and in dignity, he stressed, adding: Parties to the conflict must protect them and facilitate safe passage for civilians to move to safety.

Ms. Equiza underscored that parties to the conflict must stop the violence all over Syria and live up to their legal obligations to children.

All children in Syria, regardless of their location or their families' affiliation must be protected at all times, she concluded.
On first visit to Somalia since elections, UN political chief lauds progress

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, On first visit to Somalia since elections, UN political chief lauds progress, 25 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6909a4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The head of the United Nations political office visited Somalia this week, where he praised the real forward momentum in the country's political development, and reiterated UN support as the Horn of Africa country tackles its challenges, such as the fight against the group Al Shabaab.

I am here to reinforce and to demonstrate the support that the UN has for the people and the Government of Somalia as the country addresses a number of challenges ranging from the drought to security, to the political agenda going forward, said UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman.

In a series of meetings on Thursday in the capital, Mogadishu, Mr. Feltman spoke with President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, and Prime Minister Hassan Kheyre, among others, about the progress made in Somalia in recent months.

I sense a real forward momentum in terms of political developments, in terms of reforms and transparency and of things moving forward to one-person one-vote electoral system for the 2021 parliamentary elections, the senior UN official said.

Mr. Feltman praised the work of the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC), which was created earlier this year and which is putting structures in place for the next parliamentary and presidential elections.

Following a meeting with NIEC Chairperson Halima Ibrahim, Mr. Feltman urged the Commission to move forward on the country's constitutional review process, which will lay the foundation for the national elections.

Among other topics discussed during the visit was the need for additional international support to combat the drought affecting more than 6.2 million people in Somalia.

The visit is Mr. Feltman's first since President Farmaajo was elected in February.

That poll was a milestone for the Horn of Africa nation as it moves forward after decades of war, said at the time Michael Keating, Special Representative and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). Mr. Keating accompanied Mr. Feltman during Thursday's meetings.
UN rights office gathering info on air strikes in Yemen; urges protection of civilians

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN rights office gathering info on air strikes in Yemen; urges protection of civilians, 25 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6910c4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reiterating that attacks targeting civilians are prohibited under international law, the United Nations human rights office today confirmed dozens of casualties in airstrikes on villages near the capital, Sana'a.

Briefing journalists in Geneva, a spokesperson for the Office of the High Commissioners for Human Rights (OHCHR), Liz Throssell, said one of the airstrikes on 23 August hit the Istirahat Al Shahab hotel in Bayt Al Athri in Arhab district, destroying the second floor and seriously damaging the rest of the building.

So far we have been able to confirm that 33 civilians were killed and another 25 injured in the attack, Ms. Throssell said of the attack, which is being blamed on Coalition Forces.

OHCHR said the attack came moments after an airstrike on a nearby security checkpoint manned by the Houthis. There were no reported casualties in that earlier attack.

Also on 23 August, an airstrike by Coalition Forces hit a house near a Houthi security checkpoint in a neighbouring district, killing six civilians and injuring at least 13 others.

In all these cases, in which civilians were killed and injured, witnesses said that there had been no warnings that an attack was imminent, Ms. Throssell said.

Speaking on behalf of OHCHR, the spokesperson said attacks targeting civilians or civilian objects are prohibited under international humanitarian law, which also prohibits indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks.

We remind all parties to the conflict, including the Coalition, of their duty to ensure full respect for international humanitarian law, said Ms. Throssell.

OHCHR is urging the relevant authorities to probe the attacks in credible, comprehensive and impartial investigations.

In the past week, 58 civilians were killed in attacks by the Saudi-led Coalition and affiliates of the Hourthis.

This week's total is more than the number of civilians killed in the whole of June, when 52 were killed and in July, which saw 57 civilian deaths, the spokesperson said.
Myanmar: UN welcomes final assessment of independent advisory panel on Rakhine state

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 24 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Myanmar: UN welcomes final assessment of independent advisory panel on Rakhine state, 24 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b691bc4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations today welcomed the release of the final report of an independent advisory body looking into the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

"We welcome the release of the comprehensive report of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine state and take note of its emphasis on issues related to identity and citizenship, particularly its call for freedom of movement for all people," said UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric at today's regular press briefing in New York.

He also acknowledged its endorsement "to address the root causes of violence and reduce inter-communal violence."

"We look forward to reviewing the report's recommendations further," Mr. Dujarric continued, saying that in the meantime, the UN recognizes the significance of the Government's establishment of the Commission - which was led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan - and "the importance of its mandate to analyze the situation of all communities in Rakhine state and draft recommendations toward conflict prevention, reconciliation, institution building and long-term development, as well as humanitarian services.

The Spokesman concluded by affirming that "the UN stands ready to support the Government's implementation of the recommendations for the betterment of all communities in Rakhine state."

Building on the Advisory Commission's interim report, released in March, the final report puts forward recommendations to surmount the political, socio-economic and humanitarian challenges that currently face Rakhine State.

The report is the outcome of more than 150 consultations and meetings held by the Advisory Commission since its launch in September 2016. Its members have travelled extensively throughout Rakhine state, and held meetings in Yangon and Naypyitaw, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh and Geneva.
No 'worse place on earth' than Syria's Raqqa, says senior UN adviser urging pause in fighting

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 24 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, No 'worse place on earth' than Syria's Raqqa, says senior UN adviser urging pause in fighting, 24 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b692f84.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A senior United Nations aid official today urged the international community to do whatever is needed to allow citizens to flee from Raqqa, saying that right now, there is "no worse place on earth" than the de facto capital of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh).

Briefing journalists in Geneva, UN Special Adviser Jan Egeland said the five neighbourhoods held by ISIL in Raqqa are heavily shelled from the surrounding and encircling forces, and under constant air raids by the Coalition.

Now is the time to think of possibilities, pauses or otherwise that might facilitate the escape of civilians, knowing that Islamic State fighters are doing their absolute best to use them as human shields, Mr. Egeland said. I cannot think of a worse place on earth now than in these five neighborhoods and for these 20,000 people.

He urged members from the Humanitarian Task Force, including the members of the Coalition that is supporting the retake of Raqqa, to do whatever is possible to make it possible for the people to escape.

The International Syria Support Group (ISSG) established the respective taskforces on humanitarian aid delivery and a wider ceasefire. They have been meeting separately since early 2016 on a way forward in the crisis. Russia and the United States are the co-chairs of the taskforces and the ISSG, which also comprises the UN, the Arab League, the European Union and 16 other countries.

Mr. Egeland went on to note that the difference between the situation in Raqqa and that in Aleppo or other besieged areas was that that UN had contact with those holding those neighbourhoods.

There is not a two-way communication, and there seems to be a very deliberate policy of holding people, and using them as human shields. But this is the time to try anything to allow their safe escape, he said, adding that few people are leaving now out of fear of death.

More than 260,000 people from the northern Iraqi city escaped and are receiving aid from 50 concentration points. Inside the city, however, conditions are very bleak and it is very hard to assist.

The senior UN official also noted the situation in Deir ez-Zor, the town where forces are encircling, and which is believed to be home to some 90,000 people.

Extreme caution now also there has to be exercised, not to make it in anyway worse, for the civilian population, he said.

Among other locations mentioned in his briefing, Mr. Egeland said it was heart-breaking that aid was not allowed in to Fou and Kefraya, as well as Yarmouk, the Palestinian camp near Damascus, as had been agreed, after parties changed their minds.

Earlier in the briefing, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy reiterated Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura's support and appreciation for the international humanitarian task force, and countries who have worked with the parties to the conflict to allow in aid.

Mr. de Mistura is expected to brief the Security Council on political developments in relations to Syria on Wednesday, 30 August.
South Sudan's leaders bear 'direct responsibility' for conflict, UN Security Council told

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 24 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, South Sudan's leaders bear 'direct responsibility' for conflict, UN Security Council told, 24 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6938f4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A senior United Nations peacekeeping official today called on the leaders of South Sudan to show genuine political will to achieve sustainable peace in the strife-riven country, stressing that those whose long-time rivalry sparked the ongoing conflict can be the ones to resolve it.

"The conflict in South Sudan is a man-made conflict for which the leaders of South Sudan bear a direct responsibility," Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping El-Ghassim Wane told the Security Council. "But the same leaders can also bring the country back from the impending abyss."

He noted that the dire economic situation and continued conflict in the country have combined to create a dangerous and precarious situation for its citizens, and all that is needed is genuine political will to halt military operations, peacefully negotiate and make the necessary compromises.

"I would also urge the Security Council to pronounce itself in this regard. It is critical that the leaders of South Sudan hear the international community's unified demand of what is expected of them," he stated.

Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the signing of the South Sudan Peace Agreement between warring parties - the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing then First Vice-President Riek Machar.

South Sudan, the world youngest country, which gained its independence from Sudan in 2011, has faced ongoing challenges since a political face-off between the two leaders erupted into full blown conflict in December 2013.

Despite the August 2015 peace agreement that formally ended the conflict, fighting and instability have persisted.

According to Festus Mogae, Chairman of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), "little meaningful progress" has been achieved in the implementation of the agreement, Mr. Wane said.

"More than ever before there is a critical need for continued and close coordination" between Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), the African Union, the UN and the larger international community to leverage collective influence to bring an end to the suffering of the civilian population and help put South Sudan on a more positive trajectory, he stated.

IGAD comprises Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.

Security situation remains cause for 'very serious concern'

Mr. Wane said the security situation in South Sudan remains a cause for "very serious" concern. The expected ceasefire remains elusive as military operations continued during the reporting period, mostly in Upper Nile.

In July, 136 access incidents were reported by the humanitarian community - the highest number recorded in any one month since December 2013.

Incidents of looting also spiked during July, with 15 incidents reported across the country. Of particular concern were the six major looting incidents of warehouses and trucks in transit leading to the loss of 670 metric tons of food meant for vulnerable communities in Eastern Equatoria, Lakes, Upper Nile and Warrap.

In meetings between UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and South Sudan's key government officials earlier this month, President Salva Kiir and his cabinet members expressed reservations on the inclusion of some personalities such as Riek Machar in any dialogue process, Mr. Wane said.

But there was, however, an acknowledgement that sizeable communities cannot be left out of a process just because they were led by or that they supported a particular individual, he added.

While the National Dialogue has made some progress, it continues to be criticized for its lack of inclusivity.

Briefing the Council via videoconference, Nicholas Haysom, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan and South Sudan, also expressed concern about the security situation and the trajectory and depth of the crisis.

Calling for a "clear commitment" to an inclusive and credible peace process, he described several recent international and regional support efforts - including Uganda's initiative to reunify factions of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and Kenya's initiative to host opposition parties - which had achieved varying levels of success.
Sustained international involvement vital to breaking Guinea-Bissau's political crisis, Security Council told

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 24 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Sustained international involvement vital to breaking Guinea-Bissau's political crisis, Security Council told, 24 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b693f04.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Modibo Ibrahim Toure, who heads the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), said tensions reached a new peak three months ago, leading the Group of International Partners [African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, European Union and United Nations] to publicly express concern over increasing inflammatory rhetoric and the threat of violent demonstrations.

In recent weeks, he said, dialogue aimed at resolving the political impasse within the framework of the Conakry Agreement had resumed between the parties. Looking ahead to legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 2018 and 2019, respectively, he said requisite measures must be taken to create an environment conducive to the holding of free, peaceful and credible polls.

Uncertainty over how to resolve the political crisis could undermine the overall stable situation in Guinea-Bissau, said Ambassador Elbio Rosselli of Uruguay, Chair of the relevant sanctions committee established pursuant by the Council in 2012, warning that ambiguity around the division of power between the President and the Prime Minister has created uncertainty.

International and regional efforts to find a solution appeared to have had no impact, he said, as no provisions in the Conakry Agreement had been implemented, in large part due to a lack of political will. While there are no clear signs that substantive progress would soon be achieved, the security situation remained stable. However, the patience of the army and the population could run out at any moment.

Stressing that the meetings he had held during recent visits to Guinea-Bissau and Portugal highlighted the complexity of the situation, Ambassador Mauro Vieira, of Brazil, Chair of the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, said the Conakry Agreement remains a fundamental reference point for most political actors  as well as the subject of conflicting interpretations.

He said one group believed there had been no agreement on who should have been appointed Prime Minister, while a second group believed that one name had in fact been agreed. Some felt that the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde no longer controlled the National Popular Assembly, while others said that the 2014 elections had given that group a majority that could not be changed through the creation of a block of 15 dissident parliamentarians.

I did not find those different positions moving closer together, he said, noting, however, that leaders of the armed forces had reassured him of their strict respect for constitutional order.
Iraq: ISIL targeting civilians to 'avenge' loss of Tal Afar, UN envoy says

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Iraq: ISIL targeting civilians to 'avenge' loss of Tal Afar, UN envoy says, 1 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b695ff4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

raq: ISIL targeting civilians to 'avenge' loss of Tal Afar, UN envoy says

Fighters from the Islamic State (ISIL) are indiscriminately targeting civilians to avenge for their loss of Tal Afar, the top United Nations political representative in Iraqi today said, condemning the latest attack in Baghdad.

Da'esh terrorists have shown absolute disregard for human life, said Jan Kubis, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Iraq, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

However, the patience and resilience of the Iraqi people have defeated the terrorists' aim in breaking their unity, he added.

At least 125 civilians were killed and another 188 injured in terrorist related acts in Iraq during the month of August, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI). The casualty figures show that Baghdad was the worst affected area, and do not include casualty figures from ongoing fighting in Anbar province.

The overall casualty figures are lower than in previous months, where violence spiked above 2,000 in October 2016.

In a separate statement, Mr. Kubis said that hopeful days lie ahead for Iraq, noting military victories against terrorists, including in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar which Iraqi forces yesterday declared liberated from ISIL.

Mr. Kubis said this Eid al-Adha, thoughts and prayers go to all the martyrs and fighters in the liberating forces, and to those who provide support and are affected  including the millions of displaced Iraqis.

On this Eid, the Feast of Sacrifice that Muslims celebrate worldwide, the Iraqi people who have sacrificed dearly deserve to live in peace, dignity and prosperity, he said.

The senior UN official added that sustainable peace in the country can only be secured through inclusive solutions, addressing grievances, needs and aspirations of the Iraqi people.
Condemning violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state, UN chief urges restraint

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Condemning violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state, UN chief urges restraint, 1 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6964c4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today urged restraint and calm in Myanmar's Rakhine state, cautioning that the situation may otherwise lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.

In a statement from his spokesperson, the Secretary-General expressed deep concern about reported violence since 25 August attacks on police posts.

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the reports of excesses during the security operations conducted by Myanmar's security forces in Rakhine State, according to the statement.

Mr. Guterres stressed the responsibility of Myanmar authorities to provide security and assistance to all those in need and allow the UN and its partners to extend humanitarian support, in country and in Bangladesh, where some people are fleeing. He encouraged authorities to ensure that people seeking aid have access to the UN and other partners.

The current situation underlines the urgency of seeking holistic approaches to addressing the complex root causes of violence, the spokesperson said, reiterating the need to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Released earlier this week, the report outlines recommendations for how to overcome political, socio-economic and humanitarian challenges in that area of western Myanmar.
Casualties from cluster munitions double in 2016; Syrians most-affected  UN-backed report

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Casualties from cluster munitions double in 2016; Syrians most-affected  UN-backed report, 1 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b696a14.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Even as countries continue to ratify and implement the international treaty prohibiting the use of cluster munitions, casualties from these notorious weapons doubled in the past year, with civilians accounting for nearly all the victims, according to a United Nations-backed civil society report.

The annual monitoring report released yesterday at the UN Office at Geneva by the Cluster Munition Coalition revealed that the use of cluster munitions in war-torn Syria and Yemen has caused even more civilian casualties. Moreover, in those two countries, conflict and insecurity are hampering clearance of the deadly weapons.

Of nearly 1,000 victims identified in 10 countries, almost all were from Syria, according to the Cluster Munition Monitor 2017.

The humanitarian devastation caused by cluster munitions is particularly acute in Syria, where use has continued unabated since mid-2012, the report's main editor and coordinator of the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor initiative Jeff Abramson told journalists in Geneva, warning that the real figure is therefore much higher.

Fellow report editor Loren Persi explained: The vast majority of those casualties occurred in Syria and mostly during attacks, there was really unrelenting use of cluster munitions in Syria and Syria has been the reason for the majority of cluster munition casualties since 2013, definitely. Actually in 2016, almost 90 per cent of the casualties occurred in Syria.

Mr. Abramson stressed that the only sure way to end this insidious menace is to have all States embrace and adhere to the international ban on these weapons.

The threat from cluster munitions is rarely short-lived, according to the report, which records casualties in places where the weapons have not been used for decades.

More than 100 people were known to have been killed or injured by previously unexploded cluster munition submunitions, the deadly landmine-like remnants left over from earlier attacks, including in South-East Asian countries such as Lao People's Democratic Republic. There, all of the 51 new casualties in 2016 were the result of remnants from cluster munitions used in the 1960s and 1970s.

Number of casualties in 2016 more than double the previously recorded high

Overall, the report identified at least 971 new cluster munition casualties globally in 2016, with 860 of these in Syria. This global number is certainly less than the actual total. Disturbingly, the number of casualties in 2016 is more than double the number recorded in 2015 (417), making it the second-highest annual figure since Cluster Munition Monitor reporting began in 2009 (the highest was in 2013).

Since August 2016, two countries have ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions (Benin and Madagascar), bringing the total number of States Parties to 102. Another 17 States have signed but not yet ratified the convention. Last December, 141 states, including 32 non-signatories to the convention, adopted a key UN General Assembly resolution supporting the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Efforts to grow the Convention's membership continue to be central to stigmatize the use of these weapons and to bring an end to the threat they pose. Convention members have a better understanding of the location and scale of contamination, and will more readily share information about it, compared with states outside the convention, said Amelie Chayer, acting Director of the Cluster Munition Coalition.
UN allocates $21M to meet urgent needs in newly-accessible areas across Sudan

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN allocates $21M to meet urgent needs in newly-accessible areas across Sudan, 1 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6972e4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations today allocated $21 million to provide life-saving food support, nutrition, water and sanitation, health and other assistance to thousands of Sudanese in newly accessible areas in Darfur's Jebel Marra area, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.

Our response will address both the immediate needs through emergency, life-saving assistance and strengthen resilience of the most vulnerable and their communities to future and recurring shocks," said Marta Ruedas, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan.

The funds come from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF), which is comprised of donor funds and overseen by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The funding will allow humanitarian agencies to support vulnerable people in these areas where access was previously limited.

In a statement from OCHA, the UN said that acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases and the continuing influx of refugees from South Sudan have been straining available resources and increasing pressure on the limited basic services in the targeted areas where funding is now headed.

The announcement of the funds comes days after the former UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien released $45 million from CERF to Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Chad and Sudan.
Afghanistan: UN mission confirms at least 44 civilians killed, injured in latest airstrikes

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Afghanistan: UN mission confirms at least 44 civilians killed, injured in latest airstrikes, 1 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b697674.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

At least 28 women and children were killed and an additional 16 injured in air strikes this week in Afghanistan, the United Nations political mission in the country said in initial findings of its probe into the deaths.

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) urged authorities to ensure independent, impartial and prompt investigations of both incidents, and to compensate the victims.

I am deeply saddened to hear that women and children have once again suffered so terribly from the conflict, said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA. This is unacceptable. All parties must live up to their obligations to take all feasible measures to protect civilians.

The incidents took place in Herat, a western province bordering Iran and Turkmenistan, and in Logar, which is south of Kabul on the eastern side of the country.

UNAMA cited a news release issued by United States Forces in Afghanistan that it is aware of an incident in the Logar area and that they have opened an investigation into it.

The air strikes reportedly targeted Anti-Government Elements who had used a civilian compound to attack aircraft.

The UN mission said that it will continue its independent work to establish the facts as to what happened, including allegations that civilians were used as shields.

More civilians have been killed or injured in aerial operations in the first half of this year than in 2016, according to UNAMA.

Initial figures show at least 232 civilians were injured or killed, a 43 per cent increase over 2016, and the majority of the victims have been women and children.
Myanmar: UN expert urges efforts to break 'worsening cycle of violence' in Rakhine

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Myanmar: UN expert urges efforts to break 'worsening cycle of violence' in Rakhine, 31 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b697c44.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

A United Nations human rights expert has expressed alarm at the deteriorating situation in Myanmar's Rakhine State, affecting not just the Rakhine Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim populations but also other communities.

The worsening cycle of violence is of grave concern and must be broken urgently, said the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, in a news release issued today from the Office of UN High Commissioners for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims are now reported to be fleeing towards Bangladesh.

While the world's Muslim communities celebrated Eid al-Adha, the Rohingya remained in a precarious situation, not knowing their future or the fate of their relatives, she said.

Latest estimates from UN sources suggest more than 27,000 people have crossed into Bangladesh in the area around Cox's Bazar, while 20,000 more remain stranded between the two countries. The number continues to grow.

The Special Rapporteur noted concerns over both extremist attacks and the major security operations undertaken in response to the attacks.

I am concerned that these events will derail efforts to address the root causes of the systematic discrimination and recurrent violence in Rakhine State, said the Special Rapporteur.

She went on to remind the authorities of their human rights obligations to give equal protection to people from all communities, whether from attacks by extremists or excessive action from the security forces.

I am saddened to receive reports that, while the authorities are helping Rakhine and other communities living in affected townships evacuate to safer locations, this assistance is not being extended to the Rohingya Muslims, she said.

Echoing findings in the final report by the Rakhine Advisory Commission led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Ms. Lee said that if human rights concerns are not properly addressed and if people remain politically and economically marginalized, then northern Rakhine may provide fertile ground for radicalization, with people becoming increasingly vulnerable to recruitment by extremists.

This statement has been endorsed by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Ahmed Shaheed, and the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes.

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
Syria: Forces battling ISIL 'lose sight of ultimate aim' to free civilians from terror  UN rights chief

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: Forces battling ISIL 'lose sight of ultimate aim' to free civilians from terror  UN rights chief, 31 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6988d4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Forces fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) terrorist group in Syria are losing sight of the obligation to protect civilians as the battle to retake Raqqa from ISIL is being waged at the cost of their lives, the top United Nations human rights official warned today.

Surely the purpose of defeating ISIL should be to protect and assist civilians who have been suffering under their murderous regime, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a news release.

Given the extremely high number of reports of civilian casualties this month and the intensity of the airstrikes on Raqqa, coupled with ISIL's use of civilians as human shields, I am deeply concerned that civilians  who should be protected at all times - are paying an unacceptable price and that forces involved in battling ISIL are losing sight of the ultimate goal of this battle, he added.

Between 1 and 29 August, the Coalition reports that it conducted 1,094 airstrikes on and near Raqqa city  up from 645 in July. In July, throughout the whole of Syria, a total of 885 airstrikes were conducted by the Coalition.

The Russian air force, which operates separately from the Coalition, reported publicly that it had carried out 990 combat flights in Syria from 1 to 21 August and that 2,518 aviation strikes had been conducted.

Airstrikes and ground-based strikes on Raqqa have resulted in a large number of civilians casualties. While it is difficult to get a full picture, the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has managed to verify 151 civilian deaths in six incidents since 1 August 2017, in each of which more than 20 civilians were reportedly killed.

Once Raqqa is retaken from ISIL, the next big battle will be Deir-ez-Zor

So as airstrikes bombard Raqqa, some 20,000 civilians are either trapped, or risk their lives to flee and end up confined in makeshift camps in areas controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces under horrendous conditions until prolonged security procedures are completed, with no oversight on how they are treated and screened, Mr. Zeid said.

The High Commissioner called on all those with involvement or influence in the conflict to facilitate the rapid, safe departure of civilians wishing to leave Raqqa, and to ensure the protection of those who remain.

OHCHR has also received information about ISIL forcibly conscripting civilians in Deir-ez-Zor, including children.

Once Raqqa is retaken from ISIL, the next big battle will be Deir-ez-Zor, Mr. Zeid said, appealing to all the parties involved in the conflict in Syria to fully respect their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law to protect the civilian population and civilian objects.
UN chief welcomes release of arrested leaders in Cameroon

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN chief welcomes release of arrested leaders in Cameroon, 31 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b698f14.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed yesterday's release of several leaders of the English-speaking regions in Cameroon's South West and North West as well as the dropping of all charges against them.

The Secretary-General hopes that this positive step will lead to a further lowering of tensions and strengthened political dialogue, said Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, in a statement issued overnight.

The Secretary-General encourages the Cameroonian authorities to pursue their efforts to address the grievances of the Anglophone community and promote measures of national reconciliation in order to find a durable solution to the crisis, Mr. Dujarric added.

The Secretary-General also reiterated the UN's readiness to continue to support such efforts, the Spokesman said.

According to media reports, President Paul Biya has ordered the release of the leaders who were arrested late last year and accused of inciting violence during the protests in the North West and South West regions. They pleaded not guilty to the charges which included complicity in hostility against the homeland, secession, and campaigning for federalism.
Security Council renews mandate of UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 30 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council renews mandate of UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, 30 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6995a4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for one year.

In a unanimously adopted resolution, the 15-member body requested the Secretary-General to look at ways to enhance the efforts of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), including through increasing the mission's visible presence, through patrols and inspections, within its existing mandate and capabilities.

Originally established in 1978, UNIFIL was greatly reinforced after the 2006 fighting to oversee the cessation of hostilities between Israel and the Lebanese group Hizbollah. It is tasked with ensuring that the area between the so-called 'Blue Line'  separating Israel and Lebanon  and the Litani River is free of unauthorized weapons, personnel and assets. It also cooperates with the Lebanese Armed Forces so they can fulfil their security responsibilities.

UNIFIL's initial mandate included confirming the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon, and assisting the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of its effective authority in the area.

The Council affirmed its strong continuing commitment to the existing mandate of UNIFIL, also urging all parties to cooperate fully with the Security Council and the Secretary-General to make tangible progress towards a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution as envisioned in resolution 1701, which helped end the 2006 hostilities in Lebanon between Israel and the Hizbollah.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the Council's unanimous decision to extend UNIFIL mandate until 31 August 2018, his Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The Secretary-General reiterated that UNIFIL, in close cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces, will continue to enhance its operational activities to effectively implement its mandate, and urged the international community to further support the Government of Lebanon in this regard, the Spokesman said.

The Secretary-General also emphasized the need for the parties to build on the prevailing calm, to focus on the goal of a permanent ceasefire and to act proactively to address all outstanding issues in the implementation of resolution 1701 and other relevant Security Council resolutions, Mr. Dujarric added.
Security Council extends African-led mission in Somalia, targets handover to national security forces

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 30 August 2017 Related Document(s) Security Council resolution 2372 (2017) [on authorization to the Member States of the African Union to maintain the deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) until 31 May 2018] Cite as UN News Service, Security Council extends African-led mission in Somalia, targets handover to national security forces, 30 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b699c31f.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations Security Council today extended its authorization of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) until 31 May 2018, approving a reduction of its uniformed personnel to a maximum 21,626 by 31 December 2017, with an eye towards the gradual handover over of responsibilities to Somali security forces.

Unanimously adopting a new resolution, the Council decided that the downsizing  the first ever for the African-led operation  would include a minimum of 1,040 AMISOM police personnel and five Formed Police Units. A further reduction (from the current maximum of 22,126) to 20,626 uniformed personnel by 30 October 2018 would follow, unless the Council decides to accelerate that pace, taking into account the capabilities of Somali security forces.

Emphasizing that the long-term objective for Somalia, with international support, is for the Somali Security Forces to assume full responsibility for security, with AMISOM remaining critical during the transition, the Council welcomed the recommendation by the AU-UN review for a gradual and phased reduction and reorganization of the Mission.

Further by the text, AMISOM's strategic objectives would be to enable the gradual handover of its security responsibility to Somali security forces, to reduce the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups, and to assist Somali security forces in providing security for Somalia's political process and peacebuilding efforts.

The Council decided that AMISOM's priority tasks would be, among other efforts, to conduct targeted offensive operations against Al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups, including jointly with the Somali security forces, and to mentor the latter in cooperation with the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and in line with national security structures.

It would reconfigure, as security conditions allowed, in favour of police personnel, and receive defectors on a transitory basis.
'Time to shift from logic of war,' put interests of Syrian people first, UN Security Council told

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 30 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, 'Time to shift from logic of war,' put interests of Syrian people first, UN Security Council told, 30 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69b5a4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Calling for creative ways to work towards peace in Syria, the United Nations Special Envoy today outlined the political path forward, which includes holding another round of the so-named Astana talks and behind-the-scenes efforts by the international community.

This is a time for realism and focus, for shifting from the logic of war to that of negotiation, and for putting the interests of the Syrian people first. If I could identify one thing above all that can make the difference, it will be a sense of unity of purpose internationally with clear priorities and common goals, UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, told the Security Council.

He noted that the next round of what has become known as the 'Astana talks'  between the Syrian conflict parties and led by Russia, Turkey and Iran  will be held on 14 and 15 September.

These three countries will need to keep actively working, as they have been doing, on de-escalation, Mr. de Mistura said, adding that he and his team will be supporting these efforts.

The UN official also noted the key role that Saudi Arabia and other countries with influence over the opposition have in fostering cohesion and realism of the opposition. Mr. de Mistura said his office is ready to convene further technical talks to support Saudi efforts on unifying the opposition.

In addition, he noted the importance of working with the Government of Syria. He said that it will be vital for those countries with influence to assess the situation carefully and signal a genuine readiness for dialogue and inclusion on the country's political future.

Today's briefing comes just weeks ahead of the annual high-level opening segment of the UN General Assembly, where the European Union will host a special event in New York which will serve as an opportunity to address future resilience and stabilization efforts, and support the humanitarian needs in Syria, Mr. de Mistura said.

These events will all take place ahead of the convocation of the formal intra-Syrian talks in Geneva later in October.

This is designed to give time for the dynamics I have just described to reach a further stage of maturity, the senior UN official said.

He added it is my hope that both the Syrian Government and the opposition will come to Geneva then to engage in formal negotiations.

Outgoing UN aid chief urges help for Syrians

Also today, the Council heard from outgoing Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, who steps down tomorrow.

Addressing the Council for the final time after two years on the job, Mr. O'Brien made an emotional appeal for the 15-member body to do more to end the brutal civil war, now in its seventh year.

I am still urging you, in the name of our common humanity, to find a way to stop the Syrian people paying the price of political failure, he said. The fact that month after month, it is the unremitting, fearful plight of the Syrian people which sears into our hearts and outrages and torments our minds, I am bound to reflect  surely we can do better.

He expressed frustration at the little progress made in recent months in responding to the needs of thousands of people who remain besieged in Foah, Kefraya and Yarmouk.

Mr. O'Brien noted that on numerous occasions, despite agreement to distribute aid, the trucks were loaded only be to be unloaded.

This is disgusting. It's scandalous and an outrage and I urge all Member States  in particular those with the influence  to do all they can to bring the parties to their senses, he urged.

I am told a new agreement among the parties was apparently reached on 27 August, but where is the evidence?

He cautioned that thousands of people  mostly women and children  depend on the international community's collective action.

Among other points raised, he reiterated that civilians, humanitarians and health workers are not a target, and said that he stands in solidarity with the millions of civilians whose lives have been destroyed by the conflict.
In the Gaza Strip, UN chief appeals for Palestinian unity; renews call for two-state solution

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 11 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, In the Gaza Strip, UN chief appeals for Palestinian unity; renews call for two-state solution, 11 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69c734.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Visiting Gaza for the first time since taking office as United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres today called for Palestinian unity, saying division "only undermines the cause of the Palestinian people."

Speaking to reporters at a UN-supported school in northern Gaza, the Secretary-General appealed for unity, in line with the principles of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which include rejecting violence and terrorism, and recognizing Israel's right to exist in peace.

"I have a dream. A dream to one day see the Holy Land with two states - Israel and Palestine - living in peace and security together," Mr. Guterres told reporters in Beit Lahiya, Gaza, at a school run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Making this second appeal, Mr. Guterres underscored the importance of a credible political process and actions to improve living conditions of Palestinians.

"It is important to open the closures, in line with resolution 1860" he said, referring the Security Council resolution from 2009 which called for an immediate ceasefire to the fighting between Israel and Hamas and lifting of blockades for food, fuel and medicines.

The resolution was meant to diffuse an intra-Palestinian conflict which flared when Hamas took over Gaza in 2007. Since then, Israel sought to isolate the group by restricting the movements of goods and people in and out of the strip.

In today's statement, Mr. Guterres that it was important to avoid the "build-up of the militantism" that can undermine the confidence between the two people," he added.

The UN chief today appealed to the international community to strongly support humanitarian aid in Gaza. He ordered an immediate release of $4 million from the limited resources of the Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), to support the UN activities working for the benefit of the Gaza people.

Mr. Guterres, who toured the Israeli-Gaza border by helicopter and then crossed it by vehicle, called the conditions in Gaza, "one of the most dramatic humanitarian crises" he has seen during his time working as a humanitarian.

The two million people living in Gaza have lack access to basic services, such as electricity, food or healthcare. The real gross domestic product (GDP) is largely stagnant, unemployment is up and the infrastructure and private sector have been gradually debilitated, according to a UN report published last month.

Given the current trends, Gaza would become "unliveable" by 2020, according to the report.

'True peacemakers'

Wrapping up his trip to the Middle East, Mr. Guterres today also visited the Museum of the Jewish People, where he reiterated his ongoing calls for an end to anti-Semitism around the world.

Pledging that he will do all possible to stand against anti-Semitism and all other forms of bigotry and discrimination, Mr. Guteres stressed that anti-Semitism includes calls for the destruction of Israel.

"Israel is a Member State of the United Nations. It bears all the responsibilities and enjoys all the rights of every other Member State and, therefore, it must be treated as such," he stressed.

Mr. Guterres described meeting families in Nahal Oz, a kibbutz close to the Gaza Strip. Speaking with relatives of a child killed by a Palestinian rocket, he told of a request to help the Palestinians in Gaza have better lives.

Calling the request a "fantastic example of solidarity, of humanity, of tolerance," Mr. Guterres paid tribute to the "voices of these true peacemakers."

"Let us not forget that those individual peacebuilders represent the best faces of their communities and serve as the human foundation so essential for a lasting peace, here and everywhere," he said.
Syria: UN adviser warns trapped civilians face greater risks as Raqqa fighting intensifies

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 30 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: UN adviser warns trapped civilians face greater risks as Raqqa fighting intensifies, 30 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69cab4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations adviser on the prevention of genocide today expressed deep concern at the deteriorating situation of up to 25,000 civilians trapped in Syria's Raqqa, noting that civilians are used as human shields in this de facto capital of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) terrorist group under intense bombardment.

I am deeply disturbed by reports coming out of Raqqa of the horrendous situation faced by civilians caught up in the offensive to retake the city from the so-called ISIL, said UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Adama Dieng in a statement released by the Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.

International counter-ISIL coalition forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are carrying out airstrikes, and ISIL, which still controls Raqqa, is reportedly using civilians as human shields, he added.

ISIL fighters are reportedly killing those who try to escape, and coalition forces are targeting boats on the Euphrates river, which had been one of the remaining escape routes for civilians. Civilians in south of the Euphrates river are reportedly facing indiscriminate attacks by Syrian Government forces and their allies during military operations to retake the area.

The legitimate aim of retaking Raqqa must not be achieved at such a high cost to civilians, said the Special Advisor, urging all parties to adhere to their obligations under international human rights and international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians.

Reiterating calls for a humanitarian pause to spare civilian lives, Mr. Dieng warned that as the offensive to retake Raqqa reaches its final stages, the fighting is likely to intensify and increase the risks faced by civilians still trapped in the city.
What does the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue say is a must for dairy farmers in the next farm bill?

We want to have a good, effective safety net, he said during a visit to the Wisconsin State Fair. Our principle for a farm bill is that it should follow the market, not guide it. I dont want people farming for the farm bill. I want them farming for the market, he stated.

As part of a five-state Back to our roots RV tour, Perdues first stop was the Badger State. He participated in opening ceremonies of the state fair and held a listening session with farmers along with Wisconsins Secretary of Agriculture Ben Brancel. One purpose of the tour was to gather input on the 2018 Farm Bill.

We dont write the farm bill; we implement the farm bill. But Congress looks to us out on tours like this to bring ideas back that may be resolutions and solutions, he explained.

Speaking about the farm bill, Perdue said, We need a bill that gives farmers the flexibility to make the decisions that make the most sense for their operation rather than trying to comply with rules and regulations we put in the farm bill. He continued, We want to let them respond to the market. We need to give them a safety net that gives them flexibility to do that.

Perdue commented that while the 2014 Farm Bill did a lot of good, two categories  cotton and dairy  did not feel those benefits.

We recognize cotton and dairy did not fare as well as we hoped in the 2014 Farm Bill. Knowing how important dairy is to Wisconsin, that hurts here. The Margin Protection Program (MPP) has not shown to be beneficial from a price protection standpoint at the level it is set currently, he said.

Perdue also pointed to a few other wishes for the 2018 Farm Bill.

Trade is another issue, he said. We need fair trade across the border. More export of dairy products is vitally important. He also highlighted a need for more overall agricultural research.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.
In conflict-affected Nigeria, UN agency teams with health workers to help the displaced

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 30 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, In conflict-affected Nigeria, UN agency teams with health workers to help the displaced, 30 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69d174.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Skilled health personnel are desperately needed in north-eastern Nigeria, the United Nations population agency today said, after training hundreds of health providers in Borno State on the basics of reproductive health needs.

I have been working in the field of maternal health in this country for more than 35 years, Hauwa Lassa, a retired nurse and midwife told the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Maiduguri, where she works at a health facility in one of the displacement camps. It is now with this crisis going on that the women need support. So I decided to come back to the health centre and help.

Ms. Lassa was one of 300 women trained by UNFPA in a so-called Minimum Initial Service Package, which includes how to coordinate with humanitarian staff, provide clinical care for survivors of sexual violence, prevent HIV through condom distribution, and helping get access to emergency obstetric care.

This, together with equipping the health facilities and hospitals with supplies for safe deliveries, access to family planning, and equipment to respond to sexual and gender-based violence is one of the cornerstones of UNFPA's work here, said Ada Pouye, UNFPA's humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria.

The violence in north-eastern Nigeria destroyed more than 40 per cent of health facilities, and forced doctors and nurses to flee.

The UN agency said it is trying to provide urgently needed care in a country where one woman died of pregnancy-related causes every nine minutes, and where some 276,000 women are likely to become pregnant this year.

In addition to helping safely deliver babies and teach about family planning, UNFPA is also working with women and girls to immunize newborns.

We have a special way of making women come back for the second immunization shot for their baby after 40 days, said Mdapilawa Yatzubu, who also participated in the UNFPA training, and then returned to a health centre in the town of Biu.

We give them a small gift, mostly soap. They all come back to collect the soap and have their health checked and the baby immunized with the second dose. This is how we follow up on them.
Cite as

UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Human rights violations and abuses in the context of protests in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela from 1 April to 31 July 2017, 31 July 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69d724.html [accessed 14 November 2022]
Urgent funding needed to ensure full food rations for refugees in Tanzania  UN agency

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 29 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Urgent funding needed to ensure full food rations for refugees in Tanzania  UN agency, 29 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69e3a4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Amid a funding shortage that has forced the reduction of rations for some 320,000 refugees in north-west Tanzania, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today said that it urgently requires $23.6 million to guarantee the food and nutritional needs through December.

Without an immediate response from donors, further ration cuts will be necessary as food stocks are simply running out, said Michael Dunford, WFP Tanzania Country Representative.

Five food commodities  maize meal, pulses, Super Cereal, vegetable oil and salt  are provided by WFP to refugees in Mtendeli, Nduta and Nyarugusu camps, mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

However, food portions were reduced in August due to funding cuts, which might lead to long-term, life-changing consequences, such as acute malnutrition and rising vulnerability to disease.

Meanwhile, the UN agency also has hot meals for refugees upon arrival and supplemental rations for pregnant and nursing women and food assistance to hospital in-patients and people living with HIV/AIDS.

While WFP appreciates the support received so far, we are urgently appealing to donors to quickly come to the aid of the refugees and provide additional funding, said Mr. Dunford, stressing that it will be critical to prevent future prolonged negative impacts.
UN migration agency, Libyan authorities boost support for rescued migrants

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 29 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN migration agency, Libyan authorities boost support for rescued migrants, 29 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69e8a4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations migration agency is working with Libyan authorities to help rescue more migrants off the Libyan coast.

The UN Migration Agency (IOM) met this week with Libyan authorities in Tunis to create a coordination body to aid rescues, and also provided lifesaving equipment and offered computer literacy classes aimed at documenting sea rescue operations.

By better documentation of migrants at the disembarkation points, IOM is hoping to put a registration system in place to help regulate the humanitarian services provided to rescued migrants, said Maysa Khalil, IOM Libya's Operations Officer.

Among other supplies, IOM also provided computers and other information technology equipment to Libyan Coast Guard officers.

Saving lives remains our highest priority, said Othman Belbeisi, IOM Libya Chief of Mission. As it is also a legal obligation, it is important to help the Libyan Coast Guard improve their capacities to save lives and respond in a better way to the needs of the migrants that they rescue.

The UN agency is also working with Libyan counterparts to rehabilitate the points where the boats reach, by offering shaded areas, installing a water tank, cementing the floor, and creating toilets and showers, among others.
Myanmar: UN rights chief says violence in Rakhine state 'predictable and preventable'

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 29 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Myanmar: UN rights chief says violence in Rakhine state 'predictable and preventable', 29 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69eea4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Alarmed at renewed fighting and incitement in the wake of the attacks on Myanmar security forces in northern areas of Rakhine state, the top United Nations human rights official today urged all sides to renounce the use of violence and called on State authorities to ensure they abide by their obligations under international human rights law.

This turn of events is deplorable. It was predicted and could have been prevented, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, noting that 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.

The High Commissioner called on the political leadership to condemn the inflammatory rhetoric and incitement to hatred that is proliferating, including on social media.

Mr. Zeid also expressed concern about claims by the State Counsellor's Office that international aid workers were complicit in or supporting the attacks.

Such statements are irresponsible and only serve to increase fears and the potential for further violence, he said. I am extremely concerned that the unsupported allegations against international aid organizations place their staff in danger and may make it impossible for them to deliver essential aid.

Mr. Zeid said the perpetrators of the attacks on security personnel must be brought to justice, as must those who have been attacking the civilian population.

State authorities should issue clear instructions to security forces to refrain from using disproportionate force, minimize damage and injuries and respect the right to life, he said.

The State has a duty to protect those within its territory  without discrimination, stated Mr. Zeid.

I call on the Government of Myanmar to follow the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, headed by Kofi Annan, for an integrated and calibrated response to the situation in Rakhine state, to address rather than sacrifice human rights concerns in the interests of maintaining peace and order, he said.

The High Commissioner also expressed concern about thousands of Rohingya having fled from Myanmar into Bangladesh since the attacks, adding to the tens of thousands who have been arriving in Bangladesh since October 2016.

UN refugee agency urges open borders for people fleeing violence in Rakhine

Meanwhile, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today communicated to the Government of Bangladesh its readiness to support the country in assisting refugees crossing 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.

The agency is aware of several reported instances of people being prevented from entering Bangladesh. UNHCR believes it is of the utmost importance that Bangladesh, which has hosted refugees from Myanmar for decades, continues to allow Rohingya fleeing violence to seek safety there.

UNHCR also called on the international community to support Bangladesh in doing so, with all necessary aid and other help.
UN chief welcomes parties' commitment towards permanent ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN chief welcomes parties' commitment towards permanent ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine, 28 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69f2a4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed today the commitment by the parties to implement a permanent ceasefire in eastern Ukraine on the occasion of the start of the new school year.

He stresses the need to ensure that the ceasefire is sustainable and calls on all parties to fully abide by its terms especially in order to protect the civilians who suffer most from the ongoing hostilities, said a statement form a UN spokesperson.

Through the statement, the Secretary-General also reiterated the support of the United Nations for the efforts of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Trilateral Contact Group and the Normandy Four to find a negotiated solution to the conflict.

He urges all concerned to work towards that end, the statement concluded.

In late February 2014, the situation in Ukraine transcended what was initially seen as an internal Ukrainian political crisis into violent clashes in parts of the country, later reaching full-scale conflict in the east. Despite a September 2014 ceasefire agreed in Minsk, the situation since deteriorated, with serious consequences for the country's unity, territorial integrity and stability.
Myanmar: UN chief concerned by reports of civilian deaths during security operations in Rakhine state

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Myanmar: UN chief concerned by reports of civilian deaths during security operations in Rakhine state, 28 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69f6d4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Deeply concerned at the reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmar's Rakhine state, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today 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 Mr. 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 urges 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.

[Mr. 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.
International community must unify efforts to assist Libya in overcoming 'serious' governance challenges

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 August 2017 Cite as UN News Service, International community must unify efforts to assist Libya in overcoming 'serious' governance challenges, 28 August 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b69faf4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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 "seizing the window of opportunity" that is before them to ensure peace, the head of the United Nations mission there said today.

"We need to act; we need to act together and we need to act now," said 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 - Mr. 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," Mr. 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," Mr. 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 additihe said 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," Mr. 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."
Yemen: UN report urges probe into rights violations amid 'entirely man-made catastrophe'

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 5 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Yemen: UN report urges probe into rights violations amid 'entirely man-made catastrophe', 5 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6a0194.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The United Nations human rights chief has called for an independent, international investigation into the allegations of serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Yemen, in a new report published today.

An international investigation would go a long way in putting on notice the parties to the conflict that the international community is watching and determined to hold to account perpetrators of violations and abuses, said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein in a news release on the report.

I appeal to all the parties to the conflict, those supporting them and those with influence over them to have mercy on the people of Yemen, and to take immediate measures to ensure humanitarian relief for civilians and justice for the victims of violations, he added.

According to the report, which records violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law since September 2014, such acts continue unabated in Yemen, with civilians suffering deeply the consequences of an entirely man-made catastrophe.

Between March 2015, when the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) began reporting on civilian casualties, and 30 August, at least 5,144 civilians have been documented as killed and more than 8,749 injured.

Children accounted for 1,184 of those who were killed and 1,592 of those injured. Coalition airstrikes continued to be the leading cause of child casualties as well as overall civilian casualties. Some 3,233 of the civilians killed were reportedly killed by Coalition forces.

The report states that the past year witnessed airstrikes against funeral gatherings and small civilian boats, in addition to markets, hospitals, schools, residential areas, and other public and private infrastructure.

The Popular Committees affiliated with the Houthis and the army units loyal to former President Abdullah Saleh (the Houthi/Saleh forces) were responsible for some 67 per cent of the 1,702 cases of recruitment of children for use in hostilities.

The report stresses that the minimal efforts towards accountability in the past year are wholly insufficient to respond to the gravity of violations and abuses continuing every day in Yemen, adding that the National Commission established to investigate human rights violations in Yemen is not perceived to be impartial.

The report also found that the governorates most affected by the conflict were Aden, Al-Hudaydah, Sana'a and Taizz.

The humanitarian crisis  with nearly 18.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid and 7.3 million on the brink of famine  is a direct result of the behaviour of parties to the conflict, including indiscriminate attacks, attacks against civilians and protected objects, sieges, blockades and restrictions on movement, the report states.

In many cases, information obtainedsuggested that civilians may have been directly targeted, or that operations were conducted heedless of their impact on civilians without regard to the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack. In some cases, information suggested that no actions were taken to mitigate the impact of operations on civilians, the report states.
UN confirms nearly 125,000 people fleeing Myanmar's Rakhine for Bangladesh

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 5 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN confirms nearly 125,000 people fleeing Myanmar's Rakhine for Bangladesh, 5 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6a18a4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today called for the Muslims of Rakhine state to be given either nationality or legal status, and voiced concern about violence that has since late August forced nearly 125,000 people to flee and risk destabilizing the region.

I have condemned the recent attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. But now we are receiving constant reports of violence by Myanmar's security forces, including indiscriminate attacks, the Secretary-General told journalists in New York, expressing concern about the security, humanitarian and human rights situation in Rakhine. This will only further increase radicalization.

Mr. Guterres said that he has officially written to the Security Council to express his concern and to propose various steps to end the violence, adding that the grievances of Rohingya  the Muslims in the Rakhine state  have festered for far too long and are becoming an undeniable factor in regional destabilization.

He called on the international community to prevent further escalation and to seek a holistic solution, and urged the authorities in Myanmar to provide security and aid to those in need and safe access to life-saving aid.

At the same time, it is no longer possible to delay an effective action plan to address the root causes of the crisis, Mr. Guterres said. It will be crucial to give the Muslims of Rakhine state either nationality or, at least for now, a legal status that will allow them to have a normal life, including freedom of movement and access to labour markets, education and health services.

UN agencies scaling up support

Meanwhile, UN agencies in the region today appealed for $18 million to aid for three months the civilians who are rushing into Bangladesh.

Clear signs that more will cross into Bangladesh from Myanmar before situation stabilizes, said the Director of Operations and Emergencies at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mohammed Abdiker, on Twitter. Without more int[ernational] support, suffering will continue.

Thousands of people are arriving daily in south-eastern Bangladesh, living in makeshift sites and seeking any space for shelter.

We are running out of space in the existing settlements and new arrivals are pitching camp wherever they can erect some plastic sheeting to protect themselves from the elements, said Sarat Dash, IOM Bangladesh Chief of Mission.

The new arrivals are putting immense strain on the existing support structures. These need to be immediately scaled up to ensure lives are not put at risk, he cautioned.

With reports of ongoing violence, UN agencies today expressed grave concern about the situation, including reports that some civilians are dying enroute to safety.

Those who have made it to Bangladesh are in poor condition. Most have walked for days from their villages  hiding in jungles, crossing mountains and rivers with what they could salvage from their homes. They are hungry, weak and sick, a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Duniya Aslam Khan, told journalists in Geneva.

Two of the shelter sites  Kutupalong and Nayapara camps  are at breaking point, Ms. Khan said. New arrivals are hosted by refugee families and in refugee schools, community centres, madrassas and covered structures.

We are running out of available space, she stressed.

'I just knew to run to save my life'

Among the people who UN agencies and partners are helping in Bangladesh is Rohingya Dilara, who reached Bangladesh barefoot, clutching her 18-month son.

My husband was shot in the village. I escaped with my son and in-laws, she told UNHCR. We walked for three days, hiding when we had to. The mountain was wet and slippery and I kept falling.

Dilara followed other villagers into the Kutupalong camp, which was established in the 1990s along with neighbouring Nayapara camp, and already had a population of some 30,000 people. UNHCR estimates that 20,000 civilians arrived since 25 August, when the fighting in Myanmar flared up.

I don't know where I am...I just knew to run to save my life, Dilara said.
Mark Hogan, CEO of Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation speaks during the public hearing on the Foxconn deal in August.
Burundi: UN independent panel calls for ICC probe into possible crimes against humanity

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 5 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Burundi: UN independent panel calls for ICC probe into possible crimes against humanity, 5 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59b6a2484.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

We were struck by the scale and the brutality of the violations, said Fatsah Ouguergouz, President of the Commission of Inquiry, in a press report published Monday.

According to the Commission's report, crimes such as extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture, sexual violence, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and enforced disappearances have been committed  and continue unabated.

We also noted a lack of will on the part of the Burundian authorities to fight against impunity and guarantee the independence of the judiciary, continued Mr. Ouguergouz. As a result, there is a strong likelihood that the perpetrators of these crimes will remain unpunished.

In view of the impunity protecting the perpetrators, the Commission said that it is asking the ICC to open an investigation into the crimes as soon as possible. It is also asking the African Union to retake the initiative to find a lasting solution, based on respect for human rights, to the crisis in Burundi and to remain actively involved.

Among the alleged perpetrators, the Commission mentions members, including high-level officials, of the National Intelligence Services and the national police force, military officials, and Imbonerakure  the youth league of the ruling party.

The conclusions presented by the three Commissioners are the result of several months of investigations and interviews with more than 500 witnesses, including many Burundians living abroad as refugees and others who remain in in the country, often risking their lives.

There is a climate of pervasive fear in Burundi. Victims have been threatened, even in exile. This meant that the Commission had to be extremely careful to ensure that their testimonies could not be used to endanger them, said Francoise Hampson, one of the three members of the Commission.

These accounts, whether from victims, their families or witnesses, were rigorously checked and corroborated. They show that serious human rights violations are ongoing.

We continue to receive reliable, credible and consistent information confirming that these violations are still taking place in Burundi today. Some of these violations are occurring in a more clandestine manner, but they are still just as brutal, underscored Mr. Ouguergouz.

The Burundian authorities rejected the Commission's repeated attempts to establish a dialogue and to request information from the government, and did not allow its members to go to Burundi.

We deeply regret the Burundian Government's lack of cooperation, which, among other things, made it difficult for us to document human rights abuses committed by armed opposition groups. This is all the more regrettable given that Burundi, as a member of the Human Rights Council, has an obligation to cooperate with mechanisms set up by the Council, said Reine Alapini Gansou, a member of the Commission.

The Commission is asking the Burundian authorities to immediately put a stop to serious human rights violations by state agents and Imbonerakure, over whom the State exercises control.
An auto worker installs mounts to motor and transmission units on an SUV assembly line at General Motors in Janesville, in April 2006.
Kem Monovithya, daughter of jailed CNRP leader Kem Sokha, tells reporter Nareth Muon of RFA's Khmer Service in a Sept. 11, 2017 interview that Cambodians should continue to register to vote in next year's national election, adding that the country's political opposition should stay strong and that her father could still be released.

RFA: Many Cambodians are concerned over the current political situation, which could now lead to the dissolution of the CNRP. Some have already posted on their Facebook that they will not go to vote during the next national election if the CNRP is dissolved. People are now less encouraged about registering to vote given this situation. What is your reaction to this?



Kem Monovithya: We have not opted out of the national election yet. We are demanding Kem Sokhas immediate release. We are fighting for a free and fair election. If people do not go to register to vote now, it will be too late to register when the political situation has been resolved and Kem Sokha is released. Cambodians would then lose a chance to help the CNRP win the next election.



RFA: Kem Sokha has been charged with treason, but he remains innocent until the courts rule otherwise. However, the presumption of innocence is being breached when Hun Sen and his officials continue to address Kem Sokha as a traitor. This is a serious matter. How optimistic are you that Kem Sokha will be released to lead the CNRP again?



Kem Monovithya: This gross action by the government in arresting Kem Sokha is an act of intimidation intended to traumatize Cambodians. But we shouldnt be intimidated. I believe they cannot dissolve the CNRP. If they wanted to dissolve it, they could have done that a long time ago. They dont even need to arrest Kem Sokha to dissolve the CNRP. In the way they arrested him, and the way they posted the video of his arrest, they are trying to inflict fear and a state of uncertainty among Cambodians and the CNRP leadership. People may now be frightened to engage in politics. People may be discouraged from registering to vote. And then the CPP will win. We have to stay strong and united. We cannot be intimidated or demoralized. The CPP is testing the water to see how the CNRPs supporters and the international community will react.



RFA: Several radio stations, including that ones that broadcast the CNRPs messages to their constituents, have been banned. Local meetings with CNRP supporters in some places have also been restricted. How will the CNRP communicate with them now?



Kem Monovithya: The CNRP has local officials and activists who have their own means of communicating [Party] messages to them.



RFA: the Cambodian government is showing more hostility towards the U.S., with Hun Sen accusing the U.S. of working with Kem Sokha to topple the government. The Cambodian diaspora has been protesting against the Cambodian government in relation to Kem Sokha's arrest. They want him to be released. However, the government has linked those protesters to the CNRPs supporters, and Hun Sen has warned people to not interfere in Kem Sokhas arrest or the CNRP will be dissolved and more people will be arrested. Is international pressure or protest really helpful?



Kem Monovithya: I would like to ask our people to not be fooled by the government's rhetoric. Its really ironic that the government of Cambodia has not kicked out the U.S. embassy in Phnom Penh, given their accusation that the U.S. is conspiring with Kem Sokha. Why is the harassment being inflicted only upon Cambodian politicians who believe in free and fair elections to bring change? The government claims that it has all the facts and evidence against the U.S. that it needs. I challenge it to file charges against the U.S. Why has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not issued an official statement warning the U.S.? Their failure to do this proves that such accusations are only unofficial and verbal.



RFA: You have been accused of being affiliated with a CIA agent. You are also listed on a leaked blacklist of people to be arrested. Are you worried about your safety?



Kem Monovithya: I would like to reiterate that the government has not accused the U.S. officially. I believe the government is after my family. They are trying to put us in danger. My family and the CNRP leadership obviously have personal security and safety concerns. We trust that the current government will do whatever it takes to intimidate us. We dont have any option but to move forward. We know our road is bumpy. Yet we have to continue the fight, because we believe in people power and in their will to continue the fight too.




Cambodia National Rescue Party deputy leader Mu Sochua (with microphone) and other members of parliament address the press outside a prison in Trapaing Phlong in Tbong Khmum province, where (CNRP) leader Kem Sokha is being held, Sept. 11, 2017.

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday stepped up the pressure on the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party after the arrest of Kem Sokha, vowing to dissolve the CNRP if it is linked to the alleged treason behind the party leaders arrest.

If the CNRP is found to be linked to this act of treason, the party shall be sanctioned in accordance with the law. In this case, it shall be dissolved, Hun Sen said.

Kem Sokha was arrested without a warrant in the capital Phnom Penh early on Sept. 3 and accused of treason in a move critics said showed that Hun Sen was intensifying his attacks on opponents before 2018 elections. He was taken to remote Tra Peang Plong prison in Tbong Khmum province, near Cambodia's border with Vietnam, and formally charged with treason on Sept. 5.

Cambodia is very fortunate to uncover on time the traitorous acts of the traitor who has now been arrested. If the political party continues to obstruct the proceedings and defend this traitor, it will be regarded as a traitorous party itself, said Hun Sen.

There is no chance to let this party exist in our democratic process in Cambodia. When Cambodia dissolves this party there are still plenty of other political parties for the elections, added the strongman, who has ruled Cambodia for 32 years and says he wants to stay in power for another decade.

CNRP deputy president Mu Sochua, however, said during a visit Monday to the prison Kem Sokha is detained that the party will boycott next years election if its leader is not released unconditionally and normality restored.

Kem Sokhas arrest and charges are against the constitution. He is protected by his parliamentary immunity, said Mu Sochua.

If Kem Sokha is not released so that he can participate freely in the next election along with other factors contributing to free and fair election, we will not join such an election. It is against the will of our people and nation if we join the election that is not free and fair, she said.

Mu Sochua said the CNRPs boycott of the National Assembly extraordinary session convened on Monday to strip Kem Sokha of his parliamentary immunity meant that the session is unconstitutional and against the internal regulations of the National Assembly.

A government-backed scholar, meanwhile, reiterated Hun Sens earlier claims that Kem Sokha had been conspiring with the United States to instigate a color revolution in Cambodia.

I listened to what Kem Sokha said in Australia. Thats not different from the color revolution in Ukraine and Yugoslavia, said Sok Touch, president of the countrys highest academic institution, the government-run Royal Academy of Cambodia.

Sok Touch was referring to a heavily edited video from Australia-based Cambodian Broadcasting Network (CBN) released by the government-aligned media outlet Fresh News it said showed Kem Sokha was working with the United States to unseat strongman Hun Sen.

Its very identical. Its organized by the CIA. The mechanism and tactics are the same, Sok Touch told a roundtable discussion on color revolutions.

CNRP lawmaker Son Chhay chastised Sok Touch for echoing Hun Sen and expressing his conclusions before any court takes up Kem Sokhas case.

If our courts are independent and professional, a so-called scholar like him shouldnt make such a presumption in the first place, said Son Chhay.

Cambodian exiles around the world continued to rally for Kem Sokha, calling for international pressure on Hun Sen.

On September 9, about 400 Cambodian-Australians protested in Springvale Town Hall in Victoria, Australia, and protests also happened in the cities of Adelaide and Sydney. Another 300 hundred protesters met in front of Canadas parliament Ottawa.

Cambodian-Americans protest on Sunday in California and Washington state, while a larger group is expected in Washington, Dc on Sept. 17.

Hun Sens ruling Cambodia Peoples Party (CPP) dismissed the protests.

Hes lucky to be prosecuted here. If he were to be on trial in a foreign country he would have been hanged by now, said a CPP spokesman.

Cambodia does not have capital punishment. Hes fortunate to be imprisoned.

Reported by Sokheng Saut, Thai Tha, Vanndeth Van and Sonorng Kher for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
Detained Taiwan democracy activist and NGO worker Lee Ming-cheh confessed to charges of subversion at his trial in the central Chinese province of Hunan on Monday, as his wife said his guilty plea wasn't freely made.



Lee, the first foreign national to be tried under new laws governing NGO activity in China, stood trial at the Intermediate People's Court in Hunan's Yueyang city alongside Chinese national Peng Yuhua. Both were accused of "incitement to subvert state power."



In a broadcast made by the court, Lee "confessed" to making online posts to WeChat, Facebook, and other online communities with intent to "maliciously discredit" the ruling Chinese Communist Party.



But his stay in a Chinese police-run detention center had changed his mind, he said.



"While I was in the detention center, I saw a lot of TV programs with information about China's development, and I was able to receive a more rounded education," he said.



"This made me recognize the progress China has made in its development, which was completely different from the information I had received before in Taiwan," Lee told the court.



"This wrong-headed ideology led me to commit these criminal acts, and I plead guilty to this crime and express my remorse," he said.



But rights groups called for Lee's immediate release in the absence of conclusive evidence of an internationally recognizable crime.



Confession doubted



Lee's wife and mother traveled from Taiwan on Sunday to attend the trial, which followed his detention on national security charges on arrival at the southern border city of Zhuhai on March 19.



Lee's wife Lee Ching-yu has repeatedly rejected out of hand and in advance the validity of any "confession" made by her husband.



Chinese rights activist Xu Qin, who went to the court to act as an independent human rights observer, said Lee Ching-yu had only made a brief statement in response to requests for comment from journalists as she arrived to attend the trial.



"Lee Ching-yu told the media that she hoped they understood that Lee Ming-cheh's confession and guilty plea wasn't made freely," Xu said.



"She had written a slogan on her forearms that read 'Lee Ming-cheh, I am proud of you'."



Security was tight outside the court building on Monday morning, Lee's supporters said.



"They aren't allowing anyone to walk past the court buildings; they have cordoned off the street," a supporter surnamed Liang told RFA. "There were even a couple of guns on the roof, pointing downwards."



"Local government officials detained five or six people at the scene."



Lawyer also tried



Lee's statement in court closely echoed those made by human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong at his Aug. 22 subversion trial, a procedure that was immediately denounced by Jiang's family as a show trial.



A spokesman for Chinas State Councils Taiwan Affairs Office said Lee had "hired" two lawyers as his defense counsel.



But detainees in subversion cases brought by the ruling Chinese Communist Party are increasingly being put under pressure to make a televised "confession" and to fire attorneys appointed by their families, using government lawyers instead.



Chinese law allows police to detain those suspected of "national security" crimes and hold them under residential surveillance at a secret location for up to six months, with no access to lawyers or family visits.



While the Taiwan authorities said they would do what they could to assist Lee Ching-yu, she appeared reluctant to comment after receiving her travel documents from Beijing, suggesting that her silence may have been the price of her permission to attend the trial.



One mainland Chinese rights lawyer had earlier warned that Lee Ching-yu could be pulled into a dangerous game by attending the trial and following the Chinese government's instructions.



"All along, she has said she doesn't recognize [any confession], which means then that she doesn't recognize the trial as valid, either," the lawyer said. "And yet, she's being invited to attend."



"She runs the risk that the authorities would use her visit to pressure Lee Ming-cheh into making a confession," the lawyer said ahead of the trial.



Writing campaign



Meanwhile, London-based rights group Amnesty International called on its members to write to the Chinese government calling for Lee Ming-cheh's immediate release.



It called on Beijing to "release Lee Ming-cheh immediately and unconditionally unless there is sufficient credible and admissible evidence that he has committed an internationally recognized offense and is granted a fair trial in line with international standards."



Chinese authorities should also "immediately disclose Lee Ming-chehs whereabouts and ensure that he is protected from torture and other ill-treatment [and] ensure that he is allowed to have access to his family, a lawyer of his choice, and adequate medical care," the group said.



A former activist with Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Lee is a community college manager and lifelong NGO activist. He was detained on his arrival in the southern border city of Zhuhai on a personal visit to seek medical advice.



Taiwan lawyer Fan Chih-cheng said he was hired by Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council as a consultant to advise Lee Ching-yu, but that his status wasn't recognized in mainland China.



I am just a friend advising her in a private capacity, from the Chinese governments point of view, Fan said. I can offer her advice, in particular with regard to her personal safety.



DPP lawmaker Wang Liping said that while the Taiwan authorities had tried to help Lee's wife find out more about her husband's whereabouts and state of health, they had failed to challenge Beijings narrative following his detention.



This [trial] is inexplicable from our point of view, Wang told RFA shortly before the trial. We are a free people, and we think like people from a free nation.



We find it very hard to follow the logic of this country, and there was no intention of deliberately offending it.



Similar pattern



Lees trial followed a similar pattern to those of other lawyers and activists detained in a nationwide crackdown on the legal profession and nongovernment groups since July 2015.



Previous detainees accused of subversion-related offenses have later been released, albeit under continuing restrictions. Those who refuse to "confess" are typically handed heavy jail terms.



Lee Ching-yu had repeatedly asked the Chinese government to disclose Lee Ming-chehs whereabouts, but didn't receive a response until the trial date was set last week.



China's Overseas NGO Domestic Activities Management Law, which came into effect at the start of this year, enables police to engage in daily supervision and monitoring of foreign civil society and rights groups operating in China.



The legislation hands full authority for the registration and supervision of foreign NGOs in China to the country's ministry of public security, and police across the country.



They have the power to cancel any activities, revoke an organization's registration, and impose administrative detention on its workers, as well as take part in the annual assessment of foreign NGOs required for the renewal their operating permit.



Silencing dissent



Political commentator Lin Baohua said Lee's detention and trial come as President Xi Jinping seeks to silence any dissenting voices ahead of the 19th Party Congress next month.



"They want a bit less dissent coming out of Taiwan, so as to be sure that there is minimal interference from overseas around the 19th Party Congress," Lin said.



"Of course, if it also has the effect of forcing the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen to recognize the 1992 consensus [that Taiwan can never be an independent country], then that'll be a victory for China as well."



Tseng Chien-yuen of Taiwan's Chung Hua University agreed.



"They want everything, both in and outside of China, to create a favorable atmosphere for the reestablishment of the leadership at the 19th Party Congress," Tseng told RFA. "They are very keen to go after some of the overseas voices that they can deal with, to silence any opposition overseas."



Taiwan began a transition to democracy following the death of President Chiang Ching-kuo, in January 1988, starting with direct elections to the legislature in the early 1990s and culminating in the first direct election of the island's president, Lee Teng-hui, in 1996.



Recent opinion polls indicate that there is broad political support for de facto self-rule in Taiwan, where the majority of voters identify as Taiwanese rather than Chinese.



But while the Chinese Communist Party has never ruled the island, Beijing regards it as part of Chinese territory and has threatened to invade if Taiwan seeks formal independence.



Reported by Hsia Hsiao-hwa, Miao Qiuju and Gao Shan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wen Yuqing and Tung Kuang-cheng for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.




Myanmar is committing genocide against Rohingya Muslims, Bangladeshi government officials said while the U.N.s human rights chief warned Monday that the violence driving an unprecedented influx of refugees into southeastern Bangladesh appeared to be a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

As many as 313,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since Aug. 25, according to the U.N.s latest estimates, and at least 90 have died while trying to cross over from Myanmars Rakhine state.

Most of them drown, but some were killed when landmines allegedly planted by Myanmar security forces along the border between the two countries exploded, Bangladeshi officials and witnesses said.

Genocide has been taking place in Rakhine state in Myanmar. The Burmese army seems to be out to obliterate the Rohingya. They should be tried at the International Court [of Justice], Kazi Reazul Haque, chairman of Bangladeshs National Human Rights Commission, told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, on Monday.

All types of human rights abuses such as killing, arson, torture and rape have been going on. This is unprecedented, he said in a phone interview from Coxs Bazar, one of the southeastern districts where many of Rohingya refugees have arrived in recent weeks.

His comments echoed remarks a day earlier from Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood after briefing diplomats from Western and Arab countries about the crisis that has strained humanitarian resources in the southeast.

The international community is saying it is a genocide. We also say it is a genocide, Ali said, according to reports.

The number of Rohingya refugees sheltering in camps and settlements in southeastern Bangladesh has now topped 700,000 people, including refugees who fled earlier cycles of violence in neighboring Rakhine state.

On Monday, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told parliament that she would bring up the Rohingya issue during the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Separately, Malaysian Minister Najib Razak was to broach the topic during his scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, the New Straits Times newspaper reported.

In Dhaka, Hasina called on Myanmar to take back the uprooted Rohingya population and to recognize members of the Muslim minority as citizens, according to state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS). The Rohingya are a stateless minority concentrated in Rakhine, where the Buddhist majority looks down on them as Bengalis.

If required Bangladesh would provide all support to Myanmar to overcome the crisis and rehabilitate the displaced people in their homeland, Hasina told lawmakers.

And in a response to U.N. requests that land be made available to house refugee arrivals, Mohammed Shahriar Alam, a Bangladeshi junior minister of foreign affairs, said Monday in a Facebook post the government offered to free up about 2,000 acres of state-owned land in Coxs Bazar for temporary shelters.

Myanmar in complete denial of reality

In Geneva meanwhile, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, painted a dire picture of the situation in Rakhine state and along the Myanmar-Bangladesh frontier.

His agency had received reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians, as well as reports that Myanmar authorities were laying landmines along the border, Zeid told a session of the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Last year I warned that the pattern of gross violations of the human rights of the Rohingya suggested a widespread or systematic attack against the community, possibly amounting to crimes against humanity, if so established by a court of law, Zeid said, according to a transcript. Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

The Myanmar government should stop claiming that the Rohingyas are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages. This complete denial of reality is doing great damage to the international standing of a government which, until recently, benefited from immense good will.

ARSA: Woefully under-armed

In Myanmar, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi has faced widespread criticism for not speaking out for the Rohingya people. Worldwide outrage over the violence in Rakhine and allegations that Myanmars security forces were targeting Rohingya civilians resulted from an iceberg of misinformation, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate said last week.

Since the latest wave of violence broke out in Rakhine late last month, Myanmar authorities have accused an insurgent group, the Arakan Rohingya Salavation Army (ASRA), of being behind burnings of Rohingya villages and neighborhoods.

Over the weekend, ARSA declared a ceasefire, but the Myanmar government rejected a truce, saying it would not negotiate with terrorists, according to reports.

The 10 September declaration of a unilateral cease fire was really smart. It keeps the attention of the international community on the egregious human rights abuses of the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] and their clearing operations, which can only be described as ethnic cleansing, Zachary Abuza, a Washington-based security analyst and BenarNews columnist, said Monday.

People who once eschewed ARSAs violence or tactics, now have nothing to lose. And for the 700,000 people living in squalid refugee camps, where violent gangs prey on people, there is an incentive to join militants like ARSA because it accords them and their families a degree of security, he told BenarNews.

Abuza said it is important to remember ARSA is weak militarily.

While the raids in October 2016 and August 2017 did net them some weapons and ammunition, this is still a woefully under-armed insurgency, he said, referring to attacks mounted by ARSA insurgents on Myanmar police posts in Rakhine.

Insurgents are inherently cautious, and strike when they have high-chances for success. It is inconceivable that they would take on the most battle-hardened divisions of the Tatmadaw while they are undergoing such a robust campaign, Abuza said.

Protests in India

Apart from Myanmar, Indias Hindu Nationalist-led government has faced criticism for its plan to expel an estimated 40,000 Rohingya refugees who have been in India for years.

Over the weekend and on Monday, protests occurred in New Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Hyderabad, Kolkata and West Bengal.

It is unfortunate that the Indian government is paying no heed to the violence and persecution Rohingya are facing in Rakhine. We are demanding that the Indian government raise its voice against the continuing genocide, Mohammad Nooruddin, president of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, a Muslim group based in New Delhi, told BenarNews, adding, The government should not go ahead with this plan.

Shakir Ahmad, 28, a Rohingya refugee who works as a scrap dealer and lives with 100 other Rohingya families in a camp on the outskirts of Delhi, said deporting his community members to Myanmar would be like signing their death sentence.

I would rather the Indian government kill us here than send us back to Myanmar, where government forces will most definitely torture us to death, Ahmad told BenarNews.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
Myanmars President Thein Sein has asked parliament to consider enacting laws aimed largely at minority Muslims that would restrict interfaith marriage and religious conversion, ban polygamy, and control population growth, according to lawmakers Thursday.



Thein Sein's recommendation to consider legislation covering the four issues echoed calls in a petition circulated by Buddhist monks and signed by more than one million people in a bid to protect the race and religion of the Buddhist-majority nation.



In response, Parliament Speaker Shwe Mann said Thursday that the onus was on the government to draft and propose the laws to the legislature.



Thein Seins request was based on a petitionwhich he forwarded to Shwe Mannfrom a group of senior monks who support the 969 Movement, which claims Myanmars minority Muslims are threatening the Buddhist majority following dead sectarian violence.



Shwe Mann told lawmakers on the parliament floor Thursday that relevant ministries should draft bills on the topics before lawmakers can discuss them.



He then said he believed the religious affairs ministry would have to handle the bill on religious conversions while the home affairs ministry could look into marriage and monogamy bills.



He also suggested that the immigration department of the foreign affairs ministry, among other government bodies, study the prospects of a bill to check population growth.



Monks' petition



The Organization for the Protection of Race, Religion, and Beliefheaded by monk Tilawaka Biwunthahad proposed legislation in those four areas in a petition submitted to Thein Sein in July 2013.



Laws safeguarding the national race and religion were necessary, the group said, for preventing further sectarian violence in Myanmar, which since 2012 has suffered several bouts of deadly violence between Buddhists and Muslims as it emerges from decades under tightly controlled military rule.



Muslims have borne the brunt of the violence, many of them ethnic minority Rohingyas in western Myanmars Rakhine state.



In pushing their petition last year, Buddhist monks have said that Buddhist women wishing to marry non-Buddhist men must first receive permission from their parents and local government officials.



Concerned that Muslims are spreading their faith by marrying Buddhist women, the monks also want non-Buddhist men wishing to marry Buddhist women to first convert to the faith.



The monks have also expressed fears of an expanding population of Muslims, who they say have large families and are allowed under Islam to have up to four wives.



Shwe Mann, who is the chairman of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), said he would write to Thein Sein urging the government to take responsibility for the issue, according to the Irrawaddy online journal.



Decision applauded



Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi applauded Shwe Manns decision to send the proposals back to relevant ministries, saying that was normal procedure.



The relevant government ministries have to decide and suggest what they think on this issue, the National League for Democracy chair told RFAs Myanmar Service.



When they get back to parliament with their recommendations, then parliament will have to comment and decide on it.



I agree with House Speaker Shwe Manns decision on the presidents orders because it is in accordance with the law and the needs of our nation, Aung San Suu Kyi said.



The Nobel Peace Prize winner has faced calls from international rights groups to speak up more aggressively for the protection of Muslims in the country as well as pressure from Buddhist groups within Myanmar not to be too sympathetic to Muslims.



On Thursday, she did not comment on the proposed pieces of legislation themselves but last year, she criticized the monks proposal to curb inter-faith marriages, saying it discriminated against women, violated human rights and the country's laws, and was contrary to Buddhism itself.



Pro-Buddhist movement



Rights groups have accused Buddhists linked to the 969 Movementled by monk Wirathu, who has called on Buddhists to boycott Muslim-owned shops and businessesof spouting hate speech and inflaming mob violence.



The movement has enjoyed growing support at both the grass-roots and in the government, with supporters claiming it is intended solely for the protection of Buddhism and not as an anti-Muslim crusade.



The Organization for the Protection of Race, Religion, and Belief has said that an additional 3 million people have signed their petition since it was submitted to Thein Sein with 1,335,600 signatures, according to the Democratic Voice of Burma.



Rakhine Nationalities Development Party lawmaker Khin Saw Wai from Rakhine state said a law enforcing monogamy would help put an end to polygamy among Rohingyas and curb their population growth.



[Rohingyas] in Rakhine State has many wives. People who really lose human rights are these [Rohingya] women because they are afraid of telling their husbands what difficulties they are facing and what they feel, she told RFA, adding that a monogamy law would help improve their situation.



Also, it is very good for controlling the population, she said.



Other lawmakers said proposals for legislation protecting race and religion were a delicate issue that should be put off until after 2015 elections.



I think it is better to write these laws after the election. I suspect that the request to write these bills could be a political weapon, USDP lawmaker Hla Swe said.



The Myanmar constitution recognizes the special position of Buddhism as the faith professed by the majority of its people and also recognizes Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Animism as the religions existing in the country.



Reported by Win Naung Toe and Nay Myo Tun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink.
Ethnic tensions between Myanmars Muslims and majority Buddhists spilled over into the countrys central Magway region on Sunday when a mob attacked a Muslim butchers home in Taungdwingyi township and then marched on a local mosque before being dispersed by police.



The Buddhist mob, which grew to number about 70 and was later joined by 400 villagers, was led at first by a smaller group of masked young men, a local parliamentarian told RFAs Myanmar Service.



First, about seven to eight young people came in wearing masks. Some had soot on their faces, Win Myint Hlaing, a member of parliament for Taungdwingyi in the Magway region assembly said.



One young man who threw rocks at the house was detained last night, and four more were detained today, he said.



Arriving at a local mosque after stoning the Muslims home, the mob was dispersed at about 8 p.m. by police who fired rubber bullets into the crowd, Myanmars Government Information Committee said in a statement. Local media sources quoted one attacker as saying the crowd had taken action because of their unhappiness over developments in nearby Rakhine state.



Authorities in Rakhines Rathedaung township meanwhile moved to limit further clashes in their area, forbidding residents in an announcement on Monday from carrying weapons, burning houses, or carrying out attacks and robberies.



Security officials in Rathedaung learned on Sept. 9 that more than 230 houses had been set ablaze in the townships Thabyaedaw village, causing village residents to flee, Myanmar's Government Information Committee said in a statement.



No indication was given of who had burned the houses, or why.



Almost 400 people including teachers, students, and other residents of Rakhines Taung Pyo Let Wae village had meanwhile been sent for safety to Myoma monastery in nearby Maungdaw on military boats, government sources said.



Thousands now in camps



Thousands of ethnic Rakhine, Myo, and Hindu refugees have now been placed in camps in Rakhines regional capital Sittwe and in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships, while Rakhines mostly Muslim Rohingya flee across the border into neighboring Bangladesh.



Speaking to RFA, U Zawtikathe abbot of Sittwes Zawtika monasterysaid he has been teaching children of all area religions since 1997 with the aim of promoting ethnic unity and peace.



There are a lot of Muslims or Bengalis who are good and want to live in peace, U Zawtika said, using a pejorative term for Myanmars Rohingya, who are widely regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even though many have lived in Myanmar for generations.



But they dont dare speak out. If they do, for example by speaking to the media as I am doing now, someone will cut their throats.



Villagers in some cases have detained terrorists and handed them over to the police because they wont accept terrorism, Rakhine border affairs and security minister Col. Phone Tint said.



One village leader who arrested terrorists and sent them to a police station is now in hiding, he said, adding, People like this get threatening phone calls every day.



Doubts over peace



Also speaking to RFA, many in the region voiced doubts that peace will return soon to Rakhine, though.



We have been living together with Rakhines and Hindus for a long time, Rawshi Armed, a Muslim resident of Maungdaws Shwezae Kappakung village told RFA. But now we cant go anywhere, and no one can come to us.



I think we will return to the lives we had only when the situation become stable again, he said.



People from this village have said they wont return home until the government can guarantee their safety, added San Hla Phyu, an ethnic Rakhine resident of Mawrawaddy village.



These Bengalis are destroying our system of government, and are even killing other Bengalis who will not ally themselves with them.



A Hindu woman named Hazole, now living in a refugee camp, agreed.



We will be able to go home only when these Muslim Bengalis are no longer living in our region, she said.



Reported by Thiri Min Zin and Thiha Tun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Chinese authorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang have jailed an ethnic Kazakh Muslim for engaging in illegal religious activities,sources in the region told RFA.



Mahathir Halaman, 33, was formally arrested in mid-May by police in his home county of Fuyun, in Xinjiangs Altay prefecture, and handed a one-year jail term by a local court in June.



Sources close to the family, who are residents of Fuyuns Hongtai village, said they had received no formal notification of the legal proceedings against him, nor of the courts verdict.



He was sentenced to one years imprisonment because he prayed five times a day, and because he had a younger brother and friends studying overseas in Turkey, a local Kazakh resident told RFA in a recent interview.



Mahathirs brother is currently settled in Kazakhstan.



Mahathirs jailing comes as Xinjiangs government implements a regionwide localization policy that seeks to place curbs on ethnic Kazakh Chinese nationals.



The policy targets Chinese nationals who are holders of permanent residence permits, or green cards, for neighboring Kazakhstan, limiting the length of their stay in the country to six months maximum.



A friend of Mahathir's brother confirmed to RFA that the main reason for his arrest was his habit of praying regularly at home.



After he was sentenced, the local public security office threatened his family, warning them not to speak to anyone about the case.



"This seems to be linked to his worship, the friend said. The local police originally went looking for his brother, but the brother replied that he is a Kazakhstan citizen, so they detained and sentenced Mahathir instead, he said.



The friend said Mahathir's parents are currently under close surveillance by local police, and arent allowed to leave the area, while their friends and relatives have also been threatened that they will bear the consequences if they spread rumors about the case.



Repeated calls to the Fuyun County Peoples Court rang unanswered on Sept. 9.



New regulations introduced



On July 15, the Xinjiang Autonomous Region Public Security Bureau introduced new regulations, banning Chinese passport-holders with Kazakhstan green cards from staying in Kazakhstan for longer than six months at a time.



The Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture police department has also issued regulations banning retirees from staying in the country for more than one month at a time.



Offenders will be sent to a study center for re-education, the notice said.



Chinese authorities are believed to be holding a number of ethnic minority Kazakhs for wearing "Islamic" clothing and praying, a practice forbidden by the ruling Chinese Communist Party on university campuses across the country.



Dozens of Kazakhs have also faced detention, intimidation, and the confiscation of their passports and other documents because they have family members living or studying overseas.



Ethnic minority Kazakh Muslims were among some 200 ethnic minority holders of Chinese passports targeted last month by Egypt's secret police in an operation activists said was requested by Beijing.



The 200 students, many of them religious students at Cairos Al-Azhar Islamic University, were detained in a crackdown that began on July 4, and were rounded up in restaurants or at their homes, with others seized at airports as they tried to flee to safer countries, sources told RFAs Uyghur Service at the time.



Official figures show that there are around 1.5 million Kazakhs in China, mostly concentrated in and around the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture.



China has previously welcomed Kazakhs who wished to relocate from Kazakhstan, but many Kazakhs with Chinese nationality are now heading back in the other direction, with their numbers peaking at nearly

38,000 in 2006.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFAs Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.




An official notice from June 5, 2017 from a village in Xinjiang's Hotan saying that resident Lutpulla Atawulla has been sent to re-education school and that his temporary inability to repay loans should be excused.

Thousands of Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities are being held in re-education camps without contact with their families under a policy designed to counter extremism in the northwestern Chinese region of Xinjiang, local officials told RFAs Uyghur Service.

The camps are now formally referred to as Professional Education Schools, after being called Socialism Training Schools and other names since their early 2017 inception as Counter-extremism Training Schools, the official said.

Analysts believe the camps are in operation throughout Xinjiang and contain detainees from the Uyghur, Kyrgyz and Kazakh communities  all Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim minorities in China  under policies introduced by hardline Xinjiang Communist Party Secretary Chen Quanguo.

Five kinds of suspicious people have been detained and sent to education camps: people who throw away their mobile phones SIM card or did not use their mobile phone after registering it; former prisoners already released from prison; blacklisted people; suspicious people who have some fundamental religious sentiment; and the people who have relatives abroad, a female police officer from far western Xinjiang told RFA.

The officer from Ujme Township in Aktu (Aketao in Chinese) County, Kizilsu (Kezilesu) prefecture, said three education camps had been set up in Aktu County since March, with the largest camp lying between the border of Aktu and the city of Kashgar (Kashi).

Around a thousand people are detained here and scheduled to receive political education, she told RFA.

The second camp is located behind Aktu county police bureau, where I guess around 600 people are detained. The third camp opened last month and holds more than 300 people. I think the total number of detained people reached 2,000, she added.

A second female Aktu police officer, from a police station in Pilal Township, estimated that several thousand detainees were undergoing re-education in camps in the county.

I dont know the exact number of detainees, because people on the black lists are divided into groups and sent to education camps on different days, she told RFA. Our police chief and political commissar know the exact numbers, but they did not inform us, she added.

'Sent to camps indefinitely'

The second policewoman described the facilities as closed schools because authorities keep internees detained day and night, and they continuously receive political and ideological education.

Nobody knows how long the closed education lasts. First of all, the detainees are interrogated by the police, and then they are sent to different education camps, she said.

A few people are released after two or three months. But most detainees sent to camps indefinitely, said the policewoman.

Most of the former religious figures, including religious scholars and people who have some religious knowledge are detained and sent to education camps, she added.

The first policewoman told RFA many people have been involuntarily detained at the education camps now.

Because the number of detainees already exceeded the local authorities initial estimate, some of them were released and returned to their villages and arranged political training under the watch of local cadres, she said.

The New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch on Sunday called on the Chinese government to free the thousands of Xinjiang people placed in the camps since April 2017 and close them down.

The Chinese authorities are holding people at these political education centers not because they have committed any crimes, but because they deem them politically unreliable, said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch.



The government has provided no credible reasons for holding these people and should free them immediately, she added, in an appeal published by Human Rights Watch.



Human Rights Watch said the newly unfolding Xinjiang program called to mind the compulsory re-education of hundreds of Tibetans following their return from a religious gathering called the Kalachakra Initiation in India in December 2012 , when Chen Quanguo was Tibets Communist Party secretary.

The Xinjiang political education detention centers -- where inmates who have not broken any laws are detained extrajudicially, indefinitely and without the knowledge of their families  run contrary to Chinas constitution and violate international human rights law, Human Rights Watch noted.

Chinas ruling Communist Party blames some Uyghurs for a string of violent attacks and clashes in China in recent years, but critics say the government has exaggerated the threat from the ethnic group, and that repressive domestic policies are responsible for violence that has left hundreds dead since 2009.



China regularly conducts strike hard campaigns in Xinjiang, including police raids on Uyghur households, restrictions on Islamic practices, and curbs on the culture and language of the Uyghur people, including videos and other material.

Reported and translated by Eset Sulaiman. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
New position: senior vice president of strategy and development at HCA Capital Division, the Chesterfield County-based division that oversees 18 hospitals in four states

Previous position: senior vice president of strategy and development at HCAs The Medical Center of Aurora and Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital in Colorado

Birthplace: Cincinnati

Education: bachelors degree, University of Colorado, 2003; masters degree, Webster University, 2009

Career: director, Clinic Operations, Littleton Adventist Hospital, 2007-2011; regional service line director, oncology and ambulatory services, Mountain North Denver Operating Group, 2011-2013; director, North Suburban Medical Center, 2013-2014; vice president, Presbyterian/St. Lukes Medical Center & Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, 2014-2016; and senior vice president, The Medical Center of Aurora & Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital, 2016-2017

Best career move: It truly was the first step I took in health care. I started my career as an EMT in a Level I trauma center when I finished my undergrad. Working nights in the ER on the front lines provided an exceptional foundation early in my career. ... I learned an incredible amount from the physicians, nurses, fire and EMS teams, and all constituents in the hospital.

What motivates him? No one searches for a physician who provides mediocre care. In my experience, patients want and expect to find a physician who provides the absolute best care, every time.

The best advice he ever received: In the health care industry, people have choices. As an administrator, you cannot anticipate that people will come to you simply based on history or word of mouth. Its important that each day you challenge yourself to find ways to earn the trust of your patients and members of the community. I was told early in my career that success is something that is rented and not owned. The moment you slow down and become callous to the world around you, you will be passed.

Career tip for students: Its essential to understand the why behind every decision that is made. Simply focusing on the metrics and analytics without the true meaning behind it will not prove valuable.

Role model: My father, Dr. Ray Mencini. My father was one of the first interventional radiologists in the metro Denver community. He was often on call and working 80+ hours per week. When he was home, he was deliberate and focused with his time with the family. What I learned most from him was the approach and care he took not only with his patients, but with every person he met. He often joked, was genuine, kind, caring, and most importantly, was able to find a way to relate with every person he met.

The most difficult situation faced on the job: Working in hospitals, we deal with new life and unfortunately death every day. The hardest days for me are the days when we cannot deliver the best care that is needed, based on actions that occur outside of our control. Working as an EMT early in my career, there was a horrific shooting at a high school nearby. The EMS teams brought a few of the victims to the hospital. ... In this instance, the shooting was the result of a mentally unstable person who went into a high school and held several students hostage. One of the students had no vital signs when she arrived. We did everything we could and unfortunately could not bring her back. The grief and pain of this instance have stuck with me throughout my career. It is largely due to this instance, but also because it is a true passion of mine, that I continuously urge my team to find ways to invest in behavioral health services.

Career goals: A key area of focus throughout my career has been in community relations. I went to a Jesuit high school and began volunteering at a young age. Since then and throughout my career, I have made it a point to choose one or two key organizations to focus my attention and time. I look forward to learning about the various not-for-profit organizations in the Richmond community, as well as the community health care needs.

Family: wife, Michelle Mencini; son, Nicolas; daughter, Gianna

Pastimes: Bocce and barbecue. Growing up in an Italian family, playing bocce with my grandparents brings back some of my favorite memories.

The most memorable movie: The Usual Suspects. I love anything that challenges you and makes you think differently through situations. I loved this movie the first time I saw it and have to turn it on if I see it pop up now.

Favorite food or restaurant: I have a brother who is a chef and he cooks better than anyone I know. I love everything he makes. One of my favorites is a tuna poke avocado dish that he serves in a martini glass and you eat this dish with crispy wonton chips.
MONDAY

The Richmond City Council will meet at 6 p.m., 900 E. Broad St., second-floor council chambers.

The Prince George County School Board will meet at 6:30 p.m., 6602 Courts Drive.

TUESDAY

The Chesterfield County School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m., 10001 Iron Bridge Road.

The Hopewell City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m., 300 N. Main St.

The Colonial Heights City Council will meet at 7 p.m., 201 James Ave.

The Prince George Board of Supervisors will meet at 7 p.m., 6602 Courts Drive.

The Dinwiddie County School Board will meet at 7 p.m., 14016 Boydton Plank Road.

Richmond Public Schools will host a superintendent search forum at 6:30 p.m., 4319 Old Brook Road.

WEDNESDAY

The Dinwiddie Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m., 14016 Boydton Plank Road.

THURSDAY
Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading.
Almost two-thirds of students at Virginias 23 community colleges dont complete their two-year degrees or short-term certificates.

Four-year colleges and universities dont always accept credits from students who take community college courses in high school, or allow community college students to transfer, despite agreements designed to ensure they can.

And the community college system hasnt done enough with a new pot of state money to ensure that it is providing workforce training in the jobs that employers most need filled.

Those conclusions left some state legislators cross-eyed on Monday after the first hard look at the Virginia community college system in more than 25 years.

This is a frustrating report, House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, said after a detailed presentation to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission by its staff.

But the range of legislative reactions to the study also reflected the competing missions for the 51-year-old system to fulfill in the face of declining enrollment, rising costs and increasing pressure to help bolster Virginias economy by helping students who might not follow a traditional academic track.

The report identified  correctly, mind you  the biggest difference between our colleges and Virginias universities: we serve different people, said Glenn DuBois, chancellor of a system that provides open admission to people across the state for a wide array of programs at less than half of the cost of four-year institutions. And those people come to us with different needs.

About 38 percent of the 250,000 students at Virginias community colleges attend part time, which is one of the reasons why 61 percent of them dont complete their associate or bachelors degrees, or programs to earn certificates for training in non-academic professions. Those students also tend to be older, poorer, from ethnic or racial minorities and starting behind academically with remedial courses.

The report said the completion rates trail those of four-year institutions but are comparable to rates for community colleges nationally. Those rates are still unacceptable to me, DuBois said.

One potential solution is improving academic advising at community colleges to help students stay engaged to finish their studies, a recommendation that DuBois supports, though he cautioned that it would require more financial resources to accomplish.

However, some legislators were upset that what JLARC Chairman Robert D. Orrock Sr., R-Caroline, called the incredibly narrow focus of the report, which he said appears to measure success by completion of degrees and credentials rather than the other help that community colleges give students who dont necessarily need degrees or certificates.

I dont believe we should turn them into steppingstones to four-year institutions, said Del. Kenneth R. Plum, D-Fairfax, who wants the colleges to focus more on what employers say they need.

Tracey Smith, associate director of JLARC, said the study focused on student achievement in part because the watchdog agency had studied the community college systems role in workforce development in a report she led in 2014.

Smith also pointed out that the systems 39 percent completion rate includes workforce credential and certificate programs, not just academic degrees.

House Appropriations Chairman S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, was upset by the reports conclusion that the community college system had spent an additional $12.5 million the state provided last year on training for professions that dont represent the unmet employer demand the money was intended to address in regions across Virginia.

We missed the mark, in my opinion, by a country mile in terms of what the intent was, said Jones, who played a key role in finding money for the new Workforce Credentials Grant program.

The JLARC study said that while the programs money was spent on programs with demonstrated demand, it didnt look for evidence of worker shortages or whether demand was unmet by worker supply.

However, DuBois contended that the program was successful in its first year, tripling the number of people who earned credentials for high-wage jobs. Once the state has income data to measure the program, he said, I believe we are going to see that this is nothing but a winner for the commonwealth.

On the other end of the spectrum, Cox was perturbed by the finding that dual enrollment programs for high school students to take community college courses arent always credited at four-year institutions, in part because of concerns about quality.

There is a certain elitism here, too, said Cox, a retired high school government teacher.

Similarly, many four-year institutions arent taking many community college students under transfer agreements intended to provide them an academic path. George Mason University, Old Dominion University, and Virginia Commonwealth University accept two-thirds of the 12,000 students who transfer from community colleges to four-year institutions.

Senate Finance Co-Chairman Emmett W. Hanger Jr., R-Augusta, praised the community college system, while noting its challenges at a time when enrollment is falling instead of growing. I, for one, am very pleased overall with the product being delivered by our community college system, Hanger said.

DuBois said the reports recommendations were largely balanced and helpful, and noted that community colleges across the country face enrollment that has declined steadily since its peak during the Great Recession.

But inside our numbers, we can see that helping more of our students stay with it instead of leaving before completion is no less important that attracting more new kids to campus, he said.
The ongoing legal battle between Virginia and Northrop Grumman already has cost the state an additional $2.9 million, but the bill for just two disputed services could approach $15 million under pending litigation.

In a tense appearance before the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission on Monday, state information technology officials blamed Northrop Grumman for the additional costs and continuing delays in the states effort to disentangle itself from the $2.4 billion, 13-year contract with the giant technology company, based in Fairfax County.

But a senior Northrop Grumman official faulted the state for refusing to honor a mediated agreement he said Gov. Terry McAuliffes administration made with the company early this year that would have resolved their differences and prevented the litigation now pending in Richmond Circuit Court.

Unfortunately, the commonwealth decided to renege on the agreement, said Chris Welker, director of network infrastructure services at Northrop Grumman.

That assertion drew a swift rebuttal from Eric Link, deputy chief information officer at the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, known as VITA.

The commonwealth didnt renege on the settlement agreement, Link told legislators. It was never approved because it was never an agreement.

Senior legislators on the General Assemblys watchdog commission sought to referee the dispute without affecting litigation  a lawsuit Northrop Grumman filed against the state in May and a countersuit by VITA against the company in June, as well as a state request in July for injunctive relief to require the IT vendor to remove barriers to shifting services to new suppliers.

It seems to be that disentanglement is tangled up, quipped Del. John M. OBannon III, R-Henrico.

Stalled transition

With the end of the complex IT agreement looming in mid-2019, Virginia has been able to complete the transition of just one service from Northrop Grumman to a new provider under the states original plan to move IT services to multiple vendors in three waves of procurement.

DXC, a spinoff of Hewlett-Packard, began operating the IBM mainframe computer service on June 3 after a delay that cost the state $1.2 million because of disputes between VITA and Northrop Grumman.

The state already has incurred an additional $1.7 million in costs for messaging services that Northrop Grumman continues to provide, a year after VITA contracted with Tempus Nova to provide the services to state agencies.

Instead, the transition is still stalled, Chief Information Officer Nelson Moe told JLARC.

Costly legal dispute

For legislators, the legal stalemate is about dollars and cents, including an additional $9 million to $11 million that the state could owe Northrop Grumman in withheld payments and other disputed charges, pending the outcome of the dueling lawsuits.

Were not paying them, the other vendor is waiting in the wings, and were not realizing the savings we should have realized, said House Appropriations Chairman S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, summing up the states predicament.

VITA is moving ahead with most of the second phase of procurement, having recently awarded a contract to Science Applications International Corp., or SAIC, to manage the multiple services and providers under the states new model for providing IT services to its agencies.

The state IT agency expects to award another contract for security management in the fall, but it is also revising its transition plan to meet the June 2019 deadline and preparing to contract for some new services under existing contracts rather than new procurement processes.

State agencies concerns

For state agencies, JLARC staff said the protracted battle has raised concerns about declining service as Northrop Grummans support staff dwindles, communication breakdowns by both the company and VITA, a compressed timeline, and uncertainty about the cost of services.

Just last week, McAuliffe signed an executive order that blamed Northrop Grumman for a delay in replacing a malfunctioning computer card that disrupted the Department of Motor Vehicles system for renewing Virginians drivers licenses and other critical documents on Sept. 2. The governor ordered an extension of renewal deadlines for the people affected by the outage.

Welker defended the companys service record, including extensive assistance in helping Virginia State Police address a malware infection this year that affected email on many of its office computers.

I can give you many more examples of how Northrop Grumman has stepped up to provide mission-critical support to the commonwealth, he said.

He also expressed confidence that the company and VITA could resolve some of their differences outside of court, as they did in negotiating an agreement in late August that addresses liability concerns over outside vendors performing services on Northrop Grummans equipment in data centers it built for the state in Chester and Russell County.

We remain absolutely committed to finding solutions so we can put the litigation behind us, Welker said.

But VITA and Northrop Grumman have not resolved the dispute over the stalled transition of messaging services. The state asked the Richmond court for an injunction that requires the company to complete tasks that would allow the transition to proceed, while Welker said in an interview that the mediated agreement he said was reached in January would have fixed the problem in 10 days.

The mediation resolved our differences, Welker said.

Link had a much different view of the reason for the breakdown.

That is Northrop Grummans unwillingness to perform the necessary tasks to allow us to move forward, he said.
Updated, 11:15 a.m. Sept. 13:

Charlottesville police have charged a city woman with assaulting the organizer of the Aug. 12 Unite the Right rally in Emancipation Park during the mans next-day press conference that devolved into chaos.

Phoebe LaFroy Stevens, 35, is charged with assault and battery. She turned herself in to the police and was released with a summons, police said.

Stevens joins Edgar Brandon Collins, 44 and Jeffrey Matthew Winder, 49, both of Charlottesville, who were each given a summons to appear in court on charges of assaulting Kessler at the press conference held outside of Charlottesville City Hall.

Kessler obtained warrants on Collins and Winder while police filed the charge against Stevens.

Kesslers Aug. 13 press conference lasted no more than six minutes before the angry crowd pressed toward him. Kessler was grabbed, pushed and punched before being whisked away by police from the front of City Hall, onto Market Street and finally into the city police station next door.

Police at the scene also charged Robert K. Litzenberger, 47, of Charlottesville, with misdemeanor assault and battery after police said he spat on Kessler.

Kesslers press conference occurred a day after the rally Aug. 12 in which Heather Heyer, 32, was killed and more than 30 people injured when a car was driven into a crowd of counter protesters.

James A. Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, is charged with second-degree murder, five counts of aggravated malicious wounding and three counts of malicious wounding in connection with the car assault.

Two state troopers, Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, also died Saturday in a helicopter crash near the Birdwood Golf Course in Albemarle County. The two troopers were involved in police operations for the rally.

Two men have been charged with misdemeanor assault of the man who organized the Aug. 12 Unite the Right rally in Emancipation Park that descended into chaos and deadly violence.

Brandon Collins, 44, and Jeffrey Matthew Winder, 49, each were given a summons to appear in court on charges of assaulting Jason Kessler at an Aug. 13 press conference outside of Charlottesville City Hall.

Collins and Winder, both area residents, are to appear in Charlottesville General District Court on Sept. 22.

Collins is an organizer with the Public Housing Association of Residents in Charlottesville.

The two men went to the police department this weekend after learning that Kessler had obtained warrants from a magistrate.

Kesslers press conference occurred a day after the rally in which Heather Heyer, 32, was killed and more than 30 people injured when a car was driven into a crowd of counter-protesters.

James A. Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, is charged with second-degree murder, five counts of aggravated malicious wounding and three counts of malicious wounding in connection with the car attack.

Two state troopers who were involved in police operations for the rally also died Aug. 12 in a helicopter crash in Albemarle County.

Kesslers Aug. 13 press conference lasted no more than six minutes as an angry crowd pushed toward him and Kessler was grabbed, shoved and punched. He eventually was whisked away by police from the front of City Hall, onto Market Street and finally into the police station next door.

Police at the scene also charged Robert K. Litzenberger, 47, of Charlottesville, with misdemeanor assault and battery after police said he spat on Kessler. He, too, is scheduled for a court hearing Sept. 22.
State and local leaders across the country sat up and took notice the other day when Amazon announced it wants to build a second headquarters. And well they should: The company says HQ2 would be the full equal of its current headquarters in Seattle. The region that lands it can expect $5 billion in investment and up to 50,000 jobs.

Central Virginia could offer the ideal landing place.

The region has everything Amazon says it wants  with perhaps just one exception.

Amazon says it is looking for a metro area with a population of at least 1 million. Check.

It wants a stable and business-friendly environment. Check. Last year Forbes ranked the state No. 6 in the nation.

It wants access to lots of engineers. Check. The engineering schools at VCU, Virginia Tech, and U.Va. can supply a steady stream of the best.

It wants access to a major airport and mass transit. Check.

It wants a strong university system. Check and double check.

Whats more, the region offers superb logistical features: ports in Richmond and Hampton Roads, a crossroads of two major highways in Richmond, proximity to Washington, and a strong tech center.

All of those features help account for Richmonds status as home to eight Fortune 500 companies (including two recent additions).

The one fly in the ointment is Amazons desire for economic incentives, which the company says will be significant factors in its choice of location. Incentives is code for corporate welfare, which Virginia and its localities ought to eschew. Fabulously rich companies shouldnt get handouts from the taxpayers. But with a prize as big as Amazon in the offing, its highly unlikely that the states political leaders will let any laissez-faire principles stand in the way of a project that could transform an entire region.

The Richmond area might strike some as an unlikely choice for a major corporate headquarters. But then, people would have said the same about Cupertino, Calif., before it became home base for the worlds most valuable company: Apple.
About 2,500 book lovers erupted in sustained applause when author David McCullough talked about a mantel in the White House. But this was no ordinary hunk of cold marble.

The audience at the National Book Festival in the Washington Convention Center Sept. 2 applauded the hopeful words inscribed in the mantelpiece: May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.

McCullough was doing what hes done for half a century: telling Americas stories so we will remember who we are as a people and the values we share.

He explained that John Adams, the first president to live in the White House, wrote the sentence in a letter to his wife, Abigail. Franklin Roosevelt had the words carved into a wooden mantel in the State Dining Room, and John Kennedy later had them carved in marble so theyd last forever.

And I think its very important to understand ... he (Adams) put honesty first, ahead of wisdom, McCullough said. Honesty.

The redoubtable McCullough, a vigorous 84, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, two National Book Awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor, didnt utter the name Donald Trump. He didnt need to.

The audience also applauded warmly when he said, again without the name, None of our great presidents has ever been one who didnt have any interest in history.

Trump proudly says he doesnt read books  history, biographies of presidents or anything else  because hes so busy. Besides, his brain is so big he doesnt need to read. He reaches the right decisions because he has a lot of common sense, he says.

With the help of ghostwriters, Trump has published about 10 books, mostly about his business acumen and success.

Not every president has been an intellectual, and some readers and deep thinkers in the White House have been accused of dithering instead of acting. During the campaign, McCullough was among historians who warned voters that the vulgarian Trump was a clown, unsuited for the job.

Pulling back from direct criticism of the sitting president, McCullough now reminds people of the strain of intellectual curiosity that has run through the White House:

John Quincy Adams spoke many languages and may have had the highest IQ of any president. Thomas Jefferson was a genius in many fields. The brilliant Theodore Roosevelt wrote many books, including a definitive history of the Naval War of 1812.

Woodrow Wilson was a professor of history at Princeton. Dwight Eisenhower himself wrote every word of Crusade in Europe, a classic about World War II, without the help of any ghostwriter.

McCullough, who won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for biography for Truman, praises Harry Truman, who lacked a college degree but loved to read, including Latin.

John F. Kennedy wrote three books of history, including Profiles in Courage, which is still read.

Curiosity is what separates us from the cabbages is one of McCulloughs favorite lines. But our educational system is letting us down.

We are raising several generations of young Americans  who are by and large historically illiterate, and its not their fault, he said. We have to stimulate curiosity.

McCulloughs latest book, The American Spirit, is a collection of speeches hes given around the country over the years. He wrote it mindful of Trump, he said, but its aimed at helping readers gain perspective.

At an immigration and naturalization ceremony at Monticello July 4, 1994, McCullough said Jefferson was an exceedingly gifted and very great man, but like the others of that exceptional handful of politicians we call the Founding Fathers, he could also be inconsistent, contradictory, human.

So Jefferson wasnt perfect, but his absolute belief in education is part of his lasting legacy. Jefferson said any nation that expects to be ignorant and free ... never has been and never will be, McCullough said.

For many of us, the start of the school year feels like New Years without the hangover. Fall is a time of possibilities and a second stab at resolutions.

No matter our politics, its time to rev up the curiosity that separates us from cabbages. What are you reading this fall?
Hurricane Irma has weakened into Tropical Storm Irma as it moves north and away from Florida, but the threat of heavy rainfall and strong gusts will continue across Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama.

The eye of Category 3 Hurricane Irma crossed into mainland Florida near Naples on Sunday afternoon after striking the Florida Keys at Category 4 strength on Sunday morning.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Irma made landfall on Cudjoe Key east of Key West at 9:10 a.m., and the second landfall took place at 3:35 p.m. on Marco Island, south of Naples.

Bands of torrential rain containing 96 mph gusts lashed the Miami metro area and a tornado spun up near Fort Lauderdale International Airport.

On Sunday afternoon, Florida Power and Light reported that nearly 75 percent of customers were without power in Miami-Dade County.

Irma hit 57 years to the day since Hurricane Donna in 1960, which was the last time a Category 4 hurricane devastated the Florida Keys.

Irma is the first major hurricane to make a direct strike on Florida since Hurricane Wilma in 2005, and appears capable of a wider swath of destruction than each of the several storms that hit the state the mid-2000s.

Last October, Hurricane Matthew spared Florida from experiencing its strongest side  the right side  because its center tracked along the eastern coastline of the state.

With Irma, the forecast track along the Gulf coastline will expose more of Floridas cities to the stronger side of the storm.

This story was updated on Monday at 11:00 a.m.

Monday

Most of Georgia will experience tropical storm-force winds as the center of Irma lifts north across the state, which is likely to experience downed trees and scattered power outages as far north as Atlanta.

Heavy rain will overtake parts of Alabama, and more tornadoes could strike eastern Georgia and coastal South Carolina.

Monday night

Irma will continue weakening into a tropical depression somewhere over northern Alabama or central Tennessee, but its swath of rain will extend from Arkansas to southwest Virginia.

Dry and calm weather will return to most of Florida by this time.

Tuesday

The greatly weakened low pressure area will slow down and linger over Tennessee on Tuesday and Wednesday as showers continue moving north into the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic.

There will no longer be any destructive wind with Irma, and the rain will become lighter and less continuous as the moisture spreads out.

Richmond-area forecast

Irmas remnants will bring occasional rain to central Virginia on Tuesday and Wednesday, but no extreme or destructive weather.

The high pressure that brought fall-like weather to the state over the weekend will still keep things dry here on Monday, but clouds will gradually move in from the south.

Showers from the remnants of Irma will start to replace the dry air during the day on Tuesday, but the rain will be on and off instead of lasting all day.

The best chance may be late Tuesday afternoon or evening, but the scattered nature of the rain will keep totals below 1 inch in most local backyards. After Irma disintegrates, a seasonably warm but humid air mass will linger over Virginia for several days.

There will still be a chance for a passing shower on Wednesday, then a few thunderstorms are possible from Thursday into next weekend.

Expect highs in the lower 80s starting Wednesday and mild lows in the upper 60s. After Monday morning, there wont be another night with crisp lows in the 50s for at least a week.
The remnants of Hurricane Irma will bring a spotty and subdued rain to Virginia on Tuesday, far from the violent deluge that struck Florida and Georgia.

Hurricane Jose will continue to spin in the Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas over the next week, and its not yet clear whether the storm will eventually be a problem for the East Coast.

Richmond-area forecast

The biggest inland hazards from Irmas remnants  flooding, wind gusts and tornadoes  will not be a problem for Virginia.

Expect some occasional showers in central Virginia on Tuesday and Wednesday, but not a continuous all-day rainfall.

The chance may be best on Tuesday afternoon and evening, but a shower could arrive as early as Tuesday morning.

Irmas shield of rainfall will broaden and thin out significantly as the system heads north, so flash flooding will not be a threat north of the mountains of North Carolina.

Totals will be less than 1 inch for central Virginia, and some areas may get only a trace.

Otherwise, it will be cloudy, humid and mild on Tuesday, with a high in the lower 70s.

The weakening center of Irma will track too far to the southwest to bring us the kind of gusts that would lead to downed trees and power lines.

Irma spawned a handful of tornadoes across Florida on Sunday and a waterspout near Charleston, S.C., on Monday, but conditions will not be favorable for such a threat here.

On Tuesday, eastern North Carolina could have the ingredients for a brief tornado or two.

From Wednesday into the weekend, there wont be a lot of drama in the local weather, yet it will fall short of ideal September conditions.

The crisp air we experienced over the weekend will be replaced by warmer temperatures, August-style humidity and an occasional thundershower or two.

Highs will mostly trend in the 80s, and lows will hover in the 60s from Wednesday into early next week.

Hurricane Jose

The ultimate track of Hurricane Jose over the next week to 10 days is a big question mark  or more literally, a loop.

Hurricane Jose is spinning about halfway between the Dominican Republic and Bermuda and had 100 mph winds as of Monday evening.

After barely grazing the storm-battered Leeward Islands on Saturday, Jose churned northwest and began to weaken from a Category 4 to a Category 2.

Over the next five days, it will slowly wobble northeast, then southeast, then west and complete a tiny circuit in the middle of the ocean.

By Thursday, it will return to approximately where it was Monday.

A constant dose of wind shear could keep Jose from exploding back into a major hurricane, but its over waters that are warm enough to prevent it from dying out entirely.

Its almost as if Jose were trapped in the Bermuda Triangle of maritime lore, but theres nothing supernatural at work with the forecast track.

A burgeoning area of high pressure will stall the storm and prevent it from curving up to Bermuda.

That high ought to anchor itself to the east of Jose by the weekend and start to nudge the storm farther west.

Its unclear whether Jose would keep going northwest toward the East Coast early next week and swipe the Outer Banks, or lift northeast sooner and harmlessly race out to sea.

The same advice from the early days of Irma applies to Jose: An eventual effect on North Carolinas or Virginias weather early next week cant be ruled out, but its far from assured.

North Carolina is still on the table, so to speak, along with any stretch of coast between the Bahamas and Newfoundland.

Later this week, we may be able to fine-tune any risk to local beaches  or dismiss any impact entirely  but a direct strike is not a threat in the short term.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
The journey from page to stage for musicals is often a much bigger ordeal than it is for plays. However, audiences dont often get the chance to see the early incarnations of musical work.

Music Theatre of Madison is trying to change that.

For the second time MTM is offering a Festival of New Musicals. Its a unique event and is only the second of its kind in the Midwest, according to MTM founder and executive director Meghan Randolph. Chicago also has an event like this.

MTMs first Festival of New Musicals took place in the fall of 2015.

Last time we did this we handpicked shows, but this year we did an open call for new musicals and we got over 100 submissions, Randolph said. It was hard to dwindle (submissions) down.

Three shows, Dumb Luck, The Puppet and Medea were chosen as part of the festival, which spans October and ends in the beginning of November.

Dumb Luck is a country western comedy about a bandit named Elmer McCurdy who was killed by officers in 1911. When no one claimed his body it ended up a mummified prop passed around various sideshows before it was discovered in 1976 by the film crew with Six Million Dollar Man.

It was the most complete and well developed of the musicals we received, Randolph said.

The Puppet takes place during the 2020 election and uses the Gilbert and Sullivan musical style.

It is never explicitly stated that a character is Donald Trump, but hes referred to as Mr. T so its pretty obvious, Randolph said.

Medea is a rock musical which turns the original Greek tragedy about a mother who kills her children on its head.

Randolph said this version is very feminist and was in the early stages of development when its creator submitted it to MTM.
For the second time in three years, a World War I cannon that stands as a memorial in Salem has been felled by a careening vehicle.

The cannon, a German 77mm field gun, was knocked over around 2:30 a.m. Sunday when a Pontiac Aztek crashed into it, according to the Salem Police Department.

The driver and a passenger left the scene before officers arrived but were found nearby, officials said. Neither had injuries that needed medical attention.

The driver, 26-year-old Skylan Chambers of Roanoke, was charged with driving under the influence, hit-and-run and driving on a suspended license, authorities said.

The cannon, displayed on a large traffic island at College Avenue and Roanoke Boulevard, was upright again Monday after crews put it back in place.

Pieces of it appeared bent or torn, and its plaque was dangling by one corner. There was no immediate estimate as to how much the repairs would cost or how long they would take to complete.

The damage this time around is believed to be less severe than that seen in 2014 when the memorial display was last struck by a vehicle.

In that instance, the cannon was out of commission for months while repairs were done, including special work needed to fix its antique wooden wheels.

The cannons wheels appear unharmed this time, said city spokesman Mike Stevens.

The World War I cannon was brought to Salem in 1926 after the Salem Post 19 of the American Legion acquired it from a government arsenal in New Jersey.

It was originally installed on Main Street, outside the old Roanoke County Courthouse, and unveiled in a Memorial Day ceremony attended by then-Gov. E. Lee Trinkle.

The cannon was moved to its current site after the county courthouse relocated and the Main Street property was sold to Roanoke College in 1987.

It shares the space at the intersection of College Avenue and Roanoke Boulevard with a marker listing the names of local men who died in the Great War.
FINCASTLE  Malfourd Bo Trumbo, who as a circuit court judge hears cases in some of the same rural localities that he earlier represented as a state senator, will retire at the end of the year.

Known for his plain-talking style and down-home demeanor as both a legislator and a judge, Trumbo responded in typical form when asked Monday why he decided, at the age of 62, that now is the right time to step down.

May I be frank? he asked  something he has never hesitated to be in 27 years of public service.

I told my wife that when I died I didnt want to have either senator or judge on my headstone, Trumbo said. I think those are positions you fulfill during your life, but they are not your life.

He returned to the same thought later in the interview: I just want to be known as Bo and whatever he is.

Effective Jan. 1, Trumbo will no longer be hearing cases in the 25th Judicial Circuit, a sprawling district that includes the counties of Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Highland and Rockbridge and the cities of Buena Vista, Covington, Lexington, Staunton and Waynesboro.

But he is not leaving the system altogether. Trumbo will work as a mediator for The McCammon Group, a Richmond-based firm that seeks to resolve legal disputes outside of the courtroom, often with the guidance of retired judges.

Its an approach that Trumbo has embraced during his 13 years on the bench.

He really encouraged the litigants to reach a resolution, so they owned part of the verdict, Fincastle attorney Mac Doubles said.

Trumbo was appointed a judge by the General Assembly in 2004, the same year he resigned from the Virginia Senate after a 14-year tenure that included several influential roles, including chairman of the Rules Committee.

You come from the Senate to the bench and you have instant credibility, because you know the law, Botetourt County Commonwealths Attorney Joel Branscom said. Ive respected him from the beginning.

Not long after he began hearing criminal cases, Trumbo earned the nickname of Slambo in legal circles for his tough sentences.

You see the underbelly of the world that you never saw before, he said.

Yet Trumbo is not opposed to probation or some other alternative sentence for a first-time offender. If he sees the same defendant back before him on a new charge, however, the consequence can be severe.

Anybody can make a mistake, the judge said. But if you do it a second time its not a mistake. Its a choice.

With his down-to-earth approach, Trumbo comes across as a judge who means what he says, Branscom said  and someone who will hold others responsible for what they say.

He gives most people a chance, the prosecutor said, and in doing so he gives them the rope to hang themselves with, in hopes that they wont.

A native of Covington who lives in Botetourt County, Trumbo travels throughout the 25th Circuit but in recent years has heard cases mostly in Alleghany, Craig and Botetourt counties. Four other circuit judges preside in the district, and the General Assembly is expected to consider Trumbos replacement during its upcoming session.

Until recently, Trumbo served as the circuits chief judge while based in the Fincastle courthouse.

The switch from a free-wheeling politician to a more reserved jurist was a difficult transition for Trumbo.

For 13 years, Ive kept my mouth shut as much as I possibly could, he said.

I was one of the best back-slapping politicians you ever met. I would go into every nook and cranny of the circuit, Trumbo said, recalling conversations with constituents at country stores and other small-town hangouts as a member of the House of Delegates and Virginia Senate.

And then when you take a position as a judge, in my opinion, you have to divorce the position from the individual. So I ended up staying home. I ended up not going to church as much. He also avoided most social settings, mindful of how a judge might be seen by some of the people who later wound up in his courtroom.

For the last 13 years, Ive hibernated.

But that doesnt mean completely abandoning his ties to a rural part of the state where he has spent nearly all of his life.

Im not a social worker by any means, Trumbo said. My job is to look at the little black books back there and apply the little black books to the situation, he said of the bound volumes of the Virginia State Code that lined a bookshelf behind his chair.

But I cant forget that were all part of the community.

Rob Hagan, a Fincastle attorney who has served as Botetourts commonwealths attorney, said Trumbo never seemed to relish the elevation  and isolation  that came with being a judicial officer.

Id say he used his common touch to good effect, especially in criminal cases when he explained his sentence to a defendant, Hagan said. He would treat every accused as a neighbor, and speak to them as if they were a neighbor.

Trumbo will turn 63 in November, and part of his decision to step down was influenced by retirement benefits that will kick in at that point. But it was also based on this piece of advice from a friend who warned against staying on the job for too long:

Dont ever get married to it, Trumbo said. Because if you get married to it youll do anything to keep it, and you wont be worth a damn.
Hurricane Irma is expected to take a northwest track over the Southeast U.S. once it goes entirely inland, weakening rapidly as it is cut off from its energy-providing warm ocean water.

Such a track would provide only limited effects for Southwest Virginia.

The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued a wind advisory Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning along and west of Interstate 77. Easterly winds of 15 to 30 mph with gusts as high as 50 may develop in this area, especially in higher elevations, in the pressure gradient between high pressure to the north and Irmas remnant low to the southwest.

Elsewhere, some gusts above 30 mph may occur, especially in higher elevations, but wind capable of widespread tree damage or power outages is not expected.

The weakening circulation of Irma is expected to swing a band of rain through our region from the south late Monday into Tuesday. Most rainfall amounts are expected to be between 1/2 inch and 1 1/2 inches, but some higher elevations along the Blue Ridge may get more where upslope easterly flow may enhance rainfall.

Irmas old circulation center is expected to move into western Tennessee and then northeastward into the Ohio Valley late in the week. As it does so, the southerly flow around it may pull a few more showers and storms into Virginia.

The forecast for Irmas inland track requires some vigilance to be maintained, as a shift eastward would increase the impact for Southwest Virginia.

 Kevin Myatt
When Daniel Grabois opens EARS to the public Friday night, there could be a line out the door.

EARS stands for Electro-Acoustic Research Space, a new resource at UW-Madison for student musicians, scholars and innovators. Its cutting-edge electronic equipment is meant to dare a new generation to exploit musics limitless potential  to invent, experiment and explore new ways of making sound and art.

This world is more familiar to the young people than it is to older people, said Grabois, who is assistant professor of horn at the university and the driving force behind EARS, which will host a public open house at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

So what a great case of maybe our young people teaching us about music, instead of us teaching them about music.

EARS is set in a former classroom inside the Mosse Humanities Building at 455 N. Park St., home to the universitys Mead Witter School of Music. The room, while small, is fortuitously located between an external wall of the building on one side and a series of closets on the other  meaning it will be hard to bother others practicing in the music department, no matter what the volume. Downstairs from EARS, Grabois notes, are the percussion practice rooms.

The walls inside the EARS studio are painted deep red and gray. A comfortable couch, handed down from the history department, sits against one wall. Acoustic tiles cover the ceiling, but the middle of the carpeted room intentionally has been left empty  so that musicians of any kind can come in and set up, using the equipment that rings the rest of the room.

If they want the keyboard, it gets brought out. Everything will be on cables long enough that they can move it out to the center of the room, said Grabois.

If they want the theremin, they can move it out. If they want some of this (electronic) percussion they can use it. And then everything gets pushed back when the rehearsal is over.

Musicians can try out the Moog synthesizer with touch pad. The two 32-channel mixing boards. The Bose tower speakers with concert-hall clarity.

They can access EARS sophisticated software to edit their recordings, or create unique compositions using a collaborative music synthesizer called a Reactable.

One of the amazing things that you can do here is plug your own instrument in and listen to how it can be transformed, said Grabois (pronounced grah-BOY.)

EARS is outfitted with equipment purchased with a $161,121 research grant from the UW-Madison Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education, with funding from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, or WARF.

WARF grants are most often associated with scientific research, making the grant Grabois sought all the more interesting, said Susan Cook, director of the universitys School of Music.

People usually dont think of it for outfitting an electronic music studio, with mixers and speakers and microphones and these incredible instruments that just about make all sounds possible, she said.

EARS brings UW-Madison into the company of other major universities that offer training in electro-acoustic music. Indiana University has its Center for Electronic and Computer Music; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has its Experimental Music Studios. New York University recently opened a lavish facilty dedicated to music technology, Grabois said.

Were a university and we should really be exploring the edge of contemporary music, said Grabois, who is helping create UW-Madisons first electro-acoustic composition minor.

This is something that emerged out of the world of popular music and has been slow to come into the world of higher education, but now its coming. Even in the state that gave the world electric guitar pioneer Les Paul, UW-Madisons last purchase of electro-acoustic music equipment was in the 1980s, he said.

With the help of EARS equipment, Grabois and UW trombone professor Mark Hetzler plan to revive an experimental student music ensemble called $2 Broom. Grabois hopes to create more works like his 2016 CD Air Names, recorded using Ableton Live, a software package that helps turn any acoustic instrument, like the horn, into an electro-acoustic instrument. Other faculty also are eager to see what the space has to offer, he said.

Before he came to UW-Madison six years ago, Grabois was chair of contemporary performance at the Manhattan School of Music.

Its a really cool program, and it attracted the kinds of people that I had worked with for 25 years in New York as professionals  people who were into all kinds of contemporary music, he said.

Electro-acoustic music was invented by rock and roll musicians when they plugged in their guitars, and it went on from there, he said. In particular, Radiohead is a band that has really run with this kind of equipment and been very creative with it. When I got to UW, I thought, This is a research area that I want to explore.

When he spotted news of the WARF 2020 grant, I thought, Nothing that we use in this particular area of music is expensive on the order of, say, an electron microscope, because thats the sort of thing (WARF) is used to funding, he said.

I didnt need anything that costs three quarters of a million dollars, but I do need a ton of pieces of equipment, and they add up to something.

Before applying for the WARF grant, Grabois started polling colleagues in the music department and tapped experts at other universities with electro-acoustic programs for ideas.

From all of these people I put together a dream list of what I would like to have in here, and then I just went online and looked at the price of everything, and it came to $161,121  a figure which is burned into my brain, he said.

After getting a 2020 WARF grant for that exact amount, Grabois put his equipment requests out for bid. Some of the lowest bids came from Madison-based Full Compass, so about half of EARS equipment comes from that local company.

EARS is a lab for experimentation, not a recording studio. But approved users will be able to check out its equipment to use in better recording spaces  such as the universitys Mills Concert Hall or acoustically rich local churches.

Grabois also hopes to host a monthly open house for the public, where anyone can bring an instrument or just their curiosity into the studio and experiment.

That outreach effort kicks off with Fridays grand opening. Grabois will demonstrate some of EARS technology, and plans to keep the room open that evening as long as interest demands.

So how much potential does EARS hold?

Heres how I like to answer that question, Grabois said.

Somebody buys a computer. And you say, How is it going to be used? And the answer is, Well, this computer does so much, that anybody who has anything that needs computing can use this computer to do it.

This room has so much equipment that is so flexible and versatile, that somebody could borrow equipment to record a Beethoven string quartet, he said. Somebody could borrow equipment to perform a piece with a solo instrument and tape. Somebody could come in and improvise and use the synthesizer. A group could come in and have a rock band in here. It is purposely designed to be flexible and not to do one thing.
An 18-year-old Bloomington, Wisconsin man was killed Saturday when his car collided with a car at a Grant County highway intersection.

Hersson Gonzalez was pronounced dead at Grant Regional Hospital, taken there after the crash at about 5 p.m. at the intersection of Highways 35/61 and 81, the Grant County Sheriff's Office said.

The crash investigation showed Gonzalez was going west on Highway 81 when he pulled out from a stop sign into the path of a northbound car.

Two people were in the northbound car, John Fowler, 49, and Jo Hering, 48, both of Dickeyville. Police didn't say if they were injured.

This fatality was the seventh fatal crash in Grant County in 2017.
State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has ruled out running for U.S. Senate in 2018, throwing his support to his Republican colleague, state Sen. Leah Vukmir, who he said is best positioned to oust the Democratic incumbent, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

Fitzgerald, a Juneau Republican who has led the state Senate GOP since 2011, had publicly weighed whether to jump into the race. But Monday he released a statement saying he wont do so and endorsed Vukmir, R-Brookfield.

Kevin Nicholson, a Delafield businessman and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, is the other announced Republican candidate. Madison businessman Eric Hovde also is considering a run.

Fitzgeralds statement said he backs Vukmir because shes an actual conservative who will listen to the grass roots.

She is an exceptional leader, one of the best Wisconsin has to offer, so I am choosing not to run for the U.S. Senate knowing we are in great hands, Fitzgerald said.

Nicholson is a former president of the College Democrats of America who spoke in favor of Al Gore at the 2000 Democratic National Convention. Since entering the race, Nicholson cast his past Democratic views as a product of his youth and of family members who were Democrats, saying his adult experiences molded him into a conservative.

Fitzgerald is the second potential Republican candidate in recent weeks to rule out a run; the other was State Rep. Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield.

Baldwin, D-Madison, will be vying for a second term in the U.S. Senate. Her re-election bid and the Wisconsin governors race will be the marquee statewide races on the ballot in 2018.

Republicans view the race as a chance to deal another blow to Wisconsins beleaguered Democrats, as Baldwin is the highest-profile statewide Democrat in elected office.

Its time to turn Wisconsin entirely red, and Leah is the candidate that will help us achieve that goal, Fitzgerald said.
Say what you will about the politics of the New Deal.

Critics of big government hated it then. Modern-day kindred spirits would probably view similar legislation with the same sort of disdain.

Regardless, a lot of desperate people who needed jobs got them as a result of the massive Great Depression-busting stimulus package. One program hatched in 1935, the Work Projects Administration (at first known as the Works Progress Administration), was responsible for many worthy entities that benefit society to this day.

In some ways, that agency performed near-miracles. The effort required to find work for unemployed writers, photographers and artists accomplished by the WPA, still seems almost unbelievable. Many writers have trouble finding steady work even in good times.

Reminders of this marvel arrived via the kindness of reader Robert Turcotte of Roanoke, who responded to a column that had referenced the 1756 visit of then-militia Col. George Washington to the very early Roanoke Valley.

Turcotte is a devoted collector of old books. One of the volumes in his collection, publishing date 1942, is Roanoke: Story of County and City.

The books title page tells of its authorship: Compiled by workers of the Writers Program of the Work Projects Administration in the state of Virginia.

Of particular note was a brief passage describing a side trip Washington took when he was in the Roanoke Valley.

To begin with, the colonel was here on a mission to inspect a string of Colonial forts. The crude stockades, built by order of Colonial Gov. Robert Dinwiddie, were in the western regions of the Virginia Colony for the protection of settlers from hostile Native Americans and their French patrons.

Washington was the governors eyes and ears on the ground.

While examining defenses at Fort Vause at present-day Shawsville, Washington made a social call, according to the WPA history.

Washington was entertained at Big Spring, the Mill Mountain home of Rhoda Evans, widow of Daniel Evans and daughter-in-law of Mark Evans, pioneer settler, reads the brief account.

The Evans patriarch Mark Evans, of Welsh extraction by way of Pennsylvania, settled in the Roanoke Valley sometime prior to 1742, according to Clare White in her book Roanoke 1740-1982. White notes that Evans and Tasker Tosh were considered to have been the first to have settled in the Roanoke Valley.

Part of the Evans land holdings  the Big Spring referred to in the WPA account  was later known as Crystal Spring. Now obscured by Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital property, spring water still flows into the public water system.

The mill the Evans built there was the foundation of the familys growing fortune.

Thus we may assume that the colonel was entertained by the Evans daughter-in-law in as lavish a fashion as possible at that point in the life of the frontier settlement.

There was little to be described as lavish in most lifestyles during the Great Depression. Therefore, working in WPA jobs was nothing short of a blessing for so many.

The Roanoke history penned by the taxpayer-funded team of writers was sponsored by the school boards of both Roanoke and Roanoke County as well as the Chamber of Commerce, according to the books forward.

More credit went to then county school Superintendent Roland E. Cook along with a retired school principal for proofing the initial manuscript. More on Cook was detailed in this space earlier this year.

Cook, Evans, Washington, and a group of once unemployed scribes combine to make a pretty good story. Thanks be to Mr. Turcotte for sharing.

If youve been wondering about something, call Whats on Your Mind? at 777-6476 or send an email to whatsonyourmind@roanoke.com. Dont forget to provide your full name (and its proper spelling) and hometown.
By E. Scott Geller

Geller is an alumni distinguished professor at Virginia Tech, and he has lived in Newport for more than 45 years.

Every societal or cultural issue influences human dynamics  psychology  and vice versa. The proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) crisis is no exception, but the psychological impact of the MVP has not been given much attention. Yes, it is a crisis and its causing severe distress among numerous citizens of Southwest Virginia. I did say distress, not stress.

Stress is okay. It means we are under pressure to accomplish something  were under the gun to get things done. Stress is actually motivating and not debilitating.

In contrast, distress is debilitating and painful  both physically and psychologically. This proposed pipeline is causing severe distress among the majority of residents who understand the devastating environmental impact of the MVP. And this distress has caused severe, life-threatening illnesses for some folks in our community.

Why distress and not stress? The difference between motivating stress and debilitating distress is the perception of personal control. When people believe they can control a stressor they feel stress, and they work hard to conquer the stressor and move forward. The proposed MVP is a stressor, and for more than three years citizens throughout Southwest Virginia have worked diligently to remove that stressor. They sponsored rallies, conducted neighborhood surveys, wrote newspaper editorials, and produced and shared professional videos to increase public awareness and garner anti-MVP support.

They hired soil specialists, geologists, and lawyers to make the science-based case that the proposed MVP route is unsafe and dramatically destructive to the environment and its resources, including watera life necessity. They wrote data-based opposition letters to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), explaining the irrationality of the proposed MVP. Yet it seems all of these stress-reduction strategies have fallen on deaf ears. None have yet worked to dissuade the construction of the proposed MVP.

At the same time, these dedicated and hard-working Americans must listen to the industry-oriented and ill-informed dialogue from those advocating for the proposed MVP. It will bring us new jobs. It will bring needed industry to Roanoke. It will improve our economy. Besides being grossly inaccurate and shortsighted, all arguments for the proposed MVP are about financial gain that disregards the irreversible environmental damage and the potential risk of devastating explosions and water contamination.

Those who understand the environmental destruction that will result from the proposed MVP realize that the advocates of the proposed MVP care only about time-limited monetary gain. And it seems the FERC is paying more attention to this self-serving and shortsighted rationale than the people-focused reasoning of those opposing the proposed MVP  those citizens who have spent more than three years becoming well-informed of the devastating and life-threatening consequences of the proposed MVP that will actually benefit only a few greedy individuals.

The result: A debate between rational perspectives to save environmental resources for generations of residents versus an obvious individualistic mindset that will destroy irreplaceable resources and put numerous citizens at risk for water contamination and gas explosions.

Realizing the proposed illogical MVP might actually be built, despite overwhelming evidence that the MVP would cause significant harm to people and their environment, fuels debilitating human distress. And such distress is fueled by the observation that the FERC has seemingly not even considered the data that shows the irrationality of building the MVP.

Psychologists call this confirmation bias. People listen to evidence that supports their initial opinion and self-serving consequences, and they deny opposing information. Confirmation bias and personal monetary gain (FERC personnel are paid from monies collected from the pipelines they approve) provide the impetus for the virtual rubber-stamping of pipeline approvals time after time. Realizing this is truly distressing.

Any attempt to incorporate science-based rationality into the critical decision-making process regarding the proposed MVP could be therapeutic.

Specifically, its crucial that the leaders of all organizations involved in decision-making regarding the proposed MVP review carefully the critical information available from all sources regarding the proposed MVP that has been collected, analyzed, and shared with the FERC. We need these leaders to be well-informed of the devastating and multi-generational consequences this proposed pipeline would have on our environment and its invaluable resources.
By Annette Lewis

Lewis is chairman of the Roanoke School Board.

The series in the Roanoke Times about poverty has led to many discussions across the community. During its semi-annual retreat, the Roanoke City School board held one discussion that I hope will lead to many more.

I am entering my eighth year as a member of the Roanoke City School Board. The past seven years has given me insight into the work that RCPS does to provide a quality education for all children in the City of Roanoke. I have found it especially enlightening since I have worked for Total Action for Progress (TAP) for 29 years. Our mission is to address poverty. I am proud to say that Roanoke City Schools is playing a major role in combatting poverty.

In 1999, TAP discovered that more than 500 children in the Roanoke valley dropped out of public schools annually. RCPS had the third highest dropout rate in the Commonwealth. Students who were graduation age were still in middle school or struggling in the 9th grade. The traditional classroom setting was challenging for these students for various reasons. TAPs approach was to work with the schools to retrieve the students by knocking on doors and communicating the value of an education to the parents and the students. TAPs efforts resulted in retrieving over 900 students. Though TAPs efforts were successful, in 2007, the school board decided that there was more RCPS could do to ensure that public school students would be successful. Dr. Rita Bishop introduced to RCPS an effective program that she used in Pennsylvania that resulted in the formation of Forest Park Academy. The implementation of the academy has provided a successful alternative for students who need a different and smaller individualized setting rather than the normal classroom and campus environment. The community should be proud that Forest Park has graduated over 1000 students with a high school diploma. These students could have either ended up as a dropout statistic in a GED classroom or on the streets as a drain to society.

The role RCPS plays in addressing poverty is a vital one. An education has long been a road that leads to success. The higher the education, the higher the earning power. The road to success hasnt changed. The methods of transportation have, but the road has not.

Certainly, there are different methods of education. RCPS believes that all children can learn. For this reason, it has a robust Equity Policy that has as its premise to ensure equitable and fair educational opportunities for all students by allocating resources fairly and equitably, providing diverse learning opportunities, and demonstrating the commitment of equity and fairness across the school division. The policy guides the schools instruction. RCPS offers basic education, advanced placement, dual enrollment and career training courses. Last year along, over 2,000 students received business industry recognized credentials.

For the 105+ nationalities in Roanoke, RCPS offers English Language Learner courses. For our special needs population, it offers specialized instruction. Our gifted children can enroll in more rigorous classes which includes the regional Governors School.

We also provide basic needs such as free nutritional food to 19 schools; transportation; and after school and extra-curricular activities. Nearly 7,000 children are involved in RCPS fine arts program.

The community should be proud that not only does the Equity Policy guide the actions of RCPS in relation to instruction, but also in relation to capital improvement. Our community can walk up to the Roanoke Academy Elementary School in northwest Roanoke and think you have walked upon a state of the art college campus. You can travel to southeast soon and see the building of a new facility for Fallon Park Elementary School. We should also be proud that in northwest and southwest we have two recently built state of the art high schools with their own stadiums.

We are proud to say that RCPS has closed the achievement gap. Our best calculations for 2016-2017 indicate that we will have an 89.67 percent graduation rate for blacks and whites.

We can state without a doubt that Roanoke City Schools is playing its role; however, it cannot end poverty in our community by itself. It takes non-profits, human service agencies, government, post-secondary educators, employers, funding sources and others. In essence, the entire community has a role. We should all find ours and work to be as successful as RCPS has been or more.
Sheffield Crown Court

A FORMER company director is facing jail after being found guilty of historic sex offences.

Andrew Tate (52), of Broadlands, Bramley, was convicted of three counts of indecent assault and one count of indecency with a child on Tuesday and is due to be sentenced on Friday.

He was cleared of one count of indecent assault and two counts of indecency with a child following a five-day trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

Tate committed the offences in Rotherham in the early 80s against a schoolgirl when he was aged between 15 and 17, after forcing his victim to perform sex acts on him.

Giving evidence earlier this month, Tate said the victim had made up the allegations out of vindictiveness and jealousy.

But under cross-examination prosecutor, Ms Louise Reevell, said Tate had fabricated stories about altercations he had had with the victim and her husband to paint a picture of animosity.

The victim told the court that Tate had admitted to the offences in the late 90s when she confronted him about it when she was aged around 25, but he denied this.

The woman also contacted social services in 1998 and 2003 to report concerns she had about Tate and another girl.

The prosecutor said notes of conversations social workers had with Tate on both occasions had been examined and revealed he had twice confessed to the abuse.

Tate told social workers he had struggled to make sense of what he had done, said Ms Reevell, and acknowledged the abuse had gone on for some time.

The matter was not taken any further by social services, save that checks were made by other agencies and there were no concerns for the other girl, she said.

The woman did not make a formal complaint to the police until 2015.

When he was interviewed by the police, Tate denied the abuse and denied discussing the allegations with social workers.
During his visit to Colombia, Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri stressed CIBJO's support towards attaining a viable and sustainable system for monitoring responsible sourcing in the coloured gemstone sector. He said that possible solutions will be discussed at the 2017 CIBJO Congress, which is scheduled to take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 5 though November 7, 2017, CIBJO reported.

Dr. Cavalieri was visiting Colombia at the invitation of Jorge Martin, President of Expojoyas Colombia, the organizer of the country's leading jewellery and gemstone trade fair, and the Chamber of Commerce of Bogota.

"The task of developing a viable international system that can monitor the coloured gemstone industry, where upwards of 80 percent of rough output is produced by small-scale and artisanal miners, will be made considerably easier if we can do so with the cooperation of government, community and business leaders in the producing countries," Dr. Cavalieri continued.

During his four-day visit to Colombia, Dr. Cavalieri visited the Porvenir emerald mine, which is 160 kilometres from Bogota.



Alex Shishlo, Editor of the Rough&Polished European Bureau in Brussels




The success of TAGS over the past 5 years has encouraged many large tender houses to establish regular and sizeable tender operations in Dubai Mike Aggett is an experienced Private Consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the mining and metals industry. Skilled in Luxury Goods, Business Planning, Sales, Gemology, and Jewelry, Mike is a professional who graduated from Dover College...

It all starts with stones - it is they that give impetus, determine the image and embodiment Maxim Selikhov is the founder of the SelikhoV Diamonds brand launched in 2006, and the company manufactures unique handmade jewellery with rare high-quality gemstones. He is also known as a collector of unique and large-size jewellery stones who considers...

Our technologies  CVD machines and growing technology  are game changers, asserts Arnaud Flambeau, Executive Chairman, 2DOT4 Diamonds LLC Arnaud Flambeau is the Executive Chairman of 2DOT4 Diamonds LLC, Dubai, a fully integrated lab-grown diamonds company. The Company provides rough 'as grown' diamonds, in-house polished IGI certified loose polished diamonds and high-quality...

Stargems brings the DaVinci system to Botswana Stargems, which was founded by Shailesh Javeri in 1981, has diversified into manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing and tendering or auctioning of diamonds and diamond jewellery.

It is also one of the leading players in the manufacturing, wholesaling...
OmniTRAX

Reiterating the importance of rail to the region, the government of Canada named a negotiator and said it is willing to explore interim funding options or potential sale of the Hudson Bay Rail Line in order to see service restored.

Canada Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr issued a release late last week confirming Canadas commitment to the residents of northern Manitoba and to the restoration of rail service to Churchill, Manitoba.

Wayne Wouters, who is currently strategic and policy advisor with McCarthy Tetrault LLP, has been named as the governments chief negotiator to represent Canadas interests. Wouters will play a role in the ongoing discussions with OmniTrax Inc., interested buyers, community leaders, and the Province of Manitoba.

The line between Amery and Churchill has been inoperable since May 23 due to a 200-year flood event that requires between CA$20 million (US$16.18 million) and CA$60 million (US$48.55 million) in repairs. Last week, the government of Canada formally demanded that the Hudson Bay Railway Company, which is owned by OmniTRAX, honor a 2008 agreement and repair the tracks.

The government is deeply concerned that OmniTRAX Inc. has not yet commenced repairs and that further delay may jeopardize the ability to complete repairs before winter, the release stated.

The government noted that it will look into transferring ownership of the line (and work with the new owner to restore rail service) should OmniTRAX not be able to make the needed repairs and providing that the following are met:

The assets are transferred at a reasonable price taking into account OmniTRAX Incs obligations.

The new owner has support from First Nations and other communities along the route.

The new owner has a viable business plan to operate the rail line safely, reliably and cost-effectively.

The government will also engage with the Province of Manitoba as a partner in supporting service restoration and go-forward operations.

Canada is also willing to explore interim funding to enable restoration of rail service, should there be material progress on the conditions outline above.

The government of Canada remains committed to the people of Churchill and Northern Manitoba and is ready to do its part to restore rail service. Time is of the essence here and quick action from all partners is needed now, said Minister Carr.
Swiss drug giant Novartis (NVS) announced Monday the appointment of Vasant Narasimhan as its Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2018. Narasimhan succeeds Joseph Jimenez, who has informed the Board of Directors of his desire to step down as CEO in 2018, after eight years in position.

Jimenez will step down from the role effective January 31, 2018. The company noted that he will be available for advice and support at the request of the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the CEO until he retires from Novartis on August 31, 2018.

The new CEO, Narasimhan, is currently Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer. He joined Novartis in 2005, and is a member of the Executive Committee.

Jimenez, who has been CEO since 2010, joined the company in 2007. He first led the Consumer Health Division, and then held the position of Division Head, Novartis Pharmaceuticals.

Joerg Reinhardt, Chairman of the Novartis Board of Directors, said, "During his tenure, Joe focused Novartis on leading global businesses, while divesting non-core divisions. Under his leadership the innovation pipeline was rejuvenated, and we successfully navigated the patent expirations of our two largest products. We anticipate a smooth transition as Joe built a strong leadership team and mentored his successor. Novartis will be well positioned to continue its momentum."

Narasimhan has held numerous leadership positions across Novartis in commercial, drug development and strategy roles. Before joining Novartis in 2005, he worked at McKinsey & Company.

Reinhardt added, "Vas is deeply anchored in medical science, has significant experience in managing the interfaces between Research and Development and commercial units and has strong acumen with a track record of outstanding achievements. As a physician, he has a strong patient focus and a genuine humane perspective and care for the mission and values of Novartis. As a result, the Board of Directors is confident that Vas is the right choice to lead Novartis on our expected next growth phase, driving innovation and further strengthening our competitive position."

On the NYSE, Novartis shares settled at $83.81 on Friday, down 0.57 percent.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Estonia's foreign trade gap widened in July from a year ago, as imports grew faster than exports, figures from Statistics Estonia showed Monday.

The trade deficit rose to EUR 197 million from EUR 153 million in the corresponding month last year. In June, the shortfall was EUR 120 million.

Exports climbed 6.0 percent year-over-year in July and imports expanded by 9.0 percent.

Shipments to EU countries grew 5.0 percent annually in July and those to non-EU countries advanced by 6.0 percent.

In July, the main commodities imported to Estonia were electrical equipment, transport equipment, and agricultural products and food preparations.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Italy's industrial production increased for the third straight month in July, defying economists' forecast for a decline, data from the statistical office Istat showed Monday.

Industrial output edged up a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent month-on-month in July, well below the 1.1 percent increase posted in June. In contrast, it was expected to drop by 0.3 percent.

On a yearly basis, calendar-adjusted industrial production growth eased to 4.4 percent in July from 5.2 percent in the prior month.

During the first seven months of the year, total industrial production advanced 2.6 percent compared with the same period of 2016.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Alamos Gold Inc. (AGI.TO,AGI) announced Monday that it has agreed to acquire Richmont Mines Inc. (RIC.TO,RIC). The deal implies a total equity value of approximately $770 million on a fully diluted in-the-money basis and an enterprise value of $683 million.

Under the deal terms, all Richmont shares will be exchanged on the basis of 1.385 Alamos common shares for each Richmont common share. The Exchange Ratio implies consideration of C$14.20 per Richmont common share, based on the closing price of Alamos shares on September 8.

This represents a 22% premium to Richmont's closing price and a 32% premium based on both companies' 20-day volume-weighted average prices, both as at September 8 on the TSX.

Upon completion of the transaction, existing Alamos and Richmont shareholders will own approximately 77% and 23% of the pro forma company, respectively.

Separately, Richmont Mines announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Beaufor Mine, the Camflo Mill and the Wasamac development project located in Quebec to Monarques Gold Corp. (MQR.V).

The sale of the Quebec Assets is the culmination of a strategic review process that Richmont publicly disclosed in first quarter. The sale is expected to close on, or about, September 29, 2017 and is not a condition to the Alamos deal.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
. 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.
Indian shares began the week on a positive note as the GST Council increased the cess on the auto industry only marginally and North Korea refrained from launching more missiles at the weekend despite speculation that it would do so.

The benchmark BSE Sensex rose by 194.64 points or 0.61 percent to 31,882.16 while the broader Nifty index ended up 71.25 points or 0.72 percent at 10,006.05.

Maruti Suzuki India rallied 2.2 percent after getting relief from the less than expected hike in cess on cars. Lupin rose over 1 percent on receiving final approval for its Doxycycline Hyclate tablet from the U.S. regulator.

IndusInd Bank jumped as much as 5.6 percent after it entered into an exclusivity agreement with Bharat Financial Inclusion to discuss about a potential strategic combination. Bharat Financial Inclusion shares climbed 3.5 percent.

Religare Enterprises added 5 percent after executing an agreement to divest its stake in Cerestra Advisors. Larsen & Toubro advanced 3.7 percent to extend Friday's gains after reports that it is eyeing large defense contracts from the government.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Canadian stocks are looking for direction Monday mornng amid a flurry of merger news.

The TSX Composite has inched lower for three sessions in a row, but may get a boost from higher oil prices.

Crude oil was up 20 cents at $47.65 a barrel.

Alamos Gold Inc. (AGI.TO, AGI) announced Monday that it has agreed to acquire Richmont Mines Inc. (RIC.TO, RIC). The deal implies a total equity value of approximately $770 million on a fully diluted in-the-money basis and an enterprise value of $683 million.

Coeur Mining, Inc. (CDE) announced a definitive agreement to acquire privately-owned JDS Silver Holdings, Ltd. and its subsidiary, JDS Silver Inc. JDS Silver owns the silver-zinc-lead Silvertip mine located in northern British Columbia.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
Federal authorities are investigating whether Uber illegally used software to interfere with rival ride-hailing company Lyft in order to gain advantage in where the two companies operated, according to media reports.

The investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. attorney's office in New York is focused on a special program nicknamed "Hell," which allegedly allowed Uber to track drivers in order to attract and recruit drivers to its platform instead of Lyft.

The program is said to have enabled Uber to see how much Lyft drivers charged passengers for rides. It also provided data to Uber on drivers who worked at both companies so that it could potentially lure them with cash incentives and quit Lyft.

A spokesman for Uber said that the company was cooperating with the investigation and has discontinued use of the software.

After the existence of Hell was revealed by news site The Information in April this year, Lyft drivers had filed a class action lawsuit against Uber for allegedly invading privacy and intercepting electronic information.

Uber decided to remove a controversial feature from its app that tracked user locations up to five minutes after a trip, Reuters reported in late August, citing Uber's chief security officer. The move to remove the feature was part of the ride-services company's efforts to fix its poor reputation for customer privacy.

The move to push customer privacy comes as Uber attempts to recover from a series of crisis that resulted in the ouster of its Chief Executive Travis Kalanick as well as other top executives.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
(Agencia CMA Latam) - British Petroleum (BP) announced an agreement with Bridas Corporation to form a new integrated energy company combining its interests in the Pan American Energy (PAE) oil and gas producer and Axion Energy (Axion) refining and marketing company.

The new corporation, Grupo Panamericano de Energia (PAEG), would be the largest integrated private energy company operating in Argentina. The transaction requires regulatory approval in several jurisdictions. The company expects a final agreement in early 2018.

PAEG owners will be BP and Bridas Corporation, a joint venture between Bridas Energy Holdings of Argentina and CNOOC Limited of China. Currently, PAE is currently owned 60% by BP and 40% by Bridas, while Axion is wholly-owned by Bridas. There will be no payments for the equity exchange.

PAE is Argentina's second largest producer of oil and gas. It had daily production in 2016 of around 262,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe), or approximately 18% of Argentina's total oil and gas production. It has interests in Argentina's four main hydrocarbon basins, including operating Cerro Dragon, Argentina's largest oil field, and interests in the prospective Vaca Muerta shale. PAE also operates the Hokchi block in the shallow water Mexican Gulf of Mexico.

Axion Energy owns and operates the 90,000 barrels of oil a day (b/d) refining capacity Campana refinery north of Buenos Aires, has over 750 retail sites in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, and also has material lubricant and aviation fuels businesses.

"Supported by the combined skills and expertise of BP and Bridas, this new integrated will be able to pursue growth and development opportunities in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Mexico," said Bob Dudley, BP Group Chief Executive.

by Agencia CMA Latam

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Models and tracking trajectories for Hurricane Irma as on Friday morning, Sept. 8, showed that Irma had weakened from Category 5 to Category 4 strength, but still represented an extreme danger to much of Southern Florida, as well as portions of northern Cuba and the southernmost Bahama Islands.

How is it that science cant predict the location of a hurricane three days hence, but Global Warming experts are absolutely sure what the climate will be in 100 years? Settled science, they say.

In the U.S., the worst of the storm was expected to be felt in South Florida. The Florida Keys took the full force of the storm, with Category 3 or 4 winds and a dangerous storm surge of up to 10 feet. Southwest Florida was expected to see a storm surge of 6 - 12 feet. Category 2 winds would potentially affect the east coast of Florida from Miami to West Palm Beach, and the west coast of Florida from the Keys to at least Naples.

There was more than a 30% chance that Category 1 hurricane-force winds would affect the Florida west coast from Naples to Tampa, and the Florida east coast north of West Palm Beach, as well as the Orlando area. A large and dangerous storm surge was likely to affect the entire east coast of Florida, and well as Georgia and South Carolina.

A fundamental principle of science is that any theory can be challenged, and replaced by a better theory if warranted. Yet those who challenge Climate Change, or at least mans contribution thereof, are regarded as heretics. Heretic as in the sense that the only institutions which cannot tolerate dissent are religious in nature. Those that ascribe to the settled science of Global Warming regard dissent as inherently evil.

Another tenet of science is that experiments must be reproducible. If not, the theory is probably false. We saw this thirty years ago with cold fusion, which supposedly occurred when hydrogen was adsorbed on the surface of a platinum catalyst. Of course, nobody else could duplicate the results, which is hardly surprising considering the disparity in the activation energy (the threshold before the reaction occurs) between chemical and nuclear reactions.

How about polywater which threatened to congeal the lakes and oceans if allowed to escape the laboratory? About every twenty years or so, a theory so outrageous that it defies common sense comes to light, then quietly vanishes. The ancient Greeks believed in Olympic gods and chicken entrails. Most of the programs on the Discovery Channel involve paranormal events or ancient aliens. My how we have progressed!

Climate Change experts take a different tack - deep concealment for the basic climate data under consideration, as well as the methods and models employed in their analysis. This may explain that out of over 24.000 peer-reviews scientific articles published in 2016, only about 200 involved Climate Science, and 1/3rd of those in rebuttal of mans contribution to warming. The so-called 97% Consensus is based on about 4000 articles since 1991 published by those experts interested enough to publish. There are severe academic repercussions against those who would publish in dissent. We are waiting for one on the interpretation of chicken entrails.

We suppose we will eventually all denounce science and embrace the new order. Al Gore will don his pointy hat (from his fathers estate) and sit in inquisition.
Aid to the Pacific, whether its by way of buildings or other critical infrastructure, needs to be delivered in a sustainable manner and in accordance with the needs for the country.

For instance, in Samoa, aid assistance must be in response to what the people of Samoa need and that it does not leave them with a foreign debt they will not be able to manage.

The opinion was offered by the U.S. Assistant Secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, Susan Thornton, when she was questioned about chequebook diplomacy in the Pacific.

Over the years, China has establishing quite a tight grip on Pacific Forum countries in terms of aid.

Frances interest in the region has become quite an interesting topic with Tahiti and New Caledonias renewed interest in the region and the Pacific Forum.

As for the United States of America, they maintain that they had never left the Pacific and they will always be around to help.

In Samoa for the 48th Pacific Islands Forum Meeting, Ms. Thornton who led the U.S. delegation said the issue of Chinas rise in the Pacific is neither new nor surprising.

As a rising superpower in terms of economies, Chinas influence is not confined to the Pacific.

And we see that and its quite natural that China would be going out to look for economic opportunities reaching in for partnerships with governments and proposing projects, she said.

So I think to a great extent, this kind of appearance of Chinese investment in real estate and government project isnt that surprising especially in the Asia Pacific region.

Ms. Thornton highlighted the importance of quality infrastructure.

What we want to make sure though in connection to these kinds of project is that they be done to a very high standard, she said.

That their projects are the kinds that we want, and that theyre being done in a way that they are sustainable with sustainable debt burdens.

We want to ensure that high standards are followed in terms of economic sustainability. Thats what were mainly looking at.

As long a country and partner in the region is able to give the rationale of the economical productivity and how its going to be sustained in the long term.

Ms. Thornton said the U.S. welcomes Chinas growing influence in the region.

It doesnt stop them from doing what they are doing.

We also have a lot of projects that we are supporting both in infrastructure but also in the mitigation for climate change and disasters.

We can work together, we just need to keep an eye out and make sure this is done in a sustainable way.

Asked if the U.S felt under appreciated by the Pacific given Chinas meteoric rise, the senior official was coy.

I dont have a U.S. government view but I think we definitely want to make sure that countries are not going to end up in an unsustainable debt burden, she said.

Were also looking at issues surrounding governance and good governance because ultimately, its going to be the people of Samoa and other places where these investments are being targeted that are going to have to take responsibility for those investments.

Another member of the U.S. delegation, Matthew J. Matthews, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific weighed into the debate saying there are two elements to the issue.

The absolute level of debt at the G.D.P. level and the other is what is the actual advocacy of investment the debt is being incurred for, he said.

Thats why Susan spoke about the point of sustainability.

You can sustain the ultimate level of debt if the investment is going into productive assets that are actually bringing future cash flow for the country... its getting that balance right and its critical.
A prisoner found dead at Tafaigata last month died as a result of hanging.

This is the latest development from the Police investigation into the death of prisoner Siliva Aualiitia.

Police spokesperson, Salaa Sale Salaa, told the Samoa Observer the medical report makes the finding.

The medical report shows that hanging was the cause of death, he said.

Thats all I can say at this stage. According to the medical report received by the Ministry of Police, that is the cause of death.

The medical report, he added, has been subjected to an inquest before the Court.

Siliva Aualiitia was found dead at Tafaigata Prison. When the news broke, his family refuted claims made by the Prison and Correction Services that he had committed suicide.

The grieving mother, Teevao Tivalu, said they suspect that Siliva was beaten since his body sustained multiple bruises on his face, legs and his hips.

The family provided photos of Silivas bruised body and face to the Samoa Observer.

When we visited him at the morgue, I almost fainted and I didnt want to look at my sons face, she said.

Part of his face was decomposed, his lips were swollen, his forehead was badly bruised and his buttocks suffered cuts as if he was being dragged.

Ms. Teevao said Silivas body had already been buried.

She also told the Samoa Observer that they would be suing the Prison and Correction Services as well as the National Health Services.

At the moment we are looking for a good lawyer who is willing to take on our case, she said.

I will fight until I get justice for my son because if we dont then we will never know what is really going on behind those bars.
A section in the daily Samoa Observer highlighting the stories, struggles and giving ordinary people a forum to voice their views has been praised by in American Samoa.

The Village Voice was singled out as an example of a news media making a difference during the American Samoa governments workforce day celebrations.

The American Samoa Government, for four years now, commemorates a Labour Day to recognise the service provided by the public servants.

The keynote speaker, American Samoa Power Authority and former Senator Utu Abe Malae, emphasised that there is dignity in working.

They can all agree though that it is a blessing to be gainfully employed, to have a job, to earn a living, to support your family to have meaning in life, to serve others, to make the community a better place, said Utu.

Thats when he referred to the Samoa Observers Village Voice section.

The Samoa Observer in Apia regularly features the stories of men and women who are working hard but struggling to make a living in the rural areas of Samoa, you cannot help but admire them, said Utu.

He pointed out that jobs are created as a result of economic activity.

We all know about the importance of fisheries and government services as the two major industries in our territory.

Tourism is developing incrementally.

May I suggest that we develop another industry? We must invest in excellent health care help our hospital become one of the best in the region--in order to attract retirees back home from the States?

He noted how vital it is to invest in education and training, including vocational education and revamping the way the education system is organised.

Thank you workers for what you do for our beloved American Samoa. Thank you for your service.

The former Senator also shared his admiration for those involved in hard labor work.

I am especially thankful to those of you who work with your hands, laina ma timuia, [Genesis 3:19] by the sweat of your brow.

Visiting Manua for the first time as a child, waking up at the crack of dawn to the shush- shush sound of the salu tu sweeping the sandy yard, the village was a beehive of activity and I thought to myself, this is really tough getting up so early to work six days a week.

Yet that is what our forebears did -- hard physical labor on a daily basis, he said. He also spoke about an ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) meeting in Hawaii, where he listened to the President of a New Zealand company praise the effectiveness of Samoan construction workers.

His company had hired at least three dozen Samoan cement workers to help build hotels in Guam.

There are Samoan net repairmen training and working in Mississippi today.

The managers remarked on the hard work and respect the workers displayed towards their supervisors.

The HR manager wants to hire more Samoans.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, British Minister for the Commonwealth and the United Nations, visited Samoa last week for the Pacific Islands Forum.

While in Apia, he visited Women in Business Development Inc (W.I.B.D.) and met with W.I.B.D President Peseta Afoa and Executive Director Adi Tafunai.

Lord Ahmad heard about W.I.B.Ds long and successful partnership with BodyShop and about W.I.B.D.Is decision to become a social enterprise.

Lord Ahmad also announced the next two stages of UK support for the development of Social Enterprise in Samoa and across the region.

First, I am delighted that the British Government funded Active Citizens programme will send several participants to Christchurch, New Zealand, for the Social Enterprise World Forum 2017 (27-29 September).

We want to connect the Pacific participants and their international peers, so they can learn from each others experience and share stories about their social enterprise journey.

We also want to raise awareness amongst political and business leaders at the Forum about the opportunities social enterprises provide to meet Sustainable Development Goals by using a business model to create positive social impact.

Lord Ahmad then looked ahead to later in the year:

I am also pleased to announce that the first Active Citizens programme in Samoa will take place in November this year.

Working with partners around the globe, the British Council trains participants in the skills and knowledge they need to affect change in their communities.

In the Pacific, the focus will be on social enterprise, youth leadership and gender equality. Participants will include social entrepreneurs and young leaders from Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands and other Pacific island nations.

The UKs investment of GBP 60,000 supports Social Enterprise projects in the Pacific. The British Council is working with local partners - such as Women in Business Development (W.I.B.D.I) and the Small Business Enterprise Centre (S.B.E.C) - on adapting its international flagship Active Citizens programme to needs in Samoa and islands in the Pacific.

Active Citizens is the British Councils global leadership training programme which builds skills in intercultural awareness, problem-solving and mentored community engagement.

The Social Enterprise World Forum is a global conference that promotes social enterprise as a mainstream approach to business. Social enterprise is a dynamic way of business that can transform communities and create profound and lasting social change.

The UK is seen as a world leader in social business innovation, with enabling legislation, tax breaks, and Government procurement of goods and services prioritized for recognized social enterprises.

The 2018 World Forum will be held in Scotland.
Sometimes you have to make tough decisions.

For 20-year-old Junior Junior from Tanugamananono, one of the toughest decisions he had to make was to quit his job.

I quit my job not long ago, he said. The reason I quit my job is because my parents wanted me to stay home (to look after them).

I figured that looking at my parents making sure of their wellbeing is whats important so I decided to stay home.

He went on to say that his other siblings provide for his family financially.

I thank God because sometimes we do our own thing but he has the better answer for us.

Id rather see my parents happy and healthy than finding a job and seeing them sad.

At home, hes his own boss.

I can spend time with my parents, when I have spare time I can go and play rugby, and also I can have a rest at anytime I want after doing chores at home.

While it is not everyones path, Junior said there are blessings that come with it.

The blessings from our parents is very important, he said.

Our role is to obey and do what they want.

This is just normal routine for us so called talavou in Samoa. I think thats why Samoa is different from other countries. We as young people feel responsible for our adults.

Away from his parents, Junior said the cost of living is expensive.

He believes the government should step in to cushion the blows.

But he is not holding his breath.

The thing is if we wait for the government to help us, it will take ages, he said.

But looking for opportunities to occupy our time at home, churches, villages will help us to make it through (life).

Yes, were all struggling but we need to find a way, whatever God has given you this time, a talent, make good use of it. Then everything will fall into place bit by bit.
Think a minuteWinston Churchill was 65-years-old when he first became Englands Prime Minister. It was May of 1940 and Englands military was not prepared for war.

So when Hitlers massive German army began attacking the British Isles, almost all of the experts expected Germany to quickly and easily conquer England.

But these experts could not imagine that in only seven months, Winston Churchills extraordinary leadership would help change the history of both England and the entire Western World.

During those months, when the families of Great Britain gathered in their homes to listen to their leader over the radio, their feelings of fear and hopelessness were replaced with great confidence and courage.

Why? Churchill knew exactly how to inspire the English people to believe in themselves and in their just cause of defending freedom by stopping the spread of evil tyranny. In fact, defeating Germanys massive military monster became Englands finest hour.

It has been said: People who feel good about themselves do their best. Whether it is at work on the job or at home with their family. So if you want people to change, you must help them believe in themselves so they will want to change and become their best.

But when we criticize or shame our children, our wife or husband, or people we work with, we only hurt them and tear down their self-confidence. So why should we expect them to be better when we have made them feel and believe they cannot do it?

We all do our best when we feel good about ourselves. A successful businessman says: Instead of catching people doing something wrong to criticize and punish them, try to catch people doing something right and praise them for it. Then they will want to keep doing that right thing and always do their best.

This is why Jesus teaches us to love others as ourselves. Make others feel good about themselves the way you want to feel good about yourself. Wont you ask God the Son to forgive you for the wrong ways you have lived and treated others?

Then ask Him to start changing your heart, so you can become your best, and help bring out the best in others. Just think a minute
CARTAGENA, Colombia (AP)  Pope Francis wrapped up his Colombia trip with a deeply personal final day Sunday honoring St. Peter Claver, a fellow Jesuit who ministered to hundreds of thousands of African slaves who arrived in the port of Cartagena to be sold during Spanish colonial times.

Francis' visit to Cartagena got off to a rocky start, however, when he banged his head on his popemobile when it stopped short amid swarms of well-wishers. Francis, who only had a hip-high bar to hold onto, lost his balance and suffered a bruised, black left eye and a cut on his eyebrow that dripped blood onto his white cassock.

The cut was quickly bandaged with a butterfly patch and Francis carried on without incident with his program. Devotees reacted to the wound with a mix of amazement and concern.

"This holy blood is staying in Colombia," said Ricardo Morales, a lawyer who lined up outside St. Peter Claver's church for a glimpse of the pope. "He made a great effort to be here and from now on it's our obligation to make a similar effort to thank him for everything he has done."

Once recovered, Francis visited the St. Peter Claver church, where he praised the 17th century missionary for having recognized the inherent dignity of slaves. Francis, known for his own simple and austere style, said Claver was "austere and charitable to the point of heroism."

Claver, the self-described "slave of the slaves forever," has been revered by Jesuits, popes and human rights campaigners for centuries for having insisted on treating slaves as children of God and worthy of love when others considered them mere merchandise to be bought and sold.

In a prayer Sunday in front of Claver's church, Francis said the legacy of the Spanish priest should serve as a model for the Catholic Church today to "promote the dignity of all our brothers and sisters, particularly the poor and the excluded of society, those who are abandoned, immigrants and those who suffer violence and human trafficking."

"Here in Colombia and in the world, millions of people are still being sold as slaves; they either beg for some expressions of humanity, moments of tenderness, or they flee by sea or land because they have lost everything, primarily their dignity and their rights," he said.

Like Claver, history's first Latin American pope has insisted on ministering to society's most marginal. He takes special care of the homeless who live around the Vatican, makes regular phone calls to prisoners, brought a dozen Syrian refugees home with him from a Greek refugee camp, and embraces the sick, the maimed and the deformed every chance he gets.

He has also strongly denounced current-day slave trade, calling human trafficking a crime against humanity and leading other faith leaders to take a united stand against it.

Francis prayed at Claver's tomb after laying the foundation for new residences for homeless people in Cartagena, the city famous for its UNESCO-awarded colonial center but also home to slums and shanties.

He was to celebrate Mass in Cartagena's port Sunday before returning to Rome, ending a five-day visit highlighted by a huge prayer of reconciliation that brought together victims of Colombia's long-running conflict and demobilized guerrillas and paramilitary fighters.

Francis had refrained until Sunday from speaking out about the political and humanitarian crisis next door in Venezuela. But in remarks added into his Sunday prayer, Francis called for an end to political violence in Venezuela and protection for the poor who have been most hurt by the crisis.

The large community of Venezuelan exiles in Colombia had been pushing Francis to make a strong statement against President Nicolas Maduro. Francis met with Venezuelan bishops in Colombia but refrained from taking the same strident tone taken by the Vatican in recent statements in which it has called on Maduro to respect human rights and withdraw plans to rewrite Venezuela's constitution.
In the past week, multiple articles and media coming from various news outlets have alleged that Ministry of Health is urging the Government of Samoa to legalize abortion and gay marriage. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this matter has caused for the general public.

It is the Ministrys perspective that the media has misquoted and taken out of context the National HIV, AIDS and STI Policy 2017-2022.

As of date, no media outlets have consulted the Ministry on the related statements before publication regarding Abortion and Gay Marriage.

The Ministry had queried the Samoa Observers Chief Reporter Joyetter Luamanu via email on September 1st, 2017 regarding the matter.

Her response is noted in the email trails stating that she did not make any reference to same sex marriage and that they understood MoH does not support abortion.

The copy of these emails is attached for your reference.

The Street Talk column of the Samoa Observer by Lizzy Hunt took the policy (which is not a law or act) out of context by stating that MoH is calling to change law to allow abortion, when in reality MoH expressed its concern through the policy for high risk cases with life threatening infections.

In that connection, we wish to clarify that MoH did not advocate making abortion legal, as it is illegal and MoH is compliant to the law.

The policy merely asserts that the current law states (s116, Crimes Act 2013) that abortion is legal for women only if their mental or physical health is synergises with the Act which refers only to the access to services of victims of rape, incest victims and STI/HIV+ (positive) women, whose mental/physical health could be threatened by giving birth and/or result in transmitting HIV to the unborn child (MTCT - Mother to Child Transmission). The latter are particularly high risk cases in which the policy advocated for their needs to be prioritised.

As for gay marriage, marital practices do not fall under the legal charge of the Ministry of Health. Therefore MoH has not and will never make any recommendations regarding marriage as it does not relate to health.

Given the nature of Journalism ethics practiced by the Samoan Observer, this press release serves to clear misunderstandings.

The Ministry of Health requests that all media make the effort in future reporting to be specific in what MoHs views are, and consult with MoH before publishing articles, especially with sensitive material like this, so as to avoid unnecessary controversy.

Faia ma le faaaloalo tele.

Leausa Toleafoa Dr. Take Naseri

Director General/Chief Executive Officer; Ministry of Health
Hello Olo,

I was responding to what was reported and you are correct in that you deserve to be heard and for that I apologize, but be on notice that I am a brother to my people first before a partisan to a resistance cause in any platform.

I do mean what I said that I liked you and we have met on a few occasions through your former political associates in that of Palusalue Faapo whom is a personal friend, Lefau, Wood Salele, Toeolesulusulu Cedric, Leavai Dr Peni, Aveau Niko and most of your former colleagues and them all.

You are the only member of the last opposition party that I am not of a personal acquaintance. I like to congratulate you on this personal forum for making it back to Mulinuu when most of your friends didnt.

I am very familiar with the nightlife in the Apia area as was a young man myself. I am a matai from Faasaleleaga of my mothers birth, born and raised up in Apia. Am of your age if not a little older and in my young foolish days witness the brutal of night club bouncers or securities that may have resulted in the loss of life, and maybe perhaps where my sentiments of night club squabbles are born.

Selective treatment from the Board may perhaps be the reason for your misfortune. E asa le faiva ae le asa le masalo, but if your securities were involved or the fight starts from/ with participants, customers or patrons of the club then e aafia lava foaga ae lei fai misa because of the location.

The general conclusion is Guilty because it was there.

If you can re-collect the bad old days of Mt. Vaea night club was notorious not because of the place but because of the street people from surrounding areas that uses the night club and its surrounding streets as a place to congregate and seek action and thrills in the evening. Village street fights can be an issue and if that is the picture here, then we a problem. There is another place in town that needs its liquor license revoked if not a total shut down but Im not gonna mention them here for now.

You maybe a victim of a social issue in our society of not growing up and immaturity which is all a picture of a poverty mentality that we cannot seem to have a fix for it just yet.

If members of the public involved in that street fight were customers at your establishment, its all the more reason for you to ensure save passage at least away from your vicinity.

I do thank you however in taking the opportunity to respond and perhaps a rather good culture that maybe the government and its officials needs to do more off, of been accountable to their actions.

I am a peoples man first. I do hope you understand that, and the hope that one day we do finally shake hands at your club over a cold one to talk this over.

Sincerely.

Steve
And there are some days that are both. September 11, 2001, is a day that lives in history, because it turned a page in the United States recognition of a global truth: that the 1400-year history of islams assault on Western Civilization is not over  that it may continue to wax and wane with time, but it never ends  and that the United States is indeed, undeniably, among its many targets.

By the same token, there are milestones in history. The date of a declaration of war or of the peace treaty that ended it; the day our Founding Fathers signed our Declaration of Independence and the day each new President renews our commitment to republican governance. We study such dates in school, we even commemorate some of them with national holidays. They are worth remembering, because they, too, are part of our history.

There are milestones in life  personal, educational, religious  these may be birthdays, school graduations, wedding anniversaries, baptisms and first communions and bar mitzvahs. So many personal dates to remember  but they are worth remembering, because they are so meaningful to us. Even the sad ones are worth remembering; the day we lost a friend or family member to cancer or accidental death, or old age.

This day is both personal and political, because it changed our national policy and it touched so many thousands of individual American lives.

This wasnt the day that islamofascist terrorists first declared war on us; they had attacked America many times before, through attacks on naval ships like the USS Cole in 2000, buildings like the first bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, and individuals, like the assassination of Meir Kahane in 1990.

But this was the day that America understood, however briefly. September 11, 2001 was the day it sunk in. Its the day that millions of Americans exclaimed, finally including: Theyve declared war on our country, our civilization, our way of life! We understand now.

And it is personal, not only because so many people were killed or injured on that day  2996 killed, another 6000 injured, and over ten billion dollars in direct real estate and property damage, not counting the broader damage done to our economy, as it necessitated changes to our transportation and supply chain structures, slowing our growth and shaking the world financial markets.

It is personal because this is the day when most Americans realized  finally  that this war is not like other wars, that this opponent does not follow the rules of the Geneva Conventions, that this enemy does not distinguish between civilian and military targets that in fact, this enemy has a far different view of innocence than the rest of the world.

All other cultures and religions  Judeo-Christian, Mormon, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, all of them  share the same general concepts of an innocent party or a non-combatant. Only in islam is there a radical departure from the concept. Another belief system might acknowledge that civilian casualties might be unavoidable collateral damage in a war but only to the islamofascist terrorist is there no real distinction between a civilian target and a military one. Only to the islamofascist terrorist is every non-muslim viewed as guilty in their belief system. This is what justifies the targeting of tourist buses, schools, pizzerias, civilian office buildings and passenger planes.

So this is what made September 11 so different. It was a shock to the system across the West, at least, across the United States, which had blissfully imagined we were mostly free of this war until then.

This is the day Americans recognized that one is just as much at risk of being a target if you dont go to war, if you dont work for a defense contractor, if you dont work near a military base. September 11 is the day we understood the warped mind of this singular enemy, for the first time.

Now, in point of fact, to students of history and religion, this war is nothing new. It dates back to the date that the first edition of the koran was printed, some fourteen centuries ago. The islamic condemnation of all non-muslims as guilty  and therefore as non-deserving of truth or honorable treatment, let alone life and safety  dates back to their beginning and Americans have understood this occasionally in our past.

One of our first wars, after all, was against the muslim nations of North Africa known as the Barbary Pirates We learned then everything we needed to know, and several of our Founding Fathers are on record as warning their successors of the difficulty in dealing with countries who dont view non-muslims as worthy of honest negotiations or peaceful coexistence.

Let us consider the world, in the days leading up to this particular anniversary, in 2017:

On Sunday, September 10, in Kuchiak, Pakistan, Sunni muslims shot up a group of Hazara Shiia muslims, killing four and injuring two. Also on September 10, in Beledweyne, Somalia, a muslim suicide bomber detonated his suicide pack inside a cafe, killing four and injuring six more.

On Saturday, September 9, jihadis set off a bomb in a Baghdad, Iraq market, killing three and injuring three more. On the same day, one group of muslims killed a rival cleric and his bodyguard in Kapisa, Afghanistan. Also on the same day, in Anantnag, India, a nest of islamofascists fired on a police party, killing one and injuring two. And yes, all these acts were in the name of their religion.

On Friday, the holy day for islam, there were more jihadist attacks than usual. This September 8, Fulani terrorists in Ancho, Nigeria murdered nineteen innocent villagers and injured five more. The same day, ISIS activists murdered 50 civilians in one building  after torturing them first  in Ayadia, Iraq. Also on Sept 8, islamists gunned down two farmers in Mallan, Nigeria and shot up a refugee camp in Ngala, Nigeria, killing seven refugees and injuring three more and a mujahid attacker in Baghdad killed one and injured eight in a bombing and terrorists assassinated a carload of four police in Bala Buluk, Afghanistan and at another refugee camp in Muna Garage, Nigeria, a Boko Haram suicide bomber killed two refugees and injured five more.

And thats just three days. A snapshot of three days in the modern world. All violent, all unprovoked, all committed in the name of a so-called religion by an enemy utterly defiant in the face of all other cultural norms, all the rules of war, all the morals that normal people of other cultures are born with.

In these past three days, we have seen jihadist attacks in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Nigeria, India if we cast our vision back further, we would see such attacks in Yemen, Kenya, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Mali, and Pakistan. And thats just in the past week.

Somewhere in the world, every day, there are people dying, murdered by gunshots or bombs or swords or grenades, in unprovoked attacks by devout islamofascists, radicalized by their religious leaders at mosques or islamic community centers, or on computer screens in the privacy of their own homes.

There are efforts in the world to turn this around. General al-Sisi of Egypt gave a marvelous speech to a roomful of imams on New Years Day, two years ago now. King Salman of Saudi Arabia gave a more well-received speech to a roomful of fellow political leaders this spring, apparently gaining greater support. The reformation of islam  to purge it of the doctrine of jihad and infuse it with a respect for other people and other beliefs  is imperative, though it is still an open question whether it is possible.

This war didnt start in this century, or even in the last one. It has been going on for 1400 years.

But September 11, 2001 is the day when the American population tragically learned to understand this particular enemy at last the day when a new generation was reminded of the warning of our Founding Fathers, that eternal vigilance is the price we pay for liberty.

After watching such attacks occur in Europe, and in Israel and the Middle East and Africa for years, that horrific morning of September 11, when we witnessed that unexpected evil, was the moment of comprehension for a nation in shock. On that day, we understood at last that we cannot shut ourselves out from the world that there will always be enemies who want us destroyed, and we must face such enemies squarely, without euphemism or hesitation weakening our resolve.

Copyright 2017 John F. Di Leo

John F. Di Leo is a Chicagoland-based trade compliance trainer, writer and actor. His columns are regularly found in Illinois Review.

Permission is hereby granted to forward freely, provided it is uncut and the IR URL and byline are included.
A gun submitted as an exhibit during the hearing of a matter before the Court has disappeared, creating an unsolved mystery in the halls of justice at Mulinuu.

The weapon disappeared last Thursday.

The Samoa Observer understands that the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration has launched an internal investigation to find out how the gun disappeared.

Attempts to get a comment from the Chief Executive Officer of M.J.C.A, Papalii John Papalii and the Minister of M.J.C.A, Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu, were not successful.

But several officials at the Ministry confirmed the commotion.

According to one official, the weapon went missing last week.

Since last Thursday an internal investigation has been launched into the matter, the official said.

The C.E.O. and the Minster have been informed about this unfortunate situation.

The official said the weapon, as exhibits and evidence, are usually stored at the A.C.E.Os office.

However for some reason this gun was stored in the office storage room and from there it went missing.

An investigation has been launched by the C.E.O as this is a serious matter especially within our office.

A notice has been circulated among the Ministrys staff members in the bid to locate the gun.

A notice was given to the employees for information about the missing weapon as there is no one who has access to the storage room but the employees, the official said.

However as of today (yesterday) no one has come forward.

The Official further stated that everyone who had access to the storage room would be interviewed.

The Official was unclear whether the Police have been informed on the matter.

Attempts are being made to get a comment from the Police.
FORUM LEADERS: Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor says the Pacific is blessed to have an 'asset' like Forum Chairman and P.M. Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi. (Photo: Samoa Observer / File)

FORUM LEADERS: Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor says the Pacific is blessed to have an 'asset' like Forum Chairman and P.M. Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi. (Photo: Samoa Observer / File)

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaois leadership of the 48th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Apia has been hailed as the driving force behind a successful meeting last week.

The praises come from the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Dame Meg Taylor, who told the Samoa Observer the Pacific region is blessed to have someone of Tuilaepas caliber.

She described the Chairman of the Forum as a formidable leader and an asset to the Pacific Island Forums.

She said Tuilaepa's collegiality brought Pacific Leaders together to have tough conversations on a number of complex issues.

He is a formidable leader and the respect that he commands is undeniable, said Dame Meg.

Hes got a great sense of humour but it is his collegiality to bring Pacific leaders to have tough conversations that I see as a big asset for us.

In chairing the Forum, Tuilaepa and Dame Meg will work hand in hand for the next 12 months to drive the Forums agenda.

It is very important for us to work closely with the Chairman and his team so we can achieve some of the issues that we need work on.

The Leaders retreat last Friday was lengthy.

It went well into overtime in fact, ending after sunset at Taumeasina Island Resort.

The closing press conference did not take place until after 8pm.

Dame Meg said there were a lot of issues on the agenda.

With the communique, she said there are always issues but the document for this year was well negotiated among the 18 countries present. She said the opinions and thoughts of the leaders were well reflected in the outcome statement.

Theres room for good interpretation for issues, the lengthy meeting is due to the complex issues, she said.

They had to discuss the language to capture what the leaders wanted and so they have had to redraft certain sections to reflect what they wanted.

Part of this retreat was for them to have those conversations, its not a bureaucrat telling them what to do but this is what they want.

Dame Meg added that the Samoan government and the people of Samoa did a phenomenal job as a host country.

Everything was well organized, they did their job and we did ours and the teamwork was impressive, she said.

I cannot thank them enough for undivided attention put into making the forum a success, in terms of organizing.

Dame Meg also noted the significance of the lowering of flags at the closing ceremony.

When they lowered the Flag of Samoa and the flag of P.I.Fs, I shared this with my colleagues and the Secretariat that this flag represents all of the Pacific countries.

This is about those who have a commitment to the common good of those in the Pacific nations, including Australia and New Zealand as we are part of a regional community.

That is very important.

There are challenges and the Secretariats role is to serve these countries and for the leaders to be given the leadership of finding regional issues that gives them that common voice.

The Secretary General also told the Samoa Observer that Tuilaepa and all the Pacific Leaders will meet with Pope Francis on 11 November 2017, on their way to Bonn Germany for COP23.

They will have a discussion with him on issues of stewardship, she said.

Its important that its not about being Catholic, this is about the voice of the Holy father around issues of stewardship.

Its about the concerns for each others humanity and for us in the Pacific, the issues of the environment and how we as Pacific people, care for this Blue continent that we live in.
A candidate from last years General Election, Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio, found guilty of bribery and treating is set to appeal the District Courts decision delivered against him last week.

The candidate for Gagaemauga No. 1 had faced seven charges of bribery and treating in relation to last years election.

The charges were brought in a private prosecution by five electors of the constituency, namely Faatauuu Malautea, Felagolagomai Tino, Ituao Enele, Taulamago Simone, Tevaga Samilolo and Va Vea.

They were represented by lawyer, Ruby Drake.

Tuala was represented by lawyer, Teo Richard Faaiuaso.

Judge Talasa Lumepa Atoa Saaga presided.

According to Judge Atoas decision, she dismissed one charge of bribery in information 863/16.

I am not satisfied that the defendant committed the offence of bribery in respect of:

He would provide school resources to improve schools, he would ensure that the compensation will be paid to landowners whole lands would be taken for the construction of a bridge in the village.

He would pay for airfare of twenty people listed to go to New Zealand for apple picking and he would arrange for a lawn mowing contractor to established in Samalaeulu and thereby provide employment for the young people in the village.

This charge is hereby dismissed.

He was found guilty of six other charges.

Contacted for a comment, Tuala said he is appealing the decision.

The Courts decision is the Courts decision but the case will go to an appeal, he said.

I think everyone knows that this will go to an appeal and that is all I can say about it.

In the meantime, the matter is set for sentencing on Thursday this week.
A substance detectable in fossils millions of years old may help determine which prehuman species are direct human ancestors, according to a study led by San Diego researchers.

The substance comes from a sugar component made in apes but not humans. The study, published Monday, said testing for its presence should allow hominid fossils to be sorted into two groups:

Those with it were dead-end branches, whose lineages became extinct.

Those without it came from species closer to humans than to other apes, including our direct ancestors.

The study, which used animal fossils to demonstrate the concept, was published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Go to j.mp/sialicfo for the study.

Tim White, a prominent paleoanthropologist at UC Berkeley, said by email that he liked the study.

This looks like a good first step to me, and as time goes on, with independent verification and further refinement of method, ancient biomolecules promise to open even wider windows of understanding on the deep past, White said.

Advertisement

White is known for his research on the 3.2 million-year-old hominid fossil Lucy, and the even more ancient Ardipithecus ramidus, or Ardi, dating back 4.4 million years ago.

Ajit Varki, M.D., was the studys senior author. Varki is with UC San Diego and with the UC San Diego/Salk Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny, or CARTA. The group conducts and discusses research related to human origins. Anne K. Bergfeld, first author, conducted the research when she was a postdoctoral researcher at UCSD.

The remnant is a component of a certain kind of sialic acid. These sugar units play fundamental biological roles, such as in immune recognition and infection. Theyre incorporated into sugars known as glycans, also important to human health.

This particular sialic acid, Neu5Gc, is made by many animals and all apes except humans.

At some point in the past, our ancestors lost the ability to make Neu5Gc, while other apes retained it. This marks a critical turning point in the path that led to modern humans, Varki said.

Varki said the animal fossil testing was the idea of coauthor Meave Leakey of the Turkana Basin Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, and Stony Brook University in New York.

White said that approach was the right one to win the confidence of museums that take great care in guarding their precious hominid fossils.

In my experience, museums are willing to sacrifice small amounts of tissue to learn a great deal about the past, White said.

These authors are cognizant of this limitation, and have responsibly initially proceeded with less rare nonhuman faunal remains, which is laudable (and has not always been the case).

Tangled ancestry

If the testing method is proven, it could give rise to what the study refers to as an ancient glycans approach to the molecular examination of hominid fossils. It could bring some order into the confusion about which fossils belong where on the evolutionary map.

Genetic and other biological evidence point to chimpanzees as the closest living relatives of humans. Its uncertain when they last shared a common ancestor.

The process of separation could have begun as early as 13 million years ago, with interbreeding between the diverging lines continuing until as recently as 4 million years ago.

Sahelanthropus tchadensis is one of the oldest potential ancestors of humans and their close relatives, living between 7 and 6 million years ago. Other old potential ancestors have been assigned to the genus Ardipithecus, which originated more than 4 million years ago.

The genus Australopithecus arose a bit later. Their species existed from about 4 million to 2 million years ago.

The closest human relatives belong to the genus Homo, arising around 2.1 million years ago. This genus eventually yielded such groupings as Neanderthals, Denisovans and Homo sapiens  modern humans.

However, the record in more recent times, on the order of a few hundred thousand years ago to a few tens of thousands of years ago, is again complicated by interbreeding.

A small percentage of the genome in modern humans appears to have been inherited from Neanderthal ancestors, determined by extracting DNA from the fossils. Likewise, some modern humans have a small amount of Denisovan ancestry.

This tangled web of hominid species makes determining which fossils come from direct ancestors of modern humans and which are side branches a hotly disputed topic. And thats where the sialic acid remnant could help.

DNA testing would provide the most indisputable evidence of ancestry. However, the hot, humid conditions in Africa destroyed the DNA in those fossils long ago. (The Neanderthal and Denisovan fossils are from sites in Eurasia, where conditions for DNA preservation are better).

The sialic acid itself, Neu5Gc, is also destroyed by these conditions. But research by Varki and colleagues demonstrated that its remnant, the unusual form of chondroitin sulfate called Gc-CS, proved remarkably durable.

Asked if the loss of Neu5Gc could have happened more than once, Varki said it was extremely unlikely on statistical grounds that the same mutation could have occurred multiple times in hominids.

Since the testing process is destructive, the method was first demonstrated on animal fossils. Varki began by testing a relatively common fossil from about 50,000 years ago, of a cave bear. He found the Gc-CS remnant.

Then Varki and study colleagues tested much older animal fossils. These included a 4-million-year old bovine-like fossil, in which the molecule was clearly present.

That fossil was discovered in a bone bed at Allia Bay, in the Turkana Basin of northern Kenya. Hominid fossils were also discovered at the same depth.

That fossils age of 4 million years is significant, because genetic analysis suggests human ancestors lost the ability to make Neu5Gc about 2 to 3 million years ago. So the method can work in fossils old enough to document the loss of Neu5Gc in hominids.

Coauthor Leakey, of the famous Leakey hominid-hunting family, said she suggested testing ancient animal fossils as a gateway to eventually testing on more precious prehuman fossils. Using her own connections, she helped arrange for the bovine fossil.

Varki said he and colleagues are working to improve the testing process, so smaller amounts of fossil are needed. He estimates that a more sensitive test should be ready in about five months. It would require 100 milligrams of fossil, one-tenth of whats needed now.

Health implications

Sialic acids coat the outsides of cells, bristling from their surfaces. They help identify these cells as self, protecting them from attack by the immune system.

Some pathogens such as HIV make or acquire sialic acids from the host, likewise protecting themselves. Pathogens may also latch onto sialic acids to help them get inside cells.

 UCSD researcher Ajit Varki, M.D., discusses the implications of the loss of the sialic acid Neu5Gc to human health.

The reason humans stopped making the sialic acid Neu5Gc, is not known for sure. Theres evidence from Varkis previous research that its related to resistance to infectious disease such as malaria.

Loss of Neu5Gc also has implications for fertility, in driving the separation of human ancestors from others; as well as for eating red meat, which may aggravate diseases such as cancer.

Because Neu5Gc is not made by the human body, the human immune system recognizes it as a foreign substance, producing antibodies against it.

This immune response may help explain why red meat consumption can be harmful, specifically in humans, Varki said.

Varki has been leading research for many years into the significance of Neu5Gc, and how the immune reaction in red meat might be reduced or eliminated.

Varki and colleagues demonstrated with mice that unnatural Neu5Gc can cause elevated cancer rates, in a 2014 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Varkis team fed Neu5Gc to two groups of mice. One naturally had Neu5Gc. The other group was genetically engineered to no longer have the molecule, thus mimicking human biology in that regard.

The specially engineered mice showed a cancer rate that was more than five times that of the other rodent group.

For further reading

Why eating red meat raises cancer risk

Selected publications: Red Meat and Disease Risk

Malaria, sexual selection led to humans, UCSD research suggests

Sexual selection by female immunity against paternal antigens can fix loss of function alleles

One sugar proves not so sweet

Ancient fossils help UCSD researchers determine date humans genetically diverged from apes

Science Playlist  On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds

bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1020
In an effort to develop deeper ties with San Diegos startup community, the University of San Diego opened a Small Business Development Center on Monday.

The center is designed to attract existing technology upstarts in the area that want to tap the universitys resources and student body to grow their young companies. USD will offer consulting services, help facilitate fundraising and provide access to faculty members at no cost to participating companies.

We want to be co-producers of new wealth, said Jaime Alonso Gomez, dean of the USD School of Business.

Advertisement

The center is a joint effort of four USD schools: School of Business; Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies; Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering; and Division of Professional and Continuing Education. The program is not designed to be an incubator of pre-launch startups, nor will the university take an equity stake in any of the participating small businesses.

Currently, the universitys Small Business Development Center consists of an on-campus office for a yet-to-be-hired director and his or her assistant, as the center is primarily designed for one-on-one interactions, Gomez said.

The Small Business Development Center at USD is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The university expects to begin accepting applications next week.

The new, campus-based center joins around 1,000 other Small Business Development Centers in the U.S. The San Diego and Imperial County network says its client companies raised $24.4 million in funding and created 268 jobs in 2016.

Business

jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1840 Twitter: @jbruin
Jason Mraz has just one concert scheduled so far this fall  and its almost in his backyard, at least figuratively speaking.

The two-time Grammy Award-winning troubadour lives in Oceanside, just 38 miles north of downtown San Diegos Spreckels Theater, where he will perform a solo acoustic show on Oct. 14. (Ticket information appears below.)

Mraz, who turned 40 on June 23, is billing his intimate concert at the 1,463-capacity Spreckels as the punctuation-free Music Candor Banter.

Advertisement

It will, according to a Monday morning announcement, feature Mraz performing and reinterpreting selections from his extensive catalog while sharing stories and surprising revelations from his career.

Or, as he put it in statement about the show: Performing is both a joy and a challenge. San Diego has been very receptive and kind to my unrated experimentation and evolution.

Mraz also announced his Spreckels concert in a Monday morning post on his website: Howdy Friends! And welcome to this first of many exciting upcoming announcements. Join me and my guitar in San Diego on Saturday, October 14 for a weird and perhaps wild night of music, comedic candor, and banter. Aptly titled Music. Candor. Banter.

He is, of course, no stranger to the Spreckels, which opened in 1912 and has hosted concerts by everyone from John Prine, Phish and Eddie Vedder to the Neville Brothers, Jack Johnson and Metallica.

Mraz filmed part of the music video for his 2002 hit song The Remedy (I Wont Worry) at the historic theater. It wasnt his only visit  he most recently performed a pair of concerts there in late 2011, accompanied by veteran percussionist Noel Toca Rivera.

His Oct. 14 concert will be the first here by Mraz since he announced that, effective Sept. 1, he was parting ways after 18 years with his longtime manager, Bill Silva, in order to oversee his own career.

Tickets for Mrazs Oct. 14 Spreckels concert are priced at are $59.50 to $79.50, plus service charges. They go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster and will be available online at ticketmaster.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000.

george.varga@sduniontribune.com

Twitter @georgevarga
With days to go before the close of the legislative session, Gov. Jerry Brown and other leading Democrats have reintroduced a plan that would expand the California power grid to five Western states but could also cede control of the vast network of transmission poles and wires.

The push to regionalize the electric grid, first proposed as part of the unsuccessful 1990s deregulation effort and withdrawn as recently as last year, was inserted into existing legislation late Friday with an amendment that would move the process forward.

Lawmakers may convene a special hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications  chaired by Sen. Ben Hueso of San Diego  as early as Monday. Hueso on Sunday declined to comment on the amendments or the possibility of a last-minute hearing.

Advertisement

The regionalization plan would affect the California Independent System Operator, or Cal-ISO, a state-controlled nonprofit. It would be be joined by utilities such as PacifiCorp, a for-profit utility based in Oregon that generates two-thirds of its electricity from coal and other less climate-friendly sources.

The plan itself is not written into the latest legislation. Instead, it would create a process to establish governance of such a regional grid  the issue that stalled the proposal last year.

The revised legislation also contains provisions that could affect so-called community choice aggregation, programs that give local elected officials the authority to decide where to purchase energy  from solar operations to wind farms to natural gas plants. San Diego has been exploring whether to set up its own energy-buying entity, and investor-owned utilities like San Diego Gas & Electric support such plans under certain conditions.

The grid-expansion plan was reintroduced by Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, chairman of the Assembly Utility and Energy Committee. The same amendments were added into two bills sponsored by Holden. They would create a commission to develop a governance model allowing states to determine what kind of electricity they want  solar, natural gas or other sources.

The question of how states would oversee the expanded grid helped table the proposal last year.

Grid operators say the expansion would save ratepayers billions of dollars in coming years. They also say it would help California market excess solar power across state lines and import cheaper wind energy from state like Wyoming.

The ISO is a leader in incorporating renewable energy into its grid, and allowing this change in the ISOs governance structure could be a step toward realizing the full economic and environmental benefits of a wider, expanded western electric system and market, much like regional transmission operators that control electricity systems in other areas across the country and world, ISO spokeswoman Anne Gonzales said Sunday.

PacifiCorp spokesman Bob Gravely said the company welcomes the new legislation but remains concerned about how the system would be managed.

We need to see a governance structure that states outside California can accept and would be willing to participate in, he said. If its going to be a regional grid, it has to be governed that way.

According to Brown spokesman Evan Westrup, This bill lays out a detailed process for establishing a final governance structure based on the work of a committee, public and stakeholder input and final review by a commission made up of regulators, the administration and legislators.

He also said, The goal of regionalizing the grid is to lower consumer costs and greenhouse gas emissions and improve electricity reliability and renewable energy development. This proposal is the product of years of discussion and input from all parties.

Consumer advocates and some former regulators say there is no guarantee against California being forced to buy power generated by fossil fuels, undermining Californias commitment to cleaner energy.

They also say it would be a mistake to give up state control over Californias transmission system. Multi-state power grids are regulated by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, whose members are appointed by the president.

I am gravely concerned that California is careening down a path to throw away all of the protections that we fought so hard to for in the aftermath of the energy crisis, said Loretta Lynch, a San Francisco attorney and former president of the California Public Utilities Commission.

Once theyre gone, there is no getting those protections back, she said. If I am wrong and this is a good proposal, it will keep until next year.

Critics of the grid-expansion plan floated last year said its governance structure would have been dominated by the private sector. The new plan calls for a commission that would be charged with developing a new governance model satisfactory to all stakeholders.

The recommendations are required to be completed by the end of 2018.

Cal-ISO manages about 80 percent of the state power grid. The rest is operated by public utilities like the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District and the Imperial Irrigation District.

Kevin Kelley of the Imperial Irrigation District said Sunday that he expected the grid expansion effort would find its way back into legislation this year.

Weve heard a great deal about the benefits to California, he said. I really want to know what the state is giving up in terms of its independence, its leadership on climate change and its vaunted position as a pioneer in renewable energy.

The regionalized grid was first proposed as part of the 1996 California energy deregulation effort. It was shelved after electricity costs across the soared under the new legislation.

The debacle helped drive then-Gov. Gray Davis out of office in an historic 2003 recall election.

The plan resurfaced in 2015, when lawmakers passed a bill requiring Cal-ISO to study the proposal. Published last year, the review found the change would save energy consumers billions of dollars.

Critics of the plan questioned many of the assumptions in the study, and the ongoing concerns over who would manage the system led to the matter being tabled last August.

In a letter to lawmakers, Brown said more time was needed to better evaluate the regionalization plan.

While very significant progress has been made  there remain some important unresolved questions that would be difficult to answer in the remainder of this legislative session, the governor wrote at the time.

The newly amended legislation may be considered at a hearing of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee as soon as Monday.

Committee chairman Hueso, D-San Diego, declined through a spokeswoman to comment on the amendments or the manner in which they were introduced.

We are still reviewing the bill but will be happy to provide comments and/or a statement once we have had a chance to fully digest the proposal, spokeswoman Erin Hickey said in an email Sunday.

Under rules approved by voters last year, all bills have to be published for 72 hours before they can be adopted. The three-day clock started Saturday, when the language was posted online.

The amendments could be passed by the Senate as soon as Tuesday and forwarded to the Assembly for consideration later this week. The 2017 legislative session ends Friday.

Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35

jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald
Crews from the company Clean Harbors began power-washing sidewalks and street areas with a bleach and chlorine solution in downtown San Diego on Monday as part of an effort to stop the spread of hepatitis A among homeless people.

The area cleaned Monday included sidewalks around 17th Street and Imperial Avenue, where hundreds of homeless congregate and live in tents and other shelters along city streets. The cleanings will continue in other downtown areas on Wednesday and Friday and repeat every other week.

A hepatitis A outbreak has left 15 homeless people dead and hospitalized nearly 300 others over the past 10 months. A lack of adequate access to restrooms, showers and hand-washing stations is believed to have contributed to the spread.

Advertisement

Besides starting the washing program Monday, the city announced it was extending the hours of 14 restrooms in Balboa Park, which will be open 24 hours a day starting Tuesday.

By disinfecting our sidewalks and making additional public restrooms available 24/7, were following the direction of County health officials to address the unsanitary conditions that have helped fuel this outbreak, said Craig Gustafson, senior director of communications for Mayor Kevin Faulconer. Were taking swift action to eradicate this virus from our streets and keep our most vulnerable residents safe.

On Friday, Gustafson said Faulconer expected to announce this week a plan to set up multiple large tents to provide temporary, immediate shelter relief for hundreds of homeless people. Those tents will be equipped with restrooms, hand-washing stations and showers, he said.

The sidewalk washings and extended restroom hours this week were in response to a letter sent by county health official Aug. 31 asking the city to move forward with a list of specific sanitation actions to help control the spread of hepatitis A.

The county gave the city five business days to respond with the plan for remedying what it called a fecally contaminated environment downtown.

On Monday, county Communications Director Michael Workman said health officials still were evaluating the citys response to the request.

The county also has taken steps to address the outbreak and plans to expand its efforts to other cities in the region soon.

County health officials already have provided hepatitis vaccinations to 19,000 people, including 7,300 considered to be at-risk of contracting the disease. The county also hired its own contractor to install 40 hand-washing stations in areas where the homeless often gather, and it has plans to install more this week.

The city has identified three downtown areas to be cleaned every other week. Mondays areas included the sidewalks along Imperial Avenue below the Interstate 5 overpass, where the city had installed jagged rocks in an attempt to deter homeless people from camping in April 2016. Homeless people still used the site, prompting a need to wash the area.

The Monday cleaning area also includes streets north of National Avenue, south of F Street, west of 22nd Street and east of 10th Avenue. It also includes several blocks north of F Street and south of B Street between 10th Avenue and 17th Street.

On Wednesdays, crews will move west and clean streets north of Broadway, south of Fir Street, west of 10th Avenue and east of Pacific Highway.

On Fridays, crews will clean streets north of Harbor Drive, south of Broadway, west of 10th Avenue and east of Pacific Highway.
An Amber Alert was lifted Sunday for three boys from Albuquerque, New Mexico who had traveled to California with their mother.

Laria Walker-Anderson and her three sons, all under the age of 10, walked into the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department office in Lancaster late Sunday, a La Verne Police Department spokesman said.

The Amber Alert had been issued in five Southern California counties after the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office in New Mexico reported Walker-Anderson had made threats she would harm herself and her boys in a phone conversation with the boys father.

Advertisement

RELATED

Amber Alert: Three young missing New Mexico boys may be headed to SoCal

The Amber Alert was extended to California because Walker-Anderson had family in the Los Angeles area. Her car was found in La Verne at an apartment complex Sunday evening.

Walker-Anderson and her sons were medically cleared and the boys were taken into temporary protective custody, Bernalillo County Sheriffs Detective Kyle Hartsock said. Right now there are not charges on anyone, he said.

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com
San Diego police said a 79-year-old woman was robbed by two men who broke into her apartment in the Redwood Village neighborhood early Monday morning.

The victim told police she found the pair in her home on Ascot Street near 58th Street shortly after 2:05 a.m.

One of the men held the victim down on the couch while the other stole her purse out of a bedroom, said San Diego police Officer Billy Hernandez.

Advertisement

Detectives later found a ladder propped up against a wall of the apartment near a bathroom window that had a torn screen.

The victim was taken to the hospital to be examined. She told police the intruders were wearing dark clothing and hoodies, and one of them had his face covered.

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com
A City Heights resident stabbed an intruder in the stomach late Saturday night, then ran out of his home with the wounded intruder chasing after him.

Police arrived and caught the 23-year-old intruder, who was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was treated and then arrested, San Diego police Officer Robert Heims said.

The officer said a couple was at the home on Dwight Street near 46th Street when they heard a man pounding on the front door about 11:15 p.m. The man outside broke a window, reached in and opened the door, then went inside and confronted the residents.

Advertisement

At that point, the resident stabbed the intruder and then ran outside. The intruder gave chase until police arrived and arrested the wounded man.

San Diego police detectives are investigating the incident.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
A 13-year-old boy was critically injured when he was hit by an SUV at an intersection in Logan Heights Monday morning, San Diego police said.

The boy walking north on 32nd Street at Ocean View Boulevard shortly before 7 a.m. when he was struck by a red Buick SUV going east on Ocean View, police said.

The boy was knocked unconscious and suffered injuries that were life-threatening, police Officer Dino Delimitros said. He was taken to Rady Childrens Hospital.

Advertisement

The driver of the Buick, a 25-year-old man, stopped and talked with traffic investigators, Officer Billy Hernandez said.

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com
San Diego police are investigating after a toddler was taken to a hospital Sunday after reportedly ingesting marijuana at the childs Otay Mesa home.

Hospital officials reached out to police shortly before 5:30 p.m., said Officer John Buttle. The parents had brought the 18-month-old in for treatment after the indicent, at the familys residence on Beyer Way west of Picador Boulevard.

Buttle did not know the childs condition.

Advertisement

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

(760) 529-4945

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Regarding Report: San Diego Unified graduation rate tops 80% (Sept. 6): Your article on the high school graduation rate obfuscates what is an unmitigated disaster. The policy omits many students from its calculation and allows D grades for passing.

The school-to-prison pipeline continues. The article misses the more significant point. Why is the school board attempting to force all students through University of California entrance requirements? Nationally, only 30 percent of high school students graduate from college. Urban districts like San Diego have far fewer college graduates. This elitist curriculum is inappropriate for the supermajority of students.

Implementing this elitist curriculum largely eliminates the curriculum most students actually need. More than 70 percent of the students need career technical education, nutrition and consumer math. The community must step up to make it clear that the board is wrong in its policy on graduation requirements.

Advertisement

James C. Wilson

San Diego

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
Six years ago next month, Gov. Jerry Brown launched a new era in California education. In his veto of a bill involving standardized testing and student evaluations, Brown denounced the siren song of data-driven school reform. Lost in the bills turgid mandates is any recognition that quality is fundamentally different from quantity, he wrote.

The governor argued that bottom-up education reform would work better than top-down reform driven by test score results. He followed this up in 2013 by shepherding to passage the Local Control Funding Formula, a law that removed many state education mandates and freed up local districts to focus on what they saw as their priorities. It also changed funding rules to devote more resources to districts based on how many English-language learners, foster children and students from poor families they had. Since then, the primary focus on how the law is working out has focused on allegations made by the ACLU and civil rights groups that the extra resources going to districts were diverted to use for teacher raises or general needs.

But now theres a new report out by Canadian education scholars on the California laws local control provisions. Michael Fullan and Santiago Rincon-Gallardo, who have consulted for years with state officials on education policy and share Browns doubts about traditional education reform, offer a mixed evaluation. While they praise the laws intentions, their list of concerns is long. It includes:

Advertisement

--There was an across-the-board view at the district level that there was only a very weak link between the key actions taken by state and county education officials and improved teaching and learning in the classroom.

--The laws requirement that every district develop a Local Control Accountability Plan had turned into a time-consuming exercise in many districts and was seen in some as a chore  We develop the plan to check the box to get the money  not as a true attempt to develop accountability standards.

--The law seriously underestimated the ability of local districts to formulate and implement significant reforms. The number of districts that need fundamental help is much more massive than initially assumed, one researcher told the authors.

--The law presumed that the Offices of Education in each of Californias 58 counties could be counted on to provide crucial help to districts. But some educators interviewed for this report suggested as few as six county offices could handle the role.

Fullan and Rincon-Gallardo remain optimistic that the local control law can live up to what they see as its strong promise. But the picture they paint of how local officials have responded to their new autonomy is dispiriting. They see the law as something to be complied with, not be inspired by.

It is just this sort of local lethargy that led to top-down education reform. Perhaps it is the governor, not Americas school reform movement, who has been seduced by a siren song. Yes, having local control of schools sounds good and looks good on paper. But four years into Californias experiment, there is little evidence that it is actually good policy.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/11/2017 -- The ceramic and porcelain tiles, bathroom materials, and furniture and accessories market in Morocco is primarily dependent on the presence of unorganized regional players and a handful of key international players, such as Roca, RAK Ceramics, NG Kutahya Seramik, PORCELANOSA, and Marazzi. Transparency Market Research has observed that a few regional companies with a significant presence have established a strong and loyal customer base in various cities across Morocco. This has intensified the degree of competition with other local players as well as with international companies supplying imported tiles and other bathroom materials.



Browse Market Research Report: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/morocco-ceramic-porcelain-tiles-market.html



The ceramic and porcelain tiles, bathroom materials, and furniture and accessories market in Morocco is expected to rise from a valuation of US$1.5 bn in 2015 to US$2.7 bn by 2024.



Casablanca and Tangier to Present Promising Scope for Growth in Morocco



Full-body porcelain tiles led the ceramic and porcelain tiles market in Morocco, accounting for a 34.6% share in 2015. The segment is also projected to witness strong growth over the coming years. Registering a 7.3% CAGR from 2016 to 2024, glazed porcelain is likely to emerge as the most attractive investment option for the market. Thin tiles are a relatively newer generation of ceramic and porcelain tiles and the segment is expected to be highly lucrative in the near future.



Within the bathroom materials market in Morocco, ceramic led the market for floor as well as wall materials. On the other hand, porcelain was the most rapidly expanding segment in both cases. The bathroom furniture and accessories market is dominated by the bath and sanitary ware segment and faucets are anticipated to register a high growth rate during the forecast period.



Get TOC of this Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/15155



Casablanca led the ceramic and porcelain tiles, bathroom materials, and furniture and accessories market in Morocco, accounting for a share of more than 30% in 2015. Tangier, on the other hand, is projected to be the most lucrative market, exhibiting a CAGR of over 6% from 2016 to 2024.



Government of Morocco Plays Key Role in Boosting Market



Morocco has gained much popularity as a tourist destination in the recent past, with an estimated 9.8 mn tourists in 2011 alone. "A surge in the inflow of tourists translates into a rise in the construction of hotels, thereby driving the demand for ceramic and porcelain tiles, bathroom materials, and furniture and accessories," the TMR analyst states.



Further supporting the building and construction sector is the Government of Morocco, with its efforts in undertaking new construction projects under its housing scheme. The promise to construct 150,000 social housing units by 2020 and the rise in the renovation of old properties is anticipated to boost the market for ceramic and porcelain tiles, bathroom materials, and furniture and accessories in Morocco.



Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Ceramic and Porcelain Tiles market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=15155



Availability of Substitutes Hampering Demand for Ceramic and Porcelain Tiles



There are several factors that are going against the Morocco ceramic and porcelain tiles, bathroom materials, and furniture and accessories market, the key one being the availability of substitutes. "On the one hand, porcelain and ceramic tiles are higher priced compared to tiles made of cement and terracotta, or even zellige tiles," the author of the study points out. "Moreover, the benefits offered by cement tiles, for instance, are many, including water resistance, durability, and environment-friendliness." This drives consumers to opt for the substitute rather than porcelain and ceramic tiles.



Another factor acting as a deterrent is the fact that construction activities in Morocco are limited to just a few major cities. Marrakech, Casablanca, Tangier, and Agadir are among the cities that have been reporting a rise in construction projects. This is likely to restrict the demand for ceramic and porcelain tiles, bathroom materials, and furniture and accessories in the rest of the country.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/11/2017 -- The methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) market in Asia Pacific is presently dominated by key players in China. These include Sinopec Corporation, PetroChina Company Limited, Shandong Yuhuang Chemical (Group) Co., Ltd., Zibo Qixiang Petrochemical Group Ltd., and Heilongjiang Anruijia Petrochemical Co., Ltd.



Browse Market Research Report: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/asia-pacific-methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether-market.html



Transparency Market Research has noted that China, one of the largest producers as well as consumers of MTBE in the world, has been primarily focused on business and production expansions in order to retain its lead in the APAC market. For instance, Wanhua Chemical Group Co. Ltd.'s MTBE plant in Shangdong and Huntsman Corp. and Sinopec Jinling's plant in Nanjing are two promising ventures to look forward to in 2016.



Other leading companies in the APAC methyl tertiary-butyl ether market include Evonik Industries AG, PETRONAS, LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V., and Reliance Industries Limited.



The MTBE market in Asia Pacific was valued at US$6.7 bn in 2015 and is anticipated to reach US$10.9 bn by 2026, expanding at a CAGR of 4.6% therein.



China's 81.9% Share in APAC MTBE Market a Key Growth Booster



The gasoline additive segment of the MTBE market accounted for a whopping 93.11% share in the APAC market in 2015, emerging as the clear leader. An increase in the demand for gasoline additives in ASEAN countries and China is expected to propel the demand for methyl tertiary-butyl ether in this segment. Gasoline additives is also projected to register significant growth over the course of the forecast period, exhibiting a CAGR of over 4.0% in terms of both revenue and volume.



Get TOC of this Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/15956



Accounting for an 81.9% share in the APAC MTBE market in 2015, China is forecast to continue its dominance through 2024, presenting lucrative investment opportunities to market players. Registering a 4.7% CAGR during the forecast period, China is also projected to exhibit the fastest growth in the methyl tertiary-butyl ether in Asia Pacific.



The ASEAN sub-region is also likely to present a rather lucrative scenario, owing to a rise in the demand for gasoline additives.



ASEAN Automotive Sector Driving Demand for Gasoline Additives



A key factor driving gasoline blending across the Asia Pacific region, and therefore the MTBE market, is the declining prices of raw material as well as final products. This can be primarily attributed to China.



"China is one of the major methanol producers in the world and the country is likely to account for nearly 50% of the global methanol production in the next few years," the author of the study finds. The total methanol production in China is estimated to reach nearly 51 million tons in 2016, a trend that will potentially check the prices of downstream products, including MTBE, in the near future.



Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=15956



Another factor boosting the market for methyl tertiary-butyl ether is a rise in the demand for gasoline additives, particularly in ASEAN.



"The automotive industry in the ASEAN sub-region has been witnessing an upward trend in the last few years, with the number of total vehicles in major countries rising from around 130 million in 2015 to 200 million by 2025," the lead analyst states. The significant growth of the automotive sector is likely to propel the demand for gasoline additives, thereby supporting the MTBE market during the forecast period.



In contrast, the availability of a wide range of petroleum-based and non-petroleum-based substitutes and the hazardous environmental effects of methyl tertiary-butyl ether pose significant challenges to the MTBE market in Asia Pacific.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/11/2017 -- A recent report "Attitudes to Advertising - Ireland - August 2017" has been added to Market Research Hub's database. The report offers insights on the overall sentiment towards advertising in Ireland, providing an estimate on the advertising revenues in NI and RoI.



Request Free Sample Report : http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1312633



Advertising is the best way to communicate to the customers and we all know what it means to the companies to increase their reach to the target customers. In the Republic of Ireland, 2016 had been the third consecutive year of growth in advertising investment levels. However, this increase in 2016 was less than the actual market forecasts due to uncertainty in relation to Brexit, Trump and domestic issues.



Northern Ireland had a huge impact, with ad spend down by 0.3% for the year. Despite the concerns, it is anticipated that overall advertising investment in 2017 will be in line with economic growth. The report throws light on how social media platforms remain a key and most effective online advertising channel. Majority of advertisers use social media and invest heavily to target the right audience and increase traffic to their websites. Advertisers believe social media gives immense exposure to their businesses in increasing brand awareness, higher conversion rates and more customer satisfaction.



As per the report, television has been the most effective offline channel in 2016. TV advertising is one of the most popular ways of setting up a mass communication nationally and internationally. TV advertisements can tap very large audience, generate awareness and establish preferences towards products and services. Television advertising allows advertisers the flexibility to use different resources and combinations of audio, video and text to make ads create powerful impact on audiences thereby becoming most preferred channel among for advertisers in offline category.



Due to growing popularity of online channels, newspaper ad revenue continued to decline in 2016. The revenue was not as per the forecasts that were made at the beginning of the year. Owing to this, many newspapers have not started to focus on websites rather than print.



Browse Full Report with TOC - http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/attitudes-to-advertising-ireland-august-2017-report.html



The report also provides details on top five social media networks that consumers log on to regularly (i.e. log on at least once per week), in NI and RoI, April 2017. It provides a detailed comparison between the reach of Facebook audience versus ONS population estimates.



As more companies opt for advertisements online, there is an increase in users that block the ads. The report focuses on how usage of Ad-block software continues to increase no matter how hard tech giants like Facebook and Google try to outsmart it. There is an increase in percentage of Internet users opting for Ad-blockers in 2016 to avoid being tapped by digital advertisements while they surf.



The report also touches upon the top concerns for marketers regarding the General Protection Regulation. The report also offers analysis on the competitive strategies of key players in the market. Overall, the report is a detailed source of information for stakeholders in the Ireland advertising sector.



Enquire about this Report - http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=enquiry&repid=1312633



About Market Research Hub

Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRH's expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.



MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.



Contact Us

90 State Street,

Albany, NY 12207,

United States

Toll Free : 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)

Email : press@marketresearchhub.com

Website : http://www.marketresearchhub.com/

Read Industry News at - https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/
X-rays emitted by a Sun-like star may provide valuable information about whether its planetary system will be hospitable to life, a new study suggests. Queens University Belfast astronomer Rachel Booth and co-authors looked at 24 stars similar to the Sun, each at least one billion years old, and how their X-ray brightness changed over time.

The X-ray emission from a star comes from a thin, hot, outer layer, called the corona.

From studies of Suns X-ray emission, solar astronomers have determined that the corona is heated by processes related to the interplay of turbulent motions and magnetic fields in the outer layers of a star.

High levels of magnetic activity can produce bright X-rays and UV light from stellar flares. Strong magnetic activity can also generate powerful eruptions of material from the stars surface. Such energetic radiation and eruptions can impact planets and could damage or destroy their atmospheres.

Since stellar X-rays mirror magnetic activity, X-ray observations can tell scientists about the high-energy environment around the star.

Booth and her colleagues from Queens University Belfast, Aarhus University and the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) used data from NASAs Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESAs XMM-Newton to see how the X-ray brightness of stars similar to the Sun behaves over time.

Specifically, they examined 24 stars (including 16 Cyg A&B, 40 Eri A&B, Gliese 176, Gliese 191, Proxima Centauri and Alpha Centauri B) that have masses similar to the Sun or less, and ages of a billion years or older.

The rapid observed decline in X-ray brightness implies a rapid decline in energetic activity, which may provide a hospitable environment for the formation and evolution of life on any orbiting planets.

This is good news for the future habitability of planets orbiting Sun-like stars, because the amount of harmful X-rays and UV radiation striking these worlds from stellar flares would be less than we used to think, Booth said.

This result is different from other recent work on Sun-like and lower mass stars with ages less than a billion years. The new work shows that older stars drop in activity far more quickly than their younger counterparts.

Weve heard a lot about the volatility of stars less massive than the Sun, like TRAPPIST-1 and Proxima Centauri, and how thats bad for life-supporting atmospheres on their planets, said co-author Dr. Katja Poppenhaeger, from CfA and Queens University Belfast.

Astronomers have observed that most stars are very magnetically active when they are young, since the stars are rapidly rotating. As the rotating star loses energy over time, the star spins more slowly and the magnetic activity level, along with the associated X-ray emission, drops.

Were not exactly sure why older stars settle down relatively quickly. However, we know its led to the successful formation of life in at least one case  around our own Sun, said co-author Dr. Chris Watson, also from Queens University Belfast.

One possibility is that the decrease in rate of spin of the older stars occurs more quickly than it does for the younger stars.

Another possibility is that the X-ray brightness declines more quickly with time for older, more slowly rotating stars than it does for younger stars.

The study is published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (arXiv.org preprint).

_____

R.S. Booth et al. 2017. An improved ageactivity relationship for cool stars older than a gigayear. MNRAS 471 (1): 1012-1025; doi: 10.1093/mnras/stx1630
Using sophisticated statistical models to analyze the responses of people to emotionally evocative short videos, University of California, Berkeley researchers identified 27 states of emotion and created an interactive map to show how theyre connected.

For the study, a demographically diverse group of 853 men and women went online to view a random sampling of silent 5- to-10-second videos intended to evoke a broad range of emotions.

Themes from the 2,185 video clips included births and babies, weddings and proposals, death and suffering, spiders and snakes, physical pratfalls and risky stunts, sexual acts, natural disasters, wondrous nature and awkward handshakes.

Three separate groups of study participants watched sequences of videos, and, after viewing each clip, completed a reporting task.

The first group freely reported their emotional responses to each of 30 video clips.

The second group ranked each video according to how strongly it made them feel admiration, adoration, aesthetic appreciation, amusement, anger, anxiety, awe, awkwardness, boredom, calmness, confusion, contempt, craving, disappointment, disgust, empathic pain, entrancement, envy, excitement, fear, guilt, horror, interest, joy, nostalgia, pride, relief, romance, sadness, satisfaction, sexual desire, surprise, sympathy and triumph.

The authors found that participants converged on similar responses, with more than half of the viewers reporting the same category of emotion for each video.

The final cohort rated their emotional responses on a scale of 1 to 9 to each of a dozen videos based on such dichotomies as positive versus negative, excitement versus calmness, and dominance versus submissiveness.

The scientists were able to predict how participants would score the videos based on how previous participants had assessed the emotions the videos elicited.

Overall, the results showed that study participants generally shared the same or similar emotional responses to each of the videos, providing a wealth of data that allowed researchers to identify 27 distinct categories of emotion.

We found that 27 distinct dimensions, not six (happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear and disgust), were necessary to account for the way hundreds of people reliably reported feeling in response to each video, said UC Berkeley Professor Dacher Keltner, senior author of the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Moreover, in contrast to the notion that each emotional state is an island, we found that there are smooth gradients of emotion between, say, awe and peacefulness, horror and sadness, and amusement and adoration.

Through statistical modeling and visualization techniques, Professor Keltner and Alan Cowen, a doctoral student at UC Berkeley, also organized the emotional responses to each video into a semantic atlas of human emotions.

On the map, each of the 27 distinct categories of emotion corresponds to a particular color.

We dont get finite clusters of emotions in the map because everything is interconnected. Emotional experiences are so much richer and more nuanced than previously thought, Cowen explained.

Our hope is that our findings will help other scientists and engineers more precisely capture the emotional states that underlie moods, brain activity and expressive signals, leading to improved psychiatric treatments, an understanding of the brain basis of emotion and technology responsive to our emotional needs, he said.

_____

Alan S. Cowen & Dacher Keltner. Self-report captures 27 distinct categories of emotion bridged by continuous gradients. PNAS, published online September 5, 2017; doi: 10.1073/pnas.1702247114
HARTSVILLE, S.C. - For the first time in the history of the South Carolina Governors School for Science and Mathematics, a former student returned to present the keynote address for its Convocation ceremony. The program was held Thursday at Center Theater with juniors and seniors, their families and friends and faculty and staff in attendance. Academic letters were also presented during this time.

Carl Garris, GSSM Class of 2013 and native of Chapin, delivered the convocation address.

Six years ago, I was sitting where you are now, he told the students assembled in the theater. There are many things I wish I had known then. If only I had known that early is on time at the Governors School, on time is late, and late is simply unacceptable.

He said when he attended his own Convocation at GSSM in 2011 he hardly had any inkling of what was to come.

I was excited, intimidated, even felt like an impostor surrounded suddenly by such brilliant peers, he said. I remember how arcane and elegant the teachers' regalia seemed as they entered to a triumphant march.

He said wearing his own trappings on Thursday felt less elegant than they might expect, and was hot.

Garris, who majored in Medieval Studies at the University of South Carolina Honors College, credited GSSM for showing him the connection between science and history

I'm a bit of a black sheep, the historian spawned from the Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, he said. That's how I viewed myself on graduating and heading off to the University of South Carolina as a history major.

He said his teachers at GSSM could have tried to persuade him to go in another direction, but they didnt. He said they embraced it and guided him down his chosen path and enlightened him on the many possibilities.

As you embark on your GSSM journey, I want each and every one of you to keep your eyes open and your horizons broad, he said. Don't feel limited to your favorite subject--branch out, from physics to chemistry, English to computer science, mathematics to history.

He said he may be an historian, but he still considers himself a scientist.

We are all scientists, because we all pursue knowledge, he said. And as we are all Govies, our passion for it is without limits. You have a wondrous opportunity before you. GSSM is filled with brilliant scholars who will lead you down the paths of knowledge, each of you to your own unique destination.

He urged the students as they begin this school year to step outside their comfort zones and to think outside the box.

To all of you Govies, juniors and seniors, buckle up; you're in for a wild but wondrous ride, he said. Take courses beyond your comfort zone while at GSSM. Take advantage of the myriad of classes available to you.

His advice for the juniors was to be creative in exploring topics for their research projects, for the seniors to be adventuresome, especially when it comes time to apply for college.

He ended by saying, I expect great things from all of you.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Hector E. Flores, president of GSSM, said last year was his first Convocation at the school and this year he said he stands before the students, the faculty and staff and the community with gratitude for allowing him to represent the school, with joy and for the many days filled with great satisfaction.

I look forward to this coming year, he said. Go Eagles.
Suddenly, in Washington deal-making is busting out all over, most significantly between President Donald Trump and his new BFPNFs  Best Friends, Probably Not Forever  in Democratic leadership.

Suddenly, in President Trump's telling, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi are jolly "Chuck" from Brooklyn and "Nancy" from San Francisco, not "clown" and "incompetent," their earlier tags in Trumpspeak.

Suddenly, Trump was on his phone Thursday morning, calling the two Democratic leaders to gush about the televised news reactions to the fiscal deal he reached with Chuck and Nancy, much to the consternation of Trump's Republican allies who were blindsided by the deal.

"The press has been incredible," Trump told Pelosi, according to an unnamed source quoted by the New York Times. Even Fox News was positive, Trump gushed to Schumer, according to the Times.

That sounds like our reality TV president. For all the rhetorical shots he takes at "lying media" and "dishonest press," the former host of "The Apprentice" still yearns for favorable reviews.

Later in the day, Trump was spreading his joy on TV himself, vowing to cut more deals in a bipartisan way, harvesting votes on the Democratic side when he can't get a win from the Grand Old Party's votes alone.

Suddenly, a day after announcing he would rescind President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which shields from deportation undocumented immigrants who came to this country as minors, Trump was hinting at more deals. He could work to turn DACA into permanent law in exchange for something Trump wants  like, perhaps, Democratic support for his proposed "beautiful wall" on the Mexican border.

"Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do)," Trump tweeted. "If they can't, I will revisit this issue!"

And, suddenly, while many people wondered what that "revisit" will mean, Trump basked in admiration of his statesmanlike pose. Still, Pelosi urged Trump to tweet reassurance to the nearly 800,000 young undocumented immigrants who received work permits and other protections under DACA.

And Trump did. "For all of those (DACA) that are concerned about your status during the 6 month period," he tweeted early Thursday, "you have nothing to worry about  No action!"

Good. Considering Trump's past flip-flops on this issue, among others, it was smart of Pelosi to get this promise in writing.

But as much as I dislike adding to the anxiety already being felt by those who currently have DACA protection, experience tells us that when Donald Trump says "you have nothing to worry about," maybe you do.

Four years ago, as Trump was beginning to flirt with a presidential run, he met in Trump Tower with a delegation of a half-dozen DACA recipients, who often refer to themselves as "Dreamers." Afterward, he happily declared, "You convinced me."

But when Trump launched his campaign two years later, he slimed Mexicans and other immigrants as mostly "rapists" and "killers," and promised a get-tough immigration agenda, including an immediate end to the DACA policy that he incorrectly called "amnesty."

But after his election, Trump softened his rhetoric, after ramping up immigration enforcement efforts by executive order. Those covered by DACA could "rest easy," he said, because they weren't targets for deportation under his policy.

Yet, contrary to his promise that his crackdown would focus on "criminals" and "bad hombres," U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed in May that the biggest spike in immigration arrests has actually been those with no criminal records. Sad hombres, maybe, but not that bad.

Yet, sadly and significantly, a Texas DACA-protected immigrant named Alonso Guillen drowned in the Houston area where he was trying to help rescue victims of Hurricane Harvey. He quickly became a national symbol of the so-called Dreamers. They have been well-vetted by the government after turning over all of their personal information for scrutiny. Now, if there's a roundup of Dreamers, they'll be just that much more easy to track down.

That would be a double tragedy. The young people who could lose their DACA protection tend to be the sort of honest, ambitious, hard-working and outstanding students, soldiers and workers who have helped make this country great long before Trump turned that into a slogan.

He should help them to help America be even greater. Even a Trump skeptic like me will give him good reviews for that  and I just put that in writing.

Email Clarence Page at cpage@chicagotribune.com.
Distribution of fuel has been a huge concern Floridas population has grown dramatically in recent years, with many residents living at, or nearby to the coastline.

Evacuations of several million people - mainly by vehicle and some by airplane- have proven to be a logistical nightmare as the storm was first thought to be hugging Floridas eastern side (Miami, Port Everglades, Palm Beach, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville) before computer models had it striking the western coast (Tampa Bay).

The state, without refineries and without pipelines for taking products (mainly motor gasoline and jet fuel), is heavily dependent on tanker transportation - on deepsea vessels, or barges with capacities equivalent to handysize tankers. Tampa and Port Everglades are distribution hubs for both gasoline and aviation fuels.

In normal times, much of the distribution would be on Jones Act tonnage, however, fleet dislocations are rampant because of the previous hurricane Harvey, and storm-dodging routings.

With these dislocations in mind and non availability of Jones Act tonnage, the Customs Border Protection (CBP) agency, a part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has issued a one-week waiver of the Jones Act, allowing tankers that are not Jones Act qualified to participate in intra-US movements of petroleum products. The intent is to make fuel available as evacuees return home, and responders clear up and rebuild in Florida post storm.

The language from the DHS memo is explicit on the rationale for the waiver: This waiver will ensure that over the next week, all options are available to distribute fuel to states and territories impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, both historic storms. The waiver will be in effect for seven days after signature and is specifically tailored to transportation of refined products in hurricane-affected areas.

In Florida, ports have been making preparations to shut down ahead of the storm. Under US Coast Guard rules, ports move to Condition Zulu - a full shutdown of the port 12 hours in advance of a period of Gale force winds sustained winds of Force 7 or more.

By Saturday evening, 9 September with the storm expected to reach Florida the next morning, Miami and Port Everglades and Port Canaveral had shut down, Palm Beach was about to, as was Jacksonville. On Floridas Gulf Coast, Tampa Bay, Port Manatee to the south and Port St. Pete had all closed in advance of the coming storm. The ports at Panama City and Pensacola, in Floridas Panhandle were still open, with the USCG watching Irmas movement very closely.
The Hong Kong-based container ports specialist said in a stock market announcement that the deal involves first the acquisition of Shanghai International Port Group's (SIPG) 25% stake in the terminal by APM Terminals, which will then sell its own 51% stake plus SIPG stake to its unit Cosco Shipping Ports Development.

Cosco Shipping Ports noted that Port of Zeebrugge is a natural deep-water harbour which can accept mega-vessels, and the second largest port in Belgium as as being well-located within key ports in Europe such as Hamburg, Le Havre and UK ports. In addition, it is also a transportation hub and has a good network of road and rail connections throughout Continental Europe and to other ports in Northwest, Central and Eastern Europe.

The deal will see Zeebrugge Terminal becoming the first terminal in Northwest Europe in which Cosco Shipping Ports holds a controlling stake. and will help establish a major hub ports and global strategic focal point.

Explaining the rationale for the move the company: said: "The board believes that, holding a controlling stake in APMTZ aligns with the companys stated strategy of developing a comprehensive and well-balanced global terminals network and strengthening control and management of the terminals, and also allows the company to effectively track the future routes development of Cosco Shipping Lines, a fellow subsidiary of the company, in Northwest Europe, uncover new growth prospects, maximise the synergies with the container fleet of Cosco Shipping and the Ocean Alliance and provide high quality and efficient services to shipping companies."
Singapore-based ASL Marine informed that the fire broke out onboard a tanker that was being repaired at one of its dry docks last Thursday.

Initial investigations suggest that the fire started inside and was confined to the pump room. Whilst this may restrict damage and deaths, nevertheless five people died and one person is injured; they were employees of our subcontractor. Initial investigations suggest that there was no explosion, ASL Marine stated.

The company said investigation will continue until the cause is established. Work on the vessel has been suspended.

As a matter of priority, we will be working diligently together with our subcontractor to help the affected workers and their families and are rendering the necessary assistance to them, ASL Marine said.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

For a few hours Sunday morning, Oakland residents forgot about the hurricane hurtling across Florida, the wildfires scorching the state and the national politics that consume conversation.

Instead, they spent those blissful hours in a more celebratory mood, waving rainbow flags for the annual Oakland Pride. Thousands of people flooded the citys main roadways for a parade, marching from Oakland City Hall to a festival at Broadway and 20th Street.

Women braided rainbow feathers into their long hair, and children wore rainbow flags draped over their shoulders like capes. Revelers knotted rainbow bandannas into the collars of their dogs. Even bubbles blown into the sky were rainbow and effervescent, shimmering in the warm summer air.

Along the parade path, Ryan Ku, who lives in Oakland, shepherded his 4-year-old son, Jun, and 6-year-old daughter, Charlie, across the street on their bikes. A dozen band members playing a Michael Jackson song on flutes, cymbals and trumpets paused to let them pass.

Everyone knows whats been happening across the country right now, Ku said. Oakland is a good place to be to raise a family right now in history, all things considered. We are all relieved to be somewhere lighthearted and celebrate gay rights.

The event, originally called East Bay Pride, ran from 1997 to 2004 before temporarily disbanding. It was resuscitated in 2008.

But the parade wasnt like its sister event held in San Francisco every summer, Ku said. In Oakland, there was little drinking and little talk of a political agenda. More people were in fancy dress than states of undress. Naked men were noticeably absent.

A tiny train from Childrens Fairyland drove past, followed by a school bus seemingly rainbow tie-dyed and a Kaiser Permanente float with employees dancing on the truck bed. The floats were smaller than those in San Francisco, though they blared the same music: songs from gay rights activist Lady Gaga and other synthetic and sugary pop music from artists such as Pitbull and Kesha.

Its really a lot of fun, said Oakland resident Eden Grace, who attended with her wife, Margaret, and 3-year-old daughter, Addie.

I am so glad its back, Grace said. Its a great place to take our daughter. Its much more low key than other pride festivities, and she likes getting to ride her scooter with a bunch of kids.

Warren Anderson, 63, of Sacramento drove to the Bay Area to make a weekend of it. He said hes been to all the major Pride festivities in the region, including San Francisco and Sacramento. But Oakland is his favorite.

Oakland has a lot more diversity, Anderson said. S.F. is a little more political. Theres a lot of marches intersecting the main march, people wanting different things. And Oakland has some awesome floats and music. Its a good atmosphere. I will skip San Francisco before I ever skip Oakland.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

For Marrs Geronimo, the event was a way to feel at home in his body. The Oakland 12-year-old has a small cohort of gay friends, he said. They eat lunch together at Edna Brewer Middle School and joke about being heterophobic. But being surrounded by so many like-minded people at Oakland Pride was special, he said.

Double thumbs up, he said, wearing a rainbow lei around his neck. It feels really nice knowing that our school is supportive of something bigger. It makes me feel better that these people can help make a change.

He turned back to the parade processional and cheered. A dozen people with rainbow face paint joined him.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonn
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

A long-delayed plan to illuminate some of the Tenderloins darkest blocks with bright new streetlights is on hold once again, the victim of a dispute between Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.

The utilities commission, which owns the streetlights in the 25-block Tenderloin project area, is accusing PG&E of quadrupling the connection fees it charges to tap into its power distribution grid.

The SFPUC says the utility wants to charge $107,000 for the work, a fourfold increase in the cost for this type of connection, according to letters from the commission to PG&E. The commission says it has repeatedly asked PG&E for an explanation of the increased costs but hasnt gotten an answer.

We just see that as being good stewards of ratepayers dollars, said Barbara Hale, the utilities commissions assistant general manager for power. We need to know what we are spending it on. We need to know that it is a reasonable cost. They are not giving us that information. We cant agree to costs we dont understand.

In a statement, PG&E spokeswoman Andrea Menniti said the new service fees were reached after revisiting an expired and outdated agreement that used negotiated, fixed costs. The higher charges reflect current costs and the number of crews needed to safely perform the project.

The $4.2 million streetlight improvement project, which would bring 100 new streetlights to the Tenderloin, is the culmination of a decadelong push to improve pedestrian safety in a neighborhood with a long history of open-air drug dealing, assaults and other illegal activity.

The project would replace traditional cobra head streetlights with twin teardrop poles, similar to the ones near City Hall. The 22-foot-high poles are to be installed on the north and south sides of Jones, Leavenworth, Hyde and Larkin streets between McAllister and OFarrell, and on Eddy Street between Mason and Larkin.

The utilities commission started installation work last spring, but it was halted on July 28, when it became clear that PG&E was not going to provide work crews to connect the streetlights to the power grid.

On Tuesday the utilities commission filed a protest with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, known as FERC, which is responsible for ensuring fair and open access to the distribution systems of monopoly utilities such as PG&E. The commission is asking FERC to order PG&E to provide a complete accounting of the higher charges. It also wants FERC to require PG&E to sign an unexecuted work performance agreement, which would allow the work to proceed in the Tenderloin without a signed contract.

PG&E says it is not going resume the work until the SFPUC signs the work performance agreement, which would include agreeing to the new connection rates.

Its incredibly disappointing, said Supervisor Jane Kim, whose district includes the Tenderloin. This is a project the community has been fighting for for almost a decade. Its important that it move forward.

Better street lighting and safer pedestrian conditions were community asks in the negotiations that led to the approval for a new California Pacific Medical Center on Van Ness Avenue, Kim said. About $2.5 million for the lighting project comes from grants from the medical center, while the rest comes from the city.

The community was very excited when the financing came through and the PUC began work, Kim said. To have it delayed now over something that feels petty is unfortunate.

The utilities commission and PG&E share responsibility and ownership of the citys 25,500 streetlights, with the SFPUC overseeing 60 percent and the remaining 40 percent mainly owned and operated by PG&E.

But the public agency and the investor-owned electric utility are often at odds. In the past year the SFPUC has accused PG&E of dragging its feet in bringing power to a several public places, including a homeless Navigation Center in the Mission, the Town Square in Noe Valley and the Randall Museum, the childrens natural history museum in Corona Heights.

In the case of the Tenderloin, PG&E said the company is doing everything within the regulatory parameters to move the project forward.

PG&E has spent several months collaborating with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and city leaders to ensure this project is moving forward safely and as quickly as possible, Menniti said.

Kevin Stull, who lives at the Vincent Hotel on Turk Street and works with children in the Tenderloin, said the new lighting would make him feel a lot more comfortable walking at night.

There is very little lighting from streetlights or businesses at night here, Stull said. Its makes it unwelcoming to walk down the street. A lot of people in the Tenderloin feel the same way. When its darker, its harder for police to see what kind of activity is going on. We need better lighting to help chase away all the riffraff around here.

The project is park of a larger effort to install 12,500 new streetlights around the city, replacing outdated street lamp heads with brighter, more energy-efficient light-emitting diode fixtures. The new LED streetlights would consume on average 50 percent less energy, reducing electricity costs for the city.

SFPUC spokesman Charles Sheehan said the agency is eager to resume work.

What we are saying is let that run its course but tell PG&E to start the work, Sheehan said. Delays will cost us money and cost us goodwill in the community.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Just after 6:45 a.m. on Monday, on the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, four garage doors at Fire Station No. 7 slid up.

One by one, three engines and an SUV started up, purring in the warm morning air. They inched forward, their noses poking out of the station. A dozen firefighters in uniform stood facing the street. Then, silence.

Silence for the emergency responders killed during the worst terrorist attack in the nation's history. Silence for the nearly 3,000 people, most working normal jobs and going about their normal lives when they were killed on Sept. 11, 2001. Silence for the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the crash site in Shanksville, Pa.

At 6:59 a.m., the exact moment the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York collapsed 16 years ago, the brigade stood at attention, saluting a flag as one firefighter raised it to half-staff. They rang a bell and recited the names of the 343 New York City Fire Department men and women who were killed in the line of duty.

As the sky splashed with orange and pink and the sun slowly rose, the firefighters stood at attention and saluted, their faces stoic and ashen.

Every year, the San Francisco Fire Department hosts the same memorial. It never gets any easier.

More for you Poll: Anti-Muslim sentiment grew after bin Laden death

This is an event in America, for my era and younger eras, to not forget, said Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a San Francisco Fire Department spokesman. This was an attack on our soil mostly on civilians. EMTs knowingly went into these buildings to do one thing: save lives. Thats an important thing you cant teach. You have to show it.

Noticeably absent from Monday mornings memorial were command staff. They spent the anniversary at Stations 2, 15 and 17 to honor San Francisco Battalion Chief Terry Smerdel, who collapsed and died Sunday after responding to a fire call.

When you raise your hand and say you will give up your life for another, its not just words, said Assistant SFFD Chief Tom Siragusa. Its what is expected.

As his eyes filled with tears, Siragusa added, We had a tough weekend as a department, he said, referring to the loss of Smerdel, a 26-year veteran of the department. For me, being here every year since, I have a heightened emotion to what is happening this morning.

At the Pentagon in Washington, President Trump told a crowd that no force on Earth can take away your memories, diminish your love or break your will to endure, carry on and go forward.

We can never erase the past or bring back those you lost, the president said. We can honor their sacrifice by strengthening our resolve to do whatever we must to keep our people safe.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn
The well-heeled homeowners of San Franciscos Presidio Terrace neighborhood are assembling quite the army to help them win back the private street they lost to a South Bay couple when they fell behind  way behind  on their property taxes.

To lay plans for a showdown at the Board of Supervisors thats still more than two months away, the Presidio Terrace Homeowners Association has hired a former assistant city attorney, Scott Emblidge, to run their legal operation. Another veteran of the city attorneys office, former spokesman Matt Dorsey, is teaming with a onetime chief of staff for ex-Supervisor Bevan Dufty, Boe Hayward, to work the politicians behind the scenes and push the homeowners story to the media. Both are now with Lighthouse Public Affairs.

They all have their work cut out for them in trying to persuade the board to rescind the 2015 tax auction that resulted in Michael Cheng and Tina Lam of San Jose picking up the street near the Presidio for $90,100.

Unless they can show clearly and convincingly that proper procedures were not followed, I see no reason to rescind the sale, said Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who was recently visited by the homeowners team of advocates.

Sales like this happen every day to all kinds of people and businesses, he said.

It certainly does when they fall 30 years behind on their property taxes. Thats what the owners of 35 multimillion-dollar Presidio Terrace homes managed to do when it came to paying the $14 annual bill on their small, gated private street, sidewalks and other common areas.

When the total in back taxes, penalties and interest hit $994, the city put the property on the online auction block, unbeknownst to the homeowners association. Cheng and Lam outbid several other parties.

The first the homeowners knew they had lost their street was when an intermediary for the buyers contacted them about a possible sell-back. Far from admiring the entrepreneurial spirit of the immigrant couple, the homeowners charged that they were being shaken down by a pair of out-of-town speculators and went to war.

Their main target is the city treasurer/tax collectors office, which they say sent the property tax bills for 30 years to an accountant who retired in the 1980s, then failed to tell them about the tax auction. Treasurer Jose Cisneros office counters that the bills went to the address that the homeowners association provided and that the city did nothing wrong.

The homeowners have sued to block the San Jose couple from reselling the property and are asking the supervisors to rescind the street sale  something the city has never done before. The couple would get their $90,100 back.

There was a comedy of errors, and the homeowners take the responsibility that was theirs, Dorsey said. However, he said, the city created careless circumstances that unjustly deprived the homeowners of their property.

Bottom line: The careless notification process by the treasurer/tax collectors office fell far short of the legal standard for a reasonable effort, Dorsey said.

The homeowners scored a victory Tuesday when Supervisor Mark Farrell, whose district includes Presidio Terrace, persuaded his board colleagues to hold a hearing on the tax sale.

Farrell urged the supervisors to get to the bottom of what happened and said, I want to make sure we have all the facts.

Seated at the back of the board chambers were Cheng and Lam, the streets new owners.

Cheng said he wasnt worried. I didnt hear the supervisors say anything specific about rescinding the sale, he said. I feel sure that we are on sound legal footing.

The supervisors hearing was initially set for Oct. 31 but was rescheduled for Nov. 28 to avoid a long hearing on Halloween.

So theres time for everyone to make their case. But Peskin said, My advice would be for the association to sit down with the new owners and work something out.

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
San Francisco activist, artist and DJ Anthony Torres, who was best known by his gender-nonconforming alter ego, Bubbles, was fatally shot early Saturday morning, according to his attorney and friends.

Torres, 44, was a fixture in the San Francisco club scene, regularly DJing house parties, marches and events. He was shot and killed Saturday at around 3 a.m. on the corner of Larkin and Myrtle streets in the Tenderloin, his attorney said.

The city loses a loving, special character, the type of person that makes San Francisco the great, unique place that it is, said Jim Reilly, 44, Torres attorney and friend.

The San Francisco medical examiner confirmed Sunday that Torres had died but could not provide details on the cause of death or location.

A preliminary report from San Francisco police said a 30-year-old female was shot around 2:50 a.m. near Larkin and Myrtle streets and pronounced dead at a hospital. A police spokesman could not confirm the identify of the victim or say why the age and sex did not fit with Torres, but said it was the citys only homicide over the weekend.

Torres came up with the idea for Bubbles more than two decades ago, not long after relocating to San Francisco from Phoenix. According to a Facebook post by one of Torres friends, Bubbles signature style included blond wigs, slinky dresses and oversize sunglasses.

In San Francisco you can get away with doing this. Its an escape from every mundane day, and San Francisco allows me to do that, Torres told The Chronicle in 2012, in a profile for The City Exposed feature. Bubbles is like a toy, in a way.

In the same interview, Torres described himself as a fairly quiet, reserved person and said Bubbles brought out the entertainer in him.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Longtime friend Traci Huston said Torres found his family in San Francisco but was planning a new chapter in life  possibly even a move out of the country.

He was a gay man who loved being the personality Bubbles, Huston said in an email. He started out looking for love, settled for fame.

No suspect information was available, and preliminary information did not indicate the homicide was a hate crime, police said. No further details about the shooting were immediately available Sunday.

Joaquin Palomino is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoaquinPalomino
If youre planning to attend the San Francisco Symphonys opening gala concert this week, be sure to take note of the second stand of violins, where Mark Volkert, the orchestras longtime assistant concertmaster, will be playing.

From one perspective, Volkerts appearance on the stage of Davies Symphony Hall isnt that newsworthy  after all, hes been a stalwart presence since joining the Symphonys ranks in 1972, as a Stanford undergraduate. But on the other hand, this is a final opportunity to see Volkert in action, because after this weeks concerts, at 66, hes going to hang up his rosin and bow and step into retirement.

Volkert is walking away in an altogether characteristic fashion, too  without fanfare, and before anyone starts nudging him off the stage.

I want to retire while I can still play the violin, he said during a recent interview. Ive seen too many athletes who stick around to the point where theyre just a shadow of their former selves. They start getting thrown out trying to steal second, and then you have to try to remember them the way they once were.

Id rather be like Ted Williams, who hit a home run in his last at-bat, and then just ran into the dugout. He didnt even doff his cap.

Volkerts role in the orchestra isnt that of a star power hitter  when theres a flashy violin solo to be delivered, it falls more often to concertmaster Alexander Barantschik  but his contributions to the Bay Areas musical life have been broad and deep-rooted.

Together with his colleagues Nadya Tichman and Jeremy Constant, hes a key factor in shaping the sound and texture of the first violin section, which in turn has an effect on the orchestra as a whole. When he does take a turn in the spotlight, his playing is invariably elegant and expressive, in a way that seems almost improbably effortless.

And Volkerts sideline as a composer has enriched the Symphonys repertoire on several occasions. His arrangement for string orchestra of Ravels Sonata for Violin and Cello made available a significant (and too little known) work of chamber music; more recently, the 2012 premiere of his Pandora, also for string orchestra, introduced a work of abundant imagination and wit.

But if youre hoping to get Volkert to acknowledge or assess his own part in the Symphonys internal workings  well, best of luck. He speaks of the process without false modesty, but with a certain hard-edged realism about what it takes to make more than 100 highly trained musicians perform as one.

My role is no different from that of any other orchestra member, he says with a faint whiff of impatience. Unless youre sitting in the concertmasters chair for a particularly concert, you need to just pipe down and play along with everyone else.

Some people like to chime in with their own suggestions, but to me thats a waste of time. I think you have to sublimate your own musical conceptions to that of the section principal and the conductor. The trick of being a good orchestra player is to play with commitment and verve the way they want you to do it, even if its not the way you want to do it.

Volkerts 45 years with the Symphony give him a strong claim to being its longest-standing member (keyboardist Robin Sutherland has a possible counterclaim, depending how you count membership), so hes seen plenty of conductors come and go. And by his reckoning, the orchestra is in peak form these days.

I began here when Seiji Ozawa was the music director. We all had our long hair and muttonchops; we were hepcats. And we had some great individual players, including (concertmaster) Stuart Canin and (principal oboist) Marc Lifschey, but player for player, they were nowhere near as great as today.

When we played The Rite of Spring, it was always an adventure. You never knew if it was going to go smoothly. Now we can read right through the piece, no problem.

Ozawa, says Volkert, enjoyed the poetry of conducting more than the nuts and bolts of getting the orchestra to play together and in tune. It fell to his successors, Edo de Waart and Herbert Blomstedt, to raise the level of technical proficiency, and to Michael Tilson Thomas to infuse a jolt of spontaneity.

With Blomstedt, you knew that the concert was going to be just like the rehearsal, because thats how he liked to package it. But Michael added his own very imaginative personality, which is the way I like to work as well. You leave room for some freedom and surprises.

Volkert and his wife, Jan, a cellist he met while performing with the Carmel Bach Festival, divide their time between homes in Oakland and Grass Valley. One of the things hes looking forward to in retirement, he says, is not having to practice the violin; in fact, hes not sure how much playing hell do at all.

If you dont have concerts to practice for, its hard to take the fiddle out of the case. I didnt practice this whole month of August, and I didnt miss it.

I like the feeling of not being tied umbilically to the violin. Some people, like Stuart Canin, just love it, but I never loved it that much. I love music much more than I ever cared about playing the violin.

In retirement, he says, he plans to keep composing as the spirit moves him  he just completed a setting from the Gospel of Mark for baritone and piano  and scouring YouTube for unknown musical repertoire; among his recent finds are obscurities by Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev and the German Romantic composer Carl Reinecke. Also, hes an amateur magician and an avid reader of history.

Not having to set the alarm to get up for rehearsal  thats very appealing to me. I dont think Ill be bored.

Joshua Kosman is The San Francisco Chronicles music critic. Email: jkosman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoshuaKosman

San Francisco Symphony: Opening Gala, 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. $190-$515. Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave., S.F. (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

MIAMI  Hurricane Irma gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummeling with winds up to 130 mph Sunday, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling huge construction cranes over the Miami skyline.

The 400-mile-wide storm blew ashore in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then marched up its western coast, with punishing winds extending across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side.

Irma was nearing the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area late Sunday, though in a much weakened state. While it arrived in Florida a Category 4 hurricane, by nightfall it was down to a Category 2, with winds of 100 mph.

There were no immediate reports of deaths in Florida. In the Caribbean, at least 24 people were killed during Irmas destructive trek.

Bryan Koon, Floridas emergency management director, said late Sunday that authorities had only scattered information about the storms toll, but he remained hopeful.

In the low-lying Keys, where a storm surge of more than 10 feet was recorded, appliances and furniture were seen floating away, and Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said the ocean waters were filled with navigation hazards, including sunken boats. But the full extent of Irmas wrath there was not clear.

The county administrator, Roman Gastesi, said crews would begin house-to-house searches Monday to check on survivors. And an airborne relief mission, led by C-130 military cargo planes, was gearing up to take emergency supplies to the Keys.

Storm surge was a major concern. The National Hurricane Center said a federal tide gauge in Naples reported a 7-foot rise in water levels in just 90 minutes late Sunday.

Across the state, many streets were flooded. In downtown Miami, two of the two dozen construction cranes looming over the skyline collapsed in the wind. A third crane was reported down in Fort Lauderdale. No injuries were reported.

An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast. Flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Floridas midsection.

Along the Gulf Coast, two manatees became stranded after Hurricane Irma sucked the water out of Sarasota Bay in Manatee County. Several people posted photos of the mammals on Facebook amid reports that rescuers were able to drag them to deeper water.

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.

Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other items from a sporting goods store and a pawnshop during the hurricane.

More than 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

While Irma raked Floridas Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

In one of the largest U.S. evacuations, nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to seek shelter elsewhere, 6.4 million of them in Florida.

About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused, in part because, to many storm-hardened residents, staying behind in the face of danger is a point of pride.

John Huston, who stayed in his Key Largo home, watched his yard flood even before the arrival of high tide.

Small boats floating down the street next to furniture and refrigerators. Very noisy, he said by text message.

Irma made landfall just after 9 a.m. at Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles outside Key West. During the afternoon, it rounded Floridas southwestern corner and hugged the coast closely as it pushed toward Naples, Sanibel, Fort Myers and, beyond that, Sarasota.

Forecasters warned some places could see a storm surge of up to 15 feet of water.

About 400 miles north of the Keys, people in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area started bracing for the onslaught. The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about 3 million, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921.

After leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, about 200 miles from the sea.

Jennifer Kay and Freida Frisaro are Associated Press writers.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

When the Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the use of $5.5 million in federal emergency preparedness funding for Urban Shield, the multiday event that includes tactical exercises for SWAT teams, bomb squads and emergency workers, they also created a civilian task force to monitor the gathering of law enforcement agencies.

The task force was set up to, among other things, assess whether Urban Shield, which puts officers through scenarios that include a terrorist attack, creates a military attitude in local police departments.

Urban Shield, which is hosted by the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, kicked off its 11th year Thursday. About 250 law enforcement agencies were expected to participate, including international teams from the Netherlands and Taiwan.

I was invited to observe the Friday vendor show by John Lindsay-Poland, a member of the Urban Shield Task Force who has doubts about its effectiveness.

Its structurally flawed, he said. And not just in terms of observing Urban Shield, but in terms of making recommendations to the county.

The vendor show wasnt all guns and ammo. Some booths had tools that could enhance police activity, like seeing in the dark. But John McDonald, a sales manager for Night Ops Tactical, a Sacramento company that sells products such as night-vision goggles, lasers and cameras, acknowledged the worry about militarizing police.

Most of this stuff is observation, he said, as I tried on a helmet with a night-vision monocular attached. If you cant see, you cant do anything.

Still, there was a lot of weaponry  guns, scopes and silencers that looked like toys in the hands of the officers walking around in tactical boots with their sidearms in holsters.

This is our shopping mall, Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern told me.

The click-click of guns being cocked was unnerving. No guns were sold, though. The vendor show was only for fostering relationships.

Great. And speaking of relationships, I walked around wondering what kind of an impact an adrenaline-packed weekend, filled with intense situations, could have on law enforcement officers when they return to duty.

One vendor gave me an education on hollow-point bullets  and how the bullets, which operate hydraulically, are designed to expand like a helicopter propeller upon impact with something that has a high volume of water.

Like the human body.

Thats very cool and very deadly technology. Really, its not something to play with.

For some task force members, the rifle raffle made them put their hands up in the air in exacerbated surrender. For $20, anybody could enter to win the gun. I could have gone home with a new rifle.

And this is one reason Urban Shield shoots itself in the foot with critics who say the atmosphere around the life-saving exercises can actually put more lives at risk: Why does another high-power gun need to be put out on the street?

Lindsay-Poland asked Ahern about raffling a gun. Ahern argued that the raffle supports the 100 Club, an organization that provides financial support to spouses of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty.

Were used to guns, Ahern said. Thats how people generate funds for charity.

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

Then Ahern turned the question around: How do you feel about generating funds for charity?

I think generating funds for charity is great, but what you raffle off says something, Lindsay-Poland said.

Ive told you, dont look at one thing, Ahern responded. Id like you to look at the entire training.

I looked. And there was nothing about de-escalation training that I could see. But then I was reminded that Urban Shield isnt about prevention.

Its about training to respond to a mass-casualty incident and preparing for what might occur.

During his opening remarks, Ahern introduced a video about the brave first responders to Oaklands Ghost Ship warehouse fire and the remarkably coordinated effort of law enforcement to remove the 36 victims. Without Urban Shield training, the response and recovery effort would have been a chaotic mess.

But Ahern also used the time to remind attendees about recent terrorist attacks around the world. It was a reminder that for law enforcement, Urban Shield is about preparing for the worst.

We have to remember that theres evil out there, he said. Theres bravery and courage thats out there as well.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr
The Trump administration may want to make American carnage great again. But the nations penchant for violence and disorder simply isnt what it used to be.

The U.S. crime rate over the first half of the year was on pace to drop nearly 2 percent from last year, New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice found in a newly released report, which would make 2017 one of the safest years in nearly a half-century.

That doesnt square with the renewed law-and-order hysteria typified by Attorney General Jeff Sessions claim that violent crime is back with a vengeance. As the reports authors put it, These findings directly undercut any claim that the nation is experiencing a crime wave.

President Trumps crime fixation began at the beginning, with the most macabre inaugural address since the one widely thought to have killed William Henry Harrison. Having declared an end to the crime and the gangs and the drugs that constitute this American carnage, Trump soon ordered up an office on crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, a task force on crime reduction, and more efforts to protect police officers. His attorney general went on to direct federal authorities to maximize charges and prosecutions, revive the abused practice of civil asset forfeiture, and threaten to crack down on marijuana in states that have legalized it.

And yet the nations overall crime rate, based on the Brennan Centers analysis of police data from its 30 largest cities, is expected to decline 1.8 percent from last year. Violent crime is expected to be down 0.6 percent, and homicide is on track to drop 2.5 percent. Each of these measures is expected to be close to the low point since crime peaked around 1991.

To justify its alarmism, the administration has focused on increases in violent crime in 2015 and 2016, particularly according to the volatile measure of homicides in a few cities. Sessions asserted that this was not an aberration or a blip but a dangerous permanent trend. The facts so far suggest that he had it exactly wrong.

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.
Gene Boyars/Associated Press

The morning of Sept. 11, 2001, did not only shatter our sense of invincibility in the aftermath of the Cold War. It also realigned and expanded the governments role as our everyday protector. It led us into two wars, one of which still rages. It compelled many of us to willingly sacrifice liberties for the sake of security.

It changed American life in ways, large and small, so profound and entrenched that we hardly give a second thought to what it was like 16 years and one day ago to travel, attend a concert or sporting event  or talk on the phone, search the Internet or walk down the street with confidence that our actions are beyond the reach of government.
SACRAMENTO  It should come as no surprise that when the state Legislature recently began divvying up proceeds from the states cap-and-trade auctions, a cavalcade of local officials, community activists and lobbyists rushed to Sacramento with hands out.

Billions of dollars burning a hole in the states pocket has that effect on people, and the competition is fierce. Appeals from advocates to fund pet projects were spread over two days in late August, in windowless rooms before sometimes distracted officials.

The requests are for cash for electric vehicles, to create green spaces, even for machines to cut pollution from cow manure. Brevity is prized in this legislative equivalent of speed dating, which plays out in front of committees in the state Senate and Assembly.

Theres scant time to make the case for your cause. Talk too much, and you risk irritating the panelists. Thirty to 60 seconds is the sweet spot, said Amy Vanderwarker, co-director of the California Environmental Justice Alliance, who sought millions in funding for programs that help people in low-income communities adapt to climate change with solar panels and weatherproofing.

For Vanderwarker and the dozens of others who filed through, theres a lot at stake.

Nearly $5 billion has flowed into the states unique Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund since 2013. The money is raised when the state sells permits to pollute, part of Californias program to cap planet-warming emissions. The account fluctuates with the carbon market.

A big chunk of the revenue each year is spoken for, set aside for the states high-speed rail plan, affordable housing and a host of transit projects. The discretionary portion amounts to about 40 percent of the total and must go toward projects that lower greenhouse gas emissions or assist low-income areas.

The competition this time was for less than $1 billion, and balancing the account wont be easy. Lawmakers wish lists total $3.5 billion, the governor wants $1.5 billion, and the supplicants came in seeking more than $2 billion. Theres list overlap  many of the projects are the same, but they cannot all be fully funded.

At the outset of the Senate hearing, Bob Wieckowski, a Fremont Democrat who chairs the budget subcommittee, attempted to lower expectations for those who saw a bottomless well. Theres $842 million for use now, he told the audience, so work with that when making requests.

There is an art to queuing up for a shot at the pot of gold. Better to be an earlier speaker when attention spans are fresh, or at the end, to get the last word? Ronald Hughes, director of the California Vanpool Authority, used the early bird strategy: Sit toward the front during the opening portion of the proceedings, he said  prime placement to snag a spot at the front of the line.

To be pressed cheek by jowl with high-priced lobbyists and speak before harried legislators is always intimidating, Hughes said. Im from a small town, Hanford. Youve got to stand there and have your elevator speech ready. Its uncomfortable.

Hughes ask, as the requests are known, was among the days most modest: $6 million to fund the statewide system of vans that take farmworkers to and from the fields, reducing traffic and keeping heavily polluting older cars off the road.

Over in the Assembly, Richard Bloom, a Democrat from Santa Monica, chaired the hearing. Remain orderly, and dont elbow anyone out of the way, he admonished the crowd.

Max Podemski, planning director for the community group Pacoima Beautiful, was preparing an ask for the first time and wasnt ready for the rush when the public was welcomed to the floor. I was sitting there, and all of a sudden there was a stampede to the microphone, Podemski said.

His group wants $20 million for the beautification of Pacoima Wash, a 10-mile flood-control channel in the San Fernando Valley. The funds would provide park space, a bike path and connections to public transportation.

After 2 hours, the last speaker in line, Terry McHale, a lobbyist for a state firefighters union, drew appreciative chuckles as he acknowledged the ordeal.

Not since my large Irish Catholic family would line up for allowance have I been in such a long line of people with their hand out, McHale said. Being the smallest in my family, I was the last in that line, too.

Back in the Senate, the knot in Wieckowskis tie was slipping south, and the line of those still waiting to speak had no end in sight. Eventually, everyone had their say, if not their money.

Lawmakers will vote on the entreaties  they typically favor transportation, forestry, agriculture and urban greening projects  before adjourning for the year Friday.

Julie Cart is a reporter with CALmatters, a nonprofit journalism venture dedicated to exploring state policies and politics.
Getty Images

Sheriff's deputies cracking down on public boozing came upon a man "acting bizarrely" in a Roseville nature reserve last week. When they tried to bust him for drugs, he struggled with the officers and peed on one of them, police said.

Steven Holley, 55, of Sacramento, was arrested about 9 p.m. Thursday on suspicion of methamphetamine possession and drug paraphernalia.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

The president of the Confederacy might not have a remote peak in Nevada's Great Basin National Park named for him much longer.

A proposal to change the name of Jeff Davis Peak is under consideration by the U.S. Geological Survey's Board on Geographic Names. It would rename the 12,771-foot (3,830-meter) mountain Smalls Peak after Robert Smalls, a South Carolina slave who escaped and commandeered a Rebel military transport boat in 1862. Smalls fought with the Union Army and later was elected to Congress from South Carolina.

Smalls name was proposed for the mountain by Anthony Oertel, a San Rafael insurance salesman and history buff, who also is seeking to have the name of a Jeff Davis Peak in Alpine County changed.

The deadly violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., last month led to new calls for removal of monuments to Confederate leaders such as Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee.

While the U.S. board has the final say on name changes, Nevada's state Board of Geographic Names is also studying the Smalls proposal and a second proposal. While the latter does not formally submit a name for consideration, it does suggest the late Las Vegas civil rights leader James McMillan and several Western Shoshone references as possible ideas, Christine Johnson, the board's executive secretary told the Associated Press.

U.S. Geological Survey's Board on Geographic Names is expected to address the name change in its quarterly review list expected by the end of September, board research staffer Jennifer Runyon told the AP.

Like Jefferson Davis, Robert Smalls apparently never set foot in Nevada. In 1862, he escaped slavery with his family and crew by taking over the Confederate transport ship CSS Planter and sailing through Rebel-controlled waters to the U.S. blockade.

Jeff Davis Peak stands along the Utah-Nevada border about 240 miles from Salt Lake City. It was named in 1855 by Lt. Col. Edward Steptoe of the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers for his boss, then Secretary of War Jefferson Davis. Steptoe didn't scale the mountain; he merely spotted it from a distance.

Jeff Davis Peak originally encompassed an adjacent mountain, Wheeler Peak. During an 1869 mapping expedition, George Montague Wheeler climbed the peak and gave it his name, with the neighboring  and slightly shorter  peak then becoming Jeff Davis.

Oertel has proposed that the Jeff Davis Peak in California's Alpine County be renamed Bee Peak after Frederick Bee, a leading figure in 19th-century Northern California. Bee built the first telegraph wires over the Sierra and fought discrimination against Chinese immigrants.

The Associated Press contributed to the article.
The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department has given its nod of support to a renaming of Sharon Meadow in Golden Gate Park after Robin Williams.

The effort to rename Sharon Meadow  a wide, grassy lawn at the east end of the park that is often the site of performances and celebrations  after the late comedian and actor is being led by local comedians Debi Durst and her husband, Will. The pair have worked to put on Comedy Day  an annual showcase for local comedians  at Golden Gate Park for the past 37 years.

The proposal has the support of the park department and the mayors office, but the decision to rename the space rests with the Recreation and Park Commission. The Dursts are also working with Williams estate. No vote has been scheduled on the name change.

Williams, Debi Durst said, was a personal friend and a longtime supporter of Comedy Day, performing when he could and serving as its chief benefactor in years when money was short. Will Durst previously called Williams the events anonymous angel.

The event has been held at Sharon Meadow for the past 25 years. Renaming the space to Robin Williams Meadow, Debi said, would reflect Williams extensive contributions to the event and the local comedy scene in general. Williams took his own life at his Marin County home in 2014.

He loved Comedy Day, and he loved people, said Debi, who serves as president of Comedy Day and the events producer. He brought so much joy to everyone, I figured it would be perfect to honor him in this way. While the rainbow-arched Waldo Tunnel on the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge was officially renamed Robin Williams Tunnel in 2016, theres nothing here in San Francisco to honor him, Debi said.

Because the (Comedy Day) mission embodies Mr. Williams true nature as a comedian and kind spirit as a human being, it is so fitting to name this meadow after Mr. Williams, where thousands of people freely gather to perform, laugh and enjoy each others company every year, Phil Ginsburg, general manager of the park department, said in a statement.

Sharon Meadow was named after William Sharon, a banker and later a U.S. senator from Nevada who made donations to Golden Gate Park. The Sharon Building, built in 1888, was named after him and now houses a number of arts and crafts courses. Sharon Meadow, the park department said, was given its name because of its proximity to the Sharon Building.

Debi Durst said shes hoping the city will agree to cover the costs of renaming the space, considering the numerous park signs, pamphlets and other materials that would have to be changed to reflect the change. Durst said shes raised about $1,400 privately, but expects the costs to be around $50,000 in total.

In 2012, Speedway Meadow  closer to the center of the park  was renamed Hellman Hollow after the late philanthropist Warren Hellman, who funded the annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
Story update Monday, 3 p.m.: Meteorologist Jan Null of Golden Gate Weather Services says Monday's early morning winds were the result of collapsing thunderstorms. As storm cells moved from Southern California into Monterey County, air rose into the lower atmosphere. During the nighttime hours as temperatures cooled, the convective heating process that supports the air in the lower atmosphere stopped and the air fell to the ground.

"As you get into the nighttime hours and you don't have that lift to maintain all that air at the top of the thunderstorm, then the primary force is gravity," Null says. "This heavy air is going to be coming down to the earth and it spreads out like an upside down mushroom."



Previous story below:

Meteorologists are baffled by strong wind gusts that ripped through concentrated pockets of the Bay Area early Monday morning, while other areas remained completely still.

The National Weather Service reports that a gust of 54 mph roared through Pebble Beach at 2:30 a.m., while only 10 minutes away in Monterey conditions remained completely calm.

"We had a very unusual event happen overnight," says Charles Bell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Bay Area. "We had isolated strong periods of winds. It's really remarkable. Usually wind storms are more widespread, while this wind occurred in concentrated pockets."

The first gusts roared through Pebble Beach and the southwesterly winds traveled north reaching up to 40 mph in Santa Cruz, up to 37 mph in Los Gatos and at the San Jose Airport.

The weather service recorded the last gust from the event at 3:30 a.m.; it was a 35 mph wind at the Golden Gate Bridge. Bell says there are anecdotal reports of high winds in parts of Marin.

"We left our window open because of heat and winds were so strong our interior doors were slamming shut and flying open!" Thais Derich of Mill Valley wrote on Facebook.

The winds knocked down trees and power lines. PG&E reported 11,000 customers without power at one point.

The event lasted about two hours.

RELATED GALLERY: Weird weather hits California

The windy conditions weren't in the forecast and came as a surprise to Bay Area residents.

"There was no indication of this happening today," Bell says. "We have computer models that are very high resolution that pick up a lot of features in the atmosphere and they didn't detect it. We're going to look through the data to find out what caused it."

He added: "This is a very unusual situation. And one we wish we'd given people more of a heads-up on. It definitely was not forecast."

Bell says one of the office's senior scientists will be analyzing data today to determine the source of the wind.

"One idea that's been kicked around is there's a storm swell to the south and potentially some energy came up from that," he says.

While the windy conditions are over throughout the Bay Area, the National Weather Service says thunderstorms are in the forecast for later today. There's a 30 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms in San Francisco and those showers could arrive as early as 3 p.m.
General Motors purchase last year of San Francisco self-driving startup Cruise Automation appears to be bearing fruit.

The two companies on Monday unveiled a jointly developed self-driving car that  unlike the autonomous prototypes already being tested on California roads  is fully designed for large-scale production.

Kyle Vogt, Cruises co-founder and CEO, referred to the vehicle as the worlds first mass-producible self-driving car.

This is the big jump it takes to go from a prototype vehicle you can demo at (a consumer electronics conference) to something you can build at a massive scale, Vogt said.

Built at GMs Orion Assembly plant in Michigan, the car incorporates all of the sensors, computing power and redundant systems needed to operate completely without a driver, even though the software to do so remains under development.

And while production will remain limited at first  with just 50 made so far  GM insists the car as designed could be built en masse in the companys existing factories.

Its about making changes on the car so we can actually build that on the line in Orion, said Doug Parks, GMs vice president for autonomous technology and vehicle execution. Its not just adding parts to cars, its not just building a base car  its the integration of all those things together.

Other companies developing autonomous cars might take issue with Cruises worlds first description.

Last fall, Tesla started equipping all of its electric cars with the sensor suite needed to drive themselves, although Tesla uses a different combination of sensors than does Cruise. Tesla even advertises on its website that activating full self-driving capability on the newly introduced Model 3 sedan will cost $3,000  when the company eventually perfects the software.

Chrysler, meanwhile, is building an autonomous version of its Pacifica minivan for Waymo, the self-driving unit of Googles parent company, Alphabet. Chrysler produced an initial batch of 100 modified minivans last year and is in the midst of delivering 500 more to Waymo.

The new Cruise and GM cars, based on the electric Chevy Bolt but with many new or modified parts, will hit the streets first in San Francisco.

Cruise employees will be able to hail them for rides to work, starting in several weeks. Cruise and GM envision selling the cars to other ride services rather than directly to consumers, but on Monday they offered no timetable for such sales. Cruise has a partnership with Lyft  which plans to offer rides in self-driving cars to San Francisco passengers soon  while GM has one with Uber.

GM purchased Cruise in May 2016 for $581 million (although the automaker cautioned the price would rise over time). The deal was designed to pair the strengths of Silicon Valley and Detroit.

Cruise, which operates out of San Franciscos South of Market neighborhood, focused on perfecting autonomous driving technology and had little interest in building the cars themselves. General Motors, in contrast, has more than a century of production experience, building more than 9 million vehicles per year.

After the deal was announced, Cruise began using Chevy Bolts as robotic guinea pigs, bolting sensors to the cars and sending them on test drives throughout San Francisco. GM then started building Bolts with more of the self-driving hardware incorporated into the cars  producing what the two companies now call their gen two vehicles.

The new vehicles, gen three, contain a key feature not found in gen two. Redundancy has been built into every vital system, so that if one piece of equipment fails, the car can continue driving itself without a human taking control.

As a result, while the car is still based on the Bolt, 40 percent of the parts are different.

The end result is something that looks more like an airliner or a spacecraft in terms of redundancy, Vogt said.

He cautioned, however, that the software enabling cars to safely drive themselves in all circumstances  referred to as level 5 autonomy  will take more time.

Cruises cars run daily tests on San Franciscos streets, but there are still situations  rarely encountered scenarios that engineers call edge cases  that the programming hasnt mastered. Before cars can drive themselves without human backup, they must be able to handle those situations as well. In part for that reason, California regulations require any autonomous car on public streets to have a human behind the wheel, ready to take control if necessary.

Weve passed the milestone a long time ago where you can drive from point A to point B in San Francisco without the driver getting involved, Vogt said. Getting to the point where you can actually remove the driver is probably a thousand times harder.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
A 22-year-old man was fatally shot Sunday in the driveway of a San Pablo home and investigators suspect he was targeted by his killer.

Now Playing: Violent crime numbers from major Bay Area cities Video: Ted Andersen, SFGATE

The shooting occurred about 8:25 p.m. on the 1800 block of Powell Street. The victim, identified Monday as Adrian Segoviano by the Contra Costa County coroners office, was standing in the driveway when he was shot, police said.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

As San Franciscos queer community mourned the death of activist, artist and DJ Anthony Torres, who was best known by his gender-nonconforming alter ego, Bubbles, investigators said Monday that they do not believe his killing was hate-related.

Torres, a 44-year-old gay man who wore womens clothing and makeup, was shot early Saturday in the Tenderloin neighborhood, where he lived, according to his attorney and friends. Authorities have not officially identified the victim of the shooting, but police said evidence gathered does not point to the victims identity, gender or sexual orientation being a motive.

The preliminary information does not indicate a hate crime, said Officer Robert Rueca, a police spokesman.

Now Playing: Anthony Torres, also known as 'Bubbles,' was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle's 'City Exposed' column. Video: Mike Kepka / The Chronicle

Rueca declined to release further information, citing the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation. But witnesses told Torres friends that the male suspect had come out of New Century Theater, a strip club on the 800 block of Larkin Street, before chasing Torres and shooting him just before 3 a.m. at the corner of Larkin and Myrtle streets.

Hours before his death, Torres posted on Facebook that he wanted to go to strip clubs to promote a swimsuit he had designed. However, Jim Reilly, his friend and attorney, said Torres had not gone inside New Century that night.

A fixture in the Bay Area club scene who regularly performed as a DJ at house parties, civil rights marches and other events, Torres created the persona Bubbles more than two decades ago, shortly after moving to San Francisco from Phoenix. He lived near where he died, Reilly said, and would often set up a portable DJ booth and pass out snow cones on Larkin Street.

Bubbles signature style included over-the-top blond wigs, heavy makeup and slinky dresses as well as proudly displayed chest and facial hair. Reilly said Torres unapologetic pride in his identity made him a target for hate. Last year, Torres posted audio online of a San Francisco bartender refusing to serve him, allegedly because of how he looked.

Reilly said Monday that he had no doubt Torres was killed because of his identity, despite statements by police. Hate crimes are notoriously underreported and difficult to prove in court, as authorities must be able to demonstrate a suspects intent.

When transgender activist Mia Satya was attacked in San Franciscos Mission District in 2011, a judge initially dismissed hate crime allegations, even though Satya said she felt the intent was clear. Two men had referred to her with a slur and told her they hated men in dresses as they assaulted her. Prosecutors refiled the hate crime charges and negotiated a plea deal in which the men admitted to attacking Satya because she was transgender.

Satya said while hate is not always explicit, almost all transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals have felt threatened at times because of their increased visibility.

If you feel more comfortable in the middle  having a beard, makeup and long hair like Bubbles did  that very notion challenges a lot of peoples views on gender and will make you, unfortunately even in San Francisco, more subject to violence, she said. When I was younger, I would go to protests and meetings with a little mustache drawn on with makeup and a wig and lipstick, and I could just feel it. Even just walking down the sidewalk, I could feel the tension in the air.

Torres friends said they hoped police would make an arrest soon, and would hold the suspect accountable if he was driven by hate.

Torres was so clearly identifiable, Reilly said. He was so creatively and flamboyantly himself. I think the level of rage that occurred and what went down leaves no other conclusion to be drawn in my mind.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo
Don Lemons responsibility as a CNN anchor fell second to his responsibility as an openly gay public figure, even as Hurricane Irma neared the coast of Florida. When it became clear a major and deadly weather event would strike the South on the very weekend he was due to receive an award from GLAAD, the cable news anchor asked his boss what to do. He said, Youve got to go, Lemon explained, standing on the red carpet of City View atop the Metreon on Saturday night. So Anderson (Cooper) is doing double duty.

Lemon described awards from GLAAD, a 32-year-old national organization that monitors the media on LGBTQ issues, as the Oscars of gay awards. According to Lemon, the honor is something every high-profile person who happens to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer aspires to.

GLAAD annually holds awards galas in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, each honoring activists working in different media spaces. GLAADs President Sarah Kate Ellis explained that Los Angeles Media Awards focus on show business and general media while New Yorks Media Awards honor contributions in journalism. San Francisco, said Ellis, is all about digital and social media. And you could argue that social media and digital are the front lines of the resistance right now.

Resistance to the Trump administrations anti-LGBTQ policies, specifically the recent call for a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, and to possible opposition to net neutrality were on the lips of many of Saturdays gala attendees, but by no means did politics dampen the nights mood. GLAAD was intent on celebrating honorees like Lemon; Sam Altman, tech investor and president of Y Combinator in Mountain View; and Laila Ireland, a transgender military veteran who recently walked the red carpet of the MTV Video Music Awards.

Drinks flowed heavily (Ketel One vodka was a major gala sponsor) and a large-scale silent action took up one end of the fourth-floor outdoor pavilion overlooking San Franciscos South of Market district. Inside, dozens of formal dinner tables were lit with glowing balls and illuminated glass ice buckets full of cocktails. While GLAAD certainly wanted to celebrate the nights honorees, the gala was also a fundraiser  one that raised more than a million dollars.

Organizer and activist Prince Shakur of Cleveland was one of GLAADs three Rising Stars, and as such was the recipient of a $2,500 grant to help him spread his message among LGBTQ youth online. Im going to use it to invest in a better laptop and a better blogging camera, confessed the 23-year-old Shakur, whod applied for the grant on a whim.

GLAADs focus on digital communication is vital to the organization because the vast majority of young people connect and get their information online. That notion  that youths use the Internet to find each other, find themselves, break each other down and build each other up  was repeated in numerous speeches throughout the night. Its the weapon theyre using, and its the tool theyre using, said the galas host, TV personality Ross Mathews. If we use social media as a tool to spread positivity, its a way to counter the bullying.

Maja Ahmann and Natalya Foreman, both 18, oozed positivity. The two gala attendees were on their first official date, having recently met at freshman orientation at UC Berkeley. Fresh faced and dressed up, Ahmann and Foreman were already holding hands, giddily explaining how they scored two tickets. Ahmann, amazingly enough, won a Twitter contest held by former GLAAD gala honoree and YouTube star Hannah Hart.

I said, Hey, I have a brand-new girlfriend  well, almost girlfriend, Ahmann proudly explained of her quest to attend Saturday nights festivities. This is our first out-in-the-open real date, and I wanted to give her the best.

Can you believe her? Foreman gushed.

Blair Imani, a queer Muslim woman of color, shared her powerful story onstage, and Royce Mann, a 15-year-old poet, performed a spoken-word piece that garnered a standing ovation led by CNNs Van Jones. Jones was there to introduce Lemon, and when he did, diverted from his script with a heartfelt tribute that left Lemon dabbing tears with a dinner napkin.

But perhaps the nights most unexpected guest was House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, whose attendance to present Altman of San Francisco with his award was kept a surprise. Pelosis iWatch featured a rainbow band.

Altman was the last to receive his honor, the Ric Weiland Award, named for the late software pioneer and LGBTQ philanthropist. In his impassioned and rather stoic speech, Altman drove home the impact of the nights theme. I am 100 percent sure, said the 32-year-old tech guru, that part of the reason gay people are more accepted now is because of the Internet. Not only did other gay people find their community, but straight people found out that they knew some gay people too  and that they werent so bad.

Beth Spotswood is a Bay Area writer and a regular columnist for The San Francisco Chronicle.
SACRAMENTO  Mexicos top diplomat will make a two-day visit to immigrant-friendly California amid strained relations between his country and the U.S. over President Trumps border wall and immigration and trade proposals.

Mexico Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Videgaray is expected to meet Monday with Gov. Jerry Brown and state legislative leaders in Californias capital. He will later head to Los Angeles to announce support for young immigrants whose protection from deportation is being terminated by Trump and meet with business and community leaders. He also plans a trip to Washington later in the week, officials at the Los Angeles consulate said.
1 McCain health: In an interview broadcast Sunday, Sen. John McCain said battling brain cancer is a challenge but that his prognosis is pretty good. McCain said he has faced other challenges and hes very confident about getting through this as well. The 81-year-old Arizona senator told CNNs State of the Union that he will have a MRI on Monday and that his test results so far have been excellent. McCain returned to Washington last week as the Senate returned from its summer break.

2 Stabbing case: A Wisconsin jury this week will begin weighing whether a girl accused in the stabbing of a classmate to please the horror character Slender Man was mentally ill at the time. Prosecutors say Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser lured Payton Leutner into a Waukesha park and stabbed her 19 times in 2014. All three girls were 12 at the time. Weier pleaded guilty in August to attempted second-degree homicide but maintains shes not responsible because of a mental disease or defect. Attorneys will begin selecting jurors Monday to decide whether she was suffering from a mental defect. A plea agreement calls for Weier to spend at least three years in a mental hospital if shes found to have been mentally ill and 10 years in prison if shes not. Payton survived the attack.
President Trump led a national moment of silence on the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Monday, the first commemoration as president for a New York native who has described the destruction of the Twin Towers as a defining event in his political life.

At the White House, Trump and Melania Trump, the first lady, marked the moment, 8:46 a.m., when the first airliner struck one of the towers, leading to a catastrophic collapse that killed nearly 3,000 people, 343 of them New York City firefighters.

The first couple walked out of the White House at 8:45 a.m. A minute later, a bell tolled as they stood near a group of White House staffers and invited guests who bowed their heads as a Marine trumpeter played taps. The president and first lady placed their hands over their hearts and walked silently back into the residence at 8:48 a.m.

A short time later, during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Trump said, Though we can never erase your pain or bring back those you lost, we can honor their sacrifice by pledging our resolve to do whatever we must to keep our people safe. He was joined by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

On that day, not only did the world change, but we all changed, Trump said. Our eyes were opened to the depths of the evil we faced, but in that hour of darkness we also came together with renewed purpose. Our differences never looked so small, our common bonds never felt so strong.

Trump said the country was committed to destroying the enemies of all civilized people.

He added: We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp, and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large Earth.

The moment of silence was also observed at the World Trade Center in New York and the field near Shanksville, Pa., where one of three planes hijacked by Islamic militants  United Flight 93, from Newark, N.J., bound for San Francisco  crashed out of the sky.

The anniversary came on a day when emergency workers were engaged in rescue and recovery efforts in Florida and the Gulf Coast in Texas to deal with the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, two storms that have stretched the resources of federal emergency management officials also responsible for protecting the nation from terrorist attacks.

The president, who was running his familys real estate empire in 2001, at first praised President George W. Bushs response to the attacks, initially supporting the invasion of Iraq, before turning sharply against the war and Bush.

He has often criticized other politicians for failing to grasp the threat posed to the homeland by jihadis but has often repeated the false, unsubstantiated claim that Muslims in New Jersey danced in celebration as the towers tumbled.

Glenn Thrush is a New York Times writer.
By PTI: Srinagar, Sep 11 (PTI) Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were today killed and another surrendered during an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said.

A joint team of police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Khudwani area of Kulgam district after getting information about Hizbul militants there, a police spokesman said.

advertisement

He said the forces asked the militants to surrender.

"One terrorist identified as Arif Ahmad Sofi surrendered before police. The other two terrorists tried to escape from the spot while firing indiscriminately. The fire was retaliated and during the ensuing encounter both were neutralised," the spokesman added.

The slain militants were identified as Dawood Ahmad Allaie and Sayar Ahmad Wani.

"The slain terrorists were involved in the killing of the sarpanch of Hawoora village and snatching weapons from guard post Samnoo.

"Dawood Ahmad Allaie was also involved in instigating youth to pelt stones, the firing incident on Yaripora Police Station and bank robbery at Arwani branch of J&K Bank," the spokesman said.

An AK-47 rifle, along with two of its magazines and 63 rounds, and an INSAS rifle, with a magazine and 60 rounds, were seized from the encounter site.

A pistol, along with a magazine and two rounds, was also seized, he said.

Sofis surrender was the second in as many days. Yesterday, another Hizb militant, Adil, surrendered before security forces during an encounter in Shopian district. PTI MIJ BSA

--- ENDS ---
The Burning Man art festival has always been an inspiration for creative personalities. Many of the residents of Black Rock City express themselves through the fashion they wear at the event.

A mix of practical and fantastical, you never know what or who you will see in the Nevada desert.
By PTI: (Eds: Recasting overnight story)

Karachi, Sep 11 (PTI) Unidentified gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying minority Shias in Pakistans restive Balochistan province, killing at least four persons, including a boy.

Eight members of the Hazara Shia community, including two women, were coming to Quetta from Chaman town on the Afghan border.

The had stopped at a petrol station to refuel their vehicle. In the meantime, two men on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire on them, killing three persons on the spot and injuring three others, including the boy, the Express Tribune reported.

advertisement

While two women travelling with them remained unhurt as they were sitting in the vehicle when the attackers opened fire on the men who were standing outside.

However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A senior police officer said that the members of the community had come to Chaman from Afghanistan.

The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital in Quetta, where the boy succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri expressed grief at the incident and strongly condemned the terrorist attack.

He directed authorities that the culprits should be arrested and brought to justice.

The Hazaras are Shiite community who live in Balochistan and Afghanistan. They are considered as heretics by Sunni extremist groups and often targeted.

This is not the first time that the Hazara Shia Muslim community has been targeted by extremist outfits in Balochistan and in the last few years hundreds have been killed in either suicide bomb attacks, planted bomb blasts or target killings.

Official reports say that they have been around 1200 incidents of violence against the Hazara community in the last 15 years.

In July, gunmen killed 4 members of Shiite family, driver in the Mastung area.

In March, an explosion targeting a convoy of the security forces occurred on Saryab Road. Four people were injured including three Frontier Corps personnel and a passer-by.

In October last year, gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Hazara men and women in Quetta. Four women were killed in that attack. PTI CORR AMS AKJ AMS

--- ENDS ---
HOUSTON  Tens of thousands of children returned to school Monday in Houston, two weeks after Hurricane Harvey battered the city, flooding homes, sweeping away uniforms and school supplies, and shuttering one of the nations largest school districts.

The storm, which left 70 percent of Harris County under water, damaged nearly all school buildings in the Houston Independent School District, which educates 216,000 students. More than 200 of the districts 306 schools were expected to reopen Monday after an aggressive, round-the-clock cleanup effort, while some students will return to school next week or the week after.

The reopening of the school district represents an important step toward normalcy for the city, where many people  including children  are still unable to return home or to work. The district was still trying to get a handle on how many of its students were left homeless by the storm, with many families now holed up with relatives or in motels, or languishing in the sprawling halls of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

As the sun rose Monday, Ruth Rojas walked her two children, 9-year-old Adrian and 11-year-old Joseline, out of the convention center, the place they have called home for the past two weeks, since a Coast Guard boat rescued them from their home.

The siblings had attended school in a suburban district, but Rojas was unsure when  or if  they would be able to return home. With the help of school staff stationed inside the sprawling shelter, she registered them at two local schools: Red Elementary and Meyerland Middle.

I want them to keep up with everything, said Rojas, who was a caregiver but worries her extended absence means she wont be able to keep her job. It was important for me and for them.

She said her children were eager to get back to school, and with smiles and new backpacks, they boarded a yellow school bus that pulled up outside of the convention center.

Moriah Balingit is a Washington Post writer.
Trump warned that the "American forces were relentlessly pursuing and destroying the enemies of all civilized people, like we'd never seen before."

By Santosh Chaubey: Speaking during the 9/11 Memorial Observance at the Pentagon, US President Donald Trump reiterated his resolve to crack down on terror safe havens. Warning those who shelter terrorists and use terror as a policy tool, Trump warned that the "American forces were relentlessly pursuing and destroying the enemies of all civilized people, like we'd never seen before."

Remembering the horror of the dark day when multiple terror attacks at the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania sixteen years ago left 2977 dead and changed America and the world forever giving it organized, transnational terror organizations, Trump said that his administration was ensuring that terrorists never again had a safe haven to launch attacks against America.

advertisement

Terming the attack on September 11, 2001 even worse than the attack on Pearl Harbour as it targeted civilians, Trump reassured American that terrorists have nowhere to hide, "We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp, and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large Earth."

REMINDER TO PAKISTAN

This is yet another stinging reminder to nations like Pakistan that harbour terror groups and employ terror as state policy. Trump has named Pakistan directly, on multiple occasions.

While unveiling his government's Afghanistan centric South Asia policy last month, he had repeated his stand about Pakistan as a safe haven for terrorists, had slammed it for supporting terrorists and had sought to increase India's role in Afghanistan.

Earlier, Modi-Trump Joint Statement in June called Pakistan a safe haven for terrorists and the term made its way to the US Country Report on Terrorism in July. Trump's warning to Pakistan tells how miffed he is with the country. While detailing his South Asia policy, Trump slammed Pakistan and warned that the US will no longer be silent about Pakistan's double-dealings. He demanded that Pakistan's attitude of doublespeak had to change immediately.

Pakistan was still reeling under the pressure of an increasingly demanding US, the only superpower of the world and a major aid provider to Pakistan, to crack down on terror networks in real and tangible terms, when another powerful bloc of countries, the BRICS, alluded to Pakistan to rein in the terror groups operating from its soil. It was a double whammy for Pakistan because the censure came from a multilateral platform which had its all weather ally China as one of founding members besides India, Russia and Brazil.

The BRICS Declaration, while directly naming Pakistan based terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, said, "Recalling the primary leading role and responsibility of states in preventing and countering terrorism, we stress the necessity to develop international cooperation, in accordance with the principles of international law, including that of sovereign equality of states and non-interference in their internal affairs." The BRICS Summit was held in the first week of this month in China.

advertisement

INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE ON PAK TERROR

Increasing international pressure on terror infrastructure in Pakistan has created a sense of panic in the country's ruling establishment. Though they deny it, their contradicting responses confirm it. First they rejected the BRICS Declaration. Then Pakistan's Foreign Minister admitted presence of terror groups terming then an embarrassment for his country.

While Pakistan's Foreign Minister was being realist and honest, its army chief chose to preach the world again when he said that "if Pakistan had not done enough in the war against terror, then no country in the world had done anything." So it didn't come as a surprise when Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi today warned the US approach on Pakistan, cutting military aid and sanctioning Pakistani officials would be counter-productive.

Also read:

Unlike Modi-Obama joint statements, the Modi-Trump statement is blunt and harsh on Pakistan

US designates Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Syed Salahuddin as global terrorist, ahead of Modi-Trump meet

All about Syed Salahuddin, Hizbul Mujahideen chief US designated as global terrorist

advertisement

The Modi-Trump meeting: IN PICTURES

What did Narendra Modi, Donald Trump say at White House? Full text of their speech

Also watch:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Donald Trump address joint conference, speak about terrorism

--- ENDS ---
As the world observes 16th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attack, here's the list of nine notable events that unfolded on this date.

By India Today Web Desk: The world today observes the 16th anniversary of 9/11, the terror attacks which took place on September 11, 2001 razing the twin World Trade Center towers to ground in a matter of few hours. Though 9/11 gets associated only with this terror attack, the date has made history on several other occasions.

Here are nine such notable events - all infamous or with tragic consequences.

advertisement

HURRICANE CARLA, 1961

A picture of the Hurricane Carla wreckage. Photo: @journeygalactic

Everybody is talking about Hurricane Harvey right now; the last time a storm was stronger when it made landfall in Texas was on 9/11/1961, when Carla blew in; with winds of 115 mph-170 mph, Carla was the largest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin at its time.

DROGHEDA MASSACRE, 1649

The Siege of Drogheda, which began on Sept 10, was perhaps the most ferocious sacking of a town in Irish history; the following day, troops commanded by Oliver Cromwell, the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, killed anywhere between 2,000-3,500 people; new research suggests that even by 17th century standards, this massacre can be classed as a war crime.

MILITARY COUP IN CHILE, 1973

Chilean soldiers take up positions in front of the La Moneda Palace on the day of the coup. Photo: Reuters

Before NYC's 9/11, it was the 9/11 images of the brutal Chilean military coup that most shocked the world; what followed was 17 years of repression, torture, forced disappearance & genocide under General Augusto Pinochet, the coup leader; in fact, he is among the cruelest dictators the world has ever seen, right up there alongside Hitler.

ELM'S TRIPLE ROCKSLIDE, 1881

The villagers of Elm had, for decades, indiscriminately mined the Tschingelberg slopes; they paid a steep price for it when the Swiss village was obliterated by 3 rockslides in quick succession; 10 million cubic yards of rock roared into the valley & of the 115 people killed, only 13 could be identified-by their attire; it still ranks among the worst landslides caused by man.

BIRTH OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD, 1965

While the world associates Syria with ISIS, perhaps the real villain of the story is the current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad; since 2011, Assad's forces & allies are responsible for 94% of the 206,923 civilian deaths while ISIS has killed 1.6%; given his father's presidency report card, perhaps it was inevitable.

HOPE DIAMOND STOLEN, 1792

45.42 carat Hope Diamond. Photo: Reuters

The 45.52-carat Hope Diamond was stolen, yet again, while Louis XVI was under house arrest in the early days of the French Revolution; the cursed diamond exacted its price-the royal couple were soon beheaded, adding to its list of victims-but met an ignoble end itself because when it resurfaced in 1812, it was half its original size.

advertisement

STARR REPORT, 1998

A letter from Monica Lewinsky to President Clinton dated June 29, 1997 was part of the evidence. Photo: Reuters

Another mini 9/11 rocked former president Bill Clinton's life when the House Judiciary Committee released Kenneth Starr's explosive report detailing the Lewinsky affair on the internet; it not only led to the 2nd in impeachment in American history, but also made way for arguably the worst president before Donald Trump.

BATTLE OF MALPLAQUET, 1709

This was one of the key battles in the War of the Spanish Succession, where Britain's Duke of Marlborough along with his mainland European allies attacked & defeated the French army in Flanders; with combined losses estimated to be over 32,000, this is considered one of Europe's bloodiest battles before the 20th century.

ISRAEL'S DISENGAGEMENT FROM GAZA, 2005

Israel lowered its flag over the Gaza Strip for the last time after 38 years of occupation but victory for the Palestinians was short-lived; in the ensuing decade, Gaza's 1.8 million residents have endured a civil war, 4 wars with Israel, poverty, raging unemployment & choking blockades; according to the UN, Gaza is going to be uninhabitable by 2020.

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Investigators told Mail Today that the gang had not only hacked the secure 'source code' to access the application but also cloned fingerprints of authorised issuing authorities by using gelatin gel, laser and silicon.

By Shashank Shekhar: Damning details related to Aadhaar card security have emerged after the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force on Sunday arrested 10 members of a gang allegedly involved in issuing fake biometric cards. Investigators told Mail Today that the gang members had not only hacked the secure 'source code' to access the application but also cloned fingerprints of authorised issuing authorities by using gelatin gel, laser and silicon.

advertisement

The exposure raises serious questions on the Centre's efforts to link its various schemes, PAN, individual bank accounts and mobile numbers with Aadhaar card, hitherto considered foolproof.

"The investigation has thrown up some shocking facts about the modus operandi of this gang," Triveni Singh, additional superintendent of police, STF, told Mail Today. "The operators made copies of the login details used by valid enrolment centres, issued by UIDAI, the nodal authority mandated to issue the 12-digit unique number. They were also able to crack and replicate the application for the retinal scanning, an ocular-based biometric technology."

Singh said the team was yet to ascertain the enormity of the operation as these members are believed to have shared or sold these codes to other centres as well. "The gang was selling clone operator fingerprint and copy of client application for Rs 5,000 to run illegal centers. During the raid, the STF seized software with fake fingerprints as well as finger and retina scanners," he said.

Members of the investigation team said while the gang members learnt about the use of gelatin gel and latex from the Internet, they suspect insider role in creation of the duplicate client application (software) which allowed them to bypass security measures like fingerprints and IRIS scans needed for Aadhaar enrolment.

"The clone copies were made by taking fingerprint on butter paper and later treating it with chemicals and ultraviolet rays at different temperature to create a mould using gelatin gel and latex," an STF official said. "But the breach of high-tech application and source code is not possible without the collusion of one or more UIDAI officials."

According to web security experts, the UIDAI functions on a sophisticated source code. "The source code is available only with the core team. It is a collection of computer instructions or scripts on which an application is defined. In June, after the UIDAI found same login (fingerprints) being used at multiple places to issue Aadhaar card, they introduced latest version of their application which had added feature of IRIS scanner for operators to authenticate," a cyber expert explained to Mail Today.

"These gang members may have got the access to that source code and tampered the biometric authentication like fingerprints and IRIS. So now, these illegal centres had software to login to Aadhaar sever without using any biometric details, which is worrisome," the web security expert added.

advertisement

The STF officials said although all the 10 arrests were made from Kanpur in UP, the web of 'illegal' Aadhaar centers is spread across India and lakhs of enrolment have been done by such centres. However, the team is yet to figure out if this loophole was sold to elements involved in making the unique ID for illegal migrants.

The task force is in the process of finding out the number of biometric details which were uploaded by the gang on the Aadhaar data pool. Many officers secretly admitted that the arrests are a major setback for the Aadhaar project.

A senior official at UIDAI told Mail Today that the issue had come to their notice a few months back following which they registered an FIR and upgraded their security features. The UIDAI has deactivated close to 81 lakh Aadhaar identities, after discrepancies were found in the biometric data or supporting documents.

The UIDAI has defined sophisticated security measures, hardware and software to be followed by an enrolment center but on ground none of these precautions is practised, claims STF. "Most of the work is outsourced to third parties and there is no verification or audit of operators. While investigation, it was found that several Aadhaar enrolment centers were operational with a wrong name," a member of the STF said on condition of anonymity.

advertisement

This revelation has set alarm bell ringing at UIDAI, which has to audit and verify numbers of such illegal centers running across the country.

STF teams are conducting raids in other states to arrest similar gangs and also to detect who leaked the source code of UIDAI application. Enrolment officers and registrar who are involved in the process of issuing licenses and verification are on STF radar.

The concerns about the security in Aadhaar system have been raised after recent reports of its database being vulnerable to hackers. Recently, the Supreme Court declared the Right to Privacy a fundamental right, leaving many in limbo about the whole concept and authenticity of Aadhaar verification.

ALSO READ |

Aadhaar card Fake biometric ID UP STF UIDAI

Delhi: Fake Aadhaar card racket busted, two arrested

UP Police busts pan-India online, credit card fraud, 5 held

advertisement

No plan to link Aadhaar with land records, fake letter doing rounds

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Hyderabad, Sep 10 (PTI) An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) working in Warangal district of Telangana, who was recently diagnosed with swine flu died today at a private hospital here.

Wardhannapet ACP M Durgaiah Yadav (51), who had tested positive for swine flu last week was shifted to a hospital here from Warangal.

"The ACP who was suffering with ill health for the past few days has died today while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Hyderabad," an official release said.

advertisement

Yadav had joined the police department as a sub-inspector in 1992 and had got promoted as Deputy SP this year and assumed the charge of Wardhannapet ACP on June 21, it said.

Warangal Commissioner of Police G Sudheer Babu and senior police officials have expressed their condolence to the family members of the deceased police official. PTI VVK RMT

--- ENDS ---
By Geeta Mohan: Afghanistan today blamed Pakistan-based terror outfits like LeT and Jaish for unleashing violence in the country.

During the day, Afghanistan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani held 'India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council Meeting' to discuss key bilateral and regional issues, including India's assistance to development and capacity building as also the security situation and fight against terrorism.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj emphasised on the importance of this relationship, asserting that India's strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an "article of faith" for India.

advertisement

Without naming Pakistan, she added that India and Afghanistan "will remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries".

Addressing the joint press conference after co-chairing the council meet, Rabbani minced no words in his strong statement on terrorism where he emphasised that both nations were not into 'zero-sum' games that could 'undermine' security for years to come.

Naming groups that work from Pakistani soil, he attacked the Pakistan government.

"Both countries suffer from terrorism and violent extremism that threaten is and the region's stability. The terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad which have been launching attacks against India and indiscriminately killing civilians of this country are engaged in similar activities alongwith Taliban, Al Qaeda and Daesh in Afghanistan. Together they are killing our people on Afghanistan and destroying infrastructure," he said.

He also added that countries should not find strength by destabilising other neighbours. He said, "unlike others, Afghanistan has hardly sought our security in the insecurity of others. We are a landlocked country and our security lies with those of our neighbours, near and extended".

The two sides also inked four pacts. Documents were signed between the two concerning motor vehicles; medicine and health care; sharing orbit coordinates for the South Asia satellite and new development partnership.

116 new high-impact development projects would be jointly implemented to bring "socio-economic" and "infrastructure development" in around 31 provinces of Afghanistan.

"India has been and will continue to work with people of Afghanistan in their effort to build a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive Afghanistan," Swaraj said.Also read | China to produce ballistic missiles, aircraft with Pak after slamming India's weapons programme

Also read | US lawmaker's radical reset: Declare Pakistan state terror sponsor

WATCH VIDEO

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Kolkata, Sep 9 (PTI) Newly appointed Railway Minister Piyush Goyal today said the target of removing all unmanned level crossings could be achieved within a year, instead of the initial goal of doing it in three years.

"Initially, the Railways had a target of removing all unmanned crossings in three years. But, I told them, why not do it within a year," he said at an event at IIM-Calcutta.

advertisement

Goyal said around 5,000 unmanned level crossings, which account for nearly 30-35 per cent of total rail accidents, need to be removed by the railways in the next one year.

He also advocated the use of technology to reduce manual maintenance of rail tracks, as it entails huge manpower.

"All you need is some infrastructure and a set of communication devices. The RailTel has already prepared the optic fibre network for improving communication," the minister said.

Goyal had chaired a high-level meeting with top Railway Board officials on train safety in New Delhi on September 7. PTI BSM RBT NSD

--- ENDS ---
Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Rattled by accusations that it was putting financial concerns ahead of the sick and dying, Sutter Healths California Pacific Medical Center announced Monday it will continue caring for the 28 patients in its subacute unit at St. Lukes Hospital in the Mission when it closes that facility.

Sutter had planned to close the unit next month as it prepares to replace St. Lukes with its Mission Bernal Campus, one of two new hospitals the nonprofit will open in San Francisco. Mission Bernal will open next year, followed by the main campus at Van Ness Avenue and Geary Blvd. in 2019.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Your morning buzz may take a hit as bee populations decline, researchers say.

A study published today in Proceedings of the National Academy predicts climate change coupled with a decrease in the global bee population could reduce coffee production in some Latin American regions by up to 88 percent by 2050  a figure 46-76 percentage points higher than previous global assessments.

"Coffee is one of the most valuable commodities on earth, and needs a suitable climate and pollinating bees to produce well," said study c0-author Taylor Ricketts, director of the University of Vermont's Gund Institute for Environment, in a press release. "This is the first study to show how both will likely change under global warming  in ways that will hit coffee producers hard."

This is the first study to look at the combined effects of pollinator population decline and climate change, according to the press release.

While the scientists' predictions  devised through a combination of advanced modeling, spatial analysis and field data  may be disappointing to coffee drinkers, they could prove devastating for Latin American farmers reliant on the coffee crop for their livelihoods.

Ricketts believes millions of already-vulnerable farmers will be impacted by the decline in production, which will likely hit Nicaragua, Honduras and Venezuela hardest.

With the bad news comes good. The researchers also project a small increase in coffee suitability in the mountainous regions of Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico, where temperatures will be better-suited to coffee production and bee habitats.

At the same time, while some regions may become less suitable to coffee growth, the same areas may also experience a growth and diversity of bee populations, thereby counteracting some of the negative climate impacts.

To protect coffee hotspots, the researchers say forest conservation, shade adjustment and crop rotation are essential, as well as an increased attention to the coupled effects of global warming and pollination.

"For my money, we do a far superior job of predicting the future when we consider both plants and animals (or in this case the bees) and their biology," study co-author David Roubik, senior scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, said in a statement. "Traditional models don't build in the ability of organisms to change. They're based on the world as we know it now, not on the way it could be as people and other organisms adapt."

Read Michelle Robertsons latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.
Noted historian Ramchandra Guha was today slapped with a legal notice by the Karnataka BJP over his comments in which he said that the Sangh Parivar was likely involved in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh.

By India Today Web Desk: The Bharatiya Janata Party's Karnataka youth wing today slapped a legal notice against noted historian Ramchandra Guha over comments the latter made in the aftermath of the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh.

A day after Lankesh was shot dead at her Bengaluru home, Ram Guha seemingly blamed the Sangh Parivar for the scribe's murder.

advertisement

"It is very likely that her [Gauri Lankesh's] murderers came from the same Sangh Parivar from which the murderers of [Govind] Pansare, [Narendra] Dabholkar and [MM] Kalburgi came," Guha had said, referring to the murders of rationalists in which elements of the right-wing are suspected to be involved.

"The ruling dispensation in Delhi has created a climate of hate and intolerance," Guha had gone on to say.

The Karnataka BJP's youth wing has taken offence to Guha's comments and in its legal notice that Guha immediately apologise.

In the notice, a copy of which is with IndiaToday.in, Karunakar Khasale, state secretary of BJP Yuva Morcha, Karnataka, accuses Guha of making "false" and "baseless allegations" that are "calculated to tarnish the image and reputation of" the RSS and the BJP.

Gauri Lankesh's murder sparked nationwide protests (PTI) Click here to Enlarge Gauri Lankesh's murder sparked nationwide protests (PTI)

"Your deliberate, false and calculated statement against our client's organisation has caused great anguish in the minds thousands of its members and sympathisers," the notice reads. "your baseless utterances are also calculated to influence and mislead the on-going investigations of the said incidents. This amounts to illegal interference in the course of justice and is also a grave offence."

The notice demands that Guha immediately issue an apology to the BJP and the RSS for "making such defamatory, baseless and false allegations". Guha has been asked to refrain from making similar statements.

"If you fail to comply with the aforesaid instructions, our client... would be constrained to initiate civil and criminal prosecution against you, at your sole costs and consequences," the notice ends.

LANKESH MURDER

Lankesh, a noted critic of the extreme right-wing and the editor of a Kannada weekly, was shot dead outside her Bengaluru home on September 5. Lankesh was killed by bike-borne, helmet-wearing assailants in an incident that bore stark resemblance to a hit job.

Her murder sparked a firestorm of criticism, most of it directed at the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and other associated groups. Lankesh's ideological differences with the right led many to allege that extreme Hindutva forces may have been behind the killing.

advertisement

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was among those who made the connection. "Anybody who speaks against the ideology of the BJP, against the ideology of the RSS is pressured, beaten, attacked and even killed," Gandhi had said a day after Lankesh was killed. The idea is that there should only be once voice in the country." Gandhi's comments were sharply criticised by the BJP.

Anybody who speaks against the RSS/BJP is attacked &even killed. They want to impose only one ideology which is against the nature of India- Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) September 6, 2017

Investigation into the killing, led by a Special Investigative Team, however, is yet to identify Lankesh's murderers. Notably, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked the SIT to link Lankesh's murder probe with the investigation into the killing of rationalist MM Kalburgi.

ALSO READ | Gauri Lankesh would have been alive if she hadn't written against RSS: BJP MLA Jeevaraj

ALSO READ | #BlockNarendraModi: PM following Twitter trolls abusing Gauri Lankesh prompts hashtag in protest

ALSO WATCH | Gauri Lankesh murder: Another voice of dissent silenced?

advertisement

--- ENDS ---
An American Airlines flight from Sacramento was grounded Sunday after an unticketed passenger was found to have snuck onto the plane. A very small passenger.

Flight 2672, bound for Chicago, was cancelled after a scorpion was seen onboard, American Airlines spokesperson Leslie Scott confirmed. The little hitchhiker disrupted the plans of 125 paying (human) passengers, who were promptly rebooked on other flights.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

San Francisco is famed for its microclimates. In less than an hour you can go from bundling up at Ocean Beach to sweating while climbing the hills of Potrero.

But even in San Francisco, a 55-degree range in temperature is pretty extreme.

On a warmer-than-usual Sunday, a screenshot of the Mr. Chilly weather app was shared on Reddit. The map showed 54 degrees at around 2 p.m. in the Presidio. At the same time, the app showed a temperature of 109 degrees in Noe Valley.

Weather Underground, which powers SFGATE's weather page, showed a less extreme forecast for San Francisco. Around 4 p.m. it was reportedly in the 70s in the Richmond and Sunset, 80 degrees near the Presidio, and 97 in Noe Valley. One weather monitor in the Dogpatch recorded a temperature of 100 degrees.

SCORCHING SEPTEMBER: You know it's hot in San Francisco when...

So why do different apps deliver such different forecasts?

The sites and apps reporting temperatures are pulling data from different locations around the city. When your phone shows you a more general forecast for a whole city (like San Francisco or San Jose), it's most likely pulling data from the nearest airport.

"San Francisco Airport is a 30-minute drive from downtown San Francisco. If you're in San Mateo and look up the temperature, you might get a reading from San Carlos Airport or the San Francisco Airport and if you're in the San Mateo hills you're not close to either of those places," Jan Null, a meteorologist for Golden Gate Weather Services, told SFGATE in May.

Now Playing: Inland Bay Area temperatures near triple digits by Sunday with a pretty drastic cool off to start the new week. Video: KTVU

HOW HOT IS IT IN SF? Don't trust your smartphone

A microclimate forecast app (like Weather Underground) tends to be more accurate because it pulls data from more specific locations, but the forecast can still be flawed.

"Most of those weather stations are in people's backyards. Some may have good backyard setups not in direct sunlight. Often times people compromise and the gauge is mounted on the south facing side of their condo. So while the actual air temp is 82, the gauge reading is 92," Null said.

While the National Weather Service has fewer observation stations, the ones they do have are vetted by meteorologists.

The National Weather Service reported it was 69 degrees near Crissy Field, 75 in the Richmond, and 84 degrees in Dolores Heights Sunday around 4 p.m.

SFGATE'S Amy Graff contributed to this report.

Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com.
YUEYANG, China  A Taiwanese pro-democracy activist pleaded guilty Monday in a Chinese court to subverting the power of the state, but his wife dismissed the trial as a political show and his supporters said he had been forced to confess to crimes he didnt commit.

Lee Ming-ches trial marked Chinas first criminal prosecution of a nonprofit worker since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign nongovernmental organizations.

Lee told the court in the central Chinese city of Yueyang that he had spread articles that maliciously attacked the Communist Party of China, Chinas existing system and Chinas government. He said he had also organized people and wrote articles intended to subvert the states power.

Subversion of state power is a vaguely defined charge often used by authorities to muzzle dissent and imprison critics. The court has not yet announced a punishment for Lee.

Lees wife, Lee Ching-yu, who was in Yueyang for the trial, had warned that he might be pressured into pleading guilty. Chinas wide-ranging crackdown on civil society has featured a string of televised confessions  believed to have been coerced  from human rights activists accused of plots to overthrow the political system.

Today the whole world witnessed a political show with me, Lee Ching-yu said after the trial, showing an arm tattoo proclaiming, Im proud of you, Lee Ming-che.

We also witnessed how different the core values are of Taiwan and China, she added.

Lees supporters blasted the legal process.

This trial is illegal, said Hsiao I-Min, who traveled to Yueyang with Lees wife and is with the Taiwanese nongovernmental organization Judicial Reform Foundation. Lee was forced to confess a false truth.

Dozens of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong marched to the China Liaison Office on Monday to protest Lees prosecution.

Lee, 42, has conducted online lectures on Taiwans democratization and managed a fund for families of political prisoners in China.

Emily Wang is an Associated Press writer.
HAVANA  Powerful waves and storm surge from Hurricane Irma topped Havanas famed Malecon seawall and left thousands of homes, businesses and hotels swamped Sunday, even as the storm moved away from the island.

There were no immediate reports of fatalities in Cuba, where the government prides itself on disaster preparedness and said it had carried out evacuations totaling more than 1 million people.

Authorities warned that the floodwaters could linger for more than a day, and there was still-unknown damage to sugarcane and banana fields in central Cuba and to northern cays studded with resorts, potentially dealing a major blow to the countrys vital tourism industry.

The powerful storm ripped roofs off homes, collapsed buildings and caused floods along hundreds of miles of coastline after cutting a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. Irma has killed at least 24 people in the region, leaving officials scrambling to bring aid to shattered communities.

In Havana, home to 2 million residents, central neighborhoods along the coast between the Almendares River and Havana harbor suffered the brunt of the flooding, with seawater penetrating as much as one-third of a mile inland in places.

Waves as high as 20 feet continued to pound Havana, and Civil Defense Col. Luis Angel Macareno warned that the flooding would persist into Monday.

Emergency workers and residents boated and waded through streets littered with all manner of debris: toppled trees, downed electrical lines, roofs torn off by the winds, and cement water tanks that fell from atop homes to the ground.

Elena Villar and her mother spent the night huddling in the lobby of a building on higher ground as her home of 30 years filled with more than 6 feet of water. I have lost everything, she said, on the edge of tears.

Floodwaters entered the high-end Melia Cohiba and Riviera hotels, where the storm damaged the buildings, landscaping and roofing.

The storm also damaged the seaside U.S. Embassy, tossing around shipping containers that sit on the compound, smashing parts of its black perimeter fence and breaking windows and doors. The embassys flag was torn and fluttering from its staff early Sunday.

Similar scenes played out across the Caribbean, where the storm devastated islands before setting its sights on Florida.

In St. Martin, formerly lush green hills were stripped to a brown stubble and the smell of rotting debris spread across the French Caribbean territory of 40,000 people. Irma passed through earlier in the week as a Category 5 storm.

A truck drove through damaged neighborhoods distributing water, and authorities expected to set up distribution points Monday. Plans to do so were initially delayed by Hurricane Jose, which roared toward the region as a Category 4 storm Saturday but turned north without doing much further harm.

Everything has been destroyed where I work. Theres nothing there, 27-year-old Manon Brunet-Vita said as she walked through the streets of Grand Case. When I got to this neighborhood, I cried.

More than 1,000 tons of water and 85 tons of food have been shipped to the French Caribbean territories of St. Martin and St. Barts, and additional deliveries are expected, according to officials on the nearby island of Guadeloupe.

Andrea Rodriguez and Desmond Boylan are Associated Press writers.
MANILA  Pro-democracy activists on Monday protested the Philippine presidents declaration of a provincial holiday marking the birthday of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and other steps they said promote a political rehabilitation of his family.

More than 150 people rallied outside the national Heroes Cemetery in metropolitan Manila as the Marcos family and guests celebrated his 100th birthday. Marcos was ousted in a 1986 people power revolt and died in Hawaii three years later.

With riot police standing by, the protesters burned portraits combining half of Marcos face with half of President Rodrigo Dutertes face. Others held placards reading Marcos no hero. Pro-Marcos supporters yelled his name in a separate rally nearby.

This celebration is part of the political rehabilitation of the Marcoses, courtesy of President Duterte, said protest leader Bonifacio Ilagan. Marcos has never been worthy of a tribute, not even a provincial holiday. To glorify Marcos is to absolve him of his crimes against the Filipino people.

Duterte, whose presidential campaign was backed by one of Marcos daughters, has declared Marcos birthday a holiday in the late presidents northern home province of Ilocos Norte. In November, he approved Marcos burial in a secrecy-shrouded ceremony in Heroes Cemetery, shocking democracy and rights advocates and sparking protests.

Duterte has defended his pro-Marcos actions. Why? Whats wrong? Duterte asked during a news conference over the weekend when asked about his holiday declaration. He was a president; to the Ilocanos, he was the greatest president, he said.

Last month, Dutertehe said the Marcos family has indicated a willingness to return an unspecified amount of money and a few gold bars to help ease the governments expected budget deficit. Duterte said without elaborating that he was considering designating three people to negotiate with the Marcoses over the return of the assets.

Marcos died without admitting wrongdoing, including accusations that he and his family amassed an estimated $5 billion to $10 billion fortune while he was in power.

He 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 from his estate to compensate more than 9,000 Filipinos who filed a lawsuit against him for torture, incarceration, extrajudicial killings and disappearances.

Alberto Marquez is an Associated Press writer.
EL-ARISH, Egypt  Islamic State militants ambushed a police convoy in Egypts Sinai Peninsula on Monday, killing 18 officers and wounding seven others in one of the deadliest attacks this year in the restive region bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Police and military officials said roadside bombs destroyed and set ablaze four armored vehicles and a fifth carrying signal-jamming equipment meant to neutralize roadside bombs. Militants later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.
JERUSALEM  Yair Netanyahu, the son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, removed an anti-Semitic meme from his Facebook page Sunday after an outcry from Israeli politicians and Jewish community leaders in the United States.

The image, posted by Netanyahu on Friday, appeared to be a local take on a classic anti-Semitic cartoon suggesting that Jews control the United States. It has appeared widely on extreme right websites.

In this instance, it depicted his fathers perceived foes: American Jewish billionaire philanthropist and investor George Soros, outspoken former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, activist Eldad Yaniv and Meni Naftali, a former housekeeper for the Netanyahus who successfully sued them for mistreatment.

Netanyahu, who goes by the name Yair Hun on Facebook, had captioned the meme the food chain.

Over the weekend, Netanyahus actions drew praise from neo-Nazi groups in the United States, as well as from Holocaust denier David Duke, a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

Yair Netanyahu is a total bro, Andrew Anglin wrote in the neo-Nazi Daily Stormer. Next hes going to call for gassings.

Duke tweeted about it: Welcome to the club, Yair  absolutely amazing, wow, just wow.

But many in Israel and the U.S. condemned it, expressing shock that the prime ministers son would share such an image.

The Israeli office of the Anti-Defamation League tweeted in Hebrew that the cartoon posted by Yair Netanyahu blatantly contains anti-Semitic elements.

Former prime minister Barak suggested the younger Netanyahu see a psychiatrist.

Is this what the kid hears at home? he wrote on Twitter. Is it genetics, or a spontaneous mental illness? It doesnt matter. In any case, we should fund his psychiatrist instead of security guards and a driver.

Netanyahu responded to an article about his post in the left-leaning newspaper Haaretz, calling the publication anti-Semitic.

Its a particularly sad day for Israel when a caricature endorsed by the head of the KKK emerges from the home of the prime minister of the Jewish state, Labor leader Avi Gabbay wrote on Twitter.

Yaniv and Naftali have been leading protests against the prime minister over what they see as a failure to issue indictments in at least two cases of alleged corruption.

This post was not put up by mistake, this is in keeping with the views of his father, Yaniv said. He wants to set Israeli society on fire, pitching people against each other, so he can hide the suspicions that are against him.

Ruth Eglash is a Washington Post writer.
1 Italy flooding: Torrential rain caused flooding that killed at least six people Sunday in the Tuscan port of Livorno, including a family of four who were trapped by rising water. Two persons were reported missing. The city is literally devastated, said Livorno Mayor Filippo Nogarin, adding that a crazy amount of rain pummeled the area in just a few hours. Strong winds toppled trees and cars were nearly submerged by floodwaters that also left streets clogged with mud. The city has a population of 170,000 and is a popular spot for travelers catching ferries to the islands of Elba and Sardinia.

2 Egypt raid: Police killed 10 militants Sunday who sneaked into the capital of Cairo from the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, epicenter of an insurgency led by an affiliate of the Islamic State group. A statement by the Interior Ministry said the militants were hiding in two apartments, where they held organizational meetings and planned a series of terror attacks. The ministrys statement said police simultaneously raided the apartments. Gunfights at both apartments also wounded five police officers. Egypt is fighting an insurgency led by the local Islamic State affiliate as well as Muslim Brotherhood factions.
UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. Security Council on Monday ratcheted up sanctions yet again against North Korea, but they fell significantly short of the far-reaching penalties that the Trump administration had demanded just days ago.

Moreover, it remained wholly unclear whether the additional penalties will persuade North Korea to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile tests  the latest just a week ago, when it detonated its sixth and most powerful nuclear device. North Korea claimed that detonation was from a hydrogen bomb.

Although the resolution won unanimous backing from all 15 council members, the weakened penalties reflected the power of Russia and China, which had objected to the original language and could have used their votes to veto the measure.

The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, reacted to the bomb test last week by calling for the fullest range of international sanctions, including a cutoff of all oil supplies, in a new Security Council resolution.

Those demands were toned down in negotiations that followed with her Russian and Chinese counterparts. Late Sunday, after a series of meetings, a revised draft emerged, setting a cap on oil exports to North Korea, but not blocking them altogether.

The resolution asks countries around the world to inspect ships going in and out of North Koreas ports (a provision put in place by the Security Council in 2009) but does not authorize the use of force for ships that do not comply, as the Trump administration had originally proposed. The resolution also requires those inspections to be done with the consent of the countries where the ships are registered, which opens the door to violations. Under the latest resolution, those ships could face penalties, but the original language proposed by the United States went much further, empowering countries to interdict ships suspected of carrying weapons material or fuel into North Korea and to use all necessary measures  diplomatic code for the deployment of military force  to enforce compliance.

Nor does the resolution impose a travel ban or asset freeze on the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, as the original U.S. draft had set out.

Before Mondays vote, North Korea warned that it would inflict the greatest pain and suffering on the United States in the event of tougher international sanctions.

Somini Sengupta is a New York Times writer.
GENEVA  The United Nations top human rights official accused Myanmar on Monday of carrying out a textbook example of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims, hundreds of thousands of whom have crossed into Bangladesh since late August to escape a military crackdown.

Zeid Raad al-Hussein, U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said the militarys brutal security campaign was in clear violation of international law, and cited what he called refugees consistent accounts of widespread extrajudicial killings, rape and other atrocities.

Al-Hussein said the crackdown resembles a cynical ploy to forcibly transfer large numbers of people without possibility of return, noting that Myanmar had progressively stripped its Rohingya minority of civil and political rights for decades.

The situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, he said in a keynote address before the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

More than 300,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since Aug. 25, when armed Rohingya militants attacked police posts and a military base in the western state of Rakhine, which borders Bangladesh. Myanmar authorities said 15 members of the security forces and 370 militants had been killed in the fighting.

Since then, Rohingya refugees arriving in Bangladesh have told journalists, rights groups and others that soldiers, along with some local residents, had set fire to numerous villages and had butchered Rohingya men, women and children.

Some officials in Myanmar have said that Rohingya had set fire to their own homes and villages. On Monday, al-Hussein called such accusations a complete denial of reality that was damaging the international standing of a leadership that had benefited from considerable goodwill as the country emerged from decades of military rule.

The militant group blamed for the August attacks, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, declared a unilateral, one-month cease-fire Sunday.

Al-Husseins comments added to mounting international criticism of the militarys actions in Rakhine. Some of it has singled out Aung San Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of the elected civilian government, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her resistance to the military dictatorship. Suu Kyi does not control Myanmars military, but she has yet to criticize its crackdown on the Rohingya.

On Friday, the Dalai Lama became the latest Nobel Peace Prize laureate to raise the issue of her silence, following statements from Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and the rights advocate Malala Yousufzai of Pakistan, both of whom called on Suu Kyi to take action.

The Dalai Lama told journalists in Dharamsala, India, that those who were persecuting Rohingya should remember Buddha, a pointed reminder to the Buddhists who make up a majority of Myanmars population. Some Buddhist nationalists in Myanmar have campaigned for Muslims to be driven out of the country.

The Buddha would definitely give help to those poor Muslims, the Dalai Lama said.

Nick Cumming-Bruce is a New York Times writer.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Certain sections of civil society groups and trade experts today raised questions on the impact of the proposed mega agreement RCEP on domestic manufacturing and services sectors.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a mega trade pact among 16 countries that aims to cover goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, competition and intellectual property rights.

advertisement

"Elimination of taxes on goods would impact our manufacturing sector. Serious concerns have been raised by some industries. The government has to really dig in its heels and not get into such type of commitments which can impact our industries," trade expert and professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University Biswajit Dhar told reporters here.

In the services sector too, he observed, India would not get much from this agreement as there is no appetite for liberalisation of norms for movement of professionals, a key area of interest for India.

He suggested that the government must ensure interests of the domestic industry must be safeguarded.

Ravindra Gupta of All India Bank Officers Confederation agreed, saying India should not allow banks from China, Australia or Japan to open bank branches here as they would not cater to masses.

"We oppose any kind of opening of bank branches by these countries. They will only cater to classes," Gupta said.

Dharmendra Kumar, from India FDI Watch, said Japan and Indonesia are pressurising India to further open its retail sector in the negotiations.

"The government should not liberalise norms in retail as it would impact livelihood of millions of small traders," he said.

Ranja Sengupta of Third World Network opined that RCEP would have a serious impact on agri, dairy, plantations and pharma sectors. "With China as a prime partner in the RCEP, the threat to Indian industry is obvious," she said.

According to Ashim Roy of New Trade Union Initiative, the trade pact is being negotiated to increase the corporate power and foreign investment protection.

"RCEP members should also talk about harmonisation of wages. MNCs only want access to cheap labour and resources," he added.

The 16-member bloc RCEP comprises 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) and their six FTA partners - India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. PTI RR ARD

--- ENDS ---
A Labour-led governments ban on sales of existing homes to foreign buyers will require a renegotiation of the Korean free-trade agreement, Labour leader Jacinda Ardern confirmed this morning.

But she claimed it would not require renegotiation of the FTA between New Zealand and China after claims by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research that the relevant parts of the two-year-old Korean deal flowed through the China deal.

Ardern told RNZ's Morning Report programme that it was not unusual for elements of FTAs to be renegotiated, although was not pressed on whether that requirement would delay her plan to make the ban on foreign purchases of existing homes to be in law by Christmas, if elected.

In a research note issued yesterday, NZIER questioned Labours plan because of the way it would affect existing trade agreements as well as the unsigned Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.

It is not possible for any New Zealand government to ban sales to investors from these countries (Korea and China) without breaching our FTA commitments. Any such ban would risk blowback in the form of retaliatory trade or investment measures, which would be damaging for Kiwi businesses, said NZIERs deputy chief executive, John Ballingall, in a statement.

The governing National Party weighed in on the issue too, with Trade Minister Todd McClay claiming a much wider range of FTAs would require renegotiation, including the Closer Economic Relations Agreement with Australia.

However, Labours trade spokesman, David Parker, rubbished the claim, saying only the two-year-old Korean FTA would be affected and stressing that Labours foreign buyer ban would not apply to Australians because of the close economic relationship.

McClay said Labours policy would cut across a range of existing FTAs we have with countries like Singapore, Australia and Korea and cause considerable difficulty with China.

These FTAs have non-discrimination provisions that ensure New Zealanders are treated fairly overseas, and in return that our trade partners are treated fairly in New Zealand.

However, the most sensitive issue is the potential for Labours policy to up-end the current administrations attempts to get the 11 remaining TPP signatories to agree to a deal without the United States while avoiding a renegotiation of the complex Asia-Pacific trade and investment pact.

New Zealand and Japan have been pushing for the leaders of the so-called TPP-11 countries to announce a commitment to taking the agreement forward at the annual APEC leaders summit in Vietnam in November.

Officials are due to discuss progress in Japan this month, raising the prospect of the current New Zealand government trying to bind a future administration to decisions made around the time of the New Zealand general election.

However, McClay said final decisions would rest with leaders and there was no need to consult with Opposition parties on TPP-11 position-taking ahead of the Sept. 23 election.

Parker said there was nothing to stop a New Zealand government passing law to ban existing home sales to foreigners.

Labours position on this issue had been clear since before the initial agreement of the TPP, he said. TPP included the US prior to the election of President Donald Trump, who made leaving TPP his first act in office.

NZIER's Ballingall called for a restoration of the traditional bipartisan support for free-trade agreements that had long existed in the New Zealand Parliament, noting that while Labour was not anti-trade, it was "stuck on TPP and foreign investment into housing".

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

RAK 1H23 Results Business Update Webcast & Teleconference

AoFrio appoints new Vice President of Product

HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022

Rob Buchanan resigns from Manawa Energy

Channel Infrastructure announces change in CEO

AIA Provision of Financial Assistance - Employee Share Plan

THL - Apollo shareholders approve merger

TWL - TradeWindow and EMA partner-up to build export capability

November 14th Morning Report

The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update


PledgeMe, the equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending platform, has joined rival Equitise in signalling plans to enter the Australian market ahead of a law change coming into effect across the Tasman this month.

Co-founder Anna Guenther will relocate to Brisbane for six months to establish the Wellington-based company's Australian arm, according to a PledgeMe blog post. PledgeMe will participate in the Queensland government's HotDesQ programme, which provides networks, support, and funding for companies to relocate to the state.

"There are over 2.1 million SMEs in Australia (compared to just under 500,000 here in New Zealand), so the opportunity is pretty clear," she says.

The Australian Corporations Amendment (Crowd-sourced Funding) Act 2017 comes into effect on Sept. 29 and provides a legislative framework for crowd-sourced funding, reducing the regulatory threshold faced by other public capital raisings while imposing consumer protections. The investment cap is A$10,000. Guenther says she is concerned Australia may end up with too much red tape.

"America introduced equity crowdfunding last year, but it seems that over-regulation has stymied the potential of equity crowdfunding there", she said. If Australia ends up 'over-regulating' and its legislation "doesnt actually help companies, we wont stay.

Over-regulation and its associated costs had stymied activity on equity crowdfunding platforms in the US, with just $52 million raised, she said.

Equitise, the Sydney-based trans-Tasman equity crowd funder that operates in New Zealand, is also preparing to enter the Australian market, where it can currently extend its offers only to sophisticated investors with high net wealth or income.

In February the company said Investec Australia had acquired 20 percent of the company. Equitise co-founder Will Mahon-Heap said at the time had been frustrated by the slow progress in Australia's regulatory framework.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

RAK 1H23 Results Business Update Webcast & Teleconference

AoFrio appoints new Vice President of Product

HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022

Rob Buchanan resigns from Manawa Energy

Channel Infrastructure announces change in CEO

AIA Provision of Financial Assistance - Employee Share Plan

THL - Apollo shareholders approve merger

TWL - TradeWindow and EMA partner-up to build export capability

November 14th Morning Report

The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update


Bathurst Resources shares have rallied to a 3 1/2-year high on confirmation of its purchase from the receivers of Solid Energy's Stockton mine, which has infrastructure strategically placed to service its Buller Coal Project.

The ASX-listed, Wellington-headquartered company is projecting a massive uplift in production thanks to the output of Stockton and two mines near Huntly that have previously supplied the Huntly Power Station. Today Bathurst said it had agreed a 2 1/2-year contract to supply up to 150,000 tonnes a year from its Rotowaro and Maramarua mines. Analysts say it is likely to supply the power station as needed.

The stock fell 2.9 percent to 17 cents today, having earlier touched 18 cents, the highest since February 2014. Macquarie Research analysts last month raised their full-year 2018 forecast for hard coking coal forecast by 18 percent to US$155 a tonne in line with its upgrade for iron ore tied to what it saw as "improving sentiment for Chinese demand and strong macroeconomic data" that had driven most spot commodity prices higher.

BT Mining, the Bathurst-Talley's Group joint venture formerly known as Phoenix Coal, has acquired Solid Energy's Stockton, Rotowaro and Maramarua Mines and other properties for $96 million. It is buying mines that will lift production by 1.8 million tonnes a year to 2.2 million tonnes. Of that 1.7 million tonnes is steelmaking, or coking coal. Stockton's rail link runs to Lyttleton Port and it has existing steel-maker customers in India and Japan.

"Stockton is the jewel in the crown but I wouldn't dismiss the Waikato assets - I would expect BT Mining to start supplying the Huntly power station which for Bathurst will provide valuable local trade cash flow," said John Kidd, an energy analyst at Woodward Partners.

The deal "marks the final step towards what we expect to be a significant new coal supply agreement (CSA) with Genesis Energy for the supply of Rotowaro coal to Huntly power station," Kidd said in a note last week. "We would expect supply terms that are very much more favourable to Genesis than the CSA it held with Solid Energy which Genesis exited after Solid Energy fell into voluntary administration in 2015."

Bathurst turned to a loss of A$1.9 million in 2017 from a year-earlier profit of A$1 million. The size of the loss is the subject of a disagreement between Bathurst and its auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers, which qualified its opinion of the miner's 2017 accounts because of its treatment of convertible notes as equity.

While the notes are denominated in Australian dollars, PwC said they had to comply with New Zealand accounting rules because the kiwi dollar was the company's functional currency, and NZ IFRS meant the notes should be treated as liabilities rather than equity. That would have dropped to the bottom line as an additional loss of $15.8 million, it said.

Bathurst disputes that assessment. It issued the notes to part-fund Bathurst's 65 percent stake in BT Mining and says the argument comes down to the interpretation of New Zealand rules on the conversion option which it described as "a technical accounting matter that will not in any way change the actual cash flows relating to these convertible notes."

Solid Energy was placed in voluntary administration last year after concluding it had no realistic prospect of refinancing $239 million of debt facilities due to mature in September 2016. Its downward spiral began in 2013 when slumping global coal prices exposed its commercial error in carrying substantial debt on its balance sheet to pursue a variety of novel energy projects that a previous board and management believed would give the business a future beyond coal extraction.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

RAK 1H23 Results Business Update Webcast & Teleconference

AoFrio appoints new Vice President of Product

HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022

Rob Buchanan resigns from Manawa Energy

Channel Infrastructure announces change in CEO

AIA Provision of Financial Assistance - Employee Share Plan

THL - Apollo shareholders approve merger

TWL - TradeWindow and EMA partner-up to build export capability

November 14th Morning Report

The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update


Fonterra Cooperative Group owes holders in its Fonterra Shareholders Fund units a "more fulsome" update on Beingmate, the struggling Chinese infant formula producer and distributor that Fonterra uses to push its leading Anmum formula into the Chinese market, according to an analyst.

In a note to investors dated Sept. 7, First New Zealand Capital's head of institutional research, Arie Dekker, identifies the lack of transparency about Fonterra's 18.8 percent shareholding in Beingmate as a confidence as well as a performance issue for investors.

We view the investment as a material one from both a financial and confidence perspective. We think the time is right for FSF to provide a more fulsome disclosure on what has happened with Beingmate and the reasons why it remains confident in the long term future.

A Fonterra spokesman confirmed that there would be an update on Beingmate in the cooperative's Sept. 25 earnings announcements.

FNZC values the Fonterra stake in Beingmate at approximately $420 million, down around 45 percent on its March 15 purchase price of around $756 million, reflecting a range of problems at Beingmate, which included the firm declaring a $78 million loss for the most recent half-year, having previously given guidance for a $10 million profit for the period.

Beingmate shares, which are listed on the Shenzhen stock exchange, fell 10 percent earlier this month after the result and immediately following their release from a trading halt triggered by the company negotiating to sell two assets to its controlling shareholder for around $40 million.

In particular, FNZC wants details on Chinese market distribution of Anmum products, which Fonterra passed over entirely to Beingmate.

"Forecast annual sales growth was expected to exceed $100 million per annum by 2018," wrote Dekker. "FSF has not reported directly on progress with Anmum in China but we understand sales growth has been positive off a low base and more specific visibility on what has been achieved for Anmum in China has not been provided to date."

Dekker's latest critique follows a wider analysis in July of Fonterra's global strategy, in which he questioned whether capital currently applied to gaining access to 'milk pools' in other countries, including China and Australia, was delivering returns superior to investing in higher value dairy products from its New Zealand production base.

Beingmate has been struggling financially over the last few years and it is not inconceivable that this has had a negative impact on distribution of Anmum against expectations on the volumes being produced at the jointly owned Darnum milk processing plant in Victoria, Australia.

In short, Beingmate has lost sales, missed FSF targets and likely lost reasonable market share in the last three years and FSF has been largely silent on it with investors, FNZC says. 

We do view Beingmate as a reasonably material investment for FSF (including for sentiment) and there are reasonable questions on its value in FSFs books and how the market should look at the investment.

FNZC is maintaining a neutral rating on FSF units and a target price of $6.09. The units closed at $6.14 yesterday and have risen 9.6 percent over the last year.

FNZC risks to that view are the pending outcome of the Danone litigation, relating to the 2013 whey protein concentrate contamination scare, which was one of the catalysts for the Beingmate play in 2014 after Danone stopped using Fonterras Darnum facility. Beingmate picked up a 50 percent interest in the Darnum plant in a joint venture with Fonterra.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

RAK 1H23 Results Business Update Webcast & Teleconference

AoFrio appoints new Vice President of Product

HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022

Rob Buchanan resigns from Manawa Energy

Channel Infrastructure announces change in CEO

AIA Provision of Financial Assistance - Employee Share Plan

THL - Apollo shareholders approve merger

TWL - TradeWindow and EMA partner-up to build export capability

November 14th Morning Report

The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update


By PTI: Jaipur, Sep 11 (PTI) The district administration relaxed curfew for two hours this evening after reviewing the law and order situation in the violence-hit areas of the city.

Curfew was imposed in Ramganj, Subhash Chowk, Manak Chowk and Galta Gate on the midnight of September 8 after a dispute between police and a bike-borne couple sparked violence in the city, killing one and injuring seven.

advertisement

The relaxation decision came after the postmortem and burial of 24-year-old Mohammad Raees alias Aadil who had died in the clashes that erupted in Ramganj area on Friday night.

The burial rites were performed peacefully in the presence of peace committee members and local leaders.

"Post law and order situation review, curfew was relaxed from 3.30pm to 5.30 pm today," DCP (North) Satyendra Singh said.

Government and private schools in the curfew hit areas remained closed for the day.

Also, internet services will remain suspended till 11.59 pm today in 14 police station areas of Jaipur police commissionerate.

Meanwhile, police said that a postmortem examination was conducted on a handicapped e-rickshaw driver who had succumbed to injuries that day. Injury marks were found on his neck, said Mahendra Singh, a sub-inspector posted at Ramganj police station.

The postmortem report would reveal the exactcause of death of 29-year-old Bharat Sindhi and its connection with the violence, DCP (North) Satyendra Singh said.

On Friday night, after the dispute, a mob outside the Ramganj police station pelted stones, damaged two dozen vehicles and torched four others, including an ambulance and a police vehicle, besides setting ablaze a power sub-station.

As tear gas shells and rubber bullets did not deter the mob, police said it was forced to fire in air and then at the miscreants. Six policemen were also injured in the violence. PTI AG BSA

--- ENDS ---
The professor has recently authored a book 'Samajika Smugglurlu Komatoll' (Vysyas are social smugglers), and has been facing criticism and alleged threats from the Arya Vysya ever since

The Arya Vysya association has alleged that the title of the book and its contents are derogatory

By Ashish Pandey: Renowned Dalit thinker, activist and professor Kancha Ilaiah on Monday lodged a complaint at Osmania University Police station , Hyderabad after he allegedly received threatening calls by Arya Vysya Sangam.

Ilaiah demanded safety and security from the police. Based on the complaint, the police have registered a case under relevant sections of IPC and are investigating the matter.

advertisement

The professor has recently authored a book 'Samajika Smugglurlu Komatoll' (Vysyas are social smugglers), and has been facing criticism and alleged threats from the Arya Vysya ever since. The Arya Vysya also known as Komati community is a Telugu-speaking caste.

The Arya Vysya association has alleged that the title of the book and its contents are derogatory and demean the Vysyas community. They are thus protesting against it.

ALSO READ:

Can Ram Nath Kovind, second Dalit President, follow in the footsteps of first Dalit President K R Narayanan?

After UP election, BJP prepares a fresh Dalit-oriented strategy eyeing 2019 polls

Gujarat: Dalit men attempt suicide, buses torched as protest over Una flogging by cow brigade intensifies

ALSO WATCH: Ram Nath Kovind: My election a message to those who fulfill duties with honesty

--- ENDS ---
Nirmala Sitharaman will now meet the three Defence Service chiefs and the Defence Secretary everyday.

By India Today Web Desk: Days after taking charge of the Defence Ministry, Nirmala Sitharaman is bringing in new changes to ensure no important issue misses her attention and decisions are taken quickly.

The Defence Ministry said the minister has started a new practice for quick decision making - daily morning meetings with the chief of all three wings (Army, Air Force and Navy).

advertisement

The new move is aimed at ensuring quick decision making in areas of strategic importance.

During the day, the minister held a number of meetings with senior officials to familiarise herself with the activities and functioning of the Ministry of Defence and gave clear directions on critical issues.

During the meetings, it was also decided that the Defence Acquisition Council, the highest decision making body on defence procurement, would meet on a fortnightly basis to ensure a time-bound clearance of proposals on military acquisition.

Sitharaman would also have a separate meeting with the defence secretary every day, the ministry said in a statement.

"A whole range of meetings has been scheduled with the three defence service chiefs to review defence preparedness and allied issues of strategic interests," it added.

Other areas of focus would be settling all outstanding land-related issues for infrastructure projects and matters relating to the welfare of defence personnel and their families, the ministry said.

Sitharaman has been holding a series of meetings with top officials of the various wings of the defence ministry since taking charge as defence minister on September 7.

She has listed military preparedness, defence indigenisation, resolving long-pending issues and welfare of soldiers as priority areas.

ALSO READ |

Cabinet reshuffle LIVE: Nirmala Sitharaman becomes Defence Minister, Piyush Goyal gets Railways

3,4,5,6 of Cabinet reshuffle: How Narendra Modi built his new team

ALSO WATCH | Cabinet reshuffle: Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Nirmala Sitharaman elevated; 9 new ministers sworn-in

--- ENDS ---
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that he has ordered magisterial enquiry and will develop protocol for all schools to ensure children safety.

By Mail Today Bureau: A day after a five-year-old girl was raped allegedly by a peon inside a classroom in a private school in Northeast Delhi's Shahdara, the state government on Sunday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

The incident took place at Tagore Public School in Shahdara's Gandhinagar area. The probe committee, headed by sub-divisional magistrate Vivek Vihar, will have to submit its report within three days. The accused Vikas was arrested on Saturday. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Shameful. Won't be tolerated. Police doing its job. Ordered magisterial enquiry. Will develop protocol 4 all schools 2 ensure children safety (sic)."

advertisement

Police said Vikas was under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly committed the crime. The peon, however, denied sexually assaulting the child.

During a counselling session, the girl described the accused as a "man wearing a cap". Police arrested Vikas based on this and other descriptions given by the child. The child's father works as a tailor in a garment factory. "There are cameras inside the school premises. The girl should see them and try to identify the accused. I did not rape her," he told reporters. When asked whether he was drunk, he said, "I have a quarter every day. So what?"

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has issued a notice to the school and asked for a report within three days. DCW chief Swati Maliwal has also asked for a copy of the CCTV footage from the school.

Vikas has been working at Tagore Public School for three years. Police said he allegedly took the girl inside an empty classroom in the afternoon as he was walking along the corridor after handing over lunch boxes to teachers.

"Vikas lured the minor with a candy and took her inside an empty classroom where he sexually assaulted her," said DCP Nupur Prasad.

The officer said that after raping her, Vikas "put his hand on the victim's mouth and threatened her of dire consequences".

"The matter was reported to the police after 3 pm, when the minor complained of pain in her abdomen. Her mother noticed bleeding in private parts," Prasad added.

"Today, it has happened with my child. Tomorrow, it could be any other. I want the school to be shut down," the victim's mother said.

ALSO READ |

Delhi horror: Shahdara school peon arrested for raping 5-year-old girl in empty classroom

Chandigarh shocker: 12-year-old raped while returning from school after I-Day event, case filed

ALSO WATCH | Delhi horror: Shahdara school peon arrested for raping 5-year-old girl

--- ENDS ---
Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Staten Island, NY -- On September 10, 2017, on the eve of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Sacred Heart RC Church honored in remembrance and prayer the victims of who perished, especially Staten Islanders, and members of the Sacred Heart parish.

On Sept. 11, 2001, Al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners -- crashing one into the World Trade Center's North Tower, a second into the South Tower and a third into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. After learning about the attacks, passengers and crew members on the fourth plane attempted to take control of it. The plane eventually crashed into an empty field in Shanksville, Pa.

(Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

As Sacred Heart parishioners left the 11 a.m. mass, they were encouraged by Fr. Eric Rapaglia to walk from the church on Castleton Avenue to the September 11 monument in the adjoining rectory to honor the victims of 9/11 and pray for their souls and the continued healing of the loved ones they left behind. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Sacred Heart parishioners leave the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 to walk over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Sacred Heart parishioners who attended the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 walked over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Fr. Eric blesses the Sept. 11 memorial yesterday. Sacred Heart parishioners who attended the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 walked over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. Sacred Heart parishioners who attended the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 walked over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.(Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Sacred Heart parishioners leave the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 to walk over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 after the 11 a.m. mass on Sept. 10, 2017. The 9/11 memorial is located next to the rectory of Sacred Heart Church, West Brighton. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 after the 11 a.m. mass on Sept. 10, 2017. The 9/11 memorial is located next to the rectory of Sacred Heart Church, West Brighton. (Dr. Gracelyn Santos/Staten Island Advance)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Sacred Heart RC CHurch is located on Castelton Avenue, West Brighton. Adult and Childrens Choirs have resumed singing. The Adult Choir sings on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month and The Childrens Choir sings on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. Rehearsals take place at 10:15 a.m. the Sunday you are scheduled to sing. To join, just show up. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Sacred Heart parishioners who attended the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 walked over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial.

Al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners -- crashing one into the World Trade Center's North Tower, a second into the South Tower and a third into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. After learning about the attacks, passengers and crew members on the fourth plane attempted to take control of it. The plane eventually crashed into an empty field in Shanksville, Pa.

(Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

"There is no greater love than this, to lay down one's life for his fellow man." Jon 15;13.

Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. Sacred Heart parishioners who attended the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 walked over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.(Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Sacred Heart parishioners leave the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 to walk over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

A photo of Sacred Heart rectory. Parishioners who attended the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 walked over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Families and friends visit the September 11 memorial on the grounds of Sacred Heart RC Church, ear the rectory. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

"There is no greater love than this, to lay down one's life for his fellow man." Jon 15;13.

Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. Sacred Heart parishioners who attended the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 walked over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.(Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Fr. Eric Rapaglia, pastor of Sacred Heart RC Church in West Brighton, will be having a Day of Recollection for educators on Saturday, September 16th. It will be held in the school auditorium from 10 AM- 2PM. The day will include a lecture, faith sharing, lunch, the Rosary, Confession and Mass. Parents, the first educators of their children are especially encouraged to join us. For this event. To register please contact Fran Rizzuto at (718) 448-1536 or schreligiouseducation@yahoo.com.

Don't Edit

Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com

Sacred Heart parishioners leave the 11 a.m. Mass on September 10, 2017 to walk over to the September 11 Memorial in front of the adjoining rectory on Castleton Avenue, West Brighton. Approximately 100 parishioners prayed for and paid their respects to victims of the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sacred Heart pastor Fr. Eric Rapaglia led the prayer and laid a patriotic wreath next to the memorial. (Staten Island Advance/Dr. Gracelyn Santos)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- 9/11 began like so many other early September days: the sun was shining as people headed to work and children went to school.

That quickly changed.

Al-Qaida terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners -- crashing one into the World Trade Center's North Tower, a second into the South Tower and a third into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. After learning about the attacks, passengers and crew members on the fourth plane attempted to take control of it. The plane eventually crashed into an empty field in Shanksville, Pa.

It took 158 minutes from the time the first flight departed until the last plane crashed. In less than three hours, lives were changed forever.

Below is a timeline of events from that day, beginning with the departure of the first plane:

7:59 a.m.

American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767, departs Boston for Los Angeles with 92 people on board.

8:01 a.m.

United Airlines Flight 93 departs Newark International Airport for San Francisco with 45 people on board.

8:14 a.m.

United Airlines Flight 175, a Boeing 767, departs Boston for Los Angeles with 65 people on board.

8:45 a.m.

American Airlines Flight 11 crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center.

9:03 a.m.

United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center.

9:31 a.m.

President Bush calls the crashes an "apparent terrorist attack."

9:40 a.m.

American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757, crashes into the north side of the Pentagon, collapsing a side of the building. It was en route from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles with 64 people on board.

9:50 a.m.

Two World Trade Center -- the second tower hit -- collapses.

10:29 a.m.

One World Trade Center collapses.

10:37 a.m.

United Airlines Flight 93 crashes 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, in Shanksville, Pa.

10-11:30 a.m.

Government buildings around the country are evacuated, including the Capitol and White House. The Federal Aviation Administration shuts down airports nationwide. The United Nations closes. The Securities and Exchange Commission closes all U.S. financial markets for the day.

2:51 p.m.

The U.S. Navy sends missile destroyers and other equipment to New York and Washington, D.C.

5:25 p.m.

7 World Trade Center, which was damaged during the morning's crashes, collapses.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Favio Ramirez Caminatti has spent a great deal of his life in different countries and intends to visit more in the future.

He strongly believes that travel is what opened his eyes to the needs of others, which led to his current position as executive director at El Centro Del Immigrante, a community based agency he joined in 2015.

When and where were you born, and where have you lived?

I was born on March 12, 1984, and although my family is originally from Lombardia, Italy, I grew up in Uruguay. Before coming to the United States, I lived in Puerto Rico, Argentina and Brazil.

Why did you live in so many different countries?

I love to learn about different cultures and living in different countries gave me the opportunity to experience that. I think that when you travel your world opens. I had a lot of opportunities to travel for work, study and life, and I took them.

Where were you educated?

I studied in Uruguay at the University of the Republic and Military Institute of Higher Studies in Brazil at the Methodist University of Sao Paulo, and in Puerto Rico at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico.

When were you married?

I've been married since 2014 to Dr. Rafine Moreno-Jackson, the most beautiful and smart Puerto Rican obstetrician/gynecologist.

How did your joining El Centro come about?

They had been seeking an executive director for two years when I applied for the job. I had the qualifications and experience that filled its needs and I felt it was a good fit for me.

Tell us about El Centro.

El Centro has helped thousands of families since it was founded in 1997. Currently it has 24 programs running, providing services for more than 10,000 families per year. Our services include free legal services, financial services, ESL/GED and literacy classes, advocacy campaigns, food pantry, SNAP, free tax prep. It is, also, NYC's largest community job center, providing more than 4,000 jobs per year.

What kinds of jobs does El Centro offer? How does one go about obtaining a job or seeking an employee? What's the best part of your job?

El Centro provides jobs for a lot of workers. If a person needs a domestic worker or day laborer, or if someone is seeking a job, contact El Centro at 347-825-2086. The best part is being able to help people.

What other activities do you have besides your job?

I'm a representative at the United Nations. Also, I'm chairman of the Staten Island Family Healthcare Coalition, president of the Staten Island Immigrant's Council and a member of the board of directors of New World Prep School.

What do you do as a representative at the U.N.?

I'm representative of the Curia Generalizia Agostiniana at United Nations. It's an office related to the Vatican City and the Catholic Church. We support the work the U.N. has been doing in the advancement of human rights, and the sustainable development goals, as well as advice different agencies and committees. My role is as advisor and representative of the office.

How did that come about?

I have a long history of collaboration with the Catholic Church. The school I co-founded in Uruguay was the first Catholic School opened in the country in the last 50 years. I also was counselor of the Catholic Department of Education, and co-founder of the Institute of Catechetical Education, where I taught didactic.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

I enjoy sharing time with my family and friends.

Who do you admire?

I admire a lot of people, normal people. But, if I need to choose, I admire Pope Francis the most.

What inspires you?

As a Christian, my inspiration is to do my best every single day. I try to live as John Wesley said, "Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can."

Get to know Favio

He and his wife are expecting: The due date for Ragine and Favio's first child is Oct. 1. They are expecting a daughter, who they plan to name Naria Mia.

He's a man of the world: Favio has visited over 30 countries.

His hobby won't surprise you: It's traveling. "I love to visit different countries and learn about cultures and traditions. Traveling is my passion, so every year I visit different places. I think that visiting places in the U.S. is also important. We have an amazing country. We should value even more the historic, cultural, touristic places we have in America."

What he did before coming to the United States: "I worked as a teacher for a short period. Then I co-founded a Catholic School in Uruguay where I was its first director. I was assistant director of Don Pedro Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps children under the poverty line. And I was CEO of a marketing and public relations company in Argentina."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police found an arsenal of weapons including assault rifles, a submachine gun and armor-piercing ammunition inside a home where a 36-year-old man lives in New Springville, according to authorities.

"I purchased all those items on a website, but I don't remember which site it was," the suspect, Anthony Romano, 36, allegedly told police, according to the criminal complaint.

Police found the weapons inside his home on Bridgetown Street on Friday at 10:50 a.m., the criminal complained alleged.

The stash included three AR-15 assault rifles, a disassembled AK-47 assault rifle, a disassembled Uzi submachine gun, three disassembled 1911 pistols, 40 rounds of .223-caliber armor-piercing ammunition, seven rounds of .44-caliber 1911 ammunition and 10 high-capacity magazines.

The suspect had been charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, attempted criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm.

Romano was convicted of attempted criminal possession of a weapon on May, 24, 2016, after a similar cache of weapons was found at his home in November of 2015, according to the criminal complaint and police.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) The taxi unions in the national capital today suggested fixing minimum fares for taxis, compulsory registration of cab aggregators and banning NCR taxis in the city as part of the draft of City Taxi Scheme, 2017.

The suggestions were put forth by the taxi unions at a meeting with Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot and other senior government officials here.

advertisement

"It was a fruitful meeting and some interesting suggestions were received, which will be considered while firming up the final draft of the taxi scheme," said a senior transport department official.

The City Taxi Scheme, 2017, is a regulatory framework for cabs plying in the national capital.

According to sources, the scheme is likely to be divided into two parts in order to accommodate app-based aggregators like Ola and Uber, besides having general provisions for normal taxi services.

However, representatives of the various taxi unions who attended the meeting said they had pitched for four categories of taxis instead of the economy and luxury bifurcation.

"The government is coming out with only two categories. We suggested for two additional categories of luxury and SUV," said Inderjeet Singh, president of Rajdhani Parivahan Panchayat.

The transport department official said some sort of licensing for app-based cab aggregators was also on the anvil and their views would be obtained in this regard.

"We will seek the views of app-based cab aggregators on the licensing issue and a meeting with them will take place in coming days," he said.

Meanwhile, some representatives of the taxi unions complained that they were not allowed to be involved in the discussion, thus resorting to slogan shouting.

"We wanted to participate in the meeting to give our suggestions, but we were not allowed in the room. We sat on a dharna there and later met the transport minister," said Rajender Soni, general secretary of Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union. PTI VIT SRY

--- ENDS ---
From immigration, to environmental regulation, to sexual harassment on college campuses, US presidents have recently taken controversial and unilateral action. To what extent does the Constitution allow for it? Has such executive action become more prevalent in the last two presidencies? How has Congress responded?

Legal scholar Saikrishna Prakash and political scientist Gregory Weiner will debate the issues, moderated by Skidmore political scientist Flagg Taylor in a Constitution Day event on Thursday, Sept. 14, at 5:30 p.m. in Davis Auditorium. The forum, titled Executive Power, Then and Now: The Case of Unilateral Executive Action and the Constitution, is free and open to the public.

Saikrishna Prakash is the Monroe Distinguished Professor of Law and Mahoney Research Professor of Law at the University of Virginia and author of Imperial from the Beginning: The Constitution of the Original Executive. Greg Weiner is on the political science faculty at Assumption College and wrote American Burke: The Uncommon Liberalism of Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Moderating their discussion will be Flagg Taylor, Skidmore political science professor and director of the Honors Forum.



Taylor

Prakash

Weiner
The poster of Lucknow Central (L) and the team of the film with Healing Hearts

By India Today Web Desk: Farhan Akhtar and Diana Penty-starrer Lucknow Central is set to hit the theatres this Friday. The film revolves around the musically inclined Kishen Mohan Girhotra (Farhan), who ends up in jail after being accused of murder. He forms a band with his other prison inmates, which is a front for a jailbreak. Will they manage to escape?

advertisement

Lucknow Central is inspired by a real incident. Did you know there is actually a band formed by prison inmates in Lucknow that performs at functions? The band, which is called Healing Hearts, was formed in the Adarsh Karagar, just on the outskirts of Lucknow.

In 2007, the then senior superintendent of the jail, V K Jain, decided to set up a band from Lucknow to participate in the annual event where inmates from different central prisons across Uttar Pradesh came together to showcase their talent. Funds were raised, and 15 instruments were bought. Twelve men sentenced to life imprisonment for murder came together and were trained by Noor Mohammad, a prison guard, who grew up learning music, as his father played in a private band.

The band worked hard to give a fantastic performance on Republic Day, and since then, there has been no looking back for them. From private parties to weddings, the band has become popular at all kinds of events. Due to popular demand, they learnt to play latest Bollywood hits and such is their fan following that there is no shortage of bookings, sometimes even from out of Lucknow.

There is a booking counter for the band, and the members head back to jail after every performance, since they are still serving their term.

The cast of the Lucknow Central recently paid a visit to Lucknow and met the band which served as an inspiration for the film. Directed by Ranjit Tiwari, the film also stars Gippy Grewal, Ronit Roy, Deepak Dobriyal and Rajesh Sharma.

The team of Lucknow Central with Healing Hearts band The team of Lucknow Central with Healing Hearts band

ALSO READ: Farhan Akhtar has Father's Day wishes for Shraddha's father Shakti Kapoor

PHOTO: Farhan Akhtar and his daughter Akira are twinning in Paris

ALSO WATCH: In conversation with Farhan Akhtar

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: London, Sep 11 (PTI) Depression is a physical illness caused by a faulty immune system that may be treated using anti-inflammatory drugs, scientists say.

Current treatments for depression focus on restoring serotonin and other mood-boosting chemicals in the brain.

However, researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK have found that an overactive immune system triggers inflammation throughout the entire body, sparking feelings of hopelessness, unhappiness and fatigue.

advertisement

It may be a symptom of the immune system failing to switch off after a trauma or illness, and is a similar to the low mood people often experienced when they are fighting a virus, like flu.

Recent studies and clinical trials have shown that treating inflammation seems to alleviate depression, researchers said.

"It is pretty clear that inflammation can cause depression," said Ed Bullmore, professor at University of Cambridge.

"In relation to mood, beyond reasonable doubt, there is a very robust association between inflammation and depressive symptoms," Bullmore was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

Scientists at Cambridge and the Wellcome Trust are hoping to begin trials next year to test whether anti-inflammatory drugs could switch off depression.

The immune system triggers an inflammatory response when it feels it is under threat, sparking wide-ranging changes in the body such as increasing red blood cells, in anticipation that it may need to heal a wound soon.

Scientists believe that associated depression may have brought an evolutionary benefit to our ancestors. If an ill or wounded tribal member became depressed and withdrawn it would prevent a disease being passed on. PTI MHN SAR MHN

--- ENDS ---
By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent.

Agree
The spiritual guru arrived in Guwahati on September 5 for attending North East Indigenous People's Conference. He was welcomed at the airport by Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajit Singh.

By India Today Web Desk: The Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajit Singh has landed himself in trouble for driving Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar from airport to hotel.

The spiritual guru arrived in Guwahati on September 5 for attending North East Indigenous People's Conference. He was welcomed at the airport by Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Ajit Singh. Singh was clicked driving the car himself and picking up the spiritual guru from the airport.

advertisement

The incident has sparked protests within the Bar Association of Gauhati High Court. The association said that the Chief Justice has violated High Court rules.

The matter will also be taken up in the upcoming general meeting of Gauhati Bar Association. The association has reportedly said that they might approach the Chief Justice of Supreme Court to complain against Singh.

ALSO WATCH: World Culture Festival: Keep smiling and face all challenges with courage, says Sri Sri

Also read:

Ulterior motives behind protest against Yamuna event, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Art of Living asks Centre to sponsor toilets for Sri Sri event

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (Eds: Adding fresh details; quote of ACP)

Hyderabad, Sep 11 (PTI) An 11-year-old girl studying in fifth standard at a private school near here was allegedly made to stand in boys washroom by a woman teacher as a "punishment" for not wearing school uniform.

However, the government today stated the student was made to stand near the boys washroom for not wearing uniform.

advertisement

Earlier in the day, a large number of parents and locals held a protest at the school in R C Puram area near over the incident which occurred last Saturday.

"Based on the complaint lodged by the girls father, the RC Puram police today registered a case against the PET (physical education training) teacher on charges of wrongful confinement, criminal intimidation, and insulting under relevant sections of the IPC," ACP (Miyapur Division) S Ravi Kumar said.

The government has ordered a probe into the matter and asked the district education officer to submit a report.

The girls father had yesterday approached city-based NGO Balala Hakkula Sangham over the incident.

He claimed that the PET teacher did not even bother to ask his daughter the reason for not wearing the uniform and dragged her to the boys washroom.

"The teacher did not even bother to listen to my childs explanation that a note was written by us in her diary, requesting the school to allow her attend the classes without uniform for one day.

"However, she dragged my child and asked her to stay for a few minutes inside the boys washroom as a punishment for not wearing the uniform," the girls father said.

He said the "act of abuse" had left a bad impact on his daughter and hurt her dignity.

"Now my child is not ready to face her classmates as she is feeling ashamed," he said.

The teacher, however, denied the allegations and told media persons today that the girl was standing near the boys washroom and was never asked to stand inside it.

The incident was condemned by Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao. He said he would take up the matter with Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Kadiyam Srihari.

"Ridiculous & absolutely inhuman. Will take it up with Honble Deputy CM education for appropriate action on the school," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari, who handles the education department, said appropriate steps would be taken after officials submit a report after visiting the school.

advertisement

The two officials, who visited the school, have confirmed that the student was made to stand near the boys washroom for not wearing uniform, a government release said tonight.

The officials have been told that the PET teacher has been removed from her job.

The officials would submit a report on the incident and action taken by the school management on the matter, the release added. PTI VVK SJR GK NSK SRY

--- ENDS ---
Best Canadian Blog

2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

About Kate

Why this blog?

Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked.

This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me."

(goes to a private mailserver in Europe) I can't answer or use every tip, but all are appreciated!



Katewerk Art

Support SDA

I am not a registered charity. I cannot issue tax receipts.



Want lies?

Hire a regular consultant.

Want truth?

Hire an asshole.





The Proper Procedure



Poor Richard's Retirement



Trump The Establishment

Weather Shop

Click to inquire about rates.

Dow Jones

What They Say About SDA

"Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert

"I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick

Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick

"The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle

"Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group

I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs

"You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella

"Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky

Intelliweather

Seismic Map

Comments Policy

Read this

Best Of SDA

Hide The Decline

The Bottle Genie

(ClimateGate links)

You Might Be A Liberal

Uncrossing The Line

Bob Fife: Knuckledragger

A Modest Proposal (NP)

Settled Science Series

Y2Kyoto Series

SDA: Reader Occupation Survey

Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop

Flakes On A Plane

All Your Weather Are Belong To Us

Song Of The Sled

The Raise A Flag Debacle

(Now on Youtube!)

(.mwv Video)

Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl

Trudeaupiate

Kleptocrat Jeans

Child Labour

I Concede

Small Dead Feminist

Protein Hoser: THK Interview

The Werewolf Extinction

Dear Laura (VRWC)

We Wait

Blogging The Oscars

Jackson Converts To Islam

Just Shut The HELL Up

Manipulating Condi

Gay Equality Rights


Trudeau and Morneau are pushing ahead with their ill-thought and dangerous tax changes under the guise of fairness with the intention of dividing Canadians. They come out and yell that we small business owners are thieves, stiffing the system, dangerous.

Get the Conservatives to support small business owners, farmers, the doctor and vet and you can then claim they are the party of the 1%. If the electorate is stupid enough to believe it, you're set.

The fact that it's stupid tax-policy, a drastic change to small business practice and an incentive to just shut everything down means nothing to these loose-guns.

Some outlets see the idiocy for what it is.

CPC MP Erin O'Toole writes in the Toronto Sun about who will actually be impacted by these dangerous policies.

Kevyn Nightingale lambastes the Liberals for playing politics with such important gov't policies.

Mathieu Bedard in a Special to the Sun highlights the history of these supposed "loopholes" and who these children in gov't are targeting.

Jim Warren cynical Liberal politics of division that pit Canadians against each other.

Lorne Gunter highlights who the real 1% are in Canada.

Jon Robson asks for a tax-policy that isn't always an increase.

Geez, looking at the distribution of those links, which media outlet appears to be sticking up for small business?


Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal.

Please purchase an Enhanced Subscription to continue reading. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.



We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.



A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
By PTI: (Eds: Changes in intro)

Hyderabad, Sep 11 (PTI) An 11-year-old girl studying in fifth standard was made to stand in the boys washroom as a "punishment" for not coming to the school in uniform, her father has alleged.

A large number of parents and locals today gathered at the school, located in R C Puram area near here, to protest against the incident.

advertisement

Telanganas IT minister K T Rama Rao condemned the incident and said he would take up the matter with deputy chief minister and education minister Kadiyam Srihari.

The state government today ordered an inquiry into the matter and asked the district education officer to submit a report.

According to the girls father, a woman PTE (physical training education) teacher of the school asked his daughter the reason for not wearing the uniform on Saturday.

"She was not even bothered to listen to my childs explanation that a note was already written by us in her diary requesting to allow for one day without uniform," he said.

"She (the teacher) dragged my child forcefully and asked her to stay for five minutes inside the boys washroom as a punishment for not wearing the uniform," he alleged.

"This act of abuse has had a bad impact on my child and hurt her dignity," he said.

"Now my child is not at all ready to face the co-students as she is feeling ashamed," he said.

The woman teacher, however, denied the allegations and told mediapersons today that as the girl was not wearing uniform, she only asked her the reason.

She said the girl was standing near the boys washroom and was never asked to stand inside it.

Reacting to the incident, K T Rama Rao, in a tweet, said, "Ridiculous & absolutely inhuman (sic). Will take it up with Honble Deputy CM for appropriate action on the school."

The girls father had yesterday approached city-based NGO Balala Hakkula Sangham over the incident. PTI VVK GK RCJ TIR

--- ENDS ---
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

/var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f020ef58)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01fce20)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f020ef58)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01fce20)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f02d46b8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01fce20)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01fce20)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e1d7fb50)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f01dc538)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f01dc538)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948

/var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f02ba938)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01ec228)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f02ba938)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01ec228)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0248af8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01ec228)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01ec228)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612efc753b8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f02a1710)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f02a1710)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
In August 2012, Private Robert Poate was killed while serving in Afghanistan, on a day that changed his mother's life.

Private Poate, 23, was one of three Australian soldiers gunned down by Army Sergeant Hikmatullah, a rogue Afghan National Army soldier, at the Wahab patrol base in the Baluchi Valley region in Uruzgan province.

Janny Poate with Remount horse Scorpio. Credit:Karleen Minney

"It was just like a bad dream," Janny Poate said.

"I was in total disbelief - I thought, it couldn't be Robbie, it can't be him.
Dresses should be banned at schools, no matter what your gender. Credit:Erin Jonasson

And what a lovely morning it is! We're looking at a minimum temperature of 4 degrees today and a maximum of 23 degrees. That's right, 23 degrees. Hello, Tuesday!

New data from the federal education department has shown the impact of the recalculation of need in the ACT's Catholic schools.

The system will be funded to 116.3 per cent of the school resourcing standard next year - well above the federal government's pledge of funding non-government schools to 80 per cent.

Canberra Catholic schools received about 74 per cent of the SRS this year, so it's a massive leap, but it doesn't mean more per student funding.

The Catholic Education Office and the public education union say the figures show the government's calculation of need is flawed, but they have different opinions on why.

Read my story here.
Catholic schools in Canberra will receive well above their share of taxpayer dollars next year, with new data revealing the true extent of over-payment according to the federal government's new needs-based funding formula.

Federal Education Department figures show the system will receive 116.3 per cent of the school resourcing standard from the Commonwealth in 2018 - a figure that should be 80 per cent.

Per student funding has changed only slightly but a shift in how need is calculated has revealed the huge leap in the sector's share of the school resourcing standard.

The 116 per cent in over-funding does not include what the system will receive from the ACT government or an additional tens of millions of dollars promised to the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn after its fury at projected cuts.
Shots have been fired into a home in Bonython in Tuggeranong on the weekend.

Police were called to the Burgoyne Street property at about 11am on Sunday to reports that shots were fired into a house.

The AFP Forensics and Firearms Identification and Armory Team attended and examined the scene.

Police said they did not believe the incident was outlaw motorcycle gang related.

They urged anyone with any information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The Commonwealth Bank could face a $200 million jump in its annual operating costs over the next two years because of legal fees and other costs created by a money laundering compliance scandal, analysts predict.

As the bank prepares for a long and complex legal fight, a report published late last week by Credit Suisse analysts estimated just how much CBA will need to spend - aside from any fines - as a result of the bombshell allegations from Austrac last month.

CBA may need to spend an extra $200 million a year on "defensive actions" in response to the Austrac allegations, analysts predict. Credit:Louie Douvis

In a note to clients, the analysts led by Jarrod Martin cut earnings estimates for the bank for this financial year and the next by 1 per cent, and pointed to extra costs from "defensive actions" such as lawyers' fees and the prudential probe into the bank, which CBA is funding.

"We have downgraded our FY18 and FY19 estimates by 1 per cent in each year to incorporate $200 million per annum of additional operating costs that we see associated with addressing the AUSTRAC allegations," the note said.
Macquarie Group has signalled it expects profit growth for the first half as it affirmed full-year earnings are on track to come close to another record performance.

Shares in the Sydney-based investment bank rose strongly on Monday, closing 3 per cent higher at $85.15, after Macquarie pointed to "stronger performance fees" than it had expected for its first half.

Macquarie shares rose after it said first-half profits would be up in annual terms. Credit:Bloomberg

In a market presentation from chief financial officer Patrick Upfold, the bank said its result for the six months ending in September would be higher than a year earlier, and "broadly" in line with the $1.16 billion it made in the six months ending March.

For the full year to March 2018, the bank repeated previous guidance that it expected a result "broadly in line" with the $2.2 billion record profit of last year.
Sunday night dinner did not go to plan for Pizza Hut customers, when a technical glitch on the chain's new website and app left many overcharged and without the pizzas they ordered.

Customers took to social media to vent their frustration after being charged up to five times for a single order despite being met with error messages saying the order had not gone through.

The new Pizza Hut website. Credit:Pizza Hut

"I just got charged five times ... So instead of spending $40 on pizza I've spent over $200!" wrote Scott Jamie Brooks Denley on the Pizza Hut Facebook page.

Anna Cotter complained that she had been "charged 3 times for something I'm not sure we will receive .. young guy answering the phone ... was no help what so ever .. Sort it out Pizza Hut !!!!"
The same tendency to treat reasonably probable events as "black swan" tail-risks was clearly in evidence in the run-up to Northern Rock's failure a decade ago. Acting as if US house prices could never fall, or pretending that people with no jobs or income would not default in significant numbers, was an act of criminal complacency. Safe havens On the face of it, investors today are more attuned to the risks we face. Traditional safe havens are increasingly in favour as we look around for a port in the storm. Gold is currently priced at around $US1350 an ounce, close to a 13-month high, having risen by more than 15 per cent since the start of the year. In part, this is a consequence of the weakness of the US dollar, in which the precious metal is priced. But it is also a reflection of bullion's appeal at times of stress. Other safe havens are gaining support. Treasury yields were last week standing at their lowest level since the uncertainty following last November's presidential election. US government bonds have enjoyed a good old-fashioned rotation from stocks into bonds, as investors have started to take at least some chips off the table nearly nine years into the equity bull market.

Investors are operating in a world where the normal rules no longer apply. Perhaps less predictably, the Japanese yen continues to find support as a safe haven despite its obvious vulnerability to events in North Korea. 'Puzzling, worrying' These traditional symptoms of a flight to safety are what you would expect. A few other movements in financial markets are puzzling and worrying in equal measure. The first is the US treasury bill market. This is supposed to be the most predictable and boring element of government funding. It's a super safe place to park your cash in return for a commensurately miserable income. But last week, the US government had to offer a yield of 1.3 per cent to get a $US20 billion issue away. We hadn't seen this kind of spike since 2008.

It was prompted by fears that the US debt ceiling might not be extended, causing the US treasury to run out of cash as soon as early October. In fact, a deal was struck but the volatility in this normally dull as ditchwater market is a symptom of a deeper malaise. Investors are operating in a world where the normal rules no longer apply. Just as, 10 years ago, the financial world was turned upside down, today everything seems to be in flux, from the weather to geopolitics. What's even more curious, however, is the way in which, despite all the angst, some parts of the financial markets are experiencing an unearthly calm. Enthusiasm for tech The VIX index which measures the cost of insuring an investment portfolio against future volatility is becalmed. Even stranger is the safe haven status that investors have this year attached to technology stocks.

The enthusiasm for tech is a sign of how different this ageing bull market is from previous ones. Today's narrow leadership reflects a desperate search for predictable growth in an unpredictable world. The performance of the FAANGs - Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google owner Alphabet - is understandable but leaves investors vulnerable. Either growth returns and investors switch to cheaper cyclicals, or it doesn't and the market will look overpriced. Uncertain world So how should investors position themselves in today's uncertain world? There is no substitute for diversification, putting together a portfolio of uncorrelated assets.
By PTI: (Eds: With additional details)

New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) The CBI today told the Supreme Court that it has furnished details in a sealed cover on the probe in a corruption case about "possible transactions" in foreign countries and 25 alleged offshore properties of Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Minister P Chidambaram.

The FIR, lodged by the CBI on May 15, had alleged irregularities in Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Kartis father was the Union Finance Minister.

advertisement

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, told a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that investigation in the case was at a "crucial stage" and they have placed its details in a sealed cover.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Karti, opposed Mehtas submissions, saying "wild and baseless" allegations have been levelled against his client and these purported issues have nothing to do with the look out circular (LOC) issued against him.

"Was any FIR filed regarding any of these alleged transactions? I have serious objection on this," he told the bench, which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud.

Countering Sibals submissions, Mehta said "what does this sealed cover contain? Possible transactions that have emerged in the investigation so far in foreign countries and 25 foreign properties of Karti. I cannot go beyond this".

Sibal, however, maintained these were serious allegations and have nothing to do with the LOC.

"I have serious objection. Not a single property has been made abroad. My father, my family are deeply pained on the wild and baseless allegations levelled against me. I have no undisclosed assets anywhere in the world," he said.

"They (CBI) should put an end to these wild allegations. They should file an FIR if they want," he said, adding, "let them show even one undisclosed asset abroad".

To this, Mehta said, "the probe is going on and it is at a crucial stage".

However, the bench said it would take up the matter for final disposal on September 18.

"First of all, we will deal with the objection whether, without an FIR, you can file this in a sealed cover," the bench said.

Mehta said the bench could look into the details furnished by the agency in the sealed cover.

The bench said its direction staying the Madras High Court order on LOC will remain in force in the meantime and as a result, Karti will not be able to leave India.

The apex court is hearing CBIs appeal challenging Madras High Court order staying the governments LOC against Karti in the alleged graft case.

advertisement

On September 1, the CBI had told the top court that there were "good, cogent" reasons for issuing the LOC against Karti.

On August 18, the court had asked Karti to appear before the investigating officer at the CBI headquarters here for questioning in the case.

The bench had given the probe agency the liberty to question Karti as many times it wanted.

Before this, the apex court had said that Karti would not be allowed to leave India without subjecting himself to investigation in the case. The court had then stayed the Madras High Court order putting on hold the LOC issued by the Centre against Karti.

The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious".

The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge here and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16. PTI ABA MNL PKS SJK RKS ARC

--- ENDS ---
"Thank goodness for Australia Post tracking," writes Neil Craddock of Wollongong. "It has enabled me to follow my small parcel [a sax reed] from Melbourne on its round trip, as the expected delivery date recedes. It has now reached Granville for the fourth time. I'm looking forward to the follow-up survey on performance."

"Peter Miniutti asks where the three prawns per rice roll mandate is written (C8)," says Meri Will of Dee Why. "Obviously not the same place where it is written that eating prawns is an abomination (Leviticus 11). I would suggest a prawn eaters equality rally but it seems swarming is also an abomination." Joy Cooksey of Harrington writes: "Prawns are usually wrapped in any old paper. Rolls of rice paper are for other, more artistic, porpoises." While John Christie of Oatley suggests: "If Peter Miniutti has a big appetite, perhaps he should buy the jumbo rice paper rolls, which contain three elephants?"

According to Ron Besdansky of Northbridge: "There are two requests for tenders to construct new catteries in the SMH, apparently for different clients. Is there an anticipated increase in the number of cat owners planning holidays?"

Not mincing words, Ian Stevenson of Gladesville says talk of Casino (C8) being the beef capital of Australia is "a load of bull. The title goes to Rockhampton, which has an annual Beef Expo funded with a few million dollars of taxpayers' money. They also have a statue of a bull with the sign 'Welcome to Rockhampton'." According to Jim Rogers of Byron Bay, the "friendly town of Casino" was not entirely bereft of gambling: "One of its biggest events took place during the Beef Week Festival when a chalk numbered grid was drawn up in the main street and bets were placed as to which square a wandering Jersey cow would do its business in."

Ron Elphick of Buff Point asks: "The final account from Telstra for our relinquished home phone was paid via the post office only a day or so when another copy of the same bill arrived in the post. This one carried the advice 'Payment is not required'. What should my next move be?"
It's magpie swooping season  the time of year when male birds seek to protect eggs and chicks from potential predators. At this time of year my morning commute to the tram stop sometimes feels a bit like extreme sport as I've been forced to take refuge beside lamp posts and under any available canopies to avoid getting clawed in the back of the head. Look out, magpie swooping season is under way. The fear of being attacked by magpies is not new. For me, it might hark back to the horror of seeing Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds as a child. As a teenager growing up in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs, I recall swinging a bike chain above my head as I rode past parklands where a tidings of magpies gathered. But maybe I was going about it all wrong. Several experts, including Gisela Kaplan, an emeritus professor in animal behaviour at the University of New England, suggest we are better off to try to make friends with our potential attackers than to try to fight them.

Kaplan told ABC radio last week that magpies have long memories and once they know you don't pose a threat, they will make you a friend for life. But if you are nasty to them they will hold a permanent grudge against you. While Kaplan didn't go into specifics of how to make friends with magpies (feeding them is discouraged) during breeding season, the best way is to show them some respect by leaving them alone and avoiding going too close to their nests. If nothing else, magpie swooping season reminds us that we we share our cities with a multitude of wildlife. In some parts of Melbourne there are estimated to be as many as 20 foxes living in a single square kilometre of territory. And while none of us would ever wish to be swooped by multiple magpies or to encounter a skulk of foxes in the dead of night in one of Melbourne's urban wasteland areas, these animals can provide an enlightening connection to the natural world that is increasingly elusive to city dwellers. And if we lose this connection to nature, we may cease to be prepared to stand up to protect it in the long run. As British journalist George Monbiot has written: "Most of those I know who fight for nature are people who spent their childhoods immersed in it. Without a feel for the texture and function of the natural world, without an intensity of engagement almost impossible in the absence of early experience, people will not devote their lives to its protection."
Pierre Berge, who has died aged 86, was the businessman behind the French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent for more than four decades, and the romantic partner of its eponymous founder for 18 years.

The pair had met at a dinner party in Paris in 1958, shortly after the 22-year-old Saint Laurent had been propelled to fame with his first collection for Dior. But there were other rivals to his position as head designer. In 1960 Saint Laurent was conscripted for military service in Algeria, and Dior handed his role to Marc Bohan.

Pierre Berge, left, with Mazarine Pingeot, the illegitimate daughter of late French president Francois Mitterrand, and fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. Credit:AP

Subjected to severe hazing as a new recruit, Saint Laurent suffered a nervous breakdown and Berge had him invalided home. When Dior refused to allow the designer back, Berge successfully sued for breach of contract and ploughed the money into setting up a rival fashion house. By 1966, Yves Saint Laurent had its first ready-to-wear boutique in Paris; within two years, there were 17 others.

While the fashion world hailed Saint Laurent's creative genius, his partner's business acumen made them both fabulously rich. Berge spent the next decade negotiating contracts with product manufacturers worldwide. By buying out Charles of the Ritz, which owned the YSL cosmetics line, in 1986, he increased operating income from 9.5 million to 44 million.
Illustration: Ron Tandberg What I witnessed was a huge amount of ego with screechy voices being displayed with loud microphones and little personality all fighting for the "yes" cause. Do they really believe chants work? It also became incredibly political with very strong union support. Do we need this intrusion of power when all we're simply asking for is the right of equality that is automatically offered to every man and woman in this country without a second thought? Dennis Halloran Paddington Flat-earth faculty flat out tracking Irma I can't wait to hear the Liberal National Party climate-change not-so-intelligentsia blaming the Irma Hurricane on some left-wing conspiracy ("Temperatures rise over coal clash", September 11). Florida, being the retirement village of the US's billionaires, might be considered by the climate sceptics as a natural target for a socialist uprising from their neighbour Cuba; except that Irma has already visited there. Perhaps the Mexican earthquake is also part of their conspiracy theories. The flat-earth scientific faculty in the federal government could surely confirm that.

John Ward Bangor So the dinosaurs in the National Party want to phase out all subsidies for renewable energy over the next six years. Did they also vote to phase out the even bigger subsidies enjoyed by the fossil fuel sector, starting with the proposed $1 billion loan to Adani, and ruling out any government funds being used to support an uneconomic coal-fired power station? Or is the "biggest protection racket going around", as Matt Canavan put it, the Nationals' support for a dying industry?Brendan Jones Annandale Not all Boomers are spooners I read Pat Brophy's letter yesterday with interest. I too am sick of the Baby Boomer blame game. I bought my home in the early '80s just before the great interest increase to 17 per cent. I never did find my elusive silver spoon: all I had was a brand new credit card to pay my rates and other bills. Occasionally I had to ask for pay in advance for my bank loan. Any spare $10 left I paid off my principal. I must have been standing behind the door when those silver spoons were handed out! Maureen Flynn Newtown

Who will pay for all these school business managers? Public school principals should be wary of the suggestion by Education Minister Robert Stokes that principals employ business managers to manage the everyday running of their schools ("Proposal to cut admin red tape for principals", September 11). If the department has evidence that principals spend 40 per cent of their time managing schools, it should take on the management of schools and allow principals to get on with providing educational leadership, which is what they are supposed to do. Where will the money come from to employ "managers"? Not the school budget, I would hope. Frank Tweedie Morpeth Another new "leadership" strategy for principals. What exactly is their job? When I was appointed as a principal of a wonderful school in the late 1980s, my welcoming staff told me that my job was to "keep out stray dogs from the playground", make sure that when the kids went down "the back" they were not attacked by magpies, and do something about the bloody white ants that were slowly devouring the art room. All this, they assured me, would allow them to get on with the job they were being paid to do, ie "teach the students in their classes". Have principals and administrators lost sight of common sense in this age of "20th century learning"? Brian McKeown Long Jetty

Adrian Piccoli, by definition any test which you must re-sit and re-sit until you pass  or else you don't get your HSC  is a pass-or-fail test, and you have dumped that pressure on year 9 students ("NAPLAN year 9 test is not a pass or fail test", September 11). Peter Fleming Northmead Political imperatives overrule all else The Premier may hope that council amalgamation is no longer an issue for her government, but people will be reminded every day that there are tiny councils such as Hunters Hill and Mosman and mega ones such as Canterbury-Bankstown ("Council elections: Libs lose control after huge backlash", September 11). This isn't an matter of equity or good governance, but rather political imperatives.

Manuela Epstein Pyrmont The federal government has lost control over ballooning immigration numbers, the banks have lost control over lending, creating a bonanza for developers. The NSW government has lost control over these developers. That's why the Libs lost control in council elections. If newly elected mayor Philip Ruddock wants to ease development pressures and regain control in Hornsby, he should lobby the feds to reduce immigration to numbers seen when he was the minister. Matt Mushalik Epping Gladys, councils last weekend, your government in 2019, and when you get thumped at the polls leave the Powerhouse Museum where it is but take your bloody WestConnex with you. Victor Marshall Erskineville

A good reminder from Valerie Dodd (Letters, September 11) that conscientious objection is also a democratic right. Meredith Williams Dee Why No weight in pledges After reading about the smashing down of the 1912 heritage facade of Hensley Hall ("Kings Cross heritage facade smashed", September 11), it makes one wonder what its Singaporean owners have in mind for the GPO. Pledges don't seem to carry much weight, do they? 'Perhaps we could bear this in mind and act before anything is demolished.

June Dibbs Mona Vale Morrison skates to the topby keeping his distance from controversy Scott Morrison is one smart politician ("Voters give Morrison ticks over his boss", September 11). Essentially letting the day-to-day economy take care of itself, on the economic and social issues dominating the political landscape like same sex marriage; electricity prices and energy policy; and housing affordability Morrison has been obvious by his absence from the debate. Sure an odd foray into the discourse from time to time, but others are taking the political bullets and it would not surprise me if, like Stephen Bradbury, he skates into the leadership over the top of others that have fallen. Greg Loder Springwood I have always thought of faith as the maintaining belief in the face of any amount of contrary evidence. If you were to look logically at the Coalition's economic management from Howard onwards, you wouldn't trust them with a piggy bank let alone the country's economy. They should be thankful voters are faithful not logical.

Tony Walbran Dee Why Let scooters alone What a cranky lot of complainers about scooters and gophers (Letters, September 11). These ride-on machines are not for fun, but give disabled freedom of mobility. So have a heart, be considerate, move over on the footpath when one whizzes by you, be thankful for the usable legs to move out of the way.Christina Foo Wahroonga Sea of rampant male military egos The photo of the North Korean nuclear party says it all ("No new missile test, but Kim throws a nuclear party). Only one woman in sight amid a sea of rampant male military egos that threaten world peace.

John Swanton Botany Let's hope that, in a jovial moment, Donald Trump doesn't mention Kim Jong-un's hairstyle in one of his tweets. While the irony would most likely escape Mr Trump, it would put Kim's hairdresser in great danger and most likely lead to more outbound missiles and greater risk of conflict. David Bishop Bass Hill Scam advice careless The recent case of the phone scam defrauding pensioners of money included a recorded message with a phone number for the pensioner to call. ("Consumer watchdog warning as scammers target pensioners", September 11). The official advice (as usual) is to "hang up on their calls". But why are the authorities uninterested in being advised of the phone number that the scammer gives? Is it so impossible to conduct an investigation? Or does no one care?

David Brigden Manly Case for and against accepting Rohingya refugees It would not hurt Australia's bid for a UN Human Rights Council seat to accept 20,000 Rohingya refugees on emergency, humanitarian grounds ("Greens urge Turnbull to take 20,000 Rohingya refugees," September 11).But then maybe the release into Australia of those human beings indefinitely imprisoned on Manus and Nauru might also help our case. Mark Paskal Clovelly The Rohingya deserve our sympathy and food/medical aid, but as unskilled, non-English speaking people they would be straight on to welfare and for a long time. This plea by the Greens shows their true agenda  chaos.

Clive McLellan Baulkham Hills Road trains pose risk Trucks of overall lengths of some 80ft (24m) are using the Pacific Highway through North Shore shopping centres such as Gordon with great frequency ("Take criminal truckies off road", September 11). If the drivers of these 'road trains' make an error of judgment the risk of an accident of major proportions is very real and always present.Do we need to have people killed before common sense prevails. The answer is obviously yes. John Cronly Turramurra Occy straps solution to any Cloud Arch issues

The concerns raised by Brian Cotterell (Letters, September 11), about the potential dynamic aeroelasticity (flutter) inherent in the Cloud Arch design, beautifully described as a "long twisted aerofoil", could be addressed quite simply. The addition of occy straps would tie down and enhance the iconic structure with a rich cultural reference, and could go some way to ameliorating the loss of Milk Crates, which was quietly chucked out without any public vote. Anne McDonald Summer Hill Years before the Cloud Arch was proposed, we Sydneysiders were promised a park opposite the Town Hall. My dentist moved out of a building in that Park and George streets corner because, I believed, the necessary resumptions were going ahead to make the park a reality. What happened to that idea? A little bit of nature's art first, then the human-made, perhaps. Pen Layton-Caisley Marrickville I don't understand the opprobrium showered on Junya Ishigami's Cloud Arch. It sums up a lot of what I like about Sydney  it's light and airy, deliciously frivolous, a touch hedonistic, and soars aspirationally into the sky. The curve echoes those of the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, the sweep of Circular Quay, and transposes them elsewhere. It's generous like the city, and fun. As everywhere, the majority of the complaints will be from wowsers, and those who don't understand how public budgetary allocations work. I salute it!
The world edged closer to the inevitable decision point on North Korea's nuclear missile program. Kim Jong-un had been expected to light up another intercontinental ballistic missile to mark the country's Foundation Day on the weekend but preferred to keep the world guessing. He threw a big party for his nuclear scientists instead. "The recent test of the H-bomb [hydrogen or thermonuclear bomb] is the great victory won by the Korean people at the cost of their blood while tightening their belts in the arduous period," said the so-called Dear Marshall, signalling to his people that the half-century-long plan is approaching culmination as he achieves nuclear breakout.The culminating point is approaching for the US, too. US President Donald Trump is asking the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Australian time, to impose an oil embargo on North Korea.This would cripple the sadly small amount of activity that passes for the North Korean economy, possibly forcing national collapse. But, to be successful, this must be supported in the UN Security Council by China and Russia. If one or both decide to wield their veto power, the council cannot act. And that is very likely what's going to happen. It suits Beijing and Moscow to keep North Korea as a buffer holding the US ally of South Korea at arm's length. Unable to impose the killer sanctions, a frustrated Trump will find himself facing this unhappy choice - disarm Kim's regime by force, or accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed state. To attempt to disarm him leads to war and death of horrific proportions. To accept a nuclear North is to admit a nuclear extortionist to the world. Trump's decision day draws nigh.

The great civilisational convulsion of South-East Asia escalated. Myanmar under the supposed human rights champion Aung San Suu Kyi is doing what Myanmar's military dictatorship refrained from doing.The Buddhist majority is purging the Muslim minority on a mass scale. It is an unchecked crisis. The UN estimates that 300,000 of the Rohingya Muslims have been chased from Myanmar in less than three weeks, since the violent clashes of August 25. Unknown numbers have been killed. The million or so Rohingya in Myanmar are originally from the Indian subcontinent, but many communities have lived in Myanmar for a century or more. They have long been denied citizenship and treated as second class citizens. Now many face the choice of being killed or fleeing the country. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the weekend spoke for Muslims around the world when he called the purge "genocide". Thousands of Indonesians protested on the streets of Jakarta. The 57 governments of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation condemned Myanmar's brutality. The Rohingya are not blameless. The August 25 violence began when Rohingya militants attacked some 30 police stations. According to Myanmar's government, this attack was funded and aided by the "charities" of Saudi Arabian Wahhabism, one of the cancers that spreads Sunni terrorism internationally.So the ill-treatment of the Rohingya has already won the sympathy of the Sunni terrorist movement; the continuing purge is an invitation to Daesh, which calls itself Islamic State, to take up arms in Myanmar. Myanmar's government says it is trying to head off any UN intervention by negotiating with Russia and China. Like North Korea, Myanmar seeks the political protection of Moscow and Beijing.

3. Daesh in the Philippines

While Daesh is being crushed relentlessly in the territories of its so-called "caliphate" in Syria and Iraq, it is proving exceptionally tenacious on the Philippines island of Mindanao. The Philippines army said it would clear Mindanao's city of Marawi of the 500 Daesh fighters within a week. That was four months ago and the last Daesh forces are still holding out. Australia has sent surveillance planes and is offering military trainers. As the fighting goes on, the island of Mindanao becomes daily more chaotic, more impoverished and more ungoverned. Together with the purge of Muslims in Myanmar, this is helping South East Asia's emergence as a highly prospective new battle zone for Daesh, a potential disaster for Australia.

Illustration: Dionne Gain

4. Tension on Russia's western borders
AGL's Liddell power station is a "grandmother" plant that shouldn't receive funds more usefully invested elsewhere to improve Australia's energy prospects, Christiana Figueres, the former United Nations climate chief, said.

Ms Figueres, who as executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change oversaw the Paris climate agreement, said time is running out for Australia to get its energy and carbon policies in order.

"The time is short," Ms Figueres told Fairfax Media during a visit to Australia. "I think 10 years of dithering is enough."

Her comments come as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met AGL executives on Monday to discuss the future of Liddell. AGL has said it was committed to shutting the 46-year-old Hunter Valley power plant by 2022, while the government is pressing to extend its life by five years to head off possible electricity shortages.
Report into water theft in NSW finds cases of non-compliance remain "unresolved for far too long". Credit:Michelle Mossop "The information reviewed indicated there may have been prima facie evidence of substantive breaches of the Water Management Act 2000. However, the allegations were not systematically followed up," it said, adding that the statute of limitations would require any charges to be laid by August 2018. Fairfax Media sought comment from Mr Harris. Horton Rhodes, a lawyer for Mr Harris told the Matthews investigation his client "has never knowingly caused water to be pumped for the benefit of any of his properties in contravention or breach of any term of water access licences" held by his companies. New regulator needed The Matthews report recommends a range of "urgent" measures, including the creation of a legislated NSW Natural Resources Regulator that would take on water and eventually other resource issues. The government said it would act on that recommendation.



"The locus of compliance responsibility would be clear and leadership and decision-making authority would be unambiguous," the report said. "That is not the case now."

The Matthews report is one of six separate inquiries under way after the Four Corners report highlighted cases of irrigators installing equipment that took billions of litres of water, potentially undermining confidence in the entire $13 billion Murray Darling Basin recovery plan. Mr Blair, the Department of Primary Industries Minister, told a media conference that the interim report was "pretty sober" reading for the government, revealing "failures", some of which would be acted on immediately. "Where they do not exist, urgent installation of water meters for all large users in NSW within 12 months will be a top priority," Mr Blair, said in an earlier statement. "It's imperative that larger users have adequate, functioning water meters installed, given the volume of water needed to support farming and the impact this has on smaller users." Mr Blair declined to answer questions as to whether the Nationals would continue to receive donations from Mr Harris or other big irrigators.

"Donations are handled by the [party's] head office," he said. "It's not something I have any exposure to." The minister also said Mr Harris had not approached him after the airing of the TV report. "No. My diary is readily available for everyone to have a look at." Mr Blair denied there was a conflict of interest for the Nationals to be taking donations from irrigators while managing the water portfolio. "I believe the majority of irrigators are doing the right thing," he said.

'Potential loss of confidence' A senior NSW bureaucrat, Gavin Hanlon, is "commencing misconduct procedures", and has been stood down, Mr Blair said. Mr Hanlon was recorded offering to share sensitive government data with irrigation industry groups, audio of which was aired by Four Corners. The report said the Hanlon-led group met by teleconference "on at least four occasions", resulting in "a potential loss of confidence in the professionalism and even-handedness of Department of Primary Industries, and therefore the wider NSW public service". Sue Higginson, chief executive of the NSW Environmental Defender's Office, welcomed the report's finding that the water industry needed a complete overhaul to achieve independence, transparency and effective compliance. "As hard as it is for many to accept, the science is clear," Ms Higginson said. "If we don't change the way we manage the Murray Darling ecosystem, prioritising healthy environmental flows, the future is grim for all who rely on the system.

"[T]hose who were charged with the responsibility of fixing the problem in the public interest have made things worse and it is a serious issue that it has taken a trial by media to reveal this," she said. 'Fox in charge' Labor's Luke Foley, the opposition leader, said "anyone but a National" MP should be in charge of water. "This is deliberate industrial-scale theft of water," Mr Foley said. "At the very least, you have to say these National Party characters were prepared to look the other way." "A great Australian river is being killed on this government's watch," he said.
A confidentiality breach by the federal government's $5 billion infrastructure body shows it is now considering loaning public money to two new rail lines supporting mining projects.

The unintended leak of classified documents by the vaunted Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility shows it has been approached for funding by the proponents of the Balla Balla project, which comprises a port and railway to the Pilbara Iron Ore project in Western Australia. The port, rail line and a new mine are expected to cost about $6 billion.

To protect the identity of the source, Fairfax Media cannot reveal exactly how it obtained information from the documents. However the method reveals critical shortcomings in the way NAIF handles and secures sensitive information.

The facility's confidentiality policy states that staff must "keep all confidential information properly secure  Any confidential information taken home for work purposes should be properly protected and secured at all times".
The Victorian government is considering forcing the electricity industry to re-regulate power prices in a move which could slice hundreds of dollars off household bills.

Multiple sources in the electricity sector have confirmed they had been told state Environment and Energy Minister Lily D'Ambrosio plans to press ahead with the re-regulation of prices, with one senior executive predicting it is a "done deal".

Electricity retailers say any move by the Victorian government to re-regulate prices would hurt small retailers and potentially hit investment in renewables.

Electricity retailers are already gearing up to fight the move, arguing it will hurt smaller players and hit investment in renewable energy.

The move to implement a so-called "Basic Service Offer" is one of 11 recommendations in a review of the electricity sector by former deputy premier John Thwaites. The review was handed to the Andrews government last month, and found prices have soared since the sector was de-regulated in 2008.
The Indian government has intervened in the controversy over an Australian marketing campaign for lamb, lodging an official diplomatic complaint.

The Indian high commission in Canberra has made a "demarche" to three government departments - Foreign Affairs, Communications and Agriculture - over the Meat and Livestock Australia ad that features the Hindu deity Ganesha eating lamb.

The ad that was meant to promote inclusivity has backfired by angering Australia's Hindu community, who call it "ignorant and insensitive".

It features religious figures such as Jesus, Buddha, Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and Greek goddess Aphrodite enjoying a lamb lunch. Ganesha is depicted digging in despite being considered vegetarian by followers of the religion.
By Shivani Chhabra: The increase in instances of child molestation around the country has raised concerns among parents all over the nation. While it is an undeniable responsibility of the schools, children day-care centres, and parents to make sure that they do a rigorous background check before hiring employees who work in children-oriented environments, a dire need to make children differentiate between good-touch and bad-touch has also become necessary.

advertisement

Let's face it, our children aren't safe in our society anymore; the sooner we come to terms with that, the better. These key points given by consultant psychologist, Seema Taneja, consultant counsellor with schools and corporate houses in Delhi NCR, will help you prepare your child better to deal with uncalled-for situations.

At what age should they be sensitised:

Every child has a different mental and intellectual growth-rate, and hence, there is no specific age to determine when a child can understand this one important thing. The parents have to be involved enough with their children to gauge the right time for this. It is, however, of utmost importance to make them differentiate between good and bad-touch when they are two to three years old, since this is the age when they start school, and are exposed to the outside world.

How to define the line between good touch and bad touch:

It may come across as quite the task to make them learn the difference between the body parts that can be touched out of affection, and the ones that just cannot. For this, parents need to use the right vocabulary--the kind of vocabulary that can be easily comprehended by anyone the child might approach in case of any trouble. For example, telling your children that the body parts covered by a swimsuit cannot to be touched by anyone, except parents, or during a medical check up by a doctor in the presence of their parents.

The point here is to make them differentiate between different body parts and the right to access that comes with each of them.

The purpose of coining terms like good-touch and bad-touch can become redundant if your children cannot fathom the feelings generated by them. To make it easier for them, demonstrate the feelings to them through pictures and videos. Elaborate and explain what comfortable and uncomfortable feelings are. As an example, an image of a child hugging his mother will teach them what comfort is, and a video of a child being spanked will explain discomfort to them.

advertisement

In most cases, it has been observed that molesters use affection as a tool to get their way around the child, which makes an innocent child unable to recognise the 'bad-touch'. A few cases have to come to light, where the children seemed to have enjoyed being touched, due to lack of awareness on how to differentiate between good and bad touch. Therefore, parents need to tell their children that the body parts covered under a swimsuit cannot be touched by anyone, even if it is an 'affectionate' touch. A concrete line should be drawn there.

Also Read: Differently-abled children were the real showstoppers at this fashion event

Motivating the child to confide in someone:

It has been seen that most children who face such situations, do not confide in anyone, and suffer in silence. The reason they choose to not speak up is because the parents fail to develop a healthy bond with them. If you want your children to open up about the things they face, you need to send out the message that you're always paying attention. Your children must have a sense of security and an assurance that their complaints will be paid heed to.

advertisement

Reactions to bad touch:

You must teach them to say no. Children need to know that it's okay to say no, and when to say no. After the refusal, the child who is being abused should know how to overcome the fear of his molester, and scream for help. Explain to them how screaming will get them the attention of the people in the vicinity, and get them help. Children should be made aware of the intensity of danger that comes with such incidents, and the need to run to safety after sounding the alarm. Tell them there is no option but to run if someone comes too close.

Also Read: This girl is trying to inculcate the habit of reading in disadvantaged children

Dealing with children who face molestation:

This aspect can change the future of a child. After getting through the mental and physical torture that comes with such heinous crimes, a child has to deal with the insensitive attitude of the society that uses terms like "victim" and "survivor" that serve as constant reminders of their horrific past. Gradually, these children tend to lose all hopes of being able to get over it, and indulge in self-blaming, which makes them grow aloof. Instead, all they need is compassion, and some reassurance that it wasn't their fault.

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Canberra: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has assured South Korea of Australia's solidarity in the face of threats by North Korea.

Mr Turnbull spoke on the phone on Monday night with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

The Prime Minister told the President of Australia's steadfast commitment to South Korea and the pair agreed North Korea's recent nuclear test was a grave provocation.

Mr Moon thanked Mr Turnbull for his strong support and solidarity.
Labor will step up its attacks on the Turnbull government over the legality of ministerial decisions made by three senior Nationals MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, based on new legal advice from two eminent lawyers.

The advice, prepared by respected barristers Matthew Collins QC and Matthew Albert, raises the possibility that any decisions the three made as ministers after October 20, 2016 could be open to challenge if the High Court finds they were invalidly elected.

The federal opposition last week demanded to know if the government had sought legal advice on whether the ministerial actions of Mr Joyce, Regional Development Minister Fiona Nash or former resources minister Matt Canavan might be at risk of challenge because of their High Court citizenship cases.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten highlighted the fact that Mr Joyce, the Resources Minister, had not yet enacted gas export controls, and asked whether it was because of "the legal risk that the Deputy Prime Minister's ministerial actions might be challenged in the courts?"
Energy company AGL has blinked in the face of sustained pressure from the Turnbull government over the future of the Liddell coal-fired power plant, asking for 90 days to come up with a proposal to keep the plant open, sell it - or deliver equivalent power into the market.

After a 90-minute meeting in Canberra between Mr Turnbull, Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg and AGL chief executive Andy Vesey over the future of the plant, Mr Frydenberg said the company had indicated it was ready to back down from its plan to shut Liddell in 2022.

But Greens climate change and energy spokesman Adam Bandt MP said the meeting with AGL was a fizzer.

"All the government has done has forced AGL to bring forward its planning for new renewables. AGL's board will discuss what they were going to discuss anyway," he said.
Following her declaration of mutual love in Vanity Fair Magazine, Meghan Markle is reportedly set to walk alongside boyfriend Prince Harry for their first official engagement later this month. The 36-year-old actress and 32-year-old Prince are finally likely to make an appearance together during the Invictus Games, held in the city Markle is currently calling home,Toronto.

The international event founded by Prince Harry gives injured and disabled servicemen the chance to compete in various sports. Markle currently spends much of her time in the Canadian town during the filming of TV series, Suits. With filming resuming this week, it is highly likely she will already be present. Incidentally it is also where the couple met for the first time last year.

Meghan Markle has revealed she was dating Prince Harry for six months before it became public.



The Mail in London reports that the Palace have stalled an official announcement on their public engagement so as to not overshadow the 20-year anniversary since the passing of Harry's mother, Princess Diana.

In November last year Prince Harry released an official statement condemning the "wave of abuse and harassment" that was directed towards Markle when rumours about their relationship emerged.
What do women want to wear?

Well, that depends on who she is and where she's going.

Acid-hued rash vests, anoraks and speed suits have never been so haute and/or designed for speed. The Fenty x Puma by Rihanna collection. Credit:AP

But there's a certain ease to the way women want to get dress now, and in these rather fraught times, in which a pair of heels worn by the First Lady of the United States can trigger moral panic, an attitude.

Going by the spring/summer collections shown so far at New York Fashion Week, this woman, whether she's dressed for the office or for the club, means business. But it's entirely on her terms.
If any star could pull off riding on a dirt bike into New York Fashion week and putting stiletto flip-flop creepers on the runway, it's definitely Rihanna. And as US Vogue put it, her FentyxPuma event today was a "jolt" the whole fashion pack including commentators and celebrities needed.

Only a few days after officially launching her inclusive Fenty Beauty line, the pop-star designer rode into her runway wearing a army green shirt with a plunging neckline, a bright green jacket around her waist, sunglasses and thigh-high boots, with her risk-taking ways permeating her novel collection. Since her Fall 2016 collection, it is the first time in two years that the show has returned to New York, with the previous stints held in Paris.

Rihanna rides into Fashion week with her Fenty Puma collection. Credit:AP

Bikes ascended above millennial pink sound mountains before models strutted in the the unisex clothes, which were a cross between moto-gear and classic surf-wear. Supermodels including Adriana Lima, Kaia Gerber, Taylor Hill, Joan Smalls and Stella Maxwell were part of the Park Avenue Armory runways. A tweet from The Hollywood Reporter's Style and Fashion Director Booth Moore shows the heights Rihanna reached in creating a fashion spectacle in a rather subdued fashion week.

That was only a prelude, with the 27-year-old debuting 50 new looks. The range features complementary silhouettes and shapes, with oversized jackets, athleisure and swimsuits taking on both fitted and loose forms. The pieces focus on mixing two block colours; orange and black made up various suits, and blue tones were met with pink embellishments, according to the Washington Post.
Emergency services at Wollongong City Beach, where a man drowned. Credit:Illawarra Mercury A nearby surfer, Tom Parkinson, 22, helped the child to shore, but Mr Oliver was swept out to sea. Mr Parkinson was eating lunch on the beach with his girlfriend when he saw Mr Oliver and the boy. Surfer Tom Parkinson, 22, who rescued a child caught in a rip at Wollongong's City Beach Credit:Facebook "I had a board in the back of the car, so I chucked on my boardies and ran down the beach," he said.

"The waves were brutal, big white wash, big rips, I couldn't believe anyone would go out there." Mother of the four children who became caught in rough waters, Islam Hamma, speaking to Channel Seven. Credit:Twitter/@7NewsMelb He said the boy was screaming when he paddled up to him. "Waves were crashing on his head and he'd go under. I grabbed him, put him on the board and then chucked him on his feet on the sandbank." The man was attempting to save children caught in a rip when he drowned in Wollongong. Credit:Illawarra Mercury

Mr Parkinson, a local musician, went back out to look for the second person he saw, but it was too late. Mr Oliver was gone. 'I'm just happy the kids are okay, but I can't imagine what Shaun's family are going through," he said. Waves hitting the headland at City Beach in Wollongong. Credit:Adam McLean "He didn't have a board and he still paddled out, so he did the far greater thing, he's the real hero." Three police officers brought Mr Oliver onto the beach. Paramedics tried CPR and he was taken to Wollongong Hospital, where he later died.

"It's a heroic act and it's unfortunately cost him his life," Wollongong Detective Inspector Brad Ainsworth said. "I believe he was just walking along the beach and he's just acted. The beach was closed, there was a heavy surf, there was a drag, there was a current, all the conditions there that you just, you don't go in." Mr Oliver's uncle and godfather, Ralph Silver, said he had come from a family of SES and CFA volunteers. "He was a very adequate swimmer, very healthy, loved his footy, sport," Mr Silver told 3AW Drive. "He's so selfless, it wouldn't have even entered his mind not to go in and help." Mr Oliver, from Craigeburn, had been in NSW for a week of work and was due to fly back on Monday.

He was a loving father of three children aged three to seven and had been with his wife, Carla, since high school. His uncle said it was a "strange feeling", the mix of pride in his nephew's sacrifice to save another and devastation for those he left behind. "The whole family is just in total shock. They've got the rest of their lives without their dad, I don't know how they are going to get through it." The rescued children's mother, Islam Hammad, praised Mr Oliver's final heroic act. "I can't find the words to thank them (Mr Oliver's family)," she told Channel Seven.

"To give everything that he has, even he didn't think about his family and children, and he went to save someone else's child. "I feel terrible for myself that I couldn't save him, I couldn't save my son, I couldn't do anything. "He is a hero and and I'm sure he's very happy in the place he is now. I hope Allah gives them patience and mercy to his family and his children and wife." One of the rescued children, Yazan Hammad, said he was playing around in the water when his brother started to get dragged out. "I'm so sorry, we didn't mean for him to jump in," he told Channel Nine. "He was really brave."

Mr Oliver, a shopfitter by trade, was a project manager at Lynbrook store Ramvek. He had worked for the company for almost 14 years and was on a business trip to Wollongong when he died. He graduated from Chandler High School in Keysborough in 2002. School friend Joel Tranquille said: "He was a great friend to everyone, you wouldn't be able to find a single person that would tell you otherwise". "It's never easy when you hear about a friend passing when he is still so young, especially a great bloke like Shaun," Mr Tranquille said.

Another high school friend, Lisa Pountney, said Mr Oliver "would talk to everyone, even socially awkward people". "(He) would make you laugh or smile if you were sad, he would always put others before himself, he was a bright and loveable guy," she said. A GoFundMe page, set up by his cousin Nathanael Oliver, has already raised about $12,500 to support Mr Oliver's young family, for which he was the sole income earner. Friend and Keysborough senior coach Matt Ferguson said the club would wear black armbands in Mr Oliver's honour at their preliminary final game on Saturday.

"He was a very well-liked person around the club, he was one of those supporters who was never negative, a really fantastic person," he said. "I don't think anyone has ever spoken a bad word about him." Mr Ferguson said he was not surprised that Mr Oliver died while trying to save the lives of others. "It's no surprise that he would put himself in that situation and without question would do what he did," he said. In a Facebook comment, his sister Clare Murray wrote "we are all shattered".

"My brother ... the ultimate hero. We cannot believe this has happened ... a loss that will be felt by many," she wrote. Surf Life Saving Illawarra duty officer Daren Weidner said there had been waves of between three and four metres off the coast in Wollongong. Inspector Ainsworth said, if not for Mr Oliver's heroic actions, "you could potentially be talking about two or three" more drownings. "It's a tragic loss of life," he said. "It really puts individuals that come to the aid of people in danger, and it's the ultimate sacrifice I suppose. Loading
Relocating the federal government's Australian Cyber Security Centre from the ASIO building to Canberra Airport will drive emergency preparedness and knowledge sharing, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's special adviser says.

Alastair MacGibbon, appointed by Mr Turnbull in 2016 and central to the government's cyber security strategy roll out, said emergency responses and resilience in the private and public sectors was improving around Australia.

Cooperation needed: Alastair MacGibbon is special adviser on cyber security. Credit:Andrew Meares

Moving the centre from the strictly controlled ASIO building on Lake Burley Griffin to the lower security environment at Brindabella Park would allow easier access for people outside government and see more businesses cooperating with the public sector.

Mr MacGibbon will address the ISACA OceaniaCACS information technology conference in Canberra on Monday, discussing how government and businesses should cooperate on cyber security capability.
It is a city cresting a golden wave. Global capital is pouring in, the population is booming and the state government is turning huge surpluses.

Meanwhile, house prices have accelerated at an unimaginable pace, pricing out everyone from the most vulnerable to those with professional jobs, as record numbers of homeless people move on to the city's streets.

Sound familiar? The city is not Sydney, but Vancouver.

It has been grappling a housing affordability crisis for over a decade, leaving it mired in the same problems that now grip Sydney, and dominate conversations from the backyard barbecue to the country's highest paid policy wonks.
More details have emerged about the confrontation that led to a police officer shooting a 72-year-old man in Woodridge, south of Brisbane, on Sunday.

The man, reportedly a Vietnam war veteran with mental health issues, remained in a serious condition at Princess Alexandra Hospital on Monday.

More details have emerged about the police shooting of a 72-year-old man in Woodridge on Sunday. Credit:Seven News

Queensland police union secretary Mick Barnes told 4BC's Ben Fordham on Monday afternoon the police officer who shot the man had little choice during the confrontation.

"Things were very frantic there for a number of minutes," he said.
Three GJM MLAs from Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong dropped in at the chief minister's residence on Sunday, displaying their eagerness to sort out the issue through negotiation.

By Romita Datta: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be visiting Darjeeling to hold the second peace talk meeting over the Gorkhaland impasse.

Though Bimal Gurung, the Gorkha Janmukti Morch (GJM) president responsible for the three month old indefinite strike, was keen to send representatives hand-picked by him, the state government has shown no interest.

The government, instead, was keen to have Binay Tamang across the dialogue table, whom the government is trying to recognise and project as the new leader in the Hills.

advertisement

Meanwhile, three GJM MLAs from Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong dropped in at the chief minister's residence on Sunday, displaying their eagerness to sort out the issue through negotiation.

According to a GJM leader, Gurung is looking for some rapprochement, now that he has been pushed to a corner with criminal and UAPA charges against him and a new leader in Tamang on the rise.

The MLAs who visited Mamata on Sunday had come at Gurung's bidding so as to ensure that the grip of the Gorkhaland movement remained with Gurung's coterie. Last week, a team of GJM leaders called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and requested for a tripartite to bring the deadlock to the Centre's court.

Rajnath Singh, however, is in favour of the issue being solved at the state level. Having failed to get a commitment, Gurung is now trying to knock at the state government through his emissaries.

Tamang's popularity is gradually gaining ground as more and more people are joining the rallies and processions under him. He has made it clear that his call for suspension of strike had nothing to do with budging from the Gorkhaland issue, as Gurung is trying to convince.

Tamang has threatened to go on a hunger strike if the issue did not come up in the meeting. While this will impress the Hill people that he was firm on the separate state issue, it will also help in increasing his acceptability a few notch more.

ALSO READ:

West Bengal government-owned auditorium cancels booking for event where RSS chief Bhagwat was to speak

Trinamool Congress blames BJP for MP Sultan Ahmed's cardiac arrest

Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee's men beat up BJP supporters for raising slogans against them

WATCH: Mamata government-owned auditorium cancels Mohan Bhagwat event in Kolkata

--- ENDS ---
Young people are largely excluded from consultation and contribution to government decision-making. Both Australia and New Zealand are signatories to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and are obliged to honour childrens rights to freely express their views in all matters affecting them.

However, neither country has mandated mechanisms to ensure childrens views are heard within their civic institutions. Western models for citizenship participation have been designed by, and for, adults. The default position in social and political theory is to disregard children altogether, or to consider them as learner-citizens.

To understand what the public thinks about childrens political participation, we commissioned a question to be added to the 2016 Australian and New Zealand versions of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP).

Younger voters at the ballot box. Credit:Tanya Lake

What does the public think?
The Australian government wants new powers to access encrypted communications, but does it need them?

Police and intelligence agencies already have significant abilities to access data about our emails, phone calls and text messages if we're suspected of committing a crime, although it can be difficult to tell exactly what they're doing with them.

Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police Andrew Colvin. Credit:Fiona Morris

The government argues existing interception capabilities are inadequate to protect national security. According to Attorney-General George Brandis, backdoor access to encrypted communications would redress the "degradation of our intelligence capability" to prevent terrorism.

Many Australians are unaware of current police and intelligence powers when it comes to accessing our data. As the government lobbies for new levels of access, that needs to change.
Premier Daniel Andrews abruptly left a charity event once he found out alleged underworld figure Mick Gatto was also in the room.

The function held last week was a fundraising dinner for Father Bob Maguire's community work and also marked his 83rd birthday.

Daniel Andrews left the party early. Credit:Joe Armao

The Age understands Mr Andrews had been scheduled to speak at the event but chose to leave instead.

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten also attended the charity function.
No-one goes to prison unless found guilty of a crime, right? Well no, Marlon Noble did.

Although he never appeared in court and was never convicted of a offence, Mr Noble, an Indigenous man from Geraldton, spent more than 10 years in a Western Australian prison.

Marlon Noble, who was imprisoned for 10 years without being found guilty of a crime. Credit:Justin McManus

And the 35-year-old, who has an intellectual disability after suffering meningitis as a child, remains subject to a custody order that restricts his every move even though he is no longer in jail.

Noble's story is an example of how "unfit to plead" laws represent a risk for people with cognitive disabilities, say researchers at Melbourne University's Social Equity Institute in a new report.
Two men who were nearly stabbed to death by the same homeless drug addict in Melbourne were left with scarring that had made them self-conscious.

Victims John Anderson and Shaun Foo now avoided swimming, an activity they once enjoyed.

John Samuel Thackray pleaded guilty over two violent attacks. Credit:Victoria Police

John Samuel Thackray, 33, attacked the men with a knife at their respective homes in South Yarra in March and July of 2016.

"These are crimes of quite shocking brutality that were carried out on these defenceless victims," prosecutor Andrew Tinney told a Victorian Supreme Court pre-sentence hearing on Monday.
Anna and Billie Weiser from White Gum Valley enjoying some creative play. Credit:Early Childhood Australia "Alarmingly there is evidence the very word 'play' in early childhood education has become problematic and play itself has become a contested activity in schools where sedentary and rote learning have taken stronghold of the early years curriculum," Dr Hesterman said. "While the nation has a mandated Early Years Learning Framework to ensure the provision of high quality play-based learning, the reality is child-initiated and self-directed play has been marginalised to such an extent in WA that pre-service teachers have very limited opportunity to see it in practice when completing their school practicums." The competitive nature of some parents is a factor in the demise of play in childrens' lives. Credit:Early Childhood Australia. National and international research showed play-based learning was the best way for young children to develop skills. Many parents were realising the pressure put on young children is increasing. Their teachers knew what was happening now was not best practice. But the top down approach, a greater focus on test scores and the competitive nature of society swept them along.

"It's really ringing alarm bells," Dr Hesterman said. The child's right to participate in child-initiated play, to self-direct learning as you would expect, and what we have always had in the past, is disappearing. "The sense is that while I think teachers are cognisant that there are changes in the curriculum, they feel that the pendulum has swung too far. "The child's right to participate in child-initiated play, to self-direct learning as you would expect, and what we have always had in the past, is disappearing." What makes the demise of play-based learning more difficult to address is the extent of the problem is often hidden. Teachers do not speak out about concerns for fear of upsetting their employer. Parents go with the flow. Schools chase better NAPLAN results. Children, many of whom are just three years old when they start kindy, bear the brunt.

"Schools internally assess how they're fairing in terms of the implementation of the national quality standard," Dr Hesterman said. "That process is not transparent or accountable to the wider Western Australian community." Dr Hesterman said her student teachers were being sent to schools to complete the practical part of their degrees, but reporting back to the university that they could not fulfil the practicum criteria. They needed to learn how to engage children in play-based learning in the classroom by watching experienced teachers do it. But there were schools where it was not possible to get hands on play-based learning experience. There was no play. "That's a real crisis situation for me, we may end up with a whole new generation of teachers, early childhood teachers, who may have read about the importance of play-based learning but they're not actually getting the experience of observing it in action," Dr Hesterman said.

WA and Tasmania were the most extreme examples of the swing away from play in schools. "Our demise and pressure for formal learning on young children is more significant," Dr Hesterman said. "I think one of the reasons for WA being that way is our four and five year olds are coming into the school system, whereas in other states those children would still be in early learning and development centres. Our four and five year olds come under primary school administrations. "The model in WA and Tasmania is less play based. It's not something that occurred overnight but I believe it's at crisis point now because I can't get my pre-service teachers seeing it in action." ECA WA was calling on the West Australian State Government to lead the development of a WA Play Strategy, that would protect the rights of children to learn through play and ensure greater transparency so that the community was aware of what is happening inside schools.

The government-led strategy, developed in partnership with key stakeholders, experts and advocates, could be similar to strategies already in place in Scotland and other countries around the world. "If we have a play strategy and somehow it enables some surveillance of the quality of play-based learning then we wouldn't be having this discussion," Dr Hesterman said. "But at the moment there is no monitoring, or it's internal auditing. The school might just say, we are working towards it, and that's good enough." Western Australian Council of State School Organisations president Kylie Catto said more parents were raising concerns about the structured nature of early childhood education. "They feel that it doesn't fit with what the early childhood experts are saying," Ms Catto said.

"They're worried about the effect it will continue to have on the children. A lot of them are saying they think it's a negative impact in terms of their children's opportunities to practice skills like different forms of communication, taking on challenges and taking on problems in fun and enjoyable ways." Parents did not want their young children sitting still too much. They did not want their creativity stifled. "We have had similar feedback from some early childhood teachers who are parents," Ms Catto said. "They are similarly concerned that at the schools that they are in, the focus is more on that structured learning and less on the play. As early childhood professionals, and as parents, they're not supportive of it either." WACSSO supported the development of a WA Play Strategy and was happy to work with government on this.

"Parents want their children to be happy, stimulated learners," she said. "With the absence of play this is not supported. "We don't want that fun and enjoyment to go out of the early years because we think it sets them on a good path for the future." WA Education Minister Sue Ellery has met with Dr Hesterman on the issue. When asked about the concerns raised by Dr Hesterman and her call for a WA Play Strategy, Ms Ellery responded:

"A balance of play-based experiences and literacy and numeracy programs using an explicit approach is what works best. "There are no plans to change the statement that informs and guides early childhood teachers and school leaders." Dr Hesterman said the recent changes to how children are taught could be underlined by the new narrative about 'school readiness'. "Prior to more recent times, it was always the case that the school would be ready for the child," Dr Hesterman said. "Because there was an appreciation, and a valuing, that there was a lot of diversity in the community and so when children first commence school there is all this cultural and linguistic diversity.

"How would the school accommodate it and value it? "Now the narrative is, the onus is on parents to get your kids ready for school." The pressure starts earlier. Children are conscious of expectations and their ability to deliver on them in the classroom. Dr Hesterman said the decline in play-based learning in schools had happened under the watch of the WA Education Department. The new strategy needed to be led by the state government, with help from key stakeholders and childrens' advocates. "If we have a play strategy and somehow it enables some surveillance of the quality of play-based learning then we wouldn't be having this discussion," she said.
Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Monday that terrorists have "no place to hide" as he marked the 16th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

"There is no dark corner beyond our reach," and the United States will be relentless in confronting terrorism, Mr Trump said during remarks at the Pentagon.

"Our eyes were opened to the evil we face," from international terrorism, he said.

The President warned extremists, saying "America cannot be intimidated" and those who try will join the list of enemies "who dared to test our mettle".
Clinton's charge sheet: Vladimir Putin, Rupert Murdoch, James Comey and Julian Assange. Credit:AP "Their ultimate goal is to undermine  perhaps even destroy  Western democracy itself." At one point she quotes the Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov, as saying, "The point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda. It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth. In her new book, Hillary Clinton warns that now Russia has "infected" the US. Credit:AP "Rupert Murdoch and the late Roger Ailes probably did more than anyone else to make all this possible. For years Fox News has been the most powerful and prominent platform for the right-wing war on truth."

Clinton traces Putin's decision to attack her candidacy to her period as Secretary of State under then-president Barack Obama, when she advocated for the administration to take a harder line against Russia's engagement in Syria and Ukraine. During the same period, she says, she also made an enemy of Julian Assange, who via WikiLeaks had published hundreds of thousands of sensitive US diplomatic cables. Donald Trump with his wife, Melania, and their son Barron on election night. Credit:NYT By the time she ran she believes Putin  who at one point she describes as a manspreader  was aware she would make a far tougher adversary to Trump in office. "All of this to, I had my eyes open, I knew Putin was a growing threat. I knew he had a personal vendetta against me and a deep resentment towards the United States. Hillary Clinton's book is out on Tuesday.

"Yet I never imagined he would have the audacity to launch a massive covert attack against our own democracy, right under our noses  and that he would get away with it." Synthesising public assessments of American security agencies, she argues that Putin and Assange  by publishing stolen Democratic data  acted in concert to defeat her. "Of course I had to face not just one America-bashing misogynist but three. Of course I'd have to get by Putin and Assange as well," she writes in an effort to make some light of the situation. Clinton lists the many public occasions on which Trump has supported Russia or Putin's world view, and says that until his tax returns are made public the depth of their relationship will remain unclear, but she speculates he may be driven by a natural affinity for Putin's unapologetically authoritarian politics or by his own deep business interests in Russia, now the subject of ongoing investigations. She laments that Obama did not come to her defence at the time. "I do sometimes wonder about what would have happened if President Obama had made a televised address to the nation in the fall of 2016 warning that our democracy was under attack. Maybe some Americans would have woken up to the threat in time. We'll never know."

Clinton is particularly scathing of the former FBI director James Comey, who at key moments during the last weeks of the campaign made controversial public statements about the investigation in her use of a private email server. Comey's investigation dominated election coverage for months, only to come to nothing days before the polling day. "I can't know what was in Comey's head. I don't know if he had anything against me personally, or if he thought I was going to win the election and was worried that if he didn't speak out he'd later be attacked by Republicans or his own agents. What I do know, though, is that when you are the head of an agency as important as the FBI, you have to care a lot more about how things really are than how they look, and you have to be willing to take the heat that goes along with the big job. "Whatever Comey was feeling or fearing, there is reason to be concerned about what was going on inside the FBI." Comey was subsequently sacked by Trump for refusing to shutdown the investigation into the Trump campaign's Russian connections. Early in the book Clinton writes of her shock that 62 million people could vote for a man who had been recorded threatening to sexually assault women and attack immigrants, Muslims, Mexican Americans and the disabled.
Sao Paulo: They were members of an uncontacted tribe gathering eggs along the river in a remote part of the Amazon. Then, it appears, they had the bad luck of running into gold miners.

Now, federal prosecutors in Brazil have opened an investigation into the reported massacre of about 10 members of the tribe, the latest evidence that threats to endangered indigenous groups are on the rise in the country.

A tribal member checks his bow and arrow in Awa Village, Brazil. The Awa are considered one of the world's most endangered tribes. Credit:Washington Post

The Brazilian agency on indigenous affairs, Funai, said it had lodged a complaint with the prosecutor's office in the state of Amazonas after the gold miners went to a bar in the town of Tabatinga, near the border with Peru, and bragged about the killings. They brandished a hand-carved paddle that they said had come from the tribe, the agency said.

"It was crude bar talk," said Leila Silvia Burger Sotto-Maior, Funai's coordinator for uncontacted and recently contacted tribes. "They even bragged about cutting up the bodies and throwing them in the river."
The attacks on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar are a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing", the United Nations' top human rights official has said, as concerns grow that the conflict threatens regional security.

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, addressing the UN human rights council in Geneva, said the UN had received multiple reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages and "consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians".

Pakistani protesters burn a caricature of Aung San Suu Kyi in a protest against ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. Credit:AP

"I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred, and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population," he said.

Almost 300,000 distressed Rohingya have fled violence in Rakhine province in the past fortnight, creating what aid agencies say is one of the worst humanitarian crises in Asia for decades.
A plea, filed by the victim's father seeking a CBI probe in the case prompted the Supreme Court to seek the responses from the Centre, Haryana government and the CBSE.

14 police teams have been formed to into the murder of a 7-year-old kid at Gurgaon's Ryan International School. (Photo/PTI)

By India Today Web Desk: A couple of days after a 7-year-old boy was found murdered inside a top Gurgaon school, the Haryana police today arrested a few staff members. Some teachers are also being questioned. The arrest was made after an investigation team pointed towards serious lapses at Ryan International School following a probe.

Francis Thomas, the school's northern India head and Jeyus Thomas, coordinator and Human Resource (HR) head were arrested under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act. The principal of the school, who was called for interrogation, had to be hospitalised after she fell ill today.

advertisement

A plea, filed by the victim's father seeking a CBI probe in the case prompted the Supreme Court to seek the responses from the Centre, Haryana government and the CBSE. TOP DEVELOPMENTS

I knw there is anger in parents but I appeal all of them to refrain from any violence & only protest in peaceful manner: #Pradyuman's father pic.twitter.com/zacSbf57QY; ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017



Gurgaon police commissioner Sandeep Khirwal said they are putting all the building blocks together to get good case against the accused.

After the Ryan school incident, Bhopal Police has issued an advisory asking schools to undertake police verification of staff.

Promoters of Ryan International School were named in Rs 1817 crore scam. They were under SEBI scanner for money laundering.

Javadekar says his ministry is mulling over how to improve security in schools. The ministry is issuing security directives to all CBSE school.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar speaks on Ryan school murder case.

Ryan School officials, who were arrested by police, produced before Sohna court.

Sadar Police Station SHO suspended in connection with the baton charge on protesting parents and journalists outside the Ryan International School on Sunday (September 10).

Supreme Court issues notice to Ryan International School, Centre, Haryana government CBI and CBSE over plea of killed 7-year-old kid's father.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has a telephonic conversation with the mother and uncle of the kid who was killed in Gurgaon's Ryan International School.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar calls victim's father Varun Thakur and assures of all help. The state government is ready for CBI probe, says CM Khattar.

Anticipatory bail filed by Ryan International CEO Ryan Pinto in Bombay High Court.

Supreme Court has agreed to hear plea of victim's father today.

Haryana Police has sent a team to Mumbai to question Ryan International Group's owner.

Ryan International School has been shut for a couple of days and a massive police deployment has been made in and around the campus.

Parents protest at Ryan International School in Greater Noida questioning safety of students.

Parents protest at #RyanInternationalSchool in Noida questioning safety of students after death of Pradyuman in Gurugram branch. pic.twitter.com/KYcm9tn1Ih- ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 11, 2017

The father of the victim, Varun Thakur has demanded a parallel CBI enquiry as the school has severe administrative loopholes.

Francis Thomas, the school's northern India head (left) and Jeyus Thomas, coordinator and Human Resource (HR) head (right).

"It's been two days that my son is dead and we all miss him a lot. My only wish is that the truth should come out and justice given to my wife and me. There is something which the local police are missing and so the case should be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). I am not happy with the police investigation," father Varun Thakur said.

"The murder took place within 10 minutes, which means the conductor was already prepared to kill my son. As soon as the kid entered the toilet, the accused attacked him. Also, why did no one listen to my child when his throat was slit? Did they ignore deliberately? I think the investigation is being influenced by someone who does not want the truth to come out," he added.

MAJOR LAPSES

A three-member fact finding committee has found major security lapses on part of the school management , Haryana Education Minister Rambilas Sharma said.

advertisement

Sharma said that the committee has found that there were no separate toilets and washrooms for the 40 bus drivers and conductors of the school.

"They had to use the students' toilets. No frisking of bus drivers and conductors were done. No security checking system was found in the school. No CCTV cameras were installed covering each and every corner inside school," the minister said.

"The windows and grills of the students' toilet, in which the Class 2 student was killed, was found broken," he added.

'COOPERATING IN PROBE'

Ryan International School said its management is "cooperating to our fullest" with the police investigations and hoped that the guilty would be given the severest punishment as per the law.

In a statement, Ryan Pinto, CEO of Ryan International Schools Group, said the school should not be held "culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances."

The seven-year-old was found lying in a pool of blood his throat slit inside the school washroom last Friday.

The police have arrested the conductor of his school bus, Ashok. Police claims the conductor tried to sexually abuse the Class 2 kid and killed him when he resisted.

advertisement

WATCH: Exclusive visuals of murder scene inside Ryan International School

ALSO READ:

Gurgaon murder: Ryan's top officials forced me to admit knife was part of bus tool kit, says driver

Gurgaon murder: Ryan International School bus conductor confesses to killing child, says he refused sex

Gurgaon murder: Ryan International School flouted every High Court, police guideline

Ryan International School murder case: 5 unanswered questions after 3 days of police probe

--- ENDS ---
Florida City, Florida: Residents who fled the Florida Keys in anticipation of Hurricane Irma's wrath were told they could not return to their island homes on Monday, news that angered evacuees anxious to get back to assess the damage.

Authorities reported widespread damage on the archipelago off the tip of southern Florida. At the White House, US Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert said it could take weeks before many residents are able to return.

Miami-Dade police detective Alvaro Zabaleta, speaking on behalf of local officials, urged residents to head to a shelter on the mainland while authorities tried to restore power, water and medical service.

Some evacuees who had lingered at a police checkpoint in Florida City all day fumed, telling Zabaleta they needed to return to their houses to check on pets and clean up.
Dallas: Miss Texas, Margana Wood, didn't use vague language on Sunday night when answering a question about President Donald Trump's reaction to Charlottesville.

Now, she's winning praise on social media for it, though she didn't win the Miss America title.

"Last month, a demonstration of neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and the KKK in Charlottesville turned violent and a counterprotester was killed. The president said there was shared blamed with 'very fine people on both sides.' Were there? Tell me yes or no and explain," said Jess Cagle, a pageant judge.

Wood, a 22-year-old University of Texas graduate, had made it to the top five finalists of the competition and the final question round. Pageant questions and answers can often be cringe-worthy blunders, but in this case Wood's bold answer was admired.
Washington, DC: Stephen Bannon - President Donald Trump's former chief strategist who left the White House in August - declared war on Sunday against the Republican congressional leadership, called on Gary Cohn, Trump's top economic adviser, to resign, and outlined his views on issues ranging from immigration to trade.

Bannon, in a interview on CBS's 60 Minutes, accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan of "trying to nullify the 2016 election." It was Bannon's first television interview since leaving the White House and returning as executive chairman to Breitbart News, the conservative website he previously led.

He blamed them for failing to repeal and replace former president Barack Obama's signature health-care law and made clear he would use his Breitbart perch to hold Republicans accountable for not helping Trump push through his agenda.

"They're not going to help you unless they're put on notice," he told CBS's Charlie Rose. "They're going to be held accountable if they do not support the president of the United States. Right now there's no accountability."
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously stepped up sanctions against North Korea over the country's sixth and most powerful nuclear test on September 3, imposing a ban on the country's textile exports and capping imports of crude oil.

It was the ninth sanctions resolution unanimously adopted by the 15-member council since 2006 over North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

The new sanctions ratchet up to the pressure on North Korea, though they are far less sweeping than what Washington originally sought.

The US agreed to drop several key demands, and toned down others, to keep China and Russia from exercising their veto over the measure.
Solar Novus Today Has Been Integrated

With Novus Light Technologies Today

Visit Novus Light Technologies Today to see all the cutting-edge stories and products that you have come to enjoy on Solar Novus Today. In addition, you will find more information on related light-based technologies.



Get the latest solar and renewable energy news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Green Technologies newsletter





CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES NEWSLETTER






























Notre Dame beats Youngstown State in men's basketball

Notre Dame men's basketball doesn't have to wait long to take the court again at Purcell Pavilion
A bus driver spilled the beans about the alleged weapon used in the crime and claimed that he was being forced by cops and top officials of Ryan International to admit that the knife was part of the bus tool kit.

By Ajay Kumar: Two days after the Gurugram police arrested a bus conductor for allegedly killing Praduman Thakur, a Class 2 student, inside a Ryan International School toilet, a bus driver on Sunday spilled the beans about the alleged weapon used in the crime. Speaking to Mail Today, Saurabh Raghav, the driver of the same bus in which the accused was a conductor, claimed that he was being forced by police officers and top officials of Ryan International to admit that the knife used in the crime was part of the bus tool kit.

advertisement

"Since I am the driver of the bus in which Ashok Kumar was a conductor, I was interrogated by police officers and top officials of the school. They forced me to admit that the weapon of crime (knife) was part of the bus tool kit. They detained me till 1.30am on Saturday and tried every possible way to terrorise me. Since the knife was not part of the toolkit, I categorically denied it," Raghav said.

As the motive and recovery of weapon play crucial role in any crime investigation, the driver's statement adds a new twist to the mystery. The apparent intention behind claiming the knife to be a part of the toolkit seems to present the fact that how easily the crime weapon was accessible to the conductor and there was nothing sneaked in from outside.

Driver Saurabh Raghav has worked with the accused Ashok Kumar for more than six months.

Describing the eventful day, Raghav said, "There were principal, three teachers and some top school officials present along with the police officers on the campus. Officers in civil dress threatened to apply third degree on me if I would not admit that the knife was a part of the toolkit. "I inspected the toolkit just a day earlier and I am 100 per cent sure that the knife was not part of the toolkit."

Raghav pointed out that the bus entered the school campus at 7.55am and after the students deboarded, he went outside the premises while Kumar had gone inside the main building.

Raghav was one of the persons who interacted with Kumar soon after Praduman's body was recovered from the toilet and taken to a WagonR car that belongs to acting principal Neerja Batra.

"Kumar was looking calm with no sign of anxiety or fear on his face despite blood stains all over his body. He told me that he was at the corridor where Praduman collapsed. There were teachers, students and the principal present on the spot but no one even took Praduman into his arms, instead forced Kumar to carry Praduman to the car. He had put Praduman on the rear seat of the car and teachers took him to hospital," Raghav told Mail Today.

advertisement

He added that Kumar spent around seven to eight minutes with me and after that he went to refuel CNG in the bus.

POLICE THEORY

As per the theory of Gurugram police, Kumar was waiting inside the toilet and as soon as Praduman entered, he tried to sodomise him. As Praduman resisted, Kumar slit his throat and dumped him in one corner of the toilet. He then washed his hands and knife in the toilet. In the meantime, Praduman somehow managed to reach the corridor and collapsed there. Kumar chased Praduman and tried to show his innocence.

Raghav's revelations contradict the police theory. Even Varun Thakur, Praduman's father, is not entirely satisfied with the police theory. "The distance between the gate and the main building was 500 metre, which takes three to four minutes. I dropped my two kids at 7.55am. It means Praduman reached the toilet around 8am and the school authority informed him at 8.10am that he was bleeding," Thakur said.

"The entire sequence of event spans in just 10 minutes and therefore it is hard to believe that a conductor having a knife was waiting inside the toilet to kill my son. There must be something that happened in the past or may be a pre-planned murder."

advertisement

Thakur has appealed to the top officers of the Gurugram police and civil administration for an indepth investigation. "Since there is a loophole in the police theory, I want a parallel CBI inquiry into the matter," Thakur said.

Hundreds of angry parents and local villagers staged a protest outside the Ryan International School on Sunday. While the protest was going on, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, the MP from Saharsa in Bihar, tried to enter the school with his supporters to show solidarity with the grieving parents. This led to scuffle between Yadav and the police. At least 20 people, including 10 journalists, were injured during the police lathicharge.

DEFENCE

In a statement, Ryan Pinto, CEO, Ryan International Group of Institutions said, "We are all in shock by the horror of this crime that occurred despite various security protocols. The school is cooperating with the investigating authorities, and we have total faith in the law. We hope that the guilty get the severest punishment."

ALSO READ |

Gurgaon murder: Ryan International School bus conductor confesses to killing child, says he refused sex

advertisement

Gurgaon murder: Ryan International School flouted every High Court, police guideline

Ryan International School murder case: 5 unanswered questions after 3 days of police probe

Ryan International School murder: Gurgaon Police investigation being influenced, boy's father says, demands CBI probe

ALSO WATCH | Ryan International School murder: Haryana education minister assures speedy justice

--- ENDS ---
This is for the second time in the last three days that Nitish spoke to the family members of Pradyuman. The Thakur family belongs to Bihar's Madhubani district.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar called his Haryana counterpart ML Khattar and asked him to expedite probe into Pradyuman Thakur's murder. (Photo/ANI)

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today spoke to the family members of the 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur who was brutally murdered in his school in Gurgaon last Friday.

This is for the second time in the last three days that Nitish spoke to the family members of Pradyuman and tried to console his shattered parents. The Thakur family belongs to Bihar's Madhubani district.

advertisement

Nitish called up Pradyuman Thakur's mother and his uncle (chacha) today morning. The Bihar CM then spoke to his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar to discuss the incident.

Though, CM Khattar today spoke to victim's parents assuring them justice, Nitish Kumar requested him to personally visit Pradyuman's family.

'EXPEDITE PROBE'

During his conversation with Manohar Lal Khattar, Nitish Kumar requested the Haryana government to expedite investigations into this gruesome murder case and also ensure that the probe is free and fair.

"I have spoken to Haryana chief minister and requested him to meet the family members of the victim. I have also asked him to ensure free and fair probe in this murder case," Nitish told reporters at his weekly press conference in Patna.

The Bihar CM has spoken to Khattar on a couple of occasions in the last three days but despite this Khattar still has to meet Pradyuman's family.

WATCH: Exclusive visuals of murder scene inside Ryan International School

ALSO READ:

Ryan International school murder: Accused conductor waited for these 4 persons to leave before attacking the 7-year-old

Gurgaon murder: Ryan's top officials forced me to admit knife was part of bus tool kit, says driver

Gurgaon murder: Ryan International School bus conductor confesses to killing child, says he refused sex

Gurgaon murder: Ryan International School flouted every High Court, police guideline

Ryan International School murder case: 5 unanswered questions after 3 days of police probe

--- ENDS ---
Optimization

Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should?

Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools.
Algiers, Sept 11, 2017 (SPS) - The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF-Algeria) will provide the Sahrawi refugee children with school stationary for the school year 2017-2018, announced Sunday the UNICEF office.

UNICEF Algeria supports the new school year of the Sahrawi refugee children as part of its humanitarian response to the children living in the camps of the Sahrawi refugees in Tindouf, the office of UNICEF has provided continuous assistance for years to the sector of education and health (for refugees), said the Fund in a communique.

Underlining that for the school year 2017-2018, UNICEF supplies more than 235,000 notebooks, 50,000 pencils and other necessary school stationary items, the same the source added that these items will meet the needs of all the pupils of different stages.

A ceremony, in the presence of a delegation of UNICEF, is scheduled for Tuesday in the refugee camp of Smara to launch the beginning of the school year, concluded the source. (SPS)

062/090/APS
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

With Labor Day behind us, it's natural to look back at the summer and reminisce about the good times.

For Connecticut residents, summer is made up of a handful of quintessential activities like sailing the Sound and eating lobster.

It sounds pretty good, but lifestyle site Thrillist claims that Connecticut summers are nothing to write home about compared to some other states. In fact, they say a Connecticut summer is the worst kind of summer in New England:

"If New England states in the summer were Baldwin brothers, Connecticut would be whichever is the sh****est Baldwin brother." - Thrillist

We may take offense, but it is true that many a summer weekend in Connecticut is spent braving I-95 to head to greener grass (and bluer ocean) in Rhode Island, Cape Cod and the Hamptons.

Related: Instagram captures summer in Connecticut

Related: Don't-miss dates of 2017

All-in-all Connecticut didn't fare too poorly on Thrillist's ranking of states by how miserable their summers are. The Nutmeg state landed pretty much right in the middle at number 27 out of 50 states. The snarky site saved its best insults for states where oppressive heat is met with nasty critters, no water and/or nothing to do.

Click through the slideshow to see Thrillist's top 5 states with most and least "miserable" summers and keep clicking to see if you did summer in Connecticut the right way.
A former Dera Sacha Sauda follower has claimed that he is in touch with 10 women who were sexually abused as children by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

By Manjeet Sehgal: Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's troubles are far from over. Last month, the self-styled godman was convicted and jailed for raping two female followers at the Dera. Now, a former Dera member has claimed that he knows of at least 10 other women who had been abused as children by Ram Rahim.

The charge-sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan also named at least six other women who were raped by the controversial Dera chief.

advertisement

The new allegations have been made by Gurdas Singh Tood, who was once part of the Dera and who ended up testifying against Ram Rahim in court. Tood told India Today that he is in touch with 10 women, most of them now married, who were allegedly abused when they were students at a school run by the Dera.

One of the women, who moved abroad after getting married, revealed details of her ordeal to Tood over WhatsApp messages, which India Today has seen. The woman speaks of being sexually abused by Gurmeet Ram Rahim when she was a Class V student and recounts how nobody - not even her parents - believed her when she revealed how she had been assaulted by the Dera chief.

Instead, the woman told Tood, she was made to go back to the same Dera school by her parents who, she says, remain devoted followers of Ram Rahim until this day.

"I had come to see my parents and landed a couple of days before [Ram Rahim] was convicted [for raping two female followers]. I asked my parents to refrain from [following Gurmeet Singh] but they asked me to leave home," one of the messages reads.

Tood, who has vowed to 'expose' Ram Rahim Singh, says that he is in regular touch with a total of 10 women who have similar stories of being abused and raped. The women, Tood says, have welcomed the CBI court's verdict against Gurmeet Singh, but do not want to go public with their own ordeals as they are worried about the social backlash that could possibly damage their married lives.

IN-HOUSE ABORTIONS?

While speaking to India Today, Tood also alleged that a Dera hospital used to terminate the pregnancies of girls who had been raped by Gurmeet Singh.

Tood claims to have witnessed three abortions while he was still a member of the Dera. Tood also says that he has knowledge of Ram Rahim abusing destitute girls sheltered in the Dera's 'Shahi Betiyan' orphanage, which was illegally constructed.

Tood says he has decided to file a child sex abuse case against Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. "I am in constant touch with the child sex abuse victims. I have decided to expose the baba and will file a police complaint soon."

advertisement

ALSO READ | Gurmeet Ram Rahim is a sex addict, says doctor who examined him in jail

ALSO READ | Ram Rahim Family History: The story of a devil, a saint and Papa's angels

ALSO WATCH | Honeypreet Insan may have left India via Nepal border

--- ENDS ---
As soon as they heard she was missing, her friends knew.

Crystal McDowell wasn't swamped in the storm. She hadn't eloped. And she wasn't lost.

"I knew immediately she was deceased," said longtime friend Morgan Raimondi.

But it took police more than two weeks to confirm what the 37-year-old's loved ones already feared.

On the heels of Hurricane Harvey's devastation, search crews combed the Baytown area for four days before they finally made a gruesome discovery Saturday afternoon in a wooded area in western Chambers County.

Sheriff Brian Hawthorne did not release details about the Realtor and former stewardess's suspected cause of death, but authorities Saturday charged her ex-husband, 44-year-old Steve McDowell, with murder.

"When Steve decided that if he couldn't have her, nobody else could he also made the decision for her children, her family and her friends," Raimondi said of the suspected killer, even before charges were finalized. "He took her away from all of us because of his one selfish act."

McDowell vanished on Aug. 25, after telling her boyfriend she was headed to her ex-husband's house near Mont Belvieu to pick up her children, ages 8 and 5. The visit wasn't unusual; although the divorce had been finalized a few months earlier, the well-liked Realtor was living at her ex's house while her Baytown townhome was under renovation.

But when her family didn't hear from her again by the following day, her worried uncle called authorities to report her missing.

"That was when the storm was happening, that Saturday night," Hawthorne said. "And then, obviously, it engulfed all of us Sunday, Monday and Tuesday."

The waterlogged roads and ongoing downpour hampered search efforts, though eventually McDowell's partially submerged car turned up at a Motel 6 near Interstate 10. The last ping from her cell phone was traced back to a marshy area in Baytown within a couple days of her disappearance, Hawthorne said.

By Sept. 2  more than a week after she vanished  the storm had cleared enough for search crews to scour parts of Baytown near the final cell phone ping. But after coming up empty-handed, Texas EquuSearch called off the hunt "until further, credible information becomes available to law enforcement investigators."

As the days dragged on, the persons of interest list ballooned to nine or 10 people, including her uncle, her new boyfriend and the ex-husband, Hawthorne said.

All the while, her friends worried.

Raimondi reflected on her limited interactions with Steve McDowell, a man she described as "quiet" and "mysterious."

"I know nothing about his family, his parents, his siblings," she said. "He doesn't seem to have any friends at all and that's definitely a red flag I never thought about till recently."

But the missing woman's effusive Facebook posts in the days before her disappearance didn't hint at any problems.

"I've never been happier in my whole life than I am right now," she wrote two days before she vanished. "God is so good."

Distraught family members called in a private investigator, who bemoaned the late start on the case.

"I was called a week after she was already missing  but nobody could do anything because of the storm," said Carla Edwards of Unlimited Investigations & Research Services. "The first 48 hours is the most crucial  and we started four days past the 48 hours."

Then on Thursday, EquuSearch relaunched its hunt, dispatching 40-some volunteers on foot and in ATVs to comb the Cedar Bayou area suggested by the Chambers County sheriff.

But the initial efforts were no more successful than the earlier attempt.

"We are going back tomorrow, so that pretty well tells the story," search coordinator David White said Thursday evening.

The next day, crews shifted their search area and tried again. But ultimately it was the Chambers County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers who found her. Authorities arrested her ex based on circumstantial evidence, talks with friends and family, and a "very forthcoming" interview with the suspect, Hawthorne told the Chronicle.

"This case was about trying to bring Crystal McDowell home and we've made that happen," Hawthorne said at a grim press conference Saturday night.

Her friends and family shared their grief online and in a flurry of phone calls, remembering the woman they knew as a playful mother and life of the party.

"We both kinda made this pact where we said we would stay 5 years old forever," Raimondi said. "We just wanted to stay child-like."
STAMFORD  Police have suspended the license of a precious metals buyer accused of failing to report its purchases since opening in the mall six months ago.

Property Crimes Sgt. Sean Scanlan said the precious metals license issued to American Coins and Gold at the Town Center mall has been suspended until Oct. 15. He said he doubted the business would reopen.
Stamford police / Contributed

STAMFORD  An Oregon man has been accused of a construction scam after police say he collected deposits and did not perform the work.

John Mech, 56, of Astoria, Ore., has been charged with three counts each of third-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny and impersonating a licensed home contractor. Judge Richard Comerford has ordered he be held in lieu of a $50,000 court appearance bond.
Siddaramaiah said the change in rules in the banking exam is proving to be utterly insensitive to the regional sentiments causing large-scale resentment among youngsters of Karnataka.

By India Today Web Desk: Stating that all 22 languages under Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India are national languages, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to go beyond Hindi and English in banking examinations.

In a letter to the Finance Minister, he has asked him to direct the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) to amend the language proficiency clause.

advertisement

Banking recruitment examination for bank officers and office assistants is scheduled later this month.

Siddaramaiah said the change in rules under the system is proving to be utterly insensitive to the regional sentiments causing large-scale resentment among youngsters of Karnataka.

Under the new rules, candidates who have studied the local language till standard VIII are considered proficient in the local language.

Criticising the new rule, the Karnataka CM said the officials who do not know Kannada language will fail to communicate properly with local people. He said this will affect the performance of the banks and even lead to dissatisfaction among people.

He said it is natural to expect that only local candidates with proficiency in local language would be able to serve the rural masses better.

"Please direct the IBPS to relook into the clause of language proficiency and to make amendments immediately in such a way that the candidates with proficiency in local language get preference," Siddaramaiah said.

On earlier occasions too, Siddaramaiah had charged that the Centre has been trying to impose Hindi in the state.

Various pro-Kannada groups had recently protested vehemently against Hindi signboards in Bengaluru metro stations.

Also read:

India's Hindi obsession: Putting the language in its place

Imposition of language is unconstitutional, says Karnataka CM Siddaramiah

Also watch:

Karnataka: BJP demands CM Siddaramaiah's resignation over claims of misuse of ACB by Congress

--- ENDS ---
By Siraj Qureshi: If there is one thing that most in the country can agree upon, it is that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no match in creating attractive slogans for the campaigns he launches.

However, just like his other barely working campaigns like 'Swachh Bharat' and 'Namami Gange', Modi's girl child protection campaign 'Beti Bachao - Beti Padhao' has seen barely any change in the situation of the girl child, as has been seen in Agra, where several doctors have been arrested for conducting female foeticide in the past three years, one of them even having held the prestigious position of Indian Medical Association Agra chapter president.

advertisement

FAMILY MEMBERS ARRESTED

On Monday, the city woke up to the shocking news of an honour killing barely a few hundred meters away from the monument of love Taj Mahal, where a Jat family choked their 19-year-old daughter to death for falling in love with a Thakur boy, whom she wanted to marry. The police have arrested the father, uncle and brother of the deceased girl, while the remaining family members remain untraceable.

According to the local sources, Nandini (19), a resident of Kotli Bagichi locality of Tajganj area was a student of BSc. and wanted to marry her classmate Bhupendra. Nandini belonged to the Jat community while Bhupendra was Thakur. Nandini's family was not ready for this marriage and when she refused to marry anyone else, her father and brother strangled her and with the help of the rest of the family, burned her body in their farms.

Nandini had earlier expressed apprehensions to her friend that she feared being killed by her family if she didn't let go of Bhupendra. So, when she did not respond to several calls, her friend informed the police. Upon arriving at the spot, the police pulled out the badly burned body from the pyre and took it for post-mortem, where death by strangulation was confirmed.

The family had locked the house and absconded on Sunday night itself, but the police managed to arrest the girl's father, brother and uncle, who are the prime accused.

GIRL FEARED GETTING KILLED

Social activist Vijay Upadhyay said that the girl had informed the police herself that her life was in danger, but the police did not take it seriously. If the police had been serious about doing its duty, the girl could have been saved. He said that mere sloganeering would not save the lives of hundreds of girls who are losing their lives and honour in India every day. It requires a concrete action plan, something in which the UP government has been a failure till date.

He said that there was a need to increase awareness among the people of India about the changing times. "The caste barrier has been broken a long time back, but there are some people who do not wish to acknowledge this fact. It is these people who are bent upon protecting the arcane caste system at any cost, even if it required they one to murder their own dear ones," Upadhyay said.

advertisement

The youth has decided that it does not care for caste or religion anymore, but the older generation does not agree to what Young India thinks and it will lead to generational clashes in the near future, he warned.

Also read:

Dharmapuri Dalit boy who married Vanniyar girl found dead along railway track

Second autopsy report too rules out foul play in Ilavarasan's death

--- ENDS ---
The Virginia Farm Bureau political action committee has endorsed incumbent Del. Michael Webert, R-Marshall, in his bid for a fourth term representing District 18.

The Fauquier County farm manager is one of 94 candidates that earned the agricultural groups support, according to a campaign news release.

Each of these candidates has demonstrated a clear understanding of the needs and challenges farmers are facing and have proven their support through their favorable voting records while holding positions in the General Assembly. We believe these candidates will help agriculture and forestry maintain its vitality as the number one industry in Virginia, said Wayne F. Pryor, chairman the Farm Bureau PAC.

Webert said he was honored to get the endorsement.

As a farmer myself, I understand the unique challenges facing farmers and the rest of the agriculture industry. Agriculture is the lifeblood of the 18th District, and I look forward to continuing my work to advance legislation that keeps the farming community healthy, he said.

Running against Webert in the November election are Green Party candidate Will King, a Navy veteran from Bealeton, and Democratic nominee Tristan Shields, a Rixeyville musician.
COLUMBUS, Neb.- As Hurricane Irma begins its move to strike the southern Florida coast Sunday and travel north across the state, line crews from Nebraska Public Power District are preparing to support efforts to restore electrical power in the Tampa area.

Eighteen line technicians, two supervisors and a fleet technician, supported by 14 vehicles and associated equipment, are expected to leave Monday morning from NPPDs York Operations Center. NPPD crews are scheduled to arrive in the Tampa area late Tuesday and will be assisting in restoration with Tampa Electric, a utility with 750,000 residential customers and 2,000 square miles of service territory.

NPPD employees from a variety of locations across the state, including South Sioux City, Ogallala, Bassett, Homer, McCook, Norfolk, ONeill, Scottsbluff, Plattsmouth, Rushville, Tekamah and Lincoln, will make the journey south.

NPPD is planning to support any restoration efforts in Tampa for the next two weeks, said Transmission and Distribution Manager Art Wiese. We will prepare for any additional support beyond that time if needed.

Mutual aid requests from Florida began this week in preparation of the storm, which is expected to hit landfall early Sunday morning as a Category 4 hurricane. By the time it hits Tampa it is expected to be a Category 3, with a reasonable threat of winds greater than 110 miles per hour according to the National Weather Service.

Florida electric utilities in the path of the storm have been preparing for several days by pre-staging restoration workers and equipment. They are also coordinating response efforts with their state and local emergency response officials.
A white University of Kentucky student accused of physically assaulting a Black student worker while repeatedly using racial slurs says she will withdraw from the school. The decision announced Tuesday by a lawyer for 22-year-old Sophia Rosing came after hundreds of students rallied on campus the night before. News outlets report the students called for unity and for the university to quickly address the situation. Officials say Rosing has been charged with assault, public intoxication and disorderly conduct. She pleaded not guilty during an arraignment Monday afternoon. The altercation at Boyd Hall was captured on video and posted to multiple social media platforms.
By PTI: resignation

(Incorporating details)

Bhubaneswar, Sep 11 (PTI) Vociferous demands by the opposition demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the flyover collapse in the city forced the Odisha speaker to adjourn the assembly at least five times before normalcy returned in the evening.

As soon as the house assembled for the day, Amat asked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to give a statement on Sundays flyover collapse at Bomikhal which had claimed the life of one person and left 11 injured.

advertisement

When Patnaik was reading out the statement, Congress and BJP legislators rushed to the well of the house demanding his resignation, as he is also in charge of the works department.

Patnaik, however, completed the statement, amid the din.

He said prompt actions were taken immediately after the flyover collapse and a case has been registered under Sections 304 (culpable homicide), 337 (causing hurt), 338 (causing grievous hurt) and 34 (criminal act) of IPC against Panda Infra Project (India) Pvt Ltd, Bansidhar Praharaj, deputy executive engineer and Kishore Kumar Rout, assistant engineer.

Praharaj and Rout have been placed under suspension, the CM said adding that executive engineer Dukhabandhu Behera has also been suspended for prima facie lapses.

The case is under investigation and a high-level inquiry by a committee comprising the chief engineer of designs and chief engineer of roads has been ordered.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week, he informed the house.

"My government will ensure that stringent and exemplary action is taken against all persons responsible for the tragic incident," the chief minister said.

The Opposition members were, however, unhappy with his statement and kept up their demand for his resignation.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress and party legislators had moved separate notices seeking immediate discussion on the matter and suspending the Question Hour.

"It is unfortunate that the Speaker did not give me an opportunity to speak even though I had moved a motion seeking a detailed discussion on the flyover collapse issue," Mishra said.

However, the Speaker allowed the Question Hour, leading to vociferous protests from the Opposition.

As the House could not function due to the pandemonium, Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat convened an all party meeting which agreed that the time will be fixed at the Business Advisory Committee for a discussion on the flyover collapse issue in the assembly.

The members of opposition BJD, Congress and BJP attended the meeting and participated in the business of the house in the evening. PTI AAM KK KK

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
In the video, the girl narrates how the PT teacher spotted her on the way to class. When she was taken to the other teachers, they refused to see her diary that had the reason for her to wear civil dress.

By Ashish Pandey: An 11-year-old girl was made to stand inside boys' toilet at a private school in Hyderabad for not coming to school in proper uniform.

The girl studies in class V of the Rao's High School at Ramachandrapuram in Hyderabad. She is now too terrified to go to school.

The girl's parents have recorded a video statement of her. Narrating her ordeal, the girl says that she went to school wearing regular dress. When her PT teacher spotted her in the school, she asked why she was not wearing the uniform.

advertisement

The girl told her PT teacher that the uniform was wet as her mother had washed it and she could not have come in a wet uniform. But, her reply enraged the PT teacher, who pulled the class V girl to boys' toilet and made her stand inside it as punishment.

The PT teacher warned her not to repeat the mistake of coming to school without wearing proper uniform. The girl told the PT teacher that her parents had written a note in her diary in this regard, but she was not ready to check the diary.

Other teachers also did not help or look at the note sent by girl's parents. The girl says in the video that male students, who used the toilet during the time watched and some laughed at her. After some time, the PT teacher allowed her to go into the class.

As the incident came in public domain, several child rights activists staged protest and demanded action against the teacher under the Prevention of Sexual Offences Against Children law. No complaint has been registered with the police so far. School authorities have also not issued any statement in this regard yet.

WATCH: Hyderabad girl made to stand in boys bathroom as punishment

Also Read

LIVE: 2 Gurgaon Ryan school staff arrested, principal hospitalised

Gurgaon murder: Ryan's top officials forced me to admit knife was part of bus tool kit, says driver

--- ENDS ---
ST. LOUIS  A convoy of 70 trucks and 129 Ameren Missouri employees left the St. Louis area for Orlando, Fla., early Monday to begin restoring power to those affected by Hurricane Irma.

It was the second start for some. They left Friday but had to return to St. Louis after Irmas path changed.

Mike Lewis, superintendent of reliability support services, said the crews left between 4:30 and 5 a.m. Monday and should arrive in Orlando on Tuesday. In an early-afternoon phone call, Lewis said that crews were already in southeastern Tennessee and beginning to see Irmas outer bands.

Upon arrival, the crews will fan out and tackle the most immediate needs first  restoring power to critical care facilities like hospitals and nursing homes, emergency management centers and anywhere there is a threat to life or property. Repairs will then be prioritized by what will get the most people on as quickly as possible, he said.

The crews and support staff will be working very long days and will be provided food and shelter. But the nature of their accommodations could vary, he said. It could be a cot in the gymnasium or a hotel room or a tent and theyll get a meal, but Lewis said it may be hot or cold.

He said that employees were very willing to help out.

Lewis said that 110 Ameren contractors have just been finished responding to Hurricane Harvey in Houston. Some will return to St. Louis, but Lewis said at least 80 or 90 will now head to Florida.

Ameren customers will not bear any of the costs of the repair efforts, Lewis said. Those will be borne by the host utility, Duke Energy.

Duke Energys website lists more than 200,000 customers without power in Orange County, where Orlando is located.

Duke reached out to the Midwest for help because its regional mutual assistance group could not supply enough workers, Lewis said.

The seven regional groups share resources during disasters.

Lewis said that Ameren has tapped the groups help four to six times in the last two years.

Roughly half of the workers heading to Orlando hail from St. Louis and St. Louis County, Lewis said, with rest coming from across the state.

The Cuivre River Electric Cooperative said eight of its linemen would be among a total of 154 from 26 Missouri electric cooperatives that would be leaving Tuesday for Georgia and Florida. Cuivre River also was sending two digger trucks, two bucket trucks, one pickup and one ATV.

We are proud of our Cuivre River linemen and those from across the state who are committed in doing their part to help restore power, said Marvin Peasel, operations supervisor.

Ameren Illinois officials say more than 200 employees and contract workers also are on their way to help with recovery efforts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More than two dozen lawsuits have been filed in the United States against Equifax Inc. after the credit reporting company said thieves may have stolen personal information for 143 million Americans in one of the largest computer hacks ever.

At least 24 federal lawsuits had been filed by Sunday in connection with the breach, which Equifax had publicly revealed three days earlier; more were filed Monday, court records show. Most will likely be combined into a single piece of litigation.

Equifax said it learned of the hacking on July 29, and has set up procedures it said are intended to help people protect their Social Security numbers and other identifying information.

Some lawsuits criticized Equifaxs offer of a year of free credit monitoring with its TrustedID product, with one complaint filed in San Jose, Calif., suggesting Equifax might do this to lay a foundation to pitch costlier services.

It cited a Feb. 22 regulatory filing in which Atlanta-based Equifax said more companies are offering free or low-cost services such as credit scores, reports and monitoring as a means to introduce consumers to premium products and services.

Equifax shares fell $10.11, or 8.2 percent, to close Monday at $113.12. Theyre down 20.7 percent since Sept. 7, when the company disclosed the massive data breach.

Some lawyers have said they may file securities fraud lawsuits over the share price decline.
Its Weezer time, Rivers Cuomo said a few songs into the California bands closing set on LouFests Bud Light stage Sunday night.

For St. Louis fans, it was way past due. Weezers most recent scheduled concert here, at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in July of last year, had to be canceled after a storm blew in before they or opening act Panic! at the Disco could take the stage.

The weather and the setting couldnt have been much better for Weezers return, and the crowd couldnt have been more primed to sing along with the groups many radio hits. More primed, it appeared, than Cuomo, who said little during the show and seemed generally indifferent to the proceedings.

Thats part and parcel of Cuomos nerdy appeal, however, and the crowd made up for any lack of energy emanating from the stage, singing along loudly to opening songs Hash Pipe, My Name Is Jonas and Pork and Beans.

A cover of Outkasts Hey Ya felt at least semi-ironic, especially when Cuomo delivered the songs spoken parts in a flat, nebbishy manner.

The video accompanying Thank God for Girls featured a slideshow of strong, admirable women both real  Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor, Oprah Winfrey, Yoko Ono, Michelle Obama (whose photo got thunderous cheers)  and fictional  Wonder Woman, Brienne of Tarth (Game of Thrones).

Another video, this one for Feels Like Summer, a song from the bands forthcoming album, Pacific Daydream, played for laughs as it featured a seagull thats smitten with a female sunbather on a beach.

Cuomo donned a sombrero for Beverly Hills, but thats about as far as things went in terms of showmanship. The other band members  drummer Patrick Wilson, guitarist Brian Bell and bassist Scott Shriner  played their parts with precision but added little else.

As the show headed toward the conclusion, the band brought out its biggest hits from its mid-90s self-titled debut: Undone  The Sweater Song, Say It Aint So and Buddy Holly, the latter of which they saved for the encore.
India had acquired three AWACS systems in 2003 in which the Russian Ilyushin-76 aircraft were equipped with two Israel-made sophisticated radars at the cost of $1.1 billion (over Rs 7,035 crore) to carry out surveillance of enemy aircraft, drones and cruise missiles.

Defence Acquisition Council has cleared a proposal to acquire two Airbus-330 planes and build an indegensous AWACS that can provide Israeli radar-like 360-degree surveillance. (Picture for representation)

By Ajit Kumar Dubey: Indian Air Force's (IAF) plans to acquire two new Airborne Early Warning Systems (AWACS) 'eyes in the sky' from Israel and Russia have witnessed a steep hike in price of the surveillance platforms, forcing the government to put the project on hold.

India had acquired three AWACS systems in 2003 in which the Russian Ilyushin-76 aircraft were equipped with two Israel-made sophisticated radars at the cost of $1.1 billion (over Rs 7,035 crore) to carry out surveillance of enemy aircraft, drones and cruise missiles at ranges up to 400-500 km inside their territory.

advertisement

"The price of the two new AWACS has been quoted very high. Vendors have asked for much more as compared to the cost of the three planes bought earlier. It cannot be agreed to and that is why the programme has been stalled," senior government sources told Mail Today.

"The main reason behind the steep jump in the price is the almost three-fold increase in the price of the IL-76 planes, on which the radars have to be mounted," sources said. It was earlier expected that the deal would be clinched at the time of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel earlier this year, but it could not be completed.

The issue over the high price has been holding the deal for a long time. On several past occasions the issue of acquiring the AWACs has been coming up at meeting of Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which is the apex body of the Defence ministry to acquire weapon systems for the armed forces. India has also decided to develop an indigenous AWACS as the DAC has given clearance to a proposal to acquire two Airbus-330 planes and build an AWACS, which can provide 360-degree surveillance like the Israeli radar.

The project would start with two planes, which are likely to take five to six years to be completed and once they are successful, the DRDO would take sanction for six more aircraft under the programme.

The process of completing trials of DRDO-developed Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) aircraft is on. These are smaller in size and have 240-degree coverage. AEWC planes have been deployed at Bathinda and undergoing trials, after which they would be used for operational flying by the service.

Both Pakistan and China have an edge over India in terms of the surveillance equipment, as China has more than 20 of such AWACS planes, both new and old. Pakistan acquired four AEW&C surveillance aircraft four to five years ago from Sweden and has also started taking the Chinese AWACS planes in its force.

A number of other projects of the IAF are also stuck with different vendors due to price hike issue. This includes the Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft planes for the Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team and the Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft programme.

ALSO READ |

Indian Air Force to hold limited trials of American F-16, Swedish Saab Gripen fighter aircraft

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says will strengthen all forces

advertisement

IAF not in favour of acquiring Russian 5th gen jets, keen on DRDO Make in India project instead

--- ENDS ---
A longtime Kirksville businessman has pleaded guilty to defrauding a University of Missouri fraternity of nearly $400,000.

Burt L. Beard, of Kirksville, owner of Beard's Decorating Center, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of bank fraud in U.S. District Court in Jefferson City.

According to the plea agreement, Beard agreed to plead guilty to bank fraud and "admits he knowingly committed this offense, and is, in fact, guilty of this offense."

He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine up to $1 million, an order of restitution and supervised release for the class B felony.

A date for a sentencing hearing has not been published.

The document states that between March 2008 and Aug. 2014, Beard defrauded the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at the University of Missouri of more than $380,000. Acting as volunteer treasurer, he wrote himself more than 150 checks, claiming they were "reimbursement of personal loans to SAE for direct payment to vendors by himself."

"When asked for copies of his personal checks, Beard supplied copies of checks to fictitious vendors or existing vendors that did not have an account receivable for that amount or during that period," the filing states.

As treasurer, Beard was responsible for all financial duties for the fraternity, including maintaining the house, paying vendors and collecting rent checks.

When a new slate of officers was elected in fall 2014 and the transition began from Beard to a new treasurer, evidence of the fraud began to emerge. The new treasurer attempted to verify banking activity and found several inconsistencies.

The fraternity then hired a forensic accounting company and an investigation followed. Beard was unable to substantiate the loans he claimed he made to the fraternity. The company attempted to track down vendors Beard claimed he had worked with, but was unable to find most of them. Others were out of state or did not sell the products or services that were claimed.

In all, the company found nearly $415,000 in checks Beard issued to himself. Beard actually paid out less than $35,000 on behalf of the fraternity.

Beard had initially told investigators that vendors did not trust that the fraternity had funds to pay them, which is why he wrote checks to them from himself and then issued himself reimbursements.

The case was turned over to the FBI.
Chuck Raasch Chuck Raasch is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Chuck Raasch 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

This column was originally published on Sept. 11, 2017. As part of our coverage for the 20th anniversary of 9/11, we're republishing content that highlights how we covered the day and its aftermath, plus its cultural meaning in American history.

On the 16th anniversary of 9/11, that first date of infamy of the 21st century seemed for the first time to slip into the history of calamities that have marked the years since.

The spark that set off the single largest threat to the homeland  murderous terrorism that then-President George W. Bush said had tried to hijack a great religion, Islam  on 9/11 is losing its exclusive meaning.

American kids who are fighting in Afghanistan today were in diapers when the Pentagon was smoldering and the Twin Towers tumbled into fiery pyres 16 years ago. Much has been endured since.

Three Category 4 hurricanes, wildfires consuming large swaths of the West, Mexican earthquakes and the threat of nuclear war from a North Korean dictator the world prays is not as unhinged as he appears all dominated the headlines on the 16th anniversary of 9/11.

At the White House, not a single question about the memory of 9/11 got asked in the daily press briefing. White House Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders segued from the memory of 9/11 to the contemporary destruction of Harvey and Irma and, potentially, Jose.

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence did attend solemn ceremonies marking the anniversary. Trumps national security adviser, Tom Bossert, said the national security apparatus put in place after 9/11 is the underpinning of what he calls the best integrated, unified joint federal-local-state response effort that our country has seen in its history.

History will be the judge of that: A coordinated and humane response to terrorism could boost the Trump presidency; bungling over the long haul could scar it for good. Bush had almost total job approval in the days after 9/11. It went way south after the invasion of Iraq.

The fight against terrorism has consumed two presidencies.

Will it a third?

Trump vowed last month to destroy terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them.

On Monday, speaking at the Pennsylvania site where United Flight 93 went down after passengers fought back, Pence declared that together, as one nation and one people, we will drive the cancer of terrorism from the face of the Earth.

Left unsaid was whether Trump believes this is possible during his time in office, or whether or not he believes this is a multigenerational fight that could confront his grandchildren.

Asked that question, a White House spokesperson said Monday: In just eight months in office, the president has made impressive gains in the effort to combat terrorism. ISIS is on the run in Iraq and Syria, a new comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan has been developed and is being implemented and our nation is working with our partners around the world, including the Middle East and Asia, to combat terrorist organizations. The president has achieved a lot in a short period of time and will continue to push forward in combating terrorism around the world.

Lee Hamilton and Thomas Kean, the co-chairs of the 9/11 commission, have always had a longer view.

Writing Monday in USA Today, the former Democratic congressman and former Republican governor of New Jersey, respectively, said that despite herculean exertions by U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies over the last 16 years, we cannot claim to be close to winning against this persistent threat.

The answer for long-term defeat lies in understanding and winning the struggle of ideas, they wrote.

Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, and Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.  a member of the House on 9/11  were the only two members of Missouris current congressional delegation serving in Congress that day.

On Monday, Clay remembered the attack in a tweet as a moment of shock, loss and unyielding courage, and he lauded the first responders at ground zero, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa., where Flight 93 crashed.

Blunt, too, said he remembered the first responders who showed the world that the American spirit would never be broken.

Gregg Hartley, a Blunt aide on 9/11, was one of the last people evacuated from the Capitol, which was thought for hours to be the next target of a hijacked plane.

Hartley had been told to wait until security officers came to get him, and they temporarily forgot about him.

Later, making his way home to his home in Virginia through hours-long traffic jams over the Potomac bridges, Hartley, now a D.C. lobbyist, watched smoke billowing from the Pentagon.

Late that night, home with three young children, as military aircraft thundered overhead, Hartley said he remembered thinking, This is like a war zone.

Then it occurred to me, he said Monday. This is a war zone.
JEFFERSON CITY  Jodi Pate is bracing herself, waiting to see whether a swipe of the governors veto pen will strip services from residents in two south St. Louis assisted living facilities she manages.

Between Silver Spur Assisted Living and Cherokee Residential Care, Pate and her staff care for 63 residents, all of whom receive help from Medicaid, she said. The residents are treated for mental conditions such as schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder, as well as a host of physical ailments.

We help them bathe, we help them get dressed, we help them with their medications, we make sure they go to the doctor, Pate said. Theres nothing that we dont take care of.

Pate said as many as 10 of her 63 residents will have to leave. The reason: tighter eligibility standards after a tight budget year. Lawmakers hatched a last-minute plan last legislative session to fill the funding hole, but Gov. Eric Greitens vetoed the maneuver.

That means about 8,300 Medicaid recipients in Missouri, who receive in-home and other specialty services, are being cut out  essentially because the state does not consider them sick enough. Reimbursement rates to providers also took a hit this year.

Reversing these cuts  and whether to discipline two lawmakers because of offensive Facebook posts  will dominate political chatter this week as the Legislature gathers Wednesday in Jefferson City for its annual veto session.

But whether lawmakers do anything about the two issues is an open question.

The legislative maneuver on health care, known as House Committee Bill 3, squeaked through in the last days of the regular legislative session in May. Republicans and advocates for care recipients have said there is not enough support to overrule the governor.

Without an override, lawmakers would have to declare a special session, then start from scratch to reverse the cuts.

Likewise, because lawmakers can only consider topics the governor vetoed, they would have to hold a special session if they chose to discipline state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, after she commented on Facebook last month hoping for President Donald Trumps assassination.

Rep. Warren Love, R-Osceola, also drew criticism in August after the self-proclaimed Cowboy of the Capitol said whomever splattered paint on a Confederate monument in Springfield should be hanged. Republican leaders have condemned his statement, but they have not moved for any official discipline.

Health care

Greitens vetoed HCB 3 this summer, calling the idea to sweep unused funds from other state accounts an unconstitutional, one-time fake fix to a real problem.

Because of the veto, a new rule tightened eligibility restrictions affecting 8,300 elderly and disabled peoples access to in-home care, assisted living and other specialty services.

The effect will be gradual. A person whose care was first approved last Oct. 15, for example, will be reassessed this Oct. 15, just as someone first approved on Feb. 15 will be reassessed next Feb. 15.

The move will save the state $35.4 million  at least on paper. In reality, patients will still be eligible for Medicaid because of their incomes, and could end up receiving more costly care in hospitals.

I dont think he gets what we do, Pate said of Greitens, and the effect its going to have on so many people until it, like, smacks him in the face and people start losing their services.

And then his Medicaid budget is really going to skyrocket, she said. Because its going to cost a whole lot more to be hospitalized all the time.

This is a point on which both Democrats and Republicans agree.

Somehow or another I believe the state of Missouri is probably going to be paying (for care), said Rep. Justin Alferman, R-Hermann, vice chairman of the House budget committee. It is much cheaper for the state of Missouri to be doing preventative care  whether that be in the home or in a nursing care facility  than doing it through the ER or the hospital.

Lawmakers and patient advocates talk about two possibilities for addressing the cuts. One way, considered a short-term fix, is to craft another fund-sweep scheme, one that would gain approval from Greitens.

The other is to reduce funding for the so-called circuit-breaker tax credit, which about 100,000 low-income elderly and disabled individuals take advantage of each year.

The credit is available to both homeowners and renters, but some wanted to change the program to focus on homeowners. Critics say some renters depend on the credit to live independently.

Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, chairman of the House budget committee, said Thursday a circuit-breaker reform may be the only way to earn GOP votes.

I think thats one of the few things we could do at this point that would have any traction with Republicans, said Fitzpatrick, R-Shell Knob.

Social media slips

Lawmakers this week will meet for the first time since two of their own ignited controversies on social media.

After Chappelle-Nadal said she hoped for Trumps assassination, she deleted the Facebook comment, but calls for her to resign were immediate. She later apologized but has refused to give up her seat.

Democrats have stripped her of her committee assignments, and Republicans have drafted a resolution to begin the expulsion process. They could decide to call a special session to move forward with expulsion, attempt to censure her or do nothing.

It is not clear whether enough senators would go along with the plan to oust Chappelle-Nadal.

In other action, two new lawmakers will be sworn in Wednesday: Rep.-elect Sara Walsh of Ashland and Sen.-elect Sandy Crawford of Buffalo. The two Republicans won special elections in August to fill vacancies.

During the veto session, lawmakers could choose to overrule the governors vetoes of other measures that havent generated much attention:

 Senate Bill 65, which exempts certain boats from having protective guard rails. When he vetoed the measure, Greitens said the change would make boating in Missouri less safe. The sponsor has indicated he doesnt plan to call for an override.

 Senate Bill 128, which makes a number of changes to the states criminal code. Greitens rejected the bill on the grounds that it violated the state constitution by combining too many different and unrelated provisions.

 House Bill 850, which changes the complaint process for members of the state military. Greitens said it took power away from the office of the governor.

 House Committee Resolution 19 would have authorized the sale of bonds to finance a new dance conservatory at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Greitens nixed the plan after the university announced a new funding source for the project.

 Greitens also used his line-item veto power to make minor alterations to three budget bills, House Bills 5, 6 and 9.

Kurt Erickson of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  The storm-stricken Caribbean took on the feel of a sprawling disaster zone Sunday, with Cuban first responders using inflatable rafts to navigate flooded streets as panicked families sent up social-media pleas in search of loved ones on hard-hit islands further east.

In St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, "people there are roaming like zombies," said Stacey Alvarado, a bar owner who managed to leave for the mainland. Her husband, who is still there, told her Sunday that residents and tourists are in shock. "They don't know what to do. The island was wiped out. It's like the walking dead down there."

In Cuba, where the government said it had evacuated 1 million residents, Hurricane Irma's driving winds and pelting rains sent roofs flying, knocked over trees, wrecked building and caused large-scale flooding along the northern coast. Officials in Havana warned of flooding that would last through Monday. In the city of Santa Clara, the Associated Press reported that 39 buildings had collapsed.

As streets turned into rivers, authorities took to inflatable rafts to access coastal neighborhoods. Some Cubans had even sought shelter in caves. The brutal storm struck Cuba along a coast studded with resorts that are among the pillars of the island's economy. Authorities warned of heavy damage from the storm, which has so far killed at least 25 people across the Caribbean.

"The hardest-hit provinces are Camaguey, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus and to some extent Matanzas, the resort area of Varadero, which was directly in the path of the hurricanes and where all the tourists were evacuated," Richard Paterson, the CARE organization's representative in Cuba, said by phone from Havana.

"Power has been turned off throughout the city, in fact, throughout the country," he said. "The electricity infrastructure received extensive serious damage."

European governments came under fire as critics accused them of being slow to respond to crises in their overseas Caribbean territories, where massive damage left thousands homeless as looting broke out in the streets.

On Sunday, the French government announced that President Emmanuel Macron would travel to the Saint Martin, an island split between France and the Netherlands, on Tuesday. The French have already deployed more than 1,000 personnel to the Caribbean region in an aid-and-relief effort.

The evacuation of U.S. citizens from the Dutch side of St. Martin resumed Sunday, according to State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, after being suspended in anticipation of Hurricane Jose, which later veered off to the north. Priority is being given to those needing urgent medical care, she said.

Residents in the devastated British Virgin Islands used Facebook in frantic calls for help.

One user, Lanein Blanchette, echoed many others still looking for word from relatives and friends whom they had not heard from since Irma began belting the region last week.

"There is absolutely no news about East End on any of these pages," she wrote. "I've posted over ten times asking for assistance as to whether anyone has seen my uncle Kingston 'Iman' Eddy and not one person has replied. I am lost for words at this point. I honestly don't know what else to do."

At the same time, dramatic tales of escape began to emerge.

Lauren Boquette, a 48-year-old restaurant manager on St. John, said his family had barricaded themselves in the bathroom of their home. When they emerged, he said, they saw a scene of total destruction.

"It was beyond rough times, it was end-of-the-world times. Everything normal to us has been destroyed," he said.

Authorities in the devastated island nation of Antigua and Barbuda faced a historic effort ahead to rebuild. The island of Barbuda suffered damage to almost 100 percent of its structures.

"In Barbuda, where they evacuated everybody, now they have to figure out where to start, how to construct basic need services, how to figure out what to do with families that lost their homes," said Jan Gelfland of the International Federation of the Red Cross.
By PTI: Afghanistan

New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) India today agreed to provide Afghanistan further assistance to strengthen its security forces as the two strategic partners decided to deepen security cooperation and resolved to work closely to deal with the challenge of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.

After holding wide-ranging talks with her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani, External Affairs Mnister Sushma Swaraj said 116 new "high impact" development projects would be implemented jointly in 31 provinces of Afghanistan.

advertisement

"We remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries," Swaraj said at a joint media briefing with Rabbani.

Afghanistan has faced a wave of terror attacks in the last few months and the proposed reconciliation and peace process is yet to make any progress.

Asserting that its relationship with Afghanistan is an "article of faith" for India, she said New Delhi would continue to work with Afghan people in their efforts to build a secure, stable, peaceful, prosperous, united and inclusive Afghanistan.

The two sides also inked four pacts, including one on vehicular movement to boost overland transit and another on fresh batch of development projects by India in Afghanistan.

"We support national peace and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from violence and within the framework of Afghanistans Constitution," Swaraj said, reiterating that India would continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in realising their dreams.

Both Swaraj and Rabbani were clear in their references about terrorism emanating from Pakistan though they did not name the country.

Thanking India for its unflinching support for peace and stability in Afghanistan, Rabbani said both countries agreed to strengthen security cooperation. "India has further agreed to provide assistance for Afghan national defence forces."

India has already invested over USD 2 billion in reconstruction of Afghanistan in the last 15 years but has been adopting a cautious approach in supplying military hardware.

India has given four military helicopters to Afghanistan and imparted training to hundreds of Afghan security personnel.

Rabbani said the current regional situation brings Afghanistan and India closer to protect and achieve their socio-economic goal and protect citizens.

"The enabling environment for terrorism is directly linked to continued support they receive from outside of Afghanistan," he said.

The Afghan foreign minister said the countries have been the target of terrorism and violent extremism which is threatening the stability of the region.

He referred to "terrorists groups like LeT and JeM which have been launching attacks against India and indiscriminately killing civilians in this country and engaging in similar terrorist activities along with Taliban Al-Qaeda and Daesh in Afghanistan".

advertisement

He said Afghanistans friendship with India or any other country does not mean hostility with others in the neighbourhood.

"Unlike others, Afghanistan has hardly sought security in the insecurity of others."

Afghanistan, Rabbani added, is a landlocked country and its peace and prosperity is dependent on "those of our neighbours near and extended".

"That is why we reject zero sum approaches that undermine our collective security today and years to come."

In her remarks, Swaraj said India was "indebted" to Afghan security forces for ensuring safety of Indians working in Afghanistan.

Discussing connectivity projects, Swaraj said the development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran was being expedited. The supply of wheat to Afghanistan through the Chahbahar port would begin in the coming weeks.

She also announced 500 new scholarships programmes for next of kin of the martyrs of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces from academic year 2018.

Rabbani said Afghanistan strongly supports Indias membership of the UN Security Council and other groupings and hoped that it would back Kabuls entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

The two sides also discussed easing of visas.

advertisement

Swaraj said India would assist in development projects like the Shatoot dam and drinking water supply project for Kabul, low cost housing for returning refugees, water supply network for Charikar city and a polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif.

"Focus will continue on building governance and democratic institutions, human resource capacity and skill development, including in the areas of education, health, agriculture, energy, application of remote sensing in resource management and space technology in governance," she said. PTI MPB PYK MIN

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) India and Belarus today discussed ways to enhance collaboration in the area of vocational education and skill development.

The issue was discussed during the meeting between Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Belarus Education Minister Karpienka Ihar here.

Pradhan, who also holds Petroleum and Natural Gas portfolio, highlighted the aspect of creating an eco-system of trainers for which 50 existing institutes in India are being upgraded.

advertisement

"Assistance of Belarus will be invaluable in converting such institutions into centres for global excellence," the ministry said in a statement.

The Belarus minister stated that his country has expertise in the field of vocational training, particularly in the manufacturing sector. PTI RR BAL

--- ENDS ---
Photo by NOAA National Weather Service National Hurricane Center

AS a weakened yet still dangerous Hurricane Irma has moved inland, to Tampa, in Florida, an American Shakespeare Institute student, living in Stratford, has expressed concern for the safety of her family and friends.

Diane Lowland, from Connecticut, arrived in Stratford ten days ago, ahead of her course at The Shakespeare Institute, starting on 25th September.

Not having a television in her Stratford town centre flat, Diane has been relying solely on social media, email and phone calls to her family, back in the United States, to check that they are safe and well as the tropical storm moves over Florida.

Irma hit Florida on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing roof-ripping winds, floodwaters, as well as widespread power cuts.

Diane said: As far as I know, my family are making themselves safe. I have one cousin in Plantation, who has a son in Orlando. I have another cousin is in Tampa, right by it all, but I havent heard from her yet. I have another cousin who evacuated from West Palm to Delaware.

I have so many friends who are just hunkered down waiting for it to pass. With my home in Connecticut, I remember when Cindy hit in 2005, it felt like we were Dorothy and thought the house was going to take off.

I cannot imagine what this is like though, this is three or four times worse. Its hard to communicate with friends and family when homes and businesses are being left without power.

Her 24-year-old son lives in Nashville, and Diane said it is likely he will feel some effect of Hurricane Irma.

Diane added: Being here in Stratford is very odd, as people that I know and love are back home. If I was back home I would be watching it on the 24-hour news feed, but I dont have a television. I also have half a dozen childhood friends who are mostly in West Palm and Plantation, and I am regularly checking their Facebook statuses."

Do you know anyone affected by Hurricane Irma  or has it scuppered your holiday plans?, Contact the Herald newsroom by emailing news@stratford-herald.com
At least six people have been killed and several others injured in a bomb attack carried out in central Somalia, police and residents say.

Major Hussein Osman, a police officer, said the bombing in the central city of Beledweyne on Sunday afternoon rocked a restaurant outside the office of the governor of Hiran region where he was holding a meeting.

Beledweyne is located about 340 kilometers north of the capital Mogadishu.

"A bomber blew up himself in a restaurant," the officer said.

Farah Ali, a local elder, said clan elders were among the dead. "The bomber, who had an explosive jacket, stood inside the restaurant and blew up himself. We were heading to a meeting in the governors office when it happened."

Abdiasis Abu Musab, a spokesman for the Takfiri al-Shabab militant group, has claimed responsibility for the assault. "We are behind the attack at the Hiran governor's headquarters. There are casualties. We targeted the workers of the Hiran administration."

The al-Qaeda-linked group has in the past carried out frequent attacks in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia in a bid to topple the country's government and drive out African Union peacekeeping troops.

Somalia has been at war since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other.

The country has been the scene of deadly clashes between government forces and al-Shabab militants since 2006.

The Takfiri militant group was forced out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011 but still controls parts of the countryside and carries out attacks against government, military and civilian targets. The extremist group is just one of the challenges facing the new Somali government, which is still struggling to expand its authority beyond the capital and other selected areas.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold wide-ranging talks tomorrow with Belarus President A G Lukashenko to bring new momentum in bilateral engagement, particularly in areas of defence, trade and investment, the external affairs ministry said today.

Lukashenko will also meet President Ram Nath Kovind during his two-day visit beginning today.

His visit takes place in a year when Belarus and India are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

advertisement

"The two sides are expected to discuss bilateral cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology and people to people exchanges," MEA said.

It said the two sides are also likely to exchange views and assessments on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

A business forum and parallel meetings organised for members of the large delegation accompanying Lukashenko would explore business opportunities and avenues of cooperation in other areas. PTI MPB MIN

--- ENDS ---
Asian start-up event features speakers from 10 countries View(s):

Next months Asian Business Angel Forum (ABAF) 2017 in Colombo will feature prominent speakers from Silicon Valley (US), Australia, UK, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Israel, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka won the chance to host this prestigious event for the first time, beating out many Asian countries for the honour, local organisers of the event said in a media release.

ABAF is Asias largest annual start-up investor forum, attracting premier Business Angels, Venture Capitalist, Entrepreneurs, Policy Makers, Government Officials and other like-minded High Net-worth Individuals (HNIs) to one central networking platform. The forum has been held successfully across Asia ever since its inaugural event in Singapore in 2010. Past ABAF conferences have typically welcomed 250 prominent business personalities, including as many as 50 investors, from the Asian region as well as the Asia Pacific, Australasia and the Middle East. Venture Engines 2017 finale also plays an important role at ABAFs programme, taking up one full day of the proceedings.

There will be over 25 start-ups from Venture Engine showcased for ABAF 2017 delegates. Interestingly, this years Venture Engine applications consisted mostly of post revenue companies where some were at the Seed Investment stage, while others were looking to secure Series A funding, a key indicator of the increasing sophistication of our market, noted a founder member of the Lankan Angel Network, the host organization for ABAF 2017.

Dr. Clarence Tan, former Ambassador for Australias Singularity University is scheduled to give the forums keynote address, entitled Exponential Technology Reshaping Future Start-ups. Other prominent ABAF 2017 speakers include: Dr. Yehoshua (Shuki) Gleitman, Chairman of GIBF (Guangzhuo Israel Biotech Fund); Dr. Samson Tam, Chairman of the Hong Kong Business Angel Network (HKBAN); Dr. Mark Hon, Chairman of Business Angel Network South East Asia (BANSEA); Rajan Anandan, VP for SEA & India at Google; Padmaja Ruparel, President of the Indian Angel Network (IAN); Pankaj Jain, Member of the Investment Committee at Wadi Accelerator (USA); David Chen, Co-founder of AngelVest and Founding Chairman of Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of China; Brigitte Baumann Gervais, Founder and CEO of Go Beyond Early Stage Investing (UK); Jordan Green, Chairman of ABAF/Melbourne Angels; Sanchayan Chakraborty, Partner at Aavishkaar (India); and Jayesh Parekh, Managing Partner at Jungle Ventures (Singapore).

ABAF 2017 will comprise sessions on Facilitating Cross Border Investments between Angel Networks, Global and Regional Start-up Trends, Driving Exits and Impact Funding. An in-depth agenda, and other details, is accessible via www.lankanangelnetwork.com/ABAFColombo.

Sri Lankas well-received bid to host ABAF, which we submitted at the 2015 conference in New Zealand, was a landmark achievement for the start-up eco-system locally. The fact that the country won the chance to host this prestigious event for 2017 is a true testament to how far it has progressed over a very short period. And not just in terms of domestic growth for the start-up eco-system, but also with regard to its international profile. Sri Lanka can today be considered a viable option for those looking to invest in great companies, elevated by their pools of great talent, the media release said.

Kicking off on October 11, at the Cinnamon Lakeside hotel, ABAF follows the sixth edition of Venture Engine, the countrys trailblazing programme for entrepreneurship acceleration and empowerment, which will be held the previous day. The finalists of 2017s Venture Engine also benefit from the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to directly access, via ABAF, investments, expertise, and mentoring offered by well-respected individuals in the field of global finance.

The conference offers valuable analysis of what is trending in the regional and global start-up scenes. It also provides extensive technical training and panel discussions offering insights in many vital areas, including investing across borders, how to drive exits, impact funding, etc.

A strategic partner for this years Venture Engine, the Lankan Angel Network is the host of ABAF 2017. The Lankan Angel Network is Sri Lankas pioneering Business Angel Network with over 75 member investors who have collectively invested over Rs. 2 billion in 25 local start-ups, while Venture Engine is a product of a 2012 collaboration between BOV Capital and the Indian Angel Network. For 2017, venture capital firm Aavishkaar serves as Venture Engines Platinum Sponsor, while Orion City is the Silver Sponsor and Dialog Axiata is the Official Telecommunications Sponsor. Visit www.ventureengine.lk for more details.
Continue free health, SLMA urges View(s):

Sri Lanka should continue its free, tax-funded health scheme while any new health insurance scheme must only be a complementary strategy to free medical care, the countrys main body of medical professionals has said.

The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), the apex medical association in the country, offered this piece of advice to the Government in presenting its proposals for the November Budget.

SLMA President Prof. Chandrika Wijeyaratne, in a media release titled Recommendations for budget proposals 2018 for the health sector, said experts in health policy, medical practitioners, medical administrators, and economists met to discuss relevant health policy issues that needed to be included in the budget.

Most recent data from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey, National Health Accounts, and other research studies were analysed and discussed, she said.

In its budget recommendations which were for health in the broadest sense, the SLMA said Sri Lanka continues to be a model in the world in terms of its health system and most of these achievements are possible because of a tax-funded, state healthcare system. This is performing relatively well and should be maintained. The WHO and many eminent health economists too have promoted such a tax-funded system as the best option to deliver universal health coverage, the SLMA said.

It pointed out that a Social Health Insurance (SHI) scheme should be implemented only as a complementary strategy to the existing tax funded system.

Further, SHI should be mainly employer-funded insurance schemes. Though there are advocates for private health insurance, there is limited space in the system for this. Furthermore, the experiences from other countries show that private insurance increases the costs of healthcare, according to the recommendation.

The SLMA called for an increase in the health sector budget saying it should be invested in a productive manner (e.g. strengthening primary curative care services).

The association pointed out that primary curative care services (state sector clinics and outpatient departments where doctors provide simple curative care to a pre-defined population) provides clear benefits to the poorer segments of the population in Sri Lanka who currently access private clinics at extra cost.

Strengthening primary curative care services (PCCS), it said, should be made a priority in the next two decades.

Budgetary allocations should focus more on developing these PCCS, their infrastructure, and human resources to support the initiative, it said.

Among other proposals to be considered are extending of service hours for greater access and making available a basic package of essential drugs and investigative services at all primary care levels. The SLMA also urged the Government to consider retention policies that may require incentives for health workers in primary care and in rural settings.

On costly private medical care, the SLMA said the existing legal framework for regulating private sector should be adequately utilized to ensure that the private sector delivers quality and affordable care to a segment of population who is willing to access care in private sector. It should be closely monitored and the regulatory mechanisms should be further strengthened.
File horas View(s):

During the early 1980s, a journalist colleague of mine at the old Daily Mirror editorial office in Fort was adept at lifting important files from the desks of senior government officials, quietly sneaking them into his black briefcase.

This senior, pint-sized, tie-wearing journalist was affectionately known as file hora and loved it, often breezing into office, loudly claiming, I got another one. The result, some great exclusive stories that whacked the opposition (media) out of sight and in the process either raised important issues or revealed some serious misdoings of the then Government. Stealing for a good cause, colleagues would say!

Some years later, another enterprising colleague at the Island newspaper, again a pint-sized dynamo, would call up the IGP, butter-up his aide (probably a constable or a sergeant) who answered the phone, address him with a respectful Sir, putting the man not only at ease but lifting his dignity (here was a senior reporter who provided the same courtesy he extended to the IGP, to his simple aide, too), and get some story or other from this source. Again, ingenious ways to get a story.

Journalists used devious ways to get a story. Briefcases are dinosaurs in todays world. Miniature mobile phones are todays briefcases, to anybody for that matter. Politicians beware  dont keep spill-the-beans files lying around; they wont be snatched, only photographed!

I was reminded of this when I overheard Kussi Amma Sera trying to provide an explanation to her son Panduka while the duo was having their morning tea in the kitchen.

Amme, office eke files gedara arang yan-da puluwang da? Eka thahanam nevei-da? the young lad, a day before returning to the village at the end of the August school vacation, asked.

Putha, mehema . Kussi Amma Seras reply drifted away as I moved out of sight and earshot while realising that what the young chap was referring to was a recent newspaper report with a picture showing files being removed from the office of a sacked minister.

Can a minister or officials from a government office remove files on their departure (resignation, retirement or sacking)? While there are rules that cover official files in the case of officials, there doesnt appear to be such rules governing the conduct of ministers  at least as far as the public is concerned. Otherwise, how can ministers, on their departure, openly remove files under the glare of nosy media photographers or is that permissible in todays dont care culture?

In recent times, the hurried removal of important files from a government office by departing officials has been noticed more and more. While this may have been happening in a small way earlier, it is happening, blatantly to a point, to a larger degree in the present context. This is particularly since transparency, governance and accountability are scoring high points for the present regime. A case in point being the Treasury Bond Commission, where some revelations triggered a public outcry and resulted in the resignation of a powerful minister, even before the commission could submit a report.

While there is a public outcry for more concrete action against the corrupt of the past  politician, officials and their lackeys  the unwavering commitment of the Attorney Generals Office to ascertain the truth (irrespective of whether these are governing politicians, business friends or henchmen) behind the tainted Treasury bond issues implicating former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran and his son-in-law Arjun Aloysius, speaks volumes not only of freedom and judicial independence, but also of the common mans right to objective criticism without fear. That is a huge plus for the regime in the midst of rumblings of discontent in many other areas.

Now back to the file horas scenario. When Ravi Karunanayake took over as Finance Minister in the first quarter of 2015, he publicly announced at a media briefing that around 2,600 important files had disappeared from the ministry making it difficult to investigate alleged financial misappropriation, corrupt practices and misuse of public property and funds of top level officials during the Rajapaksa regime.

In a February 15, 2015 report, the Business Times quoted the Minister as saying that these missing files include some that contain information on alleged shady and questionable deals.

This matter was then referred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). While Karunanayake went through many ups and downs in a chequered career as Finance Minister, the result of that probe is yet to be released to the public. It was noted at the time that these files belonged to top officials of the ministry who were removed subsequent to the change of Government.

Then there was an instance reported in a newspaper where a Central Bank official, whose name figured prominently in the bond scam, had surreptitiously removed files from the office, one evening. What these files were no one knows or the report didnt imply but most likely would have contained incriminating evidence of wrongdoing vis-a-vis the bond scam.

The maintenance of files, its authority and processes that follow in a government department or ministry is governed by rules set under the Public Service Commission.

On receipt of the written approval to release a Public Officer to a post outside the Government Service it shall be the responsibility of the Public Officer to duly hand over government documents, files, computer passwords, any government property, keys and official identity card, etc in his charge, to another Public Officer designated by the Head of the Department or Head of the Institution. Similarly it shall be the responsibility of the Head of the Department or the Head of the Institution to make necessary arrangements to take over the said items and to release the Public Officer when the items are duly handed, says one of the regulations.

Interestingly, this also applies to computers and data stored in computers (read computer password). However, how much of important data have been erased in recent years in government offices to conceal a fraud or dubious decision is anybodys guess, though modern technology is able to retrieve erased data as evidence led before the Treasury Bond Commission shows. Our data security columnist Sujit Christy on Page 6 also shows how erased data could be retrieved in a complex forensics examination.

Information in government offices still deals with a lot of files in addition to data and office correspondence stored in computers.

While modern science and technology show that white collar fraud cannot go unnoticed as erased data pertaining to these transactions can be retrieved, missing files on such deals make it more difficult to catch the culprits.

Amme, aei meygollo allanne-naththey, I hear Panduka asking his mother. Kussi Amma Sera doesnt respond, pondering on whether powerful people ever get caught.

In the meantime, my late file hora larger-than-life colleague at the old Daily Mirror must be happily at rest, knowing that he wouldnt have survived this less-files-more-invisible data generation!
Rare appearance by Paski at Colombo forum By Bandula Sirimanna View(s): View(s):

Sri Lankas private sector progress has been hampered by lack of coordination between state agencies, delay in decision-making by top officials and difficulty in arriving at a consensus on business matters by the two ruling political parties, a powerful advisor of the Government has said.

However, R. Paskaralingam, advisor and close aide to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a rare public appearance on Thursday, told a group of local businessmen that a proper system in decision-making is gradually evolving for the betterment of the country.

The veteran, soft-spoken bureaucrat revealed that he is acting as a conduit at the moment to co-ordinate and work with all government development agencies in order to accelerate the pace of economic growth.

Mr. Paskaralingam was chairing a business forum in Colombo organised by the National Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka, where he took immediate action, contacting relevant officials and arranging one-to-one meetings with them to assist at least 25 businessmen to sort out their business issues.

Neatly dressed, calm and cool but sharp minded, the influential one-time Finance Ministry Secretary showed his efficiency and ability to analyse issues by directing top officials to evolve on the spot solutions to grievances of businessmen attending the forum.

Displaying his power over the countrys bureaucracy, he contacted the heads of RDA, BOI, Treasury and several other state agencies over the phone directly to find ways and means to settle issues of businessmen.

These included the heavy cess levied on maize imports affecting the poultry industry, insurance company listing issues, road construction payment problems, gem industry grievances, investment and heavy taxes imposed on industrial ventures at the BOI Meerigama Investment zone and tender issues, etc.

He revealed his close connections with Ministry Secretaries and the officials who have worked with him in the public service and also young officials to get their co-operation to settle official matters.

In an upbeat note he expressed the belief that private sector as the engine of growth could be revitalised creating a suitable and conducive environment and level playing field in the ease of doing business in the island nation.

He noted that he looks forward to work with the private sector and to put forward their issues and concerns and assist in the swift development which the country desperately needs.

He emphasised the need of cutting bureaucratic red tape while allowing bureaucracy to take decisions without the fear of consequences for taking the right decisions.

True to his words, Mr. Paskaralingam contacted several ministry secretaries, chairman of state agencies and some top officials over his Android mobile phone to find instant solutions to certain issues put forward by businessmen at the forum.

During the discussions, he revealed that the government cannot make huge investments in new mega infrastructure development projects like express highway in the next five years due to current financial constraints and heavy debt burden.

This is a vicious cycle that must be broken if consistency and predictability is to be restored to the tax system. This is possible if the government adopts proper policy making, he commented.

President of the National Chamber of Commerce, Sujeeve Samaraweera noted that they plan to hold this business forum as a regular event of the chambers to assist business to sort out their issues through Mr. Paskaralingam.

Powerful bureaucrat R. Paskaralingam, the influential former Finance Ministry Secretary popularly known as late President R. Premadasas right-hand anchor man, is back after eight years in self-exile and playing a key behind-the-scenes role in the present regime as advisor to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe since 2015.He has avoided media publicity and generally not seen at public events.Paskaralingam, widely known as Paski was a key player in the 1989-1993 United National Party government.He is currently entrusted with the task of co-coordinating and work with all government development agencies playing an advisory role without bounding various rules and regulations of the state bureaucracy.He was the Secretary to the mighty Ministry of Local Government, Housing and Construction and also the Chairman of the Urban Development Authority, entrusted with the planning and building of the new capital city arising out of the Diyawanna marshes and village reawakening programme during the Premadasa regime.
Rs.350 mln tourism ad bill settled By Sunimalee Dias View(s): View(s):

Sri Lanka has settled its debts amounting to Rs.350 million in arrears to three international media channels following which the digital media campaign would kick off in January next year.

Christian Affairs and Tourism Minister John Amaratunga told the Business Times that the digital advertising campaign is expected to kick off in January and the global promotional campaign next year. The digital media campaign is worth Rs.200 million.

He said the authorities have to now look for agencies and prepare the material adding that there were about Rs.350 million in arrears to Bloomberg, Al Jazeera and Sky News, which has now been settled.

The previous regime owed millions of rupees to some of the international media organizations who had urged the new government to settle payments.

The authorities had settled the arrears in installments with the last payment made in the third week of August this year amounting to approximately Rs.2 million.

Moreover, the government is set to take a favourable stance in relation to the issues raised by the tourism industry regarding the liquor license at the next budget.

The minister said that the liquor license that was issued to hoteliers would be revised favourably based on the consideration from the Finance Ministry in this regard.

He pointed out that the issue of liquor license would be taken up as a budget proposal. There were complaints regarding the license and its rates and the hours when liquor could be served which were expected to be rectified.
Visionary City sets the agenda for the CIFC View(s):

Recognising the need to face future changes and challenges in the financial service industry, the government has embarked on creating an eco system for high end, top 10 highly competitive services, transforming the Colombo International Financial City (CIFC) to a Visionary City.

This development will have financial services, professionals, entrepreneurs, innovations, Fintech companies, and service-related businesses, Deputy Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Harsha de Silva told the Business Times.

It will become a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for services, he said, adding that there will be real estate, yacht marinas, retail, world class universities and proper health care, etc.

Dr. De Silva has been appointed as the chairman of the steering committee of the project handling soft infrastructure including the law, taxes, regulations, strategies, marketing and promoting the right type of businesses at the SEZ.

Minister Patali Champika Ranawakes Ministry of Megapolis and the UDA are handling hard infrastructure such as construction of buildings, transporting sand other functions connected to construction work at the CIFC.

Dr. de Silva noted that he is now setting up working groups on policy, legal and regulations, international relations and marketing, etc.

The draft CIFC Law based on common-law practices and requesting no amendment to the Constitution and the strategy of the CIFC were presented to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at a workshop in Colombo recently.

All the CIFC consultants, representatives of various government agencies, top officials of the Central Bank and the Treasury, Attorney Generals Department and World Bank (which is helping in formulating the regulatory framework and risk management) attended the workshop.

This draft law has not been reviewed by the AG, Dr. de Silva said, adding that it was a wholly Sri Lankan law which will be formulated based on common law principles through cherry picking best practices.

The CIFCs legal division headed by former Attorney General Yuvanjana Wijethilake has already done some preliminary work towards this end, he said, adding that Prof. Suri Ratnapala, an international law scholar and one-time Senior State Counsel at the local AGs department, will also be joining in the next couple of weeks in assisting in the draft law. This is to be studied by the AG, Bar Association and legal experts to ascertain its constitutionality, he disclosed.

The idea of Visionary City, considering the future needs of high end, highly competitive services, emerged eight months ago in January this year. In that month a group of reputed international consultants had been engaged in looking at strategy and policy studies with regard to CIFC.

These consultants included former chairman Merrill Lynch Europe Ltd, the current chairman of UK Finance, representatives of 300 leading financial service companies including British Bankers Association, top officials of Dubai International Financial Corporation and the Qatar Financial Centre.

Once this draft law document is ready, Request for Proposals will be called from UK- based law firms to evaluate the draft and the selected British law firm will be involved in drafting rules and regulations of the CIFC in accordance with the common law in line with the Constitution, he revealed.

The finance and marina district master plan was designed by SOM (Skidmore Owings & Merrill) for CHEC Port City Colombo, which is looking to transform 269 hectares of reclaimed land beside Colombos central business district.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe told a local forum in July last year that the financial city will function as a special jurisdiction area with its own economic and commercial laws to facilitate operations of global multinational corporations and grow as a business and financial hub. (Bandula)
Akilas workless jobs: Driver for school without vehicle, cooks without kitchen View(s):

Offering jobs and ensuring votes at the next elections are standard operating rules for politicians. Otherwise, they will not be able to return to Parliament.Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, who represents the Kurunegala District, is just one such politician who follows this dictum to the hilt.

No harm, one would say, since job opportunities are available more in his Ministry than many others. That is in schools and even cultural projects which come under his purview. However, young men and women, to whom he had given appointments, allegedly receive their pay for doing nothing. One such case is from Naula in the Matale District.

The appointment given to a young man is for the post of driver at a school. However, this school does not have any vehicle. So, he only signs his name and draws a monthly salary. Another instance is how two others were appointed as cooks to a school in Dambulla. That school does not have a kitchen, nor does it serve food to anyone. Similarly, some appointments have been made to schools and other institutions outside the Kurunegala District.

After complaints were received at the UNP headquarters, Srikotha, the leadership asked former Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake to find out what was happening. He made an on-the-spot study and assured party supporters that he will discuss the matter with Minister Kariyawasam.

Paisleys Post-Brexit trade talks irk SL (Tamil) diaspora

A British MP from Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), one of ten that is keeping Prime Minister Theresa Mays Government in power, is at the centre of a controversy once again over old accusations that he accepted holidays in Sri Lanka in 2013.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that he accepted holidays worth 100,000 from a country he is now helping to secure a post-Brexit trade deal. However, Ian Paisley Jr. denied the accusations and declared that he would go before the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to state his case. He has also charged that the newspapers account was defamatory. According to the Daily Telegraph report on Thursday, Ian Paisley Jr, one of the Democratic Unionist Partys most prominent MPs, accepted two all-expenses-paid trips from the Sri Lankan government .

The Daily Telegraph report states that Mr Paisley took his wife and four children to Sri Lanka and flew business class, stayed in the finest hotels and were provided with a chauffeur-driven Mercedes, all paid for by the Sri Lankan government. During discussions with officials, he offered to help the state broker an oil deal, saying he had significant arrangements with national oil suppliers in Oman and Nigeria.

The trips, which were never disclosed in the Commons register of interests, will raise serious questions about the influence and interests of the MP, who is one of 10 DUP members relied upon by Theresa May to ensure her government can continue to function after her snap election. The Register of Members Financial Interests exists so that MPs can declare income, gifts or affiliations that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest with their parliamentary roles.

Not to shy away from the accusations, this week Mr Paisley posted a picture of himself alongside Amari Wijewardene, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner, outside the Houses of Parliament captioned: With Sri Lanka high commissioner to discuss NI-Sri Lanka trade deal after Brexit.

Two days after the meeting in Parliament, Mr Paisley posted a picture of himself alongside Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary responsible for negotiating post-Brexit trade deals. It was captioned: With Liam Fox discussing our trade agreements post Brexit. The Sri Lankan High Commission in London said yesterday that Mr Paisley was considered to be in a particularly good position to help enhance trade relations between Sri Lanka and the UK given the DUPs role supporting Ms Mays Government.

Dr. Fox was at the centre of a controversy as Defence Secretary and resigned from his post during the premiership of David Cameron for allowing his former flat-mate and best-man at his wedding accompany him on 18 foreign trips and distribute visiting cards without any official position. However Mr. Fox was credited for doing an outstanding job as Defence Secretary.

A friend of Sri Lanka, Dr. Fox once brokered an agreement between the then President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. At that time he was Deputy Foreign Secretary of Britain and the agreement was meant to ensure a common strategy towards a political solution to end Sri Lankas then northern insurgency.

However, the Sri Lanka (Tamil) diaspora was to take credit for the downfall of Dr. Fox and is seen behind the recent moves to discredit Mr. Paisley.

They are still trying to destabilise Sri Lanka from here, said a British citizen of Sri Lankan origin referring to the Sri Lankan (Tamil) diaspora. They dont want anything good to happen to Sri Lanka  and they are a tinge jealous, maybe, that the Sri Lankan government succeeded in lobbying a British MP, something they thought is their monopoly.

Not to be outdone, the Sri Lankan (Tamil) diaspora-US branch has also been at work, this time with the Jagath Jayasuriya saga. Having successfully triggered a molehill of a story into a mountain courtesy former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, they had their agents at the UN press Corp ask a question about Jagath Jayasuriya, one-time UN official and currently Constitutional Council member Radhika Coomaraswamy and the SL Army serving in the UN Peace Keeping Forces.

This is basically how the Q and A went at the UN press briefing this week;

Question: And on Sri Lanka, again, maybe you may have been overwhelmed by the question, but theres a former general, Jagath, whos being charged with war crimes. He fled back to Sri Lanka from Brazil. Since he got back to Sri Lanka, he said that then-UN official Radhika Coomaraswamy told quote, told me that there is nothing against you in terms of war crimes. So I understand that shes no longer a UN official, but given that he is explicitly saying that she said it as a UN official, does the UN have anything to is it was the case that

Spokesman: Well, I mean, its not I dont know anything about the veracity of the quote, but its these sorts of charges are put forward by judicial bodies.

Question: And does that charge have any impact on the continued use and deployment of Sri Lankan?

Spokesman: I think as we said, all Sri Lanka troops go through unit vetting and individual vetting.

Bopage for Presidents media work

Nimal Bopage has been appointed as Additional Secretary (Media) in the Presidential Secretariat.

He was earlier Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media.

Mangala sweeps Chairman who refuses to budge

Sena Suriyapperuma has been appointed by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera as the Chairman of the Development Lotteries Board.

This was after the minister issued a Gazette notification on August 31 removing the previous chairman Romesh Jayawardena, who had refused to resign following the resignation of one-time Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, who appointed him to the post.

Sharmila Perera, Chairperson of the National Lotteries Board, sent in her resignation immediately upon Minister Karunanayakes resignation.

The two boards were given to Karunanayake when he was made Foreign Minister, but have now been reverted to the Finance Ministry.

Bell Pottinger, which worked for Lanka, suspended for five years

Bell Pottinger, a British-based public relations firm which the former Sri Lankan Government hired for work both in that country and in the United States, has been slapped with sanctions.

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), the professional body in Britain has declared that Bell Pottinger breached its charter and two clauses of its code of conduct.

This was over the companys campaign for South Africas Gupta family and the PRCA said it was likely to inflame racial discord. Bell. Bell Pottinger cannot re-apply for PRCA membership for at least five years. The PRCAs professional practices committee found Bell Pottingers campaign was likely to inflame racial discord in South Africa and appears to have done exactly that.

PRCA Director General Francis Ingham was quoted in media reports as saying, Bell Pottinger has brought the PR and communications industry into disrepute with its actions, and it has received the harshest possible sanctions. The PRCA has never before passed down such a damning indictment of an agencys behaviour.

This outcome reflects the huge importance that the PRCA places on the protection of ethical standards in the business of PR and communications.Bell Pottinger said it acknowledges the ruling, accepts that there are lessons to be learned but disputes the basis on which the ruling was made. In a statement, the agency said it would continue to abide by the PRCAs code of ethical conduct.

Identity fiasco at Sigiri frescoes

How does one prove that he or she is indeed a Sri Lankan national? The answer would no doubt be through some official documentation like for example the National Identity Card (NIC).

However, private security personnel at Sigiriya have adopted their own methods. In view of the admission rates for the historic rock fortress being different for foreign and local visitors, they keep a watchful eye on the queue.

Those whom they suspect do not look like Sri Lankans are taken off the queue and interrogated. In one such case a lady visitor who was subjected to the process spoke in fluent Sinhala as she was questioned. Then she was given a ticket at a lower rate.

However, when the lady was just outside the historic frescoes, the security men turned up and escorted her out. They said they were not satisfied that the visitor was Sri Lankan, not even when she held an NIC.
The ad, titled "You Never Lamb Alone" was launched by a meat industry lobby group, Meat and Livestock Australia on September 4 which features Gods of various religions sitting around a table and sharing a lamb meal.

By Geeta Mohan: India lodged a strong protest with the Australian authorities after massive furore unfolded over an advertisement depicting Lord Ganesha enjoying lamb. The advert had generated a huge controversy among the Indian community living in Australia who had started petitions and approached authorities and the Indian mission to get the advertisement removed.

Calling the advert 'offensive', the Indian mission in Canberra issued a strong demarche to concerned departments in Australia. In a statement the High Commission said, "The High Commission of India, Canberra, taking note of the protests of Indian community in Australia, have made a demarche to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Department of Communication and Arts and Department of Agriculture bringing to their notice an offensive advertisement by Meat and Livestock Australia that hurt the religious sentiments of the Indian community".

advertisement

The ad, titled "You Never Lamb Alone" was launched by a meat industry lobby group, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) on September 4 which features Gods of various religions sitting around a table and sharing a lamb meal. The Gods include Jesus, Buddha, Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard and the revered 'vegetarian' Hindu deity, Lord Ganesha.

The Indian High Commission in Canberra in its statement highlighted the fact that the video hurt sentiments of the Indian community. It said, "In a video advertisement released by Meat and Livestock Australia recently, Lord Ganesha along with other religious figures is found to be 'toasting lamb', which the Indian community considers offensive and hurting their religious sentiments".

"The Consulate General of India in Sydney has taken up the matter directly with Meat and Livestock Australia and urged them to withdraw the advertisement", the statement read.

While the intent of the ad was not to hurt religious sentiments and to speak of inclusivity, it has done just the opposite. Reports in Australian media have put out response of MLA where their spokesperson Andrew Howie said, "Our intent is never to offend, but rather acknowledge that lamb is a meat consumed by a wide variety of cultures and capture how the world could look if people left their differing views at the door and came to the table with open arms and minds". He added, "No matter your beliefs, background or persuasion, the one thing we can all come together and unite over, is lamb".

This however, has not gone down well with the diaspora and people following Hindu religion. The Indian High Commission statement said, "A number of Community Associations have also registered their protest with the Government of Australia and Meat and Livestock Australia".

ALSO READ |

This ad featuring Ganesha and lamb is angering a lot of Hindus

--- ENDS ---
As Fonseka continues tirade, here are some dramatic revelations By Our Political Editor View(s): View(s):

Former President removed him from post of Army Commander because he was planning to arrest Jagath Jayasuriya

House leader says Field Marshals war crimes claim a personal opinion, but it sparks controversy

SLFP insists executive presidency must remain and seeks not to enhance PMs powers

The Sri Lankan who won bouquets and brickbats worldwide for leading troops to military victory against Tiger guerrillas eight years ago and became a national hero now finds himself in a lesser light.

General Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka, who successfully negotiated the title of Field Marshal in return for his support for Maithripala Sirisena at the January 8, 2015 presidential election, accused a subordinate senior officer of committing war crimes.

He summoned an hour-long news conference at his Regional Development Ministry in Kotte on Friday (September 1) to level the charge that onetime Security Forces commander Wanni, Major General Jagath Jayasuriya was engaged in various crimes. However, he did not identify what they were.

Whether true or false, there is a tragic irony in his revelations. Upon becoming Field Marshal, Fonseka declared in public statements that no troops had committed any war crimes. It is thus clear he has changed his mind now though the reasons are not known. Otherwise, if such acts were indeed committed, he as Commander of the Army, would have subjected Jayasuriya to a Court Martial and cashiered him out or even complained to the Ministry of Defence. There are instances where Fonseka has threatened such action for even seemingly minor breaches of discipline. A senior officer who danced with his glass of whisky on his head at a private party was one such instance.

On the other hand, that politics had crept into the military under successive governments and grown to its detriment is no secret. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya, rose over nine other senior officers, some with very good track records, to become Commander of the Army in July 2009 to succeed Fonseka. It was all too well known that his ascension was partly due to political reasons, since Jayasuriyas family had distant links to the Rajapaksa family. After retirement as Commander, he was appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). It is this coalition Government that named him Ambassador to Brazil in a move that showed that both sides of the political divide rewarded him well. Yet, Jayasuriya was not involved in any offensive operations in the final stages of the separatist war in May 2009. Fonseka confirmed this when he said at his news conference that I operated outside normal military tradition in ensuring that all regiments came under me. I did not assign any to him (Jayasuriya). His duty was to secure the bunker line.

His remarks were grist to the mill for some hard-line Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora groups. They put out reports this week that Jayasuriya had operated Torture Chambers in Vavuniya and was responsible for war crimes including killings. Fonsekas outburst came just days ahead of the 36th sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. They begin in Geneva tomorrow (September 11) and will go on till September 29. The resolution sponsored by the United States and co-sponsored by Sri Lanka calls for a probe into alleged war crimes both by troops and guerrillas.

If the Rajapaksa administration took up the position that troops fought the war with the Human Rights charter on one hand and a weapon on the other, the ruling coalition has continued to maintain that no war crimes were committed. A debate still continues over whether the probe should include foreign judges as stipulated in the resolution  a position rejected by the Government. Fonsekas remarks now bring in a new dimension. It has lent credibility to claims by groups that troops indeed committed war crimes. After all, the charge is being made by none other than the man who led the troops.

In July 2009, just two months after the military defeat of the LTTE, Fonseka was given only two days by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to relinquish office as Commander of the Army and take over as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). New legislation for this unified command of the armed forces headed by a CDS had been passed only weeks earlier. Until then, a CDS appointment had been made only under then prevailing Emergency Regulations.

That there was no love lost between Fonseka and Jayasuriya over personal issues was common knowledge. So much so, it is the current Commander of the Army Lt. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake who declared this week that Fonseka should not settle personal scores at the Armys expense. In doing so, the veteran soldier with a stint with Special Forces, made no exception of Fonseka though he was forced out of service at one time for reportedly being personally loyal to him. Lt. Gen. Senanayake was rightly more concerned about his institution and the men and women who served him and the country. Though not under the operational command of a Field Marshal, he was also conscious, that Fonseka held a higher appointment.

Fonseka told the September 1 news conference that Rajapaksa appointed Jayasuriya as Commander of the Army to get what they wanted done. He declared one of those things was to drag me off and imprison me, and added crimes have indeed been committed in some areas.

Why Fonseka was removed

What many Sri Lankans did not know, however, was another fact. Fonseka was forced to quit as Commander of the Army hurriedly in July 2009 only because former President Rajapaksa wanted to install Jagath Jayasuriya there. The Sunday Times can reveal today that the pace was hurried due to some unexpected developments that became cause for worry and concern for Rajapaksa and the defence establishment.

Under Fonsekas orders, the Corps Ceylon Military Police (CCMP) had then taken into custody the Aide de Camp of Jayasuriya. He was brought down to Colombo from Vavuniya and was interrogated for days. The line of questioning had little to do with military operations but about the evenings he spent at Jayasuriyas chalet. Questions had been asked about the type of video movies they reportedly watched together and where the Aide de Camp spent the nights. Rajapaksa was livid when he heard of these developments done on Fonsekas orders. On top of that, he became furious when he learnt through credible channels that Fonseka made plans to get the Military Police to arrest Jayasuriya. Was it a move to thwart Jayasuriyas appointment? So he thought. He ordered the release of the ADC and directed his then Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga to inform Fonseka, whom Rajapaksa once called the best Army Commander in the world, to step down within two days.

At his news conference, Fonseka conceded that he arrested a Lieutenant who was assigned to Jayasuriya and launched an investigation. I got the impression that this investigation was one of the main reasons behind my removal, he declared.

By then Rajapaksa had also learnt of another development. Fonseka was being felicitated by his alma mater Dharmasoka College in Ambalangoda. When the ceremonies were under way, Fonseka had ordered his personal security team to block the Galle Road to prevent traffic flow over a kilometre stretch past the school premises until the ceremonies ended. For four long hours, traffic had formed massive queues at both ends and were at a standstill. The wedding ceremony of a wealthy businessman in Galle was held without any food being served. The food van from a star class hotel in Colombo was caught in the traffic jam. Visitors to the event were asked to alight from their vehicles a long distance away from the venue and walk.

Fonseka has also been unhappy that it was Jayasuriya, upon becoming Commander of the Army, who signed two different Convening Orders for him to face two different Court Martials. One was for dabbling in politics and the other was over alleged irregularities in procurements. He was found guilty by both Courts. Fonseka denies charges of corruption or that he committed any irregularities. The first case where he was accused of engaging in politics led to his being cashiered from the Army. Thus, he left the Army as Mr Fonseka and emerged as a Field Marshal only under President Sirisena to win back all his past dues.

The cause for Fonsekas latest outburst came after foreign media reported that lawsuits have been filed against Jayasuriya, then Ambassador to Brazil and five other countries in Latin America. The court action in Rio de Janeiro was when he had just ended a two year contract and was leaving for Colombo. One report said, The suits against Jagath Jayasuriya are based on his role as a commander in the final phase of Sri Lankas 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 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..

These foreign media reports once published in the local media prompted Fonseka to hold the news conference at his own Regional Development Ministry. That action gave governmental weightage to the claims he was making since he is also a member of the Cabinet of Ministers. Moreover, he commanded troops during the final stages of the separatist war and that position gave him high credibility. So much so, after the military defeat of the LTTE, corporate bodies in Sri Lanka swamped him with requests to address meetings on his success so they may adopt the strategies and techniques in their own board rooms. The news conference came just after courtesy calls were paid on him by the new Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Travis Chinniah and Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne.

Fonsekas outburst drew a response from President Maithripala Sirisena. He declared at the SLFPs 66th annual convention last Sunday that I will never allow anyone including international elements to harass not only former Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya but any war hero.

Fonseka hit back over these remarks at a meeting the next day with a small crowd at Kiribathgoda. He ignored a Court order not to hold the event and declared, If instead of being on the side of the people and punishing those who carry out such actions, if you take the side of a person who claims to be a patriot just because he wears a uniform, that is not what the people expect from a political leadership. This is something the very leader of the country or political party must understand.

The coalition partners  the SLFP and the UNP  have not made any formal response so far to Fonsekas latest outburst. The only comment came from the Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella who said it was his (Fonsekas) personal opinion. Another irate UNP minister who differed did not wish to be identified. He declared personal opinions cannot be voiced with news conferences from your ministerial office. If he (Kiriella) said personal opinion was used when former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe criticised the Hambantota Port deal with a Chinese company, there would have been no cause for him to resign. This will only add to accusations that we (the UNP) are insensitive and are belittling the armed forces. When they reached Alimankada (Elephant Pass) during operations in the North, we said they had gone to Pamankade in Colombo. Another was how they referred to LTTE held Thoppigala in the east, which had an LTTE concentration, as a desolate area with rocks when it was re-captured.

Fonsekas closing words to a journalist at the news conference were a question  Heta rata gini ganee ney  the country will be on fire tomorrow noh!

The first serving General in the Sri Lanka Army not only won the title of Field Marshal but had other successes on the political bargaining table. He also designed his new uniform, baton and other paraphernalia. Thereafter, he declared that he would now be a serving officer until death and would thus draw a higher salary compatible with his rank. The perks including commandos to guard him, a pay to play his role as Field Marshal occasionally and politician at most other times have all come as a launching pad to accuse officers who served under him for committing war crimes. In the military, senior officers described his comments with the usual military adage; unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman.

Fonseka, however, is unconcerned and continues his tirade. He called a member of the Buddhist clergy who criticised him as a fool in robes. In doing his latest war dance, he has won new friends. The latest is the Transitional Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), a body that seeks a separation of Sri Lanka and is led by a New York lawyer, who has praised Fonseka for his remarks.

It is only an investigation that could formally and conclusively establish Fonsekas belated but undisclosed claims. The Governments stony silence is deafening and does no good for those men in uniform who fought to defeat a deadly enemy. They are now made to look political pawns in the hands of a Field Marshal cum Minister cum politician. That role, without doubt, is also unique and the only one of its kind in the entire world. Others holding the title of Field Marshal are not politicians. That such situations do little or no good to the integrity of the armed forces is one thing. It is another when they are encouraged by politicians of all hues only to obtain votes at an election is another.

Local polls and SLFP

Fonsekas tirade came in a week which saw increased political activity in many spheres. As revealed last week, amendments are being hurriedly drafted to make changes to laws governing Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas. Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya has told the Supreme Court which is examining the constitutionality of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution that some clauses are being further amended. President Sirisena chaired a meeting of the Sri Lanka Freedom Partys Central Committee on Wednesday night to discuss the upcoming local government and provincial council elections.

He declared that all members of the party, irrespective of their divisions, could contest under the party name and symbol. The meeting came amidst moves to switch sides by five SLFP parliamentarians supporting Sirisena, including a Minister. A few others, however, have put on hold their decision until the end of the budget debate. Sirisena last Sunday also addressed the SLFPs 66th anniversary rally in Campbell Park. The main thrust of his speech was how he avoided sanctions on Sri Lanka by the international community and saw through the withdrawal of the EU fishing ban and the restoration of the GSP plus. On the subject of restoring GSP, a team is in Sri Lanka reviewing whether the undertakings given by the Government have been fulfilled. Despite claims by organisers that 2,000 buses were used to draw crowds, the turnout fell short of the unprecedented crowds at Galle Face Green for the Joint Opposition rally on May Day.

Deadline on constitutional reforms

Another significant development this week was the Wednesday (September 6) deadline for all political parties to submit their proposals on the planned constitutional changes. The proposals had to be submitted to the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly. Such proposals from political parties are based on the updated interim report which the Committee circulated on August 8.

The pro-Sirisena SLFP submitted an eight page document and urged the Steering Committee to publish its response as an annexure to the Committees upcoming report. The document in Sinhala has been signed by Nimal Siripala de Silva, Susil Premjayantha and Dilan Perera.

As exclusively revealed in these columns periodically, the pro-Sirisena SLFP has sought to retain the Executive Presidency in any constitutional changes to be made. Titled the EXECUTIVE, in the document, an English translation explains the reasons: The opinion of the SLFP is that complete abolition of the Executive Presidency, that is present today is not wise. Considering various terrorist and extremist activities that happen in various countries in the world, the SLFP believes a President should be elected directly from the public mandate with a certain amount of powers to protect the unitary status of the country and to keep and to protect the stability of the country specially in a situation where a large volume of power is granted to the Provincial Councils.

Thereby every ethnic group of the country without narrow ethnic, religious problems gets a political power by selecting a president and gets the opportunity to become a member of the presidential election process, and hence, it becomes a practical method for national reconciliation.

The President who is elected, should be the chief of the Cabinet of Ministers, and the opportunity to hold the ministerial portfolios regarding national security, Tri forces and Police should be definitely guaranteed for him.

We agree to the fact that (in the 10th Paragraph) of the draft, that not to dissolve Parliament during the first four and half years of the Parliament, except for a special situation. But it should be further discussed under which circumstances Parliament can be dissolved in between that time period. However, while implementing the concept that a government made of a majority of public representatives should govern the country, the constitution should be made ensuring opportunities for the public representatives to remove a government democratically.

The SLFP proposes that the number of ministers should be restricted to 30 and the number of State and Deputy Ministers should be restricted to 30 by the Constitution and, ministries should be divided scientifically and those ministerial portfolios should be included to the Constitution along with the subject.

The SLFP strongly believes the Prime Minister should be selected based on the Westminster method. Other proposals regarding the selection of the Prime Minister that do not suit, should be removed.

The SLFP position over the Executive Presidency, described under the heading EXECUTIVE, has some important political connotations. If it is accepted, it will be Maithripala Sirisena who will contest for the second time the presidential elections in 2020. His main rival thus will be UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. The provisions also underscore the SLFP leaderships disappointment over a key issue  the inability to dissolve Parliament and seek a fresh mandate. This is why the SLFP is seeking a further discussion on the current constitutional provision prohibiting dissolution of Parliament until a government had completed four and half years. Its plea that it should be further discussed under which circumstances the Parliament can be dissolved in between that time period reflects the current political mood. There is disenchantment among SLFP members over their relationship with the UNP and that has been made known to President Sirisena. However, he is now not armed constitutionally to take a decisive step in the form of a parliamentary election. More so at a time when the UNPs fortunes are on a dip.

Some of the other highlights in the SLFP proposals:

CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL: The SLFPs opinion is that a study should be conducted again regarding the composition of the Constitutional Council based on the way the Constitutional Council acted, the efficiency of the members and public opinion.

It should be reviewed how much of the expected function has been fulfilled from the Constitutional Council established under the current Constitution. Therefore, there should be re-think regarding the appointing process of the composition of the Constitutional Council.

PRINCIPLES FOR DEVOLUTION OF POWER: The SLFP is in agreement to the proposal to devolve powers to the local government institutions as proposed by the drafting committee.

However, it cannot be agreed to have Divisional Secretary offices based on ethnic composition as it could lead to communal disharmony and would be an obstacle to maintain ethnic and religious reconciliation.

The main unit to devolve powers should be the Province. There is agreement to implement the 13th Amendment on devolving powers. The SLFP is in agreement that the unit to devolve powers should be the province. There should be no entitlement to amalgamate two or more provinces and create a province. The SLFP proposes that any existing opportunity of such amalgamation mentioned in the Constitution and the provincial council laws should be removed. The proposal on creating Jana Sabha units should be further discussed.

INTER PROVINCIAL CO-OPERATION: The concept of inter-provincial co-operation is accepted, but collective decisions and amalgamation of provinces should not take place.

PROTECTION AGAINST SEPARATION: It should be clearly stated about the unitary status and mention made that the country remains undivided and cannot be divided. The Constitution should mention that it will be a serious offence to declare a part of the country as a separate state. The Constitution should also mention that extremist ideas based on community or religion are prohibited.

GOVERNOR: The SLFP is not in agreement with the proposal that the Governor should only perform ceremonial functions. The Governor, under the Constitution should be vested with powers as a representative of the President to act in instances when the Provincial Council is defunct, in the event of the collapse of law and order situation, in a situation where peaceful environment needs to be maintained or if there is an any attempt to break away from the Central Government. The power for the Governor to act immediately, to reject if any attempt is made by a Provincial Council or a Chief Minister to violate the unitary status of the country or declare a separate state or an autonomous region should be vested with him. The position that the constitutionality of certain Provincial Council resolutions should be decided upon by a Supreme Court appointed Constitutional Court is accepted.

NATIONAL SECURITY OR LAND NEEDED FOR SECURITY PURPOSES: The paragraph (17) relating to this, should be amended, as based on the advice of the Prime Minister or with or without his advice when the President is satisfied with it.

Paragraph (18) which said it should be based on the advice of the Prime Minister should be removed.

The Executives decisions taken regarding national security or lands for security purposes, should not be challenged in any courts, is the opinion of the SLFP.

= SECOND CHAMBER: There is an agreement in principle regarding the establishment of a second assembly. The process of selecting members should be democratic and demonstrate public consent. We agree with the concept that those members should be well known and honest among public and have showcased their professional talents.

The stance of the SLFP is that the Second Chamber should comprise 36 members who will be selected from Provincial Council representation and 19 members selected from Parliament representation. It is appropriate to appoint two members of the Second Chamber as members of the Cabinet of Ministers.

PUBLIC SECURITY: (i) should read as when enforcing an emergency, the President (ii) In this paragraph, the word Prime Minister should be amended as President. However, in both of the above situations those decisions should not be subjected to a court review. As it is not practical to get Parliamentary approval to declare emergency law when the President is advised to declare it by the Governor of a province, our stance is that it is not necessary. (iii) We can agree to the facts in the lines (from 1 to 12) but for that the President should be given the power to enforce, with or without the advice of the Prime Minister. (iv) Such a declaration should not be subjected to Parliament approval or court review. Therefore the SLFP does not agree to that paragraph.

STRENGTHENING WOMENS RIGHTS: The SLFP strongly believes that a procedure should be prepared by reviewing the results of the Provincial Council elections and the background, to strengthen womens rights in the Constitution and to give a higher representation for women in Parliament. In addition the SLFP believes a principal provision should be included in the Constitution to strengthen rights of women and children. The facts related to this procedure should be included in the Constitution after broad discussions.

It is clear from the document forwarded by the SLFP for constitutional changes, the party is seeking to reduce the role of a Prime Minister. This is by deleting new provisions that have been included.

The Joint Opposition too has handed in its set of proposals. A new body Eliya under the leadership of former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa vowed this week to campaign against the constitutional changes. All JO leaders were present at the inaugural meeting in Boralesgamuwa on Wednesday.

The weeks political developments make clear that challenges for President Sirisena are on the rise. He has to resolve the uncertainty over local government and provincial council elections in the light of the ongoing amendments to laws. Those polls will sure be the first major test for his coalition government. This is whilst coping with the fallout from a bond scam and other mega deals where allegations of corruption are on the rise.
Have we reached a turning point in our export performance? View(s):

Are we seeing the end of the gloomy trade tunnel? Does the four consecutive months of increasing export earnings mean that we have reached a turning point in our export performance? This depends on whether export earnings will continue to increase in the second half of the year.

A continued surge in exports could reduce this years trade deficit if this increasing trend in exports gains momentum and imports do not increase much in the second half of the year. It is imperative that this years trade deficit is contained around US$9 billion by increased exports and a restraint on imports.

Export growth

In June 2017 export earnings increased for the fourth consecutive month to nearly US$1 billion (US$987 million) compared to June last year. This 9.6 per cent increase, compared to that of June last year, was owing to a growth in both industrial and agricultural exports. While industrial exports contributed about 77 per cent to this increase, agricultural exports contributed about 21 percent.

Earnings from industrial exports grew by 9.8 per cent to US$750 million in June 2017. Interestingly transport equipment increased by nearly sevenfold to US$54 million, compared to the corresponding month in 2016, owing to the export of two ships to Singapore. Rubber products and petroleum products contributed significantly to the growth in industrial exports. Exports of rubber products increased by 15.4 per cent in June 2017, while export earnings from food and beverages increased by more than two fold.

Garments

Most disappointing however was the export performance of garments that declined by 7.5 per cent to US dollars 398 million in June 2017. This decrease was due to a decline in garment exports to the USA and EU. In the first half of this year garment exports declined by 5.6 percent to only US$2.4 billion. As garments are the countrys main manufactured export accounting for about 40 per cent of total exports, this drop in exports is ominous. Earnings from leather, travel goods and footwear and gem, diamond and jewellery also declined during June.

Tea exports

Earnings from agricultural exports increased by 8.3 per cent in June 2017 to US$232 million owing to higher exports of tea. Tea export earnings increased by 13.7 per cent to US$139 million owing to higher tea prices, despite the decline in volume by 9.5 per cent. The average export price of tea exports increased by 25 percent in June 2017 from that of June 2016. In the first half of the year tea exports increased by 17.8 percent to US$728 million mainly due to improved international prices. The trend of increasing international prices of tea augurs well for the countrys exports.

Other agricultural exports

Earrings from minor agricultural crops also increased by 30.8 per cent during the month. However, earnings from exports of spices declined 12.9 percent, mainly due to the decline in both export volume and prices of pepper, nutmeg and mace despite a significant increase in exports of cinnamon and cloves.

Seafood exports

A significant development was the continued growth in earnings from seafood exports in June 2017. This enhancement in sea food exports is no doubt due to the benefit of the removal of the ban on exports of fisheries products to the EU market. Consequently, earnings from seafood exports increased by 17.4 per cent to US dollars 15 million in June 2017. Exports to the EU market doubled.

First half

In the first half of this year export earnings increased by 5.2 percent compared to the first half of last year to reach US$5.4 billion. Agricultural exports increased by 18.3 percent and industrial exports increased by 1.5 percent. The revival of both industrial and agricultural exports in the last four months was responsible for this improved performance. A significant feature of the export performance was the increase in tea exports by 17.8 percent owing to mainly improved international prices.

Trade Balance

The trade deficit contracted to US$554 million in June 2017 compared to US$775 million in June 2016. This decrease in the trade deficit was due to the export growth and decline in imports of consumer and intermediate goods. This improvement in the June trade performance is significant as the export growth was accompanied by a decline in imports of consumer and intermediate goods. During previous months when there were gains in exports, higher imports wiped out these gains and the trade balance was in deficit.

While the trade deficit narrowed slightly in June, the trade deficit in the first half increased by about half a million US dollars. The trade deficit in the first half of the year increased from US$4.2 billion in the first half of 2016 to US$4.7 billion in the first half of this year. Despite the export growth in the first half of this year, the trade deficit has been a record high. It is hoped that an improved export performance in the second half would be accompanied with restrains in imports to reduce the trade balance to around US$9 billion this year.

Cautious optimism

Although the four consecutive months of increasing exports is an encouraging sign, there are fundamental weaknesses in the export performance. Garments that are the main industrial export has decreased. Similarly other industrial exports are still to see a resurgence.

In contrast, agricultural exports have increased significantly owing to better prices. This is especially so with respect of the countrys main agricultural export, tea. The indications are that this increasing trend would continue owing to an improvement in international tea prices and higher tea production with the onset of better weather.

Sea food exports that have progressively increased with the lifting of the EU ban is another prospect for increased export earnings. Export of rubber products is another item that is likely to increase in export earnings. There is no certainty that the significant exports of ships in June would continue.

Weakness

Despite the recent improvement in exports, the countrys industrial export capacity is inadequate. The dearth of foreign investment in manufactures and the low tech capacity of the workforce, among other factors, require to be addressed to ensure a significant growth in export earnings. The country must follow an export led economic strategy to avoid balance of payments crises.
Such clever chaps run our palanaya View(s):

Who wants education qualifications to make laws for our nation when those who have made them much of the time have done so without the paper certificates? Readers might remember that earlier this year a former chancellor of Peradeniya University lamented that 94 of Sri Lankas current crop of MPs do not have the GCE O Levels and only 25 out of the 225 MPs are graduates.

Where those between such worthies have landed under our free-education system was not mentioned. Anyway who cares, really? Only a few weeks ago there was a ho ha (whether true or not one does not know yet) about a leaked question paper and the resort to electronic devices to get answers to questions from experts waiting somewhere else all hooked up to transmit the good news.

There have been numerous stories of leaked question papers down the ages. But this seems the first time that modern technology has supposedly been put to practical use in this sort of well-rehearsed exercise. If it is true that the so-called offender was a student of a well-known college in a wealthy Colombo zone which has been very much in the news for disce-ing aut all sorts of types that now fill ministerial and administrative posts, it probably comes as little surprise to some of our citizenry.

So what value could one place on such paper qualifications? That, anyway, has been a perennial excuse trotted out by those failed to pass fellows who enter politics as the only available recourse to public prominence and duty free vehicles. Moreover they could make more money in the shortest possible time from a political career unless, of course, they dabble in treasury bond bids.

They may not be graduates who passed out of universities but they sure have graduated into other more lucrative enterprises that have brought them ownership of luxury houses in expensive residential areas or apartment blocks that have risen sky high with assets that seem to have fallen from heaven or other less known places.

But then there are those clever law makers  or as some call them low makers  who are blessed with tons of grey cells and do come up with such bright ideas that they light up our evenings even when the electricity boys knock off the power supply because someone or something has blown up the local transmitter or the GMOA has provided sufficient shocks to send the nation into a coma.

Take the case of that bright spark, a relative new comer to that game called politics, who emerged with such a fascinating idea that it would have surely agitated the entire animal kingdom not to mention our conservationists and others with similar propensities.

With that great horde of UNP yahapalanites who descended from places of higher learning such as Harvard, Oxford and Peradeniya, not to mention Law College, to keep the partys wheels churning out more and more intellectual grist to turn what is todays comical into tomorrows miracle, who needs more certificated asses to clog Colombos sewer system.

Some have such a natural proclivity to do what Archimedes did running naked along the streets of Syracuse to make public his discovery. That is if history has not taken mankind for a rough ride as promising politicians do to us today whenever a great thought strikes them like a blinding light.

Thankfully when this particular idea was uttered our great thinker was reportedly seated at a meeting in Balangoda and had no opportunity to resort to Archimedean exhibitionism even if he wished to. Particularly since the law does not permit such public displays whether the gem of an idea which suddenly flashed upon deputy minister Karunaratne Paranavithana merited running down the high street of this gem-studded town.

Deputy minister Paranavithana now trying to bring development skills to the people of the country together with vocational training after his efforts to impose some ethical standards on our media, has come up with a solution to what has come to be known as the elephant-human conflict. One does not think that needs much explanation as there have been several news stories about some farmers and poachers killing elephants and elephants killing people.

Anyway the elephant-human conflict is nothing new. It has been going on ever since the elephant party which has run this country for several decades since independence has been in regular conflict with the people it ruled over.

Many are the tales I have heard from UNP leaders themselves over the years that several chapters have been reserved to recall some that have been titled under the generic name Ali Veda. One of the classic tales came from Junius Richard Jayewardene better known as JR to most people and Dickie to his school mates such as Colvin R. de Silva. That concerned the power struggle between JR and Dudley Senanayake when Junius Richard was trying to take control of the Working Committee and oust Dudley from the leadership of the elephant party.

It is a hilarious story that involves elephants and Napoleonic strategy employed by JR. But that fascinating story must remain to be told another day. What is of greater concern now is Deputy Minister Paranavithanas attempts to rid our country of what he calls excess elephants.

Mr. Paranavithana claims that there are too many wild elephants in the country and the excess should be sold abroad so they could be exported. Like the animals in Noahs Ark the elephants will go out two by two as selling one animal to an individual or zoo would be harmful to the elephant.

Moreover bringing up domesticated animals in cold climates would be hardly conducive to the physical health and even the psychological health of isolated animals. While the deputy ministers innovative genius might be comparable to Thomas Edisons making of the electric bulb and Alexander Graham Bells invention of the first practical telephone, the UNP claiming to be a democratic party one wonders whether this great promoter of elephant-human amity gave a thought to the feeling of the elephants.

Shipping the wild pachyderms out of their natural habitats without a scintilla of concern to the well being of the animals is hardly a Buddhist or humane way of dealing with a problem that is largely man-made. What is worse is that Deputy Minister Paranavithana is also reported to have said that wild boar and monkeys who are probably destroying farmers chena cultivations and crops and a general nuisance to people should be killed and the law should be amended to permit this.

So what does Paranavithana suggest the people should do  go out and throttle the beasts? Surely if they are to be killed  which is a highly un-Buddhist act anyway  farmers and others would have to be given the right to carry firearms or other weapons of destruction.

One hopes that this ideas man does not seek the assistance of North Koreas Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un for a couple of missiles to knock off a tribe of monkeys from tree tops in Anuradhapura or Kataragama. There are already enough people walking around with guns and shooting others. Some of them do not even have licenses for their weapons. If Paranavithanas grand idea is to be implemented we will well see a proliferation of weapons which will probably be used to kill each other, not to eliminate animals.

It is already known that farmers and poachers use poisons to kill animals. If the deputy ministers extended idea that the flesh of the animals should be permitted to be sold could well result in people who devour the flesh dying of poisoned food leading to Dr (dentist) Rajitha Senaratne having to fight tooth and nail not only the GMOA but the grand thought of a member of his elephant party who wants to rid the country of wild elephants while retaining the domesticated ones that now inhabit the UNP.

Perhaps Paranavithana has forgotten that much of this elephant-human conflict could be traced to the destruction of our forests with the help or direct involvement of politicians in illicit felling of trees for unconscionable profit. So the elephants and other wildlife have a diminishing habitat as the two-legged animals called politicians assist in such craven acts against endangered species.

Perhaps the deputy minister might be reminded that in the last 100 years or so our elephant population has diminished by 50 percent or more. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed our elephant Elephas Maximus Maximus as an endangered species.

Would it not be far better if we exported some of the two-legged elephants of the UNP than the far more useful four-legged ones that often lose their limbs to the contraptions planted by the ones with two legs but little brains?

Perhaps Paranavithana is not aware that some generals of Alexander the Greats army found the Sri Lanka elephant far more warlike than the Indian ones employed by the Greek army and imported them aboard on specially-manufactured crafts to join Alexanders army.

Unfortunately our elephants have now lost their will to fight what with more warlike humans allegedly committing war crimes and other international offences. Just a month or so ago five elephants were rescued by the navy and wildlife officials on two occasions from the seas off Trincomalee. Perhaps they had already got a whiff of the wise idea of the deputy minister to send them packing and thought of risking the ocean waters rather than fall into the hands of a deputy minister dedicated to developing skills of one kind or another.

Surely the deputy minister knows that elephants are reputed to have long memories and are unlikely to forget. If not he should ask his party boss who has a long memory.
Tied down in all the wrong places View(s):

My dear Lalith,

I thought I must write to you when I heard the news that you had been sent to prison for one and a half years for something that you are supposed to have done while you were serving as Mahinda maamas secretary a few years ago. I am told that you were also fined some fifty million rupees by the court.

The news came as a shock to most people. That was because you had earned a reputation of being an honest and decent public servant in almost forty years of service as an administrative officer. You had served in many capacities and being the Big Bosss secretary was the crowning glory in your career.

We are told that you were found guilty because you took money, some six hundred million rupees, from a government institution and used that money to distribute sil redi to people during Mahinda maamas last election campaign, so he would get more votes at the election  which he lost, anyway.

We were told that the courts had established that you had done this and that what you did was wrong. However, even the court agreed that you had not taken the money for yourself. So, I suppose you were only carrying out orders from someone to find some money for Mahinda maamas campaign.

Surely, Lalith, you wouldnt have us believe that you walked into your office one morning and decided, let us distribute sil redi to all the upaasaka ammas in the country today? Im sure you got orders from someone  and yet, that someone who gave that order is free while you are in prison.

Or is it that you went ahead with the instructions you got, even though you probably knew what you were doing was not quite right? And was that because you, perhaps like everyone else, thought that Mahinda maama would win the election and everything would then be swept under the carpet?

I am not saying that what the courts decided was wrong. In fact, with this verdict, the court has sent a strong message to government officials. Now they know that if they carry out instructions of their political masters and engage in acts that are illegal it is they who will have to go to prison.

It means that government officials will think twice when their ministers  or even their President or Prime Minister- asks them to do something. If that prompts a change in the culture of officials saying yes, sir to everything that politicians ask them to do, that will be very good for the country.

Anyway, we are not sure whether we should be sad, happy or angry about what has happened, Lalith. That is because, two years ago, people voted Mahinda maama out of office and voted Maithri in to catch those who were corrupt and dishonest. That was the promise of the yahapaalanaya campaign.

It hasnt quite worked out that way, has it? It is now more than two and a half years since those promises were made and you are the first person to be sent to prison  and you are not a politician and even the courts say you didnt steal any money for yourself. That is why we are confused, Lalith.

So, there is something that is not quite right. That is the fact that while you have been sent to prison, the people who gave you those orders  and dozens of other politicians like them, who engaged in various acts of dishonesty  are still roaming the corridors of power as honourable members!

There was someone who appeared to own a mansion which ultimately did not have an owner, another was found to have distributed houses to his relatives and yet another, his former wife claimed, had more assets than what could be explained by his salary as a minister. Still, they are all scot-free!

In fact, what has been consistent about yahapaalanaya is its inconsistency. It wanted to punish ministers of the previous regime but the first victim was Ravi, one of its own. Of course, Ravi deserved everything he got, but he too must be wondering how he came to be the first victim!

I am sure we havent heard the last of this story, Lalith. We must hope that justice will be done for all those who have charges against them. As for you, if those who are responsible for the plight that you find yourself in today are ultimately held accountable, then some good will come out of all this.

Yours truly,

Punchi Putha

PS: On hearing of your predicament, Mahinda maama has said that you have been imprisoned because you were trying to help a Buddhist activity. I suppose he wants us to believe that it had nothing to do with his election. It reminds me of Ravi who wants us to believe that paying the rent for his apartment has nothing to with the sale of Central Bank bonds. No wonder they say unuth ekai, munuth ekai!
Tilting windmills at blathering politicians is no answer to rule of law failures View(s):

A former Army Commander or two jousting before the television cameras for sport, alleging war crimes against each other, is a seducing sight for public consumption. But this is not what the crisis of justice in Sri Lanka is all about.

No political or military leader can plead absolution

Indeed, these deeply cynical games distract attention from institutional failures that go to the heart of political and military responsibility. That fact must be properly understood for any reform process to even begin, whether in relation to war crimes or the failure of the Rule of Law in respect of ordinary crimes, as some may like to differentiate. And the less grandstanding there is in regard to these issues, the better.

One simple truth stands out. No Government is free of responsibility. No political or military leader can wash his or her hands of blood. It is a collective responsibility that comes into play here. So getting dazzled by allegations and counter-allegations are counter-productive. Accountability must be extracted, bit by bit, like drawing fire from an impossibly hard stone. If that lesson had been taken to heart from 2015 itself, probably we would be left with less ruination of the so-called peoples revolution to stare at now.

Certainly with all its talk since the unity Government came into power, it has taken little or no steps to redress a pervasive failure of justice. Refraining from overtly interfering with the judiciary does not suffice as an answer to critics though this does stand to its credit. Its party man to whom the Justice portfolio was handed to (until his ignominious departure recently) excelled in playing to the political gallery rather than mustering resources and public opinion for a concerted effort to address the problem.

An unfortunate state of affairs

It seemed incontrovertible that this inaction or in some cases, active collusion to subvert the course of the law was condoned by the United National Party. Evidence of its bad faith in the incident of the Central Bank bond scam and the subsequent attempt to cover-up was scandalous. On its part, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka also contributed precious little to actual policy reform on pervasive failures of justice, apart from holding donor funded talk-shops. Now its main focus appears to be leveling threats of contempt of court when criticisms are leveled against judges and lawyers.

This is truly an unfortunate state of affairs. And the tragedy is that even in cases where convictions are handed down after long and agonizing struggles, the cause of justice is not served. Earlier last month, the United Nations Human Rights Committee handed down a Communication of Views under the Optional Protocol procedure to the International Civil and Political Rights Covenant which illustrated this fact very well. The Protocol allows Sri Lankan citizens to come before the Committee if there has been any violation of Covenant rights. From one perspective, this was a typically run-of-the-mill case. On the other hand, it presents in a nutshell exactly where the systemic breakdowns occur in this country with extraordinary clarity.

In this instance, a seventeen year old Indian Tamil girl had been abducted and raped by two men belonging to the Sinhalese community in 2001. It took her close to fourteen years to obtain a judgment from the Kandy High Court convicting the perpetrators and sentencing them to twenty-three years of imprisonment. Before the Committee, her complaint was that even despite the conviction, the violations that she had to suffer remained unaddressed and that the States legal remedies at the domestic level were highly ineffective.

A classic litany of all that is wrong

Her complaint reads like the classical litany of all that is wrong with Sri Lankas justice system. Though she filed a complaint for rape at the Talawakelle police station on 14 August 2001, she was forced to make her statement through an unofficial interpreter translating into Sinhala, since no facilities to record her statement in Tamil were provided. She was then taken to the Kotagala hospital and subsequently to the Nuwara Eliya hospital, from where she was discharged later. The medical records clearly indicated that this was a case of rape.

The victim identified both perpetrators, who were held on police remand. Non-summary proceedings were initiated but both suspects were released on bail. During the hearing, the victims character was denigrated. No mention was made of the fact that she was a minor at the time of the offence. After more than three years, the Magistrates Court concluded that there was sufficient evidence to charge the alleged perpetrators and referred the case to the Attorney General following which indictment was filed in 2006 against the accused.

After this, the record reflects interminable postponements before court due to various reasons. At several points, this was because the prosecution had failed to produce the evidence or the prosecuting state counsel was absent. Then again, postponements were due to the absence of a permanent judge or because all the evidence had not yet been received by Court. The case was thereafter transferred to the High Court of Nuwara Eliya and then again postponed several times. At other points, the accused (who were continually out on bail) failed to be present or the case was out off on the request of the lawyers for the accused.

Time to address systemic problems of justice

In the meantime, the victim stated that she never failed to attend hearings, and she has not been responsible for any of the delays. She detailed her physical harm and psychological trauma. In addition, she and the members of her family had been continually harassed by the two perpetrators out on bail, who had tried to intimidate her into withdrawing her complaint.

In consideration of the complaint, the Committee found that the victims equality rights before the law and equal protection of the law had been violated. The Committee concluded also that the State partys failure to conduct a prompt and an effective investigation also violated Sri Lankas obligations under the Covenant.

This is just one of virtually hundred such cases which have either been denied justice or where the victims have waited so long that a conviction by itself, fails to bring any relief or redress systemic problems. It is time that the Bar Association directs its collective mind to policy reforms that correct such pervasive failures of justice rather than titling windmills at blathering politicians who talk of corrupt judges and lawyers.
V2025 success is in its implementation View(s):

The President and Prime Minister coming in one car for the launch of V2025 (Vision 2025), the blueprint for the future of a rich Sri Lanka was clearly to deliver a message. We are in this together  till 2025.

This was against all the evidence to the contrary that the two coalition partners of the National Unity Government, viz., the SLFP and the UNP were drifting further and further apart and only on a holding operation till the end of this year. The more than symbolic coming together as it were at the BMICH on Monday, was also in the immediate afterglow of the SLFPs 66th year convention the previous day where President Maithripala Sirisena told his followers that there is now a Government that talks in one voice. In Hakmana the same day, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa told that faction of the SLFP opposed to Mr. Sirisenas leadership that the party had sold its soul to the UNP under the incumbent President.

How much President Sirisenas heart is in V2025 remains in question. He hardly spoke on economic issues in a Q and A session that day. His backers in the SLFP openly voice opposition to the UNPs economic policies of privatisation. Had V2025 received the endorsement of the SLFP convention the previous day, it would have added more weight to this eight-year plan, but that might have been political hara-kiri for the President vis-a-vis his own party.

He has had to, from time to time, pull the reins on the UNPs economic initiatives, and he has not always been wrong. The lack of transparency behind some of the UNP moves, especially through the CCEM (Cabinet Committee on Economic Management) headed by the Premier has resulted in the President neutralising it with a National Economic Council, which he now chairs himself.

The bane of post-Independence politics in Sri Lanka has been what A/Level economics students were taught as the thattu maru system. This has its origins in the Tamil lexicon for shared agricultural cultivation practices among different owners, especially brothers who tilled the land the way they wanted when they had ownership of the property for a given period with no long-term consistency. It was the same with political parties when in power doing what they wanted while undoing what the previous occupants had done.

Thus, at least this Government is trying to show there will be long-term consistency in economic policy. The whole world has moved away from the State monopolising the commanding heights of the economy; the best example being China. The second biggest capital-driven economy in the world today now advocates global free trade with Communism only a facade. Once Marxist-Leninist Russia is not far behind.

While a common economic plan is essential for economic development, equally so is an economy which is not riddled with corruption at the top. The State-private sector status quo was maintained during the Rajapaksa era but they put this country into a debt trap like never before. From next year (2018) when repayment of the loans taken by them start kicking in, to the tune of US$ 4 billion by 2019  reaching nearly 80 % of GDP, Sri Lanka will become an outlier among its rating peers in the words of V2025.

In the midst of this impending debt crisis, the country has fallen into continuing reports of further loans and inflated Government infrastructure projects be they the now nearly aborted Jaffna housing project or the Central Expressway.

V2025 frequently refers to a social market economy and emphasises the role of the private sector and of the PPP (Public-Private-Partnership formula) to deliver a million new jobs and a per capita income of US$ 5,000 by 2025. Notwithstanding President Sirisenas presence at the launch of V2025, the SLFP has yet to give its imprimatur to it, as a party. The proof of the V2025 pudding will be in its implementation  long-term.

Thus, the nagging question among diplomats who attended the launch of V2025 was the stability and the longevity of this Government beyond December 31 this year  not 2025.

Breaking the glass ceiling in local government councils

For a country that received the right for women to vote even before Independence, and also produced the worlds first woman Prime Minister, it is an irony that her Parliament had to legislate to bring a minimum quota of women to fill the seats of local government councils in the future.

The Chairman of the Elections Commission also lamented the fact. He said the countrys female population was 52 percent, but their representation in local bodies was less than 2 percent. When asked by an interviewer if this would only see more sisters and wives of male politicians fill those seats, he reacted sharply by saying if it is in order for sons and siblings of male politicians to do so, what was the issue with the ladies doing the same.

But of course, he did not justify this in the overall sense and said that there must be a wider spread across the socio-economic and professional spectrum for representation in local councils  and even in Parliament for both male and females. The fact that there has been a general decline in the quality of peoples representatives is widely spoken of leading to disillusionment among young adults in particular.

The fault lies both with political parties who pick candidates who can win elections by hook or by crook  and the voters who vote for them and later repent at what folly they have committed.

Western countries that actively push for this gender-equality agenda in countries such as Sri Lanka where they believe women are oppressed and not given their due place in public affairs, dont have such quota systems. Not that womens representation in their legislatures is on par with their population ratio. The US refused to elect a woman President. In Canada and France it is fashionable to pack a Cabinet of Ministers with women and the male PM gets the kudos for it. India last week promoted a woman Minister to the high-profile job of the countrys Defence Minister and PM Narendra Modi has become the darling of women activists.

With quota systems  be they in university entrance or employment (they did away with a much talked of quota for youth for local councils), merit takes a back seat. However in the case of Parliament, there is very little to argue with the existing system of so-called merit for entry. Therefore, in such a context, a 25 percent womens representation in local bodies cannot be anything worse than what prevails.

One only hopes, political parties will not have to drag women from their homes to contest simply to fill this new quota with the promise of duty-free car permits and other perks and privileges associated with elected representatives who serve themselves rather than the people they are supposed to serve.
Building up underprivileged communities By Purnima Pilapitiya Founder and director of Sahana Sri Lanka, young changemaker Indira Kithsiri speaks to the Mirror Magazine View(s): View(s):

August found Indira Kithsiri flying in to Sri Lanka to sit on the jury for the E-Swabhimani 2017 Digital Social Impact Awards. The award, which recognizes the best locally developed e-content and application seems like the perfect scenario for Indira, whose own entrepreneurial spirit took her from being a 21 year old undergrad to working with the World Economic Forum in India and the South Asia region, co-authoring a book and launching her own charity foundation concerned with community and regional development in Sri Lanka.

Although Indiras life began in the Swiss alps, her connection to Sri Lanka was always very strong. Born to a Swiss mother and Sri Lankan father with a background working in the hotel industry. My mother gave me a very strict education but always provided me with fantastic opportunities to grow at the same time, she says, recalling her Montessori teacher mothers insistence towards her studies while encouraging the youngsters passions and pursuits. As a result I took her advice and always tried to accomplish the craziest dreams I had.

With her fathers move to Switzerland, he began an Indian food catering business and Indira would relish spending time with him in the kitchen cooking till late in the night. Fast forward a few years and his influence would help Indira on her route to her higher studies in hotel management.

I always wanted to find ways to improve the living conditions and increase educational opportunities of underprivileged children and women, Indira discloses, a yearning that was always at the back of her mind. In the wake of the 2004 tsunami disaster, the then 21 year old saw her dream transformed into a reality. She launched SAHANA in 2005, a nonprofit organization that would empower local communities and promote sustainability. This invaluable and enriching experience has profoundly inspired me on the importance of giving back to society and generated innumerable rewards along my journey. In addition, Indira has also completed her third year with the World Economic Forum where she is a member of the Indian and South Asian team responsible for overseeing the Forums engagement and community development within the region. Her primary focus, she tells us is developing regionally focused strategies and value propositions for governments, creating and managing regional projects, organizing and delivering innovative summits or project workshops.

For the social entrepreneur being a part of the forum has offered her exceptional learning opportunities, cultivated her leadership skills, and provided her with different perspectives that have allowed her to bring another dimension to her work.

Always one to absorb whatever she learns completely, her experiences have also helped Indira with her latest project- co-authoring a book. I never thought I would write a book in my life! she admits. The chance to mix a new challenge together with her continuous desire to help and motivate arrived with an introduction to Hashendra Wijesinha, through a friend, who would become her co-author. Having become close friends over the last year, my collaboration with him was born out of our closely aligned interests and aspirations to establish a non-profit organization focusing on mentoring young Sri Lankans in the areas of entrepreneurship, personal and career development, specifically for youth from disabled and low socio-economic backgrounds.

The book project- still a work in progress features an array of Sri Lankan personalities from different fields selected through an online nomination process on their website www.iaminspired.lk. Now with the nomination process officially closed, they are now in the process of identifying candidates for the final line-up.

Her favourite story she discloses is that of Chandima Rajapatirana, the founder of EASE Foundation who will be featured in the chapter Human Rights & Philanthropy. Diagnosed with non-verbal autism at the age of four years, Chandima was finally able to communicate after 18 years of silence. His work as a poet, writer and advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and his Foundation are what moved Indira who is always drawn to changing attitudes and reaching wide audiences.

Balancing so many projects and continually looking for other avenues of engaging in humanitarian work that she loves so much has never once overwhelmed her.

Be truly passionate and optimistic, maintain an entrepreneurial spirit, have faith and remain grateful for what you have, she explains.For Indira, a life with meaning is the ultimate prize. She echoes her mothers words to her while growing up- the most important thing in life is to follow your passion and not to worry too much about convention and what people would say.
2 die in hit-and-run crash: Lal Sirisena remanded View(s):

A driver going by the name of Lal Sirisena of Polonnaruwa was remanded yesterday till Monday after he surrendered to police over a hit-and-run accident which left two brothers dead when his jeep ran over the motorcycle they were riding on the Polonnaruwa-Hingurakgoda road.

The incident had occurred at 1.20 on Saturday morning at Ethumalpitiya. The two brothers were returning from hospital where one of them had justreceived treatment for the kidney disease (CKD) afflicting many farmers in the area. The jeep which was reported to be travelling at a speed of more than 140 kmph had knocked them down from behind.

The suspect, Pallewatta Gamaralalage Nenasiri Pragnaratna Sirisena alias Lal Sirisena is a well-known businessman in the area. Police said he had not stopped after the accident but surrendered himself later. The motorcyclist and his pillion rider, who sustained serious injuries in the incident, died after they were admitted to the Polonnaruwa Hospital. They were identified as L.M.J.M. Buddhadasa (59) and L.M.J.M. Jayaratne (44). They were residents of Yatiyalpathana, Kaudulla in Hingurakgoda.

Mr Buddhadasa was unmarried while Mr Jayaratne was a married father of two. Mr Buddhadasa was a kidney patient and had been on his way home last night with his brother from the Polonnaruwa Hospital after undergoing dialysis treatment when the incident occurred.

The suspect was produced before the Polonnaruwa Magistrates Court, where Acting Chief Magistrate Ruwan Kumara ordered him to be remanded in custody till September 11. Police headquarters in Colombo issued a press release last evening describing the accident without naming the suspect.
Central Expressway project: Rejected company re-enters through influence Japanese Government's advisor put pressure on Sri Lanka's Highways Minister View(s): View(s):

A Japanese Government advisor pressured Sri Lanka directly, including in writing, into giving a disqualified Japanese company a stake in the 134.9 billion rupee (nearly US$ 1 billion) third section of the Central Expressway (CEP III), a trail of documents show.

Earlier this year, Taisei Corporation was selected for the contract by a project committee (PC) and the Cabinet-appointed negotiating committee (CANC). This was approved by the Cabinet.

But in a decision taken in July, the Cabinet also decided to allow a second Japanese company named Fujita Corporation to form a consortium with Taisei to implement the project. Fujita was twice rejected by the PC and the CANC for not fulfilling basic, mandatory bidding criteria.

The Cabinet decision to permit a consortium was consequent to a letter from Shigeru Kiyama, Special Advisor to the Japanese Cabinet and Ambassador for Economic Cooperation on Quality Infrastructure Investment Promotion, to Sri Lankas Highways Minister backing Fujita for the project.

Throughout documents related to the projectincluding Cabinet memoranda, minutes of CCEM meetings, reports and other official letters seen by the Sunday Timesit is emphasised that the arrangement to involve Fujita in CEP III is due to the strong recommendation of the Japanese Government.

But confusingly, Kenichi Suganuma, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka, also wrote to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in May saying: The Government of Japan fully respects the Sri Lankan rules and procedures for tenders carried out by the Government of Sri Lanka, including for the Third Section of the Central Highway, and is in no position to raise objections to the results of a lawful tender procedure.

Fujitas offer had earlier been deemed non-responsive by technocrats. Bidders were required to have participated in at least one contract that was successfully or substantially completed within the past five years; that was similar to the proposed project; and where the value of the bidders participation exceeded US$ 600 million (Rs 91 billion). But, there was none worth the specified amount among projects Fujita had completed in the preceding five years. Its last project of more than US$ 600 million was finished in 1989.

The CEP III bidding documents mandated contractors to have been involved in eight key construction activities during the past five years: excavation, filling, rock blasting, aggregate base course, asphalt, concreting, two-lane viaducts and two-lane tunnels. Fujita only provided proof of three of these; that, too, not from a project completed during the past five years, as required.

The company failed to pass muster at, not one but, two evaluations with the PC even stating in the second instant that weakening criteria after submission of bids to qualify a certain bidder or bidders is not acceptable since it affects the transparency and consistency in the evaluation and selection procedure and hence will lead to criticism.

This newspaper reported in January that a large delegation from Japan, headed by an adviser to the Japanese Prime Minister, was in Sri Lanka to push through the CEP III tender. Information about other stages of the bidding process, including details of negotiations for more favourable lending terms, was also published at various times.

The tender for CEP III has been chaotic from the outset, with Road Development Authority (RDA) officials confessing anonymously that the Government insisted on rushing it through. The Highways Ministry eschewed transparent, competitive tenders from the outset and, on CCEM instructions, chose limited bids from Japanese companies claiming this was a prerequisite to securing concessional terms from Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd (BTMU). Such tenders are not advertised and other bidders typically do not know when they are floated.

Then, instead of opening the project out to all Japanese firms, the Highways Ministry asked the Japanese Embassy to nominate contractors. The Embassy came back with just three: Taisei Corporation, Penta Ocean Construction Co Ltd and Wakachiku Construction Co Ltd. It said they were recommended by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Sri Lanka but did not reveal selection criteria. It is not clear why the Embassy did not ask the Overseas Construction Association of Japan which, with 50 members and 43 associate members, promotes international cooperation and construction abroad.

In the first round, only Taisei Corporation submitted a bid. Penta Ocean Construction specialises in marine works and land reclamation, not road building. Wakachiku Construction has mostly been involved with bridge work in Sri Lanka. But Taiseis bid was rejected because it had neglected to submit the mandatory bid bond.

The Japanese Government expressed displeasure to its Sri Lankan counterpart at the cancellation of the bid. Prompted by the CCEM, the Highways Ministry then wrote to the Japanese Embassy requesting preselected companies to submit fresh bids within two weeks, complete with bid bonds. It was in this round that Fujita Corporation and Taisei submitted proposals.

There are other concerns about CEP III, which runs 32.5 kilometres from Pothuhera to Galagedara. The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has approved implementation of the project without waiting for the outcome of a series of vital geological surveys and tests. Consent was expedited due to the Governments focus on speed over caution.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for CE III clearly states that, while bore-hole tests were done during feasibility studies, further studies on geological and soil conditions around three proposed tunnels were necessary prior to implementation. There are 93 conditions attached to the CEAs licence.

CE III will be four-lane carriageway with four interchanges, 12 main bridges and 17 viaducts across the floodplains of three major riversRambukkan Oya, Kuda Oya and Kospothu Oya. It will have 106 culverts, 23 underpasses, 14 overpasses and three tunnels. Certain sections run through steep mountain slopes while others run across paddy fields and low-lying areas.

More than 1,162.5 acres occupied by 2,069 households (8,465 people) in 97 villages will be hit, requiring permanent relocation for 857 of them. The CEA has instructed the RDA to compensate for the loss of buildings and private lands, and to determine the entitlements of persons on a project-specific entitlement matrix based on the National Involuntary Resettlement Policy. The RDA has not followed the NIRP in recent years, opting to take over lands under emergency procedures that leave affected parties without compensation for years.
Report shows Lankas jails dens of corruption By Sandun Jayawardana Slain underworld leader maintained Facebook account while incarcerated View(s): View(s):

A notorious underworld leader killed when two prison buses were ambushed in Kalutara in February maintained a personal Facebook account while incarcerated and posted photographs of himself posing with prison officers, the report of a fact-finding committee states.

The report also held that there was widespread corruption in Sri Lankas jails and said the Prisons Department was doing nothing to root it out. Prison Reforms Minister D.M. Swaminathan appointed the committee to inquire into the ambush in Etanamadala. It left Aruna Udayanga Pathirana alias Samayang, four of his associates and two prison guards dead.

The report was handed over in May, at which time the Sunday Times filed an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act to obtain a copy. This was finally made available last month. A separate RTI application filed with the Department of Prisons for information about the quantity of mobile phones and drugs recovered in jails between 2011 and 2017 and number of prisons officers who were disciplined has gone unaddressed.

Prisons officers carried out illegal activities, including use of mobile phones inside prisons; making mobile phones available to prisoners; facilitating contact between prisoners, their cohorts and families; and conducting monetary transactions through ezcash and other systems.

Corruption allowed underworld-linked inmates to maintain contact with associates outside as well as plan, initiate and monitor crimes from inside, the report states. The drugs trade was also conducted from within. How many such corrupt officers have been punished by prisons authorities? the report asks.

Those responsible officers of whichever the positions are [sic] should be dealt (with) severely and if the authorities are not capable of doing this they should be removed from their positions and should see to an end of this menace, the committee recommends. The Ministry has a greater role in this.

There is ample evidence that corrupt officials make things worse in the prison environment, it adds. They should be dealt with severely. The prison police should be given sufficient authority to handle such officials and they should be mandated to take deterrent measures and protect the good name of the house of corrections.

The committee states that officers from Kalutara prison and the police believe information about the movements of Pathirana and his associates were leaked to the assailants from inside jail. Three other buses left prison on the same route at different times that morning.

The plan could not have been successfully managed without accurate detailssuch as date, time of departure, the route and its condition, where and how the suspects were positioned inside the bus and the precise time the two buses would reach the ambush sitebeing fed to attackers beforehand. But there is no mechanism now for the Prisons Department to gather information on how such details are being leaked.

A double-cab blocked the path of the bus and a group of attackers from an embankment on the left opened fire while another fired from the road. All had been clothed in police-like uniforms with decorations similar to those of police officers. Prison guards were not prepared to face the situation. The attackers studied the geography of the area. The route they took avoided almost all major roads.

Many mobile phones were found inside the Kalutara prison, officers told the Committee. Seizing of some of these instruments helped thwart a plot devised by Pathirana to kill his main rival Angoda Lokka. Pathirana was first housed in the E ward but was transferred to the A ward over suspicions that he was involved in clandestine activity. There was evidence he used mobile phones freely within prison.

Pathiranas second wife told the committee she spoke to him nearly every day while he was in prison. She said he used mobile phones given to him by friends and relatives who visited him. At other times, he used the phones of prisons officers. He was also said to be using Skype, Viber, etc, to have contact with women outside the jail. This should drive the authorities to find out what is exactly happening inside the prisons without simply denying, the committee asserts.

The illegal use of phones has become endemic within prisons, it continues.. Efforts such as forming a special unit to detect them and installing jamming units around Welikada have been ineffective. Pathirana had been wearing several items of jewellery including bracelets and rings. It is surprising that some prisoners and suspects are enjoying undue privileges in a place where the law should be enforced without any fear or favour, the committee observes.

The report highlights glaring security lapses that led to the death of seven people. Pathirana had survived an assassination attempt at the Kaduwela Magistrates Court in September 2015. There was a serious threat to his life but there was no preparedness. All five suspects were in one bus. A request for police protection, which should have been made at least 24 hours before the scheduled transport, was conveyed only 18 hours prior.

Officers leave records are incomplete. Reasons for obtaining leave are not clearly or are incorrectly recorded. At least 18 officers from the Kalutara prison were away on the day of the attack. Any change of the pattern in obtaining leave and surreptitious reasons given for leave, if any, should be investigated, the report emphasises.

Safety of the suspects is not limited to this kind of attacks but is a problem all the way to the courts, it states. Ordinary civilians, school children, office workers, private sector workers, all those who are going to earn a living and those who return home after the chores of the day are in danger in the absence of proper plans for prison transport.

This is the first incident of its kind, it points out. We cannot be complacent that this is the last. It may be the beginning. Therefore it is a challenging event. The underworld has tested and found that the prisons are a lackluster, languish [sic] or sluggish lot. They know the weak points of the Department of Prisons and the prisons establishments. It is therefore necessary for the Ministry to be forward-looking.

The committee was chaired by Rumy Marzook, former Magistrate and former Commissioner General of Prisons. Other members were former Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Defence S Medawewa and former Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) of Police Gamini Nawaratne.
By PTI: (Eds: With fresh inputs)

New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) India today agreed to extend further assistance to bolster the armed forces of Afghanistan as the two strategic partners decided to deepen security ties and work closely to combat the challenge of cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani, co-chairing the second meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council, deliberated extensively on security related challenges, noting that terrorism was the greatest threat to peace and stability in the region and beyond.

advertisement

"We remain united in overcoming the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe havens and sanctuaries to both our countries," Swaraj said at a joint media briefing with Rabbani.

A joint statement said both sides called for an end to all forms of support, state sponsorship, safe havens and sanctuaries to terrorists against Afghanistan, adding it was agreed to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.

"India agreed to extend further assistance for the Afghan national defence and security forces in fighting the scourge of terrorism, organised crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering," the statement said.

Afghanistan has faced a wave of terror attacks in the last few months and the proposed reconciliation and peace process is yet to make any progress.

Talking about Indias development assistance to the war- ravaged country, Swaraj said 116 new "high impact" development projects would be implemented jointly in 31 provinces of Afghanistan. The projects will be part of a next generation New Development Partnership.

Rabbani also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister emphasised that the two nations enjoyed a time-tested and friendly relationship and reiterated Indias abiding support for a united, sovereign, democratic, peaceful, stable, prosperous and pluralistic Afghanistan," said the statement.

In the talks, the Indian side reiterated its support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.

"We support national peace and reconciliation in an atmosphere free from violence and within the framework of Afghanistans Constitution," Swaraj said, reiterating that India would continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Afghanistan in realising their dreams.

Both Swaraj and Rabbani were clear in their references about terrorism emanating from Pakistan though they did not name the country.

Rabbani thanked India for its unflinching support for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

India has already invested over USD 2 billion in the reconstruction of Afghanistan in the last 15 years but has been adopting a cautious approach in supplying military hardware.

India has given four military helicopters to Afghanistan and imparted training to hundreds of Afghan security personnel.

Rabbani said the current regional situation brings Afghanistan and India closer to achieve their socio-economic goal and protect citizens.

advertisement

"The enabling environment for terrorism is directly linked to continued support they receive from outside of Afghanistan," he said.

He referred to "terrorists groups like LeT and JeM which have been launching attacks against India and indiscriminately killing civilians in this country and engaging in similar terrorist activities along with Taliban Al-Qaeda and Daesh in Afghanistan".

He said Afghanistans friendship with India or any other country does not mean hostility with others in the neighbourhood.

"Unlike others, Afghanistan has hardly sought security in the insecurity of others," he said.

Afghanistan, Rabbani added, is a landlocked country and its peace and prosperity are dependent on "those of our neighbours near and extended".

"That is why we reject zero sum approaches that undermine our collective security today and the years to come."

Both sides agreed to work towards the expeditious operationalisation of the Chahbahar Port in cooperation with Iran. The Afghan side welcomed the imminent commencement of wheat shipments of 170,000 metric tonnes from India to Afghanistan via the Chahbahar Port.

The joint statement said liberalisation of visa measures by India for Afghan nationals, including the decision to grant up to five-year multiple entry business visas, was welcomed as a measure that would promote bilateral trade and commerce. PTI MPB PYK BDS

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Tight security amidst arrival of Chinese delegation View(s):

The Hambantota Port project scheduled to be launched next month saw a Chinese delegation carrying the Communist Party flag at the harbour office, while scores of casual port workers came out in protest. They are demanding they be given jobs by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and not in the joint venture company. With tension rising, the Navy is providing tight security, including Armoured Personnel carriers. Pic by Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi
All aboard: Art and environment The ramshackle former Railway terminus in Maradana was the centre of attraction as Colomboscope unfolded View(s): View(s):

In the heart of Maradana lies an old building with a dilapidated railway platform, disused train carriages and overgrown tracks adjoining it. Relics of a bygone era, the building is the forgotten former Railway terminus, which acted as the central railway station of Colombo until the Fort station and the south line were built. But life seeped into this empty space once more last week when the fifth annual Cinnamon Colomboscope art festival unfolded here from September 2 to 7.

A multi-disciplinary contemporary art festival, Colomboscope is no stranger to the use of unconventional venues. Founded and conceptualized by EUNIC Sri Lanka, it had previously been held in the disused Rio hotel and General Post Office buildings in Colombo.

This years festival titled Re/Evolution, had the global environmental crisis as its central theme with artistes, environmentalists, economists and historians exploring the theme through exhibits, films, musical performances, workshops and talks. Overall the festival was content heavy and eclectic in its showcases.

However, the footfall though reported to be on par with previous editions, was not as high as expected aside from

the weekend. The rain probably was a factor, but several visitors said the venue being relatively unknown and difficult to locate contributed to lower turnout.

Perceptions of elitism also seemed to dog the festival as some visitors pointed out the lack of information disseminated in the Sinhala or Tamil media. Api methanata awe api methana wada karana hinda habai anith aya meka gana danne wath naha (we came here because we work here but others dont even know about this), Railway protection service officer Ananda Samaraweera said, adding that if the information on the artists and the exhibits were available trilingually, that would also improve the quality of the event.

Yet the background of the forgotten Railway terminus seemed a perfect juxtaposition for the message of sustainable and environmentally conscious development the event wished to send, showcasing the ugly side of rapid yet unsustainable industrial development and why we as a society need to take into account the environment in our march towards development.

Colomboscope which prides itself on providing a platform for contemporary art saw the inclusion of many emerging artists at this years exhibition, a decision which Curator Menika van der Poorten, feels has paid off as a

whole. I sometimes selected artists who did not have a body of work based on the merits of their portfolio, she said, adding that she is happy with her decision.

Organized by Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts together with the John Keells Foundation, the event by and large avoided the confusion that plagues most artistic festivals. Spaces were well assigned, programmes took place on time, and artists were in line with the theme, which helped strengthen the message of the festival. Overall the festival was thought provoking and facilitated the discussion of solutions to our present environmental crisis in a way only art could do.

Shifting Spaces The Global Shapers of Colombo presented several technical and artistic collaborative performances Shifting spaces on the fifth day of the festival exploring the issue of waste management.The session began with a narration of Colombos past as a node in the British Empires trading network and how it led to rapid urbanization of the city by Ramla Wahab aided by Dhanouk Goonewardenas graphic illustrations.The next performance, Junk Journeys showed that Colombos waste crisis is also rooted in the apathy of the public. A collaboration between environmental scientist Shayani Weeresinghe, journalist Raisa Wickrematunge and artist Minal Wickrematunge, the video explored this issue in relation to the Meethotamulla tragedy. Economist Chantal Sirisenas and actor Biman Wimalaratnes performance  a comical skit caricatured the workings of a government department. The duo explained how the use of the Right to Information Act by the public can facilitate good governance and promote better planning and effective execution with regard to solid waste management. The final performance saw Shayani Weeresinghe appealing to the audience to rethink their approach to waste, advocating the use of baled plastic (recycled plastic) for the creation of new products, ending on a note which was essentially a call to action.

Curated walk By Shakya Wickramanayake Not only the venue but the locality: Ethnographer and art historian, Ganga Rajinee Dissanayake led a curated walk on September 5 covering sites such as the Technical College, the Maradana Railway Station, Police Station, Zahira College, Vidyodaya Pirivena and Mahabodhi Viharaya among others. Dissanayake delivered a comprehensive history of the rise and fall of Maradana, beginning with how it developed due to the migrant communities from South Asia including Parsi traders and Malayali cooks who came in search of trade and employment during colonial times. With the construction of the railway to bring in coffee from the plantations of Warakapola, the area soon developed with new infrastructure such as the railway station and police station, (the first police station and headquarters to be established in Colombo) bringing in trade, commerce and people to the area. Maradana saw the birth of the printing, furniture auction and framing industries in the country, she said, evidenced by buildings such as the Globe Furnishing House and the Epa Printers. Signs of its former diverse trade community still linger with establishments such as Hongkong Textile Ceylon, the Chinese Union Store and the Bombay Sweet House. The walk ended at the Vidyodaya Pirivena and Mahabodhi Viharaya, which flourished under the patronage of wealthy Buddhist traders in the area, going on to greatly impact Buddhist education in the island, becoming the epicentre of the Buddhist revivalist movement. The Citizenship Act, race riots and bomb blasts during the recent conflict contributed to Maradanas decline and led to it being isolated from the development that propelled the rest of the city. But looking back at its past, the participants now had a greater appreciation of the area.

Talking Graphene By Sinali Ranwala Aiming to inspire a dialogue on sustainable living, senior scientist and head of strategic planning at the Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology Dr. Shehan de Silva explained the potential uses of Graphene, a form of carbon at Building Green Tech  a panel discussion at the festival. Graphene is earmarked to be a wonder material because its carbon-based and cheap. Its properties are brilliant in terms of thermal,conducting mechanical properties etc., he said. Dr. de Silva feels that there needs to be greater public awareness about renewable energy. We need a modern day Mahaveli, in order to gain energy independence. A drive similar to the drive America had to achieve the moon race. Can we put this as our goal for 2030? Longer term strategies that outlasts governments are needed, he said.

Multidisciplinary exhibition By Kaveesha Fernando The multidisciplinary art exhibition on display from September 2 -7 featured many interesting pieces. Here are a few of the exhibits and projects: Tree photos Indian artist Surekhas work featured photos of large banyan (nuga) trees and women of the community whose lives were influenced by the trees. It also highlighted the Chipko movement in India that began when around 300 Bishnois (an Indian religious sect) decided to protest the felling of trees to create a palace in colonial India by hugging them, resulting in their beheadings. The movement is also the origin of the phrase tree hugger. Ayurveda photos Kesara Ratnavibushanas photographs focused on household plants which can be used for ayurvedic purposes, enlarging them so that people could appreciate the minute details of the leaves.Im often amused at the peoples sense of wonderment at which plant is which and many people mistake the lime leaf for something else, which is also interesting, Ratnavibushana said. The Pin Thaliya This exhibit consisted of a clay pot (representing the pin thaliya) surrounded by plastic bottles which had messages on them, explaining how much destruction the bottled water industry has on the environment. The pin thaliya filled with drinking water was left outside each Sri Lankan house in the past. E dawas wala ewata gewanna wath wune naha. Dan api me plastic bothal walata gewala parisarayath winasha karanawa (We did not have to pay for the water in the pin thaliya in the olden days. Now we have to pay and we destroy the environment also in the process, commented Nadika Siri, an employee of the Railway Stores Department. The Sanni Project Inspired by the traditional sanni yakuma or daha-ata sanniya exorcism ritual, the artists highlighted six modern issues such as the use of pesticides, deforestation and sound pollution, through masks. A dance performance brought the issues to life even further through the costumes, which were built around the mask, as well as with the music and verses sung in Sinhala  a modern day sanni yakkuma of sorts. We wanted to portray the evils within us using exorcism rituals, explained the artist.
Hambantota Port agreement signed but masses in the dark By Dhanapala Godage View(s): View(s):

The Hambantota Port Concession Agreement has been signed and presented to the Parliament also according to news items. But the masses remain in the dark as to the important contents in the agreements and how they benefit the people of this country. Those who go through the internet or those who want to use Right to Information to gather more information may find more details but what about every common man living around Hambantota and every other citizen of this country who has the right to know about the future of this national asset.

This concession agreement is said to effectively convert the port loans to equity and cut down the debt burden. Incidentally the term concession agreement is said to have much wider powers unlike the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) agreement that has been signed for the Colombo Port. Unlike in Colombo where there is the BOT agreement for the ports commercial operations with 15% shareholding by the Ports Authority and total port administration and services remaining wholly with the Ports Authority, in Hambantota there are two companies one for commercial operations named Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) Ltd where a 15% share is owned by the Ports Authority (similar to Colombo) and Hambantota International Port Services (HIPS) Ltd where 50.7% shareholding belongs to the Ports Authority which company handles port services. The latter company is a new concept not found in Colombo. The Sri Lankan Government is said to hold total authority for national security. The role of the company HIPS is not clear and why it is different from Colombo with satisfactory performance in Colombo for over two decades in Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects.

The physical port asset built using a massive Exim Bank loan of US$1.4 billion is invested in the company HIPG for the 15% equity. How is the investment of US$1.12 billion from the investor CM Port is accounted for, is the money coming to the treasury, is the bank loan settled fully are the questions that public should have answers to. These are matters that should be convincingly explained to all and ultimately it has to be beneficial to every citizen of this country. The Ports Authority has paid back about US$220 million from Colombo earnings, is that accounted for?

The 99 year lease period is far too long and does the business plan of the investor justify that, no one knows. Somewhere it is said that Ports Authority can buy a further 20% share after 10 years and Sri Lanka has the right to re-purchase after 70 years. At what cost? Are they ever going to be realities? Several future generations have been tied down by this Government without their consent.

Hambantota Port commenced operations in November 2011 and up to end 2016 had reported a total loss of Rs.46.7 billion, according to a ministry statement. In such a situation PPP seemed the best choice without letting the asset perish though someone said the Hambantota Port holds the key to Sri Lankas golden era and should be operated by us.

Neither the Government nor the responsible authorities have so far explained to the masses in understandable language the arrangements for Hambantota Port, the important clauses in the agreements, why there are two companies and what the benefits are to the country.

(The writer was Chief Engineer Ports, Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the Project Director of the Colombo South Harbour Development Project.)
Transatlantic Pride and Sri Lankan internationalism By Dr Chamindra Weerawardhana View(s): View(s):

This years Pride festivities across the world have come to a conclusion. As a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, as a Trans woman of colour, I have always had a problematic relationship with Pride. As many other activists, artists, knowledge creators and thinkers in the worldwide Trans community have highlighted time and again, Pride is not a place that generally opens space for people of colour or for critical thought. Instead, it is a highly commercialised neoliberal venture, where big businesses come out to capitalise upon LGBTQIA2S+0 rights discourses. Pride events are also places where substantive racial hierarchies operate, where cisgender white gay men have priority, with groups such as Trans women of colour, differently-abled people, Indigenous people and many other groups being near-obliterated. Having lived and worked in several EU member states, this writer long had a policy of categorically boycotting Pride.

However, this year proved to be different.

Pride of the Left?

As the LGBTQIA2S+ Officer of the Northern Ireland branch of the British Labour Party, this writer convened a 2017 Pride Committee, which prioritised an intersectional and inclusive approach as the key defining feature of our contributions to Belfast Pride 2017. This involved, first and foremost, raising awareness in our political circles within the left of the problems associated with a neoliberal, highly commercialised and market-oriented Pride celebration. Our focus, instead, was on the fact that Pride was originally a protest campaign, launched by Trans women of colour such as the late Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Riviera. Pride is a struggle for equality, dignity and justice. Our objective was one of reviving this protesting and critical spirit of pride. This concept led to a signature pride event on 3rd August 2017, which brought together a cross-cutting dialogue. The event featured speakers from different backgrounds, Maria Lourenco, the first-ever black woman to stand for public office in Northern Ireland, Andrew Farley, a leading LGBTQIA2S rights activist, Jeffrey Dudgeon, a politician and senior-most community leader who took Northern Ireland to the European Court of Justice on the discrimination of LGBTQIA2S people, and Helena Wilson, a senior barrister specialising in LGBTQIA2S+ migration issues.

This writer drafted a 2017 Pride Leaflet entitled Pride 2017: A Dialogue of the Left, highlighting the key aspects of the contribution the left can and must make to discourses on Pride and LGBTQIA2S+ rights. This document highlighted the Labour Partys commitment to fundamental rights and gender justice, also emphasising the key issues that come to light when Pride is discussed from a perspective of the left. These involve engaging with the question of how austerity politics adversely affect LGBTQIA2S+ people, persistent challenges to LGBTQIA2S+ peoples reproductive rights, and glass ceilings that continue to prevent us from accessing positions of power and influence beyond the strictly defined sphere of LGBTQIA2S+ activism.

The content of this document, although specifically drafted for a UK (especially Northern Ireland) audience, hints at how the left could make a viable contribution to Pride, across the world. In the global South, what we observe too often is a reluctance on the part of the left to let go of their fair share of social conservatisms, patriarchal attitudes, [cis and trans] misogyny, homophobia and transphobia. A viable political movement (especially if it is one of the left) cannot be developed in the absence of a cogent discourse of inclusion of people irrespective of their ethnicity/ies, gender identity/ies, and intensely private matters such as sexual orientation/s.

Belfast Pride

Pride in Belfast, just like pride events elsewhere, seldom zooms in on intersectional issues, and is embedded in an ethic of commercialised and neoliberal LGBTQIA2S+ rights. In preparing UK Labours contingent at the Belfast Pride Parade, this writer, together with Labours Pride Committee, was determined to make a contribution that challenges the exclusionary practices of Pride. We ensured that our section of the parade included a front row composed of reproductive justice activists, women of colour and migrants with roots in the global South.

Visit of An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD

On the day of Pride Parade, a breakfast event for political parties and government bodies was organised, and the chief guest happened to be An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD, the first ever openly gay Prime Minister (Taoiseach) of Ireland. The visit of an Irish Prime Minister to Northern Ireland is always marked by much historic significance. After the Partition of Ireland, it took many decades for high-level interactions between the statelet of Northern Ireland and the Irish government in Dublin to take shape. It was only in the mid-1960s that An Taoiseach Sean Lemass and the then Northern Ireland Prime Minister Capt. Terence ONeill exchanged visits to Belfast and Dublin respectively, marking an important historical precedent.

This year, the visit of Dr Varadkar on the day of the Pride Parade was evidence of a progressive turn in the politics of the island of Ireland. His visit was also highly significant to Northern Ireland, where the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is the largest political force. The DUP continues to be resolutely anti-reproductive justice and anti-LGBTQIA2S+ rights, thereby passing as one of the most reactionary political parties in present-day Western Europe. The DUPs ongoing deal with the British Conservatives, which came to being after the Conservatives lost their parliamentary majority at the 2017 UK General Election, has reinforced its influence over the British polity. Dr Varadkars presence in Belfast on Pride Day 2017 sent strong message to the DUP, especially on the unsustainability of its intransigence on LGBTQIA2S rights.

The Transatlantic encounter:

Fierte Montreal

After the events in Belfast, this writer crossed the Atlantic to Montreal, where Montreal Pride, or Fierte Montreal, was under way in August 2017. Over a very long time, Fierte Montreal had been accused of exclusionary practices, where cis-white-gay men held a monopoly. This year, the organisers were determined to change their approach along a more inclusive and intersectional line. This involved giving centre-stage to LGBTQIA2S+ people of colour, migrant and differently-abled LGBTQIA2S+ people in all its events, and also organising an international francophone conference.

This writers talk at the francophone conference involved a Transfeminist reading of politics of Queer Liberation, highlighting the importance of developing solidarities in the global South that goes beyond the remits of NGO-style LGBTQIA2S+ activism, and grounds Trans and Queer activism in specific local contexts. This critical rendering was preceded by an intervention if not an act of protest, organised by a group of Trans women-of-colour activists, highlighting the denial of basic rights to Trans migrants in Quebec. It is important to note that this protest took place at a high-profile event with VVIP presence, and the protest took place while the Quebec Minister of Justice was present as the special invitee of a plenary event. Allowing this protest to go ahead, and providing a platform for critical voices such as that of this writer and other politically active Trans women marks a growing maturity of Fierte Montreals activism and advocacy, and suggests a reinforced sense of commitment to maintaining the protest spirit of pride.

Montreal Pride Parade

The pride parade of Montreal included a substantial group of elected representatives from the Quebec and Canadian federal governments, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself. The Chief Guest, An Taoiseach Dr Leo Varadkar TD, happened to be the very first foreign head of government to walk in a pride parade in Canada. Representing the Labour Party and transnational LGBTQIA2S activist engagements, this writer joined the Pride Parade with the Canadian and Irish Prime Ministers, the Prime Minister of Quebec, the lord mayor of Montreal, several cabinet ministers of the Trudeau government, MPs and local government representatives.

Epilogue: Towards Trans and Queer Liberation

The bottom line here is that a Sri Lankan Trans woman engages in activism and advocacy internationally gets to organise, intervene, and make her voice heard on either side of the Atlantic, but is still unlikely to be acknowledged, supported and given agency by the government of Sri Lanka and the island nations political establishment, which remain resolutely cis-normative, very largely heteronormative and socially conservative, throwing many people under the bus. LGBTQIA2S+ people in politics and government services are forced to hide their sexualities and gender identities in fitting-in to this highly patriarchal, cis-normative and heteronormative mould.

Things do not need to be, and simply should not be that way.

Challenging the oppressive structures that rule over us requires concerted and critically-informed activism and advocacy, which goes way beyond NGO-centred LGBTQIA support work. Trans and Queer activism in many countries, especially in the global South, often takes a highly apolitical turn, with a preference to avoiding divisive and politically contentious issues. Transfeminist politics are often misunderstood, even by apparently inclusive intersectional cis-feminists.

A few weeks ago, this writer learnt from a Sri Lankan Queer activist that there is a preference among some LGBTQIA2S+ organisations and individuals in the island to water down critical perspectives on Trans and Queer politics, the functional dynamics of organisations, strategic priorities and related issues. This lack of critical engagement on Trans and Queer politics is by far the biggest impediment to the consolidation of Trans and Queer Liberation, and to address immediate concerns such as repealing British legislation that bans non-heteronormative sexualities. The lack of a strong Trans/Queer political discourse is unhelpful in successfully facing the burgeoning challenges of bridging class, urban-rural and other gaps in the activist spectrum. The lack of a strong Queer political shield is such that, as pride celebrations come to an end worldwide, one Sri Lankan trans woman can write an account of a high-profile Transatlantic advocacy, while a transfeminine/gender-plural/fluid Sri Lankan is brutally murdered by a roadside in provincial Sri Lanka, simply for living their life.

The challenge at hand is one of life and death, of systemic violence and exclusion. A stronger brand of Queer politics that goes beyond NGO-centric activism is therefore an absolute imperative. In the absence of such a political agenda, the homophobic and transphobic elements in the polity will continue to thrive, and even otherwise progressive and educated politicians and political analysts are very likely to continue their current stance of perceiving casual transphobia and homophobia as acceptable, if not politically advantageous.

This does not, however, in any way imply a downgrading of the commitment of Sri Lankan activists to LGBTQIA2S+ rights. This critique does not involve a questioning, in any shape or form, of the tremendous contributions that activists in many organisations, collectives and groups have made to the Sri Lankan LGBTQIA2S+ community over the years. Instead, the point raised here is that of the necessity of complementing existing work with critical, and in some cases counter-intuitive perspectives on Trans and Queer politics, and specific intersectional issues that concern the local context. This also involves stretching international engagements beyond NGO-industrial links, especially to other places in the global South with shared challenges. It is through a political agenda of this nature that some form of (albeit parsimonious) justice could be rendered to the precious life we lost, and the violence they suffered while alive and in death (in the form of mis-gendering, dead-naming, infringement of privacy, trans/queerphobic and unethical media conduct, to name but a few).

Our collective liberation is not one that will be handed to us on a tray. It is one that needs to be fought for, vigorously, and consolidated.

(The writer is a gender justice activist working internationally, and is currently in charge of LGBTQIA2S advocacy in the UK Labour Partys Northern Ireland branch.)
Sewa International, one of the Indian-American organisations carrying out relief and rescue work, provided shelter to more than 300 families in the homes of its volunteers and members in and around Atlanta.

By PTI, India Today Web Desk: As catastrophic hurricane Irma made landfall on the southern islands of the United States, Indian-Americans in Atlanta and neighbouring areas today opened up their homes for friends, families and community members from Florida.

At least four temples in Atlanta region have opened up their doors for people fleeing from Florida, residents of a large parts of which have been asked by the State government to evacuate.

advertisement

Sewa International, one of the Indian-American organisations carrying out relief and rescue work, provided shelter to more than 300 families in the homes of its volunteers and members in and around Atlanta.

With other Indian-American community organisations and religious groups, a collective count took the figure to a minimum of 2,000 families.

While the Indian Consulate in Atlanta was coordinating with various community groups and was in constant touch with community leaders and Indian passport holders, the Indian American community organisations in Atlanta launched an unprecedented relief effort for those in distress due to hurricane Irma.

One hour of 30-second #GOES16 vis imagery as Hurricane #Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a cat 4 with sustained winds of 130 MPH. pic.twitter.com/SWIMtbIqAP- NASA SPoRT (@NASA_SPoRT) September 10, 2017

The hurricane made a landfall in lower Florida Keys just before 9 am (local time) with wind gusting 130 miles per hour.

Several of the community organisations from Florida have moved their bases to Atlanta as a precautionary measure.

Popular Amma Kitchen announced to serve free food to those coming from Florida like several other Hindu temples.

Most of the Indian-Americans are being accommodated in individual homes. Indian-Americans who own hotels have opened up their unreserved rooms and in many cases their banquet halls have been converted into makeshift dormitories for those who left their homes in Florida to escape from the wrath of the hurricane.

As per 2010 census, Florida has an Indian-American population of 120,000. The number is now believed to have increased to 160,000 with the largest of their concentration in Miami-Fort Laura Deale area followed by Tampa and Orlando area.

Tampa is another major city that comes in the path way of Irma.

"This is going to impact our whole State. You know, youre going to get the wind and the rain on the east coast, but right now, its impacting the Keys. Its going to impact my home town of Naples, Florida, all of the west coast," Florida Governor Rick Scott told Fox News.

From my brother's Univision colleagues in downtown Miami pic.twitter.com/ADJlO5R6tR&; Paul Adams (@BBCPaulAdams) September 10, 2017

advertisement

"What's scary is the unbelievable storm surge potentially in my own town, 15 feet of storm surge above ground level. And we are talking about that and something with the keys. People have asked what can we do, the first thing I tell them is pray, pray for everybody in Florida. They can donate to disaster, text disaster at 2022," Scott said.

US President Donald Trump, who is personally reviewing the preparations and rescue and relief operations, spoke today morning.

"My concern right now is people - hopefully everyone has evacuated. I looked at our traffic cameras around the state this morning. People are off the roads. I just hope everybody has evacuated and gotten to safety. So, I hope everybody will pray for us," he said.

Local news reports said at least one crane collapsed in Miami, as a result of the high wind speed of Irma, which was estimated to be at least 100mph.

Its a worst-case scenario for Florida on the west coast," said FEMA Administrator Brock Long.

Thousands of homes in Florida were reported to have power outage.

WATCH | Hurrican Irma seen from space earlier this week (Video: YouTube/Associated Press)

ALSO READ |

advertisement

Hurricane Irma aims full fury at Florida's Gulf Coast, floods central Miami

Hurricane Irma barrels towards Florida after it ripped through Cuba

Preparing for Irma: Indian Florida resident's first-person account of facing a deadly hurricane

Hurricane Irma: Most powerful Atlantic hurricane ever hits Caribbean

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Sep 11 (PTI) Indian-Americans in Atlanta and Georgia pooled in their resources to help several million people from Florida who were affected by hurricane Irma that plummeted parts of the US coastal State with wind speed of more than 193 km per hours.

Hurricane Irma made landfall on Floridas southern islands yesterday and claimed four lives as millions of people, including thousands of Indian-Americans, evacuated the state.

advertisement

About 120,000 Indian-Americans live in Florida, thousands of them residing in the now-dangerous zones of Miami, Fort Laura deal and even Tampa, according to 2010 census.

While a large number of Indian-Americans stayed inside Florida, several thousands drove out of the state and reached out to their community members in nearby Atlanta.

Given that Florida has a significant Indian-American population and a favourite destination of Indian tourists because of Disneyland, the Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, rushed his New York Consul General to Atlanta to oversee the relief operation and coordinate with the local community leaders.

Led by New York Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty, Atlanta consulate officials visited several evacuee shelters housing people mainly from Tampa, Florida to ascertain their welfare and wellbeing.

With the help of local residents, Sewa International has created a pool of houses where evacuee can stay till the time of improvement in situation in Florida.

In the forefront in assisting the people affected by hurricane Irma, American Telugu Association have made accommodation and food arrangements for more than 600 people in the entire Metro Atlanta area.

The Hindu Temple of Atlanta in association with other major Indian organisations, including Indian Friends of Atlanta (IFA) and Seva USA, have provided boarding and lodging facilities for over 100 people.

By late in the evening, officials said overall the situation is normal and there is sufficient additional capacity to handle more evacuees if the need arise.

Officials from the Indian Embassy in Washington and those from Consulate in Atlanta were also maintaining contact with Florida residents.

Several Indian families in Orlando, 241 km from Tampa, were also ready to receive evacuees.

"More than 400 homes in Orlando are ready to provide shelter to those evacuating," Indian Consulate in Atlanta said in a tweet.

Indian-Americans in and around Atlanta opened up their homes for the Florida evacuees and prepared extra meals for them.

As reports came in, individuals, businesses and organisations were working round the clock to ensure that necessary help was provided to every Indian American in need in the aftermath of Irma.

advertisement

A State of emergency has been declared in Florida and curfews were imposed in several cities.

As Irma left a path of destruction on its way, the US President Donald Trump held another review meeting with his Cabinet of the preparedness and relief operations at Camp David.

"I hope there arent too many people in the path. You dont want to be in that path. Thats a path you dont want to be in. We tried to warn everybody. For the most part, theyve left, but thats a bad path to be in," Trump told reporters on his return from Camp David.

Trump said he will visit Florida soon.

"I think its been going really well. Its a rough hurricane, as you better than anybody. The Coast Guard has been amazing already. Youve been hearing what theyre doing right in the middle of the storm," he said in response to a question.

In his meeting with officials, Trump stressed that his top priorities are life-saving and life-sustaining efforts in affected areas, the White House said.

"He emphasized the need to remain steadfast in supporting the recovery efforts in Texas, Louisiana, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico while responding to those affected by Hurricane Irma on the United States mainland," the White House said.

advertisement

According to Pentagon, the US Army has deployed more than 9,900 Soldiers and US Army Corps of Engineers civilians in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the continental United States.

The Army has six aircraft, almost 500 trucks, and more than 80 generators committed to relief efforts. They have more than 150 aircraft, almost 600 generators, 150 boats, and nearly 3,000 trucks on standby to support response efforts if called upon. PTI LKJ AMS

--- ENDS ---
In Mondays special double video, WeatherWatch.co.nz tracks the spring blast currently hitting New Zealand with hail, snow, thunder and blustery winds.

The week ahead is looking milder as winds shift westerly and then more norwest later in the week.

More rain and showers are coming though - and more winds, says the weather organisation.

The general theme for New Zealand this week is milder than last week but still wetter in the west and windier but drier in the east and far north.

We also track Hurricane Irma as it moves into Florida, making landfall again on Monday morning NZT.

The storm is tracking up the western coastline with a 3 metre storm surge and winds sustained at nearly 200km/h. Major flooding has already begun.
A specially designed car featuring koru will be out and about in Counties Manukau from today, to show NZ Police support for Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori and revitalising Te Reo.

"We wanted to do something visible to show our support of Te Reo Maori and highlight our commitment to recruiting more Maori in Tamaki Makaurau, and across Aotearoa," says Police Commissioner Mike Bush.

"We are passionate about reflecting the communities we serve and working with Iwi to achieve better outcomes for Maori".

"Being able to speak more than one language is a valuable skill as a Police officer. If you care enough to be a cop and want to make a difference in our communities, nau mai, haere mai ki te tuhonutanga a nga whanau pirihimana.

During the week Mai FM will run a back seat cop promotion in conjunction with Nga Pirihimana o Aotearoa, with presenters being out and about with Te Reo speaking officers.

Assistant Commissioner Wally Haumaha, Deputy Chief Executive Maori says the aim is to encourage the use of Te Reo Maori right across the organisation

"The more we can do to effectively communicate the better, and there are a number of instances where having an officer able to speak Te Reo and understand tikanga has really been advantageous in resolving situations."

A career with police opens the door to more than 30 career paths such as working as a Detective, Iwi Liaison Officer, Dog Handler or Youth Aid Officer.

Over the next 12 months, Police will hire 650 recruits.

About 126 of those new officers will be working in Counties Manukau.

Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori is organised by the Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori.

This years theme is Kia ora Te Reo Maori literally translates to "let the Maori Language live". The theme was chosen to celebrate New Zealands indigenous greeting, and as the words Kia Ora are an exact description of the intent of the new partnerships for Te Reo Maori revitalisation between the Crown and Maori under the new Maori Language Act 2016.

Police encourage anyone interested in a career with Nga Pirihimana to visit newcops.co.nz
The principal of Pukehina School is reminding the public, once again, they will not be closing down.

Pukehina School principal Roger Reid says recent rumours surrounding the schools closure is having a detrimental impact on their schools growth.

Theres a lot of gossip out there, being told to prospective parents that we are closing at the end of the year, says Roger.

This is incorrect and its hindering our roll growth.

We have received no correspondence from the Ministry of Education that the school will be closing, they have just raised concerns of our falling roll.

Weve been asked to show them what strategies we have in place to grow our school.

The school, which currently has a roll of eight students, was advised by Ministry of Education earlier this year to create a set of strategies to help build the roll.

Some of the strategies have included making regular updates about school activity and student achievements across social media platforms including the school website and Facebook.

Regularly sending out brochures and fliers detailing benefits of enrolling and tidying up the grounds, says Roger.

Our Board of Trustees have strategies in place to grow our school but we need more than that.

We are surrounded by Otamarakau and Pongakawa  both of those schools have physically, strong communities which support the schools, be it wealthy farmers or the likes.

We actually dont have a physical community as such, he says.

Our students come from Pukehina beach, which has a transient population and students can get on a bus to go to any school they like.

So when youve got people out there actively saying that the school is closing and other schools saying this about us, its difficult for us to try and grow our school.

Roger says another strategy has been to engage local iwi, Ngati Whakahemo and Ngati Makino in attempt to help connect ties and build a community around the school.

He has also opened the school to local community members to share their skills and talents with students and will be hosting open days for parents and grandparents.

In a small school you have a different culture of care, we look after each other and because of that our students feel safe and secure, says Roger.

Weve always prided ourselves on assessing childrens individual needs, because theres only a few of us, all students are valued and respected in a different way, says Roger.

Each student has a voice and we have time to get around to everybody all the time.

I go out in the playground, my students come up and give me a hug  you dont get that in big schools.

He says the school has some exciting future plans and will continue to focus on building its student numbers.
Fish and Game NZ is urging voters to take long hard look at the various political parties environmental policies this election.

With just over a fortnight until the General Election on September 23, voters are being urged to take a hard look at which political parties will do the most to improve the environment and recreational access to the outdoors.

The state of the countrys rivers, lakes and streams has been worrying people for years and their frustration at the lack of action and continued abuse of our waterways is now readily apparent, says Fish & Game Chief Executive Bryce Johnson.

Water quality is now one of the key issues that voters will consider before they cast their vote.

Most parties have woken up to fact that our waterways are way out of step with what Kiwis want  immediate action to return rivers so they are swimmable, fishable and safe to gather food from, says Bryce.

It is now up to voters to familiarise themselves with the policies and choose which is best for them and the outdoor pursuits they enjoy.

This election falls at the right time for all of those who care about the environment and water quality standards in particular, to tell the government in no uncertain terms, they are fed up and out of patience, says Bryce.

Public concern over the environment, particularly water, has been building for years, says Bryce.

Access to the outdoors and the purchase of prime recreational areas by overseas buyers is also proving to be a significant issue for New Zealanders.

Fish & Game has also taken a strong stand on the governments Clean Water report, criticising it as simply shifting the goalposts for water quality.

And it is one of the groups which has helped formulate the seven-point Freshwater Rescue Plan for cleaning up and protecting our waterways.

Fish & Game is by no means the only organisation that has attempted to highlight the publics anger over the state of their rivers, lakes and streams but in spite of petitions, marches and so on, the government has shown little response.

Fish & Game is urging New Zealanders to visit www.h2whoa.co.nz for some facts on the water quality issue and links to some of the key reports by government agencies and other organisations.

The website also provides an easy way to send a letter and call for action from your local MP.
Gibraltar city centre was filled with red and white on Sunday as the people dressed in their traditional colours and celebrated not only their National Day but also 50 years since the first referendum took place on whether to remain British or accept Spanish sovereignty.

September 10th is always an emotional day for Gibraltarians, but it was especially intense this year with over 3,000 people packing into Casemates Square for the traditional political rally at midday, attended by a cross-party group of British MPs who support Gibraltar and its right to self-determination.

"Our resolve to defend our right to self-determination remains as strong as it has ever been" In a joint National Day message issued at the end of last week and making reference to that all-important referendum 50 years ago, the chief minister and deputy chief minister said: Safeguarding the sovereignty of Gibraltar in the hands of the people had a high price. Gibraltar became a city under siege dependent on UK development aid and military spending. Despite this, Gibraltarians worked hard to re-orientate the economy in order to withstand and even prosper under this final siege. Indeed, it was a time when local democratic institutions were reformed and strengthened under a new Constitution: a direct consequence of the British choice. Our forefathers refused to sell our birth-right. They did not surrender to the bully next door. More than three hundred years of British rule have taught us not to give in to bullies. Fifty years later, in 2017, our resolve to assert our British sovereignty and defend our right to self-determination remains as strong as it has ever been."

In this special year it was only to be expected that there would be some surprises in store, and perhaps the biggest was a video message from British prime minister Theresa May, broadcast on large screens, confirming that Britain will stand by Gibraltar for as long as its people wish to remain British. 50 years on, Gibraltar and the UK are closer than ever before We will resolutely safeguard Gibraltar, its people and its economy and Gibraltar will remain British for as long as it chooses to do so, she said to massive applause.

Theresa May could not address the crowds in person. / SUR

Although the prime minister was not able to give her speech in person, Europe minister Sir Alan Duncan did attend the National Day event and reiterated the British governments commitment to supporting Gibraltar.

He is no stranger to the Rock and its problems, having lived there as a child in the 1960s when his father, who was an officer in the RAF, was based there. Sir Alan has had regular meetings in London with Gibraltars chief minister, Fabian Picardo, and deputy chief minister, Dr Joseph Garcia, and is well aware of the challenges Gibraltar faces as a result of Brexit.

That, however, was the serious side of Sunday. Gibraltar certainly knows how to party and the remainder of the day, from early in the morning until late at night, was a celebration in every sense of the word. There was music, dancing, confetti, rose petals, fun-filled activities for all the family, a sense of togetherness and harmonious coexistence, hope for the future and a determination to overcome whatever problems Brexit and Spains wish for sovereignty may hold.
The Diocese of Malaga is growing increasingly concerned after sizeable cracks opened up on the roof of the citys cathedral.

Leaking water has been a problem for several years now and it remains unclear whether these cracks, in the roofs 'second skin' built only a decade ago, are the root cause.

A study will be carried out imminently to assess improved water drainage solutions.
The Trocadero Group has its sights set on Benalmadena for its "most spectacular" establishment yet.

The project, currently being assessed by experts at the town hall, would involve the demolition of the restaurant currently on Avenida del Sol at La Viborilla beach and the construction of a three-storey building and car park.

Construction will get under way as soon as the town hall gives the project the go-ahead, expected some time in the autumn. The idea is that work will take place throughout winter so that the restaurant can open its doors in time for the Easter week celebrations.

Trocaderos concept of upmarket beach restaurants and bars has been a hit for many years on Marbellas Golden Mile, so much so that in 2014 they opened another in Sotogrande. The group had been considering Tarifa but eventually chose Benalmadena for their next venture, owing to the towns high concentration of hotels.

According to group owner, Dionisio Hernandez-Gil, the new space will boast a restaurant combining traditional Spanish and Asian cuisine, a cocktail bar and a terrace.

The establishment will employ a hundred people during high season, a figure that will fall to seventy during autumn and winter.

This new project coincides with the redevelopment of the Avenida del Sol area which will see the road reduced to one lane to accommodate new parking spaces and a cycle lane.

Hernandez-Gil said that he considered the area to have huge potential and he, along with mayor Victor Navas, agreed that the new premises could be the catalyst for economic growth, especially if further licences are granted to allow boats to dock there.
Cervezas Victoria, Malaga's emblematic beer brand, on Friday officially opened its new factory on the city's saint's day, 'Dia de Nuestra Senora de la Victoria'.

The glass-fronted building, dominated by the sign 'Victoria. Malaga 1928', is situated on the La Azucarera industrial estate and can be seen from the N-340.

The Damm Group, owners of the nearly 100-year-old brand, didn't want to build a standard brewery. We wanted to have a factory that was open to the city, where the purely industrial part is as important as the relationship with the Malaga people, explains Sergio Ragel, the firms external relations officer.

The light-filled modern building, designed by Malaga architects Gana, allows visitors to see all the production processes and also has a large room for beer tasting, events and concerts. Whats more, there is a small museum where the history of the emblematic brand is explained, starting from its founding in 1928 by the Franquelo family in El Perchel.

The Damm Group has spent six million euros on the new factory and is studying the possibility of investing another 15 million to extend its bottled lines.

For the moment the new brewery will be producing barrels and 33cl bottles, a total of around 1.2 million litres a year; the litre bottles and cans will still be produced in the factory in Murcia. The idea is, little-by-little, to bring all the production of the beer consumed in Malaga here, added Ragel.

This means that yearly production, after the projected investment, could reach 20 million litres.
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Sep 9 (PTI) The Indian Embassy in the US today opened a round the clock helpline for Indians in need of help in the wake of hurricane Irma, which American officials said could have a catastrophic impact on Florida when it makes landfall there.

"We are keeping sort of minute to minute watch on developments. We have set up hotlines. We are in touch with community leaders in Florida area," Indian Ambassador to US Navtej Sarna told PTI after a review meeting he had on hurricane Irma preparedness.

advertisement

The hotline number is 202-258-8819.

Sarna also decided to bolster strength of the Indian Consulate in Atlanta, Georgia, with hurricane Irma expected to make landfall on Florida tomorrow morning. Florida comes under the jurisdiction of the Atlanta Consulate.

"We have asked our Consul General in New York (Sandeep Chakravorty) to proceed to Atlanta to lead the support effort," Sarna said.

"Rushing to Atlanta to bolster strength to our Atlanta Consulate for Irma Hurricane," tweeted Chakravorty, as he headed for Atlanta.

The Consulate in Atlanta is fully prepared to assist any evacuees, the Indian Ambassador to the US said.

"We are also ensuring that emergency passport and visa services are available," Sarna said.

Email for emergency visa requests is visa.washington@mea.gov.in.

Notably, Florida is one of the major tourist destination for Indian visitors. August-September are one of the peak season months.

According to rand USA, as many as 29 per cent of Indian tourists visit Florida, which along with Hawaii is the third top destination for Indians after New York and California.

In 2016, as many as 1.17 million Indians visited the US and spent a record USD 13.6 billion.

Sarna said the Indian Embassy here is also in touch with the Indian Embassy in Venezuela, France as well as the head office in Delhi "to see how it can (provide) necessary support on this" in the Caribbean island of St Martin, which has been badly damaged as a result of hurricane Irma.

"While our main focus is on Florida, at the same time, we are standing by to assist" St Martin, he said. PTI LKJ ASK ASK

--- ENDS ---
The transition from spring's "no deal" threats to the August burst of UK government papers shows that future relationship talks are crucial for the UK. That second phase will not start if EU leaders decide on 19-20 October that there's insufficient progress under Article 50, although they can also change the negotiating guidelines. Before then, therell be more papers and more gaps on citizen rights will narrow. The principles, not cost, of the divorce bill produced a row but largely for some newspapers benefit and the go whistle line has been dropped. Northern Ireland issues (on which theres no EU position paper yet) could prove more problematic.

The UK is tying Northern Ireland to the future EU relationship because it wants to leave the customs union, thus requiring border checks which the peace agreement removed. The governments proposed solution of a magical new customs union - not the EU one but just like it - may be revised.

The UKs management of the current system alone can be patchy and after just two weeks the government dropped its idea of electronically tagging goods. It is a complex conundrum theyve created for themselves, so why not settle Northern Ireland first and let that dictate customs arrangements etc? Why risk a historic relationship by chasing the dream of non-EU trade deals?

This looks particularly pointless when the government wants to simply copy EU agreements that itll lose, covering 30 per cent of UK trade. Those other countries will wait until the EU relationship is clear, and if any renegotiate, then the future benefits are speculative - although the theory says that their value wont match EU trade. Moreover, their price could be market deregulation, weakening UK sovereignty and threatening any EU trade terms on standards for goods.

In contrast, the government compromised on the European court (ECJ), albeit disguised by referring to ending direct jurisdiction, which arguably the ECJ doesnt have now.

They are also open to the legal model used by Norway and others, except that only makes sense if the UK stops withdrawal from the European Economic Area and, long term, would mean being a rule-taker not maker.

Beyond Brussels, they could be forced into more concessions inside Westminster during parliamentary votes on legislation to prepare for a Brexit which the government has still not defined.

It admits in some papers to the EU that it is still working on options and in the key Repeal Bill it is asking MPs to give ministers the power (temporarily) to decide the EU deal on their own. That is asking a lot with a thin majority that includes pro-EU Conservatives, and when Labour (if it is united) has softened its stance on the single market to focus opposition. After the summer lull, the way all this is adding up recalls a poetic line that autumn is the hardest season.

The writer is a former EU policy advisor to the UK Government and also chaired the EU Employment Committee.
The mission named 'Navika Sagar Parikrama' with six women officers led by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi was flagged off the Goa port by Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

By Manjeet Negi: First time in the country, a team of six-women Indian Navy officers on Sunday embarked on an adventurous journey in their small sail boat to cover a distance of more than 21,600 nautical miles in eight months around the globe.

INS Tarini sailed off the Goa port and would return in March next year. The mission has been undertaken to showcase the empowerment of women in the Navy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is a staunch advocate of promoting women power in the forces, also offered his wishes to the crew.

advertisement

The mission named 'Navika Sagar Parikrama' with six women officers led by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi was flagged off by Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman in presence of her predecessor and Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar and Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lamba.

"This is not an occasion which can happen once in five years, once in 10 years. This is a historic day for India. A historic day, which will be marked in navigation history and globally," Sitharaman said, after flagging off 'Navika Sagar Parikrama', the official name of the circumnavigation effort.

"Our women are going to stand out for doing something which mostly wouldn't even have been thought of," Sitharaman said at the event.

Talking to Aaj Tak, the crew's head Vartika Joshi said the Prime Minister asked them to showcase the strengths of the country. During their voyage they will make four stops in different countries.

The six women officers who began their expedition on Sunday met PM Narendra Modi & Navy chief Sunil Lanba on August 16. (Photo: Twitter) The six women officers who began their expedition on Sunday met PM Narendra Modi & Navy chief Sunil Lanba on August 16. (Photo: Twitter)

The first stop would be in Free-Mantle in Australia, New Zealand and then to Falklands before reaching their last stop in Cape Town in South Africa.

During the entire stretch of their journey, INSV Tarini would be monitored by a Naval command center apart from the Indian embassies in the countries from where these lady officers would be passing. The rescue zones of the different countries have also been apprised of the mission and they would also keep an eye on them.

Senior Navy officers said that the women officers would not be passing through the piracy infested zones and are quite prepared for meeting any eventuality in the sea.

The women in boat have established a close bonding with each other which would come in very handy during the long stay in the ship for next eight months.

Though women are not allowed onboard warships and submarines, but it is believed that such voyages would help them in future.

Besides Lieutenant Commander Joshi, the other members of the Navika Sagar Parikrama team are Lt Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lt P Swathi, Lt Vijaya Devi, Lt Payal Gupta and Lt B Aishwarya. Speaking on the occasion, Admiral Lanba said this was the first time an Indian women crew was attempting circumnavigation of the globe. The journey will see officers sail through three oceans - Indian, Pacific and Atlantic.

advertisement

RAPID FIRE WITH NIRMALA SITHARAMAN

Q. What are your remarks on this mission undertaken by women officers?

A. All the members of this mission are women. This is one of the memorable moments for me. It would be marked in golden letters.

Q. What do you have to say about their training and the boat in which they are travelling?

A. These officers have been imparted very good professional training. I am sure that their mission would be successful.

Q. Do you think we are moving towards inducting women in combat roles?

A. In all the three services, women are moving ahead fast. Wherever our help is required, we would provide support.

ALSO READ |

Army to induct 800 women in military police, day after Nirmala Sitharaman takes charge as Defence Minister

Women to be inducted as military police jawans first, says Army Chief Bipin Rawat

Rs 75,000 cr deal: Navy carries out simulation trials of new aircraft for INS Vikramaditya, Indigenous Aircraft Carrier

Now, Army plans to open doors for women in military police

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists have been killed and an over ground worker apprehended alive, after an intense gunfight broke out between militants and security forces today early morning.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu, Ashraf Wani: Two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists have been gunned down in Kulgam district's Khudwani after an intense gunfight between security forces and militants broke out early morning today.

In addition, an over ground worker (OGW) has been arrested alive.

Acting on a tip off, the armed forces company cordoned off a village in Khudwani area at 3am today, when they were fired upon by holed up militants.

advertisement

The two militants killed in the exchange of fire have been identified as Dawood Ahmed Ali and Shaiyar Ahmed Wani and the OGW as Arief Sofi.

An AK-47and an INSAS rifle has been recovered from the encounter site. Both Hizbul operatives were part of the Altaf Kachru group in Anantnag and Kulgam belt.

Slain Hizbul terrorist Dawood Ahmed Ali

Slain Hizbul terrorist Shaiyar Ahmed Wani

Dawood was earlier involved in a murder of a village head (sarpanch) and the Arwani bank robbery.

This comes hours after Shopian encounter on Sunday, wherein a Hizbul terrorist was neutralised and another apprehended alive, first in many years.

Khudwani once considered as a bastion of stone pelting did not witness any resistance from the civilians after today's encounter.

Both the encounters have struck the Valley at the time of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's four-day visit to the state.

ALSO READ |

Shopian encounter ends, 1 Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist caught alive, 2 killed

Top Lashkar commander Junaid Mattoo killed in Anantnag encounter

--- ENDS ---
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.
Google has apparently collaborated with Motorola to create an Android One variant of the recently unveiled Moto X4. This follows the unveiling of Xiaomi Mi A1, a renamed Xiaomi Mi 5X that's also part of Google's Android One program.

During the phone's launch, Google's Global Director of Android Partner Programs, Jon Gold, confirmed that Android One will expand across many phone manufacturers. Android One, for the initiated, is Google's way of bringing the latest version of Android to budget smartphones. But soon, Google will pivot Android One to also include devices belonging to different price brackets.

Google, Lenovo Partner Up to Make The Next Android One Phone

The next Android One partner will reportedly be Lenovo via the Motorola brand, which it owns. Evan Blass has leaked a photo of this alleged device, showing a Moto X4 with the Android One logo printed on the phone's back panel.

Not much is known beyond the photo. Will the Android One Moto X4 variant have the same internals as a regular Moto X4? Will it be priced the same, or will certain features be taken out to lower the price? It's likely the latter won't happen, since Google seems hell-bent on erasing the notion that Android One is merely an initiative to bring cheaper Android devices to the market, which is essentially what the now-defunct Android Go was for.

Moto X4 Specs

If it does come with the same specs, then users will have a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of onboard storage, dual 12-megapixel cameras, and a 16-megapixel selfie shooter. It even comes with a fingerprint sensor, and has a more-than-decent 3,000 mAh battery.

Practically there's no information about the phone. Whether Google plans to change its name remains a question as well. GSMArena speculates that it's highly likely the Moto X4 will have a different name under the Android One program.

The Moto X4 will also perhaps be the first Android One device that'll launch in the United States, since smartphones under the program are typically only launched in developing markets such as India or some countries in Asia.

Moto X4 Price

The Moto X4 retails in europe for 399, around $480. While it remains uncertain what changes will be made, it's perhaps more logical to expect for Google and Motorola not to "dumb down" the device and replace its current specs with weaker internals just to lower the price. The Android One program is still pretty vague, but it's certainly starting to enhance its reputation so as not to be pigeonholed into one price bracket only.

Expect due coverage as Tech Times learns more. Meanwhile, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Researchers have confirmed that the human remains in a prominent Viking warrior grave in Sweden belonged to a woman and not a man.

The remains entombed in a grave in the Viking-age town of Birka was unearthed in the 1880's but the gender of the individual was determined only this time and through DNA testing.

Long Assumed To Be Male

The individual was long assumed to be male. However, in 2016, researchers re-examined the skeleton and found evidence suggesting that the person was most likely a woman.

Historical records from early Middle Ages have mentioned about women fighting in battles with men, an idea depicted by artistic works as well. For the most part though, these ideas have been considered as mythological and not based in reality.

"Written sources mention female warriors occasionally, but this is the first time that we've really found convincing archaeological evidence for their existence," said Uppsala University's Department of Archaeology and Ancient History professor Neil Price.

First Proof That Female Viking Warriors Existed

Experts said that this is the first time they have found proof that female Viking warriors did exist.

The researchers decided to confirm their hypothesis by investigating the nuclear DNA of the remains. They tested the tooth root and the upper arm bone of the individuals and the samples revealed it has two X chromosomes and no Y chromosomes, a clear evidence of the person's biological sex.

"The genomic results revealed the lack of a Y-chromosome and thus a female biological sex, and the mtDNA analyses support a single-individual origin of sampled elements," the researchers wrote in their study, which was published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.

"The genetic affinity is close to present-day North Europeans, and within Sweden to the southern and south-central region."

Likely A High-Ranking Officer

A full set of gaming pieces found with the remains also implied that the woman warrior had knowledge of tactics and strategy, and confirmed that she had a role as a high-ranking officer.

The grave suggests that the woman was not just a warrior. She also appears to be high-ranking. Archeologists found with her remains an ax, a sword, a spear, a bottle knife, armor-piercing arrows, two shields, and the remains of two horses, which are all considered to be the complete equipment of a professional warrior.

The remains suggest that war was not an exclusive activity to Viking men. Women were also in the higher ranks at the battlefield.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
While the Jammu and Kashmir government has a surrender policy, there have hardly been any surrender post Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's death.

Army, police and CRPF have jointly appealed to militants to surrender, asking them to shun the path of violence

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: After two arrests in counter terror operations the Army, police and CRPF on Monday jointly appealed to militants to surrender, asking them to shun the path of violence. This came after back to back surrender in Shopian and Kulgam encounter in South Kashmir.

The announcement came even as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh wrapped up his trip to Kashmir Valley and headed to Jammu on the last leg of his four day tour to the strife torn state. Sources said that Singh told security forces to have a humane face. He asked them to go for the "kill" if required but to make an effort to reach out. However, the decision to appeal to the forces was a long thought decision, said a top source in Jammu-Kashmir.

advertisement

One of the first to surrender was Adil, a-17-year-old, who had picked up the gun 3 months ago. The police says that Adil was forced to surrender as his gun got blocked. They hope that teenagers, students and youth who have picked up the gun and not committed any act of terror can come back to the fold of the society. Another overground worker Arif Sofi also surrendered in Khudwani, Kulgam.

"Adil is only a teenager, he could've been killed by the forces but he was given a chance to live and come back to the mainstream. That's why we caught him alive. It's a clear message to others who have been lured into militancy that if they come back, we'd receive them with open hearts," IGP Kashmir Muneer Khan told India Today.

Sources say peer pressure and even a glamour factor like "poster boy Burhan Wani", "peer pressure" and "guns and girls" made young boys pick up guns. Most of them do not have maturity, they do not know what they are getting into, a top officer said.

While the Jammu and Kashmir government has a surrender policy, there have hardly been any surrender post Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's death. However, a top source from the security force said that this should not deter them from making an attempt to get the militants to surrender. A top police officer in JK Police said that this approach could be a game changer.

Not all within the security establishment, however, were very confident. "There is a hardcore militancy in South Kashmir, but we may as well try." This may have an impact on local militants but cannot be true for foreign terrorists.

This comes hours after Zulfikar Hassan, CRPF IG told India Today, "We want to assure every person in the Valley that the future would be safe if you decide to get away from whoever is misguiding you."

Also read: Kashmir cop announces resignation on camera, says cannot see my conscience dying

advertisement

Also read: Why this photo of a martyred Kashmir cop's daughter has gone viral

Also read: What about us? Kashmiri Pandits prod Supreme Court over its order to review '84 riots cases

Also read: Hyderabad: 3 Kashmiri students arrested for not standing for national anthem in movie theatre

WATCH: Situation in Kashmir is better than before: Rajnath Singh

--- ENDS ---
In addition to the presidential post for JNU students' union, Left coalition of AISA, SFI and DSF won the seats for vice-presidential, secretary and joint secretary.

By Arpan Rai: It was a nail-biting finish for students competing for a throne in JNU which elected united-Left panel Sunday to set the tone of student politics for the next one year. All India Students Association's Geeta Kumari, hailing from Haryana, won the students mandate by 1,506 votes, giving a close chase to ABVP's Nidhi Tripathi finishing second at 1,042.

advertisement

In addition to the presidential post for JNU students' union, Left coalition of AISA, SFI and DSF won the seats for vice-presidential, secretary and joint secretary, making it the only coalition responsible for voicing the woes of students for this academic session.

Winning margin on the post of president witnessed a dip this season. In a surprising development, more number of students opted for NOTA over NSUI's candidate Vrishnika Singh.

"The JNUSU verdict is a mandate to carry forward the struggle to reverse seat cut, reclaim JNU's inclusive policies in admissions and safeguarding the sanctity of JNU's decision making bodies from partisan subversion by the VC," said Geeta Kumari, the newly elected president of JNUSU.

AISF's Aparajitha Raja also failed to win over the students and wounded up with a meagre share of 416 votes out of total 4,620 votes polled.

DUSU elections

DU students were told not to take their right to vote for granted in the DUSU elections. Chief election officer prof SB Babbar asked them to come out and vote. "lt has been observed that during the past few years, only about one-third of the students had voted for DUSU elections. As sensitive and mature students, you should understand that your representatives are not only your voice but your reflection too."

ALSO READ |

JNUSU polls: Aggressive pitches by potential president messiahs at presidential debate

JNUSU poll result: United-Left wins all four posts of central panel

--- ENDS ---
The Women in Cinema Collective launched a signature campaign to show support for the actress who was abducted.

By India Today Web Desk: In a show of solidarity with the popular actress who was abducted on February 17, the women of the Malayalam film have started a signature campaign, Manorama Online reported. It was outside the Thalassery Municipal Stadium, where the Kerala State Film Awards were being held, that members of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) launched a campaign titled "Avalkoppam", which means "With her".

advertisement

The campaign was kickstarted by veteran actress Nilambur Ayisha, and is being led by actress Sajitha Madathil and director Vidhu Vincent. The WCC praised the Kerala government for doing its best to ensure that the actress gets justice.

The actress was abducted on February 17 while she was on her way home after a shoot. Some men got into her car on the way to Kochi and allegedly sexually assaulted her. They also took photos and videos of the act to blackmail the actress.

Malayalam superstar Dileep was arrested on July 10 in connection with the case on the charges of criminal conspiracy and has been in the Aluva sub-jail since then.

ALSO READ: How the Malayalam actress abduction case drama unfolded

ALSO READ: Mollywood celebs knew of Dileep's plans regarding Kerala actress abduction?

ALSO WATCH: Dileep's bail plea rejected by Kerala HC for the second time

--- ENDS ---
McKinley High School alumni and are residents joined hands, sang and prayed Sunday afternoon as they walked the south Baton Rouge neighborhood, passing the block where two men were killed Friday and a third man who was killed hours later had lived.

"We are going to take our community back from the devil," said Kim Butler, a McKinley alumnus who organized the event through Facebook. "In the mighty name of Jesus, we just want to pray."

Butler led the walk from the historic high school, going up Tennessee Street and back down Thomas Delpit Drive, her arms often raised high in praise as she proclaimed her message to the Lord and the community. Throughout the walk, the group urged neighbors to join them, as they sang hymns and prayed aloud.

"God, help us find our way," Nichelle Landry, a McKinley alumnus and pastor at Victory International Ministries, intoned. "We're not ashamed to say we need you today.  We call for a cease and desist on the murders."

Those around Landry supported her calls, replaying with "Yes, Jesus!" and "Thank you, Lord!"

Landry, who still lives in the south Baton Rouge neighborhood, said she had grown up with one of the men who was killed Friday, Donovan Cummings, 49. She said he had a troubled past, but had worked through it.

"It's a great tragedy," Landry said after the prayer walk. "I felt a great need to be here.  It lets me know that there is still so much work to be done."

Cummings was killed Friday morning, as was Harold Anthony, 36, while they were repairing a house at 2522 Thomas H. Delpit Drive, said Baton Rouge police spokesman Sgt. LJean McKneely. A vehicle pulled up to the house and a number of people chased the two men and then opened fire, killing them, McKneely said.

Both men lived in the neighborhood where they were killed.

Friday night, David Walker, 68, was killed while sitting behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Impala in the 3600 block of Seneca Street about 9:45 p.m. Walker lived at 2546 Thomas H. Delpit Drive, which is next to where Cummings and Anthony, were slain.

Baton Rouge Police spokesman Sgt. Don Coppola would not confirm whether the two shootings are related, but said the investigations continue.

The prayer walk also came on the heels of the weekend's last homicide, the shooting death of 22-year-old Garrett "Gee Money" Burton. The local rapper was shot on Dallas Drive early Sunday, Coppola said.

Community activist Michael "A.V." Mitchell, who joined in the walk, said he may not have personally known any of the four people killed this weekend, but he's felt the pain. He said he knows many of their friends or family members.

"Whenever something happens like this, it's a ripple effect in the community," Mitchell said.

At the end of the walk, he addressed the group, asking them to stay involved in the effort to end the violence.

"We have to stay consistent," Mitchell said. "We have to fill in that gap, it's our own responsibility.  You can't ever reach young people without an intentional effort."

Landry agreed, urging people to come out for future prayer walks and a neighborhood clean up.

Butler, now a Florida resident who was in town after she evacuated from Hurricane Irma, hopes people will continue the effort even if she's not in town, keep getting out in the streets and spreading a positive message.

"This can't be a one-time thing," Butler said. "This is one step. I don't want to see this end."
Louisiana's community and technical colleges are delivering on promises made nearly 20 years ago when the system was authorized by voters, the president of the system said Monday.

But LCTCS President Monty Sullivan said huge challenges remain, especially coming up with more financial aid for students.

"It has been a paltry effort," Sullivan said. "We have to find a way to talk about how to provide access to people across Louisiana."

Sullivan said the Tuition Opportunity Program for Students, known as TOPS, supplies financial aid for those who earn it through academic merit.

He said he is "very supportive" of that assistance, but "we are leaving folks behind who have some financial need."

Sullivan, who is the fourth president of the system, made his comments to the Press Club of Baton Rouge. About 130,000 students attend community and technical colleges. Voters authorized creation of the system in 1998.

Sullivan said Louisiana has gotten national recognition for having one of the highest percentages in the nation of adults with short-term credentials. Those credentials can provide training so that, for instance, a 27-year-old mother of two can learn the skills that paves the way for an $18 per hour job instead of one that pays $8 hourly.

Sullivan said that, for the second year in a row, more than 15,000 students transferred from community colleges to universities. That includes about 1,500 transfers into LSU.

"It was not that long ago we had no open door," Sullivan said.

Bid to increase student transfers to Southern University announced Wednesday Top students at the Louisiana Community and Technical College System will have easy access t

In the past, he said, there was distrust and friction among higher education leaders.

"Those days are in the past," Sullivan said. "Higher education must, must be unified."

He said community and technical schools are go-to sites when companies spell out worker skills needed for firms to grow, the key aim when the state authorized the system.

"Our community and technical colleges are doing the job we asked them to do back in 1998," he said.

Sullivan said that, of the state's 4.6 million residents, 2.3 million are working age adults, including about 600,000 who lack a high school education.

Another 500,000 or so state residents only have a high school diploma.

Sullivan noted that Louisiana is beset by age-old problems, including poverty, health issues and lack of education.

"They are all solved by a common thread," he said. "Education, education and education."

Federal Pell grants are the key source of assistance for students attending community and technical colleges.

Any push to boost financial aid for students attending community and technical colleges faces huge hurdles amid state budget problems.

Louisiana is rare among Southern states in that aid for the LCTCS comes from two sources: state dollars and tuition revenue.

Community colleges in many states get a third source of revenue through local taxes, including property tax dollars.

The LCTCS system has been cut by $82 million in the past nine years.

"In nine years the faint of heart have left," Sullivan said. "The people who could not stand the heat are gone."
U.S. Sen. John Kennedy was against it before he was for it, in a sense, but in the end, he joined the rest of the Louisiana delegation last week in voting for the first big down-payment on aid to recover from Hurricane Harvey.

Good.

Kennedy caused some confusion when he said "no" on an earlier procedural vote, but on final passage of the bill, he joined with his colleagues in doing the right thing, not to mention the pragmatic one.

Other Republicans surely shared similar reservations, given that the package included a three-month extension on raising the debt ceiling and other pressing matters. That was the Democrats' preference, and President Donald Trump shocked his fellow Republicans when he gave in to the minority party's offer rather than siding with his own party's leaders in Congress, who wanted a much longer time frame.

That part's between Trump and the Republicans, and it has to do with relative bargaining advantage on other matters going forward.

The part about Harvey aid is about the Texans who are suffering in the flood's wake and has to do with the much more crucial question of whether, in this era of extreme weather, the federal government is ready to say that natural disasters aren't just a regional problem.

For states that often find themselves in harm's way, this is an important stand to take.

When Kennedy joined fellow U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy and U.S. Reps. Garret Graves, Ralph Abraham, Mike Johnson and Clay Higgins in casting "yes" votes, Louisiana offered a united front. (Steve Scalise is still recovering from his bullet wound and is not back at work yet, and Cedric Richmond, the state's lone Democrat, voted for the House's first version but missed final passage).

That's a change from what happened after Sandy struck the northeast in 2012, when the debate over aid devolved into an ideological battle over how broadly to craft such packages.

Among those who voted against part of the allotment was Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, and after Harvey hit, some politicians from the Sandy zone made it clear that the affront was not forgotten. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie launched a colorful war of words when he went on CNN and declared Cruz a hypocrite for "playing politics in 2012, trying to make himself look like the biggest conservative in the world, and then posing for photos with storm victims following Harvey. Cruz told the New York Times that he's quite confident that nobody in Texas gives a flip what Chris Christie has to say."

"And it seems not many people in New Jersey do either, Cruz added, apparently referring to Christies dreadful poll numbers at home.

There was a split in the Louisiana delegation back then too, with half the Republicans voting for the larger Sandy package and half  including Cassidy, who was then a congressman, and Scalise  against. One of the members on the "yes" side, Charles Boustany, later offered the most plausible explanation. Those who voted for the bill, he pointed out, had been in Congress when Katrina and Rita struck in 2005, when Louisiana had to fight the perception that the state's recovery was less than a national priority. Those who voted "no" hadn't had the same sobering experience.

Conservatives like Cruz and the three Louisianans said the Sandy bill was full of unrelated pork, a charge that was vastly overblown, according to independent fact-checkers. Still, there were surely things that didn't need to be in there for recover but did in order to attract enough votes for passage.

That's how legislating works. In addition to the debt ceiling and other national issues, Louisiana's politicians could have said no to the Harvey bill based on the fact that it didn't address local needs such as the ongoing recovery following last year's catastrophic flooding in Baton Rouge.

They were right to support it anyway, to not let the perfect be the enemy of the good or to let partisan maneuvering get in the way of common decency.

And they were right to take the opportunity to store away a little good will among their colleagues for the next time Louisiana gets hammered. Because we all know it will.

Editor's note: This story was updated Tuesday morning, Sept. 12, to correct the account of votes by Louisiana's delegation.
The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday filed a chargesheet to probe financial irregularities in the Kondhane Dam project in Raigad district.

By Kiran Tare: The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday filed a chargesheet in case of financial irregularities in the Kondhane Dam project in Raigad district.

The chargesheet mentions the names of officials with the water resources department as accused. However, it has excluded the name of the then Water Resources Minister Sunil Tatkare, who is under the ACB scanner for allegedly being involved in financial irregularities.

advertisement

The chargesheet names Nisar Fateh Khatri, owner of F.A. Constructions, the firm that was awarded the tender for constructing the dam. Along with him, the then executive director of the firm Devendra Shirke, the then Chief Engineer with the department B.P. Patil, P.B. Sonawane, the then Superintendent Engineer R.D. Shinde, the then Executive Engineer A.P. Kalukhe and Rajesh Rithe also have been named as accused in the 3,000-page chargesheet.

Both contractors and government officials face charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption for having rigged the tender process to favour the contractor, committing forgery and violating the existing norms to clear the project.

An FIR in this case was filed in September last year. Social activist Anjali Damania had demanded an inquiry into the case via a PIL in the Bombay High Court on April 10, 2012.

CHARGESHEET DOES NOT NAME TATKARE

The chargesheet does not name Tatkare but mentions that an open probe against the state NCP president is going on. "How long will the probe last? Till BJP remains cozy with the NCP?", asked Damania.

Sunil Tatkare

Tatkare was heading the Water Resources Department when the project was cleared in 2011. It saw a massive cost escalation from Rs 56 crore to Rs 328 crore after its height was increased by 32 metres. The change was effected within a month of the tender awarded to F.A. Constructions. The implementation agency Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation, led by Tatkare, had granted a cost hike of Rs 272 crore without getting the revised administrative approval or calling for new tenders.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the ACB to investigate Tatkare's role in getting the approval and the cost hike.

Tatkare has claimed that the cost hike was approved according to stipulated rules and in accordance with the powers within his ambit.

The BJP had made the scams in various irrigation projects a big issue before the October 2014 Assembly election. Fadnavis, then BJP state president, had alleged that there was a scam of Rs 70,000 crore in the state's irrigation projects. The NCP had countered the allegation, saying that when the provision for irrigation projects was Rs 46,000 crore, how come the scam was to the tune of Rs 70,000 crore.

advertisement

ALSO READ |

Karnataka Administrative Officer accuses ACB officers of forcing him to give false statements against Yeddyurappa

Did Maharashtra Shiv Sena minister violate rules to help builder? Ex-bureaucrat to probe

--- ENDS ---
Terrytown man jailed in shooting of man he thought was taking photos of his home Saturday evening
The loose-fill asbestos at Ainslie shops will finally be removed from the first floor above Edgar's Inn from October 3, in an operation the owner says will take just two weeks.

Building owner Jeff Darwin has contracted removalist Caylamax to remove the Fluffy asbestos from the first-floor ceiling space at the corner building.

Jeff Darwin has hired a contractor to remove the loose-fill asbestos above Edgar's at the Ainslie shops in October. Credit:Melissa Adams

The first floor will be wrapped in plastic, and the popular corner pub below will be closed for the removal operation.

Mr Darwin said he did not plan to remove the roof and did not plan to demolish the first floor of the building at this stage. The plan was to remove internal, non-structural walls and the ceiling to clean out the loose asbestos fibres.
Police Minister Mick Gentleman will introduce laws to tighten up regulation around how guns are stored in the ACT when the Legislative Assembly sits this week.

The draft legislation will require licensees with more than 10 category A or B firearms to store them in a metal, concrete or brick safe.

Currently, owners of weapons in that category could store their gun in a container made of hard wood, regardless of how many guns they owned.

The bill will also outlaw knifes or blades that are disguised as another item, like credit cards.
Drones will fly into bushfire zones this season to help maintain phone services in a high-tech addition to the region's emergency services.

Telstra said its drones, flown up to heights of 120 metres by specialist pilots, will this year monitor and inspect telecommunications towers, allowing affected services to be restored potentially days earlier.

Chief remote pilot Rob Harvey (yellow vest) and UAV pilot Clint Dickson (orange vest) with one of the drones. Credit:Karleen Minney

Three or four people, along with cherrypickers, were previously needed to inspect a damaged tower.

NSW Rural Fire Service Inspector Chris Allen said the Canberra area's driest ever July created potentially hazardous bushfire conditions.
A man who police have linked to a string of aggravated robberies at supermarkets and a sex shop in Canberra several years ago has faced court after he was extradited from Queensland.

Sonny Riener Oeti, 30, was charged with possessing a prohibited substance, failing to show up at court and two aggravated robbery offences when he appeared briefly the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday.

Sonny Riener Oeti, 30, has not yet entered pleas. Credit:Graham Tidy

He did not enter pleas or apply for bail.

In a statement, released on Monday, ACT Policing said detectives had launched an investigation into five aggravated robberies that they believed were linked between April 13 and July 13 in 2014.
To be PC or not to be PC? That is the question. In fact, it's a conundrum, a bewildering war of words in which the "politically correct" sword is wielded very selectively.



And former prime minister Tony Abbott is in the thick of it, slashing his way energetically through the marriage equality debate with: "And I say to you if you don't like same-sex marriage, vote no. If you're worried about religious freedom and freedom of speech, vote no, and if you don't like political correctness, vote no, because voting no will help to stop political correctness in its tracks."



What a tangled web that is! Abbott yokes same-sex marriage to religious freedom, freedom of speech, and political correctness. Apparently the sky is going to fall if a "yes" vote gets up and the law is changed. But let's leave the marriage equality debate aside for the moment and focus instead on the clear implication that political correctness and freedom of speech are at war. Freedom of speech, according to Abbott, is threatened by political correctness.



So where was this great champion of free speech when Yassmin Abdel-Magied was under attack earlier in the year for her Anzac Day Facebook post? Yes, it can certainly be argued that what Abdel-Magied wrote was disrespectful and hurtful to many, and she acknowledged as much by quickly retracting the post and apologising unreservedly. But surely the fervent free speech advocates would at least have supported her right to express her view even though they disagreed with it? Not for a moment.



Abbott weighed in with: "An over-promoted, politically correct 26-year-old is merely the symptom of the cultural cowardice that's penetrated to the very heart of our institutions. While officialdom wrings its hands in nervous self-doubt about anything that might be labelled anti-youth, anti-women, anti-black or, perhaps worst of all, anti-Muslim, Australians show what they think of our country's knockers by turning out in ever-increasing numbers and ever-greater enthusiasm on Anzac Day."



There are lots of things that could be said about that statement, but let's focus on two. Firstly, there is no defence of Abdel-Magied's right to free speech combined with a carefully reasoned analysis of what, in Abbott's view, was wrong about what she wrote. Instead the attack is personal  she's an "over-promoted, politically correct 26-year-old". So exercising her right to free speech was not only out of order but politically correct? Yet isn't Abbott also arguing that political correctness threatens freedom of speech?



Secondly, remember that the main public criticism of Abdel-Magied was that she had inappropriately linked the Anzac tradition to unrelated issues for political and religious reasons. Which is exactly the same tactic that Abbott is using in his attempt to muddy the waters in the marriage equality deliberations. So should we now be talking about "an over-promoted, politically correct 59-year-old"?



What makes writing something that disrespects the Anzac tradition and thereby causes distress to many people a greater crime than writing something which disrespects the LGBTQI community and also causes distress to many? Is there a qualitative difference, perhaps? Is one sacrosanct and the other not? It would be interesting to see that argument played out from both sides.



Or is the difference quantitative? Perhaps some will point to the history of the Anzac tradition and insist that many more people were potentially affected by Abdel-Magied's comments than Abbott's, but, if so, where is that line in the sand? Is the right to freedom of speech determined by the numbers on the receiving end? Who makes that decision?



Over coming weeks, if the 2015 Irish referendum is any guide, there are likely to be vitriolic attacks on the LGBTQI community by people who will claim that they have every right to express their opinions under the freedom-of-speech banner. They will decry political correctness, possibly in the name of that other great standard-bearer for free speech, Senator Pauline Hanson, and argue that their opinions are simply a case of "telling it like it is".



But did they allow Yassmin Abdel-Magied that same freedom? Or did they, like Hanson and other tireless free speech advocates in the political arena such as Senator George Christensen, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, and Senator Eric Abetz, instantly denounce her?



It is ironic that those who shout the loudest about freedom of speech are often the quickest to condemn when the views expressed do not agree with theirs. We have reached a point where political correctness and freedom of speech have become so corrupted, particularly by politicians, that they have lost all traction.



David Campbell is a Fairfax Media contributor.
Authors John Stanhope and Khalid Ahmed say stamp duty is imposing a burden of 43 in compliance, administration and economic efficiency costs for every dollar of the tax collected. This is mind boggling. When I recently bought a property, my lawyers looked up the relevant rate, then wrote a cheque to the ACT government. The government didn't need to do anything, just cash the cheque! So if it costs 43 per $1, then when stamp duty is finally removed, over $100million annually will be saved. Can the economists please explain where the government will save and how much, and where economic efficiency will be gained and by whom, by transferring stamp duty to rates. Then maybe we could understand the benefits of removing stamp duty.

M. R. Arnold, O'Connor Double dipping-plus On the 10 June 2012, Chief Minister Barr was reported as saying: "On average Canberrans move once every seven years, so they pay stamp duty every seven years." This seemed to be the back-of-the-napkin basis that land tax would replace stamp duty. Based on that calculation, every year the average Canberran home owner would be paying 14.2 per cent of the stamp duty at time of purchase as land tax at the end of the 20 years implementation plus any reasonable cost of living increases.

For a $500,000 house in 2012, the stamp duty was $18,050. That equated to approximately $2563 per annum. We are only five years into this plan and for most people, our rates are already above that and to add insult to injury, people who purchased the $500,000 house in 2012 would have paid the stamp duty as well. This is double dipping to the extreme and it appears that with the ever-increasing rates, the person who purchased in 2012 and is still in their house in 2032 will have paid at least four times the stamp duty. The government needs to consider that the seven-year average might be an anomaly for Canberra based on historical public servant movements and adjust the land tax on that basis. People who have paid stamp duty should have a different land tax percentage applied to their rates to reflect that they have already paid a sizeable amount. Stephen Petersen, Dunlop Best of a bad lot

We know the tram project will not recover its capital cost or run at an operating profit. The question is not whether it should be built (that horse has bolted) but, rather, what is the correct policy prescription for dealing with such an investment error? The rational decision-maker avoids the sunk-cost fallacy of throwing good money after bad. As completion of the project is a sunk cost (due to contractual obligations), the only relevant costs are its future operating losses. If there are lower cost alternatives for carrying commuters from Gungahlin to Civic and back, then the Canberra community would be better off if any or all of these alternatives were substituted.

Buses, in rapid transit mode, spring to mind. What about the trams? I suggest we find someone gullible enough to buy them. A friend of mine suggested the South Australians. That was a bit gratuitous. Why not auction them off along with the steel rails, overhead gantries and wires? That leaves the concrete right of way. Why not lease it to some eager R and D entrepreneur interested in developing autonomous vehicles (buses, cars) instead? Brendan Cox, Richardson Blame the LNP

That boat left four years ago, Michael Warrington, of Garran (Letters, September 8). To continue to blame the previous government for the LNPs economic woes has nothing to do with the debt left by the ALP and the interest incurred but everything to do with their mismanagement of the economy. The $122 million dollars for the same-sex marriage postal vote is a complete waste of money and will add to their already unwieldy debt. Jan Gulliver, Lyneham Not at his desk? In Rachel Packham's story "Luxury hotel booked for Garema Place" (September 8, p3) she states: "Chief Minister Andrew Barr recently returned from an official trip to Hong Kong, where he met with a number of international hotel chains in a bid to [entice] the firms to build more five-star international hotels in Canberra."

What has happened to Brendan Smyth, the ACT's specially appointed "Commissioner for International Engagement"? John Milne, Chapman Transparency a key issue Your editorial on the Auditor-General's investigation of the land swap between the ACT government and the construction union's Tradies Club and the article on donations from organisations and others to political parties, converge to bring into question, yet again, the independence, impartiality and transparency of the political class in making decisions, purportedly in the public interest. No matter how vociferously the parties to these transactions protest to the contrary, the beneficiaries' obvious purpose is to gain access and influence, the effects of which are concealed from the citizenry.

A reason democracies of the world are being shaken from within is that, increasingly, the power elite  the ruling class and an influential few  are perceived to have expropriated the voices of ordinary citizens. Democracies have evolved over time, so a show of hands is no longer feasible, but we certainly deserve greater transparency, especially here in Lilliput. It has been raised many times before, but a start would be to ban all political donations, and, unappealing an option as it may be, fund from the public purse sufficient of our taxes to allow politicians to set out their respective policies and intentions at election time, plainly, openly and without the hype, fanfare and obfuscation we have wearily come to expect. A. Whiddett, Forrest Truly the Coal Party? While speaking in support of the successful motion to withdraw all subsidies to renewable energy ("National Party votes to remove all subsidies for renewable energy", canberratimes.

com.au, September 9) George Christiansen MP argued that cars weren't subsidised to replace horse-drawn carriages so why should solar panels and wind farms be subsidised to replace coal-fired power stations? The answer, George, is that as the internal combustion engine increased pollution of the planet and increased the risk of dangerous climate change it did not deserve a subsidy. By contrast, the faster we can replace fossil-fuelled power with renewable energy the more we can lower pollution and the more we can slow climate change. That such an issue should dominate the Nationals conference is very sad: where were the issues that related to animal husbandry and agriculture? The Country Party changed its name to the Nationals several decades ago. Perhaps it is time that it stopped the pretence and took the label Coal Party; after all, he who pays the piper generally calls the tune.

Mike Reddy, Curtin Power dilemma No one much likes coal-fired power stations, especially old ones (Peter Harris, Letters, September 9) but, once our electrical generating capacity was privatised and the Electricity Commissions, which did comprehensive, long-term planning, were abolished, the ad hocery of today was guaranteed. It wouldn't be smart to replace coal with solar power as solar generating capacity requires almost as much electrical energy to manufacture it as it will produce during its life time. Neither would we want our hillsides covered in ugly wind turbines which become beautiful only with very deep green spectacles, so we are in a hole.

Nuclear? No one much wants that either. But we don't want blackouts so I don't know where to go, perhaps Peter Harris does but I doubt that too. Stan Marks, Hawker Vote ill advised So the Nationals have voted to remove all subsidies for renewable energy. Well, now it's all on public view  the flat-earthers in the National Party not only reject mainstream climate science out of hand, but they also don't understand the economics of many decades of taxpayer financial support for coal-fired power stations.

The PM's current brainwave to use taxpayer funds to keep the Liddell coal-fired power station operating for a further five years is just another example of governments playing fast and loose with the public's money. Phyllis Vespucci, Reservoir, Vic. Step back needed When one Christian school in recent days wrote to its parent community advocating a "no" vote in the upcoming postal survey, it made national headlines. How was that remarkable or newsworthy when a voting choice is after all being offered? It is not as if they were advocating informal voting, or (as far as I know) any inflammatory views, or anything else irregular.

It also made national headlines when the Barr government spent tens of thousands of ratepayer dollars advocating a "yes" vote with rainbow bus branding. In this case the headlines were justified by the fact a position was being taken by a public administration presumably representing all Canberrans. I can honestly state that I have not decided my vote. One of the things that clouds the decision for me is the arrogation of virtue by one side, and the finger pointing at the other. That is a shade of ochlocracy (mob rule). It drives the frankest discussions underground, some of the opposition into silence, defensiveness or extremity, and it may well serve to undermine the ultimate community acceptance of the likely "yes" result. People or groups respectfully advocating "no" should not be newsworthy, and we should urge media to step back and see that.

The branding of public buses is symptomatic of the audacious licence that is available to the "yes" campaign. Ross Kelly, Monash In a hard place If Aung San Suu Kyi openly supported the persecuted Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar she would immediately lose support of the majority Buddhist population. Rod Matthews, Fairfield, Vic

TO THE POINT THANKS FOR NOTHING Our loved allegedly Mr Fluffy home, which never had loose-fill asbestos installed, is now rubble in an ACT government tip. I have just received the government's First Right Of Refusal letter: they are offering me the opportunity to repurchase my block (which has no guarantee of cleanliness) at a non-negotiable price of $50,000 more than I was forced to accept from them. Kathleen Read, Gundaroo JUST SAY NO  YES!

Nice to be able to simultaneously vote "no" to Bill Shorten, Malcolm Turnbull and the Greens without electing another silly politician. John L Smith, Farrer POPULATE AND PERISH There's environmental criticism of the royal Cambridges having a third child (Letters, September 10), yet a few pages before is a Somaliland refugee ("Once a refugee, he's now an MP", September 10, P13) with seven children. Bet there's no complaint here, yet overpopulation is everyone's concern. Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla

TRUMP CHALLENGE Yes Ian Forno (Letters, September 11) I should have thought of that when I wrote the letter. Maybe someone could read the book to Trump very slowly. V. Harris, Yass LNP DOUBLES DEBT

Michael Warrington, of Garran (Letters, September 8), refers to the "debt that Labor left when last in office". I can only assume that the writer is referring to the debt that the LNP has more than doubled (in four years) to over a half-trillion dollars? Roger Terry, Kingston WISDOM FOR 'NO' CAMP My thanks goes to Claude Wiltshire for his good sound advice to all opponents of same-sex marriage (Letters, September 7). I am one of the opponents who will definitely be voting no. Anne Prendergast, Reid

COAL-POWERED SUBS Further to Peter Harris' suggestions (Letters, September 9) for Australia's marine defence, may I put forward a suggestion that seems ideally suited to our national requirements and current Government objectives. Coal-powered submarines. A. Moore, Melba LIGHTWEIGHT NATS Ah, The Nationals. One Nation lite in a broad brimmed hat.

M. Moore, Bonython MAKE ROOM FOR SCO MO So Sco Mo is a better treasurer than Turnbull is a PM the pollsters say. It's only a matter of time before he, not Abbott, gets the top job. N. Johns, Ainslie Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message eld, not as an attached le. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.
I am about to say something that will horrify most Melburnians  more so than any lukewarm soy latte or too-long line at Pidapipo gelateria ever could. And that thing is this: your city really isn't all that great.

As someone who arrived in Melbourne for the first time only a year and a half ago, the thing that shocked me most wasn't the laneway art (we have graffiti in Sydney too, guys) or the weather (ever heard of spring?), but rather the borderline obsessive-compulsive defences everyone always seemed to be making about the place, as though they were its collective real estate agent and hadn't had much luck on the housing market to date.

Flinders Street Station in Melbourne. Credit:Eddie Jim

I could barely get a word in edgeways before some stranger would leap at me, hollering: "Melbourne is the most liveable city in the world! We are so much better than Sydney! Just admit it, why don't you!"

It's not that my instinct was to criticise the place. After all, when someone welcomes you into their home, the polite thing to do is smile, "ooh" and "ah" at the decor and compliment the food, not complain about the climate or the sad attempt at a Chinatown.
Right-wing US radio host Rush Limbaugh, who has suggested that the "panic" caused by the hurricanes benefits retailers, the media and climate change activists, abandoned his south Florida studio ahead of Hurricane Irma.

Limbaugh recently claimed the media is manufacturing unwarranted panic about Irma as part of a plot to hype climate change, boost ratings and increase advertising revenue from businesses that stand to make money from purchases of batteries and bottled water.

Limbaugh then accused The Washington Post and other news outlets of twisting his words while simultaneously doubling down on his conspiracy theory on Thursday.

"I explained how severe weather events are opportunities for big ratings boosts in the media and explained how it happens," he said.
It's the end of the day for me. What happened?

the Australian Bureau of Statistics is preparing to send out the first same-sex marriage survey papers ;

is preparing to send out the first ; the Turnbull government will try and pass legislation this week to put safeguards in place surrounding the conduct of the process ;

will try and pass legislation this week to put ; one Coalition senator said LGBTI people who feared hateful speech during the campaign should "grow a spine;

said who feared hateful speech during the campaign should "grow a spine; electricity company AGL met with the government - again - about the future of its Liddell power plant ; and

met with the government - again - about the ; and the opposition linked the government's energy policy to its citizenship woes.

My thanks to Andrew Meares and Alex Ellinghausen for their superb work and to you for reading and commenting.

You can follow me on Facebook.

Andrew, Alex and I will be back in the morning. We hope to see you then.
By PTI: at annual Summit

New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will look at ways to enhance "multifaceted" relations between the two countries and carry forward their special strategic and global partnership when they meet for the annual Summit on Wednesday.

Abe begins his two-day visit on Wednesday during which he and Modi will hold the 12th India-Japan annual Summit in Gujarat capital Gandhinagar.

advertisement

The summit takes place amid rising tension in the Far East after North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb, launched a ballistic missile over Japan, and the growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.

This will be the fourth annual summit between Modi and Abe.

The two leaders have met 10 times in the last three years, with the last being on the sidelines of the G20 Summit at Hamburg in July. Prime Minister Modi had visited Japan in November last year.

"The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their special strategic and global partnership and will set its future direction," MEA said in a statement.

During his visit, Abe will attend the ground breaking ceremony of the Mumbai-Ahemdabad high-speed railway, a flagship programme of the India-Japan collaboration, marking the commencement of the project, also known as bullet train project.

Through a video link, the two prime ministers will attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the High-Speed Railway Training Institute being set up in Vadodara.

Apart from attending a business plenary, the two leaders will also take a tour of Dandi Kutir in Gandhinagar, which is Indias largest museum showcasing the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

India-Japan ties are on an upswing in a range of areas, including defence and security.

At their annual defence dialogue last week, the two countries had resolved to collaborate closely in defence production, including on dual use technology.

When asked about the talks between the two sides on defence, including the sale of amphibious aircraft ShinMaywa US-2 to India, Pranay Verma, joint secretary (East Asia), did not go into details, but noted that defence cooperation remains an area of priority between New Delhi and Tokyo.

Verma was responding to media queries at a briefing on Abes visit.

Replying to a question on whether work on any project had commenced after the Indo-Japan civil nuclear cooperation deal came into force in July this year, Verma said, It is for the two sides to start discussions to look at how to take this forward in a manner that contributes to Indias civil nuclear programme.

advertisement

The nuclear pact, signed in November 2016, is expected to help foreign players build atomic power reactors in India with equipment from Japan.

Responding to a question on Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, Verma said, talks were going on and India was looking at collaboration with Japan in third countries. "This (the talks) is acquiring gradual maturity."

The initiative is not only being discussed between India and Japan, but also with third countries, Verma added.

Launched in May this year, the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) is an economic cooperation agreement between the governments of India and Japan.

Verma said development in northeast India is an area where the two nations have agreed to cooperate.

"Discussions are clearly to begin in depth....what kind of projects and what sectors...it will be in consulation with the stakeholders, with the concerned departments of government of India as well as the northeastern states. That is still a work in progress," he said. PTI PR MPB SK

--- ENDS ---
It's 2017 and there are no female talkback radio presenters on Australian commercial radio. It's a job women just aren't interested in, according to broadcaster Alan Jones.

The proud feminist's comments have since been refuted by media commentators who have strived and struggled to secure jobs behind the mic.

2GB's Ray Hadley, majority shareholder John Singleton and Alan Jones celebrate their radio ratings success in 2016. Credit:Ben Rushton

When pressed on why women haven't made it into the talkback sphere Jones told Ten's Studio 10: "I just don't know. Because women are successful wherever they want to be, so I can only assume they don't want that. They choose other roles in the media."

"I don't know why, the women primarily migrate to the newsroom, they're sleuths, so we've got a lot of, well, there you are, I think we've got the best newsreader in the country," the host of 2GB's top rating breakfast radio show said.
Doctors battling melanoma  the deadliest form of skin cancer  may soon get new weapons, which researchers say can stop the disease from spreading and killing their patients.

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers at the Melanoma Institute Australia announced they had successfully trialled a combination of new treatments to prevent melanoma from spreading and metastasising to distant organs.

"Our ultimate goal of making melanoma a chronic rather than a terminal illness is now so much closer to being achieved," Georgina Long, the institute's conjoint medical director, said.

About 14,000 people in Australia will be diagnosed with melanoma this year and about 1800 are expected to die from it.
Rabbis from an eastern Sydney synagogue have thrown their support behind gay marriage, on the day before postal survey forms are mailed out across the country.

Senior Rabbi at Emanuel Synagogue Jeffrey Kamins said the perception that all religious leaders were against same-sex marriage was wrong.

Senior Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins speaks at Emanuel Synagogue in eastern Sydney on Monday. Credit:AAP

"There is this sense that religious leaders are against this and that religious documents don't support this," he said on Monday.

"I think it's important that many religious leaders read our documents in ways that aren't black and white.
People who illegally park in disabled spaces should lose demerit points, a disability advocate argued after a Queensland government official confirmed the issue of penalties was being discussed.

No Permit No Park founder Elisha Wright said a demerit point penalty could deter people from doing the wrong thing.

"We know that people are more deterred by the fear of losing their licence from demerit point losses than they are by paying a fine," she said.

Demerit point penalties should be considered in Queensland, Elisha Wright from No Permit No Park says.

In New South Wales, the fine for parking in a disabled car park without a permit is more than $500 and attracts a demerit point penalty, which contributes towards licence suspension.
A 29-year-old man has been charged with murder and fronted court over a fatal stabbing at a restaurant in Melbourne's west.

Police allege Milos Novakovic killed Deni Dimovski, a 31-year-old man from Burnside Heights, when a brawl erupted at a private party in Korzo Grill House, a Macedonian restaurant in Caroline Springs in the early hours of Saturday.

Police allege Mr Dimovski was stabbed multiple times during the fight, which broke out about 2am when an uninvited group allegedly tried to force their way into the Gourlay Street restaurant.

The group left on foot but are believed to have had several cars nearby.
The Victorian Greens hope a local Indigenous woman can finally achieve the political breakthrough in Melbourne's inner-north the minor party has been threatening for years.

Lidia Thorpe, from one of the state's most prominent Aboriginal families, will take on Labor hopeful Clare Burns in the upcoming Northcote byelection to fill the State Parliament seat left vacant by the death of the ALP's Fiona Richardson.

New Greens candidate Lidia Thorpe in Northcote. Credit:Joe Armao

Labor says it will fight hard to defend a seat it first won in 1927 and has never relinquished.

But the broader implications of the vote, most likely to be held in mid-November, are huge.
A Hamersley mother has been charged with trying to smother her 19-month-old baby daughter, reports say.

According to Nine News Perth reporter Jerrie Demasi the woman tried to smother her child with a pillow in their home on Sunday night.

The baby girl was released from hospital on Monday. Credit:Virginia Star

The child was rushed to Princess Margaret Hospital after the little girl was saved by a family member before any serious and long-term damage was done.

The little girl was released this morning into the care of her grandmother.
An inquest into the 1975 gangland-style murder of Perth brothel madam Shirley Finn could be delayed again just as it was about to start.

The West Australian is reporting on Monday witnesses were told on Friday that their attendance was no longer required and a new date would be set.

Perth brothel madam Shirley Finn. Credit:Facebook

The two-week inquest before Coroner Barry King is scheduled to start at 10am.

Ms Finn was wearing a ball gown and sitting in her parked car near the freeway in South Perth when she was shot four times to the head at close range in June 1975.
An inquest into the 1975 gangland-style murder of Perth brothel madam Shirley Finn has opened amid ongoing speculation of police involvement or a cover-up.

The inquest before Coroner Barry King started on Monday but, due to the principal counsel assisting the coroner being unavailable through illness, witnesses will give evidence at a later date.

Perth brothel madam Shirley Finn. Credit:Facebook

Ms Finn was wearing a ball gown and sitting in her parked car near the freeway in South Perth when she was shot four times to the head at close range in June 1975.

She was being investigated by the tax office over a $100,000 bill and had threatened to name people she had been involved with, or paid kickbacks to.
Washington: Pope Francis on Monday questioned whether Donald Trump was "pro-life" following the US President's decision to end a policy allowing young immigrants to stay in the United States.

"I have heard it said that the President of the United States presents himself as a man who is pro-life," Francis said in response to a question about Mr Trump's decision to discontinue the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that allowed immigrants brought to the United States as children to live and work or study in the US.

"If he is a good pro-life [man], then he will understand that the family is the cradle of life, and that it must be defended as a unit."

Francis said that he would like to study the American policy more thoroughly, but he said he was troubled by the possibility of young immigrants in any nation being compelled to move away from their families.
By PTI: at annual Summit (Eds: Adding more points)

New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will look at ways to enhance "multifaceted" relations between the two countries and carry forward their special strategic and global partnership when they meet for the annual Summit on Wednesday.

Abe begins his two-day visit on Wednesday during which he and Modi will hold the 12th India-Japan annual Summit in Gujarat capital Gandhinagar.

advertisement

The summit takes place amid rising tension in the Far East after North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb, launched a ballistic missile over Japan, and the growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.

This will be the fourth annual summit between Modi and Abe, during which the focus of talks is expected to be on trade, defence and infrastructure.

The two leaders have met 10 times in the last three years, with the last being on the sidelines of the G20 Summit at Hamburg in July.

Prime Minister Modi had visited Japan in November last year while Abe visited India in December 2015.

"The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their special strategic and global partnership and will set its future direction," MEA said in a statement.

On September 14, Abe will attend the ground breaking ceremony of the Mumbai-Ahemdabad high-speed railway, a flagship programme of the India-Japan collaboration, marking the commencement of the project, also known as bullet train project.

Through a video link, the two prime ministers will attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the High-Speed Railway Training Institute being set up in Vadodara.

On the same day, the two sides will hold delegation level talks.

Apart from attending a business plenary, the two leaders will also take a tour of Dandi Kutir in Gandhinagar, which is Indias largest museum showcasing the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

India-Japan ties are on an upswing in a range of areas, including defence and security.

At their annual defence dialogue last week, the two countries had resolved to collaborate closely in defence production, including on dual use technology.

When asked about the talks on defence between the two sides, Pranay Verma, joint secretary (East Asia), did not go into details, but noted that defence cooperation remains an area of priority between New Delhi and Tokyo.

On being asked about the sale of amphibious aircraft ShinMaywa US-2 to India, Verma said, "I wouldnt really venture into prejudging on what is going to be the outcome. Outcomes are under discussions right now and it wont be proper for me to comment at this stage."

advertisement

Verma was responding to media queries at a briefing on Abes visit.

Replying to a question on whether work on any project had commenced after the Indo-Japan civil nuclear cooperation deal came into force in July this year, Verma said it is for the two sides to start discussions to look at how to take this forward in a manner that contributes to Indias civil nuclear programme.

The nuclear pact, signed in November 2016, is expected to help foreign players build atomic power reactors in India with equipment from Japan.

Responding to a question on Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, Verma said, talks were going on and India was looking at collaboration with Japan in third countries. "This (the talks) is acquiring gradual maturity."

The initiative is not only being discussed between India and Japan, but also with third countries, Verma added.

Launched in May this year, the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) is an economic cooperation agreement between the governments of India and Japan.

Verma said development in northeast India is an area where the two nations have agreed to cooperate.

advertisement

"Discussions are clearly to begin in depth....what kind of projects and what sectors...it will be in consultation with the stakeholders, with the concerned departments of government of India as well as the northeastern states. That is still a work in progress," he said.

Replying to a question on the comments of Japanese envoy to India on freedom of navigation in the disputed South China Sea, Verma did not give a direct answer.

He said the previous joint statements by the two countries clearly articulated the views of both.

India has been a strong votary of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and maintains that the dispute should be resolved according to the United Nations Convention of Law of Sea (UNCLOS). PTI PR MPB SK SK

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Cong (EDs: Incorporating Sonia Gandhis comments)

New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Swami Vivekanandas message of oneness in his historic Chicago speech was as relevant today as it was in 1893, the Congress party said and accused the Narendra Modi government of doing just the opposite of what the monk-philosopher preached and represented.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi said Swami Vivekanandas slogan of oneness should be the "magna carta" (the great charter) for the way forward in what she described as todays "atmosphere of intolerance and hate".

advertisement

"Unfortunately three years down the line of this government, we are seeing the preaching (about) attaining every new heights of glory and prose, the practice is completely the opposite, attaining the depths of despair in real life India.

"This governments use and actions including views are the diametrically opposite of what Swami Vivekananda preached espoused or represented," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

Hailing Vivekananda on the 125th year of his address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago, Gandhi said his message that sectarianism, bigotry and fanaticism had possessed the earth was still as relevant.

While highlighting the idea of the oneness of all religions, Swamiji promoted with equal zeal the idea of the equality of all human beings, she said.

Recalling that Vivekananda spoke of both tolerance and universal acceptance in his 1893 address, she said, "Today, more than ever, we are engulfed with the same challenges of prejudices which Swamiji spoke about".

"In todays atmosphere of intolerance and hate, Swamijis message should be the Magna Carta for the way forward," she said in a message.

The Congress president said she hoped his inspiring thoughts would continue to guide everybody, especially the countrys youth.

"His clarion call -- Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached! ? was at once a call to spiritual as well as political liberation," Gandhi said.

Paying homage to the spiritual leader, she added that he went to Chicago in 1893 to attend the world parliament as a representative of Hinduism and India where he eloquently quoted from the Bhagvad Gita.

"Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair," she quoted Vivekananda as saying.

She described this "universal" message as "time- invariant".

It is as relevant today as it was over 124 years ago" Gandhi said.

Singhvi said Swami Vivekananda personified the eternal energy of Indian youth and their incessant quest for truth.

"But you don?t insult him like this when surreptitiously you disobey the path shown by him.

advertisement

"...when you encourage a culture of hate, bigotry, narrow mindedness, parochialism, politics of prejudice and division, do you really in any sense of the word follow Swami Vivekananda in practice, sprit or action?" he asked, targeting the Modi government.

Singhvi alleged that Modi government decides what we wear, what we eat, where do we move, what we practice, what we do and how we live our lives.

It has completely "strangulated" any kind of dissent and divergence of views. The recent incident of lynchings, the murder of free-thinkers, rationalists, dissenters is a "grim reminder" of the times we live in, he said.

Referring to Modis talk of respecting women, the Congress leader said while nobody can differ with him but unfortunately the actions of this government are just the opposite.

He said every six minutes, a woman is raped in Delhi and referred to the gangrape of a minor in Dumka in Jharkhand.

Singhvi also said that Modi and his government was waxing eloquent about it Make-in-India initiative but as per CMIE data in one quarter of this year as many as 15 lakh jobs have been lost.

advertisement

He also criticised the Clean India Mission, saying it sent the whole country on a toilet construction spree and a lot of hype was created around it but 51 per cebt of Indian households do not have an improved sanitation system.

"All the height and hoopla on one side - this new toilet truth is a sad truth," he said, adding that most people use dry pit toilets which spreads maximum disease and encourages manual scavenging in remote and rural areas. PTI SKC SK

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: rubbish claim

Mumbai, Sep 11 (PTI) A senior Shiv Sena leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had offered a Cabinet berth to NCP chief Sharad Pawars lawmaker daughter Supriya Sule, a claim both the NCP and BJP trashed today.

In a signed article in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana yesterday, Sanjay Raut, who edits the newspaper, claimed that Pawar once told him that his daughter was offered a Cabinet berth by Modi while trashing media speculations at the time that he himeself might join the NDA Government.

advertisement

"Pawar told me there is no truth in media reports (that he would join the Modi cabinet). He described such reports as the height of stupidity," Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, wrote.

"Rumours are being spread about my party. Modi had once told me he wanted Supriya in his Cabinet. Supriya, who was present at that meeting, told Modi that she would be the last person to join the BJP," Raut claimed Pawar told him.

The Sena MP also said that Pawar told him that the NCPs stand is very clear on not joining the Modi government, yet rumours are being spread to create confusion.

"Sharad Pawar says this. But, there are senior NCP leaders who are in touch with CM Devendra Fadnavis. The Shiv Sena has no reason to be worried even if the NCP seeks inclusion in the Fadnavis cabinet. The chief minister is holding secret meetings with NCP leaders," Raut said.

Though a long-time ally of the BJP and a member in the coalition governments headed by the saffron party in Maharashtra and at the Centre, Shiv Sena has often been at loggerheads with the senior partner and aired highly critical views about the NDA government.

In a sharp retort to the Sena leaders claims, a BJP spokesperson said Pawar and Raut have no political credibility left.

The NCP said the party would never join the BJP, considering the ideological differences between them.

"Do Sanjay Raut and Sharad Pawar have any political credibility? One should keep in mind they have no credibility before believing such reports," BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari told PTI.

"There is another possibility as well. The NCP wanted a berth in the Cabinet but could not get a favourable response from PM Modi. Hence the outcry. Raut and Pawar should reveal (the reasons for) the camaraderie between them," he said.

When PTI tried to contact Pawar for his reaction, a close aide of the NCP chief said he was in his home town Baramati and would respond to the Saamana article at an "appropriate" time.

However, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said there is no question of his party joining the BJP in future as well, considering the ideological differences between the two parties.

advertisement

When these rumours were being spread, Supriya Sule and Praful Patel had clarified there was no truth in the reports. "The NCP never had any plan to join the BJP and will not do so in future as well due to ideological differences," Malik said.

PTI MM VT KRK GK NM SK

--- ENDS ---
There are several local iconic landmarks that have special significance to Aggies -- Kyle Field, the Memorial Student Center and The Dixie Chicken among them -- and with the permanent addition of the "Hullabaloo strips" on George Bush Drive, Texas A&M System officials said they hope they've added a new one.

Associate Vice Chancellor John Barton said it is the system's hope that the rumble strips, which mimic the cadence heard in the Aggie War Hymn, will be a must-visit attraction from every Aggie who returns to College Station for a visit.

"We hope at some point this is like the Dixie Chicken -- people come to College Station and they've got to see the chancellor's Hullabaloo rumble strips," said Barton, who led the efforts to make the project a reality.

While the rumble strips add an additional dose of Texas A&M spirit to the road, Barton said they actually serve a dual purpose of safety as well.

Located on the stretch of road between the intersections of Penberthy Boulevard and Harvey Mitchell Parkway, Barton said the positioning of the rumble strips are intended to encourage drivers to slow down as they are approaching the light at Penberthy and accelerate at a slower pace once they have passed through it.

"This is safety project at its core," Barton said. "We wanted to put it in a place where it would be safe and appropriate for them to be driving at about 40 mph."

To achieve the best pacing of the cadence, he said drivers should be going at a speed of 35 to 40 mph with larger vehicles in the right-hand land and smaller vehicles in the left.

In the particular space where the rumble strips have been installed, Barton said the "benefit of putting them on this location is there is less traffic than we have on George Bush between Wellborn Road and Texas Avenue."

Nearly a year after the system first installed temporary road tabs to achieve the effect, Barton said officials -- Chancellor John Sharp in particular, who initiated the project -- are pleased to see the installation become more permanent with the blessing of the Texas Department of Transportation.

Barton said the $5,000 project -- which is expected to last around five to six years before needing to be replaced -- was paid for entirely by Sharp and carried out by traffic control company Area Wide Protective.

Should the rumble strips prove as popular as they are expecting, Barton said A&M officials are already considering other locations where the feature can be installed.

"We've talked about different places that we might put them down," Barton said. "Depending on how this goes and how it is received, we may consider other locations The intent is to be fun and it's just a neat thing for us to do to show our Aggie spirit through something that's safety oriented."
Firefighters from Bryan and College Station again are walking up 110 flights of stairs in full gear early Monday to honor the 412 first-responders killed as they tried to rescue victims of the World Trade Center attack in 2001.

The observance marks the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania.

The local event, which is scheduled for 8 a.m. at the 18-story Rise at Northgate apartment complex, mirrors remembrances being carried out throughout the country.

Killed in the New York attacks were 343 firefighters, 60 police officers and eight paramedics who died instantly when the Twin Towers collapsed. An estimated 60 or so of the firefighters killed were off duty when they responded to the disaster. Scores of others have died from respiratory illnesses officials believed they developed while working at the site for weeks.

The 9-11 Stair Climbs are organized to "ensure that the fallen firefighters of Sept. 11 are never forgotten," according to the organization that says the group completes their journey through dedication, training and physical fitness.

The first such climb was done Sept. 11, 2005 when five Colorado firefighters met at a high-rise to walk up 110 flights of stairs in memory of those killed in the attacks. The next year, 12 firefighters from four area departments did the climb. Attendance continued to grow until it was capped at 343 in 2008.

Officials said participation in the event is open to all fire department, EMS and law enforcement personnel from around the Brazos Valley.
An 18-year-old College Station man was arrested on the Texas A&M campus early Sunday after authorities said he took possession of a "bait bike," according to university police.

Authorities said the GPS-equipped bike was removed from its rack on the west side of the Dunn Hall dormitory just after 11 p.m. Saturday.

After tracking the police-owned bike's location, officers said the man was found riding down Hogg Street behind Sbisa Dining Hall on the north side of campus.

The man was released from the Brazos County Jail on a $2,000 bail Sunday after being held on a Class B misdemeanor theft charge.

If convicted, he could face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
Texas A&M researchers have received more than $9 million in grant funding from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, accounting for nearly a tenth of the institution's awards this year alone.

A&M Interim Vice President for Research Karen Butler-Purry praised the impact made by the grants and their ability to help further critical research at the university and across the state.

"By funding these grants, CPRIT continues to demonstrate that Texas A&M, our faculty-researchers and their research teams are substantially advancing the state's commitment to cancer research, treatment and prevention," Butler-Purry said. "We share an ultimate goal with CPRIT: to substantially impact breakthroughs to cure cancer in Texas, across the nation, and around the world."

Of the grants received by Texas A&M, more than $8.6 million -- over six grants -- was awarded to researchers within the university's Health Science Center.

Carrie L. Byington, dean of the Texas A&M College of Medicine, senior vice president of Texas A&M University Health Science Center and vice chancellor for health services at The Texas A&M University System, said in a statement she and her colleagues are grateful for the ongoing financial support of CPRIT in the research efforts.

"As the second leading cause of death in the state, we are eager to continue searching for ways to both prevent and cure all forms of cancer," Byington said. "In addition to innovative research, this funding will support crucial prevention efforts as we continue the exceptional progress made in early detection of breast and cervical cancer in rural, underserved populations."

Of the projects funded, researchers Michael A. Mancini and Peter J. Davies of the Institute of Biosciences and Technology received more than half of the funding awarded to the university at nearly $5.8 million. Officials said the multi-million dollar grant will be used to support the collaborative research facility, the Center for Advanced Microscopy and Image Informatics -- which partners the Institute of Biosciences and Technology with Baylor College of Medicine and the Gulf Coast Consortium -- in providing cancer researchers with access to imaging and computational resources.

A $915,000 grant was awarded to associate professor Robert Tsai of the Center for Translational Cancer Research to support his work studying methods of destroying potentially cancerous mouth lesions through non-invasive means.

The $1.35 million in prevention grant will be used by College of Medicine clinical assistant professor David McClellan and School of Public Health professor Jane Bolin to expand and continue funding a project to provide breast and cervical cancer prevention services to women.

The three remaining projects based out of the Health Science Center to be awarded grants were all from the College of Medicine, and each received roughly $200,000 in funding, respectively. Assistant professor Andrew Phillip West is studying how the growth of melanoma may be encouraged by instability in mitochondrial DNA; associate professor Yi Xu's project focuses on researching how intestinal microbes may contribute to colorectal cancer; and assistant professor Yubin Zhou is set to use his funding to help develop technology to locate and remove abnormal DNA within human genomes.

The two researchers awarded funding outside the Health Science Center were for chemistry professor Wenshe Liu, whose $200,000 grant will help expand the chemical diversity of a phage display library, and assistant professor of chemical engineering Pushkar Lele, whose $200,000 grant will fund a project to researching the prevention of gastric cancer.

Since its first round of grants in 2009 CPRIT has awarded $1.89 billion in funding to support cancer research, product development and prevention programs across 1,189 grants.

For more on the program, go to cprit.state.tx.us.
Hurricane Harvey is about to get worse in Texas.

Yes, Washington will send the first several billion dollars in aid. But if the history of hurricanes is prologue, the rest of the massive aid package is worrisome.

In Washington, Congress and the administration seem likely to lose sight of Harvey quickly, stumbling as they do from one quagmire to the next. In Austin, Gov. Greg Abbott has made himself the face of recovery, yet committed nothing financially. And on the Texas Gulf, the initial euphoria of survival will turn into the fuming frustration of recovery.

There is practically nothing that can prepare you for a hurricane, no matter how many you have been through. Like a beast in the dark, it brings a psychological rush that you never wish you had. On the night that Harvey hit, thousands of people streamed north, and the acting mayor of Rockport issued the chilling instruction to those who remained to write their name and Social Security number on their forearms. And then 200,000 people were plunged into darkness, and millions into uncertainty.

When the lights came up there was a collective euphoria among the survivors. And just like any near-death experience, that feeling was powerful testimony to the human spirit. The rescuers in the boats and the rescued exhibited a noble communitarianism.

But the third act of a hurricane, upon which Texas is now entering, is a beast of a different kind. It uncoils slowly, inevitably and with seething frustration. People and institutions run low on energy and the work ahead becomes more, not less.

Its a low feeling, being trapped, powerless, in your own house in a losing battle against mold and mildew in dirty clothes in the heat of summer with nothing regular in your life: not your work, your car, your money and certainly not your future. One day you had a normal life. The next, all of your worldly possessions are rotting in the street to the backdrop of Salvation Army food trucks and the buzz of National Guard helicopters overhead.

In the Harvey saga, we are there. In his visit to Houston, President Donald Trump congratulated Abbott as fantastic along with painting survivors as happy and saying Texas can recover in six months. Many good people are giving what they have, money, time, prayer. Heck, along with J.J. Watts, Beyonce, Oprah and Barbra Streisand are spearheading a star-studded benefit for recovery.

I am reminded of a line from Erik Larsons book, Isaacs Storm, about the 1900 hurricane that demolished Galveston: The city fathers vowed to rebuild. Ah yes, they always do. Bigger and better. But as Houston County Judge Ed Emmett pointed out, this is where the Kumbaya stops and jolting reality sets in.

Recovering from a storm this size is work measured in at least a decade if not longer. All of the after-action reports of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike and Sandy clearly say so.

Here are the main points:

 Even when there is a will to spend a lot of money, it comes in dribs and drabs and only can be spent so fast anyway. The last $20 billion was just spent on Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf coast 12 years ago. Recovery from Hurricane Hugo took 17 years.

 It appears that Katrina was similar in scale to Harvey, threatening about 2 million properties, a similarly large petro-chemical refining sector, though not as diversified and big or populous an economy as Houston, which includes trade, finance, services and more.

 Recovery is not really ever complete, certainly not to pre-storm conditions. When Hurricane Ike roared ashore in 2008, it dealt a direct punch to Galveston. As of the last count, about two years ago, only 60 percent of that island citys structures had been rebuilt.

 In the cases of both Katrina and Ike, huge numbers of people were displaced permanently, never returning home.

Congress and the Trump administration will take swift credit for passing about $8 billion in initial federal aid. Yet the city of Houston estimates that it will need $200 million just to pick up garbage being tossed out as buildings are gutted.

I wonder if the real cost of Harvey will approach $200 billion in direct and indirect damages, rivaling Katrina easily. That is the equivalent of nearly six months of the gross output of Houston.

There are a range of initial estimates, though, of course:

 Economist Harvey Weinstein at Southern Methodist University estimates $60 billion; and hes an expert on the economics of Katrina. Its true that if federal aid and insurance money arrives on time, as he points out, it will be a quick economic boost.

 Accuweather, the Pennsylvania-based weather media company, has estimated $190 billion in damages; the companys officials have pointedly said government underplayed the storm. The companys methodology has been used successfully before.

 Texas economist Ray Perryman says the Accuweather forecast is not crazy. Further he said he anticipates a long-term decline in the gross domestic output of the impacted areas of $160 billion  even if all the federal aid arrived on time, which he doubts, too.

Nearly all estimates are being revised upward. Accuweathers has climbed from $160 billion to $190 billion. FEMAs reporting only is going up from initially 17,000 people in shelters to now approaching 100,000 in shelters and hotels.

Claims for assistance from FEMA are projected to exceed 400,000. But remember: FEMA caps assistance generally at $34,000. So, there will be a gap between the damages incurred and the federal aid, potentially ruinous to those without private insurance.

So here comes the fourth act: Cue the politicians. I wish I could offer a more optimistic portrait but it simply doesnt seem realistic.

Shelling out the kind of money southeast Texas needs is a show-stopper, particularly for a Republican administration and Congress with a $1 trillion agenda of tax cuts, and a similar one for infrastructure, and a $21 billion border wall.

And not to mention other problems Washington is facing: another hurricane, crisis on the Korean peninsula, looming trade fights and tension over immigration. All in advance of an election year.

Whether you like Donald Trump or despise him is irrelevant; Congress cannot handle all this at one time. It will be too tempting for Congress to check the box and approve $8 billion or $15 billion for Harvey relief and say it took care of Texas.

And reality is that this kind of money cannot be spent all at one time anyway. Case in point: Hurricane Sandy. Aid to New York and New Jersey got held up in Congress and then, after the first payment arrived, a larger political debacle ensued led by none other than Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and starring the Texas congressional delegation.

Abbott has now made delaying aid to Texas even easier by refusing to call a special session to tap the states $10 billion rainy day fund. It may be shrewd negotiation, but this will not persuade Washington lawmakers to step in.

After the 1900 storm, Galveston faded from commercial prominence, yielding to Houston. Could that happen again? That seems far-fetched but not impossible. It may be safer to move some business, such as corporate headquarters, inland in a time of global climate change.

The weather forecast for Houston in the coming week remains mercifully mild. But make no mistake. Patience will grow short. Tempers will soar. And there will be blame.

Richard Parker is a writer in Austin and the author of Lone Star Nation: How Texas Will Transform America. He wrote this for The Dallas Morning News.
By PTI: Mumbai, Sep 11 (PTI) In a new twist in the suicide case of Bengaluru musician Karan Joseph, the police have found that he had sent a message to his mother stating that he was "scared".

The police has registered a abetment of suicide case after his parents claimed that he was "mentally tortured" by somebody.

Joseph (29) jumped off the window of a 12th floor flat of a high-rise in suburban Bandra on Saturday morning. The flat, located on Bullock Road in the posh suburb, was owned by a company where his friend Rishi Shah works.

advertisement

The Bandra Police have recovered Josephs mobile phone and found that he had sent a message to his mother saying "I am scared" on the day he killed himself, a senior officer said.

The Bandra Police today registered a case of abetment of suicide under section 306 of the IPC after Josephs parents approached them, he said.

"Tina and Thomas Joseph told the police that their son was too strong and couldnt have taken such an extreme step. They alleged that he was being mentally tortured by some unknown person," he said, adding that the police investigating the messages and calls made by the deceased.

Police also found a cigar and tobacco from the flat.

Police have so far recorded statements of the deceased musicians parents, his brother, two friends, a cousin, and of a watchman of the building, the officer said.

"Josephs friends stated they found nothing unusual in his behaviour on the day he committed suicide. They claimed that Joseph came to the flat on Friday night and all of them watched television in the living area on Saturday morning, which was their routine...Joseph suddenly went to window and jumped off," he said quoting the statements.

Joseph was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.

"As per the postmortem report, Joseph suffered multiple fractures. Besides that, there were no signs of any scuffle or injuries," the officer said citing the report. PTI AVI NSK SMJ

--- ENDS ---
It may be that 50 more years of removing cows that react most strongly to the skin test has selected those that react less to it. Failure to give a positive result may also be due to small amounts of bTB bacteria that may rest dormant or in a latent state, hidden in healthy looking calves and cows.

This uncomfortable truth

These animals escape the skin test and sometimes a proportion of the gamma tests by simply not being active enough to be detectable, but they are capable of emerging and leading to a new breakdown at any time.

Whatever has changed, it is quite clear that gamma interferon testing has helped reveal that even if an infected herd passes two final 60-day skin tests and is declared TB-free, there is a chance that in over a quarter of them, bovine TB carriers remain.

They then may go on to become infectious, particularly following the process of small numbers being frequently traded to new farms on a very regular basis. This is the behaviour that senior European veterinary experts have been repeating for the last 10 years or more that we are crazy to be doing. In fact the view is that we are a joke.

All this is known and not really contested. If the skin test does not weed-out 90 percent of infected animals but 80 percent or sometimes just 50 percent then the millions and billions of pounds spent on testing and compensation are effectively wasted and the epidemic creeps more slowly across England and into Scotland and Wales or the countries still foolish enough to import English cattle under present circumstances.

This uncomfortable truth comes with the acceptance that the cows that react to the skin test but are not found to have visible lesions at the slaughterhouse were in fact all, or all but a few, infected after all with bovine TB.

Immune response in animals

However, recent findings indicate that that those animals reacting to the test but with bumps not big enough to send to slaughter (the so called inconclusive reactors) are also almost all TB carriers and potentially provide an ongoing source of disease outwards to the National Herd.

This is a shock to the system for bTB modellers too, who looking back on years of bald assumptions may also resist the implications, due to the pile of papers now needing a revisit. Modellers thrive on death and uncertainty. They may think bTB is slow to spread and to become contagious rather than quick to spread and good at hiding and passing on.

But now there is a new kid on the block. No longer a baby, it is up and walking but not as steadily as it might be. Phage RPA or the phage test is a clever method, adapted from human TB diagnostic test.

It uses a virus made harmless, that finds, invades and multiplies only in TB bacteria, to become a marker confirming the presence of the bacteria itself. Why is this new? Because in the past, the skin and gamma tests have detected an immune response in animals  signals that they may be diseased and that the body is recognising infection.

They do not however overcome the problem when an infected animal suggests it is not infected, which can happen for a very wide range of reasons.

An encumbrance

With Phage testing, for the first time it is possible to detect tiny amount of TB bacteria in tissue, blood and even milk. Whats more it is far quicker than the skin test, with results available in 6 hours. Governments around the world are excited about Phage testing, as a new dawn if not a magic bullet.

Whats not to like? Well the USA and Canadian government are giving awards to Phage research and rolling out application programmes to address many issues, as Phage can be used for different types of bacteria, not only bovine TB. It can also be used for a wide range of animals.

There has been a pilot project here in Devon. But last year, Defra seemed to more than turn their nose up on investigations trying to determine the value of this new technology. You would think that the potential and need in the face of the current bTB emergency was so great that they would be funding and accelerating the potential. All very strange?

There is also a feel that senior scientists in government agencies, shovelling large amounts of public money into cattle vaccination projects in university departments for which they sometimes have a rather close interest, is becoming an encumbrance.

However, cattle vaccination requires a holy-cow; the ever illusive Divergence or DIVA test to distinguish between infected and vaccinated individuals. Otherwise all vaccinated animals will appear to be infected as they give a positive immune response. Amazingly Phage testing test now provides that breakthrough too. So why-oh-why, the hold-back?

Loss of lucrative funding

Well the fact is that the measured use of vaccination could have been used for years to help strategically contain manage and reduce bTB, were it not for globalisation and the wish for the UK to maximise sale of beef and dairy exports at all costs despite the bTB crisis.

Also the Ministry always struggles with strategic in its free market bubble and heavily cut-back offices. The constant pushing back of vaccination as the probable long term solution has gone from being almost forgotten, to suspicious, to yet another embarrassing research gravy train for friends and fence sitters.

With Phage testing, however, vaccination is no longer a blind alley for UK and Ireland to sigh theatrically about, stating sadly with lowered voice that its going to be another ten years at least you know. The world has woken up to this even if most politicians have not.

Those in vaccination research might be eyeing Phage testing, with a why didnt we think if that first thought and realising that actually on its own, without vaccination, Phage-RPA may be the bigger part of the solution.

Is it the loss of lucrative funding by a small sector of the comfortable research bodies that has been holding back farmers rights to the best services they should have, to tackle the appalling TB crisis? Ruining farms, peoples lives and breeding stock?

Financial-loss pendulum

As this becomes clearer and more widely known, Defra is enacting a slow volte-face in order to extract itself from its nasty risk profile. It knows all this and might be sweating about the implications.

It is quietly approving now, of the work in Devon on Phage testing and a few tentative further trials in Cornwall. Perhaps also some use in Wales that is stuck just using gamma (which in some countries is dogged by manufacturing glitches) and the skin test.

Wales is casting around for something else to make progress with, particularly the 65 TB persistent herds in and around Pembrokeshire. Adding badgers to a rather tired shopping list without the required ingredient.

But why still the slow-train on what Welsh Government officials describe as a war-zone? bTB is a massive eye-wateringly expensive countryside disease crisis.

And the financial-loss pendulum can swing back in favour of the public and farmers who, as in Ireland, have paid the billion pound bill for dud skin tests for decades and the hopeless, cruel badger decimation using snaring and shootings.

Prevarication in the bTB war zone

No need to waste 100 million a year with a foolishly distant 2038 and (can you believe it?) 2065 strategy in Northern Ireland. Where are the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee?

It seems crazy that government did not pick up Phage last year or this year and run with accelerated trials that might take just a few months. Who exactly is holding it back?

So where now is the political hold up  the grit in the Vaseline? Well it is this. Defra can huff and puff about rules and regulations and setting precedents from bringing new solutions forward but that is all prevarication in the bTB war zone.

With its absorbed old MAFF component it has long known that the English High Risk Area, especially Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and beyond is riddled with TB.

Even the Edge Area and beyond has growing hidden TB time bombs as this year our current cattle movements system releases bTB into Cumbria and Scotland.

Blaming badgers

The main political problem is that any serious attempt to tackle bovine TB will shrink the UK cattle business because in any realistic effort there are simply not enough clean cattle to re-stock . The trade volume - that horrible term that applies to machined goods as much as cows - would shrink, including exported powdered milk to Asia etc.

The hold-up is the need, when routing out TB, to remove perhaps up to a third or more of cattle to clear a UK herd. It is also the need for establishing strict long-term quarantine capacity for all farms and between adjoining farms.

That may be a logistical headache and short-term one-off cost, but could be done in months and years not decades. And it is a case of the sooner we start the more we can save and the fewer farms suffer.

This is why since 2010, even gamma testing which catches many but not all of those left behind by the skin test has not been funded or properly promoted for use in the HRA.

For some time now, the existence of TB carriers in clear-testing herds has been known. So blaming badgers became the name-game. The carrot alongside full compensation to help keep the NFU quiet.

Improve farm biosecurity

This is also is well realised by the senior government officials, veterinarians and industry reps and thinkers pulling the strings. They would rather talk up a broad range of anti-TB measures that may slow the spread, but not deal with stopping a disease that has to be stopped. Now no one now wants to possess the problem and its sour origin.

Equally, no one saw Phage coming. Gove has only recently been briefed. The past strategy has been to hoodwink most farmers and the public into thinking there is a viable solution in place when there is not, that approaches are working when they are getting worse and to use taxpayers money to subsidise commercial intensive livestock export businesses and producers on the back of the public, while farmers and cow herds suffer. Scandalous?

Well, we all know it is a wicked world and that stuff happens. But actually Phage testing has come along to peel away the delusion and deception. It is now possible with the clever, not so new but un-promoted test to clear out all of this nonsense at last.

And yes, we do need to maintain and improve farm biosecurity. We do need to monitor TB in wildlife when TB in cattle comes down, to see how long it remains and to study that properly.

We could start immediately by using Phage tests for compulsory pre-movement testing of all cattle to start breaking the cycle. No conflict with the day- to day skin test testing, if that is what is wanted. But the skin test has had its day. It is now about the hand-over. And until that starts current funds are being sprayed into wind and against wall.

Warts and all

Any losers? Farmers and vets who do the tuberculin skin testing will have a less demanding routine compared with that for skin testing. Vets will work hard to destroy that regular workload and farmers the compensation pay-cheques.

They must surely now be the first to get behind the use of Phage  why wouldnt they?

The British Veterinary Association and British Cattle Veterinary Association also have something to get really, really excited about and to embrace surely? Oh yes, and the media might cover it in full detail too  warts and all?

This Author

Tom Langton has been a consulting ecologist to government, business and industry and a voluntary sector volunteer, more recently working on assisting small pressure groups in their legal opposition to destruction of species and habitats in Europe.
You have a character that goes through the scrutiny of being sexualised , and then an audience that does the same thing.
By PTI: Lucknow, Sep 11 (PTI) Final touches are being given for the staging of Ramlila by nearly a dozen Muslim artistes from Indonesia here and in Ayodhya this week.

"A Ramlila Samiti from Indonesia will be performing Ram Lila in Ayodhya and Lucknow from September 13 to September 15. All the artistes who will be performing Ramayana are Muslims, and they do not consume any non-vegetarian food," said UP religious affairs and culture minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary

advertisement

"It is for the first time such a Ramlila is being organised in the state, and that too by foreign artistes, all of whom happen to be Muslims," he said.

The artistes will perform in Lucknow on September 13 and in Ayodhya on September 15.

The minister said the government wanted to send out a message of cultural integration.

"The message, which we are trying to disseminate through the staging of Ramlila by Muslim artistes from Indonesia is that despite being a Muslim-dominated country, they do not have any problem with staging of Ram Lila," Chaudhary said.

He said that a programme by the Muslim artistes from Indonesia is also likely on September 14, but the venue is yet to be decided.

In Ayodhya, the programme will be held at Swami Vivekanand auditorium of Avadh University.

Avadh University vice-chancellor Prof Manoj Dixit said, "A number of lessons can be drawn from this. Ramlila has a strong cultural link with Indonesia."

Despite it being a Muslim-dominated country, "there is no ban on Ramlila in Indonesia," he added.

"We want that Ramlila of all the 65 countries, where it is performed, is staged in the Ramnagiri of Ayodhya," he said, adding there are 100 versions of the folk drama in India. PTI NAV RCJ

--- ENDS ---
United Nations Human Rights Council official Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said that Myanmar's "brutal security operation" against Muslim Rohingyas in Rakhine state seemed a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

By Reuters: The top U.N. human rights official on Monday denounced Myanmar's "brutal security operation" against Muslim Rohingyas in Rakhine state, saying it was disproportionate to insurgent attacks carried out last month.

Communal tensions appeared to be rising across Myanmar on Monday after two weeks of violence in Rakhine state that have triggered an exodus of about 300,000 Rohingya Muslims, prompting the government to tighten security at Buddhist pagodas.

advertisement

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council, said that more than 270,000 people had fled to Bangladesh, with more trapped on the border, amid reports of the burning of villages and extrajudicial killings.

"We have received multiple reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians," Zeid told the Geneva forum.

He cited reports that Myanmar authorities had begun to lay landmines along the border with Bangladesh and would require returnees to provide "proof of citizenship".

ROHINGYAS STRIPPED OF CIVIL, POLITICAL RIGHTS

Rohingyas have been stripped of civil and political rights, including citizenship rights for decades, he added.

"I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred, and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population", Zeid said.

"The situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

Last year, Zeid's office issued a report, based on interviews with Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh after a previous military assault, which he said on Monday had "suggested a widespread or systematic attack against the community, possibly amounting to crimes against humanity".

"I deplore the current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country", Zeid said, noting that some 40,000 Rohingyas had settled in India, including 16,000 who had received refugee documentation.

Noting India's obligations under the international law, he said, "India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations.

ALSO READ |

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind asks UN to restore Rohingya Muslims' rights

Agra: Braj region's Muslims come out in support of Rohingya Muslims

Rohingyas in India and terror threat: How jihadi forces may have infiltrated persecuted Muslims of Myanmar

ALSO WATCH VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir: Police vehicles torched during pro-Rohingya protests in Anantnag

--- ENDS ---
Theres no denying that our country is experiencing some politically trying times. While the news is constantly full of stories about political divisiveness, theres still a taboo about bringing those tensions into the workplace.

Related: How to Include Politics in Your Marketing Without Turning Anyone Off

Ideally, professionals should be able to leave political stress outside of the office. But the reality is, whats going on in the government directly affects many aspects of business. Health care? Tax reform? Fiduciary rules? Immigration? All these things face an uncertain future.

Also uncertain: talent acquisition. A 2017 Talent Tech Labs survey of 189 senior-talent acquisition and HR leaders found that 63 percent of respondents believed that the current political rhetoric is making talent acquisition harder.

They're not alone: During these fluctuating times, passive job candidates are less eager to take a chance at a new company: And employees already in jobs are worried about whether they'll keep them; this makes them less effective employee-ambassadors. Even the perceived political leanings of a company can scare off job-seekers.

However, when employers strive to be proactive and understand how politics can negatively impact hiring, they can continue to find great talent. So, for them -- and perhaps you -- here are four things to remember during these trying times:

Be forward-thinking.

When they're unsure of how the political tide might change, many organizations take a reactionary stance: They believe its better to wait and see what happens, instead of trying to guess what their best option is. Unfortunately, this means that by the time leaders are ready to make a change, theyre too late.

Related: Trump's Tax Plan Could Help Businesses, But Questions Remain

Forward-thinking organizations never completely shut off the talent pipeline, Mike McSally, vice president of enterprise operations and technology at TEKsystems in Hanover, Md., said via email. That is not to say they dont adjust the number of applicants they meet with; however, they take a more carefully considered approach when it comes to hiring the right people for both current and planned initiatives.

The trick is is understand what outside factors are driving candidates away and to adjust accordingly.

For example, some industries -- like health care -- will be directly affected by imminent changes to laws and policies. This can make job candidates wary of accepting a position with a healthcare company until theyre sure the company will remain a viable business.

Reassure candidates by sharing contingency plans with them. Let them know what will change at the organization if certain laws are passed or rejected. By showing that your company is trying to stay ahead of potentially damaging situations, you'll help candidates feel more confident working for the organization.

Be inclusive.

Its perfectly acceptable for employees to have different opinions. However, if they dont feel as though they might be included in a company because of their political beliefs, job-seekers may be reluctant to join the organization.

Candidates may start self-selecting based on assumptions of a company's progressiveness or conservatism, Frans Johansson, CEO of The Medici Group in New York, said in an email.

This can hurt organizations because it keeps them from hiring diverse employees with new and valuable viewpoints. However, when a company showcases its inclusivity, talent sees that their different political ideals don't matter; they can still be a vital part of the organization.

A critical hallmark of an inclusive company is that an employee does not need to hide his or her beliefs, perspectives or background, Johansson went on to say. Instead, they can bring their whole selves to the workplace, without fear or judgment.

In a world where people feel isolated due to the political conditions, finding a workplace where they feel safe and comfortable can be a powerful draw for talent.

Provide consistency.

When people consider a job, they often give weight to the benefits theyre offered. If things are always changing and theres no stability, job candidates will be less likely to trust what is offered to them. And outside factors can affect what people need from their employees.

For example, with the Affordable Care Act, many people could take jobs without being overly concerned about the insurance the company offered. Now, however, with the status of ACA up in the air, candidates might be worried to take a job that doesnt provide consistent healthcare benefits. Employers can counteract this uncertainty by deciding what they think their employees deserve and giving it to them no matter what.

In terms of health care, we inform all of our candidates during the job offer stage that we began providing healthcare benefits to our employees in 1998 and will continue to offer benefits even if the Affordable Care Act is repealed or changed, Rob Wilson, president of Employco USA in Westmont, Ill., said via email

We believe this helps alleviate candidates fears that the uncertain political environment will change our portfolio of employee benefits.

Get involved.

One thing many employers forget is the power of great employee-ambassadors. If current employees confidently recommend the workplace to others,talent acquisition is a breeze. However, if employees are worried or unsure about the status of the company or their job, theyre less likely to recommend it to others.

Instead of thinking about their companys overall future and direction, employees tend to focus on existing signs that their position within the organization is safe. The need for validation out of self-preservation is disruptive to productivity and hinders business goals. Senior leadership cant afford to sit on the sidelines, Lyde Spann, CEO and founder of Netamorphosis in New York, said in an email. They can alleviate the uncertainty through an open dialogue between employees and managers and on the path forward for the organization.

Related: 3 Things Entrepreneurs Should Know About President Trump's Speech to Congress

When employees see their leaders getting down in the trenches with them, they feel seen and important to the organization. Even if there are issues, they know their leaders are working to make things better.

As for employers: When they eliminate reasons for employees' fears, those employees can focus on their jobs and share how great the workplace is, with other talented individuals.

Related:

How to (Still) Find Great Talent During These Times of Political Turmoil

Barack Obama's Former Social Media Manager Breaks Down the Future of Digital Strategies

Can Ex-cop Satyapal Singh Be Entrusted With HRD, Clean Ganga Mission?



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


NORWALK  A person was slashed numerous times with a box cutter during an early morning robbery in South Norwalk on Saturday.

Police say that around 1 a.m. the person was walking home in the area of Ely and Lexington Avenues when they were grabbed from behind by one of two males.
PM Modi said civic workers, who keep the country clean, have the foremost right to chant Vande Mataram.

By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today had a message for all those who consider chanting Vande Mataram a proof of their love for the country.

Addressing a students' convention in Delhi to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address at the World's Parliament of Religion in 1893, PM Modi said civic workers, who keep the country clean, have the foremost right to chant Vande Mataram.

advertisement

"When I arrived here, everyone was chanting Vande Mataram, I am asking the entire nation, if we have the right to say Vande Mataram?" PM Modi questioned.

"50 baar soch lijiye, kya humein Vande Mataram kehne ke haq hai? Paan kha kar Bharat maa par pichkaari marein aur fir Vande Mataram bolein? (We eat paan and then spit and say Vande Mataram. You we have the right to say Vande Mataram?) ," he added.

"People who work tirelessly have the first right to chant Vande Mataram," PM Modi said.

HERE'S WHAT PM MODI SAID:

Today is 9/11, this day became widely spoken about after 2001 but there was another 9/11 of 1893 which we remember. Just with a few words, a youngster from India won over the world and showed the world the power of oneness. Swami Vivekananda raised his voice against the social evils that has entered our society. The 9/11 of 1893 was about love, harmony and brotherhood. Swami Vivekananda said that only rituals will not connect an individual to divinity, he said 'Jan Seva is Prabhu Seva'. More than being in search of a Guru, Swami Vivekananda was in search of the truth. Swami Vivekananda did not believe in sermonising. His ideas and idealism paved way for an institutional framework via Ramakrishna Mission. I am asking the entire nation, if we have the right to say Vande Mataram? I want to specially mention all those people who are working tirelessly to keep India clean. Only those who clean the nation have the right to sing Vande Mataram. The correspondence between Swami Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tata will show the concern Swami Ji had towards India's self-reliance. We celebrate many days in our colleges, unversities like Rose Day. Some people oppose it, but I don't. We don't want to produce robots, we want to produce human beings.

WATCH: People who work tirelessly have the first right to chant Vande Mataram: PM Modi

ALSO READ:

PM Modi on 125 years of Vivekananda's Chicago address: 9/11 of 1893 was about love, harmony, brotherhood

As Narendra Modi vows to build New India by 2022, a look at what people think

PM Modi's gamechanger Swachh Bharat mission: Cities getting rid of dirty picture?

--- ENDS ---
Grand Islanders will see a hefty increase in their property taxes if the fiscal 2018 budget is approved by the Grand Island City Council Tuesday night.

The fiscal 2018 budget before the city council for approval increases the city property tax levy by 5.14 cents per $100 of valuation, bringing the general property tax levy to 37.55 cents per $100 valuation. This means a home valued at $100,000 would be paying around $375 in property taxes.

The general property tax levy for fiscal 2017 is 32.41 cents per $100 valuation.

Finance Director Renae Jimenez said the levy increase of 4.47 cents per $100 valuation given at the Aug. 15 special budget meeting was merely an estimate as the city did not have final valuation numbers at that time.

City Administrator Marlan Ferguson said: Our forecast for the next five years was that wed be in a deficit in 2019. So this (budget) takes steps to not do that. Property taxes are one of our biggest revenue sources. Our sales taxes are our number-one revenue source in the general fund and they have been somewhat flat. So property taxes is the other thing we are looking at.

According to the council agenda memo, the general and debt service property tax request increased from $9.51 million for fiscal 2017 to $11.22 million for fiscal 2018, which is an increase of $1.71 million.

On Tuesday evening, the City Council will hold a number of public hearings on the fiscal 2018 budget and will consider approving resolutions to approve the budget.

The 2018 budget summary listed in the council agenda packet lists the general fund as having a beginning balance of $9.97 million and an ending balance of $10.63 million. Special revenue funds are listed as having a beginning balance of $436,331 and an ending balance of $806,566. In all, the total general government would have a beginning balance of $23.47 million and an ending balance of $18.2 million.

The enterprise fund has an ending balance of $89.07 million and is projected to have an ending balance of $75.99 million.

The total of all funds shows an overall beginning balance of $121.67 million and an ending balance of $101.57 million.

In her memo to the City Council, Jimenez said the fiscal 2018 budget  dubbed the Annual Appropriations Bill in the ordinance before council for approval  must be approved 15 prior to Oct. 1, which is the start of the city of Grand Islands new fiscal year. She adds the budget documents need to be submitted to the state of Nebraska and to Hall County on or before Sept. 20.

Jimenez emphasized in an interview Monday morning that the fiscal 2018 budget is a draft until it is approved by the City Council Tuesday evening.

As part of its budget approval process, the City Council will also consider approving a 1 percent increase to the restricted revenues lid limit. In the council agenda memo, Jimenez says that in 1998, the Nebraska Legislature passed LB689, which put a lid on the amount of restricted revenues a political subdivision can budget.

The lid on property taxes imposed by the legislature states property tax receipts can only go up 2.5 percent a year. However, a political subdivision can vote to go up an additional 1 percent if 75 percent of the governing board of votes yes. This means only two council members can vote no for the 1 percent increase to the restricted revenues lid limit to be approved.

It is not a raised increase, Ferguson said. It gives us the ability to spend money we have in the future that we may get in.

The City Council will also consider approving the full-time equivalents (FTEs) for fiscal 2018. The resolution before council calls for a decrease of 10.85 FTEs for the general fund and an increase of 1.18 FTEs for all other funds.

According to the resolution, this would bring the total FTEs to 375.38 for the general fund and 208.63 for all other funds.

Also Tuesday night, the City Council will consider determining benefits for the Downtown Improvement District 2013. In August 2013, the council passed an ordinance that created the district for a period of five years.

According to a council agenda memo from Finance Director Renae Jimenez, the fiscal 2018 budget provides for special assessments on land and real property in the district as of January 1, 2017 in the amount of $0.2380 per $100 of real property.

The total taxable value of $42,336,113 provides for assessments of $100,776.92.

In other action, the City Council will:

 Consider approving salary ordinance that sets the wages of city employees.

 Consider approving the labor agreement between the City of Grand Island and the International Association of Firefighters Local No. 647.

 Consider approving the labor agreement between the City of Grand Island and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 1597.

 Hold a public hearing on, and consider approving a request from Steadfast Builders for a conditional use permit to allow for parking of a food trailer near the intersection of 15th and Eddy Streets.

 Consider a resolution to direct the property owner at 1805 W. 10th St. to remove tress from the public right-of-way.

The Grand Island City Council meets at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
Online courses have become very popular  and very controversial  for many reasons. In the fall of 2014 there were 5.8 million students taking online courses, with 2.85 million taking all of their courses online. Originally being offered by for-profit institutions, now a number of public colleges and universities are offering them under a number of premises, such as making higher education more accessible, the belief that offering on-line courses is cheaper than in person and that they provide an easier way to learn.

Yet, it has been the common wisdom that students consistently perform worse in an online setting than they do in face-to-face classrooms and that taking online courses increases their likelihood of dropping out and overall impedes their progress through college. So has online education fulfilled its original promises?

In a study published last June by the Brookings Institute (a non-partisan think-tank based in Washington, D.C.), the authors concluded that online higher education is a mixed bag. The study, titled Promises and pitfalls of online education, the researchers found, among other things, that in their current design, online courses are difficult, especially for the students who are least prepared. These students learning and persistence outcomes are worse when they take online courses than they would have been had these same students taken in-person courses. Yet, they believe that continued improvement of online curricula and instruction can strengthen the quality of these courses and hence the educational opportunities for the most in-need populations.

One basic problem in the design of online courses is that their creators assume that all students have the same preparation and skills and will all succeed just by putting in enough time and effort. However, we all know that every student is different. Further, those who are first-generation college students, those who live in rural areas, or who come from deficient high schools usually do worse than students coming from more advantageous backgrounds.

To try to clarify these issues, the researchers used data from DeVry University, a for-profit college with an undergraduate enrollment of more than 100,000 students nationwide. DeVrys students, on average, take two-thirds of their courses online, which means that they could make meaningful comparisons with the rest of their students who take courses in conventional in-person classes. Further, their online and in-person sections are identical in most ways with many professors teaching both versions.

Some of the results of their research were that taking a course online reduces student grades by 0.44 points on the traditional four-point grading scale. Students taking the course in-person earned roughly a B- grade on average, while those taking it online earned a C, providing evidence that students learned less in the online setting.

They also found that taking a course online increases the probability that a student will drop out of school by 9 percent. As expected, the negative effects of online courses are concentrated in the lowest performing students. Low performing students who take online classes have grades reduced by 0.5 points or more, while students with prior higher GPAs showed a much smaller effect on their grades. Thus, while online courses may have the potential to differentiate coursework to meet the needs of students with weaker incoming skills, current online courses, in fact, do an even worse job of meeting the needs of these students than do traditional in-person courses, according to the study.

The general conclusion of the study was that students in online courses perform substantially worse than students in traditional in-person courses and that experience in these online courses impact performance in future classes and their likelihood of dropping out of college. These findings are consistent with prior studies of online education in other settings, such as community colleges and highly competitive four-year institutions that also showed that online courses yield worse average outcomes than in-person courses.

Despite these numbers, online courses continue to be an alternative to some students who, because of personal circumstances, have no other choices. Yet, most of the students enrolled in these kinds of courses attend for-profit institutions, which are non-selective and typically serve students with weaker academic preparation and fewer economic resources than students who attend more selective colleges and universities.

Is there a better way to offer these courses? The authors of this study think so. They believe that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can adapt course material better to the needs of a diverse group of students, since these systems assess students current weaknesses, but also diagnose why students make specific errors. Nonetheless, the tremendous scale and consistently negative effects of current offerings points to the need to improve these courses, particularly for students most at risk of course failure and college dropout, conclude the authors.

In other words, online courses should not be designed to just mirror the in-person experience, but should use the latest technology to make them more flexible and adaptable to the specific students needs. The only problem with this conclusion is that the application of advanced technologies such as AI increases the cost of delivery of online education. And who is going to pay for that? After all, the application of AI to education requires expert personnel, time and effort, which all that costs money.

This certainly challenges the conventional wisdom that online education will always be cheaper since economics seems to be the real reason why for-profit private institutions and public ones with diminishing state support are offering online courses.

Sooner or later policy makers, college administrators, and the general public will have to face the reality that quality education, just as healthcare or good infrastructure, costs money and that there is no technological fix to that.

Dr. Aldemaro Romero Jr. is the Dean of the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences at Baruch College-CUNY. He can be contacted through his website at: http://www.aromerojr.net
Five Granite City residents who claimed that their homes were polluted by harmful emissions from a neighboring steel mill have reached a $4.25 million settlement against the company in a class action lawsuit.

The residents alleged that SunCoke and U.S. Steel regularly released substantial amounts of noxious odors into the air and knew that it often migrated downwind of U.S. Steels mill and caused the residents to endure intolerable conditions that drive them into their homes and otherwise prevent them from using and enjoying their property, according to the suit.

The suit was filed in Madison County in late 2014. A preliminary settlement was announced Tuesday.

A hearing for final approval is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2018, in Circuit Judge William Mudges courtroom.

This is a fair and welcome victory for our clients who, for years, had their homes and fresh air needlessly polluted when proper management by the steel mill and the coke plant could have prevented the issue," said Ted Gianaris of Simmons Hanly Conroy. Gianaris was co-lead attorney for the plaintiffs, along with SHC attorney Jo Anna Pollock. They represented Peggy Keltner, Jerome and Beverly Johnson, Melinda Duniphan and Shelby Siebert.

SunCoke produces a raw material known as coke, a raw material used by U.S. Steel to manufacture steel. The suit alleged that SunCoke and U.S. Steel regularly released into the atmosphere substantial amounts of particles that leave a silty deposit on neighbors homes and cars. The suit alleged that the companies negligently failed to capture the emissions and failed to store and properly transport coke.

It claims that from November of 2009 until November of 2014, the plaintiffs experienced annoyance and discomfort, including an inability to fully utilize and enjoy their homes.

In 2013, SunCoke agreed to pay $1.995 million to settle a claim filed by the U.S. EPA. The claim alleged that SunCoke violated the Clean Air Act at its Gateway Energy and Coke plant in Granite City, and at a separate coke plant it owned in Franklin Furnace, Ohio. The alleged violations concerned excessive bypass venting of hot coking gases directly to the atmosphere, resulting in excess SO2 and particulate matter emissions from the from the facilities waste heat and main stacks.

SO2, the EPA says, contributes to acid rain and exacerbates respiratory illness.

According to a news release from the EPAs Office of Enforcement and Compliance Service, the companies were also required to spend $225,000 on a lead abatement project in southern Illinois to reduce lead hazards in owner-occupied income residences with priority given to families with young children and pregnant women.

They were also ordered to pay a penalty of $1.27 million to the United States, $575,000 to the state of Illinois and $150,000 to the state of Ohio.

This settlement is good news for communities in Illinois and Ohio, who will benefit from these substantial reductions in harmful air pollution and enjoy cleaner, healthier air to breathe for many years to come, Acting Assistant Attorney General Robert G. Dreher said in the 2013 news release.

But despite that settlement, the plaintiffs in the class action suit alleged that SunCoke and U.S. Steel continued to release emissions that harmed their property.

The settlement class includes anyone who occupied property in a pre-determined geographical area from Nov. 10, 2009, to the present. Simmons Hanly Conroy is urging potential class members to review the website or call 1-844-798-3651 to determine the settlement class area.
The Maryville Police Department is back up to full force.

At the last regular meeting of the Maryville Village Board, trustees approved the hiring of Crissy Murphy as the newest Maryville Police officer.

Officer Murphy will be the first female Maryville Police officer in over 20 years, Maryville Police Chief Rob Carpenter said. We are very excited to have her on our team.

Murphy has an associates degree in Criminal Justice from Walden University. She has worked as a full-time police officer in Hamel for the past year.

This is the second hiring of a full-time police officer for the Village within a month.

Two positions were left open when Maryville Police Officers Colin Subick and Paul Walther resigned after they were accepted to the Illinois State Police Academy.

Officer Austin Sebastian was hired in August.

Carpenter said having a female police officer is another positive asset to the police force in its mission of maintaining safety in Maryville.

Female officers bring a different perspective to the police force and often have a different rapport when dealing with victims, suspects and the public, Carpenter said.

Murphy will serve a 12-month probationary period plus a 12-week field-training period. The field training will give Murphy time to learn the community and the procedures of the Maryville Police Department.

She will begin patrolling the streets of Maryville on Sept. 18.

This will bring the number of full-time Maryville Police officers to 13, the number allotted by the Village Board.

Gary Kukla, president of the Maryville Police & Fire Board, swore in Murphy.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 08:03 1890 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97affe321 4 Editorial agriculture,#Editorial,#Agriculture,small-and-medium-enterprises,farmer,Bogor-Institute-of-Agriculture,business Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo has challenged the Bogor Institute of Agriculture to design a new development model to revitalize the agricultural sector. Though its role in the economy has declined, agriculture is still a very important source of livelihood for people in rural areas who account for around 40 percent of the total population.



Among the suggestions he elaborated on in a long speech at the institutes anniversary celebration on Wednesday was a development program designed to empower workers in agribusiness in order to improve their productivity and incomes.



If subsistence farmers in the subsectors of primary food crops, horticulture, tree-crop plantations, cattle, fisheries and forestry were left to continue working individually while most of them, notably those in Java, owned less than 0.5 hectares of land, they would never be able to significantly improve their income and productivity, Jokowi rightly argued.



If they continue to work without the help of well-managed organizations as cooperatives, they will never be able to improve the terms of their trade and consequently their bargaining power.



The Presidents idea boils down to the development of a market-oriented agricultural services system, based on partnerships among farmers groups, public agencies and private sector enterprises, all with the broad objective of revitalizing the agricultural sector.



Empowering farmers through improved information networks, community agribusiness development and enhanced linkages between research and extension will result in increased diversification, higher farmer incomes and agricultural competitiveness.



Such mutually beneficial linkages or partnerships betweeen farmers and big businesses have in fact already begun to develop in such subsectors as horticulture, whereby big businesses engage in seed cultivation and production to help farmers through farmer groups or cooperatives improve their productivity through higher yields.



The development of the horticulture sector has a significant role to play in providing labor opportunities, foreign exchange earnings and improving food security at the household level through consumption of fruits and vegetables. In the future, demand for horticultural products is estimated to increase along with the increase of income, population and economic growth.



Trained agricultural extension workers employed by seed producers help disseminate new technology and better cultural practices to farmers. Further downstream in the process, big retailers help farmers meet the required standards of their produce.



In tree-crop plantations, such as palm oil and rubber, such mutually beneficial partnerships also have been growing under the nucleus of a state-smallholder scheme whereby big plantation companies act as the agents of development for smallholders, helping provide them with good seeds, low-interest bank loans, processing and marketing their produce.



But one of the most enabling conditions for such partnerships is adequate rural infrastructure because better access to markets is especially vital for farmers, as most farm produce is highly perishable. Smooth transport facility linkages between farm and off-farm activities and between rural and urban areas can stimulate the development of small and middle-scale businesses.



Improving rural infrastructure, the quality of seeds, extension and information and communication technology services  all agribusiness elements  will eventually improve and industrialize the agricultural sector.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 13:44 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20151f1 1 Books 27-days-of-heartbreak,Book,Stella-Ang,Marisa-Santosa,fiction Free

27 Days of Heartbreak, a uniquely-styled fiction documenting a heartbreak process was launched Sept. 8 at Kinokuniya Bookstore, Plaza Senayan in South Jakarta by Gramedia Pustaka Utama. The book is written by Stella Ang and illustrated by Marisa Santosa.

The book tells a story of an unnamed character who is going through a post-breakup process, narrating every day that goes by with letters she writes to the lover who left her. Every letter depicts the character's thoughts as she attempts to cope with her pain.

Although it is fiction, 27 Days of Heartbreak is based on Stellas blog. She started writing the blog in the process of relocating to her new office back in 2012, saying that throwing out things inspired her to write.

There were many cardboards for things that would be thrown out, left and carried [to the new office], Stella said. So I thought this is what happens to people who break up after having been in a long relationship. These things are no longer 'ours' anymore, but 'mine and yours.'

During her early posts, Stella never thought that she would write until day 27. I wrote consistently [for 27 days] because many people liked it and I was about to celebrate my 27th birthday, Stella stated.

Siska Yuanita, a senior editor for fiction section at Gramedia Pustaka Utama, eventually discovered Stella's blog and decided to turn the blog into a book. "This is among the few English books published by Gramedia Pustaka Utama that are written by Indonesian writers," Siska said.

The decision included adding illustrations by Australia-based Indonesian illustrator, Marisa Santosa, who also happens to be a regular reader of the blog. Before getting involved in the project, Marisa used to make simple sketches in response to the writings.

When the blog was about to be turned into a book, I decided to make music playlists to make [the illustrating process] easier, said Marisa, adding that her favorite illustrations are on the sixth, 18th and 20th day. [Stella and I] have different taste. Perhaps what I had sketched was different from what Stella had envisioned, so we made the playlists to adjust our moods.

Read also: Pottermore launches immersive digital experience for Harry Potter fans

(from left to right) writer Stella Ang and illustrator Marisa Santosa. (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira)

27 Days of Heartbreak is available in Gramedia book stores for Rp 119,000 (US$ 9.00). Those who purchased the book are advised to read it while listening to the books playlist on Spotify. (asw)
By PTI: Beijing, Sep 10 (PTI) Nepals Foreign Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara today called for more Chinese investments in the Himalayan nation, saying Kathmandu is focused on increasing connectivity with Beijing.

Inaugurating the newly-established office of the Consulate General of Nepal at the port city of Guangzhou in China, Mahara, who is also the deputy prime minister, said: "there are good opportunities for investments in inter-country railways, roads and transmission lines".

advertisement

"Nepal is focusing on investment in infrastructure development and inter-country economic sector in order to increase connectivity between both the countries," the visiting Nepalese leader said.

He also expressed belief that the office will contribute in strengthening bilateral ties and broaden relations in the economic sector, Nepals foreign ministry said.

Mahara said that economic and trade activities will surge with the establishment of the consulate.

He also added that the relations between people of the two countries will enhance further in the coming days.

Foreign Minister Mahara is on a six-day visit to China for talks with senior Chinese leaders on the invitation of his counterpart Wang Yi.

Nepal in May inked a deal with China to join Chinese President Xi Jinpings ambitious One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative to link Asia with Europe.

The newly-established consulate is Nepals fourth such office in China.

There are 200 Nepalese businessmen engaged in various businesses in Guangzhou. PTI SBP CPS

--- ENDS ---
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Alfred Bayle (Inquirer.net/Asia News Network)  Mon, September 11, 2017 11:55 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2008736 2 Science & Tech robot,#robot,Japan,smelly-feet,Hana-chan,robodog Free

Smelly feet are generally a turn off for a lot of people. However, the issue appears to be an even bigger deal in Japan; big enough to necessitate the creation of a cute little robot dog which functions as a smelly feet detector.

The little robodog is affectionally dubbed Hana-chan, a play on the Japanese word hana for nose, which also happens to be a common girls name.

Next Technology employee Kimika Tsuji said Hana-chan was created in response to a request one man made to the company, according to The Japan Times.

He told us his daughter had said his feet were smelly . . . But he didnt want to know how bad the odor was because he would feel hurt, said Tsuji in the report. Thats why we developed this cute robot.

At around 15 centimeters in size, Hana-chan is equipped with an odor detection sensor. After sniffing feet, Hana-chan will bark if it detects any foul odor. At worst, Hana-chan will humorously fall if it smells something particularly offensive.

Read also: Japan opens 2nd robot-manned hotel

The researchers at Next Technology also included an air freshener spray in Hana-chan as a quick response measure for quickly fixing smelly feetat least temporarily.

In this early sample video uploaded last year, Hana-chan is tethered to a power cable through its hind quarters. Perhaps a wireless version will be made available, which could roam the house to hunt for foul odors.

Tsuji mentioned that concerns for body odor in Japan has risen to such heights that possessing a really foul body odor may be considered a form of harassment.

Hana-chan is set to go on sale by 2018, with a price tag of 100,000 yen (US$922.2).

Topics :

This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin A. Kurniawan Ulung (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 09:48 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a200327e 4 Books Martin-Aleida,Lekra,writers,1965-mass-killing,New-Order,Soeharto,#history,#1965Tragedy,Indonesian-writer Free

Writer Martin Aleida was surprised when members of the ASEAN Literary Festival (ALF) committee apologized to him for the absence of a photograph of writers from left-leaning artist group Lekra, in a room where he was a speaker in a discussion.

Prior to that day, an audience member asked for his comment about the absence of a photograph of Lekra writers in the room that ALF used to pay tribute to the countrys prominent writers by displaying their photographs on the wall.

In this digital era, you cannot be fooled. You can Google, he simply answered. You have to know that [Lekra activist] Pramoedya Ananta Toer was nominated many times to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Martin, however, does not blame young people if they do not know about Lekras artists, because during the authoritarian New Order regime, Indonesias second president Soeharto banned their names from appearing in school textbooks after the G30S/PKI tragedy.

On Sept. 30, 1965, six high-ranking army generals were murdered. The tragedy led to a communist purge that claimed the lives of more than 500,000 people affiliated with the now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

His close friend arrested Martin in 1966 for his affiliation with Lekra, which was associated with the PKI. However, he was not tortured and was released in less than a year.

He bore witness to the arrest at the International Peoples Tribunal on the 1965 Crimes against Humanity in Indonesia (IPT 1965) in November 2015 in the Netherlands, which many elderly exiles attended.

Martin said that as of today, he observed that many people had yet to understand the differences between socialism, communism and atheism.

When he decided to attend IPT 1965, no one tried to stop him. However, his fellow writers, including Taufik Ismail, criticized him. When he [Taufik] talked about the 1965 tragedy, he talked about massacres in the Soviet Union and Cambodia. He did not talk about what happened here because he supported the regime that committed the massacre, Martin said.

Mati Baik-Baik, Kawan by Martin Aleida (Martin Aleida/File)

The author was awarded the title of this years best short story for his work Tanah Air (Homeland), which tells the story of an exiles wife who committed suicide, published in Kompas daily in June.

In August, the 73-year-old released a new book, Tanah Air Yang Hilang(Missing Homeland).

This book collects the stories of 19 Indonesians who were forced to lose their homeland. After the G30S/PKI incident, their passports were revoked so they had to find new homelands, he said.

To make the book, Martin backpacked from March to May 2016 from the Netherlands to Germany, Bulgaria, France and the Czech Republic to interview over 30 exiles.

I stayed at Chalik Hamids house in the Netherlands. I did not need to pay him, but he asked me not to forget to feed his fish in his aquarium, he says.

Originally from Medan, North Sumatra, Chalik was studying in Albania when the 1965 incident happened. After the tragedy, he could not go home while his wife was sent to Buru Island in Maluku for being a member of the Indonesian Womens Movement (Gerwani), the female wing of the PKI.

In Prague, Martin met Charles University lecturer Soejono Soegeng Pangestu, a 77-year-old Indonesian who has lived in the Czech Republic since 1963.

After the 1965 tragedy, the embassy summoned all university students, including Soejono, and asked whether they supported the New Order regime. Learning that human rights violations had happened in Indonesia, he said no.

Because of his answer, Soejono was branded a communist.

Like Soejono, I Ketut Putera also supported president Sukarno, a stance that made the New Order regime revoke his passport in 1967 while he was studying economics in Bulgaria.

In Sofia, Martin interviewed Putera, 76, who has worked for the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry for 23 years. During 32 years of the New Order regime, he was never allowed to set foot in the Indonesian Embassy in Bulgaria.

Putera is a big fan of President Joko Jokowi Widodo because during the anniversary of Indonesias Independence Day in 2015, he was not only invited to the embassy, but also given the first slice of tumpeng (cone-shaped rice dish) as the oldest Indonesian in Bulgaria.

In the Netherlands, Martin met Dharmawan Isaak, who was the rector of Institut Ilmu Pertanian (Agriculture Institute), a Cisarua-based research center which PKI leader D.N. Aidit reportedly often visited.

Dharmawan, who was already in China in 1965, lost not only his wife, who was forced to marry another man, but also his 9-year-old daughter, who committed suicide after learning that her father could not return home because the government had revoked his passport.

In France, Martin met Nita, the daughter of Sobron Aidit, the younger brother of D.N. Aidit. In 1965, her father worked at Peking University, teaching Indonesian literature.

In 1981, they moved to France and set up an Indonesian food restaurant in Paris, which recently received an award from influential French restaurant guide Gault et Millau.

Martin said the idea to interview Indonesian exiles first came to his mind in 1976 after he covered the launch of Indonesias first satellite in Florida, in the United States.

However, he finally realized his plan after testifying at IPT 1965. At that time, he felt touched when he witnessed two exiles bear witness behind a black screen to hide their faces.

Martin did not know the exiles reasons, but he assumed they were traumatized and worried about the impacts of their statements to their family members in Indonesia, something he defined as the New Order regimes success in stigmatizing anyone allegedly affiliated with the PKI.

This country, including its dignity, was wrecked by the New Order, he said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Dylan Amirio (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 10:39 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2006586 1 Books Indonesian-literature,#literature,Literature,translation,Lontar-Foundation Free

Since 1987, the Lontar Foundation has been one of the most active independent institutions in translating Indonesian works into English, quietly developing and making local literature accessible abroad as a result.

Before the establishment of the Lontar Foundation, there was virtually no place in the world where one could find translated versions of Indonesian literature, and the foundation itself has remained the only organization since 2009 that focuses on promoting translated Indonesian literature abroad.

But while the foundation itself had a productive few decades behind it, as it celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, Lontar has also fallen victim to the indifference of Indonesians toward the importance of translating those works into English.

Lontar Foundation co-founder John McGlynn once mentioned that even after three decades and the support of many notable Indonesian authors, it remains hard for the arts in general to get sponsored by the government or private investors due to the fact that it has to compete with more lucrative fields that can guarantee higher returns on investment, such as sports.

The fact is that sales of our books only account for one third of our income. The rest of it comes from contributions from friends and projects that we get asked to do. For example, if someone comes up to us with a book thats very interesting and is willing to pay us a lot of money, well do that, McGlynn explained.

Writer and senior journalist Leila S. Chudori, who has had some of her work published by Lontar, recalled that she had known of the foundations work since her days as a field journalist.

Her involvement in the foundation began when McGlynn asked her to collaborate as a contributing editor for Lontars Menagerie book series, which involved editing poetry and short stories included in the series.

In her eyes, the most obvious hurdle in getting a foundation like Lontar to achieve international success is funding. Currently, the foundation relies mainly on donations or sponsors, thereby making involvement in the foundation mainly a labor of love.

This needs to be handled with the utmost patience, because not everyone who has money really understands the importance of translating Indonesian literature into English. I would also think that John is having trouble in terms of getting new recruits, because many young people may not be interested in this kind of work because of the low financial rewards, Leila said.

She adds that the success of Indonesian literature abroad is also met with the fact that Indonesian is not really an internationally known language, therefore it is hard to find recognition for Indonesian works abroad.

Getting immersed: A woman works in the library of the Lontar Foundation in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta. (JP/I Gede Dharma JS)

Translation is not merely changing words into other languages. It is also cultural. There are some [cultural contexts] that need to be explained. The word dik in Indonesian, for example, can be a term for ones little sibling, but it can also be used to address lovers. It couldnt just be translated simply into English into sis, Leila said.

Read also: All the things we've lost in translation

Lontar had previously stated that it can cost Rp 50 million (US$3,757) to Rp 100 million to translate one title and its subsequent processes, thus making the selection of books for translation a very strict and picky process.

McGlynn added that there would have to be great confidence in an Indonesian title to translate it into English, because the books that have been chosen for translation have to be considered to be within Indonesias literary canon. It is also the reason why works by young authors are rarely taken up by Lontar.

On the difficulty of translation, French columnist and translator Jean Couteau said that when translating a book into another language, the most essential part is to translate its cultural context as well so that none of the message conveyed is lost.

This is his usual experience whenever trying to translate French works into Indonesian. Having lived in Indonesia for decades, he admits that while he understands Indonesian very well, he will never truly comprehend it.

Its harder to translate a book that has a lot of unconventional slang, and more so for a book that aims to use language as a way to distinguish a characters standing from others, he said at a July event at the Institut Francais Indonesia, where he was discussing his most recent translation work, LElegance du herisson by Muriel Barbery, which was translated into Kemolekan Landak in Indonesian.

The lack of awareness about the importance of translating Indonesian works into English may also have stemmed from the indifference shown by many toward literary development in the country.

Because Lontars translators are primarily native language speakers and edited by professional publishers, the foundation feels that they have a sort of upper hand in terms of quality and the use of experts would guarantee that quality. But the problem is that the primary translators are typically unable to focus completely on translation as a result of many of them having other obligations.

Leila elaborates that there is a lack of literary critics in Indonesia that can really write and analyze literature only for the sake of preserving Indonesian literature.

A problem in the literary landscape here is that many of its enablers work in groups, and therefore assessment is usually done collectively. Indonesia has many independent authors and enablers but the lack of those ideal types of critics is also reflected by the fact that many have other business to tend to, such as academics or domestic issues, she said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Luxembourg  Mon, September 11, 2017 20:12 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2031b2b 2 Business Google,monopoly,EU,appeal Free

Google on Monday launched a legal challenge to a record 2.4-billion euro fine imposed by European anti-trust authorities for favoring its own shopping service, lodging an appeal at the EU court in Luxembourg.

The move sets up a court battle between Brussels and the internet giant that could take years to resolve and make already tense relations between Europe and the US tech giant even more fraught.

The EU hit Google with the record fine in June for illegally favoring its shopping service in search results, giving the company 90 days to comply or face further fines.

A spokesman for the Court of Justice of the European Union confirmed to AFP that the appeal had been submitted.

Lodging the appeal does not suspend the fine, meaning Google is still obliged to pay up, though it can put the money in a blocked account until the decision is reached.

Concurrent to the appeal, Google last week also notified to the EU that it would attempt to meet the demands of the EU decision.

In an interview with AFP, Europe's anti-trust chief Margrethe Vestager last week said some of that proposal "pointed in the very right direction", but could only be judged once in effect.

This had raised hopes that Google may be choosing a more conciliatory road with the EU, but the appeal risks embittering matters still further.

A spokesman for Google confirmed Monday they had filed the appeal but said the company had no further comment to make.

The legal battle extends the already seven-year tussle with the EU, including a failed effort to settle, that could affect crucial parts of Google's business model.

The fine over Google Shopping broke the previous European Union record for a monopoly case against US chipmaker Intel of 1.06 billion euros in 2009 and made the EU the global leader in regulating Silicon Valley giants.

Brussels accuses Google of giving its own service too much priority in search results to the detriment of other price comparison services, such as TripAdvisor and Expedia.

Topics : Google monopoly EU appeal
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 16:14 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2021ad6 1 Politics #KPKInquiry,AGO,HM-Prasetyo,interception,wiretapping,red-handed,anti-corruption,law-enforcement Free

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has told the House of Representatives that it needs the authority to wiretap suspects without a court warrant, similar to the authority of the Commission Eradication Commission (KPK).

During a hearing with House Commission III overseeing human rights, security and legal affairs on Monday, Attorney General M. Prasetyo said the KPK had higher enforcement authority than the AGO and the National Police.

"KPK's red-handed arrests are always a result of surveillance via interception. [The KPK] really relies on operations that lead to red-handed arrests," Prasetyo told lawmakers.

"[The AGO] should have similar authority. We have a nationwide network and more experience [than the KPK]," he added.

Read also: I won't let 'anyone' weaken KPK: Jokowi

Prasetyo also said the KPK should focus on supervision and coordination rather than enforcement.

"In the future, the House should rethink the authority of [the KPK, police and AGO] so we dont compete with each other," Prasetyo said, adding that the KPK could be deemed successful if it helped restore public trust in the AGO and the police.

Numerous lawmakers have proposed amendments to the KPK Law, which anticorruption activists believe is part of systematic attempt to undermine the antigraft body.

Commission III members, for example, have suggested that KPK's prosecution power should be scrapped. Some legislators recently called on President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to suspend KPK operations. (foy/bbs)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Daily Star/ANN) Dhaka  Mon, September 11, 2017 13:49 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2015b8f 2 World #Bangladesh,#Rohingya,#Myanmar,#MyanmarRohingya,#refugees,#RohingyaCrisis Free

Bangladesh has decided to shelter Rohingyas, who entered the country in the last week of August, by allocating them 2,000 acres of forest land to build a temporary a camp.

The country's Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told journalists after a meeting Sunday afternoon.

The meeting came in the wake of fresh refugee inflow triggered by the counter-offensive launched by the Myanmarese military following insurgent attacks on 30 police posts and an army base in Rakhine State on Aug. 25.

Relief and Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya informed Parliament on Sunday that the government would shelter all Rohingya refugees, including the new arrivals, at Thengar Char in Hatia until their return to Myanmar.

Nearly 3,00,000 people have arrived in the last two weeks, pushing the number of Rohingyas living in this country to over 6,00,000.

The home ministry decided to restrict the movement of refugees and ensure they are not listed as voters and do not get Bangladeshi passports.

Besides, the meeting stressed the need for cooperation from local government bodies for the documentation of Rohingyas.

It also recommended monitoring public representatives so that they do not help Rohingyas get listed as voters to create vote bank.

The meeting, attended by top bureaucrats and chiefs of law enforcement agencies, decided that Rohingyas will be given identification cards in the presence of international representatives.

According to meeting sources, the biometric registration will start tomorrow and 10 teams from the Department of Immigration and Passport will supervise it.

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said, We allocated 2,000 acres of forest land in Ukhia under Cox's Bazar for Rohingyas and we will allocate more land in the area, if necessary.

Rohingyas who are not biometrically registered will not be allowed to board any transport within Bangladesh's territory. They will not get any kind of support without it, he said.

The home minister also said the new Rohingya camp in Ukhia will be fenced with barded wires and members of law enforcers will be deployed for their security.

We are sheltering Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds and we are taking initiatives so that they stay here in peace. We will do everything in this regard, he said.

In parliament, ruling Awami League MP Kamal Ahmed Majumder wanted to know the government measures to mitigate sufferings of the Rohingya people.

In reply, he shared his experience of Friday's visit to Ukhia, saying he saw an elderly Rohingya who reached Bangladesh border after walking 65 km, carrying his mother on his back.

Nobody will understand their sufferings unless they visit the area, he added.

Maya also told the House about the decision to shelter all the Rohingyas at Thengar Char until they are taken back by Myanmar.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Daily Star newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 21:15 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2032b41 1 City Bekasi,garage,parking Free

The Bekasi administration in West Java is mulling over a plan to clone Jakartas bylaw on garage ownership, which requires private vehicle owners to park their cars and motorcycles inside a garage, an official has said.



We are closely observing the policy's implementation in Jakarta. If the result is positive, well follow it, Bekasi Transportation Agency head Yayan Yuliana said on Monday.



He lauded the concept amid increasing vehicle ownership in the city and said that the administration would prepare a legal umbrella to back the regulation.



Bekasi mayor Rahmat Effendi expressed a similar view, given that the city had contributed the second highest vehicle ownership tax in the province. The number of vehicles in Bekasi is too high. Applying a one-car one-garage rule could be implemented, he said as quoted by tempo.co.

He said that the policy should be applied in apartments, the number of which has exponentially grown in the city over the last few years. Most apartments only provide parking facilities to a small proportion of its tenants, he added.

The Jakarta administration has recently announced its plan to reinforce its old policy, which prohibits citizens from owning cars if they do not have a garage to house it. (fac)

Topics : Bekasi garage parking
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Bloomberg) Beijing, China  Mon, September 11, 2017 18:41 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a202dcdb 2 Business e-money,Bitcoin,China,ban,cryptocurrency Free

China plans to ban trading of bitcoin and other virtual currencies on domestic exchanges, dealing another blow to the US$150 billion cryptocurrency market after the country outlawed initial coin offerings last week.

The ban will only apply to trading of cryptocurrencies on exchanges, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the information is private. Authorities dont have plans to stop over-the-counter transactions, the people said. Chinas central bank said it couldnt immediately comment.

Bitcoin slumped on Friday after Caixin magazine reported Chinas plans, capping the virtual currencys biggest weekly retreat in nearly two months. The country accounts for about 23 percent of bitcoin trades and is also home to many of the worlds biggest bitcoin miners, who use vast amounts of computing power to confirm transactions in the digital currency.

Trading volume would definitely shrink, said Zhou Shuoji, Beijing-based founding partner at FBG Capital, which invests in cryptocurrencies. Old users will definitely still trade, but the entry threshold for new users is now very high. This will definitely slow the development of cryptocurrencies in China.

While Beijings motivation for the exchange ban is unclear, it comes amid a broad clampdown on financial risk in the run-up to a key Communist Party leadership reshuffle next month.

Bitcoin has jumped about 600 percent in dollar terms over the past year, fueling concerns of a bubble. The Peoples Bank of China has done trial runs of its own prototype cryptocurrency, taking it a step closer to being the first major central bank to issue digital money.

There has been a general tightening of the screw on regulating financial and monetary conditions, said Mark McFarland, chief economist at Union Bancaire Privee SA HK in Hong Kong. All of these things suggest a longer term process of tightening scrutiny of activities that arent in the normal sort of monetary realm.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 17:41 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2029f00 1 City MitraKeluargaHospital,baby,BPJS Free

Parents of Tiara Deborah Simanjorang, an infant who died after reportedly being turned away by a West Jakarta hospital because of financial constraints, have demanded an apology from the hospital.

Rudianto Simanjorang and Henny Silalahi visited the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) on Monday to seek help in voicing their concerns over their daughter's death.

"I am speaking out to prevent other children from having to experience the same as my child experienced, and the KPAI is the right place for it. I hope children will not be discriminated against," Henny told journalists at the KPAI office.

The parents, who have Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) cards, claim that Deborah died on Sept. 3 after Mitra Keluarga Hospital refused further treatment because they could not afford the Rp 11 million (US$835.60) initial payment.

The familys lawyer, Birgaldo Sinaga, said he expected the KPAI to collaborate with other state institutions to test the effectiveness of the healthcare system.

"We don't ask for [financial] compensation. What we really want is that the hospital admit its mistake and apologize," he said.

Birgaldo said the family hoped no other hospitals would make the same mistake.

"We don't intend to sue the hospital, but if it doesnt listen to our aspirations, we could opt for legal action," he added. (yon)

Topics : MitraKeluargaHospital baby BPJS
Representing the East Java office of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the countrys largest Islamic organization, cleric Marzuki Mustamar (right) gives Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Ahmad Basarah a letter on Saturday, naming the candidate NU will endorse in the upcoming East Java gubernatorial election. Ahmad, who was visiting an NU Islamic boarding school in Malang, East Java, at the time, declined to reveal the candidate.(JP/Aman Rochman)(NU), the countrys largest Islamic organization, cleric Marzuki Mustamar (right) gives Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Ahmad Basarah a letter on Saturday, naming the candidate NU will endorse in the upcoming East Java gubernatorial election. Ahmad, who was visiting an NU Islamic boarding school in Malang, East Java, at the time, declined to reveal the candidate.(JP/Aman Rochman)
The Supreme Court was hearing state-run IDBI's plea seeking restoration of insolvency proceedings against Jaypee Infratech that was put on hold by the court on the plea of flat buyers who fall in the category of unsecured creditors.

By India Today Web Desk: In a significant relief for thousands of home buyers in Noida, the Supreme Court today restrained Managing Director and other directors of Jaypee Infratech from flying abroad and asked the real estate company to deposit Rs 2000 crores by October 27.

"We understand their plight. It is a human problem of great magnitude. We will ensure everyone is protected," the court said as it asked Jaypee to come up with a resolution plan within 45 days.

advertisement

The Supreme Court was hearing state-run IDBI's plea seeking restoration of insolvency proceedings against Jaypee Infratech that was put on hold by the court on the plea of flat buyers who fall in the category of unsecured creditors.

After the home buyers in Jaypee Infratech's township project 'Wish Town' in Noida filed complaints, police had in April this year lodged a case of cheating, financial fraud and criminal conspiracy against the directors of the firm. According to an official, only 5,000 of the 35,000 flats in Wish Town have been delivered to buyers.

Hundreds of home buyers have been holding protests at the company's office in Noida. Many demanded a refund in the wake of the insolvency petition as they feared that the company may be declared insolvent.

After Jaypee Infratech failed to repay a loan, the IDBI bank had filed an insolvency petition in the Allahabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), which initiated insolvency proceedings against the company.

Last week, Union Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan had said a committee has been set up to look into the complaints filed by aggrieved home buyers against Jaypee Infratech.

ALSO READ

Noida Authority promises to safeguard interests of Jaypee home buyers

--- ENDS ---
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Nation/ANN) Bangkok  Mon, September 11, 2017 20:45 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2032235 2 Business #Thailand,#digitaleconomy,#Bangkok,#ASEAN Free

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society is gearing up to present Digital Thailand Big Bang 2017, billed as the largest international digital teaching event in Southeast Asia.

The four-day summit, from September 21-24 at Impact Challenger Hall 1-2, Muang Thong Thani, in Bangkok, will also showcase Thailands progress towards becoming a digital hub in Asean.

The event will feature technological innovations, including the Transformer , and bring together dozens of top leaders in the digital technologies industry who will share their ideas and insights.

Pichet Durongkaveroj, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, said yesterday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has given his government a mandate to push Thailand towards becoming a digitalised nation in which technological innovations help drive economic growth.

They are fundamentally important for the community, public healthcare services and digital workforce development that should be implemented at all levels of society, the minister said.

To organise the Digital Thailand Big Bang 2017 under Digital Transformation Thailand concept helps promote the countrys image as the use of technological advancements maximise economic growth and social welfare, and showcase Thailands readiness for becoming an Asean digital hub.

He said that the government had recognised the significance of the digital economy and has launched various projects including high-speed Internet access for all villages and the setting up a government Big Data analytics centre.

These projects aim to enhance connectivity, create new opportunities for people in communities, and harness data for better decision-making. These are examples of the Thai governments vision to lay a solid foundation toward Thailand 4.0 through digital transformation encompassing security, infrastructure, government, manpower and applications or so called SIGMA, Pichet said.



One of the prominent initiatives that maximise the use of technological innovations and help boost up society and economy is the Pracha Rat Internet that provides Internet accessibility to 24,700 villages in Thailand by the end of 2017. The master plan of smart cities across 77 provinces within 20 years, and planning on digital manpower development and management are also among the priorities.

Furthermore, we need to focus on global connectivity by propelling the nation to become the destination for the seamless connection and transfer of Big Data and digital manpower movement in Asean, and implementation on a new economic cluster called Digital Park Thailand.

While Nuttapon Nimmanphat-charin, president and CEO of Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), said the international summit will help propel the nation for the next level of competitiveness and encourage new partnerships that create technology development, social change and investment returns.

The event spreads knowledge, experience and practices about maximisation of digital technologies in economic growth and social development to the public, promote the entrepreneurship potential of the business sector, and boost employment. It also drives the whole nation towards digitalisation, helps it get ready for the changes ahead and enter the new economy and society.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Nation newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 20:50 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2032756 1 City BPJS,BPJS-Kesehatan,intensive-care-unit Free

The Jakarta Health Agency has urged hospitals in the city to treat critically ill patients who are registered with the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) and require intensive care unit treatment without requiring them to make an initial payment.

Even though a hospital does not partner with the BPJS, treatment for intensive care patients could be funded by the BPJS, agency head Koesmedi Priharto said on Monday.

Some hospitals do not know about this [policy]. Therefore, we will further explain it to hospitals, Koesmedi said during a press conference at his office. Therefore, they should treat patients without asking for money.

The statement was made in response to the death of 4-month-old Tiara Deborah Simanjorang on Sept. 3 after Mitra Keluarga Hospital in West Jakarta reportedly refused to provide further treatment as her parents could not afford the required initial payment.

On Monday, the agency issued a circular explaining the policy.

Also stated in the letter is a demand for all hospitals to always give their best service without discrimination.

He added that only local public hospitals (RSUD) and state-owned hospitals were obliged to partner with the BPJS.

From 187 public and private hospitals in Jakarta, only 91 partner with the BPJS.

From the listed 160 private hospitals, only 64 cooperate with the BPJS, he said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 21:47 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2036c59 1 City electronic-cigarette,theft,grave Free

The Jakarta Police plans to exhume the grave of alleged electronic cigarette thief Abi Qowi Suparto, who was reportedly beaten to death by a group of men last month, for an autopsy.

We will dismantle the victims grave for further investigation, director of the General Crime Investigative Unit Sr. Comr. Nico Afinta said on Sunday as quoted by kompas.com.

Based on information from five alleged perpetrators in the case, namely Fachmi Kurnia Firmansyah, Adiyta Putra Wiyanto, Rajasa Sri Herlambang, Armyando Azmir and another identified only as PH, Qowi was beaten using an iron rod.

There are seven alleged perpetrators in the case. The other two persons are yet to be found.

The seven suspects will be charged under Article 170 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on attacking and injuring others and Article 340 of the KUHP on premeditated murder, which carries the death penalty.

Abi had been accused of stealing an e-cigarette worth Rp 1.6 million (US$122) from Rumah Tua Vape (Old Vape House) store in Tebet, South Jakarta. After he allegedly left the store without paying for the e-cigarette, the owner of the store uploaded a picture of Abi on the stores instagram account and declared a manhunt for him.

Abi was found on Aug. 28 and taken to another vape store in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta, where he was brutally beaten by seven people. One of the alleged assailants took Abi to a hospital, but his life could not be saved. Abi died on Sept. 3 at Tarakan Hospital in Central Jakarta. (vny)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Jennifer Epstein (Bloomberg) Washington, United States  Mon, September 11, 2017 13:59 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20164e0 2 World US,election,Hillary-Clinton,memoir,first-lady Free

Hillary Clinton said she wont run for public office again, but the former Democratic presidential nominee isnt giving up on trying to make her mark on American politics.

As an active politician its over. I am done with being a candidate, Clinton told CBS News in an interview before Tuesdays release of What Happened, her memoir about the 2016 campaign and President Donald Trumps unexpected win. But I am not done with politics because I literally believe that our countrys future is at stake.

US publisher Simon & Schuster has released the title and cover of former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in July, 2017. (yahoo.com/yahoo.com)

Ten months after her loss, the former secretary of state and first lady said shes still coping with it.

I think I am good, but that doesnt mean that I am complacent or resolved about what happened. It still is very painful, she said in the interview with CBSs Jane Pauley.

Clintons language about her future in the interview is more definitive than in her book, in which she said she was amused and surprised by talk earlier this year that she was considering running for New York mayor. She said she needs to nurture younger leaders in the Democratic Party while adding that shes not going to back down just because she lost the presidential race.

If Al Gore, John Kerry, John McCain, and Mitt Romney can find positive ways to contribute after their own election defeats, so can I, Clinton wrote in the book, a copy of which was obtained by Bloomberg News. I will speak out on the causes I care about, campaign for other Democrats, and do whatever I can to build the infrastructure we need to succeed.

The book, published by CBS-owned Simon & Schuster, includes an accounting for many of the missteps and strategic errors that Clinton said she made during the campaign, and for which she explicitly takes responsibility.

The most important of the mistakes I made was using personal email, Clinton told Pauley. The book includes a lengthy defense of her decision, after becoming secretary of state, to use an email account hosted on a server in the basement of her Chappaqua, New York, home for official business. It also delves into an accounting of the investigations and media scrutiny she faced during the 2016 campaign.

Clinton, 69, pins particular blame on then-FBI Director James Comeys decision to speak publicly about his agencys probe just days before the election. She also discusses at length alleged Russian interference in the election, Trumps ties to Russia, and developments through the first half of 2017.

Another mistake that Clinton laid out in the book was her decision to deliver paid speeches to Wall Street firms after leaving the State Department. While her speeches to investment bank Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and other companies were meant to be interesting to her audiences, they werent newsworthy, she wrote. Still, they gave her opponents -- first, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders during the Democratic primary race, and then Trump -- ammunition to use against her.

This file photo taken on Oct. 19, 2016 shows former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton (R) and former Republican nominee Donald Trump walking off the stage after the final presidential debate at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hillary Clinton calls Donald Trump a (Agence France -Presse/Robyn Beck)

My opponents spun wild tales about what terrible things I must have said behind closed doors and how as president I would be forever in the pocket of the shadowy bankers who had paid my speaking fees. I should have seen that coming, Clinton wrote. When you know why youre doing something and you know theres nothing more to it and certainly nothing sinister, its easy to assume that others will see it the same way.

Ultimately, it was a mistake, she said.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 16:53 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2025769 2 Business Luhut-Binsar-Pandjaitan,Silangit-airport,tourism,Lake-Toba,North-Sumatra Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is set to officiate the upgrade of Silangit Airport in North Sumatra into an international-class airport in October to boost tourist arrivals and promote Lake Toba as a prime destination.



Coordinating Maritime Minister Luhut B. Pandjaitan said on Monday the upgrade of Silangit Airport would help increase air connectivity to support economic and tourism growth at Lake Toba, which had been included in Indonesia's 10 new emerging destinations.

"In October, the President is set to officiate the upgrade. We have to be ready for the expansion," said Luhut.

Luhut said he recently met with investors from China, Japan and Singapore who were keen to invest in tourism infrastructure at Lake Toba.

The upgrade includes extension of the runaway to 2,650 meters from 2,400 meters, the expansion of apron capacity and the airport terminal with a total investment of Rp 369 billion (US$27.7 million).

The new apron will be able to accommodate two Boeing 737-500 planes and four Boeing 737-900 ER planes, while the renovated terminal will have an increased capacity of 1 million passengers from 36,500 passengers annually.

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia and private carrier Sriwijaya Air and Lion Air Group have expressed interest in flying to international destinations from the airport, possibly to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, to attract tourists, especially from China.

The number of passengers flying to and from Silangit increased threefold in the first half of the year to 124,071 passengers from last year.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 23:14 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2039d83 2 Business MitraKeluargaHospital,hospital,share,IDX,Mitra-Keluarga,Mitra Free

Hospital operator PT Mitra Keluarga Karyasehat (MIKA), saw its shares plunge by 3 percent to Rp 2.040 per share at the closing session of the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) on Monday.

Mitras share price fluctuated between Rp 2.100 at its peak and Rp 1.950 at its lowest during the day.

Monday marked MIKAs first trading day after the public learned about the Deborah incident.

Bina Artha Sekuritas senior analyst Reza Priyambada said the negative sentiment generated from the tragedy had affected the companys performance in the bourse on Monday.

Reza added that the sentiment would depend on the hospital managements response to the ongoing news coverage.

The market sees the spiraling negative news. Thats why it has responded negatively. If there is an insufficient response from the hospitals management, it is very likely that the negative sentiment will continue, Reza said.

The management can tell [the market] of its future plans in terms of expansion or capital expenditure, for example, to reassure the market that the incident has not affected its fundamental performance, he said.

The death of the patient, Tiara Deborah Simanjorang, on Sept. 3 has attracted nationwide attention as the hospital allegedly refused to transfer the baby, who suffered from severe breathing difficulties, from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) because her parents could not pay the required advance payment.

The practice of asking for advance payments prior to providing treatment is commonplace in the countrys hospitals, including Mitra Keluarga, one of the largest hospital chains in the country.

Mitra management has apologized for the incident, and will return the money spent by Deborah's parent for the treatment.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 22:01 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2038244 1 Politics saracen,hoax,crime,social-media,hate-speech Free

The National Polices cybercrime division recently arrested a housewife in connection with Saracen, an online outfit accused of creating and spreading hoaxes and hate speech for money, National Police spokesperson Insp.Gen. Setyo Wasisto said on Monday.

The suspect, identified as Asma Dewi, was arrested in South Jakarta on Friday. She had allegedly uploaded hoaxes and hate speeches on her Facebook account, Setyo said.

Police investigators received information that she had transferred Rp 75 million [US$5,700] to NS, he said as quoted by kompas.com. Setyo was referring to a Saracen member.

However, the police have yet to determine whether Dewi was an active Saracen member or a client. The transaction was recorded in the bank account with the note "payment for Saracen."

We are investigating what her role is, Setyo said.

Read also: Police probe Saracen funding

He went on to say that the arrest was the result of coordination between the police and the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK).

The police have asked the PPATK to help investigate 14 bank accounts allegedly related to the Saracen. (foy/bbs)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 15:01 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a201bb77 1 City Pulogebang-low-cost-apartments,arrears Free

Rent arrears at East Jakarta's Pulogebang rusunawa (low-cost apartments) have reached Rp 3 billion (US$227,894), with more than half of its tenants failing to meet their monthly rent, the apartment management has said.

Of the 669 families living here, 70 percent have yet to pay their rent, Pulogebang apartment manager Ageng Darmintono said on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

He was quick to add that he had attempted to persuade the tenants to immediately fulfill their obligation.

As of August, we have received around Rp 600 million, he said, hoping that by the end of the year, all arrears would be settled.

Many Jakartans living in low-cost apartments are struggling to pay rent, as data from the citys Public Housing and Government Buildings Agency shows that total arrears in July amounted to Rp 32 billion.

Most current tenants were forced to move to rusunawa after they were evicted from their makeshift houses, because of an administrative ruling that they had illegally occupied the land. Since moving to the low-cost apartments, many tenants have said that they struggled to make ends meet, as they found it difficult to adapt to and find jobs in their new environment. (fac)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura  Mon, September 11, 2017 18:42 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a202dfba 1 National Papua,remote-areas,transmigration,village,Cenderawasih-University Free

Dozens of people claiming to be residents of remote villages in Papua rallied at Cenderawasih University in Jayapura on Monday, where almost 2,000 applicants took a written test to become professional supervisors in the Villagers Empowerment and Development Program.

The protesters claimed they could not apply because the Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Ministry only accepted online applications, while their villages did not have internet access yet.

We suggest that the minister also accept offline applications to accommodate applicants like us who live in remote areas, especially in the Central Mountains, where internet is not available yet, said Danius Wenda from Lanny Jaya.

According to him, there are many youths in the La Pago, Mee Pago and Saireri indigenous areas who hold bachelor degrees and are eligible to apply but unable to because they do not have access to the internet.

It is a shame to see many local youths in remote regions who have decent capabilities but are jobless, he said.

Read also: Papua Police to monitor use of village funds

The head of Papuas Villagers Empowerment Agency, Donatus Mote, echoed the concern.

The protesters concerns should be taken into account. We have difficulty getting a cellular signal in those remote areas, let alone the internet, he said.

A total of 1,937 applicants took the written test on Monday to fill 634 vacant posts for the professional supervisor position. (bbs)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 13:25 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2012cbe 1 Politics #e-ID,setya-novanto,KPK,corruption,#KPKInquiry,pretrial-motion,Golkar,Idrus-Marham Free

House of Representatives Speaker and Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto has been unable to fulfill the summons of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for Monday's questioning as a suspect in the high-profile electronic identity (e-ID) graft case, apparently due to ill health.

Golkar secretary general Idrus Marham said Setya could not attend the questioning because of illness.

"A doctor's examination last night showed Pak Novanto experienced rising blood sugar levels after exercising, causing kidney and heart problems," Idrus said at KPK headquarters in South Jakarta.

Read also: KPK to question Central Java Governor in e-ID case

Idrus had visited KPK headquarters to submit the doctor's letter to KPK investigators on Setya's behalf.

"Thus, the doctor recommended that he not attend the questioning," he added, and that Setya had been receiving treatment at Siloam Hospital in Central Jakarta since Sunday evening.

Monday's session would have been Setya's first questioning as a suspect in the e-ID case. With Rp 2.3 trillion (US$ 175 million) in estimated state losses, it is one of the biggest graft cases in the country to date.

Golkar Party chairman Setya Novanto (center), secretary general Idrus Marham (second right), honorary council member BJ Habibie (second left) and chief advisor Aburizal Bakrie (left) attend a recent meeting pf the party's national executives. (Antara Foto/M Agung Rajasa)

Last week, Setya filed a pretrial motion at the South Jakarta District Court to challenge the KPK's decision to name him a suspect.

Idrus dismissed claims that Setya was buying time until the pretrial session had started on Tuesday.

"In his current condition, I think [Setya] won't come to the pretrial session tomorrow either," Idrus said. (bbs)
By PTI: By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Sep 11 (PTI) President Donald Trump today said America "cannot be intimidated" and vowed to eliminate terrorist safe havens in any part of the world as he led the nation in mourning the death of nearly 3,000 people in the worst terror attack on the US soil 16 years ago.

"The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit," Trump said in his first 9/11 memorial address as the US president.

advertisement

Nearly 3,000 people, including Indians, were killed when Al-Qaeda militants flew commercial planes into New Yorks World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Addressing an audience at the Pentagon, one of three sites attacked on September 11, 2001, Trump issued stern warning to terrorists and said, "America cannot be intimidated and those who try will soon join the list of vanquished enemies who dared to test our mettle."

"Were ensuring that they never again have a safe haven to launch attacks against our country. We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp, and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large Earth," he said.

Trump last month issued the sternest warning yet by an American leader to Pakistan for providing safe havens to terrorists that kill Americans in Afghanistan and warned Islamabad that it has "much to lose" by harbouring them.

Earlier today, Trump and the First Lady Melania observed a moment of silence at the White House. He was joined by White House staff and top officials including spokesperson Sarah Sanders, senior advisors Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, National Security Advisor H R McMaster and his Chief of Staff John Kelly.

At 8:46 am, a bell tolled as they stood between the two wings of the crowd with their heads bowed in silence. A Marine Played Taps on the trumpet at 8:47 am and all including Trump and the First Lady placed their hands over their hearts.

Its (8:46 am) the exact time the first plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York.

Trump said the horror and anguish of that dark day were seared into the national memory forever. "It was the worst attack on our country since Pearl Harbor and even worse because this was an attack on civilians - innocent men, women, and children whose lives were taken so needlessly," he said.

"America does not bend. We do not waver. And we will never, ever yield," Trump said.

"While we had never asked for this fight, we are steadfastly committed to seeing it through, as President Trump has made abundantly clear, and with no more temporizing, as our example of leadership galvanizes other nations to stand united against this threat to all humankind," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said speaking at the Pentagon Memorial.

advertisement

General Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the terrorists believed that these attacks would shake America?s commitment to its values.

"And, as President Bush said hours after the attacks, the terrorists thought they could frighten us into chaos and retreat. But they were wrong," he asserted.

"Instead of retreat, the tragedy of 9/11 produced in us an unyielding resolve. Instead of hopelessness, our mourning turned into action. And we have strengthened our commitment to the idea that the freedom of many should never be endangered by the hatred of a few," Dunford said.

"Though our country was wounded that day, today we remind the world that terrorism will never defeat the United States," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said.

This date also marks a solemn tragedy where four Americans, including two of State Department personnel, were killed in a terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya.

advertisement

"Their loss will always weigh heavy in our hearts," he said in a statement.

"As an American, and as a native New Yorker, memories of 9/11 stir deep emotions, even 16 years later. As we observe Patriot Day to honor those we lost that fateful day, our resolve to never forget remains as strong as ever," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. PTI LKJ ZH

--- ENDS ---
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 22:00 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20374ab 1 City teacher,Tangerang,protest,incentives Free

Hundreds of teachers from the Indonesian Private Teachers Association (PGSRI) staged a protest against the elimination of their monthly incentives at the Tangerang administration office in Tangerang, Banten, on Monday.

Mulyadi, who led the rally, said in his oration at the Tangerang City Hall that the monthly incentive, worth Rp 650,000 (US$49.40), had been stopped by the administration since early this year since the program was developed by the previous administration under then mayor Wahidin Halim, who is now Governor of Banten.

Mulyadi added that he and other teachers still questioned the motive behind the government's decision to halt the incentives. He added that teachers were reluctant if the administration based its decision on Law No.23/2014 on regional government, because it did not mention the elimination of the incentives.

"The law stipulates that regional administration handles the management of highs schools and vocational schools," he said, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

Meanwhile, Tangerang Education Agency head Abduh Surahman said that those teachers should ask the Banten administration about the matter. Abduh added that his party would support the teachers if they demanded the House of Representatives to revise the law. (rdi)

Topics : teacher Tangerang protest incentives
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 22:20 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a203919c 1 National Yogyakarta,animals,attack,drought Free

Shock and confusion has gripped a village in the southern part of Yogyakarta following the mysterious deaths of livestock in the past few weeks.

Farmers in Purwodadi village, Gunung Kidul regency, recently found that dozens of their goats had died from an alleged attack by an unknown predator, which many suspected to be a blood-sucking herd of wild animals.

Locals in the village claimed they found the carcasses of their goats in good condition but with bite marks on their neck and legs and that there was no blood left in the animals' body.

"Of the eight goats I own, seven died and one suffered a serious wound. Only my cow was left alive," one of the farmers, Suraji, said as quoted by kompas.com on Monday.

Read also: Drought disrupts Java, Nusa Tenggara

Village head Sucipto said at least 50 goats had died under mysterious circumstances in the past weeks.

He called on villagers to step up their night patrols to prevent the attacks.

Head of Gunung Kidul's Agriculture Agency Bambang Wisnu Broto suspected that the predators were tigers or wolves, which have seen their prey numbers dwindle following a prolonged drought in the region.

"We will look into this report," Bambang said as quoted by kompas,com.

Topics : Yogyakarta animals attack drought
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Charissa Yong (The Straits Times/ANN) Singapore  Mon, September 11, 2017 17:04 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2026311 2 SE Asia #singapore,#president,#HalimahYacob Free

Halimah Yacob is set to be Singapore's next President, with the first presidential election reserved for candidates from the Malay community headed for a walkover.

The 63-year-old former Speaker of Parliament was the only presidential hopeful to be issued a Certificate of Eligibility by the Presidential Elections Committee.

Marine services firm chairman Farid Khan, 61, and property company chief executive Salleh Marican, 67, have been informed they did not qualify to contest the election.

This means Halimah will be declared the country's eighth President shortly after nominations close at noon on Wednesday.

The committee announced its decision on Monday (Sept. 11), two days before Nomination Day, which falls on Sept. 13.

Salleh and Farid's bids had been uncertain because neither man helmed a company with S$500 million (US$372.33 million) in shareholder equity for the most recent three years, a condition set out in the Constitution following amendments passed last year.

No more certificates of eligiblity will be issued, since applications closed on Sept. 4.

This election requires candidates to have a Certificate of Eligibility, and a Community Certificate confirming that they belong to the Malay community.

Three Malay Community Certificates were issued.

Of the five individuals who had applied for certificates of eligibility, two did not declare themselves to be a member of the Malay community.

Halimah, 63, was the only one of the three hopefuls who was automatically eligible to run, and was widely seen as the front runner.

In a statement, Farid said that he accepted the decisions made by the PEC and the Community Committee and that unfortunately, his presidential bid was not meant to be.

"I wish to thank Singaporeans, my family and friends for their overwhelming support since I first announced my decision to contest in the upcoming election," he said.

"Although I am disappointed by the Committees' decision, it will not stop me from continuing to serve the people," he added.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Straits Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Nation/ANN) Bangkok  Mon, September 11, 2017 17:25 1889 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2028a24 2 SE Asia #Thailand,#Bangkok,#KingBhumibolAdulyadej,#cremation,#security Free

The Marine Department on Monday announced its preparedness to provide security and direct water traffic during the royal cremation ceremonies for His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX) at Sanam Luang in Bangkok from Oct. 25-27.

A water security coordination center will be set up to oversee the operation around the clock during the period.

Some 180 officers on 10 patrol boats would provide security in the Chao Phraya River from Krung Thon Bridge (Sang Hee) to King Taksin Bridge (Sathon) from midday to 9 p.m. on Oct. 25, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Oct. 26 and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 27.

All types of boat, except those from the state agencies providing security, will be banned from the immediate area.

Chao Phraya Express boats will dock at Thewet and Yod Piman piers, because the Phra Arthit, Tha Chang and Rachinee piers will be closed.

The cross-river ferries that normally provide services from Tha Phra Chan Nua, Maharat and Tha Chang piers would use Pin Klao pier on the Phra Nakhon side, while those normally providing services from Tha Tian would be temporarily based at Rachinee pier. Tourist boats will be able to use the Pin Klao pier in the north and the Rachinee pier in the south.

The Thai Boats Associations boat rides for people heading to Sanam Luang to attend the royal cremation ceremonies will be available from Nonthaburi pier to Pin Klao pier and from Sathon pier to the Yod Piman pier.

Topics :

This article appeared on The Nation newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 14:05 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2016fb5 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Tourism-Ministry,Makassar,creative-economy Free

The Tourism Ministry in collaboration with the Indonesia Creative Cities Conference (ICCC) committee recently conducted a workshop titled The Strategy of Building a Creative Tourist City in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Sept. 9.

The workshop is part of Makassar International Eight Festival and Forum (F8) that ran from Sept. 6 to 9.

The goal is to find ways to collaborate all elements from the Creative Economy Agency [Bekraf] to other Tourism Pentahelix. The reality now is tourists see not only the nature but also the citys creativity in attracting visitors, said the ministry's archipelago tourism marketing development deputy Esthy Reko Astuti.

The ministry's head for convention and meetings promotions and overseas marketing deputy, Eddy Susilo, added that the development of creative cities in one country depends on the efforts from the government and the city's own creative minds. Government as the facilitator needs to support the public's endeavor in developing their creative ways to improve the citizens well being.

Read also: Banyuwangi to compete at ASEAN Clean Tourist City Award 2017

After the workshop, we can develop a way to facilitate the process of exchanging information, experience, knowledge and resources between members in order to improve the local creative industry and build partnership, told Eddy.

In 2014, the government proposed four cities to be officially included in the Creative City Network, namely Bandung and Surakarta as design cities, and Yogyakarta and Pekalongan as craft and folk art cities. In the end, Bandung and Pekalongan were chosen to be part of the network. As of now, dozens of cities have been included in the list.

According to Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, a creative city needs to have an incubator for startup companies, a place where young people can develop their ideas, hone their creativity and establish new businesses.

He also said that each step of Creativity-to-Commerce (C2C) needs to be implemented.

There should be a test to see whether a particular startup product is needed by the market or not; market validation needs to be done on every level. If the market doesnt need it, then stop the development right away before it goes to the next level. Creative industry is not just limited to digital-based start up [companies]; tourism is also listed in the creative industry, said Arief. (kes)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Mon, September 11, 2017 15:08 1890 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a201c4ab 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Bangka-Belitung,Tanjung-Pandan,international-flights Free

H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin International Airport in Tanjung Pandan, Bangka Belitung, officially welcomed its first international flight on Sunday.

The chartered flight of private carrier Sriwijaya Air departed from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, carrying 188 members of Malindo Business and Culture Centre.

The flight departed at 7:35 a.m. and landed in Tanjung Pandan at 9:50 a.m. The plane later made its return flight the next day, departed at 7:30 a.m. and arrived at 10:30 a.m.

Transportation Ministrys director general of civil aviation Agus Santoso said this first international flight was expected to attract other airline companies to open new international routes to H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin International Airport.

Read also: Learning Akha hill tribes way of living in Pha Mee village

This is a positive move and it proves that aviation sector can serve as a driving factor for investment to improve both regional and national economies, said Agus.

All priority destinations need to have an international airport, this includes Belitung that is home to Tanjung Kelayang Special Economic Zone (KEK), said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.

Currently the airport boasts a 2,225-meter runway with the width of 45 meters. Its terminals reportedly could accommodate up to 20,000 visitors.

In the future, the runway is said to be extended to 2,500 meters to allow Boeing 737-800 planes to land. (kes)
By PTI: Mumbai, Sep 11 (PTI) Two drug suppliers were arrested separately from suburban Andheri here for allegedly possessing one kilogram of heroin worth around Rs 1 crore in the international market, police said today.

Acting on a tip-off, sleuths of Amboli police station laid a trap at a hotel on Veera Desai Road in Andheri west on September 7 and arrested Jitesh Rathore (23). He was carrying 500 grams heroin, an official said.

advertisement

During his interrogation, he revealed the name of his aide Natwar Singh alias Vijay (27), he said.

Based on the information provided by him, police laid a trap near Andheri RTO office last evening and apprehended Vijay with another half a kilogram of brown sugar, he said.

Police sub inspector Daya Nayak, who was part of the team, said, "As of now, police have recovered one kg of narcotic drugs from the accused duo, which is worth Rs 1 crore in the international market."

The accused had obtained the drug from Madhya Pradesh and they had come to Mumbai to give it to the drug-peddlers, he said.

The accused used to make cavities in the bags to hide the drugs, Nayak added. PTI DC NP

--- ENDS ---
Its easy to tell from the campaign flyers likely littering your front doorway that election day in New York City is almost here. The Democratic Primary takes place tomorrow, Tuesday, for mayor, City Council and other local offices. If you live on Grand Street, you have probably received lots of campaign propaganda for an obscure hyperlocal race  that of district leader in the 65th Assembly District, Part A.

District leaders are elected party officials  volunteers who serve as conduits between constituents and higher ranking office holders, help run polling sites and play a part in judicial elections. Part A in the 65th AD covers the Grand Street Cooperatives and a few other buildings in the immediate area. The incumbents are Karen Blatt and Jacob Goldman of the Truman Democratic Club. For the first time since anyone can remember, the Truman Club faces a contested election this year. Blatt and Goldman are being challenged by Caroline Laskow and Lee Berman, two Lower East Side residents who have formed a new club called Grand Street Democrats.

The contentious campaign found its way onto the pages of the New York Post this past summer after a local activist with Grand Street Democrats filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections, asserting that the Truman Club has, not registered with the state and has not submitted financial disclosure statements for at least 18 years. The Post seized on the complaint in the most local of all races for one reason, noting that the club for years served as the home base for disgraced former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

In recent days, we have been talking with some of the key players on both sides about the campaign finance issue and have checked with election law attorneys. Heres what we found:

The complaint was sent by Jeremy Sherber to the enforcement division of the State Board of Elections on July 18. Sherber wrote, We ask that you immediately investigate the situation and seek disclosure reports not only for the current year but also for their many years of political activity. Sherber ran a search of the states campaign finance database, which turned up $84,000 in donations from political committees to the Truman Club during the past couple of decades. He found another $7,000 in donations in New York City campaign records.

Sherber noted that neither Blatt nor Goldman had individually filed campaign finance statements. Pointing out that campaign committees are not required to disclose these types of expenditures, Sherber wrote, Counting individual and corporate contributions that do not appear in the database, the Truman Club is likely hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars Voters have the right to know who is supporting political activity in our neighborhood, and how that money is being spent.

We contacted the State Board of Elections to find out if an investigation is ongoing. A spokesperson replied, The Enforcement Counsel, Risa Sugarman, has no comment with regard to the investigation. She generally does not comment on any investigation or complaint. The spokesperson referred us to a section of the Campaign Finance Handbook that covers reporting by political clubs. According to the manual, When a political club raises or expends funds in connection with an election it is most likely obligated to register and make disclosures. It also spells out activity not triggering registration and disclosure requirements.

Three election lawyers we consulted offered their interpretations of the law. A leader in the field, Jerry Goldfedder, said that disclosure reports must be filed for election-related activities, but are not required for other expenses (such as rent, general mailings, meetings, etc.) Sarah Steiner, who represents Grand Street Democrats, has a different point of view. She noted that any political committee raising more than a $1,000 for a campaign must file with the state. Once you have a reporting requirement, said Steiner, you cant really pick and choose whats reported and whats not. Her recommendation to political clubs is to set up a separate committee for election-related activities out of an abundance of caution. Meanwhile, the Truman Clubs attorney, Jessica Loeser, argued its not the prevailing wisdom that even non-campaign related contributions must be reported. She said reporting requirements for clubs have only been tightened in the past couple of years. Its unfair, Loeser suggested, to apply the new standard to donations the club received 10-20 years ago. [As a point of information, Loeser is a former Lower East Side district leader and Truman Club leader.]

So the bottom line is this: Blatt and Goldman were definitely required to file disclosure reports for their campaigns, and they didnt do that on time. Blatt also accepted a donation of $1,689 from the Truman Club, exceeding the allowable limit (the ceiling for contributions is $1000). Whether the Truman Club was required to report all of its contributions over the years  campaign related and non-campaign related  is whats now being debated.

In a statement provided to The Lo-Down, Blatt said, The Truman Club has not spent money on candidates or elections because we have never had a contested race until now. The Truman Clubs activities have been focused on voter education and increasing voter turnout during elections. Blatt said she has hired a compliance specialist and registered a committee with the state Board of Elections. Once the application is processed, disclosure reports will be filed she said. As for the contribution exceeding the $1000 limit, Blatt said, We received incorrect information from someone at the Manhattan Democratic County Committee (which interprets rules for clubs) about what the correct limit is for contributions. Jacob and I rectified the error and reimbursed the club from our campaign accounts.

What about Jeremy Sherbers contention that the Truman Club is hiding at least $100,000, and probably more, in donations? Blatt said, Mr. Sherbers wag-the-dog tactics hardly rise to me and Jacob not saying where $100,000 went. The full story is that over the course of 20 years the Truman Club received $100,000 in donations. I would imagine that the contributions went toward operating expenses such as, rent, office supplies, nominating petitions, phone bill and meeting expenses such as food and room rental, etc., all your average club expenses.

[Blatt is a relatively new district leader, having initially run for office in 2015; this is Goldmans first election. He was appointed to serve out the remainder of David Weinbergers term. Weinberger died in 2016.]

It should be noted that Grand Street Democrats has filed campaign finance reports in this political cycle. The states database shows $18,450 in contributions. We surveyed other political clubs in Lower Manhattan, finding that most organizations do not file disclosure reports. Leaders of two clubs, Downtown Independent Democrats (DID) and Lower East Side Democrats, called the reporting requirements onerous for small, grassroots organizations dedicated to increasing local participation in the political process. Sean Sweeney of DID said his club submits disclosure statements as a result of a challenge several years ago from City Council member Margaret Chin (DID backed candidate Jenifer Rajkumar against Chin in 2013). Sweeney said the requirement is a burden and hed like to see accommodations made for small neighborhood-based groups.

Financial reporting by political clubs is not a new issue. In 2013, Citizen Union, a good government group, released a report showing that 224 of 579 political clubs in New York failed to register with the state. At the time, Citizen Union Executive Director Dick Dadey said, While Albany reeks of political corruption borne of cronyism and contemplates substantial changes to our campaign finance system, its clear that the most basic form of oversight  basic disclosure of political activity  is lacking That so many political clubs could raise money, make expenditures, and participate in so much political activity in support of candidates without disclosure is but one more reason why a complete overhaul of enforcement of our states campaign finance laws is needed.

The Post is not the only citywide media outlet to have taken an interest in the district leader campaign. In August, NY1s Zack Fink looked at whether Sheldon Silver is continuing to influence club operations. While its unclear how active in politics Silver has been in his old Assembly district on the Lower East Side, noted Fink, Judy Rapfogel, his former chief of staff, has been very active and is currently involved in the race for district leader, helping collect petition signatures to put Blatt and Goldman on the ballot.

Silver was convicted on federal corruption charges in 2015 and forced to relinquish his Assembly seat. (The conviction was tossed out in July; prosecutors are planning to retry him). When asked about Silver, Blatt said, Sheldon Silver, one of the longest serving members in the Truman Club, is no longer involved in the club. She said of Rapfogel, Judy Rapfogel is a dedicated member of the club She is someone who cares deeply about my community and is a tireless volunteer. Jacob and I welcome her support and her involvement in our district leader race. She has personally helped tens of thousands of people on the LES and is an asset that any campaign would want to have on their side.

Sherber said hes glad Blatt and Goldman are now planning to file disclosure reports, but he added, this raises red flags for me. He referred to, longstanding issues of trust in this community highlighted by the Silver and (William) Rapfogel convictions (Judy Rapfogels husband, Willie, was convicted and served jail time in relation with a kickback scheme at the Met Council on Jewish Poverty).

Blatt said she and the Truman Club are committed to transparency and believe that clubs should follow the law. She added, Jacob and I are planning for the future of the Truman Club. At a time when the country is being torn apart by divisive politics ~ after a particularly bruising political year ~ we will work on uniting our community and bringing important issues to the forefront, such as traffic and transportation improvements, sustainable development and ensuring our neighborhood is resilient from storm surges.
Elle Fanning says the overlooked struggle of 19th-century Frankenstein author Mary Shelley is still relevant to women today.

The actress, 19, who plays the ground-breaking British novelist in an eponymous film made by Saudi Arabias first female director, says Shelley should be greater revered as a feminist icon.

Fanning celebrated the very inspiring woman, who penned the novel aged 18, at the movies world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival.

Did you know we could be the last generation to see elephants in the wild? #knotonmyplanet 100% of profit from the @tiffanyandco #tiffanysavethewild collection goes to @elephantcrisisfund. #tiffanypartner A post shared by Elle Fanning (@ellefanning) on Sep 9, 2017 at 7:04am PDT

Not many people know it. I remember it was taught in school to me but they never explained what shed gone through and why she wrote the book, the American actress told the Press Association.

Its not just a Gothic novel, its not a monster story, Frankenstein isnt, its very personal and it correlates so much with her life.

Also the story is very modern in whats going on with women today as well. It needs to be told  shes a very inspiring woman.

The movie, which focuses on the authors relationship with poet Percy Shelley, played by Douglas Booth, is directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour.

She made her first film Wadjda from the back of a van, communicating with actors via walkie-talkie, because she could not mix with the male crew in public for fear of retribution.

Wadjda went on to win an Oscar nomination and now Al-Mansour has made her first English-language film.

Fanning compared Al-Mansours struggle to that of Shelleys.

Al-Mansour said: Mary Shelley is a very modern woman. Shes one of the writers who stepped out of line and wrote something that is very masculine. She did not write about social issues like marriage and jealousy.

We need women like that who are willing to challenge every moral society wants to put on women  and coming from Saudi Arabia it means a lot to me to see women who are willing to do that.

Mary Shelley is out in the UK in July.
A man of many talents, comedian, endurance runner, political activist, writer and actor, Eddie Izzard takes on a new role as the son of Queen Victoria in Stephen Frears Victoria and Abdul.

The National Student spoke to Eddie Izzard about the story of the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria and Abdul Karim, and his role as Bertie in the film.

Izzard has always been a vocal advocate of his views and passions, and his recounting of his experience on this film is no different.

The actor saw the positivity in the story at a time of Trump hate, Brexit and a negative feeling of separation running high, with Victoria and Abdul being a story of love across a great divide.

Izzard also spoke about the films message of the need to go beyond class boundaries, seeing everyone as a human being and giving everyone the chance to love another person.

Watch the full interview below.

Victoria and Abdul releases in cinemas 15th September.
Fictional portrayals of autistic people, such as The Big Bang Theorys Sheldon Cooper, tend to portray characters in a stereotypical fashion, new research suggests.

Experts have found that the characters tend to be unrealistically aligned with textbook diagnostic criteria and do not accurately reflect the variety seen in real life.

The team from the universities of Edinburgh and Oslo analysed Sheldons character along with a further 25 fictional personalities from TV and film.

They judged each character against the standard criteria that doctors use to diagnose autism, known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-5.

Most of the characters displayed at least nine of the 12 defining characteristics of the condition, the researchers found.

In reality, this level of alignment with the diagnostic criteria is rare.

About half of those analysed are portrayed as being a genius or having some other exceptional skill, such as Dustin Hoffmans character in the 1988 film Rain Man.

In reality, the researchers said, fewer than one in three people with autism will have such a skill.

They said that this narrow view may reinforce widely-held stereotypes about autistic people and called for the diversity to be better reflected on screen.

Dr Sue Fletcher-Watson, of the University of Edinburghs Patrick Wild Centre, said: To deepen public understanding of autism spectrum disorders, we need more autistic characters on our screens.

These characters should reflect the diversity we see in real life, rather than being artificially built from a textbook diagnosis of somebody with autism.

The study is published in the journal Psychiatry Research.
By PTI: (EDS: Updating with Pak Foreign Office statement)

By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Sep 11 (PTI) Pakistans Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today met Irans top leadership as part of Islamabads efforts to drum up support after US President Donald Trump criticised it for providing safe havens to terrorists.

Asif called on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran and held detailed talks with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif on bilateral relations and the prevailing regional situation, including efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan, the Pakistan Foreign Office here said in a statement.

advertisement

Ahead of Asifs maiden visit to America, Pakistans foreign ministry had announced that he will travel to China, Russia, Turkey and Iran to drum up support for Islamabad after Trump warned it of consequences if it continues to support terror groups.

Trump while announcing his policy for South Asia and Afghanistan 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. Pakistan is upset over the allegations.

Asif and Zarif exchanged views on the efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan, particularly in the context of latest developments in the war-torn country.

"They agreed that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and a politically negotiated settlement was imperative for lasting peace in Afghanistan. They underscored that the regional countries have vital stakes in stability in Afghanistan and should play a more proactive role in the peace efforts," the Foreign Office said.

Asif stated that Pakistan was committed to further strengthen relations with Iran and to work closely for promoting peace, security and development in the region, it said.

He expressed satisfaction over the increasing engagement between Pakistan and Iran while emphasising on the need to focus on promoting trade, economic cooperation and connectivity.

Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif reaffirmed Irans commitment to deepening relations with Pakistan in diverse fields like in trade, investment, connectivity as well as border management.

The Foreign Office also said that both ministers shared deep concern over alleged "human rights violations" in Kashmir.

They also expressed deep concern over the atrocities being committed against Rohingyas and agreed on the need for urgent humanitarian efforts to alleviate their suffering, it said.

Asif, during his meeting with President Rouhani, discussed strengthening of ties between the two countries and reaffirmed the mutual desire to boost bilateral cooperation.

Asif is accompanied by National Security Advisor Naseer Khan Janjua and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.

The foreign minister earlier visited China and discussed the new US policy with counterpart Wang Yi.

He is also expected to visit Turkey and meet his Russian counterpart later this month as part of efforts to garner support for the country which is facing mounting international pressure to act against the terror groups.

advertisement

Meanwhile, the foreign minister told Irans state news agency IRNA that the US military approach in Afghanistan has already failed to address the problems in the country.

"No need to say that the approach taken by the Americans which is a military one, has not been able to bring peace to Afghanistan 16 years and military solution will not work,? he said.

"I am also planning to meet my Russian counterpart in near future on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session and discuss the peaceful approaches for Afghanistan issue with him," he added. PTI SH NSA PMS ASK AKJ ASK

--- ENDS ---
Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here

You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: 

Home Page
By PTI: Jammu, Sep 11 (PTI) Pakistani troops today violated the ceasefire by firing and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district.

"Pakistan Army troops initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 1345 hours in Poonch sector along the LoC," a defence spokesman said.

The Indian troops were retaliating strongly and the firing is on, he said.

advertisement

On September 9 also, the Pakistani Army had violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Debraj, Krishna Ghati and Ishapur in the Mendhar sector prompting retaliation by the Indian troops guarding the border, a police official said.

On September 4, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice by firing at forward posts along the LoC in Degwar and Maldalyan areas in Poonch and along the International Border (IB) in Arnia sector of Jammu after which the Indian security forces retaliated.

On September 3, the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch along the LoC.

On September 1, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Kamaljit Singh of the Border Security Force sustained bullet injuries due to firing from across the LoC while he was deployed at a forward post in the Krishna Ghati sector. Singh later succumbed to injuries.

Incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan have increased sharply this year.

Till August 1, there were 285 such violations by the Pakistan Army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to the Army figures. PTI AB ADS

--- ENDS ---
The theme of the convention is 'Young India, New India'.

By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a students' convention to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address and BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary celebrations. The theme of the convention is 'Young India, New India'.

During his speech he made a special mention of the sanitary workers across the nation. He said, "I want to specially mention all those people who are working tirelessly to keep India clean."

advertisement

Remembering Swami Vivekananda's teaching, he said, "Swami Vivekananda did not believe in sermonising. His ideas & idealism paved way for an institutional framework via Ramakrishna Mission."

HERE ARE THE LIVE UPDATES

Swami Vivekananda said that only rituals will not connect an individual to divinity, he said 'Jan Seva is Prabhu Seva'.

India is changing, India's standing at the global stage is rising and this is due to Jan Shakti.

There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation & fulfil the aspirations of our people.

Today is 9/11, this day became widely spoken about after 2001 but there was another 9/11 of 1893 which we remember: PM

Just with a few words, a youngster from India won over the world and showed the world the power of oneness

Swami Vivekananda raised his voice against the social evils that has entered our society

The 9/11 of 1893 was about love, harmony and brotherhood

Swami Vivekananda said that only rituals will not connect an individual to divinity, he said 'Jan Seva is Prabhu Seva'

More than being in search of a Guru, Swami Vivekananda was in search of the truth.

Swami Vivekananda did not believe in sermonising. His ideas & idealism paved way for an institutional framework via Ramakrishna Mission.

I am asking the entire nation, if we have the right to say Vande Mataram?

I want to specially mention all those people who are working tirelessly to keep India clean.

The correspondence between Swami Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tata will show the concern Swami JI had towards India's self-reliance.

Only those who clean the nation have the right to sing Vande Mataram.

Swami Vivekananda had given the concept of 'One Asia.' He said that the solutions to the world's problems will come from Asia.

Both knowledge and skills are equally important.

I am not against Rose Day inside campus.

There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses.

Student organisations, while campaigning for university elections should give more importance to cleanliness.

There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation & fulfil the aspirations of our people.

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: mandatory in Lucknow schools

Lucknow, Sep 11 (PTI) The education department of Uttar Pradesh has made police verification of the staff, bus drivers and conductors mandatory for the schools in the state capital here in the wake of the brutal murder of a seven-year-old boy in a school in Gurgaon, Haryana.

"We have issued a circular for police verification of the school staff, bus drivers and conductors as most of the schools did not get the antecedents of the drivers of the school buses, private vans or autorickshaws ferrying the kids verified," District Inspector of Schools (DIoS) Mukesh Kumar Singh told PTI.

advertisement

He said the schools did check the driving licence of the drivers but usually did not scrutinise their past record, which could jeopardise the safety aspects of students.

Taking a serious view of the Gurgaon incident, the education department has also banned the use of smartphones by the drivers and conductors of the Lucknow schools.

The schools have also been asked to ensure that sharp objects do not find their way into the vehicles ferrying the students as the class 2 boy of the Gurgaon school was found dead in the school toilet with his throat slit.

The DIoS said drivers and conductors of school vehicles had been barred from using smartphones as on many occasions, they had been found to have shown "objectionable" content to the children.

"We have also asked the schools to ensure that sharp- edged objects are not found in the vehicles. This will be ensured through inspection by both the schools and the education department," he added.

The education department has also asked the parents and school authorities to ensure that they do not allow minors to drive the vehicles.

It has also appealed to the parents to be cautious at the time of hiring private vans for their wards.

"We have sought the support of both the school management and parents for the safe transportation of children to schools," the DIoS said. PTI ABN SMI RC

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Cairo, Sep 11 (PTI) Actor Priyanka Chopra, on her maiden visit to a Syrian refugee camp in the Jordanian capital of Amman, is appalled by their plight and said the world should be inspired by their resilience.

More than 5 million people have fled war-torn Syria since the civil war began in 2011 and have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey as well as Jordan.

advertisement

Priyanka, who is the Unicef global goodwill ambassador, has been documenting her visit to Amman, which hosts 1,80,000 Syrian refugees, on Instagram. She shared her interactions with refugee kids, who are desperately seeking normalcy in their lives.

"Today was very emotional. As we go about our daily privileged lives, its hard to imagine that everything can be taken from you in an moment. Today we spent the day in a host community meeting Syrian refugee families (like this one) so desperately seeking a safe place of normalcy for their families," the actor posted on the photo-sharing website, along side a short video of her playing with kids from a refugee Syrian family.

Priyanka, 35, shared that more than 80 per cent of the Syrian refugees in Jordan live outside refugee camps in cities, urban centers and farming villages (host communities.)

"Amman hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees, about 1,80,000 people. Refugee families in host communities have limited livelihood opportunities, and after 6 years, have depleted their savings and borrowed money from everywhere to feed and support their families. @unicef #ChildrenUprooted #TheyAreUs," she further wrote.

In a previous post, Priyanka explained her decision to share the plight of Syrian refugees, especially kids, saying she wanted the world to be inspired by their resilience and their hope for a better tomorrow.

"I have never done this when I do field trips, but on this one I feel compelled to reflect on what I feel after every session because I felt a lot. The anger and agony I felt seeing these beautiful hopeful children ravaged by war was so raw.

"The world has seen the pain war has left in Syria but the resilience and joy and hope in spite of it is so inspiring to me. These kids are my inspiration. They should be yours too," she said. PTI JCH AKJ JCH

--- ENDS ---
An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand.
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) The Congress today said its vice president Rahul Gandhi was visiting the United States to present the oppositions perspective on contemporary India and the way forward for the worlds largest democracy.

Hitting out at the BJP for criticising Gandhis US visit, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the party vice president has gone abroad only 0.0001 per cent as compared to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

advertisement

"If you calculate, Rahul Gandhis foreign visits constitute barely .001 per cent of the visits made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi abroad.

"But it has become a habit of some people (like BJP) to make fun of this and crack jokes. The BJP has become a master at doing it," he said.

Gandhi, 47, yesterday left for his nearly two-week trip to the United States. He is scheduled to address the University of California, Berkeley, on the subject India at 70 -- Reflections on the Path forward, where he will talk about contemporary India and the path forward for the worlds largest democracy.

He is expected to meet US politicians with whom he will discuss policy and bilateral issues. The Congress vice president is also likely to meet intellectuals, researchers and the academia and have a first-hand view of emerging technologies like nanotechnology, biotechnology and artificial intelligence, sources said. PTI SKC SRY

--- ENDS ---
She didnt turn up in the school uniform and was made to stand in the boys loo! The alleged shocker came to an 11-year-old girl at a Hyderabad school. A video being circulated on the social media and purportedly shot by the girls father, the terrified Class 5 student can be seen narrating the sequence of events.

In the video the girl narrates how her PT teacher caught her on her way to class and started scolding her in the presence of two-three other teachers.

The girl claims she tried telling the teachers her parents had written a note in her diary, requesting that she be excused for not wearing the uniform, but they (teachers) didnt listen.

The girl says she was made to stand in the washroom for five minutes as schoolchildren watched.

Her father is heard telling her that she would not be bothered again, but the girl is scared of going back to school. Now, they will beat me and harass me. I will never go back, she insists.

The incident has attracted strong reactions from people, including child rights activists.
By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Fending off a major security threat, Rajasthan ATS on Monday arrested three arms dealer from Jammu, Ajmer and Abohar who supplied arms licence to customers with a well-oiled network.

Under scanner is the role of Jammu and Kashmir home department officials who are allegedly in complicit with the arms dealer. More arrests are not being ruled out by the Rajasthan ATS.

advertisement

The secret 'Operation Zubeida' initiated four months ago led Rajasthan Police Anti-Terror Squad to an inter-state racket engaged in making arms licenses from terror-hit Jammu and Kashmir for people spread all across the country. More than 100 arms licence with huge cache of weapons have been recovered from raids at 12 locations in four states.

Licences were being made in Baramulla, Kathua, Kupwara, Ramban and Jammu. Rajasthan ATS Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar told India Today, "We are probing the role of officials of Jammu and Kashmir home department". Though no terror angle has emerged, this appears to be a major chink in a department where licences are sold from anywhere above Rs 3 lakh. Vikas further said, "licences are being sold like fresh vegetables".

All 3 accused are aged in 30s, identified as Rahul (Jammu), Vishal (Fazilka-Punjab) and racket kingpin Zuber Khan (Ajmer-Rajasthan) have been arrested by teams of Rajasthan ATS from their native states. To authenticate the input ATS sent its own team as a decoy customer before swooping down on culprits.

Operation was launched after ATS got inputs about the network involved in forging documents to show non-J&K resident beneficiaries as residents of the J&K, besides army and defence personnel posted in the Valley, the racket also made J&K arms licenses.

Vikas Kumar said the racket was engaged in making arms licenses from Jammu and Kashmir with all India validity for customers spread across the country, particularly northern and central India.

The racket charged sums ranging up to Rs 3 lakh per licenses of All India validity for all kinds of firearms primarily purchased by beneficiaries from the licensed weapon shop of Juber's relative in Dewas district of MP.

The racket operated in two parts - first by getting arms license from Jammu and Kashmir by showing the beneficiary as army personnel and getting licenses made in backdate up to 2008 (as the provision of such arms licenses has been legal in J&K) by showing the beneficiary as resident of the terror hit state and second by arranging arms from MP.

The beneficiary of the busted racket included all kinds of people, among them an Ajmer-based history-sheeter criminal Ganpat.

ATS will seek assistance in further probe from the J&K Police.

advertisement

Also read:

Rajasthan ATS detains suspected ISIS operator from Chennai

Businessman-turned-ISIS recruit to be grilled on links with Mehdi Biswas, man behind @shamiwitness

--- ENDS ---
The Ghaziabad police on Monday said they have arrested a sharpshooter who was involved in the murder of BJP leader Gajendra Bhati over a week ago.

Narendra Fauzi, a resident of Sakalpura village in Uttar Pradeshs Loni, was arrested from his hideout on Sunday night.

Fauzi has been a personal security officer of former Sahibabad MLA Amar Pal Sharma.

During sustained interrogation, Fauzi confessed to the crime.

A deal of Rs 10 lakh was decided upon, of which Rs 50,000 was paid in advance, the police said quoting Fauzi.

The local BJP leader was killed and his friend was injured when unidentified assailants had fired at them near the RK Memorial in Khoda colony.

The police also recovered a white-coloured Apache motorcycle and a 0.30 calibre pistol from his possession that were used in the crime.

The other accused are on the run. Police teams are conducting raids to nab them, said Senior Superintendent of Police HN Singh.
Farhan Akhtar will be seen playing a UP guy for the first time, but the actor faced no difficulties playing the part correctly, thanks to his roots.

Farhan Akhtar is a multi talented star who has amazed the audience with not only his acting but his direction as well. The Bollywood star who started with 2001 blockbuster Dil Chahta Hai has been an active contributor to the Indian cinema with his notable work as an actor and filmmaker over the years.

The multi talented surprised the audience with his acting talent as he made his debut with Rock On!!. After which there was no looking back for the actor. Farhan Akhtar stunned the audience with his power packed performances in Bhag Milkha Bhag, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Dhadakne Do amongst others.

Farhan Akhtar will be next seen in Ranjit Tiwaris intense drama film Lucknow Central. The actor will portray the role of a Up guy for the first time. However, it wasnt difficult stepping into the character as the actor hails from UP.

Talking about the same, Farhan Akhtar shared, I would like to say it was easier for me to play this character compared to the Milkha character because my father is from Lucknow. In the house when we converse its mostly in Urdu so the dialect is somewhat different in Moradabad but the basic language is the same. So I was very comfortable to speak the way Kishen Mohan Girhotra. Milkha was challenging for me because he hails from Punjab. So I had to follow the Punjabi dialect and Im not even remotely related to Punjabi, so that was way more challenging. That is because in the house we normally talk in Hindi, Urdu so that made it easier for me to get into the skin of this character.
It starts when children are young. The moment a child is born, relatives start comparing siblings skin colour.

It starts in your own family. But people dont want to talk about it openly. Kavitha Emmanuel is the founder of Women of Worth, an Indian NGO that is standing up to an ingrained bias toward lighter skin. The Dark is Beautiful campaign, launched in 2009, is not anti-white, she explains, but about inclusivity  beauty beyond colour.

It carries celebrity endorsement, most notably the Bollywood actor Nandita Das. A blog provides a forum for people to share their personal stories of skin colour bias. And the campaign runs media literacy workshops and advocacy programmes in schools to convey messages of self-esteem and self-worth to young children.

This is to counteract what Emmanuel says she has seen even in school textbooks, where a picture of a fair-skinned girl is labelled beautiful and a darker one ugly.

Some children are really shocked that this is something that has affected them so intensely. Some are in tears, Emmanuel says.

The perfect life from perfect skin: a life thats only bestowed upon those of the right shade  thats the message, the attitude and the mindset thats being passed down. It has spawned a multibillion-dollar industry, encompassing not just cosmetic creams, but invasive procedures such as skin bleaching, chemical peels, laser treatments, steroid cocktails, whitening pills and intravenous injections all with varying effectiveness and health risks.

Its more than a bias; its a cultural obsession, and one thats becoming dangerous. Multinational cosmetics brands have found a lucrative market  global spending on skin lightening is projected to triple to US$31.2 billion by 2024, according to a report released in June 2017 by the research firm Global Industry Analysts. The driving force, they say, is the still rampant darker skin stigma and rigid cultural perception that correlates lighter skin tone with beauty and personal success. This is not bias.

This is racism, says Sunil Bhatia, a professor of human development at Connecticut College. Bhatia has recently written in US News & World Report about deep-rooted internalised racism and social hierarchies based on skin colour.

In India, these were codified in the caste system  the ancient Hindu classification that determined occupation and social stratum by birth.

At the top, Brahmins were priests and intellectuals. At the bottom, outcastes were confined to the least desired jobs, such as latrine cleaners.

Bhatia says caste may have been to do with more than occupation the darker you looked, the lower your place in the social hierarchy. This preference for fair skin was perpetuated and strongly reinforced by colonialism  not just in India but in dozens of countries where a European power established its dominance. Its the idea that the ruler is fair-skinned, says Emmanuel.

All around the world, it was a fact that the rich could stay indoors versus the poor who worked outside and were dark-skinned.

The final wave of influence is modern-day globalisation.

There is an interesting whiteness travelling from the US to malls (in other countries) featuring white models, Bhatia tells me. You can trace a line from colonialism, postcolonialism and globalisation.

Western beauty ideals, including fair skin, predominate worldwide. And with these ideals come products to service them.

Skin-lightening agents are banned in Ghana, South Africa, the Ivory Coast and the European Union because their main ingredient, hydroquinone, is a potential carcinogen  yet they are still used illegally.

But the largest and fastest-growing markets are in the Asia-Pacific region. In India, a typical supermarket will have a wall of personal care products featuring whitening moisturiser or lightening body creams, from such recognisable brands as LOreal, Revlon, Ponds and Neutrogena. Pooja Kannan, a 27-year-old from Mumbai, spent years buying cosmetics that promised to lighten her complexion.

For a while she put her faith in the cream, face wash and soap from Fair & Lovely, Indias oldest brand for treating skin fairness problems. During her last two years of college, she switched to Ponds Flawless White cream.

She used the products sparingly, since buying new ones still cost her Rs 200 or 300 every two months  equivalent to a weeks worth of travel to her college campus. Over four years of use, she tells me, her skin did lighten up a little, though she wonders whether that was due to the cream or her taking more care when going out in the sun.

Kannans natural skin tone looks a healthy light brown to me, but when she was growing up, her elder aunts would shake their heads in disappointment over her complexion. A tan would lead some relatives and classmates to admonish her.

Youve turned black, they said. And in India, where skin tone often defines a persons success in society and their ability to find work or a spouse, that sort of thing matters. Kannan says she brushed off her relatives criticism as being from a different generation, but her classmates comments made her feel insecure.

It didnt affect me right then, but when I was getting dressed up to go out, I would remember what they said and put on more make-up, she says. Especially when I was in 11th and 12th grades, there were two or three girls who would say these things a lot. They were trying to be helpful but to me it sounded condescending.

And it was hypocritical too, because it wasnt like they were fair or beautiful or perfect themselves. Society reminded Kannan of it too. She is a professional dancer, and says, The prettier, skinnier and fairer girls are positioned at the front of the stage. That gets to you.

This preference for fair skin is reinforced in movies, television programmes and especially advertising. German skincare company Nivea has faced accusations of racism for a Facebook ad targeted at customers in the Middle East, declaring White is Purity.

Last year, actor Emma Watson had to issue a statement saying she would no longer endorse products which do not always reflect the diverse beauty of all women after criticisms of her earlier appearance in ads in Asia for Lancomes Blanc Expert line, used for skin lightening.

The Advertising Standards Council of India attempted to address skinbased discrimination in 2014 by banning ads depicting people with darker skin as inferior but the products are still marketed. Ads for skin-lightening creams still appear in newspapers, on television and on billboards, featuring Bollywood celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.

In multiple Facebook posts in April 2017, actor Abhay Deol called out several of his colleagues for endorsing fairness creams, following it up with an opinion piece in the Hindustan Times in which he wrote that advertising preaches that we would get a better job, a happier marriage, and more beautiful children if we were fair.

That said, skin lightening is not the sole preserve of the modern cosmetics industry. Indias traditional Ayurveda medical system teaches that pregnant women can improve their foetuss complexion by drinking saffron-laced milk and eating oranges, fennel seeds and coconut pieces. In early 2017, an Ayurvedic practitioner in Kolkata led a session for expectant couples, promising that even dark-skinned, short parents could have tall and fair children.

And a 2012 study by a womens health charity in India found that childless couples often insisted on and paid more for surrogates who were beautiful and fair, though the woman contributed no genetic material to the baby. Arguably, nowhere is the fair skin preference as ingrained as in classified ads placed in newspapers seeking a marriage partner.

Along with requirements for the prospective brides or grooms caste, religion, profession and education, physical characteristics are also listed. Someone described as dusky may be skipped in favour of one who is of a wheatish complexion.

Potential brides spend a lot of money; its really unlimited in the months before the wedding, says Ema Trinidad, a Filipina beautician who runs a spa in Bengaluru. I was so surprised when I came here that your chances of getting married depend on your skin colour. We dont have that in the Philippines.

She calls the Philippines the skinlightening capital of the world and thought she would specialise in anti-ageing treatments when she moved to India 11 years ago. But she soon realised that most of her clients had a primary request: lightening and detanning, particularly before weddings.

On the other hand, bleaching is a common treatment that lightens not the skin itself but the fine hairs on the face. Most skin-lightening treatments target the skins ability to produce pigment, or melanin, which gives your skin, hair and eyes their colour.

Everyone has about the same number of cells to make melanin but how much you actually produce is down to your genes. Darkerskinned people produce more. When exposed to the sun, the body produces more melanin to absorb harmful UV rays and protect skin cells.

And having more natural melanin also means that darker-skinned people tend to develop fewer wrinkles and are less at risk of skin cancer. Skin-lightening creams aim to interrupt the production of melanin and usually contain a natural ingredient such as soy, liquorice or arbutin combined with the medical lightening agent hydroquinone.

But these seemingly harmless cosmetics can carry risk. Another common ingredient in lightening creams and soaps, the World Health Organisation warns, is mercury. This suppresses the production of melanin, but it can also damage the kidneys and brain if it is absorbed by the skin and accumulates in the body.

In September 2016, the Food and Drug Administration in Maharashtra found mercury in five skin-lightening products manufactured by LOreal India, the countrys third-largest cosmetics company. Another common lightening method is a chemical peel, which removes the top layer of your skin. This leaves fresher skin exposed to harmful solar radiation and environmental pollutants. Laser treatments offer an even more aggressive approach by breaking up a skins pigmentation, sometimes with skindamaging results.

Mukta Sachdev, a clinical and aesthetic dermatologist in Bengaluru, recalls two cases of Indian men who came to her after undergoing laser treatments while working in South Korea. They were each in their late twenties and getting ready for marriages. One man developed redness on his face and the other had little white dots confetti-like de-pigmentation.

Sachdev suspects the technicians in South Korea werent used to working with darker skin.

You need to use less aggressive settings when doing laser. Its very hard when losing pigmentation, she says. She was able to treat the redness but the white patches remained despite her efforts to stimulate the pigment to return.

Many prospective patients come to her seeking skin lightening, but before offering them any treatment she counsels them to think less about light and dark and more about evenly toned, healthy skin.

Im trying to get away from this fairness obsession, she explains. Being hung up on dark skin can lead to low self-esteem and lower on the quality of life index. Indias pharmaceutical regulator has approved at least 18 different corticosteroids for topical skin use, ranging from mild to super-potent.

These usually cost less than $2 a tube, and most pharmacies across the country will dispense them, even without a prescription. People apply them indiscriminately to treat pimples or for fairer skin, but steroid creams take off the protective outer layer of the skin so it is more exposed to UV rays and environmental pollutants such as smog and cigarette smoke.

But more worrying is that they can be addictive, says Shyamanta Barua, a dermatologist and honorary secretary general of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists.

The moment the patient stops using the cream, the skin reacts, gets irritated, develops rashes, he says. So the patient starts the cream again and its a vicious cycle. They become psychologically addicted. He thinks users should be counselled as if they were addicted to recreational drugs or alcohol.

The dermatologists association is lobbying for topical steroid skin medications to be added to the Schedule H list, which would restrict their availability in pharmacies by requiring a doctors prescription.

They met with the Drug Controller General of India in March 2017, though Shyam B Verma, the dermatologist who heads these efforts, seems pessimistic as to whether any action would be forthcoming.

These products are just a minuscule part of the overall drug industry, so its not a priority, he tells me.

Pharmacies dispense them like boxes of cookies. The drug companies know this is a drug and its not supposed to be used to lighten constitutive skin. But they label them with suggestive names like skin bright, skin light, skin shine, look bright.

Furthermore, only around 35 per cent of pharmacies have a legitimate pharmacist on staff, so there is often no one to counsel the buyer on appropriate dosage and use of the cream.

Even worse, there are signs that improper steroid prescriptions  often in cocktails containing a mix of steroids, antibiotics and antifungals  may be fuelling a surge in bugs resistant to normal treatments.

And both physicians and pharmaceutical companies are at fault. Rajetha Damisetty, a cosmetic dermatologist based in Hyderabad, gives one example, Panderm +, which combines clobetasol, the most potent steroid known to man, with two antibiotics and two antifungals. Only India has this crazy combination, Damisetty says, and the result is a nightmare.

Normally, she says, around 70-90 per cent of those affected by fungal infections would have used topical steroids for treatment and they would respond within two weeks. Now we have to give four times the dosage for eight to 12 weeks.

Its an epidemic across the entire country. The dermatologists association is trying to educate physicians, especially general practitioners who indiscriminately prescribe steroid creams, about proper prescriptions.

They are also engaging with pharmaceutical companies, which has borne some fruit  in April 2017, one company distributed flyers to 50,000 pharmacies warning Steroids are potentially harmful. Do not use without a prescription. But theyre fighting more than just bad medical practice or even consumer habits.

Theyre fighting millennia-old preferences for lighter skin. Erasing those will require a change of mindset. This is perhaps easier to do in the young  after all, social signals about the value of fair skin begin as soon as they are born.

Emmanuel believes that people are more aware of the issue than ever before and hopes that the next generation will see things differently  not just in India but across the world.

In 2016, three students at the University of Texas, Austin, started an Instagram campaign called Unfair & Lovely  a play on Indias most popular fairness cream, Fair & Lovely. The #unfairandlovely hashtag invited darker-skinned people to share their photos. And in 2013, a young woman in Pakistan, Fatima Lodhi, launched the countrys first anti-colourism movement, called Dark is Divine. Lodhi has written about the prejudice she faced as a child, I never got a chance to become a fairy in my school plays because fairies are supposed to be fair-skinned! Now, she leads sessions at schools to make students more aware about skin colour discrimination.

Attitudes are already starting to change, especially among girls who are gaining confidence with education, employment and financial independence outside the home. Emmanuel tells me of one Dark is Beautiful session at an all-girls middle school in Chennai last January.

A dark-skinned teen  stunningly beautiful but with deep self-esteem issues  came up front. She was weeping because just that morning her brother had taunted her as blackie.

But Emmanuel was more surprised when another, lighter-skinned, girl stood up. She said shed believed dark was ugly until that moment but apologised to her classmates with a promise to treat them better. They all started clapping, Emmanuel says.

Thats a big move for a teenager. She really had the bigness of heart to say something like that.
There is no denying the fact that Assam has a large number of illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Now a debate is on at the national level on their future. It should be noted that India identifies every foreigner with the base year of 1951.

During the six-year (1979-1985) Assam students movement against illegal migration, as many as 850 people lost their lives. The movement ended with the All Assam Students Union signing the historic Assam Accord with the Rajiv Gandhi government on 15 August 1985.

Then the Asom Gana Parishad was formed, which became an influential regional political party. The Congress government headed by Hiteswar Saikia was made to step down and in the December 1985 assembly elections, the AGP captured as many as 69 of the 126 seats and formed a government headed by Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.

It ruled the state twice (1985- 1990) and (1996-2001), but during those periods, the AGP made no serious attempts to implement the Illegal Migration (Determination by Tibunals) Act, 1983 and soon started losing its traditional support bases. A controversy over the cut-off year for detecting foreigners in Assam put the party in serious trouble. Though it claimed there were lakhs of illegal migrants, all that it could achieve was to detect a handful and deport them. During the 15 years of the Congress rule, the AGP became a mere shadow of itself. After playing second fiddle to the BJP, it is now an ally of the ruling BJP government headed by Sarbananda Sonowal.

While the historic Assam Accord justified detecting foreigners with the base year of 1971, the debate now gains momentum in favour of 1951 as the cut-off year. The Assam Sanmilita Mahasanga, which recently knocked the door of the Supreme Court over the matter, has raised the issue. It was later supported by the Indigenous Tribal Peoples Front, All Assam Ahom Association and Purbotar Hindustani Sanmelan in its efforts to endorse 1951 as the cut-off year.

Recently, the Assam Public Works, Prabrajan Virodhi Mancha and Patriotic Peoples Front Assam came out in favour of 1951.The logic is simple  that the historic students movement itself was run with the spirit of 1951 as the base year. All the martyrs of the movement, starting with Khargeswar Talukder, sacrificed their lives not for a new base year for deportation of illegal migrants. But the accord states that only those who entered Assam before 25 March 1971 would be granted Indian citizenships.

The Aasu says it is determined to honour the accord. The state units of the Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind, All India United Democratic Front, Congress along with the AGP also endorsed the Aasu stand that 25 March 1971 should be the cut-off year for identification and deportation of illegal migrants under the Accords provision.

In a statement, the PPFA has said that 25 March 1971 was never the birth of Bangladesh, rather the country was born after 16 December1971 only when the Pakistani forces under the command of General Niazi surrendered to the Mukti Joddhas (forces of Bangladesh freedom struggle). Sheikh Mujibur Rahman only declared the independence of Bangladesh in the late hours of 25 March 1971. Hence, the forum argued, all migrants, who entered Assam till 16 December 1971, should be identified as East Pakistani nationals.

Understanding the gravity of the situation caused by millions of East Pakistanis and later Bangladeshi nationals in Assam, the forum also urged the Centre to think in terms of offering work permits (without voting rights) to those settlers in case their deportation becomes impossible on humanitarian grounds.

Reiterating its old stand, the PPF has also appealed that the Assam government support 1951 as the base year, as the case is presently in the apex courts jurisdiction. Arguing strongly to deport immigrants from Bangladesh, who came after 16 December 1971, the forum urged New Delhi to hold diplomatic consultations with the Bangladeshi government.

Expressing anger over the reluctance shown by New Delhi to address the burning issue, the forum, however, expressed the hope that a friendly regime led by Sheikh Hasina would respond to the issue positively.

In another relevant aspect, the PPFA commented that once Parliament passes the Citizenship Amendment Bill, all Hindu, Buddhist and Christian refugees should be rehabilitated with equal distribution across the country. Among them, those who prefer to stay legally in Assam should adopt Assamese language as their medium of instruction, asserted the statement.

The forum earlier appreciated the Centre for proposing to amend the Citizenship Act for granting citizenship to all victims of religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. At the same time, the forum expressed resentment that some individuals and organisations in Assam had tried to communalise the issue, instead of helping to find an amicable solution for those affected people.

It said, We are from this land of glorious civilisation and culture and we feel that our spirit should be that of accommodation of Hindu, Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs and other religious minorities who have had to face extreme suppression in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and also West Pakistan and have been the true victims of partition.

It continued that history bears witness to the fact that Muslims of undivided India, that followed the ideology of the Muslim League and who wanted a separate homeland for the Muslims, were granted Pakistan and thus they became foreigners to Indians.

In fact, the moment they created a foreign land for themselves they lost their right to get into India again without passports or related legal documents. So, in post-15 August 1947 India, all those who demanded and chose to live in Pakistan (including East Pakistan) were legally foreigners.

However, history is also witness to the fact that the minority Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists who were left behind in Pakistan were facing brutal suppression at the hands of the new non-secular government, which prompted the first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to issue a historic statement in Parliament that non-Muslims would be safe and secure in Pakistan as both the new nations pledged to be good and friendly neighbours. Nehru also declared that if non-Muslims felt unsafe and insecure in Pakistan due to religious or communal persecutions in future, they would be always welcome in India.

We are also fully aware that since the formation of Bangladesh and the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, the country made Islam the state religion setting into motion the persecution of minority non-Muslims. All these people became the victims of the Pakistan Plan and Partition and had to live in a foreign land, for the creation of which they were not at all responsible.

It may be noted that in Bangladesh, the Hindus include Bengali, Rajbongshi, Hajong, Adivasi, Jayantiya and Bishnupriya communities, Buddhists (represented by Chakmas) and some Assamese people also, who fled to the Chittagong Hill areas during the Burmese invasion. The Christians include Bengali, Garo, Khasi and Adivasi people. Under no circumstances could these people should be termed as foreigners, as they are the actual victims of Partition, and came to India to save their lives, religions and cultures.

The issue of foreigners in Assam thus lingers on for decades and the people remain sceptical about any initiative taken by the authorities. One wonders why the students of Assam had to start a movement to deport aliens when it was the responsibility of the Centre to do so. It is also difficult to digest how Assamese society and intellectuals agreed to an accord with no debates.

The writer is The Statesmans special representative in Guwahati
BJP President Amit Shah on Monday visited the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda here and paid floral tributes.

Shah was accompanied by BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, union ministers Babul Supriyo and SS Ahluwalia besides state BJP president Dilip Ghosh among others.

During the day, the BJP president will hold meetings with party leaders here. Tomorrow he is scheduled to meet party workers who are victims of Trinamool Congress violence and will also meet intellectuals of the city, BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu said.

Shah would attend a chamber of commerce meeting on Wednesday.
The Congress on Monday said it would laud Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is visiting Jammu and Kashmir if he can achieve a solution, but wondered if Article 35A is a solution in the middle of the delicate situation in the state.

I am reminded of (noted jurist) Nani Palkhivala, who once said that, when your house is on fire, you dont discuss whether you should convert your bed room into a drawing room or dining room into a kitchen. You first deal with the fire.

At the moment, Kashmir is in a very delicate situation. I do not understand and know whether it is the right time, opportune moment to even talk about, leave aside the merits of an issue like this, said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

On all four parameters  civilians causalities, cross border incidents, army deaths and terrorist incidents  Kashmir in three years has achieved the worst figures, he said.

Kashmir was never an easy situation. In that scenario, if the Home Minister can achieve a solution, we would go out of our way to laud it, but is 35A solution in the middle of all this? he asked.

Is it going to create any joining, any consensus, convergence or is it going to create huge divergences when neither the state government and the central government are in sync, he added.

Rajnath Singh on Monday said the government will not do anything regarding Article 35A that would be against the aspirations and wishes of the Kashmiri people.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that the Centre will launch a special tourism promotion drive in Kashmir to help businesses affected by terrorism.

Home Minister said, Terrorism has adversely hit the tourism sector. The centre will launch a special tourism drive to promote tourism in the valley.

Many generations have suffered due to the long-stretched terrorism and the worst affected were the youth, traders, daily wage earners and the poor, said Rajnath and added, We are taking steps to restore smile on the face of every Kashmiri.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was conspicuously missing from the media interaction, where Rajnath Singh was flanked by the deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh and minister of state in the PMO Jitendera Singh.

When asked about absence of Mehbooba or any PDP minister, Rajnath denied any differences with her and said he had earlier held a meeting with Mehbooba to review the situation and she hosted a dinner for him on Sunday.

Rajnath urged tourists to visit Kashmir where the situation has improved as compared to the previous years. Arrival of foreign tourists to the valley has been reduced to a trickle because of advisories against visiting J-K issued by various countries.

Replying to a question about the Operation All-Out operation launched by the Army in the South Kashmir, where about 150 terrorists have been killed, Rajnath said, Terrorists are not welcome and they will be dealt with strictly.

However, he said that he has asked the state government to be compassionate boys who are below the age of 18 and have strayed into terrorism and they should be lodged in juvenile homes instead of jail when caught or if they surrender. They should not be treated as criminals and should be given proper counseling so that they put their energy in the right direction.

He said, the permanent solution of Kashmir issue is based on 5 Cs: compassion, communication, coexistence, confidence building and consistency.

Without naming the separatists or any other group, Rajnath said he was ready to talk to anyone and he was hopeful that peace would be restored soon in the valley.

On the Modi governments stand on the Article 35-A that is being heard by the Supreme Court, Rajnath said the government will not go against sentiments of the people on the issue. Such issues are being raised by those who want to mislead the people and have no other issue left with them.

The Home Minister said that the Rs 80,000 crore Prime Ministers Development Package has escalated to Rs One lakh crore and had asked the concerned agencies to accelerate its implementation.

He said that he had come to Kashmir five times during the past one year but would not hesitate to visit even fifty times if that helps in restoring normalcy and prosperity for the people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was keen on putting Kashmir back on rails and had in his Independence Day speech highlighted that Kashmiris should be embraced and not abused.

Later, Rajnath flew to the Noushera sector of the Rajouri district in Jammu where he met victims of the recent shelling by Pakistani troops. He is also scheduled to address the Army and BSF soldiers guarding the international border and LOC with Pakistan and POK.
India and Belarus are expected to ramp up their bilateral cooperations, including in defence and security, as Alexander Lukashenko, the President of the eastern European country, arrives on a two-day visit to New Delhi on Monday.

The visit takes place in a year when Belarus and India are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

During the visit, Lukashenko is expected to meet with President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

An External Affairs Ministry statement said the two sides were expected to discuss bilateral cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, science and technology and people-to-people exchanges.

They are also likely to exchange views and assessments on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

A business forum and parallel meetings organised for the members of the large delegation accompanying Lukashenko would explore opportunities and cooperation avenues, the statement said.
Highlighting that a controversy was being created where none existed, Union Home Minister on Monday backed Article 35A, which provides special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

An unnecessary issue is being created. We will not do anything against the emotions of Kashmiri people, the home minister said when asked whether Centre was against Article 35A a provision that empowers the J-K legislature to define permanent residents of the state.

Article 35A came into being through a presidential order in 1954 and gives powers to the state legislature to define permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir and their privileges.

The legislature has been challenged in the Supreme Court through a petition being heard by a three-judge constitutional bench.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, on day third of his four day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, he earlier said that terrorism had destroyed many generations in the valley and that the government will not let another generation to be destroyed.

Rajnath is on a four-day visit to J-K and has held meetings with Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, as well as a cross-section of people including traders and students to find a resolution to the Kashmir problem.

The Minister spent two days in the valley and will be in the Jammu region for the remaining two days of his tour.

In Jammu, Rajnath is scheduled to interact with border residents in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district who are often forced to migrate to safer places due to shelling and firing by Pakistan.

He will also address the Border Security Force troopers in Jammu.
On the third day of visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will on Monday visit the forward areas on the India-Pakistan border.

In a tweet, the minister said: After spending 2 days in Kashmir valley I shall be heading to the Jammu region today. Shall visit the forward areas on Indo-Pakistan border.

Rajnath is on a four-day visit to J-K and has so far held meetings with Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, as well as a cross-section of people including traders and students to find a resolution to the Kashmir problem.

The Minister spent two days in the valley and will be in the Jammu region for the remaining two days of his tour.

As part of his visit, the home minister addressed the state police personnel at the district police lines in Anantnag and troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force in Khanabal.

In Jammu, Rajnath is scheduled to interact with border residents in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.

Due to indiscriminate shelling and firing by Pakistan, the residents of border villages are often forced to migrate to safer places leaving their livestock, belongings and crops unattended.

He will also address the Border Security Force troopers in Jammu.
Addressing the press in Srinagar, Rajnath Singh reimposed his faith in Kashmir's efforts to reconcile and settle the dispute with the Centre, that has been aching both for years.

By India Today Web Desk: In Jammu and Kashmir on a four-day visit from September 9-12 to find solutions to the Kashmir issue among other agendas, the Union Home Minister today convened a press conference.

Addressing the press in Srinagar, Rajnath Singh reimposed his faith in Kashmir's efforts to reconcile and settle the dispute with the Centre, that has been aching both for years.

advertisement

He said, "What I have seen during last two, three days has convinced me that the trees of peace have not dried up. I can see green buds of peace on these trees."

Before leaving for his tour, Rajnath Singh had said that he would meet anyone who is willing to resolve the Kashmir conflict with peace and not arms. He reiterated that he was open to all shareholders in the peace-making effort.

"I have met non-political people including students, teachers, things are improving with every passing day. The situation may not have improved completely, but it is improving. I don't want to leave out anyone with whom dialogue is possible," he added.

ABOUT KASHMIR'S SON

He said he was moved to tears while paying tributes to slain policemen in south Kashmir.

"While giving tributes to Kashmir policemen, the face of ASI Abdul Rashid's daughter, Zohra was passing through my mind. We want every face in Kashmir to smile," he said.

He said the issue of disturbed area allowance to state policemen on the pattern of central armed forces was being considered.

On the developmental front the home minister said, "I have reviewed the progress on the implementation of Prime Minister's developmental package for the state. From the initially slotted Rs 85,000 crore, it will now cross one hundred thousand crore".

The minister also said that children must have been pushed by motivators to commit crimes and they should not be treated as criminals.

"They must be dealt under juvenile justice system and not be put into jails. They must be properly counselled. I told security forces that no excesses should be committed during operations."

He blamed terrorists for destroyed generations of Kashmir and reaffirmed that the government will not allow another generation to be destroyed.

ON PELLET GUNS

"Poor people and businessman, youth with positive attitude and tourism industry have immensely suffered. After a wrong message went out, tourists stopped coming here. I want to send them a message that the people of Kashmir are ready to receive you, there is no danger here," he said.

advertisement

On the use of pellet guns during crowd control, he said, "During crowd control, we have to act. We introduced the PAVA gun to replace the pellet gun, but I was told it is not very effective. In comparison to past, less people have been injured during crowd control in the Valley during the past months."

Asked whether political party delegations had sought revocation of AFSPA during their meetings with him, the Union Minister said, "No delegation talked about AFSPA during meetings with me here."

With inputs from IANS

WATCH: Situation in Kashmir is better than before: Rajnath Singh

Also read: Kashmir cop announces resignation on camera, says cannot see my conscience dying

Also read: Why this photo of a martyred Kashmir cop's daughter has gone viral

Also read: What about us? Kashmiri Pandits prod Supreme Court over its order to review '84 riots cases

Also read: Hyderabad: 3 Kashmiri students arrested for not standing for national anthem in movie theatre

--- ENDS ---
Security forces have also been asked to avoid use of excessive force while dealing with law and order situation, he said.

I appeal to the youth not to be swayed by the attempts of some people and stay away from stone-pelting. We all including the Prime Minister are concerned about the future of the youth, he told reporters here.

The Home minister said the people of Jammu and Kashmir want to shape their destiny and future by their hardwork.

Terrorists have destroyed many generations and we will not allow them to destroy one more generation. I have told the security forces to treat youngsters, who might have committed some mistakes, under the Juvenile act. They should not be treated as criminals, he said.

However, we will be firm in our response to terrorists and their activities.
Rapprochement is a process not an event, so it would be unwise to presume that as the home minister undertakes a short trip to Jammu and Kashmir any kind of breakthrough will be made in tackling a problem that has vexed the nation these past 70 years.

Yet there is scope for a reversal of the hardline stance that New Delhi has adopted in the last few years: with few gains it must be added.

Rajnath Singh will be expected to give a practical dimension to the fresh position that the Prime Minister announced from the Red Fort on Independence

Day, in which Narendra Modi advocated a reduction in hostility-levels, working towards a dialogue.

No doubt that will be a tall order given the baggage of history, and the stated position of the Bharatisya Janata Party on the special Constitutional status that J&K enjoys, yet ground conditions suggest that there has been a marginal reduction in violence, and failure to quickly extend the olive branch might amount to yet another opportunity lost ~ a charge that could be leveled against successive governments at the Centre.

It is to be appreciated that Rajnath Singh, and those voluble sources in the home ministry, have played the coming visit in low-key ~ that would make for flexibility, and not appear to be setting any pre-conditions for possible interaction with those tending to favour separatist thinking.

At the same time it must be hoped that a degree of groundwork was done before Rajnath Singh landed in Srinagar and that he has something to work on. To return empty-handed would be a setback.

If even a few windows are opened over the next few days the exercise might be deemed successful. There are sure to be hurdles thrown up.

Some separatist leaders are planning a protest at the NIA office in the Capital (a confirmation that the squeeze on terror-funding is proving more effective than the bullet-for-bullet tactic), whether that will result in one more shutdown in the Valley is a possibility.

The home minister will also have to assess the mood in the state government, particularly its BJP element, before deciding how accommodating he can be with traditional adversaries.

The Centres vague position on matters pending in the apex court that impact J&Ks status also requires clarification ~ as demanded by Opposition parties in the state.

The Congress is also planning some activity in the coming days, it remains to be seen if it will seek to undermine the Centres initiative ~ politicians are generally unable to see an issue in national light. Rajnath Singhs track-record as home minister has been only moderately positive ~ now he has the opportunity to make or break.
In an effort to highlight places of interest in countries across the world, their varied culture, economy and history, The Statesman brings to you a Weekly Focus on countries with which India shares diplomatic ties and friendship. This weeks focus is on Bhutan. Know all about the country.

Capital: Thimphu ~ only city in the world with no traffic lights!, Currency: Indian rupee, Bhutanese Ngultrum (The Ngultrum is currently pegged to the Indian rupee at parity.), Language: French (official), Malagasy (official),

English, Religion: Lamaistic Buddhist 75.3 per cent, Indian ~ and Nepalese ~ influenced Hinduism 22.1, other 2.6 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups: Ngalop (also known as Bhote) 50 per cent, ethnic Nepalese 35 (includes Lhotsampas,

one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15 per cent

CLIMATE

The climate varies with altitude, with the highest temperatures and rainfall occurring in the south which bears the brunt of the monsoon. Temperatures drop dramatically with increases in altitude though days are usually very pleasant with clear skies and sunshine. Nights are cold and require heavy woollen clothing, particularly in winter. Generally, October, November and April to midJune are the best times to visit  rainfall is at a minimum. The foothills are also very pleasant during the winter.

90 WEEKLY FLIGHTS

Druk Air flights and Bhutan Airlines fly directly between Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Mumbai, Gaya, Bagdogra and Paro. Indians do not have to get visas.

WORKING RELATIONSHIP

About 60,000 Indian nationals live in Bhutan, employed mostly in the hydroelectric power and construction industry. In addition, 8,000-10,000 workers enter and exit Bhutans border towns daily.

Simple, rustic food

Bhutanese food is simple and rustic, based on the limited ingredients that can be grown in the challenging environment of the Himalayas. The core of Bhutanese cooking is rice ~ both white rice and red rice (eue chum), a nuttyflavoured variety grown for centuries in the Bhutanese hills. Chilli arrived by way of India and China, and it adds punch to many Bhutanese dishes. Chicken, eggs and dried yak meat are popular sources of protein, as is datshi, traditional unpasteurised cheese made from cows milk, which is melted into soups and stews. Tibetan staples such as momos are stuffed with pork, beef, vegetables or cheese, and many dishes feature apples, asparagus and wild mushrooms from the hills. Tibetan-style tea with salt and butter is sipped everywhere in Bhutan. Some specialities are Tshoem, PhakshaPaa,ShaKam, Hoentoe and Jasha Maru.

India is Bhutans largest trading partner

In 2015, bilateral trade reached `8,554 crore. Imports from India were `5,374 crore, accounting for 79 per cent of Bhutans total imports. Bhutans exports to India stood at `3,180 crore (including electricity) and constitute 90.3 per cent of its total exports.Total bilateral trade grew by about 7.3 per cent in 2015. Major exports from India to Bhutan are mineral products, machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical equipments, base metals, vehicles, vegetable products, plastics and articles.

The major items of import from Bhutan are electricity, ferrosilicon, Portland cement, dolomite, carbides of calcium carbides of silicon, cement clinkers,timber and wood products, potatoes, cardamom and fruit products. The most important economic cooperation between both countries is inhydropower projects. They provide a reliable source of inexpensive and clean electricity to India, generating export revenue for Bhutan and cement economic integration. So far, Government of India has constructed three Hydroelectric Projects (HEPs) in Bhutan totalling 1,416 MW, which export surplus power

MONASTERIES AND STATUES

Thimpu: Thimphu has retained its culture and old world charm as modern development is closely monitored and new buildings can be built only in Bhutanese style and up to a certain height. Tashichho Dzong, National Memorial Chorten and Motithang Takin are highlights.

Taktsang Monastery: Also known as Tigers Nest in Paro, this is one of the holiest places in Bhutan. Mounted on a high granite cliff, it was established for meditation. The monastery is perched on a rocky ledge with a sheer drop of nearly 800 metres and overlooks the Paro valley and the river. It is also an ideal place for a short trek.

Paro: Situated in a beautiful valley, surrounded by lush green rice fields, Paro is a historic town with many sacred sites. Along with Jakar and Punakha, Paro forms the golden triangle of popular tourist destinations in Bhutan. In Paro, Rinpung Dzong is one of finest examples of a Bhutanese monastery. The Dzong hosts the Paro Tsechuie festival of masks.

Phuentsholing: The chief highlights are Amo Chuu, the Crocodile Breeding Centre, Chukha Hydrothermal Project, the gate at the border and Karbandi Monastery

Compiled by Kunal Jain ([email protected])
The rush to Thailand for a quick holiday is obvious as the Asian country is a travel paradise. For travellers in the subcontinent, Thailand is the nearest foreign trip that offers exotic travel experience and easy moving around. Once you land in Bangkok, you can head off to several beautiful islands around it. Here are some of the popular places nearest to Bangkok.

Koh Samui

Koh Samui is a beautiful mountainous island located in the Gulf of Thailand off the east coast of Kra Isthmus. It is famous for dense rain forests, luxury resorts and spas. Ideal time to visit is from December to April. You can travel to Ko Samui by air which will take slightly over an hour, or by train or bus to ferry, which is the cheapest mode of transport.

Koh Samet

Of fine nightlife, splendid white beaches and amazing skyline, the tiny island lies about 220 km from Bangkok. It is about three hours from Bangkok. One can travel to the place by train, taxi, bus, ferry or speed boat. According to legends, it was once a pirates paradise.

Phuket

Colourful and vibrant, Phuket is one of the most popular destinations and the largest island in Thailand. Situated in the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea, the island is about 691 km from Bangkok. The place is well connected to Bangkok by air, rail and road links.

Pattaya

Pattaya is a popular tourist hub that lies in the eastern gulf coast, about 150 km from Bangkok. This, once a quiet fishing village, is famous for its beautiful beaches and rocking city life with clubs and bars that open round the clock. One can catch a licensed taxi to the place from the Suvarnabhumi Airport. It takes about two hours.

Chiangmai

Chiangmai is a beautiful mountain city with unique royal and nature parks, breathtaking landscapes, temples and pagodas of the 14th and 15th centuries among others. It is about an hour flight from Bangkok. You can also catch a bus or night train which may take about 12 hours.

Ao Nang

A small resort town in Krabi Province, Ao Nang is a center of long-tails boat tour to beaches of limestone islands in the region. There are overnight buses from Bangkok that take 12 hours long. From Krabi Airport, it takes just about 30 minutes by taxi.
Australias Green Party on Monday said it has asked Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to take in 20,000 Rohingya refugees and earmark some $120 million for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

Senator Nick McKim and I have written to the Prime Minister over the crisis in Myanmar and the unprecedented levels of forcible displacement we are seeing, Greens leader Richard di Natale posted on Facebook.

We need 20,000 permanent humanitarian visas for Rohingya refugees this year and $150 million in emergency funding for the UNHCR.

This petition comes after the exodus of almost 300,000 members of the Rohingya Muslim minority to Bangladesh since August 25, fleeing violence in Myanmars Rakhine state.

The amount of humanitarian aid proposed by the Green Party exceeds what was announced by the Australian government.

On Saturday, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the government will contribute up to $4 million to humanitarian aid organisations working in Bangladesh.

More than a million Rohingyas live in Rakhine, where they face growing discrimination following a sectarian conflict in 2012 that killed at least 160 people, and displaced nearly 120,000.

Myanmar authorities deny citizenship to Rohingyas, classifying them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and imposing many restrictions on them, including limits to their freedom of movement.
Peter Takse-Jensen is the Ambassador of Denmark to India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka.His previous assignment has been as the Ambassador of Denmark to the United States,2010- 15.Besides this, Ambassador Takse-Jensen has also held the positions of Head of Section, Department for Legal Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Head of Section, Permanent Representation of Denmark to the European Union, Brussels and Head of Section,Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.He has also served as the Chairman of the Danish Governments Commission on the Red Cross and even as a Lecturer, at numerous courses, on EU Law, EU Policies and negotiations, and on EU procedures and techniques. In this interview with The Statesman, he says that the world needs a strong Indian footprint in international institutions.

Excerpts:

How do you look at India-Denmark political relations?

India and Denmark have enjoyed close bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1949. The relationship is based on shared interests in the political, economic, academic and cultural fields and a number of high-level visits since Prime Minister Nehrus visit to Denmark in 1957. Today, we work with India in a number of different sectors of mutual interest and continue to expand and deepen the collaboration.

India has been seeking from Denmark the extradition of Kim Davy, prime accused in the Purulia arms dropping case. India had, in fact, scaled down diplomatic ties with Denmark, in 2012, over this issue. Has it not become a constant irritant in bilateral ties? Why is Denmark not ready to extradite Kim Davy to India to stand trial in the case?

The competent Danish and Indian legal authorities are handling the issue of a possible extradition of Kim Davy on the basis of a request from the Indian government.

How do you look at Indias role in global affairs, given the size of the country and its population?

India is a global power and a country where Danish companies need to increase their presence, not just because of the size of the domestic market, but also because of Indias increasing integration in global value chains.

Politically, the world needs a strong Indian footprint in international institutions and ambitious Indian policies on, for, example renewable energy, resource management and skill development to move us all in the direction of a better tomorrow.

How can Denmark facilitate Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)?

Denmark has long been a vocal supporter of Indias membership of NSG. We believe that the NSG would be stronger with India as a member and that India has demonstrated its commitment to the NSG and the anti-proliferation agenda.

Do you support Indias candidature for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council?

Yes, Denmark supports Indias candidature for a permanent seat in the Security Council. As a small country, we have a keen interest in a strong rulesbased international architecture and we believe India shares this priority.

Does Denmark favour a Free Trade Agreement between India and the European Union (EU) and why has it taken the two sides so long to sign the accord?

Yes, as a small and open economy depending on global trade, we would like to see an ambitious free trade and investment agreement between India and the EU. With the Lisbon Treaty coming into force in 2009, the mandate to negotiate Free Trade Agreements has been delegated to the EU commission in Brussels and the EU member states are not directly involved.

Why have the two countries failed to exploit the full potential of their economic relationship?

Trade and investments between India and Denmark have improved significantly in recent years. Danish imports from India have increased by 80 per cent between 2005 and 2015, while Danish exports to India have increased by 50 per cent within the same period of time.

Within that same timeframe, Danish investments in India have increased from approximately $10 billion to approximately $62 billion.

We currently have a total of 119 Danish subsidiaries established in India, but there is potential for more.

The establishment of a direct route between Copenhagen and New Delhi will support the realisation of that potential.

Are there any high-level exchanges between the two countries in the offing?

We have had three Danish ministers visit India in the last seven months. More visits are in the pipeline and the direct Air India flight will, undoubtedly, be a welcom mode of transportation for ministers travelling between our two countries.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Two people, including a child, hospitalized following one of three crashes in just over an hour in St. John's Sunday night

Two people were sent to hospital following one of three crashes in just a little more than an hour in St. Johns Sunday night. One of the crashes happened on the Robert E. Howlett highway at Heavy Tree Road at about 7:40 p.m. and left a pickup and an ...
All the countries praised our effort for the role in the crisis and the world is with Bangladesh on this, said Bangladesh foreign minister AH Mahmud Ali.

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Bangladesh foreign minister AH Mahmud Ali on Sunday said the country has global support in handling the surge of Myanmar refugees crisis. The minister addressing the media after a meeting with diplomats at the State Guest House Padma in Dhaka.

"All the countries praised our effort for the role in the crisis. The world is with Bangladesh on this," Ali said.

advertisement

Many people described the ongoing Army-led security clampdown in Rakhine as 'genocide'. "But it remains to be a problem of Myanmar and they themselves will have to resolve it while we said we are ready to assist," the minister added.

A foreign office statement of Bangladesh, meanwhile, said first of the two diplomatic briefings was joined by envoys of Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Norway, Netherlands, USA, UK and EU and representatives from UN Resident Coordinator, UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, IOM, ICRC.

The second briefing was attended by the ambassadors of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The statement said the Ali told the diplomats and UN officials that Bangladesh was hosting 4,00,000 Rohingyas for the past three decades and the current spate of surge has elevated their number to 7 lakh to create huge challenge for Dhaka in terms of providing shelter as well as other humanitarian assistance to them.

"The Foreign Minister also highlighted Bangladesh's efforts to address the security concerns of Myanmar particularly by proposing MOUs in 2014 on Border Liaison Office and Security Dialogue," it read.

Ali told the envoy that Bangladesh also proposed joint inspection, coordinated patrolling of border and joint operation along the border but, "unfortunately Myanmar has not responded to these proposals".

"Rather, they have been running a malicious propaganda terming the Rohingyas as 'illegal migrants from Bangladesh' and the attackers to their BGP posts as 'Bengali terrorists'," the statement quoted him as saying.

Ali told the foreign diplomats that Bangladesh always preferred bilateral solution to this long-standing problem and was successful in repatriating 2,36,599 Rohingyas to their homeland through a bilateral agreement in 1992.

The foreign minister referred to the recently published Kofi Annan Commission report and urged the international community to pursue the Myanmar government for "immediate and unconditional implementation of the recommendations of this report in its entirety for permanent solution to this crisis".

He also requested the international community to help Bangladesh with urgent humanitarian assistance to address the current crisis, support for transportation of the Rohingyas to Bhashan Char, as well as to provide political support to ensure sustainable return of all Myanmar nationals to their homes in Myanmar.

advertisement

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, the foreign secretary and other senior officials joined Ali in the briefings.

Earlier at Sunday, Bangladesh ruling party Awami League general secretary and minister Obaidul Quader particularly sought "crucial" Indian support in handling the Rohingya.

Ali claims that about 3,000 people have lost their lives in violence against Rakhine Rohingyas in Myanmar.

ALSO READ |

Bangladesh wants India to stand by it over Rohingya crisis

Rohingyas in India and terror threat: How jihadi forces may have infiltrated persecuted Muslims of Myanmar

--- ENDS ---
Bangladesh urged the international community to pursue Myanmar government for "immediate and unconditional" implementation of the Kofi Annan Commission's recommendations on Rakhine state where Rohingya Muslims have been facing widespread abuses.

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Shahidul Haque on Monday said that India and China have committed to stay behind the country over the issue of Rohingya.

Haque was speaking at a diplomatic briefing of the regional alliance ASEAN and other Asian countries in Dhaka.

He said, "India and China are two brotherly countries. They have committed to stay beside Bangladesh as it faces the humanitarian crisis."

advertisement

Bangladesh urged the international community to pursue Myanmar government for "immediate and unconditional" implementation of the Kofi Annan Commission's recommendations on Rakhine state where Rohingya Muslims have been facing widespread abuses that has created a serious humanitarian crisis. "We want that the recommendations of the Kofi Annan Commission should be implemented in totality, immediately and unconditionally for a permanent solution of the crisis," said Haque.

The foreign secretary said that foreign diplomats expressed concerns over the present humanitarian crisis created following exodus of thousands of Rohingyas and assured Bangladesh to stay beside it in this regard.

"They have assured us that they would provide all out cooperation in sharing of burden through mobilization of resources in hosting the Rohingya Muslims, who fled to Bangladesh," he added.

He said the diplomats applauded Bangladesh government for hosting a large number of Rohingyas for past three decades. They also stressed on the protection of civilians in the Rakhine State, he added.

Bangladesh has urged the world community to extend their cooperation to solve the Rohingya crisis.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali organized the briefing to inform the foreign diplomats about the humanitarian crisis created following persecution of Rohinga Muslims in Rakhine State of Myanmar that has led to influx of huge number of Rohingays to Bangladesh.

Ambassadors, High Commissioners from diplomatic Missions of Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Maldives were present at the diplomatic briefing.

Earlier, during the diplomatic briefing, the foreign minister apprised them that around 3,00,000 Rohingya have entered Bangladesh in last two weeks although Bangladesh has already been hosting 400,000 Rohingyas for three decades.

He said currently the total number of Myanmar nationals living in Bangladesh has reached over 700,000, a huge challenge for Bangladesh in terms of providing shelter as well as other humanitarian assistances to them.

The foreign minister highlighted that Bangladesh has always preferred bilateral solution to this long standing problem and was successful in repatriating 236,599 Rohingyas to their homeland through a bilateral agreement in 1992. He mentioned that the 1992 agreement recognized Rohingya as 'members of Myanmar society'.

advertisement

ALSO READ |

How Rohingyas reached India and why government is not ready to let them stay

Who are Rohingya Muslims and why govt wants to deport 40,000 of them?

Supreme Court seeks Modi government's view on Rohingya Muslim refugees

ALSO WATCH | Government says it will deport 40,000 Rohingyas living illegally in India

--- ENDS ---
Dr Augustine Francis Pinto and Grace Pinto, the chairman and managing director respectively, of the Ryan International Group of Institutions have sought transit anticipatory bail in Mumbai in connection with the murder a 7-year-old student at the Ryan International School, Gurgaon.

Dr Augustine Francis Pinto and Grace Pinto, chairman and managing director respectively, of the Ryan International Group of Institutions (Photos: Ryan Group website)

By Vidya : As the Ryan International School in Gurgaon comes under increasing scrutiny over the murder of a seven-year-old student on its premises (follow live updates), the group's trustees today approached the Bombay High Court, seeking an early hearing on their transit anticipatory bail application.

In the petition submitted to the court, 73-year-old Dr Augustine Francis Pinto and 62-year-old Grace Pinto have indicated that they fear getting arrested even before they can reach Haryana, which is where they must formally seek anticipatory bail.

advertisement

The two are trustees of the Saint Xavier's Education Trust, which runs Ryan International Schools, and are also chairman and managing director, respectively, of the Ryan International Group of Institutions.

Senior counsel Nitin Pradhan filed the petition on behalf of the Augustine Francis Pinto and Grace Pinto following a weekend of partially violent protests in Gurgaon. Angry parents on Sunday torched a liquor shop close to the Ryan International School in Gurgaon and demanded that action be taken against school management.

While Gurgaon Police have arrested and accused a bus conductor of killing seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur after attempting to sexually abuse the boy. Police today also placed under arrest two top officials of the Ryan group - Francis Thomas, the school's northern India head and Jeyus Thomas, coordinator and Human Resource (HR) head.

Francis Thomas, the school's northern India head (left) and Jeyus Thomas, coordinator and Human Resource (HR) head (right) were arrested today by Gurgaon Police

On Sunday, Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said he had asked Gurgaon Police to book the top management of the Ryan group in connection with the boy's murder. It is this statement that seems to have prompted the two trustees to seek transit anticipatory bail.

"On September 10, 2017, the school trustees noticed a newspaper link on the internet and found some startling statements made by [the] political leadership of Haryana in connection with the sad incident of [the] murder of Pradyuman Thakur," the petition says.

Since the crime occurred in Gurgaon, the two can be given protection from arrest only by a Haryana court. However, the trustees can be arrested before they appear in front of a Haryana court, if the police so wish.

Accordingly, the petition states that while the trustees fear coercive action being taken by Gurgaon Police. The petition states that the trustees fear that their liberty is at peril and so have approached the Bombay High Court for protection from arrest until they are able to approach an appropriate judicial authority in Haryana in order to seek anticipatory bail.

BOY's DEATH 'UNFORTUNATE'

While the trustees did not issue an official statement on Pradyuman Thakur's murder, the petition calls the seven-year-old's death "unfortunate." The death has caused deep pain and grief not just to the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, the school's staff and students, and other management, the petition states.

advertisement

"This is not only the darkest hour [for] the family but [for] the institution also," the petition reads. "Such incident has taken place in the history of the trust in the last 40 years for the first time."

The petition says that the group takes "all necessary steps for security and well-being of the children" and claims that it was because the Gurgaon school had CCTV cameras installed that the murdered was identified.

Click here to Enlarge Ashok Kumar (in grey stripped t-shirt) who was arrested for the murder of 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur

The application also makes a slight reference to the raging controversy over how the bus conductor was allowed to use the washroom where Pradyuman was murdered. "... many a times contract staff also utilises the basic amenities provided for the students... on humanitarian grounds," the petition states.

The trustees also say in the petition that they are residents of Mumbai and while the overall management of the trust is carried out from Mumbai, the day-to-day management of the school is taken care of by the local staff appointed by the management of the school administration.

advertisement

ALSO READ | Gurgaon murder: Ryan's top officials forced me to admit knife was part of bus tool kit, says driver

ALSO READ | Ryan International School murder case: 5 unanswered questions after 3 days of police probe

ALSO WATCH | Exclusive visuals from inside Gurgaon Ryan International School

--- ENDS ---
But the tribe has a long way to go
In a strong political statement, sidelined AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikalas nephew T.T.V. Dhinakaran said on Monday that he was ready to send the Tamil Nadu government packing.

We want Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy to be changed. If the chief minister is not removed, we will send this government back home, he said at a press conference in Chennai.

At a time when the Madras High Court refused to issue stay for the crucial general council meeting scheduled to be held in Chennai on Tuesday, Dhinakarans statement assumes significance, showing his desperation to topple the government.

The Dhiankaran camp was desperate to stop conducting of Tuesday's general council, as there are all possible chances for the council to resolve against the Sasikala clan. When Justice C.V. Karthikeyan refused to stay the meeting, the Dhinakaran camp MLA, who had filed the petition, immediately went on to appeal to the Chief Justice. However, the two judge bench comprising Justice Rajiv Shether and Justice Abdul Kuthus late in the evening refused to stay the meeting, adjourning the case for further hearing to September 24.

While the court observed that the general council can go ahead as per schedule, the decisions taken at the meeting will be subject to the final verdict of the Madras High Court.

With the court giving green signal to the general council, Dhinakaran made it clear that he was in the collision path. Undermined and largely ignored not just by the AIADMK party cadres but also by the people of the state, Dhinakaran seems to be taking the centre stage in the party's present struggle. His tone and body language were so assertive that he is prepared to wage an all-out war against the Palaniswami faction and topple the government.

Dhinakaran sounds the battle cry despite the fact that three FERA cases are hanging like a Damocles' sword on his head and that he is pretty much aware that the legal course will come to haunt him in the near future.

With the infighting within the AIADMK getting murkier and the opposition leaders' strong statement against Governor Vidhyasagar Rao, the political instability in the state is spiralling out of control day by day. It has been almost a year since AIADMK's former supremo J.Jayalalithaa went out of Tamil Nadu's political radar leaving her party to perish by itself.

It is anarchism to the core and how long the Centre is going to allow this is a million dollar question, says one of the AIADMK MLAs, who has chosen to stay away from all the warring factions.
A day after slain activist Gauri Lankesh's mother reposed faith in the Karnataka government appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the case, writers and activists stood divided over the issue.

Writer K. Marulasiddappa, while addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, on Sunday as part of 'I am Gauri: Gauri Lankesh Hatye Virodhi Horata Vedike', demanded a Supreme Court monitored probe into Gauri's killing, expressing fear that the death was assuming a political hue. However, the other members of the Vedike were quick to insist they favoured the SIT probe. They demanded a speedy investigation in the case by SIT, to "determine" the people and forces behind the killing.

While admitting that the probe into the killing of rationalist M.M. Kalburgi had been slack (as investigations have yielded little in the last two years), Marulasiddappa said, "We see politics being played out in Gauri's case. So, the Supreme Court should take suo motu cognizance and set up a team to probe the case."

Actor-activist Chethan reminded the state government of its "responsibility" of protecting free voices. "Kalburgi had life threats, but was not given security. And we saw how he was brutally killed. In Gauri's case, it was an act of terrorism. The CM knew her well. Yet failed to protect her. The state government has learnt a lesson and I hope it will ensure justice through SIT probe and also prevent such violence in future,"said Chethan.

"When someone wants to attack democratic ethos, they first target progressive thinkers and the media. And Gauri represented both,"added Chethan.

Writer Chandrashekar Patil expressed concern over the rise of fascist forces in the country and asserted that it was time to collectively resist the culture of violence. "The SIT probe is heading in the right direction," said Champa, though he did not elaborate on why it should not be transferred to the central agency, even after the CID (state) probe into Kalburgi's death hit a dead-end.

Activist K.L. Ashok clarified that the Vedike preferred SIT as the family was in favour of SIT and they did not want any confusion at this stage. Ashok also claimed that there was no doubt who Gauri's enemies were. "She was against the right-wing fundamentalists and has been attacked by communal groups earlier, too," claimed Ashok.

Condemning Gauri's trollers in the social media, Marulasiddappa said it was worrisome as these trollers were being followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Writer B.T. Lalita Naik said she suspected communal forces behind the killing, though Gauri has been writing against the communal forces, capitalists and the corrupt for obvious reasons. "Even the British tolerated Gandhi for 50 years. When we used to write for Lankesh Patrike, no one opposed or attacked us. Of course, cases used to be filed against us in court," said Naik.

Rally on Tuesday

On September 12, a national level rally will be taken out from Bengaluru city railway station to Central College grounds, to protest against the threat to democracy and pluralism in India. "A day-long cultural protest will be held to protest against the culture of violence. It is to give out a message that we will not be intimidated by fascist forces. Activists and progressive thinkers including Medha Patkar, Teesta Setalvad, Jignesh Mewani, Yogendra Yadav, Ganesh Devy, Sitaram Yechury, P. Sainath are among a host of writers, organisations and representative of social and political movements who will take part in the event," said K. Neela, convener of the Vedike.
Days after US President Donald Trump asked India to help Afghanistan in its development, both the countries are on way to increase their strategic and development partnership. Over 100 new development projects will be jointly implemented by India and Afghan.

If India pledged help in the infrastructure sector, the Afghans addressed New Delhi's concerns over terrorism by acknowledging threat by Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, both Pakistan-based terror organisations.

Afghan foreign minister, Salahuddin Rabbani, is here for enhancing the strategic partnership. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Swaraj addressed a joint conference with Rabbani in New Delhi on Monday, where four agreements were signed.

116 new high impact development projects would be jointly implemented that would bring socio-economic and infrastructure development, especially in the suburban and rural communities in 31 provinces of Afghanistan. India will assist in Shatoot dam and drinking water supply project for Kabul, low cost housing for returning refugees, water supply network for Charikar city, polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif, among others.

Focus will continue on building governance and democratic institutions; human resource capacity and skill development, including in the areas of education, health, agriculture, energy, administration, application of remote sensing in resource management and space technology in governance, Swaraj said.

Rabbani referred to terrorism and violent extremism affecting both the countries. He also talked about terror acts by Pakistan-based LashkareTaiba and JaisheMohammed which were threatening the regions stability. He asserted that Afganistan's friendship with India does not mean hostility to any other country and added that it is not a zero-sum game.

To further enhance trade and investment cooperation, the India-Afghanistan trade and investment show will held here later this month.

India will also begin supply of wheat to Afghanistan in coming weeks through Chahbahar port. India also signed the Motors Vehicle Agreement. We hope that it would pave the way for overland transit. India also hopes to join the regional trade and transit Agreements that have Afghanistan at its heart, Swaraj added.

After foreign minister Rabbani met Prime Minister Modi and discussed the situation in Afghanistan, official sources said both agreed that Afghan peace process has to be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.

Stressing on the India-Afghanistan relations, the external affairs minister said, For India, Strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an article of faith. It is not just another relationship or an engagement, but a spiritual and civilization connect.

As a humantarian gesture, India offered to begin implementation of the new 500 scholarships programme for next of kin of the martyrs of Afghan National Defence and Security Forces from the academic year 2018.
India Today has dug out exclusive details of the horrific murder case on what exactly happened on the fateful Friday morning leading to the gruesome murder of a 7-year-old boy in the school's toilet.

By Kumar Kunal: Although the police has arrested bus conductor Ashok Kumar for killing 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur, various questions have been raised on the safety and security of students in Gurgaon's Ryan International School which make students vulnerable.

Two top officials of the school - Legal Head Francis Thomas and HR Head Jeyus Thomas - have been arrested by the Gurgaon police on charges of negligence.

advertisement

Several lacunae related to the installation of CCTV cameras at the school, lack of separate toilets for drivers and conductors, unsafe toilets, a broken boundary wall and lack of police verification of employees have already been found.

India Today has dug out exclusive details of the horrific murder case on what exactly happened on the fateful Friday morning when a child, who had entered school minutes ago, was found murdered with his throat slit in the washroom of the campus.

HERE IS A TIMELINE OF EVENTS ON SEPTEMBER 8:

7:50 am: School bus reaches Ryan International School campus in Gurgaon

7:53 am: Bus conductor Ashok Kumar finds the driver's knife in the bus. The weapon was new but had caught rust. The conductor, according to police sources, stole it away thinking of using it in the kithcen. He then went to the toilet to clean the knife with soap.

7:55 am: Varun Thakur, the father of standard II student Pradyuman Thakur, drops his 7-year-old son to the school.

8:00 am: Unaware of the danger lurking around, the child goes straight to the toilet in the campus. Normally the school's prayers are held at 8 AM but that that it was skipped because of exams.

8:02 am: The incident, which has shocked parents all over the country, happened just 2 or 3 minutes later after the child went to the loo. The conductor tried to assault him sexually and after the child resisted he slit his throat using the knife.

8:08 am: Pradyuman was found bleeding profusely outside the classroom. He was taken to a hospital in Badshahpur by teacher Anju and 2-3 other staff members in the vice principal's car.

The accused Ashok Kumar didn't try to run away from the campus even after the gruesome murder.

From the Badshahpur hospital, the kid was taken to another hospital where he was administered oxygen. Soon he was shifted to a hospital in Gurgaon where Pradyuman was declared dead.

8:15 am: Pradyuman's father got a call from the school asking him to call on Anju madam's mobile. On doing so, the dad learnt that his son's throat was found to be slit. When the family members reached the Badshahpur hospital, they learnt that he was taken to Gurgaon.

advertisement

11.30 am: When the police reached the school to investigate the incident, they noticed the conductor was suspiciously looking worried and distressed. Even his clothes had marks of blood. The police took him in custody and within the next 30 minutes he admitted his guilt, according to the police. He was put under arrest around noon.

ALSO READ | Gurgaon murder: Ryan's top officials forced me to admit knife was part of bus tool kit, says driver

ALSO READ | Ryan International School murder case: 5 unanswered questions after 3 days of police probe

ALSO WATCH | Exclusive visuals from inside Gurgaon Ryan International School

--- ENDS ---
Until August 15, the Centre had adopted a tough approach in Kashmir, countering street protests with gun-wielding security personnel, resulting in violence that claimed scores of lives over the last one year.

With winter approaching, it seems both the weather and mood have changed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his I-Day address, said there was a need to "embrace" the Kashmiris and "neither bullets nor abuse" was going to solve the problem.

Less than a month later, Home minister Rajnath Singh embarked on a visit to the valleythe longest in recent timesattempting to put this conciliatory approach into practice.

But experts feel it is mere optics and formality as facts paint a completely different picture.

Speaking to THE WEEK , M.M. Ansari , former Jammu and Kashmir interlocutor, said that Rajnath's visit to the valley coincided with the crackdown on Hurriyat leaders who are being booked under corruption and terror charges by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He pointed out that during the Vajpayee regime, Hurriyat was brought to the discussion table. Successive governments have been aware of the way the Hurriyat has been functioning, says Ansari, who minces no words in saying that the Central government has also been providing support, financially and otherwise, to the Hurriyat leadership.

"How is it that the government did not know what was happening, and now suddenly there is a crackdown on the Hurriyat?" he wondered.

Ansari says that whether it was Rajnath Singh's visit or the Congress delegation led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, there was a complete lack of trust and alienation amongst the Kashmiris which could not be addressed by such tokenism.

"If the government is so serious, why has it not initiated talks with Pakistan to resolve the border issue?" he says.

Today, the home minister is talking about sealing the international border. "If the entire border with Pakistan is still under dispute, which border will we seal?" he asks.

Ansari feels that if India can resolve its border dispute with Bangladesh by exchanging enclaves, why couldn't it follow a similar approach along the western border? He also questions how the BJP agreed not to tinker with Article 370 granting special status to Kashmir when it joined hands with PDP to form the government, but now it was trying to revisit Article 35(A).

"I don't think the government is serious about reaching out to Kashmiris and their sentiments," he says.

Meanwhile, CPI leader D. Raja, who was earlier a part of parliamentary delegations to Jammu and Kashmir, feels that while such visits are important by a home minister to a strife-torn state, it should not devolve into tokenism.

"The government needs to act upon its assurances made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. I would say that such visits are important as a confidence-building measures. But then it needs to translate into some action so that people can see that the government is keen to listen to them and keep its promises at the same time," says Raja.

Ansari says the rate of unemployment is the highest in the state which is also directly related to the security concerns in the valley as more and more unemployed youth are getting attracted towards militancy. So, from basic issues like employment for youth to the promise made on rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits and Article 370, the people of Kashmir want their concerns to be addressed and fears allayed.
Not long ago, when the special general council meeting of the AIADMK was held at the sprawling marriage hall on the Chennai-Bengaluru highway on December 29, 2016, it made headlines, setting the tone for a long-term political instability in Tamil Nadu.

Held two days before the New Year, the ruling party went on a publicity blitzkrieg as the aim of the meet was to choose a new leadership. Posters and giant cutouts dotted the highway, where a smiling Jayalalithaa went behind to give space for her close aide V.K. Sasikala aka Chinnamma to greet the AIADMK cadre with folded hands. The partys over the top celebrations to bring in Sasikala to lead the party invited the wrath of the general public.

Exactly eight months later, in contrast, the posters claiming Sasikala as the next Puratchi Thalaivi or revolutionary leader are seen nowhere on the posters announcing the general council meet of the party on Tuesday. Jayalalithaa and her mentor MGR have become small icons on the posters, giving space for Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palanisamy and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, thus setting the tone for all the theatrics that are likely in the party meet.

As the infighting in the ruling AIADMK is getting murkier day by day with Palanisamy, Panneerselvam and T.T.V. Dhinakaran, all eyes will be on the general council meeting to be held in the same venue that elected Sasikala as the interim general secretary.

As of now, the general council of the AIADMK comprises at least 2,500 members and the meeting, sources say, will be on the expected linesthe chorus will be to ouster Sasikala clan and make Palanisamy and Panneerselvam lead the party. The agenda of the meeting, according to sources, will be to remove Sasikala clan from the party lock, stock and barrel and get back the frozen two-leaves symbol. The CM had reportedly back-to-back meetings with MLAs, ministers, party seniors, DGP T.K. Rajendran and Chennai City Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan at his Greenways Road residence on Monday. Though it was said that the meeting with the top cops was to discuss on the growing anti-NEET agitations, informed sources in the AIADMK said the CM met them was to ensure that the MLAs and others backing Dhinakaran do not create any ruckus during the council meeting.

According to well informed sources in the party, around 2,500 invitations have been sent to the general council members and at least 300 to 400 of them are Dhinakaran supporters. Only members who have received the invitation will be allowed to attend the meeting.

The resolutions

Resolutions to retrieve the partys frozen two-leaves symbol and get back the partys original nameAll India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagamare likely to be in the agenda. Besides there will be a resolution which says that all the office bearers who were at the helm of affairs in the party when Jayalalithaa was live, will continue to hold office. The most important resolution, according to sources, will declare the election of V.K. Sasikala as the interim general secretary of the party as null and void.

Another resolution to make changes in the bylaw to constitute a steering committee that will be headed by Panneerselvam as its secretary and Palanisamy as its deputy secretary is likely to be passed. This resolution, sources say, assumes importance, as both Panneerselvam and Palanisamy will have powers to sign Form A and Form B jointly to nominate a candidate to contest any election. Also the general council is expected to resolve to convene a full-fledged general council in December this year to elect the party general secretary. These resolutions, according to informed sources, will be submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to declare an official merger approved by ECI to get back the symbol and the partys original name.

Significantly, a day before the general council meet, minister Ma Foi K. Pandiarajan, who was with Panneerselvam, only to be elevated as the Tamil development minister, withdrew his petition in the Supreme Court, seeking to declare the trust vote win by Palanisamy on February 18 as null and void.

Dhinakaran on the receiving end

In the meantime, Dhinakaran supporter MLA P. Vetrivels plea in the Madras High Court, seeking a stay on the general council meet was dismissed. The court asked Vetrivel to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh for wasting its time. He had approached the Madras High Court on Friday, demanding a stay on the meeting. In his petition, he argued that the partys interim general secretary alone has the power to convene general council meeting as per the party bylaw. He further claimed that the meeting called by Palanisamy and Panneerselvam is illegal and sought a stay. Earlier on September 1, in a statement, Dhinakaran had said there was no clarification on the agenda of the meeting and that without an order from Sasikala, the general council cannot be convened.

On the other hand, the Trichy Corporation denied permission to Dhinakarans public rally against NEET, scheduled for Tuesday. Earlier, Dhinakaran had called off his anti-NEET agitations, believing that the Supreme Court had banned protests against NEET. A day before that, one of the MLAs S.T.K Jakkaiyan, from his camp reportedly switched sides to the Palanisamy camp. Clearly, with all the developments, Dhinakaran seems to be losing his space slowly in the party while Palanisamy is again gaining an upper hand.

In the meantime, Sasikalas husband M. Natarajan has been admitted to a Gleneagles Global Health City in Chennai with multiple organ failure. Natarajans health is said to be critical. Currently, he is admitted at the Liver Intensive Care Unit with decompensated liver disease leading to liver failure, kidney failure and lung congestion. He is receiving dialysis and other intensive care therapies. He is being taken care by a multidisciplinary team of liver specialists headed by Mohamed Rela. He has been registered with the Tamil Nadu Organ Sharing (TNOS) waiting list for deceased donor liver transplantation, said a press note from the hospital. Natarajan, since February, has been receiving treatment at Gleneagles Global Health City, the note said.
It is not frequently that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut's weekly column 'RokhThok' (Blunt and Upfront) in party mouthpiece Saamna, makes headlines. That job is done by Saamna's editorial which explains party's position on a given issue at hand.

However, Raut's column this Sunday is making headlines across regional and national media as it discusses the possibility of Sharad Pawar and his Nationalist Congress Party joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

Raut in his column has written an incident when Sharad Pawar told him that how Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted Pawar's daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule to be a member of his ministry. Pawar told about this to Raut when the latter asked the former a point blank question whether Pawar was likely to join NDA. "How is it possible, these stories are classic cases of foolishness," Pawar told Raut.

When Raut further asked Pawar as to why only he and NCP figures in such stories, Pawar was quoted as saying: "These rumours are carefully planted. Once Mr Modi told me that he wanted Supriya in his ministry. Supriya was with me at that time. She told Modi upfront that she would be the last person to join the BJP. Our policies are very clear but these kind of stories are spread essentially to spread confusion."

Raut has long been an admirer of Sharad Pawar and his style of politics. He is also the unofficial bridge between Shiv Sena and NCP. That is why Maharashtra BJP hates him. BJP leaders, in their off record chats, often call him NCP's man in Shiv Sena and blame him for many of the problems between Shiv Sena and BJP. "The problems between us exist also because of Raut and his writings. Also, whenever Sena leadership has made moves to patch up with BJP, Raut has spoiled it by his writings," a senior BJP leader told this correspondent.

"Does the ground reality in Maharashtra allow us to join hands with NCP openly? It is the same party we blamed and campaigned against for irrigation scam. The question of allying with the NCP will arise only if Shiv Sena walks out of the government and we do not see that happening. Sena is happy to share power. We are not dumping Sena, that call has to be taken by Shiv Sena leadership. And, if they take such a call we are confident that almost half of Sena legislators will cross over to our side," said the BJP leader.

Requesting anonymity, this leader explained how Pawar tried to forge an alliance between Sena, NCP and Congress so that it could have its government in Maharashtra. "Some time ago when Sena-BJP ties were under severe strain, NCP leadership tried to float this idea of a tri-party alliance government of Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena. But Congress was not willing to join hands with Sena as it was worried about national ramifications of such a move," he said.

Nawab Malik, former minister and chief NCP spokesperson told THE WEEK that there is no way NCP is joining the NDA. "The article by Raut itself says it very clearly that these are all planted rumours. When these rumours started before cabinet reshuffle in New Delhi Supriyatai had immediately issued a statement to clarify, so did Praful Patel. Our path remains the one we have walked for a long time and it is opposed to BJP," said Malik.

NCP insiders say that the party does not stand to gain at all by joining the BJP. NCP's core voters are farmers and Marathas. Fadnavis government has not been able to tackle the issues faced by thembe it agrarian crisis, or Maratha reservation issue. Also, right now, Modi government is receiving flak for decline in GDP, demonetisation and a number of other issues. So it does not make sense for the NCP to join hands with the BJP at this stage.
Powerful winds from Hurricane Irma battered Florida, with forecasters warning of dangerous storm surges that will lead to massive flooding across the US state, media reports said.

The massive storm, which had torn apart Florida for days and triggered evacuation orders covering 5.6 million people, made two official landfalls on Sunday, reports The Washington Post.

The first, at about 9.10 a.m., was over the Florida Keys, an isolated string of islands. Irma hit them as a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds near 130 miles per hour.

After the Keys, Irma crossed over warm waters and hit the US mainland near the beach town of Marco Island.

By 5 p.m., the storm was hitting Fort Myers, moving north toward low-lying, vulnerable Tampa as a still-potent Category 2 storm.

By late Sunday night, Florida officials said there were shelters open in 64 of Florida's 67 counties573 shelters across the state, holding 155,000 people, The Washington Post reported.

The storm's impact was widespread. Even areas that did not face a direct hit from Irma saw flooding and downed power lines.

In Riviera Beach, on Florida's east coast, winds partially ripped roofs off two apartment buildings, forcing rescuers to evacuate about 50 people from the complex, according to CNN.

Expected to be even more dangerous than the powerful winds are the storm surges that threaten Florida's coastal cities.

"The threat of catastrophic storm surge flooding is highest along the southwest coast of Florida, where 10 to 15 feet of inundation above ground level is expected," the National Hurricane Centre said.

"This is a life-threatening situation."

Currently, more than 3 million customers are without power across Florida, according to utility companies.

President Donald Trump has signed a disaster declaration that should speed federal funding to damaged areas in Florida.

So far, Hurricane Irma has left 26 dead since it first made landfall on September 6 in the Caribbean islands.

As Irma moves inland, more than 45 million people will face tropical storm conditions. Affected states include Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster on Sunday night issued a mandatory evacuation for some barrier islands, CNN reported.

The National Weather Service in Atlanta issued a tropical storm watch for the area Monday and Tuesday. Schools in the state planned to close Monday.

This is the first year on record that the continental United States has had two Category 4 hurricane landfalls in the same year.

Last month, Hurricane Harvey devastated much of coastal Texas and killed more than 70 people.
The arrival of a baby is an exhilarating, yet exhausting experience. For parents who are forced to take unpaid leave following the birth of a child, the situation is even more challenging. These days, however, companies are becoming more empathetic to employees' demands at home.

When Manuj Bharadwaj became a father a few months ago, he could become a hands-on parent by taking the three-month paid paternity leave that his company provides its male employees. Bharadwaj is an accounts executive at the software company Salesforce India, which grants 26 weeks of paid leave to new mothers and 12 weeks to new fathers. When our baby was born, it was an incredibly exciting, yet challenging time for my wife and me, says Bharadwaj, who lives in Bengaluru. This leave benefit provides me the opportunity to maintain a healthy relationship with my wife, and support her in her career by shouldering the responsibility of childcare. More than anything, it has been a personally fulfilling and overwhelming experience for me.

The policy applies to leave related to birth, adoption and surrogacy. Paid parental leave can be used within a year of the birth, placement or adoption of a child. Parents are also entitled to a bonus of Rs 6,000 at the time of birth or adoption of a baby, says Jnanesh Kumar, director at Salesforce India.

Pioneering effort: Employees at digital media company Culture Machine, which introduced first-day-of-period leave earlier this year | Janak Bhat

Several Indian companies are innovating their work culture and offering better leave policies. At the digital media company Culture Machine female employees are entitled to take a day off each month, during their menstrual cycle. The company introduced first-day-of-the-period leave earlier this year, after feedback from employees. I don't feel uncomfortable opting for it even though I have a male supervisor, says Aakansha Seda, an executive at Culture Machine. In fact, this leave has helped me perform better as I know my condition is respected by the company, and that strengthens my relationship with subordinates.

Says Devaleena Sanyal, president of human resources at Culture Machine: The leave can be taken either on the first or second day of the menstrual cycle, depending on a person's condition. Since it is an optional leave, it hasn't affected productivity. So far, only five out of 75 women have opted for it.

Does menstrual leave compromise a woman's privacy? Sanyal does not think so. In fact, she feels it helps break the taboo surrounding menstruation. Why should women who are undergoing menstrual cramps keep it a secret? she asks. Our organisation is a modern one. No one has an issue talking about it openly. Women are comfortable disclosing they are on their period as it is no longer considered taboo. Moreover, their privacy is not compromised as our HR practices are automated and the request for leave only requires the approval of the immediate supervisor.

Mumbai-based digital firm Gozoop Online allows women employees who are on their period to work from home. The company ideated this policy on March 8, International Women's Day, after a discussion with both male and female employees. The leave will enhance the productivity of employees by making them feel comfortable, says Bansi Raja, chief happiness officer at Gozoop. We don't restrict the leave to the first or second day of the period. We give the employee the flexibility to work from home on any day she chooses. She is not taking a day off; she is simply working from a comfortable space, in her favourite pyjamas, and in a relaxed posture. Men have been very supportive of the policy as, at the end of the day, work is not getting compromised.

Janhavi Iyer, head of content at Gozoop, has worked for the company for three years and is happy to stay on. Who doesn't want an organisation that is sensitive to their employees' needs? asks Iyer. It's great to know that this option of menstrual leave is available.

Senior project manager, Shresth Poddar, says that creating a comfort zone for the team has helped men be more empathetic about a woman on her menstrual cycle. A work-from-home facility is great as there isn't anything that the organisation is losing, he says. I tell the two women employees working under me to inform me about their condition, without hesitation, as it is a natural process. It is about being considerate and allowing them rest, while working. We manage the work and there hasn't been a day where we have missed our targets. Employees at Gozoop also get leave on their birthdays, and half-day leave on Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve.

At infrastructure company Red Hat India, besides maternity and paternity leave, employees are granted leave in the event of death of a family member. In times of grief, the company offers three days of compassionate leave to employees for all incidents involving the loss of a child, sibling, spouse, parent, in-law, grandparent and grandparents-in-law, says Nabanita Phukan, head of HR at Red Hat India. She believes this policy enhances an employee-friendly work culture.

When technical delivery manager Arun Eapen lost his brother-in-law and father within a week, the compassionate leave he was granted came as a great relief. It was a tough time for me emotionally, mentally and physically, says Eapen. However, the three-day compassionate leave helped me tackle the situation better. Such a unique benefit makes me feel that the company really cares.
SEBI documents accessed by India Today show that Grace and Augustine Pinto, the trustees of the Ryan International group, made mysterious windfall gains after investing in a company that was found to have illegally manipulated stock market prices.

By Meetu Jain: Are the owners of Ryan International School just guilty of seemingly lax security measures in their institutes leading to one death after another?

Are Grace and Augustine Pinto guilty of using an educational institute to promote political activities with its 2015 Join BJP drive?

Or are the Pintos also guilty of rallying the stock market to launder money?

advertisement

While answers to the first two questions are up in the air, documents accessed by the India Today do suggest that the Pintos mysteriously turned a Rs 50 lakh investment into an over Rs 30 crore profit.

The Pintos' Ryan International group has come under intense scrutiny after a seven-year-old boy was found murdered on a Ryan school premises in Gurgaon.

Parents have demanded action against the Ryan's management for what they say is a serious lapse on the part of the school to ensure its students' safety. The Pintos have denied that charge, and have said that students' safety is a top priority.

What the Pintos may find difficult to explain, however, is how they made a whopping profit of over Rs 30 crore by investing in a company that was barely making substantial gains.

According to Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) documents seen by India Today, Grace and Augustine Pinto are were some of the investors who used a Mumbai-based Finance company, Kamalakshi Limited to allegedly launder over Rs 32 crore. The same company was later banned by SEBI from trading in the stock market for manipulating prices.

MODUS OPERANDI

The modus operandi of the company was to allocate preferential shares (these are shares that cannot be traded on the stock market but are given only to certain "preferred" individuals) priced at Rs 10.20 to investors. Grace and Augustine Pinto bought 2.5 lakh shares each by investing over Rs 50 lakh.

SEBI notes that in one year, from January 2014 to December 2014, the share price of this company rose artificially by a whopping 4694 per cent, from Rs 10.20 to over Rs 489. The Pintos thus used Rs 50 lakh to launder a neat Rs 32.20 crore in this one year.

The investors then used another financial tool, the Long Term Capital Gains route to evade paying taxes which could be to the tune of 20 per cent. This was done by holding on to the shares for over a year. At the time of passing the order, SEBI noted that the entities were still holding the shares. Shares held for over a year does not invite a capital gain tax.

advertisement

SEBI in its order says, "Considering the price rise from Rs 10.20 to 489, i.e. an increase of 4694% (48 times), all the 137 allottees taken together have a notional profit of Rs 1343.57crore against an investment of Rs 42.25 crore. Taking into account the peak price of around Rs 656 per share on January 27, 2015, the total notional profit of 137 allottees would be around Rs 1816.85 crore."

The Pintos were among the 137 preferential allottees. What is surprising is that the company wasn't really in the pink of health when these stock brokers and investors put in money in KFCL. Its annual report of financial year 2011-2012 shows the company made a profit of barely Rs 97,000. The next fiscal, this profit fell to Rs 33,632; the company's fortunes saw a marginal increase in 2013-1014 to Rs 31.18 lakh.

SEBI Whole Time Member RK AGarwal found that, "from the above facts, it can reasonably be inferred that the preferential allottees acting in concert with KFCL are making an attempt to generate fictitious LTCG through stock exchange system. I prima facie find that the above modus operandi may help the concerned entities to pay a lower rate of tax on account of LTCG and may help them to show the source of this income to be from legitimate source, that is, the stock market".

advertisement

The SEBI ordered that there should be a probe into the ultimate owners of funds used for manipulating the price of the scrip. Therefore, SEBI would investigate into the probable violations of securities laws."

SEBI also ordered the matter be referred to the Income tax department for further action. The company has now changed its name to Gromotrade and Consultants Limited.

ALSO READ | Ryan murder: Blow-by-blow account of how Pradyuman Thakur was killed in his Gurgaon school

ALSO READ | Gurgaon murder: Ryan's top officials forced me to admit knife was part of bus tool kit, says driver

ALSO WATCH | Exclusive visuals of murder scene inside Gurgaon Ryan International School

WATCH VIDEO | Ryan School founder faces money laundering charge; Ram Rahim a sex addict; more

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
French authorities and Jewish groups say a Jewish family was beaten, tied up and robbed in what the government described as an intentionally anti-Semitic act.

According to the National Bureau for Vigilance against Anti-Semitism (BNVCA), three individuals broke into the house of Roger Pinto, the president of the Siona group representing Sephardic Jews, by cutting through the homes window bars. They then cut off the electricity in the house, tied up Pintos son, and held and beat his wife. It was only several hours later, in the morning, that Pinto managed to discretely contact police, causing the intruders to flee.

According to the BNVCA report, the unidentified attackers told their victims, You are Jewish, you have money.

On Sunday, the BNVCA condemned the attack, which they described as manifestly anti-Semitic and premeditated, adding that the family was threatened with death and violently beaten.

In a statement on Sunday, Francis Kalifat, president of the leading French Jewish organization CRIF, urged the authorities to step up security and take stronger measures against perpetrators of such acts.

French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb denounced the violence and offered support for the family and the Jewish community. His statement offered the determination of the government to tirelessly fight any form of racism and anti-Semitism, saying Sunday that racism and anti-Semitism have no place in the French nation.

French police said they are investigating the attack but would not provide details of the probe.

(YWN / AP)
(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

For the first time ever, Ukraine Hatzalah in cooperation with Uman Express, will have the possibility of a helicopter available if chas vsholom there is a need for medical emergencies. It is explained that in case of a serious illness or injury, a person might be airlifted to Odessa or Kiev during Rosh Hashanah instead of a local hospital which is inferior.

It is also explained such a distance in an ambulance would take a number of hours and in cases of pikuach nefesh, clearly time is a critical factor.

Ukraine Hatzalah Chief Rabbi Hillel Cohen explains, if the need arises, a chopper will be able to airlift a patient from the Klauz area to either Kiev of Odessa. The patient will be escorted by United Hatzalah EMTs and paramedics volunteering at the tziyun of Rav Nachman ZTL ZYA during Rosh Hashanah. The fee for the helicopter is covered by travel insurance and Rav Cohen reminds those planning to come to Uman for Rosh Hashanah to be certain to take out travel insurance.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Uman Express)
Congratulations, you've been pre-approved for your bank's latest credit deal reserved 'exclusively' for existing customers. But is it any good?

There are a handful of credit cards on the market offered by banks solely to current account holders.

While it's a blatant cross-selling tactic, there are a few advantages to having the same provider for your current account and credit card - namely convenience and easy application.

Then there are the extra perks some banks throw in such as discounted fees or cashback on spending.

Lounge around: Santander current account holders get free airport lounge access if they take out its Elite World Credit Card

While it's difficult to rank such offers because they all come with a different combination of perks, if you compare the card deals against top offers on the market available to everyone you should be able to check whether you'll get value for money by signing up.

Here's a list of the top exclusive deals available to customers compared to what the bank offers everyone else.

ALL WELCOME! Here's a quick summary of the top deals available to all new customers... The best cashback credit card on the market for a long time has been the Amex Platinum Cashback Credit Card that pays 5 per cent (max 125) on spending for the first three months. After that, if you spend up to 10,000 per year, you earn 1 per cent. Spend more than that and you get 1.25 per cent on all spending. If you spend 1,000 a month on the card your first-year payout would be 237.50, minus the 25 fee - that's 212.50. In the second year you could make 155. If its the 0 per cent purchase or balance transfer deals that appeal, then you can certainly find cheaper and longer options elsewhere. Interest-free balance transfer promotions last for up to 43 months now and purchase deals currently reach up to 30 months. >Find out more about the top offers here. If it's cheap holiday spending you are after, there are a few cards which don't charge for both cash withdrawals and purchases both of which typically carry 2-3 per cent fees.

TSB

Anyone can apply for the TSB Platinum Purchase credit card but if you have a Classic Plus account (which features in our top current account round-up) it comes with an extra cashback perk.

You get 1 per cent back on the first 500 of monthly spending on the card (worth 5) but this only lasts until June 30 2018.

It also comes with 20 months' 0 per cent on purchases and balance transfers made within the first 90 days (2.95 per cent handling fee applies). After that you are charged the standard rate of 18.9 (APR) per cent.

This is Money verdict: A good all-round offer but you can get more generous interest-free deals elsewhere and the cashback perk is only worth a maximum 45.

Nationwide

It pays 0.5 per cent cashback on any spends on its Select Credit Card, offered exclusively to its Flex Account range customers.

The Flex Plus deal is one of the top packaged accounts on the market and the building societys flagship FlexDirect account also appears in This is Moneys round-up of the top interest-paying accounts with a 5 per cent rate on up to 2,500 for the first year.

The card comes with 12 months' 0 cent interest on balance transfers (no handling fees if made within the first three months) and purchases.

Another useful perk is you wont pay commission on any purchase made on the credit card while abroad. However, there is a 2.5 per cent cash withdrawal charge.

This is Money's verdict: The Select card comes with some of the best perks of all the credit cards linked to a bank account, and a lower than most APR of 15.9 per cent. We also like that cashback is unlimited and there are no monthly fees. Plus its Flex Direct and Flex Plus accounts are worth considering anyway for their in-credit interest.

Loyalty perks? Credit cards linked to your bank account often come with cashback on spends

NatWest

Its Reward Credit Card is available to everyone, but the 24 annual fee is refunded for those with its Reward current account.

The account pays 2 per cent back on your household bills for a 2 monthly fee.

The credit card pays 1 per cent back on any supermarket spends (0.5 per cent at supermarket petrol stations) and any spends with its MyRewards scheme retailers earn the same rate. These include The Body Shop, Jamies Italian, EuropCar and Charles Tyrwhitt. All other spending, including abroad, earns 0.5 per cent.

There are no 0 per cent interest deals attached and the card comes with an APR of 23.7 per cent, or 18.9 per cent per year on purchases.

There is also a Reward Black version with free overseas spending thrown in. This is offered for free to anyone with its corresponding Reward Black bank account.

This is Money's verdict: The MyRewards retailers aren't much of a draw but a higher rate on supermarket spends means this card could earn slightly more than rivals. A 300 spend per month in supermarkets, plus a 700 spend elsewhere, would earn a total of 78 over the year.

Santander

The bank has a couple of deals for existing current account holders. Its World Elite MasterCard option is only available to those with its Select or Private banking services but it comes with airport lounge access, discounts on travel insurance, no foreign exchange fess for purchases abroad and 0.5 per cent cashback on up to 3,000 worth of spending each month.

You also get 0 per cent on balance transfers and purchases for the first 18 months with no handling fees. The card comes with a 15 monthly fee.

If you are a Santander 123 account holder it will waive the 3 monthly fee on its All in One credit card for six months. The card comes with 43 months' 0 per cent interest on balance transfers  the longest deal available  with no handling fees.

You also get six months' interest-free purchases, 0.5 per cent cashback on all spending, free overseas spending and access to the Retailer Offers scheme that pays cashback of between five and 25 per cent.

This is Money's verdict: The World Elite card is a premium service, and you will need a 5,000 monthly deposit into your current account, 75,000 in investments or savings with the bank, or at least a 500,000 Santander mortgage in order to get it. For anyone that does fit the criteria, it's definitely a good deal.

The All in One card does what it says on the tin - it offers a best of all approach. But unless you use it for all of your spending, it many not be worth the monthly fee that kicks in after three months.

Any others?

First Direct has exclusive credit card deals only offered to those with its popular 1st Account. It's one of This is Moneys favourite accounts for both its customer service record and 100 switching incentive.

The card options dont offer any loyalty perks and you get far shorter 0 per cent interest deals, at 27 months on balance transfers and 17 months on purchase than offered by most cards.

But it has just launched a perk that offers cashback through Visa Offers, which pays cashback with specific retailers.

HSBC offers an exclusive card for its Advance Current Account customers.

This gives you 25 cashback if you sign up and use the card before October 1, and comes with a fairly decent balance transfer deal at 32 months 0 per cent interest with a 0.6 per cent handling fee. It also offers interest-free purchases for three months.

Co operative offers current account holders with a Co Operative membership 1p per 2 spent in Co operative food stores, and 1p per 3.33 spent elsewhere with its exclusive Members Credit Card.

Its Current Account currently pays 125 to sign up with a 25 donation to charity and monthly rewards of up to 5.50 for everyday banking tasks. Co operatives membership earns you 5 per cent in rewards for you in a separate account, and 1 per cent for your community for spending in stores and taking out other products such as insurance or funeral care.
On Northumberland Street in the centre of Newcastle the only trace of the citys once proud bank Northern Rock is the historic clock above the brightly red clad Virgin Money branch.

Ten years ago this week, on September 14, the Northern Rock branch in the heart of Newcastle and those up and down the country were besieged by anxious savers wanting back their money as Britain experienced its first bank run in a 140 years.

The run on the Rock was the canary in the mine for the great financial crisis which would follow a year later although incredibly regulators and financial experts did not recognise its significance.

In crisis: The sight of savers desperate to get their money out of Northern Rock was a signal moment for Gordon Browns government

Indeed it is instructive to remember that the disastrous Royal Bank of Scotland takeover of the Dutch bank ABN Amro didnt complete until after the Rock had been bailed out in September 2007.

The sight of savers desperate to get their money out of Northern Rock was a signal moment for Gordon Browns government. It was the event which shattered Labours reputation for economic competence and led one business leader to comment that it made the UK, the fifth richest nation in the world, look like a third world country.

Northern Rock had been riding for a fall for years. The creation of the 125 per cent mortgage by the banks boss Adam Applegarth was evidence of how far it had travelled from the cautious lending when it was just a building society.

Even worse, Applegarth had exposed the bank to volatile financial markets by packaging up the mortgages of ordinary British home owners, carting them off to New York where the casino banks would sell them as securities.

The catastrophe at Northern Rock exposed some deep flaws in the way that London, the worlds largest banking centre, was supervised. The banks board, chaired by the gifted Matt Ridley, was unable to restrain Applegarths ego and ambition.

Can you find a cheaper mortgage? Record low mortgage rates mean many people could save hundreds of pounds a year - or even more - by switching. Use our mortgage calculator here to show you the best rate for your circumstances.

THE regulator, the Financial Services Authority (FSA), was incompetent, and the Bank of England initially indifferent. It was governor Mervyn Kings first experience of a bank run and his initial reaction was to play hardball with the Rock by refusing long-term assistance on the grounds that it would create moral hazard, encouraging other badly run banks to believe that rash lending would not be punished.

As an unseen crisis in the money markets unfolded, with banks refusing to lend to each other, King came round to the view that the Rock would have to be rescued and Britain might eventually have to inject fresh capital into many UK banks.

For years banks had wallowed in excessive credit and experimented with ever-more complex financial instruments which were little understood. Indeed, even as late as the summer of 2008, when the US investment bank Lehman Brothers ran into trouble, UK regulators and supervisors believed that the failure of the Rock was a one off, the holes in the financial system could be plugged on a case by case basis and the City could withstand the tsunami.

How wrong they were. The problems of Northern Rock were those of the whole financial community, and when the crisis came back with huge ferocity a year later, RBS and HBOS teetered on the brink. A chasm was to open up in the public finances and British households would face a decade of flat or falling incomes.
Kwarteng now says that he advised Liz Truss to 'slow down' and take a 'methodical and strategic approach' to boosting growth as Prime Minister. He claims reservations about unfunded tax cuts in the mini-Budget as there were no plans to bear down on public spending. It was Truss, he claimed, who decided that things should be done fast. All of this looks rum. By tradition, it is the Chancellor who draws up the Budget and often the PM - as was the case with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown - has little opportunity for input.
US investment bank Goldman Sachs is gearing up to launch savings accounts and loans in the UK from next year, reports claim.

The bank is bumping up its UK workforce in a bid to introduce retail banking via the Marcus brand, which is currently only operating in the US.

Goldman Sachs has already hired former TSB director Des McDaid to head up the UK retail finance team, the Financial Times said.

New offerings: The New York bank is bumping up its UK workforce in a bid to introduce retail banking via the Marcus brand

Stephen Scherr, the bank's head of strategy, told the Financial Times: 'Much like in the US, we're aiming to offer consumers easy-to-use and higher-returning savings options than (they) might have elsewhere.'

The UK retail workforce could be expanded from 15 to around 50, the report claimed.

It is understood that Goldman Sachs would continue to run Marcus as an online-only business if it expanded into the UK and is unlikely to consider running bricks-and-mortar branches.

Goldman Sachs is believed to have held discussions with UK finance regulators, including the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulatory Authority.

If this all goes ahead, UK customers could be opening up a savings account or get a loan through Goldman Sachs from the middle of next year.

The bank has declined to comment on the claims.

Talks: Goldman Sachs is believed to have held discussions with UK finance regulators

The investment bank began to shift its operations in the US 18 months ago, offering high-interest online savings accounts for a deposit of as little as $1.

Last October, the bank launched Marcus by Goldman Sachs, which works as an online consumer lending platform.

Weighed down by ever-increasing regulation, Goldman Sachs, like other investment banks has seen its main line of business struggle in recent years.

In its last second quarter results, the investment bank's institutional client services division posted a 17 per cent fall in revenues.

Expanding into the retail banking market would allow Goldman Sachs to diversify its income stream and potentially bump up its profits.

Any such move also has the potential to increase competition in the UK banking market, which is still dominated by big players including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and RBS.

To ensure it maintains access to the single market after Brexit, Goldman Goldman is planning to move some client-facing roles to Madrid, Milan and Frankfurt.

Goldman Sachs was founded in 1869 and has its main headquarters on Wall Street in New York.

Listed on the New York stock exchange, Goldman Sach's share price is up 1.61 per cent.
Yash's parents are fighting a long drawn legal battle against the mighty Ryan International School at the child rights commissions for the last two years.

By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: The Gurgaon incident in Ryan International School has brought back some horrific memories for the Singh family in Mumbai. Two years ago, their 13-year-old son was allegedly beaten up by a teacher in Ryan School, Chembur. But instead of taking action the child was suspended from the school and humiliated.

In October 2015, Yash Singh a grade 9 Student in Ryan International School, Chembur, was allegedly slapped several times by a school teacher injuring him badly. His only crime was that his shirt wasn't buttoned properly.

advertisement

The parents raised up the issue with the school and government authorities. Initially the school admitted to the mistake, though in private but when the authorities came in, the Singh family claims their child was made the target by the school.

"When I spoke to the teacher concerned she initially agreed that Shehad hit the child but it wasn't a hard blow. Later the school completely denied the incident. First they informed us that they have removed the teacher but to our surprise she was reinstated," claims Amit Singh, father of Yash.

School Inspection Officer of the BMC investigated the matter and wrote to the school in a strongly-worded letter that the medical report prima facie showed that that the child was beaten up and action should be taken against the erring teacher. But the very next day of the inquiry the school suspended Yash for 45 days.

And the school did not stop at that, they made a remark of "problematic child" on his school leaving certificate, making it difficult for Yash to find a new school.

Sumedha, Yash's mother, still finds the entire episode traumatic.

"We had to run from one school to another as no school was willing to give us admission because of the remark and all this was happening when my son was in 10th grade and had to appear for his boards," Sumedha said.

But that's not the end of the story. The family alleges that none other than Grace Pinto, the founder of the Ryan Group, herself came to the school and threatened their child for raising this issue in the media.

"Grace Pinto madam came to my class and asked me whether I was the "famous" boy who has approached the media? She also asked me that whether the teacher broke my bones that I was going around in the town bringing bad name to the school," Yash said narrating his ordeal.

The matter is still being heard before the child rights commission in Mumbai.

The way Ryan School reinstated the erring teacher even after authorities' reports shows the scant respect the school has for law. Yash's parents are fighting a long drawn legal battle with the mighty school at the child rights commissions for the last two years.

advertisement

Fearing for their child's future, not every Yash Singh has parents who can gather courage to fight such a mighty system.

ALSO READ | Gurgaon murder: Ryan's top officials forced me to admit knife was part of bus tool kit, says driver

ALSO READ | Ryan International School murder case: 5 unanswered questions after 3 days of police probe

ALSO WATCH | Exclusive visuals from inside Gurgaon Ryan International School

--- ENDS ---
The number of visits made by tourists coming to the UK using Airbnb has risen by 81 per cent in the last year.

In every region of the UK there are at least 2,000 Airbnb properties available, with each household raking in around 3,600 a year by renting out their spare spaces.

Over 6million people stayed in an Airbnb home in the last year, raking in around 3.46billion for the economy and 657million for local households, the group claimed in its first UK insights Report.

But, critics warn that some 'professionalised' Airbnb hosts are using the online site to rake in more money than they would be able to through conventional lettings.

Growth: A map snapshot of Airbnb listings in the UK, with a high concentration in and around London

Over three-quarters of people listing their spare spaces on Airbnb use their primary home for guests.

Throughout the course of a year, Britons listed on Airbnb let out their rooms for 36 nights.

Across the UK, there are 168,000 active Airbnb listings, with 64,000 in London and 21,900 in Scotland.

Guests using Airbnb properties to visit the UK stay for an average of 3.3 nights, the group said.

Poll Airbnb is good for the British economy Agree Disagree Airbnb is good for the British economy Agree 55 votes

Disagree 38 votes Now share your opinion





Fifty-five per cent list their entire home on Airbnb, while 44 per cent list a private room. One per cent list a shared room.

Over 60 per cent of those listing their home on Airbnb in the UK are female and the average age of a host is 43.

Over three-quarters of guest using Airbnb said they opted for a space on its website so they could 'live like a local' while in the UK.

According to the group, a typical Airbnb guest spends around 147 a day in the UK, with nearly half of that spent within the local area they are staying in,.

Online-based Airbnb, which was first established in San Francisco in 2007, doesn't own any of the 3million properties around the world listed on its site.

Instead, it lets homeowners let out anything from a spare room in a two-bedroom apartment to lofty mansions. Airbnb gets its money from commissions applied to every booking

The group is not without its critics.

Base: Online-based Airbnb, which was first established in San Francisco in 2007

Resstrictions: Airbnb is not without its critics and has imposed a 90-day stay limit within London

Hosts' neighbours can often be left facing unwanted noise and disruption from the numerous comings and goings, while the taxes and regulations applied elsewhere in the UK's hospitality sector simply do not apply to Airbnb guests or their hosts.

From 1 January, Airbnb's system started automatically limiting Greater London's 'entire home' listings , which is where an entire property is rented out as one unit, rather than as individual bedrooms, to accepting no more than 90 nights of bookings per calendar year.

London homeowners wishing to let out entire properties for more than three months a year are likely to need 'material change of use' planning permission from their local authority, and will then need to provide Airbnb with evidence of this permission before the limit is relaxed.

Labour MP Karen Buck told This is Money: 'The original concept of Airbnb and the wider 'short-let' sector people making some extra cash from their spare rooms or when they are away- is a great idea- so long, of course, as it is well managed and doesn't cause problems for neighbours, or breach lease and insurance terms in blocks of flats.

'However, what we are increasingly seeing is a professionalised growth of short-lets, which can make much more money for landlords than traditional lettings.

Spaces available: Fifty-five per cent list their entire home on Airbnb

Popular: Across the UK, there are 168,000 active Airbnb listings

'Thousands of homes- especially in places like London, Edinburgh and popular tourist towns- have already been lost to residential housing and turned into unofficial hotels, and the pace has been accelerating since the government relaxed the rules in 2015.

'Some neighbourhoods are becoming virtually an extension of the hospitality industry without the appropriate protection in place.

'Worse still, councils have neither the information nor the resources to ensure that the rules- especially the rule that says properties can't be let in excess of 90 days a year- are properly enforced. No-one wants to turn the clock back but we need effective regulation and the means to enforce it to balance the interests of landlords, neighbours and taxpayers.'
A leaked Home Office document looked last week to have sounded the death knell for the freedom of movement of EU citizens to the UK after Brexit.

The 82 page dossier revealed the free movement of labour will cease when the Brexit talks conclude in March 2019.

So businesses that are heavily reliant on EU workers face the very real prospect of contending with a waned pool of talent to fill vacancies in the post Brexit landscape.

The freedom movement of EU citizens to the UK will cease when Britain officially leaves the 27-nation bloc in 2019, according to the government

The leaked document outlined proposals to crackdown on the number of lower-skilled EU migrants by offering them a maximum residency of two years, while those who are deemed as in high-skilled occupation would be granted permits to work for a longer period of three to five years.

While nothing is yet set in stone, the government has made no secret of its ambitions to curb net migration, which Theresa May has promised to reduce to below the 100,000 figure.

Basic economics teaches us when supply falls, price increases. Here, this translates to the possibility of firms spending more on recruitment and/or having to offer more generous wage packets to beat rivals in order to secure talent.

The additional cost burden could be offset by passing these extra costs on to the consumer, but firms that take this step run the risk of losing custom.

A 2017 report by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that a quarter of UK organisations would be negatively impacted by a restriction on EU migrants to only those who have job offers - as is the restriction on foreign workers from the rest of the world.

This is Money spoke to the heads of a cleaning company and construction firm about how they believe the end of free movement of people from the EU is likely to affect their businesses.

Viewpoint from small businesses Cleaning industry: Gold Star Cleaning Services - Aberdeen The UK relies more heavily on migrant and EU workers in the cleaning industry than any other sectors, according to a 2016 study by the British Cleaning Council. Some 24 per cent of all workers in Britain's cleaning industry do not have UK-nationality, compared to an average of 18 per cent across other industries. Andy Willox said it will be more difficult to recruit talent for his business post Brexit Andy Willox runs Aberdeen-based family business Gold Star Cleaning Services, which has around 65 EU workers on its more than 150-strong team sheet. He says operational costs have already increased because of automatic enrolment - the requirement for all businesses to offer a workplace pension - and the removal of the right for employers to reclaim statutory sick pay through deductions in their National Insurance contributions. And he fears the removal of the open border policy could frustrate the future recruitment of talent. Willox said: 'We struggle to find skill and labour in our part of Scotland at the moment. We have found that a lot of job applications to fill vacancies in our business have been from EU nationals - particularly in the past three years. We have benefited immensely from employing EU nationals - their work ethic has been good for business. 'The environment for small business is difficult and we have worked extremely hard just to stay where we are now. We will probably look towards technological solutions to reduce cost burdens and compensate for the shrinking talent pool in the future.' He added: 'The reality is that my livelihood is at stake. It is not a case of simply finding another job if things do not go according to plan because I have my workers to worry about - including my son.' Construction industry: Kisiel Group The UK construction industry also relies heavily on European labour. Around 12 per cent of Britain's 2.1 million construction workers come from abroad, according to the Office for National Statistics. Annie Summun, is the general manager at construction firm Kisiel, which boasts more than 30 members of staff - 80 per cent of which are EU nationals. She believes the end of freedom of movement for EU citizens will hinder the firm's objective to increase turnover from 3million at present to 10million in three years' time. Annie Summun: 'The UK construction industry is going to have a huge problem. We have not done enough in the past to address the shortage of skilled talent here in the UK' She says: 'If the EU nationals we employ are no longer able to work in the UK due to lack of freedom of movement, we would have to significantly downsize. 'This is because it is a very long process to employ a new workforce, especially with the skills shortage. We find that about one in 10 applicants have the suitable skills.' The company is reviewing its recruitment process to attract young British talent, according to Summun, adding that a higher proportion of young skilled labourers have come from Europe in her experience. 'The UK construction industry is going to have a huge problem. We have not done enough in the past to address the shortage of skilled talent here in the UK. It is not an overnight fix - it takes time to train skilled electricians and even labourers.' She adds: 'Many of our EU nationals are concerned about their ability to continue to work in the UK if the suggested transition arrangements for people who have lived in the UK for five years are not adopted. 'It leads to uncertainty and so they will be considering the good alternative to go back to their home country to work, which will only cause more problems with the skills shortage.' 'In general, we feel that Brexit will create new opportunities for us in the long term but we are concerned about consumers who will hit the most by price increases in both labour and materials.'

What should small businesses do in preparation?

We asked Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Business (FSB), to offer guidance on how small business can prepare for the end of freedom of movement. Here is what he recommends.

'Our research shows that one in five small business employers have EU citizens on their staff, often in skilled roles. These were primarily recruited here in the UK, applying for a job like everyone else, already here and with the right to work.

[Employers] should consider reassuring any EU citizens they employ that they will help all they can to comply with whatever post-Brexit system is introduced Mike Cherry of the FSB

'It is important for small business employers to understand the composition of their workforce. They should consider reassuring any EU citizens they employ that they will help all they can to comply with whatever post-Brexit system is introduced, to allow their employee to stay in post.

'Some small businesses say they are reliant on EU workers because of labour and skills shortages in sectors like tech, construction or care. These businesses, with either a high proportion or a high turnover of EU staff, should consider contingency planning for how they might plug those gaps post-Brexit, including increasing their investment in training and development for their existing workers.

'Overall, small businesses need a migration system that continues to give them access to the skills and labour they need in order to survive, grow and improve their productivity.

'There are still a lot of unanswered questions, not least when the cut-off point will be for EU citizens that wish to remain in the UK. Those workers  and their employers  ought to be given assurance that the cut-off point will be as late as possible, and certainly not before the UK leaves the EU. There should be a transition period of at least three years before any new system is phased in.'
Ive started up a small business as a sole trader. If something goes wrong and it doesnt work out will I be personally liable?

Im worried if the business fails or if ever I face legal issues I could be putting my family home and savings at risk. What can I do to protect myself?

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to go into business is becoming a sole trader but business debts could become personal debts if you are not careful

Myron Jobson, of This is Money, says: Many people start their own ventures with the greatest intentions and sky-high ambition, but the sad reality is 90 per cent of start-ups fail within two years of inception.

It is therefore worth thinking about how to protect yourself should the worst happen and your business fails.

Many entrepreneurs choose to launch their first venture as a sole trader because it is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to go into business. A key benefit of the status is the ability to withdraw cash from the business without tax effect.

While the old adage of 'those who fly solo have the strongest wings' can ring true, starting out as a sole trader is risky as you assume complete liability.

This means business debts could become personal debts if you are not careful. Your business's creditors could pursue you personally to recoup outstanding loans.

If worst comes to worst, you may be forced to apply for bankruptcy to protect yourself from creditors, or a creditor may apply to make you bankrupt.

There are insurance products that are designed specifically to prevent this situation, such as products and services liability and professional indemnity.

To offer you a steer on the main considerations, we asked a small business legal expert to provide some guidance on the options.

Carla Caroli, corporate and commercial lawyer for online firm LawBite, replies: Many small businesses owners start out life as a sole trader. After all, in the early stages, the business is basically just its founder.

Even though starting a limited company (LTD) or a limited liability partnership (LLP) in the UK is not that complicated in comparison to other countries, it is still easier to set up as a sole trader than incorporating a LTD or starting an LLP.

Carla Caroli of LawBite says sole traders can minimise the risk of business debt becoming personal debt by getting insurance

For sole traders, the administrative burden and the bureaucracy associated with running the business are much lower. There is less paperwork and no requirement to file annual accounts.

However, such flexibility comes at a cost. Because the sole trader and the business are not separate entities  as said, the business is the owner  the sole traders personal assets and the businesss assets are not separate as well. It is all in one pot.

When you set up a LTD or LLP, these entities have their own assets. Such assets are under the entitys name and are separate from the owners assets.

Therefore, if the business fails, the LTD and the LLP will be the debtors and (except in some extreme cases) only their own assets will be used to pay their debts. Thats the practical effect of the common terms 'legal entities' and 'limited liability'.

That does not apply to sole traders, who are personally liable for the businesss debts. Therefore, the owner's assets  savings and properties  will be at risk if something goes wrong with the business as they may be used to pay business debts.

How to set up a limited company. Source: Gov.uk

However, you can minimise this risk using the contracts you sign for your business. It is possible to contractually allocate the risks related to certain events between the parties and limit some liabilities.

You can also consider getting insurance against certain risks you think are more likely to happen in your business or that would cause greater damage if they did happen.

In addition to that, the most obvious way to avoid this risk would be by using a LTD or a LLP to run your business through a legal entity and take advantage of limited liability. However, you must be aware that whilst you are a SME your lenders may nevertheless request some personal guarantee.

At least in this case you may have some room to negotiate the extent of your personal liability.
MBABANE  Judge Titus Mlangeni had handed down a 23-year imprisonment sentence to a man who killed a deputy head teacher on allegations that he attempted to sodomise him.

Bongani Bavukile Dlamini (21) stabbed Sipho Mhlongo, who was a Deputy Head Teacher at Mvimbeko High School, with a knife more than 20 times all over the body. His defence that he stabbed Mhlongo because he (teacher) was trying to sodomise him was dismissed by the court. The sentencing of Dlamini on Friday comes after Judge Mlangeni found him guilty of the murder of Mhlongo of Mvutjini whom he stabbed while at his residence in the school. The incident happened on September 5, 2014. The Crown, which was represented by Principal Crown Thabo Dlamini, submitted that there were aggravating circumstances in this case, which warranted that the court should mete out a sentence that took to account the extraordinary cruel manner in which Mhlongo lost his life.

The court was also asked to consider the extent of loss to Mhlongos family, his community and society at large. In support of this submission, the Crown led evidence of Siphos mother Martha Mhlongo, who is a retired teacher. This witnesss evidence revealed a close relationship that existed between her and Sipho, cemented to an extent by the fact that Sipho was the only child. Martha further described Sipho as a loving person who had the heart of a child, often a peacemaker in the family and between family members and others. She told the court that although she was on a monthly pension, Sipho provided regular material support to her. Martha stated that after the death of her son, she discovered that he had been assisting a number of disadvantaged children with their educational needs and that he was an active churchgoer who had keen interest in community work, including clean up campaigns.

Judge Mlangeni said Marthas evidence was laden with sentiment and emotion, but through this he (judge) was able to discern that Sipho was a good and jovial person who was loved in the family and well respected at the school where he was a deputy head teacher. The extent of grief was such that some members of the family required counselling, for this is no ordinary case of murder, said Judge Mlangeni. He noted that referring to the multiplicity of injuries upon the body of Sipho, the police pathologist described the situation as very rare. As soon as the assailant was through with his grisly deed, he hastily left the scene of crime, together with his companion, leaving the deceased alone in the circumstances where there was objectively no realistic hope of survival, noted the judge.

Judge Mlangeni said these factors led him to the conclusion that indeed there were aggravating circumstances in the matter. He further pointed out that against the gravity of the offence and the loss to the family and society, he had to consider the personal circumstance of the offender. Judge Mlangeni observed that the offender was a 23-year-old and had two minor children. The sad reality though is that the minor children cannot be a factor in the equation, because the unavoidable consequence of the crime is that he shall spend a great deal of time away from them, stated the judge.
MBABANE  He took five complainants to a forest and tied them up while he sexually violated them for about three hours.

While sexually violating the complainants, Doctor Mkhabela threatened to stab them with a knife. The High Court has now sentenced him to 52-years imprisonment without an option of a fine. In one instance, he sodomised a herd boy he found in the forest where he used to hide and commit the crimes. The court heard how one of the survivors was asked to choose between death or being raped and she elected to be thrown into a river. Mkhabela would not only rape or attempt to rape the complainants but would also rob them of their belongings. Where sexual violation was an element, Mkhabela was facing a total of six counts which are three rapes, one attempted rape and two of indecent assaults.

Judge Titus Mlangeni described Mkhabelas actions as animalistic.

Mkhabela had approached the High Court with a view of having his 48-year sentence, that was imposed by a Manzini principal magistrate, reduced not knowing that he would get more than he had bargained for. He was facing a total of 18 counts, which included housebreaking and theft and robbery. Judge Mlangeni also changed some counts of indecent assault to that of rape. In one of the charges, Mkhabela raped the complainant in the presence of two other adult women who were said to have been about one metre away. Mkhabela, who was brandishing a bayonet, threatened the complainant with death, forced her to lean against a tree and raped her. The ordeal occurred over a period of about three hours, hence there was no difficulty with recognising Mkhabela who did not cover his face when he committed the offence. For this offence, the court confirmed the sentence of 15 years imposed by the magistrate. In count 15, which was indecent assault, the judge said he did not readily understand why the charge was indecent assault and not rape.

The judge noted that in her evidence, the complainant narrated how the offender raped her. However, the details will not be repeated. Judge Mlangeni pointed out that the line of cross examination by Mkhabela revealed that at the very least, he did other unconventional deeds to the complainant. Assuming that he did not do anything more, does this not amount to rape? According to legal authorities, it does amount to rape, said Judge Mlangeni. He said he had no reason to disbelieve what was said by the complainant. I found that the appellant (Mkhabela) is guilty of rape, not indecent assault, added the judge. It was also the courts observation that during the rape, the complainants mouth was tied using her grandmothers dress; her hands were tied at the back, as well as her feet. The Crown was represented by Principal Crown Counsel Nomvula Hlophe from the chambers of the Di
MAPHALALENI  Pupils should brace themselves for to a bad start in the opening of the third term, as they will learn on empty stomachs.

Apart from the possibility of not having teachers to conduct lessons, hunger pangs will get the better of them. The opening of schools will not be exciting for a majority of pupils with the persistent food shortages in the schools around the country. A visit to a majority of schools by this reporter established that there was once again a serious food shortage in most of the learning institutions. The emergency food which was delivered before schools closed for the second term has already been exhausted. The Ministry of Education and Training had promised that food for the third term would be delivered during the school holidays but none of that has happened. Head teacher of Emabheleni Primary School Sibusiso Ndzinisa said they had finished the food which was delivered even before schools closed for the second term.

We will be without food if government does not deliver any to us. Ndzinisa said government, through the Ministry of Education, had delivered about three bags of beans, three bags of rice, 20 litres of cooking oil and 20 litres of peanut butter. Ndzinisa said they were optimistic that government would deliver food as per its promise, as they had been assured that food would be delivered before third term resumes.

We do not know whether government has started preparations to deliver the food for us. It will be a challenge for most of the pupils as lessons beging on the first day of the term because we are doing revisions, lamented Ndzinisa.

He said some of the pupils were sick and on medication and depended on the food which was provided at school. She said if they did not get the food at school, the pupils became frustrated and their health was compromised because they came from poor family backgrounds. The head teacher said at times guardians approached the school to enquire about the situation because they were also without food at home and sent the pupils to school with high hopes that they would be fed.

Further, Ndzinisa said some of the guardians were worried and also wanted to make contributions to save the situation. This, he said became a challenge because it was assumed to be top-up fees, yet government stopped it.

Meanwhile, Musa Simelane, who is the Head teacher at Maphalaleni High School, said the pupils should brace themselves for starvation because there was no available food in the school. Simelane said the delivered emergency food was very little and it was already finished when schools closed. However, he said the school would make means of purchasing food from the schools budget if government did not come through. He said it would be tough in the first week and they would try purchasing on the second week. In some schools, the situation was much better. Richard Nkambule from Maphalaleni Community Primary said there was remaining food which was left when they closed schools.

This food will probably last us for two weeks after schools opening. Nkambule said they were promised by the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education Pat Muir that food would be delivered when schools open for the third term.
At least 41 people died in the violence that broke out after conviction of Ram Rahim in rape case last month. Two weeks later, the attention seems to have shifted from fixing accountability for the deaths and arson to secret tunnel discovered during the Dera search.

By Prabhash K Dutta: Gurmeet Ram Rahim's business empire of faith, built over 27 years, started crumbling on August 25 when he was convicted of sexual exploitation and rape of two sadhvis.

Ram Rahim was pronounced guilty by a special CBI court in Panchkula, which witnessed large-scale pre-planned arson and violence by the Dera Sacha Sauda followers. More than 40 people lost their lives in the violence that broke in other districts of Haryana.

advertisement

The Manohar Lal Khattar government had been directed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, before the conviction of Ram Rahim, to ensure that no violence took place in the aftermath. The high court came down on the ML Khattar government heavily following the violence.

FOCUS SHIFTS IN TWO WEEKS

Now, the public attention seems to be fixed on what tumbled out of Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters at Sirsa. Curiously, the government waited for two long weeks to carry out the search operation at Sirsa campus of Ram Rahim's Dera Sacha Sauda.

The search operation at Dera Sacha Sauda involved various security agencies and government departments. It was overseen by Court Commissioner AKS Pawar.

It is intriguing as to why the government waited for two weeks before launching the search operation on September 8. The army had been deployed at the Dera headquarters since August 26, a day after Ram Rahim's conviction.

Local reports suggest that while the army stood outside the Dera headquarters at Sirsa, truckloads of materials were transported out of the premises for days after Ram Rahim was sent to jail.

In one of the interviews, Chief Minister ML Khattar too admitted that the Dera followers staying on the Sirsa campus were allowed to leave with their belongings without being checked or screened.

RECOVERIES FROM DERA HQ

CM Khattar denied that the search operation was delayed. But, when it happened, it shifted the focus from the deaths of 41 people - 36 in Panchkula and 5 in Sirsa - to secret tunnels connecting Ram Rahim's private chamber to the hostel of sadhvis and to luxury cars, an illegal crackers factory and the like.

But, among the recoveries, nothing much was found that could fix culpability of Ram Rahim and his coterie which ruled Dera, which, for instance, can easily deflect the charge of minting private currency as mere tokens meant for internal use on the campus.

The presence of secret tunnel in the Dera headquarters may not be held a criminal act. Crackers factories are in illegal operation all over the country. Interestingly, reports on recoveries don't mention about cash seizures during the Dera search operation.

advertisement

Dera claims to have more than 6 crore followers. A member of Ram Rahim's Dera is required to contribute Re 1 per day as donation. This means the daily earning of the Dera stood at Rs 6 crore. Besides, Dera had earlier claimed Ram Rahim's latest film, Jattu Engineer made a business of over Rs 500 crore in just 50 days.

The cash transaction was high in the Dera. But, the search operation did not list big cash seizures. Was all the cash shifted in truckloads after Ram Rahim's conviction while the army stood guard on government's orders?

FIXING ACCOUNTABILITY

Large scale violence broke out after Ram Rahim's conviction primarily because the Panchkula administration allowed gathering of Dera Sacha Sauda followers in huge numbers. This happened despite the Punjab and Haryana High Court's directive against it.

The thousands of Dera followers were provided meal in organised langars (community meals) and other amenities in Panchkula in the run up to the conviction of Ram Rahim. The state intelligence reports said that the officials could not distinguish between the ordinary Dera followers and "mischievous" people.

Later, the government claimed that the violence was contained within hours. But, the message that Dera followers carried home was that they were allowed to vent out their anger by burning public properties including railway station.

advertisement

When it came to taking action against authorities, a Panchkula district official was suspended for bungling the notice of imposition of Section 144 of the CrPC. A commando and a few security officials were taken into custody for being part of the escape plan for Ram Rahim.

Now, after the Dera search operation is over, the government claims it as big crackdown on the empire of Ram Rahim even though the accountability is yet to be fixed for the damage to the public property and death of 41 people following conviction of the self-styled godman.

ALSO READ |

Gurmeet Ram Rahim is a sex addict, says doctor who examined him in jail

Dera search ends: What tumbled out of Gurmeet Ram Rahim's Sirsa ashram

ALSO WATCH: Ram Rahim is a sex addict, claims doctor who examined him

--- ENDS ---
Teachers during a meeting.SNAT last week summoned teachers to an extraordinary meeting scheduled for tomorrow to get a mandate on the cost of living adjustment talks between unions and government. The meeting will be at the SNAT Centre on the same day sch

MBABANE  There is serious confusion on whether pupils will have teachers tomorrow to conduct lessons.

This comes after the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) last week summoned teachers to an extraordinary meeting scheduled for tomorrow to get a mandate on the cost of living adjustment talks between unions and government. The meeting will be at the SNAT Centre on the same day schools open. SNAT is adamant that teachers will be attending the meeting tomorrow, which leaves the question on who will teach the pupils at schools. SNAT Secretary General Zwelithini Mndzebele could not be drawn to comment about what would happen to pupils who would attend school tomorrow. Mndzebele stated that they could only speak about teachers, and questions relating to schools and pupils would have to be directed to the Ministry of Education and Training. He feared putting words in peoples mouths should he speak about pupils.

Mdzebele stated that the meeting was their way of informing teachers about developments in issues pertaining to salary negotiations, among others. He boldly said that teachers should attend the meeting without any fear as it was called by an organisation that had a recognition agreement with government. He added that there was nothing hidden about the meeting. Mndzebele made it clear that it was not the first time they were convening a meeting in this fashion and school operations continued. He confirmed that the meeting would not be after schools close business for the day but would be at 10am. According to him, the ministry was made aware of the meeting in writing but there was no response.

It is not within our jurisdiction as teachers to close schools, it is in that of the ministry, he said. Mndzebele added that teachers would have to worry about disciplinary action taken against them only if the association had not informed the ministry about the meeting.

School administrators hands seem to be tied on the matter if the Swaziland Principals Association (SWAPA) President Welcome Mhlangas words are anything to go by.

Mhlanga stated that there was nothing they could do to teachers who would not attend school tomorrow, as it was the Teaching Service Commission or ministrys duty to state what would happen to those teachers.

All we know is that schools will open tomorrow but we have not heard what will happen to those who will not report for duty, Mhlanga said.When asked about their role at schools in terms of ensuring that teachers conducted lessons, Mhlanga said head teachers were not guards and all they would do was report for duty tomorrow. He further said they could not comment on whether teachers should go to school or not because they were summoned by their association, SNAT.




MBABANE  Many Swazis who subscribe for their DStv channels in South Africa may find themselves in trouble.



Multichoice Swaziland has warned Swazi residents against subscribing or purchasing unauthorised DStv subscriptions from South Africa, which are on sale in the country. However, some subscribers, particularly on social media, said their main gripe was that Multichoice Swaziland has limited packaging, especially because they cannot access South African Broadcasting Channels (SABCs) and E-TV.



In their statement, Multichoice Swaziland stated that viewing of DStv channels in Swaziland without a valid subscription to Multichoice Swaziland, and any recording or duplication of any of the content on these channels, was a breach of copyright laws and international conventions on the protection of intellectual property rights. Multichoice further urged all persons in Swaziland who are interested in acquiring a DStv decoder and subscribing for DStv services to contact their offices in Mbabane, Ezulwini and Manzini.



A majority of the Facebook users wanted to know what the benefits of subscribing in Swaziland would be besides being able to access Swazi TV locally. However, lawyer Sidumo Mdladla of S.V Mdladla and Associates, which has been tasked with the collection of TV licence payments in the country, also agrees with Multichoice Swaziland.



The attorney said it was indeed illegal to subscribe in South Africa while based in Swaziland. He said this was a similar problem they encountered whenever they went after people for payment of their TV licences, as they always claim not to watch Swazi TV and therefore, were not keen on paying. As long as you have a TV set you must pay your TV licence, said Mdladla.



Mdladla said as they were going around inviting people to pay their TV licences, the major reason forwarded by viewers on why they were not keen to pay was that they did not watch Swazi TV and, therefore, were not in a position to make payment. The money is for each monitor that a person owns in their house, said Mdladla. He said the fee was only E15 per month or E180 per year.



He said although they did not feature much in the Multichoice Swaziland issue, it was only fair to advise locals to heed the call to subscribe locally because there were laws that were broken if they subscribed elsewhere.



However, research conducted shows that the price packages in Swaziland and South Africa are similar, although the compact is cheaper in Swaziland. The only difference being that in Swaziland they cannot access SABC channels.

price differences:

bouquet option SA Swaziland

DStv Premium E789 R789 (182 Channels)

DStv Compact + E490 R480 (157 Channels)

DStv Compact E345 R365 (148 channels )

DStv Family E215 R235 (104 channels)

DStv Access E120 R99 (98)

DStv EasyView R29



*Additional info sourced from www.dstv.com/en-sz










Journalists and SWANCEFA members in a discussion with Human Rights lawyer Thulani Maseko (R) during a media workshop yesterday at Rumblas in Mbabane. (Pics: Phumelele Mkhonta)

MBABANE  Come rain or sunshine, schools are opening today. This was the gist of what the Minister of Education and Training Phineas Magagula said during an interview yesterday.



Magagula stated that he would not argue anything about schools opening today as that might mean that he was also in doubt. He emphasised that all teachers would be in schools teaching pupils. Schools will open tomorrow (today) on the 12th and all teachers will be at schools, he clarified.



Addressing the thorny issue of food delivery in schools, Magagula did not come out clear about when it would be delivered.

He stated that he was still waiting for a report from the Ministrys nutritionist whom he said was out of office. He promised to communicate about the issue today.



According to the government website, there are 600 primary schools in the country with an enrolment of 239 793 pupils. Some of these pupils might not eat at school today due to that food has not been delivered.

On another note, sources stated that there were over 50 schools that had not received FPE grants from government. Some of these schools were said to be in the rural areas.



The FPE programme is funded by the government with the assistance of the European Union (EU). The Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training, Pat Muir, stated that there were no problems with the share coming from the EU.

Muir stated that he was yet to find out what was stalling the funds on the side of government.



He, however, stated that it was all systems go today as schools would open as planned. He shared that the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) usually calls branch executives to meetings while other members remained at schools.
MBABANE  It never rains but pours for murder suspect Lucky Obama Matsenjwa as the Crown has added eight more charges against him.



This means that Matsenjwa is now facing a total of 12 charges.

Initially, Matsenjwa was facing four charges which are; murder, defeating the ends of justice, theft and contempt of court. The new charges are defeating or obstructing the course of justice and seven of attempting to defeat or obstruct the ends of justice.

The new charges are contained in the indictment which was filed by the acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Sandile Dlamini, in the High Court yesterday.



Matsenjwa stands charged with the murder of police officer Mduduzi Schaza Matsebula, who was a key witness in the fingerprints case where the former is an accused person. He allegedly killed Matsebula on May 12, 2017 near Buka in the Hhohho region.

It is alleged that he did this with intent to obstruct the course of justice, as he knew that Matsebula was a key witness in the fingerprints case.



In the added charges, it is alleged that during the month of April 2017, Matsenjwa attempted to defeat or obstruct the course of justice.

In that on or about the month of April 2017, at or near Garage Bar, Mbabane, the accused unlawfully and with intent to defeat or obstruct the course of justice, requested one Ngcebo Verimaak to convince Mduduzi Schaza Matsebula not to give evidence against the accused (Matsenjwa) in the trial of the Prevention of Corruption charges (fingerprints case), reads part of the new charges.
MEHLWABOVU  The discovery of a headless naked body of a woman has stocked fears that ritual murders are on the prowl at Mehlwabovu.



The remains have only been identified as those of a woman estimated to have been around her 30s. The body was found in a forest at Mehlwabovu Hill, outside Hlatikhulu, yesterday morning.



Police said it appears the body had been in the forest for the past two weeks, given that it was already starting to decompose.

They said the body could not be identified since it was headless, and only had a black bra as a cover.



The gruesome discovery was made by a resident who had gone to the hill to cut firewood when he noticed an unresponsive body tucked under vegetation, shortly after 7am.



He moved closer to investigate and further noted that the body was headless.

Shocked by the grisly find, the man immediately informed other residents and a hurried call was made to the police.

The disturbing scene reportedly attracted a lot of onlookers.



Police officers from the Hlatikhulu Police Station were deployed to the scene, and the area was cordoned off as a crime scene while the investigators searched for clues.

Officers collected the remains of a torn pink shirt that was found nearby, together with the black bra which was found still intact on the half-decomposed body.



Due to the proximity of the torn shirt and the body, it was assumed that perhaps it also belonged to her. It was suspected that the woman may have been murdered and then her head deliberately cut off, either for ritual-related purposes or to conceal her identity.
The accused was arrested by Bandra police on Sunday after he stabbed an employee of the Bandra-Worli sea link toll booth for asking money for toll.

By Vidya : The Magistrate's Court in Bandra today granted custody of Shiv Sena worker Rahul Rege and his friend Paleshwar Chavan till September 15 to Bandra police station for further investigation. Both the accused were arrested by Bandra police on Sunday after Chavan stabbed an employee of the Bandra-Worli sea link toll booth for asking money for toll.

Bandra police also told the magistrate that they needed to recover the weapon used by both the accused to stab the victim. They also told the court that they needed more time as they needed to find out other records of accused if any or whether he was a habitual offender.

advertisement

Advocate Dhananjay Dubey, representing the victim Kiran Chouhan, told the court that the matter was of serious nature and a strong message should go to the society that there is no lawlessness and people should not take law in their hands by showing their affiliation to political parties. Chouhan at the moment is admitted to the ICU of Lilavati hospital and is battling for life.

Rege and Chavan have been booked under Sections 326, 323, 504 and 34 of Indian Penal Code Bandra police. According to the police around 5.15PM on Sunday, Rege and Chavan, were on their way to Worli from Bandra. They were travelling in an Innova car and were trying to cross the toll booth without paying. When the victim stopped them and asked to pay the toll, they tried to speed away following which an argument ensued between the three.

The victim was stabbed in the stomach and other eye witnesses at the toll booth overpowered the two and handed them over to the police. All this commotion can be clearly seen in the close circuit cameras installed at the toll booth.

ALSO READ:

Caught on camera: Bajrang Dal goons ransack toll plaza on Indore-Dewas border

WATCH: Rajasthan BJP MLA creates ruckus at toll plaza, gets 50 vehicles to pass without paying toll

WATCH: Caught on camera: TRS leader's son stabs toll plaza manager over fare of Rs 30

--- ENDS ---
Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams

By Tammy Scileppi

Today, women are tougher and more empowered than ever, and they dont take guff from anyone. So why is it that so many have found themselves embroiled in messy, sometimes abusive relationships with manipulative, controlling partners?

As Domestic Violence Awareness Month approaches, its important to keep in mind that this devastating issue has become a national epidemic, and that it encompasses more than physical abuse.

Women are much more likely to be victims of intimate partner violence, making up 85 percent of domestic abuse victims (15 percent are men). So many women, especially mothers, find it difficult to leave these relationships that involve physical, emo-

tional or financial abuse, or all three.

Unfortunately, happily ever after is hard to come by and sometimes people arent always who they seem to be.

In fact, any relationship can go south in a New York minute. Just ask author and former New Yorker Jen Waite. The strong, vibrant and intelligent single mom from Astoria will tell you that love can sometimes be A Beautiful, Terrible Thing  the title of her new memoir. Its a heart-wrenching, real-life story about romance and marriage, betrayal, emotional abuse, healing and new beginnings.

Luckily, there was no physical abuse, but plenty of emotional trauma, according to Waite, now 32. She spoke about her harrowing experience during a recent phone interview from her residence in Maine, where she has been living with her 2-year-old daughter.

The author found herself in a nightmare situation back in 2015, just a couple of years into her fairy tale turned emotionally and psychologically abusive marriage to Marco, who was once the man of her dreams.

She now describes him as a true psychopath.

Writing with raw emotion during a period of profound pain and turmoil, Waite shares her deepest, most private thoughts with the reader through a dual-narrative approach, shifting back and forth in time from the past and fast-forwarding five years hence.

It was therapeutic, Waite said. I was writing almost in real time  so I could function, as I was discovering my husbands secret life. After a few weeks, I realized I was writing a memoir. I would be stuck until I understood why my life had blown up so badly.

For 20-something Jen, it seemed as if the sun rose and set around her boyfriend, Marco. They met at a burger restaurant in Astoria, a few blocks from her apartment. The pretty blonde waited tables there while pursuing an acting career. One day, she saw the sexy Latin bartender from across the room. He smiled back at her, and from then on their love affair seemed like a Hollywood romance  until it became a horror film.

What if everything you believed in turned out to be an illusion?

The unraveling of Jens marriage took place just three weeks after her daughter was born.

Was her husband really having an affair? A strange email one day was only the tip of the iceberg, as she would soon uncover a shocking web of lies and deceit that would turn her world upside down.

When Waite first shared the details of Marcos betrayal on Today.com in 2016, she wrote, This pain came from a place so deep within me that I could not determine where the pain ended and I began. We were intertwined. It was all-consuming. It felt as if half of my DNA had been ripped out of my body and I was left with a dangling half strand. Half a person.

It all happened during what should have been the sweetest, most precious time in a couples life  the birth of their child. But sadly, thats when the emotional abuse started.

Nearly half of all women in the United States have experienced at least one form of psychological aggression by an intimate partner, according to the American Psychological Association.

Expressive aggression is when your intimate partner has called you names (e.g., fat, ugly, crazy, stupid) insulted, humiliated or made fun of you; called you a loser, a failure or not good enough; acted very angry in a way that seemed dangerous.

During the interview, the author recalled the cruel mind games that her ex used to play. The new mom was muddling through a fog caused by sleep-deprivation and confusion, what with caring for a colicky newborn, while playing detective, so she could make sense of the lies and deception.

As a master manipulator, Marco played on his wifes vulnerabilities and state of mind.

Waite said it was like a master class in gaslighting  his favorite technique. He would insist he wasnt cheating on her and that she was crazy. She started to believe she was imagining things even though she kept finding evidence to the contrary.

Id catch him in lies and he would just adamantly deny them; always had a good excuse. Its a scary thing, the crazy-making that went on and goes on in a lot of these relationships, where you end up not trusting yourself or your perception of reality, she added. I think thats the goal. Someone like him has no remorse and takes pleasure in playing mind games.

As she started to connect the dots, the ugly truth about her marriage (it was a sham) was revealed, thanks to a digital trail left by Facebook, Instagram, Uber and Seamless.

Jen had to come to terms with the sickening truth: She was living with a psychopath.

Contrary to popular culture, most psychopaths arent murderers or serial killers, Waite noted. Experts believe as many as one in four people in the United States are on the psychopathic/sociopathic spectrum. Theyre usually charmers and narcissists (take wife killers Scott Peterson and Drew Peterson). Their immediate goal is control and they always have an agenda.

Like many abused women, Waite suffered from depression, anxiety and low self-esteem during her traumatic ordeal, but it was only temporary; she said she was finally able to free herself from her abuser and put the pieces of her life back together, thanks to her writing and her supportive parents and amazing therapist, who also helped her understand her own role in the relationship. Looking back, Waite acknowledged her lack of boundaries, and a series of red flags, which were ignored in her quest for love.

They say love is blind, and like so many people stung by cupids arrow, a naive Jen allowed the affair to progress too quickly. That was the first warning sign. Waites advice: Look out for love bombing. Its super intense in the beginning; lots of flattery. Marco made her feel adored. She yearned for that and was searching for it.

He made me feel as if I was the center of the universe, and he said all the right things, Waite recalled.

Yet she felt there was something off about it. Ask yourself: Could this be real love after a week?

Another glaring red flag: Marco was coming out of a messy relationship. A couple of months in, she remembered feeling sick to my stomache when she knew he still hadnt ended it.

If you see theyre treating someone else badly, you should run away. Theyll do it to you as well. A big one is if they have a really sad story; its called the pity play, where they use their past to justify bad behavior.

Her ex also stripped the author of her savings; its part of the emotional financial destruction.

He instinctively knew there was a lot to gain from our relationship, Waite said. He opened a business; had a family, friends, and a reputability he hadnt had before. My parents liked him a lot; he won them over. Now everybody shudders at the thought of him. Hes dead to us.

Indeed, there are plenty of insincere and abusive antisocial types out there who cant connect with anyone on a true emotional level. And far too many unsuspecting ladies (and men) in search of true love, who have fallen prey to their charms and empty promises.

Waite has moved on and is starting anew. In July, she returned to her old stomping grounds for the launch party of her book at The Astoria Bookshop.

Currently working in insurance to pay the bills, Waite spends her free time with her daughter and family, and is considering a career in psychotherapy.

I feel grounded; happy with my life right now. Internally strong, she says. One day, Ill tell my daughter what happened.

Waites blog on Today.com got 500-plus views and it was clear that her traumatic experiences had struck a collective nerve with so many disillusioned women.

Now, Im facing my insecurities and vulnerabilities head-on and Im not ashamed. Trying to build my self-worth and self-respect and form boundaries for the first time, she said. So, as much as I sometimes want to scream and rage at my ex-husband, I also want to thank him: For forcing me to become the person I was always meant to be. For showing me that I am a fighter and that I will never give up. And most importantly, for allowing me to become this person before my daughter ever knew anyone else.

When you begin to truly trust yourself and like yourself, you tap into an immense amount of power. Youve always possessed this power, you just never knew how to access it.
Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams

By Naeisha Rose

The Democratic candidates running City Council seats in the St. Albans and Jamaica districts came out swinging Tuesday night at the Majority Baptist Church in St. Albans.

Community Board 12 Chairwoman Adrienne Adams squared off against her two challengers, public defender Hettie Powell and Richard David, a public sector worker were at the forum. Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans) and his opponent, retired Marine Anthony Rivers, also took part in the debate.

Throughout the night the candidates discussed overpolicing, charter schools, education, youth incarceration and a constitutional convention.

All of them wanted their potential constituents to vote no to a constitutional convention, which would allow lawmakers to amend or change the states constitution at a cost to taxpayers of $300 million, according to New Yorkers Against Corruption, a bipartisan coalition.

Each candidate said would destroy the savings of retirees and protections union members enjoy.

I do not support a constitutional convention, said Adams, who is running for the District 28 seat held by Ruben Wills, who went to jail on corruption charges last month. I encourage everyone to vote no, she said as the audience erupted into applause.

District 28 covers blah, blah, while District 27 includes

When it came to community policing and youth incarceration, Powell had a slightly different approach in comparison to the other candidates.

The others wanted to expand upon a community officer program, demanded more diversity in the New York Police Department and praised the Right-to-Know Act, which forces officers to be explain why they are stopping someone.

Powell said her community needed more policing and that there should be programs to keep kids off the street and from going to prison in the first place. She also wanted more sensitivity training for police officers.

They do not understand our culture and they want to arrest us for the least incident that may occur, said Powell, a member of the 113 Precinct Council. That is unconstitutional.

Charter schools and education led to a more heated debate.

Most candidates were supportive of school choice, but were wary of charter schools and believed that the operation of such institutions should not come at the cost of public school funding.

Rivers even called them corrupt.

Adams pressed for more equity for public schools and touted her grassroots work in providing August Martin High School a library.

David, Adams other opponent, was outright against them and said there has always been school choice since the advent of religious and private schools, and neither had tried to siphon funding from public schools.

Its misleading when you say choice, David said. When you say I want to take money out of public schools, thats different and that is why Im opposed to the system.

When asked about failing schools, Miller said District 27 did not fail this year and is making gains in the education front. He mentioned IS 192 and PS 176, which won competitions in robotics and coding.

Rivers disagreed on the progress of schools in the district and wanted parents to be more involved in childrens education.

Its not just the school, but the system is failing our children, Rivers said. If you dont nurture [children] they will become socially inept.

We have to talk to the students, the parents, the teachers and the principals, Rivers said.
Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams

By Mark Hallum

A pair of state senators from Queens has allocated funds to the Queens District Attorneys Office to support crime victims with special needs, such as children, the elderly and immigrants.

Sens. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) and Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) earmarked $150,000 to fund the DAs Elder Fraud Unit, Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Child Advocacy Center. Criticism of the two elected officials intensified over the winter as Peralta joined Avella in the Independent Democratic Committee, a band of breakaway Democrats willing to negotiate with Republicans, who held a majority until March, in order to pass legislation.

Now more than ever our legal system needs to do all it can to protect the most vulnerable of New Yorkers, Avella said. This allocation will protect children, immigrants and seniors, some of the most targeted populations in our city. I am proud that Sen. Peralta and I are able to provide this money to protect our fellow Queens residents and am looking forward to all the positive work DA (Richard) Brown can do with this funding.

The Office of Immigrant Affairs works to deliver vital legal services for the emigre communities of Queens, which often lack representation in the justice system. It also does community outreach while cooperating with city and state agencies.

The Queens County District Attorneys Office does remarkable, proactive work protecting the most vulnerable crime victims in the borough, Peralta said. With public safety at the top of his priority list, these funds will help District Attorney Richard Brown combat unscrupulous people who prey on children, immigrants and the elderly. And under the current political landscape, it is imperative we protect our immigrants to ensure that they can confidently go to a place to seek assistance in case they have been victimized.

The Queens Child Advocacy Center provides protection and medical assistance to families and children affected by physical and sexual abuse through a highly specialized staff.

A society is measured by how it treats the weakest and most vulnerable among its people, Brown said. In Queens County, we have long strived to protect those especially vulnerable to deception, fraud and abuse  the children, the elderly and our immigrant communities.

The DAs office has a staff of assistant district attorneys to work with social workers and elderly individuals who have been the victims of crime, especially fraud and financial exploitation. The DA engages in public outreach to inform seniors of their options if they have been victimized.
Did you vote in the midterm elections as if your countrys existence depended on it?

columns
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

ALBANY  A bill that would give the state Legislature final approval of rate increases by gas and electric utilities like National Grid would provide an "extra layer of protection" for consumers but doesn't appear to replace the state Public Service Commission's role.

State Sen. James Tedisco and Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara are sponsoring the bill, known as the Ratepater Protection Act, which has been drafted as National Grid is asking the state to allow it to increase rates by $331 million starting next year.

The increase would translate to about $17 extra a month for the typical residential gas and electric customer, although the staff at the PSC are pushing for a much lower increase.

The Tedisco/Santabarbara bill would require that a utility like National Grid to submit details of a rate hike to the Legislature 180 days before the proposed rate hike would take effect.

That six months is just under half the time of the PSC's rate request examination period of 11 months.

The proposed legislation doesn't explicitly say that the Legislature's review would eliminate the PSC's current role of reviewing and approving utility rate plans.

Bills in the legislature are accompanied by a memo that justifies the legislation, and in this case, what follows in italics is what the Tedisco/Santabarbara bill memo says about the reason for the bill and how it would impact the PSC, which has hundreds of staffers and a board of five commissioners that vote on rate hikes.

The bill states: "While the Public Service Commission is charged with assuring consumers are not subject to excessive rate hikes, they are not accountable to the voters who ultimately pay for these essential services in an industry bereft of free market competition and choice.

Currently, these increases are not subject to ratification, and this bill would provide a much-needed extra layer of protection for ratepayers here in New York state."

Under the existing process, the governor nominates commissioners to the PSC (and the state Senate approves those nominations), so the governor would in effect be giving away some of his influence over utility rates to the Legislature if he were to sign such a bill.

A spokesman for Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the governor's office would review the bill before forming an opinion. The bill is currently in committee in the Senate.

Sen. Kevin Parker, Democrat of Brooklyn, the ranking member of the Senate Energy Committee, will co-sponsor the bill in the Senate.

The PSC isn't commenting in keeping with its policy of not getting involved with the legislative process.

National Grid, which has the most at stake, didn't directly address whether or not it opposes legislative oversight of its rates, which is not believed to happen in any other state.

"We have worked hard to keep our delivery prices stable for more than a decade while investing more than $6 billion to improve the reliability and resiliency of our delivery system," National Grid spokesman Patrick Stella said. "We filed our one-year proposal, required by law, with the hope that we can lessen bill impacts through a multi-year agreement while also increasing programs that support those who struggle to pay their bills. We look forward to working with all parties to our rate case to arrive at an agreement that mitigates the delivery price increase for all customers, protects those who struggle to pay their bills, and assures we can continue to provide safe, reliable service for our 1.6 million upstate New York customers."

Stella said the delivery price freeze for upstate electricity and natural gas customers will remain in effect through March 31, 2018.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Two fungal outbreaks targeting maple trees around the Capital Region are leaving trees naked weeks before the usual fall foliage season would strip them of their leaves.

Anthracnose is a disease characterized by brown blotches and lesions on maple leaves. It causes leaves to fall off and "turns entire trees brown," said Dr. Lily Calderwood, commercial horticulture educator with the Albany County office of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

"It was especially bad this year," Calderwood said. "It's affected a lot of trees."

Maple trees are also suffering from the so-called "tar spot" disease, which causes dark spots the size of quarters to appear on the leaves of affected trees and primarily affects Norway maples. The disease generally does not threaten the overall health of tree, but it can cause the tree to shed leaves early.

"Trees with tar spot can withstand a lot of it, but trees with anthracnose can lose their color pretty fast," Calderwood said.

A cool, damp summer and an abundance of rain made conditions in the Capital Region ideal for fungi. There have been more than 29 inches of rainfall in Albany since January, five inches higher than the average 24 inches, according to the National Weather service.

Most of New York was hit hard by heavy rains this spring and summer, said Kevin Mathers, environment and natural resources educator with the Broome County office of Cornell Cooperative Extension. Within an eight-day period in July, he received more than 20 phone calls and several emails from Broome County residents wondering what the black spots on their maple trees were.

"Thankfully it doesn't do any long-term damage to the trees, it just makes them look ugly," Mathers said.

The fungal diseases also affected maple trees in Tioga County, where Mathers lives. Both Broome and Tioga counties are southwest of the Capital Region on the Pennsylvania border. A spokesperson for the Lake George Land Conservancy said the conservancy was not aware of any tar spot or anthracnose affecting trees in the area.

Albany Rural Cemetery, a popular spot for people who like walking or running among the headstones, was hit particularly hard by tar spot this summer.

"We have a lot of trees in the cemetery with the tar spots," cemetery manager John Buzta said. "I haven't noticed this problem as much in the past."

Because the disease infected the trees earlier in the year, there's not much than can be done now, Buzta said.

At St. Agnes Cemetery, located next to Albany Rural in Menands, workers have been sent out to clear piles of leaves like it is mid-fall.

"It's very unfortunate," said Jennifer Mele, the director of Albany Diocesan Cemeteries. "Ground crews are out working to alleviate as many of the leaves as possible."

Both types of fungi survive over the winter on fallen leaves, buds and twigs. Homeowners can slow the spread of these diseases by raking and bagging up leaves, Calderwood said.

The Department of Agriculture is "monitoring maple trees in the Capital Region and across the state for signs of an epidemic or illness. Maple trees can be affected by wet conditions like those experienced in the Capital Region this summer, causing tar spots on the leaves, a type of fungus that manifests itself onto the leaves of maples in wet weather," according to a statement.

miszler@timesunion.com  518-454-5018  @madisoniszler
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Auto industry body SIAM today sought exemption from cess on 10-13 seater vehicles under the recently introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST) framework.

It, however, hoped the new cess rates announced last week would now remain stable and not be increased frequently.

"SIAM feels that the long standing anomaly in the taxation of 10-13 seater vehicles could have been fully corrected and these should have been fixed at a GST rate of 28 per cent without any cess as these are public transport vehicles and not for personal use," it said in a statement.

advertisement

SIAM hoped this anomaly would be addressed in future, it added.

In the pre-GST era, such vehicles enjoyed concession in excise duty rate. After GST implementation, the government exempted compensation cess only on ambulances that can carry up to nine persons.

These 10-13 seater vehicles, including ambulances, now attract top tax rate of 28 per cent with 15 per cent cess. The industry body also hoped that now the states would not unilaterally increase the road taxes as now they would be receiving increased compensation through the revised cess.

Though, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) felt relieved that a GST Cess of 25 per cent has not been imposed across the board on all larger cars as was the apprehension.

With the new GST cess, the taxation on mid-sized passenger cars have been almost restored to the pre-GST levels, while taxes on luxury cars and SUVs have been slightly moderated as compared to the pre-GST rates, it said.

"The government has also recognised the need to encourage hybrid vehicles by creating a differential taxation on hybrid cars, which was one of SIAM?s request and this is a welcome step," SIAM said. Last week, GST Council increased cess on mid-sized cars by 2 per cent, on large cars by 5 per cent and that of the SUVs by 7 per cent. The council, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, decided not to levy any additional tax on small petrol and diesel cars of up to 1200 cc as well as on hybrid ones. PTI MSS MKJ

--- ENDS ---
ALBANY - City residents may have to step up their game this winter when it comes to shoveling snow from sidewalks.

Albany Common Councilwoman Leah Golby recently introduced an ordinance that would remove an extra 24-hour window given to residents and business owners who haven't cleared sidewalks of snow.

My hope is that this prompts people to address things sooner, she said. Its about mobility. Its about making sure that people can safely get where they need to go. We are a walkable city with sidewalks. We should be a walkable city all year round, not just when the snow melts.

Local law currently dictates sidewalks must be cleared within 24 hours after snowfall has ended. If someone complains about a stretch of sidewalk not being shoveled, the city gives property owners another 24 hours to comply before citing them.

If sidewalks still havent been cleared of snow, the city Department of General Services is authorized to clear the sidewalk, charging for the services, and fines can be issued. Fines start at $100 for the first offense, and increase to $200 and $300 for the second and third violations within a three-month span. The actual cost of the snow removal also is passed on to the property owner.

Each violation after the third within a six-month period is an additional $300 fine.

Prior to 2011, the city rarely levied penalties  which was a fine of no more than $125  and billed violators for the costs of snow removal. However, Golby successfully pushed legislation that increased the fines to what they are today.

She said her initial legislation included eliminating the additional 24-hour grace period, but that provision wasn't included in ordinance the Common Council approved.

Golby said giving residents 24 hours after the snowfall has ended is plenty of time for snow removal and even generous compared to other communities across the state.

She said in Elmira, residents are required to shovel sidewalks within six to 12 hours of when snowfall begins and require residents to maintain the walkways throughout.

Although some may still be pining for warm, sunny summer days, Golby said she wanted to get the discussion started early so residents can be educated on the changes should the ordinance pass. It currently is before the councils Law Committee.

Our sidewalks are still not safe 24 hours after a snowfall for people to walk, and we need to be sure that people of all abilities, even if theyre not driving, can get where they need to go, she said.
ALBANY -- A 46-year-old ex-con from Washington County posed as a teenage girl and threatened to kill "herself" to trick a 13-year-old Georgia boy to text-message him a photo of his genitals, federal prosecutors said Monday.

"All (I) have to do is walk from the house to the woods and it's all over," the defendant, James J . Mattison of Fort Edward, allegedly told the child to get him to send the X-rated image in November 2016.

On Monday, Magistrate Judge Daniel Stewart ordered Mattison detained following an appearance in U.S. District Court.

Mattison was thwarted after a Washington County probation officer conducting a routine check of the defendant's phone spotted the suspicious text message days later, according to a complaint filed by an FBI agent in U.S. District Court on Sept. 7.

Probation officers discovered X-rated photos of the 13-year-old boy -- and of a girl. Investigators learned Mattison, while posing as a young girl named "Megan," sent the lewd photo to the boy claiming it was "her," the complaint said.

Mattison threatened the suicide on Oct. 21, 2016. He communicated with the boy until Nov. 4, 2016, the court document said.

"The conversation included a message sent from Mattison's phone in which the sender threatened to kill 'herself' unless the recipient took and sent a nude photograph of himself," the complaint stated.

Mattison told the boy "she" was "about ready to put a gun to (her) head" and was "done living," the complaint said.

"The recipient responded by imploring 'Megan' not to kill herself, and telling 'Megan' that he 'will help (her) in any way (he) can' and that he would do 'absolutely anything if it means stopping (Megan)" from killing herself. 'Megan' went on to tell the recipient that 'she' won't kill herself if the recipient sends 'her' a nude photograph, and that the production and distribution of the photograph 'will be between (them)" and "nobody will know.'"

The boy sent the X-rated image of himself after Mattison continued to threaten suicide, the complaint said.

Mattison was charged with sexual exploitation of a child, which carries 15 to 30 years in prison, after he gave a statement to probation officials, the complaint said.

He said he met the child on live.me, a social networking site.

"I tried this app because I was having a hard time connecting with people on Facebook.com," Mattison told a probation officer. "I haven't had sex with a female in about five years and I am looking for help and sexual conversations have helped relieve my stress. I can't use Facebook to look for sex especially with men because it could get back to my ex and that would hurt my custody case."

Mattison allegedly said: "In the beginning I was looking for pictures or conversation but I found that I liked the combination of the sexual talk and the pictures."
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Havana

Powerful waves and storm surge from Hurricane Irma topped Havana's iconic Malecon seawall and left thousands of homes, businesses and hotels swamped Sunday, even as the storm moved away from the island.

There were no immediate reports of fatalities in Cuba, where the government prides itself on disaster preparedness and said it had evacuated more than 1 million people.

Authorities warned that the floodwaters could linger for more than a day, and there was as-yet uncalculated damage to sugarcane and banana fields in central Cuba and to northern cays studded with all-inclusive resorts, potentially dealing a major blow to the country's key tourism industry.

In Havana, home to some 2 million residents, central neighborhoods along the coast between the Almendares River and Havana harbor suffered the brunt of the flooding, with seawater penetrating as much as one-third of a mile inland in places.

Waves as high as 20 feet continued to pound Havana, with the spray topping the lighthouse at the Morro fortress on the entrance to the bay, and Civil Defense Col. Luis Angel Macareno warned that the flooding would persist into Monday.

Elena Villar and her mother spent the night huddling in the lobby of a building on higher ground as her home of 30 years filled with more than 6 feet of water.

"I have lost everything," she said, on the edge of tears.

Water and wind damaged the seaside U.S. Embassy, tossing around shipping containers that sit on the compound, smashing parts of its black perimeter fence, ripping exterior panels from the building and breaking windows and doors.

State television reported severe damage to hotels on the northern cays off Ciego de Avila and Camaguey provinces.

Witnesses said a provincial museum near the eye of the storm was in ruins, and authorities in the city of Santa Clara said 39 buildings collapsed.

Similar scenes played out across the Caribbean. Irma has killed at least 24 people in the region, leaving officials scrambling to bring aid to shattered communities.

In St. Martin, formerly lush green hills were stripped to a brown stubble and the smell of rotting debris spread across the French Caribbean territory of 40,000 people.

A truck drove through damaged neighborhoods distributing water, and authorities expected to set up distribution points Monday. Plans to do so were initially delayed by Hurricane Jose, which roared toward the region as a Category 4 storm Saturday but turned north without doing much further harm.

Authorities announced the reopening of St. Martin's Marigot port and said a boat was expected to dock by Monday with a 5-ton crane capable of unloading large containers of aid.

More police and soldiers were patrolling the streets following reports of looting.

On the Dutch side of St. Martin, an island divided between French and Dutch control, an estimated 70 percent of all homes were destroyed by Irma.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Sunday that the death toll in his country's territory had risen to four after the bodies of two unidentified people washed up on the island.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Miami

Hurricane Irma gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummeling with winds up to 130 mph Sunday, swamping homes and boats, knocking out power to millions and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline.

The 400-mile-wide storm blew ashore in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then began a slow trek up the state's west coast, its punishing winds extending clear across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side.

Irma was expected to reach the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area by early Monday, though in a much-weakened state. While it arrived in Florida a Category 4 hurricane, by nightfall it was down to a Category 2 with winds of 105 mph.

"Pray, pray for everybody in Florida," Gov. Rick Scott said on "Fox News Sunday" as more than 160,000 people waited out Irma in shelters statewide.

There were no immediate confirmed reports of any deaths in Florida in addition to the 24 people killed during Irma's destructive trek across the Caribbean.

In the low-lying Keys, where a storm surge of over 10 feet was recorded, appliances and furniture were seen floating away, and Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said the ocean waters were filled with navigation hazards, including sunken boats. But the full extent of Irma's wrath there was not clear.

The county administrator, Roman Gastesi, said crews would begin house-to-house searches Monday morning to check on survivors. An airborne relief mission, led by C-130 military cargo planes, was set to bring emergency supplies to the Keys.

A Miami woman who went into labor was guided through delivery by phone when authorities couldn't reach her because of high winds and street flooding. Firefighters later took her to the hospital.

Many streets were flooded in downtown Miami and other cities.

In downtown Miami, two of the two dozen construction cranes looming over the skyline collapsed in the wind. No injuries were reported.

An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast. Flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Florida's midsection.

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.

Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other items from a sporting goods store and a pawn shop during the hurricane.

More than 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

While Irma raked Florida's Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state  including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people  was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to evacuate, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused, in part because to many storm-hardened residents, staying behind in the face of danger is a point of pride.

John Huston, who stayed in his Key Largo home, watched his yard flood even before the arrival of high tide.

"Small boats floating down the street next to furniture and refrigerators. Very noisy," he said by text message. "Shingles are coming off."

Irma made landfall just after 9 a.m. at Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles outside Key West. During the afternoon, it rounded Florida's southwestern corner and hugged the coast closely as it pushed toward Naples, Sanibel, Fort Myers and, beyond that, Sarasota, at 14 mph.

Forecasters warned some places could see a storm surge of up to 15 feet of water.

Gretchen Blee, who moved with her husband to Naples from Long Island after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 heavily damaged their beach home, took cover in a hotel room as Irma raged.

"I said let's go and live the good life in paradise," she said. "And here we are."

Some 400 miles north of the Keys, people in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area started bracing for the onslaught. The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about 3 million, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921.

"I've been here with other storms, other hurricanes. But this one scares me," Sally Carlson said as she snapped photos of the waves crashing against boats in St. Petersburg. "Let's just say a prayer we hope we make it through."

Along the Gulf Coast, two manatees became stranded after Hurricane Irma sucked the water out of Sarasota Bay, in Florida's Manatee County. Several people posted photos of the mammals on Facebook amid reports rescuers were able to later drag them to deeper water.

After leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, some 200 miles from the sea.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

Juchitan, Mexico

Life for many has moved outdoors in the quake-shocked city of Juchitan, where a third of the homes are reported uninhabitable and repeated aftershocks have scared people away from many structures still standing.

The city on Sunday was littered with rubble from Thursday night's magnitude 8.1 earthquake, which killed at least 90 people across southern Mexico  at least three dozen of them in Juchitan itself.

Officials in Oaxaca and Chiapas states said thousands of houses and hundreds of schools had been damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people were reported to be without water service.

Many people continued to sleep outside, fearful of more collapses, as strong aftershocks continued to rattle the town, including a magnitude 5.2 jolt early Sunday.

Some Juchitecos seeking solace trekked through the destruction to find an open-air Mass on Sunday since many of the churches were either damaged or left vacant until they could be checked.

Along a street lined with obliterated homes, the Rev. Ranulfo Pacheco delivered a homily to a couple dozen people on wooden pews that had been toted into the patio in front of his gray concrete Our Lord of Esquipulas church. He said many were fearful of celebrating inside the structure, which from the street seemed undamaged.

"One enters with fear, with a foot ready to run in case there's a sign that other shake is coming  and it continues moving," he said.

Local officials said they had counted nearly 800 aftershocks of all sizes since the big quake, and the U.S. Geological Survey counted nearly 60 with a magnitude of 4.5 or greater.

Oaxaca Gov. Alejandro Murat said Sunday that the death toll in his state had risen to 71, while officials have reported 19 killed in Chiapas and Tabasco states.

Juchitan's downtown streets grew increasingly congested Sunday with dump trucks and heavy equipment to haul away debris. Smaller piles of debris were pushed into larger mountains of rubble reminiscent of the cleanup after a blizzard.

Teams of soldiers and federal police armed with shovels and sledgehammers fanned out across neighborhoods to help demolish damaged buildings. Other groups distributed boxes of food.
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate

ALBANY  New York education leaders on Monday approved a statewide plan for holding schools accountable that now heads to the federal Department of Education for final approval.

The plan overhauls the way New York evaluates schools, moving beyond just test scores and graduation rates to look at things like attendance, chronic absenteeism, student growth over time, civic readiness, and science and social studies performance.

Schools that are found wanting under the plan  required by the Every Student Succeeds Act, the federal law that in December 2015 replaced No Child Left Behind  will be targeted for intervention and extra financial support.

"We don't want it to just be test scores," said state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. "And if you remember, under No Child Left Behind, the focus was on test scores."

State education leaders developed the plan over the last year and a half, following 120 regional meetings attended by the state's 37 BOCES groups, as well as superintendents, students, parents, teachers, school and district leaders, and school board members.

"This plan is the culmination of more than a year of collaboration with hundreds of stakeholders and members of the public who helped shape the plan throughout the process," said Elia. "And we're not done. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to ensure everyone is given the opportunity to adjust to and feel comfortable with the new system as it's implemented."

The U.S. Department of Education is expected to provide feedback to the state in December, and approve or reject the plan sometime early next year.

Elia told reporters Monday there's no reason to believe the federal government will outright reject the plan, but that it may ask for revisions on some aspects before sending it through. Once approved, the state will work with BOCES district superintendents, superintendents and others to come up with guidance that will help local school districts implement the plan.

ESSA was widely hailed when it passed with bipartisan support in late 2015 for its "hands-off" approach to state education policy and school improvement.

Unlike the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law, which measured school success largely by how students performed on state reading and math exams, ESSA requires states to hold schools accountable for student success, but offers flexibility on just how to do that.

In New York, education leaders decided they wanted to look at factors beyond just test scores and consider other indicators of success like daily attendance, how often a single student is absent throughout the school year, how prepared students are to participate in local or national government, and how students perform in the softer subjects that make a well-rounded student, like social studies.

Schools that rate low on these indicators for several years in a row will be identified and targeted for state intervention and supports.

No Child Left Behind was lacking, Elia said, in that it identified the schools that were failing without offering much in the way of support to help them succeed.

"There's a major focus in (New York's plan) on the ways we want to support schools," she said.

State education leaders will also request three waivers under the federal law.

The first would allow New York to evaluate middle school students who took a math or science. Regents exam by their performance on those exams, not their grade-level exams.

Another would let the state continue exempting students who are new to the country and language from taking the state reading exam for one year.

And another would allow the state to assess a small number of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities using tests that match their instructional level, not their age.
Albany

A look at two state government issues to be examined this week:

Long Island shellfish

New York state will spend $10 million to boost shellfish populations on Long Island, an effort Gov. Andrew Cuomo says will help improve local water quality.

Cuomo traveled to Suffolk County on Wednesday to announce the funding. Officials say $7 million will go toward the establishment of five new shellfish sanctuaries on Long Island. The other $3 million will fund efforts to obtain and transplant adult oysters and clams.

The state aims to produce 179 million shellfish at the five sanctuaries.

"We are going to launch the most aggressive program in the United States of America to restore clams and oysters," said Cuomo, a Democrat.

Decades of runoff and pollution have decimated the local shellfish population and hurt the environment's ability to filter the water, Cuomo said. Clams can filter about 25 gallons of water a day, with oysters filtering about double that amount, Cuomo said.

Hit-and-run penalties

State Assemblyman Joe Lentol wants tougher penalties for motorists who leave the scene of serious crashes.

The Brooklyn Democrat is proposing legislation intended to close a loophole that he says encouraged drunken drivers to flee the scene of a crash. Currently in New York, a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs may only face a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident, rather than felony charges of intoxicated driving.

Lentol's bill would increase the penalties for leaving the scene of a crash involving serious physical injury to close the loophole and ensure drunken drivers face the same level of penalties if they leave the scene.

He's also calling for state officials to create a statewide alert system for hit-and-run suspects, similar to the alerts issued for missing seniors or children.
SARATOGA SPRINGS - Local police and firefighters were joined by friends, family and city residents for a ceremony Monday to remember the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

The gathering in High Rock Park was one of several local memorial services held throughout the region on Monday.
BALLSTON SPA - Three adults living at 82 Church St. were displaced by an early morning fire Sunday in their home, the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross said.

Mary Alice Molgard, disaster public affairs team member, said firefighters were called to the home at about 5:30 a.m. She does not know the extend of the damages or if there were any injuries.
People have been evacuated, life and property affected in Florida as Hurricane Irma hit the state. But, a group of storm chasers are braving the storm to measure wind speed.

By India Today Web Desk: A group of storm chasers have stayed behind to test the intensity of Hurricane Irma, a Category 4 tropical storm that has hit the coasts of Florida.

A video posted by Simon Brewer on Twitter shows storm chaser Justin Drake facing the high intensity winds of Hurricane Irma.

advertisement

The appalling video shows Justin trying to keep his feet to the ground as the storm hit him with full force.

In other tweets, Justin has described his and Simon Brewer's attempts to leave the city.

Pressure is 960 mb and falling with frequent lightning around us!! @SimonStormRider- Juston Drake (@JustonStrmRider) September 10, 2017

"Haven't slept in 2 days, too much work to do, still doing. Please help devastated #FloridaKeys @JustonStrmRider", Simon wrote on Twitter with a photograph of a handheld anemometer that showed a wind speed rating of 117 mph.

Haven't slept in 2 days, too much work to do, still doing. Please help devastated #FloridaKeys @JustonStrmRider pic.twitter.com/aKJv1snP8W- Simon Brewer (@SimonStormRider) September 11, 2017

Here are some of the latest tweets posted by Justin:

Wanted to let everyone know @SimonStormRider and I are okay. We are just now getting signal after getting ourselves to the end of the Keys.- Juston Drake (@JustonStrmRider) September 10, 2017

We had to dig and crawl our way out. Had to use the axe and pick up large pieces of debris to clear a path over multiple stretches of Hwy 1.- Juston Drake (@JustonStrmRider) September 10, 2017

We @SimonStormRider documented extensive wind/storm surge damage from our eye intercept point in Saddlebunch Keys all the way up Hwy 1.- Juston Drake (@JustonStrmRider) September 11, 2017

A category 4 storm has hit the US State of Florida and is said to be one of the most intense storms to hit US in over a decade. Videos from various parts of Florida have been surfacing on Twitter giving us a view into the magnitude of the storm.

The ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA is covered by #HurrcaneIrma right now! pic.twitter.com/zAMClBQyah- Dave Malkoff (@malkoff) September 10, 2017

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
A delegation from the European Alliance Group in the European Committee of the Regions is due to arrive in Nenagh this Monday evening to discuss EU policies to regenerate town centres.

The members are elected politicians from across Europe including Poland, Romania, Estonia, Scotland and Flanders.

The group will visit Nenagh at the invitation of Cllr Hughie McGrath, a member of the group and who is on the Committee of the Regions.

The visit is to examine how EU funding and policies needs to be adjusted to reflect also the needs of towns and their centres.

Cllr McGrath said that he had raised on many occasions the need to look at rural towns, but he felt it was important that people see the situation on the ground and in particular in Nenagh.

He further added that towns lose out on funding due to the fact they are too small to be urban but too big to be rural and this needed to change.

The president of the European Alliance Group and member of the Flemish Parliament, Karl Vanlouwe welcomed the invitation to Nenagh and highlighted that the situation of town centres was similar across the European Union and clearly EU policies needed to adapt and reflect the reality of towns

The delegation, which will stay in Nenagh overnight, will meet local politicians, Tipperary County Council chief executive Joe MacGrath and officials as well as the Southern Assembly.
Today marks a major deadline for Pennsylvanias ongoing budget impasse: the states General Fund now has a balance of zero, according to Treas
This never-before-seen booking photo of Edward Gingerich was taken on March 19, 1993, the day after he killed his wife, Katie, in the couple's Rockdale Township home. Photo courtesy of Jim Fisher
[September 11, 2017] Air Liquide's Electronic Materials Center China celebrates 10th anniversary and Phase III completion

SHANGHAI, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 11, Air Liquide's Electronic Materials Center China (EMCC), located in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, celebrated its 10th anniversary as well as its Phase III completion. About 120 guests attended the ceremony, including local government officials, key customers and Air Liquide executives. EMCC was set up in 2007 in Zhangjiagang, due to its convenient location within East China's electronics manufacturing hub. Over the past decade, EMCC has grown with its customers in the semiconductor, flat panel display and photovoltaic industries, and is now upgrading in response to ongoing market changes. In his welcome speech, Marcelo Fioranelli, Air Liquide Greater China Vice President commented: "Today, China's electronics market is developing rapidly, with emerging local electronics players taking the lead. Following this trend, EMCC has been continuously producing innovative new technologies to meet evolving customer needs. Now, with our newly upgraded facilities, this center will serve as a strong base of support for the dynamic development of China's electronics industries." In its latest expansion, the EMCC launched a new neon product line with a capacity of 60,000 m3 -- the first of ts kind in Air Liquide Asia Pacific region. The purification process and critical equipment of the new facility are designed, developed and manufactured by Air Liquide Group, ensuring the production of high-purity and reliable neon. Neon is a key element for the production of excimer laser gases, which are widely used in the semiconductor industry.



During the first expansion of the EMCC in 2014, Air Liquide added new production facilities of high purity electronics-grade nitrous oxide (N2O), automated precision phosphine (PH3) and multi-gas blending systems. It now serves as Air Liquide's center for electronic materials production, analytical and quality management, supply chain management, and emergency response in China. With state-of-the-art processes and equipment, as well as highly efficient and specialized management systems, the EMCC allows Air Liquide to provide electronic customers with high quality, safe, reliable, and competitive electronic materials and value-added services. Air Liquide in China

Air Liquide in China operates nearly 90 plants and employs more than 4,000 employees today. With a strong presence in the key coastal industrial areas, Air Liquide China is now expanding into the center, south and west. Its main business activities include industrial and medical gas operations, Engineering & Construction (designing, manufacturing and installing air separation units/hydrogen facilities), as well as innovation activities. Air Liquide Electronics Generating EUR1,617 million in revenue in 2016, the Electronics business line of Air Liquide is a world reference in molecule design, manufacturing and delivery for the electronics industry. The Electronics business line of Air Liquide is a long-term partner providing innovative solutions to the markets for semiconductors, photovoltaics and flat panel displays. 3,850 specialists worldwide are dedicated to providing the agility and reliability our customers need. Air Liquide The world leader in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, Air Liquide is present in 80 countries with approximately 65,000 employees and serves more than 3 million customers and patients. Oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen are essential small molecules for life, matter and energy. They embody Air Liquide's scientific territory and have been at the core of the company's activities since its creation in 1902. Air Liquide's ambition is to lead its industry, deliver long term performance and contribute to sustainability. The company's customer-centric transformation strategy aims at profitable growth over the long term. It relies on operational excellence, selective investments, open innovation and a network organization implemented by the Group worldwide. Through the commitment and inventiveness of its people, Air Liquide leverages energy and environment transition, changes in healthcare and digitization, and delivers greater value to all its stakeholders. Air Liquide's revenue amounted to EUR18.1 billion in 2016 and its solutions that protect life and the environment represented more than 40% of sales. Air Liquide is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange (compartment A) and belongs to the CAC 40, EURO STOXX 50 and FTSE4Good indexes. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170911/1938299-1-a

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170911/1938299-1-b SOURCE Air Liquide China

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 11, 2017] CST Trust Company Relaunches as AST Trust Company (Canada), Debuts New Brand and Website

AST, a full-service, tech-enabled leader in equity servicing solutions, today announces the Canadian launch of a unified corporate identity for its North American operations. As part of this enterprise-wide rebranding, CST Trust Company has relaunched as AST Trust Company (Canada) and has adopted the brand name AST. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911005257/en/ Brian Longe, President & CEO of AST (Photo: Business Wire) The new brand and a newly redesigned corporate website reflect the significant expansion of AST's services in recent years as well as their integration under a dynamic, unified strucure. AST's new brand identity leverages the aggregate strength of its businesses, which allows the firm to offer a comprehensive suite of services that can support companies throughout their entire lifecycle. Clients and investors will benefit from an improved user experience and the enhanced capabilities of AST's website and online portals.



"We became a market leader by helping our Canadian customers develop a strategic approach to every business challenge," said Margot Jordan, President & CEO of AST Trust Company (Canada). "As AST, we will continue our industry leadership by providing client-focused and technologically advanced professional services." Brian Longe, President & CEO of AST, added: "The new AST brand reflects our enhanced scope and our ability to provide a diverse set of services. At the same time, it shows that we as a company are more integrated and innovative than ever before, allowing us to deliver the best possible offerings and customer service to our clients. Our new tagline, 'Maintain Your Momentum (News - Alert),' speaks to our focus on providing services to support our clients at all levels and stages of their business lifecycle."

The new AST brand will encompass virtually all of the firm's products and services in Canada, including transfer agency, employee plan, corporate actions, ownership intelligence, corporate trust and structured financial services. D.F. King Canada will be referred to as D.F. King, an AST Company. About AST (Canada) With offices in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver, AST Trust Company (Canada) (AST) provides issuers global solutions through local access points. AST provides fully integrated services that include comprehensive stock transfer, corporate trust, employee plan services, corporate proxy solicitation and advisory solutions, information agent, shareholder identification, asset recovery, and investment management offerings to public issuers and shareholders. For more information, please visit: https://astfinancial.com/ca-en. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911005257/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) today told the Supreme Court that there has been a substantial hike in the assets of seven Lok Sabha MPs and 98 MLAs across the country and "discrepancies" have been found.

The CBDT said it would further probe the issue and place before the apex court in a sealed cover the relevant documents relating to the assets of these lawmakers.

advertisement

It also said that the names of these politicians cannot be revealed and would be given to the court in a sealed cover for its perusal.

The tax department said they have probed the allegations by an NGO, which has sought disclosure of the sources of income by the candidates contesting elections when they file nomination for polls, regarding alleged increase in assets of 26 Lok Sabha and 11 Rajya Sabha MPs and 257 MLAs.

In an affidavit filed in the apex court, CBDT has said that election affidavits filed by these politicians as per the list given by the NGO, Lok Prahari, have been examined and discrepancies have been found in the cases of seven Lok Sabha MPs and 98 MLAs.

It said the income tax department has inquired into these allegations and "have prima facie found" that there was huge increase of assets in case of these lawmakers and the matter would be probed further.

However, the board said verification report by the Director General of Income Tax (Investigation) regarding the affidavits filed by these politicians cannot be provided under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and would be filed in the court in a sealed cover for the perusual of the bench.

The CBDTs affidavit has been filed as the apex court had on September 6 taken strong exception to Centres "attitude" of not disclosing information on action taken by it against politicians, some of whose assets have seen a massive jump between two elections.

A bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar had directed the government to place the necessary information in this regard before the court.

In its affidavit, the CBDT has said that "the election affidavits filed by the candidates are self disclosed documents which are available in public domain".

"As per an arrangement between CBDT and Election Commission of India (ECI), verification of affidavits of the the candidates is undertaken as per provisions of Income Tax Act, 1961," it said.

"Given that revenue augmentation is the primary concern of the IT department and since increasingly the department is Graduating towards non-intrusive methods, the verification of election affidavits is carried out in respect of specific category of such cases as per agreed parameter between ECI and CBDT," it said.

advertisement

The board further said that verification of affidavits were carried out in accordance with provisions of the IT Act.

"If the verification by the investigation directorate leads to a conclusion that based on the comparison of the information contained in the affidavit, with the return of the income, ... and any further enquiries carried out, there is a case for assessment of income that escaped taxation, the matter is referred to the jurisdictional assessing officer who may proceed to pass an assessment order to assess or re-assess the income as per the provisions of the IT Act," it said.

The apex court had on September 6 observed that though the government was saying that it was not averse to electoral reforms, it has not placed the necessary details. Even the information furnished before it in an affidavit by the CBDT was "not complete", it had added.

It had asked the government to file a detailed affidavit before it in this regard by September 12.

The apex court had earlier issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission on the plea filed by the NGO through its chief S N Shukla seeking inclusion of a column in the nomination form seeking details of the sources of income.

advertisement

The plea has claimed that the candidates while filing their nomination papers were disclosing their assets, assets of their spouse, children and other dependents, but they do not reveal the sources of income. PTI ABA UK MNL PKS SJK RKS ARC

--- ENDS ---
[September 11, 2017] Feed Arkansas Kids to Receive $4K Grant from BancorpSouth Bank and FHLB Dallas

Feed Arkansas Kids will be awarded $4,000 in Partnership Grant Program (PGP (News - Alert)) funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and BancorpSouth Bank, an FHLB Dallas member institution. The nonprofit will use the funds to help offset operation and administrative expenses and meals for residents of a home for area homeless women and children, as well as provide financial literacy training and job placement services. The media is invited to a check presentation at 10:00 a.m., Monday, September 11, 2017 in Little Rock, Arkansas. PGP awards provide grants to community-based organizations (CBOs) of up to $12,000. The funds may be used for research, organizational capacity-building, grant- and funding-application assistance, or contractual services. Through the PGP, FHLB Dallas matches a member's contribution to a CBO of $500 up to $4,000 at a 3:1 ratio for a maximum $12,000 contribution from FHLB Dallas. The grants are offered via a lottery system once a year through FHLB Dallas members. In 2017, FHLB Dallas awarded $300,000 in PGP funds through 31 member institutions to assist 30 CBOs. Combined with the $104,550 contributed by FHLB Dallas members, a total of $404,550 was awarded to the organizations. For more information, visit fhlb.com.







WHAT: Check Presentation WHEN: 10:00 a.m., September 11, 2017 WHO: Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas Attorney General Evelyn Edwards, Vice President, Community Development Grant Specialist, BancorpSouth Bank Mark Evans, Senior Pastor, Feed Arkansas Kids Bruce Hatton, Vice President, Affordable Housing Program Manager, FHLB Dallas WHERE: Feed Arkansas Kids Care Center Facility 11500 W 36th Street Little Rock, Arkansas 72211

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911005026/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 10, 2017] Linde LienHwa invests in local production of electronic materials at two Taiwan facilities

- Octafluorobutane (C4F8) purification and filling facility in Taichung - HCDS (hexachlorodisilane) transfill facility in Guanyin TAIPEI and SHANGHAI, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Linde LienHwa, a member of The Linde Group and a leading supplier of gases and chemicals to the electronics industry, continues to invest in local production of electronic special gases (ESGs). This enhances its portfolio to meet the growing demand of Taiwanese and regional customers in the semiconductor and display industries. LLH is leveraging access to global expertise to build first-in-kind capabilities in Taiwan to innovate locally for customers. Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/95247/linde_north_america_logo.jpg C 4 F 8 purification at Taichung Harbor

Linde LienHwa's capability for purification and filling of C 4 F 8 in Taichung Harbor is outstanding in Taiwan. With over 100 tons per year of capacity, Linde LienHwa is positioned to meet demand in Taiwan as well as serve customers throughout Asia. An etching gas, C 4 F 8 enables semiconductor manufacturers to cut chip patterns at leading-edge dimensions and also create the conduits through which several chips can be electrically connected. In addition, C 4 F 8 is used to clean production chambers in predominantly older-sized semiconductor tools. HCDS at Guanyin

Another step forward in Taiwan is Linde LienHwa's transfilling facility for HCDS in Guanyin, a district of Taoyuan City. The transfill process involves repackaging material into specialized stainless steel vessels while improving the purity and validating the quality. This Linde LienHwa investment is sized to serve both Taiwan and customers throughout Asia. HCDS is used for depositing silicon compounds at very low process temperatures, which is important for making nanoscale electrical insulators in memory and logic processor chips. Local partner. Global expertise.

"By investing in material processing in Taiwan, we are significantly reducing the supply chain risk and increasing material availability for our customers," notes Alex Tong, President of Linde LienHwa. "These new facilities represent the latest phases in our commitment to expand ESG production in both Taiwan and minland China."



Linde LienHwa maintains one of the largest Taiwan-wide networks of on-site gas production, electronic bulk gases, ESGs, ultra-pure wet chemicals, chemical production and stocking facilities. Linde LienHwa offers an impressive range of electronics materials that is among the best in the industry. Its products enable cutting-edge manufacturing in the semiconductor, solar, display and solid state lighting/LED industries. "Our investments in Taiwan support our global strategy of supplying products and capabilities where they add value for our customers," states Andreas Weisheit, Head of Linde Electronics. "In addition, we continue to invest throughout the Asia Pacific region, with new capacity and sources in China and South Korea. It's our diversity of sources that distinguishes Linde as a leading provider to the electronics industry."

Linde Electronics, its global partner, is the electronics materials and service business of The Linde Group, an industry leader in the industrial gas sector. Linde Gas operates in more than 100 countries, with world-class R&D centers, including its newest electronics R&D center in Taichung Harbor. Linde Engineering designs and builds gas generators that excel in purity, efficiency and up-time. SEMICON Taiwan

Linde LienHwa will be exhibiting at the SEMICON Taiwan tradeshow in Taipei September 13-15. Its focus will be on the quality, expertise, service and technical strengths that Linde LienHwa and its global partner Linde Electronics bring to the semiconductor industry through such offerings as electronic specialty gases, bulk electronic gases and on-site solutions like SPECTRA nitrogen plants. Candice Fan, Global Strategic Supply Manager for Linde Electronics, will be speaking at the co-sponsored Semiconductor Materials Forum on September 13 to be held in the Grande Luxe Banquet Splendor Ballroom. Her talk entitled "The New Si-lk Road: Challenges and Opportunities in China for Electronic Material Suppliers" given at 15:00 will explain the new dynamics in the supply of electronics materials on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. SEMICON Taiwan is the annual tradeshow for the semiconductor manufacturing industry in Taiwan. All visitors are welcome to visit Linde LienHwa in the Nangang Exhibition Center on 4F in booth number 242. For further inquiries, please contact Sheena Liu at [email protected]. About Linde LienHwa

Linde LienHwa is an established joint venture of LienHwa Industrial Corp and The Linde Group, and is among the largest industrial gas manufacturers in Taiwan. Through close partnership with the worldwide-based Linde Group, Linde LienHwa has the capability to provide various high quality gas and gas-application technologies. Furthermore, in order to keep up with rapid growth, Linde LienHwa has invested tremendously in high-efficiency gas production equipment. About Linde Electronics

Linde Electronics is the global electronics business of The Linde Group and an industry leader in gases for the electronics marketsemiconductor, solar, display and LED. Linde Electronics helps electronics companies achieve their goals through a strong focus on quality and environmental leadership, its expertise, commitment to the industry through ongoing investments in processes, engineering, and on-site and localized solutions, a broad portfolio that includes environmentally sustainable and highly specialized and rigorously measured electronic specialty gases (ESGs), bulk/pipeline gases, equipment, and services, and through working closely with customers to better meet their evolving needs. For more information, visit www.linde.com/electronics or contact [email protected]. About The Linde Group

In the 2016 financial year, The Linde Group generated revenue of EUR 16.948 bn, making it one of the leading gases and engineering companies in the world, with approximately 60,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business, with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. The company is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development. For more information, see The Linde Group online at www.linde.com SOURCE Linde Electronics

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 10, 2017] Opdivo (nivolumab) Demonstrates Superior Recurrence-Free Survival Versus Yervoy (ipilimumab) for Patients with Resected High-Risk Melanoma in Phase 3 CheckMate -238 Study

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) announced today that treatment with Opdivo (nivolumab) 3 mg/kg resulted in a significant improvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared to Yervoy (ipilimumab) 10 mg/kg in patients with stage IIIb/c or stage IV melanoma following complete surgical resection. Following the July 5 announcement of topline results, detailed findings from the phase 3 CheckMate -238 study will be highlighted on September 11 during the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2017 Congress in Madrid, Spain as part of the press program at 8:15 a.m. CEST and in Presidential Symposium 3 (LBA8) at 4:30 p.m. CEST. The results are also being published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine. At this planned interim analysis, Opdivo met its primary endpoint, showing a statistically significant improvement of 35% in RFS (HR 0.65; 97.56% CI: 0.51 to 0.83; p <0.0001) compared to Yervoy. The 18-month RFS rates for the Opdivo and Yervoy groups, respectively, were 66.4% (95% CI: 61.8 to 70.6) and 52.7% (95% CI: 47.8 to 57.4). Median RFS had not yet been reached for either group at the time of this analysis. This benefit was consistent across key subgroups, including BRAF mutated and BRAF wildtype patients, and no new safety signals were identified in this trial. "Despite the rapid development of promising new options for advanced melanoma patients in recent years, those patients with high-risk, resectable melanoma still face a poor prognosis and have an unmet need for more effective adjuvant treatments," said Jeffrey S. Weber, M.D., Ph.D., deputy director of the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health, and Professor of Medicine at NYU School of Medicine. "The significant RFS results observed with Opdivo in CheckMate -238 are encouraging and provide physicians with new insights into the potential of Opdivo for the management of adjuvant melanoma." Adverse events (AEs) leading to discontinuation were reported in 9.7% of subjects in the Opdivo arm compared to 42.6% of patients in the Yervoy group. Treatment-related grade 3/4 AEs were experienced by 14.4% of patients in the Opdivo group and 45.9% in the Yervoy group. The most common all-cause AEs leading to discontinuation in the Opdivo arm were diarrhea (1.5%) and colitis (1.1%). In the Yervoy arm, the most common AEs leading to discontinuation were diarrhea (10.2%), colitis (8.2%), hypophysitis (4.2%), alanine aminotransferase increase (3.5%), aspartate aminotransferase increase (2.9%), hepatitis (1.5%) and pneumonitis (1.5%). There were no treatment-related deaths reported in the Opdivo group and two treatment-related deaths reported in the Yervoy arm that occurred more than 100 days after treatment. "These data show Opdivo as the first PD-1 to significantly improve RFS and the only I-O agent to demonstrate superior results, including better tolerance, as compared to an active control, in the treatment of adjuvant melanoma," said Vicki Goodman, M.D., head of new asset development, Bristol-Myers Squibb. "These results build upon the significant treatment advance we saw with Yervoy in an adjuvant setting and speak to our leadership and commitment to cancer research through innovative approaches including exploring much-needed treatment options to address earlier stages of disease." About CheckMate -238 CheckMate -238 is an ongoing phase 3, randomized double-blind study of Opdivo versus Yervoy in patients who have undergone complete resection of stage IIIb/c or stage IV melanoma. The trial randomized 906 patients 1:1 to receive either Opdivo 3 mg/kg intravenously (IV) every two weeks or Yervoy 10 mg/kg IV every three weeks for four doses and then every 12 weeks starting at week 24. Patients were treated until disease recurrence, unacceptable toxicity or consent withdrawal for up to one year. The primary endpoint is RFS defined as the time between randomization and the date of first recurrence or death. Adjuvant Therapy in Melanoma Melanoma is separated into five staging categories (stages 0 to 4) based on the in-situ feature, thickness and ulceration of the tumor, whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, and how far the cancer has spread beyond lymph nodes. Stage 3 melanoma has reached the regional lymph nodes but has not yet spread to distant lymph nodes or to other parts of the body (metastasized), and requires surgical resection of the primary tumor as well as the involved lymph nodes. Some patients may also be treated with adjuvant therapy. Despite surgical intervention and possible adjuvant treatment, most patients experience disease recurrence and progress to metastatic disease. By five years, the majority of stage IIIb and IIIc patients (68% and 89%, respectively) experience disease recurrence. Bristol-Myers Squibb & Immuno-Oncology: Advancing Oncology Research At Bristol-Myers Squibb, patients are at the center of everything we do. Our vision for the future of cancer care is focused on researching and developing transformational Immuno-Oncology (I-O) medicines for hard-to-treat cancers that could potentially improve outcomes for these patients. We are leading the scientific understanding of I-O through our extensive portfolio of investigational compounds and approved agents. Our differentiated clinical development program is studying broad patient populations across more than 50 types of cancers with 14 clinical-stage molecules designed to target different immune system pathways. Our deep expertise and innovative clinical trial designs position us to advance I-O/I-O, I-O/chemotherapy, I-O/targeted therapies and I-O radiation therapies across multiple tumors and potentially deliver the next wave of therapies with a sense of urgency. We also continue to pioneer research that will help facilitate a deeper understanding of the role of immune biomarkers and how patients' tumor biology can be used as a guide for treatment decisions throughout their journey. We understand making the promise of I-O a reality for the many patients who may benefit from these therapies requires not only innovation on our part but also close collaboration with leading experts in the field. Our partnerships with academia, government, advocacy and biotech companies support our collective goal of providing new treatment options to advance the standards of clinical practice. About Opdivo Opdivo is a programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor that is designed to uniquely harness the body's own immune system to help restore anti-tumor immune response. By harnessing the body's own immune system to fight cancer, Opdivo has become an important treatment option across multiple cancers. Opdivo's leading global development program is based on Bristol-Myers Squibb's scientific expertise in the field of Immuno-Oncology and includes a broad range of clinical trials across all phases, including phase 3, in a variety of tumor types. To date, the Opdivo clinical development program has enrolled more than 25,000 patients. The Opdivo trials have contributed to gaining a deeper understanding of the potential role of biomarkers in patient care, particularly regarding how patients may benefit from Opdivo across the continuum of PD-L1 expression. In July 2014, Opdivo was the first PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor to receive regulatory approval anywhere in the world. Opdivo is currently approved in more than 60 countries, including the United States, the European Union and Japan. In October 2015, the company's Opdivo and Yervoy combination regimen was the first Immuno-Oncology combination to receive regulatory approval for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and is currently approved in more than 50 countries, including the United States and the European Union. U.S. FDA-APPROVED INDICATIONS FOR OPDIVO OPDIVO (nivolumab) as a single agent is indicated for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials OPDIVO (nivolumab) as a single agent is indicated for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600 wild-type unresectable or metastatic melanoma. OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on progression-free survival. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials. OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving OPDIVO. OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy. OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) that has relapsed or progressed after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and brentuximab vedotin or after 3 or more lines of systemic therapy that includes autologous HSCT. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials. OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with disease progression on or after platinum-based therapy. OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials. OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of adults and pediatric (12 years and older) patients with microsatellite instability high (MSI (News - Alert)-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.



IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION WARNING: IMMUNE-MEDIATED ADVERSE REACTIONS

YERVOY can result in severe and fatal immune-mediated adverse reactions. These immune-mediated reactions may involve any organ system; however, the most common severe immune-mediated adverse reactions are enterocolitis, hepatitis, dermatitis (including toxic epidermal necrolysis), neuropathy, and endocrinopathy. The majority of these immune-mediated reactions initially manifested during treatment; however, a minority occurred weeks to months after discontinuation of YERVOY. Assess patients for signs and symptoms of enterocolitis, dermatitis, neuropathy, and endocrinopathy and evaluate clinical chemistries including liver function tests (LFTs), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level, and thyroid function tests at baseline and before each dose. Permanently discontinue YERVOY and initiate systemic high-dose corticosteroid therapy for severe immune-mediated reactions. Immune-Mediated Pneumonitis OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated pneumonitis. Fatal cases have been reported. Monitor patients for signs with radiographic imaging and for symptoms of pneumonitis. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 or more severe pneumonitis. Permanently discontinue for Grade 3 or 4 and withhold until resolution for Grade 2. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, fatal cases of immune-mediated pneumonitis have occurred. Immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 3.1% (61/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 6% (25/407) of patients. In Checkmate 205 and 039, pneumonitis, including interstitial lung disease, occurred in 6.0% (16/266) of patients receiving OPDIVO. Immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 4.9% (13/266) of patients receiving OPDIVO: Grade 3 (n=1) and Grade 2 (n=12). Immune-Mediated Colitis OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated colitis. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of colitis. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 (of more than 5 days duration), 3, or 4 colitis. Withhold OPDIVO monotherapy for Grade 2 or 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 or recurrent colitis upon re-initiation of OPDIVO. When administered with YERVOY, withhold OPDIVO and YERVOY for Grade 2 and permanently discontinue for Grade 3 or 4 or recurrent colitis. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated colitis occurred in 2.9% (58/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated colitis occurred in 26% (107/407) of patients including three fatal cases. In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, severe, life-threatening, or fatal (diarrhea of =7 stools above baseline, fever, ileus, peritoneal signs; Grade 3-5) immune-mediated enterocolitis occurred in 34 (7%) patients. Across all YERVOY-treated patients in that study (n=511), 5 (1%) developed intestinal perforation, 4 (0.8%) died as a result of complications, and 26 (5%) were hospitalized for severe enterocolitis. Immune-Mediated Hepatitis OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated hepatitis. Monitor patients for abnormal liver tests prior to and periodically during treatment. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 or greater transaminase elevations. Withhold for Grade 2 and permanently discontinue for Grade 3 or 4 immune-mediated hepatitis. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 1.8% (35/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 13% (51/407) of patients. In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, severe, life-threatening, or fatal hepatotoxicity (AST or ALT elevations >5x the ULN or total bilirubin elevations >3x the ULN; Grade 3-5) occurred in 8 (2%) patients, with fatal hepatic failure in 0.2% and hospitalization in 0.4%. Immune-Mediated Neuropathies In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, 1 case of fatal Guillain-Barre syndrome and 1 case of severe (Grade 3) peripheral motor neuropathy were reported. Immune-Mediated Endocrinopathies OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated hypophysitis, immune-mediated adrenal insufficiency, autoimmune thyroid disorders, and Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hypophysitis, signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, thyroid function prior to and periodically during treatment, and hyperglycemia. Administer hormone replacement as clinically indicated and corticosteroids for Grade 2 or greater hypophysitis. Withhold for Grade 2 or 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 hypophysitis. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 3 or 4 adrenal insufficiency. Withhold for Grade 2 and permanently discontinue for Grade 3 or 4 adrenal insufficiency. Administer hormone-replacement therapy for hypothyroidism. Initiate medical management for control of hyperthyroidism. Withhold OPDIVO for Grade 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 hyperglycemia. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hypophysitis occurred in 0.6% (12/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, hypophysitis occurred in 9% (36/407) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, adrenal insufficiency occurred in 1% (20/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, adrenal insufficiency occurred in 5% (21/407) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hypothyroidism or thyroiditis resulting in hypothyroidism occurred in 9% (171/1994) of patients. Hyperthyroidism occurred in 2.7% (54/1994) of patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, hypothyroidism or thyroiditis resulting in hypothyroidism occurred in 22% (89/407) of patients. Hyperthyroidism occurred in 8% (34/407) of patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, diabetes occurred in 0.9% (17/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, diabetes occurred in 1.5% (6/407) of patients. In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, severe to life-threatening immune-mediated endocrinopathies (requiring hospitalization, urgent medical intervention, or interfering with activities of daily living; Grade 3-4) occurred in 9 (1.8%) patients. All 9 patients had hypopituitarism, and some had additional concomitant endocrinopathies such as adrenal insufficiency, hypogonadism, and hypothyroidism. 6 of the 9 patients were hospitalized for severe endocrinopathies. Immune-Mediated Nephritis and Renal Dysfunction OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated nephritis. Monitor patients for elevated serum creatinine prior to and periodically during treatment. Administer corticosteroids for Grades 2-4 increased serum creatinine. Withhold OPDIVO for Grade 2 or 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 increased serum creatinine. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated nephritis and renal dysfunction occurred in 1.2% (23/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated nephritis and renal dysfunction occurred in 2.2% (9/407) of patients. Immune-Mediated Skin Adverse Reactions and Dermatitis OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated rash, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), some cases with fatal outcome. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 3 or 4 rash. Withhold for Grade 3 and permanently discontinue for Grade 4 rash. For symptoms or signs of SJS or TEN, withhold OPDIVO and refer the patient for specialized care for assessment and treatment; if confirmed, permanently discontinue. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated rash occurred in 9% (171/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, immune-mediated rash occurred in 22.6% (92/407) of patients. In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, severe, life-threatening, or fatal immune-mediated dermatitis (eg, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, or rash complicated by full thickness dermal ulceration, or necrotic, bullous, or hemorrhagic manifestations; Grade 3-5) occurred in 13 (2.5%) patients. 1 (0.2%) patient died as a result of toxic epidermal necrolysis. 1 additional patient required hospitalization for severe dermatitis. Immune-Mediated Encephalitis OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated encephalitis. Evaluation of patients with neurologic symptoms may include, but not be limited to, consultation with a neurologist, brain MRI, and lumbar puncture. Withhold OPDIVO in patients with new-onset moderate to severe neurologic signs or symptoms and evaluate to rule out other causes. If other etiologies are ruled out, administer corticosteroids and permanently discontinue OPDIVO for immune-mediated encephalitis. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, encephalitis occurred in 0.2% (3/1994) of patients. Fatal limbic encephalitis occurred in one patient after 7.2 months of exposure despite discontinuation of OPDIVO and administration of corticosteroids. Encephalitis occurred in one patient receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY (0.2%) after 1.7 months of exposure. Other Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions Based on the severity of adverse reaction, permanently discontinue or withhold treatment, administer high-dose corticosteroids, and, if appropriate, initiate hormone-replacement therapy. Across clinical trials of OPDIVO the following clinically significant immune-mediated adverse reactions occurred in <1.0% of patients receiving OPDIVO: uveitis, iritis, pancreatitis, facial and abducens nerve paresis, demyelination, polymyalgia rheumatica, autoimmune neuropathy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, hypopituitarism, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, gastritis, duodenitis, sarcoidosis, histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi lymphadenitis), myositis, myocarditis, rhabdomyolysis, motor dysfunction, vasculitis, and myasthenic syndrome. Infusion Reactions OPDIVO can cause severe infusion reactions, which have been reported in <1.0% of patients in clinical trials. Discontinue OPDIVO in patients with Grade 3 or 4 infusion reactions. Interrupt or slow the rate of infusion in patients with Grade 1 or 2. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, infusion-related reactions occurred in 6.4% (127/1994) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY, infusion-related reactions occurred in 2.5% (10/407) of patients. Complications of Allogeneic HSCT after OPDIVO Complications, including fatal events, occurred in patients who received allogeneic HSCT after OPDIVO. Outcomes were evaluated in 17 patients from Checkmate 205 and 039, who underwent allogeneic HSCT after discontinuing OPDIVO (15 with reduced-intensity conditioning, 2 with myeloablative conditioning). Thirty-five percent (6/17) of patients died from complications of allogeneic HSCT after OPDIVO. Five deaths occurred in the setting of severe or refractory GVHD. Grade 3 or higher acute GVHD was reported in 29% (5/17) of patients. Hyperacute GVHD was reported in 20% (n=2) of patients. A steroid-requiring febrile syndrome, without an identified infectious cause, was reported in 35% (n=6) of patients. Two cases of encephalitis were reported: Grade 3 (n=1) lymphocytic encephalitis without an identified infectious cause, and Grade 3 (n=1) suspected viral encephalitis. Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) occurred in one patient, who received reduced-intensity conditioned allogeneic HSCT and died of GVHD and multi-organ failure. Other cases of hepatic VOD after reduced-intensity conditioned allogeneic HSCT have also been reported in patients with lymphoma who received a PD-1 receptor blocking antibody before transplantation. Cases of fatal hyperacute GVHD have also been reported. These complications may occur despite intervening therapy between PD-1 blockade and allogeneic HSCT. Follow patients closely for early evidence of transplant-related complications such as hyperacute GVHD, severe (Grade 3 to 4) acute GVHD, steroid-requiring febrile syndrome, hepatic VOD, and other immune-mediated adverse reactions, and intervene promptly. Embryo-Fetal Toxicity Based on their mechanisms of action, OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with an OPDIVO- or YERVOY- containing regimen and for at least 5 months after the last dose of OPDIVO. Lactation It is not known whether OPDIVO or YERVOY is present in human milk. Because many drugs, including antibodies, are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from an OPDIVO-containing regimen, advise women to discontinue breastfeeding during treatment. Advise women to discontinue nursing during treatment with YERVOY and for 3 months following the final dose. Serious Adverse Reactions In Checkmate 037, serious adverse reactions occurred in 41% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=268). Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions occurred in 42% of patients receiving OPDIVO . The most frequent Grade 3 and 4 adverse drug reactions reported in 2% to <5% of patients receiving OPDIVO were abdominal pain, hyponatremia, increased aspartate aminotransferase, and increased lipase. In Checkmate 066, serious adverse reactions occurred in 36% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=206). Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions occurred in 41% of patients receiving OPDIVO. The most frequent Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were gamma-glutamyltransferase increase (3.9%) and diarrhea (3.4%). In Checkmate 067, serious adverse reactions (73% and 37%), adverse reactions leading to permanent discontinuation (43% and 14%) or to dosing delays (55% and 28%), and Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions (72% and 44%) all occurred more frequently in the OPDIVO plus YERVOY arm (n=313) relative to the OPDIVO arm (n=313). The most frequent (=10%) serious adverse reactions in the OPDIVO plus YERVOY arm and the OPDIVO arm, respectively, were diarrhea (13% and 2.6%), colitis (10% and 1.6%), and pyrexia (10% and 0.6%). In Checkmate 017 and 057, serious adverse reactions occurred in 46% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=418). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in at least 2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, dyspnea, pyrexia, pleural effusion, pneumonitis, and respiratory failure. In Checkmate 025, serious adverse reactions occurred in 47% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=406). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients were acute kidney injury, pleural effusion, pneumonia, diarrhea, and hypercalcemia. In Checkmate 205 and 039, adverse reactions leading to discontinuation occurred in 7% and dose delays due to adverse reactions occurred in 34% of patients (n=266). Serious adverse reactions occurred in 26% of patients. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =1% of patients were pneumonia, infusion-related reaction, pyrexia, colitis or diarrhea, pleural effusion, pneumonitis, and rash. Eleven patients died from causes other than disease progression: 3 from adverse reactions within 30 days of the last OPDIVO dose, 2 from infection 8 to 9 months after completing OPDIVO, and 6 from complications of allogeneic HSCT. In Checkmate 141, serious adverse reactions occurred in 49% of patients receiving OPDIVO. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in at least 2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were pneumonia, dyspnea, respiratory failure, respiratory tract infection, and sepsis. In Checkmate 275, serious adverse reactions occurred in 54% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=270). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in at least 2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were urinary tract infection, sepsis, diarrhea, small intestine obstruction, and general physical health deterioration. Common Adverse Reactions In Checkmate 037, the most common adverse reaction (=20%) reported with OPDIVO (n=268) was rash (21%). In Checkmate 066, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) reported with OPDIVO (n=206) vs dacarbazine (n=205) were fatigue (49% vs 39%), musculoskeletal pain (32% vs 25%), rash (28% vs 12%), and pruritus (23% vs 12%). In Checkmate 067, the most common (=20%) adverse reactions in the OPDIVO plus YERVOY arm (n=313) were fatigue (59%), rash (53%), diarrhea (52%), nausea (40%), pyrexia (37%), vomiting (28%), and dyspnea (20%). The most common (=20%) adverse reactions in the OPDIVO (n=313) arm were fatigue (53%), rash (40%), diarrhea (31%), and nausea (28%). In Checkmate 017 and 057, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=418) were fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, cough, dyspnea, and decreased appetite. In Checkmate 025, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) reported in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=406) vs everolimus (n=397) were asthenic conditions (56% vs 57%), cough (34% vs 38%), nausea (28% vs 29%), rash (28% vs 36%), dyspnea (27% vs 31%), diarrhea (25% vs 32%), constipation (23% vs 18%), decreased appetite (23% vs 30%), back pain (21% vs 16%), and arthralgia (20% vs 14%). In Checkmate 205 and 039, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) reported in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=266) were upper respiratory tract infection (44%), fatigue (39%), cough (36%), diarrhea (33%), pyrexia (29%), musculoskeletal pain (26%), rash (24%), nausea (20%) and pruritus (20%). In Checkmate 141, the most common adverse reactions (=10%) in patients receiving OPDIVO were cough and dyspnea at a higher incidence than investigator's choice. In Checkmate 275, the most common adverse reactions (= 20%) reported in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=270) were fatigue (46%), musculoskeletal pain (30%), nausea (22%), and decreased appetite (22%).. The most common adverse reactions (=20%) in patients who received OPDIVO as a single agent were fatigue, rash, musculoskeletal pain, pruritus, diarrhea, nausea, asthenia, cough, dyspnea, constipation, decreased appetite, back pain, arthralgia, upper respiratory tract infection, pyrexia. In a separate Phase 3 study of YERVOY 3 mg/kg, the most common adverse reactions (=5%) in patients who received YERVOY at 3 mg/kg were fatigue (41%), diarrhea (32%), pruritus (31%), rash (29%), and colitis (8%). Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information for OPDIVO and YERVOY, including Boxed WARNING regarding immune-mediated adverse reactions for YERVOY. Checkmate Trials and Patient Populations Checkmate 067 - advanced melanoma alone or in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 037 and 066 - advanced melanoma; Checkmate 017 - squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); Checkmate 057 - non-squamous NSCLC; Checkmate 025 - renal cell carcinoma; Checkmate 205/039 - classical Hodgkin lymphoma; Checkmate 141 - squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck; Checkmate 275 - urothelial carcinoma. About the Bristol-Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Collaboration In 2011, through a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (Ono), Bristol-Myers Squibb expanded its territorial rights to develop and commercialize Opdivo globally except in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where Ono had retained all rights to the compound at the time. On July 23, 2014, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Ono further expanded the companies' strategic collaboration agreement to jointly develop and commercialize multiple immunotherapies - as single agents and combination regimens - for patients with cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. About Bristol-Myers Squibb Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol-Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. Bristol-Myers Squibb Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Among other risks, there can be no guarantee that Opdivo will receive regulatory approval for an additional indication. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect Bristol-Myers Squibb's business, particularly those identified in the cautionary factors discussion in Bristol-Myers Squibb's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K. Bristol-Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170910005091/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 10, 2017] Kiwontech Launches Ai-Integrated Email Security Solution Platform in Japan

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kiwontech will soon be launching its AI-integrated email security solution platform in Japan. A member company of the K-ICT Born2Global Centre, Kiwontech recently announced that it will be expanding sales of its AI email security solution platform in Japan as part of a business partnership with Taiyo Tsushin Kogyo, with which Kiwontech signed an MOU in March. The value of the platform is expected to exceed USD 200,000 (approx. JPY 20 million). Kiwontech is currently operating its email security platform business in Japan in cooperation with the medium-sized webhosting company Fairway, which is acting as its distributor in the country. The products being sold include an email system and sender/receiver security. Developed entirely independently by Kiwontech, SCMGUARD is a personnel optimization AI email security solution, checking every user's received and outgoing email information. It detects malicious emails utilizing AI despite of receiving many large attachment files at same time. The AI engine blocks new kinds of ransomware and malicious code by verifying the number of cases that can be activated when a user opens an email.



Kiwontech CEO Kim Dong-cheol said, "SCM GUARD has a function that analyzes and screens various potential threats posed by unprocessed electronic mail and can preemptively detect emails that display any suspicious characteristics, such as those related to APT attacks or spear phishing, or have any other features that are out of the ordinary. Thanks to SCM GUARD's ability to screen malicious emails that appear to have been sent from actual addresses, we believe that the product will be highly welcomed in Japan. Going forward, we will continue to do our best to ensure that our AI email security solution platform enters the global market as soon as possible." Starting with Taiyo Tsushin Kogyo, a manufacturer and seller of materials for the construction of telecommunications infrastructure, Kiwontech hopes to steadily expand its business activities in Japan by creating a sponsorship group that includes Iroku, Notoice, Tetris, PR Soft, and UNIARK.

The seminar on SCM GUARD will be held on the 15th at 16:30~18:30 of this month at Osaka Building 6F, MJE WORK seminar room in Osaka. For more information visit http://scmguard.jp

Related link: www.born2global.com

Jina Lee

[email protected] Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170908/1937267-1 SOURCE K-ICT Born2Global Centre

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 11, 2017] SelectMDx Outperforms PCA3 Stratifying Men for mpMRI

Test Reduces Unnecessary Invasive Procedures NEWS RELEASE

IRVINE, CA, and HERSTAL, BELGIUM - 07:00 CEST, September 11, 2017 - MDxHealth SA (Euronext: MDXH.BR) today announced results from a retrospective study published in The Prostate, demonstrating that SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer, a non-invasive liquid biopsy test, correlates with multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) and outperforms the PCA3 test. Early diagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer is important to choose the optimal treatment plan. Current methods such as PSA and mpMRI are helpful, but do not provide information on the biology underlying the cancer. Recent studies with the SelectMDx test have shown it can correctly identify men most likely at risk for aggressive prostate cancer. "mpMRI has been a fast-growing technology for the detection of prostate cancer among the urology community worldwide. Studies have shown that negative predictive value of mpMRI varies between 67% and 85%. Like histopathology the interpretation and scoring of the scan heavily relies on the experience of the radiologist," said Prof. Peter Mulders, MD, PhD, Chairman of the Department of Urology at Radboud University Medical Center Nijmegen, the Netherlands. "Although more data are needed, the SelectMDx biomarker liquid biopsy test with a NPV of 98% for clinically significant cancer is a valuable diagnostic test to identify men that will most likely benefit from an mpMRI or prostate biopsy." This retrospective study, conducted by researchers from the Radboud Medical Center, evaluated the correlation between SelectMDx and PCA3 results with mpMRI PI-RADS scores in 172 patients. One hundred (58%) patients had prostate cancer detected upon biopsy, of which 52 (52%) had high-grade disease correlated with a significantly higher SelectMDx score (p<0.01). There was a statistically significant difference in the SelectMDx score between PI-RADS 3 and 4 (p<0.01) and between PI-RADS 4 and 5 (p<0.01). The PCA3 test showed contradictory results regarding the correlation between PCA3 and mpMRI. The researchers concluded that the SelectMDx riskscore could guide clinicians in identifying patients at risk for significant prostate cancer and selecting patients for further mpMRI diagnostics to reduce unnecessary procedures.



About SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer Of the nearly 2 million prostate biopsies performed each year, less than a third find cancer. Most of these men could have avoided a painful and invasive prostate biopsy procedure, with its associated complications and costs. SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer is a proprietary urine-based, molecular diagnostic test that offers a non-invasive 'liquid biopsy' method to assess a man's risk for prostate cancer. SelectMDx helps identify men at increased risk of harboring aggressive, potentially lethal, prostate cancer who may benefit most from a prostate biopsy and earlier detection. The test delivers a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98% for clinically significant disease, helping to reduce the need for MRI procedures and invasive prostate biopsies by up to 50%, thereby reducing healthcare costs.

About MDxHealth MDxHealth is a multinational healthcare company that provides actionable molecular diagnostic information to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The company's tests are based on proprietary genetic, epigenetic (methylation) and other molecular technologies and assist physicians with the diagnosis of urologic cancers, prognosis of recurrence risk, and prediction of response to a specific therapy. The Company's European headquarters are in Herstal, Belgium, with laboratory operations in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and US headquarters and laboratory operations based in Irvine, California. For more information, visit mdxhealth.com and follow us on social media at: twitter.com/mdxhealth, facebook.com/mdxhealth and linkedin.com/company/mdxhealth. For more information: Shalon Roth, EVP, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs

MDxHealth

+44 (0)7393 906278

[email protected] This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of MDxHealth and the market in which it operates. Such statements and estimates are based on assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable but may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict, may depend upon factors that are beyond the company's control, and may turn out to be materially different. MDxHealth expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this release to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based unless required by law or regulation. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of MDxHealth in any jurisdiction. No securities of MDxHealth may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. securities laws. NOTE: The MDxHealth logo, MDxHealth, ConfirmMDx, SelectMDx, AssureMDx, PredictMDx and UrNCollect are trademarks or registered trademarks of MDxHealth SA. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Attachments: //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c8205f28-6061-4f93-bc19-0af355bb4cfd

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 11, 2017] Pfizer Presents Overall Survival Data of XALKORI in Patients with ALK-Positive Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) today announced final overall survival (OS) data from the PROFILE 1014 trial examining XALKORI (crizotinib) in previously untreated patients with ALK-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). After a median follow-up of 46 months, the median OS for patients randomized to XALKORI was not reached (95% CI: 45.8 months, not reached) and was 47.5 months for patients randomized to chemotherapy (95% CI: 32.2 months, not reached). Results indicated a numerical improvement in OS for patients treated with first-line XALKORI compared with chemotherapy, though this difference did not quite achieve statistical significance (HR=0.760 [95% CI: 0.548, 1.053]; p=0.0978). These data [Abstract #LBA50] were presented today at the 2017 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Madrid, Spain. The majority (84%) of patients initially randomized to chemotherapy received XALKORI after they progressed and this likely affected the overall survival results. A pre-specified, exploratory statistical analysis, adjusting for the effects of crossover, determined that median OS would have been longer for patients randomized to XALKORI than for patients randomized to chemotherapy, if patients had not been allowed to cross over [HR: 0.346 (95% CI: 0.081, 0.718)]. "PROFILE 1014 has provided important new data for patients with non-small cell lung cancer," said Professor Tony Mok, Chair of Department of Clinical Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. "This is the first set of prospective data from a randomized Phase 3 study to report long-term survival outcomes for patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. The longest survival outcomes were in patients who received two or more tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which provides insight into optimal treatment sequencing." Overall survival was a secondary endpoint of PROFILE 1014 and the threshold for statistical significance was p=0.0247.1 PROFILE 1014 was a global, randomized, open-label, two-arm Phase 3 study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of XALKORI in patients with previously untreated ALK-positive advanced NSCLC. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary endpoint, and these results were previously published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). There was a statistically significant improvement in PFS in the patients treated with XALKORI than with chemotherapy (p<0.001). A total of 343 patients were randomized into the trial, with approximately half of the patients in the XALKORI arm and the other half of the patients in the platinum doublet chemotherapy arm. "XALKORI was the first biomarker-driven therapy for ALK-positive NSCLC and as such, dramatically changed the treatment paradigm for these patients. It remains the only ALK inhibitor with mature survival data from a randomized Phase 3 trial. We are extremely proud of the impact XALKORI continues to make on patients' lives," said Mace Rothenberg, MD, chief development officer, Oncology, Pfizer Global Product Development. The most commonly reported adverse events with XALKORI were vision disorder (71%), diarrhea (61%), nausea (56%) and edema (49%), and with chemotherapy, nausea (59%), fatigue (38%), vomiting (36%) and decreased appetite (34%). Most adverse events in both treatment groups were grade 1 or 2 in severity. Grade 3 or 4 elevations of aminotransferase levels occurred in 14% of patients in the XALKORI group and 2% of patients in the chemotherapy group, and these elevations were managed primarily with dose interruptions or dose reductions. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia occurred in 11% and 15% of patients in the XALKORI and chemotherapy groups, respectively, with no cases of febrile neutropenia reported with XALKORI and two cases with chemotherapy. About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide.2 NSCLC accounts for about 85 percent of lung cancer cases and remains difficult-to-treat, particularly in the metastatic setting.3 Approximately 75 percent of NSCLC patients are diagnosed late with metastatic, or advanced, disease where the five-year survival rate is only 5 percent.3,4,5 About XALKORI (crizotinib) XALKORI is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors are anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) or ROS1-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test. XALKORI has received approval for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC in more than 90 countries6 including Australia, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and the European Union. XALKORI Important Safety Information Hepatotoxicity: Drug-induced hepatotoxicity with fatal outcome occurred in 0.1% of patients treated with XALKORI across clinical trials (n=1719). Transaminase elevations generally occurred within the first 2 months. Monitor liver function tests, including ALT, AST, and total bilirubin, every 2 weeks during the first 2 months of treatment, then once a month, and as clinically indicated, with more frequent repeat testing for increased liver transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, or total bilirubin in patients who develop transaminase elevations. Permanently discontinue for ALT/AST elevation >3 times ULN with concurrent total bilirubin elevation >1.5 times ULN (in the absence of cholestasis or hemolysis); otherwise, temporarily suspend and dose-reduce XALKORI as indicated. Interstitial Lung Disease (Pneumonitis): Severe, life-threatening, or fatal interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis can occur. Across clinical trials (n=1719), 2.9% of XALKORI-treated patients had any grade ILD, 1.0% had Grade 3/4, and 0.5% had fatal ILD. ILD generally occurred within 3 months after initiation of treatment. Monitor for pulmonary symptoms indicative of ILD/pneumonitis. Exclude other potential causes and permanently discontinue XALKORI in patients with drug-related ILD/pneumonitis. QT Interval Prolongation: QTc prolongation can occur. Across clinical trials (n=1616), 2.1% of patients had QTcF (corrected QT by the Fridericia method) 500 ms and 5.0% had an increase from baseline QTcF 60 ms by automated machine-read evaluation of ECGs. Avoid use in patients with congenital long QT syndrome. Monitor ECGs and electrolytes in patients with congestive heart failure, bradyarrhythmias, electrolyte abnormalities, or who are taking medications that prolong the QT interval. Permanently discontinue XALKORI in patients who develop QTc >500 ms or 60 ms change from baseline with Torsade de pointes, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, or signs/symptoms of serious arrhythmia. Withhold XALKORI in patients who develop QTc >500 ms on at least 2 separate ECGs until recovery to a QTc -480 ms, then resume at a reduced dose. Bradycardia: Symptomatic bradycardia can occur. Across clinical trials, bradycardia occurred in 12.7% of patients treated with XALKORI (n=1719). Avoid use in combination with other agents known to cause bradycardia. Monitor heart rate and blood pressure regularly. In cases of symptomatic bradycardia that is not life-threatening, hold XALKORI until recovery to asymptomatic bradycardia or to a heart rate of 60 bpm, re-evaluate th use of concomitant medications, and adjust the dose of XALKORI. Permanently discontinue for life-threatening bradycardia due to XALKORI; however, if associated with concomitant medications known to cause bradycardia or hypotension, hold XALKORI until recovery to asymptomatic bradycardia or to a heart rate of 60 bpm. If concomitant medications can be adjusted or discontinued, restart XALKORI at 250 mg once daily with frequent monitoring.



Severe Visual Loss: Across clinical trials, the incidence of Grade 4 visual field defect with vision loss was 0.2% (n=1719). Discontinue XALKORI in patients with new onset of severe visual loss (best corrected vision less than 20/200 in one or both eyes). Perform an ophthalmological evaluation. There is insufficient information to characterize the risks of resumption of XALKORI in patients with a severe visual loss; a decision to resume should consider the potential benefits to the patient. Vision Disorders: Most commonly visual impairment, photopsia, blurred vision or vitreous floaters, occurred in 63.1% of 1719 patients. The majority (95%) of these patients had Grade 1 visual adverse reactions. 0.8% of patients had Grade 3 and 0.2% had Grade 4 visual impairment. The majority of patients on the XALKORI arms in Studies 1 and 2 (>50%) reported visual disturbances which occurred at a frequency of 4-7 days each week, lasted up to 1 minute, and had mild or no impact on daily activities.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: XALKORI can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise of the potential risk to the fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential and males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for at least 45 days (females) or 90 days (males) respectively, following the final dose of XALKORI. ROS1-positive Metastatic NSCLC: Safety was evaluated in 50 patients with ROS1-positive metastatic NSCLC from a single-arm study, and was generally consistent with the safety profile of XALKORI evaluated in patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC. Vision disorders occurred in 92% of patients in the ROS1 study; 90% of patients had Grade 1 vision disorders and 2% had Grade 2. Adverse Reactions: Safety was evaluated in a phase 3 study in previously untreated patients with ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC randomized to XALKORI (n=171) or chemotherapy (n=169). Serious adverse events were reported in 34% of patients treated with XALKORI, the most frequent were dyspnea (4.1%) and pulmonary embolism (2.9%). Fatal adverse events in XALKORI-treated patients occurred in 2.3% of patients, consisting of septic shock, acute respiratory failure, and diabetic ketoacidosis. Common adverse reactions (all grades) occurring in =25% and more commonly (=5%) in patients treated with XALKORI vs chemotherapy were vision disorder (71% vs 10%), diarrhea (61% vs 13%), edema (49% vs 12%), vomiting (46% vs 36%), constipation (43% vs 30%), upper respiratory infection (32% vs 12%), dysgeusia (26% vs 5%), and abdominal pain (26% vs 12%). Grade 3/4 reactions occurring at a =2% higher incidence with XALKORI vs chemotherapy were QT prolongation (2% vs 0%), esophagitis (2% vs 0%), and constipation (2% vs 0%). In patients treated with XALKORI vs chemotherapy, the following occurred: elevation of ALT (any grade [79% vs 33%] or Grade 3/4 [15% vs 2%]); elevation of AST (any grade [66% vs 28%] or Grade 3/4 [8% vs 1%]); neutropenia (any grade [52% vs 59%] or Grade 3/4 [11% vs 16%]); lymphopenia (any grade [48% vs 53%] or Grade 3/4 [7% vs 13%]); hypophosphatemia (any grade [32% vs 21%] or Grade 3/4 [10% vs 6%]). In patients treated with XALKORI vs chemotherapy, renal cysts occurred (5% vs 1%). Nausea (56%), decreased appetite (30%), fatigue (29%), and neuropathy (21%) also occurred in patients taking XALKORI. Drug Interactions (News - Alert): Exercise caution with concomitant use of moderate CYP3A inhibitors. Avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice which may increase plasma concentrations of crizotinib. Avoid concomitant use of strong CYP3A inducers and inhibitors. Avoid concomitant use of CYP3A substrates with narrow therapeutic range in patients taking XALKORI. If concomitant use of CYP3A substrates with narrow therapeutic range is required in patients taking XALKORI, dose reductions of the CYP3A substrates may be required due to adverse reactions. Lactation: Because of the potential for adverse reactions in breastfed infants, advise females not to breastfeed during treatment with XALKORI and for 45 days after the final dose. Hepatic Impairment: XALKORI has not been studied in patients with hepatic impairment. As crizotinib is extensively metabolized in the liver, hepatic impairment is likely to increase plasma crizotinib concentrations. Use caution in patients with hepatic impairment. Renal Impairment: Decreases in estimated glomerular filtration rate occurred in patients treated with XALKORI. Administer XALKORI at a starting dose of 250 mg taken orally once daily in patients with severe renal impairment (CLcr <30 mL/min) not requiring dialysis. No starting dose adjustment is needed for patients with mild and moderate renal impairment. For more information and full prescribing information, please visit www.XALKORI.com. About Pfizer Oncology Pfizer Oncology is committed to pursuing innovative treatments that have a meaningful impact on those living with cancer. As a leader in oncology speeding cures and accessible breakthrough medicines to patients, Pfizer Oncology is helping to redefine life with cancer. Our strong pipeline of biologics, small molecules and immunotherapies, one of the most robust in the industry, is studied with precise focus on identifying and translating the best scientific breakthroughs into clinical application for patients across a wide range of cancers. By working collaboratively with academic institutions, individual researchers, cooperative research groups, governments and licensing partners, Pfizer Oncology strives to cure or control cancer with its breakthrough medicines. Because Pfizer Oncology knows that success in oncology is not measured solely by the medicines you manufacture, but rather by the meaningful partnerships you make to have a more positive impact on people's lives. Working together for a healthier world At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products. Our global portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world's best-known consumer health care products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 150 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.pfizer.com. In addition, to learn more, please visit us on www.pfizer.com and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at @Pfizer and @Pfizer_News, LinkedIn, YouTube, and like us on Facebook (News - Alert) at Facebook.com/Pfizer. DISCLOSURE NOTICE: The information contained in this release is as of September 11, 2017. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments. This release contains forward-looking information about XALKORI (crizotinib), including its potential benefits, that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical trial commencement and completion dates and regulatory submission dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable clinical trial results, including unfavorable new clinical data and additional analyses of existing clinical data; uncertainties regarding the commercial impact of the final overall survival data from the PROFILE 1014 trial; decisions by regulatory authorities regarding labeling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of XALKORI; and competitive developments. A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizer's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results", as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov (link is external) and www.pfizer.com. # # # # # 1 Solomon B., Mok T. et al. First-Line Crizotinib versus Chemotherapy in ALK-Positive Lung Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2014; 371:2167-2177. December 4, 2014DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1408440. 2 The International Agency for Research on Cancer, the World Health Organization, GLOBOCAN 2008, Available at: http://globocan.iarc.fr/Pages/fact_sheets_cancer.aspx (select "Lung" from the drop-down menu). Accessed October 31, 2014. 3 Reade CA (News - Alert), Ganti AK. EGFR targeted therapy in non-small cell lung cancer: potential role of cetuximab. Biologics. 2009; 3: 215-224. 4 Yang P, Allen MS, Aubry MC, et al. Clinical features of 5,628 primary lung cancer patients: experience at Mayo Clinic from 1997 to 2003. Chest. 2005;128(1):452-462 5 American Cancer Society. Detailed Guide: Lung Cancer (Non-Small Cell). Available at: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/lungcancer-non-smallcell/detailedguide/non-small-cell-lung-cancer-survival-rates. Accessed October 31, 2014. 6 Pfizer data on file. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911005478/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]






"I would like to thank all of our loyal customers that are working with us for such long time. We are extremely excited to join the great team at Glispa, with significantly more resources than we had until now," Said Yariv Erel, co-founder and CEO of justAd. "This deal will allow us to take our platform to a whole new level, with much more innovation in it."

"We do not know of any other company big or small with such a unique combination of tech stack, data and now creative," said Tsvika Vagman, co-owner and CRO at justAd. "The joint offering is unique by enabling game developers and brands to choose between result driven models or, for the first time, the freedom to buy the creatives and to run them anywhere on their own."

Media Contact

Anna Parker

Hiltzik Strategies

[email protected]

About Glispa Global Group

Glispa Global Group is a mobile ad tech pioneer empowering clients to activate global audiences and move markets. Providing a full suite of technology-based services, Glispa partners with global advertisers, app developers and publishers, enabling them to reach their user acquisition and monetization goals.

The Glispa Performance Network (GPN) helps advertisers acquire high value users at scale, across thousands of publishers on a performance basis and enable advertisers to acquire users and maximize lifetime value.

Avocarrot, Glispa's native monetization platform for app developers, combines a programmatic exchange and a mediation solution in a single platform, making it a one-stop solution to boost ad revenue. Avocarrot covers high-impact formats such as native and video, while seamless integration with Glispa's proprietary DMP, the Glispa Audience Platform, allows developers to better analyze and target their audiences with actionable user profiles. Through its lightweight SDK, Avocarrot gives app developers transparency, customization, and complete control of their monetization strategy.

Headquartered in Berlin with offices in Beijing, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Athens and Sao Paulo, Glispa employs over 260 people in a multinational team representing 50 nationalities speaking 44 languages. To get started with Glispa, connect with us: http://www.glispa.com.

About justAd

justAd was founded in 2008, by Yariv Erel and Shahar Talmi. It is led today by Yariv Erel (CEO), Noam Shapira (VP R&D) and Tsvika Vagman (CRO). A creative ad tech company, justAd has customers in five continents from the leading agencies to the biggest publishers. Creative Factory, justAd's award winning ad creation product, is the platform of choice for rich media ads and especially playable ads. justAd's secret sauce revolves around getting smart insights from customers and transforming it into scalable technologies.

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/glipsa-acquires-justad-gains-ability-to-create-dynamic-interactive-and-playable-ads-300516844.html

SOURCE Glispa Global Group
[September 11, 2017] ThinkProxi Exhibiting at Southeastern Museums Conference in New Orleans

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ThinkProxi, a location-intelligence technology company, is exhibiting at the annual Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel in New Orleans September 11-13. Blake Higgins, ThinkProxis Implementation Director, puts a high priority on attending conferences like this one. ThinkProxi keeps our finger on the pulse of museums needs and trends, and sitting in on conference sessions help us do that. In addition, we are happy to have a platform to share our expertise with this years attendees. Our team is confident involvement in this event will strengthen our relationships within the industries we serve. The ThinkProxi platform creates a mobile ecosystem that combines the latest technology with physical landscapes. The platform seamlessly integrates the digital with the physical space and enables museums and other attractions to engage their customers and visitors in unique ways and enhance their experience all from their mobile phone or personal device. This years SEMC lineup is impressive. The keynote speaker is culinary historian and author Jessica Harris. Conerence session topics range from planning exhibit space to using social media to improving inclusion.



ThinkProxi will be exhibiting at the conference at booth 59. Attendees are encouraged to visit the booth to meet with the ThinkProxi team of experts to see how their technology improves the museum experience for visitors, and to register to win an Amazon Echo. About ThinkProxi

ThinkProxi is a digital marketing and interactive platform for attractions, festivals, and venues. The sophisticated application of ThinkProxi integrated technology enables attractions to track behavior as well as numbers of visitors, benefitting both the business and the guest. Visitors can interact digitally with every micro-location within the attraction. This type of collaboration between guest and attraction leads to expansion and innovation of business as well as builds loyalty, repeat visits, and greater spending per visitor. Visit their website for more information, or follow them on Twitter, connect with them on LinkedIn, or like them on FaceBook. Contact:

Susan McCullah

[email protected]



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 11, 2017] Maximize the Joy of Travel

MISSION, Kan., Sept. 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Family Features) Many facets of travel  the anticipation, the experience and even the return trip  can enhance your mood. It can create an element of the unexpected and give you the opportunity to gain new, memorable experiences.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/75225610-e0d4-40bf-97a9-67f10db2e01b To explore the connection between happiness and travel, and what makes a destination joyous, Bank of America, Conde Nast Traveler and happiness expert Shawn Achor created The Joy Index. Achor delved into the psychology of experiences that awe people and the physiology of adventure to explain the relationship between joy and travel, and identified the 10 most joyous places in the world. He also shared the following tips on how to make travel attainable and maximize the joy of your vacations: Predictors of Happiness

The Joy Index combined Achors studies on travel and happiness with existing research from organizations, including the United Nations and Gallup, to identify six happiness factors based on the psychology of joy and travel: environment, wellbeing, culture, connection, adventure and wonder. These six factors, which encompass everything from weather to geography and local food to the friendliness of the culture, can have an impact on the joy experienced when visiting a destination. While these factors may indicate how joyful a destination can be, the happiness you experience during travel and in everyday life must be cultivated rather than found. The three greatest predictors of happiness re gratitude, social connection and meaning, Achor said. If you have an amazing life but are not grateful for it, you do not have access to happiness. These three things scientifically improve happiness, but not just for a moment  they change the lens through which you view the world.



Travels Effect on Happiness

Travel allows you to discover something completely new and unique, which is why it can bring so much joy. According to Achor, the human brain craves novelty. The new experiences we have when we travel help us gain perspective and remind us that the world is bigger than our everyday problems, Achor said. Another reason why traveling makes us joyful is the connection we experience. Traveling allows us to disconnect from our everyday lives and reconnect with the friends and family we are traveling with, as well as locals we meet along the way.

One way travelers are honing in on experiencing this social connection is through embracing the sharing economy. According to data aggregated from Bank of Americas more than 40 million credit and debit accounts, the number of accounts making a home-sharing purchase increased 57 percent in 2016 compared to 2015. Maximizing Joy on Vacation

Remembering to be grateful is crucial for staying in the moment and finding joy in your trips. When it comes to planning vacations, we get too focused on the stress of the details, Achor said. Try to think about how lucky we are to travel and experience the world. When things dont go your way, such as an inconvenient rainy day, see it as an opportunity to make your experience even more memorable. Putting yourself out there and engaging with the local culture can also be crucial for maximizing the joy of traveling. Once youre on your trip, one way to increase your happiness is to go back to that social connection. Get out of your comfort zone and talk to strangers, Achor said. Learning about different stories of people with different cultures than our own helps us realize and understand some of the cool similarities we share and interesting differences based on our backgrounds. Making Travel Attainable

Achor stressed that happiness can be cultivated wherever you are, but if you want to get the most out of a vacation, planning is crucial. My research has shown that planning more than a month ahead can lead to happier, healthier and more productive vacations, Achor said. Even though traveling can help increase happiness, many opt out of going on trips because of the cost. This, too, is where planning can help. One way travelers can start saving up for their next vacation is by using a travel rewards credit card like the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card, which lets you earn points on all purchases that can be redeemed toward travel-related purchases. Your morning coffee and other everyday purchases can help get you closer and closer to affording a joyful vacation. To learn more about The Joy Index, including the most joyful travel destinations in the world for 2017, visit cntraveler.com/joyindex. The Most Joyful Destinations of 2017 Happy places make for happy stays. According to The Joy Index, these are the top five happiest travel destinations for 2017. 1. Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

A perennial front-runner in world happiness rankings, diversity and the grandeur of its natural landscapes, including the remote cliffs and fjords of Newfoundland and Labrador, are what set Canada apart to visitors. 2. Shanghai, China

The city of 24 million is a mashup of formal and informal, modern and historic with visible signs of Chinas history of tectonic change. 3. Aarhus, Denmark

The European Unions 2017 Capital of Culture, Aarhus is an architectural marvel and culinary hotbed with a cluster of talented, young chefs. 4. Madagascar

Often described as the eighth continent, Madagascar is an unspoiled melting pot of cultures featuring deserts, baobabs, rainforests and 3,000 miles of turquoise coastlines. 5. Big Island, Hawaii

Big Islands sheer capacity for wild, natural wonder is the result of geological events that are still underway; Hawaii grows every year as lava from the Kilauea volcano cools in the sea. About Family Features Editorial Syndicate

Established in 1974, Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for print and online publications. Our articles, photos, videos and web content solutions save you time, money and help create advertising opportunities. Registration is fast and free  with absolutely no obligation. Visit editors.familyfeatures.com for more information. Michael French

[email protected]

1-888-824-3337

editors.familyfeatures.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 11, 2017] Personetics to Present Cognitive Banking Use Cases at the Cognitive Finance AI Retreat in Jersey, Channel Islands, 14 - 17 September 2017

LONDON, September 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Personetics, the leading provider of cognitive applications for the financial services sector, will deliver a presentation on practical use cases of cognitive banking at the Cognitive Finance AI Retreat, a private event for board and C-level executives, taking place in Jersey 14 - 17 September 2017. The Cognitive Finance AI Retreat is an annual private gathering designed to foster discussion on the adoption of artificial intelligence in financial services. It is organised by Cognitive Finance Group, a British consultancy and investment company specialised in applied artificial intelligence. Every year, between 40-60 leaders and experts from banking, asset management, private wealth management, insurance, academia and artificial intelligence and executives of artificial intelligence companies are invited to take part in the Retreat. "We look forward to participating in this unique event," said Eran Livneh/span>, VP Marketing, Personetics. "While artificial Intelligence is generating significant of interest and buzz, it is now at the point where practical implementations in financial services are starting to materialise and deliver results. We are excited to share the learning from our work with some of the world's largest financial institutions."



"Cognitive Finance Group is committed to supporting quality AI companies, from established pioneers to early-stage start-ups. We are delighted that Personetics, a company with a strong reputation and tailored financial services offerings, will present in front of the Board and C-level executives at our annual AI retreat," said Clara Durodie, CEO, Cognitive Finance Group. The Personetics presentation will take place Thursday 14 September from 10:45am - 11:15am.

Additional Resources: Personetics Cognitive Banking Applications AI and Chatbot Learning Center About Personetics Personetics' Cognitive Banking Applications are used by the world's largest financial institutions to deliver personalized guidance, conversational self-service, and automated self-running programs that help customers reach their financial goals. Featuring a unique combination of built-in financial intelligence and advanced cognitive capabilities, Personetics solutions are bank-ready, allowing financial institutions of all sizes to make AI-powered banking a reality for millions of customers today. Led by a team of seasoned FinTech entrepreneurs with a proven track record, Personetics has been named a Gartner Cool Vendor, a Top Ten FinTech Company by KPMG, and a Top Ten Company to Watch by American Banker. For more information, visit http://personetics.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/personetics-to-present-cognitive-banking-use-cases-at-the-cognitive-finance-ai-retreat-in-jersey-channel-islands-14---17-september-2017-300517080.html SOURCE Personetics

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
September 11, 1893 was the day when Swami Vivekananda addressed the Parliament of World's Religion Congress in Chicago. As the government celebrates the ideology of Vivekananda with youngsters, here's the full speech.

A picture of Swami Vivekananda sitting on stage at the historic Parliament of Religions, in Chicago, in 1893. | Photo: belurmath.org

By India Today Web Desk: PM Narendra Modi is addressing a convention of students at Vigyan Bhawan to commemorate the 125th year of Swami Vivekananda's address at the Parliament of World's Religions in Chicago in 1893 and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay's centenary celebrations.

This year, we are marking 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address & Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya centenary celebrations.- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 10, 2017

advertisement

Swami Vivekananda represented Hinduism in the Parliament and his opening remarks became famous and have been quoted at various occasions worldwide.

"Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, we are working tirelessly towards realising the dreams & aspirations of our youth," PM Modi tweeted an evening before addressing the audience of youngsters at the 'Young India, New India' convention.

Inspired by the ideals of Swami Vivekananda, we are working tirelessly towards realising the dreams & aspirations of our youth.- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 10, 2017

PM Modi said how 9/11 is about "love, harmony and brotherhood" and that after the 2001 attacks on Twin Towers in Washington, a negative connotation got attached with the date.

Today is 9/11...this day became widely spoken about after 2001 but there was another 9/11 of 1893 which we remember: PM @narendramodi

- PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 11, 2017

As the speech given by Swami Vivekanada completes 124 years, one of the most influential speeches given by an Indian abroad. Here's the full text of the opening reamrks of Vivekanada's speech:

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world. I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks also to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true.

I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.

advertisement

I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, and which is every day repeated by millions of human beings:

As the different streams having their sources in different places all mingle their water in the sea, so, O Lord, the different paths which people take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita:

Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach them; all are struggling through paths which in the end lead to Me.

advertisement

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

You can also access Swami Vivekananda's full remarks at the Parliament of World's Religion Congress here.

--- ENDS ---
[September 11, 2017] Qumram Upgrades Social Media Surveillance Tool to Deliver the World's First Truly-Compliant WhatsApp and WeChat Recording

Qumram, the pioneer in RegTech, risk management, customer engagement and analytics, has extended its social media surveillance solution to enable fully-compliant mobile-to-mobile WhatsApp and WeChat conversation recording; regardless of the location and devices of either party, and despite end-to-end encryption. Previously, employees wanting to communicate compliantly via messaging platforms including WhatsApp, WeChat, Facebook (News - Alert) Messenger, Skype, and LinkedIn, had to access their social media channels via a company computer. Qumram is the only firm able to deliver seamless and transparent social media recording. Qumram records every digital interaction (web, social, mobile), and replays them on-demand. The movie-like replay displays every motion, mouse movement, click and swipe, exactly as the customer or employee saw it. Financial institutions governed by global regulations (e.g. SEC (News - Alert), FINRA, MiFID II, ESMA, Fidleg, FFSA) gain a complete digital audit trail, along with analytics that deliver deep customer experience insights. This ground-breaking solution will be demonstrated at FinovateFall NYC (September 11-14) and in a webinar "Truly-compliant WhatsApp and WeChat Surveillance: Seeing is Believing" on October 11. Register here



Patrick Barnert, CEO at Qumram, commented: "Social media is a financial services blind-spot. Firms routinely record voice and email communications, and believe they are compliant. However, MiFID II requires all relevant e-communications to be recorded, including websites, client portals, mobile apps, and social media. Those who have left it late to address MiFID II digital record-keeping compliance are under great pressure to source a compliant social media recording solution before January 2018." "Many employees already use instant messaging tools like WhatsApp and WeChat to communicate with colleagues and customers; they are breaching compliance every day," continues Barnert. "Financial institutions have three choices: do nothing and continue operating at risk, ban social media usage and risk client loss, or source a compliant solution. Most are choosing the latter."

Follow Qumram: Twitter LinkedIn About Qumram (www.qumram.com) View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911006004/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 11, 2017] Rowpar Pharmaceuticals to Be Honored With 2017 AZBio Fast Lane Award

The Arizona Bioindustry Association will honor Rowpar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., manufacturer of CloSYS oral health products, with an AZBio Fast Lane Award at the 2017 AZBio Awards. Arizona life science and business leaders as well as guests from across the country will be on hand to applaud the Rowpar Pharmaceuticals team for their progress in developing products and protocols that people can use to promote good oral hygiene and overall health. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, since 1991, Rowpar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an organization dedicated to providing innovative oral health solutions. CloSYS Oral Health products help people live healthier lives. Rowpar provides innovative oral health solutions to dental and medical professionals and to the general consumer, helping people get well and stay well in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Its CloSYS brand is recommended by dentists and hygienists, doctors and nurses, and is among the top 10% of oral care products in CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and Amazon nationally with new retailers, new stores and new shelves being added over the past 18 months. Its motto is "A Cleaner Mouth, A Healthier You," connecting oral and systemic health. Cloralstan is Rowpar's patented core technology. CloSYS products are proven effective in killing various oral pathogens associated with plaque, gum diseases and other oral diseases, and for reducing oral malodor, dry mouth, sensitive mouth, and oral mucositis resulting from chemotherapy as well. CloSYS products accomplish this without impeding the healing process or killing bacteria that are beneficial to health. Dr. Perry Ratcliff, one of America's leading periodontists and experts on dental health and gum disease, and a team of leading dental professionals created CloSYS in 1991. During Dr. Ratcliff's 50-plus years of clinical practice, he discovered that stabilized chlorine dioxide helped to significantly reduce the harmful bacteria in the mouths of his patients; this discovery has evolved to the patented formula Cloralstan, the active ingredient that makes CloSYS unique, safe and effective. Dr. Ratcliff remained active in Rowpar's development until 2000. Originally envisioned as a company selling a boutique product line exclusively to dentists, today Rowpar competes successfully in the world of fast-moving consumer goods, nationally and internationally. While a team of less than a dozen seasoned professionals, Rowpar competes successfully in a world dominated by firms such as Colgate-Palmolive, Proctor & Gamble, and GlaxoSmithKline. Breaking new ground, CloSYS products are dispensed by Novartis with each Afinitor (breast cancer chemo) prescription to counteract medically induced oral sores. Today James Ratcliff, Ph.D., is the second generation of the Ratcliff family leading Rowpar. Prior to joining the company as Chairman and CEO in 2000, Ratcliff worked in higher education administration, assisting colleges, universities, accrediting agencies, NGOs, and ministries of education in countries on six continents to assess their programs, services, policies and practices and to implement new or enhanced procedures. Jim Ratcliff has been a driving force behind expansion of the company's product line and its penetration of global markets. Since its establishment in 1991, Rowpar has maintained its leadership position by way of inventing new products and applicatins and acquiring patents worldwide.



In the last 18 months, Rowpar was recognized for product excellence and has expanded both its distribution network and its product line. In May 2017, CloSYS Unflavored Oral Rinse and CloSYS Gentle Mint Oral Rinse became the first mouth rinses to be awarded the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance for the management of oral malodor, also known as halitosis and commonly referred to as bad breath. In addition, CloSYS Anticavity Toothpaste and CloSYS Fluoride Rinse received the ADA Seal as anticavity treatments in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Rowpar received the ADA Seal, a well-respected symbol of excellence in dentistry, for four of its products in the past 18 months from the American Dental Association. In addition, Rowpar received three awards in the recent past: Proficient Exporter in May 2017 from Sun Corridor EDGE (Economic Development of the Global Economy), 2017 Innovation in Oral Healthcare Award for North America from Corporate LiveWire.com (UK), and AdStudy Award from Signet Research Inc. Oral Health Innovations In 2016 Rowpar developed and commercialized CloSYS Fluoride Rinse, specially formulated for adults 55+. This is the first oral rinse that provides a solution to common oral health issues that the growing elderly population faces. In addition, Rowpar was granted 10 patents in 2016 and 2017 in USA, Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan and Mexico. Embraced by Customers Rowpar services the dental, healthcare and consumer markets. The company has become a recognized leader in the focus on overall health through oral health. The company sells its oral care products throughout the United States, Australia and Canada at dental offices, retail outlets and online. In the last 18 months CloSYS products have been added to all stores within the Albertsons and Walmart chains and all CVS Health stores that include new oral rinses and toothpaste products. Amazon sales have broken all-time Rowpar sales records in four of the first five months of 2017. CloSYS is 5 Star rated by Amazon consumers. CloSYS Unflavored mouth rinse sold at Walgreens now ranks as one of the top 20 selling items in their entire oral care line of 500+ items. Rowpar products are sold under the CloSYS brand in Australia and the U.S., under the Dentists' Choice brand in Africa and Asia, and under private label in Europe and India. "Successfully developing and delivering consumer-oriented health products requires more from entrepreneurs than the average consumer product," shared Joan Koerber-Walker, president and CEO of AZBio. "It requires perseverance, a commitment to health innovation, and the ability to earn the confidence of both healthcare professionals and consumers. The team from Rowpar provide a great example of how to succeed in an important and highly competitive market." "Rowpar is about more than great oral health products," shared Jim Ratcliff. "We have fun and try to delight our customers - because the greatest contributor to good health is happiness." A ceremony honoring Rowpar Pharmaceuticals will take place at the AZBio Awards on October 11, 2017, at the Phoenix Convention Center. The AZBio Awards ceremony celebrates Arizona's leading educators, innovators and companies. Each year, AZBio honors bioindustry leaders from across the state of Arizona who are illustrative of the depth, breadth and expertise of its bioscience industry. The AZBio Awards ceremony is held annually during Arizona Bioscience Week. AZBW 2017 was proclaimed by the Arizona Senate earlier this year. Multiple educational events focused on the value of life science innovation will take place from October 8, 2017, to October 14, 2017, including the BMES Annual Meeting in Phoenix. The Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) is the world's leading society of professionals devoted to developing and using engineering and technology to advance human health and well-being. Attendees at BMES 2017 in Phoenix are expected to include nearly 4,000 professional scientists, engineers, researchers and students from academia and industry who are leaders in biomedical engineering. For registration and more information, go to www.azbioawards.com. For more information on Arizona Bioscience Week, visit www.AZBio.org/AzBW2017. About AZBio A key component in Arizona's life science ecosystem, the Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio) is the only statewide organization exclusively focused on Arizona's bioscience industry. AZBio membership includes patient advocacy organizations, life science innovators, educators, healthcare partners and leading business organizations. AZBio is the statewide affiliate of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and works in partnership with AdvaMed, MDMA, and PhRMA to advance innovation and to ensure that the value delivered from life-changing and life-saving innovation benefits people in Arizona and around the world. For more information visit www.AZBio.org and www.AZBio.TV. Photos available upon request. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911006088/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[September 11, 2017] Teva Announces Sale of PARAGARD (intrauterine copper contraceptive) to CooperSurgical

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement under which CooperSurgical will acquire PARAGARD (intrauterine copper contraceptive), a product within its global Women's Health business, in a $1.1 billion cash transaction. PARAGARD had revenues of approximately $168 million for the trailing twelve month period ending June 30, 2017. This transaction includes Teva's manufacturing facility in Buffalo, NY, which produces PARAGARD exclusively. Teva continues to actively pursue additional divestiture opportunities, including the sale of the remaining assets of its global Women's Health business, as well as its Oncology and Pain businesses in Europe. Teva continues to expect to generate at least $2 billion in total proceeds from the sale of these businesses, as well as additional asset sales to be executed by year end 2017. "CooperSurgical's commitment to women's health, fertility and diagnostics, will help to assure that patients in the U.S. continue to benefit from access to PARAGARD," stated Dr. Yitzhak Peterburg, Interim CEO. "This is an important step towards completing the divestments we have promised our stakeholders. Teva will use the proceeds from the sale to repay term loan debt under its Senior Credit Facility." Peterburg continued, "Today's announcement emphasizes our commitment to divest non-core businesses to ensure that Teva is even more focused and efficient in this rapidly changing and highly-competitive environment." With the divestiture of PARAGARD, and planned divestiture of other global Women's Health products and the Oncology and Pain business in Europe, Teva is reinforcing its strategic focus on CNS and Respiratory as its core global therapeutic areas of focus within Global Specialty Medicines. In these areas Teva maintains a strong pipeline and portfolio globally, and will continue to invest in creating long term value. Teva is committed to working closely with CooperSurgical to ensure a smooth transition of PARAGARD. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including antitrust clearance in the U.S. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2017. Until the transaction is completed, Teva will continue to manufacture and sell PARAGARD in the U.S. in the normal course, providing full support to manage the business and meet the needs of customers and patients. Morgan Stanley and Ernst & Young acted as advisor to Teva and Goodwin Procter as Teva's legal counsel for this transaction. What is PARAGARD (intrauterine copper contraceptive)? PARAGARD is a copper-releasing device that is placed in the uterus to prevent pregnancy for up to 10 years. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Do not use PARAGARD if you have a pelvic infection, get infections easily or have certain cancers. Less than 1% of users get a serious infection called pelvic inflammatory disease. If you have persistent pelvic or stomach pain, or if PARAGARD comes out, tell your healthcare professional. If it comes out, use back-up birth control. Occasionally, PARAGARD may attach to or in rare cases may go through the uterine wall and may also cause other problems. In some cases, surgical removal may be necessary. Although uncommon, pregnancy while using PARAGARD can be life threatening and may result in loss of pregnancy or fertility. Bleeding or spotting may increase at first but should decrease in 2 to 3 months. PARAGARD does not protect against HIV/AIDS or sexually transmittd diseases (STDs).



Available by prescription only. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

For important risk and use information about PARAGARD, please see the full Prescribing Information. About Teva Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) is a leading global pharmaceutical company that delivers high-quality, patient-centric healthcare solutions used by approximately 200 million patients in over 60 markets every day. Headquartered in Israel, Teva is the world's largest generic medicines producer, leveraging its portfolio of more than 1,800 molecules to produce a wide range of generic products in nearly every therapeutic area. In specialty medicines, Teva has the world-leading innovative treatment for multiple sclerosis as well as late-stage development programs for other disorders of the central nervous system, including movement disorders, migraine, pain and neurodegenerative conditions, as well as a broad portfolio of respiratory products. Teva is leveraging its generics and specialty capabilities in order to seek new ways of addressing unmet patient needs by combining drug development with devices, services and technologies. Teva's net revenues in 2016 were $21.9 billion. For more information, visit www.tevapharm.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the Sale of PARAGARD (intrauterine copper contraceptive) which are based on management's current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: the potential that the expected benefits and opportunities related to the disposition may not be realized or may take longer to realize than expected;

risks related to the satisfaction of the conditions to closing the divestment (including the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals in the anticipated timeframe or at all), including the possibility that the disposition does not close;

litigation in respect of either company or the disposition;

our ability to complete additional dispositions, including our ability to identify purchasers and negotiate terms acceptable to us;

our substantially increased indebtedness and significantly decreased cash on hand, which may limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness, engage in additional transactions or make new investments, and may result in a downgrade of our credit ratings;

our business and operations in general, including: uncertainties relating to our recent senior management changes; our ability to develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products; manufacturing or quality control problems, which may damage our reputation for quality production and require costly remediation; interruptions in our supply chain; disruptions of our or third party information technology systems or breaches of our data security; the failure to recruit or retain key personnel, including those who joined us as part of the Actavis Generics acquisition; the restructuring of our manufacturing network, including potential related labor unrest; the impact of continuing consolidation of our distributors and customers; variations in patent laws that may adversely affect our ability to manufacture our products; our ability to consummate dispositions on terms acceptable to us; adverse effects of political or economic instability, major hostilities or terrorism on our significant worldwide operations; and our ability to successfully bid for suitable acquisition targets or licensing opportunities, or to consummate and integrate acquisitions;

compliance, regulatory and litigation matters, including: costs and delays resulting from the extensive governmental regulation to which we are subject; the effects of reforms in healthcare regulation and reductions in pharmaceutical pricing, reimbursement and coverage; potential additional adverse consequences following our resolution with the U.S. government of our FCPA investigation; governmental investigations into sales and marketing practices; potential liability for sales of generic products prior to a final resolution of outstanding patent litigation; product liability claims; increased government scrutiny of our patent settlement agreements; failure to comply with complex Medicare and Medicaid reporting and payment obligations; and environmental risks; and other factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016 ("Annual Report"), including in the section captioned "Risk Factors." and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at www.sec.gov and www.tevapharm.com. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911006223/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
A single member judge refused to stay the general council saying it's a matter to be dealt by the Election Commission of India.

A two-member judge of Madras high court, consisting of Rajiv Shakder and Abdul Khudoos, on Monday gave an order for the AIADMK general council to be conducted in Sri Vari Kalyana Mandapam in Chennai.

Edappadi Palaniswamy and O Paneerselvam had called for the general council on Tuesday after the merger, but TTV Dinakaran camp's MLA Vetrivel approached the Madras high court. A single member judge refused to stay the general council saying it's a matter to be dealt by the Election Commission of India. However, he approached a two member judge immediately.

advertisement

The case was heard with arguments from both the sides for more than two hours. Finally around 9.15 pm, judges upheld the morning verdict and allowed the general council to be conducted. The Madras high court also adjourned the case pertaining to resolutions passed in the general council to be heard on October 23.

Meanwhile , a city civil court in Bengaluru had stayed the general council following a petition by the member Pugazhendi, who is a resident of Bengaluru. However, now Madras high court order will be followed and the general council will take place.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TOMORROW

Sources tell india today that following is likely to happen. The AIADMK general council has over 2,000 members. Even if two-third of them supporting EPS and OPS attend

1. They will amend the by-law of AIADMK which says only general secretary can call for general council meeting.

2. They are likely to dismiss Sasikala as the general secretary by scrapping the post.

3. They will say only Jayalalithaa was the general secretary and nobody can hold that post.

4. The same panel which elected Sasikala will remove her.

5. In an earlier meeting by AIADMK, Edappadi Palaniswamy had removed TTV Dinakaran.

6. They are likely to announce all office bearers appointed by Sasikala including TTV Dinakaran as null and void.

7. They will amend laws to allow functioning of coordination committee headed by OPS to run the party.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR DINAKARAN

1. He is likely to move Supreme Court and ECI.2. He has already issued a threat to bring down the government. Tonight, In Madurai, he said, "We are ready to send this government packing. If the CM is not changed we are prepared to bring down this government. "

ALSO READ |

Panneerselvam takes oath as Tamil Nadu Deputy CM, gets finance portfolio

AIADMK merger done, but Palaniswami may not want to oust Dinakaran. Here's why

OPS-EPS merger: Marriage after divorce is not easy ALSO WATCH: AIADMK merger: With broad smiles and a handshake, OPS-EPS seal the deal after months of drama

--- ENDS ---

advertisement
The pace of Moore's Law is slowing, and the bulk of the blame lies with optical lithography. EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography) technology should fix that, but the development effort that began back in the late '90s has been plagued by reliability and power consumption hurdles. Now that EUV tools are ready for the major fabs, Samsung, TSMC, Global Foundries, and Intel are all racing to the EUV finish line.

Samsung plans to lead the EUV charge with 7nm products slated for the second half of 2018, while its competitors will deploy production-class EUV in the 2020 timeframe. Of course, lithography naming conventions have turned into more of a marketing exercise than an actual quantifiable metric, and many predict that Samsung's 7nm is more akin to Intel's pending 10nm node.

Samsung began EUV testing in 2014 and claims to have processed over 200,000 wafers with the new technology. It also claims to have achieved an 80% yield rate for 256Mb SRAM (Static Random-Access Memory) chips with EUV, but notably, doesn't indicate the process node.

Samsung's and Global Foundries share process technology, which is important for its partner AMD. Global Foundries announced last year that it isn't investing in the 10nm node, which it considers a "half node," and is instead plowing forward with 7nm. As such, Global Foundries will likely follow Samsung with its EUV process soon thereafter.

As an aside, Global Foundries has said it is going to replace SRAM with MRAM (magnetoresistive random access memory) in its future products, which is why it partners with Everspin, so it will be interesting to see if Global Foundries applies EUV to MRAM. Global Foundries is holding its Technical Conference next week in Santa Clara, so expect more updates in the coming week.

Samsung is also adding 11nm LPP (Low Power Plus) process technology to its war chest, with the new chips geared for mid- and high-end smartphones. Samsung already uses the 10nm node for its leading smartphones, such as the Galaxy Note 8, and it appears 10nm will soldier on for high-performance mobile applications. Samsung claims the 11nm LPP process boosts performance by 15% and reduces chip area by 10% (relative to 14nm LPP), which should equate to a nice power savings in tandem with the boosted performance. Samsung plans to begin 11nm LPP production in the first half of 2018.

Samsung is holding its Foundry Forum Japan event on September 15, 2017 in Tokyo. We expect more details to come to light at the event.
AND WE'RE BACK!!!

Kansas City Downtown Distractions

Kansas City Booze News

KC friends open microbrewery and restaurant off the beaten path, way off Two guys from Kansas City are living out their dream, even if a lot of people believe it's in the middle of nowhere.Beaver, Kansas is situated along a dirt road about 30 minutes south of Interstate 70, north of Great Bend. The population is 17.

Another Lesson In Democratic Party Talking Points From Mary Sanchez

Betsy DeVos is about to meet reality during her visit to this Kansas City school The life-size cutout of Michelle Obama in a white Grecian gown (leftover from a red carpet-themed fundraiser) will be tucked away during Betsy DeVos' visit next week to Kansas City Academy. The head of school feels it best not to rouse partisan emotions.

Nasty Catholic Kansas Charges

KCK archdiocese suspends reverend during investigation into financial misconduct GARDNER, Kan. -- The Archdiocese of Kansas city in Kansas has suspended a priest while authorities investigate financial misconduct within the church. The Archdiocese recently received information about what they`re calling 'financial irregularities' at Divine Mercy Parish in Gardner, Kansas.

Kansas City Bad Luck Wedding

Blue Springs couple spends honeymoon riding out Irma in Florida KCTV5 News spoke with a Blue Springs couple who took a trip to Florida and has found themselves stranded in the storm. Monica and Alan Poehlman got married just a week ago. They had scheduled a honeymoon to Tampa, Florida. They'd already paid for their resort and their flight, so they went ahead and made the trip.

The Local Forecast

Mild, sunny Monday ahead Clouds from Irma are possible - but no rain.

Kansas City Wayback History

This Volker block was home to hard-working laborers Laborers, most of them immigrants or the children of immigrants, were the first residents to occupy the block of the Volker neighborhood between Holly and Mercier from W. 40 th to W. 41 st. Some worked at the stockyards, but most were employed in Kansas City's thriving railroad industry.

Hottie Josie reminds us that every day is a gift and that's why we call it "the present" or whatever . . . And now we check this top KC news links for this morning . . .is the song of the day and this is thefor right now . . .
Fox4: "Police in Kansas City, Mo., are busy investigating two possible drive-by shootings early Monday morning.





"The first occurred around 4 a.m. near 19th and Topping at the Hilltop Townhomes. Police say during this shooting a child, likely 7-years-old. The child's condition is unknown.





"Then shortly after this shooting, police say a person arrived at the hospital and said they had been shot near I-70 and 23rd Street. That person's condition is also unknown."

The level of local violence and gunfire begins anew.Here's the first report to start the morning . . .Developing . . .
STRIDENT MISSOURI CONSERVATIVES CALL OUT KC STATE SEN. RYAN SILVEY FOR HIS SOFTCORE STANCE ON VOTING TO OUST TRUMP CRITIC SEN. MARIA CHAPPELLE-NADAL!!!

"Condemning her on Twitter and talking about her resignation is nice. But what's he going to do about it? It's time for Ryan to wear his big boy pants and stop trying to be the Northland darling of Mayor James. He needs to be accountable for his vote."

"TKC, I may not agree with much of what your write but I urge your readers who are against Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal staying in office to CONTACT SEN. SILVEY AND TELL HIM TO SUPPORT A VOTE TO HAVE HER REMOVED. He has only shown social media commitment so far without telling us how he's going to vote and that is unacceptable for an action so important."

WHAT WE'RE SEEING SO FAR IS THAT PREZ TRUMP HAS CREATED A GREATER RIFT AMONG REPUBLICAN FACTIONS AND NOW HAS A MISSOURI SUPER-MAJORITY AT WAR WITH ITSELF!!!









And so the Missouri veto session is upon us and a Kansas City GOP dude is once again getting called out by his more strident Conservative colleagues.To wit and because some of our rural Missouri GOP pals are good for something besides selling walnut bowls . . .To be fair, she did apologize after her FB remarks about hoping for Prez Trump assassination Nevertheless, here's the word:Accordingly . . .Sadly,while the economy of the state remains mostly stagnant and they embarrassingly struggle to line up the votes against their hopelessly outnumbered opposition.Links:Developing . . .
SIERRA CLUB ENDORSES Emanuel Cleaver, II

"We are deeply grateful to Rep. Cleaver for co-sponsoring HR 502, the Permanent Re-authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund", said local Sierra Club outings chair Eileen McManus "Cleaver is a true environmental champion who supports adequate and dependable funding to protect natural areas in Missouri."

: The Missouri Chapter of the Sierra Club today announced its endorsement of Emanuel Cleaver, II for the Fifth Congressional District in the 2018 election."We are pleased to announce today that the Sierra Club officially endorses Representative Cleaver for reelection," said Ross Hunt, Sierra Club Missouri Chapter Political Chair. "We are confident that he will continue work to protect Missouri families health, air and water, and build a clean energy economy that works for the Show-Me State."Given the current administrations ongoing threats to our clean air and water and public lands, it is more important than ever to elect environmental champions like Rep. Cleaver. When President Trump announced this past June that the United States would leave the Paris Climate Agreement, Rep. Cleaver immediately spoke out on the need for continued action to address climate change.Along with the endorsement, the Sierra Club will lend its volunteer strength to Cleaver's campaign."We pledge to do all we can to help ensure Rep. Cleaver is reelected," said Claus Wawrzinek. "Sierra Club volunteers will contact voters on his behalf and we will speak to the public as often as possible about his exemplary environmental record. We look forward to a victory for Mr. Cleaver on election night and to Emanuel Cleaver fighting for the environment as our U.S. Representative."###You decide . . .
By PTI: (Eds: Adding details)

Gurgaon/New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Two top officials of the Ryan International School were arrested today and the acting principal detained for questioning following the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old student on campus, even as the victims father moved the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe.

The police claimed that evidence from the scene of crime had been tampered with and said they would bring the guilty to book.

advertisement

Ryan International Group CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents, who are its founders, approached the Bombay High Court today to seek anticipatory bail in connection with the childs murder in the chains Gurgaon school.

SHO of Sadar Police Station on Sohna Road in Gurgaon was meanwhile suspended over a baton-charge on protesting parents, as well as journalists, outside the school premises.

Protests continued at other places with the parents of children studying in Ryan International Schools Noida and Greater Noida branches seeking an assurance regarding safety of their wards.

Gurgaon police chief Sandeep Khirwar told PTIthat the schoolsLegal Head, Francis Thomas and HR Head,Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Sunday night following interrogation.

"Acting principal Neerja Batra has been detained and is being questioned. She is likely to be arrested soon," Khirwar said.

Acting on the report of a three-member panel that had indicated lapses, the two top officials of the school management were arrested under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice act, police officials said.

The two were produced before a Sohna court which remanded them to two days in police custody.

Khirwar said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case believed that evidence in the case was tampered with.

"The SIT said in the court that destruction of evidence was found to have been done. Attempt was made to wash away the blood stains from the spot where the child was found murdered. The blood on his water bottle and bag was also found rubbed. Some other pieces of evidence were also tampered with," Khirwar said.

We will add appropriate sections against the school management or other staff, whoever is found to be involved, at the time of submission of the charge sheet, Khirwar said.

Schoolbus conductor Ashok Kumar, who allegedly tried to sexually assault the class II student in a toilet and slit his throat with a knife when he resisted on Friday last is already behind bars.

The Haryana police has formed fourteen teams to probe the case, which has triggered massive outrage, according to officials. A special investigation team will reach Mumbai to question school CEO Pinto and director AlbertPinto, they said.

advertisement

The father of the 7-year-old, however, approached the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe, which prompted the apex court to seek responses from the Centre and Haryana.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also sought a response from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on the plea, which has sought framing of guidelines to fix responsibility of school managements in case of such incidents and also regarding the safety and security of children.

"This petition is not restricted only to the school concerned as it has a country-wide ramification," the court said during the brief hearing.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, asked the governments and the CBSE to respond within three weeks.

Barun Chandra Thakur, the father of the student said in his plea filed through advocate Sushil Tekriwal, that free and fair investigation should be conducted by the CBI under the monitoring of the apex court in the matter.

At the Bombay High Court, Ryan International Groups founding chairman, Augustine Pinto (73), and his wife Grace Pinto (62), who is the managing director of the institution, along with their son Ryan Pinto sought anticipatory bail.

advertisement

Their counsel Niteen Pradhan mentioned the applications this morning before Justice Ajey Gadkari, who posted them for hearing tomorrow.

The Pintos, in their pleas, said while the death of the boy was unfortunate, the management cannot be held culpable and that they themselves were victims of the unfortunate circumstances.

The death has caused deep pain not only to the parents and family of the child but also to the trustees, management, staff and students of the school, their applications said.

"This is not only the darkest hour for the family but also for the institution. Such an incident has taken place for the first time in the past four decades since the institution was set up," the three said in their bail pleas.

Despite taking all necessary steps for security and well being of the students as required by law and prudence, if such an unfortunate incident occurs, the institution cannot be held culpable as it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances, they said.

advertisement

According to the pleas, the Pintos read newspaper reports which mentioned that there were demands for booking the management.

"Hence, we apprehend action against us in the matter. We seek the court to grant us transit protection from arrest so that we can approach the appropriate judicial authority in Haryana," the pleas said.

The petitioners said they were residents of Mumbai from where the overall management of the institution was carried out. The day-to-day management of each school is taken care of by the local staff appointed by the management, they said.

While no outsider is allowed to enter school premises, bus drivers and conductors, who have been given identity cards, were allowed to use basic amenities like toilets on "humanitarian grounds", they said in the petitions.

Because of the CCTV placed in the corridor covering the entrance of the Gurgaon school washroom where the incident occurred, the culprit could be identified immediately and arrested, the pleas added.

Earlier, a fact-finding panel in its report had highlighted several deficiencies, including in the installation of CCTV cameras at the school, lack of separate toilets for drivers and conductors, unsafe toilets, a broken boundary wall, lack of ramps, expired fire extinguishers and lack of police verification of employees, officials said.

The district administration has asked the school to ensure safety at its premises and gave it 15 days to reply to a show cause notice, they added.

All Ryan group schools in Gurgaon have been ordered to remain shut today and tomorrow.

As the outrage over the murder kept mounting, the SHO of Sadar Police Station was suspended in connection with a baton-charge on protesting parents and journalists outside the school.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had yesterday termed as "unfortunate" the baton charging in which some mediapersons covering the protest were also injured and ordered action against erring policemen.

Hundreds of angry parents had staged a protest outside the school demanding a CBI probe into the murder of the 7- year-old.

For applying baton charge on angry mob and journalists outside the school on Sunday morning, Gurgaon Police Commissioner has suspended SHO-Sadar Sohna for negligence," ACP and Chief PRO of Gurgaon Police Manish Sehgal said.

Khattar said the government will bear the medical expenses of journalists who were injured in the police action.

There were protests in Noida and Greater Noida as well where parents gathered outside Ryan International School branches and sought assurance on the safety of their children from the management. PTI CORR SJK PKS ABA MNL RKS SP KRK GK ADS

--- ENDS ---
When American troops made a chaotic, embarrassed withdrawal from Vietnam in April 1975, the flood of terrified Vietnamese refugees to Kansas City began. Ty Bui, who had spent seven years in the Vietnamese military, escaped his country in August that year and, after staying in a refugee camp in Arkansas, came to Kansas City in September.
One of Dubais largest real estate brokerages revealed today that some landlords will start accepting Bitcoin payments for residential property rental within one of the citys major new developments starting next month.



On the opening day of Cityscape Global, fam Properties said that from October 1, a number of landlords whose properties are managed by the company are willing to accept Bitcoin rental payments for a limited number of apartments at City Walk, the new destination in the heart of Jumeirah, provided there are clear regulatory guidelines in place.



Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fam Properties, said the initiative had been inspired by the recent announcement that a real estate project at Dubai Science Park is to be the first major development where buyers can purchase property in Bitcoin.



Some of the landlords were representing in property management at City Walk were very excited by the news because theyre Bitcoin traders, and they believe that Bitcoin opportunities in real estate will attract educated and savvy tenants, he said.



From the start of October they will sign a one-year contract with tenants who wish to pay in Bitcoin, and they will transfer the equivalent of 12 months rent to the landlords Bitcoin wallet.



One of the landlords, prominent Emirati businessman Essa Al Khoory, said: Im very happy to have entered into an agreement with fam Properties to facilitate the Bitcoin rental payments for apartments at City Walk. This is the future for real estate, and its exciting to see this happening first in Dubai.



Fam Properties is currently in discussion with two developers for them to start accepting Bitcoin as currency for their projects.



We aim to take the market lead in this area, said Al Msaddi. For all Bitcoin transactions, we will be carrying out the necessary KYC (know your customer) background check on all tenants.



There are currently several players in the market preparing to launch Bitcoin related initiatives and its appropriate that this is all happening in Dubai which is a great driver and inspiration for innovative ideas.



Last week two British entrepreneurs announced that Bitcoin purchases will be accepted for Aston Plaza and Residences, their luxury development spanning more than 2.4 million sq ft and split across two 40-storey residential towers at Dubai Science Park.



At Cityscape Global this week, fam Properties is partnering with Artar Real Estate Development as master real estate agent for the developers Mada Residences luxury residential tower in Downtown Dubai, which is on course for completion by 2Q 2018.  TradeArabia News Service






The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) will shed light on its comprehensive initiatives promoting maritime safety, secure navigation, and operational efficiency of Dubais maritime sector at this years Port Development Mena Conference in Dubai, UAE.



Produced by international conference company IQPC, the event will take place from September 26 to 28, and see a participation of local, regional, and international port authorities and operators.



During this global platform, DMCA will share its experiences in implementing safety regulations in local maritime cluster and enhancing Dubais international competitiveness to make it one of the best maritime capitals in the world, said a statement.



Amer Ali, executive director of DMCA, said: The upcoming conference is a unique addition to the important maritime events being hosted by Dubai and will serve as an ideal venue to discuss how all stakeholders can significantly benefit from steadily increasing industry opportunities in the region, while finding solutions to pressing concerns and issues.



More importantly, the summit will be another great opportunity for us to take a closer look at the global trends and assess these in parallel with robust activities in the regions seaport terminals, in addition to the significance of Menas continuous expansion, transformation, and infrastructure development, he said.



High-ranking DMCA representatives will join other senior level executives from various port authorities, terminal operators, consultants, main contractors, and solution providers from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, it said.



During the three-day gathering, they will tackle Menas newest port projects and expansions, as well as look into best-practice methodologies for securing, constructing, and operating state-of-the-art port infrastructure, it added.



The conference will be held at a time when Middle Eastern ports have been witnessing enormous growth over the last few years. As a result, the port operators are facing significant competition. Ports are expanding infrastructure, upgrading terminal operating systems, investing in cyber security and smart solutions, offering different value-added services and continuously looking past the obvious opportunities to increase port activity.



Ali said: Dubai and the rest of the UAE play a pivotal role in the regional sectors growth through strong emphasis on optimisation and innovation, both of which will be extensively discussed during the event.



As the government authority in charge with regulating, coordinating, and supervising all aspects of Dubais maritime sector, DMCA will highlight this role during the conference by discussing our progress in rolling out important initiatives to turn the emirate into one of the worlds advanced maritime centres; implement best international practices; create a safe and sustainable domestic maritime community; and increase the economic share of the local maritime industry, he added.



These vital undertakings are in accordance with the directives of our countrys wise leadership, he stated.



The conference will also provide delegates with an exclusive hands-on look at Jebel Ali, one of the worlds largest container ports being operated by DP World. The port tour will cover Container Terminal 1 and 2, and guests will get all their questions about the largest marine terminal in the Middle East answered.



Besides DMCA, other major organisations that are participating in the event include Kuwait Port Authority, Sohar Port, Port of Duqm, Aqaba Development Corporation, General Authority for Suez Canal Economic Zone, and Hamburg Port Authority.



The first day will focus on key projects overview and discussing winning strategies for port and terminal optimisation, while the second day will revolve around port automation, digitisation, and security.



Unlike a traditional trade-show or expo, the three-day summit incorporates interactive panel discussions, keynote presentations, case-studies and open business meetings  all in a focused 5-star business-to-business environment, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Arabias Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmad Al-Jubeir has called upon Qatar to be clear and serious in dealing with the ongoing diplomatic crisis, stressing that the Kingdom's stances have been clear and stated repeatedly.



"Qatar knows what is required, Adel Al-Jubeir was quoted as saying by Wam, the Emirates official news agency.



We want clarity with regard to the Qatari position. We want a seriousness in finding a solution to this crisis, leading to the implementation of the principles supported by all countries of the world, including non-support of terrorism, non-financing of terrorism, non-hosting of wanted persons, non-dissemination of hatred and extremism and non-interference in the affairs of other countries, which were among 13 demands submitted to the Qatari side through the State of Kuwait. In this regard, we have taken measures and will continue our stance until Qatar responds to the will of the international community to stop supporting and financing terrorism and extremism," he said during a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.



Al-Jubeir noted that Qatar did not abide by the Riyadh agreement in 2013/2014 by ceasing its policy of supporting extremism and interfering in the affairs of other countries and supporting terrorism. Therefore, the Kingdom, with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, were forced to take action against Qatar, to make Qatar abandon its policy of supporting terrorism and extremism and hosting those who are wanted and spreading the speech of hatred, incitement and interference in the affairs of the countries of the region.



"If Qatar has a serious desire, it must respond to these demands in order to open a new page with Qatar. With regard to mechanisms for implementation and follow-up, Qatar must realize that these policies are unacceptable, not only from countries in the region, but from all over the world. I do not think that there is a state that backs support or financing of terrorism or incitement to extremism or interference in the affairs of other countries. Now, we hope that the wisdom of the State of Qatar will be prevailed upon and Qatar responds to the demands of the four countries," Al-Jubeir added, as quoted by Saudi Press Agency SPA.



He stressed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed on the international principles that guarantee the sovereignty of Syria, in accordance with international law and non-interference in the internal affairs of Syria. With regard to the challenges facing the region, he pointed out that the two countries' stances are identical.



During the press conference, the Russian Foreign Minister highlighted his meeting with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, expressing his satisfaction with the cooperation between Russia and the Kingdom and the joint action. He pointed out that the Astana meetings were effective between Russia, Turkey and Iran. "We will cooperate to achieve the goals that have been discussed," he said.



The Russian Foreign Minister also stressed the importance of new agreements on the structure of the fourth region in Idlib province.



Al-Jubeir lauded the Russian stance and its communicating with the legitimate government in Yemen to solve the crisis based on the Security Council's resolution no. 2216, in addition to welcoming the results of the national dialogue in Libya and recent steps to gather the Libyan parties, as well as supporting efforts of the UN envoy in this regard.



Al-Jubeir stressed that the two countries determine to address terrorism and extremism and focus on respecting international laws and non-interference in others' affairs, and are looking forward to fruitful cooperation between the two friendly countries.
Motorcity, the sole distributor of Hino trucks in Bahrain, has unveiled the new HINO 500 Series at an exclusive launch at the Gulf Hotel.



The event was attended by key customers, as well as Hino Motors and Motorcity senior management.



The New 500 Series, which leads the way towards the next generation of Hino technology, incorporates new approaches throughout the development and manufacturing process. The aim is to enhance not only the performance of each component, but also assembly precision and overall product quality, said the company.



All Hino trucks are designed based on their development concept of Quality, Durability and Reliability, it said.



The new 500 Series Hino trucks are enhanced with higher GVW (26 tonnes), stronger front axle capacities (7,500 kg), longer chassis (up to 7.4m), 6x4 chassis configurations, 40T GCM 4x2 tractor units, specially designed off road cabins, and full air brakes with ABS & Euro 3 engines with higher HP and torque. They are also now equipped with more safety specifications and comfort features such as a semi floating cab and air suspension drivers seats which fit any body shape and ensure smoother and fatigue free driving even in off road conditions.



The new seats provide additional riding comfort through an increased slide range that enables a greater range of driver heights to be accommodated.



The new 500 series with 6x4 configuration reduced the big gap between Medium duty and Heavy duty truck and it will be of big benefit to cost conscious customers and for construction industry where higher capacity crane can be mounted on the product range.



Motorcity senior general manager Dr Bijan Majidi said: Hinos upgraded structure features longer cargo space, as well as improved payload, which increases its capacity, allowing it to carry more cargo loads, and boosts its ability to tackle the different logistical needs of the customer. Also, with our newly expanded service facilities in Maameer, our trained service team is able to provide our customers with insightful knowledge of HINO technology and technical information to make the customers journey as efficient as possible.



Hino, being a group company of the Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), represents its parent company in the global market for light, medium and heavy duty trucks and buses. In Bahrain, Hino is the first Japanese brand to introduce the Euro 3 engine and Fully Automatic Transmission in the light duty segment.  TradeArabia News Service


As part of its annual responsible business activity month, two Park Inn by Radisson hotels in Oman collaborated and visited the Specialty Centre for Autism in Muscat, Oman for a day of fun activities with the children.



The team was welcomed by the head of the center Dr. Ali, faculty staff and students. The hotel employees and the centre organised a painting and planting trees activities for the children.



The Specialty Centre for Autism was opened after the issuance of the decree on the creation of the centres for the rehabilitation of persons with handicap by the Ministry of Social Development and the interest of Sheik Mohamed Bin Sulieman Al Taie. The centre is focused on the creation of its various services targeted towards encouraging a better understanding of autism and providing specialist services for people with autism and those who care for them.



We have students from four to 18 years old. We are glad that organisations like Park Inn hotels in Oman support us for creating awareness about autism here in Oman, said Dr. Ali, head of The Special Center for Autism. The center provides a safe place and therapeutic environment for the rehabilitation of autistic child, including proper staffed accommodation, with all day camera watch in all centers and accommodation sectors. The autism centre aims to deliver to the autistic child the maximum level of independence and provide all therapeutic means, including occupational therapy, speech treatment, behavioural therapy, psychotherapy and academic qualification. The centre also clarifies information about autism disorder for those who take care of an autistic child.



Nuno Neves, cluster general manager for Park Inn Muscat and Park Inn Duqm said: We 'Think Community' by working with organizations to reach out within the community. We support this kind of activity that makes a difference. Awareness is key and we hope to generate enough awareness by spreading information about autism. - TradeArabia News Service


By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reminded everyone of another 9/11 when Swami Vivekananda addressed the Parliament of Religion in Chicago in 1893 and took the world stage by storm.

"Who would have thought that anyone would be interested in celebrating a 125-year-old speech," said Narendra Modi while addressing a students' convention in New Delhi to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's address at the World's Parliament of Religions.

advertisement

"Just with a few words, a youngster from India won over the world and showed it the power of oneness," the Prime Minister said describing Swami Vivekananda.

Swami Vivekananda's address at the Parliament of Religions talked about issues and subjects that are more relevant than ever.

SHELTERING THE REFUGEES

As the refugee crisis, be it Mexicans in the United States or Rohingyas in Myanmar, is worsening and countries are forced to take sides, Swami Vivekananda in his Chicago address presented an India "which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the Earth".

Swami Vivekananda in his opening address to the Parliament of Religions said, "I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny."

RELIGION THAT TEACHES TOLERANCE

With Indians debating the rise of religious intolerance in the country, Swami Vivekananda in 1893 said that he was "proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance". "We believe not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true," he said in Chicago.

"Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful Earth. They have filled the Earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilisation and sent whole nations to despair," said Swami Vivekananda in the speech that sounds ominous today.

DIVERSITY OF RELIGIONS

In Chicago, Swami Vivekananda repeatedly talked about diversity of religions and the need for peaceful existence of all religions.

In his speech 'Why We Disagree', Swami Vivekananda said, "I am a Hindu. I am sitting in my own little well and thinking that the whole world is my little well. The Christians sit in their little well and think the whole world is their well. The Muslims sit in their little well and think that is the whole world."

In his final address at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago, Swami Vivekananda said, "Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity. I am not going just now to venture my own theory. But if anyone here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of the other, to them I say, 'Friends, yours is an impossible hope'".

advertisement

ALSO READ:

Former top babus express concern over intolerance, hyper nationalism

Those who can't keep India clean have no right to chant Vande Mataram: PM Modi

India's own 9/11: Full text of Swami Vivekananda's 1893 speech that PM Modi referred to

ALSO WATCH: People who work tirelessly have the first right to chant Vande Mataram: PM Modi

--- ENDS ---
Despite a top United Nations official criticising India's decision to deport illegal Rohigya immigrants, the Centre has enough points to back its stand.

Rohingyas are fleeing Myanmar in the wake of violence in Rakhine state. Photo: Reuters.

By India Today Web Desk: Last week, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju made India's stand on deportation of Rohingya Muslims clear.

"I want to tell the international organisations whether the Rohingyas are registered under the United Nations Human Rights Commission or not, they are illegal immigrants in India," said Rijiju, adding that they stand to be deported.

advertisement

Rijiju's comments came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar, to start his two-day visit to the country.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the violence in Rakhine state during his address in Myanmar, India later called for "restraint" by the country's government.

"India remains deeply concerned about the situation in Rakhine state in Myanmar and the outflow of refugees from that region," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

INDIA RAISES SECURITY CONCERN

Today, a top United Nations official, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein slammed India for taking measures to "deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country".

According to the UN office in Bangladesh, more than 3 lakh Rohingyas have fled into Bangladesh from Myanmar since violence broke out in Rakhine on August 25.

In India, nearly 40,000 Rohingya Muslims are staying illegally while another 14,000 have been registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Majority of these illegal Rohinya immigrants have settled in Jammu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.

The Centre has said that illegal immigrants like Rohingyas pose grave security challenges as they could be recruited by terror groups and directed states to identify them and subsequently deport them.

NOT BOUND BY UNITED NATIONS

As international organisations call on India to not deport Rohingyas, India can back its stand on deportation by stating that it is neither a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention of the UN nor did it sign its 1967 Protocol. In total, 148 countries have signed either of the two protocols that clarify the rights of refugees and help protect them.

As late as May this year, India had not ratified the United Nations Convention against Torture despite being a signatory to the convention in October 1997.

The Article 3 of the Convention against Torture states that "no party shall expel, return (refouler) or extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture".

advertisement

It further says that "for the purpose of determining whether there are such grounds, the competent authorities shall take into account all relevant considerations including, where applicable, the existence in the State concerned of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights".

India, however, is yet to make a law on the same to ratify the convention.

ALSO READ:

Rohingyas in India and terror threat: How jihadi forces may have infiltrated persecuted Muslims of Myanmar

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind asks UN to restore Rohingya Muslims' rights, condemns Gauri Lankesh's murder

Bangladesh wants India to stand by it over Rohingya crisis

ALSO WATCH: Government says it will deport 40,000 Rohingyas living illegally in India

--- ENDS ---
PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 11

The Punjab Police has blocked the drug supply line in the state. It is high time for de-addiction and rehabilitation of addicts. Claiming this, the Special Task Force (STF) ADGP, HS Sidhu, said, Support of NGOs will be taken in order to wean away drug abuse victims from this scourge.

He was speaking at a public meeting organised by Narcotic Anonymous (NA) group, a non-profit worldwide fellowship body, which works for de-addiction of addicts. Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha was also present on the occasion.

The ADGP said the Punjab government was working on three-pronged strategy to stem the problem of drug menace from the border state. Answering a query about the drug addiction in border villages, he said the Punjab Police along with the Health Department would be treating addicts in the border belt, especially in Tarn Taran and Amritsar under the outpatient opoid assisted treatment (OOAT) model.

Under this model the help of peer groups involving former drug addicts such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) would be taken, he added.

Former drug addicts knew emotional and physical suffering they have gone through. Therefore, drug addicts can relate to them and get motivated in shunning drugs for a better life, he pointed out.

The STF had proposed OOAT centres at over 600 medical facilities in the state, including district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres and subdivisional hospitals.

On the proposal of the NA to allow them to visit central jails to counsel drug addicts, Sidhu said this would definitely be done in future. The NA also urged the Police Department to display boards at police stations with their helpline numbers so that more and more drug addicts could benefit from this.

While talking to mediapersons Deputy Commissioner appreciated efforts of Narcotics Anonymous. On queries of recent resignation by director, Swami Vivekanand and De-addiction Centre at Government Medical College, he said the administration would write to the health secretary to appoint a suitable person in his place soon.
Satinder Pal Singh

Dhakoli, September 10

Highlighting the sorry state of child safety in the tricity region, an incident was reported from Dhakoli, near Zirakpur town, where an eight-year-old girl was raped by a 12-year-old boy this morning.

The boy, who hails from UP and at present lives at Dhakoli, has been charged under the Indian Penal Code as well as the POCSO Act following a complaint by the victims father, who is a migrant labourer. He has confessed to the crime before the Dhakoli police.

The police said the incident happened at around 8 am when the victim, who is a student of Government Elementary School, Dhakoli, went to a grocery shop to fetch a packet of milk. The boy, who lives in the same locality, was playing with his friends. When he saw the minor girl walking alone, he forcibly took her to a nearby secluded spot and raped her.

Later, the victim narrated the incident before her parents, who found her bleeding. They approached the police. The victim was subjected to medical tests and a complaint was registered against the boy.

Jagjeet Singh, in charge of the Dhakoli police chowki, said a case had been registered against the boy on a complaint by the victims family. He confessed to the crime. Jagjeet Singh said the girl's medical reports were awaited.

Meanwhile, sources in the hospital where medical tests on the victim were done, said the victim had injuries on her private parts and was bleeding little bit when she was brought to the hospital. The doctors said the minor was in a state of shock earlier. She was counselled for an hour, following which she responded positively.

Earlier, a minor girl, who was returning home after taking part in the Independence Day function at her school, was raped by somebody at a park in Sector 23, Chandigarh.

Cops accused of shoddy behaviour

The mother of the eight-year-old girl has slammed the police for their shoddy behaviour, alleging that they did not believe their story even when her daughter was bleeding at the police station. She alleged that the police kept them waiting and were hesitant to lodge an FIR against the boy. However, Jagjeet Singh, in charge of the Dhakoli police chowki, refuted the allegations. He said they needed to crosscheck whether the suspect was a juvenile, so a police team visited the boy's house to confirm his age. A police woman was called from Ropar, so the girls medical examination could be conducted. He said a case had been registered under various sections of the IPC and the POCSO Act.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 10

Eight children who had gone missing from the city were traced by the UT police during a special drive conducted in the past seven days. The drive was initiated on September 2 till September 9.

According to the police, two minor girls, both aged 13 years, had gone missing from Hallo Majra on September 6. They were traced from Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh on September 9.

Police officials said that a boy aged around 12 years had gone missing on September 7. He was traced within 12 hours after he went missing. Similarly, two boys aged around 15 years went missing from Daria on September 9. They were also traced the same day.

The Chandigarh Police handed over the children to their parents.

The special drive to trace the children, who went missing from the city under mysterious circumstances, will continue, said a police official.

Besides, the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Chandigarh Police has also launched its operation to trace the missing children.

In July itself, 48 children were traced by 21 teams of the anti-human trafficking unit that had gone to different states to trace the missing children.

Success stories
Jayshree Sengupta

Jayshree Sengupta

THE new Commerce Minister, Mr Suresh Prabhu, has shown keen interest in reviving exports and is pushing for export-led growth. Many economists have also been commenting on the recent export growth slowdown in India. In July 2017, exports contracted to 3.9 per cent. Indeed, the GDP growth will remain lower than optimum if exports stagnate. Also, one of the main drivers of manufacturing growth has always been a high export growth, but today export-led growth is no longer such an attractive option. In the 1960s and 70s, the Asian Tigers  South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan  transformed their economies rapidly from developing countries to becoming middle-income countries through high export growth, but today the whole global environment has changed.

For example, South Korea was a poor country in the 1950s after the Korean War, but it is now among the developed countries and a member of the OECD which is a big exporter of cars, electronic goods and smartphones. Initially, through labour-intensive exports like leather goods, it worked its way up, and with the help of transfer of technology from China and Japan, transformed itself into a producer of quality state-of-the-art manufactured goods under the brand names of Samsung, LG and Hyundai that can be found the world over. Its population is only 50 million so the domestic market is not big enough. Like South Korea, others were forced to go for export-led growth due to their small size. They are still reliant on exports, but are facing a slowdown in todays global climate.

Chinas rapid economic growth since 1979 was also export-driven manufacturing growth which was made possible through FDI inflows, mainly from the US. American companies outsourced production to Chinese factories and exported them back to the US. Today, China is facing flak from the US for robbing American jobs and may face trade barriers. Luckily, it has a huge domestic market on which it has decided to concentrate.

The first requirement for export-led growth is an educated and disciplined labour force which is healthy and diligent. All countries that promoted export-led growth invested heavily in human capital and ensured that a regular, cheap food supply and housing were available for the labour force. It requires a very good infrastructure with ports, roads, airports and railways. Unless there is a well-functioning infrastructure, delays in delivery will lead to cancellation of orders. Various trade facilitation measures like easier customs clearances and less paper work and bureaucratic procedures also led to higher export growth. The Tigers also ensured that there was below market rate of interest for easy credit. They maintained a stable currency which was not overvalued.

When the Tigers were exporting to the West, there was a huge demand for cheap products. Today, the low labour cost advantage of the Tigers and China is fast eroding with a rise in wages in all these countries. Now, the new destination for foreign investments for setting up shop and seeking cheap labour are smaller ASEAN countries like Vietnam and Cambodia. In garments, the sweatshops of Bangladesh are without parallel and are cutting into Indias garment exports. Yet the conditions of work of the garment workers are deplorable  this was evident in the terrible Rana Plaza disaster, when over 1,100 workers, mostly women, perished.

On the whole, increase in exports through cheap labour by global south and increase in outsourcing has caused resentment in the Western countries because they have led to job losses. As a result, the US is turning protectionist and the EU has in place many barriers to developing countries exports. The developed countries are increasingly turning to high-tech to produce cheap consumer goods like bicycles which require fewer workers and are therefore cost effective. American manufactured goods are slowly replacing the cheap imports from developing countries (Trumps buy American is helping).

Global trends are changing rapidly, especially tastes, and this is also causing problems. Indias diamonds exports are not taking off because of change in the preferences of young people today. The millennials dont seem to care much for diamond jewellery, handicrafts or handlooms. In every Western country, the youth is hooked on branded products. Thus according to experts, Indian goods have to be in the global value chain in order to survive competition, but there is a major problem in India because of the nature of production. Many goods in India are produced in the medium and small enterprises and have poor quality control because the labour involved in production lacks adequate training in skills, education, and is less disciplined than in Indias competitor countries. There are other problems also like access to credit, power and water. It is thus very difficult for India to enter the global value chain like other smaller neighbours  Thailand or Sri Lanka, for instance  though we are producing automotive parts and electronic components for multinational companies.

To be in the global value chain requires efficient infrastructure which India is striving hard to acquire. Unable to enter the global value chain in a big way, we are selling mostly raw materials to China, Korea, Japan, and ASEAN comprising of animal feed, agricultural wastes, plastics, aluminium, iron, slag ash, etc. which are bulky, low-value products. We have to improve the quality of products of exports in order to become reliable sources of imports for countries around the globe.

The hardening of the rupee due to the massive inflows of short-term foreign institutional investment (FIIs) recently will also make Mr Prabhus task harder because it will make Indian goods more expensive in dollar terms than the competitors. The introduction of GST is creating additional problems for exporters as it is blocking their funds for advance payment of GST which they can claim only later. Previously, they were not required to pay such taxes which also involve additional paperwork. While exports are important for job creation, there are problems of high inventory and lack of new investments and innovations in the export sector that need to be addressed by the minister. A tough task ahead for him!
Sandeep Dikshit

Sandeep Dikshit

For all those hoping that the Indian Government would provide succour to the gathered mass of Rohingya refugees, the moment finally came late on Saturday night. In a statement, South Block expressed its deep concern over the hounding of the Rohingya in Myanmar.

The three-week hesitation to the latest round of bloodletting on Myanmar's coast had its roots in the current dispensations Hindutva orientation and its distaste for destitute Muslims from other countries parking themselves, possibly permanently, all over the country. This was made clear in the Modi government's mass granting of citizenship to over 4,000 refugees, all of whom were to a man Hindu or Sikh.

In order to retain India's image as a benign do-gooder in Afghanistan, the Modi government continues to accommodate 60,000 of its citizens and does not acknowledge their refugee status but allows the UN to run a programme for them. They are presumably the good Muslims because Prime Minister Modi has made it clear in Myanmar that terrorism was behind the exodus of entire settlements from Arakkan. What was that terrorism factor which has also been repeated by Aung San Suu Kyi?

Both Modi and Aung San were economical with the truth. The trigger for the fresh Myanmar army crackdown on Rohingya Muslims was the August 25 attack on its pickets that extracted several casualties. But the problem has been around for much longer. And it took the form of political and social exclusion: no citizenship, no government jobs that were cornered by the Burman elite from the Irrawaddy basin.

As Suu Kyi is a Burman, she is careful not to alienate them by taking up the cause of the Rohingya who have been renamed Bengalis and asked to go back.

It wasn't that way in the beginning. In 1936, Gani Markan was elected to Legislative Council Burma from the Burmese national category though he was of Indian origin. The reason for India's circumspect approach to the Rohingya is buried in that period. Indians became pariahs and were chased out from the Irrawaddy delta in the late 1930s. The days of Mere piya gaye Rangoon aur wahan se kiya telephone were over.

Another wave of exodus of people with Indian appearance took place around the Second World War.

As a result, most of India's overtures have been to the Burman elite, such as setting up the first two technical training institutes in the Irrawaddy delta. But the location of the next two institutes, finalised during PM Modi's visit last week, provides clues to India's interest in Myanmar. One will come up in Thaton, a town in the path of an ambitious Indian transport corridor that seeks to end north-east's isolation from the neighbouring growth engines of Thailand and Vietnam. This Indo-Japanese venture to counter China's web of corridors through East Asia. That it was mentioned in a joint Obama-Manmohan Singh statement underlines its strategic significance.

The second will be set up at Monywa, another back-of-the-beyond town, but in a region where India has been stepping up its presence as it helps it keep an eye on the Naga and ULFA leaders based in the sprawling province. This town is on the western bank of the Chindwin river, believed to be the Myanmar regime's unwritten limit for Chinese influence.

It took a lot of effort for India to rebuild ties with the regime after it had supported Suu Kyi. India sought to mark out the region west of the Chindwin river by getting involved in two hydroelectric projects, both of which proved unfeasible. India also militarily aided Myanmar with surveillance planes, patrol boats and military hardware.

The result was lessening of its security-related headaches emanating from Sagaing, where once north-east militants regrouped at will. India's distancing from Suu Kyi and involvement in development projects helped it worm itself into Myanmar army's goodwill. This led to several coordinated operations that raised the cost of anti-India militants setting up a base in Sangaing.

The other reason that has dissuaded India from playing a more active role on the persecution of the Rohingya is that two of its major projects are located in the zone of trouble: three deep-water exploration blocks and a sea-cum-land route to Mizoram, currently delayed due to a horrible mistake in alignment by Indian engineers.

But as other neighbours scrambled to assist the Rohingya, the current government could not have afforded to stay aloof. The MEA statement, however, has no bearing on the living conditions of the Rohingyas who have based themselves in India. The government's attitude can be summed up by a minister's hardhearted statement: They won't be shot or thrown in the sea. The Supreme Court has now taken up the matter. Despite its proclaimed hands-on approach to governance, the government would be happy for the courts to rule on the refugees: it does not affect its strategic partnership with Myanmar and retains the hardline Hindutva base that was opposed to any accommodation to the Rohingya. It also helps refurbish India's image as a country that practices and preaches tolerance that has taken a few body blows.

sandeep4731@gmail.com
RK Kaushik

RK Kaushik

IT was 69 years ago on September 11, 1948 that the founder of Pakistan and it's first Governor-General Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah died. The time was 10.20 pm in the night, when his feeble heart stopped perennially, leading to his death.

For several years before his death, there was a constant tug-of-war between the Quaid-i-Azam and his physicians. His physicians warned him to take long intervals of rest and do short hours of hard work, but he did exactly the opposite, knowing full well the risk he was running. He cheerfully pursued the task he had set himself: the attainment of Pakistan during his lifetime. And after the establishment of Pakistan and the events that followed, he worked harder still. His unconquerable spirit helped him to ignore the dark forebodings, writ large in his failing health.

Jinnah, the first child of Jinnahbhai Poonjah, an Ismaili Khoja, was born in Karachi on December 25, 1876. His ancestral home was in Paneli, Gondal, princely state in Kathiawar of the Bombay Presidency and his mother tongue was Gujarati. His father had moved to Karachi in search of business.

In the January of 1893, Mohammad Ali Jinnah left for London. He soon developed an interest in law and left the apprenticeship for a legal career and joined Lincoln's Inn and returned to India in 1896. In 1897, he was enrolled as an advocate at the Bombay High Court.

Lucidity of thoughts

As Justice MC Chagla, who worked with him in his chamber for some years, explained: "I read his briefs, went with him to court and listened to his arguments. What impressed me most was the lucidity of his thoughts and expressions. There was no obscure spot or ambiguities about what Jinnah had to tell the court. He was straight and forthright and always left a strong impression, whether his case was intrinsically good or bad."

In December 1906, Jinnah formally joined active politics when he attended the Calcutta session of the Congress as a delegate and honorary personal secretary to President Dadabhai Naoroji, popularly called 'the grand old man of India', known to him since his stay in London.

Jinnah joined the All-India Muslim League in 1913, a Muslim political organisation founded in 1906, after helping it adopt first the goal of "self-government suitable to India." In November 1916, he became the president of the Lucknow session of the league. In 1916, he was also the president of the Bombay Provincial Conference and later of the Bombay branch of Mrs Besant's India Home Rule League. As president of the session at Lucknow, Jinnah had a large share in planning the Lucknow Pact, whereby the Congress and the league reached a settlement of controversies, but it failed to bring permanent peace and fell into desuetude.

He was a member of the committee which, in 1926-27, recommended the setting up of an Indian Sandhurst. He also served on the Reforms Inquiry Committee of members of the Central Legislative in 1923-24. Jinnah associated himself with the boycott of the Simon Commission and with the All-Parties Conference held in Bombay in the spring of 1928.

Jinnah's wife Ruttie, whom he married on April 19, 1918, had stood bravely by his side in his life in the initial years. Ruttie was a daughter of Sir Dinshaw Petit, a Parsi businessman of Bombay, who opposed her marriage to Jinnah, being a Muslim. The mere idea of union between his 16-year-old daughter and 40- year-old Jinnah was unacceptable to him. He had even obtained a court injunction against him until she turned 18. However, as soon as she was a major, Ruttie converted to Islam and tied the knot under Muslim rites. Though not taking part in politics herself, Ruttie remained involved in Jinnah's political activities. On February 20, 1929, Jinnah's young wife passed away after a protracted illness. They had a daughter, born on August 14, 1919, named Dina, whose birth filled their hearts with a new joy and endless pleasure.

Highly strung

Ruttie, in her own words, loved Jinnah as it is given to few men to be loved. Jinnah too, as Dina (later Dina Wadia), testified, loved her mother. But then, the two separated in January 1928, barely a year before Ruttie's death, perhaps, as Kanji Dwarkadas, suggested, "due to temperamental difference and differences in age."

Jinnah attended the Round Table Conference in London in the early 1930s. But he was not satisfied with the attitude of the other leaders. Jinnah got the Lahore Resolution passed on March 23, 1940 in Lahore. It demanded a separate state for the Muslims of India. Unlike the majority of the Muslim population in India, he lived in stately mansions, was tall and elegantly groomed with a distinguished presence of fastidious tastes.

At the right time

Jinnah's case, indeed, proved that charismatic leadership is a relationship, not an isolated phenomenon. Unless the conditions necessary for the emergence of a charismatic leader are ripe, the potential leader, no matter how 'gifted', and how potent his cause, remains without a following.

There is no doubt that Jinnah was able to inspire as well as to win the response of the Muslims as no one else had done before. The Muslims withdrew their allegiance from the prevailing system of government in his favour, as was abundantly clear from the increasing support he received from them after asserting his demand for Pakistan. Hence, they not only followed him enthusiastically, but also surrounded him with the spontaneous cult of personality which is one of the symptomatic marks of charismatic leadership.

Jinnah remained Governor-General of Pakistan from August 15, 1947 to September 11, 1948. The people of Pakistan called him their Quaid-i-Azam (the great leader).

The writer is an IAS officer of the Punjab cadre. His views are personal
Sonu Trivedi

Sonu Trivedi

Almost 14 years ago when I started doing research on Myanmar, I had no clue as to how close to my heart this country will become. Apart from the official meetings and designated calls, this fascinating land had much to offer, leaving everlasting impact on me. The overwhelming response from the people of Indian origin (almost the third generation settlers) has been remarkable. Besides, expats and the officials from India posted in Myanmar gave memories much to be cherished.

Though shared historical-cultural linkages and references to 'Brahmadesh' and 'Swarnabhumi' abound in our mythology and literature about this captivating land, the magnitude of Indian influence remains unexplored in recent times. For understanding the cultural trends in Burmese history, it would be important to study the cultural progression in ancient India. In the words of Buddhist historian RL Soni, "There is certainly scope for further investigation and research..".

Because of the existence of diverse ethnic groups, this mystic land has been called by Martin Smith as the anthropologists paradise. From a researcher's lens, I would call it a 'goldmine', for studying the rapid restructuring taking place in the country, aptly designated as a laboratory for reforms. Given the geo-strategic significance of Myanmar and shared historical and civilisational ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi regards it as the historical and spiritual Gateway to the East.

Attracted by the opportunities of the fertile land and flourishing trade, Indians have been settling in Myanmar for centuries, thereby bringing the land of ancient learning and the land of Golden Pagodas closer to each other. It was during the British rule that cheap Indian labour was used to exploit the colonial economy. Agricultural labourers were imported to Myanmar to cope with the heavy demands of the big plantation and intensive rice cultivation. A large number of middle-class intellectuals were also used as civil servants and administrators. Many lawyers and doctors were also employed and they became pioneers in the field of education. Indians had also settled in Myanmar as traders, shopkeepers and moneylenders. Their role in business contributed to commercial relations between the two colonies.

The first batch of Indian farmers to settle in Myanmar were led by Harihar Singh, Diwan in the court of the Maharaja of Dumrao in Bihar, who was given a land grant in 1874 to clear the area for paddy and sugarcane plantation in Zeyawaddy (Bago Division) in Lower Burma. Their settlements in Zeyawaddy and Kyauktaga in Myanmar resembles the landscape and culture of Bihar with similar cultural, linguistic and culinary habits. Women adorned in saris and their Bhojpuri language bear evidence of shared ties.

A common linkage which has also led to deepening the bonds between the two ancient cultures is Buddhism. The Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, is considered to be the most revered place and all devout Buddhists in Myanmar long to visit it at least once. Every year, in Bodh Gaya witnesses a large number of tourists and high visit delegations for pilgrimage. Another common trait is the practice of chewing paan (betel leaf).

Myanmar is also known for India's freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak being imprisoned for six years at Mandalay Jail. Subhas Chandra Bose, after several months of intensive training with the Japanese forces and secretly discussing the important strategies with General Aung San, entered the northeast of India through Myanmar. Besides, this land is also associated with Tagore, Gandhi and Nehru.

The popular lyrics of an Indian film song "Mere piya gaye Rangoon kiya hai wahan se telephone." have become a reference point for a deep India-Myanmar connection. In literature, the plot of Amitav Ghosh's novel The Glass Palace is based in Myanmar. It is set against the backdrop of the political changes in Myanmar.

Last but not the least, swapping of the last two rulers of India and Myanmar Bahadur Shah Zafar and King Thibaw to Yangon and Ratnagiri, respectively, illustrates the strange fate and commonality of how their last royal families were treated.

The writer teaches political science at Zakir Husain Delhi College, DU
JAPAN is known to unswervingly follow the lead taken by the US in developing its international relations. Now that Donald Trump, despite his reservations on migration of manufacturing from the US, has given the green signal to Boeing and Lockheed Martin to set up fighter jet factories in India, Japan seems willing to follow the lead. And India, under the UPA and now Modi, has always been quick to respond. The forthcoming Gujarat visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe symbolises the close security and strategic embrace that has been in the making for several years. Abes visit is part of a deliberate effort to ensure the two Prime Ministers meet at least once every year despite other pressing international engagements and domestic obligations.

Several dialogue scaffoldings, very different from South Blocks way of dealing with foreign affairs, such as the India-US-Japan Foreign Ministers trilateral or the India-Japan Foreign-Defence Secretary bilateral, provide clues to the security relationship taking a new shape. It now seems to have come of age judging from the number of cooperation decisions taken during a recent defence dialogue with Japan. Underlying this dalliance is the shared core strategic assumption that both the countries have  and will continue to have  military-related disagreements with China.

On a parallel track, both sides share the view that US withdrawal should not give China a free pass in trade and investment in the wider region. Besides overhauling Indias key rail communication arteries, Japan wants to partner India in regions where China seems to be the only rising power. The two sides have already marked out Africa and Southeast Asia as the primary turfs for their cooperative focus. Tokyo rose to Indian expectations of solidarity by expressing clear-cut support for its stance in the Doklam faceoff. This puts a reciprocal obligation on India in the event of Japans dustup with China. The die is cast. Abes visit to Gujarat must be more than a series of adroit event management opportunities. It contains the seeds of another entente cordiale, the British-French alliance that established diplomatic understanding between the two European powers.
GOADED into action following public outrage over Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwads inexcusable assault against a senior Air India staffer, the civil aviation ministry has belatedly framed rules to make unruly passengers behave in both domestic and foreign airliners. The carriers can now make a no-fly list barring offending passengers from flying from a minimum three months to a lifetime ban, depending on the nature of the misdemeanour. The aim is to close some gaps in the existing legal framework dealing with disruptive fliers. About time.

The civil aviation ministry has, in fact, woken up to this menace not a day too early. Unruliness is a global bad habit. As many as 10,854 unruly passenger incidents were reported to the International Air Transport Association by airlines worldwide in 2016 compared with 9,316 incidents in 2014. That should be no surprise, because though air journey has become more affordable in the 21st century, it has come at the cost of travelling in comfort. Flying economy, especially, is not a very pleasant experience. Airlines are cutting down on service and squeezing in more passengers on board to improve dwindling profit margins. The cramped space is a tinderbox for igniting short tempers that lead to physical aggression and safety issues concerning cabin crew. Complaints of irascible conduct in an inebriated state, inappropriate touching and sexual assault at high altitudes are also not unknown.

Indian carriers have the additional unique burden of dealing with a large slate of VIPs who suffer from an inflated sense of self-importance and undue entitlements. It is high time privileges for these VIPs at airports are reviewed. The new rules should sober up airline passengers. After all, fliers are not exempted from protocol of same, polite and civilised behaviour that ought to be observed on ground too  in offices and public spaces. That these stringent rules have to be framed speaks of an undeserving sense of entitlement the rich and affluent assume for themselves. These guidelines on deterrence and punishment for malefactors must be strictly enforced on everybody, irrespective of their position, for a safe, secure and comfortable flying experience.
Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, September 10



The Gurugram police on Monday arrested top management employees of Ryan International School for negligence in ensuring safety of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur who was murdered in school.

Francis Thomas, schools northern India head, and Jeyus Thomas, coordinator and HR head, were arrested under the Juvenile Justice Act.

Meanwhile, acting principal Neerja Batra, who was called for interrogation on Monday, fell ill and had to be hospitalised.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The police action came following directions of Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma who on Sunday ordered action against the school saying negligence on its part was evident.

The school, however, insisted that they had fallen prey to unfavourable circumstances. Ryan Pinto, CEO of Ryan International Schools Group, said, We are fully cooperating with the police and hope the guilty is punished. We should not be held culpable of a crime where the school itself is a victim of unfortunate circumstances. We will not succumb to the allegations being made. We should not be unjustly blamed or branded as the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the police also suspended an SHO for using force against journalists covering the protest outside the school on Sunday. Inspector Arun Kumar, chief of Sohna police station, has been suspended with immediate effect for the lapse in carrying out his duty during the lathi-charge which left over 20 people, including some journalists, injured.
Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 11

Is the state government going soft on Honeypreet, the adopted daughter of dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim? All indications so far suggest that the government has given ample opportunity to Honeypreet to go underground. It took the government almost a week to issue a lookout notice and that too after there was unsubstantiated talk of her fleeing abroad, first to Nepal and later to Australia.

Bypassing all protocol for ferrying a convict, Honeypreet was allowed to accompany the dera chief to the Rohtak Jail in a helicopter and the Haryana Police claim they had already come to know about the escape plan. Honeypreet, who was seen giving orders to the commandoes attached to the dera chief, should have been an obvious suspect if the commandoes were suspect and the police had foiled their plan, as they now claim.

But it is now known that after Honeypreet was denied permission to stay with Ram Rahim in the Rohtaks Sunaria jail, she immediately left Rohtak at 9 pm and arrived at the dera in Sirsa at 4 am on August 26 in a car bearing a Gurugram registration number. She left Rohtak, accompanied by four men who gave a written undertaking of Honeypreets safety to the police. They are Vikas of Fatehabad, Sanjay Chawla (Rohtak), Ved Parkash (Hisar) and Jatinder (Jhajjar).

Once back, she remained with the family of the dera chief for two days and is reported to have left the dera sometime on August 27. Honeypreets mother Asha Taneja, who runs a food court in a cinema hall, and father Ramanand Taneja, who has a tyre distributorship inside the dera complex, are reported to have left with Honeypreet.

Though, Ram Rahims mother Naseeb Kaur and wife Harjit Kaur reached their ancestral village, Gursar Modia in Sriganganagar district, on August 27, Honeypreet was not with them and is said to have parted ways at the dera the same day.

During the two days after his conviction, the dera chiefs family was allowed to collect valuables and money; it is alleged by locals who saw several trucks leave the dera unchecked.

Sriganganagar Collector Gyana Ram told the media that the two came to the village in six vehicles.

Though, the police did not act when Honeypreet was in the dera for two days, several days later, her photographs were pasted at Kapilvastu, Mohana, Shohratgarh and Debarua police stations bordering Nepal to ensure she does not sneak out of India.

It may be mentioned that Honeypreet is one of the three people whose name figures on the list of 10 persons Ram Rahim wishes to meet in the jail. Besides his mother, two daughters and sons-in-law, son and daughter-in-law, the remaining three are Honeypreet, Vippasna Insan and Daan Singh. Daan Singh, who looked after the legal affairs of the dera, was arrested from Chandigarh on Saturday along with Chamkaur Singh, in-charge of the Panchkula centre, and have been charged with distributing Rs 5 crore prior to the August 25 conviction of the dera chief to spread violence.

After revelations by former journalist and dera follower Surrender Dhiman, as claimed by the Haryana Police, they are now also looking for Aditya Insan and Pawan Insan for inciting violence after Ram Rahims conviction. They were last seen in Panchkula shortly before violence erupted in the city.
Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 10

In view of the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA) decision to go on strike, the state government, today, invoked the Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1974, prohibiting any strike in the Health Department for a period of six months beginning today.

A notification to this effect, issued by Chief Secretary DS Dhesi, states that, In exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 4-A of the Haryana Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1974 (Act 40 of 1974), the Governor of Haryana hereby prohibits any strike in the aforesaid department for a period of six months from the date of publication of this order in the official gazette.

The HCMSA had announc-ed a two-hour pen-down strike on September 11, shutdown of OPD services on September 13 and complete shutdown of health services, including emergency and postmortem, from September 14.

The doctors are aggrieved over the state governments failure to issue a notification to enable the doctors in rural areas to avail themselves of its benefit under the quota in admission to PG courses last year. With entrance test for next years admissions due in a couple of months, the government has not learnt from last years mistake and is yet to issue the notification, the association maintained while adding that demands like special package for specialists, allowances at par with Central government doctors were also pending.

Meanwhile, Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Jha, it is learnt, has invited the doctors for talks on September 12.

Dr Rajesh Sheokand, General Secretary, HCMSA, said that the plan of a pen-down strike by the doctors stands as of now. We have been called on September 12 for talks by the Principal Secretary, Health, after which we will decide the future course of action, he said.

Doctors demands not justified: Vij

Ambala: Health Minister Anil Vij on Sunday said the demands of the doctors were not justified. Speaking to mediapersons, Vij said, "The doctors will not be allowed to observe any strike and their demands are not justified. They will not be allowed to paralyse essential services."
Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 10

The dust over Dera Sucha Sauda issue is beginning to settle down, but not without many questions remaining unanswered. After two weeks of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh bashing, the government has successfully managed to divert public attention from the violence that rocked Panchkula and Sirsa, claiming over 40 lives, to the misdoings of the dera chief and separating the evil dera chief from the philanthropic dera.

Barring a few exceptions, the government has not been able to find much wrongdoing on the 700-acre dera premises except some tunnels leading from the dera chiefs Gufa (residence) to the hostel that was home to numerous sadhvis. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has now moved a step further from his conspiracy theory of planned escape to the role of Punjab Police commandos behind such a move.

The statement of the Chief Minister during an interview on a television channel has explosive potential with regard to the inter-state relationship between neighbours Punjab and Haryana, that are locked in a fierce legal battle on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal issue. It is perhaps a well-thought-out attempt of the state government to divert attention from fixing responsibility for the loss of human lives to a politically sensitive issue.

Coming back to the pre-conviction period of the dera chief, i.e. August 25, there are still no answers as to why the government allowed thousands of dera followers to gather in Panchkula. Dera followers were provided langar and other amenities to make them comfortable. But at the same time, intelligence as well as other security agencies failed to identify mischievous dera activists from benign followers.

The government claims that it managed the situation with minimum damage, which means 36 lives lost in Panchkula alone, and that too after a strict warning by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to maintain law and order at all costs. Has any responsibility been fixed for the lapses, except action on a police officer for bungling in issuing the order under Section 144 of the CrPC, which the states own Cabinet minister earlier justified?

There was active connivance of the government with the dera prior to the conviction, as is apparent from the manner in which the situation was handled using kid gloves. But what is most shocking is that even after a thorough search, security agencies have not been able to recover anything significant from the dera. There are hundreds of eyewitnesses who allege that truckloads of stuff was moved out of the dera on the evening of August 25 and 26.

The Army reached the gates of the dera on August 26, but the government waited for two weeks, till August 8, to enter it. By this time, there was nothing to be found. Asked if cash and other valuable were removed from the dera, the Chief Minister today admitted that the government allowed people to leave the dera with their belongings without being checked.

The dera claims a following of 5 crore. Each dera follower is directed to contribute Re 1 per day to the dera, which itself amounts to an income in cash of around Rs 5 crore per day, besides other donations and collections. The last movie of the dera chief, Jattu Engineer, has done business worth Rs 522 crore in 51 days as per dera claims. Is it possible that a dera with cash collections running into several crores each day had no money when the searches were conducted?

The explanation is simple. Had the security agencies recovered huge amounts of money or other objectionable material, it would have been very awkward for the BJP government, which had come to power with the support of dera votes. It is public knowledge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly praised the dera during a rally in Sirsa. Also, a senior party leader had gone with 31 BJP MLAs to pay obeisance to the dera chief. Most Haryana Cabinet ministers can be seen on video bowing before Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. So, it was important for the BJP to separate the dera from the dera chief.

The dera separate from the dera chief is thus an obvious stand, but people have seen soft-pedalling by the BJP on issues concerning the dera. It now remains to be seen how the High Court will implement its order of asking the government to get the dera pay for the damage to life and property.
Tribune News Service

Panipat, September 10

Panipat (rural) MLA Mahipal Dhanda pulled up health officials during his surprise visit to the General Hospital yesterday. He visited the emergency ward, dispensary, laboratory, OPD block, child care wing and maternity ward during the three-hour visit.

The people complained to the MLA about the non-availability of doctors in their rooms, shortage of medicines in the dispensary etc . The MLA took a slip from a patient and went to the dispensary where the employee gave him half the medicines, asking him to buy the rest from the market.

A few doctors were not found in their seats. After checking the doctors movement register, the MLA directed Dr Alok Jain, Medical Superintendent, to provide the requisite facilities to the patients and ensure the availability of doctors during duty hours.

Newborn goes missing from PGIMS

Rohtak: A newborn was reported missing a few minutes after delivery at the PGIMS on Sunday. The parents and other family members of the child staged a demonstration and lodged a complaint but the child had not been recovered till the time of filing this report. Shani of Dairy Mohalla, stated that his wife, Ranju, was admitted to PGIMS on Saturday. She delivered a boy on Sunday afternoon but the child went missing minutes after the delivery. The PGIMS authorities maintained that the matter was being looked into and efforts being made to recover the child. TNS
Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 11

With the crisis in Himachal Congress blowing over, some senior Congress leaders have started hoping state chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu will resign voluntarily in the interest of the party and ensure Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh leads the campaign and contests.

Former president of the Congress ex-servicemen cell Capt Praveel Davar today said a compromise in Himachal Pradesh Congress affairs was possible provided the state unit chief acts in party interest. He also tweeted about it. Compromise is possible. May be Sukhu can take the initiative and offer to step down in party interest, he said.

Not just Davar, a section of senior Congress leadership feels the only way out of the existing problem in the state is for Sukhu to go voluntarily. That is all one can hope for, said a Congress leader here after AICC general secretary Himachal ruled out removal of Sukhu as state chief.

Some Congress leaders said there has been precedent of leaders stepping down in party interest when the party is caught in a difficult situation. Even in 2012 when Virbhadra Singh had put the party in a spot and threatened to quit if the then state chief Kaul Singh Thakur was not removed, Thakur exited voluntarily and resigned to make way for Virbhadra Singh, a Congress leader recalled saying Virbhadra Singh has created a similar situation for the party again by saying he will neither lead the campaign nor contest if Sukhu stayed.

Although the Chief Minister met Congress president Sonia Gandhi recently, there has been no breakthrough in sight. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi today said, Everything that had to be settled has been settled in a meeting chaired by Congress vice president. Shinde gave a report and all issues have been discussed and settled.

Singhvi refused to comment on the Chief Ministers remarks that the Congress needed to change the way it worked and said, Please ask the Chief Minister what he means by that. If he has some constructive suggestion he can give it, Singhvi said.

A quick look into the history of Himachal Congress shows Virbhadra Singh has had troubles adjusting with most states chiefs be it Kaul Singh Thakur, Viplove Thakur, others and now Sukhu.

The Chief Minister may want his own confidant as state chief ahead of elections to have a larger say in ticket distribution. But his rivals in the party say that in 2012 the Chief Minister got a larger share in tickets than them but both the camps won equal number of seats.

In 2012 polls, Virbhadra Singh had a say in distributing 42 seats and he managed to win 18. The rest of the camp got 26 seats and won 18, a leader said.

Virbhadra-Sukhu feud

Even in 2012 when Virbhadra Singh had put the party in a spot and threatened to quit if the then state chief Kaul Singh Thakur was not removed, Thakur exited voluntarily to make way for Virbhadra Singh.  A Congress leader

Everything that had to be settled has been settled in a meeting chaired by Congress vice president. Shinde gave a report and all issues have been discussed and settled.  Abhishek Singhvi, Congress spokesperson
Our Correspondent

NURPUR, SEPTEMBER 11

The HRTC has identified 50 routes on which luxury buses with ordinary fare will start plying shortly.

This was stated by Transport Minister GS Bali while addressing a gathering here today after inaugurating the bus stand, built at a cost of Rs 1.40 crore. He said the bus stand had air-conditioned waiting rooms and commuters would get the benefit of Rajiv Gandhi Thali scheme in which one could get food for Rs 25 only.

He said the HRTC had enhanced bus fleet from 1,600 to 3,200 during the past four-and-a-half years and started a number of Volvo buses on long routes.

Addressing a gathering, local MLA Ajay Mahajan said this bus stand was a dream project of his father, former minister late Sat Mahajan, and had been completed in a record time of about nine months. He said the inter-state bus stand had been named after Sat Mahajan.

Later replying to queries of mediapersons, Bali expressed ignorance on the final list of candidates for the BJP being circulated in the social media in which his name had been figured from Nagrota.
Our Correspondent

Kullu, September 11

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today dedicated various development projects, besides laying the foundation stones of many works on the second day of his three-day tour to Kullu district.

He also inaugurated the first phase of the Kashang hydel project (65 MW) in the tribal Kinnaur district.

The CM announced sops for Bagipul in the Nirmand block of the Anni segment in Kullu district while addressing a public meeting at Bagipul. He announced that primary health centres would be opened at Bagipul, Luhri, Urtu and Ghattu. He also announced veterinary dispensary at Bagipul, inspection hut and construction of a science block at Government Senior Secondary School, Bagipul.

He laid the foundation stones of a road from Soyal village to Tandla village to cost Rs 3.97 crore, metalling of road from Fozal to Dhara Runga to cost Rs 3.59 crore and tarring of Fozal-Neri-Kathi Kukri road to cost Rs 4.95 crore. He laid the stone of metalling and tarring of the Pangan-Shegli-Keshari road to cost Rs 7.37 crore. He also laid the foundation stones of bridge over the Kais nullah to be constructed at Rs 2.28 crore and bridge over the Rougi nullah.

The CM laid the foundation stones of Kharka to Jethani road, Badai to Peej Rayal road, office of IPH Circle, Kullu, 33/11KV sub-station at Bhutti in the Lug valley area to be set up by spending Rs 4.75 crore. He said these jobs would benefit a population of 15,000 of 92 villages.

Later, he inaugurated the ground floor of CHC Hospital at Tegubehar to be constructed at an outlay of Rs 4.64 crore. He laid the stone of City Livelihood Centre building at ITI Shamshi to be completed by spending Rs 3.11 crore.
Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, September 11

Distressed over the remarks of Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh against former Telecom Minister Pt Sukh Ram, Rural Development Minister Anil Sharma today said the Chief Minister should not referred the former Telecom Minister as Aaya Ram Gaya Ram. Anil Sharma is the son of Sukh Ram.

Last month, during a party function at Mandi in the presence of Himachal Congress in-charge Sushil Kumar Shinde, Virbhadra said, I am not Aya Ram Gya Ram like other leaders, who come and go in the party for self gains.

However, he did not take the name of any leader but said Sukh Ram was also not stable in politics, who had left the party before the Assembly elections in 1998 and floated his own outfit, Himachal Vikas Congress (HVC), and formed the government with the BJP.

The remarks of the Chief Minister had hurt Anil Sharma, who expressed his sentiments by saying that Sukh Ram had the capability to form the government and in 1998, the BJP had formed the government with the support of the HVC.

The minister also targeted Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur by saying that when the Chief Minister had announced the opening of a degree college and Industrial Training Institute at Kotli in the Mandi Sadar constituency, then a minister had opposed it. However, he was doing development works in his constituency without any bias. The factionalism comes to the fore in the Congress, where war of words continues.

Meanwhile, Bali inaugurated a bus stand, constructed at a cost of Rs 3.16 crore, at Kotli in Mandi. He was accompanied by Anil Sharma and other local Congress leaders. He also laid the foundation stone of ITI to be constructed at a cost of Rs 7.70 crore.

Bali praised Pt Sukh Ram for his contribution to the telecom sector.

He said to ensure road safety, crash barriers were being erected wherever roads were narrow and Rs 50 crore would be spent on it. He said in 10 days, 12 bus stands would be dedicated to the people. He announced Rs 1 crore to complete the remaining work of the bus stand at Kotli.

He announced to run Mudrika buses on Mandi-Kotli-Mandi, Kotli-Haridwar, Mandi-Garmada and Pathankot-Garmada route. He also announced to start draftsman and mechanical trade at ITI, Kotli.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 11

Two local militants were killed and an over-ground worker (OGW) was arrested in an overnight gunfight in south Kashmirs Kulgam district, officials said.

The encounter broke in Kudwani, 75 km from Srinagar, when joint teams of Police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) in the area.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

An encounter broke at 2.30 am in which two militants were killed and one OGW was apprehended, a security officer said.

An AK-47 and an Insas rifle were recovered from the site, he said.

The slain militants were identfied as Dawood and Shaiyar Ahmed, both members of Hizbul Mujahideen. The arrested OGW was identfied as Arif Sofi of Kulgam, sources said.

In past three days, security forces have killed five local militants.
Kupwara, September 11

Three soldiers were injured in Kashmirs Kupwara district, during a routine patrolling on Sunday, after one of the soldiers accidentally set off a landmine explosion.

According to official sources, troops of 16 Madras were conducting routine patrolling at the Khwaja Bailkh Post in the Keran sector, when one of the soldiers accidentally set foot on a landmine causing an explosion, which left three troopers injured with splinters.

Sepoy Bala Subramani, Sepoy Kundu Mahesh and Sepoy HB Swami were rushed to the Military Hospital, Drugmulla, Kupwara, where they are undergoing treatment. ANI
Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 10

More than 70 self-financing private colleges in Jammu division offering Bachelor of Education (BEd) course are on the verge of closure for the want of students. Ironically, a few years ago, these colleges were lacking space to accommodate heavy rush of aspirants, mostly from outside the state, to pursue the teacher education programme.

Sources claimed that the number of private BEd colleges began increasing at a rapid pace in early 2000, wherein a majority of the colleges belonged to influential people who had their say in the state administration.

Sources further said there was no follow-up of the mandatory norms/rules by these private BEd colleges, whose only motive was to accommodate as many students as they could. Most of these students belongedto Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, etc, they added.

They said the Directorate of College Development Council of the University of Jammu (JU) also failed to keep a check on these wrong developments. There were no inspections/surprise checks to ensure whether these private colleges had the required teaching faculty, libraries having books with recent updates and adequate infrastructure, etc. In case, any inspection was done in the colleges, it was a mere formality, the sources added.

Unfortunately, the NCTE Act is not applicable to our state whereas all the states across the country are following it. It was only after the recommendations of the Justice Verma Commission on the teacher education programme and guidelines of the University Grants Commission/National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education, with certain changes, especially with regard to eligibility for admission to the BEd course, the Jammu University had no option, but to update/revise its curriculum, a university official said.

Since 2015, the private colleges had suffered a huge setback in terms of student enrolment for the two-year course. Earlier, the colleges managed to enrol more than 300 students, but now the situation has changed drastically as some of the colleges are on the verge of closure due to non-fulfillment of 50 per cent of the sanctioned strength of seats allotted. In 2016, 2,300 students came for admissions to various private BEd colleges, the official added.

Meanwhile, Jai Kumar Sharma, Director, Directorate of College Development Council, JU, admitted that there was a sharp decline in the enrolment of students for the teacher programme.

In 2016, of more than 70 private BEd colleges, only 55 had applied for the enrolment of students, which is confined to locals only. Unlike a few years ago, there are hardly a few students from outside J&K as a majority of the local students are now pursuing the course, Sharma said.

When asked about the lack of initiatives taken by the Jammu University to check the eligibility of private colleges, he said: Surprise inspections are now being conducted in all the colleges and strict warning being issued to them. Those who fall short of infrastructure, especially teaching faculty, are given a months time to sort out the issue. The private BEd colleges, which assure the students at the time of the admission to come only during examination time, are now under strict vigil.

Decline in enrolment

This year, the number of private colleges has come down to 53 and of these, around 10 colleges will not be able to run the course because they do not have the required number of students to run the course. The students who gave preference to these colleges in the admission forms have been shifted to other colleges.  Jai Kumar Sharma, Director, Directorate of college development council, JU

2,800 seats still vacant
Insurance Back RVS Live: Munich Re is developing cover for new risks while the worlwide property insurance gap persists

Natural catastrophe losses remain largely uninsured worldwide - even in highly developed markets, MUNICH Re's reinsurance experts consider, the recent examples of Harvey or the floods in India both confirming the large gap between the economic and the insured losses.



While the demands placed on insurers are changing rapidly, their fundamental role remains the same - namely to secure value in order to promote prosperity and preserve livelihoods. New technologies are giving rise to novel opportunities to do just that. Alongside loss indemnification itself, the importance of loss mitigation and avoidance is increasing. Torsten JEWORREK, the member of the Board of Management responsible for reinsurance at Munich Re, said: "Assessing, managing and accepting risks in order to promote entrepreneurial activity is - and always will be - our most important role. By building on our core competencies, we develop solutions for new risks and client groups, while using the latest technology. This is how we will continue to strike the right chord with clients in future."



As MUNICH Re has repeteadly stressed out, Governments and private insurers are called upon to find solutions to mitigate considerable natural catastrophe losses. Governments do this by ensuring adequate loss prevention, strengthening building regulations and implementing forward-looking municipal planning, while insurers draw up intelligent coverage concepts and develop new products.



In addition to purely commercial cover from the insurance industry, there are also some good examples of public-private partnerships. Notable examples include Flood Re, the state-run insurance pool for flood risks in the United Kingdom, and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in the USA. These public-private partnerships benefit from primary insurers' and reinsurers' risk expertise and capital strength, and from their sales and claims-handling infrastructure. The solutions offer policyholders more insurance coverage options, promote flood protection, and also reinforce the basis for improved risk management.



Epidemics are another major risk that threatens not only lives but also whole economies. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014 demonstrated that developing countries in particular have insufficient financial resources to urgently deliver appropriate medical care and to control an epidemic. In conjunction with the World Bank, the World Health Organization and companies in the financial services sector, Munich Re has developed the first insurance solution to cover epidemic risks in developing countries. Its aim is to stop epidemics from spreading, and prevent them from turning into pandemics. The Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) creates a totally novel mechanism to quickly channel first-relief surge funding to developing countries facing a disease outbreak with pandemic potential.



Governments are increasingly utilising the competence and financial strength of the insurance industry in order to provide urgent assistance after a major loss event. JEWORREK said: "Weaker economies in particular keep suffering natural catastrophes and other major loss events that set back their economic development for years. Governments and private industry need to work together to find solutions to reduce risk and strengthen the basis for prosperity in these countries."





Author: Alexandru CIUNCAN on 11.09.2017





Archive



Comment this article

0 comments



Atention! "Comment" and "E-mail" are mandatory

Name:



If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered If you are not logged on, your name will appear preceded by '(Anonymous)'. For authentication, click here If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered E-mail:

Comment:

< 10.000 car.

Fill in the code from the image:








Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, September 10

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said Kashmir would once again become the paradise it used to be and nothing in the world could stop that from happening. Rajnath was addressing a gathering of police personnel at District Police Lines in Anantnag.

Kashmir will get its freedom from terrorism and it will again become the paradise it used to be. Nothing in the world can stop that, the Home Minister said.

Rajnath said it was an irony that terrorists talk of jihad and declare that they will get paradise. Dont they know that our police, Army and paramilitary personnel want to turn Kashmir into a paradise? he said while hailing the police contribution towards ensuring peace.

He said that there was no paradise other than Kashmir and it was the paradise of India, which our soldiers are protecting and nurturing with their blood. The Home Minister appealed to everybody to work towards making Kashmir the paradise it was. I appeal, if anybody has any grievance, come to me and talk. I have come with an open heart. He said. The Home Minister announced for the police force a trauma hospital and bullet-proof vehicles, besides other packages. He, however, said that no package or infrastructural upgradation could be enough for the police, fighting at the forefront along with the Army and the CRPF. I saw the picture of Zohra.... My friends, the ache of that painful picture is yet to heal, Rajnath said, adding that only yesterday another braveheart, Imtiyaz Ahmad, had laid down his life. Constable Imtiyaz Ahmad was killed in a militant attack in Anantnag.

Following his visit to the police lines, the Home Minister also visited CRPF personnel at their 90 Battalion headquarters in Khanabal. Courage is not something that can be bought from the market; you are born with unassailable and unmatched courage, he said while addressing a sainik sammelan. In Anantnag and its peripheries, a shutdown was observed amid restrictions on the movement of people.

Police to get bullet-proof vehicles

Srinagar: The Centre has allocated funds for the purchase of bullet-proof vehicles for the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said during his interaction with policemen in Anantnag district on Sunday. We have allocated funds for purchase of bullet-proof vehicles for the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Rajnath Singh said.

Govt mulls copter service for CRPF

Srinagar: The Central government will consider operating helicopter services for CRPF personnel serving in J&K to facilitate their movement. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he was also working towards enhancing the monetary benefits to Rs 1 crore for the families of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel killed in the line of duty. We are ready to give more facilities to our CAPF personnel. The government will consider helicopter services for the CRPF in Jammu and Kashmir, he said while addressing a sainik sammelan of CRPF personnel in Anantnag on Sunday. PTI

HM's meetings to solve problems: BJP

Jammu: The BJP on Sunday said Home Minister Rajnath Singh had come to the Valley with an open mind and expressed confidence that his meetings would bring about a resolution to the problems in the strife-torn state. State BJP general secretary (organisation) Ashok Kaul told reporters here: Rajnath Singh's meeting with the people will help resolve the problems in Kashmir. It will be an achievement. PTI
Arun Joshi

Mr Home Minister, it is time to take a long jump to reach out to the perceived stakeholders in Kashmir. There is no harm in knocking their doors again even if the first attempt remained unanswered last year, when the passions were running high and separatists were caught in their own cobwebs.

The situation has changed  at present there is an apparent ease in atmosphere and on surface as against the deeper sense of doubt and anger when Rajnath Singh made three visits to Kashmir last year. Today, things stand differently than last year when there were prejudices against the state of India. Those were the times when so many vested interests were at work to fuel the street protests. It appeared as if the now or never sentiment laced with anger and manifested by the high-energy stone-throwing was there to stay forever.

In September 2017, the nations stakes have become quite high. Any rigidity at this stage would be unhelpful in achieving the objectives of peace and progress in this economically and mentally distressed place. Hopes fail to realise while the worst fears threaten to become true.

The physical and psychological gaps have been filled by radicalisation. Militants display their atrocious power two ways  killing the adversary and martyrdom. The audacious attacks on security forces display their raw power to kill and that inspires the would-be radicalised militants. They achieve the same objective when they fall to bullets of the security forces. Their martyrdom becomes a mental history for the youngsters. The vicious circle is going on.

The credibility of Delhi is at stake. There is no doubt that Pakistan and some vested interests have their immitigable role in ruining Kashmir, and the undeniable fact is that the Indian nation has not been able to reverse the trend. Bullet for bullet, unilateral ceasefires, unconditional talks have not worked out. Opportunities were squandered away or sabotaged. The Indian nation was the bigger loser in the whole game.

On the surface, things are calmer as compared to the devastating street storm of 2016. But have the forces of violence and disruption been taken care of in 2017? No.

Schools are closed. The grass-roots democratic institutions  panchayats and urban civic bodies  are awaiting their elections for years now. Severe distress has paralysed the economy. Tourist arrivals have fallen and 26 lakh people associated with the tourism industry are facing sleeplessness.

Earlier, foreign countries used to issue travel advisories; now the Indian TV channels have started issuing shrill advisories to tourists against visiting the Valley. Their Kashmir coverage is laced with unlimited stock of harsh words.

The Home Minister will have to take into account these TV channels and seriously take action against the hyper-jingoism that they pass off as new journalism.

Packages will not, emotionally or politically, integrate the state with the country. In October 2009, then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had told the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that packages and projects will not help unless the political issue is addressed and redressed. This is truer today.

The integration requires sincere reaching-out, and the current Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has urged it time and again. There are certain issues which can neither be hidden nor deferred in the hope that these would disappear on their own. Karma is needed.

Take a long jump, Mr Home Minister, and clear all hurdles to reach out to the cocooned and frustrated souls here. The wall of distrust must be broken.
Amir Karim Tantray & Shyam Sood

Tribune News Service

Nowshera, September 11

Claiming that a befitting reply by the BSF to Pakistan shelling on the International Border had put an end to ceasefire violations, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said that soon firing would stop from the Pakistani side on the Line of Control too as the forces had been given a free hand to respond.

He said the forces had been told not to count bullets during retaliation if the Pakistan army fired even one bullet from across the LoC.

Wait for some time (with reference to migrants). Pakistan has to stop ceasefire violations, be it today or after a few days. India is not a weak country now. It has emerged as one of the strongest nations in the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said while talking to people living in relief camps in Nowshera this afternoon.

In 2014, I told the BSF Director General that the first bullet should not be from our side because, according to Atal ji, friends can be changed but not neighbours. However, if any bullet comes from across the LoC, there shall not be any counting of Indian bullets, Rajnath said.

The Home Minister for the first time visited a BSF installation on the LoC and also met victims of border shelling who have been living in relief camps in the Nowshera area. He also met border migrants in Nowshera. Nearly 4,000 residents of shelling-hit border villages are living in several relief camps in and around Nowshera town. A 50-member delegation of migrants put forth their demands, which included concrete bunkers at their villages, five-marla plots at safer places and cash assistance. Giving a patient hearing, the Home Minister said he would not give assurances without discussing the same with his Cabinet colleagues in New Delhi. I will talk to the Finance Minister and Defence Minister in New Delhi and will convey your demands to them, he said. He announced that five companies of the Indian Reserve Police would be raised and 60 per cent of the recruited would be from the border belts.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 10

On Saturday evening, when militants carried out an attack in south Kashmirs Anantnag district despite beefed-up security ahead of Home Minister Rajnath Singhs visit, it left Constable Imtiyaz Ahmad dead.

Constable Imtiyaz became the seventh policeman in the past fortnight who was gunned down by militants.

This year, the J&K Police have lost 25 policemen  highest in over a decade. In June, eight policemen were killed  the highest in a month.

After a relative lull in attacks on the police for nearly two months after June, militants have again stepped up attack on policemen, especially in south Kashmir.

On August 26, Jaish-e-Mohammed militants, who in the past have targeted Army installations close to the Line of Control, launched a fidayeen attack on District Police Lines in south Kashmirs Pulwama district.

In the fierce gunfight which followed, eight security men, including four policemen  Constable Imtiyaz Ahmad Sheikh, Special Police Officers Mohammad Yousuf Hajam and Mohammad Rafiq Hajam and nursing orderly Amarjit Singh  were killed. Of them, two policemen were taken hostages and later killed by the fidayeen.

Two days later, militants shot dead Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police Abdul Rashid Shah in Anantnag while he was regulating traffic.

Sub-Inspector of Police Gowhar Ahmad Malla was lucky to survive when militants fired at him in Shopian district of south Kashmir on August 31.

On September 1, Lashkar-e-Toiba militants ambushed a vehicle of the Armed Police wing of the J&K Police at Zeewan on the outskirts of Srinagar, leaving policeman Krishan Chand dead and four others wounded. The ambush on the outskirts of Srinagar took place on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha despite inputs about possible militant attacks.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, Altaf Khan said the morale of the force was high. This (attacks on policemen) is terrorism. We will fight it out. Our morale is very high, said the Anantnag SSP. We will sort them one by one till peace returns to Kashmir.
M Aamir Khan

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 11

Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs living in the Kashmir valley, while complaining of being neglected in the Valley, have put before Home Minister Rajnath Singh their demand for minority status.

An organisation of Pandits has also sought an independent probe into the incidents of vandalisation of temples and shrines after the eruption of militancy more than 27 years ago.

We told him that we were feeling left out and neglected as successive state governments had failed to address the problems faced by internally displaced non-migrants, who did not migrate out of Kashmir after militancy, said Chunni Lal Bhat, president of the Hindu Wefare Society, Kashmir (HWSK)  a body of non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits.

Members of the HWSK had met the Home Minister last evening.

Bhat said the society had demanded minority status for the Kashmiri Pandits. Our other demands include rehabilitation and employment package for the internally displaced, sizeable quota in professional colleges outside the state and extension of the benefits of all packages meant for the migrants, he added.

Kashmir Temple Caring Committee (KTCC) chairman Bharat Raina said they urged the Home Minister to initiate an independent probe into the incidents of vandalisation of Hindu temples and shrines across the Valley.

We pointed out that a wrong account had gone out that only 77 temples were vandalised or damaged. However, the number stands at 413. We provided him the necessary details in this regard and demanded an independent probe. We also sought the formation of a committee on the lines of a shrine board for safeguarding our religious places that should have members from our community living in Kashmir, Raina said.

He said they demanded security for the community and the creation of a conducive atmosphere for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits who had migrated out of the Valley after the eruption of militancy.

The All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) too asked the Home Minister to ensure that the Sikhs got minority status. The APSCC chairman, Jagmohan Singh Raina, said the committee pointed out that the Sikhs of Jammu and Kashmir had been deprived of the privileges that were due to the minority communities of the country.

He said the Home Minister was requested to take concrete steps and translate the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 who had called for embracing all Kashmiris.

The APSCC delegation also said the Centre should resolve the issue pertaining to Article 35A politically rather than legally.
Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 11

Exuding confidence that the situation in the state had improved as compared to that of the last year, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the government is working towards a permanent solution to all issues in Kashmir on the basis of five Cs.

The Home Minister described these as compassion, communication, co-existence, confidence-building and consistency.

The Central Government will not do anything against the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Rajnath said, amid a raging debate over the fate of Article 35A under which residents of the state get special privileges.

The situation has changed and it is much better than before, Rajnath said while addressing a press conference here on Monday morning before leaving for Jammu as part of his four-day visit to J&K.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

During his visit that began on Saturday, he reviewed security and Prime Ministers Development Package, interacted with political parties and other organisations and visited Anantnag. In Jammu on Monday and Tuesday, he will have meetings with a cross-section of people.

In the last couple of days, what I have seen is that the tree of peace has not dried up in Kashmir, green shoots (branches) of peace are visible in dry trees, Rajnath said, adding that the Centre had been talking of a permanent solution to Kashmir and that the people of J&K want to shape their future with their own work.

The Home Minister said terrorism had destroyed generations but the government would not allow the future generation to get harmed by violence. He said the poor had been victimised more by the violence in which the trade and tourism had suffered badly. A wrong message had gone out that the situation in Kashmir is bad and not good for tourists, he said.

He appealed to people to visit Kashmir as tourists and for business purposes. I appeal to all to visit Kashmir as people here are ready to welcome tourists from across the world. There is no danger in Kashmir, the Home Minister said.

Replying to a question on talks with separatists, he said there is no question of extending a formal or informal invitation as the government is ready to talk to all stakeholders who want to talk. He reiterated his stand that he was ready to talk to all who wanted a solution to Kashmir and restoration of peace in the region.
Filmmaker Ava DuVernay, TV host James Corden, and writer Samantha Bee, were among the winners at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

DuVernay's documentary 13th was the biggest winner of the night, taking home four prizes for documentary special, writing, motion design, and original music and lyrics for The Letter to the Free by Common, Robert Glasper, and Karriem Riggins.

Corden, 39, picked up the first award at the ceremony, thanks to his Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special.

In addition to picking up that prize for the second year in a row, the Late Late Show presenter also took to stage at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles for the second time when the 2016 Tony Awards, which he fronted, was given the Special Class Programme award, reportededly.

Picking up that accolade alongside the event's director, Glenn Weiss, Corden admitted it had always been his dream to host the Tonys, which honour excellence in theatre, and hailed the experience as "the single greatest evening of my life".

Bee picked up Best Variety Special Writing for her Not The White House Correspondents Dinner and credited her win to the writers she collaborates with.

"Thank you so much to Academy... to these people with me on stage tonight for making me look so good. These are the people who stand in a jet stream of daily obscenities and manage to write jokes about them," she said.

Actor Leah Remini was visibly emotional as she picked up her award for Informational Series or Special for Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath and dedicated the Emmy to the brave contributors who, despite ongoing risk and repercussion, spoke out and told their stories about being a part of the secretive religion.

She also joked about her own experiences, "Mom, thank you. You are officially forgiven for getting us into a cult." Other winners at the ceremony included Hairspray Live, RuPaul's Drag Race which took three prizes, including Host for a Reality/Reality Competition Programme - and Saturday Night Live.

The event was hosted by Bill Nye, who revealed he had stepped in to host in place of Hank Azaria, because the actor had gone to Florida to help move his mother to safety out of the path of Hurricane Irma.

The evening's awards focused on reality, documentary and animated programmes, and the second part of the prize-giving, for scripted programming, will take place tonight. PTI
New Delhi, September 11

Multiple National Award-winning Assamese filmmaker Jahnu Barua, whose next will be backed by Priyanka Chopra's banner, says the actress and producer's efforts to promote regional cinema has been encouraging.

His upcoming film, which will be supported by Priyanka's Purple Pebble Pictures that is co-owned by the actress' mother Madhu Chopra, Barua told that, "It's in the initial stage. I can talk about it only by the end of the year. But I am looking forward to it." "Priyanka and Madhu have been doing good things for regional cinema. It is really good and encouraging," he added.

How much is the involvement of Priyanka, who has worked in Bollywood films like "Mary Kom" and "Fashion" apart from doing American show "Quantico" and Hollywood film "Baywatch", in an Assamese film help?

"It surely does. When good people get together, things will be good," he said.

Without giving out more details, he said: "It will be shot in Assam." Purple Pebble Pictures has produced National Award winning Marathi film "Ventilator", Bhojpuri film "Bam Bam Bol Raha Hai Kashi", Punjabi film "Sarvann" and Sikkimese film "Pahuna: The Little Visitors".

Barua is known for making National Award winning films like "Pokhi", "Aparoopa" and "Bonani" in Assamese apart from helming the Hindi movie "Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara".

His film "Baandhon", which released across India in 2013, is the first Assamese film to be commercially screened outside the northeastern state.IANS
Cairo, September 11

Actress Priyanka Chopra, on her maiden visit to a Syrian refugee camp in the Jordanian capital of Amman, is appalled by their plight and said the world should be inspired by their resilience.

More than 5 million people have fled war-torn Syria since the civil war began in 2011 and have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey as well as Jordan.

Priyanka, who is the Unicef global goodwill ambassador, has been documenting her visit to Amman, which hosts 1,80,000 Syrian refugees, on Instagram. She shared her interactions with refugee kids, who are desperately seeking normalcy in their lives.

"Today was very emotional. As we go about our daily privileged lives, it's hard to imagine that everything can be taken from you in moment. Today we spent the day in a host community meeting Syrian refugee families (like this one) so desperately seeking a safe place of normalcy for their families," the actor posted on the photo-sharing website, along-side a short video of her playing with kids from a refugee Syrian family.

Priyanka, 35, shared that more than 80 per cent of the Syrian refugees in Jordan live outside refugee camps in cities, urban centers and farming villages (host communities.)

"Amman hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees, about 1,80,000 people. Refugee families in host communities have limited livelihood opportunities, and after 6 years, have depleted their savings and borrowed money from everywhere to feed and support their families. @unicef #ChildrenUprooted #TheyAreUs," she further wrote.

In a previous post, Priyanka explained her decision to share the plight of Syrian refugees, especially kids, saying she wanted the world to be inspired by their resilience and their hope for a better tomorrow.

"I have never done this when I do field trips, but on this one I feel compelled to reflect on what I feel after every session because I felt a lot. The anger and agony I felt seeing these beautiful hopeful children ravaged by war was so raw.

"The world has seen the pain war has left in Syria but the resilience and joy and hope in spite of it is so inspiring to me. These kids are my inspiration. They should be yours too," she said. PTI
New Delhi, September 11

Veteran theatre and film personality Tom Alter, 67, is battling stage four skin cancer in a Mumbai hospital, his son said on Monday.

Upset over factually incorrect stories about his father suffering stage four bone cancer, Jamie told IANS over phone: It is what is called a squamous cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer). It is a relapse of the same thing which had happened last year and unfortunately, for various reasons, it was not detected at that time and has come back. Last year, Tom Alter had to get his thumb amputated due to the condition.

Now, he is in stage four, Jamie said.

Tom Alter has been admitted for a week in Mumbais Saifee Hospital.

He is fighting it well. He is showing the will to battle it out, Jamie said, adding: He is under the best care possible. Various doctors across the country are in consultation. As a family, we are very happy with the treatment he is getting.

His bodily functions are absolutely fine. The doctors are very happy with that. The past one week has gone in getting him in a state of physical strength, whereby the doctor is able to start the next round of medication. Jamie said the family wants privacy in the matter.

We will be releasing statements to the media as and when things happen. Known for starring in television shows like Bharat Ek Khoj, Zabaan Sambhalke and Betaal Pachisi, Tom Alter is an American-origin actor settled in India. He has had a flourishing career on stage, and on the big screen he has played pivotal roles in successful films like Gandhi, Shatranj Ke Khilari, Kranti, Aashiqui and Parinda.

In 2008, he was recognised with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour of India.

According to Bhargav Saikia, director and producer of Tom Alters short film The Black Cat, the actor was invited to a special screening of the film in Mussoorie last week. However, he couldnt make it due to his condition.

Tom Alter features as author Ruskin Bond in the film, and Saikia said he missed him a lot during the movies screening, which was held at the historic Parker Hall of Mussoories Woodstock School, the actors Alma Mater.

Wishing to see him back in action, Saikia told IANS over phone: I met him last in July. He was fine, and his health was okay. He was working on a theatre production and was also doing some serial.

We were last in touch in early August via email. But when I emailed him towards end of August to invite him for the Mussoorie screening, I didnt receive any response. Thats when I got to know through his manager about his hospitalisation. It is very unfortunate. IANS
Geneva, September 11

United Nations Human Rights Chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein today flayed any attempts by India to deport the Rohingya to Myanmar when the ethnic minority community is facing violence in their country.

Read: India changes tack

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju had reportedly said the Rohingya were illegal immigrants and stand to be deported. The UN Human Rights Chief noted that Rijiju had said that as India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention, it can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion and nobody should preach New Delhi on the matter as India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

However, by virtue of customary law, its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the obligations of due process and the universal principle of non-refoulement, India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations, the UN rights chief said.

At a Human Rights Council session here, Zeid also referred to activist-journalist Gauri Lankeshs killing, observing that she tirelessly addressed the corrosive effect of sectarianism and hatred.  PTI

No-deportation plea: SC hearing on sept 18

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday fixed September 18 for hearing a plea challenging the governments decision to deport illegal Rohingya Muslim immigrants back to Myanmar. An SC Bench considered the Centres submission to defer the hearing. The apex court had earlier sought the Centres response to the petition challenging the decision on various grounds, including that it violated international human right conventions.
Allahabad, September 10

Irked by recent controversies surrounding self-styled godmen, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the apex body of Hindu sadhus, today released a list of 14 fake babas and demanded a crackdown on rootless cult leaders by bringing in a legislation.

Giving out the list, which includes names like Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, Rampal, Asaram and his son Narayan Sai, parishads president Swami Narendra Giri said, We appeal to even the common people to beware of such charlatans who belong to no tradition and by their questionable acts, bring disrepute to sadhus and sanyasis.

Following are the names:

Asaram bapu

Sukhvinder Kaur aka Radhe Maa

Sachdarangi

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh

Om baba aka Vivekanand

Nirmal Baba

Ichachadhari Vishwanand

Swami Asimanand

Om Namah Shivaay

Narayan Sai

Rampal

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The parishad is a council of akharas, which are monastic orders drawing their spiritual lineage from 8th century seer Adi Shankara, who is said to have established orders of martial monks with the aim of defending the Hindu Dharma. The development comes close on the heels of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Haryana sentencing Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim to 20 years in prison for the rape of two of his former disciples.

Large-scale violence took place in various parts of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan following his conviction by the court in the two cases. Forty-one people were killed in Haryana in the clashes. However, no death was reported from Punjab and Rajasthan.

While Asaram is in jail in connection with a sexual assault case, his son Narayan Sai, also booked in a similar case, is out on bail. Rampal is behind bars, facing trial in a number of cases relating to violence.

We are going to send copies of this list to the Centre, the state governments as well as all the Opposition parties with the demand that a strong legislation be brought to check the activities of these self-styled cult leaders, Giri told reporters here.

He also claimed that he had yesterday received a phone call from a person claiming to be a devotee of Asaram, who threatened to kill me if a mention was made of his guru in the list of fake babas we planned to bring out today. An FIR has been lodged at the Daraganj police station in the city, based on a complaint of Giri. The matter is being investigated, Allahabad Senior Superintendent of Police Anand Kulkarni said.  PTI
New Delhi, September 10

In a first, the government has started a detailed scrutiny of the professional track record of advocates and judicial officers recommended by high court collegiums for appointment as judges, a move which may trigger a fresh round of confrontation between the executive and the judiciary.

According to a Ministry of Law and Justice document, now the process of detailed scrutiny of proposals received for appointment of judges from high courts has been initiated. In the case of advocates, their reported judgments (in cases they represented), and in case of judicial officers their case disposal time and number of adjournments are being evaluated by an in-house team having legal background.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The document, a monthly report of achievements for the month of July, was sent to the Cabinet Secretariat by the Department of Justice in August.

A committee of judges evaluates the best few judgments of judicial officers (judges of the subordinate courts), who are part of a larger pool which the high court collegium may consider for recommendation for elevation to the HC Bench.

The judicial officers are evaluated on various attributes and are given numerical grading. Advocates who are part of the pool give a list of the reported judgments of cases which they have argued in the high court.

As per procedure, once the three-member HC collegium recommends a name to the Supreme Court collegium, it sends the performance record of the candidate.

The recommendation is initially sent to the law ministry, which attaches an IB report about the candidates record and forwards it to the SC collegium for a final call.

Now, the law ministry has started scrutinising the reported judgments of advocates and case disposal time and number of adjournments granted by judicial officers.

The government should also assess the judicial capability of the candidate. It will help understand an advocates field of specialisation as also verify whether he or she was a lead advocate or a junior advocate in the cases mentioned.

Since the SC collegium will decide on whom to recommend to the HC Bench, the government is not entering the domain of the judiciary by scrutinising the professional track record of the candidates, explained a senior government functionary.

Citing the case of former Calcutta High Court judge CS Karnan, the government had in July once again asked the SC collegium to review the process of appointment of judges, according to the government functionary.

The Secretary (Justice) had written to the SC Registrar General pointing to the July 5 judgment of the apex court in which two judges had called for the need to revisit the process of selection and appointment of judges.

Judicial appointments as of now are being carried out based on the old memorandum of procedure (MoP).

After a Bench ruled in December 2015 in favour of a fresh MoP, a new draft was sent to the collegium by the law ministry. After several rounds of talks, the collegium had once again sent back the draft reiterating its objections. One of the clauses rejected was on national security on which the government wanted a right to reject recommendation for appointment as a judge.  PTI
Washington, September 11

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday began his two-week visit to the US during which he will interact with global thinkers and political leaders, and address overseas Indians as part of an outreach initiative by his party.

In his first engagement, Gandhi would address students of the prestigious University of California, Berkley, on India at 70: Reflections on the Path Forward, in which he will offer his reflections on contemporary India and the path forward for the worlds largest democracy.

A day before the event, the University announced that the event venue had reached its maximum capacity and registration had been closed.

Gandhi, 47, was received at the San Francisco airport by senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda and Shudh Singh, the president of Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC), US.

He is here at the University of California, Berkley, where Pandit (Jawaharlal Nehru) addressed in 1949 as the Prime Minister. Today we are at the crossroads where core value of Indian democracy--secularism and pluralistic society--is in danger, Congress spokesman Madhu Goud Yaskhi said.

He strongly believes in these values for India to be a strong nation, and what is the way forward for India and his views and his thoughts about Indias future, he told PTI giving a preview of Gandhis speech.

During his trip to the US, he said Gandhi would also engage with the Indian diaspora with the purpose of making them a part in Indias development.

From San Francisco, Gandhi is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles.

Gandhi is likely to visit Aspen Institute to interact with the think-tank community.

In Washington DC, the Congress Vice President is scheduled to interact with members of the think-tank community, political leaders and government officials.

Gandhi is also scheduled to travel to Princeton University before his final address to overseas Indians in New York. PTI
Lucknow, September 10

A Muslim woman has openly announced to take khula (divorce) from her husband after her efforts to get it done through Islamic seminaries did not succeed. In Islam, a man can take talaq while a woman can part ways with her husband through khula.

Shajada Khatoon, married to Juber Ali, signed a letter for khula at a press conference here yesterday.

I approached Islamic seminaries Nadwa and Firangi Mahal but did not get any relief. That is why, I am signing the khula in public and sending him (the husband) the notice. I am free now, she said.

Muslim Women League general secretary Naish Hasan, who helped Shajada take khula, said the woman was fed up with her husband torturing her and had been living separately for the last 18 months.

All-India Muslim Personal Law Board executive member Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali, however, said the process followed by the woman for khula was not correct.

Khula is not done in a single letter. The woman has to serve a notice on her husband, and if he does not respond to three such notices, it is deemed implemented, he claimed.

All-India Muslim Women Personal Law Board president Shaista Ambar voiced support for the woman, saying what she did was valid. The Supreme Court recently banned the controversial Islamic practice that allows men to leave their wives immediately by stating talaq (divorce) three times, calling the practice unconstitutional.  PTI
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 11

Agreeing to provide further assistance to Afghan national defence and security forces, India today asserted its relationship with Afghanistan was an "article of faith". Both sides signed four pacts, including motor vehicles agreement, and new development partnership in 116 high-impact projects.

"For India, strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an article of faith. It is not just another relationship or an engagement, but a spiritual and civilisation connect," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said at a joint statement with her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani.

At the conclusion of the 2nd Strategic Partnership Council meet here, the Afghan Foreign Minister said India had further agreed to provide assistance to Afghan national defence forces and that his country had been pressing for greater assistance in defence supplies and capacity building.

Afghanistan, he said, had long been pressing for greater Indian assistance in defence supplies and capacity building. Last year, India gave four MI-25 attack helicopters to Afghanistan to augment its fleet as NATO forces reduced its presence. We jointly agreed to embark on a New Development Partnership in keeping with the priorities of Afghanistan, 116 new High Impact Development Projects would be jointly implemented that would bring socio-economic and infrastructure development, said Swaraj.

She said India would assist in Shatoot dam and drinking water supply project for Kabul; low-cost housing for returning refugees; water supply network for Charikar city; polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif, among others.

Focus, she said, would continue on building governance and democratic institutions; human resource capacity and skill development, including in the areas of education, health, agriculture, energy, administration, application of remote sensing in resource management and space technology in governance.

Underscoring the importance of connectivity and transit for Afghanistan, Swaraj said an air freight corridor was started in June 2017 to provide direct access to farmers of Afghanistan to the Indian markets. 'We are expediting the development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran. We will begin supply of wheat to Afghanistan in coming weeks through the port, Swaraj said.

Both sides also discussed steps to enhance trade and investment cooperation and the India-Afghanistan trade and investment in Delhi later this month will provide an opportunity to bring businesses together. In addition, India has liberalised visa for Afghan businessmen. The visiting dignitary asserted that Kabul's friendship with New Delhi did not mean hostility to any other country, adding that it was not a zero-sum game.
New Delhi, September 11



Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said those who keep the country clean have the first right to chant Vande Mataram and wondered whether people who littered and dirtied the country had any right to the nationalist slogan.

Modi was addressing a students convention at Vigyan Bhawan to mark the 125 years of Swami Vivekanandas address at the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago and the centenary celebrations of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

As I entered, I heard people loudly chanting Vande Mataram...The value of patriotism fills my heart. I am asking all countrymen whether we have the right to chant Vande Mataram. I know this will hurt many people.

We chew paan and spit it out on Mother India (Bharat maa par pichakaari mare) and then chant Vande Mataram. Throw garbage and then chant Vande Mataram... The sanitation and cleaning workers have the first right to say Vande Mataram, he said.

Modi was welcomed at Vigyan Bhawan with shouts of Vande Mataram and Bharat Mata ki Jai. The slogans could also be frequently heard during his speech, which lasted for almost an hour.

The comments come in the backdrop of the governments efforts to clean India by October 2, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Modi also batted for innovation and promoting skills among the youth and asked them to work for a modern India.

Emphasising that Vivekanandas historic September 11 address in the US was a message of love and brotherhood, the prime minister said the devastating 9/11 terror strike might not have happened if the significance of his speech had not been forgotten.

The prime minister also asked colleges to hold cultural events to celebrate other states and added in a light-hearted vein that he was not against celebrating days like rose day.

There is no better place for creativity and innovation than university campuses...There is no life without creativity. Let our creativity also strengthen our nation and fulfil the aspirations of our people, he said.

He said many promises were made during university election campaigns but nobody pledged to keep campuses clean.

Modi also said that only those who respect women can take legitimate pride in the opening words of Swami Vivekanands address, Brothers and sisters of America.

Referring to the correspondence between Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tataasking the industrialist to set up industry in Indiahe said it shows the spiritual leaders concerns on Indias self-reliance.

Stressing the importance of the Skill India mission, the prime minister said his government had created a separate ministry for the purpose and added that youth should be groomed in a way that they dont depend on anyone for employment.

They should not be job seekers but job creators, he said, referring to various programmes of government like Stand Up India and the Mudra scheme.

Vivekananda, the prime minister said, gave the concept of One Asia. He quoted him as saying that One Asia would have the strength to show the way when the world was surrounded by problems.

Modi said Indias standing in the world had risen, and credited janshakti (peoples power) for this.

When I go to different countries, I feel that there is change in the way it perceives India (dekhnay kaa najariya badal chukka hai). This is not the political strength but peoples power (janshakti), he said. PTI
Mumbai, September 10

A Mumbai family that had been fighting a legal battle for 48 years to regain possession of their one-room flat they had rented out has got justice after the Bombay High Court asked the tenants to vacate the house.

City resident Navinchandra Nanji, who died while his plea was pending in court, and his legal heirs had been running from pillar to post to get relief. Their efforts finally bore fruit when a single Bench of the HC ordered last week that their tenants vacate the said premises in Sewri area, rented out in 1967, within the next 12 weeks. Justice GS Kulkarni, who was hearing the case, while issuing the eviction order also lamented the sluggish pace of judicial system.

As per the plea, Nanji first moved lower court in 1969 after his tenant of two years, Jivraj Bhanji, refused to pay heed to the eviction notice served to him on the ground that he had illegally made a permanent alteration in the said flat. Bhanji argued before the trial court that he had merely created a temporary loft and the creation of any temporary structures or such alterations were not a valid ground for eviction under the Bombay Rent Act.

A few months later, Nanji realised that Bhanji, his wife, and their five children had moved to another accommodation in Wadala area, and that they were illegally using his Sewri flat as a mess or canteen for the workers employed at Bhanjis shop. PTI
Ahmedabad, September 11

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday denied she had dubbed as false a Comptroller and Auditor General report on shortage of ammunition for the troops.

I never commented on the CAG report, said Sitharaman, who on Monday visited Sir Creek, a tidal estuary that flows into the Arabian Sea and separates Gujarat from Sindh province in Pakistan.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

A report on Sunday had quoted Sitharaman as allegedly calling the national auditor's report on ammunition shortage as factually wrong.

Buying ammunition is a continuous process. The process is on. Sometimes, you think something has to be bought in more quantity. Sometimes, you are trying to fill the gaps, she said.

Sir Creek is an important place for national security, including of Gujarat. I am visiting Sir Creek to see what more needs to be done for the protection of the area," Sitharaman said.

A CAG report said 55 per cent ammunition used by the Indian Army would not last long to meet the minimum operational requirements.

For the remaining 45 per cent, the army has stock which could be put to use for a maximum of 10 days in case of an "intense war", the report added.

The report also pointed towards insufficient steps taken after 2013 to improve on ammunition stock for the armed forces. As per the operational requirement target set for 2019, the Army should be equipped with ammunition that could last 40 days of intense war.

Sitharaman's predecessor Arun Jaitley, speaking on the report on multiple occasions, had said the Indian forces are prepared to face any contingency, adding that the report was in reference to a particular point in time, and since then progress has been made.  IANS
Manas Dasgupta

Ahmedabad, September 10

BJP chief Amit Shah today said organisers of the Patel quota agitation in Gujarat were leaning towards one political party, an apparent reference to the Opposition Congress. He said the reservation agitation was acquiring political colour as state Assembly elections, slated to be held later this year, approached.

Answering questions at the partys first town hall called Adikham Gujarat or Resolute Gujarat, Shah quoted constitutional provisions to show that reservation to the Patels could not be granted unless they were included in the expanded categories of the Other Backward Classes.

On GST, he agreed that traders were facing problems, but said it was a progressive tax which is still evolving and would take about five to six months to stabilise. On the issue of the Una dalit youths flogging, he termed it as a sad and deplorable incident. However, he claimed it was an aberration and statistics showed that the incidents of alleged atrocities on dalits were the lowest in Gujarat.

He said the state government had taken stern action against the guilty.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said: No one could levy a single allegation of corruption against Modi when he was the Chief Minister and also now when he is the Prime Minister.
Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 11

The brutal killing of eight-year-old Pradyuman Thakur in Ryan International School today took a political turn with the Congress demanding action against group CEO Grace Pinto, who happens to be a BJP office-bearer.

Grace Pinto is one of the eight secretaries of the BJP's Mahila Morcha and represents Mumbai in the women's wing. Pinto has already moved court for pre-arrest bail even as Congress' media head Randeep Surjewala today asked if the BJP-led Haryana Government was protecting Ryan school because its office-bearer was a BJP leader.

Why did Haryana minister Rao Narvir Singh mock the demand of Pradyuman's parents for a CBI probe? Why did the Haryana Education Minister give a clean chit to the school even before the investigation started? Surjewala asked.

Meanwhile, the Gurgaon Police guidelines for schoolchildren shows Ryan school in poor light. The school is in violation of most provisions of child safety enumerated in the 2014 document.

The guidelines say protection of every child while he is in school will be the responsibility of the school board of directors, principal and senior management. By this rule, Ryan management could be held directly liable for lapses in the instant case. Even the penalties for violators are clear.
Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, September 10

Angry parents today staged a protest outside Ryan International School here, demanding a CBI probe into the brutal murder of seven-year-old Class II student Pradyuman Thakur. As a liquor shop, barely 50 metres from the school, was set ablaze, the police resorted to a lathi-charge after their plea that the area be vacated was 'ignored', triggering yet another controversy.

Mediapersons accused the police of selectively targeting them during the lathi-charge. This was denied by the Police Commissioner.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Blaming the school for failure to ensure the child's safety, leading to his murder inside a loo, the Haryana Government today ordered that the school owner and management be booked for negligence. They failed everybody  the students and the parents. The school cannot be derecognised as the future of 1,200 students is at stake, but we have told the police to book the owner, Albert Pinto, under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Punishment) Act, 2015, and submit a charge-sheet in court within seven days, Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said.

He said the school staff had easy access to student toilets, which had broken windows. The school boundary wall was broken too. "The government is not averse to a probe by the the Central Bureau of Investigation or any other agency, if the parents of the deceased boy so wish."

Condemning the incident, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said: Its unacceptable that the police first beat up mediapersons and then the Education Minister misbehaves with them when they raise the issue.

The Education Department has failed to keep a check on these money-miniting schools that do not follow norms and the students have to face the consequences. We want a thorough investigation and strict action so that the schools know that a child's safety is their responsibility, the former Chief Minister said.

Accused carried victim to hospital

Gurugram: Accused bus conductor Ashok Kumar carried Pradyuman in his lap to school's medical room and then to the hospital, according to preliminary investigations. The child, whom he dumped in a corner after slitting the throat, mustered strength to walk till the toilet door and then collapsed. He was spotted by a teacher and two students who called for help. The accused came running and was too eager to assist, said a cop.

5-yr-old raped in Delhi school

New Delhi: A five-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 40-year-old peon of Tagore Public School in Shahdara area on Saturday. The accused has been arrested. The Delhi Police Commissioner has asked district police chiefs to talk to schools and to conduct regular security audits. The schools should hire staff from authorised agencies, get police verification of the staff and instal CCTV cameras inside the premises, he said. PTI
New Delhi, September 10

The surgical strikes across the LoC were precise and conducted at a frenetic pace but the Major who led the daredevil mission says that the return was the most difficult part and bullets fired by the enemy soldiers were so close that these were whistling past the ears.

The Army Major speaks about the stunning mission in a new book brought out on the first anniversary of surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The officer is referred to as Major Mike Tango in the book, titled Indias Most Fearless: True Stories of Modern Military Heroes.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The Army had decided to use soldiers from the units that had suffered losses in the Uri attack for the elaborate revenge mission. A Ghatak platoon was formed and soldiers from the two units that had lost men were roped in to man border posts and provide crucial terrain intelligence and support to the mission that lay ahead.

Tactically, this was a smart move  few knew the lay of the frontier land better than they did. But there was another astute reason. Involving them in the mission would at least begin to lay the ghosts of Uri to rest, says the book.

As team Leader, Maj Tango had chosen every man himself, including the officers and men who would play a supporting role. He was also acutely aware of the fact that the lives of 19 men were, quite literally, in his hands, the book says.

A total of four terror launch pads operated by Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and protected by the Pakistan army were selected.

Through a series of masked communications over mobile, Maj Tangos men contacted four assets  two local villagers in PoK and two Pakistani nationals operating in the area, both moles in the dreaded Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group.

All the four assets separately confirmed the target information that was placed before them, the book says. Written by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh and published by Penguin India, it tells 14 true stories of extraordinary courage and fearlessness, providing a glimpse into the kind of heroism Indias soldiers display in unthinkably hostile conditions and under grave provocation.

The mission was brief  the soldiers were expected to reach their targets, study the latest intelligence they could possibly access with their satellite devices and then proceed to wipe out every man they saw there, the book says.

Two of the terror launch pads identified as targets were well inside PoK and roughly 500 metres away from each other, it says. Both launch pads were close to Pakistan army posts for logistical and administrative purposes.

From the moment the firefight began until the last bullet was fired, it had been just over an hour. The frenetic pace of the assault meant the teams, now united after the split attack on two launch pads, would prepare to leave with only a very rough estimate of the number of terrorists they had managed to kill: 20. The figure would be corroborated days later by Indias external intelligence.

As for the return, the Major decided to take not the route used to enter PoK but a different path that was longer and more circuitous, but comparatively safe. But while the Indian soldiers were returning, the Pakistan army posts opened fire with everything they had. If I were a foot taller, I would have been hit many times over, the Major recalled. Crossing in pairs as the ammunition hit the ground inches from them, Maj Tangos team made it to the LoC before the sun was up, finally crossing it at 0430 hours.  PTI

Stunning mission

"A total of 38-40 terrorists and two Pakistan army personnel were killed at the four targets. The three separate teams had simultaneously struck four launch pads across the LoC." Book on surgical strikes
Neena Sharma

SIX months may be too short a time to measure the performance of the Trivendra Singh Rawat government in Uttarakhand, but surely long enough to indicate in which direction the government is headed.

Firmly controlled by the RSS and micro-managed by the Union Government, the TS Rawat government has been reluctant to initiate drastic measures with the CM yet to find his feet. The Chief Minister, a former pracharak, had the RSS top brass from Nagpur evaluate his government's performance. A cow centre at Katarpur village in Haridwar, promoting Sanskrit and upgrading facilities for Kanwariyas were some of the issues that the RSS had flagged during a meeting with the CM last month. This was the second meeting.

"In the past few months, the RSS seems to be all over, even evaluated the performance of the government. This has not been witnessed before," remarked Pritam Singh, PCC chief.

It has been BJP MLA Swami Yateshwaranand's demand that Katarpur be declared a pilgrimage centre, where communal violence erupted in 1918 after British officials allowed slaughter of cows during Eid.

"Several Hindus were hanged and sent to jail for protesting against the slaughter. They were cow warriors and we have raised a memorial in their honour. Now it should be accorded the status of a pilgrimage centre," said Swami Yateshwaranand, who is closely associated with the RSS.

The RSS wants greater efforts by the government to promote Sanskrit. Declared the second official language during the BJP government's earlier tenure, the move has encountered stiff opposition from leaders of local outfits who want Kumaoni and Garhwali be made official languages instead. The matter is now in courts.

Of CBI probe

CM TS Rawat's big announcement, within days of taking over, on engaging the CBI for a probe into the NH-74 land scam has come to naught, so it seems. The move was aimed at underlining government's zero tolerance to corruption. However, the matter could move no further with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways fearing an investigation may affect the morale of officials attached with the National Highway Authority of india.

Assets transfer

CM Rawat met his UP counterpart Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow recently to settle pending issues regarding transfer of assets. Except for bonhomie, the trip yielded nothing much. Elections to urban local bodies are due next year. These may well be a test case for Rawat and his government.
Patna, September 11

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday spoke to the family of the seven-year-old boy who was killed at a Gurugram school.

Kumar also spoke to his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar, requesting him to meet the family who hail from Bihars Madhubani district.

In his telephonic conversation, Kumar said a meeting of the Haryana Chief Minister with the deceaseds family would not only instill a sense of confidence but also ensure a faster and impartial probe, an official release said.

Khattar assured Kumar that he would meet the family, it said.

Kumar on Sunday had also asked Khattar to take stern action against those involved in the killing.

The Bihar Chief Minister had directed the resident commissioner in Delhi to immediately send officials to Gurugram to meet the grieving family and console them.

On the Chief Ministers directive, Bihar Director General of Police PK Thakur had talked to his Haryana counterpart and requested him to take stern action against the culprits.

The Class II student was found dead with his throat slit inside a toilet of Ryan International School on September 8. PTI
Manas Dasgupta

CONGRESS vice-president Rahul Gandhi's visit to Ahmedabad last week, holding dialogue with party workers brought from all the 182 state Assembly constituencies, is expected to rejuvenate the party that has suffered seven consecutive defeats in the Assembly polls and numerous other elections in Gujarat during the last 28 years. But Gandhi's persistent Narendra Modi bashing has not helped to make the Congress campaign more broad-based and is unlikely to impress the voters much in the Prime Minister's home state.

He also seems to have closed the door for retaliatory measures by the party against the BJP indulging in luring away the Congress members. His unequivocal announcement that no "paratroopers" would be given the ticket is certain to discourage movements in the reverse directions by those unhappy over the BJP promising tickets to defectors, the supporters of former chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela.

The "original Congressmen" in Gujarat had always opposed the "outsiders" irrespective of their utility in the party and it was part of the same dislike that Vaghela was shown the door. The steps taken by the high command to revamp the party after the Rajya Sabha elections last month have only proved correct the allegations by Vaghela that some sections within the party wanted to oust him. To many, it may look like "closing the stable gate after the horse has bolted", but in reality it was a calculated move to wear out Vaghela. The party high command started taking all such steps that Vaghela wanted it to take in right earnest, but only after he left the party in disgust.

Several other factions have expressed displeasure over the style of functioning of state unit chief Bharatsinh Solanki, but the party refused to give in. Once Vaghela left, it appointed four working presidents apparently to clip Solanki's wings. It also expanded the executive committee, besides constituting the all-important Pradesh Election Committee to initiate the process for selection of candidates.

The anti-BJP votes are also likely to suffer further fragmentation between the Nationalist Congress Party, Congress' alliance partner in the last two elections, the Aam Aadmi Party and several others. The NCP won only two seats last time, but at a time when the Congress should try to conserve every drop, virtually forcing the NCP to part company might cost it some valuable votes. A triangular contest would only benefit the BJP. In addition, after initial reluctance, the victory in the Bawana byelection in Delhi has also encouraged AAP to join the fray in Gujarat in a big way.

Whether the "homeless" Vaghela would be of any use to the BJP is still anybody's guess, but to the Congress his departure may cost a few Kshatriya seats. Though it is inconsequential that he has taken 14 party MLAs along with him, the Congress with its depleted strength would have to work harder to win back the voters in these areas and also add about 40 more seats to clinch a majority in the 182-member House if it can retain the 43 seats it holds at present.

Like in the Congress, factionalism and the battle for survival were as intense in the BJP but the "Modi wave" had been sweeping the factional fight under the carpet. But while the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to ensure further fragmentation of the Congress, the Congress is making no effort to win hundreds of disgruntled leaders and their followers to its fold to strengthen its own base. All other factions who had come to the Congress mid-way like former CM Chimnabhai Patel's Janata Dal (Gujarat) or Vaghela's Rashtriya Janata Party are out of the Congress now, though a few individuals, like Chimanbhai's son Siddhartha Patel, or Vaghela's one-time close confidant Madhusudan Mistry, have stayed back in the Congress.

The victory of Ahmed Patel in the RS elections, too, has come as a major elixir, but the party needs to plug the weaknesses the elections have brought to the fore. It was a victory of strategy rather than the loyalty of MLAs. Even after been able to keep the "flock of 43 MLAs" together, Patel would have still been a loser if the lone JD(U) MLA did not defy the diktats of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and voted for the Congress nominee. And if the claim of state NCP chief Jayant Patel (Boski) that he also voted for Patel was taken as true, it would mean that at least one more Congress MLA had ditched Patel.

Patel's victory was equally a major setback for the BJP election strategists led by party national president Amit Shah and Vaghela, who gave clear indications then that he would soon be joining the BJP but could not once the strategy to defeat Patel failed. The veteran leader is apparently trying to keep all his options open hoping for an unlikely "invitation" from the BJP to join the party.

Swine flu scare

Even mid-way through the monsoon season, swine flu has hit Gujarat severely, already taking a toll of more than 380 lives. A disease that usually strikes during the winter and its severity keeps increasing as the temperature decreases, has thrown the health services in the state out of gear.

In most of the government hospitals, the arrangements to meet the swine flu situation were found wanting. A major city like Ahmedabad recorded the highest casualty rate, accounting for nearly 60 deaths.
SC Vasudeva

Q. I retired from a bank as an AGM in November 2016 and received Rs 9,66,913 as leave encashment which were accumulated during my whole service in the bank for 36 years. An amount equal to 30% as TDS was deducted from my leave encashment amount above Rs 3 lakh which comes to nearly Rs 1.90 lakh. During the current financial year when I requested my CA to claim refund of TDS amount under Section 10(10AA) of the Act from the Income Tax Department while filing ITR, I was told that this Act is applicable to Central or State Government employees only and not to bank employees. Many a times I have read in these columns wherein you have mentioned that leave encashment amount at the time of retirement is exempt under Section 10(10AA) of Act. My query is why this Act is not applicable to bank employees and why it is applicable to Central and State Government employees. Is it not against the law of natural justice. Please guide me how this TDS amount can be claimed from the Income Tax Department. If so, please explain the procedure.

 SK Mehta

A.Your CA has correctly informed you that Section 10(10AA)(i) of the Income-tax Act 1961 (The Act) is applicable to Central and State Government employees and the amount of cash equivalent to leave salary in respect of a period of earned leave at their credit, received by them is exempt from tax in its entirety. However, Section 10(10AA)(ii) of the Act applies to employees other than the Central and State Government employees and in such case exempted amount is restricted to Rs 3 lakh in respect of cash equivalent to leave salary at their credit. The provisions of the Act also provide different treatment for perquisites received by Central and State Government employees. The Parliament possibly thought in its wisdom that such difference in treatment is required for Central and State Government employees. Therefore, the question raised by you can be answered by the Government of India. You may approach the court that the provisions as contained in the Act are discriminatory and therefore, are against various provisions of the Constitution of India.

Q. I am planning to sell my house located at Karnal and have just constructed another house at Panchkula that is within one year before the sale of my Karnal house. Please let me know the exact procedure and the papers needed to save capital gain tax. Please also advise what documents are required to prove the construction so as to claim benefit under Section 54 of the Act.

 Rajinder Singh

A. It has been stated in the query that you have already constructed a residential house at Panchkula. The capital gain arising on the sale of a residential house should be utilised for the construction of a new house within three years after the date of sale of a residential house. The expression used in Section 54 of the Act within one year before or two years after the date of sale is applicable when the house is purchased within the aforesaid period. For construction, the period of three years has to be after the date of sale. You may therefore not be able to claim benefit under Section 54 of the Act in view of the fact that the house has been constructed before the date of sale of the residential house.
GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 10

An embezzlement of public money worth crores of rupees allegedly by seven Amritsar Improvement Trust officials has come to the fore during an investigation by the Chief Vigilance Office of the Local Bodies Department.

The district police have registered an FIR against three Estate Officers Arvind Sharma, DC Garg and Paramjit Singh, besides Deputy Controller Finance and Accounts (DCFA) Daman Bhalla, Tina Vohra, CA Sanjay Kapoor and bill clerk Satnam Singh. All accused are on the run.

Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said as of now it seemed that at least Rs 80 crore had been siphoned off. The probe has been handed over to the police after a department inquiry.

Chief Vigilance Officer Sudip Singh Manak claimed that the money was withdrawn in a fraudulent manner from around 70 bank accounts by issuing 49 cheques, DDs, pay orders since 2013. The money was transferred by the accused in their family members accounts. Many bank accounts were not even entered in the cash book of the department.

As per the modus operandi, the accused used to deposit money pertaining to the improvement trust in fake bank accounts opened in the name of the trust. They would then withdraw the amount on the pretext of spending on various works such as disbursal of salaries and other public friendly tasks.

A probe document procured by The Tribune reveals that Rs 58.15 crore was deposited between December 6, 2013, and May 16, 2017, in an HDFC bank account no. 501100028499581, opened illegally in the name of Improvement Trust, Amritsar.

From this account, cheques amounting to Rs 15.16 crore were issued for issuing pay orders. Two pay orders were issued to Satnam Singh, clerk, and one pay to Narinder Nath, father of Daman Bhalla. Similarly, 53 self cheques from this account were issued and a separate amount of Rs 19.25 crore was withdrawn illegally.

Sidhu said the CA of the department never cared to probe the scam in spite of the fact that the government auditor had raised 631 objections on the works being carried out. Announcing to put a stop to such irregularities in future, Sidhu said a third-party audit of all trusts would be carried out to unearth the truth.

This might be the biggest improvement trust scam till date. We should learn a lesson from it. A regular check of accounts and a third-party audit of all departments is a must. No external audit was done during the previous governments tenure. More disclosures could be in the offing in the matter which could unmask more wrongdoers. We are getting third party audit done at other places like Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Mohali, Patiala and Bhatinda also. We are determined to punish those who had dented Punjab in the past one decade, Sidhu said.

MC polls by December: Minister

Sidhu hinted that elections to the municipal bodies in Punjab would be held by December as the ward demarcation work was under progress. In the meantime, the civic affairs would be taken care of by the respective deputy commissioners who would act as administrators after the culmination of MCs tenure. The matter pertaining to the irregularities in the installation of the highest Tricolour at the Attari border is also under the scanner.
Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 10

The latest survey on the extent of drug addiction in Punjab by the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh (PGIMER) has the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party at loggerheads, while the Congress maintained whatever the extent of problem could be, its drive against drugs would continue.

While the Akalis have been maintaining for long that the drug menace issue was overplayed on political considerations over the past several years, the AAP has rejected the survey report.

State Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Bhagwant Mann tore into the survey figures that claimed less than 1 per cent of Punjabis were hooked on opiates, saying it was a farce. The survey teams should accompany me to villages where almost all men are addicts. I wonder why the government opened drug de-addiction centres across the state, if the problem was not serious, said Mann.

SAD president Sukhbir Badal said, The latest survey listing drug addiction in Punjab at less than 1 per cent has yet again nailed the lie of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and exposed the conspiracy of anti-Punjab forces that maligned the state and its people for their petty political goals.

He said the survey carried out in all 22 districts had exposed the anti-Punjab conspiracy of Rahul Gandhi and his team as well as that of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal. Both leaders and their parties should now tell Punjabis why they branded them as drug addicts. They should tender an unconditional apology to the people of the state, he said.

Speaking about AAP, he said Kejriwal and his gang of outsiders had also tried to doom the future of the youth by claiming 40 lakh of them were drug addicts. The PGIMER report today puts the number of addicts in the state at 2.7 lakh. Other reports, including one by AIIMS, have come out with even lower figures, he said.

State Congress president Sunil Jakhar said he was yet to see details of the survey, but even the figure of 2.7 lakh was no less. Our campaign against drugs will continue. It is good if there are fewer addicts in the state. But keep in mind that the SAD-BJP government is in power at the Centre and it can influence the survey, he added.

Visit villages

"The survey teams should accompany me to villages where almost all men are addicts. I wonder why the government opened drug de-addiction centres all over the state, if the problem was not so serious"

Bhagwant Mann, state aap convener

Apologise to people

"Both leaders (Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal) and their parties should now tell Punjabis why they branded them as drug addicts. They should tender an unconditional apology to the people of the state"

Sukhbir Badal, sad president

Drive to go on

"Our campaign against drugs will continue. It is good if there are fewer addicts in the state. But keep in mind that the SAD-BJP government is in power at the Centre and it can influence the survey"

Sunil Jakhar, state congress president
Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 11

The Punjab Governments declaration of holiday on Tuesday to commemorate the famed Battle of Saragarhi  on which Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has recently penned a book  is an addition to the 137 days off that were already scheduled for government employees this year. That includes weekends and the 33 official holidays.

Any days closed on account of law and order situations or elections in the state would be over and above the now-138. This means Punjab offices remain closed for around 40 per cent of the days. The obvious question to ask, therefore, is do we really need to declare holidays to commemorate special days?

A woman clerks response in the Civil Secretariat was on expected lines: Whats the harm? We work overtime on several days, even on weekends, but dont get paid extra for that. It has become a fad to term government employees lethargic. She did not want to be identified.

A male colleague joined in to say government work was not affected by such holidays, We have to work extra a day before or after a holiday.

Nazar Singh Manshahia, a former government employee and now an AAP MLA, disagreed, It disrupts the working of the system and affects the economy too. We have to find better ways to commemorate special days and events. Instead of declaring a holiday to mark the Battle of Saragarhi, the government should have organised programmes to discuss the significance of the day. Not even 10 employees would be visiting any memorial or function on the day. This is no tribute.

He even suggested that in case a holiday is declared for such days, or due to any law and order problem, as happened recently on account of the dera tension, then subsequent weekends should be declared working days to make up for the loss.

Prof Pramod Kumar, Director, Institute of Development and Communication, whose suggestions on governance reforms were implemented earlier by the SAD-BJP government, said Punjab needed to take a leaf from the Uttar Pradesh Government, which in April this year stopped the practice of declaring holidays on birth and death anniversaries or any special days.

Manisha Beri, director of a travel company in Chandigarh, said: Days off must be affecting productivity, but for a business like ours, holidays come as a boon, especially if these come close to weekends.

Parambans Singh Romana, a spokesperson of the Youth Akali Dal, said it was good that Saragarhi Day was being commemorated.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 10

The number of deaths in road accidents due to drunken driving in the state doubled in 2016 as compared with the figures for the previous year. The state has also earned the dubious distinction of being second in the nation on the accident severity (number of persons killed per 100 crashes) in such cases in 2016.

Harman Sidhu, president of NGO Arrive Safe, on whose petition the Punjab and Haryana High Court banned liquor vends along highways in March 2016, said the poor implementation and circumvention of the ban led to increase in deaths due to drunken driving in Punjab.

He says this on the basis of Road Accidents in India reports of 2016 and 2015, published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) last week.

Haryana, on the other hand, recorded a fall in such deaths in 2016. The fatalities came down from 478 in 2015 to 165 in 2016, registering a reduction of 65.5 per cent. This is because Haryana effectively implemented the ban on drunken driving, he said.

However, to evade court orders, Punjab amended its Excise Policy on liquor in March 2016 permitting liquor vends to operate on the highways passing through municipal limits. According to the report, the number of such deaths increased in Punjab from 91 in 2015 to 197 in 2016increase of 116.4 per cent. Cases of injuries also went up by 225.8 per cent.

Bihar, which prohibited liquor in April 2016, reported 14 per cent decline in road crashes and 9.5 per cent in fatalities as compared to 2015.

The state stands second in severity index (number of persons killed per 100 crashes) in the country. While the severity index in hilly state Mizoram is 84.3 per cent, it is 73 per cent in case of Punjab.

Among the cities having more than 50 million population, Ludhiana has the highest severity index of 69.9 per cent, while Kochi has the lowest at 6.6 per cent.

Quoting information procured under RTI from the Excise Department, Sidhu said the number of liquor vends went up two fold in the past decade from 5,632 liquor vends in 2005-06 to 12,000 in 2016-17.
Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 11

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has summoned the records on the controversial felling of 24,000 fully grown eucalyptus, sheesham and keekar trees under a project to widen the 800-km-long Bist-Doab canal during the SAD-BJP rule.

Taking up the petition filed by Delhi resident Nishant Kumar Alag, a Double Bench of the NGT has directed the state government to provide copies of the communication between the forest and irrigation departments.

The Rs 270-crore project kicked up a row last year after foresters and environmentalists cried foul over trees being uprooted from a land strip (on both sides of the canal), classified as a protected forest.

In his report to the Principal Chief Conservator Forests, then Conservator of Forests (Shivalik) Charchil Kumar had said: Forestland attracts provisions of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. The Act makes it mandatory to seek nod for diversion of forestland for non-forestry purposes from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

He had further written: Citing reports of the range officers of Nawanshahr, Kathgarh and Balachaur, its the legal status of land (protected forest) that has to be considered while taking a decision to divert it

The user agency (Irrigation Department in this case) had to apply for diversion to the Centre through the Forest Department.

As it was a key project of then SAD-BJP government, the Forest Departments top brass claimed that no rules had been violated as the trees were not located on forestland.

In contrast, the Forest Department has sought permission from the Union Ministry for diversion of land to widen the Ropar-Phagwara section of the highway (running along the canal).

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Jitendra Sharma said: The next date of hearing is September 13. We will seek more time from the NGT to file a reply.
Our Correspondent

Patiala, September 10

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) will organise a religious function on September 12 to commemorate Sikh martyrs of the Saragarhi battle at Gurdwara Wazidpur Sahib, Ferozepur district.

Notably, the Saragarhi Gurdwara stands in the honour of 21 Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army who sacrificed their lives but refused to buzz from duty.

SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar said the Sikh bravehearts did not think twice before laying down their lives in line of duty and it would be an honour for the SGPC to orgnaise a programme to commemorate them.

He said the Sikh body was regularly highlighting the influential individuals from the history to laud their contribution in the expansion of Sikh religion among masses.
FROM the Government review of the latest excise administration report of the Punjab, we find that the excise revenue of the province increased to Rs. 75.8 lakhs, representing an increase of Rs. 5  lakhs or 8 per cent. over the excise revenue of the previous year. It is said further efforts to discourage intemperance were made by closing down more shops and discontinuing fair licenses and these measures have been of some use. The Lieutenant-Governor, however, "trusts that the zeal of local officers and local bodies will not be allowed outrun their discretion." For if facilities for obtaining licit drink are reduced too speedily, the people will resort to illicit means. Another marked feature during last year was the increase in the demand of Indian made liquor, which is partly due to the high price of imported liquor and to the concentrations of troops.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 10

General Bipin Rawat has reiterated his statement on potential two front war with China and Pakistan. General Rawat, who was in Dehradun to attend the Foundation Day celebrations of his alma mater Cambrian Hall, said this while interacting with mediapersons yesterday. He reiterated his recent statement in which he had said that the country should be prepared for a potential two front war with China and Pakistan.

General Rawats recent statement on potential two front war with China and Pakistan was recently criticized by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. But General Rawat has stood by his statement.

He also termed withdrawal of Chinese forces from Doklam as a big victory for India. Withdrawal of Chinese forces from Doklam is both political and military victory for India, he pointed out.

Referring to insurgency in Kashmir valley, General Rawat asserted that while defence forces were for peace in the valley, but any misadventure from across would be dealt with effectively. He said anti-terror operations are being successfully conducted in the valley.

He also welcomed appointment of full time defence minister in the country asserting that this would led to better coordination between army and the defence ministry, thus adding to strengthening of countrys security.

Nirmala Sitharaman was recently appointed as full time defence minister of the country.
Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, September 11

The police today arrested a person for his involvement in a kidney racket. The accused identified as Javed Khan of Mumbai acted as a middleman and arranged donors. The police have launched a manhunt to nab the second accused, Dr Amit Rawat, who performed surgeries to remove kidneys.

The arrest was made following a tip off that a car ferrying four persons, who had undergone illegal kidney donation surgery, was heading towards Delhi from Haridwar.

Senior Superintendent of Police Nivedita Kukreti, said, The vehicle was intercepted at Sapt Rishi Ashram. There were five persons in the vehicle, including two women donors. While one of the male donors belonged to Gujarat the other three, including two women, hailed from West Bengal.

The SSP said preliminary investigations revealed that four donors were convinced by Javed Khan to donate kidney in lieu of Rs 3 lakh each. However, the deal fell apart as Javed Khan refused to part with money after two victims donated kidneys, said Kukreti.

The SSP said the other two donors, who were yet to undergo surgery, refused to donate their kidneys after which all four were asked to leave for Delhi.

Later, the police also conducted raids on Gangotri Charitable where surgeries were performed to illegally remove kidneys with state-of-the-art equipment. It functioned on the premises of Uttarakhand Dental Research Hospital. The SSP said both Gangotri Charitable and Uttarakhand Dental Research Hospital were not registered with the Medical Council of India.
Karachi, September 11

Unidentified gunmen opened fire on a vehicle carrying minority Shias in Pakistans restive Balochistan province, killing at least four people, including a boy.

Eight members of the Hazara Shia community, including two women, were coming to Quetta from Chaman town on the Afghan border.

They had stopped at a petrol pump to refuel their vehicle. In the meantime, two men on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire on them, killing three people on the spot and injuring three others, including the boy, the Express Tribune reported.

While two women travelling with them remained unhurt as they were sitting in the vehicle when the attackers opened fire on the men who were standing outside.

However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

A senior police officer said the members of the community had come to Chaman from Afghanistan.

The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital in Quetta, where the boy succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri expressed grief at the incident and strongly condemned the terrorist attack. He directed authorities that the culprits should be arrested and brought to justice.

The Hazaras are Shiite community who live in Balochistan and Afghanistan. They are considered as heretics by Sunni extremist groups and often targeted.

This is not the first time that the Hazara Shia Muslim community has been targeted by extremist outfits in Balochistan and in the last few years hundreds have been killed in either suicide bomb attacks, planted bomb blasts or target killings.

Official reports say there have been around 1,200 incidents of violence against the Hazara community in the past 15 years.

In July, gunmen killed four members of a Shiite family and a driver in the Mastung area.

In March, an explosion targeting a convoy of the security forces occurred on Saryab Road. Four people were injured--three Frontier Corps personnel and a passerby.

In October last year, gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Hazara men and women in Quetta. Four women were killed in that attack. PTI
Coxs Bazar, September 11

Bangladesh has agreed to free land for a new camp to shelter some of the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who have fled recent violence in Myanmar, an official said on Monday.

The new camp will help relieve some pressure on existing settlements in the Bangladeshi border district of Coxs Bazar, where nearly 3,00,000 Rohingya have arrived since August 25.

The two refugees camps we are in are beyond overcrowded, said UN refugee agency spokeswoman Vivian Tan.

Other new arrivals were being sheltered in schools, or were huddling in makeshift settlements with no toilets along roadsides and in open fields. Basic resources were scarce, including food, clean water and medical aid.

Still, more refugees were arriving. An Associated Press reporter witnessed hundreds streaming through the border at Shah Puri Dwip on Monday.

Tomorrow we are expecting an airlift of relief supplies for 20,000 people, Tan said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had offered 2 acres near the existing camp of Kutupalong to build temporary shelters for the Rohingya newcomers, according to a Facebook post Monday by Mohammed Shahriar Alam, a junior minister for foreign affairs.

He also said the government would begin fingerprinting and registering the new arrivals on Monday. Hasina is scheduled to visit Rohingya refugees on Tuesday.

Aid agencies have been overwhelmed by the influx of Rohingya, many of whom are arriving hungry and traumatized after walking days through jungles or packing into rickety wooden boats in search of safety in Bangladesh.

Many tell similar stories of Myanmar soldiers firing indiscriminately on their villages, burning their homes and warning them to leave or to die. Some say they were attacked by Buddhist mobs.

The government hospital in Coxs Bazar has been overwhelmed by Rohingya patients, with 80 arriving in the last two weeks suffering gunshot wounds as well as bad infections.

At least three have been wounded in land mine blasts, and dozens have drowned when boats capsized during sea crossings.

The violence and exodus began on Aug. 25 when Rohingya insurgents attacked Myanmar police and paramilitary posts in what they said was an effort to protect their ethnic minority from persecution by security forces in the majority Buddhist country.

In response, the military unleashed what it called clearance operations to root out the insurgents. Accounts from refugees show the Myanmar military is also targeting civilians with shootings and wholesale burning of Rohingya villages in an apparent attempt to purge Rakhine state of Muslims. AP
Vienna, September 11

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog today said Iran was playing by the rules set out in a nuclear accord it signed with six world powers in 2015, after Washington suggested it was not adhering to the deal.

The State Department must notify Congress every 90 days of Irans compliance with the deal. The next deadline is October, and President Donald Trump has said he thinks by then the US will declare Iran non-compliant.

Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said Iran had not broken any promises and was not receiving special treatment.

The nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran under the (deal) are being implemented, he said in the text of a speech to a quarterly meeting of the IAEAs 35-member Board of Governors. Most sanctions on Iran were lifted 18 months ago under the deal and, despite overstepping a limit on its stocks of one chemical, it has adhered to the key limitations imposed on it.

In April, Trump ordered a review of whether a suspension of sanctions on Iran related to the nuclear deal was in the US national security interest. The US envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley, travelled to Vienna last month to speak with Amano about Iran and asked if the IAEA planned to inspect Iranian sites, something she has called for. Iran dismissed the US demand.  Reuters
South of Mosul (Iraq), September 11

Iraqi authorities are holding 1,400 foreign wives and children of suspected Islamic State fighters in a camp after government forces expelled the jihadist group from one of its last remaining strongholds in Iraq, security and aid officials said.

Many of them say they are from Russia, Turkey and Central Asia, but there are also some from European countries, the officials said. They have mostly arrived at the camp south of Mosul since Aug 30.

An Iraqi intelligence officer said that they were in the process of verifying their nationalities with their home countries, since many of the women no longer had their original documents.

It is the largest group of foreigners linked to Islamic State to be held by Iraqi forces since they started expelling the militants from Mosul and other areas in northern Iraq last year, an aid official said. Thousands of foreigners have been fighting for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

A senior security officer said the authorities were trying to find a safe place to house the families while negotiating with embassies for their return home. They are not allowed to leave the camp.

Reuters reporters saw hundreds of the women and children sitting on mattresses crawling with bugs in tents in what aid workers called a militarized site. Turkish, French and Russian were among the languages spoken.

I want to go back (to France) but dont know how, said a French-speaking veiled woman of Chechen origin who said she had lived in Paris before.

She said she did not know what had happened to her husband, who had brought her to Iraq when he joined Islamic State.

The security officer said the women and children had mostly surrendered to the Kurdish Peshmerga near the northern city of Tal Afar, along with their husbands. The Kurds handed the women and children over to Iraqi forces, but kept the men - all presumed to be fighters - in their custody.

Many of the families had fled to Tal Afar after Iraqi troops pushed Islamic State out of Mosul on Aug 30.

Iraqi forces retook Tal Afar, a city of predominantly ethnic Turkmen that has produced some of Islamic States most senior commanders, last month. Most of its pre-war population of 200,000 have fled.

Tension

Aid workers and the authorities are worried about tensions between Iraqis, who lost their homes and are also living in the camp, and the new arrivals.

Many Iraqis want revenge for the harsh treatment they received under the extremists interpretation of Sunni Islam they imposed in Mosul and the other areas they seized in 2014.

The families are being kept to one side (of the camp) for their own safety, an Iraqi military intelligence officer said.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), which is supporting the 541 women and their children, said Iraq must swiftly move to clarify its future plans for these individuals.

Like all those fleeing conflict, it is imperative that these individuals are able to access protection, assistance, and information, NRC said in a statement. They are in de-facto detention.

Western officials are worried about radicalised fighters and their relatives coming home after the collapse of Islamic States caliphate.

French officials have indicated a preference for citizens found to be affiliated with IS to be prosecuted in Iraq.

The general philosophy is that adults should go on trial in Iraq, a French diplomatic source told Reuters last month, of those found to have been fighters. We think children would benefit from judicial and social services in France.

Tricked

The women in the camp were cooking noodles or lying on mattresses with their babies in the hot tents. Many were still wearing the black abayas and face-veils, which was mandatory in areas the militants controlled.

My mother doesnt even know where I am, said a 27-year-old French woman of Algerian descent who said she had been tricked by her husband to come with him via Turkey into Syria and then Iraq when he joined Islamic State last year.

I had just given birth to this little girl three months before, she said holding the infant and asking not to be named.

He said lets go for a weeks holiday in Turkey. He had already bought the plane tickets and the hotel. After four months in Mosul, she ran away from her husband to Tal Afar in February. She was hoping to make it back to France but he found her and would not let her leave.

She tearily recounted how her five-year-old son was killed in June by a rocket while playing in the streets.

I dont understand why he did this to us, she said of her husband, who she said was killed fighting in Mosul. Dead or alive - I couldnt care less about him.

She and a few other families had walked for days to surrender at a Kurdish Peshmerga checkpoint beyond al-Ayadiyah, a town near Tal Afar where the militants took their last stand.

We were getting bombed, shelled and shot at, she said.

Kurdish officials said dozens of fighters surrendered after the fall of Tal Afar but gave no details. One Tal Afar resident said he had seen between 70 and 80 fighters fleeing the town in the final days of the battle. Reuters
FORT MYERS/MIAMI Sept 10

Hurricane Irma lost some strength as it pounded southern Florida on Sunday afternoon, but forecasts warned it would remain a powerful storm as it flooded Miami streets and knocked out power to about 2 million homes and businesses.

All of southern Florida was feeling the effects of the storm creeping towards the shore, with at least one man killed, a woman forced to deliver her own baby, apartment towers swaying in high winds and trees uprooted.

The National Hurricane Center said the storm had maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour (195 kph), dropping it to a Category 3, the midpoint of the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale.

Tampa and Hurricane Bays saw extraordinarily low tides, with sea life visible and boats grounded, though forecasters warned the storm would soon drive those waters back in with storm surges of up to 15 feet(4.6 m) along the state's western Gulf Coast.

Small whitecapped waves could be seen in flooded streets between Miami office towers.

Irma had been one of the most powerful hurricanes ever seen in the Atlantic, killing 28 people in the Caribbean and pummeling Cuba with 36-foot (11 meter) waves on Sunday. Its core was located about 30 miles (48 km) south of Naples by 2 pm ET (1800 GMT) and was expected to move along or over Florida's western coast through the afternoon and evening.

Some 6.5 million people, about a third of the state's population, had been ordered to evacuate southern Florida.

"This is a life-threatening situation," Governor Rick Scott told a press conference.

Tornadoes were also spotted through the region. Irma is expected to cause billions of dollars in damage to the third-most-populous US state, a major tourism hub with an economy that generates about 5 per cent of US gross domestic product.

About 2 million Florida homes and businesses had lost power, according to Florida Power & Light and other utilities. The storm killed 24 as it raged through the Caribbean. It has already claimed at least one life in Florida, a man found dead in his pickup truck, which had crashed into a tree in high winds.

Miami buildings sway

The storm winds downed at least one construction crane and shook tall buildings in Miami, which was about 100 miles (160 km) from Irma's core.

Deme Lomas, who owns Miami restaurant Niu Kitchen, said he saw a crane torn apart by winds and dangling from the top of a building.

We feel the building swaying all the time, Lomas said in a phone interview from his 35th-floor apartment. "It's like being on a ship." Waves poured over a Miami seawall, flooding streets waist-deep in places around Brickell Avenue which runs a couple of blocks from the waterfront through the financial district and past consulates. High rise apartment buildings were left standing like islands in the flood.

One woman in Miami's Little Haiti neighborhood delivered her own baby because emergency responders were not able to reach her, the city of Miami said on Twitter. The two are now at the hospital, it said.

On Marco Island, south of Naples, Kathleen Turner and her husband were riding out the storm on the second floor of a friend's condominium after failing to find a flight out.  Reuters

Indian Americans offer assistance

Indian Americans in Atlanta and neighbouring areas on Sunday opened up their homes for friends, families and community members from Florida, as Irma made landfall on the states southern islands

Sewa International, one of the Indian-American organizations carrying out relief and rescue work, provided shelter to more than 300 families in the homes of its volunteers

With other Indian-American community organisations, a collective count took the figure to a minimum of 2,000 families. Four temples in Atlanta region have opened up their doors for people fleeing from Florida

Indian missions set up helplines

The Indian embassy in the US has opened a round-the-clock helpline and rushed senior diplomats to Atlanta to lead relief efforts for the Indian-Americans stuck in the region. The hotline number is 202-258-8819

Embassy officials said Indi's Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna was closely monitoring the situation. The Indian Consulate in Atlanta tweeted helpline numbers (+14044052567 & +1678179393) for people seeking assistance

6.5 m ordered to evacuate

1.6 m customers are without power

72,000 move into 390 shelters

159 counties under emergency
Geneva/Shamlapur, Sept 11

The UN human rights chief today slammed Myanmar for conducting a cruel military operation against Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, branding it a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

Zeid Raad al-Husseins comments to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva came as the official tally of Rohingya who have fled Myanmar and crossed into southern Bangladesh in just over two weeks soared through 300,000.

The surge of refugees many sick or wounded  has strained the resources of aid agencies already helping hundreds of thousands from previous spasms of bloodletting in Myanmar. We have received multiple reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians, Zeid said.

I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred, and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population, he added. Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, he said.

Myanmar should stop pretending that the Rohingya are setting fire to their homes and laying waste to their own villages, he said. He called it a complete denial of reality that hurts the standing of Myanmar.  Agencies

Bdesh offers land to shelter refugees
Beijing, September 11

A Taiwanese democracy activist went on trial in central China on Monday on charges of attempting to subvert the Chinese government, in a case that has further soured cross-strait relations.

Supporters of Lee Ming-cheh, an NGO worker who was arrested during a trip to the Chinese mainland in March, gathered outside the courthouse in Hunan provinces Yueyang city, according to photos on social media.

A live broadcast of the trial on the official social media account of the Yueyang intermediate court said that Lee was being tried on charges of subverting state power.

His wife and mother arrived in Hunan Sunday to attend the trial. Both women were accompanied by several officials from Taiwans semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, which handles relations with the mainland.

Lee has long supported civil society organisations and activists in China, according to Amnesty International.

He had shared Taiwans democratic experiences with his Chinese friends online for many years and often mailed books to them, said the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

After Lee went missing Chinese authorities confirmed he was being investigated for suspected activities endangering national security.

Beijing has repeatedly ignored Taipeis requests for information on Lees whereabouts and details of the allegations against him.

Relations between the two sides have worsened since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May last year.

Since then Beijing has cut off all official communications with Taipei.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory waiting to be reunified. It wants Tsai to acknowledge the island is part of One China, which she has refused to do. AFP
The newly upgraded International LoneStar is now available with the Cummins X15 engine as an option. Photo: International

International Trucks will be rolling into the inaugural North American Commercial Vehicle Show later this month with a seriously-overhauled LoneStar. In a teleconference Monday morning to outline the various enhancements and new features on retro-styled Class 8 tractor, Dave Majors, vice president, product development, Navistar, said the new LoneStar is yet another signal to the industry that International Truck is focused on uptime and delivering the best trucks in the industry that drivers want to drive.

According to Majors, the Lonestars striking aerodynamic appearance and breakthrough functional innovations inside and out are the results of International DriverFirst and Advanced Classics design philosophies, in which technology and innovative styling converge with next-generation aerodynamic design to deliver superior fuel efficiency. Majors said the new LoneStar also sets a higher standard for comfort through improved driver ergonomics and a quieter cab.

"Over the past decade drivers have come to love the iconic status of the LoneStar tractor's exterior styling and appearance with the distinctive grille and sloped hood that were inspired by International's D-Series trucks," said Majors. "Based on this feedback, we wanted to incorporate much of what we've recently learned from drivers and focus our engineering on an all new driver-centric interior while maintaining the iconic exterior look of the truck. As a result, we've made major improvements to the LoneStar in vehicle uptime performance and multiple new and improved features that enhance driver appeal."

Among the new features that International has added to the LoneStar are:

A new, single-canister aftertreatment system, Majors said is now 60% smaller and 40% lighter than its predecessor and has also been simplified for quicker servicing.

All new cab wiring and an in-cab power distribution module that is inside the truck, for better protection from the elements.

International has moved all key service points under the hood, inside the cab, and around the vehicle are ergonomically designed for easy access and servicing, and many components have been engineered with longer intervals between required maintenance.

A completely revamped HVAC system, that Majors said now delivers outstanding comfort and visibility. It is not only more robust and reliable, drivers will be impressed by the quick defrost functionality. During testing at a frigid 0F, Majors said the LoneStar's bMAX defrost cleared 100% of the windshield in under 30 minutes from start-up time.

Additionally, Majors noted, Internationals DriverFirst design philosophy actively asked for driver input on how to improve the interior design of our trucks. As a result, the LoneStar features an all new, ergonomically designed interior with new digital information display, a new integrated stalk shifter integrating transmission and engine brake functionality, durable and easy to clean soft touch vinyl interior, and stylish diamond interior is standard. Majors said drivers will notice that the doors, side glass, and cab mirrors have all been redesigned to enhance visibility and ultimately helping to reduce neck strain and fatigue over the long haul. Additionally, International redesigned the fuse panel in the passenger-side dash. Drivers told us they needed a flat area to write on, Majors said. This redesign does just that. But we also added deep channeling around the electronics to keep any spilled drinks out of the electronic components housed in that compartment.

Other in-cab improvements, Majors said, focused on safety and reducing driver fatigue. These include vastly reduced sound levels inside the cab, improved front, and side, visibility, redesigned and repositioned pedestal mirrors and an all-new instrument cluster with improved graphics and easier-to-read dial faces.

Another major upgrade is the addition of the Cummins X15 engine as an option with ratings ranging from 485 to 605 horsepower. When combined with the Lonestars contoured hood, fenders and new aerodynamic pedestal mirrors, Majors said the new X15 option is up to 3% more fuel efficient than the previous generation of the tractor, and noted that the truck will be offered in specialized ratings that will allow customers to dial in the ideal balance of performance and efficiency required for any on-highway operation.

International will unveil upgraded Lonestar tractor later this month at the NACV Show in Atlanta. The new models will begin appearing at International dealerships nationwide in early January.
OKLAHOMA CITY  Lawmakers are gearing up for a fight that looks remarkably similar to one that played out in May when House Democrats and Republicans couldnt come to an agreement to plug the budget hole.

Gov. Mary Fallin last week said she planned to call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session after the Oklahoma Supreme Court agreed with those who challenged a $1.50 cigarette fee, saying it was passed unconstitutionally.

The loss of the money budgeted from the fee resulted in a $215 million hole in the fiscal year 2018 state budget. Coupled with a loss of federal dollars, the figure is closer to $500 million.

Republicans and Democrats are already drawing lines in the sand, revealing negotiation positions and blaming one another for the budget crisis that is expected to linger into the next legislative session.

I think everyone is gearing up for a fight, said Keith Gaddie, chairman of the University of Oklahoma Political Science Department.

Meanwhile, state-appropriated agencies are bracing for more cuts, he said.

There is always going to be a significant component of the Legislature that is not interested in filling in this hole, Gaddie said. There is no amount of government small enough for them, and they are going to see this as another option to starve the beast.

Lawmakers and policy officials have said they hoped for some sort of an agreement before the special session, but that has not come to fruition.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, has said he again will seek to pass a cigarette tax, but he needs Democratic support. If that fails, he will send the measure to a vote of the people, which would delay it as a revenue stream.

Meanwhile, officials could balance the budget using cash and Rainy Day funds coupled with cuts, McCall has said.

House Minority Leader Scott Inman, D-Del City, said a cigarette tax increase must be coupled with other items, such as an income tax increase on top earners or a hike in the gross production tax.

Both sides took similar positions last session.

Rep. Eric Proctor, D-Tulsa, said he is hopeful there will be an agreement to restore funding prior to the special session. If not, lawmakers will be spinning our wheels, he said.

If you dont have the agreement between particularly the House leaders and the Democrats, I just dont see that this goes anywhere, said Richard R. Johnson, chairman of the departments of political science and history at Oklahoma City University. Everyone seems to be pretty dug in and resigned to the cuts.

I dont know that anybody feels like they are in a position they can compromise, which is kind of sad, Johnson said.

Finance Secretary Preston Doerflinger, Fallins chief budget negotiator, said the special session presents an opportunity for lawmakers to fix systemic problems with the state budget.

He said he hopes it is not the case that battle lines have already been drawn.

I think if there ever was time for statesmen, now is the time, Doerflinger said. I think the citizens of this state want us to fix the problem. I think they are tired of partisanship and political bickering and really want to see us do the necessary hard work. None of this is going to be easy.
Marking the main entrance to a downtown high-rise, a blue, white and gold flag was fluttering in the afternoon breeze and casting a wavy shadow on the sidewalk below.

Oh, look, I said to somebody walking nearby. Theres the new Tulsa flag.

But wait. Tulsa doesnt have a new flag.

A group of private citizens launched a social media campaign last November to solicit designs, with more than 250 proposals eventually being submitted. None of which couldve possibly been worse than the current official banner  a plain white flag of surrender stamped with the city seal.

If youve never seen the current flag, its no wonder. City officials recently admitted that they could think of only four places where its ever displayed, which is three more than Ive ever seen myself.

While the effort to design a new flag remained strictly private, the organizers seemed to enjoy unanimous support from the City Council during periodic updates on the process. And by the end of April, they were ready to unveil three finalists  one of which gained a majority of votes in a social-media poll to choose the winner.

Then the City Council balked at approving it.

And yet, there it is, flying proudly at one of the most prominent buildings in the middle of downtown. And thats not the only place to find it  the new flag is showing up more and more often around town on bumper stickers, T-shirts and tattoos, not to mention a wall mural in the Blue Dome District.

The design features a dark blue field on top of white, divided by a gold bar that encircles a stylized silhouette of the state flags Osage war shield emblem. Official or not, Tulsa seems be adopting it through the most democratic process of all  going around politicians and just getting it done ourselves.
OKLAHOMA CITY  The leaders of three schools named after Confederate generals said there is no support for a name change.

Ive had very few parents come and give me their opinion about the name, said Theressa Manzanedo, the principal of Stand Watie Elementary. They just know that Stand Watie is their elementary school and they care very much about their school.

Manzanedo said she doesnt really have an opinion about the name and is more worried about the students inside.

The same goes for her staff.
About 9:30 p.m. on Labor Day, Nick Barton received a call from his daughter as she traveled from San Antonio back to him in Tulsa.

Stephanie Barton was checking in with her dad, letting him know she was south of Dallas and shed see him in the morning. Before they got off the phone, Nick Barton reminded her to pull over if she got sleepy.

For whatever reason, she didnt.

Stephanie Barton, a 22-year-old whod just been honorably discharged from the Air Force, made it to Atoka before exhaustion got the better of her. A passing train engineer spotted her car in the North Muddy Boggy Creek the next morning. She was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday, the day before her dads birthday.

The crash

Minutes before police believe Stephanie Bartons car departed the roadway and landed in the creek, police pulled her over near the outskirts of town. Her vehicle matched the description of another that had been reported for reckless driving, Nick Barton said.

When they saw her Texas license plates, they knew it wasnt the car they were looking for. It had Louisiana plates. They let her go with few warnings.

The first was an official warning for speeding. The second was more informal: they said she looked tired and should pull over to get some sleep, Nick Barton said.

Nick Barton speculates she must have had her cruise control on, because once she left the road and got on the wrong side of the guard rail near the creek, police found no signs of her attempting to stop.

She hit a few signs, and the car barreled into the creek.

A ray of sunshine

Nick Barton remembers his daughter, the youngest of five, as an extroverted, fun-loving young woman who could make friends where ever she went, whether it be at music festivals, vacations or at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, where she went for basic and security forces training.

She was the ray of sunshine in the room, he said. She brightened everybodys lives.

She was also tough.

She joined the Air Force last year on her birthday, June 1. And shortly afterward, injured her back rock climbing near the base.

It wasnt until a year later they found out shed actually cracked three vertebrae. Air Force medics said she must have had a high tolerance for pain.

She went through all of basic training with the injury.

Once discovered, thats what lead to her medical discharge at the end of August this year, Nick Barton said.

Nick Barton said his daughter has been strong her whole life. She had to fight to be born because of some of her mothers, Shelley Mary Bartons, medical issues. And when she was born, she came with a large birthmark on her face.

She had the option to get the mark removed, she decided against it, saying if someone cant love her with it, they dont deserve to love her.

The mark helped her learn to deal with adversity.

Nick Barton remembers telling her, Youll have to rise above it, he said. And she did.

Nick Barton said hes thankful he got to spend time with her between her leaving the military and the crash. In that time, they watched the solar eclipse pass over Stanton, Missouri.

We spent three minutes basking in the umbra, Nick Barton said.

They also saw Tech N9ne together at Cains Ballroom.

Funeral services for the Berryhill High School graduate are scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at the View Acres Baptist Church.

Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Mark Griffith-Westwood Funeral Home.

After the services, Nick Barton said he and family members will get together and have their pity party. Up until now, theyve been too busy making arrangements to really let her death sink in.

Which, weve all been crying the whole way, but Im trying to keep a straight face, he said.
The Tulsa County District Attorneys Office on Monday filed its intent to seek the death penalty against a man accused in a young womans strangulation death, marking the first time prosecutors have asked for the maximum sentence since 2012s Good Friday shootings.

Gregory Jerome Epperson, 41, is expected to appear in court Oct. 9 for arraignment before District Judge Doug Drummond on charges of first-degree murder in the March 20 homicide of 19-year-old Kelsey Tennant and assault against her boyfriend, Riley Allen, inside her east Tulsa apartment.

Eppersons case is the first death penalty case in Tulsa County under District Attorney Steve Kunzweilers purview since his election in 2014.

If the case goes to trial and a jury unanimously recommends a death sentence, Epperson would be the first person in Tulsa County to face lethal injection since Raymond Johnson, who was sentenced to death in 2009 for the 2007 slayings of a woman and her baby.

The decision to file the bill of particulars was not one taken lightly by me or my office but was made after several months of careful consideration, Kunzweiler said in a statement. As with all cases, Mr. Epperson is presumed innocent under the law until a judge or jury determines otherwise.

In asking for a death sentence as an option against Epperson, Kunzweiler and Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray argue the beating and strangling of Tennant is especially atrocious, heinous or cruel. The two have mentioned previously an older unrelated murder case against Epperson, which was dropped partly over evidence concerns, as a sign Epperson will likely continue to commit acts of violence and be a threat to society.

Also, Allen told Gray during a June 13 preliminary hearing that Epperson attacked him from behind when he entered the apartment after Tennant had already been attacked there. Allen said he was able to break free from Eppersons attempts to choke him and managed to get outside the residence to ask a neighbor, a friend of Eppersons, for help.

Special Judge Deborrah Ludi-Leitch ordered Epperson to stand trial after the preliminary hearing. Since then, his arraignment has been postponed twice while Eppersons legal team, which was provided to him as an indigent defendant, gathered evidence in hopes of dissuading the state from requesting capital punishment.

Defense attorney Brian Boeheim represented Epperson during his preliminary hearing, but on July 25 Drummond appointed attorneys Shena Burgess and Beverly Atteberry, who have experience in capital cases, after receiving word the state might file a bill of particulars.

Burgess said Monday that the defense had not yet presented its mitigation evidence to the state. She did not comment on the merits of Kunzweilers and Grays request but said she anticipates filing a motion this week to quash the decision ordering Epperson to face trial.

She said she is also still in the process of receiving discovery, or evidence, from the state in the case.

Capital cases in Oklahoma

When prosecutors seek the death penalty against a defendant, they are required to submit a bill of particulars to the trial judge before trial court arraignment. As part of its process, the state will evaluate such areas as the strength of the case, the wishes of the victims family and mitigating evidence gathered by the defendants attorneys, such as life history or cognitive issues.

Although neither Kunzweiler nor Gray has reviewed mitigation evidence on Eppersons behalf, Burgess said they encouraged her to provide them with any information the defense compiles. She said the length of time shes been on the case hasnt been enough to complete that work, as the defense is still working to obtain records about Eppersons past.

Im still doing my due diligence, Burgess said. This is (about) six months old, but weve only been in it for about a month. So were doing everything we would have done in the first month of filing before (preliminary hearing).

Typically, both sides will have at least two attorneys in the courtroom for a capital trial. Its not yet clear which assistant district attorney, if anyone, will work with Gray on Eppersons case. He has never taken a death penalty case to trial.

State law also mandates that those ordered to die are automatically entitled to appellate reviews of their convictions and sentences.

Kunzweilers office considered the death penalty against 20-year-old Robert Bever, who was 18 when he and his brother Michael Bever were charged in the 2015 stabbing deaths of their parents and three siblings.

However, Robert Bever pleaded guilty and received consecutive life-without-parole sentences. Michael Bever, who was 16 when he was arrested, is statutorily ineligible for the death penalty.

A bill of particulars has not been filed since then-District Attorney Tim Harris did so in January 2013 against Jacob England and Alvin Watts. The two were charged with first-degree murder in three north Tulsa shootings on Good Friday in 2012, which prosecutors said was a hate crime targeting black people.

England and Watts took plea deals in exchange for prosecutors withdrawing the bill of particulars. They are serving life in prison without parole. Burgess, who is one of a handful of death penalty-qualified attorneys in the area, handled Watts case.

Tulsa County prosecutors have filed bills of particulars in 10 cases since 2007, five of which were resolved before trial with plea deals of life without parole. Two of those resolutions were for England and Watts.

The last capital case that went to trial in Tulsa County was that of Darren Price, who was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the September 2011 Hicks Park homicides. A jury in 2014 recommended two life-without-parole terms, which prosecutors said at the time was possibly due to Prices young age  19  at the time of the incidents.

Harris administration also sought the death penalty in 2012 against Zane Atchison and Joel Pina for the August 2011 deaths of two people in a reported murder-for-hire scheme.

Pina pleaded guilty in 2014 to amended charges of solicitation to commit murder and accessory after the fact. He received a life sentence with the possibility of parole. Atchison took his case to a jury, which recommended life-without-parole sentences in 2013. He was sentenced in September of that year.

After Oklahomas last execution in January 2015, when Charles Warner was put to death, questions and problems with the states lethal injection protocol led to death-row inmate Richard Glossips receiving a last-minute stay in September 2015.

It effectively put a moratorium in place until 2018 as the Attorney Generals Office said it will wait at least 150 days after receiving an updated lethal injection protocol from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to put any inmates on a schedule for execution.

The DOC has given no indication of its readiness to continue lethal injections as of the Attorney Generals Offices Aug. 31 status report filed with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.
A Tulsa woman pleaded guilty last week to a lesser charge in the homicide of her boyfriend, which reportedly stemmed from a domestic altercation in early June.

Micca Lois Thompson, 38, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the heat of passion, possession of a controlled drug and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to court records.

A Tulsa County district judge sentenced Thompson to seven years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Prosecutors initially charged Thompson with second-degree murder in the June 1 stabbing death of Ronnie Beetz, 36, her boyfriend.

Thompson used a samurai-style sword to stab Beetz in the stomach in early June at their Parkview Terrace apartment, located in the 1600 block of West 59th Street.

Thompson reportedly swung the sword at Beetz after he choked and slapped her. She struck Beetz in the abdomen. When police arrived, they found the two in their apartment living room.

Beetz was taken to a hospital, where he was initially assessed to be in critical condition. Medical staff pronounced him dead about 3:30 a.m. June 1.

Police said on June 1 that Thompson had no visible injuries. Beetz and Thompson had lived together for 15 years and had children.
Yara and Matt Amberg had a three-pronged plan after they married, when both were cooking at high-end New York City-area restaurants.

We wanted children, a nice house and our own restaurant, Matt Amberg said. It didnt seem feasible up there, so we had to go to Israel, where Yara is from, or Tulsa, where Im from, to raise a family. We chose Tulsa.

Amberg said financially it wasnt a goal they could reach immediately, so he cooked at Stonehorse Cafe in Utica Square for two years while keeping his eye on possible restaurant locations.

The final part of our plan finally happened, Amberg said. It just took two years to do it.

Amberg recently opened Oren in the Center 1 building in Brookside. The space formerly held Mings Noodle Bar, The Brasserie, Montes and Montrachet, though there is little evidence that those restaurants ever existed.

The dining room formerly was full of dark woods and French-style accents. The Ambergs have transformed it into a light, bright space with clean, modern lines.

I hate to go into a restaurant where it is so dark you cant read the menu, Amberg said. We dont consider ourselves fine dining. Weve lightened up the room and play an eclectic mix of music. Its not elevator music.

The music was a little faint to hear the night we visited with a daughter and son-in-law, but we did appreciate being able to easily read the menu.

Amberg might not consider Oren a fine-dining restaurant, but that has to relate more to ambience than food because the dining was, to borrow a term from another era, super fine.

The fruit- and vegetable-driven menu, which Amberg terms progressive American, usually changes daily, depending on what is fresh and available.

In the kitchen, we always are talking about what to do and how to do something creatively, he said. The ideal would be to come with a group and share as many dishes as you can.

Amberg said he already has seen a group of eight order every dish on the menu, which would come out to about three dishes each, ranging from $6 to $36. The majority of the menu features appetizer-sized dishes from $6 to $15.

We couldnt match the table of eight production, but we managed a nice assortment of dishes to share, and all were extraordinary.

For our main dishes, we chose ricotta gnudi ($16), beef short rib ($18), halibut ($30) and New York strip steak ($34).

Gnudi sometimes is described as stuffed ravioli without the ravioli, and thats pretty close. Creamy ricotta cheese balls with Meyer lemon, Parmesan and garlic were delightful with a perfect balance of ingredients.

Short ribs have become a darling of wine dinners, probably because they are relatively inexpensive and can be slow-cooked until the meat is tender and flavorful. Whatever, Ive always been a fan, and our short rib dinner was tender and tasty with a salty edge. The beef sat amid a mix of cavatelli pasta, Hon Shimeji mushrooms and sea beans (a somewhat salty sea plant).

The halibut was amazing. It was a thick fillet, cooked to a perfect texture and topped with black olives, fennel and herbs. It sat over a reddish, tomatoey sauce filled with sliced yellow squash and zucchini. It seemed like a lot going on, but no one item dominated the others.

The steak was cut into slices and was a beauty. It was ordered medium and came out closer to medium-rare, which to me was superior. It came with roasted tomato, spinach and ratatouille jus.

Among the smaller dishes we shared were a peppery, minty arugula salad ($7), a dozen small marble potatoes with miso, pickled mustard seed and buttermilk ($8) and five corn croquettes with jalapeno, blueberry and maple flavorings ($8).

The salty miso with the buttermilk took the potatoes to another level, and the fried corn croquettes  crispy on the outside and creamy inside  were to die for. I probably could live on those two dishes for some time and not get bored.

We were told the cocktails, under the direction of bar manager Read Richards, were special.

His menu is fluid in more ways than one, Amberg said. For instance, if we bring in Thai basil, we ask him what he can do with it at the bar.

The ladies at our table chose a glass of wine, while the men selected a little number called Heres Looking at Yuzu ($10) that included gin, elder flower-flavored St. Germain liqueur, orange bitters and yuzu.

Yuzu is a citrus fruit about the size of a tangerine mainly cultivated in Japan, Korea and China. Its highly fragrant, as well as sour and tart, and obviously played a big part in this cocktail. The taste of the cocktail is difficult to describe, except it was anything but sweet and was strangely memorable. I loved it.

The bar also has grown-up cocktails minus the alcohol available.

Fans of well-known bartender Liz Taylor-Pounds should be aware she is at Oren on Friday and Saturday nights. Shes at Amelias downtown Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Oren just started lunch service Tuesday, which is a great excuse to go back and see what is happening with that menu.

Our server, Susanna, was personable, answered our questions and had that knack of being around only when you needed her.

The pleasant back patio has a limited bar menu (no utensils needed) and full bar service.

The performance in the kitchen and among the waitstaff has exceeded expectations, said Amberg, who personally inspects almost every dish as it comes out of the kitchen. And were just happy to have people show up and dine here and give us the reviews they have.
Kyle Dillingham started playing the violin when he was 9. He played twice at the Grand Ole Opry before finishing high school.

Next? Dillingham is going back to the land where his instrument has roots: Hes headed to China.

Dillingham, who was raised in Enid and lives in Oklahoma City, is no stranger to foreign lands. Known as Oklahomas musical ambassador, he said he has played in 37 countries. Hes making a return trip to China because he and his band, Horseshoe Road, were tapped to perform at the second annual Silk Road International Cultural Expo in the city of Dunhuang later this month.

The performance by Dillingham and Horseshoe Road will be the first concert by an American country/Americana band in Dunhuang, the location where the East meets the West along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Flattered?

Oh my gosh, Dillingham said. We are just beside ourselves because of that international stage, so to speak.

It all came about because of a family arrangement. Dunhuang is located in the Gansu province, Oklahomas sister state in China.

In 1985, then-Gov. George Nigh signed Oklahomas sister state agreement with Gansu. A delegation from China came to Oklahoma in 2015 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the agreement. Dillingham agreed to perform at the event. Dillingham said he was pulled aside afterward by one of the Chinese officials. The official had a request: Can you perform in Gansu? The request came in October, but Dillingham hustled to Gansu and played with a symphony orchestra during a New Years Eve concert. He described the experience as fantastic.

Relationships were developed, and Dillingham, a 12-time visitor to China, earned an invitation to return for the Silk Road International Cultural Expo.

Dillingham can play many instruments, most notably the fiddle and guitar. Tasked with coming up with a title for the tour of China (he also will perform in Edmonds sister city, Qingyang), he picked The Silk Road and the Fiddle.

Within that context, what I want to show as a goal for our performances is that I am a fiddle player because of the Silk Road, he said. We do the kind of music we do, we play this traditional American folk music and country music and Americana because of the Silk Road. We are who we are because of the Silk Road.

Asked to explain, Dillingham said the bowed string instrument is believed to have originated in central Asia. Those ancient bowed string instruments evolved into the modern-day violin.

Nowadays, the fiddle is synonymous with the Americana, folk, country sound in the U.S. But, said Dillingham, I was in China this last year. I was hearing some old, old, old folk music played by these old musicians, and I just sort of placed myself almost like I was at a bluegrass festival in the Midwest in the United States. I just said This is exactly the same thing.

Dillingham and his band will be exposed to a global audience. The inaugural Silk Road International Cultural Expo, held last year, drew representatives from 58 countries and regions, five international organizations and 19 sister cites.

With tensions high in some parts of the world, Dillingham said he cant think of a better time for musical diplomacy.

I have always loved, more than anything about what I do, just to see how music has this innate ability to bring people together to develop relationships, accelerate relationships and just change the atmosphere, so to speak, he said.

Gov. Mary Fallin said this in a letter to the governor of Gansu: Our entire state celebrates the fact that Kyle, along with his band Horseshoe Road, will be representing our great state at the second annual Silk Road International Cultural Expo in Dunhuang. Youre in for a rare musical experience. ... It occurs to me that music is indeed our universal language and I sincerely hope that through exchanges such as this that our world can communicate with harmony and peace.
Leftover odds and ends of colorful fabric scraps piled into small heaps on a shelf wait to be transformed into something pretty. More clippings are tucked into wooden crates hidden under a table resting upon two sawhorses in Nikki Warrens living room. The Tulsa fashion designer uses those reserves of patterned cloth to add extra details to the line shes tailored to her own style.

I dont like to throw them away, said the 41-year-old fashion designer, eyes fixed on the seam ripper shes using to dismantle a project. I can always find other uses for the scraps.

For example, she likes to use contrasting colors or prints to create pockets on skirts or dresses for a special detail.

Its one of my signatures  among other things, she said smiling.

Fashion is one of Warrens longtime hobbies, ever since she was a child. But if you asked a younger Warren what she wanted to be when she was older, the response wouldnt be a designer. There was a brief moment when she could always be found thumbing through teen fashion magazines, but it was an interest she abandoned and then revisited a few times before she pinned down the idea of turning the craft into a career.

In September, Warren will celebrate 10 years working as a full-time fashion designer, debuting her spring/summer line under a new name during Runway Tulsa.

Mesmerized by fashion

Growing up in Tulsa, Warrens mom, Marva Walker, was a self-made designer who hosted fashion shows in their home and sold womens lingerie directly to her customers. The hum of the sewing machine and sharp sound of scissors cutting through cloth were the soundtrack to Warrens youth.

Id like to say I grew up seeing my mom at the sewing machine wanting to be a designer like her, you know, but that wasnt me, she said. Sure, I was around that  the sewing process  but it wasnt until later when I got interested in it.

She became mesmerized by televised fashion shows on VH1 and in magazines, including Teen Vogue and Seventeen. She consumed all the fashion she could get her teen-age hands on. When inspiration hit from the runways or magazines, a young Warren would hurry to the closet to design new pieces with help from her mom.

The guidance from Walker included showing Warren how to sew basic projects, but Warren struggled with seeing it through. Eager to see the finished look, she remembers always asking her mom if she could skip the technical steps.

I would always start and stop projects, she said. My mom would tell me, You need to have patience and stick with it or its not gonna happen. 

Eventually, Warrens interest in fashion waned until she was in college.

Back in the design seat

Warrens sewing skills resurfaced as she was studying to become a broadcast journalist at Langston University. A few of her sorority sisters signed up to make tops for an upcoming event, and they showed her plans using fabric glue. Knowing how to sew, Warren turned her nose up at using fabric glue and volunteered to help complete the tops.

I told them, I can sew that  with a sewing machine,  she said. She borrowed a sewing machine and completed the tops in no time. She also borrowed patterns to practice with, and thats when she fell back in love with fashion.

I remember it was like riding a bike. I could just do it, Warren added.

Her friends started asking her to make them dresses or skirts for special occasions. She told her mom about the requests from her friends, and her mom bought Warren her first sewing machine and a serger.

Warren designed dresses and skirts for herself and many of her friends, receiving plenty of compliments along the way. When she moved to Washington, D.C., to work at a broadcast company, she continued making clothes and developing her own sense of style.

I would see cute clothes, but everything was expensive. I would look at it and think, I can make this myself,  she said.

She worked behind the camera so even though the dress code was relaxed, she would wear her pieces to work. Co-workers would admire her clothes and started asking about commissioned pieces. That was when she realized her hobby could create extra income.

Start of a new chapter

Though her fashion career started later, after broadcast journalism lost its glow and shimmer, shes proud of the commitment she made to tear into design full time.

After returning to Tulsa, Warren opened M.O.C.H.A. Butterfly in the Brady Arts District with her high school friend Kim Grayson. The name stood for manifesting our creative hidden abilities, Warren explained. The store focused on Tulsa-made items and displayed Warrens styled tops, dresses and skirts under the same name as the boutique. It was the only clothing and accessories retail in the district before the downtown boom hit.

There were so many projects happening around that time, including construction, which Warren said proved a challenge.

When the recession hit, as a small designer, it can affect you the most, she said. It was a shift and gave me a chance to figure things out.

The shop closed in 2014, and Warren moved her fashion business home. Shes thankful to her husband and soon-to-be freshman son who allowed her to convert their living room into her work space. It serves as her office, cutting-and-assembly floor and the place where she can meet clients for consultations. As the pieces of the business reassembled, shes been able to take a step back and focus on building her brand and on her clients.

She participated in last years Runway Tulsa and was invited to return this year for the Sept. 30 Runway Tulsa Finale. Last year, her womens line donned the runway under the M.O.C.H.A. Butterfly brand, but this summer, Warren closed that chapter of her life and changed the name to one that held a new meaning.

Walker Warren. Its a name I didnt get to use. If we had a daughter, I wanted to name her Walker  my maiden name. So it will be Walker Warren Clothing Co., she said. I thought it was a strong name for a woman and its unique.

Defining style

When she reflects on her journey to becoming a designer and returning to Runway Tulsa this fall, she says its been a memorable experience.

Since closing the shop, shes been able to focus on re-branding her line and defining her style. The pieces that boast the Walker Warren name fit women of every style and shape.

I love bold patterns and bright colors, said the Tulsa fashion designer, standing at her makeshift worktable in her living room. I like to play with contrast and try to make the pockets match by pulling some of the colors together to make it fun.

Further down the road, Warren said she hopes to find a commercial or shared workspace.

I would love to be around other people, she said. Working at home can be a challenge.

Aside from her work as a designer, shes also the mother of a high school freshman and wife to a husband who works as a development facilitator and a public speaker.

Walker Warren on the runway

In September, shell debut next seasons Walker Warren spring/summer line. Those seasons are her favorite to design because its when dresses and skirts return to every womans wardrobe. No more pants or long-sleeve blouses  or jeans. She cant stand seeing people wear jeans when its hot outside.

Warren models every piece after her own tastes, and she tests each prototype herself before she decides to replicate the design to sell online or locally.

I have curves and flaws, she said. I wear it out, and if it doesnt work for me, I wont sell it.

Warren started selling her rompers, skirts and other designs at SoBo Co. on 11th Street.

While she enjoys the couture looks modeled on the runways at high-end shows, she prefers to design looks for everyday use.

I appreciate ready-to-wear fashion, she said.

When I find a piece I like, I want to wear it immediately  I will find somewhere to wear that.

That everyday appeal has paved the way for invitations to fashion shows in New York and Los Angeles this year.

This is something I really enjoy, she said. I am still learning the business. Im a creative person more than a business person, but its just weaved into this.
This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon!

Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page?
Refugees from Central African Republic, Merveille, aged nine and Octavie, seven, were given a chance to start over in Canada with their family in 2016.  UNHCR/Ibrahima Diane

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, called today for an additional 40,000 resettlement places to be made available for refugees located in 15 priority countries* along the Central Mediterranean route.

These 40,000 resettlement places, which will complement already existing commitments, will be crucial to help the most vulnerable refugees along the Central Mediterranean route. Of course, resettlement can only be one element of a more global response to increase access to protection and solutions for refugees and mitigate risks they face on their way to Libya and to Europe, said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

As part of these global efforts, UNHCR hosted today, Monday 11 September, the first meeting of the Core Group** for Enhanced Resettlement and Complementary Pathways along the Central Mediterranean route, which was chaired by France.

A comprehensive approach will be critical in reducing onward movements, saving the lives of refugees and avoiding the creation of a pull factor. It is essential that any resettlement response covers all sub-regions affected by these movements, including West, East, North Africa as well as the Horn. Adherence to UNHCRs resettlement criteria, which puts the emphasis on vulnerability and protection needs, is also key, said Grandi.

So far, the response has been very far from adequate, with only 6,700 refugees along the routes to Libya resettled so far this year. There is a need to step up in line with States commitment in the New York Declaration to provide resettlement places and other legal pathways on a scale that would meet global annual resettlement needs, he added.

In 2016, resettlement opportunities were offered to only six per cent of the refugees in need in the 15 priority countries of asylum and transit along the Central Mediterranean route, where total needs are estimated to stand at 277,000.

The movement of refugees and migrants towards Europe continues to take a devastating toll on human life. Since the beginning of the year, over 2,420 people are believed to have died or gone missing while crossing the Mediterranean to reach Europe, with reports of many others perishing en route.

*The 15 priority countries of asylum identified along the central Mediterranean route are Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia.

** The Core Group for Enhanced Resettlement and Complementary Pathways along the Central Mediterranean route includes global resettlement States, IOM, the EU and UNHCR. In total, 17 States were present at its opening on Monday, 11 September.

Media contacts:
Meeting of the Action Team on Exploration and Innovation, in connection with the AIAA SPACE Forum (CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE IRMA)

14 September 2017 - 15 September 2017

In June 2018 the international community will gather in Vienna for UNISPACE+50, a special segment of the 61st session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The shared goal for UNISPACE+50 is to build, together with all stakeholders, a comprehensive Space2030 agenda.



UNISPACE+50 will be informed by seven thematic priorities, which were agreed in 2016 (A/71/20, para.296). The first of these priorities is: global partnership in space exploration and innovation. An Action Team has been established as the mechanism to drive this area of work.



The Action Team's objectives are to: raise awareness of space exploration and innovation as essential drivers for opening up new domains in space science and technology, triggering new partnerships and developing capabilities that create new opportunities for addressing global challenges; foster dialogue with the space industry and the private sector; promote cooperation between spacefaring nations and emerging space nations; allow space exploration activities to become open and inclusive on a global scale; and identify governance and cooperation mechanisms to support this objective.



The focus of the meeting on 14 and 15 September 2017, to be held in connection with the AIAA Space Forum in Orlando, will be on exchanging ideas towards the development of the related topics and recommendations.

Location
September 11 2017

The Glasgow Institute of Architects has named Alastair Reid as recipient of its 2017 Alexander Thomson travelling scholarship following an architectural writing competition coinciding with the bicentenary of Thomsons birth.Open to students of architecture and architects under 30 the competition drew close to 40 entrants, each of whom prepared an essay on the theme of Legacy and one accompanying drawing in pursuit of both the scholarship and a 1k cash prize.Of these Reids The Complexity of Void emerged triumphant with the judges commending the compelling read, a great idea grown from a personal environmental experience that read more like a short story than an essay.In a statement GIA president Tim Gray wrote: We felt it was appropriate in Thomsons Bicentenary Year to hold a distinct scholarship which was written, reflecting Thomsons use of critical writing as a tool to disseminate ideas. The response produced work of an exceptionally high standard which was a joy to read and it was encouraging to see that in a world of immediate soundbites and tweets that greater time and effort can be applied to create writing that has greater breadth and is more thought provoking.GIA judges also gave a highly commended accolade to an entry by Luke Lupton titled Scar Tissue, with both entrants set to present their winning essays at the architecture bodys Paper Cut forum event.
Investors on the Bao Viet Securities trading floor. - VNA/VNS Photo Pham Hau

On Friday, the VN-Index on the HCM Stock Exchange gained 0.56 per cent to close at 801.20 points after a seven-day rally. The rally helped the benchmark index record a weekly gain of 1.6 per cent and exceed the 800 points recorded in 2007.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index was down 0.66 per cent to finish the past trading week at 103.92 points. The northern market index put a dent in its three-day upward run of 0.8 per cent, and concluded the week up only 0.1 per cent from the previous week.

An average of nearly 192 million shares was traded in each session last week, worth VN3.95 trillion (US$175.4 million). The trading figures were down 28 per cent in volume and 13.5 per cent in value compared to the previous trading weeks numbers.

The stock market gain was achieved due several large-cap stocks that performed quite well in all four trading days of the week after the market returned from a national holiday.

Those gainers included brewer Sabeco (SAB), FLC Faros Construction (ROS), food and beverage producer Masan Group (MSN) and PetroVietnam Gas (GAS).

SAB surged 10.7 per cent, ROS rose 5.6 per cent, MSN soared 10.4 per cent and GAS increased by 6 per cent during the week.

However, the rest of the market was quite sluggish on high investor caution. Sectors that were expected to boost the market such as banks, brokerages and insurance-finance firms underperformed.

Though the VN-Index kept hitting new highs, the trading condition was dominated by declining stocks rather than gaining ones, generating investor hestitation to buy new local assets.

Foreign investors finished as net sellers last week. They posted VN74 billion in net sell value on the two local exchanges  contrary to the net buy value of VN237.7 billion.

According to analysts, the gain of the stock market last week was not stable and the market could face a short-term declining period to accumulate and prepare for further increases.

The stock market was driven up by only a few blue chips, while a number of mid-cap stocks had fallen to make gains and returned to their low price levels, Nguyen Ngoc Lan, head of brokerage at Agribank Securities Company, said.

That shows the market needs some time to settle down and accumulate at the current level to increase more strongly in the future, she said. In the few coming weeks, large-cap stocks will take turns to lift the market up and lure investors back to the market.

Bao Viet Securities Company (BVSC) was even more pessimistic about the markets short-term prospects. Investors will increase their selling this week and focus to gain profits from mid-cap and small-cap stocks while large-cap stocks will continue performing in negative directions, it said.

According to BIDV Securities Company (BSC), poor investor confidence resulted in low trading liquidity last week and therefore, the brokerage firm expected the VN-Index would fall in the coming week.
An imported used car showroom on Nguyen Van Cu Street, Ha Noi. - VNS Photo Truong Vi

The draft was recently issued by the Ministry of Finance to gather ideas from other sectors.

Deputy Head of the Tax Policy Department, Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang, said it was meant to minimise the import of used cars and contribute to developing the domestic automobile industry.

He also said the tax rate on most imported used cars with nine seats and less was currently lower than that to which Viet Nam is committed with the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Therefore, the ministry has proposed an increase to the highest level acceptable.

The draft shows that for vehicles of 2,500cc or more, SUVs, sport cars and passenger cars (excluding vans), they will have a mixed tax rate calculation.The taxable price of used cars multiplies by 200 per cent or 150 per cent plus $10,000. As for other vehicles, the taxable price multiplies by the import tax rate on the new automobile of the same type, plus $15,000.

For vehicles of 10-15 seats with an engine displacement or less than 2,500cc, the taxable price is multiplied by the import tax rate on the new automobile of the same type, plus $10,000. Tax on cars above 2,500cc is multiplied by the new automobile tax rate of the same type, plus $15,000.

Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper quoted an auto shop owner saying the finance ministry proposal would encourage consumers to buy new cars, especially given that prices of locally assembled and imported cars were strongly discounted.

The new draft will also help stop the import of old cars, out-of-date cars from foreign countries, which would turn Viet Nam into a car dumping ground.

Nguyen Van Thanh, the director of Customs at inh Vu Port in the northern Hai Phong City, said the office had recently required a buyer to re-export a luxury car, which was claimed old but was new.

Thanh said the four-seater car Bentley Bentayga, which was imported from the US, was produced in 2016 with an engine displacement of 5,950cc. The car, worth VN4.93 billion, was claimed to have run more than 10,000km and been in use for six months. However, the kilometres log did not match the cars technical condition.

According to statistic from the finance ministry, the number of used cars with nine seats and less has dropped in recent years due to continuously increasing import tax. In 2013, Viet Nam imported 3,777 units, but the figure was down to 1,441 in 2016. The volume of used trucks has rapidly increased because those imported from China are cheap.

Director of Thien Phuc An Company Nguyen Tuan told the Tien Phong newspaper that the used cars imported to Viet Nam were mainly luxury cars with high engine displacement from 3,000cc up. However, as of July 1, 2016, when the special consumption tax was raised on high engine displacement cars, most businesses stopped importing this type of vehicle.

With the finance ministry proposal, the price of used cars will certainly rise and the gate for the used car business will become even narrower, said Tuan.

He calculated that on a used Camry imported from the US with an engine displacement of 2,500cc and taxable price at $20,000 the importer would have to pay $19,000 in tax following the current import tariff. Under the draft proposal, the vehicles import tax will rise to $31,000 per unit, plus the special consumption tax worth 50 per cent of the car value, value-added tax of 10 per cent and profit of auto dealers.

If the price of a used car will be VN100-200 million higher than of a similar but new type, no one will buy it, said Tuan.
Workers assemble printers at Fuji Xerox Co Ltds factory in VSIP Hai Phong Industrial Zone in Thuy Nguyen District of Hai Phong City. - Photo baohaiphong.com.vn

This status gives the company access to special customs incentives, which will enable the firm to conduct fewer procedures, get tax refunds first while checking is performed later, have goods cleared quickly and establish a single goods declaration system for multiple exports and imports.

Under Circular 72/2015/TT-BTC, regulating the application of a priority policy for customs procedures, customs inspection and the supervision of exported and imported goods by enterprises, businesses need to have more than US$100 million worth of export and import turnover per year to be considered a priority enterprise.

The conditional annual export revenue of an agricultural and fisheries company is $30 million.

Meanwhile, companies that manufacture goods for export in Viet Nam can be considered for this status if they earn $40 million in revenue per year.

According to the GDC, priority enterprise status applied for Fuji Xerox would last for three years. If this term expires but the company still meets the required conditions, the term can be extended.

Fuji Xerox Hai Phong was established in VSIP Hai Phong Industrial Zone in Thuy Nguyen District in 2012 with a capital of $36 million, making it one of the largest foreign direct investment companies in the city.

The company specialises in the manufacture and export of laser printers, digital electronic copiers, laser scanners, and related components. The number of employees at the company as of August 2016 was 2,200.

Eight enterprises currently enjoy priority status for customs in Hai Phong.

According to the post-clearance audit unit under the GDC, some 63 companies in Viet Nam are presently making use of this policy.
After crossing the Gian Khuat Bridge on National Highway 1, one will enter Gia Vien District in the northern province of Ninh Binh.

They cannot miss Van Long Dyke, which spans more than 30km and meanders through quiet villages and immense paddy fields.

Thanks to the 52-year-old embankment, Van Long became an expansive marshland which has been named the northern deltas largest wetland reserve.

The area takes pride in thousands of floral and fauna species, including the Delacour's langur, a critically endangered species of lutung indigenous to northern Vietnam.

The primate has predominantly black hair, with white markings on the face and distinctive creamy-white fur over the rump and the outer thighs which give them the colloquial name of vooc quan dui (shorts-donning langur) or vooc mong trang (white-buttock langur).

The complex also boasts stunning rocky outcrops and resplendent grottos.

Tran Thuy Linh, a celebrated artist and Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper contributor, visited Van Long as a storm swept through several northern provinces, including Ninh Binh, in mid-July.

Though the downpours and rising water levels kept them from exploring the grottos, Linh and her group found it a blessing in disguise as they had memorable experiences taking a leisurely boat ride to a lotus lagoon spanning some hectares in area and admiring submerged plants beneath the 250-million-year-old karst mountains.

The area, which is inaccessible by boat in normal weather conditions due to mud and shallow water, is dotted with the Delacour's langurs.

The teeny boat then made its way through canyons teeming with flowering plants in the sedge family.

Mountains glistening in the mist and clouds stood aloft in the distance, giving the beholders a surreal, overwhelming feeling and fitting the complexs name, Van Long (which literally translates as a dragon in the clouds).

The torrential rain, however, prevented Linh and her group from visiting a century-old pagoda and a slab of rock bearing hieroglyphic characters which have baffled scientists so far.

As observed by Linh, Van Long stays gorgeous throughout the year, offering vacationers a clutch of delights whatever season they arrive in.

In autumn, the area is a haven for a type of huge algae and also brims with birds of different kinds.

Van Long is also known as the bay without waves as visitors on a boat marvel at a flat, still surface that resembles a huge, flawless looking glass.

Other delights

Over recent years, Ninh Binh has emerged as a beloved tourist destination with a host of alluring scenic spots, including the UNESCO-recognized Trang An Landscape Complex, which boasts limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys, many of them partly submerged and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs.

Inundated basins surrounded by karst mountains which locals dub thung are also a notable topographic feature.

Nestled not far from Tam Coc, part of the Trang An complex, Thung Nang is considered one of the localitys most spectacular spots where stalactites of various shapes mirror themselves on the crystal-clear water.

The area is home to Thoong Nang Temple, where ba Chua thuong ngan, one of the countrys noted goddesses, is worshipped, and Voi Temple, which is built from centuries-old bricks with ornate carving details.

One cannot miss Thung Nham, or Thung Chim, which provides shelter for a wide range of birds and waterfowl, including storks, herons, teals, as well as endangered ones.

Thung Nham is also famous for scores of pristine caves with illuminating stalactites, with an example being But (the folklore Buddha) Cave, where a Buddha-shaped rock slab is seated in the center.

One must trek and ascend 439 rocky steps in order to reach Vai Gioi Grotto, another cavernous wonder in Thung Nham.

The 5,000m grotto boasts three layers dotted with astounding stalactites and stalagmites.

It was where people in the old times made offerings to God to pray for auspicious weather and bumper crops.

Other draws are paradise-like An Tiem Grotto, also known as Tuyet Tinh Coc (Breakup Ravine), which is part of Hoa Lu, Vietnams ancient capital under the Dinh Dynasty (968-980), and a pagoda where Duong Van Nga, a notorious contemporary queen, stayed during her final years.

Meanwhile Mia Mountain and Mia Cave offer visitors stunning panoramas of ripening paddy fields at their prime time and imposing limestone mountains in the distance.
Vietnamese shares were mixed on the two local exchanges on Monday morning with the benchmark VN Index moving up 0.12 per cent to close at 802.14 points. - Photo baomoi.com

However, overall market condition was negative on rising investor fears of a downward correction.

On the HCM Stock Exchange, the number of declining stocks was almost double the increasing stocks (154-82). Some 107 stocks remained flat.

Blue chips were also on the defensive side with 15 of the top 30 largest stocks by market value and liquidity declining and 11 advancing. Losers included heavyweight stocks such as Vinamilk, PV Gas, lender BIDV and VinGroup.

The market was supported by strong growth of some specific stocks such as insurer Bao Viet Holdings and private equity Masan Group, both up over 3 per cent each; brewer Sabeco, up 2 per cent; Vietcombank, up 1.7 per cent; and Petrolimex and IT giant FPT Corp, both up by less than 1 per cent.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, without the support of large-cap stocks, the HNX-Index inched down 0.39 per cent to 103.51 points.

The market has been climbing over the past two weeks and the VN-Index hit a new 10-year peak of over 802 points that fueled investors worry about an impending correction.

Liquidity was modest with some 99 million shares worth VND2.1 trillion (US$92.5 million) traded on the two markets.

Afternoon trade starts at 1pm.
This file photo taken on Oct 18, 2014 shows Frances O'Grady, General Secretary of the British Trades Union Congress (TUC). (Photo: AFP/Andrew Cowie)

Frances O'Grady, the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress umbrella body, accused the government of a "criminal lack of preparation" for Britain's exit from the EU in March 2019.

"The prime minister needs to break free from the hardliners in her party who want a cliff-edge Brexit," she told reporters at the opening of the TUC's annual conference in Brighton.

In an interview with AFP, O'Grady said that "all options are on the table... but from what we see, staying in the single market would be best for Britain, best for workers".

Prime Minister Theresa May's government has said Britain will leave Europe's single market and customs union after Brexit, but is seeking a transitional deal which offers similar benefits until a new trade agreement is struck with the EU.

The main opposition Labour party, which has close ties to the trade union movement, last month signalled it would seek to remain in the single market and customs union during the interim period.

O'Grady said this was a "very sensible position", but said the TUC's longer term test of "jobs, rights and livelihoods" could only be met by maintaining this situation.

All but one of the TUC's 50 affiliated unions - the transport workers' RMT - voted on Thursday in favour of a statement outlining the benefits of remaining in the single market indefinitely.

O'Grady described as "sabotage" a letter leaked earlier in the week, signed by up to 40 Conservative MPs, which demanded that Britain be able to sign its own free trade deals and stop paying money to the EU during the transition period.

"It's basically designed to make it impossible for the government to negotiate a transitional arrangement," O'Grady said.

"I think they like what they call creative destruction. They won't pay the price, our people will."

The UK has become more reliant on the EU for trade since last year's referendum vote for Brexit, with a weaker economy and "squeezed households", according to a TUC report released ahead of its four-day conference.

"Productivity is too low, wages are too low. We'd like to see much more ambitious investment more infrastructure, investment in our public services," O'Grady said.

"Whatever kind of deal we get, Britain isn't Brexit-ready in our view."
Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) will introduce international friends to the countrys land, hospitable people and tourism destinations.



Vietnam will also present the National Tourism Year 2018  Ha Long, Quang Ninh, and special tourism products to promote Vietnam image as an attractive destination in ASEAN.



Within the framework of the event, VNAT will coordinate with the Vietnam Embassy, the Vietnam Culture Centre and Vietnam Airlines to organize a fair to advertise Hanoi tourism to French travel agents and press and communications agencies. It will discuss with the French Travel Agent Association measures to boost tourism cooperation between the two countries.



The fair provides a good chance for Vietnamese exhibitors to meet and seek opportunities to develop tourism, said a representative from VNAT.
[September 11, 2017] Typeform Secures $35 Million in Series B Funding Led by General Atlantic

BARCELONA, Spain and LONDON and NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Typeform, a conversational data collection platform, announced today that it has raised $35 million in Series B funding. The funding round is being led by General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm. Existing investors including Index Ventures, Point Nine, and Connect Ventures also participated in the fundraising round. This latest round of funding will help Typeform further accelerate expansion of its platform, product development, and international growth. Founded in 2012 and based in Barcelona, Typeform is a cloud-based SaaS web application that has disrupted the traditional online data collection space. The company's software allows customers to create and distribute dynamic, mobile-optimized forms to collect data for a variety of business uses. Typeform combines the flow of real-life conversations with the data collection capability of web forms for a more natural and more engaging user experience. Creating a conversational approach to data collection allows businesses to easily and effectively engage with their customers and employees  offering them a de-cluttered, one-question-at-a-time user interface that provides a respondent experience that is as intuitive and seamless on mobile as it is on desktop devices. This investment will help Typeform expand its current offering, aiming to become a fully integrated, conversational data collection platform. "We founded Typeform in 2012 with the goal of developing intuitive technology for real people and becoming the gold standard of online data collection. As such, our offering focuses on a simple design philosophy in order to provide an enjoyable user experience for customers," said David Okuniev, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Typeform. "We are proud to be the first company to transform the online data collection space by creating conversational forms. But now we'd like to take things further. Our partnership with General Atlantic will enable us to continue to bring world-class technology to our customers while further empowering our community of developers by bridging the gap between data collection and customer interaction," said Robert Munoz, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Typeform. Typeform has experienced strong organic growth and is a partner of choice for small and medium sized businesses globally. In addition to emerging disruptors, global leaders from the Fortune 500 across the technology, retail, and hospitality industries use Typeform's platform to optimize customer feedback collection, employee engagement and reviews, and lead generaion.



Marking the next step in the company's strategic vision, Typeform is radically enhancing and expanding its API tools and capabilities available for developers to create powerful, dynamic forms. Effective today, developers can visit the Typeform Developer Portal to create complex, bespoke typeforms and connect to users in powerful ways, with OAuth 2. The expansion of Typeform's platform will allow brands to tightly integrate its technology into customers' existing portfolio of products. For example, a newly released integration with MailChimp, the marketing automation platform and email marketing service, will allow customers to capture emails in MailChimp lists from a Typeform conversation, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in the CRM processes. The expanded platform will also allow customers to develop more intuitive, custom-made survey forms than ever before - providing customers with the ability to capture more precise, actionable data and feedback from the customers Typeform conversations.

"Digital forms are transitioning from a simple data-collection tool into an integral part of the customer engagement journey," said Chris Caulkin of General Atlantic, who will join the company's board of directors. "With its developer targeted go-to-market strategy and versatile, highly customizable product, we believe there is a significant opportunity for Typeform to continue to grow. We look forward to working with Robert, David, and the entire Typeform team to further expand the company's global footprint and network." Drawing from 37 years of experience investing in over 250 global growth companies, General Atlantic partners with entrepreneurs and management teams who are building leading, high-growth businesses. The firm has $21 billion assets under management as of June 30, 2017. General Atlantic focuses on investments across five sectors, including Internet & Technology, Financial Services, Business Services, Retail & Consumer, and Healthcare, with support from the firm's global team of experts. General Atlantic has deep expertise in the Internet & Technology sector in the EMEA region, and is currently invested in a number of high-growth European technology companies including Delivery Hero, FlixBus, Hemnet, KauferPortal, and ManoMano. About Typeform

Founded in 2012, Typeform is a cloud-based SaaS web application that transforms traditional online data collection methods into an intuitive, conversational experience. The company's software allows customers to create and distribute dynamic, mobile-optimized forms to collect data for a variety of business uses. The founders, David Okuniev and Robert Munoz, both with backgrounds in arts, engineering, and UI/UX design, created Typeform as an innovative solution to a lead generation form. Typeform's web-based platform delivers a beautifully designed product, which makes building forms easy and intuitive even for non-technical users. Typeform currently employs 170 people and is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. For more information, please visit www.typeform.com/. About General Atlantic

General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm providing capital and strategic support for growth companies. Established in 1980, General Atlantic combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to build exceptional businesses worldwide. General Atlantic has more than 100 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Greenwich, Hong Kong, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Palo Alto, Sao Paulo, and Singapore. www.generalatlantic.com. Media Contacts Erin Smith

Edelman

+1-212-738-6132

[email protected] Sam Moodie

Edelman Smithfield

+44 (0)20 3047 2541

[email protected] Oier Llinas

Edelman

+34 934 881 290

[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/typeform-secures-35-million-in-series-b-funding-led-by-general-atlantic-300516798.html SOURCE Typeform

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
Few people were out as the outer bands of Hurricane Irma reached Miami Beach AFP/SAUL LOEB

The eye of the Category 4 storm slammed into the lower Florida Keys and was 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of Key West as of 7:00 am local time (1100 GMT), bringing winds up to 130 miles per hour and threatening dangerous storm surges.

The storm was expected to move along or near Florida's southwest Gulf coast later Sunday and into Monday.

Authorities in the state have ordered more than 6 million people to evacuate.

At least 25 people have been killed since Irma began its devastating march through the Caribbean earlier this week.

It made landfall in Cuba's Camaguey archipelago late on Friday.

A second Category 4 hurricane, Jose, followed part of Irma's track, but spared the storm-hit Caribbean islands of St Martin and St Barts, which had already suffered catastrophic damage from Irma.

Jose is expected to veer north and pose no threat to the United States.

TOLL FROM IRMA

The death toll stands at least 25 - 12 in the French island of St Barts and the Dutch-French territory of St Martin; six in British Caribbean islands; at least four in the US Virgin Islands; at least two in Puerto Rico; and one in Barbuda.

The International Red Cross says 1.2 million people have already been affected by Irma -- a number that could rise to 26 million.

The bill for loss and damage could hit $120 billion (100 billion euros) in the United States and Caribbean, according to data modelling firm Enki Research.

- Barbuda -

Irma hit the tiny Caribbean island of Barbuda on Wednesday with winds up to 295 kph. The island suffered "absolute devastation," with up to 30 percent of properties demolished, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said.

One person is known to have died on the island of 1,600 residents, apparently a child whose family was trying to get to safer ground.

- St Barts, St Martin and Anguilla -

Irma then slammed into the holiday islands of St Barts and St Martin, wielding monster winds and torrential rain.

St Martin is divided between France and the Netherlands. France said 10 people had died on its side of the island, while the Netherlands said the storm killed two on the Dutch side, called Sint Maarten.

On the Dutch side, 70 percent of the infrastructure has been destroyed.

In the British archipelago of Anguilla, one man was crushed to death in a house collapse.

- British Virgin Islands -

Five people have been killed in the British Virgin Islands, according to the local government.

Just east of Puerto Rico, it is home to roughly 28,000 people and includes British billionaire Richard Branson's Necker Island.

- US Virgin Islands -

At least four people have been killed in the US Virgin Islands, officials told AFP.

- Puerto Rico -

At least two people were killed in the US territory of Puerto Rico, and more than half of its three million residents were without power after rivers broke their banks in the centre and north of the island.

- Dominican Republic -

Some 20,000 people were evacuated and more than 2,000 homes affected by floods in the Dominican Republic, the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola, which is also shared with Haiti.

- Haiti -

Irma brought flooding and caused several injuries in Haiti, but passed further north than had been forecast, sparing the impoverished island the worst. A number of roads were washed out.

- Cuba -

Irma made landfall on the island's Camaguey Archipelago late Friday, knocking down power lines, uprooting trees and ripping the roofs off homes.

Authorities said they had evacuated more than a million people as a precaution, including about 4,000 in the capital.

Ambulances and firefighters patrolled streets littered with hunks of roofs, power lines and tree branches brought down by strong winds that blasted over Cuba on Saturday.

IRMA: WHERE NEXT?

Irma roared in to the Florida Keys early Sunday, tracking along the peninsula's western coast, which faces the Gulf of Mexico, rather than the more heavily populated Atlantic side, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

The US military is mobilising thousands of troops and deploying several large ships to help with evacuations and humanitarian relief.

A state of emergency has been declared in the states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia. Georgia ordered the evacuation of the city of Savannah and other coastal areas.

HURRICANES JOSE AND KATIA

Hurricane Jose, after strengthening to Category 4 status, passed 135 kilometres (83 miles) north of St Barts and 125 kilometres from Saint Martin.

France's meteorological agency had issued its highest warning, saying Hurricane Jose could become a "dangerous event of exceptional intensity".

But "thanks to a passage which was further away than anticipated, the effects on the territory were markedly less," the meteorological agency said.

Another hurricane, Katia, made landfall in eastern Mexico late Friday killing two people, just as the country grappled with the deaths and damage inflicted by its worst earthquake in a century.
[September 11, 2017] Dr. Mike Evans: "An Attack on a Syrian Reactor"

NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten years ago last week, on September 6, 2007, Israel reportedly bombed an eastern Syrian complex which was reportedly a nuclear reactor being built with the assistance of North Korea. The planned attack had begun months before in a quiet Vienna neighborhood. In an article for The New Yorker, David Makovsky painted a graphic picture of the preparations surrounding the secret operation: "In the first days of March 2007, Mossad agents made a daring raid on the Vienna home of Ibrahim Othman, the head of the Syrian Atomic Energy Commission. Othman was in town attending a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors, and had stepped out. In less than an hour, the Mossad operatives swept in, extracted top-secret information from Othman's computer, and left without a trace." Innovative measures aren't always heralded on the front page of The New York Times or International Herald Tribune. Such was the case when the Israel Air Force struck, according to foreign sources, a suspected nuclear site northwest of Damascus on that September day. In the aftermath of the attack, global attention focused on Syria's nuclear ambitions, but little was released about the actual incursion. Few knew that prior to the incursion then-prime minister Ehud Olmert had contacted US president George W. Bush and asked the US to bomb the compound that housed the nuclear facility. According to Bush, an intelligence report had crossed his desk noting a "well-hidden facility in the eastern desert of Syria." The former president felt he had no clear jutification for such a move and declined Olmert's request.



On September 6, I met with Olmert. Behind his desk sat a picture of him and George W. Bush standing back-to-back.

The dedication written on the picture said, "I have your back." Ehud told me that the president had offered to send secretary of state Condoleezza Rice to Israel on a diplomatic mission, and the prime minister refused. Olmert said, "No, we don't need diplomacy; I need you to take it out  or I will." President Bush declined; Olmert gave the green light for an attack. As information on the mission began to emerge, it was revealed that this was likely the first incidence of "electronic" combat  also called "non-kinetic" warfare. Such warfare involves the use of electromagnetic transmissions to alter, destroy, or seize the opposition's military systems without initiating perceptible loss. It is, in essence, military computer hacking and electronic intelligence methods designed to reduce enemy capabilities. Israel discovered it was not only conceivable, but doable. As the incursion was being made ready, an Israeli strike force slipped into Tall al-Abyad, Syria, a border town near Turkey. The group disabled two radar systems, enabling Israeli jets to overfly airspace without detection by the Syrian air force. That was a major coup, as Syrian radar defenses were considered the most complex and exhaustive in the Middle East. The actual bombing run was reportedly carried out by 10 Israeli F-15I Ra'am fighter jets attached to the IAF 69th Squadron. According to a 2013 article at Pravda Report the aircraft were armed with laser-guided bombs and were escorted by F-16I Sufa fighter jets. Three of the F-15s were reportedly ordered back to base, while the remaining seven continued towards Syria. In the early morning hours, Israeli pilots whispered, "Arizona," the code to alert those in Jerusalem who were monitoring the mission that the reactor had been destroyed and not a pilot had been lost. Following the attack, Olmert reportedly contacted Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to inform him of the circumstances. Erdogan was then asked to forward a communique to Syria's President Bashar Assad. The message in blunt form: "Don't try to build another nuclear plant."

The Syrian dictator was urged not to make media fodder of the attack, and was assured the Israelis would show restraint as well. Caught in a trap of his own making, Assad could not retaliate for the destruction of a nuclear reactor he averred did not exist.

Questions to Israeli sources regarding how the feat was accomplished were met with restrained silence by Israel and a false report by the Syrian Arab News Agency. It was erroneously stated that the Israelis "dropped some ammunition" and departed Syrian airspace leaving behind no damage.

After the successful attack, Olmert visited president Bush in the White House. The president invited Ehud upstairs to the private residence where he opened a closet and offered the prime minister a cigar. The two men walked out on the Truman Balcony overlooking the south lawn; each lit a cigar in celebration of the successful attack on Syria's nuclear site.

The area of Syria that housed the reactor is now home to Islamic State terrorists. Who knows what evil would have been perpetrated had the Syrians been left to develop nuclear capabilities? As with the destruction of Saddam Hussein's Osirak facility prior to the ISIS takeover in Iraq, the world owes a great debt of gratitude to Israel.

The author is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem and a member of President Donald Trump's Founding Faith Board. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dr-mike-evans-an-attack-on-a-syrian-reactor-300516918.html SOURCE Friends of Zion

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
We accept many different kinds of announcements. Just click on the button below and submit a form.

Go to forms
Gibraltar Sends 4x4 Vehicles and Relief Supplies to Caribbean

HM Government of Gibraltar has donated emergency disaster relief supplies, including ten new 4x4 vehicles, to for the benefit of the Caribbean territories devastated by Hurricane Irma last week.

The supplies from Gibraltar will be delivered by HMS Ocean as part of the British relief effort.

The Gibraltar donation also includes 6,500 worth of building materials from Gibraltar Joinery and Building Services and 20,000 worth of general hardware items supplied by the Housing Works Agency. These goods are urgently needed for the communities to undertake the process of repairing and re-building.

The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo QC MP, said: The emergency supplies from Gibraltar will go some way to assist in the long term relief efforts. It is only right that we provide aid and assistance for our fellow British Overseas Territories in this time of urgent need.
Cancellation of Ceremony of the Keys Parade

This years Ceremony of the Keys Parade, scheduled to take place in Grand Casemates Square on Thursday 14th September 2017 at 7pm, has been cancelled.

This is owing to the unexpected commitment of British Forces Gibraltar to support the reconfiguration of HMS OCEAN for her urgent humanitarian aid deployment to the Caribbean.

The related, but separate, Ceremony of the Keys Reception to be held in the Convent on the same evening will, however, still go ahead. This event will commence, as planned, at 8pm on Thursday for those invited to attend by His Excellency The Governor.

His Excellency The Governor and the Commander British Forces would like to apologise to the Guests and Members of the Public who were looking forward to attending the event and are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Daniel Dae Kim. Photo: Getty Images

Two weeks ago, Ed Skrein departed the reboot of Hellboy to make room for a racially appropriate actor to fill his role. Skrein had been cast as Major Ben Daimio, a Japanese-American character, and after witnessing the poor reaction to his casting, he made the independent decision to vacate the role. I accepted the role unaware that the character in the original comics was of mixed Asian heritage, the actor wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. There has been intense conversation and understandable upset since that announcement, and I must do what I feel is right. Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Daniel Dae Kim is in talks to play Daimio.

The Korean-American Kims potential casting is significant because hes recently been at the center of a separate controversy related to inclusion in Hollywood after he and his Hawaii Five-0 co-star Grace Park left the CBS show due to salary disputes; they were reportedly looking for pay parity with their two white co-stars. At the time of their departures, the network insisted it tried very hard to keep them with offers for large and significant salary increases, while Kim graciously made clear they did not try hard enough. Im really grateful to CBS and everyone involved in the show for the opportunity, he said in a statement. That said, its possible to be grateful for the opportunity and have respect for your colleagues and still maintain a steadfast sense of your self-worth. And all good things come to an end. When a tropical procedural door closes, a comic-book fantasy window opens.

Update, September 13: Daniel Dae Kim officially confirmed his casting in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, and praised Ed Skrein for turning down the part. I applaud the producers and, in particular, Ed Skrein for championing the notion that Asian characters should be played by Asian or Asian American actors, Kim told THR. He could not have addressed the issue more elegantly and I remain indebted to him for his strength of character. Kim said the movie started shooting Wednesday, and thanked fans for their support. Now really, Hollywood, was that so hard?
L-R: Leslie Jones and Colin Jost on SNL. Photo: Will Heath/NBC

The 69th Emmy Awards air Sunday, September 17, and all this week, Vulture TV columnist Jen Chaney and New York Magazine TV critic Matt Zoller Seitz are breaking down the major categories. What will win? What actually should win? Thats what were here to determine.

Todays focus: Variety series.

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS)

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)

The Late Late Show With James Corden (CBS)

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)

Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO)

At this particular moment, its hard to imagine the Emmy in this category going to a nonpolitical show. Thats why Im ruling out The Late Late Show With James Corden, even though Emmy voters apparently liked Corden enough to reward his Carpool Karaoke for Outstanding Variety Special during the creative arts ceremonies over the weekend. (I actually thought Late Night With Seth Meyers or The Daily Show deserved a spot here more than Cordens inoffensive chat-a-thon. But I digress.)

Jimmy Kimmel hasnt avoided politics per se  lets all pause for a moment of silence to remember the time Ken Bone appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!  but again, this is a category that favors heavily current-events-focused work even in years that havent been as fraught and persistently, presidentially insane as the past several months have been. With all due respect to another Jimmy/James, Im ruling out Kimmel, too.

This year marks the 12th time that Real Time With Bill Maher has been nominated in this category and its previous incarnation, Outstanding Variety Series, without winning an Emmy. But even though its an indisputably political show, Real Time hasnt altered its approach or been enough of a talker over the past 12-plus months to make me think that streak will be broken. (Also? That racial-slur incident may not have helped matters.)

There has, however, been a marked shift in focus on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, which has gone full-Trump in the days running up to and following last falls election and seen an uptick in relevance and ratings because of it. Emmy voters like Colbert, as two previous wins for The Colbert Report attest. Hes also hosting the ceremony this year, which shouldnt have any bearing on whether or not his show wins, at least in theory. In other words, I think The Late Show has a shot at winning.

To do that, though, it will have to squeak past the two front-runners: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, which nabbed the Emmy in this category last year, and Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, the extremely rare nominee in this category with a woman as its host. (To find another female-centric show with a nomination here, you have to go back to the late 1990s when Tracey Ullmans Tracey Takes On was nominated in the sketch/talk combo-platter version of the category. A more traditional talk show with a female host, as opposed to a variety or sketch series, has never been nominated, because there have barely been any to nominate.)

Bee was the star most on the rise during the past year, and her program gave a blunter, more arsenic-laced tone to post-Clinton-loss rage than perhaps anything else on TV. That may give her an edge with members of the industry who shared those feelings, as well as those who think a woman should finally break the glass ceiling in this category.

But Oliver and his team continued to do both funny and vital work on matters directly related to Trumps ascent  his postelection episode basically did the beginning of American Horror Story: Cult before American Horror Story: Cult did  as well as illuminating pieces on other subjects, like the multilevel marketing phenomenon.

The Emmy should go to: This is a very, very hard call to make because Last Week With John Oliver is certainly deserving and Colbert did shake things up admirably on his late-night program. But it would simply mean something more significant to see Full Frontal With Samantha Bee win, and that tips the scales in its favor for me. Given the quality of the commentary on the weekly series and the fact that Bee and her team staged such an entertaining alternative White House Correspondents Dinner this year, the show also showed some real unconventional ambition that merits a statuette.

The Emmy will go to: Last Week With John Oliver, because it has something key working in its favor: the fact that it won last year. Emmy voters are creatures of habit who gave this award to The Daily Show, the Comedy Central fake newser that launched both Olivers and Bees careers, 11 times. If a show is both familiar and still very good, which Last Week is, it seems fair to assume theyll check the same box again.

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

Billy on the Street! (truTV)

Documentary Now! (IFC)

Drunk History (Comedy Central)

Portlandia (IFC)

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Tracey Ullmans Show (HBO)

Look, I could sit here and write about the Uber-specific, satirical brilliance of Documentary Now or how great it is to finally see Billy Eichner receiving Emmy recognition for his genius ability to quiz celebrities and accost oblivious New Yorkers. But lets be real: There is no way any show other than Saturday Night Live is going to win Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.

SNL was nominated for an unprecedented 22 Emmys on the heels of a landmark year that brought massive ratings, some inspired mockery of Trump and the members of his administration (this show may be at least partially responsible for Sean Spicers departure), the first attempt to go live on both coasts, and a collective sense that SNL isnt merely still here, its still necessary. And I havent even mentioned David S. Pumpkins yet!

No matter how solid any other sketch-comedy series may have been, Saturday Night Live in 2016 and 2017 was just too big to ignore, and its too big to fail in this category.

The Emmy should go to: Saturday Night Live. No, not every sketch or episode was as solid as others, and one could argue quite reasonably that it put way too much emphasis on politics without always living up to expectations. But I think this season, particularly the postelection episode hosted by Dave Chappelle and the post-inauguration episode hosted by Aziz Ansari, will be examined years from now as snapshots of how American culture processed the age of Trump. Thats a claim that no other nominee can make. The delightful Drunk History revisits great moments in history, but SNL this season felt like it was becoming part of history.

The Emmy will go to: Duh. SNL.

Outstanding Directing in a Variety Series

Drunk History, Hamilton (Comedy Central)

Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The (RED) Show (ABC)

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Multi-level Marketing (HBO)

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Episode 0179 (CBS)

Saturday Night Live, Host: Jimmy Fallon (NBC)

So far this decade, Saturday Night Live has won in this category five times. (The other two winners: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and Inside Amy Schumer.) One can understand why: Director Don Roy King must not only try to guide the show to weekly greatness, he has to do it live, with no safety net.

I have no doubt hell win this year, for all the reasons I alluded to with regard to SNLs expected Outstanding Variety Sketch victory  this seems like its year. (I also have to wonder if some people will vote for SNL simply because every Emmy it accumulates will stick a little harder in Donald J. Trumps craw.)

But for the sake of mixing things up a little, as well as recognizing a variety series that has a less conventional format, it would be nice to see Drunk Historys Hamilton episode win here. The idea of the creator of the most popular Broadway musical in recent memory explaining the stories behind that musical while inebriated is particularly inspired, and the cast  which, like the cast of the play, reflects a desire to see American history brought to life by not-always-white-and-male faces  is great. I think it has as much of a chance at winning as I do at getting $20 tickets to see Hamilton on Broadway. But Ill advocate for it anyway.

The Emmy should go to: Drunk History.

The Emmy will go to: Saturday Night Live.

Outstanding Writing in a Variety Series

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee (TBS)

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)

Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC)

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

I know Im getting redundant here, but: You know Saturday Night Live is going to win this. You know it is, and so do I.

That said, a case could be made for any one of these other nominees, including Late Night With Seth Meyers, which has gotten sharper and sharper over the past year  A Closer Look has become a must-view segment  and deserves credit, just like Colbert does, for pivoting toward more pointed political commentary. But because their entire half hours hinge upon carefully written segments, as opposed to the spontaneous celebrity interviews that are, by necessity, part of Myerss and Colberts routines, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee and Last Week Tonight With John Oliver have the edge in this category.

Between the two, I lean just slightly toward Last Week Tonight because Im often so impressed at the depth of research and the level of inventiveness that goes into its op-ed-style reporting. (Its piece on the newspaper industry, which included a hilarious parody of Spotlight, was one of the more on-point pieces of media criticism broadcast or published anywhere last year.) But it doesnt really matter how I lean because, come on, Saturday Night Live has probably got this.

The Emmy should go to: Last Week With John Oliver.

The Emmy will go to: Saturday Night Live.
Photo: Courtesy of Unicorn Store

Last week, when Brie Larson called me to discuss her directorial debut, Unicorn Store (premiering tomorrow at the Toronto Film Festival), I asked whether she had ever made a vision board for the film. Im actually looking at it right now! she said brightly. I still have it. I dont want to take all of it down, because it means that its over.

Many first-time filmmakers are still finding their way with a camera, so its rare that a low-budget debut is bursting with color and clever visual ideas. Larson, though, wanted Unicorn Stores look to be a priority. After all, the premise demands a flight of fancy: Larsons character, Kit, is a stalled-in-life underachiever who finds her way to a magical basement store where the proprietor (Samuel L. Jackson, wearing a pink suit with with tinsel in his hair) offers her a unicorn. Shell have to prove she deserves it  even in the free-unicorn business, there are all sorts of hoops youve got to jump through first  and while shes getting her act together, Kit finally grows up.

What would Larson recommend for a young director whos finding his or her visual sensibility? Surround yourself with as much that inspires you as possible, she said. Dont edit yourself until you really have to. Larson pulled images from all over  I found that Instagram was such an incredible tool for that  and would take the images to the copy machine at CVS. Id just get hundreds of them printed everyday, and Id just start tacking them everywhere and putting them all over my walls, she said. It really is just like a jigsaw puzzle. You have all the pieces at first, then you slowly start putting them together.

Photo: Courtesy of Unicorn Store

Eventually, a pattern does emerge. I sort of noticed that I was gravitating towards certain things but didnt really realize why, said Larson. I became obsessed with this checkerboard pattern and I kept seeing it everywhere, and I had a whole section of my mood board that was just checkerboard. Larson snuck the checkerboard into one of the characters wardrobes and then remembered that she had scripted a scene where Kit plays checkers with an imaginary friend. Essentially, it had been there since the beginning. You know, its weird how your brain doesnt fully connect everything together, said Larson, but knows that thats the path that it should be on.

She also treated her main character as a visual muse, expressing Kits emotions through color and costuming and taking cues from her devotion to crafting. Kit is really savvy and is finding ways to create things out of nothing, out of trash, out of whatevers available to her, said Larson. We wanted to use that sensibility in this film and try and find ways to make the film interesting, because it will be handmade through our ingenuity. Even when it comes to Jacksons unicorn store, the surreal nature of the room is created through mixing and matching on a low budget. Everything thats in that room you can buy off of Amazon, said Larson. I know, because we did.

As Kit figures herself out, then, so did her creator. Part of making a movie means accepting how you view the world and what your voice is as being worth making a movie about, said Larson, who will next segue to the superheroic Captain Marvel. Once you can get past that step, then its just owning it. Its totally terrifying the whole time youre directing, Im not going to say that its not, but I hope that more people get comfortable with how they view the world and how they see it and want to put it on the screen.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Live Nation

Kid Rock, Detroit native and potential future Michigan elected official, is furious at the idea of civil-rights groups protesting his concerts tied to the the opening of the citys new Little Caesars Arena. Per the Detroit Free Press, several groups have criticized the choice to have Kid Rock, a white performer, open the arena in a predominantly black city, especially since Rock has been an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, has displayed the Confederate flag in performances, and has criticized Colin Kaepernicks decision not to stand during the National Anthem in protest of racism in America. The National Action Networks Detroit chapter has called for the city to cancel the concerts and planned protests against them.

In response to that, Kid Rock wrote a long, swear-filled post on his website, which begins this way: People! Pay NO attention to the garbage the extreme left is trying to create! (and by the way, fuck the extreme left and the extreme right!) Kid Rock continues by arguing that he is the KING OF DETROIT LOVE and points to his investments in many organizations and charities throughout the city. My track record in Detroit and Michigan speaks for itself, and I would dare anyone talking trash to put theirs up against mine, he says, before noting that he is disappointed that the business and charities he has supported in the city have not spoken up in his defense. So for the unforeseen future I will focus my philanthropy efforts on other organizations besides the ones I have supported in the past.

In one postscript on his note, Kid Rock writes, P.P.S. To be clear  Fuck ANYONE who takes a knee or sits during our national anthem! In another late postscript, he adds, P.P.P.P.P.S. I LOVE BLACK PEOPLE!!

Kid Rocks first performance at the Little Caesars Arena is currently scheduled for Tuesday night.
Bell. Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Peoples Choice

Kristen Bell found herself in Florida on a movie set when Hurricane Irma struck. Instead of reading funny tweets in her best Gossip Girl voice (which, just saying, we wouldve loved), Bell did us one better: As the storm ravaged the coast, the Good Place star got to work being the Official Cool Person available to cheer you up on a bad day, whether it be through a game of bingo or a Frozen serenade during a hurricane. It all started Saturday, when she issued a call to arms: Anyone in orlando near epcot play piano? she tweeted. And have a keyboard and mic and amp? First, Bell got onstage for students at Meadow Woods Middle School to sing For the First Time in Forever, from Frozen. I hope maybe some of these songs are running through your head the rest of the day, she told the audience, and will take your mind off [Irma].

Later, she palled around with the senior citizens who were evacuated to her hotel. Bell played bingo, raced wheelchairs, and even caught herself a lover.

Some anonymous lovely ppl at the hotel treated the seniors to a spa station in the hall-spa music was playing  #Irma2017 #besthurricaneever pic.twitter.com/vxMEzB4vCC  Kristen Bell (@IMKristenBell) September 10, 2017

And now, Kristen Bell would like you to meet her new bae, John. (Apologies to Dax Shepard.)

Dear @daxshepard1, this is john. My side piece in orlando. I hope u understand. Im powerless over a man who serenades me. #Irma2017 pic.twitter.com/YkT0MCDL7J  Kristen Bell (@IMKristenBell) September 10, 2017

Bell told CBS Sacramento that the entire crew of a movie shes shooting was at the hotel, ready to help hotel staff accommodate the influx of evacuees. Were all sleeping together and its going to be a 48-hour slumber party, Bell said. The evidence: Heres Bell and co-star Paul W. Downs racing wheelchairs.
[September 11, 2017]

Unisys to Host Webinar to Provide Strategic Overview of U.S. Federal Business for Investment Community

BLUE BELL, Pa., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) today said that it will host a webinar for the investment community on Monday, September 18 from 1:30  2:30 pm Eastern Time.

Venkatapathi "PV" Puvvada, president of Unisys Federal, and Inder M. Singh, Unisys Chief Financial Officer will provide a strategic overview of the company's U.S. Federal business.

Unisys will provide access to the live webcast on the Unisys Investor website at www.unisys.com/investor. A replay of the webcast will be available on the Unisys Investor website shortly after the live event.

AboutUnisys





Unisys is a global information technology company that specializes in providing industry-focused solutions integrated with leading-edge security to clients in the government, financial services and commercial markets. Unisys offerings include security solutions, advanced data analytics, cloud and infrastructure services, application services and application and server software. For more information, visit www.unisys.com.

Follow Unisys on Twitter and LinkedIn.

RELEASE NO.: 0911/9534

Unisys and other Unisys products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unisys Corporation. Any other brand or product referenced herein is acknowledged to be a trademark or registered trademark of its respective holder.

UIS-C

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unisys-to-host-webinar-to-provide-strategic-overview-of-us-federal-business-for-investment-community-300516553.html

SOURCE Unisys Corporation
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

The oblique and contentious back-and-forth between Tig Notaro and Louis C.K. continues. While the Louie star has so far mostly avoided directly addressing controversies surrounding his working relationship with One Mississippi creator Tig Notaro (C.K. is listed as an executive producer on Notaros show, and is credited with helping launch her career with the sale of her famous Hello, I Have Cancer stand-up set), the comedian did resurface in the New York Times to briefly reiterate his position on the unsubstantiated rumors that he has repeatedly sexually assaulted women by masturbating in front of them.

Im not going to answer to that stuff, because theyre rumors, C.K. said while promoting his new movie, I Love You, Daddy, at the Toronto International Film Festival. If you actually participate in a rumor, you make it bigger and you make it real. The Times pressed, asking for clarification about whether or not the assault allegations were real. No, he said. Theyre rumors, thats all that is.

C.K. was then asked directly about Notaros comments about how he needs to handle the accusations. I dont know why she said the things shes said, I really dont, he responded, before reinforcing his no-private-life-in-the-media approach. I dont think talking about that stuff in the press and having conversations over press lanes is a good idea.

Notaro, meanwhile, also curtly discussed the C.K. controversy today with The Hollywood Reporter as part of a breakdown of a pivotal scene in the new season of One Mississippi in which a female character discovers her boss is masturbating as shes trying to talk to him in a pitch meeting. We wanted to show that you can be assaulted without even being touched, Notaro said. Nothing can be said and you are still horrifically violated and scared. Once THR asked directly about her relationship with C.K., Notaro was bleakly opaque:

I have not spoken to Louis in probably going on two years now. I will never hear from Louis C.K. again. Not even after you called him out for the similarities of his SNL sketch? No. I never heard from him. I will never hear from him. Why is his name still attached? Is the intention that after this season, he will remove it? I dont know. There are so many things I dont know.

Us too.
Let me plant my flag here and now: Outlander is an EPIC ROMANCE about high-quality knitwear and incredible sex, it is not about Scottish history, and no one will convince me otherwise, including Diana Gabaldon. I will do my best to not just make up dates and battle names to irritate the purists among you.

When we left our intrepid heroine at the end of season two, she and her aggravating daughter, Brianna, had just watched Geillis go through the stones at Craigh na Dun. Back in 18th-century Scotland, Jamie is alive and Dougal is dead. (R.I.P., you mad bald bastard!) Now, lets get into it.

This episode is a stone-cold bummer. There is no making out of any kind. Its also heavy on plot explication, which is actually quite forgivable in a season premiere, especially for a show trying to keep as many balls in the air as this one.

We open on a tattered St. Andrews Cross flag and a battlefield liberally sprinkled with Scottish corpses. Jamie is a very unromantic shade of grey and appears to be just this side of the grave, with a (dead?) Black Jack Randall on top of him. Outlander is incapable of not setting up visuals that frame Jamie and Black Jack as lovers (guys, you HAVE to stop with that), so its unsurprising when Jamie begins flashing back to the battlefield, where he and Black Jack lock eyes like its Some Enchanted Evening. It immediately becomes more Alien vs. Predator as the two begin to hack wildly at each other and grapple and bleed and so on. I will never, ever believe Black Jack is dead until I see him laid in the ground, but he is at least ostensibly dead at this point in time. Before Jamie passes out again, he hallucinates Claire coming to him across the fields. (Its actually Rupert, bless his heart.)

Speaking of the Randalls, Black Jacks VERY HARD DONE BY descendant has just arrived in Boston with a pregnant Claire in tow, where they are moving into a Back Bay house that I have to imagine would cost six zillion dollars in modern times. We are treated to Tobias Menziess attempt to say, Rustle me up some vittles in a Western accent, which is well worth the price of admission for the episode. Also, let me get this out there: I like Frank. He is very handsome and he sincerely wants to make their relationship work, which is really all I require in a man.

Speaking of men, our Boston sojourn is like Mad Men Take Two: Claire Encounters Modern Misogyny. Every man she meets who isnt Frank is a goshdarn cartoon monster of sexism. What if olden Scotland WASNT worse than modern America? asks the show! She endures a grim faculty lunch with Franks boss, who makes it clear that women belong locked under the bed in an oak chest. (We also learn that Harvard Medical School has started admitting women, much to his disapproval.)

The episodes way of telegraphing Claire smart, Franks boss dumb is to have them literally engage in a debate about Dewey and Truman. This may shock you, but Franks dumb sexist snobby boss thinks Dewey is a stone-cold lock for the presidency! Claire, having maybe learned not to try to invent feminism wherever she goes, bites her tongue and professes her joy at having finished with her combat nurse days forever, leaving her free to devote herself to making a home for Frank and the forthcoming baby.

As time passes in Boston, Claire looks increasingly like late-stage Mia Farrow in Rosemarys Baby. She and Frank have lost that lovin feeling: She isnt letting him touch her, and you can tell that particular intimacy of marriage hasnt clicked back into place. Frank is being, in MY HUMBLE OPINION, super-reasonable about wanting to work on their issues, at which point Claire accuses him of just wanting sex and hurls a heavy glass ashtray at his head. Claire is notoriously terrible at dealing with the difficult emotions of others. (See also: her cack-handed attempts to jolly Jamie through his PTSD last season.)

Jamie, meanwhile, is waking up in the rickety barn where Rupert dragged him. The stragglers from the battle have gathered there, hoping to escape notice and get away under cover of night. The Redcoats would prefer this not to happen, so they arrive and announce they will be summarily executing the lot of them. Redcoat-in-Charge has that weird English sense of fair play that supposedly means a lot while meaning literally nothing: He insists that the soldiers too weak to stand will be propped up for their firing squad so they can die with dignity. Jamie is clearly ready to shuffle off this mortal coil, having lost both Claire and his rebellion, but SOMETHING tells me hes not done for yet. Rupert, that pilgrim soul, knowing hes about to take a bullet, makes his peace with Jamie over the whole Killing Dougal thing, and bravely meets his maker with a very laudable insouciance. Love you, Rupert! I hope Jacobite Heaven is filled with chubby ladies delighted to make your acquaintance.

In Boston, in the immediate aftermath of ashtray-throwing, Frank attempts to sleep on the couch, fails, and gets up to begin writing a letter to our favourite reverend about Jamie. A letter interrupted by a shockingly calm Claire announcing that her water has broken. At this point in the episode, I am still crying about Rupert, and also I have a one-week-old baby girl at home, so just assume I weep continuously from here until the credits roll, okay?

Back at the farm, the Redcoats are down to the prone and wounded, and Jamie has volunteered to go next. When he announces his name to the clerk, however, Redcoat-in-Charge turns puce and is all, Ugh, its Red Jamie, because  GASP!  his little brother is the kid that Jamie saved in the forest, and who now owes him a debt of honor. You can tell this puts a real wrench in Redcoat-in-Charges plans, because now he has to wait until nightfall and dump Jamie on a jouncy wagon home to Lallybroch, where he will wake to find Jenny standing over him. Thats Jamie sorted for us!

We return to Mad Men Take Two, as Claires obstetrician turns out to be yet another repellant sexist monster. He ticks off all the boxes: talks only to Frank, knocks her out against her will, pats her on the head, and so on. However, I did enjoy him packing Frank off to the dads waiting room with, Follow the smell of cigarettes and flopsweat. Just before Frank leaves, he learns in passing about Claires miscarriage, but wisely chooses not to start any shit about it.

Claire wakes up confused, panicky, and worried about her baby, who (thank God) is immediately brought in by a completely besotted Frank. They have literally one minute of marital bliss in which she admits shes been a real asshole to him and he says it doesnt matter and they mutually pledge new beginnings and love 

 and then the DAMN NURSE says, Where did she get that red hair? The moment, as you can imagine, lands like a stone.
The fifth episode of Ray Donovans fifth season turns its attention to the Donovan men, as they try to move on from past mistakes but struggle to do so. Ray, still grieving the loss of his wife, finally opens up to his anger-management therapist about the reasons why hes had a troubled life. Mickey buckles under Franks pressure to take out Avi, even as he tries to turn the tables. Bunchy wallows in depression and alcoholism after losing his fortune in a sub shop robbery. Only Terry seems to really be making progress, and he has to go all the way to the other coast to do so.

After drowning their sorrows for a few hours, Mickey comes back to the bar to find Bunchy in tears. His son tells him about the lost money, which surely means Mickey is gonna do whatever it takes to get it back. Mickey has a warped sense of justice and protection over his children, often trying to do whats right for them and only ending up wrong. Of course, Mickeys ongoing Frank-Avi drama is bound to intersect with his attempt to make Bunchy whole again.

In the episodes best scene, Ray has a session with his new shrink, played very well by C. Thomas Howell. The doctor notes that Ray answered no to every question on his questionnaire, and that simply cant be true. In case Ray is concerned about putting it on the record, hell ask in person instead. The doctor soon learns that every answer should have been yes. Ray was threatened as a kid. He was abused  physically, emotionally, and sexually. Alcohol was a part of his family life. Rage was everywhere. Howell is fantastic at playing alternately gentle and forceful in getting Ray to address his many issues. Then, something surprising happens: After the doctor gives him prescriptions, which the old, tough Ray might have thrown out, he actually fills them.

Terry tells his brother that hes off to New York to train with Damon, and he may not come back. Eddie Marsan only gets a few scenes this week, but he is good in all of them, including one in which he says good-bye to Abby, and then explains to Damon that the Twin Towers fell on 9/11 but that the Empire State Building is still there. The writers are playing with ideas of trauma and survival here: A part of us may be broken, but they didnt get all of us.

While Ray reaches out to his increasingly estranged daughter, he gets stuck in two cases for his clients. First, one of Sam Winslows blackmailers wants more, to the tune of $2 million and her husbands Oscar. Sam is more upset about the award than the money. She counteroffers an extra million in order to keep it, but eventually gives in. Second, Natalie James disappears from the set of her billion-dollar franchise. They fired the director with whom she had creative differences, but still cant find Natalie. Ray needs to broker the Sam deal and find the starlet.

At the same time, Mickey goes to the Spearmint Rhino, where he finds a disheveled Avi. Hes a mess, and Mickey Donovan is just about the last person he wants to talk to. Mickey takes Avis keys after he leaves them on the bar. As the pair walks out to the parking lot, Mickey hits Avi with his own gun, throwing him in the trunk. Will he really kill someone who has essentially been a part of Team Donovan?

While Bunchy investigates suing Railroad Subs for malfeasance of security, Ray learns the truth about Natalies disappearance: The night she sent Ray and Abby off the road in her bra and panties, she was running from Dougs house. They were sleeping together, and now Natalie is pregnant. She wants to have the baby, but Doug wants her to get an abortion. So shes basically in hiding.

Meanwhile, Mickey is going to take care of the Avi situation for Frank. Avi tells him that hes a Shabbos goy, the guy hired by Orthodox Jews to do the work they cant because of their religious beliefs. In other words, hes telling Mickey he has no moral code, no sense of right and wrong. He also warns Mickey that Frank will just keep using him as the new Avi until hes killed too. It works. Avi gives Mickey the $80,000 he was supposed to pick up for Frank, and theyre going to try to turn the tables.

This weeks poignant Abby flashback comes as Ray moves Natalie into an apartment where she can hide. He flashes back to a time with Abby, smoking weed and drinking whiskey in bed. Heres to you and me and the beautiful fucking mess we made, she says. She then turns the moment by asking Ray how many other women he slept with in that apartment. He says none, and she thanks him for lying. Sometimes all we want to hear is the lie.

In memory and grief, Ray takes five of the pills he was just prescribed. Side effects should kick in hard, even for a big guy like him. Hes about to fall into a medicine haze, but Bunchy is an alcoholic one, trying to pick up his daughter from day care when he shouldnt be behind the wheel. Mickey comes to his son and granddaughters rescue, handing Bunchy the $80,000 he got from Avi.

The episode ends with two deals going bad. First, Mickey lies to Frank, who sees through it immediately. Mickey switches it up and reveals that he couldnt kill Avi. Hes one of ours. Frank isnt having it and arrests Bunchy at gunpoint. Call it a hunch, but I dont think Frank will make it through this season.

Second, Ray gives the money and the Oscar to Sams blackmailer, but theyre both betrayed by Sams other blackmailer, who takes the box of materials from Ray while hes puking in the parking lot from the pills he took. As she flees, shes T-boned by another car. It looks like the box of Sams darkest secrets may get out anyway. Ray gets a call from Sam. He declines to answer.

Other Notes

 The episode ends with Kings Crossing by Elliott Smith, an artist I always associate with death and sadness given his suicide at the age of 34.

 Natalie references Roman Holiday, a classic movie that you should see if you havent before.

 Sam quotes Charles Bukowski  Find what you love and let it kill you  although there are some legitimate questions as to whether or not he actually wrote it.

 We see a brief glimpse of Natalies movie this week, and it looks like some Divergent-esque YA garbage, in which she says, Im free in a way youll never be, and jumps off a waterfall. It might be good for the state of film if Natalie never returns to acting.
Jennifer Lawrence in Mother! Photo: Paramount Pictures

This years Best Actress race is stacked with laureled veterans and exciting newcomers, and it promises to be a real contest. Many of those leading-lady contenders will be appearing at this weeks Toronto Film Festival, and Vulture is on the ground in Canada to help you sort through their Oscar odds. Which of these talented women will make the final five?

The Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, 27

The Awards History: Lawrence has won one Oscar, for Silver Linings Playbook, and been nominated four times since 2010. (Thats a Streep-caliber level of awards-season consistency). Lawrence has also been up for four Golden Globes, and the Hollywood Foreign Press is clearly wild about her: She won three of those times.

The Role: On the poster for Mother!, Jennifer Lawrence offers her heart, and to hear the actress tell it, she was prepared to sacrifice even more of herself while shooting the Darren Aronofskydirected film. I tore my diaphragm from hyperventilating, Lawrence told the press this week. I did it to myself. It was my own doing.

It all starts so idyllically: Lawrence wakes up in the dream house she shares with Javier Bardems acclaimed poet and wanders from room to room of this well-restored fixer-upper, which shes been spearheading the renovations on. But if hell is other people, then things start to go to Hades each time a new, uninvited houseguest shows up at Lawrence and Bardems remote hideaway. First, Ed Harris worms his way into the house as a curious doctor, then Michelle Pfeiffer struts in as his insinuating wife, and then a pair of feuding brothers show up  and then, and then, and then until this lovely home is packed to the gills with a terrifying number of interlopers who eye Lawrence suspiciously and just wont leave.

Ive seen a few tweets tweaking Lawrence for this story, as though she were offering an Oscar-hungry narrative on par with Leonardo DiCaprios tales of physical woe for The Revenant. But, listen, the girl was not lying! Lawrences character is in a state of constant, mounting anxiety all through this film and after two hours of Aronofsky putting her through the wringer, you might be hyperventilating, too.

Even before any blood is spilled, Aronofsky jangles your nerves with his oppressive sound design and a disorienting deep dive straight into the story. Hes practically strapped the camera to Lawrence  at least half the movie is an ongoing close-up of the actress, whom Aronofsky is now dating  but since all the people in the movie have been boiled down to archetypes, we learn precious little about Lawrences character and never even get her name. She is a metaphor, an audience surrogate, a blind item: Really, shes whatever you want her to be, and this is less a test of Lawrences ability to craft a character and more an example of her uncanny ability to stir your empathy. Other actresses could have ably conveyed what this woman is feeling, but when its Lawrence quaking onscreen, you feel like youre going through it, too.

In Her Favor: She is clearly an Academy favorite, scoring a recent nomination for Joy, which got no other Oscar nods. Thats proof that even when Lawrences films are not to the Academys tastes, theyll make an exception to reward her. And this is not a cushy acting role. Lawrence is put through absolute hell in Mother!, so much so that if she doesnt get an Oscar nomination for it, she at least deserves the gift basket and a spa day.

Working Against Her: I wont spoil the film since you should go in as disoriented as Lawrences character, but near its end, Aronofsky pushes the whole enterprise into some pitch-black places that will cause many Academy members and general audiences to revolt. I think there are things about Mother! that are undeniable: The sound work absolutely deserves an Oscar nomination, for one, and if you interpret the film as an act of atonement for an artist too consumed by his own work, theres a kernel there that industry voters will be able to relate to.

But Mother! is by no means a traditional awards-season vehicle: Its a thrown bomb. And when the Best Actress race is as crowded as this years, voters will be looking for performances they can clutch to their chests, not films designed to blow up in your face. It will be one of the most talked-about, endlessly debated films to come out this year. It just may not be an Oscar movie.
[September 11, 2017] Spencer Trask Chairman Kevin Kimberlin to Discuss Connectivity and the Future of IoT at Mobile World Congress Americas in San Francisco

OLD GREENWICH, Conn., Sept. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Spencer Trask & Co., a leading business and technology development firm, today announced its chairman Kevin Kimberlin was invited to participate in a panel discussion at Mobile World Congress Americas. Taking place at San Francisco's Moscone Center (Moscone North, M2M Zone) on Sept. 12, 2017, the panel begins at 4:30 p.m. PT and will focus on mobile connectivity and the future of IoT. Moderated by Mobile Workforce GM Americas and noted IoT expert Stewart Skomra, the panel discussion will cover the evolution of mobile technology, future trends in the mobile space and how IoT represents the next great wave of what mobile makes possible in our lives. Skomra is joined by Kimberlin, a serial entrepreneur and mobile technology pioneer who helped launch Millicom, and Keith McMillen, CEO of BeBop Sensors, the leader in smart fabric sensor technology. McMillen's proprietary technology turns any fabric, clothing or vehicle interior into a mobile-connectable sensor device.



Kimberlin and McMillen will share their unique insights on the acceleration of connectivity from the early days of mobile communications to the industrial IoT of today, including the adoption of connected wearables. Mobile World Congress Americas, produced by the GSMA in partnership with CTIA, is being held September 12-14 in San Francisco and consists of a conference program featuring C-level speakers and leading industry experts. An estimated 30,000 people are expected to attend the event.

About Spencer Trask & Co.

Spencer Trask & Co. is a leading business and technology development firm that helps entrepreneurs, CEOs and corporate partners start and grow high impact ventures that change the world. The company has been instrumental in the formative stage of companies that pioneered many technological and scientific advancements in the fields of genomics, healthcare technology, mobile technology, the Internet and Open Innovation. Please visit www.spencertraskco.com for more information. About GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organizations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series. Please visit www.gsma.com for additional information. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spencer-trask-chairman-kevin-kimberlin-to-discuss-connectivity-and-the-future-of-iot-at-mobile-world-congress-americas-in-san-francisco-300516869.html SOURCE Spencer Trask & Co.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
AdaptiveMobile Launches SIGIL, the World's First Global Signalling Intelligence and Security Analytics Service

AdaptiveMobile (News - Alert), the world leader in mobile network security, today publicly launched SIGIL, the world's first global signalling intelligence and analytics cloud service. Through application of advanced machine-learning algorithms on suspicious signalling data, the Company's new service offering will enable mobile operators worldwide to maximise the effectiveness of existing defences against signalling attacks from sophisticated adversaries.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911005657/en/

Research by AdaptiveMobile has revealed increasing levels of sophistication in attacks hitting mobile networks. While operators are implementing industry-recommended defences to protect critical communications infrastructure, attackers are adapting and signalling infrastructure continues to be compromised.

SIGIL is a security service that can be layered on top of any SS7 firewall to benefit from an AdaptiveMobile-led community effort to best protect subscribers. Its proprietary algorithms wee built on the pioneering signalling research conducted by the Company's world-leading Threat Intelligence Unit.







"Operators are deploying 1st-generation SS7 Firewalls from multiple vendors; however, making sense of the results is a significant challenge for operator's security teams," said Brian Collins, AdaptiveMobile's CEO. Highlighting the significance of this innovation, he continued: "with the ability to benefit from cutting-edge, self-learning algorithms and a community-approach to signalling intelligence, operators can block sources of previously unrecognised attacks on the network, and are well positioned to dramatically improve protection for VIPs and critical network assets. This is a significant step for the mobile industry."

AdaptiveMobile is strengthening its position as a leader in mobile network security, continuously discovering and responding to new signalling threats. Currently deployed across five continents, the Company is providing security leadership and expertise based on the very latest detection technologies. SIGIL is available for AdaptiveMobile's industry-leading Signalling Protection product, as well as 3rd- party firewalls.

The Company will be showcasing SIGIL at MWC Americas in San Francisco from September 12th to 14th in the North Hall, N.1576MR. To request a meeting please email [email protected].

About AdaptiveMobile

AdaptiveMobile is the world leader in mobile network security, protecting over 1.6 billion subscribers worldwide. www.adaptivemobile.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911005657/en/
Robert Bishop

April 17, 1965 - Sept. 9, 2017

Robert Lee Bishop was born on April 17, 1965 and passed away on September 9, 2017. He was 52 years old.

He was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, and attended La Vega schools. Robert loved Harley Davidsons, Chevrolets, and a cold beer.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Crystal Lee Bishop.

Robert is survived by his daughter, Brittany Bishop; mother, Jewel Nelson; stepfather, John Nelson; brother, Danny Bishop; sister and her husband, Tammy and Craig Knight; nephew and niece, Ryan Knight and Emily Knight.

Please sign the online guestbook at www.bellmeadfuneralhome.com .
Johnie Dodd

July 10, 1936 - Sept. 8, 2017

Johnie Dodd, 81, a native of Waco, lovingly known to most as "Bubba", passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family, Friday, September 8, 2017. Johnie's family and friends will gather for visitation from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 13, at Lake Shore Funeral Home, 5201 Steinbeck Bend in Waco. A service celebrating Johnie's life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, September 14, at Lake Shore Funeral Home in Waco. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park in Robinson. Honoring Bubba as pallbearers will be, Chris Dodd, Justin Dodd, Johnie Dodd, Weston Dodd, Dustin Findley, Cody Dollins, Johnie Holland, and Scott Holland.

Johnie was born, July 10, 1936 to the late Johnie Louis and Mary Ella Lansford Dodd. Bubba spent his entire life in the Waco area, enriching the lives of everyone he encountered. His giving spirit and generous heart could be seen and felt by everyone, weather it he was buying carnival tickets for a group of children or giving of his own prize possessions to a guest of his home.

Bubba's family owned and operated a local wrecking yard, "Johnie's Auto Parts" from the early 1930's, until choosing to sell the business in 1984. As well the Dodd family ran a local dairy farm. On more than one occasion, Bubba would take the children of the farm workers and purchase them all new shoes. He was always caring for others. In the early 1970's, Bubba began serving papers for the McLennan County Constables office. He went on to work as a Chief Deputy Constable for McLennan County for over 19 years. Bubba was truly a "jack of all trades", but buying and selling was one of his favorites. Bubba met the love of his life, Velma Lee Wade, when she was only 15 and he was 19. He fell in love with her penmanship in love letters, and when she became best friends with his sister, he knew he needed to make her is wife. Velma Lee and Bubba were married August 27, 1955. Together they worked the farm and the wrecking yard and raised their family. Bubba took care of her every need, even building her a house just a year after they were married. He was apart securing the note which allowed the construction of, "Harvest House of Prayer" here in Waco.

Bubba enjoyed watching NASCAR. With his charismatic way, he enjoyed performing as a rodeo clown with his friend Bobby Turner, together they kept the cowboy's safe. Bubba enjoyed a good game of poker with friends. He was a master storyteller; his children and grandchildren could sit with him for hours listening to him tell stories of his life. Bubba had a charming sense of humor and but brought joy to everyone's life. Bubba would tell you that he gained great knowledge from the many hours he spent watching, "Judge Judy". Even to his latest time in the hospital he was asking for her show to be turned on the TV. Bubba was made a "Honorary Cajun" by his friends in Louisiana, because of his flair for Cajun food and heritage. His handy work, from bird houses to woodworking projects will be cherished by his friends and family for years to come. Bubba was preceded in death by his parents, Johnie Louis and Mary Ella Dodd; siblings, Louis Alton Dodd and Barbara Jean Holland; grandson, Jon Cody McMahan; and brother-in-law, Dan Holland.

Bubba leaves behind to cherish his memory and continue his legacy of caring for others, his loving wife of 62 years, Velma Lee Dodd; children, Johnie Dodd, Charlotte Ann Dodd Wallace and husband, Glynn, and Velvett Lynn Dodd Dollins and husband Craig; grandchildren, Justin Dodd and wife, Tanya, Johnie Dodd and wife, Karen, Deanna "Deedee" Dodd, Weston Dodd, Duston Findley, Cody Dollins and Rowdy Dollins; "Pawpaw" to great-grandchildren, Dylan, Noah, Dusty, Chloe, Tyler, Charlie, and Alexi; great-great-granddaughter, Mackenzie; along with numerous other loving family members and a host of friends.

Thoughts and memories can be shared at www.LakeShoreFH.com.
Harry W. Hamilton

April 9, 1938 - Sept. 9, 2017

Harry W. Hamilton, 79, of Lake Mexia, passed away in Houston at St. Luke's Hospital, Saturday, September 9, 2017. The family will receive visitors from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, September 12, at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, 3124 Robinson Dr., Waco. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, September 13, at Mexia Cemetery in Mexia, TX.

He was born on April 9, 1938 to Harry S. Hamilton and Elizabeth. He was born and raised in Bellwood, Pennsylvania. He met his wife, Glenda Strickland, while serving in the U.S. Air Force. They married on May 15, 1960 and remained married for 57 years. After his discharge from the military, he found employment quickly and over the years worked as a laborer at an in-home building and repair business, managed a scrap yard, was a John Hancock Insurance agent, and Assistant Manager and then Manager of a retail store for over 18 years. He moved to Texas in 1977 and went to work for U.S. Steel for 10 years. He was an Assistant Manager at Regal Carwash, then moved to Burgess Marketing as Manager of Magic Carwash. In early 1996, he retired and moved to Lake Mexia where he remained until his passing.

Harry was a very private man and did not like to leave home. He would not take vacations and did not like to travel. He was completely content at home caring for his dogs, taking care of the yard or his wife. He loved his family deeply. He was a man of few words, and when he said anything you could believe in what he said.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Margaret Hamilton.

He is survived by his wife, Glenda; children: daughters, Darnell Marsh and husband, Ron, of Pritchett, Yvonne Roberson and husband, Kenny, of Lorena, and son, Rick Hamilton and wife, Lisa of Lorena; seven grandchildren, Crystal Bell and husband, Matt, Kayla Roberson, Heather Matthews and husband, JT, Heath Marsh, Dayna Hamilton, Dalton Hamilton, and Samuel Hamilton. He is also survived by one brother-in-law, Russell Strickland and wife, Barbara; two great-grandsons, Ross and Rooney Bell; two sisters, Patricia Endress and husband, Richard, and Suzanne Schmidt and husband, Jeff; also leaves behind 13 nieces and nephews; five great-nephews; and two great-nieces. He will be greatly missed by his family.
WAHOO  The Saunders County Mutual Finance Organization (MFO) will receive just over $200,000 this fiscal year to help fund fire districts across the county.

Approval for this money was given by the Nebraska State Treasurer Aug. 2. Saunders County MFO Director Dean Henrichson said the MFO was established in 1999 to equalize tax levies for the fire districts.

They were all over the board, anywhere from 10 cents to 2 cents, he said.

Each fire district agreed to 4 cents in 1999, and it has stayed at that rate ever since.

One of the major benefits of the MFO has been seen by the smaller departments. Those departments have been able to purchase equipment needed.

Smaller fire departments had a smaller tax base and were unable to collect enough money to operate and make the necessary purchases, Henrichson said.

Valparaiso Fire Chief Dallas Fletcher said MFO dollars have been a benefit to his department. He said the money has helped them keep up with maintenance and other extra costs.

Its a huge contribution. Without it we might be operating with a bunch of older equipment. It helps us stay up to date, he said.

It also helps the fire department make bond payments on the new station, he added.

Ceresco Fire Chief Justin Maxson agrees that the MFO has been beneficial.

Its helped us pay for new (air) packs and a new cot lift system in our ambulance, he said.

Fire departments always have to watch the bottom line on budgets, but Henrichson said MFO dollars take a little pressure off when it comes to spending.

Another good aspect of the MFO is that it allows each department to spend the money as they see fit.

Colon has been using it to pay for insurance for its firefighters and Malmo has been using it for bond payments, Henrichson said.

Some departments are saving up for truck purchases, while others are using the money for thermal scanners and carbon monoxide detectors.

Maxson said the Ceresco department is looking at purchasing a new battery operated Jaws machine, instead of a gas powered machine that involves dragging along hoses.

Before the MFO, some departments were in bad shape, Henrichson said.

One department could not increase its budget fast enough to deal with an increase in population, coverage and incoming calls.

The MFO was a life saver for them, Henrichson said.

Another benefit of the MFO is tax relief.

Henrichson said when it was established, tax rates for some fire districts went down.

A drawback of the MFO is that the Saunders County Board of Supervisors could decide to drop the MFO allotment to 3 cents and use the money for other things, he said.

Maxson said there is always some worry that it wont last forever.

The MFO will receive the funding in two lump sums and then the money will be dispersed among the departments respectively. Henrichson said the first installment would come around Nov. 1 and the second after May 1.

Since the Saunders County MFO was established in 1999, it has received over $3.3 million.

Without the MFO, things would be really tight, Fletcher said.
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.
Weather alert remains in place as parts of capital still under water.

Several underpasses and low-lying areas of Rome remain flooded following violent rain storms which swept across Italy on Sunday 10 September.

In addition to widespread flooding in the capital, the rain caused traffic chaos, flight disruptions, landslides, the temporary suspension of Metro A and B, fallen trees, electricity blackouts and even rubbish skips floating past the Colosseum.

The city council is now facing heavy criticism over its alleged lack of preparation for the storm which saw 100 milimetres of rain fall in just three hours.

Opposition politicians claim that Rome's drains were not adequately cleaned in advance of the storm whose full extent was underestimated by the city.

The weather alert for Rome remains at code orange - the second highest level - for the next 24-36 hours as Palazzo Chigi holds an emergency meeting about the state of the river Tiber.

Severe flooding in Livorno, in Tuscany, caused at least six deaths on 10 September, including four members of one family who drowned after being trapped in a basement.

The effects of the rainstorm across Italy were aggravated due to the land being unable to absorb the sudden rainfall following months of drought, according to Italian agricultural organisation Coldiretti.

Photo La Repubblica
The robots make warehouse work less tedious and physically taxing, while also enabling the kinds of efficiency gains that let a customer order dental floss after breakfast and receive it before dinner. Amazon now has more than 100,000 robots in action around the world, and it has plans to add many more to the mix. Credit:Bryan Anselm "It's certainly true that Amazon would not be able to operate at the costs they have and the costs they provide customers without this automation," said Martin Ford, a futurist and author of "Rise of the Robots," a book about automation. "Maybe we wouldn't be getting two-day shipping." The dynamics between people and machines play out on a daily basis on the floor of Amazon warehouses in places like Florence, New Jersey, and Kent, Washington. In Kent, the robots vaguely resemble giant beetles and scurry around with vertical shelves loaded with merchandise weighing up to 3,000 pounds on their backs. Hundreds of them move autonomously inside a large caged area, tailgating each other but not colliding. Robots and humans working in unison

On one edge of the cage, a group of human workers - the "stowers" - stuff products onto the shelves, replenishing their inventory. The robots whisk those shelves away and when a customer order arrives for products stored on their backs, they queue up at stations on another edge of the cage like cars waiting to go through a toll both. There, human "pickers" follow instructions on computer screens, grabbing items off the shelves and putting them in plastic bins, which then disappear on conveyor belts destined for "packers," people who put the products in cardboard boxes bound for customers. Dave Clark, the top executive in charge of operations at Amazon, said the company wanted the machines to perform the most monotonous tasks, leaving people to do jobs that engage them mentally. "It's a new item each time," Clark said. "You're finding something, you're inspecting things, you're engaging your mind in a way that I think is important." The robots also cut down on the walking required of workers, making Amazon pickers more efficient and less tired. The robots also allow Amazon to pack shelves together like cars in rush-hour traffic, because they no longer need aisle space for humans. The greater density of shelf space means more inventory under one roof, which means better selection for customers.

The Amazon warehouse in Florence shows the latest example of the kinds of jobs machines can do better than people. Eight mechanical arms are in operation at the facility, a warehouse where large quantities of merchandise are broken down into smaller units and distributed to Amazon fulfillment centers across the country. The arms go by the awkward name of robotic palletisers, but workers have given them a dash of personality, sticking signs on each one naming them after Stuart, Dave and other minion characters from the "Despicable Me" movies. Unlike the warehouse robots in Kent, which were based on the machines Amazon got through its Kiva acquisition, these arms come from an outside company. Amazon began installing them late last year, not long after it opened the warehouse in Florence. The robot arm is configured to pick up only bins of a standard size, not objects of other dimensions. In a demonstration of future possibilities, Amazon showed a virtual reality simulation used to prototype new robot concepts, including an arm with a forklift attachment that moved pallets. Just a matter of time When Amazon installed the robots, some people who had stacked bins before, like Scott, took courses at the company to become robot operators. Many others moved to receiving stations, where they manually sort big boxes of merchandise into bins. No people were laid off when the robots were installed, and Amazon found new roles for the displaced workers, Clark said.

"The people didn't go anywhere," he said. The question going forward is: What happens when the future generations of robots arrive? For now, there are warehouse tasks - for example, picking individual items off shelves, with all their various shapes and sizes - where people outperform robots. Amazon has added 80,000 warehouse employees in the United States since adding the Kiva robots, for a total of more than 125,000 warehouse employees. And it says the warehouse hiring spree will continue. But startups and researchers are scrambling to overcome the many remaining technical obstacles. Amazon even sponsors an annual contest to encourage more innovation in the category. Ford, the author, believes it is just a matter of time before the employment picture in Amazon's warehouses changes.

"My assumption is this technology will eventually displace a lot of people in those warehouses," Ford said. "I would not say that overnight huge numbers of jobs disappear. Maybe the first indication is they don't get rid of those people but the pace of job creation slows down." 'It's a myth' Amazon's Clark said history showed that automation increases productivity and, in some cases, demand from consumers, which ultimately creates more jobs. He said warehouse workers would continue to work in technologically rich environments. "It's a myth that automation destroys net job growth," he said. In the case of the Florence facility, it opened up the new opportunity for Scott.
It was easy news, if not exactly news based on fact. It all began on Saturday, when the Prime Minister went to see the Sydney Swans play, and posted on social media a photo of himself cuddling his baby granddaughter, planting a kiss atop her sweet head.

In his non-baby-cuddling hand, Malcolm Turnbull held a beer in a plastic cup. To the naked eye it appeared approximately 50 per cent of the beer had been consumed, so, unless the PM is a total lightweight, we can assume he wasn't fully wrecked.

The photo was tagged #multitasking and, once, it would have been seen as a cute, winky nod to the great tradition of Australian dad-dom, and by extension, granddad-dom. Remember the Londoner who was photographed bolting from a terrorist attack while holding his pint fully erect? This was surely the 'Strayan version of that - just an Aussie bloke observing the holy trinity of Saturday sport, beer and babies. What could be more innocently, patriotically ordinary?

Sadly, a great darkness has clouded our country, and the photo caused A Terrible Controversy. This darkness is called Political Correctness Gone Mad and, unless it is stoked by the tabloid media every few days, it risks irrelevance. And so, according to various "news" sites, a horde of un-Australian wowsers was outraged by the innocent Lager-Tot pic.
The same-sex marriage campaign makes me wonder when my fellow Australian lesbians lost their political backbone? Where's the sparky radicalism of the gay and lesbian community? When did chasing after marriage become our life's work? Or for that matter any feminists' work?

Our heterosexual sisters must be wondering why we're so keen to dignify an institution  which for so many women has led to violence from their partners and drudgery for themselves. They surely notice the hypocrisy; lesbians becoming cheerleaders for an institution which has caused so many so much pain.

We get the "gold rings and honeymoon" appeal of marriage; but I feel embarrassed for our collective selves that the public now sees us as grovelling for the chance to wear white wedding dresses. How are women going to recognise lesbianism as an alternative to heterosexuality, if they don't see us protesting against institutions that have been harmful to us: like marriage, prostitution and the nuclear family?

The "yes" campaign's slogan "love is love" equates marriage with love when many married women experience it as anything but love. The slogan trivialises the heroic efforts of some who have had to escape the institution. Some like Sri Lankan-born doctor Chamari Liyanage who was sentenced for killing her abusive husband by beating him with a heavy metal mallet. A husband that a judge described as a "manipulative and merciless offender".
'Personally, I love a great love story," Meghan Markle tells the October issue of US Vanity Fair. Don't we all? And if it's stuffed full of romantic tropes, so much the better: the prince and the showgirl, the Anglo-American romance (a burbling Richard Curtis-style Brit rendered eloquent by the force of his love), the older woman with a past, the girl from the wrong side of the tracks... With almost nothing to go on since it was revealed that Prince Harry was in a relationship with the 36-year-old American divorcee last November, we've worked our way through every one of these tropes, never getting any closer to finding out the truth behind one of most intriguing royal love stories since Edward and Wallis.

Now, thanks to Markle's most in-depth interview to date, we've been given a glimpse of a relationship that looks stable, durable, and increasingly likely to be formalised soon.

Meghan Markle has revealed she was dating Prince Harry for six months before it became public.

"At the end of the day I think it's really simple," the Suits star tells Sam Kashner, Vanity Fair's contributing editor. "We're two people who are really happy and in love. We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people's perception. I'm still the same person."

Anyone who has come across Markle in LA, where the actress was born and raised by her African-American social worker mother, Doria Ragland, will confirm this. That's if you can get them to talk to you at all. "People are really protective of Meghan," says one industry acquaintance. "She's extremely well liked and since she's started dating Harry, her friends and co-stars have formed a wall around her. She's in a very tight-knit group of girlfriends (the closest of whom are actresses Abigail Spencer, Priyanka Chopra and fashion designer Misha Nonoo), and when she's not in Toronto filming Suits, she stays with her mum and sticks to the same restaurants and bars she's been going to for years."
A man has been charged in relation to a robbery in Sydney's eastern suburbs early on Sunday which is believed to be linked to a dating application.

Just after 12am, a 23-year-old man made his way to Wallis Parade, North Bondi, under the belief he was meeting a woman from an online dating application, police have been told.

The incident has prompted police to remind people about the dangers of using social networking and online dating websites. Credit:AP

As the man approached the home he was allegedly chased by three men, one of whom assaulted him and demanded his wallet.

The incident was reported to Eastern Suburbs Local Area Command who began investigations.
Jerusalem: Yair Netanyahu, the son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, removed an anti-Semitic meme from his Facebook page on Sunday after an outcry from Israeli politicians and Jewish community leaders in the United States.

The image, posted by Netanyahu on Friday, appeared to be a local take on a classic anti-Semitic cartoon suggesting that Jews control the United States. It has appeared widely on extreme alt-right websites.

In this instance, it depicted his father's perceived foes: American Jewish billionaire philanthropist and investor George Soros, outspoken former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, activist Eldad Yaniv and Meni Naftali, a former housekeeper for the Netanyahus who successfully sued them for mistreatment.

Netanyahu, who goes by the name "Yair Hun" on Facebook, had captioned the meme "the food chain."
Washington: The US Supreme Court has temporarily blocked an Appeals Court ruling that put limits on US President Donald Trump's so-called 'refugee ban'.

The Justice Department on Monday had asked the Supreme Court to intervene so that officials could broadly enforce Mr Trump's travel ban and block even refugees with formal assurances from a resettlement agency from entering the United States.

US President Donald Trump. Credit:Bloomberg

US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy issued the temporary order allowing the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy that prevents more than 20,000 refugees from entering the United States.

Justice Kennedy ordered challengers to the administration's refugee ban to submit written arguments in support of the lower court ruling by midday Tuesday.
GREENUP -- The Corvette Funfest's road tour will culminate Thursday evening in Greenup, where a party will be held downtown for tour participants and the general public.

Mid America Motorworks of Effingham plans to hold its 24th annual Corvette Funfest from Thursday to Sunday and has scheduled this event's 2017 Fun Run Road Tour to start at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Participating Corvette enthusiasts will head out from the Mid America Motorworks campus, 2900 N. Third St., and travel through rural Effingham County on their way to Greenup's Downtown Party, set for 5-8 p.m.

Greenup Chamber of Commerce President Kyle Berghbower said the Corvette convoy, which may include up to 1,000 participants, will take old U.S. Route 40 through the Jackson Truss Covered Bridge in Greenup on its way to the downtown.

The Cumberland Street main thoroughfare and other streets downtown will be closed to through traffic during the party to accommodate Corvette parking and the festivities, Berghbower said. The village hall grounds at the east end of downtown will host a classic rock concert by Smoke Wrench and a beer tent, while the Greenup Depot at the west end will host a country music concert by local artists.

Berghbower said the restaurants, boutiques, antique and craft shops, and other merchants downtown will stay open during the party and offer specials. He said approximately 20 food booths, craft makers and other vendors have signed up for the party, as well. He added that the historic Greenup Depot and the Cumberland County Military Museum downtown will be open for tours that night.

Parking spaces along side streets near the downtown will likely fill up quickly Thursday night, Berghbower said. Consequently, he said the party's organizers are offering rides to the downtown from the Cumberland County Fairgrounds and from Scott's Building Center in Greenup.

Berghbower said Mid America Motorworks approached Greenup about hosting the Downtown Party as a way of providing new area scenery for road tour participants to see during the Corvette Funfest. He said community leaders decided to host the party as a way to showcase recent business development downtown and Greenup in general.

"We love the idea. We think it's going to be a great fit," Berghbower said. "I think it is really going to be a good thing for our downtown retail business and a good thing for our whole community."

The chamber president noted that Mid American Motorworks is encouraging Corvette Funfest participants to visit Greenup at other points during this event. For example, the Corvette Funfest schedule on Friday includes an excursion to the Moonshine burger shack southeast of Casey in Clark County and to Cameo Winery and the Jackson Truss Covered Bridge in Greenup.

Corvette Funfest organizers also plan to hold a caravan to the Coles County Dragway in Charleston for a new Corvette drag race event there at 4 p.m. Thursday. More information about the Funfest is available online at http://www.corvettefunfest.com/.
TAMPA, Florida  A weakened but still dangerous Irma pushed inland Monday as it hammered Florida with winds and floodwaters that created hazards even for rescuers trying to help beleaguered residents.

Irma was downgraded to a tropical storm over Florida, but it still had winds near hurricane force. Its outer bands were also blowing into Georgia, where the storm's center was expected to arrive later in the day. With rough conditions persisting across Florida, many communities in Irma's wake feared what destruction would be revealed as daylight allowed authorities to canvass neighborhoods.

Winds knocked a utility pole and power lines onto a sheriff's cruiser late Sunday in Polk County east of Tampa, illustrating the dangerous conditions for emergency personnel. A deputy and a paramedic, who had just escorted an elderly patient to safety, were trapped for two hours until a crew could free them. Both were unhurt.

And more than 120 homes were being evacuated early Monday in Orange County, just outside the city of Orlando, as floodwaters started to pour in. Firefighters and the National Guard were going door-to-door and using boats to ferry families to safety. A few miles away, 30 others had to be evacuated when a 60-foot sinkhole opened up under an apartment building. No injuries were reported in either case.

In Redington Shores west of Tampa, attorney Carl Roberts spent a sleepless night riding out Irma in his 17th floor beachfront condo. After losing power late Sunday, he made it through the worst of the storm shaken but unhurt.

"The hurricane winds lashed the shutters violently, throughout the night," he wrote in a text message, "making sleep impossible."

As morning broke, he couldn't open the electric shutters to see outside.

"It's so dark in here," he said.

Nearly 4.5 million homes and businesses across Florida lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone. More than 100,000 were in the dark in Georgia.

Irma's center was about 105 miles (170 km) north of Tampa when forecasters announced it had weakened to a tropical storm. However, they warned its maximum sustained winds were 70 mph (110 kph), with higher gusts.

The monster storm, which arrived in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, has toppled at least three constructions cranes  two over downtown Miami and one in Fort Lauderdale.

People in the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area had feared a first direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921, but the storm weakened to a Category 2 as it approached.

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said the situation was not as bad as it could have been, but warned residents that dangerous storm surge continued. He also described downed power lines and other debris.

"What we feared the most was the surge," he said Monday on MSNBC. "The surge is yet to be finished."

Meanwhile, rescue efforts ramped up in the evacuated neighborhood near Orlando as Guardsmen in helmets and fatigues rolled through standing water in a high-clearance vehicle. Firefighters rescued a puppy from one of the homes there and leashed the anxious dog to the front of one of their trucks to give it water and snacks.

As the sun rose in Orlando, many tried to survey the damage, but authorities warned that conditions remain dangerous and asked people not to venture outside because of a curfew.

No deaths in Florida were immediately linked to the storm. In the Caribbean, at least 24 were people were killed during Irma's destructive trek across exclusive islands known as the vacation playground for the rich.

In one of the largest U.S. evacuations, nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to seek shelter, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

More than 200,000 people waited in shelters across Florida.

At Germain Arena, where thousands sought refuge south of Fort Myers, people sat amid puddles on the concrete floor Monday morning. Officials said the arena remained in one piece, but wind-driven water leaked in at the height of the storm.

"Irma went over and we were all like, 'Oh good, we survived.' And then all of a sudden some of the panels came off the roof, I guess, and we started getting water pouring down in different places," said 61-year-old Mary Fitzgerald. "It was was like, 'Oh my God, what is going to happen?'"

Bryan Koon, Florida's emergency management director, said late Sunday that authorities had only scattered information about damage, but feared worse reports could come in Monday.

In the low-lying Keys, appliances and furniture were seen floating away. Authorities were set to begin house-to-house searches Monday to check on survivors.

About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused.

John Huston, who stayed in his Key Largo home, watched his yard flood.

"Small boats floating down the street next to furniture and refrigerators. Very noisy," he said by text message. "Shingles are coming off."

Next, Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, and school was canceled in communities around the state.

Irma once was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 185 mph (300 kph). For days, forecasters warned Irma was taking dead aim at Florida. Irma made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane Sunday morning at Cudjoe Key, not far from Key West. It then rounded Florida's southwestern corner and hugged the coast closely as it pushed north.

Associated Press writers Seth Borenstein in Washington; Terry Spencer in Palm Beach County; Gary Fineout in Tallahassee; Terrance Harris and Claire Galofaro in Orlando; and Jason Dearen and David Fischer in Miami contributed to this report.
Lincoln Industries was named the world's top small and medium-sized company healthy workplace at the 5th Global Healthy Workplace Summit which took place in Singapore on September 2. The winning programs underline how comprehensive and integrated approaches to workplace health can lead to desired business outcomes, such as enhanced productivity, reduced absenteeism and improved employee morale and motivation.The gathering of business leaders and investors is a further illustration of the growing importance being given to the effect health and wellness have on business productivity.

Wolf Kirsten, co-director of Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces said, "Over the five years in running these awards, we have seen the quality of applications improve considerably. They have become ever more sophisticated with comprehensive programs covering the health, nutrition, the physical work environment and mental health. Most importantly, we have seen the growth in real leadership at CEO level."

The winners of the prestigious awards program were Lincoln Industries, USA, small and medium-sized category; Jemena, Australia, large enterprise category; and Chevron, USA, multinational category. The runners up were LGAQ, Australia, small and medium-sized category; ABFRL Madura, India, large enterprise category; Lendlease, Australia, multinational category.

Previous annual awards summits took place in London, Shanghai, Florianopolis, and Washington D.C. American University's health studies professor, Robert Karch said "The award program has been very impressive. They perfectly demonstrate the connection between having a healthy workplace and business performance. It's not surprising that Summit spent much of its time looking at how investors perceive employee well-being."

"This recognition is an affirmation that we are doing the right things to improve the health and wellness of our people," manager, Safety, Health and Performance, Greg Howe said. "Investing in the health of our people will always be a priority for Lincoln Industries. I think we are going to continue to see the value it brings to our business growth and our customer's satisfaction as well."

Lincoln Industries is the largest and most diverse privately held metal finishing company in North America. They are a growth-oriented company with powerful resources and a tenacity to push the limits of industry tradition. For over 65 years, using their expertise in finishing, manufacturing, customer relations, quality, supply chain management, and innovation, they are making great brands such as Harley-Davidson, Peterbilt, Kenworth, John Deere, Polaris, Navistar, Mercury Marine, Khrome Werks, and Lincoln Chrome better.

They understand that their people are their most valuable asset, so they invest in them through ongoing learning and development opportunities, wellness and healthy lifestyles, safety and recognition. Known for its unique company culture, Lincoln Industries has been named to the Top 25 Best Medium-Sized Companies to Work for in America List, seven times. Visit their website, www.lincolnindustries.com, to learn more.
The inspiration for this article started last Thanksgiving with a bottle of Llano Signature Red wine from Lubbock, Texas. As a lifelong Husker fan, I had no intention of liking this wine whatsoever. In fact, I ridiculed the choice when it was handed to me. What is this, chili? BBQ Sauce? With thoughts to the fine people of Texas dealing with Hurricane Harvey, I decided to dig deeper into their wine industry.

Texas, it turns out, is the fifth-largest wine-producing state and the first to plant grapes when the Spanish missionaries began making wine in the 17th century near El Paso. Val Verde winery was established in 1883 in Del Rio and is still in operation today.

A pioneer of the industry and a hero to the world of wine was Thomas Munson. In the late 1800s, he surveyed the state to classify and test hundreds of grape varieties. These extensive findings were so impressive that he was recognized at the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago for his achievements.

Munson also created breeding programs to find the most disease-resistant and climatically appropriate cultivars for Texas. These became creatively named the Munson varieties. Heroically, he also discovered that grafting American rootstock to European vinifera would stop phylloxera  the pests that ruined 75 percent of the European vineyards in the late 1800s. Many of the European vines today are related to the original Texas rootstock. He was awarded the Legion of Honor from France for his contribution.

There are eight American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in Texas. Most vineyards are in the North-Central and South-Central/Eastern areas of the state. The Texas High Plains area near Lubbock is considered the best. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular varietal, but dozens of others are prevalent, including Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Grenache.

The Hill Country AVA includes the cities of Austin and San Antonio. It gets much hotter in this area, so the Bordeaux varietals of the High Plains will not work. The best-suited grapes are those from warmer areas such as Spain and Southern Italy. Varietals include Tempranillo, Grenache and Syrah.

And the Llano Signature Red? A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It was very good  not enough for me to like the Longhorns, but it was quite delicious, indeed.

I hope you will give Texas a chance!
By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 11, 2017 | 09:00 AM | LYON COUNTY, KY

Kentucky State Police arrested a Paducah man on methamphetamine charges Sunday night following a traffic stop on Interstate 24.

According to state police, at approximately 9 pm, Troopers stopped a car for speeding near the 40 mile marker of I-24 in Lyon County. During the stop, a search of the vehicle was conducted. Troopers found a small amount of marijuana and approximately seven ounces of methamphetamine inside the vehicle.

Thirty-six-year-old Jerick D. Carruthers, of Paducah, was arrested and charged with speeding, operating a motor vehicle on a suspended license, and first degree trafficking methamphetamine. He was lodged in the Caldwell County Jail.

Twenty-eight-year-old Cynthia R. Snyder, of Paducah, was cited for possession of marijuana. She was then released with the vehicle.
Advertisement

By West Kentucky Star Staff

Sep. 11, 2017 | METROPOLIS, IL

By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 11, 2017 | 01:32 PM | METROPOLIS, IL

An investigation into a suspicious person led to a woman's arrest Saturday in Metropolis.



According to the Metropolis Police Department, they responded to a call on West 19th Street about a suspicious person looking into vehicles. When they arrived, police spoke to a woman who said she was homeless, but also told conflicting stories. When she consented to a search, police say they found several items that had been reported stolen from a vehicle a few days before.



Police say they were given a false name and birthdate by the woman, who was identified as 31-year-old Tina M. Creech. She was found to be wanted on a warrant for failure to appear in court, so she was arrested. Creech was also charged with theft and obstructing justice.



Creech was taken to Massac County Detention Center.
The first team of Nebraska utility workers planned to reach hurricane-hit Florida on Monday afternoon to help undertake a massive power-restoration effort in a state where millions of people were without electricity.

Fourteen Lincoln Electric System workers met rain on their way to Tallahassee, Florida's capital, utility spokeswoman Rachel Barth said.

"They dont really know what to expect when they get there," Barth said.

Close to 40,000 homes and businesses were without power Monday morning in Tallahassee, city officials reported.

The LES crews don't know yet how long they'll remain in the city or where else in Florida they might be sent, but with continued storms Monday, they expect lots of work, Barth said.

A contingent of 21 Nebraska Public Power District workers left York early Monday with plans to reach Tennessee on Monday night before continuing to the Florida-Alabama border Tuesday, said spokesman Mark Becker.

Once they arrive, Florida's highway patrol will escort them to Tampa to begin work.

More than 391,000 homes and businesses were without power in the Tampa area Monday, Becker said.

In addition to utility crews, Nebraska has deployed 100 National Guard soldiers and four helicopters to aid Hurricane Irma relief in Florida. And a group of 80 rescue workers from Lincoln and the Omaha area is already stationed in Florida's Panhandle.

Urban Search and Rescue Nebraska Task Force 1 remained at Eglin Air Force Base on Monday, awaiting its disaster-relief assignment.

The specialized team, which includes 38 Lincoln Fire and Rescue firefighters, held an impromptu memorial Monday morning for the first responders killed 16 years ago in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The team also has used downtime to train on using GPS to map its searches and better prepare for water rescues.

Crew members inspected equipment to ensure it is mission-ready when the task force gets its orders.

Task Force leader Capt. Dave Kluthe of Lincoln Fire and Rescue said it was possible the team could be sent to Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were hit hard by Irma. But that wasn't a strong possibility, because of the challenge of getting the task force's trucks, boats and semis to the Caribbean islands.

"Nothing is set in stone," Kluthe said.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 11, 2017 | 02:19 PM | MARSHALL COUNTY, KY

Two people face drug charges in Marshall County.

According to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, deputies received information on Saturday about a marijuana grow on Village Road. Deputies found the marijuana plants and charged Kent Kimberlin of Benton.

Kimberlin is charged with cultivating marijuana less than five plants. He was cited to appear in Marshall District Court.

On Sunday, deputies served a search warrant at a home on Vaughns Chapel Road. According to the citation filed by police, 27-year-old Casey Fletcher of Calvert City was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Fletcher was lodged in the Marshall County Detention Center.
New Ross mourns tragic death of Anthony Rochford (47): We will remember him for all the great times
Loading...

Just before setting off to see John Patrick Shanley's Doubt, set in a Catholic school in New York in 1964, I listened to the radio obituary of Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, former leader of the Catholic church in Britain. He was, said the commentator, always wracked with guilt about his mishandling of an abuse case which allowed a paedophile priest continued access to children.

The strength and the weakness of Shanley's play is that while it purports to be about exactly the kind of scandal the Catholic church has faced and failed to solve, it decides to pull its punches, to leave questions of guilt and innocence up in the air in pursuit of a wider discussion about the nature of faith itself. Since it was written in 2005, the playwright could have made different choices; the historical setting allows him latitude.

That said, it's still a gripping little melodrama as attested by the fact that a film (starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman) followed its award-winning Broadway run. And it's a clever choice for Southwark Playhouse. Its claustrophobic setting suits the limitations of the space with PJ McEvoy's decorated cruciform platform in the centre of the acting area providing an ecclesiastical mood without overwhelming the actors.

Doubt's chief protagonist is Sister Aloysius (Stella Gonet), martinet head of the St Nicholas Church School, a traditionalist nun committed to discipline and order. Her foe is the priest at the school, Father Flynn (Jonathan Chambers), a moderniser, who wants the church to show more compassion, warmth and understanding in its dealings with its pupils and the community. In between them stands Sister James, a young idealist who suffers her own crisis of faith.

Sister Aloysius becomes convinced  with no real evidence  that Flynn's relationship with one of the boys  the first black child in the Irish Italian school  is inappropriate. Flynn denies it. The key question is whether the Sister's hatred of everything Flynn stands for is feeding her implacable campaign against him. The audience is left to make up its own mind.

The arguments are at first rather stickily expounded, but Che Walker's production eventually finds its feet, as Flynn displays both the persuasive oratory of a born leader and the arrogant assumption of unquestioned power that the structure of the church endowed upon him. Her righteous indignation at the way men hold all the cards is one of Sister Aloysius's most endearing qualities but in Gonet's performance her harshness is perhaps over-emphasised at the expense of the genuine care for her pupils that her fierce exterior conceals.

Chambers too is better at expressing rage than compassion but Clare Latham gives a convincing performance as the young nun whose innocent convictions are challenged by the accusations swirling around her. And the stand-out scene is the one in which Jo Martin, as the boy's mother, confronts Sister Aloysius with the complexities of the world outside the church. Martin's performance has a passion which the evening lacks; it blazes where the rest is a slow simmer.

Doubt runs at Southwark Playhouse until 30 September.
As far back as we care to recall, Goran Pandev has never boasted much in the way of generous pate coverage, even during his sprightly mid-20s.

Now aged 34, the full horror of the Genoa strikers follicular recession was laid bare  quite literally  during Sundays Serie A tie against Udinese.

When the Macedonian forward was subbed off in the latter stages of the first half, television cameras captured what can only be described as the cock-and-ball-shaped scalp lagoon that now languishes atop his bonce

How unfortunate.

Goran, mate, its time to get the clippers out.
The bestselling authors of "Hillbilly Elegy" and "Just Mercy" will headline Nebraska Wesleyan University's annual Visions and Ventures Symposium on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The annual event, open to NWU students and the public alike at Wesleyan's O'Donnell Auditorium near 50th Street and Huntington Avenue, invites national experts to speak on a single theme.

This year's theme is "(Di)visions and Ventures: Refocusing our Lens on American Communities" which will explore the origins of fear and anxiety that have shaped American discourse in recent years.

Bryan Stevenson, the executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala., and author of "Just Mercy," an account of a young lawyer and the lives of those he defended, will lead off the symposium Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Stevenson, who also teaches law at New York University, will give a talk entitled "American Injustice: Humanity, Mercy and Making a Difference."

At 10 a.m. on Wednesday, "Hillbilly Elegy" author J.D. Vance, a native of Middletown, Ohio and the Appalachian town of Jackson, Kentucky, will discuss his memoir examining the culture crisis surrounding white working class Americans.

Later Wednesday, at 7 p.m., Hanna Rosin, author of "The End of Men: And the Rise of Women," will discuss her book, which stemmed from a cover story she wrote for The Atlantic magazine, where she is a senior editor.

All lectures are free, although limited seating is available. The public is asked to enter the west doors of the Rogers Center for Fine Arts nearest 50th Street. Doors will open approximately 30 minutes before each lecture.
Valeria Sigala remembers her parents' warnings starting in kindergarten.

Don't talk to police, don't talk to officials and stay out of trouble  otherwise her family would have to leave.

Now a Nebraska Wesleyan University senior, the memory is still fresh in her mind.

So much of her life has been built by fear because of her family's illegal immigration status, she said. When she opted into the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, there was finally a sense of calm and a chance to chase her dreams.

Sigala hopes to attend graduate school; she wants to become a therapist so she can help others.

None of that, she said, will be possible without valid documentation and work permits.

The DACA program was enacted in 2012 by President Barack Obama and allows immigrants who were brought to the country illegally before age 16 receive work visas and renewable two-year periods of deferred action from deportation.

President Donald Trump rescinded the policy last week after pressure from 10 attorney generals who felt DACA oversteps the executive branch's power.

Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson was among the group pushing to rescind the program.
Its official: U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will visit Nebraska this week, though the U.S. Department of Education has not yet said whether that trip will include a stop at Lincoln Public Schools science focus program.

A Department of Education release announced DeVos will be in Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Indiana as part of her first back-to-school tour dubbed "Rethink School."

DeVos said in a statement the tour's goal is to highlight what's working.

We want to encourage local education leaders to continue to be creative, to empower parents with options and to expand students-centered education opportunities, she said.

The only specifics of her trip released so far are plans to visit two Wyoming schools Tuesday.

She will visit Woods Learning Center, a small, public elementary and middle school in Casper, Wyoming, led by a collaborative team of teachers with no principal; and St. Stephens Indian School on the Wind River Reservation.

LPS officials confirmed Friday they'd been contacted by DeVos' office about a possible visit to the district's science focus program  known as zoo school because its located at the Lincoln Childrens Zoo  and were working out details.

The Lincoln Childrens Zoo sent out a notification Friday that it would be closed Thursday for a Lincoln Public Schools event. The notification did not elaborate.

There was no additional information provided by LPS on Monday.

The Education Department also inquired about DeVos visiting schools in Omaha, including Bryan High, an OPS school, and Nelson Mandela Elementary School.

Mandela Elementary is funded by the Lozier Foundation and the William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation, and offers free tuition and year-round schooling primarily to children living in poverty in north Omaha.

Nebraska Department of Education Commissioner Matthew Blomstedt said in a statement he welcomes DeVos and the opportunity to highlight the state's quality education.

We have a lot to be proud of in Nebraska, he said. Every day teachers are creatively engaging students in increasingly innovative ways.

Katie Linehan, executive director of the school choice group Educate Nebraska, also welcomed DeVos visit.

Were thrilled the secretary will highlight the great things happening in our state and bring attention to the need for every family to have access to a school that works best for their child.

DeVos, who was narrowly approved as President Trumps education secretary, is a former Republican Party chairwoman in Michigan. She's a longtime supporter of school choice and a force behind the spread of charter schools in her home state.

Teachers unions vigorously opposed her nomination, and her speeches as education secretary have drawn protests. The prospect of her visiting schools in Omaha last month was greeted with some concern by the Omaha Education Association.

Lincoln Education Association President Rita Bennett said Friday the news about a possible DeVos visit had been trickling out slowly and she'd not yet gotten any feedback from teachers.

"A lot of our concerns about Betsy DeVos is her limited-to-no experience with the public school realm," she said. "So I tend to think the best way to learn is to visit a great public school."

Nebraska is one of six states that don't authorize charter schools, but school choice advocates have gained ground in pushing for them, and Gov. Pete Ricketts supports school choice.

Zoo school was the first focus program created for LPS high school students and remains one of the most successful. The district also offers an arts and humanities focus program, and folded two other focus programs into the new Career Academy, which offers dual credit courses in conjunction with Southeast Community College.

According to an Education Week tracker, DeVos has visited 19 schools, including 10 traditional public schools, four charter schools and five private schools this year.
When martial arts and performing arts intersect, an expert is needed to keep the audience entertained  and the actors unharmed.

Fight choreographer Mike Speck is one of those rare experts, giving actors the tools they need to safely carry out stunts for a live audience.

Hes worked with a wide range of people, teaching everyone from teenagers to seasoned professionals how to get comfortable with a sword, knife or their bare hands.

You have to pay attention to the people who are in the room with you, Speck said. You want your partner to look good, you want to make your partner to look like theyre the biggest badass in the room.

Whether its Theatre du Mississippi, Saint Marys or Winona State, any company that hopes to produce a fight scene should probably run it by Speck first.

Just like passing a ball, a good fight scene means getting the right response from the other person in the scene.

A stage slap, for instance, can get a lot laughs from the audience if its done right. That means getting the timing, the distance and other subtleties rehearsed well to make a fake strike look like a real one.

Most of us arent sociopaths, we dont want to hurt the people were working with, Speck said. Youre not competing, your storytelling.

Some actors opt for the just slap me, itll be fine approach, forgetting the irregularities of human face. Between eardrums that can be cuffed, eyes that can be scratched and head shapes that dont produce the desired sound when hit, this can be problematic for performances.

Luckily, Speck knows how to make stage combat smooth, safe and fun for both those on stage and in the audience.

Sorry Tybalt, youre going to die when you fight Romeo, theres just no way around that, Speck said.

His most recent project was at the Tent Theatre in Springfield, Mo, for a Three Musketeers performance.

Speck said it was refreshing to just show up and fight without having to come up with his own choreography like he usually does.

He recently began working a full-time job with Volunteer Services Winona after giving his time to them on numerous other occasions. After becoming familiar with his work ethic, Volunteer Services welcomed him onto the team after he applied.

On Speck, Volunteer Services Executive Director Sandra Burke says that hes got a very unique perspective on things. He comes in ready to go with a great attitude.

Burke also describes Speck as a Jack of all trades.

Judy Myers has directed many of the performances Speck was involved in at Saint Marys University.

Hes great, constantly professional, Myers said. Not only is he trained in stage combat, but hes also trained as an actor, allowing him to see things from that perspective.

Myers also recalls the choreography Speck came up with when the scene called for actors to be blown away by an explosion. It involved teaching the cast how to fall and react, true stuntman material.

Speck graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and has a masters degree in fine arts from Western Illinois.

Hes originally from Winona, going away and coming back as gigs open and close.

Sometimes I go away, sometimes I find the job here, Speck said.

You have to pay attention to the people who are in the room with you. You want your partner to look good, you want to make your partner to look like theyre the biggest badass in the room. Mike Speck
Winona

Friday

6:25 p.m.  A man reported a 14 foot ladder missing from a truck on the 150 block of West Third Street.

Saturday

12:16 a.m.  Police responding to a party on the 250 block of West Howard Street cited Kathryn Marie Juettner, 21, Elk River for being a social host and having a loud party, while Kai Babcock, 18, Plymouth, and Christopher Glen Lane, 19, Faribault, were cited for underage drinking.

1:01 a.m.  Connor David Christenson, 22, Lakeville, was cited for public urination and carrying a firearm while intoxicated after being stopped at Second and Main streets for urinating, and informing police when they stopped him that he had a gun, which he was licensed to carry.

1:05 a.m.  Jordan Taylor Jakusz, 19, Hayward, was cited for public urination and minor consumption after being stopped around Third and Walnut streets for urinating.

1:17 a.m.  Brady Allen Daley, 23, Winona, was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia after being stopped for a suspended object near Second and Huff streets and police smelled marijuana.

2:16 a.m.  Juan Camilo Sanchez-Gonzalez, 19, Winona, was cited for minor consumption after he was seen lying in the street near Fourth and Franklin streets.

3:34 a.m.  Charges of possession of stolen property were referred against Adam Burton Bowden, 31, Winona, after he was stopped near Fifth and Olmsted streets for going through a red light and it was discovered that the bike he was riding was stolen.

4:27 a.m.  A homeowner on the 900 block of East Wabasha Street reported their house egged overnight.

4:58 p.m.  Walmart reported a male subject had walked out with a computer router without being stopped and they were trying to identify him.

5:56 p.m.  A woman reported a Trek 300 bicycle missing from the 250 block of West King Street.

9:37 p.m.  A woman reported that three unidentified men damaged a fencing panel on the 200 block of Grand Street, then started a lawn mower that was on a trailer before leaving.

10:51 p.m.  Mitchell Gregory Carlisle 19, Arlington Heights, Ill., was cited for public consumption and minor consumption after reportedly going into the street in front of cars near Ninth and Harriet streets while drinking a glass of liquor.

11: 08 p.m.  Emma Kaitlin Laurent, 20, Winona, was cited for under 21 drinking and driving after being stopped near Wabasha and Main streets for a headlight out.

11:23 p.m.  A man reported a bicycle missing from Levee Park.

11:37 p.m.  After talking to a car suspected of being in an accident near Ninth and Harriet streets, officers cited Jordan Taylor Jakusz, 19, Hayward, with under 21 drinking and driving, and cited Elsa Yalimar Moreno, 19, Landfall, and Isabel Estafania Rodriquez, 18, Milwaukee, Wis., with minor consumption.

11:38 p.m.  The Kwik Trip on the 1050 block of Homer Road reported an unidentified male subject left the store with a USB cable.

Sunday

1:04 a.m.  Charges of fourth-degree drunken driving were referred against Tyler Scott Vikingson, 21, Canon Falls after he was stopped on the Huff Street dike with a headlight out. His blood alcohol was reported at .15.

3:15 p.m.  A man reported that several minors had entered his car but not taken anything while he was stopped delivering pizza in the area of Wabasha Street and Druey Court.

Monday

1:29 a.m.  Melonie Lee Starks, 25, Minnesota City, was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana after being stopped for a suspended object near the intersection of Huff Street and Fifth Street.

Winona County

Friday

10:06 a.m.  A woman on County Road 8 in rural Dakota reported her mail box was damaged.

Saturday

1:16 a.m.  Charges of second-degree drunken driving were referred against Travis Robert Magee, 33, La Crescent, after he was stopped near Dickson Road and Oak Hill Drive for squealing his tires. His blood alcohol was recorded at .21.

3:16 a.m.  Charges of third-degree drunken driving were referred against Amanda Jean McCasland, 32, Winona, after deputies saw her drive into a cemetery near Tower Road and County Road 12, and investigated. Her blood alcohol was .13.

2:01 p.m.  Charges of fifth-degree domestic assault and domestic assault strangulation were referred against Colin Alexander Admonius, 23, Ballwin, Mo., after deputies responded to reports of a roadside domestic assault on County Road 15 near Hwy. 61.

6:22 p.m.  Charges of fourth-degree drunken driving were referred against Brent Donald Hill, 42, La Crescent, after being stopped for crossing the fog and center lines on Hwy. 61 near Huff Street. His blood alcohol was .12.

12:42 p.m.  Charges of fifth-degree domestic assault-harm were referred against April Elaine Heater, 43, Minnesota City, after she allegedly punched a juvenile in Minnesota City.

Sunday

5:39 p.m.  Charges of fifth-degree assault were referred against Tammi Jean Reed, 31, Stockton, after police responded to a call to remove an unwanted person from a residence, where Reed had allegedly hit a male subject in the back of the head.
The Page Series at Saint Marys University of Minnesota will present Mixed Precipitations picnic operetta, Philemon and Baucis: Planet in Peril, in Winonas Unity Park.

The performance is at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, at the park, 860 Parks Ave., Winona.

Members of the creative team for the performance will give an artist talk at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14 at the Page Theatre, 700 Terrace Heights. This free talk will introduce audiences to the production, how the creative team develops the show, and the art forms they employ.

The family-friendly production explores fear, displacement and hospitality to strangers from another world in addition to conservation and environmental protection. It features music of Haydn, including one of the composers rarely performed works, the marionette opera, Philemon and Baucis. Re-imagined as a romantic, space-aged adventure, Haydns music is interspersed with songs by the glam rock band Queen to create a hybrid theatrical performance.

With live musical accompaniment and a cast including veterans of Houston Grand Opera, Minnesota Opera, and the Rose Ensemble, Mixed Precipitations 70-minute production offers a taste of classical music and opera while also letting loose with the ballads of Freddy Mercury and Queen.

During the performance, audiences will be treated with food from chef Nick Schneider, who will work with Dream Acres farm. Audience members are welcome to bring their own picnics as well.

The Picnic Operetta is a nine-year tradition celebrating the harvest with a unique blend of music, horticulture, food and storytelling.

This event is the first of the 2017-2018 Page Series and is free and open for audience members of all ages.

Interested attendees can RSVP at Facebook.com/PageTheatre or at pagetheatre.org. Additional information about the production, cast and creative team is available at pagetheatre.org.
No fatalities resulted from a three-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon outside Baraboo.

One of the drivers involved is a Wisconsin Dells woman who faces charges related to a Baraboo murder case.

At about 3:50 p.m., the Sauk County Sheriffs Office was notified of a three-vehicle collision on Highway A near North Reedsburg Road in the town of Fairfield.

Investigation revealed that a 2007 Mazda CX-7, operated by a 17-year-old female from rural Baraboo, was stopped in the northbound lane of Highway A waiting to turn left into a private driveway. A 2005 Nissan Altima operated by Amanda N. Rotar, 25, of Wisconsin Dells was traveling northbound. Rotars vehicle collided with the rear of the stopped Mazda. The impact caused the Mazda to enter the southbound lane, where it struck a 2000 Jeep Wrangler operated by Brian J. Holloway, 53, of rural Baraboo. The Jeep overturned after the collision with the Mazda.

The Jeeps occupants were transported by ambulance to SSM Health St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo. Rotar was transported by ambulance to St. Clare and later taken by Med Flight helicopter ambulance to University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. None of the injuries appear to be life-threatening. The occupants of the Mazda and Jeep were wearing seat belts. Rotar was not.

She faces charges of homicide, battery, harboring/aiding a felon and possession of drug paraphernalia in a 2015 murder. Jae Robinson has been convicted of killing a man in a street fight, and others face charges related to the incident. Rotar stands accused of serving as a getaway driver.

Rotar also faces charges of narcotics possession and bail jumping after a family member turned her in back in February. She was free on bail at the time.

Saturdays crash attracted first responders from the Sheriffs office, the Baraboo Fire Department, Baraboo District Ambulance Service and Dells-Delton Ambulance Service. Mikes Towing and Bills Towing also assisted at the scene.

The crash remains under investigation.
Weve learned a lot about Donald Trump in the last seven months. Hes inept. Think repeal of Obamacare. Hes ignorant. Think withdrawal from Paris Accords. Hes clueless. Think sending 4,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Hes petty. Think firing James Comey.

But this week we learned something new about Donald Trump. Hes also cruel and cold-hearted. Think Dreamers. Outside the warped mind of openly racist Attorney General Jeff Sessions, theres no justification for Trumps decision to terminate the Dreamers program, or DACA, launched by President Obama five years ago.

Sessions, who led the opposition to the Dream Act in the Senate for 16 years, convinced Trump that DACA offered blanket amnesty and citizenship to people whod broken the law  and that we had no choice but to throw those criminals out of the country. Hes dead wrong.

Citizenship was never part of the deal. All DACA did was allow young people, whose parents brought them to this country illegally when there were younger than 16, to apply for a work permit  which had to be renewed every two years. Meanwhile, under DACA, they could at least live, work, study, get a drivers license or go to a clinic without the constant fear of deportation. Out of an estimated 1.2 million young people here illegally, some 800,000 have enrolled as Dreamers.

Who are they? They are college and graduate students. Theyre doctors, nurses, construction workers, high-tech engineers and teachers. They pay taxes. Ninety percent of them have jobs. Many serve in the military. One of them, Alonso Guillen, drowned while volunteering to rescue victims of Hurricane Harvey.

Who are they? They are the best of America. They are the future of America. They are Americans in every respect but one: a piece of paper. They speak English. This is the only country they know. And, most importantly, theyre not law-breakers. They didnt decide to come here illegally. Maybe their parents did, but the Dreamers have committed no crime.

Who are we? Thats the real question. Are we really a people who punish children for the sins of their parents? That violates every principle of American jurisprudence, not to mention the tenets of every major religion. Are we really dumb enough to deport 800,000 of our brightest, hardest-working, and most highly motivated young people? Even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says, from a purely business perspective, that is insane.

Trumps decision to terminate DACA is offensive not only for what he did, but for how he did it: wrapping the meanest of actions in the most pious of motives.

First, Trump argued he was forced to terminate the Dreamers program because 10 states were filing a lawsuit against it. So what? The answer to that is not I surrender, its See you in court! Now, instead of 10 states suing to oppose DACA, 15 states and the District of Columbia have sued to defend DACA. So whats the point?

Second, according to the White House, Trump had to end DACA because he promised to do so, which is absurd. Last time I checked, theres nothing in the Constitution requiring a president to fulfill every stupid promise made during a campaign. Besides, while Trump promised to end DACA, he also promised that Dreamers had nothing to worry about because he was only going after those whod committed crimes. Which promise did he break?

Third, Trump insists hes not really ending the program, hes just asking Congress to make it official. Please. After Congress has wrestled unsuccessfully with the Dreamers Act for 16 years  they couldnt even pass it when Democrats controlled both houses of Congress  the idea theyll fix it in the next six months is ridiculous.

Fourth, Trump says his hands are tied. Dreamers may be fine young people, he says, but we have to enforce the law, which, again, is absurd. Remember, these kids themselves did not break any law. And Trump cant talk about the rule of law after he just pardoned Joe Arpaio.

Finally, and most galling of all, Donald Trump cant stop talking about how big-hearted he is, what compassion he has, and how much he loves the Dreamers. Liar, liar, pants on fire. Yeah, he loves them so much he wants to deport all 800,000 of them.

Trump didnt even make the Dreamers announcement himself. He delegated it to Sessions. Donald Trump is not only cruel and cold-hearted, hes also a coward.
One hundred Nebraska Army National Guard soldiers and four UH-72 Lakota helicopters will be deployed to Florida for Hurricane Irma relief.

Just as we did in Texas, members of the Nebraska National Guard stand ready and able to do what we have always done, support our fellow Americans during times of natural disaster," Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, Nebraska adjutant general, said in a release Sunday.

The Category 4 storm touched ground Sunday morning in the Florida Keys after devastating several Caribbean islands. By evening, the eye was passing over Naples in southwest Florida.

Floridians will also receive relief efforts from Nebraska Task Force 1, who arrived in northern Florida Saturday after a 22-hour drive.

The 80-person team pulled into Eglin Air Force Base, near Pensacola, around 4 p.m. Saturday, where they await

The team doesn't know exactly where or when they will begin rescue work, Task Force leader Dave Kluthe said Sunday.

Recently deployed to assist in west Texas after Hurricane Harvey, the team is in good spirits, Kluthe said.

"We're getting ready to go to work."
As our chaotic president threatens to break a trade deal with South Korea, our governor is wisely taking a different approach.

Gov. Scott Walker left Saturday with a delegation of business leaders on an eight-day trade mission to South Korea and Japan to help Wisconsin farmers, manufacturers, technology companies and service providers sell more of their products overseas. The Republican governor also hopes to attract more foreign investment here.

Wisconsins annual exports to South Korea have grown 33 percent since 2010 to $477 million. And a big beneficiary of that increase has been our states dairy industry.

South Koreans bought $170 million worth of American-made cheese last year and is the fourth-largest market for U.S. dairy exports, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. Wisconsin sells more cheese to foreign markets than any other state.

President Donald Trump recently instructed his staff to prepare to withdraw from the 2012 free trade agreement with South Korea. Trump laments an overall trade deficit with the Asian country, as if the exchange of products is a zero-sum game. In reality, both countries benefit from selling more of what they do best, while importing more of the things they need at lower prices.

A recent government report suggests the U.S. trade deficit with South Korea would be even larger without the trade agreement that eased tariffs.

The United States enjoys a trade surplus with South Korea when it comes to food, electrical equipment and industrial machines, among other categories of products. The trade deficit with South Korea has a lot to do with Hyundai selling cars and parts here. But even that creates jobs in America.

President Trump has called the Korean trade deal a horrible pact that has destroyed America. In reality, the agreement has given Wisconsin farmers and many other industries greater access to some 50 million potential South Korean customers who are eager to buy more cheese and other specialty products.

Jim Holte, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, said Thursday his members are very concerned about uncertainty in Washington over the South Korean trade agreement. Among the business leaders traveling with Gov. Walker to South Korea in the coming week are a grain elevator operator from Eau Claire and an artisan cheesemaker from Green Bay, according to the governors office.

If these markets are weakened or eliminated, were going to suffer on the price we receive very quickly, Holte said.

Its bad enough the president is targeting many of the immigrants who make Wisconsins farming communities run. Now Trump is risking Wisconsin exports.

Gov. Walker and others who seem to have the presidents ear at times should try to steer him in a better direction for our economy.
A new website is encouraging people to connect with those around them and to volunteer for many of the activities and events that make the area great.

Volunteerdodge.net launches today, and promises to connect good people with good causes throughout the area.

Trinity Church United Methodist is financing the online effort, with support from the United Way of Dodge County. Linda Chipman is leading the charge, assisted by United Way past president Mary Kuntz.

Volunteer Dodge started because Trinity Church was assessing how we can better meet the needs in our community, Chipman said. As Christians, its our mission to serve and care for people. We started meeting with community leaders, business owners and non-profits to determine where the gaps are. All our nonprofits are already doing great things, but they all have a pressing need for volunteers. We decided the best thing we could do is to walk alongside them as they serve the community in a number of essential ways.

It was a natural choice to form an alliance with the United Way of Dodge County, with the help of Kuntz and United Way executive director Susan Jentz.

They agreed that facilitating volunteerism is the best way to go, Chipman said. They were already looking at ways to make those connections.

Chipman pursued a platform created by Galaxy Digital of North Carolina.

Many United Ways across the nation are already using this portal to do that, Chipman said. When I brought this to the church, they were completely on board with it.

Opportunities are almost endless.

When were talking about nonprofits, they often need board members, Chipman said. They often need people who can shred papers, stock shelves, move furniture.  There are some people who need court-ordered volunteerism. It could be anything from working two hours pulling weeds to coming every Wednesday to sweep floors or whatever it might be.

You also have the opportunity to create large events. Some large corporations want to hold company-wide volunteer days. This will allow us to interact with some of those large companies to offer those opportunities.

Volunteers may connect with organizations, but not individuals. As an example, someone who might need help with lawn mowing cannot seek help from an individual. Such requests may be addressed, however, through an organization.

Certainly an agency could say, I have people who need their lawns mowed, Chipman said. It could be done that way and that agency could post that need.

Agencies have the opportunity to do background checks if desired. In a situation where confidentiality and safety are important, volunteers may be screened for the protection of the organizations clients.

Volunteer talents are matched with agency needs.

When a person fills out a volunteer profile, it asks them what interests they have and what skills they have, Chipman said. The agencies list their needs as well, and the program matches needs and interests, saying this need matches your skill set. It will help funnel certain opportunities to certain people. It has an intuitive matching system built right into it.

Opportunities list details like handicapped access, whether a place is family-friendly, age limitations, whether it is indoors or outdoors and other pertinent details.

Theres a lot of information that makes it personalized to each users experience, Chipman said.

The site keeps track of volunteer hours  not just for the volunteers sake, but for the service agencies as well.

Access is not limited by an individuals computer literacy, or lack thereof.

While most people are connected online ,we can accommodate those who maybe dont have a computer or an iPhone, Chipman said. We can teach them how to connect or help them to do it.

In some cases, we can have people doing the signups for them, Kuntz said, and were partnering with the organizations to make those connections as well.

The website can be managed remotely, so Chipman can utilize it from wherever she is, whether she is at work at Chippys Popcorn Creations, or while she is visiting The Watermark community center.

The ultimate goal is a benefit for all.

If our kids and our families start to engage in our communities, were going to create better communities, Chipman said. Even though we have more technology today, its still easy to be isolated. Promoting volunteerism is cross-cultural. Its cross-faith. Its about caring for people, and once people get engaged and see the benefits they will feel that sense of reward. It will also lighten the load for the agencies that do so much good. That helps everybody.

With this website, volunteers always know where to look, Kuntz said. They may have wanted to do something but never before knew what the opportunities are. This will bring those people and those opportunities together.

Its really about supporting our area nonprofits. So many of them are strapped for staff, want to have an event and then have to work so hard to get the volunteers. Its a perpetual cycle. We saw this as a way to come alongside them and help them do the terrific things they do.
COLUMBUS  People were evacuated from Badger Motor Car Company Saturday night due to a fire in the basement that caused minor damage.

Columbus Fire Department Lt. Jerrod Fox said in a phone interview that the department received a call at 10:50 p.m. When crews arrived at 336 N. Spring St., heavy smoke was visible. The fire started in the basement and it was later determined that the source of the fire was a wood-burning stove.

The fire department was able to contain the fire to one room. There was minor damage to the building.

There were no injuries and the department cleared the scene at 1:15 a.m. Sunday.

Fox said that the fire is not suspicious and its not under investigation.

Badger Motor Car Company posted to Facebook thanking the Columbus Fire Department and those who helped before the fire department arrived. The company said there is a lot of smoke damage to clean up.

The Columbus Fire Department was assisted by the Columbus Police Department and Lifestar EMS.
In its eighth year, the Nation of Patriots Tour roared through downtown Beaver Dam and out to the Dodge County Fairgrounds with $160,000 in the bank.

Its taken on a life of its own, Nation of Patriots Executive Director Bill Sherer said after closing the event.

The event hopes to raise more than $200,000 by the end of the year. Last year, it raised around $180,000. Sherer said that he expects to exceed $190,000 by next week.

Nation of Patriots is a volunteer-driven organization that raises funds to support wounded military veterans and their families. Its primary fundraising mechanism is the 110-day Patriot Tour, during which one American flag travels city to city through all 48 continental states on the back of a motorcycle. More than 150,000 riders participate annually and funds are raised at event stops and by volunteers in each state.

At the top of the celebration on Saturday, four young Junior Patriots lead a Junior Nation of Patriots Tour. The children ages 5-12 pedaled their bikes in front of the homecoming crowd and Logan Arnold, 8, took home the top prize for best-decorated bike. He won a new bicycle.

Beaver Dam Mayor Becky Glewen took part in the celebration and told the crowd that she was humbled and moved by the gathering.

I find peace in knowing that you care, she said.

The event began in May and ended this past weekend with a parade of more than 450 riders driving down Front Street and out to the Dodge County Fairgrounds for a homecoming celebration.

This years parade included 57 flags carried by volunteer flag bearers, representing all 50 states and the five branches of service, as well as a POW flag and the Nation of Patriots flag.

GALLERY: Nation of Patriots Tour 2017 Here they come Flags at Tour Junior Tour leader Brooklynn Barchardt leads the Junior Nation of Patriots Tour at the Dodge County Fairgrounds, Sept. 9, 2017. Watching the Tour Leah, Drew, Phyllis and Greg Tratar watching the Nation of Patriots Tour drive through downtown Beaver Dam, Sept. 9, 2017. Glewen at Patriots Tour Beaver Dam Mayor Becky Glewen searching for the right words during a speech at The Nation of Patiots Tour end, Sept. 9, 2017. Junior Tour Dominic Barchardt riding his bike through the Junior Nation of Patriots Tour in the Dodge County Fairgrounds, Sept. 9, 2017. Getting ready to ride Logan Arnold sitting on his bike before the Junior Nation of Patriots Tour ride at the Dodge County Fairgrounds, Sept. 9, 2017. Junior Winner At the top of the celebration, four young Junior Patriots lead a Junior Nation of Patriots Tour. The children ages 5-12 peddled their bikes in Leaving downtown Retiring the flag Flag Baby on board Tour Bike More to come Waving Nation of Patriots Bikes
Beaver Dam Common Council President Don Neuert died Saturday night.

Neuert served as the Ward 10 alderman for 11 years. He was previously the chairman of the Administrative Committee and was elected council president in April. In addition, he served as IT Strategy Committee (ad hoc) and health liaison in Beaver Dam.

He was such a great representative for the citizens of Beaver Dam and a very positive, supportive influence for myself, council and city staff, Mayor Becky Glewen said in a statement Monday announcing Neuerts passing.

Neuert was also a program manager with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services in Madison. In March, he completed a master of arts degree in security studies at the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security. He was the recipient of the Zimbardo Award, which is given to the member of each graduating cohort who best embodies Dr. Philip Zimbardos example of combined scientific and applied excellence.

I will miss his valuable insight and especially his friendship, Glewen said. My thoughts and prayers are with Dons wife Kelly, daughter Hannah, and family and friends at this difficult time.

Administrative Committee Chairperson Lisa Davidson said news of Neuerts death was shocking and devastating.

He was a wonderful friend, father, colleague, and this is a significant loss to the people of Beaver Dam, she said.

Davidson said Neuert aspired to be council president for some time and was devoted to improving the health of Beaver Dam.

Don was very passionate about improving the health of our community, she said in a statement. He was very excited to see the dog park come to fruition, as well as the progress being made through the Blue Zones initiative. He was also a diehard fan of the Seattle Seahawks and always loved to talk football. Don was also someone who supported the community and took time to be visible at events throughout the year.

Operations Committee Chairman Robert Ballweg said in an email that he is shocked, saddened and speechless.

Don was one of the alderpersons that I and other alderpersons could rely on for insightful discussions and to bounce ideas off, he said. I am proud to have served with Don as a colleague, but mostly as a friend. We will miss his leadership.

Library Board Director Sue Mevis wrote in an email that Neuert was supportive of the Beaver Dam Community Library and she appreciated his help with health issues and his thoughts at library meetings.

He was always willing and ready to help us out in this area, Mevis said.

A memorial gathering will be held at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church in Beaver Dam Friday from 4 p.m. until the time of the Mass of Christian Burial at 6 p.m.
At the De Buhr family farm in Grant County, the workers have been getting harder to find.

Cory De Buhr, 48, returned from college in 1994 to take over his family's 240 acres, but his son left to work at a factory in Platteville and plans to go back to school to study diesel mechanics, and his high school-age daughter wants to work in health care.

To milk his 70 cows he's employed a few part- and full-time workers over the years. But hiring has become more challenging  there has been some decline in available immigrant labor and young workers too often spend time fixated on their phones, De Buhr said.

"(Young workers) want more money and that doesn't help either," De Buhr said. In the past few years he raised hourly wages from $8 to $10 an hour, but workers are asking for as much as $14 an hour now, a sign of the tight labor market and the economic reality of how difficult it is to live on less.

So in April, De Buhr cut out the need for two workers entirely by paying $200,000 for a robotic milker produced by GEA Farm Technologies, a German company with a North American headquarters in Naperville, Illinois.

Whereas previously workers would bring the cows into a stall and attach the mechanical milking device, the cows now amble into a feeding trough, where an automatic sensor locates the cow and a robotic arm attaches the mechanical milkers to the udders.

"It's milking 24/7 and I don't have to worry about somebody not showing up," De Buhr said. "You can mess a herd of cows up in a big hurry if they're not milked in a timely manner."

GEA regional equipment sales representative Rudy Sennhenn said the robotic milkers have been around almost two decades, but for the first time this year the company has sold more robotic milking systems than conventional systems.

The top reason particularly large farm operations cite for wanting the robotic milkers is the difficulty finding workers.

"It's getting very competitive out there," Sennhenn said. "It means he either pays up now (to automate) or he's going to lose a good employee to another farmer or he's going to end up paying (the worker) more."

The loss of low-skilled, manual jobs to automation is a well-worn tale, especially in a state like Wisconsin with its concentration of agriculture and manufacturing.

Wisconsin has 2.5 robots per thousand workers, the 10th highest concentration among the 50 states, according to an analysis of Moody's Analytics data by the Brookings Institution. Between 2010 and 2015, the number of industrial robots grew 124 percent in Wisconsin, only 36th highest in the country.

Demand for robots is expected to accelerate as a result of the state's growing worker shortage.

"Artificial intelligence and automation is going to have a lot of impact on the workforce," said Steve Jahn, executive director of Momentum West, an economic development group in northwestern Wisconsin. "There is forced automation because of forced challenges with workforce."

The implications extend from farming and manufacturing to fast food servers being replaced by kiosks, or taxi drivers and truck drivers being replaced by self-driving vehicles.

Loan officers, financial advisers, retail clerks and workers in dozens of professions face likely replacement due to automation, according to a 2013 Oxford University study.

Fewer new jobs

When companies eliminate manual labor jobs through automation, they also create new jobs for robot designers, technicians and programmers, though not as many as the jobs that were lost. One recent study by Forrester Research, a Massachusetts company that conducts research on technology in the workplace, projected automation will eliminate 25 million jobs over the next decade, while creating only 15 million new ones.

And while those new jobs may pay better than the jobs being eliminated by robots, they also require more education and training. So on one hand they solve the need for more people, but exacerbate the need for skilled workers.

Productivity improves

Don Wickstrum, CEO of Monroe-based robotics company Quest Industrial, said the 15 million new robotics jobs don't account for the additional jobs that companies are able to create because automation improves their productivity, allowing them to hire more front office workers.

Wickstrum's own 14-year-old company, which designs and builds robots for use in food manufacturing, is thriving as the demand for automation grows. He said he is expecting 100 percent to 150 percent growth in each of the next five years. Companies that once turned him down because a seven-year return on investment was too long are now becoming customers.

"We haven't put in a robot in the last four years where it hasn't been because the customer can't find employees," Wickstrum said. "(Customers) said, 'Don, we're coming back because we either pay for you or we can't make product. We can't find people to do these jobs.'"

Rob Radwin, a professor of industrial and systems engineering at UW-Madison who studies how robots can help relieve physical stress in the workplace, sees a future in which machines will increasingly be employed to handle highly repetitive tasks, while humans will be employed in fields that require complex judgments, adaptation to unexpected events and interactions with other humans.

The Oxford University study found such jobs as lawyers, journalists and teachers to be least likely to be replaced by automation.

Machines don't always reduce the need for human workers, Radwin emphasized.

He noted that when banks introduced ATMs, they created more branch locations with shorter lines for service and workers able to sell other financial products.
Four Portage High School graduates will attend Madison Area Technical College this fall thanks to Scholars of Promise.

The college reported last week that Portage students were among 200 who will participate in the new program, which provides tuition assistance and extensive mentorship. Scholars of Promise is run entirely through donations from MATC employees and area businesses, local campus leaders explained when the program launched in early 2017.

The money that Scholars students would have otherwise needed to pay to attend Madison College, after qualifying for financial aid, averages $1,500 and is sometimes as high as $2,000. Scholars of Promise was created to fill that gap, aiming to ensure that college education is realistic for the students who desire to attend college but cant afford it.

Javier Neira, who manages the program, said 48 percent of Portage High School juniors and seniors would qualify for Scholars of Promise as long as they graduate high school, achieve at least a 2.25 GPA and reside in the Madison College District. Other stipulations depend on a students qualifications for financial aid, which Madison College leaders are eager to help prospective students figure out.

Seventy-five percent of our students (in Scholars of Promise) are first-generation college students, Niera said. So that tells us there is no other family member who went through this experience. That means the guidance Scholars offers is central to the program, Niera added.

In the first year of the program, leaders see how important the guidance has been to students, particularly in their filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms.

It was very eye-opening for us to see how complicated it can get, Niera said. Without our guidance, a lot of students would be very lost through (the process). It can be very overwhelming; so were here for them.

Though its too late for prospective college students to enroll in the program for this fall, leaders expect to open up the recruiting process later this month for students interested in attending college in the spring. Madison College leaders later this month will ramp up their recruitment efforts to include high school juniors in addition to seniors, and in January they will even reach out to high school sophomores.

Dual-credit courses are the big focus for underclassmen. We want to make sure (underclassmen) are taking advantage of the pre-college program were offering, Niera said. It will be cheaper for them because of our contract with high schools, and we want to make sure they take advantage of this opportunity.

We want to get the ball rolling.

Down the road, Madison College leaders want recruitment to reach students as young as freshmen or those in middle school, since the main intent is for students to start thinking or preparing for college as soon as possible.

Our purpose is to make sure they feel like college students, Niera said of Madison Colleges recruitment efforts. We provide them with all the resources.

Even if the recruited students dont qualify for Scholars funding later on, that wont matter much because they will have had the benefits (of college) from their sophomore to senior years in dual-credit programming.

Even if students dont think theyd qualify (for funding), were encouraging them to apply anyway, Niera said. We will try to provide for them (in other ways). Its not only about the funding, but the college experience.

Madison College in Portage will likely host its next open house toward the end of October for students interested in the program. Scholars of Promise can be used for any MATC campus.

Those interested in learning more about Scholars should call Niera at 608-246-6036, email jneira@madisoncollege.edu or visit madisoncollege.edu. Prospective students may also stop in at the local campus located at 330 W Collins St, Portage.
Nebraska agriculture and business leaders began a trade mission Monday in Tokyo, led by Gov. Pete Ricketts and other Nebraska agency officials.

It's the second such mission in two years to expand trade and investment opportunities for Nebraskans in Japan, Ricketts said in a news release.

The group, including Economic Development Director Courtney Dentlinger and Assistant Director of Agriculture Mat Habrock, participated Monday in the U.S. Midwest-Japan Association Conference, along with representatives of other Midwestern states.

The U.S. Midwest-Japan Association Conference is an outstanding opportunity for Nebraska to thank our No. 1 direct foreign investor, and for our ag and business leaders to build relationships that grow bilateral trade, Ricketts said.

Nebraskans who understand Japans markets and resources are in a unique position to increase business relationships with the states No. 1 trading partner outside of North America, he said.

The connections fostered here are invaluable, and we look forward to hosting the associations 50th anniversary in Omaha next year, he said.

Ricketts is highlighting Nebraskas long-standing relationship with a number of foreign companies. Omaha-based Tenaska employs nearly 300 Nebraskans and specializes in power plant, electric, and natural gas development. The company has built partnerships with several Japanese firms, including J-Power, Mitsubishi and Itochu.

Development of Tenaskas relationships resulted in plans for a $500 million natural gas-generating company in Pennsylvania, made possible through investments from both countries, Dentlinger said.

Later in the week, Ricketts will visit Japans independent government agency established to consolidate the countrys efforts in export promotion. The Japan Export Trade Research Organization supports efforts by foreign companies interested in entry and expansion in the Japanese market.

Dentlinger and Habrock will address Tokyo-area businesses to highlight Nebraska as an attractive, business-friendly location for continued foreign investment. Total agricultural and manufactured exports from Nebraska to Japan equaled an estimated $1.13 billion in 2015.

Thursday, Ricketts and the trade delegation will visit Shizuoka, a sister city of Omaha, to promote additional investment opportunities.

They will spend the last two days of their trip in the Kansai region, hosting events and meetings in Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto. Kawasaki and several other Japanese companies with investments and operations in Nebraska are based in the Kansai region.

You can follow the mission on Twitter and Facebook using #NETradeMission.
OMAHA  The case against a former Omaha police officer charged with felony assault for using a stun gun on a mentally ill man who died is moving forward.

Douglas County Judge Marcena Hendrix ruled Monday that prosecutors have enough evidence to pursue the case against Scotty Payne.

Defense attorney Steve Lefler plans to challenge the judge's decision, and he hopes Payne will eventually be cleared.

"There's no evidence here of any intent by Mr. Payne to do anything but his job," Lefler said.

Mandee Kampbell, who trains Omaha officers on stun gun use, testified that Payne's 12 uses of a stun gun for 68 seconds total during the June 5 confrontation violated department policies and endangered Zachery Bearheels' life.

"None of the deployments appear reasonable or justified," Kampbell said.

The department's rules limit stun gun use to no more than one 15-second use or three 5-second uses. Kampbell said that using a stun gun for more than that creates health risks.

Police video shows Payne using a stun gun to shock the 29-year-old Bearheels at a convenience store. Officer Ryan McClarty is seen punching Bearheels. Some of the blows came after Bearheels was on the ground and not resisting.

Prosecutors say McClarty has been ticketed for misdemeanor assault.

Police have said Bearheels fought officers, but prosecutors said he didn't commit any crime. He died later at a hospital.

"In this case, there was no arrest or attempt to arrest. Therefore, no use of force was authorized," Deputy Douglas County Attorney Jim Masteller said at Monday's hearing.

Bearheels' mother has told police and media in Omaha that her son was bipolar and schizophrenic. Relatives believe he had stopped taking his medication.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer has recommended firing two other officers who were involved in the confrontation with Bearheels. That recommendation is being reviewed by the city's personnel department.

Bearheels, a Native American from Oklahoma, was lost in Omaha after being kicked off an interstate bus going from South Dakota to his home state, according to his family. Police were responding to a report of a man who was causing a disturbance and refusing to leave when they encountered Bearheels.




China News on Women





Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page
OMAHA  An Omaha man who police say was drunk when he caused a crash this month that killed his passenger has been charged with two felonies.
Russia, Thailand cooperate in cyclotron complex

11 September 2017

Share

Rosatom and Kinetics Corporation are to supply a cyclotron complex with radiochemical laboratories to the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT). Their cooperation follows the award of a turnkey contract to Kinetics, a Thai engineering and scientific equipment supplier, via a tender held by TINT. Rusatom Healthcare, a subsidiary of the Russian state nuclear corporation, will act as the technology provider.

Rosatom said on 7 September the core of the complex will be a MCC-30/15 cyclotron of 30 MeV proton energy. It will also be used to produce isotopes for PET and SPECT diagnostics. These isotopes help determine the stage of oncological, cardiac, and neurological diseases accurately, Rosatom said. In many cases this may be almost the only way to prescribe appropriate treatment, it added.

The facility will be located at Ongkharak Nuclear Research Centre in Nakhon Nayok. With an area of more than 5400 cubic metres, the new complex will accommodate a cyclotron and several laboratories for the production of radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear medicine and other purposes, as well as serve as a platform for R&D activities.

All the isotopes for SPECT - single-photon emission computed tomography - in Thailand are imported, with some PET - positron-emission tomography - isotopes produced in hospitals locally in amounts that cannot meet demand, Rosatom said. The new cyclotron supplied will therefore enable Thailand to produce its own isotopes and will also drive R&D in nuclear medicine, as well as in the application of nuclear technologies in different areas of industry, it added.

Alexander Merten, president of Rusatom International Network, said the project will help to save lives and to boost innovation in Thailand. Rosatom has "decades of experience" in designing and manufacturing nuclear healthcare and R&D solutions, he said, and there are 14 radionuclide production facilities operating in Russia. Rusatom International Network manages Rosatom's offices overseas.

Dr Pornthep Nisamaneepong, TINT executive director, said the cyclotron facility will provide ion beams for medical radioisotope production, industrial use and multidisciplinary research.

"It will not only improve quality of life of Thai people through the availability of radiopharmaceuticals, but also increase economic competitiveness of Thailand through the applications and development in ion beam technology," he said.

"The objectives of the project are the provision of accelerator-based medical radioisotopes, provision of ion beam research facility for physics, biology, material science, as well as provision of irradiation services for electronic, automobile and telecommunications industries. The facility will also serve a platform for HR development in accelerator physics and ion beam applications.

"Our plans comply with the national strategy Thailand 4.0, since the development of nuclear technologies will have positive and social economic impact to our country," he added.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
Kazakhstan, UAE plan closer ties in nuclear fuel cycle

11 September 2017

Share

Kazakh uranium producer KazAtomProm and Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear fuel and power generation. The MOU was signed in Astana on 5 September by Galymzhan Pirmatov, CEO of KazAtomProm and Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of Enec.

Pirmatov and Al Hammadi after signing the MOU (Image: KazAtomProm)



The MOU covers the supply of natural uranium to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its nuclear power plants, as well as the potential for future cooperation in fuel fabrication, the exchange of expertise in nuclear power plant construction and other areas of the nuclear fuel cycle.

Enec is building four Korean-designed AP1400 nuclear units at Barakah in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi. Initial construction activities at Barakah 1 were completed in May and the unit is scheduled to start operations in 2018. Construction of unit 2 began in 2013. When complete, the power station is expected to deliver up to a quarter of the UAE's electricity.

In January, the UAE unveiled plans to increase the contribution of "clean energy" in its total energy mix to 50% by 2050. The UAE's new energy strategy sees half of the country's energy coming from renewables and nuclear, with the remaining half coming from fossil fuels.

Kazakhstan has 12% of the world's uranium resources and an expanding mining sector, producing about 24,575 tU in 2016, but then reducing slightly. In 2009 it became the world's leading uranium producer, with almost 28% of world production, then 33% in 2010, rising to 41% in 2014, and 39% in 2015 and 2016.

Flotation



KazAtomProm unveiled its "transformation" strategy in October 2015, saying it planned to follow the example of other major uranium mining companies and create a trading subsidiary. Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna, is KazAtomProm's sole shareholder.

Reuters reported last week that Samruk-Kazyna is putting plans in place to float KazAtomProm. Dauren Tasmagambetov, head of asset restructuring and privatisation at Samruk Kazyna, reportedly said KazAtomProm had already picked investment banks and legal advisers and was undergoing due diligence checks. The precise size and the location of those flotations have yet to be determined, Tasmagambetov said, as the fund is waiting for input from investment banks. Samruk-Kazyna has said it would sell stakes of no more than 25% in the company.

Established in 2008, the fund manages assets, either in whole or in part, worth $66.7 billion in strategic national companies in various sectors, including KazAtomProm, Air Astana, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy and KazPost.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
Nebraska state troopers arrested two California men after finding thousands of packages of marijuana edibles and other drugs during a traffic stop near Giltner on Friday.

Troopers stopped the 2018 Chevy Yukon after it exited Interstate 80 at the Giltner interchange and ran a stop sign at about 2 p.m., the Nebraska State Patrol said in a news release.

The passenger, David B. Batchelder, 28, gave troopers reason to search the SUV, the patrol said. Inside, troopers found about 4,100 illegal drug items, including the edibles, tetrahydrocannabinol liquid and a small amount of cocaine.

Batchelder and the driver, Johathan E. Rodriguez, 29, were arrested on suspicion of possession of hashish oil, possession of illegal drugs with intent to deliver, possession of less than a pound of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no drug tax stamp. Rodriguez was also accused of possession of a controlled substance.

Both men were lodged in Hamilton County jail.
Vehicle overturns on Bersham Road  no major injuries

This article is old - Published: Monday, Sep 11th, 2017

Emergency services are currently in attendance at road traffic collision at Bersham Road.

North Wales Police and the Welsh Ambulance Service were called to the single vehicle collision at around 10:30am this morning.

The road is currently blocked as a result of the collision, with the vehicle now being recovered.

PC Thomas Hough tweeted the above image of the vehicle, stating that Cheshire and North Wales Police Armed Alliance Policing Unit was assisting at the scene.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Ambulance Service said: We were called at approximately 10.35am this morning to reports a car had overturned on Bersham Road, Wrexham.

A young man was treated at the scene for a non-life-threatening injury before arranging his own transport to hospital.
In possibly the largest and most damaging data breach ever, the credit reporting company Equifax announced on September 7 that the personal information of 143 million US consumersincluding their names, Social Security numbers, addresses and birth dateshad been hacked and stolen from its servers between mid-May and July of this year.

According to a company press release, Equifax executives discovered on July 29 that cybercriminals exploited a U.S. website application vulnerability to gain access to certain files. However, the company did nothing to immediately notify the public. Instead, Equifax engaged a leading, independent cybersecurity firm that has been conducting a comprehensive forensic review for six weeks before reporting the data theft.

In other words, the $18 billion corporation with principal responsibility for storing and protecting the most sensitive personal information of more than half of all US adults had its servers hacked, covered up the breach for two-and-a-half months, and still claims to not know what happened.

In a hastily prepared video statement posted Thursday on YouTube, Equifax CEO Richard F. Smith made the remarkable claim that his firm is focused on consumer protection and has developed a comprehensive portfolio of services to support all U.S. consumers, including one year of free credit reporting and identity fraud protection, a service that normally costs $19.95 per month.

However, Smiths offer has since been exposed as a ruse to get individuals who sign up to accept terms of service that effectively relinquishes their right to seek any future legal action against the corporation. A class-action lawsuit worth as much as $70 billion was announced in Oregon, and the value of Equifax stock fell by nearly 14 percent on Wall Street on Friday.

The extraordinary security incompetence and legal swindling at Equifax has now been combined with a report that a few days after the July 29 discovery of the breach, three company executives sold off $1.8 million of their company shares.

Bloomberg reported on Thursday that Equifax CFO John Gamble; President of US Information Solutions Joseph Loughran; and President of Workforce Solutions Rodolfo Ploder sold stock worth $946,374, $584,099 and $250,458 (13 percent, 9 percent and 4 percent of their holdings), respectively, by August 2. The company has since made the claim that the executives had not been informed of the hack.

Equifax is one of three major US consumer credit reporting agencies (the other two are TransUnion and Experian) that track, evaluate and rate the borrowing and repayment history of individuals in the US and internationally. Financial institutions such as banks, mortgage companies, auto and other consumer lending organizations use the information provided by these agenciessummarized as a FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation) score of between 350 and 800 pointsto make decisions about credit limits, interest, and insurance rates.

The Equifax data theft follows a series of hacking episodes that have impacted sensitive consumer information: 500 million Yahoo accounts, 145 million eBay accounts, and 76 million Chase accounts are among the most notable.

In addition to the primary personal information, Equifax reported that the data breach compromised 209,000 credit card numbers and the drivers license numbers of possibly as many as 182,000 consumers. Other stolen information could also include credit account security questions and answers.

This is not the first security failure at Equifax. According to security expert Brian Krebs, hackers were able to access tax data of employees at companies using Equifaxs payroll service subsidiary TALX last May. According to Krebs, the credit bureaus have shown themselves to be terrible stewards of very sensitive data due to a lack of government oversight and regulation.

As an arm of the investment services industry, the consumer credit reporting agencies exist to serve the interests of the giant banks and the financial oligarchy and view the public as a target of exploitation and source of profit. Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian have been used increasingly since the Great Recession of 2008 as an instrument for intensifying economic inequality and squeezing ever more wealth out of the pockets of the working class and into the coffers of the super-rich.

Identity theft is a serious threat for millions whose information is now circulating and can be used to fraudulently validate their identity and open bank accounts or take out loans in their name. This information can also be used by hackers to change passwords and other settings on existing bank and credit accounts.

The consequences for working people of having their credit data compromised are devastating. For example, with millions of people relying upon credit to make ends meetaverage household balance-carrying credit card debt in the US is $16,000a fraudulent transaction or change in a credit score can lead to a dramatic reduction in living standards or a forced personal bankruptcy.
Hurricane Irma came ashore in southwest Florida Sunday late afternoon, with winds exceeding 120 mph hitting Naples, Ft. Myers and other Gulf Coast communities. A storm surge estimated at 15 feet or more hit Marco Island, an affluent area near Naples.

So powerful was the storm that wind speed instruments in both Naples and Marco Island were destroyed.

As of this writing, high winds have begun to blow in the Tampa metropolitan area, population 3 million, with the hurricane bearing down on the area and expected to hit around 2 a.m. Monday morning. Although the hurricane has been downgraded, authorities expect the Tampa Bay area to be hit with damaging winds from 75-100 mph, along with storm surges in the low-lying area.

Some 7 million people are without electric power throughout the state, according to Florida Power & Light, including nearly ten thousand crammed into a shelter at Germain Arena in Estero, near Naples, where there were long lines to gain admission on Saturday.

More than 100,000 people are in shelters across the state, and in the Tampa metropolitan area shelters were totally full and closed to late arrivals. The Tampa-St. Petersburg area has not been struck directly by a hurricane in nearly a century.

Heavy flooding was reported in the Florida Keys, where the storm first made landfall on the US mainland early Sunday morning, and along the Atlantic Coast, including Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.

While Miami and cities further north along the Atlantic were spared a direct hit by the center of the storm, Irma is so extensive that it spread across the entire peninsula, producing storm surges from the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Gulf of Mexico.

High winds collapsed at least two tower cranes on constructions sites in downtown Miami, although no one was reported injured in either incident. A tornado was reported near the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale International Airport.

In response to a request from Florida Governor Rick Scott, the White House declared the entire state a disaster area. This was a legal formality, enabling the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin releasing funds and emergency supplies.

The full dimensions of the disaster will not be known until the brunt of the hurricane has been felt in Tampa-St. Petersburg, as well as the impact on rain, wind and storm surge throughout the state.

One of the key areas of concern is Lake Okeechobee, which supplies water to both the Everglades and much of Floridas agricultural region. Communities on the edge of the lake are protected by the Herbert Hoover Dike, named after the president under whose administration it was first proposed. The more than 80-year-old earthen structure faces assault from both sides: wind storms on the outer perimeter and rain-fed rising waters on the inner.

The US Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains the Hoover Dike as it did the levees around New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina, conducted a controlled release of water from Lake Okeechobee on Saturday, claiming it had lowered the lake level sufficiently to ensure against flooding. Governor Scott nonetheless ordered the evacuation of seven towns near the lake as a precautionary measure.

While much of the media coverage has been limited to the daily tracking of the storm, virtually nothing has been said about the lack of any serious government measures to protect the population or the deep social divide which has been revealed by the storm.

The Guardian noted that there were two Irmas, two experiences of the hurricane: one for the wealthy, for whom it was a mere inconvenience, and one for the poor living in neighborhoods like Miamis Liberty City, deprived of the means either to escape the storm or to make even minimal preparations to ride it out.

In Miami, police have invoked a reactionary law known as the Baker Act, allowing them to detain anyone believed to pose a danger to themselves or others and send them to a mental institution for evaluation, where they can be held for 72 hours against their will. This was being used to round up any of Miamis more than a thousand homeless people who refused or were unable to go to shelters.

Denise, a resident of Tampa, spoke to the World Socialist Web Site as the storm approached her home and her power was flickering on and off. Theyve built so much here but none of it has been thought throughits backwards. Youll see multi-million-dollar houses along the water in places like Bayshore. Then a short distance away youll find homeless people essentially camping in swampy areas, back behind nice subdivisions, where the city cant build anything.

There used to be public housing but its all been replaced with condos and stuff that is not affordable. There are no programs to help people, whether youre working or not working. Tampa has seen an influx of the homeless from Orlando because the tourist industry doesnt want them there. But Tampa doesnt want them eitherthey want yachts, stadiums and luxury houses. There was a story last year about the Tampa police putting a homeless mother with three small children back on the bus and shipping her back to Orlando.

Like in Houston and New Orleans before it, the hurricane in Florida will hit the working-class and poor residents the hardest. The economic impact of the storm will be especially devastating to the more than 50 percent of Florida homeowners who lack flood insurance. There is an estimated $1.73 trillion in real estate in the path of Hurricane Irma, and even the restricted number of insured will file enough claims to wipe out the reserves of the National Flood Insurance Program, already $25 billion in debt. Thirty percent of all federal flood insurance policy holders live in Florida, the agency said.

More than half of the homeowners in Hurricane Irmas direct path lack flood insurance, according to a recent study by the Associated Press, highlighting a growing political crisis for lawmakers that is years in the making.

The combined economic impact of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma could produce a significant downturn in the US economy. Harveys cost, estimated at $180 billion or more, amounts to one percent of US GDP. Irmas cost is expected to be even greater.
How do they come up with this stuff?

According to press reports, the Trump administration is considering withdrawing from the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, which was implemented in 2012 and lowered most tariffs between the two countries. Now South Korea and the United States are caught up in the most serious military threat from North Korea since the Korean War.

The last thing we ought to do is sow conflict and distrust between the two allies. Yet, this is what Trump has done.

Not surprisingly, there's been plenty of pushback. The South Koreans were clearly angered, and so were many Americans.

"Trump's Korean Trade Folly" was the headline on a Wall Street Journal editorial. In a press release, the Republican chairmen and Democratic ranking members of Congress' two trade committees  the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee  warned against abandoning the pact: "North Korea's latest nuclear test underscores yet again the vital importance of the strong alliance between the United States and South Korea. ... We must not withdraw from the agreement."

An advisory group  consisting of business, labor and nonprofit members  echoed the message: "We must not allow bilateral disputes to signal any friction or weakness in our mutual support."

The Trump administration complains that South Korea doesn't buy enough U.S. exports, adding to America's chronic trade deficits. In 2016, the United States had a $27.7 billion trade deficit in goods (cars, computer chips, cellphones) with South Korea. However, this figure is misleading, as economist Jeffrey Schott of the Peterson Institute, a think tank, points out. He notes that the United States runs about a $10 billion surplus in services (transportation, tourism and legal services), reducing the overall trade deficit with South Korea to $17.6 billion in 2016.

Moreover, as Schott also notes, the deficit with South Korea is a tiny part of the overall U.S. trade deficit, even if only "goods" are counted. In 2016, that deficit was $737 billion; South Korea's share ($27.7 billion) was less than 4 percent. The shares of China, the European Union and Japan were much larger. These numbers suggest that Trump went after South Korea because it was the easiest target. He could fulfill his campaign promise to be tough on trade on the cheap.

Think again. If the United States ended the free trade agreement, American exports would probably suffer, even if there were no explicit retaliation, which there might be.

Take cars. Before the agreement, the U.S. tariff on South Korean imports was 2.5 percent, while the South Korean tariff on U.S. imports was 8 percent. Although both tariffs would be restored, the 8 percent South Korean tariff would probably reduce U.S. sales more than the 2.5 percent tariff would cut South Korean sales.

Similarly, American pork exports, which have boomed from deep tariff reductions, would probably lose market share to producers from other countries that enjoyed free trade agreements. Both China and the European Union have free trade deals with South Korea. All this implies that a Trump rejection of the free trade agreement would be bad economic policy as well as a geopolitical disaster.

The best that could happen now is that the Trump administration would admit as much. It would announce that it's indefinitely postponing trade negotiations with South Korea and focusing its undivided attention on the nuclear threats to South Korea, Japan and the United States. These are momentous issues; the trade disputes, by contrast, are small sideshows.
Hurricane Irma completed its passage through the islands of the Caribbean Sea Saturday, slashing along the northern coast of Cuba as a Category 5 storm, the most powerful to strike the country since 1924, before turning north toward the Florida Keys and the US mainland.

As it has repeatedly in previous storms, the Cuban government was more successful than any other in the region in conducting an orderly mass evacuation, which took one million people away from the endangered coastal regions along the eastern half of the island. No deaths have yet been reported in Cuba, although there was extensive and widespread storm damage throughout the region.

Irma made landfall in Cuba late Friday and then began to weaken and slow down, which only intensified the destructive impact, since the storm lingered over the affected area, moving at only 9 mph. At its height, there were sustained winds of 118 mph and a gust as strong as 159 mph reported at Falla, Cuba.

The northward turn took the hurricane away from the islands largest population center, the capital city Havana, but there were still evacuations of many waterfront neighborhoods in the city.

Because the most damaging winds from the hurricane are on the northeast and northern edges of the eyewall, Irma dealt its most damaging blows to the British and US Virgin Islands and to the southern Bahamas, as it moved through an ocean corridor with Puerto Rico, Hispaniola (comprised of Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and Cuba to its south.

With only fragmentary information available, at least five people were reported killed in the British Virgin Islands and another four in the US Virgin Islands. Trees were ripped out the ground by 130-mph winds and many buildings were destroyed. Coastal roads in both island territories were largely destroyed by storm surge.

Officials have reported that at least 24 people have been killed overall. It is feared that the death toll will climb considerably once communications are restored and remote areas are canvassed. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said there was a complete power/communications collapse in the US Virgin Islands.

The impact of Irma on the Turks and Caicos Islands, a low-lying British possession, and on the central and southern Bahamas is still little reported, although the storm center passed through this region on Thursday night and Friday. Storm surge is the worst danger, since waters rose 15 to 20 feet, and most of these islands are just barely above sea level to begin with.

While Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico took less of a direct hit from the hurricane than Cuba, there was extensive damage reported, with power out in much of Puerto Rico and heavy flooding and mudslides in northern coastal areas of Haiti.

US military warships, helicopters and cargo planes were being sent to the US Virgin Islands, although half the Navy ships had to be diverted to avoid Hurricane Jose, another powerful storm that narrowly missed the Leeward Islands, which were hard-hit by Irma, before turning away to the north-northwest.
After six weeks of a bitter strike, Chicago-area auto mechanics will vote today on a concessions contract being pushed by the International Association of Machinists (IAM) union Local 701. The Chicago New Car Dealer Committee (NCDC) says this is its last, best, and final offer.

Mechanics have been on strike for six weeks demanding better pay and working conditions, as well as improved training programs. Mechanics are not paid for the hours worked on the clock, but by the number of hours the automobile manufacturers assign to the parts they work on. Compensation for mechanics dwindles every year, delivering greater profits to the Detroit- and international-based auto companies and the private dealerships.

At the beginning of the strike, Local 701 officials claimed there were fighting for a guaranteed 40 hours of part-labor per week. Mechanics are currently guaranteed only 34 hours of part-labor per week, even though they are required to work at least 40 hours on the clock. The majority must toil even longer to make ends meet. The NCDCs final offer includes an insulting raise to 35 hours of part-labor guaranteed per week. The IAM has reduced its proposal to 36 hours, to be implemented by the third year of the contract.

Far from defending the striking mechanics, the IAM and other city unions have deliberately isolated the embattled workers and limited them to starvation-level strike benefits. At the same time, the IAM has encouraged workers to look to the federal mediator and Democratic politicians like US Senator Dick Durbin and State Senator Tom Cullerton, who answer to big business, not the working class.

In the final weeks of the struggle, the union began to break the unity of workers by signing deals with individual dealerships and shutting down picket lines one-by-one. The union has also kept workers in the dark about both the terms it has been negotiating with the NCDC and the dealerships that have reportedly broken to make side agreements.

Jim, a journeyman at a Hyundai dealership picket in Glenview, a suburb of Chicago, told the World Socialist Web Site, We dont know what kind of deal they have struck with the dealers that have broken away. Weve heard they got 35 [guaranteed part-labor hours] for 3 years, 36 on the fourth year. A dollar more per hour for base pay. If you book more than 35 hours, you will get a $1.50 more for base pay.

The fact that the IAM is trying to ram through an agreement that workers have had no time to seriously examine and discuss only highlights its disloyal and pro-company character. At the same time, the IAM is working in tandem with management to exploit the economic hardships of workers to break the resistance of the rank and file to a deal dictated by management.

The NCDC has warned workers if they do not go back to work this week, they will lose their healthcare coverage and be forced to pay for expensive COBRA plans, which can cost up to $1,200 per month for a family. The union has responded by suggesting workers sign up for Affordable Care Act options, which would saddle workers with expensive and substandard health care.

Mechanics have not stood on the picket lines for six weeks and sacrificed so much in order to accept a contract that will force them to work long hours under poor conditions for meager pay. Mechanics should reject this blackmail with the contempt that it deserves and fight to mobilize the broadest support throughout the working class to fight for the social right to secure and good-paying jobs.

The union, management and local, state and federal politicians want to end the strike as soon as possible precisely because there is growing anger throughout the city over the growth of social inequality, falling wages and rising living costs.

Workers should vote no on the sellout contract. But this is only the beginning. Workers must take the conduct of the struggle and the negotiations out of the hands of the IAM by forming rank-and-file committees to formulate workers demands and fight for them. These committees, which must function independently of the unions and the corporate-controlled politicians, should reach out to teachers, transit workers, healthcare workers, high-school and college students to begin an industrial and political counteroffensive of the working class against the capitalist profit system and to secure the social rights of all workers.
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) held a successful public meeting in Jaffna, the capital of Sri Lankas Northern Province, late last month.

Attended by about 35 people, including workers, youths and housewives, the August 26 event discussed the key political issues confronting Sri Lankan workers. It was held against the background of strikes, mounting opposition to the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government and the slavish support of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for the pro-US Colombo administration.

Before the meeting, SEP and IYSSE members and supporters campaigned among Jaffna University students and workers, and postal and health employees.

A postal worker told SEP campaigners: Weve been involved in several struggles against the governments privatisation plans and other issues but our demands have been ignored. Other workers have also come into struggle, including the petroleum workers but when the armed forces were used against them, TNA leader [Rajavarothiam] Sampanthan supported the governments attack.

The trade unions do not want to coordinate these struggles against the government. I agree with you. Tamil and Sinhala workers must unite against this capitalist government.

A male nurse from Jaffna Hospital echoed these sentiments, saying: This government is using court orders to ban workers struggles even as it is destroying the public health service. We have to work long hours with the burden on us increasing day to day. While doctors, nurses and other health employees are fighting separately, they must unite. Yes [the problem is] that the unions are dividing the workers.

The public meeting was chaired by P.T. Sambandan, who said the TNA and other Tamil bourgeois parties were politically discredited among Tamils. Over the decades, many workers, youth and the poor had come to realise that these organisations do not in any way represent their democratic and social aspirations, he said.

The culmination of their betrayal is seen in their support for the campaign that brought the current pro-American government in Colombo to power. They have followed this by backing every government attack on the democratic rights and social conditions of workers and the poor, in the North and the South. The TNA is now directly supporting the geopolitical interests of American imperialism.

The first speaker, SEP political member M. Thevarajah, noted the recent struggles by Tamil workers in the North and other sections of the Sri Lankan working class. He reviewed the treacherous role of the bourgeois Tamil organisations. These parties are with the government, he said.

The strikes and protests by postal and petroleum workers, as well as doctors and nurses in the public health sector, cut across ethnic lines, Thevarajah said, and this was part of an international struggle. This is an indication of the maturing objective conditions for the socialist unity of all workers, he said.

Whereas the TNA insisted that the people must maintain false hopes that the government would solve their problems, the reality was the people are facing increased state repression with the covert and overt support of the Tamil parties. More than 100 people in Jaffna and nearby the villages had been arrested in recent weeks and military-police operations were underway in a new wave of repression.

Thevarajah reviewed some of the bitter experiences of the three-decade civil war and the SEPs principled political stand. The SEP and its pioneer, the Revolutionary Communist League, opposed successive Colombo governments and fought for the socialist unity of Tamil, Sinhala and Muslim workers against Sinhala communalism and the separatism of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The final speaker, SEP political committee member W.A. Sunil, said the Tamil bourgeois parties faced a political crisis as a result of the radicalisation of working people and the bankruptcy of the nationalism.

All the Tamil bourgeois parties face growing popular discontent because they are working with the Colombo government and the imperialist powers. They support the suppression of social and democratic rights of the workers and the poor, Tamil and Sinhala alike, and the preparations for imperialist war.

Sunil said the Tamil people in the North and East had suffered gravely in the war but eight years after the conflict ended the catastrophic social problems have only deepened.

Land forcibly seized from residents by the military has not been returned and those displaced by the war have not been resettled, Sunil said. No action has been taken about the thousands of people who were disappeared, information about war crimes is suppressed, many political prisoners remain in prison and the military occupation continues.

Sunil warned that although Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran and a TNA leader Suresh Premachandran had criticised other TNA leaders, this posturing was fraudulent. They had no fundamental opposition to working with the Colombo government or backing the imperialist powers.

Anger is growing over the failure of the government and the Tamil parties to address their demands, the speaker continued. This is why there are attempts to divert this anger into political traps, such as the Tamil Peoples Forum, which is led by Wigneswaran.

Sunil reviewed the political record of the Federal Party, Tamil United Liberation Party, the LTTE and the TNA, saying they were concerned about securing their own privileges as part of the exploitation of Tamil workers and the poor.

The defeat of the LTTE, Sunil continued, was not just a military question but the result of its separatist and nationalist politics. There was no progressive economic and political content to the LTTEs policies, which falsely claimed to be able to end anti-Tamil discrimination by establishing a separate state. This was a perspective for defending the privileges of the Tamil bourgeoisie with the help of imperialist powers.

Sunil explained the degeneration of all nationalist movements, such as the African National Congress in South Africa and the Palestine Liberation Organisation, amid the globalisation of the economy under capitalism. They moved to the right, and struck deals with one or another imperialist power. The oppression and the suffering of the people continued.

The Sinhala bourgeoisie attempts to maintain national unity by military force and it is chiefly responsible for the war and the ongoing oppression. While anti-Tamil communalism was, and is, a vicious weapon to divide the working class, Tamil nationalism helps to maintain this division.

Sunil said pseudo-left organisations such as the Nava Sama Samaja Party and United Socialist Party cover up the reactionary political role played by the Tamil nationalist parties and promote national self-determination in an attempt to keep the Tamil population tied to the bourgeois Tamil parties.

The speaker explained that the fight against discrimination, oppression, government attacks on social rights and the preparations for imperialist war can be waged only be uniting workers across ethnic lines and struggling for a Sri Lanka-Eelam Socialist Republic as part of the fight for socialism in South Asia and internationally. He urged all those at the meeting to study the internationalist program and political record of the SEP and join the party.

Commenting on the event, one participant said: The meeting explained that the working class needs to know about socialism. The Tamil bourgeois parties are whipping up Tamil communalism to prop up their support base.

All over the world, bourgeois rulers are imposing their interests. In opposing them we have to take the initiative and build a leadership. That means that the SEP needs to expand its work among working people.

A worker from Nallur, south of Jaffna, said: The Tamil parties and leaders are talking about new leadership but they are discredited among the people. When you explain the anti-people workings of the Tamil capitalist parties, youre telling people the truth.
After devastating islands in the Caribbean, Irma made landfall Sunday in the United States as a Category 4 hurricane, pummeling the Florida Keys with 130 mph winds and inundating the low-lying islands with up to 10 feet of storm surge.

The 400-mile-wide storm has engulfed the entire state as it makes its way up Floridas western coast, slamming into the Tampa area as a Category 2 hurricane around midnight. Miami, in the southeast, saw unprecedented flooding as the storm brought major storm surges to both sides of the peninsula.

As of this writing, at least 26 people have been killed by the storm, with four fatalities already recorded in Florida. The total is expected to rise as the scope of the damage left in Irmas wake is surveyed. Initial estimates indicate that Irma could leave behind $200 billion in damage, greater than that done by Harvey.

Hurricane Irma is a mass event. The storm will eventually impact the lives of tens of millions, including the friends and family of those directly impacted. More than 6.5 million people are under evacuation orders in Florida and another 570,000 in Georgia. Approximately 116,000 people are waiting out the storm in emergency shelters. Thousands of hotel rooms have been booked up in inland Florida and for hundreds of miles north of evacuation zones.

Such major calamities expose the basic structures of social and political life in a particularly stark form. Both Irma and Harvey before it have revealed a country riven by social inequality, plagued by decaying infrastructure and presided over by a ruling elite that acts with criminal indifference when confronted with the basic needs of society.

Even as workers in Houston and the surrounding area confront the task of rebuilding with the most minimal assistance and no insurance, many of those facing Irmas rain and winds have not been able to leave. While issuing evacuation orders, government officials offered little or nothing in the form of aid. How many people have stayed behind because they were unable to afford the cost of gasoline or plane tickets, or could not get a seat on the severely limited number of buses and trains?

For those with automobiles, their exodus from the storm has been hampered by an absence of a plan for evacuation, with no effort made to efficiently mobilize crucial resources, including gasoline, or arrange places for people to stay. Many have been forced to seek out shelter wherever they eventually ran out of gas along the two highways north.

The abysmal state of infrastructure and rapid urban development have raised concerns about the potential for historic flooding and the integrity of public water systems. At least two million are currently without power, a byproduct of the fact that the US still uses overland power lines. Hundreds of thousands are expected to be without power for weeks.

There is a shift in the consciousness of broad sections of the population, which extends beyond the immediate issues at stake. Significantly, a World Socialist Web Site article published on Saturday, Why arent trains evacuating people from the path of Hurricane Irma?, has been shared tens of thousands of times on social media. It has been circulated widely because it asks a basic question that is not addressed anywhere in the media or political establishment.

Why shouldnt the resources of society be mobilized in a rational and organized way to meet a threat like Irma? To the use of train transport could be added the mass organization of bus and ferry transport, not to speak of the requisitioning of hotels and other accommodations to provide housing for those in need. It is not a question of a lack of resources, or to the extent that these resources are lacking, it is because they have been diverted to other aims.

For decades, the ruling elite has pursued a policy of social counterrevolution, looting public funds and clawing back all the gains made by working class over the last 100 years. Money that could have been allocated to develop infrastructure to counteract the impact of increasingly powerful and predictable storms has been funneled into the pockets of the rich at the expense of the working class and poor.

The American ruling class is incapable of planning anything, except the transfer of wealth and the buildup of a military that has been used to destroy one country after the next.

The response of the political establishment to Irma and Harvey has been to use them as a means of escalating the transfer of wealth. President Donald Trump used his weekly address on Saturday to connect storm recovery to the push to slash corporate taxes. The Democrats, meanwhile, have moved to form an alliance with Trump, the least popular president in history, to bolster an administration that has stumbled from crisis to crisis.

Whatever their differences, the political establishment is united on basic strategic issues. The ruling class is terrified of political instability sparking an economic crisis. Above all they fear the emergence of an independent working-class movement, and will do everything they can to prevent this.

However, a mood of deep anger and opposition has been developing for some time. It needs to be given political form. As the impact of these hurricanes has demonstrated, socialism emerges not as a utopian scheme, but as the only way to meet the concrete needs of the working class, and of social development as a whole.

Certain basic actions must be taken. Those who have been impacted by Harvey and now Irma must be made whole through a massive social effort to rebuild quality and safe housing. Everyone has a right to a secure home, not open to the elements like those currently suffering in Florida in mobile structures.

A multi-trillion-dollar public works program is necessary to modernize and develop social infrastructure, including water systems, power grids, bridges, roads and transportation networks. High-quality public transportation is needed not only for the every-day requirements of modern life, but is critical in emergency situations. Plans must be developed in all disaster-prone areas to provide free transportation and emergency housing to all who need it.

Immediate measures, moreover, must be taken on a global scale to halt and reverse the impact of global warming, which contributes to the size and intensity of hurricanes. This requires a coordinated, international program to develop alternative sources of energy.

Such basic tasks, however, are incompatible with a social system, capitalism, in which a tiny layer of financial speculators and corporate executives control the political system and dictate policy. To break the stranglehold of this aristocracy, and to free up resources for critical social needs, the major banks and corporations must be placed under public ownership and democratic control, in the United States and internationally. The wealth of the ruling elite must be requisitioned by those who create all the wealth of society, the working class.
With the unanimous backing of his majority Labour cabinet, Labour Party Mayor of Salford City Council (SCC), Paul Dennett, has rubber stamped the closure of The Grange, the only residential school for disabled children in the north-west city. The closure means the end of a vitally needed service in a city with a population of 233,000.

Dennett is a vocal supporter of Labours nominally left leader Jeremy Corbyn.

On August 22, as the closure was being pushed through, local residents responded angrily, shouting traitor and shame at Dennett and his Labour colleagues from the public gallery of Greater Manchester Salford City chambers.

Shutting The Grange is only the latest in the austerity cuts imposed by Labour in Salford, which, as with other Labour-run councils nationally, has devastated basic public services throughout the UK. Since 2010, Salford Council has imposed 186 million in cuts. The closure of The Grange, threatening 13 staff with redundancy, is aimed at saving the council 300,000, as part of a 15.8 million cuts package to be imposed for 2017-18.

The announcement comes after a long battle conducted since 2013 by families of the children affected and the local community against council plans to reduce services provided by the school.

Dennett attempted to justify what is the cruellest of cuts by referring to the horrific financial challenges facing councils after the 2008 banking crash and subsequent bailout of the banks, which led to never-ending cuts in funding from central government. Mayor Dennett never mentioned that the bailout was initiated by the then Brown Labour government.

Lisa Stone, SCCs Lead Member for Childrens Services, denied there was even a need for the service, saying there was no demand in the foreseeable future for full-time care of disabled children.

This is false. There are 25 disabled children in Salford requiring full-time residential care, who live away from their families in private residential homes outside of the borough. The Grange, which has been deliberately under-occupied, has space to accommodate some of these children in its three spare places.

Moreover, the National Childrens Bureau recently estimated there has been a 50 percent rise in the number of disabled children in England with complex needs since 2005, including a doubling of children with complex autism.

In July 2013, the council announced that respite care would no longer be provided for 27 children and their families. At the time, the five-bed establishment had a different function, serving as a respite centre, providing holiday breaks for children with such conditions as autism, cerebral palsy and epilepsy. This allowed the families of the children much-needed time to recharge their batteries.

Salford Council proposed three options, including closure, privatization or turning The Grange into a long-term residential school for disabled children with highly complex needs.

Such was the public outcry against the threat to The Grange that the council opted to keep it open, but changed the provision it offered. Consequently, The Grange would provide medium to long-term residential care, including education, for five disabled childrenthe undisclosed aim being closure at a later date after running the facility down.

The local Salford Star cited a council report claiming the respite centre did not represent value for money, and was under-used, with an occupancy rate of 40 percent, with the council later revising its own figure up to 70 percent.

This was belied by the fact that parents said there was sometimes a waiting list of up to 18 months to access the care the centre provides.

The 27 children who use the Grange were to be sent either to the Granville adult respite centre, if they were 14 years or oversomething strongly objected to by parentsor be placed with enhanced foster carers. Of the latter, there existed only one in Salford, and foster homes are usually not equipped with special bathrooms, nor have wheelchair access, safe play areas or sensory environments.

The Grange was subsequently turned into the medium- to long-term residential school for children with highly complex needs that it is today, rather than a respite centre.

The council never intended to bring any of the 25 children with highly complex needsthat were catered for outside the boroughback to Salford where their families live. To date, there are only two children cared for in The Grange, though it could cater for five. On two occasions, other local authorities have tried to refer children in their areas to The Grange, but staff were told it was not an option as the centre was due to be closed.

By closing the present unit and sending the two residents out of the borough, the council, disregarding the impact this will have on their well-being, said it could save 300,000. In a report countering the councils claims, the families of children at The Grange responded, To remove the children from their home, school and health professionals will set them back years.

Corbyn himself has played a cynical role in the closure. On a visit to Salford during this years general election campaign, he had the temerity to sign the 3,000-strong petition to save The Grange, even as it was being readied for closure by one of his own supporters.

Dennett was carrying out the directive of Corbyn and his shadow chancellor, who wrote to all Labour councilsshortly after Corbyn was elected leader in 2015instructing them to pass budgets that satisfy fiscal credibility rules, meaning they must balance their budgets and implement cuts.

Over the four years since closure was first threatened, the main public sector trade union, Unison, has barely lifted a finger in opposition to the councils plans.

The Unison branch has worked to steer the Save the Grange Campaign towards futile appeals to the Labour council, including a disingenuous exercise in public consultation. A statement issued by the branch on August 15 stated, In management desire to force through such a closure they have failed to consult or to consider the potential for compulsory redundancy.

Only the day before Dennett pushed through the closure did Unison finally announce the result of its consultative ballot of staff in Childrens Residential Serviceswhich resulted in 91.3 percent support for industrial action to save the centre.

Despite weeks passing since then, and Salford Unisons passage of a motion committing it to a ballot for industrial action to oppose the closure, and to merely consider balloting other members within the City Council to support our members in Residential Services, nothing has been done. And this from a union with more than 4,000 members in Salford, 1.4 million members nationally and an income of around 200 million.

Labours attack on vital services, with the collaboration of the trade unions, exposes the role of the main pseudo-left groupsthe Socialist Party (SP) and Socialist Workers Party (SWP).

Salford Unison Branch Secretary is SP member Steven North; the unions treasurer Ameen Hadi, an SWP member.

In response to a recent WSWS article, SP member Paul Gerrard declared that the Socialist Party needs no lessons from the SEP [Socialist Equality Party] on fighting Labour cuts. As a supposed example of fighting cuts, he cited UNISONs local branch, in which there are precisely NO bureaucratswhere SP, and as it happens, SWP have some influence 

What Gerrard omits to mention is that the Socialist Party is stuffed with leading union bureaucrats, including those from the Salford Unison branch to which he refers.

Only in April, the newspaper of the SP boasted of An excellent meeting of over 100 Socialist Party trade union members, which was a real show of strength of the presence and impact of the Socialist Party in the unions. The SP boasted about having 19 members on union executives and candidates standing in current key union elections, including in Unison, PCS and Unite as well as many others who are reps, shop stewards or working in trades councils.

Steven North himself, as his own Twitter account declares, is Unisons male member on its National Executive Committee (NEC) for the North West. The female representative on the NEC for the North West is long-standing SWP member Karen Reissmann.
A Supreme Court of Thailand ruling last month ended the trials of ex-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban, who were responsible for the deadly military crackdown on mass protests in 2010 that left more than 90 people dead.

Under the government of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the Justice Ministry Department of Special Investigation filed the first case in 2012, charging Abhisit and Suthep with three counts of murder. After Yingluck was ousted in a 2014 military coup, the Criminal Court dismissed the case on the grounds that Abhisit and Suthep were acting as government officials, not individuals, at the time of the protests.

Members of the pro-Shinawatra United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) encouraged a review of the case, but the Appeals Court took the same position in February 2016. On August 31, the Supreme Court upheld the previous rulings, effectively protecting Abhisit and Suthep from prosecution.

The ruling leaves a petition to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) as the only legal means for proceeding against the two men. The NACC, however, has a long history of dragging out and dismissing cases against military leaders. Despite dozens of complaints filed by civilians and political parties since 2014, primarily centred on nepotism and corruption, the commission has dropped or arbitrarily prolonged all cases against military officials.

Junta leader General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, who is the current prime minister, faced accusations of asset concealment in 2015, yet the NACC has provided no updates or progress on his case. On the other hand, the Supreme Court convicted Yingluck Shinawatra on trumped-up charges of corruption. Facing a lengthy prison term and ban from politics, she fled the country.

The militarys seizure of power in 2014 continued more than a decade of intense political instability. The army ousted Yinglucks brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, in 2006 amid intense opposition to his elected government by the countrys traditional ruling elites, including the monarchy, state bureaucracy and military, which opposed his populist pro-poor policies and opening of the economy to foreign investors.

Despite re-writing the constitution, the military failed to prevent the pro-Thaksin People Power Party (PPP) winning new elections and forming a coalition government in January 2008. By the end of the year, the pro-royalist Peoples Alliance for Democracy and yellow shirts toppled the Thaksin regime through a combination of protests and politically-biased court decisions. Backed by the military, the Democrat Party was installed in office, with Abhisit as prime minister and Suthep as his deputy.

The Abhisit government faced widespread opposition from the outset that led to mass protests in 2010 led by the UDD or red shirts, calling for new elections. As the protests grew in size, sections of the urban and rural poor began to voice criticisms of the Bangkok elites and their own demands for social equality.

Despite reaching a deal in May to halt the protests in return for promises of a November election, the UDD leadership was unable to stop thousands of protesters from staying on the streets of Bangkok. Despite the cut-off of food and energy supplies to the makeshift protest camps, more than 5,000 people remained committed to resisting the military.

On May 19, 2010, Abhisit and Suthep ordered an all-out military assault. The army drove armoured vehicles through their barricades, firing at anyone who showed signs of resistance or aggression, and used snipers to target key protest leaders among the crowd. In just two days, the army killed more than 20 people and injured 400. In total, the military attacks led by Abhisit and Suthep over the two months of protests resulted in 90 deaths and 1,500 injuries. Before the attack, the UDD leaders handed themselves over to security forces, leaving the protestors to face the military.

The current junta is determined to protect Abhisit and Suthep from prosecution because a conviction could open the way for legal action against the military. Since seizing power in 2014, the army has suppressed any opposition from the poor and working class, silenced any critics and imposed draconian police-state measures.

One study released by the Bangkok Post last week showed that Prime Minister Prayuth has the lowest confidence ratings of any prime minister in the past 15 years, and Thaksin Shinawatra the highest. Annoyed with the medias continued coverage of Thaksin, General Prayuth stated: I move past anyone who is at the centre of conflict... The way to move past [Thaksin] is to forget him and let the law take its course.

Immediately after the Supreme Court announced its ruling, UDD leaders proclaimed the goal of garnering one million petition signatories to ensure justice is served and the dead honouredpromoting the illusion that justice can be obtained through the NACC.

As in 2010, the UDD is committed to preventing a groundswell of opposition to the military from developing into a political movement that could threaten capitalist rule in Thailand.
He had the law enforcement acumen and the executive skill subset. He understands this game of law enforcement.  Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer on new Nebraska State Patrol Superintendent John Bolduc.

We obviously just cant sit back and cry and do nothing about whats going on. Use that rage inside you to do something about it. Turn it into something positive.  Dania Cervantes Ayala, a Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals recipient from Omaha, on what must be done before the programs announced end date of March 5, 2018.

The president cannot unilaterally change the rules and grant amnesty to people come to the United States outside the law.  Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, following President Donald Trumps decision to rescind the DACA program.

I have often said that our university is the DNA of the state and an increasingly essential gateway to a more successful, more prosperous Nebraska. When there is positive enrollment news for our university, its also positive news for our state.  University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green on record enrollment.

I know where all my family members are. We all have a place to stay. We all have a way to get to work. Were all healthy and happy, and everything else is just icing on the cake.  Lincoln Fire and Rescue medical specialist Kathleen Brown, after returning from Hurricane Harvey as a member of Task Force 1.

We cant be discouraging people from coming here or chasing them away. It is in our DNA to be welcoming.  Lincoln City Councilman Carl Eskridge on the anti-hate resolution he introduced following protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.

We ought to engage our brains and think independently. As some of my colleagues have said, some of us came here to be a state senator, not a Republican state senator.  Crete Sen. Laura Ebke, the lone Libertarian in the Legislature, on the need for independence in the officially nonpartisan body.

Its an outlet for entrepreneurs at UNL to display items theyve created so we can help sell them and, ultimately, help them succeed. Its a nice tool for UNL to get involved in a variety of ways that stays at the core of the mission: for students, by students.  UNL student Samir Thariani on a new Husker apparel store run by students out of the new Hawks Hall.

My top priority will be to assure an affordable and viable farm safety net.  U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer on whats needed in next years farm bill.

As a people, we shouldnt be worried about what tribe were from. We should be worried about what services we can bring to the people.  New Indian Center Director Barry Walker on his goals for the facility.

Its going to have to be a life choice of my own. Im going to have to make it happen. So Im going to have to solely rely on me to figure that out.  Tracy Hale on what shes learned through the moral reconation therapy through the Nebraska Department of Corrections.
CHICAGO (WLS/CNN) - Some four-legged evacuees from Hurricane Irma could find new homes in Illinois.

More than 30 cats and dogs from shelters in Florida arrived in Chicago on Saturday.

They were moved from Florida's Lee County partly because shelters wanted to make room for pets who will become homeless after Irma.

The hurricane refugees will be hosted by Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society for now.

But, in the long run, the goal is to find the animals new permanent homes.

"We're going to put many of them in the foster care. They'll be get spayed, neutered and moved into our adoption program," a rescue worker said. "They expected to go to Florida home, but they'll end up spending their live in Illinois homes."

The same group also brought in more than 80 pets that were evacuated from the Houston area due to Hurricane Harvey.

Copyright 2017 WLS via CNN. All rights reserved.

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.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates.

Copyright 2017 WTXL via Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Leon County officials are imposing several county-wide curfews due to Hurricane Irma.

The curfew times are as follows:

Monday, September 11 from 9 p.m. to Tuesday, September 12 at 7 a.m.

Tuesday, September 12 from 9 p.m. to Wednesday, September 13 at 7 a.m.

All Leon County residents and visitors are to remain indoors during curfews to allow first responders and emergency personnel to most effectively protect the safety of residents and property.

Returning the community to normalcy as soon as possible is a top priority after Irma. As such, the curfew will be assessed daily and will be lifted as soon as it is safe to do so.

Even when the curfew period is not in effect, the county says citizens should limit travel on public roads to help first responders respond effectively.

Shelter Information:

Approximately 3,000 residents and visitors sheltered in 11 locations Sunday night.



The following shelters remain open for anyone who may need to shelter:



Chiles High School (pet-accessible)





Oak Ridge Elementary School, 4530 Shelfer Road





Canopy Oaks Elementary School, 3250 Point View Drive





Rickards High School, 3013 Jim Lee Road (pet-accessible)





Lincoln High School





SAIL High School





Woodville Elementary





Leon High School





Ft. Braden Elementary School





Nims Middle School





Florida High School (special needs only, pet-accessible)



If you seek shelter today, be safe. Dont drive on flooded roads.

Power Outages

Electric crews will begin restoring services as soon as it is safely possible following the storm.



Mutual aid assistance has arrived and more is on the way today and tomorrow to assist.



City of Tallahassee Utilities



To report an outage, visit Talgov.com/Outage





You can also download the DigiTally app.





To view the outage map, visit http://outagemap.talgov.com/



Talquin Electric



To report an outage, visit https://my.talquinelectric.com/outages/report/ or call 1-866-899-4832 (Automated) or 1-888-802-1832 (Live Operator).





You can also text #OUTAGE to 85700





To view the outage map, visit: https://my.talquinelectric.com/outages/maps/



Duke Energey



To report an outage, visit www.duke-energy.com/outages

Distribution Centers:

Leon County is making preparations to open Rural Distribution Centers, should demand warrant and as conditions allow, following the storm.



These distribution centers will provide the basic necessities including water.





Although distribution centers will be opened, families should still plan to have 3-5 days of essential supplies on hand.



Comfort Stations:



After Hurricane Irma has passed and it has been determined that the roadways are safe and power is available, the Leon County Main Library downtown (200 West Park Avenue) is being prepared, should demand warrant, to open a comfort station.





In coordination with local area agencies, the comfort station will offer a place to cool off, assistance and information on storm recovery efforts, charging stations for electronic devices, light snacks and refreshments, public access to computers and Wi-Fi, and more.





The City of Tallahassee is prepared to open similar comfort stations, which will be listed on the Countys Emergency Information Portal (LeonCountyFL.gov/ei) and the Citys website (www.talgov.com/Irma).



Community Recovery Center (CRC)



We are preparing to establish a Community Recovery Center at the Main Library Comfort station if needed following the storm.





The CRC will assist citizens with questions and information regarding the recovery process such as resources and assistance available to those affected.



Current closures:



Leon County offices, parks and libraries will be closed Monday, September 11 and Tuesday, September 12.





State of Florida offices to close through Tuesday, September 12.





Leon County Schools will be closed Monday, September 11 and Tuesday, September 12.





Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee Community College will be closed through Friday, September 15.





The Tallahassee Veterans Affairs Health Care Center closed on Monday, September 11.

To view an outage map, visit: https://www.duke-energy.com/outages/current-outages

Stay Informed

Download the Leon County Citizens Connect mobile application - Be the first to know about shelter locations, road closures and service changes by downloading the application on the Apple and Google Play stores.

- Be the first to know about shelter locations, road closures and service changes by downloading the application on the Apple and Google Play stores. Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal - Hosting the same information as the Citizens Connect app, the Emergency Information Portal can be accessed on a desktop or a mobile browser by visiting www.LeonCountyFL.gov/EI .

- Hosting the same information as the Citizens Connect app, the Emergency Information Portal can be accessed on a desktop or a mobile browser by visiting . Listen to 88.9 WFSU-FM - Citizens can tune in to 88.9 FM for the most up-to-date information from local public safety officials. Featuring to-the-minute reporting, WFSU, Leon County and the City of Tallahassee remain committed to getting information out on the radio as soon as possible.

- Citizens can tune in to 88.9 FM for the most up-to-date information from local public safety officials. Featuring to-the-minute reporting, WFSU, Leon County and the City of Tallahassee remain committed to getting information out on the radio as soon as possible. Call Big Bend 2-1-1 - If you need community information, services and support any day of the year, Big Bend 2-1-1 is reachable by dialing either 2-1-1 or (850) 617-6333.

- If you need community information, services and support any day of the year, Big Bend 2-1-1 is reachable by dialing either 2-1-1 or (850) 617-6333. Call (850) 606-3700 with questions - Leon County Emergency Management staff is available to answer questions from what you should prepare, act and recover.

For updates on City of Tallahassee Utilities and other City services, visit Talgov.com .

Insurance Helpline - The Florida Department of Financial Services offers a toll-free Insurance Consumer Helpline to assist Florida's insurance consumers. Insurance Specialists are available to answer questions or concerns regarding insurance coverage and advocate on a consumer's behalf to resolve a dispute with an insurance company. To receive assistance, call 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236) toll-free, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

- The Florida Department of Financial Services offers a toll-free Insurance Consumer Helpline to assist Florida's insurance consumers. Insurance Specialists are available to answer questions or concerns regarding insurance coverage and advocate on a consumer's behalf to resolve a dispute with an insurance company. To receive assistance, call 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236) toll-free, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Price Gouging - During a state of emergency, it is unlawful to sell or lease certain commodities for an amount that grossly exceeds the average price. To report price gouging, call 1-866-966-7226.

The Capital Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering training this week for citizens interested in volunteering during shelter activation. Learn more by calling 878-6080. Volunteer applications are available at RedCross.org.

For current information about local response and recovery, please follow or Twitter.com/LeonCounty .
MIAMI, Fla. (WTXL) - U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has asked the IRS and the U.S. Department of Education to grant relief to Florida taxpayers and students.

According to a press release from Monday, Rubio urged the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to extend the filing deadline for calendar-year partnerships and to grant charitable contribution tax benefits to state residents who assisted those impacted by the storm.

He also asked the U.S Department of Education to ease the burden of federal debt repayment deadlines for student loan borrowers.

Find the full text of Rubios letter to the IRS and the full text of Rubios letter to the Department of Education here.
I attended Sen. Deb Fischers listening session last week. This is what I would have asked her if I had been given the chance: When will enough be enough?

Since taking office, the president has lied repeatedly to the American people and to the world. According to the Washington Post, he surpassed 1,000 lies on August 4 or 5. He has endless conflicts of interest and has been sued for violating the emoluments clause  not to mention that the Secret Service has blown through their budget protecting 42 people.

He is a sexual predator, and we all heard it loud and clear during the campaign. He threatens to close Planned Parenthood and to take health care away from more than 20 million Americans.

His Muslim ban, his transgender troops ban and now the end of DACA are all hateful and hurtful actions that affect real people who love and serve their county  and, these people make America great.

His war-mongering toward North Korea is terrifying. His failure to denounce white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, and his pardoning of Joe Arpaio have shown the world what a bigot he is and has prompted the United Nations to denounce his outright racism.

His endless attacks on the media are dangerous, and the UN has denounced those actions as well. He denies climate change, but its staring him in the face in the destructive force of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.

Sen. Fischer, when will you say enough is enough and stop supporting his destructive actions that are tearing our country apart?

Joeth Zucco, Lincoln
MODIS fire detections indicate a fire reported somewhere within the 1 kilometer square area indicated and are updated every six hours by NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites. VIIRS fire detections have a sensitivity of 375 meters and are updated every two hours. Both MODIS and VIIRS sensors may be blocked by smoke, clouds, storms or other atmospheric conditions. The wildfire perimeters displayed in yellow show the latest available mapping as recorded by aircraft and firefighters on the ground. Not every fire will have a mapped perimeter, and those perimeters are only updated as needed and as resources area available.
"The world will witness how the DPRK tames the US gangsters by taking a series of actions tougher than they have ever envisaged," North Korea's Foreign Ministry's spokesperson stated on Monday, following the US's call push for the United Nations Security Council to vote for new sanctions against North Korea. The proposed resolution, though less severe than the US originally aimed to secure, is to be voted on by the council on Monday.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Following news of the vote, North Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a statement, saying it was watching the United States' moves closely and warned that it was "ready and willing" to respond with measures of its own. It also warned the United States it would pay a "due price" for spearheading the sanction efforts.

"The US is trying to use the DPRK's legitimate self-defensive measures as an excuse to strangle and completely suffocate it," the statement said, using the acronym for North Korea's formal name. "Since the US is revealing its nature as a blood-thirsty beast obsessed with the wild dream of reversing the DPRK's development of the state nuclear force which has already reached the completion phase, there is no way that the DPRK is going to wait and let the US feast on it."

The original American draft resolution called for personal sanctions against N. Korea Leader Kim Jong Un (Photo: AFP)

North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesman added that the United States was "going frantic" to manipulate the Security Council over Pyongyang's nuclear test, which it said was part of "legitimate self-defensive measures."

"In case the US eventually does rig up the illegal and unlawful 'resolution' on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the US pays due price," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

"The DPRK has developed and perfected the super-powerful thermo-nuclear weapon as a means to deter the ever-increasing hostile moves and nuclear threat of the US and defuse the danger of nuclear war looming over the Korean peninsula and the region."

North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test a week ago and has been launching ballistic missiles at a record pace. Both are violations of UN resolutions, but Pyongyang claims it must carry them out to build nuclear deterrent against what it sees as US aggression.

Undaunted by the international criticism of its test, which Pyongyang said was of a hydrogen bomb , Pyongyang celebrated through the weekend, with concerts and banquets for the country's nuclear scientists and engineers.

The Security Council will vote on new North Korean sanctions Monday (Photo: AFP)

An earlier draft circulated by the United States called for imposing the toughest-ever UN sanctions on North Korea, including a ban on all oil and natural gas exports to the country and a freeze of all foreign financial assets of the government and its leader, Kim Jong Un.

The current draft resolution, however, appears to have been watered down to appease North Korean allies Russia and China, which both have veto powers, diplomats said. While it no longer proposes blacklisting Kim and reduces sanctions on oil and gas, it still proposes a ban on textile exports.

The Trump administration presented the current draft to China and all other Security Council members last Tuesday and demanding a vote in six days. Diplomats said China's UN ambassador Liu Jieyi, who was on a Security Council trip to Ethiopia, flew back to New York on Thursday to take part in the negotiations.

Ethiopia's UN mission, which acts as the current Security Council president, issued a statement late Sunday, saying that members would vote on a North Korea resolution following a meeting Monday afternoon on implementing existing sanctions against the Pyongyang government.

A Security Council resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China to pass.

Previous UN sanctions resolutions have been negotiated between the United States and ChinaNorth Korea's main trading partner and allyand have taken weeks, and in some cases months, to finalize.
RACINE  The residents of the Atrium will have their own lawyer to speak for them in the ongoing receivership case, a judge has ruled.

Meanwhile, the receiver is expecting multiple purchase offers as soon as this week for the Atrium and Bay Pointe, the two properties enmeshed in the receivership.

The 74-unit Atrium senior-living facility, 3900 N. Main St., and 40-unit assisted-living center Bay Pointe, 3950 N. Main St., make up the nonprofit Atrium of Racine. In late May Watertown-based Marquardt Management Co., which had been managing the Atrium and Bay Pointe for about the previous year, filed for receivership, a declaration of insolvency.

The receivership appears to threaten the ability of Atrium residents to recoup the entrance fees they paid when they signed contracts to live there. Those amounts were as high as $111,000 or more in some cases.

In front of a full courtroom on Wednesday, Racine County Circuit Court Judge David Paulson ruled in support of a request by attorney Randall Crocker, who is representing one Atrium resident, for a lawyer to represent the residents collectively.

Paulson made clear that the attorney will speak for the residents but strictly in an advisory role, and not have the power to meddle in receiver Michael Polskys work.

The Atrium lawyer will be provided at no cost to the residents  rather, their representative will be paid for out of the cases assets with a $30,000 cap on legal fees for the life of the receivership.

Polsky has been marketing the Atrium properties nationally and expects several purchase letters of intent to come in very soon, said attorney C.J. Murray who works with Polsky. The deadline for those offers is Wednesday, then Polsky will have 60 days to review them.

Polsky is trying to sell the Atrium of Racine as a going concern and use that sale to repay creditors.

According to the receivership filing, liabilities totaled about $14 million including: resident entrance fees, deposit fees and trust funds totaling about $7.5 million; and about $6.1 million owed to The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co., the first lien holder.

Atrium residents have filed at least 67 claims totaling more than $7 million. Throughout the case, there have been many questions about where that money is or went.

Murray said at one point during Wednesdays hearing, We have not found a pot of money ... or any bad actors.
QUETTA, Pakistan  Pakistani police say gunmen have shot and killed four Shiite Muslims in an apparent sectarian attack.

Police officer Mohammad Khan said Monday that two other people were wounded in the overnight shooting near Quetta, in the southwestern Baluchistan province. Those killed were members of the Shiite Hazara, a minority group in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Khan says they were traveling to Quetta from Afghanistan but he was not sure of their nationality. The vehicle was attacked when they stopped for fuel.

No one claimed the fatal shooting. Sunni extremists view Shiites as apostates deserving of death, and have carried out several sectarian attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent years.
Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman noted Sunday during a briefing to the cabinet that Hamas was deepening its strategic ties with the Iran-led Shiite axis and establishing a foothold in Lebanon with Tehrans support.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



The change in Hamass axis began half a year ago, when the organization received a new leadership. The previous leadership, led by the domineering Khaled Mashal, consistently chose the Sunni axis led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Hamas put a lot of effort into improving its relations with Cairo and Riyadh, at the expense of the Shiite axis.

At first, the leadership left Damascus following the civil war in Syria, after the organization turned its back on the Assad regime and supported the rebels, who were much more homogenous at the time than they are today.

Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar (Photo: AP)

The leaderships move to Qatar, as well as some other countries, marked the beginning of the decline in the relations between Hamas and Iran, as well as Irans alliesSyria and Hezbollah. While the relations between Iran and Hamas were not completely frozen, there was a significant drop in the aid the terror organization received from Tehran, much to the dismay of the military wing.

In a leaked telephone conversation, which was likely intercepted by an intelligence agency in the Middle East, senior Hamas member Moussa Abu Marzouk was heard slamming the Iranians over their failure to help the organization and accusing them of being all talk and no action.

The internal election process in Hamas was completed in February, and the organizations new political bureauthe leadership bodyreceived new leaders and new blood. The meteoric rise of the militant Yahya Sinwar to the position of Hamas leader in Gaza, and the election of some of the members of the pro-Iranian axis, like Saleh al-Arouri, signaled the beginning of a thaw in Hamas relations with Iran. Sinwar is also one of the closest people to the Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas military wing, whose interest lies in Iranian aid.

Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei (Photo: Reuters)

Later on, following external pressure, Qatar decided to deport some of the Hamas leaders who had settled in the country. Those expelled were members of the organization who were offering military guidance to Hamas cells in the West Bank that were operated by al-Arouri.

Al-Arouri left the Gulf with other senior Hamas members and moved to Lebanon, where he began establishing the new foothold. About a month ago, he arrived in Tehran with a senior Hamas delegation and met with top government officials. The visit was a watershed in the relations between Hamas and Iran. Hezbollah, the Islamic Republics protege in Lebanon, likely received an order from its patron to help Hamas settle in as much as it can.

Another indication of the thaw in Hamas relations with the pro-Iranian axis was the unusual condemnation statement issued by the organization following the attack on a chemical weapons production facility in Syria last week.

Despite moving publicly and secretly closer to the pro-Iranian axis, Hamas is still trying to have it both ways and is doing everything it can to please Egypt in its battle against the Islamic State in Sinai, in a bid to receive carrots that are unrelated to its military power building efforts.
An Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) subsidiary is on the shortlist to construct the new border wall between the United States and Mexico, an enormous project and long-touted campaign promise by President Donald Trump.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Elta North America, the aforementioned IAI subsidiary, was announced Saturday as one of only four companies to construct a prototype for a "smart border" wall, after winning a US Customs tender. More than 200 companies from around the world presented bids for the tender.

President Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (Photo: Reuters)

Each one of the quartet of companies will receive funding of $300,000-$500,000 to finance the production of said prototype in the coming fall.

Trump wishes to create a wall running the entire 3,200 kilometers separating the two countries, in order to prevent passage of migrants from Mexico into the US, who he says take jobs out of American hands.

After Trump cited Israel's wall built along its southern border with Egypt as a success story in stopping illegal migrants from entering the country, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his support for the US border wall project. Netanyahu's reply got him into some hot water with both Mexico and members of his own coalition, who pleaded with him to stay out of the controversial issue.

The project is estimated to become one of the world's largest security infrastructure undertakings, with its cost to run anywhere from 15 to 25 billion dollars.

The American government has so far earmarked 3 billion dollars for the project in its 2018 budget, of which a billion will go to the smart border systems included in the tender, which are supposed to include advanced radars for both person and vehicle identification. Radars of this type are already manufactured by Elta and sold to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, as well as to other international clients.

Elta North America works out of Maryland and manufactures radar systems and components for branches of the American military, as well as radar components that the Israeli Ministry of Defense purchases using funding it receives from the US for Israel's security. The security package does stipulate, however, that Israel must purchase equipment intended to fortify its security from that has been manufactured in the USa fact that allows Israel to purchase Elta's products, despite the company being a subsidiary of the Israel Aerospace Industries.

Elta employs 50 people and is expected to double its manpower in the coming years. It also operates in cyber and has opened a training and instruction center for cyber professionals working for both governmental and private organizations.

Elta's Israeli headquarters are located in Ashdod, where it manufactures radar systems for Arrow missiles, the Iron Dome system, espionage and fighter jets.

The company is also in the running to supply additional long-range radars to South Korea, which has already purchased the "Green Pine" radar used in the Arrow missiles from Elta. South Korea is interested in purchasing radar systems to beef up its deterrent array in light of rising tensions in the Korean peninsula.

Elta isn't the first Israeli company to be considered a participant in Trump's ambitious project. Late last year, Magal Security Systemswhich builds high-tech fences and wallswas also considered a shoo-in for the project.
At the request of the president of Togo, and after consulting with the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it was decided to postpone the Africa-Israel summitoriginally meant to take place October in Lometo a date mutually agreed upon by the countries.

The decision reportedly stems from Arab pressure exerted on African countries attending the summit, showing displeasure with their rapprochement with Israel.

The pressures caused Togo to decide to postpone the summit despite the advent of marketing for it.
BEIJING  Denuclearization of the Korean peninsula should be achieved through peaceful and diplomatic means, China's foreign ministry said on Monday, as the United Nations discusses fresh sanctions against North Korea following its latest nuclear test.

At a regular news briefing, ministry spokesman Geng Shuang reiterated China's call for more steps by the UN Security Council, saying he hoped its members could reach consensus.

A US-drafted resolution originally called for an oil embargo on the North, a halt to key textile exports and financial and travel bans on leader Kim Jong Un, but appears to have been watered down.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev announced the release of Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin who was arrested for crossing the border into Nagorno-Karabakh without prior approval from authorities.

The pardon will come into force in five days.

Lapshin was arrested for publishing critical posts against the president and was extradited by Belarus to Azerbaijani authorities nine months ago.
"I assume the IDF's maneuvers near the Lebanese border to not be a sign of an impending war," said Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem. "The maneuvers are more political in nature. We're in a state of constant readiness for war."

In the interview to the Al-Manar network, Qassem also remarked on reports of an Israeli attack in Syria. "This isn't a prelude to war, and it shouldn't be overblown," he said.
Interior Minister and Shas Leader Aryeh Deri arrived for the fifth time at the Israel Police's Lahav 433 corruption unit's headquarters on Monday for interrogation. Deri, who has already been convicted of bribery charges in the past, is currently suspected of a string offenses, including bribery, tax evasion and illicit involvement in the election of a local religious official.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Police has thus far detained at least 14 suspects related to an undeclared income and assets scandal involving Minister Deri and his wife, Yafa. On a previous occasion, Minister Deri was investigated by the Tax Authority and Lahav unit for a combined 11 hours.





Aryeh, Yafa Deri arriving at Lahav's headquarters for interrogation (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

"I have cooperated fully and answered all of the interrogators' questions," Deri said at the time, following the prolonged grilling. "Like I said, I have full faith in the law and enforcement systems and I ask the public to be patient and respect the investigation. With God's help, I will keep serving the public with all my strength."

Two of those detained for questioning included a director-general of a government ministry and a senior businessman. Police are investigating funds being siphoned from the ministry to the Deri family and associates.

Deri (Photo: Avihu Shapira)

Deri and his wife are jointly being investigated as part of a Tax Authority probe into money laundering and false reports about income and assets. Following new findings from the investigation, the Deris may also be investigated for bribery.

The police are also looking into allegations regarding Minister Deri's involvement in the election of a candidate for the Chief Rabbi of Lod, who is affiliated with Georgian billionaire Mikhael Mirilashvili and his son Yitzhak.

After not having a state-appointed chief rabbi for over a year, Lod Mayor Yair Revivo set his sights on appointing Rabbi Meir Biton. However, despite Biton being affiliated with Deri's Shas party and being of Moroccan descent (like Deri), Deri and Shas actively pushed for the election of a Georgian rabbi who is affiliated with Mirilashvili.

Mikhael Mirilashvili (L), Minister Deri (C) and Yitzhak Mirilashvili (R) (Photo: Yaakov Cohen)

Sources within the Lod Municipality have additionally claimed that Deri and his associates put tremendous pressure on Shas representatives within the city to appoint Rabbi Yitzhak Mozgarshvili as the city's chief rabbi.

Suspicions of wrongdoing were raised further after large sums of money were discovered to have been transferred from Mirlashvili and his son to an association headed by Deri's wife.
Teva poached Lundbecks Kare Schultz as its new chief executive on Monday, handing the drugs industry veteran the urgent task of convincing investors of the struggling Israeli firms future.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



An acquisition spree saddled Teva with huge debts, eroding confidence in the worlds largest generics drugmaker, whose stock has halved since early August when it cut its forecasts.

One key initial decision for Schultz, who will be paid a base salary of $2 million a year plus various bonuses and stock options and is getting a $20 million signing-on fee, will be to decide whether to maintain Teva as both a generics and specialty drugmaker, split it in two or get out of low-margin, high competition generics.

Kare Schultz (Photo: Twitter)

Schultz, with 30 years of global pharma experience, told Reuters he will develop a very clear strategy to address Tevas various restructuring initiatives as well as more than $35 billion in debt it took on to buy Allergans generics business last year.

Analysts and investors said Teva paid too much for Actavis while Tevas generics are suffering, particularly in the United States where customers have been negotiating lower prices. Teva expects the fall in US generic prices to accelerate into 2018.

Of Tevas second-quarter revenue of $5.7 billion, $3.1 billion came from generics, with $2.1 billion from its own branded drugs. About half the sales of its own medicines come from a blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug which has started to face generic competition.

Such a gloomy outlook led Teva to reduce its 2017 revenue estimate by about $1 billion to $22.8-$23.2 billion and its earnings per share forecast by at least 60 cents. It also slashed its quarterly dividend payout by 75 percent.

Teva has said it plans to pay down $5 billion of debt by the year-end and is selling off non-core businesses such as its womens health business and European oncology and pain unit.

Teva's North American headquarters in North Wales, Pennsylvania (Photo: AP)

Tevas shareholders welcomed 56-year-old Schultzs hiring, with its shares rising by nearly 16 percent in New York, while Denmarks Lundbeck fell by more than 13 percent.

We anticipate the commitment to the companys branded business to remain, with a focus on building the branded pipeline as the company de-levers. We continue to view a split of the company as an unlikely scenario, Citi analyst Liav Abraham said of Tevas move, adding Schultz is likely to focus on Tevas cost base in the near-term.

No plan to split

Benny Landa, a vocal private investor in Teva wants it to be run more like Novartis whose generics unit Sandoz is run as a separate firm, or for it to divest generics completely.

Teva has an outstanding R&D capability and product innovation capability. Had it not squandered tens of billions of dollars (on Actavis) they would have also had the ability to make some significant acquisitions in that area, he said.

But Teva Chairman Sol Barer told Reuters the focus was on restoring credibility and there were no plans now to split.

Teva, which cooperates with Lundbeck on several drugs, said Schultz will join and relocate to Israel as soon as practicable.

Criticism over the Actavis deal led to the departure in February of former CEO Erez Vigodman , while Barer and Tevas board have come under fire for taking so long to replace him.

Erez Vigodman

We wanted to make sure we got it right, Barer said, adding Schultz had global, pharmaceutical and turnaround experience.

At Lundbeck, it was a troubled company and he turned it around and created significant value for shareholders. And, he has significant credibility with stakeholders, Barer said.

Schultz became Lundbeck CEO in May 2015 after leaving Novo Nordisk and the Danish firms share price has more than tripled since he returned it to profit by slimming costs.

At Teva, Schultz will also face significant challenges.

The company has put Iceland-based Medis, a supplier of development work to third-party drugmakers, up for sale and is looking to team up with other drugmakers to fund some of its development pipeline.

It has some 21 specialty medicines for migraine, pain, respiratory and neurology in various stages of development, from early stage clinical trials to awaiting regulatory approval.

In April, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tevas drug to treat chorea stemming from Huntingtons disease, a fatal degenerative disorder, which is expected to produce sales of $850 million by 2023.

And another experimental drug to prevent migraines is now waiting to be cleared by US regulators ahead of a possible launch in the second half of 2018.
Little-Known Group Aims to End Private Gun

Sales (and More) in Ohio (and Beyond)

By David Codrea. September 8th, 2017

"Proposed Ohio ballot initiative would require background checks for all gun sales," NBC4i Columbus reported Thursday. "The newly formed group calling itself 'Ohioans for Gun Safety' says they want 'common sense' background checks to stem the number of gun deaths." They're looking at how they can make that happen politically through a ballot intiative.

"Newly formed"? Who are these guys?

It's essential to know who you're up against.

Do they have big backers? Do they have the resources to run a professional PR campaign, buy TV time and become a credible threat? Can we follow the money, assuming there is any?

Ohioans for Gun Safety is still pretty obscure, so we need to work a bit to find out who's behind them. I'm going to go through the steps I took in the hope that it may turn some reading this on to things you can do to check out hostiles making noises about going after our rights. .......

David Codrea investigates this seemingly embryonic group. Perhaps they are just a flash in the pan but, on the other hand, any extra group that seeks to infringe on your rights needs to be taken seriously. There are already enough anti-gun groups already (Everytown etc) - we certainly do not need yet another. Be aware and on your guard.

"You don't have to be Jewish to fight by our side."

 2017 JPFO All rights reserved.

jpfo@jpfo.org

1-800-869-1884

Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership

12500 NE 10th Pl.

Bellevue, WA 98005 USA

"America's most aggressive defender of civil rights"

We make the NRA look like moderates

Join JPFO

Back to Top


A physiotherapist working at the International Committee of the Red Cross' rehabilitation center was shot by a patient in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province, a statement released by the ICRC said.

Spanish national Lorena Enebral Perez, 38, was "a skilled and caring physiotherapist who assisted patients, especially children," the statement said, quoting the ICRC's head of delegation in Afghanistan, Monica Zanarelli.

"Energetic and full of laughter, Lorena was the heart of our office. Today, our hearts are broken," Zanarelli added.

Lorena's work involved helping children, women and men who lost limbs or with other forms of disability learn how to walk and feed again themselves.

It was not immediately clear if Monday's attack was politically motivated or related to a personal dispute.

Sher Jan Durani, a spokesman for the provincial police chief, said two suspects have been arrested.
Islamic State militants ambushed a police convoy in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Monday, killing 18 policemen and wounding seven others in one of the deadliest attacks this year in the restive region bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter



Police and military officials said roadside bombs destroyed and set ablaze four armored vehicles and a fifth carrying signal-jamming equipment. The gunmen later opened fire with machine guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier general. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

ISIS attack in el-Arish, Jan. 2017 (Photo: AP)

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on its Aamaq news agency.

The attack took place about 30 kilometers (nearly 19 miles) west of el-Arish in northern Sinai, the epicenter of a long-running insurgency now led by an IS affiliate. The Interior Ministry, which oversees the police, issued a statement confirming the incident, but its account of the incident provided no details on casualty figures or how many vehicles were destroyed.

It said police traveling in the convoy fired at a car that rushed toward them, causing it to blow up and damage several of the convoy's vehicles. That was followed by an exchange of gunfire with "terrorist elements" hiding in the desert on both sides of the road.

"That led to the martyrdom and wounding of some of the convoy's personnel," it cryptically added.

"Reinforcements were swiftly sent and a security ring was erected around the site while combing operations were underway," it said.

Monday's attack was the deadliest against security forces since July, when IS militants attacked a remote army outpost in the border town of Rafah , killing 23 soldiers. That was the deadliest attack in two years.

In March, the military said militants killed 10 soldiers during an army raid in Sinai's central region.

Egypt has battled militants in Sinai for years, but the insurgency became far more deadly after the 2013 military ouster of Mohammed Morsi, an elected Islamist president. It has since waged a number of high-profile attacks on the mainland, including areas near Egypt's porous and desert border with Libya. Egypt maintains that militants attacking its security forces and minority Christians sneak into the country across the border with Libya carrying weapons.

In recent years there has also been a wave of attacks, mainly targeting security forces, blamed on splinter factions of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group.

Monday's attack came a day after authorities said they had busted a militant cell planning attacks in Cairo. Police said they killed 10 militants in two simultaneous raids on apartments in a densely populated Cairo neighborhood. They said the militants sneaked into the capital from northern Sinai, but did not say whether they were members of the IS group.
Jordan said on Monday it was working with Russia to roll out a plan to end fighting in southwestern Syria "in the fastest possible time" - part of a peace pact for the border area brokered by Amman, Moscow and Washington.

Jordan and Russia's foreign ministers met in Amman to discuss progress in setting up a "de-escalation zone" in the particularly sensitive region that includes Syrian territory neighbouring Israel.

Neither side gave details on any sticking points, but diplomats told Reuters they have included the final positions of fighting forces, US unease about Russian involvement in policing the deal, and when to reopen a key border crossing.

Russia, which backs Syria's government in the civil war, and the United States, which backs rebel forces seeking to topple President Bashar al-Assad, met secretly in Jordan in June and announced a ceasefire in Syria's southwest a month later.

The trucethe first peacemaking effort in the war by the US government under President Donald Trumphas reduced fighting there and is meant to lead to a longer-lasting de-escalation, a step towards a full settlement more than six years into the complex war.
The US State Department has said it strongly condemns the attack on a police convoy in the Sinai Peninsula that killed 18 policemen.

The United States, said spokesperson Heather Nauert, would "continue to stand with Egypt as it confronts the threat from terrorism."

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the ambush.

The northern part of Egypt's Sinai peninsula has been the epicenter of a long-running insurgency by militants now led by a local affiliate of the extremist Islamic State group.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-10 16:03:12|Editor: An

Video Player Close

MANILA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its three East Asian dialogue partners China, Japan and South Korea reaffirmed on Sunday to further intensify economic cooperation to build a stronger ASEAN Plus Three (APT) community.

Philippine Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo told a news briefing that APT ministers reaffirmed further cooperation efforts with the development of the renewed APT Economic Work Plan that will set broader goals of building a stronger APT community in the long-run.

In relation to the work plan, Rodolfo said the Philippines can benefit from APT cooperation initiatives with priorities given to e-commerce in moving the country towards a digital economy, supply chain connectivity, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) development, and trade facilitation.

The development of the work plan can further assist the Philippines in its pursuit towards greater connectivity to Plus Three countries, Rodolfo said referring to China, Japan and South Korea.

For his part, Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a statement that the ministers also welcomed the efforts of the East Asia Business Council (EABC) in helping regional MSMEs capture digital trade opportunities, find new ways of doing business, and enhance MSME engagement.

He said the ministers showed their expectation as well towards APT cooperation in facilitating e-commerce development, Lopez said.

The Philippines, as chair of this year's ASEAN, is hosting the 49th ASEAN Economic Ministers' (AEM) meeting and related meetings.

ASEAN economic ministers kicked off a four-day meeting in Manila on Thursday to discus ways on how to further strengthen economic ties and integrate trade and investment in Southeast Asia.

Also participating the meeting are economic and trade ministers from ASEAN dialogue partners -- Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States.
New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki's 2018 Swift hybrid variant was recently spotted in India which was launched in Japan this July. It was expected that the company will launch the much awaited swift model in forthcoming Auto Expo.

Swift Hybrid was launched in two variants  Swift Hybrid SG and Swift Hybrid SL. Below are the features of latest Maruti Suzuki models.

The latest edition pairs standard 91hp 1.2-litre petrol motor to a 10 kW Motor Generator Unit (MGU) and a 5-speed Auto Gear Shift (AGS) gearbox.



Additionally, the system automatically stops the engine and switches to EV driving if vehicle is running at a constant speed or during creeping.



Swift hybrid system offers two driving modes which enables the driver select between brisk driving, and driving with priority on fuel efficiency (by increasing the frequency of EV driving). Reportedly, the car provides a high fuel efficiency of 32.0km/L.



Its weight is kept within 1,000kg.

Its Hybrid SL variants is equipped with paddle shift. Swift Hybrid SL's safety features includes Dual Sensor Brake Support (DSBS) collision-mitigating system. The DSBS system features monocular camera and laser sensor in order to detect pedestrians and vehicles ahead. The model is also equipped with SRS curtain airbags and front seat SRS side airbags.

Although there is no official announcement from the company's end regarding the launch of new 2018 Swift Hybrid in India. Hybrid cars have been put on the same slab as luxury cars at 28 percent GST with an addition of 15 percent cess at present. Under the new tax regime, the latest model will attract lots of tax before speeding up on Indian roads.
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said a memorandum has been sent to the Centre seeking an assistance of Rs 7,636 crore on account of floods in 19 districts of the state that claimed 514 lives and left behind a trail of destruction.

According to official sources, the Centre, without any delay, has informed the state government about the visit of an inter-ministerial team for on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

The team, for assessment of damage caused by the floods, would be headed by Mukesh Mittal, the joint secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

It would have representatives from the ministries of agriculture and farmers welfare, finance, rural development, drinking water and sanitation, road transport and highways and water resources.

Speaking to reporters after the weekly 'Lok Samvad' (public interaction) programme here, Kumar said, "A memorandum of Rs 7,636 crore prepared with pragmatic approach has been send to the Centre for assistance to carry rehabilitation and restoration work in 19 districts that faced inundation."

"The memorandum, incorporating details of damage to crops, houses, damaged roads and other items, has been prepared in a pragmatic manner and not like a thick piece of document consisting of impractical details," he said.

Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after aerial survey of flood-hit districts of Purnea, Kisanganj, Araria and Katihar on August 26 had announced immediate assistance of Rs 500 crore and promised that the Centre would provide more funds after getting reports of damage caused.

He took potshots at leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and other Congress leaders for mocking the prime minister's announcement of Rs 500 crore earlier, which they had said was half the amount that the UPA government had provided to the state after the floods in 2008.

"The UPA government had given Rs 1,000 crore in 2008 only for basic relief like distribution of food packets, polythene sheets and others. It had given no assistance for rehabilitation and restoration work post-Koshi flood," Kumar, flanked by Disaster Management minister Dinesh Chandra Yadav and principal secretary Pratyay Amrit, said.

"The state government had to get loan from the World Bank for carrying out large-scale rehabilitation work after devastating flood of 2008," he said.

Kumar said besides carrying out relief and rescue operation on a war footing, the state government has made available Rs 2,600 crore for distribution of gratuitous money to families who suffered from flood fury.

"Around 13 lakh families have been given Rs 6,000 each for meeting their immediate needs, including ration, through RTGS in their bank account and the rest would get it in another one-two weeks," he said.

According to the state government, there are 38 lakh families who would get Rs 6,000 each as gratutious money.

On state Health minister abd BJP leader Mangal Pandey performing "political duty" in other states while flood victims are facing problems after water has receded at home, Kumar said "A minister also hails from a political party and performing duty for the party is nothing unusual."

Pandey is the BJP's in-charge in Himachal Pradesh, which is slated to go to polls later this year.

"In the digital age, distance is not a big issue. A minister can keep tab over functioning of his department with the help of gadgets," the chief minister said.

When asked about the Rs 5 cr cheque from the Gujarat government for flood relief which has been accepted by Kumar, bringing back the memories of 2010 when he had returned a donation from the then chief minister Narendra Modi, he said, "The media is free to make its own interpretation."
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Election Commission on a plea seeking the disqualification of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The petitioner had alleged that the JD(U) chief did not disclose in his election affidavits that an FIR was lodged against him in a murder case.

The order was passed by the Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra, who took up the criminal writ petition filed by Delhi lawyer ML Sharma,

In his plea, Sharma had demanded that the Bihar CM be disqualified as a legislator for allegedly hiding his criminal records during the elections between 2004 and 2012.

The petitioner had also claimed that the JD(U) chief had never opted for bail in the non-bailable offence since 1991, thanks to his constitutional power and succeeded in getting the police to file a closure report after 17 years.

Demanding that the investigation against the CM be conducted afresh, the petition also asked for a generic declaration by the Supreme Court that no person having FIR and criminal cases against him can be appointed to any constitutional office.

In July, after Nitish Kumar broke away from his grand alliance partner and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, the latter had contended that Nitish did so fearing exposure in the murder case.
New Delhi: Reliance Jio on Monday told the Indian telecom regulator that Bharti Airtel had made "purposeful endeavour to confuse" the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) regarding interconnection usage charges (IUC).

"Airtel has purposefully endeavoured to confuse the issue by adjusting this recovery against its IUC pay-out of around Rs 24,750 crore, which Airtel has already recovered as part of tariff from its subscribers," Jio said in a letter written to TRAI Chairman R.S. Sharma.

"The amount which is already recovered from its customers in the form of retail tariff, as is evident from the differential on-net and off-net tariffs as high as Rs 0.50/ minute in some of its tariff plans, cannot be again adjusted against total IUC receipt made by Airtel. Clearly, this subterfuge is created to reduce the impact of true excess recovery," the letter stated.

Jio has requested TRAI to "summarily dismiss this contention as this wrong argument is being merely used for shaping the Authority`s stand on the issue and influencing the opinion of other stakeholders".

The letter said: "Airtel`s representation on loss due to prevailing IUC rates is also grossly incorrect and fallacious."

It added: "We request that the Authority may take appropriate action against Airtel for such mischievous and frivolous submissions made well post the time allocated for additional submissions by the Authority during the open house discussions."
3 major parties intensify campaigns in Province 2

With the third phase of local polls in Province 2 just a week away, major political parties have shifted their focus on the eight Tarai districts.
New Delhi: E-commerce giant Amazon India on Monday said it has created over 22,000 seasonal job positions across its network in the country during the upcoming festive season.

According to the company, the additional positions have been created at its fulfillment centres, sorting centres, delivery stations and customer service sites in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and many other cities across the country.

"This enhancement will be instrumental in driving an exceptional experience during the upcoming Great Indian Festive Sale. The over 22,000 seasonal associates will help in augmenting our capabilities to serve our customers better and enable us to deliver consistently high levels of customer experience," said Akhil Saxena, Vice President - India Customer Fulfilment, Amazon India, in a statement.

The statement said associates who have been provided opportunities specifically for the festive season will join the thousands of associates at the company`s 41 fulfillment centres, 15 sorting centers and close to 150 delivery stations across the country.

Amazon has 13 customer service sites across 12 cities and provides voice support for customers in Kannada, English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, it added.
New Delhi: India has won a price cut on a 20-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal with global giant ExxonMobil Corp in a rare contract renegotiation, a bad sign for producers in a heavily oversupplied global market.

In a trade-off for ExxonMobil, Petronet LNG will increase its volumes from the Gorgon LNG project in Australia by an extra 1 million tonnes a year to about 2.5 million tonnes a year, but at cheaper rates than initially agreed in 2009.

Long-term contracts are rarely revised in the LNG market, and for a big producer to cave in shows how supply from new plants in Australia and the United States over the past two years has transformed the market, analysts said.

"This trend is overall a negative for sellers, as they are forced to provide more flexibility to buyers` needs to maintain their markets," said Saul Kavonic, an analyst with energy consultants Wood Mackenzie.

India has been aggressive in seeking cheaper deals, also renegotiating a contract with Qatar in 2015, but the real pain for producers would come if major Asian buyers in Japan, Korea and China followed suit.

"Happy to share good news that India has, yet again been able to address the long term price issue of LNG from Gorgon to suit Indian market," oil minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, said on Saturday on social media.

Indian consumers would soon receive LNG at an "amicable price", Pradhan said. India started receiving Gorgon supplies from January this year.

Petronet said in a stock exchange announcement on Monday it had reached a "broad understanding of terms" with ExxonMobil, without giving further details.

Citing market sources, RBC analyst Ben Wilson estimated ExxonMobil would receive 15 percent less revenue per unit on its sales to Petronet under the new deal.

If ExxonMobil had not agreed to renegotiate, Petronet might have scrapped the agreement, leaving the major to pursue damages and resell the volumes on a weak spot market.

"They`ve probably taken the lesser of two evils," said Wilson, adding that it did not bode well for other LNG producers such as Australia`s Woodside Petroleum which has targeted India to diversify its heavy exposure to Japan and South Korea.

In a major shift from previous contractual terms, Exxon has agreed to absorb shipping charges, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The original LNG supplies would be priced at less than 14 percent of the Brent oil price, down from about 14.5 percent earlier, while the additional supplies would be priced about 12.5 percent of Brent, the sources said.

ExxonMobil, which controls about a quarter of the 15.6 million tonnes a year Gorgon project, had no immediate comment.

Analysts said the fact India had managed to force ExxonMobil to renegotiate was the latest proof that buyers have the upper hand in a market where LNG spot prices are well below oil-linked contract prices that were signed during the oil boom.

"The risk of price renegotiations will become more acute over the next couple years as spot LNG prices remain depressed, even if oil linked prices rise," Wood Mackenzie`s Kavonic said.

"The elephant in the room will be how negotiations play out with traditional markets in Japan and Korea, and especially the Chinese national oil companies."
New Delhi: Private lender IndusInd Bank has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd (BFIL) to evaluate merger between the two companies.

"The company has entered into an exclusivity agreement with IndusInd Bank for agreeing to have an exclusive discussion with IndusInd Bank about the proposed potential strategic combination by way of amalgamation through a scheme of arrangement, or any other suitable structure," Bharat Financial Inclusion said in a regulatory filing.

"The exclusivity agreement provides for a mutually agreed exclusivity period for due diligence and discussions to evaluate a potential strategic combination between the company and BFIL," IndusInd Bank said.

Both the companies, however, did not elaborate on the duration of the exclusivity period.

In March this year, IndusInd Bank said it is in talks with multiple entities for business expansion, including the widely speculated merger of Bharat Financial Inclusion.

In the statement issued to bourses following media reports that IndusInd and BFIL (formerly SKS Microfinance) are likely to announce a merger in an all-stock deal, the bank said the management has been authorised to evaluate strategic opportunities for business expansion.

There have been a slew of deals between private sector lenders and MFIs as the former eye to expand their network in the hinterland which will help them meet the priority sector lending mandates and offer cross-sell opportunities.

BFIL already has a business correspondent relationship with IndusInd in Karnataka for many years now. The then SKS had a tumultuous time four years ago as it first faced a repayment crisis in its largest market of Andhra Pradesh and a corporate battle over leadership which ended with the exit of founder Vikram Akula.

If the merger fructifies, it will be the third deal for IndusInd Bank, after Deutsche Banks credit card portfolio in 2011 and RBS diamond financing book in 2015.

Other banks, including IDFC Bank, Kotak and RBL, have either acquired or taken minority stakes in MFIs in past 18 months.

Shares of IndusInd Bank were trading 0.71 per cent higher at Rs 1,704.45 on BSE. Shares of Bharat Financial Inclusion were trading 1.60 per cent higher at Rs 950.95 on BSE.
Washington: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson paid tribute on Monday to the victims and survivors of 9/11, by honouring the heroes who valiantly saved many lives that day, even sacrificing their own.

Tillerson said, "Today we remember the victims of the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, and honour the heroes who valiantly saved many lives that day, even sacrificing their own. Their courage on that day remains an example of the character of the American people in the face of evil. Though our country was wounded that day, today we remind the world that terrorism will never defeat the United States."

"This date also marks a solemn tragedy where four Americans, including two of our State Department colleagues, were killed in a terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya. Their loss will always weigh heavy in our hearts," Tillerson added.

Tillerson further said, "Our hearts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones to terrorism. We remain committed to stopping those extremists who plot, enable, and carry out attacks on the innocent."

The president and first lady joined thousands of service members and families of 9/11 victims at the Pentagon, where hundreds of military personnel were killed after a hijacked plane crashed into the western side of the complex on Sept. 11, 2001.

"For the families with us on this anniversary, we know that not a single day goes by when you don't think about the loved ones stolen from your life," Trump said. "Today, our entire nation grieves with you and with every one of those 2,996 innocent souls who was murdered by terrorists 16 years ago."
Gujarat: Inspired by the Narendra Modi government's ''Goods & Services Tax'', a family in Gujarat has named its three newborn daughters after the newly implemented law, which was billed as India's biggest tax reform since Independence.

According to ANI, the family which resides in Surat, named its three three newborn daughters - Garavi, Sanchi and Taravi - after initials of the ''Goods & Services Tax''.

PM Narendra Bhai Modi had brought in GST - One Tax-One Nation, we were inspired by it and named our daughters after it, Kanchan Patel, the mother said.

Gujarat: A family in Surat names their three new born daughters after initials of Goods & Services Tax, call them Garavi, Sanchi and Taravi pic.twitter.com/gJGyqAHJr6  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) - India's biggest tax reform since Independence - was implemented in the midnight on July 1 this year during a mega ceremony in the precincts of the hallowed Central Hall of Parliament.

A minute after the stroke of midnight, President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressed the button to launch the new indirect tax regime on a digital screen with "GST" emblazoned on it in a golden hue.

Conceived on the principle of 'one nation, one tax, one market', the tax that subsumes 17 central and state levies was launched in the presence of Vice President Hamid Ansari, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, MPs, chief ministers, state finance ministers, officials of the Centre and states.
New Delhi: The 21st century belongs to the Asians, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday while addressing a students' convention to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address and BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary celebrations.

Vivekananda was the first person to refer to the concept of 'One Asia.' Today, the world knows that 21st century is the century of rising Asians  whether that be China or India, he added.

On a lighter note, the Prime Minister said I am not opposed to celebrations of Rose day in colleges, further adding, But the celebration of days should be shift from Rose Day to Kerala Day or Sikh Day or Punjab Day to learn and act according to state culture.

Praising the efforts and contribution of cleanliness workers in our daily lives, the Prime Minister said, "Phele sauchalay, phir devalay (First build toilets, then temples)."

"I owe my health to the sanitation workers, not expensive doctors," added PM Modi. "Can we litter Ganga and then take a holy dip? Can we litter and then chant Vande Mataram?"

Taking a swipe at student politics in Indian universities, he said, "None of the student organisations talk about cleanliness while campaigning for university elections should."

Recalling Vivekananda's sacrifices on the anniversary of 9/11 attacks, "Today is 9/11...this day became widely spoken about after 2001 but there was another 9/11 of 1893 which we remember."

"Americans forgot about the first 9/11 in 1893, which is why the second 9/11 took place," said the PM.

Swami Vivekananda raised his voice against the social evils that has entered our society, he said, adding "The correspondence between Swami Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tata will show the concern Swami JI had towards India's self-reliance."

Attacking 'anti-national' elements, PM Modi said, My heart swells with pride when I hear Vande Mataram. But I know, there are some people who do not like us shouting Vande Mataram.

Addressing students, the Prime Minister said, "There's no success without failure. We should not be afraid of failure," while reiterating Swami Vivekanada's ideal that both knowledge and skills are equally important.

Skills, innovation is crucial for the nation's development, he told the students.

"We salute Bengalis contribution to the world," said the PM Modi while referring to Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel Prize and Vivekananda's Chicago address.

"People knew no other salutation other than 'ladies and gentlemen'. For the first time, Vivekananda introduced 'brothers and sisters'," said PM Modi.

"I salute those who respecting women over 100 times," he said.

The theme of the student convention is 'Young India, New India'.

The convention of students is being held on a day Vivekananda delivered his historic address at Chicago in 1893.
Acharya appointed PMs economic advisor

Government has appointed Gyan Chandra Acharya as economic advisor of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Acharya is the former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and former foreign secretary.
Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday scoffed at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's United States visit, saying that the formers' international visits or tours would not affect the saffron party and labelled him as a 'part-time politician' of the country.

Speaking to ANI, BJP spokesperson S Prakash said, "Rahul Gandhi is always on International visits; he hardly stays in India. He always seems to be hopping from country to country. I feel sorry for theCongress that depends so much on him and assumes that he will do wonders for it, and also would win the elections in the coming months. Rahul clearly seems to be a 'part-time politician' and it's high time that he realises the importance of his party members trust on him."

Resonating similar views, another saffron party leader Rahul Sinha stated that Gandhi's international visits do not affect the country much.

"Rahul Gandhi has been visiting the US umpteen number of times; we don't have a count on it. Even we are not interested as to what he does there or plans to do. If he is on an official visit or pleasure one then it totally does not affect us. The so-not interested feeling that the saffron party has on Rahul, I guess the people of the country would also do the same over his visits," he said.

Rahul Gandhi left for the US on Sunday, where he would interact with the global thinkers, the political leaders and the NRIs on international, economic and technology issues.

Rahul will also give an address at the University of California, Berkeley, on the subject 'India at 70 -- Reflections on the Path forward', where he will talk about contemporary India and the path forward for the world's largest democracy.
Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party has sent a legal notice to historian Ramchandra Guha for linking Gauri Lankesh's murder to BJP and RSS.

The notice has been sent by Karunakar Khasale, state secretary of BJP yuva morcha, Karnataka, who has accused the historian of making false allegations meant to tarnish the image of the saffron party.

As per media reports, the notice demands that Guha issue an apology to the BJP and the RSS, otherwise civil and criminal prosecution would be initiated against him.

Guha had said that even if the BJP or the RSS were not directly involved in the journalist's killing, the ruling dispensation had enabled a climate of hate and suspicion making it possible.

He had added that 'freelancers' who actually commit these acts were emboldened by politicians and ideologues.

Guha had further written, in an article in a leading Daily, that the political climate at present was more poisonous than at any time since the Emergency.

Senior Kannada journalist was shot dead by unidentified assailants at her residence in Bengaluru on September 05.

Gauri, aged 55, had returned home in her car and was opening the gate when motorcycle-borne assailants had fired at her indiscriminately with two bullets hitting her in the chest and one on her forehead. She had died instantaneously.

She edited Kannada tabloid 'Gauri Lankesh Patrike' besides owning some other publications.

Born in 1962, Gauri was the daughter of legendary Kannada journalist P Lankesh. Her siblings, Kavitha and Indrajit Lankesh, are film and theatre personalities.

Meanwhile, reacting to the legal notice by the BJP, Guha tweeted:

In India today, independent writers and journalists are harassed, persecuted, and even killed. But we shall not be silenced.  Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) September 11, 2017

(With Agency inputs)
Srinagar: The Centre's development package for Jammu and Kashmir will cross Rs 1 lakh crores, after including cost escalation.

Briefing the media in Srinagar on Monday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, Due to cost escalation the PM Development Package for J&K is set to cross more than 1 lakh crores.

He further added that the Kashmir issue can be solved with the 5 Cs  Compassion, Communication, Coexistence, Confidence Building and Consistency, said Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday.

Speaking on Article 35A, the minister reiterated, I feel there is no reason for doubt and confusion on this issue. The centre has not gone to the court in this regard and I want to assure that whatever our government will do, it will not go against the wishes and aspirations of the people."

I shall visit Kashmir 50 times in a year if required, he said.

We want to resolve problems in Jammu and Kashmir. I would like to talk to all the stakeholders, I have always said this. I am not here keeping any reservation in mind, said Singh.

Welcoming tourists in the Valley, he added that the situation in Kashmir Valley has improved.

Want to appeal all tourists and tourist organizations, people of Kashmir are ready to welcome you, they want to turn it into heaven again, said Singh.

Asked about the arrests of separatist leaders in the state, the Home Minister said the National Investigation Agency is the premier investigating agency of the country and is acting according to the law of the land, but added that this should not deter those who want to talk to the government.

"Law will take its course, but we are ready to speak to everybody. We have never opposed talks. The all party delegation came here and met everybody, we did not oppose that. I have already said that all stakeholders are welcome and anybody ready to talk to us is welcome," he asserted.

Asked whether a formal invitation would be extended to the separatists for a dialogue Singh said: "What is formal or informal? We invite everyone. I request your help to restore peace and understand the intentions of the Prime Minister who said Kashmir problem will be resolved by embracing the people of Kashmir and not by `Goli`(Bullet) or `Gaali` (Abuses)".
New Delhi: In a bid to nab Gurmeet Ram Rahims close aide and adopted daughter Honeypreet Insaan, the police has released her photographs across the country. Some of these photos have been pasted at police stations near bordering Nepal, after rumours of Honeypreet trying to sneak into the neighbour nation emerged.



The law and order machinery is also on high alert to ensure she does not sneak into Nepal.

Talking to PTI, Superintendent of Police (SP), Siddharth Nagar, Satyendra Kumar said that the police stations of Kapilvastu, Mohana, Shohratgarh and Debarua, whose areas border Nepal, have been alerted.

The Uttar Pradesh police is also on an alert in Maharajganj, Lakhimpur and Bahraich districts which border Nepal, another official informed PTI. A few days back, Haryana police officials had come to Lakhimpur Kheri looking for the whereabouts of Honeypreet.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Ghanshyam Chaurasiya confirmed the arrival of two Haryana police personnel at Gaurifanta border in Kheri.

The Haryana police had shared some information with the Gaurifanta police and made inquiries about her suspected movement towards the neighbouring country through the porous India-Nepal border, the official said. "However, when no clue about Honeypreet's departure for Nepal could be gathered, the Haryana police personnel returned," the ASP added.



He said that an unclaimed vehicle bearing the registration number of Punjab was seized from the border and a probe was on to ascertain its ownership.

Earlier on September 01, the Haryana Police had issued a lookout notice against Honeypreet and Aditya Insan (another key aide of the Dera head), fearing that they could leave the country.

The police initiated efforts to trace Honeypreet after it arrested and questioned another sect functionary, Surinder Dhiman Insan, in connection with an alleged conspiracy to help Ram Rahim Singh escape after his conviction by a special CBI court in Panchkula on August 25.

Who is Honeypreet?

Honeypreet, who is in her thirties, is the adopted daughter of Ram Rahim Singh whose conviction in a rape case triggered mob violence that killed around 40 people across Haryana.



She had accompanied the Dera head when he was brought to the special CBI court in Panchkula for the pronouncement of the verdict in the 15-year-old rape case. She also travelled along with him in a special chopper which ferried them to Rohtak from Panchkula after the conviction.

Honeypreet is considered among Ram Rahim's possible successors as the head of the sect. She has also acted in film 'MSG 2 - The Messenger' and had a guest appearance in 'MSG - The Warrior Lion Heart', in which the Dera chief played the lead roles.

(With inputs from PTI)
New Delhi: Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Monday commenced his 35-day-long nationwide march called 'Bharat Yatra'- the biggest agitation against child sexual abuse, rape and human trafficking.

The 11,000-kilometre 'yatra' will tour 22 states, starting from the coastal city Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. The journey will culminate on October 16 in the national capital.

Earlier while talking to reporters, the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner had said,"One of the major demands through this campaign is that Parliament passes a stringent law against human trafficking, including child trafficking."

Asserting that he has declared a war against rape, sexual abuse and child trafficking, Satyarthi had said,"Bharat Yatra, the biggest movement in history will make India safe again for children. I refuse to accept that the innocence, smiles and freedom of our children can keep getting stripped and raped. These are not ordinary crimes. This is a moral epidemic haunting our nation."

Our children are not safe either in homes, schools or neighbourhood or anywhere and the perpetrators (of such crimes) roam freely. We just cannot wait and watch, he had stated.

Though the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act is a good law, the conviction rate under it is just four per cent. Also, over 90 per cent cases, lodged under the Act, are pending in the courts, Satyarthi had cited.

According to him, it will take another 40 years to clear a large number of such cases pending in some states.Every eight minute a child goes missing and the child is basically trafficked for sexual abuse, for prostitution, forced labour, slavery, child marriage, organ transplantation and other purposes, he said.

If we have to make a New India, which we aspire and are committed to, then our girls and boys should be safe in their homes, schools and their neighbourhood. New India would be one where all children are safe, free and educated, and this is a movement for that, he had said.

Meanwhile, condemning the recent atrocities against the two victims of sexual abuse-one in Ryan International School, Gurugram, and the other in Tagore Public School, Delhi, Nobel Peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi stated that schools in India are not safe for children anymore, reiterating that security measures need more stringent review.

(With inputs from agencies)
Lucknow: A case has been registered against six men who assaulted a Muslim woman for painting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia, the police said on Monday.

We will take further action as probe progresses, said Anil Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Ballia.

Newly-married Nagma Praveen was severely beaten up by the husband and thrown out of the house for painting PM Modi and UP Chief Minister, claimed Shamsher Khan  the victim's father.

Her husband called her insane for painting those pictures, said she has lost mental balance and just threw her out, said Khan.

He filed a complaint against six people including the husband, Pervez Khan, at Sikandarpur police station on Sunday, said the police.

Nagma married Pervez last year in Basarikpur village in the Sikanderpur area.

With agency inputs
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that he is not opposed to Rose Day celebrations in the colleges and educational institutions, but they should be organised keping in mind the spirit of India.

I am not opposed to Rose Day celebrations in colleges and educational institutions, if they are done with the spirit of India, the PM Modi said.

''The celebrations like Rose Day should be converted to Kerala Day or Punjab Day to highlight the rich cultural heritage of respective states,'' the PM said.

Taking a swipe at the student politics in Indian universities, the PM said, "None of the student bodies talk about cleanliness while campaigning for university elections."

The PM also spoke about innovation and entrepreneurial, while stressing that we ''don't need robots but creative humans.''

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made these remarks while addressing a students' convention to mark the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address and BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya's centenary celebrations at the Vigyan Bhavan here.

The theme of the convention was 'Young India, New India'.

The PM also had a message for all those who think chanting ''Vande Mataram'' is a proof of their love for the country.

Addressing the students' convention, the PM Modi said that civic workers, who keep the country clean, have the foremost right to chant ''Vande Mataram.''

"When I arrived here, everyone was chanting ''Vande Mataram'', I am asking the entire nation, do we have the right to say ''Vande Mataram?" the PM Modi questioned.

"50 baar soch lijiye, kya humein Vande Mataram kehne ke haq hai? Paan kha kar Bharat maa par pichkaari marein aur fir Vande Mataram bolein? (We eat paan and then spit and say Vande Mataram. You we have the right to say Vande Mataram?) ," he added.

"People who work tirelessly have the first right to chant ''Vande Mataram," PM Modi said.

Rose Day, which is celebrated every year on February 7, is part of week-long Valentine's Day celebrations which culminate on 14th February.

Roses and other flowers portray different meanings and sentiments during the Valentine's Week celebrations across the globe.

Today's event was organised by the Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) and supported by the Culture Ministry.
Sirsa: Dera Saccha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the rape convict currently serving 20-year jail time, probably suffers from satyriasis  an excessive and uncontrollable desire for sex.

Sources called him a Don Juan-kind of character  one who takes great pleasure in seduction and has physical relations with many women.

According to a team of jail doctors who examined Singh in Rohtak jail, he is feeling unwell, restless, uneasy and showing withdrawal symptoms.

Singh has been languishing in jail after being convicted of raping two sadhvis or female followers in a 15-year-old case on August 28.

On Saturday, jail authorities called in a team of doctors, including a psychiatrist, to conduct Singh's health check-up.

"The baba is in fact a sex addict. He has no access to the physical pleasures in the jail which is the basis of his restlessness. He can be treated, but if delayed, it can lead to a bigger problem," a doctor told India Today, requesting anonymity.

It remains unclear if Singh is a drug-addict or consumed liquor regularly.

Interestingly, the Dera chief told the special CBI court that he's impotent, physically incapable of performing sex. The presiding judge reportedly shot back asking, how your daughters were born?

Meanwhile, in the ongoing search operations inside the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters in Sirsa, a tunnel and passageway connecting Singh's quarters to the hostel of his female disciples were uncovered on Sunday.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to Centre, CBI, Haryana govt and the CBSE in connection with the alleged murder of a Class II student of a Ryan International Group School in Gurugram. The deceased's father Varun Thakur had earlier moved the top court, alleging severe administrative loopholes.

Earlier on Sunday, Francis Thomas, the school's northern India head and Jeyus Thomas, coordinator and Human Resource (HR) head were arrested, under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

The child was allegedly killed by the school bus conductor, who was arrested soon after the incident came to light on September 08.

Here are the updates:-

-Ryan International Group's northern zone head Francis Thomas and branch (Bhondsi) co-ordinator sent on 2-day police remand.

-(In pics) Ryan Group's north head Francis Thomas, branch co-ordinator produced in Sohna Court.

#Pradyuman death case: #Ryan International Group's northern zone head Francis Thomas & branch (Bhondsi) coordinator produced in Sohna Court pic.twitter.com/jpG0RSxxdz  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

-Police likely to interrogate driver, gardener of Ryan school again.

-The Haryana Police to probe main accused and school bus conductor Ashok Kumar's accomplices.

-Ryan International Group's northern zone head Francis Thomas & branch (Bhondsi) co-ordinator produced in Sohna Court.

-Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar spoke to Varun Thakur, the father of the victim, assuring him of a CBI probe, claim reports.

-Full faith in SC and have also received a positive response from Haryana govt: Varun Thakur

-The Supreme Court asks Centre to look into the safety of children in schools across the country.

-SC seeks reply from Centre in 3 weeks.

-Supreme Court issues notice to Centre, CBI, Haryana govt and CBSE.

-Parents mentioned in complaint that several CCTVs were dysfunctional, a water tank was left unlocked among other lapses.

-Parents file a complaint against Vasant Kunj Branch of Ryan International School, citing several security lapses.

-Heinous crime! Talked to CM Khattar. He is concerned and assured no culprit would be spared, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar tells ANI.

-Bihar CM Nitish Kumar assures full help to the victim's family over the phone and urges Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar for an impartial probe, claims News18.com.

-Gurugram Police Commissioner and DCP visit Ryan International School to recreate crime scene.

-A delegation from the JD (U) has met the family of Ryan International School murder victim.

-Bombay HC is likely to hear the case tomorrow.

-Ryan International Group's CEO moves Bombay High Court seeking an anticipatory bail ahead of his questioning in the case.

-The Haryana Police team will visit Ryan International Group's HQ to question its owner.

-Haryana Police team reaches Mumbai to question Ryan International Group's CEO.

-Pradyuman's father Varun Thakur seeks assurance for his family's safety as he moves SC for CBI probe into the matter.

- As per the sources of news agency ANI, the acting principal of Gurugram's Ryan International School was rushed to hospital after she complained of health issues during interrogation by the police.

Acting principal of Gurugram's #RyanInternationalSchool complains of health issues during questioning by Police, taken to hospital: Sources  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

- Ryan Pinto, CEO of Ryan International Group to be interrogated by Haryana police.

- "Have met injured media personnel, assured if someone had done a targeted attack then no body will be spared," the Commissioner added.

- Talking to ANI, Police Commissioner said, "Have dispatched teams for document verification so that we are able to investigate the case in totality."

#Pradyuman death case: SC to hear plea filed victim's father asking for a CBI probe in murder of his 7 year old son  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

- Supreme Court agrees to hear father's plea.

- Haryana Police sends a team to Mumbai to question Ryan International Group's owner.

- 11 people arrested for setting a liquor shop close to Ryan International School, Gurugram.

- Francis Thomas, the school's northern India head and Jeyus Thomas, coordinator and Human Resource (HR) head were arrested late Sunday night under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

-SHO Sadar Police Station, Sohna Road has also been suspended with immediate effect last night for baton charging protestors and journalists.

- Additional security deployed across all campuses of the school, to tackle protests by parents, who are raising questions about the safety of students after the death of Class 2 student in Gurugram branch.

Police deployment at Gurugram's #RyanInternationalSchool amid raging protests, all campuses of the school in the city closed till tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/mTwAjSdymu  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

- Child's father moved Supreme Court on Monday seeking CBI probe into the horrific crime.

There were security lapses, one of the reasons for Pradyuman's death says his father as he leaves for Supreme Court #RyanInternationalSchool pic.twitter.com/wBjtseoSXY  ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2017

- The principal and a few teachers of Ryan International School have been arrested. As per the reports, the police are interrogating other teachers too.

- The state government issued an order stating that all campuses of the aforementioned school will be closed till tomorrow (Tuesday).

#Haryana: All campuses of #RyanInternationalSchool in Gurugram to remain closed today & tomorrow amid protests,as per state Government order September 11, 2017

- The school management informed parents that the classes will be suspended for another two days "to express solidarity with the parents and family of the child."

- The notification issued to guardians said that classes 6 to 12, will reopen on Wednesday for examinations but the junior and nursery school sections will remain closed until further notice.

Ryan student murder: What happened so far?

A class II student was found dead on Friday (September 08) by a school staffer in the washroom on the school campus in Bhondsi area near Gurugram city with a slit throat. Soon after the incident took place, the police arrested Ashok Kumar, conductor of a school bus, for the killing but many believe he was made a scapegoat. The man's family too claimed he was falsely implicated since he was poor.

Earlier on Sunday, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) averred that the school did not have any separate toilets for staff like drivers and conductors while adding that the administration even did not get their employees identification verified. The report by the investigative team also highlighted that the CCTV cameras of the school weren't working properly and were not installed everywhere. Also, the fire extinguishers were expired.

The parents of seven-year-old yesterday urged the Haryana government to have the CBI investigate the brutal killing even as state Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said strict action would be taken against the school management and that police probe would be satisfactory.The child's parents said there could be a deeper conspiracy behind the murder.
ADB agrees to lend Rs17 billion to Nepal

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide $152 million (approximately Rs15.46 billion) in loan and grant to expand transmission lines in various parts of the country and enhance efficiency of the distribution system in the northern part of the Kathmandu Valley.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court to nominate two additional district judges within ten days as observers to deal with the upkeep and maintenance of the disputed Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya.

The bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra passed the order after senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Allahabad High Court registry, informed it that one of the observers has retired and the second one elevated as a judge of the high court.

Dwivedi also handed over to the apex court a list of additional district judges (ADJs) and special judges who could be considered for appointment as observers.

"As the list is long, we think it appropriate that chief justice of the Allahabad High Court shall nominate two persons from the cadre of additional district judges or special judges keeping in view the nature and tenor of the earlier orders passed in this case," the bench, also comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, said.

The top court asked its registry to forward the order to the high court registrar and said, "the chief justice is requested to nominate two names within 10 days hence".

The apex court has constituted a three-judge bench headed by Justice Misra to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Allahabad HC verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had in 2010 ruled a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acres area at the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya.

The three-judge bench of the high court, by a 2:1 majority, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

On July 21, a bench headed by former chief justice JS Khehar had said that it would soon take a decision to list the matter for early hearing.

The court's remark had come on a plea of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy who sought urgent listing and hearing of the matter.

Swamy had said that the main appeals against the Allahabad High Court order are pending for the last seven years in the apex court and these required urgent hearing.

He had also said that a separate petition had earlier been filed by him seeking enforcement of his right to worship without much hassle at the site.

The BJP leader had told the court that he has been allowed by the apex court to intervene in the matter and is seeking expeditious disposal of the cases.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: The Patiala House court in Delhi on Monday will hear the matter of de-sealing of Hotel Leela's suite no. 345 where Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda pushkar was found dead, back in 2014.

On September 4, the court had cracked down on the Delhi Police for delaying the de-sealing of the room.

It had further directed the concerned Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to be present in the court and explain why, even after more than three years, the police needs "more time to investigate."

Earlier on August 30, the Leela Hotel told the court that the police had sent a letter to the hotel, saying that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory ( CFSL) will have to visit the hotel again on September 1 to collect further evidence, and hence the room can't be de-sealed yet.

The lawyer representing the hotel told the court that the room had been sealed since 2015, and that no evidence was collected.

On July 14, acting on a plea filed by Hotel Leela Palace seeking to de-seal the room, the court had sought a damage report of the sealed suite from the Delhi Police.

Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma asked the Investigating Officer of the case to file the reply by July 21.

On July 12, the Delhi High Court adjourned the hearing of the Sunanda Pushkar death case on a plea by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy till July 20.

Swamy on July 6 had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court seeking a court-monitored enquiry into the mysterious death of Pushkar.

The Delhi High Court had asked the Home Ministry, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the police to file their stand on the current status in the matter.

Sunanda Pushkar was found dead on the night of January 17, 2014.
Geneva: UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein on Monday flayed any attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar when the ethnic minority community is facing violence in their country.

Speaking at the opening of a Human Rights Council session, Zeid said, "I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country."

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights noted Rijiju had reportedly said that because India is not a signatory to the Refugee Convention it "can dispense with international law on the matter, together with basic human compassion."

"However, by virtue of customary law, its ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the obligations of due process and the universal principle of non-refoulement, India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations," he said.

India's Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on September 5 said Rohingyas were illegal immigrants and stand to be deported. He said nobody should preach New Delhi on the matter as India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world.

Some 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India, and 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation, the UN estimates.

The violence in Myanmar began in August when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Rakhine, killing 12 security personnel. The military said it responded to the attacks and denies it is targeting civilians.

More than 300,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since then.
New Delhi: Referring to the historic speech of Swami Vivekananda at Chicago in 1893, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that people today associate 9/11 with the terror attacks of 2001 in New York, but the 9/11 of 1893 was about a message of love and brotherhood. Pm Modi was speaking at the convention of students in national capital.

Take a look at the top quotes from Vivekananda's 1893 speech here:

- I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation.

- We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.

- I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth.

- I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny.

- Referring quotes from Bhagavad Gita, Vivekananda had said, Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach them; all are struggling through paths which in the end lead to Me

- Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair.
New Delhi: A top UN official has criticised India for its decision to deport illegal Rohingya Muslims, but does the Centre has enough ground to back its stand?

Here are 10 facts:

1. India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, which clarify the rights of refugees and help protect them. 148 countries have signed it.



2. India has also not ratified the UN Convention against Torture despite being a signatory to the convention in October 1997.

3. Article 3 of the Convention states that "no party shall expel, return or extradite a person to another state where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture".

4. India is yet to make a law on the same to ratify the convention.



5. Whether the Rohingyas are registered under UNHRC or not, they are illegal immigrants in India: MoS Ministry of Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.

6. Nearly 40,000 Rohingya Muslims are staying illegally in India while another 14,000 have been registered with the UNHCR.



7. Majority of these illegal Rohingya immigrants have settled in Jammu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.

8. The Centre said illegal immigrants like Rohingyas pose grave security challenges as they could be recruited by terror groups.

9. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed concern over the violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state and called for "restraint".



10. Over 3 lakh Rohingyas have entered Bangladesh since the violence broke out in Myanmar on August 25, according to the UN office.
Srinagar: Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed and another arrested in an encounter with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, the police said on Monday.

The killed terrorists have been identified as Dawood Ahmed Ali and Shaiyar Ahmed Wani. The arrested terrorist has been identified as Arief Sofi.

The forces also recovered two weapons - one AK47 and one INSAS rifle.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Khudwani area of Kulgam district on Sunday following specific information about the presence of some militants there, a police official said. During searches, the militants opened fire at the security forces who retaliated, leading to a gunfight.

In another incident, three soldiers were injured on Sunday in a landmine explosion near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district.

"The soldiers were on routine patrolling when the explosion occurred. The injured soldiers have been shifted to hospital," sources said.

The soldiers were injured in Keran sector of Kupwara district, said sources in the Defence Ministry.
Naushera border (J&K): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday assured people living in border areas of the Jammu region that India was taking steps to ensure Pakistan was forced to stop firing.

"Just wait for some more time. Pakistan will forced to stop firing. If a single bullet is fired from Pakistan, then India should not count the bullets fired in retaliation," he told a rally of migrants here from the Line of Control (LoC).

Over 5,000 people living along the LoC were forced to move out their homes in the Naushera sector of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir four months ago in the wake of heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan forces.

Singh said, "Whether they (Pakistan) stop firing today or tomorrow, they will have to stop firing and ceasefire violation."

Flanked by Union minister Jitendra Singh and J-K Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, the home minister said after the 2014 ceasefire violations, he had told the BSF director general that no firing should be carried out from the Indian side as Pakistan was a neighbour.

"Don't fire first because Pakistan is our neighbour," he recalled as having said.

He said, "Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to always says that friends can be changed but not neighbours."

Singh said he had conveyed to the BSF DG that if a single bullet was fired from across the border, then bullets fired in retaliation by the Indian side should not be counted.

He said, "The situation was better to an extent. The situation is better now also. I hope that the situation in the future will better too."

The minister, who visited border camps and interacted with migrants including woman and children, assured them that steps would be taken to mitigate their problems.

"Whatever is possible I will do. People across the country have great respect and regard for the residents of the border areas. People in the border areas are facing unnecessary problems," he said.

The minister said he had told the director general of border-guarding force Pakistan Ranger in 2015 that Pakistan was resorting to firing violating certain protocols which should be respected and followed.

"India is not a weak nation now. It has emerged as a powerful country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No one in the world now considers India as a weak nation.

"The image and prestige of India has increased globally as compared to the past," he said.

Singh said after he took over as the home minister, the compensation paid to the next of the kin of people killed in cross-border firing was raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

He also said that five India Reserve Battalions have been sanctioned for J-K and 60 per cent of recruitment for these should take place from the border areas.

The minister said that recruitment in paramilitary forces also would be undertaken from border areas.

The migrants, during their interaction with Singh, made a strong demand for setting up of "bunkers" at their homes along the LoC.

"Our first and foremost demand is that the government should set up bunkers in each of the border houses if we have to live again along the LoC. We need bunkers more than food," Jangarh resident Parshottam Kumar, the president of the Border Migrants Coordination Committee, told Singh.

The home minister visited one of the six camps set up in Noushera by the government for the migrants.

The sarpanch of Kalsian border hamlet Bahadur Choudhary said, "If we have bunkers in our homes, we will not leave our homes at all."

Naushera MLA Ravinder Raina demanded safer places for the LoC dewellers, besides waiver of loans.

Singh also visited BSF troops at a camp near the LoC here and said latest equipment was being inducted into the force for better and more effective domination of the border.

The latest tehnology would act as a force multiplier and also reduce the workload on the troops, he told BSF personnel.

He lauded the troops for guarding the border areas under adverse conditions.
Bhubaneswar: The flyover collapse issue on Monday rocked the Odisha Assembly, with Opposition Congress and the BJP demanding Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's resignation and the House adjourned twice till the post-lunch session.

As soon as the House assembled for the day, Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat asked the chief minister to give a statement on yesterday's flyover collapse incident, in which one person died and 11 other were injured in the state capital.

When Patnaik was reading out the statement, Congress and BJP legislators rushed to the Well of the House, demanding his resignation, as he also holds the Works Department.

Unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings, first till 11.36 am and later till 3 pm.

Patnaik, however, completed the statement, while the Opposition members were demanding his resignation.

He said, a case has been registered under Sections 304, 337, 338 and 34 of IPC against Panda Infra Project (India) Pvt Ltd, Bansidhar Praharaj, deputy executive engineer and Kishore Kumar Rout, assistant engineer.

Both Praharaj and Rout have been placed under suspension, Patnaik said.

Executive engineer Dukhabandhu Behera has also been suspended for prima facie lapses. The case is under investigation, Patnaik informed the House.

He said that a high-level enquiry by a committee comprising the Chief Engineer, Designs and Chief Engineer, Roads has been ordered.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week.

"My government will ensure that stringent and exemplary action is taken against all persons responsible for the tragic incident," the chief minister said, adding, that prompt actions were taken immediately after the flyover collapse.

The Opposition members were, however, unhappy with his statement and demanded Patnaik's resignation.

Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress and party legislators had moved separate notices to the Speaker for immediate discussion on the matter and suspending the Question Hour.

However, the Speaker allowed the Question Hour, leading to vociferous protests from the Opposition.
Banke Muslims call for end to Rohingya crisis

The Muslim community in Banke has urged the government to exert pressure on Myanmar government to stop the atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.
New Delhi: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra is a woman of strength. Social media trolls and cyber bullies have never been able to dissuade her from doing good and spreading happiness. PeeCee recently proved the same when a Twitter user questioned her UNICEF Jordan initiative.

For the record, the 'Bajirao Mastani' diva on Sunday met Syrian refugee kids in an attempt to make a difference in their lives. But, apparently, this didnt amuse a Twitterati who then questioned Piggy Chops' visit and asked her why she is not meeting Indian rural kids.

To this, Priyanka delivered a befitting reply:

I would request @priyankachopra that do visit rural areas of India where malnourished kids waiting for food. #MissionForChildren https://t.co/VTKdrRBUkr  Ravindra Gautam (@RavindraGautam_) September 10, 2017

Ive worked w/ @UNICEFIndia for 12 yrs&visited many such places. What have u done @RavindraGautam_ ?Y is 1 childs prob less imp than another? https://t.co/GaxeKyXDrK  PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) September 10, 2017

More power to you girl!
New Delhi: People from all walks of life are stepping forward in support of the parents of a 7-year-old boy who was found murdered at Ryan International School student. Joining the chorus, former Bollywood actress Renuka Shahane on Sunday posted a heartfelt message on her Facebook page and even questioned the security measures taken by such schools.

"How do we make things safe for our kids? Parents drop their kids to school with the trust that our kids will be safe, protected within these walls of learning. But incident after incident points to laxity about the security of our kids despite the high fees in many 'International' schools," the 52-year-old star posted online.

On September 8, the police arrested Ashok Kumar, conductor of a school bus, for the killing but many believe he was made a scapegoat. The man's family too claimed he was falsely implicated since he was poor.

The Supreme Court on Monday will hear a plea by the father of the student seeking a CBI probe into the incident.

Read Renuka's full post here:
New Delhi: Banks should not only adhere to Know Your Customer (KYC) norms but also on 'Know Your Employee' to check frauds, says the recently-released vigilance manual by the CVC.

"Several frauds are insider jobs or perpetrated with the abetment of insiders. Banks have to take extra care to have continuous vigil on their staff," it said.

The techniques of background check for antecedents, periodic rotations, vigilance assessments, internal audits, etc. Have to be effectively employed to know the employees better, the CVC said suggesting the need of the "Know Your Employee (KYE)" and "Know Your Partner (KYP)" norms.

It said modern day banking necessitates to work in hand with partners, agents and vendors, etc besides outsourcing, peripheral and several operational activities involve deploying and trusting outside agency's employees.

"Varied activities as diverse as cash logistics to IT and data management are being entrusted to third parties. Banking Correspondents and Banking Facilitators are emerging as another set of persons closely associated with a bank.

"If frauds are to be prevented, banks should have appropriate mechanism to screen their partners," the manual said.

Due diligence on other professionals like Chartered Accountants, valuers and advocates involved in the loan assessment and sanctioning processes is also an essential safeguard, said the Vigilance Manual 2017, released by Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh.

"There have been instances where some of these professionals have facilitated perpetration of frauds by colluding with the borrowers to fabricate/fudge financial statements, inflate security valuation reports and prepare defective search reports for title deeds of mortgaged property and banks have been led to overestimate the funding requirements and security cover," it said.

The manual said prescribed documents should be obtained from an account holder to comply with the KYC norms.

"Apart from obtaining the relevant documents, effort should be made to 'know the customer' in the real sense - his background, his stated activities/profession.

"Discreet enquiries be made on the suppliers/buyers to check if they are in the same line of business or are bogus entities. Such timely checks help identify frauds at an early stage," it said.

The manual said a strong system of guiding the anti-fraud initiatives should be present in the bank.

"This requires a look at the corporate governance in banks and board level ownership of the anti-fraud initiatives," it said.

The bank should deal firmly and consistently with any fraud, which should enable employees to escalate their concerns and insights on potential frauds to the top management, the manual said.

It is for the first time that a special chapter on public sector enterprises, banking and insurance companies has been included in the seventh edition of the vigilance manual.

The sixth edition of the vigilance manual, which acts as a ready reckoner for the anti-corruption officials working with various government organisations, was launched in 2015.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the embattled real estate firm Jaypee associates to deposit Rs 2000 crore by October 27 with its registry and asked the NCLT- appointed interim resolution professional (IRP) to take over its management and work out a plan to protect the interests of homebuyers and creditors.

The apex court, in effect, allowed the insolvency proceedings against Jaypee Infratech to continue but stayed the proceedings initiated against it in other fora like the Consumer Commission.

It also restrained the Managing Director and Directors of Jaypee Infratech, a sister company of Jaypee associates, from travelling abroad without its prior permission.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud asked the IRP to submit a resolution plan within 45 days to the court, which shall indicate the protection of interests of homebuyers and the creditors.

The apex court, however, allowed Jaypee associates to raise Rs 2000 crore by selling land or any properties with the prior approval of the IRP.

The top court had on September 4 stayed the insolvency proceedings against the real estate firm at National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).

It had also asked the Attorney General to assist it in deciding a batch of petitions opposing the insolvency proceedings and seeking protection of the home buyers' interests.

Flat buyers, under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code of 2016, do not fall in the category of secured creditors like banks and hence they can get back their money only if something is left after repaying the secured and operational creditors, one of the pleas filed by some home buyers said.

It was alleged by senior advocate Ajit Sinha, appearing for petitioner Chitra Sharma, that around Rs 25,000 crore worth of money of flat buyers and others has been at stake and the insolvency proceedings were initiated "for a petty sum of Rs 500 crore".

Around 32,000 persons had booked flats in the projects of Jaypee Infratech.

Hundreds of home buyers have been left in the lurch after the NCLT, on August 10, admitted the IDBI Bank's plea to initiate insolvency proceedings against the debt-ridden realty company for defaulting on a Rs 526-crore loan, the plea said.

Jaypee Infratech is into road construction and real estate business. It has constructed the Yamuna Expressway, connecting Delhi-Agra.
Chennai: Actor Rana Daggubati on Monday said he is looking forward to watching actor Jr NTR play the character Jai in upcoming Telugu action-drama "Jai Lava Kusa".



In reply to Jr NTR's tweet in which he shared the trailer of "Jai Lava Kusa", Rana wrote: "What a fine actor you are man! Waiting to watch Jai."



In the Bobby-directed film, NTR plays a triple role - Jai, Lava and Kusa and the characters are modelled after Ram, Lakshman and Raavan.



The character Jai, who speaks with a stutter, plays Raavan.



Released on Sunday, the trailer of "Jai Lava Kusa" has clocked over 4 million views so far.



Slated for release on September 21, the film also stars Ronit Roy, Nivetha Thomas and Raashi Khanna.
New Delhi: With American space agency NASA running out of fully functional spacesuits, astronauts might have to face a crunch in deep-space missions.

The spacesuits NASA astronauts currently in use on the International Space Station (ISS)  known as Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU)  were developed more than 40 years ago and have far outlasted their original 15-year design life.

While each suit has been refurbished over the years, with new features like glove warmers, improved helmet cameras and lights added, they have suffered an increasing number of problems, such as water leaking inside the helmets.

Early this year, NASA revealed the new spacesuit designed for astronauts who will be heading into orbit aboard Boeings Starliner spacecraft, which weighs about 20 pounds with all its accessories  about 10 pounds lighter than the launch-and-entry suits worn by space shuttle astronauts.

Now, however, SpaceX CEO Elon has unveiled the 'future of space travel'  the space company's in-house spacesuit.

This is the second photo shared by Musk of the new spacesuit design created by the company, and the first to feature the suits full-body look.

The first image was shared by Musk on Instagram in late August, which focused on the head and shoulders of the outfit, depicting the full tinted face mask of the helmet, and the angular shoulders and black and white design.

The new one  also shared on Instagram  shows off the firm's full spacesuit design for the first time, in front of the spacecraft it hopes will send NASA astronauts to the space station in 2018.

The spacesuit looks more comfortable and light-weight than the ones in use at present. However, These suits arent designed for extra-vehicular activity (EVA) after all  theyre created to protect the astronauts while theyre in the capsule, and when moving over to other vehicles (like the ISS) under pressurized conditions, rather than being exposed to vacuum, TechCrunch reported.

It features accents and lines that make it more stylish than current designs. According to the Daily Mail, it is believed the suit was designed by Marvel and DC movie legend Jose Fernandez and Musk has previously admitted that it is 'incredibly hard' to balance the look and its function.

SpaceX has been flying cargo capsules to the ISS for three years.

The company is due to launch its first crewed mission with NASA in June next year.

Check out Elon Musk's posts revealing the new look!

First picture of SpaceX spacesuit. More in days to follow. Worth noting that this actually works (not a mockup). Already tested to double vacuum pressure. Was incredibly hard to balance esthetics and function. Easy to do either separately. A post shared by Elon Musk (@elonmusk) on Aug 23, 2017 at 12:59am PDT
New Delhi: We hear about particulate matter polluting cities on a daily basis. It is a worrying situation, no doubt, but scientists are also concerned about the pollution in space.

According to NASA, there are over 50,000 pieces of debris (space junk) traveling at speeds up to 17,500 mph around the Earth, the movements of which are being constantly monitored and tracked.

The rising population of space debris increases the potential danger to all space vehicles, but especially to the International Space Station (ISS), space shuttles, satellites and other spacecraft.

In December 2016, Japan sent H-II Transfer Vehicle Kounotori 6 (HTV6) into space to deliver supplies to the ISS. The same cargo ship was also supposed to complete another mission during its return journey  clean up space debris.

However, the experimental Japanese probe failed in its mission to clear space junk from the Earth's orbit.

Now, scientists are developing an ultra-thin spacecraft that can remove space debris - which potentially threaten satellites or astronauts - by enveloping junk in the Earth's orbit and dragging it through the atmosphere, causing it to burn up.

The Brane Craft, being developed by US-based Aerospace Corporation, is a flexible and less than half the thickness of a human hair.

"It has to be bullet-proof, because a 5-micron diameter particle can penetrate the main structural sheet, which is only 10 microns thick," said Siegfried Janson, principal investigator and a senior scientist at Aerospace Corporation.

The spacecraft is designed to be resilient. Its microprocessor and digital electronics are fabricated in a way to ensure that if one component gets damaged, the others will continue to work.

For example, if one solar cell gets hit by a micrometeorite, only that cell will fail, 'Seeker' reported.

The project received funding from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts programme, which focuses on space research that are in early stages.

Brane Crafts will be powered by ultrathin solar cells as well as a little bit of propellant. The company plans to launch the craft frequently, with many Branes deployed at the same time, helping to reduce costs.

After each Brane envelops a piece of space junk, it will navigate back to towards Earth, causing the junk to burn up in the atmosphere.

(With PTI inputs)
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh minister of state Mohsin Raza was today declared elected unopposed to the state Legislative Council.

With this, all the five Legislative Council seats, for which the by polls were held, went to the saffron party.

"Minister of state Mohsin Raza has been declared elected unopposed to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council," Principal Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Pradeep Dubey, who was also the returning officer for the by polls, told PTI.

Currently, Raza is the minister of state for science and technology, electronics, information technology, Muslim Waqf and Haj.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his two deputies and a minister were, on September 8, declared elected unopposed to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council.

With all the five seats, which went to the by polls, going to the BJP, the saffron party's tally rose to 13 in the 100- member Legislative Council, where the opposition still enjoys a majority.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has 61 members in the Legislative Council, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) nine, Congress two and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) one. While 12 seats are held by "others", two are vacant.

Adityanath had taken over as the chief minister of the state on March 19. He, along with the four other ministers, contested the by polls to become a legislator within the stipulated time-frame of six months since assuming office.
Bhairahawa airport: Chinese contractor to be fired for lack of progress

The government is preparing to issue a notice of termination to the Chinese company contracted to upgrade Gautam Buddha Airport in Bhairahawa as its performance has not improved despite several warnings.
Kolkata: Urging the state BJP leaders and activists to keep working towards the growth of the party, BJP President Amit Shah on Monday said the party would achieve its ultimate goal when it forms the government in West Bengal.

"Shah said the BJP has seen a lot of growth in recent years, but has not reached its saturation point yet. The ultimate goal of BJP would be to form government in states like West Bengal," BJP state General Secretary Sayantan Basu told IANS after a closed-door party leaders` meeting addresed by Shah at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations auditorium here.

Shah, who is on a three day tour to Bengal, said sky is the limit for BJP and claimed that the party can think it has touched the sky once it succeeds in forming the government here.

According to party sources close, he asked the party activists to stop complaining about problems and start working towards its growth at the booth level in Bengal.

Before the party leaders` meeting, Shah paid floral tribute to Swami Vivekananda at his ancestral house in north Kolkata.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh, national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, Union Ministers S.S. Alhuwalia and Babul Supriyo were present at both the programmes.

Shah would interact with party workers from different districts, who have allegedly been victims of political violence unleashed by the state`s ruling Trinamool Congress followed by an intellectuals meeting in the same venue on Tuesday.

He is also slated to hold a meeting with members of the Merchants Chamber of Commerce at a five star hotel in central Kolkata on the last day of his three day tour.
Kolkata/Darjeeling: Amid infighting within the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) over temporary withdrawal of indefinite shutdown, the second round of all-party meeting on the Darjeeling issue will be held on Tuesday.

West Bengal Tourism Minister Goutam Deb on Monday said: "We are hopeful of resolving the deadlock. People of Darjeeling do not want strike."

The meeting will be held in the north Bengal branch of state Secretariat, Uttarkanya.

"Life is slowly getting back to normal and after the meeting I expect things to fall in place," said Deb, a Trinamool Congress leader from north Bengal.

The north Bengal hills have been on the boil for about three months after the GJM revived its demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Normal life has been paralysed since June 12 due to the indefinite shutdown, called by the GJM, severely impacting the region`s economy based on tea, tourism and timbre.

However, the situation is limping back to normalcy in some areas of the hills -- mainly in Kurseong and Kalimpong -- as schools and many branches of public sector banks opened. Local transport services have also started.

Leaders of the GJM, which is spearheading the agitation, had said they would attend the meeting but did not divulge the details of the participants. They also said the party would press on its demand for a separate state.

However, confusion over the GJM`s participants in the meeting remains as the West Bengal Police has been in search of party`s chief Bimal Gurung and other key leaders for their alleged role in creating disturbances in the hills.

Meanwhile, in yet another blow to GJM leadership, a district court in West Bengal last week issued an arrest warrant against eight GJM leaders including Gurung.

Ousted leader Binay Tamang, who recently said he and his friends would hold a fast unto death after the September 12 all-party meeting to press the government for ending suffering of people in the hills, on Monday claimed they would attend the meeting.

"We will attend the meeting as representative of GJM because state government extended the invitation to us," he said.

After the first leg of meeting in Kolkata, the principal party in the hills became a "divided house" as a faction of the GJM leadership including Tamang and Anit Thapa had announced withdrawal of shutdown for 12 days.

The top brass of the party rejected the decision, saying the shutdown would continue.

Subsequently, the party leadership expelled Morcha`s Joint Secretary Tamang and Thapa, accusing them of conspiring to derail the Gorkhaland movement.

Another key hill party, Gorkhaland National Liberation Front, on Monday said a nine-member delegation led by Maan Ghishing would attend the meeting which will be presided and chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
New Delhi: The Dalai Lama has urged Aung San Suu Kyi to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Myanmar and expressed concerns about violence that has led around 300,000 Muslim Rohingya to flee the Buddhist-majority country.

"I appeal to you and your fellow leaders to reach out to all sections of society to try to restore friendly relations throughout the population in a spirit of peace and reconciliation," the top Buddhist leader said in a letter to Myanmar`s de-facto leader seen by AFP.
Yangon: Police fired rubber bullets to break up a mob which stoned the home of a Muslim butcher in central Myanmar, authorities said today, as religious tensions rise amid a surge of violence in the west.

The mob attack on Sunday night in the Magway region of the mainly Buddhist nation was fuelled by anger over the deepening crisis in the western state of Rakhine, according to a government press release.

Rakhine has been gripped by violence since militants from the Rohingya Muslim minority attacked security forces in late August, triggering brutal army reprisals that have left hundreds dead and pushed nearly 300,000 Rohingya across the border to Bangladesh.

The exodus accounts for nearly a third of Myanmar's Rohingya population, creating a humanitarian emergency as a flood of famished and wounded refugees pour into Bangladesh's already overcrowded camps.

The fighting has also pushed some 27,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus to flee their homes in northern Rakhine.

The conflict, marked by competing accusations from different ethnic groups, has intensified long-running mistrust between Myanmar's Buddhists and its maligned Muslim minority.

Those tensions bubbled over in Taung Twin Gyi township on Sunday night when dozens of villagers in a 400-strong crowd sang the national anthem and lobbed rocks at the home of a Muslim butcher before marching over to the local mosque, where police dispersed the mob.

Police arrested one man, 30-year-old Hnin Ko Ko Lin, who said the group acted because "they could not accept the things that happened in Rakhine", according to the government statement.

Min Thein, a lower house MP for the township, confirmed to AFP that the butcher was Muslim.

"Now we are urging all the people to stay calm and we have already told the Muslim residents to stay in their homes," he added.

Tensions between Buddhists and Muslims have simmered in Myanmar since 2012 when sectarian violence erupted in Rakhine, leaving hundreds dead and pushing more than 100,000 Rohingya into decrepit camps.

The country's new civilian government, led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, is desperate to avoid a repeat of anti-Muslim riots that swept through central Myanmar in 2013, leaving scores dead.
Pyongyang: North Korea on Monday threatened to inflict ''greatest pain and suffering" on the US, after Washington pushed for new sanctions against Pyongyang for its sixth nuclear test in the UN Security Council, the state-media reported.

"In case the US eventually does rig up the illegal and unlawful 'resolution' on harsher sanctions, North Korea shall make absolutely sure that the US pays due price," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement released by the Korean Central News Agency.

Pyongyang is "ready and willing to use any form of ultimate means", the Ministry warned in the statement, which also stressed that its eventual retaliation "will cause the US the greatest pain and suffering it has felt throughout its history", reports Efe news

According to North Korea, the US "is trying to use Pyongyang's legitimate self-defensive measures as an excuse to strangle and completely suffocate it".

Pyongyang said it "has developed and perfected the super-powerful thermonuclear weapon as a means to deter the ever-increasing hostile moves and nuclear threat of the US", and to "defuse the danger of nuclear war looming over the Korean peninsula".

On September 3, the North Korean Army carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test with a hydrogen bomb, which triggered a strong condemnation of the international community and raised tensions in the region.

Leader Kim Jong-un called the country's latest weapon test "a great victory" during a banquet held in Pyongyang on September 9 which coincided with the 69th anniversary of the founding of the country.

The US, with support from Japan and South Korea, has called for a UN Security Council meeting on Monday to vote on a resolution with additional sanctions against North Korea.

The proposal included a ban on oil and textile exports to North Korea and prohibited North Korean citizens from working abroad.
Taipei: A Taiwanese democracy activist confessed Monday to charges of attempting to subvert Chinese government power during a trial in China that has been slammed by rights activists and further soured cross-strait relations.

Lee Ming-cheh appeared alongside a Chinese co-defendant named Peng Yuhua at Yueyang intermediate court in central Hunan province, according to video footage posted on the court`s official social media account.

A shaven-headed Lee appeared nervous as he confessed to charges of "subverting state power", stating that he had written and distributed online articles that criticised China`s ruling Communist Party and promoted democracy among other topics.

"I know that my behaviour definitely violated Chinese law," said Lee, an NGO worker who was arrested during a trip to the Chinese mainland in March.

"The television news I watched in prison has made me understand China`s development a little better. I know that my past thinking and the information I received was mistaken," he said.

"This mistaken thinking led me to violate the law. I express my guilt and regrets."

The articles were written at the direction of Peng, who he had become acquainted with online and had met several times on the Chinese mainland, Lee said under questioning from a prosecutor.

Lee`s supporters gathered outside the courthouse in Yueyang city, according to photos on social media.

His wife and mother arrived in Hunan province Sunday to attend the trial. Both women were accompanied by several officials from Taiwan`s semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, which handles relations with the mainland.

Lee has long supported civil society organisations and activists in China, according to Amnesty International.

He had shared "Taiwan`s democratic experiences" with his Chinese friends online for many years and often mailed books to them, said the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

After Lee went missing Chinese authorities confirmed he was being investigated for suspected activities "endangering national security".

The language the two co-defendants used to confess their crimes sounded rehearsed, according to Patrick Poon, a China researcher at Amnesty International.

The "language they used was so much like the Chinese government`s", he said, adding he was particularly surprised by Lee`s criticisms of Taiwanese media.

"It`s a sham trial," he said, adding that "there is no way that the trial was a fair trial according to international standards."

In the lead-up the trial, Beijing repeatedly ignored Taipei`s requests for information on Lee`s whereabouts and details of the allegations against him. Even Lee`s family was not given written notification of the trial, Poon said.

Relations between the two sides have worsened since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May last year. Since then Beijing has cut off all official communications with Taipei.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory waiting to be reunified. It wants Tsai to acknowledge the island is part of "One China", which she has refused to do.
Zurich: Around 30 people have been injured after two trains collided at a station in the central Switzerland, local media reports said.

The accident occurred as a train, run by the Matterhorn-Gotthard rail company, attempted a manoeuvre at Andermatt station.

According to reports, around 100 people were on board during the accident.

An investigating is underway to determine the cause of the accident.
UNITED NATIONS: The U.N. Security Council is set to vote on Monday afternoon on a watered-down U.S.-drafted resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its latest nuclear test, diplomats said, but it was unclear whether China and Russia would support it.

The draft resolution appears to have been weakened in a bid to appease North Korea`s ally China and Russia following negotiations during the past few days.

In order to pass, a resolution needs nine of the 15 Security Council members to vote in favour and no vetoes by any of the five permanent members - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.

The draft, seen by Reuters on Sunday, no longer proposes blacklisting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The initial draft proposed he be subjected to a travel ban and asset freeze along with four other North Korea officials. The final text only lists one of those officials.

The draft text still proposes a ban on textile exports, which were North Korea`s second-biggest export after coal and other minerals in 2016, totalling $752 million, according to data from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. Nearly 80 percent of the textile exports went to China.

The draft drops a proposed oil embargo and instead intends to impose a ban on condensates and natural gas liquids, a cap of two million barrels a year on refined petroleum products, and a cap crude oil exports to North Korea at current levels.

China supplies most of North Korea`s crude. According to South Korean data, Beijing supplies roughly 500,000 tonnes of crude oil annually. It also exports 200,000 tonnes of oil products, according to U.N. data. Russia`s exports of crude oil to North Korea are about 40,000 tonnes a year.

The draft resolution also no longer proposes an asset freeze on the military-controlled national airline Air Koryo.

Since 2006, the Security Council has unanimously adopted eight resolutions ratcheting up sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

The Security Council last month imposed new sanctions over North Korea`s two long-range missile launches in July. The Aug. 5 resolution aimed to slash by a third Pyongyang`s $3 billion annual export revenue by banning coal, iron, lead and seafood.

FOREIGN WORKERS

The new draft resolution drops a bid to remove an exception for transshipments of Russian coal via the North Korean port of Rajin. In 2013 Russia reopened a railway link with North Korea, from the Russian eastern border town of Khasan to Rajin, to export coal and import goods from South Korea and elsewhere.

The original draft resolution would have authorized states to use all necessary measures to intercept and inspect on the high seas vessels that have been blacklisted by the council.

However, the final draft text calls upon states to inspect vessels on the high seas with the consent of the flag state, if there`s information that provides reasonable grounds to believe the ship is carrying prohibited cargo.

The Aug. 5 resolution adopted by the council capped the number of North Koreans working abroad at the current level. The new draft resolution initially imposed a complete ban on the hiring and payment of North Korean labourers abroad.

The final draft text to be voted on Monday by the council would require the employment of North Korean workers abroad to be authorized by a Security Council committee.

However, this rule would not apply to "written contracts finalised prior to the adoption of this resolution" provided that states notify the committee by Dec. 15 of the number of North Koreans subject to these contracts and the anticipated date of termination of these contracts.

Some diplomats estimate that between 60,000 and 100,000 North Koreans work abroad. A U.N. human rights investigator said in 2015 that North Korea was forcing more than 50,000 people to work abroad, mainly in Russia and China, earning between $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion a year. The wages of workers sent abroad provide foreign currency for the Pyongyang government.

There is new political language in the final draft urging "further work to reduce tensions so as to advance the prospects for a comprehensive settlement" and underscoring "the imperative of achieving the goal of complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner."
CPN-UML should be defeated in a humiliating way: Nidhi

Nepali Congress (NC) leader Bimalendra Nidhi has called on the people to defeat the CPN-UML in a humiliating manner in the upcoming elections saying that the party had not supported in the constitution amendment process.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. German Chancellor Angela Merkel commented on the announcement of the Turkish foreign ministry according to which official Ankara warned its citizens about traveling to Germany, Deutsche Welle reports.

I want to be very clear here: Any Turkish citizen can come visit us. No journalists are arrested here. No journalists are put into detention here. Here, we have freedom of expression and the rule of law. And we're proud of that, chancellor said.

According to the statement of the Turkish foreign ministry the German political leaders pre-election campaign is based on anti-Turkish principles. The Turkish authorities accused Germany on welcoming terrorists and allowing them to walk freely on the streets of Germany.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The EEU-Greece new bridge for cooperation and development business forum has launched in Thessaloniki, Greece.

The forum will be the first step in realizing the provisions of the joint declaration on cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the Greek government, which was signed in June.

Government officials, executives of major enterprises and leading companies from Armenia, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan will participate in the event.

EEC chairman of the board Tigran Sargsyan, Russias minister of transportation Maxim Sokolov, first deputy minister of foreign affairs of Greece Georgios Katrougalos and others will also take part.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the 300th Anniversary of Mekhitarist Congregation Establishment on Saint Lazarus Island of Venice, the Presidents Office told ARMENPRESS.

The message reads:

Dear Compatriots,

I congratulate you on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of a landmark historical event  Mekhitarist Congregations establishment on Saint Lazarus Island, Venice.

Three centuries ago, Mekhitar Sebastatsi, the giant of the Armenian spiritual thought, founded an institution that would become a world-renowned spiritual, educational, literary and scientific center.

Since its inception in 1701, the Mekhitarist Congregation has played an indispensable role in the cause of preserving the Armenian identity to become a prominent representation of the Armenian people in the world, with its rich cultural heritage and spiritual atmosphere attracting world-renowned Armenian and foreign intellectuals.

Located at the heart of Europe, the Mekhitarist Congregation bridged the Armenian and Western cultures. The Congregation has made an exclusive contribution to the development of Armenian studies: throughout many centuries our spiritual fathers have been doing huge work in the divinely illuminated cells of the Congregations Mother Monastery as evidenced by those general and topical scientific dictionaries, translations, as well as other works related to religion, history, linguistics, natural sciences and economics.

Noteworthy is that while combining the scientific, cultural and spiritual heritage with amazing harmony and perfection, the Congregation offers a unique environment of a museum. The manuscripts and records kept at the Congregations monastic compound are not just the evidence of the wealth of the Armenian cultural heritage; they are unique samples of global civilization.

History is reflected in time. All the way through its centuries-old activity, the Mekhitarist Congregation has provided the best proof of it as a means of communication between the national and the universal.

Bowing down to the selfless dedication of the Mekhitarist Congregation to the noble cause of preserving and disseminating our spiritual values, I would like to pay tribute to our spiritual fathers who managed to create educational centers, promote the Armenian language, culture and education among the younger generation.

Once again, I am proudly congratulating all of us on this emblematic jubilee, wishing the members of the Congregation long and fruitful years of creative efforts aimed at implementing Mekhitar Sebastatsis sacred message: Everything for Armenia and Homeland.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Parliament is discussing the agreement on visa-free travel between the citizens of Armenia and Moldova, reports Armenpress.

Deputy foreign minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said according to the changed Constitution, the Parliament should approve the agreement by law. We all are aware that the provision of reciprocal visits without visas is operating within the CIS. However, there is already a practice according to which the CIS member states sign similar bilateral agreements, the deputy FM said.

He added that this is a standard agreement which enables the citizens of Armenia and the citizens of Moldova to stay in each others country for 90 days within a year. The agreement extends to persons having diplomatic passports, ordinary civil passports and return certificates. In addition, there are also service passports given that Moldova has service passports.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Turkish former economy minister Zafer Caglayan faces up to 95 years imprisonment, Cumhurriyet reports.

A New York Court issued an arrest warrant for the former politician.

Caglayan is charged with running illicit funds engaged in money laundering and assisting Irans economy.

New York authorities said Caglayan lied to US officials regarding deals with Iran, which were banned under US sanctions. Caglayan is believed to have accepted millions of dollars in bribes during his tenure as minister.

Caglayan had resigned after the corruption scandal emerged in Turkey, which included several acting ministers, as well as then PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his son Bilal.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. North Korea threatened the US that it will pay a "due price" if harsh sanctions against North Korea are agreed at a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York Monday, CNN reports.

"The DPRK is ready and willing to use any form of ultimate means," the statement said of the North Korean foreign ministry said.

"The forthcoming measures to be taken by the DPRK will cause the US the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history."

The UN Security Council is due to vote Monday on new restrictions on North Korea, including an oil embargo, a ban on North Korean laborers and an asset freeze on leader Kim Jong Un.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. On September 10 Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited the Alashan site and Talish village of the Martakert region, press service of the Presidents Office told Armenpress.

The President got acquainted with the activities being carried out in the village, met with the residents.

Issues related to the course of programs on improving social and living conditions of the Talish residents were discussed during the meeting.

Thereafter Bako Sahakyan convoked a working consultation and gave corresponding instructions to the heads of interested structures for proper realization of the activities.

The President was accompanied by the acting premier Arayik Harutyunyan and other officials.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. On September 11 Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan took part in the opening ceremony of the conference dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the partnership between Armenia and the World Bank, press service of the government told Armenpress.

In his welcoming remarks the PM said Armenia attaches importance to close and continuous partnership with the World Bank that has a development tendency. The World Bank is one of the key partners of Armenia. We are successfully cooperating in all spheres of economy. During those 25 years a number of programs aimed at socio-economic development and forming modern institutions have been implemented in Armenia by the assistance of the World Bank. The tools provided by different structures of the World Bank Group helped to ensure economic growth, development and progress. Starting from 2014 we have entered a new development stage, by switching from the programs of International Development Agency to the programs of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Currently the Armenian Government has initiated and implements a program aimed at making radical reforms in and modernizing our economy which requires mobilization of existing resources, increase of effectiveness of their use and closer cooperation with our major partners, the PM said. He stated that the governments program has been appreciated by Armenias partners and said with satisfaction that the main goals of the Armenian government and the World Bank are in line.

Our ultimate goal to the future is to have an independent, safe, fair and smart Armenia. The futures creation of Armenia like this should become a key pillar of cooperation between Armenia and the World Bank. The WB extensive experience and the knowledge base will assist the government to ensure decades of progressive development by effective and smart use of resources and increase of competitiveness. From this perspective the assistance provided by the World Bank over the past 25 years is very impressive: 95 programs have been initiated the financial flow of which amounted to 2.3 billion USD. At the moment the Banks loan portfolio in Armenia is around 620 million USD, Karen Karapetyan said.

According to PM Karapetyan, in the circumstances of global economy a modern competitive economy and effective public administration are necessary for tackling the current challenges, and in future those economic systems can record success which will be able to change the model of economic growth and ensure progressive, stable, long-term economic growth.

To build our future, ensure our security it is necessary to have a developed, competitive and innovative economy. The economy of the 21st century should develop thanks to dynamic digitization, smart adaptation to the environment. This will be possible only in case of modern, globally competitive, highly qualified and motivated labor force. The base of future Armenia must start from school and continue constantly, the PM said. He expressed confidence that the participants both from the WB team and Armenia will continue with joint efforts to serve at best their experience and knowledge for the implementation of the vision of future Armenia.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan has lived up to the ruling partys expectations during his one year in office, Vice Speaker of Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov, who is also the spokesman for the ruling Republican Party, told a press briefing.

During this time we see that economic growth exists, we notice significant growth in tourism and exports. We can implement the programs which we have adopted together in case of good work, Sharmazanov said.

Asked whether or not this means that after 2018 Karapetyan will remain in office, Sharmazanov said: The functions of the current and 2018 PMs will be very different. Todays PM doesnt have any function of the 2018 PMs to implement and lead foreign policy, to lead the government completely and the power structures. The PM of the 2018 parliamentary system will have other powers, where undoubtedly not only the economy will be included, but first of all security and foreign policy. Regarding the issue of our candidate for PM, the day will come and we will discuss.
Democracy as a way of life

Schools have the potential to give citizens the power of self-direction
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The 9th annual International Hrant Dink award will be held on September 15, the birthday of Istanbul-Armenian scholar Hrant Dink, Agos reports.

Each year the award is granted to two individuals; one from Turkey and one from abroad. In addition to the award itself, after an annual scanning and reviewing process, the Award Committee makes a selection of individuals, institutions, organisations and initiatives that pursue activities in line with the principles of Hrant Dink Award and announces their names to the public during the award ceremony under the title of Sparks.

The International Hrant Dink Award is presented to individuals, organisations and groups that give inspiration and hope to people for holding on to their struggle, that work for a more liberal and fair world free from discrimination, racism and violence, who take personal risks for achieving those ideals, who break the stereotypes and use the language of peace.



With this award, the International Hrant Dink Foundation aims to remind to all those who struggle for these ideals that their voices are heard, their works are visible, that they are not alone as well as to encourage entire humanity to fight for their ideals.

Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief of Istanbul's Agos newspaper, was shot dead outside his office in 2007.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Israeli-Russian blogger Alexander Lapshin, who was pardoned by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev today, attempted to commit suicide prior to being pardoned, Azerbaijani media reported citing presidential aide Ali Hasanov.

Hasanov accused Israeli authorities in delaying Lapshins extradition process, mentioning that as a consequence Lapshin attempted to commit suicide on September 10. The suicide was prevented by prison guards. The blogger is currently under observation by medics.

Hasanov said that after the pardon, the extradition issue is dealt by both the Azeri foreign ministry and the Isreali embassy.

It is noteworthy that President Ilham Aliyev pardoned Lapshin on the same day when his defense minister Zakir Hasanov departed for Israel on an official visit.

The tourism blogger was detained in Belarus in 2016 upon Azerbaijans request. Azerbaijan had blacklisted Lapshin for his visit to Artsakh.

On February 7, 2017, Alexander Lapshin was extradited to Azerbaijan where a Baku Court sentenced him to 3 years imprisonment.

Charges included public calls against the state and illegal border crossing.

The blogger was found guilty for illegal border crossing under Article 318  the infamous and illicit law which defines criminal proceedings for foreigners who visit Nagorno Karabakh without authorization of Azerbaijan.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The Rapid Trident 2017 military exercises have kicked off in Lvov region, Ukraine, the defense ministry of Ukraine said.

Rapid Trident is an annual, multinational exercise that serves as the validation for Ukraine's Ministry of Defense unit currently undergoing at the Ukrainian-led Combat Training Center, under the advisement of allied and partner nations. This year's exercise will take place Sept. 8-23, 2017, at the International Peacekeeping Security Centre near Yavoriv, Ukraine.



Rapid Trident 2017 involves approximately 2500 personnel from 14 nations, including Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Italy, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.



The exercise is focused on peacekeeping and stability operations to ensure a safe and secure environment. It is composed of a multinational, brigade-level, computer-assisted command post exercise, integrated with a battalion-level field training exercise and a platoon-level situational training exercise.



The exercise will also include integrated air and ground training near Starokonstantinov, Ukraine, with a focus on aeromedical evacuation, tactical airlift/airdrop, logistics planning and equipment preparation.



The Rapid Trident exercise series is held at the request of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Mehman Aliyev, the jailed director of the Turan opposition news agency of Azerbaijan, has been released, APA reports.

The media executive was released after a September 11 Court hearing on the case.

Mehman Aliyev told reporters he had appealed to President Ilham Aliyev for his release.

The Turan director was arrested on August 28 for tax evasion.

The news agency however, denied any wrongdoing, and said that authorities were framing them to obstruct their activities.

Mehman Aliyev was facing up to 7 years in prison.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The EU-Armenia agreement will open a new chapter in bilateral relations, EU Ambassador to Armenia H.E. Piotr Switalski told a press conference on the sidelines of the Assistance Initiative for Organic Agriculture program in Yerevan.

We are preparing for signing the agreement, we continue internal preparations, and I havent yet seen any sign from the Armenian side which would contradict our joint programs and tendency. We are steadily moving towards the realization of a common goal. I hope we will assist each other within the framework of this agreement, by brining cooperation to new levels also in the agriculture sector itself. I greatly believe that the Armenian organic agriculture sector will spread towards Europe. We will give enhanced assistance to the agriculture sector in the future as well, he said.

The European Union-Armenia agreement is expected to the signed in November during the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENRESS. The opposition Yelk blocs suggestion on Armenia leaving the Eurasian Economic Union doesnt comply with the countrys foreign policy and foreign economic interests, chairman of the foreign relations committee of the Armenian parliament Armen Ashotyan said.

This initiative doesnt fit into the circles of priorities of our foreign policy, Ashotyan said.

He added that the oppositions bill must still be debated in a relevant committee.

I believe that it is my committee that will lead the debates. We didnt yet receive the document. When we do, we will discuss it in detail, he said.

The Yelk opposition party submitted a bill, proposing to start the withdrawal process of Armenia from the EEU.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The US military presence in Syria violates the international law, but this possibility for fighting against terrorism must be used, Russias foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said summing up the results of talks with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, TASS reports.

From the very start we have consistently taken a very clear stance. All those who are on the Syrian soil or Syrias airspace without the consent of the Syrian government violate the international law, Lavrov said. Here Russia, as well as Irans representatives, including the representatives of the Hezbollah movement, work upon a direct invitation of Syrias legitimate authorities.

Earlier Syrias first deputy minister of foreign affairs announced that the US presence in the country is illegal and unacceptable since it has not been approved by the Syrian government. The deputy minister added that the US should withdraw its troops from Syria.


YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenias foreign minister Edward Nalbandian held a meeting on September 11 in Yerevan with Georgias foreign minister and Vice PM Mikheil Janelidze.

During the meeting, the sides were pleased to note that the relations of the two neighboring countries are significantly developing during the recent years. In this context, both sides attached importance to the contribution of the foreign ministries in the implementation of agreements reached between the Armenian and Georgian leaders.

The ministry told ARMENPRESS that Nalbandian and Janelidze discussed a wide range of issues of the bilateral agenda.

The ministers touched upon partnership in international structures, inter-parliamentary relations, commercial ties, transportation infrastructures, cooperation in the energy sector, culture, tourism and others.

The meeting also touched upon the actions for solving the Georgia-Armenians issues.

The sides also exchanged ideas over several regional and international matters.

Edward Nalbandian briefed Mikheil Janelidze on the joint efforts of Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs for creating relevant conditions for the advancement of the peaceful settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Prosecutor General Arthur Davtyan departed for China to participate in the 22nd annual conference of the International Association of Prosecutors in Beijing September 11-15.

The theme for the conference is "Prosecution in the Public Interest - Facing the challenges and opportunities in changing societies".

The 22nd IAP Annual Conference will put special emphasis on three important global developments and look into the domestic challenges that follow to ensure that prosecution remains in the public interest:

Digitalization & Prosecution Judicial Cooperation The growing urban populations and prosecution

Armenias Prosecutor Generals Office is a member of the International Association of Prosecutors since 1999.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on September 11 hosted Georgias Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze who arrived in Armenia on a working visit, press service of the Presidents Office told Armenpress.

At the meeting the sides discussed the Armenian-Georgian mutual partnership in different spheres and the programs aimed at strengthening the bilateral ties, as well as the implementation process of agreements reached at a high level.

The Armenian President attached importance to regular mutual visits which, according to him, are a good chance to discuss the current level of cooperation and the new opportunities to deepen the relations.

The Georgian FM expressed gratitude to friendly Armenia for the significant assistance provided for extinguishing the major forest fires in Borjomi.

In addition to bilateral ties, the two officials also discussed the Armenian-Georgian mutual partnership within the frames of international structures, as well as issues relating to the development of relations at multilateral format. They exchanged views on current regional, international affairs and challenges, as well as touched upon the settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
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.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. To restore substantial talks on NagornoKarabakh conflict settlement its necessary to first restore atmosphere for negotiations, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the parliament of Armenia Armen Ashotyan told the reporters.

When we say atmosphere for the negotiation process we first of all mean the full implementation of the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg, Ashotyan said.

According to him, implementation of the agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg is important for creating the trustworthy, safe atmosphere that will prevent military operations, clashes and provocations which will give an opportunity to proceed with the substantial talks over the proposals presented by the Co-chairs.
OTTAWA, CanadaWhile attending the recent Asia Adult Expo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, reps from Standard Innovation and its legal counsel delivered patent notifications to 13 exhibitors.

Reps took the measure to inform exhibitors of its intellectual property rights and Hong Kong patent rights covering the We-Vibe brand couples vibrators.

We are an innovation focused company, and our most valuable asset is our intellectual property, said Frank Ferrari, president of Standard Innovation. In recent months, we have seen an increase in products on the market that potentially infringe our couples vibrator patent. Manufacturers and retailers must be aware that we will go to significant means to protect our investment and pursue those who attempt manufacture, market or sell products that infringe our rights.

Standard Innovation holds patents on its couples vibrator products in Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Hong Kong, Mexico, and the United States, and has patents pending in Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Hong Kong and the United States.

Standard Innovation is represented by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP as coordinating litigation and intellectual property counsel, and Osha Liang LLP for U.S. litigation matters.

For more, visit We-Vibe.com.
SAN FRANCISCOThe Center for Sex & Culture is presenting two events in September: The gallery opening of the art of Jan Saudek and an Open House and Clothes Check forFolsom Street Fair Day.

Jan Saudeks Erotic World of Fantasies and Dreams is an exhibition of 17 photographs by renowned Czech photographer Jan Saudek, together with examples of calligraphied correspondence between Saudek and Good Vibrations founder Joani Blank. Curated by David Steinberg. Center for Sex and Culture, 1349 Mission St., San Francisco, Sept. 15 through Oct. 8. An opening reception is set for 7-10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 15.

Eros, desire, sex, dreams, flesh, death, birth, innocence, revelation , mystery, discovery, temptation, power, transformation. These are some of the subjects addressed by the imaginative imagery of Czech photographer Jan Saudek, whose work has become increasingly popular in both Europe and the United States since the liberalization that followed the Czech revolution of 1968.

In the spring of 1992, Joani Blank, founder of Good Vibrations, visited Saudek in Prague and returned with a collection of stunning colorized photographs purchased directly from him. The photographs became cherished works that decorated Blanks home continuously from 1993 until her death in August 2016.

One of Blanks parting wishes was for her Saudeks to be seen by as many people as possible, and the Center for Sex and Culture is delighted to host this exhibition of her complete collection of Saudek prints, with additional Saudek images from the collections of Carol Queen, Tom Hammel and David Steinberg.

The 17 colorized photographic images are supplemented by samples of elaborately calligraphied correspondence from Saudek to Blank, reflecting their long friendship and mutual admiration.

Saudeks unique, sometimes surreal, photography is a proclamation that the world of Eros is neither rational, nor simple, nor tidyrather an unwieldy force that twists and turns, laughs and cries, turns us inside out in ways that are wonderful and horrible, exciting and painful, sexy and bizarre, all at once.

The erotic river, Saudek reminds us, runs through everythingfantasies and dreams of the beautiful and the grotesque, of tenderness and violence, of innocence and experience, of the known and the unknown, of the knowable and the unknowable. His imagery invites us into a world of erotic mystery and complexity, the antithesis of rationality and predictability. Here, Saudek says, is where real life is to be found.

Yesit's a theater. We are viewers and actors at the same time, and it's a funny and sordid performance! said Jan Saudek.

Additionally, there is the CSC Folsom Street Fair Open House, Clothes Check & Chill Space, slated for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, at 1349 Mission at Grace Alley (between 9th & 10th streets).

Folsom Day is great fun for kinksters, exhibitionists, and newbies alike. But where to leave your street clothes when you hit Folsom Street in all your fetish-y finery? Or, yknow, mostly naked! How about your precious toys, which you plan to use at a Fair afterparty? Come to CSC for a secure clothes/toy check, so you dont have to leave them behind a dumpster!

Admission is $10 and gives access to a secure clothes check service (first bag is free, $5 each for additional bags), beverages, and an air-conditioned room. The Center for Sex & Culture is just a block and a half from the closest FSF entrances at Howard street at 9th and 10th streets.

For more, visit SexAndCulture.org.
PHOENIXEntrenue is now scheduling meetings for the upcoming Altitude Intimates Show, to be held Sept. 25-26 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.

The boutique distributor has been accepting pre-scheduled meetings to ensure the opportunity of face-to-face meetings and relationship-building, and Entrenues sales staff will be on hand to help nurture business with its loyal customers.

Entrenue urges those interested in a meeting to book early as buzz builds for the Altitudes Intimates Show. A limited number of meeting times are still available.

To schedule your meeting, call your preferred representative or (800) 368-7268, or simply email [email protected].
The North Tower falls after burning for 102 minutes.

On the 11th anniversary of 9/11, with an Ambassador and 3 of his staff killed, and two U.S.A. embassies set ablaze, all in Muslim Countries: Was it wise for Candidate Obama's first official act to apologize to Muslims for Americans' exercising their 1st Amendment protected right of free speech? Yes, "unconditionally," he cares No, he just doesn't get it I don't pay attention 111 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



poll#10

Today, on the 12th anniversary of 9/11, we ask: Has Candidate Obama done as much to keep America as safe from terrorists as did President Bush? Yes No Who cares? 105 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



It was a clear beautiful, royal blue sky day on Wall Street. The S & P futures were up markedly, awaiting a positive open, as I turned to get my first cup of coffee, after completing my morning chores. I returned to CNBC to get the morning business news, when I noticed that the S & P futures were falling, and they were falling fast. Down 10 points, 15 points, 20 points:... I heard myself reflexively exclaim.My exclamation was unintended as prophetic, but little did I know thatwas soon to befall the victims of the South Tower, and then the North Tower of the World Trade Center.The World Trade Center's North Tower was struck at 8:46 am by American Airlines Flight 11, which was commandeered by 5 Al-Qaeda hijackers. At 9:03 am, the South Tower of the World Trade Center was struck by United Airlines Flight 175, also commandeered by a second set of 5 Al-Qaeda hijackers. American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia at 9:37am by a third set of Al-Qaeda hijackers. A fourth airline, United Airlines Flight 93, impacted into a secluded field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers courageously foiled the fourth set of Al-Qaeda hijackers attempting to strike their intended target in Washington, D.C.The late Mark Haines, CNBC's venerable morning anchor of the popular morning business show, Squawk Box, was the first authoritative voice I heard concerning this cataclysmic event that would forever reshape Americans' view of the world, and conversely, how we are viewed by the rest of the world as well. Mark, David Faber, Joe Kernen and Maria Bartiromo, the hosts of this popular show, continued through the day, finding themselves in a most inauspicious position of guiding their viewers through the most terrible moment in America's relative recent collective memory. Most of us will never forget: where we were, what we felt, when we learned of the horrendous attack by Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda hijackers.It is a moment seared within the fabric of my soul. I pray it will be a moment seared within the collective consciousness of our American People. Lest we forget, our freedoms will be forever lost.After the attack, the deaths, the tears, the war, the retribution, and the consideration of what is real, and the knowledge of what is lasting, it might be time some real hope and change.
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.
The second passenger jet explodes into the south tower, with the Brooklyn Bridge in the foreground: Above.

On the 11th anniversary of 9/11, with an Ambassador and 3 of his staff killed, and two U.S.A. embassies set ablaze, all in Muslim Countries: Was it wise for Candidate Obama's first official act to apologize to Muslims for Americans' exercising their 1st Amendment protected right of free speech? Yes, "unconditionally," he cares No, he just doesn't get it I don't pay attention 111 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



In remembrance of the day that will forever seer the concept of 'evil' in our minds, let's look back at that fateful morning, exactly 11 years ago today to that series of horrific events which unfolded before our unbelieving eyes......It was almost 8:40 am on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. It was a beautiful, clear, sunny morning. Both towers of the World Trade Center, in lower Manhattan, were slightly less than half full. Flight 11, heading from Boston to LA, had already been hijacked and had broken contact with air controllers. At about that time, Betty Ong, an attendant on Flight 11, called American Airlines Operations Center, to report that the plane had likely been hijacked. She reported that the first class attendant, the purser, and a first class passenger had been stabbed but no one really knew what was going on. Flight attendant Amy Sweeney also called American Airlines. She was scared. She said the plane was flying erratically and had all of a sudden made a rapid descent. She said: "I can see the water. I can see the buildings. The plane is flying so low." The transcript shows that she then took a slow, deep breath and calmly said: "Oh my God!" The phone went dead for both Amy and Betty at 8:45. At 8:46 am, Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. The plane struck the 93rd through 99th floors of the 110-story building. No one above the crash line survived; approximately 1,360 people died. Below the crash line, approximately 72 died and more than 4,000 survived. 87 people perished onboard Flight 11. In addition to Betty and Amy, Sara Low was also a flight attendant who lost her life. Her father described her as being prone to silliness and having an infectious personality, one that could calm even the most nervous traveler. He said: "My life stopped when my daughter died."About the time of the crash, air controllers noticed that Flight 175 fell off the radar. And a few minutes later, they learned that Flight 77 had been hijacked. It was then that they then suspected that Flight 175 had also been hijacked. In fact, both pilots on board that plane had already been stabbed to death.At 8:55 am, Karl Rove took President Bush aside and told him of the crash at the North Tower. They were headed to an elementary school in Sarasota, Florida. At first they believed it was likely an accident, perhaps a pilot who had suffered a heart attack.At 9:03 am, Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower. Millions watched the crash live on television. The plane struck the 77th through 85th floors of the 110-story building. Approximately 100 people were killed or injured in the initial impact; and 600 people in the tower would eventually die. A woman on the 83rd floor made a last call to 9/11. She said: "The floor is completely engulfed in smoke. We're on the floor and we can't breathe.... I don't see any more air. ... I'm going to die, aren't I?"The death toll from the South Tower was far lower than in the North Tower because when the occupants learned of the attack on its neighbor, about 2/3 immediately evacuated the building.The combined death toll from the two towers was estimated at 2,606. 60 people perished on board Flight 175. 343 first responders - firefighters and paramedics - would also perish. And 23 officers of the NYPD as well. Firefighter Terence Hatton -- who earned 19 medals in 21 years -- died before his wife even had the chance to tell him that she was pregnant.At least 200 people fell or jumped to their deaths from the burning towers. We remember the footage of people gathered in groups at the windows in a last minute attempt to get some oxygen. We remember many of them jumping in order to avoid a fiery death. The reporters called them "jumpers." We can't imagine being faced with such a hopeless choice. Our hearts ached as we watched the footage.NYC Mayor Rudy Guiliani, who arrived at the scene immediately, has been forever touched by what he witnessed that morning. He said: "As I looked up, my eyes caught on a man on the 100th floor of the North Tower near the top. I realized I was watching the man throwing himself out. I watched him go all the way down and hit... I just stood there and watched.. frozen, because it was so incomprehensible. Over the course of time I saw several other people jumping, I can't remember how many. Two of them were holding hands. Of the many memories that stick in your mind from that day, that's the one I remember every single day.''At the time the second plane struck the South Tower, President Bush was in a second grade classroom promoting his education policy and listening to the children read a story about a pet goat. At 9:06 am, Chief of Staff, Andrew Card, seized a pause in the reading exercise to whisper to him that a second plane had crashed into the Towers. President Bush continued briefly to listen to the children read their story so as not to relay any sense of alarm to them and in front of the cameras.At 9:16 am, the FAA learned that Flight 93 might also have been hijacked but could not get confirmation. At 9:20 CNN and Fox News commentator, Barbara Olson, a passenger on board Flight 77, called her husband, Ted Olson, Solicitor General at the Justice Department to tell him that the plane had been hijacked and that passengers were ordered to the back of the plane. The FAA then learned that Flight 77, originally en route from Dulles Airport to Los Angeles, had circled around and was heading towards Washington DC.At 9:28 am, the hijackers on board Flight 93 took out knives and stabbed pilots, flight attendants, and passengers. Then they relocated the remaining passengers to the back of the plane and threatened to detonate a bomb. Air control was able to hear Arab voices on the radio.At 9:29, President Bush delivered his first address to the nation that day - from the elementary school, in front of about 200 children: He said: "Today we've had a national tragedy. Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country."At 9:34 am, the FAA noticed that Flight 77 was missing. It had dropped from radar. At 9:36, it crashed into the first floor of the Pentagon, along the west wall. All 64 people on the plane perished and 124 people working in the building were killed. A further victim would die in a hospital several days later. Donald Rumsfeld ran from his office on the other side of the Pentagon and went immediately to the crash site. He helped carry victims on stretchers and helped medics set up IVs.At 9:42 am, Mark Bingham, on board Flight 93, called his mother and said, "I'm on a flight from Newark to San Francisco and there are three guys who have taken over the plane and they say they have a bomb." He didn't stay on the phone long, but he repeated several times: "I love you Mom. I love you very much." Fellow passenger, Todd Beamer, was able to make a call for 13 minutes, to a GTE customer service supervisor, who then immediately notified the FBI. He said that the plane was hijacked by 3 people and they killed the pilot and co-pilot. He said the hijackers had locked themselves in the cockpit and appeared not to know how to fly the plane. Whether they realized it or not at the time, Mark and Todd both attended the same high school - Los Gatos High. They were both athletes. Flight 93 was en route at that point for Washington DC. F-16 fighter jets were in the air, tracking it and poised to shoot it down.At 9:57 am, it is believed that Flight 93 passengers, led by Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett, and Jeremy Glick, took a food cart and used it as a battering ram and shield to storm the cockpit. As they rallied to take control of the plane, Todd recited the 23rd Psalm and ended with these words: "Are you ready guys. Let's Roll."At 9:59 am, eyewitnesses at Ground Zero heard a series of loud explosions and then the unimaginable happened... the South Tower collapsed.At 10:06 am, Flight 93 began to break up in mid-air before it finally crashed into an empty field in a place called Shanksville, about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, and about 124 miles or 15 minutes from Washington, D.C. Debris was found very far away from the crash site and in fact, very little wreckage was found there. All 40 passengers were sacrificed.At 10:28 am, eyewitnesses at Ground Zero heard another huge explosion and then the North Tower collapsed. They said they could hear the sound of twisting and crushing metal. (If you close your eyes, I'm sure you can recall all these events as clearly as when they happened 10 years ago. I know I can)Mayor Guiliani was asked how many had died and he answered: "The number of casualties will be more than any of us can bear."2,606 people died in the towers or on the ground. The death toll could have been much worse. An estimated 15,000 people made it out of the World Trade Towers to safety after the first plane crash. 246 people on the four planes died. There were no survivors. The hijackers turned our beloved Twin Towers into slaughterhouses.Shortly after the towers fell, Kevin Shea, an off-duty firefighter, was found on West Street, with a broken neck, severed thumb, internal injuries, and very little memory of what he had done as the buildings burned. He suffered slight amnesia but was keenly aware that 12 other firefighters from his fire company who raced to the World Trade Center never made it out alive. Firefighter Anthony Sanseviro was in tears, mourning the death of his longtime friend and fellow firefigher Danny Suhr, who was struck by a falling body and killed as they were running to the burning towers.At 3:15 pm, President Bush had arrived back in DC. Condoleeza Rice greeted him with these words: "We're at war, sir." Bush asked CIA Director George Tenet who he thought was responsible for the day's attacks and Tenet replied: "al-Qaeda. The whole operation looked, smelled, and tasted like bin Laden." Tenet then told him that passenger manifests showed that three known al-Qaeda operatives were on board Flight 77.At 8:30 pm, President Bush prepared to address the nation - to address 320 million Americans who had witnessed an unspeakable tragedy. He gave these words: "Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge -- huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong.A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining. Today, our nation saw evil -- the very worst of human nature -- and we responded with the best of America... with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could....I have directed the full resources of our intelligence and law enforcement communities to find those responsible for these evil acts and to bring them to justice. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them."Before going to bed that night, President Bush would write this in his diary: "The Pearl Harbor of the 21st century took place today.... We think it's Osama bin Laden."Those working at the scene hoping to find any survivors were horrified. There were places they walked where they saw body parts -- parts of human bodies... hands, legs. Mayor Guiliani would later report: "We recovered about 19,000 body parts - a very small percentage of intact bodies. About half of the families got something they were able to bury and the other half got nothing.''Today - 10 years later - we stand here not as Men or Women, Young or Old, Rich or Poor, or members of any ethnic group. We do not stand here as laborers or professionals or housewives or public servants. Or as Christians or non-Christians. We are Americans. On the morning of 9/11, our enemies didn't target any one group over another. They targeted Americans. Firefighters and other first responders risked their lives to save those dying and in danger.. They didn't see the scared and suffering in terms of race, religion, gender, or profession. They simply saw them as fellow Americans.The spirit that the terrorists tried so hard to kill on September 11 has never been stronger. The attacks only solidified our commitment that America will survive and freedom will ring. The attacked forged a new generation of patriots. Men and women have been inspired in force to join the armed services. Over 3 million have volunteered.Today is a day to remember the attack on our country, the overwhelming response by first responders, and the tremendous outpouring of support and love for fellow Americans. Today we honor those who died for no reason other than they happened to be where they were on that morning. The display of the flag at half-mast, the participation in remembrance services, the watching of footage on TV, and the saying of prayers is about respect and an unspoken duty to keep 9/11 from fading in significance. It's about a solemn promise to fellow Americans to keep their spirit and sacrifice alive. As Scottish poet Thomas Campbell wrote: "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die." 3000 unarmed, innocent Americans were targeted for death in NYC and Washington DC because they were Americans. It could have easily been my husband or my child who was on one of those planes, or your husband, wife, or child.Today we renew our respect for firefighters and others who quickly and unconditionally respond to emergency and tragedy. We recall the contribution from the brave firefighters who lost friends and family and even their own lives. We thank the clergy who performed last rights and comforted those who were injured and dying. Their words and presence meant more than we can ever know. 343 firemen and paramedics lost their lives on that fateful morning. They crawled up fiery blackened, smoke-filled staircases to save complete strangers... And they willingly did so. We have such fondness and respect for our firefighters. They are a special breed. You see, the death card is one that every firefighter carries in his hand. He hopes he never has to play it, but it's always there. Every time we hear a siren or a fire truck wail, we instantly know that a life will be saved. Sadly, we never know if the fireman's life will be sacrificed.As we recall the barbaric events of the morning of 9/11 and the human tragedy that unfolded before our eyes, and as we participate in remembrance services, we look for the soothing words that only members of the clergy can deliver. Reverend Michael Bresciani said: "If a hundred clergy were called to pray at the ceremony they could do nothing to bring back those lost in the 9/11 attack." But it would have been an act of respect, of consolation, and above all, a welcome reprieve from the indignations the families have already endured (including the fact that certain perpetrators of 9/11 have yet to be brought to justice, let alone even tried, a triumphant mosque near Ground Zero that is moving forward in its development, and an atheist suit that has been filed to remove the cross - a remnant from the crumbled towers - that was intended to be part of a memorial display). People look to clergy for comfort and empathy, and in fact, it was in this very capacity that Father Mychal Judge, chaplain of the NY Fire Department, lost his life at the site of the flaming Towers. He was in the lobby of the South Tower administering last rites when it collapsed. Debris flew everywhere, striking Father Mychal in the head. It was reported that at the time he was struck, he was praying out loud: "Jesus, please end this right now! God, please end this!" When I was in high school, Father Mychal served at St. Joseph's parish in my hometown of East Rutherford, in north Jersey. I was in a youth group at the time.It is said that the test of any religion, government, political system, or educational system is the type of man or person that it forms. Let us think about that as we reflect on the events of 9/11 and let us hope that the events of that day will forever inspire us to put forth the best leaders in the world, committed to freedom, peace, and security.May all those who died on 9/11 rest in peace and may we continue to remember what happened on that horrible day...
In contrast to the AZAs very meaningful accreditation program, a group called the Zoological Association of America (ZAA) accredits facilities that dont meet the established groups strict standards. The ZAA works to block legislation to ban private ownership of dangerous wild animals, and even to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Photo by Kathy Milani/The HSUS

132 shares







As if there isnt enough misunderstanding in the world nowadays, a few voices in the zoo community have scolded the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for inviting me to give a keynote presentation at the opening session at the groups annual conference that kicked off today in Indianapolis  a gathering that attracted about 2,500 people in the zoological profession. This effort to divide animal advocates into warring camps comes at a time when there is a greater need than ever for pro-animal organizations such as The HSUS and the AZA to unite to fight cruelty and promote conservation.

Indeed, we have common purposes and we need to listen to each other, learn from each other, and work with each other. For the animals sake, we need more cooperation, not less. We should seek more understanding, not more quarreling.

The AZA and The HSUS can justly be described as the most important nonprofits in their respective fields. One is the national face of Americas leading zoos and aquariums, and the source of the nations most rigorous standards for accreditation of member institutions. The other is the foremost voice for animal welfare in the United States.

Why would anyone give much credence to the few critics in the ranks of the zoo world who recycle false narratives about The HSUS from a Washington D.C. public relations company hired to defend such cruelties as the extreme confinement of farm animals, the misery of puppy mills, and the mistreatment of animals in many other settings? I was glad to see those voices muted or marginalized at the AZA conference today.

What ought to be clear to anyone is that when our two organizations are in alignment  and that is the preponderance of the time  we are stronger standing together than apart. Its much more constructive to celebrate areas of agreement than to hunt and try to find areas of division. The issues are too urgent for us to fall prey to grievance collectors.

The HSUS understands that accredited zoos and aquariums have been a force for good in celebrating animals and fostering understanding of animal cognition, their social lives, and their place in the matrix of life. The best among them provide broad benefits to animals. Weve worked with the Detroit Zoo in Michigan to fight the trophy hunting of threatened wolves in the Great Lakes region, with the Wildlife Conservation Society (including its Bronx Zoo) on federal policies to restrict the ivory trade, with the Oregon Zoo and Woodland Park Zoo to fight wildlife trafficking in Oregon and Washington through ballot initiatives, with the Lincoln Park Zoo to end the use of chimpanzees in invasive experiments, with the Brookfield Zoo to ban the use of elephants in traveling acts, and with so many other zoos on lifesaving projects. More broadly, the 230 or so accredited zoos and aquariums in the United States welcomed nearly 200 million visitors last year and enhanced the appreciation of animals in countless ways. Like any set of organizations, its my hope that theyll continue to refine their educational programs and speak out on the important topics of the day when it comes to animal cruelty and conservation.

The AZA is also the best antidote to knockoff accreditation programs that put a stamp of approval on substandard zoos and aquariums. In contrast to the AZAs very meaningful accreditation program, a group called the Zoological Association of America (ZAA) accredits facilities that dont meet the established groups strict standards. That latter group also works to block legislation to ban private ownership of dangerous wild animals, and even to weaken the Endangered Species Act. The group adopted the nomenclature of the AZA and re-sequenced the words to sow confusion among members of the public. It would be like some group calling itself the United States Humane Society giving its blessing to factory farms or trophy hunting. People would scratch their heads and wonder whats going on, and why the sudden shift in opinion.

And ZAA has quite a market for its stamp of approval. While there are 230 AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, there are as many as 2,000 non-accredited facilities. Many of them are roadside menageries that promote the trade in wildlife, allow dangerous public contact with juvenile carnivores, and provide deficient care of animals. How dangerous for animals lovers looking for an experience with wildlife to see the ZAA stamp of approval on a roadside menagerie and to think that its legitimate. Not only does this give members of the public the false assurance that things are okay, but it also has the effect of putting money into the pockets of these unethical businesses.

Responsible zoo officials share with The HSUS an abhorrence for the sorry approaches to animal care that persist in substandard roadside zoos and other settings, as well as for the unethical trade in animals that puts thousands of exotic animals into the hands of private individuals, jeopardizing humans and animals alike.

Ive spoken at many zoos around the country through the years, and gave a keynote address at a conference hosted by the Detroit Zoo that brought together animal welfare leaders, zoo professionals, and scientists to talk about advancing animal welfare. At that conference, there was nearly unanimous agreement among participants about the value of AZA-accredited zoos and mainstream animal welfare advocates standing together on common-ground issues.

The AZA and The HSUS have many shared ideals. We both believe that humans and animals are linked by a deep and vital bond. We both believe that this bond must be wisely and compassionately nurtured. We both believe that animals deserve the best from humans. We both believe in preserving species and ecosystems. Those are big, fundamental ideas, and they form the kind of common ground that will strengthen our joint campaigns to end the private ownership of exotic wild animals, kill the illicit trade in ivory and wildlife products, and educate millions of Americans about the many threats to animals and their habitats throughout the world.

The basic, elemental matter that unites The HSUS and the AZA is a love and concern for all animals. And I hope most of us will agree that not a single creature anywhere will be helped if our two leading organizations refuse to listen and learn from each other. People who care about animals should welcome this kind of interaction, and thankfully, most of them do.
Govt exploring ways to arrange vehicles for local reps

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development has started exploring possible sources to arrange vehicles for the elected representatives.
5 Causes of Nursing Home Resident Anxiety Unfortunately, for many reasons anxiety happens more often by long-term care residents than by those who live in
Billionaire Richard Branson has posted images on Twitter that show post-Irma damage to his island, Necker, as well as other surrounding islands. He's working on getting aid to the British Virgin Islands, which were wiped out by Irma.

"Necker damage huge, but BVI #Irma story is not about Necker  about 1000s of people who've lost homes & livelihoods" he says in one tweet.

Necker damage huge, but BVI #Irma story is not about Necker  about 1000s of people who've lost homes & livelihoods https://t.co/0USuxvk1dS pic.twitter.com/BaUpvJ22pv  Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 10, 2017

On his Virgin Group website, he blames climate change for the recent weather catastrophes. "Man-made climate change is contributing to increasingly strong hurricanes causing unprecedented damage. The whole world should be scrambling to get on top of the climate change issue before it is too late  for this generation, let alone the generations to come."

And according to Mashable:

This isn't the first time Branson's called for urgent action on climate change. After President Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord, Branson spoke out against the decision, for himself and for other business leaders, and pledged to continue fighting global warming in the private sector. In addition to combatting climate change, Branson's repeated emphasis on helping the victims of Hurricane Irma is well taken. Many Virgin Island residents are banking on social media to spread word of the damage, and marshal as much aid as possible.

Branson has a link to his Virgin Money Giving donation page to help supply food, shelter and water to those living on the islands.

.@virginunite coordinating aid to local BVI families & communities affected by Hurricane #Irma.Please donate to help https://t.co/0USuxvk1dS pic.twitter.com/QdbWHLBJVI  Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 10, 2017

Mobilising BVI recovery with govs & aid agencies, then heading back to BVI to continue recovery effort on the ground https://t.co/0USuxvk1dS pic.twitter.com/2SZ3YjCxqK  Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 10, 2017
Chocolate may be the Hadhad's business, but since the family opened Peace by Chocolate in Antigonish, N.S., they've given the town a taste of something more, according to the town's mayor.

"They've given hope in the sense that people can come here and there's a lot of doom and gloom sometimes about our children going away to work or families having to leave to get work  They've showed us what people can do here," said Laurie Boucher.

The Hadhad family arrived in Canada as refugees from Syria. Assam Hadhad had run a thriving chocolate business in Damascus and was determined to rebuild his company when he arrived in Canada.

The family started small, running their business from a shed in Antigonish. Now, Peace by Chocolate has expanded into a factory in the town. The business is also planning to hire 10 more employees, bringing its total workforce to 20.

Many of the town's people welcomed and help support the Hadhads when they first arrived.

Assam Hadhad's son Tareq said without the town's support Peace by Chocolate would never have been born.

"We are saying more thank you to them for embracing us and just supporting us because everything really has happened because of those really lovely people," said Tareq.

It's a success story that's touched a lot of people in the town. Glenda Hamlon is one of them. She started working for Peace by Chocolate four weeks ago.

"To see a family come from a war-torn country and start a little chocolate business in a shed and then have all of this, it just makes you realize you can do anything," she said.

The Sobeys grocery chain is leasing the new factory space to the Hadhads. It's part of a deal the grocery giant has struck with the family to sell their chocolate in Sobeys' stores.

The factory space was sitting empty before Peace by Chocolate moved in.

"The biggest challenge was production and being able to have enough production and all the food safety requirements to get the product in the stores," said Paul MacLeod, the vice-president of operations for Sobeys Atlantic.

Story continues

"We had extra space so we started ... working together to bring chocolate to the stores."

After months of renovations, the factory on Cloverville Road in Antigonish is almost complete.

Sobeys expects the new facility will allow the Hadhads to produce about 30 per cent more chocolate. Once shifts are worked out and all the equipment arrives, Sobeys believes production could increase even further.

"We're looking to start in Atlantic Canada in the Sobeys banner and definitely as long as we can keep selling, selling the chocolate and Tareq and his family can continue to produce, we'll look at expanding it across the country," said MacLeod.

"We're really excited to eventually get the chocolates in our stores."

Ellen Adler lives in the United States and spends part of her time in Antigonish. She said the Hadhads are an inspiration.

"I think they have spread the right message, that really and truly by using your wit, your intelligence and a tremendous amount of love and devotion, you can do the right thing in this world."
By Raya Jalabi and Ulf Laessing SOUTH OF MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi authorities are holding 1,400 foreign wives and children of suspected Islamic State fighters after government forces expelled the jihadist group from one of its last remaining strongholds in Iraq, security and aid officials said. Most came from Turkey. Many others were from former Soviet states, such as Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Russia, Iraqi army and intelligence officers said. Other Asians and a "very few" French and Germans were also among them. The wives and children are being held at an Iraqi camp south of Mosul. Most had arrived since Aug. 30, when Iraqi troops drove Islamic State out of Mosul. One intelligence officer said that they were still in verifying their nationalities with their home countries, since many of the women no longer had their original documents. It is the largest group of foreigners linked to Islamic State to be held by Iraqi forces since they began driving the militants from Mosul and other areas in northern Iraq last year, an aid official said. Thousands of foreigners have been fighting for Islamic State, or Daesh, in Iraq and Syria. "We are holding the Daesh families under tight security measures and waiting for government orders on how to deal with them," said Army Colonel Ahmed al-Taie from Mosul's Nineveh operation command. "We treat them well. They are families of tough criminals who killed innocents in cold blood, but when we interrogated them we discovered that almost all of them were mislead by a vicious Daesh propaganda," he said. Reuters reporters saw hundreds of the women and children sitting on mattresses crawling with bugs in tents without air-conditioning in what aid workers called a "militarized site". Turkish, French and Russian were among the languages spoken. "I want to go back (to France) but don't know how," said a French-speaking veiled woman of Chechen origin who said she had lived in Paris before. She said she did not know what had happened to her husband, who had brought her to Iraq when he joined Islamic State. A security officer said the women and children had mostly surrendered to the Kurdish peshmerga near the northern city of Tal Afar, along with their husbands. The Kurds handed the women and children over to Iraqi forces but kept the men - all presumed to be fighters - in their custody. Many of the families had fled to Tal Afar after Iraqi troops pushed Islamic State out of Mosul. Iraqi forces retook Tal Afar, a city of predominantly ethnic Turkmen that produced some of Islamic State's senior commanders, last month. Most of its pre-war population of 200,000 have fled. An interior ministry official said Iraq wanted to negotiate with embassies the return of the women and children. "We can't keep this number in our custody for a long time," he said. Officials had counted so far at least 13 nationalities, said Army Lieutenant Colonel Salah Kareem. TENSION Aid workers and the authorities are worried about tensions between Iraqis, who lost their homes and are also living in the camp, and the new arrivals. Many Iraqis want revenge for the harsh treatment they received under the extremists' interpretation of Sunni Islam, which they imposed in Mosul and the other areas they seized in 2014. "The families are being kept to one side (of the camp) for their own safety," an Iraqi military intelligence officer said. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), which is supporting the 541 women and their children, said Iraq "must swiftly move to clarify its future plans for these individuals". "Like all those fleeing conflict, it is imperative that these individuals are able to access protection, assistance, and information," NRC said in a statement. "They are in de-facto detention." Western officials are worried about radicalized fighters and their relatives coming home after the collapse of Islamic State's "caliphate". French officials have indicated a preference for citizens found to be affiliated with IS to be prosecuted in Iraq. "The general philosophy is that adults should go on trial in Iraq," a French diplomatic source told Reuters last month, of those found to have been fighters. "We think children would benefit from judicial and social services in France." "TRICKED" The women in the camp were cooking noodles or lying on mattresses with their babies in the hot tents. Many were still wearing the black abayas and face veils, which were mandatory in areas the militants controlled. "My mother doesn't even know where I am," said a 27-year-old French woman of Algerian descent. She said she had been tricked by her husband into coming with him through Turkey into Syria and then Iraq when he joined Islamic State last year. "I had just given birth to this little girl three months before," she said holding the infant and asking not to be named. "He said 'let's go for a week's holiday in Turkey.' He had already bought the plane tickets and the hotel." After four months in Mosul, she ran away from her husband to Tal Afar in February. She was hoping to make it back to France but he found her and would not let her leave. She tearfully recounted how her five-year-old son was killed in June by a rocket while playing in the streets. "I don't understand why he did this to us," she said of her husband, who she said was killed fighting in Mosul. "Dead or alive - I couldn't care less about him." She and a few other families had walked for days to surrender at a Kurdish peshmerga checkpoint beyond al-Ayadiyah, a town near Tal Afar where the militants made their last stand. "We were getting bombed, shelled and shot at," she said. Kurdish officials said dozens of fighters surrendered after the fall of Tal Afar but gave no details. One Tal Afar resident said he had seen between 70 and 80 fighters fleeing the town in the final days of the battle. (Additional reporting by Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad and John Irish in Paris; Editing by Anna Willard, Larry King)
By John Davison BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces and U.S.-backed militias converged on Islamic State in separate offensives against the militants in the eastern Syrian province of Deir al-Zor on Sunday. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces alliance of mostly Kurdish and Arab militias (SDF) said it had reached Deir al-Zor's industrial zone, just a few miles to the east of the city after launching operations in the area in recent days. The Syrian army and its allies, backed by Iran and by Russian air cover, meanwhile advanced from the west to seize full control of the Deir al-Zor-Damascus highway, a Hezbollah-run media unit reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said at least 17 civilians had been killed by Russian air strikes in Deir al-Zor on Sunday. The attacks squeezed Islamic State in its last major Syria stronghold in areas near the border with Iraq. The group has come under pressure since losing its de facto capital Mosul in Iraq this year and is surrounded by the SDF in Raqqa, its former Syria bastion. The jihadist group still holds much of Deir al-Zor province and half the city, as well as a pocket of territory near Homs and Hama further west, however, and is mounting counter-attacks. Sunday's advances mean that U.S.-backed forces and the Syrian government side, boosted by Russian military support, are separated only by about 15 km (10 miles) of ground and the Euphrates River in Deir al-Zor. Much of northeast Syria to the east of the Euphrates is held by the SDF, which is dominated by the Kurdish YPG militia. The Syrian government and its allies are increasingly capturing the remaining areas Islamic State holds to its west. Government troops linked up with forces already in Deir al-Zor at the Panorama entrance to the city, bringing the whole road under their control for the first time in years, the Hezbollah media unit reported. The Syrian army and its Iran-backed allies, which include Lebanese Hezbollah, this week broke a three-year siege by the jihadists of a government-held enclave in Deir al-Zor and an adjacent air base. Syrian state TV broadcast footage of Syrian officers who had been holed up in Deir al-Zor emotionally greeting their superiors after being surrounded by IS since 2014. The United Nations estimates that some 93,000 people were living in "extremely difficult" conditions in government-held parts of Deir al-Zor, supplied by air drops to the air base. Syrian government forces and their allies have been able to turn their attention to the fight against Islamic State in eastern Syria after recapturing many areas in the west from rebels. SDF REACHES INDUSTRIAL ZONE The SDF on Saturday announced an operation to capture northern and eastern parts of Deir al-Zor province and staged attacks from the northern countryside and southern Hasaka, which is under YPG control. The SDF, backed by U.S.-led air strikes and special forces on the ground, has captured most of Raqqa, upstream along the Euphrates, from Islamic State. Islamic State has lost nearly half of its territory across both Iraq and Syria, but still has 6,000-8,000 fighters left in Syria, the U.S.-led coalition has said. The forces leading the SDF's operation in Deir al-Zor say they do not expect clashes with Syrian government forces, but will respond if they come under fire. Syria's crowded battleground has shown the risks of escalation between world powers militarily involved in the six-year-old Syrian conflict. In June a U.S. warplane shot down a Syrian army jet near Raqqa in and the SDF accused the Syrian government of bombing its positions, raising tension between Washington and Moscow. The Cold War foes have also engaged over Syria, however, including setting up communication channels for flight safety in Syrian airspace. Both countries say the priority in Syria is to defeat Islamic State. Rounds of Syria talks between world powers have increasingly focused on Islamic State. Negotiations where Syria's opposition has repeatedly called for the removal of President Bashar al-Assad have failed to bring an end to the conflict. (Reporting by John Davison; Editing by Keith Weir and Angus MacSwan)
Yukon looks for better ways to deal with FASD

The Yukon government has created what it calls an "inter-agency committee" to come up with a long-term plan to address Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in the territory.

The goal is to identify and address weaknesses in the treatment and prevention of FASD.

The committee has four co-chairs, from the departments of health and justice, the Child Development Centre, and the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Society of the Yukon (FASSY).

Brooke McKenzie, the co-chair from the Child Development Centre, says the collaborative nature of the committee is "unique and important."

She says that's because support for people diagnosed with FASD needs to come from different areas, but must also be delivered in a personalized, holistic way  what she calls "wraparound support."

Currently, there are several areas where the territory is leading the country in terms of FASD support and research. For example, FASSY is unique in exclusively supporting adults who have FASD.

'Very hopeful'

Wenda Bradley, the committee's co-chair from FASSY, says her organization was founded in the 1990s by a group of outspoken parents, such as Judy Pakozdy.

Pakozdy's son has FASD, and she was FASSY's first executive director.

It shouldn't be hard to diagnose and treat FASD, Pakozdy says, but progress is slow because of the current need for diagnostic teams to prove the fetus was exposed to alcohol.

"It's very stigmatizing to make a woman come out and say, 'yep, I drank,'" she said.

Pakozdy says it should be easy to assess a child and see whether he or she has neurological damage. The next step, she says, would be to figure out what kind of support is required.

Another of the new committee's co-chairs, Tricia Ratel from Yukon's Justice Department, says she's "very hopeful" about the work being done to develop an FASD plan.

By sitting down with people from different backgrounds, communities, and areas of expertise, she says they should be able to come up with a "living document" that will guide the future of FASD treatment in Yukon.

"The individuals with FASD, their caretakers, their supporters, will live more enriched lives for it," she said.
MONDAY, Sept. 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Nicotine in e-cigarettes may cause stiffened arteries, which can lead to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke, a small Swedish study suggests.

With the dramatic increase in e-cigarette use ("vaping") over the past few years, questions have arisen about their safety. And while many people think the devices are harmless, especially compared with regular cigarettes, little is known about long-term effects of these devices, according to lead researcher Magnus Lundback, from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

"Increased arterial stiffness has previously been demonstrated following exposure to conventional cigarettes," said Lundback, who is a research leader and clinical registrar at the Danderyd University Hospital.

"We think that chronic exposure to e-cigarettes with nicotine may lead to stiffer arteries and, in the long run, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease," he said. "However, these results demonstrated the acute effects. Long-term studies on chronic e-cigarette exposure need to be performed to be certain."

These findings highlight the need to be cautious about using e-cigarettes, Lundback said. People should be aware of the potential dangers so they can decide whether to use them based on scientific evidence, he said.

Dr. Norman Edelman, a senior scientific advisor to the American Lung Association, said it's important to focus on the effects of e-cigarettes on the cardiovascular system.

"If you look at what kills cigarette smokers, more die from cardiovascular disease than lung disease," he said.

"We really can't tell patients that e-cigarettes are really a safe alternative to real cigarettes -- there is evidence of some harm," Edelman added.

It's especially important that e-cigarettes not be available to teenagers, "because once they get hooked on nicotine, they are likely to use nicotine products for a long time," he explained.

Although e-cigarettes have been touted as a way to help smokers quit, Edelman doesn't believe they're a safe alternative to other methods.

"The American Lung Association has not endorsed the use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation," he said.

"We take the position that there are several products available that are FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] tested and approved for smoking cessation. There is no reason for us to endorse a product that hasn't been tested and approved for that purpose by the FDA," Edelman said.

In 2016, Lundback and his colleagues recruited 15 young, healthy adults. These volunteers smoked only about 10 cigarettes a month and had never tried e-cigarettes.

The researchers randomly assigned the participants to use e-cigarettes that included nicotine for 30 minutes on one day and e-cigarettes without nicotine on another.

Lundback's team measured blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness right after using the e-cigarettes, and then two and four hours later.

In the first half-hour after using e-cigarettes containing nicotine, blood pressure, heart rate and arterial stiffness increased significantly, the findings showed.

Heart rate and arterial stiffness didn't go up when people used e-cigarettes without nicotine, the study found.

The increase in arterial stiffness was temporary. But continued exposure to cigarette smoking can cause a permanent increase in arterial stiffness, Lundback said.

He speculated that the same permanent change in arterial stiffness seen with tobacco cigarettes would also occur with long-term use of e-cigarettes with nicotine.

Despite this potential risk, one specialist believes e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes.

"There is no doubt in my mind that e-cigarettes are much safer than real cigarettes," said Dr. Steven Schroeder, a professor of health and health care and director of the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center at the University of California, San Francisco.

The real question is how much worse is vaping than not using an e-cigarette, and how much better is it than smoking regular cigarettes, Schroeder said.

"The estimates of the harm from an e-cigarette compared with a regular cigarette range from 5 percent to as high as 33 percent," he noted.

"Most of the consensus is that it's about 5 to 10 percent as harmful as a regular cigarette," Schroeder said.

But Schroeder doesn't advocate the use of e-cigarettes in most cases.

"Don't use e-cigarettes unless it's the only way you can quit smoking regular cigarettes," he said.

The results of the study were scheduled to be presented Monday at the European Respiratory Society meeting in Milan, Italy. Findings presented at meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they've been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

For more on e-cigarettes, visit the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



New York, September 11, 2017Russian journalist Yulia Latynina, who writes a column for the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta and hosts a weekly radio show on Ekho Moskvy, has fled Russia after a series of attacks, according to local and international reports. In the latest incident on September 3, attackers set fire to the journalists car, which was parked near the wooden house that she shares with her parents, according to media reports.

We call on Russian authorities to identify and prosecute those responsible for the attacks against Yulia Latynina and her family, and to ensure the journalist can live and work safely in Russia, said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova. No journalist should be compelled to leave their home because of threats and attacks over their work.

Latynina described the latest attack as an assassination attempt during the September 9 broadcast of her radio show Kod Dostupa (Access Code), which she co-hosted from an undisclosed location. The arson took place two months after Latynina reported that unknown assailants sprayed a foul-smelling substance through a window of her house. In August last year, an unknown assailant threw feces at Latynina near the Ekho Moskvy offices, according to reports. Russian authorities are investigating the attacks, according to reports.
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



New York, September 11, 2017The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned for the safety of Paraguayan journalist Candido Figueredo Ruiz following the release from prison of an alleged drug trafficker who had previously planned to kill him.

A judge in the Paraguayan town of Capitan Bado, on the border with Brazil, signed an order on September 2 freeing Felipe Escurra Rodriguez, citing a lack of sufficient evidence, according to news reports. Escurra was arrested in August 2016 and faces multiple drug trafficking and weapons charges.

In 2012, Brazilian police informed Figueredo  who reports from the border town of Pedro Juan Caballero for national daily ABC Color  of an intercepted phone call in which Escurra discussed plans to kill Figueredo in retaliation for his stories about Escurras involvement with clandestine airstrips.

This decision increases the danger for one of Paraguays most at-risk journalists, said CPJ Deputy Executive Director Robert Mahoney. The release of a man who has threatened to kill Candido Figueredo only increases the responsibility of the authorities to ensure his safety and freedom from fear.

Figueredo has lived under 24-hour police protection for more than two decades following years of death threats for his coverage of organized crime and drug trafficking. CPJ recognized Figueredos courage with an International Press Freedom Award in 2015.

Figueredo told CPJ today he is concerned that Escurra will try to follow through on his threats now that he is free, or that others might take advantage of the situation to settle their own grudges against him and ABC Color.
If mgmt changes retirement policy, well protest: NRB trade union

A trade union at the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank, has warned to picket the Governors Office and district offices of the NRB beginning Monday if the management makes an attempt to arbitrarily introduce a provision that will enable employees to work even after they complete 30 years of service.
Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



Several months ago, during a three-day journalism congress in Mexico City, a reporter from the southern Mexican state of Guerrero took out his cell phone and scrolled through a series of pictures. The photos showed teenagers smiling at the camera, carrying automatic rifles, and sporting bulletproof vests.

Theyre like child soldiers, the reporter, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear for his safety, told CPJ. In the mountains in my state theyre everywhere. These are just kids who cant control their anger, and you can imagine how dangerous they are carrying those guns.

Guerrero, about 200 miles south of Mexico City, is one the countrys poorest and most violent states. Fueled by a spike in heroin use in the U.S., the rugged, mountainous region has become one of the principal producers of opium in Mexico. Criminal gangs viciously defend poppy plantations tucked away at the foothills and valleys of some of the states most inaccessible areas, and the trafficking routes north.

The state has the highest homicide rates in the country. Last year alone, more than 2,200 people were murdered, often in gruesome fashion. Beheadings, mass killings, kidnappings and torture are common practice in the small rural communities where organized crime gangs dominate. Acapulco, the states largest city and once a popular resort destination, has in recent years become the city with the highest homicide rate in the country.

For journalists, working in Guerrero is often dangerous and sometimes deadly. Reporters based in the state with whom CPJ regularly speaks have likened the situation to a low-intensity civil war, especially in areas where organized crime and militia groups battle for control. A series of recent violent incidents underscores their concerns. At least one journalist has been murdered in relation to his work there since 2010, and CPJ is investigating five more cases in the state to determine whether there was a link between the victims work and their murder.

The situation is extremely difficult for us, said Alejandrino Gonzalez, a freelance photographer based in the state capital, Chilpancingo, who regularly contributes to Agence France-Presse. I would say that in entire areas of the state the conditions do not allow journalists to work.

This year alone, CPJ has documented several cases of journalists being killed and threatened by suspected criminal gangs, militias, and other groups. As well as the case of Cecilio Pineda, a freelance crime reporter who was shot dead at a car wash in Ciudad Altamirano on March 2, CPJ has documented several cases of journalists being threatened or attacked by suspected criminal gangs, militias, and other groups.

Pineda was a freelance crime journalist for the national newspapers El Universal and La Jornada de Guerrero, as well as the founder of the weekly, La Voz de la Tierra Caliente. He covered crime, corruption and social issues in an area notorious for ubiquitous organized crime and violence, and had received repeated threats because of his reporting, according to CPJ research. Pineda had rejected a protection scheme offered to him by the Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists.

Separately, on May 22, approximately 100 heavily armed suspected members of a local drug trafficking group who had set up a road block near the town of Acapetlahuaya robbed and threatened to kill seven journalists. The journalists, who were on their way back from a reporting trip in an area known as a hotbed for organized crime, had their cameras, laptops and other belongings, including one of their vehicles stolen, one of the victims, who spoke with CPJ on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, said.

And, on August 24, in the city of Iguala, a reporter called Alejandro Guerrero was hit by a car, seemingly on purpose, according to news reports. He survived the crash, but had to be rushed to a hospital with severe injuries. Guerrero has extensively reported on the disappearance and possible murder of 43 students of a teachers college in 2014, and regularly reports on crime and violence in the region for the newspaper, El Sur. The identity of the assailants and the motive for the attack remains unclear. According to news reports, the journalist has regularly received death threats for his reporting.

State and federal authorities appear to be unable to quell the violence. The federal government has sent thousands of soldiers and federal police to the state under the guise of a security program that was implemented in 2011 but, according to media reports, the rate of violence has not gone down. Federal government statistics show the number of murders in Guerrero was 2,844 in 2016. The previous year, the figure was 2,721.

There are areas in the state that are completely under the control of organized crime, Ezequiel Flores, the Guerrero correspondent for Proceso, said. These gangs block the roads, they have control over the flow traffic in those regions.

Journalists like Flores and Gonzalez, and others with whom CPJ spoke in recent months, say they now avoid reporting in areas dominated by organized crime, especially the mountainous Tierra Caliente region. They also told CPJ that media outlets in Guerrero generally do not have the resources to provide their reporters with additional safety measures.

Were very exposed, very vulnerable, Gonzalez said Members of organized crime basically dictate where and how we can even work, and they intimidate and attack us if we dont abide by those rules. Theres not really anything we can do about it.

The state government has acknowledged the challenges journalists face in Guerrero, where civilians, who have formed militias to assume the tasks that they say the authorities are either unwilling or unable to do, often clash with drug gangs and each other. On June 5, during a meeting with journalists, Governor Hector Astudillo announced the creation of a special prosecutors office to focus specifically on crimes against the press. We are responding to the concerns of journalists in Guerrero, the governor told media after the meeting.

Astudillo also confirmed that the state is working to create a Mechanism for the Protection Protect Journalists, a state institution that would mirror the federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists. The creation of such a mechanism in all of Mexicos 32 states was mandated by President Enrique Pena Nieto in the wake of the May 15 assassination of reporter Javier Valdez Cardenas, in the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa.

Few of the journalists with whom CPJ spoke said they have faith in the state governments ability to combat the violence. The journalists said they placed little stock in a protection mechanism founded by a state government that, they say, does not take the problem of organized crime seriously.

The authorities seem to turn a blind eye to the problem of gangs controlling large swaths of the state, Ezequiel Flores said. Theyre the only ones who dont seem to see whats going on.

[Reporting from Mexico City]
2nd India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council held in New Delhi

Published: September 11, 2017

The second edition of India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council was held in New Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani.

During the meeting, both countries exchanged four pacts in areas of health, transport (motor vehicles agreement), space and new development partnership.

Key Takeaways from Council meeting

The Council discussed a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest and shared understanding and convergence of views on them. They agreed to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries.

Peace and reconciliation process: Indian reiterated its support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. India also agreed to extend further assistance for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in fighting terrorism, organized crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering.

Connectivity: Development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran is being expedited. Both sides stressed on need to make regional Transit and Trade Agreement more inclusive and comprehensive by expanding it both northwards and southwards to connect South Asia with Central Asia.

Developmental Projects: Both sides agreed to take up 116 High Impact Community Development Projects to be implemented in 31 provinces of Afghanistan, including in areas of education, health, agriculture, drinking water, renewable energy, flood control, and administrative infrastructure.

Trade and investment: Both sides agreed to identify products and measures to enhance bilateral trade, including direct trade in gemstones, pharmaceuticals, and agri-products. India announced liberalization of visa measures for Afghan nationals, including decision to grant upto 5 year multiple entry business visa.

Regular meetings: They agreed to have regular meetings of the Joint Working Groups, including to monitor implementation of the decisions taken. They also agreed to hold 3rd meeting of Strategic Partnership Council in Kabul on mutually convenient dates in 2018.

Background

The India-Afghanistan Partnership Council was established according to the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed between both countries in 2011. The council is supposed to meet annually. The first meeting was held in May 2012. Later it was delayed due to elections in India and Afghanistan, as well as other reasons.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2017

Topics: Defence  India-Afghanistan  National  Strategic Partnership Council Meeting

Latest E-Books
A man from Brazil was taken into custody at Suvarnabhumi Airport when he was caught trying to enter the country with a stomach full of cocaine.





Paulo Nascimento, 27, was arrested Wednesday night upon entry after police got a tip that a Brazilian man would be trying to enter the country with drugs in his stomach.





Nascimento was spotted by customs officials after picking up his luggage and taken for an X-ray, reported Bangkok Post.





Yesterday, Narcotics Suppression Bureau commander Sommai Kongwisaisuk revealed that the man had 100 capsules full of coke in his stomach and they weighed 1.3 kilograms.





The suspect had traveled from Brazil through Addis Ababa.





Nascimento was cooperative with arresting officers and told them that he was supposed to meet a man at a Sukhumvit hotel to hand them over to a man after passing them through his system.





They allowed the Brazilian to go ahead with his plan and this allowed them to arrest Elsonias Da Silva, 35, as well, when he came to pick up the drugs on Friday.





Both men are now in custody.

 | 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



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
The international community is abuzz with reports that the Muslim Association has proposed the death penalty for homosexuals in Malawi.





The anti-Jihad Website Jihad Watch quoted local media which quoted Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) spokesperson Sheikh Dinala Chabulika calling for gay people to be condemned.





The Jihad Watch article is currently making rounds on Twitter and is the current most salient result on Malawi on Twitter at the time of publication.





Sheikh Chabulika was quoted in an article published by a fortnightly newspaper 'Mkwaso' dated 1st-14th September 2017.





In the article, Chabulika stated that homosexuality is not only against the Islamic teachings and religion but also an abomination and therefore emphasized that those practicing it be executed.





He further emphasized that as the Muslim Community, they will never change their stand on the matter that homosexuals need to be handed death penalty as a way of making sure that the issue is curbed.





Chabulika was also responding to the call by Malawi government through the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on the need to conduct a survey to sort views of Malawians on Homosexuality practice which is under the LGBTI (Lesbians, Gays, Transgender and Intersex).





The Sheikh said the Inquiry is 'unnecessary'.





In response to Chabulika's calls, Malawi Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected with HIV and Aids (MANERELA) Human Rights Activist Allie Mwachande described the sentiments as a 'big shame'.





"This is a very big shame! If they say homosexuals must be killed is he [Chabulika] himself ready to kill? Because if he is ready then he should tell us when and where he will do that" said Mwachande.





He added: "As a human rights campaigner, I meet different people and I know some of the Muslims who are within the LGBTI Community. Some are even from Mangochi where him and I all come from...will he be happy to see his brothers and sister killed?".





Mwachande further reminded Sheikh Chabulika as a man of Allah to always preach love in order to serve the souls of the so called 'worst sinners'.





"As a Sheikh, he should always preach about love without looking at the sexual orientation, tribe, colour, cultural beliefs etc. Jesus and Mohammed both preached about love and the Bible and Quran [sic] still tells us to love one another" explained Mwachande.





The most revered prophet in Islam, Muhammad is quoted in the Hadith as specifying the punishment for gays:





"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Whoever you find doing the action of the people of Loot, execute the one who does it and the one to whom it is done.'"

 | 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



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

The Malawi Post, Sept. 11, 2017
The case of a young Thai woman who is on death row demonstrates why the death penalty should be repealed in Malaysia, says a lawyer with the National Legal Aid Foundation.





In a report by the Asian Correspondent, Samantha Chong spoke about how the Thai national was in Malaysia, and was waiting at a bus station platform and her friend had left a bag beside her.





She happened to be then questioned by police who asked her if the bag was hers, and she had replied that it was not.





"Despite her denial, she was arrested and charged with drug trafficking after the bag was found to contain heroin.





"During the trial, the defendant claimed that her statement had allegedly been falsified by police to say she claimed ownership of the bag," Chong was quoted as saying.





Chong added that the defendant's lawyer had not properly presented her defence in court and as a result, she was convicted and sentenced to death.





According to Chong, this is not an uncommon incident, and that all the "finding of facts" decided in the trial at the High Court is normally "not disturbed" when the case is heard on appeal.





"If you are convicted at the High Court, your fate is almost sealed. The Federal Court's judgement is simple, 'You should have presented this new argument at the High Court' and so they will disallow it.





"As the process of law stands, if the defence wants to challenge facts, the lawyer must ask the questions during cross examination in the 1st trial, and not present new facts on appeal," Chong said in calling for an end to capital punishment as there could be other cases of wrongful conviction leading to an innocent person facing the gallows.





Speaking at the Freedom Film Festival in Kuala Lumpur recently, Chong also said many of those convicted do not understand their rights and, in some cases, don't even know what they are being arrested for.





"Many people on death row do not have good legal representation," Chong was quoted as as saying by Asian Correspondent.





"Around 50% of them are migrants which raises immediate issues with language. In a lot of cases, defendants don't even know what is happening when they are arrested and are not allowed to see a lawyer until sometimes 6 or 7 months after arrest."





Calling them the "silent group", Chong said their cases are often out of the media spotlight and they are left alone to defend themselves against the word of the police.





"In most death penalty cases the witnesses are the police. There are many good policemen but there are some bad apples. So, if the courts only have the word of the police against the word of the suspect, who are they going to believe?" Chong told the festival audience.





Cabinet approval for court discretion





The issue of the mandatory death penalty has long been a contentious one in Malaysia with not just the law, but many people too supporting such punishment for those convicted of murder, drug trafficking, treason and waging war against the King.





However, the mandatory death sentence for the drug offence may soon be a thing of the past.





It was reported last month that the Cabinet had unanimously agreed to allow judges to impose an appropriate penalty on drug traffickers instead of the mandatory death sentence under an amendment to Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.





Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Azalina Othman Said told the Dewan Rakyat at the last parliamentary sitting that the relevant ministries and agencies would prepare a memorandum to be handed over to the Cabinet for approval.





She said research on the issue had been carried out through the International Centre for Law and Legal Studies (I-CeLLS) and presented to the cabinet on March 1.





"The cabinet unanimously agreed to the amendment to Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act," she had said.





Azalina was responding to a question from Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh, who had asked for updates on the government's move to review the mandatory death sentence.





In response, the Malaysian Bar called for the government to table a bill soonest possible to put an end to the mandatory death penalty, declare an official moratorium on the use of the punishment, stay any pending executions and commute every death sentence to one of life imprisonment.





Last year, Malaysia executed 9 people. This was an increase from the 1 sentence carried out in 2015.





This places Malaysia at number 9 among the 23 countries that still have the death penalty, according to Amnesty International.

 | 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



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

freemalaysiatoday.co, Sept. 11, 2017
Opponents of a voter-approved measure to speed up executions in California asked the state Supreme Court on Friday to reconsider its ruling upholding the law.





The high courts decision unconstitutionally delegated power to the judicial branch and failed to consider whether the measure could survive after the justices invalidated critical features of the law, attorneys Christina Von der Ahe Rayburn and Lillian Mao said in their court filing.





Last months highly anticipated ruling concerned Proposition 66, a push to mend not end capital punishment in California.





Condemned inmates in California currently languish for decades and are more likely to die of natural causes than from lethal injection. There are nearly 750 inmates on death row, and only 13 have been executed since 1978  the last in 2006.





The state Supreme Court upheld requirements in Proposition 66 limiting successive appeals and filing extensions. But it rejected arguments that a provision setting a five-year limit on appeals was mandatory, raising doubts that the law will succeed in accelerating death sentences.





An attorney for supporters of the measure did not immediately return an email seeking comment.





Rayburn and Mao said the court should determine whether voters still would have passed Proposition 66 without the five-year deadline and other deadlines in the measure.





Without the deadlines, the judicial branch had no guidance from the legislative branch about how to implement the measure and would be overstepping its authority if it moved forward with crafting rules for Proposition 66, they also said.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

The Asociated Press, Sept 9, 2017
Of late there has been controversy among budget wonks as to whether lawmakers should use a current law or current policy baseline to score the effects of tax reform in the budget process. Though this is a prototypically arcane procedural fight, it bears enormous implications for federal finances. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) has sounded an alarm against the possible use of a current tax policy baseline, calling it a gimmick that would add enormously to federal debt. The competing argument is typified by a recent column from Manhattans own Brian Riedl, who finds that a current tax policy baseline is necessary for consistent treatment of taxes and spending.

I usually strive in my columns to provide a high ratio of factual information relative to interpretation and opinion. However, it is difficult to enter this dispute without resort to significant interpretation and value judgments, so I want to be especially transparent here about my own subjective views. In sum, I agree with CRFB that the use of current policy baselines is dangerously likely to lead to worse fiscal outcomes, for reasons I will detail later in this piece. On the other hand, Riedl is correct to observe that using a current policy baseline for taxes would be a step toward more consistent, balanced treatment of taxes and spending.

First, the factual background. As Riedl covers well in his piece, Congresss scorekeeping rules (by which the Congressional Budget Office abides) exhibit significant inconsistencies. Many areas of legislation, most especially tax law, are scored against a literal current law baseline, even if that current law would produce a sudden policy change. So for example, if a particular existing tax provision is set to expire by a date certain, CBO assumes it will in fact do so, even if this would result in a sudden increase in tax assessments that most observers do not believe lawmakers will allow. Accordingly, pending bills to extend current tax policies are typically scored as adding to the federal deficit. This reflects the (in my opinion, reasonable) view that CBO should score current law as it is, and not make speculative judgments as to the actions legislators will take to change the law.

This approach is not taken, however, with many areas of federal spending. CBO assumes that discretionary appropriations will continue indefinitely even if under law they would expire at the end of the fiscal year. And in perhaps the single most significant departure from current-law baselining, CBO is instructed to assume that Social Security and Medicare will make full benefit and insurance payments far beyond the amounts the programs are permitted by law to spend from their limited trust fund resources. In other words, with respect to Social Security and Medicare, CBO is directed to assume that lawmakers will pass future legislation to effectuate large spending increases in those programs, far beyond what is authorized in current law. Thus, there is no procedural barrier to increasing spending as long as it doesnt exceed the spending increase assumed in the baseline, in which case lawmakers are not charged with adding to the deficit.

I first wrote about this phenomenon when explaining the finances of the Affordable Care Act (ACA): that it would improve federal finances only relative to Congresss scoring baseline (with its assumption of future Medicare spending increases) while it was unambiguously a fiscal worsening relative to previous law. At that time, my purpose was purely explanatory; I was agnostic as to whether the scorekeeping rules should change. Since then I have come to believe that they should. As Riedl explains, the rules are inconsistent and bias federal budget policy toward higher spending and higher taxes. They create a host of other problems as well, about which I have written before but will not repeat here. It was encouraging to see House Budget Committee then-Chairman Tom Price introduce legislation to address this problem before assuming the position of HHS Secretary.

Over the years various justifications have been offered for the scorekeeping baselines quirky treatment of Social Security and Medicare spending. One suggestion is that this treatment is necessary to provide lawmakers with appropriate positive incentives. Changing to literal current-law scoring for Social Security and Medicare would always show those programs being prevented from falling into the red, due to the curtailment of their spending authorities upon depletion of their trust funds. It is feared that incorporating this fail-safe assumption into the baseline would eliminate the credit lawmakers receive for legislating to align those programs benefit and tax schedules (because the baseline would already show them to remain in balance regardless). I was once receptive to this belief, but the empirical evidence has shown it to be incorrect.

The currently-used spending baseline actually doesnt create an effective incentive for lawmakers to address Social Security and Medicare financing gaps. Instead of a stick (e.g., penalizing them for financing Social Security and Medicare shortfalls with debt) it offers a carrot (rewarding them for balancing program finances). The relative incentive of the carrot is no stronger than the stick would be and in any case, does not justify treating entitlement spending differently from taxes. The same rationale could be employed to argue that lawmakers should get a spendable scorekeeping credit simply for allowing current tax policies to expire, rather than being penalized for extending them.

Lawmakers respond much more to the negative incentive of being penalized for exacerbating deficits, than to the positive incentive of producing budget savings. For example, Congresss budget procedures erect barriers to adding to the federal deficit; they do not provide significant rewards for net improvements to the fiscal outlook. The fiscal results are predictable, and were manifested most damagingly in the ACA. Lawmakers didnt seek credit for improving the fiscal outlook via the ACAs Medicare cost-containment provisions  instead they concurrently spent those illusory savings on a massive new health entitlement. This could not have happened if the budget rules had recognized lawmakers pre-existing statutory obligation to maintain balance in the Medicare HI trust fund, which would have accurately shown the ACA adding to federal deficits.

In fact, lawmakers are actually under great pressure to demonstrate that they are not balancing the budget on the backs of Social Security and Medicare. Thus, they do not reap political benefits from the current scorekeeping practice of crediting them with large budgetary savings simply for upholding pre-existing Social Security and Medicare law. Consequently, the advantaged treatment given to these programs in the budget rules is not an inducement for good fiscal behavior but rather an invitation to fiscal irresponsibility  an invitation that lawmakers have accepted in the past and almost certainly will again.

As CRFB correctly notes, the best fiscal behavior will occur if the budget baseline makes it harder, not easier, for lawmakers to add to the federal deficit. But to be both effective and fair, this principle needs to be applied with equal force on the spending side. It is fruitless to apply the principle only selectively  for example, by blocking the use of a current-policy baseline for taxes, while its equivalent on the spending side continues to permit the passage of large spending expansions such as the ACA.

With all this said, lets examine the three scorekeeping alternatives on the table:

1) Continue current-law scorekeeping for taxes, but make the rules consistent by applying it also to entitlement spending.

2) Continue current-policy scorekeeping for entitlement spending, but make the rules consistent by applying it also to tax policy.

3) Continue to use current-law scorekeeping for taxes and current-policy scorekeeping for entitlement spending.

#3, where we are now, is clearly bad. It is inconsistent, incorrect and biases policy in the direction of higher spending and higher taxes, which is the essence of our budget problem. #1 is by contrast methodologically consistent and would produce the best fiscal outcomes.

Which of #2 or #3 is better/worse is a value judgment and a tough call. #2 opens the door wider to higher deficits, while #3 opens the door wider to higher taxes. Assuming spending policies are the same either way, this basically comes down to whether you are more concerned about higher taxes or higher debt. This is largely a function of whether you believe todays or tomorrows taxpayers should be stuck with increased tax burdens. I have an opinion on that question but its just that -- an opinion, with which others could reasonably disagree. A true deficit hawk would favor choice #1  consistently applying current-law scorekeeping to both the mandatory spending and tax sides, while strengthening safeguards against additional deficit spending.

Hence, choosing between options #2 and #3 for the tax baseline bypasses the central scorekeeping question, while not offering either side an unassailably correct position. Because of this, and given both legislative history and current projections, budget watchdogs should prioritize getting the spending baseline right first and foremost.

Charles Blahous, a contributor to E21, holds the J. Fish and Lillian F. Smith Chair at the Mercatus Center and is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution. He recently served as a public trustee for Social Security and Medicare.

Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, E21 delivers a short email that includes E21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the E21 Morning Ebrief.
Lankan women saved from traffickers

Amid a growing trend of Nepali men and women being trafficked via Sri Lanka, two Sri Lankan women have been rescued from the clutches of traffickers who tried to send them to various foreign destinations using Nepal as the transit point.
The people of South Sudan are experiencing the worlds worst food security crisis, one caused not by drought or flood, but by man-made conflict: a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar that spiraled into a civil war in late 2013.

Famine was declared in part of South Sudan in early 2017, but with quick action on the part of the international community, including the United States, famine was alleviated four months later. However, the overall food security situation in South Sudan remains dire with more than half the current population6 million peoplefacing life-threatening hunger this year.

The United States is the biggest donor to the massive humanitarian effort in South Sudan. Since 2013, we have contributed nearly 2.7 billion dollars in humanitarian assistance for the South Sudanese people, including those who have fled to neighboring countries. 729 million dollars has been provided in 2017 alone.

In South Sudan, one of the biggest obstacles to delivering emergency aid is gaining access to those in need in one of the most difficult and expensive countries in which to deliver assistance.

South Sudan is also the most dangerous country in the world for aid workers. Since the conflict began in December 2013, 85 aid workers have been killed. According to the United Nations, nearly 630 incidents hindering humanitarian access occurred between January and July of this year. Some 36 percent of them involved violence against humanitarian personnel, assets, or civilian infrastructure. So far this year, 27 security incidents have forced around 300 relief workers to relocate from areas of operation. At the same time, humanitarian aid organizations have complained that their movements are often restricted, often by the government.

During a visit to South Sudan on September 2, USAID Administrator Mark Green said: While it is true that we support the people of South Sudan, it is just as true that the situation has deteriorated to the point where a serious re-examination of U.S. policy is appropriate.

We urge President Kiir and his Government to both acknowledge and address the worsening humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, restore a permanent ceasefire by ceasing ongoing military offensives; end obstruction of humanitarian access; eliminate exorbitant fees levied on aid organizations; and engage in a meaningful, inclusive peace process.
An artist's impression of the California bullet train. CHSRA

Renfe, the Spanish state-owned railway operator, has submitted an offer to develop the first phase of a project to bring high-speed rail to California.

Renfe is partnering with Adif, which manages Spanish railway infrastructure, and with other members of a consortium that hopes to win a contract to provide advice on how to build a 1,300-kilometer line linking Sacramento and San Francisco in the north of the state with Los Angeles and San Diego in the south.

Once finished, the line will connect Los Angeles and San Francisco in under three hours

When completed, it would be the United States first high-speed train service.

The California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) issued a release on Thursday detailing that it has received four offers, including one from China, for this early phase of the project. The six-year contract for technical and commercial advice is worth an estimated $30 million (around 25 million).

The CHSRA is looking for an experienced partner that could ultimately also take charge of operations on the section between Silicon Valley and Central Valley.

The contract for phase one will be awarded on October 6. If successful, the Renfe-led consortium could then bid for a second phase to develop the line.

The entire project is scheduled for completion in 2029 and will cost an estimated $64 billion, according to Bloomberg. The bullet trains will cover a distance of 1,287 kilometers at top speeds of 320 km/h and stop at 24 stations. Once finished, the line will connect Los Angeles and San Francisco in less than three hours.

International challenges

The California high-speed rail system and the bullet train between Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia, are Renfes two major international projects. Early this year the Spanish operator pulled out of a bid to operate the West Coast line in the UK.

Renfes offer for the California line reinforces the Spanish presence on a project where ACS has already secured the contract to build a 100-kilometer stretch of track for around 990 million, while Ferrovial has landed the contract to lay out 35 kilometers for around 400 million.

Spain has had a high-speed railway system, known as the AVE, since 1992.

English version by Susana Urra.
If surveys show that a majority of Catalans  particularly younger generations  disagree with the independence referendum the regional government is determined to hold on October 1, why do things feel like its exactly the other way around?

Pro-independence flags hang from an apartment block in Barcelona. Albert Garcia (EL PAIS)

The silence of the majority, and its lengthy absence from the public arena, have created the illusion that a majority of Catalans want independence. This illusion is shared by the secessionist minority and by observers outside Catalonia.

Yet survey after survey contradicts this view.

To them, the other half of the country simply doesnt count, and all forms of cheating are allowed Publisher Miguel Aguilar

With three weeks to go before the October 1 referendum, EL PAIS asked a group of experts the following question: why doesnt the majority speak out? This is the response of architect Fermin Vazquez, publisher Miguel Aguilar, doctor and activist Alex Ramos, writer Milena Busquets, communications consultant David Espinos and a Barcelona judge, who spoke on the basis of anonymity.

We all want to be tolerant. But you dont expect to be treated so contemptuously, says Fermin Vazquez. Ultimately, it is frightening to face up to so many people who are so emotional about the issue. Flag-waving crowds are always scary.

Four years ago, the Catalonia-based writer Javier Cercas  a recurring target of secessionist ire  warned about the dangers of unanimism, a term coined by the French historian Pierre Vilar, an expert on the history of Catalonia. Unanimism is the illusion of unanimity created by fear of expressing dissidence.

Vazquez says that this fear increases when the authorities themselves are happy to bypass the law in a partisan manner; it is inevitable that those who disagree will be categorized as disaffected.

A pro-independence march in Barcelona in 2016. Consuelo Bautista

Miguel Aguilar, a Barcelona-based publisher originally from Madrid, says there are several reasons why those who question Catalan independence keep quiet.

We are not as cohesive a group as [the secessionists], nor is the fight against independence the sole driver of our lives. Were talking about a silent majority against an outspoken minority that is very well organized and very well subsidized. We dont have a single answer to solve the problem, but they do: independence.

Aguilar adds further nuance to the debate: This is not a war between Madrid and Barcelona or between Catalans and Spaniards; its between Catalans themselves. Half of Catalonia is bending the other half to its will; this is also a revolt of the rich against the poor, as Javier Cercas has noted.

Alex Ramos, a medic who is also a member of the Socialist Party as well as a grass-roots activist with Sociedad Civil Catalana, which opposes independence and supports better relations with Madrid, warns that this silence has been crafted through years of slow hammer-and-chisel action.

What we are seeing right now is a coup detat, but this is a situation that has been developing for a long time, he says. Theyve been sowing the seeds for years and years and years. First there was a spiral of silence because of the secessionists hegemony in politics, inside schools, on TV and in the newspapers. We kept quiet because society is divided over this and people are suffering. Families argue, the way they did in the Basque Country. Its true that you could get shot over there, but over here there is such a thing as civil death. You could lose your job over your views. I take that risk because I feel I have to, but a lot of people are afraid to come out with their non-secessionist opinions.

Its very tough, because they have shown their real face: the face of an identity-based, supremacist nationalism, continues Ramos. They want to be independent because they believe themselves to be better than the rest.

Catalan regional premier Carles Puigdemont (center, in white) Massimiliano Minocri

Vazquez, the architect, expands on that notion. It is often said that [Spanish PM Mariano] Rajoy is a one-man factory churning out new secessionists, but you could turn that on its head and say that the secessionists are constantly creating new Rajoys. Its hard to say whats worse about the secessionists arguments  whether their superiority complex when they assert that Spain is beyond repair, or the fact that they reject any notion of joint responsibility over the state of affairs.

Nobody thought that a minority could use half-truths or falsehoods, twist universally shared concepts such as freedom and democracy in such a crass manner, and get so far. But it happened with Trump and his Make America Great Again, and it happened with Brexiteers and their Europe is robbing us, he adds.

David Espinos, a communications consultant, offers another explanation for why so many Catalans remain silent.

I think the media and politicians are driving this, but the public is not that concerned, he says. The microcosms of politics and journalism feed into one another and try to pass that along to the public, but there are a lot of people who still dont feel personally involved. Its not worth taking any action when youre in danger of being categorized and stigmatized. Political parties are very aware of public opinion. Nobody has ever asked me until now which way I was going to vote, but with the referendum youre being forced to take a stand and make it public. And I disagree with that.

They want to be independent because they believe themselves to be better than the rest Alex Ramos, doctor

Milena Busquets feels that the war of words between political parties and between the governments in Barcelona and Madrid is spreading confusion and could ultimately have a boomerang effect.

A lot of people may not necessarily support independence or the referendum, but could still vote at the last minute as a sign of rebellion against the outrageous things being said by some journalists, or as a reaction to Madrids ban.

Miguel Aguilar believes Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont, is hoping for a bad reaction by the Spanish government: Puigdemont wants to go out in handcuffs, and its very hard not to handcuff someone whose political goal is precisely that.

English version by Susana Urra.
The opposition walks out of parliament in protest on Thursday. Albert Garcia

A majority of Catalans, 56%, feel that the independence referendum announced by the regional government for October 1 is neither valid nor legal, considering the voting conditions and the way lawmakers got the referendum law passed.

A new survey by polling firm Metroscopia for EL PAIS carried out ahead of Mondays La Diada, regarded as Catalonia's national day and that in previous years has attracted large pro-independence marches, shows that the same percentage of citizens supports a shift in strategy toward a negotiated solution, mirroring Basque nationalism. Proponents of negotiation edge out supporters of a unilateral referendum by nearly 20 points.

Last week, Catalan separatists  who have a slim majority in the regional parliament  passed two laws enabling the referendum to take place and setting out rules for Catalonias hypothetical transition into an independent republic. The Metroscopia survey polled 1,000 residents throughout this week.

The greatest division of opinion concerns the controversial way in which the referendum law was passed in the Catalan parliament

Respondents also expressed their discontent with the central government in Madrid: 82% of Catalans feel that the attitude of the Mariano Rajoy administration has reinforced separatist sentiment in Catalonia, rather than weakening it.

The notion of holding a referendum on Catalonias future has been on the regional agenda for years, but respondents were unconvinced by the way that Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont is proposing to hold it, without state-wide agreement and without democratic safeguards that will ensure the process is valid.

Only 38% of those polled said the referendum seemed valid to them, compared with 56% who rejected it. Most significantly, some of those who rejected it, and many of those who were uncertain, said they vote for the two groups behind the referendum: the ruling Junts pel Si coalition and their partners in the small anti-capitalist CUP party.

Fully 20% of voters of Junts pel Si  a combination of the Democratic Party of Catalonia (formerly known as Convergencia) and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC)  feel that the referendum cannot be considered either legal or internationally valid.

That figure rises to 26% among supporters of CUP, whose 10 regional deputies have provided pivotal support to Junts pel Si inside the Catalan parliament, particularly on independence issues.

Respondents also expressed their discontent with the central government in Madrid

As for the opposition groups Popular Party (PP), Ciudadanos and the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), all of whom reject the referendum, their voters all firmly share this rejection. Things are not so clear with voters of the leftist group Catalunya Si que es Pot, which includes Podemos. The poll showed that 15% believe the referendum should be considered legal and internationally valid.

By age groups, the youngest respondents were more critical of the referendums legal status. Two out of every three respondents who were under 34 rejected it. Adults between 54 and 64 were more lenient, with 42% of them accepting it as valid.

The greatest division of opinion concerns the controversial way in which the referendum law was passed in the Catalan parliament on Wednesday of last week. The Metroscopia poll was conducted a day later, and shows that 44% of Catalans reject it while 41% support a fast-track procedure that skipped many of the steps normally involved in the passage of a law, including submittal to the Catalan governments own oversight body, the Council of Statutory Guarantees.

As many as 56% of respondents also reject the voting conditions set by the referendum law, which says that there is no minimum turnout rate and that anything above 50% of a yes vote will be enough to declare independence. Even 52% of CUP voters feel that a very high turnout rate should be a requisite.

English version by Susana Urra.
Spains Civil Guard searched the premises of a weekly newspaper in Valls, a small town in Tarragona, in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia on Saturday, suspecting it of preparing election material for the illegal October 1 independence referendum . The editor of El Vallenc, Francesc Fabregas, was summoned to make a statement at a police station, where he refused to answer questions.

Police officers and protesters at El Vallenc on Saturday. J. L. Sellart

Officers checked computer equipment and questioned the manager and other employees, while police maintained a presence outside the building, attracting protesters. Pro-independence activists held up signs supporting the referendum.

The search is related to an investigation into the activities of the Indugraf printing firm in the nearby town of Constanti, which has now been searched twice as part of an investigation into its role in preparing material for the referendum. Police suspect Albert Batet, the mayor of Valls and a regional deputy for the pro-independence coalition Junts Pel Si that governs in Catalonia, of coordinating the printing of election material. Batet has denied the accusation and described the police operation as comical. A daughter of the editor of the weekly is a member of Valls town council.

The Civil Guard said the search was to discover election materials and who gave the order to print them

Carles Puigdemont, the head of the regional government of Catalonia, criticized the search, tweeting: I support El Vallenc in an operation that was not looking for ballots, but looking for trouble. The Catalan Journalists Association condemned the search, saying information and journalism are fundamental rights in a democracy.

The Civil Guard said in a statement that the search was not an attempt at censorship, but part of an investigation into the preparation of election material for a referendum that Spains Constitutional Court has ruled illegal.

English version by Debora Almeida.
The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) has slapped Facebook with a 1.2 million fine for breaking laws regarding the use of its users personal data. The agency has found that the social network compiles, stores and makes use of user information for advertising purposes without having previously obtained authorization to do so.

Facebook has said it will appeal the fine from the data-protection agency. Dado Ruvic (REUTERS)

For its part, Facebook has responded saying that it respectfully disagrees with the agencys decision, and as such plans to appeal the fine. As we informed the AEPD, it is the users who decide what information they want to add to their profile and share with others, such as their religion, the social network explained via a written statement. Whats more, it added that it does not use that information to show specific advertisements to its users.

According to the ruling made public today by the AEPD, Facebook has obtained information about the ideology, sex, religious beliefs, personal tastes and navigation of its users without having first secured unequivocal consent. As such, it believes that the tech giant has committed two serious infractions and one very serious infraction of Spains data protection law, meaning two 300,000 fines for the former and a 600,000 fine for the latter.

Facebook has obtained information about the ideology, sex, religious beliefs, personal tastes and navigation of its users without having first secured unequivocal consent

The investigation carried out by the agency found that the US firm, which counts on more than two billion users throughout the world, does not exhaustively nor clearly give information about the data that will be collected and the use that will be made of it, simply giving several examples instead. According to the findings of the AEPD, the social network collects other data deriving from the interaction between users of the site and third-party websites, without them clearly being able to see the information that Facebook collects about them nor how it will be used.

The agency also found that Facebooks privacy policy contains generic and unclear expressions, and forces users to access a number of different links in order to access it. The social network makes imprecise references to the use that will be made of the data that is collected, in such a way that the user is not conscious of the data collection the company carries out, nor of the storage of that data.

The AEPD has also confirmed that users are not informed that their information is going to be collected via the use of cookies when they visit pages that are not on the Facebook site but that contain the social networks Like button.

Whats more, the Spanish regulator argues that the personal data of users are not completely deleted when they are no longer useful for the purpose they were collected, nor when the user explicitly requests their deletion. The agency has confirmed that Facebook does not eliminate the information that it collects based on the browsing habits of its users, but rather it keeps it and reuses it later. Whats more, when a user of the social network deletes their account and requests for their information to be deleted, Facebook captures and processes data for a further 17 months via a cookie from the closed-down account.

Facebook meets European Union data protection law from our center in Ireland, the company said in a statement. We are open to continue discussing these issues with the AEPD while we work with the Irish Data Protection Agency and we prepare for the new 2018 European Union regulations, the social network insisted.
The National Confederation of Entrepreneurs (Employers) Organizations of Azerbaijan Republic (ASK) organized an India-Azerbaijan Business forum of companies dealing with Real estate development and construction business at the Fairmont hotel in Baku on 8 September 2017. From India, more than 50 representatives of companies from the Marathi Bandhkam Vyasayik Association (Maratha Construction Business Association) ( MBVA) based in the western part of India participated in the business forum and held meetings with Azerbaijani companies and businessmen.

The India-Azerbaijan Construction Business Forum at Fairmont Hotel was co-chaired by the Vice President of ASK, Mr. Vugar Zeynalov and Ambassador of India to Azerbaijan, Mr. Sanjay Rana. Mr. Vugar Zeynalov welcomed the visit of Indian delegation and said that it was a good opportunity for Indian and Azerbaijani companies to have B2B discussions on various possibilities of cooperation between them.

Speaking on the occasion, President of MBVA Mr. GajendraPawar said that Indian delegation had planned their visit to Azerbaijan with a view to explore business opportunities for its members in the field of construction, infrastructure and other areas that could give a boost to trade and investment relations between the two countries. He added that the Indian delegation was enthusiastic about the business opportunities in Azerbaijan and they look forward to forming a strong business relationship with businesses in the country.

General Secretary of MBVA, Mr. Sandeep Kolatkar said that the Indian delegates were very impressed by the spectacular architecture of Baku and the amazing development of the public spaces in the city. They hoped that their visit would to more Joint ventures and enhanced business relationships between Indian and Azerbaijani companies.

Ambassador of India, Mr. Sanjay Rana said in his speech at the symposium that Azerbaijan was an important business partner for India and the business relations between the two countries were strong and developing in many areas. India was a partner in the Oil and Gas sector of Azerbaijan with its equity participation in Azeri- Chirag Guneshli Oil fields. The trade turnover between the two countries was US $497 million in 2016 which has further increased by more than 65 percent during the current year. He said that the level of bilateral trade is set to increase even further with the launch of International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) which will accelerate and ease transportation of goods from India to Azerbaijan and beyond through Iran.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

Trend:

The OSCE is expected to monitor the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops on September 12, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said Sept. 11.

The monitoring will be held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative along the line of contact near Alkhanli village of Azerbaijans Fuzuli district, said the ministry.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by Andrzej Kasprzyk, ambassador and the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative, as well as Ognjen Jovic, Simon Tiller, field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative.

On the Azerbaijani territories occupied and controlled by Armenian armed forces, the monitoring will be held by Ghenadie Petrica, Mikhail Olaru and Martin Schuster, who are field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

Azerbaijans capital Baku as well as Sumgait and Gabala cities will host events to mark the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and South Korea, Kwon Dong-seok, South Korean ambassadors deputy, told reporters in Baku Sept. 11.

The events will include performances by South Korean masters of arts, exhibitions, fashion shows, and sporting events, he added.

The purpose of holding these events is to acquaint the Azerbaijanis with the rich culture, history, and art of South Korea, the diplomat said.

Kwon Dong-seok said he highly appreciates the relations between the two countries.

Economic cooperation covers such areas as petrochemicals, infrastructure projects, construction sector, the diplomat said. He added that the South Korean government intends to share its experience in the economic sphere with Azerbaijan.

Currently, many big South Korean companies operate in Azerbaijan, he noted.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order to pardon Israeli citizen Alexander Lapshin Sept. 11.

According to the order, 41-year-old Lapshin, who has been sentenced to three years in prison upon the Baku Grave Crimes Courts decision dated July 20, 2017, is to be released.

The order comes into force from the date of signing.
Large cardamom price expected to fall further

Price of large cardamom is expected to fall this year too largely due to low overseas demand and increased production.
Details added (first version posted on 11:53)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order to pardon Israeli citizen Alexander Lapshin Sept. 11.

According to the order, 41-year-old Lapshin, who has been sentenced to three years in prison upon the Baku Grave Crimes Courts decision dated July 20, 2017, is to be released.

The order comes into force from the date of signing.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

Azerbaijan, as an important country in the Islamic world, as a secular and tolerant state that honors Muslim traditions, voiced an important message yesterday: Armenia is an enemy of Muslim countries.

Indeed, Armenia, which has occupied 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territories and has committed genocide against the civilians in the Azerbaijani city of Khojaly, cannot be a reliable partner and a friend of the Islamic world and its individual representatives.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the First Summit on Science and Technology of Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Astana, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that a two-year-old Azerbaijani child and her grandmother were killed as a result of mortar shelling by Armenia in July this year.

This is atrocity, the president said. This is another bloody crime of Armenian fascism.

Under orders of the Armenian leadership, all our mosques in occupied Azerbaijani lands have been destroyed. The photos of the destroyed mosques of Shusha, Aghdam and the countrys other cities are documentary evidence of Armenian vandalism.

President Aliyev also stressed that Islamophobia in Armenia has reached its peak.

Armenia is trying very hard to expand its ties with various Muslim countries. One should not believe Armenias hypocritical and deceitful words. Armenia, which has destroyed our sacred mosques in Azerbaijan, cannot be a friend of Muslim countries, President Aliyev added.

Indeed, Armenia, which is isolated because of its occupation policy, is trying to establish at least any relations with neighboring Iran, which has remained as one of the two ways of Yerevans communication with the world.

However, considering the perfidious and deceitful nature of the Armenian leadership, there is no doubt that at the first opportunity Yerevan will refuse to support Iran in favor of its own interests or the interests of its new friends.

It is very important for Armenia to demonstrate friendly relations towards Iran in every possible way. Armenia hopes that Iran will help it join regional projects, from which it was withdrawn because of its occupation policy.

For many years, Yerevan has been cherishing the idea of building an Armenian-Iranian railway. However, in fact, Iran has neither money, nor special interest. Iran actively promotes another project. The Azerbaijani, Russian and Iranian presidents signed a declaration on creation of the North-South transport corridor in Baku in August 2016. According to the declaration, the sides will continue to mutually contribute to implementation of new projects to connect railways as part of the North-South international transport corridor.

Muslim countries must understand that Armenia thinks that the entire Islamic world is an enemy of the Armenian people.

As a result of occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia, tens of thousands of people were killed and more than one million people were expelled from their lands  which means Armenia cannot be a partner of any Muslim country in the region and the world.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev instructed the appropriate authorities to consider the request by director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev to replace his imprisonment with house arrest, said Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijani presidents aide for public and political affairs.

Director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev was charged on several articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and arrested in August of this year, he said. Azerbaijan Press Council made a request to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for a just settlement of the issue in accordance with the countrys laws. At the same time, Mehman Aliyev made a request to the head of state for replacement of his imprisonment with house arrest.

I should emphasize that back in 2009, President Ilham Aliyev expressed his opinion and will that given democratic principles, supremacy of the freedom of speech and information in Azerbaijan, charging media employees for their professional activities is not reasonable, Hasanov said. Under instructions of the head of state, media employees have not been imprisoned for their professional activities in Azerbaijan since 2009.

This decision is a clear manifestation of the Azerbaijani presidents unchangeable position and will that democratic principles, freedom of speech and information, independence of the mass media and free activities of journalists must be ensured in the country, Hasanov noted.

Ali Hasanov also commented on Alexander Lapshins case.

The release and extradition of Lapshin, who was imprisoned in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan, has constantly been on the agenda, Hasanov added. An appropriate decision on this issue had been delayed simply because a request from the State of Israel, of which Lapshin is a citizen, had been delayed. This request has already been made and a decision on Alexander Lapshin has already been taken.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

Trend:

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir has welcomed the release of Director of Turan Information Agency Mehman Aliyev.

I welcome this positive step on the part of the authorities and call on them to drop all charges against Mehman Aliyev, he said in a statement posted on the OSCE website.

Desir noted that he values the dialogue with Azerbaijan on this situation.

Further, Desir tweeted that he welcomes the pardon and release of blogger Alexander Lapshin in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev today instructed the appropriate authorities to consider the request by Director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev to replace his imprisonment with house arrest.

Ali Hasanov, the presidents aide for public and political affairs, said this decision is a clear manifestation of Ilham Aliyevs unchangeable position and will to ensure freedom of speech and information, independence of the mass media and free activities of journalists.

Azerbaijans Ministry of Taxes has earlier said that based on the results of an inspection carried out in Turan Information Agency to identify tax risks and cases of tax evasion, it was established that Mehman Aliyev had been evading payment of taxes to the state budget.

A criminal case was initiated against Mehman Aliyev under articles 192.2.2 (illegal entrepreneurship), 213.1 (evasion of taxes or compulsory social insurance contributions) and 308.1 (abuse of power) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Ilham Aliyev signed an order Sept. 11 to pardon Alexander Lapshin, according to which the blogger is to be released.

Alexander Lapshin is a citizen of several countries and had a criminal collusion with Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani territories. He also illegally visited these territories. Lapshin was accused of violating Azerbaijani laws on state border in April 2011 and October 2012.

On Jan. 17, Alexei Stuk, deputy prosecutor general of Belarus, issued a ruling on Lapshins extradition to Azerbaijan. Lapshin was brought to Azerbaijan on Feb. 7. On July 20, Lapshin was sentenced to three years in prison by the Baku Grave Crimes Court.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

Trend:

Azerbaijani Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov today met with Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman in Tel Aviv, said Azerbaijani Defense Ministrys press service.

In accordance with the protocol, an official welcoming ceremony for the Azerbaijani delegation was held at Israels Ministry of Defense.

The defense ministers passed along the guard of honor. After the national anthems of both countries were played, the two ministers held a one-on-one meeting.

During a meeting of delegations in an expanded format, the sides discussed issues of regional security, as well as cooperation in the military and military-technical spheres, and other areas of mutual interest.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

Trend:

Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland has welcomed the release of Director of Turan Information Agency Mehman Aliyev, according to a message published on the Council of Europe website.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev today instructed the appropriate authorities to consider the request by Director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev to replace his imprisonment with house arrest.

Ali Hasanov, the presidents aide for public and political affairs, said this decision is a clear manifestation of Ilham Aliyevs unchangeable position and will to ensure freedom of speech and information, independence of the mass media and free activities of journalists.

Azerbaijans Ministry of Taxes has earlier said that based on the results of an inspection carried out in Turan Information Agency to identify tax risks and cases of tax evasion, it was established that Mehman Aliyev had been evading payment of taxes to the state budget.

A criminal case was initiated against Mehman Aliyev under articles 192.2.2 (illegal entrepreneurship), 213.1 (evasion of taxes or compulsory social insurance contributions) and 308.1 (abuse of power) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Details added (first version posted at13:24)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

Trend:

Today, the Baku City Yasamal district court changed the measure of restraint in respect of Director of Turan Information Agency Mehman Aliyev, Aliyevs lawyer Fuad Aghayev has told Trend.

Mehman Aliyev was released from custody and placed under house arrest.

Azerbaijans Ministry of Taxes has earlier said that, based on the results of the inspection carried out in Turan Information Agency to identify the availability of tax risks and cases of tax evasion, it was established that Mehman Aliyev had been evading paying taxes to the state budget.

A criminal case was initiated against Aliyev under articles 192.2.2 (illegal entrepreneurship), 213.1 (evasion taxes or contributions for compulsory social insurance in significant amount) and 308.1 (abuse of official powers) of the criminal code.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Seba Aghayeva  Trend:

South Korean companies are interested in cooperation with Azerbaijan in maritime navigation, Kwon Dong-seok, South Korean ambassadors deputy, told reporters in Baku Sept. 11.

Cooperation in this area will be discussed during the forthcoming visit of a delegation of representatives of 10 major South Korean companies to Baku in September, he added.

Great attention is being paid to this area in Azerbaijan, the country is acquiring ships in large quantities, he noted.

A trade mission of the Embassy of South Korea in Azerbaijan is currently preparing a visit of representatives of Korean companies, specialized in the shipbuilding sector, to Baku, the diplomat noted.

Negotiations will take place within the Azerbaijani-Korean business meeting, to be held Sept. 13 in Baku.

Representatives of such companies as Yelim Paint Spray, Mattron Corporation, Dongsan Valve, Jin Gu Engineering, Kwangwoon, Keonsae High Pressure, Daedong Marine Tech, MSTech and others will arrive in Azerbaijan to participate in the negotiations.

According to the diplomat, Korean companies also show interest in industrial parks.

Today, more than 10 major Korean companies operate in Azerbaijan, the diplomat said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR started delivering methanol to Kazakhstan through the Caspian Sea, Elnur Baghirov, deputy director general at SOCAR Methanol (operator of the Baku methanol plant) said in an interview with Trend.

He noted that SOCAR Marketing and Operations Department is engaged in the sales of methanol.

As you know, SOCAR uses the most efficient routes for selling methanol. The main volumes are delivered through the Georgian port of Kulevi to the Mediterranean, Turkey and Western Europe, Baghirov said.

The shipment is carried out not only from Kulevi. The supply of methanol has recently started from the Baku port through the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan as well as to other international markets.

Production at Azerbaijans methanol plant, the only plant of this kind in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, started in January 2014. Currently, 95 percent of its products are exported.

The plants maximum annual capacity is 700,000 tons. The plant cost was estimated at 810 million manats.

SOCAR acquired the plant from the Aqrarkredit non-bank credit organization. The plant cost was estimated at 810 million manats.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Ali Mustafayev  Trend:

Recent series of diplomatic meetings between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in early September illustrated a significant improvement in ties between the two countries.

The latest diplomatic steps are considered to be effective, first of all because of the meeting between the presidents of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Almazbek Atambayev, which resulted in an agreement on delimitation of 85 percent of borders between the two countries.

The plans to raise trade turnover to $500 million was also positively welcomed by the countries of the region.

Generally, there are hopes that the bilateral relations between the two countries will reach a new level of development, political analyst Venera Djumataeva told Trend.

She says Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are related even more than the other countries of the region.

In Kyrgyzstan, ethnic Uzbeks make up around 15 percent of the population, and almost each of them has a relative in Uzbekistan. The same situation is with ethnic Kyrgyz in Uzbekistan.

The border issue still remains one of the most pressing ones because of the historical proximity and mixed populations. Nevertheless, the benefits of a potential cooperation between the two countries are irrefutable.

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan need each other. It is about Uzbek gas, vehicles, textile, mineral fertilizers and Kyrgyz irrigation water and electricity. Uzbekistan is also interested in building a road to China through the Kyrgyz region of Fergana, said Djumatayeva.

She says the greatest part of damage is experienced by the people living in both countries border territories.

The tragic picture of relatives and families deprived of seeing each other and a large number of deaths of civilians stepping on mines made this political confrontation one of the most harmful and aggressive conflicts in the region.

The Uzbek-Kyrgyz relations have long been strained due to a number of issues, including border, water and energy issues, although this situation appears to be changing at the moment.

The meeting between the two presidents was held Sept. 5 and marked a new stage in bilateral relations. President Shavkat Mirziyoyevs visit to Kyrgyzstan was the first by an Uzbek president in 17 years.

Along with the signed border agreement, the sides voiced desire to reconsider the water and energy issues which caused controversy in the past.

Expectations regarding the long-awaited normalization of relations are nearing a point of realization and the resolution of the row between the significant countries of the region seems to be not far off.
Nepal establishes Consulate General Office in Guangzhou

Nepal formally opened its fourth diplomatic mission in China, with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara inaugurating the countrys Consulate General Office in Guangzhou on Sunday. Nepal has its embassy in Beijing, while two other consulate general offices in Hong Kong and Lhasa.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Kamila Aliyeva  Trend:

Tajikistan received an independent credit rating to certify the international creditors in the republic's solvency.

Moody's has issued a provisional rating for Tajikistan at level B3, but Standard & Poor's (S&P) rates Tajikistan at B-/B, meaning it is between the criteria for the B- level and the B level.

Tajikistan's updated credit rating from this summer reflect both the challenges facing the country and the opportunities it has for economic growth, Jack Anderson, an Analyst at Global Risk Insights and expert on Central Asia, told Trend.

Investors recognize that Tajikistan is a difficult place to invest. However, S&P says that Tajikistan is making good progress on property rights and pension reforms. Because the Tajik government continues to support private property rights and can responsibly manage its pension system for its citizens, investors are starting to trust Tajikistan, he said.

They are demonstrating this trust by avidly purchasing $500 million of Eurobonds to finance the Rogun hydroelectric dam, according to the expert.

Earlier, Uzbekistan opposed the construction of this HPP due to several reasons including the danger of constructing such a high wall in an area known for high seismic activity.

Moreover, during the time the reservoir for the dam is being filled, less water would flow into the Amu-Darya river. This, in turn, would have a negative effect on agriculture in Uzbekistan and further downstream.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been less hostile than former President Islam Karimov on the subject of hydroelectric dams in Kyrgyzstan. Only one Uzbek official, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Komilov, has spoken publicly about Rogun, when he said in July that Uzbekistan would not ask for the construction to stop, Anderson said.

Instead, Uzbekistan is asking for cooperation under regional agreements, according to the expert.

This is a good sign that the Uzbek government does not want a major conflict over water resources. Mirziyoyev could work with the Tajik government to ensure electrical and water supplies are properly managed in the region," he added.

The Rogun hydropower plant (HPP) construction project was developed during the Soviet era. Construction of the plant was initiated in 1976, but stopped after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Currently, the ambitious projects future is unclear.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Sept. 11

By Demir Azizov Trend:

The second Summit on Science and Technology of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will be held in Uzbekistan in 2020.

Such a decision was made following the first summit held in Astana Sept. 10. The summit was held under the slogan "Science, Technologies, Innovations and Modernization in the Islamic World".

"The theme of our OIC authoritative summit  Science, Technologies, Innovations and Modernization in the Islamic World is more relevant today than ever," Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said while addressing the summit.

"I would like to stress that we fully support the OIC Ten Year Program of Action for 2016-2025 and its priority areas," the Uzbek president said.

While addressing the summit, Mirziyoyev said that the issues related to the global climate change will be the most important ones for the next 10 years.

The Uzbek president also supported his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayevs initiative on the infrastructure integration of Muslim countries to ensure sustainable economic growth.

Meanwhile, Mirziyoyev proposed to establish the International Islamic Center for Young Scholars, which will become a platform for the exchange of experience and knowledge.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), founded in 1969, is the biggest and most influential official Muslim governmental international organization, bringing together 57 countries.

Uzbekistan has been an OIC member since 1996.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sep. 8

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani raised hopes among millions of Iranians that the countrys economy would see better days when he inaugurated a gas mega project back in April in southern Iran.

Although no one harbors doubts about the economic benefits of the ambitious project, environmentalists have expressed deep concerns over its environmental implications.

President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated $20 billion worth of energy projects in the city of Asalouyeh in Bushehr Province on April 16, bringing five phases of the South Pars gas field, four petrochemical projects, as well as the South Pars oil layer on stream.

It appears that environmental concerns are among main causes for a decision by the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) to ink its first deal on flare gas recovery and utilization with a consortium comprising Frances Sofregaz Company and Irans Sanat Sazeh Samin Company back on Wednesday.

The NIOC is expected to fund the 41.8 million euro deal on recovery and utilization of about half million cubic meters of flare gas in the second refinery of South Pars gas field (phases 2 and 3) in southwest Iran. The project is scheduled to be implemented within two years.

On the sidelines of the ceremony for inking the deal Asadollah Qarekhani, the spokesperson of the parliamentary commission for energy affairs, expressed the parliaments support for measures taken by Iran's Oil Ministry aimed at reducing the amount of gas-flaring-related emissions.

"Flare gas recovery carries positive economic and environmental impacts," Irans oil new website Shana quoted him as saying.

The MP further added that the country needs to put about $5 billion in investment to develop several projects on flare gas recovery which would annually generate about $3 billion income once completed.

This is while Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC), a contractor for the development of South Pars phases, has announced plans for investing about $500 million for flare gas recovery in the refineries of South Pars.

NIOC Deputy Director for Engineering and Development Gholamreza Manouchehri has also said that the level of burning flare gas has dropped to three million cubic meters per week from the previous amount which stood at 15 million cubic meters per week.

South Pars is part of a huge offshore field, shared with Qatar in the Persian Gulf. The field is estimated to hold about 8 percent of the worlds natural gas reserves.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Fatih Karimov Trend:

Iran plans to decrease its dependence to Google company products including Android mobile operating system, the Islamic Republics ICT Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said.

South Korea has reduced its dependence on Google and Android; this is also on our agenda, Azari Jahromi told to an Iranian state TV channel.

Azari Jahromi's comments came following a decision by Google to cut some of its services to Iranian users.

Last week Google Play followed Apples lead in removing Iranian apps from its store, citing US sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Companies such as Google and Apple were hosting Iranian apps reportedly under a license issued by former President Barack Obamas administration in 2014.

Google has also cut access for some Iranian users to its Google Analytics service.

Azari Jahromi further said that Samsung company has a plan to decrease its dependence on Google services, expressing interest to talk with the South Korean company in this regard.

Iran also can hold talks with Japan regarding the issue, Azari Jahromi said, without unveiling further details.

Azari Jahromi earlier confirmed that negotiations are underway with Twitter aimed at unblocking the service, which has been banned for years despite being used by senior Iranian officials, even the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Fatih Karimov Trend:

Russian government-owned Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank, VEB) signed a finance deal with Irans Industry and Mine bank, worth 1.2 billion euro.

The contract was signed in Moscow with presence of representatives from Irans Central Bank and Thermal Power Plants Holding Company(TPPHC), the Iranian Industry and Mine bank announced Sept. 11.

Under the contract, the Russian bank will finance a project for construction of a 1,400-megawatt thermal power plant in Sirik County, Hormozgan province in south of Iran within five years.

The power plant will comprise four units, each with a capacity to produce 350 MW.

Earlier TPPHC announced that the plant is estimated to cost around $1.6 billion.

According to the report, VEB bank has also expressed readiness to provide short-term and long-term credits to the Iranian party without insurance coverage from EXIAR (Russian Agency for Export Credit and Investment Insurance) or government guarantee.

Last month, Iran signed a finance agreement worth 8 billion euros with South Korean Export-Import Bank (Exim Bank), the biggest deal following the implementation of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA aka nuclear deal), which came into force in 2016.

Under the deal the two parties agreed to allocate an 8-billion-euro credit line for projects carried on by both state-run and private Iranian companies.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iranian transportation officials are planning to establish a new company within the countrys railways organization to enhance rail transportation in the suburbs.

Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways Saeed Mohammadzadeh has said that the countrys six-year plan has tasked his organization to take measures aimed at launching a suburban railways company.

According to the public relations office of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, he made the remarks at the general assembly of the company.

Mohammadzadeh added that about two million people commute between the capital city of Tehran and its suburbs each day.

Saying that the railways in the current situation have a 2-percent share in passenger transportation between Tehran and its suburbs, he added the figure for the capital city must reach 20 percent.

He further called for luring foreign investment to develop the countrys railways system, saying his organization has already prepared several packages for investment.

Iranian transportation minister, Abbas Akhoundi, also earlier said that his ministry is planning to launch a suburban trains company within the current fiscal year (started March 20).

Speaking about plans to develop Irans railway system, he added that there are plans underway to link five provinces to the countrys railway system over the current year.

According to the minister, three provinces are also scheduled to be linked to the railway system over the next year.
The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Monday Iran was abiding by the rules set out in a nuclear accord it signed with six world powers in 2015, after Washington suggested it was not adhering to the deal, Reuters reported.

The State Department must notify Congress every 90 days of Irans compliance with the deal. The next deadline is October and U.S. President Donald Trump has said he thinks by then the United States will declare Iran non-compliant.

Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said Iran had not broken any promises and was not receiving special treatment.

The nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran under the (deal) are being implemented, he said in the text of a speech to a quarterly meeting of the IAEAs 35-member Board of Governors.

Most sanctions on Iran were lifted 18 months ago under the deal and, despite overstepping a limit on its stocks of one chemical, it has adhered to the key limitations imposed on it.

In April, Trump ordered a review of whether a suspension of sanctions on Iran related to the nuclear deal, negotiated under President Barack Obama, was in the U.S. national security interest. He has called it the worst deal ever negotiated.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, traveled to Vienna last month to speak with Amano about Iran and asked if the IAEA planned to inspect Iranian military sites, something she has called for.

Iran dismissed the U.S. demand as merely a dream.

Amano declined to comment on Haleys statements when asked by reporters.

Iran has been applying an Additional Protocol, which is in force in dozens of nations and gives the IAEA access to sites, including military locations, to clarify questions or inconsistencies that may arise.

We will continue to implement the Additional Protocol in Iran ... as we do in other countries, Amano said, referring to so-called complementary access visits granted under the protocol, details of which Amano said were confidential.

I cannot tell you how many complementary accesses we have had, but I can tell you ... that we have had access to locations more frequently than many other countries with extensive nuclear programs.

He called verification measures in Iran the most robust regime currently in existence.

In addition, the IAEA can request access to Iranian sites including military ones if it has concerns about activities or materials there that would 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.
Tehran, Iran, Sept. 11

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

Iran and Turkey are expected to further boost their diplomatic and military cooperation following recent exchange of visits between high-ranking officials, including a trip to Ankara by Irans Central Command Chief Mohammad Baqeri.

This is a new atmosphere between the two countries where, seeing international and regional situations, they intend to use their capacities to work toward a synergy that would serve to establish peace and stability in the region, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi told a press conference in Tehran, Trend correspondent reported from the presser September 11.

Negotiations between Iran and Turkey will continue with more strength and we hope that the two countries succeed in improving the existing level of cooperation, the Iranian diplomat stated.

On August 21, Qassemi called a recent trip of General Baqeri to Turkey exceptional and successful.

The spokesman said that during a rare visit of the Islamic Republic's chief of CENTCOM to the NATO-member country, Turkish and Iranian military leaders held talks on major topics, including cooperation on the Syrian conflict and counterterrorism.

Turkeys ties with Washington have recently been strained by the Unites States support of the Kurdish fighters in Syria. The visit of Gen. Baqeri may be viewed as the latest indicator of Ankaras increasing cooperation with other powers, such as Iran and Russia.

Iran and Russia back Bashar Assad as president of Syria. Turkey used to cooperate with the opposing front, comprised of Syrian dissidents, Saudi Arabia, and the US.

However, in recent months Ankara has grown more welcoming of Iran and Russias position and the three countries continue to hold negotiations under the title of Astana talks to reach common grounds on the Syrian issue.

Official reports indicate that in an upcoming meeting within the Astana talks, the three countries expect to finalize their plans on cooperation to sustain and strengthen de-escalation zones in Syria.
French president Emmanuel Macron will visit the hurricane-hit French Caribbean island of Saint Martin on Tuesday, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said on Sunday, Sputnik reported.

"Emmanuel Macron will travel to Saint Martin on Tuesday morning. The presidential Airbus will bring equipment and basic necessities," Collomb wrote in his official Twitter blog.

On Thursday, the Elysee Palace said in a statement that Macron would visit the French overseas territories Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthelemy in the West Indies as soon as possible.

On Wednesday, the islands in the Caribbean Sea, including Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthelemy, were hit by Hurricane Irma, which is now a category three storm. The storm is the most intense hurricane in the Atlantic over the past decade, according to some estimates.
The North Korean Foreign Ministry warned on Monday that Pyongyang would retaliate using "ultimate means," if the United Nations Security Council adopts the new resolution imposing tougher sanctions against Pyongyang, Sputnik reported.

On Friday, the US mission to the UN announced that Washington would call a UN Security Council meeting on Monday to vote on a new draft resolution, set to tighten sanctions on North Korea. Washington wants to put more pressure on the North by imposing an oil embargo and freezing assets of the country's leader, Kim Jong-un.

"In case the US eventually does rig up the illegal and unlawful 'resolution' on harsher sanctions, the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] shall make absolutely sure that the US pays due price. The DPRK is ready and willing to use any form of ultimate means. The forthcoming measures to be taken by the DPRK will cause the US the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history," the statement read, quoted by the state-run KCNA news agency.

The ministry stressed that the proposed sanctions were aimed at undermining North Korea's sovereignty to an extreme level, and added that Pyongyang was closely monitoring US moves.

"The US should be fully aware that as long as it persists with intense political, economic and military confrontation with the DPRK in defiance of its repeated stern warning, the former will never be able to avoid its permanent extinction," the statement read.

On August 5, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2371, which further tightens sanctions against North Korea in response to Pyongyang's ballistic missiles tests conducted in late July. However, the restrictive measures failed to prevent North Korea from conducting further tests.

Last week, North Korea announced it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile, triggering worldwide condemnation.
PM Deuba set to expand Cabinet for fifth time today

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is all set to expand his Cabinet for the fifth time on Monday, inducting four ministers from the Pashupati Shumsher Rana-led Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Prajatantrik).
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11

By Alan Hope  Trend:

The World Trade Center (WTC) in the Lower Manhattan was New York Citys (NYC) most captivating landmark, not overshadowing, but complementing its Midtown rival  the Empire State Building. Its iconic twin towers, shaping the pinnacle of NYCs skyline, stood tall as a true representation of an American ingenuity and countrys steadfast devotion to the progress and future.

WTC wasnt just a hollow complex of filling cabinets, accommodating tens of thousands workers and even more daily visitors. It was the heart of NYCs bustling Financial District, pumping through its transportation valves thousands of white-collars, providing the ample grounds for worldwide business operations and storing enormous amounts of riches in its vaults.

WTC was also the top tourist attraction, as almost every tourist, before sightseeing NYCs other landmarks, would firstly visit its towers. That tourist would ride the elevators to the South Towers 107th floor indoor or, weather permitting, 110th floor outdoor observation decks and would enjoy the view while downing a Nathans hotdog or an occasional slice from Sbarros. The more sophisticated business crowd would be treated to a pricier cuisine of the famous Windows on the World Restaurant, on the 107th floor of the North Tower. Notwithstanding, all visitors would be astonished by the untiring scenery and get an understanding of why the NYC is called the capital of the world.

My first experience of WTC dates back to 1991, when as a college freshman I set out to explore NYC together with my buddies. Its truly hard to express the degree of my astonishment by the whole experience, but to say that its impossible to forget. Throughout my college years I had frequented WTC quite often, taking almost every visiting friend or relative on a tour of NYC, starting at the twin towers. Later on, it became my main transportation hub on a daily trip to work and back.

Unfortunately, all of it had ended in a few hours of the Tuesday morning of Sept 11, 2001  the day full of human tragedy, personal despair and miracles.

That morning not a single thing could have pointed to the events that had occurred later on. The sun was shining bright and not a single cloud could have been seen in the tall blue sky. Thus, Id decided, instead of the usual trip on a PATH train to the WTC, to enjoy the fresh air of the Hudson River commute, drove to Jersey City and boarded Paulus Hook ferry to the World Financial Center (WFC).

Upon arrival to the WFC pier someone had pointed to the North Tower engulfed in flames and smoke. Nobody was panicking, as disembarked passengers stood gazing at the eerie scene. Some were suggesting that a movie is being shot, while others were comparing the incident to the Feb 26, 1993 bombing. True understanding of the situation had dawned upon us as we saw a plane on approach hitting the South Tower. Right away the crew of the ferry had ordered everybody to get back on the boat.

The initial frightening silence on the ferry was interrupted by the overwhelming noise of its engines. The captain had full-throttled them to quickly reach the Jersey shore and to return for evacuation. Some passengers were crying, while others were looking at the retreating NYC coastline in disbelief. Hudson River looked like a congested highway, as other ferries and boats were rushing towards the city.

Disembarked passengers crowded the Jersey City pier. None had yet heard of the attack on the Pentagon or the crashed plane in Pennsylvania. Almost everybody was desperately trying to reach their family, friends and co-workers, but the network was damaged and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of calls.

An unheard of before outcry came from the crowd, as it was witnessing the fall of the South Tower. Some half hour later the picture got even more grotesque, as the North Tower followed its twin. Everyone was paralyzed by the scene of a deafening tidal wave comprised of fireballs, office paper confetti and construction material hitting Manhattan. Something had snapped in minds, as witnesseshad realized that the mixture was also comprised of people, but none wanted to believe it.

Looking at the apocalyptic skyline of NYC that day nobody had yet realized the true impact of the event. Many witnesses felt sucker-punched and doubled over. Others were enraged, desperately gasping for options to avenge the injustice. Nonetheless, everyone had realized that it was the day that had changed their lives and the world forever.

In the aftermath of the attacks we had found out that 2,996 lives were lost and more than 6,000 others were injured. The negative impact on the worlds economy had totaled in trillions of US dollars. The pearl of NYC was lost forever. The day the perpetrators of the inhumane crime had started their war against the civilians, they had inadvertently turned on the vortex of events, which spiraled out into bigger wars with ever escalating death toll. Almost everyone in the world was affected by the attacks, as we had truly lost a piece of our humanity that day.

Ive spoken to many survivors of another violent event called the Black January. It had occurred on the night of Jan 19, 1990, as the Soviet Special Forces had entered the capital city of the present day Republic of Azerbaijan  Baku and had waged a war on its civilian population. That military operation had resulted in 300 dead, 800 injured and 5 missing. It had also served as a starting point for the dissolution of the Soviet Union and for several ongoing wars, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Seemingly it had only impacted a single nation, but ultimately it had affected the geopolitical map of the present day world, drawing a parallel to the 9/11attacks.

Its very unfortunate that the lessons of the Black January were quickly dismissed by the world community. But there is still hope that the lessons of 9/11attacks would not be that easily forgotten, as we commemorate the 16th year of the tragedy.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 10, 2017 - 14:46 | World, All

Rohingya Muslim insurgents in Myanmar's Rakhine State declared a temporary ceasefire on Sunday and urged the government to reciprocate to allow for humanitarian assistance to reach vulnerable civilians trapped in the conflict zone.

The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, in an online statement, declared a "temporary cessation of offensive military operations" for a one-month period starting Sunday "in order to enable humanitarian actors to assess and respond to the humanitarian crisis" there.

The group urged the government "to reciprocate this humanitarian pause by ceasing military offensive operations and participating in assisting the victims regardless of their ethnic or religious backgrounds."

The Muslim militants say they are fighting against lawless and brutal "apartheid regime" in defense of their fellow Rohingya, a stateless minority group that has faced systematic discrimination in the predominantly Buddhist country for decades.

The government does not recognize the Rohingya as one of the country's many ethnic groups, considering them to be illegal migrants from Bangladesh, even though many have lived in Myanmar for generations. It dismisses the ARSA as "extremist terrorists."

The latest round of violence erupted on Aug. 25 when the militants launched coordinated attacks on police posts and an army post in the northern part of the state. The military subsequently launched "clearance operations."

In the latest fighting, the government claims to have killed 371 militants, while it says 30 civilians and 13 security officers have also died in the violence.

The insurgents' temporary ceasefire declaration comes at a time when the number of Rohingya who have fled across the border to Bangladesh in the latest exodus has swollen to around 290,000, according to the United Nations.

On Saturday, humanitarian agencies operating at two refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, southeastern Bangladesh, issued an urgent appeal for $77 million to assist the new arrivals, saying the sudden influx has overwhelmed services that were in place to care for tens of thouisands of Rohingya there who fled earlier violence in Rakhine.

According to the International Organization for Migration, before Aug. 25, IOM Bangladesh was coordinating humanitarian assistance to some 200,000 undocumented Myanmar nationals living in makeshift settlements in Cox's Bazar.

It said most of the people now crossing the border are women, children and the elderly, many of whom are vulnerable and lack the ability to take care of themselves.

Duniya Aslam Khan, a spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, said the existing refugee camps are now "bursting at the seams."

Robert Watkins, the U.N. resident coordinator in Bangladesh, said that with the inflow of people showing no signs of abating, "there is now an urgent need for 60,000 new shelters, as well as food, clean water and health services, including specialist mental health services and support for survivors of sexual violence."

The Myanmar government has announced plans to establish up to seven temporary camps for displaced people and allow access to them by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has been operating in both Rakhine and Cox's Bazar for several years.

On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for urgent action to address the "root causes" of the violence in Rakhine.

He proposed that the Myanmar government give the Royhingya "either nationality or, at least for now, a legal status that will allow them to have a normal life, including freedom of movement and access to labor markets, education and health services."
On the invitation given to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the former will be on a two-day India visit to India i.e from September 13 and 14.

In the upcoming visit, both leaders will address the 12th India-Japan Annual summit which is going to held in Gujarat's Ahmedadaba and Gandhinagar. This will be the fourth annual summit that Prime Minister Modi and Shinzo Abe would address together.

While addressing the India- Japan colloquium session held in New Delhi, Japan's ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said "The India-Japan relationship is at its best ever. India is a key partner to carry out Prime Minister Abe's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy. In this age of vulnerability, we cherish the relationship between the two countries. It's a partnership between the oldest and the largest democracies,"

Hiramatsu further said, "We are living in a world that is becoming increasingly vulnerable and unpredictable, with outstanding issues like North Korea. But India and Japan and their partners provide a certainty in the region and beyond."

S. Jaishankar who is the Indian Foreign secretary said "The difference that Japan can make to our nuclear industry can be quite substantial. Japan's openness to supply India with military technology also reflects the high level of confidence between the two countries,"

ALSO READ:

Congress on Monday took on Rajnath Singh over his visit to Jammu and Kashmir

Muslim woman was thrown out of house for making Modi and Yogi painting

V K Sasikala's husband faced multiple organ failures, admitted in hospital
Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center say they have preliminary evidence in laboratory-grown, human airway cells that a condensed form of cigarette smoke triggers so-called "epigenetic" changes in the cells consistent with the earliest steps toward lung cancer development.

Epigenetic processes are essentially switches that control a gene's potentially heritable levels of protein production but without involving changes to underlying structure of a gene's DNA. One example of such an epigenetic change is methylation -- when cells add tiny methyl chemical groups to a beginning region of a gene's DNA sequence, often silencing the gene's activation.

"Our study suggests that epigenetic changes to cells treated with cigarette smoke sensitize airway cells to genetic mutations known to cause lung cancers," says Stephen Baylin, M.D., the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research and professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. Details of the scientists' experiments are described in the Sept. 11 issue of Cancer Cell.

For two decades, scientists have known some of the genetic culprits that drive lung cancer growth, including mutations in a gene called KRAS, which are present in one-third of patients with smoking-related lung cancers, according to Baylin. Genetic and epigenetic changes also occur when normal cells undergo chronic stress, such as the repeated irritation and inflammation caused by decades of exposure to cigarette smoke and its contents.

Baylin and Johns Hopkins scientist Michelle Vaz, Ph.D., first author on the study, suspected that the interplay of epigenetic and genetic changes may occur when normal lung cells develop into cancer, but, Baylin says, the timing of such changes was unknown.

To create the effect of tobacco smoke on cells, Vaz, Baylin and their colleagues began their studies with human bronchial cells, which line the airways of the lungs, and grew them in a laboratory. Every day for 15 months, the scientists bathed the cells with a liquid form of cigarette smoke, which they say is comparable to smoking one to two packs of cigarettes daily.

The scientists recorded the molecular and genetic changes in the smoke-exposed cells over 10 to 15 months, which the scientists say may be similar to 20 to 30 years of smoking, and compared the changes to bronchial cells that had not been exposed to the liquid smoke.

After 10 days of smoke exposure, the scientists found an overall increase in DNA damage responses to so-called reactive oxygen species within the cells. Reactive oxygen species, also called free radicals, are chemicals that typically contain oxygen, are known to be found in cigarette smoke, and cause DNA damage in cells.

Between 10 days and three months, the cells exposed to smoke had a two- to four-fold increase in the amount of an enzyme called EZH2, which works to dampen the expression of genes. Baylin and other scientists have shown that EZH2 and its effects can precede abnormal DNA methylation in gene start sites.

After EZH2 enzymes rise, their levels taper off, and then, the scientists found two to three-fold increases in a protein called DNMT1, which maintains DNA methylation in the "start" location of a variety of tumor suppressor genes that normally suppress cell growth. When these genes are silenced a barrier is removed that might otherwise stop the cells from growing uncontrollably -- a hallmark of cancer.

A host of other genes, which control many other cellular processes do not show such abnormal DNA methylation after smoke exposure.

Baylin says certain genes that control cell growth get turned down periodically during certain stages of life, including embryogenesis, when organisms are growing and developing rapidly. These genes can normally be turned on when cells need to stop growth and allow cells to mature. Chronic cigarette smoke exposure, as noted in many human cancers, tends to block these cell maturation genes from properly turning on, says Baylin.

At the end of six months, the amount of EZH2 and DNMT1 enzymes had tapered off in the cells exposed to the smoke. However, the impact of the two methylation-regulating enzymes was still seen at 10 to 15 months, when scientists found decreased expression of hundreds of genes -- many of which are key tumor suppressor genes such as BMP3, SFRP2 and GATA4 -- in the smoke-exposed cells and a five- or-more-fold increase in the signaling of the KRAS oncogene that is known to be mutated in smoking-related lung cancers.

However, no mutations were found in the KRAS gene itself or the tumor suppressor genes during the 15-month period of cigarette smoke exposure. These abnormally methylated and silenced genes, says Baylin, would have blocked the increase in KRAS signaling if the genes had been properly activated under smoke-free circumstances.

The scientists also found that the timing of epigenetic and genetic events may be key to lung cancer development. They tested this by inserting mutations into the KRAS gene in the DNA of cells exposed to the cigarette smoke condensate for six months as well as those exposed for 15 months. The scientists found that the inserted mutation transformed cells into cancer in only the 15-month cells, where methylation was fully established, but not in the six-month-exposed cells.

Vaz and Baylin say the results suggest that early epigenetic changes triggered by chronic cigarette smoke exposure can build up over time and make the airway cells increasingly sensitive to responding to mutations that initiate cancer.

They say that smokers can best lower their risk of cancer by quitting altogether, and the sooner a smoker quits, the lower their lung cancer risk may be. Their analysis of data in previous studies done by The Cancer Genome Atlas group have shown that the types of abnormal methylation levels they found are lower in smokers who have quit for more than 10 years than those who have not quit.

It may be possible to use de-methylating drugs, they say, for people with higher than normal risk for lung cancer, such as people who have had surgery for early forms of the disease. Such drugs are currently used in clinical trials for certain types of cancer and are standard therapy for a type of pre-leukemia condition.

The scientists caution that their model, as is the case with any laboratory model, may not be exactly what occurs in people during a lengthy period of smoking, but they say it's a first step in understanding the epigenetic processes that may occur early in the transformation of cells into lung cancer.

The scientists also do not know if their model applies to people who smoke e-cigarettes or other forms of tobacco, as their study used condensates typically found in traditional cigarettes.

###

In addition to Baylin and Vaz, other scientists involved in the research include Stephen Y. Hwang, Ioannis Kagiampakis, Ashwini Patil, Jillian Phallen, Heather M. O'Hagan, Lauren Murphy, Cynthia A. Zahnow, Edward Gabrielson, Victor E. Velculescu and Hariharan P. Easwaran from Johns Hopkins; and Heather M. O'Hagan from the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Michelle Vaz, Stephen Y Hwang, Ioannis Kagiampakis, Ashwini Patil, Jillian Phallen, Heather M O'Hagan, Lauren Murphy, Cynthia A Zahnow, Edward Gabrielson, Victor E Velculescu and Hariharan P Easwaran from Johns Hopkins; and Heather M O'Hagan from the Indiana University School of Medicine.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute (CA043318, CA121113, CA006973, CA180950) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (ES011858, ES023183), the Hodson Trust, the Commonwealth Foundation, the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation, the SU2C-DCS International Translational Cancer Research Dream Team Grant, and the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute.

Velculescu is a founder of Personal Genome Diagnostics. He is a member of its scientific advisory board and board of directors, and he owns Personal Genome Diagnostics stock, which is subject to certain restrictions under university policy.
Considerable exposure to sugary drinks combined with a lack of water fountains in high schools are likely important contributors to increased consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, a new study from the University of Waterloo has found.

Focusing on high schools in Guatemala City, researchers from Waterloo and the Cardiovascular Surgery Unit of Guatemala found that that the beverage industry is very visible in schools through industry-sponsored food and drink kiosks, advertisements, and donated goods. Further, students attending public schools lacked access to free drinking water during school.

"Schools represent an important area of influence for adolescents," said Katelyn Godin, lead author on the paper and a PhD candidate at Waterloo's School of Public Health and Health Systems. "With limited access to clean drinking water and the very visible presence of the beverage industry in schools, it's clear that being in an environment that encourages students to purchase unhealthy sugar-sweetened beverages has an impact on behaviour."

Guatemalan students consume soft drinks an average of 2.5 days each school week, which is twice the rate of their Canadian peers, who have ready access to water fountains at school.

Latin Americans are among the greatest consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages globally. They also face higher rates of obesity, undernutrition and chronic illness than people in wealthier countries.

"The presence of the sugar-sweetened beverage industry in Guatemalan schools suggests that the beverage industry is capitalizing on countries that have fewer enforced regulations to protect youth than places like Canada to access a key subgroup of impressionable consumers," said Godin.

In Canada provincial policies restrict the availability of sugar-sweetened beverages for sale in schools and limit the presence of marketing from the food and beverage industry.

The researchers also found that unlike public schools, the Guatemalan private schools they studied all had free, clean drinking water available to students through water coolers. Private school students consumed sweetened beverages half as often as their public-school peers.

"This finding reflects an important social and health inequity, since private school students typically come from wealthier families," said Godin. "An initial step to addressing these problems is enforcing policies that limit the power the sugar-sweetened beverage industry has in schools, while providing students with healthy alternatives to sugar-laden, high calorie drinks."

Latin America is the largest market globally for soda in terms of dollar sales.

The study appears in Public Health Nutrition.

###
Nova challenges EUs tank or table paradigm

A comprehensive sustainability assessment carried out by nova-Institute shows that first and second generation bioethanol is feasible for the EU's climate strategy. The study challenges the politically hyped "tank or table" paradigm that valued biofuels unsustainable due to competition to food production.

It is unique that a mainstream thesis, which has lasted for over ten years, is scrutinised in such a comprehensive and scientific way,Dr. Christian Patermann, ex- Director for Biotechnology, Agriculture & Food at DG Research, told European Biotechnology.  I am curious, how the study will impact the future of biofuels in Europe and how those MEPs will react, who strongly resisted against 1st generation biofuels, he said.

The studys results clearly indicate that the systematic discrimination against first generation biofuels of the current Commission proposal is in no way founded on scientific evidence. It would be counterproductive to further lower the share of first generation fuels in the EUs energy mix, said nova-Institute in a press release.

Twelve main criteria were selected in order to evaluate the sustainability of first and second generation bioethanol. The criteria selection was based on the most current standards and certification systems of bio-based fuels and materials, including a wide range of environmental, social and economic aspects. A dedicated focus was put on food security due to the continued allegations towards first generation biofuels that they cause harm to food security.

The analysis shows that all of the researched bioethanol feedstocks offer significant strengths, but also weaknesses in terms of sustainability: All feedstocks realise substantial reductions of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). While second generation fuels perform better in this regard, this effect is strongly relativised, when offset against the abatement costs. Reducing GHG emissions through second generation biofuels is a rather expensive way to mitigate climate change.

When it comes to the often-criticised negative impact on food security of first generation biofuels, the evidence points into a different direction. The competition for arable land is counterbalanced by the excellent land efficiency of first generation crops (especially sugar beet) and protein-rich co-products (especially wheat and corn). In this regard, the utilisation of short rotation coppice (SRC) for biofuels poses much stronger competition for arable land, since they use up much larger acreages of arable land and provide no protein-rich co-products.

The results clearly show that the systematic discrimination against first generation biofuels of the current Commission proposal is in no way founded on scientific evidence.

On the way to a climate-friendly Europe, biofuels made from any kind of feedstock offer advantages in terms of GHG emission reductions and should indiscriminately be part of a viable transitional strategy towards low-emission mobility, as long as they adhere to sustainability criteria.

The authors recommend keeping the existing 7% for food-crop based fuels and not lowering the share of first generation fuels further in the REDII.
Project selection for BRI funding goes on

Following Beijings message to Kathmandu to propose projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the government has expedited discussion on various infrastructure projects for financing under the Chinese initiative.
UN special rapporteurs invited for inspection visit

The government has invited two UN Special Rapporteurs to examine and report back to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the UN General Assembly on Nepals situation on rights to food and violence against women.
By Paul Tajuba:

Police Chiefs in Eastern Africa have been asked to promptly share information about criminals with International Police if transnational crime is to be fought.

Addressing a regional senior police officers meeting in Munyonyo yesterday, Precious Tlhabiwa, the head of Interpol National Central Bureaus for Africa, says many African countries are not sharing information about criminals, which makes it hard to curb trans-boundary crimes.

However, Gedion Kimilu, the head of internal regional bureau for East Africa says they cannot compile and compare crime trends in the region as member states are hesitant to share such data.

More than10 countries are meeting in Kampala under the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation to discuss how to deal with transnational crimes.

Interpol is an intergovernmental organization that comprises 190 member countries that are all connected through a secure communications system.
Everyone knows by now what Internet of Things (IoT) is. It has already become an integral part of everyday life, thanks to an ever-increasing number of connected products.

However, for the uninitiated, IoT is a concept, seeking to connect devices used for everyday living to the Internet, so that they can share and exchange data and thereby operate more intelligently. It can also enable devices to communicate with each other, as required (such as in connected homes).

At the consumer level, the IoT market is dominated by techs such as Amazon and Alphabet GOOGL, whose Echo and Home, respectively, are ruling the market. Also, activity-tracking products and advanced in-car technology are other products already available. On the commercial side, a number of industrial manufacturers have started installing sensors inside machines to track performance and efficiency.

IoT Market: Strong Growth Projections

Market observers recognize IoT as a booming space. According to a recent report by research firm Gartner, worldwide spending on endpoints and services of connected objects is expected to reach nearly $2 trillion in 2017 from $737 billion in 2016.

There will be about 8.4 billion connected objects (IoT objects) in use globally by the end of this year, a rise of 31% from the year ago. This figure is likely to reach around 20.4 million by 2020. Notably, North America, Western Europe and Greater China region will dominate 67% of total globally IoT-installed bases in 2017.

As per a Gartner report, Businesses will represent 57% of total IoT spending this year to $964 billion. Consumer applications will amount to $725 billion in 2017. The research firm has estimated that hardware spending from both segments will reach almost $3 trillion by 2020.

According to another research firm IDC, the IoT market could nearly triple in the coming years. In 2014, the global IoT market was worth $655.8 billion. However, it has the potential to reach up to $1.7 trillion by 2020.

Story continues

Given such impressive projected numbers in the IoT space, investors should definitely consider adding IoT stocks to their portfolios.

Below are the three IoT stocks that have the right combination to outperform:

Cypress Semiconductor CY  Cypress manufactures embedded system solutions for automotive, industrial, home automation and appliances, consumer electronics and medical products.

Last year, the company acquired Broadcoms Wireless Internet of Things business to gain leadership in the IoT segment. Also, the company laid off 8% of its global workforce to focus on the growth areas like the IoT segment.

Recently, Cypress' IoT connectivity platform teamed up with Arrow Electronics to deliver pioneering solutions to facilitate new, inventive business models for the IoT market.

The company has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and has a long-term expected earnings growth rate of 10.0%.

Although CY has returned only 17.7% on a year-to-date basis compared to the industrys gain of 18.2%, we believe that strong growth potential of its IoT initiatives will help the stock rebound going forward.

Texas Instruments Inc. TXN  The semiconductor giant has substantial opportunities stemming from the increasing demand for its microcontrollers  low cost, low power, embedded chips that have programming, and data memory.

Its focus on gaining share in the infotainment and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) segments of the automotive market are likely to spur growth in 2017.

The companys IoT profile falls under its Embedded Processors division, which includes the Connectivity, Microcontrollers, and Processors categories. Its Embedded Processors segment witnessed growth of 8.1% sequentially and 15% year over year in its last reported second-quarter results.

We believe that increasing number of connected devices is expected to drive demand for these chips in 2017 and beyond that will boost top-line growth.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and has a long-term expected earnings growth rate of 9.6%. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

However, Texas Instruments has also underperformed the industry it belongs to on a year-to-date basis. The stock has returned approximately 11.5% compared with the industrys growth of roughly 15.0%.

Fitbit, Inc. FIT  Although the companys growth has been slowed by massive competition in the wearables space, this is one of the few IoT pureplays that should perform well in the near future. Fitbit has devices at varying prices for individual and corporate uses. The company pursues corporate healthcare plans and has registered some major wins in the area.

Recently, the company introduced its sleek tech-filled wristwatch, the Ionic, which could help the company gain some share in the IoT market. Moreover, Fitbit has partnered with glucose monitoring device company, Dexcom Inc. (DXCM), to help users monitor their glucose levels on its new wristwatch Ionic. The deal will definitely help Fitbit to counter some competition in the IoT market.

It has also undergone significant executive shakeup and cost structuring recently.

The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The stock has a long-term expected earnings growth rate of 22.5%.

However, Fitbit has also underperformed the industry it belongs to on a year-to-date basis. The stock has lost approximately 14.1% compared with the industrys growth of roughly 8.7%.

Bottom Line

The above mentioned stocks have made great progress in the segment and will play a big role in shaping the market going forward. Undoubtedly, these IoT stocks cant not be ignored.

4 Surprising Tech Stocks to Keep an Eye On

Tech stocks have been a major force behind the markets record highs, but picking the best ones to buy can be tough. Theres a simple way to invest in the success of the entire sector. Zacks has just released a Special Report revealing one thing tech companies literally cannot function without. More importantly, it reveals 4 top stocks set to skyrocket on increasing demand for these devices. I encourage you to get the report now  before the next wave of innovations really take off.

See Stocks Now>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (CY) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Fitbit, Inc. (FIT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
A dreaded task people face when job seeking is putting together their resume. Some people just cut and paste their job descriptions into a document. Others list all their duties, their impact and make sure it is laid out meticulously. Still others write a (slightly fictional) masterpiece that embellishes all of their best traits. No matter where you fall on that spectrum -- the function most often overlooked is how a resume is used in the screening process. Here are some insider tips from someone who has managed hundreds of recruiters and advised on thousands of hires for a wide range of professional positions.

[See: 14 Best Jobs for Work-Life Balance.]

Hiring managers and recruiters look first to see if you are currently doing the role for which you are applying. It may not be fair (and it may not even be the best way to make an ideal long-term match), but that is reality. The overwhelming majority of managers try to hire someone who is already in a similar position, likes the role, is performing well, but has a strategic reason to move to another company. Candidates in a role right under the target role on the promotion ladder are a good second choice. No matter how well-written, a resume will not get you an interview if you are not a close match to the position requirements.

Functional resumes are a red flag. Remember that current, relevant experience is king. This means most recruiters will look to see what you are doing now - which is best handled by a reverse chronological resume. Start with your current role and work backward. A functional resume, which focuses on relevant skills you have, is often used when there have been breaks in employment or those skills are not being currently (or recently) used. When presented a functional resume, a recruiter or manager often assumes the skills they are requiring are not part of your current role (or else you would have used a standard resume). The format raises a red flag.

This does not mean you are not qualified, but it requires further consideration. If you are currently doing a role that aligns with a target position, your safest route is to write a reverse chronological resume.

[See: The 25 Highest-Paying Jobs That Don't Require a College Degree.]

Experience has a shelf life. Thanks to technology, the world of work has never progressed at such a rapid pace. Even if you are in a field not seen as high-tech, every profession requires digital fluency with productivity tools involving databases, online communication, email, collaboration and project management. Hiring managers target candidates who have used desired skills and tools in the past five to seven years.

If your skills aren't current, seek out online courses or other opportunities to keep up to date. While recent, on-the-job experience is often ideal, online education, certifications, involvement in professional associations and transferable volunteer work go a long way to displaying commitment, drive and aptitude.

The job of a resume is to get you an interview, not hired. Recruiters scan through resumes and make judgments in a matter of seconds as to who will be contacted for an initial screening. In addition to those candidates lacking relevant experience, resumes with typos, poor grammar or writing, lack of details and unprofessional layout get weeded out quickly.

While you cannot change your experience, you do have control over the content and the format of your resume. Customization and editing are key. Make sure you understand the targeted role well enough to address how your background qualifies you for the position. Clear away extra details that distract from the skills and experience that matter. Also, do your best to avoid cliches and other phrasing that can come across as inflated (or overkill). Recruiters and managers vet hundreds of candidates, and are often jaded. Using phrases like, "transformational sales manager" and "passionate customer service associate" are likely to get a dubious groan -- not a resounding, "Let's bring him in immediately!" You may, indeed, be those things. But the recruiter is after quantifiable results in tenured roles with well-respected companies. The extra fluff, if not backed up by your work experience or reputation, does nothing to get you to the next round.

[See: 7 Excellent Sales and Marketing Jobs for 2017.]

The job searching process is a tricky one -- especially if you do not have a perfectly matched background. It is important to make sure your resume is well-written, flawless and customized to the audience. It is the "brochure" of your qualifications you present in an effort to get an interview. Like all good marketing pieces, it also requires a more comprehensive strategy to make sure it gets read by the right people. Actively networking, looking for internal company referrals, building a positive reputation for your work and leveraging LinkedIn and other social channels are a must for modern job seeking. You need a resume that is the best possible representation of you as well as a comprehensive, proactive search strategy to get the best results.

Robin Reshwan is the founder of Collegial Services, a consulting and staffing firm that connects college students and business professionals with the organizations that hire them. She has interviewed, placed and hired thousands of people across a broad spectrum of companies and industries. She is a Careers contributor for U.S. News and World Report and her career tips and advice have been used by national clubs, associations and businesses in addition to media outlets such as Yahoo, Business Insider, Fast Company, Monster, Kiplinger and Schools.com. Robin is also a frequent speaker on professional development for the alumni associations at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business and University of California, Davis, plus the School of Economics and Business Administration at Saint Mary's College of California. A Certified Professional Resume Writer, Robin has been honored as a Professional Business Woman of the Year by the American Business Women's Association.
Wind from Hurricane Irma whip the flags on City Hall, Monday, Sept., 11, 2017, in Savannah, Ga. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton)

Hurricane Irma has been downgraded to a tropical storm, but the winds are still strong, and airlines are making adjustments to accommodate travelers.

On Sunday, American Airlines (AAL) announced that their travel waiver now includes a total of 50 airports. In addition to 15 airports in Florida, the alert also involves destinations in Southeast U.S., The Bahamas, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.

Those customers with flights affected by the storm will be able to alter their itineraries without paying the $150 change fee. In order to apply, you must be scheduled to fly between now Sept. 11 and Sept. 17. If you rebook, you can travel until Sept. 30 and change your origin or destination city within 600 miles of your original itinerary.

Travelers flying from certain cities will also receive discounted tickets. American Airlines has capped Main Cabin fares at $99 each way from airports affected in Florida as well as Charleston, S.C., Hilton Head, S.C., Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Savannah, Ga. The fares will apply to flights out of the specified cities until Sept. 17.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, accommodating 100 million passengers every year. ( Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta)

Delta Airlines (DAL) canceled 800 flights on Monday, as Hurricane Irma continued its path north towards Atlanta. The airline predicts that a strong 40 mph crosswind will impact the runways in Georgia, making takeoff and landing difficult. Those travelers wishing to change or cancel their flights can do so without incurring the $150 fee. In total, Deltas travel waiver applies to 38 airports in Georgia, Florida, Cuba, and parts of the Caribbean.

Even more, Delta is temporarily waiving the $125 fee for bringing your pet into the planes Main Cabin. From now until Sept. 12, customers traveling from 32 airports can carry on their pets for free, as long as the animal is properly contained in accordance with Deltas policies.

Over at JetBlue Airways (JBLU), officials have canceled approximately 520 flights between Sept. 10 and Sept. 11. An additional 730 flights have been proactively canceled through Sept. 13. The airline, which makes regular trips to the Caribbean, is offering travel waivers to customers flying to 15 airports in Cuba, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic. The $150 fee to change flights has been removed for these flights and customers will be able to rebook their itineraries for travel through Sept. 27, or cancel their flights for a full refund. The travel waiver also applies to 11 airports in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

Story continues

And finally, Southwest Airlines (LUV) says that they will operate a reduced schedule on Sept. 11 for airports in Atlanta and Birmingham, Ala. Flights to eight cities in Florida have been canceled on Monday, and a total of 2,000 flights have been canceled so far through Wednesday. The airline plans to resume normal operations for a few flights to the state Sept. 12.

Brittany is a reporter at Yahoo Finance.

Carnival, Royal Caribbean cancel cruises due to Irma

Amex unveils new payment feature for credit cards

Most Americans live paycheck to paycheck: How to take control of your finances
Value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. After all, who wouldnt want to find stocks that are either flying under the radar and are compelling buys, or offer up tantalizing discounts when compared to fair value?



One way to find these companies is by looking at several key metrics and financial ratios, many of which are crucial in the value stock selection process. Lets put American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. AEO stock into this equation and find out if it is a good choice for value-oriented investors right now, or if investors subscribing to this methodology should look elsewhere for top picks:



PE Ratio



A key metric that value investors always look at is the Price to Earnings Ratio, or PE for short. This shows us how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings in a given stock, and is easily one of the most popular financial ratios in the world. The best use of the PE ratio is to compare the stocks current PE ratio with: a) where this ratio has been in the past; b) how it compares to the average for the industry/sector; and c) how it compares to the market as a whole.



On this front, American Eagle has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 10.6. This level compares favorably with the market at large, as the PE ratio for the S&P 500 comes in at about 20.





If we focus on the long-term trend of the stock the current level puts American Eagles current PE among its lower zone, well below its median for the term (which stands at 15.1x). Hence, we could infer that the stock is undervalued in this respect, especially in light of its historical trend. Thus, the present level seems to be a suitable entry point for the stock from a PE perspective.

Further, the stocks PE compares favorably with its industrys trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 11.8. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.

Story continues





PS Ratio



Another key metric to note is the Price/Sales ratio. This approach compares a given stocks price to its total sales, where a lower reading is generally considered better. Some people like this metric more than other value-focused ones because it looks at sales, something that is far harder to manipulate with accounting tricks than earnings.



Right now, American Eagle has a P/S ratio of about 0.6. This is slightly higher than the industry average, which comes in at 0.5x right now.





If anything, AEO is in the lower end of its range in the time period from a P/S metric, suggesting some level of undervalued tradingat least compared to historical norms.



Broad Value Outlook



In aggregate, American Eagle currently has a Value Score of A, putting it into the top 20% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes American Eagle a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.



For example, the PEG ratio for American Eagle is just 1.3, a level that is lower than the industry average of 1.4. The PEG ratio is a modified PE ratio that takes into account the stocks earnings growth rate. Additionally, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 5.7, which is better than the industry average of 6.6. Clearly, AEO is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.



What About the Stock Overall?

Though American Eagle might be a good choice for value investors, there are plenty of other factors to consider before investing in this name. In particular, it is worth noting that the company has a Growth grade of B and a Momentum score of A. This gives AEO a Zacks VGM scoreor its overarching fundamental gradeof A. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>).

Our VGM Score identifies stocks that have the most attractive value, growth, and momentum characteristics, and a good VGM score can increase your odds of success. All things considered, American Eagle seems to have pretty striking prospects.

Meanwhile, the companys earnings estimates have been trending upward lately. The current quarter has seen three estimates go higher in the past thirty days compared to one lower, while the full year estimate has seen eight upward revisions and no downward revision in the same time period.



This has had a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the current quarter consensus estimate has remained constant over the past month, while the full year estimate has increased 3.7%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. Price and Consensus

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. Price and Consensus | American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. Quote

The stock holds a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which indicates expectations of in-line performance from the company in the near term. However, American Eagle is enjoying bullish analyst sentiment, as indicated by the positive estimate revisions, and this works in the companys favor.



Bottom Line



American Eagle is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. However, with a sluggish industry rank (among the Bottom 29% out of more than 250 industries) and a Zacks Rank #3, it is hard to get too excited about this company overall. In fact, over the past two years, its industry has clearly underperformed the broader market, as you can see below:





So, value investors might want to wait for estimates and analyst sentiment to turn around in this name first, but once that happens, this stock could be a compelling pick.



More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!



It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.



Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020.



Click here for the 6 trades >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (AEO) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Aussie and kiwi lose some ground in late trade

Investing.com - The Australian and New Zealand dollars slipped lower against its U.S. counterpart on Monday, as the greenback began to recover from the previous session's sharp losses and as markets continued to focus on the impact of natural disasters in the U.S.

AUD/USD was down 0.09% at 0.8048, after hitting a 28-month peak of 0.8125 on Friday.

Diminished expectations for a third rate hike this year coupled with worries over the economic impact of hurricanes in the southeastern U.S. weighed heavily on the greenback.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he will ask Congress to speed up its efforts to overhaul the U.S. tax code, citing the potential impact of Hurricane Irma.

Hurricane Irma pummeled Florida over the weekend after devastating much of the Caribbean.

Massive storm surges have flooded areas across South Florida, while downed trees and power lines have left over 2 million residents without power.

NZD/USD edged down 0.17% to trade at 0.7254, off Friday's more than two-week high of 0.7337.

Market participants had been worried about a potential North Korean missile test on Saturday, to mark the anniversary of the founding of the nation.

However, Pyongyang chose to observe the 69th anniversary of its founding by honoring the scientists behind the massive nuclear test it conducted last week.

The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenbacks strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was up 0.22% at 91.51 by 02:15 a.m. ET (06:15 GMT), off Friday's 32-month low of 90.99.

Related Articles

Forex - Aussie, kiwi slip lower as greenback mildly recovers

Dollar stabilises after selloff; focus on North Korea, Hurricane Irma

Forex - Dollar holds gain in Asia as Irma hit assessed, Japan data noted
It's been more than 10 months since the presidential election, but the true losers in that contest still don't seem to know they lost. And the winners are still fumbling with the reins of power.

That's the impression that comes out clearly from former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon's interview that aired on "60 Minutes" Sunday night. Bannon not only revealed comments made by Republican congressional leaders that prove they're still clueless about their lost power and status, but he insisted there are still members of President Donald Trump's own White House team that aren't properly on board. And love or hate Bannon, his description of the state of things just after the election and in the months that followed sure seems to explain a lot. First off, Bannon lowered the boom by telling us that the GOP congressional leadership started its relationship with the Trump team in a state divorced from reality: They thought they had won the election. In meetings with then President-elect Trump, Bannon said House Speaker Paul Ryan explained that he and other congressional Republicans were the experts on repealing and replacing Obamacare and were more than poised to get it done. Here's how Bannon summarized the promises Ryan made last year: "We've done this for seven years. We've voted on this 50 times. We understand this issue better than anybody. We know how to repeal and we know how to replace, and this is ours. That's what we're gonna start with Day One, and we will have something on your desk by Easter. By the Easter break, we'll do repeal and replace." Of course we all know that didn't happen. Bannon chalks up that failure to Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell not realizing the deep divisions they were and still are facing within the Republican Party. That makes sense: Congressional leaders historically don't put bills up for a vote if they aren't fairly sure they will pass.

And McConnell wasn't spared a second brutal blow. Bannon told interviewer Charlie Rose that at the end of the Kentucky Senator's initial meeting with the Trump transition team, McConnell insisted the president stop attacking the D.C. establishment: "Oh, Mitch McConnell when we first met him, I mean, he was-- he was-- he-- he said, I think in one of the first meetings-- in Trump Tower with the president-- as we're wrapping up, he basically says, "I don't wanna hear any more of this 'Drain the swamp talk.' He says, "I can't-- I can't hire any smart people," because everybody's all over him for reporting requirements and-- and the pay, et cetera, and the scrutiny. You know, 'You gotta back off that." That depiction of McConnell as being primarily protective of the status quo and his own power jives perfectly with long-held conservative complaints about his priorities and effectiveness as a Republican standard bearer on Capitol Hill. And it also fits perfectly with the reports that McConnell worked more closely with insurance company lobbyists than his fellow Republicans on the Obamacare-replacement bill. This isn't just about being power hungry or greedy for lobbyist dollars. It's a sign of a kind of ignorance that politicians cannot afford to have... if they want to stay politicians that is. The hatred for the Washington power establishment is what propelled President Trump to victory, and that's evident in polls that show McConnell shouldering a brutal 18 percent approval rating even in his own home state. But Bannon did not stop there. He also went after establishment Republican types who were  and still are  in the Trump administration who he says are still not loyal enough to the president. He singled out chief economic adviser Gary Cohn, who Bannon says should not have criticized President Trump so publicly following the white supremacist march and chaos in Charlottesville last month: "You can tell him, 'Hey, maybe you can do it a better way.' But if you're gonna break, then resign. If you're going to break with him, resign. The stuff that was leaked out that week by certain members of the White House I thought was unacceptable. If you find it unacceptable, you should resign." But perhaps the most damning indictment of the cluelessness of the Republican establishment representatives on the Trump team came from Bannon's depiction of how certain senior members of the campaign team responded to the October 2016 release of the "Access Hollywood" tapes of Donald Trump speaking crudely about women in 2005. Bannon says that then-Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus was ready to throw in the towel: "Trump went around the room and asked people the percentages he thought of still winning and what the recommendation. And Reince started off and Reince said, 'You have-- you have two choices. You either drop out right now, or you lose by the biggest landslide in American political history.'" Bannon says that he responded by telling Trump he was still 100 percent sure Trump would win the election. And it's not so much that Bannon was right that stands out, but that Priebus was so sure it was all over. It was yet another suspicion confirmed by Bannon that the GOP leadership just isn't strongly enough behind President Trump because they still don't understand how strongly so many of their own Republican voters intend to stick by him even in the worst of times. The fact that Priebus was still given the job of White House chief of staff despite all that is a good example of how disjointed this administration was in the beginning. Bannon describes an administration often at war with itself, with some staffers who want to keep President Trump's coalition together and others who want to, "reach out to Democrats, and let's try to work on things that we can do together." During much of the 1980s and 90s, political pundits often wondered whether voters one day would look at the Democratic and Republican Party leadership and eventually say, "a plague on both your houses!" (To quote Mercutio in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet.") That moment finally came in 2016, when a critical mass of voters sent Donald Trump to Washington not just to represent them but to punish the power structure in Washington. Because President Trump still has the capital "R" after his name, too many Republican establishment types seem to have plodded through the last 10 months under the delusion that the American people didn't reject them every bit as much as Hillary Clinton and the Democrats. Whether they still held this delusion even after the Obamacare repeal and replacement debacle and a slew of other failures is debatable. But the Bannon interview is just the latest wake-up call to a Republican Party that should have seen the writing on the wall during President Trump's historic march through the GOP primaries. Bannon is obviously no longer in the White House. But you don't need to be an administration insider to know that an establishment-friendly Trump agenda has no voter mandate and is probably not workable anyway. In that sense, this interview serves not only as a slap in the face to people like Speaker Ryan and Senator McConnell, but it's also a warning to those on the Trump team who think they can still go about Washington business as usual. Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.

WATCH: Bannon's first interview since leaving the White House



More From CNBC


China is starting to roll back measures meant to prop up its currency after a recent surge in the yuan erased all of last year's losses. Starting today, the central bank has scrapped a reserve requirement rule on trades called currency forwards, making it cheaper for investors to buy dollars while selling the yuan. Banks previously had to set aside 20 percent of the previous month's yuan forwards settlement amount for use as foreign exchange risk reserves. The People's Bank of China is also removing a reserve requirement on yuan deposits for foreign banks. These actions, along with tighter capital controls, were likely aimed at tempering yuan depreciation and to shore up confidence in the world's second-largest economy. Experts say the government's playbook worked: The yuan has strengthened 6.7 percent against the U.S. dollar this year, reversing last year's tumble entirely. Rolling back these rules might be a "small measure  [but it's] a sign that there's a little more confidence, a little more flexibility," Hugh Young, managing director and global head of equities at Aberdeen Standard Investments, told CNBC's " Squawk Box " on Monday. China's central bank sets a daily reference rate for the yuan, and restricts currency trading to a 2 percent band within that midpoint. On Monday, the government set the central parity rate higher for the 11th straight session, putting it at 6.4497 per dollar  the strongest in more than a year. That may be a calculated move by the government ahead of an expected visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to China later this year, and in advance of the Party Congress, Callum Henderson, managing director at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday. He said he expected the yuan to continue to strengthen in the short term.Trump has accused China of unfair trade practices, and the U.S. has long said the country unfairly holds down the value of its yuan to boost trade. A higher yuan gives Beijing a reason to push back on those claims. For authorities, the yuan has been a high-wire balancing act. A stronger yuan coupled with weaker demand may be starting to hit trade, an important pillar of the Chinese economy. August exports were up 5.5 percent, softer than the 7.2 percent growth in July, according to official data released Friday. Any significant move in the yuan in any direction is cause for concern, as Beijing's priority has been to engineer stability in its markets and economy ahead of a change in leadership next month at the 19 th Party Congress. As such, China has been pulling all sorts of policy levers to temper volatility. And of course, despite recent strength in the yuan, the reasons it weakened significantly last year haven't gone away. A massive amount of money leaving China pushed the yuan down in 2016, as investors sought better returns elsewhere, prompting the government to tighten capital controls."While capital controls have helped to stabilize outflows, the desire for domestic residents to diversify into foreign assets is still strong," said Wang Tao, an economist at UBS, said in a note on Friday.If China's economy starts to lose steam toward the end of the year, and the U.S. dollar starts to appreciate, both scenarios could spell trouble for the yuan.On top of that, Wang said she expected trade tensions between the U.S. and China to rise, calling it the "biggest risk factor" for the currency next year. China is starting to roll back measures meant to prop up its currency after a recent surge in the yuan erased all of last year's losses. Starting today, the central bank has scrapped a reserve requirement rule on trades called currency forwards, making it cheaper for investors to buy dollars while selling the yuan. Banks previously had to set aside 20 percent of the previous month's yuan forwards settlement amount for use as foreign exchange risk reserves. The People's Bank of China is also removing a reserve requirement on yuan deposits for foreign banks. These actions, along with tighter capital controls, were likely aimed at tempering yuan depreciation and to shore up confidence in the world's second-largest economy. Experts say the government's playbook worked: The yuan has strengthened 6.7 percent against the U.S. dollar this year, reversing last year's tumble entirely. Rolling back these rules might be a "small measure  [but it's] a sign that there's a little more confidence, a little more flexibility," Hugh Young, managing director and global head of equities at Aberdeen Standard Investments, told CNBC's " Squawk Box " on Monday. China's central bank sets a daily reference rate for the yuan, and restricts currency trading to a 2 percent band within that midpoint. On Monday, the government set the central parity rate higher for the 11th straight session, putting it at 6.4497 per dollar  the strongest in more than a year. That may be a calculated move by the government ahead of an expected visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to China later this year, and in advance of the Party Congress, Callum Henderson, managing director at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday. He said he expected the yuan to continue to strengthen in the short term. Trump has accused China of unfair trade practices, and the U.S. has long said the country unfairly holds down the value of its yuan to boost trade. A higher yuan gives Beijing a reason to push back on those claims. For authorities, the yuan has been a high-wire balancing act. A stronger yuan coupled with weaker demand may be starting to hit trade, an important pillar of the Chinese economy. August exports were up 5.5 percent, softer than the 7.2 percent growth in July, according to official data released Friday. Any significant move in the yuan in any direction is cause for concern, as Beijing's priority has been to engineer stability in its markets and economy ahead of a change in leadership next month at the 19 th Party Congress. As such, China has been pulling all sorts of policy levers to temper volatility. And of course, despite recent strength in the yuan, the reasons it weakened significantly last year haven't gone away. A massive amount of money leaving China pushed the yuan down in 2016, as investors sought better returns elsewhere, prompting the government to tighten capital controls. "While capital controls have helped to stabilize outflows, the desire for domestic residents to diversify into foreign assets is still strong," said Wang Tao, an economist at UBS, said in a note on Friday. If China's economy starts to lose steam toward the end of the year, and the U.S. dollar starts to appreciate, both scenarios could spell trouble for the yuan. On top of that, Wang said she expected trade tensions between the U.S. and China to rise, calling it the "biggest risk factor" for the currency next year.



More From CNBC


FILE PHOTO: A logo of Russian state oil firm Rosneft is seen at its office in Moscow, October 18, 2012. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo (Reuters)

By Olesya Astakhova and Chen Aizhu

MOSCOW/BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese conglomerate CEFC will buy a 14.16 percent stake in Russian oil major Rosneft <ROSN.MM> for $9.1 billion from a consortium of Glencore <GLEN.L> and the Qatar Investment Authority, strengthening the energy partnership between Moscow and Beijing.

CEFC China Energy has grown in recent years from a niche oil trader into a sprawling energy conglomerate and the transaction will allow China, the world's second largest energy consumer, to boost cooperation with the world's top oil producer.

The deal comes as the United States imposes a new round of economic sanctions on Russia, making it difficult for large Western firms such as Glencore to develop partnerships and increase ties with state-owned firms such as Rosneft.

Glencore said in a statement that CEFC will buy shares at a premium of around 16 percent to the 30-day volume weighted average price of Rosneft shares without naming the price. A CEFC spokesman said the company would pay $9.1 billion.

Rosneft's market capitalization stands at $57 billion and the deal makes it one of the largest investments ever made by China into Russia.

Glencore and QIA will retain stakes of 0.5 percent and 4.7 percent in Rosneft respectively.

The Kremlin has been seeking to expand its ties with China, especially since the West imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Moscow to punish it for the annexation of Crimea and an incursion into east Ukraine in 2014.

Russia tops the list of Chinese crude suppliers where it competes with its arch-rival Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter.

OPAQUE DEAL

Glencore and QIA agreed to buy a 19.5 percent stake in Rosneft in December 2016 for over 10.2 billion euros to help the Kremlin plug budget holes.

The transaction coincided with expectations of political detente between Moscow and Washington after Donald Trump became U.S. president and pledged to improve ties with Moscow.

Story continues

Rosneft is run by Igor Sechin, a close ally or President Vladimir Putin, who awarded special state decorations to the head of Glencore Ivan Glasenberg for executing the transaction.

Putin also awarded state decorations to the Russian head of Italian bank Intesa SanPaolo <ISP.MI>, Antonio Fallico, for helping fund the deal with a 5.2 billion euro loan.

The transactions has, however, raised a lot of questions among bankers and market analysts.

Glencore and QIA never disclosed the final beneficiaries of the stake and Intesa could not syndicate the loan from other banks to share risks as most lenders declined to get involved because of new sanctions on Russia.

Intesa said its 5.2 billion euro loan will be reimbursed following the CEFC deal.

"It always looked as if the Qatar-Glencore deal was hastily arranged so as to allow the privatisation to take place by the end of last year and the proceeds booked to the federal budget," said Chris Weafer from Macro Advisory consultancy.

Last month, Washington imposed further sanctions on Moscow in the strongest action against Russia since 2014 - in part as a response to conclusions by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the presidential election.

On Friday, Sechin said QIA and Glencore cut the stakes partially because of a decline in the U.S. dollar against the euro, which made debt servicing more expensive.

Sechin told reporters CEFC would get access to Rosneft's oil fields and petrochemical projects in East Siberia to guarantee bigger synergies.

"From Rosneft's point of view, the arrival of such a partner is positive as it shows that the foreign investors still keep their interest to the Russian oil industry," said Alexander Kornilov from Aton brokerage in Moscow.

CEFC said the deal would give it annual equity oil production of 42 million tonnes (840,000 barrels per day) and access to oil and gas reserves of 2.67 billion tonnes (20 billion barrels).

The deal will be China's second largest oil and gas acquisition after the $15.1 billion purchase of Canada's Nexen by CNOOC in 2013. Earlier this decade, Beijing also loaned $25 billion to Russia to help it build a pipeline from Siberia.

(Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; editing by Jason Neely and Keith Weir)
Oil prices drop over 3% for the session, but eke out a gain for the week

Investing.com - Oil prices tumbled on Friday, hit by concern over reduced demand as U.S. refineries saw a slow recovery from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey.

Prices were further weighed as uncertainty gripped the energy market over the potential impact of Hurricane Irma as it approached the U.S.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures sank $1.61, or around 3.3%, to end at $47.48 a barrel by close of trade. It was the biggest daily loss since July, but prices still ended the week up 19 cents, or 0.4%, to score their first weekly gain in six weeks.

Brent crude, the benchmark for oil prices outside the U.S., slipped 71 cents, or roughly 1.3%, to settle at $52.75 a barrel. The global benchmark closed the week with a gain of $1.03, or around 1.9%, after rising to a more than four-month high of $54.87 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, gasoline futures slumped 1.3 cents, or 0.8%, to end at $1.647 on Friday. It closed around 10.0 cents, or 5.7%, lower for the week.

Heating oil finished down 2.0 cents, or 1.1%, at $1.765 a gallon, but still ending roughly 1.1% higher for the week.

Natural gas futures plunged 9.1 cents, or 3.1%, to settle at $2.890 per million British thermal units. It saw a weekly loss of nearly 6%.

Two weeks after storm system Harvey knocked out roughly a quarter of U.S. oil refining capacity, refineries along the Gulf coast have been slow to restart, weighing on demand for crude oil, the primary input at refineries.

The dip in demand was reflected in a report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Thursday showing crude stockpiles rose for the first time in ten weeks.

Harvey's impact was also felt in oil production. Oilfield services firm Baker Hughes said on Friday its weekly count of oil rigs operating in the U.S. declined by 3 to 756.

But the slowdown in refining and output should be temporary.

In the week ahead, market participants will eye fresh weekly information on U.S. stockpiles of crude and refined products on Tuesday and Wednesday to further weigh what the impact of recent storm activity was on supply and demand.

Story continues

Oil traders will also focus on monthly reports from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Counties and the International Energy Agency to assess global oil supply and demand levels. The data will give traders a better picture of whether a global rebalancing is taking place in the oil market.

Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.

Tuesday, September 12

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Counties will publish its monthly assessment of oil markets.

The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, is to publish its weekly report on U.S. oil supplies.

Wednesday, September 13

The International Energy Agency will release its monthly report on global oil supply and demand.

Later on, the U.S. Energy Information Administration is to release weekly data on oil and gasoline stockpiles.

Thursday, September 14

The U.S. government is set to produce a weekly report on natural gas supplies in storage.

Friday, September 15

Baker Hughes will release weekly data on the U.S. oil rig count.

Related Articles

Crude oil futures - weekly outlook: September 11 - 15

Canada regulator's plan for review of Energy East pipeline comes under fire

Crude oil settles more than 3% lower but avoids 6th straight weekly loss
Actually, not much. At least, not as much as theyd spent under other presidents or other diplomatic circumstances.

Since the start of his term, President Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of the Mother of All Bombs, called to increase military presence in Afghanistan and provoked a number of unyielding enemies, including North Korea.

Policy has largely proven positive for defense stocks. Military action means demand for military equipment, which means sales for government contractors.

As expected, the defense sector has seen significant gains so far under Trump, with Fidelity Select Defense & Aerospace Portfolio (MUTF: FSDAX) rising 19.7 percent year to date compared to 8.1 percent the same period last year.

Not only has the climate bolstered earnings, but its also prevented extraneous expenses on lobbying. With a favorable state of international relations and multiple industry leaders representing interests on Trumps now-defunct manufacturing council, companies have not had to pay as much to pressure policy.

Eight months into 2017, the defense sector spent a mere $64,564,985 on lobbying, according to The Center for Responsive Politics. By comparison, all of 2016 saw spending of $128.6 million, and that was the lowest annual figure since 2008. This years sum is on pace to be the lowest since 2004.

Defense Firms And Lobbying

Here are the top 10 defense firms investing in lobbying:

1. Boeing Co (NYSE: BA): $8.75 million

With CEO Dennis Muilenburg on Trumps manufacturing council, the company was well positioned to influence policy. Still, its had to make an effort to get back on the presidents good side after struggling early on to meet his price demands.

2. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT): $7.43 million

CEO Marillyn Hewson also sat on the manufacturing council. Historically the U.S. governments No. 1 contractor, Lockheed Martin has secured a number of multimillion-dollar deals this year, including some for army training programs, missiles and jets.

Story continues

Related Link: Is Trumps Foreign Policy Belligerence A Diversion From A Stalled Agenda?

3. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC): $6.82 million

The company is particularly exposed to drone policy and aircraft spending.

4. General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE: GD): $5.79 million

Analysts foresee the firms Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation subsidiary suffering increased competition for contracts in the coming years. So far in 2017, its seized a number of bids from various military branches and the U.S. Geological Survey.

5. United Technologies Corporation (NYSE: UTX): $5.38 million

CEO Greg Hayes served on Trumps manufacturing council. The company not only has an interest in securing contracts but also in gaining regulatory approval for a potential takeover of Rockwell Collins, Inc. (NYSE: COL).

6. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN): $3.04 million

7. Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc (NYSE: HII): $2.71 million

8. BAE Systems: $1.78 million

9. Orbital ATK Inc (NYSE: OA): $1.26 million

10. Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS): $1.14 million

Related Link: How The US, China And Russia Are Moving Toward Weaponizing Artificial Intelligence

________

Image Credit: By Estonian Foreign Ministry [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

See more from Benzinga

 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The brand image and creditability of Equifax Inc. EFX is in question as very sensitive personal data of approximately 143 million consumers has been stolen from the credit information providers database. Reportedly, nearly two-third of the adult U.S. population has been affected due to this cyber attack.

The company late last Thursday announced that a data breach occurred between mid-May and July this year, which was discovered on Jul 29. Per Equifax, criminals stole consumer data like names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, drivers license numbers.

In addition to this, as per Equifaxs investigation, hackers accessed the credit card numbers of about 209,000 U.S. consumers and certain dispute documents with personal identifying information of nearly 182,000 U.S. consumers.

Shares of Equifax plunged nearly 14% last Friday after news of the cyber attack surfaced. Notably, the stock has significantly underperformed the industry to which it belongs to in the year-to-date period. Equifax has lost 4.2% of its value during this period, while the industry recorded growth of 26.2%.

Nonetheless, the financial information services provider further noted that its core consumer or commercial credit reporting databases seemed to be safe as it did not find any unauthorized activity. This implies that the consumers credit scores are safe.

Among the Worst Data Breaches

This is not the first instance when consumer data has been stolen from a companys data base. Last December, Yahoo! Inc. reported a massive data breach, where private information of over one billion users was compromised. Other big companies like Target Corporation TGT, Anthem Inc. ANTM and Sony Corporation SNE have also been victims of cyber attack, when fraudsters stole large number of consumer data.

However, sensitivity of the information exposed in Equifaxs data breach case makes it one of the worst in recent times as well as bigger than those at the aforementioned companies. The latest data breach at Equifax is expected to have a lasting impact as criminals can use the stolen resources for opening new accounts, applying for credit cards or loans, buying insurance, renting an apartment or even make tax frauds.

Story continues

It should be noted that banks and financial institutions rely on the United States three main consumer credit reporting agencies  Equifax, TransUnion TRU and Experian. Therefore, with access to social security, drivers license and credit card numbers, criminals can make such frauds due to which consumers will have to suffer for a long time.

Criticism Mounting

The recent cyber attack has heavily tarnished the brand image, reputation and credibility of Equifax. The company is facing huge customer criticism, while cybersecurity companies are questioning its preparedness and response to this massive data breach.

Various investigation agencies, including attorney generals of New York and Illinois, and the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, have already started probing whether the company met its risk management responsibilities or not. Equifaxs directors may be charged for negligence if the investigating agencies discover any loopholes in risk management.

Also, per Reuters, two lawsuits have been filed against the companys negligence over consumer data protection, one at Portland, OR, and one in Atlanta.

Bottom Line

With the company facing huge criticism from customers, and lawmakers and investigating agencies probing the mishap, troubles for Equifax are unlikely to end any time soon. We opine that the entire issue may result in loss of customers and the company may also have to make huge compensation to its clients. This is feared to have an adverse impact on the companys financial performance in the near term.

The recent cyber attack proved that most organizations across the globe still lack proper cybersecurity measures. With cyber security becoming a matter of utmost importance, companies should regard it as part of safeguarding strategies and look for more stringent cybersecurity measures to plug the loopholes in the system.

Currently, Equifax carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!

It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.

Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020.

Click here for the 6 trades >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Equifax, Inc. (EFX) : Free Stock Analysis Report



TransUnion (TRU) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Sony Corp Ord (SNE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Anthem, Inc. (ANTM) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Target Corporation (TGT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
The credit bureau's leakage and widely reported missteps in its assessment tool could proffer a cautionary tale for other organizations.

Most cybersecurity experts now agree that organizations should be planning incident response strategies for when, not if, their companies experience data breaches.

Credit reporting agency Equifax learned this lesson the hard way when it was hit by a cyberattack that exposed addresses, Social Security numbers and financial information for 134 million customers. Equifax is the latest in a line of breaches at large companies, following major incidents at Wells Fargo and Yahoo, among others, in the last year.

In the current cybersecurity threat landscape where breaches are all but guaranteed, companies often fall short of the regulatory standards set forth for data security. Regardless, regulators don't seem to be letting up.

The Government's Privacy Pressure

Although cybersecurity's regulatory landscape has perhaps not kept pace with the rate of data collection and hacker exploits, it has certainly expanded over the last few years at both the federal and local levels. These emerging regulations keep information governance staff on their toes.Specifically to Equifax, the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 (FCRA) and its amendments in the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) were instituted at the federal level to ensure that third-party credit bureaus can use and retain consumer information.

Steve Rubin, head of the cybersecurity practice at Moritt Hock & Hamroff, expects that both will likely prove problematic for Equifax. Those were both enacted to deal with companies like Equifax, Rubin said.

Although Equifax may have taken all reasonable steps to secure its data, it's often not possible to be one step ahead of cyberattacks. Nevertheless, Rubin said that the sensitivity of information at many companies like Equifax at this point is likely a stronger factor than how hard the company may have tried to secure that information. They had to do what they needed to do. That all said, you can't be hack-proof. It's possible at the end of the day they did take all reasonable measures, Rubin said.

Story continues

Settlements will occur well before they find out if [Equifax] took reasonable measures. They had to take fairly extraordinary measures to protect the data; I don't know if they did that, Rubin added.

Karen Hornbeck, senior manager at Consilio, further explained that if companies are going to retain highly sensitive consumer information, especially identifying information that cannot readily be changed, data handling processes set forth by regulators are a reality that companies will need to deal with.

Companies have to start doing more from the technical and the people aspect, or they can only expect more and more regulation to start coming down the pipe. It's one or the other. If companies don't start doing it themselves, then the government is going to have to, Hornbeck said.

In fact, the inevitability of cyberattack is prompting legislators at the state level to step up data breach notification and remediation policy in their states. I think we're going to see more and more states at the state level come out with regulations for companies that do business in their state and for issues that impact residents of their states. This is just going to spur it on more and more, Hornbeck said.

While the Equifax hack can be attributed to external hackers, oftentimes data breaches are caused by internal mishaps. Wells Fargo's recent data breach, which exposed financial information for over 50,000 of the bank's customers, was the result of an attorney unintentionally handing over highly sensitive client financial information to another litigator.

Regulators, however, don't differentiate in how they apply these mandates to data breaches caused by malicious hackers and those caused by human error. The human component is just as important as the tech component, Rubin said, adding that he didn't anticipate regulators would apply policy any differently based on the type of breach. Wells Fargo's recent breach drew scrutinyfrom the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Planning for Disaster

Regulatory scrutiny around FCRA and FACTA paired with the high likelihood of a data breach make incident response a key piece of a company's success following a data breach. Equifax's response showed strength in some places, but significant weaknesses in others.

Shortly after Equifax notified consumers of the data breach, the credit bureau launched a website, EquifaxSecurity2017.com, to help users assess whether their information had been leaked in the data breach and sign up for one year of free identity theft protection and credit file monitoring.

Equifax may have created new problems for itself, however, in the form of an arbitration clause and class action waiver the company included in the tool's terms of agreement. While Equifax included a note in its Frequently Asked Questions section that the arbitration clause does not apply to the cybersecurity incident, swift and furious backlash from consumers forced the company to make a formal announcement on the website that use of its service does not require that users waive their rights to class action litigation.

Hornbeck said that while the company did a great job of putting together and publicizing the impact check website quickly, she found Equifax's decision to quietly include the language in its terms of agreement interesting.

It's a mess to be honest, from the corporate perspective, from the response perspective, Hornbeck said of the arbitration clause and its respective backlash.

Rubin added that the arbitration clause would likely be difficult to enforce. The credit bureau is already obligated to provide free credit monitoring in the event of such a breach under a number of state laws. Rubin pointed specifically to Connecticut's data breach amendments, which calls for businesses to offer one year of free identity-theft protection service, meaning that Equifax would be obligated to provide this service regardless of whether or not consumers opted to forgo their right to form a class. There's no exchange there, Rubin explained.

Further complicating matters, Equifax has also drawn public scrutiny and litigation from allegations that three company executives sold $1.8 million worth of stock before notifying customers of the data breach.

Hornbeck said that a big way that companies can learn from these mistakes is by bolstering their incident response planning. While it's now more common practice to set up a formalized plan, Hornbeck noted that many organizations fail to drill their testing procures, leaving them susceptible to unanticipated problems.

It is absolutely not enough to just have an incident response plan written down. You have to test that thing; you have to be sure it's been developed and documented in such a way that it's as airtight as it can possibly be, she said.

This means, ideally, making sure that issues never arise. Regular penetration testing and third-party assessments can help organizations figure out how to begin addressing potential issues, including human error.

Andy Wilson, CEO and founder of Logikcull, said that for organizations using third-party vendors, as the attorney in the Wells Fargo breach attributed data leakage to, thinking through how to apply incident response standards outward is worth considering.

I would demand to see what their quality control checklist was. If you're going to use a human vendor, I would demand to see the checklist completed prior to the shipment of production. You don't want to ship something before its ready, he explained.

For Wells Fargo, some of the human error could have also come from confusing user interface design, something that could have potentially been avoided with a workflow assessment. Most people don't have enough time to evaluate their own workflow and look for new tools, Wilson added.

Although keeping pace with potential hackers and leaks can seem like a truly Sisyphean task given the current complexity of cybersecurity work today, but the need to protect sensitive client data is worth the fight. In the eyes of regulators, it absolutely has to be.

We are where we are. For whatever reason were not keeping up with the bad guys. States are going to do what they feel is correct to protect their residents, Hornbeck said.

Contact the author at ghernandez@alm.com.
Risk appetite has shown signs of life this morning as the Nikkei and Topix Indexes in Japan have put in solid gains. Canada will release Housing Starts data today. The Euro has range traded early. CPI data will come from the U.K tomorrow. Wall Street Expected to Surge Early, Investors Breathe Sigh of Relief U.S  Continue reading Equities Turning Bullish as Risk Appetite Ignites, US Futures Point to a Higher Open

Risk appetite has shown signs of life this morning as the Nikkei and Topix Indexes in Japan have put in solid gains. Canada will release Housing Starts data today. The Euro has range traded early. CPI data will come from the U.K tomorrow.

Wall Street Expected to Surge Early, Investors Breathe Sigh of Relief

U.S equity markets are being called to open higher this morning as fears have subsided regarding the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The storm may produce flooding problems, but the catastrophic damage which some had anticipated has not come to fruition. Wall Street which was extremely cautious late last week, will breathe a sigh of relief and investor sentiment appears ready to surge early. Data from the States will be very light today.

Nikkei and Topix See Strong Buying, Hang Seng Continues Bullish Run

The Nikkei and Topix Indexes experienced strong buying today. The lack of a threatened missile test launch from North Korea has allowed Asian investors to relax. Japanese Machinery Orders this morning proved expensive, turning in a gain of 8 percent. The Yen has weakened too, which indicates risk adverse trading is ebbing. The Hang Seng continues to be bullish and its gains today have pushed it to almost a 4 percent gain in the past month.

Italian Data Beats Estimate, Euro Pushes Back Against U.S. Dollar

Italian Industrial Production numbers beat expectations today. The gain of 0.1 percent may appear small, but it beat the negative forecast of minus -0.5% by a wide margin. The Euro has range traded against the U.S Dollar early, after seeing early pressure, the currency has pushed back above the 1.20 level. Consumer Price Index numbers will come from the U.K tomorrow. And on Thursday the Bank of England will issue its Monetary Policy Summary.

Gold Finds Momentary Support, Speculative Gold Market Anticipated

Gold has seen volatile early trading. The precious metal suffered early downward pressure, but has seen support hold in the past few hours. Gold remains under 1340.00 U.S Dollars an ounce and traders should be ready for more potential speculative action in the short-term.

Story continues

Canadian Housing Sector Data Today, CPI Data from U.K. on Tuesday

Housing sector figures will come from Canada at 12:15 GMT and be watched by traders.

12:30 PM GMT Canada, Housing Starts

8:30 AM GMT  Tuesday  U.K., Consumer Price Index

Yaron Mazor is a senior analyst at SuperTraderTV.

SuperTraderTV Academy is a leader in investing and stock trading education. Sign up for a class today to learn proven strategies on how to trade smarter.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
By David Shepardson and Dustin Volz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two key U.S. senators on Monday asked Equifax Inc to answer detailed questions about a breach of information affecting up to 143 million Americans, including whether U.S. government agency records were compromised in the hack.

Senator Orrin Hatch, who chairs the Finance Committee, and ranking Democrat Ron Wyden, also demanded that Equifax chief executive Rick Smith provide a timeline of the breach and its discovery. They asked for information on when authorities and the company's board were notified and when three executives who sold stock in the company in August were first told of the data breach.

Equifax did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter. It came amid mounting scrutiny of the company's response to the breach from lawmakers, regulators and security experts, prompting the credit-monitoring services to issue an apology on Friday and pledge to dedicate more resources to helping affected consumers.

Equifax announced last week that it learned on July 29 that hackers had infiltrated its systems in mid-May, pilfering names, birthdays, addresses and Social Security and drivers license numbers. Cyber security experts said it was among the largest data hacks ever recorded and was particularly troubling due to the richness of the information exposed.

Three days after Equifax discovered the breach, three top Equifax executives, including Chief Financial Officer John Gamble and a president of a unit, sold Equifax shares or exercised options to dispose of stock worth about $1.8 million, regulatory filings show.

Equifax said in a statement last week that the executives were not aware that an intrusion had occurred when they sold their shares.

Hatch and Wyden asked Smith to respond by September 28. Other congressional committees have announced plans to hold hearings investigating the Equifax breach.

(Reporting by Dustin Volz and David Shepardson; Editing by Andrew Hay)

Story continues

Related Video:

Watch news, TV and more Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.
The logo of Exxon Mobil Corporation is shown on a monitor above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York, December 30, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo (Reuters)

By Sonali Paul and Nidhi Verma

MELBOURNE/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has won a price cut on a 20-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal with global giant ExxonMobil Corp <XOM.N> in a rare contract renegotiation, a bad sign for producers in a heavily oversupplied global market.

In a trade-off for ExxonMobil, India's Petronet LNG <PLNG.NS> will increase its volumes from the Gorgon LNG project in Australia by an extra 1 million tonnes a year to about 2.5 million tonnes a year, but at cheaper rates than initially agreed in 2009.

Long-term contracts are rarely revised in the LNG market, and for a big producer to cave in shows how supply from new plants in Australia and the United States over the past two years has transformed the market, analysts said.

"This trend is overall a negative for sellers, as they are forced to provide more flexibility to buyers' needs to maintain their markets," said Saul Kavonic, an analyst with energy consultants Wood Mackenzie.

India has been aggressive in seeking cheaper deals, also renegotiating a contract with Qatar in 2015, but the real pain for producers would come if major Asian buyers in Japan, Korea and China followed suit.

"Happy to share good news that India has, yet again been able to address the long term price issue of LNG from Gorgon to suit Indian market," India's oil minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, said on Saturday on social media.

Indian consumers would soon receive LNG at an "amicable price", Pradhan said. India started receiving Gorgon supplies from January this year.

Petronet said in a stock exchange announcement on Monday it had reached a "broad understanding of terms" with ExxonMobil, without giving further details.

Citing market sources, RBC analyst Ben Wilson estimated ExxonMobil would receive 15 percent less revenue per unit on its sales to Petronet under the new deal.

If ExxonMobil had not agreed to renegotiate, Petronet might have scrapped the agreement, leaving the major to pursue damages and resell the volumes on a weak spot market.

Story continues

"They've probably taken the lesser of two evils," said Wilson, adding that it did not bode well for other LNG producers such as Australia's Woodside Petroleum <WPL.AX> which has targeted India to diversify its heavy exposure to Japan and South Korea.

In a major shift from previous contractual terms, Exxon has agreed to absorb shipping charges, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The original LNG supplies would be priced at less than 14 percent of the Brent oil price, down from about 14.5 percent earlier, while the additional supplies would be priced about 12.5 percent of Brent, the sources said.

ExxonMobil, which controls about a quarter of the 15.6 million tonnes a year Gorgon project, had no immediate comment.

Analysts said the fact India had managed to force ExxonMobil to renegotiate was the latest proof that buyers have the upper hand in a market where LNG spot prices are well below oil-linked contract prices that were signed during the oil boom.

"The risk of price renegotiations will become more acute over the next couple years as spot LNG prices remain depressed, even if oil linked prices rise," Wood Mackenzie's Kavonic said.

"The elephant in the room will be how negotiations play out with traditional markets in Japan and Korea, and especially the Chinese national oil companies."

(Editing by Richard Pullin)
Franco-Nevada Corporation FNV recently announced that its fully-owned subsidiary, Franco-Nevada (Barbados) Corporation ("FNB"), has inked an agreement with First Quantum Minerals Ltd. for additional precious metals stream from the Cobre Panama project for $178 million.

FNB has the option to syndicate one third of the transaction to a third party, subject to final documentation. First Quantum plans to the use proceeds from the transaction to partly fund the acquisition of additional 10% interest in Cobre Panama from one of its joint venture partners, LS Nikko Copper Inc.

According to Franco-Nevada, First Quantum has made great progress in advancing and de-risking the Cobre Panama project.

Transaction Details

Per the agreement, FNB will initially pay 20% of the spot price of silver and gold as an on-going price until 4.8 million ounces of refined silver and 302,000 ounces of refined gold have been delivered. The margins of this additional stream will be higher than the existing stream for the current mine plan and the on-going price will be increased to 50% of the prevailing spot silver and gold prices.

On the closure of the transaction, the purchase price of $178 million will be paid as an advance one-time payment and no additional pro-rata funding will be applicable to the additional stream. Other than the ongoing price, the terms of additional stream will be similar to FNBs existing stream on Cobre Panama, which includes the initial linking of precious metals deliveries to copper for roughly the first 25 years of production.

About Cobre Panama

Cobre Panama is one of the largest gold-silver-copper-molybdenum porphyry projects in the world. First Quantumplans to build a processing plant at Cobre Panama with an initial capacity of 74 metric ton (mt) per annum and then expand to 90 mt. The company has previously declared that this project is fully permitted and more than 60% construction is completed and is scheduled to ramp up production in late 2018.

Story continues

As on Jun 30, Franco-Nevadahas funded an aggregate amount of $564.8 million of its $1 billion commitment for this project. Also, the company has contributed $52.4 million in second-quarter 2017 and a cumulative amount of $102.6 million in first-half 2017.

Price Performance

Shares of Franco-Nevada have moved up 16.5% in the last three months, outperforming the industrys 10.3% growth.

Q2 Performance & Outlook

Franco-Nevada reported net income of $45.6 million or 25 cents per share compared with $42.3 million or 24 cents in second-quarter 2017. Barring one-time items, adjusted net income was $46.1 million or 25 cents per share, compared with adjusted net income of $40 million or 22 cents reported a year ago. Revenues increased 8.4% year-over-year to $163.6 million.

Franco-Nevada, in second-quarter earnings call, noted that it expects to meet the top end of its earlier announced production guidance range of470,000-500,000 gold equivalent ounces(or GEOs) for 2017. The company expects its various stream agreements to contribute 335,000-345,000 GEOs in 2017, out of the total. Revenues from oil & gas assets are expected in the band of $35-$45 million.

Newmont Mining Corporation Price and Consensus

Newmont Mining Corporation Price and Consensus | Newmont Mining Corporation Quote

Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Franco-Nevadacurrently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space are The Chemours Company CC, Kronos Worldwide Inc. KRO and Smurfit Kappa Group plc SMFKY. All three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks Rank #1 stocks here.

Chemourshas an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 15.5%.

Kronos Worldwide has an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 5%.

Smurfit Kappahas an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 4%.

More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!

It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.

Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020.

Click here for the 6 trades >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Kronos Worldwide Inc (KRO) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Chemours Company (The) (CC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Franco-Nevada Corporation (FNV) : Free Stock Analysis Report



SMURFIT KAPPA (SMFKY) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Is an equity correction imminent?

Goldman Sachs top stock market analyst David Kostin says thats the question everyone is asking.

Clients keep asking about an impending equity downturn, he wrote in a new research note. Reasons cited include the 8-year bull market and economic expansion, high valuation, low volatility, Fed tightening, and politics.

Ironically, awareness of this long list of worries may actually be making the market less vulnerable to a major sell-off  as it inhibits reckless buying. This brings us to the two key reasons why a market correction remains at bay.

Markets are not euphoric

First, investors are not complacent, Kostin said. In Sir John Templetons timeless observation, Bull markets are born on pessimism, grow on skepticism, mature on optimism, and die on euphoria. Investors today are situated between skepticism and optimism.

And this is not just based on the soft data coming from sentiment surveys. The hard data reflects conservative positioning.

Goldman Sachs clients are nervous about the stock market. (Flickr / Alon)

Few are euphoric as 27% of core managers are beating their benchmark, Kostin added. Tormented bulls best describes investor mentality. Alpha-seekers have normal cash positions (3.2% of mutual fund assets), active manager redemptions are offset by beta inflows (ETFs), and corporates continue to repurchase shares.

Speaking of hard data, the fundamentals underlying the economy remain quite strong, despite all of the worries out there. This is the second reason why Goldman Sachs isnt worried about a market correction.

Economic growth persists

Second, US economic growth persists led by consumers that account for 69% of GDP, Kostin said. Monthly job growth has averaged 175K YTD, wages are rising (our leading indicator is a 2.7% rate), confidence is at the highest level since 2001, and household balance sheets are the strongest since 1980.

This growth at the macroeconomic level is translating to earnings and investment at the business level.

For corporates, S&P 500 sales and EPS will rise by 5% and 7% in 2018, Kostin continued. Firms of tomorrow with Growth Investment Ratios averaging 91% of CFO in past 3 years (vs. S&P 500 median of 17%) will grow 2018 sales and EPS by 7% and 12% and will outperform should a market hurricane occur.

Story continues

US President Donald Trump talks about hurricane Irma as First Lady Melanie Trump looks on, September 10, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images)

Since the beginning of the chaotic Trump administration, experts have been reiterating that fundamentals would drive markets higher despite the political noise.

This is not to say Kostin is a bull. In fact, he expects the S&P 500 to close lower by the end of the year.

Of course, at some point the S&P 500 will retreat; it has been 14 months since a 5% sell-off and 19 months since a 10% correction, he said.



Sam Ro is managing editor at Yahoo Finance.

Read more:
The company was fined 2.4bn in June - Bloomberg

Google will launch a fightback against Brussels this week when the company lodges an appeal against its record monopoly abuse fine.

The internet giant is expected to file the response to the European Commissions 2.4bn (2.2bn) penalty on Monday, the deadline for submitting an appeal.

Google, which is facing further multi-billion euro fines in the coming months over its Android software and online advertising network, has been weighing up a challenge since it was fined in June and the companys hand was strengthened last week when Intel won an appeal over its own 1.1bn fine for breaking competition law.

Googles appeal will extend the seven-year tussle between the company and the EU over allegations it exploited the dominance of its search engine to promote its online shopping service at the expense of small price comparison websites.

Q&A | Why is Google being fined?

EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager has been a thorn in the side of the company, carrying out three parallel antitrust probes, as well as pursuing fellow tech multinationals Apple, Facebook and Qualcomm.

Her demands that tech companies fork out billions in fines and unpaid taxes have led US politicians to accuse Brussels of bias and protectionism.

The 2.4bn fine June was the biggest for breaking competition law in the EUs history, eclipsing the 1.1bn Intel was ordered to pay eight years ago. Swallowing it led Googles parent company Alphabet to report a 30pc fall in quarterly profits in July.

Vestager said that by prominently displaying links to its shopping service in Google results and relegating rival price comparison sites, it had illegally exploited the 90pc market share enjoyed by its search engine to gain a leg up in online shopping.

Price comparison websites are now lining up to sue the company and Google has also been ordered to change its search results or face fines worth 5pc of its turnover. It submitted its plans in August and must implement them by the end of this month.

Story continues

Margrethe Vestager ordered the fine in June Credit: AP

Last week, Vestager said Googles plans pointed in the very right direction but the company will remain on parole for years, with a team of tech experts monitoring its compliance with the order.

Fines in other competition cases related to the Android smartphone operating system and its AdSense advertising network are expected later this year.

The company has aimed to appear co-operative with the commission, so far only saying that it respectfully disagrees with the fine. It has been weighing up the benefits of an appeal in the knowledge that it may further sour relations with Brussels.

But Google will have been emboldened last week when the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ordered that Intels 2009 fine be reviewed by a lower court.

Intel, which was fined by the commission in 2009 for bullying computer manufacturers into buying all their microprocessors from the company instead of rival group AMD, had lost its original appeal against the fine at the EUs General Court.

In a landmark decision the ECJ said the court had ignored a central aspect of the commissions decision and told it to revisit the fine.

While only related to the Intel case, the decision was seen as a rare victory for Silicon Valley against Brussels.

Apple has already appealed the commissions demand that Ireland claw back 12bn in allegedly unpaid taxes from the company, and Qualcomm is being investigated over claims it paid Apple to use its broadband chips in 2011.

In May, Facebook was fined 110m for misleading EU regulators when they approved its $19bn (14.4bn) acquisition of WhatsApp in 2014.

A Google spokesman declined to comment.

Google v EU timeline
A day ahead of the launch of the iPhone 8 there has been a major leak of features, including the anticipated name of Apple's latest iPhone. The upcoming smartphone is expected to be a radical change for the company, which will seek to wow users for the 10th anniversary of the device.

The latest leaks suggest the new phone will actually be called the iPhone X and will include wireless charging, facial recognition, an edge-to-edge display and - for the first time - no home button. Apple is expected to release the device alongside two other phones, called the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

Here's everything you need to know about the iPhone X release.

When will it be released?

Tim Cook is expected to unveil the iPhone 8 at an event in California on September 12. In August the company sent invitations out to journalists inviting them to an event at its new Apple Park headquarters at 10am Eastern Time (6pm UK time)

iphone 8 counter

Tradition dictates the devices will go on sale a week after their announcement, making it likely the iPhone 8 will be available for pre-order on September 15 and hit stores on Friday September 22.

Apple | iPhone release dates

Apple has dismissed rumours that production delays could affect the release of the phone, predicting strong sales in the coming months - above expectations and presumably driven by an iPhone launch.

There could be a limited supply of the iPhone 8 for the first few months of sales.

What will Apple unveil in September?

Apple is planning to break with tradition and release three phones in September: the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

The company normally releases a new design one year and follows with a slight upgrade the year after. Following this logic, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are anticipated to feature minor upgrades to the iPhone 7, such as a faster chip and longer battery life.

Story continues

iPhone evolution

The flagship phone is now expected to be called the iPhone X and will feature a radical redesign in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the first iPhone. It could give the device a new name in honour of the splash,

The company is also expected to unveil a third generation of the Apple Watch and a 4K Apple TV.

How much will it cost?

The iPhone X will probably be Apple's most expensive handset year, with estimates suggesting it could cost $1,000 in the US. The weak pound and VAT mean that this could well translate into a cost of 1,000 or more in the UK.

The 8 and 8 Plus models, which may be available in greater numbers and earlier, are likely to be cheaper, close to the current iPhone 7 and 7 Plus prices of 599 and 719.

An executive at Apple manufacturer Foxconn has suggested the high-end device will "not be cheap".

At a glance | Worldwide iPhone sales

A price tag of almost $1,000 would make the new device 54 per cent more expensive than Apple's current iPhone 7.

What will it look like?

What will the iPhone 8 look like?

What colours will it come in?

Analysts and leaks suggest the premium iPhone X will come in at least three colours: white, black and copper or gold. The white and black colours are fairly standard, but a third colour is thought to be coming in either a copper or a champagne gold hue.

Credit: MyDrivers

Reports from iPhone leaker Benjamin Geskin have also indicated the iPhone X will come in what is being called "Blush Gold", while it is rumoured to only come in three colours, dropping the pinkish "rose gold" that had come on previous models.

Foxconn's internal name of the new #iPhone8 color is "Blush Gold" ()

Barcode says "Blush Gold 64GB / 128GB" pic.twitter.com/MZPTfVAr2P  Benjamin Geskin (@VenyaGeskin1) August 12, 2017

What features will the iPhone X have?

Here are some of the best and most plausible suggestions floating around the rumour mill.

Edge-to-edge display

It has long been an ambition of Sir Jony Ive, Apple's design chief, to make an iPhone that looks like one piece of glass, with a screen that covers the whole of the front of the phone.

Apple leak in HomePod firmware could be iPhone 8 design Credit: Apple

Rumours suggest this might finally come to fruition with the new iPhone X. Clues in the HomePod code suggest the phone will have a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge OLED display. Apple could also replace the device's aluminium back with a glass back and aluminium bumper.

Such a design would allow Apple to increase the screen size of the iPhone without increasing its actual footprint, meaning it could be closer in size to the iPhone 7 with a screen that matches the iPhone 7 Plus.

iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 Plus Credit: iDropNews

No home button

The home button has been a feature of every iPhone since the original in 2007, but Apple may be in a position to get rid of it. It has already introduced advanced pressure-detection technology with 3D Touch, and last year's iPhone 7 had a solid-state home button that vibrates instead of clicks.

A mock up of the new iPhone with no home button Credit: Evan Blass

The iPhone screen now also wakes up when the phone is picked up, so there is less need to click a physical home button. Apple has patented a way of embedding Touch ID, its fingerprint reading technology, in the screen, so that might solve security issues.

The latest leaks from Apple's firmware revealed a virtual home button, that could be resized or even hidden.

Facial recognition software

Apple is expected to replace its Touch ID fingerprint scanner and home button with an infrared scanner that unlocks the phone using facial recognition software. The security upgrade is said to be super fast, able to scan a user's face and unlock the device in "millionths of a second".

It will work with a 3D camera, according to leaked images.

Leaked image of the iPhone 8 3D camera Credit: SLASHLEAKS

Developers found references to the technology, dubbed Pearl ID, in code for the HomePod smart speaker. It could be used to unlock the phone, log in to apps and verify Apple Pay transactions.

Similar facial recognition is currently available on rival phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S8.

I can confirm reports that HomePods firmware reveals the existence of upcoming iPhones infra-red face unlock in BiometricKit and elsewhere pic.twitter.com/yLsgCx7OTZ  Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) July 31, 2017

There are suggestions that the facial recognition could allow the iPhone to be able to tell when you are looking at it, so that it can mute notification sounds and saving your colleagues from your annoying ringtone.

Hardware face detection and tracking sounds really cool pic.twitter.com/CqVQFLYIzF  Guilherme Rambo (@_inside) August 8, 2017

SmartCam

Leaks at the end of July from Apple's own code suggested new developments in Apple's camera technology. The "SmartCam" was revealed in firmware for the HomePod smart speaker, which revealed it could identify different scenes and objects, such as fireworks, foliage, babies, pets, snow or sport.

Augmented reality directions

Clues in Apple's upcoming software suggest it will introduce a new method for directing users. The iPhone X could guide users around towns and cities using augmented reality to superimpose directions onto the view through the camera.

iPhone 8 concept showing augmented reality directions Credit: Gabor Balogh

iOS 11

The best indication of how the iPhone X could look is Apple's latest software, which was unveiled in June and will ship on the new device. The standout features of iOS 11 are peer-to-peer Apple Pay and a redesigned Control Centre. It also new safety features, including a do not disturb while driving mode and an Emergency SOS option that will lock thieves out when its owner is in danger.

iOS 11: 17 new and hidden features for your Apple iPhone and iPad

Wireless charging

Batteries are still the big problem with mobile phones - as good as they are, most still last just a day - and battery tech is only making incremental progress. This means manufacturers have focused on technology such as fast charging as a compromise.

But Apple could go one better and allow wireless charging. Apple famously removed the iPhone 7's headphone jack, which meant users could not listen to wired headphones and charge their phone through the Lightning port at the same time. Removing the second part of that equation might make sense.

A concept of the new iPhone 8/X on a charging pad Credit: Benjamin Geskin

Some phones and devices like the Apple Watch already use charging that requires the device to be placed on a inductive pad. Apple going one further and allowing true wireless charging that beams power from the socket would be a real breakthrough.

But rumours indicate it is more likely that Apple will offer wireless charging as an optional extra.

How will it compare to the iPhone 7?

With an A11 chip inside, the iPhone X will no doubt be lighting fast. With a price tag of more than 800 it will be more expensive than the base model iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, although the top spec iPhone 7 Plus does currently come in at 919.

In terms of size, most analysts believe it will be somewhere in between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Leaks of the schematics expect the new phone to be around 144mm tall and 71mm wide. The current iPhone 7 is 138.3 x 67.1mm, while the iPhone 7 Plus is 158.2 x 77.9mm.

However with a 5.8-inch screen, thanks to its almost edgeless design, it will have the largest screen of any iPhone ever made.
A building belonging to generic drug producer Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the world's biggest maker of generic drugs, is seen in Jerusalem March 23, 2010. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/Files

By Steven Scheer and Stine Jacobsen

JERUSALEM/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Teva poached Lundbeck's Kare Schultz as its new chief executive on Monday, handing the drugs industry veteran the urgent task of convincing investors of the struggling Israeli firm's future.

An acquisition spree saddled Teva with huge debts, eroding confidence in the world's largest generics drugmaker, whose stock has halved since early August when it cut its forecasts.

One key initial decision for Schultz, who will be paid a base salary of $2 million a year plus various bonuses and stock options and is getting a $20 million signing-on fee, will be to decide whether to maintain Teva as both a generics and specialty drugmaker, split it in two or get out of low-margin, high competition generics.

Schultz, with 30 years of global pharma experience, told Reuters he will develop a "very clear strategy" to address Teva's "various restructuring initiatives" as well as more than $35 billion in debt it took on to buy Allergan's generics business last year.

Analysts and investors said Teva paid too much for Actavis while Teva's generics are suffering, particularly in the United States where customers have been negotiating lower prices. Teva expects the fall in U.S. generic prices to accelerate into 2018.

Of Teva's second-quarter revenue of $5.7 billion, $3.1 billion came from generics, with $2.1 billion from its own branded drugs. About half the sales of its own medicines come from a blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug which has started to face generic competition.

Such a gloomy outlook led Teva to reduce its 2017 revenue estimate by about $1 billion to $22.8-$23.2 billion and its earnings per share forecast by at least 60 cents. It also slashed its quarterly dividend payout by 75 percent.

Teva has said it plans to pay down $5 billion of debt by the year-end and is selling off non-core businesses such as its women's health business and European oncology and pain unit.

Teva's shareholders welcomed 56-year-old Schultz's hiring, with its shares rising by nearly 16 percent in New York, while Denmark's Lundbeck fell by more than 13 percent.

Story continues

"We anticipate the commitment to the companys branded business to remain, with a focus on building the branded pipeline as the company de-levers. We continue to view a split of the company as an unlikely scenario," Citi analyst Liav Abraham said of Teva's move, adding Schultz is likely to focus on Teva's cost base in the near-term.

NO PLAN TO SPLIT

Benny Landa, a vocal private investor in Teva wants it to be run more like Novartis whose generics unit Sandoz is run as a separate firm, or for it to divest generics completely.

"Teva has an outstanding R&D capability and product innovation capability. Had it not squandered tens of billions of dollars (on Actavis) they would have also had the ability to make some significant acquisitions in that area," he said.

But Teva Chairman Sol Barer told Reuters the focus was on restoring credibility and there were "no plans now" to split.

Teva, which cooperates with Lundbeck on several drugs, said Schultz will join and relocate to Israel as soon as practicable.

Criticism over the Actavis deal led to the departure in February of former CEO Erez Vigodman, while Barer and Teva's board have come under fire for taking so long to replace him.

"We wanted to make sure we got it right," Barer said, adding Schultz had global, pharmaceutical and turnaround experience.

"At Lundbeck, it was a troubled company and he turned it around and created significant value for shareholders. And, he has significant credibility with stakeholders," Barer said.

Schultz became Lundbeck CEO in May 2015 after leaving Novo Nordisk and the Danish firm's share price has more than tripled since he returned it to profit by slimming costs.

At Teva, Schultz will also face significant challenges.

The company has put Iceland-based Medis, a supplier of development work to third-party drugmakers, up for sale and is looking to team up with other drugmakers to fund some of its development pipeline.

It has some 21 specialty medicines for migraine, pain, respiratory and neurology in various stages of development, from early stage clinical trials to awaiting regulatory approval.

In April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Teva's drug to treat chorea stemming from Huntington's disease, a fatal degenerative disorder, which is expected to produce sales of $850 million by 2023.

And another experimental drug to prevent migraines is now waiting to be cleared by U.S. regulators ahead of a possible launch in the second half of 2018.

(Additional reporting by Ben Hirschler in London and Abinaya Vijayaraghavan in Bengalru; editing by Alexander Smith)
On Sep 11, we issued an updated research report on premium technical services company, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. JEC.



Over the last month, shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company yielded a return of 3.6%, outperforming 2.2% growth recorded by the industry.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Existing Scenario



Jacobs has been steadily enhancing its business and brand status on the back of organic growth initiatives. In the last few months, the company has secured a number of contracts from renowned institutions and public-sector agencies like the Royal Dutch Shell plc RDS.A, Chevron Corporation CVX, Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM, Sellafield Ltd, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the U.S. Army. Notably, elevated transportation spending of the government authorities of Australia, the U.K. and the United States has largely increased Jacobs contract-winning prospects for the near term.



In addition, Jacobs is trying to reinforce its business on the back of diligent restructuring moves. In two years time, the company has secured cost savings of more than $285 million, by successfully realigning its operations into four lines of businesses, as well as consolidating and rightsizing more than 90 offices across the globe. Moreover, it recently (Aug 7, 2017) signed a deal to acquire CH2M HILL Companies Ltd. for $2.85 billion. On the back of this move, Jacobs estimates to accrue nearly $150 million worth of cost synergies. Furthermore, this buyout will likely make the company a $15-billion global solutions provider in the market, going forward.



Jacobs is highly committed toward its shareholders and intends to provide them higher returns through lucrative share repurchase and dividend programs. In January 2017, the company announced the initiation of its cash dividend program. This reflects the companys robust long-term financial outlook, expectations for a robust operating performance and anticipation of solid free cash flow generation. In addition to its cash dividend program, Jacobs will continue with its ongoing share repurchase program. In July 2015, the company had announced a second phase $500-million share buyback program to be implemented over the next three fiscal years.



However, in third-quarter fiscal 2017, Jacobs revenues dipped 6.6% year over year. On a segmental basis, the top-line results of Petroleum & Chemicals, Aerospace & Technology and Industrial segments dropped 21.7%, 12.3% and 3.5%, respectively. Dismal pricing conditions in the oil and gas market have been marring Jacobs Petroleum & Chemicals segments businesses.



Moreover, conclusion of several field services projects is responsible for weighing over the companys Industrial businesses. Persistence of these issues, as well as reduced government spending in major end-markets might also weaken the companys top-line performance in the quarters ahead.



Also, we believe that low-entry barriers in the engineering, architectural, consulting and designing market segments have escalated threats of market rivalry for Jacobs. Poor competency or business inefficiencies over the long run might shrink the market share and profitability of the company from such business fragments.



Moreover, the maintenance and construction sites of the company are subject to certain risks related to safety issues. Any untoward incident at these sites might generate severe financial losses for Jacobs.



More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!



It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.



Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020.

Click here for the 6 trades >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (JEC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Chevron Corporation (CVX) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
The government's planned share sale of part of Japan Post could raise up to $12 billion (AFP Photo/YOSHIKAZU TSUNO) (AFP)

Japan said Monday it would sell off another chunk of the country's massive postal service in a share sale that could raise up to $12 billion.

Tokyo said it would sell up to 990 million shares in Japan Post, or about 22 percent of its outstanding shares, the finance ministry said in a statement.

The sale could raise 1.3 trillion yen based on Monday's closing price of 1,321 yen. The sale price will be decided sometime between September 25 and 27, it added.

After years of delays, 1.43 trillion yen was raised in an initial public offering in late 2015 that included shares in Japan Post's banking and insurance units.

The bulk of proceeds from selling shares in the government-owned behemoth were earmarked for reconstruction efforts after Japan's 2011 quake-tsunami disaster.

The earlier sale came amid hopes starting to privatise what is effectively the world's biggest bank by deposits could boost investor sentiment and spur efforts to cut red tape in Japan's highly regulated economy.

The sprawling postal group has a network of some 24,000 bureaux across the nation and sits on assets worth more than 290 trillion yen.

The branches also offer services for cash deposits and insurance, and a local branch where many of Japan's ageing retirees withdraw their pension payments.

That system has long drawn criticism both inside and outside Japan, with financial institutions, carrier services and foreign governments arguing that the public body was operating in sectors where it competed directly with private businesses.

The government of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi split the state-owned giant into units in 2007, to handle deliveries, savings, insurance and counter services at each of its post offices.

But the government retained full ownership of the group at first.
A JetBlue aircraft comes in to land at Long Beach Airport in Long Beach, California, U.S., January 24, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake

JetBlue (JBLU) is offering $99 airfare for direct flights to Florida, a spokesperson tells Yahoo Finance. The fare is intended to help evacuees from Hurricane Irma but will be available to the public.

As airports come online and flight crews return to Florida, JetBlue plans to resume service on some of its flights in Florida cities starting on Tuesday. They plan to work up to their full schedule by the end of week.

We are working closely with local authorities to determine airport conditions and ramp up flights in cities impacted by Hurricane Irma, the spokesperson said in an email, noting that the airline had cancelled approximately 900 flights through Friday.

At this time, flights through Friday will be made available only to accommodate customers with previously cancelled JetBlue flights, a spokesperson said in an email. Any remaining seats for Florida flights departing Saturday, Sept. 16 through Monday, Sept. 18 are available on jetblue.com for new bookings at a reduced fare of $99 for direct flights and $159 for connecting flights. Fares are for one-way direct flights with seat availability from Sept. 16 through Sept. 18 in select markets including CHS, DAB, FLL, RSW, JAX, MCO, SAV, SRQ, TPA, and PBI. We will update markets and dates available as conditions change.

JetBlue was the first to cap its ticket prices in every city in Florida last week to help people evacuate cheaply. The airline also added 90 additional flights and waived cancellation fees as well as change fees.

Other airlines followed JetBlues lead by capping airfare and adding more flights. This came after Yahoo Finance highlighted travelers complaining of steep airfares as they scrambled to book tickets to flee the storm.

Heres a schedule of the planned service, which could be subject to change:

Flights to Resume

MCO

limited operations resume as of 6:47 p.m. on 12SEP

FLL

limited operations resume as of 6:29 p.m. on 12SEP

TPA

limited operations resume as of 4:07 p.m. on 13SEP

Story continues

SRQ

limited operations resume as of 12:13 p.m. on 13SEP

JAX

limited operations resume as of 7:37 p.m. on 12SEP

DAB

limited operations resume as of 10:17 p.m. on 13SEP

RSW

limited operations resume as of 11:32 a.m. on 13SEP

PBI

limited operations resume as of 7:11 p.m. on 12SEP

SJU

limited operations resume as of 7:00 p.m. on 07SEP

BQN

limited operations resume as of 2:33 a.m. on 08SEP

PSE

limited operations resume as of 4:01 a.m. on 08SEP

PLS

Restart TBD (pending infrastructure assessment)

SXM

Restart TBD (pending infrastructure assessment)

STT

Restart TBD (pending infrastructure assessment)

STX

limited operations resume as of 4:55 p.m. on 08SEP

ANU

limited operations resume as of 1:33 p.m. on 10SEP

NAS

limited operations resume as of 11:42 a.m. on 11SEP

HOG

Restart TBD (pending infrastructure assessment)

CMW

Restart TBD (pending infrastructure assessment)

SNU

Restart TBD (pending infrastructure assessment)

HAV

limited operations resume as of 9:15 a.m. on 13SEP

ATL

limited operations resume as of 8:49 a.m. on 12SEP

SAV

limited operations resume as of 9:15 a.m. on 12SEP

CHS

limited operations resume as of 9:16 a.m. on 12SEP

Julia La Roche is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter.
SpaceVR has been working to exploring space in virtual reality for long, but the company has come out recently with a new idea  exploring space using robots controlled from the earth and actually getting a real-world feel of space in virtual reality.

The company was founded in 2015 and is currently working on providing users real space videos from Mars captured using 360-degree cameras in VR. It is run by a board consisting of a former astronaut, space enthusiasts, and scientists. While human settlement on planets such as Mars might be a far-fetched dream, exploring the planet with the help of robots operated from earth seems like a much more practical approach at least for now.

While robots like Mars Rover have already explored the planet, the concept proposed by SpaceVR actually replicates movements of humans. So basically, explorers can just don gloves equipped with sensors and VR headsets and explore Mars using virtual reality and robots. This concept is called stereoscopic manipulation.

 We are automating all human tasks. Taking a different approach than all major companies. Our general purpose avatar, the Human, was just demoed last week doing tasks in SF, controlled by me from Mexico City, SpaceVR founder and chief executive told TechCrunch in an email.

This paradigm might actually be a stepping-stone towards eventual human migration to Mars. It has many advantages  it can massively cut costs of exploration and also help explore risks in extra-terrestrial without endangering humans.

Humans can actually control these robots from the earth and not be limited the way they would generally if they had to actually had to step on Mars.

These robots, according to SpaceVR, can be automated and eventually accommodate artificial intelligence for exploration.

It is actually currently in concept mode with no actual implementation on the horizon yet, but chances are rife with space enthusiasts such as Richard Branson and Elon Musk pick it up.

Story continues

SpaceVR has signed a launch agreement with space exploration company NanoRacks LLC to launch what it calls the worlds first virtual reality camera satellite called the Overview 1, which will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX CRS-12 Mission. It will then be deployed into Low Earth Orbit from the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer.

Holmes envisions sending millions of robots to the red planet which will be operated by humans.

The concept might sound far-fetched but it is not impossible to realize.

Countries such as India have actually mastered cheaper travel to Mars with space probes such as Mangalyaan, so sending robots to Mars via such probes would not cost-barred.

Furthermore, such robots can be used to explore Mars for minerals which, if they can be extracted, might make Mars exploration using such robots a worthwhile investment for many companies. Companies such as Planetary Resources are also looking into mining Mars for minerals.

Related Articles
There's little more than a day to go before Apple unveils its newest iPhone (or three of 'em), but the company is still struggling to keep a lid on leaks. Here's a few of the latest ones -- and everything else from the weekend.

It doesn't rain but it pours.

Apple leaks: Emoji that track your face, the iPhone X and LTE Apple Watches

Courtesy of a leaked "gold master" build of iOS 11, people have been having a field day with all the nuggets hidden within. They include references to 'Animoji': 3D emoji created from your facial expressions and voice. Pick one of the familiar non-human faces in the emoji library and it'll map your eye, mouth and cheek expressions to that character -- you can make a robot smile or have a dog raise its eyebrows. You can even animate the poo emoji.

Then there's the iPhone X, which will apparently house a six-core processor. However, for cable-addled tech hoarders like me, the suggestion that Apple's anniversary phone might cram in a USB-C port instead of Lightning is arguably even more intriguing.

This gold master leak didn't stop there. As previously teased and rumored, the next Apple Watch will pack its own LTE radio, and it'll get a dashing splash of red on its crown.

It doesn't like that others are trying to profit from free software.

Kodi fights trademark trolls trying to charge for its media app

Kodi doesn't just have to worry about add-ons and devices that give it a reputation as a piracy bad boy. The media center app developer has revealed that it's battling trademark trolls who've registered the Kodi name as their own and are using it to profit from software that's supposed to be free. The culprits may charge you to host Kodi on a website, for example, or make you buy their Kodi boxes instead of others.

It's only temporary, but it might help save lives.

Tesla extends range on cars to help owners avoid Hurricane Irma

Story continues

Tesla may have software-limited the battery capacities of some cars to upsell owners to pricier trim levels, but the company is willing to lift that limit during a crisis. The EV maker has confirmed to Electrek that it temporarily unlocked the full battery capacity on 60kWh Model S and Model X cars in Florida to give them the full 75kWh and help them escape Hurricane Irma. As you might guess, the extra range (about 30 to 40 miles) could be vital.

A 114-year old Mercedes has more in common with a Tesla than you think.

Driving the Mercedes Simplex while thinking about the transportation future

Roberto Baldwin nervously got behind the wheel of the 1902 model (built in 1903) Mercedes Simplex 40. Surprisingly, a car that's over 100 years old has a lot to tell us about the next revolution in automobiles.

But wait, there's more...
The entrepreneur behind DoNotPay, a free online chatbot that has successfully fought around 375,000 parking tickets in New York, Seattle, and the U.K., is launching a new service on Tuesday that will allow people to sue Equifax for $15,000 in mere minutes.

On September 7, Equifax revealed a massive cybersecurity breach that potentially exposed the Social Security numbers and other personal information of 143 million people. The breach has spurred two dozen lawsuits in federal court involving lawyers who want to represent many plaintiffs. But it tends to be tough for individuals to sue companies like Equifax on their own.

George Clooney as Miles Massey in Intolerable Cruelty.

Three days ago I realized I should definitely be doing something for this, Joshua Browder, DoNotPays creator, told Yahoo Finance. I was doing research and I found no one is going down to small claims court on the state level.

Despite the pending federal lawsuits, Browder sees small claims court as the ideal way to deal with this, without involving costly lawyers or complex cases that could last years.

I think people should be empowered to do it themselves, Browder said. Instead of taking Equifax to federal court, they could take Equifax to small claims. In a lot of these states youre not allowed lawyers, there are no legal fees, and state judges are more sympathetic and more fair. They dont take kindly to big corporations pushing people around.

Class action cases generally wont affect a consumers right to take a corporation to small claims court, provided the company does business in that state. However, you may have to opt-out of a class action to be eligible, something for which DoNotPay might have to write another bot.

The consumer can definitely go forward in small claims court, even if a class action is pending, said F. Paul Bland, an attorney and executive director for Public Justice. Theres no chance a class action would bar a consumer from bringing such a case.

How the chatbot works

Earlier this year, Browder had developed a custom software that allows him to quickly create a chatbot, a program that asks users questions. Using the answers, the chatbot can create useful forms  in this case, the documents needed to take Equifax to court.

Story continues

With a team of mostly volunteer lawyers, Browder worked around-the-clock to get this new Equifax-suing robot on his DoNotPay website.

I thought, what if there were a way to file small claims in all 50 states? So I researched a process and found itd be easy to do, Browder said. The small claims court is rigorous and efficient.

The hard part, said Browder, was figuring out who to sue and the individual states quirks in the small claims suit-filing procedure. California is easy, but states like Texas make it very difficult, requiring a plaintiff to create their own lawsuit and complaint. The other challenge is figuring out where to serve.

In terms of damages, different states cap the amount differently, but somewhere between $10,000 to $15,000 is standard. Justifying these numbers is easy, according to Browder. Our response is, we seek the maximum because of the permanent damage, he said. But in reality I think it varies. I think a lot of people will be hurt by this and will be able to demonstrate if someone has a $15,000 fraud theres no reason they wont get $15,000 back.

DoNotPay does not make money or receive commissions so far, although Browder said perhaps an ad-revenue-based business model may appeal in the future. For Browder, a senior at Stanford, its more about the principle than money. In his view, DoNotPay can make a difference by handling the hard parts so a wronged consumer can more easily seek justice.

It finds all the details of who exactly to sue and who to give the papers to, Browder said. All you have to do is provide your name and phone number. Then it spits out 8 pages with instructions and necessary forms. It probably takes about 20 seconds.

After you have the pages, you take the forms to court and they mail the parties a court date, which may be within in a month or two. The ace-in-the-hole for small claims, Browders said, is that the defendant isnt allowed to recoup legal costs  making it far less risky if the consumer loses.

A future vehicle for consumers vs. corporations?

Although comparatively user-friendly, the standard amount of effort required to go to small claims court is high enough to make it rare.

Hardly any consumers go to small claims court, in the scope of things, Bland said. But remember, 143 million people were involved in this breach. If a few thousand people filed small claims cases, that would be enormous by historic standards.

If 5,000 people were to win $10,000 in small claims court, that would be a $50 million. Still, that would be a fraction of those involved and a small financial blow to Equifax.

Its almost de minimus compared to the scale of the problem, Bland said. A class action could potentially address this for everyone exposed.

Browder is looking past the specific matter of data security towards the limits of his service. Previously, the app created letters with legalese, citing relevant statues of tenant law and municipal parking rules. Completing 8-page PDF forms to make a ready-made lawsuit is uncharted territory.

This is a really a test for me, he said. Should I open myself up for corporate problems as the next issue to solve?

The lawsuits are by no means a slam dunk. Besides having to show up at the hearing, the plaintiff will be obligated to justify the restitution.

The trouble is that its hard for the plaintiff to show theyve been injured, said Brian Fitzpatrick, a law professor at Vanderbilt Law School specializing in class action litigation. If you have to change your credit card agencies or contact agencies, thats something. You can go to court and say, my time is worth X, I want that back. But someones going to have to articulate those arguments.

If people cant do that, or if the judges want detail, then this bot may just be a paper tiger, according to Fitzpatrick. On the other hand, the defendants have to do something to respond, otherwise theyd be in default, he said.

Individual lawsuits are rare, so corporations strongly prefer them over class actions, which dont require much consumer initiative. But if somehow individuals started filing lawsuits  perhaps thanks to DoNotPay  the entire landscape could change.

In a world where a lot of people could sue on their own, I think the defendants are going to like class actions better, said Fitzpatrick. Theyre not going to want to send a lawyer to every small claims hearings. If someone can figure out a way to make small stakes claims litigable a reality, then I really wonder if it changes the politics of the class action debate.

Whether its a success will depend on how people use it, and whether they win. But at the very least, Browder noted, this specific issue makes an enticing opportunity to try given the visibility, size, and the safety. Theres no risk in this, he said. Its not like Equifax can say this is unreasonable.

Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumer issues, tech, and personal finance. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann. Got a tip? Send to: emann@oath.com.

Read More:

Theres a line in the new Equifax fine print thats raising eyebrows

The real reason Mexico will never pay for the Trumps wall: Itd be treason

How Waffle Houses hurricane response team prepares for disaster

What bitcoin needs to do to become real currency

Trump weighs slashing one of the most popular tax deductions

A robot lawyer can fight your parking tickets and much more

Consumer watchdog is making it easier for consumers to sue banks

How ringless spam voicemails became a partisan issue
Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) is trying something different: stores without inventory. The department store chain announced on Monday that it's preparing to roll out a new line of stores, called Nordstrom Local. The first of its kind is set to open in West Hollywood, California, on Oct. 3. The stores will be 3,000 square feet, instead of a typical Nordstrom box size of 140,000 square feet.Here's the kicker: Nordstrom Local will have eight dressing rooms where shoppers may try on clothes, but stores won't actually keep inventory for purchase in stock. Instead, Nordstrom will be pulling merchandise from other mall-anchored stores and from its website."Shopping today may not always mean going to a store and looking at a vast amount of inventory," Shea Jensen, Nordstrom's senior vice president of customer experience, said in prepared remarks. "It can mean trusting an expert to pick out a selection of items."Personal stylists will be doing most of the work at Nordstrom Local, curating outfits for shoppers and trying to ease the stress many face of finding the perfect look.Nordstrom Local shops will also have "bars" in stores, where thirsty shoppers can order juices or wine, the company said.Other experiences at Nordstrom Local locations will include manicures and on-site tailoring. Nordstrom's "Buy Online, Pick-Up In-Store" service will also be available. Same-day delivery will be an option for shoppers who visit Nordstrom Local and select items before 2 p.m., the company explained. Slimming down in size has certainly been a big trend in the world of retail of late. Sears (NASDAQ: SHLD) , for example, earlier this year announced its smaller-format store concept , which will only sell appliances and mattresses. Target (NYSE: TGT) offers another example of a big-box retailer rolling out smaller locations throughout the U.S., mainly in urban hubs. And traditionally e-retailers like Bonobos, Warby Parker and Rent The Runway have started opening up physical "showrooms" for shoppers to try on product, but not at the expense of the companies having to hold excessive inventory in stores. As far as department store chains go, Nordstrom is often considered by analysts to be the best of its class, setting the pace for the rest of the industry. During the second quarter, Nordstrom posted same-store sales growth of 1.7 percent , easily outpacing Street expectations. "It remains clear to us that Nordstrom is on a much better trajectory than most other players in the department store segment," GlobalData Retail Managing Director Neil Saunders said at the time.While Nordstrom is still opening a slew of typical-size, mall-anchor stores, its latest strategy to move toward smaller locations shows how the company is battling retail headwinds. Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) is trying something different: stores without inventory. The department store chain announced on Monday that it's preparing to roll out a new line of stores, called Nordstrom Local. The first of its kind is set to open in West Hollywood, California, on Oct. 3. The stores will be 3,000 square feet, instead of a typical Nordstrom box size of 140,000 square feet. Here's the kicker: Nordstrom Local will have eight dressing rooms where shoppers may try on clothes, but stores won't actually keep inventory for purchase in stock. Instead, Nordstrom will be pulling merchandise from other mall-anchored stores and from its website. "Shopping today may not always mean going to a store and looking at a vast amount of inventory," Shea Jensen, Nordstrom's senior vice president of customer experience, said in prepared remarks. "It can mean trusting an expert to pick out a selection of items." Personal stylists will be doing most of the work at Nordstrom Local, curating outfits for shoppers and trying to ease the stress many face of finding the perfect look. Nordstrom Local shops will also have "bars" in stores, where thirsty shoppers can order juices or wine, the company said. Other experiences at Nordstrom Local locations will include manicures and on-site tailoring. Nordstrom's "Buy Online, Pick-Up In-Store" service will also be available. Same-day delivery will be an option for shoppers who visit Nordstrom Local and select items before 2 p.m., the company explained. Slimming down in size has certainly been a big trend in the world of retail of late. Sears (NASDAQ: SHLD) , for example, earlier this year announced its smaller-format store concept , which will only sell appliances and mattresses. Target (NYSE: TGT) offers another example of a big-box retailer rolling out smaller locations throughout the U.S., mainly in urban hubs. And traditionally e-retailers like Bonobos, Warby Parker and Rent The Runway have started opening up physical "showrooms" for shoppers to try on product, but not at the expense of the companies having to hold excessive inventory in stores. As far as department store chains go, Nordstrom is often considered by analysts to be the best of its class, setting the pace for the rest of the industry. During the second quarter, Nordstrom posted same-store sales growth of 1.7 percent , easily outpacing Street expectations. "It remains clear to us that Nordstrom is on a much better trajectory than most other players in the department store segment," GlobalData Retail Managing Director Neil Saunders said at the time. While Nordstrom is still opening a slew of typical-size, mall-anchor stores, its latest strategy to move toward smaller locations shows how the company is battling retail headwinds.



More From CNBC


steve bannon In an interview on CBS's '60 Minutes,' former White House adviser Steve Bannon pushed back against the idea that the United States is a nation of immigrants.

He did so by oversimplifying some complicated pieces of American history while sounding confident.

In fact, you'll find that a lot of his worldview is just that  an overconfident oversimplification.

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon was interviewed on "60 Minutes" on Sunday, and there was one moment that made it crystal clear how he's managed to fool so many people into thinking he knows so much about America.

It was this quote:

"America's built on our citizens. Look at the 19th century. What built America is called the American System. From Hamilton to Polk to Henry Clay to Lincoln to the Roosevelts. A system of protection of our manufacturing, financial system that lends to manufacturers and a control of our borders."

Bannon was responding to the idea (from his interviewer, Charlie Rose) that America was built by immigrants. And his response, without context, sounds impressive. He sounds like a man with clear conviction who not only knows history but also has a clear way of interpreting and connecting the past to the future. It seems like heady stuff.

But of course, the context is very real, and reality has a way of asserting itself in history.

With the proper context, Bannon's statement is word salad  a cherry-picked version of events that ignores some real drivers of American history. You can pick out the basic inconsistencies if you want to  like the fact that Alexander Hamilton was an immigrant, for example. But the scope of Bannon's misinformation is grander than that. He's talking about an America that doesn't exist.

But he says it with conviction, and people like that.

The American System was an actual thing  and a lot of Americans hated it

The way Bannon tells it, America has had a winning game plan from the beginning  a combination of nationalism, federal government, and business coordination through which it has achieved greatness throughout history. This is what he calls the American System.

Story continues

And there was an American System, but it wasn't an ideology passed down from president to president. In fact, American presidents and legislators fought against it throughout its brief life in the 19th century.

The American System was a set of ideas formed by the legendary Kentucky politician Sen. Henry Clay. After the War of 1812 he convinced Americans that there should be a harmonious relationship among tariffs protecting American goods, the national bank (Hamilton's brain child), and infrastructural and agricultural development. From 1816 to about 1828 it seemed everyone was on board to a certain extent, and Congress passed legislation supporting this thesis.

This time of national unity is what people is called the Era of Good Feelings, and for good reason. High off of their victory against the British, Americans believed they could do pretty much anything.

Andrew Jackson

That all ended with the election of President Andrew Jackson, whom both Trump and Bannon revere. Jackson hated Clay's American System because he thought it was an overreach of the federal government, and he did as much as he could to dismantle it.

In doing so, Jackson ultimately set the stage for one of the worst financial crises in American history: the Panic of 1837. To champion his ideas, Clay broke with Jackson and formed the Whig party, which would ultimately die in just a few decades.

The American System as Bannon describes it is his own fantasy. In reality it was not a grand overarching thesis of American governance. It didn't make it anywhere near President Roosevelt (either of them). In fact if it were a person, it wouldn't have even gotten old enough to drive a car. Bannon likes to take the simple and overlay it over the complicated to create a narrative that suits him. When you do that you lose a lot  most important, you lose the truth.

Stop making sense

Back to the "60 Minutes" quote, because it's actually astonishing how much history Bannon throws away in just a few sentences.

Here are a few more American complications Bannon prefers not to grapple with.

It's unclear what Bannon was referring to when he mentioned "a control of our borders" in that quote, but perhaps he was talking about President James Polk, who presided over the Mexican War (1846-1848). That war led to the Mexican Cession (1848), which was less about protecting our borders and more about a naked land grab from Mexico.

President Abraham Lincoln was very much opposed to the Mexican War, so he probably wouldn't appreciate being lumped in with Polk.

Lincoln did support industry and manufacturing  but probably in a way Bannon wouldn't have liked. During the Civil War, Lincoln presided over an expansion of what Bannon might call "the swamp," centralizing power in the federal government's hands like never before. For more on this, check out Richard Franklin Bensel's book "Yankee Leviathan: The Origins of Central State Authority in America, 1859-1877."

I stress again that all of these people were, and this history is, complicated. As for the Roosevelts, yes, Theodore's administration did enact immigration restrictions, but it was also one of the first to talk seriously about free-trade agreements. As for Franklin D., he swept into power after the Smoot-Hawley tariff laid waste to the American economy under his predecessor, Herbert Hoover. He understood tariffs' destructive power.

That's not even all the delusion Bannon managed to pack into that quote. Again, if I weren't so horrified, I would be impressed  and some people are. When you talk to people who know Bannon or work for him they'll tell you breathlessly that he's incredibly smart. They'll tell you that his office and car are filled with books  sometimes two copies of the same one even, if you can imagine it. They're being fooled, too.

theodore roosevelt

Bannon is a simple man

The point is, this stuff is complicated. But we know from the way Bannon sees history that he doesn't like things complicated at all. Back in February, I wrote about his obsession with "The Fourth Turning: What Cycles of History Tell Us About America's Next Rendezvous with Destiny."

The book argues that the history of a people moves in 80- to 100-year cycles called "saecula." Within those saecula are four shifts, which ultimately end in "ekpyrosis," a cataclysmic event that destroys the old order and brings in a new one in a trial of fire.

This is how Bannon organizes a complicated world in his head. And in a way  if you remove the whole world-burning thing  you've actually got a really comforting thought here. You have a map of history that tells you how things work and where things are going to go. Of course, any historian will tell you that it's nonsense, that history is a dynamic conversation of complicated events that produce outcomes that are interpreted and reinterpreted to make sense of the present.

But that's not comforting  that's chaos. And that's not what worried people trying to make sense of their own worlds want to read on the internet. Bannon would have you believe that American identity is simple  that there is a clear line of logic throughout our history and that if we could just get back to that perfect place, we'll be OK again. It's a comforting thought, but it's wrong. Moreover, it's why white nationalists and neo-Nazis are attracted to him, so it's also dangerous.

Now to be fair, none of this is to say that Bannon is being purposely malicious in his misunderstanding of history. In fact, it's very likely he's fooled himself harder than anyone else. It's always tragic when that happens.

NOW WATCH: Steve Bannon: Firing Comey was the biggest mistake in 'modern political history'





More From Business Insider


Some parts of Puerto Rico have been "decimated" by Hurricane Irma , but the Caribbean island's tourism industry remains intact, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello told CNBC on Monday. The storm's eye didn't come ashore but roared past with 185 mph winds. It knocked out power to about 70 percent of the island and killed at least three people, but the island escaped the large-scale devastation seen on nearby Barbuda and St. Martin. "The tourism infrastructure is very robust over here. We're lucky that it was very well designed, both the ports, the airports. The hotels over here are working at full capacity," Rossello said in an interview with " Power Lunch ." "Puerto Rico still has the wherewithal to be a tourist destination." The fact that the tourism infrastructure wasn't heavily damaged is good news for the island, which already has about $70 billion in debt on its books and $50 billion in pension liabilities . Funds are available for rebuilding, though, Rossello said, and the government is working quickly to fix those areas that have been heavily damaged.There is an emergency fund in Puerto Rico, as well as President Donald Trump's emergency declaration that will help pay for storm preparations and some of the damage, he said."Some of the regions in Puerto Rico have already been determined to be a disaster area, so we will work with our funding, of course, but with the help of FEMA to restore balance and to rebuild again in Puerto Rico."He said power has already been restored to over 600,000 of the 1 million customers who have been in the dark since the storm hit. Reuters and CNBC's Jason Gewirtz contributed to this report. Some parts of Puerto Rico have been "decimated" by Hurricane Irma , but the Caribbean island's tourism industry remains intact, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello told CNBC on Monday. The storm's eye didn't come ashore but roared past with 185 mph winds. It knocked out power to about 70 percent of the island and killed at least three people, but the island escaped the large-scale devastation seen on nearby Barbuda and St. Martin. "The tourism infrastructure is very robust over here. We're lucky that it was very well designed, both the ports, the airports. The hotels over here are working at full capacity," Rossello said in an interview with " Power Lunch ." "Puerto Rico still has the wherewithal to be a tourist destination." The fact that the tourism infrastructure wasn't heavily damaged is good news for the island, which already has about $70 billion in debt on its books and $50 billion in pension liabilities . Funds are available for rebuilding, though, Rossello said, and the government is working quickly to fix those areas that have been heavily damaged. There is an emergency fund in Puerto Rico, as well as President Donald Trump's emergency declaration that will help pay for storm preparations and some of the damage, he said. "Some of the regions in Puerto Rico have already been determined to be a disaster area, so we will work with our funding, of course, but with the help of FEMA to restore balance and to rebuild again in Puerto Rico." He said power has already been restored to over 600,000 of the 1 million customers who have been in the dark since the storm hit.  Reuters and CNBC's Jason Gewirtz contributed to this report.



More From CNBC


Litigator Charles Conrad and two associates joined Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman's Houston office this week, dealing another blow to Houston-based Coats Rose, which lost a group of 13 construction lawyers earlier this month.

Litigator Charles Conrad and two associates joined Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman s Houston office this week, dealing another blow to Houston-based Coats Rose, which lost a group of 13 construction lawyers earlier this month.

Conrad joined Pillsbury on Oct. 16, along with associates Bradley Reeves and Elizabeth Dye.

I made the move for a greater opportunity and platform. Pillsbury is a fantastic firm with an international presence, Conrad said, adding that the firm s client list fits well with his.

Conrad, a commercial litigator with work in the energy and construction industries, said he brought along a number of clients, including New Tech Global of Houston and Plano-based Highland Homes.

Pillsbury chairman David Dekker said Conrad strengthens the firm s litigation practice in Texas. We have been keen to grow our Houston office, which is a critical hub for our energy and infrastructure clients, Dekker said in statement.

Conrad said Coats Rose, where he practiced for six years, is a fantastic firm but he saw an opportunity at Pillsbury to join a firm with a global reach. Conrad said Coats Rose is getting back to basics with real estate, public finance and affordable housing practices, along with related litigation.

Richard Rose, president of Coats Rose, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the departures. But after the group of construction attorneys resigned to move to Atlanta-based Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton earlier this month, Rose said those departures provide opportunity for the firm to increase efficiencies and refocus on core business transaction practices and related litigation areas.

Coats Rose s construction law strength has taken some other hits lately. In late September, four construction lawyers moved to Munsch, Hardt, Kopf & Harr in Houston, and a year ago, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, a Birmingham, Alabama, firm, opened an office in Houston staffed in part by eight construction and energy lawyers from Coats Rose.

Coats Rose has offices in Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, New Orleans and Cincinnati. Pillsbury has 21 offices in the United States and internationally.

Senior reporter Brenda Sapino Jeffreys covers the business of law in Texas. Contact her at bjeffreys@alm.com On Twitter: @BrendaSJeffreys
Hurricane Irma is coming fast, and just like many other Floridians who chose to remain in the state, Seth Rogen is preparing with a bit of liquid luck.

The actor tweeted around 10 PM Saturday night three words that said it all: "I'm drunk in Orlandoooooooo!!!!"

He then retweeted a response from his mom, Sandy Rogen, who replied, "Me too!"

I'm drunk in Orlandoooooooo!!!!  Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) September 10, 2017

Rogen also retweeted multiple safety messages from a local sheriff's office informing people of how to best protect their pets from the storm. "Props to these people for keeping people and animals safe and being pretty damn cool while doing it," he wrote.

The sheriff's office thanked Rogen, as well as a few other prominent people like William Shatner and Ted Cruz, for helping to spread the word. In response, Rogen tweeted, "No problem. I'm in Orlando and feel very lucky."

Also trapped in Orlando is Kristen Bell, who is braving the storm with a bit of karaoke.

Hurricane Irma is expected to strike the Florida Keys by daybreak Sunday. It will then continue up the west coast of Florida. While Orlando is landlocked in the middle of the state, the vast size of the hurricane likely means it will be heavily affected.
Suppose aliens land on our planet and want to learn our current scientific knowledge. I would start with the 40-year-old documentary Powers of Ten. Granted, its a bit out of date, but this short film, written and directed by the famous designer couple Charles and Ray Eames, captures in less than 10 minutes a comprehensive view of the cosmos.

The script is simple and elegant. When the film begins, we see a couple picnicking in a Chicago park. Then the camera zooms out. Every 10 seconds the field of vision gains a power of 10from 10 meters across, to 100, to 1,000 and onward. Slowly the big picture reveals itself to us. We see the city, the continent, Earth, the solar system, neighboring stars, the Milky Way, all the way to the largest structures of the universe. Then in the second half of the film, the camera zooms in and delves into the smallest structures, uncovering more and more microscopic details. We travel into a human hand and discover cells, the double helix of the DNA molecule, atoms, nuclei and finally the elementary quarks vibrating inside a proton.

The movie captures the astonishing beauty of the macrocosm and microcosm, and it provides the perfect cliffhanger endings for conveying the challenges of fundamental science. As our then-8-year-old son asked when he first saw it, How does it continue? Exactly! Comprehending the next sequence is the aim of scientists who are pushing the frontiers of our understanding of the largest and smallest structures of the universe. Finally, I could explain what Daddy does at work!

Powers of Ten also teaches us that, while we traverse the various scales of length, time and energy, we also travel through different realms of knowledge. Psychology studies human behavior, evolutionary biology examines ecosystems, astrophysics investigates planets and stars, and cosmology concentrates on the universe as a whole. Similarly, moving inward, we navigate the subjects of biology, biochemistry, and atomic, nuclear and particle physics. It is as if the scientific disciplines are formed in strata, like the geological layers on display in the Grand Canyon.

Story continues

Moving from one layer to another, we see examples of emergence and reductionism, these two overarching organizing principles of modern science. Zooming out, we see new patterns emerge from the complex behavior of individual building blocks. Biochemical reactions give rise to sentient beings. Individual organisms gather into ecosystems. Hundreds of billions of stars come together to make majestic swirls of galaxies.

As we reverse and take a microscopic view, we see reductionism at work. Complicated patterns dissolve into underlying simple bits. Life reduces to the reactions among DNA, RNA, proteins and other organic molecules. The complexity of chemistry flattens into the elegant beauty of the quantum mechanical atom. And, finally, the Standard Model of particle physics captures all known components of matter and radiation in just four forces and 17 elementary particles.

Which of these two scientific principles, reductionism or emergence, is more powerful? Traditional particle physicists would argue for reductionism; condensed-matter physicists, who study complex materials, for emergence. As articulated by the Nobel laureate (and particle physicist) David Gross: Where in nature do you find beauty, and where do you find garbage?

Take a look at the complexity of reality around us. Traditionally, particle physicists explain nature using a handful of particles and their interactions. But condensed matter physicists ask: What about an everyday glass of water? Describing its surface ripples in terms of the motions of the roughly 1024 individual water moleculeslet alone their elementary particleswould be foolish. Instead of the impenetrable complexities at small scales (the garbage) faced by traditional particle physicists, condensed matter physicists use the emergent laws, the beauty of hydrodynamics and thermodynamics. In fact, when we take the number of molecules to infinity (the equivalent of maximal garbage from a reductionist point of view), these laws of nature become crisp mathematical statements.

While many scientists praise the phenomenally successful reductionist approach of the past centuries, John Wheeler, the influential Princeton University physicist whose work touched on topics from nuclear physics to black holes, expressed an interesting alternative. Every law of physics, pushed to the extreme, will be found to be statistical and approximate, not mathematically perfect and precise, he said. Wheeler pointed out an important feature of emergent laws: Their approximate nature allows for a certain flexibility that can accommodate future evolution.

In many ways, thermodynamics is the gold standard of an emergent law, describing the collective behavior of a large number of particles, irrespective of many microscopic details. It captures an astonishingly wide class of phenomena in succinct mathematical formulas. The laws hold in great universalityindeed, they were discovered before the atomic basis of matter was even established. And there are no loopholes. For example, the second law of thermodynamics states that a systems entropya measure of the amount of hidden microscopic informationwill always grow in time.

Modern physics provides a precise language to capture the way things scale: the so-called renormalization group. This mathematical formalism allows us to go systematically from the small to the large. The essential step is taking averages. For example, instead of looking at the behavior of individual atoms that make up matter, we can take little cubes, say 10 atoms wide on each side, and take these cubes as our new building blocks. One can then repeat this averaging procedure. It is as if for each physical system one makes an individual Powers of Ten movie.

Renormalization theory describes in detail how the properties of a physical system change if one increases the length scale on which the observations are made. A famous example is the electric charge of particles that can increase or decrease depending on quantum interactions. A sociological example is understanding the behavior of groups of various sizes starting from individual behavior. Is there wisdom in crowds, or do the masses behave less responsibly?

Most interesting are the two endpoints of the renormalization process: the infinite large and infinite small. Here things will typically simplify because either all details are washed away, or the environment disappears. We see something like this with the two cliffhanger endings in Powers of Ten. Both the largest and the smallest structures of the universe are astonishingly simple. It is here that we find the two standard models, of particle physics and cosmology.

Remarkably, modern insights about the most formidable challenge in theoretical physicsthe push to develop a quantum theory of gravityemploy both the reductionist and emergent perspectives. Traditional approaches to quantum gravity, such as perturbative string theory, try to find a fully consistent microscopic description of all particles and forces. Such a final theory necessarily includes a theory of gravitons, the elementary particles of the gravitational field. For example, in string theory, the graviton is formed from a string that vibrates in a particular way. One of the early successes of string theory was a scheme to compute the behavior of such gravitons.

However, this is only a partial answer. Einstein taught us that gravity has a much wider scope: It addresses the structure of space and time. In a quantum-mechanical description, space and time would lose their meaning at ultrashort distances and time scales, raising the question of what replaces those fundamental concepts.

A complementary approach to combining gravity and quantum theory started with the groundbreaking ideas of Jacob Bekenstein and Stephen Hawking on the information content of black holes in the 1970s, and came into being with the seminal work of Juan Maldacena in the late 1990s. In this formulation, quantum space-time, including all the particles and forces in it, emerges from a completely different holographic description. The holographic system is quantum mechanical, but doesnt have any explicit form of gravity in it. Furthermore, it typically has fewer spatial dimensions. The system is, however, governed by a number that measures how large the system is. If one increases that number, the approximation to a classical gravitational system becomes more precise. In the end, space and time, together with Einsteins equations of general relativity, emerge out of the holographic system. The process is akin to the way that the laws of thermodynamics emerge out of the motions of individual molecules.

More Quanta

mathematics

Mathematicians Bridge the Divide Between Infinity and the Physical World

A surprising new proof is helping to connect the mathematics of infinity to the physical world.

physics

The Man Who's Trying to Kill Dark Matter

A proposed theory of gravity does away with dark matter, even as new astrophysical findings challenge the need for galaxies full of the invisible particles.

physics

Quantum Gravity Research Could Unearth the True Nature of Time

The effort to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity means reconciling totally different notions of time.

In some sense, this exercise is exactly the opposite of what Einstein tried to achieve. His aim was to build all of the laws of nature out of the dynamics of space and time, reducing physics to pure geometry. For him, space-time was the natural ground level in the infinite hierarchy of scientific objectsthe bottom of the Grand Canyon. The present point of view thinks of space-time not as a starting point, but as an end point, as a natural structure that emerges out of the complexity of quantum information, much like the thermodynamics that rules our glass of water. Perhaps, in retrospect, it was not an accident that the two physical laws that Einstein liked best, thermodynamics and general relativity, have a common origin as emergent phenomena.

In some ways, this surprising marriage of emergence and reductionism allows one to enjoy the best of both worlds. For physicists, beauty is found at both ends of the spectrum.
steve bannon 60 minutes

Ousted White House chief strategist Steve Bannon opened up about one of the biggest scandals of Donald Trump's presidency during a "60 Minutes" interview with CBS News' Charlie Rose that aired Sunday.

During the interview, Rose told Bannon, "Someone said to me that you described the firing of James Comey  you're a student of history  as the biggest mistake in political history."

"That would probably be too bombastic, even for me, but maybe modern political history," Bannon replied.

"The firing of James Comey was the biggest mistake in modern political history?" Rose clarified.

Bannon said: "If you're saying that that's associated with me, then I'll leave it at that."

It was reported that Bannon had argued strongly against Trump's bombshell decision to fire Comey as FBI director in early May.

Comey was spearheading the bureau's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, which included the question of whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to tilt the election in Trump's favor. As Trump fumed over the investigation, his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, backed the idea of firing Comey, arguing that Democrats would not be able to criticize the move after they lambasted Comey's handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server.

Bannon disagreed. "You can't fire the FBI," he said, according to a White House official's account to New York magazine in July.

The decision backfired on Trump, ultimately prompting the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, to tap former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel in charge of the investigation.

"The FBI is an institution," Bannon told Rose during Sunday's interview. "The speaker of the House is an institution. The majority leader is an institution. The Justice Department is an institution. They have an institutional logic of how they proceed and what they're going to do. And you can't get caught up in individuals."

Story continues

Rose pointed out, however, that despite characterizing the speaker of the House and the Senate majority leader as institutions, Bannon had announced he wanted to go to war against them and the GOP establishment.

"You want to go to war with Paul Ryan, and he represents an institution," Rose said. "So you want to go to war, but you didn't want to go to war against James Comey, because you thought he represented another institution, the FBI. Is there not a contradiction in that?"

Bannon replied that there wasn't, arguing that with Ryan as well as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, "those institutions can be changed if the leadership is changed." Conversely, he said the institutional nature of the FBI, particularly with respect to ongoing investigations, would most likely remain unchanged with a new leader.

The former chief strategist also acknowledged the connection between Comey's firing and Mueller's appointment. "We would not have the Mueller investigation in the breadth that, clearly, Mr. Mueller is going," he said.

When Rose asked Bannon whether he thought Mueller should be fired, Bannon said he did not and said there had not been discussions about it within the White House.

Trump has characterized Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt" on several occasions. Though it's unclear whether Trump is seriously considering firing the special counsel, it has been reported that he is exploring his pardon power as Mueller's investigation heats up and broadens in scope.

NOW WATCH: How Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson could make a real run as president  according to someone who's known him since 1999





More From Business Insider


SolarCity

Tesla has announced it is phasing out 63 positions at a SolarCity office in the Northern California suburb of Roseville.

The move comes during Tesla's continued integration with SolarCity, following the electric-car company's multibillion-dollar acquisition of the solar-energy business late last year.

A total of 204 positions were being phased out at the Roseville facility. SolarCity announced a reduction of 141 positions there last month, according to documents the company filed with the California Employment Development Department.

The Roseville office will remain open.

Tesla confirmed the moves in an email to Business Insider on Monday:

"We are centralizing the sales, customer support and information technology operations currently located in Roseville, California. Some employees at the Roseville location will remain in their current role or transition to new positions, and weve worked to provide as much notice as we can to those employees whose roles are impacted. All employees will continue to receive their normal pay and benefits until the transition takes place at the end of October. We are encouraging impacted employees to apply for open positions in our workforce across the country as the business continues to grow."

SolarCity cofounder Peter Rive left the company in July, months after his brother, Lyndon, left to start a new venture. The Rive brothers are cousins of Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Tesla said of Peter Rive's departure at the time, "As co-founder and CTO of SolarCity, Pete has played an instrumental role in expanding access to solar to hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Petes responsibilities, including work on Solar Roof, will be distributed among Teslas existing engineering teams."

The solar market has evolved in fits and starts in the US this year. Solar installations rose 8% in the second quarter, but that growth was expected to be short-lived, Reuters reported, citing an industry report from GTM Research. The market is forecast to decline by about 17% for the year, thanks in part to weaker residential demand.

Story continues

NOW WATCH: A financial planner reveals the 2 easiest ways to improve your finances





More From Business Insider


Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited TEVA announced the appointment of Kare Schultz as president and chief executive officer (CEO), thus ending the Israeli generic makers more than six-month long search for a permanent CEO. Share rose more than 12% in pre-market trading on Monday.

Schultz, until now, served as president and CEO of Denmarks H. Lundbeck A/S. He joined H. Lundbeck in 2015 when the company was struggling due to loss of patents for key drugs and helped the company to turn around. He has also worked as chief operating officer of another Denmark based drug giant, Novo Nordisk A/S NVO.

Tevas CEO, Erez Vigodman, had stepped down in February this year. Dr. Yitzhak Peterburg took over as interim CEO while the search for a permanent CEO began. Tevas chief financial officer, Eyal Desheh, also retired in June. Until Schultz, aged 56, takes over, Peterburg will continue to serve as interim CEO.

Teva has been facing tough times and is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) stock.

A challenging environment in the U.S. generics business and the continued deterioration in Venezuela have been hurting Tevas sales.The U.S. generics industry is facing significant competitive and pricing pressure. These have been affecting the companys top-line performance. Increase in FDA generic drug approvals and ongoing customer consolidation have increased competitive pressure in the industry. The challenges in the U.S. generics market are expected to continue this year.

Meanwhile, delay in the launch of some new generic drugs and increased competition for some others is also hurting segment sales.

Management expects lower revenues and profits in the U.S. Generics unit in 2018 and potentially 2019 due to generic industry pressure.

Teva is also facing several other challenges in the form of generic competition for multiple sclerosis drug, Copaxone, its key revenue generator, new competition for branded products, a high cost base and debt load. While a generic version of the 20 mg formulation of Copaxone is already on the market, Tevais facing patent challenges for the 40 mg thrice-weekly formulation of Copaxone. Companies like Mylan N.V. MYL and Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. MNTA are looking to get approval for their generic versions of the 40-mg thrice-weekly formulation of Copaxone.

Story continues

Teva missed on both second quarter earnings and revenues and lowered its outlook for the year. The companys shares were down significantly following the release of disappointing results in August. Year to date (YTD), Teva has lost 57.3% of its value compared with 17.2% decline of its industry.

In August, Teva also announced a 75% cut in its dividend.

During this critical period for Teva, it remains to be seen if Schultz can use his 30 years of extensive global pharmaceutical experience to help the company regain lost ground.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!

It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020.

Click here for the 6 trades >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (MNTA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (TEVA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Mylan N.V. (MYL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Here are four stocks with buy rank and strong income characteristics for investors to consider today, September 11th:

City Holding Company (CHCO): This bank holding company has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 9.6% over the last 60 days.

City Holding Company Price and Consensus

City Holding Company Price and Consensus | City Holding Company Quote

This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company has a dividend yield of 2.86%, compared with the industry average of 1.08%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 3.48%.

City Holding Company Dividend Yield (TTM)

City Holding Company Dividend Yield (TTM) | City Holding Company Quote

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP): This public utility holding company has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings advancing 1.6% over the last 60 days.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Price and Consensus

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Price and Consensus | CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Quote

This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company has a dividend yield of 3.57%, compared with the industry average of 3.03%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 4.22%.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Dividend Yield (TTM)

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Dividend Yield (TTM) | CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Quote

FirstEnergy Corp. (FE): This electricity services distributor has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 1.4% over the last 60 days.

FirstEnergy Corporation Price and Consensus

FirstEnergy Corporation Price and Consensus | FirstEnergy Corporation Quote

This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company has a dividend yield of 4.47%, compared with the industry average of 3.03%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 4.73%.

FirstEnergy Corporation Dividend Yield (TTM)

FirstEnergy Corporation Dividend Yield (TTM) | FirstEnergy Corporation Quote

Intel Corporation (INTC): This technology company has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings advancing 4.9% over the last 60 days.

Story continues

Intel Corporation Price and Consensus

Intel Corporation Price and Consensus | Intel Corporation Quote

This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company has a dividend yield of 3.10%, compared with the industry average of 0.00%. Its five-year average dividend yield is 3.29%.

Intel Corporation Dividend Yield (TTM)

Intel Corporation Dividend Yield (TTM) | Intel Corporation Quote

See the full list of top ranked stocks here.

Find more top income stocks with some of our great premium screens.

4 Surprising Tech Stocks to Keep an Eye On

Tech stocks have been a major force behind the markets record highs, but picking the best ones to buy can be tough. Theres a simple way to invest in the success of the entire sector. Zacks has just released a Special Report revealing one thing tech companies literally cannot function without. More importantly, it reveals 4 top stocks set to skyrocket on increasing demand for these devices. I encourage you to get the report now  before the next wave of innovations really take off.

See Stocks Now>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Intel Corporation (INTC) : Free Stock Analysis Report



FirstEnergy Corporation (FE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP) : Free Stock Analysis Report



City Holding Company (CHCO) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
* Syrian gov't forces relieve air base besieged by IS

* US-backed alliance attacks IS in north of Deir al-Zor

* Govt forces, US-backed forces moving into closer proximity (Adds government forces reaching air base, background)

By John Davison and Rodi Said

BEIRUT/AL SHADADI, Syria, Sept 9 (Reuters) - U.S.-backed militias and the Syrian army advanced in separate offensives against Islamic State in eastern Syria on Saturday, piling pressure on shrinking territory the group still holds in oil-rich areas near the Iraqi border.

Syrian government forces fought their way to an air base on the outskirts of Deir al-Zor city that had been besieged for years by the jihadists, said a commander in the military alliance fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed alliance of mostly Arab and Kurdish fighters, meanwhile launched attacks against Islamic State in the north of Deir al-Zor province in an operation to capture areas east of the Euphrates river.

The advances against Islamic State, another blow to its control over territory it held for years as part of a self-declared caliphate, will likely bring U.S.-backed forces and the Syrian government side, backed by Russia and Iran, into closer proximity.

A U.S. warplane shot down a Syrian army jet near Raqqa in June and the SDF accused the Syrian government of bombing its positions, showing the risk of escalation between warring sides in a crowded battlefield.

The Syrian conflict, which started as a popular uprising against Assad in 2011, has drawn in the United States, Russia and regional powers. Peace talks have failed to bring an end to a war where Islamist groups have increasingly dominated Syria's armed opposition.

The SDF operation in Deir al-Zor province aims to capture areas in its northern and eastern countryside and advance towards the Euphrates, according to the Deir al-Zor Military Council, which is fighting as part of the SDF.

Story continues

"The first step is to free the eastern bank of the Euphrates and the areas Islamic State still holds," Ahmed Abu Kholeh, head of the military council, told Reuters after the announcement.

"We're not specifying a timeframe but we hope it will be a quick operation," he said at the town of al-Shadadi in Hasaka province.

Abu Kholeh would not say whether there were plans to advance on Deir al-Zor city itself. "We don't know how the battles will go after this," he said.

He said SDF fighters did not expect clashes with Syrian government forces, but if fired upon "we will respond".

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported that SDF forces had advanced against IS in Deir al-Zor's northwestern countryside, seizing several hilltops and a village.

SYRIAN ARMY RELIEVES AIRPORT

Syrian government forces and their allies reached Deir al-Zor military airport on the other side of the Euphrates, where troops had been holed up since 2014, surrounded by Islamic State, the commander in the pro-Assad alliance said.

The alliance includes Iran-backed militias and the powerful Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah.

The advance came days after the army and its allies broke the siege of the main part of the city, which had been separated from the airport by IS attacks a few months before.

Syrian troops also recaptured the Teym oilfield southwest of Deir al-Zor and seized part of a main highway running downstream to the city of al-Mayadeen, to which many IS militants have retreated, the British-based Observatory said.

That advance would help block potential IS reinforcements from al-Mayadeen, it said.

Islamic State in Syria still holds much of Deir al-Zor province and half the city, as well some territory further west near Homs and Hama, where government forces recaptured several villages on Saturday, pro-Damascus media reported.

But the group has lost most of its caliphate which from 2014 stretched across swathes of Syria and Iraq, including oil-rich Deir al-Zor.

The SDF is still battling to eject IS from the remaining areas it holds in Raqqa, northwest of Deir al-Zor and once the group's main Syria stronghold from where it planned attacks abroad.

Talks between Russia, Iran and opposition backer Turkey in the Kazakh capital Astana are to take place next week, possibly followed by a separate track at the United Nations in Geneva in October or November.

Assad's government has participated in previous rounds from a position of power as Damascus has clawed back much territory, including the main urban centres in the west of the country and increasingly eastern desert held by IS.

Syria's non-Islamist opposition holds some pockets of territory in western Syria, and the SDF, which is dominated by the Kurdish YPG militia, controls much of Syria's northeast. (Additional reporting by Laila Bassam in Beirut; Editing by Gareth Jones)
U.S. government debt yields rose on Monday, as damage from Hurricane Irma appears to be less than feared. Investors are also gearing up for an auction by the Treasury Department. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note (U.S.:US10Y) rose to 2.125 percent at 1:04 p.m. ET, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond (U.S.:US10Y) was up at 2.74 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices. The 10-year note yield is at its highest level since Sep. 5, 2017, when the 10-year yielded as high as 2.148 percent. The wrath of Hurricane Irma is in focus on Monday, as the huge storm hit the coast of Florida over the weekend . On early Monday, Irma continued to thrash the state of Florida, after hitting the Keys, Miami and other areas nearby in recent days; however the hurricane has since been downgraded to Category 1 as it continues to move its way across land. Hurricanes have put markets worldwide on edge over recent weeks, as investors show signs of unease when it comes to what the natural disasters will have on certain markets, including insurance and energy. The Treasury Department auctioned $24 billion in 3-year notes at a high yield of 1.433 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 2.7. Indirect bidders, which include major central banks, were awarded 46.2 percent.Direct bidders, which includes domestic money managers, bought 10.4 percent. In politics, geopolitical tensions are back in the limelight as the United Nations are expected to vote on a resolution on North Korea. Tensions between the Asian country and the West have escalated as of late, after North Korea failed to back down on its continuation of missile launches. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chose to hold a party over the weekend instead of opting for another missile launch, leading to a decline in safe haven asset prices . Assets including gold and the U.S. dollar posted gains on Monday.

Looking to commodities , oil prices fluctuated gains on Monday, as investors remained on edge about the impact Hurricane Irma could have on the sector. CNBC's Christina Wilkie and Reuters contributed to this report Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.



More From CNBC


Shares of Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA) opened more than 15% higher on Monday after the struggling drugmaker picked H. Lundbeck (HLUYY) chief Kare Schultz to fill its long-vacant CEO role.

Shares of Teva Pharmaceuticals TEVA opened more than 15% higher on Monday after the struggling drugmaker picked H. Lundbeck HLUYY chief Kare Schultz to fill its long-vacant CEO role.

Schultz, who has been at the helm of H. Lundbeck since May 2015, is set to take over at Teva, a generics giant that has been without a permanent CEO for more than seven months. The new job promises to present several interesting challenges for Schultz, as changing industry trends and an increasingly competitive market environment have led to significant headwinds for Teva.

In fact, Tevas debt load has swelled to a whopping $35 billion following its acquisition of Allergans AGN generics division, and the company is now under pressure to shed assets in an effort to pay down some of this debt.

According to Bloomberg, Schultz will likely be encouraged to consider splitting the companywith one business focused specifically on specialty medicines and another maintaining its generics operations.

Last month, reports emerged that Teva was considering the sale of Medis, an Iceland-based generic drug manufacturer. Other rumors suggested that the company is considering the sale of its respiratory treatment assets. Regardless, its clear that more deals will need to come.

In the wake of Tevas lackluster Q2 earnings, management slashed its full-year outlook, cut its dividend by 75%, and said that asset sales will likely generate at least $2 billionwell above the $1 billion level that was previously forecasted.

However, Tevas scramble to pay down its debt has not satisfied everyone. Recently, Moodys said that Tevas debt reduction has been slower than expected and lowered its credit rating. Of course, investors have also punished the company. Prior to today, Teva shares were down more than 57% year-to-date, and the stock is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

Nevertheless, Schultz seems up to the task. Speaking to Bloomberg Television earlier today, the new CEO said that he is the kind of person who likes challenge and [is] inspired by challenges. Schultz continued by saying that its important to work very fast and create a clear strategy and bring the company on strategic course.

Story continues

Want more stock market analysis from this author? Make sure to follow @Ryan_McQueeney on Twitter!

More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!

It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.

Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Allergan PLC. (AGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



H Lundbeck A/S (HLUYY) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (TEVA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
has incurred yet another fine for privacy violations in Europe, this time in Spain.

On Monday, the Spanish data protection authority (AEPD) said Facebook had been breaking privacy rules on multiple counts over the way it uses peoples personal data for advertising purposes. The agency fined the social network EUR1.2 million ($1.44 million).

Specifically, the AEPD called out the way Facebook collects data on peoples ideologies and religious beliefs, sex and personal tastes--from its own services and those of third parties--without clearly telling its users what it will do with this information.

The watchdog said Facebook did not get properly informed consent from users before exploiting this information, and also noted that the company violated laws by not deleting data that was no longer useful for the reasons it was collected.

The consent issue qualified as a very serious infringement, meriting a EUR600,000 fine, while the other two qualified as serious, each garnering a EUR300,000 fine.

In a statement, Facebook claimed the Spanish data protection authority (DPA) was wrong to say it showed people advertising based on sensitive personal data. It said ad-targeting was instead based on the interest people express by liking certain content on the social network.

Under EU law, personal data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person, so peoples likes would qualify as personal data.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune's technology newsletter.

We take note of the DPA's decision with which we respectfully disagree. Whilst we value the opportunities weve had to engage with the DPA to reinforce how seriously we take the privacy of people who use Facebook, we intend to appeal this decision, a spokesperson said. As we made clear to the DPA, users choose which information they want to add to their profile and share with others, such as their religion. However, we do not use this information to target adverts to people.

Story continues

The Spanish regulators crackdown follows coordination with agencies in other countries, namely France (which fined Facebook EUR150,000 earlier this year), Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. In recent years, European regulators have taken to ganging up on the likes of Facebook and , because individually they cannot levy fines that would make a serious dent in these giants wallets.

All that will change in May next year, when the EUs new General Data Protection Regulation comes into effect. This privacy law will allow for fines of up to EUR20 million or 4% of a companys annual global revenues, whichever is higher.

See original article on Fortune.com

More from Fortune.com
Although he was born in La Crosse and lives in Cashton, artist Buzz Balzer is quite familiar with the wildlife and landscapes of the West. Thats because for the last three years hes been the artist in residence at Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

I think its the second largest state park in the country, Balzer said. Its something like 73,000 acres.

The park is home to abundant wildlife including antelope, elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer and a bison herd. That influence is clearly seen in Balzers September exhibit in the Heider Center Art Gallery. It features Balzers oil paintings and is entitled Cowboys, Cattle and Country: American Life.

When it comes to the depiction of wildlife, Balzer has a resume. Hes exhibited at National Wildlife Shows in Kansas City and Charleston, S.C. and twice has been named Artist of the Year by the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, among a number of other awards.

Balzer, who grew up near Eau Claire, has been painting for a long time.

My mom said ever since I could hold a pencil, he said. I was an illustrator in the Army and after I got out I got an art degree at Iowa State.

A full-time artist, Balzer doesnt limit himself to wildlife. He also likes the challenge of landscapes, plein air painting and portraits. This will be his first show at the Heider Center and hes looking forward to it.

I always enjoy displaying my art, Balzer said.

While Balzers art will adorn the walls of the Heider Art Gallery, 10 photographs by Nancy Horstmann will be displayed in the gallerys cases.

Owner of the Captured by Nancy Christine Photo Studio on South Leonard Street in West Salem, Horstmann describes her exhibit as an amalgamation of photos that Ive taken.

She said the exhibit was inspired by the story of Peter Pan and his somewhat independent shadow and by a television ad she saw where people looking in a mirror saw themselves as different than they really were.

The photos all have a person or an animal in the foreground while the shadow is doing something else in the background.

Horstmann said she sees the photos as a way to picture ones inner child or future aspirations.
WTI futures hold onto gains, Brent turns lower

Investing.com - U.S. oil futures remained higher on Monday, while Brent futures lost some ground as concerns over the impact of Hurricane Irma on the oil industry eased and amid talk of a possible extension of OPEC's supply cuts.

The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude October contract was at $47.62 a barrel by 09:00 a.m. ET (13:00 GMT), up 18 cents or about 0.38%.

Elsewhere, Brent oil for November delivery on the ICE Futures Exchange in London dropped 30 cents or 0.56% to $53.48 a barrel.

U.S. oil futures found support following an official downgrading of Hurricane Irmas strength to Category 1, as the storm pummeled Florida over the weekend after devastating much of the Caribbean.

Massive storm surges have flooded areas across South Florida, while downed trees and power lines have left over 2 million residents without power.

The commodity was als boostedby reports the Saudi oil minister discussed a potential extension of a pact to cut global oil supplies beyond March 2018 with his Venezuelan and Kazakh counterparts on Sunday.

OPEC and other producers, including Russia, have agreed to reduce output by about 1.8 million barrels per day until next March in a bid to reduce global oil inventories and support oil prices.

A further extension for at least three more months beyond March is now being discussed before OPEC meets again in November.

Elsewhere, gasoline RBOB futures lost 1.94% to $1.616 a gallon, while natural gas futures rallied 1.11% to $2.922 per million British thermal units.

Related Articles

WTI futures hold onto gains, Brent turns lower

Saudi, UAE agree extension of oil cuts may be considered: statement

Gold prices remain lower as market sentiment improves
For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  September 11, 2017  Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Industry: Utilities, Part 2, including NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE  Free Report), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK  Free Report), American Water Works Company (NYSE:AWK  Free Report) and Aqua America Inc. (NYSE:WTR  Free Report).

Industry: Utilities, Part 2

Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/127760/factors-that-make-utility-stocks-a-safe-investment-choice

The utility sector is currently undergoing a transition as the primary fuel source, coal, is being replaced by natural gas, and we could notice increased usage of clean energy to produce electricity. Stringent emissions regulations enacted by President Obama also prompted utilities to take steps to lower emission levels.

President Trumps repeal of these stipulations on economic growth grounds are expected to give a new lease of life to utilities that produce a major part of their electricity from coal. Coal still accounts for nearly 30% of the electricity produced in the United States.

However, even without the Clean Power Plan, some large utilities like NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE  Free Report) and Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK  Free Report) have taken the initiative to produce more electricity from natural gas and alternative sources.

We believe there needs to be a balance between emission control and clean energy generation. A constructive utility rate environment, increase in electricity production from natural gas and renewables, and supporting clean coal-powered projects will enable utilities to efficiently serve a larger customer base.

In the segment below, we discuss the basic strengths of the utility sector.

Stable Demand & Rising Prices

A major positive as well as the most fundamental strength of the utility sector is that there is basically no viable substitute for its services. The endless need for electricity and utility services is a prime driver. This lends revenues and cash flow a high level of stability and visibility.

Story continues

In a recent release, the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicted that the annual average U.S. residential electricity price will increase 3.4% in 2017 and 3.2% in 2018, which will surely benefit the utilities. Electricity prices are also projected to increase in commercial and industrial sector. The increase in prices will, no doubt, boost earnings of the utilities.

Regular Dividend & Share Buybacks

Utility operators generate more or less stable earnings unless there are severe factors disrupting their operations. The regulated nature of operations provides stability. These operators, in turn, reward their shareholders through the payment of sustainable dividends and share buybacks. This was evident during the economic crisis of 2008-2009 when utilities continued to pay dividends uninterruptedly.

We have a long list of companies that are sharing profits consistently with their shareholders. Notable among them are CenterPoint Energy (CNP) and Duke Energy, which have raised dividend rates annually for more than 10 years now.

CenterPoint Energy, currently a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock, has a quarterly dividend rate of 26.75 cents and a dividend yield of 3.61%. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

In the second quarter, Duke Energys board of directors approved a 4.1% increase in the quarterly dividend rate. The current quarterly dividend rate is 89 cents, with a dividend yield of 4.08%.

Focus on R&D & Extension of ITC/PTC

In their pursuit of improving the standard of services, utility operators have steadily invested in research and development (R&D). They have introduced new smart meters and strengthened their transmission and distribution lines, which helped in the efficient usage of energy.

Utility operators are also benefiting from the ongoing research in the solar photovoltaic sector. Solar energy is a growing alternate energy source and the new solar cells with higher conversion rates allow operators to generate more power from fewer solar panels. This enables the operators to lower the cost of generating power from alternate sources as these are generally more expensive than fossil fuel sources.

In addition, the utility friendly moves of the U.S. administration through the extension of the validity period of Solar Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Wind Energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) will help the companies. We will see more utility scale solar and wind projects coming up, which will boost green power generation.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Utility sector operators dont shy away from merger and acquisition (M&A) activities to supplement organic growth. In addition to giving their operations greater scale and scope, such measures also lead to cost synergies and better utilization of resources. The larger the companies, the more access they have to funds essential for vital infrastructure upgrades.

We believe that in a mature energy market like the United States, M&As represent a sure way of enhancing market share. This expands market reach through the usage of transmission and distribution lines, diversifies the generation portfolio and lowers operating costs through the usage of common back office space.

We are noticing major acquisitions in the water utility space. American Water Works Company (NYSE:AWK  Free Report) closed several acquisitions in the first half of 2017, adding nearly 22,000 customers through acquisition and organic growth. The pending acquisition when closed could increase the companys customer base by 34,000 in 2017.

Another major player in the water utility space, Aqua America Inc. (NYSE:WTR  Free Report), successfully completed a few acquisitions as of Aug 2, 2017 adding 1,002 customers. Its pending acquisition, when closed over the course of the year, will add another 11,087 customers to its existing base.

To Sum Up

Stable operations, highly visible revenues and cash flows, combined with the sectors income/yield attributes are some of its key defining features. In addition, relaxed emission regulations under the Trump administration should act as a tailwind for the utility sector.

We notice a transition in the utility sector with more focus on clean energy generation, but we do not have any alternative to electricity. Similarly, clean water and wastewater services do not have any viable substitute. This is most important driving factor for the utilities.

There has been increasing focus on electricity storage facilities that will provide more support to the grid during peak demand period. The utilities are also regularly investing to strengthen their infrastructure to serve customers more efficiently.

The defensive nature and stable performance demonstrated by the utility sector has driven investors to look for a safe haven in this space. In the last six months, the Utility sector has returned 6.4% to investors compared with 4.9% gain of the S&P 500. So staying invested in these regular dividend payers often regarded as a bond substitute will be a safe option for jittery investors.

4 Surprising Tech Stocks to Keep an Eye On

Tech stocks have been a major force behind the markets record highs, but picking the best ones to buy can be tough. Theres a simple way to invest in the success of the entire sector. Zacks has just released a Special Report revealing one thing tech companies literally cannot function without. More importantly, it reveals 4 top stocks set to skyrocket on increasing demand for these devices. I encourage you to get the report now  before the next wave of innovations really takes off.

See Stocks Now>>

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has nearly tripled the market from 1988 through 2015. Its average gain has been a stellar +26% per year.See these high-potential stocks free >>.

Get the full Report on NEE - FREE

Get the full Report on DUK - FREE

Get the full Report on AWK - FREE

Get the full Report on WTR - FREE

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch

Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts

Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.

Media Contact

Zacks Investment Research

800-767-3771 ext. 9339

support@zacks.com

https://www.zacks.com/

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. 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 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. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) : Free Stock Analysis Report



American Water Works (AWK) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Aqua America, Inc. (WTR) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Can you give us some background? How did you come to join the Coast Guard?

What motivated you to get an MBA?

Youve been a helicopter pilot and chief pilot  so youve already done a lot in a managerial role, correct?

What did you find most difficult about the b-school application process?

When you interviewed, what was the most memorable or difficult question you were asked?

Youre at Haas now. What are the best aspects of the program for you?

What could be improved?

You mentioned the tightknit collaborative culture in both the Coast Guard and Haas. What are some differences?

Youre older than the average Haas MBA student. Was it hard to be a student again?

Was there anything else that surprised you about Haas?

Has the program changed your approach to leadership?

What are your plans for after graduation?

What will you miss about Haas

Do you have any tips for MBA applicants, especially those coming from the military?

Have you experienced any special challenges coming from the military

Whats your favorite class?

Any favorite professors?

Related Links:

Related Shows:

you

Military and older student attending the UC Berkeley Haas Full-time MBA program. Lets hear his story.Our guest today, David Middleton, graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the US Coast Guard Academy in 2003, when many of his classmates were in middle school. He served in different capacities in the Coast Guard, most recently as Operations Officer and Chief Pilot, responsible for over 100 aviation personnel and the management of 6 helicopters protecting 585 miles of coastline.And hes a FT student at Haas about to begin the second year of his MBA program. David, welcome to Admission Straight Talk![1:35]I grew up in San Diego. I used to tell people I didnt want to leave San Diego, and I didnt want to join the military.During a weeklong orientation at the Coast Guard Academy, I realized what a great opportunity it was. Leaving San Diego for CT was a big change But I decided if I could pursue aviation I would do that.When I learned how small the Coast Guard is and what their mission is, I was really excited.[3:30]It was pretty work-driven. Ive been an operator for a long time. Ive been flying helicopters, and Id been on a ship as an engineer for a while.I dont know if most folks really understand the military  I describe it as an up-or-out system. Youre really looking to the next rank to take on greater responsibilities.I saw education as the way to be promotable. And looking beyond the Coast Guard, I saw the MBA as preparation for whenever I did transition out.[4:35]Yes. In LA I did public affairs. When I was stationed in Alaska, I did a lot of aviation safety, which was good. And when I found myself in San Francisco, I was the instructor pilot  I took on a lot of leadership when my boss (the chief pilot) left unexpectedly.[5:50]Because I was in the job I was in at the time  everything. For context, I was on the last year of my assignment. I put in for a program that the Coast Guard has to send you to grad school. I felt rushed because I didnt get my approval until October  too late for Round 1 deadlines.[7:35]A memorable question was Have you ever had to make a difficult decision?Because of my work experience, it was a good question for me. I could tell a story about a rescue Id done. In my job youre making life and death decisions.[9:45]What stood out to me when I was applying  and now Im living it  is the culture and diversity. People read about it, but its palpable.The culture aspect  people are nice. I was used to a tightknit culture in the military and I wasnt sure if Id find that, but I really have.[11:05]The thing that stands out: it was challenging spacewise to do group projects. Im excited to start class this week because the new building is opening.[12:00]For me, its the first time being a civilian again. Even though Im still active duty, Im not in uniform. In the Coast Guard its very structured  you refer to people by rank. At Haas, its more independent.[13:00]The average age is about 28, and I came in at 35. It was a little challenging to be a student. Id initially thought that since I did well in undergrad I would be able to handle it.I was commuting in because my wife works a couple of hours away  and I found I got behind pretty quickly. The material was tough and the pace was fast.[14:35]I always knew Id be surrounded by great folks. But people are really unassuming, even people whove started their own companies or graduated at the top of their class from Ivy League schools. Im more and more impressed.[15:40]The leadership component is a constant work in motion. In the military, you get a lot of leadership and responsibility right away. Now with the academic angle I find myself reflecting on those experiences.In my Leading People class, we were talking about performance evaluations. In my last role, I did a lot of them, and I thought back about how Id done them.[18:00]When I applied to school it was a sponsored program through the Coast Guard  so Ill return to the Coast Guard. At some point Ill probably transition into a civilian role.? [19:30]The people  but I hope Ill continue to build on those friendships.Ill also miss being a student and having the time to dig into books and articles.[20:20]I probably should have started a year out.If you reach out to the veterans club or active duty club at the program, theyre very helpful.? [21:25]The first thing is just being a student again.From the military side, being a civilian is different: in the military, the chain of command is so structured.[22:40]I enjoyed my core classes. And I really enjoyed my real estate elective. We worked on a great project locally where we designed affordable housing for teachers. It was a really fun problem solving project. I enjoyed the design thinking aspect of it  where you dont know the answer.[29:42]I really liked my accounting professor and my real estate professor.Ive been blown away by their background and knowledge  and their willingness to meet with you. Leadership in Admissions , a free guide This article originally appeared on blog. .Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.Contact us, and get matched up with the consultant who will help_________________
Everyday, Nigerians are proving that there is no record they cannot break and there is no obstacle they cannot conquer.

Another young Nigerian Boluwatife Aiki-Raji has just gotten his dream job with Twitter. The young man, who was born in Nigeria but studied at Howard University, has been offered a full-time position by Twitter as a software engineer.

Legit.ng gathered that, Raji who graduated from Olashore International School in Nigeria, attended a technical school for a year before studying computer science at Howard University.

Boluwatife Aiki-Raji

READ ALSO: Celestial Church members sing and dance to Olamide's Wo during service (video)

Describing his stay at Howard University the young man disclosed that: I met two wonderful people at Howard who are now my roommates, Errol Grannum and Barry Harris, they along with his mentor, Emmanuel Ademuwagun and their interest in computer science spurred the change of my major.

HBCUBuzz.com also reported that while Raji was at Howard, he was exposed to various career opportunities that any student would not think twice before jumping at the offer. He served as a Google EDGE participant in his freshman year and continued to move full speed ahead.

In his freshman year at Howard, Raji had a friend at Twitter office who made him sell himself to the company and in no time he went through a rigorous interview process with the CEO Jack Dorsey and he got the job soon after.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!

Raji said: Twitter is a wonderful company and I have met amazing people there. I love my team at Twitter and I feel right at home with them. I know the position at Twitter will give me an opportunity to help other computer science majors like myself sometime down the line. I am also happy because I believe I have made my parents proud.

Watch Legit.ng video below:

Source: Legit.ng
As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ
Gholam Hussein Shafei, the head of Irans Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture said: In the field of cement, there are 73 licenses and 92 permits under construction, which makes it a total of 165 units. However, South Korea with 10 units produces much more cement than us.

He said that this is the same across most other sectors and that fundamental change is necessary.

On Friday, Shafei gave a speech to the meeting of the Committee on Industry and Mines of the Parliamentary Assembly and the Council of Governmental Dialogue and Private Sector of Khorasan Razavi, in which he highlighted the realities of inefficiency and low productivity in Irans industries.

He said: In the automotive industry, we have 49 licensees and 32 licensed vehicles under construction, and a total of 81 units of automobile production in our country. The number of units in the automotive industry in Germany is 12, in the US 29, in France 8, in Japan 11, and in South Korea 5 units.

So Japans 11 automotive companies produce about 10 million vehicles per year, most of which are sold internationally, while Iran produces less than a million cars, despite having a much larger number of automotive companies, and sells most of them domestically.

Shafei said: In the production of motorcycles, 177 licenses and 33 units are under construction and we have a total of 110 units. The total number of motorcycle units in the countries of Indonesia, Taiwan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Japan and South Korea is 82 units. 

Of course, one of the biggest problems is that the Iranian Regime is pretending to transfer industry from the government to the private sector, whilst really keeping a lot of it under the control of their cronies (especially the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)).

Tahmaseb Mazaheri, the former head of the Central Bank of Iran said: The government has a large share of the countrys production. The feeble private sector cannot compete with the coarse and strong private-governmental sector.

This means that the real private sector is displaced by the private-government sector, which uses government facilities without paying for them and therefore does not need to worry so much about profit.

Mohammad Shariatmadari, Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade, said: One of the problems we face is private-governmental transfer and the major firms in the country are faced with management and governance challenges and I consider it my responsibility and mission to make transfers to the private sector. But in this way, those who are not responsible, in the exercise of ownership create a crisis in the administration of the large enterprises of the country.

He admitted that some of the owners are his colleagues and their families or friends.
Khomeini, with a rigid theocratic rule, wanted to supposedly prepare for al-Mahdis return.

During his many years in exile, Khomeini studied Plato, Aristotle and other philosophers and was influenced by Sufi mystics. At that time, he was a harsh critic of religion and spirituality.

Khomeini had knowledge regarding past Persian dynasties and knew just how to manipulate the religious feelings of the masses. He propelled himself to power with manipulation and exploitation.

Once he had the reins, Khomeinis rule was with a totalitarian type of discipline. Religion was no longer the ethical guide for the people of the country and he used an obsessive and over-the-top security system to dominate every part of the peoples lives.

The peoples identity was removed and they were enslaved. The religious fascism dominated every aspect of life.

Khomeini stole the revolution that freed the people from Mohammed Reza Shah (who sent him to exile). During exile, Khomeini urged the people to protest. And they did.

The Shah was eventually overthrown and Khomeini took control of law and order and ensured that the people had no choice other than to fully adhere to his ideology, turning him into a type of cult figure.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former President of Iran from 2005 to 2013, also hypocrite as he was, told friends that the al-Mahdi had appeared to him. He said that he was sent on a divine mission to provoke a cataclysmic confrontation with the West. He believed that this would bring about the second coming of the al-Madhi.

Although it looked like he was crazy to many, it was radical religious thought that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the Basij force and Hezbollah (Irans proxy terror organisation that it trains and funds), also adhered to.

But on the serious side, there are serious consequences to this craziness. For one, the Iranian regime has more than enough military equipment to start another major war and it is well on its way to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

To stop the warmongering of Iranian regime, Iranian people through a heroic resistance which is materialized in their organized opposition, called the National Council of Resistance of Iran are capable of regime change and they should be supported by the international community.
However, the following day, Saudi Arabia decided to suspend dialogue with Qatar, slamming it for distorting facts.

Several months ago, Saudi Arabia, along with Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE (United Arab Emirates), ended trade links and cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. On 5th June, air and shipping routes were suspended.

Qatar is the home to the biggest US military base in the region and is also the biggest exporter in the world of liquefied natural gas.

Kuwait has been attempting to mediate the dispute between the nations. The dispute is based on claims that Qatar has been supporting terrorism and Iran  the regions foe, as well as Islamists. Qatari leaders are denying that there is any truth in the claims.

The phone call on Friday was the first time there has been contact between the leaders since the dispute started in June.

State media in Qatar reported that the call was coordinated by US President Donald Trump who wants the countries to reunite so that they can face Iran as a united front. Trump had spoken to Sheikh Tamim earlier in the day and said that he would like to see a reconciliation between the nations.

In the call to Saudi Arabia, the Emir of Qatar said he was willing to sit at the dialogue table and would listen to the demands of the other countries so that a decision could be made in the best interests of all involved.

However, Saudi Arabia issued a statement saying that Qatari reports about the call were inaccurate.

Saudi state news agency SPA wrote: What was published on the Qatar News Agency is a continuation of the distortion of the Qatari authority of the facts. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announces the suspension of any dialogue or communication with the authority in Qatar until a clear statement is issued clarifying its position in public.

President Trump is aware that the threat of Iran needs to be dealt with urgently. He believes that if the United States allies can join together, it will show Iran that they are a strong alliance.

President Trump also urged the Arab nations to uphold their commitments made during the summit earlier this year to ending terrorism and countering Iran.
Iran, ignoring its own pressing domestic issues, took the opportunity to direct the worlds attention elsewhere. It has been, arguably, one of the main benefactors after the 9/11 attack. Following two wars in the region, Iran took the chance to spread sectarianism and its evil ideology.

However, it is imperative that Irans role in the terrorist attack is highlighted, and it is even more crucial that those from the Iranian regime who had involvement in the attack are held accountable.

The Iranian regime, which for almost forty years has been unable to look after its own people, has exported its Islamic Revolution by interfering in the affairs of other countries in the region and by causing chaos.

In Washington, a bipartisan commission looked into the 9/11 events and concluded that there is strong evidence to suggest that Iran was instrumental in moving al-Qaeda members in and out of Afghanistan before the attacks. Some of these people were hijackers on 9/11.

Of the 14 hijackers, 10 of them were allowed through Iran between October 2000 and February 2001.

There is also evidence to show that the Lebanese Hezbollah (which is funded and trained by Iran) was involved in training al-Qaeda members during the nineties. The 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia was previously attributed to the Lebanese Hezbollah, but since, it has been found that al-Qaeda is likely to have collaborated.

At the beginning of last year, Judge George Daniels of New York slammed Iran for facilitating the execution of the 9/11 attacks.

Despite the argument that a Shiite Iran is unlikely to back the Sunni al-Qaeda group, it must be remembered that terrorists  Sunni or Shiite  share the same goals (i.e. Islamic Jihad and Hamas). Iran has supported those who target US interests and is ironically indiscriminate (unlike in most other areas).

Iran, after the 9/11 attack, went on to provide a safe place for terrorists. It has been discovered that several al-Qaeda terrorists were granted security in Iran.

So Irans sponsorship and direct support for the 9/11 attack, its facilitation of travel and training for the hijackers, and its role of providing terrorists with a safe haven in Iran, shows that Irans involvement was extensive.
A judge Monday sentenced an Illinois man who robbed a North Side La Crosse business last year, while on probation for the same crime, to seven years in prison.

Damario Graham, 25, of Rockford, will serve the sentence after a 5-year period of incarceration imposed for his prior robbery case.

You made choices that threatened the lives of individuals, La Crosse County Circuit Judge Elliott Levine said. Over what? Over nothing.

Graham robbed Wisconsin Auto Title Loan, 1751 Rose St., on Sept. 20 after demanding money at gunpoint and threatening to shoot an employee. He fled with about $200 in a Dodge Caravan driven by 34-year-old Robert Cobb Jr., who has not been found.

A La Crosse County jury convicted Graham of armed robbery as party to the crime during a one-day trial. At the time, he was serving five years on probation for robbing a payday loan store in Rock County after threatening a pregnant employee with a knife. A judge sentenced him in August to 5 years in prison after his probation was revoked.

Graham failed to learn from his prior conviction, choosing instead to force two employees to face potentially deadly consequences for working, La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke said.

I dont want to live or work in a community where people are afraid to be next to a cash register, he said.

Graham has no remorse for the victims, said Gruenke, who argued for a 10-year sentence.

I think we are dealing with someone who doesnt care about other people, he said. And I have no problem saying hes a risk to do it a third time.

Defense attorney Eric Sanford argued for a 5-year sentence that would run concurrently with the sentence imposed in Grahams prior case, arguing that housing him with felons for an extended period wont equip him with the skills needed to lead a different life after release.

I just need help, like most people do, said Graham, who asked for a chance at redemption.

The judge also imposed seven years on extended supervision that he will serve consecutive to 3 years imposed in the Rock County case.
VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents.

Today we are talking about Warren Harding. He was the 29th president of the United States.

Harding was very different from the 28th president, Woodrow Wilson.

Wilson supported change; Harding promised a return to normalcy.

Wilson took steps to protect American workers; Harding often worked to protect business owners.

Wilson was slow in supporting voting rights for women, and in accepting African-American people as equal to whites. Harding supported womens suffrage and civil rights for African-Americans.

Yet both men were popular during their years in office.

Today, however, historians usually think of Wilson as one of Americas best presidents. But Harding is remembered as one of the worst.

Early life

Warren Harding was the eighth president from the state of Ohio. His parents were both doctors.

Harding spoke about having a happy childhood, growing up on a farm with his brothers and sisters. Some of his favorite early activities were performing in a band.

Later, Harding  along with two friends  bought a newspaper. The paper became successful for several reasons.

Harding was kind to his employees and shared the companys profits with them. He also tried not to publish stories that criticized politics or politicians from any party. Finally, he married a woman who had an excellent head for business.

Florence Kling Harding led the newspapers circulation department. She also helped to direct her husbands political career.

In time, Warren Harding became a state senator, a lieutenant governor of Ohio, and then a member of the U.S. Senate. He especially liked being a senator  and many of the other lawmakers liked him.

One reason is because Harding rarely took a controversial position on any issue.

Instead, he accepted most of the ideas of the Republican Party. He was also good-looking and had an excellent speaking voice.

These qualities helped earn him the Republican presidential nomination in 1920. A few months later, he easily won the national election.

Presidency

President Harding took office shortly after World War I ended. He promised to make Americans feel calm again, and also improve the nations prosperity. Two of Hardings goals were to support business and to limit immigration.

He succeeded on both issues. His administration reduced taxes for big businesses and wealthy people. It also increased tariffs -- taxes on foreign imports.

And the Harding administration put in place new rules on immigration. The rules made it easier for immigrants from northern Europe to enter the country, but harder for immigrants from Russia, eastern and central Europe.

Harding also took steps to improve the effectiveness of the federal government.

But his administration is remembered mostly for its problems.

At the beginning of his term, Harding reportedly told friends that the job of being president was too much for him. He appeared to want to do well, and he worked hard. But he turned over most of the responsibility to his friends in the cabinet.

A few were very able. But some were dishonest. They abused their positions to gain wealth for themselves and their families.

One of the most famous examples of corruption during Hardings administration is known as the Teapot Dome Scandal.

The name Teapot Dome comes from a rock in the state of Wyoming. The rock looked like a teapot. Scientists correctly believed that oil could be found in the ground underneath it.

At the time, the U.S. navy depended on oil to fuel its ships. So, the federal government claimed the land in case the navy needed to use the oil in an emergency.

But a cabinet official who was a friend of Harding took control of the land. He gave a private company permission to search for oil on it in exchange for a large amount of money.

Some lawmakers became suspicious. So they opened an investigation.

In time, lawyers proved the act of corruption. Hardings friend was the first person to be found guilty of a crime while serving as a cabinet official.

But President Harding did not live to see his friend go to jail.

The investigation was just beginning when Harding took a trip to the West Coast to campaign for his policies.

Some say that Harding was also trying to escape the problems in his administration. He reportedly told one reporter that worrying about what his friends were doing kept him awake at nights.

During the trip, Harding showed signs of not being in good health. Doctors thought he could have food poisoning or pneumonia. He was taken to a hotel in San Francisco, California. For a day, he appeared to be feeling better.

He was sitting up in bed. And then suddenly, his body shook and collapsed. He died instantly.

Reports at the time differed on the cause of Hardings death. Some even said that his wife poisoned the president to protect him from being punished for the wrongdoing in his administration.

But most historians think that he had long suffered from heart failure, and was struck by a heart attack. He was 57.

Legacy

Millions of Americans mourned over Warren Hardings death. They stood beside railroad tracks as his body traveled from California back to Washington, DC.

The following year, Florence Harding also died. She and her husband are buried together under a grand memorial in their hometown in Ohio.

But in the years after his death, Hardings public image worsened. More corruption scandals in his administration came to light. And some historians have criticized him for not having a clear idea about how he wanted to lead the country.

In 1927, a woman published a book saying she had a long, but secret relationship with Harding, both before and during his presidency. She also said he was the father of her daughter. Genetic testing has confirmed her claim.

More than 30 years after her book was published, a lawyer discovered love letters from Harding to a different woman. They confirmed that he had a long romantic affair with the wife of one of his friends. Harding had also been married at the time.

These reports, as well as the corruption during his administration, damaged Hardings public image. But he also seemed to know that he would not be remembered as one of the best occupants of the White House.

Instead, he tried to be likable and modest. He called himself a man of limited talents who was not fit for the office of president.

Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Listening Quiz

See how well you understand the story by taking this listening quiz. Play each short video, then choose the best answer.

Quiz - America's Presidents: Warren G. Harding Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

band - n. a usually small group of musicians who play popular music together

circulation - n. the average number of copies of a newspaper that are sold over a particular period

prosperity - n. the state of being successful usually by making a lot of money

instantly - adv. without delay; immediately

grand - adj. impressive because of size or importance

talents - n. special abilities that allow someone to do something well
In August, the United States began renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico.

As a candidate for president, Donald Trump called for talks on reworking the 1994 agreement, known as NAFTA.

One result of NAFTA was an increase in agricultural exports from the United States. So American farmers are worried that any changes to the trade deal could hurt them financially.

Ken Beck is a farmer in the state of Illinois. He says it is not easy to grow crops now.

Risky at best. There is no money in this game anymore.

Beck says his farm has been losing money in each of the past four years. He says corn and soy prices have dropped, while costs for fertilizer and seed are rising. He believes that the U.S. government can help him and other farmers by increasing trade.

His hopes for increased demand, and higher crop prices, ended when the Trump administration decided to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership, or TPP agreement. That is why Beck is closely watching the U.S. efforts to renegotiate NAFTA.

For a corn producer, grain producer, NAFTAs been extremely good.

The United States is one of the top suppliers of agricultural products to Mexico. The U.S. exported more than $2.5 billion in corn to its southern neighbor in 2016. But this year there has been a decrease in Mexican imports of U.S. corn and soybean. Beck says that is because Mexico is buying crops from other countries.

Mexico, for the first time in history, bought corn from Argentina. Was it cheaper? No. But they are sending a signal.

Other signs that worry Beck are coming from President Trump, including his threat to withdraw from NAFTA. Beck says this creates uncertainty for American farmers.

Tamara Nelsen works for the Illinois Farm Bureau, a non-profit group working for the states farmers.

If you have a shock -- like pulling out of TPP or not keeping the agreement going on NAFTA, it makes the markets nervous and it lowers the farmers farm income."

Nelsen says many farmers are worried.

We hope that some of the rhetoric, like anti-trade, anti-exports for agriculture, will turn around and well actually have some achievements.

Farmer Ken Beck says he hopes only small changes will be made to NAFTA. And he says he hopes that whatever changes are made take place soon.

Decisions in the next few weeks are going to have to be made for next year already."

Im Phil Dierking.

VOAs Kane Farabaugh reported this story from Prairie Center, Illinois. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

game  n. a physical or mental activity; a field of gainful activity

cheaper  adj. costing less; not costing a lot of money

uncertainty  n. the state of being unsure; something that is unknown

rhetoric  n. the art of speaking or writing effectively

achievement  n. a result gained by work or effort

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.
Two of the world's biggest luxury goods companies will stop working with fashion models that are too thin.

The agreement, signed this week by the French companies LVMH and Kering, seeks to protect the health of fashion models. The agreement will affect well-known brands including Dior, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and others.

The companies' agreement meets  and goes beyond  the requirements of a new French law.

That law, which will start on October 1, requires male and female models to show health certificates received within the past two years.

LMVH and Kering said their new agreement would shorten that requirement to six months.

LMVH and Kering also agreed to ban the use of female models who are below a French woman's size 34. That is similar to a U.S. size 0-2 and a U.K. size 6.

The two groups said they hoped to set a new standard for the fashion industry.

We hope to inspire the entire industry to follow suit, thus making a real difference in the working conditions of fashion models industry-wide, Kering CEO Francois-Henri Pinault said in a statement.

Unlike the French law, the agreement will apply to the international Kering and LVMH brands.

I'm John Russell.

AP News reported this story. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

certificate  n. a document that is official proof that something has happened (i.e. a health inspection)

standard  n. a level of quality, achievement, etc., that is considered acceptable or desirable

collection  n. fashion a group of clothes that a fashion designer has created
Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit

Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools:

Portfolio Monitoring

Top Stock Lists

Premium Reports

Stock Screeners

Live News Feed

Premium Support

Free for your first month.
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.
Milwaukee-area native Chet Andersen was only 17 when he left his position as a tool and die apprentice to enlist in the Navy in 1944, during World War II.

Seventy-three years later, the La Crosse man will make his first visit to the nations capital on Saturday, with the 20th Freedom Honor Flight from La Crosse to Washington, D.C. Hes looking forward to seeing the World War II Memorial, as well as other monuments and memorials such as those to the Korean and Vietnam wars.

I think its nice, Andersen said of the Freedom Honor Flight program. My daughters talked me into doing this, he said of going on the flight to Washington.

Andersen moved to La Crosse from Texas in March to be closer to two daughters who live in the area. He and his late wife had five children and he had lived in Texas for 25 years.

Andersen was a tool and die maker in the Milwaukee area until he retired in the late 1960s.

During World War II, he served on three ships in the Pacific  mostly the USS Jason and the USS Kermit Roosevelt, both Navy repair and refueling ships.

Andersen was injured on his way from San Francisco to the Marshall Islands, when Japanese forces attacked. A shell hit a beam right over my head on the troop transport I was on, and the concussion sent me airborne, he recalled. He lost all of his hearing for about a month, and never totally regained his hearing.

While in the Marshall Islands, Andersen saw a Japanese kamikaze airplane hit a nearby American aircraft carrier, causing a major explosion and fire and killing some sailors.

But perhaps his scariest experience was on the USS Jason when it ducked into a shallow harbor in the Philippines to escape Japanese submarines. The ship was in the harbor for about four weeks, and ran out of food after the first week.

The ships captain sent about 15 sailors including Andersen looking for pineapples and other food. Before they reached a cluster of trees, a Japanese soldier atop a tree apparently lost his balance and accidentally fired a shot, prompting other Japanese soldiers in trees to begin firing. None of us got hit, Andersen said. We got out of there real quick.

The USS Jason left the harbor after more U.S. Navy ships arrived nearby.

Andersen will be among more than 180 people on Saturdays flight to Washington, said Bill Hoel, a Freedom Honor Flight board member.

About 95 veterans will be on the flight. They will be accompanied by volunteer guardians, a medical crew and a half-dozen Freedom Honor Flight directors.

Hoel said Andersen will be among a handful of World War II veterans on the flight. Most of the veterans on Saturdays trip are Korean War veterans.

Theres a good chance that many of those on next springs Freedom Honor Flight will be Vietnam War veterans, which would be a first for the local program, Hoel said.

Unless something drastic happens, we wont have enough Korean War veterans (on the Freedom Honor Flight waiting list) to fill a flight next spring, Hoel said. So next year well get a good start on Vietnam veterans. Over 500 of them are already on the waiting list.
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (TNS)  Matthew Warshauer was lecturing on the Civil War at the Southington Public Library one September a few years ago when he looked outside and saw a banner not unlike thousands of others across the country: 9/11, We Will Never Forget.

But it got the Central Connecticut State University history professor wondering how long that sentiment would hold true.

Here I am trying to remind people  of literally the biggest conflict in American history, and nobody remembers it, he said of his work related to the Civil War. So it got me thinking about historical memory. How long will we remember (9/11)?

It seems unfathomable to most Americans that they could forget the terror attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives one Tuesday in September. Years of memorial services, moments of silence and two wars in the Middle East have made discussion about 9/11 inescapable.

But many young Americans have no recollection of the days events or of the countrys early response. Most high school sophomores today were born after the attacks.

Even though they are too young to have any memories of Sept. 11, 2001, Warshauer argues that the generation after the millennials  people born between 2000 and 2020  should be referred to as the 9/11 Generation.

This is a generation that has been fundamentally shaped by the attacks and the American response, he said.

In a presentation hes scheduled to give at the Old State House in Hartford on Sept. 20, Warshauer lays out some of the things that generation has grown up with: the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, the downturn of the U.S. and world economies, partisan gridlock on foreign policy and the threat of Islamic terrorism.

Even though the particulars of the event itself may not resonate with many younger people who didnt live through it, certainly theyre living with the consequences of it, said Bilal Sekou, a professor of political science at the University of Hartford who is joining Warshauer for a panel discussion after his presentation.

Sekou said his students today have grown up in a security state, with a color-coded threat level scale and where they have to take their shoes off to board a plane. Most have no recollection of pre-9/11 society.

The world has just so fundamentally changed I dont think they have the basis for making a comparison, he said.

So, two years ago, Warshauer started teaching a course at CCSU called 9/11 Generation, aimed at educating young students about the event.

Some students come to the course with zero knowledge of 9/11, he said.

Thats been the most fascinating thing, Warshauer said. It dawned on me: In another two years, my students are going to have absolutely no emotional connection or memory of 9/11 at all. The subject is merely going to be another history class to them, which blows my mind.

Warshauer was teaching at CCSU on 9/11 and hes seen firsthand how the event has affected successive groups of students in different ways.

As the anniversary has come each year, Im with the same age group of students, but their view of society and certainly their understanding of the event in history has changed, he said.

For his next book, Warshauer plans to write about what he calls the 9/11 Generation. As part of his research, hes looked at other major historical events and observed how they faded from memory. According to a 2015 survey by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, half of Americans dont know when the Civil War took place.

Another example Warshauer uses is the attack on Pearl Harbor. Only about 10 percent of Americans alive today have any memory of Pearl Harbor.

Christine Dennehy, a CCSU senior from Danbury, took Warshauers course last fall. She was 5 years old on 9/11, but about all she remembers is that her parents picked her up early from school and that they were worried about her brother, who was on a flight.

It was an eye-opening course to take, Dennehy said. I learned more than I ever could have imagined. If I hadnt taken this class, I would not know anything about it and I wouldnt have thought to look up information.

Warshauer said the generation that is an alive when an event occurs that is most likely to continue to commemorate it year after year. Memorials and the like are usually built in the immediate aftermath, not by future generations.

Dennehy said she thinks its important to continue to commemorate 9/11.

Its not something we should let fade into history, she said.

But Dennehy also thinks its important that such commemorations are informative.

People know the day, but if you dont know anything about it theres no point in commemorating it, she said.

Robert Klitzman, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, lost his sister on 9/11. She worked for an investment firm on the 105th floor of the World Trade Centers north tower. The world has moved on in many ways since the attack, Klitzman said, but it should continue to be remembered.

Klitzman said its important that people memorialize the victims, but also look for other lessons that can be learned from 9/11.

9/11 made us realize the horrors of terrorism and the reasons we need to combat it, but also the reasons why senseless violence is never justified, he said.

Every year on Sept. 11, Klitzman and his family members visit ground zero in New York City. He said the permanent memorial and museum that has been erected there will help to keep the memory of the attack alive for future generations.

Writing in The Daily Beast, Kevin M. Levin, a historian and educator from Boston, said, Theres no immediate danger of Americans forgetting 9/11.

But at some point, he wrote, our collective memory, with its emphasis on recalling the visceral emotions experienced that day, will shift to a more detached perspective that situates the event within a broader historical context.
The following companies are subsidiares of PepsiCo: Alimentos Quaker Oats y Compania Limitada, Alimentos del Istmo S.A., Amavale Agricola Ltda., Anderson Hill Insurance Limited, Asia Bottlers Limited, BAESA Capital Corporation Ltd., BFY Brands, BFY Brands LLC, BFY Brands Limited, BUG de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Balmoral Industries LLC, Bare Foods Co., Barrhead LLC, Be & Cheery, Beaman Bottling Company, Bebidas Sudamerica S.A., Beech Limited, Bell Taco Funding Syndicate, Bendler Investments II Ltd, Bendler Investments S.a r.l, Beverage Services Limited, Beverages Foods & Service Industries Inc., Bishkeksut OJSC, Blaue NC S. de R.L. de C.V., Blue Cloud Distribution Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arizona Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arkansas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Colorado Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Florida Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Georgia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Illinois Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Indiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Iowa Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Kentucky Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Louisiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Minnesota Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Mississippi Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Missouri Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nebraska Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nevada Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of North Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Ohio Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Oklahoma Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Pennsylvania Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of South Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Tennessee Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Texas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Virginia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Wisconsin Inc., Blue Ridge Sales LLC, Bluebird Foods Limited, Bluecan Holdings Unlimited Company, Bokomo Zambia Limited, Bolsherechensky Molkombinat JSC, Boquitas Fiestas LLC, Boquitas Fiestas S.R.L., Bottling Group Financing LLC, Bottling Group Holdings LLC, Bottling Group LLC, Bronte Industries Ltd, C & I Leasing Inc., CB Manufacturing Company Inc., CEME Holdings LLC, CMC Investment Company, Caroni Investments LLC, Centro-Mediterranea de Bebidas Carbonicas PepsiCo S.L., Ceres Fruit Juices Pty Ltd, ChampBev Inc., China Concentrate Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Chipsy International for Food Industries S.A.E., Chipsy for Food Industries S.A.E., Chitos Internacional y Cia Ltda, Cipa Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cipa Nordeste Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cocina Autentica Inc., Comercializadora CMC Investment y Compania Limitada, Comercializadora Nacional SAS Ltda., Comercializadora PepsiCo Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., Compania de Bebidas PepsiCo S.L., Concentrate Holding Uruguay Pte. Ltd., Concentrate Manufacturing Singapore Pte. Ltd., Confiteria Alegro S. de R.L. de C.V., Copella Fruit Juices Limited, Copper Beech International LLC, Corina Snacks Limited, Corporativo Internacional Mexicano S. de R.L. de C.V., CytoSport Holdings Inc., CytoSport Inc., Davlyn Realty Corporation, Defosto Holdings Limited, Desarrollo Inmobiliario Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Dilexis S.A., Donon Holdings Limited, Drinkfinity USA Inc., Drinkstation Inc., Drinkstation Innovation Co. Ltd., Drinkstation Limited, Dutch Snacks Holding S.A. de C.V., Duyvis Production B.V., EPIC Enterprises Inc., Echo Bay Holdings Inc., Elaboradora Argentina de Cereales S.R.L., Enter Logistica LLC, Environ at Inverrary Partnership, Environ of Inverrary Inc., Eridanus Investments S.a r.l, Evercrisp Snack Productos de Chile S.A., FL Transportation Inc., FLI Andean LLC, FLI Colombia LLC, FLI Snacks Andean GP LLC, Fabrica PepsiCo Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Fabrica de Productos Alimenticios Rene y Cia S.C.A., Fairlight International SRL, Far East Bottlers Hong Kong Limited, Food Concepts Pioneer Ltd., Forest Akers Nederland B.V., Forty-Six Peaks Holding Inc., Fovarosi Asvanyviz es Uditoipari Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Freshwater International B.V., Frito Lay Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Frito Lay Poland Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay de Guatemala y Compania Limitada, Frito-Lay Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Frito-Lay Dip Company Inc., Frito-Lay Dominicana S.A., Frito-Lay Global Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Inc., Frito-Lay Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Manufacturing LLC, Frito-Lay Netherlands Holding B.V., Frito-Lay North America Inc., Frito-Lay Sales Inc., Frito-Lay Trading Company Europe GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company Poland GmbH, Frito-Lay Trinidad Unlimited, Fruko Mesrubat Sanayi Limited Sirketi, GB Czech LLC, GB International Inc., GB Russia LLC, GB Slovak LLC, GMP Manufacturing Inc., Gambrinus Investments Limited, Gamesa LLC, Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Gas Natural de Merida S. A. de C. V., Gatorade Puerto Rico Company, General Bottlers of Hungary Inc., Golden Grain Company, Goveh S.R.L., Grayhawk Leasing LLC, Green Hemlock International LLC, Grupo Frito Lay y Compania Limitada, Grupo Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Grupo Mabel, Grupo Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gulkevichskiy Maslozavod JSC, Hangzhou Baicaowei Corporate Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co, Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Tao Dao Technology Co. Ltd., Health Warrior, Health Warrior Inc., Heathland LP, Helioscope Limited, Hillbrook Inc., Hillgrove Inc., Hillwood Bottling LLC, Hogganfield Limited Partnership, Holding Company "Opolie" JSC, Homefinding Company of Texas, Hudson Valley Insurance Company, IC Equities Inc., IZZE Beverage Co., Inmobiliaria Interamericana S.A. De C.V., Integrated Beverage Services Bangladesh Limited, Integrated Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., International Bottlers Management Co. LLC, International KAS Aktiengesellschaft, Inversiones Borneo S.R.L., Inversiones PFI Chile Limitada, Inviting Foods Holdings Inc., Inviting Foods LLC, KAS Anorthosis S.a r.l, KAS S.L., KFC, Kevita Inc., Kinvara LLC, Kungursky Molkombinat JSC, Larragana S.L., Latin American Holdings Ltd., Latin American Snack Foods ApS, Latin Foods International LLC, Lebedyansky, Lebedyansky Holdings LLC, Lebedyansky LLC, Limited Liability Company "Sandora", Linkbay Limited, Lithuanian Snacks UAB, Mabel, Marbo Product d.o.o. Beograd, Marbo d.o.o. Laktasi, Matudis - Comercio de Produtos Alimentares Limitada, Matutano - Sociedade de Produtos Alimentares Lda., Mid-America Improvement Corporation, Mountainview Insurance Company Inc., Muscle Milk, NCJV LLC, New Bern Transport Corporation, New Century Beverage Company LLC, Noble Leasing LLC, Northeast Hot-Fill Co-op Inc., Office at Solyanka LLC, Onbiso Inversiones S.L., One World Enterprises LLC, One World Investors Inc., P-A Barbados Bottling Company LLC, P-A Bottlers Barbados SRL, P-Americas LLC, PAS Luxembourg S.a r.l, PAS Netherlands B.V., PBG Canada Holdings II LLC, PBG Canada Holdings Inc., PBG Cyprus Holdings Limited, PBG Investment Partnership, PBG Midwest Holdings S.a r.l, PBG Soda Can Holdings S.a r.l, PCBL LLC, PCNA Manufacturing Inc., PR Beverages Cyprus Holding Limited, PR Beverages Cyprus Russia Holding Limited, PRB Luxembourg S.a r.l, PRS Inc., PSAS Inversiones LLC, PSE Logistica S.R.L., PT Quaker Indonesia, Papas Chips S.A., Pei N.V., Pep Trade LLC, Pepsi B.V., Pepsi Beverages Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bottling Group Global Finance LLC, Pepsi Bottling Group GmbH, Pepsi Bottling Group Hoosiers B.V., Pepsi Bottling Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bugshan Investments S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Colombia Ltda, Pepsi Cola Egypt S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Panamericana S.R.L., Pepsi Cola Servis Ve Dagitim Limited Sirketi, Pepsi Cola Trading Ireland, Pepsi Logistics Company Inc., Pepsi Northwest Beverages LLC, Pepsi Overseas Investments Partnership, Pepsi Promotions Inc., Pepsi-Cola Advertising and Marketing Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bermuda Limited, Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Holding C.V., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company Of St. Louis Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Ft. Lauderdale-Palm Beach LLC, Pepsi-Cola Company, Pepsi-Cola Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Pepsi-Cola Far East Trade Development Co. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Finance LLC, Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Poland Sp. z o.o., Pepsi-Cola Industrial da Amazonia Ltda., Pepsi-Cola International Cork, Pepsi-Cola International LLC, Pepsi-Cola International Limited, Pepsi-Cola International Limited U.S.A., Pepsi-Cola International Private Limited, Pepsi-Cola Korea Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Management and Administrative Services Inc., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Company Of Uruguay S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing International Limited, Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Mediterranean Limited, Pepsi-Cola Marketing Corp. Of P.R. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mediterranean Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Metropolitan Bottling Company Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mexicana Holdings LLC, Pepsi-Cola Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Pepsi-Cola National Marketing LLC, Pepsi-Cola Operating Company Of Chesapeake And Indianapolis, Pepsi-Cola Sales and Distribution Inc., Pepsi-Cola Technical Operations Inc., Pepsi-Cola Thai Trading Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola de Honduras S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola of Corvallis Inc., PepsiAmericas Nemzetkozi Szolgaltato Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, PepsiCo ANZ Holdings Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Alimentos Antioquia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Colombia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Ecuador Cia. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Z.F. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos de Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Amacoco Bebidas Do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCo Asia Research & Development Center Company Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Cyprus Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Limited Partnership, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 1 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 2 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Australia Holdings Pty Limited, PepsiCo Australia International, PepsiCo Austria Services GmbH, PepsiCo Azerbaijan Limited Liability Company, PepsiCo BeLux BV, PepsiCo Beverage Sales LLC, PepsiCo Beverage Singapore Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Beverages Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Beverages International Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Italia Societa' A Responsabilita' Limitata, PepsiCo Canada Finance LLC, PepsiCo Canada Holdings ULC, PepsiCo Canada Investment ULC, PepsiCo Canada ULC, PepsiCo Captive Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Caribbean Inc., PepsiCo China Limited, PepsiCo Consulting Polska Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo De Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Del Paraguay S.R.L., PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH, PepsiCo Eesti AS, PepsiCo Euro Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Euro Finance Antilles B.V., PepsiCo Europe Support Center S.L., PepsiCo Finance Americas Company, PepsiCo Finance Antilles A N.V., PepsiCo Finance Antilles B N.V., PepsiCo Finance South Africa Proprietary Limited, PepsiCo Financial Shared Services Inc., PepsiCo Food & Beverage Holdings Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Foods A.I.E., PepsiCo Foods China Company Limited, PepsiCo Foods Group Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Foods Guangdong Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Nigeria Limited, PepsiCo Foods Private Limited, PepsiCo Foods Sichuan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Taiwan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Vietnam Company, PepsiCo France SAS, PepsiCo Global Business Services India LLP, PepsiCo Global Business Services Poland Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Global Holdings Limited, PepsiCo Global Investments B.V., PepsiCo Global Investments S.a r.l, PepsiCo Global Mobility LLC, PepsiCo Global Real Estate Inc., PepsiCo Global Trading Solutions Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Golden Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Group Finance International B.V., PepsiCo Group Holdings International B.V., PepsiCo Group Spotswood Holdings S.a r.l, PepsiCo Gulf International FZE, PepsiCo Hellas Single Member Industrial and Commercial Societe Anonyme, PepsiCo Holding de Espana S.L., PepsiCo Holdings, PepsiCo Holdings LLC, PepsiCo Holdings Toshkent LLC, PepsiCo Hong Kong LLC, PepsiCo Iberia Servicios Centrales S.L., PepsiCo India Holdings Private Limited, PepsiCo India Sales Private Limited, PepsiCo Internacional Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., PepsiCo International Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo International Limited, PepsiCo International Pte Ltd., PepsiCo Investments Europe I B.V., PepsiCo Investments Ltd., PepsiCo Ireland Food & Beverages Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Japan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Light B.V., PepsiCo Logistyka Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., PepsiCo Management Services SAS, PepsiCo Manufacturing A.I.E., PepsiCo Max B.V., PepsiCo Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo Nederland B.V., PepsiCo Nordic Denmark ApS, PepsiCo Nordic Finland Oy, PepsiCo Nordic Norway AS, PepsiCo Nutrition Trading DMCC, PepsiCo One B.V., PepsiCo Overseas Corporation, PepsiCo Overseas Financing Partnership, PepsiCo Panimex Inc, PepsiCo Products B.V., PepsiCo Products FLLC, PepsiCo Puerto Rico Inc., PepsiCo Sales Inc., PepsiCo Sales LLC, PepsiCo Services Asia Ltd., PepsiCo Services CZ s.r.o., PepsiCo Services LLC, PepsiCo Twist B.V., PepsiCo UK Pension Plan Trustee Limited, PepsiCo Ventures B.V., PepsiCo Wave Holdings LLC, PepsiCo World Trading Company Inc., PepsiCo Y LLC, PepsiCo de Argentina S.R.L., PepsiCo de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo do Brasil Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda., PepsiCo do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCola Interamericana de Guatemala S.A., Pet Iberia S.L., Pete & Johnny Limited, Pine International LLC, Pine International Limited, Pinstripe Leasing LLC, Pioneer Food Group Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Groceries Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Group Ltd., Pioneer Foods Holdings Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods UK Ltd, Pioneer Foods Wellingtons Pty Ltd, Pipers Crisps Limited, PlayCo Inc., Pop corners, PopCorners Holdings Inc., Portfolio Concentrate Solutions Unlimited Company, Premier Nutrition Trading L.L.C., Prestwick LLC, Prev PepsiCo Sociedade Previdenciaria, Productos Alimenticios Rene LLC, Productos S.A.S. C.V., Productos SAS Management B.V., Punch N.V., Punica Getranke GmbH, Q O Puerto Rico Inc., QFL OHQ Sdn. Bhd., QTG Development Inc., QTG Services Inc., Quadrant - Amroq Beverages S.R.L., Quaker Development B.V., Quaker European Beverages LLC, Quaker European Investments B.V., Quaker Foods, Quaker Global Investments B.V., Quaker Holdings UK Limited, Quaker Manufacturing LLC, Quaker Oats Asia Inc., Quaker Oats Australia Pty Ltd, Quaker Oats B.V., Quaker Oats Capital Corporation, Quaker Oats Europe Inc., Quaker Oats Europe LLC, Quaker Oats Limited, Quaker Sales & Distribution Inc, Raptas Finance S.a r.l., Rare Fare Foods LLC, Rare Fare Holdings Inc., Reading Industries Ltd, Real Estate Holdings LLC, Rockstar Energy Drink, Rolling Frito-Lay Sales LP, S & T of Mississippi Inc., SIH International LLC, SVC Logistics Inc., SVC Manufacturing Inc., SVE Russia Holdings GmbH, Sabritas LLC, Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Sabritas Snacks America Latina de Nicaragua y Cia Ltda, Sabritas de Costa Rica S. de R.L., Sabritas y Cia. S en C de C.V., Sakata Rice Snacks Australia Pty Ltd, Sandora Holdings B.V., Saudi Snack Foods Company Limited, Sea Eagle International SRL, Seepoint Holdings Ltd., Senselet Food Processing PLC, Senselet Holding B.V., Servicios GBF Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Servicios GFLG y Compania Limitada, Servicios Gamesa Puerto Rico L.L.C., Servicios SYC S. de R.L. de C.V., Seven-Up Asia Inc., Seven-Up Light B.V., Seven-Up Nederland B.V., Shanghai PepsiCo Snack Company Limited, Shanghai YuHo Agricultural Development Co. Ltd, Shoebill LLC, Simba (Proprietary) Limited, Simba Proprietary Limited, Sitka Spruce, Smartfoods Inc., Smiles and Bites Holdings S.de R.L. de C.V., Smiths Crisps Limited, Snack Food Investments GmbH, Snack Food Investments II GmbH, Snack Food Investments Limited, Snack Food-Beverage Asia Products Limited, Snacks America Latina S.R.L., Snacks Guatemala Ltd., So Spark Ltd., Soda-Club CO2 Atlantic GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 Ltd., Soda-Club Switzerland GmbH, Soda-Club Worldwide B.V., SodaStream, SodaStream Australia Pty Ltd, SodaStream CO2 SA, SodaStream Canada Ltd., SodaStream Enterprises N.V., SodaStream France SAS, SodaStream GmbH, SodaStream Iberia S.L., SodaStream Industries Ltd., SodaStream International B.V., SodaStream International Ltd., SodaStream Israel Ltd., SodaStream K.K., SodaStream New Zealand Ltd., SodaStream Nordics AB, SodaStream Poland Sp. z o.o., SodaStream SA Pty Ltd., SodaStream Switzerland GmbH, SodaStream USA Inc., SodaStream Osterreich GmbH, South Beach Beverage Company Inc., South Properties Inc., Spitz International Inc., Sportmex Internacional S.A. de C.V., Springboig Industries Ltd, Spruce Limited, Stacy's Pita Chip Company Incorporated, Star Foods E.M. S.R.L., Stokely-Van Camp Inc., Stratosphere Communications Pty Ltd, Stratosphere Holdings 2018 Limited, Streamfoods Ltd, TFL Holdings LLC, Tasman Finance S.a r.l, The Gatorade Company, The Good Carb Food Company Ltd., The Pepsi Bottling Group Canada ULC, The Quaker Oats Company, The Smith's Snackfood Company Pty Limited, Thomond Group Holdings Limited, Tobago Snack Holdings LLC, Tropicana Alvalle S.L., Tropicana Beverages Limited, Tropicana Europe N.V., Tropicana United Kingdom Limited, Troya-Ultra LLC, United Foods Companies Restaurantes S.A., V-Water, VentureCo Israel Ltd, Veurne Snack Foods BV, Vitamin Brands Ltd., Walkers Crisps Limited, Walkers Group Limited, Walkers Snack Foods Limited, Walkers Snacks Distribution Limited, Walkers Snacks Limited, Whitman Corporation, Whitman Insurance Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Beverages JSC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Brands Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Central Asia-Almaty LLP, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods LLC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Georgia Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann JSC, and Wimm-Bill-Dann Ukraine PJSC.

Read More
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various property and casualty insurance products and services in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, and Other. The Commercial Lines segment offers commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, and workers' compensation insurance products, as well as management and professional liability, marine, specialty industrial and commercial property, monoline general liability, surety, umbrella, fidelity, crime, and other commercial coverages. The Personal Lines segment provides personal automobile and homeowner's coverages, as well as other personal coverages, such as personal umbrella, inland marine, fire, personal watercraft, personal cyber, and other miscellaneous coverages. The Other segment markets investment management services to institutions, pension funds, and other organizations. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. markets its products and services through independent agents and brokers. The company was formerly known as Allmerica Financial Corp. and changed its name to The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. in December 2005. The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts.
(HealthDay)Plasma biomarkers that may improve the prediction of rapid decline in renal function in type 2 diabetes have been identified, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in Diabetes Care.

Kirsten E. Peters, Ph.D., from the University of Western Australia, and colleagues measured baseline biomarkers in 345 community-based patients from the Fremantle Diabetes Study Phase II. Clinical predictors of rapid estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline trajectory defined by semiparametric group-based modeling were determined.

The researchers found in an eGFR trajectory analysis that 10.1 percent of participants were rapid decliners, with a mean decrease of 2.9 mL/min/1.73 m/year. Plasma apolipoprotein (apo) A-IV (apoA4), CD5 antigen-like (CD5L), and complement C1q subcomponent subunit B (C1QB) independently predicted rapid decline after adjustment for clinical predictors (odds ratios, 2.4, 0.52, and 2.41, respectively), and they improved model performance and fit, discrimination (area under the curve, 0.75 to 0.82), and reclassification (net reclassification index, 0.76; integrated discrimination improvement, 6.3 percent). Together with insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IBP3), these biomarkers contributed to improved model performance in predicting other indices of rapid eGFR decline.

"The current study has identified novel plasma biomarkers (apoA4, CD5L, C1QB, and IBP3) that may improve the prediction of rapid decline in renal function independently of recognized clinical risk factors in type 2 diabetes," the authors write.

Several authors are employees of Proteomics International. Proteomics International and the University of Western Australia are owners of a patent relating to the biomarkers described in the study, and several authors are named inventors on the patent.

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: Emergency Medicine Foundation

Two protocols for quickly and safely evaluating patients presenting to emergency departments with chest pain are being adopted by Australian hospitals.

Chest pain is one of the most common reasons patients present to emergency departments (ED), with about 500,000 cases of chest pain presentations to emergency departments in Australia each year (about six million annually in the United States of America ).

However, the majority of patients are not at risk of having a heart attack, according to Professor William Parsonage, a Cardiologist at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) and Clinical Director of the Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation at the Queensland University of Technology.

"Emergency departments are buckling under pressure from increasing numbers of patient presentations so a really important driver for our research was finding new ways that are safe and efficient for assessing patients with chest pain. Our aim was to improve the efficiency of excluding those patients at high risk of having a heart attack, or acute coronary syndrome (ACS), while reducing the burden of assessment for low and intermediate risk patients."

Professor Parsonage, along with Professor Louise Cullen, a Pre-eminent Staff Specialist in Emergency Medicine at the RBWH, jointly led a team who developed two new protocols for assessing chest pain, which were the subject for two landmark publications published recently in the Medical Journal of Australia.

The first paper describes the results of the introduction of the two-hour Accelerated Diagnostic Protocol (ADP) to Assess Patients with chest pain symptoms using contemporary Troponins as the only biomarker to 16 Queensland Emergency Departments.

An economic evaluation estimated $13.5 million in savings per year for Queensland hospitals in released financial capacity as a direct result of using the ADP.

The ADP was introduced during October 2013 to November 2015 with funding from Queensland Health. Outcomes were recorded for 30,769 patients presenting before, and 23,699 presenting after, the ADP was introduced. Following its implementation, 21.3% of patients were identified correctly by the ADP as being at low risk for an ACS; the mean emergency department length of stay for all patients presenting with chest pain fell from 292 to 256 minutes. The mean hospital length of stay fell from 57.7 to 47.3 hours, and the hospital admission rate fell from 68.3% to 54.9%.

The second paper describes the IMProved Assessment of Chest pain Trial (IMPACT), a novel strategy to safely improve the care of 70 per cent of ED patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes, funded by the Emergency Medicine Foundation of Australia (EMF).

IMPACT is changing the care doctors give to chest pain patients by improving the efficiency and maintaining the safety of assessing patients with chest pain, said Professor Cullen.

"The protocol allows us to identify low risk patients, who account for nearly 1 in 5 chest pain patients in the emergency department, and safely discharge them within five hours, avoiding unnecessary tests," she said.

"Significantly, IMPACT additionally helps us correctly identify nearly 60 per cent of patients who are at an intermediate risk of having a heart attack. We have shortened the duration of testing for this group so that patients with heart disease can be identified early and admitted and those without can be safely sent home in seven and a half hours compared with 24 hours using traditional care."

In a health economic analysis it was estimated that if all Queensland hospitals adopted IMPACT, it would result in released capacity worth $12.4 million annually.

IMPACT was investigated at the RBWH during February 2011 to March 2014, with 1366 patients presenting to the ED with symptoms of suspected ACS stratified into groups at low, intermediate or high risk of an ACS. Low and intermediate risk patients underwent troponin testing at presentation and two hours later. Intermediate risk patients underwent objective testing after the second troponin test and low risk patients were discharged without further objective testing. Care for high risk patients was unchanged.

The IMPACT protocol stratified 244 (17.9%) patients to low risk and 789 (57.7%) to intermediate risk. The overall 30-day ACS rate was 6.6%, but there were no ACS events in the low risk group, and 14 (1.8%) in the intermediate risk group. The median hospital length of stay was 5.1 hours for low risk and 7.7 hours for intermediate risk patients.

The research team's latest strategy is being rolled out to hospitals in Queensland with funding from Queensland Health's Clinical Excellence Division. The protocol is live at the RBWH, Cairns, Nambour, Ipswich and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

EMF Chair, Dr Anthony Bell said investing in emergency medicine research allowed clinicians to deliver valuable solutions to patient care.

"Professor Cullen and her research team knew from first-hand experience that only one in five people with chest pain in the emergency department was at risk of having a heart attack," said Dr Bell.

"With dedicated research funding, they were able to develop an evidence-based solution that reduces the amount of testing needed for the majority of patients, while still maintaining clinical safety. It's a win for patients and the emergency department. The majority of patients with chest pains get to go home sooner knowing that they aren't having a heart attack, and we can spend more time treating people who are acutely ill."

EMF awarded more than $1 million in research grants to Professor Louise Cullen to develop strategies to improve chest pain assessment. The EMF Queensland Research Program is funded by Queensland Health.

More information: Louise Cullen et al, Improved Assessment of Chest pain Trial (IMPACT): assessing patients with possible acute coronary syndromes, The Medical Journal of Australia (2017). Journal information: Medical Journal of Australia Louise Cullen et al, Improved Assessment of Chest pain Trial (IMPACT): assessing patients with possible acute coronary syndromes,(2017). DOI: 10.5694/mja16.01351

Provided by Emergency Medicine Foundation
Liver cancer occurs predominantly in patients whose liver has been damaged as a result of chronic disease. Until now, it was not known how these events are linked at the molecular level. An international team of scientists from the German Cancer Research Center and the University of Zurich has now shown that chronic cell death promotes the development of cancer. The more cells die, the more the remaining cells have to divide. In this process, they accumulate mutations, fertile ground for liver cancer to develop.

Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) used to be among the less common cancer types in Germany. In recent decades, however, the numbers of people diagnosed with this disease have been rising. People who suffer from liver cirrhosis, hepatitis B or C, obesity, or type 2 diabetes mellitus are particularly at risk of developing liver cancer. Liver cancer most frequently develops as a consequence of chronic liver disease, which is increasingly common in Germany.

An international team of researchers led by Mathias Heikenwalder and his collaboration partner, Achim Weber from Zurich University, have now discovered that an enzyme called caspase 8 plays an important dual role in this process. The studies were performed in mice as a first step. Patient data show that the results can be transferred to humans.

On the one hand, caspase 8 is important for the process of programmed cell death, or apoptosis. Cells that have undergone malignant transformation eliminate themselves by apoptosis in order to protect the organism. Therefore, researchers long believed that apoptosis protects from cancer. The current study shows that this only holds true for each individual cell and not for whole tissues.

If too many cells simultaneously undergo apoptosis, the development of cancer is more likely. The reason is that the remaining hepatic cells have to divide at much higher rates in order to make up for lost tissue. "Hepatic cells are not used to high division rates, they cannot cope and therefore make mistakes," explained Mathias Heikenwalder from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) in Heidelberg.

Patients with chronic inflammation of the liver accumulate high levels of DNA damage, which is fertile ground for cancer. The more mutations have accumulated in a cell's DNA, the more probable that the cell will break out from its normal life cycle and start proliferating and growing out of control.

However, caspase 8 has yet another function. The molecule is part of a newly identified larger complex that recognizes damage in DNA and triggers repair mechanisms. The functions in apoptosis and repair operate independently of each other. They can also be influenced separately from each other. This is particularly important for the treatment of liver cancer and chronic liver disease. While complete elimination of the caspase 8 enzyme would prevent programmed cell death and the development of cancer, it would also rob the cell of a DNA repair mechanism. This effect must be avoided.

In a next step, the scientists plan to investigate whether similar processes also proceed in other types of cancer and to study the dynamics of this mechanism in more detail. "So far, we do not know when and why caspase 8 and the other molecules team up to search for DNA damage," Heikenwalder said. "Many questions are still unanswered."

More information: A dual role of caspase 8 in triggering and sensing proliferation-associated DNA damage, a key determinant of liver cancer development. Cancer Cell 2017, Journal information: Cancer Cell A dual role of caspase 8 in triggering and sensing proliferation-associated DNA damage, a key determinant of liver cancer development.2017, DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2017.08.010
The debate on whether to shorten adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer from six to three months takes centre stage today in a special session at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid.

Is three months of chemotherapy enough in the adjuvant treatment of colon cancer? This is the main controversy in this debate, according to ESMO spokesperson Professor Alberto Sobrero, Head of the Medical Oncology Unit at Ospedale San Martino in Genova, Italy, co-chair of the Special Session and Scientific Co-Chair of the Congress. He said: "This debate is a practice changing one and the session will give much more clarity on how clinicians should now treat their patients."

Six months of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy has been the standard adjuvant therapy for stage III colon cancer since 2004. However, the neurotoxicity of oxaliplatin sparked research into whether three months of therapy provided the same benefit but with reduced side effects.

Six randomised phase III trials have been conducted worldwide comparing three versus six months of chemotherapy with FOLFOX or CAPOX. The IDEA study was a pooled analysis of the 12,834 patients enrolled in the six trials. It showed that six months gave less than 1% added benefit over three months when all patients and both types of chemotherapy were included in the analysis.

Investigators of the four most mature trials (SCOT, TOSCA, ACHIEVE, IDEA-FRANCE) will present their results during the congress session. Expert interpretation will be given by a clinician and a statistician. Gastrointestinal cancer specialist Professor Andres Cervantes, Chair of the ESMO Educational Committee, member of the ESMO Guidelines Committee and session co-chair, will discuss how the latest data in this debate will practically impact the ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines on Early Colon Cancer, which are set to be updated in 2018. Members of the panel will be asked to vote for three or six months of treatment in a variety of clinical scenarios.

Distinguished panel for the Special Session:

Andres Cervantes, session co-chair and Chair of ESMO Educational Committee. Medical Oncology Department, INCLIVA University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.+

Alberto Sobrero, session and ESMO 2017 congress co-chair. Medical Oncology Unit, IRCCS San Martino, Genova, Italy.

Marc Buyse, Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Universiteit Hasselt, Belgium and Associate Editor, Annals of Oncology (Statistics).

Axel Grothey, Division of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, US.

Timothy Iveson, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Roberto Labianca, Cancer Centre, Ospedale Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy.+

Tim Maughan, Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Professor of Clinical Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt, Clinical Director, Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, US.

Anthony F. Shields, Professor of Medicine and Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, US.

Ioannis Souglakos, Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology, Medical School, University of Crete, Medical Oncologist, University Hospital of Heraklion, Greece.

Julien Taieb, Head of the Gastroenterology and GI Oncology Department, Georges Pompidou European Hospital, Paris Descartes University, France.

Takayuki Yoshino, National Cancer Centre Hospital East in Chiba, Japan.

"The common sense conclusion from the IDEA study is that it's not worth going through the toxicity and inconvenience of six months to gain less than 1% efficacy," said Sobrero. "Especially considering that the toxicity is cut by at least 50% with the three month regimen."

"Statistically, three months of treatment was slightly inferior to six months in the overall study population of stage III patients," added ESMO spokesperson Professor Eric Van Cutsem, main author of the ESMO consensus guidelines for the management of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, Head of Digestive Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium. "However, the clinical conclusion, given the reduction in neurotoxicity with a shorter duration of treatment, was that three months is almost identical to six months."

Two additional analyses revealed unexpected findings. First, for high risk stage III patients (N2 or T4) the difference in efficacy widens in favour of six months. Second, the results differ according to the type of chemotherapy. CAPOX is equally effective at three or six months, independently of the patient's level of risk. Six months of FOLFOX is more effective than three months.

Sobrero said: "While overall there are minor differences in efficacy between three and six months, high risk patients should receive six months of chemotherapy and CAPOX should be preferred over FOLFOX."

"In low risk patients the difference was so minor that the clinical conclusion is that three months of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy is as good as six months," said Van Cutsem. "Although statistically the difference is small, this makes a huge clinical difference to patients with the reduction in neurotoxicity."

Regarding the standard of care for adjuvant chemotherapy in stage III colon cancer, Van Cutsem said: "In high risk patients six months remains the standard, but in low risk patients three months should become the new standard duration of treatment."

Van Cutsem confirmed that this is the strategy he uses with his stage III colon cancer patients. He said: "In high risk stage III patients we give six months of FOLFOX - unless the patient has neurotoxicity, in which case we stop oxaliplatin but continue with 5FU for a total duration of six months. In patients with low risk tumours, we give three months of FOLFOX."

Sobrero said most patients prefer the three month option which gives much lower toxicity for very little loss in efficacy. He said: "Every now and then I see a patient who does not want to lose even 1% of efficacy and wants six months of chemotherapy. This is just one of the fascinating aspects of implementing the data from the IDEA study. We will thoroughly debate the issues and give clear conclusions during this session, which is set to be packed with health professionals who face patients with this serious disease everyday and desperately want better treatments."

More information: The following abstracts will be presented during Special Session 'When clinical practice demands to go beyond statistics: Adjuvant chemotherapy of colon cancer. The 3 vs 6 month story' on Monday, 11 September 2017, 14:45 to 16:15 (CEST) in Madrid Auditorium.
Two reports published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship reveal important insights on emergency preparedness, recovery, and resilience from nurses working at NYU Langone Health's main hospital during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

Communication - both improving channels and its importance in connecting nurses with others during a crisis - and social support emerged as key themes in the reports, authored by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing (NYU Meyers) and NYU College of Dentistry (NYU Dentistry). The researchers also call for more education and planning for future disasters.

The scope and frequency of climate-related disasters have increased dramatically in recent years. Large-scale natural disasters can overwhelm a community's infrastructure, including access to essential health and medical services.

Weather-related disasters like hurricanes can often be predicted, enabling hospitals to prepare. In October 2012, with Hurricane Sandy approaching New York City, NYU Langone took several measures to protect its patients and facilities, including enhancing physical barriers for flood protection, discharging patients, ensuring adequate staffing, and moving patients into units less vulnerable to high winds and with more robust power sources.

However, severe and unprecedented weather led to the high water levels in NYU Langone's Tisch Hospital, a 725-bed facility located one block from the East River, which necessitated an evacuation mid-storm. Thanks to the heroic efforts of the clinical staff and emergency responders, more than 300 patients were evacuated - many carried down stairwells - without injury.

There is a growing body of research in the medical field documenting the short-term and long-term effects of disasters on health care workers. Nurses, given the nature of their work, are at particular risk for certain mental health issues, including compassion fatigue, burnout, and trauma.

The researchers sought to understand how nurses at NYU Langone were impacted before, during, and after Hurricane Sandy. Through interviews and surveys, the researchers explored nurses' experiences in disasters, what their challenges and resources were for carrying out responsibilities, and lessons learned.

The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 16 nurses who participated in the evacuation. After the interviews, an anonymous online survey was sent to all registered nurses assigned to inpatient units who were employees at NYU Langone on the day of the storm, resulting in 528 responses, including 173 nurses who were part of the evacuation.

Challenges and Resources for Nurses in a Disaster

The researchers found that while some nurses had disaster training and experience, many working the night of the storm lacked prior hands-on experience or a deep knowledge of emergency preparedness. Despite this, nurses drew on their own resourcefulness, support from colleagues, and hospital leadership to adapt to the challenges presented by the storm.

A few of the nurses with disaster training reported feeling prepared during the hurricane and evacuation. To help health care providers better prepare and feel more confident in their ability to respond in the future, the researchers recommend FEMA's "all hazards" approach to disaster planning, which trains staff for a wide range of scenarios rather than select situations. For instance, training at hospitals might currently focus on an incident dealing with mass casualties, but should focus on hazards of all types.

The loss of power on many floors was another significant challenge nurses faced during the storm. In addition to lifesaving medical equipment, much of a hospital's everyday operations require power, from electronic medication carts to medical records to email and phone communication. The power failure jeopardized both patient care as well as nurses' ability to communicate with each other, with leadership, and with their loved ones.

In the absence of power, the nurses found creative solutions, including using batteries, unlocking medication carts in anticipation of the power outage, and handwriting medical summaries for patients being evacuated to other hospitals. In terms of their primary methods of communication, 72 percent of nurses surveyed reported talking face-to-face and 24 percent used personal cell phones.

"Nurses who were part of the evacuation encountered numerous unanticipated challenges in responding to the disaster but rose to the occasion by drawing from a variety of resources, from their personal resilience to interpersonal support from coworkers, as well as system and community resources," said Nancy VanDevanter, RN, DrPH, professor at NYU Meyers.

As part of "all hazards" training, the researchers recommend education that includes preparation for power loss, including "low-tech" alternatives - such as the sled-shaped devices NYU Langone used to carry patients down stairwells - when electronic equipment is not available.

The Emotional Toll of Sandy and Building Resilience

When hospitals experience a natural disaster, health care providers become both first responders - and victims.

"All disasters are local," said Victoria H. Raveis, PhD, research professor and director of the Psychosocial Research Unit on Health, Aging and the Community at NYU Dentistry. "The nurses we studied lived and worked in communities directly impacted by the storm."

In their interviews, the researchers found that nurses subject to the stressful professional circumstances of the hurricane were also concerned about their families' welfare and worried about personal loss. For instance, prior to the storm, many nurses made arrangements for extended stays at the hospital, but were torn about leaving their families and later had trouble reaching their loved ones during the storm.

"When both personal life and professional life are impacted by an adverse event, as occurred in Superstorm Sandy, stress can exponentially increase. The responsibilities associated with the profession of nursing add additional demands that increase the risk for role conflict when a disaster occurs," said Raveis. "Despite this conflict between work and family responsibilities, the nursing staff at NYU Langone put their personal needs aside, clearly demonstrating their commitment and professionalism."

The storm's impact on nurses' personal lives was significant: the survey revealed that 25 percent of nurses experienced property damage or loss and 22 percent needed to relocate following the storm. A small proportion of respondents reported significant psychological problems after the hurricane, including having disturbing thoughts (5 percent) and difficulty sleeping (4 percent).

The nurses cited social support - from coworkers, hospital leadership, and loved ones - as an important resource in helping them through the stressfulness of the disaster.

"Our research also shows that maintaining good communication with peers and hospital leaders after the hurricane helped the nursing staff feel more connected and less stressed," said Christine T. Kovner, RN, PhD, the Mathey Mezey Professor of Geriatric Nursing at NYU Meyers.
A team of researchers led by a bioinformatician at the University of California San Diego has developed a method to help determine whether certain hard-to-study mutations in the human genome, called short tandem repeats or microsatellites, are likely to be involved in harmful conditions.

The team, which also includes scientists from the New York Genome Center, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, details their findings in the Sept. 11 issue of Nature Genetics.

In short tandem repeats, sequences of one to six of DNA's basic components, called nucleotides, repeat over and over again, sometimes up to hundreds or thousands of times.

These mutations already have been implicated in about 30 conditions. The best known is perhaps Huntington's Disease, which causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. About 30,000 people suffer from the condition in the United States. These people all have more than 40 copies of a specific repeat. The more copies they have, the sooner they are affected by the disease and the more severe it is.

The Nature Genetics paper is part of the ongoing, decades-long effort to pinpoint harmful mutations in the human genome. Tandem repeats are often overlooked in these efforts, and have sometimes been disregarded as "junk DNA." But researchers led by Melissa Gymrek, an assistant professor at UC San Diego, believe that tandem repeats are likely to play key roles in human health and need to be studied in depth.

"When you look for signals for disease in the human genome, you get too many answers. We are looking for a way to narrow these answers down," said Gymrek, who holds appointments at both the UC San Diego School of Medicine and the Jacobs School of Engineering.

In the next step of their research, scientists plan to use their model to examine the genomes of families with autistic members.

Analyzing repeats

Tandem repeats are difficult to analyze with current genome sequencing techniques. That's because they're usually fairly long, and current tools usually look only at short pieces of DNA. In addition, the process of amplifying DNA for sequencing creates more errors that get in the way.

In this paper, researchers detail how they were able to create a mathematical model that predicts how frequently and in what way the repeats appear and mutate in the human genome. Gymrek and colleagues were able to do this because of the extraordinary amount of genetic data that they had access tomore than 1.5 million repeats from the genomes of 300 individuals.

The researchers based their new algorithm on a method called MUTEA that they previously developed to precisely estimate individual mutation rates for tandem repeats on the Y chromosome. They modified the algorithm so it would analyze pairs of DNA variations, called haplotypes. The key insight the method provided is that different classes of mutations happen at regular, predictable intervals in time, constituting what they refer to as a molecular clock. This clock can be used to determine how often mutations occur within a genome.

Finding constraints

Next, the researchers used the model to calculate actual mutation rates and compare those to expected mutation rates. This is what geneticists call constraint. For example, regions of the genome that are home to mutations that occur early in life and lead to severe health conditions tend to have fewer mutations in the population than expected by chancegeneticists say they're highly constrained. That's because those suffering from these conditions, like autism, are less likely to pass their genes on to the next generation. Regions of the genome that cause diseases that occur later in life, after patients have had children, like Huntington's Disease, are usually not constrained.

The team used their model on a number of different tandem repeats related to both late and early onset conditions, such as limb malformations. The model correctly identified that repeats involved in early-onset conditions were subject to constraint. They calibrated their method by using a set of tandem repeats that are not associated with specific conditions, which the FBI uses to identify people. As expected, these repeats mutate at the expected rate and are not constrained.

Gymrek and her team are now getting ready to apply their model to find signals for other conditions inside the human genome.

More information: Melissa Gymrek et al. Interpreting short tandem repeat variations in humans using mutational constraint, Nature Genetics (2017). Journal information: Nature Genetics Melissa Gymrek et al. Interpreting short tandem repeat variations in humans using mutational constraint,(2017). DOI: 10.1038/ng.3952
Nurses in Portugal began a five-day strike over status, pay and working hours on Monday, crippling services at public hospitals, union leaders said.

The Portuguese Nurses Union said at least 85 percent of nurses at public hospitals took part in the strike, which led to the cancellation of nearly all health appointments and non-emergency services.

Hospitals guaranteed minimum care in intensive units and emergency rooms, while hundreds of nurses from major public hospitals gathered to protest.

Trade unions are pushing the government to reform their professional status to include a specialist nurse category, and they are also seeking a pay overhaul and a 35-hour working week for all nursesas is the case for all public employees.

Nearly 16,000 nurses could already qualify to be a specialist nurse, as opposed to a general care nurse, according to the Portuguese Order of Nurses, which represents nursing and midwifery graduates.

The order's president Ana Rita Cavaco said there is a shortage of nurses in Portugal and that the country needs at least 30,000 extra nurses to fill the gaps.

Nearly 13,000 nurses left Portugal in the five years before 2016 to work abroad, mainly to Britain, Switzerland and Germany, Cavaco previously said.

 2017 AFP
Generalized 3 Hz spike and wave discharges in a child with childhood absence epilepsy. Credit: Wikipedia.

As he was growing up, Paul Shaffer sometimes froze in his tracks and felt like he was walking away from his body.

He did not tell anyone about the sensation, which usually passed quickly: "Who would believe me?"

It was not until he was in his 20s and convulsions knocked him out of his chair at work that a doctor told him he had epilepsy and he was having seizures. Still Shaffer, now 54, did not do anything about it until years later when he crashed his car and his wife insisted on a proper assessment and treatment.

It's not uncommon for epilepsy to go undiagnosed and untreated for years. Doctors don't always recognize it or don't want to don't label the condition. Because it can be stigmatized, patients don't always accept the diagnosis, even as the condition wreaks havoc on their lives.

But researchers are discovering that epilepsy affects far more people than ever thought. About 3.4 million Americans had epilepsy in 2015 - a 25 percent jump in about five years, according to a report released this month by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the CDC could not fully explain the rise in cases, attributing it partly to population growth, officials at the Epilepsy Foundation and others say there is no doubt that the numbers reflect a far more thorough accounting of people with the condition.

"We don't have the equivalence of a pregnancy test, a yes or no," said Dr. Jennifer Hopp is a neurologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center who leads the center where Shaffer is being treated. "There is a comprehensive evaluation that needs to be done. And every patient is a little different."

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes any kind of seizure, from convulsions to staring to confused behavior. The condition can stem from strokes, head injuries, infections or genetic mutations, and is diagnosed when someone has two unprovoked seizures or one seizure but is likely to have more.

Seizures often frighten sufferers and people who witness them, perpetuating the stigma, said Patricia Osborne Shafer, the Epilepsy Foundation's senior director of health information and resources and epilepsy clinical nurse specialist in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's Comprehensive Epilepsy Center in Boston.

"People fear the word epilepsy," said Shafer, who did not know until college that she had the condition because doctors only told her she had a seizure disorder, perhaps cutting her off from resources that were available. "This feeds into why people may not know or haven't been told they have it."

Experts, advocates and patients hope the greater number of cases brings attention and resources to people who often struggle with everything from relationships and parenting to working and driving.

"Epilepsy is common, complex to live with, and costly," said Rosemarie Kobau, head of CDC's Epilepsy Program, when the agency report was released. "It can lead to early death if not appropriately treated."

Many people take years to get to a neurologist trained in epilepsy, who not only can diagnose the condition but steer patients to the best therapies.

Patients can be treated with one or more medications, surgery to remove brain tissue where abnormal activity occurs or implantable devices to help control seizures.

Shaffer now takes 14 medications a day, though some are for other medical conditions than epilepsy. His main goals are to better control his seizures, which he had been experiencing three or four times a month, and to get off the drugs that can be tough to manage and make him feel sick.

He wasn't a good candidate for surgery, which can offer immediate relief because the problem area is removed, because his seizures stemmed from both sides of his brain, said Hopp, also an associate professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

So he became one of her first patients to get an implanted device. The responsive neurostimulation device, approved just a few years ago by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, constantly monitors brain activity and is programmed to detect specific patterns that can lead to a seizure. The thumb-size device sends brief electric pulses that disrupt abnormal activity before a seizure begins.

It's the latest technology, giving doctors another option for treatment when medications are not effective. Only about 60 percent of patients get a good response from epilepsy drugs.

During a recent visit to Hopp, scans showed Shaffer had no seizures for seven weeks, though he experienced a set only the day before the appointment.

"That shows it's working," said Hopp, who along with Jordan Takas, a therapy consultant from the device manufacturer NeuroPace, set the computer to give Shaffer bigger jolts in an effort to stop more seizures.

Shaffer said he knows the seizures upset his family, a burden for a doting dad who made sure everyone during his latest doctor's visit knew his 17-year-old daughter Josie Shaffer had just been appointed as a student member of the Baltimore County Board of Education.

For her part, Josie said she did not mind driving him to doctor appointments and elsewhere, though she did not much like navigating Baltimore City streets. She said the condition does bother her and her 15-year-old sister, as well as their mother, who often sends them out of the room or to walk the dog when their father has seizures.

"I hope this helps him," she said of the new device, implanted in February.

Up to 85 percent of patients eventually have improvements with the technology, including one patient who Takas said has been seizure free for seven years and others who have been able return to driving. In Maryland, patients have to show they have been seizure free for 90 days to apply for a driver's license.

No seizures is everyone's goal, Hopp said. Seizures can lead to injuries from falls, drowning in a tub, accidents while cooking or driving. The condition is linked to depression, and, rarely, it can cause patients to die in their sleep.

Hopp said developing treatment plans is highly individual, taking into account what would work best to control seizures and any life plans, such as child-bearing or other medical conditions.

"It's important to take a medical history, but it's really important to listen to them and their goals," Hopp said. "We take a lot of time on this. ... We focus on the best quality of life for a patient."

The Epilepsy Foundation's Shafer said depression and anxiety are concerns for many epilepsy patients that also need to be addressed by professionals. Some need legal aid, such as patients who fear losing custody of children or jobs.

The public also needs education about responding to seizures, she said. (The quick first aid to keep people safe: Sit them down or lie them on their side, protect their head, don't restrain them and call 911 only if the seizure lasts more than about three minutes.)

She said people with epilepsy can feel a loss of control, or like "they have a time bomb in the head."

New patients want quick answers about how they can be treated and how it will affect their lives, Shafer said. But it's really more of a "journey," with people having to understand what triggers their seizures or what works to control them and how it all affects their ability to go about daily activities.

"Sometimes we can answer questions and sometimes we can't," she said. "They need to understand what they have and what it means to them on a personal level and on a treatment level. ... Knowing how many people are affected is a start."

2017 The Baltimore Sun

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: Petr Kratochvil/public domain

The relationship between a doctor and patient relies heavily on the physician's capacity to empathize with or be sensitive to a patient's emotional state. Empathy has been associated with patients' increased adherence to treatment, fewer malpractice complaints, improved patient satisfaction and favorable health outcomes.

Some studies have documented troubling declines in empathy during medical trainingthe steepest of which are believed to occur between the second and third years of medical school, when students begin clinical training and empathetic communication is critical. But a new study by social neuroscientists at the University of Chicago, published Sept. 7 in Medical Education, challenges the common perception that empathy declines during medical training.

The authors point to the interaction of two facets of empathy: cognitive and affective. "Cognitive empathy is the ability to recognize and understand another person's experience, to communicate and confirm that understanding, and to act in an appropriate and helpful manner without necessarily sharing his or her emotions," said Jean Decety, the Irving B. Harris Distinguished Service Professor in Psychology and Psychiatry, and lead author of the new study. "Affective, or emotional, empathy is being attuned to someone else's emotions, feeling what he or she feels."

Previous studies that reported an erosion of empathy during medical training relied on one self-reported assessment of cognitive empathy. Often emphasized as most important in a clinical setting, it enables physicians to understand how their patients feel without having an emotional attunement. Affective empathy has long been thought to impede a physician's effectiveness in diagnosing and treating patients. Decety and UChicago colleagues Greg Norman, assistant professor in psychology, and graduate student Karen Smith contend that both components are important in patient-physician interactions, as doctors must be able to both accurately perceive and respond to their patients' emotional states.

In this study, a variety of subjective and objective measures helped provide a more complete understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to changes in empathetic capacity over the course of medical school. It also shed light on current discrepancies and inconsistencies within medical empathy literature.

Researchers designed a study that followed 129 medical students from Loyola University, Northwestern University and the University of Chicago during their first three years of medical school. At the beginning and end of each year, students completed a series of online surveys and behavioral tasks designed to objectively assess different components of empathy.

The first survey was the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, one of the most common self-assessment questionnaires in the field and thought to primarily evaluate the cognitive aspects of empathy. "We sought to replicate the results of previous studies that used this self-report measure," said Decety. "We did, in fact, see declines in assessment scores over the course of student training, which is in line with other studies that used this method."

The research team was interested in more than just a self-report on cognitive empathy, however. They wanted to tease out how the individual components of empathy changed over time, so they also administered the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy. This assessment is designed to reliably distinguish between the two facets of empathy, based on the social cognitive neuroscience literature on empathy and its underlying brain mechanisms.

At each appointment, students also were asked to complete a set of computerized tasks aimed at objectively evaluating their ability to recognize different mental and emotional states and sensitivity to the pain of others.

In contrast to the results of the Jefferson Scale questionnaire, student scores on the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy improved over time. Specifically, they found that both affective empathy and cognitive empathy increased during medical training. Similarly, medical students showed both greater sensitivity to facial expressions of pain and progress in their ability to quickly and accurately recognize others' emotional states.

The study challenges the view of an overall decline of empathy during medical training. The authors wrote: "We found that changes in empathy during medical training are not necessarily negativethe narrative appears to be much more complicated than we initially thought and illustrates how problematic it is to rely on a single, subjective measure to evaluate a complex psychological construct."

The facets of empathy that improved, including perspective-taking and understanding others' emotions, are thought to be most important to physician empathyand the most susceptible to change through teaching. Given the importance of empathy in the clinical setting, characterizing and understanding changes in student empathy has important implications for future teaching interventions, the authors contend.

Observed changes also may be the result of a curriculum that focuses on understanding the patient's perspective and conveying that to the patient. Many medical schools, including those included in this work, have explicit empathy curricula aimed at developing these skills, and the findings in this study could indicate these programs create positive changes.

More information: Karen E Smith et al, The complexity of empathy during medical school training: evidence for positive changes, Medical Education (2017). Karen E Smith et al, The complexity of empathy during medical school training: evidence for positive changes,(2017). DOI: 10.1111/medu.13398
Surgical drills, commonly used in the surgery of the head, spine, extremities and in dental operations, may damage the soft tissue near the bone. It is estimated that complications associated with surgical drills cause costs amounting to more than EUR 4 billion every year and, in the worst cases, can lead to the patient's death.

Visa Sippola, who worked as a researcher at the Department of Neurosurgery at HUS, had an idea for a new type of drill bit. It would contain a mechanism to protect the soft tissue and could be installed in existing surgical drill systems.

The idea of safer bone surgery convinced the surgeons, the team and Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, which granted funding aimed at the commercialisation of the idea. Now, a year and a half later, in September 2017, the respected technology publication MIT Technology Review has selected Sippola as one the 35 most promising young innovators in Europe. There were more than 1 100 candidates for the list.

The jury described the invention as an incredible innovation that will facilitate surgical procedures and reduce risks related to them. The tool is elegant in its simplicity, the judges said.

"This is a big recognition for the entire team! We want to make bone surgery safer to patients across the world. At the moment we are in the product development stage and our aim is to make the product available to Finnish patients approximately in 2019. Our plan is to then expand to Europe and to the rest of the world," Visa Sippola says. He is the CEO of a start-up called Surgify, which develops the drill bit and has already received its first private investments.

Surgeons, and experts in machine design

However, without a successful phone call, the story of Surgify could have remained in a desk drawer. Having had the idea, Sippola called Petri Kuosmanen, Professor of Machine Design at Aalto University, who partnered him with Shahab Haer, an engineering student, and Juho Carpen, who was studying Industrial Engineering and Management. The team is supported by a steering group consisting of big names: Professor of Neurosurgery Juha Hernesniemi, HUS's Head of Neurosurgery Mika Niemela, Chief Physician, Professor of Orthopaedics and Traumatology Jari Salo and other experts of the field. Thanks to the funding granted by Tekes in 2016, the development work started speedily and the method was patented at Aalto in the same year.

The Surgify team has an ambitious timetable for the commercialisation of their product as only 100 per cent reliability is good enough in the development of medical technology.

"Nevertheless, less invasive bone surgery is a major opportunity: it can reduce human suffering as well as generate considerable time and cost savings. According to Juha Hernesniemi, this is a real breakthrough," Sippola says.
(HealthDay)The start of college means it's time for young women to take charge of their health.

Dr. Aparna Sridhar, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Los Angeles, offers several tips in a university news release.

Know your health status. Talk to your parents and your doctor to make sure you're up-to-date with health screenings, shots and prescriptions. Ask about the status of allergies and other health issues.

Guard against HPV. Sridhar said college students should make sure they have been immunized for human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection. "It can cause cervical cancer but can be prevented by the HPV vaccination and screening with pap smears," she said.

Know how to get health care on campus. Find out the location of the closest health center that accepts your insurance.

Keep track of menstrual cycles. Being aware of your cycle will allow you to provide specifics to doctors if there's an issue. "When I ask my patients when their last period was, the first thing they do is open their cellphone. Many women are tracking their cycles through apps now," Sridhar said. You might also want to track your mood, cramps and birth control use.

Protect yourself during sex. Consider condom use to guard against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Prevent unplanned pregnancies by using birth control and emergency contraception after unprotected sex.

Don't tolerate sexual abuse or violence. One in four undergraduate women is sexually assaulted on campus. Consult the campus website or your dorm's resident assistant for help reporting an assault.

Follow good hygiene habits. Change sanitary protection as recommended. Use fragrance-free, pH-neutral soap in the vaginal area instead of scented soaps or shampoos. Avoid feminine sprays, douches or powders.

"Vaginal discharge is abnormal if you have itching, redness and pain," Sridhar said. "I recommend patients to see a doctor if they have discharge that is greenish-yellow, foamy or a bad smell."

Beware of urinary tract infections. "Drink plenty of water to flush out your system and talk to your doctor if you have pain and frequent urination with burning," Sridhar said. "If neglected, these can lead to kidney infections." Always urinate after having sex.

More information: For more about women's health, visit For more about women's health, visit womenshealth.gov

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Spotify plans to launch in South Africa during 2017, industry sources have told MyBroadband.

The service previously investigated launching in South Africa in 2014, but decided not to proceed.

A recent posting of a Senior Editor/Music Programmer job advert for South Africa by the company has also added to speculation it will be available soon.

While Spotify leads the subscription streaming music industry, with over 60 million subscribers and 140 million active users, it was beaten to market locally by several providers.

Simfy Africa launched in August 2012, selling unlimited, ad-free music streaming for R60 per month.

It was followed by Nokia MixRadio and Music+, Deezer, Rara, and Rdio. Only Deezer has survived the industry shifts that followed.

MixRadio tried expanding to iOS and Android in 2015, but was killed in 2016.

Rara was shut down, and Rdio sold to Pandora  after which it stopped operating in South Africa.

This did not stop Apple Music and Google Play Music launching in South Africa, though.

Naspers also launched Joox, its music streaming service from Tencent, in August.

Spotify in SA

While a launch date and prices for Spotify in South Africa have not been set, the service is expected to offer its standard packages:

Spotify Free  shuffle play with ads and limited song skips.

 shuffle play with ads and limited song skips. Spotify Premium  $9.99 per month in the US with a 30-day free trial.

 $9.99 per month in the US with a 30-day free trial. Spotify Family  $14.99 per month for you and up to 5 people who live with you.

 $14.99 per month for you and up to 5 people who live with you. Spotify Premium for Students  $4.99 per month (includes Hulu in the US).

In its most recent expansion, Spotify launched in Thailand at 129 Baht (R50) per month for a Premium subscription.

With its Thailand launch, Spotify is now available in 61 markets around the world.

Spotify was asked for comment on its South African launch, but it did not respond to questions.

Now read: Spotify introduces exclusive songs for premium subscribers
NSS of Armenia reveals channel of illegal migration

Azerbaijani State Security Service announces disclosure of 'Iranian spy network'

Politico: Indonesia, hosting G20, lobbies West to soften criticism of Russia in final communique

Ararat Mirzoyan expresses condolences to Mevlut Cavusoglu over Istanbul explosion

Iranian lawmakers sharply criticize Aliyev

Ambassador-at-Large: Azerbaijan's attacks on Armenia are a terrorist attack

Germany needs to diversify its business interests in Asia to reduce dependence on China

Head of U.S. Treasury Department says sanctions against Russia should remain in force even after war in Ukraine

Natasa Pirc Musar to become Slovenia's first woman president

IMF: World economic outlook even bleaker than predicted

Pashinyan: Azerbaijan calls Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh 'our citizens' and at the same time shoots at them

Turkish Interior Minister announces arrest of suspect in attack on Istiklal Avenue in Istanbul

Alpine to make 3 electric crossovers

Number of injured in Istanbul blast rises to 81

Paul McCartney sells guitar for $77,000 to support Ukraine

Erdogan says preliminary findings after Istanbul bombing point to terrorist attack

Erdogan says number of victims of Istanbul bombing rises to six

Authorities forbid TV channels to broadcast from Istanbul bombing site

Istanbul blast: Governor reports 4 dead and 38 wounded

Media: Terrorist attack considered as one of versions of bombing in Istanbul

Blast in Istanbul: victims reported

Reuters: National Bank of Ukraine prepares banking system for power outages

Explosion hits pedestrian street in Istanbul

Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin calls for Turkey to be recognized as sponsor of terrorism

Bloomberg columnist says Japan may be preparing for war with China

Reuters: U.S. to demand EU colleagues to continue aid to Kyiv at G20

Washington Post: U.S. intelligence believes UAE tried to interfere in U.S. politics

Yeni Safak: Turkey increases sales of winter products, blankets in EU by almost third since beginning of year

Fox News: Trump has been silent on social media for over 24 hours amid Republican failures

Lebanon extradites to Iraq relative of Saddam Hussein

Financial Times: Kyiv plans to nationalize more private companies

U.S. Senate declares 'death' of Republican Party after congressional elections

Head of U.S. Customs resigned

President of Georgia Zourabichvili says about 100 thousand Russians settled in country

CNN: Democrats to retain control of Senate after congressional elections

Alen Simonyan: We are truly and sincerely committed to the peace agenda

Artak Beglaryan: Genocidal purpose is apparent

French maritime services rescue more than 140 migrants trying to swim across English Channel

Biden says he is satisfied with results of midterm elections in U.S.

Slovenia holds second round of presidential elections

'Witch' burned alive in India, 14 arrested

COVID-19 cases are expected to surge in Germany this winter

Dollar makes worst showing in week since early days of COVID-19 pandemic

Macron confirms France's readiness to support normalization of relations between Yerevan and Baku

Germany withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty

Is Jordan country that has not supplied arms to Armenia?: 'The press usually has reliable information'

European Commission approves nationalization of Russian Gazprom's German subsidiary

Pashinyan: If the state interferes with the exchange rate unnecessarily, the economy will only suffer

U.S. to work with strategic coalition of Southeast Asian countries

Armenian PM: To reform army, it is necessary to make military service more attractive

Defense Ministry: Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire at Armenian positions

Putin and Raisi discuss topical issues of the bilateral agenda

Blinken: Ukraine must decide on timing and content of any talks with Russia

Catholicos expresses hope that Russia efforts will contribute to ensuring free, safe life of Artsakh Armenians

More than 50 of poorest developing countries are on brink of bankruptcy, says UN official

Armenia ex-ombudsman: We are facing serious national security issues (PHOTOS)

Biden has no plans to meet with Saudi crown prince at G20 summit

EU offers natural gas price cap assurances amid disagreements with member countries

Scholz is against establishment of ceasefire in Ukraine on Kremlin's terms

Turkologist: Turkey does not support agenda of achieving peace with Armenians

Sweden to not permit deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory after joining NATO

Erdogan signs decree on appointing Turkey ambassador to Israel

Information security expert: Some Armenia officials received letter that they were victims of national hackers attack

Armenia FM meets with France minister of foreign trade

Foreign Policy: US to resume nuclear arms control talks with Russia

Armenia opposition MP: Artsakh army reduction is impermissible

Biden to warn Chinas Xi that North Korea path could lead to increase in US military presence

US Treasury chief: India can buy as much Russian oil as it wants

Newspaper: Armenia authorities trying to find legal grounds for signing peace treaty

Newspaper: People of Karabakh not going to tolerate final destruction of their army

Texas woman sentenced to death for killing pregnant woman, removing fetus from victim

Van Gogh's painting sold for a record $117 million

Gentiloni: EU countries have accumulated enough gas to get through the coming winter

Several dozen activists detained at protest rally in Baku: They chant slogans 'Freedom!', 'Resign!'

Princess Haya seeks asylum in Wales

Pashinyan: Iran is concerned about the presence of other actors in our region, which are not in the territory of Armenia

Pashinyan: Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan listened to presented proposals

Volvo reveals its flagship EX90 electric crossover

Pashinyan: Yerevan supports Russia's proposals for Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement

Pashinyan: Russia cannot withdraw from Karabakh unless it creates additional guarantees for peacekeeping mission

Pashinyan: We will do everything to Armenia-Azerbaijan sign peace treaty by end of year

Russia bans entry of Biden's family and White House press secretary

Pashinyan: We believe there should be a dialogue between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh

Pashinyan says positions voiced by some member countries of CSTO are unacceptable

19 countries that use euro currency will slide into recession over winter

Pashinyan to Baku: If 1991 border is mutually recognized, what are your troops doing near Jermuk?

Pashinyan: If the Karabakh issue is solved, why is Azerbaijani Armed Forces shooting at Karabakh residents?

Pashinyan: Russia should say whether their version of peace settlement is still circulating?

Pashinyan: Maybe Azerbaijan doesn't want Armenia to receive revenues?

Pashinyan: Azerbaijan must withdraw its troops from Armenia

Pashinyan: My yesterday's speech served its purpose, Azerbaijani MFA no longer uses 'corridor' term

Microsoft founder Paul Allen's collection of world masterpieces sold for $1.6 billion

Public TV of Armenia hosts Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan

China shows drone killer

Armenian FM meets his French counterpart

Rishi Sunak decides to close hole in British budget through austerity

Delegation of Russian MPs visits Jermuk resort town

Lavrov and Mirzoyan discuss regional agenda

Harut Sasunyan: The best way to achieve peace is to be prepared for war

Turkish prosecutor demands court to ban Istanbul mayor from political activities
Armenian MOD denies another lie of Azerbaijani MOD

NSS of Armenia reveals channel of illegal migration

Azerbaijani State Security Service announces disclosure of 'Iranian spy network'

Politico: Indonesia, hosting G20, lobbies West to soften criticism of Russia in final communique

Ararat Mirzoyan expresses condolences to Mevlut Cavusoglu over Istanbul explosion

Iranian lawmakers sharply criticize Aliyev

Ambassador-at-Large: Azerbaijan's attacks on Armenia are a terrorist attack

Germany needs to diversify its business interests in Asia to reduce dependence on China

Head of U.S. Treasury Department says sanctions against Russia should remain in force even after war in Ukraine

Natasa Pirc Musar to become Slovenia's first woman president

IMF: World economic outlook even bleaker than predicted

Pashinyan: Azerbaijan calls Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh 'our citizens' and at the same time shoots at them

Turkish Interior Minister announces arrest of suspect in attack on Istiklal Avenue in Istanbul

Alpine to make 3 electric crossovers

Number of injured in Istanbul blast rises to 81

Paul McCartney sells guitar for $77,000 to support Ukraine

Erdogan says preliminary findings after Istanbul bombing point to terrorist attack

Erdogan says number of victims of Istanbul bombing rises to six

Authorities forbid TV channels to broadcast from Istanbul bombing site

Istanbul blast: Governor reports 4 dead and 38 wounded

Media: Terrorist attack considered as one of versions of bombing in Istanbul

Blast in Istanbul: victims reported

Reuters: National Bank of Ukraine prepares banking system for power outages

Explosion hits pedestrian street in Istanbul

Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin calls for Turkey to be recognized as sponsor of terrorism

Bloomberg columnist says Japan may be preparing for war with China

Reuters: U.S. to demand EU colleagues to continue aid to Kyiv at G20

Washington Post: U.S. intelligence believes UAE tried to interfere in U.S. politics

Yeni Safak: Turkey increases sales of winter products, blankets in EU by almost third since beginning of year

Fox News: Trump has been silent on social media for over 24 hours amid Republican failures

Lebanon extradites to Iraq relative of Saddam Hussein

Financial Times: Kyiv plans to nationalize more private companies

U.S. Senate declares 'death' of Republican Party after congressional elections

Head of U.S. Customs resigned

President of Georgia Zourabichvili says about 100 thousand Russians settled in country

CNN: Democrats to retain control of Senate after congressional elections

Alen Simonyan: We are truly and sincerely committed to the peace agenda

Artak Beglaryan: Genocidal purpose is apparent

French maritime services rescue more than 140 migrants trying to swim across English Channel

Biden says he is satisfied with results of midterm elections in U.S.

Slovenia holds second round of presidential elections

'Witch' burned alive in India, 14 arrested

COVID-19 cases are expected to surge in Germany this winter

Dollar makes worst showing in week since early days of COVID-19 pandemic

Macron confirms France's readiness to support normalization of relations between Yerevan and Baku

Germany withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty

Is Jordan country that has not supplied arms to Armenia?: 'The press usually has reliable information'

European Commission approves nationalization of Russian Gazprom's German subsidiary

Pashinyan: If the state interferes with the exchange rate unnecessarily, the economy will only suffer

U.S. to work with strategic coalition of Southeast Asian countries

Armenian PM: To reform army, it is necessary to make military service more attractive

Defense Ministry: Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire at Armenian positions

Putin and Raisi discuss topical issues of the bilateral agenda

Blinken: Ukraine must decide on timing and content of any talks with Russia

Catholicos expresses hope that Russia efforts will contribute to ensuring free, safe life of Artsakh Armenians

More than 50 of poorest developing countries are on brink of bankruptcy, says UN official

Armenia ex-ombudsman: We are facing serious national security issues (PHOTOS)

Biden has no plans to meet with Saudi crown prince at G20 summit

EU offers natural gas price cap assurances amid disagreements with member countries

Scholz is against establishment of ceasefire in Ukraine on Kremlin's terms

Turkologist: Turkey does not support agenda of achieving peace with Armenians

Sweden to not permit deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory after joining NATO

Erdogan signs decree on appointing Turkey ambassador to Israel

Information security expert: Some Armenia officials received letter that they were victims of national hackers attack

Armenia FM meets with France minister of foreign trade

Foreign Policy: US to resume nuclear arms control talks with Russia

Armenia opposition MP: Artsakh army reduction is impermissible

Biden to warn Chinas Xi that North Korea path could lead to increase in US military presence

US Treasury chief: India can buy as much Russian oil as it wants

Newspaper: Armenia authorities trying to find legal grounds for signing peace treaty

Newspaper: People of Karabakh not going to tolerate final destruction of their army

Texas woman sentenced to death for killing pregnant woman, removing fetus from victim

Van Gogh's painting sold for a record $117 million

Gentiloni: EU countries have accumulated enough gas to get through the coming winter

Several dozen activists detained at protest rally in Baku: They chant slogans 'Freedom!', 'Resign!'

Princess Haya seeks asylum in Wales

Pashinyan: Iran is concerned about the presence of other actors in our region, which are not in the territory of Armenia

Pashinyan: Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan listened to presented proposals

Volvo reveals its flagship EX90 electric crossover

Pashinyan: Yerevan supports Russia's proposals for Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement

Pashinyan: Russia cannot withdraw from Karabakh unless it creates additional guarantees for peacekeeping mission

Pashinyan: We will do everything to Armenia-Azerbaijan sign peace treaty by end of year

Russia bans entry of Biden's family and White House press secretary

Pashinyan: We believe there should be a dialogue between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh

Pashinyan says positions voiced by some member countries of CSTO are unacceptable

19 countries that use euro currency will slide into recession over winter

Pashinyan to Baku: If 1991 border is mutually recognized, what are your troops doing near Jermuk?

Pashinyan: If the Karabakh issue is solved, why is Azerbaijani Armed Forces shooting at Karabakh residents?

Pashinyan: Russia should say whether their version of peace settlement is still circulating?

Pashinyan: Maybe Azerbaijan doesn't want Armenia to receive revenues?

Pashinyan: Azerbaijan must withdraw its troops from Armenia

Pashinyan: My yesterday's speech served its purpose, Azerbaijani MFA no longer uses 'corridor' term

Microsoft founder Paul Allen's collection of world masterpieces sold for $1.6 billion

Public TV of Armenia hosts Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan

China shows drone killer

Armenian FM meets his French counterpart

Rishi Sunak decides to close hole in British budget through austerity

Delegation of Russian MPs visits Jermuk resort town

Lavrov and Mirzoyan discuss regional agenda

Harut Sasunyan: The best way to achieve peace is to be prepared for war
YEREVAN.- Israel played an important role in pardoning of the blogger Alexander Lapshin by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Director of the Institute of International and Security Affairs, analyst Stepan Safaryan told Armenian News  NEWS.am.

According to him, when Lapshin was detained on December 20, 2016, both Russia and Israel behaved rather carefully.

"I think, all remember how Lapshin's wife said that no meeting with the consul was taking place. I think the reason was the following: both Russia and Israel hoped that the issue would be resolved differently. The situation radically changed when Aliyev reached agreement with Lukashenko, and the blogger was extradited to Baku.

The main processes came at the time when both countries understood that Aliyev would not be satisfied by confession of Lapshin that he did not know he had been violating the law. And even after these words, he was still sentenced to imprisonment in Baku," Safaryan said.

According to the analyst, after that signs of tension appeared in the Russian-Azerbaijani and Israeli-Azerbaijani relations.

"And Lapshin was not the only problem of Russia. There are also other Russian citizens in Baku, including those of Armenian origin, who are also charged with criminal offences. Baku lets know all the time that if Moscow wants to solve their problems, then it must put pressure on Armenia and release Kalbajars saboteurs. But, eventually, this Russian-Azerbaijani deal did not take place, the political scientist said.

But the interference of Israel, according to the expert, yielded result.

"During the same period the story with the Israeli drones came out. It is worth mentioning that Israel took far-reaching steps, publishing, for example, information about Aliyev's business transactions, then starting an investigation concerning drones, depriving the license of the Aeronautics company. As a result Aliyev was forced to take a unilateral step to avoid tense relations in the future," Stepan Safaryan concluded.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, however, on Monday signed an order to pardon Alexander Lapshin.
The Justice Ministry of Azerbaijan, represented by its Penitentiary Service, has hurried to give explanations for the suicide attempt by blogger Alexander Lapshin.

According to the ministrys version, Lapshin had attempted to end his life under the pretext of delayed extradition, reported APA news agency of Azerbaijan.

Lapshin, who was sentenced to three years behind bars in Azerbaijan, had been fully provided with all procedural rights during the term of imprisonment, the Penitentiary Service said in a statement on Monday.

Lapshin, who holds Russian, Israeli and Ukrainian citizen, was repeatedly given the opportunity to meet with representatives of the embassies of these countries in Azerbaijan, as well as with family members, said the statement. Held under arrest throughout the investigation, Lapshin has been under constant medical supervision and provided with necessary medical examination and treatment. On 10 September 2017, however, he made an attempt to end his life under the pretext of delayed extradition. Nevertheless, the suicide attempt was prevented thanks to vigilance on the part of prison guards and necessary medical care was provided to Lapshin.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, however, on Monday signed an order to pardon Alexander Lapshin. Otherwise, Lapshins long detention was about to turn into an international scandal for Azerbaijani authorities.

After his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) in 2011 and 2012, blogger and journalist Alexander Lapshinwho is a citizen of Russia, Israel, and several other countrieswas blacklisted by Azerbaijan.

In June 2016, however, he paid a visit to Azerbaijanbut with a Ukrainian passportand, subsequently, he published several articles criticizing the Azerbaijani authorities.

Afterward, Azerbaijan issued an international search for this famous blogger. On December 15, 2016, Lapshin was detained in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk, and based on this search.

On January 26 of the current year, the Minsk city court dismissed the bloggers appeal of the Belarusian General Prosecutors Office decision to extradite him to Azerbaijan.

On February 7, the Supreme Court of Belarus dismissed the appeals that were filed into this case, and upheld the aforesaid decision by the General Prosecutors Office.

And on the evening of the same day, Belarus extradited Alexander Lapshin to the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku, where he was taken into custody.
YEREVAN.  There is absolutely no obstacle to the signing of a comprehensive agreement between Armenia and the EU, lawmaker from Armenias ruling party said.

Armen Ashotyan, chariamn of the standing committee on foreign relations, said discussions on this matter will also take place within the framework of the European Parliament.

According to my information, the Commission on Foreign Relations of the European Parliament is preparing a new report on the Eastern Partnership, which also touches upon this new document, Armen Ashotyan said.



Asked why the text of the future agreement is not published, the deputy noted: I talked to our European colleagues, they also did not see this document, as certain editorial technical work is still going on, which, by the way, is not changing the contents of the document. It will be available in due time.

Ashotyan did not agree that there is a lack of discussion on this matter.

There can be no shortage of discussions, since since February, when the president at the presence of Donald Tusk said negotiations on the document had already been finalized, the deal has been the subject of discussion on the political agenda of Armenia. I think there is not a lack of discussion, but, on the contrary, there is an excess of discussions.

A new comprehensive document between Armenia and the EU is expected to be signed during the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels in November.
Brandon Flowers chatted with Newsweek about The Killers' "Wonderful Wonderful," masculinity and calling his hero. https://t.co/RJ3B3B6yUw pic.twitter.com/gKJd8Wq0FW  Voodoo Experience (@VoodooNola) September 9, 2017

My vision of what masculinity is has definitely changed. As Ive had more experience, Ive come to realize its more about compassion and empathy. The Killers haveworldwide. On the new album, Flowers is most proud of "," which is from the perspective of his wife Tara.She has a complex version of [post-traumatic stress disorder] from her childhood, and its her speaking. Its emotional and the only song Ive had to sit down with her and play at the piano, just to make sure it was OK with her. On "," the song was written over aninstrumental, but his people wouldnt let the Killers release it. The band tried to change the music to the song but said that they could "never make it as good." The song almost didn't make "Wonderful Wonderful" and just before it was sent to be mastered he asked friends to get ahold of Brian Eno so that he could just explain to him his reasons for using the instrumental. He was able to get ahold of his idol and permission was granted just in time. This phone call was also an opportunity for Brandon to clear a rumor that Brian Eno declined to produce the bands second album "Sam's Town," something that followed Brandon for years."Were you asked to do Sams Town ? He said no. Who knows if it was some shady move from my record label or whatever, but that felt good. "" dropsRead the full article at the source.
lol

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

my kink

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

thats hot

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Yum

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Rachel Weisz repeatedly spits into Rachel McAdams' mouth in this movie.



No thanks.

Reply

Thread

Link

ugh nasty

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link



ew

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

From reading the small synopsis in this post I would never expect this comment.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

LMAO @ this comment below the first

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Rachel Weisz...I don't judge people who embrace amorality, but she's destroyed so many lives and marriages. Her libido and vagina should be designated WMDs.

Reply

Thread

Link

Huh?? I've never heard any of this. What has she done?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

MTE! ONTD oldest troll.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

ia, she needs to be quarantined in my bedroom. i'll take one for the team to keep everyone else safe.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

has regina made a good movie after the family stone?

Reply

Thread

Link

Spotlight

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

yeah forgot Midnight In Paris <3

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

About Time was cute

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

southpaw

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Morning Glory was cute. And the 1st Sherlock Holmes isn't bad.



Also Spotlight.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I liked Red Eye. Don't know if that was before or after, but it was in the same year. It combined two of my favorite things... Wes Craven and Rachel McAdams.



I need to see Spotlight.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

should i read this book?

Reply

Thread

Link

I still can't believe Rachel is the original sue storm, what could've been. Anyway I like her dress but I can't stop comparing it to the one Mila kunis wore at the Oscars.

Reply

Thread

Link

i read a tweet that described a sex scene as blue is the warmest color meets nymphomaniac so i am... tense

Reply

Thread

Link

Bitch what!? I'm in the middle of a hurricane, I best not die before I see this shit.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

https://twitter.com/rashadxll/status/907035529459277824



it was the whole movie, i got it wrong. but still



stay safe sis!! it was the whole movie, i got it wrong. but stillstay safe sis!!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Really? Mmmm interesting I need to check the reviews that come out

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

has there been a trailer, still, filming pic, literally anything from this movie yet?

Reply

Thread

Link





#Disobedience starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams is gonna premiere September 10 at 6PM #TIFF2017 pic.twitter.com/8PFBXvulSs  achel Weisz News (@RachelWeiszNews) August 22, 2017





Edited at 2017-09-11 01:50 am (UTC) there's been that one movie still i keep seeing over and over, of the two of them walking together in an alleyway

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

haha, thanks! this is the first i've seen of the whole movie.



also... is rachel mcadams wearing a wig?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i really hope this movie is good

Reply

Thread

Link

I need the trailer right now

Reply

Thread

Link

Canadian sweetheart Rachel McAdams deserves a much better career

Reply

Thread

Link

I'm glad Rachel Weisz and Alessandro Nivola are still amicable many years after their breakup.



Edited at 2017-09-11 03:15 am (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

Yeah, they were in another movie before this one. It was called I Want You, which came out about 20 years ago. They briefly dated while filming that. It was a few years before before he met Emily Mortimer. And I just learned that Emily dated Paul Bettany in the late 90s too, lol.



Edited at 2017-09-11 08:55 pm (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Want to see this.

Reply

Thread

Link

I think both are fantastic, I'm here for this!

Reply

Thread

Link

Why does Rachel McAdams always reappear in some weird movie? Why can't you just give me the movie with Keira Knightley and Anne Hathaway that I deserve?

Reply

Thread

Link

don't insult canada's most beautiful actress!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
Emmy winner Alexis Bledel. We are truly living in the Upside-Down, y'all.

Reply

Thread

Link

trump's america

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I'm happy for her but man the INJUSTICE

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

lol

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Lmao, right?



though... she really was great in The Handmaid's Tale.



(also I feel like her win bodes well for the show as a whole)

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

lmao. She did well though so I ain't mad, would've also been happy to see Ann Dowd take that category.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Seriously.



Alexis has an emmy, and Lauren doesn't.



I... can't...

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

she was surprisingly good in HT though. also Jessica biel is really good in her new series like wtf

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

she was fantastique in HT....but i can't believe she has one and kelly doesn't

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It's a travesty that Kelly and Lauren were never even nominated, they for sure deserved to win.





But Alexis was fabulous, and she deserves the Emmy, 100%.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

The main ceremony is on the 17th. The creative ceremony is televised the night before on FXX or something.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Heh, I just got finished submitting this.



Alexis Bledel has now both been nominated for and won an Emmy before Lauren Graham managed either. I imagine that prospect would have elicited a lot of laughter circa 2001.



Stranger Things getting the Drama Casting Emmy is well-deserved. They did well to find all those great kids. They clearly liked the sound aspects of the show, in particular, as well.

Reply

Thread

Link

if you told me Alexis would ever get an Emmy... She was great in Handsmaid Tale but I'm so surprised by it all.

Reply

Thread

Link

Alexis and Melissa's wins are well deserved this year

Reply

Thread

Link

alexis DID THAT

Reply

Thread

Link

How did The Night Of win editing and cinematography over Big Little Lies? o_O

Reply

Thread

Link

You surely can't have watched The Night Of if you're asking this! The cinematography is sooo beautiful. BLL had it easy, it's not hard to make landscape shots of the pacific and PCH and million dollar houses look good. The composition of the shots in the night of is so neat and gorgeous, BLL looks almost messy in so many shots in comparison(when you watch them side by side like I just did haha.)

There are also lots of really long takes that look like one take which probably bodes well for impeccable editing.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

alexis bledel winning an emmy is wild. cute that both her and melissa won for drama and comedy the same year/night tho. literally when will lauren graham?

Reply

Thread

Link

them eyes

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Really disliked Rory from Season 4-8, but still like Alexis and so proud she won an Emmy from THT - and on the same night as Melissa/Sookie no less!



I really hope Lauren Graham gets some due awards love some point in her career, I completely skipped Parenthood but her performance on Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite performances of all time.

Reply

Thread

Link

is hollywood reporter now a banned source?

Reply

Thread

Link

The Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama goes to Gerald McRaney in @NBCThisisUS! His first nomination and win! #EmmysArts pic.twitter.com/5GzrqvZAUo  Television Academy (@TelevisionAcad) September 11, 2017





i don't think melissa or dave were there i don't think melissa or dave were there

Reply

Thread

Link

I thought this was Jeff Van Vondren from Intervention for a second. He deserves his own emmy tbh.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

lol yes!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Haven't seen him a long time. Remember him from Simon & Simon and Major Dad. I also remember him from a TV movie where he played a Sheriff of a town where a little girl goes missing, find out he kidnapped and killed her.



Also kinda shocked he's still married to Delta Burke.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

It's really impressive that Chappelle won Comedy Guest Actor, when you consider that Tom Hanks and Lin-Manuel Miranda were also nominated in that category for hosting SNL. I had assumed that vote-splitting would doom any of their chances to actually win.

Reply

Thread

Link

Didn't Chappelle host the Saturday after the election? His opening monologue was basically a stand up set and I think it was one of the tougher episodes to host all things considered so I'm not surprised he/his episode won over the others.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Stranger Things took home Main Title Design, Theme Music



hell yeah!! why do i love it so much? it's so simple but so effective?? it makes me mad cause i don't understand!





Reply

Thread

Link

i'm glad this won

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I think it's a real achievement to take a fairly simple concept and make it so memorable.



Like, Westworld's opening credits are incredibly elaborate and clearly took a lot of work, but they don't stick in my mind nearly so clearly.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Mte. WW's intro and music are beautiful, but there's something to be said about the simplicity and impact of ST's intro.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

You should totally check this out!



All the work behind it is impressive considering is a rather simple intro, so effective though.



All the work behind it is impressive considering is a rather simple intro, so effective though.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I genuinely love this opening. The music is great.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

the music is great but it's so boring. lol @ this winning

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I am amazed that it won. It deserved it, don't get me wrong, but you know those people at Westworld thought they had it in the bag.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link




If you like: Get a Clue



Then you should read: One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

: Pestered by her close New Jersey family, Stephanie Plum offers to catch high-school crush Joe Morelli, cop turned bail jumper, for her cousin Vinnie's company. She questions "working girls" to find the missing girlfriend of vicious prizefighter Benito Ramirez while Joe secretly watches her back. Ranger mentors her and supplies vehicles when hers explode.





If you like: High School Musical



Then you should read: The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

: The Interestings explores the meaning of talent; the nature of envy; the roles of class, art, money, and power; and how all of it can shift and tilt precipitously over the course of a friendship and a life.The summer that Nixon resigns, six teenagers at a summer camp for the arts become inseparable. Decades later the bond remains powerful, but so much else has changed. In The Interestings, Wolitzer follows these characters from the height of youth through middle age, as their talents, fortunes, and degrees of satisfaction diverge.The kind of creativity that is rewarded at age fifteen is not always enough to propel someone through life at age thirty; not everyone can sustain, in adulthood, what seemed so special in adolescence. Jules Jacobson, an aspiring comic actress, eventually resigns herself to a more practical occupation and lifestyle. Her friend Jonah, a gifted musician, stops playing the guitar and becomes an engineer. But Ethan and Ash, Jules's now-married best friends, become shockingly successfultrue to their initial artistic dreams, with the wealth and access that allow those dreams to keep expanding. The friendships endure and even prosper, but also underscore the differences in their fates, in what their talents have become and the shapes their lives have taken.Wide in scope, ambitious, and populated by complex characters who come together and apart in a changing New York City, The Interestings explores the meaning of talent; the nature of envy; the roles of class, art, money, and power; and how all of it can shift and tilt precipitously over the course of a friendship and a life.





If you like: Brink!



Then you should read: Going in Circles by Pamela Ribon

: Charlotte Goodman has had enough surprises.In fact, she reached her lifes quotient when her husband of five months walked out on her, only to abruptly change his mind a few weeks later and move back in. Stung by a whiplash of grief, resentment, and confusion, Charlotte calls a time-out, taking a small apartment where she can figure out what she wants. Instead, the thought of making even the simplest choices triggers an anxiety attack. In order to get out of bed in the morning, she must concoct a to-do list for each day, The Plan, one with absolutely no surprises.Without The Plan, horrible things can happen. Im likely to end up sitting on a curb beside a taco truck on Sunset Boulevard, crying over a carne asada burrito, wondering where my marriage went. I cant handle being the Weeping Burrito Girl.Charlotte knows all this self-absorbed introspection isnt good for her, but shes running out of people to turn to, as seemingly everyone in her life is pressuring her to make an immediate decision about her future. Then her new friend Francescaan impulsive, smartass co-workeroffers Charlotte salvation in the unlikeliest of places: the fast-paced, super-tough, bump-and-bruise-filled world of roller derby.Sure, its dangerous. Yeah, she could get hurt. But whats a little physical pain when healing your soul is at stake? The question is: whether shes on or off the track, will Charlotte be strong enough to stand on her own two feet?





If you like: Gotta Kick It Up!



Then you should read: Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

: Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dancebut the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette's desire to escape the shadow of her ballet star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever. When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.





If you like: Halloweentown



Then you should read: The Witch's Market by Mingmei Yip

: From the author of Secret of a Thousand Beauties and Peach Blossom Pavilion comes a beautifully written novel of self-discovery and intrigue.Chinese-American assistant professor Eileen Chen specializes in folk religion at her San Francisco college. Though her grandmother made her living as a shamaness, Eileen publicly dismisses witchcraft as mere superstition. Yet privately, the subject intrigues her.When a research project takes her to the Canary Islandslong rumored to be home to real witchesEileen is struck by the lush beauty of Tenerife and its blend of Spanish and Moroccan culture. A stranger invites her to a local market where women sell amulets, charms, and love spells. Gradually Eileen immerses herself in her exotic surroundings, finding romance with a handsome young furniture maker. But as she learns more about the lives of these self-proclaimed witches, Eileen must choose how much trust to place in this new and seductive world, where love, greed, and vengeance can be as powerful, or as destructive, as any magic. Book Post??
Car Rental Companies Paying $2 Million in SeaTac Back Pay Agreement

The workers involved in the case clean, maintain, and prepare rental cars for customers and also drive shuttles to locations around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

An agreement between the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Hertz, and Thrifty over back pay owed under SeaTac's minimum wage law means workers at those rental companies' SeaTac locations will be receiving nearly $2 million; the agreement is one of L&I's largest in a back pay case in recent history.

A total of 157 workers filed L&I claims for wages owed between Jan. 1, 2014, when the $15 minimum wage took effect, and Sept. 30, 2015, which is the date is when the state Supreme Court ruled the ordinance covered companies at the airport.

"People have a right to get paid what they've worked hard for; when they don't, L&I can help," said L&I Director Joel Sacks. "Now that this agreement is in place, we're moving ahead to get this money into the hands of the people who worked hard for it. The funds will make a real difference for these workers and their families."

The workers involved in the case clean, maintain, and prepare rental cars for customers and also drive shuttles to locations around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Hertz and DTG Operations Inc. (Thrifty) representatives signed the agreement Aug. 18 and will pay anywhere from a few thousand dollars up to $30,000 per employee, including interest. The back wages total $1.51 million, with an additional $458,651 in interest. Under the agreement, the state waived any associated penalties and there was no admission of wrongdoing by the companies.

L&I reported that last year, it received 5,440 wage complaints and returned $2.8 million to workers in enforcement of the state's wage-and-hour laws.
The latest

Iconic fish fry and event venue Serb Hall is for sale

The building, 5101 W. Oklahoma Ave., has been listed by Founders 3 Real Estate.
Deepak Kumar, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Illinois, and Vijay Singh, Director of the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory, led work to show the economic viability of a promising new feedback to produce sustainable bio-jet fuel. Credit: Claire Benjamin/University of Illinois

A Boeing 747 burns one gallon of jet fuel each second. A recent analysis from researchers at the University of Illinois estimate that this aircraft could fly for 10 hours on bio-jet fuel produced on 54 acres of specially engineered sugarcane.

Plants Engineered to Replace Oil in Sugarcane and Sweet Sorghum (PETROSS), funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E), has developed sugarcane that produces oil, called lipidcane, that can be converted into biodiesel or jet fuel in place of sugar that is currently used for ethanol production. With 20% oil - the theoretical limit - all of the sugar in the plant would be replaced by oil.

"Oil-to-Jet is one of the direct and efficient routes to convert bio-based feedstocks to jet fuel," said Vijay Singh, Director of the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory. "Reducing the feedstock cost is critical to improving process economics of producing bio-jet fuel. Lipidcane allows us to reduce feedstock cost."

This research analyzed the economic viability of crops with different levels of oil. Lipidcane with 5% oil produces four times more jet fuel (1,577 liters, or 416 gallons) per hectare than soybeans. Sugarcane with 20% oil produces more than 15 times more jet fuel (6,307 liters, or 1,666 gallons) per hectare than soybeans.

"PETROSS sugarcane is also being engineered to be more cold tolerant, potentially enabling it to be grown on an estimated 23 million acres of marginal land in the Southeastern U.S.," said PETROSS Director Stephen Long, Gutgsell Endowed Professor of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at the University of Illinois. "If all of this acreage was used to produce renewable jet fuel from lipid-cane, it could replace about 65% of national jet fuel consumption."

"We estimate that this biofuel would cost the airline industry $5.31/gallon, which is less than most of the reported prices of renewable jet fuel produced from other oil crops or algae," said Deepak Kumar, a postdoctoral researcher at Illinois, who led the analysis.

This crop also produces profitable co-products: A hydrocarbon fuel is produced along with bio-jet fuel or biodiesel that can be used to produce various bioproducts. The remaining sugar (for plants with less than 20% oil) could be sold or used to produce ethanol. In addition, biorefineries could use lipidcane bagasse to produce steam and electricity to become self-sustainable for their energy needs and provide surplus electricity, providing environmental benefits by displacing electricity produced with fossil fuels.

PETROSS (Plants Engineered to Replace Oil in Sugarcane and Sorghum) is a research project transforming sugarcane and sweet sorghum to naturally produce large amounts of oil, a sustainable source of biofuel. PETROSS is supported by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), which funds initial research for high-impact energy technologies to show proof of concept before private-sector investment.

The paper "Biorefinery for combined production of jet fuel and ethanol from lipid-producing sugarcane: a techno-economic evaluation" is published by Global Change Biology Bioenergy .
John Tibby (holding the core), Lydia McKenzie, Jonathan Marshall and Cameron Barr. Credit: University of Adelaide

Environmental researchers have uncovered a wealth of information about a unique part of Australia that offers never-before-seen insights into climate change since the last ice age.

The work  led by the University of Adelaide, and involving scientists from the Queensland Government, and members of the local community  has uncovered what the researchers describe as a "treasure trove" of ancient wetlands on Queensland's North Stradbroke Island (known to Indigenous communities as Minjerribah), some dating as old as 200,000 years ago.

Now published in the Journal of Quaternary Science, the research details the development of wetlands on the island, at a time when water across Australia was scarce.

"There are more wetlands on North Stradbroke Island dating to the last ice age than anywhere else in Australia," says project leader Dr John Tibby, Acting Head of the Department of Geography, Environment and Population at the University of Adelaide.

"Australia was much drier during the last ice age than it is today, as most of the water was held in large ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere. Right across Australia there were few wetlands during this time, which raises the question: where and how did plants and animals survive that needed permanent water?

"The island, and possibly even the region itself, may have been a refuge from dry climates," Dr Tibby says.

Dr Jonathan Marshall, Principal Scientist with the Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation, says their work has demonstrated that North Stradbroke Island "is an Australian exception."

John Tibby and Cameron Barr.

"We cored and dated 16 wetlands on the island and found six dating to the ice age or earlier, with one being more than 200,000 years old," Dr Marshall says.

"Some of these wetlands on North Stradbroke were around before humans arrived in Australia. Analysis of the sediments laid down in the wetlands provides us with a better understanding of their natural variation to climate change. This allows us to make better recommendations about sustainable environmental management," he says.

Dr Tibby says a range of indicators in the wetlands offer researchers a window into past climate and environments.

"We're using the chemicals in leaves to determine past rainfall, and fossil algae to tell us how the water in the wetlands has changed," Dr Tibby says.

"Using this information, we can glean insights into whether climate changed at the same time Australian megafauna went extinct. This is important, since scientists are often forced to rely on records as far away as Antarctica to tell them about Australian climate change.

"The persistence of these wetlands suggests that for much of the past 40,000 years, and for perhaps much longer, the local environment has remained relatively moist. This may partly be due to links between these wetlands and the island's groundwater systems, which act as water reservoirs during periods of rainfall deficit.

"This unique and remarkably long and uninterrupted record of climatic conditions in south-east Queensland will greatly improve our understanding about the drivers of both local and regional climate variability," he says.

Darren Burns, Traditional Owner, and Land and Sea Manager, Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, says: "This evidence represents and confirms the resources that no doubt the Quandamooka People would have had to enable them to live continually on the Island. Coupled with the existence of the Pleistocene sites, this study demonstrates the long and extensive connection Quandamooka People have to our ancient land."
A polynya, or an opening in the sea ice, was present in the Southern Ocean in the 1970s. This image shows the sea ice concentration averaged over three September months 1974-1976 during the Weddell Polynya, made with data from the NIMBUS-V satellite from the National Snow Ice Data Center. Credit: University of Pennsylvania

In 1974, images acquired from NOAA satellites revealed a puzzling phenomenon: a 250,000 square kilometer opening in the winter sea ice in the Weddell Sea, south of South America. The opening, known as a polynya, persisted over three winters. Such expansive ice-free areas in the ocean surrounding Antarctica have not been seen since, though a small polynya was seen last year.

In a new analysis of climate models, researchers from the University of Pennslyvania, Spain's Institute of Marine Sciences and Johns Hopkins University reveal the significant global effects that these seemingly anomalous polynyas can have. Their findings indicate that heat escaping from the ocean through these openings impacts sea and atmospheric temperatures and wind patterns around the globe and even rainfall around the tropics. Though this process is part of a natural pattern of climate variability, it has implications for how the global climate will respond to future anthropogenic warming.

"This small, isolated opening in the sea ice in the Southern Ocean can have significant, large-scale climate implications," said Irina Marinov, a study author and assistant professor in Penn's Department of Earth and Enviromental Science in the School of Arts & Sciences. "Climate models suggest that, in years and decades with a large polynya, the entire atmosphere warms globally, and we see changes in the winds in the Southern Hemisphere and a southward shift in the equatorial rain belt. This is attributable to the polynya."

The study appears in the Journal of Climate. Marinov coauthored the work with Anna Cabre, a former postdoc in Marinov's lab and now an oceanographer with the Institue of Marine Sciences in Barcelona, and Anand Gnanadesikan, a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Science at Johns Hopkins.

Typically, the Southern Ocean is covered in ice during the Southern Hemisphere's

winter. Polynyas occur when warm subsurface waters of North Atlantic and equatorial origin mix locally with cold surface waters, a process known as open-ocean convection.

Until recently, climate scientists and oceanographers believed that atmospheric and ocean conditions around the tropics were the primary drivers in affecting conditions outside the tropics. But in the last few years, Marinov and collaborators and others have shown that the opposite is also true: the Southern Ocean has an important role in affecting tropical and Northern Hemisphere climates.

In the current work, Marinov and colleagues used powerful models that simulate past and future climate to determine how the effects of polynya ripple out around the globe.

Their model indicated that polynyas and accompanying open-ocean convection occur roughly every 75 years. When they occur, the researchers observed, they act as a release valve for the ocean's heat. Not only does the immediate area warm, but there are also increases in overall sea-surface and atmospheric temperatures of the entire Southern Hemisphere and, to a lesser extent, the Northern Hemisphere, as well.

Changes in north-south temperature gradients lead to changes in wind patterns as well.

"We are seeing a decrease in what we call the Southern Hemisphere westerlies and changes in trade winds," Marinov said. "And these winds affect storms, precipitation and clouds."

Among these changes in precipitation is a shift in the Intertropical Convergence Zone, an equatorial belt where trade winds converge, resulting in intense precipitation. When a polynya occurs, this rain belt moves south a few degrees and stays there for 20 to 30 years before shifting back.

"This affects water resources in, for example, Indonesia, South America and sub-Saharan Africa," said Marinov. "We have a natural variation in climate that may be, among other effects, impacting agricultural production in heavily populated regions of the world."

Given these broad-scale implications of a Southern Ocean phenomenon, Marinov underscores the need to increase monitoring in the region. She is part of an effort called SOCCOM, for Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling, placing robotic floats in the Southern Ocean to collect data on ocean temperature, salinity, carbon, nutrients and oxygen.

"We're also urging people to keep a close eye on the satellites to look for other polynyas, this year and going forward," Marinov said.

Earlier research by Marinov's group and collaborators suggested that, under climate change, polynyas may become less frequent. As sea ice melts it freshens the top layer of the sea surface, making it lighter and less likely to mix with the heavier bottom waters. Marinov notes that the fact that no significant polynyas opened up from the mid-1970s until last year may have contributed to the so-called "climate hiatus" in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when global average surface temperatures appeared to stall in their otherwise persistent upward climb.

"During this hiatus period abnormal amounts of heat were stored in the subsurface ocean waters" Marinov said. "Most research has attributed this hiatus to a prolonged La Nina period, resulting in a storage of heat in the low-latitude Pacific. But I think that a lack of a Weddell Sea polynya also contributed, storing more heat in the Southern Ocean and preventing the additional release of heat to the atmosphere."

The work raises many new questions, such as how a decreasing sea ice extent, including the recent breaking off of a massive chunk of the Antarctic peninsula, will affect the frequency of polynyas and how the presence or absence of polynyas will affect how much atmospheric temperatures warm in response to anthropogenic climate change.

"This investigating into polynyas and Southern Ocean convection turned out to be a very important and interesting story for the global climate that we think a lot of people will be studying in the next decade," Marinov said.

More information: Anna Cabre et al, Global Atmospheric Teleconnections and Multidecadal Climate Oscillations Driven by Southern Ocean Convection, Journal of Climate (2017). DOI: 10.1175/JCLI-D-16-0741.1 Journal information: Journal of Climate
To purify a sample of DNA and extract the circular DNA, University of Texas at Dallas researchers used a 50-year-old lab technique. They added DNA to a dense salt solution containing cesium chloride in a small test tube, then spun the sample in an ultracentrifuge at very high speeds. Circular DNA is denser and concentrates in a band near the bottom of the tube. Credit: University of Texas at Dallas

A 50-year-old lab technique is helping researchers better understand circular DNA, a lesser-known and poorly understood cousin of the linear version commonly associated with life's genetic blueprint.

With the aid of a process called density gradient centrifugation, a research team, which included scientists from The University of Texas at Dallas and Stanford University School of Medicine, recently published a study that for the first time characterizes all of the circular DNA in the worm C. elegans, as well as in three human cell types.

What Is Circular DNA?

The DNA molecules that make up the genes and chromosomes in our cells are rope-like strands, free at both ends and shaped like a twisted ladder, or helix. That DNA, called chromosomal DNA, is found in each cell's nucleus and contains genetic instructions needed to carry out biological functions.

But another population of DNA, called extrachromosomal circular DNA, is shaped like a circle, with no loose ends, and exists independently of linear DNA. While researchers are beginning to better understand how circular DNA functions in humans, much is still unknown. The study, published online recently in the journal G3: Genes, Genomes and Genetics, found that different cell varieties harbor different sets of circular DNAs.

"The interesting thing is that different types of cells seem to have different repertoires of these circles, even within the same person," said lead study author Dr. Massa Shoura, a Beckman Foundationpostdoctoral research fellow at Stanford who earned two PhDs from UT Dallas. "They're not all created equalthe circles in your skin cells might be different from those in my skin."

'Circulome' Could Predict Disease

In both the worm and the human cells, the researchers observed circles that were copies of coding regions on chromosomal DNA, regions that contain genes for making specific proteins. While the investigators have some clues as to how such circular DNA is created, the exact processes are not well understood.

"We think they have different functions, and different mechanisms that generate them, but much more study is needed," said Shoura BS'08, MA'10, PhD'13, PhD'14. "One of the things we're trying to find out is whether there are specific repertoires of circular DNAa term we coined as the 'circulome'that are specific to various pathologies, like cancer."

For example, Shoura and her colleagues are investigating whether there are marked differences between the circulome in healthy tissue and colon cancer tissue from the same person. If so, circular DNA offers a potential diagnostic biomarker for cancer.

"In order to establish circular DNA as a biomarker for disease, we first have to have a method for reliably and cleanly separating circular DNA out of a sample, purifying it, so that we know what we are studying is just the circles, without other genetic materials mixed in," she said. "That's where my UT Dallas training comes in."

What's Old is New Again

Before she joined the Stanford lab of Nobel laureate Dr. Andrew Fire in 2015, Shoura was a graduate student working at UT Dallas in the lab of Dr. Stephen Levene, Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science. For the study published in G3, which Fire and Levene also co-authored, the team incorporated Levene and Shoura's expertise with an old-school lab technique called density gradient centrifugation. Developed 50 years agoand now, according to Levene, rarely usedthe method separates DNA based on density.

Levene and Shoura both said that the technique runs circles around more modern analysis methods.

"I've been using this DNA isolation technique since I was a graduate student, and I still think it's the best method for recovering a clean sample of circular DNA," said Levene, a bioengineering professor who also is affiliated with the departments of biological sciencesand physics at UT Dallas.

In the process, DNA is mixed with a dense salt solution containing cesium chloride in a small test tube, along with a dye that binds to both linear DNA and circular DNA. The dye binds differently to each DNA type, resulting in the linear DNA being less dense than the circular DNA. When the sample is spun in an ultracentrifuge at high speeds, around 120,000 rpm, the higher density circular DNA concentrates in a band near the bottom of the tube.

The researchers also subjected their samples to additional, more modern purification methods to further ensure a clean sample of circular DNA. "This study clearly shows that circular DNA is part of the genome; it plays a role in normal DNA processing," Shoura said. "The more we study it, we're learning that the human genome is more dynamic than we thought."

More information: Massa J. Shoura et al, Intricate and Cell-type-specific Populations of Endogenous Circular DNA (eccDNA) in Caenorhabditis elegans and Homo sapiens, G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics (2017). DOI: 10.1534/g3.117.300141
Concerns that the process of U.S. congressional redistricting may be politically biased have fueled many debates, but a team of University of Illinois computer scientists and engineers has developed a new computer algorithm that may make the task easier for state legislatures and fairer for their constituents.

"United States congressional district maps are redrawn every 10 years in response to national census data, and this process empowers every state legislature to decide how they will carve up each of their congressional districts," said Illinois professor of computer science Sheldon H. Jacobson. "One of the problems is that this can lead to oddly shaped and dispersed districts that favor one political agenda over another."

The researchers' study, performed in collaboration with Douglas M. King, a lecturer of industrial and enterprise systems engineering, proposes a new, geographically based and data-driven algorithm that allows a user to specify the goal that guides the creation of the districts, then creates the districts computationally while enforcing other requirements, such as each district being a contiguous area. Their algorithm speeds up computations by gleaning insight from the geography of the state.

"As data scientists who study and analyze algorithms, we bring a nonpartisan approach to this problem," Jacobson said. "It's just data. It happens to have significant political ramifications, but it is still just data."

Presented in the journal Computational Optimization and Applications, the study uses publicly available data from the U.S. Census Bureau and other public sources in a program developed by King.

"One thing we are very keen on is making sure that we are using publicly available data so that everything we are doing is very transparent, with the same data that would be available to other districting stakeholders," King said.

"We are not political scientists, we are data scientists, and we view the data, the census blocks, as pixels," Jacobson said. "We have to group these pixels in a manner such that you define districts, each of which will meet a particular property, such as roughly equivalent populations."

Jacobson and King examine two specific districting objectives - population and political affiliation balance - to demonstrate computational results of their algorithm. They found that their algorithm can successfully generate contiguous district shapes far more efficiently than other computational algorithms.

"The algorithm can be tailored to emphasize the goals or needs of whoever wants to use the tool," King said. "Ultimately, what we are offering is a process to explore redistricting options in an efficient, computational manner."

"The use of our algorithmic framework is just one step in the direction of transparency when it comes to congressional redistricting," Jacobson said. "I think any legislator who is truly committed to their citizens must consider algorithmic redistricting as an available, and viable, option during the next redistricting period that will take place after the U.S. census in 2020."

More information: D. M. King et al, The geo-graph in practice: creating United States Congressional Districts from census blocks, Computational Optimization and Applications (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s10589-017-9936-3
Live Acropora corals. Credit: M. Prazeres

Extensive loss of branching corals and changes in coral community structure in Australia's Palm Islands region over the past century has been revealed in a new study.

Dr Tara Clark of The University of Queensland Radiogenic Isotope Facility in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences said these corals were highly sensitive to environmental change.

She said the area in the central region of the Great Barrier Reef warranted close monitoring to avoid irreversible changes in ecosystem health.

"Hard coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef is on a trajectory of decline," Dr Clark said.

"Yet, little is known about past coral mortality before long-term monitoring began around the 1980s to give us a long-term picture of what has happened since European colonisation of the coast."

Dr Clark said the limited baseline information of ecological dynamics before the 1980s made it difficult to understand recent ecosystem trends.

"Our study demonstrates the use of high-resolution uranium-thorium dating, modern and palaeoecological techniques to improve our understanding of coral mortality and recovery dynamics over much broader time scales," she said.

"At a regional scale we found a loss of resilience in ecologically important branching Acropora corals - formerly dominant key framework builders - with recovery severely lagging behind predictions."

Extensive loss of branching corals and changes in coral community structure in Australia's Palm Islands region over the past century has been revealed in a new study. Dr Tara Clark of The University of Queensland Radiogenic Isotope Facility in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences said these corals were highly sensitive to environmental change. Credit: S.Dalton

Dr Clark said the study found the timing of Acropora coral death to have occurred simultaneously among reefs in the Palm Islands, coinciding with major disturbance events, such as bleaching and flooding, in the 1920s to 1960s and again in the 1980s to 1990s.

"Surveys conducted in 2014 revealed low Acropora cover - less than five per cent - across all sites, with very little evidence of recovery for up to 60 years at some sites, thus there was little left in this region for the 2016 bleaching event to kill." she said.

Together with previous research, the indication was the recent condition of the inshore Great Barrier Reef was a "shifted baseline" - already degraded before long-term monitoring took place. Taking together all such previous undocumented loss, the true picture is probably far worse than that depicted in previous reports of the 2016 mortality event.

This in turn strongly supported the importance of robust management action to reduce human impacts on reefs, especially efforts to reduce sediment and nutrient delivery to reef waters, in order to buy time for the reefs to recover before the next major disturbance event.

"The findings of this study will also prove valuable to reef managers by providing a reliable baseline for ongoing monitoring and identifying reefs at risk for deterioration, especially for those where modern observations are lacking," Dr Clark said.

School of Earth and Environmental Sciences project leader Professor Jian-xin Zhao said Dr Clark should be commended for her contributions to protect Australia's national icon, the Great Barrier Reef.

Live Acropora dominated reef. Credit: Dr Tara Clark

"Most of the work was done during her PhD studies or as part of a National Environmental Research Program project when she was a postdoctoral fellow," Professor Zhao said.

"This paper, together with two other papers published in Scientific Reports and Nature Communications in the past year, were published when Tara relied on casual administration and technical roles for a living, so this work is really an amazing achievement."

The study involved researchers from UQ's School of Biological Sciences,
Credit: Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation announced today that it has developed a 3-D LiDAR sensor that accurately measure the direction of and distance to objects with a wide angle of view, which is critical for autonomous operation of mobile robots. Employing Panasonic's propriety laser-scanning technology, this 3-D LiDAR is capable of scanning the laser as wide as up to 60 degrees vertically and 270 degrees horizontally to achieve stable operation of autonomous robots. Sample shipments will start in January 2018. Panasonic will exhibit the 3-D LiDAR at "CEATEC JAPAN 2017" at Makuhari Messe, Chiba, Japan, from October 3 to 6, 2017

The wide scanning angle of the newly developed 3-D LiDAR helps the detection of objects on the ground precisely as well as the roughness of the ground surface. In addition, the range of scanning angles and the resolution can be tailored precisely by adjusting the rotation angle and speed of the mirrors in the system. This feature gives users accuracy and flexibility to choose the most appropriate conditions for the measurement depending on their usage. That will facilitate the wide-spread use of autonomous robots that navigate inside or outside facilities with moving objects around, including people.

Panasonic's new 3-D LiDAR has the following features:

Wide view angles: 60 degrees in vertical and 270 degrees in horizontal directions

Variable detection settings for viewing angles and resolution in vertical

Accurate detection under strong sunlight

Autonomous robots need to detect the condition of the ground as well as the objects around them since they will be operated inside and/or outside facilities with many moving objects including people. Conventional 3-D LiDARs that are designed for autonomous driving of automobiles cannot scan the laser in a wide range of vertical angles. Therfore, they cannot precisely detect the conditions of the ground. For this reason, conventional LiDARs need to be combined with other sensors that can detect the ground condition. This results in complicated configuration and the design of the autonomous robots.

Details of laser-scanning system in Panasonic's 3-D LiDAR. Credit: Panasonic

Wide view angles: 60 degrees in vertical and 270 degrees in horizontal directions

Existing 3-D LiDARs cannot detect objects around them with wide view angles especially for the vertical direction. Panasonic developed the laser-scanning technologies utilizing its proprietary design of optical system and motor controlling technology to move the mirror that have been developed for the mass production of optical disk drives. The 3-D LiDAR employs a single laser and moving mirror for the detection. Laser light travels the same optical path in the Panasonic's original optical system. The mirror moves toward two different directions by two motors. The single-path design and wide angle of the mirror-move enable wide view angles with 60 degrees in vertical and 270 degrees in horizontal directions. The 3-D LiDAR does not require any additional sensors for the detection of the objects around including those on the ground, which makes the detection system in autonomous robots very simple.

Variable detection settings for viewing angles and resolution in vertical

Examples of laser scanning by Panasonic's 3-D LiDAR. Credit: Panasonic

Autonomous robots are required to detect the objects in the specified area. For example, autonomous robots do not need to sense the objects in details when they move on flat surface with less objects in the area. The object detection sensor can be scanned at relatively high speed according to the robot's speed. On the other hand, in an area with many moving people or objects, it requires high sensing technologies with a wide angle of view. Furthermore, the sensor needs to examine the details of the object's surface that has been detected. Panasonic's new 3-D LiDAR can easily vary the detection settings thanks to its unique laser-scanning technologies employed. Stable and time-effective operations of autonomous robots can be achieved by choosing the most suitable detection settings depending on the conditions of the areas where they will be used.

Accurate detection even under strong sunlight

Autonomous robots also require the accuracy in detecting objects under strong sunlight. By making the return light follow the same path as the emitted laser, Panasonic has successfully reduced the noise induced by bright sunlight. As a result, the newly developed 3-D LiDAR can be operated with high accuracy even under the light intensity of 100,000 lux that corresponds to strong sunlight in summer-time.

Example of detection image under strong sunlight. Credit: Panasonic


An aerial view shows extensive flooding from Harvey in a residential area in Southeast Texas, Aug. 31, 2017. Credit: Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Daniel J. Martinez

An analysis of flood claims in several southeast Houston suburbs from 1999-2009 found that the Federal Emergency Management Agency's 100-year flood plain mapsthe tool that U.S. officials use to determine both flood risk and insurance premiumsfailed to capture 75 percent of flood damages from five serious floods, none of which reached the threshold of a 100-year event.

The research by hydrologists and land-use experts at Rice University and Texas A&M University at Galveston was published in the journal Natural Hazards Review just days before Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey inundated the Houston region and caused some of the most catastrophic flooding in U.S. history.

"The takeaway from this study, which was borne out in Harvey, is that many losses occur in areas outside FEMA's 100-year flood plain," said study co-author Antonia Sebastian, a research associate at Rice's Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED) Center and a postdoctoral researcher at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.

"What we've tried to show, both with this study and several others, is that it is possible to do better," said lead author Russell Blessing, a Texas A&M-Galveston graduate student with joint appointments at the SSPEED Center and Texas A&M-Galveston's Center for Texas Beaches and Shores. "There are innovative computational and hydrological tools available to build more predictive maps."

In the new study, Blessing, Sebastian and co-author Sam Brody, a professor of marine sciences at Texas A&M-Galveston, director of the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores and a SSPEED Center investigator, examined the Armand Bayou watershed in southeast Harris County. Armand Bayou's 60-square-mile watershed includes portions of Houston, Pasadena, Deer Park, La Porte and Taylor Lake Village, as well as unincorporated portions of Harris County.

Five major rain events occurred in the study area between 1999-2009. They were Hurricane Ike (2008), Tropical Storms Erin (2007) and Allison (2001, and two rainstorms that caused flooding in 2006 and 2009.

Hydrologists often characterize rain events and flooding events with a statistic known as "return interval." A 100-year flood has a 100-year return interval, but Blessing said that does not mean such a storm is only expected to occur every 100 years. Rather, it means there is a 1-in-100 chance, or a 1 percent chance, that the event will occur in any given year. Thus, a 50-year event would have a 2 percent chance of occurring each year, a 10-year event would have a 10 percent chance, and so on.

Hurricane Harvey caused some of the most catastrophic flooding in U.S. history last month. A new study of flooding between 1999-2009 in several southeast Houston suburbs found that FEMAs 100-year floodplain maps failed to capture 75 percent of flood damages from five storms, none of which reached the threshold of a 100-year event. Credit: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University

Brody said one problem with FEMA's 100-year flood plain maps is that they assume that flooding will only take place in one dimension, that is, either downstream or upstream, and not perpendicular to the channel.

"That assumption doesn't hold when you're in really low-lying areas, like Armand Bayou or other coastal watersheds that are very flat," he said. "When flooding rain accumulates in these areas, it can flow in just about any direction depending upon how high it gets."

Another issue with FEMA's maps is their lack of granularity. Brody and Blessing said the type of soil (such as clay versus sand) and the way land is used (such as a concrete parking lot or a school playground) have significant impacts on flooding, and FEMA's models often use a single classification for entire neighborhoods or groups of neighborhoods. In so doing, they miss out on small-scale features that can significantly affect flooding.

Sebastian said focusing on 100-year events is also problematic because short, intense rainfall events that don't meet the 100-year threshold can still cause serious flooding.

"In Armand Bayou, a 100-year rainfall event is one that drops 13.5 inches of rain in a 24-hour period," she said. "In reality, we also experience much more intense rainfalls in less time. So, for example, when it rains 6 inches in two or three hours, it can also cause serious flooding."

In several other studies, including a number that examined flooding in the Clear Creek watershed, Blessing, Brody, Sebastian and SSPEED colleagues have shown that other approaches, like distributed hydrologic modeling and probabilistic flood plain mapping, can be far more predictive of flood damages and flood risk.

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation. The findings and opinions reported are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the funding organizations or those who provided assistance with various aspects of the study.
A scientist operates a new compact device for studying the behaviour of marine microbes. Credit: Marea Martlew

Marine microbes play an important role in the productivity and functioning of our oceans but scientists studying their behaviour face many challenges.

Traditional oceanographic instruments sample large volumes of seawater (up to tens of litres) but microbial interactions take place at a micro-litre scale.

Engineers and microbiologists in Australia, the US and Switzerland have formed a unique partnership to overcome these limitations. The team has developed a device that allows microbial ecologists to investigate microbial behaviour in their natural environment.

The new device exploits recent advances in microfabrication and microfluidic techniques that also opens-up a range of possibilities for biomedical research and water quality biomonitoring. The development, testing and first field results of the device, known as the In Situ Chemotaxis Assay (ISCA), have been published in Nature Microbiology.

"Until now there has really been no way to probe the behaviour of marine microbes towards certain chemicals in situ," says marine microbiologist and co-lead author Dr Jean-Baptiste Raina.

Dr Raina, from the Climate Change Cluster at the University of Technoloy Sydney (UTS), says that just as some people are drawn by the smell of food or perfumes, microbes are attracted by specific chemicals.

"This behaviour is called chemotaxis and it is important because seawater isn't homogeneous. The microscale world that microbes inhabit is incredibly patchy, with a number of processes leading to nutrient hotspots, and it's in these microenvironments where all the microbial action takes place."

Credit: University of Technology, Sydney

MIT engineer Ben Lambert, also a co-lead author, says, "With the ISCA we are really opening the door to being able to interrogate this behaviour in the natural environment. Our initial findings have shown that chemotaxis does take place among marine microbes and this validates many years of laboratory experiments and hypotheses put forth about this behaviour in the ocean."

The ISCA is one of the first experimental devices to marry micro-engineering with genomic and chemical analyses in the natural environment. The single-use device, about the size of a credit card, is made of inert materials and consists of micro-litre sized reservoirs. These can be filled with different chemicals that then diffuse into surrounding seawater.

Microbes can respond to a specific chemical by using chemotaxis to swim into the well. The researchers can retrieve the reservoir content and count how many microbes respond to a given chemical as well as determine their identity and function.

Professor Roman Stocker, who pioneered environmental microfluidic technology, says the device capitalises on rapid advances in 3-D printing and is designed to be robust, easy to make and easy to use.

"This means it will be accessible to a broad user base and doesn't require extensive training. This is a critical aspect of the design if we hope to have strong adoption by scientists across fields," he says.

The authors believe that with its ease of use and its design to bridge the gap between aquatic chemistry and microbiology with in situ observations, it will be of substantial interest to the broader scientific community.

Associate Professor Justin Seymour says the "innovative tool will help to re-shape our perception of microbial processes in a range of aquatic habitats".

"We think its application will help to answer fundamental questions in microbial oceanography. It will also potentially be useful in other settings including water quality monitoring and prospecting for organisms that may aid bioremediation efforts," he says.

More information: Bennett S. Lambert et al. A microfluidics-based in situ chemotaxis assay to study the behaviour of aquatic microbial communities, Nature Microbiology (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-017-0010-9 Journal information: Nature Microbiology
In a recently published study, UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country's Nuclear and Radiological Safety research group has tested the viability of a method proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency to measure radioactive strontium in milk for nuclear emergency response, so that it can be incorporated into routine radiological monitoring measurements.

Strontium (Sr) is an element which, in the event of a nuclear accident, is released into the atmosphere. The chemical behaviour of strontium is similar to that of calcium and can accumulate in the soil, in plants and in animals, especially in bones. There are two main radioisotopes (90Sr and 89Sr), which, due to its fixation in the bones, poisons organisms over many years.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has proposed, among many other things, a method to rapidly detect radioactive Sr in milk in the event of a nuclear emergency or accident. However, such methods are not used in routine environmental measurements, in which the detection limits are much lower than in a nuclear emergency. So a study conducted by the UPV/EHU group has obtained the conditions and parameters with which to apply the rapid method proposed by the IAEA in the radiological monitoring plans for routine environmental studies.

Raquel Idoeta, Ph.D., one of the researchers, says, "It is a rapid method that performs well and is fairly straightforward and low-cost to adapt." In the study, they carried out experimental measurements as well as numerical simulations to determine the parameters and conditions of adaptation; they also, as Idoeta explained, made an economic assessment "to see how easy it would be for other labs to adapt it."

She says, "Any environmental lab that has equipment for detecting beta particles or which carries out strontium assessments hardly needs anything else to incorporate this method. A lab that routinely applies this method would not experience major problems in applying it properly in the event of an emergency to provide a rapid response when establishing radioactive strontium in milk, even though, in this case, it would be adapting the measuring volumes and times in line with what has been assessed in our study to meet the demands in environmental matters."

More information: M. Herranz et al, Analysis of the use of the IAEA rapid method of 89 Sr and 90 Sr in milk for environmental monitoring, Journal of Environmental Radioactivity (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.06.003
NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility sits at the summit of Maunakea in Hawaii. Credit: (c) Ernie Mastroianni

When NASA's Cassini spacecraft plunges into the atmosphere of Saturn on Sept. 15, ending its 20 years of exploration, astronomers will observe the giant planet from Earth, giving context to Cassini's final measurements.

"The whole time Cassini is descending, we'll be on the ground, taking data and learning about conditions on Saturn," said Don Jennings, a senior scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and a co-investigator for a Cassini instrument called the Composite Infrared Spectrometer.

This farewell is fitting for a mission that has been supported by similar observations throughout its lifetime. NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility, or IRTF, and the W. M. Keck Observatory, in which NASA is a partner, have provided crucial contributions from the summit of Maunakea in Hawaii. Other U.S. and international telescopes also have investigated the Saturn system, complementing and enhancing the mission.

"IRTF and other facilities have provided direct support to the Cassini-Huygens mission and made it possible to link that data to decades' worth of earlier and ongoing ground-based studies," said IRTF director John Rayner. "Through its daytime observing capabilities IRTF is able to provide almost year-round monitoring of planets in support of NASA missions."

Ground-based observations of Titan, the giant planet's largest moon, helped with preparations for the Huygens probe mission early in Cassini's exploration of the Saturn system. The probe was released after Cassini entered Saturn orbit and descended through Titan's thick atmosphere to land on the surface.

A coordinated ground campaign was organized to study Titan's atmosphere and surface, to measure the wind speed and direction, to look at atmospheric chemistry and to provide global imaging.

Eight facilities worldwide participated, observing before, during and after the Huygens probe mission, led by the European Space Agency. These included the Keck Observatory, which captured high-resolution images of the atmospheric weather patterns on Titan, and the IRTF, which helped determine the direction of Titan's winds.

"Ground-based observing played a crucial role, because at that time, it was the only way to determine the direction of Titan's winds, which had the potential to affect Huygens' descent to the surface," said Goddard's Theodor (Ted) Kostiuk, who led those observations at the IRTF and is now an emeritus scientist. "The Voyager flyby provided some information about Titan, but wind direction was one thing it could not tell us."

IRTF continues to be used for long-term studies of Saturn and Titan and their atmospheres, and to investigate Saturn's moons, extending and complementing Cassini findings. The facility's recently installed high-resolution infrared instrument, called iSHELL, will be deployed for ongoing studies of the aftermath of a massive storm that broke out in Saturn's northern hemisphere in 2010. With its very high spectral resolution, iSHELL has been optimized for the study of planetary atmospheres.

Cassini also has received plenty of aloha from the Keck Observatory, which has provided many sharp images and spectra of Saturn's most famous feature - its rings. These studies are made possible by the high spatial resolution of Keck's large aperture combined with a state-of-the-art adaptive optics system to correct for distortions caused by Earth's atmosphere.

"It's been exciting to be involved in ground support of the Cassini orbiter over these many years," said Observing Support Manager Randy Campbell of Keck Observatory. "This mission has given us an opportunity to work together toward a better understanding of some of the most beautiful and enigmatic objects in the night sky, Saturn and its moons."

During the summer of 2017, the Cassini team used Keck Observatory to take near-infrared spectroscopic data of the regions near Saturn's equator, just as Cassini was diving between Saturn and its rings during its final orbits. The team also took Keck data of the polar magnetic fields to better understand the planet's auroras, which are similar to Earth's northern and southern lights. The Keck Observatory data will be used to verify Cassini's data to provide a sort of "ground-truth" calibration of some of the on-board instruments of the orbiter.

After Cassini, ground-based studies will continue, building on everything the spacecraft observed, and keeping the discoveries coming.
X-ray microtomography image of trace fossil in sediment. Credit: Luke Parry - University of Bristol

Scientists have discovered traces of life more than half-a-billion years old that could change the way we think about how all animals evolved on earth.

The international team, including palaeontologist from The University of Manchester, found a new set of trace fossils left by some of the first ever organisms capable of active movement. Trace fossils are the tracks and burrows left by living organisms, not physical remains such as bones or body parts.

The fossils were discovered in sediment in the Corumba region of western Brazil, near the border with Bolivia. The burrows measure from under 50 to 600 micrometres or microns (m) in diameter, meaning the creatures that made them were similar in size to a human hair which can range from 40 to 300 microns in width. One micrometre is just one thousandth of a millimetre.

Dr Russell Garwood, from Manchester's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, said: 'This is an especially exciting find due to the age of the rocks - these fossils are found in rock layers which actually pre-date the oldest fossils of complex animals - at least that is what all current fossil records would suggest.'

The fossils found date back to a geological and evolutionary period known as the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition. This was when the Ediacaran Period, which spanned 94 million years from the end of the Cryogenian Period, 635 million years ago, moved into the Cambrian Period around 541 million years ago. To put that into context, dinosaurs lived between 230 and 65 million years ago in the Mesozoic Era.

The video shows short animations of all the 'exceptionally preserved inchofauna' trace fossils samples were discovered. Credit: University of Bristol

The Ediacaran-Cambrian transition is seen as extremely important period in evolutionary science and theory. Dr Garwood explains: 'The evolutionary events during the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition are unparalleled in Earth history. That's because current fossil records suggests that many animal groups alive today appeared in a really short time interval.'

However, the team suggest these burrows were created by 'nematoid-like organisms', similar to a modern-day roundworm, that used an undulating locomotion to move through the sediment, leaving these trace fossils behind. This is important because current DNA studies, known as 'molecular clocks', which are used to estimate how long ago a group animals originated, suggests the first animals appeared before these burrows. But this research, which has been published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, shows these trace fossils pre-date similar animals currently found in the fossil record.

Luke Parry, lead author from the University of Bristol, added: 'Our new fossils show that complex animals with muscle control were around approximately 550 million years ago, and they may have been overlooked previously because they are so tiny'.

'The fossils that we describe were made by quite complex animals that we call bilaterians. These are all animals that are more closely related to humans, rather than to simple creatures like jellyfish. Most fossils of bilaterian animals are younger, first appearing in the Cambrian period.'

A 3-D X-ray image of trace fossil in sediment. Credit: University of Bristol

To find such tiny fossils the team used X-ray microtomography, a special technique that uses X-rays to create a virtual, 3D model of something without destroying the original object.

Luke added: 'Our discovery highlights an unexplored window for tracking animal evolution in deep time.'

More information: Luke A. Parry et al, Ichnological evidence for meiofaunal bilaterians from the terminal Ediacaran and earliest Cambrian of Brazil, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2017). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0301-9 Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution
This visible light image of Hurricane Irma as seen from space. Credit: NASA from the NOAA GOES Project

Hurricane Irma is barreling across the Caribbean into Florida as a record-setting storm just after Harvey hit and drenched Texas and Louisiana. And scientists warn that with global warming, there will be many more such storms in the future.

But is Mother Nature entirely to blame? USC's Andrew Lakoff thinks not.

"These catastrophes are too often understood only as 'natural disasters,' which implies that we are powerless in the face of the magnitude of the event. In fact, they are 'human-natural disasters,'" said Lakoff, an associate professor of sociology and anthropology at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. "We need to focus on how we have become more vulnerable to them.

"In the case of Hurricane Harvey, critical attention should focus on the process of urban development in flood-prone areas, as well as the failure to account for climate change in calculating the likelihood of a catastrophic storm."

In the wake of big storms, the response is focused on immediate needs like rescuing survivors and providing aid. Lakoff suggests a longer-term focus, too.

"Preparedness for these kinds of disasters requires a longer-term reflection on mitigating vulnerabilitiesagain, this includes how we build in cities, but also dealing frankly with the increasing climate risks we continue to generate," he said.

And we need to expect more big storms, too.

"Harvey and Irma are the kinds of storms that we expect more of as the globe warms under the influence fossil fuel burning," said Julian Emile-Geay, USC Dornsife associate professor of Earth sciences. "While there has always beenand will always beweather, the emerging science of weather attribution suggests that this kind of event is more likely as a result of human activities."

The reason: A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, which is released by storms in a violent manner, overcoming the capacity of natural and man-made land surfaces to absorb the rain.

"Harvey also highlights that wind isn't always the greatest threat a hurricane brings," Emile-Geay said.

"The largest damage due to tropical cyclones is actually water-related: either rainwater falling from the sky or seawater surging inlandoften both."
On Sept. 8 at 10:25 a.m. EDT (1425 UTC) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible-light image of Category 4 Hurricane Jose in the Atlantic Ocean. Credit: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team

NASA's Terra satellite passed over powerful Hurricane Jose in the Atlantic Ocean and captured a close look at the eye of the storm.

On Sept. 8 at 10:25 a.m. EDT (1425 UTC) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible-light image of Category 4 Hurricane Jose. The image showed that a thick band of thunderstorms continued to circle a very clear and well-defined eye.

On Sept. 9, U.S. Air Force Reserve Reconnaissance aircraft measurements suggest that this eye has become slightly more asymmetric. In addition, the National Hurricane Center noted on Sept. 9 that "visible and infrared satellite imagery indicate northeastward elongation of the cirrus canopy accompanying Jose, suggesting the southwesterly shear over the system is beginning to increase. The interaction between Jose and shear accompanying the aforementioned trough will likely result in a weakening trend through the weekend."

Warnings and Watches

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Saint Maarten, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, and a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Barbuda and Anguilla, Saba and St. Eustatius.

The Tropical Storm Watch for St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S.Virgin Island has been discontinued. The government of Antigua has discontinued the Tropical Storm Watch for Antigua and the British Virgin Islands.

Jose's Location on Saturday, September 9, 2017

At 11 a.m. AST/EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Jose was located near 18.3 degrees north latitude and 61.3 west longitude. That's about 120 miles (190 km) east of the Northern Leeward Islands.

Jose is moving toward the northwest near 13 mph (20 kph). A continued northwest motion is expected during the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the core of Jose will pass just north of the northern Leeward Islands later today.

Maximum sustained winds are near 145 mph (230 kph) with higher gusts. Jose is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Gradual weakening is expected to occur over the next couple of days.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km).
Research scientist Nithin Raghunathan works in the LyoHUB Lyophilization Technology Demonstration Facility at the Birck Nanotechnology Center at Purdue University. Credit: Purdue University image/Erin Easterling

A consortium of experts is working to modernize a process that is used in making a wide range of products, from freeze-dried space foods to life-saving wonder drugs.

The process, called "lyophilization," removes water at low temperature and pressure. Lyophilization is needed for products that would be damaged if they were dried by heating, but it can be slow, energy-intensive and expensive.

A new 10-year road map to identify the improvements that are needed in lyophilization is being published by the Advanced Lyophilization Technology Hub, or LyoHUB, at Purdue University.

One needed improvement is the introduction of disruptive new technologies that would dramatically increase the efficiency of lyophilization, said Elizabeth Topp, a professor in Purdue's Department of Industrial and Physical Pharmacy who co-leads the consortium with Alina Alexeenko, a professor in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Lyophilization was developed during World War II to preserve blood products and penicillin. While there have been significant advances since that time, the fundamental lyophilization process has not changed. Disruptive new approaches to low temperature drying could improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce costs.

"Ultimately, we'd like to help bring about high-quality, lower cost, more readily available pharmaceuticals and food products that are made with lyophilization or related new technologies," Topp said. "The Lyophilization Technology Roadmap presents the collective view of trends, drivers and technology development opportunities of over 100 industrial, academic and government experts working in this area."

The LyoHUB leadership team also includes Michael Pikal, a professor of pharmaceutics at the University of Connecticut; and Steve Nail, senior research scientist at Baxter Biopharma Solutions. They provided leadership in producing the roadmap with Steve Shade, managing director of Purdue's Center for Advanced Manufacturing, and more than 100 experts from across the country.

The road map will be launched on Tuesday (Sept. 12) during a conference of the International Society of Lyophilization - Freeze Drying, Inc., in Cambridge, Mass.

The road map identifies key factors driving change, gaps in technology that require research solutions, industry needs, educational roles and regulatory issues impacting the field over the next decade. It was developed with input from the pharmaceutical and foods industries, lyophilization equipment and instrumentation manufacturers, related industries, academia and government agencies.

"There are three big areas where we need technological innovation: products, process and equipment," Pikal said.

Lyophilization is performed inside a chamber under low temperature and pressure. The process must be used to manufacture a class of drugs created with biotechnology, harnessing genetically altered cell cultures to produce complex proteins and peptides. The compounds are said to be "large molecules" and are nearly 1,000 times larger than conventional, small-molecule drugs. These large molecule drugs are too fragile to be dried by heating.

"The energy efficiency of a production lyophilizer is well under 5 percent, so it's terribly energy-inefficient," Alexeenko said.It's also slow and often a bottleneck in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

"There is a lot of room in the near term to make improvements in how we do lyophilization by tweaking the current technology," Topp said. "In the long term, we want to start all over again in the design of the equipment. We want to design a lyophilizer that operates in what we call continuous mode."

Instead of the current batch method, researchers envision a system that runs continuously, where raw materials are fed into one end and finished products roll out of the other end. Such an innovation would lead to dramatic improvements in efficiency.

"At the same time, we want to explore other kinds of drying technologies that might be quicker, less expensive and still preserve the integrity of the products," Topp said.

The LyoHUB has 14 industry members, including pharmaceutical companies and equipment manufacturers, and also brings together experts from academia, representatives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies.

The roadmap also covers regulatory issues.

"Nothing happens without going through the FDA, which regulates pharmaceutical manufacturing processes in addition to products," Topp said. "We aren't going to succeed in making any innovations in this process unless we deal with the regulatory part. So, it's important to figure out how this group of people talks to the FDA and other regulatory agencies."

One way that LyoHUB will communicate with regulatory agencies is by publishing "best practices" papers. Each best practices paper will summarize current opinions about an aspect of lyophilization, as well as improvements that are needed. Best practices for industry procedures will be disseminated through research publications, workshops, education and workforce training. Earlier this year consortium members led by Nail authored the first in a series of best-practices papers, appearing in the journal AAPS PharmSciTech, published by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists. The paper is available online at http://link.springer.com/article/10.1208/s12249-017-0733-1 or on the LyoHUB website, http://www.lyohub.org.

"Another piece of the road map deals with education, and that encompasses everything from training equipment operators in how to do this better to graduating Ph.D.-level scientists who understand the ins and outs of how to make the whole thing work better," Topp said.

Education-oriented goals will include development of new biotech processing education programs at universities to meet industry shortages of skilled workers and deployment of workforce distance learning programs.

LyoHUB was formed in 2014. The center has been funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology through a $453,623 planning grant from its Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia, or AMTech, program.

In 2016, Purdue launched the LyoHUB Lyophilization Technology Demonstration Facility in the university's Discovery Park. The facility, in the Birck Nanotechnology Center, is used for research and development and pilot demonstration projects. Because companies have access to this facility they can develop technological innovations in lyophilization faster and more cooperatively.

"The Demonstration Facility has already brought together researchers from fields as distinct as pharmaceutical science, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering and biomedical engineering," Topp said.

The consortium also is supported by industrial membership fees and a grant from Indiana's Next Generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Center, IN-MaC. The LyoHUB Lyophilization Technology Roadmap can be downloaded from the LyoHUB website at http://www.lyohub.org or directly at http://bit.ly/download-lyohub-roadmap.

"The LyoHub consortium and the resulting technology roadmap has been instrumental in bringing the lyophilization community closer than ever before," said Arnab Ganguly, scientist and technology manager at IMA Life North America Inc., a manufacturer of pharmaceutical processing equipment. "What earlier seemed to be a group of academics and industry leaders working in isolation on developments, now, through the consortium sat around the same table with representatives from federal agencies. We are optimistic of the level of engagement this has triggered and look forward to collaborative development."
Credit: Junior Libby/public domain

As night fell last Monday in the Columbia River Gorge, the Oregon slopes burned as if carpet-bombed from above. Winds acted like bellows in a hearth to supercharge the flames spread by embers flying from ridge to ridge. Stands of trees that matured over decades - sometimes centuries - were engulfed within minutes.

The Eagle Creek wildfire is a dramatic reminder that the forests of Western Oregon and Washington, so often cloaked in snow or drenched by rain, have a cycle of fire and renewal. When conditions are right, they can burn in spectacular fashion just like the more arid landscapes east of the Cascades.

The fires are less frequent than in drier forests, but the burn cycles are not etched in stone. They reflect a climate that scientists forecast to undergo big changes in the decades ahead as global combustion of fossil fuels warms the Earth. In the Pacific Northwest, climate models indicate that average summer temperatures will warm later in this century by 4.7 degrees to 6.5 degrees compared with the last half of the 20th century.

The warming is likely to shorten the burn cycles in the Puget Sound region as well as other parts of Western Washington and Western Oregon.

"We expect to see more fires and bigger fires," said Amy Snover, director of the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington. "People are just beginning to wake up to this, but public lands managers do think about this and the potential risks."

Those risks likely will include more smoke hanging around Western Washington and Oregon, and more fire threats to west-side communities, where many homeowners have yet to consider removing close-by trees and brush to create defensible spaces should flames threaten their land.

This year, the smoke is the result of fires that have burned around the Pacific Northwest, including more than 732,000 acres in Washington and Oregon. Significant fires have flared west of the Cascades, including the Eagle Creek fire that has burned more than 32,000 acres, and threatened small communities outside of Portland.

If the models analyzed by the University of Washington are accurate, this Pacific Northwest summer could be a mild preview for the kind of heat we are likely to routinely experience later in the century. The three months that ended in August ranked as the third-hottest Pacific Northwest summer on record. Yet, they fall on the low end of what is forecast in the last half of this century, Snover said.

That additional heat would make the forests more vulnerable to fire. Two studies cited by the Climate Impacts Group estimate that the average acreage burned in a year west of the Cascades at the end of this century would be double the average burned during the last half of the 20th century.

Fire ecologists who study the history of the region note earlier periods of intense fire activity in the west-side forests.

The Olympic Peninsula, for example, had a series of fires that burned more than 1 million acres over 33 years in the 1700s, according to research that looked at tree rings and fire scars.

The September 1902 Yacolt Burn raged across more than 230,000 acres, spreading largely through Western Washington forests north of the Columbia River Gorge. That was a fearsome fire even for residents from Seattle who were hit with what The Seattle Times reported as "great banks of smoke clouds" that drifted over the city, blotted out the sun and "floated through the streets of the city like an awful quiet harbinger of approaching doom."

Prolonged summer heat is a key ingredient for such big fire seasons, and the Climate Impacts Group forecasts that predict the 21st century warming are based on an analysis of more than three dozen climate models with different projections.

Researchers then develop an average annual temperature based on a scenario that assumes aggressive efforts to reduce fossil-fuel emissions. They also include scenarios with the use of petroleum, coal and natural gas continuing roughly at current levels.

The models project that the summer heat will come with less rain, further drying out the forests.

This year a dry, hot August primed west-side forests to burn. Forest Service officials, since 1990, have estimated the moisture content of large dead trees on the ground. By the end of August, those estimates indicated they were potent fuel for fires, said John Saltenberger, fire weather program manager for the Portland-based Northwest Interagency Coordination Center.

"All across the Northwest, they were either at - or exceeding - the lowest values on record, especially on the west side," Saltenberger said.

Wildfires don't happen without a source of ignition. People often provide that first flame, particularly in west-side forests where lightning is less common than east of the Cascades.

Oregon State Police say a 15-year-old boy from Vancouver, Wash., is suspected of starting the Sept. 2 fire in the Columbia River Gorge, but he has not been charged. He allegedly tossed a firework while on a trail along Eagle Creek, a steep side canyon near Bonneville Dam that included old-growth Douglas fir, cedar and other softwoods.

More than 150 hikers were trapped until Sunday, when they could be safely evacuated. The fire blew up Monday afternoon, as temperatures climbed past 90 degrees, humidity dropped and winds from the east roared through the Gorge with gusts as high as 55 mph.

In 16 hours, the fire marched some 12 miles to the west, moving through the heart of one of the most popular hiking areas in the Portland area.

As trees ignited, fiery red avalanches of flames snaked along the Gorge's steep flanks. Some embers flew north across the Columbia River to Washington, and set off a new fire near the town of Skamania.

"That fire made a historic run. It's fire behavior we haven't seen in this area for a long time," said Jim Trammell, fire-defense chief for Hood River County in Oregon.

In recent days, there has been an outpouring of grief over what was lost, as well as anger at the act that touched off the fire.

As the weather eased, the fire - while far from contained - grew calmer.

Along the Oregon side of the Gorge, it was possible to take a closer look. You could see how the fire - despite its ferocity - burned unevenly. In some areas, once-green forests turned into patches of dead snags. Elsewhere, the flames laid low and crept along the forest floor.

Scientists remind us that such fires help to bring about new life, and remain an essential part of the forest ecology. Berry plants, for example, will flourish in newly opened areas and provide food for wildlife. Seedlings will emerge.

"Even in the areas of the most intense burn, it is not an end, but a beginning, when you understand the processes that are at work," said Dominick DellaSala, chief scientist for the Geos Institute, of Ashland, Ore., and co-author of a book that focuses on the ecological importance of forest fires.

Scientists still are uncertain just how the west-side forests will evolve in a century with more frequent fires.

Some studies predict that forests will contain less wood, and thus store less carbon, according to the Climate Impacts Group. That's largely due to the forecasts that more will burn, as well as greater impacts from disease and insects, according to Snover.

The mix of trees may change.

Some species, such as hemlock and cedar, have thin bark and readily succumb to fire. So they may find themselves in retreat. Other species, such as Douglas fir, have thicker bark and are far more resilient to fire and regenerate in direct sunlight. They are likely to fare better.

"I fully expect, with climate change, some shifts in vegetation to occur," said Jane Kertis, a U.S. Forest Service scientist based in Corvallis, Ore. "Fire is laying bare the conditions for that to begin."

2017 The Seattle Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Crying at work might not mean what you think it does. A woman weeping in front of her colleagues, her clients or her boss is probably not a woman expressing sadness. Shes not displaying weakness. Instead shes a person expressing such a fierce sense of frustration, defiance and rage that you should consider yourself lucky shes not carrying a weapon.

The recent travesty in Salt Lake City between a nurse and a police officer illustrates this point. As reported in the Sept. 1 issue of The Washington Post, Nurse Alex Wubbels politely stood her ground. But when an infuriated detective, who resented her refusal to carry out an illegal medical procedure on an unconscious patient, seized her, pushed her out of the hospital and cuffed her, the nurse started crying and yelling.

The Posts headline begins This is crazy, sobs Utah hospital nurse. It was the word sobs that grabbed my attention. True, if headlines declared, Experienced medical professional attempts to act with civility when confronted law enforcement officer with maniacal need to display inappropriate masculine authority, the story might not have gone viral. Given that the incident from Salt Lake City deserved to be witnessed by thousands  the video accompanying the article is enthralling in the worst possible way  the editors achieved the large-scale effect they sought.

What the video of the altercation shows and what Wubbels own words, during the incident and afterward at her press conference, illustrate is that women are often driven to tears by outrage. Yes, she was sobbing, but that was because she was standing up for a principle  in this case, for the rights of her patient  and not because she was breaking down.

In contrast, Detective Jeff Payne, the one grabbing and shoving the nurse, was breaking down. He was breaking into a man who could not control his emotions and instinctively resorted to inappropriate physical force. When his illegal instructions were not followed, Payne slammed the nurses phone of her hand and snarled, Were done here. When he couldnt intimidate Wubbels into compliance, he lost control.

Tears also signal a loss of control but unlike breaking into violence, rarely do they damage anyone except the person crying. Ive cried at work. While the memories still evoke a profound sense of shame in me, Ive come to understand that I had little choice over my response. I was tough, resilient and over-prepared for whatever could be thrown in my direction  or so I thought. But there were ambushes and stealth attacks, with the most hurtful of these coming from those I considered allies. The tears that swarmed into my eyes emerged not from a nest of fragility but from a stinging sense of unfairness. Unwilling or unable to express how I really felt, biting my tongue and swallowing my words made tears come into my eyes.

So crying at work is not something I recommend. Ive learned to avoid it. But Vermont writer Ellen Stimson makes an important distinction when she says she Never cries over work, but crying at work? Of course I do. This is not like going to the bathroom in public. This is more like being alive in public.So, given that crying is something that happens even when you are not being arrested, what are the options?

Keely Buchanan, a senior corporate telecommunications manager with 16 years in the industry tells this story: I was so frustrated and angry about a bad work meeting that I went to the bathroom on a different floor and cried. But what happened next is what has helped make her a leader in her field: And then, I fixed my expression before I left the stall, washed my hands, took several deep breaths and lived to fight another day

We can also change the world, and not just our reaction to it.

As my friend Kathleen Thompson puts it, women at work are driven to tears From the pressure of trying to do the impossible yet again.

A woman crying at work is not looking for pity. Shes looking for justice. When she turns those tears into words and then actions, shes closer to making that happen. Shes simply able to see more clearly.
Poachers have killed more than 7,100 rhinos across Africa over the past decade

A Mozambican rhino poacher caught at a world famous game reserve in South Africa has been jailed for 20 years, police said.

Mapoyisa Mahlauli, 30, was sentenced on Thursday following his arrest last year in the Kruger National Park, which borders Mozambique.

"Mahlauli was sentenced to an effective 20 years imprisonment after he was found guilty... for various rhino-poaching related crimes," said police spokeswoman Katlego Mogale in a statement on Monday.

"This will send a strong message to other potential rhino poachers about the consequences of their actions if caught."

Rangers tracked the poachers after they heard gun shots and discovered a white rhino whose horns had been freshly sawed off, in March last year.

A shoot-out ensued before Mahlauli was discovered with a rifle and a pair of rhino horns. His accomplice had fled.

Police said they also arrested a Hong Kong-bound Chinese national at Johannesburg's international airport on Friday, after he was found in possession of five rhino horns wrapped in foil.

South Africa is home to around 20,000 rhinos, about 80 percent of the worldwide population, but the country has suffered a record loss at the hands of poachers in recent years.

Poachers have killed more than 7,100 rhinos across Africa over the past decade.

Rhino horns are highly prized in Asia, where they are mistakenly believed to have medicinal powers.

The horns consist mainly of keratin, the same component as in human nails, and are sold in powdered form as a supposed cure for cancer and other diseasesas well as a purported aphrodisiacin Vietnam and China.

 2017 AFP
By finely tuning the distance between nanoparticles in a single layer, researchers have made a filter that can change between a mirror and a window.

The development could help scientists create special materials whose optical properties can be changed in real time. These materials could then be used for applications from tuneable optical filters to miniature chemical sensors.

Creating a 'tuneable' material - one which can be accurately controlled - has been a challenge because of the tiny scales involved. In order to tune the optical properties of a single layer of nanoparticles - which are only tens of nanometres in size each - the space between them needs to be set precisely and uniformly.

To form the layer, the team of researchers from Imperial College London created conditions for gold nanoparticles to localise at the interface between two liquids that do not mix. By applying a small voltage across the interface, the team have been able to demonstrate a tuneable nanoparticle layer that can be dense or sparse, allowing for switching between a reflective mirror and a transparent surface. The research is published today in Nature Materials.

Study co-author Professor Joshua Edel, from the Department of Chemistry at Imperial, said: "It's a really fine balance - for a long time we could only get the nanoparticles to clump together when they assembled, rather than being accurately spaced out. But many models and experiments have brought us to the point where we can create a truly tuneable layer."

The video shows the system in action. The layer first acts as a window onto a 10 note below, and then reflects the 1 coin above when a voltage is applied. Credit: Imperial College London

The distance between the nanoparticles determines whether the layer permits or reflects different wavelengths of light. At one extreme, all the wavelengths are reflected, and the layer acts as a mirror. At the other extreme, where the nanoparticles are dispersed, all wavelengths are permitted through the interface and it acts as a window.

In contrast to previous nanoscopic systems that used chemical means to change the optical properties, the team's electrical system is reversible.

Study co-author Professor Alexei Kornyshev, from the Department of Chemistry at Imperial, said: "Finding the correct conditions to achieve reversibility required fine theory; otherwise it would have been like searching for a needle in a haystack. It was remarkable how closely the theory matched experimental results."

Co-author Professor Anthony Kucernak, also from the Department of Chemistry, commented: "Putting theory into practice can be difficult, as one always has to be aware of material stability limits, so finding the correct electrochemical conditions under which the effect could occur was challenging."

Professor Kornyshev added: "The whole project was only made possible by the unique knowhow and abilities and enthusiasm of the young team members, including Dr Yunuen Montelongo and Dr Debarata Sikdar, amongst others who all have diverse expertise and backgrounds."
Carbon monoxide is an insidious poison because it loves the iron in our blood; it pushes oxygen out of iron-based hemoglobin, leading to painful asphyxiation.

This affinity for iron comes in handy in a newly created material that can absorb carbon monoxide far better than other materials, with potential applications in industrial processes like syngas production, where CO is a key player, and reactions where CO is an unwanted contaminant.

The new material is a metal-organic framework - an amazingly porous material with a growing list of applications - that incorporates chains of iron atoms tuned to attract CO and exclude other chemical compounds. When CO binds to an iron atom in the MOF, it changes the environment of neighboring iron atoms to make them even more attractive to CO, creating a chain reaction.

"We see this cooperative adsorption effect where binding at one site activates the neighboring sites, which means that all of a sudden you go from very little adsorption to essentially saturating the material with CO," said senior researcher Jeffrey Long, a UC Berkeley professor of chemistry and faculty scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The CO binding flips the spin state of iron, hence Long's terminology for the material: spin-transition MOFs.

Two years ago, Long accidentally stumbled across the first of this type of cooperative adsorbent when he created a MOF that adsorbed carbon dioxide far better than other materials.

"The carbon dioxide capture material we lucked into in 2015 was a first-of-its-kind material for cooperative absorption," he said. "Now we've shown that cooperative MOF adsorbents can be built by design to target other key industrially relevant molecules for separation. It is a fundamental new mechanism where, by adjusting the ligands bound to the iron, you might be able to get unsaturated hydrocarbons like acetylene, ethylene and propylene to bind also."

The research, posted online Sept. 11 in advance of publication in the journal Nature, was supported by the Center for Gas Separations Relevant to Clean Energy Technologies, an Energy Frontier Research Center operated jointly by UC Berkeley and Berkeley Lab and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Recovering rather than burning carbon monoxide

CO is used in a variety of industrial processes, including as a component of synthesis gas - a mix of CO and hydrogen used to make synthetic fuel or to synthesize other chemicals. These MOFs might serve as reservoirs for CO to maintain the correct ratio of CO to hydrogen for a particular reaction.

In pure form, CO is also essential in iron and steel production. Long predicts that the new MOF could be used to extract CO from the mixed-gas byproducts of such manufacturing to provide recycled CO for reuse. In most cases today, these mixed gases are burned, Long said, accounting for a large portion of the greenhouse gases produced by the steel industry.

Such MOFs also could help suck up CO in reactions where CO poisons the catalyst, such as in the production of ammonia for fertilizers or polymers like polyethylene and polypropylene, and in hydrogen fuel cells.

"There are lots of places where you want to separate CO sufficiently in industry, and these spin transition MOFs can potentially have a role there," Long said.

In practice, the MOFs would adsorb CO at room temperature, then be heated slightly to drive off the CO, readying the MOF for reuse. These spin-transition MOFs can be precisely tuned so that only a small rise in temperature - from 20 C to 60 C, for examplereleases the CO, requiring significantly less energy than other capture or storage technologies, such as cryogenic distillation.

As an example, they compared their spin-transition MOF to a commercial, liquid absorbent process for recovering CO, which is called COSORB. Initial calculations showed that the MOF requires just 32 percent of the energy to capture and reuse CO as the COSORB process.

More information: A spin transition mechanism for cooperative adsorption in metalorganic frameworks, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature23674 Journal information: Nature
A view inside the Wendelstein 7-X plasma vessel with graphite tile cladding. Credit: IPP, Jan Michael Hosan

The plasma experiments in the Wendelstein 7-X fusion device at Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Greifswald, Germany, have been resumed after a 15-month conversion break. The extension has made the device fit for higher heating power and longer pulses. This now allows the optimised concept of Wendelstein 7-X to be tested. Wendelstein 7-X, the world's largest fusion device of the stellarator type, is to investigate its suitability for a power plant.

Besides new heating and measuring facilities, over 8,000 graphite wall tiles and ten divertor modules have been installed in the plasma vessel since March last year, i.e. the scheduled end of the first experimentation phase. This cladding is to protect the vessel walls and allow higher temperatures and plasma discharges lasting 10 seconds in forthcoming experiments.

A special function is exercised here by the ten sections of the divertor: As broad strips on the wall of the plasma vessel, the divertor tiles conform exactly to the twisting contour of the plasma edge. They thus protect especially those wall areas to which particles escaping from the edge of the plasma ring are specifically directed. Along with unwanted impurities the impinging particles are neutralised and pumped off. The divertor is thus an important tool for regulating the purity and density of the plasma.

The smaller predecessor, the Wendelstein 7-AS stellarator at IPP in Garching, had already yielded encouraging results in divertor tests. But not till the much larger successor, Wendelstein 7-X at Greifswald, did the geometry conditions come up to power plant size, particularly the ratio of the divertor area to the plasma volume. "We are therefore very excited that we are now able for the first time to investigate whether the divertor concept of an optimised stellarator can really work properly", says Project Head Professor Thomas Klinger. These tests will play a major role: Many detailed investigations will carefully check how to guide the plasma and what magnetic field structures and heating and replenishing methods are most successful.

Newly enlisted measuring instruments will also allow observation of turbulence in the plasma for the first time: The small eddies entailed influence how successful magnetic confinement and thermal insulation of the hot plasma are, these being important parameters for a future power plant, because they determine the size of the plant and hence its economical merit. "We shall be able for the first time to check whether the promising predictions of theory for a completely optimised stellarator are correct. In comparison with previous devices, Wendelstein 7-X is expected to yield quite new, possibly even better, conditions", says Thomas Klinger.

As all ten microwave transmitters for the microwave heating of the plasma are meanwhile ready for use, this will allow a higher energy throughput and plasmas of higher density. It will now be possible to raise the energy to 80 megajoules once all versions of the microwave heating have been tackled and tested, as compared with 4 megajoules in 2016. The rather low plasma density hitherto can now be more than doubled to attain values meeting power plant requirements.

A plasma discharge in the upgraded vessel. Credit: IPP/Wigner RCP

This has significant consequences: First the density of the plasma has to be sufficient to allow electrons and ions to exchange energy effectively. Previously, the microwave heating had only been able to heat essentially just the electrons. Instead of hot electrons with 100 million degrees and cold ions with 10 million degrees as hitherto the electrons and ions in the new plasma will have almost equal temperatures of up to 70 million degrees. This should also enhance the thermal insulation of the plasma. Whereas it was hitherto just upper average in relation to the size of the device, the effect of optimising Wendelstein 7-X should now become visible: "It's getting very exciting", states Thomas Klinger.

Background

The objective of fusion research is to develop a power plant favourable to the climate and environment. Like the sun, it is to derive energy from fusion of atomic nuclei. As the fusion fire does not ignite till temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees are attained, the fuel, viz. a low-density hydrogen plasma, ought not to come into contact with cold vessel walls. Confined by magnetic fields, it levitates inside a vacuum chamber with hardly any contact.

The magnetic cage of Wendelstein 7-X is formed by a ring of 50 superconducting magnet coils about 3.5 metres high. Their special shapes are the result of sophisticated optimisation calculations. Although Wendelstein 7-X is not meant to produce energy, the device should prove that stellarators are suitable for power plants. For the first time the quality of the plasma confinement in a stellarator is to attain the level of competing devices of the tokamak type.

For this purpose, further stages of modification are being planned. For example, the graphite tiles of the divertor are to be replaced in a few years by carbon-fibre-reinforced carbon elements that are additionally water-cooled. This will allow discharges lasting up to 30 minutes in which it can be tested whether Wendelstein 7-X will achieve its optimisation targets in the long run: In this way the device is to demonstrate the essential advantage of stellarators, viz. their capability for continuous operation.
MADISON  The debate over state incentives to land the Foxconn Technology Group in Wisconsin will likely wrap up soon, with the Wisconsin Legislature expected to vote by mid-September. Here are some of the questions being asked as a decision nears:

The state incentive package would be $3 billion over 15 years. What guarantees will be put into place to ensure Foxconn invests the $10 billion and creates the 13,000 jobs it has planned?

Unlike some states that rely more on clawbacks after they have spent taxpayer dollars, Wisconsin takes a pay-as-you-grow approach to economic incentive packages. If Foxconn spends $3 billion and creates 3,000 jobs, the amount of state tax credits would be commensurate  and retroactive. Foxconn must part with money to get some of it back in the form of tax credits, which are based on economic activity that otherwise wouldnt happen.

Clawbacks are still important, however. How would they be initiated and enforced?

A clawback is a provision in an economic development agreement that requires a company to repay any financial benefit gained for which it did not meet certain performance thresholds, such as job targets or capital investment levels. These provisions are most often included in contracts negotiated between governments and companies. Concurrent to the legislative debate, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. is drafting a contract that is expected to be completed by Sept. 30.

OK, but who watches the contract writers and makes sure that document is being enforced?

An amendment to the Foxconn package by the state Senate would give the Legislative Audit Bureau, an arm of the Legislature, the ability to audit contract compliance each year. The Senate has also included language that would more strongly tie Foxconns projected capital investments to job creation estimates.

This deal seems to have been, in no small part, a product of the evolving friendship between Gov. Scott Walker and Foxconn founder and chairman Terry Gou. What happens if one of those leaders rides into the sunset?

State negotiators are keenly aware that Gou turns 67 in early October and wont work forever, even if his energy levels are legendary. However, the depth of the Foxconn management team engaged in the Wisconsin project  combined with investments already made or poised to happen  make a reversal highly unlikely. Foxconn wants to build North Americas first liquid crystal display plant in Wisconsin, a decision driven from the board of directors level on down. As for Walker, hes all but certain to run for re-election in 2018 and wont turn his back on a deal he started. His opponents will make doubly sure of that. Walkers chief deputies on this deal, Administration Secretary Scott Neitzel and WEDC Secretary Mark Hogan, also remain in place.

Im uneasy with the notion that governments compete for industry, foreign or domestic. Is Wisconsin getting on a treadmill it cant stop?

Economic competition among nations, states and communities is nothing new. Whats new is that Wisconsin is finally getting better at it after years of not showing up on the radar screens of site selectors. The Foxconn deal is one of several national competitions under way right now, with Amazon announcing it will build a second headquarters and Toyota-Mazda looking to open a new U.S. assembly plant. Look for at least 20 states and cities to compete for one or both deals.

Why is it that so many Democrats seem opposed to the Foxconn deal and most Republicans are supportive? Isnt job creation a bipartisan goal?

Some Democratic lawmakers would doubt Walker if he said the sun rises in the east, and it didnt help their mood that President Trump took credit for the deal. However, the 2016 Democratic Party platform called for fostering a manufacturing renaissance, pursuing an innovation agenda and creating jobs for young people. A Foxconn presence in Wisconsin, with an entirely new industry and a statewide supply chain, could help meet all three goals. Most Republicans support the deal, but not all. For example, Americans for Prosperity  a group backed by Charles and David Koch  has come out against it.

If the Legislature passes the Foxconn package, the real work begins. Republicans and Democrats alike will need to ensure tax dollars are spent wisely and Wisconsin doesnt mess up this chance to rebrand the state economy for decades to come.
As Australia prepares for a contentious postal vote on legalising gay marriage, fierce divisions have emerged within the church, with many Christians disregarding traditional religious views as outdated. Although attitudes to same-sex marriage vary across denominations and congregations -- and even between the pulpit and the pews -- many Australians view the church as the greatest source of resistance to such unions. "I think it is really bad news for the church that it is seen as taking this exclusive, judgemental, unloving stance toward a significant part of the Australian community," Reverend Margaret Mayman, minister of the Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney, told AFP. "There is obviously a huge gap between the leadership of some denominations and the people in the pews," she said. A recent survey commissioned by equality advocates found two thirds of Catholics support gay marriage, as do 59 percent of Anglican, Uniting Church and Church of England followers. Ballots have been dispatched to some 15 million Australians, with the voluntary poll due kick off Tuesday and close on November 7, with the result out later that month. If most Australians say "yes", the government will hold a parliamentary vote on the issue, but no action will be taken in the event of a "no" outcome. - 'Fear-mongering' - Some of the country's most senior Catholics have openly encouraged followers to vote against gay marriage. "The Catholic Church... teaches that marriage is a natural institution established by God to be a permanent union between one man and one woman, intended towards the formation of a family in which children are born and nurtured," Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart said in an open letter last month. Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher warned that a move to legalise same-sex marriage would threaten the religious freedoms of teachers and doctors in Catholic institutions who would be forced to fall in line with views they did not hold. Other prominent figures have acknowledged a divide between the church and the public. "There is almost total unanimity amongst the young in favour of same-sex marriage, and arguments against it have almost no impact on them," Father Chris Middleton, rector of one of Australia's most prestigious Catholic schools, Xavier College, wrote recently to teachers, parents and students. Outspoken Anglican minister Reverend Keith Mascord said arguments that gay marriage violated long-held doctrine or threatened religious freedoms were irrelevant. "The church has got a terrible, shameful legacy, which it's adding to by fear-mongering and campaigning," he said. On the opposing side, the Coalition of Marriage, backed by the Australian Christian Lobby, has become the face of the "no" drive. Controversial advertisements from the group featuring mothers complaining about schools encouraging boys to wear dresses or about children being asked to role play same-sex unions have been branded offensive and scaremongering by gay rights advocates. "Beyond the wedding ceremony there is a whole bunch of consequences that flow for freedom of speech, for gender ideology in schools and most importantly for the rights of a child to be known and loved by the mother and father", Australian Christian Lobby director Lyle Shelton told AFP. Just over half of Australia's 25 million people identify as Christian and Shelton claims the majority are united in their opposition to gay marriage. "In any organisation, particularly an entity as big as the church and its diversity, there will be minorities that no longer hold to orthodox Christian teaching on marriage, but the overwhelming majority are in favour of preserving marriage." - 'Grassroots acceptance' - But not all churchgoers agree. Ardent Catholic Les Mico has two gay adult sons and told AFP his faith prompted him to become an advocate for marriage equality. He works with young gay Catholics who struggle to reconcile their sexuality with the church's teaching -- which he said caused them mental anguish and triggered suicide attempts. "What we find is that it is the church's attitudes to gay people across the board that has actually pushed them into that area because they feel so insignificant, inferior, have no dignity for themselves and are not welcome within the arms of the church," Mico said. A change in the civil definition of marriage would be one step toward resolving that conflict with the church still free to marry who they choose, Mico said, but added that religious institutions needed to encourage open discussion of the issue. "Certainly there is tension in the church," he said, adding that senior church figures had held onto traditional views and were sometimes at odds with opinion in local congregations. "We do find at grassroots level there is a greater affinity with what is going on and a greater acceptance."
MIAMI  Tiffany Zadi creates leather shoulder bags, totes, accessories and jewelry. While trolling thrift shops for materials shell recycle for her fashions, shell snatch up vintage finds and resell them through Etsy. The Little Havana resident also teaches piano to several students, and lately shes been leading handicraft experiences for small groups through Airbnb.

Joseph Nay builds and designs websites, including steady work for a content studio and a digital marketing agency. Thats led to other freelance jobs. The largely self-taught Hollywood resident also creates and edits motion graphics and assists a nonprofit focused on helping Haiti. Its been a fun ride, tiring but fun, he said.

Zadi and Nay leverage their skills, experience and passions into a diverse portfolio of multiple work assignments and revenue streams to thrive in the Gig Economy, a fast-growing worker movement that includes consulting and contracting, temping, freelancing, self-employment, side gigs and on-demand workers. While Zadi and Nay enthusiastically jumped into the Gig Economy  Zadi gave up a law career to pursue her passions  others are thrust into it by necessity, as full-time jobs have slipped away. Some want the supplemental income as wages remain largely stagnant while still others use it as a buffer as they ease into retirement.

Experts differ on exactly how large the Gig Economy is  these jobs dont fit neatly into categories the government tracks  as well as on the pluses and drawbacks for workers and the economy. But there is consensus that the Gig Economy is growing faster than traditional employment. And it is here to stay.

A 2016 McKinsey Global Institute Report found that about 27 percent of working-age people in the U.S. and Europe engage at least partially in independent work. A 2016 study by the Minneapolis Fed found a 37 percent engagement rate in the U.S., while government economists have estimated that about 40 percent of Americans will be working outside traditional full-time jobs by 2020.

Theres this myth that the Gig Economy equals Uber driver, said Diane Mulcahy, who recently wrote a book on the subject. If you are not a full-time employee in a full-time job, you are part of the Gig Economy.

While gig workers have been around as long as there have been handymen, tutors, writers and musicians, whats new about the Gig Economy is how quickly it has infiltrated white-collar professions and industries such as health care, finance, the law and technology, Mulcahy said.. She is a private equity adviser for the Kauffman Foundation, which studies and supports entrepreneurship. As proof, she said, look at the growth of national online placement services like Toptal for tech and finance workers and Axiom for lawyers.

(EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM)

The Gig Economy is likely larger in South Florida  always a hotbed for self-employment and small business activity  than in most parts of the country.

There are fewer large corporations than in other metros. While the young Miami economy has always depended on foreign immigration for its population growth, Miami-Dade tends to draw more professional and higher-income immigrants who create new businesses, said Kevin Greiner, a senior fellow at the Florida International University Metropolitan Center.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM)

The one-two punch of tech advancements and recessionary times accelerated the Gig Economy.

Just before and during the most recent recession came the launch of several key tech-enabled online services, including ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft, Airbnb for lodging and websites helping consumers find people to teach, write, serve or fix something for them. Other websites popped up to pool contract workers, like call-center reps, hospitality workers, lawyers and accountants.

At the same time, corporations were already increasingly using cheaper contract labor that can be deployed when and where they need it.

(EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM)

In just one generation, the corporate gravy train full of plentiful, progressive, benefit-rich and secure full-time jobs has left the station, Mulcahy wrote in her book, The Gig Economy: The Complete Guide to Getting Better Work, Taking More Time off and Financing the Life You Want! At the same time, workers are getting used to non-full-time work and even choosing it because of the freedom it can afford, she said. The Gig Economy is a new way of work that seems to be working.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM)

A national survey by the Freelancers Union and online freelance job board Upwork found that two-thirds of the 55 million Americans who freelanced in 2016 did so out of choice, up 10 points from their survey in 2014.

But there is no steady paycheck, no health insurance, no sick pay, and no vacation pay. What happens when theres too much month left at the end of your money?

Zadi went to the University of Miami for undergraduate studies in music and graduated from law school in New England in 2009, pretty much the worst year to jump into the job market. She snagged some temp law work but made jewelry on the side. Once she finished one of her law gigs in the fall of 2014, she thought she would take the rest of the year off to focus on her art. I never went back. I guess I wasnt into office life.

She says she lives simply and combines vacation time with trips to trade shows, where she showcases her wares. Because buying a house was important to her, Zadi lived at her parents home while she saved for a larger down payment to keep her monthly mortgage payments low.

Shes got the right idea, according to Mulcahy. Gig worker should aim to create a financially flexible life of lower fixed costs, higher savings and much less debt. That may mean downsizing their vision of the American Dream. Increasingly people can access the lifestyle they want rather than own it, such as renting a home and going car-free, Mulcahy said.

Gig workers should aim to create a financially flexible life of lower fixed costs, higher savings and much less debt.

Managing volatile income can come down to ongoing business development and networking. Gig workers must make sure to keep business flowing through the development pipeline and writing contracts in a way that ensures ongoing cash flow rather than a lump sum at the end of a project, Mulcahy said.

Mulcahy also advises building a safety net. Access to health insurance through the Affordable Care Act has enabled more people to work in the Gig Economy.

Saving for retirement is one of the few areas where the independent contractor has an advantage because through IRAs and 401Ks for the self-employed, they can save more quickly and at higher levels than their full-time brethren, she said.

Time management is also a challenge, said numerous gig workers. Finding time is always the struggle. Im working on a freelance project this weekend, said Nay, who is 31.

Jaclyn Rosell is relatively new to the Gig Economy and still finding her way.

She began selling her artisan soap online full-time last fall after working more than a dozen years in traditional jobs, first in real estate until the crash, and then in retail management and construction. While those jobs easily covered her bills and provided benefits, she longed to work at home, where she could spend more time with her 3-year-old daughter.

Rosell picked up some wholesale clients. Networking with event planners has resulted in more orders for guest and thank-you gifts. For some clients she has provided private-label products, and she began making malas with aromatherapy features. Still, navigating the slower summer was a rude awakening, with maxed-out credit cards and IOUs, and she contemplated going back to traditional work. But now her calendar is filling up again and she says she has learned ways to better navigate the summer slump next year.

For Nay, the Gig Economy has helped him build his portfolio of skills faster than he might have with a traditional job, as hes created websites and motion graphics for national retailers, airlines, health care companies and nonprofits. I get to move around to different companies, and if one thing falls out, I still have other things I can fall back on  and it keeps me sharp. I dont think people look so much at where you went to school but they want to see what you have done.

Economic realities are also driving more people into the Gig Economy to pick up a second source of income along side their full-time jobs.

Nicole Dominguez, 44 and a mother of three in Miami, works full-time as a docketing clerk at a law firm but signed up last year for extra work at Liveops, a work-at-home call center platform, to finance a trip to visit her son in Japan, who was in the military. But she took to it and stayed with it and her husband joined, too.

Dominguez sees her gig job as something she could do in retirement, too, and shes not alone. While millennials are typically identified with gig work, its even more prevalent among baby boomers, economists at Harvard and Princeton found. About half of Uber and Lyft drivers are over 50. Airbnb identifies woman age 60-plus as their most successful hosts and the fastest-growing community of providers. DogVacay reports that people over 50 constitute 25 percent of their pet sitters.

Contract workers cost employers at least 25 percent less in benefits and give them the ability to hire contract workers only when demand spikes. But employees likely would be more committed to the company vision, and some companies see the value of having their employees under one roof. Training costs can be high, too, particularly if a contractor doesnt stay.

For the economy, though, the news isnt all cheery. The cost of health insurance drives some gig workers to forgo it altogether, a risky financial move for them that also could lead to emergency room treatment at public expense. Home ownership has already started to fall nationally and could fall further. Social Securitys safety net could be stretched with fewer paying into the system at the same levels.

The rise of the Gig Economy has also put the spotlight on the lack of worker protections. A worker might end up being paid less than minimum wage, if a task takes longer than expected. If the worker cant find a follow-up gig, he or she isnt eligible for unemployment benefits. Some companies take advantage by hiring contractors to essentially be full-time employees without paying benefits. Theres even a term for it now: Perma-lancing.

Some U.S. lawmakers have begun to introduce legislation that could form the framework for portable perks, such as parental leave, workers compensation and tax advantaged retirement savings. Other moves are also in the works, such as in New York, where state lawmakers are considering allowing online job platforms to pay into a benefit fund for the workers who use their apps. New York City, meanwhile, has considered surcharges on riders to pay benefits for delivery and ride-hailing service workers.

Yet, this all comes as the economy has already fundamentally changed.

This is the future of work, Mulcahy said. The full-time employee is getting to be the worker of last resort.

I dont think people look so much at where you went to school but they want to see what you have done. Joseph Nay, contract worker
By Prak Chan Thul and Matthew Tostevin PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Accused of plotting treason with Cambodia's detained opposition leader, the U.S. embassy posted a picture of a red herring on its Facebook page. The cryptic suggestion that the accusations were false - a mystifying reference for many Cambodians - was followed by further posts on Monday showing how U.S. aid was helping to preserve temples and forests. Those posts also underscored the big difference between aid from the United States and aid from China, whose greater support for big ticket projects has helped allow Prime Minister Hun Sen to brush off criticism over the arrest of election rival Kem Sokha. Not only is China vastly outspending the United States in a country once destroyed by Cold War superpower rivalry, but its money goes on highly visible infrastructure projects and with no demands for political reform. U.S. aid goes more towards social projects and trying to build democracy - unwanted interference for the government of a prime minister who has ruled for over 30 years. "Taking aid doesn't mean they can order us to do what they want. We aren't their ally. We aren't their slave," government spokesman Phay Siphan told Reuters. "The Chinese always support us in economic growth and they never interefere in our decisions." The U.S. embassy made no immediate comment. Cambodia has dismissed U.S. and Western criticism of the Sept. 3 arrest of opposition leader Kem Sokha. China has backed Hun Sen. "To ensure the security of Cambodia, China will cooperate with Cambodia in all circumstances," Wang Jiarui, vice chairnman of China's national assembly, said in Phnom Penh last week, according to the official Cambodian record. The support doesn't only run one way. China relies on Cambodia in Southeast Asian meetings on issues such as its claims in the South China Sea. In Cambodia, China's military has also gained a strategic foothold. Figures from Cambodia's overseas development aid database show how important China has become. It accounted for nearly 36 percent of $732 billion listed in bilateral aid for 2016 - nearly four times as much as from the United States. Most of the rest is from other Western countries, whose protests have also been dismissed. INVESTMENT GIANT The disparity is even starker in investment. China provided nearly 30 percent of investment capital in Cambodia last year - more than Cambodians themselves. The United States accounted for only just over three percent. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed aid cuts have pointed to a possible 70 percent reduction in U.S. assistance to Cambodia from 2018, according to a draft proposal. What Cambodia gets from the United States and China is very different. Chinese projects include roads, bridges, irrigation systems, electrical transmission infrastructure and dams. The list of U.S. projects is much longer, but they are much smaller: in education, health, conservation as well as efforts to build democracy which grate on the government. The U.S. funded National Democratic Institute (NDI) pro-democracy group was expelled last month and accused of conspiring to help bring down Hun Sen - a charge rejected by the NDI and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). "The fact the government has been criticised by Western donors over the recent crackdown just means Cambodia is becoming more dependent on China," said Ou Virak of the Future Forum thinktank. The United States is a much bigger export market than China, particularly for Cambodia's garment factories, but the United States has not publicly suggested it could use trade to bring pressure for democratic change. Kem Sokha's deputy, Mu Sochua, said aid that did not include conditions on human rights did not serve Cambodia well. "Cambodia needs China, it needs America, it needs democracy to pull it out of many years of poverty," she told Reuters. But Cambodia depends much less on aid than it did. This year will mark the seventh year of near 7 percent growth or above - a fact Hun Sen often points to in a country he took over after the devastating "killing fields" genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge, in which he was once a commander. World Bank figures show overseas development assistance fell from over 120 percent of central government expenditure in 2002 to barely 32 percent in 2015. Per capita gross domestic product rose from less than $340 in 2002 to nearly $1,300 last year. Dismissing U.S. interference in a speech on Monday, Hun Sen threatened a possible ban on the opposition party. Then he took a plane for Beijing where he said he would seek money for the health sector - an area dominated by Western donors until now. (Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Nick Macfie)
By John O'Donnell FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Europe's regulators are competing to hire risk specialists to prepare for an influx of banks escaping Brexit, nudging up salaries and stretching staff budgets. Wall Street giants Goldman Sachs , Citigroup and Morgan Stanley , which have big operations in London, intend to expand in the European Union after Britain's departure. Germany's financial regulator, Bafin, and the French and Irish central banks intend to hire dozens of new recruits in the coming year, according to officials. The European Central Bank, which has overall responsibility for supervising banks, is also seeking new staff. But filling such positions is difficult, partly because risk specialists are in hot demand and budgets of public institutions are limited. "We are seeing a lot more competition in hiring people for risk, in both the public sector and the private sector," said Nigel David, a head-hunter at Charles Levick in London. "You are seeing salaries shoot up." Ireland's central bank said late last year it had set a target of boosting staff numbers this year by almost 10 percent, or 170 people, in part to cope with Brexit. By May, the numbers were broadly unchanged at about 1,600 employees. A central bank spokeswoman declined to say why it had not hired more staff. But Philip Lane, its governor, spoke of the challenge of hiring in a newspaper interview in July. "Any regulator in a major financial centre, I'm sure the Bank of England or the New York Fed have similar challenges, there is always going to be the issue of how to compete with the other opportunities," he said. The majority of its employees earn between 25,000 euros and 75,000 euros ($90,400). Starting salaries for risk managers at an investment bank are around $52,600. Ireland's problem has been exacerbated by pay restrictions and extra taxes on civil servants, imposed by the government as it seeks to recover from a financial collapse. The central bank recently approved the creation of 26 new posts to deal with the "increased workload post the Brexit referendum". MATHS, PHYSICS DEGREES With the clock ticking to Britain's EU departure by April 2019, banks are already beginning to migrate from London. The shift will give Europe's regulators a greater say over global finance after Brexit even though they are still dealing with the regulatory fallout from the last financial crash. Regulators in Paris wants to hire 50 additional people, while Germany's Bafin is examining new staff as part of budget negotiations for 2018 now taking place, people familiar with the matter said. But like Dublin, they may find that their hiring pot is not big enough. A survey of risk experts by recruiter Barclay Simpson found that salaries for European market risk specialists at an investment bank began at 40,000 pounds ($52,600) for graduates and climbed above 400,000 pounds for top managers. By comparison, Daniele Nouy, the ECB's top regulator, earned just 278,000 euros ($335,300) last year. The typical candidate for a risk management job would have a degree in maths or physics to help spot the risk of, for example, a mortgage default, one headhunter said. They might also have experience of working in a retail bank. "Risk is a very competitive market," said Liam O'Mahoney, of head-hunter Eames Consulting in London. "It's going to be very difficult for a central bank to attract people." The ECB, which has an annual budget for policing banks of more than 400 million euros, may be one of the few institutions able to keep pace. It is seeking to hire contractor risk specialists at daily rates of 1,000 euros - plus expenses, people familiar with the programme said. A spokeswoman for the ECB declined to comment. For others, such as Germany's Bafin, where salaries range between 35,000 euros and 80,000 euros, the hope is that the appeal of a secure job in a predictable civil service will appeal. "It's international," said one employee. "The work is interesting. And unlike the private sector, people here work 41 hours a week." ($1 = 0.8292 euros) (Editing by Anna Willard)
A Spanish physiotherapist working for the Red Cross in northern Afghanistan was shot and killed Monday by a wheelchair-bound patient, in the latest attack on the international charity. Lorena Enebral Perez, 38, was shot inside the aid group's rehabilitation centre in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, where she treated disabled children, women and men including amputees, the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement. Perez was taken to the NATO military base hospital at Camp Marmal where she died of her wounds. "Energetic and full of laughter, Lorena was the heart of our office in Mazar. Today, our hearts are broken," said Monica Zanarelli, the ICRCs chief in Afghanistan. "Lorena was a skilled and caring physiotherapist who assisted patients, especially children. The violent fluctuations of life seem particularly cruel today." Two people have been arrested over the deadly attack, including the 21-year-old shooter whom police said was a "regular patient". "He had hidden the pistol in his wheelchair which he used to shoot the victim," police spokesman Shir Jan Durrani told AFP. Deputy police chief Abdul Razaq Qaderi said the man "opened fire on the doctor as soon as she entered the consultation room". The motive for the attack was not clear. It was the latest deadly assault on the Red Cross in northern Afghanistan, where Taliban and Islamic State militants have been terrorising the local population. Aid workers have increasingly become casualties of a surge in militant violence in recent years. Most of the Red Cross's programmes in the north have been on hold since February, after six Afghan employees of the ICRC were shot dead when their convoy was ambushed in Jowzjan province. Two of their colleagues were abducted and only released by their captors last week. No group claimed responsibility for the abduction or killings but Jowzjan police had blamed local IS jihadists. Last December a Spanish Red Cross employee was abducted when workers from the charity were travelling between Mazar-i-Sharif and the neighbouring Taliban hotbed of Kunduz. He was released several weeks later.
A congressional committee in Guatemala has recommended President Jimmy Morales' immunity be lifted to face a UN-backed probe into suspected illegal campaign financing in the 2015 election that brought him to power. "We declare ourselves in favor of the immunity being lifted," the head of the commission, Julio Ixcamey, told journalists. The issue will now go to the 158-member Congress for a vote. At least 105 deputies need to back the motion to lift Morales' immunity. But analysts believe that is unlikely, given the alliances that the president's conservative National Convergence Front party has. Morales is under investigation by the UN International Committee Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) and Guatemalan prosecutors for allegedly failing to declare $1 million in campaign funding to his party in 2015. He sparked a storm August 27 by ordering the head of the Colombian CICIG, Ivan Velasquez, out of the country, two days after Velasquez applied to have Morales' immunity lifted. But Guatemala's top court overruled the order and the CICIG is forging on with its probe. The CICIG is widely respected in Guatemala. It helped Guatemalan prosecutors investigate a corruption scandal that toppled the previous president, Otto Perez, in 2015, paving the way for the election of Morales, a former TV comic with no previous political experience who campaigned on anti-corruption promises.
Hundreds of thousands of Catalans rallied on Monday to demand their region's secession from Spain, in a show of strength three weeks ahead of an independence referendum which has been banned by Madrid. Draped in red, yellow and blue separatist flags -- with one banner reading "Goodbye Spain" -- they marched through central Barcelona in what many hope will be the last protest before independence. "If there is huge mobilisation, they can't do anything in Madrid," said Jordi Calatayud, a 21-year-old economics student, referring to the October 1 vote. "Catalan people will make independence possible; if there are a lot of us, they can't stop us." Around one million people took part in the event, Barcelona's municipal police said in a Twitter post. A spokeswoman for the central government's representative in the wealthy northeastern region put the turnout lower, at around 350,000 people. The protest coincides with Catalonia's national day, the "Diada", which marks the fall of Barcelona in the War of the Spanish Succession in 1714 and the region's subsequent loss of institutions and freedoms. Since 2012 the holiday has been used by separatists to press for an independent state. "What more do we have to do to make it understood that the people of Catalonia want to vote?" Catalonia's pro-independence president Carles Puigdemont told reporters at the rally. - 'Put me in prison' - Those against independence complained that a day meant for all Catalans had been hijacked by separatists -- and even more so this year, ahead of the referendum. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, whose conservative government is fiercely against the vote, wished Catalonia "a good day", calling "for a Diada of freedom, cohabitation and respect for all Catalans". Demonstrators took the shape of a giant "X" by gathering on the Paseo de Gracia and Aragon avenues in central Barcelona, to represent the mark Catalans will make on their ballots during the referendum. If the "Yes" side wins, Catalonia's regional government has vowed to declare independence within 48 hours and set about building a sovereign state. With Spain's central government promising to block the referendum, the pro-independence camp was keen to show that it can rally its troops -- especially after participation in the "Diada" declined last year. "I am too old to be told what I can or can't do, I am counting on voting and I will do so, even if they have to put me in prison," said Mari Carmen Pla, a 70-year-old pensioner surrounded by a sea of red and yellow Catalan independence flags. - Region divided - Rajoy's conservative government has said the vote violates Spain's constitution, which states that only central authorities can call a referendum. Following a legal challenge from his government, Spain's Constitutional Court suspended a referendum law that was fast-tracked through Catalonia's regional parliament on Wednesday. Police have searched a Catalan printing house and a local weekly newspaper suspected of making ballots for the referendum, while Spain's state prosecutor has opened criminal proceedings against Puigdemont and other Catalan officials. Catalan society is deeply divided over independence. In a survey by the Catalan Centre of Opinion Studies in July, 41.1 percent backed independence while 49.9 percent rejected it. But about 70 percent wanted a referendum, to settle the question once and for all. Like the referendum held in Britain last year on the country's membership in the European Union, the issue in Catalonia pits rural areas -- which are more pro-independence -- against large urban centres like Barcelona which are more in favour of remaining in Spain. Catalonia, roughly the same size as Belgium, has its own language and customs, and already has significant powers over matters such as education and healthcare. But Spain's economic problems, coupled with a perception that the wealthy northeastern region's 7.5 million people pay more in taxes to Madrid than they get in return, have pushed the independence question to the centre stage. During the 2013 "Diada" demonstrators formed a human chain that crossed Catalonia. The following year the demonstration took the shape of a giant "V" for "vote", while in 2015 the march resembled a human arrow.
Maldives authorities suspended 56 lawyers on Monday, including all those who are defending dissidents, for demanding the rule of law in the politically restive archipelago. The Department of Judicial Administration (DJA) said those who signed a petition making the demand were suspended indefinitely because they had violated several laws and were in contempt of court. "The petition is an unlawful document and signing it is an act that interferes and puts pressure on the justice system," said a DJA statement. The ban applies to over a third of the 150 lawyers in private practice in the Maldives and to the entire legal team of exiled opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed and other dissidents. An alliance of four opposition parties said the suspension by President Abdulla Yameen's government means dissidents would no longer have access to quality legal counsel. "An immediate practical implication of the suspension is that individuals unfairly targeted by President Yameens regime will find it virtually impossible to find effective legal counsel," they said in a statement. "This includes high profile politicians, as well as members of parliament who were recently stripped of their seats." It urged the international community to consider imposing "targeted travel and financial sanctions" against controversial chief justice Abdulla Saeed. The holiday paradise has been in political turmoil since the toppling of Nasheed, the country's first democratically elected president, in February 2012. He is living in exile in Britain after escaping a 13-year prison sentence for a terrorism conviction which the United Nations has called flawed and politically motivated. Lawyer Husnu al-Suood said the group made the petition to the Supreme Court, which refused to accept it. On Sunday they refiled the petition with the attorney general. "The thrust of our petition is the demand for rule of law," al-Suood told AFP by telephone. "Last night we went to the AG with a copy of the petition and today we have been suspended." In August the last remaining opposition leader, Qasim Ibrahim, was handed a 38-month prison sentence for bribing lawmakers in March in a failed bid to impeach Speaker Abdulla Maseeh, a close ally of Yameen. Ibrahim was allowed to travel to Singapore last week for urgent medical treatment for a heart condition. Since coming to power in November 2013 Yameen has led a crackdown on political dissent in the Indian Ocean nation of 340,000, raising fears over stability and denting the Maldives' image as an upmarket honeymoon destination. Yameen narrowly defeated former leader Nasheed in a controversial 2013 election run-off.
Halimah Yacob addresses reporters outside the Elections Department on Monday (11 September). PHOTO: Nicholas Yong

Former Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob has pledged to be a unifying figure for Singaporeans, regardless of whether there is a presidential election.

The 63-year-old is poised to be the first female president of Singapore, after she became the only candidate to be issued a Certificate of Eligibility by the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) for the upcoming election.

This years presidential election, which would have been on 23 September, is reserved for Malay candidates.

Speaking to reporters briefly outside the Elections Department on Monday (11 September), the former Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Member of Parliament was asked if she was worried about public perception since she would not have to fight an election.

I can only say that I promise to do the best that I can to serve the people of Singapore, and that doesnt change whether there is an election or no electionmy passion and commitment to serve the people of Singapore remains the same.

Halimah, a mother of five, was also asked how she planned to unite the people as a president, given the many differing views on the reserved presidential election.

She replied, One of the main focus and function of the elected president is to act as a unifying force. Obviously, theres work that I have to do, butI would like to invite Singaporeans to work together with me, so that we can work together for a united Singapore and a much stronger Singapore.

Halimah added, Once elected, the president, and the process may be reserved election, but the president is for everyone, all communities, regardless of your race or religionthe president, once elected, represents all races, all religions, all communities in Singapore.

The presidential hopeful plans to hold a press conference after Nomination Day, which takes place on Wednesday, where she promised to address more questions.

Published by, and at the direction of, Yahoo! Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (199700735D) | 60 Anson Road #13-01 Singapore 079914

Story continues

Related stories:

PE2017  Look at my credentials, not my past affiliations: Halimah Yacob

Polling Day for Presidential Election set for 23 September 2017
MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday ruled out the possibility of allowing Islamic State-linked militants to flee a southern city in exchange for the release of dozens of hostages. The militants seized large parts of Marawi City on the island of Mindanao in May, and a hardcore of fighters has held out through more than 100 days of air strikes and ground attacks by troops. "No way," Duterte told reporters when asked about a rumor that one rebel leader, Omarkhayam Maute, had proposed releasing hostages in exchange for the safe exit of the militants. Pockets of fighters remain in the ruins of the heart of a city devastated by artillery and bombings, in an occupation that has alarmed the region about the possibility of Islamic State, on the back foot in Iraq and Syria, making a new home in the southern Philippines. The military has launched its final push to retake Marawi, and is coming under heavy fire from gunmen as troops try to secure buildings and navigate through mines and booby-traps. The military estimates about 20 to 30 hostages are being held, some of whom it says were forced to take up arms against government troops. "If I can save one life there, I am willing to wait one year (to retake the city)" Duterte said of the hostages, after visiting wounded soldiers in Cagayan de Oro, a few hours away from Marawi. Martial law has been imposed in Mindanao, an island of 22 million people, until the end of the year, to allow the military to break up an alliance of pro-Islamic State militant groups. On another front, the military is also fighting communist rebels of the New People's Army following a breakdown in peace talks with the government. Duterte on Saturday threatened to expand martial law to other areas of the Philippines to crack down on the insurgents. Some 655 militants, 45 civilians and 145 soldiers and policemen have been killed in Marawi, according to the military, which says it has rescued 1,728 civilians. At least 400,000 have been displaced. Army spokesman Colonal Edgard Arevalo said saving hostages was the priority of the military's mission. "We are still very mindful of the presence of civilians -guns against their heads - who were made human shields or ordered to wield firearms and ammunition, were converted to become fighters and shoot at our troops," he said in a statement. The United States has provided technical support to the Philippines military in Marawi. Visiting Manila on Friday, Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne offered a small detachment of soldiers to provide training to Philippine forces. (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Martin Petty and Angus MacSwan)
Riot police on Monday blocked hundreds of protesters trying to prevent the family of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos from celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth at the Philippines' "Heroes Cemetery". Three decades after a bloodless "People Power" revolution toppled the Marcos regime, his family holds influential political posts and is busy rehabilitating his legacy -- with the help of family friend President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte last year allowed the remains to be buried at the cemetery, reserved for soldiers slain in battle and former presidents. Last week he declared the birth anniversary on September 11 a holiday in the ex-leader's home province. "This is an insult to the memory of my father," said Amira Lidasan, one of a group of anti-Marcos protesters estimated by police to number 500 who marched on the cemetery gates. Lidasan said her father was imprisoned for a month for a nighttime curfew violation in the early 1970s, when Marcos put the country under martial law for more than eight years. The father died from illness shortly afterwards, she added. But about 300 riot police blocked a road leading to the Marcos tomb, allowing the family to hold a private reception inside the cemetery grounds. About 50 elderly women supporters of Marcos meanwhile flashed V-for-victory signs and sang "Happy Birthday" for Marcos at a separate gathering outside the cemetery gates. "He achieved many things during his presidency. He built roads and many other structures and he kept the prices of grocery items low," Erlinda Taning, 65, told AFP. Marcos oversaw widespread human rights abuses during his 20-year rule. Thousands of people were killed, tortured or imprisoned, according to rights advocates and previous Philippine governments. He has also been accused of embezzling billions of dollars from state coffers during his rule, with anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International in 2004 naming him the second most corrupt leader of all time, behind Indonesian dictator Suharto. However no member of the Marcos clan has ever gone to prison and the family has made a dramatic political comeback in recent years, with his widow and two children being elected to office. The election last year of Duterte, a family friend, has accelerated the rehabilitation. Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, the dictator's son, lost the vice-presidential election last year but has filed an election protest in hopes of overturning the result. Duterte, who was elected separately, has endorsed his protest. Protesters Monday burned a banner that read "Marcos Duterte Fascist" and which depicted a two-faced man -- half Marcos and half Duterte. "There should be no compromise, no immunity to a plunderer and a murderer," Marie Enriquez, a human rights activist whose sister was tortured and killed in a Marcos martial-law prison, said in a statement.
A Taiwanese democracy activist pleaded guilty Monday to charges of attempting to subvert Chinese government power during a trial in China that his wife called a "political show" and further soured cross-strait ties. Lee Ming-cheh appeared alongside a Chinese co-defendant named Peng Yuhua at Yueyang intermediate people's court in central Hunan province, according to video footage posted on the court's official social media account. A shaven-headed Lee appeared nervous as he confessed to charges of "subverting state power", stating that he had written and distributed online articles that criticised China's ruling Communist Party and promoted democracy among other topics. "I know that my behaviour definitely violated Chinese law," said Lee, an NGO worker who was arrested during a trip to the Chinese mainland in March. "The television news I watched in prison has made me understand China's development a little better. I know that my past thinking and the information I received was mistaken," he said. "This mistaken thinking led me to violate the law. I express my guilt and regrets." The articles were written at the direction of Peng, who he had become acquainted with online and had met several times on the Chinese mainland, Lee said under questioning from a prosecutor. Taiwan's presidential spokesman Alex Huang said Taipei was "highly concerned" about Lee, including "his health and the rights he's entitled to." "The government's consistent stance is to ensure his personal safety and to make every effort we can to bring him home safely, under the premise of safeguarding our nation's dignity," Huang said. The trial concluded Monday afternoon, but it is unclear when a verdict will be announced. - 'Big political show' - His wife and mother travelled to Hunan for the trial and his supporters gathered outside the courthouse in Yueyang city. Both women were accompanied by officials from Taiwan's semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation, which handles relations with the mainland. After the trial, his wife, Lee Ching-yu, showed reporters permanent tattoos on both her forearms that read, "I am proud of you, Lee Ming-cheh." "I knew I wouldn't be able to bring anything into the courtroom with me, except for the expression in my eyes," she said, her voice wavering. In a separate written statement, she said she was allowed to see her husband and that after "being lovers for more than 20 years, I can tell whether what he speaks is genuine or not." "The world and I today witnessed this big political show, and also witnessed the difference between Taiwan's core beliefs and values and that of China," she said. Lee has long supported civil society organisations and activists in China, according to Amnesty International. He had shared "Taiwan's democratic experiences" with his Chinese friends online for many years and often mailed books to them, said the Taiwan Association for Human Rights. After Lee went missing Chinese authorities confirmed he was being investigated for suspected activities "endangering national security". - 'Sham trial' - The language the two co-defendants used to confess their crimes sounded rehearsed, according to Patrick Poon, a China researcher at Amnesty International. The "language they used was so much like the Chinese government's", he said, calling it a "sham trial." Frances Eve, researcher for the charity Chinese Human Rights Defenders, said the trial's "phoney transparency" was an attempt to deflect attention from the serious denial of Lee's due process rights. "He was held for months in a secret location and had already 'confessed' before the trial, according to state media. There is a strong likelihood that he was tortured to force a confession," Eve told AFP. In the lead-up to the trial, Beijing repeatedly ignored Taipei's requests for information on Lee's whereabouts and details of the allegations against him. Even Lee's family was not given written notification of the trial, Poon said. Relations between the two sides have worsened since Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May last year, with Beijing cutting off all official communications with Taipei. China sees self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory waiting to be reunified. It wants Tsai to acknowledge the island is part of "One China", which she has refused to do.
In 1918 Russell Rezin began a cranberry marsh in Warrens.

Ninety-nine years and five generations later, the marsh is still going strong in the hands of his descendants.

The Russell Rezin and Son Cranberry Marsh is now run by his daughter-in-law, Judy Rezin; his granddaughters Shelly Schultz and Lisa Hart and their husbands Scott Schultz and Bruce Hart; and his great-grandson Cory Hart and his wife Lisa.

Its a family affair, Shelly Schultz said.

Theres something about the life that pulls you in, Shelly Schultz said.

Its all Ive ever known, and my dad always told the story that hed take a job farther away, but he has always come back, she said. Theres a draw here. It gets in your blood, and its hard to do anything else or go anywhere else. Youre kind of spoiled here.

Shelly Schultz said her and husband Scotts two children, Rusty and Amber, are not involved with the marsh but have expressed interest in coming back in the future.

Our kids are off doing other things, but they talk about coming back, she said. Thats their plan; theyll end up here, too. Whether that pans out or not, I dont know.

Scott Schultz said he and his wife did something similar.

We were both off the farm for (awhile), he said. We didnt come here until our mid 20s or later 20s. We worked other places ... we lived away from home for a while, saw what the real world was like.

The Schultzs have been involved on the 230-acre marsh for 31 years. Its a way of life, Scott Schultz said, not just a job.

You live it, he said. When we walk, we walk out on the marsh, and you look at things and you see how things are progressing or you see things you can do to make things better. We spend a lot of time here, but its a good life.

Shelly Schultz agrees.

We enjoy being here, she said.

There are struggles, Scott Schultz said, but its worth it.

One of the struggles of owning a cranberry marsh is the weather, Shelly Schultz said.

Were at the mercy of Mother Nature every year, she said. Every time it clouds up you think, Is this the one that could wipe us out? So its not easy.

No years are the same, Scott Schultz said. Each stage of cranberry development depends on the weather, especially during the bloom stage in spring.

When the spring comes, the earlier the spring the earlier our crops will start to grow and the earlier they grow, the earlier you have to start watching them, he said. Theyre really tender in the springtime, so weve got to make sure we dont freeze them. We dont want the wind to burn them.

There are many variables, and the weather can make or break a crop, Shelly Schultz said.

To get everything to hit perfect, you might as well go to Vegas, she said.

Scott Schultz agrees.

Typically it would be nice if all the ice would all leave our ponds the middle of April and things will start growing the first week in May, get our bees in the first week in June and ship the bees out right after the Fourth of July, he said. But in the realm of things, thats when it should all happen and very seldom does it ever.

Another struggle of running a marsh is the market, Scott Schultz said.

Its growing, but its shrinking, he said. People dont drink juice like they used to. Now its the big sugar kick. The juice market is declining, but the sweetened dried cranberries, that is really jumping, so theyre really selling more and more of those. So the thing now is they want cranberries that make better sweetened-dried cranberries.

The market is expanding, Scott Schultz said.

Theyre selling more cranberries now than they ever have, so thats a good thing, he said. Domestically, then overseas, theyre selling a lot of them. Theyre getting people across the ocean to like cranberries.

Exports to China, India and Mexico are a big push now for the cranberry market, Shelly Schultz said.

Education is key to expansion overseas, she said.

In China, they told us they didnt even have a word for cranberry, she said. So to try to introduce that and educate people about something they dont even have a word for is something unique. Thats kind of where we are as were trying to introduce the cranberry to China, to India, where cranberries are so beneficial for urinary tract infections and gut problems ... Its just educating people on it and getting them to try it. Baby steps.

Cranberries are also selling well in Central Europe, Great Britain, Australia, Japan and Korea. More cranberries are being sold, but the acreage growing isnt increasing, Scott Schultz said. Growers are just learning how to grow them a little better and are planting better varieties.

Wisconsin grows over 61 percent of all cranberries grown in the United States ... and thats only on 21,000 acres, he said.

Growing conditions have been perfect for Wisconsin in the last few years, Shelly Schultz said. Last year Wisconsin growers produced six million barrels, and this years crop is expected to be slightly below that.

Scott Schultz believes the marsh can keep up with the market and keep the legacy going.

I hope its here for another 100 years, but you never know, he said. Hopefully the family will carry it on ... I think they will one way, shape or form.

Shelly Schultz agrees.

As long as were around, it will stay in the family, but the industry, thats anybodys guess, she said. Theres been ebbs and flows for years; its like any other agricultural business. I think well ride this out, and well get through it. I think were here to stay.
When Salvatore Sapienza saw the small classified ad in the back of OutWeek, a gay news magazine in New York, he thought it seemed like a sign. In the spirit of Francis of Assisi, the ad read, serving our brothers and sisters affected by AIDS. At the bottom was the address of the St. Francis AIDS Ministry on West 31st Street in Manhattan. Sapienza was gayhe had been out for yearsbut he was also a Marist Brother, a Catholic office similar to the priesthood. New York City in 1989 was not an easy place to be both gay and Catholic. The AIDS crisis would claim more than 5,000 people in the city that year, and the church was vocally opposed to condoms and homosexuality. Sapienza felt like that little bulletin, appearing among pages advertising sex phone lines and astrologists, was written just for him. A black-and-white drawing showed the 13th-century saint, a symbol of charity and humility, overlooking a pastoral landscape as skyscrapers loomed in the background. Sapienza found himself wondering whod placed the ad.

Advertisement

The address for the St. Francis AIDS Ministry turned out to be the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. Four people answered the ad, including Sapienza, and soon they were visiting AIDS patients in hospital rooms, praying for them and holding their hands. When Sapienza first showed up at the soaring 19th-century church, he was led inside to a tiny office on the ground floor of the attached friary. The beaming man who greeted him seemed big in every way: tall, loud, boisterous, and joyful. His name was Father Mychal Judge.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Nearly three decades later, Judge is best known as the fire department chaplain who died on Sept. 11, 2001, after rushing into the north tower of the World Trade Center to help. His life quickly took on an almost mythic stature. A documentary crews camera found him praying in the lobby of the north tower, wearing a white helmet reading F.D.N.Y. Chaplain. (Firefighters would later present the helmet to Pope John Paul II.) A story spread that he had died not just in the north tower but while administering the last rites to a firefighter who was hit by a jumper. A striking Reuters photo of first responders carrying Judges body out of the dust has been referred to as a modern Pieta and has been turned into sculptures in crystal and bronze. By 2002, New York City had renamed his stretch of West 31st Street Father Mychal F. Judge Street and christened a public ferry the Father Mychal Judge. In New York, hundreds of firefighters and others participate each September in a Stations of the Crossstyle procession that retraces Judges journey between the Church of St. Francis on West 31st Street and the World Trade Center. Speaking at Judges funeral on Sept. 15, 2001, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said simply: He was a saint.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

But to Sapienza, Judge is deserving of that honorific for reasons that are less widely known. At a time when some doctors were still afraid to touch or even treat AIDS patients, Judge cradled dying men in his arms, administered the Eucharist and the last rites, spoke at their funerals, and comforted their families and friends. Mychal really knew that gay Catholics were being treated like second-class citizens by the church, Sapienza said. Judge loved being Catholic, Sapienza said. But he also loved being gay.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Being a saint in the colloquial sensea mensch, a hero, a faithful Christianis one thing. Becoming a Catholic saint, formally recognized by the Vatican, is another: a long, expensive, and politically fraught process that involves a lengthy investigation and proof of literal miracles. There are two broad categories of saints: martyrs, who died specifically for their faith, and confessors, who demonstrated a lifetime of what the church defines as heroic virtue. Historically, the entirety of a persons life was subject to strict scrutiny on the path to canonization.

But in July, the Vatican announced that it had expanded its criteria for sainthood, creating a new category for people who willingly sacrifice their lives for others: oblatio vitae, the offering of life. This new category of saints does not need to have been killed directly because of their faith, and they need display only ordinary virtue. As Mathew Schmalz, a religious studies professor at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, put it, Now saints can be persons who lead a fairly ordinary life until an extraordinary moment of supreme self-sacrifice. Its a category that seemed custom-built for Judge.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

When it comes to the prospect of canonizing the first gay saint, one priest said, Mychal Judge is a perfect test case.

It was the Rev. Luis Escalante, an Argentinian priest living in Rome whod never met Judge, who pushed the idea of Judges canonization just weeks after the new criteria were announced. Escalante works part time as an independent postulator, a role something like a lawyer who represents a potential saints candidacy. He decided to start gathering stories and documents from people in America who knew Judgethe first step toward establishing his fitness for canonization. Escalante told me that he thought of Judges story as soon as he heard about the new category, in part because his death was such a moving example of Christian self-sacrifice in the midst of violencean illustration of the idea that only God can produce sanctity in a terrorist attack.

Advertisement

Sapienza and others who knew Judge describe him as a man of almost supernatural charisma, an extrovert who enveloped everyone he met into his aura. But few in the wide circle who adored him and relied on him were aware during his lifetime that he was gay. I was one of Mychals 9,412 best friends, said Michael Daly, a former New York Daily News columnist who wrote a 2008 biography of Judge, The Book of Mychal. And 9,406 of us didnt know he was gay. After Judge died, some whom he had confided in began to speak openly about it, including Thomas Von Essen, the citys fire commissioner during the Giuliani years. Daly, who had access to Judges diaries, reported in his book that Judge had written about being gay and had a long-term romantic relationship with a nurse named Al Alvarado who was 30 years his junior. Sapienza, too, wrote a book that frankly discussed the priests sexuality.

Advertisement

On paper, Judges sexual orientation should be no barrier to official sainthood. Theres no known evidence that Judge ever broke the vows of chastity that he took in the late 1950s. Even to traditionalist Catholics, he should be perfectly acceptable because he lived what the catechism taught, said James Martin, a priest and editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America. When it comes to the prospect of canonizing the first gay saint, Martin said, Mychal Judge is a perfect test case.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

But just because Judge seems to fit perfectly the expanded definition of sainthood does not mean he is destined for the canon. A saint is not just someone who has ticked off certain boxes of Catholic virtue. He is also someone who, in the words of Pope Francis, as he canonized two former popes in 2014, gives direction and growth to the Churcha church that, in 2017, still regards homosexuality as objectively disordered. In Judges embrace of his own sexualityeven if it was a celibate embracehe presents an implicit challenge to Catholic orthodoxy. Sixteen years after Mychal Judges death, what would it mean for the Catholic Church to elevate an LGBTQ person to sainthood and all the honors that come with it?

Advertisement

Throughout his life, Judge had a complicated relationship with the Catholic Church. He sometimes gave Communion to non-Catholics; he abridged requirements for things like premarital counseling and training of lay ministers; he strayed from standard prayers while celebrating Mass; and at least once he discouraged a willing convert from abandoning her Judaism. For a man known for his selflessness and decency, he could be prickly when it came to the church hierarchy, whom he referred to as BFMs, or big fat monsignors. He once wrote to a fellow friar, I often feel Im in a different church than them. He had a particularly contentious relationship with Cardinal John OConnor, who served as archbishop of New York during almost all of Judges years in the city. In Dalys account, OConnor, a more conservative, rule-bound Catholic, bristled at Judges popularity among both politicians and firefighters families. Did you ever see Amadeus? Daly asked. Mychal was Mozart. Cardinal OConnor wanted to be a great priest, but he didnt have it. Mychal just had it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Judge started training to become a priest at age 15, choosing to join the Franciscans, an order known for their simple lifestyle and ministry to the poor. The new priest spent most of the early years of his career serving parishes in New Jersey, before being assigned in 1986 to St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan. He lived at the churchs friary for the rest of his life. He was not a diocesan priest, the kind who celebrates Mass at Sunday morning services. St. Francis of Assisi is a service church, open to commuters and confessors but without its own parishioners. Instead, Judge worked with the homeless, the hungry, and addicts. When the Archdiocese of New York banned a Manhattan church from offering a regular special Mass to a gay Catholic group, Dignity, Judge invited the group to operate out of St. Francis of Assisi Churchone of the perks of operating outside diocesan control.

Advertisement

In the early 1990s, he became a chaplain for the fire department, an agency historically dominated by Catholics. The job demanded that he rush around the city when fire broke out and comfort firefighters and their families afterward in burn units. Long after the Catholic Church released priests and nuns from the obligation to wear formal habits that set them apart, Judge continued to wear the traditional brown hooded robe and rope belt of the Franciscans. This is my uniform, he told Sapienza, who preferred to think of himself as too hip for the habit. People know to come to a police officer or a firefighter for help. People know to come to me for help.

What would it mean for the Catholic Church to elevate an LGBTQ person to sainthood and all the honors that come with it?

Judge ministered to populations who often did not feel particularly warm toward each other. In 1993, he marched in both the St. Patricks Day Paradewhose organizers were then engaged in a legal battle to prevent gay groups from marchingand the Pride Parade, which proceeded down Fifth Avenue in the opposite direction. Theres no evidence that Judge broke the vow of celibacy he made when he entered the priesthood, despite his close, decadelong relationship with Alvarado.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In 1999, Judge wrote in his diary about how he struggled as a gay man.

No one, absolutely no one lives two fuller separate lives than I do, he wrote, before veering back toward his bedrock optimism. Well, I am so blessed and my life is so good.  Thank you Lord for all that you have given me, for all you have taken away and for all that is left.

On the morning of Sept. 11, a fellow priest who had witnessed the plane fly into the north tower rushed to tell Judge the news. He immediately put on his collar and drove downtown with an off-duty captain and a firefighter. As he knelt in the north towers lobby, firefighters streamed to stairways, and bodies crashed down as office workers jumped from higher floors. You should go, padre, one firefighter told him. Im not finished, he replied. He was somewhere near the north towers blown-out windows when the south tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. When the dust cleared, firefighters stumbled over his body as they began to evacuate. Four men picked him up, later joined by other first responders as they carried the body outside and along Vesey Street. Eventually his body arrived at the chief medical examiners office, where a clerk numbered his death certificate DM0001-01. The DM stood for Disaster Manhattan: Judge, 68, was the attacks first official victim. At his funeral, when St. Francis of Assisi overflowed with mourners, Alvarado was not allowed inside because no one knew who he was.

In some ways, the time now feels right for Judges canonization. While Pope Francis has made no dramatic moves to dismantle Catholic orthodoxy regarding homosexuality, he is widely perceived as having taken a gentler tone than his predecessors. Who am I to judge? he famously asked in 2013, answering a reporters question about gay priests; he later expanded on the comment, explaining that he applied it to all gay people. Theres a real opening under Francis, but the door will only remain open for so long, Schmalz said. If youre going to push things publicly, nows the time to do it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Within a week of the Vaticans announcement about the new sainthood criteria, Escalante reached out to Francis DeBernardo, an American and longtime activist on behalf of gay Catholics, and asked him to help find people who knew Judge. For the sake of this heroic priest who literally gave his life for others, DeBernardo wrote on his organizations website, please spread the word! Escalante has heard from about 40 people so far. Thats a sign that he has devotion, he said. There is a reputation for sanctity.

There are currently at least 10,000 Catholic saints, but the exact number is squishy. Until around the year 1000, local bishops named their own saints without much oversight. Those saints include folk heroes like St. Christopher, who may never have actually existed; in one case, a rural French community venerated a dog. As the papacy consolidated its power, canonization become more orderlyand baroque. Today, the process involves a detailed investigation of candidates lives, including examination of their writings to see if they are consistent with Catholic doctrine. If the pope then declares the candidate venerable, the person must be found responsible for a miracle occurring after that point, typically a healing investigated by a nine-member medical board.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Pope Francis has canonized 838 peoplethe most of any pope by farbut about 800 of them were a single group of 15th-century martyrs. The full process can take centuries, though newer cases often move more quickly. After his death, Pope John Paul II went through the full process in nine years, which was the most expeditious canonization in history.

Escalante will ultimately need the support of Judges group of Franciscan friars in New York; he has not heard from them, and he acknowledges that Judge could be a challenging candidate, in part because of his conflicts with local church authorities. A representative for the group confirmed to me they are not working on his cause, a position they have maintained since his death: Father Mychal would be glad people are interested in the work he did, but he wouldnt have wanted to be singled out in any way. Then again, surely the Catholic Church shouldnt be too eager to nominate a saint who was desperate for sainthood. The explanation that he wouldnt have wanted to be singled out, Schmalz told me, doesnt pass the smell test. I think theyre worried about the sexuality issue and potential conservative Catholic responses, he said.

As of now, there are no Catholic saints who are known to be gay. But Mychal Judge would not be the first saint who could be described plausibly as LGBTQ. Theres Joan of Arc, who dressed as a male soldier to do battle in the Hundred Years War, and the early martyrs Sergius and Bacchus, who some historians say had a romantic relationship. The 19th-century British Cardinal John Henry Newman, beatified in 2010, left explicit instructions that he was to be buried in the same grave as his lifelong companion, a fellow priest. (As Newman progressed toward sainthood, the church ordered his body exhumed, purportedly to move him to a more accessible location. It had disintegrated too much to move.) The hints of queerness in their stories are cherished by some Catholics and hotly debated by others. The sad thing is when you bring this up, its as if youre casting aspersions, said Martin, the author of a recent book on the relationship between the church and the LGBTQ community. Its not an insult to a saint to say he or she was attracted to the same sex and still lived celibately or chastely. Why cant an LGBT person be considered holy? But the question for the Catholic Church is not whether an LGBTQ person could be considered holy in a general sense. Its whether Catholicism is ready for a saint whose sexuality could not be ignored or dismissed as a matter of historical interpretationa modern gay man who, as Sapienza put it, loved being gay and loved being Catholic.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Although American Catholics as a group are relatively progressive on sexuality issues, the growing church in the global South is much less accepting. The issue is fraught for the church hierarchy, too. Even as Pope Francis has hinted at a new relatively laissez-faire approach, the Vatican confirmed last year that persons with homosexual tendencies should not be admitted to train as priests at Catholic seminaries. For now, most consider Judge a long shot for sainthood, in part because his religious order has so far declined to take up his cause. I would pray for his canonization but I wouldnt bet on it, Schmalz said. If you look at the church worldwide and church hierarchy, [Judges canonization] would be incredibly problematic, he explained. Its a kind of litmus test as to how deep the culture wars in Catholicism go, and whether they can be transcended.

For gay Catholics, the results of that litmus test matter. Judges canonization would be a much clearer statement that you have a place in the church, and the church doesnt judge you by your temptations but by living a life of obedience, said Ron Belgau, a celibate gay Catholic who has urged the Vatican to be more welcoming to LGBTQ people. Even to those who disagree with church teaching, it would help to change the idea that theres no place for them in the church, that theyre outsiders. In a way, canonizing Judgewho obeyed the rules, even as he chafed at themwould be a deferral of more difficult questions about how the Catholic Church deals with LGBTQ people. Oftentimes when someone is canonized, all the rough edges are sanded down, said Martin. Would the Franciscans allow him to be known as a gay man? Thats the question. We tend to tame the saints.

In 1999, Judge contemplated in his diary whether he could come out someday by writing a book. Every group can have an advocate, he wrote. Maybe, maybe a chapter in a book by Mychal Judgewell respected, loved by many, faithful to his profession, loyal to his community and friends  well if he is gay there must be something okay about them.  Judge never got around to writing that book. Maybe he was afraid to, or maybe he simply ran out of time.

A decade before Mychal Judge knelt in the lobby of the north tower, Sal Sapienza left the Catholic Church. Today, he is married and works as the pastor of a Protestant church in Michigan. Even if Judge is never elevated to sainthood, Sapienza says, his legacy is hard to overestimate. But what appeals to Sapienza most about the prospect of canonization is that it would bring Mychal to millions more people. As a young idealistic person, I thought I could be this bridge between the gay community and the Catholic community, he said. Mychal worked to the end of his life to be that bridge.

Top image: Photo illustration by Lisa Larson-Walker. Photo of Father Mychal Judge by Jim Lord/Getty Images, background via Met Museum.
Small business lenders have unprecedented opportunities ahead of them, according to Rohit Arora, the CEO of Biz2Credit.

The only thing is, not all lenders are positioned to seize these opportunities. The ones that are, says Arora, are the lenders that understand two things. They understand the changing expectations of todays borrowers. They also understand how to leverage new technology, Arora explains.

And the opportunities dont just flow in favor of financial institutions. Small business borrowers stand to gain, too, says Arora.

Biz2Credit recently analyzed 30,000 small business credit applications. Based on the analysis, one of the top expectations small business borrowers have is for 24/7 customer availability. In fact, 51 percent of customer application activity occurred outside of regular banking hours or on weekends.

In other words, banks and other financial institutions that are not available 24/7 may be losing out on potentially half of their future customer base.

Fintech, an industry term for technologies used in the financial sector, is transforming small business finance on a daily basis, Arora observes. Both borrowers and lenders benefit from technological advances.

Financing information and options are more widely available online, opening up and changing how borrowers obtain credit today. Technology also is impacting how small business lenders manage risk, how payments are made, and how financial advice is dispensed.

The upcoming 10th anniversary of the Apple iPhone is a reminder of how much payment innovations have transformed business. As smartphones become commonplace, and financial services businesses migrate to the cloud, technology has affected small business borrowers experience with banks and non-bank lenders. For example, payments have never been easier. Payments can now be done seamlessly across borders through bitcoin, blockchain and other technological advances.

Small business borrowers also have benefited from lender competition. The cloud has made it possible for small business owners to reach multiple lenders at their fingertips. Consequently, financial institutions strive to outshine their rivals online, on mobile platforms, and within the branch system. For small business borrowers, this can mean speedier lending decisions and better pricing.

Banks and financial institutions are also taking a leading role to drive technology advances. They are partnering with some of the early Fintech pioneers and using their technology platforms. Lending institutions have improved their ability to make informed decisions and better manage risk. In turn, this benefits borrowers because savvy lenders are able to expand and grow their small business loan-making. Potentially more money is available to small business borrowers, adds Arora.

These and other changes in the small business lending landscape are being explored next month in the Frontiers of Digital Finance conference at Columbia University.

Biz2Credit and Columbia Business School are co-hosting the conference, taking place October 2-3, 2017. The conference will highlight the impact of technological advances on small business credit, asset and wealth management and payments. The conference also will explore digital finance growth and the changing structure and delivery of financial services. Speakers include some of the top leaders in Fintech and financial institutions today. For more information on the conference or to register, visit www.frontiersofdigitalfinance.com.
Background

After attending this years African Instructors Meetup in Cape Town South Africa, Jessica Upani and Gabriel Nhinda from Namibia started laying the groundwork for another Software Carpentry workshop for Namibia. The previous workshop took place about a year ago as part of a 12-month programme to build computing capacity in Africa. This year however, the workshop was initiated, organised and taught by exclusively local instructors and helpers, Gabriel and Jessica with assistance from Ruber.

The workshop ran on 18  19 August 2017 at the University of Namibia, at the Main Campus in Windhoek, Namibia. About four days before the workshop, 30 people (including instructors and helper) had signed up and we closed the online registration form. The Associate Dean of the School of Computing at UNAM provided support by making a venue available for the event and catering was sponsored by Talarify.

Pre-workshop

We held an installation party the day before the workshop started and three people showed up. Here we installed all the required tools and software. Compared to the last time we had a SWC Workshop in 2016, this step was faster and we were more ready to handle different errors and scenarios. Additionally, to try and reduce the number of participants who would show up at the installation party, we e-mailed the download links to all installation instructions as well as all the necessary data files, for all the participants to download.

This meant that the people that showed up were ready for the workshop to begin.

Day 1

The instructors and helpers made the final preparations to the venue before the attendees showed up. However the attendees were delayed and most did not show up at all. This was partly because there was a festival going on and day 1 fell on the same day, this was also the due date for all university examination scripts. In the end fifteen people showed up for day one.

Gabriel introduced the workshop, and the aims and objectives of Software Carpentry to the participants and the helper (Due to work commitments, Jessica joined us two hours after the workshop started). Gabriel commenced the workshop with the UNIX Shell for the morning session. We had two people that were also at the 2016 workshop attend the 2017 workshop. This time we had attendees from Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Physics and School of Computing.

The lesson was interactive and we went as far as pipes and redirects for day 1 (We continued with The UNIX Shell at the end of Day 2 after the git lesson).

The second half of the day was for Python led by Jessica, it was an awesome class since people also had specific questions that relates to their research work. Some of the participants asked that the instructors and helper remain behind during the break to have a look at their actual work and code they were working on. The day ended at around 17:30, one hour after the schedule, however considering that we started late, it balanced out.

Day 2

Day two was reserved for Python and Version Control with Git (VCG). Jessica started off the day with the python lesson picking up from the previous day. Jessica did a marvellous job of explaining the content of the lesson and also keeping the participants aching for more. Some examples from how to use lists and declare variables came from the audience.

The version control (VCG) lesson was led by a local developer, Paulus Shituna. Surprisingly, this lesson went faster than expected, it could be because of the fewer number of participants.

Being that the VCG lesson finished ahead of schedule, the participants requested that we go as far as possible with the UNIX shell lesson. We worked all the way through Loops but could not complete the shell scripts.

Lessons Learned

Sometimes after setting your dates for the Carpentry workshop, other events and due dates might affect the attendance of the workshop.

People tend to assume African Time. So be prepared to start your workshop an hour late.

Before starting the workshop scope for those that are using different Operating Systems compared to the one you are using and make sure to cater to all participants.

Charging a small fee might actually encourage commitment from attendees.

Just because you have reached your maximum number of participants, dont close your registration process. Rather screen those that registered, maybe by asking a few questions during the registration process.

Have another instructor or helper time the lessons to avoid going over the time limit or deviating from the lessons too much. This eats time and results in not completing the lessons.

Observations

Some peer instruction was also observed as the attendees tried to help their colleagues when they saw a red sticky note. For the major part they managed to solve the issue, often it was syntax, indentation on Python or Case sensitivity, which caused most of the errors.

A question was raised as we went through the Python Lesson with regards to the examples that were used in one of the chapters. We had attendees whose first language was not English/ not fluent and as such we often had to use alternative explanations to get concepts across. In our case we had one attendee who spoke Portuguese and one of our instructors was able to provide assistance albeit their Portuguese not being fluent.

Some images from Namibia, a country with vast spaces (total land area of 825,615 km2 with a population of around 2.5 million people) and incredibly beautiful and diverse landscapes. (Coulage images from https://pixabay.com, created in https://www.befunky.com).

Conclusions

Although the workshop was poorly attended, we think it was successful. This is mainly because the people that showed up really wanted and needed the knowledge they acquired during this workshop for both their studies and research work. To this end, we are planning on having a study group to discuss Python, UNIX, and any other topics related to applying computing to research.

We would like to thank Anelda from Talarify for the sponsorship, mentorship and overall doing an awesome job of making sure we had all that we needed for this workshop.

Another thank you goes to our helper and participants for making this workshop a success.
If you upload any data on a publicly available platform, make sure that you have the permission from the rights holder. Otherwise you risk sanctions for breaching copyright.

Font size: A - | A +

The creation of copyright was the result of the upswing of printed media, that motivated the need for its complex regulation and protection [1]. Since the last century, copyright or any other intellectual property rights have experienced a large boom. In a relatively short period of time, this area underwent many challenges, mostly because of the creation of the so-called Information Society. This placed information and technical and scientific progress at top of societys scale of values, and as a result society focuses more on computer technology, innovation and digitalization. From the copyright point of view, the classification of computer programs as intangible assets protected by copyright wasnt at first accepted without objection, mostly because of the peculiarities necessary for computer program protection [2]. These days, computer programs are as protected as literary works, while the increased necessity for their protection resulted from the arrival of the World Wide Web and the Internet.

Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement

In Slovakia, a computer program is protected by copyright under law no 185/2015 Coll., Copyright Law, as amended (hereinafter Copyright Law), which is, for the afore-mentioned reason, the most important legal text relating to software. Slovakia also implemented the directive 2009/24/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the legal protection of computer programs (hereinafter directive on computer programs) that sets the rules to ensure the compliance of the legal texts of the European Union concerning copyright and related rights in the internal market, into its legal order. The main incentive was to ensure digital and cross-border usage of this protected content, so that the rights of the rights holders could be protected in other member states, and also because the Internet isnt restricted by physical borders.

With the arrival of the CD and DVD technology, pirate computer programs were illegally spread mostly on physical carriers [3]. Even now pirate copies of computer programs exist but this way of the illegal distribution of copyrighted works has faded. A great majority of the population have gained almost unlimited access to the Internet through which the distribution of illegal content moved from the so-called offline, to the online environment.

Ways of spreading illegal software and other copyrighted work differ, depending on whether the data are made available in a centralized manner in one place (with a clearly identified IP address from which the final user downloads such data) or through a decentralized system (a typical example is peer-to-peer application). Centralized systems work in such a way that usually allows anyone to download a whole file that has been uploaded in one storage site. This is because the providers of such websites directly violate copyrights by providing content without the rights holders permission and are exposed to higher risks. On peer-to-peer platforms, the users of the network stand not only as recipients but figure also as active servers that share their data to other users [4].

One of the first interesting cases related to the application of a peer-to-peer program was the Napster protocol. Created by a young, at the time only 17 years old, Shawn Fanning [5], Napster should have served as the administration of a social network for music lovers. It allowed users to exchange mp3 tracks with one another. Needless to say, the majority of the users didnt have the rights holders permission to do so. As was later revealed, another of Napsters problems were that the host kept the track list of every user, shared by them on the network, and introduced individual users to one another by creating a catalogue of shared files. In February 2001, Napster had 26,4 million users [6], which several artists in the music industry didnt like. Regarding the significant influence that Napster gained, several music publishers decided to sue the company. During the judicial proceedings, the rights holders proved that there were tens of thousands of illegal files in the Napster network, that had to be blocked afterwards [7].

Napster wasnt the only provider using a peer-to-peer platform. In the years to follow, many similar networks, sharing legal and illegal software and other copyrighted works, were created. The question of providing a peer-to-peer platform wasnt solved with the Napster case and this problem was brought to the European courts and to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

In the recent case, Stichting Brein against Ziggo BV, XS4ALL Internet BV also known as the Pirate Bay suit [8], the Court of Justice inquired into public transmission issues within the meaning of Article 3(1) directive no2001/29/EC on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society as last amended (InfoSoc directive), also implemented in the Copyright Law.

In this context, it was necessary to define if public transmission means making accessible and administering a platform of the mutual sharing on the Internet, which by indexing the metadata concerning protected works and providing the search engine allows the users of the platform to find files and mutually share them within the shared data network between the users (peer-to-peer) [9].

Directive no2000/31/EC on certain legal aspects of the information society services, electronic commerce (hereinafter Directive on electronic commerce) in particular allowed that providers on the Internet werent responsible for breaching copyright and other rights on their platforms under the condition that they do not actively participate in sharing the illegal content. Providers use, and often misuse, this protection with the intention to avoid responsibility for breaching copyright and other rights to a significant extent.

With the passed judgement, the Court of Justice of the European Union stressed that since the administrators of the mutual sharing platforms figured in an active position and among other things, created file indexes, categorized and deleted files with their actions regarding the considerable number of users, they fulfilled the regulations of the InfoSoc directive. Administrators thus knowingly allowed or rather carried out public transmission of protected works without the rights holders permission, by which they breached their copyrights. According some specialists, the Pirate Bay suit will have a significant impact on future cases.

The position of entrepreneurial subjects is sealed for now. Anyone in the position of administrator of a platform who knowingly helps or illegally shares software or other copyrighted work, is in breach of Copyright Law. Even though the practice of the court in Slovakia on this matter isnt unified, it is reasonable to think that in the case of a proven breach of copyright, the courts will impose heavy fines. For example, the French district court in a recent case imposed a fine of 2 Euros on the infringer for every illegal sharing of copyrighted work, with the overall loss representing 13 million Euros.

However, the above-mentioned cases are a mere drop in the ocean. Many new and many already existing legal questions, related to the usage of the Internet and the protection of copyrighted works, yet need to be answered.

What does it mean for us, everyday users of the Internet and different platforms? Every Internet user should carefully read the information upon registration to avoid unnecessary complications. Currently, Copyright Law grants an exception to individuals for so-called copies for personal need. This means data for personal use without the authors permission, which cannot be used further, for example in their business. If these legal conditions are met, the individual wont be in breach of copyright.

What should we do in practice?

If you are a law-abiding person or entrepreneur, always ask for the licence agreement and carefully read it. It seems that today it is common practice for no one to read licences, especially electronic ones and they tend to go straight to I agree. However, it is important to at least briefly read them and if you dont understand something, to contact the corresponding person.

If you upload any data on a publicly available platform, make sure that you have the permission from the rights holder. Otherwise you risk sanctions for breaching copyright.

If you are an individual and want to download data from the Internet, always make sure that you are not on a pirate server and that the provider has the licence necessary for sharing the copyright work to the extent necessary. If you upload any data on a publicly available platform, make sure that the rights holder has given you permission to do so.

In the end, compliance with copyright doesnt have to be so complicated. You only have to be careful and give up a few minutes of your time to find the information about the copyrighted work in question. In this way, we show respect to the authors creative activities and ensure they receive their well-deserved reward.

[1] Information Technology Law, The Law and Society, 3rd edition, Andrew Murray, Oxford University press, r. 2016.

[2] Ochrana autorskych prav v informacni spolecnosti, Jan Kriz, Linde Praha a.s.  pravnicke a ekonomicke nakladatelstvi a knihkupectvi Bohumily Horinkove a Jana Tulaca, str. 45, r. 1999.

[3] Information Technology Law, The Law and Society, 3rd edition, Andrew Murray, Oxford University press, str. 242, r. 2016.

[4] Internet a autorske pravo, 2. aktualizovane a rozsirene vydani, Jiri Cermak, Linde Praha, a.s. .  pravnicke a ekonomicke nakladatelstvi a knihkupectvi Bohumily Horinkove a Jana Tulaca, str. 92, r. 2003.

[5] Information Technology Law, The Law and Society, 3rd edition, Andrew Murray, Oxford University press, str. 298, r. 2016.

[6] https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Global+Napster+Usage+Plummets,+but+New+File-Sharing+Alternatives...-a076646755, link zo dna 30.08.2017.

[7] Information Technology Law, The Law and Society, 3rd edition, Andrew Murray, Oxford University press, str. 303, r. 2016.

[8] Judgment of the court (Second Chamber) from 14.07.2017, C  610/15, Stichtig Brein against Ziggo BV, XS4ALL Interent BV procedure.

[9] Ibid.
New emission limits question the future of brown coal fired at theNovaky power plant

Font size: A - | A +

Besides renewable energy sources like the sun or river water, brown coal is the only own energy sources Slovakia has at its disposal. The heat produced from low-quality brown coal propels turbines in the thermal power station in Novaky, western Slovakia.

Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement

This loss-making generation of electricity, however, not only requires subsidies paid by all end electricity consumers but also pollutes the country. Now, new European Commission regulations curbing emissions, increasing the share of green energy and reducing the support of electricity generation from domestic sources are threatening the future of the Novaky facility.

The Novaky facility fires coal extracted by the Hornonitrianske Bane Prievidza (HBP) private mine, for which the facility is the main customer. The Slovak government has been supporting the mines operation in the long term and Prime Minister Robert Fico has promised to keep the mines working, referencing efforts to maintain employment in this region. Back in 2015 Ficos government extended the support scheme for the HBP mine until 2030.

I want to guarantee that until we have things under control we will do the utmost for coal extraction to continue, said Robert Fico when visiting the mine last September.

Economy Minister Peter Ziga has already admitted that the current support for brown coal mining may cease earlier than 2030.

The operator of Novaky, the dominant power generator Slovenske Elektrarne, has not specified its plans regarding Novaky.

The construction of the Elektraren Novaky (ENO) brown coal-fired thermal power plant began in 1949 and over the years it has undergone several extensions and modernisations. Within the latest phases, some of its units were modernised while others were shut down in order to meet limits on emissions. The current installed capacity of the plant is 266 MWe. This accounts for about 6 percent of the installed capacity of its operator, the dominant electricity producer Slovenske Elektrarne (SE). Apart from electricity the Novaky facility also generates heat.

After the steel maker U.S. Steel Kosice, it is the second biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in Slovakia, according to the Trend weekly.

The Novaky facility generates electricity from low-quality brown coal produced by HBP under a state support scheme. SE receives approximately 95 million annually for generating electricity in Novaky, though it has repeatedly complained that in spite of this support this is a loss-making operation.

Support is paid out within the special tariff for operating the system. It is part of the final electricity price for all end electricity consumers. Within this tariff, aside from electricity generation from brown coal in Novaky, electricity consumers support the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources and the highly effective combined production of electricity and heat.

New regulations

The European Commission, aimed at reducing pollution and supporting electricity generation from renewable energy sources (RES), has recently adopted several new regulations.

In mid-August it introduced stricter emission standards that include tighter rules for the emissions of nitrous oxides, sulphur dioxide (SO2), mercury and harmful dust known as particulate matter (PM). The heat and electricity-generating facilities will have to maintain new limits as of 2021.

I consider the gradual tightening of emission standards to be a natural step in the effort to reduce air pollution, achieve an energy mix, i.e. the composition of energy resources used for electricity generation with lower emissions, and last but not least to support innovations and technological support for the operators of power plants, heating plants and boiler plants, Lenka Ferencakova, the editor-in-chief of the Energia.sk website told The Slovak Spectator. With respect to differing fuel mixes this may be for some countries, including Slovakia, more difficult to achieve.

To meet the new limits Slovakia needs to modernise two plants  besides Novaky, the thermal power station Vojany, which generates electricity from imported black coal.

Read also:

Read also: Brussels scrutinises the subsidy for Novaky power plant Read more

The Dutch consultancy company DNV GL estimates, based on its study carried out last year, that Slovakia would need as much as 91 million to modernise Novaky and Vojany in order to meet the new standards. Out of this, Novaky should require 82 million and Vojany almost 10 million, according to www.energia.sk, which is dedicated to energy topics.

SE, in which Czech Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding and Italian Enel each control 33 percent and the state the remaining 34 percent, claims that its coal-firing plants have been meeting most of the planned limits, or are close.

SE has not specified whether the estimate of needed modernisation costs by DNV GL is accurate, nor its further plans in this respect.

The amount of possible investments is the subject of ongoing internal analyses, Miroslav Sarissky told The Slovak Spectator.

The Economy Ministry, which administers the states share in SE is not planning any form of financial support for the modernisation of Novaky or Vojany for now, the ministrys spokesperson Maros Stano told The Slovak Spectator.

Ferencakova does not expect SE to be willing to spend too much on the modernisation of power stations, when their future is uncertain. SE spent almost 40 million on Novakys latest modernisation.

But she points out that when making them more ecologically friendly, there are several ways to achieve this. They can, for example, reduce the capacities of Novaky and Vojany and thus the limits they need to meet will be less strict. In this respect she cited SE documents, based on which SE plans to reduce the amount of electricity generated by Novaky to 900 GWh. In 2016 the facility supplied 1,306 GWh to the grid, Energie.sk wrote. Ferencakova also points out that EC legislation allows some deviations from the required limits.

Jozef Badida, an analyst on energieprevas.sk, which is dedicated to the energy sector, states that SE invested into Novaky and Vojany in the past in order to meet currently valid emission limits. Whether they will also invest in the future depends on many factors.

The decisive factors will be the price of electricity as a commodity, which is currently favourable, but certainly also the ownership structure because the government has been addressing a social question through the increase of end electricity prices to all Slovak consumers, which is not a very happy method, Badida told The Slovak Spectator. By social question he means the issue of the thousands of miners working the HBP mines.
Several events took place around Slovakia, mostly at former Jewish religious or memorial sites.

Font size: A - | A +

On September 8, one day before Holocaust Victims and Racial Hatred Day, the Prime Minister laid wreathes at the Holocaust Victims Memorial at Rybne Square in Bratislava  where a Neological (i.e. Reformed Judaism) Synagogue used to stand. Alongside Fico, ambassadors from several countries commemorated those killed during the Holocaust, as well as other World War II events, including those typical for Slovakia. Aryanisation, or the seizing of the Jews property, was one of them.

Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement

The Slovak PM could not make a speech due to his other official duties but the head of the Museum of Jewish Culture in Slovakia, Pavol Mestan, thanked him for being present at the birth of the Holocaust Museum idea. The catastrophe of the Jews was a dreadful experience  the biggest mass murder in history, Mestan said, as cited by the SITA newswire. We must show that it was the experience of humankind, not just a Jewish experience. They were only the ones who paid dear for it. We have to show  and keep showing  that Nazism was born somewhere, came from somewhere, and it did not appear out of thin air, Mestan summed up.

Israeli Ambassador to Slovakia Zvi Aviner Vapni considers it possible for the ideology of the past to reappear in the present. We must take action and the time to act is now, he said, as cited by the TASR newswire. We have three duties  to commemorate, to recall and to halt. he said. In his words, we should commemorate Holocaust victims, recalling how humanity was humiliated and halting all ideologies.

A representative of Holocaust survivors from Slovakia was present, Chava Schelach  born Eva Majerova in Bratislava, who survived the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp (unlike 1.5 million Jewish children and 45 members of her family, TASR wrote). Bratislava rabbi Baruch Myers ended the September 8 event with a festive prayer, and Mestan gave the first copy of the Righteous Among Nations encyclopaedia to former and current Slovak politicians who have contributed to the ex-presidents Righteous Among Nations award, Slovak-Israeli ties, and the Museum of Holocaust in Sered.

Chava Schelach, born Eva majreova, a Holocaust survivor (Source: TASR)

These days, we already know how far verbal hatred and segregation based on race, religion or nationality can go, Martin Korcok, head of the Holocaust Museum, told TASR. So we should keep a watchful eye on this and condemn every form hatred right at its embryonic stage, he added.

Looking back to war-time Slovak state

Seventy-six years have passed since the wartime Slovak government issued a decree on the legal status of Jews, known as the Jewish Code on September 9. It contained 270 paragraphs determining the rights of the Jewish population. The bans and restrictions gradually resulted in the dehumanisation of Jews, and subsequent transports culminated in their physical elimination, Korcok explained.

Naftali Furst, who survived the labour and concentration camp at Sered, the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, the death march and Buchenwald, has experienced the effects of the Jewish Code himself. Since I was only nine at that time, I mostly noticed the changes at school and when some friends stopped talking to me, told TASR. Anyway, we were persecuted from 1938. The Jewish Code wasnt the first law aimed against Jews. Every time new anti-Semitic laws were issued, we discussed them at home, searching for a way out. However, we didnt know that the situation would only get worse, the survivor told TASR.

Slovak politicians and their stance

September 9, the day on which Slovakia commemorates the victims of Holocaust and racial violence, is not only a commemorative day, but also a day of warning, Deputy Speaker of Parliament and coalition Most-Hid party leader Bela Bugar said on that day. Bugar stressed that attempts to play down Nazi crimes committed on the Jewish population in occupied Europe and to deny the Holocaust have been around for some time, but they should not be taken lightly. Most-Hid believes that indifference, defamation and the acceptance of extremist opinions also expressed by parliamentary politicians are very dangerous phenomena for the country, Bugar said, according to TASR. He thinks that the country should react via legislative changes, adopting an amendment to the Penal Code or establishing an expert section at the Justice Ministry.

Its very dangerous if persons who openly profess extremist ideas are active in public life and politics, agreed Culture Minister Marek Madaric. He stressed the need to condemn the promotion of books that once inspired such evil as Nazism, which as a consequence led to the Holocaust.

The Slovak nation has a historical memory and does not forget about its 57,628 Jewish fellow citizens  the victims of persecutions and war crimes, deported to labour and death camps, Speaker of Parliament Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party/SNS) said on September 8, as cited by TASR. He stressed that these acts cannot be ascribed to collective guilt; he also pointed out that Slovaks proved their humanity and bravery by saving hundreds of Jews during the war-time Slovak state (1939-1945). The Righteous Among

Nations award of the state of Israel has been given to many Slovak citizens for this heroism and demonstration of human fellowship, according to Danko.
The ambulances will be rented for five years, then to be owned by the rescue service.

Font size: A - | A +

The Health Ministry announced a competition to purchase 152 new ambulances for more than 35 million. The vehicles for state-run rescue services in Bratislava and Kosice are to be rented for five years, and then they are expected to become the rescue services' property, the Sme daily wrote on September 11.

Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement

This means the Health Ministry would pay more than 230,000 for one ambulance during the five years. The first vehicles are expected to be delivered next year.

Rescuers slam the deal

The Slovak Chamber of Health Rescuers, however, considers the sum to be outrageous. The type of ambulance the ministry wants to purchase costs 90,000, it claims. If the ministry redistributed the remaining 140,000 for the following five years, it would pay 28,000 only for the services linked to renting the ambulance. Such costs are too high, says Michal Weinciller, deputy chair of the chamber.

Tomas Drucker (the ruling Smer party nominee) responds that the monthly spending on current ambulances are even higher than it had calculated in the tender for new vehicles. The ministry expects the costs now calculated for one ambulance to further decline in the electronic auction  by up to ten percent.

Health Minister Tomas Drucker (Source: TASR)

Drucker argues that the estimated monthly expenses are lower than the current state rescue services vehicles (up to 4,329 monthly between 2012 and 2016). However, comparing the expenses for brand new ambulances with those of older vehicles is not quite appropriate, Sme wrote.

It is true that his predecessor, Richard Rasi of Smer, bought them for very high prices in 2009 in a very dubious tender involving a physical attack on one of the failed bidders, according to Sme.
The leaders agreed on new communications rules

Font size: A - | A +

The Leaders of the ruling coalition parties, Robert Fico (Smer), Bela Bugar (Most-Hid) and Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party/SNS) signed an amendment to the coalition agreement in Bratislava on Monday, September 11.

Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement

We have agreed on new rules, such as meeting each Monday, which will enable us to prepare for each upcoming parliamentary session and Government session on Wednesdays, said Fico as cited by the TASR newswire.

The trio also committed themselves to making sure that each set of materials submitted for approval is made available to the other parties at least 24 hours in advance.

They also agreed to take their communication further.

We have committed ourselves to setting up regional and district coalition councils, said Fico. Weve been prompted to do so with the aim of being successful in the regional elections [in November].

Read also:

Read also: SNS will not quit government Read more

The upcoming elections will be a major test of where we are and of the political power that each of us wields, according to Fico.

Fico added that the coalition has emerged stronger from the crisis, saying that theres no alternative to the incumbent government. The opposition is an association of amateurs who are dragging Slovakia into isolation, he claimed.

Danko weighed in by saying that good agreements are the foundation of good relations. He went on to relish the fact that a mechanism has been hammered out that will help to avoid misunderstandings.

In terms of concrete measures to be adopted after the addendum was signed, Fico recalled supplementary payments for work during nights and weekends, an increase of the minimum wage and changes in the remuneration of women. He also confirmed intensive work on the so-called 13th salary. Danko reiterated interest in the launch of Slovak airlines.

The coalition was mired in a crisis following a controversial call for proposals towards research and development that was organised by the Education Ministry headed by SNS nominee Peter Plavcan. In the wake of the scandal, Danko announced the SNSs withdrawal from the coalition agreement, when Plavcan resigned.
About 60 percent of them earn 1000 net per month.

Font size: A - | A +

More than half of working Slovaks (53 percent) are satisfied with their salary, however, they can also imagine higher numbers on their pay-slips. About 60 percent stated that their current net salary is as high as 700.

Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement

As many as 60 percent of those who are satisfied with their salary earn 1,000 net, according to the Focus agency poll. Of those who are unsatisfied with their remuneration, half would appreciate a monthly salary of up to 900.

More than a third of the respondents stated the unwillingness of their employer to raise salaries, despite the fact that money is available, as a reason for not earning better pay.

Almost one third (27 percent) said that high taxes and levies were the reason and 22 percent are scared of getting fired after asking for more money. Almost one third (almost 28 percent) stated that they are satisfied with what they have and they do not like changes.

When talking about the salaries of people with basic or higher education, with a salary of up to 900, fear is an important factor that prevents them from achieving higher salaries, said Maros Ovcarik from the Financial Compass, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

He sees high unemployment behind this fear. People who want to work tend to value what they have and they fear losing it.
The Vernon County Fair is filled with sound  music coming from the Bob Fredrick Free Stage, people laughing and screaming as they take a spin on the Tilt-A-Whirl, roosters crowing in the Levendoski Poultry Building and Andy Sherry announcing the demo derby from the grandstand.

Sherry, 73, has been the voice of the derby for about 30 years.

Sherry, who spends a quarter of the year in Viroqua and three-fourths of the year near Phillips, was approached by the late Bob Fredrick and asked if he would announce the demo derby.

He did the demo derby and for some reason had a fair meeting and he got a hold of me, Sherry said. I would sit behind him (when he announced). I knew him when he was the 4-H agent.

I went up there that first night and stumbled all over, but I got going, Sherry said. When he got back from his meeting, he said, I hear you did well. You can come back next year. I came back the next year, the third year. The fourth year I didnt get a call Bud Solverson didnt call me.

Sherry said his wife, Lonnie, suggested they go to Minnesota to visit one of their children, since he didnt have to announce at the demo derby.

Solverson, a longtime fair board member who passed away in 2000, knocked on Sherrys door after the fair.

He said, I almost got run out of town, Sherry said. I said, You didnt call me. He said, Heres the deal, you show up at the demo derby until we tell you not to.

Sherry said announcing the demo derby has been fun.

Its gotten smaller; we used to have two nights, he said. We get a pretty good crowd.

In addition to announcing at the demo derby Saturday night, he announces at the antiques/farm modified truck and tractor pull Thursday night and the tractor pull Friday night.

The antique tractors go 3 mph. Saturday night is the smoke and fire-breathing tractors, Sherry said.

When he announces, he does have a script of sorts, which notes who is in the derby or who is pulling. Before the derby and the pulls, Sherry goes into the pit area, asking participants for information about upcoming pulls or other events to fill in any lulls in the action.

The drivers know I like information, so they give me information on other events, Sherry said. Most times I ad lib it. I know the drivers, especially the older ones. I wing it and know whats going on and watch the crowd.

Sometimes drivers give Sherry names of people in the audience celebrating birthdays and hell announce that. Sometimes the commentary is in memory of someone.

Last year Jim Hatlan died, Sherry said. He was in the demo derby many years Friends got his regular driving car and drove it on the track. They parked it in the middle and hit it with the wreckem-up cars. His friends said, Jim would want it that way.

Sherry has many memories of his time as announcer. One year a man in the audience had a heart attack; Sherry stopped the action and announced an ambulance was needed.

If it happened in the parking area, he wouldnt have made it, he said. I give credit to the ambulance crew.

An ambulance crew is onsite for the derby, as is the Viroqua Fire Department.

Weve never used the ambulance for (derby drivers); its always been for spectators. They (the drivers) all know the safety measures.

Along with the memories, Sherry has many stories.

I have a lot of stories and a lot of good memories, he said.

Sherry would call Henry Olson The Old Man, because at 70 years old he was still doing demo derbies. I would say, Heres Henry Olson The Old Man.; the crowd would really root for him.

Sherry has numerous other announcing gigs throughout the year. He is also the voice of the Tri-State Pullers event held on the fairgrounds in July, the Wild West Days parade in August and the Twinklefest parade in November.
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.

Read More
Special Education

Report: SPED Classification Rates Vary Widely

A new report from the Frontline Research and Learning Institute finds that a majority of educators around the country agrees with the number of students classified to receive special education services within their organizations.

Fifty-six percent of respondents told researchers the number of students classified was appropriate, and only 21 percent said somewhat fewer students should be classified within their system. Seventeen percent said somewhat more students should receive classification. At the extreme ends of the spectrum, only 3 percent said far fewer students should be classified, the same rate that respondents said far more should be classified.

"Notably," according to Frontline, "when respondents disagreed about their state's classification rate, participants in high classification states advocated for reductions, while those in low classification states advocated for increases in classifications."

The survey polled more than 3,600 education professionals holding 19 different positions across 12,000 education organizations and paired it with data from the United States Department of Education to explore questions related to the variation of special ed classification rates around the country, educators' perceptions about how appropriate classification rates are in their organizations and factors contributing to inappropriate rates of classification.

The total number of students served by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2014-2015 was 6.6 million, 13 percent of public school students. Classification rates ranged from 8.6 percent in Texas at the low end to as high as 17.8 percent in New York.

States with the highest classifications, New York, Massachusetts (17.6 percent), Maine (17.5 percent) and Pennsylvania (17.1 percent), were clustered in the Northeast. States with the lowest rates, Texas, Idaho (9.8 percent), Colorado (10.4 percent) and Hawaii (10.5 percent), were scattered across the country.

Other key findings of the report include:

Principals and special education teachers were more likely than people in other roles to report that more students should be classified;

Administrators and directors of special ed were more likely than other respondents to say that fewer students should be classified; and

In the four states with the lowest classification rates, 2.9 percent of special ed administrators far fewer students should be classified, while in the four states with the highest rates, 8.3 percent said the same thing.

The authors noted that the variance in classification rates may reflect different tools in use in different states. "For example," they wrote, "the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA strongly promoted Response to Intervention (RTI). RTI, as a multi-tiered approach to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs, is a possible contributing factor in fewer students identified with specific learning disabilities."

And, indeed, many survey respondents did point to RTI as a reason fewer students were classified in their organizations.

Similarly, a lack of differentiation and specialized support from general education teachers might lead to a higher classification rate. This is common with English language learners, who may be mistakenly classified as special needs students without an English as a second language specialist to determine English proficiency.

"A low or high classification rate does not necessarily indicate inequitable practices but, rather, reflects local resources and varying contributing factors that contribute to possible over- or under-classification," the report concluded. "Some questions to support a deeper understanding of your local district include: What measures in place are working successfully to address the needs of students? How do you know they are working successfully? What story does your data tell and with whom are you sharing your story?"

To view an interactive map of classification rates across the nation, or to download the full report, visit frontlineeducation.com.
A Rhinelander woman received minor injuries is a single-vehicle accident at about 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, on Cass Valley Road just south of Hwy. F in the town of Whitestown. Drew Czyscon, 23, was north on Cass Valley Road when he lost control of his vehicle and hit a culvert.
Venezuela continues to reel under a political and economic crisis but controversial president Nicholas Maduro shows no sign of changing course. The United Nations has criticized Maduros handling of anti-government protests and US President Trump has approved heavy sanctions against the country  labeling Maduro a dictator for his handling of the last election. Maduro says hes willing to be a dictator if it will help turn the country around. By hook or by crook, I want to do it the good way, but if I have to do it by crook and turn into a dictator to guarantee prices for the people, I`ll do it by crook, Maduro said on Friday (September 8). Now you know and you know that I don`t speak for the sake of talking. Spiraling costs and food shortages continue to plague the country, despite the its vast natural resources. Venezuela has some of the largest proven oil reserves in the world but falling oil prices, mismanagement and sanctions have depleted the OPEC nations currency reserves and pushed the economy to the brink of collapse.
By Tom Allard MARAWI CITY, Philippines (Reuters) - Some Islamic State-linked militants besieging the southern Philippines city of Marawi have sent "feelers" they are prepared to surrender after three and a half months of fighting, the military said on Monday. Philippine forces have used loudspeakers urging militants to give themselves up, telling the estimated 50 to 60 fighters left in the city their lives would be spared if they disarm, change out of their black clothes and walk to a designated location. "Hopefully, we will have surrenders within the next days," spokesman Colonel Romeo Brawner told a news conference. "There are feelers. Definitely, there are feelers," he added, declining to elaborate. The surrender offer came after a renewed, if short-lived, effort by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to start back-channel talks with militants, with a former Marawi mayor Omar Solitario Ali to have acted as an intermediary. Duterte on Saturday ruled out the possibility of allowing rebels to flee in exchange for the release of dozens of hostages. Two troops were killed at the weekend, taking to 147 the number of security forces killed in the Marawi conflict. Some 655 militants and 45 civilians have been killed, according to the army. Troops were engaged in running battles with the militant alliance, led by Abdullah and Omarkhayam Maute of the Maute group, and Isnilon Hapilon, a factional head of the Abu Sayyaf group, and Islamic State's so-called "emir" in Southeast Asia. More than 20 structures were captured, many laden with booby traps. Some were commercial high-rise buildings that have been used as sniper positions to thwart government forces. Brawner described the operations as "a big accomplishment considering the enemy established very strong defensive positions". While some areas of Marawi are seeing citizens return and shops and schools re-open, most of the city remains deserted. Its centre is a wasteland, pummelled by daily air strikes and ground battles. The resistance of the militants has frustrated the more than 400,000 residents displaced from the area and raised questions about how relatively few Islamists took control of the lakeside town and held significant parts of it. "We are receiving a lot of questions: why is it taking too long for the government to recover this area?" said Brawner. "It is really difficult to do urban fighting." The United States has been giving technical and logistics support to the Philippine military and on Monday announced it had deployed a Gray Eagle unmanned surveillance aircraft over Marawi. Australia has also provided two P3-Orion surveillance planes and last week announced it would send more defence personnel to train Philippine troops. (Editing by Martin Petty and Nick Macfie)
HERZLIYA, Israel (Reuters) - The Israeli intelligence minister said on Monday that President Bashar al-Assad was ready to permit Iran to set up military bases in Syria that would pose a long-term threat to neighbouring Israel. While formally neutral on the six-year-old Syrian civil war, Israel worries that Assad's recent gains have given his Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah allies a foothold on its northern front. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lobbied Russia, Assad's most powerful backer, and the United States to curb the Iranian presence in Syria -- as well as hinting that Israel could launch preemptive strikes against its arch-foe there. In July, Moscow ratified a deal under which Damascus allowed the Russian air base in Syria's Latakia Province to remain for almost half a century. Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said Iran could soon gain similar rights. "In these very days, Assad and Iran are nearing the signing of a long-term agreement that would anchor Iran's military presence in Syria, resembling the agreement that was signed between Assad and the Russians," Katz told a security conference hosted by IDC Herzliya, a university near Tel Aviv. "The significance in terms of the danger and the threat against Israel - and not just against Israel, but also many countries in the region - is of the utmost clarity." Katz did not elaborate on the source of his information or give any further details about the purported negotiations. The Iranian Foreign Ministry declined to comment and Syrian officials could not be reached. Katz said the plan was for an Iranian naval port, bases for Iran's air and ground forces, and "tens of thousands of Shiite militiamen being brought in from various countries" to fight alongside their Iranian and Hezbollah co-religionists in Syria. Iran's presence in Syria, and efforts to bolster Hezbollah in Lebanon, are expected to feature in Netanyahu's address to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 19. (Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Angus MacSwan)
DUBAI (Reuters) - A prominent Saudi religious leader has been arrested, according to social media postings on Sunday, in what appears to be a crackdown on Islamists seen as critics of the conservative kingdom's absolute rulers. Sheikh Salman al-Awdah, an influential cleric who was imprisoned from 1994-99 for agitating for political change and has 14 million followers on Twitter, appears to have been detained over the weekend, the posting suggested. In one of his last postings on Twitter, he welcomed a report on Friday suggesting that a three-month-old row between Qatar and four Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia may be resolved. "May God harmonize between their hearts for the good of their people," Awdah said on Twitter after a report of a telephone call between Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss ways to resolve the rift which began in June. Hopes for a breakthrough were quickly dashed when Saudi Arabia suspended any dialogue with Qatar, accusing it of "distorting facts". Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt accuse Qatar of supporting Islamist militants, a charge Doha denies. Awdah was the second cleric reported detained by Saudi authorities in the past week. Reports on social media said that Awad al-Qarni, another prominent cleric with 2.2 million Twitter followers, was also detained from his home in Abha in southern Saudi Arabia. Like Awdah, Qarni had also expressed support for reconciliation between Arab countries and Qatar. Saudi officials could not immediately be reached for a comment on the reported arrests. The al-Saud family has always regarded Islamist groups as the biggest internal threat to its rule over a country where appeals to religious sentiment can never be lightly dismissed and where Islamist militants have previously targeted the state. A decade ago it fought off an al Qaeda campaign of attacks targeting officials and foreigners that killed hundreds. In the 1990s, the Sahwa (Awakening) movement inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood demanded political reforms that would have weakened the ruling family. Reports of the arrests coincided with widespread speculation, dismissed by officials, that King Salman intends to abdicate in favour of Crown Prince Mohammed. Asked about the reasons for the arrests, a Saudi analyst speculated: "(To) crush the Muslim Brotherhood or scare others if their plan is for him (Crown Prince Mohammed) to be king." Exiled Saudi opposition activists have called for protests on September 15 intended to galvanise opposition to the royal family. (Reporting by Sami Aboudi; Editing by William Maclean and Sandra Maler)
KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber in an explosives-packed vehicle attacked a NATO convoy in Afghanistan on Monday, wounding "a small number" of foreign troops and at least three civilians, officials said. The soldiers were taken to the nearby Bagram Air Field and none of their injuries appeared life-threatening, NATO's headquarters in Kabul said. At least three civilians were hurt, District Governor Abdul Shukor Qodossi said, without giving details on the extent of their injuries. A statement from the Taliban militants said 13 Americans had been killed and 11 wounded and three armoured vehicles destroyed. The attack came on the 16th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, which triggered the U.S.-led military operation that toppled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. (Reporting by Mirwais Harooni, James Mackenzie; Editing by Nick Macfie and Andrew Heavens)
Footage captured by TV stations in Florida appears to show looters breaking into stores as Hurricane Irma lashed the area around them.

WPLG Local 10 in Fort Lauderdale filmed multiple people smashing the front window of the Simons Sportswear store before making off with various items.

The TV station claimed they had filmed the alleged looters breaking into other stores in the area, including Footlocker and CashAmerica Pawn Store.

Looters were caught in the act in Florida during Hurricane Irma (Twitter)

Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Rick Maglione offered sensible advice for undocumented shoppers looking to avoid a lengthy prison sentence. pic.twitter.com/DhDoJbk47L  Grizzle Maximus (@GrizzleMaximus) September 10, 2017

The Fort Lauderdale police department arrested 9 people related to the incident.

Fort Lauderdale police chief Rick Maglione said: Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice.

Stay home and look after your loved ones and be thankful they are all safe.

MOST POPULAR STORIES FROM YAHOO UK

US government releases new 9/11 pictures on 16th anniversary showing aftermath of Pentagon attack

Cyclists call for more action against car-dooring from drivers to save lives around UK

The Pope got a black eye when he hit his head after the Popemobile stopped suddenly

Mum banned from her local Wetherspoons for being too messy

WSVN in Miami also captured various incident of groups of people breaking into a shoe stores and making off with boxes of footwear.

The incidents come as British troops and police were deployed to restore law and order on the British Virgin Islands after reports of looting in the wake of deadly Hurricane Irma.

Some 500 British troops have been sent to the region, with 120 stationed in the British Virgin Islands, which has been devastated by the historic storm.

British troops and police have been deployed to restore law and order on the British Virgin Islands after reports of looting (PA)

Asked how big the looting problem was in the British territory, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon told BBC Ones The Andrew Marr Show: There has been a security issue there and thats why were now prioritising getting armed troops in and police coming in behind them to strengthen the local police force.

You can understand the island has been devastated, its been difficult for people to move around until you get helicopters there, but there are troops now there assisting the Governor to ensure law and order is maintained.
Diamondbacks ace Robbie Ray did it once again, Ray came away with 12 ks today over six innings allowing only two runs. The win propelled Ray to his 12th win of the year, improving to a 2.80 ERA. The Diamondbacks utilized a few relievers before turning it over to Archie Bradley in a save situation. Bradley would shut down the San Diego Padres side in the top half of the ninth, to record his first ever MLB save, extended Arizonas lead to five games in the NL Wild Card chase against the Colorado Rockies. Arizona has now won 14 out of their last 16 games dating back to August 24th.

Just Dingers

J.D. Martinez had two home runs putting him at 37 total on the year. The two-home run performance from Martinez is his second multi home run game this week. On Monday, Martinez had four home runs, all of which came off four different Los Angeles Dodger pitchers. In only 45 games as a Diamondback, this season Martinez has 21 home runs.

Birthday Bomb

Diamondbacks All Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt tallied his 34th home run this season on a fastball that ran a little high from San Diego pitcher, Luis Perdomo. Goldschmidts homer adds to the already impressive resume for potential NL MVP, as of right now its all but official for Goldy.

Goldschmidt connects on a fastball from Luis Perdomo and drives it out of the park-Ross D Franklin AP

Playoff Forecast

The Diamondbacks are closing in on securing that NL Wild Card spot each and every game, though the Colorado Rockies are up next for Arizona. Both the Rockies and Diamondbacks are fighting for that final spot, the four-game series against the Rockies could very easily make or break the Diamondbacks postseason hopes.

The series against Colorado begins on Monday, Arizona will send their ace Zach Greinke (16-6, 3.01 ERA) to the mound to square off against Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland.
During Virginia Techs 11th annual Sustainability Week celebration from Sept. 16-24, dozens of events will be held on campus and in town to highlight efforts the university and town are making toward a greener, more sustainable future. The events are free and open to the public.

This years celebration is the 11th annual event, which is a partnership between Virginia Tech, the Town of Blacksburg, and Sustainable Blacksburg that highlights sustainability efforts in the town and on campus.

More than 30 events are planned to celebrate, educate, and motivate many of the sustainable efforts that are happening on campus and in the community.

This year's Sustainability Week begins Saturday, Sept. 16, with a kickoff bike parade event. Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam will lead a bike parade for people of all ages and abilities. The parade will begin at 9 a.m. at the Virginia Tech Electric Service facility at 601 Energy Drive, Blacksburg and end at the Blacksburg Farmers Market at 100 Draper Road NW, Blacksburg.

On Sept. 18 at 4:30 p.m. officials with Virginia Tech Office of Sustainability will host an informational session and panel discussion in New Classroom Building, room 210. Attendees will learn about the progress the university has made in reaching the goals outlined in the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment.

On Sept. 19, community members will have the opportunity to learn about Rocky Forge Wind, the states first wind farm. Representatives from the farm, which is located in Botetourt County, will talk with attendees about the project. This event will take place in New Classroom Building, room 170, at 6 p.m. Free pizza will be provided.

The annual Active Commute Celebration will take place on Squires Plaza from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 20 and will highlight information about Blacksburg Transit, the Virginia Tech Office of Sustainability, Blacksburg Office of Sustainability, Virginia Tech Bicycle Ambassadors, Zipcar, and Blacksburg Transit. There will be activities, giveaways, and free food from Panera Bread.

Throughout the week Sustainability Week ambassadors will be on the lookout for community members who are actively taking steps to live more sustainably. Anyone who is caught green handed will receive a sticker and have the opportunity to be featured on social media.

Other events will be held throughout the week, including free film screenings, outdoor service projects, and yoga classes. The full schedule, as well as a list of volunteer opportunities, is available on the Sustainability Week website.
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.

Read More
CarMax, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of used vehicles in the United States. The company operates through two segments, CarMax Sales Operations and CarMax Auto Finance. It offers customers a range of makes and models of used vehicles, including domestic, imported, and luxury vehicles, as well as hybrid and electric vehicles; and extended protection plans to customers at the time of sale, as well as sells vehicles that are approximately 10 years old and has more than 100,000 miles through wholesale auctions. The company also provides reconditioning and vehicle repair services; and financing alternatives for retail customers across a range of credit spectrum through its CarMax Auto Finance and arrangements with various financial institutions. As of February 28, 2022, it operated approximately 230 used car stores. CarMax, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Richmond, Virginia.
The following companies are subsidiares of NRG Energy: 3279405 Nova Scotia Company, 3283764 Nova Scotia Company, 7549709 Canada Inc., 7644868 Canada Inc., 7711565 Canada Inc., AC Solar Holdings LLC, Ace Energy Inc., Agua Caliente Borrower 1 LLC, Agua Caliente Solar Holdings LLC, Agua Caliente Solar LLC, Allied Home Warranty GP LLC, Allied Warranty LLC, Arthur Kill Gas Turbines LLC, Arthur Kill Power LLC, Astoria Gas Turbine Power LLC, Bayou Cove Peaking Power LLC, Beheer-en Beleggingsmaatschappij Plogema B.V., Berrians I Gas Turbine Power LLC, BidURenergy Inc., Big Cajun I Peaking Power LLC, Bluewater Wind Delaware LLC, Bluewater Wind Maryland LLC, Bluewater Wind New Jersey Energy LLC, Boquillas Wind LLC, Cabrillo Power I LLC, Cabrillo Power II LLC, Camino Energy LLC, Carbon Management Solutions LLC, Carlsbad Energy Center LLC, Carlsbad Energy Holdings LLC, Chester Energy LLC, Chickahominy River Energy Corp., Cirro Energy Services Inc., Cirro Group Inc., Citizens Power Holdings One LLC, Commonwealth Atlantic Power LLC, Connecticut Jet Power LLC, Cottonwood Development LLC, Cottonwood Energy Company LP, Cottonwood Generating Partners I LLC, Cottonwood Generating Partners II LLC, Cottonwood Generating Partners III LLC, Cottonwood Technology Partners LP, Delaware Power Development LLC, Devon Power LLC, Doga Enerji Uretim Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Doga Isi Satis Hizmetleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Doga Isletme ve Bakim Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Dunkirk Gas Corporation, Dunkirk Power LLC, EHI Development Fund LLC, EME Eastern Holdings LLC, EVgo Services LLC, Eastern Sierra Energy Company LLC, Ecokap Power LLC, El Segundo Energy Center II LLC, El Segundo Power II LLC, El Segundo Power LLC, Elkhorn Ridge Wind II LLC, Energy Alternatives Wholesale LLC, Energy Choice Solutions LLC, Energy Curtailment Specialists, Energy Plus Holdings LLC, Energy Plus Natural Gas LLC, Energy Protection Insurance Company, Everything Energy LLC, Forward Home Security LLC, GCP Funding Company LLC, GenOn Energy, Geostellar Inc., Gladstone Power Station Joint Venture, Goal Zero, Goal Zero Europe GmbH, Goal Zero LLC, Granite II Holding LLC, Granite Power Partners II L.P., Green Mountain Energy, Green Mountain Energy Company, Green Mountain Energy Sun Club, Gregory Partners LLC, Gregory Power Partners LLC, Hanover Energy Company, Huntley IGCC LLC, Huntley Power LLC, Independence Energy Alliance LLC, Independence Energy Group LLC, Independence Energy Natural Gas LLC, Indian River Operations Inc., Indian River Power LLC, Intellastar LLC, Ivanpah Master Holdings LLC, Ivanpah Project I Holdings LLC, Ivanpah Project II Holdings LLC, Ivanpah Project III Holdings LLC, James River Power LLC, Kaufman Cogen LP, LSP-Nelson Energy LLC, Long Beach Generation LLC, Long Beach Peakers LLC, Long Beach Power LLC, Louisiana Generating LLC, MEC Esenyurt B.V., MEC San Pascual B.V., Maplekey UK Finance Limited, Maplekey UK Limited, Meriden Gas Turbines LLC, Middletown Power LLC, Midway-Sunset Cogeneration Company, Midwest Finance Company LLC, Midwest Generation EME LLC, Midwest Generation Holdings I LLC, Midwest Generation Holdings II LLC, Midwest Generation LLC, Midwest Generation Procurement Services LLC, Midwest Peaker Holdings LLC, Mission Bingham Lake Wind LLC, Mission Del Cielo LLC, Mission Energy Construction Services LLC, Mission Energy Holdings International LLC, Mission Energy Wales LLC, Mission Funding Zeta LLC, Mission Midway-Sunset Holdings LLC, Mission Midwest Coal LLC, Mission Minnesota Wind LLC, Mission Watson Holdings LLC, Mission Wind Boquillas LLC, Mission Wind New Mexico II LLC, Mission Wind Owaissa LLC, Mission Wind Pinnacle LLC, Mission del Sol LLC, Montville IGCC LLC, Montville Power LLC, NEO Chester-Gen LLC, NEO Corporation, NRG Acquisition Holdings Inc., NRG Advisory Services LLC, NRG Affiliate Services Inc., NRG Alexandria LLC, NRG Arroyo Nogales LLC, NRG Arthur Kill Operations Inc., NRG Asia-Pacific Ltd., NRG Astoria Gas Turbine Operations Inc., NRG Astoria Power LLC, NRG Audrain Generating LLC, NRG Audrain Holding LLC, NRG Bayou Cove LLC, NRG Berrians East Development LLC, NRG Bluewater Holdings LLC, NRG Bluewater Wind Massachusetts LLC, NRG Bourbonnais Equipment LLC, NRG Bourbonnais LLC, NRG Brazoria Energy LLC, NRG Business Services LLC, NRG CTA Holdings LLC, NRG Cabrillo Power Operations Inc., NRG Cadillac Inc., NRG Cadillac Operations Inc., NRG California Peaker Operations LLC, NRG Capital II LLC, NRG Carbon 360 LLC, NRG Cedar Bayou Development Company LLC, NRG Chalk Point CT LLC, NRG CleanTech Investments LLC, NRG Coal Development Company LLC, NRG ComLease LLC, NRG Common Stock Finance I LLC, NRG Common Stock Finance II LLC, NRG Connected Home LLC, NRG Connecticut Affiliate Services Inc., NRG Connecticut Peaking Development LLC, NRG Construction LLC, NRG Cottonwood Tenant LLC, NRG Curtailment Solutions Canada Inc., NRG Curtailment Solutions Inc., NRG DG Development LLC, NRG Development Company Inc., NRG Devon Operations Inc., NRG Dispatch Services LLC, NRG Distributed Energy Resources Holdings LLC, NRG Distributed Generation PR LLC, NRG Dunkirk Operations Inc., NRG ECOKAP Holdings LLC, NRG ESA Joint Development LLC, NRG El Segundo Operations Inc., NRG Energy Center Eagles LLC, NRG Energy Center Oxnard LLC, NRG Energy Fuel LLC, NRG Energy Fuel Services LLC, NRG Energy Gas & Wind Holdings Inc., NRG Energy Holdings II Inc., NRG Energy Holdings Inc., NRG Energy Inc., NRG Energy Labor Services LLC, NRG Energy Petroleum LLC, NRG Energy Services Group LLC, NRG Energy Services International Inc., NRG Energy Services LLC, NRG Equipment Company LLC, NRG Fuel Cell CA1 LLC, NRG Fuel Resources LLC, NRG Fuel Transportation LLC, NRG GTL Holdings LLC, NRG Gas Development Company LLC, NRG Generation Holdings Inc., NRG Gladstone Operating Services Pty Ltd, NRG Granite Acquisition LLC, NRG Greenco LLC, NRG HQ DG LLC, NRG Holding Leasing Vehicle 7 LLC, NRG Home & Business Solutions LLC, NRG Home Services LLC, NRG Home Solutions LLC, NRG Home Solutions Product LLC, NRG Homer City Services LLC, NRG Huntley Operations Inc., NRG Identity Protect LLC, NRG Ilion LP LLC, NRG Ilion Limited Partnership, NRG Independence Solar LLC, NRG International LLC, NRG Kaufman LLC, NRG Latin America Inc., NRG Lease Co LLC, NRG Lease Development LLC, NRG Limestone 3 LLC, NRG Maintenance Services LLC, NRG Mesquite LLC, NRG Mextrans Inc., NRG MidAtlantic Affiliate Services Inc., NRG MidCon Development LLC, NRG Middletown Operations Inc., NRG Middletown Repowering LLC, NRG Midwest Holdings LLC, NRG Midwest II LLC, NRG Montville Operations Inc., NRG NE Development LLC, NRG Nelson Turbines LLC, NRG New Roads Holdings LLC, NRG NewGen LLC, NRG North Central Operations Inc., NRG Northeast Affiliate Services Inc., NRG Norwalk Harbor Operations Inc., NRG Ohio Pipeline Company LLC, NRG Operating Services Inc., NRG Oswego Harbor Power Operations Inc., NRG Oxbow Holdings LLC, NRG PacGen Inc., NRG Peaker Finance Company LLC, NRG Portable Power LLC, NRG Potrero Development LLC, NRG Power Marketing LLC, NRG Procurement Company LLC, NRG Project Company LLC, NRG Reliability Solutions LLC, NRG Renter's Protection LLC, NRG Repowering Holdings LLC, NRG Residential Solar Solutions LLC, NRG Residential Solar Solutions Leasing II LLC, NRG Retail LLC, NRG Retail Northeast LLC, NRG Rockford Acquisition LLC, NRG Rockford Equipment II LLC, NRG Rockford Equipment LLC, NRG Saguaro Operations Inc., NRG Security LLC, NRG Services Corporation, NRG Sherbino LLC, NRG SimplySmart Solutions LLC, NRG Solar Arrowhead LLC, NRG Solar CVSR Holdings 2 LLC, NRG Solar Dandan LLC, NRG Solar Guam LLC, NRG Solar Ivanpah LLC, NRG Solar Ring LLC, NRG Solar SC Stadium LLC, NRG Solar Sunrise LLC, NRG South Central Affiliate Services Inc., NRG South Central Generating LLC, NRG South Central Operations Inc., NRG South Texas LP, NRG Sterlington Power LLC, NRG Storage Fabrication & Delivery LLC, NRG Storage on Demand NY LLC, NRG SunCap Leasing I LLC, NRG Telogia Power LLC, NRG Texas C&I Supply LLC, NRG Texas Gregory LLC, NRG Texas Holding Inc., NRG Texas LLC, NRG Texas Power LLC, NRG Texas Retail LLC, NRG Trading Advisors LLC, NRG Transmission Holdings LLC, NRG ULC Parent Inc., NRG Victoria I Pty Ltd, NRG Warranty Services LLC, NRG West Coast LLC, NRG Western Affiliate Services Inc., NRG Wind Development Company LLC, NRG Wind Force LLC, NRG Wind LLC, NRG dGen Advisory Services LLC, NRGenerating German Holdings GmbH, NRGenerating International B.V., NRGenerating Luxembourg (No. 1) S.a.r.l., NRGenerating Luxembourg (No. 2) S.a.r.l., New Genco GP LLC, New Jersey Power Development LLC, Norwalk Power LLC, O'Brien Cogeneration Inc. II, ONSITE Energy Inc., One Block Off The Grid Inc., Oswego Harbor Power LLC, Pacific Generation Company, Petra Nova CCS I LLC, Petra Nova Holdings LLC, Petra Nova LLC, Petra Nova Parish Holdings LLC, Petra Nova Power I LLC, Pure Energies Group, Pure Energies Group ULC, Pure Energies Installation Inc., Pure Energies Solar Services Inc., Pure Group Inc., RDI Consulting LLC, RERH Holdings LLC, Reliant Charitable Foundation, Reliant Energy, Reliant Energy Northeast LLC, Reliant Energy Power Supply LLC, Reliant Energy Retail Holdings LLC, Reliant Energy Retail Services LLC, Restoration Design LLC, Roof Diagnostics Solar Holdings LLC, Roof Diagnostics Solar and Electric LLC, Roof Diagnostics Solar and Electric of NY LLC, Saguaro Power Company a Limited Partnership, Saguaro Power LLC, San Gabriel Energy LLC, San Joaquin Energy LLC, San Juan Energy LLC, San Pascual Cogeneration Company International B.V., Sherbino I Wind Farm LLC, Solar Partners I LLC, Solar Partners II LLC, Solar Partners VIII LLC, Solar Power Partners, Solar Pure Energies ULC, Somerset Operations Inc., Somerset Power LLC, South Texas Wind LLC, Station A LLC, Sunrise Power Company LLC, Sunshine State Power (No. 2) B.V., Sunshine State Power B.V., TCV Pipeline LLC, Tacoma Energy Recovery Company, Taloga Wind II LLC, Texas Coastal Ventures LLC, Texas Genco GP LLC, Texas Genco Holdings, Texas Genco Holdings Inc., Texas Genco LP LLC, Texas Genco Services LP, US Retailers LLC, Valle Del Sol Energy LLC, Vienna Operations Inc., Vienna Power LLC, WCP (Generation) Holdings LLC, Watson Cogeneration Company, West Coast Power LLC, XOOM Alberta Holdings LLC, XOOM British Columbia Holdings LLC, XOOM Energy BC ULC, XOOM Energy California LLC, XOOM Energy Canada ULC, XOOM Energy Connecticut LLC, XOOM Energy Delaware LLC, XOOM Energy Georgia LLC, XOOM Energy Global Holdings LLC, XOOM Energy Illinois LLC, XOOM Energy Indiana LLC, XOOM Energy Kentucky LLC, XOOM Energy LLC, XOOM Energy Maine LLC, XOOM Energy Maryland LLC, XOOM Energy Massachusetts LLC, XOOM Energy Michigan LLC, XOOM Energy New Hampshire LLC, XOOM Energy New Jersey LLC, XOOM Energy New York LLC, XOOM Energy ONT ULC, XOOM Energy Ohio LLC, XOOM Energy Pennsylvania LLC, XOOM Energy Rhode Island LLC, XOOM Energy Texas LLC, XOOM Energy Virginia LLC, XOOM Energy Washington D.C. LLC, XOOM Ontario Holdings LLC, XOOM Solar LLC, and eV2g LLC.

Read More
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.
Allergan plc, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and commercializes branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical, and regenerative medicine products worldwide. The company operates in three segments: US Specialized Therapeutics, US General Medicine, and International. It offers a portfolio of products in various therapeutic areas, including medical aesthetics and dermatology, eye care, neuroscience, urology, gastrointestinal, women's health, and anti-infective therapeutic products. The company also offers breast implants and tissue expanders; and RM-131 (relamorelin), a peptide ghrelin agonist for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. In addition, it develops medical and cosmetic treatments; therapies for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and other liver diseases; inhibitor for the treatment of psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders; atopic dermatitis drug candidate; peri-ocular rings for extended drug delivery and reducing elevated intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients; and treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Further, the company develops RST-001, a novel gene therapy for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa; small molecule therapeutics for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases; topical medicines for fat reduction; and delivery system and botulinum toxin-based prescription products. It has collaboration, option, and license agreement with Lyndra, Inc.; and strategic alliance and option agreement with Editas Medicine, Inc. Allergan plc also has licensing agreements with Assembly Biosciences, Inc.; MedImmune; and Heptares Therapeutics, Ltd. The company was formerly known as Actavis plc and changed its name to Allergan plc in June 2015. Allergan plc was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
BAYTOWN, Texas  The body of a Texas real estate agent was found in a marshy wooded area Saturday more than two weeks after she disappeared the day Hurricane Harvey made landfall, authorities said.

The womans ex-husband, 44-year-old Steven McDowell, was charged with murder, and booked into Chambers County Jail, awaiting bail to be set.

Crystal McDowell, a 37-year-old real estate agent and mother of two, vanished Aug. 25, the day Harvey landed in the Gulf Coast area of southeast Texas, Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne said Sunday.

She went missing after telling her boyfriend, Paul Hargrave, that she was headed to her ex-husbands house to pick up her children, ages 5 and 8.

Her uncle reported her missing the following day.

I knew immediately she was deceased, McDowells friend Morgan Raimondi told the Houston Chronicle.

When Steve decided that if he couldnt have her, nobody else could, he also made the decision for her children, her family and her friends, Raimondi said of the suspected killer, even before charges were finalized.

Floodwaters and rain hampered the search, but McDowells partially submerged car was found at a Motel 6 off an interstate highway. Authorities traced the last ping from her cellphone to a marshy area in Baytown, Texas, within a couple of days of her disappearance. By Sept. 2, the roads had cleared enough for search crews to scour parts of Baytown near the final cell phone ping, but they initially came up empty-handed.

As the investigation continued, the list of suspects grew to 9 or 10 people, including McDowells uncle, Hargrave and her ex-husband, Hawthorne said.

The search resumed Thursday and the body was found Saturday. An inquest was ordered to determine the cause of death.

McDowells arrest was based on circumstantial evidence, talks with friends and family, and the suspects candid interview with police, Hawthorne said.
Creating and expanding businesses is essential to economic development in rural New Mexico, and broadband internet access is essential to helping those ventures succeed. In fact, few businesses anywhere in the state can reach all potential customers without fast, reliable and affordable connections to the web.

To share information about existing resources and suggest how broadband-deficient communities can obtain better service, the New Mexico Economic Development Department recently hosted a webinar under the auspices of its FundIt initiative.

FundIt is a three-year-old federal-state partnership that helps businesses secure start-to-finish financing for projects that stimulate infrastructure development, job creation and small-business development. It also hosts public meetings and webinars that alert economic developers, municipal leaders and businesses to capital projects that might interest their communities.

Critical connections

In July, FundIts seminar on broadband access introduced two dozen attendees to the work of the state Department of Information Technology, a cabinet-level department that collaborates with the Economic Development Department on internet access programs.

Featured speaker George Clarke, manager of the New Mexico Geospatial and Broadband Program, explained what the DoIT Office of Broadband and Geospatial Initiatives is doing to help communities  especially those in geographically isolated parts of the state  navigate the often-complex process of getting affordable, high-speed internet service.

Successful programs include E-Rate, which primarily funds broadband installation in schools with significant help from the federal government, and the CASA crowd sourcing application, which allows residents to explore their surroundings for broadband providers and community anchor institutions, such as libraries and schools, to see what services are available.

The ultimate goal of the states broadband initiatives, according to Juan Torres, finance development director at Economic Development, is to support infrastructure development statewide because broadband is a critical component in health care delivery via telemedicine, education via distance learning, and public safety.

A good fit

Broadband access is just the kind of project that FundIt was formed to create, according to Johanna Nelson, a finance development specialist at Economic Development who helps manage FundIts outreach series.

FundIt helps New Mexico communities coordinate funding for projects  such as downtown revitalization, business incubation, housing and infrastructure  that require multiple sources of money. Its partner organizations help community leaders find financing and clear regulatory hurdles for feasible economic development projects.

Upcoming FundIt webinars include a workshop on how small businesses and agricultural producers can reduce energy consumption (Sept. 19) and a session on how to improve approaches to obtaining funding for community projects (Sept. 27). To register for these free webinars, visit https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7031994069911804162, Webinar ID: 628-325-763.

Community leaders interested in knowing more about FundIt and other planned webinars can contact Johanna Nelson at 505-827-0264 or Johanna.Nelson@state.nm.us. Businesses with a project that might qualify for funding should contact their local economic development representative, found in the contact section of the NMEDD website at gonm.biz. For a list of current FundIt projects, visit http://www.ristraproject.com/site/2215.

Finance New Mexico connects individuals and businesses with skills and funding resources for their business or idea. To learn more, go to www.FinanceNewMexico.org.
Here are a couple of goals that unite leaders in the state, regardless of party affiliation: Bring more jobs to New Mexico and diversify the states economy.

Its been something of a mantra since at least the Great Recession, which officially ended in summer 2009 but continues to traumatize the states economy. The recession, plus an overall loss of government jobs and a plunge in oil prices several years ago, has caused a clarion call to lure new businesses to New Mexico and to increase the share of private sector jobs in the states employment picture.

So how have we been doing?

When it comes to job growth, the number of non-farm jobs in the state has increased by 3.7 percent since the end of 2010, just before Gov. Susana Martinez took office, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That translates to 29,800 new jobs, and thats good news for the people hired to fill those positions and the businesses they frequent.

But job growth nationally for that period was more than three times higher, at 12 percent. And the total number of jobs in the state is still 2 percent below the number New Mexico had just before the recession started.

Diversification? It depends on whom youre asking.

Its not a pretty picture, according to two leading economists at the states largest universities.

While private sector jobs make up a larger share of the states employment picture than in 2010, that has more to do with the government sector shrinking than it does creation of new jobs, said Jeff Mitchell, director of the University of New Mexicos Bureau of Business & Economic Research.

The reason why private sector jobs account for more of the total number of jobs is not because were creating private sector jobs, he said. Its because were not creating government sector jobs.

Theres no evidence of diversification as a result of creating private sector jobs.

As of the first quarter of this year, New Mexico ranked second last in the nation for the percentage of its GDP attributed to the private sector. In the bottom spot was Washington, D.C.

Jim Peach, New Mexico State University economist, adds another statistic to the mix: a state unemployment rate  6.3 percent in July  thats been stuck in the basement compared to the rest of the nation.

For measuring an economy, there is no way to spin this as a good news story, Peach said.

The Journals request for an interview with Martinez received this emailed response from spokesman Michael Lonergan: Unfortunately, we dont have availability for an interview in the Governors calendar at this time.

But Matt Geisel, the states economic development secretary, pointed out that the loss in government jobs has been more than outweighed by an increase in private sector jobs. In fact, he said, for every one government job lost (total: 11,000), nearly four private jobs (total: 43,000) have taken its place.

Its showing that the reforms and the actions are helping us steer our destiny, Geisel said in an interview.

And, he said, the 1 percent growth in jobs over the past year is evidence the state is headed in the right direction with incremental, positive progress.

Shifting from oil, gas

State leaders look to diversify New Mexicos economy as a way to shield the state from the vagaries of the oil and gas industry and from a shrinking number of government jobs, especially at the state and local levels.

While oil and gas prices are starting to recover from the low of $30 a barrel after the plunge began in 2014, its no more than a modest recovery and smaller producers in New Mexicos oil patch are struggling to hold on.

In the government area, state and local jobs have been shed as a consequence of low-growth revenues that have strangled government coffers.

Martinez, who took office in January 2011, has been consistent in saying that from day one her goal has been to grow and diversify the economy by boosting the number of private sector jobs.

Through a relentless commitment to reforms  balancing budgets, cutting taxes and streamlining regulations  were growing and diversifying our economy, and competing for jobs and investment with neighboring states like never before  and even beating them, Martinez said last month when announcing that the state was No. 3 in the nation for growth in gross domestic product in the first quarter of 2017.

However, the main reason for the states 2.8 percent growth during that most recent quarter was a boost in the oil and gas industry, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Looking at the private sector as a whole, the percentage that makes up the states GDP has gone up about 1 percentage point: from 76.6 percent of total GDP in 2010 to 77.5 percent as of the first quarter of this year.

GDP is considered among the broadest measures of economic health.

Slow private sector gains

Another way to look at how much the state has diversified is through its employment numbers  in other words, where the jobs are.

In terms of sheer numbers, July brought good news in the number of private sector jobs, with a 1.8 percent increase compared to the year before, according to the states most recent jobs report. Fastest-growing industries were education and health services, leisure and hospitality and construction, which has been on the upswing since last November.

And private sector employment, as a percentage of total employment, has indeed gone up since 2010, according to the state Department of Workforce Solutions and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

 In 2010: About 75 percent of New Mexicans employed held private sector jobs; 24.8 percent held government positions.

 In July 2017: Private sector employment was at 77.4 percent; government, 22.6 percent of employment.

But the overall employment pie has been growing so slowly  1 percent over last year, according to the most recent state figures  that the increased share of private sector jobs is primarily just a reflection of the drop in the government share, Mitchell and Peach said.

How fast are we creating private sector jobs? Mitchell said. The answer to that is we are creating private sector jobs very, very slowly.

Ben Cloutier, spokesman for the state Economic Development Department, pointed to a recent announcement by the governor that the film industry has injected more than a half billion dollars into New Mexicos economy.

In addition, the state just saw its fifth straight year of record-shattering tourism numbers, Cloutier said. In 2015, that industry generated the largest economic impact in state history for the sixth straight year, injecting $6.3 billion into New Mexicos economy and supporting more than 90,000 jobs. Those jobs generated $2.4 billion in salaries.

Narrowing tax base

Peach adds a cautionary note when it comes to diversification, which he calls a mixed bag in terms of economic growth.

Thats because of wages.

Jobs in the oil and gas industry and in the government sector tend to be relatively high-paying compared to overall wages paid in New Mexico.

Diversification, if it means looking more like the national economy in New Mexico, would mean reducing the proportion of workers in these high-wage industries, he said. That doesnt mean we shouldnt try to get some other industries here. It just means the standard measures of diversity may not be what we want to go after.

If you want fast growth, you want not diversification but concentration in fast-growing, high-wage industries, Peach said.

Mitchell said the real importance in diversifying New Mexicos economy is to protect state revenues.

Cuts in personal income taxes and corporate taxes during the past couple of decades have narrowed the states tax base, and private sector economic activity remains limited, he said.

Weve narrowed our tax base, and weve become increasingly dependent on oil and gas, over which we have no control, Mitchell said.

Thats where diversification really matters, he said.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines force majeure as a superior or irresistible force or an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled  act of God.

Hurricane Harveys recent pounding of the Houston metro area and the Texas Gulf Coast, certainly fits this definition. To watch the thousands of displaced people and the massive damage caused by the rains and the flooding was heartbreaking. It may take months or even years for some people and businesses to recover from the destruction.

What is especially devastating about this storm is that it fell directly upon Houston, the fourth-largest city in the U.S., and one of the nations major commerce and logistics hubs. The Port of Houston alone is a sprawling 25-mile-long complex that ships to and receives products from all over the world. According to statistics, it is the busiest port in the U.S. in terms of foreign tonnage, and the second-busiest in the U.S. in terms of overall tonnage. Overall, it is the 13th-busiest port in the world. As with virtually all other operations in Houston, the port was shut down for several days as Hurricane Harvey hit the coast. It officially resumed operations on Sept. 1.

During my career, I have developed a tremendous respect for the logistics component of trade and the people who work daily to get products from the manufacturer to the final consumer. As Harvey hit Houston, I called my contacts in the logistics industry to see how they were handling the situation. People in the rail and trucking industries were desperately rerouting all the traffic they could from entering the Houston region. In certain cases, this meant taking a meandering route to get the product to its final destination. In most cases, this also added to the cost of the shipment.

Some firms that I talked to were caught with thin inventory in terms of production inputs that come from the Houston area for their manufacturing operations, thus affecting production. The trend during the past 20 years has been to reduce in-plant inventory to as little as possible in order to save on leasing space and to maximize production space. When disasters such as Harvey strike, this can backfire on management. Too little inventory leaves a company vulnerable to unforeseen events. This was evidenced when the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami rocked Japan, causing the most destruction it had seen since WWII. The initial shock and the aftereffects caused major delays in supply chains throughout the world.

Just-in-time inventory shipments have been adopted in practically every industry. This is great when you consider a company does not have to occupy space and spend resources warehousing inventory until its actually needed. When a disaster strikes, this strategy can come back to haunt a company.

Forces majeures show us that modern supply chains can be quickly affected. A global logistics hub such as Houston, which plays a huge role in the U.S. economy, is particularly susceptible to natural disasters. Because Houston is such a big petroleum center, many industry insiders are predicting a rise in gas and diesel prices during the next few months.

And the effects of Harvey are not only going to be felt locally or even nationally, they can cause problems globally. More than 27 percent of the share of imports into the Port of Houston come from Mexico. Because the U.S. and Mexico economies are so economically integrated, Harveys effects also will be felt strongly south of the border.

As the Texas Gulf region struggles to recover after Hurricane Harvey, every part of the supply chain that moves commerce nationally and internationally will have to be on its A-game. This entails the supply chain managers at production plants, the third-party logistics firms that get paid by companies to move their products, customs brokerage firms, and the truck drivers, pilots, and rail engineers who physically move the products.

And these skills are not only needed for commercial trade, they are also critical to the function of getting relief supplies to the thousands of displaced people who need food, water, clothing, and medical supplies. These different components of the logistics chain are going to be needed more than ever to help the Houston region get back on its feet.

Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com.
Phil Lindborg, founder of Dragonfly Investments and numerous other companies, is a lone wolf in the commercial development business.

He runs a successful development and investment company out of his home, forgoing a fancy office to put his money into other interests.

Despite his untraditional business setup, Lindborg has become a successful developer and investor. His projects include Kiddie Academy at Louisiana and Alameda, a new Bosque Brewing location in Bernalillo coming soon to the former Jackalope there, and his most ambitious project to date, the Village @ La Orilla, a retail development anchored by Flix Brewhouse.

To say Lindborg is a lone wolf is not to say he hasnt had help. He has been blessed to have the help and guidance of other businesses in the industry. He started small, buying up tracts of land to sell to residential developers, and eventually he was able to take on commercial projects on his own.

But being a lone wolf does allow Lindborg the freedom to make his own choices as he sees fit. He has lived all over the country, and he chose New Mexico to set up shop. He has worked in several industries, and he chose to land on commercial development. He chooses to spend his free time helping kids and working in his church.

What was growing up in Yuma like?

I moved around a lot, so I cant say that I spent more than about 3  years in any town. It gave me a broad base of the country.

I lived in southern and northern California. I lived in the Chicagoland area. I lived in Pennsylvania. I lived in two places in New York state. And have lived twice in New Mexico, once when I was a young boy and my dad ran the La Fonda hotel and I actually lived in the La Fonda hotel. Then we came back in my sophomore year in high school to Ruidoso, and my dad ran the Inn of the Mountain Gods. And I loved New Mexico so much, the blue skies, which were looking at now, the lack of humidity  and I had a chance to set down roots and a choice where I live and New Mexico was beautiful. And I picked this state.

Was there a reason why you guys were moving around so much?

My dad working for the Fred Harvey Corp. (He) was very good at turning troubled properties around.

Do you have brothers or sisters?

I have one brother who is a real estate litigator in L.A. He is world-renowned, and we have been very blessed in that regard. And then Ive got a sister whos mentally handicapped. She has lived in a couple of the very nice group homes in New Mexico.

What is your favorite place you have lived, besides New Mexico of course?

Napa, Calif. It was gorgeous, and it was a time before I (began working and was forced to grow up quickly).

And so it was just before I started working full time in the summertime. So its from the 9- to 11-year-old category, because we started working part time at 12 and full time at 13 in the summers.

When did you start working in development?

I began in about 2003, gradually worked my way into development. I learned how to do some of the processes, and then over time learned all of the processes.

Then I paid for a second education by having investors and doing the work basically for free, just to show them they could make money doing it.

Then, one was kind enough to take me in to partner, and that got me launched.

But you are sort of a one-man-team, right?

Yeah. Well, a one-man-team with a lot of good people behind me. Like Snyder Construction, to be quite honest. Snyder Construction has helped me a great deal with their knowledge and their willingness to take time with me. Weve helped one another out.

So I know church is very important to you. Can you speak a bit about your church?

Yeah, my faith is very important.

I go to Copper Pointe Church. And what drew me to Copper Pointe was their outreach to young people and their focus on young people in middle school and high schoolers in particular.

The other thing that drew me to Copper Pointe was its outreach into the community. Its a very diverse community which appeals to me. New Mexico is a diverse state with diverse cultures, which I truly love. You learn from everybody. With a group like that, its fun to be around.

What programs have you and Copper Pointe worked on?

We have City Serve, where once or twice a year we get 700 to 1,000 people from the church. We go throughout the community and prearranged areas, whether in schools to clean up or fire departments, whatever, and well work throughout the city.

Now, we do things throughout the year, going down to the park to feed the homeless and things like that, in joint efforts with other people.

Weve got a very big program for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Were very proud of our church, and for a church thats good-sized, but by far not the largest church in Albuquerque, we generally give away between 1,500 to 2,300 complete turkey dinners. And when I say complete, if you picture a box of copy paper (and) within it people will have potatoes to make mashed potatoes. They will have green beans. Theyll have a punkin pie and rolls. Then well give them between a 16- and 18-pound turkey. 

Then weve got the Christmas tree giveaway.  Ive seen families, which is literally so cool, one family where they picked up three bicycles for their children.

What do you do for fun?

I hike. I love to go up Bear Canyon Arroyo, look at the cholla cactuses, the prickly pear cactuses.

Simple things in life do a lot for me, whether its watching bunnies, watching the hawks fly, watching lizards go. I will look at the beauty of the mountains.

I love to garden.

Im a voracious reader of (fiction).

But Ive worked out a lot. Up until four years (ago), I was in the gym four or five times a week.

And I love to travel.

What do you see as your future in development?

Well, even though I love to develop, which is fun, along with my church, Im driven toward other ministry opportunities.

There is an orphanage in Juarez (Mexico) called Rivers of Mercy, which has 43 children. (It) just bought land to be able to do teenage children and separate the smaller children from the larger children.

Then there have been numerous water wells that we have drilled in Africa.  Then building medical buildings also in Africa.

Occasionally (we will) sponsor villages, if the elders will let us sponsor and we teach them how to rotate crops and teach the ladies (skills) for (making a) year-round income.

These are the things that drive me. The development is fun, but this is really what drives me.

The Basics

Position: Phil Lindborg is the founder of Dragonfly Investments, among other companies.

Childhood: He was born in 1959 in Yuma, Ariz. His father was a hotel manager. He has one older brother and one younger sister.

Education: He is a graduate of Ruidoso High School. Lindborg attended New Mexico State University and received a bachelors degree in accounting.

Did you know?

 Lindborg has taken over a hundred salsa lessons.

 He travels frequently, and his favorite place to travel is Italy. His favorite work of art in Italy is Michaelangelos David.

 He grows flowers in his garden and says he is a flower person.

 He loves Jimi Hendrix.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

Loyalty is prized within the notorious Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico prison gang. But it only goes so far, as revealed in a new criminal complaint filed in the massive New Mexico federal racketeering prosecution.

More than 30 former members and leaders of SNM have been secretly cooperating with law enforcement to help break the decades-old grip of the alleged murderous New Mexico prison gang, according to an FBI arrest warrant affidavit filed Aug. 31.

More than 20 members inside the gang are described as confidential human sources, according to the affidavit written by FBI Special Agent Bryan Acee, the lead investigator in the case.

The affidavit relates to the arrest of Lupe Urquizo, aka Marijuano, who is accused of assaulting inmates, correctional officers, committing arson, and acting as a messenger within the prison system to help communicate planned hits on other inmates.

He is the latest suspect charged.

Over the past two years, about 114 suspected members and associates of the gang have been arrested. More than 80 have been charged with federal crimes, Acees affidavit states.

The majority of those have pleaded guilty, the affidavit stated. Court records show that less than 15 defendants are awaiting trial, which has been delayed until next July.

The prosecution contends that SNM is a violent and powerful racketeering enterprise that extends beyond prison walls.

But at least one defense attorney has claimed that some people have been threatened by law enforcement agents with inclusion in the racketeering prosecution if they didnt agree to cooperate and give statements.

There is a great risk that these coercive police tactics will produce involuntary statements, stated a motion filed in February by attorney Amy Sirignano, who represents defendant Christopher Garcia.

Garcia, in April, lamented that FBI agents came to his jail cell in Santa Fe to obtain a court-approved DNA sample.

You make it look like people are talking to you, Garcia told the agents. You know, divide and conquer. His conversation was revealed in a transcript filed in the criminal case.

The SNM gang has roots dating back to the 1980 deadly riot at the state Penitentiary in Santa Fe. It grew to about 500 members over the years.

Release from prison didnt necessarily end a gang members affiliation, Acees recent affidavit stated.

When SNM Gang members or associates completed their sentences and rejoined their communities, they were expected to remain loyal to the SNM Gang and work to further the goals of the  gang outside the prison environment, he wrote.

Those who failed to show continued loyalty to the gang were disciplined in various ways, to include murder and assault. One of the significant goals of the gang was to control and profit from narcotics trafficking, Acees affidavit added.

The FBI-led investigation began in early 2015 after the FBI received word that SNM leaders planned to kill then-state Corrections Secretary Gregg Marcantel and another top corrections official. Investigators learned later that year that incarcerated leaders directed members on the street to acquire firearms and kill the NMCD officials, the affidavit stated.

The plot was ultimately foiled with the first of three waves of federal grand jury indictments against SNM members and associates.

In Urquizos case, he is alleged to have discussed killing another gang member believed to have cooperated with law enforcement during an investigation. Under SNM protocol, paperwork must be produced detailing the reasons or proof of wrongdoing before a hit can occur.

Urquizo maintained the paperwork for the hit and agreed to take it to other members at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in March 2014, the affidavit alleges.

Urquizo also allegedly discussed the fact that one of SNMs gang leaders had failed to cover a security camera during the March 7, 2014, fatal stabbing of SNM member Javier Molina. That gang leader, identified as Daniel Sanchez, was also blamed for failing to dispose of the shank used in the stabbing. The hit on Sanchez was averted when corrections officials transferred him to a prison out of state.

Urquizo was also alleged to have been found with a homemade tattoo machine in his prison cell. SNM members are known to identify themselves by their tattoos, Acees affidavit stated.

Meanwhile, court records show there has been at least one hitch as the parties prepare for trial. The U.S. Attorneys Office provided the defendants with discovery materials via electronic tablets because of the thousands of documents generated in the investigation.

But in April, U.S. District Judge James O. Browning ordered the tablets seized, at least temporarily, after a confidential witness at the Sandoval County Detention Center told FBI agent Acee that the security controls on the tablets can be bypassed and reset, allowing defendants to wipe away the discovery material from the tablets and gain access to the Internet and camera functions of the tablets.

As proof, court records state, the confidential witness sent Acee an email and a photo he had taken of himself in his jail cell.
As the school leader of Amy Biehl High School, a public charter school in Downtown Albuquerque, I recently found myself confronted by two conflicting data sets. One set was my schools recently released school grade, which is a B. On the grade report my school exceeded the state benchmark on five of the seven sub categories; however one category we scored lower than the state average was the PARCC performance of our lowest-performing students. In this subcategory we received a grade of D.

But when I look at a second data set, my schools overall college acceptance and attendance rates, I began to see a completely different picture. Amy Biehl High schools student demographics are over 50 percent economically disadvantaged, 67 percent minority, 25 percent special education and anywhere between 30 percent and 70 percent  depending on the class  first-generation college students. Due to these demographics, my school is classified as an urban, high poverty, high minority school. Yet 96 percent of Amy Biehl High School graduates apply to and attend college, and based on National Clearinghouse data, 86 percent of our students are still enrolled in college after two years. In fact, Amy Biehl High School participated in a Facing History national study of four million high school graduates. The study concluded that Amy Biehl High School students were outperforming students from suburban, low poverty, low minority schools nationwide and our school  based on this data  was closing the achievement gap.

So, how could our school with a diverse population that reflects New Mexico, that sends the vast majority of its students to college, and these students stay enrolled in college, receive a D grade for the performance of our lowest students?

Recently I was talking with a group of juniors from my school. And the students, unprompted by me, began to compare standardized assessments like the PARCC with Public Exhibitions of Learning.

Exhibitions of Learning are just as the name implies; students are expected to publicly display their learning in front of their peers and community experts  think science fairs, plays and performances, debates, art critiques, portfolio exhibitions, etc. Part of the value in public exhibitions is they mimic what adults and professionals do in aesthetic, utilitarian and personal aspects of their lives, thus exhibitions are authentic assessments because of their real-world applications. And Amy Biehl High School fully embraces Public Exhibitions as an assessment strategy.

The students also shared how standardized assessments including the PARCC are not authentic and had little value or connection to the real world; these tests are taken in complete isolation, its forbidden to discuss any of the content and performance feedback is delayed for months and when it does finally come, it is often nothing more than a numerical score.

Public exhibitions of learning, however, are of high value to the students. The students shared how they spent countless hours preparing for exhibitions because they wanted to perform well, they wanted to know the content well, and they received immediate, valuable feedback from community experts. In short, public exhibitions motivate and inspire students to do their very best work and maximize student learning.

These conflicting data sets got me wondering; multiple studies and data confirm that Amy Biehl High School students are being accepted in to, attending and sticking with college  and many of these students are the first in their families to attend college. Yet these very same students are classified as underperforming, as measured by the PARCC, on our school grade report. There seems to be a profound disconnect here.

I would encourage us all to reassess our emphasis on school grades and investment in the PARCC assessment when clearly, there are far better measures  including college acceptance and persistence and public exhibitions of learning  of what our students truly know and can do.
WASHINGTON  How do they come up with this stuff?

According to press reports, the Trump administration is considering withdrawing from the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, which was implemented in 2012 and lowered most tariffs between the two countries. Now South Korea and the United States are caught up in the most serious military threat from North Korea since the Korean War. The last thing we ought to do is sow conflict and distrust between the two allies. Yet, this is what Trump has done.

Not surprisingly, theres been plenty of pushback. The South Koreans were clearly angered, and so were many Americans.

Trumps Korean Trade Folly was the headline on a Wall Street Journal editorial. In a press release, the Republican chairmen and Democratic ranking members of Congress two trade committees, the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, warned against abandoning the pact. North Koreas latest nuclear test underscores yet again the vital importance of the strong alliance between the United States and South Korea.  We must not withdraw from the agreement.

An advisory group, consisting of business, labor and nonprofit members, echoed the message: We must not allow bilateral disputes to signal any friction or weakness in our mutual support.

The Trump administration complains that South Korea doesnt buy enough U.S. exports, adding to Americas chronic trade deficits. In 2016, the United States had a $27.7 billion trade deficit in goods  cars, computer chips, cellphones  with South Korea. However, this figure is misleading, as economist Jeffrey Schott of the Peterson Institute, a think tank, points out. He notes that the United States runs about a $10 billion surplus in services  transportation, tourism and legal services  reducing the overall trade deficit with South Korea to $17.6 billion in 2016.

Moreover, as Schott also notes, the deficit with South Korea is a tiny part of the overall U.S. trade deficit, even if only goods are counted. In 2016, that deficit was $737 billion; South Koreas share ($27.7 billion) was less than 4 percent. The shares of China, the European Union and Japan were much larger. These numbers suggest that Trump went after South Korea because it was the easiest target. He could fulfill his campaign promise to be tough on trade on the cheap.

Think again. If the United States ended the free trade agreement, American exports would probably suffer, even if there were no explicit retaliation, which there might be. Take cars. Before the agreement, the U.S. tariff on South Korean imports was 2.5 percent, while the South Korean tariff on U.S. imports was 8 percent. Although both tariffs would be restored, the 8 percent South Korean tariff would probably reduce U.S. sales more than the 2.5 percent tariff would cut South Korean sales.

Similarly, American pork exports, which have boomed from deep tariff reductions, would probably lose market share to producers from other countries that enjoyed free trade agreements. Both China and the European Union have free trade deals with South Korea. All this implies that a Trump rejection of the free trade agreement would be bad economic policy as well as a geopolitical disaster.

The best that could happen now is that the Trump administration would admit as much. It would announce that its indefinitely postponing trade negotiations with South Korea and focusing its undivided attention on the nuclear threats to South Korea, Japan and the United States. These are momentous issues; the trade disputes, by contrast, are small sideshows.

Samuelsons columns, including those not published in the Journal, can be read at abqjournal.com/opinion  look for the syndicated columnist link. Copyright, The Washington Post Writers Group.
WASHINGTON  Chuck and Nancy and Donald and Ivanka seemed to thoroughly enjoy their meeting at the White House the other day. Mitch and Paul, not so much.

Does it really surprise anyone that President Trump betrayed the Republican leaders who have been trying their best to carry water for him on Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, and is playing footsie with their Democratic rivals? It shouldnt.

One thing that should be blindingly obvious by now is that political loyalty, for the president, is a one-way street. Yes, McConnell and Ryan embarrassed themselves and squandered precious political capital in a long, fruitless attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Yes, the Republican leaders have held their tongues time and again when Trump has manifested his unfitness for office. Yes, they have pretended not to notice the glaring conflicts of interest between Trumps private business affairs and his public responsibilities.

Still, there was something brazen about the way events unfolded Wednesday. First, Ryan tells reporters that a short-term, three-month extension on the debt ceiling, tied to relief funds for Hurricane Harvey  an idea supported by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi  was ridiculous and disgraceful. Then, in the Oval Office meeting, Trump stuns everyone by endorsing the Schumer-Pelosi plan  and agrees to work with the Democrats on repealing the debt ceiling altogether, according to The Washington Post. Later, on Air Force One, Trump goes on about what a productive meeting he had with Chuck and Nancy, not bothering to mention the GOP congressional leaders by name. Ouch.

Some shell-shocked attendees said they believed the meeting went off the rails when the presidents daughter Ivanka, who has an office in the West Wing, cheerily dropped in and disrupted the conversations focus. But this sounds to me like nothing more than a search for a scapegoat. Ryan and McConnell have no one to blame but themselves.

Trump is many things but he is not, nor has he ever been, a committed Republican. He seized control of the party in a hostile takeover. His campaign positions on trade, health care, entitlements and other issues bore no resemblance to GOP orthodoxy. He has instincts  some of them odious, from what we can intuit about his views on race and culture  but his worldview is transactional and situational, not ideological.

McConnell, Ryan and many of their Republican colleagues in Congress convinced themselves that Trump could be a useful instrument  that he would sign whatever legislation they sent him, and therefore they would be able to enact a conventional GOP agenda of tax and entitlement cuts.

Trump might have gone along with this scenario, at least for a while. But Ryan and McConnell utterly failed to hold up their end of the bargain.

Look at the health care fiasco from Trumps point of view. His campaign position was that Obamacare had to be repealed, but that the replacement should be a system offering health care for everyone. What Ryan and the House delivered, however, was a plan that would make 23 million people lose health insurance and cut nearly $800 billion from Medicaid.

Trump called that legislation mean but was so desperate for a big win that he backed it anyway. In the Senate, however, McConnell wasnt able to deliver anything at all  not even a stripped-down measure to repeal the ACA now and replace it later. Trump was humiliated and angry. Mitch M and Paul R became frequent targets of his barbed tweets.

So on Wednesday, Trump dished out a little humiliation of his own. At the White House meeting, the president reportedly cut off Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who supported the Ryan-McConnell approach to raising the debt ceiling, in mid-sentence to announce that he was siding with Schumer and Pelosi.

The stunning slapdown almost overshadowed another surprise that Trump had delivered Tuesday evening: After sending Attorney General Jeff Sessions out to announce the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Trump tweeted that if Congress did not act within six months, he would revisit the question.

What Trump clearly has already revisited is his belief in the ability of the conservative GOP congressional majorities to get anything meaningful done. He seems to be at least flirting with the idea of working instead with Democrats and GOP moderates  working not with but around the House and Senate leadership.

I just hope Schumer and Pelosi know not to trust him the way McConnell and Ryan did.

Robinsons columns, including those not published in the Journal, can be read at abqjournal.com/opinion  look for the syndicated columnist link. E-mail: eugenerobinson@washpost.com; copyright, Washington Post Writers Group.
PORTALES  Benjamin Lantz, a senior at Eastern New Mexico University, received the Top Undergraduate Poster Presenter Award at the Protein Societys 31st Annual Symposium in Montreal, Canada.

He competed against 150 undergraduates from around the world to win the honor.

The Protein Societys Symposium is an annual event that brings together top protein researchers from all over the world to discuss their new findings and provides opportunities for future collaborations.

The science students research focused on the electrostatic effects that salts have on a yeast SH3 domain proteins stability that is also found in humans, according to an ENMU news release.

Lantzs award-winning poster contained an outline of the hypothesis, methods and results/conclusions of his research.

He presented his poster during one of three two-hour-long poster sessions where judges and researchers had the chance to look over and discuss posters with their presenters.

Our lab found out about this event through our PI [principal investigator], Dr. Elliot Stollar [associate professor of chemistry at ENMU], as well as the ENMU HIS-STEM department, Lantz said.

Lantzs future lab-related plan is to publish the research he has been doing, hopefully within the next year.

He hopes to pursue a career in either dentistry, which he has been interested in for a number of years, or in a research field closer to clinical trials.

Lantz was born and raised in Albuquerque with four siblings. His mother is a pediatric cardiologist and his father is a dentist.

The 2014 Manzano High School graduate chose to attend Eastern because he was given the opportunity to run cross country and track, but also for the small class sizes and ability to work closely with professors.
LAS CRUCES  The annual Domenici public policy conference will delve into tough foreign policy, education and workforce issues, hot button topics in a country grappling with global conflicts from Mexico to the Asian Pacific.

As we see, so much of what happens in the rest of the world impacts America, said featured speaker Gary Locke, a former U.S. ambassador to China and governor of Washington state.

The annual conference, organized by The Domenici Institute at New Mexico State University, is celebrating its 10th year. The institutes mission is to continue retired New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenicis legacy and build understanding of regional and national public policy issues.

Domenici, 85, is not expected to attend since he is recovering from a recent medical procedure. Hes expected to watch a webcast of the conference and send a message that will be read by a student.

Foreign policy was chosen as a topic for this years conference before the 2016 presidential election, and it was decided to focus on three countries  China, Mexico and Russia. All are now at the center of policy decisions, heated debate and global events.

The former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Carlos Pascual, is among the speakers of particular interest for New Mexico and other border states. The promise to build a wall and to end or renegotiate NAFTA are priorities for the Trump administration and a topic of interest in southern New Mexico.

Were very concerned in this part of the world about NAFTA, said Garrey Carruthers, New Mexico State University chancellor and a former New Mexico governor. Its very timely and topical that we talk about the trade agreement.

Carruthers said the conference will highlight another critical area for New Mexico, equity in education and preparing the future workforce.

Pedro Noguera, distinguished professor at the graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA, will discuss the role of schools in teaching students of diverse backgrounds.

Weve become a society so divided based on income and race, he said. We have so many people now just barely making it.

Noguera will focus on the need to improve the capacity of schools to teach all students.

If you dont have an educated populace, youre not going to attract employers, he said.

Other speakers include New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Secretary Celina Bussey, who will focus on workplace readiness, and Ken Eisner, a senior manager for Amazon Web Services worldwide education programs, who will talk about Cloud Enabled Education for a 21st Century Workforce.

Eisner said growth of the cloud is creating new employment opportunities.

However, the skills and competencies required for these jobs require us to rethink education and industrys collaborative role in preparing workers for this evolution. Im looking forward to discussing these critical issues this week.

An estimated 1,100 people are expected at the event held at the Las Cruces Convention Center. Nearly half are students from NMSU. A panel of 22 students nominated by public universities from across New Mexico will ask the speakers questions.

We have so much more in common. Lets not overlook the areas of common interest and need for collaboration.

Locke is one of three former U.S. ambassadors who are featured speakers during the two-day conference that opens Wednesday with a keynote address by former U.S. Sen. Richard G. Lugar. Lugar served in the Senate for six terms and is a past chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

The annual conference, organized by The Domenici Institute at New Mexico State University, is celebrating its 10th year. The institutes mission is to continue retired New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenicis legacy and build understanding of regional and national public policy issues.

Domenici, 85, is not expected to attend since he is recovering from a recent medical procedure. Hes expected to watch a webcast of the conference and send a message that will be read by a student.

Foreign policy was chosen as a topic for this years conference before the 2016 presidential election, and it was decided to focus on three countries  China, Mexico and Russia. All are now at the center of policy decisions, heated debate and global events.

The former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Carlos Pascual, is among the speakers of particular interest for New Mexico and other border states. The promise to build a wall and to end or renegotiate NAFTA are priorities for the Trump administration and a topic of interest in southern New Mexico.

Were very concerned in this part of the world about NAFTA, said Garrey Carruthers, New Mexico State University chancellor and a former New Mexico governor. Its very timely and topical that we talk about the trade agreement.

Carruthers said the conference will highlight another critical area for New Mexico, equity in education and preparing the future workforce.

Pedro Noguera, distinguished professor at the graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA, will discuss the role of schools in teaching students of diverse backgrounds.

Weve become a society so divided based on income and race, he said. We have so many people now just barely making it.

Noguera will focus on the need to improve the capacity of schools to teach all students.

If you dont have an educated populace, youre not going to attract employers, he said.

Other speakers include New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Secretary Celina Bussey, who will focus on workplace readiness, and Ken Eisner, a senior manager for Amazon Web Services who will talk about Cloud Enabled Education for a 21st Century Workforce.

Eisner said growth of the cloud is creating new employment opportunities.

However, the skills and competencies required for these jobs require us to rethink education and industrys collaborative role in preparing workers for this evolution. Im looking forward to discussing these critical issues this week.

An estimated 1,100 people are expected at the event held at the Las Cruces Convention Center. Nearly half are students from NMSU. A panel of 22 students nominated by public universities from across New Mexico will ask the speakers questions.
A second Albuquerque judge has declined to detain a man accused in a pair of rape cases making their way through initial court hearings.

But Eli Kronenanker will remain in custody pending yet another detention hearing, this time in Sandoval County.

Kronenanker is accused in two rape cases, one from 2013 involving a teen girl and one from 2015 involving an adult woman.

Last week, he was charged in Sandoval County in a new case accusing him of retaliation against a witness. Prosecutors said he returned to the home of the teen in the 2013 case and punched her in the face when she told him she had no plans to drop the rape charges against him.

He is set for a pretrial detention hearing in this intimidation case Tuesday and must stay in jail until that hearing.

Meanwhile, two judges have decided Kronenanker can be released onto strict house arrest in the two rape cases.

Second Judicial District Judge Charles Brown in Albuquerque on Thursday echoed a decision made last week by Judge Stan Whitaker, opting to release Kronenanker, but placing him on house arrest.

And Brown said it seemed like prosecutors were trying to manipulate the system by filing new charges in another county based on information law enforcement had been aware of for years.

In his order, Brown says he acknowledges the seriousness of the charges against Kronenanker, but says the allegations in the cases have been known to the State since 2013.

In the 2013 case, Kronenanker, then 30, is accused tricking a 17-year-old into an online and phone relationship, then transporting her to his home where he raped her.

She filed charges, triggering Kronenanker to visit her months later, punching her and threatening her to drop the charges, prosecutors and court documents say.

Its charges from this accusation that Kronenanker now faces in Sandoval County.

Prosecutors with the Bernalillo County District Attorneys Office decided at the time that the 2013 rape case was not strong enough to move forward. The case was dismissed and evidence destroyed.

Earlier this year, the woman in the center of that case succeeded in getting the Attorney Generals Office to revive the case. The office says there is enough evidence left to proceed with prosecution.

At the same time, Kronenanker faces rape charges filed by the Bernalillo County District Attorneys Office in a 2015 case. In that case, a woman told police that she was raped after she went to the home of a man who convinced her that they had been friends in elementary school. That home was the place where the Rio Rancho teen said she had been raped, according to prosecutors.

Kronenanker came before Judge Whitaker on this case Sept. 1 and was ordered onto strict house arrest once he is released from custody.

Journal staff writer Maggie Shepard contributed to this report.
Editors Note: This is the fourth in a series of stories the Journal will publish on the contested races for the Albuquerque City Council.

Crime and the citys response dominate a two-way District 7 City Council contest between a first-term incumbent and a challenger who says Albuquerque needs new leadership. Diane Gibson, 65, a Democrat, is finishing her first term on the council. The Detroit native has lived in New Mexico since 1975 and retired from Sandia National Laboratories in 2008.

Her challenger, Eric L. Lucero, 59, is a Republican who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1985 to 1995, and the New Mexico Army National Guard from 2000 to 2013.

The two will face off Oct. 3 for the council seat in District 7, a rectangular Northeast Heights district between Interstate 25 and Eubank Boulevard, and between Montgomery and Lomas boulevards.

Lucero and Gibson both say the city needs to do more to confront crime and increase the number of police officers, but offer different approaches.

We dont have enough officers, and the criminals know it, Lucero said. We need more cops. We need to be patrolling our city.

The city needs to prioritize funding for public safety before spending money on projects such as parks, transit and other programs, including economic development and addiction treatment, he said.

You have to secure your city first, and then you can deal with the opioid crisis, homelessness, joblessness, he said.

Gibson said the city also needs to expand addiction treatment programs to address the root cause of crime.

Obviously, we do need more police officers who need to make arrests, said Gibson, who said at least 1,000 officers are needed. But everybody who is paying attention in the city of Albuquerque knows that a huge majority of property crimes are fueled by drug addiction.

Lucero and Gibson both say Albuquerque needs more police officers. Lucero said the city needs new APD leadership and higher salaries for officers.

Officers are being overworked and underappreciated, Lucero said. Real commitment, real money needs to be applied so that we can keep our officers.

Gibson said the city needs smarter recruiting strategies and skilled recruiters.

We do need more officers, Gibson said. But the reason were not getting more officers is because were not actively recruiting. We should be out actively recruiting, and we should be doing it on every college campus in the state of New Mexico.

The two candidates also sparred over an ordinance sponsored by Gibson that would tighten up on purchases by pawn shop owners and gold buyers by creating a three-day waiting period before the seller can receive payment. Gibson said the ordinance will help stop the purchase of stolen property by pawn shops and gold buyers.

The pawn stores and gold buyers could have regulated themselves, Gibson said. They didnt do it, so now the city has to step in.

Lucero calls the measure wrong-headed because it would hurt businesses and do little to stop thieves, who he said have other ways to fence stolen goods.

More about Diane Gibson PARTY: Democrat AGE: 65 EDUCATION: MBA, College of Santa Fe, 2000; B.A. Business, College of Santa Fe, 1998 OCCUPATION: Environment, safety and health coordinator, Sandia National Laboratories, 1980-2008; seasonal tax professional, H&R Block, 2004-2013; city councilor 2013-present FAMILY: Single, no children. POLITICAL/GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE: Four years as Albuquerque city councilor. MAJOR PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: During this term I implemented the gender pay equity for city vendors; funded the construction of the Los Altos pool building; worked toward a Tiny Home Village project; and chaired the Winrock TIDD board while we issued bonds for development. MAJOR PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT: Spending much quality time with each of my parents in their last years. I am grateful for the Family and Medical Leave Act for allowing me to be there with them.
If you have a credit score of 750 or higher, you are in the minority of consumers who typically qualify for high-limit credit cards. Because of this evidence of solid credit and financial history, credit card companies are more willing to offer high limits and increased benefits to get you to use their credit cards and other financial services.

Prior to the financial crisis of 2008, it was not uncommon for people to have credit cards with limits of up to $50,000. Credit card companies have since slashed limits, and now a high-limit card is one with limits of $5,000 or more. Learning more about credit limits can help you determine whether a high-limit credit card is right for you.

SPENDING LIMITS AND YOUR CREDIT SCORE

Your credit limit is the maximum amount of money that the credit card company allows you to borrow. Allowing you to borrow any amount is a risk on the part of the credit card company, which is why high-limit credit cards are reserved for those who have high credit scores and strong credit histories. The average credit card limits based on credit score are as follows:

850 to 781 (superprime): $9,543

780 to 661 (prime): $5,409

660 to 601 (near prime): $2,277

600 to 500 (subprime): $966

499 to 300 (deep subprime): $509

Having credit cards with high limits can help or hurt your credit score, depending on how you utilize them. A high credit limit means that you are a trustworthy borrower, and this can help increase your credit score. Creditors look at your credit utilization ratio on individual accounts and as a whole. If you have a high credit limit but use only a small amount of your credit, this can raise your credit score.

Because credit utilization accounts for up to 30 percent of your credit score, having a high limit and a high utilization rate can have a negative impact on your score.

FACTORS USED TO DETERMINE A CREDIT-LIMIT INCREASE

Every credit card company has different criteria for determining whether someone is eligible for a credit-limit increase. Often, credit card companies, in making a decision, ask for updated personal information regarding your salary. Other factors include making payments to all of your creditors on time and frequently making larger payments to reduce your balance rather than just making the minimum payment every month.

Some people with a stellar credit history and a solid income can get a credit card with a high limit almost immediately after applying. Others might qualify for a lower limit and have to work their way up to a higher limit. Depending on the credit card company, some consumers qualify for automatic limit increases. Customers of companies that dont give automatic credit increases must request a credit-limit increase. However, consumers should be aware that while automatic increases do not affect credit scores, requesting an increase can result in a hard inquiry on your credit report and affect your credit score, regardless of whether youre approved for a bigger credit limit.

BENEFITS OF HIGH-LIMIT CREDIT CARDS

Having a high-limit credit card can reduce your debt-to-credit ratio, provided that you keep balances low. Keeping that ratio low can make it easier for you to access loans and additional credit in the future because it helps build up your credit history. A high-limit credit card also gives you a bit of security in knowing that you have access to funds in case of an emergency.

Having a high-limit credit card comes with a number of benefits. But in order to get one, you have to work at building your credit and raising your credit score. And while high-limit credit cards are not as common as they once were, it is still possible to obtain one.



Visit Bankrate online at http://www.bankrate.com



2017 Bankrate.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
MINNEAPOLIS  At a bank headquarters in St. Paul, some workers keep an extra pair of sensible shoes at their workstations, just so they can more comfortably use their new sit-to-stand desks.

In a nearby suburb, an entrepreneur said the extra expense with height-adjustable desks was worth it, especially when it comes to recruiting and retaining millennial workers.

One state worker said hes such a fan of his new desk that he doesnt even use his government-issued office chair.

I think its a happier perspective when Im standing, said Tim Hoeppner, 56.

Standing desks have emerged as the fastest growing employee benefit in U.S. workplaces, according to a June report from the Society for Human Resource Management. The groups annual survey of HR professionals found that 44 percent said their company this year is either providing or subsidizing the use of standing desks, up from 13 percent in 2013.

Its not known what share of office workers are using sit-to-stand desks. Peter Segar, chief executive of Ergotron, a Minnesota-based maker of adjustable furniture, puts the figure at about 2 percent.

Even so, Segar said standing desks constitute the biggest change in office furniture since the dawn of the cubicle in the 1960s.

Sit-to-stand really does change the way people work, he said. Theyre more dynamic. Theyre up-and-down. I think its easier to collaborate with people.

Motorized desks that rise and fall with the push of a button are priced from $1,000 to $3,000, according to websites from some of the nations largest office furniture manufacturers. Michigan-based Steelcase said bulk discounts are available, and prices vary based on features. Thats also true of standard desks, which the company said generally start at $400.

Websites are teeming with less-expensive options for workers who want to alternate between sitting and standing. Online retailers charge $200 to $400 for full-size desks that move up and down via a hand crank, and a few hundred dollars more for powered desks.

Theres a growing number of devices that convert a regular desk into a sit-stand workstation. Earlier this year, 3M launched one such product called the Precision Standing Desk, which is similar to other devices in looking like a collapsible set of metal risers.

If you go online now, you will see literally a dozen if not more companies dedicated to selling this type of office furniture, said Dr. James Levine, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic. This has become, if you like, a booming industry.

For years, Levine has cheered the growth of standing desks and other furniture technologies that help workers get up and move during the workday  everything from wiggling chairs to low-speed treadmills that are paired with standing desks. The point is to help people be less sedentary, he said, in hopes that movement can help people avoid chronic diseases associated with excess sitting.

The medical rationale for the standing desks took a hit in 2016. Researchers found that studies purporting to link health benefits with the furniture actually provide only low quality evidence.

Nico Pronk, a researcher with HealthPartners in the Twin Cities area, said the review raised valid questions, but also pointed to the need for better studies including research on the effect from reduced periods of prolonged sitting.

Thats where that emerging evidence is starting to come in, Pronk said.

In Minnesota, 58 percent of respondents to the recent Human Resource Management survey said their companies use standing desks. Many are adopting the furniture as they expand into new office spaces or renovate old ones, said Paula Storsteen, director of interiors in Minneapolis-based HGA Architects and Engineers.

HGA itself is installing sit-to-stand workstations, Storsteen said, adding that chairs arent going the way of the Rolodex.

To stand all day is not good either, she said. You still need your chair.

Health care companies were among the first in the Twin Cities to widely adopt standing desks. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota started installing the desks in 2006, and the trend spread by 2013 to all 4,400 workstations at the insurance company. About 2,500 standing desks are being used at HealthPartners, which is both a health insurance company and hospital operator.

Pronk, the health system researcher, points to writing by a physician in the 18th century who claimed tailors and cobblers were more susceptible to disease because they sat while working.

When the forerunners to modern offices started spreading in the mid-19th century, writers routinely denounced the lack of vigor in office life compared with other lines of work, said Nikil Saval, author of the 2014 book Cubed: The Secret History of the Workplace.

While the cubicle is often held up as the symbol of office monotony, the designer who developed the idea did so as part of a vibrant vision called the Action Office. Sold in the 1960s by the Michigan manufacturer Herman Miller Inc., the original plan included a prototype for sit-stand desks.

There was this recognition in ergonomic thinking of the 1960s that it was better for people to move around, Saval said.

It didnt happen. Cost was an issue, as well as the introduction of desktop computers that limited mobility. Now, the goal is closer to reality in places like St. Paul-based Sunrise Bank, where workers this year have gladly adapted their footwear to take advantage of standing desks that came with the move to a new headquarters.

Wearing tall heels is not a good idea when standing at your desk a lot, said Melodie Carlson, the banks chief operating officer, in an email. Some will have a pair of office shoes for standing during the day.

When Irish Titan moved into new office space two years ago, the Twin Cities-area firm opted for standing desks in part because millennial employees and potential hires have come to expect the furniture, said Darin Lynch, the founder of the e-commerce and digital marketing company.

My industry  my employee demographic  is trending strongly that way, and so I wanted to be in front of that, Lynch said.

Hoeppner, the state worker, said he cheered this year when his employer, the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology, took new office space that includes standing desks. Due to back troubles, Hoeppner started using a product a few years ago that converted his stationary desk, so he was familiar with the concept.

The back problem has largely gone away, but Hoeppner continues to work on his feet  a posture that fits with his on-the-go work as an inspector. Ive never sat in a chair at my station, he said. Id rather stand.



2017 Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

Visit the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) at www.startribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Whoever stole a black Chevy Trailblazer towing a U-Haul trailer from the Residence Inn near Yale and Gibson SE early Monday was in for a surprise.

When the thieves opened the trailer and flipped over a cardboard box, there were no valuables. Underneath was a man's body.

Family members had been driving their relatives remains from Oklahoma to be buried in Kirtland when they stopped at the Residence Inn in Albuquerque on Sunday night.

Around 4:30 a.m. Monday, a hotel employee noticed what he thought was a vehicle theft and called police. He said the thief or thieves drove a red Chevy Silverado pickup, but officers didnt have much to go on until they got a phone call from one of the victims.

Clearly, his wife was extremely emotional, as her fathers body had just been stolen, Albuquerque police spokesman Tanner Tixier said. We immediately started allocating resources to try to find this vehicle, not only because its just a heart-wrenching story, but also youre going to have the biosafety factors of having an unaccounted-for dead body.

Tixier said it is legal to transport bodies with a proper permit.

A couple of hours later, officers found the SUV and attached trailer, with the remains still inside, near the Puerto del Sol golf course at Gibson and Girard SE.

The thieves had long since fled. But it may not take long for authorities to crack the case. Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Felicia Maggard said three people were arrested after a stolen red Chevy Silverado pickup truck nearly crashed into an unmarked police vehicle near Interstate 25 and Avenida Cesar Chavez around 9:30 a.m.

The driver, 26-year-old Jeremy Soliz, was arrested on numerous felony charges, including possession of burglary tools. Two other people, 22-year-old Anthony Serna and 22-year-old Daniel Gonzales, were arrested for felony warrants.

That case is connected to the U-Haul theft, though authorities havent elaborated on how and no charges had been filed Monday.

Tixier said police are still investigating and were happy they found the stolen SUV and trailer.

Auto theft is an issue in this town, but this one really shook a lot of people up, he said.
HOUSTON  The first day of classes for students in Houston on Monday was filled with the excitement of meeting new teachers and making new friends, while also allowing the nations fourth-largest city to return normalcy to an area still wending its way through the healing process following massive flooding from Harvey.

Students are excited to be back. Parents are excited to get students out of the house, to get them back to something normal, to be with their friends, said school secretary Demitra Cain as she greeted students and parents outside Codwell Elementary. The longtime school district employee said she had probably given out at least 200 hugs on the first day of the new school year, which was delayed by two weeks due to Harvey.

Superintendent Richard Carranza said the new school year was going to be a year of not only incredible academic achievement, but its going to be a year of healing.

None of the districts more than 300 schools and facilities escaped without some impact from the tropical storm, Carranza said. The district estimates Harvey caused at least $700 million in damage to schools and other buildings as well as other costs.

Students at 268 of the Houston school districts 284 campuses started classes on Monday. Houston has the nations seventh-largest school system, with about 215,000 students.

Some of the students who returned to school on Monday included many of the less than 1,500 students who remain at shelters because their homes and apartments were flooded. The district bused these students from shelters to their campuses, officials said.

The remaining campuses will start classes on Tuesday, Sept. 18 and Sept. 25 due to ongoing clean up and repairs from Harvey, which last month dumped more than 50 inches of rain in some areas around Houston.

Nine campuses were so severely damaged that their students will have to be temporarily relocated to vacant district buildings or transferred to nearby schools and three of these campuses likely will be closed for repairs the entire school year. These nine campuses served about 6,500 students last year.

We are working hard to make sure that were going to be as normal as normal can be, given the circumstance. We know the quicker we can get students into a routine, it allows mom and dad to get into a routine. It allows the healing to begin, said Carranza after visiting with students at Codwell Elementary and helping serve some of them breakfast. So weve burned the midnight oil for the last two weeks to make sure we can get as many schools up and running today.

For students who didnt start on Monday or who have been staying in shelters, teachers and community groups have been working with them to ensure they get organized instructional activity until they return to the classroom, Carranza said.

Chitiquita Myers, who dropped off her 9-year-old son James at Codwell Elementary, said the start of the new school year will give all her seven children a chance to focus on something good and forget about the fear they felt during the tropical storm. Myers said her home did not flood but her kids were scared and slept in their closets during the torrential rainfall.

Theyre doing good now. All night (Sunday) they were talking about going to school, said Myers, 33.

At a news conference with Carranza, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said he will continue working with the school district to offer students and their families whatever help they need from the city and local community groups.

The city, along with our partners, are working to make sure (students) homes are livable. There is a lot of work to be done, Turner said. There is no better way to demonstrate to the rest of the world that this city is open than for them to see kids in our schools and learning.

Other school districts in the Houston area have also had to make adjustments due to damage from Harvey.

In the Houston suburb of Humble, Summer Creek High School will share its building for the entire school year with students from Kingwood High School, which was severely damaged. In the Katy school district, students at Creech Elementary will attend classes at an unused satellite location belonging to the University of Houston until repairs to their campus can be completed.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70
VIENNA  An Austrian company has revoked the domain name of an American neo-Nazi website that previously was rejected by internet hosts in the United States.

Monika Pink-Rank, a spokeswoman for Austrian domain registry nic.at, said The Daily Stormers domain was removed on Monday after Austrian politicians reported the white supremacist platforms presence.

The website has been looking for a home since its publisher mocked the counter-protester who was killed during the Confederate monument protests in Charlottesville, Virginia last month.

Publisher Andrew Anglin said four domain registration companies refused to service the site.

Pink-Rank says the Austrian domain was set up at the end of August, after the Charlottesville violence.
SANTA FE  A judge in Santa Fe has granted a new trial to a man convicted of killing three people in 2011 with a pickax when he was 16 years old.

Nicholas Ortizs first trial ended in a hung jury but he was convicted in his second trial of killing 55-year-old Lloyd Ortiz, 53-year-old Dixie Ortiz and their 21-year-old son Steven Ortiz.

Ortiz isnt related to the victims, who were killed in their El Rancho home during what prosecutors say was a botched burglary attempt.

Judge Francis Mathew Friday reversed Ortizs convictions and ordered a new trial. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the judge said there was fundamental error during the second trial but he didnt elaborate.

Defense attorney Marlowe had argued multiple points in arguing for a new trial.
Presbyterian Health Plan on Monday filed court documents making official that it denies avoiding millions of dollars in taxes on health insurance premiums.

The allegations against the states largest health care provider were included in a lawsuit brought in July by the state Attorney Generals Office.

The insurer filed a point-by-point response in First District Court in Santa Fe, denying the allegations. It also asked a judge to dismiss one of the claims in the AGs suit.

That suit accused Presbyterian of engaging in a 15-year fraudulent enterprise by falsifying deductions and credits. It contends the health plan claimed more than $754 million in unlawful deductions for calendar years 2001 through 2011.

Presbyterians response clearly demonstrates that Presbyterian did not commit fraud, Dale Maxwell, president and CEO of Presbyterian Healthcare Services, said in a phone interview. Presbyterian Health Services, a not-for-profit, owns the health plan.

The insurer repeated throughout its written legal response that it had worked with state regulators over the years in determining its tax liability.

Its payments were undertaken in good faith and/or in reasonable reliance upon regulatory interpretations and judgment by (Office of the Superintendent of Insurance), upon whom Presbyterian was entitlted to rely, the document said.

Maxwell, in the interview, said, Presbyterian has been a part of this community for almost 109 years. As a not-for-profit organization, we are committed to paying all the taxes due to the state. We take our responsibilities to the taxpayers seriously, and we pay what we owe.

Separately, the State Auditors Office with the state insurance office is conducting an investigation of allegations related to underpayment of taxes on insurance premiums by multiple insurers.
An Albuquerque woman with ties to the Sinaloa cartel was sentenced to 27 years in prison for a drug trafficking conviction Monday.

A jury convicted Sandra Cook, 53, after a three-day trial a in May. She was facing a possible life sentence.

Bundles of more than seven pounds of meth and $22,000 in cash were found when authorities executed a search warrant at Cooks home in June 2015, according to a new release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of New Mexico..

Theres going to be a lot of wrecked lives, a lot of wrecked families, as a result of Cooks drug dealing, U.S. District Court Judge William Johnson said during Cooks sentencing hearing on Monday.

Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office detective Jerry Koppman said during the hearing that Cook was very connected with Sinaloa cartel members. He said Cook would receive meth from cartel members based in Arizona and she would then distribute the drugs to Albuquerque-area meth dealers.

When she was arrested, authorities found her with more than 400 grams of 100 percent pure meth, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Eric Hannum, Cooks attorney, asked for a 15-year prison sentence. He said his client was sexually abused by her stepfather when she was 12 to 18. Hannum said in a sentencing memorandum that because of that abuse Cook developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and shes used drugs to cope with that and stress and anxiety.

Im sorry. Im just begging for mercy, Cook said before the sentence was handed down. I just want to go home.
PHOENIX  Authorities say an El Mirage police officer fatally shot a person during a shots-fired call in Youngtown.

Maricopa County Sheriffs say 22-year-old Erick Perez of Youngtown was armed with a handgun and two knives around 10 p.m. Sunday and allegedly advanced toward the El Mirage officer after ignoring orders to stop.

Authorities say the unidentified officer believed Perez was a threat to his life and to others at the scene and opened fire on Perez, who died at the scene.

Sheriffs officials Perez had prior arrests and served prison time in Arizona for arson, burglary, leaving the scene of an accident and a parole violation.
"Stratonomics 2017", the Annual Business Conclave organized by CONSTRAT, the Consulting and Strategy Association of XIMB-XUB, took place at Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar on Sunday. The theme of the conclave was "Partnerships and Consolidation: Key to survival in Indias Competitive Landscape".

The speakers for "Stratonomics 2017" were Mr. Dinesh Jain, Founder & CEO, IndianMaze Advisory Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Siju Narayan, Smarter Commerce Lead, IBM, Mr. Subroto Gupta, SVP, Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd and Mr. Dilip Sharma, Zonal Head, DHFL Pramerica Life Insurance. The event was moderated by Prof. Amar K.J.R. Nayak, XIMB-XUB, who ensured a smooth flow of the session.

The first speaker ofStratonomics 2017 was Mr. Subroto Gupta who compared between classical competition in the food industry and the new nature of competition in the form of food aggregators and highlighted how Jubilant Foodworks Ltd. is working as a tech-enabled, consumer experience company in the food industry. He said, Partnership model focuses on co-innovation and risk-sharing.

The second speaker of the event was Mr. Siju Narayan, who pointed out that every industry which has customer experience in its core of operations has been disrupted. He emphasized and explained that disruption is not equal to innovation. He also listed important techniques such as Design Thinking which are required by all industries as in the current scenario, it should be more focused on customer engagement rather than customer loyalty.

The third speaker of the event, Mr. Dilip Sharma, emphasized the fact that satisfied, repeat customers are very fundamental to successful partnerships. He listed out the four forces working in an organization. He said, Results matter and are specifically the reason why partnerships are being looked into.

The fourth speaker of the event was Mr. Dinesh Jain, who stressed on both the aspects of consolidation and told that it is a cycle of focus and defocus, alliances to breakups and how partnerships may or may not serve the same purpose as mergers and acquisitions. He mentioned how India is a very complex market as opposed to other foreign markets as what is right for one market in India would be completely opposite to another market in India. He also explained the role of culture and how it affects the success or failure of any alliance.

The speeches were followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience. After this session, the winners of CONSILIUM-2017, a national level white paper writing competition were felicitated by the esteemed guests. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by the coordinator of CONSTRAT, Mr. Ankit Anupam. This event also marked the release of the annual business magazine of CONSTRAT The Strategist-2017.

Why Must Business Embrace Sustainability?

at PARIVARTAN 2017

"Parivartan 2017", the annual business conclave organized by ConXerv, the Committee for Sustainability of Xavier University, was held on Saturday, 26th August, 2017, by the Xavier School of Sustainability. The event illuminated the growing need for sustainability in businesses and covered four sub-themes-Process, Practice, Power and People.

The panel consisted of Dr. Rambabu Paravastu (CEO-RSM GC Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd.), Mr. Phil Turner (Group Head Safety, Health and Environment- Vedanta Resources Plc) and Mrs. Nandita Upadhyay (Sustainability Head- TATA Chemicals) The event was moderated by Prof. Sutapa Pati, Associate Professor, Xavier School of Sustainability, XUB.

The event kick started with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, and a welcome address by Dr. S. Peppin, Dean, Xavier School of Sustainability, XUB.

The first speaker of this august gathering was Mr. Phil Turner, who introduced the concept of sustainability in business. He elaborated on the social license to operate, the increasing need for organizations to engage with the owners and the lax in legalities binding sustainability within firms. He also touched upon the four Ps  Power, Paris (the Paris Agreement) and Poverty. Lastly, he urged the future managers to look for organizations with integrity and work towards making them better.

The second speaker of the day was Mrs. Nandita Upadhyay, who discussed the principle of sustainability which includes sustained ecological, social and economic growth and how diverse it is. She touched upon some important terms like Eco-Efficiency, Life Cycle Analysis, Environment Modelling and Vulnerability Assessment. She enlightened the students about the new guidelines that have come up like green bond and green finance in the banking sector. Lastly, she asserted that the businesses are putting in sincere efforts and evolving better methods in this area.

The final speaker of the day, Dr. Rambabu Paravastu, raised a pertinent question-what is that we should sustain when we talk about sustainability? He discussed how power should flow in a business so that sustainability in a company can be achieved. Emphasis was put on the need for participative power wielding with the collaboration of GRA and IR thinking. He rightly summed up Sustainability as Future-Proofing.

The speeches were followed by an interactive question and answer session with the audience.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Ms. Sweety Samantray, Coordinator of ConXerv, Committee of Xavier School of Sustainability, Xavier University, Bhubaneswar.

Automation in Information Technology discussed at Envision 2017

"Envision 2017", the annual Business Conclave, organized by X-SYS, the Systems Association of XIMB-XUB, took place at Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar on Saturday, 26th of August. The theme for this years conclave was "Automation in Information Technology".

This conclave was aimed at addressing the developments in Automation in Information Technology and its impacts on various sectors like Banking, Oil & Gas Industry, Retail Industry, Digital Transformation and Pharmaceutical Industry.

Mr. Satya Shankar Mahapatra (Senior VP - Risk & Analytics, Barclays Investment Bank), Mr. Joydeep Dutta (Executive Director & Group CTO, Central Depository Services Limited (CDSL)), Mr. Debasish Mohapatra (Project Quality, and Global Quality Capability Team Lead, Shell India Markets Pvt. Ltd), Mr. Ritesh Srivastava(Director  IT, Merck Sharp & Dohme Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd) and Mr. Bhavesh Kumar (Head  Engineering & Technology: Data, TESCO PLC) were the speakers for the occasion. Dr. Bhaskar Basu (Associate Professor, Information Systems) served as the moderator for the event.

The first speaker of "Envision 2017" was Mr. Satya Shankar Mahapatra. He emphasised the importance of AI and Robotics in the Banking industry. He mentioned that the key dimensions of automation in Banking were Big Data, IoT, Deep learning and AI. He also touched upon the significance of Block Chain technology in aiding automation in banking. He said, Velocity, Volume, Variety and Veracity of data has grown tremendously over the past two years.

The next speaker, Mr. Joydeep Dutta,spoke about Technology and Digital Transformation in the financial services industry. He explained thatthe objective was to create an ecosystem whereall disparate systems seamlessly collaborated with each other. According to him,good connectivity channels, Automation and decision capability were the building blocks of innovation. Customer Centricity and providing excellent customer experience across all touch points or channels is of paramount importance, he cited.



Mr. Bhavesh Kumar was the third speaker of the day. He stated that the basics of retail was, 'Buy, Move and Sell'. He also explained how a highly connected and interdependent process like retail can be made seamless by employing automation. He threw some light on the various challenges faced by the retail industry while adopting innovation, the most important one being security of data. He said, Whatever data we roll out, it has to be 100% secure.

The next speaker for the day was Mr. Ritesh Srivastava. He shared valuable insights on the role of automation in the Pharmaceutical Industry. He advised the audience to focus not only on the technology used in solving a problem, but on the problem itself. According to him, the crux of automation is Robotic Process Automation or RPA. He said that RPA delivers an impressive incremental improvement over human equivalent. He cited, Automation is not new. It has always been there and will be there. The onus is upon us to leverage it and employ it to deliver business value.

Mr. Debasish Mohapatra was the final speaker of the day. He brought in a fresh perspective about the importance of automation in IT in the Oil and Gas industry. He explained how drones and other technologies helped them to access remote pipelines and made the industry less tedious. He also stated that the objective of automation remains the same irrespective of the various services offered over various departments. He said, Make IT and Automation so interesting that companies get motivated to implement them in their business model.

The speeches were followed by an interactive Q&A session, with the guest speakers answering the thoughtful and challenging questions posed by type students. Dr. Bhaskar Basu, then, shared his insights and learnings with the audience. This was followed by the unveiling of X-ITe, the annual newsletter of X-SYS. This was succeeded by the announcement and felicitations of the winners of the annual article writing contest. The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Prof. Rahul Thakurta, Associate Professor, Information Systems.
DexYP obtained flexibility to fulfill regulatory requirement with a digital directory in some areas, while continuing to provide printed directories upon request.

DexYP, one of the largest national providers of local business automation solutions for local businesses and the official print directory publisher for CenturyLink and Verizon in Pennsylvania together (the Petitioners), announced through its petition with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (the Commission), its plan to seek regulation relief around deliveries of telephone directories distributed in Pennsylvania.

The Petitioners request was recently approved by the Commission allowing DexYP to continue to regularly update and print telephone directories, but reduce distribution of printed directories in select areas. Additionally, consumers who didnt receive a directory may request one for free by calling 800-888-8448 or visiting www.dexpages.com for an online version.

DexYP seeks flexibility to quickly meet changes in market demand, to better provide directory products and services targeted to residents who use them. While there has been a rapid shift from traditional print to online media, regulatory mandates of print directories to all consumers are currently outdated, lagging behind this online market trend.

Part of this petition request was to seek any and all waivers applicable to the full print telephone directory, to enable the company to efficiently and effectively meet consumer demand, while continuing to meet the needs of residents who use printed directories.

About DexYP

DexYP provides local business automation software and digital and print marketing solutions to more than 700,000 local businesses that enable them to compete and win in todays on-demand economy. We provide the digital tools and marketing sophistication that big businesses utilize, arming local businesses with the deep resources they need to survive and thrive. Our flagship productThryvallows local businesses to automate the business functions they performed manually in the past, or never performed.

DexYP also provides consumer services through our market-leading search, display and social products and connects local businesses to the 47.5 million monthly visitors of DexKnows.com, Superpages.com and yellowpages.com search portals; and local print directories The Real Yellow Pages. For more information about the company, visit dexyp.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170911006011/en/

DexYP

Paige Blankenship, 972-453-3012

Paige.Blankenship@dexyp.com
Google on Monday launched an official appeal against the historic antitrust fine given to it by the European Commission in late June. The firms case will be taken by the General Court, an entity based in Luxembourg which is also the second largest judicial authority in the political bloc. Some industry watchers are predicting the competent court to rule on the matter no earlier than Q4 2019, though the initial verdict may come at a significantly later date. Antitrust cases are generally a slow affair on the Old Continent, with Intel having just recently won an appeal against its $1.3 billion antitrust fine issued in 2009, with that particular case now being set for a reexamination by a lower court and still being years away from its official conclusion. While Google seemingly has a long battle ahead of it, Intels dispute with the antitrust watchdog of the European Commission and the manner in which it has been developing in recent years is generally good news for the Alphabet-owned company which raised some similar points while criticizing the verdict it was hit with, including the Commissions vague requirements pertaining to the cessation of monopolistic practices.

The Mountain View, California-based tech giant was ordered to pay the equivalent of $2.7 billion for violating the EUs antitrust laws by abusing the dominant market position of Google Search and manipulating online search results in an effort to promote its shopping and general price comparison service at a direct expense of its competitors. Google dismissed that notion on several occasions in recent months, with its legal representatives presenting the controversial service as an incremental part of the companys Internet search engine and not a separate product competing in another market. The companys appeal wont affect its compliance with the EUs order to cease all monopolistic behavior by next month for which the firm already submitted a general plan that the competition watchdog previously said it was satisfied with, at least following a preliminary review. Googles decision to not request an interim suspension order may be seen by the General Court in a positive light given how the Internet giant chose not to fight the EUs decision in a maximally aggressive manner and has instead approached the appellate procedure in good faith, some industry watchers believe.

Google is still being investigated by the political bloc on two other antitrust fronts pertaining to its possible abuse of the Android operating system and AdWords advertising platform, also with the supposed goal of promoting its other services while actively hurting rivaling offerings. Those two cases should reach their preliminary verdicts in the coming months, presumably no later than the first quarter of 2018.
Xiaomi announced several new devices a couple of hours back, two premium offerings in the form of the Mi MIX 2 flagship and Mi Notebook Pro laptop, and a new mid-ranger presented as the latest addition to its phablet series  the Mi Note 3. The handset is essentially a larger and slightly downgraded version of the Mi 6 which Xiaomi launched earlier this year but despite being powered by a somewhat weaker Snapdragon 660 system-on-chip (SoC), its general performance doesnt seem to be any different; the smartphone is just as fast as Xiaomis best offerings to date, featuring a responsive interface that ships as part of the MIUI 9 Android skin, as well as a spacious 5.5-inch screen which was previously rumored to debut on the Mi 6 Plus, with Xiaomi now being unlikely to use this moniker for any of its future products.

The Mi Note 3 is made of metal and glass and boasts a Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) LCD panel which is comparable to a number of recent popular choices among Android enthusiasts like the OnePlus 5. The screen utilizes a conventional aspect ratio of 16:9 and is what youve come to expect from your standard mid-range handset, being spacious enough for virtually any task youd realistically expect to accomplish on a smartphone while simultaneously remaining easy to get used to. Xiaomi has yet to disclose the detailed specifications of the display module found on the Mi Note 3, though our limited testing suggests that the handset is more than usable in direct sunlight.

The rear side of the handset houses a dual camera setup which is virtually identical to the one found on the Mi 6 which was touted as being extremely capable and versatile by both critics and consumers alike. The system entails two 12-megapixel Sony-made sensors, with the main one sitting behind a wide-angle lens and the other taking advantage of telephoto glass. The dual-LED flash unit and optical image stabilization (OIS) support make the Mi Note 3 suitable for low-light photography and its general imaging capabilities are better than what youd expect from a mid-range offering, which this device technically is. The top bezel of the Mi Note 3 houses a 16-megapixel camera module boasting a large sensor with a pixel size of 2.0m which is more than adequate for traditional selfies, limited testing indicates.

Advertisement

The smartphone itself is relatively comfortable to hold, if not just a little bit slippery, though a thin case should eliminate those minor issues. The Mi Note 3 still rests well in your hand, being somewhat heavier than the regular 5.5-inch device, tipping the scales at 163g. The regularly sized bezels of the smartphone may not be in accordance with the latest industry trends followed by the likes of Samsung, LG, and even Xiaomi with its Mi MIX 2 which debuted alongside the Mi Note 3 earlier today, but the benefit of that approach is that you get a front-facing fingerprint reader embedded into a physical Home button, which is something that certain consumers will appreciate.

The Mi Note 3s stereo speakers sound great and its general audio potential is also rather high, with the phone having a 3.5mm audio jack and Bluetooth 5.0 support which should allow it to easily connect to multiple speakers and serve as a multimedia control hub when needed. The new MIUI 9 Android skin is rather responsive and seems like it was designed specifically for Xiaomis latest phablet, though it remains to be seen whether all of its features like smart image search and various AI capabilities will be ported over to the English variant of the ROM, provided that the Mi Note 3 is ever officially released in the West.

The Mi Note 3 is going on sale in China tomorrow, starting at 2,499 Yuan ($384), which is the price of the version with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal flash memory. Those looking for 128GB of storage space will have to pay 2,899 Yuan ($445), Xiaomi said. Those price tags pertain to the black model, whereas the blue one with 128GB of native storage will retail for 2,999 Yuan ($460). No global availability details have been provided by the Beijing, China-based original equipment manufacturer, suggesting that the Mi Note 3 may never officially make its way out of the Far Eastern country save for a possible release in India. Still, online resellers like GearBest are bound to have the device in stock this fall and will presumably be shipping them worldwide at no extra charge, as is usually the case with all of Xiaomis products.
The LG V30, G6, and Q6 are set to receive support for Sensorys TrulySecure facial recognition technology, the Santa Clara, California-based company announced on Monday. The benefits of the newly unveiled collaboration will soon allow owners of the LG G6, Q6, and the upcoming V30 flagship to use an advanced facial recognition solution powered by robust artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and related anti-spoofing algorithms which are meant to deliver an authentication service thats extremely convenient while simultaneously being significantly more secure compared to its direct alternatives, according to its creators. Sensory claims that its facial verification methods have an accuracy rate of approximately 99.999 percent and are industry-leading as far as commercial applications of mobile biometric authentication mechanisms are concerned.

Another major selling point of TrulySecure comes in the form of its basic requirements, with the service being able to work with ordinary smartphone camera modules and not warranting specialized hardware, thus being relatively suitable for implementation into third-party devices. The biometric data which the platform uses to authenticate the user is only stored locally and is never uploaded to the cloud, making the solution as secure as possible, the company claims. Furthermore, TrulySecure was specifically designed to work even when a small part of the users face is obscured by an ordinary accessory like a pair of glasses, which is another feature that Sensory claims puts its solution ahead of the competition. Apart from support for TrulySecury, LGs smartphone trio is now also compatible with Sensorys TrulyHandsfree and TrulySecure Speaker Verification, providing users with the option of securely waking or unlocking their device with a short voice command. The benefits of those two technologies are the same as the ones Sensory lists in the context of its mobile facial recognition service.

Sensorys partnership with LG Electronics marks the latest step in the companys efforts to expand its service portfolio to more devices, with the firm already having an extensive collaboration with Samsung Electronics, LGs domestic rival and the largest smartphone vendor in the world. As for its new partner, the South Korean original equipment manufacturer has yet to attach a firm release date to the LG V30, though the recently unveiled Android flagship is widely expected to become available for purchase by mid-October.
A rather interesting phone leaked recently (pictured down below), claiming to be Meizus upcoming, bezel-less smartphone, and the companys Head of Global Marketing has actually decided to address this leak, which is quite surprising. The companys Head of Marketing, Ard Boudeling, told us that the leaked image is not real, that is not the companys upcoming smartphone, but he did confirm that Meizu is working on a device with a bezel-less design, while he also added that such a phone is scheduled to arrive next year.

There you have it, this is essentially Meizus official confirmation that its bezel-less phone is coming, though, unfortunately, Mr. Boudeling did not share any additional info here. We do not know if such a phone will arrive in the first or second half of next year, but it will be interesting to see what will Meizu offer in that regard. The company has been including its trademarked mBack multifunctional home key to pretty much every device it announced in the last couple of years, and it will be interesting to see if the company will keep that button on its device, or will it be gone once the bezel-less phone lands.

Meizu had introduced its first Snapdragon-powered M Note device earlier this year, after signing a global licensing deal with Qualcomm at the end of this year, but that does not mean that this bezel-less phone will ship with Qualcomms chip. Meizu actually confirmed recently that the company will keep utilizing processors from MediaTek, Qualcomm and Samsung, which essentially means well see MediaTek, Snapdragon and Exynos-branded chips in the companys upcoming devices, and it remains to be seen which SoC will be included in Meizus bezel-less phone. Mr. Boudeling did not confirm if that handset will ship with high-end specs, but that was to be expected, so perhaps the Meizu PRO 8 gets to ship with bezel-less design? Well, who knows, at this point we can only guess, as it is also possible that the company will kick off a whole new line of devices in order to make such a phone a reality. In any case, rumors and leaks will probably start surfacing soon, so stay tuned for that.

Advertisement

Buy the Meizu MX6
Money Talks: A Los Angeles Couple Who Makes $233,000

Meet The LA-Based Daddy Dom/Baby Girl Couple Making $233,000 A Year

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

Everyone wants money, yet discussing it within the parameters of a relationship can be intimidating. When handled incorrectly, finances can crumble a romantic partnership  but when done in tandem, the right money conversations can go a long way. That looks different for different people, though. Welcome to Money Talks, AskMen's new series on the relationship between our money and our relationships. Let's talk about cents, baby.

Its not awkward for Jack and Faith* to talk about money. In fact, its an integral part of their relationship. Jack fully supports Faith  but not just because he makes more than her. The Los Angeles pair have a daddy dom and baby girl dominant and submissive relationship, meaning that not only are they both okay with Jack being the sole provider, but it gets them off.

AskMen: Do you have various philosophies on spending?

Jack: When we decided to truly commit to one another, it was with the agreement that I would take care of Faith and generally handle the finances. As Im an independent contractor, my annual income ebbs and flows depending on the company Im [doing software development for]. If Im working for a corporation, I make more, but thankfully I have enough saved that I can also take months to work on projects for less that simply pique my interest, such a self-help app some buddies and I are currently working on. Im grateful to have the means to support Faith. I enjoy the daddy role.

So there is an erotic aspect to your financial relationship?

Faith: Yes, I am a submissive and Jack is a daddy dom. More than a submissive, I am his baby girl, which is part of our D/S [dominant and submissive] lifestyle. I know theres a lot of stigma around such relationships, and people may find it incestuous or just straight-up gold digging, but its consensual and a valid lifestyle. In our sex life, I play the baby girl and will have daddy spank me, to give a fairly vanilla example. Some people keep such play just to the bedroom, but our lifestyle more resembles a 24/7 relationship, meaning that Jack acts as the daddy in all aspects of our life. He wants to pay for dinners and vacations, and enjoys buying me lingerie and other presents.

How did you two meet?

Jack: We met on Tinder. I asked Faith out straight away, and after a night of cocktails she came back to my apartment. Weve been pretty inseparable ever since. While our lifestyle may seem strange to some, we are very much in love and its a mutual agreement, a power exchange, rather than myself simply having power over Faith, which people usually assume.

On a more vanilla note, how do you handle anniversaries and birthdays? Do you make it a thing?

Jack: Oh, yes. Lavishly. For Faiths 23rd birthday I bought her new lingerie, and we took a trip to Berlin together.

Did your past relationships inform the way you spend money in your current relationship?

Faith: I met Jack within a few months of moving to Los Angeles, and was previously still in school and dependent on my parents. My ex-boyfriends were pretty stereotypical college and high school shit that in retrospect just looks like puppy love. I always had sub tendencies in bed (enjoyed being called names, spanked, slapped, etc.), but it wasnt until I got to L.A. that I learned more about my kinks and that the money aspect turned me on, too. I guess I dont have much to compare it too.

Jack: Ive been in multiple similar situations before and know this is the type of relationship I enjoy.

Growing up, were you taught about finances within a relationship or specific gender roles?

Jack: I grew up pretty poor. My dad was a middle school teacher, and my mom alternated between teaching as well and acting as a stay-at-home mom. Most of my childhood memories around finances were overhearing my parents stress about money. Now that I make enough that its not a constant concern it gives me great satisfaction to be able to take care of Faith. She teaches yoga and blogs about health and fitness. Without my help, she wouldnt be able to enjoy much luxury while following her dreams, and I want her to follow her dreams.

Faith: And Ill take it! No shame.

How do you handle individual hobbies and interests financially? Does Jack cover everything?

Faith: Since I dont have to pay rent and Jack covers all our bills, my income feels like a lot more than it would be if I were trying to live on my own in L.A. making just around $30,000. So when Im out with friends Ill buy my own drinks and what not, but Jack bought me my computer I use for work, most of my wardrobe, and my yoga teaching clothes. He likes when I look nice. And he obviously pays for his own interests himself. His favorite thing to spend money on is traveling, and we have a pretty hardcore sex setup. Its not quite a dungeon, since we live in an apartment, but we have a spanking bench and wall restraints (along with a whole slew of toys).

So, Jack: What is a gift youve recently gotten for Faith?

Jack: I cant recommend the Njoy steel butt plug enough.

*Names have been changed to protect identities.

AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use.
Best Shower Gels for Men

Experience the Most Satisfying Shower of Your Life

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

Product photos from retailer site.

With hundreds of shower gels available for purchase, choosing the right one for your needs isn't easy. This is especially true since the bathing solution has become an essential component of our daily grooming routine  serving as a habitual wakeup call that energizes us with effervescent fragrances when stepping into the shower every morning, or a transportable way to stay clean if you take your morning shower at the gym or at work.

RELATED: Best Shampoos for Men

Some guys still question the difference between the use of bar soap and bath wash. Thats a pure amateur move. Need convincing?

Best Men's Body Washes at a Glance

The truth lies in the facts. Studies show gel cleansers are less likely to unsettle your skins pH levels than soap, as those brick-shaped substances supposedly strip the skin of its essential oils. What else? Let's break down some of the other key factors of using a shower gel:

Aromatherapy treatment: The elegant fragrances exuded by these cleansers help ease discomfort, relax muscles, and treat headaches.

The elegant fragrances exuded by these cleansers help ease discomfort, relax muscles, and treat headaches. More sanitary: Bottle packaging keeps the solution fresh and reduces the risk of contamination.

Bottle packaging keeps the solution fresh and reduces the risk of contamination. Potent formulas: Natural ingredients, essential oils, nutrients, and vitamins usually make up the complex.

Natural ingredients, essential oils, nutrients, and vitamins usually make up the complex. Reduce waste: Bar soaps wear off quickly and leave debris in the shower, whereas shower gels avoid this issue.

Bar soaps wear off quickly and leave debris in the shower, whereas shower gels avoid this issue. Rich lather: Liquid cleansers tend to produce more suds and help to activate skin-cleansing properties.

Whats in the Formula?

Again, the main function of any form of body wash, let alone a good men's shower gel, is to cleanse and protect skin from harmful agents. To achieve this, personal care brands compose their formulas with conditioning and effective, yet slightly-hazardous-when-overused elements. Dont be so naive to fall for exotic scents or eye-catching ads pushing skincare benefit jargon. Ingredients matter most. Keep your eyes peeled for these beneficial and/or dermis-endangering components when picking your next body wash.

The Good

Aloe Vera : A heavily popular agent with skin-cooling properties.

: A heavily popular agent with skin-cooling properties. Essential oils : Condition and hydrate skin to maintain its natural moisture level.

: Condition and hydrate skin to maintain its natural moisture level. Glycerin : Creates a nourishing effect for necessary moisture.

: Creates a nourishing effect for necessary moisture. Plant extracts : Contains natural antiseptic and exfoliating qualities.

: Contains natural antiseptic and exfoliating qualities. Shea Butter : Treats the outer skin layer with protective and smooth texture.

: Treats the outer skin layer with protective and smooth texture. Vitamins: Singular compounds such as C and E serve as antioxidants for detoxification and softening.

Not exactly the type of results youll warrant from a pharmacy or supermarket brand. Then again, if misguided on selection, worst-case scenarios await you.

The Bad (and Potentially Dangerous)

Diethanolamine (DEA) : Can block absorption of choline, a vital nutrient that aids in brain development.

: Can block absorption of choline, a vital nutrient that aids in brain development. Dioxane : Known as a high-hazard agent that can cause toxicity in the brain, central nervous system, and liver just to name a few.

: Known as a high-hazard agent that can cause toxicity in the brain, central nervous system, and liver just to name a few. Harmful Fragrance : Some body washes bear a high perfume rate that can produce irritation and affect vital organs.

: Some body washes bear a high perfume rate that can produce irritation and affect vital organs. Parabens : Preservatives that are linked to a variety of skin conditions and breast cancer, which yes, men can be diagnosed with.

: Preservatives that are linked to a variety of skin conditions and breast cancer, which yes, men can be diagnosed with. Propylene glycol : Commonly used in personal care products with a history of causing dermatitis and kidney/liver abnormalities.

: Commonly used in personal care products with a history of causing dermatitis and kidney/liver abnormalities. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) : A surfactant and detergent found in many cosmetic products linked to skin irritation, organ toxicity, endocrine disruption.

: A surfactant and detergent found in many cosmetic products linked to skin irritation, organ toxicity, endocrine disruption. Triclosan: This antibacterial compound has been suggested to contribute to antibiotic resistance.

See how this creates complication? Exactly. We also recommend something that possess high-quality additives like grapefruit or bergamot oil  basically, all the good stuff that does wonders for your skin type depending on its sensitivity level.

To help in your search for the perfect shower gel, we compiled this collection of elite options based on consumer feedback, expert reviews, and hands-on experience to help narrow things down. Here are the best shower gels money can buy that deserve a spot somewhere on your shower caddy or gym/travel bag. Without further ado, say bye to bar soaps and learn all about the best shower gels for men on shelves now.

Best Shower Gels for Men

Best Overall Body Wash

Disco Body Wash

We will admit proclaiming something as the best overall is ballsy, but we wouldnt say it if we didnt mean it. Using vegan, natural ingredient, sustainable production, and cruelty-free practices, the brand tops it all off by actually being both effective and affordable. Aloe repairs damaged skin, horsetail plant soothes irritated skin, chamomile protects against environmental damage, and the fresh eucalyptus scent is crisp and soapy upfront which helps keep that clean feeling all day long.

Promising Review: Tried out the body wash, face cleanser stick, face moisturizer and eye stick. All of them work great and feel great on my skin. I have had problems with acne in the past while using other products like Cetaphil, CeraVe, etc.  but not with these. The eucalyptus scent is also better than anything else that I've used. Highly recommend.  Mike

$20 at LetsDisco.com

Best Budget Shower Gel

Old Spice High Endurance Pure Sport

When in doubt, go with Old Spice. It lathers well, rinses clean, and maybe most importantly, has a mature, masculine scent that never disappoints men, or men's skin.

Promising Review: Definitely worth it will be purchasing again. I love the scent and makes you feel very clean and refreshed.  Mitry

$15.99 for 4 at Amazon.com

Most Luxurious Body Wash

SAYA Rose and Cedarwood Body Wash

With a delightful base of aloe vera juice and glycerin, this hydrating and luxurious body wash isnt just a pretty face. Behind the handsome scent of rose and cedarwood is a moisturizing body cleanser that is loaded with organic ingredients, instead of any synthetic fragrance or harmful chemicals. Its formulated with kakadu plum to soothe the skin and naturally perfumed with fresh and floral essential oils.

$44 at Materiae.com

Best Shower Gel for Athletes

Degree Men Maximum Recovery Body Wash and Soak

From the brand you trust to keep you dry and fresh under extreme exercise comes a new shower gel-meets-muscle-soak designed to help recover from all those vigorous activities. With a selection of aromatic aromas to savor, we particularly enjoy the invigorating and refreshing scent of menthol. This body wash not only fights post-workout body odor, but soothes post-workout soreness thanks to magnesium sulfate. When it comes to Degree, we wouldnt expect anything but just the right body wash to help recover after all of that putting its tough antiperspirant to the test.

Promising Review: My husband's initial reaction was the scent was strong like menthol and he was afraid he would smell like IcyHot, but once rinsed off and dried it left a very mild and nice smell (smells like most degree or men's products). The next day he cut wood all day at work and his hands were extremely dried out. After showering and using this product his hands were much softer, which is awesome! We definitely recommend this body wash and will purchase it again.  Tina

$5.47 at Walmart.com

Best Body Was for Acne Prone Skin

Proactiv Deep Cleansing Acne Body Wash

Proactiv is a brand known for its superior acne-fighting skin care. SO it should come as no surprise that the best body wash we found to fight oil skin below the face would be from the brand. The mens body wash is designed specifically for acne-prone skin and helps stop acne-causing bacteria as well as prevents new breakouts from forming by using tried-and-true salicylic acid.

Promising Review: My 15 old son was really down about his face/back acne. Didnt want to go on meds and tried several other topicals but he has been using the body wash and pads for about a month and a half and looks great. He seems much more happy too...which is something we noticed had slipped away and we think due to the acne. Its not 100% gone, but I would say about 90%-clearly has made a difference with his skin outside and inside. I wasnt sure what to do that could help but this is worth a try for sure and we are very pleased with how its cleared his skin.  KK

$38 at Amazon.com

Best Body Wash for Sensitive Skin

Cetaphil Ultra Gentle Fragrance Free Body Wash

One of the first things most doctors will tell you if you have severely sensitive skin  quit the fragrances. Because the FDA gives brands a free pass on fragrances thanks to the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1966, allowing them to keep such ingredients off any labels to preserve trade secrets, fragrances can be any number of things that could cause skin sensitivity. So, thats why a fragrance-free moisturizing body wash from dermatologist-approved brand Cetaphil is our go-to for even the most sensitive skin conditions.

Promising Review: A must for those who have skin diseases. Based on medical professionals it is a good product to keep itching and atrophic skin under control.  TLeonard

$19.60 for 3 at Amazon.com

Best Body Wash for Dry Skin

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash for Dry Skin

Dermatologist-recommended brand Aveeno uses a unique, sensitive skin-friendly formula with moisturizing ingredients such as nourishing oatmeal and rich emollients to lock in moisture. Its gentle on sensitive skin, soap-free, and dye-free.

Promising Review: I ordered four or five different body washes at the same time because I wanted to stock up and try different brands. Aveeno was one of them and trying it side-by-side with the other four brands and a few that I already have, Aveeno stands out far far beyond all the others combined. I've never used it before and now I know what all the fuss is about. I have normal-to-dry skin, I'm in my sixties, have tried many body washes over the years and the quality, the luxuriousness of this body wash is hard to understand unless you try it. It is so thick and soft and silky, [lathers] easily, rinses clean, leaves your skin so soft, and smells really fresh  it's like a spa experience. The foam is very dense and lathery and you just want to not even rinse it off it feels so good. My skin is very soft afterwards. It is an excellent, excellent product. I will continue to buy and am extremely pleased. Now I'm looking into all their facial skin care products. Wish I'd found Aveeno decades ago.  Lisa

$8 at Amazon.com

Best Moisturizing Body Wash

Dove Body Deep Moisture Wash

If youre looking for a hefty dose of hydration, why not go to the brand that has it as part of their DNA. This mild and pH-balanced formula from Dove includes its proprietary Moisture Renew Blend  a combination of skin-natural nourishers and plant-based moisturizers  to absorb deeply into the top layers of skin. Add to that, this body wash is PETA-certified cruelty free and made in 100% recycled plastic bottles, and you can feel good about not only cleaning and conditioning yourself, but helping do so for the world we all share too.

Promising Review: I first tried this wash at a relatives home even though I packed my own soap. My skin is very nice (praise God), but very sensitive. I have to read ingredients, and do trial runs to ensure that the wash can be tolerated over the long haul. I have had some soaps and washes that started off great but skin would start to reject them. So I forgot to bring my wash to the bathroom and my suitcase was downstairs and I was already undressed. Okay! So lets try this Dove wash and see what happens  nothing: no irritation, no super dryness, no breakouts for two weeks. Perfect! I decided to purchase it and I am very pleased.  Dusty

$8.94 at Amazon.com

Best Body Wash for Every Skin Type

Bathing Culture Mind and Body Wash

If this soap from Bathing Culture only kind of worked, wed still be OK with it since it just looks so cool. The good news is, it works really well. Not only does it remove dirt effectively (because if a soap really only does one thing well, that should be it) but it leaves skin clean without feeling dry or tight. The certified-organic, biodegradable formula features organic coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, aloe vera, and comes out thick with a foamy lather, and a gender-neutral herbaceous smell. All this while being paraben-, soap-, and synthetic fragrance-free. Oh yeah, and every vessel is made from 100% recycled glass and plastic. How could it get any better?

Promising Review: As a 20-year-old dude I always thought that the smell of skin care products was more important than what it does for your skin. I've always thought that since I was a middle schooler. Because of that my skin is severely damaged. I've been doing that for years and always wondered why I don't have smooth, good looking skin. In a way its destroyed my self-confidence. But I decided to browse through Facebook and came across [Bathing Culture] ... so I ordered this. In the first day using it my skin already feels healed, moisturized, hydrated, and smooth. Every guy should use this body wash. I love to use post shave in the shower with a one bladed razor and all the oils and fatty acids that are loaded into this body wash make the blade glide over my skin smooth and clean. I highly recommend this to anyone to stop buying cheap soap in your drugstores and try this  Thank you bathing culture for making a body wash that has literally fixed my skin!  Bryce

$17 at BathingCulture.com

Best Invigorating Body Wash

Bulldog Mens Peppermint and Eucalyptus Body Wash

With the cooling effects of peppermint and spearmint and the invigorating effects of eucalyptus, this Bulldog body wash does more than we could have even asked for. The fragrance and tingle that comes from natural oils is just about perfect for post-gym clean up.

Promising Review: Really nice scent and clean feeling. Its the most refreshing body wash for men Ive found.  Casanova Frankenstein

$6.99 at Amazon.com

Most Gentle Cleanser

CeraVe Body Wash with Salicylic Acid

A gentle cleanser with salicylic acid? You better believe, and if any brand can do it (and do it really well) its going to be CeraVe. Rooted in the belief that ceramides are an essential part of the skin, and therefore a skin care process, CeraVe incorporates hyaluronic acid and three essential ceramides (1, 3, 6 II) that help both restore and maintain your skin's natural protective barrier. A low dose of salicylic acid gently exfoliates dead skin cells and softens skin rough skin while niacinamide helps keep skin calm. Free of microbeads, parabens, fragrances, and non-comedogenic, this is one of the best multipurpose body washes for anyone with sensitive skin.

Promising Review: I bought this body wash as a last ditch effort to make my keratosis pilaris (kp) a little less noticeable. Mine is honestly the worst Ive seen in person. Severe ingrown hairs all over my body to go along with the goose pimples that all kp sufferers have. I have only used it once so far, applied using a body brush attachment on a spin brush ... and wow! Gentle smell, nice lather, and I could actually see that my skin looked calmer and less red even after using a spin brush on high speed. [It] actually improved the appearance of my kp in one go, which, in my 20+ years trying to manage it, is the best and quickest results Ive gotten.  Laura

$32.91 at Amazon.com

Best Exfoliating Body Wash

SheaMoisture Men Exfoliating Body Wash

When it comes to an exfoliating body wash, you shouldn't have to sacrifice moisture. Lucky for you, moisturizing is the foundation of SheaMoisture. Using certified organic, free trade shea butter (hence the name) this new exfoliating body wash from the brand stands up to other exfoliators that get rid of dead skin cells, but leave skin dry and tight. Himalayan salt and Jeju volcanic ash buff skin to a natural, healthy shine. If skin that feels good all day isnt enough, then you have the clean refreshing scent, with a hint of menthol, that stays on the skin all day too.

$6.97 at Walmart.com

Best Fragrance Body Wash

Bath & Body Works Oasis 3-in-1 Hair, Face, and Body Wash

Packed with aloe vera, shea butter, and vitamin E, this body wash from the brand that does fragrance better than just about anyone works wonders when it comes to leaving a lavis scent behind. Were fans of a lot of scent profiles from the brand  both male and female  but this new season scent strikes a happy balance between the two. A fresh, tropical blend of light coconut water, lavender, and wild palm is the bright, happy fragrance everyone needs right about now.

$14.50 at BathandBodyWorks.com

Best Organic Body Wash

Dr. Bronners Pure-Castile Liquid Soap

Dr. Bronners was doing organic before organic was a thing. By using most, if not all, organic ingredients, these castile liquid soaps can do a lot more than clean just you. Famous for the 18-in-1 capability, the brand stands behind its mission to make the world a bit of a better place by using 100% post-consumer plastic for its bottles and natural ingredients such as peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, and lavender to infuse fragrance. No matter which fragrance (or fragrances) you pick, you wont be disappointed in the clean results you get  literally.

Promising Review: I swear by this peppermint Dr. Bronners soap. I use it daily in the shower and have used it on dishes before too. It leaves a nice cool feeling all over your body and the smell is not overwhelming. I began using this as soap and shampoo over a year ago and won't be going back anytime soon. Another perk, if you use it for showering, you don't need to use much and you get a good lather. And with the size of the bottle it will last you a long time. I have also tried the lavender, which is also good, but I prefer the tingly cooling peppermint.  Zach

$15.99 at Amazon.com

Best Body Wash for Body Odor

American Crew 24 Hour Deodorant Body Wash

Whether you workout midday, sweat more than others, or you just stink, this is a body wash made for you. By not only washing away stank odors, but also keeping them at bay all day, you set yourself up for smell success when you wash with this tea tree oil and minty fresh mens body wash from American Crew.

Promising Review: I LOVE this stuff and have been using it for years. It definitely is true to its 24 hour deodorant name, even after a long day at work and gym, it still keeps that BO smell away. I really like that it's not heavily scented like most men's body washes, So I can wear my cologne without having to mix a bunch of scents. Also this stuff lathers really easily, which is a plus for me.  Indy Guy

$14.50 at Ulta.com

Best Waterless Body Wash

EC3O Body Wash

What the ? If you thought waterless body wash was just bar soap, you would be mistaken. Take a look at the soap of the future, from EC3O. EC30 reduces the C02 emission impact from manufacturing, chemistry, and shipping by 50% vs traditional liquids. Did you know that liquid cleaning products are mostly water? Every year, 800,000 million gallons of unnecessary water is shipped around the world. When you take water out of the equation, you get a greener product with a much much smaller carbon footprint. With that in mind, EC3O created an entire collection of truly waterless products from face wash and body cleanser to laundry and toilet cleaner that work just as well as their water-full counterparts, just without the harsh chemicals. The heart of this fragrance is like fresh bamboo, subtle rose, and Sicilian lemon-peels. Whether you throw some in your gym bag, bring a few when you go camping, or pack what you need for your next trip (whenever that might be), these little sudsy, soap swatches are going to change the way you shower.

Promising Review: At first, I was super skeptical when getting the EC30 body wash. For someone who typically uses regular body wash that comes in plastic bottles, I always wondered if there were a more environmentally friendly option. That is when I stumbled on to EC30. This product not only gives you the peace of mind knowing you are helping the environment, but I was also extremely impressed with the lather I got when showering. One square when put under water gives you more than enough soap to clean your entire body while smelling great. I have already recommended this product to friends and family.  Forrest

$19 at EC3OClean.com

You Might Also Dig:

AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use.
Choosing The Right Wolf Watch Winder

These Watch Winders Will Keep Your Timepiece Collection On Point

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

Investing the bank on a solid automatic watch collection doesnt require much work. However, maintaining the quality and operation of each timepiece, well, thats where the true challenge lies. This is where buying a good watch winder becomes obligatory. Googling the product category will present you with a variety of models available directly on the Shop For widget. But those who are actually scrolling through the first page of results will notice one brand sitting atop of the search: Wolf.

Performance speaks in loud volume. And Wolfs stature as one of the leading watch winder manufacturers breaks the sound barrier. See if history tells you any differently.

What Makes Wolf Watch Winders That Good?

Heritage is what defines a brand. Wolf owns one predating back to 1834, where German silversmith Phillip Wolf formed the company after acknowledging his silverware sold better when presented in premium boxes. This encouraged the visionary to redirect his design efforts into creating sophisticated jewelry cases. Fast-forward more than a century later, strong traditions and work ethics pushed Wolf to expand its accessories line, leading to the creation of its own assembly of luxury watch winders.

Wolfs created these complimentary accessories for every type of technical timepiece, especially a Rolex. Each watch winder is composed from different premium materials faux leather, leather, and wooddepending on the collection, while employing trademark LusterLock technology that allows the fabric lining found inside jewelry cases to absorb the hostile gases known to cause tarnishing. This same innovation is said to prevent tarnishing for up to 35 years. Non-magnetized, travel-friendly via 110/220-volt adapter, and silently operated thanks to nylon gears, sealed gearboxes, and silicon gaskets, every Wolf watch winder promotes unmatched engineering.

What Watch Winder Style Suits You?

The mechanics of Wolfs watch winders are quite uniform. Outside of say some advanced digital features and storage options, each is designed to deliver immaculate automatic execution. So while all the extra bells and whistles sound enticing, your goal is to purchase a unit to maintain and store your wristwatches. And Wolf offers something for every watch collector be it the amateur with a ticker for each wrist or the hobbyist swapping between automatics every day of the week.

Single : Boasting the largest number of winders, the Single collection settles novices in by winding up their first ticker with a special cover or extra storage.

: Boasting the largest number of winders, the Single collection settles novices in by winding up their first ticker with a special cover or extra storage. Double : An extensive lineup of winders constructed for dual-winding.

: An extensive lineup of winders constructed for dual-winding. Triple : Selective watch owners are given a handful of options to place their trio of wrist strappers on.

: Selective watch owners are given a handful of options to place their trio of wrist strappers on. Quad : Made for horological trendsetters looking to showcase their handful of watches.

: Made for horological trendsetters looking to showcase their handful of watches. Six piece : Suitable for devoted watch owners needing ticking adjustments for six.

: Suitable for devoted watch owners needing ticking adjustments for six. Eight piece : For the classic collector, wind up to eight watches at once.

: For the classic collector, wind up to eight watches at once. Modular: Whether your winder supports more or fewer watches, these units add capacity as needed.

Options are a beautiful thing. Suffice to say, Wolf isnt short on them. Now lets help you find a home for those Cartiers and Omegas. Here is a look at finest Wolf watch winders money can buy.

Wolf Roadster 8-Piece Watch Winder

If youre that much of a watch snob, then you seek three virtues from a watch winder: form, function, and fortune. This version of the coveted Roadster goes on to mate Wolfs signature features with a gorgeous design showcased by black pebble faux leather, chrome accents, and an Ebony Macassar wood veneer faceplatewith a price tag to match its opulent appearance. The locking glass cover makes each watch a trophy piece with each module offering enough versatility to support larger, heavier watches. Rotation options, directional settings, and other technical attributes fill up the spec sheet. Quite the decoration for any business office.

$1,824.99 at Amazon.com

Wolf Meridian Triple Watch Winder

The most underrated of the batch, the Meridian collection balances elegant craftsmanship with exceptional functionality. Covering the machine is rich burl wood with gold-plated accents and control knobs that give the winder some pop. Operation is silent. Setting the number of rotations (300-1,200 TPD) and its directional movements is seamless. Its capable of accommodating larger watches too. Not to mention its customizable through a unique modular system Wolf for watch-winding expansion. Stack as many of these beauties atop of each other once growing out your collection. If burl wood isnt your style, seriously consider the blonde or black options.

$612.64 at Amazon.com

Wolf Module 4.1 Single Watch Winder

Fancy piece of hardware, right? The company boasts the Module as its jewel of the Wolf crown. Given the status of your watch assembly, this modular winder is flawlessly engineered to allow multiple units to be stacked together for unlimited collective winding. Take advantage of increased Start Delay options ranging from 6-72 hours, monitoring rotational settings on the backlit LCD display. Again, customization is the Module 4.1s biggest selling point with 57 personal programming options accessible to users. Patented lock-in cuff technology keeps watches bound. Directional and rotation (300-1,200 TPD) options are accounted for as well. Start with one and simply add on over time rather than transitioning over to a bigger winder.

$206.52 at Amazon.com

Wolf Windsor Double Watch Winder

Not every man is committed to luxury watch ownership. Some are fine inheriting a pair from pop and storing them in a jewelry box. Dad has something to gift his seed come birthday time with this fancy dual-watch rotator that fuses advanced reliable winding technology into an exceptionally polished design. Push rotations by up to 900 TBD (turns per day) and select directional settings through the dummy-proof knob positions to set them clockwise, counter clockwise or bi-directional. All-black remains a favorite, though sharp dressers will find the black/purple and orange/brown options to accommodate their hued watches.

$401.69 at Amazon.com

Wolf Exotic Triple Watch Winder

A three-slot winder priced at over a grand is a hard sell. Just know beauty and dynamism comes at a price. Wolf chose to decorate its Exotic line with a phython-embossed texture with a chrome-plated door and black nubuck leather lining for exotic appeal, adding more swagger to your triad of wrist candy. The 2.7 module bears the same lock system as all other current Wolf winders, locking the cuff into the rotator drum for a secure fit. All the companys main features  Rotation Options, Directional Settings, and Delayed Program Starts  all remain intact. Youre also given the option to run the machine on AC power through the included universal adapter or on D-cell batteries.

$1,525.00 at Nordtrom.com

Wolf Heritage Single Watch Winder

A travel-ready winder with the operational prowess of Wolfs more advanced offerings, the Heritage Single is an attractive model that gets the job done and fits comfortably in any weekender. The pebbled and supple faux leather exterior ensures your Seiko sits pretty and secured, even when activating the irregular rotations or pre-programming resting phases into the rotation program. Underneath its fancy sheath is a Mabuchi motor, an industry leader in silent performance that plays incredibly well with nylon gears to limit operational sound. Owners can count rotations on the quartz eye of the winder too.

$124.52 at Amazon.com

Wolf Roadster Four Piece Winder

Sharp design. Sharper execution. The four-piece winder is basically a scaled down version of Roadster previously mentioned, but more applicable for watch owners just building their collection. Each winding module features a lock-in cuff to fit wrist sizes in excess of 10-inches, along with patented rotation programs including intermittent rotation with pause and sleep options. Use the control knobs and buttons to adjust the cycle times and rotations programs. Silent nylon gears keep mechanical rotary as quiet as can be to keep you focused when putting in work in the executive chair.

$974.99 at Amazon.com

AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use.
Seattle has a reputation for being the unofficial coffee capital of the states (a little coffee company by the name of Starbucks got its start there  ring a bell?). But asides from that coffee giant, Seattle has a plethora of ma-and-pa roasteries that are putting out some seriously top-notch products. Created with the idea to bring Seattles finest to the rest of the country, Bean Box curates a range of coffee subscription services, from tasting samples to full bags, all delivered to your door on a monthly, weekly, or bi-weekly basis.

What Is Bean Box?

Hailing from Seattles always-bumping coffee scene, Bean Box is one of the most diverse coffee subscription services on the market. Offering up different boxes for whatever your taste, Bean Box delivers coffee right to your doorstep and always ships within 48 hours of roasting to ensure maximum freshness. One of our favorites is the monthly sampler box, a curated mix of the Bean Boxs team four favorite roasts du jour. Picky about your roasts? Test out the specialty with a coffee of the month club. Pick your preferred roast preference - including light to dark, espresso, and decaf  and Bean Box will ship out the most interesting new flavor theyve been fawning over. Essentially, its a coffee lovers dream  some of the best roasters in the country sending you your own customized shipment of coffee, and the cherry on top - almost right to your coffee maker.

Unboxing Bean Box

Within two days of ordering, Bean Box was sitting on my doorstep, awaiting my return from work. Each of Bean Boxs coffee boxes are neatly packaged in a thin brown box, stamped with Bean Boxs motto your next favorite coffee on the outside so I knew exactly what was waiting for me as soon as I spotted the box. Inside, the coffee was perfectly wrapped in tissue paper, particularly, just enough tissue paper to feel the rush of excitement of opening a gift, but not enough packaging to be a nuisance to throw out.

All the beans are packed in air-tight brown bags that keep the freshness of the newly-roasted beans as long as possible. All bags are resealable, so even after that initial cup, you can reseal for freshness.

The Review

I have to admit  Im a bonafide caffeine addict, so I didnt really see too many ways having a box of fresh coffee delivered to my door could be anything but wonderful. But Bean Box really surpassed my expectations. The Seattle-based coffee subscription company is focused on not only sending along freshly roasted beans but curating an entire coffee drinking experience, whether youre a highbrow coffee snob or if you just like a good morning pick-me-up.

I received Bean Boxs coffee sampler - a mix-and-match box of what the folks at Bean Box are fawning over this month. Designed for the person who likes to try a little bit of everything, I received four bags of beans ranging in flavors, from a darker java to a cream and sugar roast from Slate Coffee Roasters.

Though I didnt get to test one out, Bean Box is best known for their coffee of the month club. Rather than the usual of the month club standard of just sending the same product to each subscriber, Bean Box curates the monthly coffee selection to your taste buds. You prefer light roasts? Theyll send you a new light roast bag every month. A dedicated espresso drinker? Your shipment will arrive with a fresh new bag of espresso beans. Even the decaf drinkers arent left behind  Bean Box roasts a new blend of decaf of the regular. This is great for the person who knows what they like and doesnt want any unexpected surprises showing up at their door. You can also opt for the All Roasts option, which brings the best of whatever is being roasted that month.

Still not sold? Bean Box offers a whole selection of other subscriptions and gift boxes depending on your taste. Bean Box curates subscriptions dedicated to espresso beans, offers up single-origin samplers, and stocks a full range of deluxe coffee gift box for the next time youre up for a promotion.

The only thing I found missing in my experience with Bean Box was a more personalized tasting notes option. In a move to reduce packaging, Bean Box only includes short highlights on the coffee in the box, with further information on the roastery and the actual flavor profiles on Bean Boxs website. This is a little annoying for those of us who want to learn about the coffee, but really the two-minute detour to the website isnt too big a hassle if its in the name of the environment. On each bag, Bean Box includes suggested tasting notes and a few tidbits of background on the roast. All notes are written by the team at the roastery, with tasting notes added in by the coffee addicts over at Bean Box. On that note, I wouldve appreciated a bit more of an educational spin to help me learn more about my coffee preferences. Maybe Im a nerd, but I think a palate test at the beginning of your experience or blank tasting notes so you can fill them in as you try could go a long way.

One unique angle that Bean Box offers is Bean Boxs commitment to the full coffee experience. With each box comes not just coffee, but artisanal treats to pair with your brew. Maybe its just my sweet tooth talking on my behalf, but the couple packages of Rip van Waffel Amsterdam waffle cookies that were tossed in with my first box made the coffee taste that much better.

I appreciated that Bean Box factors shipping and taxes into the initial price of the subscription. Its no fun getting to the checkout stage and finding shipping and taxes will rob you of an additional $10-15 dollars. With that in mind, Bean Box is up front with their pricing  what you see is what you pay.

That being said, Bean Box really considers all forms of coffee drinkers when they think up their subscriptions. Whether youre a coffee nerd who wants to try out new blends, or if youre just someone if youre looking to make your morning coffee a little less painless by having it delivered, Bean Box can curate your subscription to your needs. No worries if youre one for meticulously- made pour over coffee or if you opt for a more humble drip coffee, Bean Box can turn your daily coffee up a notch. Thats what makes Bean Box a really approachable subscription service  you dont have to be a coffee snob to enjoy each box, you just have to enjoy coffee.

Cost

Coffee Sampler: $21/month on pay-as-you-go, $19 if you prepay for 6 months, or $18 if you prepay for a year.

Coffee of the Month Club For 1 box a month: $23/box on pay-as-you-go, $21/box if you prepay for 6 months, or $20 if you prepay for a year. The Coffee of the Month subscription also offers options for those who want fresh bags on a bi-weekly basis or weekly basis (hey, if you love your coffee you love your coffee).



How to Subscribe

Subscribing is painless  log on to Bean Boxs website, select your subscription type, and bada bing bada boom. From the website, you can also opt for how long you want your subscription to last. Regular subscriptions will cost $21-23 but, if you know youre in it for the long haul, the monthly fee is only $19 if you prepay for 6 months, or $18 if you pay for the year.

Managing Your Subscription

Whether you want to skip a shipment (at no charge!) or change your plan, all account updates can be made via Bean Boxs website. Received the box as a gift? You can log in by entering the box number and your postal code and opt to extend your subscription or order more bags of your favorite coffees. All account management can also be done by giving Bean Boxs customer service line a ring, or shooting the team an email or a live chat.

You can also

Find gifts for loved ones

Redeem Bean Box points

Skip a week

Change your plan

Switch up your shipping address

Reorder your favorite bags and other accessories

Is Bean Box worth It? The VERDICT: Promising Investment

If you cant make it through the day without a good brew, Bean Box is definitely up your alley. You cant really beat having some of the most interesting beans and roasts the world has to offer showing up on your doorstep just a few days after roasting. Even though all roasting is done in Seattle, Bean Box is able to bring in a surprisingly diverse selection of coffees. The tasting sampler offers a great opportunity to taste not just a range of dark to light roasts, but try out some really unique flavors. Considering it rings in at around $20 a month, its a really cost-friendly way to make your morning coffee so much more interesting.

BeanBox Competitors

Deals, Coupons and Promo Codes

First time ordering with Bean Box? Newcomers are all offered an initial 10% discount as a welcome-to-the-family gift. Bean Box also works on a loyalty system: for every purchase you make, you receive points. The more points you get, the more money you save on future purchases. The point system is generous too: 10 percent of every purchase goes towards future purchases.
Free newsletter

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter service and well keep you up-to-date with the latest breaking news, cutting edge opinion, and expert analysis affecting both your business and the industry as whole.

Please enter your email address below and click on Sign Up for daily newsletters from Australasian Lawyer.
On Nov. 1, Linn Benton Food Shares warehouse in Tangent received two truckloads of food and household supplies arranged by the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Around 100 jobs are at risk of redundancy at international firm Pinsent Masons The roles are all secretarial and the potential losses result from a significant investment in technology and other resources at the firm which have reduced support staff requirements.However, the Law Society Gazette reports that there will be 50 new administrative assistant roles created and the firm said other reallocation of resources may be possible.Pinsent Masons recently announced its new office in Melbourne and the Australian expansion of its Vario legal outsourcing business.Shamim Razavi is joining the Sydney office of Norton Rose Fulbright as a corporate and M&A partner.The energy and resources lawyer has extensive experience advising foreign investors in Asia Pacific and will join the office from NRF's Indonesian associate firm TNB & Partners.Razavis appointment follows that of corporate partners Martin Irwin in Sydney and Adam Edelman in Perth who joined this week; and Jasmine Sprange who joins the Sydney office next month.Two years after he left to join King & Wood Mallesons, David Fixler has re-joined Corrs Chambers Westgarth as a partner.The IP lawyer was with Corrs for seven years before moving to KWM almost 2 years ago as a senior associate. He rejoins the national firm in Melbourne and will focus on patent litigation matters.Berwin Leighton Paisner has announced a new head of international arbitration along with two other partners in its Litigation and Corporate Risk practice.George Burn joins the firm from Vinson & Elkins to lead the international arbitration team while Gavin Margetson joins the firms regional arbitration hub in Singapore from Herbert Smith Freehills The third partner joining is Richard Chalk, previously with Freshfields in London and Hong Kong. He will be based in London.Facebook has been fined 1.2 million (around AU$1.8 million) by Spain's data protection watchdog.The regulator says Facebook collected personal data on Spanish users without informing them of how it was to be used.According to a report by thenextweb.com the regulator said Facebook's privacy policy contains generic and unclear terms which do not go far enough to collect consent of users.Facebook is likely to appeal the decision and told TNW that it complies with EU data protection law through its Irish-based business unit.
The Tesla and SpaceX (now Boring Company too) CEO talked about a maglev train going in a near-vacuum tube at speeds of over the speed of sound, which is fine for a talk down at the pub after a few beers, but this was serious.Two years or so later and Musk's project is starting to catch shape. The tunnels dug by his Boring Company finally seem to be used for the right purpose (Hyperloop instead of those electric sleds transporting personal cars), and the Hyperloop pods are doing speed tests, with Tesla's coming up as the quickest (even though it's designed to push other pods).Musk is still far off from the target velocity of over 1,000 mph (1,610 km/h) and a long-enough track to actually stand a chance of testing it, but things are moving forward - albeit at a slower pace than most of us would like them to.With even greater distances separating its major cities than the U.S.A., China could do with a fast and cheap land transportation system, which means it would be the perfect place for a pioneering Hyperloop circuit. Only the Chinese aren't interested in working with Musk. Instead, they are developing their own system and taking things to a new level while they do it.The China Aerospace Science and Industrial Corporation (CASIC) has announced the launch of a program of its own that eventually aims to reach ground speeds of 2,300 mph (4,000 km/h). Named T Flight (or flying train), the super high-speed train isn't a fluke coming from an unknown startup: CASIC had a $1.5 billion profit last year and employs 150,000 people.The company wants to complete research by 2020 and launch its first operating routes around the Wuhan province in China . Initially, the pods would travel at up to 620 mph (1,000 km/h), with one more intermediate level planned until reaching the top speed of 2,300 mph (4,000 km/h).The designed pod seats 16 people and travels through a seven-by-seven-foot tunnel, which is considerably tighter than Boring Company's 13.5-feet diameter. The animation shows the vehicles being launched in various directions using a turntable.CASIC doesn't tell us exactly how it plans to reach these speeds and why its system should be able to go faster than the Hyperloop, but this technology does make it sound as if the only actual limit is that of the passengers' safety.Air travel has long been humanity's quickest way of getting around our planet, but if these companies are successful, that looks like it's about to change. Now if only they could find a way to cross the oceans as well...
kWh

EV

SUV

With its 150-mile range, the second-gen LEAF feels a little underwhelming at first, but the simple fact Nissan managed to keep the same price as for the old model while improving it under every aspect is a credit to the company. Plus, this is just the based 40battery pack version; a different one with a 60 kWh unit will follow with the maximum range said to be over 225 miles.In other words, Nissan has built a decentplatform with the new LEAF, so the expansion of its range of battery-powered vehicles was to be expected. By the looks of it, we won't have to wait long at all for the new model as it's just been confirmed by the company's design chief, Alfonso Albaisa.The new electricis said to be slightly larger than the gas-powered Qashqai, meaning it should offer a perfect mix of practicality and driving performance. We can't talk about any technical specs at this moment, but given the shared platform, we'd expect everything to be similar to what can be found on the LEAF.With rivals such as the Volkswagen I.D. Crozz or the Tesla Model Y, the new Nissan SUV will have to support all-wheel-drive as well, which means installing two electric motors. The Nissan official didn't make any reference about this while talking to Autocar , but we expect the LEAF platform to be flexible enough to support one extra driving unit.With a larger profile and added weight, the SUV should have lower range ratings than its hatchback counterpart, meaning the 40 kWh battery pack option is doubtful. However, expect the 60 kWh one to still offer over 200 miles of travel on a single charge.As for the name, what's perfectly clear is that Nissan won't use LEAF as an electric model indicator like Volkswagen does with its I.D. range. The manufacturer recently trademarked the name "Terra," and since it was already used for an electric SUV concept, it could be an option. Hopefully, it won't retain its looks as well.
It's not like we're good enough to do anything other than think about the new car anyway, so productivity is definitely going down. Alright, so maybe you won't be as anxious as during those nine months before your first born comes into this world, but it's pretty darn close.Waiting for kids, however, is made easier by those periodic ultrasound scans where you get to see the little one - a little something to make time go by faster. With cars, that doesn't happen. Well, it didn't, but it does now.

Mercedes-Benz is offering its German clients the option of keeping an eye on the individually-configured model in real-time from the moment the order had been placed. The service is available through the Mercedes me platform, allowing customers to track the production status online from anywhere in the world.Called "Joyful Anticipation," the program is operational in three Mercedes-Benz factories - Sindelfingen, Rastatt, and Kecskemet - and covers ten different models: CLS, CLS Shooting Brake, E- and S-Class , A- and B-Class, GLA, B-Class, CLA, and CLA Shooting Brake.Digital transformation is a key initiative in our production strategy. We further increase the flexibility and efficiency of our worldwide production network," said Markus Schafer, Member of the Divisional Board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Manufacturing and Supply Chain. "On top we create new services and real added value for our customers. An excellent example is the  Joyful Anticipation. We are driving digitalization ahead at full speed in our plants, with the use of leading Industry 4.0 methods."It's not exactly a live webcam where you can see the car as it moves on the assembly line, but at least you won't be completely in the dark anymore until you get that much-awaited phone call from your dealer informing your car has arrived.We'd also like to point out that Mercedes-Benz managed to make a clip that essentially shows how a car is washed and gets its final quality check inspection and approval quite exciting and enjoyable watch. See for yourself.
The Air Force is proposing cutting costs on the future Air Force One aircraft by eliminating what has, until now, been considered an essential security measure. According to Defense One, Air Force brass are reportedly considering scrapping the converted Boeing 747-8is air-to-air refueling capability, saying the latest jumbo jets have all the range needed to get almost anywhere on earth from Washington. Up to this point, however, in-flight fueling has always been referred to as a means of keeping the aircraft in the air and the president out of harms way in a crisis. Defense One said its seen the Air Force briefing notes and those recommending the change have also said in-flight refueling has never been used, although some sources dispute that.

The magazine claims this and other proposed changes in capability and equipment are part of the Air Forces drive to allow President Donald Trump to achieve a $1 billion saving on the estimated $4.2 billion replacement of the pair of 200-series 747s that currently serve as the flying White House. Among the other economy measures being considered are a more commercial interior and and off-the-shelf air handling system instead of an upgrade to the humidified air system used by 787 airliners. The Air Force is not tampering with the secure communications, self-defense and beefed-up electrical systems needed to support all the systems. The Air Force has already saved some money by buying off-the-shelf 747-8i aircraft that were in storage after the Russian airline that ordered them went bankrupt.
In a world stitched together by instant communication, its easy to forget that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even web mail havent existed forever. None of them existed 25 years ago when Hurricane Andrew tore into the southern tip of Florida, instantly educating the populace on how bad a bad hurricane could be.

Except it wasnt instant. News outlets were there all right, but the area remained difficult to access for days because, according to contemporaneous news reports, more than 50 roads were blocked by trees and downed power poles. The true extent of the damage was revealed the way it usually is, by low-altitude airplane or helicopter survey. I learned of it firsthand when my friend Todd Huvard, then publisher of The Southern Aviator, flew over the area and was stunned at how thoroughly the landscape had been scrubbed of evidence of human effort. You cant imagine, I remember him saying. He was right. I couldnt. But I can now. (Ive fled Florida to Todds house in North Carolina and were perusing archive issues of the magazine.)

As is so often true, the region learned the value of its general aviation airports as disaster recovery sites during Andrew. Although the facilities at Kendall-Tamiami airport were obliteratedincluding the then-Miami FSSthe runways werent. Within hours, civil organizations like Angel Flight were flying all manner of relief missions into Kendall-Tamiamidoctors, nurses and critical supplies totaling more than 115,000 pounds in all in nearly 200 flights, according to The Southern Aviators reporting at the time.

Thats a tiny fraction of what was eventually required, but volume was less important than timeliness. When medical personnel and supplies are needed, theyre often needed right now and not the next day or in the next three days, the time it takes for established relief efforts to reach full motion. Even then, distribution of relief effort isnt homogenous. People who need it badly are left wondering where it is for days, it not weeks.

Compared to Irma, which is roaring up the west coast of Florida as I write this, Andrew was a compact, fast-moving storm. It did profound damage, but over a relatively small area. Andrew was a Category 4 hurricane upgraded to a 5 after the fact. Irma appears to be a 4 as I write this Sunday morning and is forecast to come ashore just south of where I live, in the Sarasota area. (By Sunday night, it weakened to a Cat 2.) The potential property at risk in its pathincluding airportsis staggering: Marco Island, Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa and St. Petersburg. Many of the airports in these communitiesincluding my own at Veniceare close by the Gulf or tributaries, so the surge flooding potential is high. That trashes the lighting, the AWOS and comm facilities but the runways stay put. In 48 hours or so, well find out what kind of role these airports will play.

There will be a price to pay, however. And we wont have a sense of that either until later in the week. When I checked in on Venice Wednesday, pre-storm prep was in evidence, but there didnt appear to be a lot of fly outs. One of the big maintenance operations had moved aircraft back into t-hangars because the large hangars are vulnerable. The ts at Venice are a mix of older sliding-door structures and some newer hangars built to modern codes. In 2004, we learned how poorly the former fare in a storm and how well the latter do when Hurricane Charley came ashore at Port Charlotte.

When I visited Punta Gorda Airport the morning after the storm, the older hangars were essentially shredded. When the sliding doors lift off their tracks and either collapsed onto the airplanes inside or blew downwind, progressive structural failure was right behind. Dozens of aircraft were lost and one well-known Mooney business, Mod Works, was wiped out entirely.

What was striking about the new code hangars is how they were dented and slightly punctured by missile damage, but the airplanes inside remained intact, if a little moist. Charley was a Category 4 with no storm surge. It was over in four hours. Irma may be a Cat 3 with significant surge. Venice is a half-mile from the Gulf on the west and borders the Intracoastal Waterway on the south and east. No matter how stout the hangar, significant flooding will destroy an airplane and theres simply no way to know if it will happen or not. Its very much a random event based on the unpredictable vagaries of wind and tide. Current forecasts call for up to 10 feet of surge.

The more I think about this storm, the more I think of it as a giant test of long-term infrastructure planning and shorter term disaster preparation, the sum of which translate to how habitable Florida will remain in an era where we keep putting more people in the path of storms we know are coming. Along with the abundant sunshine in Florida, theres also constant streak of denial and a disavowal of probability reflected in unrealistically lax building standards and insurance rates blind to climate realities.

But thats not to say some infrastructure hasnt been upgraded. The new hangars I mentioned are an example of this. So is newer housing built to more stringent standards. Based on cable news reporting Im hearing so far, structural damage is less than expected. The test will be a larger survey of what survives and what doesnt. At the moment, Im hopeful that this storm wont be as bad as forecast.

Based on the hurricane-related coverage Ive done, the best thing you can hope for is to hear, it wasnt as bad as I expected, a sentiment that reflects, if anything, a good turn of luck seasoned with thoughtful preparation. If the sentiment we hear is, you cant imagine, then its clear were gonna need a little more work to survive in this part of the tropics.

Early A.M. update: Press reports from Sarasota and the surrounding country suggest that the forecast surge did not materialize. However, Ive heard nothing specifically from the Venice area. Sarasota County power outages are given as about 60 percent. Far less that I would have expected.
11 September 2017 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Jorge Faurie , Cecilia Malmstrom and Tsend Munkh-Orgil

Shock belts, spiked batons, and electrified thumbscrews can serve no other purpose than to inflict pain on people. But despite the fact that torture is prohibited by international law, goods such as these are still produced and sold, finding their way to buyers around the globe.

Likewise, at a time when more countries are abolishing capital punishment, the products used to carry out death sentences  such as lethal-injection systems, poison cocktails, electric chairs, and gas chambers  remain on the market. According to Amnesty International, nearly 19,000 people worldwide are awaiting execution, even though capital punishment has no proven effect as a deterrent and makes judicial errors irreversible.

If we in the international community are serious about ending torture and abolishing capital punishment, we must do more than make lofty promises. It is time for concrete action to make acquiring the means of execution and torture far more difficult.

On September 18, when delegates from around the world gather for the United Nations General Assembly in New York, a large group of countries will commit to creating a new global framework to end this despicable trade. By joining a new Alliance for Torture-Free Trade, governments will agree to establish national export bans on products used for torture or executions, while further empowering their customs authorities to enforce the prohibitions.

The Alliance is being led by Argentina, the European Union, and Mongolia, but all countries that are committed to abolishing capital punishment under the UN Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights have been invited to participate.

Argentinas commitment to ending the death penalty is unwavering. It is an active participant in multilateral institutions such as the International Commission and World Congress Against the Death Penalty, and it has been mobilizing support within the UN for a global moratorium on executions.

The EU, meanwhile, tightened legislation last year to ban all trade in goods used for torture or capital punishment. The law, originally enacted in 2005, now bars all such goods from passing through EU territory and ports, and from being promoted at fairs and in industry publications. And to stay ahead of the curve, the EU has established a fast-track mechanism to ban new tools for torture or capital punishment as they emerge.

Mongolia, for its part, banned the death penalty in 2015, and is setting a positive example in a region where most countries systematically torture and execute prisoners.

Tougher controls have already delivered results. For example, the drugs used in forced lethal injections and devices for administering electrical shocks have become much harder to obtain and more expensive.

Still, there is a clear limit to what individual countries can achieve on their own. Those who produce and trade these goods are changing their practices and routes to circumvent domestic laws. Ultimately, to make policing efforts truly effective, more countries need to get on board.

When the Alliance launches this month, participating countries will sign a joint political declaration based on four commitments. First, they will implement measures to restrict the export of goods intended for torture or executions. Second, they will help to create a platform for exchanging information across borders, so that customs officials can monitor international trade flows and identify new products that should be interdicted.

Third, signatory countries will share their best practices, so that enforcement systems that have proven efficient and effective in one country can be adopted in others. And, fourth, those with national legislation already in place will provide technical assistance to other countries still working toward that end.

To be sure, rooting out torture and abolishing the death penalty will require broad, sustained efforts beyond the area of trade. But by focusing on the exchange of goods used for torture and executions, we are bringing like-minded countries together to effect real change. We are confident that the Alliance will be successful, and that it could serve as a basis for broader UN cooperation down the road.

Trade policies are not just about dollars and cents. They are also powerful tools for safeguarding human rights and supporting sustainable development around the world. We should never permit the tools of suffering and death to be traded like any other commodity.

Copyright: Project Syndicate: Ending the Torture Trade

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 11:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is eager to further cooperate with Azerbaijan, for which its loan portfolio is about $3 billion.

The issues of cooperation and ongoing reforms were mulled during the recent visit of EBRD President Suma Chakrabarti to Azerbaijan. The main purpose of the visit was to discuss the ways to further strengthen Azerbaijans economic performance.

During a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev on September 7, there were frank talks about the political and economic environment, as well as the continuing need to pursue reform and diversify the economy, the bank reported.

The head of state underlined the importance of Chakrabarti's visits to Azerbaijan, adding that these visits create a great opportunity for discussing future plans.

President Aliyev noted that the EBRD's loan portfolio in Azerbaijan is about $3 billion, praising the fact that its major part is being channeled into the private sector. He described this as a clear manifestation of the expansion of the private sector of Azerbaijan's economy.

The exploration of these themes continued in further meetings with government ministers.

Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev, addressing a meeting with Chakrabarti, mentioned that the EBRD allocated $1.7 billion for implementation of 151 projects in the country since the beginning of its cooperation with Azerbaijan.

Mustafayev added that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to cooperation with the EBRD.

The EBRD's efforts in Azerbaijan aim to help diversify the economy away from a dependence on energy and natural resources. The Bank has invested in many smaller, private sector non-energy projects. They each have a positive impact in helping to build the private sector and enhance skills.

The Bank allocated over 294 million since the beginning of cooperation to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Azerbaijan. It also provided 233 million in indirect finance, supporting an SME lending portfolio of banks reaching over 94,000 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises annually.

More than 850 SMEs in Azerbaijan have received consulting assistance since 2003, including assistance to improve accounting, to enter new markets, and work under the Women in Business program, whose goal is to provide financial and consulting assistance to companies run by female entrepreneurs.

Sixty eight per cent of the Bank's investment in Azerbaijan is in the private sector - a crucial part of civil society.

Chakrabarti, during his visit to the municipal solid waste incineration plant in Baku, stressed that the EBRD is interested in cooperating with Azerbaijan in the sphere of domestic waste management.

He pointed out Azerbaijans success in the sphere of domestic waste management.

The EBRD President visited the Balakhany landfill for solid waste disposal and also familiarized himself with the conditions created around the Boyukshor lake.

The EBRD Board of Directors plans to approve a loan for Azerbaijans Tamiz Shahar JSC on November 1, established to improve the ecological condition of Baku.

A loan in the amount of up to $39 million will be allocated for financing investments in the solid domestic waste management in Baku and adjacent settlements on the Absheron peninsula (Big Baku). The funds will be used to finance the construction of two transfer stations and sorting facilities, which will allow optimizing the transportation of waste and reducing the volume of its utilization.

The projects goal is to improve the efficiency of solid domestic waste management in Big Baku. Total cost of the project is $39 million. In total, the EBRD, together with the technical assistance, will allocate $40.3 million for the project.

In addition, Chakrabarti and Deputy Energy Minister Gulmammad Javadov signed a memorandum of intent on Strategic Road Map for the development of utilities in Azerbaijan.

Javadov gave information about the progress of work within the Strategic Road Map for the development of utilities and noted that one of the most important priority areas is creating a central body that will play a bridging role in the effective regulation of the energy sector.

Chakrabarti, in turn, noted that EBRD has extensive experience in the energy sector and 30 percent of the bank's investment is invested to this area, noting that the Bank intends to increase this share up to 40 percent in the future.

The EBRD is an international financial institution founded in 1991. As a multilateral developmental investment bank, the EBRD uses investment as a tool to build market economies.

One of the main priorities of the EBRD in Azerbaijan for 2017 is support the local corporates with direct financing. The EBRD continues to pursue investments in energy projects, especially where there is a gap to improve efficiency and energy security.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 14:12 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

About 2 million manats ($1.17 million) has been returned to Azerbaijani exporters since early 2017, as a part of the mechanism for refunding part of the costs when exporting non-oil products.

Yusif Abdullayev, the vice-president of Azerbaijan Export and Investments Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO), said this mechanism has led to a significant expansion of the number of export-oriented producers, adding that as for 6 months results, exports increased by 36 percent, including non-oil exports - by 27 percent.

The state refunds 3-6 percent of the customs value of goods to non-oil exporters within the framework of mechanisms on promoting exports of non-oil products.

He said that exporters also receive applications for studying new markets, which will allow them to significantly expand the geography of Azerbaijani exports in the future.

"An increasing number of manufacturers are turning to us to study new markets, among which are both unconventional markets for Azerbaijan and completely new ones, for example, the number of applications for studying African market has recently increased," the Vice-President added.

Abdullayev also noted that within the promotion of the Made in Azerbaijan brand, work is underway on creation of shelves with Azerbaijani products in Duty Free stores of airports of the neighboring countries, as in these countries Azerbaijani products are already known.

As of today, 92 trademarks of Azerbaijan are protected under the Made in Azerbaijan brand, while the countrys total outputs nears 250 kinds of products in food, light, heavy and construction industries. The brand is highly successful in regional and world markets, and Azerbaijans local output meets all the necessary standards.

Azerbaijan has already sent export missions to Qatar (in February) and Kazakhstan (in April), as well as to Germany, Afghanistan and Pakistan, since the beginning of the year.

The Azerbaijani government encourages the business doing in the country and creates essential conditions to support entrepreneurs.

President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on additional measures to encourage investment on January 18, 2016. The decree was signed to expand investment activities, improve business environment, increase industrial production, as well as create a mechanism and normative legal acts related to encouragement of investments, in accordance with the action plan for realization of the 2015-2020 State Program for Development of Industry in Azerbaijan.

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

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

The government plans to create the Agency of Small and Medium Enterprises and the Guarantee Credit Fund in 2017-2018. Similar agencies already operate in Europe, the UK, the USA, China, Singapore and other countries, stimulating the development of small and medium-sized businesses.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 17:10 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Azerbaijans Economy Ministry has prepared draft code on competition, according to the report on the evaluation of the results of the measures reflected in the Strategic Roadmap on production of consumer goods in Azerbaijan at the level of small and medium-sized enterprises during the first half of 2017.

The work on the preparation of the code is implemented jointly with Azerbaijans Ministry of Justice, Trend reports.

Creation of the code on competition is envisaged among the measures reflected in the Strategic Roadmap on production of consumer goods in Azerbaijan at the level of small and medium-sized enterprises.

International experience, including of the U.S., Austria, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, the Czech Republic and other countries was used during the preparation of the code.

A working group that will operate within the Commission on Enhancing Business Environment Favorability and Improving Azerbaijans Positions in International Ratings has also been set up, according to the report.

President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree in late 2016 endorsing Strategic Road Maps for the National Economy and Main Economic Sectors, which outlined the short-, medium- and long-term goals for the development of the economy and eleven key sectors.

The document comprises consolidated measures aimed at minimization of negative impacts of the global economic slowdown. It will allow to create a new development model basing on short-term (until 2020), medium-term (until 2025) and long-term measures (post 2025) to be implemented in different spheres of economy.

The strategic road maps up to 2025 and beyond cover almost all sectors of the economy, including, development of the oil and gas industry, the manufacture and processing of agricultural products, the manufacture of small and medium entrepreneurship-level consumer goods, development of heavy industry and machinery, tourism, logistics and trade, vocational education and training, financial services, communication and information technologies and utilities.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 17:47 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, construction of which began in 2008, will be commissioned on October 28, said Javid Gurbanov, the head of Azerbaijan Railways.

The BTK railway is being constructed on the basis of the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey intergovernmental agreement. The main purpose of the project is to improve economic relations between the three countries and gain foreign direct investment by connecting Europe and Asia.

Earlier in July, while his visit to Kars province, Gurbanov stressed that an agreement to establish a logistics center was signed in Kars in the framework of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway project.

Gurbanov noted that entrepreneurs will annually be able to send 2 million tons of goods with preferences by the BTK railway, further adding that in the future the volume of cargo transportation along the BTK route will be increased.

He also expressed hope that in the future cargo transportation from Kazakhstan and China via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will increase to 500,000 containers.

The project implementation began in 2007 and construction began in 2008. The line is intended to transport one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of freight at the first stage. This capacity will then reach 3 million passengers and 17 million tons of cargo.

The first test train on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) route left Turkey for Georgia on July 20.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 15:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The Baku-based Heydar Aliyev Center, which has already turned into a contemporary art hub, will display clothes and jewelry of the 1960s "Modernism and Fashion" by the Alexander Vasiliev Foundation.

The exhibition scheduled for October 5 will be held in Baku for the first time with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The event will showcase 100 samples of clothing and 350 accessories, dating back to the 1960s, from the unique collection of the Alexander Vasiliev Foundation.

Among the exhibits are rare dresses of Haute Couture made in the atelier of the world famous designers - Chanel, Dior, Balmain, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Nina Ricci, Cardin, Couregge, Laroche, Cassini, and Valentino.

The 1960s is considered the most revolutionary decade of the last century. The unexpected revolutionary nature of this period created changes in society, and at the same time, in the fashion world. The first flight into space of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in 1961 and the first woman-cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in 1963 left a mark on the world of fashion and fashion designers of Paris turned to the space theme. The era of cosmic fashion, reflected in the form of shoes, hats and other accessories, was completed after the first landing of Americans on the moon in 1969. The exhibition in the Heydar Aliyev Center will present a lot of copies of clothes, shoes and hats, reflecting these futuristic ideas.

The exposition will also feature rare dresses from the personal wardrobe of famous women of that period - movie stars Mary Pickford, Gloria Svenson, Leslie Caron and Lauren Bacol, and prima ballerina Maya Plisetskaya.

The exhibition has already traveled to Sydney, Istanbul, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Riga and Daugavpils. However, for the first time in Baku the exhibition will be held in such a large space.

Alexander Vasiliev is a well-known collector, fashion historian, art critic, interior decorator, theater artist, author of books and articles on this subject, TV host of some TV programs, member of the Russian Academy of Arts, founder of the international interior prize "Lilies of Alexander Vasiliev". His collection consists of more than 50,000 exhibits from the 17th century to the present.

The Alexander Vasiliev Foundation, established in Vilnius in order to promote culture and fashion history in Lithuania and other countries, operates in the field of education, as well as with the aim of preserving, expanding and presenting to the public a collection consisting of costumes, accessories, paintings, graphics, photographs, works arts and crafts and various publications.

The exhibition will last until April 8, 2018.

--

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 18:22 (UTC+04:00)

An international exhibition of footwear and leather goods SHOESSTAR  Caspian will take place on September 23-25.

The exhibition is supported by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Azerbaijan, Azertac reported.

The aim of International exhibition of footwear and leather goods SHOESSTAR - is to introduce the owners of shoe stores, sales points and goods experts with new collections of men's and women's footwear, leather goods of the "Spring  Summer 2018" collections with the world's leading manufacturers and distributors from 10 countries, more over than 30 brands.

SHOESSTAR exhibition will display footwear, bags and tools for the care of leather products from leading companies from more than 10 countries: Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy, China, Brazil, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Russia.

Among SHOESSTAR participants are manufacturers of women's and men's comfortable footwear, classic and specialized footwear, as well as children's and teenage segments.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 16:30 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains unresolved for about three decades, while last April the revival of the conflict briefly attracted the attention of the international community. After Moscow helped broker a ceasefire, the hostilities slowed, although lasting peace remains a delusion.

Along with foreign ministers meetings organized by the OSCE MG co-chairs, in an attempt to contribute to the conflict resolution, the spiritual leaders of the two conflicting countries, as well as of Russia convened in Moscow.

In continuation of the non-governmental diplomacy, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II adopted a joint statement following the Moscow meeting.

We called for the release of civilians. No need to apply the rules of hostilities, rules related to prisoners of war, on people who are not such, Patriarch Kirill told reporters about people who did not participate in any military action, but now are held as prisoners of war.

It is worth noting here the fate of two Azerbaijanis, Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev, who were detained by the Armenian armed forces in July 2014 while visiting their native places and graves of loved ones in the occupied Azerbaijani Kalbajar region.

Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade brought this issue to the attention of Catholicos Karekin II at the meeting in Moscow, and it was also included in the final statement of the meeting.

Patriarch Kirill also touched upon the issue of preserving temples and mosques in the conflict region: It is very important that they are kept properly, to avoid any acts of vandalism. So that no one could speculate on the religious feelings, inciting the conflict that needs to be put out.

The attitude of Armenians towards Azerbaijani mosques in Nagorno-Karabakh is well known. Since the beginning of the war, the invaders destroyed dozens of cities in Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions, including many mosques, cemeteries, mausoleums, monuments, temples, burial mounds and other samples of Azerbaijans cultural heritage.

Moreover, the Armenians seriously damaged one of the symbols of Shusha city in Nagorno-Karabakh  Govhar Agha mosque. A few years ago, the occupation regime announced the start of its restoration, pre-declaring the Azerbaijani mosque as Persian.

I said that I delivered sermons at many of these mosques. But now these mosques dont exist, Allahshukur Pashazade said in an interview with Azertac on the results of the meeting. Protection of Azerbaijani religious monuments and mosques was also included in the final statement of the meeting.

At the meeting in Moscow, Catholicos Karekin II touched upon the events of April 2016, which became the most intensive flare-up in the frontline since the Nagorno-Karabakh war in 1990s. As a result of this four-day war, ignited by the Armenian occupation forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian militaries received a strong rebuff from the Azerbaijani Army and suffered much loss.

Sheikh ul-Islam responded to Catholicos accusations against Azerbaijan: I brought to his attention that the fighting took place on Azerbaijani lands, I noted that the Azerbaijani people want to liberate their lands from occupation.

First, Armenia must return seven regions adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, noted Sheikh ul-Islam. And then, heads of state, politicians will consider the issue of status of Nagorno-Karabakh, of course, within Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

He also proposed to organize a meeting of religious leaders on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, on its Azerbaijani and Armenian side.

It was proposed to establish a group comprising religious leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia for the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, like the OSCE Minsk Group, Allahshukur Pashazade said.

The Russian side will introduce this proposal to the Armenian side. This group could provide moral support in the course of events, for example, in case of violation of the ceasefire, exchange of captives or bodies of the killed, Sheikh ul-Islam believes.

When two conflicting countries cannot agree on an issue for a long time, the assistance of their spiritual leaders can become the necessary impetus. Unfortunately, the several meetings of Azerbaijani and Armenian religious leaders in past decades have had no breakthrough result so far. Hopefully, the meeting of Sheikh ul-Islam and Catholicos of All Armenians in Moscow will contribute to an early resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

---

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 12:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Radiation surrounds us all the time. It's in the air, the ground, our homes, and even our food. We're exposed to radiation when we fly and when we get medical treatment - and whenever we leave the house.

But how much radiation is too much - and what are we all exposed to?

Low doses of nuclear radiation are more likely to change cells by modifying DNA, while high doses tend to kill cells. Long-term exposure to low doses of radiation increase the odds of getting cancer, while a single high dose will quickly cause immediate damage to cells and tissues. Those who have been exposed to high doses can also have skin damage ranging from itching to burns, blisters and ulcers.

In the world today, radiation levels are measured to ensure safe life of people. As for Azerbaijan, radiation exposure rates are monitored by the Radiation Problems Institute.

Director of the Institute Ravan Mehdiyev said that they conduct research in the areas where it is necessary, and the studies show there is no radiation contamination in the country.

No energy facility in Azerbaijan is operating with radioactive and ionizing radiation, he said, adding the situation is different in other regions. For example, Armenia has the Atomic Power Station (APS), where the radiation hazard is very high. As Turkey is closer to that station than we, they experience more radiation risk.

Mehdiyev told Trend that the organization he represents is engaged in measuring radiation exposure rates for scientific research.



Previously, we conducted researches in oil-polluted areas of Baku. It should be noted that in the oil extracted areas, along with the oil, lay water are available, which contain radiation elements. But now these territories are cleaned and controlled by SOCAR, he said.

Matanat Avazova, Deputy Director of the National Environmental Monitoring Department at the Ecology Ministry, also noted that there is no radiation hazard in the country.

We have automatic stations for measuring radiation in Azerbaijan. These stations are mainly located in border areas. These stations have been operating for many years. During this time, no emergency situation has been registered in the country. Radiation conditions are stable in the country, because there is no radiation source in Azerbaijan, she said.

Speaking about radioactive radon gas in the oil fields in Azerbaijan, Avazova said that this radioactive element has no danger to human life in open air.



Such radiating elements are not dangerous in the open air, and can be dangerous only in indoor conditions, she said.

Avazova further mentioned that natural radiation areas in Azerbaijan are the Greater Caucasus Range and Kur-Araz plain.

For example, the levels of natural radiation in the Oghuz, Gabala, Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Zagatala and Balakan regions are 12-20 mr/hr. For Absheron this background level is 6-8, 8-10 mr/hr." she explained.

Exposure rates of up to 30-50 micro-roentgen per hour are considered normal. But the large dosages can have dramatic effects.

--

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 11:09 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov left for an official visit to Tel Aviv at the invitation of the Minister of Defense of the State of Israel, Mr. Avigdor Lieberman.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported that the itinerary of the visit includes meeting with the Israeli Defense Minister, visit the Command and Control Center of the Armed Forces and enterprises specializing in the defense industry, as well as participation in other events.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 11:58 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on September 11 to pardon blogger Alexander Lapshin.

Under the order, 41-year-old Lapshin, who has been sentenced to three years in prison upon the Baku Grave Crimes Courts decision dated July 20, 2017, is to be released.

The order comes into force from the date of signing.

Helped by his accomplices in the occupied territories, Lapshin paid a number of visits to Azerbaijans occupied lands, where he voiced support for "independence" of the illegal regime, and made public calls against Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territorial integrity.

The blogger was arrested in Minsk in late 2016 and transferred to Baku in February 2017.

On July 20, the Baku Court on Grave Crimes sentenced the blogger to three years of imprisonment on charges of his illegal visits to the Armenia-occupied Azerbaijani lands and a criminal conspiracy with the Armenians living there.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 13:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

South Korea plans to conduct a number of events in connection with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and the Republic of Korea.



A grand event at the Heydar Aliyev Palace in Baku on September 17 will be organized by the Embassy together with SEBA Azerbaijani-Korean Cultural Exchange Association Public Union, Deputy Ambassador Kwon Dong Seok told reporters on September 11.



About 80 Korean top artists and taekwondo masters will visit Azerbaijan to show the essence of Korean traditional music and culture. Within the event, performances by Korean masters of arts, organization of exhibitions, fashion shows and sporting events, as well as support to Azerbaijani IDPs will be held.



Exciting taekwondo demonstration performance will be shown by best taekwondo practitioners of the famous Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team.

These events will be organized both in Baku and in other cities of the country - Sumgayit and Gabala.

Talking about the bilateral ties, Seak said that the diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and South Korea have reached a high level of development over the past 25 years.

"For 25 years, relations between our countries are at the highest level, bilateral cooperation in all spheres is high, we are working towards bringing it to a higher level," he said. "The proof of this can be the presence of a large number of South Korean companies in Azerbaijan.

The largest South Korean company Samsung is implementing a number of projects in Azerbaijan.

"Currently there are more than 10 South Korean companies operating in Azerbaijan. They are the best and biggest companies of the country. These companies work in important spheres for Azerbaijan, in particular, in infrastructure, where both sides take benefits. The experience of South Korea in the non-oil sector is very high. IT, infrastructure, medicine, and agriculture also among interest of both sides, he stressed.



Touching upon tourism, Kwon Dong Seok stressed the role of air communication.

"At the moment, there is no direct air communication between our countries, but this year the growth of tourists from South Korea to Azerbaijan was reported," the deputy ambassador said.

He stressed that the level of relations between the two countries is growing due to the mutual visits of the presidents of Azerbaijan and South Korea.

He added that the Koreans know little about Azerbaijan.

Despite the fact that geographically we are at a great distance from each other, the mentality of Koreans and Azerbaijanis is very similar. We must ensure the rapprochement of peoples, which is a priority. The lack of direct flights is an obstacle in this and we are currently working on and negotiating in it, said the deputy ambassador, expressing hope that this will happen in the near future.

Baku and Seoul have steadily developed relations in various fields, including politics, economy and culture. Korea is interested in further contribution to the economic development of Azerbaijan by sharing economic development experiences and technology.

Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and South Korea amounted to $72.17 million in 2016, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee.

--

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 13:54 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev instructed the appropriate authorities to consider the request by director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev to replace his imprisonment with house arrest, said Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijani presidents aide for public and political affairs.

Director of Turan News Agency Mehman Aliyev was charged on several articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan and arrested in August of this year, he said. Azerbaijan Press Council made a request to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for a just settlement of the issue in accordance with the countrys laws. At the same time, Mehman Aliyev made a request to the head of state for replacement of his imprisonment with house arrest.

I should emphasize that back in 2009, President Ilham Aliyev expressed his opinion and will that given democratic principles, supremacy of the freedom of speech and information in Azerbaijan, charging media employees for their professional activities is not reasonable, Hasanov said. Under instructions of the head of state, media employees have not been imprisoned for their professional activities in Azerbaijan since 2009.

This decision is a clear manifestation of the Azerbaijani presidents unchangeable position and will that democratic principles, freedom of speech and information, independence of the mass media and free activities of journalists must be ensured in the country, Hasanov noted.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 17:38 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Leaving behind a past filled with damages and horror, life returns to normal in Jojug Marjanli village of Azerbaijan.

The settlement, located in the Jabrayil region of the country, was liberated from the occupation in April 2016, when Azerbaijani Armed Forces prevented an Armenian provocation on the contact line. Now, the families, who were forced to leave Jojug Marjanli because of Armenian invasion in early 1990s, have already returned to the village, and many other families are to come in the near future.

All these became possible thanks to the brave Azerbaijani soldiers and the government, which has created all necessary conditions for internally displaced persons from Jojug Marjanli to return to their native village.

"The restoration work carried out in the Jojug Marjanli village, liberated from Armenian occupants, is the indicator of great care and attention of the countrys government to its citizens," MP Fazil Mustafa told Day.az on September 10.

During the first phase, 50 private houses, a school, mosque, electric substation, hydrometeorological station, highway and other relevant infrastructure were constructed in Jojug Marjanli. The village was provided with gas, electricity and water supply.

He reminded that the construction of 100 more new houses is ongoing in the village, and that one of the governments major tasks is the resettlement of internally displaced persons and their provision with a decent life in their native land.

The number of people wishing to return to their native village is increasing, and this fact is a proof of the great trust of people to the state policy and the indicator of a great patriotism, Mustafa said.

He noted that currently there is a great work in the village on construction of social infrastructure  residential buildings, roads, transport infrastructure and other facilities of vital necessity.

The second phase of construction and restoration work and work on improvement and creation in Jojug Marjanli started on June 15 this year, after President Ilham Aliyev signed an appropriate decree.

I am sure that the biggest dream of every Azerbaijani is the liberation of our lands from occupation, the restoration of Azerbaijans territorial integrity, said Fazil Mustafa. I have no doubt that every refugee and displaced person will return to their native land and home.

The MP also expressed confidence that Azerbaijan is able to liberate its Armenia-occupied lands: I think that in the future new infrastructure will be created in other territories to be liberated from the Armenian occupation.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

---

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

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 16:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevs order to pardon blogger Alexander Lapshin is a step proving that Baku never needed vendetta, but only justice.

The case of Lapshin is a good lesson for those looking to visit the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. An Israeli citizen, Lapshin was sentenced to three years in prison by the Baku Grave Crimes Court, and this should be a wake-up call for Armenia's friends.

Lapshins sentence was rather rigid for other "tourists" to think twice before they go to visit Azerbaijans occupied territories, and soft enough, given the bloggers provocative statements regarding his visits to Azerbaijan after he was included in the Foreign Ministrys "black list".

Meanwhile, holding Lapshin in a correctional facility was not that important, as almost immediately after the verdict, Baku was ready to consider the Israeli request concerning the bloggers extradition.

And the fact that Ilham Aliyev pardoned Lapshin also tells about Azerbaijans humane attitude towards the detainee.

Pardoning Lapshin is a humane step, which was taken not just for him, but for his elderly mother, who is not to blame for her sons character and actions, and also as a sign of respect to those countries that are not lucky enough to be his homeland.

It is clear that they are not lucky enough, because the blogger shared disparaging opinions both about Russia and Israel, which, using all diplomatic resources, fought for the release of their prodigal son. All parties involved in the case considered it their duty to take part in Lapshins fate, which is actually correct as each state must be responsible for its citizens, even if its citizen is a criminal. However, Lapshin, as a person, is not worthy of that attention.

In Lapshins travel blog, there is enough evidence of how he actually treats his numerous homelands. He gladly describes the process of bribing certain employees of the Russian Consulate in a particular country and tells how he fooled the Israeli airport security system.

Besides, it is not for nothing that Lapshin was repeatedly detained by the Israel Security Agency Shabak in 2002 on suspicion of espionage against the country, while serving in Israel Defense Forces, as well as in 2006, which he also states in his blog.

Incidentally, given the bloggers ambiguous personality, it is not surprising that Israeli officials significantly delayed the procedure related to Lapshins extradition.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 15:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Monday recorded a rise in world oil prices amid rumors about possible extension of the oil output cut deal.

On NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange) cost of the US Light crude oil increased $0.38 to stand at $47.86. Price of the Brent crude oil at the London ICE (Intercontinental Exchange Futures) rose $0.23 to trade at $54.01.

Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih earlier discussed with his Venezuelan and Kazakh counterparts the possible extension of the global oil supply cut agreement beyond March 2018.

Previously, Russias Energy Minister Alexander Novak also held talks with his Saudi counterpart about further extension to the OPEC+ deal.

The deal to curb output brought crude prices above $58 a barrel in January but they have since slipped back as the effort to drain global inventories and stabilize the oil market has taken longer than expected.

Experts consider that there are not any new options as OPEC+ countries can either keep on cutting oil production and loose market share or they can turn the taps back on and bring prices down.

Currently, Saudi Arabia is gathering support among the OPEC and some non-OPEC countries to extend the duration of the output-cut agreement because it is becoming evident that the oil market may not rebalance by the end of Q1 2018, senior energy analyst at Interfax Energy's Global Gas Analytics (GGA) in London Abhishek Kumar believes.

The expert told Azernews that despite all the talks on the options, which include extending and deepening the cut, it is unlikely that there will be enough support to deepen the cut.

Effectiveness of the OPEC+ agreement will continue to be influenced by the oil-production profile in the United States.

The U.S. oil output is already rising and any uplift in oil prices will further boost production, according to the expert. While parties to the deal hope the oil market will eventually rebalance, growing oil production in the U.S. will prolong this period, he noted.

"There will also be a push from some countries in the November OPEC meeting to discuss an exit strategy from the agreement. However, it would be a challenge to incorporate the U.S. oil-output profile in any exit plan, the expert added.

The OPEC+ plans to discuss the issue of the prolongation in November in Vienna.

OPEC and other major oil producers such as Russia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Sudan, and South Sudan reached an agreement in December 2016 to remove 1.8 million barrels a day from the market.



OPEC and its partners decided to extend its production cuts till March 2018 in Vienna on May 25, as the oil cartel and its allies step up their attempt to end a three-year supply glut that has savaged crude prices and the global energy industry.

Another factor influencing the oil market is the Hurricane Irma which has already caused electricity disruption in Florida. Earlier, Hurricane Harvey put pressure on U.S. oil sector. The US Department of the Interiors Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said that roughly 13.5 percent of oil production in the Gulf of Mexico was also shut in on August 31.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 18:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Sara Israfilbayova

Iran expects an increase in oil production up to 4.5 million barrels per day by 2022.

Irans oil production will reach the level of 4.5 million barrels per day in five years, RIA Novosti reported.

The increase in production will be due to an increase in production at the Western Karun field by 420,000 barrels per day, and 280,000 barrels per day from oil fields in central and southern Iran.

Currently, the volume of oil production stands at 3.8 million barrels a day.

Gas production at the same time will reach 1.3 billion cubic meters of gas per day, gas condensate  864,000 barrels per day for the same period. The growth will occur due to the South Pars deposit. The production of liquefied natural gas will reach the level of 10.5 million tons per year, ethane - 8.8 million tons per year.

The South Pars field is a natural-gas condensate field located in the Persian Gulf. It is by far the world's largest natural gas field. Iran and Qatar share ownership of the field.

The total gas reserves amounted to12 trillion cubic meters.

Prior to the introduction of international sanctions against Iran, the Islamic Republic produced oil in the amount of over 4 million barrels per day. After removing the restrictions in January 2016, the country seeks to increase oil exports in order to regain market share lost due to sanctions.

Moreover, Iran is not part of the OPEC agreement, despite the fact that is one of the members of the Cartel.

The Iranian officials noted that many countries have increased their oil production levels while Tehran was under the sanctions and now when these sanctions have been lifted, Iran intends to increase the level of production.

In November 2016, the OPEC summit was held in Vienna, where OPEC members reached an agreement on reducing oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day. In December 2016 was a meeting of oil producers outside the OPEC. Following the meeting, was signed an agreement to reduce oil production by a total of 558,000 barrels per day starting from January 2017.

The deal participants agreed to extend the production adjustments for nine months, on May 25, 2017.

The next meeting of the Joint OPEC-Non-OPEC Technical Committee (JTC) of OPEC is scheduled for September 22 in Vienna.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 13:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Russia hopes that agreements on the creation of the fourth de-escalation zone in Syria in the province of Idlib will be formalized at Astana talks on September 14-15.

This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following a meeting with his Saudi counterpart Adel Al-Jubair.

"I hope that all those agreements that are coordinated according to the parameters of the fourth de-escalation zone in Idlib will be formalized at the upcoming meeting," Lavrov said.

The minister further noted that the countries that created the de-escalation zones in Syria will not preserve them forever and this is a temporary measure.

"This is not a permanent measure. No one who has agreed to create zones has intention of permanently preserving them, thus, in effect, creating some enclaves for many years on Syrian territory," Lavrov added.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is expected to hold talks with the leadership of Jordan on September 11. Amman will be the final destination of the second part of the ministers Middle East tour, TASS reported.

Lavrov will hold meetings with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Al-Safadi and King Abdullah.

The Syrian dossier in the context of functioning of de-escalation zones and other regional crises tops the agenda of the talks. The dynamics of bilateral relations will also be considered at the meeting.

In Amman, the heads of diplomatic missions plan to conduct an inventory of the implementation of decisions and agreements concluded earlier at the highest level. Russia and Jordan have a regular dialogue on Syrian issues and are actively working in the Astana format.

The next high-level international meeting on Syria within the framework of the Astana process will be held on September 14-15 in Astana.

The participants intend to approve maps of de-escalation zones in the provinces of Idlib, Homs and East Gut, draft regulations on the Coordination Center, the working group on the release of detainees/hostages, the transfer of dead bodies and the search for missing persons, according to the guarantor countries.

To date, five rounds of negotiations on the ongoing Syrian conflict were held in Astana. Guarantors of a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime - Russia, Turkey and Iran - had agreed on May 4 in the Kazakh capital, Astana, to establish "de-escalation zones" in war-torn Syria. The zones would cover the city of Idlib and certain parts of Latakia, Homs, Aleppo and Hama as well as Damascus, Eastern Ghouta, Daraa and Quneitra.

Syria has been locked in civil war since March 2011. According to UN's special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, around 400,000 people have died in the conflict while half the population has been driven from their homes.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 12:59 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The Islamic Republic of Irans new administration is steadfast to follow deeper relations with its friend and neighbor the Republic of Azerbaijan, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi told Trend on September 11.

One of the most prominent policies of the 12th administration is to create extensive and full-bodied cooperation with all its neighbors, he said.

Surely, one of our good neighbors to the north is Azerbaijan, with which we have had, continue to have, and hope to go on to have very expansive relations and with more depth, he said.

Hassan Rouhani was elected as president for a second term on May 19. He reinstated Mohammad Javad Zarif as his foreign minister shortly after. Azerbaijan has been one of the closest countries to Tehran in Rouhanis first administration, 2013-2017.

The presidents of Azerbaijan and Iran each visited the other country two times over the past four years. Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev visited Tehran in early 2016, which took place on the invitation of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. The high-level official visit resulted in conclusion of documents covering various areas of cooperation between Baku and Tehran.

Iranian and Azerbaijani officials signed 11 memorandums of understanding on the sidelines of a meeting between Ilham Aliyev and Hassan Rouhani in Tehran, Feb. 23, 2016.

Also in August of that year, the two countries signed documents for cooperation in various sectors, including transportation, electricity swap, healthcare and medical sciences, oil, gas and petrochemical industries, and others.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 15:30 (UTC+04:00)

Turkish security forces neutralized 57 PKK terrorists nationwide last week, Anadolu Agency reported citing the Interior Ministry.

The security forces carried out 1,285 counter-terrorism operations on September 4-10. Out of 57 terrorists, 39 were killed, three were caught alive, and 15 surrendered to security forces, the ministrys statement added.

During the operations, there were 601 arrests, including 117 suspects for aiding and abetting the terrorist PKK, 27 linked to Daesh, 451 linked to FETO, and six linked to leftist terrorist groups.

Eleven shelters and depots used by PKK terrorists and nine improvised explosives were destroyed in controlled detonations in the southeastern Mus, Bingol, Tunceli, Hakkari, and Sirnak provinces.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU -- resumed its armed campaign against Turkey in July 2015. Since then, it has been responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians.

The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen, orchestrated last year's defeated coup in Turkey, which left 250 people martyred and around 2,200 others wounded.

--

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 16:01 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Turkeys 12-year-long attempt to become EU member-state is under threat amid rising tensions between Ankara and Berlin.

Brussels should stop negotiations with Ankara on Turkey's accession to the European Union, said German Foreign Minister Zigmar Gabriel in an interview with the portal t-online.de on September 11.

He stated that he agrees with Martin Schultz, leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), on this issue.

"I completely agree with his [Schulz] position," Gabriel said, "and I, however, believe that almost all German citizens hold the view that Turkey in its present position will never enter the EU."

The future of Turkeys EU membership talks has become a major topic in the German parliamentary elections campaign on September 24.

Germany's political parties, especially the current coalition partners to Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats Union (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) led by Martin Schulz and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, have promised to increase the pressure on Turkey.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is running for re-election, promised earlier to raise the possibility of suspending or ending Turkeys EU membership talks in discussions with her counterparts, at a summit in Brussels next month.

Last week, several EU member states including Finland, UK and Lithuania have opposed Germanys decision to suspend Turkeys EU membership talks.

Turkeys accession negotiations started in 2005, but until Turkey agrees to apply the Additional Protocol of the Ankara Association Agreement to Cyprus, eight negotiation chapters will not be opened and no chapter will be provisionally closed. The talks have reached a deadlock in 2007 as Turkey was not ready to change its position on Cyprus while German and French governments also opposed the countrys full EU membership.

Turkeys ties with the EU have worsened last July after a failed coup attempt. Relations further deteriorated following an April referendum which expanded the powers of the president. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's (PACE) recent decision to reopen a political monitoring process against Turkey also negatively affected Ankara-Brussels ties.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 16:34 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The Iraqi Government has regained control over 90 percent of the country's territory, seized by militants of the Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) terrorist group.

This was announced by Iraqs government press-secretary Saad al-Khadisi, RIA Novosti reported.

"The situation has changed radically. We went from the defense of Baghdad and the southern provinces to the offense and began to liberate cities and districts one after another with limited weapons capabilities, compared to the period before the governments formation. Here are Iraqi soldiers of various formations - they are ready to put a decisive end to terrorism after having freed 90 percent of the territory under terrorists control. The final victory is close," al-Khadisi was quoted by the press service.

The Iraqi army lost a third of weapons and equipment after the onset of the ISIS troops, according to the representative of the prime minister.

Over 2.2 million refugees have already returned to the areas liberated from militants.

The Iraqi army liberated Mosul and Tall Afar from ISIS in early 2017. Currently, the army is preparing for the storming of the city of El-Ha'wij, located in the north of the country. Almost 2,000 ISIS terrorists are in the city.

On July 10, Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi officially announced victory over the IS in Mosul. The city has been under the IS control since June 2014. The victory marks the beginning of a long work on rebuilding the city.

Abadi's announcement of victory over ISIS was met with international praise from a number of countries still actively battling the militants, including the U.S., Russia, Iran and Syria, where the remaining half of ISIS's self-proclaimed caliphate lies.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 17:44 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The rift between Qatar and four Arab states is deepening while Qatars foreign minister visits UN Human Rights Council in an attempt to gain support from international community.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani described the blockade of his country as a violation of human rights.

This position was outlined in a speech at the session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 10.

"Qatar is experiencing all signs of an international blockade - sea and air, and all this has a negative impact on trade and investment in the country. Naturally, we perceive this as a violation of human rights," he said.

Al Thani emphasized that the three-month blockade on Qatar is violating its civil, social and economic rights.

"There is a violation of the right to work, including the right to work for those people who were employed in Qatar as they were forced to return to their countries," the minister said, adding that property rights are also violated.

He also called on the world community "to show moral and legal responsibility to prevent a deepening of the gap between the governments of the countries of the region."

Qatar is ready for a dialogue with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, but subject to its compliance with international law and respect for the sovereignty of countries, the minister noted while commenting on his visit to the UN Human Rights Council, RIA Novosti reported.

"The position of Qatar remains the same. We are ready to talk with them, we are ready to communicate on terms that do not violate international law and which respect the sovereignty of countries," he said.

As a result of the blockade on the part of the four Gulf states, the rights of some 26,000 people have been violated, according to Al-Thani.

"We are here to see serious results regarding the countries that are blocking us," he added, commenting on his visit to the UN Human Rights Council.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain in June cut off diplomatic relations, severed air, land and sea links with Qatar, accusing the latter of supporting terrorism, and ordered Qatari citizens to leave their countries within two weeks. A number of other states joined the decision later.

In early July, the Arab states sent a list of demand and required Doha to cut diplomatic relations with Iran, close the Turkish military base, eliminate Al-Jazeera TV channel, stop funding terrorist organizations, interfering in foreign countries affairs and supporting opposition forces. Doha refused to fulfill these requirements calling the list unrealistic and not actionable saying that they violate the sovereignty of the country.

Last week, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain issued a joint statement following the talks between the Emir of Kuwait and the US president, where they noted that the only way to settle relations with Qatar is to fulfill Doha's 13 demands, including termination of terrorism funding and interfering in the affairs of others states.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
11 September 2017 17:54 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Rosselkhoznadzor has conducted several inspections of Turkish tomato producers.

These materials are still being considered, according to the agencys spokeswoman Yulia Melano, RIA Novosti reported.

"The inspection materials of tomato production enterprises are under consideration of the Federal Service. As soon as any decision is taken, we will publish relevant information on our official website," she said.

In late 2016-early 2017, Rosselkhoznadzor carried out a number of inspections of Turkish enterprises producing plant products, including tomatoes.

Melano recalled that from September 1, Rosselkhoznadzor, based on the results of the analysis of materials received during the inspections, found it possible to remove restrictions on certain types of products, although some enterprises and tomatoes were not included in this list.

Currently, there are two types of restrictions with respect to Turkish tomatoes.

One of them was introduced by the government of the country. The second is a technical ban, introduced by the Rosselkhoznadzor in connection with the detection of contaminated quarantineable products coming to Russia from Turkey. The ban was introduced on July 4, 2016.

In 2016 Russia imposed a number of economic sanctions on Turkey, including the suspension of visa-free travel to Russia for Turkish citizens, limits on Turkish residents and companies doing business in Russia and bans on import of Turkish products.

Russia dropped restrictions on Turkish citrus fruits in late 2016 and both nations signed a memorandum agreeing to lift the vast majority of the bilateral trade restrictions laid down in 2015. However, the Russian ban on Turkish tomato imports still remains in place.

Russia says that the reason lies in Russian agriculturists, who invested a large amount of money in the national agriculture during tensions between Russia and Turkey and who are still waiting for the profit.

The ban on the tomato import is considered to be the most negative for Turkey since Russia was the largest market for the Turkish tomato export with annual profit amounting to billions of dollars.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
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
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/09/2017 (1890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hadi Dehais hoped for celebrations like this one when the network engineer heard Syrian refugees would settle in Brandon.

Under a canopy of trees at Dinsdale Park, 60 Syrians who can count their time in the Wheat City in months rather than years gathered to celebrate on Saturday afternoon.

There were kids laughing on the play structure. Women prepared skewers of lamb and chicken so they could be cooked while the men were busy barbecuing.

Ian Froese/The Brandon Sun Syrian newcomers, from left, Hasnaa Qannish, Asmaa Satouf, Alia Mohammad, Kafi Krmy and Baraah Armoush prepare the lamb skewers that were to be cooked at a barbecue at Dinsdale Park on Saturday.

They met for a feast of kosher meat, greek salad, pita bread and humus to commemorate Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday.

Dehais  who is Arabic himself, growing up in Dubai , United Arab Emirates  said its special to see these families come together.

I was hoping it would turn out like this, he said.

Dehais wanted to help the Syrian refugees when he learned they were coming. There were official channels of assistance through Westman Immigrant Services, but he wanted to assist on a more personable level.

Ever since, Dehais has helped with community integration. He has been there to sign leases and cellphone contracts. He has translated documents and sourced computers for families.

In turn, the newcomers have given back to Dehais mixed family.

Theyve contributed to my family a lot. My wife is learning Arabic from them, my daughter is learning culture, Dehais said.

Also, when I first met these people, my Arabic, I forgot it completely, he explained. Just talking to these people gives me a sense of nostalgia.

For a dozen years he has lived in Westman, where the number of Arabic families were once few and far between.

Now, hes regularly welcomed into the homes of Syrian families and calls many his dear friends.

I was expecting this (welcome), it is part of the culture, he said. I knew that they were going to take me in with open arms and feed me till Im stuffed.

Ahmad, a 23-year-old Brandon University student who arrived in the city by himself a year ago, especially appreciates that culture when it comes to the meals.

During the month of Ramadan, Ahmad  who didnt want his last name used  always had company.

I had dinner every day with a different family. I didnt eat by myself for the whole month, for 30 days.

And sometimes I got two invitations in one day, so I got confused where to go, he said, laughing at the memory.

Mouldi Zid, 38, is not from Syria but hails from Tunisia. He has worked in the agriculture industry in his nearly two years in Canada.

He, like Dehais, relishes the togetherness of the culture.

I need family. Any family is good for me, it makes my life easy, more social, he said. I was looking to meet people and this helps.

Among these Syrian strangers who have become friends is Maher Alarsali, a married father of four. Eight months into his life in Brandon, hes happy.

Here and in Syria, its the same feeling.

There are hard days while learning the cultural differences and the English language, but every day coming is easier than the day before it, he said through a translator.

Dehais understands itll take time for the Syrian newcomers to become acquainted with life in Canada, but seeing families uniting on their own is a comfort.

Nobody had ever met each other before, but you walk into one of their houses now and you wouldnt believe it, he said.

He wants to continue lending a hand. Perhaps, there will be a Syrian pavilion at the next Westman Multicultural Festival, he hopes.

Everyone whos seen them, and ate their food, and seen their hospitality has loved them, he explained. To do it on a city-wide level with a pavilion would definitely give them a better receptive attitude from the community.

The thing is: theyre here and theyre here to stay, he said of the Syrian newcomers. I want to see them flourish.

 ifroese@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ianfroese
"Australia was much drier during the last Ice Age than it is today, as most of the water was held in large ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere," he said. Right across Australia, there were few wetlands during this time, which raises the question: Where and how did plants and animals survive that needed permanent water? "The island, and possibly even the region itself, may have been a refuge from dry climates. The Moreton Bay side of North Stradbroke Island has a string of wetlands. Dr Tibby said their research showed Ferngully Lagoon, to the north of Blue and Brown Lakes on the bay side of North Stradbroke Island, was 200,000 years old.

"The instinctive thing is that you would expect that lakes and swamps that exist on sand, because North Stradbroke Island is a sand island, is that they are likely not to have existed for a long period of time," he said. "So the fact that these lakes and swamps have existed for a long time suggests that on average it has been wet in the region for most of that period of time, which is in contrast to what we think we know about the rest of the Australian continent. "We have very, very few locations where we have wetlands that have persisted through since the end of the last Ice Age." The Ice Age began slowly about 100,000 years ago, reached its peak between 15,000 and 20,000 years ago and gently warmed. The discovery would allow researchers to study the history of vegetation changes, eventually over the past 200,000 years, by looking at fossilised pollens.

This research would be compared to other research, which was "inferring" past rainfall in the region. Dr Tibby said researchers would use core samples to look into the impact of human arrival in south-east Queensland and the impact on vegetation. Researchers John Tibby, Lydia McKenzie, Jonathan Marshall and Cameron Barr take core samples from Duck Lagoon, North Stradbroke Island. "Whether those two things together had a role in causing the extinction of the giant animals, the megafauna and then what happened to fire practices with Indigenous people using the landscape," he said. "It has been hard to get good answers to those questions because we have had so few good sites."

The science suggested the island may have had permanent wetland areas when Australias climate was at its driest. Dr Tibby said the persistence of these wetlands were linked to the islands groundwater systems, which acted as water reservoirs during periods of rainfall deficit. During what was otherwise a particularly dry period in Australias ancient past, these persistently moist regions are thought to have played a unique role in maintaining biodiversity, he said. Dr Tibby said being able to research the North Stradbroke Island wetlands further would help understand longer-term climate change.
Public servants who volunteer to work outside Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne could be promoted faster and be eligible for more senior jobs as part of an ambitious plan from north Queensland's unofficial capital.

Townsville is the latest city bidding to be part of forced relocations of some of Canberra's biggest departments and agencies, proposing special graduate recruitment programs and faster career progression for federal government employees working in regional Australia.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill. Credit:Michael Chambers

The local council has put its hand up to host any of nine departments and agencies as part of the Turnbull government's decentralisation plans, including Defence, Education and Training, Veterans' Affairs, Infrastructure and Regional Development and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Relocating public service jobs would boost the city's economy, help lower its 9.6 per cent unemployment rate and begin to arrest the "brain drain" from regional cities, caused by young people and university graduates moving to capitals for jobs and lifestyle benefits.
A man with alleged links to the cold-case murder of Philip Carlyle has faced a Queensland court on weapons charges.

John Hitchen, 66, was granted bail at the Southport Magistrates Court on Monday after making a brief appearance on a string of offences, including the possession of illegal firearms.

The firearms and ammunition located buried in the ground on a property near Stanthorpe.

Police investigating the murder of Mr Carlyle in April 1997 allege they discovered 11 handguns, two semi-automatic rifles, three rifle barrels and over 10,000 rounds of ammunition on a property near Stanthorpe on August 5.

The discovery came after Hitchen was charged in June with being an accessory after the fact in Mr Carlyle's murder.
An Uber driver has faced court in Brisbane accused of trying to kiss a woman during a car ride in the city's nightclub precinct.

The 29-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is also accused of touching the woman inappropriately at Fortitude Valley on March 13.

He faced the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday on one count of sexual assault, with court documents alleging he "unlawfully and indecently assaulted" the female complainant.

He is the fourth ride-sharing service driver to be slapped with criminal charges since July, with three others facing counts including rape and deprivation of liberty.

The case will return to court on September 25.
Published On Sep 11, 2017 04:33 PM By Jagdev

The easy availability of recall data will benefit used car buyers in India

SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) has decided to publish data of all vehicles that have been recalled in India on its website. The data is accessible to everyone and includes the reason of recall alongside other details that can help viewers filter the data. All previous recalls by carmakers since October 2012 are available online. While carmakers ensure the recall data is made public, it wasnt so convenient to find it online.

The move will especially benefit used car buyers as they can now check whether the car model they bought or are about to buy was ever recalled or not. If recalled, buyers can cross-check with the manufacturer whether the said vehicle was rectified in the recall or not, and in case the first owner has not got the problem sorted, the new owner can at least have it fixed. First owners too can benefit by going through the data once to be sure that they havent missed a previous recall.

Under SIAMs voluntary vehicle recall policy, car manufacturers are expected to recall vehicles with manufacturing defect. The idea is to ensure the safety of occupants. So any component that is not according to specifications and can cause danger to the life of occupants needs to be replaced by carmakers free of cost. This policy applies to only the first seven years of a vehicles life, and its mostly the first owner who gets notified of the recall. Readers can head to SIAMs official website to access recall-related info.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jim McGrath, Spokesman

Office of George H. W. Bush

jim@begalamcgrath.com

713-240-6260 cell

Initial plan to raise funds for organizations helping Hurricane Harvey victims in Texas and Houston now will also direct monies raised to the Florida Disaster Fund

The One America Appeal launched last week by all five living former presidents to raise private money for hurricane victims today announced that their efforts will also aid Floridians impacted by Hurricane Irma through the Florida Disaster Fund, following its activation by Governor Rick Scott.

The Florida Disaster Fund is the State of Floridas official private fund established to assist the states communities as they respond to and recover from destructive storms. In partnership with the public sector, private sector and other non-governmental organizations, the Florida Disaster Fund supports response and recovery activities.

One hundred percent of funds donated to the Florida Disaster Fund will go toward disaster-related response and recovery because the fund has no overhead costs.

This weekend, One America Appeal is also launching a second public service announcement, One America Appeal, which will air during the NFLs telecasts all day Sunday and Monday night. The PSA alerts viewers that online, tax-deductible donations may continue to be made at OneAmericaAppeal.org.

A special restricted account has been established through the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation to collect and quickly distribute donations to ensure 100 cents out of every dollar goes to assist hurricane victims. In addition to the Florida Disaster Recovery Fund, donations will also be shared with the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund focusing on the greater Houston region, and the Rebuild Texas Fund assisting communities across the state.

The PSA One America Appeal can now be seen online at OneAmericaAppeal.org.
HeidelbergCement - August 2017

HeidelbergCement's quoted Italcementi subsidiary, Suez Cement, saw a consolidated 1H17 loss of EGP40.61m (EUR1.95m), compared with a profit of EGP53.76m. Suez Cement is to dissolve its Saudi Arabian subsidiary Al Madinah International Pre-Casy Concrete Company.

To continue reading this story and have 100% free access to the CemNet.com website, please Register for a subscription to International Cement Review or Login
Eagle Cement secures alliance with construction giant

ICR Newsroom By 11 September 2017

In anticipation of a massive rise in domestic infrastructure-building, Philippines-based Eagle Cement Corp has entered into a strategic alliance of cement supply with Yuchengco family-led construction firm EEI Corp.



The new deal is set to strengthen the existing partnership between the two companies by expanding the list of EEI projects that Eagle will supply cement to, as the Philippines enters what economic managers envision to be a "golden age of infrastructure."



"This contract is another feather on our cap," Eagle COO and General Manager, Manny Teng, said in a press statement on Monday.

"EEI is among the biggest players in the infrastructure industry and their confidence in Eagle, as exemplified by this partnership, is testament to the quality of our products and service," he added.



With EEIs line-up of projects, the group sees Eagles forthcoming capacity expansion as a big boost to this partnership. Eagles capacity is set to expand with the completion of its third production line in Bulacan by early 2018. The new line will bring Eagles capacity up to 7.1Mta. The additional capacity is seen to address greater demand for cement coming from the governments infrastructure initiatives alongside private sector projects.



"With the excellent experience we've had with Eagle Cement, along with the expansion of their capacity, they will be able to provide companies like us with cement that matches the scale and requirements of our projects. Eagle's cement meets the required strength that we need to be able to build our projects successfully," Constantino said.



Currently, Eagle is already exclusively supplying cement to two landmark EEI projects: the PHP37.4bn (US$734.9m) Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 project and the PHP62.7bn MRT-7 project, both of which are undertaken by conglomerate San Miguel Corp.





Published under
Arise Shine, for your Light has come

Sixth Haftorah of Consolation: Arise Shine, for your Light has come

Last Shabbat the Jewish community read the 6th Haftorah of Consolation, Isaiah 60.

This Haftorah is linked to the Torah reading for the day, Deuteronomy 26-29:8, When you enter the Land.

Here Moses tells the children of Israel what to expect from their life in the Promised Land and what G-d expects from them as a people charged with bringing His truth to the entire world.

This Torah reading includes many glorious phrases which are now part of our general culture.

Included are such phrases as 'a Land flowing with milk and honey', 'a treasured people' and 'the fruit of your womb'.

All these blessings are however contingent on the behaviour of the Jewish people ongoing, and are not theirs by right alone. The covenantal relationship between G-d and the Jewish people is continuous and both sides have their part to play.

The Haftorah continues the upbeat and joyous mood with its sublime opening lines immortalized by Handel in the Messiah:Arise! Shine! For your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has shined upon you.'

I recommend all readers watch this wondrous 1946 rendering by the Huddersfield Choral Society, performed the year after the end of WWII, accompanied by the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Sargent. The soprano is Mancunian Isobel Baillie (the first British person to appear at the Hollywood Bowl in 1933) and the contralto is Gladys Ripley.

Just imagine how members of Huddersfield Choral Society would have felt singing this song of praise to the glorious light after the 'gross darkness' of constant bombardment by Hitler. Truly a case of 'from darkness to light.'

The recording has an ethereal quality, matched only by its dignity and subdued passion. Certainly a gem to be treasured.

For Isaiah is declaring that those nations that 'were in darkness' shall now 'go by your light.' The depression and hopelessness depicted in the previous Haftorahs is now completely lifted as 'the wealth of nations' is shared with the people of Israel.

And those few peoples who continue to treat the Jewish people with scorn will not last long.

'Violence (Hebrew word: 'hamas') will no longer be heard in your land, neither robbery nor destruction within your borders and you shall call salvation your walls and your gates praise.'

The Torah and Haftorah need to be read together, as Jewish people did last Shabbat in Shul. What G-d is demanding of His people as Rosh Hashana approaches is not easy to achieve. This is why leading an observant Jewish life is called 'the yoke of Torah'.

But with 10 days to go until Rosh Hashana, when the miracle of creation of the world is celebrated through the story of two childless women (the biblical Sarah and Hannah), both of whom miraculously give birth through the power of prayer, this Haftorah celebrates the eventual rebirth in our own day of a nation and resurrection of a people wedded to the Torah of G-d.
As Texans return to flood-hit homes, many say 'Our house is history'

As flood waters recede from Hurricane Harvey, thousands are set to return to their homes on Sunday to survey damage from unprecedented flooding that devastated densely populated areas of Texas, as worries mount about health risks.

Harvey, which came ashore on August 25 as the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in 50 years, is expected to be one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, having displaced more than 1 million people and leaving wreckage in an area stretching for more than 300 miles (480 kms) which officials said would take years to repair.

Thirteen Superfund sites, heavily contaminated former industrial zones, in Texas were flooded or damaged by Hurricane Harvey, but the full impact on surrounding areas was not immediately clear, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Saturday.

The announcement came amid rising concern about the health risks posed by Harvey's record floodwaters, which contain a toxic soup of chemicals, oil and bacteria from Houston's notoriously leaky sewer system.

The city of Houston ordered a mandatory evacuation on Sunday for about 4,600 residences in the western section, where several hundred people have not left their homes and flooding is expected to last for another two weeks.

'Put your own personal safety above your property,' Mayor Sylvester Turner said, adding residents should consider the safety of first responders who would have to handle any emergencies.

The evacuations, put in force by shutting off of power, were set to take effect at 7 a.m. CDT.

Damage from the storm is also posing an economic and humanitarian challenge for U.S. President Donald Trump, who visited Houston on Saturday and met some of the thousands of people in evacuation shelters and rescue workers who have helped shuttle survivors to safety.

The visit gave Trump an opportunity to show an empathetic side, after some criticized him for staying clear of the disaster zone during a Texas visit on Tuesday. Trump said he did not want to hamper rescue efforts.

Late Saturday night, Trump tweeted, 'Just got back to the White House from the Great States of Texas and Louisiana, where things are going well. Such cooperation & coordination!'

The Trump administration on Friday asked Congress for a $7.85 billion (6.06 billion) appropriation for response and initial recovery efforts. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who accompanied the Trumps, has said his state may need more than $125 billion.

For many in the Houston metropolitan area, which has an economy as large as Argentina's, losses to individual families were cataclysmic.

In a neighbourhood in east Houston, streets were lined with 8-foot (2.4 meter) piles of soggy debris, including mattresses, carpets and other belongings ripped out of homes.

Adrian Rodriguez returned on Saturday to his flood-hit home there where he lives with his wife and three young boys.

'I lost everything. All my children's pictures of them growing up. Their birthday pictures. Vacation pictures. Their school projects of what they wanted to be when they grow up,' he said.

'There is furniture on the sidewalk that I'm still paying for.' Everything in the house is history.'

Officials said at least 75 schools in Houston suffered severe or extensive water damage, or more than 25 percent of all those in the district.

At least one high school, with 2,700 students, was unlikely to open for nearly the entire school year, and the city was still evaluating some other school structures.

Many areas of Texas were still battling floodwaters from swollen rivers that were expected to last for a week or more. In Beaumont, about 85 miles (140 km) east, officials were trying to repair a flood-damaged pumping station that caused the city of about 120,000 people to lose drinking water for days.

As of Saturday morning, nearly 200,000 homes have suffered flood damage and about 12,600 were destroyed, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Nine days after the storm hit, more than 50,000 people remained without power.

The storm shut about a fourth of U.S. refinery capacity, much of which is clustered along the Gulf Coast, and caused gasoline prices to spike to a two-year high ahead of the long Labor Day holiday weekend.

Meanwhile a new storm, Irma, strengthened on Friday into a Category 3 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale.

It remained more than 1,000 miles from the Leeward Islands, where residents were advised to monitor its progress. The National Hurricane Center said in an advisory late Saturday night it was still much too early to determine what direct impact it might have on the Bahamas and the continental United States.
Christian couple sues Church of England primary over transgender boy

A Christian couple is threatening to sue a Church of England primary school after a boy in their son's class was allowed to wear a dress.

Nigel and Sally Rowe withdrew their six-year-old son from the school and will educate him at home on the Isle of Wight along with his eight-year-old brother who was removed from the same school, according to the Sunday Times.

Sally Rowe said her son had become 'quite ill and stressed' when a classmate was allowed to wear a dress.

Nigel Rowe said: 'A child aged six would sometimes come to school as a girl or sometimes come to school as a boy. Our concerns were raised when our son came back home from school saying he was confused as to why and how a boy was now a girl.

'We believe it is wrong to encourage very young children to embrace transgenderism. Boys are boys and girls are girls. Gender dysphoria is something we as Christians need to address with love and compassion, but not in the sphere of a primary school environment.'

The couple denied they were transphobic and said it was 'simply not the case' they were demonstrating prejudice in a campaign video for the lobby group Christian Concern.

They will argue the school, which is unnamed, failed to consult parents, had not acted with the best interests of their son in mind and not respected their rights to raise their child according to biblical values.

The school says it was following CofE guidance and added transgender children were protected under the Equalities Act 2010. East Sussex county council's guidance on transgender children makes clear they should not be treated as a problem but 'as an opportunity to enrich the school community and to challenge gender stereotypes and norms on a wider scale', the school added.

The couple's lawyers at Christian Concern are expected to argue the school is wrong to rely on the Equalities Act because it only protects transgender people over 18.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the charity, said: 'This new transgender ideology is being aggressively imposed on unsuspecting schools, parents and children. It is delusional and abusive. School classrooms, which should be one of the safest environments for children, are rapidly becoming dangerous battlefields in a war brought on by a radical transgender ideology. Vulnerable children are being used as pawns and will be harmed the most. We need to call it what it is.'

A Diocese of Portsmouth spokesman said: 'Our schools are inclusive, safe spaces where pupils learn to respect diversity of all kinds. We comply with the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and believe that all should feel welcomed, valued and nurtured as part of a learning community.'
Halloween is around the corner  and these Christians are saying 'Throw a Party'

Churches throughout the country are being urged to throw parties to mark Halloween.

Scripture Union, a Christian charity, is challenging churches throughout the UK to respond to, rather than ignore Halloween and use it as an opportunity to engage with children in their local communities.

For the past four years, Scripture Union has produced a free 'Light Party Pack' for churches to inspire and equip them to host a Light Party 'to shine the light of Jesus and share God's love at Halloween'.

In 2016, almost 8,000 packs were distributed and it is thought more than 20,000 children across the country attended a Light Party  of those, 63 per cent of these children did not regularly attend church.

Tim Hastie-Smith, national director for Scripture Union England and Wales, said: 'We appreciate that many Christians and churches are not sure how to respond to Halloween and we also understand the hard work that goes into planning events  so we've designed the Light Party Pack to address both of these issues and support the mission of the church. We have been hugely encouraged by the response from churches but even more so by the engagement with those kids not regularly attending church.'

Each year the pack has evolved and this year's pack encourages churches to focus on using Light Parties to reach out to children and young people in their communities with articles by various children and youth work experts with advice and tips on how to do this. The pack also includes lots of ideas for games, crafts, activities and bible teaching.

Chris Walton's church, the Church of the Ascension in Birmingham, hosted a Light Party last year.

He said: 'We held our Light Party on a Sunday afternoon, and about 100 people attended  85 to 90 of them were people who don't normally come to church. The response was so positive that we then set up a brand new monthly Messy Church service and invited them all to come along and find out more. Eight months on, up to forty adults and children who came to the Light Party regularly attend that new service, and are growing in their knowledge of God and Jesus and what Christianity is all about.'

The free Light Party pack can be ordered at www.lightparty.org.uk or by calling 01908 856000.
Myanmar a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing', warns UN

Myanmar's abuses against Rohingya Muslims amount to a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing', a senior UN human rights officials said on Monday.

In one of the most forthright condemnations of Aung San Suu Kyi and her army's treatment of the minority group, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein told the United Nation's human rights council the attacks were 'clearly disproportionate' to militants' actions last month.

A newly formed group, Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), targeted a police outpost in August, killing nine and triggering a catastrophic crackdown.

More than 310,000 people have fled across the border into Bangladesh in less than three weeks with many more trapped on the border amid accusations of landmines being planted to stop their escape.

'I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred, and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population,' Zeid said.

'Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.'

Aung San Suu Kyi vociferously denied the military's actions amounted to ethnic cleansing.

The conflict centres around 1.1million Rohingya, a minority ethnic group who are largely Muslim. They are denied citizenship in Myanmar despite having roots that go back centuries. Considered the most persecuted group in the group, the largely Buddhist Burmese ethnicity has targeted them for decades.

On Sunday the Dalai Lama, spoke out about the crisis for the first time, urging those attacking Rohingya to 'remember Buddha'.

'Those people who are sort of harassing some Muslims, they should remember Buddha,' he told journalists. 'He would definitely give help to those poor Muslims. So still I feel that. So very sad.'

He becomes the latest Nobel laureate to speak out against the conflict after Archbishop Desmond Tutu broke his vow of silence to urge Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi to do the same.

In a heartfelt open letter to Myanmar's de facto leader, the 85-year-old described her as a 'dearly beloved sister' but said the 'unfolding horror' and 'ethnic cleansing' ongoing in the country's Rakhine State forced him to speak out.

'I am now elderly, decrepit and formally retired, but breaking my vow to remain silent on public affairs out of profound sadness,' he wrote.

'For years I had a photograph of you on my desk to remind me of the injustice and sacrifice you endured out of your love and commitment for Myanmar's people. You symbolised righteousness,' he said, posting the letter on social media.

'Your emergence into public life allayed our concerns about violence being perpetrated against members of the Rohingya. But what some have called "ethnic cleansing" and others "a slow genocide" has persisted  and recently accelerated.'

Tutu went on: 'If the political price of your ascension to the highest office in Myanmar is your silence, the price is surely too steep.'
Orthodox Patriarch targeted in Jerusalem protests against Church land sales

Palestinians have rallied in Jerusalem against the selling of church property to Jewish settlers.

The protesters demanded the removal of Patriarch Theophilos III over his role in selling the land.

According to Al Jazeera, they held signs reading: 'We demand the freedom of the Orthodox Church from Theophilos and from corruption' and 'Church land belongs to the church and its congregants  not to Theophilos and his gang.'

The rally was sparked by a court ruling over the selling of three major compounds near the Jaffa Gate in the Old City to an Israeli Jewish settler group, Ateret Cohanim, which aims to expand the Jewish presence in the occupied city.

Another issue is a bill in the seeking to nationalise lands owned by churches in west Jerusalem and sold to private entrepreneurs.

Mainly in the 1950s, churches leased the disputed properties in west Jerusalem to the Jewish National Fund.

In the coming 20-50 years the lease periods will end, and the churches have reportedly sold pockets of the land to private entrepreneurs in a deal that affects the residents and creates future uncertainty.

The protests reflect fears expressed by the leaders of Jerusalem Churches from several denominations  including Theophilus himself  that there is a 'systematic attempt to undermine the integrity of the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and to weaken the Christian presence'.
Pope Francis' threat to Donald Trump: 'History will judge your decisions'

Pope Francis issued thinly veiled threats to Donald Trump on Monday afternoon as an ongoing feud between the pair continued.

Asked about the president's plans to rescind DACA, Francis said those who support the separation of families through immigration laws are not 'pro-life'.

Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane returning from a five-day trip to Colombia, he said he hoped Trump 'rethinks' the decision to scrap the plan that allowed immigrants bought into the US as children to remain.

'I believe that this law comes, I think, not from Congress but from the executive branch of the government,' he said. 'If it is so, I have the hope that it's re-thought, because I heard the president of the United States introduce himself as a "pro-life" man.'

He added: 'A good pro-lifer understands that family is the cradle of life, and that its unity must be defended.'

Pope Francis also turned his ire to climate change deniers as Irma, the third hurricane in recent days, raged over Florida, disrupting the papal plane's return flight to Rome.

'Those who deny climate change need to go to scientists and ask them,' Francis said. 'They are clear and precise.'

Trump has repeatedly denied his belief in man-made climate change.

Francis added that climate change is a 'serious matter over which we cannot make jokes' as he insisted scientists had been perfectly clear.

'Each [person] has a moral responsibility, bigger or smaller,' he said.

'History will judge the decisions.'

The pope was coming back from a 'peace and reconciliation' trip to Colombia where a violent civil war has caused havoc for more than 50 years.

'If Colombia wants a stable and lasting peace, it must urgently take a step in this direction, which is that of the common good, of equity, of justice, of respect for human nature and its demands,' he told thousands in the port city of Cartagena on Sunday.

'Only if we help to untie the knots of violence, will we unravel the complex threads of disagreements,' he said.
Hiring enough software engineers, DevOps managers, cloud computing specialists and other roles required to facilitate IT transformations remain tall tasks for CIOs. But the talent crunch isnt limited to those with coding skills and algorithmic thinking: Enterprises are also struggling to hire staff with soft skills who can help shape the user experience around digital services.

For a digital transformation to be successful, companies need storytellers, UX designers and product managers, among other roles. These skill sets help round out the human experience required to support emerging digital services. And these roles will only become more important as organizations increasingly lean on artificial intelligence and other technologies in which humans and machines must augment each other, says Paul Daugherty, CTO and chief innovation officer at Accenture.

We need more coders, Daugherty says. However, five years from now, we wont be worried about coders, but the lack of people with soft skills. Were short on people who can understand the human experience.

Daughtery, who tackles the need for organizations to beef up on what he calls missing middle digital skills in a new book, Human + Machine: Reimagining Work in the Age of AI, says enterprises require a rethinking of how to leverage people and technology.

Digital talent deficits are real. While 51 percent of employers identified an absence of hard digital skills in their organization, 59 percent recognized a lack of soft digital skills among employees, according to a 2017 survey of 753 employees and 501 executives conducted by Capgemini and LinkedIn. But while many CIOs focusing on hiring agile programmers, DevOps engineers and data scientists, many havent begun to scout, let alone build up, soft skills yet. Consultants say CIOs must work with marketing, sales and HR cohorts to fill the following positions.

UX designers

Building a chatbot is impossible without UX designers. Once a business case has been established, you will need UX designers to help figure out how the product will look and feel. Many UX experience designers can code, though their main role is shaping how end users will consume the product.

Digital trainers

To help your chatbot strike the right tone you need someone to train the bot in a way that embodies your corporate culture. Trainers can help natural-language processors and language translators make fewer errors, and teach AI algorithms how to mimic human behaviors. For example, a media company may opt for a chatbot with a snarkier tone, while an insurance company might require a more formal-sounding virtual assistant. Whatever the use case, humans are required to help train the bots how to demonstrate empathy for humans.

Such no-collar skills may require someone with a liberal arts background  think sociology, anthropology, psychology, drama or journalism  who can help train the chatbot how to speak in ways that reflect the companys business objectives, Daugherty says. Regardless of their training, such talent should be able to communicate and articulate corporate culture.

Writers

Enterprises need writers, or storytellers, to help shape digital experiences such as chatbots, or even how employees and consumers should interact with new augmented reality services youre building, says Todd Rovak, CEO of Capgemini Consulting North America. Home improvement retailer Lowes, for example, has hired writers to craft narratives around robots and other digital services.

Conversational brand strategist

Say a consumer packaged goods company wants to tap into the conversational messaging zeitgeist by building a new chatbot. This will require a fresh approach and talent, namely, someone who can convey and reimagine the companys culture. Doing this in the proper context and tone is key to cultivate the right experience, but the conversational brand strategist must also be able to explain how this works to the CEO, CMO, CIO, CDO and other business functions. This whole obsession with customer experience and centricity requires context, Rovak says. There has to be a why to understand the experience.

Forensics analysts

Enterprises are concerned about the so-called black box challenge of explaining the results of AI, a challenge that may grow as governments expect more transparency regarding decisions algorithms make. For that you need a sort of CSI for AI. Algorithm forensics analysts, for example, might help enterprises explain the genesis of outcomes to business executives. Such analysts might work with coders and data scientists to understand how an algorithm reached its conclusion, Daugherty says.

Ethics compliance manager

Ethics compliance managers will help ensure that your AI systems are operating as designed and that unintended consequences are addressed post haste, Daugherty says. Such a manager would, for example, intervene in the event an AI system for credit approval was discriminating against people in certain professions or specific geographic areas. The ethics compliance manager could work with an algorithm forensics analyst to uncover the underlying reasons for such results and then implement the appropriate fixes, Daugherty says.

Digital product managers

IT and trainers got the chatbot up and running. PwC partner John Karren says a digital organization needs product managers to position the bot for consumers. Digital product managers roles could include responsibility for storytelling, crafting product narratives, but ideally they will own the entire product from top to bottom, ensuring the UX is crisp and that the appropriate compliance boxes have been checked with legal. You need to know how to take a digital product and apply that to the market, or even within an organization, Karren says.

Workplace technology manager

Its no longer enough for a CIO to have lieutenants with such titles as vice president of end user computing. CIOs need VPs who manage the digital experiences of employees. Such a role will help architect user experience, ensuring anything from the proper ergonomics of chairs and desks, to the appropriate floorplans and conference rooms, as well as the collaboration platforms and other tools employees use to do their work.

The importance of training

To address the so-called missing middle, enterprises will also need to train employees on medium digital skills. In a column published in NBCNews.com earlier this month, Google CEO Sundar Pichai noted while coding is important it isnt the be-all, end-all media makes it out to be.

With technology changing rapidly and new job areas emerging and transforming constantly  we need to focus on making lightweight, continuous education widely available, Pichai wrote. This is just as crucial to making sure that everyone can find opportunities in the future workplace. For instance, an enterprise may train office employees to use online programs to run budgets, scheduling, accounting and other crucial tasks. Such basic digital skills training is essential in ensuring employability at a time when automation may cannibalize several office functions.

Ultimately, new digital tools mean new ways of thinking that require reskilling or fresh infusions of talent. Daugherty says Accenture is investing $1 billion a year in reskilling the consultancys 425,000 employees to be comfortable with emerging digital tools and processes. Rather than leaving workers stranded, we invest in people and skills so that we can navigate [digital transition] a lot more smoothly, Daugherty says. Its striking how companies arent investing yet in the right way in this.

Related digital transformation articles:
Mayor Bill de Blasio, proclaims the New York Times, is the best Democratic choice for New York in Tuesdays primary election. This is hard to dispute, for de Blasio is effectively the only Democratic choice for New Yorkwhich reflects the cynicism that informs politics at every level in the city.

A stranger to New York might expect that de Blasiowho spent most of his first three-plus years in office underwater in the polls and under investigation in the federal and state criminal-justice systemswould have attracted a platoon of potential challengers. Not so. He assiduously feathered special-interest nests from the outset, and the beneficiariesunions and real-estate interests, in particulargratefully tamped down budding insurgencies. So the mayor goes into the primary facing what passes for a happy warrior these days, gadfly former city councilman Sal Albanese of Brooklynan energetic chronicler of de Blasios shortcomingsand three largely unknown contenders.

Absent from the field are a cadre of better-known potential rivals, content to play New Yorks unique game of plateau politics: having won interim offices, they patiently await an opportunity to move upwhich typically comes only when term limits force out an incumbent. The archetype may be city comptroller Scott Stringer, the former state assemblyman and one-time Manhattan borough president, who publicly flirted with a run this year before retreating to his current safe space. Others on the list include former city council speaker Christine Quinn, Bronx borough president Rubin Diaz, Jr., and Brooklyn congressman Hakeem Jeffriesan uninspiring lot, to say the least, but thats what plateau politics produces.

The sterility of this environment may best be illustrated by contrasting it with the hyper-productive mayoralties of Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, who busted down doors to win their elections, and so came to office unencumbered and ready to do the publics business. This was the antithesis of de Blasios obeisant-to-special-interests approach. He, too, is a product of plateau politicshaving sat on the city council and serving a term as the citys public advocate, giving himself plenty of time to be marinated in the system.

Which brings us to former state senator Daniel Squadron of Brooklyna Democrat who last winter announced a major reformist effort to bring New York election laws into the twenty-first-century. Squadron at the time headed a Senate Democratic committee charged withlets be candid hererecommending legislation that would make it easier to elect Democrats to the senate, and he didnt spare the overheated rhetoric: At a time when basic American values are under attack, its critical that New York lead the way in ensuring voters can exercise their rights.

Squadron then laid out what he termed seven shocking facts about New Yorks voting laws, with the states embarrassingly low voter-turnout numbers at the top of his list. Theres no question that turnout is pitifulonly 23 percent of the electorate voted in the 2013 mayoral election, and if this Tuesdays primary election is typical, turnout will be roughly half that. But nobody, least of all Squadron, wants to talk about the principal reason for such numbers: New Yorks political leadership does everything in its power to discourage voter engagement.

Exhibit A here could be Squadron himself. He resigned his seat last month to work for what he termed a fairer and more democratic future for America. But on the way out the door, the self-appointed champion of electoral integrity turned his seat back to party bosses in Brooklyn and Manhattan, for assignment as they see fitrather than permitting voters [to] exercise their rights in a primary.

The state legislature long ago wrote rules that allow departing lawmakers to time their exits to avoid elections, and Squadron is not the first to do so. Indeed, Assemblyman Herman Farrell of Harlem did precisely the same thing earlier this monthalbeit without Squadrons voter-integrity posturing. Manhattan bosses soon will select his successor, ensuring that the lucky winners first allegiance will be to those same bossescounty chairmen, party-committee members, the unions, big-bucks real-estate developers, and so onand not the voters.

One obvious consequence of New York Citys musty political culture is the citys shamefully low electoral turnout. When the political class is so openly cynical, is it any wonder that New Yorkers take a pass on the process? Another predictable outcome is the encouragement of risk-averse clone candidacies, which contributes to plateau politics and subverts the point of term limits. Thus two four-year terms have effectively become one eight-year term; voters may not be thrilled with an incumbentas clearly they are not with de Blasio, judging by three-plus years of dismal pollsbut an amalgam of corruption, cowardice, and ennui severely restricts their options.

And four years from now, as current plateau placeholders attempt to leap up one level, voters will face a gaggle of candidates united by ambition but long since bleached of individuality, independence, and integrity. Only one can win, but it doesnt much matter which onethey are all fundamentally the same person. Democracy is badly served, but the bosses love it.

Photo by Pool/Getty Images
The Charity Commission has asked the attorney general for permission to refer an ongoing issue with the Royal Albert Halls governance to the Charity Tribunal, in a step it says is "unprecedented".

In a statement issued by the Charity Commission, the regulator said the issue would be considered by the attorney general for England and Wales, Jeremy Wright QC.

The Commission has been trying for several years to persuade the Royal Albert Hall to alter its constitution, due to the regulators concerns about 19 of 25 its ruling council being seatholders at the hall. This means they can sell tickets privately at inflated prices, under the halls Royal Charter which dates back to the 1860s.

Hall has shown minimal appetite to address issue, says Charity Commission

The regulator said these arrangements lead to questions as to whether the council can be perceived as furthering the purposes of the charity for the public benefit, and said that despite being engaged with the Hall for some time, the charity has shown minimal appetite to address the issue.

In its statement, the Charity Commission said it had recently blocked efforts by the Royal Albert Hall to address these issues by "spending charitable funds to bring parliamentary proceedings to alter its constitution, which the regulator said was not in the best interests of the charity.

The regulator has since asked Attorney General for permission to refer the ongoing issue to the Charity Tribunal in order to finally address the issue.

Trustees unwilling to deal with issues

A Charity Commission spokeswoman said: The perception that charity trustees are in a position to benefit financially from their role is very damaging. We have been engaged with the charity for a number of years to address concerns about the charitys governance, yet the trustees have been unwilling to deal with a number of the central issues to our satisfaction in a timely manner.

Having considered the matter carefully, we have now refused permission for the Hall to spend charitable funds to promote a parliamentary bill to implement its governance review as we do not believe this to be in the best interests of the charity

Further, because of the lack of progress addressing the central issue, along with its complexity, we have taken the unprecedented step of seeking the consent of the Attorney General to refer a number of questions to the Charity Tribunal relating to the charity and the exercise of the Commissions regulatory powers.

"These will include, but are not limited to, the nature of the charitys constitution, the Commissions ability to issue a scheme in order to amend the constitution and the proposed content of such a scheme.

The Royal Albert Hall has been contacted for a comment.
Remember a Charity Week has launched today with its first ever dedicated legacy radio channel hoping to inspire more people to leave money to charities in their wills.

This years campaign, backed by Remember a Charity in Your Will, runs from 11 - 17 September and has been tailored specifically to appeal to the baby boomer generation. With that in mind, RAC today launched its first ever legacy radio channel: Last Pirate FM.

Fronted by 1960s pirate DJ Emperor Rosko, who will be travelling up and down the UK all week interviewing charities, supporters and celebrities including Twiggy as well as having discussions with members of the public, all of which are designed to encourage more legacy giving.

Many of the more than 190 charity members of Remember a Charity have also created their own charity jingles which will be aired throughout the week.

Last year, as part of the week, Rob Wilson, the then minister for civil society, wrote to 8,000 solicitors in England, Wales and Scotland, encouraging them to highlight the opportunity of leaving a gift to charity in their clients wills.

Rob Cope, director of Remember a Charity, said: Broadcasting from a different location each day and championing legacies in each area, were looking forward to bringing charities and potential supporters together across the country and to inspiring the nation to think about how they can shape the world they leave behind.

This years campaign is very different from anything we have done in the past and is only possible due to the involvement of so many charities. Working collaboratively, we can really champion the importance of gifts in Wills, creating a cultural change that will take us one step closer to making legacy giving a social norm.

Co-op offering discounted will-writing services for RAC members

As part of Remember a Charity Week, the Co-op and RAC have also announced they will be offering discounted will-writing and other legal services to member charities.

The offer, opened today to coincide with the launch of RAC week, will see the Co-op offering a 20 per cent discount on will-writing services for charity members.

James Antoniou, head of wills for Co-op legal services, said the partnership was part of the Co-ops desire to enable charities to access affordable will-writing services for their supporters.

We work with a number of large and smaller charities offering affordable Will-writing services to their supporters, he said. As such we understand that there is certainly a desire for clients to leave charitable gifts of all types in Wills for a variety of reasons and this is something that the charities heavily rely on. These gifts can be small or large and they dont necessarily have to be financial.

Were delighted to be partnering with Remember a Charity for the fifth year running, as we share their aim to make will writing and considering leaving a gift to charity the social norm.

Charity law specialists JMW have also published figures today which show that twice as many people have sought legal advice about creating their own charities so far in 2017, than did in the whole of 2016.

JMW said this figure showed that individuals in the UK are being much more generous when it comes to supporting causes close to their hearts.
Our weekly summary of the latest movers in the charity sector.

Chief executive

Mark Adams has been appointed chief executive of health and social care charity Community Integrated Care.

Adams replaces Phil Pelger, who has completed his 12-month tenure as interim chief executive at the organisation. He has over 35 years of experience working in the national and international healthcare sectors.

Adams joins Community Integrated Care from Anglo Arabian Health, a healthcare management business, based in Dubai. He helped AAH grow to become the fifth largest healthcare operator in the United Arab Emirates.

Fundraising and communications

Asthma UK has appointed Jessica Holland as its new deputy director of media, campaigns and brand experience, according to an announcement by the charity.

Holland will be responsible for the strategic development, direction and delivery of Asthma UKs integrated campaigns media work and branding, and will report directly to Nina Blackett, the organisations director of marketing and digital, who joined during the summer.

She was most recently head of brand marketing and PR at ActionAid. Prior to that she worked for youth development charities British Exploring Society and vInspired.

Finance and strategy

Mahmood Shafi has been appointed as the new medical director at Nuffield Health.

Shafi, a consultant gynaecological surgeon and oncologist at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, will play a critical role in Nuffield Healths quality and care initiatives and will work closely with the board.

He previously held director positions in the NHS and has been chair of the Medical Advisory Committee at Nuffield Healths Cambridge Hospital for eight years.
Last week the charity sector think tank NPC convened a roundtable to discuss the apparent sideling of charity issues by both main political parties. Kirsty Weakley reports.

There are many complex issues affecting society, and the charity sector is ideally placed to help the government solve them. There's just one problem: the government. It isnt listening and either doesnt care or wont stump up the cash to do what needs to be done.

This isnt news. Its been a recurring theme of discussions in the voluntary sector for some time, as senior leaders, campaigners and policy wonks try to find the best way to get things done.

Brexit has arguably made it harder to get the attention of ministers, but are there other reasons that charities have been shut out of key discussions? And what should charities do about it?

Government thinks of charities as troublemakers

Part of the problem is that, rightly or wrongly, Conservatives appear to view charities as adversaries.

Stephen Hale, chief executive of Refugee Action, said there is a perception within government that charities cause trouble, are run by ex-Labour advisers and all they do is complain.

He said: Until we can explain in one sentence why civil society is a good thing, there is not really much point having 58 solutions.

Part of the problem, he said, is that the Prime Minister cant tell the difference between Save the Children and others.

Were not relevant

But perhaps even worse, politicians increasingly struggle to understand why they should engage with charities.

Andrew OBrien, head of policy and engagement at the Charity Finance Group, said charities had lost relevance to both the Conservatives and Labour, with the Tories focused on making business more responsible and Labour focused on returning control to the public sector.

He said politicians, particularly Conservatives, hadnt seen any political benefit to supporting charities in their constituency.

Be more radical

Dan Corry, chief executive of NPC, called on charities to argue their cases better and be a bit more pointed to make government listen.

He suggested that the sectors asks are not radical enough at the moment, and said it is vital that more is done to put the sector centre stage so that it isn't seen as "residual".

He added that sometimes it is important to "pursue things even when the probability of them happening is very small", because "even the debate is important".

Earlier this year, Corry co-wrote a "provocation paper" calling for the separation of the regulatory and advice functions of the Commission, a review of charity tax breaks, and the civil society minister to be made a Cabinet-level role.

Vicky Browning, chief executive of Acevo, suggested that Brexit presents an opportunity for charities to reach out to some MPs who might be sitting around with very little to do. She said that most of them came into politics to make change, and advised charities to get in at that point and say "all this stuff is happening over here, why dont you think about this?

Think shorter term

The focus on Brexit and the current political instability means politicians are not thinking long term, so charities should make sure that they are framing their asks shorter term. O'Brien suggested that the sector should think more in terms of two or three years.

Corry said that it will be telling how the government uses the latest dormant assets money - they could put it into something long term, like Big Society Capital, or just splash out on something more visible.

Charlotte Ravenscroft, interim head of policy at the Association of Charitable Foundations, highlighted that in Wales the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act has meant "all public bodies are supposed to have civil society representation on them, which is leading to better thinking about solutions for the longer term.

Government loves community projects

Conservative MPs might not like charities much, but they do like community projects (even if they happen to be run by charities).

Hale said: Even in my area they love the voluntary sector from time to time.

He said that the reason the Home Office particularly liked one of its projects was because it was about the community welcoming refugees, not charity welcoming refugees.

Danny Kruger, former chief executive of Only Connect and senior fellow at the Legatum Institute, agreed and added that while charities have been squeezed out, Conservatives are interested in organisations with a community, bottom up, neighbourhood model rather than a big national charity.

He said that special pleading is unlikely to win much support as the sector has no right to exist for its own sake.

What next?

Were in strange political times, where it does seem that the louder and more outrageous you are the more chance there is of being heard.

But its even more important for charities to make sure that they give their messages where they will be heard by getting out of their own bubble and engaging constructively a wider range of people.

This might mean going to events and speaking up, approaching MPs and others they want to influence directly, or just staff following some different people on Twitter who dont share all their views.




The hiring freeze started right after Jill Tucker was hired by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2006. The paper was losing tens of millions of dollars a year and shedding staff through buyouts and attrition. Layoffs started a couple of years later.

I was the least senior reporter here for four or five years, says Tucker, who covers K-12 education for the Chronicle. One of the senior editors who hired her told her, in 2007, that he didnt think hed ever hire another journalist again.

The scale and duration of the Chronicles losses at the time were staggering. The paper lost money for 12 years, before, during, and after the recession, hemorrhaging $50 million or more per year in 2008 and 2009, according to its parent company, Hearst Communications. In early 2009, Hearst, which is privately held, made those losses public for the first time, and announced that it would sell or shut down the Chronicle if it couldnt cut costs quickly and deeply. San Francisco was close to becoming the biggest city in the nation to lose its primary newspaper.

TRENDING: A veteran features writer for newspaper shares her resignation letter

Hearst did make cuts, and it didnt sell or shutter the Chronicle. Instead, its team engineered a complete turnaround, restoring the Chronicle to the business health it enjoyed before a troubled merger with the San Francisco Examiner in 2000. The Chronicle has been profitable for four straight years, and is adding editorial and business staff. Revenue is growing at a rate of about 4 percent per year, says Publisher Jeff Johnson. Thats at a time when revenue at most of the major publicly traded newspaper companies has continued to drop, according to Pew Research.

CJR recently visited the Chronicle to learn how the newspaper righted its ship and what lessons its comeback might have for other news organizations. The turnaround rests on an improving economy, cutbacks made during the lean years, a willingness to try new things on both the editorial and business sides, and a renewed commitment to journalistic excellence. Also crucial were two major hires: a new publisher in 2013, and in 2015, a new editor in chief, the first woman to run the newsroom in the Chronicles history.

I feel like we can all do the kind of journalism we believe in, and thats the best thing you can say about any newspaper.

Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project

Audrey Cooper, now 39, took over as editor in chief in January 2015. Since then, the Chronicle has, among other things: started a new investigative team, with three reporters and an editor, and published investigations into a prominent local charity and foster group homes across the state; made and distributed a feature-length documentary film to go with its story on long-term AIDS survivors; led the San Francisco Homeless Project, a cooperative reporting and analysis project with more than 80 news organizations; launched Green State, a website vertical, email newsletter, and print quarterly covering the newly legal marijuana industry; and turned up the heat on routine watchdog reporting on topics such as city spending and crime on Bay Area Rapid Transit trains.

Embed from Getty Images

Johnson, a former publisher and CEO of the Los Angeles Times, has been publisher since 2013. Since he took over the Chronicles business side, the paper has been profitable every year. The new profitability comes from both revenue growth and spending cuts, including editorial layoffs and outsourcing the printing operation. The cuts appear to be in the past, while the cash coming in the door continues to grow. Digital advertising revenue has been particularly strong, and now makes up 52 percent of the papers revenue, up from 18 percent in 2014, says Ginger Neal, the Chronicles vice president of digital sales. (Hearst does not disclose revenue totals for its newspapers.) The newspaper credits the gains in part to new products launched under Johnsons watch, like 46Mile, an in-house digital marketing agency, and a native ad division called StoryStudio.

The basic strategy is the same at the other large Hearst papers, which are also profitable, says Mark Aldam, the president of the companys newspaper division. But the Chronicle has been the star lately. Clearly the market conditions in the Bay Area have helped, but the local execution has been very good as well, Aldam says.

The multimillion-dollar losses and the threat of shutdown are now far enough in the past that staffers can joke about them. When I visited the Chronicle building in July, editors, reporters, and advertising representatives seemed to wear their survival of those losses, of $1 million or more per week, as a macabre badge of honor.

That kind of burn rate is remarkable at a daily newspaper, but not unheard of in the South of Market neighborhood that surrounds the 93-year-old Chronicle building. SoMa is the hub of the citys, and by extension the worlds, current tech boom; the messaging company Slack is headquartered next door to the Chronicle. Like a lot of those tech companies, the Chronicle is chasing revenue growth and trying to keep up with a changing world; unlike a lot of them, the newspaper is profitable.

After all those years of feeling like at any moment you could lose your job, that cloud is gone now, Tucker says. I feel like we can all do the kind of journalism we believe in, and thats the best thing you can say about any newspaper.

A real turnaround

Editorial quality is a subjective thing. During the second half of the twentieth century, and into the twenty-first, the Chronicle had all the trappings of a prestige newspaper, including foreign bureaus and locally famous columnists. But its reputation for serious journalism was never on par with that of the other major papers in the state, chiefly the Los Angeles Times and the San Jose Mercury News.

I think it was overstated how shitty we were, but its true, the Chronicles reputation wasnt all that great, says Carl Hall, a reporter there from 1987 until 2009 who is now executive director of the papers Newspaper Guild chapter, the Pacific Media Workers Guild.

They were not really known as an investigative paper when I was there, says Dawn Garcia, a City Hall reporter for the Chronicle from 1986 to 1991. She is now director of the John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships at Stanford University.

Embed from Getty Images

These days, theres a near consensus, inside and outside the Chronicle, that the paper is doing its best work in years, perhaps ever. While few metro newspapers are central to civic life the way papers were 30 years ago, the Chronicle has put itself back into the citys daily conversations. The homelessness project, for example, struck a real chord, Garcia says.

I think there has been a real turnaround for the Chronicle, Garcia says. San Francisco is a fabulous city to cover, but the paper feels very different as I read it now than back in the 80s.  We did some great work, but it was not overall the kind of paper that supported the kind of vibrant investigative reporting and expertise that they have now.

Garcia gives a lot of the credit to Cooper. The first woman to hold the position of editor in chief in the papers history, she is also one of the youngest editors of a major US newspaper.

People often ask if being a woman is whats so hard about it, and I would say its actually more age than gender, Cooper says. I never have been in a newsroom without the internet, so theres certain things that seem very obvious to me that maybe arent obvious to my older colleagues.

Cooper is a native of the suburbs of Kansas City, Kansas, and a graduate of Boston University. After college, her husband got into a PhD program at UC Berkeley, so she came to the Bay Area to break into newspapers. She started at the Tri Valley Herald, which is now part of the East Bay Times, and then spent two years with the Associated Press and five with the Stockton Record, before joining the Chronicle in 2006 as an assistant city editor.

I always wanted to come here, Cooper says. Kirk and I drove to California in the Geo Metro, and he said, Where do you want to go in San Francisco? First I said I wanted to go to Fifth and Mission and see the Chronicle building, and then I want to go to the intersection of Haight and Ashbury, because Id studied the counterculture in school a lot.

Her break into editing came at the Stockton Record, when she came to realize she was, in her words, only an above-average reporter.

I was never going to be the best in the world at it, so I came to terms with the fact that Id peaked as a reporter, she says.

Audrey wants us to try ambitious journalism, and she gives the newsroom the time and space to do that. There is this desire to sort of push the envelope and do big projects.

No one in charge is universally beloved, but Cooper is widely respected both in and out of the newsroom. She works hardher 11-hour, 2,000-email days were the subject of a New York magazine interview last yearand pushes reporters and editors to try new things.

Audrey wants us to try ambitious journalism, and she gives the newsroom the time and space to do that, says Joaquin Palomino, one of the Chronicles investigative reporters. There is this desire to sort of push the envelope and do big projects.

The documentary on living with AIDS was a prime example. The Chronicle didnt hire a documentary crew; it put a reporter and two of its own photographer/videographers on the project for a year.

Seeing green

Green State, the cannabis vertical, is another new venture, launched, naturally, on April 20. Its not exactly groundbreaking: After Colorado legalized marijuana, the Denver Post started The Cannabist, a similar project. But Green State is the biggest effort by a mainstream news organization to cover cannabis in its biggest legal market, California.

The working thesis behind Green State is that as stigma declines and legalization increases, the gap between the cannabis media and the mainstream media will narrow and close, says David Downs, Green States editor. Over the medium to long term, mainstream media will take over the beat.  There was clearly an opportunity for a blue-chip media company to apply its expertise to the space.

Downs has covered the marijuana industry and its road to legalization for years, and last fall the Chronicle brought him in as a consultant to talk about cannabis coverage. Instead of just picking his brain, the paper hired him. (Disclosure: Downs and I were college newspaper colleagues, and he remains a close friend; I had dinner at his house after interviewing him for this story.)

Nearly everyone I spoke with on the business side of the Chronicle brought up Green State, unbidden, as an important revenue opportunity. The target audience is affluent, responsible users between the ages of 35 and 60, says Neal, the vice president of digital sales.

We really feel like theres an opportunity to have an upscale voice for cannabis, and really bring cannabis out of the shadows and into the wine bars, so to speak, says Sarah Morse, the Chronicles vice president of marketing.

Pot ads, of course, will always be a small part of the revenue picture. Chronicle executives are also excited about the early performance of 46Mile, an agency similar to those owned by Hearst in Houston and four other markets. The target client is a small or medium-sized business thats never hired a marketing firm before.

The agency opened for business three years ago. It had $2 million in sales in its first year, $4 million in its second, and is projected to have $6 million in its third, Johnson says. We hope it will grow to be about a $20 million revenue stream, which would be significant to us.

StoryStudio is another new product. Last year it produced 400 native ad stories, and this year its on pace for more than 1,000, Johnson says. The division produces ads for other Hearst properties as well, primarily for the websites of local television stations. Johnson didnt disclose sales figures, but said StoryStudio has been a home run.

StoryStudio and 46Mile (which Cooper and Johnson say operate completely separate from editorial operations) are two of the ways the Chronicle is trying to move beyond display advertising, both in print or online. They also represent its diversification strategy. The paper hasnt turned itself around by doing one big thing; its doing a bit of everything.

The Chronicle has two websites, which allows it to try both a metered subscription model and a high-traffic, ad-supported model. The free site is SFGate.com, which has breaking news, celebrity stories and other high-traffic content. It drew 34.2 million unique users per month in the second quarter of 2017, most of them from outside of the Bay Area. That was up 10.8 percent from the monthly average for 2016, according to data provided by the Chronicle. The papers other website, SFChronicle.com, is for locals and subscribers, and draws 2.8 million unique visitors per month, 22.4 percent more than in 2016. It has the papers premium content: investigations, features, and everything from the print edition.

The print newspaper has around 220,000 paid Sunday subscribers and 163,000 weekday subscribers, both down from more than 500,000 in the early 2000s. Chronicle management has nearly tripled print subscription prices in that time, though, and the paper is now as much as $14 per week for seven-day home delivery. At that price, printing and delivery is no longer a loss leader, and the print business should be a sustainable niche even as it declines in popularity.

I think I will be retired before we stop publishing seven days a week in print, and I think the paper will be around to print my obituary, Cooper says.

A rocky merger

Eight and a half years ago, the Chronicle seemed to be preparing its own obituary. There was speculation at the time in the newsroom that Hearst was exaggerating just how bad things were, but Hall, the union executive, says he saw the possibility of closing the paper as a serious threat.

So the union agreed to amendments to its contract, including salary rollbacks, a pension freeze, the loss of seniority rules for layoffs, and the loosening of rules that prevented freelancers from doing certain work. Hall says those concessions were necessary to save the paper, but now he believes management should give back some of those benefits. Johnson, the publisher, declined to comment on whether Hearst and the Chronicle are open to walking back some of those contract revisions.

Embed from Getty Images

The layoffs and the new work rules were delayed reactions to the merger in 2000 between the Chronicle and its onetime rival, the San Francisco Examiner. When Hearst bought the Chronicle and combined the staffs of the two papers, it pledged not to lay anyone off. That meant duplications all over the newsroom: two Giants beat reporters, two outdoors reporters, two theater critics, Cooper says. When Tucker started in 2006, she was one of five K-12 education reporters. Now, shes the only one.

Even with new hires in the last few years, the newsroom has around 200 editorial employees, less than half its peak in the early 2000s.

Hearst is large and diversified, which helped it endure the decade of losses that followed the merger. In addition to newspapers, magazines, television stations, and digital media properties, it owns the credit rating company Fitch and a network of healthcare information businesses.

Still, $1 million a week in losses at the Chronicle was a lot to swallow. Aldam said the company was committed to keeping the Chronicle alive in part because San Francisco is where the Hearst family started its first newspaper, the Examiner.

Its even more personal for Tucker than for most Chronicle reporters. Her husband was recently laid off by Bay Area News Group, which publishes the East Bay Times and San Jose Mercury News. Bay Area News Group is owned by Digital First Media, which is owned by Alden Global Capital.

With my husband laid off by a hedge fund, Im incredibly grateful that Hearst is what it is, a diversified company thats privately held and that cares about journalism, she says.

Countless journalists have heard their corporate managers and newsroom editors tell them the business would turn around, that layoffs were a stopgap, that this round of cuts would be the last, because the paper couldnt possibly operate any leaner. The Chronicle staff heard that, too. The difference in San Francisco was that what they heard so far has proved true.

ICYMI: A newsroom is going on lockdown for Irma. Staff to work and live inside building for 48 hours.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Tony Biasotti is a freelance writer in Ventura, California. Find him on Twitter @tonybiasotti.
The Toronto Star, Canadas largest paper, on Friday published a column suggesting wines to pair with films from previous years of the Toronto International Film Festival, which opened on September 7.

But really? A wine pairing for 12 Years A Slave?

I was astounded, says Michael Barclay, a freelance writer and former copy chief for Macleans magazine, who called the blurb a reporting and editing screwup that reflects cultural obliviousness. I dont know what they were thinking. 12 Years A Slave is one of the most powerful films Ive ever seen. Its gutting, horrific, beautiful, and a crucial film. This women wasnt even joking. Its just completely tone-deaf.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

ICYMI: The New York Times tweet that angered some twitter users

The story was published online on Friday and in the Saturday print edition. Barclay, who still reads the paper cover-to-cover, spotted it and called it out on Twitter Sunday.

As CJR began reporting this piece, the pairing was still included in the story online. The newspaper removed it this afternoon, after CJR left messages with the public editor. On Monday afternoon, Star public editor Kathy English tweeted about the 12 Years a Slave pairing, noting that, all involved agree this was in bad taste.

All involved agree this was in bad taste- newsroom taking steps now to remedy.  Kathy English (@kathyenglish) September 11, 2017



CJR contacted the author, freelance wine writer Carolyn Evans-Hammond, who says shes written the Star column for approximately two years. She intended this weeks wine suggestions for readers who could not attend the festival but still wanted to participate in spirit through past films.

Initially, Evans-Hammond told CJR it made sense to pair 12 Years A Slave  a hard, tough, important movie to watch  with something that goes down easy.

She said the column appeared exactly as she submitted it.

TRENDING: A veteran features writer shares her resignation letter

And she didnt think the column was a problem. What was I going to do otherwise? she asked. Omit that film, I think thats less scrupulous. Its a very important film to watch. I could have said a shot of whiskey, but Im a wine writer.

She called CJR again after reading some of the criticism on Twitter, saying she didnt see it coming.

I feel gutted that people would take offense, and I didnt mean to hurt anyone, she said. Twitter has obviously revealed I have hurt people, which makes me sad. Theres no way I want anyone to think Im glossing over it or diminishing these movies in any way.

The Star has received criticism for its lack of diversity on staff as well the newspapers policies on columnists following the departure of freelancer Desmond Cole for his activism.

The recommendation for 12 Years a Slave wasnt the only blunder in the wine column. Another pairing in the column suggested a 2014 red from Tuscany to pair with Still Alice, a movie about a Columbia linguistics professor who struggles with early onset Alzheimers. The movie, Evans-Hammond wrote, calls for something intense but elegant  much like Julianne Moores portrayal.



The Star has also removed that suggestion.

ICYMI: Eight simple rules for doing accurate journalism

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Karen K. Ho is a freelance business, culture and media reporter, based in New York. She is also a former Delacorte Fellow at CJR. Follow her on Twitter @karenkho.
Disaster relief for the victims of hurricanes Irma and Harvey isn't just about immediate necessities like food, clean water and shelter. It could also come wrapped up in the tax code.

Texas Republican Rep. Kevin Brady, head of the House Ways and Means Committee, is floating several proposals intended to provide relief for those suffering from the devastating storms. Chief among them is a measure to allow affected residents to access their 401(k) retirement savings without paying a penalty.

"No two disasters are the same. These won't be boilerplate," Brady told reporters last week. "We'll tailor these to our communities and their needs going forward."

The IRS has already relaxed the rules for households hit by Harvey that need to take out loans from their 401(k)s or make hardship withdrawals. On Aug. 30, the IRS issued guidance streamlining the loan applications for affected residents and waiving the six-month ban on retirement contributions that typically follows a hardship withdrawal. The agency said it will also ease certain restrictions to allow households to use their retirement funds to purchase basics such as food and shelter.

Under current law, individuals can take out a loan against their 401(k) plans interest-free as long as it is paid back within five years. After that, the money is subject to normal income taxes as well as a 10 percent fine. Hardship withdrawals are also taxable and subject to the same penalty.

A spokesman for Brady said there is no formal hurricane tax relief bill yet. But Brady told reporters that he expects bipartisan support for allowing disaster victims to forgo those penalties. The fee is designed to discourage households from tapping their retirement funds for other purposes, but even some financial experts said there are understandable exceptions to that rule.

"If you don't allow people access to their money, it reduces the likelihood that some people will participate in the [retirement] plan," said Diann Howland, legislative director for the American Benefits Council. "Recognizing an emergency, giving people some flexibility is the humane thing to do."

Brady is also seeking higher limits on deductions for casualty losses, write-offs for expenses related to rebuilding and ways to encourage donations to relief organizations. He said such changes will likely be targeted and temporary, rather than permanent.

Still, some conservative groups said such special exemptions underscore the challenge facing Republicans as they undertake a sweeping rewrite of the tax code that streamlines the system.

"Putting aside the understandable sympathy motives, I'm not a big fan of this idea," said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum. "I prefer the tax code to be permanent, and structured to enhance trend growth; that is the tax reform objective and this doesn't promote that."

Kyle Pomerleau, director of federal projects for the Tax Foundation, said some of the proposals are consistent with the House Republican blueprint for tax reform. Write-offs for rebuilding, for example, could be wrapped into the GOP push for full and immediate expensing for businesses.

"It isn't clear to me that the tax code is the best place through which to provide disaster relief," he said. "However, the policies [Brady] seems to be pushing are not necessarily in conflict with a simpler tax code if enacted broadly."

To reporters, Brady defended his proposals as focused solely on affected households.

"It's important that our package be helpful, not wasteful," he said. "We focus on what our communities need, not what Washington needs."
People walk past the entrance to the Goldman Sachs investment offices on October 10, 2016, in London, England.

Goldman Sachs is looking to expand its retail banking offerings to the U.K., and aims to start an online deposit business around the middle of 2018, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

The move is planned as an expansion of the bank's Marcus by Goldman Sachs brand, a digital consumer-lending platform that it launched last October, its head of strategy Stephen Scherr said, according to the report.

It is also open to buying books of deposits if the opportunity arises, the report said.

Over time, the New York-based investment bank could look to add a consumer-lending arm in the U.K., Scherr added, according to the report.

Goldman Sach's push into retail banking comes as some of its traditional business lines are hampered by additional rules on risk-taking, according to the FT report. Its core debt-trading unit has had two lackluster quarters in a row, while the equity business has been slow to adapt to the rise of quantitative, computer-driven trading, the report said.

Read the full Financial Times report here.
Hurricane Irma continued to hammer Florida early on Monday, after slamming the Keys in the morning and pummeling Miami, Naples and other areas throughout Sunday.

But the storm was losing strength as its center moved toward the northwestern coast of the Florida Peninsula and was forecast to weaken to a tropical storm during the day and to a tropical depression by Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Irma, once ranked as one of the most powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic, was about 60 miles (100 km) north of Tampa, Florida, carrying maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour (120 km per hour), the center said in a 5 a.m. ET advisory.

Irma's center would cross the eastern Florida Panhandle into southern Georgia on Monday afternoon, then move through southwestern Georgia and eastern Alabama on Monday evening and Tuesday, the NHC forecast.

A Category 1 story has sustained winds of 75-95 miles per hour, or 119-153 kilometers an hour. It's considered very dangerous, with large tree branches potentially snapping and shallowly rooted trees possibly toppling. Well-constructed houses could also see roof damage.

It noted that Irma has a very large wind field with hurricane-force winds extending outward from up to 80 miles, or 130 km, from the center of the storm, while tropical-storm-force winds extended outward for up to 415 miles, or 665 km.

NBC Nightly News: WATCH: Police in Lakeland, Florida, show high winds and rain in the city right now as the eye of Hurricane #Irma moves through the area.

Wind gusts of hurricane force were reported at Orlando International airport, it said. Orlando is around 85 miles from Tampa.

The center of Irma was becoming less well defined on National Weather Service Doppler radar data, the NHC noted.

Irma had approached the Tampa Lakeland area as a Category 2 hurricane, the NHC update at 12 a.m. ET on Monday said.

On the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, Catagory 2 winds are between 96-110 miles per hour, or 154-177 kilometers per hour. It is considered extremely dangerous and capable of extensive damage, including snapping or uprooting shallowly rooted trees and potential major damage to homes.

NWS Tampa Bay: 10 PM EDT Update Graphic on Hurricane #IRMA.

The Tampa area has not seen a hurricane in roughly 90 years. Tampa City Mayor Bill Buckhorn told his constituents Tampa was about to be "punched in the mouth" by the storm. The city, like others, instituted a curfew to keep citizens off the streets while emergency and rescue crews do their work.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects the defense detachment on Jangjae Islet in this undated picture released by the country's official news agency on May 5, 2017.

The United States wants the Security Council to impose an oil embargo on the North, halt its key export of textiles and subject leader Kim Jong Un to financial and travel ban, according to a draft resolution seen by Reuters.

North Korea warned on Monday the United States would pay a "due price" for spearheading a U.N. Security Council resolution against its latest nuclear test, as Washington presses for a vote on a draft resolution imposing more sanctions on Pyongyang.

The North's Foreign Ministry spokesman said the United States was "going frantic" to manipulate the Security Council over Pyongyang's nuclear test, which it said was part of legitimate self-defensive measures."

"In case the U.S. eventually does rig up the illegal and unlawful 'resolution' on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the U.S. pays due price," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

DPRK is short for the North's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"The world will witness how the DPRK tames the U.S. gangsters by taking a series of actions tougher than they have ever envisaged," the unnamed spokesman said.

"The DPRK has developed and perfected the super-powerful thermo-nuclear weapon as a means to deter the ever-increasing hostile moves and nuclear threat of the U.S. and defuse the danger of nuclear war looming over the Korean peninsula and the region."

There was no independent verification of the North's claim to have conducted a hydrogen bomb test, but some experts said there was enough strong evidence to suggest Pyongyang had either developed a hydrogen bomb or was getting close.

KCNA said on Sunday that Kim threw a banquet to laud the scientists and top military and party officials who contributed to the nuclear bomb test, topped with an art performance and a photo session with the leader himself.
A pump jack operates at a well site leased by Devon Energy Production Co. near Guthrie, Oklahoma.

Oil prices were mixed on Monday, with Hurricane Irma's pounding of Florida raising demand fears, while U.S. refinery restarts and Saudi cut extension talks gave upward pressure.

Benchmark U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude ended Monday's session up 59 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $48.07. Brent crude oil futures for November delivery were down 3 cents at $53.75 a barrel.

Hurricane Irma knocked out power to more than 6 million Florida homes and businesses after millions were told to evacuate ahead of the storm. Irma hit Florida on Sunday morning as a dangerous Category 4 hurricane. It gradually lost strength and weakened to a tropical storm by Monday morning as it headed towards Georgia.

Irma came on the heels of Hurricane Harvey, which struck the U.S. oil hub of Texas two weeks ago, knocking out a quarter of the nation's refineries, many of which are now restarting operations.

Now many refineries are restarting, including the largest U.S. refinery. On Monday, Motiva Enterprises restored the 325,000 barrel per day (bpd) VPS-5 crude distillation unit at its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery to minimum production levels sources said.
September so far is living up to its reputation as the market's cruelest month. Major indexes are uniformly negative so far, with the once-untouchable tech shares leading the way lower. Things don't get any easier, even though it looked like Monday was going to get off to a strong start. As Hurricane Irma tears its way through Florida, investors this week will need to keep alert for other storms out there as well. Three things to watch:

A surfer enjoys the waves churned up buy the approaching Hurricane Irma on September 9, 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. Florida is in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4. Getty Images

Assessing Irma

What is shaping up to be the worst hurricane in U.S. history hit the mainland Sunday, causing untold billions in damage to Florida and likely putting at least a temporary dent in the U.S. economy as well. So far, the consensus seems to be that any economic damage won't be lasting. But the possibility that third-quarter growth, at the very least, may slow down, could well throw a jolt into market behavior. Multiple economists have lowered their forecasts for third-quarter GDP, dampening hopes that the economy this year might achieve growth of around 3 percent. Wall Street is expecting any hit to be quick and bound to pass, but the precise impact is hard to determine at this point. "As far as hurricanes Harvey and Irma, there certainly have been consequential effects on people's lives. Bigger picture, though, major storms are a regular feature of American history (just think of Sandy and Katrina)," Brad McMillan, chief investment officer at Commonwealth Financial Network, said in a note. "Despite the damage they cause, they do not change the economy in a meaningful way. So as bad as Harvey was, and as bad as Irma may be, at the national level they should not result in significant changes."

Yesgo

All eyes on Apple

Aside from Irma's destruction, the product rollout Apple has scheduled for Tuesday could well be the biggest event. Though you never know what's really going to happen at one of these things, speculation is that the company will be rolling out perhaps three new products, basically focusing on upgrades to the iPhone. A 3-D face-scanning camera could be in the works, as well as a wireless charger and no more physical home buttons, according to The Verge. As far as Apple shares go, they can be volatile on days like these. If the new plans aren't up to fussy fanboy expectations, the tech giant's shares could take a hit. In fact, venture capitalist and former Apple analyst Gene Munster last week predicted the stock could be teed up for a drop of 10 percent or more after its massive rise over the past year.

Delivering some Alpha

CNBC's annual "Delivering Alpha" conference starts Tuesday in New York and speakers at the conference have been known to move markets  or least individual stocks. Leon Cooperman of Omega Advisors, who will be at this year's event, a few years ago went 10-for-10 on stock picks. The conference features a textured mix of folks from the political, business and markets worlds, and will feature some legendary investors making individual stock picks. Among the featured guests: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, hedge fund kingpins Ray Dalio, Julian Robertson and Jim Chanos, and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, among many others.

The last word
Despite a "six-month slowdown," wage growth in the United States has grown by two percent, according to Glassdoor's Local Pay Reports. The annual median base pay reached $51,556 in August.

The Pay Reports provide an overview of national and metro-area trends in median base pay for full-time U.S. workers, Glassdoor says. It estimates pay by job title, industry and employer size.

According to the latest report, these 10 jobs have seen the fastest wage increase since January's peak of 3.4 percent:
watch now

China's clampdown on cryptocurrencies has reportedly taken a new direction  to close down local bitcoin exchanges. Initial reports from Chinese media that the government plans to close down domestic cryptocurrency exchanges have seen the virtual coin shed more than $100 since Friday. Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal also reported Monday that that the country is planning to shut down digital currency exchanges. Bitcoin sunk to a low of $4,241 in late trading in the U.K. Friday, and reached a low of $4,108 on Monday, according to Coindesk data. It climbed to a record high of $5,000 dollars a little over a week ago, and has shot up by nearly 350 percent since the start of the year. The latest reported crackdown follows a decision by Chinese regulators  including the People's Bank of China (PBOC)  to ban initial coin offerings (ICOs). ICOs are a means of raising funds by selling off new digital tokens. A crackdown on ICOs would not affect the original cryptocurrency directly, but bitcoin still dropped more than $1,000 over a period of three days. China's latest move to shut down local exchanges would mark a new direction for the country in its efforts to regulate the market.

More regulation could follow

watch now

An analyst told CNBC last week that China could be just one of many countries lining up to put increasing regulatory pressure on the $150 billion cryptocurrency market. "The Chinese market has been perhaps the most virulently exuberant in terms of its irrational excesses and across the world regulators are looking to gradually turn up the regulatory heat on this ICO phenomenon," Charles Hayter, CEO and founder of digital currency comparison website Crypto Compare, told CNBC via email last Tuesday. Experts also claimed the move could bring some much needed law and order to the market, by toughening up on fraud and scams.

'Nothing is ever certain'

Crypto Compare's Hayter said Monday that "nothing is ever certain" when it comes to China's rhetoric on virtual cash. "With China nothing is ever certain and a lot is left to be desired in terms of translation and interpretation. Rumors are that the Chinese are looking to ban bitcoin again and ring-fence their fiat yuan from the crypto world. The fears of capital outflows as well as money laundering are causing the Chinese state to ratchet the rhetoric," he said via email. He added that the latest move wouldn't affect the market too deeply, as China "isn't that important".

watch now

"The recent moves against ICOs rocked the market but have left it relatively unscathed. Examples will doubtless be made  the question is who and when. The crypto markets realized earlier in the year that China isn't that important as it only accounts for less than 20 percent of volumes  Japan, the US and Korea to an extent are more than enough to sustain healthy volumes. Uncertainty for the time being in China whilst for the rest of the world its business as usual."

'China needs to tread carefully'

Chamath Palihapitiya, venture capitalist and owner of the Golden State Warriors, took to Twitter Monday to voice his own thoughts on China's cryptocurrency crackdown. The former Facebook employee warned China to "tread carefully" in dealing with bitcoin's meteoric rise. Tweet The virtual currency operates on a peer-to-peer network, allowing traders to send transactions or payments without the need for a central authority. In May, Palihapitiya said that he believed bitcoin to be "the ultimate insurance policy against autocracy, currency curbs and other forms of value destruction." Tweet Cryptocurrencies have seen increasing mainstream adoption, with celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Michelle Mone getting involved. Socialite and TV personality Hilton said she would be participating in an ICO last month, led by a firm called Lydian. Entrepreneur Mone launched a 250 million ($330 million) luxury property development in Dubai, and claimed it would be the first to be priced in bitcoin.

WATCH: Bitcoin mining can land you in jail in this country
Demonstrators holding EU and Union flags gather in front of the Houses of Parliament in Parliament Square following an anti Brexit, pro-European Union march in London on March 25, 2017, ahead of the British government's planned triggering of Article 50. Daniel Leal-Olivas | AFP | Getty Images

British lawmakers are poised to have a big say over Brexit on Monday, as MPs divide on the European (Withdrawal) Bill for the first time. Britain's Parliament will vote Monday evening on whether the ruling right-wing Conservative Party should have the power to transfer laws from Brussels to Britain in order to prepare for Brexit. Prime Minister Theresa May described the EU (Withdrawal) Bill, often referred to as the Great Repeal Bill, as an "essential step" in the process of leaving the bloc. However, opposition parties appeared united in blocking the bill's progress, arguing it is reflective of a "power grab" from the government. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the vote:

What is the EU (Withdrawal) Bill?

The EU (Withdrawal) Bill will repeal the 1972 European Comminutes Act  which brought the U.K. into the EU  and end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. All EU existing laws will be applied to domestic U.K. law in order to ensure a smooth Brexit immediately after the country leaves the bloc on March 29, 2019. The U.K. Parliament could then "amend, repeal, and improve" its own laws as and when it deems necessary. Ministers argue this process would protect the U.K. from a "cliff-edge of uncertainty". However, critics of the bill claim government officials would then possess the power to modify legislation without the appropriate scrutiny from Parliament.

Why is the bill seen as controversial?

British Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the EU Council headquarters ahead of a European Council meeting on June 22, 2017 in Brussels, Belgium. Leon Neal | Getty Images

The repeal bill is potentially "one of the largest legislative projects ever undertaken in the U.K." according to a report by the House of Commons library. This is because replacing EU laws with domestic legislation is by no means a straightforward process. And, in any case, not all of this can be achieved via the Repeal Bill alone. For example, swathes of British laws would then refer to EU institutions only. Therefore, May's government plans to create powers to "correct the statute book where necessary."

What does this have to do with Henry VIII?

The government has proposed plans to make changes to U.K. law post-Brexit using so-called 'Henry VIII powers'. In 1539, the 'Statute of Proclamations' gave the then King power to legislate by proclamation. Opposition parties have vehemently protested such plans, with the left-wing Labour party insisting this would hand the government "sweeping powers" to make rash and poorly judged legislative decisions. Government officials have sought to play down concerns from critics, arguing that decisions would be time limited and not used in order to make policy changes. The government has projected that around 1,000 measures, called statutory instruments, would be required to make sure the bill functions correctly.

What do opposition parties think of the repeal bill?

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks to supporters on May 22, 2017 in Goole, England. Matt Cardy | Getty Images

Several Conservative lawmakers have expressed concerns about the plans to rewrite legislation without due parliamentary procedure yet few are expected to rebel on Monday night.



Meantime, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has ordered his MP's to vote against the bill. Liberal Democrat lawmakers and Scotland National Party members of parliament are also expected to vote against the bill. While an upset does not appear likely, May's fragile working majority of just 13 has dramatically increased the power of individual backbenchers.

What happens next?
Political party Alliance for Change, led by incumbent lawmaker Melinda Chan, is running in the elections for the third time, listed as No. 18. Their political platform for this election focuses on young entrepreneurs and the development of Chinese-Portuguese speaking business platforms.

As part of their campaign efforts, the party visited Iao Hon Market yesterday to distribute pamphlets to stall owners and other residents, highlighting its slogan, Fight for the Next Generation.

According to Chan, one difference in her party from the previous two terms is the involvement of its second candidate Jorge Valente, a Macanese businessman. Valente is a member of various associations including the Macanese Youth Association, of which he is the vice president.

Speaking to the Times, the lawmaker said, [Previously] we were concentrating on social welfare, but this time we can see that diversified economy is not doing so well, so we want to have [Small and Medium-sized Enterprises] to give suggestions to the government to [further] development for young people.

Chan stressed that her candidacy aims to develop the current political system, and prioritize job opportunities for youth.

The candidate is calling on the government to establish supplementary policies to benefit local SMEs, aside from providing startups with interest-free loans.

Such as to have a building then they can do all these media and cultural products. [] We should let them grow and the government should lead them, she said.

As the market in Macau is not as large, young entrepreneurs should be given the opportunity to market their products and services in the Pearl River Delta.

The candidate has also previously informed the press that the first priority [to be addressed] is the housing problem.

She proposed a new solution that is not restricted to building additional public housing units, but also limits the acquisition of new public housing units to local residents who are first-time home buyers.

For public housing, the laws should be changed because the government should have figures [about] what type of housing units [residents need]. They need to do research, not just hold lucky draws, Chan said.

The current system used by the government to allocate public housing to households is based on three different ordination groups and a lucky draw process, a system criticized by many.

The lawmaker also criticized the government for not implementing schemes to assist first-time buyers, particularly to low-income residents. Chan argued that although payments can be made in installments, the initial deposit remains a burden to some.

There should be some policies in helping residents who [earn below the] median wage to help them have a house, such as having policies for the first installment, the lawmaker said.

They have the money to pay the installment but they dont have the money for deposit. We should have more policies to help those who have never bought a house.

Chan previously mentioned research conducted by her party that shows 75 percent of the local youth are eager to buy a house in the private market, but are forced to save for 17 years as the first installment is too high.
A citizen withdraws new 100 yuan notes at a bank on November 12, 2015 in China. VCG | VCG | Getty Images

China is starting to roll back measures meant to prop up its currency after a recent surge in the yuan erased all of last year's losses. Starting today, the central bank has scrapped a reserve requirement rule on trades called currency forwards, making it cheaper for investors to buy dollars while selling the yuan. Banks previously had to set aside 20 percent of the previous month's yuan forwards settlement amount for use as foreign exchange risk reserves. The People's Bank of China is also removing a reserve requirement on yuan deposits for foreign banks. These actions, along with tighter capital controls, were likely aimed at tempering yuan depreciation and to shore up confidence in the world's second-largest economy. Experts say the government's playbook worked: The yuan has strengthened 6.7 percent against the U.S. dollar this year, reversing last year's tumble entirely. Rolling back these rules might be a "small measure  [but it's] a sign that there's a little more confidence, a little more flexibility," Hugh Young, managing director and global head of equities at Aberdeen Standard Investments, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday.

watch now

China's central bank sets a daily reference rate for the yuan, and restricts currency trading to a 2 percent band within that midpoint. On Monday, the government set the central parity rate higher for the 11th straight session, putting it at 6.4497 per dollar  the strongest in more than a year. That may be a calculated move by the government ahead of an expected visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to China later this year, and in advance of the Party Congress, Callum Henderson, managing director at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday. He said he expected the yuan to continue to strengthen in the short term. Trump has accused China of unfair trade practices, and the U.S. has long said the country unfairly holds down the value of its yuan to boost trade. A higher yuan gives Beijing a reason to push back on those claims. For authorities, the yuan has been a high-wire balancing act. A stronger yuan coupled with weaker demand may be starting to hit trade, an important pillar of the Chinese economy. August exports were up 5.5 percent, softer than the 7.2 percent growth in July, according to official data released Friday.

watch now
Chinese vendors sell North Korea and China flags on the boardwalk in the border city of Dandong, China.

China's biggest banks have banned North Koreans from opening new accounts in an unprecedented move to clamp down on financial flows with the country's unruly neighbour.

Multiple bank branches, including those of the country's top four lenders, told the Financial Times they had imposed a freeze on new accounts for North Korean people and companies. Some are going even further, saying they are "cleaning out"  existing accounts held by North Koreans by forbidding new deposits.

The moves give weight to the theory that since Pyongyang's sixth and most powerful nuclear test this month, policy hawks in Beijing have gained the upper hand in an internal debate over whether to toughen sanctions against the Kim Jong Un regime.

The measures go further even than what has been agreed internationally. UN sanctions, which were tightened once again last month, do not include a blanket ban on North Korean bank accounts.



"The move [against North Korean accounts] benefits China as a country," said Zhang Liangui, professor of North Korean studies at the Central Party School of the Communist Party of China. "China takes sanctions very seriously."

Banks implementing a ban on new accounts include the country's big five  Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Agricultural Bank of China, and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Bank of Communications.

Branches of each of these banks in China's north-eastern border towns, where trade with North Korea is concentrated, said they had been instructed to stop opening new bank accounts for North Korean individuals or companies.

Branches of three of the banks said they were in the process of cleaning out existing accounts, while the remainder did not comment on procedures for existing accounts

Although some bank branches said they had received notice of the freeze on North Korean accounts last month, others said they had been told as early as January.

"Branches didn't implement the rule all at the same time but it started recently," said one branch of ABC in Dandong, the border city through which roughly 70 per cent of China's trade with North Korea flows.

"Current bank accounts held by North Koreans should be cleared out," said a representative of a branch of ICBC in Yanji, the trading hub closest to the nuclear blast site at Punggye-ri. "We implemented the restrictions long before last month's sanctions."

However, traders pointed out that there were ways to get around the account ban to continue doing legal business with North Korea.

"We always use Chinese citizens living in North Korea as intermediaries when doing business," said one groceries trader in Dandong who wished to remain anonymous because of the political sensitivity around North Korean trade.

"There'd be no reason to freeze Chinese nationals' accounts, unless they're sanctioning individuals," he added.

Two Chinese businesspeople who run companies in North Korea  one of whom is based in the Chinese border town of Hunchun and one in Pyongyang  said all their transactions, such as payments to North Korean staff, were made in cash in Chinese renminbi, avoiding the need to have dealings between North Korean and Chinese banks.

The UN Security Council has previously expressed concern over the use of bulk cash to evade its financial sanctions.

More from the Financial Times:

Mexico expels North Korean ambassador after missile tests

Trump says N Korea military action 'not inevitable'

What does war mean for South Korea's credit rating?
Volkswagen , the German auto giant, is preparing for a swift expansion in its output of electric cars next year  and the biggest jump in production will be in China. General Motors is making China the hub of its electric car research and development. Renault-Nissan, the French and Japanese carmaker, and Ford Motor have hustled to set up joint electric-car ventures in China.

Global automakers see the future of electric cars, and it looks Chinese. The biggest players are shifting crucial scientific and design work to China as the country invests heavily in car-charging stations and research and pushes automakers to embrace battery-powered vehicles.

China underscored that ambition over the weekend, when it said it would eventually ban the sale of gasoline- and diesel-powered cars at an unspecified date.

More from New York Times:

Irma live updates: System weakens to a tropical storm over Florida

Dear Amazon, we picked your new headquarters for you

Bannon calls Comey firing the biggest mistake in 'modern political history'

But the auto industry's response  moving electric car design and production to China  represents a big risk.

From high-speed trains to wind turbines, China has long prodded American, European and Japanese companies to hand over their know-howin exchange for access to its exciting new market. Then Chinese companies have used that knowledge and lavish government support to take on foreign rivals.

China wants the big players to share their electric car knowledge, too. The foreign automakers face new Chinese regulations that put heavy legal pressure on them to transfer electric-car technology to their local partners. Chinese officials are also set to impose stringent regulations that would force automakers like Volkswagen and G.M. to sell new-energy cars in the country if they want to continue selling the old-fashioned gasoline-powered types as well.

Still, Western companies say that they know the risks of transferring technology  and that the opportunities could help them reach their own electic car ambitions faster.

"We are in a learning process with them together," said Jochem Heizmann, the chief executive of Volkswagen's China operations. "That process is much faster than we are used to doing these things. In our normal processes, it would not be possible to come to the market next year."

Electric cars are part of a broader debate about the country's industrial ambitions. Under a plan called Made in China 2025, China hopes to become a dominant player in a number of other futuristic new technologies, like artificial intelligence and robotics. Chinese officials argue that the push will help develop China's economy and make it less dependent on foreign technology, a dependence that could expose it to security risks.

Some business groups and lawmakers  and increasingly, members of President Trump's administration  say company executives give away valuable trade secrets for the sake of short-term gains.

"Multinational firms are already starting to cave in to China's policies, putting in jeopardy the future of this sector and countless jobs and economic benefits," said Michael Wessel, a commissioner of the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which was set up by Congress to monitor the bilateral relationship.

Auto executives insist that they are using good judgment. Rules that China issued in January requiring them to share technology are vaguely worded and could allow at least some components to be made abroad and imported. Chinese officials said here this weekend at China's main annual automotive technology conference that they would introduce policies that would help attract more foreign investment in its new-energy vehicles, giving some hope to foreign auto executives.

"We have no concerns relative to the amount of I.P. that has to be shared," said Matt Tsien, the president of G.M.'s China operations, referring tor intellectual property.

General Motors has been collaborating with its partner, the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, on advanced hybrid cars like the Chevrolet Volt, which G.M. brought to China last spring as the Buick Velite. Hybrids like the Volt run on both battery power and gasoline.

"We have a philosophy, from an overall perspective, that we build where we sell," Mr. Tsien said.

Ford said only that it would comply with all Chinese rules on joint ventures and that its new pact with China's Zotye Auto is preliminary. Renault-Nissan said that its new joint venture with China's Dongfeng Motor, called eGT, will design a new electric car that will be produced at a Dongfeng factory in the Chinese city of Shiyan. Honda Motor is planning to make an electric car in China next year, while Toyota plans to make a plug-in hybrid car in the country.

The joint ventures alone may not make China a leader in electric cars. G.M., Volkswagen and other major automakers have made regular cars with Chinese partners for decades, and China had hoped its automakers would learn how to make their own worldbeating brands. Instead, Chinese automakers grew comfortable making Chevrolets and Volkswagens for local drivers. Only recently have foreign automakers begun exporting Chinese-made cars to buyers back home.

Still, China has a number of ways it can stay ahead in the electric car race.

Gao Feng Advisory, a Beijing-based consulting firm, estimates that China will have spent about $15 billion by 2020 installing charging stations for electric cars. China spent more than $1 billion subsidizing research and development by 2015, with more still coming.

Generous subsidies for car buyers that can reach $9,000 have also helped pique interest, though China plans to phase them out by 2020. Sales of battery-powered cars in China could top 400,000 by 2019, according to LMC Automotive, a global consulting company, adding up to about two-fifths of the world's sales of such cars.

Wang Panpan, a migrant worker in Shanghai from central China, said that he rented a locally built electric JAC iEV5 in Shanghai because electricity was cheaper than gasoline. The only nuisance: running a long extension cord from his Shanghai apartment to wherever he managed to park his car.

Now he wants to replace his gasoline-powered Nissan Cedric in his hometown. "If I have the money, I will change to an electric one," he said. "It saves money, and it is environmentally friendly."

More broadly, global automakers feel that they must grow in a country that has become the world's largest car market, one almost as big as the American and European markets combined.

"Why don't the automakers call this out?" said Michael Dunne, a former president of G.M.'s Indonesia operations and longtime consultant on the Chinese auto market. "Well, the guys on the line are reluctant."

Auto executives say that they have no choice but to keep doubling down on their big bets on electric cars in China. At the Shanghai auto show last spring, more than 190 different models of electric cars were on display, although many of them were concept cars that would need refinements before they could go into mass production.

"We will increase it even further  we're honestly not very concerned about the tech transfer," said Hubertus Troska, the chairman and chief executive of greater China at Daimler, which makes Mercedes and Smart cars. "This is the coolest, most attractive car market in the world right now."

Ailin Tang contributed research.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reacts during a celebration for nuclear scientists and engineers who contributed to a hydrogen bomb test, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on September 10, 2017.

As U.S. stocks surged Monday, CNBC's Jim Cramer says the markets may have underplayed the risks from North Korea.

Equities were sharply higher Monday in part on investors' fears about North Korea easing. The reclusive nation's dictator, Kim Jong Un, chose to hold a party over the weekend, instead of opting for another missile launch.

"I think that North Korea ... Ambassador (Nikki) Haley said it. They seem to want a war. I mean I have not seen this behavior from any country in the world," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street."

"I think in some ways, people think the Chinese got to them," Cramer added. "I happen to think the Chinese are not our friend there."

The U.N. Security Council is set to vote Monday on a watered-down U.S.-drafted resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its latest nuclear test, diplomats said, but it was unclear whether China and Russia would support it.

Cramer also spoke about Hurricane Irma, which was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm on Monday. The storm last was heading out of Florida after cutting power for millions and ripping roofs off homes.

Cramer said Irma was not "terrible enough" to knock down stocks. "It was really bad but not horrible," he said.

 Reuters contributed to this report.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood international airport announced in a tweet Monday it will remain closed until Tuesday.

@FLLFlyer tweet

Airports and airlines are working together to restore service in Florida after Hurricane Irma slammed the state, cancelling over 12,600 flights through Tuesday.

Miami international airport announced Sunday evening that no passenger flights would occur on Monday, saying "some airlines will fly personnel and crew members" as the airport prepares to resume.

@iflymia tweet

Emilio Gonzalez, chief executive of Miami's busiest airport, tweeted on Sunday there was "sustained significant water damage throughout" the facility.

@emiliotgonzalez tweet

Jetblue said Monday it cancelled about 900 flights through Friday due to Hurricane Irma as airports come online and the airline moves crews and aircraft back to the state. The company says it is working closely with local authorities to determine airport conditions and ramp up flights in cities impacted by the hurricane.

Some flights to and from Florida cities will resume Tuesday, Jetblue noted, saying it would "work up to our full schedule" by the end of the week.

Delta tweeted Monday saying "service to Florida to resume," and the company's website detailed it plans to restart flights in Miami and Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday morning.

Travelers can expect more cancellations next week as Irma heads toward Atlanta, the world's busiest airport.

The latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast shows Irma weakening to a tropical storm and passing over northwest Georgia on Tuesday morning. While it would be a weaker storm at that point, it could still disrupt operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

 Reuters contributed to this report.
Paris and Berlin are mounting a joint offensive to tax internet giants such as Google and Amazon based on revenues generated in EU countries, a change that would wreak havoc with many technology groups' business models in Europe.

The initiative, launched by Bruno Le Maire, French finance minister, and set to be presented to all 28 EU finance ministers next week, would overhaul national tax codes to include an "equalisation tax" for tech companies that would collect levies based on national turnover. Brussels would propose an EU-wide plan to be approved by member states unanimously.

Currently, US technology groups such as Apple and Facebook are taxed in Europe based on profits rather than total revenues.

Many of these companies have angered European tax collectors and voters for years by using EU governments' disparate tax codes to record profits in jurisdictions with the lowest effective rates, meaning that some companies have been able to pay little or no tax in countries where they have billions in sales.

Most recently, hackles were raised in Paris by reports that the online booking service Airbnb paid less than 100,000 tax in France last year.

According to an outline of the plan seen by the Financial Times, the finance ministers of Germany, Spain and Italy have joined Mr Le Maire in calling for an EU-wide regime.

Under EU treaties, tax measures require all members to back legal changes, meaning that Mr Le Maire would need support from low-tax countries like Ireland and Luxembourg for the initiative to become law.

"The amounts raised would aim to reflect some of what these companies should be paying in terms of corporate tax," reads the outline signed by the four ministers. "We should no longer accept that these companies do business in Europe while paying minimal amounts of tax to our treasuries."

A French government official said that a turnover tax, even levied at a low percentage, had the potential to deliver a tax take that was "orders of magnitude" higher than what European governments had managed to collect so far. It is envisaged that the tax could be set at somewhere between 2 and 5 per cent of turnover, the official said.

Taxing companies based on revenues rather than profits would be highly unusual for any developed country, though Britain last year reached agreement with Google to pay tax based on revenues from UK advertisers.

A French court struck down a similar effort by Paris to collect 1.1bn in back taxes, ruling that Google's Ireland-based subsidiary was not taxable in France.

The initiative is part of a growing effort in Brussels to crack down on multinational tax avoidance, which has gained traction since the eurozone crisis as voters reacted angrily to higher individual taxes that were included in austerity programmes as some big companies continued to avoid bigger levies.

The drive has caused awkwardness for some EU officials, including Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, who was previously a long-serving prime minister of Luxembourg while the government actively sought to lure big US tech companies to the country through cut-rate corporate taxes.

The drive has caused awkwardness for some EU officials, including Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, who was previously a long-serving prime minister of Luxembourg while the government actively sought to lure big US tech companies to the country through cut-rate corporate taxes.

France has long been a leading advocate of more aggressive taxation of tech groups in the EU, but the new initiative is part of an effort by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, to push Paris' policy priorities to the top of the European agenda, a move that has received tacit support from Berlin.

The French official said that the four countries would present the plans at a meeting of finance ministers in Tallinn on September 15-16.

They hope to win political support for the idea from EU leaders at a summit on digital issues in Estonia later this month, and for the commission to draw up proposals on how to implement the plan by the end of the year.

Mr Le Maire said in a speech last week that "internet giants are welcome in Europe but it's not right they pay so little in taxes," adding that new ideas needed to be explored to deliver fair taxation.

A spokeswoman for the European Commission said that Brussels welcomed the political momentum in national capitals to tackle the issue.

Brussels has been looking closely at the issue "for a number of years," the spokeswoman said. "What's important now is that we move forward with a common approach that can protect the single market."

More from the Financial Times:

Trump urges Congress to pull together on tax reform

France urges 'new momentum' over US tech groups tax

Tax reform should be for the US, not the president
Hurricane Irma damaged this Chevron gas station on the corner of U.S. Highway 441 and Perkins Street in Leesburg, Fla. on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017.

After jumping 15 percent in just over two weeks, gasoline prices at the pump appear to be peaking nationally and could soon start to drop.

The last effects of Hurricane Harvey's impact on gasoline prices was still being felt across the U.S. this weekend, and for Florida residents, Hurricane Irma compounded the situation by creating fuel shortages.

Barring another major hurricane in the Gulf Coast, analysts say prices should soon start to drop back to the $2.30 to $2.35 per gallon range where they were before Harvey slammed into Texas, sending flood waters into the heart of the U.S. refining industry. At its height, 27 percent of U.S. refining capacity was offline, compared with an estimated 4.5 percent that is still impaired.

The average price at the pump for unleaded gasoline Monday was $2.67 per gallon, according to AAA.

Irma, which rumbled along the Florida coast Sunday and Monday, has left gasoline in short supply in the southeastern state. But those shortages are expected to be temporary as offshore shipments move into Florida's ports.

"They're going to have gas to some of these stations in a couple of hours," said John Kilduff, energy analyst with Again Capital. Based on reports from Florida's key Tampa Bay port, gasoline supplies should begin moving on to trucks later Monday.

Harvey sent prices flying in many parts of the country, as supplies were cut, forcing key pipelines to run at reduced capacity because of shortages. But those problems are easing, as repairs have been made and supplies restored.

The Colonial Pipeline, which takes fuel from Texas to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic reopened a portion of the pipeline that had been closed between Houston and Lake Charles, La.

Gasoline imports from Europe also increased to make up for the shortfall.

"There's a flotilla of cargoes coming. Right now, they're headed toward New York, but there's some thought that could change and they could get diverted down south," added Kilduff.

Gasoline prices in Florida were actually a penny per gallon lower Monday than on Sunday, at $2.72 per gallon, still 44 cents higher than a month ago, according to AAA. The lack of driving activity because of the storm should be big enough to impact demand, resulting in lower gasoline purchases and lower prices.

On Wall Street, gasoline futures sank, with RBOB futures off 2.3 percent in Monday trading at $1.60 per gallon. In the spot market, which affects wholesale prices, gasoline was also plummeting. The price of unleaded gasoline in New York Harbor dropped more than 11 cents to $1.8250 per gallon, and was down about 5 cents per gallon in other areas, according to Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at Oil Price Information Service.



"There's no question in my mind, we are past peak. The bloom is off the rose for gas prices. There's some question about when Florida returns to normal for availability of gasoline. I think that will be this weekend, and ports will start to reopen today and tomorrow," said Kloza.

Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, said there are three refineries that are still shut, and others are in the process of reopening. Lipow estimates about 4.5 percent of refining capacity is still down, due in large part to shutdowns at Exxon's Beaumont refinery, Total's Port Arthur refinery, and Shell's Deer Park refinery. "The rest are all in some stage of restarting," he said. Exxon's Baytown refinery, the second largest in the U.S., is slowly restarting, but it will take a while to fully restore operations.

Baytown was flooded, as was Motiva, the largest refinery in the U.S. "Everything in Beaumont and Port Arthur had some amount of flood damage," he said.

Lipow explained that while Florida does not have refining operations, its gasoline is shipped into three main terminal locations: Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale and Jacksonville. The Port of Jacksonville is still experiencing flooding on the St. Johns River, and he said it's yet to be seen whether there are issues there.

The lack of demand for gasoline should help the market get to normal. "There's a significant amount of demand that's lost in Florida. Of course, there was an upfront bump in demand as people evacuated the region but as they hunkered down over the next couple of days, there was a significant loss of gasoline demand as well as jet fuel demand as airports are closed," said Lipow.
It's good news that President Trump opened up federal assistance for Puerto Rico by declaring a major disaster on Sunday, but disaster aid is only a temporary solution to the island's economic woes. Even though Puerto Rico fared much better than what most others in the Caribbean endured, the hurricane underlined how economically vulnerable Puerto Rico is, given that the island's public-sector debt and pension fund obligations combined add up to $120 billion. As we prioritize recovery from Hurricane Irma, we should not forget the importance of long-term economic planning. Encouraging entrepreneurship is critical to helping Puerto Rico build a brighter future. Many people on the island are accustomed to looking to traditional jobs in sectors such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and government  and that is where our education system has steered them  but that is not where the island's future lies. Nor is it where career opportunities will be found, as those jobs fade. That is why so many of our young people leave the island and move to the States after graduating from college. Where we should be putting our emphasis is on fostering programs like Parallel 18, a business accelerator in San Juan that selects and supports 40 start-ups from around the world every six months.

Most of the start-ups in the accelerator are forward-looking technology-related businesses. They include Gasolina Movil, which developed a popular app that lets people pay for gasoline at the pump via their mobile phones  an important advancement on an island where you only have prepay at the cashier before pumping. "You now have a Puerto Rican entrepreneur who is suddenly sitting in an open-space floor with people from Brazil, Chile and Argentina  all with very exciting global business plans," said Cyril Meduna, a mentor in the program and president and managing director at Advent-Morro Equity Partners. When exposed to talent from around the globe, he found that local entrepreneurs in the program say, "Why not me? Why can't I go out and do that?" More from iCONIC:

How a former Marine sniper is raising millions to help Harvey victims



Columbia Sportswear matriarch fled Nazis and built a $2B empire



How this 21-year-old became a dorm-room millionaire But exposure to other entrepreneurs is not enough to fuel the level of entrepreneurship we need. Entrepreneurial thinking needs to be taught very early, comprehensively and systematically to take hold. Julia Keleher, Secretary of Education of Puerto Rico, has been moving ahead to contribute to this in a big way. As a part of her education system overhaul, she is implementing ambitious plans to spread entrepreneurial thinking throughout the public school system. "We're trying to create a focus on entrepreneurship where students have a chance to see themselves as creators of new enterprises," she said. One new initiative she has championed is Escuelas Faro, which is launching in two municipalities this year to encourage entrepreneurialism through project-based learning. It includes elements such as idea engineering workshops, coding classes, a Youth Startup Experience club and MakerSpaces in several schools.

Puerto Rico has the minds and the talent to be a Caribbean powerhouse, and with these ... efforts, the dream will become reality.
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Florida residents  or at least those who stuck around  are left scrounging for the items they need most, mainly food and water.

While the Federal Emergency Management Agency is prepared to get some supplies to the storm's survivors, it will take time for distribution to begin, with roads still closed and curfews in place. Not even a month ago, FEMA nearly ran out of money after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas. But Congress has since signed off on another $15 billion in emergency funding.

In search of essentials, Florida's residents  nearly 6 million of them without electricity  are waiting to learn when, or if, their local supermarkets will be able to reopen.

The grocers with the biggest presence in Florida include Publix  which is privately held and headquartered in the state  Wal-Mart , Costco , Winn-Dixie and BJ's Wholesale.

Amazon -owned Whole Foods, which also has a presence in Florida, tweeted out a list of closed locations across the state.

TWEET

"The problem becomes you have grocery retailers with a mix of stores ... some are heavily damaged, and other stores didn't suffer any damage but are completely clean of product from their shelves," Brittain Ladd, a strategy consultant who worked on global expansion for AmazonFresh, told CNBC in an interview.

"Natural disasters upset the equilibrium within the grocers' supply chain," Ladd continued. A storm like Hurricane Irma caused a "rush" of shopping at the onset, followed by a period of retailers' reassessment and figuring out which stores will need inventory most in the aftermath, and how they're going to get it, he said.

Getting fresh groceries back to stores is a top priority for many retailers. But in the downtime and without power, many are helping out, with their boots on the ground, as much as they can.

Wal-Mart, for example, has plans to deliver 1,700 truckloads of essential supplies to the state. Target has said that when its facilities reopen, teams will push products to affected stores, including some trailers that were loaded before the hurricane hit.

Refrigerated products  milk, yogurt, eggs and meats  will take more time to restock.

"Everybody is trying to mobilize and reopen but you can only do so much, and frankly Irma is still blowing," Lee Arnold, executive chairman of Colliers International in Florida, told CNBC in an interview. By Monday morning, Arnold had safely vacated the state and was settled in Atlanta, waiting for the storm to subside and communicating with his emergency-response colleagues further south.
Three schools in the territory have been issuing letters to the parents of their pupils, lobbying for their vote for a particular list in the September 17 Legislative Assembly (AL) election, public broadcaster TDM reported on the weekend.

Citing social media sources, the broadcaster said that the three schools allegedly asked parents to vote for the same list: Ideal Family Alliance.

Reportedly, parents were asked to opt in to receive election material from the Ideal Family Alliance list, while students would automatically receive it.

The three schools involved are Pui Va Secondary School, Kao Yip Middle School and Keang Peng School.

Pui Va Secondary School explained the letters to TDM by saying that, as a private school, it is entitled to canvass for a particular candidate or list. It said that it has never coerced parents into voting any particular way and was open to allowing all candidates to present their platform.

This was a defense backed up by authorities in the territory, which said that there was no law preventing private education institutions from participating in the election, including through the use of canvassing for a particular list.

The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau also nodded approval, explaining that such institutions are not bound by election neutrality rules. Nevertheless, they must respect the law on electoral propaganda, which means they must be prepared to accept campaign material from the other lists.

According to TDM, only one list has been able to promote at Pui Va Secondary School.

Meanwhile, the other two education institutions did not immediately comment on the matter.

Macau Daily Times attempted to contact the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly election to clarify the legality of the practice, but did not receive a reply by press time.

Ideal Family Alliance is List 11 in the AL election, with Wong Kit Cheng and Loi I Weng standing as its first and second candidates respectively.

Similar cases of private and public schools, as well as other institutions, favoring some candidates and barring others have been reported in previous elections.
Those affected by Hurricane Irma are now permitted to tap their 401(k) plans if they need cash. The Internal Revenue Service, which often offers varying forms of tax relief in the wake of disasters, is allowing storm victims to take loans against their 401(k) accounts or make hardship withdrawals. Although the federal government usually makes low-interest loans and grants available to disaster victims, applicants can often wait for months to receive the money, which does little to address immediate cash needs. While taking money from your retirement savings is typically a no-no, "if you're someone whose world just got turned upside down financially and otherwise, you're playing by different rules," said Kathryn Hauer, a certified financial planner with Wilson David Investment Advisors in Aiken, South Carolina.

Cars make their away through a flooded street the morning after Hurricane Irma swept through the area on September 11, 2017 in Bonita Springs, Florida. Getty Images

The IRS said the relief applies to 401(k) plan participants if they or family members have been affected by the flooding and destruction left by the storm. This means that even if you live outside a disaster area, you can tap your own 401(k) to assist family members in the affected area. The normal 10 percent early withdrawal penalty for those under age 59 (with a few exceptions) will still apply and you'll owe income taxes on the money as well. (Some congressional lawmakers are exploring the idea of eliminating that penalty.)

If you're someone whose world just got turned upside down financially and otherwise, you're playing by different rules. Kathryn Hauer certified financial planner
The 10-year note yield is at its highest level since Sep. 5, 2017, when the 10-year yielded as high as 2.148 percent.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.125 percent at 1:04 p.m. ET, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was up at 2.74 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices.

U.S. government debt yields rose on Monday, as damage from Hurricane Irma appears to be less than feared. Investors are also gearing up for an auction by the Treasury Department.

The wrath of Hurricane Irma is in focus on Monday, as the huge storm hit the coast of Florida over the weekend. On early Monday, Irma continued to thrash the state of Florida, after hitting the Keys, Miami and other areas nearby in recent days; however the hurricane has since been downgraded to Category 1 as it continues to move its way across land.

Hurricanes have put markets worldwide on edge over recent weeks, as investors show signs of unease when it comes to what the natural disasters will have on certain markets, including insurance and energy.

The Treasury Department auctioned $24 billion in 3-year notes at a high yield of 1.433 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 2.7.

Indirect bidders, which include major central banks, were awarded 46.2 percent.Direct bidders, which includes domestic money managers, bought 10.4 percent.

In politics, geopolitical tensions are back in the limelight as the United Nations are expected to vote on a resolution on North Korea. Tensions between the Asian country and the West have escalated as of late, after North Korea failed to back down on its continuation of missile launches.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un chose to hold a party over the weekend instead of opting for another missile launch, leading to a decline in safe haven asset prices. Assets including gold and the U.S. dollar posted gains on Monday.

Looking to commodities, oil prices fluctuated gains on Monday, as investors remained on edge about the impact Hurricane Irma could have on the sector.

CNBC's Christina Wilkie and Reuters contributed to this report

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.
A U.S. Sugar Corp. machine operator drives a tractor and hopper trailers through one of the company's sugarcane fields in Belle Glade, Florida.

Florida ranks second in orange juice production to Brazil but in terms of grapefruit accounts for more than half of the U.S. production, according to the USDA. The state also grows tangerines and other specialty citrus crops.

Even though Irma took a westward path, more or less up the west coast of Florida, Rippey said "winds were extremely strong even through some of the east coast citrus areas."

"Most of the oranges and grapefruit were not yet ready to be harvested," said Brad Rippey, a USDA meteorologist. "So I'm afraid we'll see a lot of green fruit that was tossed to the ground because of the storm winds."

There are no official reports of damage totals but the value of Florida's citrus last year exceeded $1 billion and sugar cane topped $561 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Florida's agriculture industry took a big hit from Hurricane Irma, with early estimates showing up to 30 percent of some major crops had losses.

"Almost all of the citrus areas saw peak wind gusts between about 60 and 80 miles per hour," Joel Widenor, a meteorologist and co-founder of Commodity Weather Group, told CNBC.

Widenor estimates that Florida's citrus losses were between 10 to 20 percent. He estimates a 10 percent loss to the state's sugar cane crop, and given Florida represents about half of the total U.S. crop there could be a 5 percent haircut to the national production.

Still, the CWG meteorologist said things could have been much worse for growers.

"It's not going to be as much of an issue as it could have been with stronger sustained winds, especially as far as actual tree damage goes," he said. "So the long-term impacts are not going to be so much."

Widenor said the grapefruit crop likely experienced more damage than oranges.

In a blog posting Monday, Widenor said "losses of 10 percent are possible for oranges based on similar storms in the past, while losses of 20 to 30 percent are possible for grapefruit. Hurricane Donna is one of the more similar storm tracks historically for the region (early September 1960), with some accounts suggesting that losses of 10 percent or better were seen to oranges and as much as half of the grapefruit."

At the same time, Widenor said in the blog that citrus losses in Florida might result this season's citrus crop getting chopped "by 6 to 12 percent at the national level" and with "greater impacts" on the grapefruit side.

CNBC reached out to several citrus companies but didn't hear back at press time. Both Coca-Cola , the Minute Maid juice brand owner, which a few years ago announced a multibillion-dollar expansion in Florida's citrus industry, and PepsiCo , the owner of Tropicana, didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

As for sugar cane, the National Weather Service warned Sunday that winds from 80 mph to 100 mph were possible in the Palm Beach County, the largest sugar cane area in Florida. Hurricane-force winds can snap off the cane crop but another problem is if the crop gets knocked down and stuck in the mud.

"There were definitely high winds," said Ryan Weston, CEO of the Florida Sugar Cane League, a trade association of growers and processors. "Unfortunately, they were just on the right side of that eye wall [of Hurricane Irma] so I'm sure they got some extremely strong winds right through the middle of the fields."

That said, Weston cautioned it's still too early to provide an actual assessment of the fields, mills or refineries.

Weston said sugar cane tends to be "a very tough crop. However, 10, 15 or 20 percent losses are not unusual but we're going to need to get out into the fields and see exactly how bad the damage is."

USDA was estimating this year's sugar cane crop in Florida to be slightly over 2.1 million tons, which isn't a record but was considered substantial. In the agency's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report released Aug. 10, the government estimated yields in the state would be "up strongly over last year."

When the last major hurricanes came through the sugar-producing region in 2005, Weston said "it knocked down production anywhere between 250,000 and 400,000 tons. So it can be significant."

Some of the sugar cane growers such as U.S. Sugar were set to begin harvest on Oct. 1 and were already in the prep phase. Last week, the company said in a press release it was "drawing down water levels in farm canals and securing equipment and buildings."

US Sugar officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
White House chief of staff John Kelly has slammed Congress for doing "nothing" to protect roughly 800,000 young people shielded from deportation under an Obama-era policy that President Donald Trump chose to end.

In a Sunday email to Fox News, the retired Marine Corps general criticized lawmakers after Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., called him a "disgrace to the uniform" for supporting Trump's move to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy.

"As far as the congressman and other irresponsible members of Congress are concerned, they have the luxury of saying what they want as they do nothing and have almost no responsibility," Kelly told Fox. "They can call people liars but it would be inappropriate for me to say the same thing back at them. As my blessed mother used to say 'empty barrels make the most noise.'"
How does a business full of brilliant engineers sell products in a human rather than a geeky way, in a manner that appeals to your average Joe but doesn't alienate hard-core fans? It's a problem that many technology companies face. At Chinese business Lenovo, the company has relied on the steadiness of its computers to appeal to CIOs (chief information officers), but their employees don't always have the same attitude. "If you're a CIO, you know what Lenovo does, you like to buy Lenovo because it's great quality, it's reliable, they know how it works. Their issue is getting the users to want the Lenovo products that they have," Lenovo's Chief Marketing Officer David Roman told CNBC. Part of the solution for Lenovo is to up the ante with marketing, and to that end it will run a competition looking for the 25 ThinkPad laptops that changed the world to celebrate the brand's 25-year anniversary. Roman proudly states that there's a ThinkPad on the International Space Station, and it's also the computer behind physicist Stephen Hawking's speech. It will also run a new TV ad for its Yoga laptop, starting in the U.K. in early October, and launched a "Star Wars" augmented reality game with Disney last month.

The 'Star Wars: Jedi Challenges' game requires players to wear the Lenovo Mirage augmented reality headset Lenovo

A human brand

More broadly, Lenovo has briefed a London agency to come up with a "story" for the brand to try to give it a more human appeal. "Typically the story of the company is something that you do through investor relations, (and the company has previously talked about) the two streams of East and West culture blending," Roman said. The company has dual headquarters in Beijing and in Morrisville, North Carolina, and is listed in Hong Kong. Now the focus will be on personality. "What we're trying to do is really make it relevant, show our personality, show the attitude, what drives the company, what motivates us." Roman said his department is helping the company grow in the long term, with a focus on customers and trends, as well as an "outside-in" point-of-view on the business. "We are in a better position to look at the trends, the changes, so marketing is taking a bigger role in terms of driving the growth of the company," he said.

First-quarter loss

Joe Klamar | Getty Images
Myanmar finds itself increasingly isolated diplomatically as violence against the country's Muslim minority Rohingya spurs a humanitarian crisis, but an analyst said the country has found one prominent ally: India.

Over the weekend, the United Nations appealed for aid as the number of Rohingya fleeing into southern Bangladesh neared 300,000 after the upsurge of violence began in Myanmar on August 25, Reuters reported.

Thousands of homes were burned down and dozens of villages destroyed in Myanmar's Rakhine state after Rohingya insurgent attacks on police posts and an army base spurring a military counter-offensive, the report said.

The worsening of the Rohingya crisis coincided with the third day of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first bilateral visit to Myanmar.

Earlier in his visit, Modi stated that India and Myanmar shared "similar security interests in the region," including concern over "extremist violence" in the Rakhine state.

His statement followed the Indian government's decision to expel 40,000 Rohingya from India.

Herve Lemahieu, of Australian foreign policy think tank Lowy Institute, said that showed Modi, and Myanmar's State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi had an "alignment of world views."

Both understand the Rohingya situation through the lens of "state sovereignty and state security," he told CNBC's "Street Signs" last week.

If state sovereignty and security are perceived to be threatened by "what they call the Rohingya insurgency," then Modi is complicit in "Suu Kyi's approach not to call out on the military's abuses of power in the Rakhine state," he said.

The predominantly Buddhist country's treatment of the Rohingya has long been a point of contention and attacks on the Muslim minority have been reported for months prior to the recent intensification.

Rights monitors and fleeing Rohingya have said the minority has faced a campaign of arson aimed at driving them out of the country, Reuters reported.
Some parts of Puerto Rico have been "decimated" by Hurricane Irma, but the Caribbean island's tourism industry remains intact, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello told CNBC on Monday.

The storm's eye didn't come ashore but roared past with 185 mph winds. It knocked out power to about 70 percent of the island and killed at least three people, but the island escaped the large-scale devastation seen on nearby Barbuda and St. Martin.

"The tourism infrastructure is very robust over here. We're lucky that it was very well designed, both the ports, the airports. The hotels over here are working at full capacity," Rossello said in an interview with "Power Lunch."

"Puerto Rico still has the wherewithal to be a tourist destination."
While it is not uncommon for severe storms to down power lines and damage utility poles, Irma's heavy winds and rain batted some of the state's infrastructure to the ground, Fanning said.

Getting that power back online may require the help of 50,000 to 60,000 workers from all over the United States and Canada, according to Southern Company CEO and Chairman Thomas Fanning. He is also co-chair of the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council, which coordinates the utility industry and government response to disasters and cyberthreats.

Irma has knocked out power to 6.5 million Florida electricity customers , or nearly two-thirds of the state, since making landfall this weekend. In major areas such as Miami-Dade, 74 percent of the county was without power, according to Florida's division of emergency management.

Parts of Florida could be without electricity for more than a week, as damage from Hurricane Irma will require a complete rebuild of portions of the electricity grid, utility executives said on Monday.

"'Restore' may not capture the full sense of where we are. For the very hard impacted areas, I think you're in a 'rebuild' area," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box."

"That's a big deal. People need to understand this is going to take perhaps weeks, not days, in some areas," Fanning said.

Parts of northern Florida, including Jacksonville, experienced heavy flooding, which will temporarily prevent crews from accessing some areas.

Duke Energy , which serves 1.8 million customers in parts of central and northwestern Florida, is trying to restore service to 1.2 million residences and businesses.

Florida Power & Light Company, which provides power to an estimated 4.9 million accounts across the state, had about 3.5 million customers without electricity as of Monday afternoon, said Rob Gould, vice president and chief communications officer at FPL.

Counties affected by Florida Power & Light outages. Source: FPL

The initial damage assessments suggest power can be restored to parts of the state's east coast in just days, but some of the west coast will require rebuilding that could stretch out for weeks, Gould told CNBC's "Power Lunch."

"This is not a typical restoration that you're going to see. We actually for the first time in our company history have our entire 27,000-square-mile, 35-county territory under assault by Irma," he said.

FPL said it would first repair any damage to power plants, transmission lines and substations, then prioritize critical facilities such as hospitals and water treatment plants. The electricity company would then turn its attention to areas that are home to supermarkets, gas stations and other community services.

Florida utilities invested billions into their systems after devastating hurricane seasons in 2004 and 2005 in order to make them more resilient and easier to restore after a storm. Irma, which ranked among the most powerful storms in the Atlantic, has nevertheless tested those systems.

The upgrades have allowed FPL to automatically reroute power and address about 1.5 million outages, Gould said. The company strategically placed 19,500 restoration workers before the storm hit, but it cannot use bucket trucks to fix power lines until winds die down, he said.

Some parts of Florida's distribution system  the lines that deliver electricity from power plants to businesses and residences  run underground. However, the state's long coastline and the associated danger of storm surge and seawater incursion make it impractical to run lines beneath the surface in some areas.
New Macau Progressives, listed as No. 7 in the Direct Election lists of the upcoming elections, is continually calling for universal suffrage, as it has done since 2007.

Speaking to the Times during its campaign activity at Iao Hon Market, Sulu Sou, the first candidate of the list and president of the New Macau Association (ANM), explained that the group is calling for the government and its assembly to reform its political institution.

The pro-democracy group has been running in elections since 1992, but this is the first time that the list has had a 26-year old running as the first candidate.

ANM has long called for the chief executive and all legislators to be elected by universal suffrage, even launching a demonstration back in December 2015.

We are calling on the government to hold elections for the CE and AL members by universal suffrage. We want to bring more democracy and freedom to the society. All officials should be people-elected, Sou said.

New Macau Progressives is also prioritizing the revitalization of the AL, and the creation of substantial development in the city.

Sulo stressed that the group hopes to bring new faces and new culture to the AL, adding that it also focuses on raising political awareness in youth.

We want to bring new faces to the assembly [so] many young people can be more concerned [about] and willing to participate in civil movements or social movements to express their opinion, the first candidate said.

The group also pledged to combat corruption by strengthening the rights of the Commission Against Corruption and Commission of Audit, and that it encourages increasing the citys expenditure for its residents.

Moreover, it also calls for greater transparency in the government, as it has been requesting for several years.

Last year, ANM called for transparency in public spending and obtaining public access to the citys financial activity reports, following the aftermath of the Macau Foundations controversial RMB100 million donation to Guangdongs Jinan University.

Just last month, it again criticized the regions lack of transparency, claiming that the unchecked opaqueness of the local governments processes has remained a key issue in the region, citing the partnerships with tech giant Alibaba.

With the AL reformation that the group is aiming for, List 7 says it will propose more established laws, urge the government to respond to matters of public interest, and call for more supervision over the regions finances.

New Macau Progressives is also calling for open-door meetings, noting that AL meetings should be broadcast and that there should be a mechanism for residents to propose AL motions.

Sou added that another of its significant proposals is to hold officials accountable for their wrongdoings.

They should take the responsibility and have accountability. Also, the transportation system should be improved, he said, adding that road digging should be minimized so that the drainage system could be improved.

Sou said that the group is confident in attaining an AL seat due to its past work, stressing that ANM has been contributing to the society for the past 25 years.
Brad Garlinghouse is the CEO of Ripple  owner of XRP, the fourth-most-valuable cryptocurrency. That currency is now worth almost $9 billion after starting the year being valued around $250 million. I spoke to Brad last week about the explosion in popularity of cryptocurrencies this year, whether we are in another dot-com era, and what he sees as the long-term role for cryptocurrencies to play in our world.

Here's an edited version of our conversation from last week (and audio of our discussion is located here on my podcast).

Eric Jackson: You joined Ripple a couple of years ago as COO and are now CEO. What attracted you to the company?

Brad Garlinghouse: It reminds me of the dot-com era in that this is a transformational platform that will affect far more industries than are aware today. Blockchain technologies will change transactions in a broad way.

I had been exposed to bitcoin early. I thought the consumer application of it felt, to me, further away. I thought there would be faster adoption of the blockchain in the enterprise space and with banks.

When you look around Silicon Valley at new companies, there are very few ideas that are going to make a dent in the universe. But when I met with [angle investor] Chris Larsen, his vision was to enable the Internet of Value. There are secondary and tertiary implications of that vision which I think even people at the company aren't aware of yet.

Jackson: Why did you decide to focus initially on wire transfers at banks?

Garlinghouse: The term "wire transfers" dates back to the 1800s. It's based on an antiquated system. The friction of moving value remains surprisingly high. XRP is built to solve a payments problem. And we can help make that a much more Internet-ready process.

Jackson: What makes it easier for your customers to do wire transfers with XRP than their old SWIFT process?

Garlinghouse: We are selling these banks a financial process that allows them to transfer money with each other and settle the transaction in a matter of seconds versus days. The cost to do that is dramatically lower. The visibility into the whole process is much higher. I could send you a wire transfer today, but there's no Fedex tracking number for that transaction. Yet, we expect on-demand alerts and notifications of what's happening with some process. So we sell our software to banks to do this sending and receiving in real-time at massive scale.

Some in the bitcoin community have always taken an anti-government, anti-fiat, anti-bank approach to their philosophy. Ripple takes the orthogonal side of each of those. I don't think governments or banks are going away in my lifetime. Most governments are going to continue to have Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering rules. That's not going away. We also believe there's a powerful role that digital assets can play but that fiat currencies are going to continue to exist. Because we've engaged banks, governments and regulators and educated them on how digital assets can benefit them, we've found a receptive audience. We've signed up 90 banks now including the Bank of England, the Fed's Faster Payment system, and many others.

Jackson: Some libertarian critics have said Ripple/XRP is centralized (vs. decentralized), that transactions can be reversed, and that identity is known (vs. hidden).

Garlinghouse: When I hear those criticisms, I usually think that those people aren't up to speed on exactly what we're doing. With respect to centralization, if Ripple (the company) went away tomorrow, the XRP ledger would continue to exist and trade. So it is decentralized. Ripple provides validation on the XRP ledger but we're not the only one. Participants in that ledger can choose to rely on us as a validator or others. The choice is in their hands.



On the topic of reversing transactions, today banks can always choose to reverse a transaction if the other bank agrees. The transaction will still have happened, but it will get reversed in another transaction.

On identity, banks require identity verification. I and Ripple don't have visibility on the identity of all transactions happening on the XRP ledger, but we can identify transactions between our banking customers using our technology because they require it. There are some cryptocurrencies out there that provide anonymous transaction between users, but we operate in a sphere of banking, laws and regulation and we abide by those. We think the market opportunity for the non-black or gray market is much greater and in the trillions of dollars. Ripple is going after that opportunity.

Jackson: Tell me about that opportunity. Is it just the wire-transfer opportunity or is this the thin edge of the wedge into other opportunities?

Garlinghouse: Any time you are building a business and you see a transformative opportunity, you get excited about all the adjacent opportunities, but you have to think of insertion points. But you can't boil the ocean or spread your peanut butter too thin. Today, the world sends $155 trillion across borders. If we solve this payment opportunity, we enable this Internet of Value and should have lots of other opportunities beyond that.

When Amazon started, it just focused on books. They chose a vertical, got really good at it, and expanded to other verticals. We see lots of other compelling verticals to go after in the blockchain space.

Bank liquidity is measured in the trillions of dollars. And using a digital asset to change the nature of how banks can reduce their costs and needs for liquidity is transformational in a multi-trillion dollar way. Our focus in this part of bank payments is like Amazon's initial focus on books. At some point, as we gain momentum, we will lean into other vertical markets. We think the XRP ledger is so much more performant in throughput, speed of transactions, and cost per transaction.

Jackson: Why is the XRP ledger able to handle scale of transactions so much better than other cryptocurrencies?

Garlinghouse: Bitcoin today takes about 4 hours to complete a transaction. XRP takes 3.7 seconds. Bitcoin can handle 3-4 transactions per second. XRP can handle 1,500 transactions per second. The reason is that they were designed for different use cases. The XRP uses a consensus of validators to confirm a transaction. The bitcoin blockchain uses a proof of work framework and that limits its performance. That positions us well. And the XRP numbers are only improving  and our engineers are working on that while not in a civil war about the future of the currency.

Jackson: I spoke to David Sacks a few weeks ago, and he said he thought the blockchain was going to be adopted more quickly in the developing world than here where the financial system is more built out and mature. Do you see that with the banks you deal with?

Garlinghouse: I would compare this to the telecommunication systems that have developed. We've seen many emerging countries leapfrog by going straight to the current technology while I still have dropped calls in Silicon Valley. The same will be true that governments and financial institutions will go directly to where the blockchain technology can take you. In Ripple's experience, we have seen many emerging countries lean in stronger and earlier.

Jackson: You created XRP because you want to sell your software to the banks, but now many investors are trying to determine how to properly value cryptocurrencies. What do you think is the right way to value a cryptocurrency?

Garlinghouse: I definitely lived through the dot-com bubble. Josh Hannah wrote a post about that bubble and what's going on with cryptos today. Most people think a future discounted cash flow is the best way to value a company. But digital assets are a commodity trading on supply and demand. There's fixed supply and increasing demand. I think you're going to continue to see more demand. In the future, I think you'll be able to buy bitcoin or XRP in your Schwab account. People are looking at the success Ripple has been having as a company, and I think that's increased the value of XRP. We want to keep focusing on making XRP a valuable payments tool, and that value will increase accordingly.

I'm voting with my feet and pocketbook on the future increased value of cryptocurrencies. One thing I'd like to point out is that gold is not worth $9 trillion because of its future discounted cash flows. There are some uses for gold, like jewelry, but it's basically a store of value. I'm not a blanket bull on all digital assets. I don't know where the price of these digital assets [is] going in the short-term, but over the long arc of time I'm very bullish. I do think a comparison with gold is appropriate on a store of value basis. Gold is worth $9 trillion today. Bitcoin is worth $75 billion.

Jackson: What are the pros and cons of a Ripple IPO?

Garlinghouse: It's a flattering question to get. I want to make sure we have the right managerial maturity, infrastructure, and ability to forecast properly. We've been around for 4.5 years. At some point it will make sense. Just not today.

Jackson: Will you go after Visa?

Garlinghouse: The transformative thing about blockchain technology is that it allows two parties to complete a transaction faster than before. We are able to deliver Visa-like scale today with our technology. We certainly feel that the future is bright for us. It's hard to predict how Visa will evolve, but they are based on an older paradigm.

Jackson: Is XRP going to be involved in Internet of Things?

Garlinghouse: If you go back to my idea of enabling the Internet of Value, I am very excited about our ability to play in this. There are undoubtedly going to be use cases for microtransactions taking place between devices in the future, and we want to be there.

Jackson: Can you give us an example?

Garlinghouse: Sure. There are going to be a lot of devices that are economic actors. Your self-driving car needs to self-fill itself up at the self-serving gas station. How? Maybe it's going to be with the Visa network and NFC. But I live south of San Francisco and drive into the city for work. What if there are some days when I'm late for work and am willing to pay 5 cents a car to pass everyone in front of me. What tech is going to let me do that? It won't happen with today's antiquated financial rails. This will absolutely be possible in the future with this new technology that we're working on. Think of the use cases of the internet today versus what we thought was possible 20 years ago. There are so many more things possible than we thought. It's going to be the same way with all these new digital assets.

Jackson: Back in the dot-com era, there were many companies that flamed out and a few Amazons and Pricelines . Is that going to be the same here in the crypto space?

Garlinghouse: Yes. I think that comparison is 100 percent correct. The reason that some will succeed and others won't all comes back to utility. You have to solve a real problem to create disproportionate outcomes. There are going to be several situations where it's winner take all.

It's very hard to predict what's going to happen in the next three to five months, but it's pretty clear that there's going to be real value created in the next three to five years.

Commentary by Eric Jackson. Sign up for Eric's monthly Tech & Media Email. You can follow Eric on Twitter @ericjackson .
Lessons from history

There is no question coming technologies like AI will eliminate some jobs, as did those of the past.

It's about tasks, not jobs

To understand why, it's helpful to think of a job as made up of a collection of tasks that can be carried out in different ways when supported by new technologies. And in turn, the tasks performed by different workers  colleagues, managers and many others  can also be rearranged in ways that make the best use of technologies to get the work accomplished. Job design specialists call these "work systems."

One of the McKinsey study's key findings was that about a third of the tasks performed in 60 percent of today's jobs are likely to be eliminated or altered significantly by coming technologies. In other words, the vast majority of our jobs will still be there, but what we do on a daily basis will change drastically. To date, robotics and other digital technologies have had their biggest effects on mostly routine tasks like spell-checking and those that are dangerous, dirty or hard, such as lifting heavy tires onto a wheel on an assembly line. Advances in AI and machine learning will significantly expand the array of tasks and occupations affected.

Creating an integrated strategy

We have been exploring these issues for years as part of our ongoing discussions on how to remake labor for the 21st century. In our recently published book, "Shaping the Future of Work: A Handbook for Change and a New Social Contract," we describe why society needs an integrated strategy to gain control over how future technologies will affect work. And that strategy starts with helping define the problems humans want new technologies to solve. We shouldn't be leaving this solely to their inventors. Fortunately, some engineers and AI experts are recognizing that the end users of a new technology must have a central role in guiding its design to specify which problems they're trying to solve. The second step is ensuring that these technologies are designed alongside the work systems with which they will be paired. A so-called simultaneous design process produces better results for both the companies and their workers compared with a sequential strategy  typical today  which involves designing a technology and only later considering the impact on a workforce.

An excellent illustration of simultaneous design is how Toyota handled the introduction of robotics onto its assembly lines in the 1980s. Unlike rivals such as General Motors that followed a sequential strategy, the Japanese automaker redesigned its work systems at the same time, which allowed it to get the most out of the new technologies and its employees. Importantly, Toyota solicited ideas for improving operations directly from workers. In doing so, Toyota achieved higher productivity and quality in its plants than competitors like GM that invested heavily in stand-alone automation before they began to alter work systems. Similarly, businesses that tweaked their work systems in concert with investing in IT in the 1990s outperformed those that didn't. And health care companies like Kaiser Permanente and others learned the same lesson as they introduced electronic medical records over the past decade. Each example demonstrates that the introduction of a new technology does more than just eliminate jobs. If managed well, it can change how work is done in ways that can both increase productivity and the level of service by augmenting the tasks humans do.

Worker wisdom
Republicans are making a mistake by not taking a bipartisan approach and trying to craft tax reform by themselves, Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner told CNBC on Monday.

"If there's one thing we've seen, when either political party tries to do big things only with one side of the aisle, you generally screw up," said Warner, a member of the Senate Finance and Budget committees.

"We saw that perhaps with Democrats when we passed Obamacare [and] Dodd-Frank," he said in a "Squawk Box" interview. "We clearly saw it this year when Republicans tried to do health care."

Warner, a former governor of Virginia and an early investor in technology companies, said he wants to be involved in any tax changes to make sure everyone benefits, not just the rich.

"I spent ... more years in business than I have been in politics. I think I've got something to add to that debate. But so far, there's been no outreach at all," he said. "Nobody calls."

While Warner may not be getting calls on tax reform, not all Democrats are being excluded.

President Donald Trump pushed tax reform last week at an event in North Dakota along with that state's Democratic senator, Heidi Heitkamp, a moderate up for re-election in next year's midterm voting. Trump called Heitkamp, who faces a tough road in her generally Republican state, a "good woman."

Trump last week also reached across the aisle and embraced a Democratic plan for a short-term extension to the debt ceiling packaged with Hurricane Harvey relief.

Warner did acknowledge the president's recent bipartisan efforts. While saying other Democrats and he "were surprised," Warner said he hopes it continues.
The Senate Finance Committee is seeking additional information from Equifax about the nature of the data breach it reported last week and the timing of insider stock sales in the days immediately after the company discovered the problem.

The breach, affecting the personal information of 143 million people, has prompted outcries on Capitol Hill and calls for hearings and additional disclosures. Already, state regulators said they would look into the matter after Equifax disclosed the issue last week.

As one of three major credit reporting companies, Equifax gathers information on hundreds of millions of Americans.

On Monday, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, sent a letter to Equifax CEO Richard Smith asking for additional information, including whether the compromised data included records related to the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security, and Medicare and Medicaid.

"This breach will cause irreparable harm to programs within this Committee's jurisdiction by way of stolen identity, refund fraud, healthcare fraud and entitlement fraud," the letter said.
watch now

South Korea has gaps in its countermeasures against North Korean missiles  with or without America's state-of-the-art defense system in place. South Korea and the United States had to overcome political resistance from locals and diplomatic and economic pushback from China in order to get the anti-missile system known as THAAD deployed in South Korea. But the system has important limitations. The first is its range. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, which is currently positioned only in Seongju County of North Gyeongsang Province, is designed to intercept missiles within a range of 200 kilometers (124 miles). Southern parts of the country lie within that area, but the capital Seoul  by far the most densely populated area of the country  is not.

The THAAD battery in South Korea has a range that doesn't reach Seoul. Google Maps and CNBC's Stacey Yuen

A second limitation is that THAAD can be overwhelmed. Even if it covered the Seoul metro area, it may not shoot down everything coming its way if the North were to fire multiple, short-range missiles  and Seoul is only about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from the border at its closest point. "It's harder to catch a low ball that comes in high speed than to catch a ball that comes at you in a parabolic trajectory. The same applies to a missile defense," Professor Kim Dong-yub of the Institute for Far Eastern Studies told South Korea's YTN news channel last week. "The THAAD becomes useless for South Korea if a missile comes below the interception altitude and at a high speed." South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment.

THAAD and Patriot working together

In addition to THAAD, South Korea has around eight batteries of the Patriot defense system, and the United States separately operates roughly the same number there. But even the combined efforts of the systems isn't enough to counter an overwhelming missile attack, some experts say. "Patriot has a much smaller range. North Korea can fire outside those areas," Rand Corp. defense analyst Bruce Bennett told CNBC, adding that "these batteries are not mutually reinforcing. They tend to be spread out to different places." The exact locations of those Patriots are classified.



Against the backdrop of recent missile and nuclear tests by North Korea, reports out of South Korea have suggested the possibility of the country buying an upgraded version of Patriot or an interceptor system called the SM-3. Japan already uses those batteries.



THAAD is built by Lockheed Martin , while both the Patriot and SM-3 are manufactured by Raytheon . Following North Korea's nuclear test earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Twitter that he would let South Korea and Japan expand their military purchases from the United States. Trump tweet 5 September The White House formally announced that the president "gave his conceptual approval for the purchase of many billions of dollars' worth of military weapons and equipment from the United States by South Korea" in a phone call with South Korea President Moon Jae-in. South Korea's presidential office said only that they discussed ways "to adopt the United States' state-of-the-art weapons and technology in response to evolving military threats from the North."

'Multi-layer defense system'
Steve Bannon, former chief strategist for President Donald Trump, said in a CBS interview that the president made a historic blunder in stripping James Comey of his post at the FBI.

When asked if the firing of former FBI Director Comey "was the biggest mistake in modern political history," Bannon told CBS News' "60 Minutes" that he would "leave it at that."

"I don't think there's any doubt that if James Comey had not been fired, we would not have a special counsel, yes," Bannon said in the interview that aired Sunday.

Bannon said the ongoing investigation by former FBI Director Robert Mueller would not have begun if Trump had kept Comey as the head of the FBI. Now Mueller is leading a special counsel to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

"We would not have the Mueller investigation and the breadth that clearly Mr. Mueller is going for," Bannon said.

In the same interview with CBS, Bannon also said top Trump economic advisor Gary Cohn should have resigned after disagreeing with the president's reaction to violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.

"Absolutely," Bannon said when asked if Cohn should have stepped down.

"If you don't like what he's doing and you don't agree with it, you have an obligation to resign," Bannon told CBS' "60 Minutes," in a segment of the interview posted Thursday.

Watch the "60 Minutes" interview here.
A man looks at a notice board in the settlement of Dajing in rural Shaanxi province, China. Sue-Lin Wong | Reuters

The Trump administration's moves against China have cooled some business activity in the central Chinese province of Shaanxi, according to a local official. "America's 301 article investigation I believe  has poured cold water on those who strive to build the U.S.-China relationship," an official from the Shaanxi Provincial government told a few U.S. journalists through a translator Thursday, referring to a U.S. investigation into China's trade practices. "It is a pity to see some of the local enterprises have been affected by this investigation," said the Shaanxi official, who didn't want to be named. The U.S. probe effectively limited access to the U.S. market temporarily and, in particular, hit a solar panel manufacturer, the official said. China is the largest goods trading partner with the U.S., with $578.6 billion in total goods traded last year, according to estimates from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Shaanxi provincial statistics bureau and army cadre resettlement office in Xian, China. Evelyn Cheng | CNBC

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Aug. 18 formally launched a Section 301 investigation into whether Chinese companies are infringing on intellectual property rights, especially in technology, and hampering U.S. commerce. The probe follows a memorandum from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called for tougher trade restrictions on Chinese imports and has tried to use the U.S.-China economic relationship to pressure Beijing into reining in North Korea's nuclear threat. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment. "Just having an investigation hanging over your head, people are reluctant to invest, to sign agreements," Stephen Olson, research fellow at the Hinrich Foundation, said Monday in Hong Kong.

watch now

The U.S. accounts for one-sixth of Shaanxi's total import and export volume, according to the local government. Overall, Shaanxi ranks 15th in China by gross domestic product, reporting GDP of about 1.92 trillion yuan ($294.31 billion) last year. The province contributed about 2.58 percent to the national GDP, according to the local government. The region's main industries include natural gas production and high-tech such as aerospace. "Cooperation only is the best way to resolve trade conflict between China and the U.S.," the Shaanxi official said. "Of course, I believe the Chinese side will firmly safeguard our legitimate rights." To be sure, the majority of companies in Shaanxi have not been affected by U.S. trade investigations and foreign trade accounts for no more than 10 percent of the province's gross domestic product, according to the government official. "No concrete actions have been taken" to stop U.S. trade with China, Olson said. "The wild card there is to what extent the North Korean geostrategic considerations are going to, pardon the pun, trump everything else." Disclosure: Travel to Asia and interview arrangements were supported by the East-West Center, the Better Hong Kong Foundation and the All-China Journalists Association.

WATCH: How China's debt problem could affect you
[The stream is slated to start at 2:30 p.m., ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.]

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds a press briefing on Monday after Hurricane Irma smacked Florida, leaving pockets of the state inundated with water and without power.

Irma, now a tropical storm, was expected to also touch parts of Georgia and Alabama on Monday.

On Friday, President Donald Trump signed a bill into law authorizing more than $15 billion in federal hurricane recovery aid following Hurricane Harvey's destruction in Texas and as Irma got set to hit Florida. The measure, crafted in a deal between Trump and Democratic congressional leaders, also extends the federal debt ceiling and funds the government for three months.

Lawmakers have signaled that they expect to dish out more recovery funds in response to the two major hurricanes, which came in quick succession. It is unclear how much more federal aid will get authorized for the response to the natural disasters.
A 35-year-old surfer was taken to a hospital after a shark snapped his board, tore his hip and flung him into the air Sunday off the Australian east coast.

Abe McGarth was surfing at Iluka on the north coast of New South Wales state this weekend when what he described as a 3.5-meter great white shark attacked the board from underneath, a police statement said.

As a result of the impact, the board has snapped. The injured victim has gone into the air and then re-entered the water, the statement said.

He has told police the shark began to circle and then turned away, police said.

McGrath grabbed half his board and surfed to shore, police said. McGraths friends drove him to Ballina Hospital. He was then flown to Lismore Hospital for further treatment and discharged Sunday night.

The sharks teeth tore McGraths wetsuit and left a gash on his right hip.

McGraths friend Bryce Cameron was on the beach during the attack. If McGrath had been sitting on the board instead of lying on it when the shark struck, he would have lost his leg, Cameron said.

The board has snapped in half straight away and that is when the sharks teeth hit his leg, Cameron told Sydneys The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

He is pretty much the luckiest man on Earth right now, Cameron added.
In just over thirty years the world's population will grow by 2.5 billion, the equivalent of doubling the population of China and India.

According to the World Resources Institute, the growing global population will not only mean an unprecedented demand for goods and services but will also put considerable strain on business.

This is largely due to a global middle class that is set to expand by 3 billion people (ten times the population of the United States) in twenty years.

Analysts are branding current business models 'too resource-intensive and wasteful' to meet future demand and remain within the planet's environmental limits. If businesses can't limit their resource consumption they won't last.

Some of the world's biggest companies such as Apple and General Motors have responded by joining the RE100, a collaborative initiative committed to renewable energy.

Still, if the current level of environmental degradation continues it will risk economic and human security.

Under the greatest threat is Africa.
Heritage Insurance expects an estimated loss of about $200 million to $300 million in Florida thanks to Hurricane Irma, a far cry from the expected billion-dollar price tag had the storm gone in another direction, the company's CEO told CNBC on Monday.

"Had this even gone from Miami-Dade County in southeast Florida up the east coast, it was probably a billion plus for Heritage. That's where the high concentrated policy counts are, where the population lives," Bruce Lucas said in an interview with "Closing Bell."

"So when Irma took a turn to the west and went up the west side of the coast, you could hear a sigh of relief in the Florida market."

On Monday, insurance companies rallied after initial reports from Florida revealed less damage than expected. Heritage Insurance led the way, soaring over 21 percent.

Shares of home insurers tied to the Florida market plunged last week as investors feared historic damage from Irma. The Category 5 storm tore through the Caribbean and made landfall in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm Sunday morning.

Irma, now downgraded to a tropical storm, ripped roofs off homes and caused flooding and power outages across the state.

FBR Capital Markets insurance analyst Rand Binner told CNBC the insured losses from the hurricane were likely to total between $10 billion and $30 billion. The figure is for private insurance losses in Florida and the Caribbean but does not count losses from the National Flood Program.

"Those are very big numbers, but that's well off the worst-case scenario the market was discounting last week," Binner said on "Squawk Box" earlier Monday.

Irma headed north on Monday, flooding cities including Charleston, South Carolina, and Jacksonville, Florida.

 CNBC's Michael Sheetz, Berkeley Lovelace and Angelica LaVito contributed to this report.
watch now

watch now

Some were skeptical, however. Choi Kang, vice president of research and principal fellow at The Asan Institute for Policy Studies, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Monday that the oil embargo likely wouldn't be included in the final draft of the resolution due to resistance from China and Russia. If an oil embargo does not materialize, North Korea will likely think whatever it does, "'China (and Russia) will be on our side. We can do all the way.' Maybe the next step will be an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) test with a nuclear warhead," Choi added. Russia and China have extensive ties with Pyongyang, including trade. China, in particular, is North Korea's largest trading partner and fears the potential fallout if political instability develops in its neighbor. Both Russian and China have expressed resistance to tougher sanctions on North Korea, urging dialogue instead.

Does North Korea even want to talk?

But attempts to use sanctions to force North Korea to the negotiation table may be for naught. Robert Kelly, a political science professor at the Pusan National University, told CNBC's "The Rundown" on Monday that it doesn't appear as if the North Koreans are all that interested in talking. While the isolated regime may not be willing to chat with President Donald Trump due to his belligerent rhetoric, South Korea for the first time in nine years has a liberal and dovish president in Moon Jae-In, who was pushing for talks with Pyongyang  but the regime just "blew him off," said Kelly.

watch now
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
Chief Executive Chui Sai On will visit Guangdong Province today to discuss plans with provincial leaders for a cross-boundary flood prevention system. The system is intended to solve Macaus flooding issues. Chuis visit to the provincial capital comes about a week after Beijing approved in principle plans for the anti-flooding system. According to the government, the chief executive has expressed his gratitude to mainland authorities for their prompt response and preparation for work meetings on flood prevention. The officials accompanying Chui on his visit to Guangzhou include the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosario, the Director of the Marine and Water Bureau, Susana Wong and the Director of the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau, Li Canfeng.

UM reaches biomedical collaboration deal

Three world-renowned oncology experts recently visited the University of Macau (UM) to exchange ideas and sign a collaboration deal with local scholars on biomedical research in the fields of teaching and research. The three experts were Professor Mitch Dowsett and Dr Maggie Cheang from the Institute of Cancer Research in the United Kingdom, as well as Dr Janice Tsang from the University of Hong Kong. According to a statement from UM, the experts consulted with local scholars, Lam Kam Seng, the chair of UMs University Council and Patrick Huen, director of the Dr Stanley Ho Medical Development Foundation. The parties had an in-depth discussion, resulting in a collaboration agreement for teaching and research in breast cancer tumor markers, molecular typing, clinical experiments and other areas of biomedical sciences.
Ahah. It's all starting to make sense.

Google, if you haven't heard, is said to be on the brink of bringing its Android One phone program to the U.S.  for real this time! New rumors suggest the freshly announced Moto X4 could arrive with Android One branding in America practically any minute now. Those reports echo previous rumors from earlier this year and follow word from way back in January that Google was working to launch its first U.S.-aimed Android One phone sometime "before the middle of the year."

Yawn, right? More mundane midrange smartphones  not exactly earth-shattering stuff, I realize. But hang on, because this move is far more significant than it appears on the surface.

From the get-go, the whole point of Android One has been to make reasonably priced Android phones that don't suck  phones that are affordable but still decent to use, without all the asterisks that often accompany lower-priced devices. Part of that means Google maintains tight control over the software and also guarantees the devices will get timely and reliable ongoing updates  both security patches and full-fledged OS releases. That sort of assurance, as you probably know, basically doesn't exist outside of Google's own Pixel phones nowadays.

Initially, Android One was limited to a small number of so-called "emerging markets"  places like Pakistan and India, where it can be "hard for people" to "get their hands on a high-quality smartphone," as Google explained it. Over the past year, Google has quietly expanded the program with the launches of Android One phones in areas like Japan and Taiwan. The company now describes Android One as "a collaboration between Google and [its] partners to deliver a software experience designed by Google."

And that takes us to today and the bigger picture of what's happening with Google's increasingly ambitious Android-related hardware efforts. Plain and simple, bringing Android One to America is the next logical step in Google's multifaceted, long-term plan to "fix" Android  a goal that picked up pace with the Pixel but remains only half-complete.

Android One could be the missing piece to the puzzle.

[ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ]

The Pixel philosophy

To get to the significance of Android One, we first have to talk a little bit about the Pixel. You know the deal by now, right? The Pixel is essentially Google's version of an iPhone: a singular high-end device that's controlled end-to-end by one company and meant to represent the best all-around experience its platform can provide.

As I laid out in a previous analysis  and stay with me, because I swear this is important context for what's happening right now  it's effectively a way for Google to have its cake and eat it, too:

Android can remain open and available for manufacturers to customize as they wish  something that's been integral to the platform's success since the start. Customers can choose from a variety of styles and forms, as always, and each will offer its own unique set of advantages. But now, phone-seekers who want a holistic, Google-controlled vessel with all the benefits that approach provides will also have that as a fully realized, consumer-ready option.

The caveat to that, of course, is that the Pixel costs $650  a price that's likely to remain constant or possibly even climb higher with this fall's expected second-gen model. And while the premium market is an important area for Google to address, limiting its efforts to that high-dollar domain excludes a lot of people from getting the Android experience the company sees as ideal  one that's cohesive and easy to use, that puts complementary Google services front and center, and that remains fresh and compelling for an extended period of time by way of reliable updates.

Google ultimately can't "fix" Android if it goes only after people willing to spend $650 on a top-of-the-line phone. Its Pixel strategy is an ambitious effort, to be sure  but if Google wants its vision for Android to make a meaningful mark on the smartphone market, the Pixel alone can't be the full story.

From one Pixel to Android One

That brings us back to Android One. The program, in its expected U.S.-based incarnation, could provide the thus-far-absent elements that complement the Pixel and flesh out the lineup of "ideal Android" (as defined by Google) devices. And the way Google appears to be pulling it off  by bringing in existing phone-makers and allowing them to create their own self-branded devices with the promise of "major new promotional dollars" if they follow Google's guidelines, as the well-sourced folks at the The Information explain it  is a fascinating way to make the effort fit in with those broader goals.

Think about it: What does that "partnership"-based setup between Google and different Android hardware manufacturers remind you of? Call me crazy, but it sure sounds an awful lot like a scaled-back and lower-priced-specific version of the old Nexus program.

Approaching things in that manner could really be a brilliant maneuver. Once again, Google could have its cake and eat it, too: It could give consumers an option for a better overall user experience  its own vision for Android, only now within budget- to midrange-level parameters  while still allowing manufacturers to do their own thing as an alternative. And unlike on the high-end of the spectrum, where every detail counts and a finely tuned holistic experience is part of the package, letting third-party phone-makers retain some amount of branding and control of these lower-cost devices is a compromise Google can afford to make.

After all, Google may not want to invest the resources in developing its own devices at every level of the Android price spectrum. Creating a comprehensive line of products would be costly, for one, and it'd risk alienating and irritating third-party manufacturers even more than it (probably) already has. For now, at least, this could be a clever way to accomplish a good-enough-for-the-affordable-realm goal while getting just involved enough to maintain critical core standards. (And while aiming an effort at the U.S. isn't the same thing as bringing it to the world, of course, it's a significant step  and very much in line with how Google tends to ramp up strategic endeavors.)

Aside from the big picture, platform-level considerations, Google clearly knows it needs some sort of lower-priced option within its own product portfolio. The evidence is written all over the walls of the company's Project Fi wireless service, which works only with specialized phones made to handle its unusual multi-network approach.

Google took the atypical step of continuing to sell 2015's Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P phones  priced at $199 and $399, respectively  as options for new Fi subscribers all the way through the early parts of this summer. The phones are still listed on the Fi site now, alongside the current Pixel, but they're currently out of stock. That makes sense: With Google's two-years-from-the-first-date-of-sales update guarantee, those devices both reached their end-of-guaranteed-support status this month.

Android One could fill that void. It could allow Google to offer a full range of "elevated experience" options, with its own top-of-the-line and tightly controlled flagship at the high end and its partner-made, partially controlled devices beneath. And sure enough, rumors point to U.S. Android One devices being Fi-compatible out of the box. See how all the pieces fit together?

Google may not be able to control Android completely, nor would such a drastic closing off of the platform make sense for the ecosystem in its current state. What the company can do, however, is continue to expand and amplify the options for consumers to get on board with its own vision for how Android should work.

And what we're hearing about with Android One right now sure seems like a significant step in pushing that effort forward  and making it matter for more than just a small sliver of the phone-buying public.
It is tempting simply to laugh at Tony Blairs latest intervention in the Brexit debate  or else weep with rage. He now wants to close the door that he opened in 2004, or at least make it harder to pass through it. For it was in that year that Britain became one of only three EU countries to waive restrictions on entry from workers from ten new member states. The then Labour Government predicted that only 13,000 people would move to Britain from Poland and the other eastern European countries concerned. Over a million came, and the mass voter backlash against EU immigration began. The Prime Minister under whom all this happened was Tony Blair.

None the less, there is joy in heaven when a sinner repents, and Blairs conversion to tough migration controls is welcome  if they would work. And it is here that, not for the first time with the former Prime Minister, spin trumps substance. The centrepiece of his new proposals is an emergency brake on EU migration if numbers require it. However, we have been here before. Such a brake was precisely what David Cameron failed to gain during his renegotiation. He gained one on access to benefits only, which was to be gradual, limited to seven years  and remain in the controlling hands of the EU Commission. If Cameron couldnt gain more from the EU less than two years ago, why should Blair be able to do so now?

But the former Prime Ministers plans have less to do with practicality than politics, and a specific political aim: stopping Brexit. And it is in this context that, strangely, Brexiteers should thank him. For if leaving the EU is to be halted, three conditions must be met. First, the British people must turn against Brexit. At present, more still favour leaving than staying. Second, Parliament must do so too. But it voted overwhelmingly that Article 50 be moved, and is now set to back the EU Withdrawal Bill (that it will doubtless be amended makes its passing no less unlikely). Finally, the EU Commission and the EU27 must be willing, with the UK, to find a way round the provisions of Article 50, which there is no known way of doing. It was Blair himself who presided over the drawing up of the Article 50 process!

The trap in which he writhes is of his own making. There is a lesson here for the Andrew Adonises and A.C.Graylings and Gina Millers and Jolyon Maughams and all those still determined to defy the largest popular vote in British electoral history. It is that while campaigning for Britain to rejoin the EU is perfectly practicable  who are Brexiteers to claim that putting a case on Europe is somehow illicit?  trying to stop Britain from leaving in the first place is not. There is simply no credible pathway to halting Brexit. The best course that Remainers can take at the next election is to campaign for Britain to re-enter the EU  which could well mean accepting the Euro and Schengen. Meanwhile, Blair flaps and claws in his agitation at the stable door. But the horse runs free over the fields.
Tim Ross and Tom McTagues Betting the House, a new account of the 2017 general election, develops a Conservative blame game. Who was responsible for the failure of Theresa May to increase the Tory majority  indeed, to return to government without a Commons majority at all? More light will be cast on what happened when Lord Ashcrofts The Lost Majority , his study of the election, is published shortly.

In the meantime, one might start by challenging the conventional wisdom, and ask whether a boost was ever likely. This site argued during the Tory leadership contest that the new Prime Minister should seek a fresh mandate and call a general election. Once May made it clear that she would not do so, we were much more chary of the prospect, since she had committed herself, and were not among the enthusiasts pushing for one. We were worried that voters hate unnecessary polls and that elections are not always as straightforward as they seem beforehand.

That said, the Prime Minister had the polls in her favour when she called the election  and, crucially, the English and Welsh local government results, which came between the election being called and polling day itself, were very good ones for her. The Conservatives gained over 500 councillors, won eight councils and took the West Midlands and Teeside mayoralties. John Curtice wrote that it was the best Tory election night since 2008.

I have now been involved in elections for 20 years, Gary Porter, the Chairman of the Local Government Association, wrote on this site, the first being the 1997 General Election, where, if I am being honest, I have encountered a range of reactions from open hostility, to being neither loved nor hated, to these elections where the overwhelming response was generally an outpouring of genuine joy to see us on the doorstep.

It follows that something went wrong for the Party between those contests on May 4 and the general election that took place little more than a month later on June 8. What was it? You might expect ConservativeHome to say, in the wake of Mark Wallaces formidable accounts of the rusting of Tory machine, that CCHQs campaign department and Patrick McLoughlin and Stephen Gilbert and Lynton Crosby were responsible. Certainly, that the Party won 42 per cent of the vote, an increase of five per cent on the 2015 result, but none the less lost 13 seats suggests that the blue vote was inefficiently spread.

But it is very hard to believe that campaigning deficiencies were responsible for the bulk of the problems. A more natural explanation is the obvious one. As Stephen Bush pointed out during the campaign, the polls did not go all over the place during it. When you look beneath the headline figures, the polling companies are telling us very similar stories, he wrote. The big difference is how the two groups of pollsters weight votes.one of the big methodological changes that the various polling companies made after the disaster of 2015 was to change how they assessed turnout.

We know now that the YouGov/Survation/Opinium position that Bush described  which built in a higher turnout by younger voters than other polling operations  turned out to be right on the day. But regardless of the polls different findings and assumptions they all told, as he said, the same story of relative Tory decline and Labour advance. And what seems to have propelled that advance and decline was the two parties manifestos.

Labour formally launched theirs after an earlier leak on May 16. Its three nearest Survation poll ratings to the launch before it took place showed the party at 29, 30 and 20 per cent. Its three nearest afterwards were 34, 34 and 37 per cent. These totals were then followed by ratings of 39, 40, 40, 45, 45 and 41 per cent. As we noted at the time, Labours manifesto had a retail offer for voters, and it was able to build an increasingly successful campaign on the back of it.

The Conservatives launched their manifesto on May 18. Its three nearest Survation poll ratings to the launch before it took place showed the party at 40, 47 and 48 per cent. Its three nearest afterwards were 43, 46 and 43 per cent. These totals were then followed by ratings of 40, 41, 41, 39, 42 and 42 per cent. As we wrote in that same article, the Conservative manifesto did not have a retail offer for voters. Neither it not a concentrated assault on Labours ever came. The low point of the Conservative campaign so far [has] followed the manifesto launch, we wrote. The social care policy tanked, and Tory poll ratings fell with it.

In summary, David Davis and others were not necessary wrong to push for an early election  which, as Mays local election results suggested, was winnable, along with an increase in the Conservative majority. The full story of the 2017 election is not yet told. But a provisional conclusion must be that while CCHQs failures made the difference between gaining a bare majority and not doing so, it was the manifesto, and its aftermath, which destroyed the prospect of more Tory seats, let alone a landslide.
09/11/2017

As uninsured victims of Hurricane Harvey face potential financial ruin, the federal government is urging Americans to buy flood insurance while they can. But even policy-holders may be in limbo as flood insurance becomes unsustainable and gets scrutinized by Congress. Flood insurance is not like homeowner's insurance, because after a disaster, flood insurance sticks taxpayers rather than insurers with the bill.

The National Flood Insurance Program, as federally-backed flood insurance run by FEMA is called, is now deeply in debt, so much so that FEMA purchased its own insurance policy last January to cover Americans' flood claims. For the price of $150 million, FEMA was promised catastrophic coverage to the tune of...$1 billion, a fraction of what either Hurricane Katrina or Superstorm Sandy cost taxpayers. Largely due to pay-outs from those two storms, FEMA now owes $24 billion to the US treasury.

FEMA secured its relatively meager $1 billion flood coverage plan through a group of 25 "reinsurance companies," or mega-insurance companies in the business of selling insurance to regular insurance companies. Home insurers like Allstate purchase their own reinsurance to cover the massive amount of damages they must pay consumers after a major disaster.

Naturally, the reinsurance industry says that FEMA made an excellent business decision. "I commend FEMA for creating the NFIP reinsurance program and the financial protections it will afford taxpayers," Frank Nutter, president of the Reinsurance Association of America, said in a news release after the sale, describing FEMAs purchase of reinsurance coverage as a significant milestone.

People like Bob Hunter, a former Texas insurance commissioner who now works for a consumer watchdog organization, are less convinced that FEMA's reinsurance plan will benefit flood victims or taxpayers. It might, but not much I dont think.

A "comeback year"

Superstorm Sandy, the Category 3 storm that rattled the East Coast in 2012, was one of the costliest storms in United States history, but private insurers had grown accustomed to more intense storms over the years and were prepared. Berkshire Hathaway shot the lights out in 2012, CEO Warren Buffett told shareholders. State Farm saw its profits quadruple that year. Traveler's insurance ended 2012 with its share values up 8 percent from the year prior. Across the industry, 2012 was a comeback year for insurers despite enormous losses from Hurricane Sandy, reported an industry publication.

The reason for that is fairly straight-forward. Though the insurers were exposed to millions of dollars worth of claims for damage caused by wind, hail, and other natural factors, they largely avoided having to pay for damage caused by flooding itself. Thats because most Americans do not have flood insurance and most insurers do not offer it. And even when Americans do have flood insurance through a private carrier, the burden of paying out claims still largely falls on the federal government.

The private insurers who offer flood insurance do so through FEMAs National Flood Insurance Program, specifically the programs Write Your Own policy, which allows carriers to write policies and collect fees without being responsible for pay-outs.

"The companies that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program don't bare any financial risk. They get a servicing fee for administering the program. It's the federal government that bares the risk, Don Griffin, a vice president at the industry trade group the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, tells ConsumerAffairs.

A fee on premiums

Insurers historically regarded flood insurance as a money pit and didnt offer it. Recognizing the need for Americans to be protected, the federal government began subsidizing flood coverage in the 1960s. Under the Write Your Own system, private insurers can collect thirty percent of the premium dollars consumers pay to the federal government. Insurers collect an additional 1.5 percent fee for writing claims after a flood.

The rest of the premiums go to a general pot that, in theory, is supposed to cover every flood victim's claim after a storm. But a $24 billion hole in that pot indicates that the system clearly isnt working, raising questions about where the money is going.

A PBS investigation last year found that insurers earned a total of $400 million in profits after Superstorm Sandy. At the same time, people who were protected with flood insurance told the station that their claims were denied or short-changed.

Insurers counter that the fees they collect on premiums and claims go toward expenses like paying insurance agents and contractors. So the overall number that they get is much lower. It's not a very profitable line of business, says Don Griffin, with the insurance industry trade group. He argues that more companies would offer flood insurance if it was profitable. Only 68 home insurers out of an estimated 1300 on the market participate in the federal flood program.

The market leaders

Wright Flood Insurance, a Florida-based subsidiary of the Wright Insurance Group, is the rare American insurer in the business of flood insurance and only flood insurance. The company has grown to become the largest provider of flood insurance in the federal marketplaceand sells both federal flood insurance and excess flood insurance, in which private insurers offer consumers additional flood coverage and pay out of their own pockets for the damages.

At Wright Flood our roots in federal flood insurance date to the very beginning of the flood program, the companys biography says.

Brown & Brown, one of the largest insurance companies in the world, purchased Wright and its flood subsidiary for $600 million in 2014. In an annual report, the corporation portrays flood insurance as a business with little to no risk. Brown & Brown says that all basic flood coverage is backed by the federal government, and excess policies are backed by a reinsurance company.

A spokesman for Wright Flood tells ConsumerAffairs that the company has already paid customers $20 million for Hurricane Harvey damage. The spokesman, Jeanne Karp with RBB Communications, says that insurers take home a small amount of the 30 percent fee they collect on flood insurance premiums.

The 30% figure youve referenced is often misinterpreted as a full sum, when it is really a breakdown of components, she says via email. From that an average of 20% goes to the agents, 2-2.5% toward premium tax, and anywhere from 4-7% in vendor fees.

Assurant, the company best known for providing cell phone insurance, bills itself as the second-largest provider of flood insurance in the federal marketplace. The company, which also provides regular homeowners insurance, reported losing $250,206 in 2012 due to Superstorm Sandy.

Thats a small drop in the $1.5 million Assurant anticipates it will return to shareholders at the end of 2017. Assurant similarly describes flood insurance as a win-win scenario for insurers. We also act as an administrator for the U.S. Government under the voluntary National Flood Insurance Program," the company writes to investors, "for which we earn a fee for collecting premiums and processing claims. This business is 100% reinsured to the U.S. Government.

Solutions to flood debt

Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle agree that the federal government is paying too much to subsidize flood insurance, but they typically say that consumers should carry a bigger burden and pay higher premiums. Expensive flood insurance may discourage people from living in areas that are growing more vulnerable to extreme weather, the thinking goes.

Insurers say they would be open to operating their own, completely private flood coverage to compete with the federally-backed plans. This would relieve taxpayers from paying for flood damage, though critics worry that the private plans would not be sold to consumers who truly need them.

Insurers also point out that the largest servicer of federal flood insurance is technically the federal government. Through a separate program called NFIP direct, an insurance agent connects customers to an NFIP flood insurance plan that is written and administered only by FEMA, not an outside insurer. Still, even under those so-called "direct" plans, insurers still receive a 15 percent chunk of the premiums paid.

What's not shown in that 15 percent is what the NFIP direct spends on administrative costs, Don Griffin of the Property Casualty Insurers Association says. The direct program still has administrative costs to write the policy."
Royal Caribbean Internationals Mariner of the Seas has returned to Marina Bay or her longest-ever and final season until next April.

She is offering 56 Southeast Asian sailings of three- to nine-nights from Singapore, the highest number for this ship ever, up from 41 sailings last season, the company said.



The ships itineraries with popular regional destinations lined up for this season are:

 3-night cruise to Penang/Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang)

 4-night cruise to Penang/Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang) and Phuket

 5-night cruise to Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Penang and Phuket

 7-night cruise to Kuala Lumpur (Port Klang), Penang, Langkawi and Phuket (with an overnight)

 7-night cruise to Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My) and Bangkok (with an overnight)

The ship will then be deployed to Miami, Florida in April 2018, after having homeported year-round in Asia out of Singapore and China since 2013.



This is followed by the Ovation of the Seas, Asias largest and most revolutionary cruise ship, which will be back for a 5-night cruise from Singapore to Penang and Phuket on April 9 next year, and a 12-night one-way cruise to Tianjin with calls at Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Hue/Danang (Chan May), Hong Kong (overnight) and Seoul (Incheon). April to June 2018 will be covered by the 4,269-guest Voyager of the Seas with 18 sailings from Singapore
In the midst of a crisis, one of the most important skills to have is the ability to make a decision, says Donna Tona, a disaster management expert.

Folks have to be taught, trained, and supported to handle a crisis. You cant run away from it, Tona tells the CUNA News Podcast. Were running away from things and we talk about making decisions, but we [often] dont.

Tona, vice president of client experience at Werkz, Inc., specializes in emergency trauma management, and assists municipalities, governments, and businesses with crisis incidents. She also works with organizations to develop training exercises to prepare before a crisis happens.

She has assisted at a variety of crises, including assisting credit union employees after the bombing at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995, providing assistance during ice storms in her home province of Alberta, Canada, and providing support after the September 11 attack and World Trade Center collapse.
Brookfield Asset Management is an alternative asset manager and REIT/Real Estate Investment Manager firm focuses on real estate, renewable power, infrastructure and venture capital and private equity assets. It manages a range of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. It typically makes investments in sizeable, premier assets across geographies and asset classes. It invests both its own capital as well as capital from other investors. Within private equity and venture capital, it focuses on acquisition, early ventures, control buyouts and financially distressed, buyouts and corporate carve-outs, recapitalizations, convertible, senior and mezzanine financings, operational and capital structure restructuring, strategic re-direction, turnaround, and under-performing midmarket companies. It invests in both public debt and equity markets. It invests in private equity sectors with focus on Business Services include infrastructure, healthcare, road fuel distribution and marketing, construction and real estate; Industrials include manufacturers of automotive batteries, graphite electrodes, returnable plastic packaging, and sanitation management and development; and Residential/ infrastructure services. It targets companies which likely possess underlying real assets, primarily in sectors such as industrial products, building materials, metals, mining, homebuilding, oil and gas, paper and packaging, manufacturing and forest product sectors. It invests globally with focus on North America including Brazil, the United States, Canada; Europe; and Australia; and Asia-Pacific. The firm considers equity investments in the range of $2 million to $500 million. It has a four-year investment period and a 10-year term with two one-year extensions. The firm prefers to take minority stake and majority stake. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. was founded in 1997 and based in Toronto, Canada with additional offices across Northern America; South America; Europe; Middle East and Asia.
For one Native American tribe, the moneys not in the casino anymore. Patents are the future.

On Friday, drugmaker Allergan Plc said it would transfer intellectual property on a blockbuster drug to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe, in order to avoid attacks on the medicines patents. For the tribe, its a new revenue stream that could lead to more down the road.

Our options beyond the casino are few and far between so an opportunity like this is attractive to us, because we have a lot of unmet needs for our community, said Saint Regis Mohawk Tribes general counsel Dale White. The agreement will pay the tribe USD13.75 million, plus $15 million a year in annual revenues, according to Allergan.

There are 13,000 Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe members nationwide, and they own a six-mile-by-six-mile square piece of land in a sparsely populated part of upstate New York. The Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort, is one of the tribes main sources of revenue. Its open 24 hours a day, has 1,600 slot machines, 30 table games and a poker room, according to the website.

The attraction for a drug company is simple: The tribe has sovereignty, setting it apart from some legal proceedings  such as expedited patent reviews. For Allergan, it can serve as a small legal island guarding its valuable intellectual property.

Restasiss patents are under attack on two fronts, and moving the rights may shield them on one side. Last year, the drug  which treats chronic dry eye  brought in $1.49 billion in sales.

I would expect it creates a playbook for other cases down the road both for us and for others, Bob Bailey, Allergans chief legal officer, said of the agreement with the tribe.

Shares of Allergan, which is based in the U.S., ended Friday up 2.5 percent.

Theres a legal basis for the strategy. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board recently ruled in two cases that state-university-owned patents arent subject to the review process because states have sovereign immunity. In those cases, however, the university was the original owner of the patents.

Drugmakers have been looking for any way they can to hold onto revenue. Several top pharmaceutical companies have recently reported slowing sales and shrinking profits due to the loss of exclusivity for top-selling medications, and the Trump administration has said it wants to drive down drug prices. At the same time, attacks on drug patents have been made easier under the patent offices recently created fast-track legal review process.

Allergan said it had been approached by the tribe with what it called a sophisticated opportunity to strengthen the defense of Restatiss patents, which have been challenged under a process called inter partes review, or IPR.

Drugmakers have long railed against the IPR process, which enables challenges before the patent board, because it means they have to defend their patents against assaults in two different forums. They have to win in both the court and before the agency.

Mylan NV has filed petitions with the patent office to challenge Allergans patents under the IPR process. The agency previously determined that Mylan has established a reasonable likelihood of winning its arguments that the patents are invalid, though a hearing on the case is scheduled for next week in Alexandria, Virginia.

By transferring ownership to the tribe, Allergan can try to limit its legal battle to the courts, where its harder to invalidate patents because of a more stringent legal standard.

The way I think about this is what were doing here today is to really allow Allergan to focus the defense of the Restasis patent in the federal court system and avoid the double jeopardy of the IPR system, Allergan Chief Executive Officer Brent Saunders said in an interview.

Success for Allergans deal with the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe would open a whole host of questions for the patent-review process, which was set up under a 2011 law. Tech companies are the biggest users of the system, intended as a lower-cost way to resolve patent disputes.

If they can do it, other drugmakers can do it, and not just other drugmakers but other companies, said Wright, the patent lawyer. Its a massive loophole and you could drive a Mack truck through that.

The tribe is ready, if they do. White, the lawyer, said the tribe will work with Shore Chan DePumpo, a law firm that helped vet the Allergan deal.

We will vet them through the Shore firm to make sure that these are legitimate companies that we want to do business with, he said. Well probably take as many as the Shore firm can handle.

Cynthia Koons, Susan Decker, Bloomberg
Humana Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a health and well-being company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Retail, Group and Specialty, and Healthcare Services. The company offers medical and supplemental benefit plans to individuals. It also has a contract with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to administer the Limited Income Newly Eligible Transition prescription drug plan program; and contracts with various states to provide Medicaid, dual eligible, and long-term support services benefits. In addition, the company provides commercial fully insured medical and specialty health insurance benefits comprising dental, vision, and other supplemental health benefits; and administrative services only products to individuals and employer groups, as well as military services, such as TRICARE T2017 East Region contract. Further, it offers pharmacy solutions, provider services, and home solutions services, such as home health and other services to its health plan members, as well as to third parties. As of December 31, 2021, the company had approximately 17 million members in medical benefit plans, as well as approximately 5 million members in specialty products. Humana Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunication services in Taiwan and internationally. It operates through Domestic Fixed Communications Business, Mobile Communications Business, Internet Business, International Fixed Communications Business, and Others segments. The company offers local and domestic long-distance telephone, broadband access, and related services; information and communication technology and VAS services; and interconnection with its fixed-line network to other mobile and fixed-line operators. It also provides mobile; HiNet Internet, data communication, and cloud; Internet data center; and international long-distance telephone and data services. In addition, the company distributes and sells mobile handsets, data cards, electronic materials, and computing and business machinery equipment and software; designs, develops, manufactures, sells, and services semiconductor testing components, printed circuit boards, and electronic components and finished products, and automatic license plate recognition software and hardware products. Further, it offers real estate development and property management; system, network, and communications integration; intelligent buildings and energy network; digital information supply and advertisement; property and liability insurance agency; family education; computing equipment installation; management consultancy; data processing; telecommunication engineering; Internet identify; and information and communication solution services. Additionally, the company provides software design services, and Internet contents production and play services; motion picture production and distribution; and energy saving solutions and international circuits, and services for electronic parts and machinery processed products. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Taipei City, Taiwan.
Frank Chens e-commerce business has nothing to do with politics but he worries it might be sunk by the Communist Partys latest effort to control what the Chinese public sees online.

Chens 25-employee company sells clothes and appliances to Americans and Europeans through platforms including Facebook, one of thousands of websites blocked by Chinas web filters. Chen reaches it using a virtual private network, but that window might be closing after Beijing launched a campaign in January to stamp out use of VPNs to evade its Great Firewall.

Our entire business might be paralyzed, said Chen by phone from the western city of Chengdu. Still, he added later in a text message, national policy deserves a positive response and we fully support it.

The crackdown threatens to disrupt work and study for millions of Chinese entrepreneurs, scientists and students who rely on websites they can see only with a VPN. The technology, developed to create secure, encrypted links between computers, allows Chinese web users to see a blocked site by hiding the address from government filters.

Astronomers and physicists use services such as Google Scholar and Dropbox, accessible only via VPN, to share research and stay in touch with foreign colleagues. Merchants use Facebook and other blocked social media to find customers. Students look for material in subjects from history to film editing on YouTube and other blocked sites.

Control over information is especially sensitive ahead of Octobers twice-a-decade ruling party congress at which President Xi Jinping is due to be named to a second five-year term as leader.

The VPN crackdown is part of a campaign to tighten political control that activists say is the most severe since the 1989 suppression of the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement.

Dozens of activists and lawyers have been detained. A cybersecurity law that took effect in June tightens control on online data. Regulators have stepped up censorship of social media and video websites.

How many people might be affected is unclear, but consumer research firm GlobalWebIndex said a survey of Chinese web surfers this year found 14 percent use a VPN daily. If that percentage holds for Chinas total online population of 731 million, it suggests the country might have as many as 100 million regular users.

Some 8.8 percent of people in the survey use VPNs to look at restricted sites, according to GlobalWebIndex. That would be equivalent to 65 million people, or the population of Britain.

Communist leaders encourage web use for business and education. They want online commerce to help transform China from a low-wage factory into a high-tech consumer society. But they reject the notion of a borderless internet and free flow of information.

Chinese web users without VPNs cannot see the most popular global websites including Google and social media such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, as well as news outlets and human rights groups.

In the latest crackdown, regulators say only government-authorized VPNs will be allowed. The operator of a popular service, Green VPN, told customers in June it had been ordered to close. Others shut down without warning.

You have to leave a window for people, for those who need it, said Wen Jian, a securities trader in Beijing.

Wen said he needs to find financial information and Google, accessible only with a VPN, is more effective than Chinese search engines. But his VPN quit working two months ago.

As far as I know, some government people use VPNs too, said Wen, 27. They read things abroad. Why can they have it and we cannot?

The crackdown reflects Xis notion of internet sovereignty, or Beijings absolute right to control what people can do and see online.

Unauthorized VPNs already were banned but authorities appeared to ignore them, possibly to avoid disrupting business or to defuse resistance among professionals and academics.

Government spokespeople refuse to acknowledge any site is blocked, though researchers say they can see attempts to reach sites such as Google stopped within servers operated by state-owned China Telecom Ltd., which controls Chinas links to the global internet.

Regulators have yet to say who will be allowed to use government-licensed VPNs or what they can see. But a letter sent by China Telecom to some corporate customers this year offers a hint: It says VPNs can link only to a companys headquarters abroad and no other sites. It warns violators will lose access.

Until now, web controls have acted like a tax, allowing users to see blocked sites by paying for a VPN, according to Margaret E. Roberts, a political scientist at the University of California at San Diego.

As VPNs become more difficult to access, its like the government is raising the tax, said Roberts in an email. If VPNs were illegal, we would expect a different calculation for those seeking access.

In a sign of a more severe official stance, a 26-year-old entrepreneur who sold VPN service in Dongguan, near Hong Kong, was sentenced in March to nine months in prison.

The agency in charge of the crackdown, the Cyberspace Administration of China, and the Cabinet press office didnt respond to questions sent by fax and email about what, if anything, the public will be allowed to do with authorized VPNs.

Chen, the online merchant, said he heard private companies might be permitted but he has yet to apply.

The economic impact is unclear, but other Chinese data controls already are a drag on business.

The European Center for International Political Economy estimated in 2014 curbs in effect or planned could cut economic growth by up to 1.1 percentage points. That would be equal to as much as $130 billion of lost activity in Chinas $12 trillion-a-year economy.

I asked some friends, and if a large number of VPNs are banned, then everyones response is there will be a big impact on their business, Chen said.

Chinese leaders faced similar complaints after the Great Firewall was activated in 2002. It blocked access to Google, prompting an outcry from scientists and businesspeople who needed to find research papers and commercial information.

Public complaints have been muted in part because Chinese companies have developed alternatives to popular global services.

Instead of Facebook and Twitter, Chinese social media users have WeChat and Sina Weibo. Baidu Inc. provides Google-style search that complies with official censorship.

I am pretty lazy, said Hao Kailin, a landscape designer in Beijing who finds images online for work. If it is too much trouble to look for pictures from prohibited websites, then I give up. Joe McDonald, Beijing, AP
AstraZeneca PLC, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of prescription medicines. Its marketed products include Calquence, Enhertu, Faslodex, Imfinzi, Iressa, Koselugo, Lumoxiti, Lynparza, Orpathys, Tagrisso, and Zoladex for oncology; Brilinta/Brilique, Bydureon/Byetta, BCise, Byetta, Crestor, Evrenzo, Farxiga/Forxiga, Komboglyze/Kombiglyze XR, Lokelma, Onglyza, Qtern, and Xigduo/Xigduo XR for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism diseases; Bevespi Aerosphere, Breztri Aerosphere, Daliresp/Daxas, Duaklir Genuair, Fasenra, Pulmicort, Saphnelo, Symbicort, and Tudorza/Eklira/Bretaris for respiratory and immunology; and Andexxa/Ondexxya, Kanuma, Soliris, Strensiq, and Ultomiris for rare diseases. The company's marketed products also comprise Synagis for respiratory syncytial virus; Fluenz Tetra/FluMist Quadrivalent for Influenza; Seroquel IR/Seroquel XR for schizophrenia bipolar disease; Nexium, and Losec/Prilosec for gastroenterology; and Vaxzevria and Evusheld for covid-19. The company serves primary care and specialty care physicians through distributors and local representative offices in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. It has a collaboration agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to research, develop, and commercialize small molecule medicines for obesity; Neurimmune AG to develop and commercialize NI006; Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop eplontersen, a liver-targeted antisense therapy in Phase III development for the treatment of transthyretin amyloidosis; Proteros Biostructures GmbH to jointly discover novel small molecules for the treatment of hematological cancers; Sierra Oncology, Inc. to develop and commercialize AZD5153. The company was formerly known as Zeneca Group PLC and changed its name to AstraZeneca PLC in April 1999. AstraZeneca PLC was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.
Announcing itself with roaring 130 mph winds, Hurricane Irma plowed into the mostly emptied-out Florida Keys yesterday for the start of what could be a slow, ruinous march up the states west coast toward the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.

With an estimated 70,000 huddling in shelters statewide, the storm lashed the low-lying string of islands with drenching rain and knocked out power to close to 400,000 customers across the state.

About 30,000 people heeded orders to evacuate the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused to leave, in part because to many storm-hardened residents, staying behind in the face of danger is a point of pride.

As of 8 a.m. EDT, the hurricane was centered about 30 kilometers southeast of Key West, moving northwest at 13 kph.

While the projected track showed Irma raking the states Gulf Coast, forecasters strongly warned that the entire Florida peninsula  including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people  was in danger from the monstrous storm, 350 to 400 miles wide.

Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to get out of the storms path, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

As the hurricanes eye approached the Keys yesterday, 60-year-old Carol Walterson Stroud and her family were huddled in a third-floor apartment at a senior center in Key West. We are good so far, she said in a text message just before 5:30 a.m. Its blowing hard.

Key West Police urged anyone riding out the storm in that city to resist the urge to go outside during the eye, the deceptive calm interlude in the middle of a hurricane. Dangerous winds will follow quickly, police said in a Facebook post.

Irma was at one time the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, with a peak wind speed of 300 kph last week.

It left more than 20 people dead across the Caribbean, and as it moved north over the Gulf of Mexicos bathtub-warm water of nearly 90 degrees, regained strength.

Forecasters said Irma could hit the Tampa-St. Petersburg areas today. The Tampa Bay area has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921, when its population was about 10,000, National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen said. Now around 3 million people live there.

The governor activated all 7,000 members of the Florida National Guard, and 30,000 guardsmen from elsewhere were on standby.

In the Orlando area, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World all closed on Saturday. The Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando airports shut down.

Given its mammoth size and strength and its projected course, Irma could prove one of the most devastating hurricanes ever to hit Florida and inflict damage on a scale not seen here in 25 years.

Hurricane Andrew smashed into suburban Miami in 1992 with winds topping 165 mph (265 kph), damaging or blowing apart over 125,000 homes. The damage in Florida totaled $26 billion, and at least 40 people died. Tamara Lush, Jay Reeves, AP

Cuba surveys toppled houses

Hurricane Irma ripped roofs off houses, collapsed buildings and flooded hundreds of miles of coastline as it raked Cubas northern coast after devastating islands the length of the Caribbean in a trail of destruction that has left 22 people dead so far.

There were no immediate reports of deaths in Cuba  a country that prides itself on its disaster preparedness  but authorities were trying to restore power, clear roads and warning that people should stay off the streets of Havana because flooding could continue into today.

Residents of the capital should know that the flooding is going to last more than 36 hours, in other words, it is going to persist, Civil Defense Col. Luis Angel Macareno said late Saturday, adding that the waters had reach at about 2,000 feet (600 meters) into parts of Havana.

As Irma rolled in, Cuban soldiers went through coastal towns to force residents to evacuate, taking people to shelters at government buildings and schools  and even caves.

Video images from northern and eastern Cuba showed uprooted utility poles and signs, many downed trees and extensive damage to roofs. Witnesses said a provincial museum near the eye of the storm was in ruins. And authorities in the city of Santa Clara said 39 buildings collapsed.

More than 5,000 tourists were evacuated from the keys off Cubas north-central coast, where the government has built dozens of resorts in recent years.

Civil Defense official Gregorio Torres said authorities were trying to tally the extent of the damage in eastern Cuba, home to hundreds of rural communities.

In Caibarien, a small coastal city about 320 kilometers east of Havana, winds downed power lines and a three-block area was under water. Many residents had stayed put, hoping to ride out the storm.

Before slamming into Cuba, Irma had caused havoc in lush Caribbean resorts such as St. Martin, St. Barts, St. Thomas, Barbuda and Anguilla.
The decision by the Court of Final Appeal (TUI) concerning the case of former Public Prosecutor General Ho Chiu Meng is final, the Office of the President of TUI informed yesterday in a statement.

The TUI sentenced Ho to 21 years in prison on July 14 this year, along with heavy financial penalties and an order that many of his assets revert to the administration.

While the decision was intended to be final, the defendant filed an appeal on August 4 with two possible suggestions to deal with the finality of the decision  namely, the possibility of the creation of an appeal court and the creation of an ad hoc court to hear his case, with analogous application of the relevant provisions in order to create a standardization of the case law.

In response to the appeal, the presiding judge issued an order on August 15 indicating that the admission of an appeal entails the existence of a judicial body with a power of judging in a higher court, which may examine and decide on the appeal.

In this particular case, the presiding judge stated, we realize that we do not have a higher court that can assess the appeal filed by the defendant, since the Court of Final Appeal is the supreme judicial body of the MSAR, which is a region with independent judicial power and with power of final judgment, the judge wrote on her order.

Regarding the two solutions proposed by the defendant, the judge said, in the judicial system currently in force in Macau, the creation of any court is based on the assumption that there is a legal provision. In the absence of legal rules, the creation of a court of appeal to assess the decision of the TUI at first instance has no legal basis.

The judge further noted that the application implies the existence of a legal loophole, that according to the judge does not exist since when it was determined that in some particular cases [regarding high ranked officials] the court that had the right to rule should be the TUI, it was already clear that this would leave no room for appeals. Furthermore, the Legislative Assembly did not make any provision for the inclusion of an appeal against rulings by the TUI, with the judge claiming that this decision was not due to a loophole but was made according to deliberate legislative intention.

The judge also added that these intentions were even clearer after the 2007 trial of the former Secretary for Transport and Public Works Ao Man Long, which concerned corruption. In this case, the defendant was also not entitled to appeal  and two years after, when the Legislative Assembly approved the Law 9/2009 to introduce changes to the Basic Law of the Judicial Organization, he had the opportunity to address the issue of the appeal, and did not.

Therefore, it cannot be understood that there is a legal loophole to be filled by the analogue application. In this way, it was decided not to admit the appeal by the accused, she concluded in her comments.

With the appeals refusal, the decision to sentence Ho to 21 years of imprisonment is final.

Hos defense lawyer, Oriana Pun, has previously said that the inability to appeal constituted just a technical problem that can be circumvented.

According to Pun, this technical problem is minor when compared with the right to appeal, which she said to constitutes a fundamental right. However, Puns arguments have now been rejected.
KAR Auction Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides used vehicle auctions and related vehicle remarketing services for the automotive industry in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. The company operates through two segments, ADESA Auctions and AFC. The ADESA Auctions segment offers whole car auctions and related services to the vehicle remarketing industry through online auctions and auction facilities. It also provides value-added services, such as auction related, transportation, reconditioning, inspection, title and repossession administration and remarketing, vehicle research, and analytical services, as well as data as a service. This segment sells its products and services through vehicle manufacturers, fleet companies, rental car companies, finance companies, and others. As of December 31, 2021, this segment had a network of approximately 70 vehicle logistics center locations in North America. The AFC segment offers floorplan financing, a short-term inventory-secured financing to independent used vehicle dealers; and sells vehicle service contracts. The company provides wheel repair and hail catastrophe response services. It serves vehicle manufacturers, vehicle rental companies, financial institutions, commercial fleets and fleet management companies, and dealer customers. The company was formerly known as KAR Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to KAR Auction Services, Inc. in November 2009. KAR Auction Services, Inc. was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.
Rohingya insurgents, whose attack on Myanmar security forces last month triggered savage military reprisals, declared a month-long truce yesterday as refugees continued to flood across the border into Bangladesh only to face scant basic resources, hunger and illness.

The Muslim insurgents of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army issued the truce statement on its Twitter account and urged Myanmars government to reciprocate in order to assist all victims regardless of their background.

The government did not comment immediately.

The rebels, who say theyre fighting to protect their minority members against government-sponsored persecution, launched their first known attacks last October and again on Aug. 25. According to Rohingya refugees, the military responded with indiscriminate killings, burning entire villages and forcing tens of thousands to flee. The government said most of the 400 dead were terrorists.

The U.N. said Saturday that an estimated 290,000 Rohingya Muslims have arrived in the border district of Coxs Bazar in just the last two weeks, joining at least 100,000 who were already there after fleeing earlier riots or persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. The number was expected to swell further, with thousands crossing the border each day.

Fights were erupting over food and water. Women and children were tapping on car windows or tugging at the clothes of passing reporters while rubbing their bellies and begging for food. Health experts warned of the potential for outbreaks of disease.

More and more people are coming, said UNHCR spokeswoman Vivian Tan. With camps already more than full, the new arrivals were setting up spontaneous settlements along roadsides or on any available patches of land.

Within the camps we are trying our best, but it is very difficult because every day we are seeing new arrivals with nowhere to go, Tan said.

Many of the newly arrived were initially stunned and traumatized after fleeing the violence. They are now growing desperate in searching for food distribution points that appeared only in recent days, passing out packets of biscuits and 25-kilogram (55-pound) bags of rice.

One aid worker who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media said stocks are running out with the refugees needs far greater than what they had imagined. It is impossible to keep up, she said.

At one food distribution point, women were volunteering to help keep order by tapping people with bamboo sticks to gently urge them back in line. Weary women carried infants in their arms while clutching other children to their sides, afraid they might be separated in the crowds.

One 40-year-old man, faint with hunger, collapsed while waiting and could not stand again on his own strength when others tried to help him up. They drizzled water between his lips in an attempt to revive him, to no avail.

At one camp, a mobile clinic set up for the first time Saturday had already seen 600 patients by the afternoon. Patients, mostly children, were coming in with severe diarrhea, fungal skin infections, ear infections and high fever, said Nasima Yasmin, the director of the clinic run by a well-known Bangladesh health group.

Yasmin said their work was barely sufficient given the camps scale and requirements.

We need deep tube wells so that there is clean water and people can clean themselves. Also toilets are needed, she said, adding that the sheer number of newcomers raised fears of a serious outbreak of disease.

Refugee camps had already been filled to capacity before the influx. Makeshift settlements were quickly appearing and expanding along roadsides, and the city of Coxs Bazar  built to accommodate only 500,000  was bursting at its seams.

There was an urgent need for more temporary shelters, Tan said. We are seeing the mushrooming of these very flimsy shelters that will not be able to house people for too long, she said.

The U.N. has asked Bangladesh authorities to make more land available so they can build new relief camps.

The U.S. State Department said in a statement Saturday that it was very concerned about the situation and praised Bangladesh for its generosity in responding to this humanitarian crisis.

Its not known how many Rohingya remain in Rakhine state. Previously the population had been thought to be roughly 1 million. Journalists in Rakhine state saw active fires in areas Rohingya had abandoned, adding to doubts over government claims that Rohingya themselves were responsible for setting them. Muneeza Naqvi, Bangladesh, AP
Ashland Inc. provides additives and specialty ingredients worldwide. It operates through Life Sciences; Personal Care & Household; Specialty Additives; and Intermediates and Solvents segments. The Life Sciences segment offers pharmaceutical solutions, including controlled release polymers, disintegrants, tablet coatings, thickeners, solubilizers, and tablet binders; nutrition solutions, such as thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and additives; and nutraceutical solutions comprising products for weight management, joint comfort, stomach and intestinal health, sports nutrition, and general wellness, as well as custom formulation, toll processing, and particle engineering solutions. The Personal Care & Household segment provides a range of nature-based, biodegradable, and performance ingredients; solutions for toothpastes, mouth washes and rinses, denture cleaning, and care for teeth; and household supplies nature-derived rheology ingredients, biodegradable surface wetting agents, performance encapsulates, and specialty polymers. The Specialty Additives segment offers rheology modifiers, foam control agents, surfactants and wetting agents, pH neutralizers, advanced ceramics used in catalytic converters, environmental filters, ingredients for the manufacturing of ceramic capacitors, plasma display panels and solar cells, ingredients for textile printing, thermoplastic metals, and alloys for welding. The Intermediates and Solvents segment produces 1,4 butanediol and related derivatives, including n-methylpyrrolidone. It offers its products to customers in a range of consumer and industrial markets, such as architectural coatings, construction, energy, food and beverage, nutraceuticals, personal care, and pharmaceutical. The company was formerly known as Ashland Global Holdings Inc. Ashland Inc. was founded in 1924 and is based in Wilmington, Delaware.
Koppers Holdings Inc. provides treated wood products, wood preservation chemicals, and carbon compounds in the United States, Australasia, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Railroad and Utility Products and Services (RUPS), Performance Chemicals (PC), and Carbon Materials and Chemicals (CMC). The RUPS segment procures and treats crossties, switch ties, and various types of lumber used for railroad bridges and crossings. It also provides rail joint bars to join rails together for railroads; transmission and distribution poles for electric and telephone utilities; and pilings. This segment also provides railroad services, such as engineering, design, repair, and inspection services for railroad bridges. The PC segment develops, manufactures, and markets copper-based wood preservatives, including micronized copper azole, micronized pigments, alkaline copper quaternary, amine copper azole, and chromated copper arsenate for decking, fencing, utility poles, construction lumber and timbers, and various agricultural uses; and supplies fire-retardant chemicals for pressure treatment of wood primarily in commercial construction. The CMC segment manufactures creosote for the treatment of wood or as a feedstock in the production of carbon black; carbon pitch, a raw material used in the production of aluminum and steel; naphthalene for use as a feedstock in the production of phthalic anhydride and as a surfactant in the production of concrete; phthalic anhydride for the production of plasticizers, polyester resins, and alkyd paints; and carbon black feedstock for use in the production of carbon black. The company serves the railroad, specialty chemical, utility, residential lumber, agriculture, aluminum, steel, rubber, and construction industries. Koppers Holdings Inc. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Egypt on Saturday announced the discovery in the southern city of Luxor of a pharaonic tomb belonging to a royal goldsmith who lived more than 3,500 years ago and whose work was dedicated to the ancient Egyptian god Amun.

The tomb, located on the west bank of the river Nile in a cemetery for noblemen and top officials, is a relatively modest discovery, but one that authorities have announced with a great deal of fanfare in a bid to boost the countrys slowly recovering tourism industry.

We want tomorrows newspapers to speak about Egypt and make people want to come to Egypt, Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anani told reporters, reflecting the countrys desperate need to revitalize tourism.

El-Anani said the tomb was not in good condition, but contained a partially damaged sandstone statue of the goldsmith, named Amenemhat, and his wife. Between the couple stands a smaller figure of one of their sons.

The tomb has two burial shafts, one of which was likely dug to bury the mummies of the goldsmith and his wife. It also contained wooden funerary masks and a collection of statues of the couple, according to a ministry statement. Three mummies were found in the shaft.

It said a second shaft contained a collection of sarcophagi from the 21st and 22nd dynasties.

The tomb belonged to the 18th pharaonic dynasty when Amun was the most powerful deity. It was discovered by Egyptian archeologists, something that a senior official at the Antiquities Ministry hailed as evidence of their growing professionalism and expertise.

We used to escort foreign archeologists as observers, but thats now in the past. We are the leaders now, said Mustafa Waziri, the ministrys chief archaeologist in Luxor.
North Korea illegally exported coal, iron and other commodities worth at least USD270 million to China and other countries including India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka in the six-month period ending in early August in violation of U.N. sanctions, U.N. experts say.

The experts monitoring sanctions said in a report released Saturday that Kim Jong Uns government continues to flout sanctions on commodities as well as an arms embargo and restrictions on shipping and financial activities.

They said North Korea is also reportedly continuing prohibited nuclear activities with weapons-grade fissile material production at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, construction and maintenance at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, and at a uranium mine in Pyongsan.

The eight-member panel of experts said it is also investigating the widespread presence of North Koreans in Africa and the Middle East, particularly in Syria, including their involvement in prohibited activities.

The experts said one inquiry is into reported prohibited chemical, ballistic missile and conventional arms cooperation between Syria and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the countrys official name. They said this includes activities on Syrian Scud missile programs and maintenance and repair of Syrian surface-to-air missiles (SAM) air defense systems.

The panel noted that two unnamed countries reported intercepting shipments destined for Syria. It did not identify the contents and said Syria has yet to respond to its inquiries.

The 111-page report was written before North Koreas sixth and most powerful nuclear test last week and its latest launch of a powerful new intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan.

It was made public two days before the United States has called for a vote on a new sanctions resolution. The original U.S. draft would impose the toughest-ever sanctions on North Korea including banning all oil and natural gas exports to the country and freezing all foreign financial assets of the government and its leader Kim Jong Un.

The experts said implementation of existing sanctions lags far behind what is necessary to achieve the core goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

They blamed lax enforcement of sanctions coupled North Koreas evolving evasion techniques for undermining the achievement of this goal which would see the North abandon all weapons of mass destruction.

On the export of commodities  a key source of foreign exchange for the DPRK  the experts said that following Chinas suspension of coal imports from the North in February, the DPRK has been rerouting coal to other countries including Malaysia and Vietnam.

The panels investigations reveal that the DPRK is deliberately using indirect channels to export prohibited commodities, evading sanctions, the report said.

The panel said imports of DPRK coal, iron and iron ore violate U.N. sanctions unless the countries have received an exemption.

Between December 2016 and May 2017, for example, the DPRK exported over $79 million of iron ore to China, the report said. And between October 2016 and May 2017, it exported iron and steel products to Egypt, China, France, India, Ireland and Mexico valued at USD305,713.

There are no exemptions for importing silver, copper, zinc, nickel and gold from the DPRK. And since December 2016, the experts said China, Sri Lanka, and India imported one or more of these minerals in violation of sanctions.

As for violations of the arms embargo, the panel said it was conducting investigations in Angola, Congo, Eritrea, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Uganda as well as Syria.

In Mozambique, for example, the experts said they are looking into the reported supply of shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles, air defense systems, other surface-to-air missiles and radar by a North Korean trading company. They are also investigating reports that the same company is repairing and upgrading Tanzanias surface-to-air missile systems.

When it comes to financial sanctions, the panel said the DPRK continues to evade and violate them in a number of ways: Many DPRK financial institutions maintain representatives overseas who conduct transactions that facilitate prohibited programs; many foreign financial institutions wittingly or unwittingly provide banking services to DPRK front companies and others engaged in prohibited activities; and foreign investments in DPRK banks or joint ventures give those banks access to funding and the international financial system.

In addition, the experts said, DPRK officials and entities have engaged in deceptive financial practices, including opening multiple bank accounts in the same country and in neighboring countries in their own names, under family members names, and in the names of front companies.

As for shipping, the experts said the number of foreign-flagged DPRK vessels has been dramatically reduced in response to U.N. sanctions. But they said North Korea continued to hone its evasion tactics by increasing the number of DPRK-flagged ships by a corresponding number. Edith M. Lederer, AP
Chinese real estate tycoon Guo Wengui, one of the ruling Communist Partys most wanted exiles, has applied for political asylum in the United States, his lawyer said, in a move that could keep him out of Beijings grasp for at least several more years.

Guos asylum request poses a diplomatic quandary for the Trump administration, which must decide whether to expel a high-profile Chinese dissident or risk infuriating Beijing.

Guos lawyer, Thomas Ragland, said Thursday the billionaire will stay legally protected in the U.S. while his application is being reviewed, a process that normally takes more than two years. If his request is denied, Guo could stay in the country while he exhausts his appeals, Ragland added.

Chinese officials told the AP in August that Guo is being investigated in at least 19 major criminal cases that involve bribery, kidnapping, fraud, money laundering and rape  allegations that Guo has denied.

Above all, Guo has attracted Beijings ire by unleashing numerous allegations of high-level corruption within the Communist Party that have rocked Chinese politics. He has relentlessly targeted Wang Qishan, the partys anti-corruption czar and a key ally of President Xi Jinping, in a campaign that has raised doubts about Wangs political future just before a new slate of party leaders is set to be announced at a party congress in October.

Guos challenge now is to demonstrate before U.S. officials that he is seeking to avoid persecution, not prosecution, in China, his lawyer said.

He has a fear of being returned to China based on his political statements that expose corruption among Chinese officials, Ragland said. Hes been a whistleblower.

Guo has previously said he was exposing high-level corruption for the good of his country. It was a high-stakes gambit, he said, to prove his loyalty to Xi and negotiate an eventual return to China.

But the asylum request could indicate that Guos chances of reaching a truce with Beijing have petered out.

After fading from public view for several weeks, Wang, Guos nemesis, reappeared in recent state media reports that were meant  according to Communist Party stagecraft  to signal his undiminished political strength.

Guo has also said in past interviews that he holds numerous other passports, which means he could potentially leave his $68 million apartment in Manhattan for another country. But he is concerned that other governments would not be able to resist Chinas demands to turn him over, Ragland said, adding that U.S. law enforcement and intelligences agencies will participate in the coming asylum review process.

The White House has not commented on the matter. Gerry Shih, AP
The wife of a Taiwanese activist China accused of subversion said her husband may be pressured into pleading guilty when his trial opens today, but she remains hopeful that he can return home safely.

Lee Ching-yu told reporters at a briefing Saturday she plans to travel this weekend to attend Lee Ming-ches trial in the central city of Yueyang. Supporters sitting beside her held up signs calling on China to release the activist.

At this moment, I want to ask my fellow countrymen for their understanding if they see Lee Ming-che do or say anything unbearable in court outside of his free will, Lee said.

This is just the Chinese government being adept at the performance of having someone confess, she added.

Lee Ming-che is accused of subversion of state power, a vaguely defined charge often used by authorities to muzzle dissent and imprison critics.

Chinas wide-ranging crackdown on civil society has featured a string of televised confessions  believed to have been made under coercion  by human rights activists accused of plots to overthrow the political system.

Calls to the court and the activists lawyer rang unanswered Saturday.

Lee Ching-yu said she hoped her husband would be released. Im traveling there not to challenge or to argue, but to go to witness the arrival of justice that will let Lee Ming-che return to Taiwan with dignity, and promptly and peacefully, Lee said.

Lee Ming-che, 42, cleared immigration in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of Macau on March 19 and never showed up for a planned meeting later that day with a friend in the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai. He had previously conducted online lectures on Taiwans democratization and managed a fund for families of political prisoners in China.

Amnesty International and other rights organizations have called for Lee Ming-ches immediate release. They note that Lee is the first foreign non-profit worker to be detained in China after a law tightening controls over such groups came into effect. Lee had been a manager of a non-governmental group in Taiwan before his detention.

The new law says foreign NGOs must not endanger Chinas national security and ethnic unity and subjects non-profit groups to close police supervision. It is seen by critics as the latest attempt by authorities to clamp down on perceived threats to the ruling Communist Partys control.

AP

Relations between Taiwan and China have been near an all-time low since the election of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has advocated Taiwans formal independence. China cut off contacts with Taiwans government in June, five months after Tsai was elected.

In a statement Saturday, the Taiwanese Cabinets Mainland Affairs Council urged Chinese authorities to properly handle Lees case and quickly respond to the demands of our government and people for Lee Ming-ches safe return to Taiwan.

AP
Hurricanes hitting the Southeast have typically caused extreme swings in commodity markets as they attempt to assess threats and damage to the natural resources that we depend on for our food, fuel, clothing and shelter.

Citrus Crops  The southern half of Florida is famous for serving as a center of citrus production. Consequently, OJ prices virtually exploded all week with frozen juice for November delivery running from $1.30 per pound just before Labor Day to a high of $1.55 on Friday. The severity of destruction to that crop may be reduced because most of the fruit is still in early stage of development where it is well attached to the trees and is not nearly as vulnerable as it will be a few weeks from now.

Cattle  Florida is one of the nations largest producers of calves and feeder cattle, which are heavily threatened by Irma. Feeder cattle for October delivery jumped from $1.42 per pound around Labor Day to nearly $1.48 on Friday.

Cotton  That crop is especially sensitive to rain as we approach harvest in the southern states hit heavily by Harvey. Cotton prices for December delivery rose from 71 cents per pound to 75 cents during the last week on fears that further moisture could impede harvest.

Sugar  Though Florida is our second largest producer of sugar cane (next to Hawaii), that crop tends to be relatively tough and can withstand even hurricane force winds without large declines in yield.

Lumber  Though not produced in the Southeast, the destruction of housing will surely increase the consumption of commodities used in construction of housing and commercial building damaged by the storms. Lumber prices were sharply higher.

Oil, gasoline, natural gas  Since much of our energy is either produced near the Gulf of Mexico or shipped through the region, prices can explode or crash depending on the perceived threat to rig production or refinery operations. Typically, gasoline prices go up on fears that refineries will be shut down, but crude oil may decline as crude is backed up and cannot be used.

Wildfires out West

Ironically, just as nature deluges the Eastern U.S. with too much rain, massive wildfires are burning across the Western U.S. where an exceptional drought has forced evacuations of thousands of people and cattle as firefighters struggle with high winds and flammable conditions.

Ranchers in Western states are facing the loss of hay, feed, grass and fencing as wildfires ravage 1.5 million acres of land.
Nibiru, based in China is a global leader in VR technology and as a key partner, Imagination Technologies was invited to attend the second N+ VR/AR/MR Technology International Summit, held in Nanjing, China, on 6 September 2017.

The summit, organised by Nanjing Municipal Government, saw the exhibition of next generation prototypes and brought together all types of technologies, content, channels, platforms and other components of the VR eco-system. The purpose of the event was to encourage wider collaboration within the industry, in order to drive developments.

Click here to read more ...




Indian regulator TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has criticised Apples failure to grant approval for an anti-spam app to be sold via the App Store.

The app, which is called Do Not Disturb, enables users who are receiving spam messages or calls to trace the spammers details and report them to their operator, who can then block the nuisance numbers. However, Apple has claimed that the app contravenes the App Stores privacy policy, and has refused to give it the green light.

TRAI chairman Ram Sewak Sharma has slammed Apples decision, saying nobodys asking Apple to violate its privacy policyIt is a ridiculous situation, no company can be allowed to be the guardian of a users data. The problem of who controls user data is getting acute and we have to plug the loose ends. This is not the regulator versus Apple, but Apple versus its own users.

Sharma was also the architect of Indias ban on Facebooks Free Basics initiative, which offers zero-rated access to certain websites. He noted that despite holding at least six meetings with Apple, the regulator had not reached a solution as the firm will not share app data with anyone apart from its own affiliates and strategic partners.

TRAI has invited public and stakeholder feedback as part of a consultation on network data, with particular regard to the level of control that users have over their personal information. Once the consultation is completed in September, its findings could be used to create new rules governing user data and privacy.

These rules could in turn be incorporated into telecom licensing in India, which could have a major impact on companies that trade on handling their customers personal data  such as Apple, Facebook and Google. With India becoming a more important market for Apple, the firm will be looking to forge a constructive relationship with the countrys government, so its reluctance to approve Do Not Disturb could have a negative impact on its Indian ambitions.

India is a highly desirable market for Apple, particularly as the US-based firm has struggled in China, registering a consecutive six quarters of double-digit sales declines in the market. This has left Apple with a substantial gap in its revenues.

In addition, India is the first market outside of China in which Apple has begun manufacturing devices, having set up a firm in Bengaluru (Bangalore) which began making iPhone SE devices in May. India is the worlds second largest smartphone market after China, and is also a swiftly growing market.

Before it began manufacturing devices in India, Apple had demanded tax breaks from the government, then requested that these be extended to its suppliers. While the government has rejected both requests on the grounds that it will not deliver tax breaks to an individual company, it is drafting a new policy that could extend the exemptions to all device manufacturers.
Specialised pharmaceutical group Allergy Therapeutics announced it had finalised the appointment of two new senior staff as it looks to step up its research and development in line with the firms UK growth plans.

Allergy Therapeutics announced it had appointed Pieter-Jan de Kam, formerly of HAL Allergy in the Netherlands, to the vacant clinical director's position, citing his recent success on the study of pollen and house dust mites, two key areas of product development for the firm.

In addition to the appointment of Pieter-Jan, Allergy Therapeutics also recruited Simon Piggott as head of clinical science.

Piggott previously held the role of global scientific director at GSK where he gained "significant experience" on respiratory development programs through phase one to four clinical trials.

Murray Skinner, chief scientific officer, said "We are delighted to welcome Pieter-Jan and Simon to the Allergy Therapeutics team. Their vast experience and expert knowledge is ideally focussed to promote continued innovation and help us bring new and convenient products for patients into the allergy immunotherapy market."

As of 0915 BST, shares were up 1.67% to 30.50p.
Intelligence, security and cyber defence specialist Falanx Group announced the acquisition of AuditSec Services on Monday, which it described as a cybersecurity company founded by Richard Morrell, one of the UK's foremost cybersecurity entrepreneurs.

The AIM-traded firm said AuditSec provided consultancy services and thought leadership to brands across Europe, aligned with and contracting to the Cloud Security Alliance.

It said the company had provided security guidance to some of the world's largest petrochemical, pharmaceutical and industrial companies.

As part of the transaction, Morrell would join Falanx Group from Gartner, the global information technology research and advisory firm, where he served as their chief technology officer and technical director for the security and risk practice to world leading brands.

Morrell would act as group chief technology officer (CTO) and managing director of Falanx Cyber Technologies, teaming up with Jay Abbott, executive director of cyber defence, to drive further innovation and market penetration of MidGARD, the Falanx board explained.

AuditSec made a profit of 8,641.68 in the seven month period between 23 January and 29 August, and it was forecast to generate 0.25m of revenue over the full reporting year.

Reported net assets stood at 8,431.33 as at 29 August.

The acquisition would be financed by the issue of 750,000 Falanx shares, the board confirmed.

We are delighted to welcome Richard Morrell and AuditSec to Falanx Group, said group CEO Stuart Bladen.

Richard is a very highly regarded specialist in the Cyber Security industry, so will prove a highly complementary individual to our team in his role of Chief Technology Officer.

The acquisition of AuditSec is a very good strategic fit for our company, especially due to the nature of its business, leading on cyber strategy projects with some of the world's largest companies.

Jay Abbott, executive director of Falanx Cyber Defence, said he had known Richard for some time and was very aware of his outstanding capabilities.

He brings a hugely beneficial knowledge of the sector, network and skill set to Falanx and will help the business to continue to grow rapidly.

Moreover, the addition of AuditSec will help bring a new range of customers to the Group which will provide further opportunities.
China has announced it is mulling over a ban on the production and sale of petrol and diesel based cars and vans from 2040 in an effort to boost the production of electric vehicles.

The ban would see China, the world's biggest vehicle market, follow in the footsteps of Britain and France, both of which had previously stated their intention to ban the manufacture of fossil-fuelled cars as they sought to reduce harmful emissions.

China's vice-minister of industry and information technology, Xin Guobin said in Tianjin on Saturday that the ministry had begun "relevant research" and was working on a concrete timetable for the policy's implementation "in the near future."

"The measures promote profound changes in the environment and give momentum to China's auto industry development," he told state broadcaster, China Central Television.

"Enterprises should strive to improve the level of energy saving for traditional cars, and vigorously develop new energy vehicles according to assessment requirements," remarked Guobin.

In 2016, China produced and sold in excess of 500,000 new energy vehicles, 50% more than it had done so a year earlier, and in June, the Chinese government drafted a regulation that would force vehicle manufacturers to produce more electrically powered cars by 2020 through an intricate quota system that would require all carmakers to produce a specific amount of NEVs or purchase carbon credits.

Volvo had already announced its plans to launch its first fully electric vehicle in China by 2019, and Ford, which was preparing its first hybrid car for the first half of 2018, said all of its new vehicles in the country would come with electric options by 2025.
In a government auction that handed out power-purchase contracts worth 176m a year, every bid aimed at the construction of offshore wind farms and other renewable technologies came in below the 92.50 per megawatt-hour price tag attached to the oft maligned Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor.

Danish utility group Dong Energy came in with an offer of 57.50 per megawatt-hour at its Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm, with EDP Renovaveis and Engie set to receive the same amount for their Moray Firth East project.

The cost of generating electricity from offshore wind farms had dropped 50% in the UK over the past decade, demonstrating how clean-energy technologies were rapidly becoming rivals to traditional forms of power generation.

"This is a breakthrough moment for offshore wind," said Dong's Matthew Wright. "It will also deliver high-quality jobs."

The agreements were said to be over a fixed period of 15 years, with a contract for difference mechanism, meaning that if the wholesale rate were lower than the set price, the government would have to pay the developer the difference. However, if it was higher, the company would be required to reimburse the government.

"We've placed clean growth at the heart of the industrial strategy to unlock opportunities across the country while cutting carbon emissions," said minister for energy and industry, Richard Harrington. "The offshore wind sector alone will invest 17.5 billion pounds in the U.K. up to 2021 and thousands of new jobs in British businesses will be created by the projects announced today."

In total, the 11 projects selected by the government would generate 3 gigawatts of capacity at a price lower than that of Hinkley Point. The most expensive being 19% cheaper than the nuclear power plant, with the cheapest coming in at over a third less.
Stocks are near their best levels of the day as traders pare back the 'risk-off' trades put on ahead of weekend and amid better than expected readings on industrial sector activity in Italy and Japan.

As of 1214 BST, the benchmark Stoxx 600 was ahead by 0.94% or 3.52 points at 379.03, alongside a gain of 1.07% or 131.48 points to 12,435.19 for Germany's Dax and a 1.07% or 232.01 point advance in Italy's FTSE Mibtel to 22,008.49.

Insurers were one of the best performing areas of the market after Hurricane Irma failed to meet the most dire predictions, potentially saving firms in the sector billions of pounds in the process, sending the Stoxx 600's gauge for that sector up by 2.10% to 276.79.

On the geopolitical front, instead of another test missile launch, on 9 September, to mark the country's 'Foundation Day', on Sunday the Hermit Kingdom held a celebration to honour the nuclear scientists and technicians involved in North Korea's sixth and largest nuclear test, a week before.

That saw the US dollar recover a tad, although traders were wary of a negative reaction from Pyongyang should the UN Security Council approve new sanctions against North Korea on Monday evening.

Against that backdrop, Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda, commented: "The traditional safe havens are coming under some pressure this morning, a partial unwinding of the sizeable flows seen in recent weeks. Gold has come off its highest levels in more than a year this morning, gapping lower on the open in a sign of relief for traders, but still remains a very elevated levels which is representative of the risk environment we still find ourselves in."

What economic data was to be had on Monday came in comfortably ahead of forecasts.

Thus, Italian industrial production edged higher by 0.1% month-on-month in July (consensus: -0.5%), buoyed by a 1.6% jump in orders for capital goods.

That prompted Fabio Fois at Barclays Research to tell clients he now saw upside risks of 0.25 percentage points to his call for Italian GDP to grow by 0.2% quarter-on-quarter over the three months to September.

Adding to the favourable sentiment, Chinese factory price data for August and Japanese core machinery orders for July, both of which were released overnight, printed ahead of forecasts.

Shares of insurers such as Munich Re and Hannover Re were trading higher in the early going as some observers hold out the possibility that damages from Irma may be less worse than initially feared.

Italy's Fiat may spin-off its Magneti Marelli unit if it is unable to find a buyer for the component manufacturer before the close of 2018, Corriere della Sera reported.

Parmalat may pursue a bid for Australia's Murray Goulburn Co-operative, according to Il Sole 24 Ore.
FILER  Hot, smoky days are pushing southern Idahos corn crop to maturity faster than some growers had expected.

Smoke holds the heat in, depriving the plant of a chance to rest, Dave Heimkes explained to growers during a field day held at Filer. Hot weather is synonymous with corn growth but corn plants dont grow well once temperatures exceed 86 degrees. Heimkes is an agronomist with Dekalb.

The real question growers should ask is not how high the daytime temperatures are but how many hours temperatures fall below 86 degrees overnight. Smoky conditions tend to keep daytime temperatures slightly lower but nighttime temperatures higher.

Several growers at the field day had planned to start cutting silage in mid-September but were pushing harvest forward several days as the lower leaves are rapidly drying out. Others had already starting cutting.

Green is weight, Heimkes reminded them.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, 3 percent of Idahos corn silage crop was harvested by Sept. 5, behind last years pace of 8 percent and the five-year average of 13 percent. Eighty-three percent of the crop was rated good-to-excellent.

Casey Mikus, district sales representative for Dekalb, was glad to hear growers were scouting fields. If kernels are fully dented, its time to start cutting, she said.

Growers visited stations at the Filer research farm to learn about new hybrids, planting depth, plant populations and weed control.

You dont want to make mistakes on your farm, Heimkes said. Let us make the mistakes here.

Some of those mistakes are decisions to intentionally push plant populations beyond what a grower would do to see when a hybrid will fail. Other mistakes were unintentional but provided learning opportunities such as the two rows that got skipped when the rest of the field was sprayed.

Heimkes is a strong proponent of early weed control. He wants to see clean fields before V4 (the fourth leaf stage). By not treating those two rows until V8 and not hoeing the weeds out, growers were able to see a clear yield difference compared to the early weed control.

Most of the mistakes Heimkes sees in grower fields begin with planting depth or planting speed. He recommends not planting corn any less than 1.5 inches deep and adds that 2 inches provides a nice even emergence.

The second most common error involves irrigation timing. By the eighth leaf stage, the plant is beginning to determine how many rows around the cob there will be and how long the cob will be. Making sure the plants are well-watered at this growth stage is critical.

Starting two weeks before tasseling and lasting until two weeks after, the corn crop is using 0.4 inches of water each day. Growers have to plan ahead to ensure the soil profile is filled before that high water usage period begins.

There are no irrigation systems that can put on that much water and there are no roots that can take it up, he said. If a grower gets behind, there is no way to catch up.

Make sure you get the basics right, Heimkes said.

Some growers are turning to technology to help them get those basics right. Jeff Hamlin, director of learning and development with Climate Corp, was at the field day to talk about a new service that collects and coordinates data from monitors on planters, sprayers and combines.

Using a universal translator that can be easily moved from one machine to another, data is collected and then put into a form growers can use to make decisions. Many growers get data from yield monitors on their combines but dont have a useful way of coordinating that data with what they get from their planters or sprayers.

This is about making data work for you instead of sitting on your desk in a cup, Hamlin said. He was referring to thumb drives of data that are often sitting in those cups or tractor cabs. You plant and spray and harvest like always and at the end of the year well give you numerical data from your farm that you can use to make decisions.

While many growers on the tour were interested in the technology, cost and adaptability were issues. The device can be used on several brands of equipment, but primarily on equipment newer than 2009. Cost of the service was around $1,000 for the 2017 crop year but will increase by $250 for 2018.

You dont want to make mistakes on your farm. Let us make the mistakes here. Dave Heimkes, Dekalb agronomist
Stocks are higher as traders unwind some of the 'risk-off' trades put on ahead of the weekend, amid gains for insurers after Hurricane Irma failed to meet the most dire predictions, potentially saving firms in the sector billions of pounds in the process, while a widely-anticipated North Korean missile test failed to materialise.

As of 0818 BST, the benchmark Stoxx 600 was ahead by 0.65% or 2.44 points at 377.93, alongside a gain of 0.75% or 92.89 points to 12,396.87 for Germany's Dax and a 0.78% or 167.27 point advance in Italy's FTSE Mibtel.

Insurers were pacing gains, with the Stoxx 600 sector gauge up by 1.93% to 276.34 as the first reports from the States indicated that the damage from the hurricane had been less worse than feared.

On the geopolitical front, instead of another test missile launch, on 9 September, to mark the country's 'Foundation Day', on Sunday the Hermit Kingdom held a celebration to honour the nuclear scientists and technicians involved in North Korea's sixth and largest nuclear test a week before.

That saw the US dollar recover a tad early on Monday morning, but traders were wary of a negative reaction from Pyongyang should the UN Security Council approve new sanctions against North Korea on Monday evening.

Against that backdrop, Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at Oanda, commented: "The traditional safe havens are coming under some pressure this morning, a partial unwinding of the sizeable flows seen in recent weeks. Gold has come off its highest levels in more than a year this morning, gapping lower on the open in a sign of relief for traders, but still remains a very elevated levels which is representative of the risk environment we still find ourselves in."

The economic calendar for Monday was sparse, with only Italian industrial production for July set for release, at 0900 BST.

Shares of insurers such as Munich Re and Hannover Re were trading higher in the early going as some observers hold out the possibility that damages from Irma may be less worse than initially feared.

Italy's Fiat may spin-off its Magneti Marelli unit if it is unable to find a buyer for the component manufacturer before the close of 2018, Corriere della Sera reported.

Parmalat may pursue a bid for Australia's Murray Goulburn Co-operative, according to Il Sole 24 Ore.
London stocks rose in early trade on Monday as worries about North Korea receded, with a strong showing in the insurance sector lending a hand.

At 0830 BST, the FTSE 100 was up 0.5% to 7,413.97, as investors set aside their worries about North Korea - at least for now - breathing a sigh of relief that the country chose not to launch more missiles to celebrate its 69th anniversary over the weekend.

Insurers Prudential, Admiral, RSA, Direct Line, Beazley, Lancashire and Hiscox all made healthy gains, with traders pointing to the fact that Hurricane Irma's strength was downgraded as it hit Florida. The likes of Admiral and Direct Line were also likely to still be benefiting from last week's news about changes to the Ogden discount rate.

Elsewhere, AstraZeneca rallied as it said it had seen positive results from two trials for lung cancer treatments, while Derwent London racked up healthy gains after saying it has pre-let most of the remaining office space at 80 Charlotte Street in London to The Boston Consulting Group.

Vodafone edged higher after announcing that its Germany division is to invest around 2bn of incremental capital expenditure by the end of the 2021 calendar year in gigabit ultrafast fibre broadband services.

Kaz Minerals advanced after appointing John Hadfield as its new chief financial officer with effect from January 2018, while John Laing gained ground as it posted an 11.5% jump in its net asset value for the first half.

British Land was boosted by an upgrade to 'buy' at Deutsche Bank, while SIG was lifted by an upgrade to 'buy' at Canaccord.

On the downside, Associated British Foods was in the red despite saying group operating profits will be "well ahead" of last year after its Primark clothing arm was able to reduce levels of price promotion, with the sugar business also adding a hefty spoonful to the bottom line.

Outsourcer Carillion slumped as it announced that its finance director has left the company with immediate effect with three other directors departing at the end of the month.

Shares in Petra Diamonds tanked after the company confirmed that a parcel of diamonds from its Williamson mine in Tanzania has been blocked from export to its marketing office in Antwerp and some of its key personnel from Williamson are being questioned by the authorities.

The statement was made in response to earlier press reports about the findings of an investigation into the diamond sector by a parliamentary committee in Tanzania. Petra said "the grounds upon which these actions have been taken have not been formally made know to the company" yet, but according to reports, the government has accused Petra of declaring a lower value when trying to export the gems.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,413.97 0.49%

FTSE 250 (MCX) 19,679.33 0.35%

techMARK (TASX) 3,469.14 0.30%

FTSE 100 - Risers

AstraZeneca (AZN) 4,897.00p 2.52%

Provident Financial (PFG) 805.00p 2.45%

British Land Company (BLND) 611.00p 1.84%

Carnival (CCL) 5,110.00p 1.49%

Prudential (PRU) 1,783.50p 1.36%

Persimmon (PSN) 2,561.00p 1.18%

Admiral Group (ADM) 1,860.00p 1.15%

ITV (ITV) 162.20p 1.12%

RSA Insurance Group (RSA) 642.00p 1.02%

Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 386.80p 1.02%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Micro Focus International (MCRO) 2,373.00p -1.86%

Fresnillo (FRES) 1,587.00p -1.73%

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 8,005.00p -1.54%

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 894.50p -0.62%

Associated British Foods (ABF) 3,247.00p -0.55%

Antofagasta (ANTO) 1,003.00p -0.30%

Next (NXT) 4,349.00p -0.14%

Unilever (ULVR) 4,509.00p -0.03%

Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI) (CCH) 2,661.00p 0.00%

Sage Group (SGE) 697.50p 0.00%

FTSE 250 - Risers

Beazley (BEZ) 474.80p 5.17%

Lancashire Holdings Limited (LRE) 641.00p 4.91%

Hiscox Limited (DI) (HSX) 1,261.00p 3.43%

Sophos Group (SOPH) 548.50p 2.79%

SIG (SHI) 174.80p 2.51%

Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 1,137.00p 2.43%

ZPG Plc (ZPG) 372.10p 2.41%

Nostrum Oil & Gas (NOG) 390.60p 2.39%

PayPoint (PAY) 940.00p 2.12%

esure Group (ESUR) 263.30p 1.93%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Carillion (CLLN) 41.61p -5.15%

Fidessa Group (FDSA) 2,020.00p -2.46%

Morgan Advanced Materials (MGAM) 286.40p -2.42%

Marshalls (MSLH) 425.80p -2.32%

Sirius Minerals (SXX) 26.99p -2.22%

Sanne Group (SNN) 792.50p -1.98%

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels (MLC) 457.00p -1.93%

Centamin (DI) (CEY) 153.50p -1.79%

Stobart Group Ltd. (STOB) 297.80p -1.78%

Acacia Mining (ACA) 189.00p -1.56%
BP has hired a trio of investment banks to float its Houston-headquartered pipelines business on the New York Stock Exchange before the end of the year.

An initial public offer (IPO) of BP Midstream Partners, which was set up as a vehicle to own, operate, develop and acquire pipelines and other midstream assets, will see the UK oil giant own the general partner of BP Midstream Partners, all of its incentive distribution rights and a majority of its limited partner interests.

BP Midstream will be built around three onshore pipeline systems connected to BPs Whiting Refinery in Whiting, Indiana and four offshore crude oil pipeline and one offshore natural gas pipeline that connect the Gulf Coast to BP's its offshore production areas in the Gulf of Mexico.

After parent BP set out plans for a potential IPO as a means of improving shareholder value and supporting further midstream growth, on Monday a registration statement was filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).



The midstream business, which will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol 'BPMP', will be headquartered in Houston, Texas, with offices in Chicago, Illinois.



Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are chief book-runners, with the former a 'structuring agent' for the offering and producing a prospectus soon.
AstraZeneca reported recent trial findings for two of its lung cancer drug candidates on Monday, claiming both Imfinzi and Tagrisso had shown positive effects in the PACIFIC and FLAURA trials.

The FTSE 100 drugmaker and its global biologics research and development arm MedImmune presented the full progression-free survival data from a planned interim analysis of the Phase III PACIFIC trial, investigating Imfinzi (durvalumab).

It said the results showed that Imfinzi demonstrated a statistically-significant and clinically-meaningful improvement in progression-free survival compared to the current standard of care, with active surveillance in patients with locally-advanced stage III, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had not progressed following standard platinum-based chemotherapy concurrent with radiation therapy/

Results of the Phase III PACIFIC trial, included at the Presidential Symposium I of the European Society of Medical Oncology 2017 Congress in Madrid, Spain, showed an improvement in progression-free survival of more than 11 months in patients treated with Imfinzi, compared to placebo.

AstraZeneca said the progression-free survival improvement with Imfinzi was observed across all prespecified subgroups, including PD-L1 expression status.

Patients receiving Imfinzi also had a lower incidence of metastases than those receiving placebo.

The PACIFIC trial continued to evaluate overall survival, the other primary endpoint, AstraZeneca explained.

The Phase III PACIFIC results are incredibly encouraging for a patient population that until now has been without treatment options, said AstraZenecas executive vice president for global medicines development Sean Bohen.

As the first immuno-oncology medicine to achieve improvement in progression-free survival in this setting, Imfinzi is showing clear potential to become a new standard of care for patients with locally-advanced, unresectable NSCLC who have not progressed following chemoradiation.

Dr Luis Paz-Ares, principal investigator of the PACIFIC trial from the Hospital Universitario Doce de Octubre in Madrid, said that for patients with locally-advanced unresectable NSCLC who have completed chemoradiation therapy, Imfinzi represented a potential new treatment option in the context of clear unmet clinical need.

Durvalumab overtly prolongs the period in which the disease is controlled with reasonable side effects.

In addition, it offers hope to increase the cure rate in this setting, but more mature follow-up is needed to assess its impact on survival.

In its second announcement, AstraZeneca presented the full results of the Phase III FLAURA trial, which it said supported the potential of Tagrisso (osimertinib) as a new standard of care in the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally-advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The company said the results of the Phase III FLAURA trial, also included at the Presidential Symposium I in Madrid, and demonstrated a superior, clinically-meaningful progression-free survival advantage with Tagrisso compared with the current treatments, erlotinib or gefitinib.

The FLAURA data are truly exciting, said Sean Bohen.

Until now, even with the therapeutic advances offered by the first- and second-generation EGFR inhibitors, less than 20% of EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC patients survive for five years.

The FLAURA data suggest early and sustained benefit with Tagrisso that has the potential to significantly impact long-term patient outcomes and help address the considerable unmet need that remains.

Dr Suresh S Ramalingam, principal investigator of the FLAURA trial from the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in Atlanta, said the FLAURA data for osimertinib were likely to result in a major paradigm shift in the treatment of patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced lung cancer.

Not only did the trial demonstrate a robust improvement in efficacy with osimertinib when compared to other commonly-used EGFR inhibitors, the side effects profile was also more favourable with osimertinib.
Kaz Minerals has appointed John Hadfield as its new chief financial officer with effect from 1 January 2018.

Hadfield is currently finance director of the UK business of Intertek. Prior to this, he spent more than 14 years at BG Group and Royal Dutch Shell in a number of UK and international finance roles including financial controller of BG's $20bn QGC liquefied natural gas project in Queensland, Australia and vice president of finance for BG's Exploration and Production assets in the UK and Norway.

Following Shell's acquisition of BG, he was responsible for restructuring the combined E&P finance teams in Shell UK and Ireland.

The company also announced that Alison Baker will be appointed as an independent non-executive director with effect from 9 October and will be a member of the Audit Committee. She has nearly 25 years' experience in the provision of audit, capital markets and advisory services, having led the UK and EMEA Oil & Gas practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers and prior to that the Energy, Utilities and Mining Assurance practice at Ernst & Young.

Chief executive Oleg Novachuk said: "I look forward to welcoming John Hadfield and Alison Baker to their new roles at KAZ Minerals as chief financial officer and independent non-executive director. Both John and Alison bring extensive experience to the group and will make an important contribution as we enter the next stage of our development."

At 0805 BST, the shares were up 1.6% to 800.31p.
Shares in Petra Diamonds tanked on Monday as it confirmed that a parcel of diamonds from its Williamson mine in Tanzania has been blocked from export to its marketing office in Antwerp and some of its key personnel from Williamson are currently being questioned by the authorities.

The statement was made in response to reports last week about the findings of an investigation into the diamond sector by a parliamentary committee in Tanzania. Petra said "the grounds upon which these actions have been taken have not been formally made know to the company" yet, although it was reported that the government has accused Petra of declaring a lower value when trying to export the gems.

The parcel was said to actually contain nearly 30kg worth 65 billion shillings, but was registered as containing 14kg worth 33 billion shillings.

Speaking on government television channel TBC 1, finance minister Philip Mpango said the diamonds extracted from the Williamson Diamonds mine had been nationalised.

Petra confirmed that all operations related to the mine - which is held 75% by Petra and 25% by the government - are conducted "in a transparent manner and in full compliance with legislation in Tanzania and the Kimberley Process".

It said operations at the Williamson mine have now been suspended for "health and safety and security reasons".

Petra insisted that the government has complete oversight of the diamonds produced at the mine, which are physically controlled by a number of different government representatives in conjunction with Petra from the point of recovery until the point of sale.

"Petra is not responsible for the provisional valuation of diamond parcels from Williamson before they are exported to Antwerp; this is carried out by the government's Diamonds and Gemstones valuation agency. This provisional valuation is used to calculate the company's provisional royalty payments to the government, however adjustments to final royalty payments based on the actual sales proceeds for the diamonds, once sold in Antwerp, are then made at the end of the tender process.

"The competitive open tender process utilised by Petra is also used by several other diamond mining companies and has a proven track record of transparent price discovery."

RBC Capital Markets said: "In any scenario where the diamonds are nationalised or operations are suspended for an extended period of time, we believe that it is possible that force majeure could be declared by the company to its lender group.

"On our current assumptions, if we assume that Williamson exports are stopped for the remainder of H1/FY18E (but the mine operates), we still believe that the company can meet its relaxed net debt to EBITDA covenant of 4x for December 2017. However, given the developments that have taken place with Acacia over the course of this year, we view the announcement as negative for sentiment, and expect a negative reaction from the shares."

Meanwhile, Investec said: "Given Tanzanias history of improbable accusations against Acacia, wed be backing Petras side of the story, not that it will help them. Our analysts values Williamson at $28m, or about 3% of the total asset value of the company, pre debt, with the assets contribution to EBITDA also around 3%."

At 0945 BST, the shares were down 7.8% to 82.92p.
Apple Inc. is expected to launched the much anticipated iPhone 8 Tuesday, and hopes that the numbers auspicious connotations across China help to turn its fortunes around in the largest smartphone market in the world, following six straight quarters of dropping sales.

However, shoppers in China are counting the phones cost already, with the most recent model expected to have a price tag near or above the $1,000 mark, close to double the average salary per month in China.

Get alerts:

The success in China of the next iPhone is crucial for Apple, which has watched its once highly sought after handset drop to fifth in the country behind phones from local makers Huawei Technologies, Oppo, Xiaomi and Vivo.

For Apple, Greater China including the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan represented 18% of the sales of iPhones during its quarter that ended in July. That makes it the top market for the company after the U.S. and Europe.

However, those sales have declined steadily and from one year ago are down by 10%, in contrast to growth in every other region.

In addition, the share of iPhone in the smartphone shipments for China was down to 9% during the first six months of 2017, down from its 2015 figure of 14%.

While Apples iPhone 6 in 2014 was able to take China by storm, models since then have been received with a far more muted response by consumers.

One iPhone owner said she would wait until the price dropped as it was just too expensive for her. She added that she might wait for the successor of the new phone, when prices drop, even though the number 8 was a good number

Eight in China is the luckiest number since it has a similar sound to the Chinese phrase that means to get rich.

One industry analyst in Shanghai said Apple needed to launch a new handset that was highly innovative this week. However, he added, the increasing clout held by local rivals to Apple will make it difficult for the company and it will have a hard time maintaining pace.

Apples iPhone 7 was hit with the perception it was too similar to previous models. For the latest model, despite rumors of wireless charging, facial recognition and an advanced touchscreen, netizens in China have not yet replicated the mania that took place online around prior launches of iPhones.
The sheer strength of Hurricane Irma temporarily left shorelines in Florida and the Bahamas looking more like barren deserts.

The natural phenomenon, known as a negative surge, caused many eyewitnesses to balk.

Twitter user Piznack wrote: Yall my family in the Bahamas said Irma sucked up all the water. Theres literally no water. The beach and ocean are gone.

https://twitter.com/Piznack/statuses/906550665723486209

Why is this happening? Angela Fritz, deputy weather editor at the Washington Post, explained that Hurricane Irma is so strong and its pressure is so low, its sucking water from its surroundings into the core of the storm.

In the center of the storm, where there is extreme low pressure, water is drawn upward. Low pressure is basically a sucking mechanismit sucks the air into it, and when its really low, it can change the shape of the surface of the ocean. As the storm draws water toward the center, it gets pulled away from the surroundings, Fritz wrote.

#Tampa bay now an effective dog park as we wait for #irma. With @CityofTampa parks closed ahead of storm, this is the best we've got. pic.twitter.com/Op3FADmL3V  Tim Scheu (@scheuster) September 10, 2017

Receding waters even left a pair of manatees stranded in the mud near a bay in Manatee County.

Michael Sechler of Sarasota posted striking images of the gentle creatures on Facebook and wrote, One wasnt moving, the other was breathing and had water in its eyes.

Luckily, law enforcement officials and a group of citizens showed up on the scene and rescued the manatees, Fox 13 reported.

12:00 PM: Negative surge ~3.5 FT at #Naples to become 10-15 FT above ground as #Irma moves in. Life-threatening rapid water rise imminent! pic.twitter.com/pbh76VXlqn  NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) September 10, 2017

Alabama meteorologist James Spann warned that the negative surge will not last and people should stay away from the shorelines before the water comes back.

The water will come rushing back with a vengeance, Spann tweeted.

Gov. Rick Scott also tweeted: DO NOT GO IN. The water will surge back & could overtake you.

Indeed, the waters that receded in the Bahamas on Friday returned the following day.
Investors and executives in the agricultural industry are getting a first look at TerraSentia, a new-to-the-market agricultural robot that autonomously measures crop traits, developed at the University of Illinois. TerraSentia is being unveiled on Sept. 11 to 13 at the Ag Innovation Showcase in St. Louis that brings together agricultural innovators with investors to help realize the future of the industry.

The start-up company EarthSense, Inc. announced it has filed a provisional patent and is now taking pre-orders for the agricultural robot TerraSentia, which will be ready for the 2018 growing season. Developed through the TERRA-MEPP project at the University of Illinois, with support from the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E), the robot will cost early adopters $4,999 - a fraction of the cost of hiring laborers to measure germination, conduct stand counts, and other monotonous jobs.

The robot's developer, Girish Chowdhary, a professor of agricultural and biological engineering, envisions a fleet of these ultra-compact robots roving fields doing simple tasks that will free up precious human capital to work on the big picture.

"Our robot will do the exhausting, time consuming, error-prone part - collecting field data - giving plant breeders and scientists more time to analyze it and make key decisions," said Chowdhary. "What would take a team of researchers tromping through fields with tape measures and other tools to do in several days, our robot can do in several hours."

Currently, the robot can autonomously count plants and measure stem width to help estimate biomass for corn, sorghum, and soybeans. Work is underway to teach it to measure stem, angle plant height, corn ear height, leaf area index, early vigor, biomass, and to identify diseases.

Early adopters who order by Nov. 31, 2017, will get 100 hours of one-on-one consulting to teach their robot to detect and quantify other traits that drive their business or research. They will also benefit from an exclusive buy back program and one-year, all-inclusive warranty.

TerraSentia comes with the robot equipped with two visual cameras, a tablet app featuring first-person view, and secure cloud software used to store data and teach the robot. The ultra compact robot weighs less than 15 pounds and is just 11 inches wide to fit in most crop rows. At 8.5 hours per charge, the robot's battery lasts a full workday.

The robot can be further customized with GPS to enable autonomous navigation and custom mounts for additional sensors including multi-spectral cameras, hyperspectral cameras, stereoscopic and structured light cameras, and LIDAR.

###

For more information or to order TerraSentia, contact EarthSense, Inc. CEO Chinmay Soman via email at hello@earthsense.co or visit earthsense.co.

TERRA-MEPP (Mobile Energy-Crop Phenotyping Platform) is a low-cost phenotyping robot developed by the University of Illinois, Cornell University and Signetron, Inc. to help identify top-performing crops. The project is supported by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), which funds initial research for high-impact energy technologies to show proof of concept before private-sector investment.
The 2010 Massachusetts law restricting the use of off-road vehicles (ORVs) to those age 14 and older led to significant reductions in both emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions resulting from ORV injuries in the following three years. A study by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), comparing injury rates before and after the law's enactment, has been released online prior to publication in the October issue of Pediatrics.

"No other legislation to date has restrictions as tight as those in Massachusetts," says lead and corresponding author Michael Flaherty, DO, of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC). "Most other laws have focused on education, training, helmet requirements and prohibiting ORV riding on public lands. This is the first law of its kind, which makes our results particularly important for the design of future legislation."

The investigators note that, over the past three decades, there have been more than 3,000 ORV-related pediatric fatalities in the U.S. -- half in 12- to 15-year olds. Between 2001 and 2010, there were more than 350,000 emergency department visits for those under 15.

Enacted in 2010,"Sean's Law" -- named for Sean Kearney, an 8-year-old who died after an ORV he was riding overturned on him -- banned ORV operation by anyone under the age of 14 on public or private land. Previously children as young as 10 could operate an ORV under certain circumstances. Under the new law, the only exception to the 14-and-older rule was under the direct supervision of an adult on a parent's land in preparation for or while participating in an approved event.

In addition to requiring education and training classes, along with adult supervision, for those 14 to 17, the law also limited the ORVs they could operate to those with engines of 90 cc or smaller. Existing regulations requiring helmet use and outlawing operating under the influence were maintained, and penalties for parents allowing underage children to operate ORVs were increased.

For their comparison of ORV-related pediatric ED visits and hospital admissions for the nine years before and three years after enactment of Sean's law, the investigators analyzed data covering four age categories -- ages 9 and under, 10 to 13, 14 to 17, and for purposes of comparison, adults ages 25 to 34. Data reflecting rates of ORV-related ED visits and hospital admissions per total population of each age group were provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Even among those ages 9 and under, who would have been prohibited from operating an ORV before the law's implementation, the rate of ORV-related ED visits dropped by 33 percent after 2010. Among those 10 to 13, ED visits dropped 50 percent, and for those 14 to 17, the decrease was 39 percent. During the same time period there was no significant change in ORV-related ED visits for the comparison group of 25- to 34-year olds. The rate of hospitalizations for all those 17 and under dropped 41 percent after the law's implementation, while the 25-to-34-year comparison group had a drop of 26 percent.

Senior author Peter Masiakos, MS. MD, MGHfC Department of Pediatric Surgery, says, "For over 20 years, medical and surgical organizations -- including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons -- have been calling attention to the grave risks of ATV riding for children and have urged state and federal governments to take more aggressive action to curb the avoidable deaths and injuries associated with ATV crashes. The results of our study indicate that comprehensive laws that include age restrictions can in fact decrease the numbers of pediatric injuries that result from ATV crashes."

Flaherty cautions, "While our results suggest that age restrictions can work, 14- to 17-year-old riders still have the highest age-based rate of ORV injuries in Massachusetts. Professional societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, still recommend restricting ORV use to those 16 and older. We have more room to go in strengthening our state law. Our results suggest the tighter age restrictions may be even more beneficial."

###

Flaherty is an an instructor in Pediatrics, and Masiakos is an associate professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. Additional co-authors of the Pediatrics paper are Toby Raybound, MA, Jarone Lee, MD, MPH, and Haytham Kaafarani, MD, MPH, MGH Department of Surgery; Cassandra Kelleher, MD, MGHfC Pediatric Surgery; and Raghu Seethala, MD, Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH Research Institute conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the nation, with an annual research budget of more than $850 million and major research centers in HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer, computational and integrative biology, cutaneous biology, genomic medicine, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders, regenerative medicine, reproductive biology, systems biology, photomedicine and transplantation biology. The MGH topped the 2015 Nature Index list of health care organizations publishing in leading scientific journals and earned the prestigious 2015 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service. In August 2017 the MGH was once again named to the Honor Roll in the U.S. News & World Report list of "America's Best Hospitals."
When NASA's Cassini spacecraft plunges into the atmosphere of Saturn on Sept. 15, ending its 20 years of exploration, astronomers will observe the giant planet from Earth, giving context to Cassini's final measurements.

"The whole time Cassini is descending, we'll be on the ground, taking data and learning about conditions on Saturn," said Don Jennings, a senior scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and a co-investigator for a Cassini instrument called the Composite Infrared Spectrometer.

This farewell is fitting for a mission that has been supported by similar observations throughout its lifetime. NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility, or IRTF, and the W. M. Keck Observatory, in which NASA is a partner, have provided crucial contributions from the summit of Maunakea in Hawaii. Other U.S. and international telescopes also have investigated the Saturn system, complementing and enhancing the mission.

"IRTF and other facilities have provided direct support to the Cassini-Huygens mission and made it possible to link that data to decades' worth of earlier and ongoing ground-based studies," said IRTF director John Rayner. "Through its daytime observing capabilities IRTF is able to provide almost year-round monitoring of planets in support of NASA missions."

Ground-based observations of Titan, the giant planet's largest moon, helped with preparations for the Huygens probe mission early in Cassini's exploration of the Saturn system. The probe was released after Cassini entered Saturn orbit and descended through Titan's thick atmosphere to land on the surface.

A coordinated ground campaign was organized to study Titan's atmosphere and surface, to measure the wind speed and direction, to look at atmospheric chemistry and to provide global imaging.

Eight facilities worldwide participated, observing before, during and after the Huygens probe mission, led by the European Space Agency. These included the Keck Observatory, which captured high-resolution images of the atmospheric weather patterns on Titan, and the IRTF, which helped determine the direction of Titan's winds.

"Ground-based observing played a crucial role, because at that time, it was the only way to determine the direction of Titan's winds, which had the potential to affect Huygens' descent to the surface," said Goddard's Theodor (Ted) Kostiuk, who led those observations at the IRTF and is now an emeritus scientist. "The Voyager flyby provided some information about Titan, but wind direction was one thing it could not tell us."

IRTF continues to be used for long-term studies of Saturn and Titan and their atmospheres, and to investigate Saturn's moons, extending and complementing Cassini findings. The facility's recently installed high-resolution infrared instrument, called iSHELL, will be deployed for ongoing studies of the aftermath of a massive storm that broke out in Saturn's northern hemisphere in 2010. With its very high spectral resolution, iSHELL has been optimized for the study of planetary atmospheres.

Cassini also has received plenty of aloha from the Keck Observatory, which has provided many sharp images and spectra of Saturn's most famous feature - its rings. These studies are made possible by the high spatial resolution of Keck's large aperture combined with a state-of-the-art adaptive optics system to correct for distortions caused by Earth's atmosphere.

"It's been exciting to be involved in ground support of the Cassini orbiter over these many years," said Observing Support Manager Randy Campbell of Keck Observatory. "This mission has given us an opportunity to work together toward a better understanding of some of the most beautiful and enigmatic objects in the night sky, Saturn and its moons."

During the summer of 2017, the Cassini team used Keck Observatory to take near-infrared spectroscopic data of the regions near Saturn's equator, just as Cassini was diving between Saturn and its rings during its final orbits. The team also took Keck data of the polar magnetic fields to better understand the planet's auroras, which are similar to Earth's northern and southern lights. The Keck Observatory data will be used to verify Cassini's data to provide a sort of "ground-truth" calibration of some of the on-board instruments of the orbiter.

After Cassini, ground-based studies will continue, building on everything the spacecraft observed, and keeping the discoveries coming.

###

For more information about NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility, visit:

http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/

For more information about the Keck Observatory, visit:

http://www.keckobservatory.org/

By Elizabeth Zubritsky

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Areas in Latin America suitable for growing coffee face predicted declines of 73-88 percent by 2050. However, diversity in bee species may save the day, even if many species in cool highland regions are lost as the climate warms. The research, co-authored by David Roubik, senior scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, will be published in an early online Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences edition between Sept. 11-15.

"For my money, we do a far superior job of predicting the future when we consider both plants and animals (or in this case the bees) and their biology," Roubik said. "Traditional models don't build in the ability of organisms to change. They're based on the world as we know it now, not on the way it could be as people and other organisms adapt."

A research team modeled impacts for Latin America, the largest coffee-growing region under several global-warming scenarios--considering both the plants and the bees. The team consisted of experts from the Smithsonian in Panama; the International Center for Tropical Agriculture in Vietnam; the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center in Costa Rica; Conservation International and the University of Vermont in the U.S.; CIRAD in France; and CIFOR in Peru.

Despite predicted declines in total bee species, in all scenarios at least five bee species were left in future coffee-suitable areas; in about half of the areas, 10 bee species were left.

For land no longer suitable for coffee production, the team recommended management strategies to help farmers switch to other crops or production systems. In areas where bee diversity is expected to decrease, but coffee can still be grown, adaptation strategies may include increasing bee habitat and maintaining native bees. Many coffee types prefer to grow in the shade of tall trees. Choosing tree species that favor bees is a win-win strategy, according to the authors.

Roubik's favorite example of a potentially huge environmental change that did not play out as predicted is the case of Africanized honey bees, which were accidentally released in Brazil in 1957. Roubik's studies in Panama of coffee pollination taking native rainforest bees into consideration began in the 1970s as the aggressive non-native Africanized honey bees swarmed north through Latin America. Doomsayers predicted the worst: that the killer bees would disrupt the delicate balance between tropical forest species and their native pollinators. Roubik discovered the opposite to be true. In lowland tropical forests in Mexico, plants pollinated by very busy Africanized bees ended up producing more flowers, thus making more pollen and nectar available to native bees.

"Africanized honey bees in the Western Hemisphere both regulate their nest temperature and their own body temperature using water," Roubik said. "When the climate is hotter--unless it's too dry--they're better adapted to endure climate change and pollinate coffee--an African plant."

By paying attention to biological processes and managing coffee for maximum pollination depending upon the effects of climate on both the plants and the bees, as well as strategically adjusting shade, rotating crops and conserving natural forests, it may be possible for coffee producers to adapt to climate change.

###

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The Institute furthers the understanding of tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, trains students to conduct research in the tropics and promotes conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Website: http://www.stri.si.edu/. Promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9JDSIwBegk.

Imbach, P., Fung, E., Hannah, L. et al. 2017 Coffee, bees, and climate: Coupling of pollination services and agriculture under climate change. PNAS. http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1617940114
Researchers led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego have determined that major changes in plant behavior have occurred over the past 40 years, using measurements of subtle changes in the carbon dioxide (CO2) currently found in the atmosphere.

The two main isotopes, or atomic forms, of carbon are carbon-12 (12C) and carbon-13 (13C). As CO2 has risen since the late 19th century, the ratio of 13C to 12C in atmospheric CO2 has decreased. That's in part because the CO2 produced by the combustion of fossil fuels has a low 13C/12C ratio. There are other factors in nature as well, however, that have influenced the rate of decrease in the isotopic ratio. The measured rate of decrease in the isotopic ratio turns out to be different than what scientists previously expected.

The Scripps-led team updated the record of CO2 isotopic ratios that has been made at Scripps since 1978 using air samples collected at Hawaii's Mauna Loa and the South Pole. The researchers confirmed that the discrepancy exists and considered several reasons for it. They concluded that no combination of factors could plausibly explain the changes in the CO2 isotopic ratio unless plant behavior was changing in a way that influences how much water plants need for growth.

The work helps to understand the details of how leaves are responding to changes in CO2. Prior to this study, it was already clear that plants behave differently when they are exposed to higher atmospheric CO2 levels because CO2 influences the behavior of stomata, the microscopic holes in leaves that allow a leaf to take up CO2. These holes also allow water to evaporate from the leaf, which must be replenished by water supplied to the roots to avoid drying out. With more CO2 in the atmosphere, a plant can afford to have smaller or fewer stomata, thus allowing more photosynthesis for the same amount of water.

But measuring exactly how much more efficient plants have become at using water has not been easy. This study provides a new method for measuring this effect, because as a leaf becomes more efficient at using water, this also influences how it takes up the different carbon isotopes in CO2. When that factor is included as a variable, the ratio of the two forms of CO2 conforms much more closely to expectations. The National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, NASA, and the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation supported the study, "Atmospheric evidence for a global secular increase in carbon isotopic discrimination of land photosynthesis," which appears in the Sept. 11 edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The research supports a long-standing hypothesis introduced by plant biologists, that posits plants will achieve an optimum response to rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

"This optimal model predicts nearly proportional scaling between water-use efficiency and CO2 itself," said study lead author and Scripps scientist Ralph Keeling, who also maintains the internationally renowned Keeling Curve data set measuring atmospheric CO2 since 1958. "Optimal or near optimal behavior has been found in smaller studies on individual plants, but this paper is the first to show that it may be evident at the scale of the entire planet."

The increase in the efficiency of photosynthesis documented in this study has likely helped plants offset a portion of human-induced climate change by removing more CO2 from the atmosphere than they would have otherwise.

"The full implications are still far from clear, however, and any benefits may be more than offset by other negative changes, such as heat waves and extreme weather, biodiversity loss, sea level rise, and so on," said Keeling.

###

Co-authors of the study include former Scripps student Heather Graven, now of Imperial College London, and former Scripps postdoctoral scholar Lisa Welp of Purdue University. Scripps researchers Laure Resplandy, Jian Bi, Stephen Piper, and Alane Bollenbacher contributed to the paper, as did researchers from Cornell University and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Scripps researchers Laure Resplandy, Jian Bi, Stephen Piper, and Alane Bollenbacher contributed to the paper, as did researchers from Cornell University and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

NSF grant 1304270, Department of Energy grant DE-SC0012167, and NASA grant NNX17AE74G contributed to the funding of the research.
Octopuses are usually solitary creatures, but a new site in the waters off the east coast of Australia is the home of up to 15 gloomy octopuses (Octopus tetricus) that have been been observed communicating -- either directly as in den evictions or indirectly through posturing, chasing or color changes, according to findings reported in the journal Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology.

The new site is the second gloomy octopus settlement found in the area, and the discovery lends credence to the idea that octopuses are not necessarily loners.

Mating is traditionally the only interaction that occurs between males and females, and once it's over, the octopuses go their separate ways. While little is known about the solitary lives of octopuses, a few octopus settlements -- areas where multiple individuals congregate and communicate with one another -- have been found in recent years. The newly-discovered settlement of gloomy octopuses, whose range extends from the waters off Sydney to New Zealand, supports the idea that octopuses can congregate and socialize under the right conditions.

"At both sites there were features that we think may have made the congregation possible -- namely several seafloor rock outcroppings dotting an otherwise flat and featureless area," said Stephanie Chancellor, a Ph.D. student in biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago and an author on the paper. "In addition to the rock outcroppings, octopuses who had been inhabiting the area had built up piles of shells left over from creatures they ate, most notably clams and scallops. These shell piles, or middens, were further sculpted to create dens, making these octopuses true environmental engineers."

The first gloomy octopus site was observed in Jervis Bay off the east coast of Australia and described in 2009 by Matthew Lawrence, an independent scholar and an author on the paper. Named Octopolis, up to 16 animals were observed interacting there. It contained several dens as well as a human-made flat object around 30 centimeters long. It was thought at the time that perhaps these octopuses required an artificial object around which to form their settlement.

The second site is located just a few hundred meters away from the first site, and has been dubbed Octlantis. The site is about 10 to 15 meters under the water's surface and is about 18 meters in length and four meters wide. It is composed of a few patches of exposed rock and beds of discarded shells from prey animals. A total of 13 occupied and 10 unoccupied octopus dens -- holes excavated into sand or shell piles -- were found at the site.

The researchers dove to place four GoPro cameras at the new site to film for a day, recording 10 hours of footage that showed numerous social interactions among the inhabitants. The number of octopuses observed at the site ranged from 10 to a high of 15.

"Animals were often pretty close to each other, often within arm's reach," Chancellor said. Mating, signs of aggression, chasing, and other signaling behaviors were observed. "Some of the octopuses were seen evicting other animals from their dens. There were some apparent threat displays where an animal would stretch itself out lengthwise in an 'upright' posture and its mantle would darken. Often another animal observing this behavior would quickly swim away," she said. This behavior could be territorial, Chancellor explained, "but we still don't really know much about octopus behavior. More research will be needed to determine what these actions might mean."

A great deal of energy is exerted during antagonistic behavior, and it could lead to a potential risk of injury to the octopus, according to Chancellor. "We still don't know what the benefits are of this kind of behavior, which is linked closely to living in densely populated settlements, compared to the life of a solitary octopus."

###

David Scheel, Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage; Martin Hing, University of Wollongong, Australia; Stefan Lindquist, University of Guelph, Canada; and Peter Godfrey-Smith, University of Sydney, are authors on the paper.

This work was supported by the University of Sydney and by Alaska Pacific University from a donation by the Pollock Conservation Consortium.
Baltimore, Md., September 11, 2017 - Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) have found that a new, collaborative treatment model for seriously ill heart patients with breathing difficulties results in better care and lower costs.

The first-ever study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, examined the use of medical specialists in intensive care (known as intensivists) for patients receiving mechanical breathing assistance in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC).

The researchers found that using intensivists to help treat these patients improved their care, decreased the amount of time the patients stayed in the hospital, and lowered costs.

"When we looked at the clinical results of our intervention, we were removing the breathing tube faster, and getting patients out of the Cardiac ICU about two days earlier than previously," says study senior author Michael T. McCurdy, MD, FCCM, FCCP, FAAEM, associate professor of pulmonary & critical care medicine and emergency medicine at UM SOM. "Plus, we saved well over $4 million a year in hospital costs. It was striking."

Intensivists specialize in the care of critically ill or injured patients. At UMMC, the intensivists have additional expertise in pulmonary medicine and the use of mechanical ventilators. Prior to the intensivist consultations, cardiologists were responsible for monitoring and weaning patients from mechanical ventilators in the CICU.

"This is a developing paradigm - critical care medicine-trained physicians working collaboratively with cardiologists in a CICU," says study co-author Gautam V. Ramani, MD, assistant professor of medicine at UM SOM and medical director of clinical advanced heart failure at UMMC. "The take-home message: there is a role for a collaborative model between critical care and cardiac care."

UMMC's adult cardiac ICU has 15 beds serving about 2,000 patients annually, with a variety of cardiac abnormalities and conditions: heart attack, pre- and post-heart transplantation management, drug and mechanical circulatory support and treatment of pulmonary hypertension.

Study Details

The study looked at data from a year before and after the intensivist consultations were started. A total of 363 patients receiving mechanical ventilation in the CICU were included: 162 in the pre-implementation group and 201 in the post-implementation group.

The researchers analyzed how long patients were in the hospital, assessed whether patients met a benchmark of 28 days of unassisted breathing, calculated costs associated with both length of stay and total hospitalization, and recorded in-hospital death rates.

A key finding underscores direct benefits to patients, says Dr. McCurdy, "The number of patients discharged to home from the CICU rose significantly, from 27 percent to 42 percent."

Dr. Ramani says the next stage could be to use physicians trained in both cardiology and critical care medicine: "It's difficult to find these people. It's a new area, a new field. Not many people have dual certification, but there is increasing recognition that this collaborative approach can reduce the length of stay and improve patient outcomes."

"The improvements in patient care alone warrant further study of this collaborative staffing model," says E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, vice president of medical affairs at the University of Maryland and dean of the School of Medicine. "Likewise, at a time when we are all striving for prudent and efficient stewardship of scarce medical care resources, expanded application of this model and a review of efforts to cross-train intensive care physicians are worthwhile pursuits."

Breathing difficulties are a common aspect of certain types of heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, shortness of breath and persistent coughing or wheezing can be a sign of heart failure, in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.

###

Kapoor K, Verceles AC, Netzer G, Chaudhry A, Bolgiano M, Devabhakthuni S, Ludmir J, Pollock JS, Ramani GV, McCurdy MT. "A Collaborative Cardiologist-Intensivist Management Model Improves Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Outcomes." JACC. Vol. 70, No 11, 2017 July 12, 2017:1420-7 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.07.739

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Commemorating its 210th Anniversary, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 43 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished recipient of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically-based care for more than 1.2 million patients each year. The School has over 2,500 students, residents, and fellows, and nearly $450 million in extramural funding, with more than half of its academic departments ranked in the top 20 among all public medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total workforce of nearly 7,000 individuals. The combined School and Medical System ("University of Maryland Medicine") has a total budget of $5 billion and an economic impact of nearly $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine faculty, which ranks as the 8th-highest public medical school in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu/

About the University of Maryland Medical Center

The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) is comprised of two hospitals in Baltimore: an 800-bed teaching hospital - the flagship institution of the 12-hospital University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) - and a 200-bed community teaching hospital, UMMC Midtown Campus. UMMC is a national and regional referral center for trauma, cancer care, neurocare, cardiac care, diabetes and endocrinology, women's and children's health, and has one of the largest solid organ transplant programs in the country. All physicians on staff at the flagship hospital are faculty physicians of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. At UMMC Midtown Campus, faculty physicians work alongside community physicians to provide patients with the highest quality care. UMMC Midtown Campus was founded in 1881 and is located one mile away from the University Campus hospital. For more information, visit http://www.umm.edu.
Two new papers reveal striking racial and ethnic disparities in the incidence and prevalence of lupus, a systemic autoimmune disease that can affect virtually any organ system. The reports, which are published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, provide the latest information from lupus registries in California and New York.

In the reports from the California Lupus Surveillance Project and the Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program, investigators estimated the frequency of lupus in a combined 2.4 million residents living in San Francisco and Manhattan. They found a similar overall age-adjusted annual incidence of lupus of 4.6 per 100,000. The age-adjusted prevalence was slightly greater in California than Manhattan (84.8 versus 62.2 per 100,000).

Women experienced higher rates of lupus than men, and the prevalence of lupus in both Hispanics and Asians was greater than that seen in Whites, but not as frequent as Blacks. The age-standardized prevalences in women per 100,000 for the California and Manhattan registries, respectively, were 458.1 and 210.9 for Black women, 177.9 and 138.3 for Hispanic women, 149.7 and 91.2 for Asian women, and 109.8 and 64.3 for White women.

"There is a paucity of population-based studies of incidence and prevalence of lupus among Asians and Hispanics in the United States," said University of California, San Francisco's Maria Dall'Era, MD, lead author of the California report. "These registries were able to address this deficiency and provide contemporary epidemiological estimates."

The findings indicate that doctors should be vigilant in looking for lupus in not only Black patients, but also in Asians and Hispanics. "Physicians should consider the diagnosis especially when patients come in with symptoms that could be consistent with lupus such as arthritis, rashes, and signs of kidney disease," said NYU School of Medicine's Peter Izmirly, MD, lead author of the Manhattan report. "Hopefully this can lead to earlier diagnosis of the disease and better care."

Additional studies are needed to determine the contributions of genetic and biological factors in addition to social and environmental factors that might play a role in racial and ethnic variation in the risk of lupus. "With this information, we will better understand how to diagnose and treat lupus in affected populations with the ultimate goal of disease prevention," said Dr. Dall'Era.

###

The California Lupus Surveillance Project was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with a cooperative agreement with the California Department of Public Health. The Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program was supported by cooperative agreements between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Additional information

Journalist may sign up for embargoed news or to request a copy of any study please contact:

Dawn Peters (US) +1 781-388-8408 sciencenewsroom@wiley.com

Follow us on Twitter @WileyNews

Full Citations

"The Incidence and Prevalence of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The California Lupus Surveillance Project." Maria Dall'Era, Miriam G. Cisternas, Kurt Snipes, Lisa J. Herrinton, Caroline Gordon, and Charles G. Helmick. Arthritis & Rheumatology; Published Online: September 11, 2017 (DOI: 10.1002/art.40191).

URL Upon Publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/art.40191

"The Incidence and Prevalence of Systemic Lupus Erythematous: The Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program." Peter M. Izmirly, Isabella Wan, Sara Sahl, Jill P. Buyon, H. Michael Belmont, Jane E. Salmon, Anca Askanase, Joan M. Bathon, Laura Geraldino-Pardilla, Yousaf Ali, Ellen M. Ginzler, Chaim Putterman, Caroline Gordon, Charles G. Helmick, and Hilary Parton. Arthritis & Rheumatology; Published Online: September 11, 2017 (DOI: 10.1002/art.40192).

URL Upon Publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/art.40192

Editorial: "Lupus the Chameleon: Many Disguises Difficult to Capture." Susan Manzi and Joan Merrill. Arthritis & Rheumatology; Published Online: September 11, 2017 (DOI: 10.1002/art.40190).

URL Upon Publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/art.40190

Author Contacts

For Dr. Dall'Era: UCSF's Peter Farley, at Peter.farley@ucsf.edu or +1 (415) 502-4608.

For Dr. Izmirly: NYU Langone Health's Ryan Jaslow at ryan.jaslow@nyumc.org of +1 (212) 404-3511.

About the Journal

Arthritis & Rheumatology is an official journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and covers all aspects of inflammatory disease. The American College of Rheumatology (http://www.rheumatology.org) is the professional organization whose members share a dedication to healing, preventing disability, and curing the more than 100 types of arthritis and related disabling and sometimes fatal disorders of the joints, muscles, and bones. Members include practicing physicians, research scientists, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, psychologists, and social workers. The journal is published by Wiley on behalf of the ACR. For more information, please visit http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/art.

About Wiley

Wiley, a global company, helps people and organizations develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Our online scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, combined with our digital learning, assessment and certification solutions help universities, learned societies, businesses, governments and individuals increase the academic and professional impact of their work. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to our stakeholders. The company's website can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.
Humans have a 100% mortality rate, yet less than 30% of us make any end-of-life plans. To get adults to discuss and plan for their eventual demise, the inaugural Before I Die ABQ Festival is putting the "fun" in funeral planning October 20 to 25, 2017.

Before I Die ABQ offers multiple upbeat activities for people to openly think about, talk about and do something about our mortality. A wide range of free and low-cost events will be held at numerous locations around Albuquerque, New Mexico. These outside-the-box activities include:

"Prelude to Eternity" dinner party in the Pavilion at Sunset Memorial Park;

A panel of local funeral directors on "What You Need to Know Before You Go";

Death Cafe discussions at city senior centers around town;

Yoga class "From Child Pose to Corpse Pose: Life, Death, Yoga and Spirituality";

A tour of historic Fairview cemetery (established 1881);

"Answering Your Burning Questions About Cremation" information session;

Panel discussions on "Making Plans to Live Well Until We Die" on medical care and end-of-life issues;

"Jewish Burial Equals Green Burial" at the Jewish Community Center;

The Guild Cinema double feature of classic films about life and death, Harold and Maude and The Seventh Seal;

"Earth, Air, Fire & Water: A Celebration of Cremation and Art" with local artists selling their works in ceramics, paper and other media;

The Albucreepy Ghost Tour of Downtown Albuquerque landmark buildings;

A tour of the casket building workshop of Fathers Building Futures.

"Mindfulness, Mortality and Self-Care," a meditation session with world-renowned teacher Ralph Steele.

Registration for these and other events is now open at www.BeforeIDieABQ.com.

"By providing space and opportunities to openly discuss end-of-life issues, we can improve the percentage of those who plan ahead and take actions to address our mortality," said festival coordinator Gail Rubin, CT, a pioneering death educator, award-winning author and TED speaker. "Right now, more than 70% of our loved ones will scramble to pull together information and make expensive decisions under duress of grief, and it doesn't have to be that way."

Rubin spoke about the Before I Die ABQ Festival in this 7-minute Pecha Kucha 20x20 talk:

Before I Die festivals are part of a growing social movement to foster reflection about how we as individuals and as a society manage death and dying. Before I Die festivals have drawn thousands to events in Cardiff, Wales (UK), Indianapolis, IN and Louisville, KY. This will be the first such festival west of the Mississippi.

The Before I Die ABQ Festival is being held in partnership with the nonprofit organizations Albuquerque Oasis, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of New Mexico, the Jewish Federation of New Mexico, Fathers Building Futures, Central New Mexico Community College, and the YMCA of Central New Mexico.

Sponsors include:

Event coordinator Gail Rubin is an informed advocate for planning ahead and the author of three books on end-of-life issues. Her books include A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don't Plan to Die and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die. Download free planning forms and checklists from www.AGoodGoodbye.com.

Part of the proceeds from Before I Die ABQ will be donated to charitable partner Albuquerque Oasis. Oasis is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that promotes successful aging through lifelong learning, healthy living, and social engagement.

Find more information and register for events online at http://BeforeIDieABQ.com.

###
A government-backed badger vaccination scheme has been relaunched today to help stop the spread of bovine TB (bTB) in England.

The relaunched Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, which was suspended for two years following a global vaccine shortage, opens for expressions of interest today, with projects set to start in spring 2018.

Successful applicants will receive a government grant for 50% of their costs from a fund worth 700,000 over four years.

The government also announced a contract has been awarded to deliver a new bTB advisory service which will offer advice to help farmers protect their herds from the disease and manage the impacts of a TB breakdown on their farm.

Both measures are key parts of the UK's strategy to eradicate bTB in England, which includes one of the most rigorous cattle surveillance programmes in the world, strong movement controls, promoting good biosecurity, and badger control where the disease is rife.

Bovine TB costs taxpayers over 100m every year and England has the highest incidence of the disease in Europe.

In 2016 more than 29,000 cattle had to be slaughtered in England to control the disease, causing devastation and distress for farmers and rural communities.

'Devastating impact'

Farming Minister George Eustice, who announced the relaunch said: "Bovine TB not only has a devastating impact on our beef and dairy farms, but causes harm and distress to infected cattle.

"We have a clear plan to eradicate the disease over the next 20 years and this year we are restarting the government-backed Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme to stop the disease spreading to new areas.

"Vaccination is just one part of our comprehensive strategy, which also includes tighter cattle controls, improved biosecurity and badger control in areas where bTB is rife to tackle the reservoir of disease in wildlife.

"While our eventual aim is to eradicate the disease completely, farmers are facing the reality of bTB on their farms every day, which is why we are also launching a new bTB Advisory Service to offer advice to all farmers on limiting on-farm disease risk."

Eleven licences

New measures outlined today include eleven additional licences for badger control covering parts of Devon, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and Cheshire.

Licences have been granted for supplementary badger control in areas of Gloucestershire and Somerset which have completed their original four-year licences.

The relaunch of the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme following suspension due to a global shortage of TB vaccine has also been announced, with groups invited to submit expressions of interest and feedback on the criteria for the scheme.

A new bTB Advisory Service for farmers is set to launch this autumn. It will provide advice on-farm and by phone or email to farmers in High Risk and Edge Areas on bTB biosecurity and risk-based trading.

Tighter control of Inconclusive Reactors (IRs) in the High Risk and Edge Area has also been announced, which is set to come into force from 1 November.

'Essential'

Chief Vet Nigel Gibbens said: "Taking action to prevent bovine TB infection of cattle from the reservoir of disease in local badger populations is an essential part of the governments 25-year strategy to eradicate the disease in England.

"Proactive badger control is currently the best available option and the licensing of further areas is necessary to realise disease control benefits across the High Risk Area of England, rather than at local levels."

In 2016 badger control operations in Somerset, Gloucestershire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Herefordshire and Wiltshire were all successful in meeting their targets.

The government said it is committed to introducing badger control over a wider number of areas in line with plans set out in the bTB strategy.

'Valuable role'

Responding to the TB strategy update, Minette Batters, NFU Deputy President, said: In 2016, more than 29,000 cattle were slaughtered in England because of bovine TB and nearly 3,750 farm businesses that had been clear of the disease were affected by it.

The creation of a TB Advisory Service for farmers in the high risk and edge areas will play a valuable role in efforts to tackle this disease and we will be seeking an early meeting with the company that will run it so we can understand exactly what they will be offering cattle farmers in those areas.

The NFU has been lobbying the Government to provide a service across the whole country as the testing and surveillance regime can be challenging to all cattle farmers, including those in the low risk area.

The NFU has always supported a comprehensive and proportionate eradication strategy, which balances disease controls measures with business sustainability. We must have every option available to us to tackle bTB  including cattle testing, cattle movement restrictions, biosecurity advice, vaccination and control of the disease in wildlife.

The NFU has always said badger vaccination has a role to play in helping stop disease spread into areas which are currently at low risk of bovine TB.
The Labour partys support for keeping the UK in the single market and customs union for a transitional period after leaving the EU has been welcomed by a farming union.

Labour announced a dramatic policy shift by backing continued membership of the EU single market beyond March 2019, when Britain leaves the EU, establishing a clear dividing line with the Tories on Brexit for the first time.

The Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) said Labour were the latest of many bodies to support the unions view on the need for a "safe" Brexit transition period.

The union said it is welcome news that the need for a "safe" timetable is "sinking in amongst so many."

Writing in The Observer, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer set out Labour's new position, saying that a transitional period was needed to avoid a "cliff edge" for the economy, and that Labour would seek a transitional deal that involved remain in a customs union with the EU and within the single market during a transitional period.

FUW President Glyn Roberts also highlighted his concerns regarding the UK Withdrawal Bill due to be voted upon by Parliament later today (11 September), telling Council members: On the day of the EU referendum the electorate were asked whether they wanted us to leave or stay in the European Union.

They were not asked whether we should change the balance of powers between devolved administrations, nor were they asked whether we should leave or stay in the single market or the customs union.

The need for a safer transition period has also been recognised by many outside the UK.

Last month, former Irish Prime Minister and EU Ambassador to the US John Bruton told a conference that the build up of pressure in these negotiations could be mitigated by lengthening the Treaty based negotiation time line from two years to (say) six years, allowing the UK to remain in the EU until the end of that period.
'I Am Not Thinking About Being In A Relationship'

Farhan was quoted as, "At this point, I'm not thinking about being in a relationship so seriously. Whatever has to happen, will happen."

Link-Ups Are A Part & Parcel Of An Actor's Life

He said, "I'm not consciously thinking, 'Oh, now it's been long and I must'. There's no such thing. Whatever is spoken or written about is a part and parcel of what we do, which you have to take in your stride."

'It's Not A Question Of Affecting Me'

When quizzed if his relationship rumors affect him, Farhan quipped, "It's not a question of affecting me because it's not just me. I can't be selfish to believe that it's just about me. You're taking other people's names. My kids may read it and that person's family might read it. It's unnecessary."

'Your Friendship With The Person In Question Gets Affected'

He further added, "Unfortunately, your friendship with the person in question gets affected because you become conscious of it. Sadly, it's not cool."

Farhan Calls These Link-Up Reports 'Chinese Whispers'

"All of this is based on Chinese whispers. Maybe it's difficult for people to imagine that someone is happy just being by himself. Possibly, those who write about it don't have the ability to be happy by themselves."

On The Work Front

Farhan has 'Lucknow Central' slated for release this week.
The Villain is currently being shot at Chikkamagaluru. The film team which has returned from Bangkok, is now filming action sequences in the coffee capital of Karnataka.

Both Kichcha Sudeep and British Siren Amy Jackson are with the film team, shooting for the final few sequences of the film before it is wrapped for post-production.

Hot and gorgeous British actress Amy Jackson, the heroine of The Villain, has apparently lost herself to Chikkamagaluru's serenity so much so that she actually took time off during the filming to mingle with the nature.

The actress has taken to Twitter to share some of her pictures in and around the coffee capital, Chikkamagaluru. She shared a tweet that said, "I am now atop the tallest mountain in Karnataka." Take a look at her picture in front of the temple.

Not just that, the actress also seems to have been mind-blown by tender coconut. She has also expressed her love for tender coconut water with an image that redefines the boundary of swag.

Check out Amy's third picture in which she is seen squatting in front of another shrine atop a different mountain. The actress is making sure to carry back some of the cherished memories in Karnataka.

The Villain stars Shivarajkumar, Sudeep and Amy Jackson in the lead roles and is directed by Prem. The film is produced by Dr. C. R. Manohar.
Vinayakan  The Best Actor

Vinayakan, who was adjudged the Best Actor for the year, was present to receive the big award from Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of Kerala. The actor won the award for his stupendous performance in the film Kammatipaadam.

Rajisha Vijayan - The Debut That Struck Gold

Rajisha Vijayan, the Best Actress of the year 2016, made it a point to be there in person to receive the top honours. The actress won the award for her work in her debut film Anuraga Karikkin Vellam, in which she played a character named Eli.

Manikandan Achari  The Second Best Actor

This man did go on to impress one and all with his stunning performance as Balan in the film Kammatipaadam. The actor fetched the Kerala State Film Award for the Best Supporting Actor, with his very first film.

Surabhi Lakshmi

Surabhi Lakshmi, the National Award-winning actress, did go on to get her share of success at the Kerala State Film Awards, as well. The actress won a special jury mention, for her performance in the film Minnaminungu.

Maheshinte Prathikaaram Team

Aashiq Abu and Dileesh Pothan, the producer and the director respectively of the 2016 movie Maheshinte Prathikaaram, came to Thalassery to receive the award. Maheshinte Prathikaaram had won the award for the Best Film With Popular Appeal And Aesthetic Value.

Manhole Fetches The Best Film As Well As Best Director Awards

Vidhu Vincent, the film-maker of the highly acclaimed film Manhole, was present to receive the award. The film-maker won the Best Director award and at the same time, Manhole won the award for the Best Film.

JC Daniel Award

Veteran film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who took Malayalam cinema to the international level, in various occasions, was honoured with the JC Daniel Award.
Bhavana, the charming actress is all set to tie the knot with longtime boyfriend Naveen. In the recent interview given to a popular Malayalam media, Bhavana finally opened up about her marriage plans and acting career.

The actress, who confirmed that she is tying the knot in January 2018, stated that she has absolutely no plans to quit the films post marriage. According to Bhavana, Naveen is an understanding person who totally supports her choices.

Naveen is extremely respectful towards women, and that is the quality which attracted Bhavana the most, Even though she is planning to be active in the film industry, the actress has decided to be choosy about the roles she picks.

The actress, who made some shocking revelations about the Mollywood, stated that the industry has always been extremely male dominant. Bhavana points out that actresses and actors are not equally accepted by the industry.

Adam Joan, the Bhavana's recent release has been well-accepted by both the audiences and critics. The actress has essayed the character Swetha in the Prithviraj movie, has been receiving wide appreciations for her performance.
TWIN FALLS  The city of Twin Falls is recognizing Monday as a day of service and remembrance.

At the City Council meeting Monday night, Mayor Shawn Barigar will read the citys proclamation that recognizes Sept. 11, 2001, as the day when the American people endured with courage and heroism the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil in the nations history.

The proclamation will also honor the memory of those who died that day, including the first responders and volunteers.

Prior to Mondays meeting, the Twin Falls Fire Department and Twin Falls County will host a ceremony from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Twin Falls City Park band shell.

Its a day of remembrance for all of those that lost their lives in 9/11, Battalion Chief Ron Aguirre said.

The events of 9/11 heightened first responders awareness of the potential for attacks to occur, he said. It was something they hadnt highly considered before.

I think that we do need to remember because it could happen again, and it could happen anywhere, Aguirre said.

The ceremony includes the national anthem, a moment of silence, five guest speakers and musical performances.

At 5 p.m. in council chambers, 305 Third Ave. E., the City Council meeting will begin with the reading of the proclamation.

Also at the meeting, the Council will:

Hear a presentation by the Twin Falls Foundation and Twin Falls Rotary Club and acknowledge a donation to aid with the construction of the Main Avenue Commons Plaza.

Hear a presentation by Family Health Services.

Hear a presentation by Breckon Land Design owner Jon Breckon regarding landscape and irrigation requirements.

Hear an update on the Urban Renewal Agencys Main Avenue redevelopment project.

Consider a request to increase capital improvement project expenses for SWAT bulletproof vests from $28,000 to $38,402.

Recognize firefighters Austin Sharp, Joe Renaldi and Kyle Eldridge for completion of this years Twin Falls Drivers Academy, and recognizing sharp for his Firefighter I certification.

Have a show and tell presentation showcasing the new battalion chief command vehicle, Rescue 2 and Brush 1.
Windlabhas signed a 10-year agreement with a Queensland government-owned company, CS Energy.The deal involves CS Energy buying renewable energy and large-scale generation certificates from its Kennedy Energy park, a 60.5MW hybrid renewable energy project,.The Park has 43.5MWs wind, 15MWs solar and 2MWs lithium ion battery storage, in far North Queensland.The site is 50/50 JV with Japanese-owned Eurus Energy.The agreement is subject to ministerial approval and reaching financial close.Shares in Windlabare trading flat at $1.70.
Energy infrastructure companies often offer investors attractive income streams because long-term fee-based contracts underpin the bulk of their assets. Since they can build additional assets that are also underpinned by long-term fee-based contracts, these entities have a slightly easier time forecasting future dividend growth.

Meanwhile, companies that secure a substantial backlog of expansion projects have the ability to forecast monster dividend-growth potential. Take, for example, Kinder Morgan (KMI 2.69%) and Enbridge (ENB 2.22%), which are on pace to double their already lucrative dividends over the coming years thanks in part to their massive project backlogs. Here's a closer look at how soon these companies could be paying twice their current rate.

A short wait

U.S. natural gas pipeline giant Kinder Morgan currently yields a solid 2.6%, which is a well-supported level since it is only about a quarter of the distributable cash flow the company generates from its stable fee-bearing assets. At the moment, the company uses its remaining cash flow to finance growth projects and to reduce debt. However, the gas pipeline behemoth has completed several strategic initiatives over the past year that have helped shore up the balance sheet while also securing a portion of the financing needed for future growth projects. Because of that, the company expects to generate more cash than it needs starting next year. As a result, the company recently unveiled a plan to boost its payout 60% next year and by 25% more in both 2019 and 2020; it also authorized a $2 billion share buyback program. At that rate, the company will double its dividend by 2019.

Given that Kinder Morgan currently pays out only a quarter of its cash flow, it can easily support that higher rate (a 100% increase would still consume only about half its cash flow). In addition, Kinder Morgan has several growth projects underway that should bolster its cash flow over the next few years, providing even more support for its dividend-growth plan.

Overall, it has $12.2 billion of projects in its backlog. While the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion under development by its Canadian subsidiary Kinder Morgan Canada Limited (KML) makes up a significant portion of its backlog, that project doesn't factor into the near-term dividend equation since it won't enter service until the end of 2019 at the earliest. That said, the company has several natural-gas-pipeline, products-pipeline, and terminal projects under construction that should fuel more than $500 million in incremental adjusted earnings before taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) over the next three years, giving it further padding for the dividend. In other words, it's a rather safe bet that Kinder Morgan will indeed give investors a 100% raise in the very near future.

Steadily winning the race

Canadian energy infrastructure juggernaut Enbridge currently offers investors an even better starting yield of 4.6%. That payout is on solid ground since it consumes only about half of the company's stable cash flow. Enbridge currently uses the other half of its cash flow, along with outside capital from other sources, to finance high-return growth projects. In fact, the company estimates that it has enough commercially secured expansion projects in its backlog to support 10% to 12% annual dividend growth through 2024 while maintaining a 50% to 60% payout ratio. If Enbridge can hit the high end of that range, it would be on pace to double the dividend by 2024.

It's worth pointing out, however, that Enbridge's dividend-growth forecast carries more risk than Kinder Morgan's plan, because it needs to complete a significant percentage of the projects in its backlog to give it the cash flow necessary to support that higher payout level. The company is off to a solid start: It has 31 billion Canadian dollars' ($25.6 billion) worth of projects underway that provide good earnings and dividend-growth visibility through 2020. However, it needs to move forward with a considerable portion of the nearly CA$48 billion ($39.6 billion) of commercially secured longer-term projects further down the pipeline to cover the rest of the projected payout. If it doesn't complete enough projects, it might not deliver the high-end growth needed to double its dividend by 2024. Notably, though, Enbridge has an ample supply of projects focused on cleaner energy sources such as natural gas and wind, which increases the likelihood that it can achieve the high-end rate needed to double its already attractive payout within seven years.

Two ways to collect a high-growth income stream

Kinder Morgan and Enbridge each offer investors an attractive current income stream that appears poised to double in the years ahead. That said, investors have an interesting choice. They can accept less income now with a high probability that the payout will double in just two years, by going with Kinder Morgan. Or they could opt for more cash flow in the near term with the potential to collect twice that rate several years from now, by choosing Enbridge. While either option looks like a winner, it's worth noting that Kinder Morgan's stock price is dirt cheap right now, which opens up the possibility of equally compelling capital gains as the company makes good on its promised dividend growth.
TWIN FALLS  The lawyer for an Iranian refugee who was convicted of murder in Twin Falls in 2009 says his client plans to appeal a judges ruling dismissing most of their case.

On May 25, District Judge Richard Bevan dismissed most of Majid Kolestanis claims in her appeal of her murder conviction, but said she could pursue a claim that her public defender should have filed a motion to suppress an interview she gave to police while she was in the hospital.

At a court appearance before Bevan Monday morning, Kolestanis lawyer Kurt Schwab told Bevan that after talking to a medical expert they were not pursuing that claim. But he said they plan to appeal Bevans ruling dismissing her other claims.

Kolestani appeared with him in chains and an orange jail jumpsuit, with an interpreter who translated the proceedings into Farsi for her. Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Suzanne Craig represented the state.

Kolestani, who was born a man but identifies as a woman and goes by the name Nastaran, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. She pleaded guilty to shooting Ehsan Kababian to death  a friend of theirs told the Times-News at the time Kolestani was jealous of a woman Kababian was romancing in Iran. Both Kolestani and Kababian came here from Iran as refugees. She was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison and will be eligible for parole in 2026.

The case attracted widespread attention in southern Idaho at the time, the media coverage even prompting an unsuccessful motion from the defense to change venue. Kolestani did win a motion to be allowed to wear womens clothes in court, but pleaded guilty before the trial would have started.

Bevan denied a motion Schwab made Monday to add to the official record a report he had received late last year from Jeremy Pittard, who was Kolestanis lawyer before him. Pittards report says Kolestani will likely be detained indefinitely after her release from prison.

ICE isnt going to release a non-citizen with a first-degree murder conviction without a fight, he wrote.

The filings also contains the 2012 finding from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, citing Kolestanis murder conviction in denying her request for an adjustment in status.

Kolestani said she fears violence if she were returned to Iran, both from the authorities and others. USCIS found her fear does not warrant a finding of extreme hardship  retaliation from the victims family would be a consequence of the murder, and violence against people for being gay or transgender is not unique to Iran and happens in many countries including here, USCISs denial says.

If the fear is based on the family being angry or unaccepting of the applicants relationship to the victim ... it is not so different than what many United States citizens have to contend with in regards to their family and friends accepting them and their choices, it says.

Kolestani had also argued she did not enter into her plea agreement knowingly because she didnt understand the immigration consequences and was told she would be deported if she didnt plead guilty. She made several claims of receiving ineffective assistance of counsel aside from the one regarding the motion to suppress. Bevan rejected these claims in his May decision.
JioPhone effect : Airtel may launch 4G smartphone before Diwali News oi -Priyanka The company is also likely to launch its VoLte services this week and some customers in Mumbai and Kolkata

With an aim to take on Reliance Jio, India's largest telecom service provider Bharti Airtel is likely to launch a smartphone as low as Rs 2,500-2,700, PTI reported.

According to the report, "Airtel is talking to various handset manufacturers to bring 4G VoLte smartphone."

Airtel is placing its bet on a full-fledged smartphone as it believes people would be ready to shell out a little more to get a loaded handset, PTI quoted a source here, and that this new 4G smartphone can make its entry into the Indian market somewhere around Diwali.

There are so many reports which say that the smartphone will have a four-inch display, dual camera, VoLTE calling and a longer battery life and 1 GB RAM.

Meanwhile, the company is also likely to launch its VoLte services this week and some customers in Mumbai and Kolkata, and then other metro cities where Airtel is planning to launch will get messages to activate VoLTE calls on their phones.

The company may first launch its services in Mumbai, followed by Kolkata, and then expand it to other metro cities.

To recall, due to heavy rush, JioPhone pre booking was suspended however 6 million phones have already been booked.

JioPhone has announced by Mukesh Ambani at the company's Annual General Meeting. The new phone will target 50 crores feature- phone users in the country and it will offer free voice calls and SMS to customers.

The handsets are being imported from Taiwan and it has a 2-megapixel rear camera and a front VGA camera. It will have a 512 MB RAM and 4 GB internal storage with the option of expanding it to 128 GB using an SD card. The handset will come with a 2,000 mAh battery and will have a 2.4-inch screen.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications
All SIM cards without Aadhaar linkage will be deactivated after Feb 2018 News oi -Priyanka Telecom operators are not supposed to store the biometrics or any other personal data of the subscriber

If in case you forgot to link your SIM Cards with Aadhaar, then please do it before February 2018, as the Government is planning to deactivate the unlinked SIM cards from next year.

"The Government is moving ahead with linking Aadhaar with mobile SIM cards and all unlinked phones will be deactivated after February 2018," PTI reported.

The report further said, "Telecom operators are not supposed to store the biometrics or any other personal data of the subscriber."

"Biometrics collected should be encrypted by the telecom company and sent to UIDAI at that moment itself and any storage of biometric by a service provider is a criminal offense punishable with up to three years of imprisonment under the Aadhaar Act 2016," report added.

The Supreme Court has also asked Central government to link all mobile numbers to Aadhaar within a period of one year. The Apex Court urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to frame policies regarding rules and regulations to ensure the fact that the SIMs (Subscriber Identification Module) is not misused by anyone.

The Apex court has said that its mandatory for all mobile subscribers including pre-paid SIM card users to link their SIM cards to Aadhaar cards. The Court asked the Centre to devise a plan for pre-paid SIM card users so that each person will have to fill and deposit a form whenever he or she recharges.

To recall, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has also said in the Lok Sabha, "Aadhaar may become the only card required to identify a person, replacing Voter ID and PAN,

The unique identification number Aadhaar may become the single identity card in future, he added.

In fact, the Government has made Aadhaar compulsory for many things like for opening a bank account, to get a PAN card, to file IT returns, in transactions over Rs 50,000 and to get subsidies from Government on LPG and fertilizers.

Best Mobiles in India
29th Combat Aviation Brigade receives CH-47F helicopters

By Capt. Stephen James September 10, 2017

TAJI MILITARY COMPLEX, Iraq -- The Army's CH-47F helicopter is officially known as the "Chinook." Unofficially, some refer to the CH-47F as "freedom's workhorse." When the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) saw CH-47F helicopters arriving at Taji Military Complex, Iraq, this week, they certainly felt like fresh horses had finally arrived.

The incoming CH-47Fs are the first in a series of deliveries that will continue through the fall. The 29th CAB's outgoing CH-47Fs have endured nearly three years of hard work in the harsh desert environments of Kuwait and Iraq.

"These aircraft are ready to head home for reset [maintenance]," said the 29th CAB's aviation maintenance officer, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Albert Isennock.

The newly arriving CH-47Fs will improve 29th CAB's operational readiness and enable aircrews to fly critical missions for Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve in the campaign to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Bomb attack kills 6 in central Somalia

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 4:11PM

At least six people have been killed and several others injured in a bomb attack carried out in central Somalia, police and residents say.

Major Hussein Osman, a police officer, said the bombing in the central city of Beledweyne on Sunday afternoon rocked a restaurant outside the office of the governor of Hiran region where he was holding a meeting.

Beledweyne is located about 340 kilometers north of the capital Mogadishu.

"A bomber blew up himself in a restaurant," the officer said.

Farah Ali, a local elder, said clan elders were among the dead. "The bomber, who had an explosive jacket, stood inside the restaurant and blew up himself. We were heading to a meeting in the governor's office when it happened."

Abdiasis Abu Musab, a spokesman for the Takfiri al-Shabab militant group, has claimed responsibility for the assault. "We are behind the attack at the Hiran governor's headquarters. There are casualties. We targeted the workers of the Hiran administration."

The al-Qaeda-linked group has in the past carried out frequent attacks in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia in a bid to topple the country's government and drive out African Union peacekeeping troops.

Somalia has been at war since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew dictator Siad Barre and then turned on each other.

The country has been the scene of deadly clashes between government forces and al-Shabab militants since 2006.

The Takfiri militant group was forced out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011 but still controls parts of the countryside and carries out attacks against government, military and civilian targets. The extremist group is just one of the challenges facing the new Somali government, which is still struggling to expand its authority beyond the capital and other selected areas.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






COEUR DALENE  The trial of a man charged in the killing of a northern Idaho police officer is expected to get underway this week.

Jonathan Renfro is charged with first degree murder in connection with the 2015 shooting death of Sergeant Greg Moore.

Jury selection was scheduled to begin in Coeur dAlenes 1st District Court Monday.

Prosecutors say Renfro shot and killed Moore as the officer was investigating reports of burglaries.

Renfro has denied involvement with the shooting.

Last week he pleaded guilty to two other felony charges  grand theft and eluding a law enforcement officer.
Arab countries, Qatar should mend Persian Gulf rift by direct talks: Russian FM

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 3:54PM

Russia says the so-called quartet of Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia, and Qatar should begin direct negotiations to defuse an unprecedented diplomatic crisis that erupted three months ago in the Persian Gulf region.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had a joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir in Saudi Arabia's western port city of Jeddah on Sunday, a few hours after he met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

"We have confirmed our position (that we are) in favor of settling the disagreements by means of negotiations, by directly expressing concerns and achieving solutions which would take into account the concerns and the interests of all parties," Lavrov told the presser.

The deep rift in the region occurred on June 5, when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt severed ties with Qatar, officially accusing Doha of supporting "terrorism" and destabilizing the Middle East, allegations that Qatar says are unjustified and stem from false claims and assumptions.

To further pressure Qatar, Saudi Arabia totally closed its land border with its tiny neighbor, through which much of the peninsular country's food supply crossed.

Later in June, the four Arab countries urged Qatar to abide by a 13-point list of demands if it wanted the crippling blockade lifted. The demands included shutting down the Doha-based Al Jazeera broadcaster, scaling back cooperation with Iran, closing the Turkish military base in Qatar, and paying an unspecified sum in reparations.

Qatar, however, strongly refused to comply, calling the wide-ranging demands "unrealistic, unreasonable and unacceptable." In return, the four feuding countries vowed to impose further sanctions on Doha.

On July 21, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said in a live TV address that the blockade against Doha was "a pre-planned smearing campaign."

A number of attempts to heal the rift have so far been made, but all to no avail, including those of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Kuwaiti Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, whose country has been playing the role of a key mediator since the beginning of the crisis.

Lavrov further said that Kremlin was "interested in all those mediatory efforts that are currently being made producing results and the unity of the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) being restored."

Also in July, the Russian top diplomat expressed Moscow's readiness to help mediate the row, if approached, saying Kremlin was interested in the crisis to be "overcome" through seeking solutions "which will be acceptable for all participants of this process."

Late last month, Lavrov also met with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and the emir of Qatar in the capital Doha, calling on both sides for holding dialogue to resolve the crisis. He also said at the time that Moscow was willing to "bolster trade and economic ties" with the Arab peninsular country.

On June 10, some five days after the beginning of the political standoff, Lavrov also urged the Qatari foreign minister, when he was on a visit to Moscow, to settle the crisis via talks, calling for "all contradictions to be resolved at the negotiation table through a mutually respectful dialogue."

Last week, however, Riyadh suspended any talks with Doha, accusing it of "distorting facts", shortly after a report of a telephone call between the Qatari emir and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman suggested a breakthrough in the Persian Gulf row.

The Saudi foreign minister, for his part, said at the presser on Sunday that Riyadh sought "seriousness" from the Qatari side.

"We want clarity in the Qatari position, we want seriousness in finding a solution to this crisis that leads to the implementation of principles which all countries support: no supporting terrorism, no welcoming unwanted guests, no spreading hate, no intervention in others' affairs," Jubeir said.

However, he threatened that Doha would face more pressure if it did not comply with the list of demands the siege states made in June. "We have taken some measures and we will continue to do so and we will maintain our position until Qatar responds," he warned, adding that Qatar "must respond to these requests in order to open a new page."

The coordinated move against Doha is spearheaded by Riyadh, which often manages to have its vassal states fall into line. Saudi Arabia itself is known as the main sponsor of Wahhabi terrorists it has accused Qatar of supporting. Some analysts believe the Saudi anger is rather because Qatar acts more independently of Riyadh, including in its relations with Iran.

De-escalation zones in Syria

Elsewhere in their comments, the two diplomats touched upon the issue of de-escalation zones in war-torn Syria.

Saudi Arabia "supports the creation of de-escalation zones and looks forward to starting a political process that will end the Syrian crisis," Jubeir said.

The fourth round of the intra-Syrian talks, held in the Kazakh capital, Astana, in May, resulted in an agreement on four de-escalation zones to be formed across Syria, with Russia, Iran, and Turkey serving as guarantor states.

The upcoming Astana talks, scheduled to be held next week, is aimed at facilitating the creation of the fourth de-escalation zone in Syria's western province of Idlib, where significant concentrations of Takfiri terrorists, most notably from al-Nusra Front, are operating.

"I hope the agreements on the parameters of the fourth zone in Idlib will be formalized" in the next Astana talks, Lavrov said, describing the creation of the safe zones as "an important step forward" in strengthening of the truce agreement and in facilitating the resolution of humanitarian problems in the Arab country.

The Syrian government's delegation has so far not met directly with representatives of the foreign-sponsored armed opposition groups since there is no unified delegation from the Saudi-backed High Negotiations Committee (HNC) and two other groups, known as Cairo and Moscow platforms, which all claim to represent the opposition.

"We actively support the effort of our Saudi partners in unifying different groups of the opposition, Riyadh, Moscow, and Cairo, and in creating a single negotiating team for talks in Geneva. The same work was conducted in Astana, where government representatives began to talk with military officers on battle fields," Lavrov said.

Astana has hosted five rounds of peace talks on Syria since January. The negotiations are aimed at bringing an end to the foreign-backed militancy in the violence-battered Arab country that began in March 2011.

The talks in Astana have been going on in tandem with another series of talks held in the Swiss city of Geneva and brokered by the UN. The world body's Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, has sought to unify the opposition for a substantive round of negotiations in October, against the backdrop of seven rounds of largely unsuccessful talks in Geneva.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Israeli warplanes cause sonic boom over southern Lebanon

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 3:34PM

Israeli fighter jets have violated Lebanese airspace and flown low over parts of the country in flagrant violation of a UN Security Council resolution.

Security sources and residents said the Israeli aircraft crossed into Lebanese airspace over the southern city of Sidon, located 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the capital, Beirut, on Sunday, causing sonic booms that broke windows and shook buildings.

The sonic booms also caused panic among local residents. The Israeli military is yet to comment on the incident.

The incident came a day after Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said the Arab country would lodge an "urgent complaint" with the United Nations Security Council against Israel over an airstrike conducted from the Lebanese airspace on a military facility in the western Syrian province of Hama.

The Syrian army said in a statement on September 7 that Israeli warplanes had fired a number of missiles at 2:42 a.m. local time (0042 GMT) from the Lebanese airspace against one of its military positions near the town of Masyaf, located approximately 40 kilometers west of the provincial capital city of Hama.

Syria's official news agency, SANA, later reported that the air raid had killed two people at the site and caused material damage.

Israel violates Lebanon's airspace on an almost daily basis, claiming the flights serve surveillance purposes.

Lebanon's government, the Hezbollah resistance movement and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have repeatedly condemned the overflights, saying they are in clear violation of UN Resolution 1701 and the country's sovereignty.

UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brokered a ceasefire in the war of aggression Israel launched against Lebanon in 2006, calls on Tel Aviv to respect Beirut's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In 2009, Lebanon filed a complaint with the United Nations, presenting over 7,000 documents pertaining to Israeli violations of Lebanese territory.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Trump fails in bid to cool Saudi-Qatar tensions despite vow of quick result

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 2:28AM

US President Donald Trump's attempt to cool escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Qatar has ended up in failure this week as the two Arab kingdoms release conflicting statements shortly after a phone conversation organized by Trump.

The US-based New York Times reported Saturday that Trump arranged the phone call and promised a breakthrough in the bitter dispute that threatens US security interests among despotic Arab allies in the region, which purchase vast amounts of American weaponry and play host to key US military bases in their countries.

Since June, the Saudi regime has led close allies such as the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain in imposing a harsh trade and transport boycott against tiny, gas-rich Qatar, accusing it of financing terrorism and seeking better ties with Iran.

Qatar, however, has rejected such charges, countering that its Arab rivals are seeking to curtail its sovereignty and reign in its influential television channel Al Jazeera.

According to the report, Trump stepped into the fray in the past week, offering to mediate in the Qatari-Saudi conflict and vowing a quick victory.

"I think you'd have a deal worked out very quickly," he said Thursday at the White House while standing alongside the visiting emir of Kuwait, who has led Arab efforts to end the standoff.

The report noted, however, that Trump's hand may have been weakened by his own insistence on taking sides. After initially backing the Saudis, he then seemed to take a more balanced approach at the urging of his secretary of state Max Tillerson, who is more familiar with leaders on both sides from his previous career as an oil executive.

Qatar is home to the largest American air base in the Middle East and is the center of military operations purportedly against Daesh Takfiris in Syria and Iraq.

But during the White House event on Thursday, Trump appeared to take a new jab at Qatar  which is host to the largest US air base in the Middle East -- when he complained of the "massive funding of terrorism by certain countries."

Standing alongside Kuwaiti Emir Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al Sabah, the US president then warned, "If they don't stop the funding of terrorism, I don't want them to come together."

This is while Friday's phone call between the emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appeared to merely underline how difficult it might be to settle the fuming dispute.

Within hours of the call, Qatar's state news agency issued a statement that said the emir "welcomed a proposal" by the Saudi prince to appoint two peace envoys to help bridge their differences.

That language, however, enraged the Saudi rulers, who seemed insulted by the suggestion that they had bowed first in the dispute. The Saudi state news service then responded with its own version of events, citing unnamed authorities, accusing Qatar of distorting the facts and declaring that dialogue between the two monarchies had been suspended.

The exchange, according to the daily, "encapsulated the vehemence of a dispute that has worried Western countries allied with both sides."

Moreover, the report noted, "An influence race has erupted in Washington, where both sides have spent huge sums on lobbyists and advertising in a bid to influence political and public opinion."

This is while the White House issued a statement about the phone exchange saying that unity among the Arab nations "is essential to promoting regional stability and countering the threat of Iran."

It further added that Trump "also emphasized that all countries must follow through on commitments from the Riyadh Summit to defeat terrorism, cut off funding for terrorist groups, and combat extremist ideology."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






3 Killed on Suicide Attack in Central Somalia

By Harun Maruf September 10, 2017

At least three people were killed and 13 others were wounded after a suicide bomber blew himself up at a teashop in the central Somali town of Beledweyne Sunday, police and witnesses said.

Police said the attack occurred close to the headquarters of Hiran regional administration in Beledweyne.

"The explosion happened at 12:10pm [local time] it was a time people at the teashop were preparing to go to the mosques to pray," Commander of the police Colonel Isaq Ali Abdulle told VOA Somali.

Three journalists are among the wounded, says VOA Somali reporter Hussein Hassan Dhaqane.

Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the attack.

"All of the victims are innocent Somalis, the teashop is owned by civilians, this is a place where people sit, drink tea and rest," said Colonel Abdulle, who referred to al-Shabab as a "blood thirsty group."

Witnesses told VOA Somali that the explosion was loud and shook the area.

"I was just 20 meters away when it exploded, I left the teashop moments earlier because I received a call, the place was packed," said a witness who requested anonymity.

Beledweyne, 345 kilometers north of Mogadishu, is the capital of Hiran region. The town is also a base for African Union troops from Djibouti and Ethiopia.

The attack comes just three days after another suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest attacked a restaurant in Baidoa, killing five people including two Somali humanitarian aid workers

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Keep it Civil: Russia Urges Dialogue to End Gulf Crisis

Sputnik News

00:31 11.09.2017(updated 00:41 11.09.2017)

Qatar and its Middle Eastern adversaries must quickly enter into dialogue to solve an ongoing dispute, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on a diplomatic visit to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Speaking at a news conference in Jeddah, Lavrov detailed that all parties to the regional disagreement must settle their differences through peaceful diplomatic means.

"We have confirmed our position in favor of settling the disagreements by means of negotiations, by directly expressing concerns and achieving solutions which would take into account the concerns and the interests of all parties," said Lavrov, cited by RT.com.

On June 5, the Saudi kingdom, along with Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, severed diplomatic relations with Qatar, after accusing it of being in support of terrorism  a charge the the tiny principality hotly denies.

Lavrov urged the Saudi Arabian monarchy to address the diplomatic row by means of negotiation.

"We are interested in all those mediatory efforts that are currently being made producing results, and the unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) being restored," the top Russian diplomat said.

Kuwait and the US have unsuccessfully attempted to mediate the ongoing diplomatic crisis, and Turkey has upped tensions in the area by sending its troops to the Gulf state in a show of support, according to Reuters.

Only last week, Riyadh again suspended talks with Doha, claiming that the monarchy was "distorting facts," following a telephone call between resentatives of each state.

The Saudi Foreign Minister, Adel al-Jubeir, claimed that the powerful Saudi monarchy sought "seriousness in finding a solution to this crisis that leads to the implementation of principles which all countries support: no supporting terrorism, no welcoming unwanted guests, no spreading hate, no intervention in others' affairs," cited by Reuters.

Lavrov and al-Jubeir also discussed plans for military de-escalation zones in Syria, as well as the unification of armed Syrian opposition factions.

"The kingdom supports the creation of de-escalation zones and looks forward to starting a political process that will end the Syrian crisis," the Saudi foreign minister asserted.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






DoD Continues Hurricane Irma Response Operations

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2017  The Defense Department is well-postured for Hurricane Irma response operations in Florida with maritime and air-ground assets, as the department also continues its response operations throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and other Caribbean locales, DoD spokesman Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis said today in a statement.

Davis said department assets will continue to conduct the evacuation of U.S. citizens from St. Martin in the Leeward Islands when weather permits, and will provide humanitarian assistance -- including water, sanitation, logistics support, movement of disaster relief personnel and humanitarian commodities movement -- in response to U.S. State Department requests.

Irma's Path

This afternoon, Hurricane Irma diminished from Category 4 to a Category 3 storm with winds ranging from 111 to 130 mph, according to news reports. Irma's center is now passing the Florida Keys and will move up Florida's western coast. The storm is estimated to impact the entire Florida west coast. Landfall by Irma's "eye" is projected for tomorrow afternoon on the Florida panhandle.

DoD provided the following details on Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico operations:

-- The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the amphibious assault ship USS Oak Hill and the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp are on station in the U.S. Virgin Islands conducting transfer of noncritical care patients and delivery of food and water.

-- The 26th MEU will transfer United Kingdom marines in St. Croix to the United Kingdom Virgin Islands.

-- U.S. Transportation Command continues its support to St. Martin for evacuation and humanitarian assistance, and the strategic lift of commodities to the Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico area.

-- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' power restoration teams, debris removal experts, temporary roofing teams and port survey personnel are on-station.

-- The Defense Logistics Agency is shipping commodities and large generators to the Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico area.

DoD provided the following details on Irma response operations in Florida:

-- U.S. Northern Command is prepositioned with almost 4,500 personnel in the southeast to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Florida state authorities. As Irma clears, airfields will be established in southern Florida and support operations from the sea with air assets provided from the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York, the guided missile cruiser USS San Jacinto, and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

-- Search-and-rescue forces, strategic and vertical lift, planning, communication and medical capabilities are readying to deploy for post-landfall response.

-- The Army Corps of Engineers' power teams, debris removal teams, temporary roofing teams and port survey personnel are on alert and ready in Florida and Georgia.

-- The Defense Logistics Agency will support distribution of over 12 million meals over the next 10 days. All fuel requirements are met.

Caribbean Operations

U.S. Southern Command conducted the evacuation of American citizens from St. Martin to Puerto Rico with National Guard airlift assets. It's estimated that 2,000-3,000 U.S. citizens still require evacuation. Operations will continue today, weather permitting.

The Secretary of Defense authorized humanitarian assistance support to St. Martin as a result of a French government request to the U.S. government for international assistance. Initial reports from the Bahamas are more positive than expected, and the Nassau airport is expected to open today.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Colorado Air National Guard Sends Commo Unit for Irma Response

By Air Force Maj. Darin Overstreet, Colorado Air National Guard

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Sept. 10, 2017  A special communications section of the Colorado Air National Guard is staging to Mississippi to assist civilian authorities in areas impacted by Hurricane Irma.

This morning, Irma's strong winds and whipping rain are impacting the Florida Keys and the southern Florida mainland, according to news reports.

Six airmen of the 233rd Space Communications Squadron, 223rd Space Group, Greeley, Colorado, will deploy with specialized equipment to the Southeastern United States.

The group is part of the Colorado National Guard Communications Element Joint Incident Site Communications Capability.

Providing Communications Capability

"The JISCC is specifically tailored to support unique homeland defense and civil support mission requirements," said Air Force Maj. Michael Holton, commander of the 233rd Space Communications Squadron. "It provides non-secure voice, data, video, intra-team radio, and radio interoperability for first responders supporting the incident commander."

"When we have an emergency in Colorado, we know we can count on our neighboring states to assist, so when we have the opportunity to help others, it's our top priority," said the Colorado National Guard Director of Joint Staff, Air Force Col. Gregory White, who commands the military response to domestic operations in Colorado.

"Our military training is transferrable to the civilian sector, and we're proud to support the professionals at all levels of the response effort," White added.

"Across the nation, there are more than 50,000 National Guard members helping Americans by responding to wildfires in the Northwest, and hurricanes in the South and Southwest and those deployed overseas," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael A. Loh, the adjutant general of the Colorado National Guard.

"Colorado, alone, sent 60 airmen and soldiers to help our neighbors in Texas, and we have more than 300 airmen and soldiers deployed to eight countries, predominately in the Middle East," Loh added.

The JISCC is the capability that supports the National Guard Communications Elements as prescribed by the Joint CONUS Communications Support Environment. JISCC is transportable by C-130 aircraft, rail, or trailer. It is a case-based system organized into five modules that includes a SATCOM Reach-back Communications Module.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Riyadh may have sponsored 9/11 'dry run': New lawsuit data

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 7:19AM

New evidence in a lawsuit, which holds Saudi Arabia responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks, shows that the kingdom may have funded a "dry run" prior to the incident.

The lawsuit alleges that the Saudi embassy in Washington paid for two Saudi nationals, living undercover in the US as students, to fly from the city of Phoenix to Washington "in a dry run for the 9/11 attacks" two years before their occurrence, the New York Post reported on Saturday.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs said the new details had painted "a pattern of both financial and operational support" for the 9/11 conspiracy provided by official Saudi sources.

"We've long asserted that there were longstanding and close relationships between al-Qaeda and the religious components of the Saudi government," said Sean Carter, the lead attorney for the 9/11 plaintiffs, adding, "This is further evidence of that."

Carter said the allegations against Saudi Arabia were based on "nearly 5,000 pages of evidence submitted of record and incorporated by reference into the complaint."

Citing FBI documents, the lawsuit said the Saudi students  Mohammed al-Qudhaeein and Hamdan al-Shalawi  were both members of "the kingdom's network of agents in the US," had received training at the camps run by the a-Qaeda militant group in Afghanistan, and were in "frequent contact" with Saudi officials while in the US.

In a November 1999 America West flight to Washington, the Saudi students reportedly tried multiple times to gain access to the cockpit of the plane.

Consequently, the pair were taken into custody following an emergency flight landing in Ohio, but later the FBI decided not to pursue prosecution.

Meanwhile, the FBI confirmed that the Saudi embassy had paid for the students' tickets for the pre-9/11 "dry run."

"The dry run reveals more of the fingerprints of the Saudi government," said Kristen Breitweiser, one of the New York plaintiffs. "These guys were Saudi government employees for years and were paid by the Saudi government."

Some 3,000 people died in the 9/11 attacks, after four hijacked passenger planes were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia.

In several cases, hundreds of victims' relatives and injured survivors, along with insurance companies and businesses say, the Saudi government assisted the attacks through a variety of activities in support of al-Qaeda over a number of years.

In September 2015, US District Judge George Daniels tossed Saudi Arabia out as a defendant.

One year later, however, the US Congress passed legislation, known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), that eliminated some defenses and enabled the 9/11 victims to reassert their claims.

Last month, Saudi Arabia asked a US judge to drop the cases against it, arguing that the plaintiffs had failed to generate sufficient evidence to subject the kingdom to the $100-billion lawsuits.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Former Al-Qaida Operatives Launch New Militant Group in Pakistan

By Noor Zahid, Fazal Aziz September 10, 2017

A new al-Qaida-inspired militant group, which has recently emerged in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi claims to act as a platform for militants who have grown disaffected with the Islamic State militant group (IS) in the country.

The group, Ansar al-Sharia Pakistan, was reportedly formed by two former al-Qaida members who had severed ties with the organization in early 2017. Since then, the group has been involved in several attacks in Karachi, according to Pakistani counterterrorism authorities.

"The Ansar al-Sharia group started killings in Karachi since the beginning of this year and claimed responsibility for killing an army officer on Faisal Highway [in Karachi]," Major General Mohammad Saeed, the head of Rangers paramilitary security force in Karachi, told local media. He added the group has been focusing attacks on "the police only."

The group was allegedly created to operate as a platform for militants who have parted ways with IS in the country, it said in an online statement. It claimed to be active in several parts of the country.

"We give glad tidings to Muslim Ummah that a large number of Mujahideen from Karachi, Punjab and tribal areas are leaving ranks of IS and announce disassociation with [it]," the group said in an announcement through a Twitter account, adding that IS has "spread differences" and "secession instead of unity."

The group has vowed to continue its struggle through "jihad" against "infidel and apostates."

Though the newly-emerged group asserts no official affiliation with al-Qaida and other foreign militant organizations, the group said its ideology is inspired by Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida's slain founder.

VOA was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the Twitter account.

According to the counterterrorism department of Karachi police, Ansar al-Sharia has a presence in areas between Sindh and Baluchistan provinces.

"Unfortunately, according to the names that have come up in the investigation, their kill team has three young men who have masters [degrees] in applied physics," Maj. Gen. Saeed said.

Pakistani media reported the terror outfit also has female members. Police have reportedly arrested four women, including a doctor, suspected of membership in the group.

Pakistani authorities have vowed action to seize members of the group in the country, including in Karachi.

A police officer has reportedly been arrested for links with an alleged Ansar-al-Sharia member in Karachi, Pakistani media reported.

Al-Qaida's branch in South Asia, known as al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), has been active in the region. Several militant groups in Pakistan that had an ideological association with bin Laden's al-Qaida, have pledged allegiance to AQIS.

Much of AQIS's power is concentrated in Karachi and IS has also claimed presence in in Pakistan's largest city.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Peaceful solution being sought on North Korea: NATO

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 6:31AM

The head of the NATO military alliance has denounced North Korea's latest nuclear test but said a "peaceful" solution to the dispute with Pyongyang is being explored for now.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg made the remarks in an interview with BBC television on Sunday, reiterating the alliance's previous calls on Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

"The reckless behavior of North Korea is a global threat and requires a global response and that of course also includes NATO," Stoltenberg said, adding that, "We are now totally focused on how we can contribute to a peaceful solution of the conflict."

Stoltenberg was speaking days after Pyongyang carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test that affected global financial markets and further escalated tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

UK says war should be avoided at all costs

Separately, British Defense Minister Michael Fallon told the BBC that London was working "extremely closely" with Washington to bring about a diplomatic solution to the situation, stressing that military conflict with North Korea should be avoided at all costs.

"We're doing now what we can to bring about a diplomatic solution. What we have to avoid at all costs is this spilling over into any kind of military conflict, so we're working flat out at the UN to get a better resolution there, to enforce the existing sanctions, we're looking at sanctions across the EU and of course we're trying to persuade China to keep its neighbor in check," he said.

Fallon said the UK should take the North Korean threat seriously as Europe was nearer to Pyongyang than the US.

"I'm very concerned at the situation in the Pacific, the US is fully entitled to defend its own territory, to defend its bases and to look after its people. But this involves us, London is closer to North Korea and its missiles than Los Angeles," the British defense minister said.

Fallon, however, said that North Korea lacked the capability to fly a missile as far as the UK.

Military action not inevitable option: Trump

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has said the US continued to consider the military option against North Korea but did not regard it as "inevitable."

"Military action would certainly be an option," Trump said at a White House news conference alongside the leader of Kuwait on Thursday. "Is it inevitable? Nothing is inevitable. It would be great if something else could be worked out."

"I would prefer not going the route of the military, but it's something certainly that could happen," he said.

Last month, Trump threatened to unleash America's "fire and fury like the world has never seen" on North Korea if Pyongyang continued to threaten the US.

'US to propose harsh sanctions resolution'

The Trump administration also reportedly plans to call on the United Nations Security Council on Monday to impose an oil embargo and a partial naval blockade on North Korea.

A draft resolution prepared by the US and seen by The Observer will call for a ban on any exports of "crude oil, condensates, refined petroleum products, and natural gas liquids" to North Korea.

It will also call for a prohibition on the import of textiles and an end to the hiring of North Korean nationals on the grounds that the country uses the foreign currency earned "to support its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

The Trump administration has claimed to have a "plan B" if the UN resolution fails, with the president having threatened to cut off trade with any country that continues to do business with North Korea.

Merkel urges diplomacy

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed readiness to participate in diplomatic initiatives to end the dispute over North Korea's weapons programs, pointing to the diplomacy that helped resolve a dispute with Iran in 2015 as a model to tackle international disagreements.

"If our participation in [North Korea resolution] talks is desired, I will immediately say yes," Merkel said in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung due to be published on Sunday, according to Reuters.

Merkel pointed to the landmark nuclear agreement that was clinched between Iran and world powers in 2015 and said the negotiations that led to the deal were "a long but important time of diplomacy" that ultimately had a "good end."

"I could imagine such a format being used to end the North Korea conflict. Europe and especially Germany should be prepared to play a very active part in that," she added.

Germany was one of the countries that participated in the negotiations with Iran prior to the 2015 deal.

The German chancellor also stressed that diplomacy was the only way to deal with Pyongyang's nuclear and missiles programs, arguing that, "A new arms race starting in the region would not be in anyone's interests."

Europe should stand united in trying to bring about a diplomatic solution and "do everything that can be done in terms of sanctions," Merkel said.

North Korea is under mounting international pressure over its missile and military nuclear programs and has been subjected to an array of United Nations sanctions.

However, Pyongyang says it will not give up on its nuclear deterrence unless Washington ends its hostile policy toward the country and dissolves the US-led UN command in South Korea. Thousands of US soldiers are stationed in South Korea and Japan.

North Korea celebrates nuclear success

Also on Monday, North Korea held a large ceremony to celebrate the September 3 nuclear test. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un congratulated the nuclear scientists and technicians involved in the test.

North Korean state media said Kim praised the "perfect success" of the country's latest test and described it as the "great auspicious event of the national history."

The North Korean leader also called for "redoubled efforts" to complete the country's mission to fully become a recognized nuclear power.

Reports say Seoul is bracing for a possible missile test by the North as it marks its 69th founding anniversary.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Parenting, coping support

Voices Against Violence is offering support groups at 212 Second Ave. W., No. 200, Twin Falls.

Parenting Group, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, to help improve parenting skills as well as learn rewards and consequences.

Mas alla de mi, Empoderando a las Mujeres domestic violence group in Spanish, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, for those who have been involved in an abusive or traumatic relationship, and also helps women develop a support system.

The Power to Change Group, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, provides information and support to women 18 and older, who have experienced difficulties in coping with past experiences.

Domestic Violence Support Group, 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, provides information and community to individuals 18 and older, who have experienced domestic abuse or gender violence.

Information: 208-733-2558.

Recovery support

Recovery For Life groups meet at 7 p.m. Mondays at Twin Falls Reformed Church, 1631 Grandview Drive N. A free meal begins at 6 p.m.

Groups and classes include Cancer Support, Hope 12-Step, Parenting Skills, Codependency, GriefShare, Cooking Matters, Womens Word for Life Bible Study, and Special Parents Special Kids. Veterans Christian Fellowship also meets on Mondays.

Free child care and transportation. Information: 208-733-6128.

Bariatric support

Magic Valley Bariatric Support Group, 7 p.m. Monday in Oak Room 1 on the lower level of St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

The meetings are facilitated by licensed bariatric health-care professionals.

Registration isnt required. Information: 208-381-3641.

Breastfeeding

Free Breastfeeding 101 class, 7 p.m. Monday in Oak Room 4 on the lower level of St. Lukes Magic Valley, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

The class is for new mothers and breastfeeding mothers wanting to review their skills. Babies and your support person are welcome.

Free; pre-registration is required, 208-814-0402.

Alzheimers support

Magic Valley Caregiver Support Group, presented by Alzheimers Association, Greater Idaho Chapter, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bridgeview Estates, 1828 Bridgeview Blvd., Twin Falls. The group meets on the second Tuesday every month.

Information: facilitator Yolanda Martinez, 208-404-6720.

Victims support

Support group for victims of domestic violence, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Mini-Cassia Shelter Haven of Hope, 323 First St., Rupert.

Information: Rachel, 208-312-7021.

Ostomy support

Ostomy Support Group, 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Pine Room on the lower level of St. Lukes, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

The meeting is for ostomy patients and their families.

Free; 208-308-6153.

Parkinsons support

The Magic Valley Parkinsons Support Group will meet at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Jerome Public Library, 100 First Ave. E.

Tammy Harr from Visions Home Health will speak to those with Parkinsons and their spouses or caregivers. Time will be allowed for personal discussion among members. Physical exercises and brain exercises will be featured.

The support group is available to help those newly diagnosed, or experiencing a change of symptoms, and for caregivers who need reinforcement. The group meets monthly on the second Wednesday.

If you or a family member has Parkinsons, you are invited to participate. Information: nfturley@att.net or 208-358-5807.

Blood drives

The American Red Cross has scheduled community blood drives this week in Gooding and Shoshone.

Blood donation opportunities will be available from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Golden Years Senior Center, 218 N. Rail W., Shoshone; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at War Memorial Building, 203 Third Ave. W., Gooding.

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free blood donor app, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767. Completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire is encouraged.

Grief support

Visions of Hope meeting, 5 p.m. every Thursday at Hospice Visions, 1770 Park View Drive, Twin Falls.

This grief support group is open to everyone in the community.

Information: 208-735-0121.

Mental health support

Mental Health Support Group will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursdays at 826 Eastland Drive in Twin Falls. The free support group is open to Magic Valley residents.

Information: 208-539-7492.

Seniors wellness

Heritage Home Health and Hospice presents Am I Safe to Drive, a discussion on elderly driving, 6:30 p.m. Thursday at 1219 Cheney Drive W., Twin Falls.

Facilitators are Ammon Birk, doctor of physical therapy, and Amber Kennett, licensed master social worker.

Free admission. Reservations are required, contact Janet Benefiel at 208-410-4040.

Grief support

Griefshare meeting, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at Lighthouse Church, 960 Eastland Drive, Twin Falls.

Anyone who has lost a loved one or friend is welcome to attend. A separate class for pre-teen and teens will meet at the same time. Participants can attend any session. Enter through the east doors at the rear of the building.

Information: 208-737-4667.

Seniors wellness

The Twin Falls Senior Center will hold a presentation for senior citizens at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 19 at 530 Shoshone St. W.

Connie Campbell of Syringa Place will talk about important vitamins and minerals for seniors.

Free; 208-734-5084.

C-sections

Caesarean childbirth class, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 19 in the Oak Rooms 2-4 on the lower level of St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

Topics: Caesarean delivery procedures, pain management, and non-conforming labors.

Free; pre-registration is required, 208-814-0402.

Childbirth

St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Centers prepared childbirth classes, 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 20 through Oct. 18, in Oak Rooms 2-4 on the lower level of St. Lukes, 801 Pole Line Road W., Twin Falls.

Topics: Wellness during pregnancy; labor and delivery process with relaxation and breathing techniques; caesarean birth; postpartum care for mother and newborn; infant CPR; car seat and home safety; and a tour of the maternal and child units. Bring a labor-support person if possible.

Cost is $25 for a five-week session. Pre-registration is required: 208-814-0402.

CPR, first aid

St. Lukes Magic Valley Education Department is offering a Heartsaver Pediatric CPR, First Aid and AED class, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Learning Center, 840 Meadows Suite 2, Twin Falls.

The course provides training for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid and using an automated external defibrillator.

Cost is $60. Pre-registration is required, 208-814-9050.
NATO Chief Say North Korean Threat Requires 'Global Response'

September 10, 2017

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says North Korea's nuclear and missile program is a "global threat" that the international community must respond to.

Speaking to the BBC on September 10, Stoltenberg described the behavior of North Korea as "reckless" and said NATO should part of "a global response."

He called on North Korea to "abandon its nuclear programs"and its "missile programs, and to refrain from more testing" -- saying recent North Korean nuclear and missile tests were "a blatant violation of several UN Security Council resolutions" and a "threat to international peace and stability."

Stoltenberg refused to say whether an attack on the Pacific U.S. territory of Guam would trigger NATO's collective defense clause, saying "I will not speculate about whether Article Five will be applied in such a situation."

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in an interview published on September 10 that the dispute over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic-missile programs is the world's worst crisis "in years."

"We have to hope that the seriousness of this threat puts us on the path of reason before it is too late," Guterres told the French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche.

"It's the most serious [crisis] we have had to face in years," he said, adding that he was "very worried."

"In the past, we have had wars that have been initiated after a well thought-out decision," he said.

"But we also know that other conflicts have started through an escalation caused by sleepwalking."

Guterres said it was important to get Pyongyang to end development of its nuclear and ballistic-missile programs and respect UN Security Council resolutions.

"We must also maintain the unity of the Security Council at all costs, because it is the only tool that can carry out a diplomatic initiative with a chance of success," he said.

The United States on September 8 formally requested a vote of the Security Council on a U.S. resolution to impose severe new economic sanctions on North Korea over its latest nuclear test, despite resistance from China and Russia.

The resolution, which the U.S. mission to the UN said it wants a Security Council vote to be held on the issue on September 11, would impose an oil embargo on North Korea and ban its exports of textiles as well as the hiring of North Korean laborers abroad, mostly by Russia and China.

It would also impose an asset freeze and travel ban on leader Kim Jong Un.

U.S. officials have said they want tough sanctions to maximize pressure on Pyongyang to agree to negotiations aimed at ending its nuclear and missile tests.

UN diplomats said the latest U.S. proposals would be the toughest ever imposed on North Korea in punishment for its sixth and largest nuclear bomb test on September 3.

News agencies Reuters and AFP cited UN diplomatic sources saying they doubted either Beijing or Moscow, both of which have the power to veto UN council resolutions, would accept anything more stringent than a ban on imports of North Korean textiles.

Chinese officials have expressed fear that imposing an oil embargo could trigger instability in North Korea, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed concern that such stringent measures would hurt the nation's impoverished citizens as much as they would punish the government.

With reporting by Le Journal du Dimanche, AFP, and Swiss Info

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/united- nations-north-korea-nuclear-russia-china united-states/28726627.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






No Missiles Today, Let's Party Instead: DPRK Honors Nuke Team

Sputnik News

23:25 10.09.2017(updated 00:41 11.09.2017)

The DPRK has celebrated the scientists that shrink its warheads, accurately aim its missiles, and build and blow up its nuclear bombs.

After multiple warnings by many Western government and military agencies that Pyongyang would on Sunday celebrate its 69th year as a sovereign nation by launching another ICBM or detonating another hydrogen bomb, the isolated rogue state surprised the global community by throwing a party instead.

Established in September 9, 1948, the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) has increasingly refined its rapidly expanding nuclear capabilities, alarming the world and particularly offending the United States, which has gone to ever-expanding  and so far ineffective  lengths to reign in the consistently belligerent northern nation-state.

The North Korean state-run news outlet, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reported on Sunday that the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, had placed all his technological eggs in one geographical basket by flying the country's nuclear scientists and engineers to Pyongyang, where they would be feted in style, according to a New York Times report.

As detailed by KCNA, the bomb boffins were greeted in the capital city on Wednesday with cheering crowds at an enormous outdoor festival, with fireworks and laudatory speech making.

KCNA reports then congratulated the scientists for creating a nuclear weapon that was capable of delivering "a merciless sledgehammer blow to the US imperialists," cited by nytimes.com.

Over the course of the prolonged Saturday banquet in Pyongyang, Kim called for "redoubled efforts, not slackening the spirit displayed by [DPRK nuclear scientists] in bringing the great auspicious event of the national history," cited by KCNA.

"The recent test of the H-bomb is the great victory won by the Korean people at the cost of their blood while tightening their belts in the arduous period," Kim is said to have added, according to the DPRK state-run media outlet.

As gushingly detailed by KCNA, Kim attended the banquet with his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and top Workers' Party brass, with patriotic songs and performances swearing loyalty to Kim and country.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






North Korean Leader Orders Scientists to Strengthen Nuclear Forces

Sputnik News

07:11 10.09.2017

Kim Jong Un reportedly urged the country's scientists to reinforce their efforts to develop nuclear capability.

TOKYO (Sputnik)  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered scientists to reinforce their efforts to develop the country's nuclear capability, local media reported Sunday.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim said at the reception for nuclear scientists, who contributed to the latest hydrogen bomb test, that they should promote their scientific research in order to strengthen North Korea's "nuclear deterrence force". The leader of the country also expressed belief that "thanks to independent economy, consortium of scientists, army and people, the final victory of Juche ideology revolution is predetermined."

The KCNA noted that the reception was held to mark the 69th anniversary of foundation of Democratic People's Republic of Korea, that had been celebrated on Saturday.

On September 3, North Korea announced it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that could be loaded onto an ICBM, triggering worldwide condemnation. Several days before the test, Pyongyang launched a missile over Japan.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iranian navy warns US battleship

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sun / 10 September 2017 / 15:19

Tehran (ISNA) - An Iranian rocket-bearing vessel has warned off an American battleship approaching an Iranian fishing boat in the Sea of Oman, the Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army said in a statement on Sunday.



"The fishing boat, Shams, had set sail from the port city of Jask in southeastern Iran to test its motor. Forty-five miles into the sea, the vessel's motor started to malfunction, prompting the sailors to alert the Iranian Navy," it said.

The Navy dispatched Falakhan rocket-bearing vessel to the boat's rescue, which towed the broken-down fishing boat to the port but before that, the US battleship was seen approaching the site, it said.

"The American battleship left the area with a warning and the announcement of the Falakhan missile boat's timely presence in the region," the statement said.

End Item

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iran's missile boat warns off US warship in Sea of Oman

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:19AM

An Iranian missile boat has warned off an American warship approaching an Iranian dhow in the Sea of Oman, the Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army said in a statement on Sunday.

"The dhow, Shams (Sun), had set sail from the port city of Jask in southeastern Iran to test its motor. Forty-five miles (72 kilometers) into the sea, the vessel's motor started to malfunction, prompting the sailors to alert the Iranian Navy," it said.

The Navy dispatched Falakhan (Sling) missile boat to the vessel's rescue, which towed the broken-down dhow to the port but before that, the US destroyer was seen approaching the site, it said.

"The American warship left the area with a warning and the announcement of the Falakhan missile boat's timely presence in the region," the statement said.

Iran's naval patrols and US warships have been engaged in a series of face-offs in the Persian Gulf in recent months, where Washington has accused Iranian vessels of "harassing" American warships.

Iranian military commanders say while their units continue routine patrols, US naval units have changed their navigational patterns since President Donald Trump came into office, often engaging in provocative maneuvers near Iran's vessels.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly warned that any act of transgression into Iran's territorial waters would be met with an immediate and befitting response.

In July, the Islamic Republic of Iran Guards Corps (IRGC)'s Navy said US naval buildup and invasive maneuvers targeting Iranian interests in the waters had been triggered by "fear."

"The Persian Gulf belongs to the Islamic Republic and regional Muslim countries and the presence of US forces, as a foreign country in this region, is defensive and out of fear," said IRGC Navy chief Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






U.S. Navy Denies Iran's Claim Says It Warned Off Warship In Gulf Of Oman

September 10, 2017

Iran says it has warned off an American warship during the rescue of a boat in the Gulf of Oman, while the U.S. Navy denied any direct contact with Iranian forces.

The hard-line Tasnim news agency reported on September 10 that the U.S. vessel turned away after the warning from a rocket-bearing Iranian military ship.

The Iranian vessel then towed the fishing boat, which had sent out a distress signal after taking on water, back to shore, it said.

The agency did not specify when the incident, close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, occurred.

The United States offered a different version of the events, which it said happened on September 6.

The U.S. Navy said the coastal patrol ship USS Tempest heard the distress call of an unidentified small boat about 75 nautical miles, or 140 kilometers, from the Tempest's position.

It said another ship much closer to the boat in distress offered assistance, with that vessel communicating with Iranian naval forces.

"At no time was there any direct contact between the U.S. and Iranian maritime forces," U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) said.

The Iranian and U.S. navies routinely have tense encounters in the Persian Gulf and its environs.

In August, an unarmed Iranian drone came close to a U.S. Navy warplane as it prepared to land on an aircraft carrier in the Gulf, U.S. officials said at the time.

And in July, the U.S. Navy said that one of its helicopters fired warning flares at Iranian vessels approaching American ships in the Gulf.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-gulf-oman-u-s- warship-warning-denial/28727186.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iranian Navy Warns US Ship Off Sinking Fishing Boat in Persian Gulf

Sputnik News

17:59 10.09.2017(updated 02:23 11.09.2017)

An Iranian missile boat has sent a warning signal to a US Navy ship that closed on an Iranian fishing boat in the Persian Gulf, the press service of the Iranian Navy said Sunday in a statement.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to the statement, Iranian fishing boat Shams was traveling 45 nautical miles off the Jask port in Iran's Hormozgan province testing its engine, when it started to sink. Upon receiving a distress signal from Shams, Iranian Navy missile boat Falahen set off to rescue the sinking boat.

"It is reported that a US Navy ship with the vessel number 02 approached the mentioned [fishing boat] when the missile boat 'Falahen' sent a warning signal and forced the ship to leave the area," the statement read.

The crew of the boat in distress was rescued. So far, the cause of the incident is still unidentified.

The incident is one of many times when US' and Iranian maritime forces have come dangerously near conflict and likely will not be the last. In a similar incident in August, Pentagon officials said Iranian speedboats had "harassed" US warships in the Strait of Hormuz. They claimed that Iranian boats moved close to two US Navy destroyers with their weapons uncovered in the strait in an "unsafe and unprofessional" encounter.

Iranian-US relations have been strained for decades since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and resulted in multiple incidents in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. One of the most well-known incidents occurred on July 3, 1988, when the US guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes downed an Iranian passenger jet heading for Dubai, leaving 290 people dead.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Is a Saudi-Iran Thaw Possible?

By Jamie Dettmer September 10, 2017

Saudi Arabia and Iran are rethinking their rivalry and a highly tentative, as well as a deniable, courtship is underway, say analysts. But it is fraught pitfalls and last week in London Saudi Arabia's foreign minister dismissed talk of a possible thaw as "laughable," saying Iran would have to change its policies dramatically for that to happen.

Even so, Riyadh has softened its opposition to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, Iran's ally, and has dialed down its own sectarian rhetoric against the mullahs in Tehran.

And Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said last week his country, a majority-Shi'ite country, is ready for dialogue with Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia to see how they can overcome their enmity and end a decades-long battle for influence across the Middle East.

"We are prepared to cooperate with Islamic countries on all issues that are important to the Islamic world," Zarif told a local news outlet. "If the Saudi government is ready to turn the page, Iran is ready for that as well," he added.

At first glance, any rapprochement, however mild, between the rivals would appear unlikely. Each accuses the other of subverting regional security and they are supporting opposite sides in conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

But efforts to ease tensions between the Gulf rivals has been on display the past few months. In Mecca, the annual haj (pilgrimage) was attended by an estimated 90,000 Shi'ite Iranians after Tehran lifted a boycott imposed last year amid sharp tensions between Iran and the Saudis. Mecca authorities went out of their way to welcome Iranian worshippers and were praised for doing so by Tehran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani suggested a trouble-free hajj would help build confidence in other areas of dispute between the arch-rivals. "If our pilgrims come back satisfied, and if Saudi Arabia's behavior is within religious and international frameworks, I think the situation would be more convenient to resolve the issues," he was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA earlier this year.

A difficult path

Hajj has ended, but engineering a rapprochement won't be easy, as was stressed by Saudi Arabia's foreign minister at an event last week in London.

"We have an Iran which is on the rampage, that has to decide whether it is a revolution or a nation state, that part of it seeks to restore the Persian empire from thousands of years ago, and another part of it seeks a better future for its people and that supports terrorism and interferes in the affairs of others," warned Adel Al-Jubeir speaking Thursday at Chatham House, a London-based policy research group.

He added, "Iran believes in exporting its revolution... supports terrorism, smuggles weapons into neighboring countries and tries to destabilize." He sadi Iran needs to live by international rules, be neighborly and stop interfering in the affairs of others, otherwise "it will be difficult to accept them."

He stressed, though, the Saudi kingdom would approach regional issues with a "pragmatic, practical and non-ideological" mind.

Complicated regional politics

A changing and volatile Middle East at least makes the timing right for attempts to ease hostilities, say analysts. "The two states, who have clashed in multiple countries, now find themselves in a new political situation which may force them to work together," according to analyst Baraa Sabri.

He argues that "at the very least they may have to modify their respective policies by reinforcing those that could help lead to a rapprochement and by turning a blind eye to the most contentious matters between them, Syria and Yemen, even if only temporarily."

Factors pushing Riyadh and Tehran to re-think include a developing Turkish-Russian alliance and doubts about Moscow, allied to Iran, and Washington, an ally of the Saudis, are to be trusted.

In August, for all his public dismissal now of the possibility of improved relations, the Saudi foreign minister shook hands with his Iranian counterpart at a meeting in Istanbul of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, of which Iran and Saudi Arabia are members. At the meeting, Iran's Zarif called for re-establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries and said the two may soon exchange diplomatic visits.

But it will take more than a handshake or two and a few diplomatic exchanges to bridge the huge sectarian gap between the two countries. Analyst Bruce Riedel of the Washington-based Brookings Institution scorns the idea of an Iranian-Saudi thaw, arguing Saudi monarch Salman bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud is "the most hostile king toward Iran since the Iranian Revolution."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Some 1,400 foreign women, children left behind by Daesh after Tal Afar liberation

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:19PM

After being expelled from Tal Afar, the Daesh terrorist group has left behind some 1,400 foreign wives and children, who are now in the custody of the Iraqi government.

According to Iraqi security and aid officials on Sunday, those left behind are mostly from Russia, Turkey, and Central Asia, with some also from European countries.

Iraqi officials are currently engaged in the process of verifying their identities and nationalities, as many of the women have lost or destroyed their original credentials.

The group, which is the largest group of foreigners linked to Daesh in Iraq, are currently being housed in a specially-designated camp, which they are not permitted to leave.

On August 31, Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced that the northern city of Tal Afar and the entire Nineveh province have been purged of the Daesh Takfiri terrorists.

The Iraqi government is currently negotiating with the women's home country embassies for their returning home.

"I want to go back (to France) but don't know how," said a French-speaking woman of Chechen origin who claims to come from Paris. She also said that she has no idea concerning the current whereabouts of her husband who brought her to Iraq to join the terrorists.

Some of the women claim that they were tricked by their husbands into joining the terrorists during trips to Turkey.

"My mother doesn't even know where I am," said a French woman of Algerian descent. "I had just given birth to this little girl three months before He said 'let's go for a week's holiday in Turkey.' He had already bought the plane tickets and the hotel," she added.

Tal Afar, situated about 150 kilometers from Syria's border, was among the last Daesh-held cities in Iraq. The liberation of Tal Afar deprives Daesh of what was once a key supply route between its territory in Syria and Iraq.

Iraqi army soldiers and allied fighters from Popular Mobilization Units have been leading a major operation to rid the country of the Takfiri elements.

Iraqi forces launched the Tal Afar liberation operation on August 20, one month after fully recapturing the country's second biggest city, Mosul, which was Daesh's so-called "capital" in Iraq.

Daesh unleashed a campaign of death and destruction in Iraq in 2014, but it is currently retreating from much of the territory under its control in the Arab country due to recent advances made by the Iraqi forces on the battlefield.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Iraq Says Holding 1,300 Women, Children, Families of IS Fighters

By Ken Bredemeier September 10, 2017

Iraqi authorities said Sunday they are holding more than 1,300 foreign women and children, the families of suspected Islamic State jihadists, at a camp for displaced people and expect to repatriate them to their home countries.

The women and children, most from Russia, Turkey and Central Asia with some from European countries, surrendered to Kurdish forces at the end of August after Iraqi fighters drove Islamic State from the northern town of Tal Afar, near Mosul.

Iraqi officials said they are verifying the nationalities of the women, many of whom no longer had their original passports or other international documents.

As Kurdish forces assumed control of Tal Afar, they handed over the women and children to Iraqi forces, while keeping the men, all assumed to be fighters, in their custody.

The Norwegian Refugee Council, which is supporting 541 of the women and their children, said in a statement that Iraq "must swiftly move to clarify its future plans for these individuals. Like all those fleeing conflict, it is imperative that these individuals are able to access protection, assistance, and information. They are in de-facto detention."

One 27-year-old French woman of Algerian descent told Reuters, "My mother doesn't even know where I am." She said she had been tricked by her husband to come with him via Turkey into Syria and then Iraq when he joined Islamic State last year.

"I had just given birth to this little girl three months before," she said, holding the infant. "He said, 'Let's go for a week's holiday in Turkey.' He had already bought the plane tickets and the hotel."

After four months in Mosul, she said she ran away from her husband to Tal Afar in February. She was hoping to make it back to France, but he found her and would not let her leave. She cried as she recounted how her five-year-old son was killed by a rocket in June while playing in the streets.

"I don't understand why he did this to us," she said of her husband, who she said was killed fighting in Mosul. "Dead or alive, I couldn't care less about him."

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






TWIN FALLS  Write your name and your next of kins phone number on your arm.

Those were the instructions Chris Hawley received after a veteran firefighter handed her a black Sharpie in September 2001. It was just days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, and she was volunteering for search and rescue efforts at Ground Zero.

Except it became more of a recovery effort  because there was no one left who could be saved.

We became determined and resolute that no victim was left behind in that pile, Hawley recalled on Sept. 11 as she shared her story during a 9/11 remembrance service at Twin Falls City Park. Through the fear and feeling of helplessness, we remained unwavered and concentrated on bringing loved ones home to their families.

Hawley, now a senior deputy coroner for Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office, was working for the Kitsap County, Wash., coroners office at the time of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But up until Monday, she hadnt talked openly about her experience.

It takes time to heal, she told the Times-News. I did this speech as part of a healing process for myself.

Mondays service was co-hosted by Twin Falls Fire Department and the Twin Falls County coroners office with a goal to honor those who had died or helped rescue efforts at the World Trade Center in 2001. But the service was also intended to honor the sacrifices of veterans, soldiers, military families and first responders.

The Twin Falls, Filer, Buhl, Kimberly and Hansen police departments attended, along with Magic Valley Paramedics, the city of Twin Falls, Idaho State Police and members of the public.

Through speeches, songs and moments of prayer and silence, those gathered were called to remember where they were on the day of the terrorist attacks. Law enforcement officers shared stories of being at work, or getting woken up by a spouse so they could watch the news.

But they also tasked those gathered Monday to not get caught up in the reports of racism, bigotry and divisiveness around the country.

This is not what this country is about, Twin Falls County Coroner Gene Turley said.

He referred to John 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

We remember this because that is what America is all about, Turley said. That is what Americans are all about. We set our own safety aside to help another thats in distress.

We will never forget, he said.

The heroism, talent and actions of first responders that day set a new standard for other first responders, firefighter Gerald Dillard told the Times-News after the ceremony.

There was no hesitation, he said.

But the days events had a lasting impact for others, too.

Sept. 11 affected all of us, Hawley said. Individually, as a nation and as a people.

She recalled how, before creeping through the wreckage of the twin towers, she was told to always look for the steel beams  which could save her life in case of a collapse, and help other rescuers find her.

After a month of volunteerism, she had the World Trade Center cough for about nine months. And she continues to have nightmares as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder.

But she considers herself lucky.

The death toll on 9/11 was 2,996 people. That included 343 firefighters and paramedics and 60 police officers. Remains of more victims are still being identified, and more people are dying from cancers and other effects of being in the debris.

Still, there was also some good that arose from the event. The Salvation Army provided 39,000 meals to officers and volunteers. The country was united, Hawley said.

Even as the ashes began to rise, the goodness and kindness in Americas heart started to bloom that day, Vice Mayor Suzanne Hawkins said.  Our world had just been turned upside down. Now, 16 years later, we know that what was intended to be the ultimate act of evil inflicted on our nation, has spurred us on to forgive and to do good.

And people can continue with that purpose in their everyday lives.

I urge you all to remember, she said. Remember that out of terror, we can forgive. Remember that out of ashes, beauty can grow.
UN asks for aid to tackle Rohingya crisis unfolding in southern Bangladesh

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 2:8PM

The United Nations has appealed for aid to tackle a humanitarian crisis unfolding in southern Bangladesh, where the number of Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar has neared 300,000.

UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Robert Watkins said on Sunday that the wave of traumatized refugees was "showing no signs of stopping" in the Cox's Bazar region. The area has already helped thousands of people displaced by previous spasms of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

"It is vital that aid agencies working in Cox's Bazar have the resources they need to provide emergency assistance to incredibly vulnerable people who have been forced to flee their homes and have arrived in Bangladesh with nothing," Watkins said.

On Saturday, Watkins said in a statement that aid agencies needed an urgent $77-million assistance to cope with the emergency.

In Cox's Bazar, reporters saw about 40 Rohingya, mainly women and children, arriving early on Sunday after a four-day trek followed by a border crossing on fishing boats.

According to the UN, 294,000 refugees have fled to Bangladesh since August 25, while tens of thousands more are believed to be on the move inside Rakhine after more than a fortnight without shelter, food, and water.

Bangladesh, which hosts about 400,000 Rohingya Muslims, has been under pressure from the huge number of new arrivals.

Red Cross organizations are scaling up operations in Rakhine in the wake of the UN's suspension of activities. The UN has evacuated non-critical staff from the area over the past two weeks.

The so-called pro-Rohingya group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on Sunday declared a month-long unilateral ceasefire to enable aid groups to bring humanitarian aid to those still in Myanmar's violence-wracked state of Rakhine.

About a dozen Muslim villages were burned down on Friday and Saturday in the ethnically mixed Rathedaung region of Rakhine.

"Slowly, one after another, villages are being burnt down, I believe that Rohingyas are already wiped out completely from Rathedaung," Reuters quoted Chris Lewa of the Rohingya monitoring group Arakan Project as saying.

Human rights groups say Myanmar's army and Buddhist vigilantes in Rakhine are engaged in a campaign of arson aimed at driving out the Muslim population.

Myanmar's government alleged last October that its posts had been attacked by Muslim militants, using the purported assault as a pretext for a siege on Rakhine. It claimed that another attack had been carried out on August 25 this year, triggering the recent brutal crackdown on the civilians in the state.

There have been numerous reports of summary execution, rape, and other abuses against the Muslims since late last year.

Rohingya Muslim community in Pakistan

The Rohingya community in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi is estimated to have 300,000 members who are living in bad conditions. Recent news coming out of Myanmar has been painful for them due to the fact that the community was forced from their homes half a century ago to move to Pakistan. Media depicting violence in Rakhine and shared on social media are passed around quickly among the community in Karachi.

Raheela Sadiq, a more recent migrant who came to Pakistan 15 years ago, said she has been unable to contact relatives in Rakhine via mobile phone for nearly two weeks. "I have seen what is happening to people over there on the internet," she said as tears filled her eyes.

Fisherman Noor Mohammed, 50, said three members of his family in Rakhine were killed a few days ago. "My brother, brother-in-law, and nephew were there (in Rakhine). They are all dead now. The army over there killed them," he said, adding that he heard the news from another nephew who is still alive.

Karachi's Rohingya community comprises refugees from an earlier era of displacement dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. They have stayed in touch with family back home, especially in recent years through mobile phones and social media.

The older members of the community fled from a repressive military regime that took power in 1962. They escaped on foot or by boat to Bangladesh, which was then East Pakistan. Eventually, they made their way to Karachi.

The United Nations has described the Rohingya as the most persecuted community in the world.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Reactions continue to Myanmar crackdown on Rohingya

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:19AM

World countries continue to harshly react to a deadly crackdown by Myanmar's government on minority Rohingya Muslims in a western state in the country.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on Saturday summoned Myanmar's ambassador to protest the ongoing violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine State.

In a statement, the ministry said Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua had met with U Win Myint and asked that Myanmar take effective measures to prevent more violence against the Rohingya.

It said Janjua also called for upholding the Muslims' "right to live and move without fear and discrimination."

On Friday, more than 1,500 people rallied in Islamabad to demand Win Myint's expulsion.

India calls for end to violence against Rohingya

Separately, India has called for an immediate end to the violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar.

The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Saturday that it was "imperative that violence is ended and normalcy in the state restored expeditiously."

India urged Myanmar to act "with restraint and maturity" following the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees into neighboring Bangladesh.

The United Nations said on Sunday that 294,000 refugees had fled to Bangladesh since August 25, while tens of thousands more were believed to be on the move inside Rakhine, after more than a fortnight without shelter, food, and water.

Al-Azhar's imam urges investigation of 'war crimes'

Meanwhile, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar University in Egypt has slammed Myanmar's de facto leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi for the crackdown on the Rohingya.

While he did not refer to Suu Kyi by name, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb used uncharacteristically strong language to denounce her. He said Suu Kyi held the Nobel Peace Prize she won in 1991 with one hand and condoned "crimes" with the other.

Al-Tayeb called on rights groups to investigate "war crimes" committed against the Rohingya and refer perpetrators to the International Court of Justice.

Mines kill three more Muslims

The commander of Bangladeshi Border Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Manzurul Hasan Khan, also told AFP that suspected mines had killed three Rohingyas on Saturday.

He said troops had heard the blast Saturday night about 100 meters from the border with Myanmar.

Earlier, two government sources in Bangladesh said that Myanmarese soldiers had planted landmines on a stretch of the common border between the two countries in an apparent attempt to prevent the return of the Muslims.

This is while Rohingyas fleeing the government crackdown are currently using that path to move in the opposite direction into Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, which hosts around 400,000 Rohingya Muslims, has been under huge pressure from the huge inflow of new arrivals.

International relief organizations have been giving aid to the refugees, many of whom have injuries and infections. The UN has appealed for urgent donations of $77 million to continue its relief operations.

Meanwhile, reports say a group that has allegedly been fighting to defend the Rohingya declared a unilateral ceasefire on Sunday to allow aid to reach increasingly desperate people displaced by violence.

The Myanmarese government alleged last October that government posts had been attacked by Muslim militants, using the purported attack as a pretext to start a military siege on Rakhine. It claimed that another attack had happened on August 25 this year, triggering the recent brutal crackdown on the civilians in the state.

There have been numerous reports of summary killings, rapes, and other abuses against the Muslims since late last year.

Massacre retold

Rohingya Muslims who have made it across the border in Bangladesh have offered many eyewitness accounts of the brutal tactics used by Myanmarese soldiers against the Muslims.

AFP interviewed at least 10 people who escaped a massacre in the Aung Sit Pyin Village on August 25 and found refuge at Balukhali camp in Bangladesh.

One witness said Myanmarese soldiers barred the entrance to the village's mosque, men arrived with machetes and petrol cans, and a massacre began.

"Those that ran were hacked to death. Others that got away were shot by the army," said Master Kamal, a 53-year-old teacher and survivor. "They were burning houses. We fled to save our lives."

The UN has described the Rohingya as the most persecuted community in the world.

Many countries have called for an end to the violence against the Rohingya, including Iran and Turkey.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Russia slams German minister for 'baseless' remarks

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 5:20AM

Russia's Defense Ministry has rebuked German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen for falsely claiming that Moscow planned to send more than 100,000 troops to take part in the upcoming joint military drills in Belarus.

Russia has said the exercises with Belarus, code-named "Zapad 2017" and scheduled for September 14 to 20, will involve about 12,700 Russian and Belarusian troops and are "purely defensive" in nature.

Von der Leyen, however, on Thursday claimed that the upcoming exercises would be a show of Russian might because "more than one hundred thousand" forces would be participating.

"Anyone who doubts that [it is a show of might] only has to look at the high numbers of participating forces in the Zapad exercise: more than one hundred thousand," she said.

Russia rejected those remarks on Saturday, saying that von der Leyen was misinforming the public.

"We are astonished by the statement made by Ms. von der Leyen, Germany's Federal Minister of Defense, publicly handling baseless figures that allegedly 100 thousand Russian troops engaged in the Zapad 2017 and threaten Europe," Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.

"The German side has timely received and does have comprehensive information of the concept, defensive nature, and true figure of the Russian troops engaged in the Zapad 2017 exercise," the major general said.

"It is hard to imagine that Ursula von der Leyen's colleagues from NATO, other competent German ministries or her own subordinates deliberately misled her," the statement said. "It is much easier to suppose the opposite."

An earlier statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry had said that Western countries sought to create a "hype" over the planned exercises and justify military buildups near Russian borders.

"The hype was fanned up artificially and is definitely meant to convince the Western public that the cost of deploying additional forward military presence in Poland and the Baltics and increased NATO military activity is justified," the Russian Foreign Ministry said last month.

Russia has criticized such a buildup as a threat to its national security.

In February, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, "NATO's expansion has led to an unprecedented level of tension over the last 30 years in Europe."

Western countries and their small allies in Eastern Europe have long brandished what they say is a Russian threat to justify military activities and preparations near Russia.

During a recent visit to an Estonian military base near the Russian border, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said the world today was increasingly dangerous because of, among other things, "a more assertive Russia."

"We have proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in North Korea, we have terrorists, instability, and we have a more assertive Russia. It is a more dangerous world," he said in an interview with The Guardian, which was published on Friday.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






U.K.'s Fallon Says Russian War Games Aimed At 'Provoking' West

RFE/RL September 10, 2017

British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon has said Russia's upcoming military maneuvers with Belarus are aimed at "provoking" NATO and "testing" its defenses.

"Russia is testing us and testing us now at every opportunity," Fallon said on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on September 10. "We're seeing a more aggressive Russia. We have to deal with that."

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.

Russia and Belarus say the Zapad (West) 2017 exercises, which are set to be held in Belarus and parts of western Russia on September 14-20, will involve about 12,700 troops.

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 charges that Western concerns about the exercises are unfounded, saying the war games will be defensive and pose no threat to Russia's neighbors, NATO, or the West.

"This is [Russia's] biggest exercise I think for four years -- over 100,000 Russian and Belarusian troops ... on NATO's borders," Fallon said. "This is designed to provoke us, it's designed to test our defenses, and that's why we have to be strong."

NATO says it will send three observers to Belarus and Russia to monitor Zapad 2017, but it has repeatedly called on the two countries to allow broader monitoring of the drills.

The alliance's secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, called on Russia to be "fully transparent," telling the BBC on September 10 that Russia has a history of "under-reporting" the number of troops in its exercises and "using loopholes in international agreements to avoid international observation."

"We have seen before that Russia has used big military exercises as a disguise or a precursor for aggressive military actions against their neighbors," Stoltenberg also said. "That happened in Georgia in 2008 when they invaded Georgia, and it happened in Crimea in 2014 when they illegally annexed [Ukraine's] Crimea [region]."

Speaking on September 7 in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, the French and German defense ministers condemned the Zapad 2017 exercises, saying Moscow is seeking to show off military might on the borders of the EU and NATO.

"It is particularly important in this context that we reaffirm our presence in the face of...this demonstration the Russians are making which is a strategy of intimidation," France's Defense Minister Florence Parly said.

"It is undisputed that we see a demonstration of capabilities and power of the Russians," German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said. "Anyone who doubts that only has to look at the high numbers of the participating forces in the Zapad exercise: more than 100,000."

The Russian Defense Ministry said on September 9 that it was "bewildered by the statements of Ursula von der Leyen, publicly talking through her hat and making arbitrary allegations about 100,000 Russian troops ...and about hidden threats to Europe."

On September 7, the ministry said that Russia's Armed Forces General Staff chief Valery Gerasimov used a meeting in Azerbaijan with the chairman of the NATO military committee, Petr Pavel, to reassure him about the war games.

Gerasimov told Pavel that the joint exercises with Belarus were "long-planned and defensive" and "not aimed against any third country," a statement carried by Russian news agencies said.

NATO said the September 7 meeting in Baku "demonstrates a clear mutual interest to maintain the military lines of communication," but did not give any details on what was discussed.

Russia holds the Zapad exercises every four years, rotating them with drills in three other parts of the country.

Belarus borders NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, as well as Ukraine. The area the upcoming 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 in NATO nations, particularly former Soviet republics or Warsaw Pact satellites of the Soviet Union.

Russia occupied and seized the Crimean Peninsula in March 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, deploying four multinational battle-groups in the three Baltic states and Poland -- totaling approximately 4,500 troops.

With reporting by Bloomberg, AFP, and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-zapad-fallon- west-provocation/28727305.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Know Your Enemy: Russian War Games Expected To Yield Valuable Insight For Western Watchers

Mike Eckel September 10, 2017

WASHINGTON -- When thousands of Russian troops wheeled and maneuvered through the steppes of southern Siberia two years ago, as part of massive military exercises known as Tsentr, Western experts spotted something unusual.

Amid Defense Ministry orders for tank brigades, paratrooper battalions, motorized rifle divisions, and railroad cars carrying howitzers, there were orders for the federal fisheries agency.

"And I wondered, 'What the hell is the fisheries ministry doing?'" recalls Johan Norberg, senior military analyst at the Swedish Defense Research Agency. The eventual conclusion, he says, was that the Russian fisheries fleet was seen by military planners as an intelligence asset, playing a small role in national defense.

It's an example offering a small window into not only how Russian commanders approach large-scale military games. It's also the kind of insight that Western analysts hope to gain beginning next week when one of the largest exercises Moscow has conducted on its western borders since the Cold War get under way: a real-world, real-time glimpse at what Russia's military is truly capable of, after years of institutional reforms.

The Zapad drills, taking place in Belarus and the regions east of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and formally kicking off on September 14, are the first to be held in close proximity to NATO member countries since Russia seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

For that and many other reasons, they are giving heartburn to NATO allies from the Baltic to the Black Sea, with some observers predicting that the number of participating personnel could exceed 100,000, along with tanks, artillery units, aircraft, and other equipment.

Midterm Exam

Though few, if any, Western planners anticipate any outbreak of hostilities with Russia, NATO states have taken steps to reassure their populaces and to show they are taking the Russians seriously. U.S. Air Force fighter jets are now patrolling Baltic airspace; Poland is closing its airspace near Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad; and four NATO battle groups, featuring 4,500 troops, are on alert in the Baltics and Poland.

That said, as much as anything, the Zapad exercises serve as a midterm exam for Russian armed forces and military planners, a measure of reforms made over the past decade.

"The exercise is actually a very good opportunity for us to...get a better sense of what the Russian military is actually capable of: how it can handle logistics, move different units, or, in an operation, exercise command and control over combined armed formations in the Baltic theater, which is the one we're principally concerned with, right?" says Michael Kofman, a senior research scientist at CNA Corporation and a fellow at the Kennan Institute in Washington.

"This one is a lot more interesting to us because we don't plan on fighting Russia in Central Asia," Kofman says.

Preparations have been ongoing for weeks, with large numbers of railroad cars shipping heavy weaponry and vehicles into Belarus and civilians mobilized at some large state-owned enterprises in Kaliningrad and elsewhere.

"As we've seen before, Russians train exactly as they intend to fight," Kristjan Prikk, undersecretary for policy at the Estonian Defense Ministry, said during a July event at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank. "Thus, Zapad will give ample information on their military development and certainly on their political thinking, as it is right now."

Structural Reforms

In 2008, when Russia invaded its former Soviet neighbor Georgia, its armed forces easily overcame Georgia's defenses and some of its U.S.-trained personnel, but the five-day war showcased significant weaknesses. For example, some Russian officers were reportedly unable to communicate with others over existing radio frequencies and were forced to use regular mobile phones. Russian surveillance drones performed poorly.

Other reforms already under way at the time included a shift from the Soviet military structure, organized around divisions, to a smaller brigade structure and the increased use of contract, rather than conscripted, soldiers.

Reforms also included a substantial increase in defense budgets, something made possible by high world oil prices that stuffed Russia's coffers. A 10-year plan to upgrade weaponry and other equipment originally called for Russia to spend $650 billion between 2011 and 2020, according to NATO figures, though Western sanctions, plummeting oil prices, and the economic downturn in 2015-16 are believed to have slowed some purchases.

"They've had now, say, eight or nine years with plenty of money and the willingness to train, and they have a new organization that they want to test," Norberg says.

While the Defense Ministry conducts a cycle of exercises roughly every year, alternating among four of the country's primary military districts, Western analysts got a surprise lesson in early 2014 when Russian special forces helped lead a stealth invasion of Crimea and paved the way for the Black Sea region's illegal annexation by Moscow in March.

Real-World Laboratory

That, plus the outbreak of fighting in eastern Ukraine in the following months, offered a real-world laboratory for testing new tactics and equipment for Russian forces, including new drones, some manufactured with help from Israeli firms.

The Crimea invasion was preceded by the months of civil unrest in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, which culminated in deadly violence and the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych.

For many Kremlin and defense thinkers, that was just the latest in a series of popular uprisings, fomented by Western governments, that toppled regimes and governments stretching back to Georgia in 2003 and lasting through the Arab Spring beginning in 2010.

The scenario that Russian and Belarusian commanders have announced ahead of Zapad 2017 hints at that thinking: The theoretical adversary is one seeking to undermine the government in Minsk and set up a separatist government in western Belarus.

Inside Russia, the thinking that NATO and Western governments used the popular uprisings as a strategy led to the reorganization of internal security forces, such as riot police and Interior Ministry special troops into a specialized National Guard under the command of President Vladimir Putin's former bodyguard. Some parts of that force, whose overall numbers are estimated at 180,000, are expected to participate in the Zapad exercises.

That, Kofman says, should yield insight into "how Russia will mobilize and deploy internal security forces to suppress protest and instability...basically how the regime will protect itself and defend itself against popular unrest."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zapad-war-games- valuable-insight-western-observers- russia-belarus/28727052.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Syrian army, allies retake control over Dayr al-Zawr power station

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 1:21PM

Syrian army soldiers, backed by allied fighters from popular defense groups, have managed to regain full control over a power station in Dayr al-Zawr as they push to drive the Daesh Takfiri terrorists out of the strategic eastern city.

Syrian government forces and their allies recaptured the facility, which lies west of Dayr al-Zawr air base, on Sunday following intense clashes with Daesh militants, pro-government and Arabic-language al-Masdar news agency reported.

Moreover, Syrian soldiers managed to wrest control over the highway linking Dayr al-Zawr to the city of Sukhnah, and advanced on the Brigade 137 base as well as al-Panorama district. Scores of Daesh terrorists were killed and injured during the operations and their military hardware destroyed.

Syrian army units also tightened the noose around scores of Daesh terrorists on the outskirts of al-Taim oil field, killing and injuring many of them.

The developments came only a day after Syrian army troops and pro-government fighters managed to break a nearly three-year siege imposed by Daesh Takfiris on Dayr al-Zawr air base.

Syrian government forces and their allies had launched a new push on Friday towards the besieged military airport, as part of a multi-pronged offensive to retake the entire Dayr al-Zawr, located 450 kilometers northeast of the capital Damascus, from Daesh extremists.

At least 40 trucks carrying basic commodities such as fuel, food and medical supplies for civilians, in addition to two mobile clinics, arrived in Dayr al-Zawr on Thursday, only two days after Syrian army forces and fighters from popular defense groups reached the eastern city and breached the Daesh siege.

Daesh overran large parts of Dayr al-Zawr province, including its many oil fields, in mid-2014 as it seized swathes of land in Syria and neighboring Iraq.

By early 2015, the Takfiri terrorists were in control of some parts of Dayr al-Zawr city and besieged the remaining parts, which were under government control. It is estimated that 100,000 people remain in the government-held parts of the city.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that more than 10,000 people may be living in the Daesh-held parts of Dayr al-Zawr.

Meanwhile, in the central province of Homs, Syrian soldiers regained control over the villages of Rahhoum, Abu Hawadid, and al-Fao Shawish in the the eastern part of the province.

US-led airstrikes kill over dozen in eastern Syria

In a separate development on Sunday, more than a dozen people were killed when the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group conducted a series of aerial assaults on the eastern Syrian city of Abu Kamal near the border with Iraq.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 18 people, mostly civilians, lost their lives when the attacks struck a Daesh-run detention center.

The US-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes against what are said to be Daesh targets inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate.

The military alliance has repeatedly been accused of targeting and killing civilians. It has also been largely incapable of fulfilling its declared objective of destroying Daesh.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Deir Ez-Zor Residents Celebrate Third Major Victory Within Week

Sputnik News

22:18 10.09.2017(updated 00:41 11.09.2017)

The residents of Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor are greeting the 5th corps of the Syrian army with flags and portraits of the country's President Bashar Assad after they overran the positions of Daesh at the main southern entrance to the city, a Sputnik correspondent reported Sunday, adding that it is a third major victory within a week.

DEIR EZ-ZOR (Sputnik)  According to the correspondent, Syrian government troops and their allies have been marching to Deir ez-Zor along the main road from the city of Palmyra via the town of As Sukhnah.

Last week, the road was mined and the area was under control of Daesh militants.

On Tuesday, the Syrian troops broke the blockade to the west of the city in the area where the 137th mechanized brigade was located. The lifting of the blockade in the west of the city allowed civilians to receive humanitarian aid from the Syrian government and International Committees of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

On Saturday, the Syrian army supported by Russian Aerospace Forces broke the siege of the airfield, which had kept more than 1,000 of Syrian troops locked in since January.

The residents congratulated each other on the victory until late night waiting for the arrival of servicemen from the airfield.

According to Deir ez-Zor's governor, with the opening of land communication line, the convoys with food and fuel would arrive in the city on a daily basis.

The operation to clear the province from terrorists is still underway.

Daesh had been maintaining the blockade of Deir ez-Zor since 2014, with food and other supplies could only be delivered by helicopters. The terrorist group also gained control over a large part of the province of Deir ez-Zor and cut off roads to government-held districts.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Syrian Army Breaks Through Daesh Lines at Southern Entrance to Deir Ez-Zor

Sputnik News

13:55 10.09.2017(updated 17:09 10.09.2017)

The Syrian Armed Forces have managed to overrun the positions of the Daesh terrorist group at the main southern entrance to the city of Deir Ez-Zor and joined the troops that were inside the besieged city, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

DEIR EZ-ZOR (Syria) (Sputnik)  The troops met at the state highway near the main southern gate of the city.

An operation to clear the area around the air base located east of Deir Ez-Zor from Daesh terrorists was kicked off earlier in the day.

Elite forces of the Syrian army launched an offensive from the north of the airbase, destroying Daesh's fortifications and equipment. At the same time, other units and allied forces have moved to the southern border of the city.

The development comes after a vanguard unit of Syrian forces with Russian air support broke on Saturday the siege of the airfield, where 1,000 Syrian troops have been pinned down since January this year. The Russian Defense Ministry called the breakthrough the biggest victory over Daesh militants in Syria in three years.

On Tuesday, the Syrian Armed Forces had another major breakthrough in the vicinity of Deir Ez-Zor. They lifted the blockade in the west of the city paving the way for further advancement to the airbase.

Syria has been in the grip of a civil war for over six years. Government forces are fighting against Syrian opposition groups, who strive to overthrow President Bashar Assad, as well as numerous extremist and terrorist groups, such as Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al Sham, which are both outlawed in Russia.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Syrian Armed Forces Clearing Area Around Deir Ez-Zor Airfield From Daesh

Sputnik News

11:56 10.09.2017(updated 16:36 10.09.2017)

According to reports, Syria's Armed Forces and the Republican Guard began clearing the area around the airfield in the east of the Syrian city of Deir Ez-Zor from Daesh terrorists.

DEIR EZ-ZOR (Sputnik)  Servicemen with the Syrian Armed Forces' elite Tiger Forces and Republican Guard on Sunday began clearing the area around the airfield in the east of the Syrian city of Deir Ez-Zor of jihadist militants from the internationally-condemned terrorist group Daesh (ISIS), a Sputnik correspondent reported.

The troops in the vanguard are destroying fortifications and equipment, and attacking militants to the north of the airbase. At the same time, other units and allied forces have moved to the southern border of the city.

On Saturday, a vanguard unit broke the siege of the airfield, where 1,000 Syrian troops have been pinned down since January this year.

The lifting of the blockade in the west of the city helped the Syrian Armed Forces move further, as they were able to bring in supplies.

On Tuesday, the Syrian army brought an end to the three-year terrorist siege of Deir ez-Zor. According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the efforts of the Syrian government forces were backed by Russian airstrikes and cruise missile strikes.

Syria has been in the grip of a civil war for over six years. Government forces are fighting against Syrian opposition groups, who strive to overthrow President Bashar Assad, as well as numerous extremist and terrorist groups, such as the Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al Sham, which are also outlawed in Russia.

 Sputnik

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Saakashvili Defies Border Blockade To Force Entry Into Ukraine

RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service September 10, 2017

Mikheil Saakashvili, the ex-president of Georgia and former governor of Ukraine's Odesa region, has forced entry into Ukraine, helped by hundreds of his supporters.

The incident occurred on September 10 at the Medyka-Shehyni crossing point on the border between Poland and Ukraine following a day of drama and repeatedly changing plans.

Saakashvili -- formerly Georgian, then Ukrainian  has been a stateless person since President Petro Poroshenko stripped him of his Ukrainian citizenship in July.

The former Georgian president, who has vowed to return to Ukraine to challenge the revocation of his Ukrainian citizenship and to reenter politics, now runs the risk of being arrested on the grounds that he illegally entered Ukraine. He is also wanted in Georgia on criminal charges, which he claims are politically motivated.

Saakashvili was allowed to pass through the Polish checkpoint at Medyka, before a line of border guards tried to block his approach to the Ukrainian side.

But Saakashvili, surrounded by a crowd of supporters, broke through the line before proceeding toward the small town of Shehyni on foot amid shouts of "victory" and "glory to Ukraine."

Saakashvili then traveled by car to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, where supporters greeted him on his arrival, AFP news agency reported.

"I want to thank everyone, all our heroes, all those people, all the veterans, all the lawmakers who have helped us," Saakashvili said after crossing. "We had absolutely peaceful intentions. You saw how they provoked you. You saw how they incited the violence."

Police, Border Guards 'Injured'

Oleh Slobodyan, a spokesman for the Ukrainian border service, wrote on Facebook that a crowd "broke through" the checkpoint and that a fight broke out with the border guards.

"It's hard to predict the consequences of this situation," he added.

A statement by the border service said several police and border guards were injured in the clash.

Saakashvili and his supporters, including former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, had earlier tried to travel to the Ukrainian city of Lviv on a train, but it was held up in the Polish city of Przemysl for hours until he got off and traveled by bus to the Medyka-Shehyni border crossing.

An announcement made for passengers on the Ukrainian-operated train said the National Police of Ukraine had informed the rail service that "a person without a permit to enter Ukrainian territory" was on board. The announcement said, "in accordance with Ukraine's legislation, the train will move on as soon as that person leaves the train."

However, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry tweeted that the Ukrainian police had "no relation to the movement of the Intercity train."

'Existential Threat'

Speaking to reporters in Rzeszow, the 49-year-old Saakashvili said that Poroshenko's actions, "the way how he mobilized the whole of the state apparatus" against him, "means that he feels some existential threat" from the former Georgian president.

"It looks like [Poroshenko] is getting rid of a political opponent. No matter how many times he says that I am not a danger [to] him, every action of his shows exactly the opposite -- that he regards me as a great and immediate danger," Saakashvili also said.

Saakashvili had initially intended to travel through the Krakovets border crossing where hundreds of supporters of his Movement of the New Forces party had gathered. But he changed his plans because of concerns that "provocateurs" could cause trouble at the crossing point.

An RFE/RL correspondent at the border reports that Ukrainian police on September 10 detained about 40 Ukrainian men wearing camouflage military uniforms who allegedly were "hired" to disrupt events marking Saakashvili's attempted return.

A topless woman protester affiliated with the Ukrainian feminist group Femen was also arrested.

Georgia's government is seeking Saakashvili's arrest and extradition on allegations that he misappropriated property and abused his powers when he was president of his native Georgia from 2004 to 2013.

Saakashvili denies the allegations and says Georgia's extradition request was made on behalf of "oligarchs" who fear his presence in Ukraine.

After leaving Georgia for self-imposed exile in the United States in 2013, Saakashvili went to Ukraine in 2015 to work for the country's pro-Western authorities as governor of the Odesa region.

He lost his Georgian citizenship when he was granted a Ukrainian passport in 2015 because Georgia does not allow dual citizenship.

Saakashvili quit the post of Odesa's regional governor in November 2016 after falling out with Poroshenko.

Saakashvili had earlier said he would present his Ukrainian passport to Ukrainian border officials on September 10, along with other "legal documents," in his attempt to enter the country.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, AFP, UNIAN, Reuters, AP, and TASS

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukriane-saakashvili- return-krakovets-citizenship/28726741.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Georgia's Saakashvili Forces His Way Into Ukraine

By VOA News September 10, 2017

Mikheil Saakashvili, the former president of Georgia and later a Ukrainian citizen, crossed from Poland into Ukraine in a crowd of his supporters Sunday.

Saakashvili has been stateless since his former mentor, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, stripped him of Ukrainian citizenship two months ago. He is wanted in Georgia on charges related to his political career there, and Tbilisi has asked the Kyiv government to extradite him, but it is not clear whether the request will be honored.

Saakashvili said he wanted to return to Ukraine to contest Poroshenko's action stripping him of his citizenship while he was out of the country. Ukrainian authorities in the border region tried to block Saakashvili's return - first by train, then by bus - but then he walked across the Ukrainian border at Shehyni in the midst of a crowd of his supporters.

The Ukrainian border service said in a Facebook post that the crowd broke through a checkpoint and that fighting broke out when guards tried to block Saakashvili's supporters. Those who accompanied the former Georgia leader included former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Also with Saakashvili was Mustafa Nayyem, who was active in protests in Ukraine in 2013-14 that drove then pro-Russia president, Viktor Yanukovych, out of the country. Saakashvili was a strong supporter of those protests and later was a staunch ally of Poroshenko, but more recently he has opposed the current administration in Kyiv, accusing Poroshenko and others of contributing to widespread corruption.

Later Sunday in Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine, about 80 kilometers from the Polish border, Saakashvili said the border crossing took place "according to all legal procedures," and promised to defend anyone who accompanied him from threatened criminal charges. Government officials at the border said 17 police and guards were injured during the confrontation with Saakashvili's supporters.

After leaving Georgia, where he led the Rose Revolution in 2003 that toppled then president Eduard Shevardnadze, Saakashvili wound up in Ukraine, where President Poroshenko appointed him governor of the Odessa Oblast (region) in May 2015. He served for 18 months before the political split with Poroshenko that led to his present circumstances. He has been known as a pro-Western, pro-NATO political leader in both Georgia and Ukraine.

Georgia has pursued Saakashvili on criminal charges of abuse of power and misappropriation of property. The former Georgian president, who left office after two terms, contends those claims are politically motivated. He forfeited his Georgian citizenship when he accepted Poroshenko's welcome to Ukraine and the post as Odessa governor two years ago.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






Trump wants smaller, more precise nukes: Report

Iran Press TV

Sun Sep 10, 2017 3:10PM

US President Donald Trump is dreaming about developing an arsenal of smaller, more precise nuclear weapons that would cause less damage than the traditional thermonuclear weapons, according to the latest leaks coming out of a panel he has put together to review the US military's nuclear capabilities.

During his first week at the White House, Trump ordered the high-level panel to explore the available options for adding a more modern "low-yield" bomb to the Pentagon's inventory that could provide commanders with more options, Politico reported Saturday, citing sources affiliated with the review.

The plan was to boost Washington's deterrence in the wake of new threats supposedly coming from Russia and North Korea, the report added.

The [nuclear review] has to credibly ask the military what they need to deter enemies," said one unknown government official familiar with the yearlong evaluation, dubbed Nuclear Posture Review. "Are [current weapons] going to be useful in all the scenarios we see?"

Although the idea of miniaturizing nuclear weapons is not particularly new and can be traced back to Cold War, the fact that Trump is seeking a modern version of the deadly weapons amid an already costly upgrade program is likely to prompt a fierce debate in Congress, which should ultimately fund it.

Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have already expressed concern about Trump's reliability with the country's so-called nuclear codes.

When an standoff between the US and North Korea over Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile tests reached its peak last month, Trump alarmed security officials by threatening the North with "fire and fury the likes of which the world has never seen."

The off-script threat was so damaging that Pentagon chief James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had to clarify the statement on several occasions in order to de-escalate.

Steven Andreasen, a State Department official in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, told Politico that a new nuclear weapon "will send exactly the wrong signal" amid international efforts towards nuclear disarmament.

The news comes weeks after the Pentagon's announcement of two new contracts to upgrade the US Air Force's decades-old intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as well as its nuclear-capable cruise missiles.

Besides land-based ICBMs, the US nuclear triad features a relatively large number of ageing nuclear bombers and submarines in need of modernization.

The Pentagon says it needs $350 billion to upgrade the whole triad along with America's 7,000 nuclear warheads. Experts have put the upgrade's final cost at around $1 trillion.

NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address






IRMA DOWNS TREES, KNOCKS OUT POWER, CLOSES SCHOOLS

Utility crews staged on Spartanburg Highway to deploy to areas for restoring power.

The remains of Hurricane Irma brought heavy rain, knocked out power to nearly 5,400 customers and forced administrators to call of school for a second straight day early Tuesday.

Related Stories

Duke Energy reported 5,385 outages in 140 locations in Henderson County at 7 a.m.

"Due to power outages across the county, reports of downed trees and power lines, and unsafe travel conditions, schools will be closed for students today," the Henderson County school system said. "It will be an Optional Teacher Workday; staff are advised to exercise caution and err on the side of safety."



EARLIER COVERAGE:

First responders were prepared for high winds and heavy rain starting about mid-day Monday as the remnants of Irma passed to the west.Henderson Countys emergency management office and the Red Cross opened a shelter Sunday night at East Henderson High School and had six evacuees stay at the facility, said Emergency Management Director Jimmy Brissie.

Weve started seeing outer bands of rain from Irma, he said. The weather service is saying mid-day is when we should see winds start to pick up. We could see heavy rain. Wind wise well have winds up to 35 sustained with occasional gusts of 35 to 50 mph and 60 to 70 in higher elevation.

Were under a high wind warning and theyve got us in a flash flood watch. Some areas could see 4 to 6 inches of rain up to 8 inches on east and south facing slopes. Itll probably start midday through early morning hours.

Administrators called off school today on Sunday night. The regular School Board meeting was postponed from Monday to Tuesday night and the North Carolina Mountain State Fair was closed today.

Weve been working with all our fire departments, EMS and Rescue Squad to make sure they have extra staffing on hand to handle increased calls for service.

He urged residents to pay attention to the weather forecast.

I would encourage folks to use caution when traveling today. Pay attention to the weather report with the higher winds and heavy rain.

The Henderson County Incident Management Team, made up of Henderson County Emergency Services, Henderson County Sheriffs Office, local fire personnel, EMS, Henderson County Rescue Squad and other partners, also issued a checklist to prepare for the effects of Irma and warned people not to call 911 to ask about the weather or report a power outage.

Although the path of Irma is continuing to track to the west, gusty winds and heavy rain will occur in our area with the potential of flooding and power outages, the first responders said. Citizens are encouraged to make preparations in the event of power outages and limit travel during the inclement weather. Do not drive through flooded roadways or barricaded areas. Please check on neighbors, the elderly and those who may have special needs or circumstances to provide assistance. You should NOT call 911 to ask about road or weather conditions. (If you experience an outage, you can call Duke Energy at 800.POWERON (800.769.3766) or visit https://www.duke-energy.com/outages.)

Residents should:

 Stay tuned into local news stations for weather updates.

 Download the ReadyNC app in the app store. It is an all-in-one tool that gives information on weather conditions, traffic conditions, evacuations, shelters and more.

 Sign up for Nixle Emergency Text Alerts for local Henderson County emergency information. Text your zip code to 888777 to enroll.

 Follow local public safety organizations on social media.
Adv. Rabindra Ghosh, president of Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) which works for human rights of Hindus in Bangladesh, have informed us about the attack on Hindu temple in Manikgonj district of Bangladesh.

On 4 September, 5 jihadis attacked Hindu temple situated in the village of Solai Bangla and destroyed 10 idols of Hindu deities in Raksha Kali temple and Lokhnat temple. Shri. Lal Chand Rajbongshi, priest of the temple has lodged police complaint against attackers, but no one has been arrested yet.

This incident highlights the atrocities on Hindus and Hindu temples in Islamic Bangladesh. Attacks on Hindu temples by jihadis are going on from hundreds of years and fanatics in Bangladesh are following path of their ancestors. As all of us know that, in 1901 Hindu population was 33% in Bangladesh, which declined to 8.9 % in 2011 census. Also thousands of temples have been destroyed. The main reason behind this decline of Hindus is jihadi mentality of fanatics in Bangladesh.

Now Hindus expect that Indian govt should raise concern about such plight of Hindus with Bangladesh govt and ask them to ensure that such incidents should not happen in future.

As per various reports, 4 to 6 crore Bangladeshi illegal immigrants are living in India. Considering the anti-Hindu mentality of fanatics, one can imagine the grave situation that can arise in parts of India because of these immigrants. One recent example is attack on Mahagun Moderne society in Noida. Such incidents may reach your doorsteps anytime in near future, if proper steps are not taken immediately.

Hindus must introspect that how they would react on such occasions ? Will Hindus be able to protect themselves if jihadi fanatics attack them ? The solution to this problem is unity of Hindus and taking self-defense training which is allowed as per our Constitution.

What you can do ?

1. Ask Indian govt to take up issue of attacks on Hindus and temples in Bangladesh with Bangladesh Govt and ensure protection of Hindus. You can do so by submitting representations to administrative officers. You can send us photos and news report of this activity which can be published on HJS website. Our email ID is [email protected]

2. You can also make above demand through Twitter and email. You can post your tweets with hashtags like #BangladeshTempleAttacked and also tag us at @hindujagrutiorg

3. Indian Govt has decided to deport Rohingya Muslims from India. Now we should also compel Govt to deport all Bangladeshi illegal immigrants living in all parts of India.

4. In many states, local Govts have taken over lot of Hindu temples which include Tirupati temple, Guruvayur temple, Siddhivinayak temple, Shirdi Saibaba temple etc. Lot of corruption and misuse of temple wealth has been exposed, hence we should demand Central govt to enact law to free all Hindu temples from the clutches of state govt
Wischermann Partners is thrilled to announce the appointment of Theresia Kelly as Director of Spa at The Westin Jackson, which opened in August. With more than 18 years of experience in the spa industry, Kelly will oversee all aspects of Soul Spas management and help the spa reinforce The Westin Jacksons mission to boost travel and tourism in downtown Jackson and transform every guests stay into a revitalizing experience. There isnt a better person than Theresia Kelly to lead our new spa on property in Jackson, said Mike Burton, General Manager of the Westin Jackson. With her dedication to wellness and healthful lifestyle, along with her commitment to excellence in providing thoughtful and progressive leadership, Kelly will lead the new spa team to ensure every guests spa experience is relaxing, memorable and thoughtful. Welcoming both hotel guests and Jackson locals, Kelly will oversee the new one-of-a-kind destination in the city. An oasis of beauty and tranquillity and the only ESPA partner in the state of Mississippi, Soul Spa offers guests the highest quality services, including massages, facials, body treatments and nail services, within a modern and sophisticated urban setting. Soul Spa consists of seven treatment rooms, manicure and pedicure stations adjacent to the reception area, sauna, experience showers and an outdoor courtyard with a whirlpool. The spa is partnered with United Kingdom-based ESPA to carry their premier product line, and is the only ESPA provider in Jackson. Having extensive experience in luxury spas, resort spas and medical spas, Kelly opened the Wellness Store and Day Spa in Rhode Island in 1999, which she expanded to three locations in historic Wickford Village, Newport and Barrington. As a result of this achievement, she was rewarded Best New Health and Beauty Store by Rhode Island Monthly magazine. Kelly has also personally offered education classes in wellness and lifestyle, yoga instruction and healthful lifestyle consultations, going on to be a spa educator throughout the entire Northeastern region of the United States. Born and raised in the historic town of Heidelberg, Germany, Kelly moved to the United States to attend the Eastern Oregon University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology in 1993.
Lodging Interactive, an award winning digital marketing and social media engagement agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry, today announced its End of Summer website sale program. Through the program Lodging Interactive will credit full service customers for the cost of developing their new website, essentially providing customers with a free website.

"Hoteliers realize that ongoing budgeting and investment is required in order to keep their websites competitive and with End of Summer website sale program they can be assured they have a budget for future website enhancements and development," said DJ Vallauri, Lodging Interactive's Founder and President. "Every new full-service customer will receive a credit for every dollar spent on their new website which can be used to further enhance and update their website in the future."

To be eligible for the website credit, new hotel customers must enter into a full-service agreement with Lodging Interactive before November 1, 2017. For example, if a hotel spends $15,000 on a new website, Lodging Interactive will provide a $15,000 credit to be used for future website enhancements or a website redesign.

For more information on Lodging Interactive's End of Summer website sale program please visit LodgingInteractive.com or call 877-291-4411 Ext 701.

About Lodging Interactive

Since 2001 Lodging Interactive has been a leading provider of digital marketing services to the hospitality industry. Customers include select service, full-service branded properties, and independent luxury hotels and resorts worldwide.

Lodging Interactive is the parent company of CoMMingle, the Company's social media marketing and reputation management division which serves hundreds of hotels, restaurants, spas, and management companies.

The Company also provides subscription-based website development and digital marketing services through its HotelSiteXPRESS offering. The service is based on a "pay-as-you-go' model and requires no capital investment on the part of the hotel.

Lodging Interactive is an HSMAI Adrian Award winner and has won awards from the International Academy of Visual Arts, Interactive Media Awards, Horizon Interactive Awards, Web Marketing Association, Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, and Travel Weekly's Magellan Awards have recognized Lodging Interactive as an industry leader.

For more information, please contact [email protected], 877-291-4411 ext. 704, or visit the company's website LodgingInteractive.com.

DJ Vallauri

President & Founder

+1 877 291 4411
Ibis Styles, the Accor operated brand that bills itself as friendly, upbeat and idiosyncratic, appealing to a broad spectrum of clients, including the millennial market, has opened the doors of its first hotel in the United States of America. Situated close to New York City's La Guardia airport, the Ibis Styles New York La Guardia Airport is actually located in a former airport hotel building, but has been renovated employing the signature branding and comfort that makes Ibis a trusted name in mid-range lodgings.

The 93-key property is the newest addition to the brand's existing portfolio of nearly 340 Ibis Styles hotels worldwide, with the brand being found in more than 30 countries internationally. Ibis Budget is the group's brand that offers rooms at a lower price point, and they operate over 560 hotels around the globe. This particularly property takes its cues from local design and infrastructure, namely the iconic signage and branding of the New York subway system. This influence gives the airport property a connection through transport to both the city and the airport itself, while at the same time adding colour and a definite identity to the hotel. The common areas are decorated with neon strip lighting which emulates the subway lines on maps, and brightly coloured recesses in blue, red, yellow and green appear as terminating points, or maybe stations, that double as shelving and convey a sense of playfulness that the hotels strive to achieve. The walls of the guest rooms are covered in illustrations of cities and subway maps, and each room has a 26-inch TV screen, free wifi, a desk and guests can avail of the hotel's buffet, which serves street-food inspired cuisine.

Ibis Styles has the following projects currenty in the pipeline:

Ibis Styles Glasgow Centre West

The site is currently disused offices on Waterloo Street, Glasgow and will undergo a major redevelopment over the coming months [READ MORE]

Ibis Styles Bangkok Phra Khanong

A new 25-story Ibis Styles is planned in Khet Wattana, Bangkok [READ MORE]

Ibis Styles Vienna

A former bureau building in Vienna will be converted to an Ibis Styles Hotel, which will be ideally situated next to the Praterbrucke and near the Donaukanal [READ MORE]

More information on Ibis Styles can be found on TOPHOTELPROJECTS, the specialized service provider in the exchange of cutting-edge information of hotel construction in the international hospitality industry.

Jule Grass

Marketing Manager

+49 4261 4140 309

TOPHOTELPROJECTS
HENDERSONVILLE, TennesseeThe U.S. hotel industry reported positive year-over-year results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 27 August through 2 September 2017, according to data from STR.

In comparison with the week of 28 August through 3 September 2016, the industry recorded the following:

Occupancy: +2.2% to 65.9%

Average daily rate (ADR): +2.1% to US$121.76

Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +4.3% to US$80.22

Among the Top 25 Markets, Houston, Texas, reported the largest year-over-year increases in occupancy (+23.4% to 69.1%) and RevPAR (+29.8% to US$70.13). ADR in the market rose 5.2% to US$101.44. STR will release a detailed analysis on Hurricane Harvey's impact on hotel performance early next week.

Six additional markets experienced a double-digit lift in RevPAR for the week, led by San Francisco/San Mateo, California (+16.8% to US$183.90).

Atlanta, Georgia, posted the largest increase in ADR (+9.3% to US$118.31).

Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia, experienced the only other double-digit increase in occupancy (+10.9% to 64.7%).

New Orleans, Louisiana, reported the only double-digit decreases in occupancy (-24.3% to 45.6%) and RevPAR (-22.5% to US$53.02).

Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia,reported the largest decline in ADR (-2.9% to US$121.10).

About STR

STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for the global hospitality industry. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 15 countries with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, an international headquarters in London, and an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. STR was acquired in October 2019 by CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP), the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. For more information, please visit str.com and costargroup.com.

Jeff Higley (STR)

VP, Digital Media & Communications

+1 (615) 824-8664 ext. 3318

STR
Its been sixteen years since the September 11th terrorist attacks occurred in New York, but the families of those who passed have been forever changed. Today, the dead are remembered by the ones they left behind, and over one thousand family members, survivors, and rescuers congregated at the World Trade Center for a memorial service. The ceremony was said to have begun with a moment of silence, and afterward, relatives of the deceased began to read off a list of each of the three thousand victims lost in the attack.

While America hasnt exactly been a united front as of late, many in attendance felt that the country could draw strength from the experience. A woman named Magaly Lemagne implored for unity, telling NBC News stating how Our country came together that day. And it did not matter what color you were, or where you were fromMaybe then we can put away our disagreements and become one country again.

The harrowing day was a traumatic incident in American history, when terrorist piloted planes struck the World Trade Center, and kicked off the oft-debated war on terror, the effects of which are still being felt today. Former President Barack Obama tweeted a statement in commemoration, and while President Trump was uncharacteristically quiet on Twitter, he did make a statement at the memorial service:

While September 11th holds a wide spectrum of significance for many different people, the day also marks a few hip-hop milestones. Jay-Zs classic The Blueprint actually came out on September 11th, 2001, and both Kanye Wests Graduation and 50 Cents Curtis went head-to-head September 11th, 2007. The day also marks Ludacris birthday, so happy birthday Luda!

In honor of the tragedy, take a second to pay some respect to those who lost their lives, and the brave men and women who stepped up to make a difference.

9/11 Memorial
Outkast rapper Andre 3000 may have retired from the rap game (or so he says), but that doesnt mean his career in show business is coming to a grinding halt. According to Variety, the multi-talented entertainer is set to star alongside some big Hollywood names in an upcoming science fiction film tentatively titled High Life. While its a name perhaps better suited for the eventual big screen adaptation of Snoop Doggs career, by the sound of things, this should be quite the interesting project to see once its completed.

The film will reportedly revolve around convicts who reduce the amount of time they spend locked up by signing on to be part of a dangerous mission to a black hole. Robert Pattinson and Mia Goth will be the two leads, starring alongside the likes of Lars Eidinger (Clouds of Sils Maria), Agata Buzek (Redemption), Ewan Mitchell (The Last Kingdom), Jessie Ross (The Frankenstein Chronicles) and Claire Tran (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets). Veteran actress Juliette Binoche, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work in The English Patient, has also been added to the cast.

The movie will be directed by Claire Denis, a French filmmaker who will be making her English-language feature debut. Principal photography will go down in Cologne, Germany. Andrew Lauren Productions (ALP), the entity financing the film, is excited about the pieces that have been assembled to work on the project, especially Denis. It is a rare honor to work with Claire Denis, he said in a statement. She has put together an incredible cast for what is not only her first English language feature but also her first sci-fi film after making 12 visionary films in French. This is also our first international co-production and we are committed to working with our partners to make Claires film a reality.

As for Andre 3000, this will be his first big-screen venture since his starring role in the Jimi Hendrix biopic Jimi: All Is By My Side. He also had a critically acclaimed run on ABCs now-cancelled series American Crime. High Life doesnt have a release date scheduled as of yet.

Andre 3000
Just last week, Kid Ink revealed that his EP 7 Series would be receiving several other installments to follow it. While the EP dropped in May, we still havent received any more information on that. However, that doesnt mean he doesnt have more music in the cut. Today, he drops his brand new single Bad Habits.

Over the course of the years, Kid Ink has shown that he isnt a one trick pony. He finds himself balancing both rap and R&B very well while not necessarily needing to blend the two together. As hes capable of dropping some heavy hitting bangers, hes just as capable of dropping some sultry R&B tunes, which is exactly what Bad Habit is. Kid Ink puts his heart on his sleeve with this single. He compares the relationship he has with a woman to relapsing. While hes aware that the woman hes with isnt right for him, hell still keep going back to her with hopes that shell take him back.

Ink joins forces with R&B producer, Bizness Boi who had a major role on the production side of PARTYNEXTDOORs P3 album in 2016. While its no doubt that the collaborative effort between Bizness Boi and PND work well together, Bad Habit finds proves a strong chemistry between himself and Kid Ink as well.

Kid Ink has spent the majority of this year pumping out visuals and dropping loose singles as well as releasing his 7 Series EP which included the 2 Chainz assisted Swish. Hes also found himself working with some overseas forces this past year as well. He recently featured on Swedish DJ duo Axwell & Ingrosso single I Love You. He also worked with British girl group Little Mix on their record Touch this year.

Bad Habits is another strong single that Kid Ink has under his belt.

Quotable Lyrics

I know you got choices all in your DM

Brand new niggas trying to be your new friend

I got what you like

Until you find something brand new
Its a good time to be a Tory Lanez fan. First, the Toronto rapper ended up squashing his feud with Drizzy, uniting two of the 6s best and brightest in one fell swoop. Next, the Tory began releasing PSA, a cinematic documentary chronicling his North American tour, which was an exciting and informative watch for any Lanez fan. In August, Lanez announced that his upcoming album was finished, but ultimately gave us little else about the projects sonic direction. However, it would appear that we might not have to wait much longer to find out what the young artist is cooking.

In a recent Tweet, Tory announced that music from his upcoming album would drop on Friday, September 22nd. The nature of the tweet was hella ambiguous; music could refer to a single, a few singles, or the entire project. With an artist like Tory, you never know what youre going to get.

The SWAVEY Canadian will no doubt deliver something dope, and it stands to reason that some more concrete album release info will soon follow. Even if it doesnt, fans will be able to assuage their release date anxieties by bumping some new fire from Tory Lanez. If you simply cannot wait that long to hear the mans dulcet tones, you can check out his recent work on the new Busta Rhymes single Girlfriend, or his appearance on Zs pop-friendly anthem Special 4 You.

Stay tuned for September 22nd, where Tory will join the likes of Young Thug & DJ Carnage, Macklemore & Smokepurpp in releasing new music to the world. In the mean time, check out our interview with Tory, where he promises his upcoming project will feature a lot of bars.

Tory Lanez
Rich The Kid recently linked up with Complexs Joe La Puma for a brand new episode of Sneaker Shopping at Stadium Goods in New York City, wherein the Queens-born rapper talked about all things sneakers, including his favorite shoes to skate in, the most expensive pair of sneakers he ever bought, and potentially making a skateboarding shoe with Virgil Ablohs Off-White brand.

When it comes to the Virgil Abloh collab Rich The Kid didnt reveal too many details but said the plan is in motion and the kicks are on the way.

Additionally, Rich The Kid discussed how he got into the skating game as a teenager after moving from New York City to Atlanta, how he used skating to stay out of trouble, and considered going pro before pursuing his rap career. Also in the episode, Rich The Kid talked about skateboarding with Lil Wayne, how he hustled to buy a pair of the Bugs Bunny Air Jordan 8s as a kid, what it was like filming a music video in the Beverly Hills Goyard store and he ranked what he loves the most out of jewelry, cars and sneakers.

When it was all said and done, Rich The Kid walked out of Stadium Goods with over $6,600 worth of merch including Shadow, Satin Royal, Blue Suede and Shattered Backboard Air Jordan 1s, Motorsport Air Jordan 4s, Nothing But Net Air Jordan 7s, Bugs Bunny Air Jordan 8s, the Supreme x Vans Authentic Pro and some Mechanix Original Work Gloves, which retail for $118. Of course, he also copped some infant-sized Yeezy Boosts for his kids as well.

Check out the full episode of Sneaker Shopping with Rich The Kid at Stadium Goods in New York City below.
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
Kolkata, Sep 11 (IBNS): mjunction services, Indiaas largest B2B e-commerce company, will be organising the 11th Indian Coal Markets Conference in Kolkata on September 12 and 13.

The conference this year will focus on the various issues faced by consumers of coal, which will be taken up by industry experts, policy makers and all stakeholders of the industry.

Leading power, cement and steel companies are supporting the event, which will provide a holistic picture of the production, consumption, demand, prices and global situations of the coal industry. The conference will provide a platform not only for networking but also for exchange of ideas and thoughts concerning the industry.

mjunction CEO Vinaya Varma said, The Indian power sector and hence the coal market is undergoing a rapid change in terms of structure and mix. On one hand, the lukewarm demand facing the thermal power plants and the low PLF remain a big concern. On the other hand, the rapid progress in solar and renewables comes as a possible disruptor. All these developments will have an immense impact on the coal and allied industries. It is interesting to see how the coal sector prepares itself to face the changing dynamics."

In this context, the 11th Indian Coal Markets Conference is going to be a good platform for the policymakers, industry and other stakeholders to brainstorm the better way to move ahead, in making good progress for the economy as a whole, but with minimal impact on the existing structures, he said.

There will be an exclusive session on South Africa: Partners in growth where the keynote speakers will be Dr. Tsengwa Nombasa, Executive Head (coal operations) Exxaro, Divyesh Kalan, Executive Head of Makoya Group, Lloyd Tobias, COO of Transnet Freight Rail among others.

mjunction in association with the Cement Manufacturers Association, will also host the Indian Coal Markets Award Night where service providers will be felicitated under various categories such as: Coal importer of the year, Coal transporter of the year, Coal producers of the year, Coal port performer of the year among various others.



The conference will be attended by 300 people, and 85 companies will be participating in the event in various categories. Some of the companies are from Japan, China, Singapore, South Africa and Latvia.
Guwahati, Sept 11 (IBNS): Over 1000 people had lost their lives in devastating floods in Assam in past one and half decades.

Assam government on Monday said that the state witnessed 40 times devasting floods since 2001 and the floods claimed 1071 lives during the period.

Replying a written query in the ongoing session of Assam assembly, state Revenue and disaster management department minister Pallav Lochan Das said that, 14 people are still missing in the floods.

It is to be mentioned that, the devasting flood in the state in this year has claimed 170 lives so far.

The Assam minister said that, the floods claimed 199 lives alone in middle Assams district Morigaon, while 188 died in Goalpara, 100 in Nagaon, 96 in Dhubri, 66 in Barpeta, 41 in Dhemaji, 66 in Lakhimpur, 35 in Kokrajhar, 32 in Kamrup, 27 in Majuli, 23 in Dibrugarh, 18 each in Baska and Kamrup (Metro), 17 each in Darrang, South Salmara and Cachar.

According to the government data, the state has lost over 4,03,050 bigha land, those were eroded by the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries during the period.

The Assam minister further said that, a total of 11,283 familes, those had lost everything in flood and erosion, have been taken shelter in embankments and roads.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Image: Screengrab from YouTube

Gurgaon, Sep 11 (IBNS): Days after a seven-year-old boy was found murdered inside a toilet in Gurgaon's Ryan International School, police have arrested the academy's principal for negligence, along with several other teachers, reports said.

Classes have been suspended as the school has been ordered to down its shutters for now.

However, exceptions have been made for class six and class 12 students, who are due to appear for exams from Wednesday.

On Sunday, the protest turned violent as the angry mob set ablaze a liquor shop near the school.

As the dissent swelled up, police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the mob.

The police have also questioned several other teachers and following a preliminary investigation, serious security lapses have been reported against the school.

According to the report, not all the installed surveillance camera is functional inside the school.

Workers and students shared the same toilet and the school did zilch in terms of background check while recruiting a staff.

Meanwhile, the victim's parents have demanded a CBI probe, a call the Haryana government has welcomed.

Amid a growing dissent against their academy, Ryan Pinto, CEO of Ryan International Schools Group, has urged the people to not hold them "culpable of a crime where it is itself a victim of unfortunate circumstances."

The victim, Pradyuman Thakur, was murdered by a school bus conductor, Ashok, for refusing to having sex with the latter.

He was arrested the same night.

Image: Screengrab from YouTube
Srinagar/New Delhi, Sep 11 (IBNS): Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh headed for the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday after spending two days in the Kashmir valley, according to media reports.

"After spending 2 days in Kashmir valley I shall be heading to the Jammu region today. Shall visit the forward areas on Indo-Pakistan border," the Minister tweeted.

In an interaction with the media in Srinagar, the Home Minister said that he will return to Kashmir as many times as required

"We wish to resolve the problems facing Kashmir. I am ready to make all the efforts in this endeavour," said Rajnath Singh Srinagar.

HM spoke about the permanent solution to Kashmir problem. He says his outreach is based on Five Cs -- The Five Cs of HM's Kashmir outreach are 1-Compassion 2- Communication 3- Coexistence 4-Confidence Building & 5- Consistency, tweeted the Home Ministry.

In tweet on the Home Ministry page he said, "Due to cost escalation the PM Development Package for J&K is set to cross more than 1 lakh crores."

In another HMO tweet, the minister was quoted as saying, "The worst affected groups in Kashmir are the youth, businessmen, workers and the poor."

The Home Minister also urged tourists to visit Jammu and Kashmir.

Image: Rajnath Singh/Twitter
New Delhi/Gurgaon/Mumbai, Sep 11 (IBNS) : The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear the plea of Varun Thakur, the father of the murdered student of Gurgaon's Ryan International School, while the institution's owner sought an anticipatory bail after the arrest of two top officials and several teachers, including the acting Principal, reports said.

Thakur, father of class two student Pradyumn, who was found murdered with his throat slit inside the school's washroom on Friday last, moved the top court demanding a CBI probe into the incident, in which a conductor the school bus has been arrested.

Thakur has alleged security lapses on the part of the school authorities as one of the reasons for the death of his son.

His petition, in the form of a Public Interest Litigation, said, ... My only wish is that the truth should come out and justice given to my wife and me. I am not happy with the police investigation, and I want a detailed investigation as there is something which is missing in the probe. There are a lot of loopholes which need to be investigated and the CBI can do in-depth investigation which will clear the motive of the murder."

The petitioner also alleged that the investigation is being "influenced by someone who does not want the truth to come out."

Meanwhile,Ryan School CEO Ryan Pinto filed anticipatory bail with the Bombay High Court after a Haryana police team reached Mumbai to question him.

According to reports, police have arrested the school's acting Principal Neerja Batra after questioning. However, she complained of health issues while being questioned by the police and was was taken to a hospital.

On Sunday night, the school's northern zone head Francis Thomas and HR head Jeyus Thomas were arrested and booked under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

All Ryan group of schools in Gurgaon have been ordered to remain shut on Monday and Tuesday on the directions of the district administration.

Police had on Friday night arrested the accused, Ashok Kumar, a 42-year-old bus conductor, who reportedly confessed to have committed the crime after failing to sexually abuse the child.

According to reports, not all the installed surveillance camera is functional inside the school.

Workers and students shared the same toilet and the school did zilch in terms of background check while recruiting a staff.

Parents, who have been on demonstration outside the school, have demanded action against school authorities, especially after police revealed that Kumar was fired from a private school in his village Ghamroj because of his suspicious behaviour.
New Delhi/Gurgaon/Mumbai, Sep 11 (IBNS) : The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre, the Haryana Government and the CBI on a plea filed by the father of the murdered Ryan International School student pertaining to the safety and security of all school students and seeking a probe into the incident by the central agency, reports said.

The top court says it will look into the safety of students in schools across India, giving 3 weeks to the Ministry of Human Resources and the Haryana Government to reply.

The apex court has given 3 weeks for both bodies to reply.

The Supreme Court further sought a response from CBSE on a plea seeking framing of guidelines to fix responsibility of schools on issue of childrens safety.

The notice came just a few hours after the court had agreed to hear the petition of Varun Thakur, the seven-year-old student, who was found murdered inside the schools' washroom on Friday last with his throat slit.

Meanwhile, Ryan School CEO Ryan Pinto filed a petition with the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail after a Haryana police team reached Mumbai to question him.

The school's acting Principal Neerja Batra had to be hospitalised after she complained illness during interrogation while police on Sunday night arrested the school's two top officials- northern zone head Francis Thomas and HR head Jeyus Thomas. They have been booked under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.

In his petition filed in the Supreme Court, the deceased boy's father has alleged security lapses on the part of the school authorities as one of the reasons for the death of his son.

The petition filed on Monday has also asked for comprehensive guidelines for all schools so that such an incident was not repeated.

His petition, in the form of a Public Interest Litigation, said, ... My only wish is that the truth should come out and justice given to my wife and me. I am not happy with the police investigation, and I want a detailed investigation as there is something which is missing in the probe. There are a lot of loopholes which need to be investigated and the CBI can do in-depth investigation which will clear the motive of the murder."

The petitioner also alleged that the investigation is being "influenced by someone who does not want the truth to come out."

Meanwhile, media reports said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar talked to the victim's family over phone and called Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, who assured his Bihar counterpart that an impartial and fast probe was being conducted.

All Ryan group of schools in Gurgaon have been ordered to remain shut on Monday and Tuesday on the directions of the district administration.

Police had on Friday night arrested the accused, Ashok Kumar, a 42-year-old bus conductor, who reportedly confessed to have committed the crime after failing to sexually abuse the child.

According to reports, not all the installed surveillance camera is functional inside the school.

Workers and students shared the same toilet and the school did zilch in terms of background check while recruiting a staff.

Parents, who have been on demonstration outside the school, have demanded action against school authorities, especially after police revealed that Kumar was fired from a private school in his village Ghamroj because of his suspicious behaviour.

Police lathicharged a crowd on Sunday after a demonstration reportedly turned violent.

According to the media report, police said that force was the only option as the agitators had become violent, and even damaged the cameras of some photojournalists during the protest.
Srinagar, Sep 11 (IBNS) : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday assured that the BJP-led Government at the Centre will not go against the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the act that guarantees special privileges to state, reports said.

Singh, who is on a four-day visit to the state amid a spate of agitation, security force crackdown on separatists and the demand from some corners for abrogation of Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives special rights to the permanent residents of the state.

The Government did not initiate anything on this or went to court. I assure the government would never take any step which will hurt the sentiments of people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said while addressing a press conference.

Singhsaid the Kashmir special status is a non-issue," and he gives the assurance as a Home Minister of India.

I dont want to comment on who is saying what but I am talking as a leader of the BJP and home minister of India," he said.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdulllah welcomed Singh's statement.

Abdullah tweeted: This is a very important statement from the Union Home Minister. His assurance will go a long way towards silencing the noises against 35-A.
New Delhi, Sept 11 (IBNS): At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, will undertake an official visit to India on Sept 13 and 14.

Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Abe will hold the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit, at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Sept 14.

The two leaders will deliver statements to the media. An India Japan Business Plenary is scheduled the same day.

This will be the fourth Annual Summit between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Abe, read an official statement issued by the Indian government.

The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership' and will set its future direction.

The two leaders will attend a public function to mark the commencement of work of Indias first high-speed rail project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, on Sept 14.

The train is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two cities.

Japan is a pioneer in high-speed rail networks, and its Shinkansen bullet train is among the fastest in the world.

The city of Ahmedabad will greet Prime Minister Abe with an elaborate civic reception on Sept 13, showcasing the cultural diversity of India, through a series of performances.

The two Prime Ministers will visit Sabarmati Ashram, established by Mahatma Gandhi on the banks of the Sabarmati River.

They will then visit the Sidi Saiyyid Ni Jaali  a famous 16th century mosque in Ahmedabad.

The two leaders will also visit Dandi Kutir, the museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, at the Mahatma Mandir.




Guwahati, Sept 11 (IBNS) : At least five people, who were residents of Assam, were killed and 10 others were injured while an overloaded auto rickshaw hit an electric post at Agrillanggre near Tura in Meghalayaas West Garo Hills district on Monday.

According to reports, the incident took place near the Tura Home Guards compound at around 10-45 am on Monday, when an auto rickshaw carrying 14 passengers, travelling from Assams Mankachar area to Tura, hit an electric post and turned turtle.

Following the incident, the Home Guards and SDRF personnel were engaged to rescue the injured persons.

Two people, including a woman, were killed on spot and 10 others were critically injured in the incident.

A top police official of West Garo Hills district said that three others, including two women and a minor boy, succumbed to their injuries at hospital.

10 injured persons are receiving mediacl treatment at Tura civil hospital, the police official said.

The deceased persons were identified as Salima Khatun , Sajeda Begum, Saher Ali, Abdullah Hussain and Kunsun Begam and they were hailed from Bengarbhita and Kalapani village under Mankachar police station.

The auto rickshaw was carrying 14 passengers mostly of women and childrens from Mankachar to Tura.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
New Delhi, Sept 11 (IBNS): Salahuddin Rabbani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday afternoon.

The Prime Minister affirmed that India attaches the highest priority to its ties with Afghanistan.

The Prime Minister reiterated Indias strong support to Afghanistan in fighting terrorism imposed on that country and its people.

He also reiterated Indias full support to the Government and people of Afghanistan, including through humanitarian and development assistance, in their efforts to build a peaceful, united, democratic and prosperous nation.

Foreign Minister Rabbani briefed the Prime Minister on the situation in Afghanistan.

Both agreed that the Afghan peace process has to be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.

Foreign Minister Rabbani is in India for the 2nd meeting of the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council that he co-chairs with External Affairs Minister of India.
Guwahati, Sept 11 (IBNS): The Assam government on Monday said that 7 IPS and IAS officers of the state are facing trial on criminal charges.

In a written reply in the Assam assembly, Parliamentary affairs minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said on behalf of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who also holding the home department charge that, 2 IAS officers and 5 IPS officers are facing trial on criminal charges in the state.

The Assam minister said that, a case (19/2016) was registered against IAS officer Kumud Kalita at and another case 327/2015 was registered against IAS officer Chohan Doley and both case registered at Dispur police station.

Apart from the IAS officer, five other IPS officers are also facing trial on criminal charges and they are Mridul Kumar Dutta (CID case no 1/2015), Kuladhar Saikia (CID case no 5/2015), Satyaraj Hazarika (CID case no 77/2010), Y T Gyatso (Bilasipara police station case no 618/2013), N Rajamarthandan (Paltan Bazar police station case no 311/2017).

The Assam minister further said that, departmental proceedings also being initiated against 13 other IPS officials following directive by the state government.

The IPS officials are Prasanta Sagar Changmai, Violet Baruah, Debajyoti Mukherjee, Mridul Kumar Dutta, Mihir Goswami, Jitmal Doley, Moinul Islam Mandal, Binod Kumar, N Rajamarthandan, Prasanta Kumar Dutta, Jiban Singh, S A Karim, Mridulananda Sarma.

Among the IPS officials, N Rajamarthandan was arrested for leaking the investigation information of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) office in Silapathar on Mar 6 last.

The 2006-batch IPS officer, who also investigating the multi crore rupees Louis Berger bribery scam in Assam was arrested by the crime branch of Guwahati city police after proving his involvement of leaking the information of investigation process of Silapathar incident.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
New Delhi, Sept 11 (IBNS): Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held a number of meetings with senior officials to familiarize with the activities and functioning of the Ministry of Defence and gave clear directions on critical issues.

Special emphasis was laid by the Minister on the need to step up the pace of acquisition proposals, read a government statement.

Towards ensuring time bound and speedy disposal, it has been decided to hold DAC meetings on a fortnightly basis.

A whole range of meetings have been scheduled with the three Defence Service Chiefs to review Defence preparedness and allied issues of strategic interests.

Daily morning meetings with the three Service Chiefs and a separate daily meeting with the Defence Secretary have been formatted as a new practice for quick decision making, read a government statement, read a government statement.

Other areas of focus would be settling all outstanding land related issues for infrastructure projects and matters relating to welfare of Defence personnel and their families.
Guwahati, Sept 11 (IBNS): An Assam Rifles jawan was injured after suspected NSCN-K militants attacked at an Assam Rifles camp in Nagalandas Tuensang district on Monday evening.

According to the reports, a heavy armed militant group suspected to be NSCN-K opened fire at the camp of Assam Rifles at International Trade Centre Pangsha near Dan village in Tuensang district around 2 pm on Monday.

One jawan was injured in the militants attack and he was immediately airlifted by the army chopper to Dimapur.

The militants managed to flee from the hilly area when the Assam Rifles jawans started retaliation action.

On the other hand, the Changlang battalion of Assam Rifles launched an operation at Old Changlang village and apprehended a hardcore NSCN(R) militant.

The nabbed militant was identified as Self Styled Private Hunmai Taidong.

Kohima based Defence PRO Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said that, security personnel have recovered a pistol and ammunition from the militant, who is an active member of the banned outfit since Feb 2015 and had under gone training at NSCN(R) training camps.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)


Mumbai, Sept 11 (IBNS): After receiving a warm response at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival the trailer of Amit V Masurkaras highly anticipated Newton has garnered an overwhelming response from viewers and incited intrigue amongst them.

The Rajkummar Rao-starrer is about a rookie government clerk, determined to conduct fair elections in conflict-ridden jungles of Chhattisgarh against formidable odds.

The dark comedy was shot extensively in forest areas frequented by Maoists.

Resolved to conserve the ambience and showcase the untamed flavor of jungles, tribal people of the jungles were auditioned and cast in the film.

Amit informs, We shot in Dalli Rajhara. My casting director and I cast locals from villages near the Naxalite-controlled jungles. We cast 100-plus people from over ten villages.

Talking about his thoughts on shooting in Naxalite-controlled zone, the director says, Initially, the idea was scary. But once we went for a reccee, we realized people dont care for Bollywood much. We told everyone how we are making a movie about elections and it has nothing to do with Maoism. As long as you arent making anyone suspicious, you are safe.

Eros International and Aanand L Rai present a Drishyam Production in association with Colour Yellow Productions, written and directed by Amit V Masurkar, Newton is scheduled to release on Sept 22.
Bern, Sept 11 (IBNS): A train derailed in Switzerland's canton of Uri left 27 people injured on Monday, media reports said.

The incident occurred at the Andermatt rail station.

The incident occurred at around 11.30am and involved a train from the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn, The Local reported quoting rail company's statement.

During a manoeuvre to bring the locomotive from the back of the train to the front on a parallel track, an accident occurred, read the newspaper report.

At least 100 people were travelling in the train when the mishap occurred.

Investigation is currently going on.

Represetative Image: Wikimedia Commons


New York, Sept 12(Just Earth News): A top United Nations official on Monday commended the Government of Niger for tackling the countryas complex humanitarian crisis, including leading the provision of life-saving aid to hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable, and highlighted the need to address its root causes.



I was impressed to see how brave aid workers are working with the Government to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable people in Niger under difficult and dangerous circumstances, said the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, concluding a three-day visit.



During the visit, the first for Lowcock since assuming his post earlier this month, he travelled to the Diffa region  where aid has been provided to 400,000 people; one out of two individuals requires humanitarian assistance; and Boko Haram attacks remain a grave threat.



Lowcock pointed to the success of scaled-up humanitarian support in Niger in recent years, saying: We have reached millions of people, unquestionably saving lives and averting the worst. But humanitarian needs remain high and sustained international help behind Nigers efforts is critical.



NGagam, a village in the Diffa region near the Nigerian border, had a pre-crisis population of 1,000 but now hosts 13,500 people from both Niger and Nigeria whose homes were destroyed or villages are considered too dangerous to return to, according to a news release issued by OCHA.



A 30-year-old woman named Achaitou, who fled Nigeria to NGagam with her four young children, told Lowcock how she survives with help from the UN and partners. Despite daily struggles, she maintains her dignity and retains hope for a better future for her children. But she remains terrified of violence by armed groups and often takes her children into the bush at night, risking disease and snake bites.



The UN humanitarian chief said the Government and people of Niger have shown enormous generosity and humanity in hosting refugees and internally displaced persons fleeing violence, not only in the Lake Chad Basin but also in the west, where people have fled insecurity in Mali.



Niger has been an active international partner in efforts to address the crises in both the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel, according to OCHA.



In Niger, Lowcock also held meetings with UN officials, international non-governmental organizations and the diplomatic community, in addition to Government officials.



Niger has done so much right, but faces enormous challenges, he pointed out, noting that, like other countries across the Sahel, it grapples with insecurity, climatic shocks, extreme poverty and the lack of basic services and infrastructure.



Together with our humanitarian efforts, Niger needs increased support from development partners, especially to educate its young population and enable them to get jobs. We must tackle the root causes of the crisis alongside the immediate priority of saving lives and protecting people, he added



Photo: OCHA/Ivo Brandau







Source: www.justearthnews.com








Image: Wallpaper

Plano, Sep 11 (IBNS): At least seven people were killed in a fatal shooting incident which took place in Plano, Texas, reports said.

The assailant too was shot dead by police, bringing the total number of deceased to eight.

At least two others have sustained injuries and have been moved to a hospital, police said.

The incident took place on Sunday evening, shortly after eight p.m.

Police said that they are looking for a motive but confirmed that all the people involved were adults.

A witness was quoted in the media as saying that before the incident took place, she saw a man and a woman getting involved in an argument.

None of the people involved in the incident have been identified so far.

Image: Wallpaper
From the Archive Letting Go of the Tiger's Tail

Buddhist monks march in Yangoon in September 2007. / Khin Maung Win

The Irrawaddy revisits this story from September 2007 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, a series of nationwide monk-led protests against the former military regime that ended in a violent government crackdown.

Have you ever caught hold of a tigers tail? If not, Myanmar generals can report what its liketheyve probably had some experiences to share with you.

Myanmars Gen Ne Win, who staged a military coup in 1962, once caught hold of a tigers tail and never let it go.

The general, who introduced the Burmese way to Socialism and self-imposed isolation to the country, soon realized the failure of his nationalization policy.

In 1965, three years after the coup, he famously told journalists and officials: It was like having caught hold of a tigers tail. Then he added: But there was nothing else to do but hang on to it.

Today, the tiger is reawakening as the monks march out of their monasteries and members of the everyday public join them in the streets in what is looking like a repetition of the 1988 uprising.

But, the demonstrations this time are different to those of 1988. They started simply enough when members of the 88 Student Generation group staged a march in Yangon on August 19. Predictably, the generals cracked down again, arresting and imprisoning more than 400 activists.

But, the 88 Student Generation leaders demonstration touched a public nerve. They had stood up for everyday citizens, outraged over the sudden, steep hikes in fuel and commodity prices. The generals made a serious political blunder, and when 13 of the groups leaders were manhandled, imprisoned and some were reportedly tortured more fuel was added to the fire.

Enter the monks, who for years had remained silent in their monasteries. When they took to the streets, and were also subsequently manhandled and brutally beaten in Pakokku on September 5, the brutality of the authorities infuriated the Sangha who demanded an apology from the regime only to be met by silence.

What has happened since is a casebook study on street-politics, which some observers say indicates a controlling strategy behind the present demonstrations. Over the past week, the monks have sent clear symbols to the outside world and to the people of Myanmar.

First, they marched to religious pagodas not to public buildings, thereby claiming the highest moral ground and making it harder for the military to intervene.

Second, they marched to the Chinese Embassy where they paused to chant the Metta Sutta, the Buddhas words on loving kindness, thereby sending a signal to those who support the junta.

Third, they marched to the home of opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who appeared before them, symbolically uniting with the monks.

And now the monks have asked the students and public to join hands.

A new tiger had been unleashed, one that will be harder for the junta to control.

Now the tigers tail is being held by junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his cronies. If they fail through fear to let go of it theyll probably see history repeating itself.

The wave of protests led by thousands of monks has shaken a once confident regime that hijacked Myanmars political legitimacy and took control of the country at gunpoint. Myanmar is clearly a political time bomb that can explode anytime.

The regime has lost all public confidence in its own plan to bring stability to the country through the mechanism of the National Convention tasked with drafting guidelines for a new constitution.

The determined monks peaceful marches have stolen the regimes show and injected new energy into the fragile opposition movement.

What about the international community, however?

We continue to see selfish, opportunist and ill-informed neighbors who are quick to exploit Myanmars resources but reluctant to support moves towards political change and democracy.

The UN and the West continue to adopt a policy of closely watching events in Myanmar. UN special envoys continue to fly in and out of Myanmar with no tangible results. By mixing small doses of good news with a bounty of bad they are only doing the Myanmar people a disfavor by equating one with the other.

The monks, activists and their supporters are the true heroes in the current stage of Myanmar history.

They are also realists, understanding full well that there is no easy shortcut or quick fix to cure Myanmars ills. Yet they also know best how to confront the regime and solve the countrys problems.

They know Myanmar cannot afford to lose many more years. Their message to the generals is: let go of the tigers tail.
Profile Changing The Lives of Displaced Children

Lamai Mai Mai at a forum at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center in Yangon in November 2016. / Supplied

At a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Shan States Kutkai Township in 2016, humanitarian aid worker Lamai Mai Mai noticed 3-year-old Gun Mai was being teased by other children for covering his mouth all the time.

She found out that Gun Mai was born with a cleft palate.

Mai Mai felt heartbroken by what she saw and, by sharing a photo of the boy on her social media pages, she managed to find funding for his medical treatment in less than a week.

After seeing her post, other residents and aid workers of IDP camps contacted Mai Mai requesting help for children suffering from cleft palates and lipsbirth defects that occur when a babys mouth does not form properly during pregnancy and commonly called orofacial clefts.

This was how 39-year-old Mai Mai came to work treating IDP children with these problems. In the last year, she has helped 11 children access treatment.

They have all had their cleft lip operations, and are just waiting for their cleft palate operations, she said.

Mai Mai is also a founder of the National Ethnic Youth Conference, which gathered 800 youth delegates from 27 ethnic tribes in Myanmar in August 2016, aiming to foster understanding and trust and build a peaceful, federal union in Myanmar.

She is also a founding member of the Kachin Youth Organization and helped organize the National Ethnic Youth Alliance meeting in July 2016. Mai Mai teaches Myanmar youth about federalism, democracy, citizenship.

On March 16, 2017, Mai Mai was recognized as a Woman of Change by the US Embassy to Myanmar.

A fellow organizer of the National Ethnic Youth Conference and president of the Naga Youth Council Athong Makury said Mai Mai is ready to face challenges, she is compassionate and committed to her people.

As a formerly displaced person who spent almost four years in Mai Jay Yang camp on the border of China in Kachin State she said, I know how difficult IDP life is, I know the on-the-ground situation and the particular needs of IDPs.

Life in the IDP camp is a struggle, filled with fear and insecurity, Mai Mai said as she reflected on the event.

Mai Mai has worked to help young Kachin people fight drug addiction and find jobs since 2002.

In late 2010, Mai Mai was working with jobless youth in Kachin Independence Army (KIA)-controlled areas. As she returned from a trip to China, she was accused of being a human trafficker by Myanmar authorities and evaded arrest by hiding in an IDP camp.

Mai Mai worked with civil society organizations to help some of the 100,000 vulnerable people displaced in northern Shan State and Kachin State in 2011 when a 17-year ceasefire between the Myanmar Army and the KIA broke down.

International and local aid groups provide the basic needs of IDPs including rice, oil, and shelter, she said, but often fail to provide adequate medical provision.

She found lots of disabled children suffering in camps in need of specialists support.

Incidences of cleft lips and palates occur in every 800 to 1,000 births, meaning an estimated 6,000 children are affected each year, according to a lecture by surgeon Dr. Thi Ha Myint Wei in January 2016.

Experts believe orofacial clefts may be caused by insufficient nutrient, drug and alcohol usage, cigarette smoking, or taking certain medication during pregnancy.

A doctor from Lashio in northern Shan State visiting an IDP camp said malnutrition and insufficient maternal health education were to blame.

Only a handful of practices in large towns and cities can perform the necessary surgical procedure to correct them, he said, adding that its not just the costs of surgery that leaves families out of pocket, but also traveling and daily expenses during hospital stays.

Mai Mai is currently collecting data on orofacial clefts and other disabilities affecting children in IDP camps to be passed to the Social Welfare Ministry and the local authorities, Mai Mai told The Irrawaddy.

As far as I know, there was no a specific organization or groups supporting these issues in IDP camps and nearby villages until now, Mai Mai said.

Ive decided to help as much as I can.

She told The Irrawaddy that she cant afford to do it alone. She is busy asking camp leaders, local communities, and authorities to help tackle the problem.

This issue is important, Mai Mai stated, children are our future.
In Person They Worry About Their Lives

Daw Mee Mee talks to children at a Maungdaw shelter for displaced people in Rakhine State on Sept. 7, 2017 / Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy

Since Muslim militants attacked police stations in northern Rakhine State on Aug. 25, some 300,000 self-identifying Rohingya have fled the Bangladesh border while about 30,000 ethnic Arakanese have fled to state capital Sittwe.

Some Arakanese, however, stayed in their villages in Maungdaw and Buthidaungthe two townships hit hardest by the violence.

The 88 Generation Peace and Open Society groups relief team has been providing assistance to those affected people in the area since Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) launched its attacks.

One of the relief teams members, Daw Mee Mee, spoke to The Irrawaddy about her experiences and perspectives of the recent conflict.

Where in Maungdaw did you arrive?

We arrived at Sittwe on September 2 and the next morning continued to Maungdaw, the conflict zone. We requested the security come with us to provide assistance to those trapped villages, as they didnt have much support. We had to wait two nights to get the security, and then went to Kyein Chaung village with five police officers, but they switched with another team of five when we arrived. We slept in Kyein Chaung for the night but then the next morning we did not have any security with us so we returned to Maungdaw.

We heard there are improvised landmines along the road to Kyein Chaung. Did you see the clearing of those mines?

They [the security] cleared the improvised landmines early in the morning. We arrived there in the afternoon, after they did the clearance. On the way to Kyein Chaung, we were only faced with the terrible road and our trucks were bogged down in the mud, but we encountered no mines. On our return journey, we also had to wait for two hours for them to clear mines, so we did not see any. But we saw houses in flames from afar and heard gunfire over night in Kyein Chuang.

Local residents are extremely concerned about their security. Whats your assessment of the governments security preparations? And in order to relieve residents concerns, what should the government do?

We heard about their concerns in Kyein Chaung. When we arrived at the village, at night, shops in front of the polices special branch office were on fire. People were so afraid. We had for big trucks carrying food items, but on our way back, people hurriedly climbed on to those trucks. People also fled from Yan Aung Myint village, where the fighting happened. They wanted to get away from the villages as soon as possible and would not listen to us; we could not deter them. So we brought them with us to Maungdaw.

The public would not be in fear if they were sure they had protection. What we saw was defensive measures instead of prevention from the attacks, and then the clearance operations followed.

According to an officer, a corporal was injured by an improvised explosive device (IED). The security forces told me they could not follow the attackers after encountering the trapped mines. The attackers have complete awareness of the region. Security forces had to focus on taking the injured men to hospital in order to save their lives, so they could not follow the attackers. Local people staying in the village must be freed from fear. When I talked to them, they said they do not worry about their foodthey worry about their lives.

Now is very different from the incidents back in 2012. The attacks were an intrusion on our sovereignty. It is very important for our country and for our people.

There are accusations the Tatmadaw planted the mines and set fires. Did local people talk of such incidents? Could they freely talk about it?

Many people say they [militants] burned their own houses and fled. But I did not witness it myself. What we saw were houses in flames.

People are questioning whether Muslim militants could burn their own homes and then flee. What is your view on it?

I could not tell who torched the houses, but what I can surely tell is, there are attacks using homemade bombs, IEDs and shooting. And there is counter shooting. In our country, only the Myanmar armed forcesTatmadaw and police forceshave arms. Why did the villagers have such weapons, and why did they shot with guns and homemade guns and attacked with trapped mines? Their actions not only target government institutions but also civilians. Burning homes or not, the most important thing is these actions are trying to violate our countrys sovereignty.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Burma Karen Govt Mulls Lawsuit Against Organizers of Nationalist Rally

A nationalist rally on the situation in Rakhine State held in Karen State capital Hpa-an on September 10. / Buddha Dhamma Charity Foundation

MAWLAMYINE, Mon State  The Karen State government may sue organizers of a nationalist rally on Rakhine States unraveling conflict held at Taunggalay Ground in Karen State capital Hpa-an, according to the states Mon ethnic affairs minister U Min Tin Win.

The organizers application for the event was rejected by the Hpa-an administrator for certain reasons, minister U Min Tin Win told The Irrawaddy on Monday. The administrator wrote to the state government, advising it to file a lawsuit against the organizers for persisting with the event.

The Karen State Association for Protection of Race and Religion claimed about 40,000 people attended its talks on Sunday. The chapterknown by its Myanmar acronym Ma Ba Thahas defied a countrywide ban by the State Buddhist Sangha authority from operating under its current name.

Chapter spokesperson Ashin Gambisara said speakers at the event condemned the violence in Rakhine State. They called for an end to perceived oppression of Buddhism and Buddhists and unity among the citizens of Myanmar, he said.

Organizers requested permission for the event, said Ashin Gambisara, adding that authorities did not reject it but did not like it.

They cited things like security concerns and H1N1 flu virus, and said they thought it should not be organized. But they didnt say they would not allow it. If they hadnt allowed it, we would not have done it, Ashin Gambisara told The Irrawaddy.

Among the events four speakers was ultranationalist monk U Wirathu, who the state Buddhist authority banned from delivering sermons for one year, starting from March 10, due to his religious hate speech.

He criticized the National League for Democracy (NLD) government at the event, accusing it of being pro-Muslim despite international criticism of its treatment of self-identifying Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine, nearly 300,000 of whom have fled to Bangladesh since Aug. 25 militant attacks on police outposts.

Its name is National League for Democracy. This is a combination of two thingsnationalism and democracy. If it puts all its efforts into nationalism and democracy, Myanmar would be top of Asia. But seeing is believing. Its name includes national, but in its offices, all the staff are foreigners, he told the crowd.

Maung Thway Chun, chief editor of the nationalist groups recently suspended weekly journals, columnist for those publications, U Kyaw Swe, and writer Anyataya Kapiya also spoke at the event.

U Min Tin Win said the event was aimed at attacking a government facing growing crises across the country.

They said their talks were about the immigration issue in Rakhine State, but they were not. They targeted the government and I think they are sparking one fire after another. It is not what a dutiful Myanmar citizen should do, he said.

After the event on Sunday, Karen State Ma Ba Tha released a statement calling on the government to officially deny self-identifying Rohingya recognition as an ethnicity in Myanmar, and to take prompt actions against Muslim militants in Rakhine.

It also called on the government to recognize the name Ma Ba Tha, allow it to continue publishing weekly journals Aung Zay Yatu and Atumashi, and release detained nationalists.

The state Buddhist authorityknown as Ma Ha Naon May 23 banned the nationalist organization from operating under its current name and also ordered that all signs bearing the name be taken down across the country by July.

Ma Ba Tha then changed its name to Buddha Dhamma Charity Foundation (Central), but the Karen State chapter has defied the ban and continues to operate under the current name.

The Irrawaddy was not able to reach Hpa-an Township administrator U Myo Min Tun for comment on Monday.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.
Burma Myanmar Mystic ET Dies in Yangon

ET, second from left, holds a photo of King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, with the Thai ambassador to Myanmar, Jukr Boon-Long, second from right in May 2017. / Htoo Chit / Facebook

YANGON  Myanmars well-known mystic Daw Swe Swe Winknown by her clients as ETdied of natural causes at her home in Yangons Thingangyun Township early in the morning on Sunday. She was 57.

ET was consulted as a fortune teller or soothsayer by some of Myanmarsand Asiasmost influential figures, including a number of ruling Myanmar generals and former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Her family members began to notice her ability to make predictions when she was just nine years old.

A severe fever at the age of 14 left her deaf, mute, and unable to walk unassisted. She rose to fame as a fortune teller and was nicknamed ET by her clients for her resemblance to the main character in Steven Spielbergs movie ET the Extra Terrestrial (1982).

She turned 57 on July 5.

Even though she only received a formal education up to the fifth grade, her clients reported that she was able to write fluently in English.

She issued predictions in writing or through her younger sister Daw Thi Thi Win who read her lips.

She set up the ET Foundation to fund eye surgery for impoverished patients, including cataract procedures.

In May, she requested King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun to grant an amnesty to two migrant workers from Myanmar sentenced to death in Thailand for the double murder of two British backpackers in Koh Tao in 2014.

The two men were arrested in October 2014, one month after the crime took place. On Dec. 24, 2015, it was announced they would receive the death sentence.

In a letter to the Thai King, ET said that Win Zaw Htun and Zaw Lin had been falsely arrested and convicted in the murder case, which has been ongoing for nearly three years.

During her career, she refused to predict political results or the results of illegal lotterylocally known as chel. The policy was written on a sign in her house.

She will be buried on Tuesday at Yayway Cemetery in Yangon, according to family members.
Burma One Arrested as Police Disperse Nationalist Mob in Magwe Division

Riot police in downtown Taungdwingyi on Sunday. / Taungdwingyi News

MANDALAY  One man was arrested in Magwe Regions Taungdwingyi after a nationalist mob  some armed with swords  attacked a mosque and property owned by Muslims before being dispersed by riot police with rubber bullets on Sunday evening.

The situation in Taungdwingyi is now under control and security forces are deployed, said a statement released by the governments Information Committee on Sunday, adding that some 21 army and 30 police from Magwe Division base were deployed to maintain order.

Hnin Ko Ko Lin, 30, was arrested for his part in stoning the house of butcher Ko Jinner in Ohn Taw Quarter No. 1 in the town at 8 p.m. on Sunday, the statement said, adding that police were searching for more culprits and that they would be dealt with according to the law.

According to locals the nationalist mob was at times 400 strong and some carried swords and bamboo rods.

The mob start stoning the house of a Muslim man and other shops along the Taungdwingyi-Magwe road while cursing and singing nationalist songs, a local Muslim resident told The Irrawaddy on the condition of anonymity.

They later began attacking a mosque in Shwe Kyar Inn quarter before being dispersed by police, he said.

We do not know why the mob gathered like that. My family is hiding somewhere safe, as we are afraid to stay in our home, he added.

Local police told The Irrawaddy they are still investigating how the mob gathered. According to the Information Committee Hnin Ko Ko Lin said he was acting because of the disappointing situation in Rakhine State.

Violence is sweeping Rakhine State after deadly attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on 30 police outposts on Aug. 25.

Subsequent attacks, violence, and government security operations have killed hundreds, displaced thousands of ethnic Arakanese and Hindu according to the government and sent nearly 300,000 self-identifying Rohingya Muslims fleeing across the border to Bangladesh, according to the UN.

ARSA announced a month-long unilateral ceasefire, starting on Sunday, to enable aid groups to help ease the humanitarian crisis gripping Rakhine.

On Saturday, the government also requested the public not send online and SMS attack warnings, after rumors spread of further ARSA attacks, and announced that it would take legal action against those instigating public panic.

Sundays statement said security forces had been deployed in other cities to maintain order.

On Sunday, opposition party the Union Solidarity and Development Party held a meeting in Yangon titled Discussion on the Rakhine Issue that is Threatening National Security,

In Karen State, nationalists led by firebrand Buddhist monk U Wirathu gathered to condemn ARSAs attacks that they called the oppression of race and religion.
Guest Column Thoughts on Rakhine State

Red Cross members on the ground to assist displaced persons and provide relief efforts in northern Rakhine State. / MRCS / Facebook

Today it is extremely hard, almost impossible, to obtain credible information on the situation in Rakhine State. There are no impartial witnesses in the field. Reliable journalists have difficulty knowing the truth, as they are escorted by Myanmar security forces to selected locations, their interlocuters unable to speak freely. Disinformation reigns.

For the time being, I have not yet found a single article or TV report that has satisfied me. The context lends itself to extreme, emotional, passionate, irrational attitudes, that make it impossible to understand the reality on the ground.

Having said this, in brief, an attack by the ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) on some 30 security force outposts has recently triggered a new cycle of violence. The attack occurred just after a Kofi Annan-led advisory commission delivered its final recommendations to improve the situation in Rakhine State.

The reaction of government security forces was immediate. Disproportionate or not, their clearance operations led some 300,000 members of the local Muslim community to flee their homes and seek refuge in Bangladesh.

Ethnic Rakhine, Hindus and other groups fled to the south, fearing ARSA. The situation isnt black and white. There have been reprehensible acts on both sides. But widespread accusations of Muslim villagers burning their own villages before fleeing them are hardly plausibly. Those displaced to Bangladesh are not warmly welcomed and they do not seem to be willing to remain there long-term.

But in this context, it is advisable at this time not to qualify the situation as genocide or ethnic cleansing against the Muslim community  which the government does not recognize as an ethnic nationality but as a group of interlopers from Bangladesh. It is important to try to diffuse the tension and anger in the region, and use language that will not rile either side.

The international community should accept the fact that this Muslim community [that identifies as Rohingya] is not recognized as an ethnic nationality of Myanmar. Having said that, those who have lived in the country for generations should have the right to quickly become permanent residents and then citizens. If there are doubts regarding residency or the desire to integrate into Myanmar society, there should be a probation period established.

In the prevailing context, it is absolutely necessary for all of the victims, residents, the Myanmar government and the international community that the conflict zone is accessible to an international and credible organization whose mandate matches the needs of the current situation.

Today, only the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with support from the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) is in a position to fulfill this task. It is extremely urgent that the government and other concerned parties give the green light to the Geneva Institution for relief and protective actions for all civilians who are victims of the conflict in Rakhine State.

Aung Ko Ko is a pseudonym  he is a seasoned Myanmar observer with extensive knowledge of ethnic issues and conflict in the country, who has lived in Myanmar and the surrounding region for 24 years.
Job vacancies in the IT Industry in Australia increased 12% in the past month and 8% over the past year, rising to 7471 total job vacancies  with the IT sector the highest paid industry, according to a new report from one IT recruitment firm.

And, average salaries increased 4.77% over the past six months to $120,000, with IT right at the top of the list as the highest paying industry.

This is according to recruiter Adzuna, which says that job vacancies in the IT sector industry will continue to grow, but not entirely as result of new job creation.

And, according to Adzuna in its latest report, the IT sector, healthcare, trade and construction are the top hiring sectors in Australia  and people working in these sectors can also expect higher than average salaries.

Adzuna chief executive Raife Watson says that the recent changes to 457 visas could lead to a back-log of job vacancies, with fewer overseas workers applying for roles in Australia due to the diminished incentive to do so.

And if demand in the Australian IT sector cannot be satisfied by the local workforce, Watson says the first place Australian companies will look to source skilled workers will be New Zealand, a country with minimal restrictions on travelling, working and living in Australia.

The immediate flow-on effect of fewer highly skilled IT workers in Australia will be the increase in salaries, as companies look to secure top local talent by offering juicier pay-packets, Watson predicts.

The start-up space, where most companies work off extremely lean budgets, will feel the pinch first. Start-ups do not have the capital to pay the same rates as larger, more established companies and will struggle to source and retain skilled IT workers.

Across the board in all business and industry sectors, Adzuna says 127,884 advertised salaries increased 2.24% over the past 12 months to $90,251. The number of advertised vacancies in Australia increased 3.22% in the year to August 2017.

In healthcare, Adzuna says the number of job seekers vying for a single role has reached the lowest point of 2017, with 5.68 people competing for a job, compared with 6.59 just six months ago. Additionally, Adzuna says August saw competition for jobs drop to 5.68 jobseekers per vacancy, the lowest in 2017.

But, it says, healthcare job vacancies have now surged again, with 19,356 vacant positions currently being advertised on Adzuna.

According to Adzuna, advertised salaries continue to climb and salaries are continuing to show short-term improvements, climbing 4.71% over the past six months, and 2.24% year-on-year.

Queensland recorded the highest increase in average advertised salaries at 6.39%, whereas in NSW, Australias biggest economy and employer, salaries remained flat, with 0.08% growth.

Demand increased in the legal sector and, according to Adzuna data, job vacancies in the sector have climbed 21% over the past year, although advertised salaries dropped 2.41%.

According to Adzuna, the drop in legal sector salaries is due to increased demand for junior positions including legal secretaries and executive assistants, which attract lower salaries in comparison to more senior roles such as legal counsel.

And, Adzuna says, many of the more senior positions advertised are for jobs within government agencies.

August saw 100,000 fewer unemployed people and also the highest number of job vacancies for the year. Both factors are green shoots for potential economic growth, says Watson.

In New South Wales, 3.89 job seekers are competing for a single role. This is low, especially for the biggest economy in the country, and should result in an increase in wages.

When competition for jobs is high, the incentive for employers to pay higher rates is diminished and it becomes a race to the bottom. Competition for jobs is currently very low, and jobseekers can assume a stronger position when negotiating pay packets in theory, wages should start to pick-up as a result.

So, where are all the jobs? In healthcare, trade and construction and IT, says Adzuna.

Over the past 12 months, Western Australia has recorded the largest increase in advertised job vacancies at 12.35%, which Adzuna says is a result of rising commodity prices and subsequent need for more workers to cope with demand.

Adzuna also notes that the ACT retains the title of best place in Australia to find a job, with 2.82 job seekers competing for a single role in the ACT, compared to 3.89 in NSW, and 12.01 in South Australia.

The outlook for wage growth in Australia is promising, Adzuna concludes.
The only legitimate organisation that ever accepts an iTunes gift card is Apple, and then only via its iDevices and Macs, so if youre ever asked to provide one as payment  its a scam!

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is warning people to be on the lookout for scammers who are trying to con their victims into paying for scams with Apple iTunes gift cards".

Incredibly, during 2017 to date, reports to the ACCCs Scamwatch show 1236 people lost nearly $540,000 to scammers using gift cards as payments, and its a growing trend  "the 2015-16 financial year losses were about $480,000".

ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said: Scammers are increasingly getting their victims to pay with iTunes gift cards as they can quickly on-sell them and pocket the money.

If someone asks you to pay for anything using an iTunes gift card, it is a scam. There are never any circumstances where a legitimate business or government department will ask for payment this way.

As the ACCC advises, Apples website clearly states, iTunes gift cards can only be used to purchase goods and services on the iTunes Store, App Store, iBooks Store, or for an Apple Music membership.

Reports to Scamwatch show there are three common scam types the ACCC is currently seeing where scammers are demanding iTunes gift cards as payment:

Tax scams  the scammer pretends to be from the Australian Taxation Office and claims there is a warrant out for their victims arrest. If the victim doesnt pay an immediate "fine" using iTunes gift cards, the scammer claims police will come and handcuff them.

Catch-a-hacker scam  scammers pretending to be Telstra will ask their victim to help them catch a "hacker" whos trying to get into their PC or smart devices. Theyll use this sham story to get the victim to buy iTunes cards as a "trap" for catching the hacker. Unfortunately the scammer will quickly get the serial numbers for those gift cards and sell them before the victim realises theyve been duped.

Centrelink scams  the scammer pretends to be from Centrelink and tells their victim theyre entitled to an additional payment, such as for their pension, and that they need to pay a "release fee" in iTunes gift cards to receive the payment.

The scammers will get their victims to travel to a business where iTunes gift cards are sold, such as a supermarket or department store, and get them to purchase amounts sometimes worth thousands of dollars.

Businesses that sell iTunes gift cards are encouraged to inform their staff about these scams so that they can help warn customers and even question any customers spending large amounts of money on iTunes gift cards  and indeed, I have seen notifications at supermarkets warning people of this very issue, and have relatives who were targeted, but who luckily twigged something wasnt right, and hung up the phone.

Rickard added: The scammers are very persistent once they have a victim hooked and will, for example, keep their victim on the phone while theyre in a store buying the gift cards. Once a victim has bought the card, the scammer will get them to quickly read the serial number on the back  its this information they use to then on-sell the gift card.

If you pay for a scammers con with iTunes gift cards its nearly impossible to get your money back. Dont ever believe the scammers lies, no matter how convincing they sound  hang up on their calls and delete their emails immediately.

If youve been targeted by scammers asking for iTunes gift cards as payment, the ACCC says you can report the scam to Scamwatch, not that this will get your money back, sadly.

You can also follow @scamwatch_gov on Twitter and subscribe to Scamwatch radar alerts via the Scamwatch website to get up-to-date warnings.
With Americans freaking out over $1000+ iPhone prices, which Australians have already paid for years, a new price hike is set to spike the blood pressure of the easily spooked.

Dance like a butterfly, sting like a bee, will new iPhone pricing be too high for we?

Thats the question many have on their lips with anticipation that, especially when it comes to 256GB and possibly even 512GB models (as is already the case with the iPad Pro range), prices for top-end iPhones could, in Australia at least, breach the $2000 barrier for the first time. You can also see news of the latest iPhone 8 pre-launch leaks here.

Telco comparison service WhistleOut has shared some info on iPhone pricing expectations of its users, but before we get there, some of my own brief commentary.

With the Samsung Note 8 starting at $1499 for the 64GB model, and the 128GB and 256GB models to be naturally priced even higher, stratospheric flagship smartphone pricing is now the norm.

Yes, two-year pricing plan contracts with telcos will somewhat take the sting out of the tail, but its a tale of woe that some will dread, as iPhone and Note 8 prices look at eclipsing that of some iPads and high-end notebooks.

At least prices are still nowhere in the vicinity of a house deposit  or at least, not yet  while ringing true the adage that you get what you pay for.

After all, there are sub-$300 Android-based iPhone clones that have never been more outrageously pixel-perfect in their cloning, and impressively powerful thanks to ever better mid-range processors, but as Apple has reminded us in the past, if it isnt an iPhone, it inst an iPhone.

So, what has WhistleOuts survey uncovered?

Well, it appears that Australians will likely have to pay nearly two-thirds more than theyre willing to for the new iPhone 8".

Were told that Apples new iPhone range is due to be announced on Tuesday 12 September in the US, Wednesday morning (3am) Australian time, with the flagship iPhone 8 device widely expected to be priced at approximately A$1500 outright".

Whistleout used the usual survey methodology, asking over 1000 Australians how much they would be willing to pay for the forthcoming iPhone 8, either on a monthly contract or to buy the phone outright".

The results show Australians interested in buying the new phone are willing to pay, on average, $920 for the new model, which as Whistleout points out, means youll have to stump up another 63% more if the expected pricing is confirmed".

Unsurprisingly, the story is similar for those interested in getting the new iPhone on a contract. The survey shows $75 is the average monthly contract Australians are willing to pay for the new handset, and that the average required monthly data allowance is 10GB".

WhistleOut estimates this combination of iPhone and plan will cost $100-$120 per month, based on current iPhone pricing trends across Australias carriers. Thats a 33% increase on what the average Australian is willing to pay".

Of course, people are willing to pay a little extra to get the best, and 33% is a lot easier to swallow than 63%.

So, what does Joseph Hanlon, WhistleOuts publisher and telco expert, have to say on the survey findings?

Weve been analysing the pricing of iPhone plans for the last decade and if history is any sort of a guide, Australians will have to pay $100 per month or more for the new iPhone if they want any kind of decent data allowance, or around $1500 to get the phone on its own and then buy a SIM-only plan on top of that.

When Apple launched the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus two years ago, the entry level models cost $1079 and $1299 respectively, with higher storage models going for $1379 and $1529. Even 2014s iPhone 6 cost $929 for the basic model the following year.

That pricing gives us a benchmark to work from and we can expect the touted price tag of $1500 to be fairly accurate for the new device, so well have to go out of our comfort zone if we want to get the new iPhone outright.

When it comes to buying the new iPhone on a plan, if you shop around today $75/mth will get you an iPhone 7 with about 2-5GB of data. But, with most people looking for up to 10GB of data, the average Aussie will need to find an extra $25 per month or more to own the new iPhone.

We modelled iPhone plan pricing trends for the last few years to generate probable estimates for the new iPhone on a plan of 3GB or more. All the estimated plans cost over $100 per month, including handset repayments, with some variance depending on provider and data package. (See Whistelouts estimated iPhone 8 pricing here.)

Well know more once Apple announces the new phone(s) with pricing on Wednesday morning, and the full picture should become clear when carriers announce their pricing before availability date, which is expected to be around 22nd September in Australia and globally, continued Hanlon.

And what of the additional survey findings?

Were told that the survey indicates the maximum any Australians are willing to pay for the iPhone outright is $1500, while a few would stretch to $150 per month for the new iPhone on a contract. This shows there is a segment of the population prepared to pay the expected going rates for the new device; more so when buying it on a monthly plan.

Then theres those crazy 18-24-year-olds for whom YOLO and FOMO are rights of modern-day, 21st century passage. It turns out theyre willing to pay the most for the new iPhone outright ($1015)".

Meanwhile, the older and (presumably) wiser 45-54-year-olds are willing to pay the least ($803).

And, when it comes to buying the new iPhone on a plan, 35-44-year-olds are willing to pay the most at $85 per month. This is considerably more than other age groups with 18-24 year olds happy to pay $76 per month, dropping to $68 per month for those aged 55 or over".

This is followed by the survey showing 49% of people interested in the new iPhone would prefer to buy it outright, while 51% would rather get it on a plan".

Will consumers 'stick and wait?'

Hanlon gives his thoughts on this possibility, and says: Bearing the expected pricing in mind, it may not come as a surprise that almost two-thirds of people (65%) interested in getting the new iPhone arent expecting to get it this year because they think itll be too expensive.

The survey also showed 39% of Australians interested in the iPhone arent willing to switch carrier to get better deal on it. This is largely driven by the loyalty of Telstra customers. Only 44% of Telstra customers would be willing to switch providers to get a good deal on the new iPhone, while 71% of Optus customers, 72% of Vodafone customers and 81% of Virgin customers would move elsewhere for the right iPhone package.

This says a lot for the power of the Telstra brand. Despite a number of high profile network outages over the last 18 months and typically higher pricing options than competitors, it looks like most of Telstras mobile customers will stick with them when the new iPhone comes out.

The new iPhone may well set a new quality benchmark for mobile phones, and also a new benchmark for mobile phone pricing. Being the 10th anniversary of the first iPhone expectations are higher than ever this year, but it could be a case of no pain, no gain for new iPhone buyers. With costs for the new iPhone expected to be higher than ever, make sure you find the best deal for your usage needs by checking whats available first, before jumping in.

So, there you go. WhistleOut gets to rustle up some free publicity on the back of what is arguably the most anticipated smartphone and technology release of the year, each year, as Australians get set for the most expensive iPhone yet, but the most powerful one ever released too  and the possibility the 7s and 7s Plus, which some have dubbed the 8 and 8 Plus, will actually be cheaper than last years models.

Not long to go now before the speculation ends, and the reality of new iPhones, new iOS and new Apple tech begins  definitively!
American multinational consumer electronics corporation Best Buy has pulled products made by Kaspersky Lab from its shelves and is offering customers assistance if they want to get rid of installed software from the company.

A report in Minnesota's Star Tribune newspaper said the decision had been taken due to media reports, testimony in the US Congress and discussion in the IT industry.

Best Buy, which has its headquarters in Richfield, Minnesota, also has outlets in Canada and Mexico. The report did not make it clear whether Kaspersky products were also pulled in these countries.

US moves against Kaspersky Lab have come in the wake of allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential elections.

As iTWire, the FBI has begun briefing firms in the US private sector to give up use of Kaspersky products.

In July, the US government removed Kaspersky products from a list of approved software suppliers for two government-wide purchasing contracts.

And there have been reports that the US Senate will use a provision in the National Defence Authorisation Act to look at a ban on the company's software in all federal agencies.

The Star Tribune report said that while Best Buy had not conducted its own investigation, the company felt that there were too many unanswered questions and had therefore decided to stop selling the products.

It quoted Kaspersky Lab as saying: "The only conclusion seems to be that Kaspersky Lab... is caught in the middle of a geopolitical fight, and its being treated unfairly even though the company has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyber espionage or offensive cyber efforts."

The Russia-based company said it continued to have good ties with Best Buy and that the ban could be re-evaluated later. Its products continue to be sold through US retailers like Target, Walmart, Amazon and Staples.

In a statement sent to iTWire the company said: Kaspersky Lab and Best Buy have suspended their relationship at this time; however, the relationship may be re-evaluated in the future. Kaspersky Lab has enjoyed an almost decade-long partnership with Best Buy and its customer base, and the company will continue to offer its industry-leading cyber security solutions to consumers through its website and other retailers.

Kaspersky security products are not sold as a default option on PCs by Best Buy, but rather as an add-on for extra payment. The company has said it will allow customers who have active subscriptions to exchange them for another product in the next 45 days.

Customers have been told they can uninstall the products on their own or else have someone from Best Buy's Geek Squad to do it for them.

The report said Kaspersky software had generally received favourable reviews, with a rating of 4.3 stars in 1800 reviews.
Four EU members have proposed that big multinational technology companies like Apple and Google should pay taxes in Europe on their revenue, and not profits.

The finance ministers of France, Germany, Italy and Spain said in a letter seen by Reuters: "We should no longer accept that these companies do business in Europe while paying minimal amounts of tax to our treasuries."

Signed by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, Wolfgang Schaeuble of Germany, Pier-Carlo Padoan of Italy and Luis de Guindos of Spain, the letter was sent to the EUs Estonian presidency with a copy to the group's executive Commission.

The push to curb tax avoidance by such companies has been led by France which has received strong support from other countries that are also annoyed about the small amount of tax that these companies pay under existing rules.

The EUApple to repay 13 billion (A$19.73 billion), in back taxes last year, claiming that a number of deals the company cut to do business in Ireland were illegal.

Apple appealed against the order in February.

The four finance ministers asked the EU to devise a solution so that an "equalisation tax" on turnover would result in corporate tax paid in the EU being the same as in the country where the money was earned.

They said they would present the idea to their EU colleagues at a meeting scheduled for 15 and 16 September.

The EU presidency has on its agenda for the meeting an item to discuss making it possible for firms to be taxed where the create value and not only where they are resident for tax purposes.

In July, Google won a case in France against a 1.2 billion tax bill, with a court ruling that the search company had not abused tax loopholes to avoid paying its fair share of taxes.
Reddit 69 Email 849 Shares

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

The US is commemorating the victims of September 11 today at the same time it is mourning the serial devastation that struck Texas and Florida.

Both are key moments in our history. The problem is that we over-did our response to 9/11 and have ignored the really big threat, man-made global heating.

September 11 changed the way the US government does business. Because 19 guys, funded by $500,000, were able to manipulate the shockingly bad airline security procedures then in place to hijack some jet liners and run them into buildings, the US went into security hyperdrive. Al-Qaeda killed thousands and did some $13 billion in property damage. We spent $4 to $6 trillion, on invading and occupying Afghanistan and then invading and occupying Iraq, and then drone wars and bombing in Yemen, Somalia, etc., etc. We directly killed hundreds of thousands of Afghans, Iraqis, and others, and set in motion events that would kill perhaps a million people.

We did not need to do those things. Al-Qaeda could have been rolled up pretty effectively without our keeping troops on the ground in Afghanistan. In fact, it stirs the anti-imperial Afghans up to have us there. Iraq never had had anything to do with al-Qaeda, and invading and occupying it illegally was just a matter of the greed and ambition of W. Bush and the people he agglomerated around him.

By destroying the Iraqi government and army, we destabilized the whole Fertile Crescent in ways that have turned into an ongoing quagmire. We inadvertently gave neo-Wahhabi extremism of the al-Qaeda and ISIL sort a new lease on life.

At home, we militarized our police, set the NSA to massive domestic spying, and spread more terror in the general population, of immigrants and Muslims and minorities, than al-Qaeda could ever have hoped to. We inflicted Trump and Bannon on ourselves, blowhard ignoramuses fueled by hatred and cranky conspiracy theories, who daily lie that they care about working people (!).

In the meantime, the real threat to the Homeland did not come from fringe radicals in the Middle East. Americans are more likely to be struck by lighting or fall down in their bathtubs and fatally hit their heads than they are ever to be negatively affected by Middle Eastern terrorism. The threat of terrorism from domestic white supremacists, those very fine people whom Trump and Bannon defend, is much, much greater than that from groups based abroad.

So we will have wasted $6 trillion or more? We will have wasted $6 trillion or more, not to mention inflicting profound harm on our Constitution.

Where did the real threat come from? From toxic carbon dioxide and methane emissions.

I guess in part because we are primates, the challenge of those 19 terrorist masterminds put all our alpha males into confrontation mode, with snarling of teeth and the aiming of deadly blows.

But in the meantime, burning fossil fuels has been causing some 200,000 premature deaths each year. The plain way of putting it is that driving our cars and heating or cooling our homes is killing people ten years before their time. It is killing nearly 0.1% of the American population each year. That is more than the nearly 3,000 killed in 2001. And it is every year. Since 9/11, in other words, by burning fossil fuels at such a furious rate, by burning coal to make electricity and gasoline to move automobiles, we have sent 3,200,000 Americans to an early grave.

But that death toll is tiny compared to the Climate Genocide our political leaders and captains of industry have planned for us. The United States is emitting 5.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. The world is emitting some 45 billion metric tons of CO2. That heats up the oceans, which in turn put more water vapor in the air and support more destructive hurricanes. It also raises the sea level by melting surface ice and by increasing the volume of the sea water itself (warm water takes up more space).

One storm, fed by the extra warm water of the Caribbean, Harvey, appears to have caused $180 billion worth of damage. It totaled one million automobiles! Harvey was a 1 in 500 years storm. But then Irma was likewise. At one point it just sped along for days at 185 m/h, at a combined speed and duration that has never before been recorded.

Harvey comes after Hurricane Sandy, which caused $120 bn.in damage. Sandy was able to get all the way up to New York City because the Atlantic has warmed up. In the old days New York water would have been cold and would have stopped the Hurricane from getting that far north.

The United State should have swung into action in the 1970s when Exxon (was it Esso then?) scientists discovered that burning fossil fuels was causing global heating. We needed a Manhattan Project in the Reagan years to develop solar and wind. It did not happen. Reagan and Bush were in the back pockets of Big Oil.

Since 1977, 50 years ago, have we put 25 trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere? That kind of concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is like setting off large numbers of atomic bombs. It makes it hot.

We havent spent $4-6 trillion on fighting climate change, even though burning fossil fuels polishes off 200,000 Americans a year and even though extreme weather is submerging cities like Houston and Miami from time to time, and will do so with increasing frequency.

It isnt just storms. The American West has suffered from a long drought and an unusual number of fires in recent years. These phenomena, like the storms, are not caused by man-made climate change. There have been hurricanes and wildfires all along. Climate change is just prolonging them and making them worse. It is adding to their severity and longevity by a certain percentage 10%? 30%.

Global heating will go on increasing and producing extreme weather. In 1750 there were 270 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is now 410 ppm, the highest it has been for three million years. But the earth hasnt yet heated up to the degree that such a high amount of CO2 in the atmosphere would predict. It will take centuries for that number to be translated into surface heat. All of Antarctica is going to melt. All of Greenland. Talk about a storm surge!

So we went in the wrong direction. Instead of invading and occupying Iraq, we should have created an army of scientists and engineers to invent better solar panels and better wind turbines and better batteries. The threat wont come for the most part from hijacked jets. It will come from an atmosphere made angry and vengeful by our burning of fossil fuels. we should have been sending in the national guard to shut down the coal plants. We should have been banning gasoline cars.

Global warming is on a spectrum. We can have only a little if we spring into action right now. Or we can have a lot if we go on burning fossil fuels. The latter course of action is no different from stealing an atom bomb and setting it off. We will be creating ever stronger Harveys and Irmas, or should I say Exxons and Peabodys.

I remember the youngish George W. Bush, sort of like Custer, saying Lets roll before he led our military off on a wild goose chase in Iraq.

We need that spirit, but we need to redirect it. Lets roll. Bike or ride a bus or get an electric car. Put solar panels on your roof if you own a home and will be in it 10 years or more. Use energy-saving light bulbs. Lobby your utility and state legislature for green energy. Bush told us to go shopping while he fought his war on terror, which was really just a bank robbery aimed at Iraq. Im saying the war on climate change requires everybody to join in. Because if we dont, our homeland is in danger like never before in history.



Related video:

Democracy Now! Ex-NASA Scientist James Hansen: There is a Clear Link Between Climate Change & Stronger Hurricanes
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 10, 2017 /CNW/ -- Tahoe Resources Inc. (TSX: THO, NYSE: TAHO) ("Tahoe" or the "Company") reported today that the Guatemalan Supreme Court issued a decision that reinstates the Escobal mining license of Tahoe's Guatemalan subsidiary, Minera San Rafael ("MSR"). This decision reverses the Supreme Court's preliminary decision to suspend MSR's license in connection with an action brought by the anti-mining organization, CALAS, against Guatemala's Ministry of Energy and Mines ("MEM"). CALAS alleges that MEM violated the Xinca indigenous people's right of consultation in advance of granting the Escobal mining license to MSR.

As part of its decision, the Supreme Court ordered MEM to conduct a consultation under ILO Convention 169. Per the ruling, MEM has been ordered to consult with the Xinca indigenous communities within a certain geographic area and report results of the consultation to the satisfaction of the Court within 12 months. Tahoe is seeking clarification from the Supreme Court on the specific geographical departments to be included within the scope of MEM's consultation. Although Tahoe believes that MEM complied with ILO Convention 169 before it issued the Escobal license, it will fully support MEM in any of its future indigenous engagement and will encourage MEM to involve independent ILO 169 experts to assist in this process.

The Company expects that CALAS, the Xinca Parliament and other interested parties may appeal the Supreme Court's ruling to the Constitutional Court. The following parties have standing and the ability to appeal the ruling: MSR, MSR's employees and vendors, the Xinca Parliament, CALAS, and judicially designated municipalities. After the Supreme Court rules on MSR's motion for clarification, MSR will have a right to appeal the matter to the Constitutional Court if it deems necessary. The Constitutional Court is expected to rule on all appeals by the end of the year.

While the Supreme Court ruling allows Escobal operations to commence immediately, the illegal roadblock at Casillas is ongoing, preventing an immediate restart of operations at this time. The Company continues to work with the government, community leaders and international mediation experts to resolve the roadblock situation peacefully and expeditiously. Upon a resolution of the blockade, the Company expects to resume production at Escobal within a week.

Ron Clayton, Tahoe Resources President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We are pleased that the Supreme Court of Guatemala has abided by legal precedent and restored MSR's license to operate the Escobal mine. The Company respects the rights of indigenous people in all jurisdictions in which we operate and are always willing to engage with any community members in those jurisdictions. We remain focused on peacefully resolving the blockade at Casillas. While we support the rights of all peoples to peacefully protest, we do not support the illegal blockage of public highway by non-locals which has had a devastating economic impact on our employees, contractors and communities. Once the road is re-opened at Casillas, we will resume full operations without disruption and put our valued employees and vendors back to work, support the economy of our local communities and return value to our shareholders."

As reported previously, until operations begin, the Company is only able to access $75 million of the $300 million capacity of its revolving credit facility entered on July 18, 2017, and may continue to be subject to events of default. Upon resumption of operations, the Company expects to provide an update on Escobal production that has been deferred to future periods. The Company expects to update previously suspended guidance for the gold operations, including exploration, later in the month.

About Tahoe Resources Inc.

Tahoe's strategy is to responsibly operate mines to world standards and to develop high quality precious metals assets in the Americas. Tahoe is a member of the S&P/TSX Composite and TSX Global Mining indices and the Russell 3000 on the NYSE. The Company is listed on the TSX as THO and on the NYSE as TAHO.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sept. 11, 2017) - First Mining Finance Corp. (TSX:FF) (OTCQX:FFMGF) (FRANKFURT:FMG) ("First Mining" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the seventh and final set of assay results, comprising 26 drill holes from its Phase 1 infill diamond drill program. (See Tables 1 and 2) at its 100% owned Goldlund Gold Project ("Goldlund"), located near the town of Sioux Lookout in northwestern Ontario, Canada.

Drilling Highlights:

Hole GL-17-103 intersected 52.0 metres of 2.18 grams per tonne gold Including 32.0 metres of 3.41 grams per tonne gold

Hole GL-17-069 intersected 66.0 metres of 1.51 grams per tonne gold Including 28.0 metres of 2.03 grams per tonne gold

Hole GL-17-068 intersected 68.0 metres of 0.91 grams per tonne gold Including 42.0 metres of 1.36 grams per tonne gold

Hole GL-17-041 intersected 60.0 metres of 1.02 grams per tonne gold Including 18.0 metres of 2.26 grams per tonne gold



Note: Assaying for the Goldlund 2017 drill programs are being done by SGS Canada Inc. at their laboratories in Red Lake, ON. and Burnaby, BC. Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut.

The primary goal of this year's Phase 1 infill drilling campaign at Goldlund was to upgrade Inferred resources into the Measured and Indicated categories and to gain further knowledge of the geology and gold mineralization at Zone 7 and Zone 1 (See Figures 1 and 2). The latest drilling results yielded significant intersections of gold in 17 of the 26 holes. The Phase 1 program is now complete and comprised a total of 100 holes (24,300 metres) of which 87 holes intersected intervals of significant gold mineralization.

Based on the success of Phase 1 drilling, First Mining has already commenced a Phase 2 drill campaign to identify new areas of gold mineralization and to expand the overall resource base at the Goldlund property. Data collected from the Phase 1 and Phase 2 drilling programs will be incorporated into the calculation of a new resource estimate, which is expected to be completed in 2018. The Company will provide more specific guidance for the Goldlund resource estimate at a later date.

Keith Neumeyer, the Chairman of First Mining, stated, "We are very encouraged by the assay results from the Phase 1 drilling at Goldlund and I believe that further drilling with the Phase 2 program has the potential to add ounces to the existing resource and further advance this project."

CORPORATE UPDATE

Given the success of the current drilling campaign the Company has elected to dedicate the majority of its remaining 2017 drilling and exploration budget to the Goldlund Project. Specifically, the company is continuing with its Phase 2 drilling program at Goldlund targeting granodiorite hosted gold mineralization that lies outside of the current resource area. Therefore, given the change in drilling priorities, the company has elected to defer drilling at the Cameron project until 2018 and has also reduced the scale of the drilling program at Hope Brook.

At Hope Brook, which is located in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Company has commenced on a limited exploration diamond drilling program. Drilling at Hope Brook will comprise of three holes for 750 metres and will focus on identifying new areas of mineralization within the Ironbound Hill target which is located approximately 25 kilometers from the main resource area and eight kilometers from Highway 480. The drilling campaign is scheduled for completion later this month and assay results are expected to be released as they become available.

Also, the Company has recently acquired two claim groups, the Satterly Lake Claims (the "Claims"), totaling 2,368 hectares, are adjacent to the western edge of the Company's Springpole Gold Project ("Springpole"). The Claim groups collectively consist of 17 claims covering gold mineralization drilled by St. Joe Canada in the 1980s. The Claims also surround the Company's Horseshoe Island claims in the Red Lake Mining District, 12 kilometers southwest of Springpole.

Furthermore, First Mining is close to completing an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for its wholly owned Springpole Gold Project, located in northwestern Ontario and the Company expects to release the results of this PEA by the end of the current quarter.

Table 1. Drill Hole Assay Results from Goldlund

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t GL-17-041 GL-17-041 126.0 146.0 20.0 0.48 inc 130.0 136.0 6.0 0.99 and 198.0 200.0 2.0 11.50 and 226.0 286.0 60.0 1.02 inc 226.0 244.0 18.0 2.26 and inc 228.0 230.0 2.0 7.47 and inc 268.0 274.0 6.0 1.85 and inc 272.0 274.0 2.0 3.28 GL-17-054 GL-17-054 no significant mineralisation GL-17-062 GL-17-062 12.0 24.0 12.0 1.44 inc 16.0 18.0 2.0 5.24 GL-17-063 GL-17-063 46.0 64.0 18.0 2.44 inc 46.0 48.0 2.0 6.49 and inc 62.0 64.0 2.0 6.65 and 96.0 164.0 68.0 0.28 inc 98.0 100.0 2.0 1.82 and inc 124.0 130.0 6.0 0.99 GL-17-064 GL-17-064 45.8 48.0 2.2 2.78 and 78.0 80.0 2.0 3.64 and 122.0 174.0 52.0 0.46 inc 122.0 124.0 2.0 4.64 and inc 172.0 174.0 2.0 2.99 GL-17-066 GL-17-066 8.0 30.0 22.0 0.38 inc 28.0 30.0 2.0 2.10 and 50.0 52.0 2.0 11.07 and 78.0 104.9 26.9 0.50 inc 84.0 86.0 2.0 3.44 GL-17-068 GL-17-068 116.0 184.0 68.0 0.91 inc 142.0 184.0 42.0 1.36 and inc 146.0 148.0 2.0 3.79 and inc 174.0 182.0 8.0 4.77 and inc 180.0 182.0 2.0 16.06 GL-17-069 GL-17-069 234.0 300.0 66.0 1.51 inc 234.0 262.0 28.0 2.03 and inc 234.0 236.0 2.0 13.93 and inc 260.0 262.0 2.0 5.90 and inc 284.0 300.0 16.0 1.65 and inc 296.0 300.0 4.0 4.19 GL-17-078 GL-17-078 no significant mineralisation GL-17-079 GL-17-079 no significant mineralisation GL-17-080 GL-17-080 no significant mineralisation GL-17-081 GL-17-081 no significant mineralisation GL-17-086 GL-17-086 45.0 47.0 2.0 0.73 GL-17-087 GL-17-087 no significant mineralisation GL-17-088 GL-17-088 no significant mineralisation GL-17-089 GL-17-089 29.0 42.7 13.7 0.65 inc 31.0 35.0 4.0 1.30 GL-17-091 GL-17-091 76.0 84.0 8.0 0.55 inc 80.0 82.0 2.0 1.16 and 96.0 120.0 24.0 0.33 GL-17-096 GL-17-096 16.0 22.0 6.0 0.87 inc 18.0 20.0 2.0 2.05 and 32.0 50.0 18.0 1.02 inc 40.0 42.0 2.0 2.15 GL-17-097 GL-17-097 48.0 92.0 44.0 0.82 inc 48.0 68.0 20.0 1.33 and inc 54.0 56.0 2.0 4.23 and inc 60.0 62.0 2.0 6.18 GL-17-098 GL-17-098 78.0 98.0 20.0 0.36 inc 80.0 82.0 2.0 2.22 GL-17-103 GL-17-103 329.0 381.0 52.0 2.18 inc 329.0 361.0 32.0 3.41 inc 329.0 331.0 2.0 5.76 and inc 345.0 349.0 4.0 16.41 and inc 347.0 348.0 1.0 45.45 and inc 353.0 355.0 2.0 8.23 GL-17-104 GL-17-104 361.0 369.0 8.0 1.04 inc 361.0 363.0 2.0 2.06 GL-17-109 GL-17-109 no significant mineralisation GL-17-110 GL-17-110 294.0 400.0 106.0 0.59 inc 308.0 312.0 4.0 2.14 and inc 320.0 322.0 2.0 4.23 and inc 356.0 358.0 2.0 2.07 and inc 396.0 398.0 2.0 3.13 GL-17-111 GL-17-111 no significant mineralisation GL-17-112 GL-17-112 268.0 286.0 18.0 0.65 inc 282.0 284.0 2.0 3.17

Assaying for the 2017 Goldlund drill program is being done by SGS at their laboratories in Red Lake, Ontario, and Burnaby, BC. Prepared samples are analyzed for gold by either Bulk Leach Extractable Gold (BLEG) assay techniques or by lead fusion fire assay with an atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) finish. Multi-element analysis on the mineralized zones is also being undertaken by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish.

Figure 1. Plan Map





Table 2. Drill Hole Locations

Hole ID Azimuth  Dip  Length (m) UTM East UTM North Section GL-17-041 0 -90 347.26 545850 5527228 545850E GL-17-054 0 -90 302 545950 5527225 545950E GL-17-062 0 -90 74 546000 5527305 546000E GL-17-063 0 -90 200 546000 5527285 546000E GL-17-064 0 -90 269 546000 5527265 546000E GL-17-066 0 -90 164 546050 5527315 546050E GL-17-068 0 -90 248 546050 5527275 546050E GL-17-069 0 -90 320 546050 5527255 546050E GL-17-078 0 -90 251 546100 5527275 546100E GL-17-079 0 -90 200 546150 5527290 546150E GL-17-080 0 -90 284 546150 5527270 546150E GL-17-081 0 -90 275 546150 5527250 546150E GL-17-086 0 -90 98 546300 5527305 546300E GL-17-087 0 -90 137 546300 5527285 546300E GL-17-088 0 -90 230 546300 5527265 546300E GL-17-089 0 -90 89 546350 5527315 546350E GL-17-091 0 -90 179 546350 5527275 546350E GL-17-096 0 -90 101 546400 5527315 546400E GL-17-097 0 -90 131 546400 5527295 546400E GL-17-098 0 -90 149 546400 5527275 546400E GL-17-103 0 -90 491 546050 5527200 546050E GL-17-104 0 -90 443 546150 5527205 546150E GL-17-109 0 -90 251 546200 5527280 546200E GL-17-110 180 -80 431 546200 5527280 546200E GL-17-111 0 -90 102.5 546250 5527300 546250E GL-17-112 180 -80 296 546250 5527300 546250E

Figure 2. Cross-Section through the Goldlund Project





Gold observed during the current drilling program at Goldlund occurs both as fine disseminations in quartz vein stockworks and as more discrete larger grains up to 2 mm spatially associated with pyrite in the quartz veins. Calaverite, a gold telluride mineral, has been noted occasionally in higher grade intervals on fracture surfaces in the quartz veins. Higher grade gold distribution in the granodiorite dike is often, but not always, associated with zones of more intense quartz stockworking and potassic alteration. Figure 2 above displays a cross-section of the geology and gold mineralization with drill holes GL-17-066 to GL-17-069, and GL-17-103.

QA/QC Procedures

The QA/QC program for the 2017 drilling program at Goldlund consists of the submission of duplicate samples and the insertion of certified reference materials and blanks at regular intervals. These are inserted at a rate of one standard for every 20 samples (5% of total) and one blank for every 30 samples (3% of total). The standards used in the 2017 program consist of 5 different gold grades ranging from 1 to 9 g/t, and are sourced from CDN Resource Laboratories in Langley, BC. Blanks have been sourced locally from barren granitic material.

Field duplicates from quartered core, as well as 'coarse' or 'pulp' duplicates taken from coarse reject material or pulverized splits, are also submitted at regular intervals with an insertion rate of 4% for field duplicates and 4% for coarse or pulp duplicates. Additional selected duplicates are being submitted for screened metallic fire assay analysis and to an umpire lab for check assaying. SGS also undertake their own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration.

Dr. Chris Osterman, P.Geo., CEO of First Mining, is the "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and he has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

ABOUT THE GOLDLUND PROJECT

The Goldlund deposit is situated within a land package of approximately 280 square kilometres (28,000 hectares) referred to as the Goldlund Gold Project. The Property has a strike-length of over 50 kilometres in the Wabigoon Subprovince. Goldlund is an Archean lode-gold project located in northwestern Ontario, approximately 60 kilometres from the township of Dryden. The claims that make up the land package cover the historic Goldlund and Windward mines.

On January 9, 2017, the Company announced an initial mineral resource estimate for Goldlund. At a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade, the Goldlund deposit contains pit constrained Indicated Resources of 9.3 million tonnes at 1.87 grams per tonne or 560,000 ounces of gold. At a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade, the Goldlund deposit contains pit constrained Inferred Resources of 40.9 million tonnes at 1.33 grams per tonne or 1,750,000 ounces of gold. The technical report for this resource estimate is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and is also available on the Company's website at www.firstminingfinance.com.

ABOUT FIRST MINING FINANCE CORP.

First Mining is a mineral property holding company whose principal business activity is to acquire high quality mineral assets with a focus in the Americas. The Company currently holds a portfolio of 25 mineral assets in Canada, Mexico and the United States with a focus on gold. Ultimately, the goal is to continue to increase its portfolio of mineral assets through acquisitions that are expected to be comprised of gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc and nickel.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 11, 2017) - Nikos Explorations Ltd. (TSXV: NIK) ("Nikos" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Shawn Ryan to acquire gold properties in Labrador. The LOI gives the Company the option to acquire 100% of the 740 square kilometre (km2) Ashuanipi property in northwest Labrador as well as a right of first refusal for the Nain (503 km2) and Hopedale Greenstone (458 km2) properties in central Labrador.

The Ashuanipi gold project is located just 35km from the historical iron ore mining community of Schefferville, which is linked by rail to Quebec in the south. The claim blocks cover large lake sediment gold anomalies that, with the exception of local prospecting, have not seen a systematic modern day exploration program. Recent regional geological mapping in the area by the Newfoundland and Labrador Geological Survey has highlighted the gold potential of the region and historical work 30km north on the Quebec side led to gold intersections of up to 2.23 grams per tonne (g/t) Au over 19.55 metres (not true width). Gold in both areas appears to be associated with metamorphosed iron formation. The Geological Survey of Canada has completed an airborne magnetic survey over the region that covers 70% of the existing Ashuanipi claims that will assist in screening potential iron formation targets for follow up.

The Nain gold project comprises three claim blocks, two of which lie along the Nain-Churchill terrane boundary. One of the claim blocks, Sneegamook, has the largest and most intense gold in lake sediment anomalies in Labrador, but no known gold exploration has taken place in the area. The targets on the Nain project are orogenic gold mineralization, similar to that found in the Aucoin gold prospect to the north, which is also located at the terrane boundary.

The Hopedale greenstone properties cover much of the Hopedale greenstone belt that stretches over 80km. The belt is typical of greenstone belts around the world, but has been seriously underexplored by comparison. Historical exploration did result in a gold showing of up to 4 g/t Au, but no significant gold exploration has been undertaken since the discovery.

Description of Option

In order for the Company to exercise the Option on the Ashuanipi property, the Company must pay to the Vendor $750,000 cash and issue 2 million shares as follows:

$75,000 cash and 450,000 shares following TSX venture exchange acceptance of the option agreement

$100,000 cash and 300,000 shares on the first anniversary of the option agreement;

$150,000 cash and 350,000 shares on the second anniversary of the option agreement;

$175,000 cash and 400,000 shares on the third anniversary of the option agreement and

$250,000 cash and 500,000 shares on the fourth anniversary of the option agreement

The Company will also grant a 2% net smelter return royalty (NSR) to the Vendor, 1% of which may be purchased at any time for $2 million plus $1 per ounce of gold in a measured and indicated resource. An advance royalty of $25,000 per annum for each property will be payable starting in 2023.

In addition, the Company will retain, for a period of sixty (60) days, the right to option the Nain and/or Hopedale Greenstone properties under the same terms for each property optioned.

Exploration being carried out by Groundtruth Exploration is already underway on the Ashuanipi property with a detailed lake sediment survey, soil sampling and a fixed wing airborne magnetic survey. This work will help with prioritizing targets for follow up during the 2018 field season. The company has agreed to reimburse the costs of this exploration.

Mr. Ryan has agreed to act as Technical Advisor to the Company during the option period.

"We are very excited to be partnering with Shawn Ryan on this latest gold exploration venture," said Roger Moss, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nikos Explorations Ltd. "His innovative exploration techniques have produced a track record of successful discoveries."

"I look forward to working with Nikos," said Shawn Ryan. "Labrador has seen exploration for iron, copper and nickel, but no real systematic exploration for gold. I was very surprised to see such high quality gold targets outlined by the Newfoundland Geological Survey with no record of past gold exploration on some of the targets and only small prospecting programs on others. Most people think of Labrador as remote, but the Ashuanipi target is only 35 km from Shefferville with its rail access and the Hopedale Project is a greenstone belt that has seen very little gold exploration and is sitting on tide water. The 2017/2018 field season should be an exciting time for Nikos and Labrador."

Roger Moss, PhD., P.Geo., is the qualified person for the Company and prepared the technical information in this release.

About Nikos Explorations:

Nikos Explorations is a Canadian based mineral exploration company focused on gold exploration in the underexplored region of Labrador. The company has 25,684,225 shares issued and outstanding and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol NIK.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Sept. 11, 2017) - Osisko Metals Incorporated (the "Company" or "Osisko Metals") (TSX VENTURE:OM)(FRANKFURT:0B5) is pleased to announce the commencement of an aggressive 50,000 meter diamond drilling campaign in the world class Bathurst Mining Camp (the "BMC") in New Brunswick, Canada. Drilling will focus on resource definition and expansion of the historical Gilmore South, Mount Fronsac, Flat Landing Brook and Louvicourt deposits (see Figure 1), all 100% owned by Osisko Metals.

Figure 1: Osisko Metals property holdings in the BMC. Historical deposits for Phase 1 drilling have red highlighted text. Shown resources are unclassified historical resources and not NI43-101 compliant. The Company is not treating these historical estimates as current mineral resources and they are shown for reference purpose only.





The Company has continued to consolidate its position in the prolific Bathurst Mining Camp with the addition of 519 new claim units (11,343 Ha) since the acquisition of the Mt Fronsac property (see news release date July 6, 2017). Osisko Metals now controls over 51,647 hectares in the camp. This latest strategic claim acquisition covers the area east of the Brunswick Belt stratigraphy and the interpreted Brunswick Horizon near the Carboniferous contact (see complete land package in Figure 1). These land holdings cover a significant portion of key favorable stratigraphy throughout the BMC.

President Jeff Hussey commented "We recognize the tremendous exploration opportunity in the Bathurst Mining Camp. Our first step is to build a resource base from historical deposits. Secondly, we continue to consolidate areas of interest as we initiate an aggressive camp-scale exploration campaign. We are eager to define viable zinc resources through a drill-focused exploration strategy".

Resource Expansion and Regional Exploration

Both the deposit scale and regional exploration programs will make use of the MiraGeoscience Common Earth Modelling technology that is an innovative, holistic, 3D modelling and target generation tool. This will generate a prioritized stream of high potential drill targets. This approach combines geological interpretation with geophysical and geochemical data sets that are merged into one common 3D-GIS (GOCAD) software platform to optimize drill targeting. Furthermore, this will lead toward the construction of the first 3D model of the entire BMC to identify new and untested mineralized VMS horizons.

The goal of these efforts is to quickly expand the Company's resource base and to generate highly prospective brownfield and greenfield targets throughout the BMC.

About the Bathurst Mining Camp

The BMC is the third largest volcanogenic massive sulphide mining camp in the world, and it is well known for extensive zinc, lead, copper and silver mineralization as well as multiple deposits and base metal mines including the former Brunswick # 12 Mine that produced 137 million tonnes of ore grading 8.74% zinc, 3.44% lead, 0.37% copper and 102 g/t silver between 1964 and 2013.

About Osisko Metals

Osisko Metals is a Canadian base metal exploration and development company creating value in base metals with an emphasis on the zinc space. In 2017, the Company acquired over 50,000 hectares in the Bathurst Mining Camp ("BMC"). The objective is to develop a multi-deposit asset base that would feed a central concentrator. In parallel, Osisko Metals is monitoring several base metal oriented peers for projects hosting zinc, copper, and nickel for acquisition opportunities. In Quebec, the Company acquired 42,000 hectares that cover 12 grass-root zinc targets that will be selectively advanced through exploration. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (TSX/NYSE:OR) and Osisko Mining Inc. (TSX:OSK) are significant shareholders of the Company.
New York City, NY, 09/11/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/

Frequent flyers know that turbulence is considered normal and ultimately not dangerous for a commercial airplane. However, severe turbulence is much more than a nuisance that disrupts passengers sleep or causes them to spill their in-flight orange juice. In recent years, serious injuries caused by turbulence have appeared in news headlines in the U.S. and around the world  and aviation experts say these types of injuries are on the rise.

Airline Passengers Seriously Hurt by Turbulence

An August 2017 United Airlines international flight en route from Panama to Houston experienced such serious turbulence it sent nine passengers and one crew member to the hospital. According to a Business Insider report, Distressed passengers were evacuated from the plane using stretchers and wheelchairs.

On yet another August 2017 flight  this time an American Airlines flight traveling from Athens, Greece to Philadelphia  three passengers and seven flight attendants were badly hurt, with one flight attendant reportedly dislocating his shoulder. Passengers said the plane lurched unexpectedly and dropped, throwing people into the ceiling. One passenger photo posted to social media shows liquid from passengers drinks splashed on the planes ceiling after the incident.

Is Air Turbulence on the Rise?

Turbulence is certainly nothing new, but the number of serious injuries caused by severe turbulence seems to be happening more and more. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there were 44 serious turbulence injuries in 2016. In 2015, there were just 21. The FAA also reports that the number of injuries caused by turbulence more than doubled between 1982 and 2003.

If serious turbulence injuries are doubling, what is happening to cause this sharp increase? Scientists say there is an obvious answer  climate change.

According to Dr. Paul Williams, a research fellow at Reading University, It is predicted there will be more and more incidents of severe clear-air turbulence, which typically comes out of the blue with no warning, occurring in the near future as climate change takes its effect in the stratosphere.

In 2016, for example, a United Airlines flight traveling from Houston to Heathrow Airport in London was forced to make an emergency landing due to severe turbulence.

Researchers say this type of serious turbulence already causes over $500 million in damage in the United States aviation industry every year. A Guardian report states that severe turbulence has even caused a number of fatalities on small private planes.

Contact a NYC Aviation Accident Lawyer to Discuss Turbulence Injuries

Even the most experienced airline travelers can feel anxious and unsettled when a plane suddenly drops in the air or shakes uncontrollably. Unfortunately, severe turbulence is becoming increasingly common on commercial flights. Although aviation experts say its almost impossible for turbulence to cause a jetliner to crash, there have been multiple reports of passengers sustaining serious injuries, including lacerations and concussions, caused by severe turbulence. If youve been injured on a flight, its important to speak to an experienced New York City aviation accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Sources:

Media Contact:

New York City aviation accident lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter. T: 866-324-9211.

source: http://injuryaccidentnews.jcreiterlaw.com/2017/09/04/turbulence-causes-serious-injuries/

Social Media Tags:Air Turbulence, Air Turbulence Injuries, NYC Aviation Accident Lawyer, Turbulence Causes Serious Injuries, Turbulence Injuries

Newsroom powered by Online Press Release Distribution  SubmitMyPressRelease.com

Like Us on Facebook

It's only fair to share... Pinterest Linkedin email Print
By Peter Guy





The good news for markets is that this Saturday's widely anticipated launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile from North Korea did not take place. But if and when it does happen, the U.S. will be under another round of pressure: do nothing again, and it will look weak and indecisive on the international scene. Or retaliate and risk a catastrophic conventional or nuclear conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump is a seriously considering adopting diplomatically provocative sanctions on Chinese banks doing business with Pyongyang, according to a report by NBC News, citing Trump administration officials.

The U.S. has already rolled out sanctions aimed at Chinese companies that conduct business and trade with North Korea. But it has not yet broadly targeted China's banking system. China has told U.S. officials it would protest such a move diplomatically and retaliate.

China accounted for 92 percent of North Korea's 2016 trade, according to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency's data in July. It also provides hundreds of thousands of tons of oil and fuel to the impoverished regime.

But it has only entrenched its position, explaining repeatedly that it wants a peaceful de-escalation and that it would not ally with the US in the event of a military conflict.

This is supposed to be evolving into the worst nuclear confrontation since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, except for one major remaining leverage for the U.S.: escalating a financial attack on the Chinese banking system in order to force China to completely embargo North Korea.

The U.S. cannot take pre-emptive military action until it has exhausted all diplomatic and economic options. And like the Cuban Missile Crisis, the will to act decisively or precipitously will depend on how severe the US considers this to be a "clear and present danger" and a national security crisis.

There is a precedent for trying to ban Chinese institutions from transacting in U.S. dollars.

In March 2007, Delta Asia Financial Group, a Macau based bank, suffered a run on its deposits when the U.S. Treasury ordered U.S. companies and financial institutions to cut links with the bank on account of allegations about its business relationships with the government of North Korea. It was the first time Section 311 of the USA Patriot Act was used to deny the international financial system from rogue states and state sponsors of terrorism.

Under legislation passed shortly after the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. Treasury Secretary has the power to designate foreign banks as "institutions of primary money laundering concern". The outcome is to impose severe limits - especially correspondent banking relationships with the US financial system.

Delta remains under financial sanction today, and is unable to conduct business in US dollars. It is currently appealing the sanction.

However, that application of the Patriot Act prompted such strong diplomatic protest by Beijing that the U.S. State Department instructed the Treasury to find other methods. An outright ban was far too disruptive to diplomatic relationships. But that has changed.

Today, Trump could ban U.S. and international institutions from dealing in US dollars with all Chinese banks. Such an act is more effective than trade sanctions. It would be equivalent to unleashing a financial nuclear weapon. It would be catastrophic.

Although China has digitalized the conduct of a large part of the nation's commerce, vast amounts of cash are still in circulation and depositors could demand it from banks. Cashless payment operators like Alipay and Tencent's WechatPay would certainly also come under immense pressure as massive yuan capital flows shift violently.

Threatening China with economic and social mayhem if they don't completely embargo North Korea is America's last choice. There are almost no moves left for the US diplomatically.

Starving out North Korea as if it was a medieval siege is the only attrition tactic left, as the status quo is naked appeasement.





Peter Guy is a financial writer and former international banker. Copyright belongs to the South China Morning Post.
: The national environmental regulator, Organismo de Evaluacion y Fiscalizacion Ambiemental (OEFA), has said that it is investigating two oil spills in the Capahuari Sur basin in Perus largest oil field, Lot 192, located in the Amazonian region of Loreto, where Canadian company Pacific Stratus Energy holds the operating rights. In a statement, Pacific Stratus Energy said they would carry out a contingency plan to contain the spills and clean up the affected area, which spans 32m. The operating contract between the government and Pacific Stratus Energy is due to expire soon. Local communities have threatened strike action unless the government consults with them before awarding the next concession contract for Lot 192.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 113 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options
* Former federal prosecutor Marcello Miller has denied allegations he helped executives from meatpacking company JBS obtain a favourable plea bargaining agreement with the attorney generals office. In a statement, Supreme court (STF) justice Edson Fachin said there was no evidence Miller had been co-opted by JBS executives.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 47 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options
Large enough to require its own ZIP code, the iconic World Trade Center contained the world's tallest buildings when it was dedicated in 1973. More than 50,000 people worked in the buildings, with another 200,000 visiting each day before its destruction in a terrorist attack in 2001.

History

Originally proposed at the close of World War II as a means to encourage trade in New York City, construction on a "world trade center" began at the 1960s, after the demolition of 164 buildings to make room for the new landmark. Dirt excavated from the site was used to create over 23 acres (9 hectares) of land along the Hudson River, part of Battery Park City in lower Manhattan.

With 110 floors in each tower, the two buildings were higher than the world-record holder at the time, the Empire State Building. The north tower reached 1,368 feet (417 meters) and the south tower was just shy of 1,362 feet (415 m). But their record was only held briefly; the Sears Tower in Chicago, completed a month after the dedication of the World Trade Center, stretched almost a hundred feet higher. When the twin towers collapsed in 2001, the towers held the record as fifth and sixth tallest buildings in the world.

A prominent piece of the New York City skyline, the twin towers were the first high-rises to utilize a vertical framed-tube structural system to compensate for the outside pressures from the wind. The architects designed the building with sky lobbies for express elevators to travel to, an innovative method to minimize the space they occupied. Overall, the building included 97 passenger and six freight elevators.

The north column opened to residents in December 1970, though the top floors had yet to be completed. Tenants began moving into the south tower just over a year later, in January 1972. The two were officially completed and dedicated in April 1973.

Landmarks and daredevils

The south tower boasted an observation deck on the top floor. The north tower hosted Windows on the World, the world's highest restaurant, on its 106th and 107th floors. Both attracted tourists who wanted to view the city from above.

Like Niagara Falls, their landmark status made them a target for daredevils. On Aug. 7, 1974, Philippe Petit crossed back and forth on a high wire stretching between the two towers eight times in half an hour. Three years later, George Willig, dubbed "The Human Fly" by the press, scaled the side of the north tower.

A prominent target: the 1993 bombing and 9/11

On Feb. 26, 1993, terrorists exploded a van in an underground parking garage beneath the north tower of the World Trade Center. The blast killed six people and injured over a thousand, but the towers stood strong. Six Muslim fundamentalists were ultimately convicted of the crime.

Terrorists struck the twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001. (opens in new tab) / Shutterstock.com (opens in new tab) ) (Image credit: Ken Tannenbaum

More than eight years later, on Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists struck again, this time with more chilling results. American Airlines Flight 11, traveling from Boston to Los Angeles, crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center, smashing through multiple floors. Less than twenty minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175, also flying from Boston to L.A., hit the south tower. Part of a coordinated attack that included an assault on the Pentagon and a failed attempt on what was most likely the Capitol in Washington, D.C., a group of 19 terrorists took control of four airplanes. Three hit their targets; passengers on board the fourth, United Airlines Flight 93, rebelled against the hijackers, and the plane crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pa., killing everyone on board.

The impact into the twin towers initially sparked fire damage, leading to rescue crews rushing into the building. But the destruction was far from over. The south tower collapsed in less than an hour after impact; the north tower in just under two, killing more than 2,700 people within the two towers. Almost 3,000 people were killed in the four plane crashes, including the 19 terrorists involved. [Remembering the Fallen: Memorials Gallery]

The National September 11 Memorial was constructed at Ground Zero, in the footprint of the Twin Towers. Built to remember all of the victims of 9/11, as well as the six victims of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the memorial hosts two reflecting pools nearly an acre in size and features the largest manmade waterfalls in the world. Bronze panels containing the names of those who died in the 1993 and 2001 attacks surround the pools.

Political aftermath

By the afternoon of Sept. 11, U.S. officials had named Osama bin Laden, leader of the Muslim terrorist group al-Qaeda, as the primary suspect in the attacks. Within a week, the Senate adopted a resolution authorizing the use of the American military against those responsible for the attacks, and President George W. Bush announced that bin Laden was wanted "dead or alive."

The Bush administration went on to declare a War on Terror, seeking to bring bin Laden and al-Qaeda to justice. As such, the United States led the overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 2002 and used the alleged involvement of Saddam Hussein to invade Iraq in 2003.

Within the United States, Congress passed the Homeland Security Act and the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act especially drew criticism because it permitted law enforcement agencies to invade the privacy of private citizens without judicial oversight.

In 2004, Osama bin Laden claimed responsibility for the attacks on 9/11 in a message aired on an Arabic TV station. In 2011, President Barack Obama announced that bin Laden was killed in a firefight in Pakistan, almost a decade after the horrifying attacks.

Conspiracy theories abound

Despite bin Laden's claims, there are many who believe that the U.S. government maintained some level of involvement with the attacks. Theories abound on whether some U.S. officials helped to plan the attack, or simply knew about it and let it occur. Some suggest that controlled demolitions brought down the north and south towers; others believe the Pentagon was hit by a government-launched missile. [Is This Article Part of a Conspiracy?]

A 2007 poll indicated that almost a quarter of Americans believe that elements in the U.S. government knew of an impending attack and intentionally let them proceed. Similarly, in May 2015, a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll found that 24 percent of Americans believe there is another explanation for the 9/11 attacks Such paranoia may have been fed not only by dissatisfaction with the resulting policies but also with the fact that the War on Terror led to what many felt was an unprovoked attack on Iraq.
Hurricane Harvey may have dumped an unprecedented level of water, one expected to be seen just once every 500,000 years, in some areas of Southeast Texas, according to a new report.

The 24-hour measures of rain falling during Hurricane Harvey were unprecedented and exceeded the rate predicted to occur once every 1,000 years, researchers found. And the flood levels seen in some isolated areas of Houston over a five-day period exceeded those predicted to occur twice in a million years, a new analysis found. In some parts of texas, more than 51 inches (130 centimeters) fell over the five-day period, the report found.

To get to those eye-popping statistics, scientists combined rainfall modeling data with a century of precipitation statistics compiled in a 1998 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report. The odds of certain flooding are based in part on those statistics and in part on flood plain maps that account for things like elevation. The precipitation data from the USGS report, however, are spotty, according to a blog post about the report. For instance, the rainfall data was collected from precipitation stations across Texas, some of which may have only one or two data points, and many of which were operational going back only as far as the 1970s (though some were operational as far back as 1910). In addition, other areas of Texas may have had rainfall that was never detected, because no weather stations existed in that location at the time. [In Photos: Hurricane Harvey Takes Aim at Texas]

This 1998 USGS paper found that Texas is particularly prone to flooding, often from excessive precipitation.

"Destructive flooding, caused by excessive precipitation, occurs somewhere in the state nearly every year. Conversely, short- and long-term droughts also occur throughout the state. At least one drought has occurred in some part of Texas in the majority of decades of the 20th century," the authors of the report wrote.

To get from those precipitation-station numbers to the extremely rare five-day flood incidence, MetStat, a meteorological consulting group, compared those maximum precipitation rates for different intervals with recorded rainfall detected by gauges across south Texas during Hurricane Harvey. While some areas received a 1-in-1,000-year flooding over a day, the total rainfall over the five-day period reached a staggering 1-in-500,000-year mark in some small pockets of Houston. The findings have not been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.

Of course, 500,000 years ago, the city of Houston, the state of Texas and likely even Homo sapiens in the area did not exist. In the last half million years, the climate changed radically, as glaciers retreated and advanced across the continent of North America several times. While Texas wasn't glaciated, those changes also dramatically altered the landscape and conditions in the region. So, a 500,000-year flood doesn't mean those areas have historically gotten such a flood just once in the last half million years  it could've happened more or less.

Originally published on Live Science.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES East satellite captured this visible image of Hurricane Irma at 10:37 a.m. EDT on Saturday (Sept. 9) when it was a Category 4 storm.

After tearing through the Caribbean, Irma, the formerly powerful Category 5 hurricane, is now losing strength. As of 2 p.m. EDT, the tropical storm was passing between Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Florida, on its way to Georgia.

Here's a by-the-numbers look at the record-breaking storm:

185 mph (298 km/h) for 37 hours: The maximum sustained wind speed of Hurricane Irma, the strongest hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin outside of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. This is the longest any cyclone has maintained that intensity on record, according to Phil Klotzbach, an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University. [Inside Irma: Riding Out the Storm with the 'Hurricane Hunters' (Photos)]

3.25 days: The amount of time Irma was a Category 5 hurricane, which is categorized on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale as over 156 mph (251 km/h), according to Klotzbach.

1924: The year the last hurricane made landfall as a Category 5 storm in Cuba prior to Irma, according to Klotzbach.

2004: The year the last Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Florida prior to Irma.

95: Percentage of the buildings in Barbuda that Irma is estimated to have destroyed, according to the Red Cross.

28 + 1: Number of states (plus one capital district, Washington, D.C.) that provided assets  helicopters, emergency support teams, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ambulances and nurses  to Florida to help in response and recovery, according to a news release by the Florida governor's office.

116,000: Number of individuals in Floridain shelters as of yesterday (Sept. 10), according to a news release by the Florida governor's office.

62: Percentage of accounts without electricity in Florida, as of this morning (Sept. 11), according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

4.1 million: Number of shelf-stable meals that Florida Gov. Rick Scott requested from the federal government for Hurricane Irma survivors, according to the governor's official request.

2.4 million: Meals transferred to Florida by FEMA as of yesterday (Sept. 10), according to a public release by the agency.

Original article on Live Science.
September is National Deaf Awareness Month. Today, in the United States, there are an estimated 11 million deaf and hard of hearing individuals who still face challenges associated with access to communication and employment. Despite legislation and entitlement programs, 73% of deaf people are not offered sign language interpreters, while 70% of deaf people are either unemployed or underemployed. Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) was founded forty years ago by Ben Soukup, a factory worker in South Dakota, to help the deaf community achieve the same basic human rights that all Americans should be afforded.

Today, the organization represents over 800 employees and is headed by Bens son, Chris Soukup. Chris vision for CSD builds upon his fathers work with an emphasis on technology-driven solutions that put control of the communication experience into the hands of deaf individuals themselves. Part of this strategy, discussed more below, includes CSDs recently launched Social Venture Fund. The Fund is currently accepting applications for its first cohort of businesses or services that help create prosperity for deaf people everywhere. To learn more about CSD, Medgadget had an opportunity to sit down with Chris to hear about his familys story as well as the organizations current and future plans to advance awareness and access for the deaf and hard of hearing community.

Medgadget: Lets start with some background on the Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) organization.

Chris Soukup: CSD was founded in 1975 by my father, Ben Soukup, as a grassroots nonprofit organization that began due to a simple problem. My father lived in the upper midwest where a profoundly deaf person had very limited employment opportunities: either work as a printer or in a manufacturing role. My father ended up working at a large meat processing facility where my grandparents and uncles all also worked at some point in their lives. All told, there were about a dozen deaf men working at the business. One day, my father noticed a change in his pay stub. The company did not make any effort to communicate the reason behind the change which was frustrating not only due to the lack of information, but also due to the fact that Deaf employees had no way to communicate with management about their concerns regarding the change. This event sparked a conversation about the need for businesses to provide the basic, fundamental human right of communication to the Deaf community through interpretation services. My father was president of the South Dakota Association for the Deaf and so the idea made its way through to the other leaders of that organization who were ultimately able to secure a $15,000 grant to form CSD in November of 1975. Based on his experience at the meat processing facility, CSDs very first services focused on sign language interpretation. Today, CSDs mission and role have evolved substantially.

Medgadget: CSD was formed based on a need for better communication access. What has been the evolution of communication for the Deaf community and where is it going next?

Chris: As part of the ADA, states were charged to take on the responsibility for communication and relay services; basically making sure anyone could use a telephone to communicate. Prior to the 1990s, a deaf person could not just pick up the phone and make a call. I recall how my grandparents, on both sides of my family, who were deaf would come over to my house so that my mother could make phone calls for them. After the ADA, relay services were instituted so that a Deaf person could call into where an agent would then place an outbound call on the Deaf individuals behalf. This gave the Deaf community a level of autonomy to do basic things on their own that they had not experienced before. This eventually evolved from a fixed endpoint where someone using this service had to purchase a specific piece of hardware to now a web and video-based product where a Deaf person can use an interpreter to make outbound phone calls.

Coming back to the ADA, the legislation was designed to promote a communication experience that is the same for a Deaf person as it is for a non-Deaf person. The caveat, however, is that this directive is limited to the best available technology. Today, we believe there is another bar beyond these more advanced relay services. That is the ability to call directly into a business the same way that businesses currently offer multilingual call lines. Why should a Deaf person need to go through a relay? Instead, we believe in advocating for businesses to setup direct services to allow communication with Deaf individuals. Connect Direct is a program at CSD working to make this a reality and ultimately realize a communication experience that is even closer to the spirit of the ADA.

The best possible experience would be something akin to a web chat where a consumer can click on a link and have a direct ASL customer support video call. This is still an emerging area with companies starting, slowly, to adopt these direct communications strategies. One wonderful advocate for these direct services for Deaf individuals has actually been the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Medgadget: In addition to Connect Direct, are there other programs CSD has developed?

Chris: Another initiative we have is Vineya which is trying to improve upon the paradigm of language interpreting, or signing agencies. Until a few years ago, language interpreting agencies operated like travel agencies from the 1980s. You would call in, the travel agent would do the leg work figuring out what they could put together for you, and they would return to you a package for which you would pay a set amount but have very little control over. In that model, you have to have a high degree of trust that the travel agency will do a good job. Sometimes it works and sometimes you arent happy with the outcome. That industry has now exploded and is completely malleable by individuals themselves today. Similarly, with signing agencies, you call into the agency and they would do all the work setting you up with an interpreter. They might not always be the right interpreter for the job and the transparency into cost is very limited with.

Vineya is basically a technology concept building off of what has already seen success in other verticals and applying those insights to modernize the way interpreting services are provided. A big part of that modernization is the increased transparency and shared decision making with the Deaf individual themselves. The platform gives the Deaf individual an equal say in defining the communication services they are looking for such as being able to decide which interpreter they want to work with. With Vineya, we are again working towards a destination where the Deaf person is in complete control and empowered to participate in the decision-making process.

Medgadget: The programs youve mentioned all have a technology component to them. Does CSD do its own development?

Chris: Yes! All of these are actually coming right out of CSD where we have in internal software development and innovation team. Weve setup an innovation space at CSD where we have people who are very passionate about clearly identifying problems and proactively solving the challenges of our community.

Medgadget: Beyond communication and communication services, how has the vision and role of CSD changed since its inception?

Chris: The arc of social progress for the Deaf community has advanced in increments. Originally, there was a focus on the fundamental needs around communication access so people could get the information they needed no matter where they were, like the hospital. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990, was an important milestone in terms of that original goal. This was a starting point, but not a definition of the role CSD wanted to play. Over the last 42 years, CSD has tried to continually elevate what is possible for the Deaf community and what opportunities are available to them. Our ultimate goal now is getting to the point where there is no difference in the opportunities between Deaf and non-Deaf as well as signing and non-signing individuals.

Where we have unfortunately not seen as much progress today is in employment opportunities. The data we have seen shows a 70% unemployment rate within the hard of hearing population, especially among those using sign language for communication. This has a trickle down effect impacting both the social and economic status of our community and so we are orienting our resources to address this problem head-on.

A few or our programs tackling the unemployment challenge for Deaf individuals are CSD Works and CSD Learns as well our recently launched incubator and venture fund, the CSD Social Venture Fund. All of these programs are focused on building bridges between Deaf people with skills and corporate entities.

Medgadget: Can you tell us more about these programs to tackle the challenge of unemployment, particularly CSDs new fund and incubator?

Chris: At CSD, we have to combat the issue of underemployment on as many fronts as possible to make a dent in the numbers. CSD Works and CSD Learns focus on full-time employment opportunities as one avenue. But what about those who want to be their own boss and want to run their own business? No resources exist today specifically for Deaf entrepreneurs. This was the genesis to the idea that there should be a fund to identify high potential ideas and those who could turn those ideas into action. This kind of support ties back to the broader goal of being able to demonstrate the capability of the Deaf community and individuals in that community to bring concepts and products into the world. Positive visibility is an important part of improving the perception of our community. If we can affect how Deaf people are perceived we continue to move towards a world where Deaf and non-Deaf people are considered to be on an equal playing field.

Our incubator will involve strategic mentoring, back office support, and a lot of help with the nuts and bolts of how to run a business. Currently, anyone who is Deaf with a good idea can submit a proposal for consideration. Once we have a stronger sense of the concepts and ideas that people are bringing to us, then we can better shape how the rest of the incubator will function to cater to those opportunities. Our goal is to fund the first wave of business concepts by the end of the year so send us your ideas!

Medgadget: Are there any nascent areas out there that CSD is starting to look at?

Chris: One of the areas to pay close attention to is the development of mobile health innovations. There is a lot of uncharted space and remote health monitoring represents a groundswell of activity that has tremendous potential for the Deaf community. The vast majority of that 70% of unemployed Deaf individuals are on Medicaid or Medicare and are receiving social security benefits. Since there is a lot of effort involved in getting an interpreter, they might put off going to the doctor due to the effort. The result is that much of their care ends up taking place in the emergency room where interpretation services can be very expensive when you have to pull an interpreter at two in the morning. There is tremendous potential in the idea of regular health checkpoints that can proactively identify a patients health status and connect them with a general practitioner before their condition gets worse.

This area will be one of the next steps for CSD. We have been exploring ideas in this space for about four years now as more and more technologies, such as Bluetooth-enabled at-home blood sugar capture tools, open up new possibilities for the Deaf community. Another aspect of this opportunity is that Deaf people are often in nursing homes or assisted living facilities where they can be alone and isolated. Getting resources to support these individuals and their wellness is important, especially for those who may already be facing a communication barrier. Weve heard anecdotes about Deaf people in nursing homes who have gone weeks without human interaction if there is no one there to sign with them.

Medgadget: What are you excited about thats coming down the pipeline for CSD?

Chris: Right now our venture fund and incubator program is a big focus for us. CSD Labs will be formally rolled out soon and there will be additional technologies and projects that we are excited to begin working on through that program. In addition to the mobile health opportunities discussed, some other technologies were particularly excited about include facial recognition, geolocation, and speech-to-text. All of these have potential applications for the Deaf population and we want to be in the mix as part of the driving force within the evolving ecosystem of these and other technologies.

Medgadget: This has been a great opportunity to delve into an organization at the forefront of the deaf community. Is there anything else youd like to add as we launch into Deaf Awareness Month (September)?

Chris: A few last thoughts. First, one program I havent mentioned is CSD Creative which is focused on creating ASL marketing content. We have been encouraging government entities and corporations to produce content that is accessible to the Deaf community. The message is that we are customers, we have value, and we are spending money on your company so you should make an effort to build a relationship with us.

Second, the work of CSD is something we have been looking at expanding internationally. The challenges we have had in the U.S. really pale in comparison to the rest of the world. Everything we have done in recent years as part of our new model and way of operating is building towards scale so we can eventually take our efforts well beyond the U.S. Part of that transition is the continued focus on software-drive, turnkey solutions that can have an impact on peoples lives no matter where they are. We already have a full scale operation in New Zealand today and have been operating there for a number of years. We also have pilots going on in a number of other countries where we are learning about the best ways to do things while recognizing country-specific funding opportunities, laws, and attitudes about the Deaf community, which differ from culture to culture. Pilots have brought a lot of insight and continued efforts outside of the U.S. are something we are committed to.

Finally, there is some really important messaging were working to put out there to challenge conventional thoughts on Deaf people and Deaf identities. There is a mindset that being Deaf is a disability that needs to be solved or fixed. However, we are trying to combat that perspective because we see human diversity as a profound part of the human experience. Deaf individuals are part of that diversity which adds both color and texture to the mosaic of our humanity.

Link: Communication Service for the Deaf
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, September 11, 2017

Rumors suggest Google is preparing to purchase or make a sizable investment in HTC Technologies' smartphone division. The two have a long history working together.

Google would gain access to a manufacturing facility and add to its own design expertise. HTC built the first three Android OS smartphones, they manufactured both of Google's Pixel phones. HTC also has experience in virtual reality, although this unit isn't for sale. The deal would likely give Google greater access to its VR experts.

Last week, HTC reported consolidated revenue of NT$3 billion or $99.69 million for August -- down 54.4% from a year ago, and the lowest monthly revenue figures in 13 years.

Speculation around a potential sale of the HTC unit goes back to around 2006, when they created a consumer-facing brand, transitioning from an original design manufacturer branded by other companies, according to IHS analyst Ian Fogg.

advertisement advertisement

Google may be concerned that if HTC ceases to exist, it could put at risk the next smartphone scheduled for release within the month, Fogg said. This also could be a "defensive move" by Google to save a partner in financial trouble, rather than seeing it go to a competitor, he said.

HTC attempted to create brand partnership, including partnering with Facebook on a smartphone and Under Armor on wearables.

HTC -- which is now struggling in the market -- became a niche smartphone maker, shipping just 8.8 million units in 2016, falling to 4.1 million units shipped in the first half of 2017, according to IHS analyst Ian Fogg. "They are now too small to achieve profitability easily," he said.

Google has not had a good run at creating a smartphone division based on an acquisition. The company acquired the Motorola Mobility Group in 2011, but sold it to Lenovo in 2014 for $2.91 billion.

Google, of course, said it does not comment on rumors or speculation.
by Larissa Faw , September 10, 2017

Macroeconomic troubles have prompted Zenith to lower its global ad-spend growth prediction to 4% for 2017. Total expenditures are now expected to reach $558 billion.

Thats a downgrade from the 4.2% growth that Zenith had forecast in June. The June forecast was a downgrade from the 4.4% the Publicis Groupe media agency had forecast in March.

"I was surprised to downgrade so many Eurozone ad markets, since the region is currently enjoying its best economic performance for a decade," says Jonathan Barnard, the agencys head of forecasting and director of global intelligence. There are also pockets of weakness in Mexico and Thailand, while Malaysias recovery from a 2016 downturn is taking longer than expected.

These disappointments have been partially offset by improvements in Canada and Russia. For now, Zenith projects that global ad expenditure will hit 4.2% in 2018.

Although some persistent uncertainty remains in the U.S. marketplace -- particularly with regard to policy changes the Trump Administration may or may not implement -- advertising is forecast to increase 3.5% in 2017 to $434.5 billion. That's roughly in line with earlier predictions for the year.

advertisement advertisement

Next year, the U.S. markets growth is expected to hit 3.4%, per Zenith's latest forecast.

Digital -- and particularly mobile -- continues to take dollars away from print media as consumers use mobile apps. The most rapid growth is coming from online video (+18%) and social media (+25%), while U.S. TV is still growing, only fractionally at 0.5% this year.

American print media continue its steep decline, with newspapers falling 9% and magazines down 7.4% this year.

Globally, social media -- growing at 20% per year -- and online video -- growing at 21% per year -- are driving 14% annual growth in total display advertising, according to the updated forecasts.

Total display expenditure will increase from $84 billion in 2016 to $126 billion in 2019, accounting for 64% of all the growth in global ad expenditure. By 2019, total display will account for 50.4% of internet advertising expenditure, exceeding 50% for the first time.

"Online video and social media advertising are growing the fastest because that's where consumer attention is moving to, and where advertisers can reach otherwise hard-to-find audiences with great results," says Barnard,. "If that's where your target audience is, you need to be there, too."

Combined ad spend on the complementary TV and online video platforms continues to grow, accounting for 48.5% of brand ad spend in 2016, and forecast to rise to 49.3% in 2019. But the distinctions between online video and traditional television are being eroded, and the two work together much better than they do separately," says Barnard.

Zenith, to that end, distinguishes between television and online video advertising because they are distributed differently, generally sold differently and categorized differently by third-party agencies that monitor advertising expenditure, says the agency.

But for many consumers, they are beginning to blur together as smart TVs and other devices deliver internet content to households' main TV sets.

Paid search will reach $103 billion by 2019. And some promising opportunities remain for this category. Much of its recent growth has come from innovations in mobile and location-based search. Future growth will come from adapting search ads to voice-activated personal assistants like Siri and Alexa, says Zenith.

Classified advertising -- advertising on dedicated web pages without editorial content, often for cars, house and jobs -- was an important part of the early internet. But its share of total internet expenditure has been shrinking for many years as users have turned to free listings, auction sites and other substitutes.

In 2016, advertisers spent $17 billion on internet classifieds, and Zenith expects this total to rise by just 7% a year to $21 billion in 2019.
by Tanya Gazdik , September 10, 2017

Bob Evans Farms has hired country music star Martina McBride to be featured in a TV spot and holiday season promotion.

The partnership kicks off Sept. 11 when a 15-second spot from McCann Detroit featuring McBride and her new Chicken Potato Pot Pie Recipe began airing nationwide on cable and traditional broadcast TV.

McBride is a great fit for Bob Evans because she is an American icon and the Bob Evans Farm brand is steeped in Americana, says Thyme Hill, VP of marketing at Bob Evans Farms.

Plus, as a mom, a cook, an entertainer, she does it all, Hill tells Marketing Daily. Her core values match up well with ours: Martina believes family is the most important thing in her life and she loves to feed people as does Bob Evans. Martina has been a great partner and we have plans to work with Martina in the future.

advertisement advertisement

Despite her intense schedule, McBride loves cooking and entertaining at home. Thats why she is teaming up with Bob Evans Farms to create two new comfort food recipes as part of the companys popular Farm Fresh Ideas recipes collections. All recipes in the collection feature Bob Evans sides as ingredients for easy and delicious recipes that are minutes to the table. In addition, McBride has written tips to help make entertaining at the holidays easier and will be sharing her tips and recipes in New York in late October.

Bob Evans sides have been a secret of the busiest cooks for years, Hill says.

They are not just sides; they are ingredients, she says. From using Bob Evans Original Mashed to make shepherds pie to adding our sweet potatoes to your familys sweet potato pie recipe, starting with our sides makes cooking your favorite meals easier and much quicker. We wanted to highlight that in our commercial and, since Martina was creating recipes with our sides, we decided that would be a smart way to showcase how quick and easy Bob Evans sides can make any recipe."
by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, September 11, 2017

CVS is set up 25 vending machines in the Northeast, selling everything from makeup remover to healthy snacks to earbuds. Uniqlo, the Japanese fast-fashion brand that has stumbled in its store expansion plan, is setting up 10 vending machines in U.S. airports. And brands are increasingly using vending machines as part of publicity ploys, like Snapchat in its Spectacles launch. We asked Lee Peterson, executive vice president of strategy and design at WD Partners, a customer experience company in Columbus, Ohio, to explain why the 140-year-old vending machine is new again.

Q. So vending machines have been around since the 1880s. Why are they getting so much attention now?

A. It started with Best Buy, putting machines in airports about five years ago. Its another way of addressing the

advertisement advertisement

way people shop now. Consumers think, I can buy anything, anywhere, anytime. So to have something to offer them when they really cant  when theyre stuck at an airport or in a dorm, for example  is helpful.

Q. So is this trend really about filling a need? Or is it also about sampling? Best Buy is a widely known, but Benefit, a high-end cosmetic brand thats also in many airports, isnt.

A. I think it is mostly about familiarity and convenienceshoppers buying products theyre familiar with and need right now, like laundry soap from CVS or a computer cord from Best Buy. Ive noticed they do sell high-priced items, even cameras and iPhones, and I wonder how many of those they actually sell.

But this is all part of what retailers should be doing, to combat the threat of online shopping. If you think of the whole customer journey, this is part of it. Should stores still explore other ideas to introduce people to their brands, like pop-up stores? Sure. Vending machines arent going to solve all their problems, but its one more way to connect, to offer convenience. This is just a small part of the larger picture.

Q. Will they make money?

A. Revenue-wise, no. CVS has something like 7,300 locations so vending machines wont move the needle. But its a brand awareness factor, and that can be valuable.

RA. Yes, we did some research several years back, and Millennials love the idea of interactive vending machines. Boomers, not so much. But younger people grew up with text. They just dont like phone calls. We see it in the appeal of online ordering for groceries and restaurants, and even restaurant concepts like Eatsa, which enables you to get high-quality fast-food really fast, without any human contact. And Walmart is having a lot of success with its pickup towers. People like machines.
by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, September 11, 2017

Plant-based beverage company Califia Farms is looking to increase brand awareness and reinforce its unique esthetic with original art mural installations in hip areas of Brooklyn, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The murals, inspired by the companys California roots, are brightly colored interpretations of Califias Better Coffee for All campaign.

The art murals in Brooklyns Williamsburg section, at North 14 and Wythe (14 x 90) and San Francisco Jackson Square (40 x 60) debuted last week and will be on display through the end of September.

They were created in collaboration with Brooklyn-based graphic designer and illustrator Mallory Heyer, who has done work for MTV, Refinery29, Simon & Schuster, LOGOtv, Google, Sony Music, OkCupid, Samsung, PopTV and others. The images were then hand-drawn and hand-painted, with recyclable paints, by outdoor creative agency Colossal Media.

advertisement advertisement

Califia Farms is using a video featuring Heyer, posted on Facebook and YouTube (below) to promote the billboards, suggesting that fans take a snap with the mural and share it on social.

The artist for the L.A. mural, to be located in West Hollywood at Melrose & Ogden, will be announced soon, according to the brand. That mural will be on display from Nov. 13 to Dec. 31.

Califia Farms, maker of cold brew coffees  including its Black Label Cold Brew that is the leading cold brew in the natural, ready-to-drink refrigerated category  plus almond milks and other plant-based beverages, has distinguished its brand in part through its curvy glass bottles and distinctive logo and graphics. The brand is also known for achieving growth by employing innovation approaches to targeting its consumer base in key cities.

We believe that developing great-tasting coffee is its own kind of art, requiring hands-on care, curation and a singular creative vision, said Califia Farms CEO Greg Steltenpohl. These vibrant, one-of-a-kind murals beautifully reflect that mission, and we hope will brighten the day of passers-by, while extending awareness of our delicious Black Label Cold Brew Coffee creations.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, September 11, 2017

A federal appellate court appears poised to decide whether consumers are entitled to sue for privacy violations when information about their video viewing has allegedly been transmitted to outside companies.

Late last week, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals spontaneously asked lawyers for both ESPN and Chad Eichenberger -- a consumer who alleges his video privacy rights were violated -- to address whether Eichenberger has "standing" to proceed in federal court.

The move comes three weeks after the same court ruled that online data broker Spokeo must face a privacy lawsuit for allegedly displaying incorrect information about Virginia resident Thomas Robins.

The U.S. Supreme Court said last year that Robins could only proceed in federal court if he showed he suffered a "concrete" harm -- but also said that Robins need not show a "tangible" injury to proceed. That decision puzzled some outside legal experts, who said it wasn't clear how the court was distinguishing "concrete" from "tangible."

advertisement advertisement

Last month, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit resolved that question in favor of Robins, ruling that his allegations of injury were concrete enough to warrant a lawsuit.

Tech companies, media organizations, business associations, digital privacy advocates and the Obama administration weighed in on the Spokeo dispute while it was pending before the Supreme Court. Consumer watchdogs backed Robins, while Google, Facebook and other companies sided with Spokeo. One reason the case drew intense interest is that many tech companies are facing lawsuits for allegedly violating a federal statute -- like the video privacy law, or anti-robo-texting law -- but may not have placed any consumers at risk of harm.

The ESPN matter stems from a video privacy lawsuit by Eichenberger, who alleges that the company sent his Roku serial number, combined with data about videos watched, to Adobe. Eichenberger argued that ESPN violated the federal Video Privacy Protection Act, which prohibits companies from transmitting personally identifiable data about people's video viewing activity.

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Zilly in Seattle dismissed Eichenberger's lawsuit in 2015, ruling that Roku's serial number is not personally identifiable information. Eichenberger appealed that ruling to the 9th Circuit.

The order issued by the 9th Circuit late last week directs ESPN and Eichenberger to specifically address whether he should be able to proceed, given the rulings in the Spokeo dispute.

Privacy expert Bill McGeveran, a University of Minnesota law professor, says the judges' move doesn't in itself signal how they intend to rule, given that courts are obligated to address questions about "standing" before deciding other issues raised by lawsuits.

"Standing is an automatic stop-the-presses once the court perceives there might be a problem," he says.

McGeveran also says the 9th Circuit's move is "the legacy of the inscrutable language in the Supreme Court's opinion" in the Spokeo case.

"How something can be intangibly concrete is a metaphysical mystery," he says. "It's not surprising that appellate courts would want to be cautious about it."
11.09.2017 LISTEN

Psalm 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

This song produced by Victor EtrackzOkon is a song celebrating the ever comforting presence of the Lord which guarantees ultimate peace amidst all the chaos in the world right now.

It was given to Minister Tope Oyemami over a decade ago at a time when she never knew what trials lay in store for her and she releases the song at a time when she has already lived through the wordings of the song herself and discovered the ultimate peace of Gods favour.

This song is set to encourage someone going through that the only antidote to the overwhelming feelings associated with trials, temptation, discouragement, depression and all the evil surrounding us believers in these last days, is the ever-abiding presence of the Lord Jesus. And when we abide in his presence and keep giving him worship as we go through, we come to our place of rest and peace because of the assurance that He will bring us out. In the presence of God victory is sure because Christ in us the hope of glory.

DOWNLOAD "IN YOUR FAVOUR"

DOWNLOAD LINK:

http://bit.ly/InYourFavourByTopeOyemami

LYRICS

In Your Favour by Tope Oyemami

Lord I've been through so many tribulations

But it's only in Your presence that I find peace

Chorus:

Only in Your favour Lord I find peace

In Your Favour Lord I find joy

Been through the rain

Seen all the pain

I find no gain

Found only shame

It's only in Your presence

its only in Your favour

I find peace

Verse 1:

Lord it's only Your Favour

That could turn Esther from a peasant to a princess

And move Joseph from the prison to the throne

And I know by Your anointing

What You did, You can do for me

And I know it's only in Your presence

it's only in Your Favour I got everything that I need

Chorus

Verse 2:

O my brother, O my sister

Just let go of every trouble

Hope and trust in Him who sees you and understands

He'll take away every burden

Give you peace of mind and prosperity

And you'll be glad and sing for joy as you march on to victory yeah...

Chorus

Vamp:

I find peace

Peace, in Your presence

The presence of the Lord

I find joy

Joy, in Your presence

The presence of the Lord

Lord I found hope

Hope, in Your presence

The presence of the Lord

Lord I found grace

Grace, in Your presence

The presence of the Lord

And I find favour

Favour

I find favour

Favour

When I'm in Your presence Jesus

Favour

I find favour

Favour

You provide my needs

Provision

And You healed my body

Healing

In You I find deliverance

Deliverance

Gave me victory

Victory

Oh somebody say favour

Favour

In Your presence

The presence of the Lord

Favour

In Your presence

The presence of the Lord

I find favour

It's only in Your presence

I find peace

In Your Favour

I find joy like a river

Nobody can take away

it's only in Your presence

Only in Your favour

I find peace.

ABOUT TOPE OYEMAMI

Tope Oyemami is an ardent worshipper, minister and leader in one of the RCCG parishes in Port Harcourt. She is blessed with an amazing and prolific gift of song-writing and derives the greatest joy in life from worshipping God in songs and leading others in worshipping the Essence of her life.

CONNECT WITH TOPE OYEMAMI

Twitter: @TopeYadah

Facebook | YouTube: Tope Oyemami
Noble Nketia will host a concert to re-launch a project dubbed 'Kids Off The Street Project' in Italy on October 14.

The event, according the artiste, will take place at the Maranatha Assemblies of God, Via Della Cascina Pontevica 40 25124 Folzano, Brescia in Italy.

The gospel musician, who returned home recently from Rome, disclosed that the event is being organised to raise funds and also to create awareness for the project.

The Italy launch concert which is fully endorsed and supported by the Ghana Embassy in Italy, Ghana National Association in Italy, Italian Embassy in Ghana and the Ministry of Women & Children Affairs, seeks to support orphanages committed to taking care of underprivileged children removed from the streets of Ghana.

Before the event, there will be a media briefing on September 23, 2017 at the Golden Eagles Global Ministries, Via Luigi Abbiati 18c, Fornaci (Brescia), Italy.

The event is in partnership with JabCrew and Assemblies of God, Ghana-Italy, and under the patronage of Her Excellency Paulina Tangoba Abayage, Ghana's Ambassador to Italy.

So far, Noble Nketia's charity project has identified and will be working in partnership with a number of orphanages like Children's Home of Hope at Asebu in the Central Region, Christ Faith Foster Home, Frafraha in the Greater Accra, and Anum Apapam Orphanage in Eastern Region.

In due course, other orphanages and children's homes will be added as we grow resources of the project, Noble Nketia added..

By George Clifford Owusu
Toronto, Canada  The latest production from EbonyLife Films, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel (RHH)debuted to a full house of nearly 500 people on Saturday, September 9that the Scotiabank Theatre, in Toronto.

During a brief Q&A after the film, lucky fans got a chance to meet the cast, including Zainab Balogun, Kenneth Okolie, Rachel Oniga, Jide Kosoko, Kemi Lala Akindoju and Toni Tones, director Ishaya Bako and several members of the production crew. At the end of the presentation, the actors were rushed by guests eager for selfies.

In the run-up to the premiere, the audience had been teased with a trailer, a glowing profile and the fact that The Royal Hibiscus Hotel had been identified as a Hidden Gem by Toronto International Film Festival. Many of the attendees were TIFF members and regulars, united in their quest to view diverse African content. Others were familiar with EbonyLife and were yearning to see a new movie from the producers of some of Nigerias most successful films.

Variety, the worlds leading magazine for the movie industry, had this to say: Royal Hibiscus is a polished, crowd-pleasing comedy full of easy laughs from an all-star cast."

Set in Lagos and London, The Royal Hibiscus Hotel tells the story of a disillusioned London chef, Ope, who returns to Nigeria and discovers that going home can bring unexpected surprises. As the only Nigerian title and one of only three African feature films, it has attracted so much interest that the remaining two screenings on 11th and 17th September are sold out as well.

Mo Abudu, Executive Producer, is ecstatic about the sold-out premiere and the public response to the other screenings. "The eagerness of fans to see this movie in Toronto is overwhelming and humbling. It shows that people want to enjoy good, quality stories from any part of the world. We are incredibly proud of RHH and so grateful for the love everyone is showing," she said.

The trip to Toronto was made possible by the kind support of Johnnie Walker, keen to ensure full representation at TIFF for the cast and crew of The Royal Hibiscus Hotel. Their commitment took on new significance when it was discovered that RHH was the only Nigerian film being featured at the festival.

The 2017 edition of The Toronto International Film Festival takes place from September 7-17. The Royal Hibiscus Hotel is scheduled for general release in 2018.
The Government will from next week, start engaging Gulf States missions in Ghana, to discuss the excessive abuse of Ghanaian migrants and streamline foreign migration procedures.

Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, made this known when a 12-Member Inter-Agency Committee on the Management of Foreign Labour Migration presented a 24-page Report to him, in Accra, on Friday.

He said the meeting had become necessary because those embassies were involved in the issuance of visas to Ghanaians going to those countries.

He said the Government was not against foreign migration but was strongly opposed to excessive exploitation of Ghanaian migrants, adding that, Ghanaian migrants deserved to be treated with dignity, while their labour rights were respected in any country they find themselves.

In recent times, the Ghanaian media has been inundated with reports of harsh treatment meted out to Ghanaian in the Gulf States such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

They are often subjected to sexual exploitation, physical and emotional torture.

Mr Baffour Awuah said the Government's delegation will be led by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI) and Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR).

He expressed appreciation to the members of the Committee for their hard work and assured that the Ministry would study the Report and submit the recommendations to the Cabinet for consideration.

The Minister noted that most countries in the world were signatories to the International Labour Organisation's conventions on labour, therefore, wherever any citizen of any country found himself or herself they ought to be treated with dignity.

He said the Ministry would issue a White Paper on the Committee's recommendations after Cabinet had considered it, in order to guide foreign labour migration management.

Mr Baffour Awuah, therefore, urged the media to intensify public education and sensitisation on illegal foreign migration.

Some recommendations in the Committee's Report include ensuring well-coordinated and regulated migration procedures since it could reduce unemployment in Ghana; there should be effective inter-agency collaboration to ensure effective migration governance; licensing of all migration recruitment agencies or agents and bilateral agreement between Ghana and destination countries contributing to the infractions.

Others are that; Ghana should improve bilateral co-operation with destination countries to enhance migration governance; Government should engage Gulf States embassies on non-issuance of visas directly to migrant workers, but rather issue them to only licensed labour recruitment agencies, among others.

Mr Sammy-Longman Attakumah, the Chairperson of the Committee and Chief Director of MELR, the Committee was established by the Sector Minister on July 18 this year, with a two-month mandate, to review existing international labour laws and regulations and make recommendations towards resolving harsh treatment of Ghanaian migrants.

It comprised representatives from the Labour Department, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Police Service, the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General's Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

The rest are; the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations.

He said the Committee engaged key stakeholders and received input and recommendations in relation to foreign migration.

Currently, there is a temporary ban on the exportation of labour from Ghana to some Gulf States.

Meanwhile, the nation has licensed 58 recruitment migration agencies by the Registrar General's Department with Board of Directors certified by the Ghana Police Service.


Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been cautioned to desist from entering into financial agreements that would bind them for more than a year and create liability for government.

Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, said those agreements, without prior written approval from the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, may result in a contingent liability on the Central Government.

This was in a speech read on his behalf at the Composite Budget Hearing of the Agona West Municipal Assembly at Agona Swedru in the Central region.

Mr Ofori-Atta said the Government would not tolerate inefficiencies and waste in spending, adding that there would be strict enforcement of all relevant financial laws and regulations.

He said the new Public Financial Management Act 2016 (Act 921) mandates MMDAs to, among other things, take measures to address all infractions reported by the Auditor General.

He expressed the hope that they would support efforts of the Government to control huge wage bills and free up more resources for infrastructural development and improve service delivery.

The Finance Minister stated that the support of both political and administrative leadership at the local level was needed, particularly relating to recruitment, replacement and elimination of ghost names.

He said as part of efforts towards ensuring a more credible Composite Budget for 2018, the Ministry of Finance had forwarded a template to all MMDAs to capture the necessary data.

Mr Ofori-Atta called on them to step up revenue generation and reduce the dependence on Central Government transfers for their developmental projects.

He, therefore, charged regional ministers, and metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives to lead the crusade to improve revenue generation.

Dr Eric Akobeng, the Head of Budget at the Assembly, said the Assembly was doing everything possible to encourage revenue collectors and other staffs to improve on the Internally Generated Fund.

He said it had taken data of stores, buildings and other unmovable assets through street and property naming to help rake in more revenue.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline | Joy Business
Groundnut farmers in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions now have the opportunity to select from three newly improved varieties to boost production and improve income.

The three new varieties, namely; Nketia SARI (100 days), Yenyawoso (90 days) and Sumnut 22 (100 days), were introduced to the farmers by the International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

The varieties have proven to be high yielding than the old Chinese variety the farmers have been using for years now.

Sulemana Braimah, a 35-year-old farmer, who spoke to the media at a demonstration site during a Field Day, said the new varieties were appealing to the eye compared to the old Chinese variety.

He said he became convinced when one groundnut was uprooted from each of the varieties and the pods counted, adding that Nketia SARI had the highest yield of 38 pods, followed by Sumnut 22, which had 30 pods and Yenyawoso, 25 pods while the Chinese variety had nine pods.

Madam Alima Pagma, a 38-year-old farmer, noted that through the demonstration she had realised that it would be more beneficial to adopt those new varieties as they had more yield.

Kwesi Wih, the Upper West Regional Plant Protection Officer of the Ministry of Food Agriculture (MoFA), said the ICRISAT project, dubbed; Increasing groundnut productivity of smallholder farmers in Ghana, is being funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Feed the Future Agriculture Technology Transfer (ATT) project.

He said the project goal was to increase groundnut production and productivity of smallholder farmers in Ghana, Mali and Nigeria, thereby improving their income, nutrition and health status.

Mr Wih, who is also the Focal Person for ICRISAT, said the project objectives were to enhance farmers knowledge on improved groundnut production technologies and complementary crop management practices.

It is also to enhance seed production and marketing and farmers knowledge on aflatoxin management as well as access to small scale processing technologies.

Mr. Wih noted that the project targets 170,000 direct beneficiaries and 250,000 indirect beneficiaries across the six districts; Sissala West, Sissala East, Jirapa, Wa East, Wa West and Wa Municipal.

Emmanuel Sasu Yeboah, the Upper West Regional Director of Agriculture, said Gambia was the largest exporter of groundnuts and that Ghana could do better because of her wider land space.

He said land in northern Ghana was fertile for groundnuts production and commended ICRISAT and partners for promoting the new improved varieties.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline | Joy Business
Insurance companies in the country have been urged to embrace technology to deliver value-added services to customers.

This according to the Managing Director of Ghana Reinsurance Company Limited, George Mensah, would enable them to withstand the growing competition in the financial sector.

He made the call at the 8th Cedants Awards Night on the theme: Embracing Technological Innovations for the growth of the Insurance Industry at the Kempinski hotel in Accra.

He underscored the need for insurers to take advantage of the growing trend in technology to remain relevant in the business environment.

This, Mr. Mensah stressed would help them address challenges and remain a step ahead of their competitors.

Citing Ghana Re as an example, he said they have connected their officers virtually within the company and this has helped staff no matter their location to work productively across organizations using a common IT infrastructure.

We further consider the automation of our workflow as a key to moving towards a more digital environment to add value and improve customer service he added.

In future, Mr. Mensah revealed they intended to put in place a secure and convenient way for storing and accessing its IT services through the Cloud to place the company at the doorstep of their cherished clients.

He maintained that adapting quickly to the new technologies will give businesses the opportunity of interacting with business solutions that will drive their businesses whilst providing value for their customers.

But cautioned insurers on the need to set standards to ensure customers are not shortchanged whiles using technology.

Mr. Mensah advised the award winners to see it as a spring board to propel them to embrace technological innovations for the creation of new products, new distribution channels and innovative strategies to increase the rate of insurance penetration to an appreciable level.

Meanwhile, the event recognized and reward Insurance Companies which made notable contributions in the 2016 financial years performance towards the growth and profitability of the Company.

The Ghana Reinsurance Awards ceremony, Cedants Awards Night was established six years ago, to show appreciation to the local insurance companies for their diligent efforts, loyalty and support for Ghana Re and the industry as a whole.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline | Joy Business
WhatsApp and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have started a unique test for a new service on WhatsApp.

KLM now offers her customers around the world booking confirmation, check-in notification, boarding pass, flight status updates and asking questions in ten different languages on WhatsApp via the official WhatsApp Business application.

The carrier becomes one of the first companies and the very first airline worldwide with a verified WhatsApp business account.

Together with a small number of businesses, WhatsApp is testing ways for businesses to communicate with customers using WhatsApp.

WhatsApp wants to create value for both customers and the businesses they connect with in their daily lives.This pilot programme is part of that effort.

To this end, WhatsApp has created an enterprise solution that makes it possible for businesses like KLM to connect with their customers in a fast and personal way on WhatsApp.

The rollout has already started in a limited number of countries, and the service will become more widely available in the coming days and weeks.

I am very proud that KLM is the worlds first airline with a verified WhatsApp account. This unique partnership with WhatsApp underlines our position as an aviation pioneer. We want to be where our customers are and, given the one billion users, you have to be on WhatsApp. With an account verified by WhatsApp, we offer our customers worldwide a reliable way to receive their flight information and ask questions 24/7. This truly is a major next step in our social media strategy, Pieter Elbers, KLMs president said.

Messages are secure so that they can only be read by the customer and KLM, and no one else, not even WhatsApp. Customers can easily recognise verified businesses using the official WhatsApp business application. This means that customers will see a green checkmark badge next to the KLM contact name on WhatsApp.
Government, as part of its flagship programme, One Village One Dam, would build ten units of 300KW Biopower and 80 hectres of centre pivot irrigation dams in ten selected villages within the Kpandai District of the Northern Region.

It would also construct a 300KW dairy farm biogas power plant and irrigation dam as well as fertilizer production units in selected villages in the three regions of the north.

The programme is in partnership with the Renewable Energy and Environmental Conservation (REEC) Biopower, a subsidiary of Hi-Limit Group.

This was in a statement issued by the Chief Executive of Hi-Limit Group, Emmanuel Larbi, at the Kpandai District Assembly General Meeting for the commencement of the project, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

Although a date has not been specified for the start of the project, it is estimated to cost $660 million.

It will generate a total of 132MW of electricity from biopower plants and 35,200 hectres of centre pivot irrigation dams spread across the 44 districts in the Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions.

The objective of the project is to improve rural electrification development, food production and security, and job creation.

Mr Larbi said the Hi-Limit patent plant design would distribute electricity generated from dairy farm biogas plants to rural villages whiles at the same time using the biogas effluent (liquid fertilizer) dams for irrigation purposes.

The Member of Parliament for Kpandai and Deputy Majority Chief Whip, Mathew Nyidam, expressed happiness at the commencement of the project in his district and affirmed governments support to make it a reality.

Hi-Limits REEC Biopower is a Ghanaian company with operations in Africa, Europe, and Asia.
The Association of Northern Ghanaians of Georgia, USA celebrated Eid Al Adha (Sallah) with a picnic at Best Friends Park in Norcross, a suburb of Atlanta on Saturday September 9th, 2017. The occasion was well attended by members of the Association, the larger Ghanaian community and the Nananom.

The Chief Imam of the Association, Sheikh Afa Idi, prayed for those gathered and shared a few words of wisdom. He implored parents to inculcate the strong moral and cultural values given to us by our parents which we still practice today. He expressed delight at the growing number of attendance to this event and hoped for an even larger attendance next year. He prayed for long and healthy life for all.

The president of the Association, Dr. Ali Yallah, reminded the gathering to be thankful of the blessings of the occasion. He expressed gratitude that the community has been able to come together again to celebrate yet another occasion. These gatherings are opportunities for us to get to meet one another and share the joy and glory of friendship and brotherhood Dr. Yallah told the gathering.

On his part, Chief Bin, the Chief of the Northern Ghanaians Association of Georgia thanked all those present and all those who worked hard to make the event possible. He urged the community to continue to pray for all who are in the paths of Hurricane Irma.

He also emphasized the importance of such gatherings as not only to celebrate a religious occasion but also a chance to give our children growing up away from Ghana the opportunity to learn the Ghanaian Culture and tradition. Through these gatherings our children get to learn who we are as Ghanaians and would pass this tradition on to their children Chief Bin said.

The Association of Northern Ghanaians of Georgia is inspired by a common determination to promote unity and cooperation among Northern Ghanaians. Although the Association commonly affiliates with those from Ghana who identify their lineage to the area north of the BrongAhafo Region, we incorporate the values ofall Ghanaians, regardless of ethnic background, tribe, religion, and political affiliation with common aims and objectives in the cause of Unity of Ghanaians in the State of Georgia, and the United States of America and the promotion of African Unity. For more information about the Association, please email: [email protected]

Shani Mohammed (General Secretary)

Dr. Ali Yallah (President)
11.09.2017 LISTEN

From a video posted on YouTube and other social media networks, Afia Schwarzenegger with her seemingly bastard friend, Nana Tornado, is unknowingly inflicting psychological injuries on her two adult sons. There is no son or daughter who will be happy to see, hear or read about, the nakedness of his/her mum trending on the social media.

They will always rather prefer to hide from the public view, praying for people to discontinue from hotly talking about it when their mum is caught red-handed having steaming sexual intercourse behind the back of her husband with another man than showing their face in solidarity with their mums promiscuous behaviours.

However, Afia Schwarzenegger, an ill-bred loudmouth and one Nana Tornado, another uncivilized Ghanaian but who in his warped mind may think to be somebody great and famous, have compelled the sons to show their face in one of the disgusting defensive videos she has been putting out following the discovery of her shameful acts of polyandry (the practice of having more than one husband or permanent male sexual partner at the same time).

How will the sons feel if friends teased them at school by openly discussing their mums promiscuity or WhatsApp them the video showing her naked in bed with another man although a married woman? By forcing them to show their face in a video clip posted on the social network goes to confirm how ignorant and uncivilized Afia Schwarzenegger and Nana Tornado are. They should rather have protected their identities from the public to save them the anguish and mockery they will go through once their identities are known.

This goes to show how low the Intelligent Quotients (IQs) of the two persons (Afia Schwarzenegger and Nana Tornado) are. The appearance of the said Nana Tornado tells volume about him. He has three earrings in each ear. He has a nose ring. He wears a ring each on the middle three fingers (index finger, middle finger and the ring finger) of each palm. He wears two necklaces, one bracelet and a watch.

The more the zrabe zrabe jewels he wears, the more he thinks in his minds eye to be somebody of great importance in Ghana. He is simply an uncivilized person the way he speaks, the manner in which he defends the culturally-indefensible polyandry by her buddy, Afia Schwarzenegger, and how he senselessly obliged the sons of the woman to show their faces in the dehumanising video.

It was in the 1980s that some Ghanaian men and women, who thought to be superior although unknowingly uncivilized, used to overly adorn in such low cost jewels called in France as zrabe-zrabe by the Senegalese street vendors.

I pity the boys because of the public teasing they will have to go through owing to their mums infatuation with active engagement in extra marital affairs, her remorselessness and her stupid attempts to justify her unjustifiable goat-like libido.

Check the video via this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyb38F0Jb84

She has falsely or correctly informed the public that she has caused the arrest of her husband. The husband is allegedly charged with illegal entry into her house, assault and publication of obscene video about her.

Let her know that she will rather be found guilty by any reasonable judge. She provoked the husband by her abominably untraditional polyandry. I am not a lawyer by any stretch of the mind but let me inform Afia Schwarzenegger and her team of irrational birds flocking together that her husband Mr Abrokwaah is absolutely innocent of whatever action he took to uncover and obtain evidence on the wifes promiscuity.

Yes, he videoed her for evidence as she would otherwise deny the fact she had been caught sleeping with another man, although still a married woman. The man has said she gave a copy of the video to Afia and a copy to her father. He goes on further to say he did not place the video on the social media. Could she or her lawyers prove that the husband indeed did put out the video on the social media? The onus is on her as the plaintiff to prove her case.

Case reference cited in favour of her legal husband: In 1 Corinthians 3:6 of the bible, it says, I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. This goes to tell Mr Abrokwaah might only have captured the infidelity of his wife on video with someone else putting it out in the public domain. Who that person was, only God knows.

Again, on 24 February 2014, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II during his staged final adjudication of the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute did cause the entire process to be video-recorded. The video finally found its way on to the YouTube to his total dismay and surprise. The said video is titled, Asantehene involves in corruption and can be found using web link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac8wZIPlVu8

Did Asantehene put out the video on YouTube? I am afraid not, although he recorded it.

From the above two cited cases, what proves that Mr Abrokwah did put the video out in the public domain. Even if he did, is Afia Schwarzenegger not bemoaning the fact it is not trending as she had wished hence encouraging people to send them to their friends?

Some men do harm their wives caught in such situations so Afia should thank God and her stars that Abrokwaah did not physically harm her beyond recognition but treated her with kids gloves, thus, mere threats.

Why should I spend my precious time on this self-declared bitch?

Over to you Kwame Cat ee!

Rockson Adofo
The current spat between some political/investigative journalistsand the Ghana Journalist Association raises questions of integrity. How did Journalism in Ghana get to this low point where simple issues have been allowed to degenerate into partisan spats. And for what?

The answer is simple. Firstly, ownership of the media institutions by people with solely political and financial motives. Secondly, the culture where key individuals have hijacked these institutions and arrogated to themselves titles like ace journalist, senior journalist thereby creating a divide between members of the same profession increases the possibility of arrogant behaviour.

Worse of all, Ghanaians television and radio appearances have been limited to (a) commentators from two political parties and (b) a small cabal of journalists (commentators) who dominate these stations on a daily basis. Sometimes, it is boring to hear the same voices, opinions and polishes factual inaccuracies every day.

This is what has led to the current impasse in the profession. What gives one journalist the right to question the style and presentation, or views of another? The claims that the work of an investigative journalism could be detrimental to local business interest is even more bizarre.

Maybe, journalists need to remind themselves of the role of the media and journalists in particular. Without going into detail, it is a cardinal role of journalists to help shape the national agenda, add value to democratic governance debate and insist on integrity in public life. If these principles are threatened, the ethos of national life is also threatened.

Of course, there are times when journalists dabble in self-censorship, thereby allowing obscurantist and corrupt elements either in government or business to get away unchecked. This creates problems for the country as a whole. In a political system where the opposition is either weak, unable or unwilling to check the ruling government, this role falls on the media. If the media also fails, what happens?

The cornerstone of progressive politics, and the politics of honesty flows from global concepts that hold the view that individual rights must be respected. That the public purse must be protected. If the rights of citizens are violated through corruption, and the dissipation if public funds for individual aggrandisement, it is the duty of the media to ask questions, seek answers and not accept prevarications and cover ups.

Without journalists of integrity, honesty and repute none of the above can be guaranteed. Without good journalism, our struggles for liberation from poverty will degenerate into organised plunder of state resources. No Ghanaian can honestly say that we are happy with the current state of daily revelations of the misuse and misappropriation of public funds by state officials.

Ghanaian Journalists could do better. Journalists should support their colleagues engaged in the dangerous business of investigative journalism.

Political journalists who would like to write and become voices or propaganda artists or poster boys for political parties can go and work for party newspapers and stop the pretence of impartiality. Without honesty, credibility and impartiality, journalism is not worth its reputation. Let us have journalists of integrity. Ghana needs selfless, brave, motivatedjournalists.

 Zaya Yeebo is the Managing Editor of Public Agenda
Warri (Nigeria) (AFP) - Pro-Biafra supporters clashed with troops in southeast Nigeria on Sunday, with claims that five people were killed, although the army quickly denied any loss of life.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement claimed in a statement that five of its members were killed when soldiers and police tried to kill its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, at his home in Umuahia.

The IPOB is demanding a separate state for the Igbo people who are the most populous ethnic group in Nigeria's southeast. Fifty years ago, a declaration of Biafran independence sparked a brutal 30-month civil war.

The group's spokesman, Emma Powerful, said that up to 30 others were injured.

Kanu's lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, blamed President Muhammadu Buhari, who has previously condemned the IPOB leader. Kanu is currently on bail pending the resumption of his trial for treasonable felony in the capital, Abuja.

Army spokesman Major Oyegoke Gbadamosi described the IPOB claims as "fictitious" and said its account was "far from the truth".

Suspected IPOB militants, he said, had blocked a convoy of military vehicles in Umuahia at about 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) and pelted troops with stones and broken bottles, injuring a soldier and a pedestrian.

"The troops fired warning shots in the air and the hoodlums dispersed. No life was lost," he added in a statement.

There was no immediate independent verification of either account.

Amnesty International has previously claimed that Nigeria's security forces killed at least 150 pro-Biafra protesters and injured hundreds more in the southeast since August 2015.

Separatist sentiment has persisted in the southeast despite defeat in the civil war and the huge loss of life.

Many believe successive federal governments have failed to invest in development and infrastructure in the region as a punishment for secession in 1967.

Kanu has called for "civil disobedience" to force a referendum on self-determination.

"We have chosen the track of peaceful agitation, non-violence, persuasion, logic, reason, argument," he told AFP in an interview in May.

"We are going to deploy all of that to make sure we get Biafra."

Tensions have been building since earlier this year, when Igbos living in the mainly Muslim north were told to go back to the largely Christian south by October 1.

At least two other groups in the south and southwest then revived their push for independence.
11.09.2017 LISTEN

Defender Kofi Dankwah Hinsa has revealed he has no regret for choosing Niger over Ghana.

Dankwah has been with the Niger National team for the past seven years.

The former Esperance Sportive de Zarzis defender is currently in his native country for the ongoing WAFU Cup of Nations in Ghana.

The defender is not botched for choosing Niger over his country of birth.

I have been with Niger for a long time, I have been playing for them for the past 10 years and they are wonderful people, he spoke to the media in a post-match conference.

I dont regret, Nigeriens are great people and I am ever ready to give my all to help them.

The former Bidvest Wits represented Niger at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon/Equatorial.

The 27 year old captained the team when they eliminated Burkina Faso in the ongoing WAFU competition on Sunday.
Members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who have expressed dissatisfaction with the party for hurriedly organizing the 'Unity Walk' in Tamale in the Northern Region, should expect more of such events in the coming weeks.

The Convener of the Unity Walk in Tamale, Kojo Bonsu, the former Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), has announced that plans are far advanced to replicate the walk in other regional capitals soon.

The Tamale walk, which was very successful, is just the beginning of similar unity walks to happen all over the country in the coming weeks and months to restore confidence in our members, he declared.

The 'Unity Walk,' which was aimed at restoring hope to members of the NDC across the country, seemed to have failed woefully to achieve its intended target, as it has caused deep cracks in the party.

A section of the party members, who did not take part in the walk, have accused Mr Mahama of secretly hiding behind the organizers of the event to enhance his chances of leading the NDC in 2020.

The party members across the country insisted that the unity walk has the potential of creating confusion and disunity in the party and must be abandoned with immediate effect.

The ex-Kumasi Mayor stated that the NDC's Unity Walks, which started in the Northern regional capital of Tamale over the weekend would be sustained by the party.

The party's members are down, as they are yet to overcome the shock of the 2016 electoral defeat, and we need the walks to rekindle them.

Kojo Bonsu, who spoke to Hello Fm, flatly debunked reports that Mr Mahama was the brain behind the unity walk ostensibly to help him (Mahama) to be elected as the NDC flagbearer for the 2020 polls.

This unity walk is very necessary, as it is intended to help restore unity and hope among our party members, who from all indications are very dull following the 2016 electoral defeat which is normal in politics, he said.

Kojo Bonsu added we did not organize the walk in Tamale to help Mr Mahama or anybody in the NDC to lead our great party as flagbearer during the upcoming 2020 elections and that is the gospel truth.

He noted that the NDC would use the walks to boost the confidence of the party members.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
A splinter group in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Action Movement for NDC, has accused ex-President Mahama of using crooked means to become the party's flagbearer in 2020.

The group has stated that the NDC's 'Unity Walk,' which took place in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital on Saturday, was one of the dubious tactics, adopted by Mr Mahama to retain his position as NDC flagbearer.

According to the irate members of the group, former President Mahama is bent on becoming the NDC flagbearer at all cost, noting that his weird action is a recipe for confusion and chaos in the party.

The Action Movement for NDC has therefore, sternly warned Mr Mahama to take time and respect the party's rules so that his hankering to become the NDC flagbearer would not create deep cracks in the party.

A top member of the group, Kodzo Hamenyo Keglo, without mincing words, stated that Mr. Mahama had started his campaign for the position towards the 2020 election, although the party has not sanctioned any campaign yet.

According to Mr Hamenyo Keglo, the Prof. Kwesi Botchwey Committee suggested a 'healing tour' for the NDC to repair all the cracks and wounds in the party, ahead of the 2020 elections.

He said, Mr. Mahama, who wants to become NDC flag bearer at all cost, has started his own 'unity walk,' which is his own initiative to become the NDC flagbearer again.

Hamenyo indicated that ex-President Mahama had started his personal campaign to become the flagbearer of the NDC in 2020 and he should be bold to state it, instead of hiding behind the 'unity walk' to campaign.

According to him, the NDC held a series of walks ahead of the 2016 national elections, yet the party lost miserably to the NPP so what we need now is a healing tour as suggested by Prof. Botchwey's committee and not walks.

In a chat with King Edward of Hello Fm, Mr Hamenyo Keglo stated categorically that Mahama's current posture and actions are not helping the NDC and it's about time that the party boldly told him in the face.

Sounding extremely angry, he asked, What strategy is the NDC following now? Are we following the Prof. Botchwey's 'healing tour' strategy or we are following the Mahama 'unity walk' strategy?

Hamenyo noted that Mr. Mahama has money in abundance and he (Mahama) wants to capitalize on that by hiding behind 'unity walks' to champion his ambition to become the NDC standard bearer.

From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
Algiers (AFP) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was in fellow OPEC member Algeria Monday for talks after announcing Caracas would sell crude oil in non-dollar currencies in a bid to resist US sanctions.

Maduro arrived late Sunday in the North African country and was due to discuss ways of bolstering bilateral cooperation, a statement from his government said.

The Algerian presidency said Maduro and his Algerian hosts would also review the situation on world oil markets.

It did not elaborate or say whether a meeting was planned with ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 80.

Maduro said on Friday he planned "to start selling oil, gas and all other products that Venezuela sells with new currencies, including the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen, the Russian ruble, the Indian rupee among others.

"An economy free from the US imperialist system is possible," he said during a television broadcast.

Washington's tough new sanctions on Caracas bar American banks from trading in new bonds issued by Venezuela's government or the state-run oil company PDVSA.

The goal is to restrict the South American country's access to vital bond and equity markets.

Both Algeria and Venezuela are members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel, and have been hard hit by low oil prices following a market slump in 2014.

Venezuela has to make $3.8 billion in debt payments in October and November, while its foreign currency reserves have sunk under $10 billion.

The slump in crude oil prices has forced Algeria's government to raise taxes and mothball many public projects as the country struggles with high unemployment.

Maduro arrived from Astana where he attended a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
As a Ghanaian, I must first of all state that the SSNIT Software scandal deserves to be interrogated and anyone found to have made personal gain at the expense of the nation, brought to book.

Money meant for the comfort of many should never be allowed to foot the cost of the luxury of a few.

That said though, finding people guilty on radio, television, online and print media does not in any way make them guilty. This is why the issue has to be investigated by the appropriate institution and for the court to decide if crime is suspected.

My worry though is the name of the former Board Chairman of SSNIT which seems to have dominated the them Director of SSNIT who was in charge of the day to day running of the Trust.

Since when in the history of Ghana did Board Chairmen get blamed for failed administrative decisions in Ghana?

There have been reported financial malfeasances at Cocoa Board, GHAPOHA, SADA and host of other institutions in Ghana and one thing is common: you never hear the Board getting blamed for the alleged offense. This is because they are purely the result of administrative decisions that the board have little power to influence.

On the SSNIT website, the board are described as the Trustees of the scheme and they are responsible for the policy direction of SSNIT.

So why is Professor Joshua Alabi being made to suffer injury for a decision that is not policy related but purely for the day to day administration of SSNIT?

Is it because he has been tipped as one of the people likely to succeed ex-president Mahama as the flag-bearer of the NDC?

The culture of demonizing people in the name of politics in this country will in the long-term discourage people with genuine intention to serve this country in leadership positions to rethink their decision to avoid insults and lame accusations..

Even though we have come of age as a democracy, our politics still thrives on Machiavellian tactics and the only way to rise being to pull others down.

It is unfair and not right because in the long run, we want credible leaders for this country and perception is very important if leaders can work with the needed support of the people.

In Ghana, we have made every politician appear to be a thief in the minds of the people and therefore once a new person emerges, he is dragged into the mud.

I dont know Prof Alabi enough to bulge for him but clearly from a distance, I can say with authority that his name is being dragged into the SSNIT issue because he has been mentioned as one of the frontrunners to lead the NDC.

This does not in any way imply that the people accusing him are NPP: in truth, it can possibly be the underground dealings of some of the NDC flagbearer hopefuls.

Where ever this is coming from and whoever wants to benefit from the diversion of accusation: the first point of defeat in every investigation focussing on the wrong suspect.

Prof Alabi cannot and should not take the blame for a decision taken by Ernest Thompson simply because its fits into future political propaganda.

If we want to get to the root of the SSNIT Software scandal, we must take away the political lens and deal with the people whose decision led to this loss to the state. If Prof Alabi is found to have gone beyond his core duty as Chairman of the Board to be part of that deal, he should be dealt with.

Until then, he must not be subjected to ridicule before the court of public opinion when Ernest Thompson and those whose signatures made the deal possible remain in the periphery because they have not been tagged as potential leaders of the NDC.

We cant use different rules for the same offense because of politics and expect to make much progress in our fight against corruption.

Isaac Kyei Andoh
I'm not from the Ashanti Region and I might not be privy to so many developments and dynamics as far as NPP politics in Ashanti Region is concerned. I was however highly elated when Moro Kabore, a party communicator and a former polling station executive declared his intention to contest for the Deputy Secretary position in the Ashanti Region. He was also a former student leader in KNUST.

That's where I knew him and that's where I developed belief in him. Some of the reasons that makes me think he's the best bet for the job are:

1. AUTHENTICITY

Moro Kabore is an authentic leader, he doesn't pretend and he doesn't betray. In this era when party grassroots felt abandoned after campaigning for the party, authentic people like Moro Kabore (MK) are needed to be the voice of the grassroots and also champion their cause. Its true that imitation is one of the greatest forms of flattery, but not when it comes to leadership. Every great leader must learn to lead from a place of authenticity. Moro Kabore has an appetite of learning from others, reading autobiographies of great leaders and picking up skills along the way. That notwithstanding, MK has never lost his authentic voice, opinions and, ultimately, how he makes decision.

2. OPEN-MINDEDNESS

Moro Kabore is an open-minded person. He opens himself up to everyone, big or small, rich or poor, a power holder or a grassroot member. He listens and acts on sound advice given to him by others. He has a very open mind whilst at the same time being very flexible. When there are changes in some developments and he needs to adjust himself, he does so with ease. He always works strenuously to committing himself to investing, developing and maintaining great relationships.

3. DECISIVENESS

Just as Moro Kabore is open-minded,he is equally decisive. When he makes a bold decision, he sticks to it. He consults broadly before making a decision and once the decision is made, he holds on to it tightly.

4. EMPOWERMENT

The NPP is in government now and we need leaders that will connect the concerns of the grassroots to the government appointees. With MK, party members will have a strong and solid ally who will push their job-searching agenda forward. He is the type that loves to delegate responsibility to people who have the correct skills and strength. Even though he knows that it's sometimes difficult to delegate responsibility due to the desire to do the job yourself, MK always ensures that he selects the best and give them the needed support to execute the task in whatever job he might have given them.

5. PERSISTENCE

A great leader said that, persistence beats resistance. This is true to the sense that all great things take time, and MK always ensures that he persist no matter what. This always happen when he is fighting for a good cause, lobbying for a project or pushing to get support or help for someone. Thats what it takes to be a leader. Moro Kabore has willingness, desire and ability to push ahead with his goals and targets when others have stopped along the way.

These are few things I know about MK. Ashanti Region is the stronghold and heartbeat of the NPP and getting strong, committed patriots with a good connection and humanitarian touch to man the activities of the NPP there should be the interest of every party member in Ghana. It is based on this I give my wholehearted support to a strong party member,Moro Kabore. May God be with Moro Kabore and his Team, Moro Kabore for Ashanti Regional Deputy General Secretary.

Fuseini Abdul-Fatawu
Government has adopted the use of renewable energy based mini grid systems for the electrification of island and lake side communities in order to improve their standard of living as part of its policy to achieve universal energy access by the year 2030.

Deputy Minister of Energy in-charge of Power, William Owuraku, disclosed this during the inauguration ceremony of a Mini grid project at Pediatorkope, an island community near Ada, which was piloted by the Ghana Energy Development Access Project (GEDAP) with the support of the World Bank.

The five pilot solar PV and Wind powered Mini grids that have been constructed are to provide a 24-hour uninterrupted electricity supply to about 3,500 people in the remote five island communities with a generating capacity of 200kw.

The Deputy Minister, who addressed the chiefs and people of Pediatorkope, indicated that following the success of the pilot systems, government under the Ghana Energy Development Access Project (GEDAP) has secured funding from the Swiss government (through SECO) to install three additional Mini grid systems at Alive, Alokpem and Azizakpe island communities which are all in this district.

He stressed that 'Under the Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program (SREP), 55 more islands are earmarked to be connected with the Mini Grid systems'.

He therefore reiterated the desire of government to secure additional funding to provide additional Mini grid systems to the remaining island and lakeside communities as part of government's efforts to achieve universal access by 2030 and also improve the quality of life of our rural folks in order to help stem the rural  urban migration.

On her part, the Vice President of the World Bank's Sustainable Development Network, Ms. Laura Turk, expressed her satisfaction with the project so far and reiterated the World Bank's commitment to supporting Ghana to achieve a universal energy access by the year 2030.

Chief of Pediatorkope thanked the government of Ghana and the World Bank on behalf of his people for improving the conditions of his people.

He indicated that the quality of healthcare and education has increased as a result of the provision of electricity in their community.

He emphasised that they no longer rely on the inland communities to meet their basic needs.
Philip Basoa

11.09.2017 LISTEN

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumawu in the Ashanti Region says he has spent a staggering GH160,000 to pay school fees since 2012.

Philip Basoa said he used his share of the MPs' Common Fund to support some students in his constituency.

Since 2012, I have spent a whopping GH160,000 of my Common Fund to pay the school fees of some needy students in my area.

The lawmaker stated that all MPs in the country use huge part of their Common Fund to pay school fees.

Mr Basoa therefore applauded President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for introducing the free Senior High School (SHS) policy.

He said with the introduction of the free SHS, he and other MPs from all the political parties can now get money for other developmental projects.

Nana Akufo-Addo has saved MPs in the country from the ordeal of using the chunk of our Common Fund to pay for school fees.

Now with the free SHS policy, MPs can now use monies, which we would have been used to pay for school fees to embark on other developmental projects.

MPs usually expend huge amount of money to pay school fees, which people don't see but they blame us for doing nothing, he told Hello Fm.

He noted that with the free SHS in place, MPs can now use their Common Fund to execute visible projects in their constituencies to earn the praise of the people.

MPs will be key beneficiaries of the free SHS policy. Now the ordeal of using a colossal amount of our Common Fund to settle school fees is over.

I pray the NPP administration would be in government for a very long time so the free SHS programme would not collapse.

According to him, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) suffered greatly due to mismanagement when the NPP left political office.

I am afraid the free SHS programme will be destroyed by the NDC, just as they did to the NHIS when the NPP left political power should they win political power.

I am therefore praying fervently that Ghanaians will continually vote for the NPP government to make the free SHS policy survive, he stated.
11.09.2017 LISTEN

A high court judge has vented her angst regarding the failure of the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) to issue her with a driver's licence over the past four years.

Justice Naa Adoley Azu recounted how she had been going to and from the offices of the DVLA with intent to collect her licence, but any time she got there she said she was given excuses.

Although the judge said she had been given a document to use temporarily, she was not happy with how she had been treated by some officials at the Authority who sometimes giggled at her and referred her to go to Room 6 if she was not satisfied.

According to Justice Naa Adoley Azu, some Ghanaians create situations out of the system to frustrate others.

She was speaking on the sidelines of the case involving an Indian businessman, Ashok Kumar Sivaram, who had filed a writ of Mandamus against the Ghana Immigration Service.

Justice Azu recounted that she and her staff had been working tirelessly for the country and yet had to suffer at the hands of the DVLA over the issuance of a driver's licence.

According to her, when she visited the DVLA offices sometime last week to pick her licence, she was asked to go and come back in March next year because the licence had not been printed out.

This notwithstanding, she said her picture had been taken on three occasions by the officials of the Authority.

When a state attorney tried to solicit information on her licence so as to follow up, the judge said, It was not good for somebody to know somebody before things are done the right way.
Ninani Group on Thursday presented clothing and assorted food items to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support families in Sierra Leone, who were affected by the devastating landslide in Freetown on 14 August, 2017.

The NINANI Group is a leading indigenous marketing communications group which provides top quality services in advertising, reputation management, event management, media management, digital marketing and merchandising.

The Group comprises Innova DDB, ReZultz Advertising, Touchpoint Magna Carta, Interactive Digital and Brand Alert.

Olivia Codjoe, CSR Lead, Ninani Group, who led a team from the group to present the items noted: We, at the NINANI Group, were hit by the plight of our brothers and sisters and thought of ways to mitigate the impact of the unfortunate incident.

...No matter the mitigating interventions that we put in place in anticipation of natural disasters, no country is ever fully prepared to contain their full impact when they occur. It is even more sad when lives are lost in the wake of natural disasters.

We are therefore here today to lend a helping hand to our brothers and sisters in Sierra Leone and wish the affected families the necessary courage and strength in this difficult time of adversity.

She called on other Ghanaian corporate bodies and individuals to support this cause, as the essence of humanity is to help each other in times of need.

A representative of the Ministry, who collected the items its behalf, thanked the group for the gesture.
GOVERNING BOARD of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has strongly condemned a recent strike action by some staff of the commission.

It would be recalled that workers of the commission on Thursday, September 7, abandoned their work and converged on the premises of the PURC's regional offices to demand the immediate removal of the Executive Secretary, Samuel Sarpong.

The agitating staff had alleged that Mr. Sarpong, with the backing of members of the board of PURC, had misappropriated the commission's funds.

The workers also demanded the dissolution of the PURC board for what they termed as inhumane treatment of the staff as they alleged that a member of the board physically assaulted one of the workers.

But the governing board of the commission, in a statement issued by its chairman, Emmanuel Annan and other members, expressed regret at the action taken by the staff.

These unruly activities by the union led by Alhaji Jabaru, culminated in locking up the head office and also other regional offices of PURC on Thursday, 7th September, 2017, for no verifiable and substantive reason, except to protest the purported return to office of the Director of Public Relations and External Affairs (D-PREA), Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah, according to a statement issued by the board.

For purposes of background, it is necessary to recall that in May 2017, the D-PREA, who has worked in the public service for a period of 26 years, tendered in her resignation to take effect November 15, 2017, while taking the opportunity to enjoy her accumulated leave. She has been on leave since May 2017, it explained.

It emphasized that in July 2017, in anticipation of the impending departure of the D-PREA, a new manager, Public Relations and External Affairs, was recruited. It wondered if an employee who has tendered in her resignation to be effective on November 15, 2017 and currently on leave, should be debarred from visiting her place of work.

Until November 15, 2017, is the D-PREA not a bona fide staff of PURC? Is the Union the employer of the D-PREA, it queried.

The commission expressed concern about the attempt to derail the up-coming ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Conference, which Ghana will host in November and coordinated by the PURC.

This conference could impact negatively on Ghana's reputation if shoddily planned and poorly executed. Is this meeting reason enough for the unlawful and potentially criminal actions which disrupted work at a critical public service organization? PURC wondered.
11.09.2017 LISTEN

ACCRA, Ghana, September 11, 2017  Pan-African entrepreneurial training program, seed fund, and incubator Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) today announced the appointment of Aaron Fu as Managing Director for MEST, as the program doubles down on efforts to strengthen its presence across the continent. Fu brings both significant experience in the African technology, investment and startup landscapes, as well as a vast network in Asia, having previously served as Managing Partner, Africa for NEST.vc .

Fus experience both within investment firms and startups and in traditional corporate roles, including Standard Chartered Bank and Societe Generale, throughout Asia, Europe, Australia and Africa, will help MEST to significantly build on its global network, creating a truly Pan-African program that is fully supported and embedded in tech hubs across Silicon Valley, Europe, and Asia.

Fu will help the firm expand in both depth and reach across Africa by drawing from his extensive experience in East Africa  where he built platforms with the support of innovative companies like Visa, MTN, World Bank and Barclays  to bring MEST entrepreneurs and the wider African startup ecosystem closer together. As part of this expansion, MEST is actively pursuing corporate and brand partnerships that will provide additional resources and support for its entrepreneurs as they grow and scale.

Were thrilled to welcome Aaron to the team, said MEST Founder & CEO, Jorn Lyseggen. MEST was founded on the idea that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Aaron will be critical to helping MEST deepen and broaden our presence across key regions of the continent so we can reach more talent and provide our existing entrepreneurs with significant resources and an unbeatable network, both in Africa and globally, to help them expand their businesses into new markets or launch in their home countries.

Im excited to join a team thats making such incredible strides on the continent, Fu said. MEST has become truly Pan-African in nature, as evidenced by the diverse community it has built in Accra, Ghana. Im excited to think about how we can push this out to the rest of the continent. Ive been both an entrepreneur and investor, and I believe in taking a founder-first approach to scaling startups. I look forward to leading MEST and taking its already substantial impact to the next level.

MEST provides a 12-month Entrepreneur-in-Training (EIT) program, which infuses African tech enthusiasts with a combination of hard IT and practical business skills, equipping them to build successful commercial tech companies. At the end of the program, teams have the opportunity to pitch for funding and a seat at the MEST Incubator.

Since its inception, the Meltwater Foundation has invested $20 million into the program, supporting aspiring African entrepreneurs through the training program and incubator. Over 350 individual entrepreneurs have graduated from the training program and over 30 tech companies have been launched via seed funding and mentorship from MEST. A number of MEST companies have gone on to raise outside capital and two  Claimsync and messaging app Saya  have been acquired.

Additionally, MEST entrepreneurs have developed solutions addressing local and global markets, received outside follow-on funding from global investors, and have gained admittance to top accelerator programs such as Y-Combinator, 500 Startups and TechStars. MEST entrepreneurs have also been selected by President Obama as representatives of the African business community at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. and have been named Mandela Washington Fellows, a flagship program of Obamas Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Corporate strategic partners include Samsung, Vodafone and Facebooks internet.org all of which have a shared interest in bolstering the emerging tech ecosystem in Africa as means to economic growth.

While Accra, Ghana, will remain Headquarters for the training program, MEST is forging strong roots and establishing incubators in major cities across the continent. MEST currently has a footprint in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. This year the program also welcomed its first Francophone entrepreneurs from Cote dIvoire.
Deputy Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has dispelled rumours suggesting that students entering senior high schools with low grades will pay fees.

He said the rumour which is causing some panic among parents and students, especially in Northern Ghana, is not true and that the free SHS policy is all-encompassing.

There is no fee paying component based on academic performance. Nobody is paying fees, he stressed.

The Akufo-Addo-led free SHS policy takes off today in all senior high schools across the country.

The policy was announced some eight years ago by the New Patriotic Party, then led by candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

About 400,000 students are expected to benefit from the education policy that will exempt them from paying for tuition and other fees.

At the launch of the logo for the policy two weeks ago, the President said apart from free tuition there will be no fees collected for use of the library, computers and utilities.

There will be a free hot meal for day students as well.

However, even before the policy makes any strides, some parents in Upper West are worried that they will be made to pay fees due to low grades of their wards.

Joy News correspondent Rafiq Salam reports that these are also troubled by the removal of the Northern grant.

But Dr Adutwum says there is no such thing, adding that the free SHS policy is not for a selected few but all students.

That is just propaganda; it is not true. They [students] should just go and check on the portal and find the schools in which they were placed and once you are placed, you are not going to pay anything.

He advised parents whose wards have not been placed yet to go onto the placement portal and go through the self-placement process and find a school.

We are not cutting off any student from any part of the country, he said, adding if anything, the free SHS is giving more benefits than the Northern grant and we are doing more.
11.09.2017 LISTEN

A story is being told of a peasant farmer who lived in the hinterlands. This farmer who felt the pangs of neglect every blessed day was living alone. One day, as this farmer was busily working on his farm, an awful incident occurred. An aeroplane full of politicians crashed near his farm. Without any delay, this poor farmer started digging the grave of the politicians.

When the police arrived, they asked the farmer what had happened. The farmer, without any sign of remorse, enthusiastically answered, The plane crashed near my farm and I buried all of them. One of the police officers asked with a sign of indignation and out of shock; are you sure they all died? The poor farmer slowly and patiently replied, Some of them were screaming, we are still alive. But I couldnt believe them. You know these politicians. They can lie.

I do not take delight in making mockery of the honourables of Africa. As a matter of fact, many citizens in the continent of Africa wouldnt hesitate to do likewise if they are to find themselves in the situation of this peasant farmer.

It is crystal clear that during the struggle for independence, the clarity and unanimity with which African freedom fighters articulated their views and vision for their country and Africa as a whole was bracing and very patriotic. Their clarity of purpose and ideological cohesion in the African continent will forever convince one to believe that they were reading from the same script scribbled by one scribe.

The African continent will be eternally grateful to some visionaries like Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Madibo Keita of Mali, Augustinho Neto of Angola, Patrice Lumumba of Congo, Samora Machel of Mozambique among many others. These were men who lived beyond reproach and led exemplary lives.

In the early years of independence, most African countries portrayed some traits which made it clear that they were moving in the right direction. Per the natural resources, most African countries were eager to achieve a mutual social cohesion, economic prosperity and political freedom. The train of development in Africa as expected by some analysts was to move with the speed of a cheetah but with military accuracy. This train that was moving in the right direction of development and progress has long come to an abrupt halt.

The script of progress is long lost and African countries keep on punching below the economic weight of the world. The economic terrain is in shambles and has become unbearable for the ordinary citizens. Many years after most African countries untied themselves from the apron-strings of their erstwhile colonizers, the citizens are still swimming excruciatingly in the endless vicious cycle of poverty and shame.

Wait a minute! What then is the problem of Africa? Could it be as a result of inadequate natural resources? Certainly no! The continent of Africa in my opinion is the luckiest and most privileged among all the continents. It is extremely exhilarating to know that Africa is the worlds richest continent in terms of natural resources. But in terms of the wealth of its citizens, it is the poorest. What an irony! The African continent is never in shortage of rich minerals like gold, diamond, bauxite, cobalt as well as some precious commodities like oil, timber and gas. Need I talk of the untilled fertile acres of farmlands?

Many people have proposed the problem of Africa. Chinua Achebe, an industrious son of the continent posited that the problem of Africa is squarely the problem of leadership. In his book Why Africans are Poor, Greg Mills states unequivocally that Africans are poor because their leaders have chosen that path. Africans and their leaders desire things which require effort but they never make any meaningful effort. I cant agree less with these prolific writers. But quite contrary to the view of Greg, I opine that Africa is never poor but we are stealing her wealth. It is an established fact that about $161bn comes to Africa within a year in the form of remittances, loans and aid. It is worth noting that at this same time, about $203bn leaves the continent of Africa.

The honourables who are supposed to be the agents of development and protect the public purse are now a pain in the neck by becoming the strategic authors of the doom of Africa. P.O.C Umeh describes them as ambassadors of poverty who are always frustrating the corporate will of the masses.

The word honourable simply means to be honest and fair. But how many honourables (politicians) in Africa really deserve this prestigious honour? With staggering and wavering lips, the masses address them as honourable and yet they are unable. Many honourables are locked up in the corrosive war of corruption and greed. The virtues of integrity, honesty and equity are alien to the honourables of Africa. Corruption has been institutionalized and those who still hold on to the ancient virtues of honesty and integrity are seen as the endangered species. They give the youngsters every reason to be corrupt. In the nature of things, when the cow is chewing a cud then the calf will follow suit in that same process.

To most of these honourables, they see the continent of Africa as a cemetery where their bodies should be laid to rest when they die. Meanwhile, the hard earned monies of the continent are siphoned to fuel foreign banks. The most pathetic aspect of it all is that, some loot these huge amounts of money and save them in foreign banks without the knowledge of anyone. They die and these monies and properties become the assets of the foreign nations. This barbaric and inhuman behaviour on the part of some African leaders only denigrates and debase the dignity of the masses and tarnishes the image of the continent as a whole.

Without any shilly- shallying, most honourables in Africa are only famous for the wrong things. Instead of being recognized as astute and famous leaders, our leaders have chosen to be infamous. Ask of Sani Abacha of Nigeria and he will definitely be remembered for corruption. Talk of Mobutu of Zaire (now DR Congo) and he is only rembered as the man who saw Congo to be Gods personal gift to him alone. Idi Amin of Uganda was known internationally as a man who gruesomely murdered anyone who opposed him. David Mukholi( Managing Editor of Vision Group) recalls how scary it was to walk along the Nile river because dead bodies were washed ashore every blessed day. To the world, Amin is the embodiment of anything dark and monstrous that came out of Africa. He rose to become the 20th century most infamous leader in the world. Some 3,000 people are said to have been killed during his eight year rule.

It is only in Africa that our honourables can spend about 3.79 US dollars of the tax payers money on pampers and other fleeting desires. It was quite disparaging to know that about $10.3 billion was seized as at 2016 from people who were suspected to have looted the nations money in Nigeria. This exercise was carried under Buharis regime. About $9.8 million in the safe house of Andrew Yakubu, former managing director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation was found and seized. These whopping amounts are in individuals pockets in Africa. Meanwhile, some paupers in Africa cannot afford two square meals a day. Some people in Africa really squeeze water out of stone in order to make ends meet.

The behaviour of the Honourables of Africa has pushed the citizens to start doubting the fundamentals of their independence and freedom. It is unfathomable to know that in Ghana, under the auspices of Sir Gordon Guggishberg, 19 well equipped hospitals were built including the much talked about Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. 3,380 miles of road network was constructed to facilitate transportation by land. Similarly, 207 miles of railway was constructed in the bid to enhance transportation in Ghana. The prince of Wales College (now Achimota School) was built at the cost of 12.4 million pounds. Most Africans would now be asking the uncomfortable question; how many hospitals, railways, harbours and roads have been built after the erra of colonization and the early years of our independence and what is the amount of money wasted over simple projects like Public toilets? The few infrastructures are left to deteriorate and are now beyond rehabilitation. How many African countries can still boast of quality railway lines?

The attitude of the African politician has made most African countries to suffer from inferiority complex in the presence of other continents. Africans are now coerced to seek approval from others to feel complete. Nonetheless, we shouldnt stop believing in Africa.

Moving forward, the honourables of Africa and we the citizens need a total repentance. We need a total change of mind and heart. For all we know, the one condemning the act hasnt gotten the golden opportunity to be corrupt as asserted by P.L. O Lumumba. Its high time our honourables knew that the national cake is not to be siphoned into individual pockets. Being in power for ones own parochial interest is really a great disservice to the continent of Africa.

The weakness of Africa is pathetic and it is time to create a new Africa where we shall be the sole deciders of what others will think of us. A new Africa where our honourables will serve passionately and sincerely and not for their self-aggrandizement. A new Africa where the citizens wont continuously pester our Politicians for money before they can vote for them. A new Africa where the honourable will truly be honourable. There is the need for a total hygiene in the politics and leadership of Africa.

THE WRITER IS ELVIS EFFAH

BLOGS @ elvis1site.wordpress.com
Johannesburg (AFP) - Zimbabwe's ruling elite has diverted the country's vast diamond riches to help fund repression by dodging sanctions and raising money for security forces, an anti-corruption campaign group alleged Monday.

In a report, Global Witness accused top security and political leaders of secretly profiting from the trade in the country's diamond reserves while depriving the impoverished nation of much-needed revenue.

The Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) spy agency is alleged to have held a concealed stake in a company active in the Marange diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe, according to secret documents Global Witness said it had seen.

The group's report, "An Inside Job", suggests that diamonds produced by the CIO-linked company were traded in Antwerp and Dubai -- two of the world's leading precious stone marketplaces -- and may have funded political repression.

"Companies have concealed their finances and shielded their operations from public scrutiny, hiding significant stakes in these companies held by the feared Central Intelligence agency, the Zimbabwean military and the government itself," Global Witness said in a statement.

Phone calls made to the ministers of defence, state security and mines seeking comments, were not answered.

A military-linked company subject to European sanctions, Zimbabwe Defence Industries, is alleged to have held a share in another major mining company through two holding firms.

That mining operation has freely traded diamonds in Europe, possibly breaching EU sanctions rules.

'Secretive cabal'

"Elements within both the CIO and military have been heavily implicated in stifling political opposition and scores of human rights violations," the report said.

Frustration at Zimbabwe's economic collapse under the authoritarian regime of President Robert Mugabe prompted a series of large street protests last year, with many demonstrators beaten by security forces.

Accurate statistics on the production and trade of Zimbabwe's diamonds have never been published meaning that the scale of the pillaging of the country's mineral wealth has been hidden from public view, the report added.

In 2013 a parliamentary committee reported "serious discrepancies between what government receives from the sector and what the diamond mining companies claim to have remitted to the Treasury".

Zimbabwe's diamonds, discovered in 2006, have frequently been the subject of controversy.

Global Witness suggested in 2012 that the CIO may have received some $100 million (83 million euros) and a fleet of 200 cars from a Hong Kong-based businessman in exchange for diamonds traded outside official channels.

The Marange fields are one of Africa's biggest diamond finds in recent years.

The army cleared small-scale miners from the area in 2008 in an operation that Human Rights Watch says killed more than 200 people.

An international embargo was imposed on Zimbabwean diamonds following the atrocities which was lifted in November 2011.

"A find that offered such promise to the people of Zimbabwe has delivered only disappointment primarily serving a secretive cabal of vested political and economic interests," said Michael Gibb, a conflict resources expert at Global witness.
A man who was named as being part of a syndicate which stole drugs and other medical supplies from the Central Medical Stores (CMS) says he has been wrongfully accused.

Inua Yusuf, who was said to be an officer of the CMS at the time, denies any involvement in the incidences he has been cited for.

Without any evidence or iota of truth, the Government Statement maliciously named me as one of the officers of the CMS who were identified by the National Security investigations as being part of a network at CMS responsible for the systemic theft of large quantities of medical supplies and irregularities in the procurement and allocations to health institutions.

I was not an officer of the CMS. I only represented the MoH to oversee its operation and report. I did not possess or exercise any authorizing/approval powers. I was never investigated or found guilty by any court of competent jurisdiction for taking medical supplies belonging to the CMS, he added.

Ghana in 2015, lost about $80 million worth of medicines and other medical supplies when fire razed the CMS at Tema in the Greater Accra Region.

The uninsured CMS contained every conceivable drug imported into the country, including drugs for deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and Ebola.

A committee established to investigate the case blamed it on arson, naming one Samuel Dogbe , a labourer at the Medical Stores as being behind the fire.

In 2016, 12 officials of the Ghana Health Service who were also accused of playing various roles in the arson were also interdicted.

Among the list put out by the then Health Minister, Alex Segbefia, was Yusuf.

But Yusuf said it is total falsehood about me. It is utterly untrue, misleading, very embarrassing and lacks credibility in respect of the conclusions made against me, which were completely based on hearsay.

He said although he represented the Ministry of Health a member of the CMS Management Committee  position he held for one year  I only attended management meetings at the CMS and never possessed nor exercised any authorizing/approving powers. I was not an officer of the CMS, as the Government Statement erroneously portrayed.

The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) who took part in the investigations , according to Yusuf called to apologise for his inclusion in the list and asked him to convey the mishap to the Director which Yusuf did.

However, no changes were made. The media continued its reportage with Yusufs name, a development he found unfair.

As a response to his petition delayed, he proceeded to report the issue to the Health Minister who said he was awaiting advice from the Attorney General for the right thing to be done.

But nothing came out of that either, although the Attorney General promised to resolve the matter.

In a renewed petition to the current Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu; Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo and the Coordinator of the National Security Secretariat, Yusuf said I have needlessly and unjustifiably suffered much injustice as a result of the publication of this Government Statement.

He says the injustice continues as the former health minister placed an indefinite ban on him, preventing him from working at the temporal warehouse.

Related: Alex Segbefia urges prosecution of culprits in Central Medical Stores fire

The Public Services Commission (PSC) denied me equal opportunity to an interview for appointment as Director for Supplies, Stores and Drug Management (SSDM) of GHS. My letter of invitation to the interview was reversed based on the Government Statement.

Yusuf in his new petition is asking among other things, that his name be expunged from the list of officers named in the Governemnt Statement.

He also wants a lifting of the constitutionally unwarranted ban and restriction on me from carrying out my lawful duties in all areas of my legitimately chosen profession in MoH facilities.

Yusuf said if this is not done within a reasonable time, he will have no choice but to seek redress in court.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Naa Sakwaba Akwa | [email protected]
For the first time since President Nkrumah's overthrow in 1966, our homeland Ghana has finally embarked on a journey that will empower millions of disadvantaged families to educate their wards, despite being financially-challenged. Fantastic.

Even though some of us (and I admit to being one of the biggest doubters) were pretty skeptical of the ability of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to implement that particular manifesto promise, on a sustainable basis, today, every Ghanaian citizen ought to be happy for our nation that young people from even the poorest backgrounds across Ghana are now able to attend senior high school. Brilliant.

No developing nation that aspires to become a prosperous society can afford not to provide free education from kindergarten to tertiary level for its younger generations. President Akufo-Addo was absolutely right in saying it was much better to use our oil revenues to fund the free SHS education policy than for it to end up in the pockets of a few powerful Ghanaians. How right he is in his observation.

Clearly, to ensure that funding for the free SHS initiative is sustainable, what we must now do as a people is to help the government plug all the loopholes through which our many public-sector white-collar criminals and their private-sector collaborators siphon off taxpayers' monies in sundry public procurement deals, is to take OccupyGhana's Ace Ankomah's very sensible advice about dealing effectiviely with those who steal public funds, by using Government Contracts (Protection) Act, 1979 (AFRCD 58) to prosecute and jail them.

That law also apparently prescribes that in addition they be compelled to refund thrice the amount they cheated Mother Ghana out of on top too. According to news reports, Ace Ankomah regards Act 1979 (AFRCD 58) as one of the most important anti-corruption legacies of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council.

"Government Contracts (Protection) Act 1979 (AFRCD 58) states that a person who is responsible for issuing certificates for the payment of money out of public funds to contractors or any other person in respect of government contracts is jointly and severally liable with that contractor or that other person for the refund of the money so paid where he/she issues the certificate for payment.

This should happen when the person issuing certificates for the payment of money out of public funds to contractors or any other person in respect of government contracts does so knowing that the work/service has not been performed, the goods have not been supplied, the money was not otherwise due under the contract, recklessly careless whether the work had been done or not, as well as the goods have been supplied or not, the money is otherwise due under the contract or not, or where in the issue of the certificate that person was grossly negligent.

Receiver of payment punishable

According to the law, without prejudice to the civil liability, (i) that person, (ii) the contractor, and (iii) any other person who knowingly accepted a payment made in any of the above circumstances is liable to a fine of up to three times the amount of money of the improper payment or to imprisonment of up to 10 years, or to both.

Government Contracts (Protection) Act, 1979 (AFRCD 58) states that where it is proved that the person responsible for the certificate was bribed into issuing the certificate, or that the issue of the certificate was otherwise attended by a corrupt practice, both the bribor and the bribee, and any other person who knowingly participated in the bribery/corrupt practice commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment (between five and 15 years), and a penalty equal to three times the amount of money of the improper payment."

God bless the patriotic Ace Ankomahs of our nation. That long-neglected law he has just unearthed (in a manner of speaking) seems a perfect legal remedy for the Special Public Prosecutor to use to plug loopholes used to rip our natiom off in sundry shady government procurement contracts - and make all that cash available to fund the free SHS initiaitive that would have otherwise ended up in private pockets.
Four years after fire destroyed portions of the Old Parliament House, opposite the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum in Accra, portions of the building have been demolished to pave way for the construction of a new one.

When citifmonline.com visited the site on Monday, the structure had been flattened, awaiting clearance of the debris.

Some scrap dealers were also seen at the site busily collecting iron rods from the debris.

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), one of the government agencies that occupy the establishment had explained that the structure that was pulled down was the old parliamentary chamber and the adjoining offices that were used by CHRAJ.

The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal defended the action saying although they failed to secure a permit from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly before pulling down the structure, it was necessary for safeguarding the health and safety of the workers of CHRAJ.

CHRAJ was accused of stampeding the authority of the AMA by proceeding to demolish the building without getting the required permit from the AMA.

The demolished building is an old structure that housed the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly from 1951 when Dr Kwame Nkrumah became the leader of Government Business under British rule.

But Joseph Whittal told Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show that, since the burning in 2013, that section has posed a health hazard, adding that indeed every person who works around those places knows that indeed this is unhealthy because we are breathing in the fumes and all those things.

The part that is burnt is beyond recovery and so since 2013 we have made efforts to have this taken out. We have informed the AMA, unfortunately, we've not had funds, it is only this year that we had funds from the central government to demolish and reconstruct the old Chamber and the adjoining offices, he added.

Front view of the Old Parliament House


Education is universally accepted as the key to development. Its potentials to eliminate inequality and catapult citizenry to a higher stage of prosperity has never been in doubt. Its thus one of the few discourses that universal consensus has been built. Nonetheless, policies that seek to drive the provision of quality education for the citizenry as enshrined in the universal declaration regarding education have been the domain for disagreement. It is, therefore, not surprising that the intention of the NPP, in the run-up to the 2008 election, to provide free SHS education was ridiculed by the NDC.

To the extent that there are alternative policy prescriptions beyond the diagnostic lamentation, I will consider the ridicule to be healthy. Now, the NPP has the grace of power to put to birth the idea of Free SHS. Anyone expecting a rosy implementation would only be exhibiting naivety of the highest order. The reason is simple: policy design and implementation process are iterative with a feedback loop. Challenges arising from the implementation would inform the redesign (if necessary) of the policy. Apart from this theoretical explanation, I would take a bit of your time to provide further justification. I will do this because the theoretical explanation is so banal even though could be elusive to the uncritical mind.

Firstly, I am not a policy spectator. I have policy inclinations and perspectives of my own and an apriori declaration of this might help you to appreciate my point. I am a proponent of Free Quality and Affordable SHS Education. I have deliberately laced this position with appropriate adjectives for a reason. The reason is that I am a fan of Free SHS. Okay! Let me explain this. Without evidence that free dilutes quality and affordability I will fight for the wholesale implementation of free SHS. The very notion of free is consistent with affordability. Where there is disagreement, is the relationship between free and quality. But here, I am afraid we could be having a misnomer of terms. Actually, the right expression for the purposes of a constructive argument is the relationship between government funding and quality. These appropriate terms, therefore, make the argument clear- funding and quality are positively correlated [I would, however, continue to use the word, free with the above meaning intended since this is what the policy is about]. But the argument could still be made that government initiatives are obliterated by fall army worm of corruption and that is why free will compromise quality. That is a different level of argument and anyone who argues in this line would have been making a sound argument if he/she was making a case for the privatization of education. I know a lot will agree with me that education should not be privatized and should thus logically agree with me that government comprehensive funding of SHS is a belated child of Providence. But again, I am not naive of the challenges the dawn of the policy will have on Ghanas education without prejudice to the revolutionary nature of this policy.

Now let talk about the pace setters! Uganda, a country Ghana would proudly claim a bragging right over, started a universal free education some 10 years ago. President Yoweri Museveni took this bold decision as probably the first country in sub-Sahara Africa to introduce this policy. Under this scheme, the government pays school an annual grant of about $52 per student (progressively increased over time) while parents provide students uniform and stationery. This has led to a sharp increase in access to education even in the first year of the program. The challenge, however, is that it has not succeeded in improving quality because of reasons such as poor infrastructure et al. The Overseas Development Institute, in its 2010 report, notes some of the challenges to include parents perception about free secondary education leading to the neglect of their duties among others.

Again, lets also learn from the free primary school education in Ghana and elsewhere. According to the World Bank 2009 report on abolishing school fees in Africa, the implementation of the capitation grant and the abolition of the fees generated a momentum for education. It has improved access to education. However, there are still issues with quality since the report observes that these initiatives are not enough to ensure quality education. The report further notes that access to education in Malawi increased by 51% together with an increase in equity but with consequence on quality following the introduction of free primary school education.

It is for the above experiences that I hold the view that Free SHS is not sufficient for the provision of quality education in Ghana. However, it is necessary. It is necessary because it would ensure that the children of the farmer, fisherman, mansion, and artisan have access to education. It is necessary because it would provide the experience of secondary education to a wide majority of Ghanaian who otherwise would have missed the opportunity. It is necessary because it would improve the literacy and numeracy skills of a broader spectrum of the masses despite the concerns about the quality of their literacy and numeracy skills. Come to think of it! I attended a Junior High School that only had 2 teachers; Quality problematic! However, I managed through to have secondary education. That experience was unique! It exposed me to sons and daughters of relatively rich people and a new challenge to compete with them. It is instructive to note that many of the dropouts at Junior High School were not instigated by the quality of the education. Rather, it was the affordability and the opportunity cost of schooling that triggered the dropouts. Had they continued, they would have certainly have had a different orientation of education and life experiences encountering people from all walks of life. This is the reason why free SHS is necessary.

The concerns about quality are understandable. But remember, weve have been decrying the falling standard of education even before this policy. Guaranteeing quality, in my opinion, is not about making parents pay for SHS education. It is a factor of government willingness and commitment to increasing funding for SHS education; supporting critical sectors such as infrastructure, laboratories and ICT infrastructure, school management and administration alongside the grants on behalf of students. The good news is that the government acknowledged this and has demonstrated the commitment to a concurrent payment of subvention to schools and investment in education infrastructure. If Ghana, in her old age, has decided to implement a policy of this nature, the least of our expectations would be doom-mongering. Instead of wishing doom for we told you so motivation, we should rather be more vigilant in the implementation of the policy, the tracking of the resource to avoid leakage along the transmission to the schools and making suggestions for the sustainability of the policy. Of course, there will be challenges. Nothing goes or comes without challenges. Even Woyome success in the robbery came with some challenges! If out of the abundance of the countrys natural resources, she is able to provide free SHS, it is something the citizenry would appreciate.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world [Nelson Mandela]. To this, I say, even if Ghanaian children cannot acquire AK 47 rifles through education, we should not deny them muskets with which they can kill rats and rabbits for their daily sustenance.

Writer:

KB Mahama

Hiroshima University

Japan

Email: [email protected]
A Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Akilu Sayibu, is on a vigorous public sensitization on the one district, one exportable product project in the Northern Region where Shea nut is a major export commodity.

He has been interacting with various youth groups, market women and smallholder farmer groups explaining the projects benefits.

He ceased the opportunity at the official launch of the Dagbon Peace and Progress Now project and announced the project.

Akilu Shaibu in a Citi News interview encouraged the teeming unemployed youth in the three regions of the north to take advantage of the project to improve their well-being.

The vision of GEPA in relation to the one district-one exportable product initiative is to not only aimed at increasing export earnings from non traditional exports, but also creating jobs for the youth as well as increasing the earnings of various producers which can lead to accelerated development of the various districts.

He mentioned cashew, yam, mangoes, groundnuts, Shea butter, handicrafts and local garments as some targeted exportable products that are available in the Northern Region.



By: Abdul Karim Knaatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Some parents in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis of the Western Region have hailed the implementation of the Free SHS policy which took effect on September 11, 2017 by the NPP government describing it as a huge relief for parents.

Parents who spoke to Citi News after going through the admission processes without paying admission and boarding fees and other mandatory payments explained that the new policy must be continued to relieve parents of the troubles they have had to endure over the years.

A parent who spoke to Citi News explained that, I have twins. They all completed this year and are set to go to Senior High. They both passed. I was really worried of how I was going to take them all to school. But now, I am really relieved as a single parent to send them all to school without having to worry about their boarding and admission fees and all that. I pray they continue because, it has been a huge relief to me, one parent from new Takoradi noted.

Another parent who had gone through the admission process without paying for anything at the St. Mary's Boys Senior High School at Apowa in the Ahanta West District also explained that it has come as a relief to me. Unlike her sister who I took her to school last year, I have had to work and finish everything for my son in a matter of just two processes; go to the headmasters office, from there go to the Library for your prospectus and then you are done! I'm so happy. I feel relieved.

Meanwhile, the first day of the implementation of the policy saw many parents trooping in to various secondary schools in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis.

At the St. Mary's Senior High School, some parents went to queue up as early as 5:00am on Monday. The school had on its notice board a list of the over 700 first year students who have been posted there by the Computerized School Selection and Placement System.

Out of the number, 300 of them have been given boarding status, whilst the 400 were given Day status.

The Headmaster of the school, Rev. Father George Aduah Ansah, told Citi News that the school authorities have had to extend the official admission hours to 6:00pm daily to ensure that we offer admission to all our students who have been posted here.



By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The writer, Professor Douglas BOATENG - Independent chairman PPA of Ghana

11.09.2017 LISTEN

While the use of competitive tendering is the generally preferred option for public sector sourcing, there are instances where alternative methods are required. Two such alternatives are commonly known as single sourcing and sole sourcing.

In Ghana, the two options are partially catered for under Act 663 (S.40, S41) and in the amended Public ProcurementAct 914 (S.40).

Recently, there has been lots of debate surrounding the rather misguided use and application of either single sourcing or sole sourcing for the acquisition of a need. The main reason emanates from the Act which describes the alternatives under Sections 40 and 41 as single sourced procurement. The confusion has been further exacerbated by the unfortunate terminological confusion and sometimes the ill-advised use of the two distinct nomenclatures interchangeably by some past and present government officials, public and civil servants, procurement practitioners, commentators and c-suite executives trying to justify their reasons for either supporting or bashing sole or single sourcing. While both are part of strategic sourcing, they are technically different with distinct underlying principles, associated risks, benefits and goals.

What is single sourcing?

Single sourcing occurs when an organization consciously selects a single supplier from multiple options to meet a need. In most cases the single sourced supplier:-

1. Has a proven track record and comparatively offers the lowest possible cost without compromising product quality and functional requirement specifications.

2. has already proven itself in terms of its customer service quality, and is capable of providing a fit for purpose product,

3. offers better value for money

4. has historic relationship with the buyer and

5. presents an opportunity for potential technical transfer and skills development

In a developing economy context, the supplier has the potential to contributeto local empowerment, job creation and economic development.

With single sourcing, public sector organizations have options. If the organization has thoroughly done its research before deciding to single source, it is relatively easy to choose the best alternative supplier from the multiple options without necessarily changing the product requirements.

Today, it is an accepted worldwide fact that public sector organizations need not to be overpaying for single sourced products since they (as the customer) have a relatively strong negotiating power advantage over the selected single sourced supplier. It is for this reason why numerous companies try to avoid being a single sourced supplier of a need as they are at a major disadvantage during the negotiations.

Single sourcing more beneficial than competitive tendering

There is thus certainly no justification even in a crisis situation for the sometimes blatant overpricing associated with a single sourced need. To date, many public sector organizations with the right functional custodians have managed (over a relatively short space of time), to reduce single sourced product value chain costs by as much as 23 percent making it sometimes even more beneficial than competitive tendering. In most cases the unit price for a vertical specific single sourced product (excluding logistical and other related tariff costs) product has not exceeded six percent (6%) of the officially listed price.

Single sourcing is often the acquisition method of choice for emergency situations (but often mistakenly described as sole sourcing!). It is also a means for industrial mobilization and development, value for money acquisition, means to strengthen and capacitate internal capabilities, revisit functional and product requirementspecifications etc. In addition, it has proven to be an effective tool for amongst others demand consolidation and management and transversal relationships.

With the right value adding professional in charge of procurement, the benefits associated with single sourcing can be huge. It has an immediate and long term impact on local businesses, job creation, public and private sector spending, industry and society as a whole.

For governments, some of the biggest proven benefits are cash flow optimisation, the potential to create a win-win collaborative relationship with a specific supplier, minimisation of over-pricing plus achievement of real and significant quantifiable value for money benefits.

With single sourcing win win relationship terms can either be short, medium or long term and can easily be exited.

Single sourced related procedural workloads tend to be also comparatively very low as communications, performance monitoring and evaluation is limited to a solitary supplier.There are also opportunities for transversal contracting, collaborative product requirements specification development, and joint needs based costing.

Disadvantages of single sourcing

Single sourcing is not without its risks. Firstly, if organisations do not have the internal capabilities to detail the requirements specifications, continuously update associated price indices, manage and monitor the supplier relationship terms, prices may unexpectedly and significantly increase. Secondly, in periods of tight supply, the buyer may be placed at a disadvantage as they will not be able to ask other suppliers to accept orders. Thirdly, other suppliers may lose interest in trying to compete for the business if they see that a singular source situation is likely to persist.

Key to public sector organisations harnessing the enormous benefits associated with single sourcing is to have the right procurement professional in charge to constantly and thoroughly do the fact finding to understand the organisational needs, critically co-examine and define their functional requirements specifications, constantly research and update their multiple supplier product price benchmark indexes.

To sum up, the application of single sourcing in the public sector can be enormously beneficial but has to be co-determined and carefully managed by a qualified and strategically minded procurement professional.

What about sole sourcing?

Unlike single sourcing, institutions undertake sole sourcing when there is only one known supplier that is capable of satisfying the need. With sole sourcing, supply alternatives are non-existent at the time of need unless an organisation radically changes its requirements. Sole sourcing relationships are also mainly long term driven. Globally, sole sourcing is hardly used in emergency situations as the cost implications in most cases far outweigh the benefits.

Due to the uniqueness of the product or service required, sole sourcing gives the supplier major negotiating power advantage over the customer. This means that there is often very little room for potential price discounts, job creation and industrial development. There have nonetheless been instances where sole sourcing has led to the creation of industries and long term jobs by industrial conglomerates in developing economies. However these are very few and largely dependent on amongst others:

a). local and regional demand for the product,

b). local technical skills

c). Location of raw material source.

d). Institutional governance structures etc.

e). Incentives from government

Through product and functional requirements specification, it is imperative that public sector organisations minimise the use of sole sourcing as there is very limited room for negotiations and value for money acquisitions.

In a nutshell, the application of sole sourcing in the public sector can be very costly even if co-determined and carefully managed by a qualified and strategically minded procurement professional.

Summary

In summing up, single and sole sourcing are two distinct acquisition concepts. With the right intentions, both can offer benefits which sometimes can far exceed the advantages associated with competitive tendering. However to show compliance with the principles governing public procurement, it is imperative that state-run organisations justify either single or sole sourcing as a method of acquisition. The validation must indicate in detail the circumstances leading up to the decision and selection of either a single source supplier or a sole sourced supplier, any product and supplier alternatives considered, the rationale for selecting the supplier and how it was determined that the price was fair and reasonable.

To ensure that each of these strategic sourcing alternatives are transparent and follow the correct processes, procurement professionals and decision makers involved in overseeing public sector acquisition need to be aware of the very specific differences between the two alternatives and design their requirements specifications accordingly.

Moving forward

Firstly, Policy makers and c-suite executive must note that both single and sole sourcing are strategic organisational decisions. The key to realising the associated potential benefits plus minimising the possible risks linked to each is for public sector organisations to view procurement as a strategic function not a mere administration process within another functional area. With this paradigm shift they can then proceed to appoint qualified professionals to strategically manage the procurement function.

For accountability, the appointed value adding professional must ideally be part of the c-suite and policy decision making group and reporting directly to the CEO. This will enable the organisation to fully hold the individual responsible for either acquisitive method adopted for sourcing a need that offers: - value for money, is fit for purpose, assists with amongst others industrialisation, job creation and socio-economic development.

Secondly, as mentioned earlier there is limited room for price discount negotiations with sole sourced products. To this end, public sector institutions and state owned entities via functional and need requirements specifications must try as much as possible to limit sole sourcing. However for single sourced products there are opportunities for significant price savings. Depending on the single sourced product specifics, the timing of the need and other vertical specific considerations, the associated unit price (excluding other verifiable costs such as tariffs) for the requirement must not be more than nine percent (9%) above the officially listed price. Otherwise a full explanation and documented proof of reasons must be provided by both the public sector institution concerned and the single sourced supplier.

Final food for thought

Using the same relatively unsuccessful formula and expecting a different result vis-a-vis realising value for money; achieving accountability and governance, significantly curbing unnecessary public sector spending excessiveness; reducing waste etc. will be deemed as negligence by future generations.

The President and current government is certainly moving in the right direction on procurement reforms and must be applauded by all c-suite executives and policy makers. However, more of such efforts are required and must be encouraged.

The fact is that unless there are further amendments to Act 663 and Act 914 plus a change in modus operandi to enable the professionalization of procurement and its associated elevation from a mere process to a strategic function, the chances of the public sector and state owned institutions enormously benefiting from either single or sole sourcing for long term developmental purpose will remain a pipe dream. The government of Ghana thus overlook the above critical issues at its own peril.

The author, Professor Douglas BOATENG, Africas first ever appointed Professor Extraordinaire for supply and value chain management (SBL UNISA), is an International Professional certified Chartered Director and an adjunct academic. He is currently the independent chairman of the Public Procurement Authority of Ghana.
11.09.2017 LISTEN

The Kwakwaduam Association of New York was the Recipient of the 2017 Non Profit Excellence Award given by the National Council of Ghanaian Organization during their premier Community Appreciation Night organized in the Bronx, NY. The event was on Saturday the 5th of August. This was in recognition of the role played by Kwakwaduam in the Ghanaian Community and the extensive nonprofit work done in Ghana

Other Awards presented at the function included the 2017 Community Star Award, Team Spirit Award, Community Impact Award, Non Profit Leaders Award, Business and Leadership Award, Community Support Award and NCOGA Fundraiser of the Year Award

The event gave an opportunity for Ghanaian Culture to be displayed since the attire was strictly Kente, Ghanaian Cloth and Fugu. Ms Martha Pobee Ghanas Permanent Representative to the UN and the Staff of the Embassy graced the occasion. Dr Kofi Boateng and Lawyer Essien were equally prominent at the function

Commenting on the Award  The President of Kwakwaduam, Mr Mark Saforo said that he was elated that the work done by Kwakwaduam is appreciated and feels encouraged to strive to achieve more. He said Kwakwaduam just gave out Scholarships to five of Members Kids going to the Universities. He said the award gave credence to the Vision of Kwakwaduam that the Best Part of Every Persons Life is What He or She Gives Back to Society Kwakwaduam was represented by Mrs Lydia Apronti, the Organizing Secretary in addition to the President

On his part, Dr. Kwame Aniapam Boafo a Consultant to the organization praised NCOGA and their Leadership, Fred Ansong for taking a significant role in organizing the Ghanaian Community. He said Kwakwaduam is strongly committed in its Mission
This morning, BHP Billiton Ltd [ASX:BHP] fell 2.2% to $26.68 per share.

What happened to BHP Billiton share price?

BHP isnt the only miner down today. Rio Tinto Ltd [ASX:RIO] and Fortescue Metals Group [ASX:FMG] also traded lower, down 1.6% and 1.5% respectively.

Yet its no surprise as iron ore fell on Friday. Below is a graph of the iron ore spot price on the Qingdao exchange:

Source: Bloomberg

This morning, BHP also said they would too reduce debt by announcing their final pricing of Tender Offers  the price at which they will repurchase their previously issued bonds.

What now for BHP?

Like many miners, BHP will continue to swing up and down, following commodity prices. Throughout 2017, iron ore has been one of the most volatile commodities. And it will likely continue to be so.

If youre bullish on iron ore in the long term, then you could potentially jump into BHP when commodities in general, along with iron ore are depressed.

Remember in early 2016 when BHP was trading around $15? It was an opportunity that many investors missed. Yet how could they have known that commodity were about to hit a bottom and would rally up from there. The miner followed commodities up in 2016, rallying more than 40%.

Of course we might not see BHP trade to such depressed levels in the near future. However if commodity prices do swing down due to political or economic uncertainty, it might be wise to consider buying Australias biggest miner.

Regards,

Harje Ronngard,

Junior Analyst, Money Morning

PS: There are plenty of Aussie resource stocks which are trading at huge discounts. Resource analyst, Jason Stevenson has written a report on the top 10 mining stocks for 2017. Check out which miners break into Jasons top ten here.
'The big truck is still on ...
When looking for a job, most people want to get into reliable, prestigious organizations with a worldwide reputation. Google Nigeria careers provides such an opportunity. Perhaps one of the current vacancies is waiting for you. Do not miss your chance! From this article, you will find out about the current offers of the company, its requirements and benefits.

Features and career opportunities if you want to work in Google

Google is not a closed company. The administration accepts anyone who can help in the achievement of their common goal. If you are able to offer innovative ideas and invent smart business approaches, Google Nigeria is your perfect choice. Despite the fact that it's a large large scale organization, a cozy atmosphere of mutual assistance and honesty is preserved among its staff. Every employee is an important and appreciated part of the company as a whole The administration provides decent salaries, different kinds of bonuses and rewards for quality work.

The company is engaged in a lot of projects worldwide. If you are not afraid to manage complex processes that cover several disciplines at once, then you might want to consider Google careers.

It is necessary to work with a number of internal clients and keep a track of developments and changes. Managers conduct special schedules, detect risks, and pass information to interested parties.

All the members of staff must be qualitatively coordinated when it comes to changes and deadlines of ongoing processes.

READ ALSO: Does Google Wallet work in Nigeria?

In more than 50 offices in five countries around the world, new managers are being recruited to work. Google employees are working hard daily to make changes to the digital world. New talented people are needed to develop the company's initiatives and open up promising markets. Beginners receive useful recommendations that are tested by many years of experience. Reliable professionals will work with you. You will have the possibility to communicate with partners and get acquainted with the Google unique products.

Google has always been and remains an engineering organization, so preference is given to candidates with technical and digital skills. The company needs people who are ready to deal with complex issues, take interesting challenges, and influence millions of users.

Engineers will be employed, not only to improve search quality but also to find new ways of storing data, scaling, developing useful applications and creating innovative platforms for people all over the world. Employees can get to work with Android, YouTube, Chrome, and other brands which every Internet user knows. Employees of Google change the world around them and create ingenious technological developments.

Head of Startup Success and Services

At the moment, several vacancies are open in Google Nigeria. The first is the Head of Startup Success and Services. You will be a very important person when it comes to Launchpad Accelerator. Your job will be based in the Sub-Saharan part of Africa, as well as in other target areas. What do you need to know when applying for this job?

You will work with Launchpad Accelerator Africa strategy to support and improve it, select the main start-ups that will be implemented in the system, and manage the connections between them.

All regional participants (partners, instructors, investors, employees of the company) will contact you.

Also, you will need to develop a regional face of the project.

Applicants with bachelor qualifications are encouraged to apply. If you do not have such an education, but you have an equivalent practical experience, your candidacy will also be considered.

It would be desirable if you have experience in marketing, managing clients and partners, different sorts of events and campaigns related to these areas.

Also beneficial will be experience in communication with venture capital companies, launch of similar start-ups in Africa and management of cross-functional employees.

Special attention will be given to candidates who are able to conduct qualitative expertise of launched projects.

In addition, you should be able to communicate with ease with others, effectively present products and adapt to sudden changing conditions.

Also, if you have perfect written and spoken English + French or Portuguese, then you must apply.

Head of Operations

In the same project, you can become the Head of Operations.

You will work in a small, friendly team with the support of regional leaders and partners, as well as the central Launchpad team.

Traveling for business is a possibility in the job.

Your responsibilities are to solve business issues relating to the project, work with Launchpad Space Lagos, run the logistical nuances, and support current strategies.

You will customize program data and develop system reports, optimize planning and start-ups throughout the Sub-Saharan region of Africa.

Your responsibilities will be to find the main providers of services and material resources, involve them to participate in the project and also manage relationships with these companies and individuals.

The qualification level is the same as in the previous post. You must have a Bachelors degree or have an equal experience.

It is desirable to have some experience with accelerator startups in the target area, be able to manage projects with a variety of suppliers, sellers, shareholders and other parties.

You must have useful leadership qualities, as well as enough courage to take responsibility for complex tasks.

You must have the ability communicate, establish business ties with partners, adapt to changing conditions.

Requirements for languages are the same: perfect English + French or Portuguese.

If you feel that one of these positions should be yours, hurry to compile a qualitative resume. It can be sent directly through the Google website. You will also need to fill up a small questionnaire with your personal data (name, address, phone, email address, information about education, work experience, etc.). Do not put this off for an indefinite future, because there will be many candidates and it's better to get started as early as possible. Good luck!

READ ALSO: Google Nigeria office in Lagos

Source: Legit.ng
- Soldiers have allegedly invaded the home of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu

- According to Kanu's lawyer, 3 people died while over 20 were injured in the shootout

- Those who were injured are reportedly currently receiving treatment in a nearby hospital in Umuahia

Soldiers allegedly from the Nigeria army have reportedly laid a siege on the country home of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu in Umuahia. This allegation was contained in a statement issued by Kanu's lawyer.

According to Kanu's lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the military had on Sunday, September 10, shot sporadically into the air through which 3 people have been reported dead and over 20 injured.

Ejiofor said that those who were wounded during the incident are currently receiving treatment in a nearby hospital in Umuahia.

READ ALSO: Close confidants of Buhari make up the cabal - Shehu Sani

He said: "There is no doubt that the present deployment of troops to the South East is to haunt for my client and possibly eliminate him. Let the whole world know that if anything untoward happen to my client, that president Buhari and his Chief of Army Staff should be held responsible by the international Community."

IPOB members defend Nnamdi Kanu's residence (snapshots from a video)

"The world should be immediately notified about the tension in Biafra land, created by the Government in power.

"We must adopt all know legal mechanism to resist the unconstitutional but violent approach in dealing with unarmed people merely operating within the confines of law. Buhari must be held responsible.

"We are ready to present our case once more before the international court of Justice. The families that lost their beloved ones in the last year may 29th violent attack by the military are yet to recover from the shock of losing their love ones. This situation must be arrested in time," Ejiofor said.

Watch the video below:

In an earlier report by Legit.ng, the Igbo National Council (INC) gave the Army Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, a 21-day ultimatum to end the Operation Python Dance II in the south-east.

The group said the south-east region is not a war zone and asked the army chief to withdraw all the soldiers posted to the area within 21 days or be sued at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

In a statement signed by the group's national president, Chilos Godsent, the group said: In view of the above, the Igbo National Council, INC, has analysed the state of the Southeast and the Nigerian state and hereby state the following."

Watch the first appearance of Nnamdi Kanu as he stepped out of prison recently in the Legit.ng TV video below:

Source: Legit.ng
- The political firmament in Nigeria is charged at the moment

- Political alignments and realignments is the order of the day

- President Muhammed Buhari has been dragged into the 2019 race by his supporters all over the nation barely two years before the presidential election

The Enugu state chapter of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) has thrown its weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari over running for second term, Daily Trust reports.

The group insists that President Buhari needs eight years to consolidate on his achievements in revamping Nigerias infrastructure and on the war against corruption and of insecurity.

The group also dismissed claims by the minister for women affairs, Jummai Alhassan, that the president told her that he would do only one term in office.

READ ALSO: Northern Governors Forum speak on 2019 presidency

In a statement released yesterday by the Enugu state chairman of the BSO, Anike Nwoga, the group said: We are of the candid opinion that President Muhammadu Buhari should do his 2nd term.

From all our interactions with President Buhari before the election, there was no day the issue of one term was discussed. Rather from day one we had always known that Buhari needed eight years to clear the Augean stable.

And to be exact he needs to consolidate the war against corruption and insecurity in the land and to consolidate the solid foundation for economic prosperity.

The group also took a swipe at former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for claiming that he was sidelined after he contributed in installing the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC federal government, arguing that many of his political allies are close aides of the president.

Meanwhile, a faceless volunteers group have launched a campaign online asking Nigerians to join them in their quest to ensure that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo becomes Nigeria's president in 2019.

Legit.ng observed that the group is using a website - http://osinbajovolunteers.com/ to push their agenda.

Spokesman of the vice president, Laolu Akande, has since dismissed the activities of the group, stating that his boss is not aware or party to their activities.

READ ALSO: APC asks Aisha Alhassan to resign

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan speaking on the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019:

Source: Legit.ng
- The Nigerian army laid an ambush for Boko Haram terrorists in the north-east

- Many of them were killed in the early morning raid

- Some of the terrorists escaped with gunshot wounds

The Nigeria army in furtherance of its fight against terrorism in the country ambushed some Boko Haram fighters and killed many of them.

This was contained in a statement issued by Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman who is the director of army public relations on Monday, September 11.

READ ALSO: Nigeria army reacts to shooting at IPOB leader's home in Abia

According to the statement, the operation took place in the early hours of Sunday, September 10 in Borno state.

Some of the items recovered from Boko Haram terrorists. Credit: Facebook, SK Usman

While some of the terrorists were killed, others sustained injuries.

Read statement below:

Gun recovered by army from Boko Haram. Credit: Facebook, SK Usman

The Troops of 151 Battalion, 21 Brigade Nigerian Army on operation LAFIYA DOLE, at the early hours of Sunday 10th September 2017, laid a successful ambush on a suspected Boko Haram terrorists crossing point at Bocost along Ngurosoye -Bama road, Borno State.

Bicycles recovered from Boko Haram terrorists. Credit: Facebook, SK Usman

The troops neutralized a large number of the Boko Haram terrorists, while other terrorists sustained gun shot wounds.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

The troops recovered the following items from the terrorists; 1 AK 47 rifle with the registration number 1029, 1 AK 47 magazine, 60 rounds of 7.62mm Special, 3 Bicycles, 4 Empty Jerricans, a Cutlass and the cash sum of Five Thousand and Six Hundred Naira (N5, 600.00k) only.

Meanwhile, Two Boko Haram suspects believed to be computer analysts and another one, suspected to be a herbalist, were arraigned at the Lokoja Chief Magistrates Court.

Legit.ng learnt that the suspects, Abdullahi Habib Audu, Bashiru Yahaya, believed to be computer specialists and Ahmed Momoh, a herbalist were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Levi Animoku on Friday, September 8.

Source: Legit.ng
- The political firmament in Nigeria is charged at the moment

- President Muhammed Buhari has been dragged into the 2019 race by his supporters all over the nation

- One of such supporters is Mr Ayo Oyalowo, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

The deputy director of media, Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr Ayo Oyalowo, has stated that Nigerians are lucky to have President Muhammadu Buhari as their leader presently.

Oyalowo, who is also a member of the APC and a popular social media influencer, made the statement on a political programme aired on Channels Television on Sunday, September 11.

I think he (Buhari) is a good person, I think hes honest, I think Nigeria is blessed and lucky to have him as president.

From 2011 I have been with the man, I supported him in 2011. Im very happy that he finally got it in 2015 and if God wills and he wants to do it again, I will gladly support him, Oyalowo declared.

Oyalowo says Nigerians should count themselves lucky that Buhari is the present leader of the country. Photo credit: dawntodusknews.com

READ ALSO: APC asks Aisha Alhassan to resign

The APC chieftain also believes that his party should be given a chance to continue presiding over the nation, adding that the ruling party cannot afford to abort the efforts made so far by the Buhari administration.

He also used the opportunity to canvass for President Buhari to be voted into office for a second term if he desires to run in 2019.

His words: APC deserves another opportunity, President Buhari deserves another opportunity. APC deserves more than a second term in 2019.

We have cleared a lot of the mess that we met on ground, a lot of work still needs to be done. We cannot allow the darkness of the past to come and overshadow the light that weve started to bring into the country.

The APC chieftain noted that President Buhari never told anybody he would not contest, adding that the president did not tell anybody he would contest either.

Let me make it categorically clear, at least to the extent to which I know, President Buhari never told anybody hes going to do only one term.

He never discussed that with anybody and if anybody has any contrary opinion, let them bring it out and bring the fact, he said.

In a related development, the Enugu state chapter of the Buhari Support Organisation has thrown its weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari over his second term.

The group insists that President Buhari needs eight years to consolidate on his achievements in revamping Nigerias infrastructure and on the war against corruption and of insecurity.

The group also dismissed claims by the minister for women affairs, Jummai Alhassan, that the president told her that he would do only one term in office.

READ ALSO: Osinbajo denies alleged plan to contest against Buhari in 2019

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan speaking on the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019:

Source: Legit.ng
- The commencement of Operation Python Dance across the south-east has been backed by a socio-cultural group from the region

- INM claimed the move will help in cleansing 'our besieged and assailed communities by ridding them of criminal gangs'

- Going further, the group also pledged its total and unadulterated support as well as co-operation to the success of the mission

Despite the negative reactions that followed the announcement of the commencement of Operation Python Dance across the south-east starting from September 15 by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai recently, a group from the southeast region has praised the federal government and the army for embarking on the operation.

The new development from the army was backed by the Igbos For Nigeria Movement (INM), a socio-cultural group who claimed deployment of the force will help stamp out criminality in the region.

The national coordinator of the group, Mazi Ifeanyi Igwe, in a statement said the commencement will help in 'cleansing our besieged and assailed communities by ridding them of criminal gangs'.

The statement read: Our experiences have shown the ferociousness, sophistry of arms and frequency of these violent raids of communities, households or attacks on targeted individuals and worship places or chilling murders of security agents, as overstretching and overwhelming the regular civil security like the police, DSS, and civil defence among others.

"Thus, the development has created a big security gulf and challenge, which leaves most of these victims/targets prostrate before these armed hoodlums and assailants.

We recount with fondness and bliss a similar exercise by the Nigerian army code named Operation Python Dance I at about the same time, under the supervision of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai and his subordinates in 2016.

"We were impressed as it conformed with the highest standards of military/civil engagements and due respect for the human rights of the people, as soldiers only hunted and fished out these criminals from their hideouts, who were handed over to prosecuting authorities for appropriate lawful trials. This operation guaranteed a hitch-free, peaceful, serene and secured environment for business and the yuletide festivities of last year.

READ ALSO: Nigeria army releases video showing IPOB members attacking soldiers

Therefore, we perceive the second phase of the exercise this month as the continuation with the efforts at cleansing our besieged and assailed communities by ridding them of criminal gangs.

"We wholeheartedly support this initiative of the FGN, as we pledge out total and unadulterated support as well as co-operation to the success of this mission. We have no doubt that this decision by the Buhari presidency is not only germane, but has become imperative in the southeast region, hence we are losing too many precious lives to these heartless and bloodcurdling vampires tormenting our peace, commence and fast-forwarding the dislocation of our social and communal existence so dangerously.

It is on this premise that we are compelled to fault the surreptitious attempts by these CSOs to frustrate the exercise, malign our saviours, the Nigerian army and unfoundedly berate and scold the FGN.

For Intersociety/CSOs to claim there is peace in the southeast region now is standing truth on his head; to claim the exercise of Operation Python Dance II is the radicalization and bastardization of civil security and people of southeast Nigeria, betrays the pristine motif of the coalition to harangue and intimidate the FGN and soldiers into cowardly submission; while providing unbridled windows for the thriving of these violent criminal gangs at this auspicious time of the year.

We dare say, it is extremely uncharitable and belies wisdom for Intersociety to foul the air by resistibly categorizing the current move by the government to secure the southeast from these hoodlums as a declaration of unwarranted and unprovoked war on Igbo nation. And we do not believe they have the license to dictate to the FGN how it handles any insecurity issues.

We are prompted to ask, with our gory and painful experiences these past months, what the state governors in the southeast, who have the police at their beck and call have achieved in this regard that the CSOs have the temerity to question and erroneously qualify the deployment of soldiers as militarization of the region.

"We do not believe democratic liberties are anchored vaguely or argued on a blank cheque. The declaration of Intersociety amounts to dancing on the graves of the victims of these criminal gangs and mocking the pains and sorrows of the families of the victims.

Nonetheless, we decode the dictum of Intersociety, which conveyed this irresponsible and unacceptable message as a tacit incitement of the rogues and criminal gangs against constituted authority and to also, summon courage to violently engage Nigerian soldiers in the course of this assignment.

"The clear infusion of ethnic sentiments into security matters by Intersociety has exposed the extent it plots to instigate the people against a redemption path. We condemn it in totality and consequently implore the CSOs to immediately retract the senseless and absurd public statement, with apologies to people of the Southeast and the FGN.

"Those of us resident in the southeast know and feel the pains of the hyper-insecurity in the region and those who take protective shield outside the region have no reason whatsoever to belittle our trauma and predicaments in the hands of these unlawfully armed criminal gangs with such casual balderdash.

We make bold to reaffirm that under the Buhari presidency, Nigerian soldiers have been re-orientated, disciplined and professionally responsible in all their civil engagements across the nation. The fears expressed and projected by Intersociety are therefore unfounded, baseless and carefully packaged tissues of lies only worth for the trash can. Why do we only delight in denigrating the army anytime there is a pursuit of ulterior motives? That is when we falsely ascribe to them all manner of names just to smear their reputation.

We cannot expect in all sincerity that the FGN should continue to tolerate the amassing of such criminal and evil forces against the southeastern people or any other Nigerian anywhere he resides in the country.

"No one should think of intimidating us to close our businesses to serve the interest of a few armed criminals bent on destabilizing our region. Intersociety itself confessed in its bizarre statement that no blood was spilled when Operation Python Dance I exercise was conducted and so, we wonder, what wisdom informed anybody that Operation Python Dance II would be bloody. It is ridiculous and hypocritical assumptions, the statement added.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Nigerian police reacted to news that the army attacked the home of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on Sunday, September 10.

According to the report, the Abia state police command commissioner, Leye Oyebade, claimed that the soldiers were passing through Kanu's residence when they were attacked by members of the IPOB.

Watch this Legit.ng's exclusive chat with Nnamdi Kanu below:

Source: Legit.ng
- A Presidency source has revealed why President Muhammadu Buhari may still retain Aisha Alhassan in his cabinet

- Alhassan, who is the minister of women affairs and social development had said that she would support ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar even if Buhari seeks re-election in 2019

- The source said Alhassan wont be sacked or dropped to stop her from alleging that an injustice is done to her

President Muhammadu Buhari may not sack minister of women affairs Aisha Alhassan despite calls for her to get the push following her comments, a source said on Sunday September 10.

The Nation reports that Senator Alhassan shocked many when she said she would not support Buhari, should he decide to run in 2019. Her loyalty, she said, is to former Vice President Atiku Abuabakar.

READ ALSO: There was no attack on Nnamdi Kanu's home - Police

Legit.ng gathered that this is the third time the minister has made such comments against the President and his administration.

The minister was alleged to have visited Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national caretaker chairman; lambasted the administration during a session at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC); and the Sallah homage to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Yola.

A member of the Presidents kitchen cabinet, who spoke in confidence, said Buhari knew Senator Alhassan as a die-hard Atiku loyalist before appointing her as a minister.

The source said: Buhari is not going to sack or dismiss her. The attitude in the Presidency is to let her go on her own if she has 100 per cent loyalty to ex-vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Some of you may not know that this is not the first time the minister has attacked the President and his administration.

Aishas loyalty to Atiku is not new to the government. She has been with him all along as well as during the presidential primaries. It is nothing new.

And for Aisha to say that she was appointed a minister on the basis of her strength is false. The President appointed her on the basis of his conviction despite her loyalty to Atiku. Even the near miss she had with the governorship election in Taraba state was because of Buhari. Without Buharis popularity, she would not have garnered votes as much as she did.

They are making noise now in order to draw out the President. She wont be sacked or dropped because she will now make noise as if an injustice has been meted out to her.

The source added: Certainly, the presidency will take up issues with the minister and her godfather.

Another source said some of the Presidents strategist met at the weekend and opposed Sen. Alhassans sack.

The strategists met in Abuja and concluded that taking action against the minister might cause distractions for the administration.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

We want her to remain in government and exercise her freedom of expression to the fullest. No one will tamper with her rights and privileges. We need to learn from the past.

We also want to demonstrate that there can be opposition in a government without any consequences. This is the essence of democracy, the source said.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the national working committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) asked the minister of women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan to honourably resign over her scathing remarks on President Muhammadu Buhari.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video about how Nigerians reacted to 2019 Buhari campaign posters flooding the streets:

Source: Legit.ng
- Ohanaeze Youths Council said it is disappointed in Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha

- The group said the governor has failed in all his campaign promises to the state

- They threatened to result to violence if governorship candidate is not zone to Owerri in the coming election

The Imo state chapter of the Ohanaeze Youths Council has threatened violence if the governorship candidate for the coming election is not zoned to Owerri.

Legit.ng gathered that the group claimed the state governor, Rochas Okorocha, is planning to install his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, as the next governor of the state.

According to Sahara Reporters, the group claimed that Owerri zone has been marginalized by the state and insisted that all political parties in the state must present candidates from the zone in the upcoming election.

READ ALSO: Federal High Court orders continuation of Dino Melaye recall process

The group said: You can see the plight of Imo pensioners, where people are forced to forgo 40 percent of their pension. Everything is wrong with this government; this is the worst government on earth. Governor Okorocha is a colossal failure because he has failed in all his campaign promises.

The governor wants to go for an unconstitutional third term through his son-in-law; this is nothing but Familiocracy. Where are the jobs and factories he promised to Imolites?

Failure of any party to zone its governorship candidate to Owerri zone will definitely result in the vandalization of the said party secretariats and a serious attack on the affected party secretariat staff."

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Governor Okorocha made it clear that his first son is still alive, despite death rumors.

Ahamefula Okorocha, a young engineer living in London was said to have died by various unconfirmed sources.

The Imo governor also said all should be dissuaded from spreading wicked rumors.

He said it was suspicious that the false report on the death of his son was coming only two weeks after the controversial relocation/demolition of a market in the state.

Watch this Legit.ng video of Nigerians speaking on the problems in south-east land:

Source: Legit.ng
- A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed the suit opened by Senator Dino Melaye, challenging his recall process

- However, the presiding judge ordered INEC to issue an amended timetable to the senator as it proceeds with the continuation of the process

- The timetable would give the ruling party senator a two-week time frame to prepare to defend himself

The suit opened by Senator Dino Melaye challenging his recall process, has been dismissed by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Punch reports.

In a judgment rendered on Monday, September 11, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to proceed with the recall process.

READ ALSO: Consult us before going on any future strike action - NANS to ASUU

Dimgbas ruling effectively puts an end to Justice John Tsohos earlier ex-parte order which directed all parties involved to maintain status quo.

Legit.ng gathers that the presiding judge ordered a continuation of the recall process, subject to the service of the petition and the full list and signatures of the people in support of the process.

Countering the petition filed by the APC senator, the presiding judge stated that his Kogi-West constituents were not mandated to afford him fair hearing before sending their petition to INEC.

However, Dimgba ordered that Melaye be given time to defend the recall process, as he told INEC to issue an amended recall timetable to the senator.

The timetable which would be served on Melaye, would give him a two week period to prepare for his defense.

The judge noted that this action should be done in the spirit of a fair hearing, even though INEC is not mandated to give him such a period to prepare his defense.

Describing Melayes suit as being hasty, premature and presumptuous, Dimgba noted that INEC had already indicated that it would schedule a period to verify the signatures of the petitioners who called for the senators recall from the upper legislative chamber.

The judge also dismissed claims that the number of signatures were not up to the required amount for recall, as he stated that the requirement had been met.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that an Abuja high court stopped the recall of the senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, from the upper legislative chamber.

Melaye had accused Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state of being behind the recall process, and called on the Senate to stop the process.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video about the recall process of Senator Dino Melaye.

Source: Legit.ng
- Sahara Reporters claims that it has received an audio of a conversation between Mamman Daura and a member of his cabal

- In the audio the two men were allegedly discussing their worries about the president's health

- The president's cousin in the audio allegedly refers to Aisha Buhari as a bomber from Yola

- The conversation allegedly took place during the presidents medical vacation in London

Online newspaper, Sahara Reporters has reported that it has received an exclusive audio of a conversation between Mamman Daura, a cousin of President Muhammadu Buhari and one of his closest supporter, with Mamman Tukur a member of his cabal.

The conversation between the two men allegedly took place during the presidents medical vacation in London where they were reportedly discussing their worries about his health condition during his treatment.

In the audio both men share their concerns about the wife of the president whom they referred to as "sui*ide bomber" from Yola.

READ ALSO: Nigeria army releases video showing IPOB members attacking soldiers

The audio further reveals that the men also discussed the issue of Ambassador Olusola Oke, the suspended director general of the National Intelligence Agency, who was alleged to have bribed people to speak up for him following the discovery last April that he was warehousing funds in a Lagos apartment.

According to Daura, the suspended DG even bribed Senate president Bukola Saraki to speak on his behalf.

The recording also exposes the inner workings of President Buhari's feelings, during his treatment, towards a number of people, including his wife as they jostle for power and worry about his health.

Below is the text of their conversation:

Mahmud Tukur : salaam alaikum.

Mamman Daura: alaikum salaam. Senior Mahmud

MT: You did not answer my calls. I have called severally.

MD: I am surprised COS I only saw one missed call from you just now. I went to pray (Alwala) then I saw one call.O dear ! That's why I am replying.

MT: That's it. I am trying to ...

MT Okay. Yayagaijia? Hope you are not too tired

MD: Alamdullahi.

MT : Okay. How is that place/ person?

MD: There. That person. Well. It's well. He is getting better.

MT: You said okay as if you are not sure ...

Laugher interrupts

MD: Laughs in a very funny albeit sarcastic manner

MT: You said okay as if the getting well is not strong enough or fast enough or what isit ?

MD : Yes. Not 100 per cent. Not as you or I would like but of course ...

interruption

MT: Hope he is meeting up with his treatment.

MD : It is encouraging

MT: Okay. Very well. Thank God. please greet him for me very well.

MD : So I wish tomorrow I will arrive by Allahs grace. (Nufaa)

MT: Okay that's nice. (expresses surprise). Is the wedding dayclose ?

MD: Yes it's close. Slowly slowly the time is close. It's like time is on a fast track. Our time is almost up. We are close to rounding up.

MT: (mumbles and concurs in the background). Every morning I say a prayer.

MD : Hmm. Hmm. Allah help us. ( Allah a ji kam mu). Wa lahi. Walahi.

MT: Hmm. This thing. Is there any improvement from su*cide bomber from Yola?

MD: Succc? ( Hesitates. Not sure who is being referred to at first.)

MT : Sucide Bomber. you know that's the way that person is being referred to ... ( interruption)

MD: It's worse. A hundred times worse than what you know.

MT: Allah.

MD: Walahi.

MT : Or will Baba talk to the suic*de bomber again? Or there is no need?

MD: There is no need. No benefit because the person does not listen to anyone.

MT: This is the problem.

MD: The person does not listen to anyone. What Sani Zango did ( talking to the person ) and he just passed away. Thenbaba also tried. But then it turned out the same thing.

MT: The man is very patient (meaning PMB). There is virtually nothing you can do again at this point. ( repeats it again).

MD : Yes. (Concurs). There's not much that can be done. It's an absolute... something ( trails off ). It's like a fixed breakfast. There is nothing that can be done. You can't stay. You can't go. That's it.

MT : I see. Walahi...

MD: Yes. it's tragic

MT : That's why ... said it's a luxury breakfast.

( MD. Laughs heartily in response)

MT: Repeats the same thing.

MD: This is morethat a luxury breakfast. It's an absolute fixed breakfast. This one.

MT : Allah a kawo ... trails off as MD cuts in

MD: Let's keeppleading / praying to Allah. 2ce Just that.

MT : Now. They said it's some or his people that have been talking

MD: Well. It just bounces off. It just bounces off.

MT: Perhaps it's best to find out about the people involved like the accounts staff and others. Let's do this and neutralize him. Perhaps. (Ref NIA DG)

MD: Well. There are many people bringing or providing many "information". ( Lekanoni) We are doing that.

MT: Also you can talk tobaba to come out with this project. The project on ...

MD: Okay. Okay.

MT: Me I thought about it. And concluded that it's best you speak to him about it.

MD: Don't worry. I will speak to him about it. You know he is very fed up with this NIA thing. The way that man this man messed up / scattered things.

MT: Did baba brief you ?

MD: Yes. We spoke with him. We tried to do damage limitation but it hasn't worked I am sorry to say.

MT: Before or after theevent ?

MD: No. before the event.

MT: Oh ! That could have been something...

MD: Because ai baba Kamar .... because it's gravely damaging to the security agencies.

MT: That's it.

MD: Very grave damage.

MT: You know there is the issue of that youth. He is inabuja.

MD : Well. This exceeds their power ...

MT: What I am saying is that if you wantinside something (Infor) he is in Abuja. You may call him.

MD: Okay. Okay.

MT: Because they know. They know. Someone told me that the guy gives money out to a lot of people. All spheres. That's one thing that frightens me. And that's why he has been able to find people to defend him. You see for instance Saraki has come out to speak for him. But I think if you have time. Ask that he be called to come see you. Let him tell you things. You can ask him anything. Also wider things. That is why I tried to have Mallam Abbah... But let me ask. How many are working foryou in terms of ground work of things. How many people have you got ?

MD: Nil

MT: Better to find some people to do that. Some working in places becauselike in this case you get a verse insight. This is what I am saying. Have them call him for you. And then ask him what is going on... if one is lucky. Even if one is not lucky. Talk to him.

MD : Okay.

MT: He has been working there for a long time. Plus. He is very bright. So.It think. Also He will be reliable. From what I know of him. Like I told you. He is the one I rely upon to get me information. For a long time now.

MD: So. He is rarely experienced then.

MT : Yes. During my time at New Nigerian, I ask him to do research. He got me information on different people. Within 2 to 3 days he will bring me the information I need.

MD: Yes. Allah is king. ( Allah Sarki)

MT: I need to tell you this.

MD: I will try to get hold of him.

MT: 'Cos no need to rely on third or second something. But this oneis first party. So if possible. Call him. He is someone I trust.

MD: Okay.

MT: But I am rarely worried about that person In the house. I just don't know what to do.

MD: Walahi. Senior Mahmud. We are at our wits end. We are at our Wits end. Just not to scare you further or worry you further. A few days ago. At the dinning table. This thing, the sucide bomber we are talking about went and stood there subsequently the man refused to eat.

MT: Why will the sucide bomber to and stand there ?

MD: Because some of the things he can't eat. They will take it and go and hide them.

MT: I see. Villa ....

MD: They keep narrating to third parties. That this cat will not last. I think you heard enough. Until I return. God sparing our lives. Until I return. Next week.

But the thing is beyond our hand. We are watching. Walahi. It's beyond our hand.

MT: Okay. Until you return.

MD: ( laughs at something MT said). Thank God My only consolation is that if we are praying to Allah and in good faith. Then things will work out. But if contrary that's the way Allah wants it. That is the way it's going to be.

MT: Okay.

MD: Until we speak again.

MT: Okay. Masalaam.

Clicks. Phone call ends.

PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app

Legit.ng had months back reported that Aisha Buhari gave hints on the recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The president's wife in Facebook post on Monday, July 10, said God has finally answered the prayers of Nigerians concerning the health of her president.

Speaking in riddle, Aisha also indicated that, all enemies surrounding the presidency will soon be sent out.

She said: "God has answered the prayers of the weaker Animals, The Hyena's and the Jackals will soon be sent out of the kingdom."

Watch Legit.ng video on who would donate kidney to President Buhari if he needs one:

Source: Legit.ng
CARTAGENAPope Francis left Colombia on Sunday with calls for reconciliation after its half-century civil war and a peaceful end to the deadly crisis in neighboring Venezuela.

The Argentine pope, 80, held the last in a series of open-air masses in the Caribbean city of Cartagenaone of Colombias top tourist draws but also one of its poorest cities.

On the last day of his fifth visit as pope to his native continent, he reiterated calls for peace in Colombia and prayed for a peaceful end to Venezuelas grave crisis.

I assure all of you of my prayers for each of the countries of Latin America, and in a special way for neighboring Venezuela, Francis said.

I appeal for the rejection of all violence in political life and for a solution to the current grave crisis, which affects everyone, particularly the poorest and most disadvantaged of society.

ADVERTISEMENT

Venezuelas crisis has caused food and medicine shortages and clashes at anti-government protests that left 125 people dead from April to July.

The Vatican tried unsuccessfully to mediate in negotiations last year between Venezuelas government and opposition.

Thousands of Venezuelans have fled to Colombia to escape the crisis.

We could ask the pope to intervene directly for dialogue, said Venezuelan housewife Nancy Pugliese, 35, who attended Franciss visit in Cartagena.

We need all the spiritual support we can get to free Venezuela The pope should tell President Maduro directly to listen to the people.

On Sunday, Venezuelas center right-led opposition was holding a vote to choose candidates for regional governorship elections scheduled for October.

The opposition MUD coalition and international powers have accused Maduro of stifling democracy by taking over power from state institutions.

Francis reiterated his call for reconciliation in Colombia as it works to seal an end to a half-century civil conflict.

He has supported a contested peace accord that has seen the disarmament of the countrys biggest guerrilla force, the FARC. Critics say the guerrillas are getting off too lightly, with amnesties and alternative sentences.

Deep historic wounds necessarily require moments where justice is done But that is only the beginning of the Christian response, Francis said during his mass in Cartagena.

We are required to generate from below a change in culture: so that we respond to the culture of death and violence with the culture of life and encounter.

In Cartagena, Francis visited the impoverished district of San Francisco, where he blessed the foundations of a new homeless shelter.

We have a lot of faith in Franciss visit to this forgotten district, said Willy Martinez, a 43-year-old bricklayer.

Here, there are lots of people who only eat once a day. The worst thing is the corruption  that is worse than the bullets of the guerrillas or the paramilitaries.

Francis prayed in the name of local holy figures, including Saint Peter Claver, patron saint of slaves, who worked in this colonial port city helping victims of the slave trade.

The pope defended the dignity of those who are abandoned, immigrants and those who suffer violence and human trafficking.

Earlier, Francis got a cut on his brow and blood on his white cape when he bumped his head on the window of his Popemobile.

He was standing up in the specially designed vehicle, waving to admirers, when it braked sharply.

He was seen later with a bruise on his cheek and a small dressing on his brow, but still smiling.

I got bashed, he joked to reporters.

Francis took off from Cartagena on his flight back to Rome on Sunday evening.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
- The South-South League of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Goodluck Jonathan, former president of Nigeria, is not interested in the 2019 election

- The group warned those peddling rumour of Jonathan's alleged interest in 2019 to stop maligning his good image

- It also denied that the former president had hijacked the party in Bayelsa

Former President Goodluck Jonathan is not interested in contesting the 2019 election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) South-South League has revealed.

The concerned members of the PDP warned those peddling the report of Jonathans interest in 2019 to stop their attempt to ridicule the former presidents image.

The chairman of the group, Barrister Ariolu Tebidapa from Delta, and its secretary, Mr Akpan Ibibio from Akwa-Ibom, described the report as rumour in a statement issued in Abuja.

It is obvious, that since after the supreme court judgement that laid to rest the leadership crisis that rocked the PDP, some persons within the party in the region, are still not settled due to the role they played, in spite of the fact that the party has granted amnesty to all those who worked against the interest of the party.

READ ALSO: Southeast governors slam soldiers for invading Kanu's home

These persons see the former President, Goodluck Jonathan as a threat, hence their reactions in trying to attack his personality.

We have read in the dailies about some persons insinuating that the former president, intends hijacking the party structure in Bayelsa state, in order to actualize his presidential ambition.

This however, sounds laughable; we see it as an attempt to ridicule the former president, the statement said adding that the Jonathan does not have such interest even though he is qualified.

The group noted that party had zoned its presidency to the northern part of Nigeria.

So, we wonder what these fifth columnists really want to achieve by selling falsehood.

It is also not true that the former president is attempting to hijack the party structure in Bayelsa state. We consider this story as an imagination from those who are being chased by their shadow.

As the leader of the party, how can he (Jonathan) be interested in only one state, when the party is preparing for elective congresses and National convention?

If at all former President Goodluck Jonathan is interested in anything, it should rather be who leads the party at the national level to push forward his vision for Nigeria.

Consequently, we consider all these as attempts to distract the attention of the former president, at a time when he is busy working with other party leaders and focusing his attention on how to reposition our great party and Nigeria for the challenges ahead.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has made the south-south region proud during his service as president, with his achievements of international reckoning and sacrifice to keep Nigeria United.

We think he deserves every respect and regard.

There is no amount of blackmail or insult by these detractors, no matter how hard they try, that can erase the achievements of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the statement added.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerias vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, recently reacted to an earlier story allegedly linking him to the 2019 presidential election by a faceless online group, Volunteers 4 Osinbajo.

Speaking through Laolu Akande, his spokesperson, Osinbajo urged Nigerians to disregard the campaign which was launched by the group.

Watch this video of former President Jonathan speaking about the future of PDP:

Source: Legit.ng
(Natural News) While anecdotal evidence has been heaping up for some time proving that marijuana has real potential in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it has remained a schedule 1 substance on the federal governments Controlled Substances list, along with heroin, meth and ecstasy. Military veterans, in particular, have been increasingly vocal in their support of cannabis for the treatment of PTSD, and now The American Legion, Americas largest veterans service organization, has openly endorsed its use.

Town Hall reported recently that the American Legion adopted a resolution in Reno, Nevada, at the end of last month, supporting the medicinal use of marijuana and encouraging VA doctors in states where its use is legal to start prescribing it for veterans under their care who are struggling with PTSD. (Related: Government continues to neglect veterans as PTSD epidemic explodes.)

The NIH National Institute of Mental Health explains that PTSD is a disorder which affects people that have undergone frightening, dangerous or shocking events. They explain:

It is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation. Fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to help defend against danger or to avoid it. This fight-or-flight response is a typical reaction meant to protect a person from harm. Nearly everyone will experience a range of reactions after trauma, yet most people recover from initial symptoms naturally. Those who continue to experience problems may be diagnosed with PTSD. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they are not in danger. (Related: To stay informed about mental health issues, see Psychiatry.news)

Military veterans who have experienced harrowing events in wartime are particularly susceptible to PTSD. Known by multiple labels over the years, including shell shock and battle fatigue, many soldiers, marines and airmen need years of therapy to deal with the harrowing sights they have seen during battle.

The American Legions Rob Ryan, who authored the resolution, noted that he has heard over and over and over again from PTSD-sufferers whose symptoms have been significantly eased by marijuana.

Though VA medical practitioners have been banned from discussing the use of medical marijuana with their patients since 2011, the Legion has been campaigning hard to get this policy changed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that Ohio, where the Legions resolution was drafted, has the fourth highest rate of overdose deaths in the U.S.  most significantly, opioid overdoses. It is, however, also one of the states which now allows the medicinal use of marijuana, meaning there is a window of opportunity for the treatment of those with PTSD, which does not involve the use of highly addictive, deadly opioid drugs.

Perhaps an endorsement by the American Legion will be enough to get the federal government to take a second look at its classification of marijuana and investigate its true potential as a treatment for PTSD.

As Town Hall writer, Christine Rousselle, pointed out:

[T]heres no reason why veterans should be shut out from a potentially life-changing treatment. The American Legion is hardly a group of hippie stoners, and people should listen to what they have to say.

And, as the resolutions author noted, Our state congressmen, when the American Legion says something, they listen. Hopefully, this will have the same impact at the federal level.

It remains to be seen whether Ryan is right and state and federal legislators will pay attention to the Legions pleas.

In the meantime, thousands of veterans continue to struggle unnecessarily with a debilitating mental illness.

Sources for this article include:

NIMH.NIH.gov

MedShadow.org

Legion.org

TownHall.com

Military.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Questions continue to arise about the true anonymity of the popular online cryptocurrency Bitcoin. While many assume (or have been told by others) that Bitcoin is completely untraceable, new reports indicate that this may not actually be the case, as the blockchain ledgers are public and technically available to anyone who knows how to break into them.

Last month, Alt-Market.com founder Brandon Smith issued a warning about Bitcoins purported anonymity, explaining that its hardly the anonymous solution to the fiat Ponzi scheme that many people believe it to be. He says that based on whats already been revealed by whistleblowers like Edward Snowden and those involved with Wikileaks, nothing in the digital world is truly anonymous, period  including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin that have transaction records publicly available.

The feds have been proving there is no anonymity, even in bitcoin, for some time, as multiple arrests using bitcoin tracking have indeed occurred when the FBI decided it was in their interest, Smith wrote. Meaning, when the feds want to track bitcoin transactions, they can, and it does not matter how well the people involved covered their actions.

Theoretically speaking, practically any group with the proper tools at its disposal, from the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) to the NSA (National Security Agency) to the IRS, (Internal Revenue Service) could develop systems with which to extract data from the Bitcoin blockchain ledger and identify every Bitcoin transaction thats ever been made. The IRS has apparently already developed a special analysis tool that allows it to track down individuals who are profiting from Bitcoin but not declaring these profits on their tax returns.

According to a contract recently obtained by the Daily Beast, the IRS can now track bitcoin and other cryptocurrency addresses, explains a recent report by Bitcoin.com. They can do this to route out potential tax evaders. They purchased software from the blockchain analysis group Chainalysis.

IRS working overtime to extort as much profit from Bitcoin users as possible

Since the IRS exists for one purpose, and one purpose only  to enrich itself as much as possible on the backs of hard-working American taxpayers  the growing popularity of Bitcoin is a threat to its revenue stream. Every Bitcoin user who isnt paying taxes on his or her Bitcoin profits is a potential target of this mafia-style corporation that functions as the enforcement arm of the privately-owned Federal Reserve bank.

Not only that, but Bitcoin users also face the constant threat of price fluctuations, as the value of the cryptocurrency has been exceptionally volatile as of late. Many will recall the Bitcoin flash crash in which the price of Bitcoin plummeted from about $3,000 per coin to roughly $2,500 per coin in a matter of just four hours. As of this writing, the price of Bitcoin is hovering around $4,600 per coin.

The governments hate for Bitcoin is creating additional threats in the form of cryptocurrency terrorism as well. This is the idea that Bitcoin users are evading the use of Federal Reserve Notes and other forms of fiat currency for the purpose of committing illegal activity online. If Bitcoin isnt truly anonymous, then this suggests that such users will possibly be identified and put on government watch lists in violation of their constitutional rights.

The guidelines for who is or is not a terrorist are now so vague that any American could potentially be added to a list for something as menial as knowing someone who has committed an activity deemed to be of terrorist nature, explains SHTFplan.com. And as has been highlighted previously, those activities could range from making a hand gesture that looks like a gun or manufacturing your own gold and silver coins.

Sources for this article include:

SHTFplan.com

Bitcoin.com

NaturalNews.com
Press Release

The growing market for sustainable & premium foods is bringing greater risks of food fraud. Ecovia Intelligence (formerly Organic Monitor) believes the way forward is greater transparency in supply chains, with new technologies and global alliances playing an important role.

The recent beef scandal in Brazil highlighted the economic impacts of food fraud. The trade ban is estimated to have cost the Brazilian meat industry over US $4 billion in lost revenues. As will be shown at upcoming editions of the Sustainable Foods Summit (www.sustainablefoodssummit.com), there are also health (food safety) and environmental impacts of food fraud. According to the World Health Organisation, almost 1 in 10 people get ill from eating contaminated food each year.

Organic and eco-labelled food products are at high risk from food fraud because they command a premium. Although relatively low, a number of incidents of mislabeled organic foods are coming to light. In May 2017, it was reported that a shipment of 36 million pounds of corn and soya beans into the US was falsely labelled as organic.

Starting off from Ukraine, the conventional ingredients shipment increased in value by about $4 million (by obtaining organic status) when it arrived in California via Turkey. Ecovia Intelligence sees Asia most at risk from food fraud. Rising consumer spending power and growing demand for sustainable & premium foods has made Asia the fastest growing market for such products. China has the largest organic products market in Asia; it is also the epicenter of food fraud. In the last decade, food scandals have involved mislabelled organic pork, rotten meat, and sewage oil. In 2008, the adulteration of dairy products and milk powder with the industrial chemical melamime led to six baby deaths and 300,000 sick.

Mislabelling of sustainable & premium products is rife in Asia. Some operators are making false organic claims on food products because of the lack of regulations and / or enforcement. India, the country with largest number of organic farms (0.6 million), has no laws preventing such fraudulent claims. According to a recent report by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, the absence of such regulations is eroding consumer trust.

The Brazilian beef and horsemeat scandals highlighted the vulnerabilities in supply chains of food products. In general, the longer and more complex the supply network, the greater the risks of food fraud. Transparency is coming to the fore, partly because consumers are keen to know about product origins, production methods, and sustainability credentials. Technology is playing an important role, with smart labels and mobile apps meeting the informational needs of consumers. In the UK, the Soil Association has partnered with the technology firm Provenance to provide smart labelson organic foods. QR codes, Barcodes, and NFC tags, are enabling consumers to track organic food products from farm to fork.

Technology is already being deployed for food authenticity and to detect fraud. Analytical tools, such as mass spectrometry and gas chromatography, are being used to authenticate premium products, such as Manuka honey, basmati rice, and extra virgin olive oil. Forensic techniques, such as DNA fingerprinting, are now making their way to food labs to check product samples.

International alliances are being formed to tackle food fraud. Announced recently, the EU-China-Safe project has European and Chinese organisations partnering to improve food safety and tackle food fraud. As well as providing safer, authentic food, the initiative aims to boost consumer confidence and facilitate food trade between the EU and China.

The Global Alliance on Food Crime is another new initiative. Co-chaired by Andy Morling, Head of National Food Crime Unit UK, the coalition of international thought leaders focuses on the prevention, detection and disruption of food crime.

Such alliances are necessary to combat food fraud. A concern however is that as more fraud cases come to light, a casualty may be consumer trust in sustainable foods. In this respect, prevention  rather than cure  maybe the best course of action for the sustainable food industry.

Food Fraud Workshops

Ecovia Intelligence is hosting dedicated workshops on food fraud and authenticity at upcoming editions of the Sustainable Foods Summit. The workshops will be led by Andy Morling, Head of National Food Crime Unit, (Food Standards) UK Sustainable Foods Summit Latin America 18-20 September, Sao Paulo Sustainable Foods Summit Asia-Pacific 28-30 November, Singapore.

About the Sustainable Foods Summit

The aim of the Sustainable Foods Summit is to explore new horizons for eco-labels and sustainability in the food industry by discussing key industry issues in a high-level forum. The Latin American edition will be hosted in Sao Paulo on 18-20th September, whilst the Asia-Pacific edition will take place in Singapore on 28-30th November. More information is available from www.sustainablefoodssummit.com.

About Ecovia Intelligence

Ecovia Intelligence (formerly known as Organic Monitor) is a specialist research, consulting & training company that focuses on global ethical product industries. Since 2001, we have been encouraging sustainable development via our services portfolio: market research publications, business & sustainability consulting, technical research, seminars & workshops, and sustainability summits. Visit us at www.ecoviaint.com.
Vipin Narang says yes:

The strategy turns on Kims main calculation that the United States will say its not worth losing a major American city to get rid of him.

Of course he could not knock out a major American or allied target, but he could use them somewhere. And the use would boost his, uhcredibility. In fact Charles Murray is worried.

I think of the model this way. If Kim is irrational, we have obvious reason to worry, and of course a first strike could not be ruled out. Remember Pearl Harbor? (Or is that Remember Pearl Harbor!)

Alternatively, say all involved parties are fully rational in the selfish sense. Fully rational agents make purely forward-looking calculations. So if Kim used a nuke to kill a sparrow in North Korea, we would not attack because fear of losing an American city would far outweigh desire to retaliate for the loss of the sparrow.

How about one sparrow in the DMZ? In Japan? In the Arctic? In a Malaysian airport? Or maybe one sparrow, three sled dogs, and thirty Inuit?

At what point do we give it a go, and risk a poorly aimed North Korean ICBM being shot off into the sky?

What if Kim uses only a biological or chemical weapon, designed for minimum but noticeable impact, on a nearby country? You should think of Kims strategy space as a continuous variable, with some noise added of course.

Is the space of boosts his credibility and domestic stature, but without too much upping the risk of massive American retaliation really the empty set?

Maybe. Maybe not. I give it about one percent, which in expected value terms is still a real worry.
Press Release

A groundbreaking study published in The World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology (Aug 15;8(3):117-126), demonstrates the unprecedented effects of the proprietary, bacillus, multi-spore probiotic formulation (using strains found in Just Thrive Probiotic) on the gut, its structure and function, as well as its connection to the immune system and the brain.

Using Metabolic Endotoxemia as a measure of intestinal permeability and chronic immune activation, Microbiome Labs commissioned the University of North Texas to conduct a study on the ability of the spores to modulate how the gut and microbiome respond to a challenge meal. Here is a short summary of the findings and key points:

Metabolic Endotoxemia (clinical leaky gut) is becoming recognized as a primary insult and driver of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cognitive decline, immune dysfunctions and even conditions like Parkinson's disease. It is characterized by dramatically elevated serum LPS (endotoxin) levels after a meal, along with elevated triglycerides, poor insulin response and elevated inflammatory cytokines, i.e. IL-6, IL-8, IL-1B and MCP-1. Elevations in these markers are shown to be hallmarks of chronic disease and the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in the Western world.

The study screened nearly 100 young, healthy subjects for Metabolic Endotoxemia and discovered that nearly 50 percent of this population exhibited an endotoxic response to a high-caloric meal. Surprisingly, nearly half of young, healthy, normal weight, symptom-free individuals had a highly toxic response to eating food. This is the same toxic response that is responsible for causing metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, autoimmunity, cancers and heart disease. This finding, itself, was landmark.

Just 30 days of taking the bacillus strains used in Just Thrive Probiotic significantly reduced the endotoxic response to the same challenge meal, along with significant reductions in triglycerides, IL-6, IL-8, IL-1B and MCP-1. It is important to note, that no other interventions, diet modifications or lifestyle changes were imposed on the subjects, who were split into two groupsone, taking the bacillus strains, and the other, a placebo. Just 30 days of taking these strains effectively fixed their gut lining, favorably altered the immunological response to food, significantly decreased inflammation in the gut, and systemically reduced the major hallmarks of chronic disease.

Another significant finding was that these strains were able to restore some communication between the gut and brain that was seemingly lost in most of these subjects. The levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) remained elevated in the placebo subjects, even after consuming a high-caloric meal. This indicates that the gut is not communicating the energy status of the digestive tract to the brain, thus the hunger hormone continued to remain high after the meal. After 30 days, we saw a restoration of ghrelin function and gut-brain communication, where the treatment group recorded a dramatic reduction in circulating ghrelin hormone after the high-caloric meal. The lost communication on energy status and caloric intake between the gut and brain was restored.

In the subjects that did have an endotoxic response, their microbiome was not protective of the host. Within 30 days, the microbiome was changed from a non-protective confirmation to a protective confirmation, blocking the influx of highly toxic LPS into the circulation after a meal.

The 30-day therapy also trended towards a better insulin response to the challenge meal, indicating that these bacillus strains likely conduct a favorable modulation of the endocrine response to food.

The systemic, chronic immune activation from leaky gut is believed to be the driving force behind autoimmunity and inflammatory bowel disease, and this response got worse by about 32 percent in the placebo group. This means that in just 30 days, the condition worsened by a measurable amount. Conversely, the controlled group saw a significant reduction in chronic immune activation by using the spores. This can have significant implications for the treatment and management of autoimmune disease and inflammatory bowel disease.

This is the first time that a probiotic has been shown to significantly reduce leaky gut and all the associated immune activation, in human subjects.

Without stopping the daily endotoxic response to consuming foods and the significant inflammation that follows, treating immune dysfunctions, cognitive dysfunction, and chronic gastrointestinal problems is an endless battle, said microbiologist Kiran Krishnan, Chief Science Officer at Just Thrive Probiotic. We set out to create a product that could be a foundational part of everyones daily wellness regimen, and this pursuit has led to redefining what a probiotic is and what it can do for the overall health.

According to Krishnan, this first published study suggests that colonizing gastric stable spore strains like those found in Just Thrive Probiotic should be at the core of any daily nutritional supplement program for better health.

We looked beyond the conventional views on how to formulate a probiotic product, and leaned on the latest science on the microbiome and clues from nature to provide us with guidance on formulating a revolutionary product, he explained.

For more information on Just Thrive Probiotic, visit www.thriveprobiotic.com.
Five years ago, IT was decentralized at the University of New Mexico. Every school or college had their own IT, and in most cases they were completely under-resourced  a one-person shop having to do phones, apps, email, desktop, servers, storage, disaster recovery, all of that, said Brian Pietrewicz, deputy CIO at University of New Mexico.

The university transitioned to a self-service model that enables each of its more than 100 departments to deploy infrastructure and application services itself and have them managed by the now-centralized IT team.

Adopting VMwares vCloud Automation Center enabled departments to consume cloud resources, but also give the management team the ability to curtail that consumption if necessary.

+RELATED: +

Going from physical machines to virtual machines to vCAC cut the provisioning time down from 12 weeks to three weeks to three days to 20 minutes, but obviously theres a big gap in there  deploying network, deploying firewalls and the security components, Pietrewicz said. The key missing component was networking.

What is network automation?

Traditionally, network provisioning and configuration management are manual, error-prone processes. Network virtualization enables the creation of networks in software, abstracted from the underlying physical hardware. IT can provision networks quickly, with network and security services attached to workloads using a policy-driven approach.

Automation takes things to the next level; network functions, including managing bandwidth, load balancing, and performing root cause analysis, are provisioned automatically based on predefined policies.

To eliminate the network bottleneck at the University of New Mexico, it deployed VMwares NSX network virtualization platform and vRealize Automation cloud automation software. Pietrewicz talked about the universitys experience recently at the VMworld conference in Las Vegas. Its really the agility and automation piece that led us down the NSX path, Pietrewicz said of the universitys reasons for adopting network virtualization.

Microsegmentation improves security

But beyond agility, NSX also enables microsegmentation, which represents a substantial improvement in security, he said.

NSX has been gaining traction as a security tool among companies that are interested in microsegmentation  separating individual workloads into different zones that are isolated from other segments and secured individually. Microsegmentation lets companies place virtual firewalls around servers to control the growing amount of traffic thats moving laterally within data centers.

If breaches occur, microsegmentation limits potential lateral exploration of networks by hackers. NSX operates at the hypervisor layer, for agility. If a workload moves, the security policies and attributes move with it.

Sean Jabro, VMWare administrator at Intelligent Software Solutions (ISS), a Polaris Alpha company, echoed the need for speed of network provisioning. Pre-NSX, we were not very good at automating anything. Our mean time to production with any kind of system was weeks, easily, said Jabro, who also spoke at VMworld about his companys automation efforts. Our developers really wanted to start moving forward fast, and IT just could not keep up.

Developers at ISS had moved to adopt a DevOps model, which requires an agile infrastructure that can handle constant changes. Networking was becoming a bottleneck to the speed of business. We were not even close to being agile enough until we started really adopting some of these automation processes, Jabro said.

Security, too, fueled ISS deployment of NSX. We have a very heavy developer community at my company, and shadow IT is happening all over the place, Jabro said. So going with a product like NSX, to be able to really lock down our security posture inside while still allowing them the ability to spin up VMs in the environment and have automatic firewall rules in place to allow them to be as accessible as they need, right off the bat, is a huge deal for us.

What to automate?

When you think about the number of steps that occur between the time a VM is initially built to something that is in the end deployed with a network and a firewall  the hardest part is nailing down everything you have to do to get to that point, Pietrewicz said. Processes can entail hundreds or even thousands of steps that cross roles, departments and systems.

The University of New Mexico has gotten to the point where it can deploy VMs with a base firewall rule set and a base network as part of the blueprint, Pietrewicz said. But the work isnt done. A plethora of tech choices leads to more operational challenges.

Where you used to have one or two options for firewall, now you have thousands. Tags and policies can go in any kind of direction, Pietrewicz said. When somebody says, I need this port opened on this machine to this group of IPs, the number of tags, and the general flexibility of the product is making it so that right now, we are still trying to figure out exactly what our operations looks like, after that initial deployment. We keep having to bring everybody back in the room together to have the conversation  our security team, our platforms team, our network team  what are we really doing here?

Greater standardization is imperative and can smooth deployment hurdles.

Going through the process of automating certain network options made it clear to IT leaders at IHS Markit that they needed to standardize more things in the environment, said Andrew Hrycaj, senior network operations specialist at IHS Markit, an information and analysis firm based in London.

When you have to bring an automated component into your network, into your infrastructure, and you continually have to punch these things out, it forces you to create standardized processes so that people will follow them, Hrycaj said. And then, it creates a well-defined service offering. If your developers, your security  if everyone knows what they will get out of your infrastructure, then there are less questions.

Cultural challenges

Realizing the potential of NSX to automate and secure networks isnt easy, however. For starters, it requires a cultural shift.

Its not just a technological change, theres also a people and process change involved in it, said Scott Goodman, product marketing manager at VMware. Were used to operating in silos, and NSX starts to blur those lines and break down those barriers. So it can be a little challenging to figure out who, exactly, is going to do what.

Goodman moderated a discussion among Jabro, Pietrewicz, and Hrycaj. All three panelists echoed Goodmans warning about the cultural challenges required for network automation.

Getting the network and the security guys together in same room, on same page, was probably the most difficult part, Jabro said. For us, it was more of a social change than anything else.

One of the biggest challenges that I didnt expect was the pushback from the network administrators, Pietrewicz said.

From our perspective, it was a tough transition at first, because this is a brand new way of looking at networking, Hrycaj said.

VMwares NSX decouples security functions from the physical infrastructure and embeds them into the hypervisor, which allows security policies to travel with virtual workloads.

The cool thing is that you get to change how you think about your security posture instead of just us network guys thinking about IP addresses and port numbers and thats it, Hrycaj said. Once we got our heads around that, and we got into the room with the security team, we were able to take what may have seemed like unrealistic expectations in the past, and turn that into something that we could do in a short amount of time.

But it takes a lot of training and it takes a lot of talking, Hrycaj said. Over time, it has increased our engagement with security, which is a good thing.
New research by UT Southwestern cardiologists shows that people of South Asian descent with a family history of coronary heart disease are significantly more likely to have high levels of calcium buildup in their arteries - an indicator of higher risk for heart attacks.

The findings, appearing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging, suggest family history may be a more important predictor for South Asians than for other ethnic groups. Therefore, a CT scan to check for coronary artery calcium may be an important test for South Asians whose parents, siblings, or children have coronary artery disease, said UT Southwestern preventive cardiologist Dr. Parag Joshi.

"The main take-home lesson here is that family history is a meaningful and inexpensive diagnostic indicator for assessing cardiovascular disease risk in South Asians," said Dr. Joshi, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern.

Calcium accumulates in the arteries of the heart after plaque builds up and calcifies over time. South Asians in the study with a family history of heart disease were three times more likely to have calcium levels above 300 in the hearts arteries  a level likely to increase the risk of a serious coronary event to 10 percent, 15 percent, or more, he said.

The research builds upon Dr. Joshis recent finding that patients with no calcium buildup in the coronary arteries are at very low risk of a heart attack or stroke over the following 10 years despite having other risk factors, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or bad cholesterol levels.

Source: http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2017/south-asian-heart-disease.html
Sending a letter and, in some cases, a simple mail-in kit tripled colon cancer screening completion among low-income adults, researchers at UT Southwestern's Simmons Cancer Center report this week in JAMA.

Two groups of 2,400 uninsured or underinsured, at-risk adults who were patients at Parkland Health & Hospital, the safety-net provider in Dallas, were mailed letters urging them to be screened for colon cancer:

Group 1 received a letter suggesting they get a colonoscopy.

Group 2 received a letter and an easy-to-use, at-home test kit called FIT (fecal immunochemical test).

Both groups were compared with a similar group of 1,200 at-risk patients who were told during doctor visits to get tested, but received no additional outreach. After three years, researchers found:

38 percent of those receiving just letters completed screening

28 percent of those receiving FIT completed screening

10 percent of those who did not receive follow-up after being told to get tested completed screening

The good news is that, looking at three-year process completion, both outreach strategies tripled screening completion compared to the usual, visit-based care. The bad news is that about a third of the people who did FIT did not do it once a year as indicated, said Dr. Ethan Halm, Director of UT Southwesterns Center for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research and a member of the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of just 49 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation.

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. Colon cancer screeningis especially important because not only can it detect cancer at an early stage, but it can actually prevent cancer by creating an opportunity for removal of polyps before they become cancerous.

I think the biggest takeaway is the importance of any form of outreach, said Dr. Amit Singal, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Clinical Sciences. Both forms of outreach did significantly better than visit-based screening, which is still the usual form of care in most health systems throughout the United States.

There are lessons in this study for patients, lessons for physicians, and lessons for health care systems, the researchers said.

The lesson for patients is to understand that the stool blood test (FIT) strategy is an every-year thing  not one-and-done. The challenge for physicians in primary care is to communicate more effectively that the home FIT kit strategy requires the need for an annual test, as well as follow-up colonoscopy, if the test is positive. The lesson for large health systems is to know that an easy-to-execute outreach strategy will markedly increase screening rates for your population, said Dr. Halm, Chief of the William T. and Gay F. Solomon Division of General Internal Medicine, who holds the Walter Family Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine in Honor of Albert D. Roberts, M.D.

Furthermore, given limited colonoscopy capacity in many health care systems, increasing education on how to correctly use FIT and increase screening uptake is called for, said Dr. Singal, who holds the David Bruton, Jr. Professorship in Clinical Cancer Research.
A new study attempted to assess whether having a dog in the bedroom or sharing a bed with a dog helps or disturbs sleep. For this Mayo Clinic study, the team of researchers looked at several healthy individuals between August 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015 and evaluated their sleep quality. The study entitled The Effect of Dogs on Human Sleep in the Home Sleep Environment, was published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

As per the record of the American Veterinary Association, over 40 million Americans have a family dog and of these around 63 percent consider their dogs to be their family. Lois Krahn, a sleep medicine specialist at the Center for Sleep Medicine on Mayo Clinics Arizona campus, and an author of the study, said that most people believe that having the dog in the bedroom can disrupt sleep. However many still find it comforting to have their pets with them while sleeping.

Your dog in your bed with you  is it good for your sleep? Image Credit: Soloviova Liudmyla / Shutterstock

To measure the sleep effectiveness, the study team included 40 healthy adults who had no diagnosed sleep disorder and their dogs. In the study population 88 percent were women and the average age of the participants was around 44 years. Their average body mass index (BMI) was around 25 kg/m2. The dogs included in the study were of an average age of around 5 years and their average weight was around 15 kg. The quality of sleep among the adults who slept with their dogs was measured using a device called an accelerometer which is essentially an activity tracker. Their partner dogs wore an accelerometer too but this was customized especially for dogs. The duration of study for each participating pair of human and dog was 7 nights.

Results from the study showed that the humans spent an average 478 minutes in bed and their total sleep time was an average of 404 minutes. The sleep efficiency on an average was found to be around 81 percent. Around 71 minutes were spent as wake time after sleep onset. On measuring the dogs accelerometer for their activity, they had an average period of rest of 413 minutes while they remained active for an average of 62 minutes and played for 2 minutes on average. The sleep efficiency of the dogs was an average of around 85 percent. The authors of the study concluded that sleep efficiency of the humans was significantly lowered if the dog was on the bed or co-shared the bed compared to simply being in the bedroom. It was previously suspected that presence of the dog in the bedroom could disrupt sleep. This study proves that mere presence of the dog in the bedroom does not affect sleep.

Dr. Krahn explained that the relationship between human owners and their canine pets has changed with time. And this has resulted in more pets in the bedrooms. Since most owners are away at work for most of the day, they kind of make up for their absence by having their pets in the bedroom with them. This study just proves that having their pets in the bedroom per se does not affect their sleep in a negative way.

Source: http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(17)30486-X/fulltext
Respiratory tract infections in young children are linked to an increased risk of asthma and worse lung function in later life, according to new research to be presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress today (Sunday).

An international study of 154,492 European children found that those who had had upper respiratory infections, such as colds, sinusitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis and otitis, by the age of five years had a 1.5-fold increased risk of developing asthma in later life. Children who had suffered from lower respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia and general chest infections, had a two- to four-fold increased risk of developing asthma in later life and were also more likely to have worse lung function.

Dr Evelien van Meel (MD), from the Generation R Study Group at Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, The Netherlands, will tell the congress: "These findings support the hypothesis that early-life respiratory tract infections may influence the development of respiratory illnesses in the longer term. In particular, lower respiratory tract infections in early life seem to have the greatest adverse effect on lung function and the risk of asthma.

"However, at this stage we cannot say for certain whether the relationship is causal. Further studies that measure lung function and wheezing from birth onwards are needed to explore whether the infections cause asthma and lower lung function, or whether wheezing and lower lung function may be predisposing these children to develop the infections. Studies that aim to prevent or treat respiratory tract infections at an early stage, perhaps by vaccination, would also help to shed light on this."

Lung function and asthma are two different measures of respiratory health and are only partly related. "Lung function is an objective measure of the function of the lungs and airways. Lung function could be affected without leading to symptoms, or it could lead to asthma or other complaints such as wheezing. Additionally, a child could be diagnosed with asthma but their lung function could be fairly unaffected, for example because they are taking adequate asthma medications," says Dr van Meel.

The researchers analyzed data from 37 groups of children from several European countries who were born between 1989 and 2013. Children were included in this meta-analysis if data were available on respiratory tract infections in early life (from age six months up to five years old), and childhood lung function and/or asthma. The length of follow-up varied between groups, but ranged from birth until the age of four to 15 years.

The children's lung function was measured as they grew older with a spirometer, an instrument that measures:

forced vital capacity (FVC) - a measure of the amount of air that can be exhaled from the lungs after taking the deepest breath possible

forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) - how much air can be exhaled in the first second

forced expiratory flow at 75% of FVC (FEF75) - the speed of air exhaled after exhaling three quarters of the total lung volume during a forced exhalation.

"Lung function was not measured in very young children," explains Dr van Meel. "The youngest children with lung function measurements were four years of age and the oldest 15 years of age, with an average age of eight years."

The researchers adjusted their analysis to take account of factors that could affect the results, such as socio-economic status, lifestyle, birth weight, gestational age at birth, gender, age, height and ethnicity.

They found that upper respiratory tract infections were not associated with worse lung function in later life. However, lower respiratory tract infections at almost all ages were associated with worse lung function as indicated by lower scores for FVC, FEV1 and FEF75.

Dr van Meel says it will be interesting to examine the long-term consequences in adulthood of respiratory tract infections on lung function and asthma. "At the age of eight years, asthma is usually well established, as is lung function. Lung function in childhood is most likely related with lung function in adulthood."

The researchers are planning further research. "Specifically, we want to study the roles played by antibiotics, paracetamol and exposure to second-hand smoke in the relationships between respiratory tract infections and lung function or asthma. Also, we would like to study what percentage of the association between respiratory tract infections and asthma can be explained by changes in lung function, and whether the associations change when we take early-life wheezing into account," she will conclude.
Combination immunotherapy as second or third line treatment extends overall survival to at least 15 months in patients with pleural malignant mesothelioma, according to late-breaking results from the MAPS2 trial presented today at the ESMO 2017 Congress in Madrid.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare disease usually caused by occupational exposure to asbestos. First line therapy is pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy, with or without bevacizumab. There is no approved second line treatment and drugs that have been tested in this setting had low efficacy, with a disease control rate under 30%. Phase II studies have shown promising activity of checkpoint inhibitors as second line treatment.

MAPS2 was an academic, Intergroupe Francophone de Cancerologie Thoracique (IFCT)-sponsored, non-comparative randomised phase II trial of two checkpoint inhibitors in patients with MPM who had relapsed after one or two lines of pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy. Patients were randomly allocated to receive the PD-L1 inhibitor nivolumab or nivolumab plus the CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab until progression or unacceptable toxicity.

As previously reported , the primary endpoint of disease control rate (the proportion of patients in whom the cancer shrank or did not grow) at 12 weeks was 50% in the combination arm and 44% with nivolumab monotherapy.

Today the investigators report the overall survival results in 125 patients. At one year the rate of overall survival was 51% in the nivolumab arm and 58% in the combination therapy arm. After a median follow-up of 15 months, the median overall survival was 13.6 months with nivolumab monotherapy and was not reached in the combination arm. There were no unexpected toxicities.

Lead author Professor Gerard Zalcman, Head of Thoracic Oncology Department, IFCT past-president, Hopital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Universite Paris-Diderot, Paris, France, said: "These overall survival results for second or third line treatment of mesothelioma are impressive and comparable with the results of standard chemotherapy in the first line setting. The fact that the median overall survival has not been reached in the combination arm suggests that it would be more than 15 months."

At a median follow-up of 15 months the progression-free survival was 4.0 months with nivolumab and 5.6 months for the combination therapy.

Zalcman said: "These overall survival and progression-free survival results support a recent decision by the US Food and Drug Administration to grant orphan drug status to the combination therapy for mesothelioma."

Immunohistochemistry performed in 99 patients revealed that just 41% expressed PD-1 and only three patients expressed PD-1 in more than 50% of tumor cells. There was no correlation between PD-1 expression and overall survival or progression-free survival. "The findings are disappointing and could be related to the assay used to measure PD-1 or the use of a tumor specimen from the time of diagnosis rather than on inclusion into the study," said Zalcman.

New data on quality of life and duration of response will also be presented at the ESMO 2017 Congress.

Commenting on the research on behalf of ESMO, Professor Rolf Stahel, Chair, Cancer Centre Zurich, Switzerland, said: "In lung cancer a high mutation burden and a strong PD-L1 expression have been associated with a better response to immune checkpoint inhibition. In mesothelioma the tumor mutation burden is low and the expression of PD-L1 is less prominent; however, there is often an immune cell infiltrate and an inflamed state which suggests it may respond to treatment."

"This trial found an objective response rate of 18-27% with a PD-1 inhibitor alone or a PD-1 inhibitor and CTLA-4 inhibitor combined," he continued. "This is a similar range to that found in several other solid tumors with a higher mutation burden, which is good news. However, it appears to be promising in just a fraction of these patients."

Regarding the implications of the results and next steps in this research, Stahel said: "The role of immunotherapy in mesothelioma needs to be further explored. Comparative trials are needed to further define the place of immunotherapy in the second or third line setting."

Source: http://www.esmo.org/Press-Office/Press-Releases/Combination-Immunotherapy-in-Second-third-Line-Extends-Mesothelioma-Survival-to-15-Months
A new study, presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress, suggests that use of e-cigarettes with nicotine causes arterial stiffness in humans, and has significant consequences leading to risk of heart disease and stroke later in life.

Dr Magnus Lundback, research leader and clinical registrar at the Danderyd University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden conducted a study in which he stated that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of e-cigarette smokers. E-cigarettes are often considered harmless by society.

E-cigarette companies promote their product as an approach to help people to quit smoking tobacco and to reduce harm. Nevertheless, the safety of e-cigarettes is disputed, and increasing evidence indicates numerous adverse health effects.

Dr. Lundback further stated: "The results are preliminary, but in this study we found there was a significant increase in heart rate and blood pressure in the volunteers who were exposed to e-cigarettes containing nicotine. Arterial stiffness increased around three-fold in those who were exposed to nicotine containing e-cigarettes compared to the nicotine-free group."

The study was performed on 15, healthy, young participants, who were occasional smokers (maximum of ten cigarettes per month) and had not smoked e-cigarettes before conducting this study. Average age of the participants was 26, of which 41% were male and 59% female.

The participants were randomly assigned e-cigarettes with or without nicotine, which the participants smoked for half an hour before coming back another day to smoke the other type of e-cigarette. Their heart rate, blood pressure, and arterial stiffness were measured immediately after smoking the e-cigarettes, and then 2 and 4 hours later.

A significant increase in the arterial stiffness, blood pressure, and heart rate were observed in the first half hour after smoking e-cigarettes containing nicotine, while no such effect was observed on arterial stiffness and heart rate in participants who had used non-nicotine e-cigarettes.

According to Dr Lundback, the immediate rise observed in arterial stiffness is mostly associated to nicotine, and it was temporary. Nevertheless, the same short-term effects on arterial stiffness were also observed after smoking normal tobacco cigarettes.

Therefore, it is speculated that the long-term use of e-cigarettes with nicotine may result in chronic and permanent effects on arterial stiffness. So far, there are no studies on the chronic effects on arterial stiffness after the long-term use of e-cigarettes.

Dr Lundback further added that it is essential that the conclusions of this and other studies reach healthcare professionals providing preventive health care and the general public. The results of the study emphasize the need for maintaining a cautious and critical attitude toward e-cigarettes, especially by healthcare service providers.

Based on scientific facts, e-cigarette smokers must be aware of their possible health effects, so that they can decide on whether to continue or quit smoking them.

He further remarked that the e-cigarette marketing campaigns target conventional tobacco smokers and offer an alternate product. Nevertheless, numerous studies question the e-cigarette as an approach to quit smoking, and there is a high-risk of double use, where people smoke both conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

Dr Lundback and his group of researchers are continuing to examine the effects of e-cigarettes on lung functions and blood vessels in humans and in cell cultures.
insights from industry Dr. Gerald Martin Subject Matter Expert SOPHiA GENETICS

An interview with Dr. Gerald Martin, SOPHiA GENETICS, conducted by April Cashin-Garbutt, MA (Cantab)

Can you please give a brief overview of the UK Chief Medical Officers Generation Genome report?

The report set out the NHS intentions of routinizing whole genome sequencing. It is particularly focused towards rare diseases and cancers, although conditions such as obesity, bacterial and other infections are also included.

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) is already used in the NHS. It tends to be focused on the particular mutations that might be involved in diseases. The Chief Medical Officers report is about expanding this service so that it covers the whole of the patients DNA and not just selective parts. The aim is to identify novel mutations and mechanisms that are responsible for the diseases mentioned above.

The objective is to increase what is called the diagnostic yield, in other words, the proportion of patients where a definitive diagnosis can be given. By enabling access to genomic testing more patients will be able to benefit, and contribute to this increase. Ultimately this technology will help to identify the underlying cause of patients diseases, and will enable the development of new and innovative treatments.

What advances in genome sequencing and artificial intelligence have been seen in recent years and how far away are we from delivering the genomic dream?

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology is a complete revolution in terms of producing genomic data. Consider that, back in 2003, sequencing the first human genome took 10 years and cost $3 billion to achieve. The same is now possible in just a matter of days, for just a fraction of the cost, at a thousand dollars.

SOPHiA, the collective Artificial Intelligence (AI) for genomics developed by SOPHiA GENETICS, detects, annotates and pre-classifies all types of genomic variants associated to multiple disorder areas including oncology, hereditary cancer, cardiology, metabolism and paediatrics. SOPHiA AI is constantly being improved to face the complexity of genomic data analysis. To put this into context, the human is 3.3 billion base pairs long. You are looking for a single base mutation among all of that information, so it is like finding a needle in a haystack.

AI such as SOPHiA works in two ways. It identifies the mutations that are present, and once identified, it predicts what effect these mutations can have in terms of disease. This is important because firstly, it cuts down the workload of clinical scientists in terms of finding the mutations. Secondly, it also makes it easier for them to prioritize which ones to focus on.

Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

SOPHiA is already helping clinical and NGS laboratories in the UK to analyze and interpret the highly complex data coming out of sequencers. This universal technology is already making the genomic dream a reality. The objective today, is to deliver this dream on a national scale, the scale that Sally Davies is talking about in her report.

How has SOPHiA GENETICS contributed to the genomics revolution to date?

SOPHiA is being used by over 320 public hospitals across 51 different countries, from North America to South America, South Africa and Central Africa, all across Europe, the Far East and Australia. SOPHiA is already having a positive impact on peoples lives, having helped to diagnose over 117 thousand patients. SOPHiA GENETICS AI is also helping oncologists to make more informed decisions based on targeted available treatments and ongoing clinical trials, which ultimately will benefit patients lives.

What gaps did the Generation Genome report highlight?

Several, it is a challenging task. There is the security and privacy of patient data, as well as ethical considerations. Raising questions such as:

How should this testing be done?

When you find an issue with a patient or come across an incidental finding how do you communicate that?

Who should communicate that information?

These are major issues that need to be addressed when dealing with clinical genomic testing, and must be solved before this technology can be widely adopted.

How can these challenges be overcome?

With regards to security and privacy of genomic data, these are part of SOPHiA GENETICS DNA. From inception, we have been applying a strict information policy that is reflected by our ISO 27001 (Information Security Management) certification. All data processed by SOPHiA AI, via the SOPHiA DDM platform, is encrypted and stored with the strictest security standards.

The NHS does and can achieve a lot through its network of capable and dedicated healthcare professional. There are certainly challenges, but with a collective approach and a universal technology these can be overcome.

What are the next steps for SOPHiA GENETICS?

SOPHiA GENETICS is today the global leader of Data-Driven Medicine. The company will continue to support healthcare institutions within the UK and around the world. Furthermore, SOPHiA AI is on track to analyse 1 millions patients by 2020.

How do you think the UK will contribute to the genomics revolution on a global level?

The UK has big potential to contribute at a global level. It has an incredible network of healthcare experts and institutions across the country. By connecting these institutions to the global community, pooling genomics data and facilitating knowledge sharing the UK will be in a position to positively impact the genomics revolution.

Where can readers find more information?

Company website sophiagenetics.com

You can also:

Follow us on Twitter: Corporate: @SOPHiAGENETICS  SOPHiA GENETICS CEO: @JurgiCamblong

Connect with us on LinkedIn

And find our more information at our YouTube channel

About Dr. Gerald Martin

Dr Gerald Martin gained a BA(Hons) degree in Natural Sciences and a PhD in molecular biology from Dublin University (Trinity College Dublin), Ireland, before taking up a post doctoral position at The Beatson Institute and Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow (Scotland).

Following a post doctoral role at the Haematology Department in Cambridge University (England), Gerald joined Transgenomic Ltd (Glasgow, Scotland) where he held a range of

roles including Product Manager, Business Development Manager and Business Development and Marketing Manager.

This was followed by roles as Product Manager at Sirigen Ltd and Oxford Gene Technology (England) before a position as Visiting Scientist at the Wessex Regional Genetics Laboratory, Salisbury (England).

In 2015 Gerald joined SOPHiA GENETICS, the Swiss health tech company, Global leader in Data-Driven Medicine, his first position was Sales and Business Development Manager for the UK and Ireland before transitioning to Subject Matter Expert last year to help clinicians adopt the genomic revolution in clinical diagnostic.
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
Saudi authorities have arrested a prominent cleric, also known as a critic of the royal familys handling of affairs.

Sheikh Salman al-Awdah was arrested over the weekend following a series of posts on Twitter calling for an end of the diplomatic spat between Saudi Arabia, its allies United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Egypt and Qatar, according to social media accounts relayed by media.

May God harmonize between their hearts for the good of their people, al-Awdah was quoted as saying in one of his Tweets.

The religious leader enjoys 14 million followers on Twitter. He was locked up from 1994-99 for calling for political change in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi-led group severed ties with Qatar it accuses of sponsoring terrorism and threatening the internal security of their countries.

Saudi authorities have, since the beginning of the crisis on June 5, banned any expression of sympathy for Qatar and established fines for any communication or posting contrary to the states position.

Aside from al-Awdah, reports say authorities have also detained Awad al-Qarni; a cleric based in the South of the kingdom.

Al-Qarni was arrested from his home last week following support for reconciliation between Gulf countries.

Some analysts argue that the arrests were ordered by Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman who is reportedly preparing to take over his father.
The German government has targeted a 40 percent reduction of GHG emissions by 2020, as compared to 1990 levels, but with less than three years to go the country remains far from achieving that goal. Berlin already admitted that the 40 percent goal likely wasnt possible, and instead lowered its sights to a 35 percent reduction, but even that seems unlikely now. A new study from the green think tank Agora Energiewende says Germany is likely to achieve only a 30-31 percent reduction.

The reason for the miss is said to be the low cost of oil and natural gas. Germany also retired many nuclear power plants. Germany increased reliance on lignite coal to compensate for its shuttered nuclear fleet. Germany has permanently shut down eight of its 17 reactors and pledged to close the rest by the end of 2022. Germany until March 2011 obtained one-quarter of its electricity from nuclear energy, using 17 reactors. The figure is now about 14% from eight reactors, while 43% of electricity comes from coal, the majority of that from lignite.

Lignite emits far more CO2 than other fossil fuels  1,100 grams per kilowatt-hour, compared to between 150 and 430 grams for natural gas. It is the main reason why German CO2 emissions have started rising.

Germanys electricity production in 2016 was 648 TWh, with demand of 595 TWh and net export of 54 TWh. Of the total generation, lignite provided 150 TWh, hard coal 112 TWh, nuclear 85 TWh (13%), gas 81 TWh, onshore wind 65 TWh, offshore wind 12 TWh, biomass 46 TWh, solar PV 38 TWh, hydro 21 TWh, and household waste 6 TWh.

Germany shifted 80 TWh from nuclear in 2011. 80 TWh of nuclear could be used to reduce coal power. 88 million tons of extra CO2. This is 7% of the reduction from 1990 levels that they had planned. By shutting the rest of the power. Germany will have an extra 160 million tons of CO2 than if they kept their nuclear energy.

40% of Germanys electricity is generated from coal, and there are no plans to phase this out.

What would have happened if Germany had combined its lust for renewables with an level-headed, evidence-based approach to nuclear power? Undoubtedly Berlin would be well on its way to that 40 percent target.
You are clearly a super-user of NUVO.net. Thats a good thing. It means you depend on independent and local news sources to keep you informed. You are a smart person.



Coincidentally, independent and local news sources depend on you too. Youve read 25 articles this month and now, wed like you to be join our mission and become a NUVO Supporter. For as little as $4 a month, you can keep us alive and fighting -- and can have unlimited access to the independent news that cant be found anywhere else.
A high key Hamas delegation arrived Saturday in Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials over Rafah crossing and also to express willingness to thaw ties with West Bank ruler Fatah movement.

Led by the movements Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh and the movements Gaza Chief Yahya Al-Sunwar, the delegation will meet with Egyptian officials on the ease of the blockade at the Rafah crossing implemented by Egypt after Hamas took control of the enclave in 2007.

Cairo accused the movement of supporting militants in the restive Sinai.

Gaza has also been under Israeli siege for a decade making lives of nearly 2 million Palestinians unbearable.

The visit is the second major by leaders of the Islamic movement in Cairo in a short period.

In June, Cairo hosted talks between Egyptian officials and top Hamas members. The talks, in July, led to Egypts supply of thousands of litres of fuel to Gazas unique power plant after Israel drastically reduced its energy supply following decision by President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas to reduce payment of Gaza electricity bills.

Abbas sought through the measure to secure Hamass relinquish of Gaza. The move on the contrary exasperated relation between Gaza and Ramallah.

Hamas as a result bridged rivalry with Mohammed Dahlan, the exiled former Fatah leader in Gaza who was defeated by Hamas when it took control of the territory in 2007.

Dahlan reported close to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Cairo is tipped to replace Abbas.
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.
French President Emmanuel Macron hosts this Monday (August 27) a European-African meeting that will focus on ways to address the increasing illegal migration flows to Europe.

The meeting gathers on the African side the Presidents of Niger and Chad, and the head of the Libyan unity government Fayez al-Sarraj, whose countries are at the heart of the transit of migrants from Africa and the Middle East to the European coasts. On the European side, besides President Macron, Spanish and Italian Prime ministers, Mariano Rajoy and Paulo Gentiloni, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Europes top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, are joining the Paris talks to take stock and harmonize positions on the issue.

The talks aim to reaffirm the support of Europe to Chad, Niger and Libya for the control and the management of the migratory flows, the French presidency said in a statement, adding that The leaders will be presented a roadmap that outlines  what we want to do to tackle all stages of the migrant route.

The EU had announced a 200 million package to finance projects, geared towards migration in war-torn Libya. The bloc says around 90 million will go to stepping up the protection of migrants and reinforcing migration management in Libya.

According to the United Nations, a total of 125,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean by boat in 2017. An estimated 2,400 have died en route.

President Emmanuel Macron, last month, announced that France would set up processing centers in Libya for refugees and asylum seekers attempting to reach Europe.

According to the 39-year old leader, the idea is to create hotspots to avoid people taking crazy risks when they are not all eligible for asylum.

However, he later downplayed the plans, saying there were no questions of hotspots in Libya if security conditions are not met.

According to press reports, the Italian and Spanish officials taking part in the meeting expressed the wish to hold a separate European session to examine European counterterrorism cooperation. The request came in the aftermath of the terrorists attacks that hit several European countries lately.
A cholera outbreak has killed about 528 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Sunday, citing DRC government sources.

According to the UNs health outlet, the outbreak has now affected 20 of the 26 provinces in the country.

The risk of spread remains very high toward the Grand Kasai region, where degraded sanitary and security conditions further increase vulnerability in the face of the epidemic, the WHO warned in a statement.

The authorities of the DRC had already registered a cumulative total of 24,217 suspect cases with 528 deaths, the WHO office in the DRC said.

DRCs ministry of public health has confirmed the epidemic in a statement explaining it has redefined the framework for combating the diseases.

The WHO has sent a team of experts including epidemiologists and public health specialists to the DRC in an effort to contain the diseases spread, it said. About $400,000 has been disbursed towards the deployment of the WHO team.
The Mauritanian government has denied a group of American anti-slavery activists entry to the country, claiming their planned activities are contrary to Mauritanian laws.

We informed the American embassy that transmitted the program of the delegation, that the delegation will not be granted entry visa because of its program that we deem against Mauritanian laws, Mohamed Lemine Ould Cheikh, culture minister told media on Sunday.

That program was not discussed with Mauritanian authorities as it is customarily done and it was made of meetings with some well targeted parties which have a particular agenda, Ould Cheikh added.

The US activists fighting against slavery were denied entry visa Friday at Nouakchott airport and were forced to fly back despite several hours of talks with Mauritanian authorities.

The group, whose stay in the North African country was scheduled from September 8 to 15, was to meet with some anti-slavery organizations.

Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981, yet the phenomenon is still practiced in some parts of the country.

The Mauritanian official noted that several US charities fighting slavery, human rights organizations as well as missions from the State Department received a warm welcome in the past.

Friday the US embassy issued a statement expressing its surprise and concern at the Mauritanian governments refusal.
From Paul Craig Roberts Website

Dr. Leroy Hulsey, a distinguished engineering authority, presented his team's preliminary report on the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7. The report is preliminary in the sense that it awaits peer-review, that is, examination by other experts. The team's research is more extensive than the modeling provided by NIST and includes a thorough examination of NIST's approach. Dr. Hulsey's team concludes that Building 7 did not come down due to fire.

Read his presentation here.

Being a Georgia Tech graduate I can follow the gist of Dr. Hulsey's presentation. It is a difficult explanation to follow as engineering science is challenging to explain. Moreover, engineers are accustomed to talking to other engineers, not to the general public. At the Georgia Tech of my day, and perhaps still, the administration was determined to produce articulate engineers. Our English courses were writing courses. The English Department took the position that just as one engineering mistake could cause a bridge or building to fail, one spelling or grammatical mistake produced the grade of F on the assignment. (Yes, I know, with all of my typos how did I pass? The answer is that our papers were hand written.) We were also encouraged to join Toastmasters so that we would be capable of standing up before an audience and making a presentation. What I am saying is that Dr. Hulsey is in the difficult position of having to address an audience consisting of professionals and non-professionals, and he probably has limited experience in addressing non-professionals.

Nevertheless, it is possible to grasp that the NIST simulation of the collapse ignored three structural elements that actually existed in the building, and the presence of these structural elements make NIST's conclusion invalid.

The second part of the study will explain what actually caused the collapse of Building 7. As I understand it, the team is waiting for professional responses to their conclusion that fire was not the reason.

As the report is a scientific presentation, it cannot be branded a conspiracy theory. Therefore, the media will most likely ignore it, especially as they will find it intellectually challenging.

Facts are important to the professionals in the 9/11 truth movement, but are facts equally important to others? The study of Building 7 might have implications that people do not want to face.
From Reader Supported News

Today is the 16th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, Arlington, Virginia, and central Pennsylvania. The attacks were so traumatic for me that, in my mind, they happened practically yesterday. Like most Americans, I remember exactly what I was doing when I first heard that a Boeing 757 had hit the World Trade Center. I also remember many of my actions the rest of that day and the next several days. I was a counterterrorism officer at the CIA in 2001. The attacks set off a series of events that changed the course of my life. They also irreversibly changed our country.

On the morning of September 11, I was working (quaintly, now) on European communist terrorism issues. I was supposed to go to the White House that morning with the director of the CIA's Counterterrorism Center (CTC) for a meeting with Condoleezza Rice, then National Security Advisor, to discuss an "information release" problem. Even after all these years, I'm not allowed to get into the details.

I walked over to the director's office to tell him our car was ready to take us to the White House. But when I got there, I saw that his secretary's television was showing one tower of the World Trade Center on fire. She said a plane had hit it. I naively told her that a plane had once hit the Empire State Building. But that was in a driving rainstorm in the 1930s. The weather was crystal clear on September 11. How could the pilot not see that he was flying into the World Trade Center? A second later another plane flew into the second tower.

In CTC, we knew that we would face a massive al-Qaeda attack. But we didn't know when or where. And because the CIA was not cooperating with the FBI, neither organization had access to the other's databases, and there was very little information sharing. It was the greatest intelligence failure in American history.

But that's not what I want to talk about. What I want to talk about is how our government used the tragedy of that day to whittle away at many of the ideals that Americans have fought and died for, without so much as a whimper from most of us.

I don't mind the security lines at airports. I don't mind the concrete barriers around government buildings. But I do mind warrantless wiretapping. I do mind secret prisons, extraordinary renditions, and a torture program. And I especially mind the fact that the United States has transitioned to a permanent wartime economy.

The saddest part about the past 16 years is how both major parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, have fallen into line. Neoconservative and neoliberal political leadership is now the norm. Since September 11, neither party has seen a war that it didn't want to jump into with both feet. And it's all in the name of "national security." But any observer with half a brain can tell you several things about war and national security.

Saddam Hussein was no threat to us. Even if he had had weapons of mass destruction, he had no delivery systems. He was no threat. And he was the only thing protecting much of the region from the danger of Iranian expansionism. Muammar al-Qaddafi was no threat to us. But we supported his violent overthrow with no end game. Remember Hillary Clinton saying, "We came, we saw, he died"? Libya has since descended into anarchy. We're facing the same situation in Syria. Bashar al-Assad is not a nice guy. But he's no threat to us. So where do we come off supporting "regime change"? For what reason? All regime change will do is to open the whole country to terrorism and to create an even worse refugee crisis than the one the country faces now. Besides, "regime change" is a violation of international law. Syria never attacked us. So our attacks on Syria are patently illegal. And again there's no end game.

I don't even have it in me to talk about Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, North Korea, or any of the other countries where we've felt compelled to intervene because it's our sovereign "right." But I will shout out about the illegality of it all.

I am not an isolationist. I'm an internationalist. I believe in a robust foreign policy. I believe in diplomacy. I believe in free trade, foreign aid, and international development. But I don't believe in wantonly interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. I also don't believe that our government should ever be permitted to tell our men and women in the armed forces that they should die for no apparent reason.

I've written in the past about my utter lack of respect for Congress. The oversight committees don't oversee anything. And indeed, the intelligence and armed services committees are no more than cheerleaders for the CIA and the Pentagon. Over the long term, Congress's actions have been worse than cheerleading. Congress hasn't declared war on any country since December 8, 1941. There were Congressional "authorizations" to commit troops in Korea, Vietnam, and during the Gulf War. But what about all of the other undeclared wars or "conflicts" (or "police actions") where Americans have died and are dying? How is that legal? How is it constitutional? It's not. It's illegal.

I don't have the space here to talk about the Patriot Act. But I do still have enough space to talk about what we can do to bring our government to heel. We can take to the streets. We can protest. It worked during the Vietnam War. It worked for civil rights. It can work again. And it's up to all of us.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.
From Truthdig



(Image by Mr. Fish / Truthdig) Details DMCA



How many times will we rebuild Florida's cities, Houston, coastal New Jersey, New Orleans and other population centers ravaged by storms lethally intensified by global warming? At what point, surveying the devastation and knowing more is inevitable, will we walk away, leaving behind vast coastal dead zones? Will we retreat even further into magical thinking to cope with the fury we have unleashed from the natural world? Or will we respond rationally and radically alter our relationship to this earth that gives us life?

Civilizations over the past 6,000 years have unfailingly squandered their futures through acts of colossal stupidity and hubris. We are probably not an exception. The physical ruins of these empires, including the Mesopotamian, Roman, Mayan and Indus, litter the earth. They elevated, during acute distress, inept and corrupt leaders who channeled anger, fear and dwindling resources into self-defeating wars and vast building projects. The ruling oligarchs, driven by greed and hedonism, retreated into privileged compounds -- the Forbidden City, Versailles -- and hoarded wealth as their populations endured mounting misery and poverty. The worse it got, the more the people lied to themselves and the more they wanted to be lied to. Reality was too painful to confront. They retreated into what anthropologists call "crisis cults," which promised the return of the lost world through magical beliefs.

"The most significant characteristic of modern civilization is the sacrifice of the future for the present," philosopher and psychologist William James wrote, "and all the power of science has been prostituted to this purpose."

We are entering this final phase of civilization, one in which we are slashing the budgets of the very agencies that are vital to prepare for the devastation ahead -- the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, along with programs at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration dealing with climate change. Hurricane after hurricane, monster storm after monster storm, flood after flood, wildfire after wildfire, drought after drought will gradually cripple the empire, draining its wealth and resources and creating swathes of territory defined by lawlessness and squalor.

These dead zones will obliterate not only commercial and residential life but also military assets. As Jeff Goodell points out in "The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities and the Remaking of the Civilized World," "The Pentagon manages a global real estate portfolio that includes over 555,000 facilities and 28 million acres of land -- virtually all of it will be impacted by climate change in some way."

As this column is being written, three key military facilities in Florida are evacuated: the Miami-area headquarters of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees military operations in the Caribbean and Latin America; the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, in charge of overseas operations in the Middle East and Southwest Asia; and the Naval Air Station in Key West. There will soon come a day when obliteration of infrastructure will prohibit military operations from returning.

Add to the list of endangered military installations Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle, the U.S. missile base in the Marshall Islands, the U.S. naval base on Diego Garcia and numerous other military sites in coastal areas and it becomes painfully clear that the existential peril facing the empire is not in the Middle East but in the seas and the skies. There are 128 U.S. military installations at risk from rising sea levels, including Navy, Air Force, Marine and Army facilities in Virginia. Giant vertical rulers dot the highway outside the Norfolk naval base to allow motorists to determine if the water is too deep to drive through. In two decades, maybe less, the main road to the base will be impassable at high tide daily.

Cities across the globe, including London, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Mumbai, Lagos, Copenhagen, New Orleans, San Francisco, Savannah, Ga., and New York, will become modern-day versions of Atlantis, along with countries such as Bangladesh and the Marshall Islands and large parts of New Zealand and Australia. There are 90 coastal cities in the U.S. that endure chronic flooding, a number that is expected to double in the next two decades. National economies will go into tailspins as wider and wider parts of the globe suffer catastrophic systems breakdown. Central authority and basic services will increasingly be nonexistent. Hundreds of millions of people, desperate for food, water and security, will become climate refugees.

Nuclear power plants, including Turkey Point, which is on the edge of Biscayne Bay south of Miami, will face meltdowns, such as the accident that occurred in the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan after it was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami. These plants will spew radioactive waste into the sea and air. Exacerbated by disintegration of the polar ice caps, the catastrophes will be too overwhelming to manage. We will enter what James Howard Kunstler calls "the long emergency." When that happens, our experiment in civilization might approach an end.

"The amount of real estate at risk in New York is mind-boggling: 72,000 buildings worth over $129 billion stand in flood zones today, with thousands more buildings at risk with each foot of sea-level rise," writes Jeff Goodell. "In addition, New York has a lot of industrial waterfront, where toxic materials and poor communities live in close proximity, as well as a huge amount of underground infrastructure -- subways, tunnels, electrical systems. Finally, New York is a sea-level-rise hot spot. Because of changes in ocean dynamics, as well as the fact that the ground beneath the city is sinking as the continent recovers from the last ice age, seas are now rising about 50 percent faster in the New York area than the global average."

A society in crisis flees to the reassuring embrace of con artists and charlatans. Critics who ring alarm bells are condemned as pessimists who offer no "hope," the drug that keeps a doomed population passive. The current administration -- which removed Barack Obama's Climate Action Plan from the White House website as soon as Donald Trump took office -- and the Republican Party are filled with happy climate deniers. They have adopted a response to climate change similar to that of the Virginia Legislature: ban discussion of climate change and replace the term with the less ominous "recurrent flooding." This denial of reality -- one also employed by those who assure us we can adapt -- is driven by fossil fuel and animal agriculture industries that along with the rich and corporations fund the political campaigns of elected officials. They fear that a rational, effective response to climate change will impede profits. Our corporate media, dependent on advertising dollars, contributes to the conspiracy of silence. It ignores the patterns and effects of climate change, focusing instead on feel-good stories about heroic rescues or dramatic coverage of flooded city centers and storm refugee caravans fleeing up the coast of Florida.

Droughts, floods, famines and disease will eventually see the collapse of social cohesion in large parts of the globe, including U.S. coastal areas. The insecurity, hunger and desperation among the dispossessed of the earth will give rise to ad hoc militias, crime and increased acts of terrorism. The Pentagon report"An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States Security" is blunt. "Disruption and conflict will be endemic features of life," it grimly concludes.

But as Goodell points out, "In today's political climate, open discussion of the security risks of climate change is viewed as practically treasonous." When in 2014 then-Secretary of State John Kerry called climate change "perhaps the world's most fearsome weapon of mass destruction" and compared it to the effects of terrorism, epidemics and poverty, the right-wing trolls, from John McCain to Newt Gingrich, went into a frenzy. Gingrich called for Kerry's resignation because "a delusional secretary of state is dangerous to our safety."

James Woolsey, the former head of the CIA, wrote in a climate change report for the Pentagon titled "The Age of Consequences: The Foreign-Policy National Security Implications of Global Climate Change":

Next Page 1 | 2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
From Reader Supported News

Why isn't innocence enough to protect any child from the law?

Historically, bigotry has served as the basis for US policy and law often enough that no one should be surprised that we're at it again, targeting people who had no meaningful choice when they were brought to this country as children. To mask our bigotry, we call these innocent young people "childhood arrivals." We pretend they broke the law as minors by accompanying their parents who brought them to our country in violation of our constitutionally squalid immigration statutes. But we also pretend we are big-hearted because we will hold off on "deferred action" against these criminals in our midst. Yes, that's DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the 2012 executive program that is fundamentally a moral hoax and a legal joke, neither of which is among the reasons President Trump has given for throwing the program into deferred chaos.

In fact, President Trump has offered no rational explanation for his decision to punt the problem to Congress for six months while promising to revisit it later if Congress doesn't act to his liking (whatever that turns out to be). That re-visitation is a reasonable likelihood, since Congress hasn't acted since August 2001 when the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, known acronymically as the DREAM Act, was introduced as a bipartisan proposal from Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois and Orrin Hatch of Utah and 16 co-sponsors of both parties. The legislative history of the DREAM Act's multiple failures to treat innocent children with something like fairness and decency is a story of dysfunctional government now in its third presidency. The standards in the DREAM Act are truly double standards, expecting these forced immigrant children to be paragons of virtue that some native-born citizen children would have a hard time meeting.

Well, never mind, that's what America does to its masses of immigrants -- it treats them harshly to see if they're tough enough to become real Americans. There are two obvious exceptions to that rule. The rich or talented immigrant has a much softer ride. And those brought here as slaves are never forgiven.

Like all hurricanes, Hurricane Trump spins in circles with random chaos

The president's moral vacuity regarding "childhood arrivals" was underlined by his chickening out on announcing it himself. These DACA children arrived in the US when they were an average age of six (now they're 26 on average, but their children are citizens). So for the president to pass the announcement of this bigoted decision to serial hater Attorney General Jeff Sessions was a neat Trumpian ploy to get to see himself as dissociated from his own inhumanity. At a press conference last February, the president rambled semi-coherently, as if he were trying to persuade himself of his own decency:

"We're going to show great heart. DACA is a very, very difficult subject for me. I will tell you. To me, it's one of the most difficult subjects I have... But you have some absolutely incredible kids -- I would say mostly. They were brought here in such a way. It's a very -- it's a very very tough subject. We are going to deal with DACA with heart. I have to deal with a lot of politicians, don't forget. And I have to convince them that what I'm saying is, is right. And I appreciate your understanding on that... But the DACA situation is a very very, it's a very difficult thing for me because you know, I love these kids. I love kids. I have kids and grandkids and I find it very, very hard doing what the law says exactly to do."

Announcing that DACA would end in six months or so, the US attorney general both lied about the program and misrepresented it in a ritual Republican manner. Most egregiously, he called them "adult illegal aliens" and said they could participate in the Social Security program. Responding to the predictable outcry against his decision, President Trump tweeted, without substance: "Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA... If they can't, I will revisit the issue!" The next day the president was widely reported as saying he had no second thoughts about cancelling DACA.

Even before Donald trump announced his candidacy for the presidency, anyone who was paying attention knew he was unfit for office in more ways than one would want to count. So he wasn't taken seriously. With major media playing the Trump Campaign for comedy ratings, Trump ran roughshod over Republican candidates made to look like pallid clowns, whether more qualified than Trump or not. And still he was not taken all that seriously by a Democratic Party and candidate that stood for little more than being not-Trump.

Now we are where we are, wherever that really is, and the leaders of the country in both parties, in business and the arts, in media and academia, in whatever field, mostly resemble chickens in the barnyard with the fox, scrambling to let the fox catch some other chicken first, as if the slaughter would come to a natural end in due course, after which the blood on the ground would dry and be covered over by dust and feces as usual.

There are some exceptions to our widespread barnyard panic

Fifteen states and the District of Columbia filed suit September 6 to block Trump's DACA plan the day after it was announced. New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman, who is part of the suit against the Trump administration, told an anti-Trump rally:

"We understand what's going on in Washington. And we know that when bullies step up, you have to step to them and step to them quickly. And that's what we're here to do today... By definition, DREAMers play by the rules. DREAMers work hard. DREAMers pay taxes. For most, America is the only home they've ever known. They deserve to stay here."

This is the essence of what makes DACA a moral hoax and a legal joke. Just to qualify for deferred action as a childhood arrival, DREAMers are required to provide evidence that they are better than average people. Roughly 800,000 of them have done just that. These are children who are being punished for being good children. They did not break the law, yet the law holds them accountable for the sins of their parents. Innocence should be enough to protect a child from the government.

And there is a Gordian Knot solution to this largely imaginary problem. It's a mystery why President Obama didn't do this instead of crafting another Rube Goldberg structure destined to be a problem as long as it lasted (the immigration equivalent of Obamacare). That Gordian Knot solution is simple and constitutional. These DREAMers, for reasons that defy human decency, are charged with violating immigration law, an offense against the United States. The Constitution (Article II, Section 2) gives the president the "Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States." President Obama could have pardoned these innocent "criminals," but big gestures have not been his style and, as a lawyer, he presumably could list a bunch of complications flowing from such pardons. But so what? They would have been fair and just and decent. They would have served the intent of the Constitution's preamble to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and promote the general welfare. Pardons would have transformed the debate from seeming to be about rounding up imaginary aliens to actually being about legally lynching innocent children.

The pardon option remains on the table. If Joe Arpaio is pardonable for committing crimes against humanity, why not pardon DREAMers for doing nothing more wrong than making a bad choice of parents? President Trump could do it tomorrow. Or the tomorrow after that. Or the tomorrow after that... What are the odds?

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.
Where To Go When Your Local Emergency Room Goes Bankrupt?" During the past ten years 84 California hospitals have declared bankruptcy and closed their Emergency Rooms forever. Financially crippled by legislative and judicial mandates to treat illegal aliens have bankrupted hospitals! In 2010, in Los Angeles County alone, over 2 million illegal aliens recorded visits to county emergency rooms for both routine and emergency care. The cost is $1,000 dollars for every taxpayer. VIVA LA RAZA?
Joe Giambrone

September 11, 2017

Since December 2002 , at the latest, it became glaringly obvious that certain individuals in the US government had lied about how the 9/11 attacks had come to be. When the Bush administration censored the official congressional investigation, the "Joint Inquiry" into the attacks, notably the 28-page section on foreign state funding to the named hijackers, its legitimacy crumbled.

With that first 9/11 investigation redacted and numerous questions outstanding , the attack victims' families pressed for a second investigation, later to be known as the "9/11 Commission." Key findings of this Commission were false--or falsified-- as those now released "28 pages" show.

The public evidence against the Saudis is partial and wasn't followed-up on, indicating internal pressures both before and after the attacks.

"One reason for the limited understanding is that it was only after September 11 that the U.S. Government began to aggressively investigate this issue. Prior to September 11th, the FBI apparently did not focus investigative resources on [REDACTED] Saudi nationals in the United States due to Saudi Arabia's status as an American 'ally.'"

-Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11th, 2001, p.415

Senator Bob Graham, its primary author, has complained vociferously in the years since. The BBC revealed a White House document telling US law enforcement to avoid investigating the Saudis , soon after the Bush administration seized power in January, 2001.

"After the elections, the agencies were told to 'back off' investigating the Bin Ladens and Saudi royals, and that angered agents." -Greg Palast, BBC Newsnight, November 6, 2001

The evidence of government malfeasance around the 9/11 attacks is not theoretical. The Joint Inquiry implicates Saudi agents who aided several of the named hijackers inside the US. They are Omar al Bayoumi, Osama Bassnan, Shaykh al-Thumairy, Saleh al-Hussayen, and Abdullah bin Laden, the brother of Osama! Prince Bandar bin Sultan, "Bandar Bush," is also named throughout the report and supplied money to those named individuals. Further redactions plague the current version of the Joint Inquiry report, which could potentially implicate others.

They all walked free, while 2,996 civilians perished in the attacks and another 6,000 were wounded. Over 4,000 first responders have contracted cancer since, due to the toxic environment of the aftermath.

The 28 pages are a starting point, not the end. In 2005 (three years later), the CIA Inspector General, under pressure, released another damning report :

"[Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Midhar] were among the hijackers of 9/11, were known by the [CIA] in early January 2000 to have traveled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to participate in a meeting of suspected terrorists... In January 2000, CTC officers received information that one of these suspected terrorists had a US visa; in March 2000, these officers had information that the other had flown from Bangcock to Los Angeles. In the period January through Mrach 2000, some 50 to 60 individuals read one or more of six Agency cables containing travel information related to these terrorists. (emphasis added)" -CIA Office of Inspector General Report, 2005, page xiii/xiv

The controversy concerns what the CIA prefers to call "information sharing" (with FBI), but the Counterterrorism Advisor to the White House, Richard Clarke , has described this as CIA deliberately hiding vital information from his office and from the FBI.

"Unless someone intervened to stop the normal automatic distribution, I would automatically get it" There was not a lack of information sharing. They told us everything -- except this. (emphasis added)"

-Richard Clarke, Terror "Czar," 1992-2003

Clarke was the highest counterterrorism official in America on 9/11. When he accused George Tenet of hiding the terrorists from him and his staff the corporate media went silent, rather than investigating these leads. The CIA denied everything and still clings to its mistakes-were-made story. The CIA's official "incompetence" story has all the key incompetents promoted rather than fired.

Several FBI agents desperate to prevent 9/11 also had direct dealings with CIA operatives . An FBI liason to the CIA's Counter-Terrorism Center (CTC), Doug Miller, drafted a memo to alert the FBI about Hazmi and Midhar coming to America, but a CIA superior blocked that cable from ever being sent.

"You follow terrorists halfway around the God damned globe. You find out they have visas on their passport, and you don't tell the FBI?"

-FBI Agent Mark Rossini

Beyond the CIA's obstruction of justice and arguably aiding and abetting terrorists--which would be Treason--the NSA also prevented its surveillance of Al Qaeda phone calls from ever reaching the US FBI agents on the case.

"Between 2000 and 2001, as many as twenty calls were made between Hazmi and Midhar and a known Al Qaeda number in Yemen. The NSA never distributed this information to the FBI." -Author Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker

Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
An earthquake rocked Mexico late Thursday night, according to news reports. Dozens of people are reported dead, and that total may rise.

As the Post notes:

A powerful 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mexico late Thursday, killing at least 32 people and setting off tsunami warnings along the Pacific coast. President Enrique Pena Nieto called it the biggest quake in 100 years, even larger than the devastating 1985 temblor in Mexico City that killed thousands. He said 1 million people lost power, but electricity was soon restored for most of them. Details on damage from remote areas were not immediately clear, raising the possibility that the death toll could rise.

It was not wholly obvious which parts of the country were most stricken by the upheaval. An estimated fifty million people felt the tremors, which rocked Mexico. It is estimated to be the most powerful quake since September 1985, when a seismic event killed approximately 9,500 people around Mexico City.

According to CNN:

This one hit late Thursday, when many people were asleep. The states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, home to about 9 million people, are located closest to the earthquakes epicenter. They are two of the most impoverished areas in Mexico, and were likely hit the hardest. Twenty-three people were killed in Oaxaca state, Gov. Alejandro Murat and the Foreign Ministry told CNN. Seven others died in Chiapas state and two died in Tabasco, local and federal officials said.



Experts reported that casualties and property damage would be extensive, including nearly two million homes without electricity after the initial aftershocks. The United States Geological Survey stated that the quake had a depth of forty-three miles. The event caused a tsunami wave about three feet high. The national security services were immediately activated.

Per the Times:

After the 1985 disaster, construction codes were reviewed and stiffened. Today, Mexicos construction laws are considered as strict as those in the United States or Japan. After the quake hit, people in Mexico City streamed out of their homes in the dark, wearing nightclothes, standing amid apartment buildings, cafes and bars in upscale neighborhoods and dense warrens of the citys working-class communities. In the Condesa area, neighbors watched in awe as power lines swayed alongside trees and buildings. In several neighborhoods, the power went out, though it was restored within an hour, at least in the wealthier parts of the capital.

At the time of publishing, no additional aftershocks had been reported.
Sometimes when you follow politicsand especially when you follow politics in 2017a moment arises when it suddenly feels like youve entered a bizarro universe where nothing that seemed like conventional wisdom just a few days ago makes sense anymore and youre the only one that remembers what the previous, normal universe was like. It feels a little like one such disconcerting moment is upon us right now, as it has only been a month since a violent right-wing white supremacistthe very type that has become increasingly emboldened since the election of Donald Trumpmurdered an anti-fascist protester, Heather Heyer, and injured dozens of others following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Yet, somehow, the current media narrative appears to be hyper-focused on left-wing violence?

Seriously?

Its been less than a month since Donald Trump, the Fox News Grandpa President, infamously stood at a podium in his gold-plated hotel and decried political violence on many sides. Trump wasvery rightfullysavaged by the press, by liberals, Democrats, leftists; even a few Republicans, not normally known for their unflinching moral principles, deigned to condemn his remarks with a slightly more forceful tone than their typical Aw shucks tepid distancing. For once, it was something we could all agree on. There is no equivalence between these two sides. It felt like we had turned a corner. Yet, amazingly, everyone from Nancy Pelosi to Vox to the Washington Post to the Daily Show seems to be falling over themselves to say, Actually, Trump was right. There is an equivalence between the two sides. Why are they doing this? What is wrong with them?

The impetus for this current conversation stems from this short clip of a violent scuffle in Berkeley shared by journalist Shane Bauer, by far the most widely shared piece of reporting he did that day; an incomplete picture of an ugly moment which was one part of a much larger context that was instantly disregarded. The rest of the reporting from that day told a larger story about many thousands of people successfully protesting against the forces of white supremacy and fascism, standing up for victims of oppression and sending a clear message that hate and xenophobia had no place in their community.

Yet the conversation that seems to have subsequently emerged is devoted largely to discussing a five second clip showing the tail end of a violent skirmish. Its understandable that the right will elevate incidents like that in order to suggest that they are the true victims of violence and oppression. Re-framing the debate in this way and constantly keeping their ideological opponents on the defensive is what they do. But liberals cant seem to help themselves from taking the bait time and time again. What was true tthenagain, we all seemed to be in agreement about thisremains true today: there is no equivocation between these two sides, and to attempt to make that case is repugnant.

Heres the reality about right wing violence. Setting aside incidents like the Oklahoma City terrorist attack or the 2012 attack on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin or the more recent Charleston Church shooting, or even Charlottesville, in 2017 alone right wing extremists have been responsible for dozens of murders and violent attacks. There was the fatal, unprovoked stabbing of student Richard Collins III in Maryland. The man who traveled to New York specifically to kill black men, and stabbed a homeless man to death. The horrifying double murder on a Portland commuter train. The man who shouted racial epithets at and then shot two Indian men, killing one, in Kansas City. The racially-motivated shooting of a Sikh man in Kent, Washington. The shooting of a protester by a couple of Milo Yiannopoulos supporters outside an event in Seattle. The mass shooting of six Muslims at a Quebec City mosque.

These are just a few of the most high-profile of such incidents. On average this year, nine mosques across America are being targeted by right-wing arsonists and vandals per month. If there was a left-wing equivalent to any of these terrible incidents, certainly it would be newsworthy to elevate and discuss them. But there simply arent. And we should not be talking about black clad, stick-wielding left wing protesterswho, agree or not with their methods, recognize the threat fascism poses to all of usas if they represent another side of the same coin. It was wrong when Trump did it in the hours and days following Charlottesville, and it remains wrong today.

No one wants to see violent clashes on the streets in America or anywhere else. Its scary. But when neo-nazis, white supremacists and their allies on the right organize in the streets, espousing an inherently violent and dangerous ideology, spreading a message of hate and terrorizing immigrants, people of color, or other marginalized communities, its as inevitable as the law of relativity that theyll eventually face a militant opposition. Especially when the state seems to go out of its way to sanction and protect their particular form of speech, while violently cracking down on others. This is all simply a sad reality of the world weve created for ourselves.

Of course we can all agree that peaceful, nonviolent, mass oppositionwhich is really what weve seen in the incredibly inspiring demonstrations in Boston and Berkeleyis the ideal way to confront these toxic, violent right wing groups. But instead of spending time elevating, equivocating, and condemning the people who in many cases lately have been the only ones standing between the vulnerable and those that mean to do them real harm, perhaps that energy could be better spent on actually confronting the oppressive forces of white supremacy and fascism in a meaningful way.
Thomas Muehloecker Among Players Eyeing Triple COOP Title at PokerStars

September 11, 2017 Valerie Cross

Last week, Chile's Nicolas Yunis pulled off a rare feat in poker by completing the "Triple COOP" when he added a WCOOP victory to his SCOOP and TCOOP titles on PokerStars. With plenty more tournaments left in this year's WCOOP schedule, a handful of other players are trying to reach the same milestone, which only six players have been able to accomplish to date.

History of Triple COOP

The Triple COOP title didn't really exist until 2014 when Canadian poker pro Shawn Buchanan, going by the handle "buck21", became the first player to complete it. Buchanan already had a WCOOP title from 2007 and two SCOOP titles from 2012 and 2013 when he took down an $82 buy-in TCOOP Razz event in January 2014 to become the first to claim the Triple COOP.

Australia's James "Andy McLEOD" Obst, who was chasing the Triple COOP in the same series, reached the achievement just two days after Buchanan with his win in the $215 TCOOP HORSE event.

After two Triple COOP winners within two days of each other, it would take another two years before a third would join the club. Rui "RuiNF" Ferreira would become the third Triple COOP member and he did so by winning a $215 NLH 6-Max TCOOP event on Jan. 29, 2016.

The fourth member came in the next series, 2016 SCOOP, and it was Uruguay's Fabrizio "SixthSenSe19" Gonzalez. Gonzalez won a $215 Stud tournament to complete the Triple COOP. Well-known Canadian pro Mike "goleafsgoeh" Leah became the fifth Triple COOP winner when he took down the $82 No-Limit Draw 2-7 in this year's TCOOP.

Nicolas Yunis Joins the Elite

Last week, on Day 5 of WCOOP, Nicholas "chilenocl" Yunis captured his first WCOOP title by winning the $1,050 6-Max Shootout to become the sixth Triple COOP winner. In the event, Yunis beat out a field of 216 players and outlasted a final table that included Thiago Grigoletti and Ole Schemion to win $47,520 and the elusive Triple COOP title.

PokerStars got a chance to hear from Yunis before the series as one of a handful of players going in with a chance to complete the triple. Yunis in some sense "called his shot" beforehand by telling PokerStars that he felt his best chance for a title in this series was in, you guessed it, the $1,050 6-Max Shootout.

Yunis said of his 2016 SCOOP win from the $2,000 6-Max Shootout, "It is perhaps my biggest feat in my poker career and I am very excited to possibly add another prestigious title in the same format!"

Apparently, that excitement paid off, and Yunis was able to close out the tournament he felt he had the best chance of winning to join the elite group of Triple COOP winners.

Who is Next?

Many other players are also Triple COOP hunting in this year's WCOOP, racing to be the next to join the exclusive bunch.

One of them is Austria's Thomas Muehloecker, whose 2015 SCOOP and 2017 TCOOP titles were worth more than $335,000. Like Yunis, Muehloecker told PokerStars he thought his best shot at a title in this series was in the 6-Max Shootout that Yunis ultimately took down.

However, he still has plenty of chances left with two more weeks of events on the WCOOP schedule, and at the beginning of the series Mueloecker said he was "mostly looking forward to the value tournaments like the $2,000 Sunday Million, big Super Tuesdays, or the Main Event."

Hungary's "MarkBang", United Kingdom's Billy "b8chatz" Chattaway, and Brazil's "Ninototoroko" are also looking to complete the Triple COOP by adding a WCOOP title this year, and they shared their thoughts before the series with PokerStars.

"MarkBang" said he thinks his best shot at a title in this WCOOP is in non-Hold'em formats with smaller fields and he likes all the Progressive Knock-Out tournaments.

Chattaway said he was coming into the series fresh off a holiday, ready to grind. He said he thought his best chance for a title would be in a heads-up or 6-Max Shootout format. He also shared that in WCOOP two years ago, he managed to satellite into a $10,000 High Roller event from a $109 hyperturbo satellite, eventually converting that into a fourth-place finish worth over $250,000.

While he had already had some online tournament success, having won SCOOP and TCOOP titles earlier that year for over $70,000, Chattaway said that converting the $109 into a quarter million dollars "ultimately has changed my life." He encourages others to try out some of the many great satellites on PokerStars to get into bigger buy-in events.

"Ninototoroko" shared with PokerStars that he will be playing in the series as his time allows. He also shared, "I feel like I'm a 'dinosaur' at 53-years-old playing against young and aggressive players," but he likes his chances in Pot-Limit Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo. He also looks forward to the Main Event. His advice for WCOOP success is to play as many different games as possible and be patient and persistent.

Billy Chattaway

Tips for WCOOP Success

When asked of tips for WCOOP success, many of these players suggested the importance of getting consistent rest and only playing when you feel up to it. The newest Triple COOP member, Yunis, agreed.

"My tip to other players would be to only play poker when you want to play. Make sure you have balance in your life: take care of your health and others first. It is much easier as a healthy and happy person to make clearer, more confident and thus better decisions at the poker table!"
Learning what the "New Rules" are? Pay attention to Dua Lipa.

One of my best girlfriends texted me the other night with a screen shot of Dua Lipa's new rules playing on her Spotify. "Have you heard this?!" she asked, praising the song and the accompanying music video. I had seem the album art on my Spotify Discover a few times, but always passed over it in favor of my recent obsession with Halsey's Hopeless Fountain Kingdom. I happened to be home cooking dinner, so I searched the music video on my Apple TV and needless to say a Dua Lipa dance party ensued.

My first impression of Dua Lipa's new rules is that it perfectly fits the aesthetic for pop at the moment but does the norm exceptionally well. Her entire vibe captures the modern millennial girl incredibly well. In the video, a group of naturally beautiful, diverse girls literally lean on each other while Dua Lipa professes her "New Rules."

"One, don't pick up the phone

You know he's only calling 'cause he's drunk and alone

Two, don't let him in

You have to kick him out again

Three, don't be his friend

You know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning

And if you're under him

You ain't getting over him"

Dua Lipa "New Rules" (Billboard)

Any twenty-something year old you ask about this song, I can guarantee that it's too relatable. Very rarely are artists as bold and as honest as Dua Lipa when she says, "and if you're under him you ain't getting over him." Once I fell in love with "New Rules," it set me on a Dua Lipa binge-fest, shocked I had overlooked the artist before. I learned that Dua Lipa grew up in a musical household, her father being a Albanian musician. She grew up mainly in London and attended theatre school. Her family briefly moved back to Kosovo in 2008, but Dua moved back to London at age 15 to begin her career in music and modeling.

The Cut

Dua Lipa started to work on her debut album with Warner Music Group in 2015 and has since then released a handful of chart-topping hits internationally. She has seen most of her success in the UK, the US, and New Zealand. Her music has been described as "dark pop," and has gained much momentum in just two years. She's opened for Coldplay, Bruno Mars, and Troye Sivian and has also headlined several of her own tours. She doesn't seem to be slowing down either making Dua Lipa one to watch especially if you're in need of a new female empowerment jam.



Watch the full "New Rules" music video here.

Follow Dua Lipa on Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Anie Delgado is a contributor to Popdust and is an actress and musician based in NYC. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @anie_delgado and on Facebook and check out her music on Spotify.


PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-12 00:06:13

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 664 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

The market for aerospace bearings is heavily driven by the increased demand for aircraft deliveries. Air traffic is growing in developed as well as developing nations which is leading to enhanced demand for more aircrafts. This has led aircraft manufacturers as well as aircraft engine manufacturers to procure bearings at a faster rate than before. Moreover, the need to modernize the older aircrafts with new, reliable, and latest technologies is also encouraging manufacturers to upgrade the older aircrafts with advanced bearing, which in turn is fueling the market for aerospace bearing.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27398 The growth of aerospace bearings market is affected by the steep cost of raw materials. Engineered plastic, stainless steel, and alloys are extremely costly due to their various capabilities which increase the cost of the products. This in turn is increasing the cost of the final bearing which is limiting aircraft manufacturers and aircraft engine manufacturers from procuring these advanced material bearings, thus restraining the growth of the bearings market in the aerospace industry. Moreover, maintenance of these bearings is also high which is another factor negatively impacting the market for aerospace bearing.The market for aerospace bearing is estimated to witness significant growth over the years due to the increased use of fiber reinforced composites bearings. These bearings are capable of carrying heavy loads and are self-actuating, which is increasing the interest among bearing manufacturers. Owing to the capability of carrying heavier loads compared to stainless steel and aluminum alloys bearing, aircraft manufacturers and aircraft engine manufacturers are heavily procuring fiber reinforced composites. This move by manufactures of aircrafts as well as aircraft engines is anticipated to boost the market for aerospace bearing.The market for aerospace bearing is segmented on basis of product types, application, material, aircrafts, and geography. The various types of aerospace bearing includes roller, ball bearing and others. The different roller bearing includes cylindrical roller bearing, needle roller bearing, tapered roller bearing, and self-actuating roller bearing. Among the different types of roller bearing, the cylindrical roller bearing is the most widely used bearing in the aerospace bearing market. The roller bearing captured the market and is anticipated to surge over the period at a faster rate due to varied application in the aerospace industry.Based on application, the market for aerospace bearing is categorized as aerostructure, flight control surfaces, engine, landing gear and others. Rapid growth in air traffic across the globe has increased the demand for latest aircraft engines which in turn has increased the requirement for bearings among the engine manufacturers. Owing to this fact, the engine segment held the largest market share and is estimated to retain its dominance. The materials used to manufacture bearings for aerospace industry includes stainless steel, fiber reinforced composites, metal backed, aluminum alloys, engineered plastics and others. The stainless steel segment held the largest share due to the capability of sustaining any condition or temperature. However, fiber reinforced composites are capable of carrying heavy load and are self-lubricating. Owing to this capability, manufacturers are increasingly opting for fiber reinforced composite bearing for the aerospace industry. The various types of aircraft operating in the aerospace industry are narrow body aircrafts, wide body aircrafts, very large body aircrafts, fighter jets, business jets, and helicopters. Geographically, the market for aerospace bearings is segmented on basis of five strategic regions globally, namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. The market for aerospace bearings is dominated by North America followed by Europe.The top players operating in the market for aerospace bearing are AST Bearing LLC (U.S), JTEKT Corporation (Japan), SKF Group (U.S), GGB Bearing Technology (France), RBC Bearing Inc. (U.S), NSK Ltd. (Japan), The Timken Company (U.S), Aurora Bearing Company (U.S), National Bearing Precision (U.S), and NTN Corporation (Japan).Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27398
The agricultural robots are known as Agbots. With the constant technological evolutions in the technologies going on worldwide the applications, equipment, machines are developed for the farmers for improvising the productivity of the farms.

persistencemarketresearch

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 12:23:10

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Huma Sayyed

Analyst

800-961-0353

email

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/



Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 772 Words

305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.comAnalyst800-961-0353Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Agricultural Robots Market: Market OverviewThe agricultural robots are known as Agbots. With the constant technological evolutions in the technologies going on worldwide the applications, equipment, machines are developed for the farmers for improvising the productivity of the farms. The farmers are deploying the agricultural robots for the various functions based on the configuration of the robots which include cloud seeding, fruits picking robots, weed control, harvesting, environmental monitoring, planting seeds, and soil analysis. Such types of applications are easily carries out with the help of agricultural robots. Majorly agricultural robots are deployed in the harvesting stage of the farming. Also, farmers are also deploying the agbots primarily for reducing the human efforts. The human efforts are significantly reduced with an effective and efficient way by the deployment of the agbots in the farming, by reduction of the functions such as driverless sprayer/ tractor, and sheep shearing purpose also deployed for the horticultural tasks such as weeding, pruning, monitoring, and spraying.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/17608 In past few years, the trend agricultural trends are evolved based on the simultaneous introduction of the technologies in the agricultural processes. The manufacturers are focusing on delivering agricultural robots in different types based on the end use of them in agricultural applications.For examples, livestock robotics is used by farmers for livestock management. The applications for such robots includes washing of animals, automatic milking, and castrating.Agricultural Robots Market: Drivers and RestraintsDay by day the amount of agricultural, harvesting lands available for crops yielding is reducing drastically due to rapid industrialization, increasing infrastructural projects, etc. which is directly responsible for the food supply shortage worldwide. Hence, today's farmers, milkman's, etc. are strongly attracted to the equipment, machinery to earn more output from the available land and animals with them, with the applications of the agricultural robots the farmers can get more output at the faster rate than manual farming in traditional ways. This is a major driving factor for the Agbots. The demand for the agricultural robots is also primarily driven by the fact that it reduced human efforts significantly which automatically results in the labour cost reduction required in the farming functions. The prime factor responsible for increasing the deployment of the agricultural products in the coming years is the increasing demand for precision agriculture and need for real time data which helps in decision making. On the other hand, the major challenge for the growth of the agricultural robots market is the higher cost of these robots. Also, the farmers in developing countries are not aware of such applications of the robots hence follows traditional methods in farming.Global Agricultural Robots Market: Market SegmentationGlobal Agricultural Robots Market can be divided into three segments, based on Robot Type, Application, and region.Segmentation on basis of Type in Agricultural Robots market:The segments in Agricultural Robots market by type include:Driverless TractorsDrones/ Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)Milking RobotsAutomated Harvesting SystemsSpraying RobotsOther RobotsSegmentation on basis of Application for Agricultural Robots Market:The major segments of Agricultural Robots market on basis of application include:Soil Management RobotsHarvesting Management RobotsField Mapping RobotsDairy Farm Management RobotsIrrigation Management RobotsSpraying RobotsPruning Management RobotsWeather Tracking and ForecastingAgricultural Inventory ManagementOthersGlobal Agricultural Robots: Regional OutlookThe global Agricultural Robots market is divided into seven regions as North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East and Africa. Among the given regions, North America region is leading the global market for Agricultural Robots due to the higher presence of Agricultural Robots vendors in this region. The growth of the agricultural robots market Western Europe region, Eastern Europe region follows the North America due to the presence of manufacturers, retailers, etc. in this region. The developing regions such as APEJ and Japan are predicted to grow at the highest CAGR owing to the presence of higher farming land, and government in the countries such as India and China are more focused on increasing food production of the countries due to higher population. The agricultural robotic market in MEA region is expected to grow at moderate CAGR.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/17608 Global Agricultural Robots: Competitive LandscapeKey PlayersSome of the key vendors of the agricultural robots include ASIMOV Robotics, AGCO Corporation, International Federation of Robotics, Harvest automation, IFR (Israeli Robotics Association), BARA (British Automation & Robot Association), etc. These players are consistently focused on developing new and advanced robots for the agricultural applications.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 08:42:12

Press Information

Transparency Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207



Rohit Bhisey

Head Of Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/allergic-asthma-treatment-market.html





# 766 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207Head Of Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Substances which cause allergy are known as allergen, and asthma caused by allergen is termed as allergic asthma. Allergic reactions are caused by allergens because the body immune system considers allergens as foreign material which are harmful for the body. The body immune system responds by discharging an element called IgE (immunoglobulin E). Excessive IgE can prompt inflammation of airways in the lungs. This makes breathing difficult and it triggers an asthmatic attack. Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways of the lungs and is identified by various symptoms such as pulmonary airway obstruction and bronchospasm. Asthma also exhibits other symptoms which includes wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Asthma is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some of the environmental factors includes contact of air pollution and allergens. Symptoms of asthma can be reduced by avoiding contact with irritants and allergens. In an asthma patient, the pulmonary airway muscle get inflamed, which causes asthmatic symptoms such as airway obstruction and bronchospasm. Asthmatic symptoms can also develop in healthy people during exercise and physical activities, and this condition is known as exercise-induced asthma (EIA). Patients with a family history of allergies and asthma are more likely to develop asthma.According to research, there is no treatment or cure for asthma; but it can be controlled by early treatment. Medicines used in the treatment of asthma includes long acting beta-agonists, corticosteroids, leukotriene modifiers, and anti-inflammatory agents. In patients with asthma there is very high chance to develop other infections such as influenza and pneumonia, and hence they are vaccinated annually. Symptoms like asthma mimics have seen in disease host such as in children. However, diagnosis and treatment of asthma in children is still challenging. Asthma related mortalities in children are mainly prevented by awareness, education, and timely treatment. Hence rising awareness about asthma treatment in children is a significant opportunity for drug manufacturers. A globally rising patient base with various types of allergies, environment pollution, and changed lifestyles are the key drivers for the growth of the allergic asthma treatment market. However, high cost of immunotherapy for allergy treatment and high risk of side effects are the major restraints for the growth of the allergic asthma market.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/allergic-asthma-treatment-market.html The global market of allergic asthma treatment is segmented based on drug class, route of administration, end user, type of device, and geographical region. On the basis of drug type, the allergic asthma treatment market is categorized as anti-inflammatory drugs, and other drugs. On the basis of route of administration, it is categorized as oral, parenteral, inhaler, and other routes. Based on end user, the market is categorized as hospitals pharmacy, retail pharmacy, e pharmacy, and others.On the basis of region, the global allergic asthma treatment market is categorized broadly into four regions - North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. North America is the most dominating country at the global level because of rising incidence rate of asthma and also due to advancement in research and development in this field. The market in Asia Pacific is also expanding at a good rate, with China and India the fastest growing countries in this region. Rising awareness and technical developments in health care are inspiring people to opt for modern treatment procedures to treat allergic asthma. This is anticipated to boost the growth of the allergic asthma treatment market.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28313 Global players in the allergic asthma treatment market includes Pfizer, Portola Pharmaceuticals, Panacea Biotec, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Genentech, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Infinity Pharmaceuticals, ASKA Pharmaceutical, and Trident Pharmaceuticals.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 Us:-Transparency Market Research 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 are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who 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.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 20:59:00

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 760 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

V2X means vehicle-to-everything. Automotive V2X antennas are used by vehicles so that they can communicate better with the outside world. Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) is a type of V2X technology where exchange of information and data occurs bi-directionally between a vehicle and infrastructures during the journey to make travel secure for passengers. V2I communication is exchange of traffic data and information between a vehicle and traffic signal systems, radio frequency identification (RFID) readers, signage and parking meters, streetlights, lane markers, traffic lights and cameras among others. V2I sensors capture data and transfer it over an ad-hoc network using a dedicated short range communications (DSRC) frequencies.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27341 Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) like V2I is another V2X technology that wireless exchange information and data bi-directionally between vehicles. V2V uses ad-hoc networks for communication. Generally ad-hoc networks are classified into two classes: mobile and static. Mobile communication is the most important technology for V2X communication. In static ad-hoc networks, mobile devices communicate with the base station systems (BTSs) that are fixed to network infrastructure. This ad-hoc network is commonly known as MANETs (Mobile Ad-hoc Networks). In mobile ad-hoc networks, the nodes are not fixed but move from one location to another just like vehicles moves from one place to another. V2V technology uses a mobile ad-hoc network known as vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs). VANETs are a variation of MANNETs. In the U.S., the V2V standard is known as wireless access for vehicular environments (WAVE).Vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) is information transmitted to a vehicle about a pedestrian to increase passenger, bicyclists, pedestrian, and other non-vehicle occupants safety. V2P warning systems can be installed inside the vehicles such as forward collision warning and blind spot warning which are collectively known as automatic or autonomous emergency braking systems.Vehicle-to-device (V2D) is an information transfer between a vehicle and electronic device. The electronic device may be connected to the vehicle itself. As importance of passenger and road safety is increasing vehicles are connected to mobiles for safer and better driving experiences. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) is a system used by hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and electric vehicles to communicate with power distribution grids by returning excess electricity to grid or charging the battery as per requirement. Automotive V2X antenna market is classified into vehicle-to-grid (V2G), vehicle-to-device (V2D), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V). By vehicle type, the market is segmented into petrol/diesel vehicles and electric vehicles.By geography, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Latin America. North America is a major V2X market. The U.S is the largest V2X market in the region. Canada and Mexico are other major markets in this region. Europe is one of the largest V2X markets dominated by Germany. The U.K, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden and Netherlands are major markets in this region. Asia Pacific is a significant V2X market. China is anticipated to be the largest market in this region. Japan, South Korea, India, and Australia are other major markets in this region. Middle East & Africa and Latin America are other V2X markets, led by Iran, Turkey, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina.Rising safety concern is the major factor driving the adoption of V2X technologies by automotive manufacturers across the world. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) of the U.S has asked automotive manufacturers in the U.S. to install automatic or autonomous emergency braking (AEB) in all cars and light vehicle trucks by model year 2022 and 2025 respectively. This is anticipated to increase the adoption of V2X technology in the U.S.The report highlights the various competitive strategies adopted by key players operating in the market to gain market share. Company profiles include company details, market presence by geography and segments, strategic overview, SWOT analysis, and historical revenue. The report also contains details of market share analysis of key players in the market. Some of the major firms operating in the V2X market are Harada Industry Co. Ltd. (Japan), Yokowo Co. Ltd (Japan), Laird PLC (the U.K), Hirschmann Car Communication GmbH (Germany), Ethertronics Inc. (the U.S), KATHREIN Automotive GmbH (Germany), Amphenol (the U.S), Antenova Ltd (the U.K), Antonics-ICP GmbH (Germany)and Autotalks Ltd. (Israel).Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27341
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 12:00:16

Press Information





Published by

ACCESSWIRE News Network

888.952.4446

e-mail

http://www.accesswire.com







# 394 Words

ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Banyan Gold Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Calgary, Alberta (FSCWire) - Banyan Gold Corp. (TSX Venture:BYN). has issued a press release with the following headline:Banyan Confirms Broad Near Surface Gold Mineralization Drilling 22.1 metres of 1.4 g/t Gold at Aurex-McQuestenTo 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 Banyan Gold Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Banyan Gold Corp.Source: Banyan Gold Corp. (TSX Venture: BYN)Date: September 11, 2017Time: 6:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Banyan Gold Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 20:54:56

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 683 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Demand for energy conservation is increasing and considering the depleting level of energy resources, numerous companies emphasize on efficient energy consumption techniques. Rising population coupled with increasing industrial activities are likely to raise the demand for battery energy storage systems during the forecast period. Battery energy storage systems have been increasingly utilized in the production of renewable energy sources such as solar cell, wind turbine. The battery energy storage system market has expanded considerably in recent years due to increasing demand for renewable energy sources. Some important applications of battery energy storage systems include electrification of grid and this requires large amount of renewable energy resources, thus contributing to the consistent increase in demand for battery energy storage system. Gradual advancement in energy storage technology leads to significant cost reduction and enhances the efficiency of battery energy storage system. This, in turn, is likely to boost its demand in the market during the forecast period.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27305 Battery energy storage system requires substantial amount of space and infrastructure set up. The considerable installation cost and complexity in regulation for setting up proper infrastructure is estimated to restrain the potential growth prospect of the battery energy storage system market during the forecast period. During round trip inefficiencies considerable amount of energy is lost and this factors hinder the expansion potential of the market.A battery energy storage system allows integration of renewable energy and fossil fuel sources. This system utilizes intermittent energy, which is projected to offer a growth opportunity for the market during the forecast period. Rural electrification has been a major agenda of the government and in emerging economies such as China and India this issue gets substantial government support. Battery energy storage systems have been majorly used in areas where grid power is very weak. Increasing application of renewable sources is estimated to propel the battery energy storage system market during the forecast period.In terms of connection type, the battery energy storage system market can be segmented into On-grid and Off-grid. The battery energy storage system is a new method of generating and distributing power energy. Considering the present trend of using significant amount of renewable energy, the on-grid battery energy storage system segment held considerable share of the market, as this system install substantial storage capacity and gets legal support for required infrastructure. Off-grid battery energy storage systems are majorly demanded by countries in the sunbelt regions where solar radiation is very high. Off-grid battery energy storage systems have been increasingly deployed in remote areas where electrification and efficient usage of renewable resources is a challenge.In terms of application, the battery energy storage system market can be segmented into residential, transportation, non-residential, utility, and others. The transportation application segment held dominant share of the market due to increasing utilization of batteries in battery driven cars and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Different types of batteries such as lithium ion, Li-Ion polymer find maximum application in different types of vehicles. These lithium-ion based batteries are lightweight and are highly energy efficient, and thus, these factors boost the demand for battery energy storage systems in vehicles The residential segment is projected to expand rapidly during the forecast period due to government initiatives for supplying electricity to every single house. Increasing usage of solar power plants, wind energy in these batteries are also likely to drive the demand for battery energy storage system in the market during the forecast period.In terms of region, the battery energy storage system market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Asia Pacific held a prominent share of the market due to the rise in number of housing units in the region, latest trend of using renewable energy, and significant number of industrial belts.Key player operating in the global battery energy storage system market include ABB Ltd., General Electric Co., Tesla Motors Ltd, and Siemens AG.Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27305
Persistence Market Research

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 11:57:58

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

Contact Us





Persistence Market Research



305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Shahir Bansode

Digital Marketing Executive

800-961-0353

email

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 551 Words

Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.comDigital Marketing Executive800-961-0353Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

This is approximately 60 percent of daily recommended saturated fat intake for humans. As per American Heart Associations recommendations the intake of saturated fats in foods should be less. Saturated fat intake can affect human health due to increase in cholesterol levels, leading to an increased risk of heart disease. While it is high in saturated fat content, the coconut oil also contains heart-healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that are important for brain function and overall growth and development.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/17233 Coconut Oil Market: SegmentationThe coconut oil market can be segmented into applications, packaging, product type, and distribution channel. Coconut oil market finds applications in food, household detergents, metalworking fluids, paints and coatings, soaps, textile chemicals, plastic industry and pharmaceuticals and cosmetic industry. On the basis of packaging, the coconut oil market is divided into steel drums, flexi tanks/iso tanks, carboys, plastic bottles, squeeze tubes, glass jars, and pails. On the basis product type, the coconut oil market is segmented as distilled, partially hydrogenated, fully hydrogenated, low white or low whole products. On the basis distribution channels, the coconut oil market is segmented as manufacturers, super stockist, wholesalers, retailers, online retailers and convenience stores.Coconut Oil Market: Regional OutlookAsia is the largest user of coconut oil owing to the presence of tropical regions, and coconut production being a good pastime. Coconut oil is majorly produced in countries like India, Indonesia, and Philippines. But the coconut oil market has gone up even in countries like the USA. There has been an exponential demand for coconut oil because of its multiple health benefits from the years 2006-2014. Also, there has been an increase in demand for the coconut oil from Europe since the year 2016. The Philippines has stated that the coconut oil demand rose from Europe as compared to the past decade.Coconut oil Market: Drivers, Restraints, and TrendsCoconut oil market is driven by increasing application in as an ingredient in consmetic industry. The coconut oil is not only used as a cosmetic and an enhancement in beauty care but also has nutritional and health benefits. For women opting for shampoos, hair oils, conditioners, sunscreen, and serum- coconut oil has a solution for all these problems as proven by dermatologists.Increasing health benefits are also driving the coconut oil market over the forecast period. It is emerging as a better option for cardiovascular patients because, due to its unsaturated fatty acid content, it lowers heart attack risk for these patients. Besides, coconut oil production is low in regions such as Europe and USA whereas the demand increases, and due to less available resources, the price for this product also goes on increasing and hence, coconut oil makes is desirable for investors.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/17233 Coconut Oil Market: Key PlayersSome of the key manufacturers in the coconut oil market are: Parachute, A.B. Enterprises, PT MANGGA DUA, Flower Song Fine Chemical Co Ltd., EPS IMPEX CO., J.K.International, Irmal Middle East, PT General Laju, ADP Southeast Orient Corporation, Shanghai Asia Co.Ltd . And Libra Bioscience Pvt. Ltd. The key stakeholder play a pivotal role and dominate the market by effective development of market strategies.
Were a team of 50+ full-time and 200+ part-time analysts who have proven record in business intelligence and consulting. Weve expertise across various industry verticals including Aerospace & Defence, Agriculture, Automotive & Transportation, Chemicals & Advanced Materials, Food & Beverages and Healthcare.

Global Market Estimates Research & Business Consultants

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 19:12:39

Press Information

Global Market Estimates Research & Business Consultants

A-9, Silver Croft CHSL, Mumbai, India



Ms. Liza Dsouza

Team Lead - Research & Business Consultant

9146632316

email

http://www.globalmarketestimates.com



Published by

YASH JAIN

9146632316

e-mail

https://www.globalmarketestimates.com/







# 843 Words

A-9, Silver Croft CHSL, Mumbai, IndiaTeam Lead - Research & Business Consultant9146632316YASH JAIN9146632316

COMBAT SEARCH & RESCUE (CSAR) HELICOPTERS MARKET ANALYSIS  BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE REPORT  FORECASTS TO 2021 By End Use (Military Land, Military Sea), Engine Type (Single, Twin), Form Factor (Light, Medium, Heavy), Technology, and RegionRequest a sample of the report @: http://bit.ly/2xGcB0t The world economic crisis had caused a sharp order decline in the civil market for light helicopters. However, the rise in military demand had compensated for this loss. Major players in the aerospace and defense market anticipate helicopters to be the fastest growing sector for the global military aerospace market. Also, the importance of search and rescue operations along with medical evacuation practices has seen a rise in recent years leading to further increase the procurement of helicopters. Greater need to protect men and material, changing nature of warfare, technological evolution are among the major factors driving the growth for CSAR helicopters market.Next-generation helicopter avionics control display unit, Integration of self-protection systems, Self-sealing fuel tanks, Installation of a new terminal information systems in combat search & rescue helicopters, are among the leading technologies which have evolved over the years.The Military Land segmented is estimated to hold the lions share in 2016This market research on global combat search and rescue helicopters has been segmented based on its end use into military sea and military land. The military land sub-segment comprises both, air force & army and is expected to account for the largest share of the global combat search and rescue helicopters market in 2016. On the other hand, the military sea combat search and rescue helicopters perform various activities simultaneously like performing medical evacuation, transporting relief supplies into disaster areas, moving supplies ship-to-ship, ground support, search and rescue, clearing mines, combat operations among others. These helicopters are airborne platforms based thereby extending the range of ships radar capabilities.The twin engine type combat search & rescue helicopters is projected to dominate the market by 2021The global combat search and rescue helicopters market analysis has been segmented based on its engine type into single engine and twin engine. The twin engine type combat search and rescue helicopters are expected to account for the largest share of the global combat search and rescue helicopters market in 2016. The twin and single-engine helicopters offer practically the same degree of safety. Evidence shows that 95% of the causes of helicopter accidents (ground impacts, power line collisions, etc.) have nothing to do with whether the aircraft was a twin or single-engine model. It is only amongst the remaining 5%, which includes accidents caused by equipment failure not due to maintenance faults that the single-engine helicopter proves to be more accident-prone. Statistics show that overall, a difference of only 2% exists between single and twin-engine flight safety. A striking contrast to this figure is the 30 to 50% increase in the acquisition and operating costs of a twin-engine helicopter. Having said that; operating in hostile environments such as rough-ocean or mountainous terrain may push the decision towards a twin engine helicopter. A twin engine helicopter generally has more sophisticated avionics such as an auto-pilot, terrain awareness, and weather radar, which can add significantly to safety.Check the Table of Content @: http://bit.ly/2xGcB0t The Asia-Pacifics combat search & rescue helicopters market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.54% during the forecast periodMilitary budgets continue to squeeze in the traditional big markets. Emerging nations seek to protect their growing economies and themselves. Thus the defense contractors; most of which have roots in the Western Europe and the United States are looking in new places for customers. Instead of, for example, familiar territory like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies, the growth arena for weapons manufacturers is mostly in places such as India, China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Japan. This shift, in turn, requires landmark changes in the way defense companies approach new business and manage their customer relationships.Also, the continuing dynamic growth of economies especially in South East Asia presents defense companies with noteworthy opportunities. Following a sustained period of positive growth, many South East Asian countries are building up military capabilities, with an eye towards better protection of their assets. They also seek to defend their territorial integrity in the context of a fast changing security landscape. While defense spending for the region is growing, the scale and pace varies significantly from country to country. Indonesia, for instance, has more than doubled its spending in the past 5 years, whereas Cambodia and Laos are expanding their budgets more slowly. Modernization and replacement of aging fleets is also driving much of this spending growth.The demand for defense material and the gap in capabilities present many opportunities for companies, especially those willing to partner and enable local manufacturing and research and development. This overall scenario of the defense budgets is driving the combat search and rescue helicopters market as well.Competitor Analysis:The key players profiled in the report include Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., Bell Helicopter Textron Inc, Boeing Rotorcraft Systems, Russian Helicopters, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, MD Helicopters Inc., and Kaman Corporation.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-12 00:07:40

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 753 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Motor controller is a device that improves the performance of an electric motor in a prearranged manner. Motor controllers can include an automatic or manual means for starting/stopping the motor, choosing forward/reverse rotation, selecting and controlling the speed, modifying or limiting the torque, and shielding against faults and overloads. The major constituents of electric vehicle systems are the motor, power supply, controller, drive train and a charger. An EVM controller or electric vehicle motor controller is a machine that is employed to regulate the torque generated by the motors of electric vehicles by means of modifying the energy flow from the power sources to the motor.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27428 Control of an electric vehicle is time-variant; for instance, the operating parameters of EV and the condition of the road vary. Hence, the controller must be intended to make the system adaptive and robust. This is achieved by developing the system on both dynamic as well as steady state performances. Presently, the key factor limiting the wide-spread use of electric vehicles is the diminutive running distance for each battery charge. Therefore, besides regulating the performance of vehicle, considerable efforts have to be made so that the EVM controller does not consume high energy to the energy management of the batteries on the vehicle. Technological advancements have led to the development of such energy efficient EVs that in turn is likely to fuel the global electric vehicle motor controller market in the coming years.Severe norms on vehicular efficiency as well as emissions have encouraged the implementation of high-level controllers. This is one of the key driving factors for the growth of the electric vehicle motor controller market. Quite a lot of countries have taken initiatives in order to lessen the greenhouse gas emissions. Countries including China as well as India follow norms that are comparable to the Euro norms. Furthermore, India adheres to BS IV norms at the present and the country is planning to implement BS VI regulations by the end of the year 2020. Japan on the other hand follows norms that are analogous to the Euro 5 norms and the US 2010 and is planning for a next revision by the year 2017. These regulations mandate the automobile manufacturers to manufacture virtually zero emission vehicles such as electric vehicles, thereby encouraging the growth of the electric vehicle motor controller market.Another trend that is likely to gain momentum in the global electric vehicle motor controller market is the introduction of the vehicle to grid or V2G storage and charging system. This system is an innovative concept that is emerging from the wireless charging system or WCS technology and the latest trend in this technology is in the induction reversal process where the charged vehicle powers the grid. This power is then used to run office buildings or additional facilities all through the peak hours thereby lowering the power demand of national grids. These factors are likely to encourage the overall growth of the electric vehicle motor controller marketThe global electric vehicle motor controller market can be segmented on the basis of powertrain type and geography. By powertrain type the market can be segregated into full hybrid, mild hybrid, plug-in-hybrid, pure EV. In 2016, the full hybrid powertrain segment accounted for the maximum share of the global electric vehicle motor controller market. Introduction of stringent fuel regulations as well as tax incentives is likely to fuel the adoption of full hybrid electric vehicles in the future. On the basis of geography, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. Asia Pacific dominated the global market in 2016. High production rates and increasing sales of hybrid vehicles in Japan coupled with rise in sales of electric vehicles in China are the major contributing factors towards the growth of the market in this region. Furthermore, governments initiatives in numerous countries in the region towards the adoption of low-emission electric vehicles are expected to propel the growth of the market in the region.Some of the major companies operating in the global electric vehicle motor controller market are Continental, American Motors Corporation, Air International Thermal Systems, Sevcon, Fujitsu Ltd, Delphi Automotive, Siemens AG, Texas Instruments, Robert Bosch GmbH, Metric Mind, EVS Auto Group, Denso Corporation, Fuji Electric, BYD Auto, Hitachi Automotive Systems, Mitsubishi Electric, and Toyota Industries Corporation.Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27428
Persistence Market Research

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 12:03:41

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

Contact Us





Persistence Market Research



305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Shahir Bansode

Digital Marketing Executive

800-961-0353

email

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 600 Words

Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.comDigital Marketing Executive800-961-0353Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

As the age increases, cell of human body divide slowly which cause the thinning of skin which leads to formation of wrinkle on face as well as on entire body. There are various treatment available in the market for facial wrinkle which both topical as well as injectable treatment. The facial wrinkle are basically of two type viz. non-invasive treatment and minimally invasive treatment. For home therapy, various anti-aging cream, gel, lotion and oil are available in the market as topical treatment of facial wrinkle. Several injectable therapies are also available for the treatment of facial wrinkle, but botulinum toxin type A and hyaluronic acid based derma fillers are most preferred by physician for the treatment of facial wrinkle. Radiofrequency and laser therapy are also used for the instant treatment of facial wrinkle.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/17239 The rising geriatric population having age between 35-45 is the primary factor driving the growth of facial wrinkle treatment market. The continuous launch of innovative and more advance combination therapy for restoration of facial wrinkle will upsurge the growth of this market. The greater advertising with glossy magazines and hoarding by leading manufacturer will lead to awareness of people regarding aesthetics products which will ultimately boost the growth of facial wrinkle treatment market. The demand for minimally invasive cosmetic treatment procedures is increasing significantly by dermatologists will also leads to robust growth of wrinkle facial treatment market. Improper training to professionals for minimally invasive treatment could result the sluggish growth of this market in less developed economies. High procedure fees, product cost and less reimbursements scenario will deter the growth of facial treatment market.The global Facial Wrinkle Treatment market is classified on the basis of treatment type, distribution channel and end user.Based on treatment type, facial wrinkle treatment market is segmented into followingNon-Invasive TreatmentTopicalCreamGelOilOthersMinimally Invasive TreatmentBotulinum Toxin Type ADermal FillersLaser TherapyRadiofrequencyBased on distribution channel, facial wrinkle treatment market is segmented into followingHospital PharmaciesRetail PharmaciesHypermarket and SupermarketE-CommerceThe facial wrinkle treatment market is expected to show exponential growth over the forecast period owing to rising number of injectable minimally invasive aesthetic surgeries. The Increasing number of plastic surgeons and their rising network will be direct opportunity for the growth facial wrinkle treatment market. According American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in U.S. 7.3 Mn injectable nonsurgical procedures are performed in 2016. By treatment type, minimally invasive treatment segment are expected to dominate the facial treatment market. Among all distribution channel Hospital pharmacies and retail pharmacies combinedly expected to have gain more than 50% market share of facial wrinkle treatment market.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/17239 On the basis of geography, facial wrinkle treatment market classified as North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to dominate the facial wrinkle treatment market by region owing to the high healthcare infrastructure and availability of experience surgeon. This market is then followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. The new entrants in the European countries will responsible for robust growth of in Europe facial wrinkle treatment market. The rising awareness among the about anti-aging product will propel the market growth in Asia-Pacific region.Some of the key players found across the value chain of facial wrinkle treatment market are Allergan plc, Galderma SA, Merz Pharma, Cynosure, Inc, Alma Lasers, Syneron Medical Ltd., LOreal SA, Anika Therapeutics Inc., Suneva Medical Inc, Alphaeon Corporation, Adoderm GmbH and Others.
The report offers a detailed insight into the upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with crucial elements of Hyperscale Data Centers Market report for furthermore highlights key proposals for new project development along with offering an assessment of investment feasibility analysis. T

Research Trades

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 14:24:31

Press Information

Research Trades

Office No.10, Wing C, Rajhans, Baner, Pune-45, India









email

https://www.researchtrades.com



Published by

Pranjal Mehta

+91 7507349866

e-mail

http://www.researchtrades.com/







# 849 Words

Office No.10, Wing C, Rajhans, Baner, Pune-45, IndiaPranjal Mehta+91 7507349866

The report offers a detailed insight into the upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with crucial elements of Hyperscale Data Centers Market report for furthermore highlights key proposals for new project development along with offering an assessment of investment feasibility analysis. This study is a useful guide to all investors to identify the lucrative market avenues across different segments and geographical regions. The market entry conditions along with emerging avenues will help the new entrants to gauge the pulse of the market. Furthermore, the study tracks industry news in terms of new mergers and acquisition made by prominent companies to expand their product offerings across various countries. The report is a useful guide to market players, all stakeholders, interested market participants and investors to formulate their strategies.Get sample copy of this report @ https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1230082 The 2017 study has 846 pages, 320 tables and figures. Worldwide hyperscale data center markets implement cloud computing with shared resource and foolproof security systems that protect the integrity of corporate data. Cloud data centers are poised to achieve explosive growth as they replace enterprise web server farms with cloud computing and with cloud 2.0 automated process computing. The implementation of secure large computing capability inside data center buildings provides economies of scale not matched by current state of the art enterprise data center standalone server technology.Building size cloud 2.0 computer implementations feature simplicity of design achievable only with scale. These data centers implement cloud 2.0 in a move that works better than much of the current cloud computing. The cloud 2.0 data centers have been reduced to two types of components, an ASIC server: single chip servers and a network based on a matching ASIC switch. Data centers are implemented with a software controller for that ASIC server and switch infrastructure.The major driving factors for Cloud 2.0 mega data center market are cost benefit, growing colocation services, need for data consolidation, and cloud. 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.Cloud 2.0 mega data centers are different from ordinary cloud computing. Mega datacenter networks deliver unprecedented speed at the scale of entire buildings. They are built for modularity. They are constantly upgraded to meet the insatiable bandwidth demands of the latest generation of servers. They are managed for availability.Buy Now This Report From Here: https://www.researchtrades.com/checkout/1230082 The mega data centers have stepped in to do the job of automated process in the data center, increasing compute capacity efficiently by simplifying the processing task into two simple component parts that can scale on demand. The added benefit of automated application integration brings massive savings to the IT budget, replacing manual process for application integration. The only way to realign enterprise data center cost structures is to automate infrastructure management and orchestration. Mega data centers automate server and connectivity management. Cisco UCS Director illustrates software that automates everything beyond. Cisco UCS automates switching and storage, along with hypervisor, operating system, and virtual machine provisioning.As IT relies more on virtualization and cloud mega data center computing, the physical infrastructure is flexible and agile enough to support the virtual infrastructure. Comprehensive infrastructure management and orchestration is essential. The enterprise data centers and many cloud infrastructure operations all have similar problems of being mired in administrative expense. This presents a problem for those tasked with running companies.The Internet has grown by a factor of 100 over the past 10 years. To accommodate that growth, hyperscale data centers have evolved to provide processing at scale, known as cloud computing. Facebook for one, has increased the corporate data center compute capacity by a factor of 1,000. To meet future demands on the Internet over the next 10 years, the company needs to increase capacity by the same amount again. Nobody really knows how to get there.Everyone should know by now that the enterprise data center is dead. It will no longer exist in three years, that is the time it takes servers to become outdated and need replacement. In that timeframe, enterprises will migrate workload from the core enterprise servers to the large data center that can provide processing at half the cost of current processing. Maybe this forecast is too aggressive, but probably not. The mainframe stays around as detailed in a different report.Continue..View Complete Report @ https://goo.gl/UWyv1s Who we areResearch 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 on-going trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.Reach at us:Email: sales@ researchtrades.com Call us: +1 6269994607 (USA), +91 7507349866 (IND)Skype ID: researchtradesconWeb: http://www.researchtrades.com
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 06:56:08

Press Information





Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 673 Words

Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Magnetic refrigeration is a cooling technology based upon the magnetocaloric effect. The technique can be used to attain extremely low temperatures. Magneto caloric effect (MCE) is a phenomenon, wherein temperature change of the magneto caloric material (MCM) is caused by exposing the material to a changing magnetic field. The temperature of MCMs increases when exposed to magnetic field and decreases when removed from it. The effect is reversible and instantaneous. Under the magnetic refrigeration system, a controlled magnetic field applies a series of magnetization & demagnetization cycles to the magnetocaloric alloys. Each of these cycles creates a temperature gradient in the MCE material. A rapid succession of these cycles produces the final and stabilized hot and cold temperatures in the refrigerated system. The magnetic refrigeration system involves components such as magnetic materials, regenerators, superconducting magnets, and active magnet regenerator.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/magnetic-refrigeration-market.html Gas is used in conventional refrigeration systems for the cooling effect. Magnets used in the magnetic refrigeration systems are permanent and do not require any external energy. Furthermore, the magnetic refrigeration system does not utilize any gas for the cooling function; thus, it is a low maintenance and environmentally-friendly technology. Refrigeration systems using the magnetic refrigeration technology tend to be quieter and energy efficient. Based on type, the magnetic refrigeration technology can be segmented into refrigeration systems, air conditioning systems, and heat pumps. Refrigeration systems consist of refrigerators, cabinet displays, freezers, ice-cream cabinets, and beverage coolers. The magnetic refrigeration technology can also be used in air conditioning systems. It can also be employed in heat pumps. Magnetic refrigeration systems are widely used in domestic, industrial, and transportation & commercial segments.Increase in awareness about global warming is the major driver of the magnetic refrigeration market. Conventional cooling or refrigeration systems make use of gases such as Co2, CFC, and liquid nitrogen. These toxic substances are harmful for the environment and cause ozone depletion. The usage of air conditioning and other refrigeration systems for food preservation and other use is rising. Thus, refrigeration and air cooling systems are estimated to account for 13% share of the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emission by 2030. The magnetic refrigeration technology is free of gas; thus, it is environmentally-friendly. Less energy consumption is another driver of the magnetic refrigeration market.In terms of region, the magnetic refrigeration market in Europe is expected to expand significantly owing to the large presence of players dealing in the magnetic refrigeration technology. Some companies in countries such as France and Germany are carrying out extensive research in the technology of MCE materials and magnetic refrigeration. Governments of countries in Europe are also encouraging research associated with refrigeration to minimize global warming and ozone layer depletion. The magnetic refrigeration market in Asia Pacific is also anticipated to exhibit strong growth due to the rise in population in the region. Increase in population is estimated to result in higher demand for domestic and industrial food preservation cooling technology. This provides an opportunity for the magnetic refrigeration market. Food preservation industry, beverage industry in North America are vast. This is projected to propel the magnetic refrigeration market in the region.Fill the Form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28277 Prominent players operating in the magnetic refrigeration market are Cooltech Applications, Camfridge, BASF SE, Fujikura Ltd., TOSHIBA MATERIALS CO., LTD., GE Electric Co., Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC., Astronautics Corporation of America, Whirlpool Corporation, and VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG.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 UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@ transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com
Were a team of 50+ full-time and 200+ part-time analysts who have proven record in business intelligence and consulting.

GLOBAL MARKET ESTIMATES RESEARCH & BUSINESS CONSULTANTS

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 19:13:31

Press Information

Global Market Estimates Research & Business Consultants

A-9, Silver Croft CHSL, Mumbai, India



Ms. Liza Dsouza

Team Lead - Research & Business Consultant

9146632316

email

http://www.globalmarketestimates.com



Published by

YASH JAIN

9146632316

e-mail

https://www.globalmarketestimates.com/







# 792 Words

A-9, Silver Croft CHSL, Mumbai, IndiaTeam Lead - Research & Business Consultant9146632316YASH JAIN9146632316

By Activity (Protective, Consulting, Support Services), By Support Services (Weapon Maintenance, Technical Support, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Intelligence Collection & Analysis, Other), By Operation, (Armed, Un-Armed), By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America, Middle East & Africa), and Competitor AnalysisREQUEST A SAMPLE COPY @: http://bit.ly/2y0ezKn Market AnalysisThe private military market provides services in line with government security, providing police & military personnel, and training & support services on a smaller scale. Companies engaged in this industry also provide protective services & personnel to cater to security requirements for company premises, hostile territories, and importance individuals.The increasing burden on a countrys defense sector is expected to augment the growth of this market. Privatization of government functions is anticipated to increase the involvement of private military services in international affairs across the world. These services are hired by a large number of multinational corporations, national governments, and research organizations.Private military companies (PMC) provide general guarding, airport security, cash-in-transit, and remote monitoring & surveillance. PMC also provide armored cars, dogs, horses, and weapons.Activity InsightsProtective, consulting, and support activities are some of the solutions undertaken by private military companies (PMC). Protective services include safeguarding premises, high net worth individuals, diplomats, and asset protection among others. The efficiency and momentary supply of personnel and services is projected to positively influence market growth in the future.With the help of well integrated tradecraft, data, tools, software & technologies, and intelligence professionals PMC provides consulting that help monitor and mitigate threats faced by individuals, companies, and governments. Consulting activities help in efficient mission planning and empowers decision makers through analytics.The report will further divide support activities into weapon maintenance, technical support, explosive ordnance disposal, intelligence collection & analysis, and others. Technical & communication support plays an important role in the private military sector. Intelligence gathering helps anticipate activities and assists various organizations in global security.Operation InsightsPMC are engaged in armed and unarmed operations. Armed operations include bodyguard, military soldiers, and other specialized security operations required by government and private institutions.Unarmed operations consist of computerized solutions, information analysis, technical & communication support, remote monitoring and planning among others. These solutions are of prime importance in order to ensure smooth functioning of missions and other activities.Regional InsightsAccording to a study conducted by the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and Defence in 2011, Europe has increased its reliance on private security by employing guards to defend the EUPOL headquarters in Afghanistan, EULEX mission in Kosovo, and the EULEX mission in Kosovo.The U.S. is also expected to spend large sums on private military for local, federal, and state operations. The establishment of a large number of international headquarters and research & development centers in the U.S. is also expected to contribute to the increased demand for protection services within the country.Increasing demand is also expected to arise from the Asian countries such as China and Japan. China has the presence of power station in Iraq, copper mines in Afghanistan, telecommunications network in Syria, and oil pumping operations in South Sudan. Violence in Iraq and South Sudan has increased the demand for PMC services in China. The need to evade maritime piracy threat through South Asia is also expected to foster demand for PMC operations.Competitor AnalysisSome of the leading companies operating in this industry include G4S, Securitas AB, ADT Corporation, AlliedBarton, DynCorp, GardaWorld, Control Risks, Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI International, The Brinks Company, Pinkerton Government Services, and Senaca Group among others.In August 2017, G4S announced that it will supply technology and software to El Salvadors offender monitoring programme. Offenders under home detention would be monitored through radio frequency technology.Companies are also undertaking acquisitions as a strategic initiative to geographically expand in the industry. In July 2017, Securitas AB entered into an agreement to acquire PSGA, an Australian security services company. This will help the company market its solutions to high demand areas such as Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney.CHECK THE TABLE OF CONTENT @: http://bit.ly/2y0ezKn Key Deliverables:1. Market sizing in US$ for 2015 & 2016, and estimates for 2017.2. Expected Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for a eight-year period and projection of market size in 20253. Identification of revenue pockets by analysing largest and fastest growing segments and regions4. Key dynamics affecting market growth5. Analysis of key players in the market and the key strategies adopted by them to sustain their market positionFor more market-related information Contact us at sales@ globalmarketestimates.com 1. Request a free-of- cost analyst call to discuss the nuances of the market study2. Discuss possibilities for further customizations available3. Schedule a call with the team for information about latest developments in the market4. Commission a consult study for detailed insights not covered in the syndicate study
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-12 00:07:53

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 695 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

The infrared search and track systems is a phenomena of locating and tracking objects using infrared radiations. These systems does not fire any radiating beams unlike radar, thus, making it difficult for the enemy to detect the origin of the radiating beams.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27431 The major advantage of infrared search and track systems market is the demand for enhanced situational awareness is growing at a rapid rate across the globe. The situational awareness is a major factor during combat, and infrared systems increases the situational awareness among the defense forces by helping them during search and rescue or track operation in the dark. This factor is increasing the demand for infrared search and track systems among the defense forces worldwide. In addition, the defense budget is increasing in developed as well as developing countries in comparison to last couple of years. The increased defense budgets is helping the defense forces to adopt latest technologies to benefit the military troops on the battleground.The key challenge faced by the defense forces during procurement of the infrared search and track systems is the limited operational range of the systems. Due to technological constraints from various defense authorities across the globe, the manufacturers of infrared search and track systems restricts the operational range and which in turn limits the procurement of the systems among the defense forces, resulting in negative impact on the growth of the market in future.The defense forces are investing heavily in the modernization of the military forces, air forces, and naval forces, with the latest technologies. This factor is acting as an opportunity for the infrared search and track market to grow in future. The modernization of military includes incorporation of technologically advanced weaponries, technologically robust situational awareness systems and latest wearable. Thus, modernization of military forces, air forces, and naval forces across the globe is expected to grow the market for infrared search and track systems in the coming years.The market for infrared search and track systems is segmented on basis of components, platform, end users and geography. The different components integrated in the infrared search and track systems includes scanning head, processing and control electronics, and display. The scanning head segment is further categorized as infrared module, optics and laser range finder. Among the various types of components, the scanning head led the market in the past few years and is expected to lead the market in future. This is due to the fact that, the infrared module and laser systems helps in enhanced search and tracking of enemy as well as enemy vehicles and armories. On basis of platform, the market for infrared search and track systems is segmented as airborne, naval and land. The airborne platform is sub segmented as aircrafts and unmanned aerial vehicle. The naval platform is further broken down into destroyers, offshore patrol vessels, amphibious warships, cruisers, aircraft carriers and others. The land platform is sub segmented as armored vehicle, and military personnel carrier others. The airborne segment dominates the market in the current scenario and is also expected to lead the market in the coming years due to the rapid modernization of military aircrafts, which enhances the search and track systems. The infrared search and track systems is categorized on basis of end users as defense sector, law enforcement agencies and homeland security. The defense sector captures the majority of market share in the past few years and is expected to dominate the market in future due to growing defense budgets across the globe. Globally, the market for infrared search and track systems is categorized as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America.The top ten players present in the market for infrared search and track systems includes, Lockheed Martin Corporation (U.S), Aselsan A.S. (Turkey), Northrop Grumman Corporation (U.S), Safran SA (France), Rheinmetall AG (Germany), Thales Group (France), Leonardo S.P.A. (Italy), HGH Infrared Systems (France), Tonbo Imaging (India) and MBDA (France) among others.Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27431
Latin America Medical Suction Devices Market by Type, Application, Portability, End User and by Region - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (20162021).

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 07:57:32

Press Information

Market Data Forecast

Plot # 127 & 128, 2nd Floor Lake View Plaza,



Amar Co-operative Society, Kavuri Hills,



Madhapur, Hyderabad - 500081.



Abhishek Shukla

Sales Manager (International Business Development)

76809 52236

email

http://www.marketdataforecast.com/





# 674 Words

Plot # 127 & 128, 2nd Floor Lake View Plaza,Amar Co-operative Society, Kavuri Hills,Madhapur, Hyderabad - 500081.Sales Manager (International Business Development)76809 52236

The Latin America Medical Suction Devices market size was around USD 88.2 million in 2016. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.5% to reach USD 104.75 million by 2021. It captures 12% of the global market share.In medicine, devices are often necessary to create suction. Suction may be utilized to clear the airway of blood, saliva, vomit, or other secretions for a patient to be able to breathe. Suctioning can prevent pulmonary aspiration, which often causes lung infections. In pulmonary hygiene, suction is utilized for removing fluids from the airways, to facilitate breathing and prevent growth of infectious microorganisms.View full report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-medical-suction-devices-market-3173/ Key factors fuelling the growth of this market are the paradigm shift to home healthcare from traditional healthcare settings and the growing need for compact and portable devices. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of home care has caused the demand for portable suction devices to rise due to their reliability, ease of use, high durability & robustness. This helps healthcare providers and patients to utilize suction devices without any assistance. The secondary factors contributing to the development of this market are augmenting geriatric population (with the rising aging population the demand for emergency care rises, which further increases the demand for handheld devices which provide instant relief to patients), falling prices of suction devices, growing incidences of chronic respiratory diseases, and increase in the number of surgical procedures (which have increased the utilization of suction devices that are specifically utilized during surgeries). Moreover, emerging markets have opened an array of opportunities for companies in the medical suction devices market.But still, the highly commoditized market and limited reimbursement policies are very likely to hamper the growth of this market to a certain extent during the aforementioned forecast period.Get free sample report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-medical-suction-devices-market-3173/request-sample The Latin America Medical Suction Devices market can be categorized into four categories: by Portability, by Type, by application and by end user. On the basis of portability, Medical Suction Devices market is classified into Handheld Suction Devices and Wall-Mounted Suction Devices. The non-portable category is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the aforementioned forecast period because of the rising number of surgical procedures and the high price of the devices. If we go by type, Medical Suction Devices market is segmented into Ac-Powered Devices, Battery-Powered Devices, Dual-Powered Devices and Manually Operated Devices. The electrically powered vacuum systems category commanded the largest market share in 2016. It is because of the widespread awareness and rising adoption of these devices in surgical settings. Further, on the basis of application the market can be categorized into Airway Clearing, Surgical Applications and Research and Diagnostics. Last but not the least, on the basis of end user the market is segmented into Hospitals and Clinics, Home Care, Prehospital and Other End Users.By geography, the Latin America Medical Suction Devices market has been categorized into Brazil, Argentina, Chile and others. It is second to last in terms of market share. Brazil is the leading player in this region.Major companies in the Medical Suction Devices market are Allied Healthcare Products Inc. (U.S.), ATMOS MedizinTechnik GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Drive Medical (U.S.), INTEGRA Biosciences (Switzerland), Medela Holding AG (Switzerland), Medicop (Slovenia), Precision Medical, Inc. (U.S.), SSCOR, Inc. (U.S.), ZOLL Medical Corporation (U.S.), Weinmann Gerate fur Medizin GmbH + Co. KG (Germany), Laerdal Medical (Norway), MG Electric Ltd (Colchester), Labconco Corporation (U.S.), Welch Vacuum (U.S.), Amsino International Inc. (U.S.) and Olympus Corporation (Japan).About Market Data Forecast:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialities with competitive pricing options. For more information, kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 12:47:02

DUBLIN - September 11, 2017 - Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) announced today that it has started to inform patients worldwide of a voluntary recall of specific lots of infusion sets used with all models of Medtronic insulin pumps. The recall is related to a certain discontinued component in these infusion sets and does not include insulin pumps or glucose sensors.

The company determined, through recent field reports from patients and root cause analysis, that a component, the vent membrane, in the recalled infusion sets may be susceptible to being blocked by fluid during the process of priming/fill-tubing. This situation can lead to potential over-delivery of insulin shortly after an infusion set change, which may cause hypoglycemia. Currently manufactured infusion sets, available to patients since April 2017, include a design update of this component which the company believes reduces the risk of insulin over-delivery after an infusion set change. The company will work with patients to ensure recalled infusion sets with the discontinued component are returned and replaced with new infusion sets containing the updated component at no cost.

Medtronic has contacted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with other regulatory bodies around the world, to share information related to this issue. Medtronic will continue working directly with government and regulatory authorities on this global voluntary recall.

"Our priority is to work with our patients to mitigate risk to patient safety. While we have shipped a significant number of the new and enhanced sets since April, we are committed to replacing recalled infusion sets for all patients," said Francine Kaufman, M.D., chief medical officer of the Diabetes Group at Medtronic. "Our Medtronic Diabetes team will work as quickly as possible to complete all exchanges to the new and enhanced set and fully support our customers throughout this process."

Customer Instructions

Medtronic recommends that customers use only infusion sets made with the new and enhanced component, the membrane, starting with their next set change. Medtronic would like to remind customers that it is very important to carefully follow the Key Steps document included with the recall notification letter regarding the priming/fill-tubing process - especially if a person only has recalled infusion sets.

Customers in the United States (U.S.) can determine if they have recalled infusion sets by visiting https://checklots.medtronicdiabetes.com.

See a copy of the U.S. recall notification letter here: www.medtronicdiabetes.com/notice7

See priming/fill-tubing instructions here: www.medtronicdiabetes.com/priming

See more information on infusion sets here: www.medtronicdiabetes.com/infusion-sets

Customers outside the U.S. will receive instructions specific to their country. In Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA region), customers can determine if they have recalled infusion sets by visiting www.mmc.medtronic-diabetes.com/look.

Patients can always consult the advice of their healthcare professional regarding their medical treatment.

If a customer in the U.S. has experienced an issue with the use of a Medtronic infusion set, please report it to the 24-hour helpline at +1-800-204-7616. Customers can also report adverse events to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program:

Online at: http://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch/howtoreport/default.htm

Report by telephone: +1-800-FDA-1088

Fax report: +1-800-FDA-0178

Investor Information

The voluntary recall of infusion sets is not expected to impact Diabetes Group revenue growth in the second quarter or the full fiscal year. The majority of the cost is expected to be incurred in the second quarter, and will depend on a variety of factors, including the amount of unused sets that patients ultimately return, which is difficult to predict. At this point, the cost is not expected to impact earnings per share (EPS) guidance in the second quarter or full fiscal year.

About the Diabetes Group at Medtronic (www.medtronicdiabetes.com)

Medtronic is working together with the global community to change the way people manage diabetes. The company aims to transform diabetes care by expanding access, integrating care and improving outcomes, so people living with diabetes can enjoy greater freedom and better health.

About Medtronic

Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the world's largest medical technology, services and solutions companies - alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 84,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in approximately 160 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

-end-





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: Medtronic plc via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 09:05:20

Press Information

Transparency Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany



Rohit Bhisey

Head Of Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/noninvasive-digital-testing-market.html





# 636 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700, AlbanyHead Of Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Delivery of healthcare services such as diagnosis, consultation, and advice through digital means or via application of digital technology such as software, online, data analytics, etc., is known as digital health. Medical testing which do not require introduction of instruments in the body is noninvasive testing. The main reason to employ noninvasive digital testing is to improve the quality of life using advanced tools and technology. Moreover, these types of testing provides healthcare providers an easy access to patients.The global noninvasive digital testing market is estimated to expand at a significant rate during the forecast period. Increasing demand for noninvasive testing and rise in healthcare expenses are key factors that drive the global noninvasive digital testing market during the forecast period. Furthermore, technological advancements in software, reduction of manpower, rise in investment by the companies, rise in remote care patient monitoring, higher penetration rates leading to increase in providers, and rise in demand for digital healthcare systems are major factors that are likely to propel the global market during the forecast period. Less interventional procedures, accurate results, faster results as compared to conventional testing, etc., are further driving the global noninvasive digital testing market. High cost of the devices is anticipated to restrain the noninvasive digital testing market in few developing countries during the forecast period.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/noninvasive-digital-testing-market.html The global noninvasive digital testing market can be segmented into device type, product type application, end user, and by region. In terms of device type, the global noninvasive digital testing market can be segmented into imaging devices, temperature monitoring devices, blood oxygen monitoring devices, blood pressure monitoring devices, digital Holters, and others. In terms of product, the global market can be segmented into services and software, and instruments. In terms of application, the global market can be segmented into neurology, cardiology, hepatology, metabolic, and others. The cardiology segment is anticipated to dominate the global market due to rise in number of cardiovascular disorders. In terms of end user, the global market can be segmented into hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and home care settings. The hospital segment is estimated to hold a prominent share of the global market due to rise in number of hospitals. The home care settings segment is anticipated to hold a significant share of the global market due to rise in healthcare awareness and improved technologies, which require less expertise.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28331 In terms of geographical region, the noninvasive digital testing market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the market with a major share of the global noninvasive digital market. High adoption rate of the devices and increased healthcare expenditure are a few factors propelling the global market in North America. Furthermore, technological advancement, such as lesser interventions, less manpower etc., have increased the penetration rate of digital healthcare devices in the region leading to expansion of the market in the region. The Asia Pacific market is anticipated to expand rapidly during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is a highly lucrative market due the increasing geriatric population, rise in adoption of healthcare digital solutions for better standard of life, rise in awareness toward healthcare, increase in prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, etc.About Us:-Transparency Market Research 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 are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who 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.
Market Data Forecast

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 09:18:48

Press Information

Market Data Forecast

USA



Mr. Abhishek Shukla

Sales Manager (International Business Development)

Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555

email

http://www.marketdataforecast.com





# 576 Words

USASales Manager (International Business Development)Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555

According to the report North America Betaine Market by Type (Synthetic Betaine and Natural Betaine), by Form (Betaine Anhydrous, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Betaine Monohydrate), by Application (Food & Beverages, Animal Feed, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Detergents), and by Region - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2016-2021) published by Market Data Forecast, the North America Betaine Market was worth USD 0.83 billion in 2016 and is estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 6.56%, to reach USD 1.13 billion by 2021.Read report description and TOC @ http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-betaine-market-2520/ The market is showcasing evident potential in the mentioned forecasting period. Betaine is an amino acid that has demonstrated several potential benefits for curing heart disease, improving body consumption and aids in promoting muscle gain and reduction in fat because of its abilities to promote protein synthesis in the body. Betaine also helps in improving physical performance including power, strength and muscle endurance.Betaine is present in sugar beet, cereals, spinach, broccoli, seafood, wine and other plants. Betaine is also used as an additive in animal feed, which helps in carrying nutritive value by supporting the functionality of nervous system and helps in brain development in animals. Rising demand for health supplements and nutritive food products is expected to support the market of betaine across the North American region.The market is driven by rapid growth of betaine in various industries, Pharmaceutical being the major one of them, in the North America region. In the recent times, USA and Canada are observing an increasing demand of betaine, mainly due to its multi-functional uses in various industries. Betaine can hold moisture and is widely used in cosmetic industry. Betaine can also serve as an ingredient in the animal feed. The major factor restraining the growth of the betaine market is that high doses of betaine or overconsumption can create health problems and affect the heart.Request Free Sample Market Brochure of the report @ http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-betaine-market-2520/request-sample The North America betaine market is broadly categorized into Synthetic betaine and Natural betaine. Based on form, the market is segmented as Betaine Anhydrous, Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Betaine Monohydrate. Based on Application, the market is further segmented into Food & Beverages, Animal Feed, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics and Detergents. Pharmaceutical use of betaine accounted for the highest revenue of the overall market and use of betaine in cosmetics is anticipated to witness high growth rate during the forecast period. Based on geography, the North America market is analysed under various regions namely USA and Canada. The betaine market was dominated by USA, with the overall market share of over 60%. USA was followed by Canada.Some of the major companies in North America Betaine market are: Sunwin Chemicals Amino GmbH Associated British Food Plc Solvay S.A. American Crystal Sugar Company Kao Corporation Stepan Company DuPont Nutreco N.V. BASF SEMake an Inquiry before buying @ http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-betaine-market-2520/inquire About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Media Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/
Market Data Forecast

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 09:04:16

Press Information

Market Data Forecast

USA



Mr. Abhishek Shukla

Sales Manager (International Business Development)

Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555

email

http://www.marketdataforecast.com





# 559 Words

USASales Manager (International Business Development)Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555

According to the report North America Operating Room Equipment Market By Type (Anesthesia Machines, Electrosurgical Units. Multi-Parameter Patient Monitors, Surgical Imaging Devices (Mobile C-Arms, Mini C-Arms), Operating Room Lights, Operating Tables (General Operating Tables, Specialty Operating Tables)), & By End-User (Hospitals, Outpatient Facilities), And By Region - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, And Forecasts (20162021) published by Market Data Forecast, the North America Operating Room Equipment market expected to reach USD 9.55 billion by 2021 from USD 8.08 billion in 2016, growing at a CAGR of 3.4 %. The Operating Room Equipment market is forecasted to show great potential over the mentioned period.Read report description and TOC @ http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-operating-room-equipment-market-2506/ Operating room is a facility where all the operations are performed on patients in order to treat different pathological and physiological conditions in a sterile environment, operating rooms are also known as the operating suite or operation theatre. An operating room is prepared with technically advanced equipment that offers enhanced operational efficiency by enabling surgeons and other healthcare professionals with greater flexibility and ease of handling.Some of the factors like technological advancement in healthcare sector, rise in the number of ambulatory surgical centers, increase in the number of surgery procedure, rise in the geriatric population and increase in the incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases are driving the market. But, high costs associated with latest medical device technologies acts as major restraint restraining the market.The North America Operating Room Equipment market is segmented by type and livestock. The market segmentation based on type is done into Anesthesia Machines, Electrosurgical Units. Multi-Parameter Patient Monitors, Surgical Imaging Devices, Operating Room Lights, Operating Tables. Surgical Imaging Devices is further segmented into Mobile C-Arms, Mini C-Arms. Operating tables is further segmented into General Operating Tables, Specialty Operating Tables. Based on end user, market is categorized into Hospitals, Outpatient Facilities. The market share by type is dominated by Anesthesia devices. Hospitals are expected to command largest share of market by end user. On the basis of geography, the North America market is analysed under various regions namely United States and Canada.Request Free Sample Market Brochure of the report @ http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-operating-room-equipment-market-2506/request-sample Some of the major companies dominating the North America Operating Room Equipment Market: STERIS Corporation Stryker Corporation Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA Getinge Group Medtronic, Inc. Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. Mizuho OSI GE Healthcare Philips Healthcare KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG.Procure the report @ http://marketdataforecast.com/cart/buy-now/north-america-operating-room-equipment-market-2506 Make an Inquiry before buying @ http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-operating-room-equipment-market-2506/inquire Browse other related reports:Europe Operating Room Equipment Market - http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-operating-room-equipment-market-2507/ APAC Operating Room Equipment Market - http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-operating-room-equipment-market-2508/ Latin America Operating Room Equipment Market  http://marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-operating-room-equipment-market-2509/ MEA Operating Room Equipment Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/middle-east-and-africa-operating-room-equipment-market-2510/ About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Media Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/
"Browse And Choose From Our World Class Research Reports"

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 09:05:47

Press Information

Market Data Forecast

USA



Abhishek Shukla

Sales Manager (International Business Development)

1-888-702-9626

email

http://www.marketdataforecast.com





# 436 Words

USASales Manager (International Business Development)1-888-702-9626

The North America Intrauterine devices (IUDS) Market was worth $ 238 million in 2016 and estimated to reach $ 300.8 million by the end of 2021 with a growing potential of 4.80 %.Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are contraceptive medical implants used to avoid pregnancies for a long time period. IUDS are also known as long-acting reversible contraceptive devices. An IUD is a T-shaped device which is made of flexible plastic along with a copper wire wrapped around its stem and is a reliable and safe method of sterilization for women. Mirena and ParaGard are some of the prominent brands available in the market. Recent trends such as growing incidence of unwanted pregnancies are rapidly attaining popularity as it helps to limit the health care expenditure on aborstions. Moreover, the various awareness programs by organizations like the ESC, APCOC, IPPF, and FIGO are predicted to increase the sales of Intrauterine devices during the forecast period.Full report at: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-intrauterine-devices-market-1093/ Advancement in technical innovations, increasing prevalence of STDS (Sexually transmitted diseases), instant health benefits other than birth control, Increasing government initiatives to prevent unwanted abortions and pregnancies are the factors driving the growth of the market. Restraints that are hindering the growth of the market are Economic constraints, Infertility issues and Limited access to contraception.The North America intrauterine Devices market is broadly categorized based on product type into Hormonal intrauterine device and Copper intrauterine device. Hormonal intrauterine devices is predicted to have largest share in the market. As hormonal intrauterine devices have less complications and risks compared to non-hormonal intrauterine devices.Request sample: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-intrauterine-devices-market-1093/request-sample Some of the major companies operating in North America intrauterine devices market are Agile Therapeutics, Actavis PLC, ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Bayer, Teva Pharmaceutical, Besins HealthCare, Brecuro Medical, Effik International, Eurogine, HLL Lifecare, HRA Pharma, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Ltd, Okamato Industries, Inc, Pfizer.About Market Data Forecast:The publisher of this report is Market Data Forecast whose forte lies in Market research and Business Intelligence. Handling both individual and corporate clients across multiple business domains they offer syndicated/customized research to suit the clients research objective. Their research reports section offers a wide variety of market studies ranging from all-encompassing comprehensive market studies to product specific niche markets covering North America among other regions of the global market as well. For more info kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 08:49:35

Press Information





Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 667 Words

Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Decommissioning is the last phase of any offshore oil and gas project. The process of decommissioning involves safe plugging of the wellbore in the earths surface and disposal of equipment used in offshore oil and gas production. In the Gulf of Mexico, decommissioning of offshore oil and gas platform has become mandatory for oil and gas operator companies. Decommissioning operation helps maintain safety and sanity of the offshore environment. An offshore decommissioning operation requires 10 steps to be followed for successful completion of the project. These 10 steps are project management; engineering; and planning; permitting and regulatory compliance; platform preparation; well plugging and abandonment; conductor removal; mobilization and demobilization of derrick barges; platform removal; pipeline and power cable decommissioning; materials disposal; and site clearance. Companies operating in the decommissioning market either specialize in one of the aspects or may provide complete services mentioned above.The offshore decommissioning market can be segmented into two broader areas: decommissioning services or activities; and application in shallow water, deep water, and ultra-deep water.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/offshore-decommissioning-market.html The major driver for decommissioning market is strengthen & mandatory legal guidelines for offshore oil and gas operations setup by the regulatory bodies of respective nations. Presence of the aging oil reserves and abandoned wells in matured offshore oil fields across the world is another factor driving the decommissioning market. Major potential risk of oil spill or leakage through these abandoned oil and gas wells may cause ocean water pollution, thereby threatening the marine ecosystem. This poses difficulty in cleaning and recovery of oil spill and then decommissioning the well after any such incident. The cost involved in decommissioning of such disturbed oil wells or platforms is high. Technically, this poses various challenges. Discovery and development of new oil reserves in offshore (mostly deep water) areas around the world is another factor boosting the global offshore decommissioning market. New discoveries of offshore oil deposits such as Liza field in Guyana, Offshore Kutch basin in India, and Tupi offshore oil field in Brazil indicate the future oil production opportunity in these offshore fields, which are likely to require decommissioning services after their abandonment.Recent downturn in prices of oil is expected to be a key restraint to not only exploration and development activities of oil and gas but also decommissioning operations. Decrease in oil prices has caused a continued decline in cash inflow and rise or hike in debt levels could challenge the future of oil and gas industry.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28364 The global offshore decommissioning market is expected to expand in the near future. North America is anticipated to be a major region of this market, owing to the presence of the Gulf of Mexico offshore oil reserves in the region. Europe is also estimated to contribute significantly to the offshore decommissioning market, as its North Sea offshore oilfields are & aging. Latin America has significant undeveloped offshore oil reserves in countries such as Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana. Thus, the region is likely to be an attractive market for offshore decommissioning in the near future. Middle East & Africa has large fossil fuel wealth; thus, the region is expected to be a major contributor to the decommissioning market. The decommissioning market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a steady pace during the forecast period.Key players operating in the decommissioning market are Petrofac Limited, Aker Solutions, TechnipFMC plc., Ramboll Group, Deepocean Group Holding B.V., Amec Foster Wheeler, PLC., AF Gruppen, Claxton Engineering Services, Ltd., DNV GL AS, and Allseas.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.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 20:59:19

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 654 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Classified advertising is quite common as an advertising form among newspapers or online publications sold or distributed without any charges. Classified advertisements are cheaper than display advertisements and used across different businesses. Small messages are grouped together under specific headings such as automobiles and real estate in a separate section inside a newspaper or magazine. These relatively inexpensive advertisements are usually a single column-wide without the inclusion of any graphics and typeset by the printers or publishers of the publication. A number of other online services called aggregators crawl and aggregate classifieds from sources such as blogs and RSS feeds, as opposed to relying on manually submitted listings. Additionally, other companies provide online advertising services and tools to assist members to design online advertisements using professional templates. Post this, the company automatically distributes the finished advertisements to various online ad agencies and directories as part of its service, acting as an application service provider as well as a content delivery platforms. Online classified advertising is expanding rapidly, covering a broad range of advertisements related to both buying and selling of the products as well as services. These advertising platforms provide individuals with both free as well as paid versions of listings. Normal ads allow users to list products or services free of cost as compared to featured ads which charge a fee for the listings. The global online classified ad platform market has been segmented on the basis of models into the horizontal and vertical varieties. The market has been further divided by type into the normal and featured segments. Automobiles, electronics, real estate, and education are some of the major application areas for this market globally.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27344 On the basis of geography, the global online classified ad platform market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa.Rapid increase in the application of print media and advertising has been a major driver for this market having a huge impact on the overall market demand. Moreover, nowadays a growing trend has been observed that focuses more on the social media for boosting the reach and demand of business. It has been observed that social media allows better reach along with higher scope of customization to develop advertisements as per the current market trends further acting as another important driver for the market. With these drivers boosting the market demand, there has also been certain restraints that have a negative impact on the overall demand. A few of these restraints include the shorter life span of online classified advertisements as well as the higher chances of people overlooking these advertisements that has posed challenges for the market growth. Considering all these factors, it is the advent of different apps as well as growth of online marketing platforms that is expected to provide various opportunities for this market in the upcoming years.Geographically, North America as well as Europe formed some of the major regions for this market. Technological dependency, internet penetration as well as growth of online media platforms for marketing has been a few crucial drivers boosting the market demand. Asia Pacific is another major region also accounting one of the fastest growth for this market globally. Growing applications of online platforms to reach wider variety of customers as well as wider reach of internet has acted has a few major drivers pushing the market in Asia Pacific region. China, Japan, India and Korea among others formed a few major countries that has boosted the market demand.Some of the key players that are operating in the global online classified ad platform market include eBay (U.S.), OLX (U.S.), Oodle (U.S.), Backpage (U.S.), PennySaver (U.S.) andLocanto (Australia) among others.Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27344
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 20:53:15

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 675 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Rising application of energy in different verticals such as industries and agriculture is likely to drive demand for power line carrier communication during the forecast period. Power line carrier communication is a method with which existing power lines have been used to transmit information. Presently, housing units have well settled electricity lines. With this method, existing AC (alternative current) has been utilized for data transmission in a cost effective manner.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27293 Demand for electricity is witnessing increasing trend owing to rising application in the industrial and agricultural sector. Demand is high especially in developed and emerging economies due to higher concentration of industries. Power line carrier communication has been adopted in electrical transmission systems as installation of this system makes the transmission faster and smooth. Hence, growing demand for electricity boosts the demand for power line carrier communication. Higher investment in the telecommunication sector is also a major driving factor for this market to grow over time. Data transmission in the form of video communication and telephonic communication has considerably improved with the help of power line carrier communication, and development of the telecommunication sector is expected to drive the power line carrier communication market. This system attains growing importance owing to rising concerns regarding security in home and business units. Surveillance cameras have been installed in homes and business units, which currently drives the demand for power line carrier communication.One of the major restraints of the market for power line carrier communication is that it requires skilled personnel for the maintenance of such systems. High maintenance cost is projected to hinder the growth prospects of this market during the forecast period. This type of power line carrier system produces considerable noise during operation thus creating sound pollution. This factor is also likely to restraint the growth prospect of this market during the forecast period.Home automation is seeing increasing demand, and power line carrier communication systems have been deployed in home control and automation. Utilization of power line carrier systems in home automation reduces the cost of resources and this leads to efficient utilization of resources. Use of power line carrier systems in homes leads to power management and energy conservation and this in turn offers an opportunity for the power line carrier communication market to grow during the forecast period.On the basis of technology, the power line carrier communication market is segmented into two types - broadband and narrowband. The market for narrowband is expected to expand at the highest CAGR (compound annual growth rate) during the forecast period. This type of power line carrier has been increasingly used in residential, industrial, and commercial buildings. Moreover, application of power over Ethernet and wireless access points is anticipated to propel the market demand for power line carrier communication over the forecast period.Based on verticals, the power line carrier communication market is segmented into commercial, residential, and industrial. The commercial vertical held the dominant market share and is expected to retain the same during the forecast period. There is growing transformation to smart metering systems. Moreover, rising trend of home automation coupled with surging need for reliable and secure network systems is slated to propel the demand for power line carrier communication during the forecast period.According to geographic locations, the market is segmented into five regions. These include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. Asia Pacific is likely to be the fastest growing region for the power line carrier communication market owing to the growing adoption of smart metering infrastructure in this region. Furthermore, utilization of power line carrier based infrastructure in commercial and industrial sectors is contributing to the growth path of this market.Some of the key market players in the power line carrier communication market include Texas Instruments Inc, Linear Technology Corp., STMicroelectronics N.V., Cypress Semiconductor Corp. and others.Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27293
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 07:08:49

Press Information





Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 861 Words

Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Demographic trend indicates a rapid aging population throughout the world, particularly in Europe. One of the major challenges of aging population is increased prevalence of chronic diseases and related functional disability. The geriatric population is prone to several diseases such as cancer, chronic wounds, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal diseases due to weak immunity. To meet these needs, the health and social care sectors have found new ways of delivering quality and improved care with reduced cost. The concept has been named as Tele-care and this is the most recent form of facility of medical services, mostly used to connect thepatients and healthcare providers at distant places. . The Tele-care concept comprises continuous, automatic and remote monitoring of lifestyle changes and real time emergencies in order to manage risk associated with independent living. The Tele-care services includes monitoring, diagnostics, communication, consultation and training to maintain independent quality of life of users.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/tele-care-market.html Telecare is increasingly being used as the population ages and incidence of long-term conditions increases. Many societies, especially in the more developed regions, now have aged populations that are larger than has ever been seen in the past. Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the worlds population over 60 years of age will double from about 11% to 22%. In absolute terms, the number of people aged 60 years or older is expected to increase from 605 million to 2 billion in the same period. The number of people aged over 80 years is growing particularly rapidly, and it is anticipated that this number will quadruple in the 20002050 period. Thus, continuous increase in the geriatric population is expected to be one of the potential drivers of the global tele-care market during the forecast period. Moreover, technological advancement, rising incidences of chronic diseases, cost effective service delivery, and government initiatives are some of the major factors contributing the growth of the global tele-care market. The steep cost of telecare devices and supplier vulnerability with respect to the rate of return impacts telecare device appropriation are considered to hamper market share of tele-care market in developing region.The global tele-care market can be segmented on the basis of product type, services type, end-user and geography. The product type segment of the global tele-care market is sub-segmented in to digital diagnostic and monitoring devices, home safety sensors, telecare software, and others. The digital diagnostic and monitoring devices segment comprises blood glucose monitors, heart rate monitors, ECG monitors, vital sign monitors, foetal monitors, pulse oximeters, and other. Technological advancements in the field of fitness band access resulting in new and innovative products such as heart rate monitor, blood glucose monitor and various portable analyser have reduces the time of diagnosis and increase the user friendly usage are some of the factors contributing to the growth of market.The service type segment covers tele-education, tele-consulting, tele-monitoring, tele-education, tele-surgery, and tele-care services. While, end-user segment includes hospital, clinics, home healthcare settings and skilled nursing facilities. In the U.S., there are over 6.5 million chronic wound patients and over 33% of the home health patients have wounds. However, there is a shortage of wound specialists, and it is anticipated that just 0.2% of the registered nurses are Certified Wound Specialists. Furthermore, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), a shortage of over 130,000 physicians is anticipated in the U.S. by 2050. The increasing geriatric population in the U.S., leading to increased retirement of experienced nurse specialists, contributes to the gap in the workforce. Thus, home healthcare end-user segment is anticipated to grow with highest CAGR.Europe is the largest market for the telecare market due to rising geriatric population, increased adoption of advanced telecare solutions, escalating disposable income and government initiatives to develop innovative telecare solutions are the major factors boosting the growth of Europe telecare market in near future. Europe is followed by North America. Home care settings are mostly preferred because they are convenient, easy to access, monitors health continuously, and fast result output this factors helps to grow the whole market in this region. However, the market in Asia Pacific is projected to register a significant growth rate by 2024 due to unhealthy lifestyle resulting in increased prevalence of chronic and lifestyle diseases. In addition, high percentage of geriatric population, increasing awareness about health and increasing disposable income.Fill the Form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28286 Major players operating in the deep vein thrombosis market include GE Healthcare, Abbott Laboratories, Dexcom, Inc., AMD Global Telemedicine, Inc., Bayer HealthCare AG, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Bosch Healthcare Solutions, GlobalMed, Welbeing, and Apple 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 UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@ transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-12 00:05:11

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 656 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Soldier modernization refers to an integrated system that addresses all operational requirements such as advanced combat helmet among others. The combat gear is designed in such a manner that it is more comfortable, light, and strong. The other advantages of the combat gear include modular ballistic protection and fire resistance. Some of the major factors boosting the market for soldier modernization includes increase in security threats globally, growth of technology, and increasing research & development in the defense sector. However, decreasing defense budgets in several developed countries such as the U.S. and the U.K. is likely to restrain the market during the forecast period.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27380 Based on types, the market is segmented into lethality, C4ISR, sustainability, survivability, mobility and others. In 2016, the C4ISR segment dominated the market followed by the sustainability segment and is anticipated to remain dominant in the coming years. Increasing demand for mobile command systems, frequent terror attacks, and increasing demand for border security are some of the major factors fueling the growth of the C4ISR segment globally. In addition, increase in the demand for C4ISR in several countries such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and India is expected to boost the market for soldier modernization. Moreover, increase in demand for exoskeletons and advanced powering systems are some of the other major factors expected to fuel the growth of the soldier modernization market during the forecast period 2017  2025.The geographical split of the market includes North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. In 2016, North America is the largest market followed by Asia Pacific. However, in 2025, Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the major market followed by North America. In 2016, the U.S. is the major market in North America. Despite budget cuts and limited military budget growth, the U.S. is expected to dominate the soldier modernization market. Increasing demand for C4ISR in the U.S. is one of the major factors driving demand. Asia Pacific is one of the most attractive regions for the soldier modernization market. In addition, Asia Pacific is also expected to be the major market by the end of the forecast period. Rising defense budgets in several countries such as India and China is a major driving factor for the market in the Asia Pacific region. China is expected to be the major market in Asia Pacific. Technological innovation and rapidly developing battlefield scenarios are some of the key factors boosting the growth of the market in the region. Rise in demand for C4ISR in China is driving the market in Asia Pacific. The market in Europe is anticipated to grow at a sluggish rate during the forecast period. Increase in capital expenditure is expected to be the major driver for the market in Europe. The U.K. is expected to be the major market in the European region. Increasing soldier modernization programs is one of the major factors boosting the demand for soldier modernization programs during the forecast period. The Middle East and Africa region is expected to grow at a healthy rate during the forecast period. Increase in defense budgets is the major factor boosting the soldier modernization market in the Middle East and Africa region. Modernization programs are expected to fuel the defense expenditure in Latin America during the forecast period. Moreover, Brazil is expected to invest significantly in C4ISR system which in turn is expected to drive the market for soldier modernization.The major players in the soldier modernization market are General Dynamics Corporation (United States), BAE Systems Plc (United Kingdom), Safran Group (France), Lockheed Martin (United States), Raytheon (United States), Elbit Systems (Israel), Israel Weapons Industries (Israel), Boeing (United States), Glock (Austria) and Exelis Inc (United States) among others.Request TOC of the Report @
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 20:56:30

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 716 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

A straddle carrier or straddle truck is a vehicle that carries its load underneath unlike conventional carriers which carry their load on top.The drivers cabin is situated on top and all-round glass is glazed so that the driver can get a 360-degree view. It has stairways for the driver to move inside and descend from the cabin. Straddle carriers have eight wheels that can be individually steered. The wheel-hub motor is present in four wheels which can be driven. The wheels are steered by rods and steering cylinder. The main function of straddle carriers is to carry bulky, long, oversized loads and container vessels.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27317 Straddle carriers are mainly used for handling cargo at the terminals and to transport container vessels horizontally from one point to another in a terminal. The terminal may be connected by a railway network. Straddle carriers help to bring the container vessels to the train and help in loading and unloading cargo from the train. Straddle carriers are used in terminals for stacking cuboidal container vessels in groups of three or four. They are also used in loading and unloading trucks. The drivers in straddle carrier are helped in their job by automatic spreader position system (ASPS) and controller area network (CAN) bus control system. Fleet management system software can provide the driver with heath status data and operating data. Hydraulic straddle carriers run on conventional fuel. Electric straddle carriers run on electricity and are environmental friendly. The diesel generator set powers the straddle carriers. Hybrid straddle carriers saves up-to one-fifth of fuel consumed by hydraulic straddle carriers. The drive components of a hybrid straddle carrier are protected as peak power load is not controlled by a diesel generator set. The re-generated energy is stored in short-term electric storage modules (ECOCaps) and is fed into the system when required.By drive system, the straddle carrier market can be segmented into hydraulic, electric and hybrid. By automation, the market is segmented into manual, semi-automatic, and automatic.By geography the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America is a major global straddle carrier market. The U.S is the dominant market in this region as it is the second largest automotive market in the world. Canada and Mexico are other major markets in this region. Europe is another major straddle carrier market. Germany is a major market in this region as it is the largest automotive market in Europe. The U.K, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Sweden and the Netherlands are other major markets in Europe. Asia Pacific is one of the largest straddle carrier market globally. China is the largest market in this region as it is the largest automotive market in the world. Japan, South Korea, Australia and India are other major markets in this region. Middle East & Africa are also significant straddle carrier markets. Turkey, Iran and South Africa are major markets in this region. Latin America is also a major straddle carrier market in the world. Brazil and Argentina are major markets in this region.Rising demand for terminals is anticipated to increase the demand for straddle carriers. Sea transport is a cost-effective way of transporting cargo which is anticipated to increase demand for straddle carriers in terminals. A major restraint of the straddle carrier market is the high operation and maintenance cost of straddle carriers. A major opportunity is the increasing automation and Internet of Things (IoT) penetration in fleet management systems which is anticipated to increase the demand for straddle carriers.The report highlights the various competitive strategies adopted by key players operating in the market to gain market share. Company profiles include company details, market presence by segment and geography, strategic overview, SWOT analysis, and historical revenue. The report also contains details of market share analysis of key players in the market. Some of the major firms in the straddle carrier market are Combilift (Ireland), Kalmar (Finland), Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. (Ireland), Konecranes (Finland), Kress Corporation (the U.S.), CVS Ferrari SrL (Italy), Mobicon Systems (Australia) and Isoloader Australia Pty Ltd (Australia).Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27317
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 07:04:29

Press Information





Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 696 Words

Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a disorder caused by a prolonged use of antipsychotic drugs by patients suffering from schizophrenia and other neuroleptic disorders. It is characterized by involuntary and uncontrolled movements of body parts such as eyeballs, lips, and tongue. Although tardive dyskinesia commonly occurs in patients who have been treated with antipsychotic medication for long periods, it also occurs occasionally in other conditions such as fetal alcohol syndrome, developmental disabilities, and other brain disorders, even after receiving 1 dose of causative agent. However, there are new atypical antipsychotic agents, such as olanzapine and risperidone, which have lesser risk of developing tardive dyskinesia. The disorder is linked with polymorphism of dopamine receptor gene types. The commonly used antipsychotic agents that are associated with tardive dyskinesia are chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), haloperidol (Haldol), thioridazine (Mellaril), and trifluoperazine (Stelazine). The risk of developing tardive dyskinesia is higher in older patients, women, and African & African-American population receiving antipsychotic treatment. It is estimated that approximately 500,000 people in the U.S. are affected by tardive dyskinesia each year. Increasing incidences of schizophrenia, growing bipolar disorder patients, and increasing antipsychotic prescriptions are driving the tardive dyskinesia treatment market. However, side effects of drugs, lack of awareness about the disorder and its medication, and undiagnosed cases are restricting the market growth.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/tardive-dyskinesia-treatment-market.html The global tardive dyskinesia treatment market can be segmented based on type of disorder, drug class, and region. Based on the type of disorder, the market can be segmented as bradykinesias and hyperkinesias. Bradykinesias involves slowing of motion and difficulty in starting any action whereas hyperkinesias is characterized by akathisia, chorea, dystonia, myoclonus, stereotypy, tic, and tremor. Based on drug class, the market is segmented as dopamine-depleting medications (e.g., tetrabenazine, reserpine, and amantadine), GABA receptor agonist medications (e.g., clonazepam, baclofen, and valproic acid), and anticholinergic medications (e.g., trihexyphenidyl). In 2017, the FDA approved valbenazine (Ingrezza) for the treatment of adults with tardive dyskinesia. Ingrezza is manufactured by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc, which is the first approved therapy for the treatment of the disorder. In addition, a variety of medicines are used for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia such as clonidine; however, dose limiting hypotension and sedation are its restraining factors. Botox injections are tried for minor dystonia. Vitamin B6, vitamin E, and branched chain amino acids are reported to be helpful to minimize the symptoms of the disorder. Benzodiazepine (clonazepam) is an effective therapy for tardive dyskinesia, however the development of tolerance is limiting its market growth. TEVAs Austedo was approved for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntingtons disease; however, it is also filed for the new indication, which is for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. Austedo is likely to create competition for Neurocrine Biosciences' Ingrezza.Geographically, the tardive dyskinesia treatment market is distributed over North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America is leading the market due to high prevalence of schizophrenia, increasing health awareness, and growing research and development investment. Middle East & Africa is the second largest market after the U.S., followed by Europe. The market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow with a decent pace during the forecast period due to increasing health awareness and growing number of schizophrenic, bipolar, and other neuroleptic disorder patients.Fill the Form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=28283 Key players operating in this market are Neurocrine Biosciences, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Sterimax Inc, Sun Pharma Global FZE, Pharmascience Inc., Eon Labs, Inc., Novopharm Limited, Novartis, and Oceanside Pharmaceuticals.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 UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@ transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 20:52:50

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 680 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Text-to speech is a type of service that understands natural language and generates audio output full with intonation and cadence. The text language should match with the voice language to produce synthesized audio output. The text-to-speech market witness considerable market demand in recent years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27290 Text-to-speech is an awesome technology that can convert the written content of any website, mobile apps, e-books, online documents and e-learning tools to audio output. People who have a learning disability, language problem, vision problem can access the written content without any difficulty. This technology provides an easier way to reach to the global population. The number of people with a learning disability or learning difficulty is quite high presently, and making online content audible actually broadens the user base. Percentage of population above 60 years has consistently increased and this indicates increasing possibility of reduced vision. Text-to-speech technology has been very useful for people with reduced vision, as this provides an opportunity to understand the content well. This factors drives the text-to-speech market in recent years. Advancements in the production of digital content and rising consumption of hand-held devices, coupled with increasing internet penetration, is likely to boost the demand for text-to-speech technology in the market in the near future.Text-to-speech technology market are subjected to market challenges which may lead to restraint in the growth of the market. This kind of speech synthesis has been difficult with female and children voices. Text-to-speech technology has difficulty in pronouncing numerical, abbreviations, acronyms, and thus suffers from the problem of correct pronunciation. The written digital content loses its emotion and attraction when converted into audio content, thus reducing its acceptability to companies. Companies still prefer to follow the tradition of written digital content, and this is estimated to act as a major restraining factor for the text-to-speech market during the forecast period.Text-to-speech software is installed in mobile devices automatically, and thus provides an opportunity to access the audio content more easily. Audio content is more convenient to understand. People prefer to access eBooks, pdf, and website content in audio format so that it will be easier for them to understand the content properly. The convenience of the audio content is projected to fuel the market prospects of text-to-speech technology during the forecast period.In terms of verticals, the text-to-speech market can be segmented into consumer electronics, education, healthcare, transportation, retail, finance, enterprise, and others. The consumer electronics segment held a prominent share of the Text-to-speech market. This technology has been used in smartphones for personal assistance apps and navigation. This type of technology has been widely used in televisions and laptops and are found to be very useful for people with vision problems. Considerable percentage of the world population suffers from some kind of disability, and disability in vision comprises a major share. Therefore, text-to-speech technology is found to be very useful for differently-abled people, as audible content helps them understand the matter more easily. These people can live independently and stay connected with society with the help of this technology. This technology is easily accessible to people due to the growing demand for smartphones. This, in turn, is likely to propel the demand for text-to-speech technology during the forecast period.In terms of geography, the text-to-speech market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. North America dominated the market and is estimated to maintain its dominant position in the market during the forecast period. The market in the U.S. is anticipated to expand consistently due to the increasing trend of machine learning and rise in demand for text-to-speech technology in the country. Moreover, rising government initiatives in the education sector and medical sector are likely to increase the demand for text-to-speech technology during the forecast period.Key players operating in the global text-to-speech market include Amazon.com , Microsoft Corporation, NeoSpeech, and Nuance Communication.Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27290
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 20:56:08

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453



Rohit Bhise

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 643 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Three-wheelers or three-wheeler vehicles as the name implies consists of three wheels, one wheel in front and two wheels in the rear. They are used for commuting short to medium distances and are used both for public transportation and goods carriage.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27314 Three wheeler passenger carriers are three-wheelers used for transporting humans. A minimum of three and a maximum of five-six passengers can be carried by three wheelers passenger carriers. In rural areas, more than six passengers are carried by three-wheeler passenger carriers as per requirement. Three-wheeler passenger carriers include e-rickshaw also. E-rickshaws are run on battery and are eco-friendly vehicles and produce no vehicular emission and less noise compared to their counterparts. E-rickshaws can carry five-six passengers for transportation. Three-wheeler goods carriers are used as pickup vans which helps to transport goods from one place to another and delivery vans which helps to deliver goods. Three-wheeler vehicles are available in petro, diesel, LPG, CNG, and electric variants. The market when segmented by type are three-wheeler passenger carriers and three-wheeler goods carriers. By fuel type, the market is segmented into petrol, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), and electric vehicles. The market share of three-wheeler passenger vehicles is more than the market share of three-wheeler goods carriers.By geography, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America is a major three-wheeler vehicle market. The U.S is the largest market in the region. Other major markets in this region are Canada and Mexico. Europe is another major three-wheeler vehicles market. Germany is the largest market in this region. Other major markets in this region are the U.K, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, and Netherlands. Asia Pacific is the largest three-wheeler vehicle market in the world. India is the largest market for three-wheeler vehicles in terms of both sales and production across the globe. Three-wheelers produced in India are also exported to countries such as South Asia, Middle East & Africa and Europe. Bajaj Auto Ltd is a leading player in the three-wheeler market in India. Bajaj exports three-wheeler vehicles to approximately 36 countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Egypt, Iran, Philippines, Uganda, South Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Congo, Kenya, Angola, Tanzania, Mexico, Peru and Colombia. Bajaj has three-wheelers in all fuel variants - diesel, CNG, LPG and petrol. Other major markets in Asia Pacific are China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. Middle East & Africa and Latin America are also major three-wheeler markets. Turkey, Iran, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina are major markets in this region. Most the regions depend on export of three-wheeler vehicles from manufactures in India and China. Three-wheeler vehicles have low maintenance and operation cost which is anticipated to increase their demand across the world. Rising production of electric powertrain and e-rickshaws is anticipated to increase the demand for three-wheelers across the globe. A major restraint faced by the three-wheeler vehicle industry is the tough competition faced by three-wheeler passenger carriers from small commercial vehicles.The report highlights the various competitive strategies adopted by key players operating in the market to gain market share. Company profiles include company details, market presence by geography and segments, strategic overview, SWOT analysis, and historical revenue. The report also contains details of market share analysis of key players in the market. Some of the major firms operating in the three-wheeler passenger carrier market are Atul Auto Limited (India), Bajaj Auto Limited (India), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (India), Piaggio Vehicles Private Ltd. (India), Xianghe Qiangsheng Electric Tricycle Factory (China), Scooters India Ltd (India), Terra Motors Corporation (Japan), TVS Motor Company (India), Hero Electric Vehicles Pvt. Ltd (India) and Lohia Auto Industries (India).Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27314
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 20:52:24

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 649 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Tokenization is one of the popular options of data security. In the tokenization process, sensitive data is replaced with non-sensitive data which does not have any intrinsic or exploitable value. This non-sensitive data is referred to as token. Tokenization process is applied with the help of advanced data security process, data authentication, data storage, and authorization.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27287 Cyber crime is a rising threat currently. Data of financial institutions, aviation industry, space and military information are regarded sensitive data and these have higher danger of being hacked. These sensitive data require strong and authenticated tokenization security. With advancement in tokenization systems, there is higher possibility of transforming sensitive data to non-sensitive data and then reverting back the non-sensitive data to sensitive data. This technological advancement drives the global tokenization market to a great extent. Large scale occurrence of data hacking is also a driving factor for the tokenization market in recent years. Tokenization is a procedure to safeguard secure data. In case of emergency, token data can replace live data and at that moment live data can perform the same job as token data. Hence, there are fewer chances of live data being used by unauthorized people and for unauthorized applications. Thus, in these instances, tokenization helps to maintain data security in a broader manner, thus enhancing the operation of various systems.Keeping in view the popularity of tokenization, middleman companies do not store valuable information and criminals become the token holder. Considering the success of tokenization, it can be seen that this option has become the attractive target to fraudsters and thus there is high chance of data theft from this system. Moreover, there are lesser number of practices for securing data in the tokenization process and this is likely to limit the possibility of success of this system during the forecast period. The growth prospects of this process during the forecast period are also likely to be impacted by high cost.On the basis of application, the tokenization market is segmented into payment security, user authentication, and compliance management. Tokenization market for payment security held the leading market share and this segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR (compound annual growth rate) during the forecast period. Owing to growing chances of breaching data agreements, banks, financial institutions, retail shops, and small businesses incorporate these systems in their organizations. This system enables users to make any transaction using smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices. With the rising popularity of online payments, the global tokenization market is expected to see steady growth rate over the forecast period.Based on deployment model, the global tokenization market is segregated into on-premises and cloud based. Cloud based services held the largest market share in the global tokenization market and this segment is likely to be the fastest growing. Cloud based tokenization systems help organizations to provide 24/7 services and improve management capabilities, thus broadening the scope of the tokenization market over the forecast period.The global tokenization market is divided into five regions - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. North America held the dominant share in the global tokenization market. North America experiences growing challenges for tokenization market as this region faces greater challenges for payment security and this region meets compliance regulation to a greater extent thus broadening the market scope of tokenization market. Asia Pacific is likely to be the fastest growing regional segment in the tokenization market as larger number of organizations are deploying this system and projecting high growth trajectory for the market during the forecast period.Some of the key players in the global tokenization market include Symantec Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Enterprises, First Data Corporation, 3Delta Systems, and others.Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27287
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 20:55:47

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 677 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

Towbars are also known as trailer hitchers. Towbars are used for pulling trailers, carriers, or campers for both commercial and leisure purposes. Trailers, carriers or campers are attached to the rear of a vehicle by towbars and pulled forward. Towbars are attached to the vehicle chassis. They consist of a neck with a towball at one end which helps the towbar to pull the carrier or trailer. Towbars are used when engine breakdown occurs or if a vehicle is not in working condition and needs to be pulled to the service station by another vehicle which has a towbar attached to its chassis.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27311 Fixed towbars are towbars which are integrated with a vehicles chassis and cannot be removed. They are permanently fixed to a vehicle. Fixed towbars are of two types - flange ball and bolt-on towbars. Flange ball towbars are generally used in commercial vehicles and bolt-on towbars are used in passenger vehicles. Detachable towbars are towbars which are not integrated with the vehicles chassis and can be removed from the chassis when the towbar is not required. Detachable towbars do not hinder the design of a vehicle. Detachable towbars are of two types: horizontally detachable towbars and vertically detachable towbars. Horizontally detachable towbars can be removed by horizontally pulling the towbar from a vehicle and vertically detachable towbars are removed by vertically pulling the towbar from a vehicle. Retractable towbars are normally hidden in a vehicle. These towbars are only visible when there is a towing requirement. Towbars are used by passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, and heavy commercial vehicles. Towbars must be strong enough so that they do not disintegrate when they are used to pull trailers, carriers or campers.The market for global towbars market is segmented into original equipment (OE) market and aftermarket. By type, the market is segmented into fixed, detachable, manual, semi-automatic, automatic, retractable and other towbars. By vehicle type, the market can be classified into passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, and heavy commercial vehicles. By geography, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America is a major towbars market. The U.S. is the largest market in this region as it is the largest automotive market in the world. Canada and Mexico are other major markets in this region. Europe is another major towbars market, led by Germany as it is the largest automotive market in Europe. The U.K, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Belgium and Netherlands are other major markets in this region. Asia Pacific is one of the largest global towbars market. China is the largest market in this region due to its prominent automotive market. Japan, South Korea, Australia and India are other major markets in this region. Middle East & Africa is a major towbar market with Turkey, Iran and South Africa being dominant markets in this region. Latin America is also a major towbars market, dominated by Brazil and Argentina.Rising sale of automotive components is anticipated to increase the demand for towbars. A major opportunity in the towbar market is the use of lightweight but high thermal strength materials such as plastics including polycarbonates to manufacture towbars which will reduce the weight of vehicle and improve fuel efficiency and reduce emission. The report highlights the various competitive strategies adopted by key players operating in the market to gain market share. Company profiles include company details, market presence by segment and geography, strategic overview, SWOT analysis, and historical revenue. The report also contains details of market share analysis of key players in the market. Some of the major firms in the towbars market are BOSAL Group (Belgium), Westfalia-Automotive GmbH (Germany), STEINHOF Sp. z o.o. Sp.K. (Poland), Witter Towbars (the U.K), PCT Automotive (The U.K), Camex Automotive (Australia), North Shore Towbars (New Zealand), and McCabe Towbars (Ireland)Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27311
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 07:03:01

Award-winning bank to license TSYS PRIME for multi-country issuing and acquiring

TSYS Signs PRIME(SM) Agreement with Mashreq Bank in Dubai

Total System Services, Inc.

Media Relations:

Cyle Mims, +1 706-644-3110

cylemims@tsys.com

or

Investor Relations:

Shawn Roberts, +1 706-644-6081

shawnroberts@tsys.com

or

Mashreq Public Relations and CSR Manager

Rana AlBorno, + 971 4 6083703

TSYS (NYSE: TSS) announced today that it has signed a software licensing and services agreement with UAE leading financial institution, Mashreq Bank. TSYS will provide Mashreq with its core PRIME Issuer and Acquirer payments platform  and surrounding modules and services  to enhance the banks customer-centric experiences for its cardholders and merchants.

Mashreq is an award winning bank recognised for its retail and digital banking experiences. The bank also has broad product portfolios that include multi-brand credit, debit, and prepaid cards, as well as Sharia-compliant cards.

We are one of UAEs leading financial institutions with a growing retail presence in Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Our key focus is providing customers with access to a wide range of innovative products and services, and this is what led us to TSYS, said Sandeep Chouhan, Head of Operations and Technology at Mashreq. As one of the largest payment solution providers in the world, TSYS has the scale and power of PRIME, along with the visionary TSYS InterActivSM technology framework to help us keep our customers and merchants at the forefront of innovation.

Mashreq will leverage TSYS support for omni-channel and digital enablement, including Web APIs and Customer Alerts. The agreement also includes innovative loyalty solutions at the issuer and merchant level. These are supported by real-time fraud and risk solutions covering mobile and e-commerce, along with a range of acquiring propositions for merchant portal, acquirer dashboard, DCC, interactive interchange pricing and more.

We look forward to partnering with Mashreq as they continue to grow and develop their consumer payment offerings and innovative merchant experiences in the region. Our presence in the Middle East dates back to 1989, and we are very proud to support our clients as they drive the market forward in this progressive region of the payments world, said Rene Kruse, group executive and managing director of PRIME Business Solutions, TSYS.

About Mashreq

Established in 1967, Mashreq is the oldest Bank in the UAE with award winning financial solutions and services. Throughout its 50 years history, Mashreq has differentiated itself through innovative financial solutions, making it possible for its customers to achieve their aspirations. Today, Mashreq has a significant presence in 11 countries outside the UAE with 21 overseas branches and offices across Europe, USA, Asia and Africa.

Mashreq recently launched its new Vision and Mission, outlining its commitment towards its clients, colleagues and the community. In line with its new Vision to be the regions most progressive bank, Mashreq leverages its leadership position in the banking industry to enable innovative possibilities and solutions for its customers across Corporate, Retail, International, Treasury and Islamic Banking. Mashreq is proud to be the first financial institution in the UAE to be awarded the Gallup Great Workplace Award for three consecutive years from 2014-2016. Mashreq also continues to invest in recruiting, training and developing future generations of UAE National bankers.

About TSYS

TSYS (NYSE: TSS) is a leading global payments provider, offering seamless, secure and innovative solutions across the payments spectrum  from issuer processing and merchant acquiring to prepaid program management . We succeed because we put people, and their needs, at the heart of every decision. Its an approach we call People-Centered Payments.

Our headquarters are located in Columbus, Ga., U.S.A., with approximately 11,500 team members and local offices spread across 13 countries. TSYS generated revenue of $4.2 billion in 2016, while processing more than 25.5 billion transactions. We are a member of The Civic 50 and were named one of the 2017 Worlds Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere magazine. TSYS is a member of the S&P 500 and routinely posts all important information on its website. For more, visit tsys.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201709100050

TSYS Signs PRIME Agreement with Mashreq Bank in Dubai
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-12 00:06:03

Press Information

Transparecny Market Research

90 State Street, Suite 700



Albany, NY 12207



Tel: +1-518-618-1030



Rohit Bhisey

Head Internet Marketing

+1-518-618-1030

email

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com





# 831 Words

90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030Head Internet Marketing+1-518-618-1030

An unmanned combat aerial vehicle usually carries aircraft artillery such as laser weapons, bombs and missiles. Earlier, unmanned combat aerial vehicles were mainly used for patrolling and surveillance.Based on type, the market is segmented into high-altitude UCAV and medium-altitude UCAV. In 2016, in terms of platform type, the medium-altitude UCAV segment dominated the market trailed by high-altitude UCAV and is anticipated to remain the dominant segment in the near future as well. With the increasing need for multi-purpose UAVs, the defense authorities are gradually focusing on the expansion of medium-altitude UCAVs since these UCAVs have better striking and surveillance capabilities, are difficult to detect, and have better combat sustainability. Due to these factor medium-altitude UCAV is anticipated to remain the dominant segment in the near future as well.Request Sample Copy of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=27395 Based on type, the market is segmented into high-altitude UCAV and medium-altitude UCAV. In 2016, in terms of platform type, the medium-altitude UCAV segment dominated the market trailed by high-altitude UCAV and is anticipated to remain the dominant segment in the near future as well. With the increasing need for multi-purpose UAVs, the defense authorities are gradually focusing on the expansion of medium-altitude UCAVs since these UCAVs have better striking and surveillance capabilities, are difficult to detect, and have better combat sustainability. Due to these factor medium-altitude UCAV is anticipated to remain the dominant segment in the near future as well.Based on application, the market is segmented into civil & commercial, military application and homeland security. Civil & commercial is further being segmented into mining, oil & gas, agriculture, research, product delivery and others. Military application is further being segmented into battle damage management, ISR and combat operations. Homeland security is further being segmented into traffic monitoring, border management, search & rescue, police operations & investigations and others. In 2016, in terms of application, the military application segment dominated the market trailed by homeland security and is anticipated to remain the dominant segment in the near future as well. Military application dominated the market in 2016 as UCAVs have the capability of dropping collateral damage while searching, hovering, striking targets and identifying, which makes UCAVs a precious asset for the military. Civil & commercial is anticipated to grow at the maximum CAGR for the forecast period of 2017  2025.Based on components, the market is segmented into cameras, electro-optic/infrared sensor, electronic intelligence, CBRN sensors, laser sensors, communication intelligence and others. In 2016, in terms of platform type, the camera segment dominated the market followed by communication intelligence and is anticipated to remain the dominant segment in the near future as well. Increase in the need of UCAVs for advanced patrolling of marine borders is one of the key factor fueling the demand of unmanned combat aerial vehicle market for the forecast period of 2017  2025. Growing demand for combat UAVS and increasing demand for UAVS to ensure border security are some of the others factors driving the market for the unmanned combat aerial vehicle market in the near future.Based on energy source, the market is segmented into hybrid cell, hydrogen, lithium-ion battery, solar cell and others. In 2016, in terms of platform type, the solar cell segment dominated the market followed by hybrid cell and is anticipated to remain the dominant segment in the near future as well. Increasing defense budgets of developing economies such as India, China and Brazil among others and technological development in the field of unmanned combat aerial vehicle are some of the key factors fueling the demand of the market for the unmanned combat aerial vehicle for the forecast period of 2017  2025.The geographical split of the market includes North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. In 2016, North America is the major market followed by Europe. The U.S. dominated the market for the unmanned combat aerial vehicle for North America region as well as globally. Increase in the UAVS application in commercial areas, homeland security and military is one of the key factor fueling the demand of the unmanned combat aerial vehicle market in the U.S. as well as globally. Asia Pacific is expected grow at the highest CAGR for the forecast period of 2017  2025. In 2016, China dominated the market for the unmanned combat aerial vehicle in Asia Pacific. India is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR for the forecast period of 2017  2025 in Asia Pacific region. Instability due to increasing trend of automation and internal political tensions are the key factors fueling the growth of the unmanned combat aerial vehicle market in Asia Pacific.The major players in the unmanned combat aerial vehicle market are BAE Systems (United Kingdom), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (United States), Boeing (United States), Northrop Grumman (United States), Israel Aerospace Industries (Israel), SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (China), Parrot SA (France), Lockheed Martin Corporation (United States), Textron Inc. (United States) and AeroVironment, Inc. (United States) among others.Request TOC of the Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=27395
Urinary tract tumor is the adverse disease caused due to uncontrolled cell growth.

persistencemarketresearch

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 12:20:10

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

305 Broadway





7th Floor, New York City,





NY 10007, United States,





USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353





Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com





Web: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Huma Sayyed

Analyst

800-961-0353

email

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/



Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 763 Words

305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.comAnalyst800-961-0353Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Urinary tract tumor is the adverse disease caused due to uncontrolled cell growth. The presence of blood in urine is initial symptoms of urinary tract tumor male population of the world faces the high incidence of Urinary Tract tumor over female population. Smokers, aging population, chemical industry labor and people with urinary tract infection are at high risk for getting urinary tract tumor. Diagnosis and screening of urinary tract tumor are done by various diagnostic tools and survival rate of urinary tract tumor treatment are high if patient identified at early stages. According to WHO, globally,70% - 80% urinary tract tumor patients survived if the patient diagnosed in the early stages thus, a large target population base exists for companies in the global urinary tract tumors treatment market.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/17605 Urinary Tract Tumors Treatment Market: Drivers and RestraintDue to Increasing incidence of urinary tract tumor globally, due to rising smoking population, increasing sedentary lifestyle and chemical industry pollution which affect a large number of chemical industry worker. Other driving forces are innovation and advancement in urinary tract tumor treatment therapeutic. However, the side effect of urinary tract treatment and low success rate of treatment hamper urinary tract tumors treatment Market.Urinary Tract Tumors Treatment Market: OverviewUrinary tract tumors treatment market encouraged by improvement and advancement in the surgical procedure, improving healthcare infrastructure, awareness regarding early diagnosis at the worldwide platform, etc. research and development activities constantly improve the treatment procedure as well as innovate advance therapeutic for the urinary tract tumor patients. Urinary tract tumors treatment Market is expected to witness high growth in the forecasted period due to high adopted rate and high cost of treatment.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/17605 Based on tumor type, global urinary tract tumors treatment market segmented such are Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Urothelial Carcinoma, Adenocarcinoma and Others.Based on treatment type, global urinary tract tumor treatment market segmented into Chemotherapy, Radiation therapy, Surgery and Immunotherapy whereas, chemotherapy and surgery are used in early stage tumor patients.Based on End-user, Urinary tract tumors treatment market can be segmented into this area, i.e., hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, urology clinics. However, hospitals segment share the majority of urinary tract tumor treatment market.Urinary Tract Tumors Treatment Market: Region-wise OutlookBy region, Global urinary tract tumors treatment market is segmented into five key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the urinary tract tumors treatment market followed by Europe and will continue to dominate the global urinary tract tumors treatment market. Asia Pacific is an emerging market in forecasted period.Urinary Tract Tumors Treatment Market: Key Market ParticipantsThe key market players in the global Urinary Tract Tumors Treatment market include Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Genzyme Corporation, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Medical Enzymes AG, IkerChem S.L., and Amgen Inc. Eli Lilly and Company, Novartis AG, GlaxoSmithKline plc and Medical Enzymes AG, etc. major players such as Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and GlaxoSmithKline plc Etc are involved in research and development activities.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.The report covers exhaust analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedTechnologyValue ChainThe regional analysis includes:North AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia Pacific & JapanThe Middle East and AfricaThe report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Report Highlights:Detailed overview of parent marketChanging market dynamics in the industryIn-depth market segmentationHistorical, current, and projected market size regarding volume and valueRecent industry trends and developmentsCompetitive landscapeStrategies of key players and products offeredPotential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growthA neutral perspective on market performanceMust-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint


@PatriciaMazzei

Inescapable Irma, the hurricane that for a week tormented the entirety of the Florida peninsula unlike any storm that came before it, will finally find its way out of the state Monday.

She will leave behind destruction from Key West to probably Tallahassee. And yet the storm will also be remembered for what it wasnt: In the end, Irma was not the feared Category 5 catastrophe she could have been, though the extent of her damage is still unknown. The dual-coast storm has already been blamed for five deaths.

Overnight, the Category 2 storm pushed into western Florida further south than expected, sparing vulnerable Tampa Bay from the worst of the surging Gulf of Mexico waters. By 2 a.m., it was a Category 1 inland storm moving northeast toward Orlando from Tampa. By 5 a.m., it was about to be downgraded to a tropical storm.

Naples, close to where Category 3 Irma had made its Marco Island landfall Sunday afternoon, appeared to suffer from rising waters and piercing winds. Aerial videos showed splintered roofs and flooded streets, though the storm surge was not as high as initially forecast.

We may have been a little bit lucky that it went on the west, President Donald Trump predicted Saturday, when he signed a major federal disaster declaration for Florida. It may not have been quite as destructive.

Heres why Irma, ferocious as she was, might have cut the Florida mainland a bit of a break: The storm weakened over Cuba on Saturday, wobbled east so its Category 4 eye missed Key West on Sunday, then stayed inland of Naples to skirt Tampa on Monday.

But for a less-bad scenario, it was still pretty bad  especially for the Florida Keys, where the extent of Irmas wrath remained frustratingly unclear into Sunday night. The hurricane came ashore at Cudjoe Key on Sunday morning.

More here.

Photo credit: Al Diaz, Miami Herald staff
Persistence Market Research

PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 12:00:39

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

Contact Us





Persistence Market Research



305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Shahir Bansode

Digital Marketing Executive

800-961-0353

email

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Published by

Abhishek Budholiya

+1-347-918-3531

e-mail

http://www.futuremarketinsights.com







# 703 Words

Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.comDigital Marketing Executive800-961-0353Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Xerostomia is normally caused due to a variety of factors such as side-effects from medication, dehydration, surgery, mouth bleeding, smoking, and irradiation of neck and head. The xerostomia is not classified as a disease but as symptoms of variable disorders. Xerostomia is potent in geriatric population affecting more than 20% of the elderly individuals, and are often associated or not with the functionality of salivary glands. Xerostomia is majorly coupled with the other disorders such as burning sensation, verbal difficulties and gulping, sore throat, and hoarseness. If remain untreated, they result in oral pH decrease and increase the probability of developing plaque and dental caries. The condition of xerostomia can be managed through self-care, intake of artificial saliva or saliva substitutes such as carboxymethyl, mucopolysaccharides solutions, and others, and other medication involves saliva stimulants such as pilocarpine, cevimeline, and many others. In addition, the most common cause of xerostomia is Sjogren's syndrome, HIV and cancer patients.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/17236 Xerostomia (Dry Mouth) Treatment Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe growth of xerostomia is mainly driven by the increasing prevalence of the associated diseases, and the most common is Sjogrens syndrome. According to the estimates of American College of Rheumatology, approximately 3.1 million are suffering from Sjogren's syndrome out of 4 million individuals. However, the xerostomia treatment market can be hampered by the factor such as lack of awareness among the people of developing and under developed economies owing to the fact, xerostomia is can consider as general or minor disorders. The other factor impeding the growth of xerostomia treatment market is non-availability of the effective treatment. As exemplified by The Cochrane Collaboration research, in 2011, that there is no strong evidence supporting the optimum effectiveness for the treatment of xerostomia.Xerostomia (Dry Mouth) Treatment Market: SegmentationThe global xerostomia treatment market can be segmented on the basis of product type, distribution channel, and region.On the basis of product type global xerostomia treatment market can be segmented as:Artificial SalivaSalivary StimulantsSaliva SubstitutesDrugsSalivary PensOthersOn the basis of distribution channel global xerostomia treatment market can be segmented as:Hospital PharmaciesRetail PharmaciesOnline PharmaciesDrugs StoresOn the basis of region global xerostomia treatment market can be segmented as:North AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East and AfricaXerostomia (Dry Mouth) Treatment Market: OverviewXerostomia treatment market is expected to show a tremendous growth during the forecast period. Xerostomia can be caused due to toxicity during chemotherapy, adverse drug reactions, diabetes, infections, hormonal alterations and autoimmune disorders resulting in triggering complications in the tasting, communication, mastication, and gulping. In addition, increases the chances of causing tooth decay, demineralization and sensitivity, and oral infections. Xerostomia treatment market is primarily driven by the easy availability of medication and its cost effectiveness. Consistent product launching by the various player also impels the growth of xerostomia market. For instance, Forward Science LLC, in February 2016, launched the product named, SalivaMax for the treatment of xerostomia and can be used in cancer therapies.Xerostomia (Dry Mouth) Treatment Market: Region Wise OutlookGeographically, global xerostomia treatment market can be segmented as North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America is most attractive xerostomia treatment market followed by Europe owing to better and increasing healthcare infrastructure and facilities, easy availability of treatment options, and favorable reimbursement policies. Asia-Pacific region is estimated to grow at fastest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the rising number of geriatric population base in countries like Japan, China, and India. However, the regions such as Latin America and Middle East and Africa show a stagnant growth during the forecast year due to the lack of awareness among the people and scarcity of skilled professionals to avail the proper treatment options.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/17236 Xerostomia (Dry Mouth) Treatment Market: Key PlayersSome of the market participants in the global xerostomia treatment are Eisai Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Company, Dentaid, EUSA Pharma, Forward Science, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Mission Pharmacal Company, OraHealth Inc., OraPharma, Inc. (A subsidary of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.), Parnell Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Saliwell Ltd., and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-11 05:31:01

Following launch of a property and asset management platform, Gerald Eve selects cloud-based solutions to support its new real estate venture

Yardi Prepares Gerald Eve for Portfolio Growth

Yardi

Martin Gedny  Senior Marketing Manager (Europe & Middle East)

+44 (0) 1908 308400

martin.gedny@yardi.com

UK-based international real estate services company Gerald Eve has selected Yardi Voyager 7S as the management platform for its new commercial property and asset management business.

Gerald Eves new business arm sought a cloud-based, mobile solution to support its predicted exponential growth.

Yardi Voyager 7S will centralise asset and property data and streamline core accounting. Yardi PAYscan will help automate invoice processing to deliver additional efficiencies.

Commercial property and asset management was the strategic gap in our business, said Jennifer Cottle, partner for Gerald Eve. Yardi filled that gap. It was fundamentally important for us to select a software platform that not only delivered the process efficiencies we were looking for, but supported the long-term goals and service requirements of the new venture.

We are very pleased to see Gerald Eve move to the Voyager platform, said Neal Gemassmer, vice president, international for Yardi. Combined with Yardi PAYscan, the solution will allow Gerald Eves property and asset management business to hit the ground running and support an exciting growth strategy.

About Gerald Eve

Gerald Eve is a firm of international property consultants based in the UK who operate a national network of nine offices covering Europe and major US markets. Whether you are a property owner, investor, occupier or developer, Gerald Eve provides independent, intelligent and relevant advice based on detailed market knowledge and sector understanding. Learn more about Gerald Eve.

About Yardi

Yardi develops and supports industry-leading investment and property management software for all types and sizes of real estate companies. Established in 1984, Yardi is based in Santa Barbara, Calif., and serves clients worldwide from offices in Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. For more information, visit: yardi.com/uk

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201709100050

International #realestate services company @GeraldEveLLP adds @Yardi #proptech to support new #CRE & asset business.
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.




@alextdaugherty

Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is asking congressional leaders to visit Florida after Hurricane Irma made landfall and tracked along the state's Gulf Coast, as the state will likely need billions in federal relief to recover from the storm.

Ros-Lehtinen will send a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and the leaders of the congressional committee that controls federal spending, urging them to join their Florida colleagues to assess the damage.

"As Members of the Florida Congressional delegation, we strongly encourage you to visit our state and join us in assessing the extent of the damage," Ros-Lehtinen said in the letter. "While Floridians are coming together to begin the recovery process, we will need assistance from the federal government in the coming weeks and months to help rebuild our communities in the aftermath of this devastating storm. Florida is home to over 20 million residents, all of whom must know that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will have the resources necessary to assist and respond effectively."

Before the storm hit, Congress passed $15 billion in hurricane relief funding as part of a package to raise the nation's debt ceiling. Ros-Lehtinen and others from Florida urged Congress to vote in favor of the bill, which passed by a large margin. Just over 100 Republicans in the House and Senate voted against the package because they did not approve of a deal struck between President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders to tie much-needed hurricane funding to the nation's debt ceiling.

Two members of Congress from Florida, Reps. Matt Gaetz and Ted Yoho, voted against the package.

"We commend last weeks passage of supplemental emergency funding to assist FEMA with its recovery efforts to those impacted by Hurricane Harvey," the letter said. "However, the destruction caused by Irma throughout Florida means that Congress must again act swiftly to ensure the availability of additional funding needed for recovery efforts. We hope you will join us in Florida to bear witness to our resolve, and return to Washington with a renewed commitment to act quickly to provide the assistance that our families desperately require."

A spokesman for Ros-Lehtinen said collecting signatures for the letter may take longer than usual due to the storm.
Bolesaw Koodziejczyk, a business advisor with twelve years of professional experience in commercial real estate, has been appointed Head of Research & Advisory Department at Cresa Poland.

Bolesaw Koodziejczyk and his team will provide support in strategy development and tactical planning for...

[]
Luppo Puppo will open a kindergarten in the Zita building of the Promenady Business Park complex this November. Knight Frank acted on behalf of Vantage Development Group, the property owner, in the leasing process. JLL advised the tenant.

We are pleased that Luppo Puppo will open a kindergarten i...

Photos: Maciej Lulko



[]
For picture posts from 2010 and earlier, see the Earlier Picture Posts Page
Body cameras for the Mooresville Police Department have arrived. Find out when they will be used.
Officials say a suicide bomber in an explosives-packed vehicle has attacked a NATO convoy north of Kabul, wounding two U.S. soldiers and at least three civilians.

"We had two U.S. soldiers wounded and their injuries are not life-threatening," Navy Captain William Salvin, a spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said on September 11.

Local Afghan officials said at least three civilians were also wounded in the attack, which took place near Bagram Airfield, the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing, which comes on the 16th anniversary of the September 11, 2011, terrorist attacks in the United States. The attacks triggered the U.S.-led military operation that toppled the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

On September 6, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside Bagram Airfield, wounding several people. The Taliban claimed the attack was in revenge for a U.S. leaflet deemed highly offensive to Muslims.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
BAKU -- The director of Azerbaijan's independent Turan news agency has been released from pretrial detention on condition that he remain under house arrest until his trial, which has not yet been scheduled.

Fuad Agayev, a lawyer for defendant Mehman Aliyev, confirmed that Aliyev had been released in an interview with RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service on September 11.

Aliyev told Reuters in a telephone interview that "I'm not under arrest any more. I consider this decision as positive... I'm glad that mistake has been amended."

Harlem Desir, the media-freedom representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), issued a statement welcoming the release to house arrest as a "positive step," but again urging the authorities to "drop all charges" against Aliyev. Desir added that the OSCE was following the case closely.

Aliyev was charged by the Azerbaijani authorities in August on allegations of tax evasion and abuse of powers. He denies any wrongdoing.

Authorities in Baku also have frozen all of the Turan news agency's bank accounts during an ongoing investigation.

Rights groups say Aliyev's detention and the financial sanctions against the Turan news agency are part of a wider crackdown on independent media, journalists, opposition politicians, activists, and others who criticize Azerbaijan's government.

Turan was established in 1990 and has published online reports in Azerbaijani, English, and Russia. It has also cooperated with leading international news agencies about stories in Azerbaijan.

Giorgi Gogia, the South Caucasus director of Human Rights Watch, said the case against Aliyev was "the latest in a vicious crackdown on critical media in the country."

"Using bogus tax-related charges to jail critical journalists is nothing new for Azerbaijan," Gogia said.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) said Baku "has repeatedly used politically motivated criminal charges as a weapon to silence independent and opposition media."

Nina Ognianova, CPJ's program coordinator for Europe and Central Asia, said the case against Aliyev and Turan was "politically motivated."

The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says Baku was using "tax-evasion allegations to harass" Turan.

Azerbaijan is ranked 162nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index.

Aliyev's detention has been strongly criticized by the U.S. State Department, which has called for his immediate release.

Thorbjorn Jagland, secretary-general of the Council of Europe, and the French Foreign Ministry also have expressed concern about the prosecution of Aliyev and Turan.

Also on September 11, Azerbaijan's state-controlled APA news agency reported that 14 people who were among dozens convicted in a high-profile Nardaran case in 2016-17 of public calls to overthrow the government and inciting ethnic, religious, and social hatred had been granted early release. No details were provided.

On September 11, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pardoned Russian-Israeli blogger Aleksandr Lapshin, who was sentenced to three years in jail in July for traveling to the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh without Baku's permission. Lapshin will soon be deported to Israel, state media reported.

Ilham Aliyev -- who has ruled the oil-producing South Caucasus country of nearly 10 million people since shortly before the death of his father, Heydar Aliyev, in 2003 -- is on RSF's list of so-called "press freedom predators."

RSF says more than a dozen other journalists, bloggers, and media workers are "imprisoned in connection with the provision of news and information -- usually on trumped-up charges."

Dozens of journalists have fled the country in recent years to escape the crackdown, according to RSF.

With reporting by Reuters
It has a foreign ministry, flag, and even briefly had its history outlined on Wikipedia. Russia accuses it of stirring up trouble in Belarus.

But "Veishnoria" is nothing more than a creation of the Kremlin, concocted to serve as a convenient aggressor in Zapad (West) 2017, the joint military exercise planned for Belarus and parts of western Russia on September 14-20.

However, the fictional fatherland installed in Belarus -- one of three states created for the exercises -- has struck a chord with locals, who have taken to social media to fill in Veishnoria's state apparatus and accessories, as well as to generally poke fun at the whole idea.

Meanwhile, neighboring states -- specifically, the Baltics -- and others in the West are anticipating among the largest Russian military drills since the collapse of the Soviet Union, involving as many as 100,000 soldiers, although Minsk and Moscow put the troop numbers at just 13,000.

Zapad 2017 comes with tensions high between Moscow and the West over Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and its alleged backing -- both financially and militarily -- of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

According to the scenario unveiled at a briefing by the Belarusian General Staff on August 29, Veishnoria seeks to invade Belarus and foment discord between Moscow and Minsk.

A map of the exercise, released at the same briefing, shows Veishnoria in the northwest region of Belarus with the other two fake countries, Vesbaria and Lubenia, located in Lithuania and Poland.

Some commentators say that location is no accident.

Writing on Facebook, local analyst Serge Chaly says Veishnoria is located in an area where support for Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka is suspect, noting opposition candidate Zianon Pazniak balloted strongly there in the 1994 presidential election. Pazniak has lived abroad since 1996.

Social media users are mostly having a laugh, sometimes at the expense of the authoritarian Lukashenka.

Much of the guffawing is generated by a satirical Twitter account describing itself as Veishnoria's "foreign ministry," @Vaisnoria_MFA, which mockingly declared Belarusian Deputy Defense Minister Aleh Belokonev persona non grata.

Another Tweet includes a faux exchange with a parodic Russian counterpart and Veishnorian heraldry featuring a stork, one of Belarus's official symbols.

"The first signs that intelligent life supporting Belarus still exists. Greetings to all our brothers and sisters in reason!"

"On behalf of the [foreign ministry], we have declared the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Veishnoria. We welcome you, friends!"

Blurring the line between reality and the absurd, political analyst Pavel Usov joined in on the joke, quipping on Facebook that "Veishnoria is a peaceful democratic country that has never been aggressive toward its neighbors."

Others have used social media to cobble together other national symbols for the imaginary state.

One tweet floats a mock Veishnorian banknote featuring a fox, saying 1 VSN is worth $5 but "only at domestic exchange points."

A passport boasting the world's "best design" was posted on Twitter by someone calling himself Slashman, who also touted slick Veishnoria T-shirts.

A Wikipedia page dedicated to Veishnoria has since come down, leaving behind only a screen-grab courtesy of the BBC.

But the Zapad 2017 exercise is serious business.

After all, military exercises preceded Russian military invasions of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014.

Zapad military drills of the past are reported to have included "simulated" nuclear strikes on Poland in 2009 and Sweden in 2013.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Belarus Service


SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine -- A court in Ukraine's Russian-controlled Crimea region has sentenced prominent Crimean Tatar leader Akhtem Chiygoz, to eight years in prison after what Amnesty International called a "sham trial."

A court in the regional capital, Simferopol, sentenced Chiygoz on September 11 after finding him guilty of organizing an illegal demonstration there in February 2014.

Chiygoz is the deputy chairman of the Majlis, the Crimean Tatar assembly that was outlawed by Russia after it occupied and seized control of the Black Sea peninsula.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Chiygoz's jailing adds to the case against Russia, which had already been "recognized as an occupier at the highest international level."

"One can unlawfully confine someone's freedom, but it's impossible to break the will! You may occupy foreign land, but it will burn under your feet," Poroshenko said on Twitter.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry issued a strongly worded protest over the trial, verdict, and sentence.

It said Chiygoz was arrested for "his support for Ukrainian territorial integrity and fight for human rights."

The case against Chiygoz was "another demonstration of the repressive policy conducted by Russian on the Crimean Peninsula for the purpose of suppressing dissent...and discriminating against Crimean Tatars," the ministry said.

Refat Chubarov -- the chairman of the Crimean Tatars' self-governing body, the Mejlis, which is now banned by Moscow -- called the sentence "a new attempt to intimidate Crimean Tatars and suppress their will." Chubarov fled Crimea after Russia illegally annexed the peninsula in March 2014.

Rights groups say Chiygoz is a victim of a persistent campaign of reprisals against Crimeans who opposed Russia's seizure of the Ukrainian region.

Amnesty International called for his immediate release.

"The unfair trial of Akhtem Chiygoz tops a wave of spurious and demonstrably false criminal and administrative cases instigated by the occupying Russian authorities against members of the Crimean Tatar community," a statement from the London-based group quoted Oksana Pokalchuk, its director in Ukraine, as saying.

"It epitomizes the ongoing persecution of these activists whose only 'crime' is to vocally oppose Crimeas annexation by Russia."

In a statement posted on Facebook, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muiznieks, said that the judgment against Chiygoz "represents yet another blow to the already difficult situation of Tatars in Crimea."

"Chiygoz has been in fact convicted for having violated a law that was not applicable when the facts in question occurred, Muiznieks said.

"This raises serious doubts as to this judgments compatibility with the [European Convention on Human Rights] which clearly establishes that 'no one shall be held guilty of any criminal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a criminal offence under national or international law at the time when it was committed.'"

After a Moscow-friendly Ukrainian president was pushed from power by pro-European protests in Kyiv, Russia took control of Crimea in March 2014 by sending in troops and staging a referendum denounced as illegitimate by at least 100 countries including the United States and Ukraine.

Russia has been criticized by international rights groups and Western governments for its treatment of members of the indigenous Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatar minority.

Chiygoz, 52, and two other Crimean Tatars charged in connection with the demonstration -- Ali Asanov and Mustafa Degermendzhy -- are recognized as political prisoners by the Russian human rights group Memorial.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and other international organizations have called for their releases.

In a September 11 statement, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherinis office called for Chyigoz to be released, saying that the banning of the activities of the Mejlis  and the persecution of its leaders constitute serious and unacceptable violations of their rights.

It also said it expects separatism charges against another deputy chairman of the Mejlis, Ilmi Umerov, to be immediately dropped.

Umerov, who has criticized Russia's seizure of Crimea, went on trial in Simferopol in June. He denies the charges against, saying he has the right to express his opinions.

With reporting by Reuters
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
BRUSSELS -- EU lawmakers are pushing for an end to international data roaming charges between the EU and Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, a trust fund for Ukrainian investment, and possibly more sanctions on Russia ahead of a summit in Brussels in November.

According to a draft report of the European Parliament's recommendations to other EU institutions such as the European Commission and the European Council regarding the Eastern Partnership (Eap) in the run-up to the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels in November, the chamber wants "an attractive 'EaP+' model for associated countries" that could include such things as "additional unilateral tariff preferences, the abolition of roaming tariffs between the partners and the EU, and the development of high-capacity broadband."

The paper, which was seen by RFE/RL, also states that the EaP+ model could be offered to the other three Eastern Partnership countries -- Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus -- "once they are ready for such enhanced commitments."

'Roam Like Home'

The European Union abolished roaming charges for its 28 member states in June after over a decade of legislative and political wrangling.

Whereas much of the parliament's wish list is unrealistic at the moment, the issue of extending the "roam-like-home" provision to Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine is something that has been discussed by EU diplomats, according to several RFE/RL sources close to the talks who were not authorized to speak on the record.

The idea would be to announce at the summit that the EU and its partners want to abolish roaming charges, but also to caution people about how long such a move took to achieve in the EU.

The draft, which first will be discussed at a meeting in the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on September 14, also suggests that "the commission, together with the European Investment Bank (EIB), propose arrangements for the implementation of a new European Investment Plan for Ukraine and other Eastern Partnership countries that have made the most progress on reforms."

The paper suggests an unspecified increase in the lending capacity of the EIB from today's 1.6 billion euros per year and a trust fund for Ukraine, stressing that the fund "should focus on private and public investments, in particular on social and economic infrastructure and those aimed at boosting investment absorption capacity."

'Sustaining Unity' On Russia

On Russia sanctions, the European lawmakers "commit to sustaining the unity of action among EU member states in maintaining collective pressure on Russia, in particular through strengthened targeted restrictive measures."

The text also endorses "reestablishing Ukraine's full sovereignty in Crimea, and that of Georgia in South Ossetia and Abkhazia and of Moldova in [Transdniester], andputting an end to the additional threats of state-sponsored assassinations, cyberwarfare, disinformation, and other types of destabilization."

Russia illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014. It unilaterally recognized the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia following a brief war with Georgia in 2008. And Moscow maintains troops in Moldova's breakaway Transdniester region over the repeated objections of the Moldovan authorities.

'Brussels Declaration'

The European Parliament report could be amended before its likely endorsement by the full plenary in November, but the main goal is to put as much pressure as possible on the commission and those EU member states that are less enthusiastic about the Eastern Partnership.

The EU member states are currently debating the "Brussels declaration," which will be the official working document to be adopted by participants at the summit.

The current discussion about the draft declaration among EU diplomats focuses on whether one should include a sentence about "the acknowledgement of the European aspirations" of countries such as Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, which all have long-term aims of one day joining the bloc and already have functioning association agreements with Brussels as well as visa liberalization.

This sentence was included in the Riga declaration from the last Eastern Partnership summit in 2015, but both Germany and the Netherlands have so far been reluctant to commit to such language, according to EU diplomats familiar with the talks who asked for anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

The European Parliament text is clearer in endorsing the partners' future EU aspirations by referring to Article 49 of the EU treaty on enlargement and noting: "Any European state may apply to become a member of the European Union, provided it adheres to the Copenhagen criteria and the principles of democracy, that it respects fundamental freedoms and human and minority rights, and that it upholds the rule of law."
Reuters news agency is reporting that Iraqi authorities are holding 1,400 foreign wives and children of suspected fighters of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.

The news agency, citing security and aid officials, on September 10 said many of those detained came from Turkey, while others came from Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and Russia.

Some were also from Asia and a "very few" were French and German citizens, the report said.

Reuters said the detainees were wives and children of IS fighters driven out by government forces from their last strongholds, including Mosul.

They women and children are being held at a camp south of Mosul. One intelligence officer said the authorities were still attempting to confirm and verify their identities with their home countries, as most did not have their original documents.

Iraqi Army Colonel Ahmad al-Taie told Reuters the army was holding families of extremists and awaiting government orders.

Reuters said its reporters saw hundreds of the women and children sitting on mattresses crawling with bugs in tents without air-conditioning in what aid workers called a "militarized site."

"I want to go back [to France] but don't know how," said a French-speaking veiled woman of Chechen origin who said she did not know what had happened to her husband, who had brought her to Iraq after he joined IS.

Based on reporting by Reuters
ASTANA -- Former Kazakh National Security Committee (KNB) chief Nartai Dutbaev has been convicted on espionage charges and sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison, Kazakhstan's Military Court said on September 11.

According to the court, Dutbaev was found guilty of disclosing state secrets and abuse of office and sentenced on August 27.

Two former subordinates and a fourth defendant were sentenced to prison terms of 3 1/2 to 5 years.

Authorities have not described the nature of the secrets at issue or named any country they are accused of disclosing them to.

Dutbaev headed the KNB in 2001-2006. He resigned in February 2006 after officers of the KNB's elite Arystan (Lion) unit were accused of involvement in the kidnapping and killing of opposition leader Altynbek Sarsenbaiuly and two of his assistants in Almaty.

Dutbaev and the two former subordinates were arrested in December.

The trial started on July 17 and was held behind closed doors.
BISHKEK -- Presidential candidates in Kyrgyzstan have started introducing voters to their programs after the campaign officially started on September 10.

On September 11, the candidate of the Onuguu-Progress party, Bakyt Torobaev announced his program -- saying Kyrgyzstan needed to make clear whether it has a presidential or a parliamentary system of government.

He also said he would back referendums on whether to reduce the number of lawmakers in parliament from 120 to 75 and whether to introduce the death penalty for convicted pedophiles.

On September 10, Respublika party candidate Omurbek Babanov and Ak-Shumkar (White Falcon) party candidate Temir Sariev announced their programs.

Babanov and Sariev are considered to be the two leading candidates.

Social Democratic Party candidate Sooronbai Jeenbekov, whom the outgoing President Almazbek Atambaev has publicly supported, began holding meetings with voters outside of Bishkek on September 10.

A total of 13 candidates have been registered for the October 15 presidential vote.

There is one woman contesting the vote, independent candidate Toktaiym Umotalieva.

Atambaev, who has been president since December 2011, is constitutionally barred from running for a second term.

Critics say he is looking for ways to maintain influence after he leaves office.

Controversy has been cast over the election by the August 16 conviction on bribery charges of opposition politician Omurbek Tekebaev, a former ally of Atambaev.

Tekebaev's Ata-Meken (Fatherland) party says the charges were aimed at preventing him from trying to seek the presidency.

Tekebaev was sentenced to eight years in prison, a ruling that bars him from running in the upcoming election and the following presidential vote that is scheduled for 2023.
Police in Pakistan say gunmen on motorbikes opened fire on a Shi'ite family in southwestern province of Balochistan overnight -- killing four people, including a child.

Police spokesman Tanvir Shah said on September 11 that the attack on an ethnic Hazara family took place near the town of Kuchlak to the north of the provincial capital, Quetta.

Police spokesman Mohammad Khan said eight members of the Hazara family were travelling to Quetta from Afghanistan and had stopped for fuel when their vehicle was attacked.

The nationalities of the victims were not immediately clear.

Police spokesman Mohammad Khan said two other people were wounded in the apparent sectarian attack.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility. But Islamic State (IS) militants and their local affiliates have targeted Shi'a in Balochistan in recent years.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa
Russia says Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has met with U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon in Finlands capital, Helsinki, to address sore spots in Moscow and Washington's relations.

The Foreign Ministry said in a September 11 statement that the talks focused on the "forced closure" of Russia's Consulate in San Francisco and the "illegitimate seizure" of trade annexes in Washington and New York.

"We called for a stop to the destruction of Russia-U.S. relations and undermining international law, which is fraught with grave consequences, and to start finding solutions to resolve problems that are mounting through no fault of ours," it added.

The U.S. side did not immediately comment on the meeting or the Russian statement. But U.S. officials say the United States has taken no improper diplomatic or law enforcement action in connection with the U.S. order for Russia to vacate the three diplomatic facilities by September 2.

The State Department made that demand after Moscow ordered the United States to cut its diplomatic personnel in Russia to 455 by September 1, which Russian President Putin said meant cutting 755 personnel, in retaliation for new U.S. sanctions against Moscow over Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

During his meeting with Shannon, Ryabkov also drew attention to what Russia's Foreign Ministry called "other unacceptable actions" in Washington, including "the increased arrests of Russian citizens by U.S. intelligence agencies in third countries."

The United States has imposed sanctions against Russia following its illegal annexation of Ukraines Crimean region in March 2014 and its backing of separatists in a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.

Relations between Moscow and Washington are also severely strained over Russia's alleged meddling in the U.S. presidential election in 2016.


The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Russian authorities to "identify and prosecute" those responsible for the attacks on journalist Yulia Latynina and to ensure she can "live and work safely" in the country.

CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova made the call in a September 11 statement, two days after Latynina said she had fled Russia following a suspected arson attack on her car.

"No journalist should be compelled to leave their home because of threats and attacks over their work," Ognianova said.

Latynina, a prominent Russian journalist and a searing critic of Russia's ruling political elite, said on September 9 that she was abroad along with her parents and that it was "unlikely" that she "would return to Russia anytime soon."

She later told Current Time TV, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, that she can no longer "risk the life of her parents."

Latynina, who hosts a weekly political commentary show at Ekho Moskvy, also expressed hope that she would soon return home, but said she didnt know when that could happen.

On September 3, Latynina said that unknown "arsonists" set fire to her car, which was parked near her "wooden house."

"The gas tank could have exploded, and the only reason it didnt was because it wasnt full," Latynina said, adding that if her father "hadnt put out the fire, it would have burned down the house because the flames were already four meters high."

In a statement on September 4, Russia's Journalists' Union supported Latyninas claim and said the incident wasnt a mere act of "hooliganism and intimidation."

In August 2016, Latynina was doused with fecal matter by an unidentified assailant. Police launched a probe, but never identified the culprit.

Following that attack, the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, to which Latynina is a regular contributor, said in a statement that Latynina has "regularly" received threats and that "several years ago" a planned attack on her was thwarted.

Latynina temporarily left Russia in March 2015 after her name was linked to a rumored "kill list" that reportedly included the names of numerous individuals who openly criticize the countrys leadership.

She said at the time that she decided to leave Russia after noticing that she was being followed on the street.
MOSCOW -- The ruling United Russia party has dominated a slew of regional and local elections marked by low turnout and claims of voter suppression, but liberal opposition candidates appeared to gain a toehold in Moscow with a strong showing in races for district councils in the capital.

The September 10 elections, the last major vote before a presidential ballot in March 2018, cemented President Vladimir Putin's grip on power in Russia's far-flung regions and tested a new strategy -- at least in Moscow -- for opponents sidelined after years of increasing Kremlin control over the political system.

Nearly complete official counts indicated that United Russia candidates and Kremlin allies, many of them incumbents, won all 15 regional gubernatorial races -- from the Baltic Sea exclave of Kaliningrad to Buryatia on Lake Baikal -- as well as a vote for the head of the naval port city of Sevastopol on Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia occupied and seized from Ukraine in 2014. United Russia also appeared set to maintain control over regional and local legislatures across the country.

But opposition leaders, including prominent Kremlin critics, claimed victory in several Moscow districts, including Putin's own voting precinct southwest of the Kremlin. The newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported that opposition candidates were on track to win a majority of seats in 14 of the more than 100 administrative districts of the capital.

Partial returns indicated that nearly 180 candidates supported by liberal former Russian parliament deputy Dmitry Gudkov and the Yabloko party won seats in Moscow district councils, and opposition activist Ilya Yashin said he and his allies won seven seats in one of the councils while United Russia won three.

Moscow election commission chairman Valentin Gorbunov said preliminary results with nearly 100 percent of the ballots counted indicated that United Russia won about 77 percent of the 1,502 district council seats being contested in the capital, while Yabloko could win nearly 12 percent and independent candidates about 7 percent.

"Muscovites' political preferences are changing," he said.

Gorbunov said Yabloko was on track to gain 176 or 177 local council mandates, up from the current 25.

Pushed out of national politics since Putin came to power in 2000 and tightened control over elections, opposition activists and groups such as Gudkov, Yashin, and the Yabloko party are focusing on municipal issues and mounting a grassroots campaign to their way claw back. In Moscow, they have their eye on a mayoral election due in September 2018.

Yabloko party official Nikolai Rybakov hailed the results as a breakthrough for the party, adding that Yabloko would attempt to field a candidate for the Moscow mayoral election set for September 2018.

Gudkov told a Moscow press conference that he is in talks with Yabloko to represent the party in that election.

In addition, he said the results send "a very important signal" for the presidential campaign of Yabloko founder Grigory Yavlinsky.

Putin's spokesman said the Kremlin welcomed the fact that candidates who were not from United Russia won seats, casting it as evidence of political pluralism and a fair, competitive vote.

"This is excellent. They will take part in the life of the city and demonstrate their effectiveness," Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "This is pluralism, this is political competition."

Peskov also said "the legitimacy of the elections was ensured in the country on a fairly high level."

Kremlin opponents saw it differently, saying they made progress in the face of alleged fraud and a state campaign to suppress voter turnout in Moscow, where liberal opposition to the Kremlin is stronger than in most other parts of the country.

Gudkov tweeted about what he called an opposition "victory" and Putin foe Mikhail Khodorkovsky congratulated the former lower-parliament-house member and his allies, saying on Twitter that "in the face of United Russia's manipulations, Muscovites have supported a new power."

But the projected opposition wins in Moscow were exceptions in elections in which the newspaper Vedomosti said that "representatives of the party of power won almost everywhere."

"We can speak of the supremacy of and support for United Russia candidates," Peskov said, adding that the results also showed a "quite impressive" level of trust among voters in "officials promoted by the president."

United Russia won a supermajority in the State Duma in elections held last year.

Officials said the incumbent head of the Buryatia region, Aleksei Tsydenov, was on track to win more that 87 percent of the vote. Thousands of kilometers to the west, in Kaliningrad, regional election officials said acting governor and United Russia candidate Anton Alikhanov won 81 percent of the vote.

Kremlin critics say that particularly in the provinces, Putin's government uses a range of tools including control over broadcast media, laws discouraging street protests, and influence over groups such as state employees, soldiers, schoolteachers, and students to improve the chances of United Russia candidates and keep opposition votes to a minimum.

The election came six months before a March 2018 vote in which Putin, who has been president or prime minister for 18 years, is widely expected to seek -- and, given his popularity and control over the levers of power -- easily win a new six-year term.

Putin, 64, would be barred from running again in 2024 because of a constitutional limit of two consecutive presidential terms.

Voter turnout in the September 10 elections was a "record low," the Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported.

Citing official figures, it said turnout exceeded 40 percent in only three regions -- Mordovia, Saratov, and Belgorod -- and was 12.7 percent in the Pacific coast city of Vladivostok.

Gorbunov, the Moscow election commission chief, said on September 11 that turnout was about 14.8 percent "so far," without clarifying whether that was a final figure.

Opposition candidates in the capital had warned that authorities were attempting to discourage voter turnout, and Gudkov and others peppered social media with allegations of fraud in the vote count.

By midday on September 11, the independent Russian election-monitoring group Golos (Voice/Vote) said it had received about 1,600 reports of alleged violations connected to the campaign, voting on Election Day, and the ballot counts.

Sergei Mitrokhin, a representative of the liberal Yabloko party, accused officials of using "every means of giving people a sense of electoral powerlessness...to make sure that the people they need stay in power," the AFP news agency reported.

In a marked shift from previous practice, there were few billboards or posters urging Muscovites to vote, and opposition politicians said there was little information available from the authorities on where and how to cast ballots.

Prominent opposition leader Aleksei Navalny also alleged fraud on the part of the authorities.

Moscow city officials denied charges they were attempting to discourage people from showing up for the election.

WATCH: Vladimir Putin Votes in Russian Local, Regional Elections

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, chairman of United Russia, said the elections were held at the highest level "everywhere" and that the results were "very favorable" for his party, according to state-run media.

Preliminary results indicated a strong performance for parties linked to United Russia, which is associated with Putin.

The opposition had been hoping for a strong showing, especially in Moscow, and to gain some positions in the local elections throughout the country.

Direct governors' races were held in 16 of Russia's 83 regions, and complaints surfaced ahead of the elections from would-be candidates saying they had been unfairly excluded from the ballot.

In nine of the 16 regions with gubernatorial voting on September 10, United Russia's incumbent governors ran for reelection. A second round of voting is scheduled for September 24 in places where no candidate wins a majority.

A requirement is being blamed by some for unduly narrowing the field of candidates for governor. To get on the ballot, would-be candidates must get signatures of support from as high as 10 percent of local lawmakers, the so-called "municipal filter."

In most cases, such local legislatures are either members or allies of United Russia.

At least four potentially formidable candidates had their bids quashed after they failed to secure the required signatures.

Yevgeny Roizman, a Yekaterinburg mayor with a reputation for being a political maverick, failed to get on the gubernatorial ballot in his native Sverdlovsk region. In an interview with RFE/RL's Russian Service in August, Roizman alleged that local authorities made sure "they cleared the entire field."

"There's not a single strong challenger," Roizman said of the process. "Not a single strong candidate was even allowed to get close." Roizman predicted that he would have won "plain and simple" if he had been in the race.

Ella Pamfilova, the head of Russia's Central Election Commission, rejected suggestions that Roizman had been unfairly targeted by the Kremlin.

"It's difficult for me to believe that the ruthless Mr. Roizman -- a senior official, a statesman, the head of a major city who has certain administrative resources -- is a sort of weak little victim hounded by the regime," Pamfilova told the Russian business daily RBK in August.

Ukraine sharply criticized Russia for holding elections in Crimea, which Moscow seized in March 2014 after sending in troops and staging a referendum deemed illegitimate by at least 100 countries.

"Ukraine does not recognize any 'electoral processes' in occupied Crimea, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mariana Betsa wrote on Twitter. "A gross violation by Russia of international law and the laws of Ukraine."

"Not worthy of substance and content," she said in a separate tweet.

The European Union also said it does not recognize the elections as legitimate because Russia illegally took possession of Crimea.

"Anybody elected in the Crimean peninsula claiming to 'represent' Crimea and Sevastopol will not be recognized as representatives of those territories, which are Ukrainian," an EU spokeperson said in a statement.

"The European Union remains unwavering in its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine."

But analysts say the choices were limited, which they said would likely lead to the lower voter turnout.

"There won't be any surprises in the regions because everything is under control," Dmitry Oreshkin, director of the Mercator think tank in Moscow, told RFE/RL.

Oreshkin predicted that United Russia or "people approved by United Russia," would emerge victorious in regional races.

Although he has not officially announced his candidacy, Putin is expected to dominate the presidential election slated for March 2018. It would be his fourth term in the presidency, a tenure dating back to late 1999 and interrupted only by a four-year stint as prime minister to avoid a presidential term limit in Russia's constitution.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, Interfax, and TASS
VLADIVOSTOK -- A controversial film about an affair Tsar Nicholas II had before his marriage was screened amid "unprecedented security measures" in the city of Vladivostok following threats and attacks targeting the film and its director.

Anton Alekseyenko, the director-general of the Illyuzion cinema network, told reporters before the screening of Matilda that local and federal security officers were providing security at the theater in the Pacific Coast city.

All attendees of the screening went through security checkpoints and security officers were present at each of the five theaters in the complex.

The 500 tickets to the Vladivostok screening sold out almost immediately on September 8 after high-profile protests against the film by Russian Orthodox Christian figures and hard-line nationalists.

The protesters have claimed the film besmirches the memory of Nicholas, who was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000.

In a speech before the screening, director Aleksei Uchitel called on the audience to support his film.

"There are too many debates about the film with some people who I believe are not fully sane," Uchitel said. "The film does not offend anyone. Please support it even if you do not like it."

Meanwhile the Illyuzion cinema scheduled to present Matilda in Moscow on September 11 announced on its website that the screening has been postponed to October 25 due to "technical reasons."

Nationwide Release

Russia's Culture Ministry has approved the release of the film, and it is to open nationwide on October 26.

Earlier on September 11, masked men in Moscow set fire to two cars near the Moscow office of Uchitels lawyers and left leaflets saying "To burn for Matilda."

Attorney Konstantin Dobrynin wrote on Facebook that the attack might have been encouraged by Russian lawmaker Natalya Poklonskaya, a vehement critic of the movie.

Moscow police said it launched investigations into the arson attack and threatening leaflets.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, called the attack "an act of extremism that must be investigated by law enforcement."

It was the third violent incident connected to the film in less than two weeks.

On August 31, unknown attackers threw Molotov cocktails into Uchitel's studio in St. Peterburg.

On September 4, a 39-year-old man known for previously protesting the film rammed his vehicle into a movie theater in Yekaterinburg and set the car ablaze in a fire that also burned the cinemas entrance.

'Premeditated Insult'

A campaign to ban the film was led by Poklonskaya, a controversial Russian Duma deputy from Crimea who has expressed monarchist views.

She previously worked as the Russia-imposed prosecutor in Ukraines occupied region of Crimea after it was seized and annexed by Russia in March 2014.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed head of Russia's Chechnya region, argued that Matilda screenings should be banned in the mostly Muslim regions of the North Caucasus because it was a "premeditated insult to the feelings" of religious believers.

The film tells the story of a romance between Nicholas, when he was an unmarried crown prince, and ballet dancer Matilda Kshesinskaya.

WATCH: Trailer For Matilda

Trailers showing romantic scenes between the young prince and Kshesinskaya have outraged conservative critics.

The affair ended in 1894 when Nicholas married the German princess who became Empress Alexandra.

Kshesinskaya later married the tsar's cousin, Grand Duke Aleksandr Vladimirovich. She died in 1971.

Conservatives deny the well-documented affair took place. Some have claimed it would have been impossible for a prince to fall in love with a woman they say was "utterly homely.

With reporting by TASS and Interfax


MOSCOW -- The Russian opposition is claiming success after a grassroots campaign led by Kremlin critic Dmitry Gudkov helped dissenters win a rare toehold in the capital in weekend elections.

Gudkov's coalition of liberal opposition forces won around 250 of 1,502 seats up for grabs on Moscow's district councils -- seizing majorities in more than a dozen -- and finishing second overall to President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.

"There has been a revolution in [the voter's] mind," Gudkov told RFE/RL's Russian Service, describing the breakthrough for a liberal opposition that has enjoyed little electoral success in a system dominated by Putin and his 17-year grip on power and the media."A demand for serious change has appeared."

Tallies from the September 10 voting saw opposition forces eclipse Kremlin-backed parties in the capital in elections characterized by low turnout six months ahead of a presidential election.

Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the Moscow results "excellent" and a demonstration of "what pluralism and political competition are all about," singling out two areas that Russia's tightly controlled system is frequently accused of stifling.

A former State Duma deputy, Gudkov backed the candidacies of more than 1,000 Muscovites -- many of them political novices -- in a campaign uniting liberal democratic parties Yabloko and Parnas along with independent candidates.

"This is the beginning of a new era in Russian politics," Vitaly Shklyarov, an adviser to Gudkov's campaign who previously worked within the U.S. presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders, said.

"It's an unbelievable performance," Shklyarov said of the opposition mandates won in part by enlisting cohorts of young activists and undertaking the bureaucratic challenges of getting them onto the ballot. "For Russia, this is an unheard-of way of challenging the government."

Mayoral Bid

The broader aim was to muster enough support among district councils to formally endorse a Gudkov bid for the mayor's office in elections a year from now.

A national provision that critics have dubbed the "municipal filter" requires mayoral candidates to demonstrate a prescribed level of support from local councilors across many districts to enter the race.

The head of the Moscow Election Commission, Valentin Gorbunov, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying that only the ruling United Russia party won enough seats in the weekend voting to bypass the municipal filter in the capital.

Gorbunov said United Russia won 76 percent of the Moscow vote and second-placed Yabloko got 11.72 percent.

"Muscovites are changing their political preferences," Gorbunov said, adding that "the main flow" of defections was from the Communist Party and A Just Russia toward Yabloko.

Shklyarov said the Gudkov camp's next step would be to campaign for the repeal or modification of the municipal filter requirement -- including in the corridors of city hall with scores of newly elected officials or even street protests, if necessary.

"The campaign is not over," said Skhlyarov. "From today, we're going to define the next step to get the election rules changed and to run for mayor."

Gudkov told RFE/RL that the September 10 voting had shown his grassroots movement demonstrated it was "the only political force in the city that can challenge the mayor and his administration alongside Putin."

"We can forget now about the parliamentary opposition," Gudkov said of parties widely regarded as "systemic" opposition -- nominally opposing the ruling party but falling in line on critical issues -- such as the Communists and A Just Russia. "It no longer exists anymore. Forget about them."

Administrative Resource

The independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper carried an article describing September 10 as a "small municipal revolution," adding that the new opposition bloc in district councils marks the first time in years that opposition-minded Muscovites have had any official political representation.

"Growing authoritarianism against the backdrop of universal apathy has finally collided with grassroots democratic activism," wrote the paper's political editor, Kirill Martynov.

Dmitry Oreshkin, head of the Mercator think tank in Moscow, described the capital as a city in need of "renewal" and "political representation for its own interests" rather than being subsumed to national politics.

Oreshkin said the opposition votes were concentrated in central, southwestern, and northwestern Moscow districts -- areas "in old Moscow's progressive, intelligentsia regions."

He then added, in a reference to officials who use their power and influence to push for the status quo, "On the city's periphery, the administrative resource still leads the show."

Pavel Salin, head of the Center for Political Research at Moscow's Financial University, suggested that opposition forces had underachieved in the context of declining trust in mainstream parties in Russia's big cities.

"[But] in general, if we compare the old state of play with the new one, then this is a fairly good result," Salin said. "Most importantly, this is a serious statement of intent: a signal that the starting positions of parties outside the State Duma are very strong."
Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded former Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak a top state honor in recognition of his "substantial contribution to the realization of Russia's foreign policy."

A statement issued by the Kremlin on September 11 said that Kislyak was granted the Order of Aleksandr Nevsky, which is given to civil servants after at least 20 years of exemplary service.

Kislyak, 67, served as ambassador to the United States from 2008 to July of this year, when he left the United States amid concerns about his contacts with representatives of President Donald Trump during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign

Before that, he was deputy foreign minister from 2003 to 2008. He previously served as Russian ambassador to Belgium and the head of Russia's mission to NATO.

Last month, Kislyak said he would be nominated as a candidate to represent the Republic of Mordovia in the Federation Council, the upper chamber of Russia's legislature.

Russia's new ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, presented his credentials to Trump on September 8, saying that he hoped for an "improvement in relationsbetween our countries."

With reporting by TASS and Bloomberg
The Russian foreign minister has urged a coalition of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia to negotiate with Qatar to end a bitter diplomatic dispute that has raised tensions on the Arabian Peninsula.

Sergei Lavrov on September 10 told his Saudi counterpart that "we have confirmed our position in favor of settling the disagreements via negotiations."

Lavrov's comments to Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir during a meeting at the Saudi port city of Jeddah were released in a transcript provided by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

According to the transcript, Lavrov praised the efforts of Kuwait to mediate the dispute.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt have broken all diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar, accusing it of financing regional terrorism and of having too close ties to the Arab states' bitter rival, Iran.

Qatar has denied the accusations and has rejected a list of 13 demands set down by the Saudi-led coalition.

A day earlier, Saudi Arabia said it was breaking off any talks with Qatar, accusing the small Persian Gulf state of misreporting the content of a phone call between Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad and Saudi Crown Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

"Qatar knows what it has to do in order to end the crisis," Jubeir said during a joint news conference with Lavrov in Jeddah.

"Doha has to respond to the list of our demands so that we can turn over a new page," Jubeir said.

"We want clarity in the Qatari position, we want seriousness in finding a solution...[and] implementation of principles all countries support: No supporting terrorism, no welcoming unwanted guests, no spreading hate, no intervention in others' affairs," Jubeir explained.

The Arab coalition demands that Qatar cut its ties with Iran, end financial support for Islamic extremist groups, and shut down the Qatar-based broadcaster Al-Jazeera.

Lavrov's efforts come days after U.S. President Donald Trump made his push to settle the dispute between the Arab countries, all considered strong U.S. allies.

Trump, who on September 7 met with the Kuwaiti emir and praised his mediation efforts, also said he would be willing to act as a mediator to the dispute.

Lavrov is scheduled to move on to Amman to hold talks with Jordanian leaders on September 11, with the civil war in Syria likely to be the main topic of discussion.

With reporting by dpa, TASS, and The Saudi Gazette
WASHINGTON -- The FBI recently questioned a former White House correspondent for the Russian state-funded Sputnik news agency about the organization's editorial operations in what appears to be part of its probe into an alleged Russian campaign to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.



Andrew Feinberg, who was fired from Sputnik in May, told RFE/RL on September 11 that he met with a lawyer from the Justice Department and an FBI agent for more than two hours on September 1. During that meeting, he said he turned over a thumb drive containing thousands of internal e-mails from his five months at Sputnik.



He described the interview, which took place at the bureau's Washington field office, as voluntary and said the questions concerned Sputnik's internal operations.

News of Feinberg's questioning and of the possible probe into whether Sputnik violated U.S. laws on foreign agents was first reported by Yahoo News.



The Justice Department refused to comment on the interview or to confirm whether there was an investigation into Sputnik's operations.

Set up in 2014 as part of a restructuring of Russian-government-funded news operations in the Rossiya Segodnya news group, Sputnik runs radio broadcasts and news websites in 30 languages.

Feinberg told RFE/RL that, during his FBI interview, he was asked about how editorial decisions were made at Sputnik. He was also asked about U.S. operations at RIA Novosti, another Russian-funded news agency that was subsumed by Rossiya Segodnya during its 2014 restructuring.

Foreign Agents Legislation



Feinberg, who wrote a detailed, first-person account of his tenure at Sputnik for Politico in August, said he supported the calls for Sputnik to be registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) because the law, he said, had exemptions for bona-fide foreign-owned news organizations. He included Al Jazeera, BBC, and Agence France Presse as examples.



"This is a case where the reasons are clear cut, and the differences between RT and Sputnik and legitimate foreign-owned news agencies are readily identifiable. I think it's totally reasonable to act," he said.



"If the internal process of Sputnik resembled anything like a legitimate news agency, I would be out there defending them," he said. "This is not your usual foreign government owned news agency. One of these things is not like the other."



Mindia Gavasheli, editor in chief of Sputnik's U.S. operations, said he first learned of the FBI probe when contacted by Yahoo News. He said he had contacted the Justice Department to get more information, but hadn't heard anything yet.



Asked whether Sputnik should be registered under FARA, he said that was "absolutely unreasonable."

"Any assertion that we are anything but a news organization is false," he told RFE/RL.

In Moscow, Margarita Simonyan, who is a top executive both at Rossiya Segodnya and the satellite television channel RT, suggested there would be some sort of retaliation in Russia against U.S. media representatives in particular.



"There is no doubt that Russia will answer the FBI investigation similarly, and the work of American journalists in Moscow will be checked," Simonyan was quoted as saying by RIA-Novosti. "All of this is more than disgusting. Freedom of speech is being returned to the coffin. Those who conceived of it are now killing it."

Heightened Scrutiny



The probe comes at a time of heightened law-enforcement and congressional scrutiny of entities and individuals in the United States who may have had formal or informal ties to the Russian government, as well as questions about Russia's alleged meddling in last year's presidential election.



At least three congressional committees are conducting interviews and gathering documents related to a U.S. intelligence community conclusion in January that Moscow orchestrated a hacking-and-propaganda campaign to influence the campaign to benefit the eventual winner of the election, Donald Trump.



Russian officials have repeatedly denied the accusations.



The FBI has had a parallel criminal investigation ongoing since July. That effort was taken over by an independent special counsel after FBI Director James Comey was fired by President Trump in May.



Some aspects of that probe are believed to focus on whether certain individuals should have registered under a 79-year-old FARA law.



FARA requires people working in the United States for a foreign government in a "political or quasi-political capacity" to register with the Justice Department. It was set up specifically to counter fears of Nazi propaganda and misinformation being spread in the U.S.



Both Sputnik and Russia Today "contributed to the influence campaign by serving as a platform for Kremlin messaging to Russian and international audiences," said the report issued by the director of national intelligence.



"RT and Sputnikconsistently cast President-elect Trump as the target of unfair coverage from traditional U.S. media outlets that they claimed were subservient to a corrupt political establishment," the report said.



Since that report, there have been growing calls for Sputnik, RT, and related Russian-government-funded news operations to be required to register under FARA.

"RTserves as a propaganda arm for the Russian government to spread often false, always biased information to benefit whatever whims of the Russian government and [Russian President] Vladimir Putin are the topic of the day," Representative David Cicilline, a Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees, told a discussion at the Atlantic Council on September 8.

Earlier this summer, Sputnik signed an agreement to broadcast on an FM frequency in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

John Garziglia, a Washington-based lawyer who is part owner of the company that leased the frequency to Sputnik, declined to comment on whether he had been contacted by U.S. law enforcement about Sputnik.
IRKUTSK, Russia -- Ukrainian writer and filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, who is jailed in Russia over his opposition to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, has been transferred from a penal colony in Yakutsk to a notorious detention center in the city of Irkutsk, some 1,900 kilometers away.

Lawyers and members of the Public Monitoring Commission in Angara, who visited Sentsov in Detention Center #1 in Irkutsk, said on September 11 that he was in solitary confinement in the jail's basement.

Lawyer Svyatoslav Khromenkov told RFE/RL that the Irkutsk detention center was considered one of the worst jails in Siberia, but he added that Sentsov's cell was recently repaired and was "more or less OK."

Khromenkov said Sentsov did not know why he was moved so far.

Khromenkov suggested Sentsov may have been transferred to prevent him from staying at one detention facility long enough to establish himself there.

Inmates in the former Soviet Union are typically moved from detention facility to another in so-called Stolypin train carriages that are specially equipped for the transportation of convicts.

Transfers from one jail to another, especially long-distance transfers, typically have been used to put pressure on some inmates.

Convicts are forced to spend days in narrow cages inside the train cars, which very often are jammed with people. There often is no fresh air nor the possibility to use a toilet on the train.

Long distances are covered in many days because Stolypin trains are only allowed to move during certain hours, usually at night.

That means prisoners are kept either inside the railroad cars at stations or in transit jails, making such trips long and exhausting.

Sentsov, a native of Crimea who opposed Russia's seizure and annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula, is currently serving a 20-year prison term on terrorism charges.

He and international human rights groups say the charges are politically motivated.

Sentsov was arrested in May 2014 on suspicion of planning the fire bombings of pro-Russian organizations in Crimea. A Russian court convicted him on multiple terrorism charges in August 2014.

Sentsov has denied all charges against him, saying that a "trial by occupiers cannot be fair by definition."
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled his willingness to look into the idea of deploying UN peacekeepers to eastern Ukraine not only along the conflict line separating Ukrainian government forces and Russia-backed separatists, but also in other areas where monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) work.

The Kremlin said Putin made the comments in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on September 11.

"Vladimir Putin elaborated on the Russian initiative to set up a UN mission to facilitate the guarding of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM)," the Kremlin said.

"In light of thoughts voiced by Angela Merkel, the Russian leader indicated a readiness to update the functions of the aforementioned UN mission in the Russia-sponsored draft resolution of the [UN] Security Council."

"It is intended that UN peacekeepers could guard OSCE observers not only on the line of contact following the disengagement of both parties' forces and hardware, but in other locations as well, where the OSCE SMM pays its inspection visits," it added.

In a statement, the German Chancellery said Putin "agreed to remove the previous limitation of deployment of the planned UN mission" after Merkel pointed out that "changes in the mandate were necessary."

'Strange' Proposal

On September 5, Putin called for the deployment of lightly armed peacekeepers to protect OSCE observers monitoring the conflict in eastern Ukraine. But he indicated that the peacekeepers would operate only along the front line separating Ukrainian government forces and separatists.

However, Kyiv said the mission should patrol the whole conflict zone including the border between Russia and the separatist-held parts of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which Kyiv says is used to ship weapons and military personnel in from Russia. Ukraine also rejected Moscow's demand that any deployment needs to be agreed by separatists.

"[The missions] purpose should not be the preservation of Russia's occupation and the legalization of the Russian military presence, but a durable peace," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on September 7.

"Its purpose should not be the preservation of Russia's occupation and the legalization of the Russian military presence, but a durable peace," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on September 7.

Poroshenko called Putin's proposal "strange," but said Ukraine is ready to discuss any proposal at the UN.

The conflict has killed more than 10,000 civilians and combatants in eastern Ukraine since it erupted in April 2014, after Russia seized control of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and fomented separatism in some eastern parts of the country.

The war has persisted despite a European-brokered agreement on a cease-fire and a settlement road map that was signed by Ukraine, Russia, and the separatists in February 2015.

Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax
Mikheil Saakashvili, a former Georgian president and ex-governor of Ukraine's Odesa region, said on September 11 after forcing his way into Ukraine that he wants to get involved in Ukrainian politics again and help unite Kyiv's opposition.

"I want to say that this is the beginning of my fight," Saakashvili said at a press conference in Lviv after illegally crossing into Ukraine from Poland a day earlier despite warnings from Ukrainian authorities that he faces "serious" criminal charges.

"I am fighting against rampant corruption, against the fact that oligarchs are in full control of Ukraine again, against the fact that the Maidan has been betrayed," he said. "We should have democracy in our country and should not have the diktat of the oligarchs."

Saakashvili said he would travel to all regions of Ukraine to unite "different political forces around a common theme that we must have a democracy and we should not let oligarchs hold sway."

Saakashvili has said he was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship by his one-time ally Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko because Poroshenko views him as a threat. But he said on September 11 that he does not want the presidency for himself and wants to promote a new, younger politician to the post, the Reuters news agency reported.

Saakashvili was joined as he crossed the border by Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister and leader of one of Ukraine's largest opposition parties. She currently is ahead of Poroshenko in public opinion polls, Reuters reported.

Reuters also reported that reformist lawmaker Mustafa Nayyem, one of the leaders of the Maidan protests and a member of Poroshenko's faction in parliament, traveled with Saakashvili and has accused Kyiv authorities of trying to silence opponents.

"We didn't want this country when we stayed on Maidan," Reuters quoted Nayyem as saying. "We wanted a country in which opponents, political opponents, have a right to say what they want."

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov had earlier called the border breach by Saakashvili "an attack on the state's basic institutions" and said all those responsible should turn themselves in.

A criminal investigation was launched against Saakashvili after he defied Ukrainian authorities and returned to the country that stripped him of citizenship in July.

Poroshenko chided Saakashvili for crossing the border without proper documents. He said Saakashvili should have contested the decree stripping him of Ukrainian citizenship in court if he disagreed with it.

Saakashvili said in Lviv that he no longer had a Ukrainian passport, claiming it was "stolen by police" from a bus that had transported him into Ukraine.

"This morning my lawyer delivered to the Ukrainian migration service my application for protection from Ukrainian authorities," Saakashvili said. "That means I am legally in Ukraine."

In a statement, police in Lviv denied that Saakashvili's passport had been taken and said his claim "did not correspond to events" at the time of Saakashvili's crossing.

Backed by hundreds of supporters, Saakashvili made his way from Poland into Ukraine on September 10, breaking through a line of Ukrainian border guards.

Prosecutor-General Yuriy Lutsenko said late on September 10 that charges also would be pursued against the organizers of Saakashvili's unauthorized entry.

Earlier, police in Lviv, where Saakashvili spent the night, said regional police were investigating "events near the [Medyka]-Shehyni checkpoint along the Ukrainian-Polish border."

The statement said those found guilty of illegally crossing the border could face up to five years in prison.

Writing on his Facebook page on September 11, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman called the incident an "attack" on Ukraine's statehood.

"It's time to fight for the state and not for power," he said.

Saakashvili claims to have UN recognition as being "stateless" and says he wants to challenge the revocation of his citizenship at a court in Ukraine.

WATCH: Saakashvili Supporters Force Entry Into Ukraine

Besides running the risk of being arrested for illegally crossing into Ukraine, Saakashvili also faces possible extradition to Georgia where he is wanted on charges of misappropriating property and abusing his office during his nine years as Georgia's president. Saakashvili says those charges are politically motivated.

Saakashvili lost his Georgian citizenship in 2015 when he was granted Ukrainian citizenship in order to take up Poroshenko's offer to become governor of the Black Sea region of Odesa. Tbilisi does not allow dual citizenship.

Saakashvili resigned from the Odesa governor's post in November 2016, complaining he had been blocked from carrying out reforms.

In July, Poroshenko stripped Saakashvili of his Ukrainian citizenship amid a falling out between the two former allies.

With reporting by Interfax, UNIAN, AFP, Reuters, and TASS
Hyundai Xcent is currently sold only in petrol and diesel engine option. But, a leaked document now confirms that Hyundai Xcent will also be offered with factory fitted CNG option very soon. This new Xcent CNG variant will be offered exclusively on the mid spec S variant and will be open for sale to both private owners and fleet operators in the country.

The Xcent CNG powertrain will be based on the BS4 compliant 1.2 liter Kappa engine. Yes, as per the document, Hyundai will launch the Xcent CNG with BS4 petrol engine, and not the BS6 petrol engine from Grand i10 NIOS.

This could probably help the company use-up BS4 inventory before the deadline arrives on 1st April 2020. This BS4 petrol 1.2 liter engine delivers 81 PS @ 6000 rpm, but with CNG, it will deliver 66 PS @ 5600 rpm. The CNG engine will get mated to a 5 speed manual only.

Hyundai Xcent CNG in the mid spec S variant will see similar features as seen on the latter with Bluetooth connectivity, tilt steering, rear AC vents, 2 DIN audio system with USB and steering mounted controls. It will also get rear seat central armrests and safety features among which will be dual front airbags, central lock, rear parking sensors, passenger and driver seat belt reminder and speed alert. ABS and EBD will be offered as standard.

New Hyundai Xcent CNG is expected to be launched in the coming days. As on date, Hyundai Xcent S petrol variant is priced at Rs.6.47 lakhs. CNG variant of the same could be priced in the range of Rs 6.8  7 lakhs, ex-sh. Once launched, this Xcent CNG will take on the likes of Maruti Dzire, Tata Zest in the segment.

Apart from this, Hyundai is also actively testing the new gen Xcent compact sedan which is based on the Grand i10 Nios. It is slated to be unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo in Feb next year. Like the new gen Hyundai i10 was called the Nios, the new gen Xcent will be called the Hyundai Xcent Aura.

It will borrow much from the i10 Nios in terms of features and will be seen with similar looking boomerang shaped LED DRLs, honeycomb front grille, chrome door handles and C shaped tail lamps with LEDs. It will sit on 15 alloy wheels which will boast of a dual tone colour scheme while other features will include ORVMs with turn indicators and a shark fin antenna.

The new Hyundai Aura will be powered by the same 1.2 liter BS6 petrol engine as seen on the Grand i10 Nios. This engine will comply with BS6 emission norms while the 1.2 liter diesel engine lineup will be upgraded prior to the 1st April 2020 deadline. The engines will get mated to a 5 speed manual transmission as well as with AMT.
The Franklin Family Resource Center is looking for some clothing for its clothing closet. The FRC is out of girls pants size 7/8, size 10 and boys pants size 7/8. They are also out of underwear for girls sizes 5/6, which must be new and in the package; the other items may be new or gently used. If you would like to help with this need you can donate gently used items or you can make a donation of any amount up to $150 to My Student in Need and we will purchase a gift card so the teachers can purchase what they need. Franklin FRC 2382.

Russell School Clothing Closet is in need of size 4T and 6T underwear for boys and girls, new and in package, and girls pants size 7/8. If you can help you are asked to make a donation of any amount up to $125 to My Student in Need and we will buy a gift card so the teacher can shop for the items needed. Russell FRC 2421.
Ahead of the festive season, VW India is celebrating a month long carnival called the Volkfest 2017. This is being done because the company is celebrating their 10th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, the company has launched Ameo and Polo Anniversary Editions, as well as Vento ALLSTAR and Polo GT Sport in India.

Anniversary Editions of Polo and Ameo are priced at INR 5.99 lakhs and INR 5.79 lakhs respectively. Price of the Vento ALLStar and Polo GT Sport have not been announced yet. Bookings are now open.

The VW Polo Anniversary Edition is based on the Comfortline trim which already abounds in features such as multi function display, infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity and dual headlamps. It also gets front fog lamps, rear defogger and wiper besides electrically adjustable ORVMs. The Limited Edition Polo also gets new 15 dual tone Razor alloy wheels, black seat covers and new body graphics to set it apart.

Anniversary Edition Ameo is also based on the Comfortline trim. It receives cruise control and hill hold control with exclusive features of Tosa 15 alloy wheels, honeycomb design seat covers and black colored ORVMs. Body graphics are seen on lower door panels, boot lid and bonnet. No mechanical changes will be seen on both models which will continue to be powered by 1.2 liter petrol and 1.5 liter diesel engines.

VW Vento AllStar is offered with both 1.6 liter petrol and 1.5 liter diesel engine option. It is not offered with 1.2 liter petrol 105 PS option. Petrol option is mated to a 5 speed manual while diesel is mated to either a 5 MT of 7 DSG. It is based on the Highline Plus variant.

Even if you buy any other car, you will get exciting offers as in Volkfest 2017, Volkswagen India is offering exchange benefits upto INR 20,000, loyalty bonus of INR 20,000 and gifts on test drives and bookings.
Mike Kilinski attended the annual Think Auto Google event in Toronto, Canada last week at that event, the head of Google Brain in Canada said that Google now uses click data for rankings. He said Google looks to train their AI models when "someone clicks on a page and stays on that page, when they go back" and so on.

@rustybrick Nick Frost, Head Google Brain Toronto/Canada just confirmed pogosticking part of Google Brain search algo, I have it on tape ;) https://t.co/pouRARaegm  Mike Kilinski (@mikekilinski) September 7, 2017

It was not 100% clear if he was talking about just training the models or if it directly impacts the live search results. It might just be used for building new models later based on the feedback they get back from these models. Google has time and time again said that they do not use click data for ranking purposes because it is too easy to spam and too noisy.

But here we have someone at Google supposedly saying they do. Here is the audio recording Mike grabbed:

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Here is the transcript:

Question more practical for auto advertisers... How has or will machine learning improve Google search as it relates to our industry? Search is a great example of a situation where you have some (could not hear) input and design elements and the relationship between those two things is not too super obvious. So the input there is a search and the output is the best page for that search. So when search was invented, like when Google was invented many years ago, they wrote heuristics that had figure out what the relationship between a search and the best page for that search was. And those heuristics worked pretty well and continue to work pretty well. But Google is now integrating machine learning into that process. So then training models on when someone clicks on a page and stays on that page, when they go back or when they and trying to figure out exactly on that relationship. So search is getting better and better and better because of advances in machine learning. So the auto industry, search is getting better, that means search for auto is getting better.

I did email Google last Thursday to get clarification but I have not yet heard back.

Forum discussion at Twitter.
Former NASA astronaut Frank Culbertson has the distinction of being the only American not on the planet when the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred 16 years ago.

Culbertson was about 250 miles (400 km) above Earth  inside the still-under-construction International Space Station with two Russian cosmonauts  when he saw the huge column of smoke streaming from Lower Manhattan where the Twin Towers fell. Culbertson captured video and photos of the 9/11 site from space for NASA, while satellites also tracked the attack site from orbit.

On the 13th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, the former astronaut reflected on that day. In a new video from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex Culbertson describes his call to the ground that morning, just a month into his stay aboard the station, to give the results of some physical exams to his flight surgeon at Mission Control Houston, Steve Hart. "Frank, we're not having a very good day down here on Earth," Hart told him.

At the time, the astronauts did not have live TV or Internet at the space station. But Culbertson saw on the astronauts' map that the orbiting outpost was over southern Canada and about to pass over New England. He grabbed a camera and moved to a window in the Russian portion of the space station, where he had a clear view of the dark smoke over New York. Later, Culbertson could see the gash in the side of the Pentagon. He learned that day that his good friend and U.S. Naval Academy classmate Charles "Chic" Burlingame was the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, which struck the Pentagon.

"Every orbit we kept trying to see more of what was happening," Culbertson said. "One of the most startling effects was that within about two orbits, all of the contrails that are normally crisscrossing the United States has disappeared because they had grounded all the airplanes and there was nobody else flying in U.S. airspace  except for one airplane that was leaving a contrail from the central U.S. toward Washington, and that was Air Force One headed back to D.C. with President Bush. It was a very sobering time for us."

A former test pilot, Culbertson was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 1984. Over three space shuttle missions, he logged 146 days in space before leaving the space agency. He is now executive vice president of Orbital Sciences, a commercial spaceflight company that has a $1.9 billion contract with NASA to fly eight unmanned resupply missions to the space station.

Editor's note: This story, originially posted on Sept. 11, 2014, has been updated for 2017.

Follow Megan Gannon on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
For flight controllers working the Dream Chaser flight test last week, the moment of truth came as the 30-foot-long (9 meters) spacecraft descended to 200 feet (60 m) over Rogers Dry Lake bed in California. The spacecraft's landing gear deployed and locked into position exactly as planned.

The captive-carry test  in which the spacecraft was suspended under a Columbia 234-UT helicopter by a 200-foot (61-meter) long cable for the entire flight  was a far cry from the last time Dream Chaser had taken to the skies over Edwards Air Force Base nearly four years earlier. On Oct. 26, 2013, during an automated approach-and-landing test designed to simulate the last few minutes of a return from orbit, the uncrewed vehicle's left landing gear failed to deploy. The plane suffered damage as it skidded off into the desert scrub brush.

That was a serious blow to the Sierra Nevada Corp., which was locked in a fierce battle with Boeing and SpaceX in the third round of competition to obtain a contract for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Eleven months after the crash, Dream Chaser was eliminated from the program, as the space agency awarded contracts to Boeing and SpaceX worth $4.2 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, to carry U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). (The first crew flights are scheduled for 2019.) [Photos of Dream Chaser, America's New Space Plane]

Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser space plane is scheduled to begin flying cargo to the International Space Station in 2020. (Image credit: Doug Messier)

Sierra Nevada appealed the decision with the U.S. Government Accountability Office, but lost. Although it appeared that Dream Chaser might never make it to orbit, NASA breathed new life into the program when the agency awarded Sierra Nevada a contract to deliver cargo to the International Space Station, along with SpaceX and Orbital ATK, as part of the second round of Commercial Resupply Services (CRS2) contracts awarded to commercial companies by NASA.

Last week's test allowed engineers to test an updated set of electronics used by the spacecraft that are specifically designed for orbital flights, said Steve Lindsey, Sierra Nevada vice president of Space Exploration Systems, speaking to a group of reporters following the captive-carry test. The avionics were different from the ones used on the approach-and-landing and three captive-carry tests conducted four years ago, he added.

"All the avionics worked exactly as expected," Lindsey said. "We obviously have to look at the data. We have reams and reams of data we've got to go look at. But, [based on] what we saw [in] real time, everything was working exactly as expected."

"We may need to make some software tweaks and look at our hardware and make sure all of our hardware operated," he added. "It looks like it operated great, but [we] still need to go through all of the data and make any final updates."

If the data look good, Sierra Nevada will conduct a second captive-carry test from NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center around the end of September, Lindsey said. An approach-and-landing test would follow later in the fall.

A Dream Chaser test plane shown during a captive-carry test on Aug. 30, 2017. (Image credit: Doug Messier)

Sierra Nevada Corporation is developing its Dream Chaser spaceplane to ferry astronauts to Earth orbit and to the International Space Station. See how the Dream Chaser space plane works in this infographic (Image credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com Contributor)

"We will fly when we're ready. We will not fly before that time, no matter what," he added. "So, we make sure the team is not under schedule pressure. We obviously are motivated to get this done as soon as we can. On the other hand, we're not going to do it until everything's right."

With one approach-and-landing test already completed, marred only by a landing-gear failure, engineers are hoping to complete the glide phase of testing with just one more free flight, Lindsey added.

The approach-and-landing test is a funded milestone under the Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) contract that Sierra Nevada has with NASA. Even though Sierra Nevada ultimately lost the commercial crew contract to Boeing and SpaceX, the company will still receive $8 million from the space agency once the flight tests are completed.

The CCiCap contract has been extended through 2022, and Sierra Nevada is continuing to work with NASA to qualifying Dream Chaser for human spaceflight. The agreement, which lists a series of eight milestones, is currently unfunded, which means the space agency is not paying Sierra Nevada for further work. [Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser Space Plane (Infographic)]

Sierra Nevada's space station cargo resupply contract with NASA stipulates a minimum of six Dream Chaser flights between 2019 and 2024. NASA has not formally ordered any flights yet, but company officials said they are expecting Dream Chaser to fly its first mission to the station in 2020.

A test version of the Dream Chaser space plane skidded off the runway during a test in 2013, when the craft's left landing gear failed to deploy. (Image credit: Sierra Nevada Corp.)

The Dream Chaser cargo vehicle consists of two elements: The main vehicle is a lifting-body spacecraft capable of re-entering the Earth's atmosphere and gliding to a landing on a runway in the same way the space shuttle did. This portion of the spacecraft would carry pressurized cargo back to Earth. The other component is a disposable payload module for unpressurized cargo that will separate from the main vehicle before re-entry and burnup in the atmosphere.

Dream Chaser will be able to deliver up to 5,500 kilograms (12,125 lbs.) of pressurized and unpressurized cargo to the orbiting laboratory. The spacecraft will be capable of returning up to 1,750 kg (3,850 lbs.) of cargo to Earth. The expendable cargo module will be able to dispose of up to 3,250 kg (7,165 lbs.) of trash from the space station.

During return trips to Earth, the Dream Chaser will expose sensitive scientific payloads (and, perhaps one day, astronauts) to a maximum of only 1.5 times the force of gravity (1.5 g's), Sierra Nevada officials have said. This is far less than the 4 to 8 g's that astronauts experience when they make a ballistic return to Earth on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, which lands under a parachute. SpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's CST-100 Starliner vehicles are also ballistic spacecraft that will land by parachute.

For its first two CRS2 flights, the Dream Chaser craft will be launched aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, Lindsay said. Upon returning from space, the Dream Chaser vehicles will glide to landings at the former Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

An artist's concept of the Dream Chaser space plane headed into orbit atop a rocket. (Image credit: Sierra Nevada Corp.)

The spacecraft's runway landings will also give scientists rapid access to experiments and samples that are returning from the station (unlike with some cargo vehicles that fall into the ocean, or the Soyuz spacecraft, which lands in a remote part of Kazakhstan). Sierra Nevada has been working with Ellington Airport in Houston and Huntsville International Airport in Alabama to secure alternative landing sites for scientists in those locations who fly experiments to the station, Lindsay said. Landings in those locations would also expose members of the public to Dream Chaser, he said.

Lindsey said the company plans to put the Dream Chaser vehicle it is now testing in California in "flyable storage" after the approach-and-landing flight is completed later this year. That will preserve the option of upgrading the vehicle for human spaceflight in the future, he said.

"The structure was rated for people from the very beginning, and so we want to keep that as an option. ... Our intent, someday, is to go back to crew as well," Lindsey said. "How and when is TBD [to be determined]."

Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Fan-designed models of NASA's Saturn V launch tower and space shuttle could be approved as official Lego sets.

Fan-designed Lego models of NASA's Saturn V launch tower and a space shuttle scaled to match the towering moon rocket are now under review to possibly become official Lego toy sets.

The "NASA Saturn-V Launch Umbilical Tower," created by Valerie Roche and Emmanuel Urquieta, from Paris, France and Houston, Texas, respectively, and "NASA Space Shuttle (Saturn V Scale)" by Andrew Harkins from Burbank, California, each gathered 10,000 supporters on the Lego Ideas website, qualifying the projects for the toy company's review.

"Up, up and away! Congrats on hitting the 10K milestone," posted Hasan Jensen, a community specialist at Lego's headquarters in Billund, Denmark, on the page for Harkins' space shuttle. Jensen commended Roche and Urquieta on the page for the launch tower with a similar note. [LEGOs and Space: Photos of Iconic Cosmic Building Block Toys]

Harkins' space shuttle, which faithfully recreates the NASA winged spacecraft last launched in 2011, is sized to match Lego's NASA Apollo Saturn V set, which was co-created by Roche. The 3.28-foot-tall (1-meter), 1,969 piece Saturn V rocket is about 1:111 the scale of the actual booster that flew astronauts to the moon almost 50 years ago.

Valerie Roche and Emmanuel Urquieta's Saturn V launch umbilical tower would serve as a stand for the Lego NASA Apollo Saturn V that was co-created by Roche and released in June. (Image credit: Lego Ideas)

Roche and Urquieta's tower is modeled after the 398-foot-tall (121-meter) metal gantry that supported the Saturn V on the launch pad. Their proposed set includes the mobile launcher platform on which the rocket stood, and features movable umbilical swing arms, elevator and crane. (NASA later used parts from the Apollo launch tower to create the fixed service structure that supported the space shuttle.)

Harkins' shuttle was the first to recruit the requisite 10,000 votes, despite it being added to the Lego Ideas site after the Saturn V tower. The shuttle qualified on Aug. 28; the tower followed on Sept. 3, just one day before the deadline for projects to qualify for the current review.

"I never dreamed this would reach 10,000," said Harkins in a note posted for his supporters. "Even if this does not get approved, getting to 10,000 supporters means so much."

Andrew Harkins' NASA Space Shuttle recreates the iconic winged vehicle in the same scale as the Lego Saturn V (Image credit: Lego Ideas)

"You and we now have to wait about four months to know the future of this design," Roche and Urquieta wrote in a post to their supporters. "Let's cross the fingers so that the Lego Group also chooses this design."

The two sets are not necessarily in direct competition with each other. Lego's board of set designers and marketing representatives evaluates each project separately, looking at factors that include playability, safety and the proposed set's fit with the Lego brand. Past reviews have resulted in the selection of one or two  or on occasion, none  of the projects to be offered for sale.

In addition to the tower and shuttle, four other fan-created sets qualified for the current review, including a model of an NF-15B research aircraft and dioramas themed to "Star Wars," "Gilmore Girls" and the country of Peru.

The Lego Ideas review has previously chosen five other sets based on space exploration history. In addition to the Saturn V, earlier models have included Japan's Hayabusa asteroid sample return spacecraft, NASA's Mars Curiosity rover and the "Women of NASA," which is to be released by the end of the year or early in 2018.

Fan-designed models of the Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station reached 10,000 supporters but were passed over by Lego for production.

Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2017 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved.
Dr. Leroy Chiao is the CEO and co-founder of OneOrbit LLC, a keynote, training and education company. He served as a NASA astronaut from 1990 to 2005 and flew four missions into space aboard three space shuttles and once as the co-pilot of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station. On that flight, he served as the commander of Expedition 10, a six-and-a-half-month mission. Chiao has performed six spacewalks, in both U.S. and Russian spacesuits, and has logged 229 days in space. Chiao contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

During my first spaceflight aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, I watched, incredulous, as Hurricane Emilia churned as a Category 5 storm. Fortunately, Emilia never made landfall, but the awesome power in the storm system was obvious, and made a deep impression on me.

Hurricane Harvey just roared through Texas, devastating large areas in and around Greater Houston. Harvey put a record-setting amount of rain in the area: a staggering 50-ish inches over the course of several days. This is more rain than most places see in a year. I was home with my family, and we were fortunate to get through the storm just fine.

Hurricane Irma, too, raged through Florida over the weekend, following its path of destruction through the Caribbean; it has since been downgraded to a tropical storm but continues to plow through the southern U.S. [See Hurricane Irma in Motion in These NASA and NOAA Gifs]

Being absent during disaster is disquieting, to say the least. Members of our armed forces and others go through this regularly. Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, one of the most experienced space travelers ever, had to be the loneliest human in history, when his country (the former Soviet Union) fell apart while he was alone aboard the Mir space station. Things got so bad that the staff left the mission control center, and for a while, he had no ground control.

The American astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) had to first watch Harvey, and then Irma, wreak devastation from 400 kilometers (250 miles) up while their loved ones braved the storm below. Fortunately for me, I didn't have near that kind of experience during my 229 days in space. Although it was not the same but perhaps as remote, I watched from Russia as Hurricane Rita hit Houston in 2005 while my bride of barely a year was evacuating. Fortunately, she got out, and things worked out OK.

Three years later, Hurricane Ike was forming in the Gulf of Mexico while I was again in Russia. Just before getting on the airplane home, I noted that the forecast was for Ike to miss Houston. Breathing a sigh of relief, I boarded my flight. A check on conditions as I connected in Paris confirmed the earlier forecast. Landing in Houston several hours later, I learned that Ike had changed course and was heading directly toward us. The next morning, it was still barreling down on us, so I made arrangements to evacuate with my family, which had grown to include 2-year-old twins. We drove for over 6 hours in heavy traffic to get clear. We do what we have to.

Natural and other disasters are a fact of life. If it's not hurricanes, then it's going to be earthquakes or tornados or something else. Like other stressors, we have to deal with them as they come. It is a lot more difficult when you are remote and are worrying about your loved ones at home. It is similar to what astronaut couples say; nothing is more difficult than watching your loved one launch aboard a rocket, but if it's you, it's fine. As humans, we don't like loss of control or uncertainty. Being remote during a crisis fits that bill.

Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates  and become part of the discussion  on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
T he fall-out from the financial crisis engulfing builder Carillion deepened today as the beleaguered business ousted a raft of senior managers.

The firm confirmed the departure of financial director Zafar Khan  to be replaced by internal candidate Emma Mercer  as well as the axing of a host of divisional directors.

Carillions former chief executive Richard Howson, who stepped down in July following a shock profit warning, was originally staying on for 12 months but will now leave at the end of the month.

Shares in Carillion have collapsed more than 80% after the devastating update two months ago, which raised serious concerns over the companys balance sheet.

The business wrote off 845 million on under-performing contracts, axed the dividend and put parts of the business up for sale to ease the pressure on its finances, which are weighed down by a 600 million pension deficit.

It also has a debt pile likely to soar to 800 million this year.

Analysts say an emergency rights issue to raise some 500 million looks all but inevitable at the business, now being run by interim boss Keith Cochrane.

Shares fell a further 1.9p, or 4%, to 42p today.

The company refused to comment on whether Khan, who was on a package worth up to 1.5 million, would get a payout after leaving with immediate effect, although sources said the move was unlikely.

His replacement, Mercer, has been with the business since 2008, most recently as finance director of the UK construction business.

In the shake-up, Canada chief Andy Jones becomes chief operating officer of the overall group from next month.

Adam Green, the head of its construction services division and Nigel Taylor, managing director of Carillion Services, will leave with Howson at the end of the month.

And Shaun Carter, the group strategy director, will go by the end of the year.
Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott has identified the two bodies found in the basement of a house on Strand Avenue last month as 15-year-old Marilyn Pickett and 24-year-old Jackson Wiles, both of Missoula.

Tiffanie Pierce and Augustus Standingrock have been charged with deliberate homicide in the deaths of Pickett and Wiles after their bodies were found Aug. 17 in tubs of chemicals.

Members of law enforcement working on the case say the condition in which the bodies were found made it difficult to identify them. Detective Capt. David Conway said in late August that the Montana State Crime Lab was brought in to help identify the pair using dental and DNA records.

A missing persons report for Pickett was filed the same day the bodies were found. The only information released at the time was that she was last seen with Wiles and had gone missing under suspicious circumstances.

The pairs vehicle was found at the Weigh Station fishing access near Bonner the morning of Aug. 17, the same day officers searched the Strand Avenue home.

Court records indicate that deputies found bloody clothing in plastic garbage bags in the water near the boat ramp. Wiles phone and wallet were found in the car, as was Picketts phone, which was also covered in blood. The rest of the car did not have blood in it, and deputies determined that whatever injury had caused the bleeding did not occur in the vehicle.
S hares in Petra Diamonds lost their sparkle on Monday as the miner revealed it has halted production at one of its sites after the Tanzanian government blocked the export of a parcel of diamonds.

The FTSE 250 firm said the shipment of 71,654 carats of gems was blocked from export to Petras marketing office in Antwerp, which is where the final valuation of diamonds is confirmed.

It added that the grounds upon which the action was taken have not been formally made known to the company as yet.

It said the authorities were questioning some personnel from the Williamson mine, which is 75% owned by Petra, and 25% owned by the government.

The shares tanked 8.4p, or more than 9%, to 81.55p.

Petras update followed reports that Tanzania is threatening to nationalise the consignment after finding it was worth more than the company claimed.

Petra said today it is not responsible for the valuation of diamonds before they are exported to Antwerp.

The government of Tanzania has recently tightened its control over its natural resources, and is locked in a battle with London-listed Acacia Mining.
 Zwei Bier, bitte. Sure, would you prefer lager or Pilsner? Einer von jedem? Thatll be 6.50.

So began the conversation  me stretching out my German, him rallying back in perfect English, in a Berlin bar last week at midnight, with the windows steamed up and people inside smoking like it was coming back into fashion.

The other customers, a mix of locals and English, Americans and other Europeans whod settled in Berlin, knew that I wasnt from around these parts.

The self-respecting expat here doesnt speak half-baked German in central Berlin because, however tolerant their host country may be, they cant take the grind of us trying to figure out the modal verbs. English is more efficient.

The rapidly gentrifying Neukolln district has been jokingly referred to as the English quarter. There are cafes where Berliners have to abandon their own language to be understood by the British and Aussie staff. Im not a total tourist  I did live in Berlin as a student in the mid- Nineties, besieged by Berlin friends wanting to practise their English, but even I was surprised at how Anglophone it had become.

Imagine going to Elephant & Castle and finding you could only order lattes in German. There would be uproar and few clientele capable of getting past an umlaut for an omelette.

However, the English have been drifting over to Berlin for decades for low rents, good bars, for being a gentler climate for artists and writers and freelancers. It has all become normal, even welcome. As a German friend observed, they put up with the English language colonisation of their city because the incomers arrive with such wide-eyed enthusiasm for Berlin that they cheer the place up, unweighted by the fiddly details of life reserved for the Teutonic speakers.

The English language has been one of our great exports, one thats given us and the Americans a little upper hand in life and business abroad, thanks to the mass media of Hollywood and the internet standardising it. But where once we had an arrogant swagger about this, what is there so special now when the great metropolises of Europe all use your language, and so too have your advantage? But verbs arent like BMWs: the Germans wont have to pay us for them however hard we try to take back control. Mores the pity for David Davis.

Meanwhile...

Also in Berlin, Nigel Farage addressed a rally for the AfD, a version of Ukip that was founded on Euroscepticism, turned against Syrian immigrants and now uses our shock-jock MEPs. The German election is in a fortnight and Angela Merkel leads by a mile. I could have sworn it was Farage who said Obama was behaving disgracefully to have intervened in our referendum. How could he justify interfering in German domestic politics? Maybe he thinks the current US President is a serious politician, while Nige isnt.

Melanias Avengers image says it all

Melania Trump / REUTERS

No one dresses for a disaster quite like Melania Trump. As the President stood on the White House lawn yesterday rambling on to reporters about what a good job the emergency services were doing as Hurricane Irma threatened to flatten the Florida coastline, Melania stood alongside him, pouting in dark shades.

Making any comment about what a woman wears sticks in the craw but her lack of words means Melanias clothes become the clearest statement she makes. Her outfit yesterday was straight out of the wardrobe of steely Diana Rigg in The Avengers.

The only thing missing was any sharp repartee from this latter-day Emma Peel. But her silence could be forgiven.

She was hardly going to get smart comebacks out of her husband  hardly a quick-witted John Steed.

The banal side of Bell Pottinger

Farewell Bell Pottinger, the international reputation-management agency sunk by dubious dealings in South Africa, in a story broken by the BBCs Manveen Rana. Lists of companies who have used their services are now circulating, and presumably they are ducking for cover lest they be tainted by association. Bell Pottinger also managed the reputations of celebrities, but those names are harder to come by. An article in PR Week vaguely named the royal family. (The last time the royal family were linked as clients, they slapped down Bell Potts for the impertinence in suggesting they needed their services.) PR for products or film launches are standard fare but few would admit to having a reputation manager. After all, who needs one? Reputations need only be bought when they no longer flourish naturally.
W ith President Trump pushing for more sanctions against North Korea in the UN today, many observers wonder if this can prevent a potentially devastating war in the Korean peninsula and a way to achieve North Koreas nuclear disarmament. There are the crucial hidden vulnerabilities of North Korea, namely its economy. On the basis of my recent research and analysis, I suggest tthe North Korean economy should be hit hard to secure a peaceful solution to the crisis.

First, the socialist North Korean economy can be regarded as an open economy. North Koreas trade dependency in the recent years exceeded 50 per cent, which is similar to the average trade dependence of all capitalist countries in the world. As such, the North Korean economy, like any small market economy, is vulnerable to negative shocks in trade.

Second, trade is the single-most important source of foreign currency for the North Korean regime. The new sanctions adopted by the United Nations Security Council might decrease North Koreas total exports by 50 per cent and hard currency revenue by more than a third. This would be a substantial hindrance to its weapons programme.

Third, many North Korean households depend on the market rather than official work for survival. The surveys of North Korean refugees indicate that more than 70 per cent of households are involved in market transactions, while only 50 per cent work in official sectors. Importantly, both the demand and the supply of consumer goods and food at markets depend largely on trade. As the livelihood of North Koreans suffers from sanctions, the divide between Kim Jong-un and the people may deepen. This will place pressure to consider denuclearisation at the negotiating table.

For the sanctions to be effective China must be on board, as it is responsible for more than 90 per cent of North Koreas trade. The new sanctions eliminate any discretion by the Chinese authorities, and should severely limit North Koreas economic growth. Since March, China has stopped importing coal from North Korea, which reduced North Koreas total export to China in the first half of the year by 25 per cent.

In response to North Koreas most recent test of nuclear weapons, the international community should agree on tougher sanctions that may include cutting off oil supplies to North Korea. Skilful diplomacy and productive dialogue with North Korea are necessary too. However, these sanctions can help pave the way for dialogue and should help facilitate a more long-lasting agreement.

Byung-Yeon Kim is Professor of Economics at Seoul National University and the author of Unveiling the North Korean Economy published by Cambridge University Press
L ondoners should be proud of their response to the Borough Market terror attack, a leading surgeon said today as he revealed how patients and passers-by helped each other to survive the atrocity.

Duncan Bew, clinical director of the major trauma centre at Kings College Hospital, described how people trapped inside the hot zone cordon tended to each others injuries as police dealt with the terrorists.

Speaking 100 days after the attack - which began when a van was driven into pedestrians on London Bridge - he revealed that the condition of some victims with serious injuries had worsened as they were held behind the cordon at the market.

Mr Bew said: The fact they survived is testament not only to the extreme bravery but also the humility and humanitarian effort shown by the first responders, the off-duty people who were in the market at the time but also the general public.

Testament: King's College Hospital trauma surgeon Duncan Bew

A huge amount of psychological and physical support and first aid was given by victims to each other.

He added: When those patients then arrived at the hospital, for many of them their first concern was not for themselves but for the other person who had been with them in the ambulance. It was quite a heart-warming thing to see, that level of camaraderie and support.

Mr Bew praised the resilience of the injured, saying patients he had treated had shown a remarkable recovery.

Heroes of London Bridge attack - in pictures 1 /7 Heroes of London Bridge attack - in pictures Dr Malcolm Tunnicliff, clinical director and consultant in emergency medicine at Kings Malcolm Tunnicliff featured in TV programme 24 Hours in A&E Ex-police officer Darren Jaundrill Matt Writtle Joe Palermo, a bouncer from Italy Joe Palermo helped people to shelter in Bill's Matt Writtle Baker Florin Morariu Journalist Geoff Ho was stabbed in the neck while trying to help others Twitter

He said: There is a huge community spirit in London and we should be proud to be from London.

The surgeon first heard about the atrocity on Twitter as he was putting his son and the boys friends to bed during a birthday sleepover on 3 June.

He hastily arranged childcare and rushed to Kings College Hospital only to find it eerily quiet. All the ambulances had gone to the scene. It was almost like a tsunami when all the water had gone out, he said.

Attack: Londoners flee in the aftermath of the terror attack in Borough Market / PA

Very soon the first patients started to arrive and then we got patients with an immediate life-threatening injury, sometimes multiple patients, every five minutes for over an hour.

"The early patients were basically scooped and run - and often arrived in police vans, often multiple patients in one vehicle.

Then a second wave of patients arrived from the hot zone. Kings took 20 people from the attack, many with complex injuries.

'It was pandemonium' says officer who helped London Bridge attack victims

All of those injured who made it to hospital survived, and Mr Bew said this was testament to the skill of those at the scene and police for dealing with the attack quickly.

He added: I dont think it was a miracle that everyone who got to hospital survived, I think we made our own luck.

The surgeon said that the successful way the hospital dealt with the flood of patients was partly down to its staffs experience dealing with day-to-day injuries.

Many victims of London stabbings and shootings walk-in or self-present to the hospital, giving doctors and nurses no warning.

Mr Bew said: We cannot rest on our laurels, we need to be prepared for a huge diversity of different challenges, different patterns of major incident, such as chemical or biological attack.

He highlighted a CitizenAid scheme which teaches first aid skills such as how to stop bleeding and how to act at the scene of an emergency.
T hree men, including two British soldiers, have been charged with terror offences including being members of a banned neo-Nazi group.

Mikko Vehvilainen, 32, and Mark Barrett, 24  both with the Army  have been charged with being members of National Action.

Alexander Deakin, 22, has been charged with same offence.

The group, described by the Home Office as "virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic", became the first extreme right-wing organisation to be banned under terrorism laws in December 2016.

Deakin, from Beacon Road in Birmingham, is also charged with possession of documents likely to be useful to a person preparing to commit an act of terrorism, and distribution of a terrorist publication.

He faces a separate charge of inciting racial hatred including concerning National Action stickers posted at Aston University campus in Birmingham in July last year.

Vehvilainen, based at Sennybridge Camp in Brecon, is charged with possessing a document containing information likely to be useful for terrorism, publishing material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, posting comments on a website intending to stir up racial hatred, and possessing pepper spray.

Barrett, 24, based at Dhekelia Garrison in Cyprus, has no additional charges.

West Midlands Police said: "The arrests were pre-planned and intelligence-led and there was no risk to the public's safety."

All three, among five men arrested on September 5, are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The force said a man from Northampton and another from Ipswich, both aged 24, were released without charge on Saturday following inquiries.
P olice are hunting for a man who appeared to use a little boy as a tool in a suspected distraction theft in south London.

The man was seen on CCTV attracting the shop assistants attention in a candle shop in Bromley by pretending to be interested in buying something.

But as the staff member is distracted a small boy  thought to be around 5-years-old  runs behind the unattended till and grabs the assistants Samsung Galaxy phone.

The child, whose head can barely been seen over the counter, attempts to open the till but is unable to and instead hides the phone under his coat and leaves the shop with the man.

Theft: The child is seen running behind the counter as the man speaks with the shop assistant / Metropolitan Police

Police have released the video of the suspected theft, which officers believe happened just before 5pm on August 30 at The Glades Shopping Centre on Bromley High Street.

The man in the video is described as white, in his mid-30s, 5ft 7 and with short brown hair and a beard.

PC Ben Briselden said: "We are keen to identify the man in the CCTV footage who appears to use the child in their care to steal from those working in a candle shop.

"We would also urge anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us."

Anyone with information or any witnesses are urged to call police on 101 or by tweeting @MetCC. To give information anonymously, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
M ore than 100 people who tried to prevent weapons companies from setting up stalls at the worlds biggest arms fair have been arrested.

Peace activists descended on the ExCel centre in Docklands last week, where the biennial Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) is due to start on Tuesday.

Scotland Yard said 102 people who tried to stop the event from going ahead were arrested, mostly for blocking traffic trying to reach the centre.

The government has been accused of double standards for participating in arms control talks in Geneva at the same time that London hosts the arms fair.

The opening on Monday coincides with the annual meeting of signatories to the Arms Trade Treaty in Switzerland.

The UK has been criticised by Oxfam for selling arms that fuel the war in Yemen, while also funding aid efforts to help those suffering.

Sally Copley, Oxfam GB's head of campaigns said: "Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, suffering from a borderline famine and hit by the world's largest cholera epidemic which shows no sign of abating.

"Yet the deaths, the destruction and the misery seem to count for nothing.

"Since the war began not one licence to export arms to Saudi Arabia has been rejected by the government.

"When you are witness to the suffering in Yemen it is hard to understand or excuse how the UK government talks the talk on arms control while it walks the walk of arms sales."

She added that this was most apparent in the case of 3.6 billion worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia for its bombing campaign in Yemen.

"On the one hand it fuels a war with massive arms sales while it sends aid to help the people it is harming," she said.

"Our call to the government is clear: Britain's reputation on the global stage demands that you stop being an arms broker and start being a peace broker."

Meanwhile Jeremy Corbyn also called for the UK to stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia amid concerns they are fuelling the bloody civil war in Yemen.

The Labour leader said Britain was exporting "far too many" arms to countries which abused human rights and that the time had come to "do something about it".

Mr Corbyn told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "We are selling arms to Saudi Arabia.

"Those arms are being dropped on Yemen. At the same time, we are sending aid in from the Department for International Development.

"We should not be doing both. We should be sending aid in and ensuring there is a political process to bring about a ceasefire and bring about a longer-term political settlement."

A spokesman for the Department of International Trade said: "The UK government takes its defence export responsibilities very seriously and already operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world.

"We rigorously examine every application on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National arms export licensing Criteria.

"The government undertakes a stringent process of scrutiny and approval before issuing any invitations to foreign governments to attend a major UK defence exhibition like DSEI.

"Respect for human rights is a mandatory consideration in the process and a country would not be invited where that would contradict the UK's international obligations."
A journalist and martial arts expert who was stabbed in the neck in the London Bridge terror attack said police and doctors averted a bigger tragedy.

Geoff Ho was in the Black & Blue restaurant when the terrorists attacked and he stood up to their ringleader Khuram Butt.

The kung fu and Thai kickboxing expert described afterwards how he acted to shield his friends, saying: It happened so quickly.

"The b****** in the Arsenal shirt came at me first. I think I got a hit in on one of them, but either he or his accomplice got me with a shot to the throat.

Today, three months on, he described how he had almost fully recovered despite being stabbed in the throat, which severed his Adams apple, and suffering a slash wound to the jaw.

Geoff Ho was injured trying to fend off attackers at London Bridge

He said: I am pretty damned good really. All my friends who were at Borough Market are safe and the bad guys are dead.

Mr Ho, the business editor of the Sunday Express, spent two months in hospital but has since returned to work  his first day out of hospital was spent visiting the scene of the attack in Borough Market.

He said: I remember everything from the night to the last detail, I still remember that bastard in the Arsenal shirt coming towards me and that is going to be with me forever but I am okay with it.

"I have got wonderful friends and a wonderful family and partner and loving support.

He added: I am glad the people who did this are dead. I hate the fact that those bastards besmirched the good name of a religion They are not Muslims, they are sick in the head.
Government

Public events

Organizations

AA MEETINGS: Missoula Early Sunrise Group (C/H) Discussion, 6:30 a.m., Unity Church, 546 South Ave. W.; Polson Early Birds (C/H) Living Sober Study, 7 a.m., Polson Alano Club, 8 Third Ave. W.; Missoula Sunrise Group (C/H) Discussion, 8 a.m., Unity Church; Missoula Sober Steppers (O/H) Beginners, 10 a.m., Fourth D Alano Club, 1500 W. Broadway; Missoula High Noon Group (O) Discussion, noon, First United Methodist Church, 300 E. Main St.; Missoula Back to Basics (O/H) Beginners meeting, noon, Fourth D. Alano Club; Thompson Falls No Name Group (O) Speaker & Discussion, noon, behind The Internet Kitchen, 501 Main St.; Missoula Missoula Womens Group (C/H/W) Literature Study, 5:30 p.m., Providence Center, 900 N. Orange, Room 103; Arlee Group (O), 6 p.m., Hanging Art Gallery, 92555 Highway 93 N.; St. Regis Pathway to Serenity (O) (H) Discussion, 6:30 p.m., Clark Fork West Church, 34 St. Regis Ave.; Seeley Seeley Lake Group (O/H) Discussion, 7 p.m., Lake Holy Cross Lutheran, 1655 Airport Road; Thompson Falls Group, 7 p.m., behind Bear Muscle Falls Fitness, 107 Spruce; Missoula No Name Group (O/H) Discussion, 7 p.m., Providence Center, 900 N. Orange, Room 103; Missoula KISMIF (Keep It Simple Make It Fun) (O), Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Friends, 7 p.m., University Congregational Church (UCC), 401 University Ave.; Lolo Group (O), 7 p.m., Lolo Community Center, 12345 Highway 93; Polson No Name (C/H), 7 p.m., Polson Alano Club; Ronan Talking Circle (O/H), 7 p.m., Christian Missionary Alliance Church, 35663 Terrace Lake Road; Plains Group (O) Big Book Study, 7:30 p.m., Plains United Methodist, 206 W. Meany; Missoula Missoula Group (O/H) Discussion, 8 p.m., Radio Central Bldg., 127 E. Main; Missoula Young Guns in Sobriety (O) Discussion, 10 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 201 S. Fifth St. W. Call 888-607-2000 or visit aa-montana.org.
S tripey house owner Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring can finally achieve her ambition of demolishing the 4.75 million property and building a new one in its place.

The Court of Appeal ruled that Mrs Lisle-Mainwarings plans would benefit the well-heeled area and rejected objections from her neighbour, Niall Carroll.

The ruling means she can now go ahead with her ambitious plans for No.19 South End, in the midst of the Kensington Square conservation area.

Mrs Lisle-Mainwaring has been at odds with Mr Carroll over the houses future ever since she outbid him for it in 2012, paying 4.75 million.

Mr Carroll owns the house next door, No. 18, and insisted Mrs Lisle-Mainwarings plans would lead to unacceptable loss of potential office space.

She painted the house in red-and-white stripes in 2015 to the dismay of some neighbours.

A government planning inspector granted her planning consent to change the buildings use from storage to residential in February last year.

After a series of public inquiries and court hearings, she also won consent to demolish the building and replace it with a brand-new luxury home.

The inspector said her proposals would result in a degree of enhancement to the character and appearance of the conservation area.

There were no policy objections and the project would bring the material benefit of providing an additional family home in the area.

The inspectors decision was overturned by the High Court in October last year - but now Mrs Lisle-Mainwaring has triumphed in the Court of Appeal.

Her lawyers said the reversion of the house to office use would reduce its value to only about 1.4 million and would simply not be viable.

It would have made no sense, economically or commercially to do that, they argued.

Lord Justice Lindblom said Mrs Lisle-Mainwarings proposal stood to be considered on its own merits and that is what the inspector did.

He was entitled to conclude that there was no real possibility of the house returning to office use, a prospect that was merely theoretical.

Mrs Lisle-Mainwarings plans were not in conflict with local planning policies and passed the governments sustainable development test.

And she had clearly succeeded in convincing the inspector that her proposals were acceptable in their own right.

The judge, sitting with Lords Justice McFarlane and Flaux, restored the inspectors decision, along with the planning permissions he granted.

It is understood Carroll is now waiting to hear if he can take the case to the Supreme Court to appeal the judgment.
A lack of engineers and other experts for major projects including a third runway at Heathrow risks causing overheating in London and the South-East, a former Cabinet minister warned today.

Lord Blunkett, chairman of the Heathrow skills taskforce, said that unless action is taken now to train or recruit enough workers for Britains upcoming infrastructure schemes then they could be hit by delays and spiralling costs as labour becomes more expensive.

He also raised concerns that more people with these key construction skills could be pulled into the South-East from other parts of the country, worsening the economic imbalance. There is a number of really significant projects either about to start or in the pipeline, he said, referring to the proposed new runway at Heathrow, the HS2 high speed line, Crossail 2 and the new nuclear power plant being built at Hinkley Point.

This is about the whole issue of training a workforce for the future, adding value to both this project [the third runway] and also to contribute to the wider infrastructure programmes that are coming on stream over the next 15 years and to stop the over-heating of the economy of west London and the South-East.

He backs Heathrow setting up at least four hubs across the country to train the required labour force, which could total 180,000 and 10,000 apprenticeships, especially with Britain heading for the EU exit door.

With Brexit and the arguments about substantial closing of the door on inward migration, there is a danger that because so many of these projects are based in the South, that they will be competing for the same labour, he said. Its very clear that in engineering ... there are real shortages.

If you are not going to fill those shortages by drawing people in from outside the country, you are going to have to plan now in order to be able to fill those vacancies given that we have a very low level of unemployment. He also warned that if the Government closes the door to many EU migrants, Britain risks seeing work on infrastructure schemes being exported abroad and then having to be imported back into the country.

That would be a very sad situation where we have blocked inward migration but we have effectively migrated the business out of the country.

He also warned Jeremy Corbyn not to try to railroad the Labour Party into opposing a third runway.

We are a party that is committed to employment and growth and to ensuring that that is spread as widely as possible, he added.

Stressing that he was speaking in his Heathrow role, he added: I cant see the trade unions countenancing the Parliamentary Labour Party throwing away the opportunity of massive growth in employment and skills and great benefit to communities that are in desperate need of those jobs.
B oth Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn face key tests this evening with MPs set to vote on the Governments controversial EU Withdrawal Bill.

Labour leader Mr Corbyn has ordered MPs to vote against the legislation, branded a power grab by ministers.

However senior backbenchers have warned that opposing it would be seen by many constituents, particularly those who voted Leave, as Labour seeking to torpedo Brexit.

Meanwhile Theresa May has faced a growing Brexit revolt on Monday as Tory MPs accused ministers of smuggling cuts in workplace rights under cover of the Withdrawal Bill.

The Bill, which will end the supremacy of EU law in the UK, is being debated in the Commons with a vote expected to take place at about midnight on Monday.

The Liberal Democrats plan to vote against the legislation, while the government has the support of the Democratic Unionist Party.

Speaking ahead of tonights debate, Brexit Secretary David Davis insisted the Withdrawal Bill ensures that individuals and businesses will continue to be able to find redress when problems arise.

Meanwhile Labour shadow Keir Starmer accused the Prime Minister of a blinkered approach and a refusal to accept the deficiencies of the Bill.

But a defiant stance against her leader, former Labour minister Caroline Flint argued on Monday that defeating the bill, which will transpose EU legislation into British law, would cause huge problems.

She told BBC radio: I do believe that in respecting the outcome of the referendum, in respecting what I said to my electors in the general election just a few months ago, it is important that we get on with the job of making sure we can have as smooth an exit from the EU as possible.

The revolt against the Labour leadership was particularly among MPs in the North and Midlands whose constituencies saw a majority backing Leave.

However, shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman defended the leaderships stance and denied that it was obstructing Brexit having voted for Article 50.

She said: The Government has chosen to engage in a huge power grab. It does not need to do that. It just needs to bring forward a sensible bill.

And Theresa May faced a growing Brexit revolt on Monday as Tory MPs accused ministers of smuggling cuts in workplace rights under cover of the Withdrawal Bill.

It would take just six to rebel on an amendment for Theresa May to lose her working majority in the Commons.

Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, one of the most respected legal minds in parliament, said the Bill broke the Governments commitment to copy EU rights exactly into British law.

He said that although Conservatives will vote with the Government in tonights key vote in the Commons, there could be a rebellion on the Third Reading vote if the Bill was not substantially amended.

It is feared that, unless amended, the legislation would delete the ability to seek redress in UK courts for breaches of rights protected in Europe, including on gender equality, privacy and data protection.

Mr Grieve told the Standard: It is important that the Government does what it said it was going to do  which is to incorporate EU law without attempting to cut corners or tinker with it in ways that would remove peoples protection.
T heresa May's expectations and demands for the trading relationship between Britain and the EU have been labelled unrealistic.

The Prime Minister is to face accusations from a union leader that she is making demands which are the "equivalent of a letter to Santa" about Britain's future trading deals.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady will say that keeping benefits of the EU's single market without playing by the rules is not achievable.

Mrs May has said the UK will strike an ambitious trade deal with the EU for when it leaves.

Frances O'Grady: The TUC's general secretary accused Mrs May of a 'santa's wishlist' over Brexit / AFP/Getty Images

But at the TUC conference in Brighton, Ms OGrady will say that staying in the single market, which offers a tariff-free trade to members, is the best option for British workers long term.

We have set out our tests for the Brexit deal working people need. Staying in the single market and customs union would deliver it, she will say.

The Prime Minister is sticking to the same old script that she can get whatever she wants, that we can all have all the same benefits of the single market without playing by the rules.

This isnt a grown-up negotiating position. Its a letter to Santa. My challenge to all political parties is this: when it comes to Brexit, dont box yourselves in. Dont rule anything out.

Keep all options on the table. And put jobs, rights and livelihoods first.

But RMT, the transport union, opposes the move to remain in the single market, saying that staying in the market involves keeping key anti-worker policies".

And she will call for ministers to produce reports on how industries could be affected by no longer having the same access.

The single market includes the free movement of goods, services, capital and people, as well as eliminating tariffs.

The TUC is concerned EU rules on workers' rights could be diluted when the UK leaves, saying this would produce a "sweatshop Brexit", the BBC reported.

But a government spokesman said it would "ensure that workers' rights are fully protected and maintained" after the UK leaves the EU.

He told the broadcaster: "We will build on our economic success by establishing a deep and special partnership with the EU while embracing the wider world as an independent, open, trading nation.
T heresa May faced a growing Brexit revolt today as Tory MPs accused ministers of smuggling cuts in workplace rights under cover of the Withdrawal Bill.

Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, one of the most respected legal minds in parliament, said the Bill broke the Governments commitment to copy EU rights exactly into British law.

He said that although Conservatives will vote with the Government in tonights key vote in the Commons, there could be a rebellion on the Third Reading vote if the Bill was not substantially amended.

The claim that EU rights are being diminished was denied by ministers when first raised by trade unions. The row will escalate with the intervention of Tory MPs because it would take just six to rebel on an amendment for Theresa May to lose her working majority in the Commons.

They say that unless amended, it would delete the ability to seek redress in UK courts for breaches of rights protected in Europe, including on gender equality, privacy and data protection.

Mr Grieve told the Standard: It is important that the Government does what it said it was going to do  which is to incorporate EU law without attempting to cut corners or tinker with it in ways that would remove peoples protection.

EU rights have been key to several landmark legal cases. Earlier this year, a gay former cavalry officer, John Walker, 65, won a Supreme Court fight to secure his husband equal pension rights by citing EU anti-discrimination rights. Welsh hill farmers won a major subsidies case against their government using the same rights.

Rebel Tories are focusing on three main areas for concessions, which are: winning proper scrutiny of up to 1,000 new laws being created by so-called Henry VIII powers; winning extra time for detailed debate of the Bill instead of the eight days currently timetabled; changing areas where they believe EU laws have been tinkered with rather than copied into UK law.

One Tory agreed that the Government had been caught with hand firmly in the cookie jar.

In her speech to the Trades Union Congress today, TUC leader Frances OGrady called on the Government to put jobs, rights and livelihoods first during Brexit.

She said staying in the EU single market offered the best chance of preserving jobs and trade. We have set out our tests for the Brexit deal working people need, she was to say. Staying in the single market and customs union would deliver it.

Speaking ahead of tonights debate, Brexit Secretary David Davis insisted the Withdrawal Bill ensures that individuals and businesses will continue to be able to find redress when problems arise.

Government sources said they were willing to listen to worries but believed that the same rights would be upheld by reference to case law.

Labour shadow Keir Starmer accused the Prime Minister of a blinkered approach and a refusal to accept the deficiencies of the Bill.

The Prime Minister should bin this Bill and produce one that could command the confidence of Parliament, she said.
M Ps have voted on proposed legislation to transfer legal powers back to the EU after Brexit.

Details of the EU Withdrawl Bill were first published in a White Paper the day after Theresa May delivered the 'Article 50 letter' to Donald Tusk.

And the legislation was first introduced to the Commons during its first reading in July.

On Tuesday, MPs voted to give the Bill a second reading by 326 votes to 290, a majority of 36.

What is the Bill?

Ministers have a huge task on their hands in preventing chaos and legal "black holes" as the country is pulled out of the European Union. In order to tackle this challenge, the Government has proposed this complex and large-scale legislative project, thought to be one of the biggest ever undertaken in the UK.

The PM speaking about the Grenfell disaster in Parliament. / AFP/Getty Images

In simple terms the bill, if approved by Parliament, would set into motion the transfer of all EU laws into UK laws on the day of Brexit.

In doing so, it will repeal the European Communities Act 1972  which is the legislation underpinning Britains membership of the EU.

As explained in the Prime Ministers foreword in the Legislating for the United Kingdoms Withdrawal from the European Union White Paper, the Bill will ensure that the same rules and laws will apply on the day after exit as on the day before.

And, then if any changes were to be made to primary legislation it would have to go through the processes of Parliament  debate and scrutiny.

EU laws and regulation form a huge part of UK legislation. As a result, leaving the EU with no legislative provision would leave the legal system with huge gaps. The government claims that in order to deliver a smooth and orderly Brexit the Bill will transfer existing EU law into domestic law, after which Parliament will be able to decide which elements of that law to keep, amend or repeal.

The Government hopes it will provide confidence to businesses, workers and consumers that they will not face unexpected changes on the day of Brexit.

What will it actually do?

The three key steps are:

1. Repealing the European Communities Act and thus returning all power to UK institutions

David Davis is representing the UK in Brexit negotiations / Reuters

2. Converting EU law as it stands at the moment of exit into UK law before exiting the EU. This will allow businesses to continue operating knowing the rules have not changed significantly overnight, and provides fairness to individuals, whose rights and obligations will not be subject to sudden change.

3. Creating powers to make secondary legislation. This will allow ministers to make amends to laws that would not function appropriately once we have left the EU.

It will also enable domestic law to reflect the content of any withdrawal agreement under Article 50.

Mr Davis told the House of Commons that the Bill will provide "clarity and certainty" for businesses and citizens as Brexit takes place.

David Davis Talks About His Approach To Brexit

And Prime Minister Theresa May said it would "provide maximum certainty as we leave the EU".

"The Great Repeal Bill is an important part of our plan to deliver a smooth and orderly Brexit that commands the confidence of all," she added.

Why is it controversial?

The Bill sparked additional concern over the use of so-called Henry VIII powers. These powers allow the Government to pass up to 1,000 pieces of secondary legislation without the usual close parliamentary scrutiny employed when passing primary legalisation.

Pro-EU: The bill will face opposition in Parliament / AFP/Getty Images

But Mr Davis said any powers created in this way would be "time limited" and "Parliament will need to be satisfied that the procedures are appropriate".

He said the Bill will provide a power to "correct the statute book where necessary" using secondary legislation - which some critics have warned will not allow full parliamentary scrutiny of the process.

He added that there was a "balance to be struck between the importance of scrutiny and correcting the statute book in time.

Another contentious area is the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

Brexit talks: UK negotiator David Davis, left, and his EU counterpart Michel Barnier / EPA

Mr Davis said the Bill will not give the ECJ a "future role" in the interpretation of UK laws, and courts will not be obliged to consider cases decided by the ECJ after Brexit. It would mean ECJ case law would be given the same status as Supreme Court decisions, which can be overruled by subsequent rulings in the UK's highest court.

And in a Government report published in August, the PM vowed that the UK would "take back control of our laws".

But critics have said the publication is vague and Mrs May has been accused of "backtracking" on her pledge because it suggests the ECJ may stull have some influence on the outcome of disputes.

What is happening when?

The bill was first introduced to Parliament on July 13.

Parliament: the bill will be debated on Thursday / Getty Images

It will be debated on in the Commons on Thursday and MPs will vote on the Bill on Monday.

Opposition to the bill

Theresa Mays appeal for opposition parties to cooperate with her minority government has not only just gone down badly with the Labour party, but also her own MPs.

There were rumours she could face a revolt from Remain-supporting Conservative MPs, and only a few Tory rebels are needed to inflict defeat on the Prime Minister.

But on Monday a leading Tory remainer dismissed the concerns and said it was outrageous to suggest Conservative MPs would vote against the bill in its second reading.

May: The PM has called for cross-party cooperation / PA

Former minister Anna Soubry said suggestions of a rebellion were "an absolute nonsense" but said she may support amendments to the bill.

Meanwhile Labour said it could vote against the Bill, prompting warnings by Tory whips that any rebellion by Remain-backing Conservative MPs could be seen as them supporting Jeremy Corbyn.

Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has said he is putting the government on notice and demanding changes on matters from parliamentary scrutiny to workers rights.

Sir Keir said the government's approach to the process was "completely wrong", as it gave ministers power to overhaul existing EU laws without any Parliamentary scrutiny.

Keir Starmer: the shadow Brexit secretary is contesting parts of the bill / EPA

"This is not about frustrating the process, it is not giving government a blank cheque to pass powers into the hands of ministers," he told the Andrew Marr Show.

"You could entrench important EU rights on Monday and take them away on Tuesday without primary legislation."

When asked if Labour would vote against the legislation Mr Corbyn said: "We will make that decision just before the vote."
B ritains biggest rocket has blasted off in the first stage of a mission that could pave the way for space tourism.

The huge rocket was launched on Sunday, interrupting the usual peace and quiet of Northumberland National Park in north-east England.

Starchaser Industries, founded by Steve Bennett, fired the eight metre-long Skybolt 2 missile almost a mile into the sky before it broke into three pieces and returned to earth.

Mr Bennett, who set up the company 25 years ago, claims he is just a few years away from launching people into space and said the test will help him achieve that.

Steve Bennett of Starchaser Industries stands next to Britain's biggest reusable rocket Skybolt 2 / PA

The rocket blasted off the launch vehicle successfully, filling the miles and miles of surrounding moorland with the sound of rocket fuel burning.

"We're really pleased with that launch, the rocket went really well, it flew nice and high exactly as it should do," he said.

"Then it split apart in its separate pieces, which is one of the key tests we were doing, and two of the three parachutes deployed, which is not a bad day.

"Next for us is a much bigger rocket, that was an 8.3m rocket but we have a 12m rocket big enough to carry a person and we'll be launching that within 18 months."

The Skybolt 2 Research Rocket is successfully launched from Otterburn in Northumberland / Getty Images Europe

Despite some huge players in the space tourism market, such as SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, Mr Bennett said he was confident they would have a part to play.

He said: "One of the things we want to do is make space tourism a reality, we want to be launching people into space and this rocket was carrying various systems and experiments that will allow us to do that.

"I set up Starchaser 25 years ago, we've built and launched some big rockets and it's been a long hard road but we're nearly there and we're just a couple years away from launching people on holidays into space.

Skybolt 2, which stands 8.3m tall, is launched / PA

"Space tourism is a big cake and there's a slice for everyone.

"There's some people out there with a little bit more money than us but we've got a fantastic team of people, we've got the University of Chester behind us and we're going to make this happen."

Professor Nick Avis, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Chester, said: "The University of Chester is delighted to support Starchaser and to collaborate on this research project.

"Steve and his team already work with us engaging young people and encouraging them to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subject areas."
D onald Trump said the living, breathing soul of America wept with grief for each of the nearly 3,000 lives lost on 9/11 as he led his first commemorations of the attacks.

The US president warned his countrys enemies America cannot be intimidated as he addressed an audience at the Pentagon, one of the three sites targeted on September 11, 2001.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed when hijackers flew commercial planes into New York's World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Mr Trump, a native New Yorker who was in the city on 9/11, said the attack was worse than the Japanese assault on Pearl Harbour during the Second World War because it targeted civilians - and vowed that it would never be repeated.

First address: Mr Trump led commemorations for the first time / AP

"The terrorists who attacked us thought they could incite fear and weaken our spirit," Mr Trump said at the Pentagon, where he was joined by defence secretary Jim Mattis and General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"But America cannot be intimidated and those who try will join a long list of vanquished enemies who dared test our mettle."

Falling silent: Traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange pay their respects / AP

He said that when America is united, "no force on earth can break us apart".

Mr Trump also offered words of comfort for the many whose loved ones perished in the attacks.

"For the families with us on this anniversary, we know that not a single day goes by when you don't think about the loved one stolen from your life. Today, our entire nation grieves with you," Mr Trump said.

Later, he said "the living, breathing soul of America wept with grief for every life taken on that day".

In the past Mr Trump has made unverified claims about September 11, including claims that thousands of Muslims were cheering in Jersey City, across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan, as the towers collapsed.

There is no evidence in news archives of mass celebrations by Muslims there.
When we first got DACA I was able to dream, Marisa Calero told a group of about 75 people gathered Sunday evening at the corner of Orange and Front streets.

Her journey from undocumented and afraid to studying for a nursing degree in Missoula is the stuff of dreams. All the people holding signs were there to show support for DACA recipients, and as Marisa and Nereyda Calero spoke, they cheered in the late summer sun.

DACA is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program instituted by the Obama administration in 2012 that allowed young people brought into the United States by their parents without documents protection from deportation and permission to work, study, and obtain drivers licenses. The recipients had to be younger than 31, had to have lived in the United States continuously since June 15, 2007, and had to have come to the United States before they were 16 years old. They also are required to be without criminal records and must be enrolled in high school or college.

It is not an easy program to be a part of and does not offer a direct path to citizenship. What it does offer is a chance to study, learn, get a job, start a business or do many things that people without documents are unable to do.

Thats what Marisa and Nereyda  Mexicans by birth  have done since they were granted DACA status.

Both work in area hospitals, Marisa in the operating room and on the cardiac floor and Neyreyda as an EMT and on the cardio-respiratory floor. Marisa is studying at both Missoula College and the University of Montana to complete her prerequisites for nursing school while Nereyda was considering doing the same until President Trumps decision last week to halt DACA.

If this comes to a permanent resolution, Ill go into nursing. But if not and she trails off.

Both wanted to go into nursing because they had to translate doctors appointments for their families  parents, cousins, aunts and uncles. We had to translate for citizens and people with green cards, Marisa says. They were not able to pursue those dreams until DACA.

Marisa came to the United States in 1996 when she was 5 years old. Neyreda came in 1997 when she was 8. And until 2012, their goals of education and employment in the medical field were on hold. But DACA meant the world, we had a whole different view with more freedom, Marisa says. We couldnt work at the hospital or go to school (previously).

But even though they can now, they still run into prejudices.

Ive had comments at work, people telling me youre taking American jobs, Marisa says. Im working hard for it. At one point, Nereyda said a woman called her a terrorist.

Even when we go grocery shopping and we speak Spanish to our kids, we get the look, of accusation, of not belonging, Marisa says.

The protest today was organized in part by the Montana Human Rights Network. Rachel Carroll Rivas, the co-director of MHRN said through an amplifier, Words matter, policy matters, where we spend our money matters.

The event was organized originally in memory of Scott Nicholson, a human rights worker who passed away in June and had done huge amounts of work in Latin America. Carroll Rivas said that combining his memorial with a rally for DACA recipients was a no-brainer.

She also estimates that some 200 DACA recipients are in Montana currently, but those numbers are iffy.

But those numbers fall away because at the corner of Orange and Front, Marisa takes the microphone and begins to speak.

She talks about coming into the country, about how hard it was as a child. After she speaks to the crowd she tells about how her family was caught crossing the border and she was interrogated, like an adult, by ICE agents, which is why her children dont know about the predicament shes in so they cant be put in danger because of it.

But the one thing that comes through in her speech, the thing she says twice to hammer it in, is I am an American by heart, if not by paper.
T he epic scale of Hurricane Irma is seen here from space in a series of images taken by astronauts on board the International Space Station.

The progress of the devastating storm has been tracked from orbit, with pictures and video footage showing its sheer scale emerging as it made landfall in Florida.

A satellite view of the hurricane as it moved in on the US state over the past 24 hours has been released by Nasa, showing the swirling wind close in.

State authorities urged millions to evacuate before the hurricane reached Florida on Sunday morning, with Governer Rick Scott branding it a killer storm.

Images of the terrifying weather pattern have been shared on social media by astronauts including Nasas Randy Bresnik, that offer a unique perspective on the disaster.

Alongside an image of Irma as it raged towards US mainland, Bresnik wrote on Twitter: The tentacles of the bow wave of #Irma clawing its way up Florida.

Nasa has also released a full history of both Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose, from September 1 to September 10, as they progressed through the Caribbean.

Stunned viewers of the space agencys footage of the storm took to social media to express their awe and horror, with one commenting: Such a beautiful site to be so destructive.

Another wrote: It seems so quiet and beautiful from above, with another twitter user adding: Stunning!

Donald Trump called Irma a storm of "enormous destructive potential" as it made landfall on Floridas west coast.

So far, Irma has claimed at least 24 lives in its deadly path across the Atlantic, including five in the British Virgin Islands and one each on Anguilla and Barbuda, and left thousands of people homeless.
T housands of British holidaymakers stranded in hurricane-hit Cuba are to be flown home in a mass evacuation in coming days.

As another hurricane was bearing down on the Caribbean, tour operators were rushing out plans to bring their customers back to Britain.

But Britons caught up in the Hurricane Irma devastation have complained that the Government and tour companies have failed to do enough to get them home from Cuba.

One woman said: I cant even begin to tell you how angry we all are. The Canadians went. The Argentinians went. And were are all sitting in our hotel waiting to move.

Hurricane Irma - In pictures 1 /153 Hurricane Irma - In pictures Boats wrecked by Hurricane Irma are seen from a plane in Sint Maarten, Netherlands Reuters A van remains in a sinkhole,at the Astor Park apartment complex in Winter Springs, Florida AP This combination of natural-color images provided by NASA Earth Observatory shows the U.S. and British Virgin Islands islands on 25 August 2017 (top) before the the passage of Hurricane Irma, and after the storm passed on 10 September 2017 (bottom) AP Property damage is seen at a mobile home park after passing of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Florida Reuters Debris lies from a destroyed building in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Key Largo, Florida AP A house slides into the Atlantic Ocean in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida AP John Duke tries to figure out how to salvage his flooded vehicle in the wake Hurricane Irma AP Damaged houses are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys AP Property damage is seen at a mobile home park after the passing of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Florida Reuters The Sunrise Motel remains flooded after Hurricane Irma hit the area in East Naples, Florida Getty Images Debris from Hurricane Irma lays on the side of the Overseas Highway in Islamorda in the Florida Keys AP A mobile home, destroyed by Hurricane Irma, is seen in Naples, Florida Reuters A Florida Highway Patrol trooper inspects a closed segment of Interstate 4, near State Road 434 in Longwood AP Steve Slonan inspects a friend's home after Hurricane Irma hit the area in East Naples, Florida Getty Images Olga Teakell hugs her grandson Gabriel Melendez, 9, after he cut his finger on glass, while he and his bother Ellisha, 12, (left) help clean debris from Olga's destroyed home in the Naples Estates Mobile Home Park, Florida AP Damaged sail boats are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma AP Two men walk their bicycle along a flooded street on the waterfront of Fort Lauderdale, Florida., as Hurricane Irma passes through AP Boats ride out the storm in a marina in Miami, Florida. Getty Images View of damages after the passage of Hurricane Irma, in Cojimar neighborhood in Havana AFP/Getty Images The epic scale of Hurricane Irma has been revealed in incredible satellite images sent from the International Space Station Nasa/Randy Bresnik Randy Bresnik/NASA A fallen tree crashes atop a row of cars in Miami, Florida AFP/Getty Images People waded through flood-hit streets in Cuba AP Sheryl and Rick Estes (R) take shelter from Hurricane Irma inside the Germain Arena in Estero, Florida. Reuters Cars that have been wrecked by Hurricane Irma on the British Virgin Islands. AP Debris litters the street after the passage of Hurricane Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP People battle high winds and rain to take in the sights along the Miami River which is flooding as Hurricane Irma passes through on September 10, 2017 in Miami, Florida Getty Images A man swims on a flooded street in Havana, Cuba EPA Tourists lie on a beach, littered with palms, one day after Hurricane Irma passed the resort area in Varadero, Cuba AP A stranded manatee in Manatee County, Florida. The mammal was stranded after waters receded from the Florida bay as Hurricane Irma approached AP A houses is surrounded by water as Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, Florida AP A defiant man braves the full force of Irma and takes a selfie as the storm strikes Miami, Florida EPA Flooding in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida Reuters A speed limit sign stands tilted and a power line that snapped it half lays on a building, after the passage of Hurricane Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP People tend to a car that flipped over on Cape Coral Parkway during Hurricane Irma in Florida AP Richard Branson posted this picture from Puerto Rico after revealing the devastation to Necker Island @richardbranson A woman walks her dog in the brisk wind downtown as the weather conditions deteriorate due to Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida EPA Satellite shows Hurricane Irma as it moves on the Florida coast as Tropical Storm Jose (right) moves west in the Atlantic Ocean taken at 06:30 GMT on 11 September 2017. As Irma heads up Florida's west coast its leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without power as more than 100,000 people have taken refuge in shelters and millions have evacuated the area Getty Images Firefighters Dohnovan Simpson and Jacob McGovern carry Dolores Gevaza, 83, across the courtyard in the rain at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school filled classrooms and hallways with people evacuating before Hurricane Irma makes landfall AP Samantha Belk says goodbye to her maltese, Gardolf until after the hurricane in a locker room at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida AP Debris is piled up next to the houses on the seashore in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Reuters Heavy traffic traveling north bound on Interstate 75 moves slowly, as a major evacuation has begun in preparation for Hurricane Irma AP Soldiers board a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before they are flown to help out in the areas affected by Hurricane Irma as winds of up to 175mph left death and destruction in the Atlantic PA A woman takes a break from cleaning the debris in front of a house, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Reuters Marie Charlotte walks through water near her house that was flooded in Malfeti, Fort Liberte, north east of Haiti AFP/Getty Images Customers buy supplies and wood to secure their property in preparation of Hurricane Irma in Miami AP Dfid aid is loaded onto a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before it is flown to the areas affected by Hurricane Irma as winds of up to 175mph left death and destruction in the Atlantic PA Damage outside the "Mercure" hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 Edward Pastrana installs wood shutters at the Miami City Ballet in Miami Beach AP UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 Debris and trash is seen on a beach in Cap-Haitien as Hurricane Irma approaches. AFP/Getty Images Workers hang plywood in front of doors and windows at Mango's, a salsa club, following mandatory evacuation orders in Miami Beach, Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images A nearly-deserted beach after residents and visitors evacuated from Miami Beach, Florid AFP/Getty Images A family readies to evacuate from a mobile home park in the Little Haiti neighborhood ahead of the expected arrival of Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida EPA Motorists remove debris caused by Hurricane Irma from the road in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP A young man walks along the beach covered with debris carried by strong winds in Cap Haitian, Haiti EPA UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in St. Maarten AP Storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in St. Martin. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees AP Flooding caused by Hurricane Irma on Charlotte Amalie, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP Volaris Airlines ticket agent Cely Vasquez (left) attends to Mexico bound passengers at Miami International Airport AP Satellite image showing the eye of Hurricane Irma (centre) is just north of the island of Hispaniola with Hurricane Katia (left) in the Gulf of Mexico, and Hurricane Jose, (right) in the Atlantic Ocean AP sStellite image shows the eye Hurricane Irma just north of the island of Hispaniola. The fearsome Category 5 storm cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean AP Yanina Fernandez (left) and her sister Liz, wait for an available flight to Argentina after their flight was cancelled at Miami International Airport AP damage to a post office caused by Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP Aerial image of several damaged houses by Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP Residents clear debris from the road in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP Cars piled on top of one another in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Destroyed palm trees, outside the "Mercure" hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images A car turned onto its side in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Damage outside "Le flamboyant" hotel and resort in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Devastation in Philipsburg, Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News Pleasure craft lie crammed against the shore in Paraquita Bay, British Virgin Islands Reuters Satellite image shows Huricane Irma at 12:30 UK time. Irma cut a swathe of deadly destruction as it roared through the Caribbean, claiming at least nine lives and turning the tropical islands of St. Martin and Barbuda into mountains of rubble. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, Irma churned westward off the northern coast of Puerto Rico early Thursday on a potential collision course with south Florida AFP/Getty Images A street in Gustavia on the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Barthelemy in the Caribbean AFP/Getty Images Damage caused by hurricane Irma in Saint-Martin, Leeward Islands Rex Damage caused by hurricane Irma in Saint-Martin, Leeward Islands Rex Hurricane Irma evacuating traffic streaming out of Florida creeps along northbound Interstate 75 after a vehicle accident in Lake Park, Georgia, USA epa Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News iew of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Saint Martin Reuters Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News Barbuda Members of the civil defence in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters A destroyed building in Gustavia on the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images Barbuda Rescue staff from the Municipal Emergency Management Agency check a flooded car in Fajardo, Puerto Rico AP Flooded houses in Gustavia, Saint-Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images People pick up debris in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters Barbuda A flooded street on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday. Jose strengthened into a category 1 hurricane, as Irma, a category 5 hurricane continues to move through the Caribbean, battering Barbuda, St. Martin and Puerto Rico EPA The destruction at Sir Richard Branson's island of Necker Sir Richard Branson Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images A woman pushes out floodwaters on her property in St John's AP Cars left flooded in Saint Martin Saint Martin is suffering catastrophic flooding Hurricane Irma hitting Saint Martin Some of the devastation left behind at Saint Martin Hurricane Irma hits Saint Martin Floodwaters run down a street in Saint Martin Carole Greaux Saint Martin Residents in St Petersburg, Florida, carry sandbags ahead of Hurricane Irma AP A satellite image shows Hurricane Irma at 11AM UK time slamming into the French Caribbean islands. Countries can be seen outlined on the image AFP/Getty Images A view of the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Employees load plywood for customers in preparation for Hurricane Irma at Lowe's in Jacksonville, Florida AP Shoppers in Florida ransacked a supermarket as they prepared for Hurricane Irma Getty Images Shoppers at Costco waited up to eight hours for water and essentials in preparation for Hurricane Irma in North Miami AFP/Getty Images Policemen talk to customers at a Costco shop in North Miami as mineral water is sold out and people shop ahead of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Members of the Civil Defense prepare their gear ahead of Hurricane Irma, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Reuters People put boards on their windows in Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images People load up their cars with sandbags in St Petersburg as the storm approaches AP A thermal image of Harricane Irma NOAA Satellite image shows Hurricane Irma at 10.45am UK time followed by Tropical Storm Jose AFP/Getty Images

Another woman said: The Cuban people were the only ones that have actually looked after us. Our own Government just left us to sink.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Thomas Cook rejected criticism that they had been slow to respond.

A Thomas Cook spokesman said: We are working on an evacuation plan for our 2,350 customers in Varadero, to bring all of them home in the coming days.

Thomas Cook moved its holidaymakers from Cayo Coco to Varadero where their customers are in hotels built to withstand a hurricane.

Varadero airport is due to reopen tomorrow and the travel company is talking to several airlines to help with the evacuation, perhaps using other airports, with 26 more members of its special assistance team waiting to fly out from the UK to provide support.

Experts highlighted that it would have been easier for Canada to evacuate its citizens given that the flight time is around three hours rather than a transatlantic flight.

Thomson & First Choice were putting on extra flights to evacuate their customers. A spokeswoman said: As a result of the storm, communication channels have been impacted, but we are doing all that we can to keep in regular contact and to update customers.

"We have planned flights to operate for customers who have been impacted by the hurricane, once the airports have reopened. Reps in resort will advise customers once details have been confirmed.

Geoffrey Scott Baker, whose daughter Amy Brown is on Saint Martin, controlled by the Dutch and French, said: It seems that everybody can airlift their citizens out except for the UK.

He said his daughter was at risk from looters targeting her resort, and added: The British response has been pitiful.

Mr Johnson rejected claims that the Government had been slow to react as completely unjustified.

We were there as soon as the crisis broke, he told BBC radio. It doesnt make any sense when a hurricane is impending to send in heavy aircraft or to send in ships that are not going to be capable themselves of withstanding the storm.

Two more RAF flights were due to head to the Caribbean today, with another 200 personnel, including Royal Marines, engineers and 50 police officers, taking the British armed forces total there to around 1,000.

A field hospital is also being flown out to deal with the aftermath of Irma which ripped apart several isles including the British Virgin Islands.

A third plane will take aid to Gibraltar to be loaded on HMS Ocean which will take 10 days to get to the Caribbean.
H urricane Irma has made landfall on Florida's west coast, with the deadly storm now bearing down on the densely populated city of Tampa.

People are still being warned of the deadly force of Irma, with winds of around 100mph, even as it was downgraded to a category two storm.

So far, Irma has claimed at least 24 lives in its deadly path across the Atlantic, including five in the British Virgin Islands and one each on Anguilla and Barbuda, and left thousands of people homeless.

Forecasters have warned the threat to life still remains, as Florida continues to be battered by powerful winds and torrential rain.

Miami: Waves crash over a seawall from Biscayne Bay as Hurricane Irma passes / AP

Overnight, Irma was downgraded to a category 2 storm, but continued to wreak havoc along the west coast.

The 400 mile-wide storm struck the Florida Keys before raging up the western coast of the state with its punishing winds extending across to Miami and West Palm Beach.

Hurricane Irma - In pictures 1 /153 Hurricane Irma - In pictures Boats wrecked by Hurricane Irma are seen from a plane in Sint Maarten, Netherlands Reuters A van remains in a sinkhole,at the Astor Park apartment complex in Winter Springs, Florida AP This combination of natural-color images provided by NASA Earth Observatory shows the U.S. and British Virgin Islands islands on 25 August 2017 (top) before the the passage of Hurricane Irma, and after the storm passed on 10 September 2017 (bottom) AP Property damage is seen at a mobile home park after passing of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Florida Reuters Debris lies from a destroyed building in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Key Largo, Florida AP A house slides into the Atlantic Ocean in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida AP John Duke tries to figure out how to salvage his flooded vehicle in the wake Hurricane Irma AP Damaged houses are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys AP Property damage is seen at a mobile home park after the passing of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Florida Reuters The Sunrise Motel remains flooded after Hurricane Irma hit the area in East Naples, Florida Getty Images Debris from Hurricane Irma lays on the side of the Overseas Highway in Islamorda in the Florida Keys AP A mobile home, destroyed by Hurricane Irma, is seen in Naples, Florida Reuters A Florida Highway Patrol trooper inspects a closed segment of Interstate 4, near State Road 434 in Longwood AP Steve Slonan inspects a friend's home after Hurricane Irma hit the area in East Naples, Florida Getty Images Olga Teakell hugs her grandson Gabriel Melendez, 9, after he cut his finger on glass, while he and his bother Ellisha, 12, (left) help clean debris from Olga's destroyed home in the Naples Estates Mobile Home Park, Florida AP Damaged sail boats are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma AP Two men walk their bicycle along a flooded street on the waterfront of Fort Lauderdale, Florida., as Hurricane Irma passes through AP Boats ride out the storm in a marina in Miami, Florida. Getty Images View of damages after the passage of Hurricane Irma, in Cojimar neighborhood in Havana AFP/Getty Images The epic scale of Hurricane Irma has been revealed in incredible satellite images sent from the International Space Station Nasa/Randy Bresnik Randy Bresnik/NASA A fallen tree crashes atop a row of cars in Miami, Florida AFP/Getty Images People waded through flood-hit streets in Cuba AP Sheryl and Rick Estes (R) take shelter from Hurricane Irma inside the Germain Arena in Estero, Florida. Reuters Cars that have been wrecked by Hurricane Irma on the British Virgin Islands. AP Debris litters the street after the passage of Hurricane Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP People battle high winds and rain to take in the sights along the Miami River which is flooding as Hurricane Irma passes through on September 10, 2017 in Miami, Florida Getty Images A man swims on a flooded street in Havana, Cuba EPA Tourists lie on a beach, littered with palms, one day after Hurricane Irma passed the resort area in Varadero, Cuba AP A stranded manatee in Manatee County, Florida. The mammal was stranded after waters receded from the Florida bay as Hurricane Irma approached AP A houses is surrounded by water as Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, Florida AP A defiant man braves the full force of Irma and takes a selfie as the storm strikes Miami, Florida EPA Flooding in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida Reuters A speed limit sign stands tilted and a power line that snapped it half lays on a building, after the passage of Hurricane Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP People tend to a car that flipped over on Cape Coral Parkway during Hurricane Irma in Florida AP Richard Branson posted this picture from Puerto Rico after revealing the devastation to Necker Island @richardbranson A woman walks her dog in the brisk wind downtown as the weather conditions deteriorate due to Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida EPA Satellite shows Hurricane Irma as it moves on the Florida coast as Tropical Storm Jose (right) moves west in the Atlantic Ocean taken at 06:30 GMT on 11 September 2017. As Irma heads up Florida's west coast its leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without power as more than 100,000 people have taken refuge in shelters and millions have evacuated the area Getty Images Firefighters Dohnovan Simpson and Jacob McGovern carry Dolores Gevaza, 83, across the courtyard in the rain at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school filled classrooms and hallways with people evacuating before Hurricane Irma makes landfall AP Samantha Belk says goodbye to her maltese, Gardolf until after the hurricane in a locker room at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida AP Debris is piled up next to the houses on the seashore in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Reuters Heavy traffic traveling north bound on Interstate 75 moves slowly, as a major evacuation has begun in preparation for Hurricane Irma AP Soldiers board a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before they are flown to help out in the areas affected by Hurricane Irma as winds of up to 175mph left death and destruction in the Atlantic PA A woman takes a break from cleaning the debris in front of a house, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Reuters Marie Charlotte walks through water near her house that was flooded in Malfeti, Fort Liberte, north east of Haiti AFP/Getty Images Customers buy supplies and wood to secure their property in preparation of Hurricane Irma in Miami AP Dfid aid is loaded onto a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before it is flown to the areas affected by Hurricane Irma as winds of up to 175mph left death and destruction in the Atlantic PA Damage outside the "Mercure" hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 Edward Pastrana installs wood shutters at the Miami City Ballet in Miami Beach AP UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 Debris and trash is seen on a beach in Cap-Haitien as Hurricane Irma approaches. AFP/Getty Images Workers hang plywood in front of doors and windows at Mango's, a salsa club, following mandatory evacuation orders in Miami Beach, Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images A nearly-deserted beach after residents and visitors evacuated from Miami Beach, Florid AFP/Getty Images A family readies to evacuate from a mobile home park in the Little Haiti neighborhood ahead of the expected arrival of Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida EPA Motorists remove debris caused by Hurricane Irma from the road in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP A young man walks along the beach covered with debris carried by strong winds in Cap Haitian, Haiti EPA UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in St. Maarten AP Storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in St. Martin. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees AP Flooding caused by Hurricane Irma on Charlotte Amalie, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP Volaris Airlines ticket agent Cely Vasquez (left) attends to Mexico bound passengers at Miami International Airport AP Satellite image showing the eye of Hurricane Irma (centre) is just north of the island of Hispaniola with Hurricane Katia (left) in the Gulf of Mexico, and Hurricane Jose, (right) in the Atlantic Ocean AP sStellite image shows the eye Hurricane Irma just north of the island of Hispaniola. The fearsome Category 5 storm cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean AP Yanina Fernandez (left) and her sister Liz, wait for an available flight to Argentina after their flight was cancelled at Miami International Airport AP damage to a post office caused by Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP Aerial image of several damaged houses by Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP Residents clear debris from the road in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP Cars piled on top of one another in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Destroyed palm trees, outside the "Mercure" hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images A car turned onto its side in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Damage outside "Le flamboyant" hotel and resort in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Devastation in Philipsburg, Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News Pleasure craft lie crammed against the shore in Paraquita Bay, British Virgin Islands Reuters Satellite image shows Huricane Irma at 12:30 UK time. Irma cut a swathe of deadly destruction as it roared through the Caribbean, claiming at least nine lives and turning the tropical islands of St. Martin and Barbuda into mountains of rubble. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, Irma churned westward off the northern coast of Puerto Rico early Thursday on a potential collision course with south Florida AFP/Getty Images A street in Gustavia on the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Barthelemy in the Caribbean AFP/Getty Images Damage caused by hurricane Irma in Saint-Martin, Leeward Islands Rex Damage caused by hurricane Irma in Saint-Martin, Leeward Islands Rex Hurricane Irma evacuating traffic streaming out of Florida creeps along northbound Interstate 75 after a vehicle accident in Lake Park, Georgia, USA epa Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News iew of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Saint Martin Reuters Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News Barbuda Members of the civil defence in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters A destroyed building in Gustavia on the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images Barbuda Rescue staff from the Municipal Emergency Management Agency check a flooded car in Fajardo, Puerto Rico AP Flooded houses in Gustavia, Saint-Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images People pick up debris in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters Barbuda A flooded street on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island AFP/Getty Images Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday. Jose strengthened into a category 1 hurricane, as Irma, a category 5 hurricane continues to move through the Caribbean, battering Barbuda, St. Martin and Puerto Rico EPA The destruction at Sir Richard Branson's island of Necker Sir Richard Branson Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images A woman pushes out floodwaters on her property in St John's AP Cars left flooded in Saint Martin Saint Martin is suffering catastrophic flooding Hurricane Irma hitting Saint Martin Some of the devastation left behind at Saint Martin Hurricane Irma hits Saint Martin Floodwaters run down a street in Saint Martin Carole Greaux Saint Martin Residents in St Petersburg, Florida, carry sandbags ahead of Hurricane Irma AP A satellite image shows Hurricane Irma at 11AM UK time slamming into the French Caribbean islands. Countries can be seen outlined on the image AFP/Getty Images A view of the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Employees load plywood for customers in preparation for Hurricane Irma at Lowe's in Jacksonville, Florida AP Shoppers in Florida ransacked a supermarket as they prepared for Hurricane Irma Getty Images Shoppers at Costco waited up to eight hours for water and essentials in preparation for Hurricane Irma in North Miami AFP/Getty Images Policemen talk to customers at a Costco shop in North Miami as mineral water is sold out and people shop ahead of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images Members of the Civil Defense prepare their gear ahead of Hurricane Irma, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Reuters People put boards on their windows in Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images People load up their cars with sandbags in St Petersburg as the storm approaches AP A thermal image of Harricane Irma NOAA Satellite image shows Hurricane Irma at 10.45am UK time followed by Tropical Storm Jose AFP/Getty Images

More than 3.3 million homes in the state are without power and parts of Miami are under water.

More than 160,000 people have taken refuge in shelters across Florida, with many holidaymakers and expat Brits caught in the path of the storm.

Matt and Zoe Caveney, from Liverpool, were forced to spend much of their honeymoon confined to their hotel room at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

Mr Caveney, 28, who married Zoe, 22, on August 5, said: "I've never seen rain or wind like it in my life.

"With Orlando being in central Florida we aren't getting it as bad as the coastal towns, but there are very strong winds and heavy rain battering down. We can hear the wind battering the door and trees outside.

"All the parks have been closed as of Saturday 7pm local time and won't be opening again until Tuesday morning at the earliest.

"We are currently on curfew and have been told to stay in our hotel rooms. We were advised to purchase enough food and water in to keep us going through the weekend.

"We're pretty calm about the whole thing - if a little apprehensive. It's all frustrating with it being our honeymoon and obviously everyone back home is concerned too."

Bryan Koon, Florida's emergency management director, said authorities had only scattered information about the storm's toll, but he remained hopeful.

"I've not heard of catastrophic damage. It doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It means it hasn't gotten to us yet," he said.

In the low-lying Keys, where a storm surge of over 10 feet was recorded, appliances and furniture were seen floating away.

Miami Beach a ghost town as Florida braces for Hurricane Irma 1 /18 Miami Beach a ghost town as Florida braces for Hurricane Irma A nearly-deserted beach after residents and visitors evacuated from Miami Beach, Florida AFP/Getty Images Edward Pastrana installs wood shutters at the Miami City Ballet in Miami Beach AP Workers finish covering the ground floor windows of the Chesterfield Hotel as the city prepares for the approaching Hurricane Irma Getty Images A 55 Chevy sits in front of the closed Oceans Ten Restaurant at the Edison Hotel on Ocean Drive as the city prepares for the approaching Hurricane Irma Getty Images The Boulevard Hotel remains open as the city prepares for the approaching Hurricane Irma in Miami Beach, Florida Getty Images The Carlye Hotel on Ocean Drive is closed as the city prepares for the approaching Hurricane Irma Getty Images The Breakwater Hotel on Ocean Drive is closed as the city prepares for the approaching Hurricane Irma Getty Images A nearly-deserted beach after residents and visitors evacuated from Miami Beach, Florida AFP/Getty Images A runner jogs on a nearly-deserted beach in Miami Beach, Florid AFP/Getty Images A nearly-deserted beach after a mandatory evacuation order from Miami Beach, Florida AFP/Getty Images The Leslie Hotel on Ocean Drive is closed as the city prepares for the approaching Hurricane Irma Getty Images AP A man takes a photo with his cellphone alongside a boarded-up restaurant following mandatory evacuation orders in Miami Beach, Florida AFP/Getty Images Trash cans and all beach items will be removed from the beach in preparing for approaching Hurricane Irma Getty Images

Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said the ocean waters were filled with navigation hazards, including sunken boats.

County administrator, Roman Gastesi said crews would begin house-to-house searches to check on survivors and an airborne relief mission led by C-130 military cargo planes is gearing up to bring emergency supplies to the Keys.

Federal tide gauge in Naples reported a 7ft rise in water levels in just 90 minutes late on Sunday.

Hurricane Irma: Boats ride out the storm in a marina in Miami, Florida. / Getty Images

Many streets were flooded in central Miami and other cities.

An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast, and flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Florida's mid-section.

NBC News and Mike Seidel during Hurricane Irma

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.

While Irma raked Florida's Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

In one of the largest US evacuations, nearly seven million people in the south east were warned to seek shelter elsewhere, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused to.

US President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration and emergency federal aid for Florida.

He described the hurricane as a "big monster" and praised the federal agencies involved with the storm and saying he would go to the state "very soon".
A ustralians have been told to hunt and eat kangaroos after the population of the marsupial reached double that of humans.

New data shows the kangaroo population in Australia is close to hitting 50 million, while the human population stands at 24 million.

Experts are now warning Australians to hunt, eat and cull the native animal or face being overrun by it.

The kangaroo population has boomed in recent years, rising to 45 million last year from 27 million in 2010, news.com.au reported. The huge rise in kangaroo numbers is thought to be due to an abundance of food after high rainfall.

David Paton, Associate Professor from the University of Adelaide, said communities needed to support kangaroo culling programmes and eat their meat to avoid wasting carcasses.

Kangaroo numbers have soared thanks to an abundance of food

If were going to cull these animals we do it humanely, but we also perhaps should think about what we might use the animals that are killed for, he told the ABC.

We shouldnt just simply leave them out in paddocks to rot of leave them in the reserves to rot.

A large kangaroo population could also pose a threat to biodiversity, Professor Paton said: Its not the kangaroos fault theyre overabundant, its probably weve just been too reluctant to take a stick to them, remove them out of the system sooner, to actually prevent the damage being caused.

Kangaroos are seen as national pests in Australia. According to a report published by the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment, they damage fences, compete with domestic livestock for food and water and trample crops.

There have also been reports of kangaroos behaving violently towards humans in areas where they have been fed by members of the public.
A pageant contestant has been lauded as inspirational after she criticised Donald Trump live on air for his response to the far-right rally in Charlottesville.

Margana Wood, who holds the title of Miss Texas, blasted the US Presidents comments regarding the violence at the rally in Virginia last month, during which one woman was killed when a car ploughed into counter-protesters.

Mr Trump was heavily criticised for failing to immediately condemn the actions of white-supremacists at the rally and instead blamed both sides for the violence.

Miss Texas was asked during the Q &A section of the Miss America pageant on Sunday night about the protest and launched a stinging attack on Mr Trumps response.

She was asked: The President said there was shared blame with very fine people of both sides. Were there? Tell me yes and no and explain.

With just 20 seconds to respond, Ms Wood said to huge cheers: I think with the white supremacist issue, it was very obvious that it was a terrorist attack and I think that president Donald Trump should have made a statement earlier addressing the fact and making sure all Americans feel safe in the country.

That is the number one issue right now.

Ms Wood, who missed out on the title of Miss America, has been met with an outpouring of praise on social media for blasting the US President.

One Twitter user, known only as Lyd, posted: That was a hard question to answer in such a short amount of time on TV! You have such poise and grace; you should be proud of yourself!"

Miss Texas models her evening wear at the ceremony in New Jersey / Getty Images for Dick Clark Prod

Laker Sue simply posted: You are truly an inspiration.

Another user said: So, to recap Miss Texas came up with an answer off the top of her head in 16 seconds that was better than the presidents speech writer.

Donald Trump was heavily criticised for his response to the Charlottesville rally / AFP/Getty Images

A recent university graduate, Ms Wood missed out on the eventual crown of Miss America to Miss North Dakota Cara Mund, who also criticised Mr Trump for pulling out of the Paris climate agreement at the ceremony.

The unrest at Charlottesville culminated in a car ploughing into counter-protesters and killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer.

As pressure continued to grow on Mr Trump, the White House eventually issued a statement condemning KKK, neo-nazi and all extremist groups in the wake of the rally.
N orth Korea today warned the US will suffer the greatest pain if it continues to push for fresh sanctions on the isolated regime following its latest nuclear test.

Diplomats said the UN Security Council would vote later today on new sanctions.

Washington called for a halt to oil exports to North Korea and a freeze on the assets of its leader, Kim Jong-un, according to a draft resolution leaked to the media.

However a proposed resolution appears to have been watered watered down to placate Russia and China, which both have veto powers.

Reuters said it no longer proposes blacklisting Mr Kim and relaxes sanctions earlier proposed on oil and gas, but does proposes a ban on textile exports.

Pyongyang claims it tested a hydrogen bomb earier this month that can be loaded onto an intercontinental missile [ICBM], drawing widespread condemnation and increasing pressure on President Trump to respond.

Show of strength: A South Korean missile is launched during a display last week aimed at warning North Korea / EPA

In a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency today, North Koreas foreign ministry warned the US that if it did rig up the illegal and unlawful resolution on harsher sanctions, the DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) shall make absolutely sure that the US pays a due price.

It added: The forthcoming measures to be taken by the DPRK will cause the US the greatest pain and suffering it has ever gone through in its entire history.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang stressed the need for consensus and maintaining peace.

I have said before that China agrees that the UN Security Council should make a further response and necessary actions with respect to North Koreas sixth nuclear test, he told reporters.

We hope Security Council members on the basis of sufficient consultations reach consensus and project a united voice.

The response and actions the Security Council makes should be conducive to the denuclearisation of the peninsula, conducive to safeguarding the peace and stability of the peninsula, and conducive to push forward the use of peaceful and political means to resolve the peninsula nuclear issue.
S torm chasers who risked their lives by heading into the path of Hurricane Irma have been criticised by officials for dicing with death in pursuit of "an adrenaline rush."

Self-styled meteorologist Juston Drake was pictured stumbling backwards and almost losing his footing as he faced winds in excess of 100mph in the Florida Keys.

Wearing a paintballing mask, Mr Drake was almost blown off his feet as he tried to get a wind speed reading when he left his car and stood up to the storm.

It comes as curfews were imposed in the area and 6.4 million people in the state were told to seek shelter elsewhere.

Footage emerged of the daring storm chaser as the hurricane, which laid waste to a number of islands in the Caribbean and left several dead, made landfall in the US state.

Mr Drake also filmed his friend and fellow storm chaser Simon Brewer attempting to get a wind reading.

But after the images of the pair were shared on Twitter, viewers, including a firefighter, were quick to branded their actions as stupid.

Twitter user Georg Papp commented on the footage, which has been retweeted more than 4,000 times, saying: I'm sorry but this is stupid

Defending the Mr Drake, one social media user replied: I disagree, this is what storm chasers do at [their] own risk.

But Mr Papp added: And as a fireman, I go out and rescue them at my own risk.

He said: "Real meteorologists are inside, safely providing us data, updates and predictions to help the public. These guys are idiots... They are risking their lives for likes, retweets & an adrenaline rush. This isn't about collecting data."

NBC News and Mike Seidel during Hurricane Irma

Mr Brewer later posted an image online of an anemometer with a wind speed reading of 117mph.

The pair are part of a group of professional storm chasers, or storm riders, who pursue extreme weather phenomena, and have previously documented tropical cyclones including Hurricane Katrina.

The video was some of the first footage showing Irma hitting Florida, and the hurricane is now heading up the west coast of the peninsula, with cities Tampa and St. Petersburg expected to bear the brunt.

Other so-called storm chasers who ignored advice to leave the area posted videos online showing the dramatic scenes in Florida keys.

One video, posted on Twitter by user @storm_chaser82, shows the ferocious winds blasting Key West as they remain there to film the scenes.

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida as the huge storm approached.

While Irma raked Florida's Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.

In one of the largest US evacuations, nearly seven million people in the south east were warned to seek shelter elsewhere, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.

US President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration and emergency federal aid for Florida.

The Standard has approached Mr Drake for comment.
J anet Jackson broke down on stage during her concert in Houston after performing an emotional song about a break-up.

The pop icon held her head in her hands and sobbed in front of the crowd on Saturday night before straightening up and telling the crowd: This is me.

The singer, 50, was performing hit song What About from her 1997 album The Velvet Rope, which deals with a destructive relationship.

Jackson is currently in the process of divorcing long-time partner Wissam Al Mana following five years of marriage.

The pair, who were together for seven years and wed back in 2012, welcomed first child, Eissa, in January this year.

Jackson put her world tour, previously called Unbreakable, on hold last year when she discovered that she was pregnant.

She has since resumed the tour, renamed State of the World, just a few months after giving birth and ending her relationship.

janet jackson split explainer

I decided to change the name of the tour," she said at the time. It's not about politics. It's about people, the world, relationships and just love

Talking about her split from Al Mana, she added: We are in court and the rest is in God's hands.

Ahead of her show in Houston on Saturday, Jackson met with mayor Sylvester Turner and a number of survivors following the devastating Hurricane Harvey.

She dedicated Saturdays show to all those affected by the hurricane and offered her support to charities aiding relief efforts.
The first clear day in more than a week saw nearly 200 people gather early Sunday morning at the National Museum of Forest Service History to enjoy pancakes and talks from two famous conservationists: John Maclean and Bill Moore.

The two speakers were invited in conjunction with the Norman Maclean Festival over the weekend in Missoula. As the only free event of the festival, the turnout was high, although the pine bough centerpieces, pancakes, bacon, and coffee might have helped significantly.

The tension between conservation and control was obvious in the timing of the Norman Maclean Festival this year.

The smoke that has been so damaging to Seeley Lake forced the Maclean Festival to move from its usual two days in Seeley and one day in Missoula to have all three days of the festival occur in Missoula this year. That smoke has John Maclean and Bill Moore comparing 2017 to the famous 1910 fire season when the Great Burn destroyed millions of acres of forest in just a few days.

Maclean, who now lives in Washington, D.C., spoke like a preacher as he described Montanas beauty and fires danger while telling stories of the old legends like Elers Koch and his own father. Whats remarkable, he said after his speech, is that the current fire season has ominous similarities to 1910, the year of the Great Burn.

Maclean has plenty of experience with fires, as his nearly six books on wildfire in the American West attest.

We have to know how to manage forests without endless litigation, Maclean said. Is it possible for human beings to do no good? Doesnt this fire season tell you something? Balance is needed.

Lisa Tate, the executive director of the Museum, said that the event was part of our mission to share conservation history with the public, and inviting a speaker of the magnitude of John Maclean along with Bill Moore, a legend of forestry, is part of reaching out to the broader community. Tate explained the Museums newest features focused on the interpretive side of curation, including several brand new signs that explained the Macleans and the Moores impact on forestry in the American West.

As a non-profit, the National Museum of Forest Service History relies on people like Dave Stack and Cheryl Hughes to bring in speakers like Maclean and Moore. Stack worked for the Forest Service for 35 years and is now a vice-president and the Museums historian in charge of the some 50,000 pieces of inventory the Museum has curated so far.

There is so much history the public needs to understand about the Forest Service, Stack said.

Hughes taught at Sentinel High School for years, where she focused on place-based education, giving kids experiences where the writers worked and wrote, Hughes said.

When she retired, Hughes took on a consultancy with the Forest Service where she developed grants to impact teachers nationally through primary source education that dovetailed with her place-based education style. Currently the educational director for the Museum, she wrote the Montana Humanities grant that helped bring the new signs to the museum that give the biographies and impact of Bud Moore, Elers Koch, and Norman and John Maclean.

And on John Macleans biography, one line stood out in particular. Like his father, John knew there was a story of man and nature that must be told, and he must tell it.
T in Star is not a TV show lacking in atmosphere, thanks in part to the menacing Rocky Mountains that loom over Little Big Bear, the town where its set.

Their shadow finds parallels in a dark crime wave thats stealing into the sleepy locale thanks to the arrival of a new oil refinery.

The ensuing trouble gives Tim Roths recovering alcoholic cop Jim Worth plenty to be driven to drink about.

Heres everything you need to know about the new show.

1. The plot follows a policeman who's new to the area and battling a wave of organised crime

Tin Star Interview

Roth plays Jim Worth, a former London Met policeman with lots of demons to be drawn out of the course of the series.

His dark side is more literal than most though, in that he struggles to subsume his undercover alter-ego Jack.

Its a persona that goes hand in with his alcoholism which he has under control, for now.

Worth has upped sticks and moved his family from London to the remote town of Little Big Bear.

Christina Hendricks as Elizabeth Bradshaw (Sky Atlantic) / A Sky UK LTD

At first he finds the serenity he seeks but its shortlived, as large oil refinery rumbles into town bringing with it comedy villain CEOs and a wave of gang crime.

2. Christina Hendricks plays a senior employee at North Stream Oil

Worth isnt the only one grappling with inner conflict. Hendricks is ex-journalist Elizabeth Bradshaw who after years of criticising the oil industry decides to try and improve it from the inside.

Her intentions are honourable but with corruption all around and the strength of her own ambition testing her morals, will she manage to stay true to her cause?

3. The fictional town of Little Big Bear merges two Canadian locations

Tin Stars town scenes are filmed in High River, where the Rocky Mountains are visible in the background but aren't quite as imposing as the producers had hoped. So they sought out a second filming location, Waterton, a tiny town on the outskirts of the Glacier National Park.

However, Waterton didnt have the infrastructure to support a 250-strong film crew, which meant the locations mountain backdrop had to be superimposed onto the High River town scenes, not  thanks to skilfull VFX  that youll be any the wiser when watching.

4. Its written by 28 Weeks Laters Rowan Joffe

Tin Star is Joffes first TV series since 2004. In the intervening almost 15 years hes worked on films like 28 Weeks Later, The American and Brighton Rock.

A scene from the new series (Sky Atlantic) / A Sky UK LTD

Joffe also has a directing credit on the series and says episodes will take viewers on labyrinthine journeys of discovery.

With a background of movie screenwriting, its been an ambition of mine to author an epic piece of cinema in a long-series format, he said in a statement.

To me this means a certain kind of dramatic landscape, classical themes of illicit love, familial corruption, grief and all-consuming revenge as well as characters of a particular stature on dangerous, labyrinthine journeys of discovery.

5. You can watch it on Sky Atlantic and Now TV

The series continues on Tuesday, September 12 at 9pm on Sky Atlantic, with new episodes also available on streaming service Now TV
Countries & Areas

Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe
This page may have been moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable. To help you find what you are looking for:

Enter Search Term(s):

Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL.

Thank you for visiting state.gov.
ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) has lost most of its territory in Syria. Most ISIL personnel are trying to reach ISIL controlled portions of the Euphrates River Valley. This are goes from the city of Raqqa (which ISIL has 70 percent of since April) to the Iraq border and into Iraq (the town of Rawa). ISIL has apparently ordered all ISIL members that can to head for the Euphrates River valley for a last stand. Iraqi forces are concentrating on Rawa and other ISIL held parts of the Euphrates River valley in Iraq. With that done ISIL will be left with only scattered remnants of personnel operating as terrorists and trying to rebuild with new recruits and financial supporters. ISIL apparently still has over $100 million in cash hidden in banks (including informal ones like the halwa networks). ISIL was successful because it was able to hide a lot of cash in banks. Since 2010 most Islamic terrorists have preferred to use couriers for moveing cash because using the international banking system had gotten too dangerous. So has the unofficial (and often illegal) traditional halwa (informal letters of credit) system. For the last year ISILs financial system has been under heavy attack and how successful that effort is may end up being more important than anything else ISIL is currently up to.

Since 2014 ISIL has concentrated on dominating the Euphrates River Valley, which stretches from the Persian Gulf to Turkey. Along the way this river valley passes next to or through Baghdad, Fallujah, Ramadi and Raqqa. While Iraqi forces moved up the valley from the south the offensive from the north, towards Raqqa has been mainly the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) rebels. This organization is composed of Syrian Kurds and their Arab Moslem and Christian allies. Most of the SDF forces advancing on Raqqa are Arab, the rest are from various Kurd factions (including the YPG). At the moment the only ones concentrating on Raqqa are the SDF, with support by Western and Arab air power and some commandos. Most importantly SDF has American support on the ground as well as from the air.

The success of this campaign (ISIL holds less than 30 percent of Raqqa now) and the recent loss of Mosul and Tal Afar in Iraq have most everyone (including the United States) openly acknowledging that the Islamic State ISIL created in 2014 was out of business and would soon control no territory at all and be just another Islamic terror group hiding where it can and attacking when able. Many ISIL members are fleeing rather than fight to the death. Some are trying to switch sides, which is possible for those who belong via tribal militias persuaded (often coerced) to side with ISIL.

It appears that ISIL still has as many as 10,000 armed men in Iraq and Syria, mainly in the Euphrates River valley with fewer in pockets of control in central Syria (Homs), outside of Aleppo and near the Israeli border. About a thousand of these gunmen are still defending parts of Raqqa but the SDF has proved to be a formidable killing machine, taking few casualties as they advance, seeking to discover where ISIL fighters are and then call in an air strike. The biggest threat to the Kurds is the ISIL landmines and explosive traps left behind.

Over half the SDF is now Arab as the SDF attracted more Arab recruits the closer it got to Raqqa. Many of the Arabs in the SDF come from tribes that have worked with the Kurds in the past. But the Kurds know that Raqqa is largely an Arab city and that the main threat to the Kurds is Turkey, which would prefer that Syrian Kurds controlled no territory at all. The SDF and the Syrian Kurds are based in Hasakah province, which has largely been under Kurdish control since 2012. This province has long been majority Kurd and borders Turkey and Kurdish controlled northern Iraq. The Syrian Kurds have warned everyone, including Assad, Turkey and Iraq to stay out of Hasakah. As long as the SDF has active American military support the Turks are reluctant to make a move on Hasakah province but there are smaller Kurdish enclaves along the border west of the Euphrates River that the Turks are willing to clear of all rebel forces and open discussions with the reestablished Assad Syrian government about when the Turkish troops will withdraw and under what conditions.

For decades the Assads gave sanctuary to Kurdish (separatist) and Arab (Islamic terrorist) groups that made trouble in Turkey. The Assads need to make some convincing commitments to eliminating those problems if they want the Turks to leave. That will be difficult because the SDF is dominated by Kurdish separatists, many of them with ties to the Turkish Kurd separatists (the PKK) and the Iraqi Kurds (who have had autonomy since the early 1990s). Further complicating all this is that Turkey is on its way towards leaving NATO. Thats because the current Turkish government is pro-Islam, not pro-secular as all Turkish governments had been from the 1920s until 2000. For nearly a century democratic Turkey was a bastion of stability in the Middle East. That ended with the election of an Islamic government and the subsequent efforts by that government to make their rule permanent and decidedly undemocratic. That in itself is a problem for NATO, Israel and the Middle East in general.

To further complicate the situation Iran and Russia have both signed deals with the Assads to establish military (mainly naval) bases in Syria. Then there is the fact that Iran openly calls for the destruction of Israel while Russia and Israel have often worked together, even during the communist period (that ended in 1991 when the Soviet Union did). Russia tries to maintain its alliance with Turkey and Iran while also remaining on good terms with Israel and the Arab oil states in the region.

Israel is also aware, as are Russians, Turks, the Assads and nearly all Syrians, that Iranian efforts to take control of Syria are unwelcome. Since Iran is currently run by a religious dictatorship any opposition in Syria must be overcome because Iran is on a Mission From God and not to be interfered with. The Iranians, as far as everyone but Iran is concerned, are simply replacing one brand of Islamic fanaticism with another as ISIL power is extinguished in Syria.

The Syrian Army Advance

In west central Syria (Homs province) Assad forces have captured most of the province but are having problems eliminating the few remaining ISIL strongholds. East of Homs in Deir Ezzor province Assad forces have finally reached the provincial capital (also called Deir Ezzor or just Zour) that is southeast of Raqqa. Until recently ISIL had surrounded the city of Deir Ezzor since 2014. Syrian forces were largely absent from Deir Ezzor province until March 2016 when Syrian troops retook Palmyra, held by ISIL since May 2015. Palmyra was a major ISIL victory in 2015 and since early 2016 Russian air and ground forces have worked with Syrian troops to methodically fight their way back to Palmyra and Deir Ezzor province in general. By mid-2017 this advance had ended ISIL dominance in Deir Ezzor province, including Palmyra, which is astride the main road from Deir Ezzor to Damascus (the national capital and Assad stronghold). Today Assad forces cleared the southern entrance to Deir Ezzor city and that gave the Assad forces control of the main highway from Damascus to Deir Ezzor city. On the 5th Assad forces broke the siege of Deir Ezzor city but via an area north of the Damascus highway. Four days later Assad forces broke the siege of the Assad held airbase north of Deir Ezzor city.

This shows how much has changed in two years. Assad lost Palmyra in mid-2015 and that was one of the events that triggered Russian intervention shortly thereafter. Syrian troops have been fighting ISIL in Deir Ezzor province ever since in preparation for an advance on the ISIL capital of Raqqa (227 kilometers to the northwest). The city of Deir Ezzor is halfway between the ISIL capital Raqqa and ISIL controlled (until recently) areas of Iraq. The Assad forces were in no hurry to drive ISIL away from the city of Deir Ezzor because the arrival of Russian troops in August was accompanied by boatloads of much needed spare parts and maintenance supplies for the Syrian armed forces.

The Russians knew that their warplanes could grab headlines with some airstrikes in support of the depleted Assad forces but that it would take a year to rebuild the Assad forces and once that was done the Syrian Army began to gain ground. The Syrian Army was still fragile because three years of defeats before the Russians arrived had done some long-term damage to the morale and loyalty of many core Assad supporters. Casualties had to be kept down for the Assad forces and that meant a slow, methodical advance. It also meant the Assads did little but verbally protest the Kurdish (SDF) effort to move south and take Raqqa from ISIL. The Assads are confident that their Russian and Iranian allies will force the SDF to turn Raqqa over to the legitimate government of Syria (the Assads) once ISIL has been cleared out. There is some truth to that but the SDF expects some concessions from the Assads (like recognition of an autonomous Kurd region in the northeast).

Russia and Iran are pushing, with some success, the idea that Syrian civil war is over and the rebels defeated. Early on (like 2013) it was obvious that while most Syrians opposed the Assads they could not form a rebel coalition to defeat the minority Shia government the Assad clan had created to rule the nation since the 1960s. What destroyed the rebels was the proliferation of Islamic terror groups competing to lead the revolution and next government. Islamic radicals have, for over a thousand years, been unable to agree on which version of Islam should be used to rule the Islamic world. This is a dispute too many Moslems are willing to die for, usually while fighting other Moslems. As a result it has been very difficult to create democracies in Moslem majority nations because eventually Islamic radical groups will trigger very destructive periods of Islamic terrorism.

Most UN members agree with Russia and Iran that the Syrian rebellion has been defeated but there is still no widespread support for the Assads, which most UN members want to prosecute for war crimes. As long as Russia and China make their UN vetoes available to Iran (since the 1980s the main Assad backer) the UN will not be able to make a serious effort to take down the Assads. Moreover, even with the Assads, the largely Moslem Syrian population has not demonstrated any willingness to try democracy. The United States has said it does not want to use its armed forces to fight the Assad government, even though the U.S. and most Western nations agree that the Assads are unfit to run Syria and should be removed from power. So American forces will remain active in Syria until ISIL is eliminated and then, as the current thinking goes, withdraw. The Syrian Kurds and Turkish efforts in Syria may delay the American departure.

Iran Plans

Although Iran backed Hezbollah is increasingly active in the media about how soon its next war with Israel will happen, the reality is somewhat different. Israeli wargames and monitoring of attitudes in Lebanon (among Hezbollah supporters and the majority of Lebanese who are hostile or neutral) indicates that another Hezbollah war now would be unlikely. At the moment Hezbollah military power is crippled by losses in Syria and the continued deployment of about a third of their available forces there. In addition there are significant veteran personnel working in Iraq and Yemen supporting local pro-Iran Shia militias. More Hezbollah personnel will be heading back to Gaza now that Hamas has resumed its alliance with Iran. But in the long term (the 2020s) Iran is building something that threatens Israel in a big way. By establishing military bases in Syria and organizing a branch of Hezbollah in Syria Iran has legal justification for stationing Iranian troops in Syria. Unless Israel interferes Iran could rebuild the Syrian military, especially the Syrian ballistic missile stockpile. Iran would have time (and money) to deal with the financial problems that are crippling Hezbollah and Hamas. Thus by the mid-2020s Iran would be in a much stronger position for attacking Israel. That would include the new Israeli natural gas fields off the coast near the Lebanese border.

Thus it is no surprise that Israel is openly hostile to a permanent Iranian presence in Syria. Turkey quietly agrees and Russia is seeking opportunities for itself but seems to dislike the Iranian long range plan. Israel is quite blunt about describing Iran as replacing ISIL as the new threat to just about everyone. Russia sometimes supports that openly and Israel keeps trying to improve relations with the unstable Turkish Islamic government.

There have been secret meeting between Israeli, American and Russian officials over the issue but it is obvious Russia is seeking short-term opportunities and will on occasion openly support Iran if that will serve Russian interests. Meanwhile the only reason Russia, Iran and Turkey are currently allies is their desire for the Assads to stay in power and keep Syria free of Sunni Islamic terrorists and Kurdish separatists. Turkey, Iran and Russia back the Assads directly (with cash, personnel and weapons) and coordinate their military operations to help the Assads survive.

In contrast the Sunni Arab states want the Assads gone and are more open in opposing Iranian plans for post-war Syria. Despite opposition from Israel, the Arabs, the Americans and even some Iranian allies Iran is determined to have a land route from Iran to Lebanon and military installations in post-war Syria. Israel has made it clear that it will, and can, make sure that does not happen. Turkey and Russia recognize that Israel is not only the stronger military power here but also has the most at stake. For decades Iran has called for the destruction of Israel and that does not sit well with Turkey and Russia because both nations have had clashes with aggressive Iranian ambitions over the past few centuries and see the current Iranian strategy as eventually taking down Turkey (for being Sunni and an ancient rival) and Russia (for not being Moslem and defeating Iranian attempts to expand in the 19th and 20th centuries).

The UN Tries To Help

The UN has told Israel that the UNIFIL (the 12,000 UN peacekeeper force on the Israeli border) will now be more assertive on dealing with violations on the Lebanese or Syrian side of the border. That will be a big change, and major challenge, because now Hezbollah is showing up on the border in Syria as well as Lebanon. In the past, when the Israelis reported a particularly obvious example of Hezbollah misbehavior on the border, Hezbollah gunmen would keep all media out and blame it all on false claims by the Israelis. This sort of thing has been going on since the last war with Hezbollah in 2006. Hezbollah refuses to allow UNIFIL to go near any of its rocket storage sites in Lebanon and insists that the only weapons it has along the Israeli border are those needed to defend itself. But now Hezbollah is preparing to set up shop in the Syrian border. Hezbollah has been bringing in more rockets from Syria since the civil war escalated there in 2012 and there is fear that Hezbollah will also get some of the Syrian chemical weapons. That was apparently a reason for the September Israeli airstrike on a Syrian weapons research facility. Even the UN has to acknowledge that Iranian plans for Syria, and the use of Hezbollah in Syria, is a threat to peace.

Yet the UN still refuses to declare Hezbollah an international terrorist organization, despite the fact that Hezbollah has been caught carrying out terrorist operations in several foreign countries and openly calls for the destruction of Israel. The U.S. and a number of other nations have declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization but the UN refuses to do so. The UNIFIL force has been in place since 1978 and was expanded after the 2006 war. It will probably expand again after any peace deal in Syria.

Something else that helped change the UN attitude towards Hezbollah was what happened to their peacekeepers in Syria. In late 2016 UN Peacekeepers returned to the Syrian side of the Israeli border for the first time since 2014. Initially only 127 peacekeepers crossed the border and it wasnt until the end of 2016 before the full force of over a thousand troops returned to their Syrian positions. Back in 2014 UN peacekeepers from Fiji and the Philippines were forced out by al Nusra rebels, who wanted to ensure that the UN peacekeepers did not interfere with the rebel takeover of a border crossing. The Islamic terrorist rebels looted the UN camp. The rebels were driven away from the border in 2016 by the Syrian Army, which had regained control of the entire 70 kilometer long border with Israel. Up until 2014 the UN had 1,223 peacekeepers monitoring the Syrian/Israeli border and wanted that force returned. The UN troops have been there since 1974 to monitor a ceasefire between Israel and Syria. Israel defeated Syria in 1967 and took the Golan Heights from them. In 1973 Israel defeated a strong effort by Syria to regain the Golan Heights. Since then the UN has watched over an uneasy peace. From 2014 to 2016 the peacekeepers were only able to operate on the Israeli side of the border.

September 9, 2017: The SDF began an offensive to push ISIL forces out of northern Deir Ezzor province. The SDF troops are coming from Kurdish controlled Hasakah province.

September 8, 2017: Russia confirmed that a recent airstrike outside Deir Ezzor city had hit an ISIL command bunker and killed four ISIL leaders including Abu Mohammed al-Shimali (the senior ISIL leader for Deir Ezzor province) and Gulmurod Khalimov, a former Tajikistan police commander who joined ISIL in 2015 and quickly rose to be their senior military commander and currently the ISIL War Minister. The other two ISIL leaders were not identified nor was the exact date of the airstrike. The U.S. did not confirm the Russian claim but did agree that the two ISIL leaders Russia mentioned had apparently met with some misfortune recently. The United States has, since 2016, been offering a $3 million reward for the capture or killing of Gulmurod Khalimov.

Assad forces went around a convoy of busses holding most of the 670 ISIL men and families halted on August 29th before they could reach ISIL the Euphrates River in Deir Ezzor province. The destination was too close to the Iraq border. The Americans and Iraq were not consulted about this deal and did not want any more ISIL personnel being allowed to move so close to the Iraq border because when ISIL loses control of Deir Ezzor province some of the surviving ISIL gunmen will flee towards Iraq. At the request of Russia the Americans pulled back their surveillance aircraft from the stranded ISIL busses because of the busses being overtaken by advancing Assad troops headed for Deir Ezzor city. Some Assad troops are had already broken the three year ISIL siege of the city and were doing the same for an airbase outside Deir Ezzor city (that was held by Assad forces resupplied by air.)

The American warplanes had allowed food and water to reach the ISIL busses but had attacked any men approaching the busses or trying to leave. The U.S. was trying to get Russia to take custody of the busses and people in them but so far without success. The Russians have, however, been carrying out airstrikes to prevent ISIL fighters from moving to the Euphrates River valley.

What was surprising about all this was that it was another example of how much Iraq had turned against Iran and Iranian efforts to call the shots in Iraq. Most Iraqis saw this deal to bus hundreds of ISIL gunmen from the Lebanese border to the Iraqi border as an Iranian effort to keep the ISIL threat to Iraq alive and thus making the Iraqis more willing to do what Iran wants. The Iraqi and Syrian Kurds were also suspicious of what Iran (which controls Hezbollah) was up to here because that ISIL convoy moved ISIL gunmen closer to Syrian and Iraqi Kurds.

In reality it was just another of the many surrender deals where rebels (not always ISIL) abandon a position for safe passage to another area held by their group. Why the Russians did not consult the Americans (who they have maintained regular communications with) is unclear. But the Russians are not trying to force the issue and are trying to get the stranded ISIL personnel to move another ISIL enclave in Syria.

September 7, 2017: In the northwest (Hama province) Israeli warplanes bombed a government chemical weapons research center at Masyaf. At the same time other Israeli warplanes destroyed a Hezbollah convoy transporting weapons. Syria later confirmed the attack on the Masyaf facility and said two soldiers were killed. Syria also said such Israeli air attacks will be avenged. Israel has already made it clear that such attacks will continue as long as Syria and its patron Iran try to attack Israel and openly call for the destruction of Israel.

September 6, 2017: The UN accused the Assad government of using nerve gas against a pro-rebel village in Idlib province during April, an attack that killed over 83 (30 of them children) and left over 300 with nerve gas related injuries. This is a war crime that many UN members are demanding be prosecuted. As expected the Assads denied the charges safe in the knowledge that their ally Russia would use their veto to block any major war crimes prosecution. The UN investigators had concluded early on that the April attack used nerve gas but the latest report confirms that the nerve gas was delivered by the Assad forces.

September 5, 2017: In the east (Deir Ezzor province) Syrian forces finally broke the three year ISIL siege of Deir Ezzor city. There are about 90,000 civilians in portions of Deir Ezzor city still held by Assad forces and also surrounded. The civilians get foreign aid food and other supplies by truck. This breaking of the siege ended a two-week long effort that was aided by about a hundred Russian airstrikes a day and a dozen or so a day by Syrian Air Force aircraft. Two days after the siege was broken the first government supply convoy entered the government held portion of the city. Much of the city and Deir Ezzor province are still held or threatened by ISIL forces. ISIL made a major effort to stop the advancing Syrian forces, sending about fifty suicide car bombers but only 22 got close enough to explode and cause losses for to the advancing Assad troops. ISIL is still dangerous but their tactics are known the being defeated by just about everyone ISIL has fought before.

September 4, 2017: Two more Russian soldiers were killed in Syria. Both soldiers were supporting Syrian troops in Deir Ezzor province when their convoy was hit by mortar fire. Russian casualties in Syria remain low with nearly all the fatalities were suffered by highly trained troops advising the Syrians or special operations personnel carrying out recon or other intel gathering missions. By the Russian official count the latest death makes 34 Russians killed in Syria since mid-2015. The actual number is believed to be 30-80 percent higher because of the growing use of Russian military contractors, who are not, for record keeping purposes, members of the Russian military. The Syrian war effort, despite the low number of Russian casualties, is not popular with most Russians who see Assad and most other Middle Eastern governments (especially former Soviet allies) as losers.

August 30, 2017: After Israeli officials revealed that they regularly conducted airstrikes on targets in Syria Russia told the media that it had warned Israel not to attack Iranian forces or bases in Syria. What the Russians told Israel and Turkey privately is another matter. The problem here is that no one in the region wants Iran turning Syria into another Lebanon. Actually Syria would be worse than Lebanon where there is a local Shia militia (Hezbollah) that is controlled by Iran. Hezbollah does what it wants in southern Lebanon and has a veto on anything the Lebanese government (technically controlled by the non-Shia majority) proposes. That veto is useful but Hezbollah was never able to coerce the Lebanese government to allow Iran to establish bases on the coast or anywhere else. Syria is different as Iran has already made deals to allow Iran and Russia to operate naval and air bases. For the moment Iran, Turkey, Russia and the Assads are all allies but no one expects that to last. The only question is when will Iran get the bad news.

August 29, 2017: In central Syria American warplanes bombed a road and a bridge to halt a convoy of 17 busses carrying 670 ISIL men and families towards the Iraq border. The ISIL men had agreed to give up positions on the Lebanon border in return for safe passage through Hezbollah and Assad controlled territory to ISIL controlled areas in Deir Ezzor province.

August 25, 2017: In the east (Raqqa province) ISIL attacked advancing Syrian troops and in a brief battle killed at least 34 of them while losing twelve of their own. The Syrians abandoned their advance on Maadan (an ISIL controlled town halfway between Raqqa and Deir Ezzor city) and retreated to reorganize and resume the advance.

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.
When Mirta Martin wanted to go to college, she didn't have money for the application fee.

"I remember people giving me a chance. I remember a teacher actually wrote the check to apply that got me to Duke University because we had no money to even write checks for those applications.

"Now, it's my time to pass it forward. It's my time to help others achieve what I've been able to achieve," Martin said.

Martin is one of four finalists vying to serve as the next University of Montana president. The Cuban immigrant is currently managing director at the Kirchner Group, a merchant bank. In academia, she most recently served as president of Fort Hays State University in Kansas.

At Fort Hays, a campus of nearly 15,000 students, Martin drove up enrollment, boosted retention and launched a $100 million capital campaign, according to her resume. Former colleagues confirmed her recruitment abilities and fundraising prowess.

She also made an impression on students. Emily Brandt, president of the student body, said the president's house is on campus at Fort Hays, and Martin told students that if her porch light was on, they were free to come in for a visit.

"She's really great. She's very passionate. She's very fiery," said Brandt, also student body president last school year. "She definitely knows her stuff about higher education. I think she served as a great administrator, and I think wherever she's an administrator next, she's going to do a lot of good."

But the candidate's tenure at Fort Hays lasted only from July 2014 to November 2016, and her departure was rocky.

A news story from the Hays Post last November said Martin resigned abruptly after the president of the Faculty Senate delivered a letter to regents outlining allegations against Martin including an "impulsive attitude" and cronyism in hiring.

The Hays Daily News reported Faculty Senate President Carl Miller complained to regents one month earlier about Martin and alleged mismanagement. At the time, he said he was representing other instructors who shared their concerns with him in his "sort-of investigation" into the president.

Miller told the Hays Post he wanted the regents to force her resignation, but he did not respond to voicemails and an email seeking comment from the Missoulian last week.

Martin herself declined to address her resignation and said she wanted to focus on achievements and look to the future.

But two current faculty members and one former professor who worked at Fort Hays under Martin said she is a dynamic leader who faced racism, sexism and an untenable situation: the longest-serving president of 27 years, Edward Hammond, stayed on board in a different capacity after Martin's inauguration.

"I don't care if God came in after that, he would be railroaded out of here," said faculty member Terry Crull, who liked both Hammond and Martin.

Crull said no one ever publicly presented evidence to support allegations against Martin, and he believes some people on campus simply didn't want a Hispanic woman at the helm.

Clayton Christian, commissioner of higher education in Montana and head of the search committee, declined to speak in specific terms about Martin's resignation. But he said she spoke frankly about the situation with search committee members.

In the end, Christian said committee members liked her focus on students and felt they needed to have the courage to introduce her at UM. He said Martin can tell people in Missoula about herself, including talking about her strengths and her departure from Fort Hays.

"We thought her explanation was credible, and ultimately, her passion for higher education and student success was of interest to us," Christian said.

***

Martin left Fort Hays last November and she started at Kirchner in July.

Since leaving Fort Hays, though, she has continued to seek university leadership positions, and she has landed on short lists for hires at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks with 9,300 students; McNeese State University in Louisiana with 7,600 students; and Fairmont State University in West Virginia with 4,000 students.

In an interview, Martin said higher education is her calling and purpose, and she believes it transforms lives. She also said she believes specifically in the potential of UM and the community of Missoula.

"The University of Montana is a place that has a global outreach and impact, yet it has a local heart," Martin said.

UM's research is compelling, and it includes but isn't limited to sciences, she said. "Charting the history of a people is research, charting how a composition is formed in music is research, and it provides, it enlarges, it augments the basis for wisdom."

She said UM has a powerful story to tell, and she's ready to hop on the bus and start sharing its achievements across Montana. In particular, Martin lauded UM's work in climate change, but she also said she appreciates scholarship across the spectrum.

"We only have one Earth, and we need to look after it," Martin said. "So research that promotes sustainability, research that advances the quality of life for humanity, research that enriches the wisdom of our generation by providing them access to literature, to music, to art, to geography for that matter, is research that needs to be heralded, that needs to be supported, that needs to be acclaimed."

***

Enrollment and retention have been challenges at UM, and Martin achieved successes in those areas.

At Fort Hays, Martin counted a 3.8 percent increase in enrollment in the fall of 2015 after she took the helm in July 2014. In fall 2016, before she departed, enrollment jumped another 3.11 percent, "defying all state and national trends," she said in her resume.

Sue Boldra, a faculty member and former legislator, said Fort Hays was the most financially sound regents' institution in Kansas under Martin. She also said it grew to surpass the size of Wichita State University in one of the state's largest cities with Martin's push to recruit minorities and support distance learning.

Martin boosted retention as well, both at Fort Hays and at the Reginald F. Lewis School of Business at Virginia State University, where she worked from 2009 to 2014. At Fort Hays, she counted a retention increase from 68.7 percent to 72.3 in one year, according to her resume.

At the School of Business, retention rates increased 30 percent in nine core courses. However, she said she does not know if the solution there would translate to Montana; rather, she said she would have to investigate the issue at UM.

In Virginia, Martin said a quantitative and qualitative analysis showed some external factors affected students, but the primary reason they struggled is they did not have money to buy books.

Sometimes, four students would share one book, she said. So she said the university worked hard to start offering materials digitally instead, a new idea at the time, roughly a decade ago.

"We became the first school in the nation to launch core curricula in totally digital fashion," Martin said.

Her resume said the change not only upped retention, it saved students a total $1.12 million in textbook expenses over six semesters. She said she would use a similar investigative process in Montana; she would ask questions, seek answers, and listen to determine the roots of the problems.

"I need to understand why things are happening, and then we create strategies to be able to mitigate some of those," Martin said.

***

Martin's career includes significant fundraising experience inside and outside academia.

As an assistant bank vice president, she increased deposits 219 percent from 1988 to 1993 in the Richmond, Virginia, area. She counted a 62 percent increase in assets in three years and 270 percent increase in donations as executive director of the foundation of John Tyler Community College in Virginia.

At Fort Hays, she achieved revenue increases from enrollment, donations and research dollars. She launched a $100 million capital campaign right before she left, with $57 million raised in the private phase, and she noted two colleges named with two of the largest gifts to Fort Hays of $5 million each.

Boldra said it was impressive that Martin was able to raise more than half the money in just a year and a half.

"She had donors," Boldra said. "She had alumni who had been successful in their business in other parts of the country who gave us money. She was an incredible fundraiser, and people liked her."

She said Martin brought in her own people, typical of new leaders. But a group of "stodgy old men" didn't want to see the newcomer succeed, and she said the former president stayed on campus in a different capacity and "stirred the pot."

"Quite frankly, they didn't want to see a woman in charge, and especially one that was very successful and most people liked," Boldra said.

She said Martin was a "mover and a shaker" who started new traditions, such as a downtown walk with students to get acquainted with the shops. The stores would stay open late.

"Little things like that she started that we still do, but nobody ever gives her credit for it," Boldra said.

Yuri Yerastov, a former linguistics faculty member at Fort Hays who worked under Martin, also praised her fundraising abilities and her ability to recruit minority students, in particular.

"She did phenomenally well with fundraising, much better than the previous president, which was particularly good for our university because we were in a very bad budgetary crisis," Yerastov said, citing legislative cuts.

He also said she faced "shadow influence" because the former president remained on campus and influential, and he announced at one point his desire to be president again.

"That was one of the biggest challenges she had as president," Yerastov said.

Eventually, Boldra said she believes Martin grew tired of the meddling and resigned.

Students held at least one rally in support of Martin. Student body president Brandt said Martin made the campus feel like home.

"Students really, really like her here at Fort Hays," Brandt said.

In an email, Hammond declined to comment on whether he wanted Martin to resign or if he had expressed interest in returning to the job of president.

"Sorry, but I cannot be of assistance," Hammond said.

Miller, who collected complaints against Martin and made public comments to the Hays Post about wanting the regents to force her resignation, did not respond to requests for comment.

At the time, however, Miller denied to the local newspaper that the allegations against Martin were motivated by racism and sexism. He also told the Hays Post he found sufficient evidence of lack of leadership in his review of complaints against Martin.

Martin said people see situations through different lenses. She said she does not want to be evasive, but she does want to focus on the positive outcomes she helped achieve at Fort Hays.

***

In a phone interview, Martin also said she's looking for more than a title. She said she's looking for a new community, and she believes in Missoula.

"I believe this is where my heart calls me to be," Martin said. "This is a place that believes in opening doors through education for others. It's a place that believes in improving the human condition. It's a place where people can have a voice and be heard.

"Very honestly, I yearn for the opportunity to be part of that family, to be able to unite my voice with the voices of the faculty and staff and students of the University of Montana to reclaim its rightful place as the jewel of Montana."
The technology and science fiction community recently lost one of their own as Jerry Eugene Pournelle died following a sudden illness on September 8. He was 84.

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1933, Pournelle served in the Korean War before attending the University of Washington where he ultimately received a Ph.D. in political science. Over the years, Pournelle became a well-known science fiction writer, journalist and technology advocate.

Pournelle is perhaps best known for being the first major author to write a published novel exclusively on a computer.

In an interview with The Verge last year, Pournelle said a friend sold him on the idea of purchasing a computer in 1977 after demonstrating Electric Pencil (the first world processor for home computers).

The software may have been primitive with only 14 lines of 64 characters on a monochrome monitor the size of a small black and white TV but Pournelle was hooked. At $12,000, the machine was far from affordable although Pournelle said the ability to correct typos electronically versus doing so by hand and retyping an entire manuscript via typewriter was worth it.

"I earned back the $12,000 investment in under a year just with increased sales," he said.

Pournelle wrote on his blog just a day earlier that he had just returned from DragonCon with both a cold and the flu. He was supposed to attend the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention over the weekend but decided to skip it because he "didn't feel up to it."

Image courtesy Roland Dobbins, Flickr
While Google's ARCore project may have started as a response to Apple's ARKit, it's already been the catalyst for a number of unique (and fantastic) community creations including everything from fire-breathing AR dragons to hand-drawn virtual highways (which real robots can ride on).

However, Google isn't content to sit back and let its community have all the fun. Today, Daydream Labs (the tech giant's VR R&D team) published a blog post to show off a few of their favorite internal augmented reality projects.

Two of these prototypes involve upgrades and tweaks to Google's innovative Street View technology. The first allows users to zoom into a holographic British Museum, after which they will be transported to a panoramic view of Great Russell Street (directly in front of the museum).

The second project aims to revamp the way users navigate the platform. Instead of clicking on arrows or designated points to get around, one can simply walk around in the real world to shift their virtual position in Street View.

Another interesting AR prototype that Google is working on is geared towards architects, allowing them to overlay 3D house models on top of real-world construction projects to demonstrate what a finished home might look like in the future.

In addition to the projects mentioned above, Daydream Labs is experimenting with an augmented reality version of their VR Espresso Trainer app, depth-of-field and background desaturation for floating AR objects and more accurate indoor position tracking.

If you want to see more clips of Google's ARCore project in action, head over to the official website.
Venezuela condemns this event and maintains its principled position of absolute condemnation of terrorist acts, methods and practices. | Read More
BOZEMAN  Along the northeast edge of this college town, hidden in a hollow below the well-known M hiking trail on Mount Baldy, is a place with a fascinating history that is now making history.

The Bozeman Fish Technology Center was established in 1892, the same year that Thomas Edison received a patent for a two-way telegraph. Built atop a cold and hot spring, the facility was first conceived as a fish hatchery, a name old-timers still attach to the property.

At one time we had a lot of quarters out here because workers didnt want to drive five miles to Bozeman because the roads were so bad, said Bob Muth, director of the center.

Fish production began in 1897, with the resulting hatchlings noted as the first rainbow trout released in Yellowstone National Park. The hatchery was so unusual in this part of the country that Buffalo Bill Cody requested trout and arctic grayling for his Wyoming ranchs waters.

Native focus

From an initial $10,000 investment by Congress that purchased 50 acres and all water rights to the springs, the federal facility along the banks of Bridger Creek has expanded across 150 acres, employing about 40 people on an annual budget of about $1 million under the umbrella of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Were totally research now, since 1983, Muth said, Were one of seven across the country. All have a scientific mission.

The centers switch to research began in 1966, when trout production for stocking stopped and the facility was designated a Fish Cultural Development Center.

As it transitioned to strictly a technology center, the Bozeman facility initially focused on pallid sturgeon research, an endangered species that lives in the lower Missouri and Yellowstone rivers of Montana. To better understand the species, the centers scientists looked at its physiology, reproduction, behavior and stressors, led by researcher Molly Webb.

Were native species focused, Muth said.

From sturgeon the center has moved on to study other endangered and sensitive native species like westslope cutthroat trout, arctic grayling, razorback suckers, woundfin and the tailed frog tadpole. Current research is helping states like Utah with the recovery of endangered woundfin in the Virgin River and endangered June sucker by identifying optimal temperatures for spawning suckers and increasing production of woundfin for stocking.

In Montana the center has studied the inflow to Fort Peck Reservoir and how managing reservoir levels might help upstream populations of sturgeon survive. Research using large sewage mixing motors to create artificial current could help answer questions about how to build fish passage around dams on rivers like the Yellowstone that could someday allow pallid sturgeon to move upstream to spawn.

Variety

Although located across town, the Fish Health Center is a part of the tech center. It was the Fish Health Centers scientists who last year conducted lab work for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to help diagnose what was killing mountain whitefish in the Yellowstone River, an outbreak of proliferative kidney disease.

We get to dabble in a lot of different critters in a lot of different areas, Muth said.

In addition, the tech center has a lab for producing and studying hatchery fish foods made out of everything from soybeans to insects. Some of the staff pre-tests drugs prior to FDA approval. One student from Montana State University is studying how to improve fish passage for arctic grayling when streams get low in late summer.

Ive been doing it every day for a month now, said student Tyler Blue of his fish passage study. Im living and breathing it, even dreaming about it.

Mixed use

The grounds are also the home of the Montana Outdoor Science School, or MOSS, which conducts about 20 summer science programs for youngsters. So the fish ponds, lawn and nearby creek are often swarming with excited children playing in the water, feeding fish and learning lessons next to a teepee erected alongside the historic 1896 superintendents residence, which is still in use as office space.

Steel fish statues line the fish pond, and one smaller concrete pond next to Muths office contains fat trout that he joked are his pets. The green, shady grounds combined with the adjacent creek and ponds gives the area a relaxed park-like feel, despite the stringent scientific endeavors taking place just inside.

On some days the research does declare itself, like when the fish food production facility  overseen by the nationally known husband and wife team of Wendy Sealey and Gibson Gaylord  produces a strong stench reminiscent of low tide accompanied by a rotting fish carcass.

This is a noisy place when it gets cranked up, Muth said.

With the nearby M and Drinking Horse public trails so close, Muth said about 80,000 to 90,000 people a year are recreating in the area.

Center technology

Although the technology center is fairly compact, it costs about $160,000 a year just to pay the electric bill, Muth said, a fee that astounded him at first. That money mainly goes to power a series of water pumps. Since the springs flow can get fairly low in the summer, water is recycled several times through the facility.

Given that the building housing different fish sits on the banks of a free-flowing creek, strict controls are placed on purifying water that leaves the facility, as well as making sure that no fish can escape. Two quarantine rooms house any fish species that may be worrisome. The pipe that moves water back to the creek features a sink-like garbage disposal. Should any fish pass by all of the other control measures it would be ground into mush.

Nothing gets out alive, Muth said.

Because the water comes from a spring, the facility doesnt have to worry about diseases or impurities in the water it uses to raise or keep fish in, providing a healthier resource.

Progress

Inside the main laboratory the center has machines that allow it to track stress responses in the blood of fish, as well as to test a fishs sex and when it may be close to spawning.

All of the blood chemistry work we can do right here, its like a hospital, Muth said.

A hospital for fish, a laboratory for fish studies and a learning center for students of all ages: The surveyor who was paid $1,000 to locate a site in the West for the federal hatchery that would become the Bozeman Fish Technology Center couldnt possibly have imagined where knowledge and skill would take fisheries science 125 years later.

I love it here, Muth said. Its a lot of fun. There is a lot of stuff going on.
New Retail Study Eye Tracks the Car Buying Experience in Showrooms

New study reveals how generational differences and the layout of a showroom influence car buyers Click here to download the full report.

September 11, 2017 - Touring the showroom in an automobile dealership is one of the most important parts of the car-buying process. The ability to engage a vehicle in person in all its dimensions is often the tipping point for cementing a purchase. To better understand the influence these spaces have in the car-buying experience, eye tracking provider Tobii Pro<https://www.tobiipro.com/> partnered with Dx3 Canada and Toyota Canada to measure the car buyer's journey in a showroom.

The results: car brands only have a 20-second window to influence a consumer's opinion, and, within that window, not everything from the showroom is going to have an effect.

Here are the key findings:

* The vehicles were the star attraction, capturing more attention than touch screens, brand ambassadors, or any other test area element; participants spent about 30 seconds on average viewing the interior and exterior of the vehicles.

* The insides of the vehicles were viewed most carefully, especially the consoles, gear shift, and instrumentation, which accounted for close to 70 percent of consumer attention. While walking around the outside, consumer eyes were focused primarily on the vehicles' side body lines and aesthetic features.

* Millennial shoppers tended to review the same material and features as older shoppers; however, older shoppers spent more time with almost all elements of the study environment. Millennials gravitated to the interactive displays, while older shoppers viewed the textual elements of the display with greater attention.

* All promotional materials and features were seen; they captured attention but not long enough to have a significant impact. Conversely, digital screens and interactive displays had a high level of engagement and were the real eye-catchers, capturing approximately 50 percent of all attention to showroom promotional elements.

* Informational materials don't have to be that sophisticated, but they do need to be well positioned. Among the most viewed features was a freestanding "Safety Tower" with creative collateral highlighting key safety features of the vehicles. The Tower was central and upfront in the showroom, generating increased engagement from consumers. "When it comes to attention, brands often overestimate the level of consumer engagement that they have to work with," said Mike Bartels, senior research director at Tobii Pro Insight. "Consumers start with a broad scan of what is out there, but then they zero in on specific things to the exclusion of everything else. In this all-or-nothing, high-stakes sales environment, it is critical that automotive marketers understand which features influence shoppers to buy and how the showroom can be optimized to make them commit. Through eye tracking, we objectively determined what registered with potential buyers, both young and old."

How the study was conducted:

Eye tracking research experts from Tobii Pro Insight<https://www.tobiipro.com/services/> fitted 92 study participants with Tobii Pro Glasses 2<https://www.tobiipro.com/product-listing/tobii-pro-glasses-2/>, a wearable eye tracker, and asked them to explore Toyota's interactive automotive showroom<https://dx3canada.com/labs/dx3-auto-lab/> at the Dx3 conference as they would normally do when shopping for a car. The showroom included a Corolla and a RAV4 surrounded by a variety of promotional materials, digital displays, and Toyota brand ambassadors.

The glasses unobtrusively recorded what the consumers paid attention to, for how long they focused on something, and what they ignored, whether that was the vehicle's exterior, under the hood, or a piece of promotional material. The consumers were divided into two groups: millennials and older shoppers. The collected behavioral data was analyzed to understand what elements of the vehicle and marketing materials had the biggest impact on purchase intent.

More information and media assets:

* Click here<https://dx3canada.com/white-paper/eying-for-attention/> to download the full white paper, "Eyeing for Attention: Automotive Eye tracking analysis"

* Click here<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJMfShHoz9g&feature=youtu.be> to view a video on the Tobii Pro Insight study for Dx3 Canada and Toyota Canada

* Visit the Tobii Pro Insight page<https://www.tobiipro.com/services/> for more details on the technology and research team behind the study

About Dx3 Canada

Dx3 is Canada's largest conference and trade show focused on digital marketing, digital advertising and digital retailing. It brings agencies, brands, publishers and retailers together for two days of networking and education.

Dx3 2018 is March 7-8, 2018 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, featuring more than 30 educational sessions, 100 exhibitors and 4,000 attendees from Canada's leading brands and agencies.

About Tobii Pro Insight

Tobii Pro leads the market in bringing eye tracking insight to commercial brands, researchers, and organizations. Tobii Pro Insight is the company's team of researchers conducting attention-based studies, helping the world's top commercial brands better understand how their products and messages can better engage with customers. Tobii Pro Insight provides venue selection, panel requirement, expertise, eye tracking hardware, analysis software, workflow, and execution. This includes small qualitative studies to broad globally-based studies. Customers include Microsoft, Google, Ipsos, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, and 18 of the top 20 global advertisers. www.tobiipro.com<http://www.tobiipro.com>

About Toyota Canada Inc.

Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota has sold over 5 million vehicles in Canada through a national network of 286 Toyota and Lexus dealerships. Toyota is dedicated to bringing safety, quality, dependability and reliability in the vehicles Canadians drive and the service they receive. TCI's head office is located in Toronto, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax and parts distribution centers in Toronto and Vancouver. Toyota operates two manufacturing facilities in Canada. Having produced more than seven million vehicles, popular Canadian models built at these facilities include Toyota RAV4, Toyota Corolla, Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid. For more information on Toyota and Toyota products, please visit: www.toyota.ca<http://www.toyota.ca/>.
CHERRY HILL, N.J., Sept. 11, 2017 --

Recognized for user-friendly multimedia system and interior controls

Recognized for effective driver-assist technology

Recognized for overall value

Subaru of America, Inc. announced today that the 2017 Impreza was named to Wards 10 Best User Experience list for intuitive and effective interior features including connectivity, infotainment, controls and driver-assist technology as well as overall value.

WardsAuto, a leading provider of automotive reporting and insights, evaluated 23 vehicles for the 2nd annual competition. The vehicles were tested and rated by editors on their ability to enhance an individual's lifestyle and make technology easy to use.

The Impreza's interior design follows the Subaru "Dynamic x Solid" philosophy by creating a bold and refined theme with continuous form throughout the cabin. The design is further emphasized by a clean, intuitive center stack with multifunction display, center air vents, multimedia system and climate control.

The 2017 all-wheel drive compact comes standard with a SUBARU STARLINK Multimedia system that offers touchscreen display; smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Aha and Pandora; Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and audio streaming; and rear vision camera, and the top-level system includes navigation powered by TomTom.

"The Subaru Impreza is the only other vehicle this year winning both 10 Best Interiors and 10 Best UX honors," said Tom Murphy, senior editor at WardsAuto. "But the Impreza, with its all-new StarLink infotainment system, makes the cut for a whole lot less money: out the door for under $30,000 in Limited trim."

With safety as a top priority, the Impreza features available EyeSight Driver Assist Technology that acts as a second pair of eyes for the driver by using two cameras mounted above the rearview mirror that can detect and react to obstacles in the car's path. EyeSight integrates Adaptive Cruise Control; Automatic Pre-Collision Braking and Throttle Management; and Lane Departure and Sway Warning, plus a Lane Keep Assist function. New driver assist technologies available for Impreza this year include Steering Responsive Headlights, High Beam Assist, and Reverse Automatic Braking.

The 2017 Impreza earned top ratings in all Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) evaluations and, when equipped with EyeSight and Steering Responsive Headlights, it is an IIHS 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK+.

In addition to an award-winning interior design and driver assist technology, the Impreza has the most passenger volume in its class. The model is available as a 5-door or sedan and is offered in four trim levels: 2.0i, 2.0i Premium, 2.0i Sport and 2.0i Limited. Pricing begins at $18,395. As of August, Subaru of America achieved 69 consecutive months of yearly month-over-month growth and the best August ever for Impreza sales.

About WardsAuto

WardsAuto is a world-leading provider of automotive insights and analysis, having served the industry's information needs for more than 90 years. A Southfield, MI-based division of Penton, WardsAuto provides a forward-looking perspective on all aspects of the automotive business, from the tech center to the plant floor to the showroom. Its properties include the WardsAuto Interiors and WardsAuto User Experience Conferences, industry forecasts, data tools and other insights. Subscribe to WardsAuto and attend its events by visiting http://www.wardsauto.com

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 620 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. SOA is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, which is the company's vision to show love and respect to everyone, and to support its communities and customers nationwide. Over the past 20 years, SOA has donated more than $120 million to causes the Subaru family cares about, and its employees have logged more than 40,000 volunteer hours. As a company, Subaru believes it is important to do its part in making a positive impact in the world because it is the right thing to do.
Surprise and shock would best describe our reaction to the Medicaid cuts the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services proposed.

The Montana Health Care Association represents facilities and programs that care for elderly and disabled Montanans, including programs that help people stay in their homes, assisted living facilities and nursing homes. The cuts also affect people with developmental disabilities and mental illness. These are the largest and most widespread cuts I can remember in 30-plus years of working in long-term care. Even worse, they were not discussed at the legislature, and they are not necessary.

Senate Bill 261 is a good example of the unintended consequences that result when transparency takes a back seat to expediency. There's plenty of blame to go around but I doubt anyone involved intended to harm our most vulnerable people and the hard working caregivers who work for low pay to make others' lives better. Yet here we are.

SB 261 attempted to prioritize among more and less essential state services. Level 2 (less priority) included an across-the-board cut to all agencies, including DPHHS, of one-half of 1 percent. DPHHS chose to take every dollar of this across-the-board cut from provider rates. This is absolutely not required by SB 261.

The legislation also provided a level 3 cut (higher priority services) of $3.5 million in general fund, or about 1 percent, from Medicaid. So, the legislation anticipates a 1 percent cut in Medicaid, but we are facing a 3.5 percent cut  triple what the legislature intended. These cuts, which would total $24 million in state and federal funds, are not required.

Do we really want to take $24 million in services away from people who are elderly, disabled, mentally ill and developmentally disabled?

 The workforce crisis in human services will get even worse because low Medicaid rates drive low pay for caregivers.

 People who need help are being denied services because there is no one to do the work. Some Medicaid clients are even being sent out of state due to a lack of caregivers.

 A number of rural nursing homes have considered closing and others have closed special care units or limited Medicaid services because Medicaid pays less than cost for nursing home care.

 Only about half of assisted living facilities accept Medicaid and 75 percent of those that do severely limit the number of Medicaid residents they accept.

 About 500 individuals who are elderly or disabled are on a waiting listfor home and community based services. Over 1,000 individuals with developmental disabilities are also on a waiting list.

 Mental health centers are already laying off workers in anticipation of these cuts.

These are not cuts to government  they are cuts to people. Let the Governor's Office and your legislators know we can and should do better than this.
First Cyber Secure Vehicles for Automated Mobility on Demand







Renovo and Argus marks the first-ever commercial initiative to embed cyber security solutions in automated mobility on demand fleets and renders Renovos operating system the first to comply with imminent US government legislation mandating Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems in vehicles.

CAMPBELL, CA / TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (September 11th, 2017) -- Renovo, a groundbreaking mobility software technology company, and Argus Cyber Security, the global leader in automotive cyber security, today announced a partnership to incorporate Argus patented Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS) technology into Renovos AWare automated mobility operating system. The partnership will also see the companies cooperate on further integration of advanced, multi-layered cybersecurity solutions with AWare for the fast-growing automated mobility on-demand (AMoD) market.

Argus understands the vital nature of AMoD services to the future of mobility, and were excited to play an integral role in ensuring these transportation networks are protected from cyber attacks. By integrating our cyber security expertise with Renovos outstanding software capabilities, we are ensuring that cities and societies around the world will enjoy the benefits of this cutting edge technology, said Ofer Ben-Noon, Argus Cyber Security CEO and Co-Founder. Imminent government legislation in the US mandates the inclusion of IDPS in any vehicle sold, imported, or even exhibited, underscoring the importance of automotive cyber security, and IDPS in particular. With the House of Representatives unanimously passing the bill last week, our partnership will render Renovo the very first to comply with the new cyber security measures for connected and autonomous vehicles.

Cyber security and privacy challenges in the automotive sector are growing significantly as vehicles become increasingly connected and automated and as the number of heterogeneous applications and services that run on the vehicle or interact with it rises. This partnership between Renovo and Argus  the first-ever initiative to introduce cyber security into AMoD  will draw on each companys core competencies to proactively deliver solutions to address these challenges.

Argus expertise in automotive cyber security and its deserved reputation as the global leader made it a natural fit and great partner for Renovo, explained Chris Heiser, Renovo CEO and Co-Founder. Argus patented IDPS technology will immediately help secure our development vehicles running AWare and do so for customer fleet deployments in 2018. We also look forward to a close collaboration with Argus on innovation for future cyber security solutions for the AMoD market.

Renovo and Argus will discuss their joint vision for cyber secure automated commercial fleets at the TU ADAS & Autonomous Vehicles USA conference in Detroit on October 2-3, 2017.

Learn more at renovo.auto and argus-sec.com.

About Renovo

Renovo is a mobility software company accelerating innovation in Automated Mobility on Demand (AMoD). AWare is Renovos scalable Automated Mobility Operating System (AMOS) which merges software, data analytics, and automotive-grade safety systems into a unified solution for AMoD deployments. The company combines Silicon Valley agility with proven automotive capabilities, united through a singular commitment to transform the way people and things move.

About Argus

Argus, the global leader in automotive cyber security, provides comprehensive and proven solution suites to protect connected cars and commercial vehicles against cyber-attacks. With decades of experience in both cyber security and the automotive industry, Argus offers innovative security methods and proven computer networking know-how with a deep understanding of automotive best practices. Customers include car manufacturers, their Tier 1 suppliers, fleet operators and aftermarket connectivity providers. Founded in 2013, Argus is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, with offices in Michigan, Silicon Valley, Stuttgart and Tokyo.
There are many ways to stage a fashion show. You can fill a bus with supermodels and drive them around town, as Alexander Wang did earlier at this New York Fashion Week. You can dangle axes over your runway, as Raf Simons did, and freak the bejesus out of everyone. And you can hold a lawn party, like Tory Burch, or recall the heady days of ocean travel with Victoria Beckham at the Cunard Building.

Or you can hire a bunch of motocross riders to fly off a ramp and do tricks over some bright-pink sand dunes, as Rihannas Fenty x Puma brand did last night at the Park Avenue Armory.

Which would you prefer?

No wonder so many New York designers have either moved their shows to Paris or hidden in their showrooms. How can even the most accomplished designer compete with a pop star taking a spin as the Evel Knievel of fashion? Well, they cant. And its pointless to complain that fashion has sunk to a tacky show-biz level, with little craft or integrity. Sister, that ship has sailed.

Besides, the Fenty x Puma show  produced by the pros at Prodject  was a blast. Even if you noticed the ramps near the sand piles before the performance, the roar of the first bike before the models appeared still came as a total surprise. Its not often that you get to see screaming motorbikes sail through the darkness of the Armory and do 360-degree spins before landing on an opposite ramp. It was silly and thrilling.

And then there were the clothes. They were terrific. A blend of surfer and biker, many of the looks recalled early-90s rave fashion, especially the neon pieces, cropped tops, soupy nylon pants, and bib-front overalls, also in nylon. Skintight scuba minis and maillots with track shorts are hardly new, but the Fenty x Puma team did such a deep dive into the style, with fat sneakers and work boots, that it all looked tempting. Rihanna capped things off with a pinion spin on the back of a bike around her pink sand piles, which might have been subliminally messaging her new beauty line.

Fenty x Puma Spring 2018 Photo: Imaxtree

With the exception of Victoria Beckham, the rest of the Sunday shows were tedious. Public School was an unedited rampage of athleisure. There were so many fussy-dressy bits in Jonathan Saunderss collection for Diane von Furstenberg  fringed satin, handkerchief hems, new technical fabrics, high lace-up boots  that it seemed disconnected from the brands cool, relaxed roots. Where were the simple summer dresses? A bathing suit? (Again, thats why Fenty x Puma stood apart.) Prabal Gurung seemed to be promoting diversity and feminism, with Gloria Steinem in the front row and some curvy models in the cast, but it was just a gloss. Thats partly because the clothes needed to reflect more diversity in ages and lifestyles (and professions). Shorty shorts, corseted coats, and sheer dresses have a limited audience.

Diane von Furstenburg Spring 2018 Photo: Imaxtree

Prabal Gurung Spring 2018 Photo: Imaxtree

Beckham has moved away from her ultrafitted dresses, signaling that she and her team know how to adapt to new attitudes. The appealing elements of this show were the breezy day dresses in silk or crepe (some with a subtle frill), the big cotton shirts (a trend this season) and slightly oversize blazers, and the fresh pastels mixed with sand and chalk tones.
Hillary Clintons media tour commences. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Hillary Clintons media tour has begun, and on Sunday she sat down with CBS Jane Pauley to discuss her memoir, What Happened, and her own reactions to the 2016 presidential election. Im good, she told Pauley. But that doesnt mean I am complacent or resolved about what happened. It still is very painful. It hurts a lot.

Although she does take responsibility for her loss  I couldnt get the job done, and Ill have to live with that for the rest of my life  she also parsed a few theories as to why it happened. And one, she said, is because her opponent appealed overwhelmingly to a certain demographic.

He was quite successful in referencing a nostalgia that would give hope, comfort, settle grievances, for millions of people who were upset about gains that were made by others, she said.

Pauley: What youre saying is millions of white people.

Clinton: Millions of white people, yeah. Millions of white people.

She also mentions other factors that dented her campaign: Russian interference; her own use of a personal email server while Secretary of State and the ensuing coverage; James Comeys pre-election letter about the email investigation; and her failure to tap into the economic anxieties of Americans the way her primary opponent, Bernie Sanders, did.

I think in this time were in, particularly in this campaign, you know, maybe I missed a few chances, she concluded. And, despite some speculation thats sprung up around her book tour, she has no plans to revive her candidacy. But she wont be disappearing any time soon. I am not done with politics because I literally believe that our countrys future is at stake, she said.
Photo: Jodi Moreno/Getty Images/Dorling Kindersley

New Yorks Sex Diaries series asks anonymous city dwellers to record a week in their sex lives  with comic, tragic, often sexy, and always revealing results. This week, a 38-year-old luxury-sales manager taking full advantage of her open relationship: married, straight, Queens.



DAY ONE

9 a.m. I finally get out of bed at my parents house  Im in the Midwest visiting them  and make my coffee. Then I send some dirty texts to my husband for his birthday. I feel a little bad for being out of town, but I plan to make it up to him when I get back later today.

10:35 a.m. I drop off the rental car and walk into town. While walking around I text my boyfriend, Jacob, who just moved away from New York. We text just about every day. I am filled with a tinge of sadness that I cant just fly off at a moments notice to be with him for the weekend, but I am planning a trip to visit him later in the fall. Im relatively new to polyamory, but my husband and I have had an open relationship for about five years (married about three of those years). Im still trying to figure out what it all means.

2 p.m. After getting home and showering and packing, I text Mitchell to make plans to meet up tomorrow. So far, Mitchell and I have only had a sexting relationship, but we want to see if our chemistry is just as hot in person.

4:30 p.m. I text my long-term married partner, Bill, to see if he has time to meet up with me this week. He and I have not been connecting recently, due to our horrible work schedules, his wife not knowing about us, and me wanting to concentrate on Jacob. I am conflicted about knowing that I am helping him cheat on his wife  I wish he could be ethically nonmonogamous.

10 p.m. I land in New York and trek home to my husband so we can spend some time together for his birthday.

Midnight We have sex and he does it the way that I like it: rough, holding my hands down, spanking my ass, over and over, hard. I almost come just from the spanking. I know he likes dominating me, but would like to be dominated himself. I find it hard to do that; its just not my natural proclivity. So Ive been encouraging him to find a new play partner who will dominate him.

I am madly in love with my husband, and the sex we have is amazing. Our open marriage is no-stress, nothing fraught; it works for us. It came up as a possibility rather casually, about two years before we got married. I have a rather high libido and his is more average. Since Ive always known monogamy probably isnt for me, now I technically have everything I ever wanted.

After the sex and some cuddling, we fall asleep in each others arms.

DAY TWO

9:30 a.m. I shower, go to an appointment, and work on taking care of some insurance-related things.

7 p.m. Mitchell and I meet for the first time, in a hotel room in Williamsburg. The sex is hot, though a little one-dimensional  purely rough. I like that, but with some variation. I came a handful of times. Good not the best, but still very good.

Midnight I pass out at home after a glass of wine. Sore from the rough play, but satiated  for tonight.

DAY THREE

10 a.m. I reluctantly wake up, with Jacob on my mind. I pleasure myself thinking about him.

11:30 a.m. After a shower, I grab a cup of coffee at the bodega and go meet a friend for lunch. She is fairly straight-laced  she doesnt know about my alternative lifestyle. We talk about other things.

2:30 p.m. Just as lunch is finishing up I text a bartender I sometimes see, Kevin, and head over to his place for a little late-afternoon fun before he has to head to work. The sex with him is really good, though generally much gentler than I prefer it. I orgasm several times. I like him, and like chatting with him  I can definitely see myself falling for him, but I know this is complicated in that he has never dated a married woman before.

8 p.m. At home. Im so unmotivated to make dinner that I just eat some cheese and corn and ice cream, then watch some Netflix with my husband. Lately Ive been feeling really unhealthy  Ive been having a hard time motivating myself to get to the gym. Since I had a terrible dinner, I plan to get up at 5:30 to go to the gym. Well see if that actually happens.

DAY FOUR

5:30 a.m. The alarm goes off. I go back to sleep.

9 a.m. I reluctantly wake up, thinking about Jacob again. I get out the vibrator and take care of business, thinking about him the entire time, then send him a naked picture to wake him up. He texts back about how much he enjoys it.

11 a.m. After showering and getting ready, I head out to work. I work as a retail manager for a high-end cosmetics company. Since I was out of town for a week it seems like theres a lot to catch up on.

I know theres been a lot of drama from one of the managers under me whos been trying to claim that Im holding back her progress with the company. Little does she realize that even if I vouched for her, and if she were actually doing a good job, the higher-ups would never go for it. They just dont like her.

5 p.m. While on my dinner break, I find out that my husband is planning to go away for the weekend, which means I have to take care of the dog after work on Saturday. This means Ill have to schedule any dates around that. Polyamory takes a lot of scheduling.

10:30 p.m. Finally home, after stopping off at the drugstore to pick up some cranberry extract. I feel like I might be getting a UTI.

11:45 p.m. I head to bed, and set my alarm for 7:30 a.m. so that I can finally get my butt to the gym. This week has been an extra lazy one.

My husband and I cuddle for a little bit. Hes feeling down because hes been struggling trying to find a job; hes been out of work almost seven months but has been doing some freelancing in post-production for films and commercials. I know hes frustrated, and I know this has been taking a toll on our sex life.

DAY FIVE

9 a.m. Didnt make it to the gym. I get up and mill about the house. I kiss my husband good-bye as he heads out the door and decide that I have time to masturbate. I think about Jacob again and text him once Im through. He sends me a hilariously goofy picture. I wish I were with him right now.

12:30 p.m. Work is so slow. I go over some things with my new assistant manager. She is great and I appreciate her calm, sweet demeanor after the hurricane that was the last assistant I had. I spend the day cleaning, then going over some numbers.

I get a text from Bill, but really want to blow him off. I feel like all he wants to do is have a threesome, and while I dont mind that from time to time, I really dont want to do it every time I see him. Plus, its bothering me more and more that hes not open with his wife 

10 p.m. After a long day at work, I head home. On the way I see a woman wearing a shirt from Jacobs hometown team. I text him  we still have that new-relationship energy, that swoony feeling you get when you have a crush on someone you just started dating. I try to keep it from consuming me, but sometimes its hard.

I check out my OKCupid profile. I have a couple of messages from a few guys. I message them back  I like to meet up rather quickly just to see if I like them right away. Why waste time if theres no connection? One guy messages me right back and we make plans to hang out. Well see.

11:30 p.m. Heading to bed since I have to be up by 7:30 a.m. to get ready for work. I try to initiate sex with my husband, but he doesnt want to tonight. We are intimate about once a week  some times less and occasionally more. It depends on his mood.

DAY SIX

7:30 a.m. I kiss my husband good-bye and head out. Hes going on some guys trip this weekend, so Ill be by myself for a few days. The one thing that gets me through the day is the fact that I am supposed to have a Skype date with Jacob.

11 a.m. I text Jacob to set up a time for our Skype date. He texts me back to confirm. I am grinning from ear to ear. One of my favorite employees comes in. I always enjoy working with her  we bonded over the fact that shes also in an open marriage. We catch up on our most recent dates. Since her date for tonight had to cancel, we plan to grab a drink together after work. Well meet up after my Skype date  and later on, I have loose plans with the OKCupid guy.

3 p.m. I head out of the back room and see one of my personal customers. I say hi and we start chatting. He mentions his ex-wife. I find him very attractive, however, thats not really a line I can cross with customers.

6:30 p.m. I leave work at the speed of lightning. I have to run to take care of the dog, and I want to do my Skype date from home.

7 p.m. Jacob needs about 20 minutes. So I clean up a little, and set up.

7:50 p.m. I get a text from him saying he is running late and running out of time  he may not even have time. Im disappointed, but I text him back to let him know we can reschedule. Then I text my work friend to let her know I can meet her soon.

The phone rings  its a video call from Jacob. I answer, see his face, and realize how much I miss him. We just chat for a few minutes. He tells me how beautiful he thinks I am. The whole call is just under five minutes. I leave the house floating.

8:30 p.m. I make it to the bar to meet my friend. She has already made friends with the bartenders.

9:30 p.m. I head out to meet the OKCupid date, dragging my feet. We meet at a downtown dive bar. After grabbing a drink, we sit down to chat; the conversation is deep into politics, then dating. He is attractive, charismatic, and very intelligent, which is such a turn-on for me. Our conversation gets to sex pretty quick. We make out in the back of the bar, and he asks if I want to go home with him. I do.



11:30 p.m. We make it back to his place and have mind-blowing sex. He knows how to work my G-spot. Once I start coming, the orgasms just keep happening. When we finish, my legs are shaking. I can barely stand up. I order a car and head home.

1 a.m. In the Uber home, my driver and I are chatting about politics and growing up in the Midwest. I suddenly become acutely aware that he is going to try to ask me out  he is young and cute, but this is a little weird. Between my husband, my boyfriend, and all the others, I cant really handle much more. I break it to him that Im married. If he only knew 

DAY SEVEN

6 a.m. I wake up before my alarm goes off, but lie in bed drifting in and out of sleep.

1:30 p.m. I get a text from the OKCupid date. He had a great night and looks forward to doing it again. Me too!

4:30 p.m. Finding it hard to concentrate. Ive been making phone calls at work all day, and Im exhausted. I text Jacob to see how his day is going. I grin like a fool anytime we text.

7 p.m. I text Jacob to see if he has time to retry our Skype call.

7:45 p.m. Jacob texts that he is going to video call me, and I stand outside of work in the hopes that it will go through. Mercury in retrograde can officially suck it  the call keeps freezing and our video isnt working. We text back and forth for about 15 minutes, trying to arrange plans for me to go out to visit him. I am missing him tremendously.

8:10 p.m. I meet up with my friend and we get drinks. A bartender brings over a huge slice of cake. I intermittently text Jacob. Next week, Ill make it to the gym. Tonight, this cake is just what I needed.

Want to submit a sex diary? Email sexdiaries@nymag.com and tell us a little about yourself.
It is amazing how most issues we face today are solvable with commitment, ingenuity and cooperation. ("Republicans: What will it take? by Marty Essen, Sept. 7).

Currently in the House, Resolution 466 demonstrates bipartisan effort to make sure all children in our world get an education. In the Senate, a bipartisan bill was recently introduced to end preventable deaths of millions of children and mothers in our world (Reach Every Mother and Child Act, S. 1730).

So cooperation is possible. Constituent voices can play a big role in this by thanking those involved with these bills and telling our representatives and senators to get on board with commitment, ingenuity and cooperation.

Willie Dickerson,

Snohomish, Washington
It is all over for Kate Hudson and Matt Bellamy. The actress and the Muse frontman had been together for four 
Open letter to Gov. Steve Bullock:

`Governor, I have lived in Montana most of my 74 years, and have never experienced the numerous and massive forest fires and smoke that we have endured these past few years. Most reputable climate scientists believe these fires are largely due to conditions created by human-caused climate change. Despite the contrarian views espoused by a few scientists who are funded by the fossil fuel industry, I believe the scientific majority.

Are these increasingly worsening fire conditions the kind of future you want for your children? Well, as governor, you can help improve the situation by supporting GE-Hitachi's proposal to transform Colstrip 1 and 2 into a carbon-free electricity production facility. As you know, I had a long conversation about this concept with your former energy advisor, Tim Baker, and asked for the opportunity to discuss the idea with you in person. My request fell on deaf ears.

With your help, Colstrip 1 and 2 can become a demonstration plant that paves the way for many other doomed coal-fired power plants to be transformed into carbon-free energy production facilities by simply replacing their boilers with GE-Hitachi PRISM advanced reactors. These reactors use nuclear waste for fuel, destroying 95 percent of it in the process of producing carbon-free electricity. PRISM is a perfect waste-to-energy solution that truly deserves your attention, consideration and support.

I have been collaborating with a GE-Hitachi vice president who is anxious to discuss their proposal with you and other Colstrip decision-makers. Won't you please make time to meet and talk with us about his company's amazing climate change solution?

Bob Balhiser,

Helena
Where is the U.S. Forest Service? I mean the Forest Service that I knew during the 34 years that I was employed by the agency across the western U.S., from Alaska to California.

I dont ever recall a district ranger being removed because some local politician, or any politician for that matter, was unhappy with an action taken by that employee. During my career, if a line officer, such as a district ranger, was challenged, he or she was defended by every level of the Forest Service all the way to Washington, D.C.

But now we have a district ranger being removed before he was ever found guilty of any wrongdoing.

We have been told that District Ranger Alex Sienkiewicz was removed because he maintained a Forest Service trail that has been used by the public to enter the Gallatin National Forest for over 50 years. Like many others, this trail crossed a small section of private land before entering the national forest.

Local landowners contacted U.S. Sen. Steve Daines for help and he brought the new secretary of Agriculture into the battle. You see, these landowners have their own private hunting ground back there on our public land. Several are also involved in selling public bull elk harvested on this national forest land.

Evidence shows that the ranger was following established policy when he maintained this trail. In fact, I have a note from a retired district ranger stating that he had done exactly what Sienkiewicz did many times during his career in order to protect public access.

Remember, the politicians who triggered the rangers removal represent a political party that has for years advocated transfer of national forest land in Montana to state ownership. In fact, a plank in their state platform says as much. The same national party platform has a plank requiring the federal government to convey certain federally controlled public lands to states.

There is an irony with the timing of this demand: Had all that 16 million acres of national forest land been transferred to state ownership before this fire season, we would soon be seeing a bargain basement sale of what was once was national forest land to private parties in order to pay a multi-million-dollar firefighting bill. Just imagine who would be the successful bidder on your favorite mountain meadow.

John Gibson,

Billings
The first airplane to fly in Butte arrived in Montana by train from Salt Lake City and was piloted by a Butte daredevil known only as Moroni in a 45-minute flight on July 4, 1910. The only problem with that statement is that almost all of it is untrue, even though you find those facts in many newspapers and books recalling the famous first flight in Butte.

The reality is that Terah Thomas Maroney, a Great Falls carpenter, helped build his 75-horsepower Curtiss biplane in San Diego in the winter of 1911-12. It was made of scraps, he claimed. For the July 4 celebration in Butte in 1912, Maroney was contracted by Buttes Montana Aeroplane and Exhibition Company, led by druggist and entrepreneur Louis Dreibelbis. Maroney was the only licensed pilot in Montana at the time, but there were many aspiring pilots who made and flew their own planes.

Maroney probably transported his plane to Gregson Hot Springs by train (maybe by way of Salt Lake City), so that much of the story may be true. Multiple practice flights there included one of 43 minutes on July 1, 1912, the longest sustained flight in Montana to that time. On July 3, he flew the 18 miles to Butte in 14 minutes, mostly at an altitude of 2,000 feet above the ground, to become the first aviator to land in Butte. There was no airport, so he landed at the race track south of town, after a miscue due to smelter smoke (and his ice-frosted goggles) that took him off course. There were only a handful of witnesses, as the flight to Butte was not announced.

Why Gregson? Its not clear, but it may be that Hugh ODaly, proprietor of Gregson Hot Springs resort, had something to do with it. He was also the owner of two of Buttes most successful businesses, Dalys Place saloon on North Main and the massive Florence Hotel on East Broadway. Maroney brought with him an order from Daly for groceries to the Hennessey Mercantile, which seems like a publicity stunt.

On July 4, admission to the race track was $1.00, with a 50-cent surcharge for automobiles. Most of the ten scheduled events were auto races, but Maroney, J.D. Cooper, and a man named Stites were scheduled for aerial exhibitions. Unfortunately, the hot air didnt provide adequate lift, and Maroney abandoned the attempt to fly while Cooper and Stites didnt even try to get off the ground. 18,000 patrons were disappointed  but they did get to witness Barney Oldfield set a new Montana automobile speed record, a mile in 57 seconds.

The next day, with admission set at half-price but only 400 in attendance, Maroney did fly, covering 24 miles in just under 24 minutes.

Enthusiasm for flying in Butte ranged from unbridled excitement to itll never be practical. Attitudes that summer of 1912 must have been tempered by the front page news on July 2 of aviator Harriet Quimby and her passenger falling 1,000 feet to their deaths in Boston and the explosion of the airship Akron in New Jersey July 3, killing all five crewmen.
MONTREALOne of Canadas former poet laureates is being accused of plagiarizing the works of illustrious English-language authors in a book that has since been taken off the shelves.

U.K.-based poetry sleuth Ira Lightman went public in The Guardian newspaper over the weekend about his investigation into Pierre DesRuisseaux, who died in January 2016 at age 70.

Lightman said DesRuisseauxs Tranches de vie, a book of French-language poetry published in 2013, lifted works from various authors, including Maya Angelou, Dylan Thomas, Louis MacNiece and even late rap artist Tupac Shakur.

According to Lightman, Ontario poet Kathy Figueroa initially noticed the slight in May 2016 when the current laureate, George Elliott Clarke, was invited to show poems by previous laureates and shared one by DesRuisseaux which bore resemblance to Angelous Still I Rise.

He said in an interview Monday he doesnt want to besmirch a lifetime of work, but adds an acknowledgment of the uncredited work was necessary.

My simple request was that they made it public, because any one individual who holds a copy of that book in their hands thinking those are original poems are wrong and arent doing proper credit to the original author, Lightman said.

To publish is to make public, so something else needs to be made public to add the footnote that was missing.

Inspecting the works further, Lightman said about 30 out of 50 were based on those of others, including amateur poets.

I just dont know what he was doing  whether he was randomly searching or putting in key words, he said.

Montreal-based publisher Editions du Noroit said Monday that only between 50 and 100 copies of the book were sold and that it has since been removed from shelves.

Paul Belanger, who has worked at the publishing house for 26 years, said the late Quebec writer, poet, journalist, publisher and translators health may have had something to do with any uncredited work.

Belanger said DesRuisseaux suffered from a degenerative brain disorder in his final years and may have been confused when he submitted work he believed was original.

I think what might have happened was he was in a different folder and maybe he forgot simply what works belonged to him and he forgot to put the reference, Belanger said.

The publisher said he worked with Lightman when the latter brought the matter to his attention in May 2016 and that DesRuisseauxs family was subsequently informed.

He considered the matter closed as the author was dead.

Belanger noted the standard contract signed by authors is that they guarantee their work is original.

He said the incident is the only one in the 45-year history of the publishing house, which he called honest and transparent.

If DesRuisseaux were still alive, Belanger said he would issue a statement signed by the author. Given the poet is dead, Belanger said it wasnt up to him to apologize.

I cant do that, its not my place, he said. I cant go public for something that is the responsibility of the author.

Lightman, meanwhile, said his goal was not to ruin DesRusseauxs reputation.

He doesnt seem a bad man to me at all, so Id be pretty interested and curious in what he was doing, he added. There doesnt seem to be institutional abuse involved in it, so its sad not to talk to him about that and sad that he cant answer back.

I dont want to bad-mouth the man or besmirch his reputation. Theres plenty of good work in his canon.

DesRuisseaux produced numerous works including several books of poetry, with Moneme earning him the 1989 Governor Generals Award, Canadas most prestigious literary honour.

The native of Sherbrooke, Que., was Canadas fourth poet laureate, between 2009 and 2011.

Note to readers: This is a corrected version. A previous story had the wrong first name for Paul Belanger.

SHARE:
AMMAN, JORDANSaudi Arabia has assured Russia that it supports a gradual process of negotiating local ceasefires and setting up de-escalation zones in Syria, Russias foreign minister said Monday, a day after meeting with Saudi leaders.

Russia and Iran, Saudi Arabias main regional foe, back Syrias government, while Saudi Arabia supports Syrian rebels. Russia, Iran and Turkey, another rebel backer, have been sponsoring talks, known for their venue, the Kazakh capital of Astana, on local ceasefires and de-escalation zones. A new round starts later this week.

Asked Monday whether Saudi leaders support the Astana process, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters: Yes, I think Saudi Arabia is determined to solve the Syria crisis.

Read more:

Syria ceasefire leaves war-torn provinces in uneasy calm

U.S. and Russia have agreed to Syria ceasefire, U.S. officials say

UN envoy for Syria opens new round of talks to wind down countrys civil war

He said that when the process began, Saudi leaders expressed support for it and said they would co-operate in creating de-escalation zones and implementing other initiatives which are being developed in Astana.

Lavrov spoke at a news conference after holding talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. Later Monday, Lavrov held talks with Jordans King Abdullah II.

Earlier this summer, Jordan was involved in three-way talks with Russia and the U.S. on a ceasefire in southern Syria, an area that abuts the Western-backed kingdom.

Jordan has a vital interest in pacifying southern Syria. The Syrian civil war, now in its seventh year, triggered an exodus of refugees, including hundreds of thousands Syrians who found refuge in Jordan. Two years ago, the fighting forced the closure of Jordans last trade crossing with Syria.

Safadi said Monday that Jordanian-Russian co-operation is important, especially in southern Syria.

Local ceasefires have proven to be the most successful approach to mitigating multi-sided fighting in Syria, which has killed some 400,000 people and displaced half the countrys population since 2011, he said.

In a dig at the U.S., Lavrov defended his countrys military support for Syrian President Bashar Assad, saying Russia, along with Iran and the Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah, are in Syria based on a direct invitation from the legitimate Syrian authorities.

He said that closer U.S.-Russian co-operation in fighting extremists in Syria failed because of an alleged failure by Washington to separate the Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, the Fatah al-Sham Front, formerly al-Nusra Front, from other opposition forces the Americans co-operated with.

Read more about:

SHARE:
In Mexico Citys NAFTA talks last week, few Canadians had a higher profile than Jerry Dias.

He spoke to a labour rally and a conference. He met at length with Canadas chief negotiator, Steve Verheul, over red wine and bar nuts. He held court with reporters regularly.

Yet Dias is no government minister or aide. Hes the head of Unifor, Canadas largest private-sector union, and hates the North American Free Trade Agreement, whose second round of negotiations concluded Sept. 5. And hes at the forefront of Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus renegotiation strategy  a reminder that, like Trump, Trudeau has his own economic interests and domestic politics to cater to. That means giving labour a prominent seat after Trump spurred new NAFTA talks.

Read more:

Tone is negative in NAFTA talks as early sticking points encountered

Everything you need to know about NAFTA

Trudeau, the countrys most left-leaning prime minister since his father, has repeatedly said the new NAFTA must be more progressive. Among its core objectives, Canada has proposed including environmental provisions and those related to gender and the rights of Indigenous peoples.

But its labour thats been at the forefront. Enter Dias.

Speaking in Mexico City, the combative union leader declared NAFTA a failure for workers in all countries, insisted Canada would press for higher labour standards in both the U.S. and Mexico and called Donald Trump crazy while sounding a lot like the U.S. president in decrying job losses.

Trudeau is indeed pressing for stronger labour rights, a stance that will add another hurdle to reaching a timely agreement as Dias essentially sets the tone on the governments behalf.

They know Im here today, they know exactly what Im going to say today, Dias told reporters after speaking to a rally of Mexican workers, demanding higher wages for them. He insists Canada will walk away from the negotiating table without major labour changes. Its a red line.

With U.S. and Mexican elections looming, the three countries are accelerating talks in hopes of reaching consensus before the end of the year. Labours prominent role underscores Canada has its own political considerations too. Trudeau won power by shifting his centrist Liberal Party to the left and has since wooed labour.

Comparatively to the last government, its night and day, said Hassan Yussuff, head of the Canadian Labour Congress and an appointee to Foreign Minister Chrystia Freelands NAFTA advisory panel. Others tapped for the panel include former Conservative lawmakers, whose party was at odds with the labour movement while in government, and a senior figure from the New Democratic Party, typically the most closely aligned with labour. Her natural ability to work with labour is something very welcome to us, Yussuff said of Freeland.

Adam Taylor, a principal at trade consultancy Export Action Global and former official in the last government, said domestic politics is driving the labour courtship. It is partly for votes, he said. Their coalition of voters probably will accept free trade, but want it to be grounded in all the progressive issues the Liberals are bringing to table.

Among Canadas proposed NAFTA changes is an overhaul to U.S. and Mexican labour law, according to an official familiar with the talks, including so-called U.S. right-to-work rules, derided by labour leaders, that ban unions from requiring workers to pay dues. The U.S., while sure to balk at that, is with Canada in pressing for higher wages  though Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said theres no consensus on how to do that.

On this youll have two groups of ideas that could contrast, he told reporters as the second round of talks concluded. Those include institutional improvements in labour rights and a process of forcing through higher salaries, he said. He opposes the latter measure.

After Trumps election, Trudeau shuffled his cabinet to prepare for talks  making Freeland his foreign minister and leaving NAFTA in her hands. Shortly afterward, the Trudeau government invited Yussuff for a meeting. He spoke with Trudeaus two top aides, Gerald Butts and Katie Telford, and the prime minister himself. Yussuff said they wanted to know whether or not his labour group would work with them. Its clear labour was part of Trudeaus plan.

He got elected by the way because he had the right messaging both to workers and to a large extent to Canadians  and he realized, hey, I might as well stay there, I got elected on it, Yussuff said. It also sends a good message to other people on the business side  maybe theyre being too selfish and arrogant.

Cameron Ahmad, a spokesperson for Trudeau, said his senior aides have met regularly with Yussuff and other labour leaders. A strong and respectful working relationship with Canadas labour movement is critical for our government, Ahmad said.

In the lead-up to talks, government officials speaking on condition of anonymity said labour leaders in particular had the ear of the government.

This one is left-of-centre, Dias said of Trudeaus typically centrist Liberal Party. The Canadian government is by far the most progressive of the three, and were here to work with them and they know that well go right off the walls if in fact its all rhetoric and it becomes the status quo with NAFTA.

In the 2015 election, the incumbent Conservatives were unpopular and Trudeau moved to the left  they pledged an expanded national pension program, deficit spending and a tax hike on top earners  to squeeze out the New Democrats and contrast the conservatism of incumbent Prime Minister Stephen Harper. His NAFTA strategy suggests hell do the same thing in Canadas next election in 2019.

Speaking to reporters in Mexico City, Freeland demurred when asked for details of negotiations so far, though cited labour as a commitment.

All of us want to come out of this negotiation being able to say to workers in our countries, We have achieved a deal that will improve your standard of living, she said. That is an essential foundation for going forward.

The pledges Trudeau is making to Canadian labour will make it tougher for him to compromise at the NAFTA table. Yussuff said the government will need to press Mexico in particular to honour pledges for labour reform, while Dias insists all three countries need to honour eight core conventions, including the right to organize, laid out by the International Labour Organization to make NAFTA work. Dias wants raises big enough that Mexican autoworkers can all afford to buy the cars they make. The prominence of Canadian labour suggests Freeland is largely onside  and is now pressing the issue at the NAFTA table.

This is an opportunity to show, hey, were seriously committed to working with you to make the relationship much stronger, Yussuff said of Trudeaus ties with labour during NAFTA talks. At the end of the day, theyre not negotiating with themselves. They have to convince Mexico and the U.S. to equally agree to these changes.

SHARE:
With real estate sales softening in many markets across Canada, homeowners looking to unload their property may find it preferable to hang out a For Lease sign on the front lawn rather than sell it for a less desirable price.

While rental properties can provide a stream of reliable income, housing experts say the first-timers success will depend on a lot of factors  ranging from the location and condition of your property to the tax and legal implications of becoming a landlord.

Royal LePage CEO Phil Soper says property owners should start by getting an up-to-date comparative market analysis from their broker or sales rep.

The challenge, like pricing any product, is to find the maximum value that you can drive in the marketplace and keep it empty for the minimum amount of time, says Soper.

You can kill the entire economics of renting your condo or your house out if it stays empty for any extended period of time.

Other than taking a month of turnover to freshen up a property, he says, you never want a rental sitting without a tenant.

Soper adds that landlords will also be affected by their personal preferences, skills and available time to manage the property.

Its not for me but other people love it. They love the do-it-yourself stuff. They love the regular income. They even like dealing with tenants and become friendly with them.

Toronto realtor Daniel Greenbaum of Forest Hill Real Estate says one of the key services he provides as a sales representative for landlords is screening prospective tenants to be sure they have good references, are qualified in terms of income and are likely a good fit for the owner.

Unfortunately, once somebody moves into a property, its very hard to get rid of them, Greenbaum says.

Lawyer Max Cohen, senior partner at Cohen LLP in Toronto, says landlord-tenant law falls under provincial jurisdiction and the rules vary across the country.

Alberta, for example, is a little more landlord-friendly than Ontario (which) tends to be a fairly tenant-friendly environment.

He adds that landlords need to understand how theyll be taxed under federal law when the property is sold.

Once a principle residence becomes an income property, theres a change to its eligibility for an exemption from capital gains tax  potentially a large amount of money, depending on the specific circumstance.

It doesnt mean that all of the gain is taxable (but) probably just as important you cant eliminate the capital gains tax by moving back and living in the property for awhile, Cohen says.

SHARE:
BRUSSELSGoogle took its fight over a record European Union antitrust fine to the EU courts, starting a legal challenge that could take years to conclude.

The owner of the worlds largest search engine said it filed its appeal on Monday at the EUs General Court, based in Luxembourg. The tribunals press service said Google hadnt asked the court to suspend an EU order for it to change how it displays shopping-search services before it rules on the challenge.

EU judges are the ultimate arbiter of EU antitrust regulators whove often received support for their attempts to curb large companies behaviour. Justice grinds slowly and any ruling from the General Court can also be appealed at the blocs highest tribunal, the EU Court of Justice.

Read more:

Google fined record 2.4 billion euros by EU for illegally favouring its own shopping service

Google foes could revive lawsuits in wake of record EU fine

Intel Corp. waited eight years for a ruling on its legal challenge to a 2009 fine only to be told last week that the General Court must re-examine the case.

Google has already submitted a rough draft to regulators over changes it must make by Sept. 28 to avoid further fines, which should include giving equal treatment to rivals. That order came with a $3.5-billion fine, more than double the $1.5 billion for Intel.

Regulators are also expected to levy fines in separate investigations into Googles Android mobile-phone software  possibly as soon as next month  and the AdSense advertising service. Margrethe Vestager, the EUs antitrust chief, has also threatened further probes on travel or map services.

The European Commission said it will defend its decision in court, while Google declined to comment on details of its appeal.

Read more about:

SHARE:
Long may she reign.

While filmgoers were down the street taking in an awesome Judi Dench as she dusted off an old queens crown again in the TIFF premiere, Victoria & Abdul, the Dame herself had slipped out after the red-carpet hoo-ha, treating herself instead to some ice cream. In fact, Denchs precise instruction, when she arrived on the second floor of Soho House for some me-time, was as follows: she wanted ice cream and champagne (in no particular order).

Living her best life: the A-list octogenarian.

Fortified with cream and bubbly, Dench did manifest later for the actual soiree to celebrate the film, held one floor down, where the buzz was already thickening for Denchs performance and, in all, the Stephen Frears-directed film that depicts the unlikely alliance (a true story!) between Queen Victoria, in the winter of life, and a young arrival in the form of an Indian clerk, Abdul Karim. Ruling over India at the time  back when the subcontinent was considered the jewel in the crown  Karim enlivens something in the Queen, suffering then from the blues after the loss of her Prince Albert. A friendship ensues. Some comedy, too. Like, well, in one well-received scene when Victoria get a crash course on the mango. Unsurprisingly, she wants to try one, and is told, They only grow in India, to which Victoria responds, Well, I am empress of India, so have one sent.

Read the latest news about the Toronto International Film Festival

Holding court at the Grey Goose-hosted party under the marquee moose head at Soho  one that has lorded over innumerable celebrities, over the years, at TIFF  Dench happily posed for pics, and talked a bit of shop. She was marvellous. Telling her about how much I admired her latest project, I then inquired about her experiences filming at Osborne House (the former rural retreat of Queen Victoria on the Isle of Wight), and the Dame deadlocked me with her eyes  her stare is penetrating  and said it had been wonderful. In fact, she told me, Theyve gone and made me of a patron of Osborne House. Theyre throwing a dinner for me. (To help fund important restoration projects!)

Does this mean theyll be giving you keys to the place? I posed.

No, no keys, she smirked.

I looked for the tattoo that Dench has on her right wrist that reads carpe diem  she got it for her 81st birthday  but it was to no particular avail. The thespian was in long cuffs.

Read more:

Guillermo del Toro says hed like his own film studio in Hamilton

Jennifer Lawrence wants audience to know her new film mother! is an allegory

At 9, Saara Chaudry was inspired by Parvana in The Breadwinner. At 13, she voices her in the film

Will she get an Academy Award nom for this latest Queen Vic undertaking? No sane person would count her out  after all, it would be her eighth nomination, and her third for playing the queen of England (after Mrs. Brown and Shakespeare in Love, with her winning for the latter)  with at least one critic writing recently that she has a couple of defiant, desk-clearing monologues in the film that just about scream Oscar.

While the film is a charm-athon, some, too, have been struck by the interesting synchronicity between it, and Frears 80s-era film  a landmark of British cinema then  called My Beautiful Laundrette, starring Daniel Day-Lewis. That, as cinephiles will recall, was the story of a relationship between a Pakistani-British man and a white former skinhead in Thatcher-era London. And Victoria & Abdul, as others have additionally noted, is, essentially the same film  but just done with courtiers and queens.

Meanwhile

To the lobby bar at Bisha it was for a post-mother! screening party, where Darren Aronofsky and others celebrated, courtesy of Ciroc, but Jennifer Lawrence (his current squeeze) was a conspicuous no-show, opting out after its Sunday screening. In a case of classic TIFF six-degrees, Darrens ex Rachel Weisz (who is now married to a certain James Bond) was celebrating her own movie, Disobedience, just a block over at RBC House, on Duncan.

Party Watch

Among those spotted at the Fox Searchlight bash at the Four Seasons Centre, Sunday, for their combined slate of films at the Fest: Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Andrea Riseborough and Sally Hawkins, and Sam Rockwell.

Emma Thompson regaling several reporters while in Toronto about the time, back in 1997, when Donald Trump called her in her trailer in a film to ask her out for a date. Putting a Sliding Doors spin on it, she now wishes shed gone only because, I could have done something.

Enjoying a sit-down at Mortons, on Avenue Road, summoned by Sony Classic Movies, a few nights back: Kate Mara, Jamie Bell, Stanley Tucci, Timothee Chalamet, and Liam Neeson.

Jane Goodall giving the fest a shot of virtue at the reception held at Addisons Residence, on Wellington, following the unspooling, over the weekend, of her eponymous documentary, Jane.

SHARE:
TUESDAY, SEPT. 12

FILM FESTIVAL IN BUTTE

The free Covellite International Film Festival opens at 7 p.m. in the Mother Lode Theatre, 316 W. Park St., with the screening of "Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story. The festival will screen over 110 films Sept. 12-17 at various venues, including Covellite Theatre, 215 W. Broadway St.; Mountain View Music Hall, 301 N. Montana St.; the Salvation Army Building, 121 E. Broadway; The Original mineyard, Copper and Main. Details: covellitefilmfest.org

PUBLIC MEETING

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is holding a public information session at 6 p.m. at the Butte Chamber of Commerce, 1000 George St. The session includes a review and provide information on the newly released Montana Pole and Treating Plant Five-Year Review Report."

DANCE REGISTRATION

Mining City Dance Co., 601 S. Montana, has registration and tryouts for a traveling dance competition team coming up. Registration for dance for new and returning students starts at 6 p.m. tonight. Cost for classes begin at $28 a month. Details: 406-491-8485.

LINE DANCING SIGN UP

Fine Line Dancers announce beginner and beginner+ line dance classes beginning at 6 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 224 W. Park. Cost is $4 per class. Call 406-723-7294 for details or to pre-register.

CLUBS AND MEETINGS

BUTTE

Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians will meet at 6:30 p.m. n the Community Room at The Springs. Topic will be the upcoming conference.

Uptown Toasters meet at noon at the Butte Archives, 17 W. Quartz St. Details: 406-782-3280.

Duplicate bridge is offered at 6:30 p.m., a newcomer handicap game, at the Hawthorne Community Center, 3500 Whiteway; enter through the back. Games are also every Monday and Thursday at 1 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m., a lucky draw team game; and Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 6:30 p.m.

Open AA meetings start at 7:30 p.m. at the United Congregational Church, 2945 Bayard St. Details: 406-560-7330.
One afternoon in February 2016, my mom didnt text me to meet up for a coffee as we had planned. It wasnt like her to forget. Yet it seemed her memory had slipped a few times over the previous months.

The next day, while shopping at the Eaton Centre, her foot went limp.

Something was amiss anda search for a cause of these mysterious symptoms began with many weeks of tests. I was on a train from Montreal heading back home to Toronto when my mom called to say she had two brain tumours that required biopsy. Not one for drama, she stated this as a matter-of-fact. A couple of weeks later, the biopsy results revealed she had two anaplastic astrocytomas  a malignant, relatively aggressive form of tumour that isnt curable, but is treatable  some patients live with for a number of years.

Not the best brain cancer to have, she admitted.

My moms principal complaint was that the news kept feeling fresh no matter how much she thought about it: Her ability to absorb new information was already slipping away.

When she died seven months later at age 61, she became one of 2,000 of Canadians living with a brain tumour to die that year. The Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada estimates 55,000 Canadians are living with brain tumours, both malignant and benign.

Watching my mom Lori Tersigni dying prematurely was one of the hardest things my family  namely, her husband and six children  have ever faced.

There are things I wish I had known the day I got that call from my mom. Watching her succumb to brain cancer didnt make me an expert in the disease, but it delivered a few tough lessons.

I am sharing five of what I found to be the most important lessons in the hope that others facing similar situations can benefit from what I learned.

The first lesson is for everyone: You should be able to recognize a few telltale symptoms of a brain tumour. Some important ones are blurred vision, weakness or paralysis, frequent headaches, personality changes and confusion.

Dont panic if you find these symptoms; the cause is likely something else. Nonetheless book an appointment with your doctor. The chance of developing a malignant brain or spinal cord tumour is about one in 140 for a man and one in 180 for a woman over a lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Many of the 120 different kinds of brain tumours are operable.

Second lesson: If facing an inoperable brain tumour, its better to know what youre up against than to live in denial. Swallow hard, read up, and talk to someone.

I spent the first few weeks after my moms diagnosis avoiding thinking about what the future might hold, closing browser tabs that carried news I didnt want to absorb. The terror came for me anyway. One weekday morning waiting for the kettle to boil, I was swept into an abyss of grief by a wave of brutally cold reckoning about the things to come.

Instead I ought to have found a supportive forum to talk through the dark fears gathering above me and my family. The Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, offers information on support groups as well as counselling over the phone for patients and their families.

The third lesson: Be ready for the brain cancer to take away the patients capabilities  which it can do with terrifying speed. Because the brain is the centre of both locomotion and thought, a tumour can cause havoc with either, leaving a person with serious disabilities.

We experienced my mothers illness mostly as a series of vanishing abilities. Conversation, for example, gradually faded away. On Mothers Day we had a nice talk about my summer plans. But by July and August she lived in a fog of confusion. It was too fast to get used to, and too slow to be merciful.

Physical symptoms  notably problems with walking and vision, and often seizures  may also worsen, depending on the location of the tumour(s), type and aggressiveness. Another cruel aspect of brain cancer: Its progression is devilishly unpredictable.

Fourth lesson: If youre close to a person with brain cancer, prepare to drop a lot of activities and pitch in to care for her. Its all pretty challenging: figuring out how to access community resources, such as in-home care; managing and administering medications; keeping track of appointments.

Even figuring out exactly what the doctors are trying to tell you can be tough  their language is sometimes quite technical, and they will often avoid being too blunt when talking about the patients prospects for recovery. My mothers neuro-oncologist didnt say, Your mother is going to die soon. What he said was: I cant really do anything for her. You have to listen carefully.

The best advice Ive received is that you should treat the ordeal like a complex business project. My mothers condition changed too quickly for us to keep up, but if I had to do it all over again (God forbid), Id create a system for sharing documentsamong family members, and schedules to co-ordinate care, treatment and medication.

It was no surprise that my stepdad, a corporate executive, took charge of my mothers care with a steady hand, despite the heartbreak of it all. I watched with pride and awe as my sister and brother, both in their 20s, put their lives on hold to provide care for my mom around the house. Serving a nurse to a loved one is an unspeakably difficult commitment.

Despite the challenges, going all-in is probably the best plan, psychologically speaking. I made as much time as I could, but I wish I had been able to drop more of my life just to be there with my mom. My siblings and stepdad came out of the experience with memories they cherish, while I still live with questions about whether I did enough.

If youre a friend or a more distant relative, meanwhile, I urge you to put aside the cliched talk about fights and battles. With my mothers prognosis as bleak as it was, this struck my ears as unhelpful and frankly obnoxious. Instead, figure out what help you can give, and offer it. I guarantee help is needed.

Fifth lesson: Even in the face of certain death, you can live in hope that there will be happy moments.

Depression is common among brain cancer patients, but my mother was spared, in a sense, by (apparently) being unaware of what was happening to her. My stepdad marvelled at how happy she seemed. She kept singing along with classic rock hits from her youth  the lyrics untouched by the cancer.

My mom spent the last weeks of her life at Toronto General Hospital. She could barely move, slept most of the time, and didnt say more than a few words a day. Yet she was still, in essence, herself. As we observed a bedside vigil, she kept up her manners, saying hello and thank you to the nurses.

In the last handful of days, the elder of my two sisters teased my mom by whispering in her ear that she was going to dye her hair either bright red or pink.

My mom opened her eyes wide and scowled  this was the look that used to freeze us solid when we were misbehaving as kids. Well, theres your verdict, I said. In that bleak hospital room, my sister and I laughed.

Even as it became clear we were losing her, the lighter moments gave us strength. So remember, when the days are darkest: The person you have loved is still in there, and flashes will shine through.

Be there. Watch for it.

SHARE:
Many people ask how I handle doing my job every day. As a palliative care physician, I work with patients who are close to death due to a chronic illness, frequently when treatment is not working. When I sit down with patients and their families they are going through a wide range of emotions, whether its frustration, sadness or anger, and on top of that, we discuss sensitive topics.

It may sound surprising, but its an honour and a privilege to work in palliative care. I chose this specialty because the ability to help patients feel comfortable in their last days and provide support to their loved ones is one of the most fulfilling contributions I can make to enrich their lives.

Families dont like to see an illness cause pain or discomfort to their loved ones. They are frequently overwhelmed with what can be done to lessen the pain and dont always know how to get help. Many people at the end of their lives require around-the-clock care, and families frequently come to me filled with stress and need help coping. This is where palliative care comes in.

I work with patients and their loved ones to establish trust and open communication. This is essential to helping the health-care team figure out the best way to support them. Patients and their loved ones are wrestling with big decisions and its not uncommon for someone to have a sudden change of heart about their wishes for future health and personal care. The only way our team can help is if we know about it.

Unfortunately, many patients and their loved ones are missing out on the benefits of palliative care. Its common to see palliative care as a last resort. In reality, research has shown it offers the most benefit when started soon after the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness and alongside medical treatment.

Recently, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology Foundation revised their guidelines recommending doctors integrate palliative care with treatment for advanced or life-threatening illnesses, such as congestive heart failure or chronic respiratory conditions.

More physicians have started offering this type of care earlier to patients with serious health conditions, but sometimes doctors feel uncomfortable mentioning it. If you or a loved one have a life-threatening illness and have not been advised about palliative care, dont be afraid to start the conversation with your health-care team. They will likely be relieved you brought it up.

A palliative care specialist may be brought on to assist. In smaller communities, family physicians who provide palliative care typically step into this role. No matter who is responsible, the first step is to communicate the patients wishes for future health care (also known as advanced care planning). This is never an easy discussion, but the Advance Care Plan influences the next steps.

Resources such as the Speak Up Ontario campaign by Hospice Palliative Care Ontario or seminars offered by local organizations such as the Alzheimer Society of Ontario, can offer advice to patients and their families on how to create an Advance Care Plan.

Patients or families can expect a palliative care specialist to review: the role of palliative care, illness trajectory and potential complications, medication options, living arrangements, caregiver and spiritual support and other interventions.

Depending on the patients condition, they may receive palliative care at home, in a hospice or at a hospital. Home is the first choice for many and depending on the location, a doctor may be available to provide monitoring through regular house calls. If this is something you or your loved one is considering, ask your family physician if they or a palliative care physician is available to make home visits.

Sometimes a caregiver needs extra personal support, specific equipment or supplies at home. Family doctors can help set this up through the local Community Care Access Centre.

For those living in smaller communities, if a patients needs go beyond their family doctors knowledge, they can ask for help from a palliative care specialist using a service called telemedicine. (They may need to go to a video conferencing centre to access this service.)

When using telemedicine, patients should connect with their family doctor since they will be following up on any recommendations. Family members should also feel comfortable requesting a consult whenever issues arise. Pain and symptom management happens frequently and the patient or their caregivers can offer the most insight when the recommended treatment isnt helping.

The demand for palliative care continues to grow as baby boomers age. It has been shown to not only benefit patients but caregivers as well, by lessening their stress and helping with grief and mourning. Even when patients are suffering from chronic illnesses they can still maintain their quality of life at any age and at any stage of a serious illness.

More needs to be done to ensure all Canadians have access to this type of care.

Dr. Helen Senderovich is an assistant professor in the University of Toronto, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Division of Palliative Care, and a physician focused on geriatrics, palliative care and pain medicine at Baycrest Health Sciences. She has recently published a book, Integrated End-of-life Care in Advanced Congestive Heart Failure, about the benefits of palliative care. Doctors Notes is a weekly column by members of the U of T Faculty of Medicine. Email doctorsnotes@thestar.ca .

SHARE:
The federal government has abandoned Canadian citizens  medical students, teachers and tourists  on the hurricane-ravaged island of St. Maarten, their families say.

While Americans leave the island on military and charter airplanes, Canadians are advised to visit a government website with a list of shelters, creating a desperate situation, especially as food supplies run low and reports of looting increase, say relatives interviewed by the Star. Some families said a few Canadians were able to leave on a Sunday flight, but other tourists, students and teachers remained.

There is spotty cellphone and internet service but the Canadian government repeatedly suggests stranded citizens get advice from its website.

The frustration in dealing with the Canadian government is that they are not willing to help Canadians one iota, said Robert Barnard, whose sister is a teacher on the island.

They are not willing to send food. They are not willing to send water. They are not willing to send flights. They are not willing to send boats. They are not willing to do anything for Canadians, Barnard said.

Global Affairs Canada issued a news release on Sunday saying all options are being considered by the Government of Canada to assist Canadians in leaving the affected regions.  It said diplomatic missions are liaising with local authorities, airline and tour operators.

After making four calls on Sunday to the very nice people at Global Affairs Canada, Kingstons Lacey Cranston concluded the federal governments plans to evacuate citizens do not exist.

Her parents, Darrell and Debby Sheppy, of Windsor, were sent to the airport on Saturday by their St. Maarten resort with 148 other visitors. According to Cranston, most got flights out because their countries had requested evacuation assistance.

As her parents returned to the resort, gunshots were fired. The hotel deemed it dangerous, so on Sunday morning they were driven to the Princess Juliana Airport but still couldnt get a flight.

They are now spending the night in the airport parking lot, she said.

About 70 per cent of homes on the Dutch part of St. Maarten were badly damaged or destroyed when Hurricane Irma swept through last Wednesday.

Read more:

Toronto aid workers head to St. Maarten to rescue stranded tourists, provide relief in wake of Irma

Hurricane Irma topples homes, floods cities after barrelling through Cuba

Photos: Hurricane Irma leaves trail of destruction in Caribbean, U.S.

To the southeast, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said 90 per cent of the structures and vehicles on Barbuda were destroyed. About 1,400 people live on the island and most have now been evacuated to Antigua.

Cranston said Global Affairs Canada suggested they look online for the list of shelters but the Dutch military told them shelters are dangerous.

I cant believe that I live in a first-world country that cant get its s--t together to get its citizens home.

Mariel Chan is a medical student at the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine and was able to FaceTime with her sister, Global Affairs Canada texted students to say there was a flight Sunday morning, but they could not get a seat on the plane

Chan said Dutch and American officials told her they have no word that Canada is trying to help us.

Honestly, theres no option for us. We are stranded here. I dont know what to do, she said, and began to cry.

There is a lot of confusion about flights and what nationalities are able to leave. While on FaceTime, Chan stopped another Canadian student, a young man, who pleaded for someone to please donate a plane to help Canadians get home.

Trudeau, are you listening? he asked.

Janine Fung a medical student said she got a flight out last Monday, before Irma blew in. Fung is trying to help her friends get home.

Its pretty ridiculous, she said. The Americans left. The Venezuelans were able to leave. Even the pets have been evacuated before the Canadians.

At first everyone was optimistic and they were running clinics with the Americans to help keep the country going. Now, they are just desperate, Fung said.

Monique Balmforth has choice words to describe the abandonment of her brother, Michael Moriarty and his wife, Meryl, a civilian employee with the Toronto Police department.

All the government does is send us links to its SOS website, Balmforth said. All they said was, hold tight and listen to local officials. Thats a bit hard, when theres looting, the local hotel didnt want them and the island doesnt really exist any more.

The couple spent seven hours at the airport, couldnt get a flight but got a free rescue mission flight to Puerto Rico  an island that is dealing with its own struggles from Irma. They still have no idea how theyll get home.

I hope theyre not going from one bad to another. Honestly, if they had received any concrete information from Canada, saying we will be there to pick up Canadian citizens, they might have waited it out. I think they just felt lost and totally left to their own devices.

SHARE:
One of the countrys strongest international voices in the fight against AIDS says Canada owes the Inuit a full explanation of what happened to relatives removed from their homes to be treated for tuberculosis in the 1950s and 60s.

It was something that continues to complicate the entire response to tuberculosis now, Stephen Lewis, co-director of AIDS-FREE World and former United Nations special envoy on AIDS/HIV, said Monday.

Its like another level of the residential school phenomenon.

Lewis has been working internationally for years to fight the spread of AIDS/HIV and tuberculosis, which are strongly linked. But at a recent conference in Durban, South Africa, he learned tuberculosis continues to be a major problem back home.

My colleagues said to me, Look, Stephen, youve been neglecting your own country.

Read more:

Ottawa tries to turn the page on colonial ways of past governments

Water study on bottles, storage containers finds high rates of illness-causing bacteria

Business exchange camp gives Ontario, Nunavut students a life-changing experience

They were right.

Although tuberculosis is almost unheard of in the south, it is present in many northern reserves and in 17 out of 25 Nunavut communities. Infection rates are about 50 times higher among Inuit than in the general population, according to 2016 figures.

I was startled to find the incidence in Nunavut is so much higher, Lewis said.

The problem is often blamed on poverty and overcrowded homes in Arctic communities. But sociologists have said one of the factors that make TB hard to handle is the memory of how Inuit were treated in the past.

Research suggests the disease took firm root among the Inuit after they were moved from hunting camps on the land into communities with government-provided, one-room houses with no bathrooms. Others lived in cramped shacks cobbled together from construction debris, which provided ideal conditions for the disease to spread.

Hospital ships such as the C.D. Howe sent Inuit who tested positive for the disease to southern treatment centres.

Records show that between 1953 and 1961 a total of 5,240 Inuit were sent south. The entire population of the Eastern Arctic at the time was about 11,500.

Many lost their language and culture after years in the south.

Many never returned at all or lost contact with their families  a lingering psychological scar in many communities, said Lewis, who met last week with Inuit in Iqaluit and Igloolik.

Elders talked about the evacuation and the total disruption of families and the devastation of not knowing what happened. They were not able to talk about the story without weeping, he said.

For many of them, theyre still searching for a grave site. They still dont understand why they dont know what happened.

A formal apology is due, said Lewis. He also urged the federal government to grant a request from Inuit organizations to open its archives and let Inuit trace their lost family.

We have the files. We have the names. They would be able to tell people, this is what happened to your relative, this is where theyre buried.

Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott said the government is aware of past and present issues around TB. She said shes met with Inuit leaders on the subject as recently as last week.

These are conversations that are taking place very actively, she said Monday. We are determined to address this, both in the context of redress for historic injustices, but also with a very strong focus on people who are living now with tuberculosis.

Philpott acknowledged that memories of their treatment in the past is affecting how Inuit see tuberculosis today. But releasing historic information isnt her departments responsibility, she said.

My priority is recognizing present-day services and those are areas where theres a tremendous amount of work to be done, she said.

Theres no questions terrible injustices have taken place in the past.

Lewis said that even after years of travelling around the world to underdeveloped countries, last weeks trip was an eye-opener.

These are Canadian citizens, he said. How dare we treat them this way.

Read more about:

SHARE:
REGINAThe Saskatchewan government is celebrating the opening of schools that will be shared by public and Catholic boards that were built as public-private partnerships to save money.

On Monday, Education Minister Bronwyn Eyre announced the opening of a facility that will be shared by the public Ecole Harbour Landing School and the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School in Regina.

On Friday, the Sylvia Fedoruk Public School, which is shared with Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, was officially opened.

They are part of a project to build 18 schools that are to be co-owned by Catholic and public school divisions in Regina, Saskatoon, Martensville and Warman.

The province says the cost of building and maintaining the schools, which each include a child-care centre, will be $635 million over 30 years.

In 2015 a report by KPMG commissioned by the government said the joint-use P3 schools will save the province just over $100 million.

SHARE:
ST. JOHNS, NLPrime Minister Justin Trudeau marked the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the U.S. at an invitation-only event that celebrated the warm welcome Canadians gave stranded American plane passengers that day.

But it was his governments handling of stranded Canadians in the Caribbean that dominated headlines as the prime minister kicked off a cabinet retreat here.

Trudeau suggested his government has been all over the unfolding crisis, as he acknowledged the generosity of Canadians celebrated in the musical Come From Away now playing on Broadway.

Were all glued to our phones and TV screens thinking about folks facing an awful lot of weather further south as Hurricane Irma barrels through up the Florida coast, and people have been struggling for the past week. I know the stories, and there are a number of them, of people reaching out helping each other through difficult times and saving each other in difficult situations, and were very much engaged as well.

Its these times ... that we see what is in the core of each and every one of us, said Trudeau. It happened in Gander (on Sept. 11) and were celebrating it, and certainly in surrounding communities as well, he said.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau earlier gave a more robust defence of the government Monday against criticism it waited too long to rescue its citizens from the disaster zone.

I can totally understand how people feel, Garneau said, but he said Canadian military planes were not enlisted to evacuate Canadian citizens because commercial flights were available for that purpose.

Garneau said there was no issue with capacity, rather the problem was local airports that had lost electrical power for navigational aides and lighting, and downed communications towers in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

Read more:

Canadians stranded across the Caribbean amid pure anarchy

PM willing to improve small biz tax plan but wont abandon in face of backlash

Ministers began arriving Monday on a windy rainy day in the Newfoundland capital, one week after the Liberal caucus met in Kelowna, B.C. One of the most contentious issues last week was the governments so-called tax fairness plan which proposes changes to the way incorporated small businesses and professionals can shift income around to take advantage of lower tax rates.

A government official said its on the agenda here for discussion as well by the entire cabinet.

The issue is expected to be a main line of political attack by the governments opponents when the House of Commons resumes next week.

Medical student from Toronto Morvarid Sanandaji, 24, is trapped in St. Maarten, where she studies. Sanandaji gives a video tour of the her cousin's home that was torn apart.

Another source said in a province like Newfoundland and Labrador, the tax changes, vigorously opposed by medical doctors, will likely have an impact on rural health care delivery and have raised big concerns here.

Cabinet is also expected to get briefed on the status of negotiations to draft a new North American trade pact. Those talks are to resume in Ottawa in late September with battle lines more clearly drawn after two rounds of negotiations concluded last week in Mexico City.

Other issues bubbling on the governments agenda include its handling of the influx of asylum seekers, and its efforts to toughen environmental assessments. TransCanada Corp. has asked to suspend for 30 days its application to build a proposed Energy East pipeline to transport crude oil from Alberta and Saskatchewan to refineries in Saint John, N.B., and other parts of eastern Canada. The company cited the governments significant move to assess the impact of the project on upstream and downstream greenhouse gas emissions.

The federal Liberal government however is quick to point out that it has approved other energy projects even after assessing such rules, with one official suggesting the real factor in the companys decision is market conditions.

Read more about:

SHARE:
A civil liberties group told an Ontario court on Monday that Canadas use of administrative segregation in prisons is unconstitutional and the laws need to be rewritten to protect inmates.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association lawyers went through expert medical evidence and affidavits from prison inmates about the physical and mental harm caused by solitary confinement.

Solitary confinement, especially prolonged solitary confinement, can cause serious trauma and may lead to deterioration in mental health, said one of the associations lawyers Jonathan Lisus. We know the harm is very, very real.

Read more:

Solitary confinement violates charter right to life, liberty, security, lawyer says

How does an inmate with mental health concerns end up in indefinite segregation? By asking for it

Indefinite segregation hearing will proceed despite Ottawas requests for delay

Administrative segregation is allowed in Ontario if a jail superintendent believes the inmate is in need of protection, if the inmate is a threat to the security of the institution or other inmates, if the inmate was alleged to commit serious misconduct or upon their own request.

Two years ago, the CCLA launched the constitutional challenge, arguing the practice does not meet international standards and amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.

At the start of weeklong hearing Monday, lawyers with the association argued that administrative segregation should be illegal in several circumstances, including when it goes beyond 15 days; when there is no independent arbiter; when it isolates inmates under the age of 21; when it affects those suffering from mental illness and for inmates who are admitted for their own protection.

Lisus cited medical evidence from psychologists and other health professionals who stated that isolation can cause severe anxiety, psychosis, hallucination, depression and stress, often leading to a desire to self-harm and, in the worst cases, suicide.

This evidence, he argued, is not reflected in the current statute allowing administrative segregation, which fails to consider the harm inmates endure because of the practice. The court heard that some inmates were placed in solitary confinement for up to 23 hours a day, for over 138 days.

The statute does not require one to turn its mind to the impact on the inmate or the reasons for the isolation, Lisus said, adding that there is no independent review allowing the isolator to review itself.

Frank Marrocco, associate Chief Justice of the Ontario Superior Court, also heard Monday that some inmates are forced to endure double punishment when they are placed in segregation because they either require protection or are incompatible in the general prison population.

CCLA lawyer Michael Rosenberg described the practice as constitutionally flawed.

The structure of the act is to isolate the inmate and that takes place with the focus only on the security of the institution as opposed to any consideration of the harm thats caused to the inmate, Rosenberg said outside court.

Rosenberg stated that the administration of the current act is placing people in segregation based on an understanding of the harm, which is out of sync with medical literature.

Canada refuses to acknowledge the harms caused by administrative segregation, their argument is going to be that there is a diversity of opinion on this point, that there is a controversy, Rosenberg said. There is no debate, there is no live controversy; the world has gone past this argument.

In July, an Ontario court rejected the federal governments attempt to delay the hearing in the wake of proposed legislation to address the issues. The Liberal government introduced Bill C-56, which would limit administrative segregation to 21 days  dropping to 15 days, 18 months after the legislation took effect.

Critics stated that the legislation does not go far enough and does not adhere to international standards.

The federal government is expected to make its submissions Wednesday.

SHARE:
James Thomson is an ex-head of Amazon Services, the division that recruits sellers to the tech giants marketplaces. A Canadian, he is also the co-author of The Amazon Marketplace Dilemma and a partner in Buy Box Experts. We asked him about Amazon and Torontos quest to win a bid process to become home to the companys massive second headquarters.

Q: What is Amazon looking for in a host city for HQ2?

A: Amazon has publicly outlined criteria including a city with 1 million-plus population, strong training grounds for engineers, and an investment to enable the build-out of up to 50,000 people. Realistically, I see Amazon executives wanting to relocate only to a high-culture city with lower cost of living. Seattle has become very expensive to afford even on a $150,000-a-year salary for a mid-level computer engineer, so attracting new talent to Seattle is getting harder. I also expect Amazon doesnt want to compete with a number of large local IT-dependent firms  Amazon wants a hiring advantage for at least a few years.

Q: What are Torontos strengths and weakness as a bidder?

A: Toronto is undoubtedly a cultural world-class city but has a very high cost of living and is more congested than Seattle. I doubt Amazon will put itself in a distant suburb of a major city. I also suspect there will be a stigma of putting its headquarters in another country  Amazon will have to convince a lot of existing executives to relocate, and another country with higher personal tax rates is a bigger question mark than another American city. I am not optimistic that the Ontario and Toronto governments will be excited about spending the kind of investment/tax incentives that Amazon is seeking. Yes, HQ2 is an amazing long-term opportunity, but the payment is also long-term.

Read more:Ontario enlists former bank CEO to help with bid for new Amazon headquarters

Q: What cities do you think will be the prime contenders, based on Amazon has said and what you are hearing?

A: I have heard the cities of Austin (Texas), Charlotte (N.C.) and Pittsburgh mentioned but anticipate Amazon will accept less tax incentive/investment for a broader commitment to build out much more access to IT-trained graduates. Recruiting is a huge problem for Amazon, with over 9,000 job openings with office jobs just at Amazons Seattle headquarters. Most of these are engineering roles  there arent enough recently trained candidates in North America to support Amazons current growth.

Q: Amazon is talking about long-term investment of up to $5 billion and up to 50,000 jobs. How big a deal for a city is landing HQ2?

A: Any city that lands this deal will see a huge immediate opportunity to become a significant global centre of innovation and IT development. The big question is how much will a local government put up to make this happen. The expense is a trade-off against schools, infrastructure, health care, etc. Can Toronto support 50,000 high-net earners who all want nice homes, nice restaurants, easy commutes, etc.? Amazon is NOT a fan of unions or regulation. How does Ontario government accommodate that?

Q: What advice would you give Toronto bid boosters as they decide how to try to land this fish?

A: Amazon uses data to make all of its decisions. And it follows the Amazon Leadership Principles to figure out all tough problems. Position yourself along those leadership principles using very specific comparative data, and you will be speaking Amazon talk.

Q: Amazon has been criticized in the past for the way it treats workers. Should this give Torontonians pause about putting considerable effort  and potentially tax breaks  into a bid?

A: Most complaints related to warehouse employees. Unfortunate, but true. From a corporate office perspective, it is a very tough place to work but amazing growth and innovation have come from this. And thousands of people have become rather rich. What do you want from your job? After media attention to the issue, Amazon saw a huge increase in job applicants as MBAs took on the culture as a challenge to prove that they are up to the challenge to thrive at Amazon.

This interview was edited for brevity.

Read more about:

SHARE:
Durham police Chief Paul Martin announced Monday a new policy to ensure Ontarios police watchdog is called in to investigate serious injuries caused by an officer in his region  regardless of whether the cop was from his force or off duty.

The move comes in the wake of criticism over his forces handling of what he calls the disturbing alleged assault on a Black teen by a Toronto cop in Whitby.

There may be criticism about what we are doing. Thats OK, Martin said in a statement, which he read out at the civilian police board meeting in Whitby.

Were not doing it to be popular. We are doing it because it is the right thing to do for our community.

Read more:

Toronto, Durham police accused of covering up Dafonte Miller assault case

Police under fire for failing to notify SIU of Black mans injuries

Family describes final days of 15-year-old shot by Peel police

Calling the status quo inadequate, Martin said the new policy dictates that if a cop from another service is involved in an interaction in which a civilian was seriously injured, Durham will call in the watchdog  despite that task technically falling to the officers employer.

Let me be absolutely clear: From here on in, if a conflict between one of our citizens and a police officer takes place in our community, and the incident meets the criteria for calling in the (SIU), then I will do so, Martin said. Up to 2,000 officers from other Ontario police services are believed to live in the Durham area.

Martin said in cases where its not clear whether the injuries are severe enough to trigger the SIUs mandate  the watchdog investigates only those injuries it deems serious  he will err on the side of caution and notify the watchdog regardless.

Durhams move comes amid controversy over police handling of the beating of 19-year-old Dafonte Miller, who is alleged to have been beaten by off-duty Toronto police officer Michael Theriault and his brother, Christian Theriault, in December. The teen suffered injuries, including such severe damage to an eye it will have to be surgically removed.

Demonstrators protested outside an Oshawa courthouse where a pre-trial hearing was being held for a Toronto police officer and his brother who are charged in assaulting Dafonte Miller. The brothers, Const. Michael Theriault and Christian Theriault, did not appear in person at the on Sept. 7 hearing. (Wendy Gillis/Toronto S`

Both Theriaults are charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in connection to Millers injuries. They also both face public mischief charges for allegedly misleading investigators on the day of the incident.

The criminal charges against the Theriault brothers were laid in July, eight months after the alleged assault. The delay was the result of both Toronto and Durham police failing to notify the SIU of Millers injuries.

The police watchdog was notified of Millers injuries in April, only after the SIU was informed by Millers lawyer, Julian Falconer.

Martin explained that Durham did not notify the SIU because it was Torontos job to do as Theriaults employer, a decision he says was in line with established procedures but that failed to ensure the public trust.

In fact, on the night of the incident, Durham investigators charged Miller with assault with a weapon, theft under $5,000 and possession of a small amount of marijuana, charges later withdrawn by the Crown.

Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders has said that Toronto police did not contact the SIU because they did not believe there were grounds to do so because they understood that Michael Theriault had not identified himself as a police officer. (The SIU typically only investigates off-duty police officers if they invoke their status as officers during an interaction that resulted in serious injury, death, or allegations of sexual assault.)

Falconer, however, alleges Michael Theriault identified himself as a police officer when he asked what Miller and his friends were doing right before the brothers alleged beating of Miller.

In an interview Monday, Falconer said he was pleased by Martins change in policy, calling it an acknowledgement of the serious disservice and injustice suffered by Dafonte at the hands of Durham police.

But he noted it did not explain why, on the night of the incident, Durham officers blindly accepted the Theriault brothers version of events and charged Miller. That includes what Falconer alleges was Durham polices failure to interview two witnesses about how Miller came to be injured. Something was seriously rotten in this case, Falconer said.

Martin said he could not comment on the specifics of the incident because of the ongoing court case.

Durham is believed to be the first police service to formally develop a procedure to notify the SIU about cases involving a police officer from another service, Martin told reporters Monday. The chief said he has informed other police chiefs in the province and acknowledged there may be criticism.

Joe Couto, a spokesperson for the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, said Martin briefed its president, Waterloo police chief Bryan Larkin, on the new policy and said it will be discussed at an executive meeting next week.

Couto noted that new provincial legislation expected this fall  stemming from the review on police oversight by Court of Appeal Justice Michael Tulloch  will help our services be effective and consistent in dealing with these types of unfortunate incidents.

Among Tullochs recommendations is that the province clarify the rules around when police services must notify the SIU and officers duty to co-operate with the investigation.

So the real need here is for the province to clarify so we can better serve, Couto said.

Asked if Saunders would consider adopting Durhams police policy in Toronto, spokesperson Mark Pugash said the chief will consider anything that enhances transparency and accountability.

Toronto police chair Andy Pringle told the Star on Monday that hed already asked Saunders to adopt a similar procedure, a request made almost right away upon learning about the Miller case. Pringle said any time theres doubt about whether the SIU should be called in, he believes Toronto should just do it.

Pringle said the ball is now in Saunderss court and its up to him to come back with a policy.

I dont know when hes going to come back, maybe at the next board meeting  I havent asked him when hes going to come back on that, Pringle said Monday.

Asked about the status of the independent review of Toronto police actions in the case, Pringle told the Star that the Waterloo Regional Police  called in to perform the mandatory internal review conducted after every SIU investigation  has been temporarily stopped.

Instead, Pringle said the Ministry of the Attorney General recently called Saunders asking him to put that on hold, because they want to take it over.

Pringle said he doesnt know how this development will affect the time frame on the internal review, the results of which are supposed to be brought to the police board within 30 days of the SIU notifying Toronto of the results of its probe.

No further information about the ministry investigation was available by deadline Monday night.

SHARE:
It was around Christmas in 2008 when Chad Clarke said he got a phone call from a former partner screaming at him that he had given her HIV.

The next three years would see Clarke arrested for aggravated sexual assault, denied bail twice, pleading guilty to avoid a longer sentence, sent to prison where he was placed in protective custody, and put on the national sex offender registry for life.

The charge related to a failure to disclose his HIV status, although Clarke said that at the time he did not believe he was HIV-positive. Although he had tested positive in 2004, he said he had believed a second test showed he was negative. He said hes been on medication, with an undetectable viral load, since 2008.

HIV is not a crime, Clarke, 45, told the Star in a recent interview. Its a public health issue. Isnt health supposed to be key?

People living with HIV in Canada risk an aggravated sexual assault charge and prison time if they dont disclose their status to their sexual partner, unless a condom is used and the individual has a low viral load, which refers to the amount of the HIV virus in their blood.

Advocates have long complained of HIV-positive individuals being unjustly prosecuted by a criminal justice system that has failed to catch up to the science around HIV and the risks of transmission.

Its an issue that is now on the agenda of federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, who has referred to an over-criminalization of HIV non-disclosure and is looking at introducing changes this year. But critics say the Ontario government has so far failed to match the federal governments efforts in what remains a complex and sensitive area of the law.

There are some serious injustices taking place right now, said Ryan Peck, executive director of the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario. People living with HIV are being criminalized for engaging in behaviours that should not be criminal, and to make it worse, people living with HIV are being charged, prosecuted and convicted of aggravated sexual assault.

It wasnt long ago when the media proclaimed AIDS as the gay plague that carried a death sentence, but the stigma around HIV/AIDS has hardly disappeared, as advocates point to the continued criminal prosecution of those who dont disclose their status to their sexual partners as one example.

Read more:

Toronto man charged for HIV non-disclosure and faces rare court order to disclose he has the virus

Man who filmed arrest speaks out over HIV/AIDS comments, files complaint

Community rallies around Toronto man who says hes been target of homophobia

At least 184 people in 200 cases have been charged in relation to HIV non-disclosure since 1989, according to a report published this year by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. In Ontario, at least nine cases have been taken to court since 2012.

When used correctly and no breakage occurs, condoms are 100 per cent effective at stopping the transmission of HIV, according to a 2014 consensus statement published by a number of leading Canadian HIV/AIDS medical experts. As well, because of advances in medication that can keep a persons viral load low or undetectable, advocates say that the risks of transmission are far lower than they once were, regardless of condom use.

Therefore, they say, HIV-positive people should not be required to be placed in the delicate position of disclosing their status, unless there is intention to transmit HIV as well as actual transmission of HIV.

In the best of all worlds, that would be the right thing do, Toronto criminal defence lawyer Cynthia Fromstein, who has represented many HIV-positive individuals, said of a person disclosing ones status.

However, people have faced bad reactions, people have faced violent reactions, to disclosing their HIV status. People are also just people, they face rejection, which is hard, and particularly if you know that you in fact dont pose a risk to someone, then I think people dont want to put themselves in that position.

Matters are further complicated by the fact that Ontario has no official prosecutorial guidelines to help guide Crown attorneys in their approach to these cases, and to decide whether to even bring one to court.

It gets even more complicated when you consider the Supreme Courts last pronouncement on the topic in 2012, where it was found that a person must disclose if there is a realistic possibility of transmission, a phrase that has left Crown attorneys and judges differing on just what that means.

The federal government has been studying the issue since last year, and its expected to be discussed at the upcoming federal, provincial and territorial justice ministers meeting in Vancouver this week.

The gathering comes almost a year after Wilson-Raybould announced last Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, that she intended to look into the criminal justice systems handling of HIV non-disclosure cases and work on the issue with her provincial and territorial counterparts.

Read more:

Stop the witch-hunt of HIV criminalization

For the first time, more than half of HIV patients are taking AIDS drugs

HIV treatment has slowed disease progression to the point that, for many, HIV infection can now be regarded as a chronic, manageable condition, she said in a statement at the time.

Still, the over-criminalization of HIV non-disclosure discourages many individuals from being tested and seeking treatment, and further stigmatizes those living with HIV or AIDS. Just as treatment has progressed, the criminal justice system must adapt to better reflect the current scientific evidence on the realities of this disease.

The Criminal Code contains no laws specifically related to HIV non-disclosure, but the offence of aggravated sexual assault  reserved for the most egregious sexual assaults  is typically laid in such cases, and almost always carries prison time following conviction.

HIV/AIDS organizations do not oppose prosecutions in the rare cases where an individual had the intent to transmit the HIV virus, although whether the charge should still be aggravated sexual assault remains a matter of discussion.

While the federal government is responsible for amending the Criminal Code, it is the responsibility of provincial Crown attorneys to apply the law, and use their discretion when deciding whether to prosecute a particular offence.

In a statement sent to the Star last week, the federal department of justice said the government hopes to provide an update on its work on the issue by the end of the year. But it also reiterated that enforcement of the laws is very much a provincial matter.

The work currently being undertaken with provincial partners will allow each jurisdiction to make informed decisions about how to address prosecutorial and charging practices within their area of responsibility, the statement said.

Advocates have demanded that Ontario Attorney General Yasir Naqvi order a moratorium on the prosecution of non-disclosure cases  except in cases where intentional transmission of the virus is alleged  until the federal government implements its plan, which may include prosecutorial guidelines that the provinces could choose to adopt.

Their pleas have so far proven to be unsuccessful, as Crown attorneys in Ontario continue to bring non-disclosure cases  even where the virus was not transmitted  to court.

The intolerable fact remains that Ontario continues to be a world leader in unjustly prosecuting people with HIV, the Ontario Working Group on Criminal Law and HIV Exposure wrote in an April letter to Naqvi.

The pattern of zealous, overly broad prosecution of people living with HIV in Ontario is the result of deliberate choices, both by individual prosecutors and (the Ministry of the Attorney General).

Naqvis office said last week that he did meet with the working group last year, and that during the meeting, the attorney general reiterated his commitment to work with the federal government as they review the way our justice system handles HIV-related cases.

The discussion between advocacy groups and successive attorneys general in Ontario on non-disclosure prosecutions have been described as more or less one-sided, with very little progress being made on the governments side.

Several years ago, the government did propose prosecutorial guidelines for non-disclosure cases, but the three outside experts allowed to read them  and who are also barred from discussing their contents  said they were so bad they told the ministry that no guidelines would be a better option.

I dont think it would be fair to say that we were consulted in the drafting of anything, said Richard Elliott, executive director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, who was one of the three experts, along with Peck and criminal defence lawyer Jonathan Shime, to see the draft.

We had repeatedly put forward our ideas about what we thought they should be about.

Among those suggestions: an acknowledgement that an undetectable viral load alone means there is no realistic possibility of transmission, regardless of condom use.

What prosecutors do have access to is a so-called practical guide prepared in 2010 by Hamilton Crown attorney Karen Shea, who successfully prosecuted Johnson Aziga for first-degree murder, an infamous 2009 case in which two of the women infected with HIV by Aziga later died from AIDS. Azigas trial heard that he had known since 1996 that he was HIV-positive, but did not start taking medication until 2005, two years after his arrest.

Sheas 72-page document, which the Ministry of the Attorney General fought for years to keep secret after receiving a freedom of information request from Toronto lawyer Marcus McCann, covers everything from the elements the Crown must prove to secure a conviction, to the kind of information that should be sought on an HIV-positive individual from public health officials.

McCann expressed concern that the guide could have a chilling effect on individuals seeking help from public health authorities, as the guide encourages Crowns to seek information on accused persons from public health to use in court.

Indeed, HIV test results and other information gleaned from public health have been put on the record in court by the Crown at bail hearings and trials in non-disclosure cases.

The provincial government has previously acknowledged that while its not an official policy or guideline, Sheas guide has been used to assist other Crown attorneys, although its unclear which parts are still consulted given that the science and case law have evolved since 2010.

Many roads lead to Karen Shea. I dont think shes the only destination, but she is clearly on the turnpike as one of those stops, said Elliott at the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.

Shea declined to comment to the Star.

Crown attorneys take into account scientific developments and new case law when considering to prosecute a case, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney General, who confirmed that the ministrys criminal law division has a group of experienced prosecutors who are available to provide advice on HIV exposure cases, but didnt say who is part of that group.

The last time the Supreme Court ruled on HIV non-disclosure, in a 2012 case known as R v. Mabior, it found that disclosure was not necessary if the individual had a low viral load and a condom was used.

But Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, writing for a unanimous court, also said that the double requirement does not preclude the common law from adapting to future advances in treatment and to circumstances where risk factors other than those considered in this case are at play.

The meaning of that statement has played out in Canadian courtrooms since 2012, including in a recent Brantford non-disclosure case, where the Crown argued that Mabior requires low viral load andcondom use to avoid disclosure obligations, but the judge found otherwise.

The case involved a man, C.B., who has a low viral load but did not disclose to two women before having condomless sex. He was subsequently charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault. Neither complainant was infected with HIV.

The trial took place in April, four months after Wilson-Raybould announced the federal government would target the over-criminalization of HIV non-disclosure.

Testifying for the defence, Dr. Philippe El-Helou, director of the HIV Clinic at McMaster University, said that in all of his years treating HIV patients, he has not seen a transmission occur from a carrier who has an undetectable viral load, Ontario Court Justice Robert Gee wrote in his decision.

The judge acquitted C.B. of all charges.

The question becomes: Is condom use the only way to raise a reasonable doubt about the risk of transmission in a person with a low viral load or, if at the time Mabior was decided in 2012 it was the only way, has the science advanced to the point where it no longer is? Gee wrote in a ruling released last month.

The defence takes the position that the Supreme Courts decision was not intended to establish an absolute and fixed rule that a low viral load and condom use was the only way to raise a reasonable doubt about the possibility of transmission.

Gee sided with the defence, accepting El-Helous evidence that given C.B.s undetectable viral load, the risk of transmission in this case was as close to zero as can be measured.

It is exactly the kind of case that advocates have long demanded be kept out of courtrooms in the first place, and why they hope sound prosecutorial guidelines would be of great help to Crown attorneys.

Chad Clarke has become an outspoken advocate since leaving prison in 2011, marching in the streets and speaking at numerous HIV/AIDS conferences. What he would most like to see is his name taken off the sex offenders registry.

He said he has post-traumatic stress disorder that goes through the roof every year when he has to sign in with police, one of the conditions of being on the registry. He lives on a fixed income, applying for jobs is difficult, and family relationships are strained.

If you want to keep the charges against me, Ill live with that, but take me off that damn sex offenders registry, because every day that I look at myself in the mirror, I see myself as a sex offender, and thats not cool, he said.

I would like to personally see that instead of sticking this person in jail, you get them a point of care, you get them on medication right away, you get them mental health care, because trust me, mental health (issues) will go with you the rest of your life if you have HIV.

SHARE:
If you live in or near Toronto, local food hardly gets more authentic than the beef that, for more than a century, has been produced by the Sheard family at Sunnymead Farms.

But can Bill, Sheila and son Will  as well as hundreds of other farmers like them on Torontos fringe  keep growing local crops and raising livestock with mounting pressure from housing and industry?

Absolutely, says Will, a recent graduate from the University of Guelph agricultural business program. And he believes his neighbours far and wide support him.

Read more: Ontario apples in demand for craft cider: The New Farm

Im committed to farming here, he says. This is my home, my community. I definitely want to stay put and continue our family tradition of being an Ontario beef farmer.

The Sheards raise some 3,500 cattle and grow 570 hectares of soybeans, corn, wheat and alfalfa at Sunnymead, just north of the Brampton city limits. On a recent media visit, I found their farm surprisingly serene, even though Hwy. 410 goes by their front gate and their feedlot was full of cattle.

Poll

Even in the farms infancy, when they were truly rural, they had a close connection to Toronto. And theyve worked hard to be good neighbours. For example, when Bills father William was young, in the 1940s, he was the point man (or boy, rather) on morning cattle drives from the farm, down Eglinton Ave. to the Toronto stockyards.

His job was human and animal safety, sometimes even at his own peril. Hed pedal in front of the herd, waving cars off to the side of the street to avoid collisions with the driven livestock.

Of course, times have changed. But decades later, the family continues to employ farming techniques that satisfy their neighbours, their herd, their banker, urban consumers and citizen watchdogs.

Thats a balancing act. But they do it with grace, using new and different approaches theyve learned through research.

For animal health and welfare, they change the shavings in their feedlot at least twice a week, or more if it rains. If the animals feet are dry, their health is generally better, Will says.

Environmentally, they have eavestroughs on all their barns to catch rainwater. Its then channelled underground and filtered through a 100-metre vegetative strip. By the time it reaches the nearby Credit River, it exceeds minimum provincial standards.

They also use sophisticated, highly calibrated variable-application machinery and soil maps to spread manure. That way the amount distributed is precise and spread only where needed.

To promote transparency, they welcome visitors, such as those wholl tour the farm this week as part of the annual Peel Rural Water Quality Program.

The Sheards also grow an acre of sweet corn just for their neighbours. They invite them to pick it for free and, while theyre at it, stop by for a look at their operation.

Sunnymead and its near-urban neighbours need to get along, just like all neighbours do. And, if indeed consumers want local food, support for sustainable farms like the Sheards is vital.

More British beef on the menu?

Global Meat News reports Britain is wooing Canadian importers to sell more beef here. But from 2015-2016, beef production in Canada rose more than 8 per cent. Trade is delicate and complicated, but can importers justify bringing in foreign beef when farmers here are also vying for market share?

Lets go out for a drink  of water

Craft beer and, surprisingly, water are neck in neck for readers drink of choice. At press time, last weeks poll showed they had the same number of votes. Canadian culinary diva Anita Stewart cites tap water as our countrys top ingredient on her Food Day Canada 150 list.

Owen Roberts is an agricultural journalist at the University of Guelph, and president of the 5,000-member International Federation of Agricultural Journalists. Follow him on Twitter @TheUrbanCowboy or contact him by email at urbancowboycanada@gmail.com .

SHARE:
What began as a friendly challenge between immigration officials and university students has brought on a fundamental shift in how the Immigration Department deals with applicants.

For example, now when people contact the departments Montreal-based client support centre for help, the first thing they hear is no longer a warning that disgruntled callers should not verbally abuse the agent.

People also wont be brushed away quickly for their questions simply because their application has not reached the minimum processing time that officials think should warrant concern.

The cultural shift from an enforcement mindset to a client-centred approach could mark a new era at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which has long faced complaints about poor customer service, long processing times and failing to provide timely and accurate information to applicants.

In January, the department quietly launched a client experience branch and appointed Michelle Lattimore, a longtime civil servant, to head the new unit, which is responsible for the client support call centre, service strategy and a new service insights and experimentation division of 10 staffers to make dealing with immigration a more pleasant experience.

An improved customer service, advocates say, can make Canada a more attractive destination for visitors, students and immigrants in the increasingly competitive world of global migration.

I support the initiative but it may take years before it really happens, said immigration lawyer and policy analyst Richard Kurland. What (Lattimore) needs to do is bring down the blinders. The department has information and does not disclose it to people, forcing them to use call centres. It is a core problem.

Read more:

Refugees stuck in backlog have a chance at getting out of it  if they can afford the legal fees

Children applying for Canadian citizenship face hefty fee

Thousands of refugee cases suspended due to border agency delays

Lattimore has been involved in the Immigration Departments restructuring of the client services functions since the spring of 2015 but the work was sidetracked by the new Liberal governments resettlement of 25,000 Syrian refugees.

With an 85 per cent client satisfaction rate found in a department survey, it baffled Lattimore why there were still 5.2 million inquiries a year by email and phone from people looking for information on their cases.

Last year, the department received 5,000 complaints and the top three concerns related to processing times, the call centre and the operation of the applicants online accounts.

In May 2016, Lattimore spearheaded the Family Class Design Challenge  in partnership with the Treasury Board, Privy Council and the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) University  to explore ways to improve customer satisfaction with the spousal sponsorship program, which has always been a sore point of the immigration system.

The design competition pitted a team of civil servants from the across the department against OCAD graduate students. The teams hit the streets to do random interviews about Canadians experience with the family sponsorship program. The OCAD team, under professor Ryan Hum, was made up of Vincent Galante, Lisa Hart, Manpreet Juneja, Tyler Calder and Ziyan Hossain.

We did street intercepts. We went out and actually talked to people on the streets. Eighty per cent of the people they stopped and had an experience with immigration wanted to talk about it, not all family class but they all wanted to talk about it, said Lattimore.

One surprising finding was that those interviewed said they were more concerned with the departments reluctance to disclose information during the waiting period then they were with the actual length of the processing time.

This was the most important revelation for the department. To learn from them saying, we can live with 12 months, but what we really want to know is whats happening over the course of the 12-month period and the sense of assurance they are seeking from us is something we hadnt anticipated, noted Lattimore, who worked at Service Canada and Passport Canada before joining the Immigration Departments program integrity branch in 2010.

They have no clue whats going on. They dont know if weve forgotten about them. They dont know if we need other information. They are worried theyve missed an email or a letter. Processing times take what they take and we dont need to get in touch with clients every week but that paralysis impacts their lives more significantly than processing time itself.

Both teams in the design challenge came back with similar recommendations: get rid of the taped warning in the call centre greetings that sets the conversation in a negative tone, improve officials response to callers and provide better information to questions.

Last fall, to boost transparency, immigrations 300 call agents started pulling out a callers file and responding to questions even if the application has not reached its standard processing time.

And to improve consistency, immigration agents received additional training to ask the right questions to figure out what the caller really wants and provide the correct information they need.

Although the handling time for each call went up by 16 per cent, said Lattimore, the number of repeat calls dropped by a whopping 30 per cent in less than eight weeks, freeing immigration agents time to provide better quality information to callers.

While the agents may be better equipped to answer callers questions, getting through to one is a challenge.

Recently, Ahmad Hematyar spent 25 minutes waiting on the line hoping to talk to a live agent to inquire about the private sponsorship application of a Syrian family. The Toronto man gave up because the computer-recorded guidance didnt lead him anywhere.

I followed the instructions and pressed all these buttons. It didnt have the information that we were looking for. It tells you to go to the immigration website to check the status of your application and for processing times. You press zero and it says all the agents are busy, said Hematyar, president of Canada Newcomers and Immigration Associations, whose group has more than 600 refugee sponsorship applications somewhere in the process.

We have tried to email their processing centre, but you dont get any reply. Is our case still in the queue? Has it been transferred to a visa office? Have they lost our files? On a scale of 10, our frustration with immigration is 10 out of 10. Wheres the government accountability?

Another initiative introduced by the immigration department was texting spousal sponsorship applicants as soon as their full application package of love letters, photos and other proof of the relationship arrives at immigrations mailroom.

Tiny investments make a big difference in peoples lives, said Lattimore, who plans to roll out more challenges for ideas to improve immigration client service. Its not new for us to view immigration as a service. Whats new is we are looking at service from a clients perspective.

Queens University immigration and refugee law professor Sharry Aiken said its too early to tell if the cultural shift for better client services at the department is genuine.

It is more important to have an ombudsperson at the federal immigration level. We dont need somebody to review the experience of the consumers to tweak how the department engages with its client base, said Aiken.

What we really need is an office in place with the authority to do systemic reviews and provide remedies when service standards are not met. That would really make a difference.

The challenge for the immigration and OCAD teams was a tie and each received a small token trophy for their great ideas, said Lattimore. The Immigration Department will conduct its next client survey in 2018.

Update  September 12, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version to include the names of the members of the OCAD team.

SHARE:
My nanny never dealt me dope.

Thats why Im flummoxed by the flurry of protests against Premier Kathleen Wynne, accused of being Ontarios nanny-in-chief in the matter of marijuana sales.

Pushing dope isnt in the job description for normal nannies. And yet our premier is prepared to serve it up.

Seems nanny is now a dirty word in our ideological wars, hurled at any hint of government regulation or red tape: Seatbelt laws, motorcycle helmets, gun registries, booze controls, drug restrictions  all evidence of the nanny state repressing and dressing us down, conspiring to inhibit our presumed right to imbibe and inhale in a haze.

Read more:

Liberals accused of using marijuana plan as smoke screen

Ottawa signals it wont step in as provinces devise marijuana regulations

LCBO to run 150 marijuana stores

How to fathom the fog that has fallen over opposition politicians, pundits, hipsters, humorists and potheads taking potshots at our putative nanny premier for being so dopey about dope? Let us deconstruct the inanity of the nanny narrative, and get down in the weeds on weed:

Wynnes government is apparently under fire for spelling out how one might visit a government marijuana joint for a joint or two starting next summer. For the first time in Canadian history, one will be able to procure competitively-priced cannabis without risk of arrest, rip-offs, contamination, dilution, distortion or extortion.

Wynne has promised to open 40 new government owned and operated marijuana stores to meet the July 1, 2018 deadline set by Ottawa for national sales, doubling that number by 2019 and reaching 150 outlets within two years. Online sales will also let you get spaced out via cyberspace starting next summer.

Yet a clamour has erupted on behalf of corner stores and dispensaries getting their fair share. Even the small business lobby over at the CFIB is squawking about our meddling nanny premier.

Incidentally, this isnt so much incipient sexism as it is conventional name-calling: The terminology predates her, first sticking to Dalton McGuinty, a.k.a. Premier Dad, for supposedly presiding over a nanny state.

Full disclosure: I never had a nanny. Nor did I get far with toking or smoking dope (not that I deny inhaling  I just kept exhaling involuntarily in a fit of uncontrolled coughing).

Im not much of a beer drinker or boozer either. But that hasnt disqualified me from pronouncing, as a political columnist, on our bogus Beer Store framework, or the ups and downs of the LCBO.

Critics who compare the new marijuana framework to the ossified oligopoly of the Beer Store are comparing apples and oranges  akin to conflating hemp and hops. The Beer Store was revealed as a privately-run anachronism, a consortium of big multinational brewers profiting from a government license to print money  unlike the LCBO, a reasonably efficient, publicly owned entity whose revenues accrue to the treasury.

Another allegation is that the province will gouge dope smokers while greedily cashing in. Yet why wouldnt the government seek to maximize revenues in the same way that it profits from alcohol and tobacco sales, especially given the obligation for costly new public education campaigns to counter abuse?

Yes, the future price of marijuana must remain competitive with the underground market. But most Ontarians dont pine for a dramatic expansion in dope sales, let alone a free-for-all.

That any government, of any political stripe, would suddenly turn on the tap for tokers is a stretch. Allowing the private sector to muscle in on the marijuana trade would require a far greater regulatory bureaucracy to licence and inspect small outlets.

By retaining sole control, at least initially, the government can slowly roll out its retail channel for tokers to roll their own. It can determine precisely where and when to situate those stores, measuring market demand while testing the tolerance of local neighbourhoods.

Where privatization requires costly and clunky regulation, publicly owned distribution benefits from stronger responsibility, accountability and transparency, with well-trained, unionized employees. The LCBO also has the advantage of being a trusted supplier, which explains why a Nanos Research poll commissioned by the OPSEU union last year showed it was the preferred choice of Ontarians as a retail outlet.

To those who dream of dope distribution on demand, be careful what you wish for. You can have too much of a good thing.

Ontarians tend to moderation in all things, not least marijuana. When the haze settles, critics might discover that people no more pine for a dope dispensary on every doorstep than they welcome a pusher on every corner.

Martin Regg Cohns political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca , Twitter: @reggcohn

Read more about:

SHARE:
Accusing the Liberals of using marijuana legalization as a smoke screen for scandals, neither the Progressive Conservatives, nor the New Democrats will yet say how they would distribute cannabis next year.

Both Tory Leader Patrick Brown and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath are questioning the timing of Fridays announcement that the recreational marijuana sales will be restricted to 150 LCBO-run stores and a website.

Theyre trying to have a rushed announcement as a distraction. They dont want us talking about the Liberal corruption trials; they want us to be talking about some salacious issue, Brown told reporters Monday.

Horwath also was suspicious that the governing party would appear to be releasing its plans for marijuana hastily. Ottawa is legalizing pot July 1.

Its interesting to see this come about all of a sudden with very little detail and we know that the reason its coming out now is because they dont want to see the trials in Sudbury and the trial here in Toronto on the front pages of the papers.

They want to change the channel, she said.

Attorney General Yasir Naqvi insisted thats not so.

The timing of it was the Friday before the House started, said Naqvi, referring to the beginning of the penultimate legislative session before the June 7, 2018 election.

Ontarians want to know . . . what is going to be our legislative approach to legalization of cannabis, he said, noting the Liberal government has not heard any plans from the opposition on how weed should be sold.

But Brown said his party, which will not unveil its policy for months, does not have enough information from the Liberals to say yay or nay to a government-run system.

Im alarmed. I cant sign off on their plan at this point. They havent done their due diligence. They havent done their homework with this new environment where marijuana is legal, the Tory leader said.

No other province has put forward their plan for distribution yet. The reason that Ontario is rushing this plan is to suit their political timeline and Im not interested in suiting political timelines, he said.

Horwath, for her part, noted theres far more questions than there are answers about how and where recreational marijuana will be sold.

We dont know what the details are in . . . the implementation or the pricing or the taxing or the determining locations, she said, adding the NDP wants to know more before committing to any proposal.

All we have is what theyve put together with the staff and the bureaucracy. We dont know what theyre basing their decisions on. Im pretty concerned about the lack of information that people have.

As of next July, there will be 40 marijuana outlets. That number will rise to 80 in 2019 and 150 in 2020. The shops will not be provincially owned liquor stores. The weed outlets will be staffed with unionized public servants. There will also be an LCBO online pot portal. Naqvi warned that all the illegal dispensaries that have sprung up across Ontario, including about 75 in Toronto, will be closed.

There will be no place for them in the marketplace and we will be working hard with law enforcement to shut them down, he said.

The LCBO will get its product from the medical-marijuana-producers licenced by Health Canada. There are 58 now, and this number will rise.

Only those 19 and older will be allowed to buy or possess weed and consumption will be limited to private homes.

SHARE:
WASHINGTONJust-departed chief White House strategist Steve Bannon referred to the firing of FBI director James Comey as perhaps the biggest mistake in modern political history, commenting in his first televised interview since leaving government.

Donald Trumps ex-strategist and campaign manager insisted he will continue to support the presidents agenda against the pro-trade, pro-globalization Republican establishment they both deeply disdain.

But Steve Bannon made clear his view that Trump set in motion a damaging chain-reaction by firing the former FBI director this spring. He offered a no comment when asked whether the firing was supported by one of his political nemeses: Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Read more about U.S. President Donald Trump

The media has reported I was adamantly opposed to that, Bannon told a 60 Minutes interview, in an exchange left out of Sundays broadcast.

I dont think theres any doubt that if James Comey had not been fired we would not have a special counsel . . . We would not have the Robert Mueller investigation. We would not have the Mueller investigation in the breadth that clearly Mr. Mueller is going.

When asked about media reports that Bannon supposedly viewed the firing as the biggest mistake in political history, he at first called that slightly bombastic, then added a caveat: Maybe modern political history.

The tumult caused by the FBI directors firing prompted Justice Department officials to name a special investigator. The investigator, Mueller, is now reportedly examining a range of alleged incidents including obstruction of justice and money-laundering, and numerous White House staff and presidential associates have hired lawyers.

Read more:

Steve Bannon fired as White House chief strategist

The fall of Steve Bannon wont end chaos at the White House: Analysis

Trumps turbulent summer spills over into high-stakes fall

Bannon was asked whether he agreed with some Trump allies who want to try firing Mueller. He said: No, I do not. When asked about media reports that Kushner pushed for Comeys firing, he said: You will have to find that out either through the media or through the investigation.

Kushner is among the numerous rivals he clashed with in the White House.

In the 60 Minutes interview, he sought to settle scores with a few of them. He suggested economic adviser and Democrat Gary Cohn should resign, rather than complaining publicly about the way Trump handled the racial incident in Charlottesville.

He also accused the Republican Partys leadership of trying to block Trumps agenda.

The congressional wing of the party is more supportive of trade deals like NAFTA, more favourable to immigration, and less supportive of funding a wall with Mexico, than Trump is.

The Republican establishment is trying to nullify the 2016 election, Bannon told the interviewer Charlie Rose.

Thats a brutal fact we have to face . . . I think (Senate Leader) Mitch McConnell, and to a degree, (House Leader) Paul Ryan, they do not want Donald Trumps populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented. Its very obvious.

He suggested a current split over undocumented children could rip the party apart. He predicted a nationalist, populist movement will prevail in American politics  but its not yet clear whether it will be of a left-wing or right-wing variety.

Bannon said that depends on whether Republicans or Democrats take up the cause of trade-skepticism.

Read more about:

SHARE:
COXS BAZAR, BANGLADESHBangladesh has agreed to free land for a new camp to shelter some of the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims who have fled recent violence in Burma, an official said Monday.

The new camp will help relieve some pressure on existing settlements in the Bangladeshi border district of Coxs Bazar, where nearly 313,000 Rohingya have arrived since Aug. 25.

The two refugees camps we are in are beyond overcrowded, said UN refugee agency spokesperson Vivian Tan.

Other new arrivals were being sheltered in schools, or were huddling in makeshift settlements with no toilets along roadsides and in open fields. Basic resources were scarce, including food, clean water and medical aid.

Still, more refugees were arriving. An Associated Press reporter witnessed hundreds streaming through the border at Shah Puri Dwip on Monday.

Tomorrow we are expecting an airlift of relief supplies for 20,000 people, Tan said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had offered 810 hectares near the existing camp of Kutupalong to build temporary shelters for the Rohingya newcomers, according to a Facebook post Monday by Mohammed Shahriar Alam, a junior minister for foreign affairs.

He also said the government would begin fingerprinting and registering the new arrivals on Monday. Hasina is scheduled to visit Rohingya refugees on Tuesday.

Read more:

Burmas once-revered rights idol with the now-tarnished reputation: Walkom

Desperation spreads in Rohingya camps amid hunger and illness

Fellow Nobel Peace Prize winners tried to convince Burmas Suu Kyi to defend Rohingya

Aid agencies have been overwhelmed by the influx of Rohingya, many of whom are arriving hungry and traumatized after walking days through jungles or packing into rickety wooden boats in search of safety in Bangladesh.

Many tell similar stories  of Burma soldiers firing indiscriminately on their villages, burning their homes and warning them to leave or to die. Some say they were attacked by Buddhist mobs.

On Monday, Bangladeshs human rights watchdog demanded that atrocities by Burma authorities against Rohingya be prosecuted.

This genocide needs to be tried at international court, National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kazi Reazul Haque told a news conference in Coxs Bazar.

The killing, arson, torture and rape ... by the Myanmars military and border guards is unprecedented, he said.

He said stronger action was needed from the international community, including the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

He also called on China and India to play a larger role in mitigating the crisis.

In the last two weeks, the government hospital in Coxs Bazar has been overwhelmed by Rohingya patients, with 80 arriving in the last two weeks suffering gunshot wounds as well as bad infections.

At least three have been wounded in landmine blasts, and dozens have drowned when boats capsized during sea crossings.

The violence and exodus began on Aug. 25 when Rohingya insurgents attacked Burma police and paramilitary posts in what they said was an effort to protect their ethnic minority from persecution by security forces in the majority Buddhist country.

In response, the military unleashed what it called clearance operations to root out the insurgents. Accounts from refugees show the Burma military is also targeting civilians with shootings and wholesale burning of Rohingya villages in an apparent attempt to purge Rakhine state of Muslims.

Before Aug. 25, Bangladesh had already been housing more than 100,000 Rohingya who arrived after bloody anti-Muslim rioting in 2012 or amid earlier persecution drives in Burma.

Rohingya have faced decades of discrimination and persecution in Myanmar and are denied citizenship despite centuries-olds roots in the Rakhine region. Myanmar denies Rohingya exist as an ethnic group and says those living in Rakhine are illegal migrants from Bangladesh.

The Dalai Lama said he felt very sad about the suffering of Rohingya Muslims, and that those harassing them should remember Buddha. I think such circumstances Buddha would definitely help those poor Muslims.

He told reporters on Saturday that he had delivered this message to Myanmars leader Aung San Suu Kyi several years ago at a meeting of Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

While Burmese Buddhists in Burma also worship the Buddha, they follow a different religious tradition than Tibetans and do not recognize the Dalai Lama as their spiritual leader.

SHARE:
SAO PAULO, BRAZILThey were members of an uncontacted tribe gathering eggs along the river in a remote part of the Amazon. Then, it appears, they had the bad luck of running into gold miners.

Now, federal prosecutors in Brazil have opened an investigation into the reported massacre of about 10 members of the tribe, the latest evidence that threats to endangered indigenous groups are on the rise in the country.

The Brazilian agency on indigenous affairs, Funai, said it had lodged a complaint with the prosecutors office in the state of Amazonas after the gold miners went to a bar in a town near the border with Colombia, and bragged about the killings. They brandished a hand-carved paddle that they said had come from the tribe, the agency said.

It was crude bar talk, said Leila Silvia Burger Sotto-Maior, Funais coordinator for uncontacted and recently contacted tribes. They even bragged about cutting up the bodies and throwing them in the river.

The miners, she said, claimed that they had to kill them or be killed.

Sotto-Maior said the killings were reported to have taken place last month. The indigenous affairs bureau conducted some initial interviews in the town and then took the case to police.

There is a lot of evidence, but it needs to be proven, she said.

The prosecutor in charge of the case, Pablo Luz de Beltrand, confirmed that an investigation had begun, but said he could not discuss the details of the case while it was underway. He said the episode was alleged to have occurred in the Javari Valley  the second-largest indigenous reserve in Brazil  in the remote west.

We are following up, but the territories are big and access is limited, Beltrand said. These tribes are uncontacted  even Funai has only sporadic information about them. So its difficult work that requires all government departments working together.

Beltrand said it was the second such episode that he was investigating this year. The first reported killing of uncontacted Indians in the region occurred in February, and that case is still open. It was the first time that wed had this kind of case in this region, he said in a telephone interview. Its not something that was happening before.

Survival International, a global indigenous rights group, warned that given the small sizes of the uncontacted Amazon tribes, this latest episode could mean that a significant percentage of a remote ethnic group was wiped out.

If the investigation confirms the reports, it will be yet another genocidal massacre resulting directly from the Brazilian governments failure to protect isolated tribes  something that is guaranteed in the Constitution, said Sarah Shenker, a senior campaigner with the rights group.

Under Brazils president, Michel Temer, funding for indigenous affairs has been slashed. In April, Funai closed five of the 19 bases that it uses to monitor and protect isolated tribes, and reduced staffing at others. The bases are used to prevent invasions by loggers and miners and to communicate with recently contacted tribes.

Three of those bases were in the Javari Valley, which is known as the Uncontacted Frontier and is believed to be home to more uncontacted tribes than anywhere else on Earth. About 20 of the 103 uncontacted tribes registered in Brazil are in the Valley.

We had problems with previous governments, but not like this, said Sotto-Maior, the Funai coordinator.

Her agencys budget this year for the uncontacted tribes department was just two million reais, or about $650,000 (U.S.), down from 7.5 million reais in 2014. What can I do with two million reais? she said.

Temer, who is deeply unpopular, has sought support from powerful agricultural, ranching and mining lobbies to push economic changes through Congress and shelter him from a corruption investigation. Last month, the lower house of Congress voted to spare him from standing trial for corruption in the Supreme Court, but only after the president doled out jobs and agreed to a series of concessions, many of which affected long-standing deforestation and land-rights regulations.

A decree by Temer that opened up a large reserve in the Amazon to mining prompted an international outcry. After a judge blocked the decree, the government announced that it would revise its decision, but critics are wary.

With land disputes on the rise in many remote areas of Brazil, indigenous groups, rural workers and land activists have all been targeted by violence. More than 50 people had been killed as of the end of July, compared with 61 in all of 2016, according to the Land Pastoral Commission.

In some cases, government or police agents have been blamed for the violence. Authorities are investigating one police raid in the Amazon region that ended with 10 activists being killed. No officers were injured.

Activists worry that the countrys indigenous groups  and especially the uncontacted tribes  are the most vulnerable when it comes to land disputes.

When their land is protected, they thrive, said Shenker, the rights campaigner. When their land is invaded, they can be wiped out.

Read more about:

SHARE:
BANGKOKPointing to the ashes of a destroyed village that was once home to dozens of Rohingya Muslim families, the abbot of a nearby Buddhist monastery insisted he knew who had set it ablaze. It was the Rohingya themselves, he said, and there was photographic evidence to prove it.

I even tried to stop them, the abbot, Zawtika, told reporters who visited violence-torn northern Rakhine state last week after an explosion of communal violence that has so far compelled a staggering 300,000 Rohingya to flee into neighbouring Bangladesh. I told them not to do that, but it seemed like they wanted to.

Shortly afterward, a local Buddhist resident who is close to the monk, a man named Maung Maung Htwe, shared photos he said he had taken on his cellphone that showed several people setting fire to the buildings.

The alleged perpetrators could be clearly seen  too clearly for anyone trying to advance the lie that Rohingya were responsible.

Journalists on the trip recognized two of the people in the photos as Hindus from a nearby public school the government officials had brought them to hours earlier. The school was filled with displaced Hindus who said their own homes had been burned by Muslims. An Associated Press reporter interviewed one.

Like the monk, the countrys government contends that Rohingya insurgents have been burning down their own villages in northern Rakhine as they attacked both majority Buddhists and minority Hindus. The Rohingya, meanwhile, say Burmese security forces and Buddhist mobs have attacked them and razed their homes in a conflict that the government estimates killed close to 400 people.

Read more:

71 dead in Burma after militant attacks on police border posts

Fires in empty Rohingya village intensifies doubt about Burmese government claims

The latest fighting began after Rohingya insurgents launched a series of attacks Aug. 25 that they have portrayed as an effort to protect their ethnic minority from persecution. The government insists the Rohingya are actually Bangladeshis, though many have lived in Burma, also known as Myanmar, for generations.

The attacks have triggered clearance operations by security forces who say they are trying to root out the insurgents, and stirred up a virulent spell of Buddhist nationalism directed against the Rohingya and their perceived supporters on social media.

The violence has also sparked a war pitting the truth against so-called fake news, with Burmas government and its supporters taking a page from U.S. President Donald Trumps war on the media.

Even if reporters had not met the two Hindus before viewing video of the fire, the images looked dubious. The womens hair appeared to be covered in something like tablecloths, in lieu of Muslim headwear.

After a Yangon-based news outlet, Eleven Media Group, published an article showing the burned Rohingya homes in Ka Nyin Tan last week, a government spokesperson, Zaw Htay, tweeted a link to it.

Photos of Bengalis setting fire to their houses! he said, using a term for the Rohingya often used in Burma because it implies they are all from Bangladesh.

After the images began stirring doubt, however, Zaw Htay said the following day that the government was investigating the images and would take action against those who set the fires. He also said police were interrogating the Rakhine man who took the images; the man could not be reached by phone on Monday.

The images showed several people torching the thatched roof of one home. In one of the images, a man in a green-and-blue plaid shirt reaches up to a rooftop, appearing to pour something from a bottle. In another, a woman in an orange-and-white shirt wields a machete.

It was unclear when those images were taken. But pictures recorded at the public school housing displaced Hindus clearly showed the same man and woman, in the same clothes.

The woman  a mother of six who goes by the single name of Hazuli  said before reporters viewed the video of the fire that her family had been attacked by Rohingya. She referred to them using a derogatory word for Muslim that is commonly used in Burma.

When we were about to have our meal, the kalars entered our village and started burning our houses. They were holding machetes and spears and started shouting, We will shower with the Hindus blood. So we ran away from our houses, she said. If there are Muslims, the problems will never end, but if kalars are not here anymore, it will be more peaceful.

Hazuli could not be reached after photos of the fire were released.

Misinformation has gone both ways. This month, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, calling for an end to ethnic cleansing in Rakhine state, tweeted four photos allegedly from the conflict. He deleted the tweet after it was found most had nothing to do with Burma; one showed a Rwandan child crying.

Anti-Rohingya posters, Muslim nationalists in Burma tweeted a photo alleged to show Rohingya militants conducting rifle training; the image was actually from 1971, and showed volunteers training during the countrys war for independence.

The claim that Rohingya had set fire to their own houses had taken another hit earlier in the same government-organized trip on which journalists met the monk and the Hindu villagers.

The reporters saw Rakhine men with swords walking out of a burning Rohingya village that had been abandoned days earlier. And although they saw smoke rising skyward across the fields in several other locations, they didnt see a single Rohingya in any of the five destroyed villages they visited.

Allegations that Rohingya are burning their homes have been made in Rakhine state by local Buddhists and government officials ever since a wave of bloody anti-Muslim rioting erupted in 2012. Well over 100,000 Rohingya fled that year, either into Burmese displacement camps or out of the country, often via dangerous boat journeys.

Officials rarely have offered any explanation as to why an already miserable and impoverished group of people would destroy their own homes and exhaust their meagre savings to take treacherous journeys to unknown lands for lives of extreme uncertainty.

Last week, however, the Burmese minister of border affairs, Col. Phone Tint, told journalists on the trip that Rohingya insurgents were burning villages because they are routing out informants. They also want people to be afraid of them and to join them.

Refugees who have made it to Bangladesh, however, said they believe the fires are part of the militarys effort to purge Rakhine state of Muslims.

More than 6,800 homes have been destroyed in this wave of violence, the government has said, and all but about 200 belonged to Rohingya.

That estimate, however, is from last week. A Rohingya man and a police officer reached Monday in Rakhine said that in at least one village, the fires are still burning.

SHARE:
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.California sued the Trump administration Monday over its decision to end a program that shields young immigrants from deportation, saying it would be especially hard hit because it has more of the immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally by parents or by parents who overstayed visas than any other U.S. state.

The lawsuits legal arguments largely mirror those already filed in a lawsuit last week by 15 other states and the District of Columbia. Attorneys general for the states of Maine, Maryland and Minnesota joined Californias lawsuit.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Californias case is stronger than the first lawsuit, filed last week, because more than 200,000 of the 800,000 participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program live in the state.

Read more:

15 states, D.C. sue Trump administration over ending DACA; California filing separate suit

They know where we live: Young DREAMers react with fear and sadness after Trump ends protection

Canadas openness is a tremendous asset: Editorial

I dont think theres any doubt that California has the most to lose, he said, flanked by two program participants who were brought to the United States as 4-year-olds who now attend college in the Sacramento area.

Rosa Barrientos, 23, of East Los Angeles, who is now attending California State University, Sacramento, said she was given wings by the program. If it ends, she said, I dont know whats going to become of my life.

She was joined by 21-year-old Eva Jimenez of Visalia, who is attending the University of California, Davis, and said she is terrified that the program might end.

The lawsuit alleges the Trump Administration violated the Constitution and other laws when it rescinded the program.

It was announced as Mexicos top diplomat, Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Videgaray visited Californias state capital to meet with lawmakers and DACA recipients as part of a two-day trip.

Californias state lawmakers are also expected to soon unveil changes to a bill aimed at limiting state and local officials co-operation with federal immigration authorities. California already has some of the most protective laws in the country for immigrants detained by local law enforcement. The state has limited polices ability to detain immigrants for federal deportation agents since 2014, and requires jailers to inform inmates if agents are trying to detain them.

Illinois recently passed more even protective legislation that bars law enforcement from detaining immigrants solely for deportation, said Shiu Ming Cheer, senior staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center. A handful of cities including Chicago and San Francisco, meanwhile, are refusing to co-operate with new federal requirements for tougher immigration enforcement, prompting the Trump administration to threaten to withhold funding.

The lawsuit relied mainly on procedural arguments, saying federal law requires that such decisions be made for sound reasons and only after the public has a chance to make formal comments. It said the administration failed to follow a federal law requiring it to consider negative effects of the decision on small businesses.

The lawsuit also said the Trump administration and immigration officials could use information provided by program participants to deport them and prosecute their employers. That would amount to misusing sensitive information provided in good faith by program participants, the lawsuit claimed.

We dont bait and switch in this country, Becerra said.

Though Maine is listed as a plaintiff, its participation happened because Democrat Attorney General Janet Mills signed the state up. She has frequently broken with Republican Gov. Paul LePage in joining other states in lawsuits that run counter to his conservative views on immigration and other issues.

LePage sued Mills earlier this year for abuse of power. Mills, a 2018 gubernatorial candidate, recently called on the Trump administration to maintain DACA. LePage is prevented from running again because he is in his second term and is prohibited from seeking a third one by the states term limit law.

The University of California has also filed a legal challenge to ending the program.

Unlike the lawsuit filed in New York last week by the other states, the new challenge does not make the argument that Trumps decision was motivated by anti-Mexican bias.

Instead, it hones in on statements by Trump administration officials that the young immigrants in the program rob U.S. jobs from Americans and that the program led to a surge of Central American immigrants.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Session announced last week that new applications for the program are being halted and that it the program will end in six months if Congress does not take action.

He said the administration was acting because President Barack Obama created the program without Congressional approval in what he called an unconstitutional exercise of authority.

Read more about:

SHARE:
EL-ARISH, EGYPTDaesh militants ambushed a police convoy in Egypts Sinai Peninsula on Monday, killing 18 police and wounding seven others in one of the deadliest attacks this year in the restive region bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Police and military officials said roadside bombs destroyed and set ablaze four armoured vehicles and a fifth carrying signal-jamming equipment meant to neutralize roadside bombs that are remotely detonated. The gunmen later opened fire with machine-guns and commandeered a police pickup truck.

Among those killed were two police lieutenants. The wounded included a police brigadier-general, according to the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, which is spearheading an insurgency centred in northern Sinai, claimed responsibility for the attack on its Aamaq news agency.

The Interior Ministry, which oversees the police, issued a statement confirming the incident, but its account provided no details on casualty figures or how many vehicles were destroyed.

It said police travelling in the convoy fired at a car that rushed toward them, causing it to blow up and damage several of the convoys vehicles. That was followed by an exchange of gunfire with terrorist elements hiding in the desert on both sides of the road.

That led to the martyrdom and wounding of some of the convoys personnel, it cryptically added.

Reinforcements were swiftly sent, the site has been sealed off and combing operations are underway, it said.

Egypts Cabinet issued a statement in response to the attack, reiterating the countrys resolve to stamp out terrorism and hunt down militants. Again, the statement provided no casualty figures or details of the attack.

Mondays attack took place on a road on the western fringes of the coastal city of el-Arish in northern Sinai, a rugged region defined by desert, shrubs and mountains. It showed the resilience of the militants in the face of a years-long campaign to eradicate them by the military and police, which between them command far superior firepower, air support, heavy armour and larger numbers.

The attack also suggested that the militants remain capable of carefully planning elaborate and multi-tiered attacks, making full use of the weapons available to them and their knowledge of the local terrain. In a wider context, the militants have been seeking to demoralize troops using snipers, killing at least 14 policemen and soldiers in recent weeks.

They have also been increasingly using brutal methods to discourage civilians from co-operating with the security forces, kidnapping alleged collaborators and later dumping their decapitated bodies on the streets to terrorize the population.

Egypts security forces, meanwhile, have succeeded in confining the insurgency to northern Sinai  a remote northeastern corner of the country  and preventing the militants from seizing and holding territory there.

Mondays attack was the deadliest against security forces since July, when Daesh militants attacked a remote army outpost in the border town of Rafah, killing 23 soldiers. That was the deadliest attack in two years.

In March, the military said militants killed 10 soldiers during an army raid in Sinais central region.

Egypt has battled militants in Sinai for years, but the insurgency became far more deadly after the 2013 military ouster of Mohammed Morsi, an elected Islamist president. It has since waged a number of high-profile attacks on the mainland, including areas near Egypts porous desert border with Libya. Egypt maintains that some of the militants attacking its security forces and minority Christians sneak into the country through the Libyan border carrying weapons.

In recent years there has also been a wave of attacks, mainly targeting security forces, blamed on splinter factions of Morsis Muslim Brotherhood group.

Mondays attack came a day after authorities said they had busted a militant cell planning attacks in Cairo. Police said they killed 10 militants in two simultaneous raids on apartments in a densely populated Cairo neighbourhood. They said the militants sneaked into the capital from northern Sinai, but did not say whether they were members of Daesh.

Read more about:

SHARE:
Where is the Forest Service I knew?

Where is the Forest Service? I mean the Forest Service that I knew during the 34 years that I was employed by the agency across the western U.S., from Alaska to California.

I dont ever recall a District Ranger being removed because some local politician, or any politician for that matter, was unhappy with an action taken by that employee. During my career, if a line officer, such as a District Ranger, was challenged, he or she was defended by every level of the Forest Service all the way to Washington, D.C.

But now we have a District Ranger being removed before he was ever found guilty of any wrong doing.

We have been told that District Ranger Alex Sienkiewicz was removed because he maintained a Forest Service Trail that has been used by the public to enter the Gallatin National Forest for over 50 years. Like many others, this trail crossed a small section of private land before entering the National Forest.

Local landowners contacted Senator Daines for help and he brought the new Secretary of Agriculture into the battle. You see, these landowners have their own private hunting ground back there on our public land. Several are also involved in selling public bull elk harvested on this National Forest Land.

Evidence shows that the Ranger was following established policy when he maintained this trail. In fact, I have a note from a retired District Ranger stating that he had done exactly what Alex did many times during his career in order to protect public access.

Remember, the politicians that triggered the Rangers removal represent a political party that has for years advocated transfer of National Forest land in Montana to state ownership. In fact, a plank in their state platform says as much. The same national Party Platform has a plank, requiring the federal government to convey certain federally controlled public lands to states.

There is an irony with the timing of this demand: Had all that 16 million acres of N.F. land been transferred to state ownership before this fire season, we would soon be seeing a bargain basement sale of what was once was National Forest land to private parties in order to pay a multi-million dollar firefighting bill. Just imagine who would be the successful bidder on your favorite mountain meadow.

-- John Gibson, Billings
BARCELONA, SPAINHundreds of thousands of people packed the sunny streets of downtown Barcelona on Monday to celebrate Catalonias national day, an anniversary that provided a stage for the many Catalans who hope to vote within weeks for the regions independence from Spain.

The Spanish citys broad, tree-lined boulevards were a sea of yellow and red T-shirts that evoked the striped Catalan flag. Many participants carried the pro-independence flag, known as the estelada, which adds a blue triangle and white star. The crowd passed a giant banner calling for a secession referendum overhead.

This years annual celebration came amid growing excitement and tension over the independence vote planned for Oct. 1. Spains constitutional court has suspended the referendum while it considers its legality, but Catalan leaders say they will go ahead with it anyway.

Spains national government, based in Madrid, is doing all it can to stop the ballot, which it says is illegal. Catalan independence parties said the huge turnout  estimated by Barcelonas municipal police at one million  in the regional capital was a show of strength that would add momentum to their cause.

Today we have said loud and clear that no orders from any court will stop us, Jordi Sanchez, head of the grassroots movement Assemblea Nacional Catalana, said in a speech to the crowd.

While the standoff between Barcelona and Madrid is creating divisions, the good-humoured celebration attended by families produced no signs of conflict

Participants sang and clapped along to recordings of the Catalan anthem Els Segadors (The Reapers.) At one point, the crowd shouted in unison: Independencia!  Independence! The symbolic moment came after organizers counted down over a public address system to 5.14 p.m., which on a 24-hour clock is 1714.

Thats the year independence supporters regard as the point when Catalonia lost much of the self-governing power it enjoyed for centuries.

Most Catalans support a vote on whether the prosperous regions future lies within or outside of Spain, but polls show that a referendum approved by the central government is preferred over a vote Madrid opposes.

Citizens also are divided over the independence issue. According to a June survey by the Catalan governments own polling agency, 41 per cent supported independence while 49 per cent were for staying in Spain. Outside of Catalonia, most Spaniards reject the idea.

Among the comparatively wealthy regions grievances is that because it accounts for a fifth of Spains economic output, it pays more into the central governments coffers than it receives.

Nuria Bou, who wore a pro-independence flag tied around her neck like a cape, said she hoped she would get a chance to vote.

We dont have anything against Spaniards, Bou said. But for many years the Spanish government has been making cuts to the funds we receive, and what we want is to govern ourselves.

Miquel Puig, 41, a pro-independence Barcelona resident who runs a language school, wore a T-shirt reading Ara es lhora, which translates to Now is the moment. Puig said he was motivated by a mix of cultural, social and economic issues.

He noted that Catalonia, with a population of 7.5 million, has its own language and culture, that Catalans feel ignored by authorities in Madrid, and that the region can stand alone financially.

In a proof of their commitment to holding the vote, Catalan officials on Monday said mail-in voting by Catalan expatriates had already started.

Read more about:

SHARE:
Another idol bites the dust. The world had been told that Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi was a heroine of democracy and human rights. Now it turns out that her idea of human rights doesnt include the roughly 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims living in Burmas western state of Rakhine.

It seems she approves of Burmese military clearance operations that critics say amounts to ethnic cleansing.

In reprisal for insurgent attacks that killed 12 police officers, the army has reportedly set fire to Rohingya villages, causing about 125,000 Muslims to seek refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh.

Suu Kyi has dismissed Rohingyan complaints as fake news.

Indeed, as the BBC has reported, some of the social media pictures purporting to describe military atrocities have been faked. But the gist of the story is correct. Members of a persecuted minority in Burma are fleeing the country in terror.

And the woman lauded around the world for her commitment to human rights has virtually nothing to say.

Around the world, there are calls to revoke the Nobel peace prize awarded her in 1991. In Canada, there are calls to take back the honorary Canadian citizenship she was given in 2007.

How could we have been so wrong about her?

The answer, it seems, is that we werent paying attention. Suu Kyi is by all accounts, a brave and determined person. She was under house arrest for 15 years. Her grace under pressure has earned her the nickname the lady.

But she is also a politician in a country where relations between nationalities are fraught.

Since it became independent from Britain in 1948, Burma has faced numerous and long-running national rebellions, most notably from the Karens and Kachins in the east.

Yet tensions are also high on Burmas western border where the Buddhist Arakanese majority co-exists uneasily with Muslim Rohingya.

Some Rohingya have been there for centuries. But during the period of British control, others were brought in as agricultural labourers from what is now Bangladesh.

After independence, and again in the 1970s, Muslim separatists in Rakhine staged brief insurgencies. They were squashed by the Burmese army.

The Rohingya remained second-class citizens. In 1982, Burmas then military government passed a law taking away even that. The Rohingya were declared non-citizens and, unless they could prove theyd been in Burma for three generations, were deprived of the right to vote.

In 2012, communal violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine led the Burmese army to, in effect, occupy Rohingya villages.

None of this seemed to particularly bother Suu Kyi. But, to be fair, it didnt much bother anybody else. In 2012, Western governments were falling over one another to normalize relations with resource-rich Burma.

John Baird, then Canadas foreign minister, trekked to Burma that year to lobby the government on behalf of Canadian firms. He also personally presented Suu Kyi with her honorary Canadian citizenship.

Publicly, neither said anything about the Rohingya.

In 2015, she and her National League for Democracy won elections and were allowed by the military to form a government. Suu Kyi didnt campaign for Rohingya rights. But at least, unlike some members of her party, she didnt campaign against them.

Now, as de facto leader of the elected government, she uses the militarys terminology. She refers to the Rohingya as Bangladeshi foreigners; she says the armys so-called clearance operations are designed to fight terrorism.

She ignores the criticisms of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

This June, she visited Ottawa and spoke to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. There is no indication that the plight of the Rohingya came up in their conversation.

Her reluctance to champion this particular group may stem in part from the fact that in Burma, the army still remains a powerful force. Or it may stem from the fact that Rohingya Muslims are not popular among Burmese voters, the majority of whom are Buddhist. Or it may merely reflect her view of the world.

In any case, it is an expression of who she is. She has been consistent in her inconsistency.

So it seems a bit churlish to complain now about the honors she has been awarded. Nobody asked Suu Kyi about her take on the Rohingya before she was awarded honorary Canadian citizenship. I expect thats because no one wanted to know. Inconvenient facts interfere with mythmaking.

Thomas Walkom usually appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

SHARE:
New Zealand-born Michael Lapsley is a member of an Anglican religious order. Upon ordination in 1973 he was sent to South Africa. Despite the unease that it caused some of his religious brothers and many leaders of his church, he joined the African National Congress and came to see himself as a militant freedom fighter.

The nationalist government expelled him from South Africa and he lived for many years elsewhere on the African continent. One April day in 1990, three months after Nelson Mandelas release from prison, Father Lapsley opened a letter that turned out to be a bomb. It blew off both his hands and one of his eyes.

After many difficult months in hospitals he recovered sufficiently to lead, with constant help, an active and purposeful life. He wrote in his memoir that though they had taken my hands and my eye and shattered my skull, they left my tongue intact. He called the book Redeeming the Past and gave it the telling subtitle, My Journey from Freedom Fighter to Healer. His hands may have been the tools of a militant, but his tongue is that of a healer.

The book is a remarkable account of how to heal hatred: If I were consumed by hatred, bitterness and a desire for revenge, I would be a victim forever. The oppressors would have failed to kill my body but they certainly would have killed my soul. Schooled in introspection and self-criticism, he tells readers that I can be more of an example to others with my many human weaknesses than as a plaster saint who has overcome it all, free of distortions and contradictions.

He may not be a saint, but hes a very engaging human being. I met him in July at a conference in Jerusalem called Healing Hatred: Spiritual Challenges in a Context of Political Conflict. As the founder of the Institute of Healing of Memories that emerged in tandem with South Africas Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Lapsley has become a resource person for peacemaking in many countries.

His mission brought him to guide and inspire countless individuals and groups, including Palestinians and Israelis. His travels have also convinced him, as he writes in his book, that the future of humanity isnt a Christian future but an interfaith future. Were in this together  Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus and all others.

What makes his work special is that he doesnt hide his human weaknesses but implies that they help him to appreciate and respond to the weaknesses in others, even when these seem to point to aggression.

Equally important is his testimony as a victim. Instead of seeking vengeance, hes transforming the impulse to hurt into a quest to heal. He does it out of self-interest to come to terms with the past no less than out of goodness of heart. By healing others hes healing himself.

His method is to seek the justice of restoration, not the justice of punishment albeit with material restitution in the instances where this is possible. The assumption is that all peoples affected by conflicts really desire such restoration, as seems to have been the case in South Africa. Its by no means yet clear that it also applies to the Middle East. South Africa had a Mandela and a De Klerk. Their counterparts havent yet been identified in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

However, that in no way diminishes the contribution of Michael Lapsley and his associates, also in the Middle East, on the tacit assumption that before people can make peace they must learn to think peace. Father Michael Lapsley helps to do precisely that.

Dow Marmur is rabbi emeritus of Torontos Holy Blossom Temple. His column appears every four weeks.

SHARE:
Just over a year ago, Amina Diaby, a temp agency employee working at Torontos Fiera Foods, died tragically on the job. Her hijab got caught in a machine, strangling her.

She was the third temp agency worker to die at a factory owned by Fiera Foods or one of its affiliated companies since 1999.

As a result of Diabys death Fiera now faces charges in court on Thursday under the Occupational Health and Safety Act for failing to make sure that loose clothing was not worn near a source of entanglement. Her death is also being investigated by Toronto police.

While nothing has been proven in court, and no charges have been laid by police, Diabys death highlights what critics say are flaws in the Ontario governments new labour legislation, Bill 148.

The bill is in many ways a leap forward for worker protections in the province, but as Diabys case makes clear, it could be better. The measures it contains to improve working conditions for the provinces growing number of temporary workers, for instance, should be tougher  much tougher.

For example, as highlighted in reporting over the weekend by the Stars Sara Mojtehedzadeh and Brendan Kennedy, as it stands now hiring through temp agencies limits companies liability for accidents on the job, reduces their responsibility for making sure that employees legal rights are respected, and cuts costs  all at the expense of workers safety and earnings.

The legislation now before the Ontario legislature does not address these concerns. As a result, the growing trend toward hiring temp workers  creating an increase in precarious work  may continue unabated.

Temporary jobs  which include but are not limited to temp agency jobs  have grown at more than four times the rate of permanent jobs since the 2008 recession, according to Statistics Canada. In food manufacturing, for example, temp jobs have boomed by 110 per cent in Toronto in the past 10 years while permanent ones have increased by less than 3 per cent.

In fact, temp agencies can hardly keep up with demand. Over the past decade, the number of temp agency offices in Ontario has increased by 20 per cent, with some 1,700 operating in the GTA alone. Temp jobs now account for an estimated 120,000 full-time equivalent positions

This growing legion of workers needs protection. But while Bill 148 will improve the lot of temporary workers, there are many things the new legislation should address but doesnt.

Consider safety. Research conducted for the Toronto-based Institute for Work and Health suggests that companies contract out risky work to temps. Thats because when a temp gets hurt, the company is not fully responsible because the temp agency assumes liability at the workers compensation board, saving their clients money on insurance premiums.

Not surprisingly, then, data from the Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada shows that while temp agencies operating in non-clerical sectors and construction represent less than 2 per cent of the workforce, they ranked in the top 10 for the highest number of reported injuries over the past decade. Thats compared to more than a thousand industries across the province.

Meanwhile, figures from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board show that non-clerical temps are more than twice as likely to get hurt on the job in 2016 as their non-temp counterparts.

Despite these alarming statistics, Bill 148 would not require joint liability for agencies and their clients for all workplace rights and injuries, providing little incentive for the client company to create a safe and equitable workplace.

Nor does the bill limit the percentage of a companys workforce that could be hired through an agency, or limit how long a company can employ workers as temps before having to make them fulltime.

As a result, companies will be able to continue to employ as much of their workforce as they want in this precarious fashion for as long as they want.

The bill no doubt takes steps to improve the lot of temporary workers. It will, for instance, rightly require equal pay for equal work for temporary and permanent workers. That should help to reduce the attraction of keeping people on a temporary work status for months and even years, rather than hiring them fulltime and giving them security and benefits.

But this measure, too, does not go far enough. The bill mandates equal pay only for substantially similar work. Critics say companies can fudge job descriptions to preserve pay imbalances between temporary and permanent employees. That should be addressed.

There is no question that, overall, Bill 148 is a major step in the right direction.

It expands the legal definition of employee, for example, to make it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors and thus deny people who work full time the appropriate pay and benefits.

Another section would make it easier for employees in certain sectors, such as cleaning staff and home-care workers, to form unions. Other reforms would require companies to provide fair notice before rescheduling shifts and improving emergency leave.

These protections, along with Premier Kathleen Wynnes promise to phase in a minimum-wage hike to $15-per-hour, up from $11.40 an hour, signal a welcome commitment to decent work and decent pay. Such a commitment, it would seem, requires the government to go one step further.

It should take a second look at Bill 148 and strengthen its measures covering temps both to protect our most vulnerable workers and to further encourage employers to make more jobs permanent.

As the Star has argued before, growing evidence has demonstrated that everyone benefits when workers rights are protected and collective bargaining is strengthened.

Theres still time to improve Bill 148 to protect temporary workers from abuse, injury and even death. The government should act.

SHARE:
Wall Street is taking a skeptical view of President Donald Trump's surprise deal with Democrats and its implications.

Trump shocked many on Washington and on Wall Street last week when he struck an agreement with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on a short-term bill to fund the government and extend the debt ceiling, bucking Congressional Republicans. As some in the media speculated this might mark a new phase for the president, who just weeks ago was under fire for refusing to forcefully denounce neo-Nazis, investors weighed what it might mean for Capitol Hill policy objectives moving forward.

"None of the outstanding policy issues have been resolved in the government spending Rubik Cube," wrote Cowen analyst Chris Krueger in a note on Monday. "Could last week's 'deal' be the beginning of a great bipartisan rush of dealmaking from the Swamp? We seriously doubt it. But nothing is a zero probability in Washington anymore."

Washington lawmakers still have a packed agenda through the end of the year, including reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration, National Flood Insurance Program and Children's Health Insurance Program and pushing forth legislative efforts on immigration and tax reform.

Also looming over Trump and the Republicans is Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference with the election.

"Everyone seems to have forgotten that there's this big independent counsel investigation on that will change the calculus instantly if it comes up with anything negative on Trump," said longtime congressional budget analyst Stan Collender. "Democrats aren't going to protect him."

Republicans may come to regret kicking the can down the road on the debt ceiling and funding the government, both of which they'll revisit in December.

"[Trump's deal] does have the benefit that storm aid is going to get passed and get to the impacted areas quickly, which should be done, and that's great," said Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi. "But as a downside, it's just taking the budget battles to the end of the year, and I don't think those battles are going to be fought any less hard because of the president's action."

Republicans were reportedly livid over the president's deal with Democrats, viewing it as a misstep by the president and GOP leadership. Compass Point analyst Isaac Boltanksy in a note Monday described the agreement from a rank-and-file Republican perspective as "punting on first down and still shanking the ball."

"I don't think this is a good deal for the American taxpayer," Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH), a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said in an interview on Fox News Sunday. "We didn't do anything to address the underlying $20 trillion debt problem. But, frankly, what options did the president have in front of him?"

Strife between Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been well documented, and the president's relationship with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) is reportedly lukewarm. But the trio will need one another if they intend to accomplish their legislative objectives this year.

Opinions vary on what Trump's deal might mean for tax legislation. On the one hand, it hasn't made intra-GOP relations any easier. On the other, if there's anything that can unify the party, it's tax cuts.

Bill Smith, managing director at accounting firm CBIZ MHM's national tax office in Washington, said that Trump's deal makes it no easier to predict how tax reform efforts will shake out. But his willingness to give on the debt ceiling without demanding spending cuts might signal his thinking on the deficit.

"Generally the Republicans don't want to increase the deficit, so everybody's wondering how tied they are to deficit neutrality in a tax bill," Smith said. "To me, this is an indication that at least from the Trump administration's side, not necessarily from Republicans in Congress, that he's not worried about the deficit and what cutting taxes does to it."

Schumer said in an interview with The New York Times' "The New Washington" podcast that the president called him to celebrate positive news coverage of their deal. The New York Democrat also left the door open to other agreements in the future, citing an interaction the pair had soon after the election. "I said to President-elect Trump: 'Look, we're not going to obstruct you, just for the sake of obstruction. If you'll work with us, as long as we can keep our values, we'll work together," Schumer said.

"Is there an agreement to work together on other deals in the future?" Leuthold Group chief investment strategist Jim Paulsen said in an e-mail. "Who knows at this point, but I believe there is more to this 'private deal' than what has so far been reported."

Still, most remain dubious of a sustained Trump-Democrats alliance.

"Trump is clearly mercurial and not very strategic. It doesn't work out often, but it may work out at some points, because it's random, and sometimes random events work out," Zandi said.

More of What's Trending on TheStreet:
Forests and money aren't the only things going up in smoke in Montana.

So too are the excuses for many who would deny climate change as most of the West, especially Montana, is literally in flames.

This isn't the first time the Treasure State has lost considerable amounts of its riches as both the forest and prairies have been devoured by wildfire. And, we don't know the final tally of the damage.

Other years may have been more notable, as when Yellowstone National Park burned in 1988. Few will likely approach this fire season for sheer magnitude.

Let's not forget that large parts of Glacier National Park have burned or been closed, including the historic Sperry Chalet. It doesn't just cost money to fight fires, but tourism dollars are lost, hurting the surrounding communities.

Last week, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock warned that deeper cuts appeared to be in store for the state. Remember, when lawmakers skipped town after the session, they left behind an austere budget that didn't contemplate a terrible fire season. Off-target revenue numbers and the nearly certain need to find more funding for wildfires will translate to fewer Montanans with jobs. Those who need services may not get them.

It's easy to talk about being fiscally responsible in February. Cutting the budget then doesn't seem like having to choose between fire protection and caring for the elderly. But come September, on the back end of a brutal fire season, that's exactly the kind of pick-your-poison choice lawmakers have left for the governor.

Right now, some of the ideas for trimming the budget include reducing services for the elderly; it might mean eliminating drug treatment courts which send people into programs and not prison; it might mean that Montana doesn't have a Human Rights Bureau.

We cannot fault Bullock for having to make some painful choices. That's part of his job. And we can't simply quit paying firefighters or stop defending against the blazes when they happen.

It is simply a matter of too many needs and too little money. But fighting fires means paying for them, too.

In one edition of The Billings Gazette last week, we counted no fewer than seven different news items about fires across Montana. On one hand, that's life during fire season in Montana.

However, during the same week, we also have been running non-stop stories about the extraordinary hurricane and flooding in Houston. Now, with Hurricane Irma bearing down on Florida, we're set to see another destructive side of Mother Nature.

We have indeed seen fire and we've seen rain.

The devastation along the Gulf Coast certainly deserves and will keep our national attention for some time. But Hurricane Harvey has distracted from the terrible wildfire season being experienced across the West, including places like Washington and California.

It's hard not to read the news and get a sense that the natural disasters that have been wreaked upon the U.S. are not only devastating, but also seem to be intensifying.

Coincidence?

Maybe.

However, we have also been pointing out for years that climate scientists have warned that as part of global warming, weather patterns would intensify, not just warm. In other words, fire season would get longer and hotter.

Check.

We would also not just dry up because the average temperature increases. Scientists warned that we would see similar weather patterns, like hurricanes or tornadoes, but they may intensify or increase in frequency.

Check.

We can't for certain say that any one of the thousands of fires started in Montana is directly linked to climate change. We can't say that Harvey should be laid at the feet of those who deny change. We can't say for certain that it was more intense because of manmade pollution.

However, we believe the question of climate change needs addressing. If politicians, especially those on the right like Rep. Greg Gianforte or Sen. Steve Daines  need any political cover so that they can begin addressing the effects of climate change, it would seem that Harvey, Irma and the West's wildland fires have given them plenty.

We haven't just burned through the money here in Montana as we've fought fires, we have also burned through the question of whether something is happening to our environment. Clearly, the best science  and the best scientists  agree that humankind's impact is contributing to these changes.

We need honest talk and quick action to help curb this problem. We'd bet the economic impact of decreasing coal production in Colstrip will pale in comparison to the cost of firefighting, loss and rebuilding what the fires have taken. It's not just about coal or Colstrip. Quite frankly, it's about all of us here in Montana. It's not just energy, it's also tourism. It's about being able to live in the Last Best Place.

It's hard to see the Big Sky when it's covered in smoke and haze.

-- The Billings Gazette
Look out, Tesla (TSLA) - Get Free Report -- the Frankfurt Motor Show is about to throw the electric vehicle industry into high gear when it opens to the public this Thursday, September 14, as an 11-day mecca of next-generation design and production.

German automaker Volkswagen (VLKAY) will be defending its home turf and working to prove a more electric-friendly outlook following the emissions scandal that rocked the company and weighed heavily on diesel units two years ago.

"German carmakers are global carmakers," Autotrader analyst Michelle Krebs told The Verge. With that, German firms have kept European and Chinese markets demanding cleaner, more efficient models in mind with their newest lineup.

Volkswagen has been working on a new generation of electric vehicles expected to debut in production by 2020, Overdrive reported, and enter fully autonomous model production by 2025. To tease that lineup, the carmaker released a concept image and teaser video of a unit called the I.D. Crozz for the Frankfurt event.

The I.D. Crozz boasts LED headlights and an illuminated grille with the iconic VW emblem. It's a compact electric drive vehicle with a lithium-ion battery in the floor and room for four seats.

Volkswagen is predicted to continue relying on its premium Audi brand, too. The company will spotlight its Audi A8 with level three autonomous driving abilities in addition to two other models with levels four and five abilities.

Autonomous vehicles are classified in six different levels, with fully autonomous models ranking as level six and fully manual models ranking as level one. Classifications are made based on necessary driver attentiveness and intervention.

BMW (BMWYY) announced plans to unveil its new X7 iPerformance SUV, its biggest-ever luxury model, complete with an electric powertrain. The three-row luxury cruiser is set to supply BMW with some plump margins so it can fund lofty electric vehicle pursuits.

Designing BMW's proposed iNext battery-powered self-driving model could take years to pay off, so the X7 will offer an increase in sales and revenue to offset the costs of R&D for the carmaker's 25 new electrified vehicles set for release before 2025.

BMW's Mini brand will also pivot green with the Mini Electric Concept (rendering below). The new line is previewing a zero-emissions hatchback set to go on sale in 2019.

Mercedes-Benz will unleash a new lineup as well, including the EQA, a GLC F-Cell concept powered by both fuel cell and plug-in hybrid technology, and the shot-stopping electrified Project One hypecar concept, which was developed with Formula One technology.

Although electric models will likely steal the show, look out for newer vehicles from luxury sportscar maker Ferrari N.V. (RACE) - Get Free Report and Japanese stronghold Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (HMC) - Get Free Report .

More of What's Trending on TheStreet:
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.'s (TEVA) - Get Free Reportnewly appointed CEO, Kare Schultz, brings turnaround experience as the drugmaker faces challenges including generic drug pricing pressure in the U.S. and a substantial debt load.

"We think Mr. Schultz's experience leading financial and restructuring initiatives at global pharmaceutical and healthcare companies could help unlock value for TEVA shares," wrote Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. analyst Louise Chen in a note on Monday, Sept. 11.

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. analyst Derek Archila wrote that while he views the news positively, Schultz "will be entering the company at a turbulent time, given: (1) continued pricing pressure in US generics; (2) TEVA's meaningful debt and inability to de-lever in a timely manner; and (3) high likelihood of Copaxone 40mg generics in 2018."

Teva had total debt of $35.1 billion as of end-June.

Since 2015, Schultz has been president and CEO of Valby, Denmark-based pharmaceutical firm H. Lundbeck A/S, which he joined as the company was facing the loss of critical patents. He implemented a turnaround strategy that included reducing operating costs while targeting new product launches.

"We believe this experience will be helpful, given TEVA's current state," Archila wrote.

Schultz took the helm of Lundbeck in May 2015. Three months later, the company unveiled a restructuring program aimed at cutting the total cost base by about DKK 3 billion ($480 million) in 2017.

During Schultz's tenure, Lundbeck shares rose from $132.80 to $411.80, which represents an annual return of almost 120%.

In 2016, Lundbeck reported DKK 2.29 billion of earnings before interest and taxes, compared with a loss from operations of DKK 6.82 billion in 2015. The 2015 figure included an impairment loss and restructuring charges of nearly DKK 7 billion while the 2016 figure included an impairment loss of DKK 140 million in connection with drug candidate idalopirdine. Lundbeck's revenue rose 7% year-over-year to DKK 15.63 billion in 2016.

In the first half of 2017, Lundbeck reported Ebit of DKK 2.06 billion, up 117% from the year-ago period. Revenue was DKK 8.49 billion, representing a 13% rise from the first half of 2016.

Before joining Lundbeck, Schultz was at Novo Nordisk A/S for nearly three decades. There, his roles included serving as chief operating officer. His resume also includes stints at McKinsey & Co. and Anderson Consulting.

At Teva, Schultz, 56, will succeed Dr. Yitzhak Peterburg, who has served as interim CEO since February, when Erez Vigodman stepped down following a mutual agreement with the board. Schultz will move to Israel and will be based out of Teva's headquarters in Petah Tikva.

Schultz will join Teva "as soon as practicable," according to a company spokesperson in an email.

News of Schultz's appointment came after Teva on Aug. 3 cut its full-year guidance and slashed its dividend 75% owing to weaker U.S. markets and the ongoing political turmoil in Venezuela. Peterburg at the time said in the earnings release that Teva experienced accelerated price erosion and lower volume in its U.S. generics business due to "customer consolidation, greater competition as a result of an increase in generic drug approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and some new product launches that were either delayed or subjected to more competition."

Teva in August 2016 completed its purchase of Allergan plc's (AGN) - Get Free Report generic drug business for $33.4 billion in cash and $5.4 billion in stock.

Teva's American depository receipts were changing hands at $18.70 on Monday, up 20.7%.

-- Lisa Botter contributed to this article

More of What's Trending on TheStreet:

Editors' pick: Originally published Sept. 11.
This column has been updated from Sept. 11 to note the results of a meeting of EU finance ministers at which a new plan to tax tech giants was discussed.

Shortly after Intel Corp. (INTC) - Get Free Report received a ruling from the EU's highest court which fueled hopes that tech giants would be able to escape their battles with Brussels regulators without serious harm, the group is again facing a serious attack from the region's lawmakers.

The attack isn't guaranteed to do major financial damage: A lot of specifics are still unknown, and it's possible that U.S. politicians will push back against what their European counterparts are proposing. But the move does underscore just how uneasy EU politicians and regulators remain about the ever-rising clout of U.S. tech giants on the continent, and what they're contributing (and not contributing) to government coffers.

In a joint letter, Germany, France, Italy and Spain's finance ministers declared that they want tech multinationals such as Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Free Report and Alphabet Inc./Google (GOOGL) - Get Free Report to be taxed based on their local revenue rather than their local profits. Though not giving a proposed tax rate, the ministers assert the funds raised through the tax "would aim to reflect some of what these companies should be paying" in corporate taxes based on net income.

Afterwards, at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Estonia, 10 countries signed a letter supporting the tax plan. Others, including Ireland, Denmark, the Czech Republic and Luxembourg, either criticized the plan or expressed reservations. Importantly, the plan needs unanimous support from EU states to be implemented.

A policy paper related to the tax plan is expected in the coming days, and the Financial Times (paywall) states EU finance chiefs "intend that intensive negotiations will take place over the coming months on tax measures targeted at the digital economy."

The effort follows years of EU probes into the funneling of overseas profits by U.S. multinationals -- including some non-tech companies such as Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) - Get Free Report and McDonald's Corp. (MCD) - Get Free Report -- into subsidiaries based in tax havens such as Ireland. The FT notes EU states are at odds over whether to deal with this issue through a "quick fix" such as a revenue-based tax, or to focus on a "longer-term, international solution" such as rules that would make it easier to tax tech firms in places where they don't have an established subsidiary.

Last year, the European Commission ruled that Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Free Report owed $14.5 billion in back taxes plus interest for "undue tax benefits" obtained from the Irish government from 2003 to 2014 (Apple, naturally, is appealing).

Google, on the other hand, won a favorable tax ruling from a French court in July: The court ruled that Google isn't liable for $1.3 billion in taxes on profits routed to an Irish subsidiary, since it doesn't have a permanent base in France. A push by EU governments to tax local sales aims to close loopholes such as this.

In theory, such taxes could be massive. Google recorded $16.6 billion in revenue from the EMEA region during the first half of 2017, and could do over $35 billion in local sales this year. A 10% tax would spell $3.5 billion in payments, while a 15% tax would equal a $5.25 billion bill.

Jim Cramer and the AAP team hold positions in Apple and Alphabet for their Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL or GOOGL? Learn more now.

More of What's Trending on TheStreet:

On average, analysts expect Apple to do $54 billion in EMEA sales in fiscal 2017 (it ends this month), and $60.8 billion in fiscal 2018. Facebook Inc.'s (FB) - Get Free Report European revenue is expected to total $9.1 billion this year and $11.7 billion next year. For its part, Amazon garnered $23.6 billion in revenue from Germany and the U.K. alone last year -- the U.K. revenue, of course, won't be subject to EU rules long-term thanks to Brexit -- and will probably see over $30 billion in total European sales this year.

One big problem with the ministers' proposal is that it does nothing to account for differences in the profit margins that tech giants see for local revenue streams. Amazon is especially likely to raise this issue: The company's International e-commerce reporting segment is expected on average to post a $2.8 billion operating loss this year, and while Indian investments have much to do with the red ink, it doesn't look as if the company's European operations are all that profitable, either.

But it's worth keeping in mind that politicians claim they only want to see tax payments match what would normally be paid under local corporate tax rates. Chances are that Amazon would be given the chance to avoid revenue-based taxes by agreeing to have any local profits recorded by a subsidiary in the country in which they were earned.

While European finance ministers look for ways to collect more tax revenue from tech giants, antitrust and privacy regulators continue waging their own battles. Four year after the U.S. FTC cleared Google over the same issue, the company was hit with a $2.9 billion fine in July over its integration of Google Shopping results within Google Search. An appeal was just filed, and a recent EU General Court ruling calling for the review of a $1.3 billion antitrust fine Intel received in 2009 raises hopes that Google could get a favorable appeal as well.

However, the EU has also charged Google over its Android app/service-bundling practices, and over the exclusivity agreements imposed on publishers using Google's AdWords search ad platform. Meanwhile, EU online ad rules (due to go into effect in May 2018) that require companies to get a user's explicit consent to engage in online tracking and targeting will be a headache for Google and Facebook, among others.

As the EU continues to press U.S. tech giants on multiple fronts, one has to wonder to what degree U.S. politicians will defend them in response -- either by pressuring EU officials to back off during trade talks, or threatening to retaliate against European multinationals doing business in the U.S.. That's particularly true since the Trump Administration has slammed the trade policies of both the EU in general and those of individual member states as being protectionist.

However, tech giants clearly had stronger ties with the Obama Administration than the Trump Administration. One could also note that President Trump has taken shots at Amazon from time to time over its U.S. tax payments, and that his administration is likely aware of a growing populist backlash towards the growing size and influence of giant tech companies. The Trump Administration has backed Apple's appeal of the EU's tax ruling against the company, but has thus far kept quiet about Google's antitrust disputes.

For now, one can't assume that U.S. tech giants will get massive political support as their European disputes continue. And with the continent's politicians and regulators only getting more aggressive about policing the actions of these companies as their local economic and cultural impact continues to swell, it's a safe bet that we'll see fresh battles between Silicon Valley and Brussels break out over the next couple of years.

Amazon isn't the only way to invest in the cloud, Jim Cramer explains.
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.
McEwen Mining Inc. engages in the exploration, development, production, and sale of gold and silver. It also explores for copper deposits. The company owns 100% interests in the El Gallo and Fenix projects located in Mexico; and the Black Fox Mine and Stock Mill, Grey Fox, and Froome and Tamarack properties in Canada. It also owns interests in the Fuller, Davidson-Tisdale, Buffalo Ankerite, and Paymaster exploration properties located in Canada; and a 49% interest in the San Jose mine located in Argentina. In addition, the company owns 100% interests in the Gold Bar and Tonkin properties located in Eureka County, Nevada; and interests in the Los Azules copper project located in the cordilleran region in the province of San Juan, Argentina. The company was formerly known as US Gold Corporation and changed its name to McEwen Mining Inc. in January 2012. McEwen Mining Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Polk County, GA - An additional 35 dogs were found malnourished and chained to trees behind a Cedartown home, according to the Polk County Police Department.

"We got an anonymous tip that led us to this home off Puckett Road," Polk County Police Chief Kenneth Dodd said. "We found 35 dogs that belong to Mr. Rowland."

The discovery made 24 hours after Devechio Rowland was arrested for 70 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty charges.

"We charged him after we found 70 dogs Monday who were also malnourished and tied to trees behind a home on Cash Town Road in Aragon," Chief Dodd said. "We are now processing two scenes."

Chief Dodd told FOX 5 Rowland is facing additional charges.

"He says these are his pets...100 dogs," Dodd said. "I don't treat my dogs like this."

Chief Dodd said the dogs at both locations were in pretty bad shape.

Tuesday the Polk County Police Department posted a live video on Facebook showing multiple animal rescue groups beginning the process of getting the dogs out of the woods and taking them to shelters.

"It's sickening to know someone could do this to animals, but it's also encouraging after you see how many people came out here to help," Dodd said.

According to Dodd, this isn't Rowland's first time behind bars on similar charges.

"We arrested him in 2010 on more than 120 charges of dog fighting and animal cruelty," Dodd said. "I don't think he was ever convicted."

The chief said besides finding a safe place for the animals to go in coming days, the department's number one priority is ensuring Rowland's conviction this time around.

"Justice wasn't served, so we are going to do everything we can to make sure this time justice is served," Dodd said.
Matson, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides ocean transportation and logistics services. The company's Ocean Transportation segment offers ocean freight transportation services to the domestic non-contiguous economies of Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam, as well as to other island economies in Micronesia. It primarily transports dry containers of mixed commodities, refrigerated commodities, packaged foods and beverages, building materials, automobiles, and household goods; livestock; seafood; general sustenance cargo; and garments, footwear, e-commerce, and other retail merchandise. This segment also operates an expedited service from China to Long Beach, California, and various islands in the South Pacific, as well as Okinawa, Japan; and provides container stevedoring, refrigerated cargo services, inland transportation, container equipment maintenance, and other terminal services to ocean carriers on the Hawaiian islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai, as well as in the Alaska locations of Anchorage, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor. In addition, the company offers vessel management and container transshipment services. Its Logistics segment provides multimodal transportation brokerage services, including domestic and international rail intermodal, long-haul and regional highway trucking, specialized hauling, flat-bed and project, less-than-truckload, and expedited freight services; less-than-container load consolidation and freight forwarding services; warehousing and distribution services; supply chain management services, and non-vessel operating common carrier freight forwarding services. The company serves the U.S. military, freight forwarders, retailers, consumer goods, automobile manufacturers, and other customers. The company was formerly known as Alexander & Baldwin Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Matson, Inc. in June 2012. Matson, Inc. was founded in 1882 and is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Chambers County, TX - Police arrested the ex-husband of a Texas realtor and mother of two who vanished a day before Hurricane Harvey made landfall.

Steven McDowell, 44, was arrested and charged with murder Saturday after the body of Crystal Seratte McDowell, 37, was found in a wooded area of Chambers County near Baytown, where she was expected to pick up her children on Aug. 25.

Her two kids, ages 5 and 8, were at her ex-husbands home near Baytown.

Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne did not elaborate on how McDowell died.

McDowell was staying with her suspected killer temporarily while her Baytown home was being renovated, the Houston Chronicle reports. Their divorce had been finalized months before.

Before the weekend arrest, investigators had at least nine persons of interest.

McDowells uncle reported her missing on Aug. 26, when Harvey touched down on the coastal city of Rockport. Her black Mercedes was later found submerged in floodwaters at a motel along Interstate 10, outside the neighboring town of Mont Belvieu.

Her boyfriend said that the divorced couple had been fighting leading up to her disappearance.

I think somethings horribly wrong, Paul Hargrave told ABC News last week.

The day before she vanished, McDowell showed no hint of her fate on Facebook. It was business as usual for her gig as a realtor.

Having an awesome day with one of our amazing Realtors and wonderful friend, McDowell wrote.

And the day before that, she expressed the utmost joy for life.

Ive never been happier in my whole life than I am right now, McDowell said. God is so good.

As worried friends, relatives and authorities searched for the missing woman, the man suspected in her death littered his own Facebook page with news clips and fliers of his ex-wife.

Sheriff Brian Hawthorne said that he was very confident that McDowell was not among the 60 casualties of the deadly tropical storm that battered the Houston area.
Duck Creek Technologies, Inc. provides software-as-a-service core systems to the property and casualty insurance industry in the United States and internationally. The company provides Duck Creek Policy, a solution that enables insurers to develop and launch new insurance products and manage various aspects of policy administration ranging from product definition to quoting, binding, and servicing; Duck Creek Billing that provides payment and invoicing capabilities, such as billing and collections, commission processing, disbursement management, and general ledger capabilities for insurance lines and bill types; and Duck Creek Claims that supports entire claims lifecycle from first notice of loss through investigation, payments, negotiations, reporting, and closure. It also offers Duck Creek Rating that allows carriers to develop new rates and models and deliver quotes in real-time based on the complex rating algorithms; Duck Creek Insights, an insurance analytics solution that allows carriers to gather and analyze data from internal and external sources and facilitate analysis and reporting on a single system; Duck Creek Digital Engagement that offer digital interactions between property and casualty insurers and their agents, brokers, and policyholders; and Duck Creek Distribution Management that automates sales channel activities for agents and brokers, including producer onboarding, compliance, and compensation management. In addition, the company provides Duck Creek Reinsurance Management that automates financial and administrative functions; and Duck Creek Industry Content that provides pre-built content, including base business rules, product designs, rating algorithms, data capture screens, and workflows for insurance lines of business, such as commercial auto, inland marine, and workers compensation. It has a partnership with Shift Technologies, Inc. to implement AI fraud detection. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
Xiaomi's gorgeous, nearly bezel-free Mi Mix 2S is a sight to behold, and it works on U.S. networks. But is it worth importing?

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Those who hate the notch might just love the Mi Mix 2S, the latest premium smartphone from China's Xiaomi. While that name might be unfamiliar to most in the U.S., Xiaomi has garnered a worldwide reputation in recent years for innovative design, powerful hardware and low prices, even though the bulk of the company's products never make it out of Asia. And there's no better example of those traits in the company's portfolio than the Mi Mix series, which manages a mostly bezel-free look without relying on an unsightly notch.

Like all of Xiaomi's wares, the Mi Mix 2S is technically unavailable on our shores. However, while most of Xiaomi's other phones lack support for Western networks, the Mi Mix 2S is a truly global device, with support for GSM networks everywhere, including AT&T and T-Mobile in the U.S.

But here's the real question: Now that U.S. customers can finally use one of China's hottest phones, should they go through the trouble and expense of importing this device? Unique though the Mi Mix 2S inarguably is, it makes too many compromises for us to put it among the elite tier of Android mainstays, such as the Galaxy S9 and Pixel 2.

Price and Availability

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S starts at 3,299 yuan, which translates to a little less than $530. For that, you get a device with 64GB of storage and 6GB of RAM. Additionally, there's a 128GB option with the same amount of RAM, as well as a 256GB model paired with 8GB of RAM that comes with a wireless charger, which we've tested here.

In truth, $530 isn't bad, but you'll probably pay a little more depending on the vendor you choose for importing the phone. And therein lies the biggest problem with Mi Mix 2S ownership in the states: Theres no clear outlet that we or Xiaomi can direct you to to buy this device.

This isn't a Huawei P20 situation, where the phone is sold in practically every other country. The path to buying that phone is as simple as going to the appropriate region of Amazon and checking the box for international shipping. The Mi Mix 2S is offered only in Asia for the time being, with limited sales in some European territories to follow at a later date. If you want one of these devices, your best bet is to visit one of the many retailers that specialize in importing such products, like Flipkart or HonorBuy, and try your luck there.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally Price 3,299 yuan ($527)

OS Android 8.0 Oreo with MIUI 9.5 Screen Size (Resolution) 6-inch LCD (2160 x 1080) CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 RAM 6 GB/8GB Storage 64GB/128GB/256GB microSD Slot No Rear Camera Dual: 12 MP f/1.8; 12 MP f/2.4 telephoto Front Camera 5 MP f/2.0 Battery Size 3,400 mAh Battery Life (Hrs:Mins) 10:15 Water Resistance No Size 5.94 x 2.95 x 0.32 inches



Design: Who needs a notch?

Although it's hardly the only player anymore, Xiaomi is one of the originators of the bezel-less design trend that swept the smartphone industry over the past year.

The first Mi Mix, released in November 2016, sported thin edges around three sides of the device, with a rather large chin at the bottom that housed the front-facing camera. The second generation repeats the same general aesthetic, with slightly more-rounded corners, which make the whole thing a bit more comfortable to hold.

The rear of the phone looks as though it's been dipped in a pool of dark silver, and the effect is more akin to that of fine jewelry rather than your run-of-the-mill handset.

As you'd expect, forcing that camera down to the basement greatly affects the way you take selfies  but we'll elaborate on that later. In terms of design, though, that unconventional camera location allows the Mi Mix 2S to get by with a very minimal top bezel. There's just enough room for the earpiece straddling the seam between the glass front and aluminum frame, and it sounds surprisingly good in phone calls.

Around the back of this device, Xiaomi distinguishes itself from the competition through the use of ceramic. The rear of the phone looks as though it's been dipped in a pool of dark silver, and the effect is more akin to that of fine jewelry rather than your run-of-the-mill handset. It's all set off with a dash of gold trim tastefully applied to the iPhone X-like vertical camera stack and fingerprint sensor. The elegant "Mi Mix Designed by Xiaomi" branding completes the look.

Overall, the Mi Mix 2S bears more than a passing resemblance to one of our favorite-looking high-end handsets, the Essential Phone  albeit a bit softer and less monolithic. It's flattering to find yourself in such company, Xiaomi.

But despite all that style, the Mi Mix 2S lacks creature comforts you'd expect from a phone of this price. There's no headphone jack. To make matters worse, although audio is piped out of both the bottom speaker and the earpiece, the latter sounds remarkably tinny when playing media. The Mi Mix 2S isn't water-resistant, and although it technically has NFC, our device didn't meet Google Pay's security standards  making tap-and-pay transactions a nonstarter.

MORE: Xiaomi FAQ: What You Need to Know Before You Buy

Upon checking with Xiaomi, we discovered the issue was caused by an unlocked bootloader on our our review unit, which we're told isn't the way these devices are supposed to ship to customers.

Display: Nothing special

In another similarity to the Essential Phone, Xiaomi opted not to include an OLED display, which you'll find in the iPhone X, Galaxy S9 and even the discontinued $499 OnePlus 5T. Instead, the Mi Mix 2S has a 6-inch LCD panel with full-HD+ resolution, more similar to the LG G7's screen.

Like with so many LCD-touting phones, there's nothing strictly wrong with the Mi Mix 2S' screen. It's sharp and accurate enough, with the ability to reproduce an acceptable range of colors. But it lacks the punch and perfect blacks of Samsung's boundary-pushing AMOLED displays, not to mention the eye-searing brightness you get from Sony and Motorola's LCD-powered offerings.

Stacked side by side with a Galaxy S9+ while playing the trailer for Avengers: Infinity War, the Mi Mix 2S underwhelmed, with muted hues and slightly poorer visibility in darker scenes. Look closely, and you'll see some light stippling that crops up on solid colors caused by the display's pixel matrix. Fine details, like the texture of Black Panther's suit, just weren't as crisp on the Mi Mix 2S.

The Mi Mix 2S' screen lacks the punch and perfect blacks of Samsung's boundary-pushing AMOLED displays, not to mention the eye-searing brightness you get from Sony and Motorola's LCD-powered offerings.

In terms of numbers, Xiaomi's flagship was again solid but nothing to challenge to status quo. The Mi Mix 2S topped out at a full-screen brightness of 441 nits. Colors were accurate, registering a Delta-E score of 0.28 (numbers closer to 0 are better), though saturation and temperature can be adjusted to taste on the Settings menu. The phone reproduced 124.4 percent of the sRGB color space, which is also satisfactory for an LCD panel. For comparison, the Galaxy S9 reached 630 nits and a 231-percent gamut, which is about as good as it gets among modern handsets.

Camera: Solid in sunlight

The "S" in the name Mi Mix 2S stands for a few extras not found in the regular Mi Mix 2: an updated processor, wireless charging and, perhaps most importantly, a pair of dual cameras. (Previously, there was only one.) You'll find two 12-megapixel shooters on the back of Xiaomi's flagship: a main one with an f/1.8 aperture and a secondary telephoto at f/2.4.

But that's not all, because like so many phones marketed on the strength of their photo-taking prowess, the Mi Mix 2S' cameras are smart. Xiaomi has followed in the footsteps of Huawei and LG with its new AI Camera feature that allows the device to recognize scenes and adjust settings appropriately on the fly.

To see what the Mi Mix 2's new duo of lenses could do, I took it, along with the dual-lens Galaxy S9+, out into the wild. Despite the overcast skies, both Xiaomi and Samsung's phones impressed capturing this tranquil scene in a Pennsylvania state park.

The Mi Mix 2 demonstrates punchier colors and more-realistic contrast in comparison to the washed-out hues produced by the Galaxy S9+. But then again, the sharper S9+ nails the finer details, like the ripples of water down the stream and the sediment along the banks of the creek. The two phones excel in different areas, so it's tough to pick a winner.

These portraits tell a similar story. Both devices clearly opt for different styles; the Galaxy's is more dramatic, with deeper shadows in comparison to the Mi Mix 2S' more natural, muted exposure. Again, there's this slight fuzziness to Xiaomi's rendition, most evident as you zoom in on the model's denim jacket. But this is another case in which the choice of a winner is simply a matter of preference.

However, that changed as the afternoon wore on. These close-ups of moss on the side of a tree taken with each device's telephoto lens favor the Galaxy S9+ in a big way. While the Mi Mix 2S pulled out its foliage filter to pump up the saturation here, I wouldn't say the result worked to Xiaomi's advantage. The moss should have been a lush mix of greens and yellows, not straight-up emerald. The Mi Mix 2S' take lacks nuance, depth and detail. It also could have used some of the blur the Galaxy S9+ expertly applied to the foreground.

The Mi Mix 2S saved its worst performance by far for the low-light round. Xiaomi's device delivered a muddy mess of a shot back in our office. The photo resembled something you'd get out of a budget prepaid handset from five years ago rather than the work of an ostensibly state-of-the-art flagship. The Mi Mix 2S was no competition for the Galaxy S9+, which captured the small plant with remarkable clarity and no noise in sight.

What about that 8-MP front-facing camera? I know  it looks awful, not unlike the "nose cams" adorning many laptops in recent years. Thankfully, though, because the Mi Mix 2S is a phone and not a computer, this camera placement is not that bad. Just turn the device upside down before snapping a selfie, and the screen will flip, too. It's not ideal but far from the worst-case scenario.

The selfie camera's position at the bottom isn't as big a deal as you might think.

As for the images the front camera produces, those are a different story. The Mi Mix 2S' front-facing camera couldn't reconcile the gray sky, leading to a dreary portrait and very blown-out clouds. The Galaxy S9+ suffered from a similar problem, but the extra dash of color in my face and the background lifts the frame in a much-needed way.

Performance: The fastest (for now)

We're smack dab in the middle of smartphone season, which means you can expect new devices to up the ante for performance until the end of the year. For now, though, Xiaomi can claim the title as most powerful Android handset in the world.

That's mostly thanks to the Snapdragon 845 chipset inside, which by itself is already a very capable slice of silicon. But the Mi Mix 2S is one of the first 845-powered products to also feature an optional 8GB of RAM, rather than 4GB or 6GB, as in the Galaxy S9 and S9+, respectively. And that makes the difference between a fast phone and a reallyfast phone.

MORE: Best Smartphones on the Market Now

Our 8GB Mi Mix 2S edged out the Galaxy S9+ in Geekbench 4, a benchmark that measures overall performance, There, Xiaomi's device turned in a score of 8,377, compared to Samsung's 8,295. That's a slight but noteworthy difference, because the extra RAM means the Mi Mix 2S can juggle more apps running concurrently without experiencing slowdown.

Surprisingly, however, the Mi Mix 2S' strong showing didn't carry over to 3DMark's Sling Shot Extreme graphics test. The phone managed only 3,248 in the OpenGL ES 3.1 portion of the benchmark, while the Galaxy S9+ notched 4,617.

It's hard to say why the Mi Mix 2S underperformed in 3DMark, as this phone carries the very same Adreno 630 GPU found in Samsung's flagship. What's even stranger, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile ran just as smoothly on the Mi Mix 2S as it did on the Galaxy S9+. In any case, having gamed with the phone, we don't believe the numbers are worth sweating; the Mi Mix 2S is a top performer.

Battery Life: Just above average

The 3,400-mAh battery inside the Mi Mix 2S lasted 10 hours and 15 minutes after streaming web pages on T-Mobile LTE. That's just above the 9:50 average for smartphones.

It's a good result, but not quite as good as those from other top-line devices, like the 11-hour Galaxy S9+, the 12-hour Google Pixel 2 XL or the astonishingly long-lasting Huawei Mate 10 Pro, which called it quits after 14 hours and 39 minutes.

While we didn't have the Mi Mix 2S' stock adapter on hand to perform a charging-speed test, Xiaomi did provide Tom's Guide with one of the company's own wireless charging pads, which come packaged with the 256GB model. Clad in white silicone with a minimalist look, Xiaomi's 7.5A pad takes the Mi Mix 2S from empty to full in about 3 hours. That's hardly a pinch, but then again, the pad is quite inexpensive, costing the equivalent of $15 when bought alone.

Because both the Mi Mix 2S and the wireless charger operate on the Qi standard (the same used on Apple's latest iPhones), you can use any Qi pad in place of the Xiaomi one. Some of them are more powerful than Xiaomi's stock pad and will top up the handset faster. Here are some of our favorites.

Software: An unusual take on Android

Welcome to Android as you've never seen it before. Although the Mi Mix 2S comes equipped with Android 8.0 Oreo, Google's operating system looks and runs completely differently here than on other handsets, and that's because of Xiaomi's MIUI interface.

MIUI has actually been around for a very long time  seven years, in fact, which means it predates Xiaomi's own phones. Back then, MIUI was pitched as an alternative to stock Android that provided devices like the original Motorola Droid with a user experience more akin to that of iOS. MIUI didn't even support the Google Play store, then known as the Android Market.

Xiaomi's MIUI interface feels cohesive in a way most custom Android skins don't.

Fast-forward to 2018, and MIUI now launches on all of Xiaomi's hardware. The design  which was once heavily inspired by Apple's flair for skeuomorphism, realistic textures and 3D buttons  is flatter and more minimalist to emulate the iOS of today. More importantly, the Play Store is on board.

I have to hand it to Xiaomi for accomplishing something I've long thought impossible: creating an Android skin I actually don't hate using. Many of the same features offered by other manufacturers, like the ability to duplicate apps and create "secret" alternate user profiles, appear in MIUI as well. However, Xiaomi's interface feels cohesive in a way most custom takes on Android don't.

For one thing, the extra functionality is typically useful and never feels tacked on. I like the iPhone X-style gestures that Xiaomi offers as an alternative to Android's traditional navigation bar. I also like the weather widget thoughtfully included above the quick toggles in the notification shade.

MORE: Android Tips to Unlock Your Phone's Full Potential

Those are the kind of little quality-of-life improvements that MIUI offers, and they mesh well with the simplistic, airy and clean aesthetic Xiaomi's established for this phone. It's not for Android purists, nor do I prefer it to the Pixel 2's software. However, MIUI is a stylish departure from tradition that should excite users pining for something that doesn't feel totally like Android or iOS.

For updates, Xiaomi takes a different approach than other manufacturers. The company tells us its Chinese customers are more concerned with getting the latest edition of MIUI, rather than Android updates. For that reason, Xiaomi phones typically receive only one major Android version upgrade during the devices' life spans, while they get up to five or six years of new MIUI software. However, with Google streamlining the Android update process through Project Treble, Xiaomi says it's currently reconsidering its practices.

Bottom Line

There's a lot to like about the Mi Mix 2S. While the greatest minds at other phone makers are busy aping the iPhone X's notch, Xiaomi set down its own path. This is one of the prettiest handsets of the year thus far and likely will remain in that conversation through the end of 2018.

In terms of performance, the Mi Mix 2S is similarly admirable. But right now, Xiaomi's range-topper mostly benefits from Samsung's exclusive hold on the Snapdragon 845 chip here in the U.S. Once that subsides, as it will in the coming weeks with handsets like the Sony Xperia XZ2 and Asus ZenFone 5Z, Xiaomi's advantage will surely erode.

That leaves us with a beautiful phone capable of excellent performance that U.S. buyers will soon be able to get elsewhere, whose other qualities aren't necessarily knocks against it but don't impress, either. The iPhone X and Pixel 2 XL outclass the Mi Mix 2S' hit-or-miss dual cameras, while the Galaxy S9 duo offers far better screens and a more extensive feature set, with water resistance, a microSD card slot and booming stereo speakers. The OnePlus 6  which hasn't been announced yet  will also bring Snapdragon 845 power and will likely compare favorably in terms of price, if history is a good predictor.

One day, the Mi Mix 2S might be sold in these parts. Xiaomi already has a small presence in the U.S., selling assorted tech products on Amazon, and CEO Lei Jun has gone on record saying he'd like to add phones to that roster by the end of this year or early next. If that plan pans out, the Mi Mix 2S would make for quite a premiere, especially if Xiaomi can keep the price down.

But that's not the reality. The Mi Mix 2S doesn't contend with the best devices in its class, and prospective buyers have to jump through too many hoops just to get their hands on one. It's interesting, but simply too inconvenient to recommend.

Credits: Shaun Lucas/Tom's Guide
Chinas ruling Communist Party is holding its twice-a-decade national congress starting Sunday. That's where President Xi Jinping is expected to receive a third five-year term as the uncontested head of the party, government and military of the worlds second-largest economy. The event proceedings are shrouded in secrecy, as is typical in Chinas authoritarian one-party state. But the weeklong congress is expected to produce a new set of leaders handpicked by Xi. Xi faces no term limits and has yet to indicate a successor after a decade in the top spot. If past protocols are followed, the new leadership will be unveiled the day after the congress closes.
Latvian airline airBaltic, in codeshare cooperation with Etihad Airways, will launch a direct service between Riga and Abu Dhabi on October 29.



The four times weekly service will depart from Abu Dhabi at 9:45 in the morning, providing travellers from the UAE and surrounding Gulf countries with convenient access not only to the Baltic States of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, but also to the Northern European destinations of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Russia.



To promote the flights, airBaltic has selected Aviareps, the global leader in tourism, aviation and hospitality representation.



Martin Gauss, chief executive officer of airBaltic, said: We are delighted to link Latvia and the UAE. with our brand-new Bombardier aircraft. Riga is a notable business and leisure hub in Northern Europe, attracting millions of passengers every year. In addition to that, our clients appreciate the convenient transfer possibilities we offer to over 60 destinations in Scandinavia, Russia and the CIS.



Flights between Abu Dhabi and Riga last 6 hours and 15 minutes, with one-way ticket prices starting from Dh1,095 ($298), including airport fees and transaction costs.



AirBaltic serves over 60 destinations from its home base in Riga, Latvia. From every one of these locations, airBaltic offers convenient connections via Riga to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, CIS and now the Middle East. In addition, airBaltic also offers direct flights from Tallinn, Estonia and Vilnius, Lithuania. - TradeArabia News Service


Gilda's Club will hold weekly yoga workshops for cancer survivors and caregivers in Muscatine.

Sessions will be held weekly from 6-7 p.m. at the Muscatine School District building, 2900 Mulberry Ave., beginning Thursday, Oct. 5. The classes will run until Nov. 9.

The six-week series includes four sessions of chair yoga and two sessions of traditional yoga. Sessions are tailored for cancer patients in treatment, cancer survivors, those who have completed treatment and individuals who provide cancer care to a loved one.

The program is made possible by a Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine grant. For more information and to register, call Gilda's Club at 563-326-7504 or email kelly@gildasclubqc.org.
Tortuguero nesting season is July to Oct. See http://costa-rica-guide.com/nature/wildlife/turtle-nesting/ . Ppl go to Tortuguero to do canal wildlife tours, so even if you do not see the turtles, you will be able to do smth there.

You might be able to do Tortuguero and Cahuita, or Cahuita and Tortuguero, but definitely not Arenal and the other two. It took us 7 hrs from Cahuita to Arenal. It takes about 5 hrs from SJO to S. Caribbean, depending on the weather, traffic, and which particular place in S. Caribbean you r going to. One other time it took us almost 6 hrs from Cahuita to a hotel closer to SJO.

Much will depend on the times of your international flights. You might need to spend the first and/or last night closer to the airport, thus reducing the time at the destination.
Hi guys, I am going to Vietnam this week and wondering what I shouldn't forget to type to my list. What I must see and try? Also I heard northern Vietnam is much better and more to see than in south. Do you agree? Also I am thinking if is possible to visit for example 12days Vietnam and 8-9days Cambodia or to leave Cambodia for next year. Will I be in rush if I wanna try both? I don't think I want to travel up to HCMC as my attention is mostly on north and middle of Vietnam. I am traveling alone and I would like to see as much as possible but I don't wanna be in rush. Also whats the best way how to travel between cities? By motorbike or buses or Grab? Thank you so much for ideas and help. Eli :)
Hi Team,

We are looking to venture to Vietnam mid January from Australia and we're after some pointers on internal travel once we land in Hanoi.

We're looking to totally immerse ourselves in nature & adventure all around the north of Vietnam. We have some must see places on our list and we're not too fussed on accomodation standards- we're up to immerse ourselves in home stays, cost-effective hotels etc.

Our must see list contains:

-Halong (we are looking at immersing ourselves in a Halong Bay tour but we are up for suggestions)

-Cao Bang

-Sapa (we are looking at doing an overnight journey on the train but once again, we are open for options)

-Son La

-Son Doong

We have a few questions for past Vietnam travellers that we would love some advice on.

How would you suggest to internally travel from place to place? Train, bus, local tour guides?

Which places would you order the itinerary?

Would you suggest to stay in hotels or home-stays?

Did you organise tours once you arrived in Vietnam?

General advice about immersing ourselves in the beautiful natural elements of Vietnam.

We appreciate your time in helping us venture to Vietnam.

Cheers,

Dan and Dale
We will stay in Matsumoto for a night and head to Hakone. -by car. 1) Don't know if we have enough time to walk on Nakesendo trail from Tsumago to Magome and then arrive in Hakone. I think the ride is 5 hrs. Is that true? 2)How do we drive to these places. GPS on cars work by telephone number which we may not have. Would we do better to do this by train?

3)Also do you recommend staying or visiting 5 Lakes region?

4)We will visit Kamikochi to hike along the river there, but do not know where to leave our car near bus station.

Thanks for replies.
Though Takayama is not an onsen town, it does have onsen ryokan/hotels. Otherwise, consider Oku-hida onsen where there are five onsen villages (Shin-hotaka is one of them) nestled inside the JP Alps, accessible by Nohi bus from Takayama direct.

October is busy in the JP Alps for "Momiji-gari" (fall foliage visits) in the mountains.
Hello there,

We are going to visit Japan on a 7-day trip (first time). We have decided on the following:

5-6/10: visit Kyoto.

...

10/10 night and 11 Oct: Osaka (and return flight).

Between these times we will visit Tokyo (nearly 2 days) and another destination. The reason for the short stay in Tokyo is that we're not fond of mega cities, which I think pretty much the same everywhere.

Now, as for the other destination, we're thinking Lake Kawaguchi for watching Mt. Fuji and onsen experience. However, we also want to go somewhere that has the famous Japanese fall colors, which unfortunately won't have arrived in Fuji lakes by the time we come. We even thought about going to both Kawaguchi-go and another place, e.g. Takayama, Kamikochi, Kurobe Alpine Route, Hachimantai, or Nikko..., but like Kawaguchi, they are all in the mountains. It seems a waste of time going to 2 mountainous areas when we only have several days.

So we're torn between a chance to watch the symbol of Japan without autumn leaves or going somewhere else with deep fall colors. We really don't know what to choose. Please help.

FYI, we have seen the autumn in Europe and the US, so if the Japanese autumn scenery is not much different, it might not be worth it to us (just "might", I'm not sure). We will travel mostly by JR pass.
I'm a mildly anti-social chap who holidays in Japan about twice every year, nearly always solo. I've found few places better equipped for the lone traveller, mainly because everything is so wonderfully organised - from the train timetables to the machine-based ordering systems at some restaurants.

I've seen Japan Guide mentioned above (http://www.japan-guide.com/) and I fully agree with that recommendation. It's a great place to start planning, and even has some sample itineraries (complete with indicative budgets) that you could work with if you're not inclined to start from scratch.

I do know the language (not very well but enough to get by), which is a massive help especially when I venture out into the countryside where there's not a shred of English. Also, mildly anti-social I might be, but I do enjoy the rare conversation or two and it's incredible how helpful, welcoming, and patient the locals can be even with one's halting, broken attempts at Japanese. That said, you'll manage perfectly fine with just English in the major tourist hotspots. If you've got time, though, even a basic brushing-up on the lingo might work wonders (the Human Japanese series of iOS/Android apps is one of the very best introductory programmes I've seen, though bear in mind that even the "intermediate" level is still fairly basic).

Cheers.
Hi Dave, I've been to Nosara several times and will be heading back at the end of Nov for nearly a month. Nosara is different in that there is no development allowed within 200 metres (600 feet) of the high tide line. This means no accomms on the beach. It also means unspoiled beachfronts for sure and has also kept all but boutique hotels out of the area. Pretty easy to see monkeys, and lots of birds (Nosara Biological Reserve - or just walking around) I prefer this - and love the area. In fact I just purchased a piece of land in Nosara. Airbnb has lots of places to stay - from very upscale to pretty basic. And unless you rent accomms in a really strategic location, a car is almost necessary. I'd recommend a 4wd as you'd be hitting the tail end of the rainy season. And that should be a good time to go turtle watching in Ostional. To get to Ostional - you have to ford a couple of streams that can get pretty deep if it's been rainy. You can also take a tour there from Nosara.

You can fly right into Nosara from Liberia or San Jose or bus/drive from Lib (about 2.5 hours). There are major car rental places in Nosara. Pretty long drive to Nosara from San Jose. Most people fly to Liberia to access the North Pacific beach towns.
Is your company in need of the most reliable and efficient best Best Jasmine Tea s in the market? Your good luck led you to the ideal situation, so congratulations! You are in the best possible place. By eliminating the need to read through dozens of Best Jasmine Tea reviews, we are saving you time and stress.

Many customers find it difficult to decide which Best Jasmine Tea product to buy. The dilemma is brought about by the many types of Best Jasmine Tea in the market. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a clear understanding of how you may choose the most suitable Best Jasmine Tea available in the market.
MUSCATINE  Three Muscatine Power & Water employees will begin a journey to Florida Tuesday, to help restore power to thousands of homes and businesses affected by Hurricane Irma.

As of Monday, Irma had been downgraded to a tropical storm, moving at 50 mph through northern Georgia, according to the National Weather Service. At least four deaths were reported in Florida as of Sunday, with at least 27 people dead across the Caribbean, according to the Associated Press.

Officials in Florida said Monday about 6.7 million homes and businesses are currently out of power. In an effort to restore power and secure the safety of residents in Irma's path, utility companies from across the country are traveling to Florida.

Neil Gaunt, a line crew supervisor, said Muscatine Power & Water has an agreement with the American Public Power Association, which recruits mutual aid companies from across the country to assist in emergencies.

Thousands of utility workers are on their way to Florida from Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Iowa and elsewhere.

Mark Archer, Dylan Rowe and Robert Walker will travel to Florida from Muscatine. When the trio arrives in Florida after a two-day trip, they will join a utility crew from Ames, Iowa, as they work to restore power in Wauchula, Florida, southeast of Tampa.

"We got the report that there's lots of poles broken and wire on the ground they think will be OK to put back up," Gaunt said. "We're going to take our digger, a bucket truck and a pick-up just for transportation."

The crew expects to arrive in Florida with two rooms and food available, however, Monday afternoon Gaunt packed sleeping bags and extra water in the truck, "prepar[ing] for the worst."

Gaunt is well-seasoned in assisting with emergency efforts, having traveled to Florida multiple times, including in 2012 to assist with Superstorm Sandy. Along with two other MPW employees, Gaunt stayed in Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers and worked for about two weeks helping to restore power to thousands of homes.

Erika Cox, spokeswoman for MPW, is happy to see Muscatine join in the hurricane recovery efforts, and said the mutual aid program has benefited Muscatine in the past.

"We've had crews here when storms come through, from Tipton, Durant and Ames," she said. "It's a fantastic program that utilities have."

The cost of transportation and other fees are reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Gaunt said.

In Wauchula, the Muscatine crew will meet two utility workers from Ames Municipal Utilities, who will bring a second digger truck. The crews will place new poles and repair power lines for about two weeks.
Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi []
The Mayor of the nation's capital city says the police are working and it is not for him to assess their performance.

This,. as he called on the entire society to work together on getting rid of any perception that crime is an opportunity.
The official opening ceremony of the Rapid Trident 2017 Ukrainian-U.S. command and staff exercises has been held at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center of the Hetman Petro Sahaidachny National Academy of the Land Forces of Ukraine in Lviv region.

"An unprecedented number of participants  about 2,500 soldiers from 15 countries of the world  will take part in the military maneuvers this year. Apart from Ukraine and the United States, the troops from Canada, Bulgaria, Georgia, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland , Romania, Turkey and the United Kingdom are involved in the military exercises," the press service of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine reports.

The US and Canada have sent the largest foreign contingents to participate in the Rapid Trident 2017 drills, a total of about 500 people. Over a thousand service people represent Ukraine.

The Ukrainian army team from the LITPOLUKRBRIG, a multinational Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade established in 2014, is also involved in the command-and-staff phase of the exercises.

The Rapid Trident 2017 military exercises will be held for two weeks. The troops will improve their tactical knowledge and skills in the course of patrolling, convoying, countering improvised explosive devices, etc.

ol
In January-June 2017, the trade turnover between Ukraine and France grew by 15.2% and exceeded USD 1.1 billion.

This was stated during the meeting of Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman with the delegation of the French Senate, the Government portal reports.

"The level of economic cooperation is rather high. We can speak about the gradual creation of a favorable investment climate in Ukraine. We are grateful to the French business for their attention to Ukraine," Groysman said during the meeting.

Upon the first half of 2017, the total trade turnover between Ukraine and France grew by 15.2% and reached USD 1125.1 million. The main items of Ukrainian exports to France are animal and vegetable fats and oils, oleaginous seeds and fruits, residues and waste from the food industry, clothing and textiles. The main items of French imports to Ukraine are mineral fuels, chemical products, means of land transport (except for railways), pharmaceuticals, nuclear reactors, boilers and vehicles.

France ranks eighth in terms of direct foreign investments attracted to the economy of Ukraine with an index of USD 1334.1 million.

ol
In January-May 2017, the volume of Ukrainian exports to the Islamic Republic of Iran increased by 78% compared to the same period last year.

This has been stated by President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine, Gennadiy Chyzhykov, during the Ukrainian-Iranian business forum, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

In 2016, comparing with 2015, exports from Ukraine to Iran increased by 32%, while imports from Iran - by 30%. In January - May 2017, Ukraines exports to Iran increased by an additional 78% compared with the same period in 2016," said Chyzhykov.

He stressed that to increase the volume of foreign trade between Ukraine and Iran, the two countries should refuse from the mediation of third countries in building a chain supply.

A reminder that the volume of foreign trade between Ukraine and Iran in 2016 totaled $745 082 million.

iy
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 []
Canada has agreed to start to elaborate a joint film production agreement with Ukraine.

"There is a serious competition for the opportunity to sign a co-production agreement with Canada. I am glad that Canada has listened to our arguments in favor of the immediate start of negotiations with Ukraine. This means a better and more competitive film and television production for both countries," Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to him, Minister of Canadian Heritage Melanie Joly expressed her intention to start negotiations on this issue in the official letter. She suggested using "new agreement model" developed by Canada in course of talks with Ukraine.

Ambassador Shevchenko noted the parties should appoint the official negotiators to start to work on the document in the near future.

ol
Mother Nature has a tendency to let her kids fight it out, and only the strongest get to sire progeny. Many of them decide to go the tried and tested way of claws, teeth, and hearty roars to dissuade others from seeing them as a good meal. Some of the smaller ones, though, dont have any of those, so, combined with father times patience, developed defence mechanisms that dont just discourage you from eating them but make you go, Dude what the hell?

1 The hairy frog breaks its own bones when threatened and uses them as spines to protect itself.

Since claws are not an option, the hairy frog decided that there had to be a better way to stay alive. Now, when its threatened, it breaks its bones so hard that they protrude from the skin. Like some low-level wolverine, the animal then uses the claw-like projections to defend itself. For reference, this is called a compound fracture, and, when it happens to a person, all alarm bells go off. You are risking infection, not just a broken limb. The hairy frog isnt the only animal that does this. The Iberian ribbed newt is also known for breaking its ribs. The bones then protrude as barbs with poison, and it dares anyone to come and give it a hug.(1,2,3)

2 The Texas horned Lizard shoots blood from its eyes.

As if not content to let the hairy frog be the only animal that starts losing its body parts when things get tough, the horned lizard from Texas has glands in its eyes which it squeezes and results in it releasing blood from its eyes as a spray. The Texas horned lizard can then spray the liquid on any approaching predator reaching as far as five feet. The attack isnt without consequence. The horned lizard can lose up to a third of its blood performing this attack. Not only is the attack meant to be a surprise, but the blood also stinks and wards of most of its canine and feline predators. Its not the only one that can shed blood at will though. The barred grass snake has been known to do this to give a more convincing performance when it is playing dead, but it does not shoot it out of its eye. It only oozes out.(1,2)

3 Malaysian ants will swarm a predator and explode resulting in their death but ensuring the survival of the colony.

If they sense a predator, Malaysian ants will defend their colony at all costs, including death. They will swarm the animal, getting as close to it as they can, and then explode. They have poison sacs inside their body that will explode and spray the enemy with poison that is corrosive. Some die. but the colony survives. They arent the only ones that are willing to die for the greater good. In Guyana, there is a species of termite that does the same thing only taking a smarter approach. The neocapritermes taracua is a species of termites that grows an explosive sack as it ages. If attacked, the elderly are the first to be sent out on the suicide missions ensuring that the younger ones have a better chance of survival.(1,2)

Advertisements

4 Lemurs will attack a millipede causing the millipede to emit a poison in defense. The lemur will then apply the poison on itself.

Millipedes are some of the most poisonous animals on the planet. Their defense mechanism includes spraying cyanide on themselves killing anything thats crazy enough to eat them. Enter the black lemur. The black lemur doesnt produce any natural poison, so it goes to the millipede for some. When it spots a millipede, the black lemur attacks the creature just enough for it to start releasing its poison. The lemur then applies the foul smelling substance on itself. The poison is used to protect it against insects. Another side effect of the poison is that it causes the Lemur to get intoxicated so it wanders around with its mouth open and drooling before enjoying a bug-free life. It releases the millipede since it had no intention of eating a creature that can produce such potent poison.(1,2)

5 The Octopoteuthis Deletron can severe all of its tentacles to create a diversion for its escape.

Squids and octopus already have a reputation as some of the weirdest animals out there. They have some critical thinking capacity and four more limbs than us. Were it not for a few crucial IQ points, they would definitely be contenders for rulers of the seas.

When they cant outsmart predators, squids opt to outrun them in some innovative ways.

For starters, like most squids, the Octopoteuthis deletron is able to squirt ink as a defense. If that isnt good enough, it digs even deeper to save its own life. Its arms can glow in the dark for it to confuse its enemies and make them think that its not edible. If that doesnt work, it can detach its limbs to escape. The deletron one-ups (seven-ups?) the spider and lizard which are known for detaching limbs by being able to detach all of its eight arms to flee. The arms will flail about and glow leaving the enemy confused as the squid escapes to regrow them later. It might have a challenge capturing food for a few days, but its better than itself being captured as food.(1,2)

6 The hagfish will emit a slime that is so potent it doesnt even pause when a shark attacks It.

The hagfish is an exception in evolution. It developed a backbone, then noticed it was unnecessary and so lost it. It now scours the ocean floor with other creatures that are some of the first examples of life. More complex life has tried to eat the hagfish, but it responds by emitting a slime that when combined with water is extremely sticky and can even choke animals by sticking to their throats and gills. The goo is so effective that the hagfish doesnt even have to worry about a sharks jaws clamping down on it. The shark risks having its mouth pasted shut, and the hagfish will go on with its life as if nothing happened.(source)

Advertisements

7 The pygmy sperm whale poops in the water to create a distraction for its escape from prey.

If you think life on land is harsh for animals, then you should try the sea. A six-meter long whale is labeled a pygmy and is prey. Because of its small stature, the pygmy whale has to constantly look over its shoulder as it is often preyed upon by sharks and killer whales. Being the butt of whale jokes, youd think the pygmy whale would find some respectable way to fend off predators. Something like hunting in packs that other whales could tip their hats to.

Instead, when threatened, the pygmy whale will secrete some poo from its anus into the water. The whale then stirs up the water to create a giant cloud of filth and escapes. The poop works the same way that the octopus uses its ink.(source)

8 The dormouse sheds its tail skin to escape from trouble.

Dormice are a type of rodent found exclusively in Europe. Given their small size, anyone would think them cute and easy prey, but the dormouse has found a way to make a quick escape. Some animals can shed their tails and thats quite impressive, but what about the skin? The dormouse can do this like some Hanna-Barbera cartoon character thats seen a ghost. The dormouse has incredibly loose skin at its tail. If a predator grabs the dormouses tail, the skin comes off allowing it to make a run for safety. Unfortunately, it can only do this once in its entire life. After the skin is gone the bone also falls off naturally or is gnawed off by vermin. Some dogs will never catch their tail, but this is one animal that can even clean where the tail once was.(1, 2)

9 Young Eurasian roller birds will vomit on themselves to become too disgusting to be eaten.

The rollers are Old World birds, but they have been known to travel from Europe to the southern parts of Africa, with some being spotted in Zimbabwe. With all the time it spends away from its nest, the young of a roller bird need an effective defense mechanism to protect themselves from predators.

Young roller birds protect themselves from predators by vomiting an orange liquid. The putrid-smelling goo is potent enough to deter even the most determined predator. Its strong scent also warns the parents that there is danger nearby.(source)

10 The Eastern honey bee will let a hornet enter the hive then swarm on top of it. This results in the hornet overheating and dying.

Hornets are a perennial problem for bees. Hornets consume honey, and in Europe they are known for swarming beehives, killing the bees in the hive, then taking it over for themselves. In Japan though, this is not always the case. The eastern honey bee has a very brutal but efficient way of dealing with unwanted guests. The Hornets normally send a messenger to find hives with honey. The eastern honey bee lets the hornet enter the hive. When the hornet is comfortably inside, the bees swarm over it covering it completely. The bees then begin to vibrate their abdomens. This causes temperatures at the center to increase to 117F which is above the temperature that a hornet can withstand. Eventually, unable to bear the heat, the hornet dies and its message never gets back to its swarm.(1,2)
Madrid, Spain (UroToday.com) Dr. Manuela Schmidinger provided an excellent discussant commentary for the late-breaking abstract CheckMate 214: Efficacy and safety of Nivolumab + Ipilimumab vs Sunitinib for treatment-naive advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), including IMDC risk and PD-L1 expression subgroups [1] presented by Dr. Escudier and colleagues. As. Dr. Schmidinger notes, for more than a decade now, VEGF-inhibitors have been first-line agents for patients with favorable or intermediate risk clear cell mRCC.Dr. Schmidinger elegantly highlighted a few background points regarding VEGF-inhibitor trials for first-line mRCC: (i) all first line agents received approval based on statistically significant benefits in progression free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR) and not based on overall survival (OS), since OS was not significant in these previous trials; (ii) OS would have been confounded considering that patients in the control arm of these trials could cross over to VEGF-inhibitor therapy after treatment failure; (iii) comparative phase II/III trials between established first line agents did not have superiority in PFS or OS as a primary endpoint, but rather non-inferiority PFS or patient preference; (iv) sunitinib has never been defeated by another agent in a phase III superiority trial, suggesting that sunitinib is the ideal comparator in the CheckMate 214 trial.Indeed, the current study assessing nivolumab + ipilimumab vs sunitinib is the first to demonstrate a statistically significant OS benefit, allowing Dr. Schmidinger to conclude that nivolumab + ipilimumab can be considered as a new standard of care in this patient population. Furthermore, the response rates (including complete response) observed in CheckMate 214 are among the highest ever reported and the response duration is the longest ever observed. These points lead Dr. Schmidinger to pose the question Does this imply that VEGF-inhibitors are no longer the primary choice in first line mRCC? and second What could prompt us to perceive nivolumab + ipilimumab as a new option rather than THE new standard of care? According to Dr. Schmidinger, there are five areas that merit a second thought regarding the status of nivolumab + ipilimumab:(1)According to Dr. Schmidinger, based on the phase Ib trial [2], there is little doubt that the combination of nivolumab + ipilimumab is highly efficacious. In CheckMate 214, patients had access to nivolumab + ipilimumab only if they were assigned to this arm of the trial, as patients assigned to sunitinib never had access to nivolumab + ipilimumab throughout the course of their disease. This raises the question as to how these patients would perform if they would have been given the chance to receive nivolumab + ipilimumab after sunitinib failure? Dr. Schmidinger suggests that although cross-over is a well-known confounder of OS, could the lack of cross-over in CheckMate 214 also be a confounder for OS since patients assigned to sunitinib didnt have the chance to receive nivolumab + ipilimumab? Thus, according to Dr. Schmidinger, we dont know whether it is a matter of first-line nivolumab + ipilimumab or access to nivolumab + ipilimumab in general that is most important.(2)The current guidelines recommend treatment based on favorable/intermediate risk vs poor risk, whereas Dr. Schmidinger notes that CheckMate 214 combined intermediate + poor risk patients and looked separately at favorable risk patients. As such, favorable risk patients did better on sunitinib and intermediate/poor risk patients did better with nivolumab + ipilimumab. Dr. Schmidinger points out that the biology of intermediate and favorable risk disease can be quite close, given that only one IMDC risk factor is sufficient to be classified as intermediate risk. Thus, do we really know if certain intermediate risk patients would benefit more from sunitinib or nivolumab + ipilimumab?(3)Dr. Schmidinger notes that one such agent that we may use instead of nivolumab + ipilimumab is cabozantinib. The CABOSUN trial [3] was a randomized phase II trial in intermediate/poor risk patients randomizing to cabozantinib vs sunitinib in the first line setting. Cabozantinib demonstrated a PFS and ORR benefit compared to sunitinib, however the trial was not designed to test for differences in OS. Patients in CABOSUN more frequently had bone metastases and poorer ECOG status compared to patients in CheckMate 214. Dr. Schmidinger states that since cabozantinib targets the bone microenvironment and has an effect on immune-mediated killing of tumor cells, clinicians may be tempted to choose cabozantinib first.(4)Since favorable risk patients in CheckMate 214 did much better on sunitinib than nivolumab + ipilimumab, the initial perception that checkpoint inhibitors may work best when patients are healthiest appears inaccurate. According to Dr. Schmidinger, this may be a matter of low PD-L1 expression in favorable risk patients, considering that the favorable risk group in CheckMate 214 only had 11% PD-L1 expression 1% compared to higher levels in intermediate/poor risk patients. As such, should we get PD-L1 status in favorable risk patients and choose between nivolumab + ipilimumab or sunitinib based on PD-L1 status?(5)An exploratory endpoint in CheckMate 214 showed that PD-L1 positive patients derived a particular benefit with nivolumab + ipilimumab, specifically for improved PFS (HR 0.48, 95%CI 0.28-0.82). However, considering that the majority of patients were PD-L1 negative, these results should be perceived as hypothesis generating according to Dr. Schmidinger, and the role of PD-L1 status as a predictive biomarker remains unclear. Ultimately, once the PD-L1 expression biomarker issue is resolved, will this be enough to know whether a patient will benefit from immunotherapy and derive no benefit from TKIs?Dr. Schmidinger concluded her presentation with several take-home points: (i) the superiority of nivolumab + ipilimumab over sunitinib is a paradigm change in mRCC first-line treatment considering that sunitinib has never been defeated in superiority trials; (ii) nivolumab + ipilimumab induces a high rate of objective responses, including a number of complete responses with impressive durability; (iii) although check-point inhibitor first-line treatment is a new standard of care with an impressive impact, it is not the final picture yet; (iv) further delineation of tumor biology (ie PD-L1 status) will allow us to better individualize treatment; (v) multiple TKI-checkpoint inhibitor phase III trials are ongoing, several of which will likely be included as standard of care options.Speaker: Manuela Schmidinger, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaWritten By: Zachary Klaassen, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Twitter: @zklaassen_md at the European Society for Medical Oncology Annual Congress - September 8 - 12, 2017 - Madrid, SpainReferences:1. Escudier B, Tannir N, McDermott D, et al. CheckMate 214: Efficacy and safety of Nivolumab + Ipilimumab vs Sunitinib for treatment-naive advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma, including IMDC risk and PD-L1 expression subgroups. ESMO 2017 abstr LBA5.2. Hammers HJ, Plimack ER, Infante JR, et al. Safety and efficacy of nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: The CheckMate 016 study. J Clin Oncol 2017 [Epub ahead of print].
Madrid, Spain (UroToday.com) Dr. Johann de Bono provided an in-depth discussion on the immunogenomics of lethal prostate cancer at this mornings Immunobiology in Prostate Cancer symposium at ESMO 2017 in Madrid, Spain. Dr. de Bono and his team hypothesized that a subset of lethal prostate cancers have higher mutational loads and that these are associated with DNA repair defects, with tumor genomics impacting antitumor immune response.As part of the SU2C research dream teams initiative, sequencing data has certainly demonstrated that advanced prostate tumors have a large subset of DNA repair defects. Among these 335 patients, additional genomic signatures included DNA repair defect mutations focusing on the MMR genes and mutational load and MMR signatures. Transcriptome profiling of these patients noted expression of 30 immune checkpoint transcripts and expression of 760 selected immune transcripts.Using two different methods (Bayesian and non-Bayesian) for the SU2C cohort, their group was able to identify and analyze four different mutational types: MMR6, MMR26, HRD3, and AGING1. Transcriptomes of these MMR_signa mCRPC tumors had mRNA signatures reported to associate with MMR loss of function with decreased MMR gene expression, as well as higher mutational load. MMR_signa, but not the degree of mutational load, was associated with inferred immune infiltrate based on high macrophage detection from mCRPC biopsies. Furthermore, there appears to be an association between immune checkpoint expression and mutation load.Among 306 samples from the Royal Marsden cohort (179 hormone sensitive and 127 mCRPC), targeted NGS with a 113-gene panel was performed to assess mutational load, MMR gene mutations, and microsatellite instability by NGS. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for MMR proteins (MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2) was performed, as was immune cell multi-color immunofluroesence and PD-L1 immunohistochemistry. For both hormone sensitive and mCRPC samples, MMR protein levels were associated with microsatellite instability by NGS. In clinical models, MMR_IHC mCRPC patients have a worse prognosis compared to MMR proficient tumors when comparing OS from diagnosis (log-rank p-value 0.07) and OS from start of LHRH (log-rank p-value 0.01). Furthermore, MMR_IHC associates with PD-L1 in mCRPC and immune cell infiltration based on myeloid-derived suppressor cell markers and T-cell markers.Certainly, the immunogenomic research space has implications for clinical trials. As reported at last years ESMO 2016 meeting [1], KEYNOTE-028 assessed in a phase Ib setting the role of pembrolizumab in PD-L1 positive patients with CRPC. Among 23 patients, with a median follow-up of 33 weeks, three patients had a confirmed partial response, for an ORR of 13% and median duration of response of 59 weeks. Stable disease was noted in 39% of patients, although 20% of patients had increased tumor burden. As such, patient selection is crucial. Ultimately, immunotherapy trials must interrogate assays for determining RNAseq profile, immune checkpoint expression, and immune transcript expression in order to determine the optimal predictive biomarker model.Speaker: Johann de Bono, Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden, London, United KingdomWritten By: Zachary Klaassen, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Twitter: @zklaassen_md at the European Society for Medical Oncology Annual Congress - September 8 - 12, 2017 - Madrid, SpainReferences:Hansen A, Massard C, Ott PA, et al. Pembrolizumab for patients with advanced prostate adenocarcinoma: Preliminary results from the KEYNOTE-028 study. ESMO 2016 abstr 725.
Strong PD-L1 and high mutational load  treatment is anti-PD-L1/PD1 Weak PD-L1 and myeloid cells are present  treatment is anti-PD-L1/PD1 + anti-CSF1R No PD-L1 and IDO/kyneurinin is expressed  treatment is anti-PD-L1/PD1 + IDO inhibitor No identifiable immune targets  treatment is anti-PD-L1/PD1 + chemo, radiotherapy, targeted therapy

T cells at the periphery  treatment is anti-PD-L1/PD1 + anti-angiogenics + anti-stromal agents There is MHC loss with tumor antigen expression  treatment is anti-PD-L1/PD1+ T-cell bispecifics CAR-T No T cells plus experienced antigen  anti-PD-L1/PD1 + anti-OX40, anti-CTLA4, anti-CD40, targeted IL2, vaccine No identifiable immune targets  anti-PD-L1/PD1 plus chemo, radiotherapy, targeted therapy

Madrid, Spain (UroToday.com) Dr. Winald Gerritsen concluded the Immunobiology in Prostate Cancer symposium at this mornings ESMO 2017 meeting with a presentation discussing immune checkpoint inhibitors in prostate cancer. Dr. Gerritsen notes that indeed the immune checkpoint blockade pathways are complex, albeit in his opinion can be summarized by checkpoint inhibitor therapy enhancing anti-tumor response and enhanced killing in the tumor microenvironment.Previous trials have assessed immunotherapy in prostate cancer. Ipilimumab in the post-docetaxel setting demonstrated a HR for OS of 0.84 (95%CI 0.72-0.98) favoring ipilimumab vs placebo [1]. However, in the pre-docetaxel setting, there was no perceived benefit for ipilimumab (p=0.37) [2].The future of immunotherapy will likely rely on tailoring cancer immunotherapy based on type of tumor microenvironment. Since there are many strategies to evade an immune response, the tumor has many strategies available. One proposed classification system takes into account the tumor microenvironment based on the presence or absence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and PD-L1 expression [3]: Type I is adaptive immune resistance (TIL+/PD-L1+; 38% of patients), Type II is immunological ignorance (TIL -/PD-L1 -; 41% of patients), Type III is intrinsic induction (TIL -/PD-L1 +; 1% of patients), and Type IV is tolerance (TIL +/PD-L1 -; 20% of patients). According to Dr. Gerritsen, Type I represents CRPC late stage disease (treatment with single PD-1/PD-L1 agent), Type II represents early prostate cancer (no effect from PD-1/PD-L1 treatment), Type III represents early CRPC (no effect from PD-1/PD-L1 treatment), and Type IV represents CRPC after first line therapy (no effect from PD-1/PD-L1 treatment).As previously mentioned in Dr. Alimontis presentation, there is an important correlation between the prostate cancer disease spectrum and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, GR- myeloid-derived suppressor cells inversely correlate with CD8+ infiltrating T-cells in human prostate cancer. Both myeloid-derived suppressor cells and the T-cell are targets of several new therapeutic agents, thus the clinical ramifications are important: cabozantinib and GSK2636771 target myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD1 target the T-cell.Dr. Gerritsen elegantly concluded with a potential personalized cancer immunotherapy paradigm [4]. Each patient's tumor is characterized for biomarkers associated with the cancer-immunity cycle, including the presence of Th1 immunity, PD-L1 expression, exclusion of T cells from the tumor, MHC-I expression, and the presence or absence of other immune inhibitory factors and cells. These patients are then mapped to specific immunotherapy regimens that address the underlying cause:The Inflamed Cell:The Non-Inflamed Cell:Speaker: Winald R. Gerritsen, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The NetherlandsWritten By: Zachary Klaassen, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Twitter: @zklaassen_md at the European Society for Medical Oncology Annual Congress - September 8 - 12, 2017 - Madrid, SpainReferences:1. Kwon ED, Drake CG, Scher HI, et al. Ipilimumab versus placebo after radiotherapy in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer that had progressed after docetaxel chemotherapy (CA184-043): A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol 2014;15(7):700-712.2. Beer TM, Kwon ED, Drake CG, et al. Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase III Trial of Ipilimumab versus placebo in asymptomatic or minimally similar patients with metastatic chemotherapy-naive castration-resistant prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol 2017;35(1):40-47.3. Teng MW, Ngiow SF, Ribas A, et al. Classifying Cancers Based on T-cell infiltration and PD-L1. Cancer Res 2015;75(11):2139-2145.4. Kim JM, Chen DS. Immune escape to PD-L1/PD-1 blockade: seven steps to success (or failure). Ann Oncol 2016;27(8):1492-1504.
Madrid, Spain (UroToday.com) Dr. Yohann Loriot provided an in depth and high-level discussant commentary for the late-breaking abstract RANGE: A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled phase 3 study of docetaxel with or without ramucirumab in platinum refractory advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma [1] presented by Dr. Petrylak and colleagues.(1)Until 2016, the management and prognosis for metastatic urothelial carcinoma was quite dismal. Cisplatin-eligible patients received either dose-dense MVAC or cisplatin-gemcitabine, while cisplatin-ineligible patients received carboplatin-gemcitabine. For platinum-resistant metastatic urothelial cancer there was no standard chemotherapy, however vinflunine and taxanes were options. Angiogenesis is associated with stage and poor prognosis, with VEGF as a key mediator of angiogenesis in urothelial carcinoma. Preclinical models have demonstrated that VEGF inhibitors combined to chemotherapy increases antitumor activity. There have been several trials in the first line setting assessing angiogenesis inhibitors in metastatic urothelial carcinoma (all n<100), with no specific remarkable outcomes, however with noted toxicity in these patients with significant comorbidities. In the second line, Dr. Petrylak previously showed in a phase II study (n=45) that the VEGF2 receptor antagonist ramucirumab plus docetaxel significantly improved median progression-free survival (PFS) over docetaxel alone (5.4 vs 2.8 months; HR, 0.389; 95% CI, 0.235-0.643), with no unexpected toxicities [2]. These results provided the rationale for a phase III trial.(2)As Dr. Loriot notes, both arms of this trial were well balanced with 2/3 of patients having visceral disease, balance between patients having poor risk factors, and few patients having prior immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (<10%). The study met its PFS primary endpoint with a statistically significant HR favoring ramucirumab plus docetaxel of 0.757. However, as Dr. Loriot points out this only translates to an absolute difference of 1.31 months PFS advantage, with a smaller PFS difference than reported in the phase II trial. Furthermore, he notes that (i) OS interim results were planned at final PFS analysis, but are yet to be reported, (ii) there was better objective response rate (ORR) in the ramucirumab plus docetaxel arm, but the significance has yet to be tested, and (iii) there was no improvement in quality of life metrics, however this is with limited data after cycle 3 of treatment. Importantly, there was better tolerance in the phase III trial than the phase II trial, with no significant additive toxicity in this population of patients with cardiovascular and renal comorbidities.Dr. Loriot provided a concise strengths/weaknesses summary slide for the results of this trial. Strengths included (i) the study meeting its primary endpoint, (ii) this is the best ORR reported in a phase III trial in unselected patients, (iii) safety is manageable in this population of complex and frail patients, and (iv) ramucirumab may be the best angiogenic inhibitor ever investigated in urothelial carcinoma. Weaknesses included (i) PFS as a primary endpoint is not surrogate for OS in metastatic urothelial carcinoma, (ii) the benefit of PFS is quite small, (iii) interim analysis for OS is not reported, (iv) there was no improvement in quality of life metrics for these patients often complaining of symptoms in the second-line setting, (v) there was no biomarker data reported as of yet.(3)How this data translates in clinical practice for metastatic urothelial carcinoma is the most important question to be answered. Dr. Loriot notes that pembrolizumab in the second line is the only non-chemotherapy agent to prolong OS (KEYNOTE-045 [3]). Additionally, with improved EORTC QLQ-C30 scores for pembrolizumab, Dr. Loriot surmises that pembrolizumab and other immune checkpoint inhibitors may be the preferred option in the second line for the majority of clinicians. He feels that ramucirumab + docetaxel may be the treatment chosen post-immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for clinicians, however there are several issues: (i) there is an insufficient number of patients in the subgroup analysis to suggest that ramucirumab + docetaxel may be active in this setting, considering only 10% of patients received prior immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, (ii) many patients (~60%) do not receive any subsequent treatment after immune checkpoint inhibitor failure, (iii) there is no evidence for efficacy of ramucirumab on visceral disease, and (iv) whether ramucirumab is active and well-tolerated in unselected patients in daily practice remains to be seen, considering that inclusion criteria for the trial were quite restrictive (performance status 0-1, no untreated brain metastasis, no recent cardiovascular events, no thromboembolic events within six months of treatment). Given the early crossing of OS survival curves in the KEYNOTE-045 (up to 6 months), Dr. Loriot wonders if ramucirumab + docetaxel may be active in patients in whom immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment has no activity and when these regimens even induce hyper-progression. Furthermore, ramucirumab + docetaxel may be a better option for basal tumors that were poor responders in prior immune checkpoint inhibitor trials (ie. atezolizumab [4]), although translational investigations will be key.(4)Dr. Loriot concluded this presentation with outlining what the outlook is in 2017 for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma. First-line treatment remains platinum-based chemotherapy, with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for a potential subset of patients. These recommendations may also change pending results IO-IO and IO-chemotherapy trials. For patients with platinum-resistant disease, most patients will likely receive immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy followed by docetaxel + ramucirumab. A subset of platinum-resistant patients (those with short response to first-line treatment, no visceral metastasis, ineligible for immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy) likely will go straight to docetaxel + ramucirumab for second-line treatment.References:1. Petrylak DP, Chi KN, Drakaki A, et al. RANGE: A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled phase 3 study of docetaxel with or without ramucirumab in platinum refractory advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. ESMO 2017 abstr LBA4. 2. Petrylak DP, Tagawa ST, Kohli M, et al. Docetaxel as monotherapy or combined with ramucirumab or icrucumab in second-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma: An open-label, three-arm, randomized controlled phase II trial.2016;34(13):1500-1509.3. Bellmunt J, de Wit R, Vaughn DJ, et al. Pembrolizumab as Second-Line Therapy for Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma. N Engl J Med 2017;376(11):1015-1026. 4. Rosenberg JE, Hoffman-Censits J, Powles T, et al. Atezolizumab in patients with locally advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have progressed following treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy: A single-arm, multicentre, phase 2 trial.2016;387(10031):1909-1920.Speaker: Yohann Loriot, Gustave Roussy, University of Paris Saclay, Villejuif, FranceWritten By: Zachary Klaassen, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Twitter: @zklaassen_md at the European Society for Medical Oncology Annual Congress - September 8 - 12, 2017 - Madrid, Spain
Early on Monday, Cambodia Daily staffer Chhorn Chansys daughter asked him why he was not going to work. It was the first day that the newspaper had closed its doors after more than 24 years.

The Dailys forced closure came as a surprise to the public and Daily staff. Chansy, the news editor at the paper, did not see it coming, either.

I didnt think that they would close. We had faced many big issues [in the past], including confrontations with lawsuits before, but we always made it through. Even before the closure, I thought that there would be a last-minute solution, he said.

The Daily was hit with a $6.3 million tax bill for alleged unpaid back taxes, but it claimed the bill was politically motivated and an attempt to silence another critical voice ahead of next years elections. The government, its management noted, had not sought to conduct an audit based on the Dailys financial records.

Chansy worked at the Daily for a decade, turning his hand to almost all jobs at the paper, including stints as a crime and court reporter and various editorial roles.



The Daily was founded in 1993 by an American, Bernard Krisher, a former TIME Magazine journalist, and philanthropist, with the stated aim of strengthening democracy and training up local journalists. When it closed last week, the Daily employed about 50 staff.

Leng Len, 25, was hired in July and started in the role as a reporter eager to cover next years election.

It was like a wheel, running, and then it was stopped immediately so you felt it was going to crash, she said.

Her last story for the Daily was coverage of the opposition leader, Kem Sokhas arrest on espionage charges early on Sunday. She slept only two hours that night.

Prime Minister Hun Sen had called the newspaper Cambodias chief thief for the alleged tax evasion.

The last issue of the Daily ran with a black and white cover containing the names of many of the papers staff going back to the early 1990s.

Van Roeun, a veteran journalist at the Daily, said the newspapers willingness to devote time and resources to conduct in-depth investigations on crucial issues such as deforestation would be sorely missed.

That was the birthplace of my professionalism. Ive learned from foreign journalists who also learned from that place, he said.

I am reluctant to move to other places since I see that most media is biased towards the government, not balanced or independent, he added.

Elizabeth Becker, a veteran journalist who reported on Cambodia in the 1970s, said the Dailys closure was a big loss for the country.

It is no exaggeration to say that Daily journalists were courageous in the face of not just physical threats but the hard work they put in for low pay and long hours. It showed their love for Cambodia and the hope everyone still has that the country will recover its fragile democratic underpinning, she wrote in the email.

I hope the Cambodian journalists find a way to continue their work for their country - it is critical to any hope of reviving democracy. And I do hope more than a few foreigners stick around and keep the rest of us informed.

Chansy plans to seek a new job soon to pay for his younger sisters college fees and keep food on the table.

The new place has to be similar to my old workplace, he said.
Cambodia's main opposition party will boycott a parliamentary vote to strip their detained leader of immunity on Monday and will instead go to Kem Sokha's jail to demand his release, one of his deputies said on Sunday.

Kem Sokha, the head of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arrested a week ago and charged with treason for allegedly plotting to win power with the support of the United States, escalating a crackdown on critics of Prime Minister Hun Sen and independent media ahead of a general election next year.

The arrest has been criticized by Western countries, but China has backed Hun Sen's government.

Parliament is due to vote on whether to remove the immunity from prosecution which Kem Sokha gets as an elected member of parliament. The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP)'s majority means the motion is certain to pass anyway.

CNRP deputy leader Mu Sochua said the parliament vote was illegal.

"We can't accept this. We will demand that Kem Sokha, who has not done anything wrong, to be released," she said, adding that members of parliament would hold a protest at the prison where he is being held near the border with Vietnam.

CPP spokesman Sok Eysan said the opposition boycott would be unconstitutional, but the CPP had enough votes to strip Kem Sokha of his immunity anyway.

Hun Sen, a 65-year-old former Khmer Rouge commander, has ruled Cambodia for more than 30 years and said last week that he planned to stay in power for another decade.

Next year's election had been expected to be his toughest electoral test, but Western countries and human rights groups have raised doubts as to whether the vote will be fair.

The evidence presented against Kem Sokha so far is a video recorded in 2013 in which he discusses a strategy to win power with the help of unspecified Americans. His lawyers have dismissed the evidence as nonsense and said he was only discussing election strategy.

In recent weeks, Hun Sen has also expelled the National Democratic Institute, a non-governmental organization that promotes democracy, and ordered 19 radio stations off the air.

The independent English-language Cambodia Daily shut last week after being given a month to pay a $6.3 million tax demand which it believed was politically motivated.

The paper's 86-year-old American founder, Bernard Krisher, said in a letter to Hun Sen and made available to media that he planned to travel to Cambodia from his home in Japan to take responsibility for the tax dispute.
Former opposition leader Sam Rainsy has launched another attack on Prime Minister Hun Sens government in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde.

In the interview, the former Cambodia National Rescue Party president said Cambodia was moving towards outright dictatorship.

Because Hun Sen is aware that Cambodian people hate him more and more he decided to commit more brutal acts on Cambodians who dare to uncover his absolute power and corruption, Rainsy said.

The comments follow the arrest last week of the CNRPs current leader, Kem Sokha, who has been hit with espionage charges that are widely seen as politically motivated.

Sok Eysan, ruling Cambodian Peoples Party spokesman, dismissed Rainsys comments and said the arrest of Sokha and crackdown on dissent in the media and civil society were aimed at strengthening democracy and the rule of law.

He said Cambodia was banking on the western powers taking no meaningful action against Cambodia as they were paying attention to other major issues.

Cambodias issue is a tiny matter and it will not lead to economic sanctions.

The major western powers, including the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia, have all publicly condemned Cambodias actions.

According to Freshnews, a pro-regime website, Hun Sen has said he will continue to rule Cambodia for another decade to prevent opponents from committing treason.
A driver with the International Committee of the Red Cross was killed in former Western Equatoria state. The ICRC condemned the killing and says it suspended operations in the area indefinitely; and a former rebel General and four of his body guards were shot dead in Yambio Town of Gbudue state after fighting broke out between government forces and the rebel leaders body guards.
At least 16 people were killed, most of them regional government soldiers, after al-Shabab militants attacked the Somali town of Beled Hawo on Monday, officials and residents said. Four other people were killed in incidents elsewhere in the country.

Security sources say militants attacked three locations in Beled Hawo, which sits on the Somalia-Kenya border.

The first attack targeted a military base, about six kilometers outside Beled Hawo. The mayor of Beled Hawo, Mohamud Hayd Osman, told VOA Somali the militants detonated a suicide car bomb before storming the base.

"The troops evacuated their wounded, and retreated to another location three kilometers away," he said.

Independent security sources told VOA Somali that 14 government soldiers were killed in the attack, with eight others wounded. Soldiers fled the base following the heavy attack and crossed into Kenya, the sources say.

After overrunning the base, militants entered the town and attacked the main police station, residents told VOA.

Osman says two civilians were killed in that attack. "They were unable to penetrate the station first, but they have detonated explosives on the perimeter," he said.

The third attack by the militants targeted the town's district headquarters. Osman said the militants detonated explosives at the building that houses the mayor's office, causing damage.

As al-Shabab fighters and Somali soldiers battled, Kenyan troops launched artillery fire on advancing militants to prevent them from entering Kenya.

Residents also said they saw Kenyan military helicopters in the air, trying to force al-Shabab militants to withdraw from the town. The militants retreated just over an hour after entering the town, Osman said.

Al-Shabab claimed to have killed nearly 40 soldiers and freed 35 inmates from prison. Osman denies the claim. He said police freed the prisoners in order to save them from being killed by al-Shabab.

Meanwhile, three government soldiers were killed in an ambush by militants near the town of Bal'ad, 30 kilometers from Mogadishu, witnesses said. They told VOA Somali that gunmen ambushed a military convoy which departed Bal'ad on its way to Jowhar town.

In Mogadishu, a car bomb went off in the city's busiest road. Witnesses said one person was killed and four others were injured in the car bomb at Maka Al-Mukarama road.
Former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon believes that his ex-boss, President Donald Trump, made the biggest mistake "maybe in modern political history" by firing FBI chief James Comey.

Comey was leading the Federal Bureau of Investigation's probe into Russian meddling in last year's election and allegations of collusion with the Trump campaign when the president ousted him on May 9. The White House at first said Trump had fired Comey for mishandling an investigation into the use of a private email server by Trump's Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

But within days, Trump undercut that explanation, telling NBC News he was thinking of "this Russia thing" when he decided to dismiss Comey as head of the country's top law enforcement agency.

Trump has long contended that his campaign did not collude with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign and that attempts to link it to Moscow amount to an excuse by rival Democrats to explain his upset win.

But eight days after Comey was fired, and over Trump's objections, the second-ranking Justice Department official, Rod Rosenstein, named another former FBI chief, Robert Mueller, as special counsel to head a criminal investigation into possible Trump campaign links with Russia and whether Trump obstructed justice by firing Comey.

I dont think theres any doubt that if James Comey had not been fired, Bannon told the CBS news show 60 Minutes, we would not have a special counsel. We would not have the Mueller investigation in the breadth that clearly Mr. Mueller is going for."

Bannon, a key figure late in Trump's populist election campaign, served as one of Trump's top White House advisers for seven months until he was pushed out last month by new chief of staff John Kelly as the retired Marine Corps general moved to instill discipline in the operations surrounding Trump.

Bannon immediately reclaimed his position as head of Breibart News, a far-right news website, where he says he plans to be the president's "wingman outside for the entire time" he is in office.

"Our purpose is to support Donald Trump," he said in the CBS interview. "I cannot take the fight to who we have to take the fight to when Im an adviser to the president as a federal government employee."

Mueller has assembled a team of experienced federal prosecutors for his investigation, a probe that could last for months, and has convened a federal grand jury to hear evidence.

One focus of Mueller's investigation is a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York, the president's home and business headquarters, that was set up by Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on the promise that a woman identified as a Russian government attorney would hand the Trump campaign damaging material about Clinton.

The president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, now a key White House adviser, and then-campaign manager Paul Manafort, also attended the meeting. But the younger Trump and Kushner have subsequently said the Russian attorney had no incriminating information about Clinton and that nothing came of the meeting.
Zhang Yang, a businessman from Chongqing in southwest China, is searching online forums for fellow stout-hearted entrepreneurs willing to cast aside security concerns and join him on a scouting mission to Pakistan.

Zhang, 48, is one of a growing number of Chinese pioneers sensing an opportunity across the Himalayas in Pakistan, where Beijing has pledged to spend $57 billion on infrastructure projects as part of its "Belt and Road" initiative.

Numbering in the thousands, this second wave of Chinese arrivals are following in the wake of workers on Belt and Road projects. Some are opening restaurants and language schools, while others are working out what products they could sell to a market of 208 million people, or what goods they could make cheaply in Pakistan to sell around the world.

"A lot of industries are already saturated in China," said Zhang, who has worked in property, electrical appliances and household goods in China and says he wants to explore the potential for setting up factories or importing Chinese goods.

"Pakistan's development is behind China, so it will hold better opportunities compared to home."

But the new arrivals face dangers, creating a headache for Pakistani security officials.

Islamic State's killing of two Chinese nationals in the restive Baluchistan province in June highlighted the risks posed by Islamist militants, who may see them as soft targets in their war with the state.

Beijing has also long fretted about hardened Pakistani Islamist fighters linking up with the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a Uigher militant group Beijing accuses of seeking to split off its western region of Xinjiang, Pakistani officials say.

Islamabad does not release immigration data but a source in the foreign ministry said about 71,000 Chinese nationals visited in 2016. A senior immigration official added 27,596 visa extensions were granted to Chinese that year, a 41 percent increase on 2015, suggesting more are staying in the country for longer.

For Pakistan, the stakes in keeping all those Chinese nationals safe are high.

Beijing's infrastructure splurge has helped revive Pakistan's sputtering economy, and deepening ties between the two nations have turned Pakistan into a key cog in China's grand plan to build a modern-day "Silk Road" of land and sea trade routes linking Asia with Europe and Africa.

While the first phase of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as the Pakistan leg of this new Silk Road is called, concentrated on infrastructure projects, the second part will focus on setting up special economic zones and integrating Chinese firms into the local economy to help Pakistan develop its industries ranging from mining to agriculture.

China has also surged to become by far the biggest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) for Pakistan, topping $1 billion in 2016/17, and is betting on its neighbor at a time when many Western companies are still put off by security concerns and corruption.

"Pakistan really needs foreign investment and we are not going to miss out on this because of some idiots with a gun," said Miftah Ismail, a special adviser to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. "We won't let them mess with the Chinese."

Security challenge

Pakistan receives friendly coverage in Chinese media and regularly features in state broadcaster CCTV's programs on the Belt and Road initiative, which include promotions of CPEC and interviews with Chinese workers living in the country.

That has not been enough to assuage concerns about security for Zhang and other Chinese businessmen and women who spoke to Reuters.

"It's a big lesson for us," said Derek Wang, referring to the Baluchistan killings.

Wang, deputy chief executive of Infoshare, an Islamabad-based consultancy assisting Chinese entrepreneurs and businesses, said security was the number one concern of Chinese newcomers.

Pakistan is taking the threat seriously. Guards and police with automatic rifles shield Chinese-staffed offices and language schools, while security officials say plainclothes officers form a less visible layer of protection at such sites.

Unlike the engineers and construction workers who reside in heavily-guarded compounds while building the roads and power plants that make up CPEC, the entrepreneurs seeking riches on the back of it mostly arrive on their own and disperse across the country. Few inform authorities of their plans.

"This is the biggest challenge right now," said Muhammad Faisal Rana, who heads an 8,000-strong Special Protection Unit set up by Punjab province in 2014 to guard foreigners. Ninety percent of those it protects are Chinese, he said.

Rana said growing numbers of Chinese entrepreneurs turn up with tourist visas. Many are conducting market research, while some launch their products and then flit back to China.

"All these elements are sometimes out of our radar, and we have no idea from which flight they are coming in and where they are heading towards," he said.

SPU officials have cultivated ties with guesthouses popular with Chinese and set up liaison desks at airports to register the Chinese entrepreneurs before they vanish, while governments in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces are accelerating plans to build up special protection units akin to the one in Punjab.

Language schools, bribes

In Islamabad, where Chinese visitors were seldom seen before 2014, their prominence is growing. They now outnumber other foreigners, and the country's first-ever Chinese-language newspaper, Huashang, has been launched.

Visitors arriving at the capitals airport are handed flyers written in Mandarin advertising a Chinese courier service, and in the city shop signs in the Chinese language are increasingly common.

Chinese restaurants are sprouting to cater for new arrivals who are rarely fond of Pakistani food.

Pakistanis, sensing their neighbor's growing power, are flocking to study at new Chinese language schools.

A boom in business has prompted Ami Quin, a Chinese restaurateur and owner of a guesthouse for employees of Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE, to open a spa and a second guesthouse.

"More and more people are very interested to come to Pakistan after CPEC," she said. "They are looking for partners all the time."

In one of Quin's restaurants in Islamabad, civil engineer Pan Denghao lamented the oppressive Pakistani heat but conceded the money and jobs on offer exceeded what young people like him could expect back home.

"Every year in China you have so many graduates from colleges and universities, but the opportunities and chances for jobs are limited," said Pan, 25, whose company is building Islamabad's new airport.

Chinese businessmen who arrived before CPEC was unveiled in 2014 are capitalizing on their experience to launch consultancies, advising newcomers how to circumnavigate the country's notorious bureaucracy or match them with Pakistani partners.

Another Chinese businessman who did not wish to give his name, said he and fellow Chinese executives often pay bribes to speed up imports or obtain government permits. That used to be a regular aspect of Chinese life before President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption drive of the past few years.

"This is one of the reasons why us Chinese are comfortable here. We know how to deal with this," he said.

Salary, then safety

Although Chinese habits sometimes clash with local customs in a deeply conservative Muslim nation - Chinese restaurants, for example, sometimes turn a blind eye to customers drinking smuggled alcohol - there is little sign of hostility to the new arrivals from ordinary Pakistanis.

Unlike Western nations, China is widely seen as having been a consistent ally to Pakistan, and Chinese visitors often recount stories of being let off minor misdemeanors - such as driving without a license - by police and government officials with comments like "you are our friends."

Officials have portrayed the Islamic State killings in Baluchistan as a one-off, saying the two Chinese victims were targeted because they were Christian missionaries masquerading as business people.

But at least one Chinese business delegation cancelled its trip to Pakistan as a result of the attack.

Pakistan has since tightened business visa rules for Chinese nationals and vowed improved security.

At a CPEC site guarded by the Punjab SPU in Lahore, policemen clad in bullet-proof vests demonstrated to Reuters how armed officers sitting on the back of pick-up trucks shield Chinese executives when transporting them in convoys.

One Chinese executive said police provided her with an armed convoy for a four-hour trip from the disputed Kashmir region to her office in Islamabad. "It was quite touching," she said.

But security officials concede not everyone can be given round-the-clock protection, and many businessmen do not want their freedom curbed.

Still, China-based recruiters such as Ms Yang, of Zaozhuang Xincai Services, say the Islamic State killings have not dented the stream of applicants seeking work in Pakistan, thanks to pay that can be more than four times what they would earn at home.

"First concerns are about how high or low the salary is, when it will be paid," she said. "And then safety."
The introduction of post-Brexit customs checks could cost traders more than 4 billion pounds ($5.28 billion) a year, according to a think tank report released on Monday.

The British government has said it plans to leave the European Union's customs union when it leaves the bloc, and it wants to negotiate a new relationship that will ensure trade is as free of friction as possible.

In its report 'Implementing Brexit: Customs', the Institute for Government said the government needed to offer as much certainty as possible to business and help them plan for changes to customs.

Around 180,000 traders now operate only within the EU and face making customs declarations for the first time after Brexit. The government estimates an extra 200 million declarations a year will be made.

Those declarations cost 20 to 45 pounds each, the IfG said, putting the total additional cost at 4 billion to 9 billion pounds.

"The scale and cost of change for many traders could be significant. Government must engage with them in detail about changes, understanding their requirements and giving them as much time to adapt as possible," the report said.

The government has proposed two options for the future customs relationship. One is a system using technology to make the process as smooth as possible; the second a new customs partnership removing the need for a customs border. It wants a transition period after Britain leaves in March 2019 to allow time to adapt.

However, the EU says negotiating the customs relationship must wait until the two sides have made make progress on the rights of expatriates, Britain's border with EU member Ireland and a financial settlement.

"To be in and out of the customs union and 'invisible borders' is a fantasy," Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's coordinator for Brexit, said on Twitter after the British government floated its proposals. "First need to secure citizens rights and a financial settlement".

Moving customs requirements away from the physical border, retaining access to key EU computer systems and setting up working groups with the private sector on implementing changes are among the report's suggestions for smoothing the process.

To avoid a cliff-edge, the government must make sure everyone from port operators to freight companies and local authorities is ready, the IfG said. It should also work with EU partners to ensure issues at European ports do not cause significant disruption to supply chains.

"In the past they have been given years to adapt to any government change; they now have fewer than 20 months to prepare without yet being clear what they are preparing for," the report said. "Successful change relies on all these organizations being ready."
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen threatened on Monday that the main opposition party would be dissolved if it continues to back detained leader Kem Sokha, who has been charged with treason over an alleged plot to gain power with U.S. support.

Kem Sokha was arrested on Sept. 3 and is the only serious election rival to Hun Sen, a 65-year-old former Khmer Rouge commander.

Western countries have criticised the arrest, which marked a an escalation in a crackdown on critics ahead of a poll next year that could pose the toughest electoral challenge Hun Sen has faced in more than 30 years of rule.

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) said it would continue to support Kem Sokha as leader and threatened to boycott the election if he is not freed.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen warned that the CNRP's stand could mean "the dissolution of the party".

"If the political party continues to blockade and defend this traitor, it means the party is also a traitor so there is no time to let this party operate in Cambodia's democratic process anymore," Hun Sen said.

Parliamentarians from the CNRP went to the prison where Kem Sokha is being held to demand his release. They said his arrest was illegal because he should have been protected by parliamentary immunity.

"The party president Kem Sokha is the CNRP president now and will be in the future," one of his deputies, Mu Sochua, said outside the prison, adding that his release was an essential condition to allow a free and fair election.

"We can't participate in an election that isn't free and fair," she said.

PARLIAMENT VOTE The opposition party boycotted a parliamentary vote on whether Kem Sokha should be prosecuted.

It would not have been able to block approval as Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) holds a majority, and the motion in favor of prosecuting was passed unopposed. It was unclear whether that effectively overrode Kem Sokha's right to claim parliamentary immunity.

The evidence presented against Kem Sokha so far is a video recorded in 2013 in which he discusses a strategy to win power with the help of unspecified Americans.

His lawyers have dismissed the evidence as nonsense and said he was only discussing election strategy.

Western countries and human rights groups have condemned the arrest of Kem Sokha and raised doubts as to whether next year's election can be fair, given the crackdown on the opposition, activists and independent media.

However Hun Sen's main ally, China, has said it supports Cambodia's efforts to preserve its own security. Hun Sen was due to visit Beijing on Monday. He said he was going to ask for more aid for Cambodia's health sector.
A court in Chinas southern Hunan province Monday put Taiwanese rights activist Lee Ming-che, alongside a Chinese national Peng Yuhua, on trial, in which both pleaded guilty to charges of inciting state subversion.

But analysts outside China denounced it as a farce or another show trial, saying Hunans court hearing has highlighted nothing but a huge discrepancy in the level of democratization and rule of law between Taiwan and China.



They demanded Chinese authorities to immediately set Lee free while the Chinese court wrapped up its four-hour-long hearing on Monday by announcing it would reach a verdict on a later date.



Open trial?



According to video clips posted on the courts official Weibo account for public viewing, prosecutors in the city of Yueyang accused Peng and Lee of having organized discussion groups on social media platforms including QQ, Wechat and Facebook since 2012 to advocate for a democratic multi-party system and free elections in China in a bid to attempt to oust the ruling Communist Party.

Prosecutors argued both have violated Criminal Law Article 105, under which they may be subject to a sentence of three to 10 years or more than 10 years if they are concluded to be the principle culprit behind the subversion scheme.

Peng, 37, was said to be the main initiator, who established the group and organized private gatherings to discuss the political pursuit for a multi-party system, while Lee, 42, worked as a manager in charge of personnel training.

Prosecutors described Lees comments online as highly critical of the Chinese government and its socialist political regime while endorsing Western political and democratic values.

Forced confession?

In response to the prosecutors accusations, both Peng and Lee openly pleaded guilty and showed remorse in court.

Peng said he regretted his past ignorance.

My criminal act had made a negative impact on the society with an adverse consequence. And Ive deeply hurt my family. I now truly regret it, he told the court.

Lee said that his political understanding about China was misguided by some Taiwanese media, which are unfriendly to China.

My past ideological thoughts and knowledge [about China] are incorrect, from which, Ive committed these crimes. I now plead guilty and confess, Lee told the court, where his mother and wife were also present.

Lees wife previously predicted her husband would be forced to plead guilty in court in exchange for his freedom or a lenient sentence.

She has long argued China has illegally arrested and disappeared Lee, formerly a journalist and a human rights activist, for almost six months, during which he was deprived of rights to defend for himself.

Chinas rule of law

But Zhu Songling, a professor of Taiwan Studies in Beijing Union University, disagreed.

Only Lee himself can say if he was coerced to confess. No one can speak on behalf of him. Dont interfere with the suspects own will and free expression. That would be a violation of his personal freedom, Zhu told VOA.

The professor praised Mondays trial as transparent and lawful, which sent a message to all nationals including those in Taiwan to abide by the countrys related national security laws.

But analysts outside China insisted Lee isnt guilty.

Free expression of political ideas

In a free and democratic society, Lee enjoys every right to freely express his political thoughts, said fellow Taiwanese rights activist Xiao Yiming, who described Lee as a prisoner of conscience in China.

Tseng Chien-yuan, an associate professor at Chung Hua University in Taiwan, also argued only a few totalitarian regimes in the world will put prisoners of conscience behind bars.

[Its unbelievable] that those who advocate a democratic multi-party system would be seen as [traitors]. Only authoritarian regimes in the world still enforce such laws, Tseng said.

China may have put on a legal show. But to the world, it was a farce to showcase [how outdated] Chinas implementation of rule of law, the professor said.

Outdated laws

In accordance with international laws, China shouldnt have had put Lee on trial as he is a national from Taiwan, and certainly shares different political ideology, the professor said. Beijing sees Taiwan as a renege territory, although the People's Republic of China has never ruled the island.

In a written statement, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan accused China of having wrongly put Lee on trial for national security reasons as he has long been a non-government organization worker who has devoted himself to the pursuit of universal values, including democracy and human rights.

Many pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong also threw their support behind Lee, organizing a street parade on Monday afternoon to call on Chinese authorities to free Lee and many other prisoners of conscience in China.
Officials say the driver of a semitrailer died after it collided with a crane hired to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Dallas.

Assistant City Manager Jon Fortune says the crane was headed to Lee Park when the collision happened Sunday night near downtown Dallas.

A city news release says that a witness said the crane was turning left on a green arrow. The release says the semitrailer's driver "was traveling ... at a very high rate of speed and failed to yield the right of way, colliding into the crane."

Officials hoped to remove the statue immediately following a vote Wednesday by the City Council. However, several events led to delays, including trouble finding a crane.

Fortune says the accident badly damaged the crane.
The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, has again called on his fellow Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi to peacefully end the Rohingya crisis.

"May I take the liberty of writing to you once again to tell you how dismayed I am by the distressing circumstances in which the situation seems to have deteriorated further," he wrote to Myanmar's de facto leader.

VOA's Tibetan Service received a copy of the letter, in which he refers to discussions the two had a few years ago, when he urged her to use her "influence to bring about a peaceful" resolution to the problems of the Muslim community. In June 2016, he urged her to "make efforts to reduce" the tension.

"It is disappointing to observe that the problem appears to be getting worse and the violence is increasing," he wrote. The letter apparently was sent two weeks ago.

The Dalai Lama also warned Aung San Suu Kyi and other Myanmar leaders that not resolving the crisis peacefully could lead to "further unrest and destruction."

"I appeal to you and your fellow leaders to reach out to all sections of society to try to restore friendly relations throughout the population in a spirit of peace and reconciliation," he said.

The Tibetan Buddhist leader said this is not only a correct and "realistic way" for the nation to move forward, but also a way to "earn the world's goodwill and respect."

"As a fellow Buddhist and Nobel Laureate, I am appealing to you and your colleagues once more to find a lasting and humane solution to this festering problem," he said.

On Friday, the Dalai Lama told reporters he had no doubt that Buddha would have helped the Rohingya people.

The Rohingya are a Muslim minority group in Myanmar, which is largely Buddhist. Most live in northern Rakhine state. The Myanmar government considers them illegal immigrants, although most families have been in the country for generations.

Late last month, a group called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army attacked police posts in Rakhine, sparking a violent crackdown against Rohingya villages. More than 300,000 people have fled to Bangladesh, reporting deliberate attacks against civilians, including children.

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, on Monday condemned the security operation in Rakhine state, saying it "seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

Other Nobel laureates have called on Aung San Suu Kyi to take action, including South Africa's Bishop Desmond Tutu, Iranian rights activist Shirin Ebadi and the youngest recipient, Malala Yousafzai.

Some regional experts have noted that Aung San Suu Kyi leads a fragile new democracy and faces pressure from the country's military, which dominates Myanmar.
In a 2017 hurricane season that has already seen two monster storms, Harvey and Irma, manufactured homes are turning out to be just a small fraction of the federal government's plan to deal with displaced people, with only 1,700 trailers available.



Where exactly the Federal Emergency Management Agency plans to send those trailers, Texas or Florida, is not yet clear. But what is clear is they will only be used as a last resort.



That's in stark contrast to 2005, when 144,000 FEMA trailers became symbols of the troubled federal response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita after lawsuits accused some of those units of being riddled with high levels of cancer-causing formaldehyde.



FEMA's new model for monster storms honed in the wake of 2012's Superstorm Sandy puts the emphasis on paying for hotels and apartments for temporary housing. That, along with money for super-fast fixes that allow people to move back into their own homes as quickly as possible, even before all the repairs are done.



"Our role is to provide sort of the bridge to get through the disaster,'' FEMA spokesman Kurt Pickering said Saturday. "We are not intended to make people or households back the way they were before, to make them whole. We're designed to get them through the emergency.''



A joint state and federal housing task force in Austin is working with FEMA on the best way to allocate resources. But those affected are far more likely to get government support by way of a few weeks at a hotel, a couple of months of rent in an apartment or a check for repairs, than a FEMA trailer.

"To put a mobile home or travel trailer out there is a significant expense  it really is the option of last resort,'' said Mark Miscak, an emergency management consultant and former director in FEMA's recovery division.



That's the way it's playing out so far after Harvey, which damaged or destroyed more than 210,000 homes across southeast Texas, mostly from the effects of floodwaters from an epic downpour of nearly 52 inches.



FEMA is picking up the tab for hotel rooms spread across Texas for about 60,000 people affected by the storm for up to two weeks. The agency is also paying a couple months' rent at the government's fair market rate for 27,000 additional households.



So who might get a trailer?



It might be people like the Ochoa family of hard-hit southwest Houston, with parents and two grown siblings still sleeping in their heavily damaged, moldering home, its skeletal walls recently stripped of soggy drywall.



Claudia Ochoa, 21, said FEMA offered to put her family up in motels but they were located in cities four to five hours away and they couldn't afford to abandon their jobs.



"If we had some money, we would leave, but we don't,'' she said as her 5-year-old son played on a couch salvaged from the storm. FEMA sent a $500 check for food and cleaning supplies, Ochoa said, but the family is still hoping for a more permanent solution.



The Ochoas' 58-year-old neighbor, Salvador Cortez, is also sleeping in his musty, flood-gutted home. Cortez said he's received no money or housing options from FEMA yet, despite repeated phone calls. But he didn't want to continue imposing on his son, where his wife has been staying with four other people.



Going into the current hurricane season, FEMA had 1,700 trailers on hand in staging areas in Alabama and Maryland. It has put out bids for another 4,500, but officials could not say when they would be ready to meet needs arising from Harvey, Irma and potentially future storms.



FEMA spokesman Bob Howard stressed the units are of much higher quality and do not have the formaldehyde problems of the trailers of the past, which resulted in multimillion-dollar lawsuit payouts to survivors who lived in them for years after the storms.



The new trailers, which cost FEMA between $40,000 and $60,000 each, range in size from one bedroom to three bedrooms, and are equipped with sprinklers and other features designed for longer-term habitation.



"They're built to house survivors much longer than previous units used after disasters,'' FEMA said in a release last year announcing its new fleet, "an important consideration because rebuilding can take months or even years.''



Still, FEMA stressed in a January 2017 release, units "are not intended to be a permanent housing option for flood survivors.''
Rebel super-hacker Lisbeth Salander is back in the fifth book in the Millennium series, this time battling neo-Nazi prison gangs and honor killings as well as trying to uncover the secrets about her troubled childhood.

"The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye" is the long-awaited return of Salander, the small but combative computer wizard and hobby quantum physicist, that was introduced to readers in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", published in 2005.

The best-selling series, which made the "Nordic Noir" genre of gritty Scandinavian crime novels popular globally, was created by author and reporter Stieg Larsson who had completed the first three novels before he died in a heart attack in 2004.

Author David Lagercrantz was commissioned to write a fourth novel, published in 2015, and this time around he delves deeper into the mystery of her childhood where she often witnessed her mother being abused by her father.

"The big question is of course why does Lisbeth Salander have a big dragon tattoo on her back and you can be sure that a girl like her wouldn't (get) a dragon tattoo without a very good reason," David Lagercrantz said.

"I had to find something you know that was really heavy and mythical, and when I did, I sort of had a story. I've added more darkness to Lisbeth Salander."

The book, which was released on Thursday, also draws inspiration from issues Sweden has grappled with in recent years, such as a resurgent far-right movement and honor killings - both fiercely debated topics in the Nordic country.

"Sweden is now changing so quickly and that is something I have to deal with as well," Lagercrantz said.

Sweden was shocked after members of a neo-Nazi cell conducted a string of bombings in the city of Gothenburg around the turn of the year while the far-right Nordic Resistance Movement has stepped up its activity.

As a reporter, Stieg Larsson devoted much of his life to investigating Sweden's far-right movement. In 1995, he co-founded the anti-Fascist magazine Expo and worked there until his death.

"That was the core of Stieg Larsson, to fight intolerance, racism and Fascism," said Lagercrantz.

Honor killings have also been on the agenda. A recent report by Swedish public service radio showed 10 of the 105 murders in Sweden last year where honor killings. The government has launched an investigation and said its reviewing relevant legislation.

The original three books have been translated into 50 languages and sold more than 80 million copies while the fourth sequel, the first penned by Lagercrantz, has sold 6 million.
Zimbabwe's First Lady, Grace Mugabe, has denied assaulting South African model Gabriella Engels with an electric cable in a Johannesburg hotel suite last month, saying an "intoxicated and unhinged" Engels attacked her with a knife.

In a previously unreported Aug. 17 deposition seen by Reuters, Mugabe countered 20-year-old Engels' version, portraying herself as the victim after intervening on behalf of her adult sons Chatunga and Robert Junior who were "in trouble with a drunken young woman".

The statement said Grace Mugabe, 52 and a contender to replace her 93-year-old husband as Zimbabwe's president, was thinking about filing attempted murder charges.

According to Engels, an irate Mugabe burst into the room where she was waiting with two friends to meet Chatunga Mugabe on Aug. 13 and started laying into her with an electric cable.

Photographs taken by her mother soon after the incident showed a gash to Engels' forehead and head. She also had bruising on her thighs.

In her deposition, Mugabe dismissed Engels' version as "malicious allegations" and said she had been attacked after going to help her sons.

"She was worried about them and went to see them at their hotel suite," the statement said. "Upon her arrival, Ms Engels, who was intoxicated and unhinged, attacked Dr. Grace Mugabe with a knife after she was asked to leave the hotel."

"Security was left with no other option but to remove Ms Engels from the hotel suite," it continued.

The statement also alleged that Engels had been in a fight with other women at Johannesburg's Taboo nightclub the previous evening and suggested that may have been the cause of her injuries.

Afriforum, an Afrikaans civil society group acting on behalf of Engels, denied both accusations.

"Gabriella never attacked Grace Mugabe in any way and she did not participate in the fight at Taboo," Afriforum said.

"It is clear that Grace Mugabe is desperately trying to escape responsibility for her own violent behavior by using lies to falsely portray the victim in this case as the perpetrator."

South Africa granted Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity, allowing her to evade immediate prosecution for assault, although Engels and Afriforum have challenged that decision, saying Mugabe was not in South Africa on official business.

They also argued that assault was a "grave crime" that was not covered by diplomatic immunity laws.

The decision to let Grace Mugabe return home caused a row in South Africa, with the opposition Democratic Alliance also going to court to overturn the immunity.
Zeid Raad al-Hussein, the United Nations' high commissioner for human rights, painted a dark picture of growing violations and abuse around the world in an address to delegates at the opening of the 36th session of the U.N. Human Rights Council Monday.

While condemning the actions of violent extremists and terrorists, he warned of the greater dangers to society from governments that peel away at human rights protections, watching societies gradually unravel as an increasing number move toward authoritarianism and oppression.

The current session is expected to be particularly active. Over the next three weeks, the 47-member body will explore more than 80 topics and country reports presented by more than 25 human rights experts and investigative bodies on a wide range of issues, including torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances.

Two-hundred-and-30 side events organized by non-governmental organizations and an additional 50 state-sponsored side events will be held dealing with a myriad of issues, from the human rights records of specific countries to terrorism.

Contentious debates expected



General debates will be held on the findings of reports submitted respectively by the U.N. Commissions of Inquiry on Syria and on Burundi. Vigorous, often contentious discussions are expected during interactive dialogues on human rights situations in dozens of countries.

High Commissioner Zeid presented an overview of the global situation in which he highlighted his concerns about extensive gross human rights violations in 39 countries.

Rohingya issue

He condemned the brutal security operation under way in Myanmars Rakhine state, which, according to latest reports from the International Organization for Migration, has prompted more than 300,000 minority Muslim Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh in fewer than three weeks.



"The situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing," Zeid said.

We have received multiple reports and satellite imagery of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages, and consistent accounts of extrajudicial killings, including shooting fleeing civilians.

He said the widespread or systematic attacks against the community could amount to crimes against humanity. He called on the Myanmar government to end its current cruel military operation and reverse its discrimination against the Rohingya. Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been criticized for her response to the violence. She says there has been an "iceberg of misinformation" over Rohingya.

An independent international fact-finding mission on Myanmar next week will update the council on the alleged abuses carried out by the military forces.

The high commissioner called the human rights situation in Yemen extremely alarming, condemning the Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in Yemen for causing most of the nearly 14,000 civilian deaths and injuries since the start of the conflict in March 2015.

U.N. officials report that the Netherlands will table a resolution calling for an independent investigation on Yemen.

Central African Republic

Turning to Africa, High Commissioner Zeid expressed alarm by the sharp deterioration in the security situation in Central African Republic.

I am extremely concerned about persistent reports of atrocity crimes, which are pushing the country very close to a complete breakdown along religious and ethnic lines.

Anti-Balaka and ex-Seleka forces, as well as various splinter groups, are responsible for the escalating cycles of reprisal attacks, which are fueled by incitement to hatred and violence by religious leaders and other leading figures.

He bemoaned the situation in South Sudan, which he said was being quite simply destroyed by the devastating violence under way across much of the country.

US on human rights



Separately, Zeid criticized the Trump administration for its decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, in October in six months time, despite evidence of its positive impact on the lives of almost 800,000 young migrants, and on the U.S. economy and society.

Trump urged Congress to step in during the six-month delay to provide former DACA beneficiaries who were illegally brought to the U.S. as children with durable legal status.

The United States, which was elected for a three-year term as a member of the council in October, is expected to play an active and, some would say, controversial role in this session.

On a visit to Geneva in June, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the council that Washingtons continued membership in the organization depended on its reform of the elections and membership process, on removing Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories as a separate agenda item and on putting greater focus on country-specific human rights issues.

The United States, which has expressed concern about the human rights crises in Burundi and Venezuela, is expected to follow those issues closely. In response to an address by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, at the council Monday, the U.S. mission issued a statement accusing him of trying to shift attention away from the Maduro regimes sustained repression of political dissent.

The U.S. called this an affront to the council and urged the international community "to condemn the [Nicolas] Maduro regime for the assumption of legislative powers by an illegitimate constituent assembly.

This is the final year of Zeids mandate as high commissioner. In concluding his remarks, he noted that the world had grown darker and dangerous during this time.

Human rights principles are the only way to avoid global war and profound misery and deprivation, he said.
Hurricane Irma's path of destruction up Florida's Gulf Coast on Sunday threatens to disrupt a thriving state tourism industry worth more than $100 billion annually just months ahead of the busy winter travel season.

Some of the state's biggest attractions have announced temporary closures, including amusement park giants Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, Legoland and Sea World, which all planned to close through Monday.

About 20 cruise lines have Miami as a home port or a port of call, according to the PortMiami website, and many have had to move ships out of the area and revise schedules.

Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean have canceled and revised several sailings as a result of the storm and have offered credits and waivers on trips where passengers are unable to travel.

A Carnival spokesman said the situation in Florida on Sunday was still not clear enough to fully assess how widespread the effects will be.

"We will know more in the hours ahead since the hurricane is active in Florida right now," spokesman Roger Frizzell said.

Irma made a second Florida landfall on Sunday on southwestern Marco Island as a Category 3 storm bringing winds of 115 miles per hour (185 kph) and life-threatening sea surge.

Disney canceled the Monday sailing of one of its cruise ships and said it is assessing future sailings, which stop throughout the Caribbean and in the Bahamas.

Florida is one of the world's top tourism destinations. Last year nearly 113 million people visited the state, a new record, and spent $109 billion, state officials said earlier this year.

The first half of 2017 was on track to beat that record pace, officials said.

The damage Irma's winds and storm surge do to Florida's 660 miles (1,060 km) of beaches and the structures built along them during more than 30 years of explosive population growth will be critical to how quickly the state's 's No. 1 industry recovers.

The Gulf beaches west of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, are squarely in the storm's path.

In 2016, more than 6.3 million people visited Pinellas County, which encompasses those cities, and generated more $9.7 billion in economic activity.

Up and down the wide, sandy beaches of Pinellas County are traditional "old Florida" waterfront hotels such as the Don Cesar, a coral pink 1920s hotel on St. Pete Beach, which was closed by the storm. There are also modern high-rises and resorts that are part of the nation's biggest chains and brands including Hyatt Hotels, Marriott International, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

The low-lying barrier islands would be inundated if Irma's storm surge reaches forecast heights of as high as 15 feet (4.6 meters).

While some newer structures in the area are built on elevated pilings, many older homes and businesses are not.
India will provide more assistance to Afghan defense forces and implement new development projects in the war-torn country.

The announcement came at the first high-level meeting held between the two countries after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a new Afghan strategy in which he called on India to step up its role in Afghanistan.

A joint statement issued at the end of a day-long conference between the Afghan and Indian foreign ministers Monday in New Delhi said they have agreed to strengthen security cooperation, and India will extend assistance for the Afghan forces to fight terrorism, organized crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering.

Afghanistan has long pressed for greater Indian assistance in defense supplies and capacity building as it struggles to fight Taliban insurgents who have taken swathes of territory.

Although India provides economic aid to Kabul, it has been more measured in giving military assistance, wary that Pakistan has resisted a greater role for India in Afghanistan. India trains Afghan soldiers in its military academy and has supplied attack helicopters.

The two countries also said they would cooperate in overcoming challenges posed by Islamic terror groups. Both India and Afghanistan have long accused Pakistan of sheltering terror groups that mount attacks in their countries.

"We remain united in trying to overcome the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism and safe haven and sanctuaries to both our countries," said Indian's foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj.

At the same time, the Afghan minister tried to allay fears the growing partnership between the two countries was aimed at Pakistan.

Saying that current regional trends bring India and Afghanistan "more closer than ever," Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani said their friendship does not mean hostility with others in the neighborhood. "Such rationale has never had any room in our foreign policy. Unlike others, Afghanistan has hardly sought security in the insecurity of others."

Development projects

Foreign Minister Swaraj said that New Delhi would undertake 116 new "high impact" development projects focused on socio-economic and infrastructure development in 31 provinces of Afghanistan.

The new projects would include a dam and drinking water supply project for Kabul, a low-cost housing project for refugees, and a polyclinic in Mazar-e Sharif. New Delhi also said it will step up connectivity projects between the two countries  which remains a key challenge in the landlocked country  and start sending wheat shipments in the coming weeks.

India already has a $2 billion economic cooperation program in the country that includes building roads and hospitals.

New Delhi had welcomed Trump's new strategy in Afghanistan, in which he said that "we want them to help us more with Afghanistan, especially in the area of economic assistance and development," and called on Pakistan to eliminate militant sanctuaries.

On Monday, Swaraj called India's relationship with Afghanistan "an article of faith."
Indian police are investigating a major organ trade racket after they arrested two men, including an alleged kingpin, at Mumbai airport for trafficking poor people for their kidneys to Egypt, officials said Monday.

The men  identified as Nizamuddin and Suresh Prajapati  were arrested last week and have been charged with human trafficking, police said.

Prajapati, known to police as a "kidney kingpin," had been arrested by police in southern Telangana state last year on suspicion of trafficking nearly 60 people to Sri Lanka for their kidneys and was out on bail.

"We were alerted by an immigration official at the Mumbai international airport who found three passports on one of them. One passport belonged to a donor they were arranging to take to Egypt," said senior inspector Lata Shirsath.

"They have taken six people between May and July, and kidney transplants in four cases were already done. We spoke to the hospital in Cairo and asked them not to go ahead with the two remaining transplant procedures."

Police said they suspected there were more agents involved in the trade as the duo had arranged donors from Delhi, Jammu, Hyderabad and Kerala, who were being sent on tourist visas to Cairo.

The recipients were from different parts of India who flew to Cairo to undergo the transplant procedure to beat India's rules that do not allow commercial trade in organs.

Police in Telangana state who are coordinating with Mumbai police on the case said Prajapati recruited former kidney donors to work as agents to scout for more donors.

In India, the waiting list for organs is long, as donations are few, which has led to black market trade.

According to government data, 200,000 people are on waiting lists for kidneys in India every year and 30,000 for liver transplants. Legal donations meet about 3 to 5 percent of the demand.

Some waitlisted patients, in desperation, seek the services of middlemen to arrange organs for money. The middlemen scout villages for potential donors, whom they sometimes lure with money and false promises of a job in the city.

Police said the recipients paid 3 million Indian rupees ($47,000) to the two agents for arranging the kidney, of which the donors were paid 500,000 Indian rupees (around $8,000).

"Because ... organ donations are scrutinized closely in India, it is difficult to make such donations here," said Anil Kumar, who heads India's organ transplant program.

With a shortage of organ donors globally, "transplant tourism" is rife in South Asia, especially in Pakistan's Punjab, with criminal networks using agents overseas to fly in foreigners needing organs.
Residents of the Florida Keys may be unable to go home for weeks, to see for themselves the havoc left by Hurricane Irma.

The Keys were the first part of Florida slammed by the powerful hurricane Sunday morning. Irma's winds and storm surges swept over the island chain, wrecked roads and bridges and swept homes and cars aside.

What was left after the storm passed is not fit for re-entry for regular citizenry for weeks, according to the White House homeland security adviser, Thomas Bossert.

The Keys, an archipelago of hundreds of low-lying islands, stretch 265 kilometers (165 miles) from mainland Florida into the Gulf of Mexico. One main highway travels from the mainland to Key West, a famous tourist destination that is the southernmost part of the United States. Many of the scores of bridges that carry the road from island to island were badly damaged in the storm, Bossert said, and almost all of the inhabited islands now have no power, no water supply and no telephone service.

The Navy has sent three ships to help with rescue and recovery efforts, which will include searches of wrecked homes that may contain the remains of storm victims.

My heart goes out to the people in the Keys, the state's governor, Rick Scott, said Monday after flying over the islands. There's devastation. ... I just hope everybody, you know, survived. It's horrible what we saw.

65 percent of Florida without power

Safety inspections for all bridges are a top priority, Scott said. And although the storm has passed, he asked all of Florida's more than 20 million residents not to leave their homes or shelters for the time being. Electrical lines are down everywhere across Florida, and streets are covered with all kinds of debris  parts of buildings, trees, furniture, abandoned cars and boats.

Sixty-five percent of the state is without power. Scott said an armada of electrical utility workers  23,000 from Florida and thousands more from other states  is working to restore service, but some residents must be prepared for outages lasting weeks.

The National Hurricane Center warned that swells along the southeastern U.S. coast could still cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Satellite images:

69 tornado warnings

Irma, whose winds are now well below hurricane strength, was moving across southwestern Georgia and parts of Alabama late Monday, but still setting meteorological precedents.

Atlanta, Georgia, was under a tropical storm warning for the first time ever. And since Sunday Florida has recorded 69 tornado warnings, more than ever before in a two-day period.

Jacksonville, Florida's largest city by population, also is the biggest city in the country in area, and much of it was covered by water Monday  the biggest flood in Jacksonville since 1864, when Abraham Lincoln was president and Florida was part of the confederacy fighting in the American Civil War.

Photos: The Aftermath of Hurricane Irma

Florida declared a major disaster area

Irma was the strongest Atlantic storm ever recorded and an unusually large tropical cyclone, with strong winds extending hundreds of kilometers out from its center. Even before the hurricane finished its course through the state, President Donald Trump declared Florida a major disaster area and ordered the release of federal aid funds to help storm victims.

Still, Governor Scott and other state officials said they were relieved that overall damage was less severe than the devastation Irma spread late last week across the eastern Caribbean, where the death toll has reached 25.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander flew to St. Maarten, the Netherlands' tiny Caribbean territory, and French President Emmanuel Macron is heading to his country's adjoining St. Martin territory. Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda said 95 percent of Barbuda's buildings were destroyed or severely damaged.

The State Department said Monday that U.S. embassies and consulates have reopened in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Bahamas, Barbados and Curacao, although services were limited.

The power grid in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico was so badly damaged that repairs could take months, authorities on the island said. More than one million residents have no power.

Steve Herman contributed to this report.
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a temporary order allowing the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees, setting aside for now a lower court ruling that would have allowed some refugees into the country as early as Tuesday.

Justice Anthony Kennedy issued the temporary order Monday, and asked challengers to the refugee ban to file a response by midday Tuesday.

Lower courts blocked both provisions, but the Supreme Court in June allowed certain parts to stand provisionally. The justices said the bans could be applied only to people without a "bona fide" relationship to people or entities in the United States, prompting litigation over the meaning of that phrase.

Resettlement agencies argued that their commitment to provide services for specific refugees should count as a "bona fide" relationship.

The Trump administration said it should not, meaning such refugees would be barred.

The Justice Department did not ask the Supreme Court to immediately block a separate part of the 9th Circuit's ruling that said grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins of legal U.S. residents should be exempted from Trump's ban on travelers from six Muslim-majority countries.



Apart from the question of what constitutes "bona fide" relationships, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in October about whether Trump's travel ban discriminates against Muslims, in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

As lower courts and the Supreme Court weighed in on the travel and refugee bans in recent months, the U.S. refugee program has lurched from an ambitious projection of 110,000 arrivals for the year, to just a few hundred arrivals a week. Through the end of the fiscal year, September 30, fewer than 52,000 will have entered the United States during the previous 12 months - a population close to Trumps stated desire to cap arrivals at 50,000.

The administration is expected to announce in the coming weeks what the maximum number of refugee arrivals for the coming fiscal year will be.
Miss North Dakota, a 23-year-old who said President Donald Trump was wrong to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, was named Miss America 2018 Sunday night in Atlantic City.

Cara Mund topped a field of 51 contestants to win the crowd in the New Jersey seaside resort, where most of the 97 Miss Americas have been selected.

In one of her onstage interviews, Mund said Trump, a Republican, was wrong to withdraw the U.S. from the climate accord aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.

"It's a bad decision," she said. "There is evidence that climate change is existing and we need to be at that table."

In an interview with The Associated Press before preliminary competition began, Mund, who lives in Bismarck, North Dakota, said her goal is to be the first woman elected governor of her state.

She said she wants to see more women elected to all levels of government.

"It's important to have a woman's perspective," Mund, who had an internship in the U.S. Senate, told the AP. "In health care and on reproductive rights, it's predominantly men making those decisions."

The first runner up was Miss Missouri Jennifer Davis; second runner up was Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel; third runner up was Miss District of Columbia Briana Kinsey, and fourth runner up was Miss Texas Margana Wood.

Earlier Sunday, as a deadly hurricane was slamming her home state, Miss Florida Sara Zeng sent a message of support to those in harm's way _ and was then eliminated from the competition.

As judges were narrowing the field of 51 contestants (each state plus the District of Columbia), they interviewed Zeng, a 22-year-old from Palm Coast, Florida, who noted that her family is safe.

But she expressed concern and support for friends and strangers endangered by Hurricane Irma, which was tearing its way up the Florida gulf coast on Sunday.

"I'm thinking about everyone in Florida every single day, but I know that regardless what happens, we'll all get through this together," Zeng said.

Shortly after her speech, judges read the names of the remaining Top 15 finalists, which did not include her.

Earlier in the week, Miss Texas Margana Wood gave a shout-out to her flooded hometown, Houston; she won Wednesday night's swimsuit preliminary.

Zeng won Friday's swimsuit prelim, and promised she'd be part of the post-Irma cleanup and recovery effort, whether as Miss America or not.

The competition took place at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, where it originated as a way to extend summer tourism to the weekend after Labor Day.

They were vying to succeed the outgoing Miss America Savvy Shields, who won the title last September as Miss Arkansas.
In a room packed with Malaysian civil servants, foreign ministry secretary general Ramlan Ibrahim raised his right hand as he read out an anti-corruption pledge.

He was among thousands of state officials nationwide to take such an oath in the past several weeks, part of an anti-graft campaign called by Prime Minister Najib Razak.

"The citizens are becoming more informed -- they ask for public service which is more efficient, transparent and fair," Ramlan said after the event in Putrajaya, the administrative capital.

The campaign comes as Najib prepares to meet President Donald Trump in the United States this week, where the Justice Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are pursuing investigations into 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund the prime minister oversaw.

Najib must also call a general election by mid-2018 although some commentators have suggested he could do so this year itself.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested dozens of top officials under the anti-graft campaign, including officers at national oil company Petronas and state-controlled palm oil firm Felda. More than 600 arrests were made just this year, MACC data showed.

The actions are unusual in the Southeast Asian country, where corruption is seen as widespread. Four out of five Malaysians aged 18-35 cited corruption as the most serious issue facing the country, according to a survey released last month by the Global Shapers Community, a program under the World Economic Forum.

But critics say the campaign ignores the elephant in the room: 1MDB.

The state fund is being investigated in at least six countries for money-laundering and misappropriation of funds, including an alleged $681 million transfer into the prime minister's personal account.

Malaysia's attorney-general closed the 1MDB probe in January 2016, and cleared Najib of any wrongdoing.

The U.S. Justice Department has sought to seize about $1.7 billion in assets allegedly bought with stolen 1MDB funds. Its lawsuits say those involved included Najib's step-son Riza Aziz and his close associate Jho Low.

In court filings last Tuesday, the FBI, which is conducting a criminal investigation, alleged that potential witnesses in the case fear for their safety and need protection.

But investigations into 1MDB in Malaysia appear to have shut down. MACC had "a roomful" of files on 1MDB, a former MACC official told Reuters, but the commission could not pursue it once Malaysia's attorney-general declared the case closed.

Reopen case

"In a way, this campaign is the MACC trying to show that it is doing its job. Even if they cannot secure a conviction [against their targets], the MACC can show that it has done all it could to stamp out major corruption," said the former official, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Cynthia Gabriel, director of the Kuala Lumpur-based Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), said there was "enough substance" for MACC to reopen the case on 1MDB.

MACC declined to comment on whether the commission would reopen its 1MDB investigation.

"No comment on that, we are very fair in investigating anybody here, whoever they are," deputy chief commissioner Azam Baki told reporters in Putrajaya.

Anti-corruption campaigners say they fear Trump's invitation to Najib to visit the United States may affect the investigations in the United States.

"Territorial influence and geopolitical interests of the United States appears to have hollowed out its commitment to fight international corruption, much to the detriment of the future of Malaysia and the world," Gabriel said.

U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Trump's invitation was "particularly inappropriate", given Najib's use of repressive laws to stifle critics.

"There's little doubt that Najib will use this White House visit to burnish his credentials going into next year's election in Malaysia, and redouble his repression of critics using the stamp of approval from this visit," HRW's deputy Asia director Phil Robertson told Reuters.

Najib has said he hopes his visit will drum up more trade and investment for Malaysia.

"I would like to see this as a two way mutually beneficial partnership," he told reporters on Friday. "I hope the U.S. sees Malaysia as a reliable partner on issues such as trade and investment, security partnership, counter terrorism and I also hope that U.S. companies see us as among the best countries to invest in."

A government source said a defense agreement was also on the table, although no details were immediately available.

"Stinks to high heaven"

Senior leaders of the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO) are concerned the party may suffer election losses from the string of graft scandals linked to Najib, a source aware of discussions within the party said.

With Najib and the MACC's clean-up campaign, the source said, the party hopes to appease Malaysians frustrated with the corruption and draw back foreign investors who fled as the probe into 1MDB expanded.

Besides diverting attention from 1MDB, critics say Najib is also using MACC's anti-graft campaign to target political opponents such as Lim Guan Eng, an opposition leader who is the top elected official in Penang province. He has been charged with abuse of power in the purchase of a bungalow.

"You are going after all sorts of offences, but the biggest one, it stinks to high heaven," said Lim, the secretary-general of the Democratic Action Party. "Everyone can smell it, except you."
North Korea warned on Monday the United States would pay a "due price" for spearheading a U.N. Security Council resolution against its latest nuclear test, as Washington presses for a vote on a draft resolution imposing more sanctions on Pyongyang.

South Korean officials have said after the North's sixth nuclear test on September 3, which it said was of an advanced hydrogen bomb, that it could launch another intercontinental ballistic missile in defiance of international pressure.

The United States wants the Security Council to impose an oil embargo on the North, halt its key export of textiles and subject leader Kim Jong Un to financial and travel bans, according to a draft resolution seen by Reuters.

The North's Foreign Ministry spokesman said the United States was "going frantic" to manipulate the Security Council over Pyongyang's nuclear test, which it said was part of "legitimate self-defensive measures."



"In case the U.S. eventually does rig up the illegal and unlawful 'resolution' on harsher sanctions, the DPRK shall make absolutely sure that the U.S. pays due price," the spokesman said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency.

DPRK is short for the North's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"The world will witness how the DPRK tames the U.S. gangsters by taking a series of actions tougher than they have ever envisaged," the unnamed spokesman said.

"The DPRK has developed and perfected the super-powerful thermo-nuclear weapon as a means to deter the ever-increasing hostile moves and nuclear threat of the U.S. and defuse the danger of nuclear war looming over the Korean peninsula and the region."

There was no independent verification of the North's claim to have conducted a hydrogen bomb test, but some experts said there was enough strong evidence to suggest Pyongyang had either developed a hydrogen bomb or was getting close.

KCNA said on Sunday that Kim threw a banquet to laud the scientists and top military and party officials who contributed to the nuclear bomb test, topped with an art performance and a photo session with the leader himself.
A Palestinian activist who has run afoul of both the Palestinian and Israeli authorities was released from a Palestinian jail Sunday, a week after he was arrested for writing a Facebook post critical of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.



Issa Amro, who says he pursues a path of non-violence against discriminatory Israeli policies and Jewish settlements in the West Bank city of Hebron, now faces the rare predicament of criminal proceedings in both an Israeli military court and a Palestinian court.



Amro was arrested on September 4 for writing a Facebook post criticizing the detention of a Palestinian journalist who was arrested for calling for President Mahmoud Abbas's resignation.



His attorney said Sunday that Amro was released on $1,400 bail after being held under a recent edict that allows the government to crack down on social media critics. Farid Atrash said it was "shameful'' that his client was arrested for exercising his right of free expression.



"They want to silence me and silence every voice defending human rights, but they are wrong. I will continue defending human rights and struggling against occupation,'' he said following his release from jail on Sunday. He denied any wrongdoing.



In jail last week, Amro began a hunger strike to protest what he said was an unlawful detention, made without a warrant or due process.



Following his release, Amro said he was verbally and physically abused during his investigation by Palestinian security.



Though he has been freed from jail for now, Amro's legal battles are only just starting.



Amro, a 35-year-old activist whose organization Youth Against Settlements protests against Israeli settlements in his hometown of Hebron, also faces charges at an Israeli military court for allegedly inciting violence and hindering soldiers during official duties. His trial is to resume in October.



Despite facing double-barrel legal battles for his political activities, Amro vows to press forward with what he says is a non-violent struggle.



"I know the law and never, ever violated it,'' he said. "I never incited for violence, I never incited against any official. I call for human rights.''



Amro's arrest by Palestinian security last week prompted rights groups to urge the Palestinian Authority to release him. Amnesty International condemned his arrest as "a shameless attack on freedom of expression.''



Last week nine members of U.S. Congress penned a letter to Abbas asking him to "immediately drop the baseless charges and release'' Amro, calling his detention "extremely concerning.''



In June, 32 members of Congress signed a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urging him to persuade Israeli authorities to drop charges against Amro. The lawmakers expressed concern that some of the allegations against him are "not internationally recognizable criminal offenses'' and that the military court "will not render a fair and impartial verdict.''



In July, two United Nations human rights rapporteurs said the Israeli charges against him were "directed squarely at his lawful right to peacefully protest.''



Amro, like several other Palestinian journalists, was arrested and charged with disturbing public order under a recently passed Electronic Crimes Law, and "causing strife'' under a 1960 Jordanian law. Human rights organizations have noted a spike in journalists arrested by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, particularly after the implementation of the vaguely worded decree in July.



The law enables the Palestinian Authority government to jail those who harm "national unity'' or the "social fabric'' online. Critics say the edict, issued without prior public debate, is perhaps the most significant step yet by Abbas' government to restrict freedom of expression in the autonomous Palestinian enclaves of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.



Amnesty International reported that Palestinian Authority security services arrested at least six journalists in August and shut down dozens of websites in a major crackdown on free speech.
A foreign woman working for the International Committee of the Red Cross has been shot dead in northern Afghanistan.

ICRC spokesman Ahmad Rameen Ayaz told VOA the incident took place Monday at an orthopedic clinic in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province.

He identified the victim as 38-year-old physiotherapist, Lorena Enebral Perez, a Spanish national.

Ayaz said the Afghan intelligence agency has arrested the assailant and launched an investigation into the deadly attack.

The shooter was said to be a regular patient and had hidden the pistol in his wheelchair.

The ICRC spokesman added the motive for the violence was not known immediately.

Ayaz said the aid worker was quickly evacuated to a nearby NATO military hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

Provincial police officials say the assailant and another suspect taken into custody are being interrogated.

Energetic and full of laughter, Lorena was the heart of our office in Mazar. Today, our hearts are broken, said the ICRCs head of delegation in Afghanistan, Monica Zanarelli.

Last week two kidnapped ICRC employees were released seven months after they were abducted by unknown gunmen in the neighboring Jawzjan province.

The two staff members were abducted by an armed group in early February while on their way to deliver relief assistance in the province with six other colleagues, who were shot and killed in the same attack, according to ICRC.

The relief organization would not comment on the identity of the abductors, their motives or the details of the release.

The intensified armed conflict in Afghanistan has also seen a sharp rise in violence against aid workers trying to deliver much needed assistance to tens of thousands of displaced families across the war-ravaged country.
Sixteen years ago, the building housing the U.S. Department of Defense came under attack. American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon, killing all 59 passengers on board the plane and 125 people working in the building.

Today, the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial stands next to where the plane entered the building, honoring those lost on a day that forever changed America.

Jamie McIntyre, The Washington Examiners senior defense writer, was inside the Pentagon working as a correspondent for CNN at the time of the attacks. Speaking with VOA at the memorial, he called it sacred ground.

I stood here on September 11, McIntyre said, and to someone who lived through it, its kind of a defining moment in your life.

Among those killed in the attack was David Laychak, a civilian employee with the U.S. Army who had been in and out of his office at the Pentagon because of renovations to the building.

I didnt even know if Dave was in the building. I didnt expect him to be in the building, his brother James Laychak, the president of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, told VOA.

Laychak recalled being at home about three kilometers from the Pentagon when he and his wife felt the windows shake. They were watching their TV screens air footage from the Twin Towers attack in New York, and they remember wondering whether the Pentagon could have also been a target.

As the hours turned into days without contact from David Laychak, the nightmare was confirmed: He had gone to the Pentagon that day, and he had not survived the attack. He left behind a wife, Laurie, and two children, Zach, 9, and Jenny, 7.

Symbolism of memorial

Plans for the memorial started a few weeks later.

Laychak said the victims family members first worked with the Pentagon to secure a plot of land near the impact point.

After years of fundraising, designing and building the memorial, it was dedicated and opened to the public on September 11, 2008. The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial was the first of the 9/11 memorials to be opened, Laychak said. Even though its just steps away from the U.S. military headquarters, its open to the public 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

I think thats a testament to our country, Laychak said. The only time its been closed is when weve had major snowstorms.

The memorial is designed like a timeline, with September 11, 2001, serving as what Lachak calls the zero line.

From there, there are benches, one for each victim, organized by their birthdays. Five benches bunched near the zero line serve as memorials to the five children killed onboard Flight 77. After a gap, more benches emerge on the timeline to represent all of the adults killed in the attack, whose ages range from their early 20s to 71, the age of retired U.S. Navy Captain John Yamnicky Sr., who was killed on the plane.

If a visitor has to face the Pentagon to read a victims name on a bench, the visitor knows that person was killed in the building. If a visitor reads a name on a bench and sees the skyline, then the visitor knows that person was killed in the plane. The trees on the memorials grounds, once tiny saplings, have grown over the years to provide shade as people sit and reflect in the memorial. The sound of the cool water that runs below the benches is calming.

Laychak thinks his brother would approve of the site.

I do this to honor my brothers memory and to honor all the people who died here so we never forget them, he said.

Hes now working to fund a Visitor Education Center to complement the site and help tell the stories of those lost. When completed, the new center will rest on the other side of Washington Boulevard, overlooking the highway on the flight path of Flight 77 right before it entered the building.
Sixteen years ago, the U.S. Department of Defense came under attack. American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon, killing all passengers aboard the plane and 125 people working in the building. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb spoke with two men forever impacted by the attack. She brings us their story, in their own words, and takes us to the 9-11 Pentagon Memorial, built to honor those lost in a day that forever changed our world.
Norway's tax-cutting Conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg declared victory on Tuesday after a parliamentary election, narrowly defeating a Labour-led opposition with her promises of steady management of the oil-dependent economy.

The win is historic for Solberg, whose supporters compare her firm management style to that of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, because no Conservative-led government has retained power in an election in Norway since 1985.

"It looks like a clear victory," for the center-right, a beaming Solberg told cheering supporters in Oslo just after midnight (2200 GMT), following Monday's voting.

"Our solutions have worked. We have created jobs," she said, but warned, "We have some challenges ahead. ... Oil revenues are going to be lower. We all must take responsibility."

The ruling minority coalition of her Conservatives and the populist Progress Party, together with two small center-right allies, was set to win a slim majority with 88 seats in the 169-seat parliament, according to an official projection with over 90 percent of the votes counted.

Opposition Labour leader Jonas Gahr Stoere told supporters that it looked like his party, the main force in Norwegian politics in the 20th century, had fallen short.

"It's a big disappointment," he said.

Solberg, 56, plans more tax cuts as a way to stimulate growth for Norway's top oil and gas producer. Stoere favors tax increases to improve public services such as education and healthcare for Norway's 5 million citizens.

The oil industry could be affected by the vote, because Solberg will need support from two green-minded, center-right allies to ensure a majority to pass legislation in parliament.

The allies include the Liberals, who want to limit exploration in Arctic waters. Solberg's Conservative Party was set to lose three seats to 45 in parliament, making her more dependent on outsiders' help.

That means it may be more difficult to have a stable government.

"They [The Liberals and the Christian Democrats] will support Solberg as prime minister, but the question is whether they get a firm agreement or if there is cooperation on a case-by-case basis," said Elisabeth Ivarsflaten, a professor in comparative politics at the University of Bergen.

"Then it may be a weaker government," she told Reuters.

The Norwegian currency, the crown, strengthened slightly following the first projections after weakening sharply earlier in the day on weaker-than-expected inflation data.

For much of the year, Labour and its allies were favored by pollsters to win a clear victory, but support for the government has risen as the economy gradually recovered from a slump in the price of crude oil, Norway's top export.

Unemployment, which a year ago hit a 20-year high of 5 percent, has since declined to 4.3 percent, while consumer confidence is at a 10-year high.

Solberg has won credit for the upturn with a no-nonsense style of management. Norway's economy also has the cushion of a sovereign wealth fund worth almost $1 trillion, the world's biggest, built on income from offshore oil and gas.

"Regardless of which government we get, the challenge will be to use less oil money," said Erik Bruce, chief analyst at Nordea Markets. "There is broad consensus about the outlook for the sovereign wealth fund and the Norwegian economy, which means a tighter fiscal policy."

The sovereign wealth fund has wanted to invest in unlisted infrastructure to boost its return on investment. Finance Minister Siv Jensen has twice said no to the request over the past two years, citing political risk.

That stance is unlikely to change now that the government has been re-elected.

Labour

Labour was set to remain the biggest party in Norway, with 49 seats, just ahead of the Conservatives.

Stoere, who sometimes compares himself to French President Emmanuel Macron, took over the leadership of the Labour Party from Jens Stoltenberg, who left Norwegian politics to become NATO's secretary-general.

Solberg's coalition partner, the populist Progress Party, has sharply limited immigration to Norway in what Stoere says is a betrayal of Norwegian values.

"We have done our share of the job. We have delivered," Finance Minister Siv Jensen, leader of the Progress Party, told party supporters as they chanted "four more years."

Norway's problems are small by the standards of most nations.

Apart from its sovereign wealth fund, Norway tops U.N. lists of the best country in which to live, based on issues such as personal earnings and education. It even rose to first, from fourth, in a 2017 survey that ranked nations by happiness.
A worker with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was shot and killed over the weekend when a convoy of their vehicles traveling in former Western Equatoria was ambushed.

ICRC driver Lukudu Kennedy Laki Emmanuel was killed when nine trucks and a four-wheel-drive vehicle were shot at by unknown assailants when returning from Western Equatoria Friday. When Emmanuel was shot, his vehicle spun out of control and crashed.

We are shaken and distraught by the killing of our colleague who was traveling in a convoy of vehicles, Francois Stamm, ICRC's head of delegation in Juba, said in a statement.

The ICRC condemned the attack and suspended all operations in the area indefinitely. ICRC spokesperson in Juba Mari Aftret Mortvedt said all activities are on hold in the area until the agency learns what happened.

The convoy was marked with the Red Cross emblem which is ICRC protection in areas of conflict and we need to understand why it was not respected, said Mortvedt.

The convoy was returning from a food and seed distribution operation in the former Western Equatoria near the borders of Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Before ICRC teams embark on any travel in South Sudan, they notify all parties to the conflict about their presence, according to Mortvedt.

The next time we go on these roads, we (must make sure we) are respected and the Red Cross emblem is respected. We encourage all parties not to attack humanitarian workers because it's important for us that we get access and safe passage to help the people in need in South Sudan, said Mortvedt.

Mortvedt said this is the first serious attack on an ICRC convoy since the South Sudan conflict broke out in late 2013.

South Sudan became independent from neighboring Sudan in 2011 following decades of conflict.

The new nation slid into civil war less than two years later, after President Salva Kiir fired his deputy, Riek Machar.

The conflict has often followed along ethnic lines, killing tens of thousands and forcing nearly a third of the population of 12 million to flee their homes, with Uganda alone hosting 1 million South Sudanese refugees.

So far this year, more than eight humanitarian convoys have been attacked and thirteen aid workers have been killed in South Sudan.

The UN warns that under international humanitarian law, attacks against humanitarian relief personnel may constitute war crimes.
A day after forcing his way past border guards back into Ukraine, former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said he would unite the opposition against his former ally President Petro Poroshenko and planned to campaign for support.

Saakashvili wants to unseat Poroshenko at the next election, accusing the president of reneging on promises to root out corruption and carry out reforms made during the 2014 Maidan protests, which ousted a pro-Kremlin leader.

At present it seems unlikely that Saakashvili, who studied in Ukraine and speaks fluent Ukrainian, will come to power. His Ukrainian citizenship, bestowed by Poroshenko when he made him governor of Odessa in 2015, has been withdrawn, and polls show little support for his party, the Movement of New Forces.

"I am fighting against rampant corruption, against the fact that oligarchs are in full control of Ukraine again, against the fact that Maidan has been betrayed," Saakashvili said at a press conference in the city of Lviv.

Saakashvili divides opinion. Supporters see him as a fearless crusader against corruption but critics say there is little substance behind his blustery rhetoric.

Back home in Georgia, his time in office was tarnished by what critics said was his monopolizing power and exerting pressure on the judiciary. He was president at the time of a disastrous five-day war with Russia in 2008, a conflict that his critics argued was the result of his own miscalculations.

Saakashvili says he does not covet the presidency himself and wants to promote a new, younger politician to the post. But while perhaps not a threat as a direct rival, Saakashvili could prove to be an effective weapon against Poroshenko for powerful opposition figures like Yulia Tymoshenko, who was with him at the border on Sunday.

Poroshenko trails in the polls behind Tymoshenko, a former prime minister and leader of one of Ukraine's largest opposition parties.

"This is a marriage of convenience between Tymoshenko and Saakashvili, but the parties have different interests," said political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko. "She tries to use this situation with the hope that this will provoke a political crisis in Ukraine and lead to early elections."

Border Violation

Saakashvili's relationship with Poroshenko dates back nearly three decades to when they were students at the same university in Kyiv and their shared opposition to the Kremlin later brought them together as politicians.

But a bitter spat erupted in November 2016, a year after Poroshenko invited Saakashvili to be the governor of the region of Odessa to help drive reforms. The latter quit, accusing Poroshenko of abetting corruption and turned into one of his loudest critics.

Meanwhile Poroshenko's office said Saakashvili had failed to deliver change as governor and said his Ukrainian citizenship was withdrawn because he allegedly put false information on his registration form. Saakashvili says the decision was politically motivated. It left him effectively stateless as Georgia has also withdrawn his citizenship.

On Sunday evening Saakashvili and his supporters forced their way past a cordon of border guards to return to Ukraine from Poland.

"It does not matter who violates the state border - invaders in the East or politicians in the West. There always must be legal responsibility," Poroshenko said in televised remarks on Monday.



The president said Saakashvili should have used Ukrainian courts to challenge the revocation.

"Now this is a matter of law enforcement agencies and they have begun to act," Poroshenko said.

Saakashvili said he would travel to all regions of Ukraine to unite "different political forces around a common theme that we must have a democracy and we should not let oligarchs hold sway."

Ukraine's record of implementing reforms has been patchy since Poroshenko took office in 2014.

Reformist lawmaker Mustafa Nayyem, one of the faces of the Maidan protests and a member of Poroshenko's faction in parliament, traveled with Saakashvili on Sunday and accused the Kiev authorities of trying to silence opponents.

"We didn't want this country when we stayed on Maidan," he told reporters. "We wanted a country in which opponents, political opponents, have a right to say what they want."

Saakashvili may yet face arrest. Police have launched a criminal investigation into Sunday's incident, while General Prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko said those who crossed the border illegally would be prosecuted.

Kyiv could leave Saakashvili alone, arrest him and possibly extradite him to Georgia.

Saakashvili took power in Georgia after a peaceful uprising, known as the Rose Revolution, in 2003. The 49-year-old is now wanted on criminal charges in Georgia, which he says were trumped up for political reasons.
1 Flowers are placed on names of the victims at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum during ceremonies marking the 16th anniversary of the attacks in New York.
Frustrated by North Koreas continued provocations and perhaps prodded by criticisms from U.S. President Donald Trump, the South Korean government has shifted away from engagement oriented policies to more strongly align with U.S.-led efforts to pressure the Kim Jong Un government into denuclearization talks.

The sixth nuclear test was a factor that forced us to reassess the situation. And we have always said provocation means further pressure and sanctions, said South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister Kang Kyung-wha at a press conference in Seoul on Monday.

North Koreas rapid progress toward developing a nuclear inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of targeting the U.S. mainland is changing threat assessments and security calculations in the region and the world.

Pyongyang conducted its sixth nuclear test this month and is expected to soon launch another long-range ballistic missile, after conducting over 20 missile tests so far this year.

Prior to North Koreas most recent nuclear provocation, South Korean President Moon Jae-in had advocated the need to balance sanctions with outreach and dialogue to bring the Kim government to denuclearization talks. However Pyongyang has ignored Seouls offers of outreach and cooperation, including holding reunions of separated families.

Sanctions



President Trump recently called South Koreas engagement approach unworkable appeasement. In contrast, his administrations maximum pressure and maximum engagement policy emphasizes strong sanctions along with the treat of military action to force Kim to yield.

Foreign Minister Kang said Monday that South Koreas initial outreach was not appeasement but conceded that conditions are not right for dialogue at this point.

Last week, President Moon argued for tougher North Korean sanctions when visiting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The United Nations Security Council will meet Monday to consider further economic sanctions on North Korea that could include limits on the import of oil and restrictions on the export of laborers.

However Security Council members Russia and China have voiced a reluctance to impose crippling sanctions on the Kim regime. Putin has said sanctions and pressure alone will not solve this crisis and voiced concern that increasing military hysteria over the North Korean nuclear and missile tests could trigger a global catastrophe.

Yet Pyongyang has shown no interest in any diplomatic solutions suggested to reduce tensions, including Chinas proposal for a joint freeze of North Koreas nuclear program and a suspension of U.S.-South Korean joint military drills.

Right now I dont expect North Korea to be interested any kind of freezing negotiations, nuclear arms control negotiations, until they will acquire the proven capability to deliver a strike on the continental United States, said Professor Andrei Lankov, a North Korea analyst with Kookmin University in Seoul.

North Korea said the U.S. will pay a due price for leading efforts to impose new U.N sanctions against the country. The North's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Washington was "going frantic" to manipulate the Security Council over Pyongyang's nuclear test, which it said was part of "legitimate self-defensive measures."

Tactical nukes

Foreign Minister Kang Monday also clarified that her government does not support basing U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea, despite the fact that the countrys defense minister said last week that such a U.S. nuclear deployment was under review.

There are many elements to consider beyond the military and strategic value of this issue; the regional and global political context, the global non-proliferation norms, Koreas profile in the nonproliferation norms, and of course denuclearization being the fundamental rationale with which we are promoting and pursuing complete denuclearization of the North nuclear program, said Kang.

The United States had about 100 nuclear-armed weapons stationed in South Korea until 1991, when both North and South Korea signed an agreement not to develop nuclear weapons and use nuclear energy only for peaceful purposes.

While public support is growing in South Korea to match the Norths nuclear capability, critics argue basing U.S. nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula would validate the Norths nuclear state status and end the international commitment to pressure Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear program.
A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-packed car into a NATO military convoy wounding "a small number" of foreign troops and Afghan civilians Monday in Afghanistan, officials say.

The Taliban swiftly took credit for the afternoon attack near the U.S.-run Bagram military air base.

NATO's Resolute Support mission said the wounded service members were taken to the Bagram hospital for treatment. "None of the injuries are considered life threatening," it added, but did not reveal the victims' nationalities, though reports identified them as American soldiers.

"The Afghan civilians were evacuated to a local hospital and their condition is unknown at this time," according to the alliance statement.

A Taliban spokesman claimed the powerful blast destroyed three U.S. military vehicles and "killed and wounded 24 'invaders,'" a term the insurgent group uses for the NATO-led military coalition in Afghanistan. The Taliban often releases inflated claims for such attacks.

Leaflets spark retaliation

Last week a suicide bomber on a motorbike blew himself up at an entrance to the Bagram base, injuring "a small number" of U.S. soldiers, according to officials.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for that attack, saying it was carried out to take revenge on "American invaders" for air-dropping anti-Islam leaflets in Parwarn.

The controversial leaflets, intended to mock the Taliban, featured the coalition as a lion chasing a white dog, the same color as the insurgent flag. The Muslim profession of faith was superimposed on the dog, which is considered an unclean animal in Islam.

The leaflets also outraged Afghans and prompted calls for bringing those responsible to justice.

A senior U.S. military commander was quick to apologize over the leaflets he deemed "highly offensive" to both Muslims and the religion of Islam.

"I sincerely apologize. ... There is no excuse for this mistake," an official statement quoted Major General James Linder as saying.

The general, who heads the United States and NATO special operations forces in Afghanistan, promised to investigate and find those responsible for the "error."

U.S. President Donald Trump, while announcing his new strategy for Afghanistan last month, pledged to enhance the troop presence and keep American forces in the country indefinitely. The Taliban responded by saying it will turn Afghanistan into a "graveyard" for foreign forces.

The insurgents have extended their control or influence to more than 40 percent of Afghanistan within the past three years and continue to make battlefield gains.

Monday, the Taliban staged a three-pronged assault on a remote district, Barg-e-Matal, in the eastern province of Nursitan, triggering fierce clashes with Afghan forces.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has urged the United States to start finding a way to resolve the problems between the two countries.

We called for a stop to the destruction of Russia-U.S. relations and ... to start finding solutions to resolve problems that are mounting through no fault of ours, said a Russian Foreign Ministry statement after Ryabkov met with U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon in Helsinki, Finland.

Shannon arrived in Finland earlier Monday for the talks aimed at calming tensions, between Washington and Moscow, which have been mounting for months.

Shannon is the State Department's third-ranking official and met earlier this year with Ryabkov to discuss numerous obstacles in the bilateral relationship.

Mounting tensions

Tensions between the Untied States and Russia have been especially high since allegations emerged that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The U.S. Congress passed sanctions against Moscow in July for its alleged meddling and U.S. President Donald Trump, unwilling to risk having lawmakers override a veto, signed the legislation, but blamed Congress for creating new tensions with Moscow.

Trump, who has sought closer relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, described the legislation as significantly flawed, with clearly unconstitutional provisions that limited his right to conduct foreign affairs as he sees fit.

Putin retaliated to the new law by closing a U.S. recreational site and a warehouse and ordering the United States to cut 755 diplomats and staff workers, many of them Russians, from its embassy and consulates in Russia.

Trump has been largely dismissive of numerous investigations in Washington into the Russian meddling and accusations that his aides colluded with Moscow, calling them a witch hunt and an excuse by Democrats to explain his upset win over his Democratic challenger, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Numerous congressional investigations are under way, as is a criminal probe being conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Tragic relationship

Michael McFaul, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012-2014, told VOA's Russian service that the current state of the U.S.-Russia relationship is a tragedy.

It (the US-Russia relationship) is in a bad place. I think you have to go deep into the Cold War to have a comparable time, when things were so confrontational. I personally think it is tragic.

He laid much of the blame for the poor relationship with Putin.

I don't think it was inevitable, it didn't have to go this way, but I also think it is largely in response to policies that president Putin did. It takes two to tango to make a good relationship work.

McFaul cited Putin's efforts to annex Crimea and his support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as actions that have put him at odds with the United States and said, Until he adjusts his policy, we will be in a rather difficult bilateral relationship.

Right now, at least in the last couple of years, he (Putin) has done some very dramatic things that have been against the rules of the international system  things like annexation, things like intervention in Syria, he said.

McFaul described the new Russian ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, whom he knows personally, as a tough negotiator. McFaul expressed hope that beyond having friendly and warm communication with President Trump, the new Russian ambassador will also reach out to members of the U.S. Congress, the media and the U.S. civil society.

McFaul stressed that despite tensions between the United States and Russia, the two countries need to collaborate on an array of issues, including North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Yulia Savchenko contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump said terrorists have nowhere to hide Monday as he led the nation in observing the 16th anniversary of the worst act of terrorism ever on U.S. soil.

We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large Earth, Trump told a gathering at the Pentagon, where one of four hijacked jets hit on September 11, 2001.

The horror and anguish of that dark day were seared into our memory forever, the president said.



WATCH: Trump on protecting US from future attacks



Defense Secretary Jim Mattis introduced Trump, noting the 9/11 attacks had only strengthened Americas resolve.

Maniacs disguised in false religious garb thought by hurting us they could scare us that day. But we Americans are not made of cotton candy, we are not seaweed drifting in the current. We are not intimidated by our enemies, and Mr. President, your military does not scare.

WATCH: Mattis on US military preparedness



Memorials to the 2,977 victims of the 9/11 attacks were held at several locations, including the World Trade Center in New York, where the annual bell ringing and reading of victims names was re-enacted.



Flight 93

Vice-president Mike Pence traveled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where a fourth jet heading for Washington crashed into a field after passengers overpowered the hijackers. Pence recounted how he watched the drama unfold from his vantage point in the U.S. Capitol Police chiefs office.

The chief set the phone back down and informed the leaders gathered there that there was a plane inbound to the Capitol, and he said it was 12 minutes out, Pence said.



So we waited. It was the longest 12 minutes of my life. But it turned to 13 minutes, then 14, and then we were informed that the plane had gone down in a field in Pennsylvania.

The vice-president paid tribute to the passengers who overcame the hijackers and prevented what could have been another horrific chapter in the 9/11 story.



In the days ahead like every American, we would learn the story of the 40 heroes of Flight 93 - men and women who looked evil squarely in the eye and without regard to their personal safety, rushed forward to save lives Pence said.

Earlier, President Trump led a moment of silence on the White House lawn at 8:46 a.m., the exact moment the first jet smashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.

In Photos: 9/11 anniversary



Memories awakened

Sixteen years later, that moment reawakens horrific memories in millions of Americans, none more so than Tom Weber, who was at the window of his 39th floor lower Manhattan apartment facing the twin towers of the World Trade Center when he heard the unusually loud sound of an aircraft engine.

In fact it was a plane going full throttle and I looked to my right, Weber told VOA. I saw for about seven blocks or so this plane making its way toward the World Trade Center, banking and heading left and going right through the building.

When the second plane started its way toward the buildings I thought, maybe this was some kind of military plane that was going to take photos of the damage, when the next thing I know it goes right into the south tower, and a humongous fireball goes toward us and shakes our building. And thats when (my wife) Carolyn said, Were getting out of here, lets go.

Weber says he is surprised that, 16 years later, the feelings he experience that day have not diminished. It is like yesterday, he explained.

Theres an overwhelming sense of sadness. And loss. Every year at this time, especially on beautiful days like this. It was a pristine, gorgeous, early fall day. It really harkens back to that awful day.

Weber, a university professor and professional baseball coach, says he has conflicting feelings each time he looks out his window at the gleaming new skyscraper that replaced the Twin Towers.

There was no way to put something there that would adequately pay homage to, and respectfully remember, and satisfy everyone. I dont think thats possible, he said.

On the other hand, Im glad something is there. Its a sign we took it on the chin and came back better and stronger. Still, Ill never ever be able to look at that site again and not feel a little sad, irrespective of its success and its beauty and its signal to the rest of the world that were OK.

Weber pauses for a few seconds, then adds wistfully, The reality for me is that it will always be a graveyard.


The United Nations's human rights chief has joined the growing chorus of international voices condemning Myanmar for the wave of violence that has forced scores of minority Rohingya Muslims to flee across the border to Bangladesh.

Speaking Monday in Geneva before the U.N. Human Rights Council, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said his office has received numerous reports and satellite imagery of Myanmar security forces and local militias carrying out extrajudicial killings and burning entire Rohingya villages. Zeid also cited reports of Myanmar troops planting landmines along the shared border.

"Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators, the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed," he told the council, "but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing."

Amnesty International on Sunday charged Myanmar with deliberately targeting Rohingya by placing landmines along the routes that Rohingya refugees use to cross into Bangladesh. The rights organization reported two landmine explosions Sunday, including one that blew off a young man's leg while he was herding cattle near the border.

Zeid issued his report a day after Rohingya insurgents called for a month-long cease-fire to allow humanitarian aid to reach those affected by the conflict. The group encouraged aid groups to resume their humanitarian assistance to all victims of the humanitarian crisis, irrespective of ethnic or religious background during the cease-fire period."

Fighters from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, as they call themselves, launched an attack on dozens of police posts and an army base late last month, leading to the displacement of more than 300,000 people.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley reminded Myanmar in a statement issued last Friday that while Washington supports the fight against violence in northwestern Rakhine state, humanitarian aid must reach those in need.

Fleeing violence



The latest round of violence and a military counteroffensive killed at least 400 people and triggered the latest exodus of Rohingya villagers to Bangladesh.



U.N. Refugee Agency Asia Director Vivian Tan in Bangladesh told VOA Burmese that aid workers estimate there are about 164,000 new arrivals in Bangladesh.

The United Nations said about 146,000 people have crossed the border into Bangladeshs Coxs Bazaar district since August 25.



Officials said the U.N. World Food Program has provided tens of thousands of people with food. The agency said it needs $11.3 million to support the influx of people, in addition to those already living in camps.

Aung San Suu Kyi under fire



Myanmars de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been criticized for her response to the violence.

Many observers say she has played down reports of the Burmese military's brutal treatment of Rohingya civilians. Aung San Suu Kyi maintains there has been a huge iceberg of misinformation about the Rohingya crisis and violence in Rakhine following the attacks on security posts.

A series of Twitter photos that allegedly showed dead Rohingya people were later proved to be unrelated to the current violence, according to a statement posted on Facebook by Aung San Suu Kyis office.



The Nobel Peace laureate said fake information was used to promote the interests of terrorists, a word she used to describe the insurgents.

But a number of her fellow Nobel laureates, the exiled Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai have issued statements urging her to personally intervene and end the violence.

International pressure



Other human rights advocates are also urging the Burmese government to stop the violence.



The governments of the world have to press very hard on Aung San Suu Kyi and also the Burma military to stop the violence, Human Rights Watchs Deputy Asia Director Phil Robertson told VOA, adding that independent monitors should be granted access to assess allegations of serious human rights violations made by ethnic Rohingya refugees who have fled into Bangladesh.



Robertson urged the United States and the international community to provide more humanitarian relief and medical assistance to the refugees.



So far we have seen very little comments from the Trump administration about the situation which is quite shocking, he said.



Abuses against and restrictions on members of the Rohingya population were cited as one of the leading human rights problems in Myanmar, according to the State Department's 2016 Human Rights Report (( www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2016&dlid=265324#wrapper ))



The Rohingya are one of Myanmar's many ethnic minorities in the Buddhist-majority nation. The Myanmar government considers the Rohingya to be economic migrants from Bangladesh, and it has never granted them citizenship, even though most can show their families have been in the country for generations.

VOA's Burmese Service contributed to this report.
The United Nations Security Council has unanimously adopted a tough new round of economic sanctions against North Korea in response to its September 3rd nuclear test of a possible hydrogen bomb.

Today we are saying that the world will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council Monday evening. And today the Security Council is saying that if the North Korean regime does not halt its nuclear program, we will act to stop it ourselves.

Haley said the provisions in the resolution would drastically cut North Korea's ability to fund and fuel its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

If fully implemented, the new sanctions would cut a third of North Korea's oil imports, which Haley called the life blood of its efforts to build and deliver a nuclear weapon.

'We are not looking for war'

The resolution will also reduce by more than half, the country's gas, diesel and heavy fuel oil imports, while completely banning the import of natural gas and other oil substitutes.

We don't take pleasure in further strengthening sanctions today, Haley said.

We are not looking for war, she added. The North Korean regime has not yet passed the point of no return. If it agrees to stop its nuclear program, it can reclaim its future. If it proves it can live in peace, the world will live in peace with it.

Last week, the U.S. envoy sent a very different message when the council convened after the North's nuclear test, warning that leader Kim Jong Un was begging for war, and adding that the United States did not have unlimited patience. President Donald Trump has also repeatedly said that all options are on the table.

The new measures adopted Monday hope to change the North Korean dictator's calculus.

Textile exports banned

The resolution also bans North Korea's textile exports currently its second most lucrative industry  which Haley said would cost Pyongyang almost $800 million a year. And it could gradually cut up to a half billion dollars of revenues earned off the backs of its nearly 100,000 citizens working abroad who are forced to send most of their earnings back to the government.

When these new stronger sanctions are added to those passed last month, over 90 percent of North Korea's publicly reported exports are now fully banned, Haley said.

Haley was referring to sanctions adopted on August 5th, targeting the country's coal, iron, lead and seafood export industries. They could slash a billion dollars a year from the country's estimated $3 billion export economy. The new measures would winnow those revenues down even further.

The U.S. did not get everything it hoped for in the new resolution. It had sought a complete oil embargo and an asset freeze on leader Kim Jong Un. It also wanted authorization to use military force if necessary, to interdict ships suspected of smuggling banned items.

Washington had to make serious concessions to win Chinese and Russian support for the new sanctions. Both governments supported the resolution, but expressed their determination to see a return to dialogue to resolve the issue.

Japan praises council

Council member Japan hailed the show of council unity behind the strong measures.

I think we are united in the sense that there is no military solution that we are seeking now, Ambassador Koro Bessho told reporters after the vote. We are thinking of the sanctions as a tool to have a peaceful resolution to the problem.

South Korea's envoy Cho Tae-yul said sanctions are the only option to bring Pyongyang back to the negotiating table. Our goal is not to bring North Korea to its knees, but to achieve a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear issue, he said.

North Korea warned earlier Monday that the United States would pay a heavy price if the U.N. Security Council approved more sanctions against Pyongyang.

The world will witness how the DPRK (North Korea) tames the U.S. gangsters by taking a series of actions tougher than they have ever envisaged, an official spokesperson in Pyongyang said.
The United States called for a vote Monday on new U.N. sanctions against North Korea, though exactly what measures would be in the resolution remained a mystery.

Security Council diplomats, who weren't authorized to speak publicly because talks have been private, said the U.S. and China were still negotiating the text late Sunday.

Previous U.N. sanctions resolutions have been negotiated between the United States and China _ North Korea's main trading partner and ally _ and have taken weeks, and in some cases months, to finalize.

But the Trump administration adopted a totally new approach with this resolution, presenting its draft to China and all other Security Council members last Tuesday and demanding a vote in six days. Diplomats said China's U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, who was on a Security Council trip to Ethiopia, flew back to New York on Thursday to take part in negotiations.

North Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a statement early Monday saying it was watching the United States' moves closely and warned that it was "ready and willing" to respond with measures of its own. It said the U.S. would pay a heavy price if the sanctions proposed by Washington are adopted.

Ethiopia's U.N. mission, the current Security Council president, said late Sunday that members would vote on a North Korea resolution following a meeting Monday afternoon on implementing existing sanctions against the Pyongyang government.

The draft circulated by the United States called for imposing the toughest-ever U.N. sanctions on North Korea, including a ban on all oil and natural gas exports to the country and a freeze of all foreign financial assets of the government and its leader, Kim Jong Un.

The U.S. is also seeking to ban all countries from hiring workers from the North and from importing textiles from the northeast Asian nation _ two key sources of foreign currency.

In another key measure, the U.S. draft identified nine ships that have carried out activities prohibited by previous U.N. sanctions resolutions. The draft would authorize the 192 other U.N. member states to stop these ships on the high seas to check their cargo without their consent. It would permit the use of "all necessary measures," which in U.N. language includes force, to carry out an inspection and direct the vessel to a port.

Whether those provisions would remain in any resolution put to a vote Monday remained to be seen.

Beijing and Moscow have called for a resolution that focuses on a political solution and proposed a freeze-for-freeze that would halt North Korean nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the U.S. and South Korea stopping their joint military exercises. That initiative was rejected by the Trump administration.

Russia argues that sanctions aren't working and President Vladimir Putin expressed concern last week that a total oil cutoff could hurt the North Korean people.

Britain's U.N. ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, backed the tough U.S. measures and demand for a speedy vote, saying Thursday that "maximum possible pressure" must be exerted on North Korea to change course and give diplomacy a chance to end the crisis.

Professor Joseph DeThomas of Pennsylvania State University, a former U.S. ambassador and State Department official who dealt with North Korea, told The Associated Press on Friday that the U.S. demand for quick council action was "an indicator of how the administration thinks time has run out."

"My sense is they believe that they don't have time for a delicate diplomatic dance," he said. "The other possibility ... is they want to see the color of China's money. They're putting down the marker here and saying, `OK, are you prepared to do what is necessary to put pressure on North Korea at a moment when we're simply out of time?"'
Acrid yellow smoke clogs the skies of major Western U.S. cities, a human-caused fire races down the Columbia River Gorge toward Portland, Oregon, and a century-old backcountry chalet burns to the ground in Montana's Glacier National Park.

Wildfires are chewing across dried-out Western forests and grassland, putting 2017 on track to be among the worst fire seasons in a decade.

A snowy winter across much of the West raised hopes that 2017 wouldn't be a dried-out, fire-prone year, but a hot, dry summer spoiled that.

Here's what happened, and how bad things are:

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Heavy snows last winter brought relief from a long, brutal drought across much of the West and produced a lush growth of natural grasses  thicker and taller than many vegetation experts had ever seen. But the weather turned very hot very fast in the spring, and the snow melted much faster than expected.

All the grass that grew high dried out, and so did forests at higher elevations, leaving plenty of fuel for wildfires, said Bryan Henry, a manager at the National Interagency Fire Center, which coordinates wildfire-fighting.

Summer lightning storms then dumped less rain than usual and weather conditions kept the humidity low, creating a natural tinderbox in many states.

"It was kind of a bad combination of things," Henry said.

HOW BIG ARE THE FIRES?

By Thursday, more than 76 large fires were burning in nine Western states  including 21 in Montana and 18 in Oregon, according to the interagency fire center.

So far this year, wildfires have burned more than 12,500 square miles (32,000 square kilometers) nationwide. In the past decade, only two years were worse at this point in the wildfire season: 2015 and 2012.

For all of 2015, a record 15,800 square miles (41,000 square kilometers) burned. In 2012, 14,600 square miles (38,000 square kilometers) were scorched.

WHAT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?

It's making things worse for fires, said Jonathan Overpeck, dean of the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan.

Hotter and drier weather is a symptom of human-caused climate change, and that's making fires worse by leaving forests and other vegetation more flammable.

"It's not of course playing the only role," he said. "There's natural variability at work."

"Humans are contributing to an ever-increasing degree to wildfires in the West as they emit greenhouse gases and warm the planet and warm the West," Overpeck said.

TREE-EATING BEETLES

Two dozen species of beetles have killed trees on nearly 85,000 square miles (220,000 square kilometers) in the Western U.S. since 2000. They're responsible for about 20 percent of the 6.3 billion standing dead trees across the West, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Researchers disagree on whether forests with beetle-killed trees are more likely to burn, or if they burn differently, than healthier forests.

Any standing dead tree  whether killed by beetles, drought, lightning or other causes  can crash down, posing hazards for firefighters who must adjust their tactics to avoid them.

WHO'S FIGHTING THE FIRES?

More than 26,000 people are fighting the fires, backed by more than 200 helicopters, 1,800 trucks and 28 air tankers dropping water and fire-retardant slurry. Three of those tankers are military C-130 planes.

The military has also assigned surveillance aircraft and at least 200 active-duty soldiers to fight fires and the National Guard has been called out in at least four states  California Montana, Oregon and Washington.

"We're stretched thin," said Jennifer Jones, a spokeswoman for the interagency fire center.

Sometimes the center gets requests for more crews and equipment than it has, so "fire managers on the ground are adjusting their tactics and strategies to accommodate the resources they can get," Jones said.

"We don't pack up our tents and go home."

HOW BAD ARE THE LOSSES?

Nine firefighters have died and 35 have been injured this year, according to the national Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center. Two of the deaths came during training.

Houses have been destroyed but the number isn't yet available, said Janet Ruiz of the Insurance Information Institute. The institute says 2007 was the worst year in the past decade for property damage from wildfires, at more than $3.5 billion.

Ruiz sees a hopeful trend in fewer houses lost to wildfires, and credits better-equipped firefighters and homeowners who take steps to minimize the danger such as clearing trees away from buildings and installing screens over dwelling openings to keep embers out.

"It's a better informed public and fire services better able to fight fire," she said.

WHAT ABOUT ALL THE SMOKE?

"It's unusually bad," said Henry, of the National Interagency Fire Center.

Smoke is lingering from northern California and central Nevada to Montana. The air over parts of northern California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington is rated very unhealthy on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's AirNow website. It was not clear whether sources other than fires were contributing.

The air over the towns of Cottonwood and Porthill, Idaho, were listed as hazardous, the worst of six categories.

Fires spew particulates into the air, which are linked to premature death and cancer and can make asthma and chronic lung disease worse, said Dr. Norman H. Edelman, a senior science adviser to the American Lung Association.

"It certainly is bad enough to cause symptoms in people with chronic lung disease but also normal people," he said.

A volcanic eruption is probably the only thing that pumps more particulates into the atmosphere at once than a fire, he said.

HOW MUCH HAS FIREFIGHTING COST?

Federal spending to fight fires appears to be headed for a record.

The two main firefighting agencies, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Interior, report spending of more than $2.1 billion so far. That's about the same as they spent in all of 2015, the most expensive wildfire season on record.

Those figures do not include individual state spending, which no single agency compiles. Montana has spent $50 million, exhausting its firefighting reserve fund in just over a month. Oregon reports that the state and federal agencies have spent a combined $238 million so far this year.

WHEN IS IT GOING TO GET BETTER?

The outlook is bleak for Montana, most of the Northwest and much of California through September, according to the interagency fire center. The fire risk is expected to remain very high in Montana and the Southern California coast through October.

Montana is gripped by a long, severe drought. Nearly a quarter of the state, near the northeast corner, is rated as in a state of exceptional drought, the worst of five categories on the federal government's U.S. Drought Monitor.

DON'T SOME FIRES HELP THE ENVIRONMENT?

Yes. Fires can burn away undergrowth, preventing buildups of flammable vegetation that can make big fires even worse. They can also help some forests and grassland rejuvenate.

But very hot fires can damage the soil and make it water-resistant, which produces heavy runoff during rainstorms and snowmelt, which in turn can cause severe erosion, mud slides and floods.

Silt from fire-damaged valleys can clog streams, which kills fish.

The silt can also settle to the bottom of reservoirs, taking up space needed to store drinking water and forcing utilities to spend heavily to dredge it out.
Uzbekistan's long-time leader, Islam Karimov, was buried in his birthplace of Samarkand Saturday.

Funeral rites were performed in Registan Square in the ancient Silk Road city by a mufti who said that "Islam Karimov served his people." Hundreds of men attended the burial.

Karimov's coffin, covered in intricate, colorful tiles and aqua cupolas, was buried in the city's Shah-i-Zinda cemetery.

Thousands of people lined the streets of the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, earlier Saturday to pay final respects to their leader as his funeral procession passed by.

The government announced the authoritarian ruler's death Friday, ending days of speculation about whether Karimov was still alive following a massive stroke. Uzbek authorities said the 78-year-old ruler had been in a coma for days. He died one day after the Central Asian country's independence holiday.

Karimov had been in power for more than 25 years.

Karimov's younger daughter, Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva, mourned her father in social media messages: "He has left us. ... I am struggling for words. I can't believe it myself."

"May God show His mercy to him," she wrote in Uzbek on Facebook. Her thoughts drew thousands of responses.

Only leader since independence

Karimov, the only leader Uzbekistan has known since it became an independent nation following the collapse of the Soviet Union, crushed all opposition during his time in power, and he had not groomed anyone to take over after him. Analysts said they were concerned that the largest and most powerful Central Asian nation could face prolonged infighting, and they also warned that Islamic radicals could try to exploit uncertainty in Tashkent, the capital.

The solemn official announcement of the president's death did not make clear who would rule the country in the future. As stipulated by the Uzbek constitution, the speaker of the senate, Nigmatilla Yoldoshev, is "interim president."

Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev was named chairman of the commission organizing the state funeral  a development seen by some as an indication he would be one of the contenders to succeed Karimov. Yoldoshev, deputy chairman of the funeral commission, is not seen as a likely candidate to take power permanently.

From the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his condolences for the "heavy loss" Uzbekistan suffered. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will lead Moscow's delegation at the funeral.

Alexei Pushkov, head of the Russian parliament's foreign affairs committee, told reporters that Karimov's passing "may open a pretty dangerous period of unpredictability and uncertainty in Uzbekistan."

President Barack Obama said the United States reaffirmed its support for the people of Uzbekistan "at this challenging time."

'New chapter in its history'

Obama's statement, issued late Friday before he left on a flight to Hangzhou, China, for a summit meeting of Group of 20 government leaders, said: "As Uzbekistan begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to partnership with Uzbekistan, to its sovereignty, security and to a future based on the rights of all its citizens."

Putin also will be at the summit of the G-20, the world's richest nations, and he has already signaled that he hopes to engage in talks on geopolitical issues with the other world leaders there.

Turkey announced Karimov's death to the world hours before it was confirmed in Tashkent.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim sent a message of condolence to the Uzbek people; the two countries have extensive ethnic, cultural and linguistic ties.

Uzbek authorities said they consulted with physicians from Russia, Germany, Finland and Monaco as the gravity of Karimov's medical situation became clear. The president's daughter said the cerebral hemorrhage that led to his death occurred August 27.

A senior official of Amnesty International said the rights group was not optimistic that Uzbekistans repressive regime would soon change its policies, marked by the use of torture against domestic opponents.

'Human rights abuses'

Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty's deputy director for Europe and Central Asia, said: "Islam Karimovs death marks the end of an era in Uzbekistan, but almost certainly not of the pattern of grave human rights abuses. His successor is likely to come from Karimovs closest circle, where dissenting minds have never been tolerated."

Authorities in Uzbekistan apparently had been expecting Karimov's death for days. Fragmentary reports emerging from the country told of burial preparations in Samarkand, and the closure of the city's airport for all but official flights.

An Uzbek opposition blogger based in Western Europe, Nadezhda Atayeva, said Uzbek authorities appeared to be cracking down on communication channels with the outside world.

Speaking to the Associated Press from France, Atayeva said a contact in Uzbekistan told her government officials had been ordered to turn off their telephones, and that internet service was slowing down noticeably.

Atayeva said she spoke to her contact via Skype, but as he described the situation in Tashkent, the line went dead.
The head of the multinational task force fighting Boko Haram says the war against the militants is being won, but warned that suicide bombings remain a threat, killing close to 400 people in Nigeria and Cameroon since April.

Soldiers from the 7,800-person task force have been stationed in several towns and villages along the Nigeria-Cameroon border since those communities were liberated from Boko Haram a little over a year ago.

The force's commander, Nigerian-born General Lucky Irabor, visited four communities along the border on Saturday to reassure local residents and rally the troops.

"Boko Haram and other criminal gangs, their end has come. Boko Haram is on the downward trend," Irabor told the soldiers. "That alone should motivate you to know that the war is being won, and for you to give in the last of your energy and your commitment so that they would be completely defeated."

Irabor ordered the soldiers to focus on stopping suicide bombers, and to work more closely with local self-defense groups. He urged civilians to report anything or anyone suspicious.

The Boko Haram conflict has displaced over two million people in four countries, but the governments of Nigeria and Cameroon are urging people to go home.

Irabor said the soldiers' presence in villages will keep Boko Haram from taking them back.

However, security is not the only challenge the returnees face.

Aboubakar Bouba, an elder of Budua village on Cameroon's northern border with Nigeria, returned home in August. He fled Budua after a Boko Haram attack in 2014.

The 75-year-old says the loud sounds of bombs that destroyed their village mosque, killing several people including their imam, also ruptured his eardrums.

A soldier asked Bouba how life has been in his village since he returned. Bouba said he is poor and lives on food aid from well-wishers and neighbors. He says he hasn't seen his children since 2014, when they also fled.

The village, once home to 200 people, is now inhabited by approximately 70. The residents say they are hungry, but the fighting has devastated farmland, leaving farmers unable to cultivate crops or take care of livestock.

Cameroon's government has announced plans to provide seeds to farmers and financial aid to unemployed youths to start small businesses, but the people of the village say they are still waiting.
International watchdog group Global Witness says powerful political elites and security forces have controlled and secretly exploited Zimbabwe's diamond sector for a decade.

Zimbabwe's dreaded Central Intelligence Organization and the military are among the state actors accused of holding stakes in private diamond enterprises, trading the country's precious stones on the international market.

Global Witness says it examined the workings of five of the major diamond companies in Zimbabwe, and found they have actively worked to conceal their finances and beneficiaries.

"Lots and lots of diamonds' revenue have clearly not ended up in the national budgets," said Global Witness researcher Michael Gibb. "These resources have, unfortunately, ended up inside the security forces and institutions that have long been implicated in undermining Zimbabwe's democracy and [committing] serious human rights abuses."

Government officials declined comment when reached by VOA. Junior Mining Minister Fred Moyo said he could not comment on what he called the "historical part of Zimbabwe's diamond mining."

Zimbabwe discovered the diamond fields in 2006 in the eastern part of the country, Marange, and began mining operations three years later.

Meanwhile, the country's economy has declined. Zimbabwe has no national currency, faces a severe cash shortage and is struggling to pay civil servants.

President Robert Mugabe announced in March 2016 that he was bringing the diamond industry under state control. The president blamed $13 billion in missing diamond revenue on private companies he accused of robbing the nation.

Global Witness said it is a "myth" to blame losses solely on private investors.

"The Marange [diamond] discovery was met with such hope and expectation that it would help the country charge away from [its] difficult economic situation. It is clear that such hope has been dashed," Gibb said. "Reforms should focus less on how [many] companies are operating in Marange, whether one, five or 10. The people of Zimbabwe deserve to know how much companies are making from their diamonds, and where that money is going and how it is being spent."

Spokesman Obert Gutu of Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, welcomed the Global Witness report.

"If those diamonds had been properly accounted for, the eastern border of Mutare would be our own Las Vegas of Zimbabwe," he said. "But if you go to Mutare today, it is a ghost town just like any other city in Zimbabwe. Derelict infrastructure. You then ask yourself: Where has all the money gone? Obviously, the money has been externalized and a few people have benefited at the expense of the nation of Zimbabwe."

Mugabe's nationalization of the diamond sector has not gone unchallenged. Court cases by the private companies ordered to stop work in March 2016 are ongoing.

Global Witness says the diamond sector under the control of the new government-backed mining company remains shrouded in secrecy.
Hurricane Irma weakened into a tropical storm Monday as it moved over northern Florida and into southern Georgia, even as its torrential rains and dangerous storm surges remained a threat to produce coastal flooding.

The National Hurricane Center warned that swells generated by Irma along the southeastern U.S. coast could still cause "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions."

In addition, the hurricane center says tornadoes are possible across northeastern Florida, southeastern Georgia and South Carolina through Monday night.

By Monday, Irma's sustained winds diminished to 110 kilometers an hour, the hurricane center said, but tropical storm force gales extended over a wide region, up to 665 kilometers outward from the Irma's center.

Satellite images:

Nearly 6 million without power

Much of Florida began to assess the damage left in the hurricane's aftermath. There was significant flooding in many cities and towns bordering the peninsula state's Gulf of Mexico shoreline, as well as in Jacksonville on the east coast along the Atlantic. Nearly 6 million people were left without power throughout the state.

Before hitting the U.S., Irma created a path of destruction through the Caribbean, devastating islands that depend on tourism as the keystone of their economies.

Meanwhile, weather forecasters are keeping an eye on Hurricane Jose, now with maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour. Jose is expected to gradually weaken as it travels in a near-circular pattern in the Atlantic through the middle of the week, posing no immediate threat to populated areas.

Irma devastated parts of Florida, the third most populous U.S. state, although early reports Monday seemed to indicate that damage left behind may not have been as much as originally feared.

The storm slammed into the Florida Keys early Sunday, when it was near its greatest strength. By evening it closed in on Tampa and St. Petersburg, the two largest cities around Tampa Bay, where a storm surge pushed waves of water deep into streets, yards and homes.

President Donald Trump Sunday declared Florida a major disaster area, a step that will release federal aid funds for storm victims more quickly.

More than 75,000 people checked into 400 emergency shelters statewide, but overall, only three storm-related deaths were reported in Florida through late Sunday. At least 25 people were killed since Irma clobbered the Caribbean late last week.

Caribbean hit hard

Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda says 95 percent of Barbuda's buildings were either destroyed or severely damaged.

The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico suffered losses in its electricity network that left more than one million people without power. Authorities said it could take up to six months to rebuild the island's power grid.

Puerto Rico says it collaborated with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to evacuate more than 1,000 people, mainly U.S. citizens, from St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

The Pentagon deployed Navy ships, aircraft and hundreds of Marines to help with recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. Air Force flew evacuation flights to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and to the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Maarten, which also suffered severe damage.

The Netherlands' king, Willem-Alexander, is reported to be headed to St. Maarten to assist in recovery efforts, and French President Emmanuel Macron said he would be arriving aboard an Airbus plane packed with aid supplies.

France and the Netherlands share jurisdiction over the island that is home to St. Martin and St. Maarten. The smaller French island of St. Barthelemy, which is nearby, also was badly damaged.
Donald Trump has, for the first time as president, led the nation in remembering the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington in 2001.

Trump marked the 16th anniversary of the worst act of terrorism on U.S. soil in a ceremony at the White House, with a moment of silence at 8:40 a.m., the time when a first airliner hijacked by al-Qaida terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. A second jet hit the second WTC tower 23 minutes later, and the huge skyscrapers collapsed in flames and smoke soon afterwards.

In New York, names of the victims were being read out after a moment of silence was held.

Trump also attended a remembrance ceremony at the Pentagon, which was hit and badly damaged by another of the four commercial jets seized on that fateful day. "The horror and anguish of that dark day were seared into our memory forever," Trump said in remarks in front of the Pentagon.

Speaking about the victims, Trump said "We mourn them, we honor them and we pledge to never, ever forget them."



WATCH: Trump on protecting US from future attacks

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said after the attacks of 2001, "Our nation rallied together as one." "Heroism and compassion were boundless," he said.

WATCH: Mattis on US military preparedness



Vice President Mike Pence traveled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where another hijacked plane crashed into a field.

It is believed passengers tried to regain control of the aircraft once they realized their knife-wielding captors intended to steer it toward Washington for another attack, aiming for either the Capitol or the White House, and that the hijackers crashed the plane rather than surrender.

In Photos: 9/11 anniversary



Everyone aboard all four hijacked aircraft died on September 11, 2001. Including mass casualties in New York City and a heavy loss of life at the Pentagon, the attacks killed a total of about 3,000 people.

The Islamist militant named by U.S. investigators as "the principal architect" of the 2001 attacks," Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was captured in Pakistan early in 2003 and is held at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The September 11 plot had been approved in advance by al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, who was shot to death by U.S. commandos in May 2011, during a raid on a walled compound in Pakistan where he was hiding.
The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump led a moment of silence today at the White House, to mark the 16th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in New York, The Pentagon and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Support us - Help us upgrade our services!

Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources.

We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated.

Improved multilanguage support

Tsunami alerts

Faster responsiveness

Design upgrade

Detailed quake stats

Additional seismic data sources

Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online:

Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online:

We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team.If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently:
[This story has been optimized for offline reading on our apps. For a richer experience, you can find the full version of this story here. An Internet connection is required.]

Hurricane Irma is a monster storm -- one of the most powerful ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean -- and it has left a path of destruction as it has swept through the Caribbean and into Florida. Its torrential rains and unrelenting winds pummeled the small islands of Barbuda and St. Martin before strafing Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. The deadly storm tore down houses, flooded residential areas, and left hundreds of thousands without power. Now Irma is strafing the Gulf Coast of Florida, from Key West to Tampa. There have been widespread evacuations, power outages and flooding across all of South Florida, from Naples on the Gulf Coast to Miami in the east and points north. Here are images of the storms impact, as it continues to rage on.

Day 5



People move through flooded streets in Havana after the passage of Hurricane Irma, in Cuba, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017. The powerful storm ripped roofs off houses, collapsed buildings and flooded hundreds of miles of coastline after cutting a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. Cuban officials warned residents to watch for even more flooding over the next few days. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

People move through flooded streets in Havana on Sunday, September 10 after the passage of Hurricane Irma. The powerful storm ripped roofs off houses, collapsed buildings and flooded hundreds of miles of coastline. Cuban officials warned residents to watch for even more flooding over the next few days.



MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 10: Mia Herman has an acquitance take a photo of her sitting on a fire hydrant on a flooded street as Hurricane Irma hits the area on Sunday September 10, 2017 in Miami, FL. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

Mia Herman has an acquaintance take a photo of her sitting on a fire hydrant on a flooded street in Miami, Fla. as Hurricane Irma hits the area on Sunday.



BONITA SPRINGS, FL - SEPTEMBER 10: Flood waters begin to rise in neighborhoods as Hurricane Irma arrives in Bonita Springs, Fla. on Sunday, Sept 10, 2017. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Flood waters begin to rise in neighborhoods as Hurricane Irma arrives in Bonita Springs, Fla. on Sept 10.



NAPLES, FL - SEPTEMBER 10: Wind blows trees as Hurricane Irma arrives in Naples, Fla. on Sunday, Sept 10, 2017. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Wind blows trees as Hurricane Irma arrives in Naples, Fla. on Sunday. The eye of Hurricane Irma passed through Naples late Sunday afternoon.



A couple walk their dogs on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa, Florida, on September 10, 2017, where Tampa residents are fleeing the evacuation zones ahead of Hurricane Irma's landfall. Hurricane Irma regained strength to a Category 4 storm early Sunday as it began pummeling Florida and threatening landfall within hours. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSONJIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

A couple walk their dogs on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa, Fla. on Sunday, where Tampa residents are fleeing the evacuation zones ahead of Hurricane Irmas landfall.

Day 4



KEY WEST, FLA-SEPTEMBER 9, 2017- Tati Roberts of Key West, Fla., retreats from the Higgs Beach pier Saturday, September 9, 2017. Tropical storm force winds from Hurricane Irma began hitting the Lower Florida Keys around 2 p.m. with a forecasted landfall late Saturday night as a category 4 storm. (Rob O'Neal for the Washington Post )

Tati Roberts of Key West, Fla., retreats from the Higgs Beach pier Saturday. Tropical-storm-force winds from Hurricane Irma began hitting the lower Florida Keys about 2 p.m.



MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 09: The skyline is seen as the outerbands of Hurricane Irma start to reach Florida on September 9, 2017 in Miami, Florida. Florida is in the path of the Hurricane which may come ashore at category 4. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX *** (Joe Raedle)

The Miami skyline is seen as the outer bands of Hurricane Irma start to reach Florida on Saturday in Miami. Most of the state is in the path of the storm, which was expected to come ashore as a Category 4.



Residents walk near downed power lines felled by Hurricane Irma, in Caibarien, Cuba, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. There were no reports of deaths or injuries after heavy rain and winds from Irma lashed northeastern Cuba. Seawater surged three blocks inland in Caibarien. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

Residents walk near downed power lines felled by Hurricane Irma on Saturday in Caibarien, Cuba. There were no reports of deaths or injuries after heavy rain and winds from Irma lashed the northeastern part of the country. Seawater surged three blocks inland in Caibarien.



A car drives along an empty highway in Miami before the arrival of Hurricane Irma to south Florida, September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

A car drives along an empty highway in Miami before the arrival of Hurricane Irma in South Florida.

Day 3



Hundreds of people gather in an emergency shelter at the Miami-Dade County Fair Expo Center in Miami, Florida, September 8, 2017, ahead of Hurricane Irma. Florida Governor Rick Scott warned that all of the state's 20 million inhabitants should be prepared to evacuate as Hurricane Irma bears down for a direct hit on the southern US state. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Hundreds of people gather in an emergency shelter at the Miami-Dade County Fair Expo Center on Friday ahead of Hurricane Irma. Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) warned that all of the states 20 million inhabitants should be prepared to evacuate as Hurricane Irma bears down for a direct hit on the state.



A man walks along the beach at sunrise ahead of Hurricane Irma in Daytona Beach, Fla., Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Coastal residents around South Florida have been ordered to evacuate as the killer storm closes in on the peninsula for what could be a catastrophic blow this weekend. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A man walks along the beach at sunrise ahead of Hurricane Irma in Daytona Beach, Fla., on Friday. Coastal residents around South Florida have been ordered to evacuate as the killer storm closes in on the peninsula for what could be a catastrophic blow.



Personal papers and notebooks recovered from a flooded home are spread out on a cot in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Fort-Liberte, Haiti, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. Irma rolled past the Dominican Republic and Haiti and battered the Turks and Caicos Islands early Friday with waves as high as 20 feet (6 meters). (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

Personal papers and notebooks recovered from a flooded home are spread out on a cot in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Fort-Liberte, Haiti, on Friday. Irma rolled past the Dominican Republic and Haiti and battered the Turks and Caicos Islands early Friday with waves as high as 20 feet.

Day 2



Workers secure windows of a police checkpoint ahead of Hurricane Irma, in Caibarien, Cuba, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. Cubans are bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Irma after it cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

Workers secure windows of a police checkpoint ahead of Hurricane Irma, in Caibarien, Cuba, on Thursday. Cubans are bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Irma after it cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean.



A man secures boats as Hurricane Irma moves off from the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic September 7, 2017. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado (Ivan Alvarado/Reuters)

A man secures boats in Puerto Plata as Hurricane Irma moves off from the northern coast of the Dominican Republic on Thursday.



epa06191556 A handout photo made available by the Dutch Department of Defense on 08 September 2017 shows damage caused by Hurrican Irma in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, on 07 September 2017. Dutch military and civilian emergency services arrived at the island territory to help after Hurricane Irma was declared the most powerful hurricane ever recorded over the Atlantic Ocean, and left a path of destruction on Sint Maarten and in the Caribbean as it approaches Florida. Sint Maarten is an autonomous country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the Carbbean island of Saint Martin. EPA-EFE/GERBEN VAN ES/DUTCH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE/HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES (Gerben Van Es/Dutch Department Of Defense/Handout/EPA-EFE)

Damage caused by Hurricane Irma in Philipsburg, St. Martin, on Thursday. Dutch military and civilian emergency services arrived at the island territory to help after Hurricane Irma left a path of destruction on St. Martin and in the Caribbean.

Day 1



FAJARDO, PUERTO RICO - SEPTEMBER 06: A rescue team from the local emergency management agency inspects flooded areas after the passing of Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. The category 5 storm is expected to pass over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands today, and make landfall in Florida by the weekend. (Jose Jimenez/Getty Images)

A rescue team from the local emergency management agency inspects flooded areas after the passing of Hurricane Irma as a Category 5 storm on Wednesday in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.



An aerial photography taken and released by the Dutch department of Defense on September 6, 2017 shows the damage of Hurricane Irma in Philipsburg, on the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Maarten. Hurricane Irma sowed a trail of deadly devastation through the Caribbean on Wednesday, reducing to rubble the tropical islands of Barbuda and St Martin. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Gerben VAN ES / Netherlands OUT / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / DUTCH DEFENSE MINISTRY/GERBEN VAN ES" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - NO ARCHIVES - NO SALE- DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS GERBEN VAN ES/AFP/Getty Images (Gerben Van Es/AFP/Getty Images)

Damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Wednesday in St. Martin. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees.



This Sept. 6, 2017 photo provided by the Dutch Defense Ministry shows a few of the homes that remained intact in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in St. Maarten. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees. Significant damage was reported on the island that is split between French and Dutch control. (Gerben Van Es/Dutch Defense Ministry via AP)

A few of the homes that remained intact in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in St. Martin on Wednesday. Significant damage was reported on the island, which is split between French and Dutch control.



epa06190265 A handout photo made available by the Dutch Department of Defense on 07 September 2017 shows an aerial view of the damages of Hurricane Irma in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, 06 September 2017. Hurrican Irma was declared the most powerful hurricane ever recorded over the Atlantic Ocean, and left a path of destruction in the Caribbean as it approaches Florida. EPA-EFE/GERBEN VAN ES / DUTCH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES (Gerben Van Es / Dutch Department Of Defense / Handout/EPA-EFE)

An aerial view of the damage caused by Hurricane Irma in Philipsburg on Wednesday. Hurricane Irma was declared the most powerful hurricane ever recorded over the Atlantic Ocean.
When Ken Folletts The Pillars of the Earth was first published in 1989, it represented a considerable gamble. By that point, Follett had acquired a passionate following through such lean, propulsive thrillers as Eye of the Needle and The Key to Rebecca. Suddenly, he was offering his readers something new and unexpected: a thousand-page epic set in 12th-century England about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge. That gamble, of course, paid off handsomely. Pillars has since become Folletts most popular book, selling tens of millions of copies and establishing him as a master of the historical epic.



****HANDOUT IMAGE A Column of Fire, by Ken Follett, (credit: Viking) ***NOT FOR RESALE (Viking)

In recent years, Follett has turned his historical imagination in a different direction with the Century Trilogy, a series of doorstops that collectively reflect the wars, political movements and assorted catastrophes of the 20th century. But Kingsbridge remains a significant element in his fictional universe. World Without End, a hugely successful follow-up to Pillars, appeared in 2007. Now, more than 25 years after the series began, Follett turns once again to Kingsbridge in A Column of Fire.

The Kingsbridge novels are essentially independent narratives that share a common historical background. A Column of Fire, however, stands slightly apart from the others. First, it moves beyond the Middle Ages into the very different world of Elizabethan England. Second, it ranges well beyond Kingsbridge into the wider world of a divided Europe, propelling a large cast of characters through England, Scotland, France, Spain and the Netherlands. While the first two volumes dealt with ambitious building projects  the cathedral in Pillars of the Earth, a bridge and hospital in World Without End  the new book proceeds from a more abstract premise: the radical notion of religious tolerance.

The narrative begins in 1558, late in the reign of Bloody Mary, the ferocious Catholic queen who burned hundreds of heretics (i.e. Protestants) at the stake. Upon Marys premature death, her Protestant half sister Elizabeth assumed the throne, promising a more tolerant attitude toward religious differences. But her reforms suffered a near-fatal blow when Pope Pius V excommunicated Elizabeth and all who supported her, deepening the existing schism throughout most of Europe.

This is the world through which Folletts characters must make their way. Two families, the Willards and the Fitzgeralds, dominate the novel. Ned Willard is the oldest son of a prosperous Kingsbridge family that loses everything in the religious conflicts of the day. Ned, a moderate Protestant, also loses any hope of marrying Margery, daughter of the devoutly Catholic Fitzgeralds. Ned will eventually enter the service of the queens spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, and Margery will make a bad but dutiful marriage to an appropriately Catholic nobleman. Other characters include Sylvie Palot, a Parisian Protestant and a clandestine seller of forbidden books; Pierre Aumande, an ambitious climber willing to commit any atrocity to appease his Catholic masters; and Margerys brother Rollo, who will devote his life to the destruction of the Protestant faith. These and others will find their lives shaped and sometimes warped by the unnatural pressures of an endless religious war.



Author Ken Follett (Olivier Favre)

Follett moves these characters briskly along through 50 eventful years encompassing births, deaths, marriages, murders and assorted betrayals. But the real spine of the narrative is the deeply researched historical backdrop against which these private dramas play out. History has provided Follett with some spectacular dramatic moments, and he takes full advantage, recreating them with a historians eye for detail and a novelists gift for narrative suspense. Among the more dramatic interludes are the St. Bartholomews Day Massacre of 1572, in which Parisian Catholics murdered thousands of Huguenots (French Protestants); the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, an act that sent shock waves throughout Europe; and the miraculous defeat of the Spanish Armada by a much smaller force led by Sir Francis Drake.

The final section recounts what is perhaps the most famous act of sedition in English history: The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in which Guy Fawkes and his Catholic co-conspirators planned to blow up Parliament and assassinate Elizabeths recently crowned successor, James I. In a compelling account of the discovery and eventual disruption of that plot, the thriller writer and historical novelist come seamlessly together.

Like its predecessors in the Kingsbridge series, A Column of Fire is absorbing, painlessly educational and a great deal of fun. Follett uses the tools of popular fiction to great effect in these books, illuminating a nations gradual progress toward modernity. The central theme of this latest book  the ongoing conflict between tolerance and fanaticism  lends both relevance and resonance to the slowly unfolding story of Englands past. In Folletts hands, that story takes on a narrative life that is difficult, if not impossible, to resist. I only hope it continues. There are many more stories to be told.

Bill Sheehan is the author of "At the Foot of the Story Tree: An Inquiry into the fiction of Peter Straub."


Chef Charles Phan opened the Slanted Door in San Francisco in 1995. (The Slanted Door Group)

Editors note: This is the third in an occasional series about the childhood memories, sparked by a particular dish, of notable people in the food world.

When chef Charles Phan was 16, he made Thanksgiving dinner for 10: his parents, aunt, uncle and five younger siblings. The family had recently arrived in San Francisco, having escaped South Vietnam in 1975 after the fall of Saigon and landing in Guam. With recipes from Gourmet magazine, he cooked turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, gravy, cranberry sauce and apple pie. The meal bombed. I was trying to get them to embrace the culture, Phan recalled last month. My mom made some curry in case I botched the dinner, and I made rice to go with the gravy. So we had that, instead.

[One simple dish changed the course of this visionary chefs life: Scrambled eggs]

Phan kept cooking because he had to; each parent worked two jobs, so he was the one to get dinner on the table, mixing his mothers traditional Vietnamese recipes with American ingredients. But he had never cooked professionally when he opened the Slanted Door restaurant in San Franciscos Mission District in 1995. If he had been told as a teenager that in 2004 he would win the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef in California, and that in 2014 the Slanted Door would win the national Beard award for Outstanding Restaurant, he would have laughed.

Particularly because his initial aim was decidedly more modest: to open a crepe shop. He had found the ideal space in the derelict Tenderloin district, but the landlord refused him; too many Vietnamese restaurants were nearby. And the rest is history, Phan noted wryly. The crepe behind that early dream, a banh xeo, meaning sizzling cake, is an adaptation of the classic, a nod to Vietnams longtime French rule, that has been part of Phans history since childhood. When I met him at the University of California at Berkeley, his alma mater, we ate it together as he told me his story.



Charles Phan, left, with two siblings in the late 1960s. The family fled from South Vietnam to Guam in 1975 before coming to the United States. (The Slanted Door Group)

I found Phan outside Wurster Hall, an ugly concrete building that houses the College of Environmental Design, where he studied architecture. At 55, he is tan and fit, wearing jeans and an impossibly white T-shirt, and he banged at a metal grill with a hammer. He is opening a Vietnamese cafe called Rice & Bones here this month, and as is his wont, he tends to his restaurants spaces as meticulously as their menus. The food will change daily (black bean spareribs, chicken congee), serving students and the general public. When I went to school here I gained a lot of weight, Phan said. We will provide filtered and carbonated water free, but no soda.

We sat down inside, but Phan jumped up repeatedly to answer questions from someone with a wrench or a tape measure in hand. I chose the name Rice & Bones, he said, because early on when I used chicken with bones, I worried that people wouldnt buy the food. Everyone wanted boneless 20 years ago. It was a different public back then. Using bones is flavorful and frugal and says everything about making beautiful things with very little.

That was a skill thrust upon him, one he has spent a lifetime perfecting. Like many refugees, Phan is a chameleon; displacement requires the center to shift in order to survive. He can seem to disappear before your eyes, or when the mood strikes, sparkle so insistently you can look nowhere else. He grew up in Da Lat in the central highlands of South Vietnam and lived above the general store his parents owned there. When North Vietnam invaded in 1975, the family made it onto a cargo ship. When we were safe in international water, he recalled, my mom brought me to the top of the ship and said, From now on you need to be in charge of this family and take care of your siblings. I was 13. My childhood ended that day.

In Guam, the family lived in a refugee camp of 400,000. Eventually, Larry Tecker, a local attorney, and his wife, Karen, sponsored the family so they could leave the camp. There were barracks of beds and we were lined up like puppies, Phan said. They were going up and down the rows to pick one. I was with my aunt and uncle, she worked for the Teckers as a nanny. Karen chose me. I said, Do you want to see my other family? Maybe you want them, too? She took all of us. How did he get the name Charles? Karen took the six of us to the doctor and just decided to name everybody, he said. His given name was Toan.

My introduction to Guam was Chef Boyardee, he said. I used to love it. On the ship we ate canned sardines and mackerel and tomato sauce. I still put that on rice. I think its the greatest food in memory. Along with those crepes.



Charles Phan, seen at his home kitchen in 2012, helped support his family when he was a teenager. (The Slanted Door Group)

Right behind my moms general store was the crepe shop, he recalled. It was inside an army tent with a hole cut at the top for smoke. There was a hot pan, theyd pour the batter, it would sizzle. Theyd cook it, then put the lid on to dry it out and make it crispy. It was a charcoal stove, and theyd move the pan from one burner to the next, for less and less heat. You see a lot of street food in Vietnam, but that crepe was the champ. Its like all of Vietnam on the plate: the herbs, the vegetables, the fish sauce.

In 1977 the family relocated to San Francisco, where a friend assured them a beautiful apartment awaited. It turned out to be two studios for 11 people in the Tenderloin, Phan said. The men went in one room, the women in the other. We slept crossways on the bed. Dad found jobs in Chinatown as a janitor and dishwasher, so we moved there.

[This top chef can trace her passion for cooking to an offal beginning]

By the time Phan was 16, he was attending Mission High School and working four nights a week as a bar back and busser. I was bringing home as much money as my mom, who was a seamstress, he said. Everyone was relying on me. He enrolled at Berkeley in 1982 but dropped out in his third year to protest a steep tuition increase. He helped his family with a sewing shop they opened to service local designers. Phan also designed his own clothing line and owned a retail store before going bankrupt in 1992. We got too big, and a lot of people didnt pay us, he said. He briefly sold software, courted his dream of a crepe shop and, once thwarted, found the space that would become the Slanted Door.

My hunch was that the Vietnamese dishes my mom made at home would be popular here if made with quality ingredients, Phan said. His face darkened. But lets be realistic, he continued. Twenty years ago I had to ask, Are white people going to eat this? Will they pay me for this? I would sell a whole fish, and people would be upset to see the eyes and the bones. It was about trying to survive as a business.

Well, as he said, the rest is history. The Slanted Door moved to the tony Ferry Building in 2004, expanding from 100 seats to 250. Phan has opened two casual spinoffs, both called Out the Door, and a bourbon bar called Hard Water. A Slanted Door is to open in Los Angeles next spring, near the Staples Center. And next summer, a Slanted Door is to open in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace.



Crispy Vietnamese Crepes With Shrimp, Pork and Bean Sprouts (Banh Xeo); see recipe, below. (John McDonnell/The Washington Post)

I cant sit still, he said, slightly self-mockingly. I look for opportunities. We have investor partners, but the family is the controlling interest. His smile seemed a bit hard: Im still carrying the load.

Phans father died in 2004. His mother, Quyen, lives with one of his sisters. Phan and his wife, Angkana Kurutach, have three children, the eldest in college, the other two in high school. After that first Thanksgiving dinner, he mastered the form, and his siblings rely on him to make one each year, along with prime rib at Christmas; they go to his weekend house in the Napa Valley, where he built an outdoor kitchen and typically cooks for 30.

This day, though, it was just us. He led the way toward the kitchen area and plugged in two portable burners. His ingredients were in plastic containers, perfectly prepped. Its all in the batter, he said as he poured. One pan was nonstick, and that crepe was gorgeous. The other pan was not, and the crepe had no chance of making it out whole. He poured some fish sauce onto it and picked up a fork. Still delicious, he said. Theres not a lot of rules. Its just got to be piping hot like this. The crepe was exactly as hed described it: crispy and crunchy, with each ingredient working together, flavorful yet light.

At least thats what I tasted. What he tastes is his alone. In a lost world where the smoke beckons, a tent flap lifts, a pan sizzles. And he is still a boy.

Witchel is a former staff writer for the New York Times Magazine and the author of All Gone: A Memoir of My Mothers Dementia.


Otter Creek dived back into the Oktoberfest game this year with the help of German brewery Camba Bavaria. Craft brewers have turned to their German counterparts as they try to revitalize the Oktoberfest style in the United States. (Courtesy of Otter Creek Brewing)

Oktoberfest officially begins Saturday in Munich, when the mayor taps a ceremonial keg at noon (a bright-and-early 6 a.m. in Washington). Over the next few weeks, bars and beer gardens around the world will be full of customers hoisting giant one-liter steins of German beer and bellowing their way through Ein Prosit.

At its best, maerzen  the style most associated with Oktoberfest in the United States  is a gorgeous amber-colored harvest ale, with a toasty malt backbone and a dry finish with a kiss of spicy hops. On a crisp autumn afternoon, its bliss.

When youre toasting with friends at an Oktoberfest party, youre probably not paying too much attention to whats inside the glass, and that can be a good thing: Many Oktoberfest-style beers made by U.S. craft breweries miss the mark.

All too often, they veer to the sweeter side of the spectrum: caramel malts and sticky toffee flavors. And that doesnt do much for a style thats already traditional to the point of conservative and boring. (I once hosted a blind tasting of American and German Oktoberfest lagers. Midway through, the entire crowd was complaining that all the beers tasted the same. They werent wrong.)

Maerzens are not IPAs or saisons, which allow you to fundamentally change the recipe with varied hops or malt and then try to convince consumers that its still the same beer. And in a state thats still ruled by the 500-year-old Reinheitsgebot purity law, which limits beer ingredients to barley, hops and water, traditions are hard to change.

[Its August, and pumpkin beers are flooding stores. Why cant you find one on tap?]

Since 2008, Maxs Taphouse in Baltimore has thrown a three-day German Beer Fest over the opening weekend of Oktoberfest. Bob Simko, the food and beverage director at Maxs, says that by the end of the weekend, 80 to 90 German beers will have appeared on the bars 102 taps. Of the 71 beers on the first draft of the menu, only 11 are Oktoberfests or festbiers. Everyone at this time of year wants to try the Oktoberfest beers, Simko says. Theyre definitely more user-friendly than the goses and rauchbiers, but they represent only a fraction of the beers poured during one of the bars busiest weekends of the year, and user-friendly isnt exactly a glowing compliment.

So how do you make Oktoberfest beers interesting and relevant 176 years after they were introduced in Munich? For some U.S. craft brewers, the answer is looking back across the Atlantic.



For 2017, Sierra Nevadas annual Oktoberfest collaboration is with Bavarian craft brewery Brauhaus Miltenberger, and it features more bubbles and a well-balanced roundness, which make it perfect for festival sipping. (Courtesy of Sierra Nevada Brewing)

For the past three years, Sierra Nevada has worked with a different small Bavarian brewery  Riegele, Mahrs Brau and Faust, known as Miltenberger in the United States  to create a one-time-only collaboration beer.

[10 craft beer festivals to quench your thirst in September]

Over the years, the Oktoberfest style has gotten muddied, says Bill Manley, a Sierra Nevada beer ambassador who works on the brewerys product development team. Its veered from the style of whats served in Bavaria. [American Oktoberfests] are much darker, much sweeter. In Germany, the beers tend to be golden and dont veer into these sticky-sweet toffee flavors.

Sierras ties to Germany run deep  founder Ken Grossman has visited Germany dozens of times over the years, Manley says, and Scott Jennings, the head brewer at Sierras North Carolina plant, studied at the prestigious VLB brewing school in Berlin. But each collaboration brings discoveries. There are literally hundreds of different ways to approach the style, Manley says, not withstanding brewing philosophies. Some brewers have been really adamant about ABV [alcohol by volume], or it has to be this ending gravity or it will be ruined! 

In 2015, Riegele introduced Sierras brewers to a heritage strain of German barley called Steffi, which Manley calls super complex, almost crackerlike. (It has appeared in every recipe since.) Last year, Mahrs Brau suggested brewing with Record, an herbal, vaguely minty European hop that hasnt been widely used for decades. This year, when brewer Cornelius Faust and his team came to North Carolina to make the beer, they proposed krausening, a technique that involves adding fermenting wort to a tank of lager that has finished fermentation. It adds bubbles and roundness to what on paper should be a really singular beer, Manley explains, and provides an extra sparkle to a well-balanced and very drinkable festbier  possibly the best one yet.

[Lagunitass newest IPA doesnt just smell like pot  it contains actual cannabis]

While Sierras transatlantic collaborations have been based on cultural exchange, Otter Creeks new Oktoberfest is more of a celebration. Last summer, the Vermont brewery installed an enormous 120-barrel brewing system  the largest in the state  built by Germanys BrauKon. Beyond building brewing components, BrauKon also operates an experimental brewery, called Camba Bavaria, in the Chiemgau region of southern Germany. We were trying to figure out a fun way to work with those guys, says Otter Creek marketing director Jed Nelson. Weve done a ton of collaborations in Vermont and across our distribution footprint, but wed never done an international collaboration before.

Otter Creek had made a fairly standard sweet Oktoberfest beer in the past but had dropped it from the lineup before Nick Smith became the brewer. Still, he says, when working with a German brewer, it was an obvious choice. My heart is in the maltier styles, Smith says. Weve been doing really hop-forward beers instead of malt-focused beers, so this was different . . . it gave us the opportunity to get some spicy noble hops into the building.

Smith and Camba brewer Martin Simion shot emails back and forth about recipes, agreeing that it would use all-German malts and hops. Camba brought tradition to the collaboration, Smith says. Working with Martin, he kept me in line. It didnt go over the top.

The biggest change from a traditional recipe, Smith says, is that we wanted to make the hop addition later, giving it a spicy back-taste without making it bitter. Like a Bavarian Oktoberfest, Otter Creeks version doesnt hit you over the head with caramel. Theres a noticeable nuttiness to the flavor, and the grassy, peppery hops come through.

These takes on Oktoberfest styles differ from most other lagers crowding the beer aisle at this time of year, but thats the point.

Its really easy, when there is so much choice, to look past classic styles, says Sierras Manley. I think thats an oversight. People have the misconception that these styles are boring and dont have a lot to offer.

Leave it to German craft brewers to remind us what was so great about Oktoberfest beers in the first place.
Dear Readers: Today's Sound Off is about leaving your purse in the cart at the grocery store.

Dear Heloise: Once again, we had someone in our grocery store who left her purse unattended in the grocery cart. A thief walked by and apparently reached in and stole her wallet and cellphone. Please advise your readers to never leave their purses in a grocery cart, because its just too easy for someone to reach inside and grab their wallet or to take the entire purse. So far this year, weve had five such incidents. We even placed a sign on our doors asking women not to leave their purses unattended. Most people are honest, but sometimes there is one person who is not. Why tempt fate?

Gerald D., Pascagoula, Miss.

Dear Readers: If you have an ice-cream scoop, there are a number of ways to use it besides for scooping ice cream:

 Use to shape meatballs.

 Use to scoop out shortening.

 Use to remove eggs from boiling water.

 Use to dig holes for bulbs in the garden.

Dear Heloise: I just moved into my first apartment, and money is really tight right now after having paid all the deposits and rent and picking up a few essentials, such as sheets, towels and a shower curtain. So, if I were to go out and buy a few cleaning items, what would you suggest?

Carol M., Muskegon, Mich.

Carol M.: Congratulations on your new apartment! If you want some very inexpensive cleaning products, I highly recommend old-fashioned vinegar and baking soda. Vinegar has been around for thousands of years to clean and polish sinks, floors and more. I have a number of cleaning ideas and tricks for cleaning in my pamphlet Vinegar Hints and More. To order, you can go to my website at Heloise.com, or you can send a stamped (70 cents), self-addressed, business-size envelope, along with $5, to: Heloise/Vinegar, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5001. There's nothing more welcoming than coming home to an apartment that looks, smells and feels clean.

Dear Heloise: I want a very traditional wedding: long white dress, face-covering veil, bridesmaids and lots of flowers. This is not my first wedding (I eloped the first time), but Im now divorced, with one daughter, age 7, and a terrific guy who wants to marry me in a big wedding. I dont want to look foolish at my second wedding, so whats allowed and whats not?

Ava H., Marion, Ind.

Ava H.: Best wishes on your coming marriage. Today, many brides wear white even if it's not their first wedding. However, a face-covering veil traditionally is only for first-time brides. There are many other options available: a veil down the back, flowers or a hat, to name a few. Go ahead and have bridesmaids, flowers and whatever you want. Use your favorite colors, dance and have fun. This is your wedding, and the bride gets to have her wedding, her way.

Heloises column appears six days a week at

washingtonpost.com/advice

. Send a hint to

Heloise

, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, Tex. 78279-5000, or email it to

Heloise@Heloise.com

.
BLOOD DONATIONS

Blood drives Wednesday 2:30-8 p.m., Onelife Fitness, 42365 Soave Dr., Ashburn, 800-733-6727; Sept. 18, 2:30-7:30 p.m., Claude Moore Recreation Center, 46105 Loudoun Park Lane, Sterling, 800-733-6727; Sept. 20, 7 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Stone Springs Hospital Center, 24440 Stone Springs, Blvd., Sterling, 800-733-6727.

Inova Blood Donor Center Mondays noon-8 p.m., Tuesdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fridays 6 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays noon-4 p.m. Dulles Town Center, 45745 Nokes Blvd., Sterling. 866-256-6372 or inova.org/donateblood.

FIRST AID

First aid/adult, infant and child CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Fauquier Health Medical Office Building, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Call for schedule. Registration required. 540-316-3588. $85.

HEARING

Disability Resource Center Technical assistance through the state Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and presentations to businesses, groups and schools. Third Tuesdays 2-5 p.m., Workplace, 205 Keith St., Warrenton. Call for an appointment, 800-648-6324; TDD, 540-373-5890. Free.

MENTAL HEALTH

Counseling for sexual violence survivors Provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice. 703-771-9020.

Crisis Intervention Treatment and Assessment Center Provides emergency mental-health, substance-use and developmental services to Loudoun residents. Daily 7 a.m.-11 p.m. 102 Heritage Way NE, Suite 102, Leesburg. Emergency services are available 24 hours a day at 703-777-0320.

Crisislink Suicide and crisis intervention. Community education, a volunteer crisis response team and CareRing, a telephone outreach program for the elderly and disabled. 703-527-6016, volunteer@crisislink.org or crisislink.org.

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services This mental-health nonprofit organization is accepting clients ages 16 to 30 for a coordinated services program with Loudoun County to help young people with their first experience of psychosis find hope and recover. For information, call Lisa Beran at 703-388-6572 or go to prsinc.org.

Piedmont Chapter, National Alliance on Mental Illness Serves Fauquier, Orange, Madison and Rappahannock counties. Support group, education classes and events for people living with mental illness and their family members. First Wednesdays 7-9 p.m. Fauquier Hospital, 500 Hospital Dr., Sycamore Room A, Warrenton. 571-426-8213.

Mental health first-aid A public education program offered by the Loudoun County Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Developmental Services to help residents understand mental illness and seek intervention. Go to loudoun.gov/mhfirstaid.

Northern Virginia Chapter, National Alliance on Mental Illness Support group, classes and programs for people living with mental illness and their loved ones. naminorthernvirginia.org.

PREGNANCY, PARENTING

Adoptive family preservation Adoptive families discuss common experiences; registration required. Third Tuesdays 12:30-2 p.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd. Call 703-941-9008, Ext. 23, or email jmellario@umfs.org.

Birthright of Loudoun County Free pregnancy tests, baby clothing, transportation and support throughout pregnancy, 823 S. King St., Leesburg. 703-777-7272.

Bond Between Us A nonprofit organization that offers support to birth parents when children have been placed for adoption. Fourth Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. Call for location. 703-771-7844.

Breast-feeding support Mondays 9:30-10:30 a.m., Fauquier Hospital Family Birthing Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588.

Dad support New and expectant fathers share ideas. First Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. 703-858-6360.

For the Children's Sake A support group for separating or divorcing parents to share advice. Four-hour session weekly. Information: 703-391-8599 or fitsfoundation.org.

La Leche League Mother-to-mother support and breast-feeding information. 10 a.m. second Wednesdays in Warrenton, 540-351-6103. Third Fridays 10:15-11:45 a.m., call for location, 703-444-7386. Second Fridays 10:15 a.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd., 703-829-0349. Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Panera Bread, 43670 Greenway Corp. Dr., Ashburn, lllashburn@gmail.com. Third Fridays 10:15 a.m., Christ the Redeemer Church, 46833 Harry F. Byrd. Hwy., Sterling, 540-338-4637.

Loudoun Fatherhood Program Fathers discuss the joys and challenges of being a parent. Meets every other Saturday for two hours for four months; sponsored by Northern Virginia Family Service. 571-748-2796. Free.

Loudoun Nurturing Parenting Program Positive parenting techniques; children attend with parents. Registration required. Call 703-771-3973, Ext. 27, or email nurturingprogram@lcsj.org. Free.

Mothernet/Healthy Families Loudoun Program links first-time parents with medical, social and educational resources to give children a socially and physically healthy start in life. Family-support workers meet with participants in homes. English-Spanish translation provided. 703-444-4477, Ext. 217, or inmed.org.

New mother support Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 a.m. Inova Loudoun Medical Pavilion, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. Babies welcome. 703-858-6360.

Online childbirth education program Inova Loudoun Hospital's Web-based program uses animation, videos and interactive activities to guide users through the basics of childbirth, breast-feeding and caring for newborns. 703-858-6360 or thebirthinginn.org/classes.

Parenting Alone group For parents who have school-age children and have lost a spouse or partner to cancer. Second Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call 703-698-2536 or email jennifer.eckert@inova.org.

Pregnancy and childbirth support Childbirth Solutions Resource Center, 8393 W. Main St., Marshall. 571-344-0438.

Young parent services Support for teenage parents. Loudoun County Department of Family Social Services, 52 Sycolin Rd., Leesburg. Call for times. 703-771-5375.

SENIORS

Chair yoga Age 55 and older. Mondays 11 a.m.-noon, Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Wear comfortable clothes. Bare feet or socks encouraged. 571-258-3400. $2 drop-in.

Exercise equipment Age 55 and older. Weights, treadmills, bikes and a cardio-glide. Instruction provided. Weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free.

Eye care LensCrafters staff members clean glasses and make minor repairs. Second Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 703-430-2397. Free.

Inova Loudoun mobile van Blood pressure checks. Second and fourth Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling, 571-258-3280; first Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039.

Laughing yoga for seniors Exercises to improve flexibility and balance. Thursdays 9:30-10:30 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free.

Loudoun Adult Day Centers For seniors with physical limitations or memory loss, a safe and social environment, therapeutic activities, individualized care and respite for caregivers. Limited transportation. Sliding-scale fees. Weekdays in Leesburg, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., 703-771-5334; Purcellville, 571-258-3402; and Ashburn-Sterling, 571-258-3232.

Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Senior Center at Cascades. First and third Wednesdays 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280.

Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Sign up in the Leesburg Senior Center lobby. Second and fourth Thursdays 11 a.m.-noon and 12:30-4:30 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free.

Senior Outreach Services Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Carver Center. First and third Mondays, 12:30-5 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 703-737-8741. Free.

Tai chi for seniors Stretching and strengthening movements. Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free.

Zumba gold class Age 55 and older. Wear rubber-soled shoes and comfortable clothing; bring water and a towel. Tuesdays 11 a.m., Tuesdays and Fridays 1 p.m. Senior Center of Leesburg, 102 North St. NW, Leesburg. 703-737-8039. $24 per month.

Zumba For people 55 and older learning Zumba for the first time, or those who prefer a lower-impact version. The fitness program combines Latin and international music with dance. Thursdays 11 a.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. $12.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Addiction support Tuesdays 7 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Email sznnodum@gmail.com or 540-935-8148.

Al-Anon Service Center of Northern Virginia A volunteer is available 24 hours with information for spouses, family members and friends of problem drinkers. 703-534-4357 or 877-339-8350. Mondays 8 p.m., Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 125 W. Washington St., Middleburg, 540-554-2747; Tuesdays 7:30 p.m., St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg, 877-339-8350; Fridays 8:30 p.m., Grace Episcopal Church, 6507 Main St., The Plains, 800-344-2666; Tuesdays 12:15 p.m., Warrenton Church of Christ, Route 29 N., 540-347-7448; Tuesdays 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 p.m., Warrenton Presbyterian Church, 91 Main St., 800-344-2666.

Alcoholics Anonymous Various meeting times and locations in Loudoun County. 800-208-8649 or 703-876-6166. nvintergroup.org.

Alienated parents and grandparents support For parents and grandparents who have been shut out of their children's or grandchildren's lives. Sept. 22, 7-9 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. The meetings may be extended according to the needs and interersts of those attending. 540-349-5814.

Alzheimer's caregivers support For those caring for people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Second Mondays 7-8:30 p.m. Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-430-9229. galileeumc.org.

Alzheimers caregiver support For those who care for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Fourth Wednesdays 4-5:30 p.m. The Villa at Suffield Meadows, 6735 Suffield Lane, Warrenton. 540-316-3800.

Alzheimer's caregivers support Emotional, educational and social support for family members and friends of people with the disease. Third Saturdays 10 a.m. Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging, 20145 Ashbrook Pl., Ashburn. 703-771-5407 or lesley.katz@loudoun.gov.

Alzheimer's caregiver support group Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831 or alz.org.

Alzheimer's support First Tuesdays 10-11 a.m. Spring Arbor Assisted Living, 237 Fairview St. NW, Leesburg. 540-338-6520.

Alzheimer's support First Wednesdays 4 p.m. Leesburg Adult Day Center, 16501 Meadowview Ct., Leesburg. 703-771-5334.

Alzheim er's support First Thursdays, noon, Lansdowne Woods of Virginia, 19375 Magnolia Grove Sq., Lansdowne. 703-283-6554.

Alzheimer's support Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400.

Talk About Curing Autism A nonprofit organization educating and supporting families affected by autism. tacanow.org.

Autoimmune support Last Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jackson Building, 209 Gibson St., Leesburg. autoimmunesupport@

hotmail.com.

Bereaved parent support One-on-one counseling is available. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv.

Bereavement support Age 18 and older. Third Mondays 1 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-957-1800.

Breast cancer support For those with new diagnoses or starting treatment. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 5-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857.

Breast cancer support Fourth Tuesdays 7-8 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Tower, Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-0588.

Breast cancer support For those who have finished treatment, have had a recurrence or have metastatic breast cancer. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. Free.

Breast Cancer Support Assistance Fund Loudoun County residents who have received a diagnosis or have undergone treatment in the past 12 months are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Areas included are wigs, bras, puffs and prostheses, mammograms and medical bills, food and help with utilities, rent or mortgage, and transportation costs. The Pink Assistance Fund has been established by the Loudoun Breast Health Network. lbhn.org.

Cancer support Oncology nurses, social workers and spiritual-care providers offer education and support to patients, families and caregivers. Second Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2273.

Cancer support "Life with Cancer," for patients, family members and friends. Second Thursdays 7 p.m. Ashburn Presbyterian Church, Room 202, 20962 Ashburn Rd. 703-729-2012 or ashburnpresbyterian.org.

Caregiver support Emotional, educational and social support. Encourages caregivers to maintain their physical and emotional health while caring for people with dementia or other chronic illness. Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831.

Caregiver support and resource group Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.-noon (no meeting first Wednesdays), Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. scsm.tv.

Caring for Aging Parents Support group. Confidential. Fourth Wednesdays 7:30 p.m., Family Focus Counseling Service, 20-B John Marshall St., Warrenton. 540-349-4537.

CHADD parents support For parents of children with ADD/ADHD. Fourth Sundays 3 p.m. KinderCare, 44051 Ashburn Village Shopping Plaza. chadd.novaloudoun@gmail.com.

Chronic illness support Tuesdays 1:30-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministries, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv.

Coffee and Conversation Support for those discouraged because of illness, bereavement, caregiving or a loved one in the military. Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814.

Compassionate Friends For parents who have experienced the death of a child. First Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg. 540-882-9707.

Creating and Connecting Two-hour art therapy and relaxation workshop for cancer patients. Every other month, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-858-8850.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Western Loudoun Saturdays 3 p.m. Purcellville Library, 220 E. Main St., Carruthers Room. Call 703-431-7160 or email kathy@dbsanca.org.

Drop-in grief support Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. St. David's Episcopal Church, 43600 Russell Branch Pkwy., Ashburn. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-597-1781.

Families Overcoming Drug Addiction Support group. First and third Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. myfodafamily@gmail.com or 540-316-9221.

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth and parent support A group in partnership with Metro DC PFLAG. Fourth Sundays 4-6 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church, 22135 Davis Dr., Sterling. 703-328-6518.

Griefshare Open to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. Tuesdays through Oct. 3, 7-8:30 p.m. Purcellville Baptist Church 601 Yaxley Dr., Purcellville. Call 540-338-0918 or email caring@purbap.org. Workbook, $15.

Griefshare Nondenominational seminar and support group. Tuesdays 7:30-9 p.m., and Wednesdays, 1-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Free.

Grief support Sponsored by Hospice Support of Fauquier County. Individual counseling available. First and third Thursdays 3:30-5 p.m. Hospice Support Office, 42 N. Fifth St., Warrenton. Registration required. Email hospicesupport@verizon.net or call 540 - 347-5922.

Grief support Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814.

Hospice support Free medical-equipment loan facility for Fauquier County residents. Especially needed are donations of wheelchairs, bedside commodes, rolling walkers, electric hospital beds, shower benches and chairs, adult diapers, lift chairs, Ensure and hospital bed mattresses . 540-347-5922.

Look Good, Feel Better For women undergoing or emerging from cancer treatment. Every other month, 6:45-9 p.m., Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-776-2820. Free.

Loudoun CHADD support Led by Children and Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Third Thursdays 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Hall, lower-level conference room, 25 W. Market St. 703-669-2445.

Lyme disease support Fourth Sundays 2-4 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Conference Room A and B, Leesburg. Go to natcaplyme.org or email loudounlymeadvocates@

gmail.com.

Lyme disease support Third Thursdays 7-9 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Call 540-341-8245 or email phillipsgeo@comcast.net.

Lyme disease support Age 18 and older. First Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Email charphealy@yahoo.com.

MADD Loudoun victim support For those who have been affected by drunken driving. Third Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. 210 Wirt St., Leesburg. 540-338-6491.

Man-to-Man cancer support Sponsored by Loudoun Cancer Care Center, for prostate cancer patients and their families. Second Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 703-858-8857 or karen.archer@inova.org.

Menopause support Third Thursdays 6:30-9 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg (second floor, Patient Education Room). 703-858-8060.

Men's grief support Second Mondays at 7 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 703-568-3346. Free.

Multiple sclerosis support Saturdays 10:30 a.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-2826.

Multiple sclerosis support Last Sundays, September-June, 2-4 p.m. Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Pl., Potomac Falls. Call ahead to confirm. 703-771-4256.

Nar-Anon family support For those affected by loved ones with addiction. "Meaningful Mondays," 7-8 p.m., Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-203-9792; "Wisdom Wednesdays" 7-8 p.m., St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 37730 St. Francis Ct., Purcellville, 703-606-7125; "Serenity Thursdays," 7-8 p.m. Leesburg Presbyterian Church, 207 W. Market St., Leesburg, 703-606-7125.

Overeaters Anonymous For fellowship and support. For locations and times, go to oa.org.

Parkinson's social Coffee and conversation. Third Wednesdays 10 a.m.-noon, Tribute at One Loudoun, Welcome Center, 20618 Easthampton Plaza, Ashburn. parkinsonsocialnetwork.org or 703-378-7221. Free.

Parkinson's support Open to those with Parkinson's disease, their family members and caregivers. First Tuesdays 1:30-3 p.m. Call for Ashburn location. 571-442-8851.

Postpartum support Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Cornwall Campus, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. Call 703-909-9877 or email lamckeough@gmail.com. Registration required.

Reach to Recovery Home-visit program for mastectomy and lumpectomy patients. Temporary prostheses, exercise instruction and encouragement. 703-938-5550.

Sexual assault and incest survivors group counseling Services provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice and the Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter are free and confidential. 703-771-9020.

Sexual assault survivors empowerment support Sponsored by Sexual Assault Victims Volunteer Initiative. Child care available with 48 hours notice. Mondays; call for times and locations. 540-349-7720.

Spiritual support group For cancer patients, family members and friends. Third Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8850.

Stroke support First Wednesdays, noon-1:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. Free.

Stroke survivors and caregivers support Second Wednesdays 11 a.m.-noon, Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second floor, Patient Education Room. 703-858-6199 or jill.lieb@inova.org.

Suicide counseling Third Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Leesburg Town Office, Conference Room 2, lower level, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. survivorsofsuicideloss

leesburg@gmail.com or 703-587-1618.

Widows and widowers support Third Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039.

Women's support Sponsored by Services to Abused Families. Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Confidential location. 540-825-8876.

Women's cancer support Woman to Woman, first Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Registration required. 703-858-8850.

MISCELLANEOUS

Brain trauma survivors' brown-bag lunch For survivors and caregivers. First Tuesdays, noon-1:30 p.m., Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second-floor Patient Education Room. Call 703-737-3150 or email jberg@braininjurysvcs.org. Free.

Child developmental screenings For ages 2-5. Children may not be kindergarten-age-eligible. Sponsored by the Loudoun County school systems' Child Find Center. 571-252-2180.

Cholesterol screenings Weekdays, 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Fauquier Health LIFE Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2640. Registration required. $35.

Emergency food supplies Loudoun County residents in need can receive a free three-day supply of groceries. Supplies are distributed Mondays through Saturdays by Loudoun Hunger Relief. Call 703-777-5911 or go to loudounhunger.org.

Fauquier free walk-in medical clinic Call Thursdays 12:30 to 1 p.m. to register for the clinic, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Patients are seen by appointment Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fauquier and Rappahannock residents only. Bring proof of address for the first visit. Patients cannot have Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance. Information: 540-347-0394 Tuesdays or Thursdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Fauquier Hospital Bistro Senior Supper Club Nutritious meals and fellowship for people 55 and older. Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Bistro on the Hill, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. $5.49.

HEROES (Hometown Enabling Relationships, Opportunities and Empowerment through Support) is a program for military families. Support to military members and families, from predeployment up to two years post-deployment. Assistance includes financial help, job placement, family care and mental-health services. caring@purbap.org or heroescare.org.

Inova Loudoun Hospital Mobile Health Services Blood pressure screenings. Tuesday 9 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling; Saturday 8 a.m.-noon, Douglass Community Center, 405 E. Market St., Leesburg; Sept. 18, 9-11 a.m., William Watters House, 22365 Enterprise St., Sterling; Sept. 21, 11 a.m.-noon, Lovettsville Community Center, 57 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville; Sept. 26, 9 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 2001060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. Information: 703-858-8818 or inova.org/mobilehealth. Free.

Loudoun Cares information and referral help line Call 703-669-4636 for help in finding resources for county residents on issues of eviction, utility cutoffs, health care and employment.

Motor skill screenings Birth to 21 months. First Thursdays, Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Center, 19465 Deerfield Ave., Suite 201, Lansdowne. Call for an appointment. 703-858-7620. Free.

Northern Virginia long-term-care ombudsman Call 703-324-5861 for help with complaints related to long-term-care facilities.

Road to Recovery Free rides to appointments for cancer patients. Call 410-781-6909 or email jen.burdette@cancer.org. Free.

Safe sitter classes For girls and boys ages 11-14. First Saturdays except for holiday weekends. 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. To receive a Safe Sitter Certificate, students must pass practical and written tests on babysitting and handling an emergency. Take a lunch from home or buy one in the cafeteria. $70, includes handbook and snacks. Registration required. Contact 703-858-8818 or charlene.martin@inova.org.

Seven Loaves Food Pantry Individuals and families can receive a three-day supply of food, distributed Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon. Go to sevenloavesmiddleburg.org or call 540-687-3489.

Tree of Life Food Pantry Serving western Loudoun County. Food is delivered Wednesdays and Saturdays. 703-554-3595.

 Compiled by Sandy Mauck

TO SUBMIT AN ITEM

Email: ldliving@washpost.com

Fax: 703-777-8437

Mail: Health Calendar, The Washington Post, 104 Dry Mill Rd. SW, Suite 101, Leesburg, Va. 20175

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar

Loudoun County and Fauquier County health calendar
Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) announced Monday that his office has joined three other states in filing a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from rolling back the Obama-era DACA program, which provides protections from deportation for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.

The suit, filed in federal court in the Northern District of California, alleges that the administration violated the due process provisions of the Constitution as well as federal laws.

The other states listed as plaintiffs are California, Maine and Minnesota.

Fifteen other states and the District of Columbia filed a similar lawsuit last week in the federal court in the Eastern District of New York to block the administration from winding down DACA, which stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

The California lawsuit, backed by Gov. Jerry Brown (D), alleges that terminating DACA would reverse the federal governments promise not to use the information provided by participants of the program for deportations or prosecutions.

It also claims the administration bypassed a federal requirement that it give the public a chance to comment on rescinding DACA and that it analyze the impact that action could have on small businesses.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Californias case is particularly strong because the state has the largest share of DACA recipients  200,000 of the national total of 800,000.

Frosh, in an interview, made a moral and economic argument against rescinding DACA. He described the plan by the Trump administration as grotesquely unfair and self-destructive, adding that it violates every principle of fairness that we think our country stands for. Frosh said about 10,000 Marylanders participate in the DACA program, with most of them working, going to school or both.

Last week, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the administration would end DACA in six months, giving Congress a brief window in which to rescue the program through a legislative fix. Sessions said that DACA recipients, known as dreamers, take jobs away from U.S. citizens and that the program created a surge of illegal immigrants at the southern border.

The California lawsuit is the latest example of Frosh using new powers the state legislature granted his office this year to sue the federal government  without the governors permission  over any efforts that are harmful to Marylanders.

The authority comes from the Maryland Defense Act, which was introduced after President Trump tried to impose a travel ban on refugees and visitors from seven majority-Muslim countries.

Since the measure took effect, Frosh has joined more than a half-dozen other lawsuits against the Trump administration. Among that list is a legal challenge to Trumps travel ban, another to block the administration from cutting off the federal governments cost-sharing subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, and another alleging that Trump violated the Constitutions anti-corruption clauses by accepting payments from foreign governments since becoming president.

We have been able to step forward in a number of areas that I think are important to people in Maryland, he said. Without the General Assemblys intervention, Maryland would be totally relegated to the sidelines on all these issues.

Frosh said he agrees with the DACA lawsuit in New York but couldnt join that complaint because he didnt have time to give the governor 10 days notice, as the Maryland Defense Act requires for any legal action against the federal government. He said the California lawsuit takes nothing away from the one filed in New York last week.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Larry Hogan (R), declined to comment on the California lawsuit but noted that the governor did not support the (Trump) administrations action on DACA and that he strongly believes that Congress needs to act to resolve immigration issues.
Michael Friedman, an Obie Award-winning composer and lyricist known for the musicals Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Loves Labours Lost, died Sept. 9 in New York. He was 41.

The cause was complications from HIV/AIDS, said Oskar Eustis and Patrick Willingham, the artistic and executive directors of the Public Theater in Manhattan. Mr. Friedman was an artist in residence at the theater and the director of its audience engagement program.

His best-known work was the rock musical "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson," which he created with writer Alex Timbers. The show imagines the seventh president of the United States as an emo rock star (in the mode of bands such as My Chemical Romance or Fall Out Boy) and skewers America's personality-driven and at times reactionary politics.

Its theme song, "Populism Yea Yea," features the chorus: "It's the early 19th century / And we're gonna take this country back / For people like us who don't just think about things / People who make things happen."

"Though its style is often as skewed as a tilt-a-whirl ride, 'Bloody Bloody' takes precision aim at its central target: an impatient electorate ruled by a hunger for instant gratification," New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley wrote in October 2010 after the musical opened on Broadway in a 120-performance run.

Mr. Friedmans songs, cast in the hip but anguished mode of bands like Dashboard Confessional, could be described as post-ironic, Brantley wrote. Theyre achingly sincere, even as they send up aching sincerity, hot and cool in one breath.

Mr. Friedman was also a co-founder of the Civilians, an investigative theater troupe in New York, where he wrote music for shows including This Beautiful City, about evangelicals in Colorado, and Pretty Filthy, about the pornography industry.

His work ranged from the futuristic  Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play, written by Anne Washburn, imagined a group of apocalyptic survivors trying to remember the plot of an episode of The Simpsons  to the classically inspired.

"Love's Labour's Lost," which premiered at New York's Shakespeare in the Park festival in 2013, was Mr. Friedman's second major collaboration with Timbers. The show, theater critic Hilton Als wrote on the New Yorker's website, was "so good on so many levels that it makes you excited about not only what the American musical can do but how well it reflects on those producers who support the new, full-out."

John Michael Friedman was born in Boston on Sept. 24, 1975, and grew up in Philadelphia. He studied history and literature at Harvard University and, after graduating in 1997, quickly made his way to New York.

Trained in piano, he began writing music relatively late, at 25. He said he did some of his best composing while listening to music on the subway.

A complete list of survivors was not immediately available.

1 of 66 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Notable deaths in 2017 View Photos Remembering those who died in 2017. Caption Remembering those who died in 2017. Katherine Frey Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

Although Mr. Friedman counted Broadway classics such as Carousel among his favorites, he said that his works such as Bloody Bloody were influenced more by the subversive humor of televisions The Muppet Show.

The program, he said at one theater conference, used conventions of musical theater while subverting them and making them a little ridiculous but also making them wonderful. That tension is what makes the best musicals good: trying to subvert this while also paying homage to it.
Pierre Berge, a French impresario who as Yves Saint Laurent's longtime business and romantic partner helped build one of the most influential fashion houses of the 20th century and who later wielded his influence as one of President Francois Mitterrand's most pugnacious supporters, died Sept. 8 at his home in Saint-Remy-de-Provence. He was 86.

The cause was complications of myopathy, a muscle disease, said Olivier Flaviano, director of the new Musee Yves Saint Laurent in Paris. Mr. Berge had been scheduled to inaugurate the museum  and a similar institution in Marrakesh, Morocco, where the couple had frequently vacationed  in October.

Mr. Berge was the polarizing gatekeeper to Saint Laurent, who died in 2008. A depressive genius, the designer struggled with drug and alcohol addictions and was credited with transforming the fashion world with square-

shouldered designs for women.

While Saint Laurent worked in the studio, crafting a safari jacket and womens tuxedo that became enduring symbols of 1960s and 70s fashion, Mr. Berge ensured the company survived and eventually prospered.

He called himself a man of letters  Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre were old friends, he said, while Andy Warhol was a guest at his apartment and the painter Bernard Buffet was a former lover  and joked that his math skills were so poor, he had to count on his fingers.



Mr. Berge at his Paris office in 2015. (Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/ Getty Images)

But it was Mr. Berge who persuaded J. Mack Robinson, an Atlanta financier, to invest $700,000 into the Saint Laurent fashion house, enabling it to open in 1961 after Saint Laurent was ousted as the head designer at Dior.

And it was Mr. Berge who helped the company gain inroads with celebrities and actresses such as Catherine Deneuve, whose luxurious outfits in Luis Bunuel's film "Belle de Jour" (1967) were all designed by Saint Laurent. Mr. Berge later oversaw the brand's expansion with licenses for shoes, cosmetics, accessories, menswear and fragrances  finding such success with perfume that it eventually accounted for more than 80 percent of the company's sales.

Often, Mr. Berge was simply trying to keep his partner on track. At times, he had to push Saint Laurent onto the runway after fashion shows, where adoring crowds wanted to greet the man who saw no problem with dressing women in clothing that had been traditionally reserved for men.

The couple maintained a tempestuous, intermittent love affair for decades (a 2010 documentary about their relationship was titled LAmour Fou, French for Crazy Love), during which some observers suggested that Mr. Berge was overly controlling.

"When you have a relationship with an alcoholic, a drug user, you are forced to have very difficult relations," Mr. Berge told the New York Times in 2011. "What can we do? Nothing. Just to accept the fact. To try to help, yes, which I did, with not many successes. But I did it."

Mr. Berges tenure at the Saint Laurent fashion house, where he served as president until 2002, made him one of the wealthiest men in France  a fact that he turned to his advantage in the 1980s, when he became what Jacques Chirac once described as the foremost representative of the caviar left.

A capitalist who financed socialist political campaigns, including Segolene Royals unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2007, Mr. Berge said he was galvanized by Mitterrands victory in 1981, when he decided politics was interesting again.

1 of 66 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Notable deaths in 2017 View Photos Remembering those who died in 2017. Caption Remembering those who died in 2017. Katherine Frey Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

He soon founded the socialist-aligned magazine Globe Hebdo, where he was known to write bombastic and at times impenetrable columns in favor of Mitterrand. The two struck up a friendship, reportedly over a shared love of poetry, and after Mitterrand was elected to a second term in 1988, he appointed Mr. Berge head of the Paris Opera.

Mr. Berge had experience in the theater  he presided over the Athenee theater in Paris for several years, beginning in 1977  but his six-year tenure was marked by inconsistent performances and internal drama, beginning with the firing of Daniel Barenboim, who had been appointed the previous year to lead the new Opera Bastille.

Mr. Berge said Barenboims salary was too high and his proposed program for the new opera house was not sufficiently popular (it featured Mozart and Wagner), although by 1993, Mr. Berge said that his own productions had hardly made the cut. Only a few were worth seeing, he told the Los Angeles Times.

The rest, for one reason or another, I havent liked at all.

Pierre Berge was born in Ile dOleron, off the western coast of France, on Nov. 14, 1930. His mother was a schoolteacher, and his father was a tax inspector.

He moved to Paris in 1948 and worked as a bookseller, developing an interest in antiquarian volumes that led him to build a personal library that included works from the 15th century.

It was matched by a robust art collection that he assembled with Saint Laurent at their Paris apartment, where paintings by Goya and Bonnard hung alongside works by Picasso and Mondrian. Mr. Berge auctioned off the collection in 2009 in what the French media described as the sale of the century, and he donated much of the $484 million proceeds to AIDS research, a cause he also championed through his nonprofit organization Sidaction.

Mr. Berge and Saint Laurent met in 1958, on the day of the 21-year-old designers first show for Dior, and soon struck up a relationship that lasted until the early 1980s, when Mr. Berge reportedly moved out.

While the company they founded changed hands several times, they maintained control through favorable deals with groups such as Elf Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical giant that acquired the Saint Laurent business for $636 million in 1993. Mr. Berge, who made millions from the sale, was later found to have benefited from insider trading and ordered to pay a fine of 1 million francs.

Survivors include Madison Cox, an American landscape architect whom Mr. Berge married in March.

In recent years, Mr. Berge spent much of his time promoting the legacy of his old partner, whom he described not as a designer so much as an artist  a figure comparable to the worlds great writers, painters and filmmakers.

Once, in the course of two short sentences about clothes, Berge brought up Rimbaud, Genet, Picasso, Braque, Henry Miller, D.W. Griffith and Sergei Eisenstein, the New Yorker writer Jane Kramer wrote in 1994. They were the Saint Laurents.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 10

Dale City farmers market 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Dale City Commuter Lot (behind Center Plaza Shopping Center), Dale Boulevard, Dale City. 703-670-7112, Ext. 227. pwcparks.org.

"Honor, Courage and Commitment: Marine Corps Art, 1975-2015" The first exhibit in the Combat Art Gallery features 100 works by 22 artists. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. National Museum of the Marine Corps, 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Triangle. 703-784-6107. Free.

"Tailor-Made: Vintage Fashions From the Museum's Collection Unveiled" Curated by Meaghan Reddick, the exhibit looks at the fashion of the first quarter of the 20th century. Through Sept. 24. Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William St., Manassas. 703-257-8453. Free.

"Forest Folklore" Mixed-media art and paintings by Lauren Jacobs of Dumfries and wood turning by Greg Wandless of Fairfax. Artist reception Saturday 1-5 p.m. Through Oct. 2. Artists' Undertaking Gallery, 309 Mill St., Occoquan. 703-494-0584. Free.

"Good Dogs, Bad Cats and Weirdos" An exhibit of often humorous paintings and painted objects by Charla Wilkerson. Through Oct. 1. The Loft Gallery, 313 Mill St., Occoquan. 703-490-1117. loftgallery.org. Free.

MONDAY, SEPT. 11

Bingo Proceeds support local veterans. Doors open 7:30 a.m. Games 9:15 a.m.-noon. American Legion Post 10, 9950 Cockrell Rd., Manassas. 703-369-4900. $16.

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony The county residents who lost their lives at the Pentagon and World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, will be remembered. 9 a.m. Liberty Memorial, McCoart Administrative Building, 1 County Complex Ct., Woodbridge. Free.

Park West Lions Club bingo Proceeds support local sight, hearing and youth projects. Doors open weekly at 4 p.m. Games begin at 7 p.m. Park West Lions Club, 8620 Sunnygate Dr., Manassas. 703-392-0077. pwlions@aol.com. $10.

Bingo Proceeds support Dale City Knights of Columbus activities and charities. Doors open 6 p.m. Games begin 7:30 p.m. VFW Post 1503, 14631 Minnieville Rd., Dale City. 703-491-2378. $9 minimum.

"A Peculiar Perspective" An exhibit of oil paintings by Manassas resident John Hartt. Through Oct. 31. The Hall at City Hall, 9027 Center St., Manassas. Free.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 12

Bingo Proceeds support Veterans of Foreign Wars and Auxiliary programs and community activities. Tuesday and Thursday. Doors open 5:30 p.m. Games begin 7:30 p.m. VFW Post 1503, 14631 Minnieville Rd., Dale City. 703-670-4124. $10 minimum.

Prince William Area League of Women Voters dinner Meet the league's officers and members during the kickoff dinner. 6 p.m. City Tavern, 9550 Center St., Manassas. 703-490-1293. lklebelarsen@comcast.com. $25, reservations required.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 13

World War I Wednesdays World War I uniforms will be on display. Childrens activities are also offered. 10 a.m.-noon. National Museum of the Marine Corps, 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Triangle. 877-635-1775. Free.

Lake Ridge Toastmasters Club Members 18 and older develop their public speaking and leadership skills. 7:30-9:15 p.m. Tall Oaks Community Center, 12298 Cotton Mill Dr., Lake Ridge. 703-491-3020. contact-8913@toastmastersclubs.org. lakeridge.toastmastersclubs.org. $34-$64 membership fee.

"Visual Magic: The Art of Four Picture Book Illustrators" An exhibit of works by illustrators Janet Stoeke, Carol Schwartz, Susan Roth and Jennifer O'Connell. Opens Wednesday. Artists' reception Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The Center for the Arts, 9419 Battle St., Manassas. 703-330-2787. Free.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 14

Manassas farmers market Thursday 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Loy E. Harris Pavilion, 9201 Center St. Also Saturday 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Prince William Lot, Prince William Street, Manassas. 703-361-6599. visitmanassas.org.

Dale City Civic Association meeting Socializing and networking at 7 p.m. Meeting at 7:30 p.m. Birchdale Recreation Center, 14730 Birchdale Ave., Dale City. dalecitycivic.org. Free.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 15

American Legion dinner The public is invited to dinner with a different special every week. Proceeds support local veterans and the community. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Woodbridge American Legion, 3640 Friendly Post Lane, Woodbridge. 703-494-4304. vapost364.org. $5-$15.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 16

Mid-Atlantic Police Rodeo More than 100 motorcycle officers compete in riding skills. The event raises funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Potomac Mills Mall, 2700 Potomac Mills Cir., Woodbridge. mapmrc.com. Free.

Haymarket Day The annual festival kicks off with a parade through the historic town, followed by juried crafters, food vendors, live music and children's activities. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Haymarket Town Hall, 15000 Washington St., Haymarket. 703-753-2600. townofhaymarket.org. Free.

Yoga on the Lawn Vinyasa yoga taught by certified yoga instructor Christopher Glowacki. 9 a.m. Rippon Lodge Historic Site, 15520 Blackburn Rd., Woodbridge. 703-499-9812. pwcgov.org/ripponlodge. $5.

Edgar Rohr Memorial Car Show Sponsored by the Bull Run Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America, the annual event features more than 150 vehicles competing in 11 categories, a Model T Ford assembly demonstration and a silent auction. A farmers market and the Manassas International Food Festival run concurrently in Old Town. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William St., Manassas. 703-368-1873. visitmanassas.org. Free.

"Nuncrackers" auditions Rooftop Productions holds auditions for the holiday musical. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Through Sept. 17. Center for the Arts, 9419 Battle St., Manassas. 703-330-2787. Free.

Dog Days of Summer Military working dogs show their skills at this event that also features local pet adoption agencies, a bulldog kissing booth, speakers and children's activities. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. National Museum of the Marine Corps, 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Triangle. 877-635-1775. usmcmuseum.com. Free.

Heritage Festival World War II-era jeeps, weapons and memorabilia, archery and crosscut saw demonstrations, beekeeping demonstrations and information, the Early Grove String Band, crafts and games. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Prince William Forest Park, 18100 Park Headquarters Rd., Triangle. 703-221-7181. Free; park entrance fee, $7.

Pond Play A ranger will use nets to catch animals such as frogs, turtles and fish. 11 a.m. Leesylvania State Park, 2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Dr., Woodbridge. 703-583-6904. Free, parking $7.

Music on Mill Acoustic rock by James Drakes and the Chris Taylor Trio. 6-8 p.m. River Mill Park, 458 Mill St., Occoquan. Free.

Rippon Lodge Dance A World War II dance with Big Band music. 7-10 p.m. Rippon Lodge Historic Site, 15520 Blackburn Rd., Woodbridge. 703-499-9812. pwcgov.org/ripponlodge. $30, reservations required.

 Compiled by Sarah Lane

TO SUBMIT AN EVENT

Email: pwliving@washpost.com

Details: Announcements are accepted on a space-available basis from public and nonprofit organizations only and must be received at least 14 days before the Thursday publication date. Include event name, dates, times, exact address, prices and a publishable contact phone number.
Tyler Tessier, left, the boyfriend of missing Laura Elizabeth Wallen, at a news conference with her parents, Gwen Wallen and Mark Wallen. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

The father of a missing pregnant teacher passionately pleaded Monday for help finding his 31-year-old daughter, his appeal conveying the torment of not knowing what has happened to her.

Mark Wallen begged anyone who might know where his daughter is located to speak up  and then, on the chance Laura Elizabeth Wallen could hear him, begged her to call.

We miss her, we love her, and its one of the hardest things a father can do is to have a child taken away, way, way too soon, Mark Wallen said at a news conference at Montgomery County police headquarters. All we want is her to come back to us. Laura, if youre out there listening, pick up the phone. Whoever might be helping and hiding her, please come forward and make it happen.

Its been a week since the family heard from Laura Wallen, who is four months pregnant and a teacher in Howard County at Wilde Lake High School, where she failed to show up for the first day of classes Tuesday after several weeks of preparing her classroom.

On Thursday, police found Wallens car, unoccupied and parked in an apartment complex in the 10600 block of Gramercy Place in Columbia, a five-minute drive from the school.



Laura Elizabeth Wallen, 31. (Montgomery County Police Department )

Mark Wallen said the family is offering a $25,000 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to the safe return of his daughter. Sitting behind him was Laura Wallens mother, sister, brother-in-law and her boyfriend, who is the father of the baby she is carrying.

She is still alive somewhere, Mark Wallen said.

Lt. Sean Gagen, deputy director of the major crimes division, said county police are still investigating her disappearance as a missing-person report and do not have a reason at this point to believe there has been foul play.

But as each day passes, we become increasingly concerned for Laura Wallen and her baby, Gagen said.

The last contact from the teacher was a text message Sept. 4 to her family that concerned them enough that they called police, police have said.

Police have declined to say what the text said and on Monday also declined to say to whom it was sent, whether investigators knew of any connection between Laura Wallen, of Olney, and anyone at the apartment complex where her black 2011 Ford Escape was found and when and where she was last seen.

Mark Wallen said he became certain something was awry when he called Wilde Lake High School on Tuesday morning to check if his daughter had arrived and was told she had not. He then asked if she had arranged for a substitute teacher and was told no  a lapse he said he was sure she would not have made had she known she would be absent.

He knew she had been preparing her classroom for two weeks and had a "joy in her heart" for her job, Mark Wallen said.

Her boyfriend, Tyler Tessier, said she was super excited for the start of the school year and called her disappearance a complete shock. He said the two had gone to doctor appointments together and that she was happy about the pregnancy.

Laura, if youre listening, it doesnt matter whats happened. It doesnt matter what type of trouble. Theres nothing we cant fix together, Tessier said, . . . we havent slept, we havent eaten, were just looking, were praying that youre safe. Im asking you to just let us know that youre safe. If somebody has her, please understand that youve taken away a huge person in so many peoples lives.

Tessier said he and his girlfriend have known each other for about 10 years and at points he held the hand of Gwen Wallen, Laura Wallen's mother, as the two sat and listened to the appeals for information.

Asked by a reporter if he recalled the last conversation he had with her, Tessier said, I dont know where she is, thats all. I dont know. . . . Ill try to do everything we can to find her. I just pray that . . . I pray that shes safe and she comes back. Thats all I care about right now.

Gagen said police are working on piecing together Laura Wallen's contacts and movements in the days before she went missing in what he said is a "fluid" investigation.

[Police find vehicle of pregnant Maryland teacher reported missing]

Wilde Lake Principal Rick Wilson called Wallen an amazing young lady.

At this time, the Wilde Lake community is focused on assisting with efforts to locate her and praying for her safe return, Wilson wrote Saturday in an interview by email.

Families and friends have taken to social media to share memories of the teacher and alert people to her disappearance using the hashtag #bringwallenhome.

Last year, Wallen was recognized as the Wilde Lake High School senior class's teacher of the year, according to the school's Twitter account.

When Mary Webers now 16-year-old son was in seventh grade, he told Wallen he liked to skateboard. So Wallen, who was his social studies teacher, told him she would rummage through her belongings to find her skateboard and ride down their street.

Sure enough, Wallen showed up at their house with a skateboard. It was hilarious, Weber said, but it was just typical Laura.

"It put such a smile on our face. It just made my son's day," Weber, 50, said Friday. "She just wanted to make everybody feel loved and included and special."

The teacher also had an impact on Alicia Waxmans son when she taught him social studies in seventh grade. She thought he was funny, so encouraged him to play the genie in the schools production of Aladdin, and last spring, knowing his love of history, urged him to join a school trip to Europe focusing on World War II.

She had a way of putting a bright light on everybody else, Waxman, 43, said Friday. She focused on what was good about you and she magnified it.

Waxman said she had lunch with Laura Wallen three weeks ago and the teacher told her she was pregnant. The two have been friends for five years and Waxman said the teacher was really excited to be a mom.

Police describe Laura Wallen as a white woman who is 5 feet 5 inches tall, 200 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the county police nonemergency number at 301-279-8000.
The man accused of lighting a pregnant woman on fire in Maryland had been in an ongoing dispute with her over keeping the baby, according to the womans father.

The woman and her daughter, who was born seven weeks premature, are recuperating and expected to remain hospitalized for some time, said Arthur Grinage, who identified the woman as his daughter.

Were waiting for her strength to gather up so she can go to surgery, Grinage said Monday of his daughter. Shes steady. That is all we can hope for right now.

Grinage said his new granddaughter is healthy and getting stronger.

The baby is beautiful, Grinage said.

Doctors delivered the baby Friday after the mother was taken to a hospital with burns on her body.

[Police identify suspect charged with burning pregnant woman]

First responders were called to the 1400 block of Elkwood Lane in Capitol Heights shortly before noon Friday for the report of an apartment fire. When authorities arrived, they found a woman who had run out of her apartment looking for help, suffering from severe burns.

The woman identified her ex-boyfriend as the person who burned her and told authorities that he indicated he would harm other members of her family, according to Prince Georges County police.

Authorities tracked down the man the woman identified and arrested him outside his home, police said.

Laquinn Phillips, 34, of Southeast Washington has been charged with attempted murder, arson, assault and other related charges. Online records did not indicate an attorney for Phillips.

Officers had not previously been called to the home on Elkwood Lane, according to Prince Georges County police.

Detectives have not detailed a motive and are still investigating, but Grinage said there was ongoing tension between Phillips and his daughter.

He didnt want this child, Grinage said.

Grinage said his daughter is a single mother who works hard to provide for her children, making sure they not only have what they need but are able to travel and experience new things.

She has two sons who are 8 and 15, Grinage said. He said his daughter was thrilled to learn she would be having a baby girl.

She always wanted a girl, Grinage said. That was the icing on the cake when she found out it was a girl.

His daughter is a fighter, Grinage said, but she has a long recovery.

The family is focused on getting his daughter back in good health, Grinage said.

We have no hate for Mr. Phillips, Grinage said. We want that to play out in the court system.
A Georgia woman is suing her former employer, with help from the American Civil Liberties Union, because she says she was unlawfully fired for leaking menstrual blood at work.

Alisha Coleman was employed in a 911 call center operated by the Bobby Dodd Institute, a job training and employment agency in Fort Benning. Her lawsuit alleges the institute terminated her for unpredictable menstrual symptoms that were related to the onset of menopause. Federal law prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of sex, and specifically on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions.

Every woman dreads getting period symptoms when theyre not expecting them, but I never thought I could be fired for it, Coleman said in a statement. I dont want any woman to have to go through what I did.

The lawsuit comes as a groundswell of grassroots activists and lawmakers are working to improve basic rights for menstruating women. Many are trying to remove the stigma associated with periods and to make menstrual products more affordable, if not freely available, in workplaces, schools and other public places, such as libraries and prisons.

Advocates are also speaking out for more sensible and sensitive workplace policies. Inability to afford menstrual products can impact attendance and productivity for low-wage workers. Strict work schedules can also be problematic, if women cannot go to the bathroom when they need to.

[The once-whispered topic of womens menstruation now has political cachet]

The ACLU is committed to fighting on behalf of all woman who want to be able to do their job free from discrimination,said Sean J.Young, legal director for the ACLU of Georgia. No woman should have to go to work worrying about whether her boss is monitoring her menstrual cycle.

According to a brief filed in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Coleman had worked at the call center for close to a decade when in 2015 she began to experience irregular and heavy menstrual periods, common symptoms of pre-menopause.

In August 2015, as a result of an unusually heavy period, Coleman leaked some blood onto her office chair. She reported the incident to her supervisor, who advised her to leave the office to change clothes. Subsequently, her manager and the human resources director warned her that she would be fired if she ever soiled another chair from sudden onset menstrual flow, the brief says.

The following spring, during another heavy period, Coleman stood up to walk to the bathroom and leaked some blood onto the carpet. She cleaned up the spot with bleach and disinfectant, but a few days later she was fired. The stated reason for her termination was her alleged failure to practice high standards of personal hygiene and maintain a clean, neat appearance while on duty, the document says.

[Federal prisons must now provide free tampons and pads to incarcerated women]

A spokeswoman for the Bobby Dodd Institute, which works with people who have disabilities or disadvantages, declined to comment for the story, but issued a statement.

While we cannot share specific details about this case because its become a legal matter, please know there is more to this story than is being portrayed by those who are suing us, the statement says. We can say we followed proper protocol and went the extra mile to avoid dismissal in this case, as we would for any of our employees.

In its motion to dismiss, attorneys for the institute argued that Coleman was not targeted because she was female, and that menstrual symptoms unrelated to pregnancy or childbirth are not protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the law that prohibits discrimination against women.

The district court dismissed Colemans case in June. The judge ruled that it was not clear that the employers treatment of her excessive menstruation was treated less favorably than similar conditions affecting both sexes. For example, the ruling said, it was not clear that male employees who soiled themselves and company property due to a medical condition, such as incontinence, would have been treated more favorably.

The ACLU took up the case on appeal. The brief, filed last month, argues that the case should go to trial because it raises important legal questions about how the federal non-discrimination law is applied to women who are undergoing menopause.

A heavy period is something nearly all women will experience, especially as they approach menopause, and Alisha [Coleman] was shamed, demeaned and fired for it, said Andrea Young, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia in a statement. Thats wrong and illegal under federal law. Were fighting back.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) upended the regional debate over Metro funding Monday by offering to give the transit system an extra $500 million over four years if Virginia, the District and the federal government each do the same.

Hogan's proposal, made in a letter delivered Monday morning to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) and D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), narrowed their differences over funding and appeared to increase chances that the region could agree on a plan to save the agency.

But it remained to be seen whether the other three parties  especially the federal government and Virginia  would go along. Some politicians grumbled that Hogan only made the proposal because he knew it was unlikely to be accepted, and a Metro board member predicted the federal government would balk.

Overall, however, top Metro officials and other regional leaders praised Hogan for taking an important first step toward reaching consensus, while they warned that the plan falls short of a permanent solution.

Hogans action marked a dramatic reversal from his position in a contentious, closed-door, regional summit two weeks ago. There, Hogan shocked McAuliffe and Bowser by saying Maryland would not give Metro any additional funds beyond what it already contributes each year.

[Behind closed doors, regions leaders clashed sharply over Metro funding]

On Monday, Hogan reaffirmed the stance he took at the summit against new taxes to support Metro, and he complained that Maryland contributes more than its fair share to the struggling transit agency. But he took a new approach regarding more money.

The needs of the Metro system are immediate and overwhelming, Hogan wrote in the detailed, four-page letter. Given the current crisis, the State of Maryland is prepared to invest an additional $500 million in increased Metro funding over the next four years if the Commonwealth of Virginia, the District of Columbia and the federal government all commit to do the same.

Hogan's about-face appeared prompted partly by intense criticism of his earlier opposition, officials said, both from other regional actors and from a strongly worded editorial in The Washington Post headlined, "Larry Hogan to Metro: Drop Dead." Hogan is expected to seek reelection next year, and an anti-Metro stance could hurt him in vote-rich Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

But Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer suggested the governor had taken the adamant position at the summit as a bargaining ploy at the start of what he expected to be a prolonged process.

Hogan is always negotiating, Mayer said.

Mayer also rejected the idea that Hogan had altered his position, noting that the governor emphasized in the letter his previous stance that the federal government ought to contribute more to Metro. In proposing more money now from Maryland, Virginia and the District, Mayer said, the governor was expanding on his earlier strategy.

[Maryland to get $900-million federal full funding agreement for Purple Line]

Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) welcomed Hogans change of mind and said he believed it came in response to the backlash to Hogans position at the summit.

He has now reconsidered, after the very negative reaction he got, including editorially from The Post, Connolly said. But his condition that it be matched, he knows, I think somewhat cynically, is a very tall order.

Whatever the motivation, Hogans offer seems destined to transform the discussion about providing additional resources for the cash-strapped agency.

Hogans plan is the first specific proposal on funding Metro to come from a top elected official since Bowser pitched a regionwide penny-per-dollar sales tax nearly a year ago.

Hogan made a point of criticizing Bowsers proposal, and he noted that McAuliffe opposed it as well.

The sales tax is a regressive tax, which disproportionately hurts the poorest of our citizens, Hogan said in the letter.

Mayer said Maryland would cover most of its share of the new cost by drawing on the state transportation trust fund. However, Hogan has in the past resisted diverting money in that fund from roads and bridges to transit.

Hogan said his plan would buy Metro time by giving the region four years to formulate a long-term, more permanent solution to [Metros] fiscal challenges.

If Virginia, the District and the federal government embrace Hogans proposal, it would go a long way toward raising the additional money Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld says the transit agency needs for new equipment and maintenance to keep the system safe and reliable. Wiedefeld says Metro needs an additional $500 million a year, and Hogans plan would match that.

One potential shortcoming, however, is that Wiedefeld has said Metro needs the $500 million in dedicated funding  which means a reliable revenue stream, such as from a tax, that can be pledged to repay bonds so Metro can borrow more easily on financial markets. Hogans proposal would not necessarily take that form, so the benefit to Metro would be somewhat less than what Wiedefeld desires.

Both Bowser and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) said Hogans plan was inadequate because it did not provide dedicated funding.

Our hurdle is to identify dedicated revenue that will bring Metro to a state of good repair. Anything short of that does not get us over the hurdle and to our priorities: safety, reliability and capacity, Bowser spokeswoman LaToya Foster said.

Wiedefeld called Hogans proposal a very good step, while noting that the governor recognized that its not a long-term fix for Metros finances.

Its obviously shown leadership. Its something on the table, Wiedefeld said during an appearance on The Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU 88.5 FM.

[Metro GM proposes new business model and $500 million a year in extra funding to save D.C.-area transit agency]

A bigger question is whether the federal government and Virginia will agree to the proposal. The District has consistently been the jurisdiction most supportive of increasing funding for the agency, and both Bowser and the D.C. Council have backed higher taxes to pay for it.

McAuliffe has said he would support dedicated funding for Metro only after the transit agency showed progress on safety, reliability and efficiency. Hes also on his way out of office; hell be succeeded in January by the winner of Novembers general election.

Both major candidates vying to succeed McAuliffe  Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie  warned that they want to see more progress at Metro before considering more money for the transit agency.

In addition, the Republican-controlled legislature in Richmond strongly opposes new taxes and also has been skeptical about increasing funding for Metro.

McAuliffes initial response Monday was cautious and sought to link Hogans action to work by former U.S. transportation secretary Ray LaHood. McAuliffe recruited LaHood earlier this year to try to forge a consensus on funding and governance.

McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said the Virginia governor is encouraged that the ongoing review conducted by Secretary LaHood has resulted in progress between these three jurisdictions on a shared vision for the future of the Metro system.

Then theres the federal government. The Trump administrations budget proposed to slash federal funding for transit. Metro supporters have been concerned that the agency will lose an annual $150 million federal subsidy that expires after the federal fiscal year ending in 2019.

Steve McMillin, one of two federal Metro board members newly appointed by the Trump administration, said that with the $150 million subsidy already on the line, the expectation of additional dollars beyond that would not be a realistic planning assumption.

Asked what his message for the region would be, McMillin replied: I think the message is we shouldnt be looking over the hill for a savior  we should plan on saving ourselves.

Connolly, the Northern Virginia congressman, agreed that the federal piece of the puzzle is going to be very difficult and the GOP-controlled Virginia legislature presents an additional challenge.

If Virginia said yes and D.C. said yes, it would give us a lot more leverage in turning to the federal government and saying, You  the biggest user of this transit system  you need to follow suit,  Connolly said.

Hogans letter reaffirmed his position that the federal government needs to do more.

Forty-two percent of Metro riders are federal employees, and yet the federal governments investment does not reflect this fact, Hogan said.

Hogan began his letter by emphasizing his backing for Metro  his support of which had been called into question at the Aug. 28 summit.

Despite its long-standing financial mismanagement and safety and reliability issues, Metro nonetheless continues to play an incredibly important and vital role in the region, Hogan said.

He went on to say that 21 percent of Metros ridership comes from Maryland, 23 percent comes from Virginia and 55 percent from the District.

By any logical measure, Maryland has been paying not only our fair share, but actually more than our fair share, Hogan said.

[McAuliffe, Hogan, Bowser agree with LaHood that Metro board should shrink]

Metro Board member Michael Goldman, whom Hogan recently reappointed to the board, said he did not have any personal insight into the governors decision-making, but he believed the proposal was prompted by reaction to Hogans previous position.

I suspect there was some frustration that more didnt come out of that [summit] meeting, and the press coverage and leaks coming out of it seemed to make Maryland the bad guy in all this, Goldman said.

Martine Powers contributed to this report.
The University of Virginia was ill-prepared for a march through its campus last month by torch-

bearing white supremacists and Nazi sympathizers that ended in a violent clash with a small group of student protesters, according to a report released by the school Monday.

The report found that the universitys response could have been improved by mining more information on the marchers and acting on it, improving understanding of the schools rules on demonstrations, and adapting policies to deal with big groups of menacing protesters on U-Va. land.

The schools president, Teresa Sullivan, and others in the administration came under intense criticism after the campus march on Aug. 11, the day before white supremacists held a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. Students and faculty members charged that the administration and university police had not responded adequately to protect students and had allowed the marchers to parade through campus chanting racist and threatening slogans and intervened only after students were attacked.

Led by Risa Goluboff, dean of the University of Virginia School of Law, the working groups report said while the university had taken some steps to prepare for a march on campus, it assumed the demonstration would be similar to previous marches and demonstrations on campus that were not violent and were seen as expressions of free speech.

[Recounting a day of rage, hate, violence and death]

University officials frame of mind was shaped by a decades-long history of nonviolent protests on grounds that led them to approach the march with the assumption that it was constitutionally protected and should be accommodated with minimal police intrusion, the report read. On a number of levels  intelligence evaluation, policy backdrop and police response  this mindset led the university to make judgments that were misaligned to the context and left [the University Police Department] insufficiently equipped to respond. As a result, UPD understood its role as being available to monitor for potential violent disorder by anyone present, amassing backup in the event of such disorder, and intervening only in response to such disorder.

Critics of the universitys handling of the torchlight march and resulting violence were not satisfied with the reports findings. U-Va. should apologize to those students for failing to protect them, said Jalane Schmidt, a University of Virginia professor who has led efforts in Charlottesville to remove Confederate statues. Public officials had been warned for weeks, and in various public forums given intercepted documents written by alt-right ralliers themselves, in which the alt-right promised to be violent. U-Va. apparently regarded the words of avowed Nazis more credibly than the warnings of their own U-Va. affiliates, who alerted U-Va. at the highest levels already by Friday afternoon that violent, torch-wielding Nazis planned to descend on grounds.

The report also said the universitys insufficient response reflected a failure to seek out alternative sources of information rather than relying entirely on official intelligence from state, local and federal law enforcement. Additionally, the university relied on inaccurate information  some of it from the march organizers themselves  about the timing, size and route of the march that left the school unprepared to respond quickly and adequately.

The report pointed to the universitys flawed application of its own protocols and its misunderstanding of laws. For instance, the university prohibits open flames on campus, but, according to the report, university police were not aware of their authority to enforce that policy.

[A stark contrast inside and outside a Charlottesville church during the torch march]

The report also called out the campus police department for not being aware it had authority to enforce a state law that bans the burning of objects on private or public property with intent to intimidate. It questioned why police did not act sooner when the much larger group of white supremacist marchers surrounded counterprotesters at the base of a campus statue of Thomas Jefferson.

With the outbreak of outright physical violence, the police identified disorder, declared an illegal assembly, shut down the demonstration, and swept the area. An earlier show of force or a police cordon between the demonstrators and counterdemonstrators might have mitigated this confrontation.

The report outlined steps the university should take to prevent a similar outcome in the future, including strengthening partnerships with law enforcement training officers in recognizing the threshold between speech and violent intimidation and [empowering] them [to] make judgment calls in response to rapidly evolving situations. It also said it is reviewing the application of emergency notification protocols and considering additional means of alerting the community about incidents and events.

The report also sounded a warning to other schools that may find themselves facing similar situations.

Going forward, the University of Virginia and higher education institutions across the nation must be prepared to respond to situations in which violence and intimidation accompany demonstrations and protests, the report concluded. It is incumbent upon the university to forge new policies and practices that will prevent it from again becoming a locus of intimidation and violence while recommitting to the principles of free speech at the core of its mission.
Planned Parenthood volunteers Kate Steir, 27, and Christian Deegan, 31, discuss their route while canvassing for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam in Arlington last month. (Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post)

Abortion, a long-simmering issue in Virginia  a purple state where rural evangelicals sharply differ from urban progressives  has been elevated in this years gubernatorial contest because of changing dynamics on the federal level.

President Trump has vowed to appoint antiabortion judges who could unravel federal protections, turning the power to decide whether women can terminate pregnancies back to governors and state legislatures.

Virginia, the first to have a competitive statewide contest since Trump took office, offers a window into how abortion politics may reshape gubernatorial races to be held in about three dozen states in 2018.

"It's so fundamentally different with a Republican in the White House and a national threat to Roe v. Wade, a threat that hasn't existed in a decade," said Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist with roots in Virginia. "This has animated and motivated a lot of voters to move this issue even higher up as a priority."

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam, the sitting lieutenant governor and a physician, has positioned himself as a champion of abortion rights. Republican rival Ed Gillespie said he'd like to see the procedure banned, with exceptions for rape, incest and to save the mother's life.



Steir talks with voter Andy Leighton at his home in Arlington. (Photo by Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post) )

The Republican-controlled state legislature has tried for years to restrict abortion, foiled by Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who has vetoed bills to defund Planned Parenthood and says the governors mansion is the brick wall against attempts to limit womens reproductive rights.

If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a woman's right to an abortion, at any time in the next four years, McAuliffe's successor could decide the legality of abortion in the Old Dominion.

Planned Parenthood's Virginia arm has launched a $3 million field operation to support Northam and other Democrats  surpassing its spending to elect McAuliffe in 2013.

Foes of abortion rights, energized by success in Washington, see a chance to tear down McAuliffes wall.

Opponents of abortion are working with urgency, concerned that Virginias changing demographics  growing urban areas, more residents of color  are turning the swing state blue. All five of the current statewide officeholders  Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark R. Warner as well as McAuliffe, Northam and Attorney General Mark R. Herring  are Democrats who support abortion rights.

Northams election would mean eight years of consecutive Democrat, anti-life leadership, and it would be very difficult to retract any of that and regain the ground we would lose, said Don Blake, president of the Virginia Christian Alliance.

[Virginia governors race rolls into high gear after Charlottesville]



Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam, left, and Republican rival Ed Gillespie. (Bob Brown/AP)

The Gorsuch appointment

Trump pleased abortion opponents when he appointed Neil M. Gorsuch, seen as favorable to their cause, to fill the vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.

Hell have a chance to change the courts ideological balance if any of three justices older than 78 retire or die during his tenure. The GOP-controlled Senate has also scrapped the filibuster option for Supreme Court nominees, making it easier for the majority to advance antiabortion judges.

In addition to cutting funding for Planned Parenthood, abortion opponents in Virginia want to bar abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Gillespie says he would support such bills; Northam opposes them.

Abortion rights activists lined up early behind Northam, citing the need for a steadfast ally in a changed national climate. During the Democratic primary, some abortion supporters attacked Northams opponent, former congressman Tom Perriello  even though Perriello was running as a progressive who backs abortion rights  because he once opposed public subsidies for insurers who cover abortion.

We need someone who is unwavering, said Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Pro Choice Virginia, which has deployed dozens of canvassers for Northam since March. We have seen that happen before where our rights could be put on the table, on the negotiating block. We cannot tolerate that anymore.

The national Democratic Party has been enmeshed this year in a debate about whether to back Democratic candidates who oppose abortion. In an effort to reach out to disaffected voters, particularly in rural areas, several party leaders, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, say Democrats should not use litmus tests. Others insist that reproductive rights are a core value of the party.

National antiabortion groups think that defeating Northam in Virginia would send a message that Democrats should not enforce party purity when it comes to abortion.

[Amid party debate, progressives issue statement of principles on abortion]

We want to see Democrats see this extremism on this issue as a political vulnerability, said Mallory Quigley, a spokeswoman for the Susan B. Anthony List, which is planning to run digital advertisements on behalf of Gillespie later this year.

But Democrats say that supporting abortion rights is a winning stance for them in Virginia.

A Washington Post poll in 2013 found 55 percent of Virginia voters favored allowing abortion in all or most instances. A poll from Christopher Newport University this year found a slim majority opposed bans on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Geoffrey Garin, a pollster for the Northam campaign, said his initial surveys showed Gillespies comment during a primary debate that he would like to see abortion be banned drew some of the sharpest reaction from voters in the heavily populated areas of Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads.

The opposition to a womans right to choose is a dealbreaker for a lot of voters who otherwise would be willing to consider supporting a Republican, Garin said. Its created an important bright red line for a lot of voters up and down the urban crescent and well into the exurbs.

Other campaign issues

Gillespie has tried to play down abortion and instead focus on the economy and public safety. Asked about Gillespies views on abortion, his spokesman, Dave Abrams, responds that Northams views are outside the mainstream and that the lieutenant governor supports late-term abortions  which are illegal in Virginia and opposed by most voters.

Northam has said that the timing of abortions should be determined by a woman and her doctor, but he does not want to change the state law that limits late-term abortions.

The number of abortions performed in Virginia declined by one-third between 2009 and 2015, according to state data. The decline coincided with a rollback of abortion rights by the states past GOP governor, Robert F. McDonnell, whose term ended in 2014.

In 2011, he signed legislation regulating abortion clinics as hospitals  a move that critics said was meant to drive the clinics out of business. The regulations have since been dropped by the state health board dominated by McAuliffe appointees.

McDonnell in 2012 also signed a bill mandating abdominal ultrasounds before abortion. As originally written, the bill would have required women seeking an abortion early in a pregnancy to undergo a vaginal ultrasound. It made Virginia fodder for late-night comedians.

Northam, then a state lawmaker, raised his profile  and won the allegiance of abortion rights supporters  with a speech on the floor of the Senate where he said the ultrasounds would be about as useful as a probe of a bottle of Gatorade.

[States that are making it harder to get an abortion]

The proposed requirement of an invasive ultrasound was ultimately defeated. But it continues to resonate in this years down-ballot races.

The Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, state Sen. Jill Vogel, was the sponsor of the ultrasound legislation, and she is trying to defend it against attacks by Democratic rival Justin Fairfax.

In the race for attorney general, incumbent Herring issued a legal opinion paving the way to liberate abortion clinics from requirements that they meet the same standards as hospitals. His Republican opponent, lawyer John Adams, has accused Herring of politicizing the office.

Mark Rozell, who has studied Virginias religious right, says the combination of Trumps election, earlier policy debates and the defeat of an antiabortion Republican ticket in 2013 have made abortion an especially important issue this year.

In this election cycle, its much more difficult for Republicans to maneuver, said Rozell, the dean of the public policy school at George Mason University. Democrats are not going to let that issue go. Its going to come up relentlessly.

On a recent Saturday in Arlington, Planned Parenthood volunteers knocked on doors in the deep-blue stronghold to get people to pay attention to the governors race amid a blizzard of news from Washington.

Andy Leighton, a 70-year-old retired musician, told a volunteer wearing a #PinkOutVa shirt that he had donated to the organization for at least 25 years. But asked if he was following the governors race, he responded, Not until right now.

The choice is really, really stark, said Kate Steir, the volunteer. Ed Gillespie is very open about wanting to defund Planned Parenthood.

Leighton promised to vote for Northam.

I believe in a womans right to make decisions about her own life, Leighton later told a reporter. And I believe its under threat.

Reminders

Meanwhile, religious organizations are planning to assemble voter guides reminding people about the stakes for abortion in the governors race.

Some pastors are planning to impress upon their congregations the importance of the election.

Gary Hamrick, pastor of the Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg where Gillespie recently attended, often gives Election Day sermons in presidential years touting the importance of family values and protecting Israel.

With a state-level contest this year, he plans to focus his sermon on one important theme.

God values life from the womb to the tomb, and we need to also protect life ourselves, Hamrick said. And we need to do what we can to be involved in the political process, to protect life ourselves.
Nurse Elise Wilson was stabbed multiple times in July by a patient unhappy with his medical care. The Massachusetts legislation seeking better protections for nurses is named after her. (Massachusetts Nurses Association)

Columnist

They are routinely yelled at, spat at, pummeled, kicked, scratched and even stabbed by the people theyre trying to save.

In many states, being a nurse is more dangerous than being a police officer or a prison guard. Its a profession with a stunning amount of violence.

The video of Utah nurse Alex Wubbels getting roughed up by a Salt Lake City detective that went viral last week shocked America.

[FBI may join investigation into abuse of Utah nurse]

But nurses everywhere are like  oh, thats just Monday.

Its very rough out there, Maryland nurse Joanne Ogaitis told a panel of Occupational Safety and Health Administration representatives this year when she testified about the daily verbal assaults and monthly physical assaults she and her colleagues endure.

The part of the Alex Wubbels video that worried most of America, of course, was the police abuse of authority and overreach.

But what may have been lost in that outrage was that this level of violence  not by police, but by patients  is business as usual for nurses.

Just last week, a nurse in Arkansas was pushed down a flight of stairs by a man arguing with medical staffers.

In June, emergency room nurse Elise Wilson was stabbed multiple times by a patient in her Southbridge, Mass., hospital because the patient was unhappy with his medical care.

And in May, two nurses in Geneva, Ill., were taken hostage while caring for an inmate. One of the nurses was beaten and sexually assaulted at gunpoint during the standoff.

And those are just the cases that make news. Nurse assaults occur at most hospitals and clinics every month.

It's easy to think crime scenes and battlefields when we talk about violent occupations, but the rates of workplace violence in health care and social assistance settings are five to 12 times higher than the estimated rates for workers overall, according to a Government Accountability Office report from last year.

After a spate of workplace violence a year ago that included a patient in South Carolina who attacked 14 nurses, the American Nurses Association issued a zero-tolerance policy on workplace violence.

"Health care professionals have a duty to provide care that keeps people safe, alleviates suffering and restores health," wrote Pam Cipriano, president of the American Nurses Association, which is based in Maryland. "But when health care workers fear the threat of personal harm from attack and injury, their focus on the patient is undermined  and so is the U.S. health care system."

And thats not even the part that makes nursing one of Americas most dangerous occupations. Damage to their own bodies  from lifting and moving patients  leaves nurses with more injuries than construction workers.

When it comes to attacks, more than 75 percent of the nurses questioned in a recent survey said they had been abused  physically and verbally, by patients, those trying to get to patients or family members  on the job.

Our society honors and celebrates the sacrifices of officers and warriors, but nurses are still fighting for protection, standards and recognition.

Not surprising, in a profession thats 93 percent female.

A lot of states are making it a felony to assault a nurse, Cipriano said.

This is after years of lobbying for better safety measures and protections by folks such as Cipriano.

In Massachusetts, Elises Law, which is named for the nurse who was attacked in June, is already on the fast track to set state standards for workplace protection. Legislators were working on this months before Wilson was stabbed.

Nurses in Massachusetts were attacked more frequently than police or prison guards. When association members testified about the violence epidemic this spring, they said nurses had been threatened with scissors, pencils or pens, knives, guns, medical equipment and furniture in the past two years alone, according to the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

[Nurses assaulted more often than cops and prison guards]

There are at least 26 states with workplace safety standards for health-care facilities approved by OSHA, according to the organization.

But there are no broad, federal standards. A nationwide health-care workplace safety law isnt necessarily a goal, Cipriano said. But continued state-by-state efforts are achieving change.

Theyre asking for things such as better lighting, escape routes and furniture thats bolted down, so it cant be thrown around. (Yes, its that bad.)

Nurses also want a cultural shift in how their job is viewed. The female-dominated field is rarely seen as dangerous or heroic. Angels, yes, theyre called angels.

But nurses are warriors, too.

There has been an erosion of respect, Cipriano said. Shes seen a steady increase over the years in the abuse nurses take. And often, because theyre in these high-stress situations, because their ethos is all about a patients comfort and safety, they simply take it.

We have to dispel that notion, Cipriano said, that being assaulted is just part of the job. It is not.

When Alex Wubbels screamed youre assaulting me as she was being forced into a police car in Utah on that video, she was also speaking for thousands of other nurses, too.

Its time to listen.

Twitter: @petulad
Crystal McDowell and her boyfriend, Paul Hargrave, are shown last month in a photo provided by Hargrave. McDowells ex-husband, Steven McDowell, was charged with her murder. (Associated Press/ )

Texas

Woman, missing in Harvey, found slain

The body of a Texas real estate agent was found in a marshy wooded area Saturday more than two weeks after she disappeared the day Hurricane Harvey made landfall, authorities said.

The womans ex-husband, Steven McDowell, 44, was charged with murder and booked into Chambers County jail, awaiting bail to be set.

Crystal McDowell, 37, a mother of two, vanished Aug. 25, the day Harvey landed in the Gulf Coast area of southeast Texas, Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne said Sunday.

She disappeared after telling her boyfriend, Paul Hargrave, that she was headed to her

ex-husband's house to pick up her children, ages 5 and 8.

Her uncle reported her missing the following day.

Floodwaters and rain hampered the search, but McDowells partly submerged car was found at a Motel 6 off an interstate highway. Authorities traced the last ping from her cellphone to a marshy area in Baytown, Tex., within a couple of days of her disappearance. The search resumed Thursday, and the body was found Saturday.

 Associated Press

Minnesota

Suburban student joined Islamic State

A suburban Minneapolis college student left his family while on vacation in Morocco two years ago and joined the Islamic State group in Syria, according to newly unsealed court files.

The case is the first disclosure of someone from Minnesota trying to join the Islamic State since nine Minnesota men were sentenced in federal court last year for plotting unsuccessfully to join the terrorist group. The case is among at least six open investigations of alleged Islamic State support in Minnesota from 2015 to as recently as late last year, the Star Tribune reported.

The newspaper reviewed newly unsealed court documents in which federal agents say Abdelhamid al-Madioum, then 18, apparently booked a flight from Morocco to Turkey, from which many aspiring Islamic State militants cross into Syria.

Al-Madioum, a naturalized U.S. citizen, studied engineering at Normandale Community College in Bloomington from June 2014 to May 2015. He was to spend two months with his family visiting relatives in Morocco in 2015. His parents told investigators that he skipped dinner on July 7 and was gone the next day, along with his cellphone and passport. He left other possessions behind.

 Associated Press

Man kills seven in Dallas before being shot by police: A gunman killed seven people at a home in a Dallas suburb on Sunday evening before being shot dead by police who were called to the scene, authorities told the Dallas Morning News. The shootings took place in Plano, a suburb north of Dallas. Plano authorities could not be reached by Reuters to verify details of the report. No information about the relationship between the suspect and the victims was available.

Woman found dead in hotel freezer: A 19-year-old Chicago woman has been found dead in a suburban hotel's freezer. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said Kenneka Jenkins was pronounced dead Sunday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont. An autopsy has been completed, but the cause of death hasn't been confirmed yet. Rosemont police said hotel workers found the body. They said she was last seen at a party at the hotel early Saturday. Tereasa Martin, Jenkins's mother, told the Chicago Tribune that police said Jenkins apparently let herself into the freezer while drunk.

Oberlin graduate suspected of killing 4: An Oberlin College graduate is a suspect in the killings of four people at a Massachusetts home. The Middlesex district attorney's office said Orion Krause, 22, of Rockport, Maine, will be arraigned Monday on murder charges in the four deaths Friday in Groton. Oberlin College and Conservatory identified Krause as a 2017 graduate of the school.

Suspect in child abuse deaths surrenders: A fifth suspect has surrendered to authorities in connection with the child abuse deaths of two young girls whose bodies were found on a southwestern Colorado farm outside Norwood. San Miguel County officials said four people were arrested Friday. The fifth suspect surrendered Saturday.

 From news services
A police officer jumps out of a van during a training session in Linyi, Shandong province, China, on Sept. 10, 2017. (China Stringer Network/Reuters)

COLOMBIA

Pope suffers black eye as he wraps up visit

Pope Francis wrapped up his five-day Colombia trip on Sunday by honoring St. Peter Claver, a fellow Jesuit who ministered to hundreds of thousands of African slaves who arrived in the port of Cartagena to be sold during Spanish colonial times.

Franciss visit to Cartagena got off to a rocky start, however, when he banged his head on his popemobile when it stopped short amid swarms of well-wishers. Francis, who had only a hip-high bar to hold on to, lost his balance and suffered a bruised, black left eye and a cut on his eyebrow that dripped blood onto his cassock.

The cut was quickly bandaged and Francis carried on without further incident.

Francis visited the St. Peter Claver church, where he praised the 17th-century missionary for having recognized the inherent dignity of slaves.

Claver has been revered by Jesuits, popes and human rights campaigners for centuries for having insisted on treating slaves as children of God and worthy of love when others considered them mere merchandise.

 Associated Press

BURMA

Troops accused of using land mines

Burmas military has been accused of planting land mines in the path of Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in its western Rakhine state, and Amnesty International reported that two people were wounded Sunday.

Refugee accounts of the latest spasm of violence in Rakhine have typically described shootings by soldiers and arson attacks on villages. But several cases point to anti-personnel land mines or other explosives as the cause of injuries on the border with Bangladesh, where 300,000 Rohingya have fled in two weeks.

Burma, also known as Myanmar, has one of the few militaries that have openly used anti-personnel land mines in recent years, according to Amnesty. An international treaty in 1997 outlawed the use of the weapons.

Amnesty officials said that based on interviews with witnesses and weapons analysis, they believe there is targeted use of land mines along a stretch of the northwestern border of Rakhine that is a crossing point for fleeing Rohingya.

The violence and exodus began Aug. 25 when Rohingya insurgents attacked Burmese police and paramilitary posts in what they said was an effort to protect their ethnic minority from persecution in the majority-Buddhist country. In response, the military unleashed "clearance operations" to root out the insurgents.

 Associated Press

BRAZIL

Businessman turns himself in in probe

The former chairman of the worlds largest meatpacker, whose testimony implicated Brazils president in corruption, turned himself in to police Sunday after the high court ordered his arrest.

Joesley Batista has avoided prosecution under a plea deal in which he described how meatpacking giant JBS had bribed dozens of politicians, including President Michel Temer.

Temer was charged with corruption on suspicion of orchestrating a scheme in which he would get payouts totaling millions of dollars for helping JBS resolve a business issue.

Temer has denied wrongdoing, and Brazils Congress voted in August that he would not stand trial on the charge while in office.

Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot said last week that he is investigating whether Batista and other cooperating witnesses omitted some information from their testimony, and he has threatened to revoke the deals if they didnt tell the truth.

The revelation came after Janots office received audio of a conversation between Batista and Ricardo Saud, an executive at J&F Investimentos, the holding company that controls JBS. The men apparently did not know they were being recorded, and Janot said it contained vague references to potentially illicit activity not previously disclosed.

Justice Edson Fachin said there was sufficient indication that Batista and Saud had withheld information from prosecutors when formalizing their plea bargains. Fachin ordered that both men be detained.

 Associated Press

Police kill 10 suspected militants in Cairo: Egypt said police killed 10 militants who sneaked into the capital from the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, the epicenter of an insurgency led by an affiliate of the Islamic State group. The Interior Ministry said the militants were hiding in two apartments, where they planned a "series of terrorist attacks" in central provinces, a reference to Cairo and its twin city of Giza.

 From news services
SPAIN

Catalans stage massive rally for independence

Hundreds of thousands of people packed the streets of downtown Barcelona on Monday to celebrate Catalonias national day, an anniversary that provided a stage for the many Catalans who hope to vote within weeks for the regions independence from Spain.

This years celebration came amid growing excitement and tension over the independence vote, planned for Oct. 1. Spains constitutional court has suspended the referendum while it considers its legality, but Catalan leaders say they will go ahead with it anyway.

Spains national government is doing all it can to stop the vote, which it calls illegal. Catalan independence parties said Mondays huge turnout in the regional capital  estimated by Barcelonas police at 1 million  was a show of strength that would add momentum to their cause.

 Associated Press

CHINA

Taiwanese activist pleads guilty in trial

A Taiwanese pro-democracy activist pleaded guilty Monday in a Chinese court to subverting the power of the state, but his wife dismissed the trial as a political show and his supporters said he had been forced to confess to crimes he didnt commit.

Lee Ming-ches trial marked Chinas first criminal prosecution of a nonprofit worker since Beijing passed a law tightening controls over foreign nongovernmental organizations.

Lee told the court in the central city of Yueyang that he had spread articles that maliciously attacked the Communist Party of China, Chinas existing system and Chinas government. He said he had also organized people and wrote articles intended to subvert the states power.

Today the whole world witnessed a political show with me, Lees wifesaid afterward.

Lee, 42, has conducted online lectures on Taiwans democratization and managed a fund for families of political prisoners in China.

The new law says foreign NGOs must not endanger Chinas national security and ethnic unity, and it subjects nonprofit groups to close police supervision.

 Associated Press

ISRAEL

Netanyahu deputy: Push Trump on Iran

A top deputy to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that the Israeli leader must push President Trump to freeze, change or cancel the international communitys nuclear deal with Iran during an upcoming trip to the United States.

Yisrael Katz, Israels minister for intelligence and strategic affairs, said at a security conference in the central Israeli city of Herzliya that changing the deal should be Netanyahus primary mission. Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump next week on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

Katz said the worlds failed attempts to negotiate a halt to North Koreas nuclear program provide a lesson. Iran is the new North Korea, he said. We need to act now so we wont be sorry tomorrow about what we didnt do yesterday.

The deal offered Iran relief from sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Israel has repeatedly claimed that the deal will not prevent Iran, its archenemy, from developing a nuclear weapons capability.

On Monday, Yukiya Amano, the head of the U.N. agency monitoring Irans compliance with the deal, said Iran is honoring the agreement.

 Associated Press

Red Cross staffer killed in Afghanistan: A physiotherapist working at an International Committee of the Red Cross rehabilitation center was shot by a patient in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province, the ICRC said. Spanish national Lorena Enebral Perez, 38, helped people who had lost limbs or had other forms of disability learn how to walk and feed themselves again. It was not clear whether the attack was politically motivated or related to a personal dispute. A police spokesman said two suspects have been arrested.

 From news services
Kenneth W. Starr, a former U.S. solicitor general and federal judge, served as independent counsel in the Whitewater and Monica Lewinsky investigations during the Clinton administration.

In the wake of the Islamic State's genocidal practices in Iraq, the plight of religious minorities on the plain of Nineveh continues unabated. But instead of sitting on its hands or issuing well-meaning but toothless resolutions, Congress is now only one step away from providing relief to hundreds of thousands of displaced people  including Christians, Yazidis and Muslims  in war-torn Iraq. All that remains is for the Senate to act on H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act, which was sponsored by Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) and Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) and passed the House of Representatives unanimously on June 6. Unanimity in the People's House shows that our government can work effectively in support of worthy and humane causes. The time has now come for the world's greatest deliberative body to act.

The tragic facts of unspeakable cruelty in northern Iraq are well known. A little over a decade ago, as many as 1.4 million Christians made their homes there, like generations before them. Through the Islamic State's murderous assaults that the European Parliament and more than 200 members of Congress have rightly condemned as genocide, the would-be rulers of the caliphate have left only a small remnant of religious and ethnic minorities  approximately 140,000 in Irbil and 50,000 more dispersed throughout the country. As many as 6,000 Christian refugees live precariously in repurposed shipping containers in Ankawa. An estimated 3,000 Yazidi women and girls are still enslaved by the Islamic State. In addition, in its path of destruction, the Islamic State demolished historical sites and monuments, including the 1,400-year-old St. Elijah monastery outside Mosul.

For many months, the U.S. government has been idle in the face of this historic crisis. Except for limited emergency funding from the government of Hungary, of all places, humanitarian relief has come almost entirely from private charities in the United States and around the world. Indeed, the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Irbil has provided virtually all of the shelter, food, medical care and education to more than 80,000 Christians who escaped the Islamic States clutches. The archdiocese has also provided humanitarian assistance to displaced Muslims and Yazidis.

As passed unanimously by the House in June, H.R. 390 directs the State Department to use already appropriated funds to provide assistance to minority ethnic and faith communities targeted by the Islamic State for atrocities. To be clear, this is allocation of existing funds that Congress has already set aside for exactly this kind of humanitarian need, not the appropriation of new funds.

The measure also seeks to bring justice to the plain of Nineveh in the wake of the Islamic States reign of terror, by directing the State Department to support criminal investigations and judicial actions against individuals suspected of committing genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. H.R. 390 further directs the secretary of state to encourage other countries to add identifying information about suspected perpetrators of these categories of crimes to their databases and security screening. In a similar vein, the measure directs the Justice Department to review existing federal statutes concerning these unspeakable crimes to determine the extent to which U.S. courts have jurisdiction over such crimes.

To date, none of the Senates 100 members has expressed the slightest reservation or concern about this entirely salutary measure. To pass the House without a single nay vote provides eloquent testimony to the indisputable merits of this worthy measure. But for whatever reason, since the Houses unanimous action in early June, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has allowed three months to pass without acting on or seeking to move H.R. 390 forward. Thats wasted time, when precious lives could have been spared.

As we have seen recently in my home state of Texas, the American people respond generously to natural disasters that force our fellow citizens and residents out of their homes. They open their own homes, their wallets and their hearts to help their displaced and suffering brothers and sisters, regardless of race or ethnicity. As a country, we have a special responsibility to care about the untold suffering in the Middle East. For better or worse, the United States has had boots on the ground, and in force, in that troubled part of the world for well over a decade. The reasons for the Islamic States takeover of large swaths of Iraq  as well as Syria  will be debated endlessly in the months and years to come. But that debate can and should proceed without in any way standing in the way of embracing a common-sense response to the profound human suffering that continues to plague tens of thousands of innocent civilians. All that is needed is for the Foreign Relations Committee to approve a universally supported measure that admirably reflects the fundamental decency and humanity of the American people.
Bill Frist is senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center and former Republican Senate majority leader from Tennessee. Andy Slavitt is former acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the Obama administration and senior adviser at the Bipartisan Policy Center. They co-chair the centers Future of Health Care Initiative.

At a meeting in California this spring, we sat down with a number of insurance company chief executives who are major participants in the Affordable Care Act exchanges. They asked us to carry back a message to Washington: Put partisanship aside and end federal uncertainty about support for the ACA; otherwise, they will end up setting premiums higher than necessary or withdrawing from markets across the country.

With only weeks before the exchanges open for business again, Washington has one more chance to take clear action to bring down premiums and help millions of American families.

As a Republican former Senate majority leader and a political appointee in the Obama administration, we have seen firsthand the impact partisanship can have on American families. Millions have benefited from the Affordable Care Act, gaining the security and consumer protections that come from insurance coverage. But at the same time, growing premiums and deductibles and limited competition burden patients in many parts of the country.

It doesnt have to be that way  so long as Congress can work together and act this month. We recently gathered a group of Democrats and Republicans at the Bipartisan Policy Center  both advocates and critics of the Affordable Care Act  to develop a set of concrete recommendations to address the cost of insurance premiums.

We developed five recommendations that could stabilize the individual health insurance market:

First  and most important  Congress should act to cut average premiums by 20 percent nationally. Lawmakers should commit to funding cost-sharing reduction subsidies for insurance companies in the ACA exchanges for 2018 and 2019. These payments reduce the size of deductibles for low-income people and are already accounted for in the federal budget. But the timing of this measure is critical. Congress and the president have only weeks to positively affect next years premiums.

Second, Congress should establish a targeted fund for states to use to bring down premiums. The cost of insurance for all of us can be affected by even a small number of expensive patients with complex medical conditions. Innovative efforts, as we have seen in Alaska, have demonstrated that this approach works.

Third, the federal government should cut its review time for approving state innovation applications in half, to a 90-day maximum. The ACA has provided states  such as Alaska  the opportunity to waive various provisions of the law with local innovations as long as important consumer protections are kept in place. Only two have been approved so far, but many more states have submitted applications, a pattern we hope continues. Done right, these innovations can improve competition and choice and reduce premiums while maintaining important protections.

Fourth, Congress should help middle-income consumers manage the size of their deductibles. It can do this by allowing consumers to temporarily increase the amount of money they can set aside for pretax health saving account contributions for 2018 and 2019 to equal the out-of-pocket limits for high-quality health plans.

Finally, the federal government should develop alternatives that allow states beginning in 2020 to potentially replace the ACA's mandate that most individuals buy coverage or face a penalty. The individual mandate plays an important role in keeping premiums low but is also unpopular with the American public. So even while this mandate is enforced, Congress should direct the administration to explore an option similar to one used in Medicare  automatically enrolling consumers in low-cost coverage and providing incentives to enroll on time.

We know that reaching across the aisle to compromise is difficult. No one will get everything they want, and members of both parties may have to agree to things that are distasteful to them.

But if Republicans and Democrats can take even a small public step to work together on health care, Congress and the president have the opportunity to bring the cost of insurance premiums down and make a positive impact in the lives of many Americans. They will also send a strong signal to insurers, states and the American public that they can count on Washington to work for them.
Columnist

The time has come for the United States to acknowledge that its policy of trying to induce North Koreas friends to rein in Pyongyang has failed. The best option for stopping the mounting nuclear threat from Kim Jong Uns regime is to muster maximum pressure without waiting for approval or cooperation from Beijing and Moscow.

As early as Monday, the U.N. Security Council could consider a new resolution put forth by the Trump administration that proposes cutting off North Koreas energy imports, textile exports and ability to deploy workers abroad, according to a leaked draft. If put to a vote, that resolution will likely fail in the face of Russian and Chinese resistance.

Should that happen, there will be no more excuse for the United States not to move forward with allies Japan and South Korea with crippling sanctions aimed at the regime, its institutions and its elite supporters. Until now, the administration has held back as it sought to persuade and prod Beijing to use its considerable leverage to bring Kim to heel.

Once the Trump administration acknowledges that China and Russia have done all they intend to, the United States can go much further unilaterally, or with allies, to finally test whether drastic sanctions, combined with tough diplomacy, can move Kim from his defiant position.

The amount of pressure North Korea has been put under economically is still far short of what we applied to Iran or even Iraq, a senior administration official said. There is a long way to go before North Korea is going to feel the pressure they would need to feel to change their calculus.

But time is running out as North Korea speeds up work on its nuclear program. Thats why Congress and parts of the North Korea expert community are ramping up calls for the Trump administration to pivot from using only those tools approved by China and Russia.

Ive watched the calibrated strategy which is enunciated by the administration and it doesnt work, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Edward R. Royce (R-Calif.) told me. I believe we have to come in full throttle with cutting off institutions, primarily financial institutions domiciled in China.

The Trump administration has dabbled in imposing sanctions on Chinese entities that help enable the Kim regimes illicit activities, but it has yet to cross the line into any area that might put delicate U.S.-China coordination at risk. Royce urged Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to put such measures into action during a briefing last week.

His committee also wrote a letter to the administration listing large Chinese entities ripe for sanctions, including the Chinese Agricultural Bank and the China Merchant Bank.

We have not had the resolve to put these sanctions on those major institutions, said Royce. Its time to go to maximum pressure.

There are risks in confronting large Chinese banks, which are essentially arms of the Chinese government. Former top Treasury Department official Adam Szubin testified to the Senate Banking Committee last week that imposing sanctions on the banks could harm the Chinese economy and have unintended consequences for the U.S. economy.

Nevertheless, he said, the United States should move forward: The only hope we have lies in a qualitatively different and more severe level of pressure  one that threatens Kim Jong Uns hold on power, Szubin testified.

Cutting off hard currency to the Kim regime could undermine Kims fragile position with the North Korean elites and military leaders whom he needs to keep happy. Moreover, Kim needs hard currency to continue to develop his nuclear and missile programs, which rely heavily on smuggled components from other countries.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said last week that even if Kim doesnt change course, crippling sanctions could slow his progress toward achieving the capability to threaten the United States.

Do we think more sanctions are going to work on North Korea? Not necessarily, she said at the American Enterprise Institute. But what does it do? It cuts off the revenue that allows them to build ballistic missiles.

Going after the regime's funding proved effective in 2005, when the Bush administration sanctioned a Macau bank laundering money for the Kim family. That led to a series of events that brought North Korea to the negotiating table. President Trump said recently that talking to the North Korean regime would not be productive, but his State Department is working toward direct diplomacy.

Whether the goal is to negotiate, undermine the regimes legitimacy or simply slow its nuclear progress, moving forward without China and Russia on maximum pressure is the right move. It may also be the last chance to avoid a binary choice between a nuclear North Korea that can blackmail the world or war.

Read more from Josh Rogin's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the European Commission in Brussels on Feb. 6. (Emmanuel Dunand/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

The Sept. 5 editorial "The Azeri payoff" was disappointing because it presented a distorted and a gloomy view of my nation. The concern for a fellow journalist, Mehman Aliyev, was understandable, yet the wholesale dismissal of Azerbaijan's judicial and tax system does not help either the rule of law or civil society development.

The Media Council, an umbrella group for various media organizations in Azerbaijan, openly raised its own concern with the editorial and criticized its excessive negativity. This is the same Media Council that recently called on the authorities to release Mr. Aliyev from pretrial detention. The Azerbaijani society speaks in many vibrant and varied voices. This is often missing from the news coverage.

Moreover, despite the strong partnership with the United States and its land still under Armenias protracted occupation, Azerbaijan has often been a subject of persistent narrow-focused negative campaigns.

Let us avoid the trap of predictable pessimistic stereotypes and follow a more balanced and productive approach.

Vugar Gurbanov, Washington

The writer is counselor for the

Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Columnist

Be wary of anyone who purports to understand the deep meaning of President Trump's decision to side with the Democrats on short-term budget issues. Nobody knows what he's up to, and this probably includes Trump himself.

Nonetheless, his recent foray into bipartisanship provides the occasion to explore the path he chose not to take at the beginning of his administration. He had the opportunity to put Democrats in a tight spot. Instead, he has spent his energies since Jan. 20 strengthening the hand of his opponents and weakening his own party.

If Trump had opened his presidency by detailing a major infrastructure plan, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and his colleagues would have had no choice but to cooperate, as Schumer himself signaled at the time. If Trump had also lived up to the promises of his campaign by proposing to make Obamacare better and not simply pushing for repeal, he might have fostered a similar spirit of bipartisan engagement.

He could have linked these Democratic-friendly ideas with an early call for tax cuts as part of tax reform, which would have made Republicans happy, as has his ongoing work to eviscerate Obama-era business regulations.

All this might have added to the deficit in a big way, but Trump has always lived on debt. This course would have been seen by some critics as philosophically muddled and by some conservatives as betrayal. But you can imagine that the prevailing wisdom in Washington would have praised him for breaking through stale political categories and rising above the old partisan fights. He could also have given himself more bargaining room by putting everyone, Democrats as well as Republicans, in play.

It could be that Trumps latest move is a reach for this lost chance, although it seemed to be more impulse than strategy. It was also sudden. No one on either side was prepared for Trumps embrace of Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) suggestion to pass hurricane relief now and to set up December as the time for serious haggling. Democrats are likely to have more leverage then.

Being who he is, Trump might have wanted to take a slap at his putative allies, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), both of whom he seems to dislike intensely. And perhaps he was looking for a few days of good headlines. Pelosi reported he reveled in the great media coverage he received, as good an indicator as any that this is a guy who operates day to day.

Trumps problem with moving from a relatively small policy gesture to an entirely new approach is that the immediate past cannot be erased.

He is a far weaker figure today than he was when he was inaugurated. His poll numbers are terrible, the Russia story has ballooned in importance, and Democrats are in no mood to throw him any lifelines. His words and actions on race and deportations have erected new moral barriers to any pragmatic turn toward working with him. "All he's done in eight months," said a senior Senate Democratic aide, "is make the price of cooperation a lot higher."

In the meantime, he has filled his Cabinet largely with conservative loyalists, further complicating any triangulation strategy involving Democrats. One member of his inner circle who might be best positioned to work with Democrats, Gary Cohn, his senior economic adviser, is apparently so on the outs that there are reports he may soon be gone. Trump might have run against GOP orthodoxy in the primaries, but so much of what he has done so far would have been in any right-wing Republican's playbook.

He is still somewhat distinctive in his nativism, but this hardly bodes well for cooperation with progressives and moderates. And oddly enough, the departure of nationalist-in-chief Stephen K. Bannon removed one voice in his circle advocating positions on infrastructure, trade and taxes that had at least something in common with Democratic views.

Democrats will certainly try to press the temporary advantage they seem to have on behalf of immigrants endangered by Trumps moves against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Theyll also push for Obamacare funding, an end to the debt ceiling and a variety of budget concessions.

We should have learned long ago that looking for coherence from this president is a fools errand. He may have happened on a wiser political strategy too late to do himself much good but just in time to hurt his already ailing party even more.

Read more from E.J. Dionne's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
ONE WOULD imagine that the Trump administration, which swept into power claiming to support the people who live in coal country, would prioritize federal spending on those very people's health. Instead, the Interior Department has halted a study on how so-called mountaintop-removal coal mining affects people who live around these landscape-stripping operations.

Ostensibly, the halt is part of a broad budgetary review. If so, Interior should restart the study quickly. It is a worthwhile use of government research money, and it should proceed no matter which constituency the president had promised to support.

Mountaintop-removal mining involves literally blowing the tops off mountains in order to extract coal deposits too thin for conventional subsurface mining. The explosions kick up a lot of dust. Rubble is filled into nearby valleys and streams. Heavy metals leach into waterways. Scientists have warned that they are seeing heightened rates of lung cancer, kidney disease, birth defects and other devastating illnesses around mountaintop removal sites. There is also mounting data showing that mountaintopremoval mining seriously harms local ecosystems.

The correlations that researchers have drawn require more careful study to determine how closely they relate to mountaintop removal, as opposed to poverty or other factors, and to recommend ways of addressing the issue. West Virginia officials have asked the federal government for more solid information. That is why the Interior Department tapped the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to conduct a two-year, $1 million study of these and other questions. A team of 12 experts was to characterize the mountaintop-removal process, assess potential effects, examine the data, and recommend ways to monitor peoples health and to conduct research for new safeguards.

But the department told the National Academies that it must cease its work, due to "an agency-wide review of its grants and cooperative agreements in excess of $100,000, largely as a result of our changing budget situation." In response, the National Academies insisted that Interior was putting the brakes on "an important study" and promised to "stand ready to resume it as soon as the Department of the Interior review is completed."

It is not big government for states to seek federal expertise on matters relating to their citizens welfare. And this particular study is no waste of time. There may not be as many operating mountaintop-removal sites as before. But if the practice is going to be used at all, there must be science-based standards. Moreover, state health officials should know about any legacy of illness and pain that may await communities around mountaintop-removal sites. The National Academies was charged with examining both active and reclaimed mining sites, of which there are hundreds.

President Trumps Interior Department can bury the science  whether in hope of keeping these disgusting operations in business a little longer, or in service of shortsighted budget cutting  but that will not solve any of the problems that would remain.
FILE - In this May 15, 2017 file photo, protesters wave signs and chant during a demonstration against President Donald Trump's revised travel ban outside a federal courthouse in Seattle. 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, rejected the Trump administration's limited view of who is allowed into the United States under the president's travel ban, saying grandparents, cousins and similarly close relations of people in the U.S. should not be prevented from coming to the country. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

ONCE AGAIN, a federal court has ruled against the Trump administration's temporary ban on admission into the United States of refugees and citizens of six majority-Muslim countries. And once again, the Justice Department is appealing the ruling to the Supreme Court  this time arguing that the government should not have to exclude from the ban grandparents or other close family members of people within the United States, along with refugees sponsored by American resettlement organizations, while the case is pending before the court.

It's not clear what the Justice Department hopes to gain by appealing this injunction against Mr. Trump's executive order, as the Supreme Court was already set to hear arguments on the ban's legality on Oct. 10. What's more, a significant portion of the ban will likely have expired by that date  and the rest before the justices can even rule on the case.

Mr. Trump's order halts entry into the United States by citizens of the six banned countries for 90 days and suspends refugee admissions for 120 days. After courts blocked the ban, Mr. Trump clarified that these clocks would begin ticking as soon as the policy was allowed to go into effect. Because the Supreme Court lifted in part the lower-court injunctions against the order on June 26, the refugee ban will expire in late October, and the entry ban at the end of September.

As a matter of law, the Supreme Court can't rule on a case that no longer presents an ongoing issue. Yet the Justice Department hasn't given any indication of awareness that the court might well dismiss the case without deciding whether the ban is legal. Not only is the department now battling over an injunction on a policy that likely expires in two weeks, but its opening brief before the Supreme Court didn't even address the issue.

If the White House wants to keep the case alive, Mr. Trump could declare that the clock has yet to start with respect to those immigrants and refugees with bona fide connections to the United States, for whom the ban has remained on pause. Or he might extend the order on the grounds that the government has been unable to conduct reviews of vetting procedures  ostensibly what the halt in travel was meant to allow  without the ban fully in place. He could even issue a new ban or make the existing order permanent.

Yet the governments best option would be to allow time to run out on an executive order lacking in any security benefit to justify its cruelty. Permitting the ban to expire would let the administration save face while avoiding the risk of a damaging Supreme Court decision that could not only strike down the order but also place lasting constraints on presidential power over immigration and national security. Lets hope that, despite its choice to appeal the injunction, the Justice Departments silence on the bans expiration is a sign that the government recognizes the opportunity to take the graceful way out.
As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump ventured far beyond the norms of political behavior when it came to the 9/11 terrorist attacks  blaming George W. Bush for failing to prevent the deadly assault and trafficking in bogus conspiracy theories about Muslims cheering the tragedy from rooftops.

But on Monday, in his first commemoration of the al-Qaeda attacks as president, Trump struck relatively traditional notes of resolve and patriotism.

These are horrible, horrible enemies  enemies like weve never seen before, Trump said during remarks at the Pentagon marking the 16th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

That apparently unscripted comment was as close as Trump got to applying his campaign trail catchphrase radical Islamic terrorism to the attacks directed by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Military and diplomatic leaders, among others, have discouraged such language as inflammatory and unhelpful, but Trump has continued to use it in some settings. Former Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannons conservative website, Breitbart News, took the president to task for the omission on Monday.



Visitors remember victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks at the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington on Monday. (Bonnie Jo Mount/Washington Post)

Were ensuring they never again have a safe haven to launch attacks against our country, Trump said in a brief, somber speech near the site where a hijacked jetliner slammed into the iconic five-sided Defense Department headquarters on Sept. 11, 2001. Two other planes hit and destroyed the World Trade Center, and a fourth crashed in rural Pennsylvania when passengers overpowered the hijackers.

We are making plain to these savage killers that there is no dark corner beyond our reach, no sanctuary beyond our grasp, and nowhere to hide anywhere on this very large Earth, he said.

Trump also did not mention his proposed temporary ban on immigration from several Muslim-majority nations, which he has said is needed to keep the United States safe from terrorism. He appeared to stick closely to a prepared text.

The horror and anguish of that dark day were seared into our national memory forever, Trump said of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

His own memory of the event, however, has often proved unreliable.

In November 2015, Trump claimed at a campaign event that residents of a New Jersey town with a large Muslim population had cheered as the twin towers fell.

I watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down, Trump said then. And I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down. Thousands of people were cheering.



President Trump listens during a ceremony to commemorate the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, at the Pentagon on Monday. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg)

[Fact Check: Trumps disproved claim that N.J. Muslims cheered on 9/11]

The claim has repeatedly been debunked as a hoax, including by police, but Trump stuck to it the next day in an interview on ABCs This Week.

It did happen. I saw it, Trump said then. It was on television. I saw it.

Challenged, Trump added this:

There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down.

The Democratic mayor of Jersey City, home to about 15,000 Muslims, tweeted at the time that either @realDonaldTrump has memory issues or willfully distorts the truth, either of which should be concerning for the Republican Party.

A few months later, during a Republican primary debate, Trump suggested that competitors Jeb Bush and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) were soft on terrorism for their defense of former president George W. Bush.

The World Trade Center came down during the reign of George Bush, Trump said dismissively. He kept us safe? That is not safe. That is not safe.

Trump also blamed former Democratic president Bill Clinton for not killing bin Laden when he had the chance and said that Bush had the chance, also, and he didnt listen to the advice of his CIA.

The moment revealed Trumps iconoclastic willingness to criticize Republicans even as he sought to lead them, as well as his get-tough rhetoric on terrorism. Both were qualities voters prized in making him the nominee and the president.

[Trump slams another GOP senator, warning Corker Tennessee not happy]

Trump has spoken publicly about the 9/11 attacks frequently, starting long before the New York businessman became a 2016 presidential candidate. His observations and claims have ranged from empathetic to boastful to snide.

On the day of the attacks, the Queens native told New York television station WWOR that one of his buildings, 40 Wall Street, had reclaimed its position as the tallest building in Lower Manhattan. He also made false or exaggerated statements during the interview, including claiming that he witnessed people jumping to their deaths  even though the World Trade Center was more than four miles away from Trump Tower.

In 2011, he claimed to have predicted the attacks in his 2000 book The America We Deserve. On the 9/11 anniversary in 2013, he wrote on Twitter, I would like to extend my best wishes to all, even the haters and losers, on this special date, September 11th.

Trumps tone Monday, by contrast, was inclusive and reflective.

On that day, not only did the world change, but we all changed, Trump said. Our eyes were opened to the depths of the evil we face. But in that hour of darkness, we also came together with renewed purpose. Our differences never looked so small, our common bonds never felt so strong.

Earlier, Trump led a moment of silence at the White House. Trump and first lady Melania Trump walked onto the South Lawn and stood as bells tolled. They then bowed their heads and stood silently before placing their hands on their hearts as a bugler played taps.

Trump, a frequent early morning tweeter, did not post any messages ahead of the 8:46 a.m. ceremony at the White House. In the afternoon, he posted a Twitter montage of images of him and Melania Trump during both events.

May God Forever Bless the United States of America, Trump tweeted, adding the hashtag, #NeverForget911.

Former National Security Council legal adviser John B. Bellinger III, who was in the White House Situation Room during the attacks and had criticized Trumps national-security credentials during the campaign, praised his handling of Mondays ceremonies.

President Trumps moment of silence at the White House and remarks at the Pentagon were sober and presidential, Bellinger said. His remarks were well-written, and he stuck to them and steered clear of anything political or divisive.
Election campaign posters show Angela Merkel, German chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Union party, and Martin Schulz, leader of Germany's Social Democratic party, in Bonn, Germany, September 7. (Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters)

In 2015, suspected Russian hackers broke into the computer networks of the German Parliament and made off with a mother lode of data  16 gigabytes, enough to account for a million or more emails.

Ever since, German politicians have been watching nervously for the fruits of that hack to be revealed, and for possible embarrassment and scandal to follow. Many warily eyed September 2017  the date of the next German election  as the likely window for Russian meddling to once again rattle the foundations of a Western democracy.

But with the vote only two weeks away  and with Russian President Vladimir Putins European nemesis, Chancellor Angela Merkel, seemingly on track for a comfortable win  the hacked emails havent materialized.

Nor have Russian-linked propaganda networks churned into overdrive with disinformation campaigns. Even Kremlin-orchestrated bots  blamed for the viral spread of fake news in last years U.S. presidential campaign  have been conspicuously silent.

The apparent absence of a robust Russian campaign to sabotage the German vote has become a mystery among officials and experts who had warned of a likely onslaught.

[The emerging timeline of Obama and Russia that is giving Democrats heartburn]

Have Germanys defensive measures  significantly boosted after the hacks and propaganda campaigns that preceded last Novembers U.S. vote  actually succeeded? Or has Russia decided to pull back, reckoning that the costs of antagonizing Merkel outweigh the benefits?

Or perhaps Moscow is simply biding its time.

"That's what makes me worried," said Maksymilian Czuperski, director of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab. "Why is it so quiet? It doesn't feel right."

Much is at stake for Russia in the German vote. Merkel, a Russian speaker who has jousted with Putin throughout her 12-year tenure as chancellor, is critical to the Western alliances chances of hanging together amid a concerted Russian campaign to pick it apart.

To her left and her right are German parties that have advocated a far softer line on Moscow. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, in particular, has taken stands that would please Putin, including calls to abolish the European Union.

Putin has denied that his government is behind efforts to influence elections in the United States and beyond, while coyly acknowledging that patriotically minded Russians may be acting on their own.

But if Russia was hoping to undermine Merkel before the Sept. 24 vote, it doesnt appear to be working: Her center-right party has remained well ahead of all competitors in all polls, while the AfDs support seems to have topped out at about 10 percent.

Whether Russia makes a concerted push to meddle may not be known until election night  or beyond. German authorities are certainly not yet declaring victory, and they have urged politicians and the public to remain on alert as the campaign hits the homestretch.

In recent days, German cybersecurity officials have warned that Russian-linked networks may try to manipulate the vote count, perhaps throwing the outcome into disarray. And the countrys top domestic intelligence officer said his staff is conducting hourly checks of sites such as BTleaks to make sure theres no fresh sign of the hacked documents from the Bundestag, the German Parliament.

[Homeland Security official: Russian government actors tried to hack election systems in 21 states]

Meanwhile, a leading Merkel ally reported that on the eve of the campaigns only nationally televised debate this month, her website was hit with thousands of cyberattacks  many of which appeared to emanate from Russian IP addresses.

But overall, officials and experts say the scale of apparent Russian interference is far lower than they had expected.

Volker Wagner, chairman of the German Association for Security in Industry and Commerce, said his group recently conducted a comprehensive survey of its members on the issue and came up empty.

The organization, which works closely with German intelligence agencies to counteract shared threats, did not find any evidence . . . that there are more sophisticated attacks coming from Russia in the pre-election period.

Czuperski, meanwhile, said the stream of fake news and bot-spread disinformation had visibly slowed.

If evidence of Russian meddling continues to be minimal, experts say, there may be valuable lessons in understanding why Germany has proved unusually resilient.

One is that German authorities have been especially aggressive in trying to publicize and combat Russian sabotage efforts as they emerge  a contrast to the United States, where the Obama administration last year was reluctant to sound the alarm on what intelligence agencies later concluded was a concerted Russian campaign to help then-candidate Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.

When pro-Russian news outlets began circulating a story last year about a Russian-German girl named Lisa who was allegedly abducted and raped by Arab migrants, German officials shot down the story and accused Moscow of political propaganda.

German intelligence officials have also named Russian-linked groups as the likely culprit behind the Bundestag hack, and they have been outspoken in their belief that Moscow will try to sway the German electorate against Merkel.

German lawmakers, meanwhile, in June passed stringent legislation that imposes multimillion-euro fines on companies that fail to remove fake news and defamatory content from their websites.

The legislation, which was vigorously opposed by Facebook and other social media firms, does not go into effect until October. But already, companies have begun to comply.

Patrick Sensburg, a Merkel ally in Parliament and an intelligence expert, said he has reported some 30 accounts to Facebook in the past several months that he suspects of being pro-Russian bots. The accounts all have the same friends, offer no personal details and use the same language to attack him.

Theyll say, Are you a Muslim? or Merkel let everybody in or Youre selling out our country,  he said.

In most cases, he said, Facebook has acted on his complaints by taking the accounts down.

Were in the beginning on social media of the fight against fake news and fake accounts, he said.

[Russias election meddling backfired  big-time]

German defense may not account entirely for the apparent lack of a game-changing Russian offense.

Sijbren de Jong, a Russia expert at the Hague Center for Strategic Studies, said the Russians may have decided to play a less aggressive role in the German vote after they "overplayed their hand in the U.S."

For a variety of reasons, de Jong said, direct interference in German elections would be a risky bet. Not least are the economic considerations for two countries that remain close trading partners, despite sanctions that Merkel has championed.

The German economy is a large market for key Russian companies, he said. You dont bite the hand that feeds you.

Nor do you meddle in a vote where the outcome appears preordained. Several German parties  including the far-right AfD, the center-left Social Democrats and the far-left Die Linke, or the Left  have far more Moscow-friendly policies than the ones espoused by Merkels Christian Democrats.

But even after 12 years of Merkel, German voters appear in little mood to shake up the system and veer away from her studied centrism.

"The intention [of Russia] is to destabilize European society," said Annegret Bendiek, an analyst with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. "In Germany, that's not so easy."

Bendiek said it is still possible that in the waning days of the campaign, Russian operatives will try to unsettle things. But shes doubtful. Even the hacked Bundestag documents may never see the light of day, if only because the people who stole them may have concluded that they wouldnt change anything if they did.

Hacking into the inner sanctum of German politics was one thing. But finding anything salacious or tawdry among what are likely to be hundreds of thousands of tedious policy documents, Bendiek said, is quite another.

Its been my job for 10 years to read these kinds of documents, she said. You cant imagine. They are so boring.

Luisa Beck contributed to this report.

Read more

A new face in German politics wanted to shake the country. But now Germans ask why.

The last British lynx was killed 1,300 years ago. Now the wild cat may be poised for a comeback.

For Britains populist right, Brexit success comes with a poisoned pill

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news